Hong Kong: 3 virus cases found in Lai Kok Estate The Government today announced that three positive COVID-19 cases were found in the compulsory testing exercise for the restricted area concerning Lai Fu House of Lai Kok Estate in Sham Shui Po. It made a restriction-testing declaration yesterday to cover the building where about 720 people were tested. The Centre for Health Protection will follow up on the cases. This story has been published on: 2022-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Doan Hong Trang to represent Vietnam at Miss Global 2022 in Indonesia Doan Hong Trang, the winner of a beauty contest in the central region in 2016, will represent Vietnam at Miss Global 2022, which will be held in Bali, Indonesia, from June 1 to 11. Doan Hong Trang to represent Vietnam at Miss Global 2022 in Indonesia Born in 1995 in Binh Thuan Province, Trang is 1.73 metres tall with measurements of 86-60-92. She was in top 40 at Miss Universe Vietnam 2017. Trang will leave for Indonesia on May 31. The final round of the contest is scheduled to take place on June 11. Launched in 2011, Miss Global is a global beauty pageant for single women aged 1835. The 2019 event attracted 74 beauties from countries and territories worldwide. The 2022 contest is resumed following two years of interruption due to COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected to welcome contestants from more than 70 countries and territories around the globe. By Trend A virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Monday was very successful as about 20 countries have announced new security assistance packages for Ukraine's Armed Forces. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, said this after the meeting, Trend reports citing Ukrinform. Austin stressed that new initiatives in support of Ukraine were announced at the meeting. He clarified that many countries also provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with ammunition, armored vehicles and other equipment. In addition, according to him, many countries provide training for representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Milley, in turn, said that this time the Ukraine Contact Group has increased to 47 countries, which he said is a very important signal He said today's meeting was a great opportunity to coordinate joint efforts in order to provide timely and effective support and military assistance to Ukraine. The military leaders also said that the next meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group would take place in person in Brussels on June 15, in the margins of the NATO defense ministerial in Brussels. Protesters block Yerevan-Sevan road Japan to ease border restrictions further from 10 June Turkey recruits Afghans to fight on side of Ukraine Armenia Parliament speaker receives delegation headed by Montenegro President Reuters: US and Ukraine discuss risk of escalation as new weapons expand capabilities Mayor of Paris arrives in Yerevan on official visit Azerbaijani authorities propose to hold meeting of Turkic Speaking Countries in occupied Shushi Armenia Ambassador to France and Mayor of Cannes discuss Karabakh situation Armenia PM's wife meets with businessman and co-owner of Franck Muller company Armenia PM sends congratulatory message to Uruguay President US to approve supply of long-range missile systems to Ukraine Armenia President holds number of meetings in Davos, introducing country's development programs NATO countries informally agree not to supply tanks and combat aircraft to Ukraine EEU leaders to take part in meeting of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council WhatsApp to change rules for handling confidential messages Twitter investors sue billionaire Elon Musk Hungary needs 3.5 to 4 years to give up Russian oil German authorities plan to suspend pandemic rules for summer entry Africa: 1.8 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty due to crisis in Ukraine Shell is negotiating with consortium of Indian energy companies to sell its stake in Sakhalin-2 Turkish Security Council says 'operation' in Syria 'is not directed against territorial integrity of country' Former Louvre president faces preliminary charges of fraud and money laundering Senegal hospital fire kills 11 babies NEWS.am digest: Azerbaijan returns Armenian soldier, Armenias 1st satellite launched into space Greece tells UN Secretary General Turkey is challenging its sovereignty Ishkhan Saghatelyan introduces action plan for coming days Blinken says US considers China long-term challenge to global order G7 countries could lead way in phasing out coal Albania offers Naval base to NATO Resistance Movement rally starts on France Square Soldier Eduard Martirosov, handed over by Azerbaijani side, already in Yerevan Twitter to pay $150 million for leaking user data Resistance movement ends its protest outside government building EU states announce freezing of about EUR 23 billion of assets of Russian Central Bank Saghatelyan announces successful rally outside Armenian government building Over $6.2 million assigned to Armenian National Security Service Armenia imposes 6-month ban on exports of some agricultural products Robert Habeck: EU can still strike a deal on an embargo on Russian oil imports Montenegro President pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims in Yerevan Saghatelyan: From now on Pashinyan will see people only from behind iron curtain Olaf Scholz: 'Putin must not win this war' Resistance Movement Procession approaches Armenian Government building Police try to prevent Resistance Movement procession from approaching Armenian government building Bayramov: We expect that specific document will be presented at next meeting Dollar, euro continue to fall in Armenia Macron highlights need to respect sovereign choice of Sweden and Finland Pashinyan receives director of International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas Inflation in Zimbabwe exceeds 100% per annum in May Resistance Movement starts procession in Yerevan Over half of Americans favor tougher gun laws Iran offers to organize negotiations between Russia and Ukraine Azerbaijan FM does not rule out new phone conversations with Armenia FM Queensland becomes second Australian state to ban Nazi symbols Montenegro President arrives in Armenia Putin proposes to form strategy for Eurasian Union economic development Putin sees no problem in some IT specialists moving from Russia to Armenia Georgia President calls referendum in South Ossetia provocation by Russia Putin names share of settlements in national currencies in the EAEU Putin calls on Eurasian Union to speed up dialogue on transition from SWIFT system Cavusoglu: Turkey doesn't intend to stop buying natural gas from Russia Turkey, Azerbaijan are negotiating the joint production of Akinci UAVs Biden: US will continue to support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course Resistance Movement supporters march to France Square in Yerevan Stoltenberg calls on NATO countries to prepare for long-term support for Ukraine Armenian authorities propose to unite 13 large communities into 5 Turkey intends to create technoparks in Azerbaijan TV presenter killed in militant attack in Kashmir PM: Average salary in Armenia increased by $45 Armenian sports federations to receive additional $420,000 Azerbaijan returns Armenian POW to Yerevan Axios: Biden advisers secretly visited Saudi Arabia for oil contracts Ararat Mirzoyan, Andrzej Kasprzyk discuss work of commission on border delimitation with Azerbaijan Pashinyan tells US envoy about importance of Washington's clear position on Karabakh issue Erdogan to visit Baku on May 28 Azerbaijan to send another batch of aid to Ukraine UN Security Council to hold meeting on North Korea on May 26 Ruling party: Baku isn't determined to fail process of delimitation of Armenian-Azerbaijani border Senegal hospital fire kills 11 newborns March and rally to be held in Stepanakert on May 28 Artsakh parliament delegation meets with Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Google disables some of servers in Russia speed up the download of content Copper is getting cheaper Resistance movement supports protests of missing and fallen soldiers' families Pashinyan: By the end of 2023, a satellite control center and a receiving station will be created in Armenia State Department urges not to disconnect Russia from Internet PM: Armenia's first satellite launched into space Gold prices are falling Procession of opposition supporters to building of Supreme Judicial Council of Armenia Oil rises in price Foreign Minister of Artsakh visits South Ossetia US Secretary of State welcomes 1st meeting of Armenian-Azerbaijani commissions Dodon considers accusations against him as political reprisal by Sandu Hungary urges to remove issue of embargo on Russian oil imports from EU agenda Russia, Iran agree to increase share of national currencies in foreign trade settlements US arrests Iraqi in connection with plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush NEWS.am digest: Pashinyan says controversial wording was Charles Michels initiative Ex-minister: Azerbaijan, Turkey will demand Russian peacekeepers leave, citing peace agreement Resistance Movement holds rally in Yerevan Cavusoglu: Turkey, Israel are ready to evaluate possibility of appointing ambassadors JPost: Turkey threatens to invade Syria and new ethnic cleansing Sweden denies providing any financial aid or military support to Kurdish groups or organizations in Syria, arguing that Turkey is using it to support its opposition to Sweden's and neighboring Finland's NATO bids. Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syrian crisis thanks to its global allocations to humanitarian organizations, Foreign Minister Anne Linde told Aftonbladet newspaper. She noted that cooperation in the northeast of Syria is carried out primarily through the UN and international organizations. Sweden does not provide targeted support to the Syrian Kurds or political or military structures in northeast Syria, but the population of these areas certainly takes part in these aid projects, she added. Turkey listed five specific guarantees it is demanding from Sweden, including ceasing political support for terrorism, eliminating a source of terrorist financing, and ceasing military support to the PKK and its affiliated Syrian Kurdish group. The demands also include the lifting of sanctions against Turkey. Turkey has been demanding the extradition of Kurdish fighters and other suspects since 2017, but has not received a positive response from Stockholm. Among other things, Ankara claims that Sweden has decided to allocate $376 million to support Kurdish fighters in 2023 and provided them with military equipment, including anti-tank weapons and drones. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to launch a new military operation in Syria to "secure" Turkey's southern border. On Wednesday, a Swedish-Finnish delegation will visit Turkey to discuss Ankara's objections to the Nordic bid for NATO membership. Tomorrow morning at 08:00, the acts of disobedience will continue. They will start from France Square, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ishkhan Saghatelyan said during a rally in France Square. "We continue the pressure, the blockade of buildings, the acts of disobedience," he said. Saghatelyan noted that today when opposition deputies entered the Foreign Ministry building, they only wanted to ask officials if there was anyone among them who could assure that Artsakh would never be part of Azerbaijan, but no official could say so. According to him, it is illogical to support Nikol Pashinyan after the 44-day war, and now that it is obvious that he is once again leading the country into concessions. "Don't take this responsibility, don't share the responsibility for this position, don't support Nikol, because his only support is the law enforcement agencies, which will not be able to stop the people's outrage," he said. "Today, those who help Nikol stay in power are contributing to the loss of Artsakh, our statehood," he said. The new French Foreign Minister believes that the EU will reach an agreement on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. "We must adopt as quickly as possible the sixth package of sanctions that foresees the progressive end of the imports of Russian oil and to lift the remaining hesitations," Catherine Colonna told a news conference alongside her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Berlin. "We hope do it quickly and I'm optimistic." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who opposes a phased embargo on Russian oil, wrote a letter to the President of the European Council on May 23 saying it was unlikely a solution would be found at a meeting of EU heads of state next week. The column, on its first trip abroad since its appointment as foreign minister, sought to highlight the importance of the Franco-German partnership. Coming to Berlin as a first step was obvious. Franco-German cooperation is necessary in normal times, and even more so in times of crisis, she said. Both ministers said their countries would continue to step up military, humanitarian and financial support for Ukraine. The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced "tangible progress" after a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels. Warmly welcome first meeting of Border Commissions held today on Armenia-Azerbaijan border to advance discussions on delimitation of inter-state border and how best to ensure stable situation. Tangible progress following trilateral meeting with Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev," he tweeted. As previously reported, within the framework of the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries, on the basis of relevant instructions, on May 24, the first meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan and the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev took place on the interstate border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the format of joint work of commissions on border security and delimitation of the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The parties reaffirmed their readiness to work within the framework of commissions on border demarcation and other relevant issues, including border security issues. The two also discussed organizational and procedural issues of joint activities of the commissions. An agreement was reached to hold the second meeting in Moscow, and the third in Brussels. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the digest of top news of protests in Yerevan as of 24.05.22: Armenian Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan met his Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev today, on the interstate border of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The meeting took place as part of the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries in Brussels, on joint work of the two national commissions on border delimitation and security. The two prime ministers discussed organizational and procedural issues of joint activities. An agreement was reached to hold the second such meeting in Moscow, and the third one in Brussels. Following the Brussels meeting with Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today had a phone talk with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken highly appreciated the efforts of the Armenian government to establish peace and stability in the region, as well as the process of democratic reforms in Armenia. The sides exchanged views on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the opening of regional communications, and issues of regional security. Pashinyan shared his impressions of the trilateral meeting held in Brussels on May 22, noting that he generally assesses it positively, however, he said, unfortunately, after the meeting, comments were made that had nothing to do with the content of the discussions. Most probably Pashinyan was referring to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs recent comment. In his phone talk with Turkish President Erdogan the Azerbaijani leader stated that in Brussels, during the talks with the Armenian prime minister and the president of the European Council, the parties came to an agreement on opening the so-called Zangezur corridor, including the construction of both rail and road. Yerevan has denied the existence of any such agreement. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also welcomed the third trilateral meeting organized by the President of the EU Council President Charles Michel with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels. He expressed hope to see practical steps supporting the dynamics towards sustainable peace. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian-Iranian diplomatic relations, the Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri gave an interview to NEWS.am. During the interview, Zohouri referred to President Ilham Aliyevs claims to open the salled Zangezur corridor through the Armenian province of Syunik bordering iran. The envoy once again noted that the need to respect internationally recognized borders is the clear position of Iran, which has been affirmed by all officials at various levels. Of course, we welcome the implementation of the agreements reached between the neighboring countries within the framework of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries, we believe this is useful for increasing stability in the region, and for the well-being of the people of the region, he noted. Armenian opposition and their supporters stormed today the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding that minister Ararat Mirzoyan should resign since they believe he serves the interests of Prime Minister nikol Pashinyan rather than those of the Republic of Armenia. They surrounded the building first, and after clashes with the police, sticking the Nagorno Karabakh flags on the windows, some opposition members of parliament were allowed to enter the ministry and meet with two deputy ministers. Western countries are engaged in blackmail and intrigues against the CSTO member states, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated. Western countries, he said, are trying to undermine allied relations between the CSTO states and are exerting pressure on Russias allies. Undisguised threats, blackmail, intrigues are used, Shoigu said during a meeting of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers. According to him, in this situation, even greater unity is required from the CSTO members and Russia will provide the allies with the necessary assistance in neutralizing threats and defending sovereignty. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also referred to the Russian military operation in Ukraine. He once again noted that Russia does not target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. He said a regime of silence is often declared to allow the residents to leave the surrounded settlements, which slows down the speed of the offensive. But this is being done deliberately in order to avoid civilian casualties, Shoigu added. In an exclusive interview with the Armenian News - NEWS.am EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar has commented on the trilateral meeting of the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and European Council President Charles Michel held in Brussels on 22 May. According to European Council Presidents statement following the Brussels trilateral summit, the leaders agreed on the need to start unblocking transport links and on principles governing transit between western Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan, and between different parts of Armenia via Azerbaijan. Please, clarify what transit between different parts of Armenia via Azerbaijan means: does it also include the possible transit in case Armenia passes to Azerbaijan the territories that Baku considers as its exclaves? The leaders looked at broad principles which would provide a framework to govern future transit and international transport once the connectivity infrastructure is unblocked. Details will be worked out by Deputy Prime Ministers. To my knowledge, the particular issue of exclaves/enclaves was not discussed by the leaders during their meeting on 22 May in Brussels. I believe it was not particularly discussed by them as a separate agenda point on previous occasions either. Charles Michels statement that he has stressed to both leaders the necessity of addressing the rights and security of the ethnic Armenian population in Karabakh, has been perceived in Armenia as a sign, that the possibility of ensuring the rights and security of the Nagorno-Karabakh people within Azerbaijan is on the agenda of negotiations. Can you, please, specify, what Charles Michel meant by the above-mentioned phrasing? What is the EUs position on the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh and the right of the Nagorno-Karabakh people to self-determination? President Michel emphasized the fact that, in his view, in addition to talks on inter-state relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was important to address the issue of the rights and security of the ethnic Armenian population in Karabakh. Interstate relations are naturally very important and need to be normalized. As we know very well, rights and security in an inter-ethnic context were among the core issues at the origin of the conflict. Without addressing this topic, we cannot arrive at a comprehensive lasting solution. As far as status and self-determination are concerned, the EU has always had a clear position: we will support any agreement that would guarantee a long-term sustainable solution. Peace processes tend to be accompanied by fears, emotions, speculations, and misinterpretations this is natural. In this context, it is important that the process be as transparent as possible so that societies have a clear understanding of what is being discussed. There is also a need to defuse tensions and lower the rhetoric. The EU welcomed the remarks made by Armenian Prime Minister N. Pashinyan in Parliament on 13 April and also recent positions expressed by Azerbaijani President I. Aliyev on the need to turn the page of enmity and ensure a safe and positive future for all conflict-affected populations on the ground, be it the ethnic Armenian population or the displaced persons from past hostilities. During the call conversation with the Turkish President, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that among the agreements reached in Brussels on May 22, was the one on opening the so-called Zangezur corridor. The Armenian side has denied this. Are you aware of any such agreement reached in Brussels? On this particular aspect, I want to reiterate that the discussions in Brussels addressed the issue of connectivity and principles for reopening communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the sovereignty of both countries. The EU also sometimes uses the term transport corridor when talking about roads or railways inside the EU. It is important to stress here that both sides explicitly acknowledged that there were no extraterritorial claims in relation to the communications that would be reopened. It is good to be clear about that as this allows us to address concerns and misperceptions which are sometimes raised in this context where confidence still needs to deepen. The parties also discussed practical arrangements for border controls, fees, safety and security, and in the case of international transport to third countries, also customs. On our side, we hope that the discussion between the leaders on Sunday will pave the way to unblocking these roads as the connectivity potential, also with an emphasis on the growing opportunities of the Middle Corridor transit between Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the EU in mind. We warmly welcome the first meeting of the border commissions that took place today, 24 May, on the inter-state border between the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The particular issue of exclaves/enclaves was reportedly not discussed by the leaders during the meeting of the head of the European Council with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar told Armenian News - NEWS.am. "The leaders looked at broad principles which would provide a framework to govern future transit and international transport once the connectivity infrastructure is unblocked. Details will be worked out by Deputy Prime Ministers. "To my knowledge, the particular issue of exclaves/enclaves was not discussed by the leaders during their meeting on 22 May in Brussels. I believe it was not particularly discussed by them as a separate agenda point on previous occasions either," he said. When asked if he was aware of any agreement on the opening of the so-called Zangezur corridor, which was announced by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and which was denied by the Armenian side, Toivo Klaar said: "On this particular aspect, I want to reiterate that the discussions in Brussels addressed the issue of connectivity and principles for reopening communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the sovereignty of both countries." "The EU also sometimes uses the term transport corridor when talking about roads or railways inside the EU. "It is important to stress here that both sides explicitly acknowledged that there were no extraterritorial claims in relation to the communications that would be reopened. It is good to be clear about that as this allows us to address concerns and misperceptions which are sometimes raised in this context where confidence still needs to deepen. "The parties also discussed practical arrangements for border controls, fees, safety and security, and in the case of international transport to third countries, also customs. "On our side, we hope that the discussion between the leaders on Sunday will pave the way to unblocking these roads as the connectivity potential, also with an emphasis on the growing opportunities of the Middle Corridor transit between Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and the EU in mind. "We warmly welcome the first meeting of the border commissions that took place today, 24 May, on the inter-state border between the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan." By Azernews The number of representatives of martyrs' families and war participants wishing to set up non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has been steadily growing after the second Karabakh war, Head of the Presidential Administration's Department for Work with NGOs and Communications Vusal Guliyev said. He made the remarks at public hearings on promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development on May 23. Guliyev noted that some participants of the second Karabakh war would like to benefit by establishing NGOs. "As many as 200 people have applied for registration of their NGOs up until now. I find it necessary to proceed with the registration process only after a thorough investigation since most of them are engaged in racketeering activity even without registration," Guliyev added. Azerbaijan has allocated over 9 million AZN ($ 5m) to compensate damages to its citizens who suffered from Armenia's aggression during the 44-day war over Azerbaijan's Karabakh region. Fabrics that can sense the temperature surrounding a person and contract or expand in response. Massive geometric shapes used to combat beach erosion in the Maldives. And weather balloons that can take flight independently, then coalesce over an ocean. These are just a few of the projects that Skylar Tibbits and his Self-Assembly Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working on that challenge our current ideas of what smart objects truly are. We are interested in trying to embed intelligence into simple materials and their relationship to life, said Tibbits, an associate professor of design research in MITs Department of Architecture. We want to take wood, metals, plastics, sand, and different rubbers, and advance them into smart systems. The smarter things are, the more devices they have today. We want to make things that are smartwhere smart means less and more simple but more agency. Tibbits was the keynote speaker for the Smart Cities Miami 2022 conference, hosted by the University of Miamis School of Architecture and Institute for Data Science and Computing last week. The conference focused on how cities are becoming more digitally connecteda trend hastened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a forum for our larger communitynot just academics, but entrepreneurs and innovators in the public and private sector building one of the fastest-growing cities in North America, said Rodolphe el-Khoury, dean of the School of Architecture, in reference to growing investments in tech startups and real estate development in Miami and South Florida. During his lecture, Tibbits gave examples of projects his lab explores, like seeing how wood could be manipulated based on its physical properties. He also explained how his lab is working to help guide materials toward self-assembly, reducing the reliance on humans or robots to construct products, which often adds more layers for mistakes. Today, we build robots and machines; tomorrow we build smarter materials and environments, he added. In another panel, industry leaders and University faculty members discussed the challenges and opportunities for cities with the growth of new technology. Laercio Albuquerque, vice president of Cisco Latin America, said that while access to the internet was the primary concern in the past, now the mindset must shift to how the technology is used so that advances, such as telehealth, are available to everyone. Now is the time to use technology to include societyand to take care of people, he said. We are moving toward 100 billion devices connected, so we need to use this momentum to improve peoples lives. Microsoft managing technical director Eumar Dias de Assis said the pandemic forced businesses and cities alike to adopt cloud computing and connectedness, but with that, these entities need to ensure they are securing their technology, as well as the systems now connected to it. He also mentioned the importance of analyzing the data cities collect to help inform decisions. We now have sensors throughout cities, but cities need to be able to manage and transform that data into useful information, Dias de Assis said, adding the tech industry also needs to find ethical ways of collecting and transforming data so it represents every sector of the population. Translating data into decisions is something Margaret Brisbane, Miami-Dade Countys director of information technology, knows well. In her conference session on the countys evolving technology infrastructure, she noted that data guides every recommendation she makes. In a panel about how extended reality (XR) will impact cities, Denise Mendez, a mixed reality software engineer at Microsoft, mentioned a new platform the company is creating called Mesh, which could shift meetings from 2-D video conferences to 3-D virtual reality experiences, where people could attend using their avatar or a digital hologram. We want to be the poster child for collaboration, and this technology is ideal for that, said Mendez, who leads the environmental understanding and data science team. Another discussion delved into how the building industry is shifting toward smarter ways of operating, like using 3-D printing, so that plans can be completed more efficiently. Luisel Zayas, an architect and digital fabrication expert who founded his own design firm, is exploring 3-D printing to make corals that could protect his native Puerto Rico from hurricanes. Matthew Trimble, director of product development from Chattanooga-based Branch Technology, also talked about reducing waste in construction by harnessing data to guide building designs. We are trying to build packets of data around how to make facades with existing building codes and materials in mind, so that we can understand wind loads, climactic and other conditions, and dont have to customize each project as much, he said. Senior computer engineering student Emnet Yebeltal said he enjoyed learning about all the new ideas at the conference, particularly those offered by Tibbits. It was cool to see the future of programming materials and how its moving toward building things that adapt to the environment, he said. Sophomore Rajvi Shah, who is studying geography and sustainable development, was particularly struck by the mention from economics professor David Kelly during one panel that many government regulations barred cities from experimenting with new technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps if we have a more experimental approach to cities, we may be able to get farther, she said. The second day of the conference was programmed in collaboration with Conconcreto, a Colombian construction and engineering company with a recently established base in Miami. Three panels focused on new technologies and their impact on the building industry. Glencore fined more than US$1bn Glencore has reached settlements with authorities in the United States, Brazil and Britain, but still faces probes in Switzerland and Holland. File photo: Shutterstock Glencore will pay about US$1.1 billion to US and Brazilian authorities to settle bribery and market manipulation cases, the commodities giant said on Tuesday as regulators from three countries announced settlements. A Glencore unit agreed to plead guilty to one count of bribery under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. British officials announced earlier Tuesday that the company would also plead guilty in a bribery case, triggering additional financial penalties. Glencore does not anticipate the total from the three settlements to exceed its previously announced reserves of US$1.5 billion. The US Commodities Futures Trading Commission said it found the company engaged in manipulation and attempted manipulation of the US oil market from at least 2007 through 2018. A CFTC order also found fraud and corrupt payments to state-owned entities in Brazil, Cameroon, Nigeria and Venezuela. The agency worked in parallel with a US criminal probe led by the Department of Justice. "Today's enforcement action demonstrates that the CFTC will work with its enforcement partners around the world to ensure that the US markets operate free of manipulation and corruption, and the CFTC will impose substantial and robust sanctions against those market participants who engage in such conduct," said Gretchen Lowe, acting director of enforcement at the CFTC. Glencore said it cooperated with the investigations and that it was working to move past an era of misconduct. The company still faces ongoing probes in Switzerland and Holland. "We acknowledge the misconduct identified in these investigations and have cooperated with the authorities," Chief Executive Gary Nagle said in a statement. "This type of behaviour has no place in Glencore, and the Board, management team and I are very clear about the culture that we want and our commitment to be a responsible and ethical operator wherever we work." (AFP) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that he has requested the Union Finance Ministry to give respite in export tariffs on new iron ore and consider retaining the erstwhile tariff. The central government on Saturday had announced that export tariffs on new iron ores and concentrates would be raised to 50 per cent from 30 per cent. Also duties on pellets would be hiked to 45 per cent from zero. "I met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi. We discussed the mining export duty and requested to maintain the erstwhile tariffs," Sawant told reporters, after landing in Goa from Delhi. --IANS sanjay/vd ( 116 Words) 2022-05-23-22:56:01 (IANS) Auburn Hills (Michigan) [US], May 24 (ANI/PRNewswire): Nexteer Automotive released its annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)/Sustainability Report highlighting the company's sustainability achievements in 2021. As outlined in the report, Nexteer embraces sustainability as part of the company's strategy for profitable growth and is committed to innovation and value creation that drives a more sustainable future. "Nexteer's ESG Report highlights how sustainability is a key part of our company vision to be the global leading motion control technology company that accelerates mobility to be safe, green and exciting," said Robin Milavec, President, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Executive Board Director and Chair of the Sustainability Steering Committee (SSC), Nexteer Automotive. "Our One Nexteer culture encourages all employees to embrace sustainability - empowering every one of us, in every Nexteer location, with the freedom to go beyond our defined scope of work, to explore, understand, suggest and continue to improve how we make tomorrow better than today." Highlights from Nexteer's 2021 ESG / Sustainability Report include: - Named as one of America's Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for the third consecutive year - Recognized as 2021 Automotive News PACEpilot Innovation to Watch for the Company's innovative combination of Steer-by-Wire (SbW) with Stowable Steering Column technologies - Honored with two CES 2022 Innovation Awards for Steer-by-Wire (SbW) with Stowable Steering Column and Automated Steering Actuator - Named a GM Supplier of the Year by General Motors - Executed a renewable energy agreement in Mexico to address approximately 80 per cent of the energy Nexteer's Mexico operations consume - Recognized as a Great Place to Work in Brazil and Morocco - Received National Association of Manufacturers' 2021 Manufacturing Leadership Award for Enterprise Integration Technology Leadership - Received CSO50 Award from IDG's CSO for Innovative Cybersecurity Framework - Contributed more than 72,000 hours of employee community service in the past five years - Estimated 25 per cent of Nexteer's electric power steering, columns and intermediate shafts and driveline Backlog is related to electric vehicle (EV) applications "In 2021, Nexteer continued to collaborate across our global cross-functional Sustainability Work Group and Climate Change Task Force on multiple enterprise-level initiatives," said Virginia Li, Director of Sustainability and Member of the SSC, Nexteer Automotive. "More importantly, we proudly share evidence of the ripple effects sweeping across the organization to 'Grow the Green Circle of Sustainability' - with more and more Nexteer colleagues joining our collective efforts to embrace ESG." As highlighted in the Company's report, Nexteer's five key focus areas - Business Ethics; Supply Chain; Environmental, Health & Safety; Value Creation and Community - serve as a framework to enable Nexteer in integrating a sustainability mindset into the Company's global business strategies and culture. Nexteer publishes an annual ESG/Sustainability Report in accordance with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Guide, as set out in Appendix 27 to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Click here to view the full Nexteer Automotive 2021 Sustainability Report. Nexteer Automotive (HK 1316) is the global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our innovative product and technology portfolio includes electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems, eDrive and software solutions. The company solves motion control challenges across all megatrends - including electrification, software/connectivity, ADAS/automated driving and shared mobility - for more than 60 customers around the world including BMW, Ford, GM, RNM, Stellantis, Toyota and VW, as well as automakers in India and China. www.nexteer.com This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/TPT): One of the emerging matrimonial platforms Shadi Junction has recently announced the release of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds worth Rs 50 crores for NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations). The funds will be allocated to NGOs for conducting matrimonial-related market surveys in a few northern and western states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and etc. The funds that would be allocated by Shadi Junction to a handful of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Voluntary Organisations, Charitable Trusts, Societies, and Market Survey Agencies will be utilised by them to hire market experts, data analysts and volunteers who would conduct these door-to-door surveys. These surveys and data collection process will be a year-long exercise with several volunteers taking part in this. Shadi Junction has announced the decision of releasing funds worth Rs 50 crores under CSR keeping in mind the need to understand the issues faced by singles, widows, and divorced people while looking for their ideal partner for getting married. The survey that would be undertaken by NGOs would be carried out by volunteers who will be visiting every region of states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and etc. Through this survey, Shadi Junction, which is emerging as one of the leading and preferred matrimonial portals in India, aims to find out details regarding the issues that come up in the way of finding your ideal life partner. Talking about the new initiative and mega fund release, KK Gupta, the founder of Shadi Junction stated, "With this, we aim to understand and analyse the difficulties faced by people, particularly the elderly widow/widower who, despite willing to getting married, are not able to talk to anyone about their condition due to the prevailing mentality in the society. The result of these surveys will help us, the Shadi Junction, in addressing some of the major challenges people face in finding their life partners. After gathering and collecting the data, we aim to analyse them and as per that, we will strategize and bring some ramifications and some new features on our portal." Shadi Junction, through its unique and a plethora of services, has been successful in addressing all the major concerns related to premium matchmaking requirements. The brand is emerging to be one of the leading players in the matrimonial segment by surpassing some of the prominent names in the industry. The reason for the same is that the website has a large database of suitors for both grooms' and brides' profiles, providing singles with a wide range of options as per their preferences. Additionally, Shadi Junction also maintains users' privacy by ensuring that people can contact each other once they are pleased with their suitability to their requirements. This story is provided by TPT. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/TPT) Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 24 (ANI/PNN): Instashield, a breakthrough innovative medical device, was recently honoured with the "Most Innovative Corona Protection Device GEA 2022 Award'' from the veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher. Instantshield was felicitated for its efficacy in killing various viruses, including SARS-CoV, in enclosed spaces, in the air, and on surfaces. The Global Excellence Awards (GEA) 2022 adds to the company's already impressive credentials, including consumer trust. Hitesh M Patel, Promoter and Director, Instashield, said, "We are delighted to receive the GEA Award. We would dedicate this award to our team of innovators and all the team members who have been consistently working towards making this product a success. We wish to take Instashield all across the globe to offer a healthy and safe environment to protect our society." Global Excellence Awards (GEA) is an initiative by Brand Empower Pvt Ltd to recognize outstanding performance and achievements in various fields by companies, entrepreneurs, and service providers. Following two successful editions, GEA 2018 in Delhi and GEA 2019 in Mumbai with Chief Guests, Bollywood actresses, Raveena Tandon and Madhuri Dixit, respectively. This year GEA successfully organized the third Edition-Global Excellence Awards 2022 in Mumbai with Chief Guest Anupam Kher. Instashield India Private Limited, a company registered in Hyderabad (Telangana) India as a Private Limited entity in August 2017. It envisions developing and delivering world-class health care medical device technology products at reasonable prices for higher accessibility and affordability to the market. Instashield is a breakthrough medical device which uses first of its kind CCMB approved Virus attenuation technology that disables all types of viruses, including SARS- CoV2 up to 99.9 per cent efficacy in enclosed spaces such as schools, hotels, colleges, hospitals, offices, etc. Instashield is a plug and play device that delivers the necessary signals to the electron emitters producing hypercharge high-velocity electrons, which interact with the negative seeking s-protein of the corona family of viruses, thus, reducing infectivity and preventing air and surface borne transmission of the corona family and viruses. A single device has an effective coverage area starting 5,000 square feet and activates within 18 minutes. Instashield is a Patent Technology backed by science and has received support from TSIC, ARCI and is an accredited lab tested and certified by CSIR-CCMB and other labs like EMTAC, Vimta, with CE for exports CDSCO, ISO 13485:2016, thus ensuring that it is 100 per cent safe for humans and environment. The brand is registered with MSME, Start-up India and GEM portal with Go Green as a sustainable product. 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 24 (ANI/BusinessWire India): DJT Financial Services, targets first-time lady entrepreneurs, who are aspiring to create an income of their own and be the breadwinners in the family, together with their spouses. During Q3 and Q4 FY21, DJT Financial Services have disbursed over INR 10 crore to over 3300+ ambitious lady entrepreneurs. In addition, over the following 12 months, they plan to support over 30,000 female entrepreneurs, with disbursement amounting to over INR 100 Crores. For a new customer, the typical loan amount starts at INR 30,000 and can go up to INR 1,00,000. Akash Anand, Managing Director, DJT Financial Services said, "First-time entrepreneurs need resilient efforts, capital support, and genuine guidance. Most struggle with financial deficits and even a small loan can prove to be transformative for their business pursuits. DJT Financial Services aims to assist such ambitious entrepreneurs in their growth and expansion by helping them earn a financially independent livelihood for themselves. Currently, we are focusing on first-time lady entrepreneurs, who are looking to earn an income of their own along with their spouses." DJT Financial Services began operations in the MFI segment after the first COVID-19 wave in September 2020, recognising the fact that the pandemic had a serious impact on people who were underbanked, living in rural areas of the country, and could not receive government assistance. As a result, the company decided to grant loans to residents in western Uttar Pradesh in order to help revive economic activity in the area. DJT Financial Services presently operates Eight offices in cities of western Uttar Pradesh and is planning to add two offices every month in the current Financial Year, 16 more Branches by end of 2022, and a total of 24 branches in Uttar Pradesh. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): 'Valour & Wisdom' attempts to establish the praxis that RIMC has shaped the nation's military leadership. This has been done through a scheme of well-researched chapters accompanied by historic documents including pictures, from some of the better-known archives in India and abroad, and also freshly photographed frames as and where necessary. The Doon valley and Mussoorie hills is home to several colonial-era public schools which groom young minds to take over the leadership role in different spheres of life. One of the oldest among them is the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC). It was inaugurated on March 13, 1922, as the 'Prince of Wales' Royal Indian Military College', by Prince Edward VIII, the then Prince of Wales. It was founded to fulfil the national demand for the Indianization of the officer cadre of the British Indian armed forces post World War I, where more than 70000 Indians sacrificed their lives in support of the Allied forces. It was set up in the pattern of British public schools to groom Indian youth for entry into Royal Military College, Sandhurst, UK, prior to awarding them a Royal Commission into the officer cadre. This nursery of military leadership completed 100 years of existence on March 13 2022. Whenever an educational institution reaches a milestone in its existence, it's the opportune time for it to reflect upon its contribution to society. In the West, it is now an established practice to research and write the history of an institution during its jubilee celebrations. In India, the practice, however, has been to bring out self-congratulatory volumes in the genre of coffee table books. The volume at hand has been helmed by credible editors, which includes veteran journalist and author Sidharth Mishra, who despite being alumni of the institution has approached the project objectively. Commenting on the book on RIMC, one of the co-authors of the book Sidharth Mishra said, "RIMC has contributed to the nation-building immensely and the book is a rare attempt to highlight the academic institution's valuable contribution to India's defence forces as well as other spheres including business and economy." The book attempts to tell that RIMC is not just celebrating a century of existence in brick, mortar and greenery but it is celebrating the leadership its alumni have provided at various critical stages of the evolution of our Nation. The Second World War, various wars and military expeditions of the post-independence era, the support provided to the civil population in combating natural calamities and combating terrorism in various sectors is replete with the instances of a Rimcollian, as an alumnus of RIMC is known, in the leadership role. In fact, it was the Rimcollians who were in higher echelons of the military at the time of independence, who built and guided the Indian Armed Forces into a formidable foe to reckon with. As time progressed, Rimcollians also diversified into sectors and streams other than military, excelling once again in the new uncharted areas. The spirit of valour and wisdom infused into the young minds of the cadets at this august institution has enabled them to rise to the highest echelons of their chosen career, be it in the armed forces or otherwise. A book like this would probably need a sequel to tell many of the stories in detail which find mentioned only in brief in this otherwise voluminous title. AIR Marshall PP Reddy was at RIMC between 1967-72. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 1976 as a fighter pilot. After serving in uniform for almost 40 years, he retired in 2016 as CISC (Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee), the most important tri-service assignment before the emergence of the Chief of Defence Staff. Post-retirement, he was picked by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as a Consultant for Defence reforms. A former President of the Rimcollian Old Boys Association, he is presently the Chairman of its editorial committee. Sidharth Mishra, a veteran media person and academician of repute, was at RIMC between 1979-83. On leaving school, he joined Delhi University and followed it up with a very fruitful career in mass communication rising to become a newspaper editor. An author of standing, he has nearly 20 books and over a thousand articles and research papers to his credit including publications from the prestigious Oxford University Press and the National Book Trust of India. On changing course to academics, he has led and taught at some very prestigious institutions in the country. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) India's exports rose to a record high of USD 421.8 billion during the financial year ended March 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain disruption and the shipment may surge to USD 1 trillion by 2030, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Addressing the "Breakfast session Discussion on Trade 4.0" at the World Economic Forum in Davos Goyal said, India could achieve a target of USD 1 trillion worth of merchandise and services export each by 2030. Noting that in the last 8 years, the government had focussed extensively on structural reforms the minister said that each one of those movements has been holding India in good stead during times of crisis. Observing that the India story had been receiving a lot of enthusiasm across the world, the minister said that in spite of constraints like COVID-19, chip shortages, conflict, rising commodity prices, container shortages and significant shipping and logistics issues it has been facing in the last two years, which caused massive supply chain disruptions that threw the global economy off-balance, Indian businesses had displayed great resilience, overshooting export targets and achieving USD 421.8 billion worth of exports. He urged Indian industry to look at boosting value-added exports and ensure that new jobs came into India instead of raw materials going out of India. Highlighting the serious efforts being made in that direction, the Minister said that the government was striving to ensure orderly behaviour of prices and ensure that businesses add value and jobs, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Stressing upon the government's bid to bring down logistics costs through measures such as PM GatiShakti, the Minister said that the National Master Plan would help improve infrastructure planning and ensure the implementation of projects within time and budget. Assuring that the government would wholeheartedly support businesses, the Minister urged the industry to bring scale into all economic activities. Expressing concern over the excessive dependence on international supply chains, Goyal urged businesses to procure locally wherever there is an opportunity. He asked businesses to support each other and help fortify domestic supply chains. Referring to Trade Agreements recently inked with UAE and Australia, the Minister said that these agreements were opening new frontiers in international trade. He added that agreements with Canada, EU, UK, Israel and GCC were in the pipeline. The Minister said that the world had great confidence in India and wanted to engage with it enthusiastically. (ANI) Abuja [Nigeria]/ Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 24 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany conducted the 4th edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI - Summit 2022, held via a Videoconference, on 18th May 2022. The Summit was hosted by Prof. Dr Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of both Executive Board of E.Merck KG & Merck Foundation Board of Trustees and Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation & President of "More Than a Mother" Campaign. First Ladies of 11 African countries actively participated by keynote speech containing impact report about their joint programs and long-term partnership with Merck Foundation through MFFLI, the prestigious platform established by Merck Foundation to discuss different programs and initiatives with their members of more than 20 African First Ladies, who are also Ambassadors of Merck Foundation "More than a Mother". During this year, MFFLI Summit 2022, 11 African First Ladies participated in alphabetical order with their keynote speeches, reports and call for action; 1. H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Republic of Botswana 2. H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Republic of Burundi 3. H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic 4. H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo 5. H. E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of Republic of The Gambia 6. H. E. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Republic of Liberia 7. H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Republic of Malawi 8. H.E. BAZOUM HADIZA MABROUK, The First Lady of Republic of Niger 9. H.E. Dr AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, The First Lady of Republic of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 10. H.E. FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Republic of Sierra Leone 11. H.E. Dr AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Republic of Zimbabwe Prof. Dr Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp emphasized, "The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of focusing on building and advancing healthcare capacity, especially training medical staff at all levels nationwide to be our first defense line. Merck Foundation has always believed in investing in building professional healthcare capacity, we will continue to do so to realize our vision - "Everyone in the world should lead a happy and fulfilling life". Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation expressed, "I am very pleased to host the 4th edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Virtual Summit, it is a great opportunity to interact with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies. I value our partnership and I am proud of each one of them for the continuous support and efforts they have put to implement our programs to build healthcare capacity and advocating for a wide range of social and health issues like Supporting Girl Education, Ending Child Marriage, Stooping GBV, Breaking Infertility Stigma, women empowerment, Diabetes Awareness, among other social and health issues affecting our beloved Africa." "I am proud to share that till today, Merck Foundation has provided more than 1300 scholarships of one-year diploma & fellowships and two-year master degree for healthcare providers from 45 countries in 32 critical and underserved medical specialties such as diabetes, endocrinology, oncology, reproductive and sexual care, respiratory care, acute and critical care, cardiovascular, pediatric emergency, gastroenterology, psychiatry, urology, dermatology, neonatal care, fertility care and embryology and more. Many of them are becoming the first specialists in their countries, such as in Liberia, Niger, Chad, The Gambia, Burundi, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius, Guinea, Ethiopia, Congo, Nepal, Bangladesh and more. We are certainly making history together," added Senator Rasha Kelej. The MFFLI VC Summit 2022 aimed to share experiences, discuss challenges, define solutions to further strengthen healthcare capacity. The African First Ladies shared their experiences of working closely with Merck Foundation in their respective countries with a special focus on the programs to build healthcare capacity and raise awareness on sensitive social and health issues. H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Republic of Botswana and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" said, "I am very happy to see that Merck Foundation is strongly committed to advancing healthcare in public sector across Africa, I strongly believe this will be a strong contribution to our social and economic development. Together we have provided more than 30 scholarships to local Doctors in Botswana in different underserved and critical specialties such as: Diabetes, Endocrinology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Respiratory Medicines, Acute Medicines and Sexual and Reproductive Medicines. Moreover, I am very happy to share that Merck Foundation has provided 20 Sewing Machines to individuals and groups across Botswana to be able to generate monthly income. We also launched together with Merck Foundation, a Poster Contest to 'Stop GBV' initiative to contribute to our efforts to end GBV (Gender-based Violence) in Botswana." H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Republic of Burundi and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" emphasized, "I am very happy to join my dear sisters at the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit this year. We have a long-term partnership with Merck Foundation through which 47 scholarships have been provided to local doctors who will be the future healthcare experts of Burundi. This is a very high number in a very short time, I am proud of them, this is a historic transformation of patient care in Burundi which we will continue year after year together with Merck Foundation and our Ministries of Health, Education, Communication and Gender. It is a very successful multisectoral approach. Furthermore, we have established the first public IVF center in Burundi which is a great milestone to support infertile women and couples in their homeland for the first time in Burundi. Last but not least; 20 girls have been provided scholarships to continue their education on an annual basis." H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" stated, "I am extremely happy with Merck Foundation's strong values that focus on advancing the healthcare capacity in my country. 5 scholarships have been provided by Merck Foundation so far, out of these, 1 female doctor has completed the Oncology Fellowship program to be the first Gynaecology oncologist in CAR, who will be of great help for better women healthcare in my country. This is a huge achievement and we have made history here. More than 60 women, victims of infertility stigma have been supported by Merck Foundation through Empowering Berna. They are now empowered and respected by the communities- this makes me very proud. Also, we are in the process to provide school items and scholarship grants for girls to continue their education, and reach their potential ". H.E. DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI, The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" said, "I feel honoured to be a member of this prestigious platform along with my dear sisters. Our valuable partnership with Merck Foundation started in 2020 and in a very short time we have made considerable progress. Around 30 scholarships have been provided to our doctors so far in the fields of Oncology, Fertility, Embryology, and Diabetes. Through our partnership with Merck Foundation, we are looking forward to benefiting more of our doctors and nurses across the country, to be able to provide better care to our patients." H. E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of Republic of The Gambia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" emphasized, "The Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit is indeed a coveted platform that gives us an opportunity to exchange ideas to advance our outreach programs. Our long-term partnership with Merck Foundation has helped re-shape the public healthcare sector in my country. So far, we have provided more than 30 scholarships to young Gambian doctors in many critical and underserved specialties. Out of which, 18 scholarships have been provided for Fertility Training and one year Post Graduate Diploma and two-year master degree in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine. This has contributed significantly to transforming women's health in general and reproductive and fertility care specifically. In fact, we are making history by providing training to first specialists in many fields such as, Oncology, Respiratory, Fertility, Embryology, Reproductive Care, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Neonatal Care and more". H. E. CLAR MARIE WEAH, The First Lady of Republic of Liberia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" stated, "I am very excited to be a member of 'Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative' and to be part of this Annual Summit as every year. Through Merck Foundation programs that focus on strengthening healthcare capacity, so far, we have provided 36 scholarships to our doctors in many critical and underserved specialties such as: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Preventive, endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive care, Endocrinology, Respiratory care and Acute & Intensive care, Oncology and Fertility Specialists and Embryology Training. We have made history by providing specialty training for the first Fertility, Embryologists, Oncologists and Diabetes Specialists in the country. I am very proud of this achievement. I would like to thank Merck Foundation for providing Sanitary Napkin Production Machine and raw materials for Liberia under the 'Hygiene Management of School Girls' and Merck Foundation's 'Educating Linda' program. We will now be able to provide thousands of good quality Sanitary pads to our schoolgirls, ensuring good menstrual hygiene for them so they can continue their education and stop dropping from school." H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Republic of Malawi and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" said, "I am very happy to meet you all virtually at the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2022. I have been working closely with Merck Foundation since 2020 to define the right strategy to build professional healthcare capacity, empower infertile women and support girl education in Malawi which is very close to my heart. So far, we have provided more than 21 scholarships to our Malawian doctors in many critical medical specialties. We have made history together with Merck Foundation by providing training to the country's first Fertility specialists under the Merck Foundation 'More Than a Mother' program. Through our long-term partnership, we are looking forward to benefiting more of our doctors and nurses across the country, to be able to provide better care to our patients and our communities. Moreover, 13 women from Malawi have benefitted through Merck Foundation's 'Empowering Berna' initiative. Through the Foundation's 'Educating Linda' program; 40 best performing girls have benefited from an education grant to continue their education from the secondary school until graduation. This is a huge milestone to empower our young girls. Other than this, Merck Foundation has helped us provide 3000 sets of essential school items to school students, especially girls." H.E. BAZOUM HADIZA MABROUK, The First Lady of Republic of Niger and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" expressed, "This is the first time to join and become a member of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit; I am very happy to hear all my dear sisters talk about their success stories and the impact of Merck Foundation's programs in their countries. So far, more than 25 scholarships have been provided to young doctors of Niger in the fields of Oncology, Fertility & Embryology and Diabetes Care. Additionally, 3,000 sets of essential school items have been provided to our school girls to help them with their education. I am looking forward to an important and long-term partnership with Merck Foundation to capitalize on their valuable programs by scaling them up nationwide to contribute to the social and economic development of Niger." H.E. Dr AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI, The First Lady of Republic of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" and President of African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) emphasized, "I deeply value our partnership with Merck Foundation who has led the way to build healthcare capacity and provide specialty training to our local doctors so that they can provide the quality healthcare in Nigeria since 2015 . I recently met my dear sister Senator Rasha Kelej at Merck Foundation office to discuss the progress of our ongoing programs and the new initiatives. I am proud that we have been able to provide 32 scholarships to young Nigerian doctors in several critical and underserved specialties including Fertility & Embryology, Diabetes, Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual & Reproductive Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Microbiology & infectious diseases. All these fields are very critical to our country and will definitely help us strengthen our public healthcare sector, moreover providing scholarship grants to school girls to continue their education and reach their potential which is very close to my heart." H.E. FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Republic of Sierra Leone and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" stated, "I am very happy with Merck Foundation's efforts to build healthcare capacity and address health challenges in my country. I have been associated with Merck Foundation since 2018 and in a short span of time, we have been able to transform the public healthcare sector in my country in various underserved and critical specialties. Till today more than 40 scholarships have been provided to our doctors in the fields of Oncology, Embryology & Fertility, Sexual and Reproductive Health Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Orthopaedics, Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Clinical Psychiatry, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine. We are making history along with Merck Foundation by providing training for the First Oncologists in the country with the aim to establish the first skilled cancer care team that can improve access to quality and equitable cancer care in the country. I am looking forward to work closely with Merck Foundation in order to further advance the healthcare capacity in my country." H.E. Dr AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Republic of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of Merck Foundation "More Than a Mother" said, "I would like to acknowledge the valuable partnership my country shares with Merck Foundation over the years we have been working together to advance healthcare capacity in Zimbabwe. I am very pleased that we have been able to provide more than 85 scholarships to young Doctors from the country in various critical and under-served specialties. We have certainly been able to re-shape the landscape of the public healthcare sector in my country. I am looking forward to all the exciting initiatives we have in the pipeline with Merck Foundation to transform the lives of people every day with a special focus on media training, different awards, children storybooks, girl education, childless women empowerment and breaking the Infertility stigma." Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard Facebook: Merck Foundation Twitter: @Merckfoundation YouTube: MerckFoundation Instagram: Merck Foundation Flickr: Merck Foundation Website: www.merck-foundation.com This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) By Azernews Azerbaijan and Turkey have discussed issues of further deepening cooperation in the health sector, Azernews reports. The discussion occurred during a meeting between Azerbaijani and Turkish Health Ministers Teymur Musayev and Fahrettin Koca respectively in Geneva on the margins of the anniversary session of the World Health Assembly. They also discussed the issue of organizing a "business forum in the healthcare sector" in Baku. In this regard, the two men noted that Turkey has extensive experience in holding a joint business forum in this sector, which has been previously held in the UK, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and other countries. They added that the forum, attended by private medical companies from the represented countries, discussed improvements to the financial mechanism in health care and investment opportunities. At the end of the meeting, the parties noted the advisability of increasing the frequency and intensity of meetings to achieve successful results. Azerbaijan and Turkey collaborate in a variety of economic spheres and have completed major energy and infrastructure projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and TANAP. In 2021, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed the Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations, which focuses on defense cooperation, promoting regional stability and prosperity, and establishing new transportation routes. The two countries' joint goal among others is to bring the mutual trade turnover to $15 billion in 2023. As of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.6 billion. So far, Turkey is Azerbaijans second-largest investor followed by the UK. Additionally, Turkey was one of the first countries that expressed its interest and readiness to participate in the restoration of Azerbaijans liberated territories. New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/PNN): BSE, NSE and MSE listed, BLS International, a trusted global tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, announced today that it has signed a 7-year contract to process short-term and long-term visas for Germany in North America and Mexico regions. BLS will be starting operations with two centres in Mexico and eight centres in North America in cities including Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C within six months. The company will be providing visa outsourcing services along with several value-added services like photocopy, translation, courier, insurance for the convenience of applicants. Commenting on this, Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International said, "We are delighted to initiate this new partnership with the Federal Foreign Office, Germany and committed to provide faster and convenient German visa services to the applicants in North America and Mexico regions. This contract strengthens our visa portfolio with yet another addition of Schengen government. I am confident of a seamless rollout and hope to strengthen this relationship with more such opportunities." These centres will provide additional facilities including Premium Lounge (wherein applicant can opt for personalized service) and Prime Time Submission (wherein applicant can submit their application before & after working hours of the centre). The company will also be launching the Mobile Biometric service wherein applicants can choose to submit applications at their convenient place (home or office) at an additional fee. BLS International Services Ltd. ("BLS International" or "BLS") is a trusted global tech- enabled services partner for governments and citizens, having an impeccable reputation for setting benchmarks in the domain of visa, passport, consular, citizen, e-governance, attestation, biometric, e-visa and retail services since 2005. The company is recognized as "India's Most Valuable Companies" by Business Today Magazine, "Best under a Billion' company" by Forbes Asia and ranked amongst "Fortune India's Next 500 companies". The company works with over 46 client governments including Diplomatic Missions, Embassies & Consulates and leverages technology and processes that ensure data security. The Company now has an extensive network of more than 15,500 centres globally with a robust strength of over 20,000 employees and associates that provides consular, biometrics and citizen services. BLS has processed over 62 million applications till date globally. BLS International is certified with CMMI DEV V2.0 & SVC V2.0 along with ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems; ISO 27001:2013 for Information Security Management Systems; ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management Systems; ISO/ IEC 45001:2018 for Occupational Safety and Health; ISO / IEC 20000-1:2011 for IT Service Management; ISO26000:2010 for Social Responsibility; ISO 23026:2015 for System Engineering and Management Requirements; ISO/IEC 28000:2017 for Supply Chain Management System; ISO/IEC 27002: 2013 for Management of Information Security; ISO 31000: 2018 for Risk Management; ISO 27001:2013 for Risk Management of Information. BLS International is the only listed company in this domain with operations in 66 countries. 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 24 (ANI/Digpu): Emerald Leasing Finance & Investment Company is a dynamic enterprise, run by a diverse team determined to accomplish the vision of becoming a world-class finance company, through smart technology that makes finance simple. They offer a spectrum of banking products and financial services, especially to traditionally under-looked customers through a variety of delivery channels. With loyalty and trust as the cornerstone of their success, they have established themselves as one of the largest financial leaders in India. The company has been granted an NBFC License by the RBI, and is focused mainly on giving loans to credit-worthy SMEs. They have granted loans starting from as low as INR 5000. Apart from this, the company has entered into partnerships with various Fintech platforms to offer small ticket loans to merchants and individuals across India. Aviator Emerging Market fund has invested in Emerald Leasing Finance & Investment Company through NCDs (Non-Convertible Debentures). Speaking about the investment, Farhana Ali Mohamed, Director of Aviator EMF said, "Emerald's spectrum of banking services and their vision to lend a helping hand to traditionally overlooked customers drove the decision to invest. We at Aviator strongly wish to support companies striving to create a social impact. Their effectiveness in studying financials, and elaborate system for vetting loans and disbursing them within 30 minutes make them a top contender in the Financials space. Through our diverse presence and Emerald's diverse team, we believe our next step in the journey to greater things begins now." Speaking about the investment, Mohit Chandrani, Director of Aviator EMF said, "We strongly believe that we rise by lifting others. With that motto in mind, we've recently joined hands with Emerald Leasing Finance, a dynamic enterprise looking to become a world-class financial company through its offerings of services at low rates. Through our united contributions, we hope to make a substantial impact in the lives of the less fortunate." Sanjay Aggarwal, Promoter & Managing Director of Emerald Leasing Finance said, "We are thrilled to partner up with a reputed international partner like Aviator EMF. Our shared passion for creating a social impact while simultaneously making a name for ourselves in the Financials space, makes this association one of a kind. This investment will help us grow our loan books and expand our services to a larger audience." Emerald Leasing Finance & Investment Company is a dynamic enterprise, run by a diverse team determined to accomplish the vision of becoming a world-class finance company. They offer a spectrum of banking products and financial services, especially to traditionally under looked customers through a variety of delivery channels. They are guided by their values of loyalty and trust to create lasting relationships with each of their clients. They continue to revert to this idea-the cornerstone of their success as one of the largest financial leaders in India. For more information visit https://www.emeraldfin.com/ The Aviator Emerging Market Fund operates under a Category 1 Global Business License issued by the Mauritius Financial Services Commission ("FSC") to operate as a self-managed Collective Investment Scheme under the Securities Act 2005 and to be qualified as an expert fund under the Securities (Collective Investment Schemes And Closed-End Funds) Regulations 2008 of Mauritius (an "Expert Fund"). The Fund is focused on Emerging Markets like India, UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, and non-EMs like the US, UK, when superior earnings opportunities present themselves. For more information visit www.aviator-emf.com This story is provided by Digpu. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Digpu) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/India PR Distribution): Abhishek Sharma is launching his brand-new book, "Business Secrets at 900C", available on Amazon and targeted at fans of the Business books genre. More information is available at the website: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B1VC4P2D/ Heat Treatment plant owner Abhishek Sharma is launching his brand-new book, "Business Secrets at 900C". The book is set to go live on May 25th, on Amazon and is expected to become a big hit with fans of the Business books genre. More information on the book can be found here: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B1VC4P2D/ This is the first book Sharma has authored. The book was written with the aim in mind to fast-track the learning for newbie business owners. The author is excited about this launch because he has collated in the book, all the knowledge that will allow any entrepreneur to gain business success. He opines that more than inheriting money, one should inherit knowledge, and books are the best way to share this information with the future generation. Business Secrets at 900C sets its main focus on seven principles of business success plus the practical implementation of heat treatment in modern industries. Readers will likely be interested in the author's never-before-revealed heat-treatment process. Abhishek Sharma has a background in Heat Treatment processes that he learned from his father, Omkant Sharma. His father founded Abhishek Enterprises and the forty years of his father's experience combined with the author's ten years of experience in heat treatment, metallurgy, and business practices helped shape the vision for the book. When asked about why he wrote the book, Sharma said: "The purpose of writing this book is to pass the knowledge I gained over to future generations. Most people pass their wealth to their children but that's not enough. There should be a transfer of knowledge as well. Also, I didn't want to live with the regret of not being able to write this book. Without proper knowledge and guidance, it will take many years of failures for beginner entrepreneurs to even reach a profit. Business is a long, hard road, full of failures, and unless someone mentors you, it will take decades to reach your goals." Abhishek has hopes that the book will inspire a new generation to learn from the author's mistakes and rapidly gain business knowledge. He believes that it is important to share one's knowledge and not be afraid of the competition. In a recent interview, the author made a point of thanking his father, Omkant Sharma for their part in the creation of the book, saying: "My father has been a great model for me growing up, and I want to be a model father for my son too." Those interested in learning more about the book can visit here: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B1VC4P2D/ This story is provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/India PR Distribution) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/PNN): It is critical to recognize the relevance of technology in education, even if you are neither a student nor an educator. While many individuals prefer traditional teaching techniques, the opportunities when technology is introduced into the classroom are limitless. For one thing, education has become much more accessible, with a wider range of IMTS Institute learning styles and degree alternatives. IMTS Institute Distance Education can undoubtedly assist educators in tracking individual progress and devising novel instructional plans. Students who learn through technology, on the other hand, can develop a set of skills that will aid them in their future employment. Teachers should evaluate why students want rather than need technology in the classroom to get the most out of these tools. IMTS Institute aimed to give high-quality education to all of its Students Due to the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were obliged to halt physical education classes in order to combat the virus. As a result, many students could not obtain the education they desired. IMTS's contemporary teaching methods proved to be a big success. The educational IMTS Institute aimed to give high-quality education to all of its pupils, regardless of their geographic location, with over 350+ career counsellors and highly-skilled, qualified teachers. IMTS Institute, primarily focused on career-oriented students, aims to help them achieve the peak of their accomplishment through superior education. Online learning IMTS Institute Learning from home or modern communication paradigms has tremendously facilitated online learning. Individuals can attend lectures via distance education even if the lecturer is on another continent. During the global pandemic of 2020. - BA Distance Education - BBA Distance Education - BCA Distance Education - Bsc Distance Education - MA Distance Education - MBA Distance Education - MCA Distance Education When schools were compelled to close and fully transition to distance learning, this teaching style became incredibly crucial. Even before that, online courses were popular because they provided knowledge to those who wanted to grow in their careers but didn't have the time or money to do so. When it comes to the formation of critical thinking, the role of technology in education is especially clear. Different educational techniques enable pupils to express themselves in unique ways, resulting in various solutions. They approach information seriously in this process, considering each accessible piece of data to arrive at the intended result. - courses after 12th - Medical Courses After 12th - courses after 12th arts - professional courses after 12th - computer courses after 12th - paramedical courses after 12th Technology's Potential in Education As you can see, technology plays a huge role in education, and its influence is rising. However, it is critical to properly incorporate technology in education because many old teaching methods should be preserved. Furthermore, the computer is not appropriate for all situations, nor is studying with it always more efficient. As a result, teachers must balance future-ready education and traditional offline instruction. In the uncertain times of Covid-19, IMTS has achieved its objective of educating 5000 students, and it has made it a slogan to ensure that students receive quality education through modern means. They will be up to date on the latest technologies and will be able to ensure that their education is of maximum practical use in the real world. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Washington/ Atlanta [US]/ Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 24 (ANI/PRNewswire): Arcadia, the technology company empowering energy innovators to fight the climate crisis, today announced the acquisition of Urjanet, the largest utility data provider in the world. Urjanet's global data access will integrate with Arcadia's industry-leading data and API platform, Arc, enabling Arc to become the universal software layer for the zero-carbon economy. Urjanet significantly expands Arc's data coverage in the US to more than 95 per cent of residential and commercial accounts and globally across more than 9,500 utilities, including electric, gas, water, and waste, in 52 countries. This access to global, high-fidelity energy data will allow businesses around the world to leverage its network effects and enable a wide range of use cases, including energy optimization, renewable energy, payments, and carbon accounting. Today, only 9 per cent of companies use software to accurately manage their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, instead relying on manual processes and estimates. The Arc platform solves this problem by providing companies with actual, building-level meter data through easy-to-use APIs. Ultimately, the expansion will empower any company, in any industry, with the on-demand data and tools needed to monitor, report, and act on their climate impact and build innovative energy products. "Urjanet has built a fantastic business capturing utility data across 30 per cent of the Fortune 500. With Urjanet joining Arcadia, we will be able to serve customers globally with the most comprehensive software solution in climate tech," said Kiran Bhatraju, CEO of Arcadia. "Without data access, it will be impossible to meet the urgency and size of the climate crisis. Through our combined capabilities, Arc will help companies in every industry plan for and act on their climate responsibilities, pulling forward a zero-carbon future." "When I met Kiran a few years ago, it was clear that Arcadia and Urjanet shared one of the most important visions in the decarbonization movement: democratizing access to energy data," said Sanjoy Malik, CEO of Urjanet. "We can now work together to accelerate the energy transition and help companies achieve their sustainability goals." Today's announcement adds to Arcadia's significant recent momentum. The company delivered 155 per cent YOY organic revenue growth in 2021, launched the Arc platform in November, and passed the 700MW managed milestone in April as the leading manager of community solar in the United States. Earlier this month, Arcadia announced a $200 million fundraising round led by J.P. Morgan Asset Management's Sustainable Growth Equity Team, and Arc was recognized as a Finalist in the Energy category of Fast Company's 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. The company, now valued at $1.5 billion, has raised $380 million to date. Read more about Urjanet joining Arcadia from Bhatraju on Arcadia's blog. To learn more about Arcadia and the Arc platform, please visit arcadia.com/arc. Arcadia is a climate technology company enabling a zero-carbon economy. By unlocking high-fidelity, global energy data for the first time, the Arc platform combines easy-to-use data and APIs under one roof to allow any company to act on its environmental impact and build the next generation of energy products and climate tech solutions. Arc democratizes access to data from more than 9,500 utility providers in 52 countries, covering more than 95 per cent of US residential and commercial utility accounts. Founded in 2014 on the belief that everyone deserves access to clean energy, Arcadia also manages the nation's leading community solar program, helping to tackle energy injustice while spurring economic growth with more than 750MW of solar under management. Join us in our mission and find out how you or your business can help achieve the vision of a 100 per cent zero-carbon future at www.arcadia.com. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) Travis Scott has landed himself in another legal battle as he faces a lawsuit filed by a Rolling Loud Miami concertgoer who claims she was severely injured during the May 2019 incident. The American rapper is being accused of causing the 2019 stampede at Rolling Loud in Miami, by blatantly ignoring police demands to stop the 'dangerous' and 'uncontrollable' concert. As per Billboard, Scott was added last month as a defendant to an existing lawsuit filed against Rolling Loud's organizers in 2020 by the woman. Scott is being sued for this amidst hundreds of ongoing legal claims over the deadly Astroworld festival. The rapper allegedly disregarded a plea by the police, who rushed backstage after Scott began his set, asking him to stop his performance. "Despite his being ordered by the authorities to cease his continued incitement of the crowd, Travis Scott continued to verbally and physically incite the crowd to engage in a mosh pit and other hazardous activities," Love's lawyers wrote. "Despite the fact that Travis Scott was aware of and could clearly see concertgoers being injured, suffocating, losing consciousness, fighting, and being trampled, he continued his performance while authorities were forced to attempt to render aid to these injured concertgoers." However, the rapper's representative called the new accusations a "blatant, cynical attempt to attack Travis" over a "3-year-old incident that is deliberately misrepresented." They claimed that the stampede at Rolling Loud was caused by a false report of an active shooter that caused panic in the crowd. "As even the complaint makes clear, this incident was related to a false report of a shooting mid-show, completely unrelated to Travis's performance. This cheap opportunism is based on a blatant lie that's easy to detect. And it is particularly telling that this plaintiff's lawyer didn't even assert a claim against Travis when he originally filed the complaint on behalf of his client more than two years ago or in four prior versions of that complaint," Scott's representative added. Apart from Scott, the case also named contractor Sequel Tour Solutions as a defendant. When it was filed in 2020, it originally constituted names of various Rolling Loud organizers, but they were dropped from the case earlier this year. (ANI) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has urged people to acknowledge all languages of India with the utmost respect. In an interaction with ANI, the 'Article 15' star weighed in on the ongoing Hindi as a national language debate. "We really can't keep one language at the forefront... India is not that country (to have one language at the forefront). We have multiple languages, multiple religions, regions, communities, and ethnicities..Each language is equally important. We should give equal importance to each language of our nation," Ayushmann said. According to him, "hearts need to be one" despite different languages. "Bhashaye chahe anek hai par dil ek hone chayiye," Ayushmann emphasised. Interestingly, his upcoming socio-political drama 'Anek' also highlights the need of stopping people to classify others on the basis of language -- especially in a nation wherein dialect and culture change every few kilometres. Last month, the makers unveiled the film's trailer that showed Ayushmann conversing with a man who belongs to Telangana. In the clip, Ayushmann asked the man why he thinks of him as North Indian. When the man said that it is probably because his Hindi is clean, Ayushmann replied, "So Hindi decides who is from the North and the South?" When the man responded no, Ayushmann said, "So, it's not about Hindi, either!" 'Anek', which will be out on May 27, is helmed by Anubhav Sinha. It features Ayushmann as an undercover cop who is on a mission to restore peace in the Northeastern region of India. Model Andrea Kevichusa, who hails from Nagaland, is making her acting debut with the film. (ANI) David Cronenberg called the United States "completely insane" because of the country's Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, which has kept basic abortion rights legal since its 1973 ruling. He was speaking at the Cannes press conference for his film 'Crimes of the Future', reports 'Variety'. The director's new film, which is a return to his body horror roots, addresses "who owns whose body," Cronenberg said. "I did write [the script] 20 years ago, but you could feel, even then, that this was coming," 'Variety' quoted Cronenberg as saying. "A kind of oppressive ownership and control. It's the constant in history ... . That means, once again, the body is reality. You control people's bodies -- that's speaking, expressing themselves, that's control." The Canadian director's film premiered on Monday, causing walkouts during the screening and drawing praise at the same time from the noted actress Isabelle Huppert. At his press conference, he said that in his country "we think everybody in the U.S. is completely insane, that the U.S. has gone completely bananas, and [we] cannot believe elected officials are saying what they're saying. Not just about Roe v. Wade but everything else. It's strange times." The film tells of an advanced society where "the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, and the body undergoes new transformations and mutations," according to an official synopsis quoted by 'Variety'. Viggo Mortensen plays a celebrity artiste who shares the metamorphosis of internal organs as performance pieces, with the help of his partner Lea Seydoux. At its Monday premiere, dozens of attendees walked out of the Grand Palais, unable to bear the film's unflinching depictions of body horror. --IANS srb/ ( 293 Words) 2022-05-24-21:20:05 (IANS) "It is with a sense of dismay and concern that India notes WHO's recent exercise on all-cause excess mortality where our country specific authentic data published by the statutory authority has not been taken into account," said Mandaviya. The Health Minister conveyed the collective disappointment of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare, a representative body of health ministers from all states of India, as they passed a unanimous resolution regarding the approach and methodology of WHO on excess mortality reports. Mandaviya also exhorted India's commitment to build a more resilient global health security architecture. Underscoring the need to strengthen the WHO, Mandaviya said, "As highlighted by the Prime Minister of India, there is a need to build a resilient global supply chain to enable equitable access to vaccines and medicines, streamlining WHO's approval process for vaccines and therapeutics and strengthen WHO to build a more resilient global health security architecture." As a responsible member of the global community, India is ready to play a key role in these efforts, he added. "India believes that this year's theme linking peace and health is timely and pertinent because there can be no sustainable development and universal health and wellbeing without peace," Mandaviya said. --IANS avr/arm ( 251 Words) 2022-05-23-22:18:03 (IANS) The Nagaland government is taking steps to document tribals' traditional attires, motifs, designs, and ornaments to prevent their misuse and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday held a meeting with all tribal Hohos, apex body of various Naga tribes, to make the process successful, officials said. Addressing the meeting, Rio said that of late, there has been misrepresentation and incorrect usage of Naga tribals' traditional designs in fashion shows and on clothes being sold on e-commerce platforms without any regard for the people who hold these traditional symbols in high regard. "This misuse of traditional attires and symbols, known as cultural appropriation, has to be guarded. Cultural appropriation should be taken in all sincerity because the unregulated use of Naga cultural designs and symbols would lead to distortion and misrepresentation," he said. The Chief Minister clarified that it is not that others should not use Nagas traditional attires, nor should their communities and entrepreneurs be stopped from doing business in Nagas traditional attires, but they have to be appropriately used. He said that it is important that steps should be taken to ensure that cultural heritage is protected under legal provisions such as Intellectual Property Rights and Geographical Indications. "Only then can we start controlling and regulating the use of our traditional attires, symbols, and ornaments." Rio hoped that all concerned would cooperate and contribute positively to this work which would ultimately benefit all the Nagas. Advisor, Information Technology and Science and Technology, Mmhonlumo Kikon said the meeting was significant for the preservation of not only Naga culture and identity but the progress of the Naga people in the days to come. "Uunless our rights are enshrined in the various systems that are available in the Intellectual Property Rights, we will be allowing people to take advantage of our heritage," he said. There are 16 tribes in Nagaland and their members comprise over 86 per cent of the state's two million population. --IANS sc/vd ( 335 Words) 2022-05-23-20:30:03 (IANS) Mashreq Bank, one of the leading financial institutions in the UAE, has appointed Corey Thompson as the new Executive Vice President (EVP) and Head of Digital for its Retail Banking Group. In his role, Thompson will manage and execute Mashreqs digital strategy for the Retail Banking Group (RBG), including its Personal Banking, Mashreq Gold, Private Banking, SMEs, Islamic and Emirati segments. More importantly, he will deliver a sharp focus on enriching Mashreqs digital ecosystem, partnerships and next generation capabilities in both Mashreqs Neo, Neo Biz segments and payment solutions Neo Pay. Digital transformation expert Thompson is a seasoned digital transformation expert having played numerous leading roles in the realm of digital strategy. Before joining Mashreq, he led banks to top quartile in terms of their digital offerings and strategy for organisations going through IT transformations, revamping e-commerce platforms and more. Fernando Morillo Lopez, Group Head of Retail Banking, Mashreq Bank said: As the banking sector adapts to the fast-paced dynamics of the digital economy, Coreys wealth of experience in the realm will enable Mashreq to progress to a position of strength with a sense of confidence. Having successfully led numerous projects, he is best suited to implement a series of reforms that will transform our Retail Banking and help us achieve our vision to take Mashreq to new heights in the digital banking space and deliver the best customer experience across the globe. Thompson said: It is a privilege to be part of an organisation that delivers best-in-class services and innovative solutions to its clients and acts as a pioneer to the banking world as whole. I look forward to contributing towards Mashreqs superior vision and propelling it towards greater agility, digital transformation and unequaled client experiences. As a global bank, Mashreq has shown great tenacity and agility to evolve beyond customer expectations. With a strong foundation in place, I am hopeful of the newer opportunities that lay ahead of us.-- TradeArabia News Service Hundreds of buyers of the Mahira Home project in Sector-68 of Gurugram held a protest on Monday at the Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA), Gurugram office and demanded clarity on when and who will provide them flats along with a forensic audit. A protesting home buyer said they are not against the government body nor the builder but require a timeline for the delivery of flats. "Which government body like HRERA or Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) will help us in delivery of flats. We cannot come daily leaving behind jobs and children and organise protests. We just need a written assurance from the concerned body to help in the delivery of flats," said a home buyer, who participated in the protest. The demonstration began at 2 p.m. and lasted for two hours. Protesters, including women and young children, shouted slogans and asked for government intervention. The majority of the buyers have made full payment in the project and are now paying rent and equated monthly instalments (EMI) simultaneously. "We had also approached the builder who assured us they are trying to get their licence back so that flats can be delivered in the committed time frame," another protester said. Earlier this month the department of town and country planning passed an order for cancellation of the license of a project in Sector-68 being developed by Mahira Infratech alleging the developer had submitted forged bank guarantees, licence agreements and other documents to obtain the licence for the project. It intimated HRERA for cancellation of licence and requested the authority to freeze the account of the company with immediate effect. HRERA Gurugram has issued a notice directing the freezing of all accounts associated with real estate firm M/s Mahira Infratech ltd. formerly known as M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt. Ltd. The protesters also said the authorities should have checked the paperwork at the beginning or cancelled the license much earlier. "Now we have made full payment, and there is no hope that the project will be completed," a buyer said. "We want the concerned authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and also conduct a forensic audit of the project and ensure the timeline in delivery of flats," another buyer said. A spokesperson for the developer said that they have already appealed in the matter to the higher appellate authority and the matter is scheduled to be heard on May 26. "We are hopeful to get relief in the matter and we are committed to delivering the flats to the buyers," he said, requesting anonymity. The company was developing a real estate project, 'Affordable group housing colony' over approximately 10 acres in sector-68. The Authority has registered various affordable group housing projects associated with the Mahira Group namely Mahira Homes-103 developed by Mahira Buildtech Pvt. Ltd, Mahira Homes in sector- 63, Mahira Homes 95, Mahira Homes 104 developed by Czar Buildwell Pvt. Ltd. --IANS str/bg ( 502 Words) 2022-05-23-20:38:03 (IANS) After decommissioning, some parts of the warship shall be taken to Lucknow where the Uttar Pradesh government plans to set up an open air museum, near the Gomti River which traverses through the city. INS Gomati (F21) a ship of the Godavari Class, was built at the Mazagaon Docks Ltd here and commissioned on April 16, 1988. She was the first vessel of the Indian Navy to have digital electronics in her combat data systems, and combined Indian, Russian and Western weapons systems in her defences. Western Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh would be the chief guest at the decommissioning ceremony on May 28. Two other Godavari Class frigates - Godavari and Ganga - were decommissioned in 2015 and 2018, respectively, after putting in many years of service to the country. --IANS qn/vd ( 176 Words) 2022-05-23-20:40:03 (IANS) Even when the surface temperature dipped 11 notches due to the thunderstorm and rainfall on Monday morning in the National Capital Region, bringing much needed respite from the scorching heat, the minimum temperature, at nine notches lower than normal in Delhi, was the lowest since May 2004. India Meteorological Department (IMD) records showed 12.3 mm rainfall at Safdarjung and 27.6 mm for Palam for 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. with all of it between 5.30 a.m. and 8.30 a.m. Other main stations in Delhi - Lodhi Road, Ridge, and Aya Nagar recorded 13.8 mm, 14.2 mm and 52.2 mm rainfall respectively but between 2.30 am till 5.30 a.m. on Monday morning. Surface temperature fell by 11 notches from 5.40 a.m. till 7 a.m. as it went down from 29 to 18 degrees Celsius after a dust storm and thunderstorm followed by rainfall. By day's end, the minimum temperature recorded was 17.2 degrees Celsius for Safdarjung - the base station for Delhi - nine notches lower than normal. The last time it had recorded such a lower minimum temperature in May was 16.7 degrees Celsius on May 1, 2004 while the all-time record is 15.2 degrees Celsius on May 2, 1982. Rest of the day, there was barely any rain and it was bright and sunny but pleasant. "In association with Western Disturbances affecting northwest India, moderate to heavy rain fall accompanied with strong gusty winds of the order of 80 kmph occurred over Delhi NCR in the morning hours .This led to this lower minimum temperature," the IMD said. Maximum temperature hovered around 28.6-31.6 degrees Celsius across Delhi-NCR with Safdarjung recording 31.5 degrees Celsius, with a negative departure of eight notches. Another spell of rain thundershowers, accompanied with strong gusty winds (50-60 kmph), is very likely to occur over Delhi-NCR during the night, the IMD forecast warned adding, that the same weather will also prevail over Punjab, Haryana, north Rajasthan, and west Uttar Pradesh during next 8-10 hours with hailstorm likely over the same region. --IANS niv/vd ( 351 Words) 2022-05-23-20:48:03 (IANS) To attract more youth to its fold the Youth Congress has started 'India Rising Talent' for the youth. Rising Talent is a creative and innovative platform where youth can express their political views through dance, singing, rapping, stand up comedy, mimicry, innovative social ideas, technology, The Youth Congress has issued a WhatsApp mobile number 7311126111 to record a one minute video of the contestant. Youth Congress president Srinivas BVA said that, "this programme will enhance the harmony among the countrymen. Politicization of non-essential issues is a serious problem in the country today. In this, ignoring the important issues related to the people, the interests and rights of the people are being trampled upon. Therefore, bringing forward the issues of public interest and providing permanent solutions to them is our priority through this programme." The Youth Congress said its resolve is to take Gandhian ideas to the masses and build a sensitive society. Respecting every section of the society, every community, it is very important to integrate them and their ideas with us in this goal of nation building. Therefore, we will talk to the youth through this programme and connect them with the ideology of the Congress. On May 21 the Youth Congress had launched the "Rajiv Kranti Bharat Jodo" campaign on the occasion of the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Through this programme a Bharat Jodo Abhiyan was started, as well as a blood donation camp and a photo exhibition. --IANS miz/bg ( 259 Words) 2022-05-23-21:00:03 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will flag off 150 new electric buses from the Indraprastha Depot on Tuesday and commuters will get to travel free of cost in these for three days, an official statement said. "Delhi is going to equal the national record of inducting the most number of buses by inducting 150 electric buses into its public fleet tomorrow. Any person can travel for free in these buses for the coming 3 days from May 24 to 26," the Delhi government statement said. These state-of-the-art buses, which are zero smoke and zero emission, have CCTV cameras, GPS, 10 panic buttons, ramps for differently abled etc. Three depots at Mundela Kalan, Rajghat, and Rohini Sector-37 have been completely electrified and ready to house these 150 new buses, said the statement. The electric buses will run on major routes of Delhi - Teevra Mudrika on Ring Road, Route No 502 between Mori Gate and Mehrauli Terminal, Route No E-44 on IP Depot, as well on the Connaught Place, Safdarjung, South Extension, Ashram, Jangpura and India Gate routes. "Delhi government has always been pushing its people to shift to greener modes of transport, and make the switch to EVs. Shifting to public transport, especially sustainable modes of public transport is a lifestyle change that we wish to see in Delhiites," Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said. --IANS avr/vd ( 242 Words) 2022-05-23-21:32:03 (IANS) The Supreme Court has quashed the Enforcement Directorate complaint in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against industrialist J. Sekar Reddy, noting that the chance to prove the allegations in the court are "bleak". A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and J. K. Maheshwari said: "Looking to the facts as discussed hereinabove and the ratio of the judgments of this court in Radheshyam Kejriwal (supra) and Ashoo Surendranath Tewari (supra), the chance to prove the allegations even for the purpose of provisions of PMLA in the court are bleak." "Therefore, we are of the firm opinion that the chances to prove those allegations in the Court are very bleak. It is trite to say, till the allegations are proved, the appellant would be innocent." Justice Saran retired earlier this month. The bench noted that the ED could not collect any incriminating material and also did not produce it before the court, even after a lapse of five and a half years, to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. "From the material collected by the agency, they themselves are prima facie not satisfied that the offence under the PMLA can be proved beyond reasonable doubt...," it said, adding that argument by the ED counsel regarding the pendency of the appeal against the order of adjudicating authority is also no help because against the order of the appellate authority also, remedies are available. The bench emphasised that the allegation must be proved beyond reasonable doubt in the court and also, it is incumbent upon the court to look into the allegation and the material collected in support thereto and to find out whether the prima facie offence is made out. The bench set aside a Madras High Court order, which dismissed the appellant's plea seeking quashing of proceedings connected with the PMLA complaint. "The High Court by the impugned order has recorded the finding without due consideration of the letter of the Income Tax Department and other material in the right perspective. Therefore, in our view, these findings of the High Court cannot be sustained," it said, while setting aside the high court order. The bench noted that in the present case, the schedule offence has not been made out because of lack of evidence. "The Adjudicating Authority, at the time of refusing to continue the order of attachment under the PMLA, was of the opinion that the record regarding banks and its officials who may be involved, is not on record," it said. It added therefore, for lack of identity of the source of collected money, it could not be reasonably believed by the Deputy Director, ED that the unaccounted money is connected with the commission of offence under the PMLA. "Accordingly, we set aside the impugned order passed by the High Court. Consequently, this appeal is allowed. ECR CEZO 19/2016 including Complaint bearing No. 2 of 2017 stands quashed." The Income Tax Department, Chennai, in December 2016, conducted a search of Reddy's official premises and seized a large amount of currency and gold. The CBI registered a case against him and two others. Later, the ED said the case also attracted the provisions of the PMLA. The ED allegedly found new Rs 2000 currency notes of a total value of over Rs 33 crore in a search operation conducted at his official and commercial premises. In March 2017, the appellant secured bail from the special court. Later, the CBI FIRs were quashed by the high court. The IT department closed the investigation saying it is accounted money and there were records of taxes paid by him. Reddy then moved the high court seeking quashing of the PMLA proceedings. --IANS ss/vd ( 633 Words) 2022-05-23-22:32:04 (IANS) The situation in the pre-monsoon floods, which affecting the large parts of Assam since May 13, further improved on Monday even as 6.5 lakh people in 22 districts still in distress and with one more person died during the past 24 hours in Cachar district taking the overall death toll to 25. Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that at least 6,50,402 people, including 1,25,471 children, of 1,709 villages have been affected in 22 of the state's 34 districts. Of the 25 deaths, 20 died in floods and five in landslides in different districts. An ASDMA release said that 82,503 hectares crop areas have remained affected in flood hit areas. In all, 366 relief camps and 290 relief distribution centres have been opened in all the affected areas. A total of 90,597 people are staying in the relief camps. Among the worst-hit districts in the state - 3,51,070 people were affected in Nagaon alone followed by 1,98,128 people in Cachar, 44,514 in Hojai, 40,345 in Morigaon, 7,763 in Darrang, and 5,682 in Karimganj. The Army, the Assam Rifles, the National Disaster Response Force, and the State Disaster Response Force, along with the district administrations, are working round the clock to rescue the stranded people and to provide relief to the marooned men, women and children. The water of Kopili river was flowing above the danger level in several places. The ASDMA release said that 24 MT food items, 1,500 litres of cooking oil and 2,000 liters of diesel have been air transported to three remote areas - Harangajao, Hajaichak and Leikul - of flood- and landslide-devastated Dima Hasao district on Monday. Several Ministers, including Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta, Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, and Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, are camping in the flood-ravaged areas to supervise the rescue and relief operations. The situation in the hill section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in Dima Hasao district remained serious on Monday as inclement continued to batter the area, affecting the Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route, which connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the southern part of Assam with the rest of the country. According to NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer, Sabyasachi De, in the Lumding Division, train services have been either cancelled till June end. --IANS sc/vd ( 398 Words) 2022-05-23-22:45:18 (IANS) The project is expected to provide employment opportunities to about 10,000 people directly and indirectly. Adani Green Energy will set up a 3,700 MW Hydro Storage Plant and 10,000 MW solar energy project in Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed in presence of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and Adani Group Chairman Goutam Adani at the AP Pavilion, stated the official release. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National general secretary Tarun Chugh and Telangana State In-charge Tarun Chugh on Monday said that the state BJP would go door-to-door and brief people on the welfare schemes of the party on the completion of eight years of PM Narendra Modi government. Tarun Chug, while speaking to ANI, said, "The BJP under the leadership of Bandi Sanjay held a meeting where all the Morcha Presidents, general secretaries and district president. On May 30, the PM Narendra Modi government is completing eight years in the government. In Telangana BJP, the workers will go to every house for 14 days and brief them on welfare programs done by PM Modi government." "During the COVID time when the whole world's financial situation worsened, PM Modi strongly held the financial situation through Atma Nirbhar Bharath. 80 crores people are being given free ration. 200 crore injections were given for free in India. Stove, gas, bathroom and water connection are given to the poor," he said. "So every BJP worker will visit houses to tell the welfare activities done by BJP in eight years. The Karyakartas will spend 36 hours going to every house and giving them information about every scheme and welfare activity. This program will be started by JP Nadda from Delhi on May 30. According to Chugh, the Telangana people have lost trust in Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. "KCR government has failed at every step, the people of Telangana have lost trust in him. He has become a political tourist, going to Delhi and Punjab. Leaving a large state like Telangana, he is going to small states like Delhi and learning from them-- how schools run. This is an insult to Telangana", he added. (ANI) The survivor actress in the 2017 actress assault case has approached the Kerala High Court seeking its intervention in the case to ensure justice. She alleged that a move is being made to subvert the case. She further alleged in the plea, "It is an attempt to influence the politicians in the ruling alliance to end the case. Despite the evidence that accused actor Dileep's lawyers were trying to influence witnesses. But they were excluded from the investigation by the probe team. It was informed that a move was being made to end the case in a hurry. This raises the question of whether this will lead to denial of justice." "There is political pressure on the probe team to close the case. The accused in the case, Dileep, is a man of high political influence. The move is underway to snatch the final report. This is due to the nexus between the ruling party members and Dileep. A move to question his lawyers was blocked by Dileep's lawyer's political affiliation. I have no choice but to go to court for justice," she added. The case pertains that an actress, who worked in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films, was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. (ANI) With banks and investment firms forecast to spend $623 billion on IT products and services in 2022, three technology trends are seen gaining traction during the period, says Gartner. Generative artificial intelligence (AI), autonomic systems and privacy-enhancing computation are three technology trends to look out for in 2022, according to Gartner, research and advisory firm. These trends will continue to grow over the next two to three years, contributing to growth and transformation of financial services organisations. Growth top priority While growth is the top priority, the need to manage risk, optimise costs and increase efficiency also requires new technology innovations, said Moutusi Sau, VP Analyst at Gartner. Generative AI enables bank CIOs to offer technology solutions to the business in pursuit of revenue growth, while autonomic systems and privacy-enhancing computation are long-term solutions that provide new options for business transformation in financial services. IT spending by banking and investment services firms is forecast to grow 6.1% in 2022 to $623 billion worldwide. The largest category of spending is IT services, which includes consulting and managed services and accounts for 42% of total IT spending in the sector at $264 billion. The fastest growing category is software, with spending forecast to increase by 11.5% to $149 billion. The three emerging technologies identified by Gartner collectively contribute to goals to run, grow and transform a business and have demonstrated use cases in the banking and investment industry. Trend 1: Generative AI Gartner predicts that 20% of all test data for consumer-facing use cases will be synthetically generated by 2025. Generative AI learns a digital representation of artifacts from data and generates innovative new creations that are similar to the original but does not repeat it. In banking and investment services, application of generative adversarial networks (GANs) and natural language generation (NLG) can be found in most scenarios for fraud detection, trading prediction, synthetic data generation and risk factor modeling. It has potential because of the ability to take personalisation to new heights. Trend 2: Autonomic Systems Autonomic systems are self-managed physical or software systems that learn from their environments and dynamically modify their own algorithms in real-time to optimise their behavior in complex ecosystems. They create an agile set of technology capabilities that support new requirements and situations, optimise performance and defend against attacks without human intervention. Currently, autonomic systems are mostly software-based in the banking context. However, humanoid robots are emerging in smart branches that are examples of hardware-based autonomous systems that cater to clients and customers. They could be applied in autonomous debt management, personal finance assistants and automated lending. Roboadvisors are essentially low-level autonomic systems, although there are still trust concerns due to their high level of automation. Gartner predicts that by 2024, 20% of organisations that sell autonomic systems or devices will require customers to waive indemnity provisions related to their products learned behaviour. Trend 3: Privacy-Enhancing Computation Privacy-enhancing computation (PEC) secures the processing of personal data in untrusted environments which is increasingly critical due to evolving privacy and data protection laws, as well as growing consumer concerns. It uses a variety of privacy-protection techniques to allow value to be extracted from data while still meeting compliance requirements. Gartner predicts that 60% of large organisations will use one or more privacy-enhancing computation techniques in analytics, business intelligence or cloud computing by 2025. Within financial services, data has an inherent role in any analytics, computing and data monetisation efforts. The adoption of PEC is on the rise in use cases like fraud analysis, intelligence operations, data sharing and anti-money-laundering.-- TradeArabia News Service The police registered a case against the PFI Alappuzha district president, secretary and other identifiable persons under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Kerala Police further said that an activist of the Popular Front of India (PFI) has been taken into custody in connection with a viral video showing a child shouting hate slogans against people belonging to Hindu and Christian communities in Kerala, officials informed on Tuesday. Kerala Police on Monday said that they have begun investigating a viral video in which a boy is seen raising a provocative slogan allegedly at a Popular Front of India (PFI) march. "The video came to our notice and we are examining where this happened," said the police. According to PFI officials, they had a set of official slogans during a march in Alappuzha on Saturday. "This slogan was not among them. A lot of workers from various places attended the march. When volunteers noticed this slogan, they prevented raising that slogan," said PFI officials. Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI) Bhartiya Janta Party's (BJP) top leaders and ministers will meet on Wednesday at the party headquarters to discuss and plan for the programmes to mark the eight years of the Narendra Modi-led Central government. Speaking to ANI, a top source in the party said, "There will be a meeting at the BJP headquarters on May 25. We will discuss the plan and programme for the grand celebrations of eight years of the Modi Government". The BJP chief JP Nadda and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take part in the meeting. The source in the party further said that they will also discuss the execution of 15 days long programmes related to 'Seva, Shushan, and Gareeb Kalyan' to mark eight years. The target is to reach people with all the policies and programmes of the government, said the source. "The BJP is planning for the grand celebrations by reaching out to its people with government policies and programmes. The ministers will take out 'Vikas Teeratha yatra'. Details will be discussed in the meeting tomorrow," the source added. The BJP will complete its eight years at the Centre on May 30, which the party plans to celebrate from May 30 to June 14 on the theme of 'Service, Good Governance and Poor Welfare'. Notably, in the meeting of the BJP national office bearers that took place in Jaipur on May 20, a blueprint was prepared to take the report card of the government to the people. (ANI) A Public Internet Litigation (PIL) has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking direction to declare that "the song 'Vande Mataram', which had played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with 'Jana-Gana-Mana' and shall have equal status with it in spirit of the Statement made by the Constituent Assembly Chairman Dr Rajendra Prasad with regard to the National Anthem, on January 24, 1950". It also sought direction to the Centre and State Governments to ensure that 'Jana-Gana-Mana' and 'Vande Mataram' are played and sung in all schools and educational institutions on every working day and also to frame guidelines in the spirit of the Constituent Assembly resolution dated January 24, 1950 read with the Judgment passed by the Madras High Court and Supreme Court of India. The petitioner Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, practising lawyer and BJP leader stated that India is a Union of States and not an association or confederation of States. There is only one nationality i.e. Indian and it is the duty of every Indian to respect 'Vande Mataram'. "In order to keep the country united, it is the duty of the Government to frame a National Policy to promote-propagate Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram. There is no reason why it should evoke any other sentiment as the both are decided by Constitution makers." "The sentiments expressed in Jana Gana Mana have been expressed while keeping the State in view. However, sentiments expressed in Vande Mataram denote the nation's character and style and deserve similar respect. Sometimes, Vande Mataram is sung in such circumstances which are not permissible and can never be countenanced in law. It is the duty of every Indian to show respect when Vandemataram is played/sung," said the plea. Vande Mataram was the whole nation's thought and motto when India gained independence from British rule during the independence movement. Large rallies, fermenting initially in major cities, worked themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan Vande Mataram'. The British, fearful of the potential danger of incited populace, at one point in time, banned the utterance of Vande Mataram in public places and imprisoned many independence activists for disobeying the proscription, the plea said. Rabindranath Tagore sang 'Vande Mataram in 1896 at the Calcutta Congress Session. Dakhina Charan Sen sang Vande Mataram five years later in 1901 in another Congress Session at Calcutta. Sarala Devi Chaudurani sang Vande Mataram in Benares Congress Session in 1905. Lala Lajpat Rai started a journal called Vande Mataram from Lahore, the plea stated. (ANI) Before his arrest, he was sacked by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from the cabinet. According to Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts. The CMO said that concrete evidence was found against Singla. "For the second time in the history of the country, a Chief Minister took strict action directly against his minister," claimed the Punjab CM Office in a statement. Earlier, in the year 2015, the Delhi Chief Minister had sacked one of his ministers in a corruption case, added the Punjab CMO. "People have formed the government of Aam Aadmi Party with great expectations, and it is our duty to live up to that expectation," said Mann He further said that as long as "mother India has sons like Arvind Kejriwal and soldiers like Bhagwant Mann, the great war against corruption will continue". "Arvind Kejriwal had made a promise that we would uproot corruption. There is no place for 1 per cent corruption," he said. (ANI) According to Maharashtra ATS, accused Junaid is an Indian national, residing in Pune and was connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) terror network. "His specific role was to recruit terrorists for LeT," said Maharashtra ATS. The ATS will produce him before a Special Court in Pune later today. Further details are awaited. (ANI) Radio Jockey Umar Nisar (RJ Umar), who hails from south Kashmir, has been awarded the '01 Best Content Award' and the Immunization Champion award by UNICEF at the annual Radio4Child 2022 Awards in Mumbai. The Radio4Child felicitated radio professionals from private FM and All India Radio from across the country for their commendable work during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as for routine vaccination. These radio professionals highlighted the importance of routine vaccination among people. Speaking to ANI today, Umar Nisar said, "I was always interested in Radio Jockeying. I began my career way back in 2014 here." In a message to the youth, he said, "If you are passionate about working in this field, then you can pursue this career. I also, in my initial phase of life, faced a lot of hindrances. But, one has to remain constant and not give up easily on this path." "Whenever, I used to watch movies. I used to try and mimic the dialogues. Later on in my life, I realized that this profession is apt for me," he said. Umar is an RJ at a local FM station in South Kashmir. This award means a lot to him and will go a long way in motivating him in the future. Umar wants to dedicate the award to the listeners for their love and support, and to the nurse who vaccinated him in childhood. The award has been conferred on him for his excellent work during the pandemic in building awareness and countering rumours to reach audiences. The information provided was a game-changer that allowed effective messaging to counter vaccine hesitancy among parents and the public. The award was presented by multi-Grammy Award-winning music composer, environmentalist, and UNICEF celebrity supporter Ricky Kej, OIC UNICEF, UP Dr Zafrin Chowdhury, chief of communications and advocacy and partnerships, UNICEF India; Dr Sachin Desai, State Immunization Officer, Government of Maharashtra; Dr Sachin Desai, State Immunization Officer, Government of Maharashtra. Ricky Kej also felicitated over 80 radio professionals from all over India at the event organized by Radio4Child. UNICEF India's initiative aims to engage radio professionals with thought-provoking programming on child and maternal health. RJ Umar is the only RJ from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected for this award. (ANI) Congress has constituted a "Task Force 2024" for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which, interestingly, includes poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu as a member. Senior leaders included in the group are Congress leaders P Chidambaram, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Sunil Kanugolu. Currently, Kanugolu is working with Congress in Telangana and Karnataka and making a strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls. Recently, Prashant Kishor had given a presentation to a group of senior Congress leaders for the roadmap of the 2024 elections and after that All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Randeep Surjewala had given a statement that an Empowered Action Group will be formed for 2024 polls. Later, Prashant Kishor declined to join the Congress. Kishor had said that the party needs "leadership and collective will" to fix deep-rooted structural problems through transformational reforms. According to the Congress statement, each member of the Task Force shall be assigned specific tasks related to organization, communications and media, outreach, finance and election Management. They shall have designated teams which will be notified subsequently. The Task Force will also follow up on the Udaipur Sankalp Declaration and the reports of the six groups. Besides the Task Force 2024, Congress has also Constituted a Political Affairs Group headed by party interim president Sonia Gandhi. Along with that Central Planning Group for the "Bharat Jodo Padyatra" has also been formed. The three Committees formed by the party have accommodated G-23 leaders like Gulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, who are being included in Political Affairs group along with Rahul Gandhi. Shashi Tharoor has also been included in the Central Planning Group for Coordination of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Another important leader which has come to the forefront of AICC politics is Digvijay Singh, who has been included in the Political Affairs Group and will be heading the Central Planning group for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which is the Central Idea of the party to kick start the campaign for 2024 Lok Sabha election. A three-day brainstorming session, Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir, was held by the Congress and attended by the Gandhis and senior party leaders, to discuss the strategy for the 2024 assembly polls and the electoral challenges. (ANI) "Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes. The whole nation today feels proud of AAP," Kejriwal tweeted. The Punjab Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. He said that he has sacked Singla from the cabinet and directed Police to register a case against him. According to Punjab CMO, Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts and he also confessed to it. "I am taking strict action against that minister, sacking him from the cabinet and directing the Police to register a case against him. That Minister is Vijay Singla. He had indulged in corruption in his department, and he also confessed to it. AAP has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption," said Mann. "A case had come to my knowledge, a minister of my government was demanding a 1 per cent commission for every tender. I took it very seriously. Nobody knew about it, had I wanted it could have brushed it under the carpet. But I would have broken the trust of people who trusted me," Punjab CM added. Punjab's Anti-Corruption Branch arrested Punjab Minister Vijay Singla following corruption allegations against him. (ANI) Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army's Eastern Command Lieutenant General RP Kalita on Tuesday emphasized the importance of hard power. Addressing an event today, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army's Eastern Command Lieutenant General RP Kalita, said, "A couple of things stand out clearly from the Russia-Ukraine war. First of them is the importance of hard power. Ultimately, a nation would only respect if you possess hard power." "There was a myth that was being circulated that the era of open conflict has gone, but the Russia-Ukraine war has shown us that even now, the nation-states would pursue their national interests by resorting to an open all-out conflict," Lt Gen RP Kalita said. He added, "There was a myth that all future conflicts will be short-duration wars but the Russia-Ukraine war going on for over three months now. Lastly, in any case of future conflict, a nation has to fight alone. Hence, there is a requirement of having an Aatmanirbhar Bharat that we have been talking about." Russia launched its special operation on Ukraine on February 24 following which the US and Europe have imposed sanctions on Moscow condemning its war on the East European country. In January this year, Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita, who was commissioned in the 9 Kumaon Regiment in 1984, was appointed as the new Chief of Eastern Army Command headquartered in Kolkata. General Kalita succeeded Lieutenant General Manoj Pande who will join Army Headquarters as the new Vice Chief of the Army. (ANI) Over 80 per cent of staff in seven offices under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has attained working knowledge of Hindi-- a language which has gained the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah to adopt it in government offices as the official language. "In pursuance of sub rule (4) of Rule 10 of the Official Language (Use for official purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976 (as amended in 1987), the Central Government hereby notifies the following offices under the Ministry of Home Affairs, wherein more than 80 per cent of staff have attained the working knowledge of Hindi," reads a notification issued by the MHA. The seven offices where 80 per cent of staff has attained working knowledge of Hindi are the Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal under Registrar General of India; Delhi Police Headquarters; and five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) offices-- Office of the DIG, Ops Range, Bongaigaon, Assam; Office of the Commandant, 212 Battalion, Yettapakka, Andhra Pradesh; Office of the Commandant, 230 Battalion, Nareli Valley, Dantewada, Chattisgarh; Office of the Commandant, 233 Battalion, CRPF Group Kendra Campus, Bijnor, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; and Office of the Commandant, 240 Mahila Battalion, CRPF Bengaluru, Karnataka. Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month had said that Hindi should be "accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages" and when citizens of states who speak other languages communicate with each other, it should be in the "language of India". Shah made the comments while presiding over the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee on April 7. In the meeting, Shah had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided on the medium of running the government in the official language and that it would definitely increase the importance of Hindi. Now 70 per cent of the Cabinet agenda is prepared in Hindi, he was quoted as saying in an official statement. "Now the time has come to make the official language an important part of the unity of the country. When citizens of states who speak other languages communicate with each other, it should be in the language of India. Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages. Unless we make Hindi flexible by accepting words from other local languages, it will not be propagated," the minister had said. He had also said that there was a need to give elementary knowledge of Hindi to students up to Class 9 and pay more attention to Hindi teaching examinations. He had also suggested the republishing of the Hindi dictionary by revising it. Shah said 22,000 Hindi teachers have been recruited in the eight northeastern states. Nine tribal communities of the northeast have converted their dialects' scripts to Devanagari. Apart from this, Shah said, all the eight states of the North East have agreed to make Hindi compulsory in schools up to Class X. (ANI) Bahrain Car Parks Company (Amakin), a Bahraini company specialised in parking management, premium add-on services and property leasing, has reported a net profit of BD164,000 ($431,986) for the first quarter, down 18% over last year's figure of BD199,000 ($524,178). Amakin is a Bahraini public shareholding company established in 1981; it is specialized in parking management, premium add-on services, and property leasing. Announcing its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022, Amakin said the company posted a total comprehensive income of BD183,000, up 27% compared to BD144,000 reported for the same period in 2021, and an increase of 22% in operating income, BD535,000 compared to BD437,000 for the same period in 2021. Basic and diluted earnings per share were at 1.50 fils, compared to 1.82 fils for the same period in 2021. Total equity attributable to the shareholders of the company amounted to BD19.3 million compared to BD19.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, which represents a decrease of 2%. The company's assets were at BD20.7 million, 1% higher compared to BD 20.4 million for the year ended 31 December 2021. On the financial results, Chairman Amin Alarrayed, said: "Amakins financial performance reflects notable success and growth with the company entering strategic partnerships. We will continue to build long-term partnerships, especially with the public sector to achieve efficiency in public parking operations." "This is in-line with our companys core values collaboration for a better future. This year, we aim to achieve our strategic priorities while diversifying and leveraging our resources to achieve exceptional results for our communities and fulfill Amakins mission to create a seamless parking ecosystem," he added. CEO Tariq Ali Aljowder said Amakin had made a successful start into 2022, as highlighted by its positive results with an increase in operating income. "In the past year, we successfully executed most of our planned initiatives which are tied to transforming our spaces into mobility hubs. We are confident that we will do even better in 2022, as we move into our second year of strategy implementation," he noted. "Upcoming plans for the year include a major upgrade to our portfolio of F&B tenants in The Terminal and Amakins building. In addition to that, we added 1,000 parking spaces to our portfolio from Autospace Building in Diplomatic Area, with more to come in the next quarter," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel who recently quit the Congress on Tuesday hit out at the party leadership for their derogatory and hateful remarks against "Hindus and Lord Ram". Patel took to Twitter to slam a former Gujarat Congress president who allegedly said dogs had urinated on bricks being used for building the Ram temple in Ayodhya. "I had said earlier too that the Congress party works to hurt the sentiments of the people, always trying to damage the faith of the Hindu religion. Today, a former Union minister and Gujarat Congress leader made a statement that dogs urinate on the bricks of Ram temple," Patel tweeted. "I want to ask Congress and its leaders what enmity do you have against Lord Shri Ram? Why hate Hindus so much? After centuries, a temple of Lord Shri Ram is also being built in Ayodhya, yet the leaders of Congress keep making statements against Lord Ram," he further said in a tweet. Patel had on Wednesday resigned from the party and stated that Gujarat Congress leaders were least bothered to address real issues of Gujarat but were more focussed on ensuring that the leaders who come from Delhi in Gujarat get "chicken sandwich" on time. He alleged that Gujarat Congress leaders tried to disrupt his political effort "sitting in the AC chambers". The Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held this year. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Hyderabad and Chennai on Thursday (May 26). Among several other projects, PM Modi will inaugurate the 75 km long Madurai-Teni Railway Gauge Conversion Project. As per the Prime Minister's Office, at around 2 pm, the Prime Minister will participate in the celebration of the completion of 20 years of Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad and address the graduation ceremony of the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) Class of 2022. At around 5:45 pm, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,400 crore at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. In Chennai, as per the PMO press release, PM Modi will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,400 crore here. "These projects will also help significantly improve socio-economic prosperity in the region, have a transformative impact on several sectors and also help create employment opportunities," the release stated. In Chennai, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation five projects worth over Rs 2,900 crore. The 75 km long Madurai-Teni (Railway Gauge Conversion Project), built at a project cost of over Rs. 500 crore, will facilitate access and give a boost to tourism in the region. The 30 km long third railway line between Tambaram - Chengalpattu, built at a project cost of over Rs. 590 crore, will facilitate running of more Suburban services, thus offering greater options and enhancing comfort for the travellers. The 115 km long Ennore-Chengalpattu section and 271 km long Thiruvallur-Bengaluru section of ETBPNMT natural gas pipeline, built at a project cost of around Rs. 850 crore and Rs 910 crore respectively, will facilitate supply of natural gas to consumers as well industries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The programme will also witness inauguration of 1152 houses constructed as part of Light House Project - Chennai, built at a cost of Rs 116 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of six projects, being built at a cost of over Rs. 28,500 crore. The 262 Km long Bengaluru - Chennai Expressway will be built at a cost of over Rs. 14,870 crore. It will pass-through states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and help reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai by 2-3 hours. The 4 Lane double-decker elevated road connecting Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (NH-4), of about 21 Km in length, will be built at a cost of over Rs 5850 crore. It will facilitate round the clock approach of goods vehicles to Chennai port. The 94 km long 4 lane Neraluru to Dharmapuri section of NH-844 and 31 km long 2 lane with paved shoulders of Meensurutti to Chidambaram section of NH-227, being built at a cost of around Rs 3870 crore and Rs 720 respectively, will help provide seamless connectivity in the region. The foundation stones for redevelopment of five Railway stations: Chennai Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi and Kanniyakumari, will also be laid during the programme. This project will be completed at a cost of over Rs. 1800 crore, and is being undertaken with a view to enhancing convenience and comfort of the passengers through the provision of modern amenities. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of a Multi-Modal Logistic Park at Chennai worth over Rs 1400 crore. It will provide seamless intermodal freight movement and also offer multiple functionalities. Prime Minister will participate in the celebration of the completion of 20 years of Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad and address the graduation ceremony of the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) Class of 2022. ISB was inaugurated on 2 December 2001, by Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Regarded as one of the top B-schools in the country, ISB also collaborates with several Ministries and Departments of the Government to provide training and capacity building. (ANI) WHA's Committee B primarily discusses administrative and financial matters of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The World Health Organization takes direction for its goals and priorities from the 194 member states. Each year the World Health Assembly has a long and complex list of health challenges and responses to review. Each year, the World Health Assembly has a long and complex list of health challenges and responses to review which functions through two types of committees, that is, Committee A and Committee B. WHA' Committee A meets to debate technical and health matters. "Committee A has listed critical issues to discuss during 75th WHA including pandemic preparedness and response, amendment in international health regulations 2005. WHO works in a health emergency, global strategy for HIV, TB, viral hepatitis and eradication of polio, immunisation agenda 2030, infection prevention and control and human resources for health etc," said the health ministry. Committee B primarily discusses administrative and financial matters of the World Health Organization. "This year Committee B will discuss and prepare a report on many important issues which includes health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem and in the occupied Syrian Golan, Budget for WHO for the year 2022-2023, Prevention of sexual exploitation, WHO reforms, global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property, audit report of WHO, global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property and intergovernmental organizations issues," it added. (ANI) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's meeting with the UK's former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has sparked a new controversy as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been criticizing Rahul Gandhi and the grand old party ever since the meeting took place. Jeremy is known to be a centre-left leader and has given anti-India statements in the past. Earlier on Monday, the Indian Overseas Congress had tweeted Gandhi's picture with Jeremy. Attacking Gandhi over his meeting with Corbyn in London, BJP Leader Amit Malviya tweeted, "Rahul Gandhi with UK MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy is known for his visceral dislike for India, advocates Kashmir's secession and is unequivocally anti-Hindu. Gandhi has finally found his overseas collaborator, who denigrates India with the same impunity as him." While Congress leader Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter and said, "Am amazed as to how dearest friends in TV Media have to bend over backwards to serve the idiotic agenda of Govt & ilk of Kapil Sharma. Political leaders have met in the past and will meet in future other leaders having divergent and opposite views to us or get a pic taken." He further stated that Rahul Gandhi taking a picture with a person with whom we hold divergent views is neither a crime nor an act of terror as is being made out. He questioned, "If this is the criteria, the media friends should also debate why did the Prime Minister take Nirav Modi to Davos and about their common photos? "If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - What about the video of the PM addressing Mehul Choksi as "Hamare Mehul Bhai" in a public function? Why does the PM meet President Xi Jinping, when China has occupied our territory?" he added. Surjewala further questioned, "If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - Why did PM go to Pakistan to meet the then PM, Nawaz Sharif? Will Government promise it will never ever meet anyone having divergent views from us? Time to debate real issues, Not BJP propaganda!" (ANI) Congress is all set to advise its spokespersons/leaders to address Congress as Indian National Congress during TV debates and press conferences/speeches, said party sources on Tuesday. "The party wants to give the message through this that Congress is Indian, Congress has Indianness, the party is National Congress which fought for freedom," added the sources. The party's logic behind this is that BJP and Prime Minister Modi keep questioning the nationalism of the Congress and the Indianness of the Congress leadership. Therefore, it is necessary to reiterate that the Congress party is Indian, beliefs in Indianness are nationalist and the leadership of the Congress is also Indian, stated the sources. Not only this, in order to join India and Indianness, the Congress party read the party's proposal in Hindi in Udaipur in the past and was issued in Hindi itself, later it was translated into English. This is the first time in the Congress party that resolutions were passed in Hindi and later, they were translated into English. Till now, resolutions were always passed in English and later, their Hindi translation was made available to the media, as per the sources. Changing the communication strategy, the Congress Party held a meeting of the Task Force constituted for 2024, immediately after the formation of the committee, in which Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was specially invited and pictures were immediately released to the media so that the common worker of the Congress gets the message about the seriousness. In Udaipur, the party had passed a resolution to radically change communication in the Nav Sankalp Shivir and all this is being taken in that direction so that the very strong campaign system of the BJP can be put to use in the battle of 2024. Rahul Gandhi always mentioned and publicly believed that the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign system is much better than Congress' and he needs to learn from the BJP's way of campaigning. (ANI) GTA (an autonomous body to administer Darjeeling hills) elections are scheduled to be held next month. Speaking to reporters, Bimal Gurung said, "Our first demand was to oppose the GTA election and to include 396 Gurkha majority mouzas in the GTA. All demands must be met first." Meanwhile, several political parties, including the BJP and their allies GNLF and CPRM, have made it clear that they will not contest the GTA elections. Even Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has also made it clear that there is a legal battle to prevent the TMC-led state government from holding GTA elections. The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government has announced to hold polls in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in June. Bimal Gurung has earlier written a letter to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, requesting her to put the GTA election in abeyance till the Memorandum of Proposal (MoP) submitted by the party to the government is implemented. The MoP also demanded the inclusion of the 396 Gurkha majority mouzas into it. He will sit on hunger strike at 11 am tomorrow. Bimal Gurung broke ties with the BJP ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections and joined hands with Mamata Banerjee. The elections to the GTA, which was formed in 2011, is on hold since 2017. There are 45 elected members in the GTA Sabha and five others are nominated by the governor. (ANI) In a shocking development, two lovers in Karnataka's Mysuru tried to get rid of the child born to them, passing it off as an orphan, police said on Tuesday. The arrested man was identified as Raghu from H.D. Kote town, and the woman has also been detained. Raghu had claimed that a woman, who was an absolute stranger, walked up to him with this baby at Raichur bus stop in north Karnataka, asked him to hold it for a minute, and disappeared. The accused maintained that he had brought the baby to Mysuru. Narrating the story, he had handed over the male baby to the police. Lashkar Police Station staff had handed over the baby to a rehabilitation centre. However, the investigations by the police revealed that the youth is the father of the baby. It has also come to light that the lovers who did not want to have a baby, have planned and enacted a drama to get rid of it. The police are investigating the case and more details regarding the case are yet to emerge. --IANS mka/vd ( 194 Words) 2022-05-24-21:22:02 (IANS) The failure of Sri Lanka's economy due to faulty economic planning bore fruit for China's strategic ties as the island nation is caught in a vicious cycle of Chinese loans. Upon shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, Sri Lanka's over-reliance on China as a development partner proved wrong as China's predatory debt diplomacy increased the foreign debts of the nation and amplified the crisis. As Sri Lanka slid into a foreign exchange crisis, China just came forward with a proposal for a paltry USD 500 million concessionary loans for 10 years to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic and showed a willingness to renegotiate only a handful of Chinese debt, standing close to USD 6.5 billion and constituting more than 10% of Sri Lanka's total foreign debt over USD 50 billion, Dailymirror reported. Additionally, China did not entertain Sri Lanka's request for debt deferment of around USD 2.5 billion saying there is no such provision in their financial system, instead it evinced interest to consider providing a loan to repay debt due to it. This year Sri Lanka needs to repay over USD 1.5 billion to China alone for debt servicing, the report stated further. Sri Lanka's economic crisis is self-made as the nation's infrastructure development was based on borrowing while its foreign exchange earnings remained highly dependent on tourism which crashed due to covid. Colombo, in its efforts to speed up its economic growth, resorted to quick fixes whereas China strengthened its manufacturing base and promoted exports at the same time. Moreover, a better strategy for Sri Lanka would have been to ask for assistance from multilateral agencies on soft terms instead of Chinese loans near commercial terms. According to Dailymirror, the World Bank recently agreed to provide USD 600 million in assistance to help the country meet requirements for essential imports, however, if the country resorted to World Bank loans for infrastructure development at cheaper rates rather than Chinese loans earlier, it could have avoided such a crisis. At this time when China is dithering, crisis-hit Sri Lanka has only one option to explore, i.e. to seek USD 3-4 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance. Sri Lanka's economy has been in a free fall since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crash of the tourism sector as well as foreign exchange shortage which has led to food, fuel, power and gas shortages and has sought the assistance of friendly countries for economic assistance. (ANI) Part of the World Economic Forum's Climate Action Platform, the alliance will continue efforts to achieve the vision outlined in the white paper released last year, 'Mission 2070: A Green New Deal for a Net Zero India', on India's low-carbon transition by 2070. It will bring together the government, businesses and other key stakeholders to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious 'Panchamrit' pledge, which includes the country's net-zero target by 2070. "As a major global economy, India's role in mitigating climate change is critical and India Inc. must add its full weight to the country's efforts, as well to the global endeavour, against global warming," said Sumant Sinha, Co-Chair, Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ReNew Power. A collaboration between the management consultancy Kearney and the Indian think-tank Observer Research Foundation, the alliance will serve as a high-level platform to support business leaders in planning and implementing plans and programmes to achieve climate targets, including net-zero economic growth. It will leverage learnings and experiences from global projects such as the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and the First Movers Coalition. --IANS vg/arm ( 228 Words) 2022-05-23-22:26:07 (IANS) After extensive deliberation, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has decided to continue running the government as he refused to dissolve the national assembly amid political pressure and economic woes, media reports said. The decision comes after rounds of consultation with the top leadership of the heads of the ruling coalition parties during last week, Samaa TV reported. This comes a day after PTI chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the 'Haqeeqi Azadi March' in Islamabad from Wednesday. The PTI believes that the current regime has been installed by the US through a conspiracy. The party is demanding dissolution of the national assembly and fresh elections. Speculations were running rife that the government would dissolve the assembly and go for fresh elections before the long march of PTI. The PML-N-led government, however, has decided otherwise. It said that the government is determined to complete its constitutional tenure till August 2023. Samaa TV reported that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has endorsed the decision of staying in the government despite economic and political pressures. The awaited decision has also been communicated to an 'important personality' by the PML-N supremo. The PML-N led government has also decided to counter PTI's long march strictly if the marchers resort to unlawful activity. It has been decided to arrest the participants of the long march who would try to take the law into their hands. Along with it, the government has also decided not to accede to any unconstitutional demand by Imran Khan. --IANS san/arm ( 261 Words) 2022-05-23-22:32:03 (IANS) Saudi-based Jeddah Central Development Company (JCDC) has awarded the development works contract for Phase One of its mega SR75-billion ($20 billion) project, Central Jeddah (formerly New Jeddah Downtown) project, to Modern Building Leaders (MBL). JCDC, a wholly-owned unit of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF), is developing the mega project on a 5.7-million-sq-m area in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. The scope of work for MBL includes the projects infrastructure and marine works which will see the demolition of nearly 400 buildings within the citys existing infrastructure for the Phase One work. The first phase will also see relocation of water, electricity, and waste management infrastructure services, which all run across 6.5 km, said the statement from JCDC. According to JCDC, the dredging works, marine drilling and sustainable backfilling using the same drilled materials (which are estimated to amount to 4 million cu m) will also be handled by MBL. This will be followed by a period of soil testing and construction site preparation, all utilising the latest geotechnical engineering methods, across a 1.5 sq-m area. Furthermore, sea berths and yacht marinas spanning 2.5 km will be built, along with floating berths within the marina itself. 1.5 km of waterfront berths will also be constructed, while the citys public and private beaches will be outfitted with modern new facilities, said the statement. It marks the beginning of the projects first phase, which will commence in the heart of Jeddah, between Al-Salam Royal Palace and water desalination plant, it added. The project is in line with the directives of the Kingdoms Vision 2030, which aims to build a thriving economy and a vibrant society and enrich the quality of life for its residents and visitors, remarked CEO Engineer Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Sulaim after signing the deal with MBL Chairman Mohammed Saleh Bin Laden. The ambitious move is aimed at creating a vibrant global destination in the heart of Jeddah through innovative, sustainable construction methods and technologies, he noted. "The project is characterised by its emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the citys coastal and marine sites, including a 9.5-km shoreline, 2.1 km of sandy beaches, and a world-class marina to accommodate local and international yachts," remarked Al Sulaim. Since the project lands are entirely owned by PIF, there are no ownership disputes or confiscation issues, he added. According to him, the mega Central Jeddah project is being developed in three phases. Its modern design, which incorporates elements of Jeddah's traditional architecture, adheres to all international construction standards. "Throughout the project, four major landmarks will be constructed in the heart of Jeddah: a museum, opera house, stadium, and an oceanarium, which includes a coral farm. 10 other recreational and touristic areas will also be built within this same area," explained Al Sulaim. In addition to its recreational areas and iconic landmarks, JCDC will also build 17,000 residential units for citizens along with tourist resorts and hotels that will take the total number of hotel rooms to over 3,000 rooms, he said. The project also includes a marina and some of the world's most famous resorts and cafes, in addition to shopping malls and business sector solutions, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Amnesty International called the international community's response to Afghanistan's restrictions on women 'disappointing', a local media reported. "I have to say that the international community's response both over the past two weeks and over the last nine months has been very disappointing. You know, I think that most of the foreign diplomats dealing with Afghanistan are men, they don't seem to be as concerned about the women's rights situation as they should be," Heather Barr, director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch said. She further said that this is unforgivable given the role essayed by the diplomats over the last 20 years in creating the current situation, Tolo News reported. Amnesty International said that despite the Islamic Emirate's continued assurances that they respect the rights of women and girls, still millions of women are discriminated against since the Taliban became the de-facto authorities. The order of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue in which it asked the female presenter on the news channel need to cover their face has sparked widespread criticism national and international. Norway Ambassador Ole Andreas Lindeman in his meetings with Islamic Emirate discussed the importance of a free press and women's equal and meaningful participation in society, according to Tolo News. "The international organization and human rights organizations, the European Union and UNAMA should take practical steps instead of making statements," Monisa Mubariz, a women's rights activist said. Meanwhile, TOLOnews and other TV channels in Kabul on Sunday followed an order of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue regarding covering female presenters' faces. "Female speakers appear on television in the form of virtual images rather than real ones. Therefore, TOLO news views on this decision are still valid," TOLO News tweeted. However, TOLO news said that the decree issued by the leadership of the Islamic Emirate on the issue of hijab does not contain any explicit recommendation to cover the faces of female speakers. Earlier, women presenters on Afghanistan's leading TV channels went on air on Saturday without covering their faces, defying a Taliban order that they conceal their appearance. Many TV outlets have expressed their concerns over the new decree issued by the Taliban. Shamshad TV head of news Abid Ehsas said, "Our female colleagues are concerned that if they cover their faces, the next thing they will be told is to stop working." "This is the reason they have not observed the order so far," he added, reported Dawn citing a US-based agency. (ANI) Underlining that the world is at a "transformative moment" and the Russia-Ukraine war is not only a European but global issue, US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said Indo-Pacific powers are going to be partners and lead a global response amid the Ukraine conflict. Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine that has completed three months, Biden, in his opening remarks at the Quad Leaders Summit meeting in Tokyo, said the world is navigating the ship through a dark time. "Russia's war on Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets." Highlighting the divide between "democracy and autocracy", Biden started off his speech by saying that the partnership between the US, Australia, Japan and India is central to achieving the key goals in the field of healthcare and technology and supply chain resilience. He said Quad nations have already accomplished a great deal. "The Cooperating on COVID-19 response, health and security. Partnering on 5G and other technologies supply chains and technology standard-setting and launching our Quad fellowship programme." "The Quad has a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot of work to keep this region peaceful and stable, tacking this pandemic and next and addressing the climate crisis," said Biden at Quad Leaders' meet in his opening remarks. "US will be a strong, steady and enduring partner in Indo-Pacific. We are Indo-Pacific powers. As long as Russia continues the war, we are going to be partners and lead a global response. We stay together for the shared values and vision we have," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke before Biden, said the mutual trust, and determination of the member countries including the US, Australia and Japan is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers. "Quad has made an important place for itself before the world in such a short span of time. Today, Quad's scope has become extensive, its form effective. Our mutual trust, and our determination is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers," said PM Modi. The leaders of the Quad nations--Australia, India, Japan, and the United States--are meeting today for the fourth time and the second time in person. Established in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami to coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the Quad has since become a leading regional partnership dedicated to advancing a common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific through practical cooperation on diverse 21st-century challenges. PM Modi noted that despite the difficult circumstance of COVID-19, the member countries have increased mutual coordination in several areas like vaccine delivery, climate action, supply change resilience, disaster management and economic cooperation. The Summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provides an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. (ANI) While stating that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has "fundamentally shaken ruled-based international order", Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in his opening remarks at the Quad summit on Tuesday called upon the international community to listen to the voices of the Asean, South Asian and Indo-Pacific countries. Kishida stressed the broad-based practical cooperation between the member countries to further the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. "A grave incident which has fundamentally shaken the rules-based international order has taken place since we met last September. The Russian invasion of Ukraine challenges the principles which are enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We should never ever allow a similar incident to happen in the Indo-Pacific region," PM Kishida said. He also urged the international community to listen to the voices of Asia. "We should also listen to the voices of the country in the Asean, South Asia as well as the Pacific Island countries so as to further advance corporation in solving issues facing the region," PM Kishida said. The Japanese Prime Minister appreciated the Quad Leaders' meet and its commitment to the core values of the grouping. PM Kishida hailed the Quad grouping and highlighted its importance to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region does not witness similar challenges as erupted in Eastern Europe with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. PM Kishida spoke extensively on the Quad commitments in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region. "It is crucial for us to get together and show the international community that the four countries' solidarity and firm commitment towards the shared vision of free and open Indo-Pacific," he added. The discussion on new areas of cooperation such as assisting in regional climate change, maritime domain awareness as well as humanitarian aid, and disaster relief are also on agenda, the Japanese PM said during the meeting. Japanese Prime Minister welcomed the other leaders of Quad member countries in Tokyo for the leaders level meeting. PM Kishida congratulated the newly-elected Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese. The meeting of Quadrilateral Dialogue (Quad) kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday to review the progress made by the four-member countries. The Summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021, and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.Quad's cooperation efforts have included working together on climate action. Quad's Infrastructure Coordination Group has been deliberating on supporting sustainable and demand-driven infrastructure in the region in a manner that doesn't burden countries of the region with unsustainable debt. Cooperation on critical and security of critical cyber infrastructure are other key priority areas of cooperative measures in the Quad. (ANI) Amid the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed new budgets and future economic plans during a meeting with the representatives from the Chambers of Commerce, the Treasury and Economic Advisers at his office on Monday. During the meeting with the representatives, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister highlighted that a new budget would be introduced in the country which would help in the reduction of the capital significantly, reported Colombo Page. According to Wickremesinghe, the saved money would be used for welfare programs. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister gave emphasis on the fact that an economic policy framework would be included in the Constitution, that enshrines the economic rights of the country. Further, Wickremesinghe expressed concerns that the food shortage will not only affect Sri Lanka but will also have a negative impact on the global market as well. However, he added that the Sri Lankan government was trying to minimize the impact of the shortages, reported Colombo Page. The Sri Lankan PM even proposed the Treasury plan to undertake structural reforms based on a competitive social market economy. In addition, Wickremesinghe gave his nod to the recommendation of digitalizing the process of distributing relief to the people. He stated that he would be reviewing the criteria for those who would be eligible for welfare. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is struggling to cope with its dire economic scarcity, with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of people. The country has seen weeks of public protests amid ongoing political and economic instability. Recently, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the next couple of months will be the most difficult ones in the lives of all citizens and the country must prepare to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period. (ANI) The leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the US on Tuesday launched the Quad Fellowship in Tokyo, wherein 100 students from members countries will be sponsored to study in the US for graduate degrees in science, tech, engineering and math (STEM). "This fellowship will become a bridge that connects our four nations and it will empower us to lead and to grow so that we can resolve many of the challenges of the Indo-Pacific region and around the world," said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the launch of the event. Kishida, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and US President Joe Biden and Australian PM Anthony Albanese open an application for Quad Fellowship. "Quad leaders are proud to open applications for the Quad Fellowship, which will sponsor 100 American, Australian, Indian, and Japanese students to study in the United States each year for graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field," the White House said in a statement. "The Quad Fellowship empowers exceptional STEM graduate students to advance research and innovation throughout their careers with a lens of positive social impact. It does so by providing scholarships, immersive and inspiring events at the nexus of STEM and society, mentorship and career-advancing programming, and cross-cultural exchange opportunities," the statement added. The Quad Fellowship application is live and will remain open until June 30. The first class of Quad Fellows will arrive on campus in autumn 2023. This program, which was first announced in September last year, will bring together exceptional American, Japanese, Australian, and Indian masters and doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to study in the United States. This new fellowship will develop a network of science and technology experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration in the private, public, and academic sectors, in their own nations and among Quad countries. The leaders of the Quad nations--Australia, India, Japan, and the United States--met today in Tokyo for the fourth time and the second time in person. (ANI) The Pakistan Journalist association on Monday staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club condemning the registration of FIRs against the senior journalists who were booked under sedition cases for allegedly criticizing state institutions. A large number of journalists, associations' office-bearers, media workers, politicians, and people from various walks of life including civil society gathered in the protest to show solidarity with the anchorpersons of the Pakistan media, Arshad Sharif, Sabir Shakir, and others, ARY News reported. The protestors condemned the federal government for using suppressive tactics to pressurize the media for reporting the issues and warned that if the government continues to use such tactics in the country, they will hold more protests. As per the emerged reports multiple on Sunday, FIRs have been filed against senior journalists and they are booked under sedition cases for allegedly criticising state institutions. These journalists are commonly understood to be closer to the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party. This comes as PTI Chairman Imran Khan condemned the filing of FIRs against the journalists and branded it "political retaliation". He alleged that the government was behind the "fake FIRs" and said it was "absolutely unacceptable", reported Dawn. Meanwhile, Pakistan's media regulator Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) on Monday warned the TV channels against airing content that "ridicules" state institutions, especially the judiciary and the army. Earlier, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) called upon the government to revoke the 'black laws' gagging media freedom in the country and also asked it to ensure the complete freedom of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). The body further stated that the government should start a meaningful dialogue with the media stakeholders. These demands by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the PFUJ in three resolutions were adopted at the concluding session of its three-day meeting. These resolutions were related to the government-media relationship, violence against the journalists, and deteriorating working conditions in the media due to the non-implementation of labour laws. (ANI) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday praised India's contribution to the Quad Vaccine Initiative while recalling the country's help to Thailand and Cambodia in extending all possible support to combat the pandemic. Newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in the same closed session, said that vaccines supplied by India to other countries made a difference on the ground, and such success is more valuable than just winning a theoretical debate of ideas, as per sources. PM Kishida said that Indian-made vaccines delivered under the Quad Vaccine Initiative were received with gratitude in Thailand and Cambodia recently. Kishida in a closed ceremony also noted that Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen himself attended the handing over ceremony of the vaccines, said sources. Notably, India on May 10 handed over to Cambodia 325,000 doses of Made in India Covishield vaccines under the Quad Vaccine Partnership scheme. The vaccines have been gifted by India as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to donate 500,000 doses of Covid vaccines to the Indo-Pacific under the Quad vaccine initiative. The Cambodian government has conveyed its appreciation for the vaccines received from Quad through India and for its collective assistance to Cambodia. Quad countries have assured Cambodia about their desire to extend all possible support to combat the pandemic. Hun Sen recalled India's key contribution to the reconstruction and development of Cambodia and encouraged further enhancement of the relations and cooperation between both nations. Under the Quad Vaccine Partnership, India in April presented about 200,000 doses of Made in India Covovax vaccines to Thailand. India also extended its support to Thailand to help the country fight the war against the pandemic by supplying medicines and oxygen concentrators, read the official statement. The Quad grouping of countries -India, US, Australia, and Japan- have provided almost four and a half million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Thailand. These countries have also provided aid in terms of funds, and last-mile delivery support ensuring that vaccines are translating into vaccinations. The Quad Vaccine Partnership was announced by the Quad Leaders at their first Summit on 12 March 2021. It aims to leverage Quad's collective strength to ensure the global availability of safe and effective vaccines by expanding manufacturing and assisting countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination. Quad countries agreed to provide over 1.2 billion doses of Covid vaccines globally under this initiative. (ANI) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government on Monday rejected the demands of ousted former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for holding re-elections in the country, and said that the government will complete its tenure, as per the Pakistan media reports. PML-N and its allies announced that the current setup will complete its tenure till August 2023 and the general elections would be held at the stipulated time next year, reported Express Tribune quoting sources. This comes after PTI chief Imran Khan announced to begin the protest march to Islamabad on May 25 against the present government demanding the dissolution of the National Assembly and a date for the next general election. The sources said that the PML-N and allies have decided to take measures against the economic instability and improve the governance in the country. They also said that allies were of the view that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had already announced a date for the next elections hence it is not possible to hold polls early, reported Express Tribune. The report further said that the PM Shehbaz Sharif will chair a meeting of the coalition government on Wednesday to decide the action regarding the next general election. Regarding the PTI's protest march, the allies said that they will handle it in a democratic way and will not allow the protestors to hold a rally on Srinagar Highway in Islamabad, sources said adding that the government will provide PTI a ground to hold a rally or stage sit-in, reported Express Tribune. Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that his party's long protest march to Islamabad will begin on May 25 demanding the dissolution of the National Assembly and a date for the next general election and invited people to join in large numbers. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday after his party's core committee meeting in Peshawar, Imran Khan said that he will meet the people on the Srinagar highway on May 25. Khan demanded a free and fair election in the country and said that he would accept it if the nation would bring the current government back into power but no country from outside will be allowed to impose them on us. He emphasised that the party had always remained peaceful in its protests, and the same will be true for the upcoming march and warned that the party would take legal action against any wrong action taken against the peaceful protest march. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on Tuesday shortly after holding the Quad Leaders' Summit and said that India and US partnership is a partnership of trust in a true sense. "We took part in a positive and useful Quad Summit today. India and US partnership in the true sense is a partnership of trust. Our common interests and values have strengthened this bond of trust between our two countries," PM Modi said during the meeting with Biden. The Prime Minister said that India and the US share similar views on Indo-Pacific. "We share similar views on Indo-Pacific, at the bilateral level as well as with like-minded countries to work to protect our common concerns. Our discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum," he said. Speaking further, PM Modi said people-to-people ties and strong economic cooperation make India-US partnership unique. "Our trade and investment relations are also steadily on the rise but they are below our potential. I am confident that with the conclusion of the US Investment Incentive Agreement we will see concrete progress in investment between our two countries." The meeting between PM Modi and Biden marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11. The two leaders are expected to review the India-US Strategic Partnership and follow up on discussions held during PM's bilateral meeting with President Biden in September 2021. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of shared interest.This meeting comes after the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022.The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest.The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (ANI) In a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Quad Summit, US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that the US Investment Incentive Agreement will give impetus to investments in key sectors in India. "I am pleased that we have reached an agreement for US Development Finance Corporation to continue this important work in India, supporting vaccine production, and clean energy initiatives. I am glad we are renewing the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program," Biden said during the meet. Biden's remarks came as Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Chief Executive Officer of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Scott A. Nathan Monday signed an Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) which will pave a path to strengthen and promote DFC's investments in India in key sectors. The US President also said that he is committed to making India-US ties among the closest. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is so much that our countries can and will do together. I am committed to making US-India partnership among the closest we have on earth," Biden told PM Modi in the bilateral meet. During the meet, Biden apprised that India-US also discussed the ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and non-justified invasion of Ukraine and its effect on the entire global world order. The President said that US-India is going to continue to consult closely on how to mitigate these negative effects. The meeting between PM Modi and Biden marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11. The two leaders are expected to review the India-US Strategic Partnership and follow up on discussions held during PM's bilateral meeting with President Biden in September 2021. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of shared interest. This meeting comes after the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (ANI) Jazeera Paints, the leading company in the field of paints and construction solutions in the Middle East and North Africa, has started selling its various ranges of products online in the UAE. This comes after the success of the company's online store in Saudi Arabia. The online store was the first of its kind to sell paint products and construction solutions in the region. This step comes to emphasise the company's desire to expand and develop the technical solutions it provides to its clients in all departments, the first of which, is to facilitate the customer's access to every product, and complete all their purchases online. Packed with features Jazeera Paints aspires to enhance its customer's online experience, to go beyond merely browsing products. Therefore, the website comes packed with features that will transform the customer's online shopping experience; and these features include: Informative articles that help the reader to gain a better understanding of the field of paints in its different types and features. A paint calculator that helps the customer with measuring the right amount of paint he or she needs prior to purchasing. A colour simulator that enables the customer to apply any paint colour on walls to decide the right colour for his or her place. Race to improve Jazeera Paints CEO Abdullah Saud Al-Romaih said Jazeera Paints is always in the race to improve the customer's overall experience, from the moment the customer encounters the company, until he or she makes his or her decision to purchase. He continues: The purpose of founding the online store in the UAE, is not only to be the first in the business, but also to extend our reach to help all our customers to gain easy access to our various products and get informed about them through catalogs and demo videos. Launching the online store in the UAE will help our customers to receive full information about our different products and purchase them online without the need to visit the branch.-- TradeArabia News Service Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on Tuesday and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, technology, defence and people-to-people ties between the two countries. The talks took place shortly after the leaders of the Quad nations--Australia, India, Japan, and the United States--met for the fourth time and the second time in person. "Advancing Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership Warm & wide-ranging talks held between PM @narendramodi and @POTUS @JoeBiden on bilateral, regional & global matters. Leaders noted with satisfaction the frequency of bilateral dialogues and engagements across levels," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet. "Discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, technology, defence, P2P ties between the two countries. Concluded with substantive outcomes adding depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership," Bagchi added. The Prime Minister participated in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit today, along with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, President Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia. This was the fourth interaction of the Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, the Summit in Washington D.C in September 2021 and their virtual interaction in March 2022. During the bilateral meeting with Biden, PM Modi said he along with Biden took part in a positive and useful Quad Summit today. "India and US partnership in the true sense is a partnership of trust. Our common interests and values have strengthened this bond of trust between our two countries," he said. The Prime Minister said that India and the US share similar views on Indo-Pacific. "We share similar views on Indo-Pacific, at the bilateral level as well as with like-minded countries to work to protect our common concerns. Our discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum," he said. Speaking further, PM Modi said people-to-people ties and strong economic cooperation make India-US partnership unique. "Our trade and investment relations are also steadily on the rise but they are below our potential. I am confident that with the conclusion of the US Investment Incentive Agreement we will see concrete progress in investment between our two countries," he said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted India's consistent and principled position on the need for cessation of hostilities, resumption of dialogue and diplomacy, at the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo. PM Modi, along with leaders of the Quad nations took part in the fourth interaction of the leaders, which saw criticism of Russian military action in Ukraine, from Australia, Japan and the United States. India on several bilateral and multiracial forums has said that it stands for the diplomacy path amid the Ukraine conflict that has led to heavy casualties on both sides and largescale humanitarian crisis in Europe. During the summit, the leaders reiterated their shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the importance of upholding the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes. They exchanged perspectives on developments in the Indo-Pacific and the conflict in Europe. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the leaders reiterated their desire to combat terrorism, denounced the use of terrorist proxies and emphasized the importance of denying any logistical, financial, or military support to terrorist groups which could be used to launch or plan terror attacks, including cross-border attacks. Reviewing Quad's ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the leaders welcomed the enhanced manufacturing capacity of the Biological-E facility in India and called for the expeditious grant of EUL approval by the WHO so that delivery of vaccines can commence. "The leaders welcomed the gift of 525,000 doses of Made in India vaccines by India to Thailand and Cambodia in April 2022 under the Quad Vaccine Partnership. They will continue to pursue a holistic approach to pandemic management by addressing last-mile delivery and distribution challenges, augmenting regional health security through cooperation in genomic surveillance and clinical trials, and bolstering global health security architecture," the MEA said in a statement. The Prime Minister called for an expedited WTO waiver under TRIPS for the manufacture of COVID vaccines, medicines and therapeutics and the need for to enhance pediatric vaccine supplies, the MEA added. A Quad Climate Change Action and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP) was announced to strengthen efforts towards green shipping, clean energy including green hydrogen and climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure. Prime Minister reiterated the importance of assisting countries in the region with their COP26 commitments through mobilization of climate finance and technology transfer. As part of ongoing work related to critical and emerging technologies, Quad's Common Statement of Principles on Critical Technology Supply Chains was launched. The four countries will coordinate capacity building programmes for the Indo-Pacific region to bolster critical cyber security infrastructure of the region. The Prime Minister called for greater Quad collaboration to build trusted global supply chains and spoke of the national framework being adopted in India to create a semiconductor ecosystem in India. A Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) for the Indo-Pacific was announced by the Leaders to enable more effective and timely responses to disasters in the region. "The leaders agreed to provide countries in the region resources on earth observation data through a Quad satellite data portal to help track climate events, disaster preparedness and sustainable use of marine resources. India will play a proactive role in this effort given its longstanding capabilities in using space-based data and technologies for inclusive development," the MEA said. Quad leaders welcomed a new Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, to help countries bolster their capacities to respond to HADR incidents and combat illegal fishing. The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for ASEAN's unity and centrality and look forward to strengthening cooperation with partners in the region. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of delivering on Quad's positive and constructive agenda and show tangible benefits for the region. The leaders agreed to continue their dialogue and consultations and look forward to the next Summit hosted by Australia in 2023. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held bilateral talks with Australian PM Anthony Albanese in Tokyo, Japan on the sidelines of QUAD summit. This was followed by the bilateral talks between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden in Tokyo shortly after holding the Quad Leaders' Summit where the Prime Minister said that India and US partnership is a partnership of trust in a true sense. The meeting marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11. "We took part in a positive and useful Quad Summit today. India and US partnership in the true sense is a partnership of trust. Our common interests and values have strengthened this bond of trust between our two countries," PM Modi said during the meeting with Biden. The Prime Minister said that India and the US share similar views on Indo-Pacific."We share similar views on Indo-Pacific, at the bilateral level as well as with like-minded countries to work to protect our common concerns. Our discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum," he said. Speaking further, PM Modi said people-to-people ties and strong economic cooperation make India-US partnership unique. "Our trade and investment relations are also steadily on the rise but they are below our potential. I am confident that with the conclusion of the US Investment Incentive Agreement we will see concrete progress in investment between our two countries." This meeting comes after the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest.The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (ANI) On the sidelines of bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday said that the relationship with India is very important and ties between the two countries have never been more closer. Speaking to ANI, the Australian PM said, "Our relationship with India is a very important one and it was a great honour to meet with Prime Minister Modi." PM Modi congratulated Prime Minister Albanese on his election victory. Both leaders reviewed the multi-faceted cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including trade and investment, defense manufacturing, renewable energy, green hydrogen, education, science and technology, agricultural research, sports, and people-to-people ties. Both Prime Ministers affirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship. PM Modi extended an invitation to the Australian Prime Minister to visit India at an early date. Bilateral discussions with PM Narendra Modi focused on Australia and India's full strategic and economic agenda, including clean energy technology. Taking to Twitter the Australian Prime Minister wrote, "Warmly welcomed my meeting with @narendramodi for an engaging discussion on Australia and India's full strategic and economic agenda, including on clean energy technology. Australia-India ties have never been closer." This was followed by the bilateral talks between PM Modi and US President Joe Biden in Tokyo shortly after holding the Quad Leaders' Summit where the Prime Minister said that India and US partnership is a partnership of trust in a true sense. The meeting marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11. "We took part in a positive and useful Quad Summit today. India and US partnership in the true sense is a partnership of trust. Our common interests and values have strengthened this bond of trust between our two countries," PM Modi said during the meeting with Biden.The Prime Minister said that India and the US share similar views on Indo-Pacific. "We share similar views on Indo-Pacific, at the bilateral level as well as with like-minded countries to work to protect our common concerns. Our discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum," he said. Speaking further, PM Modi said people-to-people ties and strong economic cooperation make India-US partnership unique. "Our trade and investment relations are also steadily on the rise but they are below our potential. I am confident that with the conclusion of the US Investment Incentive Agreement we will see concrete progress in investment between our two countries."This meeting comes after the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (ANI) They recalled their previous interactions, including their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the first in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Washington DC in September 2021. "The Prime Minister appreciated Suga's contribution to deepening and strengthening India-Japan relations," the Ministry of External (MEA) said in statement. The two leaders exchanged views on further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership. The Prime Minister invited Suga to lead a delegation of Japanese MPs to India. According to sources, the Prime Minister appreciated former Japanese PM Suga for his 'Ganesh' group of MPs PM Modi appreciated Suga, who belongs to a group of MPs called the Ganesh group. He also invited the Ganesh group of MPs to visit India and visit the festivities during Ganeshotsav this year, sources said. Earlier today, PM Modi participated in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo, along with leaders of other Japan, the US and Australia. During the summit, leaders reiterated their shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the importance of upholding the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes. (ANI) The assistance would be etched in golden letters in the history of India-Lanka relations. India has sent assistance worth several billion US dollars to rescue the money-strapped Sri Lankan government accompanied by shiploads of humanitarian aid, cooking gas, large quantities of fuel, and medicinal supplies, as stated by Sathipattana, a scholastic Buddhist magazine. India's assistance to Sri Lanka includes the massive USD 03 Billion credit line assistance, the 40,000 metric tons of diesel, shipments of rice, milk powder, and medicinal drugs all worth Rs 2 Billion. Further, 40,000 metric tons of petrol and 400,000 metric tons of cooking gas also arrived from India. Besides the humanitarian and monetary assistance, India also extended USD 15 million to the Sri Lankan Government for promoting Buddhist religious activities, states Sathipattana. India's generosity has made every Sri Lankan citizen, and every political party shower praises for its benevolence. However, to reciprocate India's efforts, Sri Lanka must select the due strategic geopolitical path for the benefit of the island country and its people. (ANI) During the QUAD summit on Tuesday, the member countries pledged to meet challenges for ensuring rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas, and strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo. "We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," read the Joint QUAD statement. "We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," it added. The Quad leaders committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The group reaffirmed its "unwavering support" for ASEAN unity and centrality and for the practical implementation of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The leaders also welcome the EU's Joint Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific which was announced in September 2021 and increased European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (ANI) The India-Kuwait relations in the show Sadaaqa, which aired on Monday revealed the life of the two sisters, Noura Al Arfaj and Shaikha Al Arfaj of the Al Arfaj family from Kuwait who lived a happy life in a penthouse on Mohammed Ali Road in Bombay for many years before shifting to Colaba. Talking about their love for India, the eldest daughter Noura Al Arfaj said that she studied both Hindi and Urdu at the Parsi run Anjuman Islamic High School. Further, Noura added that their maternal grandmother Salma Bawazir even took part in the political movement with Gandhiji after he returned from South Africa. Speaking about Indian festivals like Diwali and Holi, Noura said owing to their father being a pearl merchant when he first arrived in India, they had many Indian friends. "They used to bring to us every Diwali, a big basket of different fruits and also many sweets and even 'patakhe'. And also we celebrate with our friends for the Holi with the colours and dance with them. And it was something amazing," said Noura. According to the sisters, India felt like "one big family" for them. "In India, we didn't feel they are Hindu, we are Muslim. All of us like we are one big family. In Holi we go and celebrate with them, in Eid, they come to us and celebrate with us. So it was fantastic," added Noura. Dating back to their Indian linkage, the show revealed that Noura and Sheikh's maternal uncle Rashid who was a Bollywood film producer was married to Dilip Kumar's niece. The Kuwaiti family held conversations in both Hindi and Urdu while the women in the household adorned sarees and Arabic dresses as well. Although the family relocated later in their life, they kept their connections and love for India alive. Sheikha, the younger daughter of the Al Arfaj family confounded the Haemony House, the centre for medication and Raja Yoga in Kuwait. In addition, according to Noura the Al Arfaj Engineering Company has 90 per cent, Indian employees. Sheikha also established the very first vegan restaurant in Kuwait, named Ginger, based on India's ancient philosophy of Satvik Aahaar. (ANI) The law would ban all types of public gatherings, exceeding four persons, reported The Express Tribune. According to Section 144, all public events and rallies will be prohibited during the 20-day period. "In case of violation, the government will take action under Section 144," read the statement. The ban by the Sindh government was imposed following the fresh wave of terrorism in Karachi which has been claiming lives for the past month, reported The Express Tribune. Earlier, about a week earlier, a bomb blast ripped through the Khadar area of Bolton Market killing one person while injuring 11 others. On May 12 again, a bomb explosion in the Saddar area left one person dead and 13 others wounded. The police had said a vehicle of the Pakistan Coast Guards was a possible target. However, the personnel in the vehicle remained unhurt. Further, another suicide bombing case was witnessed outside the Karachi University where four people were killed including three Chinese nationals along with their driver. The Balochistan Liberation Army and Sindh nationalist outfits claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a productive meeting with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday that resulted in substantive outcomes which will add depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. The meeting marks a continuation of the regular high-level dialogue between the two leaders. A full US delegation for the meeting with PM Modi included Scott Nathan of the US International Development Finance Corp. The US delegation also included State Secretary Antony Blinken and Biden's National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan. "The India-US Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership is underpinned by a shared commitment to democratic values, rule of law, and a commitment to uphold a rules-based international order. The Leaders expressed happiness with the progress made across sectors in the bilateral agenda," the MEA said in a statement. The two leaders welcomed the signing of the Investment Incentive Agreement which enables the US Development Finance Corporation to continue providing investment support in India in sectors of shared priority such as healthcare, renewable energy, SMEs, infrastructure etc. Both sides launched an India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation. "Co-led by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the U.S. National Security Council, iCET would forge closer linkages between government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space and semiconductors," the MEA said, Noting that defence and security cooperation is a crucial pillar of the India-US bilateral agenda, both sides discussed how they can further strengthen collaboration. "In this context, Prime Minister invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India programmes which can be of mutual benefit to both countries," the MEA statement said. Taking forward their growing collaboration in the health sector, India and USA extended the longstanding Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) until 2027 to continue joint biomedical research which had resulted in the development of vaccines and related technologies. To bolster the strong people to people linkages between the two countries, PM Modi called for strengthening higher education collaborations which can be of mutual benefit. The leaders also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest including South Asia and in the Indo-Pacific region, reaffirming their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. (ANI) Roshn, a leading Saudi real estate developer powered by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced the launch of its second community development, Al Arous, in northern Jeddah. Spread over a sprawling 4-million-sq-m area, Al Arous will boast more than 18,000 residential units in addition to key amenites such parks, pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, restaurants, cafes, schools and mosques. Strategically located in the Saudi port city, Al Arous provides residents good access to the city via main roads and the public transportation network. Like other Roshn communities, it is designed to offer a modern, open lifestyle, while preserving the kingdoms rich heritage and local urban designs, stated the developer. Al Arous comes as part of Roshn's larger strategy of developing modern and vibrant neighbourhoods in four regions and nine cities in Saudi Arabia. Its launch is another important step towards the Vision 2030 ambitions of raising the quality of life of all Saudi citizens and boosting homeownership levels across the country, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Leaders during the QUAD summit in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday condemned North Korea's "destabilizing" ballistic missile launches and called on the international community to abide by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. "We condemn North Korea's destabilizing ballistic missile development and launches, including multiple intercontinental ballistic missile tests, in violation of UNSCRs, and call on the international community to fully implement these resolutions. We urge North Korea to abide by all of its obligations under the UNSCRs, refrain from provocations, and engage in substantive dialogue," said the joint statement by QUAD Leader following the summit that was hosted by Japan in Tokyo. The member countries also reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula which is consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). The grouping also reconfirmed the necessity of immediate resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees. Quad member countries have agreed to hold the next in-person summit in 2023 which will be hosted by Australia, said a Joint Quad Leaders' statement. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. During the QUAD summit on Tuesday, the member countries pledged to meet challenges for ensuring rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas, and strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo. "We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," read the Joint QUAD statement. "We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," it added.The Quad leaders committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The group reaffirmed its "unwavering support" for ASEAN unity and centrality and for the practical implementation of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The leaders also welcome the EU's Joint Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific which was announced in September 2021 and increased European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. (ANI) A prominent Hong Kong activist has raised alarm over the curb of free speech in Hong Kong at the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF). Speaking at the Oslo forum, Glacier Kwong said Chinese authorities are using Twitter and other social media apps as a tool to attack those expressing views against China and project activists from Hong Kong as hooligans. Kwong, a political activist from Hong Kong, made these remarks while participating in a discussion on "Tactics of New Authoritarianism" at OFF, a global gathering of human rights and pro-democracy activists united in standing up to tyranny. Answering the question of how activists access the internet in Hong Kong and circumvent the risks posed by the authorities, Kwong said things started to change after 2019 and people started to educate themselves using technology. "The Hong Kong government is threatening to ban Telegram. Not sure if they can. But if they ban VPNs like they did in China then I'm not sure people would know how to access them if they're not on the App Store. Need resources to educate the public," said Kwong. She said China is using and encouraging its citizens as a tool to troll those expressing anti-China views and tweets. "China is criminalising the activities of Hong Kong activists both in Hong Kong, mainland China and abroad," he added. China, 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, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Once a bastion of press freedom, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China has seen an unprecedented setback since 2020 when Beijing adopted a National Security Law aimed at silencing independent voices. Hong Kong's Basic Law enshrines "freedom of speech, of the press and of publication". The National Security Law, however, serves as a pretext to gag independent voices in the name of the fight against "terrorism", "secession", "subversion", and "collusion with foreign forces". Due to its ambiguous phrasing, the law looks like it could apply to any journalist covering Hong Kong, regardless of their location. (ANI) Following the meeting of world leaders in Tokyo at the second in-person Quad Summit, activists including Tibetans, Uyghur Muslims and citizens of Hong Kong gathered outside the Japanese Parliament to put pressure on the leaders of the Quad countries on China issue. More than 400 activists and protestors fervently urged the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to take tough actions against China for its continued violation of human rights of people not just inside various parts of the country but also beyond. The banners read "Hong Kong Independence" "Revolution", and "Stop Uyghur Genocide". The protestors stated that China's actions were having a long-term detrimental effect on the security of the Indo-Pacific region and if the Quad was interested in pursuing its agenda for a free and open Indo-Pacific, it must take strong steps to counter China. Stability on the Taiwan Strait was among the regional topics discussed by Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their bilateral talks in Tokyo. Kishida also discussed the developments with President Biden following which the two leaders shared serious and ongoing concerns regarding developments in Hong Kong and human rights issues in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Both the top leaders underscored the importance of candid communication with China, including at the leader level and expressed the intent to work with China wherever possible on areas of common interest, a White House statement read. (ANI) These meetings with Yoshihide Suga, Shinzo Abe, and Yoshiro Mori illustrate the huge goodwill and personal chemistry of PM Modi with the Japanese PMs. Yoshiro Mori is the current Chairperson of the Japan-India Association (JIA) while Shinzo Abe will be taking over this role shortly. The JIA, established in 1903, is one of the oldest friendship associations in Japan. PM Modi appreciated the significant contributions made by JIA under the leadership of Mori in promoting exchanges between India and Japan in political, economic and cultural fields. He also conveyed his best wishes to Shinzo Abe on his new responsibilities and looked forward to the JIA continuing its important role. The leaders also discussed the broad canvas of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership as well as the shared vision of India and Japan for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Discussions were also held on ways to further promote cultural and people-to-people ties. During his meeting with Yoshihide Suga, PM Modi thanked him for strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. They recalled their previous interactions, including their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the first in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Washington DC in September 2021. Earlier today, PM Modi participated in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo, along with leaders of other Japan, the US and Australia. During the summit, leaders reiterated their shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the importance of upholding the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes. (ANI) The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has thwarted an illegal migration attempt by making an arrest of 67 individuals during a special operation conducted in the Sallisampaltivu and Trincomalee sea on Monday night. A group of naval personnel from the Naval Dockyard with the help of the Nilaveli Police arrested 12 male suspects from the age range of 30 to 40 years, reported Colombo Page. The arrested individuals were suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt through sea routes. During the raid, two three-wheelers, a cab, and a van were seized, which were used for the purpose of a migration attempt. In the special search operation, the Sri Lankan Navy spotted a suspicious local multiday fishing trawler. While intercepting the fish vessel, the navy managed to apprehend another 55 individuals, belonging to the age range of 3-53 years of age who were believed to be on an illegal migration attempt to a foreign country via the Trincomalee sea, reported Colombo Page. Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to hand over the arrested individuals to the Nilaveli and Uppuweli Police for further legal proceedings. The Sri Lankan Navy has urged the public to refrain from risking their lives by embarking on perilous sea voyages. (ANI) Charge'd Affaires of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Namgya C. Khampa, inaugurated the new School Building of Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School in Pokhara Metropolitan City-13, Dhand Bensi, Kaski District, under the grant assistance from the Government of India, stated the Embassy in a press release. The estimated cost of the project is NRs.36.30 million and it started as a high-impact community development project under India-Nepal Development Cooperation in Education Sector. According to the official statement, this is one of the 75 projects being inaugurated this year in Nepal as a part of "India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" which celebrates 75 years of India's independence. The implementation of this school showcases the continued support of the Government of India in complementing the efforts of the Government of Nepal to create infrastructure in priority sectors like education. Since 2003, India has taken up over 527 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal and has completed 470 projects in the areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation, and creation of other public utilities across all 7 provinces of Nepal at the grassroots level. Out of this, 57 HICDPs are in Gandaki Pradesh, including 11 completed projects in Kaski District. India and Nepal embrace a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral development partnership that reflects the closeness of the people of both the countries since time immemorial, the concluding statement read. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gifted a Sanjhi Art panel to US President Joe Biden during his meeting with him in Tokyo. Sanjhi Painting is a tradition of art that originated out of the cult of Krishna and flourished in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is in Vraja, or Vrindavan, the homeland of Lord Sri Krishna, that this art of Sanjhi painting reached its pinnacle. Sanjhi is the art of hand-cutting designs on paper. Traditionally motifs from Lord Krishna's stories are created in stencils. These stencils are cut freehand using a scissor or a blade. The delicate Sanjhi is often held together by thin sheets of paper. This intricate Sanjhi Panel is famously based on the theme of Thakurani Ghat from Mathura by a National Awardee. This art painting is rooted in the folk culture of the region. It was taken to its glory by the Vaishnava temples in the 15th and 16th centuries. Sanjhi came to be regarded as a highly refined art form practised by the Brahmin priests. Presently, the art of Sanjhi painting is practised by only a select few and remains a living tradition only in some of the temples of India. One of these temples where Sanjhi painting still survives is the Radharamana temple of Vrindavan. PM Modi and Biden had a warm and productive meeting. The meeting resulted in substantive outcomes which will add depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership. The meeting marks a continuation of the regular high-level dialogue between the two Leaders who met in-person in September 2021 in Washington D.C and interacted at the G20 and COP26 Summits thereafter. Most recently they had a virtual interaction on 11 April 2022. The two leaders welcomed the signing of the Investment Incentive Agreement which enables the US Development Finance Corporation to continue providing investment support in India in sectors of shared priority such as healthcare, renewable energy, SMEs, infrastructure etc. Both sides launched an India-U.S. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation. Co-led by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the U.S. National Security Council, iCET would forge closer linkages between government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. Noting that defence and security cooperation is a crucial pillar of the India-US bilateral agenda, both sides discussed how they can further strengthen collaboration. In this context, PM Modi invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India programmes which can be of mutual benefit to both countries. Taking forward their growing collaboration in the health sector, India and USA extended the longstanding Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) until 2027 to continue joint biomedical research which had resulted in the development of vaccines and related technologies. To bolster the strong people to people linkages between the two countries, PM Modi called for strengthening higher education collaborations which can be of mutual benefit. The leaders exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest including South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, reaffirming their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi welcomed the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and stated that India is ready to work closely with all partner countries to shape a flexible, and inclusive IPEF taking into consideration the respective national circumstances. The leaders agreed to continue their useful dialogue and pursue their shared vision of taking the India-US partnership to a higher level. (ANI) Jailed Kremlin critic Navalny is already serving two-and-a-half years in prison for violating parole on old fraud charges, Al Jazeera reported. As soon as the Moscow court's sentence came into force, Navalny has been transferred to a strict regime penal colony with harsher conditions, including fewer family visits for another 8 years. Navalny joined the hearing on Tuesday at a Moscow court through video link from behind bars at his prison colony to appeal against the extension of his current jail term. The hearing started last week but Navalny was granted a week's postponement so he could visit his family. This hearing came as Moscow continues its military offensive in Ukraine and Russian authorities also wanted to silence the remaining government critics, according to Al Jazeera. A vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Navalny late March had his jail time extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzling donations to his political organisations and contempt of court. His lawyer Olga Mikhailova told the court the sentence should be annulled as it is "unjust" and "contradicts international law", while the prosecutor called it "legal and justified". Navalny told the court his case was heard in prison on the pretext of COVID restrictions although the relevant Moscow court was functioning. He also alleged his legal team "caught judge (Margarita) Kotova right in the middle of the trial calling someone from the presidential administration". Navalny became famous as an anti-corruption blogger and, before his imprisonment, mobilised anti-government protests across Russia. In 2020, he was attacked with a Novichok, a Soviet-designed military-grade nerve agent, but, fortunately, he survived the poisonous attack, reported Al Jazeera. He was arrested last year on his return from treatment in Germany, sparking widespread condemnation abroad and sanctions from Western capitals. (ANI) Transguard Group, a leading business solutions provider, has joined hands with the internationally renowned, award-winning culinary school International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai) to launch Smart Solutions. The strategic partnership will see Transguard Hospitality staff receive industry-specific training to enable them to excel in the hospitality industry. The specially curated boot camp-style training programmes designed by ICCA Dubai offer industry-relevant knowledge and skill sets to mould learners into Smart Kitchen Aides and Smart Kitchen Stewards, thus enabling the Smart Trained Workforce to effectively deliver in the hospitality industry, as well as build their careers. The announcement comes at a fitting time with the UAE seeing increased business and tourism travel and the hospitality industry ramping up its operations. Outcome-driven training Through the strategic partnership, Transguard Hospitality Solutions, which is one of the largest manpower suppliers for hospitality in the UAE, can leverage ICCA Dubais award-winning, outcome-driven training to help aspiring cooks and kitchen stewards effectively deliver industry-standard practices, processes, and quality consistency. A Smart Trained Workforce is the need of the hour for the hospitality industry that is quickly bouncing back after the pandemic. We couldnt ask for a better partner than ICCA Dubai that has been redefining Technical & Vocational Education in Culinary Arts to introduce hospitality aspirants to the technical knowledge and skills required in the industry, says Dr Greg Ward, Managing Director of Transguard Group. Win-win scenario Alex MacDonald, Senior Director Manpower and Mobilisation at Transguard Group added: This is a win-win scenario on all fronts as it not only develops our talent and promotes retention but also fills a gap in the industry for trained kitchen personnel. By investing in our employees and offering them industry specific training with this programme, we are able to build career paths that otherwise would have been difficult for our employees to realise. CEO & Director of ICCA Dubai, Sunjeh Raja concluded: We are thrilled to announce this collaboration. Transguard and ICCAs Smart Solutions is in line with ICCA Dubais hallmark of application-focused and outcome-driven training, which will equip trainees with all that is required for them to seamlessly integrate, effectively deliver, and excel in the hospitality industry. We hope that our partnership serves as an impetus for those in the other industries to follow suit.-- TradeArabia News Service Field hospital team leaves for UN peacekeeping mission A send-off ceremony for the 2nd sortie of Rotation 4 of Vietnams Level-2 Field Hospital to a UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan was held on Tuesday in the military airfield of Division 371 of the Air Defence Air Force Service. A farewell ceremony was held Tuesday morning at the Air Force Division 271 military airport for the second sortie of the Rotation 4 of Vietnam's Level-2 Field Hospital to UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. VNA/VNS Photo Trong uc Speaking at the event, Major General Hoang Kim Phung, director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, expressed his hope that members of the detachment would successfully complete the tasks entrusted in them by the Party, State, Army and the people. He urged the group to well perform the role of "ambassador" of peace and friendship, contributing to raising the prestige and international position of the country and the Vietnam People's Army globally. Australia again provided the transportation for the Vietnamese officers to the mission with the Royal Navy's Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. The hospital was launched in November 2021 with 63 official members, including 12 female soldiers. It was deployed to replace the Rotation 3 of Vietnams Level-2 Field Hospital in South Sudan. The hospital will focus on applying science and technology in medical examination and treatment, thereby learning from experience to work on research scientific work, and continue preventing and controlling diseases in the harsh environment. Vietnams Engineering Unit Rotation 1 (the countrys first engineering unit to be deployed) and Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 4 departed UN peacekeeping missions in Abyei and South Sudan on April 27, 2022. Bridgestone EMEA has highlighted the rising need for the development of quality sustainable tyres in light of the increasing rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) and mounting calls for green mobility in the region. Bridgestone made the statement during its participation at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS), which is being held from May 23 to 25, 2022 in Abu Dhabi. During the summit, the company noted the growing demand for premium tyres and tyre technologies specific to EV requirements. Stefano Sanchini, Regional Managing Director at Bridgestone Middle East, and Africa said: Bridgestone is fully committed to aligning its business model with circular economy and carbon neutrality across the value chain. Knowing that EVs are vital innovations to reduce the transport sectors carbon emissions, we are moving towards developing tyres that can answer all relevant needs concerning this special type of vehicle. Future of mobility Sanchini shared his insights on the sustainable mobility revolution at EVIS as one of the panelists of this years gathering. The Bridgestone executive was part of the panel discussion titled Investing in the Future of Mobility. He was joined by Mike Granoff, Managing Partner at Maniv Mobility (Israel); Alex Gilbert, Head of Energy & Electrification Commercial Development at Transport for London (UK); Sophia Nadur, Managing Partner at bp Ventures (UK); and Karine Singh, Managing Director at Total Energies (UAE). Ahmed Samir Elbermbali, Managing Director at Clean Energy Business Council (UAE), moderated the panel discussion. Investing in technologies able to support the future of transport is crucial. To be a part of the global sustainable mobility ecosystem, we have to be more proactive in achieving our long-term environmental targets and goals. For Bridgestone, it has been engaged in pioneering superior products for accelerated EV development and adoption, Sanchini added. Superior EV tyres Bridgestone offers a portfolio of superior EV tyres and tyre technologies that are engineered to provide excellent handling and control, short braking distances and exceptional grip in all weather conditions. Capitalising on huge opportunities in the EV market, the leading tyre brand formed a partnership with electric car startup Fisker to launch an all-electric SUV in several European markets. It also acquired the Arvento Mobile Systems, a digital fleet solutions provider that offers fleet management services to customers in Turkey and the Middle East. In addition, it teamed up with Webfleet Solutions to help boost the efficiency of the automotive market.-- TradeArabia News Service The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (Added) has signed a deal with the leading provider of enterprise business software, SAP, focused on innovation, talent development and SME support. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, Added and SAP will explore collaboration opportunities to enhance industry innovation and digital transformation, develop advanced business models, nurture Emirati talent, and foster local digital competencies, particularly through supporting startups and SMEs. As per the MoU, Added intends to leverage SAPs UAE cloud offering while simultaneously enabling SAP to accelerate expansion in the region as an authorised cloud services provider. Developing emerging talent Both parties also intend to work together to develop emerging talent by training UAE nationals through in-country, global and virtual programmes on technology, business, and behavioral skills. In addition, Added and SAP aim to support job seekers and freelancers through a new SAP-designed platform that will bridge the gap between supply and demand for full-time and freelance opportunities. The support that Added and SAP will offer to SMEs and startups as part of the MoU will be delivered through SAP.io and Grow by SAP initiatives. In addition, both parties are exploring the feasibility of establishing a regional innovation centre in Abu Dhabi to deliver support to both public and private sector entities, and services. Added and SAP have also stated their intention to explore and launch Industry 4.0 initiatives within Abu Dhabi, where SAP aims to create a Point of View (POV) document to propose mutually beneficial strategic initiatives. Training individuals The POV document will focus on the main pillars of the Abu Dhabis strategy , including healthcare, education, economy, defence, security, and government efficiency. In addition, SAP intends to train individuals in the manufacturing sector in digital skills to succeed in Industry 4.0 while developing an emirate-wide framework to adopt consistent manufacturing standards. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Added and Sergio Maccotta, Senior Vice President, Middle East South, SAP attended the signing of the MoU, which was signed by Rashed Abdulkareem Al Blooshi, Undersecreatry of Added and Zakaria Haltout, Managing Director SAP, UAE. Large-scale partnership Al Shorafa said: This is a large-scale partnership covering various sectors and fields we focus on, and it will see Added and SAP bringing together the best they can offer. Abu Dhabi has nurtured a supportive ecosystem that presents growth opportunities to all; we believe this collaboration will help us in accelerating success journey and achieving our objectives. Innovation and talent development are among our top priorities as we are focusing on knowledge and innovation-based economic sectors. We believe that training and upskilling our talents will support in finding innovative solutions to current and future challenges. To this end, our collaboration with SAP is focusing on training UAE youth to equip them with soft and hard skills that are necessary for future. We look forward to collaborating closely with joint strategic initiatives and having SAP power our digital transformation. With SAPs experience in the field and Abu Dhabis record in digital transformation, we are confident that we have the right formula for a project of this magnitude, he added. Key enabler Maccotta concurred: Our partnership with Added is a key enabler of SAPs wider support for Abu Dhabis public sector and economy. By being an authorised provider, we aim to equip Abu Dhabi entities with the integrated strategy, solutions, and services to accelerate their digitalisation through the cloud, innovation, and wider adoption of Industry 4.0. Looking towards the future benefits, Maccotta added: Through the development of the UAEs national talents, SAP will enhance the strategic vision of Added and Abu Dhabi, empowering both our customers and partners. Furthermore, SAPs solutions and services are designed to support the establishment of a highly skilled and knowledge-based economy, creating significant alignment with the vision and goals of Added and the wider Abu Dhabi government.-- TradeArabia News Service Airports have been building more resilient infrastructure that are able to monitor sizeable passenger movements even as the threat to security is rising with new data driven technologies and enhanced footfall. This was the view of experts and officials at the Airport Security conference at the Global Airport Leaders Forum from May 17 to 19 in Dubai. As threats get more advanced, we at the airport security are enhancing technology-based end-to-end solutions to detect and mitigate security challenges before they occur. Organisations around the world are expanding security solutions and taking measures based on different technologies to detect terrorist acts or smuggling ahead of time, said Brigadier Humooda Mohammed Selayem Alameri, Deputy Director of General Department of Airport Security, Dubai Police, in his keynote address on Developing intelligent, end-to-end control of entire airport infrastructure to meet future security challenges. Mitigating threat He also stressed the need to make secure infrastructure to help mitigate any threat as planning is a key element in security. Technology is reshaping airport security with tools such as CT scanning, 3D imaging, AI and other means, he said. Brigadier Alameri said: Technology and old methods like K9 are playing a key role in security and the detection of explosives or drugs around airports. Dubai Police is merging the latest technology with old methods and the results are satisfactory. Besides, tools like biometric and fingerprints and facial scanning, Artificial Intelligence are the future of airport security. Critical developments Buti Ahmed Qurwash, Vice President Security, Dubai Airports, focused on the recent critical developments in airport security that are being rolled out across airports globally. The new measures to improve overall passenger experience at airports and provide maximum security and safety included the security screening process through automated machines, the use of biometrics, passenger tracking, video surveillances, risk-based security and access control and queue management around the world. He highlighted the current safety and security measures as well as a number of measures being added in the existing security protocols. The new measures added for passenger screening included CT technology, body scanner and advanced CCTV while for cargo screening the new feature added were Big X-ray screening and deployment of Regulated Agents for staff screening and biometrics. Additional layers The advanced protection with additional layers were put in action for cyber security while Drones are also being used to install Radar Technologies to provide security around airports, he said. Organised by RX Global (Reed Exhibitions), the worlds largest airport industry B2B platform has a sharp focus on sustainability to help the aviation industry in achieving a more sustainable airport industry that is aiming to reduce carbon footprint year on year. The 21st edition of the Airport Show is supported by Dubai Airports, Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), dnata (part of Emirates Airline and Group), Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), Global Air Navigation Services (GANS), and Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans).-- TradeArabia News Service Digital innovations that are accelerating visibility, efficiency and predictability within the supply chain, logistics and procurement industry will be on show at the Digital Supply Chain Show on May 25 in Dubai. Organised by Ventures Connect and supported by CIPS Mena, the event will focus on how companies in the region can set up and implement supply chain and procurement processes for improved resilience, agility and sustainability. Reports suggest that 60% of the global average share of customer interactions are digital and as markets around the world are becoming increasingly digitised, it is imperative that businesses meet consumers demands as well. Due to the increasing adoption of advanced digital technologies, many companies are now looking to apply digital supply chain solutions to their businesses, thus ensuring the seamless continuity of operations. Tangible approaches As organisations look for tangible approaches and strategies to enable them to continue bouncing back from Covid-19, incorporating digitalisation technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Robotics, etc. will pave the way for the future. The Digital Supply Chain Show offers real-world examples and practical insights from supply chain giants like Amazon, DP World, Noon, Unilever, Lulu Group International, Chalhoub Group, Adnoc Group, Emirates Airline, Saudi Telecoms Company, and Mondelez International. These practical examples demonstrate the efficiency gains possible when companies have a well-planned digital transformation and can access new knowledge by leveraging big data and technologies such as cloud, ERP systems, artificial intelligence, control tower and digital twins. De-risking supply chains Organisations have learnt in recent years the importance of de-risking their supply chains, especially if they are heavily reliant on one supplier or country. Digitalisation and data intelligence is giving companies new, faster insights that will support their decision-making. The industry is rapidly changing and the Digital Supply Chain Show will explore the positive benefits that disruption can bring to organisations. The event is more than an opportunity for attendees to network with industry leaders. The case studies, insights and advice will arm our audience with new knowledge and ideas they can use in their workplace, said Robert Jones, Chairman, Digital Supply Chain Show. As the consumer landscape evolves, digital supply chains enable companies to stay competitive and continue to meet customers ever-changing demands. We are excited to participate in the Digital Supply Chain Show to discuss how we use technology across our global logistics network and in Mena to stay ahead of growing customer demand and deliver what our customers need when, where, and how they want it. At Amazon, we prioritise developing scalable technical solutions that enable us to meet the existing and future needs of customers, extending across every area of our business, says Ritesh Somani, Director, Supply Chain and Transportation, Mena, Amazon. Sustainability strategy Increasingly, companies must have a high-quality sustainability strategy in place that allows them to meet their carbon reduction targets. The Digital Supply Chain Show will explore how to build resilient and responsible procurement and supply chain operations, working with their supply chains to reduce indirect emissions. The Digital Supply Chain Show will take place in the 5-star Address Marina, Dubai. -- TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based Emirates Transport has signed an agreement with China's NEV Investment to establish a joint venture company that will be responsible for the development, construction, marketing, operation, and management of the New Energy Vehicle Project in the UAE. Emirates Transport is a public joint stock company established in 1981 and now operates under the umbrella of the Emirates Investment Authority. Despite making its name in the field of school transport, Emirates Transport has achieved significant investment growth and service diversification over its 40-year history. Today, the company can offer its customers, both establishments and individuals, an array of services including, but not limited to transport, vehicle leasing and auto maintenance. The MoU was signed during the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS) being held in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. A key event, EVIS emerged as the launchpad for NEV Investment and potential Chinese New Energy Vehicles which can be introduced to the UAE. The new joint venture is a product byway of the acceleration of the New Energy Vehicles Project in the UAE, which has four key components: trading, infrastructure, research, and development, as well as manufacturing. The project was initiated to pave the way to produce electrics in the UAE. The project is in alignment with the Make it in the Emirates drive and Operation 300bn, the UAEs industrial strategy aiming to increase the contribution of the manufacturing industry to the economic output of the country, while also being expected to create employment opportunities and provide a strong boost to local SMEs. Emirates Transport and NEV Investment have jointly attended the summit as an exhibitor, with BYD Han (TBC) and Henrey Mini Tiger as the key New Energy Vehicles for the debut of Chinese New Energy Vehicles to the UAE. During the event, Emirates Transport, along with NEV Investment networked across the value chains and exploited new opportunities at the intersection of EV technologies with influential EV-related institutions, companies, and government officials from around the world at the EVIS booth. Discussions surrounding not only New Energy Vehicles but also NEV Infrastructure components such as fast charging stations, aftersales service and spare parts logistics centers establishment, IoT, electrical cables, and more were actualized. NEV Investment is a New Energy Vehicle investment company among strategic international investors and stakeholders in UAE, aiming to establish a comprehensive New Energy Vehicle ecosystem in the UAE and MENA region, through the introduction of Chinese New Energy Vehicles including trading, R&D, infrastructure, and manufacturing. Emirates Transport Acting CEO Faryal Tawakul said the company was proud to be part of this exciting development in the UAEs automotive and transport industries. "Emirates Transport has been a leader in the transport industry in the UAE for over four decades and as an industry leader its fitting that we are now at the forefront of this new dawn of electric vehicles," noted Tawakul. "We are proud to share this journey with our partners from the private and public sectors and we look forward to playing a vital role in ensuring the UAE is again a leading light, both regionally and at the international level, when it comes to new technology," she added.-TradeArabia News Service Google drove about SR12.2 billion ($3.25 billion) in economic activity in Saudi Arabia in 2021, with the Android Developer ecosystem supporting at least 29,000 jobs in the kingdom every year. Besides, YouTube channels are making 6 figures or more in revenue are up by 20% year over year (Google Internal Data 2021) and the total number of developers making over SR37,500 ($10,000) per month or more on Play grew by 15%, says the Google Impact Report, a report conducted by Public First research agency, that looks at how Google products (Search, Play, Maps, YouTube and Google Ads) help people, local businesses, content creators and developers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. Positive impact Commenting on the report, Anthony Nakache, Managing Director for Google in the Middle East & North Africa, said: "It's great to see the positive impact Google products like Search, YouTube, Maps and Android have on the daily lives of Saudi people, local business owners, developers and content creators. Saudi Arabia is young, smart and digital, and we're proud to be an engine of growth in the country and an enabler in its digital transformation journey. We're excited to see what great things people can do there given the right tools and skills and we are committed to doing more through programmes and local partnerships." In the last couple of years, Covid-19 has helped accelerate some pre-existing trends such as the rise of e-commerce, the shift towards remote working and the use of online tools to support lifelong learning. In our research, people and businesses across the Middle East told us how important Googles tools and services had been in enabling them to adapt to these changes: helping small businesses start to sell online, supporting workers to collaborate better online and children to keep learning, said Jonathan Dupont, Partner at Public First. Helping people in Saudi Arabia 72% of people used Google Search to find the latest Covid-19 public health information; 64% of parents (with children under the age of 12) used YouTube Kids to support their children's learning; 75% used Google Search to learn a new skill last year; and 61% of people in Saudi Arabia used Google Search to find a new job opportunity and an average of 5 million women use Google Search every month to look for a new job. Helping businesses in Saudi Arabia 66% of people used Google Maps to find a local business; 52% of businesses reported an increase of customers coming from online search or search advertising in the last two years; and 67% of online businesses said that Google Workspace was essential in enabling remote working (Google workspace is a collection of cloud computing and collaboration tools like Google Drive, Gmail and Meet). In October 2020, Google announced a $13 million fund to help one million people and businesses in the Middle East and North Africa learn advanced digital skills and grow their businesses by the end of 2021. The programme aims to accelerate the Mena regions economic recovery through digital transformation, by offering digital tools, training and financial grants to support local businesses and job seekers.-- TradeArabia News Service By Patricia Weiss and Ludwig Burger FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany's vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday said one COVID-19 shot was enough for healthy five- to 11-year-olds because most of them had already undergone an infection, maintaining its cautious approach. The view by the panel of 18 appointees, known as STIKO, contrasts with European Union regulators' approval for a two-shot regimen in that age group. U.S. regulators last week even authorized a third, booster shot for the group. "For children we have to assume that the rate of spreading of the infection is the highest. That's why it's reasonable to administer only one vaccination," STIKO panel member Martin Terhardt told a media briefing. The expert panel's previous view on the age group, published in December, was to limit vaccinations to those at risk of developing severe COVID-19 or those living with an at-risk person, drawing criticism at the time for not keeping up with the of pace of the coronavirus. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said STIKO's move had his full backing. "I hope that the vaccine will be well accepted but we must not exert pressure," he added. Children at risk of developing severe COVID-19 should get three shots and those living with an at-risk person should get two, the STIKO experts added on Tuesday. About 22% of five- to 11-year-old children in Germany have so far received at least one COVID shot. Within the age group of five to nine years, tracked by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), a higher vaccination rate has been registered in Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Austria. STIKO did not highlight any disadvantages of giving more shots. Instead it said the risk of heart inflammation from a vaccination appeared to be markedly lower for younger children than in youngsters above 12 years old or young adults. An estimated 77.5% of five to 11-year-olds in Germany had already acquired some immunity against the virus either through known and undetected infections or via vaccination, the panel said in a document posted online. STIKO said the preferred product was the paediatric version of BioNTech and Pfizer's Comirnaty but Moderna's shot was another option for those six years and older. (Additional reporting by Riham Alkousaa in BerlinEditing by Madeline Chambers and Susan Fenton) Qatar Airways is providing a wide range of travel options during Summer 2022 with flights operating daily from Hamad International Airport in Doha, to its global network with a huge number of leisure choices. Whether passengers are seeking summer vacations including tranquil beach gateways, energetic city breaks, bold adventure destinations or incredible family and friend escapes, there is something for everyone, a Qatar Airways statement said. The airline is providing global connectivity from more than 140 gateways worldwide to some of the most desired vacation destinations, whilst offering unparalleled comfort and exceptional service on board to give passengers an unforgettable journey. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said: I am confident that leisure travel will see a major comeback this summer, and I am inviting travellers to make Qatar Airways part of their journey and enjoy our 5-star hospitality on board. The past two years has been incredibly frustrating for anyone wanting to travel the world, as well as challenging for the travel sector. However the easing of travel restrictions in many parts of the world will aid in its fast and positive recovery. Beach lovers can explore the paradise of Bali while discovering its nature, culinary delights and luxurious beach resorts. Or soak up in the sun and savour the tropical atmosphere in Phuket or the Seychelles, whilst enjoying glittering seas and the scenery of nodding palm trees. Travellers who love exploration can visit Prague and enjoy its lively art scenes and well-preserved castles, or get inspired by breath-taking architecture (and gelato!) in Rome. The Italian city brims with historical wonders and endless authentic dining options. Similarly, Bangkok is a great Asian megalopolis, packed with atmosphere, bustling streets and sheer natural beauty. Despite beach and city being at the top of the leisure destination lists for travellers, locations including Kilimanjaro, Cape Town and Amman boast glorious adventure possibilities for those who like to embark on exceptional holidays. Travellers can spend a five to seven days hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, or jaunt on an exquisite safari tour, exploring the wildlife of South Africa or escape to Wadi Rum in Jordan for an exciting camping experience. Extravagant escapes await couple travellers in Santorini, Maldives and romantic Paris, where they can dwell in once-in-a-lifetime experiences in dreamy, picturesque gateways. Families as well can choose to travel to Barcelona or head to Nairobi and hop on a Kenyan Safari to discover their national Parks. Flights to the following destinations: Amman, Jordan (21 weekly flights) Bali, Indonesia (7 weekly flights) Bangkok, Thailand (21 weekly flights) Barcelona, Spain (14 weekly flights) Cape Town, South Africa (10 weekly flights) Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (10 weekly flights) Maldives (28 weekly flights) Nairobi, Kenya (14 weekly flights) Paris, France (21 weekly flights) Phuket, Thailand (10 weekly flights) Prague, Czech Republic (7 weekly flights) Rome, Italy (14 weekly flights) Santorini, Greece (3 weekly flights) Zanzibar, Tanzania (7 weekly flights) TradeArabia News Service Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Big snakes have even bigger appetites, but one large, swimming serpent in Indiana was recently found dead with a huge fish lodged in its throat, photos show. Amber Conley and Brad Walton were fueling up at Brookville Lake, about 76 miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis, when they spotted the snake, Conley said in a May 22 Facebook post. The snakes size alone was enough to catch their attention. But more interesting was the fish found partially eaten in its jaws, a reminder that nature isnt always pretty, and also an apparent answer to the question of what killed the snake. While fueling up today, we came across a dead snake that had choked on a huge fish, Conley said. While snakes are well known for swallowing whole animals larger than themselves, sometimes over the course of hours, they occasionally underestimate the size and strength of prey. The consequences can be fatal and outright grotesque. The fish is so huge, Conley said in a comment. Could lose a foot to that thing! Still, some commenters on Conleys post expressed doubt that a snake so large could die from eating the fish pictured, even suggesting the photo could be faked or photoshopped. But Conley responded, saying the snake and fish were exactly as they were found. Most were fascinated, or just disturbed, by Conley and Waltons discovery. Big frigging snake, one comment said. Welp swimming is canceled forever, said another. One commenter vowed not to let their fear of snakes ruin their summer plans: I hate this but Im still rope-swinging into that lake all summer long. Angler reels in freaking scary fish in Texas marsh, photos show. Its a rare beast Copperhead lurking in toolbox bites man fumbling around for wrench, Texas photos show Family finds rattlesnake coiled on their couch after getting dinner, Texas video shows Did this rattlesnake bite itself to death? Texas researcher comes across odd sight 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. US-Vietnam Cooperation Centre opens in Hanoi A new US-Vietnam Cooperation Centre was opened on Tuesday at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam's campus in Hanoi. The opening ceremony saw the attendance of US Ambassador Knapper, Assistant Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, Acting President of Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam Pham Lan Dung, and Counselor for Public Affairs Pamnella DeVolder. A new US-Vietnam Cooperation Centre was opened at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in Hanoi on May 24. The new US-Vietnam Cooperation Centre is a partnership between the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Hanoi and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. The US-Vietnam Cooperation Centre joins the American Hangout at Thai Nguyen University as the second American Spaces partnership in northern Vietnam, building on the success of American Centre Hanois popular STEM, English, career skills, women and youth empowerment, and environmental programming. It joins over 600 other American Spaces around the world, which encourage open dialogue and build bridges of understanding by serving as study centres for students and communal spaces for those interested in American culture and values, stated Ambassador Knapper at the opening ceremony event. The new centre open for academics, researchers, faculty, students, and the public, will be a platform for educational and cultural programming, research support and academic services. It will support American Studies program, English language studies, and leadership development, as well as provide information about the United States and its foreign policy. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Scientists will set about 1,000 traps this year in their quest to wipe out the Asian giant hornet in Washington, the state Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. Scientists believe the hornets, first detected in the Pacific Northwest state in 2019, are confined in Whatcom County, which is located on the Canadian border north of Seattle. We are doing pretty good right now, said Sven-Erik Spichiger, who is leading the fight to eradicate the hornets for the state Department of Agriculture. We know about where the nests are located in Whatcom County. The insects are the worlds largest hornets, with queens reaching up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. They are considered invasive in North America for their ability to kill other bee and hornet species, which is how they got the nickname murder hornets. Hornets caught in traps help scientists find the location of nests. The state eradicated three nests last year, all near the town of Blaine, Washington, and there have been no confirmed reports of Asian giant hornet nests so far this year, Spichiger said. Related video: Honey bees make 'fear screams' as murder hornets attack their hive Most of the traps will be set in northern Whatcom County, but a few will be set in the city of Bellingham, he said. The agency is also encouraging residents to set their own traps, to cover more ground. The hornets will not be considered eradicated until Washington has gone three full years with no detections, the agency said. The first confirmed detection of an Asian giant hornet in Washington was made in December 2019. Spichiger said the Entomological Society of America is also working to establish an official name for the insect. Asian giant hornet, or the popular nickname murder hornet, are not official names, he said. The hornets can also deliver a painful sting, which can result in death if a person is stung repeatedly. Asian giant hornets rarely attack humans unless provoked. About 30 to 50 people die annually from Asian giant hornet stings in Japan, one of their native habitats. Story continues Meanwhile, hornets, wasps and bees typically found in the United States kill an average of 62 people a year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The battle to prevent the Asian giant hornet, an apex predator, from establishing a foothold in North America is being fought mostly in Whatcom County, Washington, and the nearby Fraser Valley of British Columbia. Whatcom County is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Another effort is underway to determine exactly where in Asia these hornets came from, to try and learn how they are getting across the Pacific Ocean, scientists said. The theory is they are crossing on cargo ships, officials have said. Hornet queens tend to emerge from winter quarters in the spring and establish nests to birth worker hornets. The hornets start attacking and destroying beneficial honey bees later in the year, eating the bees for protein as they raise more hornets. A small group of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire honey bee hive in a matter of hours. The honey bees pollinate many of the crops in Washingtons multibillion-dollar agriculture industry. A candidate for the Harris County Commissioners Court in Texas has apologized to her Asian American opponent and the larger Asian American community after releasing an ad that contained a doctored image of her rival. Lesley Briones, who is running against Benjamin Chou in the Democratic nomination to represent Precinct 4, initially deflected blame on an unnamed graphic designer and doubled down on accusing the latter of spreading lies. The ad in question, which was released last week, allegedly distorted Chous eyes, nose and lips. The openly gay, Chinese American candidate said it whitewashed his skin and followed a long history of doctoring images of people of color to make them look angry or menacing. Chou accused Briones of stooping to perpetuating racist stereotypes that have been used to attack Asians for more than 150 years. More from NextShark: She Grew Up With a Chinese Sister in India, Now She's Desperate to Find Her Again With anti-Asian hate rising, Briones should know better than to redraw my eyes and face to suit her campaign, Chou said. During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Houstonians of all backgrounds should be celebrating diversity instead of changing our features to fit someone elses narrative. The Briones Campaign owes an apology to not just the Asian community but to all Harris County voters for her vicious, hateful propaganda, he added. More from NextShark: Filipino American Student Gets Into ALL 8 Ivy League Schools The image has also drawn backlash from local LGBTQ-plus organizations, including the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which endorses Chou, and the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, which endorses Briones. Briones maintained that the doctoring was committed by an unidentified graphic designer in her apology issued on May 22. This time, Briones clarified that she gave the instruction to take the ad down. The graphic designer, without any direction from the campaign, used a Photoshop filter to remove my opponents smile and apply a black-and-white filter, she said. As soon as I was notified, I instructed my team to remove the ad; it was taken down within minutes. Story continues More from NextShark: Canadian Man Caught on Video Screaming at Elderly Chinese Restaurant Worker Over Wait Time Briones also said the designer is no longer part of the campaign. She then apologized to Chou and the Asian American community for the harm the ad has caused. Good leaders take responsibility and demand accountability; that graphic designer no longer works from the campaign. I apologize to my opponent that this event occurred and to the Asian-American community for the pain it has caused, she said. Still, Briones denied allegations of racism, pointing out that she herself is a woman of color raising three Mexican American children. More from NextShark: Rudy Giuliani Accidentally Posts YouTube Video of Himself Mocking Asians Unfortunately, my opponent has attempted to capitalize on this incident by making unfounded claims of racism against me. As a woman of color who is raising three Mexican American daughters, I reject his charges in the strongest of terms. Briones and Chou will face off against each other during Tuesdays runoff election. The winner will battle incumbent Republican R. Jack Cagle in November. Featured Image via Afrocentrik Television (left) and FOX 26 Houston (right) NEWARK, N.J. (AP) The head of the United Nations implored graduating college students on Tuesday to reject jobs at companies that fund the fossil fuel industry he described as killing our planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made his remarks to graduating seniors at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Guterres told the class at Newarks Prudential Center that they are entering a world brimming with peril from conflict and strife and the effects of climate change but that they can reverse the errors of previous generations by not working for financial institutions that profit off fossil fuels. Despite mountains of evidence of looming climate catastrophe, we still see mountains of funding for coal and fossil fuels that are killing our planet, he said. "That money continues to flow from some of the biggest names in finance, hedge funds and private equity. As graduates, you hold the cards, Guterres continued. "Your talent is in demand from multinational companies and big financial institutions. You will have plenty of opportunities to choose from thanks to the excellence of your graduation. So my message to you is simple: Dont work for climate-wreckers. Use your talents to drive us towards a renewable future. Guterres's remarks came a week after he announced a five-point plan to encourage use of renewable energy around the globe, in the wake of a World Meteorological Organization report that said the last seven years were the seven hottest on record. The plan calls for fostering technology transfer and lifting of intellectual property protections in renewable technologies as well as broadening access to supply chains and raw materials that go into renewable technologies The climate crisis is wreaking havoc, and threatening to erase entire communities and even entire countries with governments failing to take the action needed to turn this around," Guterres said Tuesday. My generation and your parents generation have fallen short in bequeathing the world you deserve. But I have hope that you will succeed where we failed. Seawolf-class attack submarine USS Connecticut in the Pacific Ocean with a US Navy HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter and aircraft carrier USS George Washington and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga, November 17, 2009. US Navy/MCS1 John M. Hageman The US Navy submarine USS Connecticut ran into an underwater mountain in the South China Sea last October. Months earlier, in April 2021, the submarine hit a pier in San Diego. The command investigation said the submarine's leadership failed to learn from the first incident. A US Navy nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine that crashed into an underwater mountain in the South China Sea last October, damaging the boat and injuring members of the crew, ran into a pier in San Diego months earlier, according to a Navy investigation. The powerful Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut ran into an object later revealed to be an uncharted seamount on October 2, 2021. The grounding, which saw 11 sailors injured, was the result of a number of failings, a newly released command investigation found. "No single action or inaction caused this mishap, but it was preventable," said the investigation, which was conducted by Rear Adm. Christopher Cavanaugh, the Maritime Headquarters director at Pacific Fleet, and signed off on by 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Karl Thomas. Related video: Video shows moment a Chinese passenger jet crashed into mountains "A grounding at this speed and depth had the potential for more serious injuries, fatalities, and even loss of the ship," the report said, characterizing the incident as "an accumulation of errors and omissions in navigation planning, watchteam execution, and risk management." The incident in October was not the first time the sub had run into something either. In April 2021, the Connecticut allided with a pier while mooring at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, the investigation said. In the aftermath, a safety stand-down was held to address deficiencies, but "it was not adequately focused on addressing the root causes of the allision," the investigating officer wrote in the new report on the October crash. A follow-on command investigation into that earlier incident said that the "allision could have been prevented with early, decisive action and recommended the CO [commanding officer], XO [executive officer], NAV [Navigator], OOD [Officer of the Deck], and ANAV [Assistant Navigator] receive administrative or disciplinary action for dereliction of duty." Story continues The commanding officer who endorsed that investigation argued that "while this investigation revealed degraded standards in navigation, planning, poor seamanship, and ineffective command and control, it represented an anomalous performance and not systematic failure." The officers identified as being responsible for the allision were counseled on the need to correct problems that led to the troubling incident, but there does not appear to have been any further corrective actions taken. The boat was then cleared for deployment. The command investigation into the October incident involving the Connecticut stated that "the CO, XO, COB, NAV, and ANAV missed a significant opportunity for self-reflection and improvement following the pier allision in April 2021." The reported noted that the April 2021 "mishap resulted from multiple errors and omissions by the navigation team, failure of the OOD to take decisive action upon recognizing danger, and lack of CO involvement." In November 2021, the Navy removed the entire command leadership of the Connecticut due to a loss of confidence in their abilities. A 7th Fleet statement at the time said that "sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures" could have prevented the grounding in the Indo-Pacific. After stopping in Guam for preliminary damage evaluations following the October crash, the Connecticut, one of only three Seawolf-class attack submarines built to hunt enemy submarines in deep waters, headed state-side for repairs. Read the original article on Business Insider A man walks in front of a sandstorm in Dollow, southwest Somalia. People from across Gedo in Somalia have been displaced due to drought conditions and forced to come to Dollow, in the southwest, to search for aid Africa has been hit by 14 extreme droughts in the past two years alone - far more than any other continent - and the UN is warning that some 20 million people are at risk in East Africa this year after the rains failed once more. So it was fitting that Ivory Coast hosted this month's UN-convened summit on the devastating effects of the three Ds - drought, desertification, and degradation of land. However, not much was achieved at the two-week-long meeting in Abidjan to tackle these crises. Many African countries argued for a legally binding global agreement to tackle droughts - something like the Kyoto protocol launched in 1997 to cut down carbon emissions, sources told the BBC. Uganda and Angola were among the states to amplify the demand of the Africa bloc. But they were keen to ensure that it wasn't seen as being a problem for Africa alone - they wanted drought to be treated as a global problem, to ensure it received global attention. They argued that droughts were being fuelled by climate change, and so only global action can make a difference, although in Africa's case land degradation and desertification have aggravated the situation. "It is a global issue, not just that of Africa," said Ugandan negotiator Kabango Freddie. "We believe if all the parties to the UNCCD [United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification] are on board to deal with this crisis under a legally binding instrument, we can help the communities that have been hit by drought, or are vulnerable to it, become resilient." But the proposal did not garner support from other parts of the world. They argued that there were already other global pacts and mechanisms to deal with the crisis - such as the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Sustainable Development Goals or even the Paris Climate agreement - and that creating yet another instrument would not help. Argentina and the Dominican Republic - representing Latin America and Caribbean - said greater efforts including financial and technical support were needed to help countries fight drought and desertification, while the European Union (EU) said existing mechanisms should be used to avoid duplication. Story continues In the end, there was a compromise - an agreement to postpone a decision for two years and form an intergovernmental working group that will look at ways to focus on proactive drought management. It will report back by 2024 - by when the three Ds are expected to become a bigger problem. The meeting also agreed to restore one billion hectares of degraded land globally by 2030. However, some fear that this ambitious target may not be met, like similar, previous goals. Loss of land leads to conflict A report unveiled at the meeting, Drought in Numbers, showed that out of the 23 countries that have had drought emergencies in the past two years, the majority - 14 - were in Africa. "Africa suffered from drought more frequently than any other continent with 134 droughts between 2000 and 2019, of which 70 occurred in East Africa," it said. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showed that droughts have increased in parts of Africa, and it projects a further increase. A severe drought is currently being experienced in the Horn of Africa and East Africa Two-thirds of Africa is desert and dryland, so it has limited productive land to start with. To make things worse, 65% of the productive land is already degraded, according to the UN. The land's productivity has been severely eroded mainly because of its unsustainable use for agricultural purposes and increased food production. Studies have also shown that Africa loses four million hectares of forest every year and charcoal production remains a major threat to forests in many countries. Furthermore, the UNCCD says 45% of Africa's land area is affected by desertification and more than half of it is at very high risk of further desertification. "We are seeing harsher conditions year after year," said Patrick Youssef, Africa regional director for the International Committee of Red Cross. And the spread of the desert means increased competition for the best land, leading to conflict. "Intensifying land degradation, desertification and drought has meant grazing land and water are disappearing in places like [the] north of Mali and herders are having to trespass into agricultural land of other communities," said Mr Youssef. Give land to farmers Since 1999, most African countries have developed regional action plans to combat land degradation and desertification. But an analysis published last year by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and an African Union development agency found that not enough progress had been made. Another report released just before the summit said that only between 4% and 20% of the initial target of the Great Green Wall initiative had been achieved by 2020. The initiative was launched to huge fanfare in 2007 to restore 100 million hectares of land by planting millions of trees, restoring grassland, vegetation and wetlands across 11 countries, stretching from Senegal on Africa's west coast to Djibouti in the east by 2030. Most of Africa is desert and dryland Aid agency World Vision's climate action adviser Tony Rinaudo said governments needed to increase the amount of agricultural land owned by farmers, as opposed to the government. "It should not be surprising that rural populations have no incentive to protect and sustainably manage what they do not own and what they have no legal right to benefit from," he said. But ownership alone will not solve the problem. Climate change is increasingly contributing to droughts. The current drought in East Africa and the Horn of Africa has put up to 20 million people at risk of severe hunger. One of the countries affected is Ethiopia, which has put a lot of effort into making preparations to cope with drought but is now struggling with the worst drought in almost half a century. "Ethiopia was able to withstand drought for almost five years because of its restored land that had lots of resilience," said UNCCD official Louise Baker. "But the drought in the Horn of Africa now is really hard, so that land is not able to cope. You are making progress on one hand but climate puts so much pressure on the land that was once restored," she added. You may also be interested in: The new Bold Rock Distillery at the Barrel Barn in Nellysford hadnt been open for more than a few hours on Friday before a crowd had formed around the bar and under a chalkboard menu listing the locations new hand-crafted cocktails. Bold Rock had invited guests to a grand reopening that day of the Barrel Barn along Virginia 151 as the new Bold Rock Distillery. Chuck Kiehl was selling the brands spirits: cinnamon apple whiskey, American whiskey, straight bourbon, vodka and the new spiced peach whiskey, to frequent customers. He said the brand has been producing liquors for four months and described the American whiskey as almost like drinking a whiskey cocktail. He added the cinnamon apply whiskey was good mixed with the brands hard cider. Kat Engsler was working the Barrel Barn bar for the grand opening, making the locations first cocktails with Bold Rock spirits. Engsler said she started at Bold Rock in the main taproom and while shes worked in restaurants for 11 years, its her first time making cocktails to order. She said she expects the menu to change seasonally and is excited to create new cocktail recipes. Engslers favorite Bold Rock spirit is the cinnamon apple whiskey, which she said is great on the rocks. Englser said shes always loved Bold Rock and hasnt forgotten the companys first ciders were produced in 2012, the year she turned 21. According to Bold Rock Senior Brand Manager Lindsay Dorrier, the Barrel Barn is the only place at the Nellysford Bold Rock complex where visitors can purchase made-to-order craft cocktails and spirits to go. He said the Barrel Barn Distillery is the culmination of years of hard work, and will provide a new and complementary experience to the adjacent Nellysford Cidery. Dorrier explained the brand has branched out to include hard tea and lemonade, seltzers, canned cocktails and now spirits in its beverages line. The spirits capture the trademark Bold Rock drinkability, in a sip-able form, he said. At the distillery, now open on weekends, Bold Rock fans can enjoy and get inspiration for how to use them. The building was the original Nellysford cidery production barn and reopened as a taproom in 2017. Dorrier said the renovated barroom marries rustic roots with a cozy and vibey interior. He doesnt intend for the Bold Rock Distillery to be a just a carbon copy of the main taproom; dogs are allowed inside and there will be food trucks and live music outside. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A 24-home development proposed for the corner of Dillard Road and Virginia 130 in Madison Heights has received the Amherst County Planning Commissions recommendation for approval. The commission on May 19 endorsed rezoning the two-acre parcel from General Commercial District (B-2) to Multi-Family Residential (R-2), which allows the site to be developed at a high-density residential use the applicant sought. Commissioner Jim Thompson was the lone no vote in the request headed to the Amherst County Board of Supervisors for review. The owner of the parcel is Christ Community Church Inc. in Madison Heights, according to the application. The plan includes construction of three eight-unit townhome buildings on the parcel that Jeremy Bryant, director of community development, has described as fairly linear and narrow with some frontage on Virginia 130 and a greater amount of frontage along Dillard Road. Just east to the property is the Westwind Village Apartments complex, which Bryant said was built in the 1990s. He has said staff has concern about spot zoning, a term for a zoning that is different from surrounding classifications. Russell Nixon, of Nixon Land Surveying in Lynchburg, representing the applicant, said they feel the parcel is suitable for a nice townhome development that will benefit the community. Thompson said he is concerned with heavy traffic in the area for a project that likely with bring families with young children and it being so close to the road. I do believe from what I looked at, and Ive looked at it lot and I travel that area a lot ... in my opinion its not the right intersection to build 24 townhouses on it, said Thompson. I just think its too narrow of a piece of property. Commission Chair Mike Bryant said he believes leaving the property with commercial zoning opens it up to a business use, such as a gas station on a corner lot that could bring even more traffic. I think if you were to rezone this, it would be a good fit for this spot, Mike Bryant said. Alan Nixon, who is not related to Russell Nixon, spoke in opposition to the project on behalf of Nixon & Wall Properties Inc. and a few other parties during a public hearing on the rezoning in February. More than a decade ago, he was part of a partnership that invested close to $1 million for an office building site in a commercial area in the vicinity and he finds it challenging to be next door to the potential high-density zoning area, he said. He spoke out against the Dillard Road office complex in close proximity being used as part of a proposed entrance and more traffic in that area would create a dangerous chaotic situation. Alan Nixon said he regularly observes traffic backups in that stretch of Dillard Road. In a May 18 email to Jeremy Bryant, Alan Nixon again stated his opposition and urged the county to keep zoning as is. The traffic increase alone will significantly hurt the value of my commercial property as well as the multi family dwelling next door, he wrote. I do not feel that this is a fitting project for what would still remain a commercial setting even if rezoned. Chad Eby, an Amherst County Economic Development Authority member who also sits on the commission as a liaison, said businesses were reached out to in that area and they generally were favorable toward the project. Commissioner Beverly Jones said she feels the townhome project will be a bright spot for meeting a need in Madison Heights. I think its an awesome development at this time because of the lack of housing, Jones said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lynchburgs Central Virginia Community College has been localizing a plan that focuses on equity across all of the states community colleges. In the past five years, Black student enrollment in Virginia community colleges declined by more than 12,000, with only one out of five first-time Black students completing a community college credential or degree of any type in three years. Despite increasing graduation rates for all other racial and ethnic minority groups across colleges, fewer Black students are graduating today from the states community colleges compared to just five years ago. Statistics such as these caused Virginia Community College Chancellor Glenn DuBois to call for a new six-year strategic plan focused on eliminating equity gaps. Cynthia Deutsch psychology professor and interim dean of institutional effectiveness and strategic planning at Central Virginia Community College worked with the task force, consisting of faculty members and professors of Virginias community colleges, to help create the new plan. Members of this task force were asked to readjust, broaden their focus and look at the creation of a new strategic plan with an equity focus to make sure were addressing the needs of all of our students, Deutsch said. Deutsch said that, at the start, officials did not know how long the pandemic would be around. At that point in time, nobody knew that we were looking at two-plus years of the impact of COVID, Deutsch said. We were trying to put together a plan thinking we would be back on the campuses within four to six months. The six-year plan was approved by the State Board for Community Colleges on March 18, 2021. The systemwide plan referenced two examples of inequities that plagued the nation in 2020 the economic fallout that came as a result of COVID-19, and the pandemic of racial injustice that pushed systemic racism to the forefront of national dialogue with the killing of George Floyd. Floyd died May 25, 2020, at the hands of Minneapolis police after Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes. Deutsch worked specifically with teaching strategies to affect all students across the VCCS. A goal for her is to create a system-level sharing space where faculty can communicate teaching strategies across the VCCS. Following the statewide meeting and deliberations, members of the task force went back to their respective schools and created a localized plan to help their students. At CVCCs most recent board meeting on April 27, the board discussed the plan and its mission statement. CVCC implemented four goals and strategies to carry this new plan forward teaching and learning, student support, workforce credentials and affordability. Deutsch said there is some carryover from the previous plan. There certainly is a carryover and then some expansion and change in ... this equity focus, making sure that we are really doing the best that we can to address the needs of all of our students, Deutsch said. Deutsch mentioned CVCC took into account students working, the cost of attending the college and scheduling when creating its plan. According to Deutsch, a survey showed 75% of CVCC students are working. Of that percentage of employed students, 37% of them are working full-time jobs. The average cost for a student annually at CVCC, prior to financial aid assistance, is $4,620. Although its significantly less than an average four-year school, its still something the school considered for students. To help students find more resources, CVCC expanded Single Stop, which Deutsch said is a part of a class where students take a survey and get help finding any needed resources including food pantries, job assistance and housing programs. When you have that kind of a weight on your mind, not only can it dissuade students from coming to school, but it can also make it difficult for them to be successful, Deutsch said. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIMPLICITY, Va. (AP) A 69-year-old Virginia woman who went missing last week was found alive Monday in a dense pine forest less than a mile from her home, the local sheriff announced. The search for Aletha Gee Walton began May 17, when her family discovered she was missing and alerted authorities, Prince Edward County Sheriff's Office said in a statement posted online. Walton was last seen at her home in the Simplicity area two days earlier, officials said. Search and rescue organizations and agencies from around the state joined the search for Walton and she was found about 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) from her home in a densely wooded pine forest with a thick underbrush on Monday morning, eight days after she was last seen, the sheriffs office said. Walton was assessed by medical personnel immediately and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Authorities did not give additional details about her condition or say why she was in the woods in the first place. This has been incredibly challenging, but we are thrilled to be able to provide the family the best possible outcome, Sheriff Tony Epps said in a statement. I have spoken with the family and they relayed their appreciation to everyone involved in the search for their loved one. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. An agency designed to address workplace grievances and provide general assistance for foreign workers began operating Monday under a joint initiative by eight Japanese companies including Toyota Motor and Seven & i Holdings. Employees of participating companies and their business partners can now seek assistance on work, personal and health-related issues through instant messages or over the phone in nine languages, including Mandarin, Vietnamese and Tagalog. The agency will also work with the Tokyo Bar Association to resolve serious grievances against employers through alternative dispute resolution. The agency will be managed by the Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society, or JP-Mirai, a framework advocating for foreign workers' rights under the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Funding will be provided by the eight companies, which also include food maker Ajinomoto, property developer Mitsui Fudosan and Muji operator Ryohin Keikaku. The other three companies involved have not been made public. Up to 20,000 workers will have access to the agency's services in 2022, with the goal of expanding to 200,000 in 2023 and 1 million in 2024. It is expected to field around 2,000 cases in its first year. Advertisement New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Japan for the Quad summit is set to conclude today. During his visit, Mr. Modi met Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and US President Joe Biden. As a goodwill gesture on behalf of Indians, PM Modi gifted Gond Art Painting to the Australian PM, a Wooden Handcarved box with Rogan Painting to the Japanese PM, and Sanjhi Art to the US president. PM Modis gift to Australian PM: Gond Art Painting Gond paintings are one of the most admired tribal art form. The word Gond comes from the expression Kond which means green mountain. These painting, created by dots and lines, have been a part of pictorial art on walls and floors of Gonds and it is done with the construction and re- construction of each and every house, with locally available natural colors and materials like charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, leaves, cow dung, lime stone powder, etc. Gond art is considered very similar to Aboriginal art of Australia. The Aborigines have their own stories like the Gonds do about creation. These two art forms are divided by thousands of miles of physical distance between their creators but are closely united and connected in its sentimentality and emotional core which are the definitive features of any art form. PM Modis gift to President of US: Sanjhi Art Sanjhi, the art of hand cutting designs on paper, is a typical art form of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the legendary home of Lord Krishna. Traditionally motifs from Lord Krishna stories are created in stencils. These stencils are cut free hand using scissor or a blade. The delicate Sanjhi is often held together by thin sheets of paper. This intricate Sanjhi Panel famous based on theme of Thakurani Ghat from Mathura by a National Awardee. PMs gift to Japan PM: Wooden Handcarved box with Rogan Painting This art object is a combination of two different arts-Rogan painting and wooden hand carving. 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 making Rogan painting is very laborious and skilful. Artists place a small amount of this paint paste into their palm. 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. In effect it is a very basic form of printing. Previously the designs were simple and rustic in nature but with the passage of time the craft has become more stylized and now is regarded as a high art form. Hand carving on wood is an intricate art inspired by traditional jali designs taken from famous monuments of India. The designs are created by the experts in the most synchronized manner. The skill of wood carving is an example of the excellent craftsmanship & rich tradition of India. Advertisement Tokyo [Japan]: Underlining that the world is at a transformative moment and the Russia-Ukraine war is not only a European but global issue, US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said Indo-Pacific powers are going to be partners and lead a global response amid the Ukraine conflict. Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine that has completed three months, Biden, in his opening remarks at the Quad Leaders Summit meeting in Tokyo, said the world is navigating the ship through a dark time. Russias war on Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets. Highlighting the divide between democracy and autocracy, Biden started off his speech by saying that the partnership between the US, Australia, Japan and India is central to achieving the key goals in the field of healthcare and technology and supply chain resilience. He said Quad nations have already accomplished a great deal. The Cooperating on COVID-19 response, health and security. Partnering on 5G and other technologies supply chains and technology standard-setting and launching our Quad fellowship programme. The Quad has a lot of work ahead of us. We have a lot of work to keep this region peaceful and stable, tacking this pandemic and next and addressing the climate crisis, said Biden at Quad Leaders meet in his opening remarks. US will be a strong, steady and enduring partner in Indo-Pacific. We are Indo-Pacific powers. As long as Russia continues the war, we are going to be partners and lead a global response. We stay together for the shared values and vision we have, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spoke before Biden, said the mutual trust, and determination of the member countries including the US, Australia and Japan is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers. Quad has made an important place for itself before the world in such a short span of time. Today, Quads scope has become extensive, its form effective. Our mutual trust, and our determination is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers, said PM Modi. The leaders of the Quad nationsAustralia, India, Japan, and the United Statesare meeting today for the fourth time and the second time in person. Established in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami to coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the Quad has since become a leading regional partnership dedicated to advancing a common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific through practical cooperation on diverse 21st-century challenges. PM Modi noted that despite the difficult circumstance of COVID-19, the member countries have increased mutual coordination in several areas like vaccine delivery, climate action, supply change resilience, disaster management and economic cooperation. The Summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provides an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. Essex Community School District fifth-grade teacher Vicki Hume was awarded the fourth and final 2022 Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award during a schoolwide ceremony on May 18. During this years nomination window, over 180 nominations were received from 19 area school districts. In Vickis nomination, her nominator Kathleen Johnson said, Mrs. Humes ability to connect to students and motivate them to be their best is one of the many qualities that make her stand out, according to a press release from Green Hills Area Education Agency. Superintendent Mike Wells shared, Ms. Hume has done so much for our school and for our students. We want to thank her for her dedication. After receiving the award, Vicki addressed her colleagues and students, saying, I am beyond blessed to have received this award, the press release stated. I love my students. The Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award is given annually to four outstanding southwest Iowa public school teachers from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakins hometown of Emerson. Winners of the Lakin Award receive $10,000 for personal use, and their respective districts receive an additional award of $2,500. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DES MOINES A proposal by Gov. Kim Reynolds to shift taxpayer funding for public schools to scholarships for private school tuition assistance will not pass the Iowa Legislature this year, a top statehouse Republican said Monday. Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, said there are not enough votes among the 60 House Republicans to get 51 votes and pass the proposal in the 100-member House. The legislative proposal previously passed the Republican-led Iowa Senate. Statehouse Democrats have been unified in their opposition to the proposal. It doesnt look like were going to be able to put the votes together in the House this year to pass that, Grassley told statehouse reporters Monday. Obviously (we) want to continue to work with the governor to get something achieved. Thats been a big priority of hers moving towards next session. And well work on that in the offseason. Legislative leaders had essentially paused the session for the past three weeks while Reynolds attempted to persuade enough House Republicans to support her proposal. It is the second consecutive year that Reynolds, a Republican, made the proposal, only to see it falter in the Republican-controlled Iowa House. Reynolds spokesman said Monday he would not comment on the news that the bill will not pass the House. Lawmakers from both the House and Senate returned to the Iowa Capitol on Monday for the first time in weeks, in a signal that they are preparing to complete their work for the 2022 session. I think its great that the House is stopping school vouchers and the scheme that the governor has been pushing for so long, said Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, leader of the minority House Democrats from Windsor Heights. Its ridiculous that we had to wait this long for a bill that we all knew wasnt going to pass, because Iowans dont support school vouchers, and neither does the House of Representatives. So the only people who seem to want this are the Senate and the governor, and were glad that it died because its not good for Iowa kids. The bulk of the holdouts among House Republicans were legislators in rural districts, where public school officials said the loss of students to private schools could be fiscally devastating. Some House Republicans opposed to the private school tuition assistance proposal are already paying political consequences. Reynolds this past week endorsed a primary election challenger to Rep. Jon Thorup, who has expressed his opposition to the bill. And in other Republican primary races, political advocacy groups have invested in challengers to House Republicans who have expressed opposition to the bill. Under the proposed legislation, Senate File 2369, up to 10,000 public school students from families at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level would be eligible for scholarships to put toward private school costs. The state would shift a portion, roughly $5,300, of the state funding originally dedicated to that students public school into an account the family could use to help cover private school costs. Some of those proposed program requirements were being negotiated as Reynolds tried to reach agreement with those holdout House Republicans. Legislators had considered reducing the number of scholarships available at first, lowering the income threshold to target the lowest-income Iowa families and establishing an enrollment level to make students from the states smallest schools ineligible from the program. Reynolds has said if the bill does not pass this session, she will return to work on it again next year. But first, she must win re-election this November: Reynolds is being challenged by Democrat Deidre DeJear and Libertarian Rick Stewart. For the third time since becoming president, Joe Biden has said he would send U.S. forces to defend Taiwan should mainland China launch an attack. And for the third time, White House staff and the State Department had to walk back (diplospeak for deny) that the U.S. position has not change A 19th century suspension bridge spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan in New York City is a well-known landmark. The Brooklyn Bridge was the first to use steel wire for its cables. Another bridge that bears the same name, but is much, much smaller and considerably more lightwei We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. One of the best purchases I have made since having my son is a portable breast pump. Any mom whos been in the same situation understands that dealing with cups and hoses while being plugged into the wall is a frustration. These individual pumps are small, discreet and easy to use. But the b China urges U.S. not to obscure, hollow out one-China principle Xinhua) 08:20, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States should abide by the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and stop obscuring and hollowing out the one-China principle, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday in response to recent remarks by U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price. In a social media post, Price said that China continues to misrepresent U.S. policy, and that the United States remains committed to its longstanding, bipartisan one-China policy, guided by the so-called "Taiwan Relations Act", Three Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances. Wang said that Price's comments are a distortion of facts and history. The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations. The core of the Taiwan question is "one China." There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is a part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "This is the core concept of the one-China principle, which has become the consensus of the international community and the basic norm governing international relations," Wang said. A total of 181 countries, including the United States, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of recognizing the one-China principle, he added. In history, the Taiwan question was the biggest obstacle to the normalization of China-U.S. relations. That's because China firmly adhered to the one-China principle and would never make any compromises or concessions on this issue, Wang said. In 1971, the United States affirmed to China that it would pursue new principles with regard to the Taiwan question, which include: the United States would acknowledge that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is a part of China, and the U.S. side would not support any "Taiwan independence" movement, the spokesperson said. In the Shanghai Communique released in 1972, the U.S. side declared that "the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position." Wang said the above-mentioned commitments made by the United States started the process toward the normalization of China-U.S. relations. In the China-U.S. joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations released in 1978, the United States "recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China" and "acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China." In the August 17 Communique released in 1982, the United States "reiterates that it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in China's internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'." "These commitments are there for all to see. They are crystal clear and inked in the documents. Such historical facts cannot be wiped off or denied," Wang said. However, over the past 40 years, the United States has not been faithfully implementing the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, Wang said. He added that the U.S. side has significantly eased restrictions on official exchanges with Taiwan, the U.S.-Taiwan military interactions have become more frequent and overt, and the United States even helps Taiwan expand its so-called "international space." He said that, in recent years, the U.S. side has even tried to obscure and hollow out the one-China principle. For example, the United States is using more descriptions to modify its one-China policy, including its unilaterally-concocted Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances that have never been recognized by China and are firmly opposed. The China-U.S. relationship is state-to-state relations. It can only be guided by the political consensus reached by the two sides, rather than be established on policies concocted unilaterally by the U.S. side, he added. It is not difficult to tell from the fact that China is not misrepresenting the U.S. policy. It is the U.S. that has been constantly reneging on its own commitments, the consensus of the two sides, and its original position, in order to undermine the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and play the "Taiwan card" to contain China, Wang said. He pointed out that the essence of both the one-China principle and the one-China policy is about "one China," which is the political consensus reached by China and the United States. Without the consensus, China and the United States could not have engaged with each other, established diplomatic ties, and developed bilateral relations. The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair, and realizing complete national reunification is the common aspiration of all Chinese people. China is determined to safeguard its own sovereignty and security interests. "There is zero room for compromise and not an inch to give on the Taiwan question," Wang said. "We urge the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, return to the original and true meaning of 'one-China', follow through on President Biden's remarks of not supporting 'Taiwan independence', stop hollowing out the one-China principle, stop seeking to contain China with Taiwan-related issues, stop emboldening 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, and avoid causing severe damage to China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," he said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) on Monday announced that it refuses to take part in the national dialogue according to the formula set out in the Presidential Decree on the creation of the National Advisory Committee for a New Republic and approved a decision to hold a general strike in both the public and the civil service sectors at a date to be set later. The members of the UGTT national administrative committee, meeting on Monday in Hammamet, considered that the decree N30-2022 on the creation of an advisory committee is not the result of prior consultation or agreement and does not meet the national aspirations, reports TAP news agency. The trade union reiterates, in a statement issued by the administrative committee, its rejection of any dialogue with unilaterally determined roles and excluding political and civil forces. They reaffirmed commitment to national dialogue as the only way out of the current crisis, UGTT spokesperson Sami Tahri was quoted by TAP as saying. The UGTT committee will hold a press conference next Wednesday, to speak about three issues, namely, the unions position regarding the latest developments on the political and economic scenes, the social file including the workers demands and negotiations with the government, Tahri added. The Union also approved a decision to hold a general strike in both the public and the civil service sectors, whose date will be set by the executive board. The decision was made in response to a set of requests issued by the public sector and civil service groups. More particularly, they called for a general strike to defend workers economic and social rights, the union said. Means to consolidate judicial relations between Morocco and the USA were discussed in Rabat Monday between a visiting delegation of U.S. attorneys general and the delegate president of the High Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), Mohamed Abdennabaoui. The meeting provided an opportunity to explore the prospects for consolidating judicial relations between the CSPJ and judicial institutions in the United States, strengthening cooperation relations in the various areas inherent in the judiciary, as well as the exchange of experiences and best practices in the field of justice, the CSPJ said in a statement. During the meeting Mohamed Abdennabaoui made a historical overview of the judicial field in the Kingdom, and surveyed the reform process of the justice system and mechanisms to strengthen the independence of the judiciary, the CSPJ and the Presidency of the Public Prosecutors Office. Niger plans to build a base for armed drones to strengthen its defense and security capabilities in combating terrorism and for closely monitoring the security situation across its borders with Libya and Mali. The planned base will be established in Tahoun, central region of the West African country, local Actu Niger newspaper reports. The project, according to security forces, quoted by local media, is part of the fight against terrorism by shifting toward a strategy of rapid response and effective crisis management. Local authorities last week received the first Turkish-made drones. Six drones arrived at Niamey Airport aboard two flights of an Ukrainian air cargo company on May 20 and 21. The orders were placed after Nigers president Mohamed Bazoum visited Turkey in March. He had then toured the company manufacturing the Bayraktar drone. Niger is working to strengthen the operational capabilities of its defense and security forces in order to deal with the security threats it faces, particularly on its borders with Libya, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The UNOCTs Program Office for Counter-Terrorism & Training in Africa, based in Rabat, launched, on May 23, training courses on the fight against terrorism, in collaboration with the Australian government. This first training session, supervised by international experts, aims to improve participants skills in terms of investigations and the fight against terrorism. Twenty-four participants representing law enforcement agencies from six African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal) are taking part for three weeks (from May 23 to June 10) in the training. Addressing the attendees remotely, Deputy Director of UNOCT Mauro Miedico stressed the importance of this training program, first of its kind in Africa, organized by the Rabat-based UNOCT program office for CT & training to improve the skills and capacities of African law enforcement agents. These CT training sessions confirm Moroccos commitment to the fight against terrorism and its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security, he said. For his part, Head of UNOCT Program Office in Africa, Carlos Monteiro Reis, hailed the Rabat CT program, saying that several countries will benefit from it to strengthen their skills in the fight against terrorism. Serving as a regional counter-terrorism training hub, the Rabat-based UNOCT Program Office was officially inaugurated on June 23, 2021. The Office is tasked with developing and implementing key counter-terrorism training programs and initiatives to support requesting Member States and their Security sector and Law Enforcement agencies, with a particular focus on the Sahel and West Africa region. The Office has developed a range of complete multi-level training programs (from initial to advanced), including curricula, experts trainings, trainings evaluation and certification. They include a plethora of Counter-Terrorism related subjects, tailored to meet the needs of the beneficiary countries. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has released a global aid package of $1.5 billion to prevent a food crisis on the African continent due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This plan of 1.5 billion dollars will be used to help African countries to produce food and to do it quickly, said AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina, before the opening of the General Assemblies of the financial institution that began Monday in Accra. This aid plan, approved Friday by the board of directors of the bank, aims to increase the production of wheat, corn, rice and soybeans on the continent to compensate for the loss of supply due to the Ukraine-Russia war, the AfDB said in a statement. With the disruption of food supplies arising from the Russia-Ukraine war, Africa now faces a shortage of at least 30 million tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soybeans imported from both countries. African farmers urgently need high-quality seeds and inputs before the planting season begins in May to immediately boost food supplies. The African Development Banks $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility is an unprecedented comprehensive initiative to support smallholder farmers in filling the food shortfall. The Facility will provide 20 million African smallholder farmers with certified seeds, fertilizer, and extension services over the next four farming seasons. It will also provide loan guarantees, and other financial instruments and support market growth and post-harvest management. This assistance will enable the production of 38 million tons of food, representing a $12 billion increase in food production in just two years, the AfDB statement said. Many African countries are heavily dependent on wheat imports from Ukraine and Russia. According to the AfDB, the price of wheat has risen by more than 45% in Africa since the beginning of the war. Fertilizer prices have increased by 300%, and the continent is already facing a fertilizer shortage of 2 million tons. Representatives from 25 Israeli start-ups are building bridges in Casablanca with their Moroccan peers at an event in Casablanca that received endorsement from the governments of the two countries. The event, dubbed Connect to Innovate, features the participation of Israeli firms operating in the critical fields of water management, agriculture, sustainability, logistics and cyber which pose shared challenges for both Morocco and Israel. Speaking at the opening of the event, Advisor to King Mohammed VI Andre Azoulay underscored the need for sharing expertise and know-how between Moroccan and Israeli start-ups. Let us join forces and connect to innovate, to give a chance for peace for the sake of our children and the safety of all, he said. Israels President Isaac Herzog said in a recorded message to the attendees: Together, Israel and Morocco, can develop the innovative solutions that will improve lives, livelihoods, and quality of life in our own countries and promote progress and peace throughout the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Moroccan industry minister Ryad Mezzour, speaking at the opening ceremony, said the Israel startup ecosystem represents a source of inspiration and that Morocco is well-positioned to learn from the Israeli experience to foster its start-ups. Morocco and Israel have started the path of a win-win collaboration in mutually beneficial areas. As envisioned, we have built a solid and dynamic economic partnership that aims to be innovative in tune with global technological changes. This forum will make it possible to further explore avenues for development in promising areas, namely: agrifood-tech, energy-tech, logistic-tech and water-tech, he said. We believe that Morocco, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, is uniquely suited to partner with Israel in blazing a trail to a new MENA region, one that is connected by a genuine desire for peace and prosperity. This conference is a pivotal point as we embark on a joint innovation journey between Israel and Morocco toward economic prosperity, head of Start-Up Nation Central Avi Hasson said. Last year, 26 billion dollars were invested in Israeli tech start-ups. The tech sector accounts for 12.6% of GDP and 54% of exports. Israel invests 5% of its GDP in civilian research and development. Joe Rutar walked out of the testing center feeling awful. The senior at Elkhorn South High School had just finished taking the ACT and found the college-entrance exam "incredibly difficult." Sure, she had brushed up on her math beforehand through a test-prep program offered at her school, but other than that, Rutar hadn't prepared all that much. So when she got her results back and saw "36," she couldn't believe it. "I just remember being like, 'There must be a glitch in the system because this is insane," she said. Rutar was one of 22 seniors in the state to achieve a perfect ACT score this year. On Monday, Gov. Pete Ricketts honored 17 of those students able to make the trip to the state Capitol for a ceremony in the Rotunda. "It's a great feeling," Rutar said. No seniors from Lincoln achieved the feat this year, while Millard North and Elkhorn South had the most students who earned the top score with three apiece. "This really is an exciting moment and will open doors for you in that next phase of your education," Ricketts said. Alivia Pavel of York High School took several practice tests before the real thing, focusing especially on the math portion of the test, which also has sections on English, reading and science. Earning a perfect score proved the hard work paid off. "I think for me it's really a testament to the dedication I put toward my education," said Pavel, who plans to study computer science and biology at Boston University and pursue a career in bioinformatics. In states like Nebraska, where all juniors take the ACT, only about 1% of students score a 36, said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. Nationally, that number is even smaller. "You're in an elite class already," Godwin said. "It's been a couple of hard years, and I think earning a 36 coming out of a pandemic and all the disruption that we've been feeling throughout our lives is even more impressive." No students in Nebraska earned a perfect score on the SAT. Juniors in Nebraska who scored perfect on the ACT will be honored at a future ceremony. Perfect ACT scores Graduating students who earned perfect ACT scores: Bellevue East: Seth Pennell Blair: Allie Dingfield Creighton Prep: Daniel Meyer, Tyler Reidy Elkhorn North: Jake Rance Elkhorn South: Elise Madden, Josephine Rutar, Linda Xu Grand Island: Lilian Miller Holdrege: Aaron Sturtevant Kearney: Isabella Cao, Hung Vu Millard North: Benjamin Lynch, Richard Xu, Jalan Zhu Millard West: Jenny Dong Mount Michael: Michael Mullin Omaha Brownell-Talbot: Jonathon Jack Cenovic Omaha Mercy: Abigail Wessling Omaha North: Anne Rogers Scottsbluff: Cade Horn York: Alivia Pavel Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt said there are a lot of opportunities for those gathered at the Capitol "to be part of the future ultimately for the state," echoing Ricketts' pitch to the students. "We want you back here in Nebraska," the governor said. Rutar has her sights on Minnesota for the time being, where this fall she'll study political science at St. Olaf College. She discovered the school at a college fair as a freshman, and her neighbor went there, too. Then it's onto law school, and afterward, Rutar hopes to "give back to the world" by becoming a public defender or civil rights lawyer, possibly for an organization like the American Civil Liberties Union. "I always kind of been aware of the political world," she said, "and what I want my impact to be on it." Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @HammackLJS The North Platte Airport Authority board decided Monday to seek more information from three would-be successors to SkyWest Airlines in providing federally subsidized passenger service linking Denver and Lee Bird Field. Airport leaders also plan to meet with another, unidentified airline four days before the board holds a special noon meeting June 7 on whether to choose an existing bidder, Airport Manager Sam Seafeldt said after Mondays session. He said the five-member board used 15 minutes of its regular monthly meeting to decide what types of information they want from Boutique Air, Southern Airways Express and Ravn Alaska, known officially as Northern Pacific Airways. All three submitted bids to receive federal Essential Air Service aid to fly between the North Platte Regional Airport and Denver International Airport. SkyWest, which has provided EAS service to Denver with 50-seat jets since February 2018, announced its intent in March to pull out due to chronic pilot shortages. Were just waiting for additional information from all the airlines before making a firm decision, Seafeldt said. The Airport Authority has until June 10 to inform the U.S. Department of Transportation of its preference for a new EAS carrier and submit other public comments, he said. The federal DOT has ordered SkyWest to maintain its North Platte service while the search continues. Seafeldt said airport officials have scheduled a private meeting June 3 with an airline, which he declined to name. Were just exploring another potential opportunity and are unable to comment at this time. Of the three EAS bidders on the table Monday, only Ravn Alaska would provide Denver air service with 50-passenger planes. Its Dash 8-300 aircraft, however, are twin-engine turbo-prop planes rather than commuter jet planes. Boutique and Southern each would use nine-seat planes, which would fly back and forth between DIA and Lee Bird more frequently than SkyWests 12 weekly flights or the 14 proposed by Ravn Alaska. EAS subsidies typically require at least 12 landings or arrivals a week. Seafeldt said Airport Authority members Monday noted Ravn Alaskas proposal to originate its early-morning DIA flight at Kearney Regional Airport and terminate its late-night Denver flight there after stopping in North Platte. They said accepting that would be a difficult decision, Seafeldt said, because SkyWests early-morning outbound flight to DIA is North Plattes most popular. Starting that flight in Kearney would leave less room for new passengers to board at North Platte. SkyWest currently provides late-morning round trips between Denver and Lee Bird Thursdays through Mondays. Its early-morning daily Denver-bound flight stops at the Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff, as does its late-evening flight from DIA to North Platte. Seafeldt said North Platte and regional residents are invited to submit their comments on the future of EAS service to Denver. Airport officials also plan to reach out to North Platte city and business leaders and other community groups for comments, he said. Comments may be emailed to Seafeldt at lbfmanager@outlook.com or to Michael Martin of the federal DOT at michael.f.martin@dot.gov. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GRAND ISLAND -- Anastasiia Chanh wants to help restore her home country of Ukraine, currently embattled in a war with Russia. One of 14 students who graduated from Grand Islands Heartland Lutheran High School this month, one day she would like to return and help rebuild Ukraines infrastructure. I am planning to attend UNL now for architectural studies, Chanh said. Then maybe after two years of UNL, I want to switch schools and experience more by living in different states." Chanh was born in Ukraine and spent much of her life there and in China. Her mother and stepfather live and work in Shanghai. Her mothers family grandparents and aunts still live in Ukraine. She said of her family and friends, They never had thoughts of leaving Ukraine because they are very believing and supportive. Chanh was living in Grand Island with her host family and attending school when news of the Russian invasion came. When we were first attacked in February, (my friends) all texted me, scared, Chanh said. Some of them were crying because they all had to go into bomb shelters and everything. I tried my best to support them and tell them its going to be fine. Nonetheless, Chanh felt powerless. I didnt know how I can help from here. I mean, yes, we can transfer money to them and everything, but I feel like its more than that, she said. Chelsey Liess, Heartland Lutheran principal, noticed Chanhs struggles. At the beginning, when all this happened with Ukraine and Russia, she felt kind of frustrated that she couldnt go there, Liess said. We kept reminding her that her parents would rather her be safe than going there, so she had to find her own way of supporting them. Much of that support came from the power of prayer, careful introspection and a higher power, Chanh said. At first, I was mostly angry, but ... I have learned how to deal with my emotions and believe that its going to be better later on, and that God will work through it. Theres an extended family, beyond the one at Heartland, who are keeping Chanh and her family in their hearts. Shes got tons of people, praying for the situation praying for her family," Liess said. "We put it on the prayer list that goes out to all of our supporters in many, many towns. It also was highlighted in the classroom. Heartland had a day dedicated to celebrating Chanh, her culture and her fellow Ukrainians tenacity. Students and faculty wore yellow and blue, the colors of Ukraines flag. Chanh even wore traditional Ukrainian dress. Chanh appreciates her school-familys outpouring of support, but there are tiny, more intimate moments Heartland gave to Chanh, Liess said. When it first happened she had a couple days that were more emotional than others. We gave her some time out of class to calm down and give hugs if she needed them. And just try to be there for her, she said. Chanh still talks to her friends and family in a different Ukraine. Through her faith, and her school, Chanh has brought forth more confidence that everything is going to be OK in Ukraine, despite fear. I believe that everyone outside of Ukraine right now has fear for their family and loved ones, but I have strong belief that Ukraine fights through and win the war, she said. So much belief that lately she and her Ukrainian friends talk has turned to the things teenagers should be worrying about. Nest year shes planning to go back and visit family and friends. Were texting each other about our future plans, maybe meet ups and how were going to spend our time together in Ukraine. Writer Beer & Society There is nothing that cannot be discussed and worked out over a beer. Join me as I explore local beer, breweries and how they can civilize us. David Perdue ends his campaign not with a bang but with a racist whimper. Photo: John Bazemore/AP/Shutterstock Former U.S. senator from Georgia and current Republican gubernatorial candidate David Perdue is not a very good closer. In the 2021 general-election runoff, in which he lost his U.S. Senate seat and Republicans lost control of the Senate entirely, Perdue sort of disappeared down the home stretch though in part that was because he was quarantined for exposure to COVID-19. Now, at the conclusion of his almost-certain-to-fail primary challenge to incumbent governor Brian Kemp, Perdue should have probably just stayed at home. Instead, on Monday he disgraced himself by making racist comments about Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution set the scene: His final major campaign stop before Tuesdays primary was not a mega-rally in exurban Georgia or a gathering with his closest friends and supporters in his middle Georgia hometown. Instead, it was a suburban Wild Wing Cafe in Dunwoody where he piggybacked off far-right radio host John Fredericks tour promoting Donald Trumps fake election conspiracies. In an onstage interview with Fredericks, Perdue accused Abrams, who is Black, of demeaning her own race. He also suggested she is not a true Georgian, though shes lived in the state since 1989: Hey, she aint from here. Let her go back to where she came from. She doesnt like it here. Perdue was weighing in on a spat between Abrams and Kemp. Abrams recently responded to Kemps routine conservative recitation of Georgia as the nations top place to do business with the routine progressive point that corporate profits aside, Georgias quality of life isnt so great (though she probably went too far by saying Georgia was the worst state to live in). I am tired of hearing about being the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live, Abrams said. When youre No. 48 for mental health, when youre No. 1 for maternal mortality, when you have an incarceration rate thats on the rise and wages that are on the decline, then you are not the No. 1 place to live. Instead of just blasting Abrams for inadequate boosterism, Perdue conflated this comment with a statement she made on the 2018 campaign trail. People shouldnt have to go into agriculture or hospitality to make a living in Georgia, Abrams said. Why not create renewable-energy jobs? Because Im going to tell yall a secret: Climate change is real. Perdues response went over the brink into racist madness. When she told Black farmers, You dont need to be on the farm, and she told Black workers in hospitality and all this, You dont need to be she is demeaning her own race when it comes to that, he said. I am really over this. She should never be considered material for governor of any state, much less our state where she hates to live. In a conscious or unconscious shout-out to the tradition of white conservatives blaming civil-rights activism on outside agitators, Perdue said of the voting-rights champion: She said that Georgia is the worst place in the country to live. Hey, she aint from here. Let her go back to where she came from. She doesnt like it here. Abrams moved to Georgia from Mississippi in high school, attended college in the state, and served as minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives. Perdue may have just been getting carried away with the fascistic company hes been keeping since becoming Donald Trumps intended instrument of revenge against Kemp. Or maybe hes rehearsing a nasty unity pitch he will give after losing (hes already said he would back Kemp against the dreaded Abrams). But in any event, his once-promising campaign (he was tied with Kemp in the first poll taken after he entered the governors race in December) is sputtering to the finish line, short on money and hope. Its a token of Perdues desperation that his camp is taking encouragement from two late polls showing Kemp only surmounting the 50 percent mark needed to win without a runoff by a few points. Its theoretically possible that Perdue could survive until a June 21 runoff. But its more likely that the 72-year-old politician has run his last race with a disgusting descent into racism marking his demise. Lee County Sheriffs investigators have arrested an Opelika man and charged him with first degree sexual abuse. On April 8, the Lee County Sheriff's Office received the report of a sexual assault of a mentally incapacitated victim, and after investigation identified Ervin Lamar Birmingham, 66, as the suspect, deputies said. Investigators arrested Birmingham on Friday, and he has since been released after posting a $25,000 bond, according to the release. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Lee County Sheriffs Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867). The Opelika Police Detective Division arrested four suspects after conducting a search warrant in the 3400 Block of King Avenue on Monday. Police said during the search they recovered a large amount of narcotics, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis, as well as several firearms. Four suspects were arrested: Anna Maria Batts, 39, whom police charged with possession with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia; Rodolpho Jimenez, 45, whom police charged with possession with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; David Charles Luck, 66, whom police charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; and Brandon Scott Batts, 19, whom police charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the police report. Police said this case remains under investigation and additional charges are pending. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at 334-705-5220 or the Secret Witness Hotline at 334-745-8665. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Opelika Police Mobile App. "More investment in mining, conversion, and enrichment facilities may be necessary to fully extricate Western nuclear fuel chains from Russian involvement. The west is pushing for greater nuclear power capacity to help wean itself off Russian fossil fuels. The European Union, the United States, and their Asia-Pacific allies have been on a sanction crusade against Russian for three months now. Energy was not the first target of sanction action, but it has risen to the top of the agenda now. And nuclear is no exception. While sanctions on Russian oil and gas have taken up the most headline space, Russia is a big player in nuclear power as well, which has raised concern about the security of uranium supplyspecifically enriched uranium supply. The World Nuclear Association says Russia supplies over a third of the world's enriched uranium and has the biggest enrichment capacity globally. China comes second in terms of capacity. According to a fresh report from the Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, however, Russia's share of global uranium enrichment capacity is greater, at 46 percent as of 2018. And that, according to the authors, might become a problem unless countries that have Russian-technology nuclear reactors start preparing now. The preparations would basically come down to boosting uranium enrichment elsewhereFrance, China, the U.S., and Canada have substantial enrichment capacity that they are under-utilizingand fuel replacement, where possible. According to the authors of the report, Russian VVER reactors can work with non-Russian fuel, the closest analog being produced by U.S. Westinghouse. A Bulgarian nuclear energy government consultant recently said Russian nuclear fuel is being successfully replaced at the Czech power plant Temelin and Bulgaria's Kozloduy. Power plant maintenance could be a problem in case sanctions target Russia's nuclear power industry because Russia-made VVER reactors can only be serviced by Rosatom staff. Equipment replacement during repairs has alternatives due to other countries with well-developed nuclear industries, including France and the Czech Republic in Europe. Yet, according to some, sanctions on Russian nuclear power may not come anytime soon. And this is because although Russia is not among the largest producers of uranium, it is one of the biggest exporters of enriched uranium. According to a report published recently in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Russia exported $13 billion worth of mineral fuels in 2019, including uranium and enriched nuclear fuel. In 2020, Russian uranium represented 16 percent of the uranium that U.S. power plants purchased. In Europe, this percentage was even higher, at 20 percent. The problem is that alternative suppliers are few and far between. On the other hand, these few suppliersof uraniumare large enough, it seems, to step in and replace Russian uranium. Swedish Vattenfall, for instance, stopped its purchases of Russian nuclear fuel on February 24. The power company buys its uranium from places like Kazakhstan, Namibia, Canada, and Australiaall major producers, and would only need to process and enrich it somewhere, which could be, for example, China. In the U.S., some are calling for the buildout of local processing and enrichment capacity in order to reduce the country's dependence on Russian fuel, but it will come at a costsome $1 billion. "We need to build out capacity for a Western alternative for the Russian component of the uranium market, including conversion and enrichment capacity," Kathryn Huff, a senior adviser to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in March, as quoted by Bloomberg. "There is no question in my mind that we will continue to focus on uranium as an incredibly important fuel." And then there is the time issue because the buildout of processing and enrichment capacity is not something you can do in a week, rather like the construction of liquefied natural gas import terminals. These things take years. "More investment in mining, conversion, and enrichment facilities may be necessary to fully extricate Western nuclear fuel chains from Russian involvement," wrote Paul Dabbar and Matt Bowen, the authors of the Columbia University report. "However, adding sufficient new conversion capacity and enrichment capacity will take years to accomplish." By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: The European Union is about to agree on a Russian oil embargo within days, Germany's Economy Ministry Robert Habeck told media. "We will reach a breakthrough within days," Habeck told German ZDF, as quoted by Reuters. Just a day earlier, Habeck had told the media that Germany was so eager to impose an embargo on Russian oil imports that it was willing to do it without a consensus among all 27 EU members. Speaking to another German news channel, Habeck said that "If the Commission president says we're doing this as 26 without Hungary, then that is a path that I would always support," adding, however, "But I have not yet heard this from the EU." Germany is one of the most vocal supporters of a Russian oil embargo and earlier this month said it was going to eliminate the commodity from its energy mix by the end of the year, whatever the rest of the European Union decides. That's despite the fact that the refinery supplying fuel for the capital Berlin and its surroundings is majority-owned by Russia's Rosneft and runs on Russian crude. Earlier this month, Shell's chief executive warned the 233,000-bpd facility would start reducing production as soon as deliveries of Russian crude stop. Suspending Russian oil imports, Ben van Beurden said, "will probably mean that that refinery will be turned down quite significantly because the incoming logistics are constrained and the refinery is not configured for anything else but Urals." The European Union has granted Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria temporary exemptions from an embargo, giving them more time to find alternative suppliers. It is also offering them more than $2 billion for their trouble. The proposal for the embargo, made by the European Commission, involves a six-month period for winding down purchases of Russian oil and nine months for purchases of Russian refined products. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Last month, we reported that India had doubled down on Russian oil after the west slapped a chain of sanctions on Moscow. India has never been a big buyer of Russian crude despite needing to import 80% of its needs. In a typical year, India imports just 2-5% of its crude from Russia, roughly the same proportion as the United States did before it announced a 100% ban on Russian energy commodities. Indeed, India imported only 12 million barrels of Russian crude in 2021, with the majority of its oil coming from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Nigeria. But reports emerged of a "significant uptick" in Russian oil deliveries bound for India. Matt Smith, the lead oil analyst at Kpler, told CNBC that since the beginning of March, five cargoes of Russian oil, or about 6 million barrels, have been loaded and are bound for India. In other words, India imported half as much crude from Russia in one month as it did in an entire year. China, on the other hand, had seen crude imports from Russia in the first two months of the year actually declined 9.1% to 1.57 mb/d largely due to a government crackdown on private Chinese refiners known as teapots. But with years of experience shipping banned Iranian oil using various cloaking methods, China is expected to remain one of Russia's biggest oil customers. Well, it appears that Russia won't be lacking new buyers of its deeply discounted Urals any time soon. Refinitiv Eikon via Reuters has just reported that Greece has emerged as a new hub for Russian oil via ship-to-ship (STS) loadings. According to the report, April shipments of Russian fuel oil with Greece as a destination clocked in at nearly a million tonnes, about double March levels, and are expected to reach new highs in May. Related: Gasoline Prices Are Set To Spike This Week Russia has been increasing fuel exports to Greece, with shipments set to jump to about 2.5 million barrels, according to data from oil analytics firm Vortexa. Trading Russian crude and oil products remain legal for now because EU members cannot seem to agree on the methodology of a complete ban. Weathering tough sanctions For all the tough talk about abandoning Russian energy commodities, Russia is still managing to sell a good amount of its oil and gas, thanks to the fact that some of the world's biggest commodity traders have little compunction against financing Putin's war machine. According to ship tracking and port data, Switzerland's Vitol, Glencore, and Gunvor as well as Singapore's Trafigura, have all continued to lift large volumes of Russian crude and products, including diesel. Vitol has pledged to stop buying Russian crude by the end of this year, but that's still a long way from today. Trafigura said it would stop buying crude from Russia's state-run Rosneft by May 15th, but is free to buy cargoes of Russian crude from other suppliers. Glencore has said it wouldn't enter any "new" trading business with Russia. But the reality is that while the G7 has committed to banning or phasing out Russian oil imports, and while the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia have imposed outright bans, the EU is still unable to move forward, with Hungary holding a ban hostage. Meanwhile, India and China are making up for much of the losses for Russia. Related: Slew Of New Discoveries Brings UAE Closer To Production Goals A lot of the blame falls on Switzerland. The lion's share of Russian raw materials is traded via Switzerland and its nearly 1,000 commodity firms. Switzerland is an important global financial hub with a thriving commodities sector, despite the fact that it is far from all the global trade routes and has no access to the sea, no former colonial territories, and no significant raw materials of its own. Oliver Classen, media officer at the Swiss NGO Public Eye, says that "this sector accounts for a much larger part of the GDP in Switzerland than tourism or the machinery industry". According to a 2018 Swiss government report, commodity trading volume is nearly $1 trillion ($903.8 billion). By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: A consortium of oil and natural gas firms announced that they had reached a final investment decision to move forward with the construction of the Matterhorn Express Pipeline. Russias war in Ukraine has forced Europe to ramp up LNG imports from the U.S., sparking a boom in demand. Five years after the United States became a net exporter of natural gas on an annual basis, the country's natural gas exports, both by pipeline and as liquefied natural gas (LNG), have grown by leaps and bounds. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast that the United States will surpass Australia and Qatar to become the world's top LNG exporter this year, with LNG exports continuing to lead the growth in U.S. natural gas exports and average 12.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2022. The United States currently ranks second in the world in natural gas exports, behind only Russia. According to the EIA, annual U.S. LNG exports are set to increase by 2.4 Bcf/d in 2022 and 0.5 Bcf/d in 2023. The energy watchdog has forecast that natural gas exports by pipeline to Mexico and Canada will increase slightly, by 0.3 Bcf/d in 2022 and by 0.4 Bcf/d in 2023, thanks to more exports to Mexico. Meanwhile, Russia's war on Ukraine has forced Europe to turn to the U.S. as it tries to wean itself off Russian natural gas. And now, the pivotal Permian Basin is preparing to unleash a torrent of gas and gas projects to meet exploding LNG and nat. gas demand--coming just in time, given that limited takeaway capacity is expected to start being keenly felt in 2023, which could lead to negative pricing in the basin. Last week, a consortium of oil and natural gas firms, namely WhiteWater Midstream LLC, EnLink Midstream (NYSE:ENLC), Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE:DVN) and MPLX LP (NYSE:MXLP) announced that they had reached a final investment decision (FID) to move forward with the construction of the Matterhorn Express Pipeline after having secured sufficient firm transportation agreements with shippers. According to the press release, "The Matterhorn Express Pipeline has been designed to transport up to 2.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas through approximately 490 miles of 42-inch pipeline from Waha, Texas, to the Katy area near Houston, Texas. Supply for the Matterhorn Express Pipeline will be sourced from multiple upstream connections in the Permian Basin, including direct connections to processing facilities in the Midland Basin through an approximately 75-mile lateral, as well as a direct connection to the 3.2 Bcf/d Agua Blanca Pipeline, a joint venture between WhiteWater and MPLX." Matterhorn is expected to be in service in the second half of 2024, pending regulatory approvals. WhiteWater CEO Christer Rundlof touted the company's partnership with the three pipeline companies in developing "incremental gas transportation out of the Permian Basin as production continues to grow in West Texas." Rundlof says Matterhorn will provide "premium market access with superior flexibility for Permian Basin shippers while playing a critical role in minimizing flared volumes." Matterhorn joins a growing list of pipeline projects designed to capture growing volumes of Permian supply to send to downstream markets. Early this month, WhiteWater revealed plans to expand the Whistler Pipeline's capacity by about 0.5 Bcf/d, to 2.5 Bcf/d, with three new compressor stations. On Tuesday, a Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE:KMI) subsidiary launched an open season to gauge shipper interest in expanding the 2.0 Bcf/d Gulf Coast Express Pipeline (GCX). Meanwhile, KMI has already completed a binding open season for the Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP), with a foundation shipper already in place for half of the planned 650 MMcf/d expansion capacity. In its latest Drilling Productivity Report, the EIA said Permian output is set to grow by 169 MMcf/d from May to June, reaching 20 Bcf/d. The EIA has projected total U.S. dry natural gas production in 2022 to average 96.7 Bcf/d, 3.2 Bcf/d more than in 2021, and production to average 101.7 Bcf/d in 2023. Source: Natural Gas Intelligence Although the companies have not divulged the cost and revenue estimates of the Matterhorn, a project of that magnitude is likely to provide years of predictable cash flows to these producers--which, incidentally, are all high-dividend payers. Oklahoma-based Devon, one of the Permian's top producers, recently said it expects Permian production to reach nearly 600,000 boe/d in the second quarter. The new pipeline will help support the company as it increases its production in the Permian in the coming years. DVN stock currently yields (Fwd) 7.3% and has returned 54.3% year-to-date. MPLX has several other expansion projects under construction. The company says it expects to finish construction on two processing plants this year, and recently reached a final investment decision to expand its Whistler Pipeline. MPLX stock yields a juicy 9.2% (Fwd), but the stock has only managed a 2.1% YTD return. Meanwhile, EnLink's cash flow has been rising thanks to higher commodity prices. The company has increased its capex range from $230 million-$$260 million up to $280 million-$310 million, which should drive growth in the near-term. ENLC stock yields (Fwd) 4.4% and has returned 43.6% YTD. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: With U.S. drivers preparing for Memorial Day weekend, gasoline demand is set to increase just as inventories continue to drop, pushing prices even higher. The executive director of the IEA, Fatih Birol, warned that given the current supply/demand situation, there is only one thing that can stop prices from surging higher and that is Chinese demand remaining weak over the upcoming months. - According to Platts estimates, Chinas April demand plummeted to 13.35 million b/d, down 11.5% year-on-year, though recovering transportation demand will push May figures back above 14 million b/d. - At the peak of lockdown mandates, gasoline and diesel demand in coastal regions dropped by as much as 40%, with a grand total of 45 cities with some form of movement restrictions. - The market anticipates strong stimulus measures from Beijing that would increase Chinas oil demand by 4% year-on-year, adding 600,000 b/d on the year in the second half of 2022, though this might still be subject to downward revision if the zero-COVID policy remains in place. Market Movers - Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, fired the CEO of a Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) - the second in two months - after he warned of an impending diesel crisis in the country. - Ahead of ExxonMobils (NYSE:XOM) annual general meeting this Wednesday, UK proxy adviser PIRC urged shareholders to oust Darren Woods as company CEO, saying his continued serving in the role represents a dangerous concentration of power. - Italys ENI (NYSE:E) and Frances TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) started the exploratory drilling of a natural gas well in Block 06 offshore Cyprus, almost four years after the 8 TCf Calypso discovery. Tuesday, May 24, 2022 The combination of physical tightness and robust demand is keeping oil prices near the $110 mark. This week, gasoline prices are likely to garner plenty of attention as inventories continue to drop and US drivers gear up for Memorial Day weekend travel. This is all coming at a time when RBOB futures are seeing record-high levels of backwardation. The prospect of Chinese demand gradually bouncing back and the EU finally agreeing to sanctions on Russian oil is only adding to the upside risk for oil prices. EU Signals Potential Sanctions Breakthrough Soon. The prime ministers of Germany and the Netherlands have announced that the sixth package of EU sanctions on Russia, sanctions that should contain an oil ban, could be reached within a few days, hinting at a potential settlement with Hungary. White House Might Release Diesel SPR Stocks. The Biden Administration is mulling an emergency release of diesel inventories held in the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, roughly 1 million barrels, to tame soaring fuel prices as the national average price of diesel reached $5.56 a gallon. Weakening European Demand Puts Asia in LNG Driving Seat Again. With European purchases of liquefied natural gas ebbing on the back of stable inventories and warm weather, intensifying pre-summer buying of Asian consumers like China and Japan has been gradually pushing spot prices to $23 per mmBtu, though still some $3/mmBtu below European TTF figures. China Opens Up to Australia. Two years after Chinas discontent with Australia led to Beijing banning its coal exports, Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang indicated a willingness to work with the newly-elected government of Labor leader Anthony Albanese, the first senior communication between the countries in two years. Russia Wants Joint Refineries with BRICS Countries. Russias industry minister Denis Manturov flaunted the idea of establishing joint oil and gas refining facilities with other BRICS nations (Brazil, India, China, and South Africa) to ease their dependence on unreliable partners. Norway Just Cannot Restart Arctic LNG Project. Following a fire incident in September 2020, Norwegian oil major Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) has been struggling to bring its Hammerfest LNG plant back, postponing its restart once again to May 27 after a compressor failure. Iran Revives Oman Subsea Gas Project. Irans oil ministry is seeking to revive a long-stalled $60 billion project to lay a subsea pipeline that would carry Iranian gas to Oman, delayed by pricing disagreements and the US reimposition of sanctions against Teheran in 2018. Related: Poland Says Norway Should Share Its Gigantic Oil & Gas Profits Petrobras Mulls Upstream Expansion. Brazils state-controlled oil firm Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) will reportedly invest $16 billion over the next five years to stall natural declines at post-salt fields in the Campos Basin, despite increasing pressure from President Bolsonaro to tame runaway fuel prices. Chile Wants Lithium State Firm by Year-End. Chiles government pledged to establish a state lithium firm by the end of this year, potentially squeezing the market share of Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) and SQM (NYSE:SQM), though recent utterances have hinted at potential private participation in the new company. Argentina Output Soars to 10-Year Maximum. Argentinas crude production rose to the highest level since 2011, averaging 578,000 b/d in April with the share of Vaca Muerta shale output rising to more than 40% of the national total. Germany Wants to Keep Idled Coal Plants on Standby. Wary of potential power crunches, the German government is planning to keep some 8.5 GW of coal-fired generation capacity that is due to be idled in 2022-2023 in standby mode, with operators compensated from public funds for holding feedstock ready. Trinidad Wants its Refinery Back. The government of Trinidad and Tobago picked an unnamed bidder to restart and operate its 165,000 b/d Guaracara refinery, shuttered since November 2018, saying that it would seek to process crude from neighboring Guyana. UK Mulls Windfall Tax on Oil & Gas. With UK power prices spinning out of control and the price cap set to reach 2,800 ($3,500) in October, the government in London is considering imposing a windfall tax on oil and gas companies that fail to make significant investment into renewables. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Extreme socioeconomic inequality, weak central governments, organized crime, and the vast profits generated by cocaine have inflamed geopolitical instability in Latin America for decades. That confluence of factors has created a fertile environment for illegal armed groups pursuing ideological goals, the substantial earnings that the narcotics trade generates, or both. This is highlighted by the ongoing violent conflict between drug cartels in Mexico, Colombias decades-long low-intensity asymmetric multi-party civil war, and the near-failure of strife-torn Venezuela, a country that boasts the worlds largest oil reserves. That along with weak regional governments and deep-rooted socioeconomic inequality produces an ideal climate for organized crime and terrorist organizations to thrive. One non-government armed group taking advantage of the opportunities present in Latin America is the militant Lebanese Shia political organization and U.S. designated terrorist organization; Hezbollah. The assassination of a prominent Paraguayan organized crime prosecutor in Colombia, who was involved in a series of high-profile investigations into transnational criminal networks operating in South America, sparked fears that organized crimes power in the region is rising once again. That is fueling further fears of rising regional insecurity and heightened geopolitical risk, thereby impacting foreign investment inflows and economic growth. Even extractive industries are not immune from the fallout, with Colombias hydrocarbon sector already under considerable pressure and failing to lift production to pre-pandemic levels. Related: Germany Expects Oil Embargo Decision This Week The tri-border area comprised of Puerto Iguazu Argentina, Ciudad del Este Paraguay and Foz do Iguazu Brazil, has long been fertile ground for organized crime and illegal armed groups. Illicit activities in the region are commonplace with its billion-dollar economy fueled by cocaine smuggling, human trafficking, illegal arms sales, document forgery, and money laundering. The regions importance as a cocaine trafficking hub has risen with the growing power of Brazilian organized crime groups and increased Bolivian cocaine production, which according to the Whitehouse reached a record of 312 metric tons in 2020. For those reasons, the tri-border region is an ideal location for Hezbollah to scale up its illegal businesses, but it is not the only part of South America where the terrorist organization has established a destabilizing presence. Hezbollah has constructed a well-oiled money laundering and cocaine trafficking network in Latin America. The militant Shia Islamist political group has been progressively scaling-up illicit operations, notably drug smuggling and money laundering. Analysts estimate that narco-trafficking and money laundering operations raise more money for Hezbollah than any other of its businesses, highlighting how important those activities are to the organization. In fact, narcotics seizures and investigations by European police agencies point to Hezbollah being a leading regional drug trafficking organization that is increasingly dependent on criminal enterprises to fund its operations such as terror attacks. Related: Biden Calls Energy Crisis "Incredible Transition" The U.S. designated terrorist group established a notable presence in the tri-border area to take advantage of the highly profitable illicit opportunities which exist in the region and boost earnings. Between 2016 and 2021 the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Paraguayan authorities progressively dismantled a Hezbollah cocaine trafficking ring operating out of the tri-border area. The Paraguayan prosecutor assassinated in Colombia had previously worked with the DEA on investigations involving Hezbollah. This sparked speculation that not only was his murder an act of a transnational criminal syndicate but that it could be linked to the activities of the Lebanese militant group in South Americas tri-border region. Aside from the U.S., very few countries in Latin America have truly recognized the threat posed by Hezbollah. Official action against the militant Lebanese organization has been slow to materialize despite Hezbollah being engaged in a wide range of illicit activities in the tri-border area. It took Argentina, the first state in Latin America to do so, until July 2019 to designate the militant Lebanese Shia group as a terrorist organization. That was despite Hezbollah, which is used by Teheran as a proxy combatant in its fight against Israel, murdering 85 and injuring hundreds in the 1994 suicide bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Argentinas decision was followed by Paraguay in August 2019, then Colombia and Honduras in January 2020. However, the threat posed by Hezbollah in Latin America is not fully recognized by many of the regions governments, particularly with the Shia militant group having established a sizable footprint in Venezuela. Shia Iran, which has emerged as a key ally of President Nicolas Maduros pariah regime, is also the chief backer of Hezbollah an organization that Teheran uses as a proxy in its conflict with Israel and Saudi Arabia. The financial desperation of Maduros autocratic regime saw it, especially after the Trump administration ratcheted-up sanctions in 2019, building close ties with illegal armed groups operating in Venezuela. Those groups control vast swaths of the country and generate considerable income from illicit activities including illegal mining, extortion, and cocaine trafficking. They are not only pivotal political backers of the autocratic Maduro regime but key revenue sources for a fiscally beleaguered government. It is for these reasons that Hezbollah emerged as a crucial source of income for Caracas, which in turn allowed the U.S. designated terror group to establish substantial illicit operations in Venezuela. The importance of criminal networks to the survival of the crumbling Maduro regime sees authorities not only turning a blind eye to the activities of illegal armed groups but openly supporting and even involved in them. This has allowed illegal armed groups to flourish in the near-failed state with leftist Colombian guerillas and Venezuelan colectivos establishing large-scale operations, notably in those areas with little to no state presence. Hezbollah, because of its close ties with the Maduro regime, has become a major player in illicit activities in Venezuela. One of the terror groups most prominent supporters is Venezuelas Minister of Petroleum, Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah, who is of Iraqi Lebanese descent. He, according to Washington, is one of Hezbollahs main benefactors with his largesse allegedly including providing over 10,000 Venezuelan passports to members of the militant group as well as citizens of Syria, Iran, and Lebanon. It is also alleged by the DEA and U.S. Department of Justice that he is a pivotal figure involved in cocaine trafficking in Venezuela. Those events made Maduros Venezuela, like the tri-border area, a transnational hub for illicit activities, notably illegal mining, arms smuggling, money laundering and cocaine trafficking. While Hezbollah has established a solid footprint in Venezuela, seeing it emerge as a credible threat to security and political stability in northern South America, the terror group is also bolstering its presence in neighboring Colombia. The reason for this is quite simple; Colombia is the worlds largest producer of cocaine. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Colombias estimated 2020 cocaine production grew by 8% year over year to a record 1.2 million metric tons or nearly four times that of Bolivia. Colombian illegal armed groups operating in the strife-torn Andean country and neighboring oil-rich Venezuela are the principal sources of cocaine for Hezbollahs narcotics-trafficking operations. Colombias significant increase in cocaine production is responsible for a sharp uptick in violence in recent years, notably in those regions, like Catatumbo on the Venezuelan border, where coca is the primary cash crop. That has occurred despite Colombias government implementing a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC Spanish initials), the largest illegal armed group in the countrys decades-long civil war, in 2016. After the FARC demobilized the last remaining leftist guerillas the National Liberation Army (ELN Spanish initials) moved to fill the void it left in many regions and take control of lucrative coca cropping territory and smuggling routes. That intensified conflict with Colombias largest organized crime organization the Gulf Clan as well as smaller dissident FARC groups, who refused to accept the 2016 peace agreement, and other illegal armed groups. For decades Hezbollah has focused on infiltrating the Lebanese and Shia Arab communities in Colombia, which are primarily centered around the Caribbean port city of Barranquilla and border city Maicao well-known for smuggling. The city of Maicao in the department of La Guajira has the only mosque in the region known, which is known as La Mezquita the third largest such structure in Latin America. The building was designed by Iranian architect Ali Namazi and is a focal point for the Islamic faith and culture in northern South America. Through its considerable efforts to penetrate Colombias Shia community, Hezbollah has gained an influential voice among various Lebanese and Arab familial clans that hold significant commercial and political power in the Andean country. As early as 2004 it was established there was a relationship between FARC and Hezbollah cells for the purposes of cocaine trafficking and money laundering. While the FARC had demobilized by the end of 2017 there were various groups who refused to recognize the agreement, remaining active in their struggle against the state. Those dissidents have expanded significantly over the last two years, recruiting from former combatants and disenfranchised youth, because of President Ivan Duques failure to implement the peace deal and Colombias worsening economy. That is a key driver of the spike in violence which is impacting Colombias hydrocarbon sector with crude oil and natural gas production yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. The growing scope and scale of Hezbollahs operations in South America, notably in Venezuela and now Colombia, has the potential to act as a major destabilizing force within the region. Lawlessness, violence, and chronic socioeconomic inequality have long weighed on economic development in the region. Hezbollahs growing regional influence bolsters Irans presence in Latin America allowing it to challenge regional U.S. hegemony, adding an additional destabilizing force to an already volatile part of the world. Until the power of Hezbollah and other illegal armed groups is curbed and eradicated, considerable uncertainty and risk will continue to weigh on Latin Americas economic development, foreign investment, and the regions economically crucial oil industry. By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: The world's largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, cannot increase its oil production capacity any faster than it has already promised, the head of Saudi Aramco told Reuters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos. Aramco is still planning on increasing its oil production capacity to 13 million barrels per day (bpd)but that won't be complete for another five years. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia's capacity remains at 12 million barrels per day. Amin Nasser, the head of Saudi Aramco, said that it could achieve this 13 million bpd goal no faster. "If we could do it before 2027, we would have done it. This is what we tell policymakers. It takes time". Nasser also had a warning for the oil market: "The world is running with less than 2% of spare capacity. Before COVID the aviation industry was consuming 2.5 million bpd more than today. If the aviation industry picks up speed, you are going to have a major problem," adding that Russia's invasion of Ukraine only masked what would have happened anyway. Related: Slew Of New Discoveries Brings UAE Closer To Production Goals "We were going through an energy crisis because of a lack of investment. And it started to bite following the pandemic," Nasser said. As for China's slumping oil demand due to its strict Covid lockdowns, Nasser pointed out that that wouldn't last longand oil demand growth would soon resume as a result. Saudi Arabia is currently producing 10.346 million bpd as of OPEC's latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) that showed April data. This is lower than the 10.436 million bpd quota set for the country for April, and much lower than the 12 million bpd capacity that The Kingdom claims to have today. Saudi Arabia's production quota for May was raised to 10.549 million bpd, and 10.663 million bpd for June. The Biden Administration was rumored to be seeking to speak with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, on the subject of oil when the U.S. President visits Saudi Arabia for the GCC meeting next month. The meeting would be the first meeting between President Biden and the Crown Princethe de facto ruler of Saudi Arabiasince Biden took office. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: It is stupid to use natural gas for heating homes or generating electricity when there are better alternatives, the CEO of Europes largest utility told CNBC on Tuesday, noting that gas should be used for industrial processes where it is still irreplaceable. Europe uses too much gas to produce electricity, Francesco Starace, chief executive at Italian power giant Enel, told CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Gas is used in a stupid way, because burning gas to produce electricity is, today, stupid, he added. You can produce electricity better, cheaper, without using gas ... Gas is a precious molecule and you should leave it for applications where that is needed, Starace told CNBCs Steve Sedgwick. The CEO of Enelwhich has pledged to invest tens of billions of dollars in renewables over the next decadessaid that gas use should be spared for industry, and reduced in electricity production and in-home heating when there are better alternatives. Overall, I think there will be a reduction of gas consumption in Europe across the board coming mostly from those, like I said, stupid uses, Starace told CNBC. The European Union is looking to reduce its dependence on Russian gas and proposes accelerated energy efficiency and renewable power targets as part of its plan to do so. Enel, for its part, said in late 2020 that it would invest as much as $171 billion (160 billion euro) by 2030 in boosting renewable power generation, decarbonization, and grid infrastructure as part of a new plan to become a Super Major in renewables. At the end of 2021, Enel brought forward by 10 years the goal for decarbonization, and pledged to sell only electricity produced from renewables by 2040. Enel looks to phase out coal-fired generation by 2027, and gas power generation by 2040. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Germany is drafting plans to have around two dozen mostly coal-fired power plants, which were scheduled to be idled in 2022 and 2023, on standby as network reserve capacity. Berlin is looking to have the power generation plans ready to be used in case Russian gas deliveries to Europes largest economy stop, sources at the German Economy Ministry told Reuters on Tuesday. Germany is preparing contingency plans to use power plants operated by Uniper, EnBW, Steag, RWE, and Leag, among others. Those plants use hard coal, brown coal, or mineral oil as fuel sources, according to a table Reuters has obtained. Europes largest economy, Germany, is a major buyer of Russian natural gas and oil and has been preparing for more than two months for the possibility that fossil fuel supplies from Russia could be disrupted either because of sanctions or retaliatory moves from Moscow to cutor cut offthe supply of oil and/or natural gas. At the end of March, Germany started to prepare for a potential disruption of natural gas supply from Russia and activated an emergency plan ahead of the March 31 deadline Vladimir Putin had ordered for gas-for-ruble payments. Germany depends on Russian gas for around half of its needs, with many industries using gas and about half of all households heating with gas. The Russian war in Ukraine exposed Germanysand Europesvulnerable reliance on gas and other energy flows from Russia. Earlier this month, Siegfried Russwurm, the president of the Federation of German Industries, BDI, the biggest industry association, told local tabloid Bild am Sonntag in an interview that a halt of Russian gas supply to Germany would be catastrophic. Economy Minister Robert Habeck said two weeks ago that Germany would be able to withstand a halt of Russian natural gas supplies as long as it manages to fill up its gas storage. Meanwhile, German buyers of Russian gas have started opening accounts at Gazprombank to comply with Putins demand for payment in rubles for gas. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Kazakhstans offshore oilfield, Kashagan, has cut its production by nearly half since early May due to maintenance, sources told Reuters on Tuesday. The maintenance began on May 19 and will continue for monthsuntil August 3. Production will stop completely at the giant Kashagan field in June due to that same maintenance. Kazakhstans oil production quota assigned by the OPEC+ group for May sits at 1.638 million bpd. For June, it will be lifted to 1.655. But Kazakhstan has been producing more than its quota. Due to the maintenance, however, Kazakhstans actual production fell on May 22 to 1.66 million bpdfrom around 1.85 million bpd earlier in May. CNPC, Eni, ExxonMobil, Inpex, KazMunayGaz, Shell, and Total, form the fields consortium. The production loss comes at a time when all eyes are on OPEC and nonOPEC members of the group formed to keep the oil market in balance, known as OPEC+. Kazakhstan suffered another oil disruption in March and April of this year, when the pipeline that the country uses to export most of its oil was rendered mostly unusable due to damage caused by a storm. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium said that two of three tanker-loading facilities were not operable. It wasnt back up and running at full capacity for a month, until the week of April 26. The CPC restoration was slow going because the parts needed for repair were disrupted by the sanctions on Russia. Kazakhstan sends more than two-thirds of its oil to Europe via the CPC pipeline. Kazakstan said earlier this week that it expects to produce between 90 million tonnes and 93 million tonnes of oil in 2023, up from 87.5 million tonnes per year this yearcontingent upon the expansion of the Tengiz field, which could be delayed. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Brazil's state oil major Petrobras has warned the government that the country could slip into a diesel shortage this year unless the company is allowed to sell the fuel at market prices. According to a Reuters report, Petrobras had told the Brazilian government that it will be difficult for it and for other fuel importers to source import diesel amid the worst deficit of the fuel in 14 years. "If there is no signal of market prices ahead, there is material risk of a diesel shortage during the peak of demand during the harvest season, affecting Brazil's GDP," Petrobras said in a presentation titled "Fuels: challenges and solutions." According to the company, the shortage is most likely to occur during the third quarter, which coincides with the soybean harvest season. "Global diesel inventories are far below the historic average," Petrobras said in the presentation. "Petrobras alone cannot solve the global rise of energy prices." The Brazilian government has been pressuring Petrobras to keep fuel prices lower than international benchmarks dictate as President Jair Bolsonaro seeks re-election. Petrobras is also a target for his rival, former president Ignacio Lula da Silva. "If Petrobras stops selling diesel at international prices for more than two or three weeks, there is a chance pumps will run dry," Reuters quoted an unnamed top executive from a diesel production firm as saying. In an attempt to keep fuel prices from soaring even higher, the Brazilian president has so far this year replaced the chief executive of Petrobras twice, with the second occupant of the position, Jose Mauro Coelho, only staying in it for a few months. The latest replacement, per a Financial Times report, is Caio Mario Paes de Andrade, a member of the economy minister's team and an entrepreneur. According to analysts, he is unlikely to try and enforce sub-market prices on Petrobras. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: U.S. oil markets are preparing for hurricane season amid already low oil product stockpiles, as forecasts predict a more active season this year. Between six and ten hurricanes could form in the Atlantic this hurricane season, which starts next month and runs through November, with peak season in September. Three of those are set to become major storm systems, according to the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center. Ongoing La Nina and above-average Atlantic temperatures are contributing to the forecasts. For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence, a Tuesday press release said. The hurricane season is particularly worrisome for the oil industry this year, with refineries and offshore platforms often shutting down and evacuating for safety reasons with some of the more serious storms. But this year, low product inventories and soaring gasoline and diesel prices are adding to the market concern in the runup to hurricane season. Refineries in the United States are operating above 90% as of May 13, while total motor gasoline inventories continue to drop and are about 8% below the five-year average, according to the EIAs Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Distillate fuel inventories increased in week ending May 13, but are 22% below the five-year average. Meanwhile, crude stocks are 14% below the five-year average. NOAA stressed that its outlook is for overall seasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast. NOAA will update its forecast in early August. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: Uzbekistan has restarted gas exports to China after halting them at the beginning of this year to meet domestic demand. The government did not announce the resumption of supplies. However, Chinese data show that Tashkent is again exporting gas through the Central Asia-China pipeline, which originates in Turkmenistan and passes through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan exported $132.8 million worth of gas to China in the first four months of this year, Russian energy website Neftegaz.ru reported, citing statistics from the Chinese General Administration of Customs. It did not put a figure on the volume exported. Turkmenistan was Chinas largest supplier of gas by pipeline in the period January-April, with $2.87 billion worth of gas. Kazakhstan sent $270.6 million worth. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were Chinas fourth and fifth largest suppliers by pipeline, respectively. Both countries have said they plan to halt gas exports in the coming years to meet rising domestic demand. Tashkent has set a deadline of 2025 to end exports. That will free up gas to generate more power to tackle the energy shortages that grip Uzbekistan every winter. Gas supplies to power stations have increased by 13 percent over the last three years, and supplies to domestic consumers by 30 percent, according to data released by the government this month. The system of subsidies currently in place for private consumers will be reformed, the government announced, so that prices are only subsidized up to a certain amount of usage. Customers will pay market prices for gas consumed above a limit that is yet to be announced. The extra gas available when exports are halted will also be used to produce value-added products, such as plastics, that generate greater revenues than sales of the raw commodity. Uzbekistan has already started reducing exports, almost all of which go to China, in preparation for phasing them out. This year Tashkent plans to export 3.3 billion cubic meters of gas, down from 12.2 billion in 2019, the government said on May 18. Kazakhstan anticipates halting exports after 2024 because domestic demand is rising but gas extraction is not, Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said last month. Gas prices for domestic consumers, currently subsidized by exports, would rise, he warned. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden told fellow Indo-Pacific leaders assembled for a four-country summit Tuesday that they were navigating "a dark hour in our shared history" due to Russia's brutal war on Ukraine and he urged the group to make greater effort to stop Vladimir Putin's aggression. "This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue," Biden said as the "Quad" summit with Japan, Australia and India got under way. While the president did not directly call out any countries, his message appeared to be pointed, at least in part, at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russian invasion. Unlike other Quad countries and nearly every other U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware. With Modi sitting nearby, Biden made the case that the world has a shared responsibility to do something to assist Ukrainian resistance against Russia's aggression. "We're navigating a dark hour in our shared history," he said. "The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as in exile." "The world has to deal with it and we are," he added. Later, in comments to reporters after a one-on-one meeting with Modi, Biden said they discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine "and the effect it has on the entire global world order." Biden added that the U.S. and India will continue to consult "on how to mitigate these negative effects." In his comments, Modi made no mention of the war in Ukraine, instead ticking off several trade and investment programs that he discussed with the president. The White House has been effusive in its praise of several Pacific countries, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, for stepping up to hit Russia with tough sanctions and export bans while offering humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv. For several of the bigger Asian powers, the invasion has been seen as a crucial moment for the world to demonstrate by a strong response to Russia that China should not try to seize contested territory through military action. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taking note of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, told the other leaders: "We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region." The White House has been disappointed with the relative silence of India, the world's biggest democracy. Biden has asked Modi not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other allies look to squeeze Moscow's energy income. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to get off from Russian oil, and Biden has publicly referred to India as "somewhat shaky" in its response to the invasion. Facing Western pressure, India has condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet it also has compounded fallout from a war that has caused a global food shortage by banning wheat exports at a time when starvation is a growing risk in parts of the world. The Indian prime minister did not address Russia's war against Ukraine in his public remarks at the summit. Biden has been making his case to Modi for weeks. The two spoke about the Russian invasion during a virtual Quad leaders' meeting in March, and last month they had a short video conversation when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Indian counterparts in Washington. "So it won't be a new conversation," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said ahead of the summit. "It will be a continuation of the conversation they've already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world." While Biden and Modi may avoid public confrontation over how to respond to Russia's aggression, the issue remains a major one as the U.S. and allies are looking to tighten the pressure on Putin., said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "It appears pretty clear the Biden administration is not looking for trouble with India and that most of these difficult conversations will be in private," said Green, who was a senior National Security Council aide during the George W. Bush administration. The summit came on the final day of Biden's five-day visit to Japan and South Korea, Biden's first trip to Asia as president. It also marked new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first moment on the global stage. The new premier flew to Tokyo on Monday right after being sworn into office. The center-left Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the weekend, ending the conservative leader's nine-year rule Biden, Modi and Kishida welcomed Albanese to the club and expressed awe at his determination to join the informal security coalition so quickly after assuming office. "I don't know how you're doing it," Biden, who looked a bit worn from his own travel, told Albanese. The U.S. president joked that it would be OK if the new prime minister happened to fall sleep during the meeting. Biden was to meet separately with Albanes later Tuesday. The four-way partnership has become increasingly relevant as Biden has moved to adjust U.S. foreign policy to put greater focus on the region and to counter China's rise as an economic and security power. He held bilateral talks with summit host Kishida on Monday. Albanese told his fellow Quad leaders he was dedicated to the group's mission to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. "We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change," Albanese said. Looming over the Quad leaders' talks was Biden's blunt statement on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is "even stronger' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Biden's unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. Asked by the reporters at the summit on Tuesday if his comments on Taiwan a day earlier were meant to mark a policy change, Biden simply replied, "No." Some modest initiatives were announced by the Quad leaders, including a new effort to provide pediatric COVID-19 vaccines to countries most in need and a program to help nations improve security and environmental awareness of their territorial waters. The Quad last year pledged to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. So far, the group has provided about 257 million doses, according to the Biden administration. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed reporting Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. MADISON, Wis. (AP) One of the 10 Republicans who attempted to cast Electoral College ballot s for Donald Trump even though he lost Wisconsin said Monday he is running to become chairman of the state elections commission where he currently serves as a member. Robert Spindell has been an outspoken member of the bipartisan commission and supporter of the investigation into the 2020 election being led by a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice. Spindell has also traveled the state giving a presentation he calls Thirteen Ways the 2020 Election was Rigged in Wisconsin. I am far and away the best qualified for (commission chair) and it would really help the image of the Wisconsin Elections Commission if I am chosen for that, Spindell said Monday. The next chair of the commission will hold the position heading into the November election and in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election in battleground Wisconsin. The chair by state law approves the vote canvass following elections and certifies results. The chair also sets the agenda for the commission and can exert influence over how questions are framed, an important power on the board that is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. The commission scheduled a vote Wednesday to elect the next chair. State law requires the commission chair post to alternate every two years between a Republican and Democratic member who has been appointed by legislative leaders. The current chair is Democrat Ann Jacobs. That means the next chair must be either Spindell or Dean Knudson, a former Republican state lawmaker, who served as commission chair for two years before Jacobs. Knudson did not return messages seeking comment Monday. Spindell said he has spoken with Knudson about the chairman post, but he did not know if he would seek it. It has to be me or Dean," Spindell said. "But I think Im far and away the best qualified for that. Jacobs declined to comment about the prospect of Spindell, whom she has sparred with often, being the next chair. I think the discussion of who should be chair should best be held in our meeting in front of the public on Wednesday," she said. At least one Democratic member would have to vote for Spindell in order for him to become the next chair. It's not immediately clear what would happen if the board were to deadlock. Well find out on Wednesday," Jacobs said. Spindell dismissed concerns raised by Democrats and others about his support for Michael Gableman's election investigation, his serving as one of the 10 fake Republican electors and his questioning of how the 2020 election was run. Spindell and other Republicans who cast electoral votes for Trump, even though he lost to Biden, said they were trying to preserve his options in case a court overturned the Biden victory. Spindell and the other fake GOP electors were sued last week. Even though Gableman called for the Legislature to consider decertifying President Joe Biden's win in the state, Spindell opposes that. Numerous attorneys, both conservative and liberal, have said the idea is illegal. You cannot withdraw the 10 elector votes," Spindell said. "You cant take Biden in and put Trump in today. I think thats pretty clear. So I know a lot of this stuff, what you can do and cant do. As for whether there was fraud in the 2020 election, Spindell said, Nobody knows, maybe God only knows. But its certainly apparent that no fraud I can see has been proven in a court of law." Spindell said by electing him chair, he could help speak with Republicans who have concerns about the way the commission operates and alleviate their fears. The Republican Party on Saturday at its state convention approved a resolution calling for the commission to be dissolved. Spindell opposes doing away with the commission, but said he was open to making changes to how it runs. Right now the organization is under quite a bit of attack," Spindell said. What we need to do with that is make things more transparent and show some of the good stuff thats been done by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. How to Clip Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue. Here's a look at trending topics for today, May 23. Kate Moss Kate Moss, who dated Johnny Depp in the 1990s, is expected to be called to testify as a rebuttal witness by his legal team in the ongoing trial between Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard, a source close to Depp tells CNN. A source close to Depp confirmed that Moss and Depp remain close to this day. Depp has sued Heard for $50 million alleging that a 2018 op-ed she wrote in the Washington Post defamed him, alleging the piece -- which did not mention him by name -- falsely painted him as an abuser. Get more here: Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger have announced the birth of their second child. The "Guardians of the Galaxy" actor and his author wife took to their respective Instagram accounts on Sunday night to share that they had welcomed a baby girl on Saturday. "We are so excited to announce the birth of our second daughter, Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt. Mama and baby are doing well," the caption read. Read more about them here: Taiwan President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, declaring the commitment to protect the island is even stronger after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan's self-governing in decades. Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said yes when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. Thats the commitment we made, he added. Read more about US relations with Taiwan here: *** Check out more of today's trending topics here: Anna Moriah Wilson Monkeypox 'American Idol' winner TUESDAY, May 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Think vaping is cheap? A study from the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing reports that annual health care costs for users of electronic cigarettes were $2,024 more per person than for those who use no tobacco products. That adds up to about $15 billion a year in the United States. "Health care costs attributable to e-cigarette use are already greater than our estimates of health care costs attributable to cigar and smokeless tobacco use," said lead study author Yingning Wang, a health economist at the university's Institute for Health and Aging. "This is a concerning finding, given that e-cigarettes are a relatively new product whose impact is likely to increase over time." For the study, Wang and her team used the 2015 to 2018 U.S. National Health Interview Survey to estimate health care costs, including nights in the hospital, trips to the emergency room, doctor visits and home visits. Principal investigator Wendy Max, director of the institute, noted that researchers weren't able to look at e-cigarette use among youth under 18. But she offered a cautionary note. "If more young people continue to take up vaping and keep on using this product when they become adults, the negative impacts on health care costs are likely to increase over time," she said in a university news release. Max noted that e-cigarette use by high school students grew significantly to nearly 21% in 2018, from 4.5% in 2013. Reducing related illness and health care costs will require continued tobacco control efforts in youth, the study authors said. "Even with the current relatively low use of e-cigarettes among adults 3.7% health care costs are already substantial, and likely to increase in the future if youth continue to use this product," Max said. The findings were published May 23 in the journal Tobacco Control. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on vaping. SOURCE: University of California, San Francisco, news release, May 23, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. GREENBELT, Md. (AP) A West Virginia man pleaded guilty Monday to sending emails that threatened Dr. Anthony Fauci and former National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, federal prosecutors in Maryland said. Thomas Patrick Connally Jr., 56, most recently of Snowshoe, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to making threats against a federal official, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced in a news release. Connally also admitted threatening former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, a Massachusetts public health official and a religious leader in New Jersey. Beginning in December 2020 and up to just days before being arrested in July 2021 in West Virginia and charged, Connally used an encrypted email service to send a series of emails to Fauci, threatening the official and his family, according to Connallys plea agreement. Fauci is President Joe Bidens chief medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. He was appointed to his post in 1984, but his visibility increased amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has been a vocal supporter of vaccines and other preventive measures against COVID-19 and has been lauded for his leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. On April 24, 2021, Connally sent Collins four emails threatening Collins and his family with physical assault and death if Collins didnt stop speaking about the need for COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the plea. That same night he sent a string of seven threatening emails to Fauci, the court documents show. Connally admitted in the plea that he intended to intimidate or interfere with the performance of their official duties and retaliate against them for performing their duties, including discussing COVID-19, testing and prevention. Connally also admitted sending threatening emails to others. Authorities say that in November 2020, Connally sent a series of six threatening emails to Levine, who is now the U.S. assistant secretary of health. They said he also sent a threatening email to a public health official in Massachusetts in August 2020 and emailed four people who work for a religious institution in Newark, New Jersey, in April 2021 threatening physical violence and death to a religious leader at the institution. Connally faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing on Aug. 4. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Nebraska COVID-19 cases climbed for the sixth straight week in what is proving to be a unique spring increase during the two-year pandemic. The state recorded 1,780 cases last week, up from 1,500 and 816 the two previous weeks. While Nebraskas current growth is above average nationally, its per-capita case levels remain among the lowest in the country, ranking 41st among the states and less than half the U.S. average. Since the pandemic began in February 2020, spring has been a time of falling cases both in Nebraska and nationally. But new variants of the highly contagious omicron variant are instead sending cases in the opposite direction. Case levels in other states where the new variants arrived earlier suggest Nebraska cases still could climb well above current levels. A number of northeastern states have case levels more than four times Nebraskas. On average, 82 hospital beds in Nebraska were filled by COVID patients last week, up from 69 the previous week. However, numbers arent rising fast enough to stress hospital capacity. Dr. Jim Nora, medical director of infection prevention with Lincolns Bryan Health, noted that Lincoln, like Nebraska as a whole, has seen a recent uptick in cases. The hospital had nine COVID patients Monday, a slight increase from recent weeks but nowhere near the peak in January. I dont think this particular wave thats coming will equal some of the surges weve seen in the past, he said. Thats because a significant portion of the states population has been vaccinated. Many people also have some immunity from the large wave of omicron that hit this winter. Nora said areas with low vaccination rates could see a surge. He encouraged those who havent been vaccinated to get the shots and those who are eligible for boosters to seek out additional doses. Hospitals have gotten better at managing COVID-19, Nora said, but the biggest resource issue here and nationally is staffing. There is, statewide and nationwide, a big shortage of health care workers, he said. The recent uptick in COVID cases was enough for the University of Nebraska Medical Center to require a return to masks in most areas of its campus, effective Monday. Nebraska Medicine, UNMCs clinical partner, updated its mask guidance Friday, noting an increase in transmission rates in the community and in employee absences. Wastewater monitoring in large communities across the state suggests the highest case levels in Nebraska recently have been in the North Platte and Norfolk areas. The state added six deaths last week to reach 4,240 confirmed or probable deaths for the pandemic. A total of 484,085 COVID cases have been reported in Nebraska. Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Julie Anderson Julie Anderson is a medical reporter for The World-Herald. She covers health care and health care trends and developments, including hospitals, research and treatments. Follow her on Twitter @JulieAnderson41. Phone: 402-444-1066. Follow Julie Anderson Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The Douglas County Treasurers Office miscalculated distributions of millions of dollars in revenue in 2021, resulting in overpayments to the Omaha Public Schools, the City of Omaha and Douglas County and underpayments to four other local school districts, the Nebraska State Auditors Office has concluded. Even though his office had done the calculations the same way, apparently unchallenged, for 61 years, Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing said Monday that he agrees with the auditors conclusions. This year, he said, he changed how the distributions are calculated. The issue involves an apparently recent interpretation of state statute that spells out how counties with more than one school district within a single city are supposed to distribute annual payments that the Omaha Public Power District makes in lieu of property taxes. Its an issue that arose last year in Sarpy County and is the subject of litigation. According to a letter from Nebraska State Auditor Charlie Janssens office made public Monday, the Douglas County treasurer in April 2021 overpaid the Omaha Public Schools by about $5.7 million, the City of Omaha by about $4.4 million and Douglas County by about $2.7 million. The treasurer underpaid the Elkhorn Public Schools by about $4.2 million, Ralston Public Schools by about $4 million, Westside Community Schools by about $3.7 million and Millard Public Schools by about $820,000, according to the letter. The treasurer also underpaid the City of Ralston by $945, says the letter, signed by Deputy Auditor Craig Kubicek. The money comes from payments, known as payments in lieu of taxes, that state law requires OPPD to make. The publicly owned utility is required to pay 5% of its gross revenue from electricity sales. The Douglas County treasurer should have included the levies of all the school districts within Omaha when it calculated the distributions, the state auditors letter said. Instead, the County Treasurer started the calculation by using only the Omaha Public School District levies to determine the amount to be disbursed to the five school districts within the City of Omaha, the letter said. This incorrect amount was then divided among the five school districts based on the student census percentages that are also used for the distribution of city fines. Ewing said Douglas County treasurers had calculated the distributions of OPPD payments the same way for 61 years. Since 1960, there was an interpretation by the previous treasurers that the distribution method that we were using was the correct interpretation of the state statute, Ewing said. In 2019, he said, he sent a couple of his staff to training on the issue put on by the Nebraska Association of County Officials and the state auditor. They concluded they were doing it correctly. As we looked at what was happening in Sarpy County, we decided to do a more in-depth review of this process and came to the same determination that the State Auditors Office did, Ewing said. And were in the process of correcting the distribution for 2022, and that distribution was made on May 13. It was done according to this new corrected formula. He said his office did a proactive approach to it and reviewed the state statutes and made the determination that we needed to correct the distribution process. The state auditor in 2021 found that the Sarpy County treasurer had similarly miscalculated distribution of OPPD payments from 2018 to 2020, resulting in overpayments to some school districts and underpayments to others. The Omaha, Gretna, Millard and Springfield Platteview school districts are suing the Sarpy County treasurer. A hearing is scheduled for May 31. The Omaha Public Schools was underpaid by $1.4 million by the Sarpy treasurer, according to the lawsuit. The Millard Public Schools missed out on $2.3 million payment. The lawsuit alleges the Gretna Public Schools was underpaid by $721,774, while the Springfield Platteview Community Schools didnt receive $1.9 million in funds. The Bellevue Public Schools was also reportedly overpaid by more than $2.3 million, and the Papillion La Vista Community Schools received $946,054 more than it was supposed to receive, according to the lawsuit. The audit of Douglas Countys distribution of OPPD payments came about because of the Sarpy County findings, Kubicek said. We received a concern that Douglas County was doing the same thing, similar concerns and so we just kind of looked at that piece, he said. In Douglas County, the change in how the distributions are calculated this year has led to shortfalls in what some government subdivisions were expecting. Douglas County was expecting $4 million from the OPPD payments this year, but instead received $2.6 million, said Joe Lorenz, the countys finance director. The City of Omaha received about $5 million less than projected for 2022, City Finance Director Steve Curtiss said. The finance directors and Ewing said they had not heard yet that underpaid governments are seeking to recover money. It will be up to those entities to decide whether to pursue that, Ewing said. OPS officials welcome the efforts of the Auditor to ensure that, going forward, all political subdivisions are paid correctly, the district said by email Monday. We will review the Auditors findings and continue to work with Douglas County to see what the next steps are. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MIAMI (AP) Miami-Dade County has agreed to pay a record $4 million for the care of a girl whose spinal cord was severed in a crash with a police cruiser that was speeding into an intersection with non-working stoplights as a hurricane approached nearly six years ago. The additional $3.8 million settlement is the largest claim the county has ever paid, and far exceeds an initial $200,000 the county already paid in damages for Yeilyn Quiroz Otero, the Miami Herald reported. But it's far short of what she'll need. Most of the award will satisfy her past medical and legal bills, leaving less than $1.5 million for future medical bills. Her lawyers estimated that she'll need more than $11 million for lifetime care, and deserves another $10 million for pain and suffering. But a special master found that her mother and the driver of their car were also at fault, lowering the county's share of the blame. The claim bill was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last Friday. The 13-month-old child was sitting on her mother's lap while the family went to Walmart on Oct. 6, 2016 to pick up baby supplies as Hurricane Matthew approached Florida, the newspaper reported. At the same time, a Miami-Dade police officer was speeding at 75 mph in a 40 mph zone, pursuing a suspect who had jumped out of a stolen car and was running through a neighborhood. The two vehicles collided in an intersection where the stoplights weren't working due to a power failure caused by approaching Hurricane Matthew. The family's lawsuit against the county and police department was settled three years later. Without admitting fault, the county agreed to pay the statutory cap of $200,000 and agreed not to contest a $3.8 million claim bill, Assistant County Attorney Richard Schevis told a hearing before a special master for the Florida Legislature. The legislative claim bill allows compensation beyond the immunity cap. This will make a real difference for our client, said attorney Frank Maderal. With these funds we hope she will be able to avoid being placed in a public nursing home when she turns 18 and will instead continue to receive in-home nursing so she can keep living with her family who loves her. We never gave up, Maderal told the newspaper. It was equal parts lawyering, politicking, and pleading for our client. In the end we set a record. This case and this client will always have a special place for me. Senate Special Master Eva M. Davis found the county and Officer Daniel Escarra at fault for exceeding the allowable speed under police policy as he headed to a crime scene, and failing to stop at an intersection with non-working lights. But she also found that the driver of the Audi and the girl's mother partly responsible for the girl's injury. Hector Meraz-Funez did not have a valid driver's license, was not wearing a seat belt, allowed eight people to ride without seatbelts in his compact sedan, and should have yielded to the lights and siren of a speeding police vehicle, she found. Fany Otero is to blame for not securing her daughter into a car seat, she found. Meraz-Funez has been in a vegetative state since the crash, unable to move or communicate, Davis noted. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Miami Herald. BERLIN (AP) Russia received a frosty reception Tuesday at the start of an international conference on managing and protecting Antarctica, a rare point of diplomatic contact between Russia and other nations since the start of the war in Ukraine. Dozens of countries are participating in a 10-day meeting in Berlin to review the Antarctic Treaty, which was forged in 1959 to ensure the continent remains the preserve of science and free of arms. Russia is represented by an official from its embassy in Germany and further delegates were participating remotely by video link. Opening the meeting, a senior German official addressed the Russian presence directly, saying that it was not an easy decision to come together here in Berlin at the negotiation table while one consultative party is waging war on another consultative party. Jennifer Morgan, the former head of Greenpeace who was recently appointed as Germanys climate envoy, accused Russia of waging an unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, according to a written draft of her remarks. She called on Moscow to immediately comply with a U.N. resolution demanding an end to the war and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. It was not immediately clear whether or how Russian officials responded. While Russias leadership has steadfastly defended the countrys attack on Ukraine which Moscow refers to as a special military operation rather than a war some Russian officials have expressed misgivings. On Monday, a veteran diplomat at Russias mission to the United Nations in Geneva announced his resignation in a scathing letter, saying never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24 of this year the date of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Antarctic Treaty has long been seen as an example of successful international cooperation for the benefit of humanity. This is something we want to preserve and this although the loss of confidence in the aggressor party in terms of its compliance with international obligations is evident, said Morgan. Russia is one of several countries that operate scientific bases in Antarctica, including the second-most southerly station operated year-round in Antarctica after the United States AmundsenScott South Pole Station. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. UVALDE, Texas (AP) An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, officials said, in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade and the latest gruesome moment for a country scarred by a string of massacres. The attacker was killed by law enforcement. The death toll also included two adults, authorities said. Gov. Greg Abbott said one of the two was a teacher. The assault at Robb Elementary School in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. school since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Hours after the attack, families were still awaiting word on their children. Outside the town civic center, where families were told to await news about their loved ones, the silence was broken repeatedly by screams and wailing. No! Please, no! one man yelled as he embraced another man. My heart is broken today, said Hal Harrell, the school district superintendent. Were a small community, and were going to need your prayers to get through this. Adolfo Cruz, a 69-year-old air conditioning repairman, was still outside the school as the sun set, seeking word on his 10-year-old great-granddaughter, Elijah Cruz Torres. He drove to the scene after receiving a terrifying call from his daughter shortly after the first reports of the shooting. He said other relatives were at the hospital and the civic center. Waiting, he said, was the heaviest moment of his life. I hope she is alive, Cruz said. The attack came just 10 days after a deadly, racist rampage at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that added to a yearslong series of mass killings at churches, schools and stores. And the prospects for any reform of the nations gun regulations seemed as dim, if not dimmer, than in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook deaths. But President Joe Biden appeared ready for a fight, calling for new gun restrictions in an address to the nation hours after the attack. As a nation we have to ask, when in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in Gods name are we going to do what has to be done? Biden asked. Why are we willing to live with this carnage?" Many of the wounded were rushed to Uvalde Memorial Hospital, where staff members in scrubs and devastated victims' relatives could be seen weeping as they walked out of the complex. Officials did not immediately reveal a motive, but they identified the assailant as Salvador Ramos, a resident of the community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Law enforcement officials said he acted alone. The attack came as Robb Elementary was counting down to the last days of the school year with a series of themed days. Tuesday was to be Footloose and Fancy, with students wearing nice outfits and shoes. The school has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades. The vast majority of the students are Latino. Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming, according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who said he had been briefed by state police. He noted that the gunman suggested the kids should watch out. Before heading to the school, Ramos killed his grandmother with two military-style rifles he purchased on his birthday, Gutierrez said. That was the first thing he did on his 18th birthday, he said. Other officials said later that the grandmother had survived, and was being treated, through her condition was not known. Investigators believe Ramos posted photos on Instagram of two guns he used in the shooting, and they were examining whether he made statements online alluding to the attack in the hours before the assault, a law enforcement official said. Law enforcement officers were serving multiple search warrants Tuesday night and gathering telephone and other records, the official said. Investigators were also attempting to contact Ramos' relatives and were tracing the firearms. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The attack began about 11:30 a.m., when the gunman crashed his car outside the school and ran into the building, according to Travis Considine, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. A resident who heard the crash called 911, and two local police officers exchanged gunfire with the shooter. Both officers were shot, though it was not immediately clear where on the campus that confrontation occurred, or how much time elapsed before more authorities arrived on the scene. Meanwhile, teams of Border Patrol agents raced to the school, including 10 to 15 members of a SWAT-like tactical and counter-terrorism unit, said Jason Owens, a top regional official with the Border Patrol. One Border Patrol agent who was working nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot and killed the gunman, who was behind a barricade, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about it. The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the law enforcement source said. Owens confirmed that an agent suffered minor injuries, but would not provide details of that confrontation. He said some area agents have children at Robb Elementary. We have Border Patrol kids that go to this school. It hit home for everybody," he said. It was not immediately clear how many people were wounded, but Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo said there were several injuries. Earlier, Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition. Uvalde, home to about 16,000 people, is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the border with Mexico. Robb Elementary is in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. The tragedy in Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history, and it added to a grim tally in the state, which has been the site of some of the deadliest shootings in the U.S. over the past five years. In 2018, a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. A year before that, a gunman at a Texas church killed more than two dozen people during a Sunday service in the small town of Sutherland Springs. In 2019, another gunman at a Walmart in El Paso killed 23 people in a racist attack targeting Hispanics. The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston. Abbott and both of Texas U.S. senators were among elected Republican officials who were the scheduled speakers at a Friday leadership forum sponsored by the NRAs lobbying arm. In the years since Sandy Hook, the gun control debate in Congress has waxed and waned. Efforts by lawmakers to change U.S. gun policies in any significant way have consistently faced roadblocks from Republicans and the influence of outside groups such as the NRA. A year after Sandy Hook, Sens. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, and Patrick J. Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, negotiated a bipartisan proposal to expand the nations background check system. But the measure failed in a Senate vote, without enough support to clear a 60-vote filibuster hurdle. Then-President Barack Obama, who had made gun control central to his administrations goals after the Newtown shooting, called Congress' failure to act a pretty shameful day for Washington. Last year, the House passed two bills to expand background checks on firearms purchases. One bill would have closed a loophole for private and online sales. The other would have extended the background check review period. Both languished in the 50-50 Senate, where Democrats need at least 10 Republican votes to overcome objections from a filibuster. Eugene Garcia and Dario Lopez-Mills in Uvalde, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Ben Fox, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington, Paul J. Weber in Austin, Juan Lozano in Houston, Gene Johnson in Seattle and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Nebraska Legislature leaned further to the right last year, according to a recent report published by the Conservative Political Action Conference and the American Conservative Union Foundation. The report awarded the Legislature a conservative rating of 61% for 2021, which is 5 percentage points higher than its rating for 2020 and 6 percentage points higher than the states overall average. Each lawmaker was also given a rating, with the highest score going to State Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood with 96% for 2021. The lowest-rated lawmaker was Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha with 26% for 2021. Hunt declined to comment, but posted to Facebook Monday criticizing the report for being outrage fodder and said it had no relevance to her work in the Legislature. Grateful to CPAC always for the free publicity, but I know people can see past the way theyre trying to divide us and see that nothing is really that black and white, Hunt wrote on Facebook. CPAC publishes conservative ratings for each state legislature every year based on lawmakers voting records across 186 policy issues, according to a press release. Clements conservative score was well above those for his peers in the Legislature. The second-highest rating went to Sen. John Lowe of Kearney with 90%, while a handful of other lawmakers scored in the high 80s. Clements said he suspects his high rating was because he always votes yes or no on every bill, and never opts to go present not voting. Im glad to let people know my opinion, Clements said. Though the Legislatures conservative rating for 2022 has not been released yet, Kevin Smith, chair of University of Nebraska-Lincolns political science department, said he would be surprised if its score was drastically different from its 2021 rating, given many of the same lawmakers served both years. But Clements pointed to several conservative bills that lawmakers failed to pass during the 2022 session, including a permitless concealed carry bill and a so-called trigger bill to ban all abortions in Nebraska upon the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Nebraskas conservative shift has been years in the making and reflects the national Republican Party, which has been leaning more conservative in recent years, according to UNL political science professor Elizabeth Theiss-Morse. The highest conservative rating CPAC gave the Nebraska Legislature was 69% in 2018. However, compared to its neighbors, Nebraska is far from the most conservative state. Nebraska ranks 28th in the U.S. for its overall conservative rating, and four of its neighbors Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming and Kansas rank higher. Smith said this is likely because of the Nebraska Legislatures unicameral structure. The Legislature is nonpartisan, and political parties cant dictate members of legislative committees like other state legislatures, Smith said. The CPAC report doesnt indicate whats to come in future sessions. Smith said reports like these are less a tool to show where a legislature is going, but more of a yardstick to measure where a legislature has been. A total of 14 seats in the Nebraska Legislature will be occupied by a new lawmaker next year, regardless of the outcome of Novembers general election. That is because the incumbent either cant run or opted not to run. Incumbents are running in 11 other races. Your crystal ball is as good as mine, Smith said. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mayor Turner and Community Leaders Announce Citywide Juneteenth Celebrations From Freedmen's Town to the Fifth Ward to Acres Homes, Independence Heights, and historic neighborhoods throughout the city, Houstonians will have an array of events to attend during the upcoming Juneteenth holiday. On Monday, Mayor Sylvester Turner joined the Houston City-Wide Juneteenth Planning Committee to announce multiple multicultural celebrations recognizing Juneteenth and its importance to history, freedom, and the Houston - Galveston region. The news conference marked the first time in the city's history that a unified effort is promoting Juneteenth events hosted by organizations throughout Houston. "I am pleased to announce that our community has joined forces to celebrate freedom in commemoration of Juneteenth. These events are open to everyone, and we want each celebration to impact our community and leave a lasting impression on generations of people. And if you are like me, you plan to hit them all," said Mayor Turner. During the news conference, participants announced the launch of a new website designed to track celebrations hosted by communities, organizations, and institutions around the city. Each is designed to showcase Houston's rich history, diversity and inclusion. For additional information, visit juneteenthhouston.org. The mayor was joined by District H city council member Karla Cisneros, Zion Escobar, director of Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy, Tanya Debose, Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, Harrison Guy 5th Ward Cultural Arts District, Ramon Manning, Emancipation Park Conservancy, and Miguell Ceaser, Lead Archivist of the African American Library at the Gregory School, Necole Irvin, Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, the Houston Heritage Society and Janice Weaver, Mayor's Office of Community Relations. "While we know this isn't every Juneteenth event taking place, we hope that this is the beginning of deeper collaboration and connection within the Houston Galveston Region. This story is a regional story, and this is the birthplace, and this is the home," said Zion Escobar. BLOOMINGTON Unlike other parts of the U.S. legal system, detained immigrants facing deportation in court do not have an established right to counsel. A Bloomington-Normal nonprofit is aiming to change that, as it is partnering with two other organizations for a pilot program to provide free counsel for immigrants in removal proceedings in the Chicago Immigration Court, which is the only such court in Illinois. The Immigration Project, 211 Landmark Drive, Normal, is connecting with the Chicago-based Resurrection Project and National Immigrant Justice Center to form the Midwest Immigrant Defenders Alliance. The three nonprofit organizations also are partnering with the Cook County Public Defenders office for the one-year pilot program to provide legal representation for those facing removal hearings in the Chicago Immigration Court. A state law enacted this year bars Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining individuals in Illinois, allowing ICE to detain Illinois residents in other states. The pilot program extends to those detained in Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The nonprofit groups said the pilot program intends to build a model for universal representation for detained immigrants facing deportation. Detained immigrants with legal counsel are twice as likely to obtain relief than those detained without legal representation, according to an American Immigration Council 2016 study. Too often immigrants from rural and urban communities in central and southern Illinois feel isolated and marginalized while they are facing the highest possible stakes separation from their families and, often, possible persecution in a country they may have not seen in decades, Immigration Project Executive Director Charlotte Alvarez said. Alvarez said MIDA is a natural expansion of our current advocacy and legal representation work. Thats also the case for the National Immigrant Justice Center, which has provided legal counsel to detained immigrants for more than 30 years, its associate director Ruben Loyo said. A member from MIDA will consult with any detained and unrepresented person who has an initial hearing before the Chicago Immigration Court and cannot afford private counsel. Everyone has the right to due process, including immigrants, and immigrants should also have the right to an attorney if they cant afford one especially those in detention that face many more barriers to a successful case outcome, said Erendira Rendon, vice president of immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project. The program also will provide training and mentorships for lawyers beginning their practice in immigration law. Vera Institute of Justice, a nongovernmental research group, also will follow the outcomes of the MIDA-represented cases to evaluate its impact. The launch of MIDA proves that the national movement for universal representation is only getting stronger as people across the country continue to demand that no one should face deportation without a lawyer, said Annie Chen, director of the Advancing Representation initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice. People facing deportation are our neighbors, friends, and loved ones. They deserve to fight their cases freely in their communities and with a lawyer by their side, Chen said. MIDAs creation also comes around the same time Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved a bill that creates a task force to give recommendations on how Illinois can provide legal representation for immigrants facing deportation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An unidentified gunman has shot and killed another passenger on a moving New York City subway train. Police officials say it appears to have been an unprovoked attack, and the victim died at a hospital. Police say the shooting took place Sunday on a Q train traveling over the Manhattan Bridge at around 11:40 a.m. That's a time of day when subway cars are often filled with families, tourists and people headed to brunch. Recent subway crime has set New Yorkers on edge. Last month, a man opened fire inside a Brooklyn subway train, scattering random shots that wounded 10 people. BLOOMINGTON The director of Illinois Wesleyan University's School of Nursing will be the next president of Ripon College in Wisconsin. Victoria Folse, who is also Caroline F. Rupetr Chair of the School of Nursing and executive director of Counseling and Health Services at the school, will be the first woman to a non-interim president in Ripon College's history, the college said. In the announcement, Ripon trustees highlighted Folse's commitment to the liberal arts, energy and background leading both nursing and music programs. She has previously served as interim director of the IWU School of Music. She plans to move to Wisconsin this summer with her husband Dick Folse, IWU's Director of Grants and Foundation Relations, IWU's press release said. Both are graduates of IWU, Victoria Folse in 1986 and Dick Folse in 1985. "IWUs School of Nursing is among the top programs in the state, due in large part to the academic rigor and innovative thinking that she brought to the program," IWU President Georgia Nugent said. "The university has also called on her leadership in many other instances, in each case to great effect." Folse will start in July as Ripon's 14th president. Former IWU School of Nursing Director Jerry Durham will return on an interim basis during a national search for the next permanent director, the university said. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON Junior high and high school students in the Bloomington-Normal area will have a new educational resource as they prepare to return to school before or after hospital stays due to mental health concerns. Regional Office of Education #17 plans to launch the Central Illinois Bridge Academy this fall for the 2022-23 school year. The academy will serve students who could soon require hospitalization or who are transitioning out of a hospital stay, generally for mental health concerns. Students served by the new resource generally have internalized their health problems, so are not necessarily acting out or being disruptive, Regional Superintendent Mark Jontry said. However, they do need more supports than area school districts can offer on their own. We really dont currently have a mechanism for them to integrate back into their school, he said. It really is kind of a shock to the system to be in a hospital setting on Thursday at 4 oclock and be discharged that evening, and expect to show up at your high school or junior high the next day like nothing has changed. The school is expected to serve around 40 students, said Trisha Malott, ROE 17s behavioral health coordinator. That number is based on feedback from area superintendents, including considerations of how students are currently being served. The students will be in seventh through 12th grades and come from across all four of the counties ROE 17 serves: Livingston, McLean, DeWitt and Logan counties. The focus is on building a school that is guided around putting mental health at the center of operations, Malott said. A culture and climate of a school plays a big part in both staff and student success, she said. There will be time set aside for reflection and mindfulness at the start of the school day and at times throughout the day, she said. Students will receive instruction in all the state mandate subjects, with opportunities for teachers to integrate outdoor activities into the classes as well. Arrival and departure times will vary for students based on what they need and timing with their home districts. Were looking to fill a niche that doesnt exist elsewhere right now or that could help alleviate some of the pressure on our schools to serve some of their students who have a higher need, Malott said. A lease for the new space has not been finalized, though Jontry expects it could be signed in early June. He declined to give an exact location until the lease is finalized, but said the school is planned to be in Normal and will be near green space. The Bridge Academy will fill a need identified in McLean Countys Mental Health Action Plan, Malott and Jontry said. The original plan called for an intensive outpatient services program for adolescents. The Bridge Academy plans overlap significantly with the initial request for funding proposals, but with a focus on education rather than outpatient services. The school will be overseen by Malott and Assistant Regional Superintendent Molly Allen. ROE staff are in the process of interviewing candidates and plan on a staff of four teachers and the equivalent of two full-time case workers, which may include part- and full-time workers. The $1.75 million needed for the first two years, which includes startup costs, is coming from the county's mental health sales tax, along with funding from United Way and a Community Partnerships Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. Long-term funding for the academy is expected to come from ROE 17's state funding and tuition charged to students home districts, Jontry said. Early research suggests that mental health concerns have increased during the pandemic, Malott said. Youth have been spending more time online, including on social media, and the pandemic has increased stress on many families. Staff members have also felt those stressors. For the students, the pandemic has highlighted what was already a worsening problem. We know that the trend was mental health concerns were increasing even without the pandemic, Malott said. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON The Bloomington City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the owner of Red Raccoon Games intended to bring added retail business to the downtown area. We're excited, and I know that word gets used a lot, about bringing you this project especially because its the second major downtown project that weve brought before you in the last several weeks that are going to completely redefine vacant spaces in our downtown, said Deputy City Manager Billy Tyus. The agreement will allow Red Raccoon Games owner Jamie Mathy to remodel and move into the Main Plaza building at 301 N. Main St., which is next to the stores current location at 309 N. Main St. The project will allow the shops retail space to grow from about 2,000 square feet to 3,200, and the in-store game play area to go from 1,200 square feet to 3,500. Two 2,500-square-foot retail spaces also will become available as part of the remodel. Mathy previously told The Pantagraph the building has been empty for 13 years and its been even longer since it has been remodeled. The renovation also will update the sprinkler system and the elevator, making the 8,500-square-foot basement accessible for disabled people. Mathy stepped down as Ward 1 alderman in March, the same day he was notified that the project could be a conflict of interest under Illinois law, according to a news release from the council. Grant Walch was appointed to fill the seat at the councils last meeting. Red Raccoon is expected to invest almost $1.6 million in the Main Plaza property, city documents said. To make the project financially feasible, the incentive package will provide municipal sales and city property tax reimbursements and 12 parking passes at no cost for the Market Street parking garage. Through the rebate, 50% of the municipal sales tax generated by Red Raccoon Games over six years will be reimbursed to Mathys LLCs, Forgetful Friends and Bowties and Fezzes, with the other 50% going to the city. As for the two other retail spaces, 100% of the municipal sales tax generated by new businesses in those spaces would be reimbursed to Red Raccoon over six years, but that is contingent on those two new businesses being new to the city, according to council documents. Economic & Community Development Director Melissa Hon said the tax incentive payments will be made until Mathy's business has received $196,900 or until the agreement ends on March 31, 2029. All of the city's portion of the property tax for the Main Plaza property will be abated for six years. The other two businesses also would be issued four of the parking spaces two each as part of the agreement. Mathy also will be permitted to apply for up to $25,000 from the Harriett Fuller Rust facade grant program. Ward 2 Alderwoman Donna Boelen voted for the agreement but said she was not comfortable with the 100% rebate incentive. Before the vote she asked if Mathy would be OK with a graduated tax rebate over the given period of time. Hon said she could not speak for the developer but clarified that the incentive requires the developer to lease the two additional spaces and fulfill the requirements of the agreement to receive the money. It allows the developer the opportunity to bring in new retail and maybe earn that incentive faster, Hon said. Maybe it will occur in a three-year span or a five-year span or four-year span as opposed to a six-year span. Or they may determine not to lease those spaces at all, but it allows the developer that opportunity to increase or shorten that term if they so choose, she said. Mathy previously said he is working with Catalyst Construction with the goal of moving into Main Plaza by late January or early February 2023. Former Mennonite Hospital In other business, the council unanimously approved a new marketing and redevelopment agreement between the city and Illinois Wesleyan University for 807 N. Main St., the vacant lot that once was the site of Mennonite Hospital and later the Electrolux offices. The new agreement terminates a previous listing agreement with Coldwell Banker Commercial Devonshire Realty signed on July 9, 2018. Efforts to market and redevelop the site were hampered by multiple macroeconomic factors that impacted the commercial real estate market, both nationally and locally, according to council documents. The city staff and representatives from IWU determined it would be prudent for both parties to terminate the Coldwell agreement and let the city handle marketing the site to private developers. Details about the site and its marketing efforts are at bnbiz.org. The site has sat vacant since the city purchased it in 2016 for $1.4 million. A 4.8-acre tax increment financing district was created along on the north side of Chestnut Street at North Main Street to use property tax money generated by improvements on the site to foster economic development. It included three adjacent parcels owned by IWU and a former gas station. Laborers Local 362 In another matter, the council also approved a new labor contract for four parking enforcement employees represented by Laborers Local 362. They will receive wage increases of 3% a year for three years, retroactive to May 1, 2022. The increase will total about $3,500 in 2023. The contract also reflects an adjustment for the parking crew leader to $20 an hour, which was agreed upon in 2021 by both the city and the union. Other details include: Updating the date for eligibility of longevity percentage versus a lump-sum payment. Increasing the clothing allowance to $500 annually. Clarifying language for overtime. Allowing assignments to 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. shifts. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON Rivian Automotive is getting a farmers market of its own this summer. The electric vehicle company has partnered with the city of Bloomington to bring a market to the plant in west Normal. The first employee market was held last Wednesday, giving employees of Rivian exclusive access to the monthly market with various vendors from the weekly Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market participating. Akin to the market held on the Museum Square, the Rivian farmers markets also welcome local musicians to perform. "We are excited to partner with Rivian to provide the employee farmers markets and to support our local farmers and business owners, said Melissa Hon, Bloomingtons economic and community development director. The citys economic and community development team is providing Link-Match services to Rivian employees at the markets, made possible through an Experimental Station grant. The Link-Match program vouchers can be redeemed for fresh produce at participating farmers markets across Illinois. The farmers markets hosted at Rivian will be available only to Rivian employees, through September. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL Russ Hany spent 14 years as a student and faculty member at Illinois State University not for the multiple degrees he received, but rather to be part of the Gamma Phi Circus. "That was really why I stayed, because I liked everything about it," said Hany, now an IT analyst at State Farm. "I liked the people. I liked working with it and building things up." Founded in 1929, the university's Gamma Phi Circus performs under Redbird Arena, a tent built of fiberglass panels that hovers roughly 100 feet high. The unique performance troupe seeks to support acrobatic and circus arts in higher education. Hany has self-published two books about Gamma Phi: "A Circus in the Paper" in 2020, which is a collection of articles from ISU newspaper The Vidette, and "90 Years of Circus Art and People" in February this year. Both are available on Amazon. Hany has also been the unofficial record keeper of Gamma Phi Circus for decades, but said he has never accepted money for his work. Jerry Polacek, Gamma Phi director from 1970 to 2004, said that Hany's love for Gamma Phi has been his greatest contribution to the circus. "I'd say his contribution, him as a performer very good, juggling in particular," Polacek said. "But him as a persistent, consistent person, he loves Gamma Phi and will do almost anything to put video and pictures together. He's amazing that way." Since 1985, Hany said, he has been filming Gamma Phi shows and acts that he was not actively participating in. "Once I was out of the shows," he said, "I would go back every year and film every show. This year was the first I didn't film." Polacek said, "Russ has always been very outgoing that way, very sociable." When Hany received his bachelor's degree in economics in December 1990 after eight and a half years as an undergraduate, he decided to attend the graduation ceremony the next spring in a unique way. "I wasnt too nervous about dressing up like a clown," Hany said, "because I already had my degree. It was already framed on the wall. They couldnt take it away," he said, chuckling. Polacek said that Hany had not told anyone that he planned to dress up. "He kind of walks to the tune of his own drummer," Polacek said. Hany said his own parents did not know about the stunt. "Theyre in the arena and they see some clown coming in," Hany said, "and theres 3,000 people graduating. Theyre like, 'He wouldnt. No, he wouldnt.' Then they saw the 8 on the hat," he laughed. "They were just not happy." Shortly after he sat down, he said, a note was passed to him from his parents. It read, "Russ, we're leaving." Performing in the blood You could say that Hany's life began with the circus. "My parents met at Gamma Phi in 1950," Hany said. His father, Darwin, was a gymnast, while his mother, Imogene, performed the trapeze. Hany is the fourth of four children, and the family regularly attended Gamma Phi circus growing up. He may have started attending shows as early as 1967, when he was just 2, he said. Despite the family history, Hany said his parents did not teach their kids how to be circus performers. "It's kind of hard to teach your kid trapeze if you don't have a trapeze," he said. Instead, he said that his older siblings taught him some tricks. "My sister taught me how to ride a unicycle," Hany said. "She bought one at a garage sale somewhere. And I learned before my feet could actually push the pedals all the way around." Hany's brother taught him how to juggle. Even though Hany already knew how to unicycle and juggle by 1983, his first year at ISU, he said that he was too nervous to join. "I was going to join the first year because of course I knew all about it," Hany said. "My parents met there. But I chickened out at the front door." Hany joined the following year, "and then I got hooked," he said. Polacek said that the circus was a positive influence for a young Hany. "I think that the circus really helped him as a person, too," Polacek said, "because it's such a supportive group." Polacek said that Hany "found his niche and really flourished." However, Hany said that, because he spent so much energy in Gamma Phi, his grades began to suffer. With the prospect of having to drop out, Hany said that he had to think outside the box. "I thought well, faculty and staff can be in Gamma Phi. So I got a full-time job at ISU." Polacek said that Gamma Phi allows anyone at ISU to join. "We are open to the faculty and staff and students. It's not super common, but we've had many over the decades," he said. For the better part of the next decade, Hany worked full-time at ISU and performed in the circus. In the summers, Hany said he would take trips to the East Coast to teach kids circus acts. "There was a thing called Circus of the Kids where we put up a flying trapeze, and we put up a biweekly circus for all the kids," Hany said. "I taught juggling, fire eating, flying trapeze, trick bike (and) roller skating." For fire eating, he said, there really is no secret. "You're pretty much just extinguishing the oxygen (with) your mouth. You're putting real fire in and just taking the oxygen away from it," Hany said. "There are challenges to fire-eating, like, if you have a mustache," he said. At one Christmas show, he burned his facial hair while performing. The assistant director, acting as emcee, announced to the crowd that "'yes folks, Russ just burned his mustache off,'" Hany recalled. "You could smell the burnt hair for the next week." One year, Rob Miller traveled with Hany to perform with Circus of the Kids. Miller would return to ISU and, with the help of physical education teacher Thomas Romance, found Jr. Gamma Phi Circus at Metcalf Elementary school in 1986. Hany said that Romance later pledged for Gamma Phi Circus in 1989, after he had founded Jr. Gamma Phi. Performance memories In his 14 years with the circus, Hany was able to compete on the international stage as well. "I competed in the International Circus Festival in Sarasota for four years," he said. "We're competing against Ringling Brothers, the Russian circuses, Cirque du Soleil," Hany said. "(A Russian team) had this jump rope act where they just had jump ropes going around the whole groups of them. So there were two-highs and three-highs (people standing on others' shoulders)," Hany explained. "The two-highs are jumping it and the three-highs are jumping it, and there's just people all over. We watched that and went, 'Well we didn't win this year.'" Hany also spent some time on WGN in "The Bozo Show," and there is one act that stands out to him above the others. "When 'Bozo' ended, I called them up and I said 'Do you have the one act where I almost broke Bozos teeth?'" Hany said. The executives at WGN knew exactly what Hany was referencing, but could not find their copy of the tape. So Hany offered to send WGN his only VHS copy with the promise that they would send it back to him undamaged. The trick in question was knocking something out a volunteers mouth, usually a cigarette, with a bowling pin. But there was a problem. Hany said the producers told him: "'Youre not putting anything in Bozos mouth that looks like hes smoking.'" After deciding to substitute a carrot for the cigarette, Hany said "we just figured that theyd put the tapered end (of the carrot) in his mouth." Instead, Hany said, they put the comically large end of the carrot in the clowns mouth. During the course of the act, Bozos teeth sunk further into the vegetable, Hany said, "so hes got a solid lock on that, and I didnt know it." Instead of lightly knocking the carrot out of Bozos mouth, the carrot cracked and the clown fell on his back. "Someone grabbed the carrot and we had it at home. And you could see his teeth print in there and where the carrot cracked when I hit it," Hany said. "Its on YouTube, I think." The next time that Hany was on Bozos show, he asked the clown if he remembered Hanys last performance. Bozo joked, "'I had to get all these teeth replaced,'" Hany said. Hany is retiring soon, from his job at State Farm and as pro-bono record keeper for Gamma Phi. "I don't know, I think I might be at my peak. I handed a lot of the history back to the current director, Marcus (Alouan)," he said. "I'm kind of thinking, that might be it." Polacek said that Hany will not be idle long. "He'll find something," Polacek said. "He'll find some way to connect that with Gamma Phi Circus." Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON Bandana's Bar-B-Q, 502 IAA Drive in Bloomington, is this week's pick for Eats of the Week. Bandana's is owned by Anthony Barnes. Barnes is originally from Columbia, Missouri, but has been in Bloomington since 2010, when he took over the company-owned restaurant as a franchisee. Barnes originally started with the Bandana's company as an assistant manager in 1999; he then worked as a general manager for over nine years and as a district manager for about five months. He ended up in a company meeting about how the Bloomington location wasn't making money. Barnes didn't know anything about Bloomington, but decided to drive up during a snowstorm to visit the restaurant. When he returned, he asked Bandana's CEO Rick White if he could buy the location. "I knew with the right person it could be good," Barnes said. "This store has now flourished. We have good food and a good family atmosphere." Barnes also used to run a Hardee's in Columbia for seven years and was a volunteer firefighter for 15 years. Barnes said he has grown to love the people in the Bloomington-Normal area. "My favorite thing about this place is the customers," Barnes said. "It's been interesting; I've become attached to certain people and developed close relationships. I've been a part of guests' births, deaths, etc." The restaurant's most popular menu items include the pulled pork and the smoked turkey. Barnes said they take pride in their pork. The restaurant has a bar that serves beer and wine as well. It also offers "budget busters," which are meals that are under $10. The special comes with your choice of meat: pork, brisket, sausage, chicken, turkey or ribs, served with one piece of garlic bread and two sides. "My goal for this place is, I want it to be like you went to a friend's house to eat, except you paid," Barnes said. "I try to be a good leader. We have a great staff; it's hard to find nice people that care. When the staff cares as much about the success as you do, it is everything." Barnes added that the community really helped and supported the restaurant through the pandemic, when the business went down to a staff of only eight. Barnes also said that he does not hide his faith and you can tell that Bandana's is a faith-based, branded restaurant. Barnes eventually hopes to have his children take over the restaurant one day. Bandana's Bar-B-Q is open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. They offer dine-in, curbside pickup, online ordering and no-contact delivery through DoorDash and GrubHub. Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3240. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In his bid for the Republican nomination for governor, Richard Irvin has been plagued by inconsistencies between his past actions as Aurora mayor and his statements since hitting the stump. From his views about mandates imposed during the pandemic, Black Lives Matter and gun control to his personal voting history and his opinions about Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Mayor Irvin often finds himself in conflict with GOP candidate for governor Irvin. Every little thing that this guy did and said is going to be picked apart, said Christopher Mooney, a political scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Its going to matter in the primary because hes a human being and youre going to find out who this human being is, and if its at odds with the story (his campaign) manufactured, thats going to be a problem. For his part, Irvin denies any disparities in his positions. I think Im consistent the whole time, whether mayor or a candidate running for governor, Irvin said at a campaign meet-and-greet in west suburban Elmhurst on Saturday. Irvins candidacy is being brought to voters by the same team that took wealthy Republican private equity investor Bruce Rauner from near political obscurity to the Governors Mansion in 2014. Rauner defeated a weakened Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn as the first-time Republican candidate was presented to the public as a blank slate. He also stuck to a tight script to avoid alienating voters. Once he got into office, however, Rauners single term was marred by an inability to govern. He failed to understand the complexities of the position and instead focused on seeking to abolish union rights, which led to a two-year budget impasse. His political support in the Republican Party weakened when he signed a bill allowing for taxpayer-funded abortions. This time, the old Rauner team is backing a candidate who does have a record as an elected official from Irvins previous failed bids for mayor, his election as an at-large alderman and his first mayoral victory five years ago. But to win the GOP primary for governor, Irvins campaign staff is keeping him to a tight script with little public or media interaction and few direct answers to questions about Republican politics or issues of the day. Instead, Irvin and his team have attempted to rewrite or obfuscate his past by trying to bulldoze past it and saying they are focused on the future. In some cases, Irvins pre- and post-governor-candidate positions are reminiscent of the criticism Democratic presidential contender John Kerry faced of flip-flopping in his 2004 loss to Republican George W. Bush. When Kerry was asked about supporting aid for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, he said, I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it. Irvin has criticized Pritzkers handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the governors mitigation orders, such as wearing masks or getting vaccinated. Ive always been opposed to mandates, the governor candidate told a Downstate radio station in February, shortly after he announced his candidacy. But before he was against it, he was for it. Under Irvin, the city of Aurora mandated vaccinations or weekly testing of municipal workers, implored Aurora residents to wear masks, and warned businesses they could face fines for not following masking requirements. Irvin said of Pritzkers March 2020 stay-at-home order in a Facebook post, I fully support his decision and encourage all Aurorans to abide by this new mandate. In his statement, Irvin said he had spoken with Pritzker during this challenging period and said that based on the science and the experts, a shelter-in-place mandate certainly is the most logical one. But on Saturday, Irvin said his discussion was with Pritzkers staff because he wouldnt answer my calls. He said his support for Pritzkers mitigation efforts eroded over time as it hurt his local business community and people learned more about how to deal with COVID-19. I think we were all scared wondering what our future was going to be, hoping theres be some brighter day because we had this new novel disease that was killing people across this world, he said. We wanted to believe in our leader, but we saw our leader failed us as we got ahold of this and heard more information about what it does and how we were going to protect ourselves, he said, adding that mitigations should have been a matter of local control and that members of the General Assembly should have been part of the order-making process. In his campaign advertising, Irvin has made attacking crime a constant theme, citing his past experience as a former Cook County and Kane County assistant prosecutor. But at a meet-and-greet in La Grange, where Irvin recounted his background in a lengthy and often repetitive 25-minute speech, he jumped from his work as a prosecutor to becoming mayor. He did not mention that in between he spent 15 years as a criminal defense attorney. In his campaign, Irvin also has emphasized the need to back the blue in fighting crime. But Irvin has contended his own police department was actually incorrect in stating that he said charges would be taken care of when he arrived at the scene of the arrest of his then-girlfriend for battery at a marijuana dispensary in May of last year. Irvin told the Tribune and the Aurora Beacon-News that while he may have said the charges would be taken care of, as the report stated, he was assuring the woman she would get an attorney and the matter would be handled in court. Irvins rivals also have sought to question his fidelity to law enforcement by using the mayors comments in a reelection questionnaire from March of last year in which he was asked his view of Black Lives Matter. I support Black Lives Matter strongly and passionately. I am supportive and proud of the peaceful demonstration throughout this past summer in response to the murder of George Floyd, Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor and many others, he told Patch. Politics, especially racial politics, are rarely easy but I believe this past summer was a wake-up call to America. But when questioned about it by a voter at a recent event, Irvin said he was not referring to the formal Black Lives Matter organization, a group that advocates against police brutality and for judicial fairness and has had conflicts with law enforcement organizations. I think we all agree that Black peoples lives matter, he said. Im talking about Black peoples lives. And youve often heard me say, and I say it time and time again, all lives matter. Black, white, Latino, Indian, Asian. As Irvin has defended himself on law enforcement issues, hes also had to reconcile his position on gun control. In February 2019, he was mayor of Aurora when a disgruntled former employee of the Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora opened fire on employees, killing five people and wounding five police officers before law enforcement killed the gunman. Later that summer, Irvin joined with mayors across the country in signing a letter from the United States Conference of Mayors urging immediate action from the federal government on gun safety legislation. Whether it is a horrific mass shooting or a teenager with easy access to guns, we know all too well the impact of gun violence in our community, Irvin said. If we are truly serious about preventing one more family or another community from experiencing yet another gun tragedy, we need Congress to enact common sense gun safety legislation immediately. But more than two years after the Pratt shootings, Irvin as a candidate for governor said he is a supporter of the Second Amendment and attacking law-abiding gun owners isnt the answer. We should be doing more to crack down on the trafficking of illegal guns and thats going to require close coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement, he told the Champaign News-Gazette. Gun control has also become an issue for Irvins top political benefactor. A WBEZ analysis found nearly 1 out of every 4 guns recovered from Chicago homicides since 2017 came off assembly lines of firearm manufacturers that are part of the stock portfolio of Citadel, the firm founded by Ken Griffin. Griffin, who has feuded with Pritzker over city crime, has given Irvins campaign for governor $45 million. On Saturday, when asked about signing the mayors letter advocating for federal action on gun safety, Irvin denied it. No, I believe if you look back at the record correctly, I talked about what we needed to do to clean up our state FOID system because our system is broken, Irvin said, speaking of the firearm owners identification card system. Thats exactly what I relayed when I signed that letter. Im consistent about gun safety as well, he added. Ive been consistent the whole time. While the letter to Congress about gun safety showed Irvin wasnt shy to weigh in on federal matters, he has tried to take a pass on taking a position on Roe v. Wade and the federal right to abortion. At a news conference earlier this year, Irvin, who describes himself as pro-life, was asked whether the federal government should pass a law to ban abortions. He quickly dismissed the question by saying, Im running for governor in the state of Illinois. Im not talking about what the federal governments going to do. Asked if the states governor should play a role in influencing national politics, Irvin did not answer. As Irvin attempts to win the GOP nomination for governor, he has been sharply critical of Pritzker and regularly contends Pritzker has displayed a lack of leadership in dealing with the states issues. But as mayor, Irvin repeatedly praised the Democratic governor, including calling Pritzker a great friend, a great leader who has guided our state with professionalism at a vaccination event in Aurora in March of last year. Irvin later said of his comments that since a governor is relied upon for so many resources in your city, that its probably good to be polite. Irvin also has posted on social media about Mayor Lori Lightfoot, congratulating her on her historic inauguration and offered similar congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their historic election and empowering inauguration ceremony. Much of the scrutiny Irvin has received has been about his credentials as a Republican in seeking the GOP nomination, particularly since he pulled Democratic primary ballots in 2014, 2016 and 2020. But there is an early example of Irvin trying to be all things to everyone. It came in his successful 2017 run for the nonpartisan position of mayor of Aurora, through a pair of near identically designed mailings one sent to Democrats and another sent to Republican households. Each mailer is labeled, The Choice is Yours with the words appearing atop a donkey representing Democrats and an elephant representing Republicans. In the mailer sent to Republicans, an arrow points to the donkey with the words, Rick Guzman is endorsed by entrenched Chicago Democrats like Dick Durbin. The arrow pointing to the elephant says, Richard C. Irvin is endorsed by Local Elected Officials who actually have a stake in Auroras future. The reverse side touts GOP endorsements he received and says, The reasons are clear. Richard C. Irvin has a solid conservative record. But in the mailer that went to Democrats, the arrow pointing to the elephant warns Guzman, a former mayoral chief of staff, is endorsed by Tea Party Republicans. Under the donkey arrow appear the words: Richard C. Irvin is endorsed by Local Elected Officials who actually have a stake in Auroras future. On the opposite side, appears a list of Democratic elected officials and groups supporting him for mayor but there was no mention of his solid conservative record. Irvin has said he pulled Democratic primary ballots in the past to vote for Democrats who shared his vision for the city. In the 2020 Democratic primary, there were two candidates who received contributions from Irvin who faced competition, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez of Aurora and Greg Elsbree, an unsuccessful candidate for Kane County Board chair. Hernandez got $750 and Elsbree got $250, state campaign finance records show. Overall, Irvin has made nearly $1.2 million in contributions since 2005 with more than $178,000 in loans to his mayoral campaigns and another $950,000 transferred to candidates for comptroller, secretary of state and attorney general who are running on his statewide slate backed by Griffin and his money. Much of the rest went to Republican candidates and groups. But he has given more than $10,000 to Democrats since 2008, records show, with $4,950 going to his former law partner Brittany Pedersens bids for judge. Other contributions to Democrats from Irvin include $200 to former state Rep. Ken Dunkin, a Chicago Democrat who aligned himself with Rauner, $500 to state Rep. Stefanie Kifowit of Oswego in 2012 and $1,250 to state Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago in 2018 and 2019. Irvin has flatly refused to answer when asked if he voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 or whether he thinks the 2020 election was stolen as Trump baselessly claims. Meanwhile, he accuses his rivals of having backed Biden and President Barack Obama. After WTTW surfaced text messages in which Irvin called Trump an idiot and a bigoted racist, Irvin has said only that in general elections, he votes Republican. In an appearance at Progressive Baptist Church in Aurora on Feb. 9, 2020, to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, Irvin made comments that raised questions by some conservatives about whether he voted for Obama for president. I dont know if my grandfather or grandmother or my slave-born great-grandfather could have ever imagined that our vote, our Black vote, would make such a difference in this country that (it) would elect a Black man to the presidency in 2008 when Barack Obama made history, Irvin said. But on Saturday, Irvin said he was speaking metaphorically as a Black leader on that day and that he did not vote for Obama. That means its important to vote and that I want everyone in the Black community to vote, he said. And Im going to be asking that same community to vote for me as governor of this state. Tribune reporter Ray Long contributed. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Illinoisans will soon be casting their votes to determine who is going to be their next governor. Illinois is no longer attracting people to work and raise a family here. People continue to leave the state for better employment and housing opportunities. Recently graduated high schoolers are choosing out of state colleges due in part to rising tuition. Additionally high taxes continue to be a huge burden to working class families. I believe Darren Bailey is exactly who he says he is. He is not a career politician but instead a hard-working man of faith who has farmed his entire life and understands the people of downstate Illinois. As a state senator he has proven this by refusing a legislative pension and continues to fight against tax hikes and reckless spending. I am ready for a change in leadership in Illinois which is why I will be voting for Darren Bailey. National Gun Violence Awareness Day is an annual event that takes place on the first Friday in June, and is the beginning of Wear Orange Weekend. Wear Orange is dedicated to honoring the lives of people in the United States affected by gun violence and elevating the voice of those demanding an end to gun violence. Orange symbolizes the value of each persons life. We wear it to honor the more than 100 Americans shot and killed and the hundreds more who are wounded every day by gun violence, and to call for an end to this crisis. From intimate partner violence to police violence, gun suicides, gun homicides including racist violence carried out by white supremacists driven by hate and armed with a gun, and unintentional shootings, we demand a bold plan that must address all of it. Addressing all of it can be achieved through strong community partnerships, education, violence intervention programs, and legislation. Wear Orange during the weekend of June 3-5, 2022 and be part of the effort to educate, organize, advocate, and rally for safer communities, as we demand a future free from gun violence in Bloomington/Normal, in Buffalo, and all over the nation. Join McLean County Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America for our Wear Orange event on Saturday, June 4th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Anderson Park in Normal to honor survivors and learn more about how you can be part of the plan. Sarah Breeden, Normal Love 2 Funny 11 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Member of Parliament of Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Domprehs aim to boost education in his constituency is gradually taking shape. He has vowed to make education accessible to all in his area by providing everything needed for the course. The lawmakers Literacy Project programme which was launched years back has donated several education materials to various schools within his constituency. The latest beneficiary of the programme is the Adoagyiri Methodist school. Mr Annoh-Dompreh donated a volume of reading materials and engaged the pupils in reading lessons. This he said is to encourage the youth in his constituency to be more focused on education. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Plastic surgery is becoming more popular than ever before. 15.6 million cosmetic procedures were performed during 2020, even while the pandemic was raging. In 2022, its expected that these numbers will be even greater. Dr. Obaid Chaudhry is an experienced plastic surgeon, and hes working hard to raise the bar higher in aesthetic medicine for the next year and beyond. Dr. Obaid Chaudhry attended the Royal College of Surgeons for his MD before doing a residency at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country for integrated plastic surgery. He then had an aesthetic fellowship in Manhattan, which is one of the most well known locations in the world. Hes a leader in performing Brazilian butt lifts, smooth sculpt, breast fat transfer, Lipo 360, and body sculpting. I love helping people feel better about how they look, said Dr. Obaid Chaudhry. I have a love of patient care and am excited to study human anatomy to perform these procedures to the best of my ability every time. Dr. Obaid Chaudhry is now working hard to revolutionize the field of plastic surgery. He came up with the SmoothSculpt process, which has had a huge impact on the aesthetics community. He also uses Lipo 360 for all of his procedures. Its full body lipo rather than just being used in one area to create a more congruent look for the whole body. He also performs Brazilian butt lifts differently from any other surgeon in a way thats safer and produces a better result. He never uses syringes and considers it archaic to do so. I want my patients to feel happy with their outcomes, and I think that these techniques are the way of the future, said Dr. Obaid Chaudhry. Over time, the aesthetic surgery industry has changed dramatically, and the results are being felt throughout the world. Dr. Obaid Chaudhry is one of the leading surgeons in the field, and his revolutions in the industry will improve patient outcomes in 2022 and beyond. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, James Dadson, has disclosed that the outfit he heads does not have any documentation to prove that the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, alias Sir John, owned portions of Achimota Forest lands. A purported Will and last testament of the one-time New Patriotic Party, NPP, General Secretary, stated that he had willed portions of land he owned in the Achimota Forest enclave to some relatives. But speaking to the media, the Lands Commission boss said the reports were not accurate per information available to the Commission. Dadson was speaking during a visit by the Deputy Lands Minister, Benito Owusu-Bio, who was at the Lands Commission headquarters in Accra to assess the extent of damage after floods ravaged some offices on the premises. There is nothing in our records concerning that. What you read is what I have read. We dont have anything recorded here for Sir John as far as our records are concerned, James Dadson said. His comment was also reechoed by the Deputy Minister even as the Ministry continues to probe the veracity or otherwise of the issues relating to the issue of lands in the Will of Sir John. Sir John's Will has dominated media discussions since contents were released over the weekend, showing that he had bequeathed lands located in the Achimota Forest enclave to some beneficiaries. The outrage also stems from the fact that it is barely a week after the government's Executive Instrument 144, that declassifying portions of the Forest reserve also became topical. Government said it was releasing portions of the peripherals of the forest to its custodial owners, the Owoo family of Accra. Sir John, who also served as a one-time CEO of the Forestry Commission, died two years ago of Coronavirus. His one-time aide, Charles Owusu has lamented how the deceased is being dragged even in death. According to him, the truth will come out after the Ministry completes its investigations into the matter. Portions of Sir John's will related to land bequeathal read as follows: I give my land situate at the Achimota Forest in the name of Jakaypro Limited and measuring 5.541 acres to the following persons forever. Yaw Amoateng Afriyie One (1) acre Eva Akua Afriyie One (1) acre Ivy Akua Afriyie One (1) acre Elizabeth Asare Boateng (aka Mother) One (1) acre Michael Owusu 1.541 acres It continued: I give my land also situate at the Achimota Forest in the name of Fasoh Limited and measuring 0.987acres to my nephews Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng forever. The document further states: I jointly own a piece of land at Achimota Forest with Charles Owusu. Upon my demise, my portion of the said land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Lawyer Kofi Bentil, Vice President IMANI Africa, has said that a proper asset declaration system will help resolve the issue of politicians grabbing state properties. Bentil's comment comes after the content of the supposed will of the late former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John). Sir John in his Will stated that he owned 0.987 acres of the Achimota Forest land and he gives his portion to his nephews, Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng, forever. "I give my land also situate at Achimota Forest in the name of Fasoh Limited and measuring 0.987 acres to my nephews Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng, forever. "I jointly own a piece of land at Achimota Forest with Charles Owusu, upon my demise, my portion of the said land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor. "I give my portion of the land that I jointly own at the Achimota Forest in the name of DML Limited to Elizabeth Asare Boateng who at the time of making this Will is domiciled in the USA, forever," page 5 of Sir John's last will and testament read. Reacting to this in a Facebook post, Kofi Bentil wrote, a proper asset declaration system will help resolve some of these problems with property grab by politicians. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources said in a statement that it will probe the allegations. The Ministry takes a very serious view of the allegations, and has requested for all documents relating to the lands in question, as part of an initial inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims, a statement issued on Sunday, May 22 by the Ministry said. Considering that the issues that form the basis of the allegations predate the tenure of the current Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, it is important that he is seized with the full facts to enable him to take appropriate action, if, indeed, there is any merit in the claims. The Ministry assures the general public and the good people of Ghana that it will ensure that the national interest is protected at all times, especially in matters pertaining to the Achimota Forest. Source: ghanaweb Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has questioned South Africa's neutral stance about the war in Ukraine at a meeting with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa on the last leg of a three-nation visit to Africa. Pretoria has abstained from UN resolutions condemning Russia's actions. Asked why, President Ramaphosa said it was only through negotiation and dialogue that a resolution could be reached. While Chancellor Scholz said he understood that different countries had different views, he called Russia the aggressor in a "brutal war". Despite this, both leaders stressed the importance of the relationship between their countries, with Chancellor Scholz saying it is one he wants to nurture. The two leaders are expected to outline trade partnerships, particularly in the field of alternative energy. Germany is South Africa's second-largest trading partner. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Police in Nigeria say they are tracking down gunmen who killed at least 12 people, including a pregnant woman and her four children, in the south-eastern state of Anambra. The police have blamed the increasing violence in the region on Biafra separatists. A community leader told the BBC that the pregnant woman and her children were returning home on a motorcycle taxi when gunmen ambushed them in the Orumba area. Several other people were also shot dead in separate incidents on Sunday evening. Police say they are investigating. The killings have sparked outrage on social media. They happened a day after mutilated bodies of a local politician and his aide were discovered a week after they were abducted. The worsening violence in south-eastern Nigeria is being blamed on a banned separatist group - the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) - which is campaigning for a breakaway state in the region. The group has denied involvement in some of the attacks. Security forces are also grappling with various armed groups carrying out killings and kidnappings in other parts of Nigeria. In the north-east of the country, more than 30 people were reported either killed or kidnapped in an attack in Borno state last Sunday. Militants from Boko Haram and an IS-linked group are active in that region. The widespread insecurity is a major concern ahead of elections due to take place in February next year. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ethiopias Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been re-elected as the World Health Organizations (WHO) head for a second five-year term. The result of the secret vote was a formality since he was the only candidate. Opening the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Dr Tedros, who has led the global response to the Covid pandemic, said coronavirus had turned the world upside down, leaving many still enduring suffering. Fighting back tears as he spoke, he also called for an end to war, which he said "shakes and shatters the foundations on which previously stable societies stood". He recalled his own first-hand experience as a child of war in Ethiopia, which is again experiencing civil conflict in its northern Tigray region, where he is originally from. The 57-year-old has been at odds with Ethiopia's government after it accused him of supporting forces from Tigray - an accusation he has previously denied. He had been Ethiopias health minister - during which he received praises for his efforts in controlling diseases like malaria and HIV/Aids - and a foreign minister before he was first elected to lead the WHO in 2017. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United States has said it is concerned about recent mass arrest of journalists and community activists in Ethiopia. In a statement shared on its social media platforms, the US Embassy in the capital, Addis Ababa, said that it shared calls made earlier by the state-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Communication (EHRC) for the authorities to respect the rule of law and adhere to due process. At least 10 journalists and media personalities have been arrested in the past week in Addis Ababa and the countrys second-most populous region, Amhara. On Monday, the authorities in Amhara announced that they had arrested more than 4,500 individuals in a campaign they said was aimed at enforcing law and order in the region. According to the EHRC, many of the detainees were held without proper court warrants and it had been difficult for some family members to find where their loved ones were being kept. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Civil Society Group, Occupy Ghana, has commended Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, for initiating an independent audit on the specific acreage of the Achimota Forest lands that have been de-gazetted. According to the group, much as it appreciates and commends the Ministers attempt to uncover the truth through the intended independent audit, there is a need for a Commission of Inquiry. The President should set up the Chapter 23 Commission of Inquiry, failing which we expect Parliament to unanimously resolve or the Council of State to advise that a Commission be appointed. The Ministers audit may constitute evidence to be provided to the Commission, Part of a statement issued by Occupy Ghana said. It described a clarification on the matter given by the Minister in a press statement on 24th May, 2022 and titled Achimota Forest that sets outs a history of the Achimota Forest Reserve and the various attempts to return lands that were validly acquired by the state almost a century ago, to pre-acquisition owners as laudable. The issue, according to Occupy Ghana, is a grave matter of public interest and therefore the independent audit and its stated remit will not suffice. It noted that evidence abounds on how some of these lands have ended up in the hands of government officials and their privies. It even appears that some of these officials-beneficiaries were involved in the processes leading to the alleged return of lands. In the face of such apparent conflict of interest and conflict of duty as are outlawed by article 284 of the Constitution, we are not certain that a mere independent audit would suffice. We think that, in accordance with article 278 of the Constitution, the President should be satisfied, or the Council of State should advise, or Parliament should request, that a Commission of Inquiry be appointed, the group said. Ghanaians, the statement said, need to be informed of all returns of state lands to pre-acquisition owners since the 4th Republican Constitution came into being on 7th January 1993. And stressed there is no better way of doing this than by establishing a Commission of Inquiry appointed under Chapter 23 of the 1992 Constitution with the powers, rights and privileges of a High Court or a Justice of the High Court at a trial specified in Article 279. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, says there is no culture of silence prevailing in Ghana According to him, breaching the law should not be equated to curtailing freedom of speech. Sometimes I wonder whether what I read is about the country I live in. In this country where anybody can pick a phone anywhere, put out anything, sometimes complete lies and fabrications? That anybody here in this country has been stopped from talking? If you speak and you breach a law, the law must apply. That should not be equated to curtailing freedom of speech. I dont see any such evidence in this country. Mr. Joe Osei-Wusu made these comments in an answer to a question on media practitioners who have come out to accuse government of presiding over a culture of silence because according to them, the climate is different and the tension is not the same as it used to be. Ghana has also seen a steep decline on the World Press Freedom Index which saw the country move from 3 to 10th in Africa and 30th to 60th in the world. Speaking on GTV Breakfast Show, the MP for Bekwai Constituency said laws are not made for fun. Why do we assume that when we make laws, they are for the fun of it? If you have committed an offence why should you not be called to answer? Thats a different thing from saying I have been arrested because I spoke. I am yet to see evidence saying that because I spoke my mind somebody came after me, he stressed on Monday, May 23, 2022. He said the police pick people who breach the law. The police believe that the content of your speech may breach a law and he [Oliver Barker-Vormawor] has not been kept in jail. He has been sent to court. The court will determine that. We should not permit people to say because of free speech, I can say anything and get away with it. No! I have been attacked, my integrity has been attacked for nothing, insulted for nothing, called a fraudster for what I havent done. I have the patience, I have sued and the matter is in court. He further added that there should be a distinction between individual actions and state actions. People should make a clear distinction between individual actions and state actions. If I take action, dont ascribe it to the government. Thats what I see happening. You attack somebody, the person responds to you and you say government has. People pick rumours over verifying them and they create a headline. Now Im running away from granting interviews because of so-called bloggers. Source: GBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Works and Housing has charged the local authorities such as the municipal district assemblies (MDAs) to enforce the bye-laws to prevent flooding in Accra. According to the sector Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, the district assemblies are empowered by the Local Government Act to ensure that, for instance, building permits are issued appropriately. Haphazard development of our communities is another major cause of flooding in the capital city. Whenever you are supposed to build you have to go and request for a building permit from the district assembly, and most people dont do that. but it is the responsibility of the district assemblies to make sure they issue permits rightly and that whenever permits are not issued, they [the district assemblies] should be decisive to pull down any structure that flouts any of the bye-laws, he urged. Mr. Asenso-Boakye made the call when his ministry, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), on Sunday afternoon embarked on an assessment tour of areas in Accra that were hit by flood, following last Saturday night heavy downpour. The visit also enabled the minister and his team to see for themselves the impact of the downpour in especially flood-prone areas in Accra. The areas visited included Odawna Garages in the Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly, Iran Clinic at Adabraka near the Circle overhead bridge, Odawna, Circle, Adabraka and Asylum Down. The rest were Circle Neoplan Station, Osudoku, Pharma Nova, Tintara all in Osu, and Tsaado in Teshie. While admitting that the size of the drains was a contributory factor to floods in Accra, the minister said the government, over the last five years, has invested GHC450 million in the expansion of drainage works in the capital city. These, he said, have included drain deepening, concrete lining and increasing of the capacity of the drains to be able to carry stormwater to prevent floods. He was, however, quick to add that there were other causes of flooding besides the size of the drains. The first one is the indiscriminate dumping of solid waste into the drains and the other one which is equally important is the haphazard development of our communities, he pointed out. He noted that in areas such as Odawna which needed serious engineering works, the government has put in place remedial measures to mitigate the impact of floods. For his part, the Operations Manager, Accra Sanitary Sewer and Storm Alleviation Project (ASSSAP), Mr. Bernard Amu, stressed that but for the ongoing dredging and siltation works in the Odaw and Korle Lagoon the flooding in parts of Accra last Saturday would have been very serious. On that score, he stressed the need for continuous maintenance dredging and annual siltation of the Odaw and Korle. Operations Manager, Accra Sanitary Sewer and Storm Alleviation Project (ASSSAP), Mr. Bernard Amu with Mr. Asenso-Boakye He said dredging was a continuous process, adding that there was also the need to enforce the bye-laws to stop residents from dumping refuse into the drains. He also reinforced that it was crucial to intensify the education of residents around the banks of rivers to keep their environs clean. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Editor of the Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam, says Security Agencies must conduct thorough background research into persons recruited into their ranks. According to him, the now porous recruitment processes has led armed robbers being drafted into the various security agencies, now a huge concern to civilians they are meant to protect. Residents of Nkoranza are outraged by the death of Albert Donkor, who was picked up by the police, following a robbery incident on the Nkoranza-Kintampo road. They believe Albert may have been targeted after chancing on a robbery scene involving some police officers. The Police gave their own version of events leading to Alberts death, naming the victim (Albert) as a member of a six engaged in a number of robberies at Nkoranza. Andy Kankam who says increasing reports of police personnel and other security personnel being named or arrested as part of robbery gangs is becoming alarming. I think the recruitment process into the security agencies must be looked at. Now background researches are barely conducted into persons being recruited into the services and thats having an adverse effect on us. That is why armed robbers have been arrested and theyve been found out to be police men. There have also been instances where military men have been arrested as part of armed robbery gangs, he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show. If these things are happening amongst security officers then, we should intensify background checks. If what we are hearing from Nkroanza is true and Albert was killed because he saw police officers committing robbery, then we need to know the truth, he reiterated. Andy Kankam suggesting a cure to these occurrences admonished security agencies to take their recruitment process seriously. We also have to prevent politicians dumping their family members with bad backgrounds into the force. Thats the only way we can ensure the safety of the people. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana, Most Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, has denied claims that Ghanaian religious leaders are silent on pressing issues bothering the country. The comment of the bishop follows criticisms from sections of the public on the supposed indifference and or quietness of the clergy especially under the Akufo-Addo led administration. According to the critics, the religious leaders in the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama government were very vocal and became the voice of the voiceless but that under the new administration that changed. In an interview with the media at the palace of Nene Tetteh Djaba Ablezee IV when the leadership of the church paid a courtesy call on the chief at Plau a suburb of Somanya, the presiding bishop admitted that, they are aware of the challenges and hardships of the citizenry. Most Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo exchanging pleasantries with the chief of Plau, Nene Tetteh Djaba Ablezee IV We embark on missionary works in communities across the regions of the country; we use the bad roads, we interact with people who are dealing with economic crisis, the high rate of unemployment among others, so we know the challenges of the Ghanaian. Whenever we have the opportunity, we speak concerning these things; what the government can do to ensure the well-being of the people. We engage the government on policy issues because we travel to places and experience the sufferings of people and relay them to the authorities. He added that, Ghanaians expect religious leaders to come out publicly to share their opinion on the crisis affecting the country but there are many avenues of addressing those concerns. He therefore stressed that the leadership has a strong relationship with the government which makes it easy to lay the concerns of people before the President, even behind closed doors. Not that we dont talk we talk Most Rev. Dr Boafo stated. Meanwhile, he has urged other institutions to also support with their little resources to reduce the burden on government. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) have finished conducting a Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) as part of their overall observation of Kenyas 2022 general elections. The pre-election assessment which began on May 16 and ended on May 20, 2022, made some interesting recommendations ahead of Kenyas polls slated for August 9, 2022. Among the recommendations, the delegation urged Kenyas Government to ensure timely financial transfers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure effective preparations, including voter education campaigns. It further urged the Kenyan Parliament to urgently address the issue of pending electoral law amendments either expediting their review or stating no further reforms will be entertained prior to the August polls to remove confusion or suspicion of attempts to manipulate the process. The assessment delegation comprised Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana; James Lahai, the National Coordinator of National Election Watch (Sierra Leone); Nicole Rowsell, Acting Vice President of the National Democratic Institute (USA); and Yomi Jacobs, Resident Program Director of the International Republican Institute in Kenya (Nigeria). The delegation conducted its activities in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which was launched in 2005 at the United Nations, and in compliance with the laws of the Republic of Kenya. All activities were conducted on a strictly nonpartisan basis and without interfering in the election process. The delegation met with a wide array of election stakeholders, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), political parties, civil society, business associations, media representatives, religious leaders, the judiciary, and government actors. The delegation expresses its appreciation to everyone with whom it met for sharing insights from which the mission benefited greatly. IRI and NDI are nonpartisan, nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations that support and strengthen democratic institutions and practices worldwide. The Institutes have collectively observed more than 200 elections in more than 50 countries over the past 30 years. NDI and IRI will conduct a second pre-election assessment mission to assess progress toward key recommendations before Kenyas general elections are scheduled for August 9, 2022. The delegation also urged IEBC to build trust among the electoral contestants and public confidence in the electoral process and also develop and disseminate a clear methodology with appropriate safeguards on the collation, transmission, and declaration of results. The delegation further urged all political actors to demonstrate commitment to ensuring peace before, during, and after elections, by publicly endorsing and adhering to the electoral code of conduct, and other peace pledges. Refrain from hate speech, cyberbullying, and inciting violence by supporters, including gender-based violence, and cooperate with institutions to investigate incidents, the mission advised in a statement. The Kenyan media was also urged to Provide election coverage in accordance with the Code of Conduct for the Practice of Journalism and Offer the use of their platforms for civic and voter education programs and information. Provide coverage of candidate debates, to inform citizens and promote an issue-based campaign, it further advised. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has kickstarted its internal elections as it gears up for the 2024 general elections. The party has held its constituency elections and will on Saturday, May 28, have elections at the Regional level where the delegates will elect Regional executives. The party's Regional elections will be followed by national elections and subsequently go into their main primaries to elect a flagbearer for the party. Already, two leading names of the party have come up for the flagbearer position; Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Minister of Trade, Alan Kyerematen's camps have been pitching their candidates for the Presidential candidate slot. As the NPP prepares for the national elections which comes off in July this year, some strong names have been mentioned to occupy various positions from National Chairman to General Secretary among other positions. Joining the Tuesday edition of Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme as a panelist, Managing Director of State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea, noted to be one of the finest politicians and winning the hearts of rank and file of the NPP, was asked whether he will go for the General Secretary position of the party as rumors have it that he will be contesting the elections. Nana Akomea is a four-time Parliamentarian for Okaikoi South from 1997 to 2013, a former Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, a former Information Minister and a former Deputy Tourism Minister as well as a former National Communications Director of the NPP. Some supporters of him believe it will be a "cool chop" for him should he contest the General Secretary position. Opening up to the host of the programme, Kwami Sefa Kayi, Nana Akomea stated emphatically that he has no intention to contest the position, explaining that he is focused on his job as STC Boss. "There has been a lot of pressure . . . but at this time, I don't have enthusiasm for it," he responded. He backed all the candidates of the NPP with his prayers. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This artist's concept depicts a planetary system. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms trained on real astronomical observations now outperform astronomers in sifting through massive amounts of data to find new exploding stars, identify new types of galaxies and detect the mergers of massive stars, accelerating the rate of new discovery in the world's oldest science. But AI, also called machine learning, can reveal something deeper, University of California, Berkeley, astronomers found: Unsuspected connections hidden in the complex mathematics arising from general relativityin particular, how that theory is applied to finding new planets around other stars. In a paper appearing this week in the journal Nature Astronomy, the researchers describe how an AI algorithm developed to more quickly detect exoplanets when such planetary systems pass in front of a background star and briefly brighten ita process called gravitational microlensingrevealed that the decades-old theories now used to explain these observations are woefully incomplete. In 1936, Albert Einstein himself used his new theory of general relativity to show how the light from a distant star can be bent by the gravity of a foreground star, not only brightening it as seen from Earth, but often splitting it into several points of light or distorting it into a ring, now called an Einstein ring. This is similar to the way a hand lens can focus and intensify light from the sun. But when the foreground object is a star with a planet, the brightening over timethe light curveis more complicated. What's more, there are often multiple planetary orbits that can explain a given light curve equally wellso called degeneracies. That's where humans simplified the math and missed the bigger picture. The AI algorithm, however, pointed to a mathematical way to unify the two major kinds of degeneracy in interpreting what telescopes detect during microlensing, showing that the two "theories" are really special cases of a broader theory that the researchers admit is likely still incomplete. "A machine learning inference algorithm we previously developed led us to discover something new and fundamental about the equations that govern the general relativistic effect of light- bending by two massive bodies," Joshua Bloom wrote in a blog post last year when he uploaded the paper to a preprint server, arXiv. Bloom is a UC Berkeley professor of astronomy and chair of the department. He compared the discovery by UC Berkeley graduate student Keming Zhang to connections that Google's AI team, DeepMind, recently made between two different areas of mathematics. Taken together, these examples show that AI systems can reveal fundamental associations that humans miss. "I argue that they constitute one of the firstif not the firsttime[s] that AI has been used to directly yield new theoretical insight in math and astronomy," Bloom said. "Just as Steve Jobs suggested computers could be the bicycles of the mind, we've been seeking an AI framework to serve as an intellectual rocket ship for scientists." "This is kind of a milestone in AI and machine learning," emphasized co-author Scott Gaudi, a professor of astronomy at The Ohio State University and one of the pioneers of using gravitational microlensing to discover exoplanets. "Keming's machine learning algorithm uncovered this degeneracy that had been missed by experts in the field toiling with data for decades. This is suggestive of how research is going to go in the future when it is aided by machine learning, which is really exciting." The manifestation of the offset degeneracy in source-plane magnification difference maps (top) and light curves (bottom). Credit: Nature Astronomy (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-022-01671-6 Discovering exoplanets with microlensing More than 5,000 exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, have been discovered around stars in the Milky Way, though few have actually been seen through a telescopethey are too dim. Most have been detected because they create a Doppler wobble in the motions of their host stars or because they slightly dim the light from the host star when they cross in front of ittransits that were the focus of NASA's Kepler mission. Only a few more than 100 have been discovered by a third technique, microlensing. One of the main goals of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch by 2027, is to discover thousands more exoplanets via microlensing. The technique has an advantage over the Doppler and transit techniques in that it can detect lower-mass planets, including those the size of Earth, that are far from their stars, at a distance equivalent to that of Jupiter or Saturn in our solar system. Bloom, Zhang and their colleagues set out two years ago to develop an AI algorithm to analyze microlensing data faster to determine the stellar and planetary masses of these planetary systems and the distances the planets are orbiting from their stars. Such an algorithm would speed analysis of the likely hundreds of thousands of events the Roman telescope will detect in order to find the 1% or fewer that are caused by exoplanetary systems. One problem astronomers encounter, however, is that the observed signal can be ambiguous. When a lone foreground star passes in front of a background star, the brightness of the background stars rises smoothly to a peak and then drops symmetrically to its original brightness. It's easy to understand mathematically and observationally. But if the foreground star has a planet, the planet creates a separate brightness peak within the peak caused by the star. When trying to reconstruct the orbital configuration of the exoplanet that produced the signal, general relativity often allows two or more so-called degenerate solutions, all of which can explain the observations. To date, astronomers have generally dealt with these degeneracies in simplistic and artificially distinct ways, Gaudi said. If the distant starlight passes close to the star, the observations could be interpreted either as a wide or a close orbit for the planetan ambiguity astronomers can often resolve with other data. A second type of degeneracy occurs when the background starlight passes close to the planet. In this case, however, the two different solutions for the planetary orbit are generally only slightly different. According to Gaudi, these two simplifications of two-body gravitational microlensing are usually sufficient to determine the true masses and orbital distances. In fact, in a paper published last year, Zhang, Bloom, Gaudi and two other UC Berkeley co-authors, astronomy professor Jessica Lu and graduate student Casey Lam, described a new AI algorithm that does not rely on knowledge of these interpretations at all. The algorithm greatly accelerates analysis of microlensing observations, providing results in milliseconds, rather than days, and drastically reducing the computer crunching. Zhang then tested the new AI algorithm on microlensing light curves from hundreds of possible orbital configurations of star and exoplanet and noticed something unusual: There were other ambiguities that the two interpretations did not account for. He concluded that the commonly used interpretations of microlensing were, in fact, just special cases of a broader theory that explains the full variety of ambiguities in microlensing events. "The two previous theories of degeneracy deal with cases where the background star appears to pass close to the foreground star or the foreground planet," Zhang said. "The AI algorithm showed us hundreds of examples from not only these two cases, but also situations where the star doesn't pass close to either the star or planet and cannot be explained by either previous theory. That was key to us proposing the new unifying theory." Gaudi was skeptical, at first, but came around after Zhang produced many examples where the previous two theories did not fit observations and the new theory did. Zhang actually looked at the data from two dozen previous papers that reported the discovery of exoplanets through microlensing and found that in all cases, the new theory fit the data better than the previous theories. "People were seeing these microlensing events, which actually were exhibiting this new degeneracy, but just didn't realize it," Gaudi said. "It was really just the machine learning looking at thousands of events where it became impossible to miss." Zhang and Gaudi have submitted a new paper that rigorously describes the new mathematics based on general relativity and explores the theory in microlensing situations where more than one exoplanet orbits a star. The new theory technically makes interpretation of microlensing observations more ambiguous, since there are more degenerate solutions to describe the observations. But the theory also demonstrates clearly that observing the same microlensing event from two perspectivesfrom Earth and from the orbit of the Roman Space Telescope, for examplewill make it easier to settle on the correct orbits and masses. That is what astronomers currently plan to do, Gaudi said. "The AI suggested a way to look at the lens equation in a new light and uncover something really deep about the mathematics of it," said Bloom. "AI is sort of emerging as not just this kind of blunt tool that's in our toolbox, but as something that's actually quite clever. Alongside an expert like Keming, the two were able to do something pretty fundamental." Explore further New sub-Jupiter-mass exoplanet detected by astronomers More information: Keming Zhang et al, A ubiquitous unifying degeneracy in two-body microlensing systems, Nature Astronomy (2022). Journal information: Nature Astronomy Keming Zhang et al, A ubiquitous unifying degeneracy in two-body microlensing systems,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-022-01671-6 Nero and Agrippina, painted by Antonio Rizzi (1869-1940). Credit: Wikimedia Commons Domestic violence was endemic in the Roman world. Rome was a slave-owning, patriarchal, militarized culture in which violence (potential and actual) signaled power and control. Tragically, but predictably, the names of most of the victims of domestic violence do not show up in the historical record. And yet the identities of a handful of victims survive. Nero's second wife Poppaea Sabina was kicked to death while pregnant. His first wife Octavia and his mother Agrippina were murdered on his orders. According to her epitaph, Julia Maiana was killed after 28 years of marriage. Appia Annia Regilla, an aristocratic woman and wife of the Greek author Herodes Atticus, was murdered while pregnant. Prima Florentia was drowned. Apronia was thrown from a window. The love poets Ovid and Propertius depicted relationships with "Corinna" and "Cynthia" involving physical abuse. John Chrysostom, a church father, described the nightly shrieks of women echoing through the streets of Antioch. The Roman household Relationships between members of the Roman household (both free and enslaved) were characterized by significant power imbalancesa scenario ripe in possibilities for physical, sexual and psychological abuse and coercive control. The head of the Roman household, the pater familias, was famously powerful. His power included the so-called "power of life and death" and ownership of the property of even adult children within his control. His wife might exercise violence and coercion (for instance against slaves, lovers, or children) and be its victim. With a society-wide belief in correctional education, children were often victims of violence. There is also scattered evidence for elder abuse and the routine sexual and physical abuse of slaves. Legal responses to domestic violence The autonomy and authority of the pater familias, the comparative ease with which a Roman marriage could be dissolved and endemic inequality have been viewed as reasons why Rome did not develop specific domestic violence legislation. But a patchwork of Roman laws (including Rome's complex murder laws) sought to address coercive and violent behavior. The first Roman emperor, Augustus (27 BCE until 14 CE), brought in anti-adultery legislation, criminalizing extra-marital sexual activity. This legislation was a deliberate and unprecedented intrusion into the realm of the family, including limits on circumstances under which a father could kill his daughter. Stalking and sexual harassment were illegalalthough the law focused on preserving a woman's chastity, not on the perpetrator's desire to control or terrify his victim. Angelo Visconti, The Massacre of the Innocents (1860 - 1861). Credit: Cassioli Museum The emperors Theodosius (379 to 395) and Valentinian (364 to 375) accepted physical abuse as a just cause for divorcebut this appears to have been revoked under the emperor Justinian (542). The emperor himself was known on occasions to have taken an interest in specific domestic murder cases, but his intervention probably depended on the status and connections of the complainants. Laws which incidentally addressed abuse and coercive control were much more common. Roman laws offered extensive and detailed legal provision for dowries, wills and inheritance. Laws provided recourse for a child wrongfully disinherited and worked against a pater familias who intentionally cheated a wife out of her dowry. The need for these laws opens a window on a world of abuse. 'Good fatherhood' If the law rarely directly addressed domestic violence, a public rhetoric of "good fatherhood" did seek to speak to family duties and relationships. Exemplary fathers exercised self-control and restrained their anger. They showed severity and pietas (familial duty) rather than cruelty. This rhetoric was made use of by the emperor Hadrian (117 to 138) who exiled a father who had killed his son. The emperor Trajan (98 to 117) also ordered a father who was maltreating his son to set him free since he viewed the treatment as a breach of pietas. Of course, not all acts of violence were punished. When Egnatius Mecenius beat his wife to death with a club for being drunk (a story dating back to the legendary days of Romulus), he was commemorated for his exemplary severitas (acceptable strictness). The voices of women Roman matrons could be respected and influential figures within both household and state. The ancient Roman historian Livy gave an account of the public murder of Verginia by her father, who killed her in order to protect her chastity from an abuser. In his telling of the story, Livy examines the public presence of women during the incident. He depicts a crowd of respectable matrons standing with Verginia throughout her ordeal, jostling her accuser. Their weeping moved the crowd of onlookers more than her father's complaints. After her murder, Livy reports the women lamented loudly and publicly: the actions of the male protagonists are highlighted through the protesting voices of the matrons. The presence of domestic violence in ancient Rome may not be surprising. But of interest is how Romans formulated limited legal and non-legal challenges to cultures of violence and how we can continue to interrogate such responses today. Explore further Expert addresses common misconceptions about men who experience intimate partner violence This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Actions Schools are Prohibited from Taking Against Students Who Cannot Pay School Meal Debt. Credit: Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University As a federal program to serve meals to all US public school students during COVID-19 ends on June 30, the consequences of unpaid school meal debt will resurface for the millions of students nationwide facing food insecurity. New data released today on LawAtlas.org by researchers at the Temple University Beasley School of Law capture details of state unpaid school meal policies, revealing sparse protections for students who cannot pay for meals at school. Fewer than half of all statesonly 19 as of April 2021regulate how schools may address unpaid meal charges, according to the data. This can mean the student could be denied access to meals and academic and extracurricular activities, be publicly identified, or forced to work to pay off the debt. State policies vary widely, and absent state guidance, local education agencies that manage and regulate may adopt their own policies, which can also be wide-ranging. Even fewer states have laws that require parents or guardians to be notified or involved when a student may have insufficient funds. Maryland is the only state with a law that requires a parent or guardian to be notified of insufficient funds before a student incurs the debt. "These data show us what the landscape will look like when the federal funding for free school meals ends next month," said Kristen E. Murray, professor of law at the Beasley School of Law and the lead researcher on the project. "It's a landscape where we create barriers to the very foundations of what students need to learn and be successful, and even worse than that, where we then punish them if they cannot meet that burden." Legislators in California, Colorado, and Maine have recently undertaken efforts to make free school meals permanent following the end of the federal subsidies. This policy surveillance captures not only what actions a school is prohibited from taking against students who cannot pay, but also how the school can address unpaid charges, and processes to address violations of the meal charge policy by schools. There are 12 states with laws that regulate what actions school may take, including employing debt collectors, setting repayment plans, using charitable funds, or charging collection fees. Currently only two statesCalifornia and Maineprovide a process for meal charge policy complaints to be investigated by the state educational agency. Before the pandemic, as many as 75% of US school districts had unpaid school meal debt, according to research by the School Nutrition Association. Explore further School districts rethink meal debt policies that shame kids Credit: CC0 Public Domain In the face of catastrophic events, scenes of property destruction give the first indications of economic loss for businesses. Interruptions to the companies' ability to produce goods and services, however, actually have a much greater effect on their bottom line. In fact, business interruption losses on average exceed property damage losses by over 900%, according to new Ohio State University research co-authored by Noah Dormady, associate professor in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. One solution: resilience. Dormady and his colleagues ran large-area surveys of firms affected by Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Harvey, and found that for every dollar spent on resilience, firms avoided an average of $4.57 in business interruption losses. "This is important because it demonstrates that businesses can see a real return from spending on their own plant and labor force," said Dormady, who also is an affiliated faculty member of the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State. "It shows that even in the worst disasters, rather than only parking those investments in Wall Street through insurance, businesses can find cost-effective ways to reduce disaster losses by supporting Main Street here at homeby spending wisely on their own workforce and physical plant." The study, published recently in the International Journal of Production Economics, provides the first empirical assessment of economic resilience metrics that businesses can use to prioritize resilience expenditures to maintain business continuity and stability. In contrast to advance planning and mitigation strategies to avoid property damage, firms can use a variety of resilience tactics after the disaster strikes to reduce business interruption losses more cost effectively, the study found. The research provides insight into the cost-effectiveness of nearly a dozen classes of resilience tactics such as relocation, conservation of inputs, isolating remaining resources, pooling of resources and technological change. "The key to economic resilience of the firm is identifying the most impactful and cost-effective set of tactics that can be used for each type of input and infrastructure disruption. The era of 'resilience' as an amorphous buzzword is over. Resilience can now be measured, and it can be quantified," Dormady said. "Businesses can use that to their advantage to make well-informed data-driven decisions. And government can use that information to make impactful and targeted investments. "Oftentimes, we hear a lot about resilience from the standpoint of government playing a big role in investing in costly and capital-intensive mitigation projects or incentivizing insurance," said Dormady. "But when you take a deeper look and account for how individual businesses adapt and respond to disruptions, it turns out that much of the economic losses can be muted by actions taken at the level of the individual firm." Dormady and his colleagues used two of the most devastating U.S. natural disasters to demonstrate the metrics they developed for the cost-effectiveness of economic resilience tactics. They surveyed firms affected by Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey in 2012, and Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas in 2017. Analyzing the responses from firms that used resilience tactics, they identified the firms' actual losses and estimated what their sales revenue would have been had they not used resilience tactics. They then calculated the costs of resilience tactics that the firms implemented and the resulting losses that were avoided. The survey clearly illustrated how business interruption losses exceed property damage losses among firms. Among the survey results, property damage was $69 million and $52 million for the Sandy and Harvey samples, respectively. Total sample business interruption loss was $111 million and over $1 billion for Sandy and Harvey, respectively. Significantly, the researchers found that in all, the firms' resilience expenditures, totaling $18.5 million, resulted in preventing $84.4 million in losses. A variety of factors, including labor and infrastructure disruptions, influenced just how effective and cost-effective each class of tactic was. Some firms used tactics that avoided no losses, while other tactics avoided as much as 74% of maximum potential losses. "After a disaster strikes, a lot of small and mid-sized businesses spin their proverbial wheels on actions that they think will help them stave off losses, and they may end up wasting a lot of money, time and resources," said Blain Morin, an Ohio State public policy and management doctoral candidate and one of the study's co-authors. "What individual businesses, government and insurers need is resilience actions that are based on actual data-driven analysesabsent from today's most prominent resilience planning platforms." "Federal and state agencies are always searching for a more effective way to help small and mid-sized businesses in disasters," said Dormady. "Our paper provides some evidence that there is not a simple one-size-fits-all public sector response that supports all businesses. Rather, businesses can make well-informed, data-driven responses that take into consideration the specific input characteristics, infrastructure and supply-chain disruptions that most directly impact them." Dormady conducted the research with Morin; Adam Rose, a professor at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California; and Alfredo Roa-Henriquez, a Glenn College Ph.D. alumnus who is now an assistant professor at the College of Business at North Dakota State University. Explore further Companies that survived the pandemic will recover More information: Noah C. Dormady et al, The cost-effectiveness of economic resilience, International Journal of Production Economics (2021). Noah C. Dormady et al, The cost-effectiveness of economic resilience,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2021.108371 Visual cues and the diversity of the listener's social network can impact their ability to understand and transcribe sentences after listening to the spoken word. Credit: Ethan Kutlu, University of Iowa Everyone has an accent. But the intelligibility of speech doesn't just depend on that accent; it also depends on the listener. Visual cues and the diversity of the listener's social network can impact their ability to understand and transcribe sentences after listening to the spoken word. Ethan Kutlu, of the University of Iowa, will discuss this social phenomenon in his presentation, "Perception in context: How racialized identities impact speech perception," which will take place May 24 at 12:15 p.m. Eastern U.S. as part of the 182nd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. Kutlu and his team paired American, British, and Indian varieties of English with images of white and South Asian faces. While the accents differed, they were all normalized to have the same base intelligibility. They played these voices for listeners from a low-diverse (Gainesville, Florida) and high-diverse environment (Montreal, Quebec). "Racial and linguistic diversity in our social networks and in our surrounding environments impact how we engage in perceiving speech. Encountering new voices and accents that are different from our own improves our ability to attend to speech that varies from our own," said Kutlu. "We all have accents and embracing this is not hurting our own or others' speech perception. On the contrary, it helps all of us." A participant's ability to transcribe sentences decreased and they rated voices as more accented whenever the speech was paired with a South Asian faceno matter the English variety of the spoken word. Indian English paired with white faces was judged as heavily accented when compared to British and American English. However, these results varied greatly by the listener's social network and geographic context. Montreal participants, residents of a dual language city, were overall more accurate when transcribing speech. They did not change their judgments based on the faces they saw on the screen. Explore further Accent perception depends on backgrounds of speaker, listener Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Millions of school children across large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa are sat silently in classrooms, struggling to follow lessons, and not progressing in their learning due to an insistence that all lessons should be taught in English, say the authors of a new report. The findings, published today as a policy brief from the University of Bath's Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and the UK government's Girls' Education Challenge (GEC), highlight that a reliance on English as the principal 'language of instruction' within many schools is impacting girls most acutely. Drawing on studies conducted in Rwanda, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Egypt, the authors conclude that many children lack basic skills in English which has significant ramifications for their learning. English is often not practised or reinforced out of school, and teachers are also limited by language. The research team says an unfamiliar language of instruction is compounding existing challenges and barriers to education for girls. For example, girls can struggle more than boys because in families the burden of housework often falls to them, which in turn denies them an opportunity to work on their English out-of-school hours. The researchers argue that increasing access to education for girls is hugely important, but more attention now needs to be paid to the quality of that education too. Continuing to deliver all lessons in English, including maths and science, to children who struggle to understand, will hold back individual progress and have long-term, negative effects. To address this, their report suggests that in the short-term more must be done to increase teachers' own competence in English language to have a trickle-down effect on students. Longer term, they suggest that countries should re-evaluate historic decisions to teach in English and assess what impacts this is really having. And although English is often the predominant language of instruction, similar critiques can also be made about French and other dominant languages, which are typically defined by former colonial ties. Lead researcher from the University of Bath's Department of Education, Dr. Lizzi Milligan explained: "Many people will be unaware that across large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, school lessons are delivered exclusively in English to children whose first and sometimes second language are different. As a result, and across the board, our research reveals that children are struggling to access education. "Despite girls' education generally being high on the agenda for policymakers, this specific issue has received very little attention, but that really matters. Imagine someone trying to teach you maths or science in a language you were unfamiliar in? If we really want to make progress in increasing educational attainment, we need to urgently look at this issue." Alicia Mills, Senior Portfolio Advisor at the Girls' Education Challenge (GEC), added: "Language is a widespread challenge and large numbers of girls across GEC projects are being educated through one (or more) language(s) that may not be their mother tongue. "Language of instruction is regularly identified by GEC projects as a barrier for girls so programming reflects this to mitigate the impact this can have on girls' opportunities for accessing, continuing and thriving in education." In Rwanda, the team looked at transitions for girls between primary and secondary school. This found performances dropped for both girls and boys: by the end of lower secondary school (Year 9) half of children fail their English exams. However, among those, girls were more likely to fail than boys. Within groups of girls, they also found distinct differences in performance too. Whilst some had a good level of English and could make progress, many more were struggling. This included those dubbed 'at risk', from financially and physically insecure home environments, who they found were almost entirely silent and disengaged at school. Aline Dorimana, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rwanda and researcher on the project said: "Many girls from different parts of Rwanda grow up in societies that already encourage silence whenever brothers are present. This impacts how girls learn in English and practise that language in the classroom which is also generally not practised out-of-school given girls' home burdens too. These issues need to be considered if we are to provide access to quality education for all learners." The team at Bath with the Girls' Education Challenge now hope to explore how language of instruction impacts other gender equality priorities, such as female empowerment and ending violence against women and girls. Explore further Girls excel in language arts early, which may explain the STEM gender gap in adults More information: Girls Education and Language of Instruction: An Extended Policy Brief, Girls Education and Language of Instruction: An Extended Policy Brief, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6523434 Pack ice on the Weddell Sea. Credit: Susie Grant @ British Antarctic Survey A new report published Tuesday 24 May sends a strong message to countries responsible for Antarctic governance meeting this week in Berlin, that there's a need for urgent action on minimizing climate change impacts in Antarctica and their far-reaching global consequences. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists are authors on the report by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) on climate change in Antarctica, which is published today at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM); an annual meeting to consult on matters of common interest to Antarctica. The report shows that Antarctic ice sheets are melting, the continent's climate is changing, its ecosystems are being impacted, and the Southern Ocean is warming, becoming more acidic and losing oxygen. Changes in Antarctica have global impacts. Ice sheet contributions to global mean sea-level rise will put nearly a billion people at risk from coastal flooding, more so if the upper-end scenario of two-meter sea level rise by the end of the century is realized. Changing Antarctic climates mean impacts everywhere, and will be especially extreme on some continents. Locally, changing climates are already affecting the region's iconic whales, seals, penguins, and the krill they rely on. Emperor penguins may be all but gone by the end of the century unless urgent action is taken. They are also encouraging the establishment of non-native species in the continent's ecosystems, an unprecedented threat to the continent's unique biodiversity and challenge to its management and conservation. Professor Peter Convey BAS terrestrial ecologist and biodiversity specialist, and one of the report's co-authors says: "This report highlights that Antarctica's ecosystems, on land and in the sea, are already facing strong pressure from climate change. Elements of its native biodiversity are showing sometimes rapid responses, providing clear warnings of how ecosystems at lower latitudes, and the human societies they sustain, will be impacted in future without urgent action." Professor Steven Chown, Monash University, Australia, previous SCAR President and Director of Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, who led the report says: "Antarctica's changes have profound consequences for all of us. What's most unnerving is that we are documenting these changes already but are unsure how large they'll become. We could be facing unmanageable adversity in our lifetimes if we don't act with urgency." The report provides the globally agreed view on changes occurring and those that will take place on the Antarctic continent and in its surrounding Southern Ocean. It makes clear that adhering to, and preferably exceeding, the Paris Climate Agreement greenhouse gas emission reduction targets will substantially lessen both changes to the Antarctic and their wider implications for society. Dr. Susie Grant, BAS marine biogeographer, and one of the report's co-authors says: "This report sends a strong message to the Antarctic Treaty Parties that there's a need for urgent action on minimizing climate change impacts in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and that it's critical for information on the global consequences of Antarctic change to be communicated to the rest of the world." The report is designed specifically for the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, who are gathering in Berlin for their 44th Annual Meeting to consult on matters of common interest to Antarctica. The countries comprising the 54 Parties to the Treaty, and specifically the 29 Consultative Parties, are responsible for the environmental management of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. Explore further Leading scientists warn of global impacts as Antarctic nears tipping points More information: The report is available on the SCAR website: The report is available on the SCAR website: scar.org/library/scar-publicat ce-decadal-synopsis/ Credit: Shutterstock Psychological distress is on the rise among young people in Australia. The implications of COVID-19 and the strain on the training and availability of psychologists are likely to add to the mental health challenges and hinder young people's ability to get help. Social isolation, loneliness and uncertainty due to COVID-19 have contributed to a decline in the mental health of Australian youth. Young people in our research and other studies do not feel well equipped to manage their mental health. This is concerning as the onset of mental illness peaks at 14.5 years of age, and about one in seven Australian youth experience mental illness. Australia's high school dropout rates have spiked during the pandemic, with research demonstrating an alarming trend in mental health issues amongst young people. https://t.co/qXc1Urv3QG The Australian (@australian) May 18, 2022 Currently, schools address mental health and well-being through a social and emotional learning curriculum. Some have school counselors or psychologists to offer students individual or group support. However, research shows more than a third of young people with mental health problems do not seek professional help. This is due to limited mental health knowledge and awareness of how to seek help, and negative attitudes towards mental illness. There is a need to address youth mental health through preventive approaches such as mental health literacy programs. Mental health literacy is the knowledge and awareness of mental health, help-seeking options and positive mental health behaviors. Mental health literacy programs aim to increase skills to achieve and maintain good mental health. Schools are one setting to base such programs. Young people spend much of their childhood and adolescence in school where the environment is already geared towards supporting learning and development. Young people need to be included in the development of these programs. Neglecting their voice in research leads to a risk of misinterpreting their needs and misguided approaches. We used online group discussions as a forum for young people to give their perspective on current mental health education in the curriculum and whether it's meeting their mental health literacy needs. Thirteen young Australians took part in these discussions in 2021. What did the students tell us? Our study participants expressed concern that they do not receive enough information about mental health in school. They also find it difficult to identify appropriate help sources. They told us: "I haven't been happy with [] how little they talk about mental health." "They don't really talk about how you can help other people deal with it [mental health], so, like, then it [] is harder to help your friends." Informal sources of help such as family, friends and the internet were the most common avenues for seeking help. Young people were less likely to go to formal sources such as a mental health professional or general practitioner. Young people are not confident about supporting a friend who may be experiencing mental health challenges for fear of crossing a boundary or saying the wrong thing. Stigma is still a big problem Stigma and negative attitudes towards mental illness exist despite many mental health initiatives and campaigns to normalize mental health challenges. Young people described mental health as a "hush-hush topic," with language relating to the issue often framed negatively. A lack of mental health knowledge was seen as contributing to stigma. As one young person said: "When people don't understand something [] they become afraid of it." The youth in our study suggested discussing mental health in schools and normalizing mental health difficulties can reduce this stigma. Though mental health can be a sensitive topic, young people believe it is important to understand and learn about it at school with others that are experts on mental health. Schools are the right place to learn about mental health Young people want schools to teach them how to recognize mental health challenges and practical coping strategies. They observed that discussions of mental health in school are often in response to crises or a stressful time such as exams. These discussions are usually rushed and not comprehensive. There is a need to proactively talk about mental health with students throughout their schooling. This will build their mental health literacy, as one young person told us: "If you're equipped with everything you need to know prior to that experience [mental health issues] you could better tackle that and you could better bounce back from that difficult time in the future if you're equipped with the knowledge of how to overcome that issue." Youth want to learn about mental health at all year levels. Some felt frustrated that they didn't learnt appropriate coping skills before entering secondary school. Students see schools as a safe place for supporting their mental health, suggesting schools have an obligation to provide a holistic education that includes mental health. "It's [school] almost like a second home, and within that second home mental health needs to be the safe discussion topic." Good education includes mental health literacy From the perspectives of the young people in our study, more needs to be done in schools to improve mental health literacy. There is evidence that preventive mental health approaches are effective. School-based mental health literacy programs are one way to overcome the lack of mental health education in Australia. Schools exist to support the learning and development of young people, which should include fostering good mental health and increasing mental health literacy. Explore further Schools have a small but important role in early adolescents' mental health This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. From left to right: Georg Schitter, Philipp Thurner and Mathis Nalbach in the laboratory. Credit: Vienna University of Technology Researchers at TU Wien have developed a novel method that is suitable for the mechanical tensile testing of micro and nanofibers. The special feature: Samples can be reversibly coupled to and uncoupled from the force sensor. Testing the stiffness or tensile strength of fibers in the nano to micro range experimentally is often very time-consuming. The samples in most cases have to be affixed using adhesive on both ends. The curing of the adhesive takes time, and the sensor to which the fiber is glued cannot be reused. Researchers from TU Wien, Mathis Nalbach, Philipp Thurner and Georg Schitter, have developed a test system that overcomes these obstacles. The functional principle is as follows: A magnetic microsphere attached to the nanofiber can be picked up with magnetic tweezers. This allows the sphere to be inserted into the fork attached to a force sensor and thereby coupled to the sensor. Since the magnetic sphere can also be removed from the fork using the magnetic tweezers, another nanofiber can be picked up immediately. This significantly increases the sample throughput. The researchers recently presented the NanoTens tensile tester in the journal Review of Scientific Instruments. Adapted to the real conditions While the atomic force microscope can be used to examine the mechanical properties of a fiber by means of a nano-penetration test, the NanoTens enables material testing for fibers under the more relevant, tensile load. Philipp Thurner from the Biomechanics research department explains the working principle as follows: "You can imagine the device like a microscopic forklift. The magnetic ball, which is glued to the fiber, is inserted into the fork. By moving the fork up or down, the fiber can now be tested under tensile load. This type of load is particularly relevant for biological fibers such as collagen fibrils. Physiologically, these are mainly loaded under tension, and therefore their mechanical properties are particularly relevant under precisely this load." The biomechanists Nalbach and Thurner mostly examine natural fibers such as collagen. Since their mechanical properties depend strongly on external conditions, it is important to also take these into account in tensile testing. "We succeed in this because tensile tests can be carried out in different media with the NanoTens. A dry collagen fiber, for example, is much more brittle and stiff than a moist or fully hydrated one. Its diameter also decreases significantly when it is dried out," says Mathis Nalbach, first author of the study. Quality and quantity increase With their method, the researchers not only succeed in simulating physiological conditions, but the results generated with NanoTens also gain validity. This is because a large number of measurements are needed to obtain meaningful results on biological materials such as collagen fibrils. "Conventional methods allow us to examine only one or two samples per week. This makes it virtually impossible to conduct statistically meaningful studies," describes Nalbach. Philipp Thurner adds: "The new method allows the fibers to be connected and disconnected quickly. As a resultand because the sensor is reusedwe can not only increase the number of tensile tests to up to 50 measurements per week, but also the precision of the measurement." The tensile tests candepending on the choicebe carried out over a wide force range and manipulated via a control system. This is important because tensile test methods normally assume that the material has linear elastic properties. However, this is not the case with biological tissues, such as collagen fibrils: they are viscoelastic. Force-controlled tensile testing enables the investigation of this viscoelasticity. From the invention to the product NanoTens has already been internationally patented by the TU Wien. "The next step would be to join forces with industrial partners. We hope to find a licensee with the help of the research and transfer support. We are interested in cooperating with industry on this topic," says Mathis Nalbach. NanoTens is designed in such a way that it can generally be integrated into any indentation measuring device or atomic force microscope. In addition to materials science, tensile testing is also usedamong othersin the life sciences, semiconductor technology and electronics. Explore further Numerical simulations of tensile tests of red blood cells More information: Mathis Nalbach et al, Instrument for tensile testing of individual collagen fibrils with facile sample coupling and uncoupling, Review of Scientific Instruments (2022). Journal information: Review of Scientific Instruments Mathis Nalbach et al, Instrument for tensile testing of individual collagen fibrils with facile sample coupling and uncoupling,(2022). DOI: 10.1063/5.0072123 Illustration of OSAM-1 (bottom) grappling Landsat 7. Credit: NASA NASA is planning a mission to demonstrate the ability to repair and upgrade satellites in Earth orbit. The mission, called OSAM-1 (On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-1), will send a robotic spacecraft equipped with robotic arms and all the tools and equipment needed to fix, refuel or extend satellites' lifespans, even if those satellites were not designed to be serviced on orbit. The first test flight of OSAM-1 is scheduled for launch no earlier than 2026 and will go to low Earth orbit to rendezvous, grapple and dock with Landsat 7, an Earth observing satellite that has been in orbit since 1999. The mission will conduct a first-of-its-kind refueling demonstration test, then relocate the satellite to a new orbit. While some parts of the mission are autonomous, human tele-operators will conduct much of the procedures and maneuvers remotely from Earth. NASA says that repairing satellitesinstead of just letting defunct spacecraft drift in Earth orbithelps decrease space debris to create a more sustainable future for space exploration. In addition, the test flight will assess on orbit robotic assembly and manufacturing, which many see as technology needed for the future, such as doing maintenance during long-duration human missions in our Solar System and constructing and maintaining structures in orbit of the moon or Mars. The original idea for a satellite servicing spacecraft is the brainchild of noted NASA engineer Frank Cepollina, who has a history of repairing spacecraft in orbit. He led the teams in charge of planning and choreographing the five servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope. He helped design the specialized tools and procedures that astronauts would use to successfully repair and upgrade Hubble, keeping the venerable telescope operating for years longer than projected and allowing better instruments and technology to be installed in each successive mission. He also led teams that developed techniques to repair other satellites during the early days of the Space Shuttle era. "To me, it is astounding that we would just throw satellites away on orbit," Cepollina told me in 2016 when I toured the Robotic Operations Center at what was then called the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "It seemed we should find a way to fix these satellites for economic reasons and for the scientific benefits we could derive. I wanted to find a way to fix and upgrade satellites." Cepollina, now age 85, only recently retired from NASA, but he has mentored and trained several generations of engineers, never giving up on his dream of repairing satellites. After several proposals of servicing missions, the concept was officially recognized as a mission and attained "line item" status in NASA's budget. But there is still much work to be done to be ready for launch by 2026. "When you do something for the first time, there's a lot of new technology and procedures, and you inherently run into roadblocks and setbacks, and we are no different," said Ross Henry, the OSAM-1 Servicing Payload Manager, in an interview with Universe Today. "We are dealing with several new systems, like a new lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) system, a unique propellant transfer system and two robotic arms [one is a redundant backup] that can use eleven unique tools and adapters, each with a specific purpose as part of the mission." The OSAM-1 spacecraft bus, built by Maxar Technologies. Credit: Maxar Technologies The primary goal for OSAM-1's first test flight will be refueling Landsat 7, which is about 705 km (440 miles) above Earth. But since Landsat 7like many satelliteswere never meant to serviced or even seen again, the OSAM-1 spacecraft can't just pull up alongside another satellite and hook up the fuel hose. First, OSAM-1 will need to get close enough for one of the robot arms to grapple Landsat 7, and then perform docking maneuvers, using the original docking clamp or Marman ring on the satellite. "Then, there is a lot of work we'll have to do to get access to the fueling site," Henry explained. "OSAM-1's remote operators will have to cut into the multi-layer insulation thermal blanketing and move it out of the way to expose the fill/drain valves. But when they were closed out before launch, those valves were covered with lock wires, so we'll have to go in with specialized scissors and cut those. Plus, there are redundant safety caps we will remove." OSAM-1 will carry 122 kg (270lbs) of fuel, and the plan is to transfer 115 kg (250 lbs) of it to Landsat 7, using the robotic arm and a retractable hose system. Of course, this is all happening while both spacecraft are traveling at about 26,500 km/h (16,500 mph). OSAM-1 carries six rendezvous and proximity operations cameras for use while approaching Landsat 7. An additional twenty-one cameras are part of a specialized vision sensor system to allow the teleoperators to see the operations from every angle, and floodlights provide lighting for work to continue even during orbital night, which happens about every 50 minutes. Landsat 7's orbital period is 99 minutes. Goddard's Robotic Operations Center includes a specialized testbed with black, curtain-lined walls so that when the lights are shut off, it simulates the darkness of space. This allows for fully immersive training with full scale mock-ups of Landsat 7 and OSAM-1. Previously, this mission was known as Restore-L and focused solely on refueling and repair. But in February of 2019 a new component to the mission was added, called the Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER). Ground demonstrations at the Robotic Operations Center at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Credit: NASA "This adds the 'assembly and manufacturing' portion of OSAM-1," said Henry. "Once we finish with Landsat 7, we'll release it and then go off and do the assembly and manufacturing portion." SPIDER includes its own 5-meter (16 ft) long robotic arm, bringing the total number of robotic arms flying on OSAM-1 to three. SPIDER will assemble a functional 3-meter (9-foot) communications antenna, constructed from parts brought along to space, and will demonstrate Ka-band transmission with a ground station. SPIDER will also manufacture a 32-foot (10-meter) lightweight composite beam to verify the capability to construct large spacecraft structures in orbit. The development of all the systems, tools and techniques has required input from several areas of technology. "We have a lot of really niche engineers working with us who know this stuff and do it day in and day out," Henry said. "Some of our most unique engineers are the robotic folks who know how the arms were built and understand the nuances of the joints and mechanismssuch as what poses you can and can't put the arm in, or if an elbow joint fails, they know how you can still move the end effector with the six other actuators. We have a really great workforce that has dived in deep on the technical part of this mission for several years. They are all leaders in their field, I don't think there's another team like them in the country or maybe even the world." Finding a suitable candidate satellite to be the experimental subject for this demonstration mission took several years of negotiations, Henry said, as the requirements were specific and it had to be a government-owned satellite. "We needed a government agency who was willing to have their satellite be the first to demonstrate this technology," Henry said. "Landsat 7 fit the bill for a number of reasons. It is in an orbit that is easily accessible, and it is at the end of its mission lifetime in terms of generating science. Landsat 9 has already launched and is being brought into service, so its successor is already up and functioning." An engineering design unit of the NASA Servicing Arm, which will be used for the OSAM-1 mission, stands in the Robotics Operations Center at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Landsat 7's nominal science mission ended on April 6, 2022 and its primary science instrument, the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) was placed in standby mode. But its twenty-two years in operation provided has provided substantial data on land cover management and assessment, global change studies, and for mapping. The funded and baseline mission for OSAM 1 is "one and done," where once it completes the servicing, refueling and then the assembly and manufacturing portion of the mission, it is scheduled to be deorbited and will burn up in Earth's atmosphere. "With that being said, we recognize we are flying a very capable vehicle with fuel available," Henry said, "so there are many folks who would like to see us do a follow-up mission while we are in orbit. But as of right now, nothing has been announced or funded." Henry said he is honored and excited to lead the effort in making Frank Cepollina's dream come true in having a true satellite servicing "tow truck" in orbit. Cepollina has another dream too, that fleets of these tow truck-like satellites could build structures in space, not only habitats, but large space telescopes with the ability to directly image distant exoplanets, for example. "What we are demonstrating in the assembly and manufacturing portion is laying the groundwork for future advances in the search for extraterrestrial life and hopefully the colonization of the Solar System," Henry said. "Decades from now, I think you'll be able to trace that back to OSAM-1 being the first US mission to demonstrate these capabilities on orbit." Credit: SUWIT NGAOKAEW, Shutterstock Versatile catalysts with new features and functions could revolutionize scientists' synthetic strategies, paving the way for high-value chemicals and a greener chemical industry. In search of such catalysts, scientists have engineered an enzyme that can speed up an organic reaction well known for its extremely slow reaction rate. The reaction in question is called the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction, a powerful process used to form a carbon-carbon bond between an alkene and an electrophilic compound such as aldehyde. The MBH reaction creates products that are useful building blocks for further syntheses. However, it requires high catalyst loadings and has long reaction times with existing catalysts (normally small-molecule catalysts such as DABCO and DMAP), taking several days to produce a useful amount of product. Therefore, despite its usefulness in organic synthesis, these drawbacks prevent its more widespread use. "The typical catalysts you use for this reaction are small nucleophiles," states Prof. Anthony Green of enzC-Hem project host University of Manchester, the United Kingdom, in an article posted on "Chemistry World." "The beauty of biology is that if you can engineer an enzyme or design a protein to do this reaction, the rate acceleration is significant compared to anything that's been achieved with small-molecule chemistry," continues Prof. Green, who is the senior author of the study published in the journal Nature Chemistry. The path to a better catalyst Aiming to create the first efficient and selective biocatalyst for the MBH reaction, the research team used an enzymeBH32developed a few years earlier by Dr. David Baker and his team at the University of Washington in the United States. As reported in the news article, while Dr. Bakerwho is a co-author in the current studyand his team succeeded in designing enzymes for the MBH reaction, these enzymes acted weakly. "They were catalytically competent, but weren't viable biocatalysts," according to Prof. Green. To create the new enzyme, the research team led by Prof. Green subjected the primitive enzyme BH32 to a process called directed evolution. A powerful engineering tool for tailoring enzymes towards desired transformations, directed evolution improves the functions of proteins through repeated rounds of mutation and selection. After 14 rounds of evolution, the research team succeeded in engineering an enzyme called BH32.14 that is significantly faster and is also enantioselective. Results showed that low concentrations of BH32.14 added to the MBH reaction can achieve much larger yields than high loadings of current small-molecule catalysts. Additionally, the reaction only takes a few hours, not several days. The newly engineered enzyme "is one of the most complex designed enzymes applied to organic chemistry to date," the article reports. The work supported by enzC-Hem (Creating Versatile Metallo-Enzyme Environments for Selective C-H Activation Chemistry: Lignocellulose Deconstruction and Beyond) shows that combining computational design and directed evolution could lead to new biocatalysts for important chemical transformations not found in nature. Explore further Understanding enzyme evolution paves the way for green chemistry More information: Rebecca Crawshaw et al, Engineering an efficient and enantioselective enzyme for the MoritaBaylisHillman reaction, Nature Chemistry (2021). Journal information: Nature Chemistry Rebecca Crawshaw et al, Engineering an efficient and enantioselective enzyme for the MoritaBaylisHillman reaction,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00833-9 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Only a few weeks remain until the Supreme Court makes a final decision on whether it will overturn Roe v. Wade, which it's poised to do, according to a leaked draft opinion published by Politico. If the ruling is reversed, and states have the right to restrict or outlaw abortion, the U.S. would become one of the few countries on the opposite side of a decades-long, global trend of increasing a woman's right to choose, USA Today reports. "There's no doubt the United States is an influential country in many ways," says Wendy Parmet, Matthews Distinguished University Professor of Law and co-director of Northeastern's Center for Health Policy and Law. "And opponents of abortion in many countries will probably take heart from the changes in the United States, and feel supported by that." So, in a post-Roe world, how would other countries view the Supreme Court's decision? Would they follow in the footsteps of the U.S. or continue the momentum of allowing more access to abortion? "I think that it actually will be significant. We see internationally an overall trend toward more liberalized access to abortion," says Martha F. Davis, distinguished professor of law at Northeastern, who teaches constitutional law and human rights advocacy. In the past 25 years, about 50 countries have increased legal access to abortion, including nations with prominent Catholic ties, Bloomberg reports. "And the laws in the U.S have been a factor that has been cited by activists and litigators, and those countries have taken that step," Davis says. In December 2020, Argentina's Congress legalized abortions of up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, which was considered a landmark vote in a conservative country. In February, the Constitutional Court in Colombia legalized the procedure until 24 weeks, allowing that nation to have the most progressive legal framework in Latin America. "I think it will play out differently in different countries. Well-established democracies may look at this one way, thinking of countries in the EU or Canada," Parmet says. "Countries that are dealing with sentient authoritarianism may deal with this in a very different way." Last year, Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to punish abortion, which barred all jurisdictions from charging a woman with a crime for terminating a pregnancy. But statutes outlawing abortion are still on the books in almost all of Mexico's 32 states. The countries where there has not been that trendPoland, Honduras, and Venezuela, for exampleare places where there's a political trend toward autocracy, Davis says. "So, not having a fundamental right, having half the states criminalize abortion will really put the U.S. in company with those countries," Davis says. "Those countries we otherwise try to separate ourselves from politically." Besides Poland, most European countries have legalized abortion, including Ireland in 2018 when a referendum repealing the Eighth Amendment passed overwhelmingly by a margin of 66% to 34%, PBS News reports. The repeal allows for legal abortions during the first trimester or up to 12 weeks. Other countries, such as Nicaragua and El Salvador, have total bans on abortionwith no exceptionsallowing courts to give women long prison sentences for aggravated homicide even in cases of miscarriage instead of an actual abortion, The Associated Press reports. Will a U.S. Supreme Court decision incentivize other countries to do the same? "I think it's a real danger that it will provide new energy and rationalize folks that were already in opposition to liberalization in these other countries," Davis says. "So it's hard to know what's going to come out at the end, but certainly the draft itself provides an important signal to other countries where the struggle is ongoing." NPR reports that the international rights group, Human Rights Watch, warned the Supreme Court in 2020 that if the High Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade it would put the U.S. behind the curve of other countries that have expanded access to abortion care. "If the U.S. is pulling back rights for half the population, it really undermines the U.S. to be a leader in that field, and to have any credibility when talks are about human rights for women in other countries for example," Davis says. Explore further Access to safe abortions saves lives: WHO chief Time has not been kind to democracy. How Democracies Live is in its defense. We spoke with the author, Stein Ringen, to hear a little more about the inspiration for this book, some of his research experiences, and the plans for his next project. How did you become interested in power, statecraft, and freedom in modern societies? What led you to write about it? I am a Scandinavian and we Scandinavians have had the good luck of seeing state power work well for us. State power comes with both potentials and risks. By and large, we have benefitted from the potentials and avoided the risks. Thats a bit of a miracle. I have wanted to understand how that can come about. Part of my career has been in high public office. In that experience, I have seen how terribly difficult it is to make good policy and to get it to work. Ive been exploring it for forty years, from my early research into the welfare state. When I say that state power works well (or poorly), I have in mind not only the mechanics of public policy but also the underlying culture. The Scandinavians have pretty much avoided the slide into polarization and culture wars that we have seen in some other places. People trust each other and have trust in their governments. The great Robert Dahl said it thus: The prospects for stable democracy are improved if the country possesses a democratic political culture, and added: Lucky the country whose history has led to these happy results! He was right but its not only luck. Governments have trust when they deliver and can deliver when they are trusted. Can you comment a bit on the culture around democracy in the United States today? America has everything going for it. A strong economy with next to unlimited capacity. The melting pot tradition to which diverse peoples contribute. Cultural vivacity. But somehow, Americans are unable to appreciate their luck. Im not surprised that there is disagreement and conflict. There is much to be unhappy about: inequality, exclusion, racism. But Im still surprised at the anger that now pervades social life,and I find it disturbing how anger seems to be stoked from all sides, by liberals and conservatives alike. Everyone demands rights for themselves and wants duties left to others. We must hope that Americans will be more able to get together and say to each other, Lets deal with these problems. That would depend on the ability of everyone to be more accepting of duties and less fundamentalist on rights. Bringing that about would be a matter of dealing with runaway inequality and persistent poverty. Governments need to deliver. If they do, there will be trust. While working on the book, what did you learn that surprised you the most? My investigation of power took me to where I had not expected, to the deflation of the power of power. We easily think that power gets things done: if you have power, you can dominate others, impose your will, and make things happen. Not so, I found. I compare holding power to having a driving license: No more than a driving license says how good a driver the holder is, does power say how good a governor its winner will be. I draw a sharp line between power and the use of power and find that it is not power itself, but the way it is used, that explains its influence in the world. That again leads me to the analysis of statecraft and leadership, in the case of government to the quality of leadership. I was also surprised that political science, the science of power, has failed to find a robust definition of its core concept. Understanding power is at the heart of any political analysis. We therefore obviously need a clear understanding of the meaning of power and how it works. Building on the distinction between power and the use of power, I think Ive been able to find the missing definition. What do you most hope people take away from your book? That it is a passionate defense of democracy. I consider in detail the reasons why we should hold on to and take care of democratic government and find those reasons compelling. The idea that we citizens govern ourselves is one of humanitys greatest inventions. My defense of democracy, I write, grows out of a conviction that if we and our children cannot live under reasonably well-functioning democratic rule, our and their lives will suffer for it. It is not a book of predictions of doom and gloom, but a reminder, a sober reminder I hope, of the majesty, albeit imperfect majesty, of the democratic enterprise. Where will your research and writing take you next? I am finishing a History of Scandinavia, three countries (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), 1200 years, to be published next year. Its a dramatic story of persistent warfare, exploitation, and misery which has nevertheless brought us to the harmony we today associate with brand Scandinavia. Its in part the story of those peoples and in part a European history as seen from up north. Stein Ringen is emeritus professor at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford and visiting professor of political economy at Kings College, London. How Democracies Live is available now from our website or your favorite bookseller. The Boss is back. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are going on tour for the first time since wrapping The River Tour in February 2017. The tour will kick off in February with a string of U.S. arena shows, then head to Europe in late April, hitting venues in Spain, Ireland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark and Austria. The New Jersey-bred rocker will then head back to the U.S. in August for another run down Thunder Road. None of the U.S. venues have been announced yet, and more dates in the U.K. and Belgium will be revealed later. "After six years, I'm looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year," Springsteen said in a statement. "And I'm looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year and beyond." Despite years off from touring, the 72-year-old musician has stayed busy. He released "Letter To You" in 2020, starred in his own one-man show on Broadway that kicked off the Great White Way's reopening during the pandemic and released a podcast and book with former President Barack Obama, "Renegades: Born In The USA." "I'm just aching to play, you know, and, and to actually not just play, but to travel and see our fans in all our different cities and feel that life again and see their faces again," Springsteen said on SiriusXM on Tuesday. "It'll have a significant amount of some recent material. And then of course we'll be playing a lot of the music that the fans have become familiar with and love to hear. It should be a balance of good things. The show should feel contemporary and it should also make you feel at home at the same time. So that's our goal." He also said additional stadium dates would be announced for later in 2023 that that the tour also will hit Australia and New Zealand. ATLANTIC CITY AtlantiCare honored Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Saturday with a community health and wellness fair. The fair took place at the Atlantic City Vietnamese Community Center, which is in the Chelsea Heights neighborhood just off Albany Avenue. AtlantiCare staff offered blood pressure, cancer, cholesterol and diabetes assessments to those in attendance, according to a news release about the event. Nine physicians and an advanced-practice nurse held a panel discussion, giving out general health advice while answering questions. The fair also celebrated AAPI culture, offering food, music and dance. Students from local high schools and colleges volunteered to do arts and crafts with children in attendance. The city of Atlantic City, Vietnamese Community Center and Dynasty Alliance Inc. helped sponsor the event. Ethan Nhan, AtlantiCares director of clinical and population health pharmacy, said the event was designed to be a fun way to connect members of the AAPI community with health resources. Culture is family, community, food and music, said Nhan, who also is co-chair of the AtlantiCare Asian Pacific Employee Resource Group, or APEG. Today we combined those with a dose of good health. Maria Victoria Roque, clinical director of oncology at the AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute and another APEG co-chair, emphasized the importance of teaching about common health needs, saying they could improve long-term health outcomes. The more our community members know about unique and common health issues they face, the more likely they are to access the care and services that are so important to their overall well-being, Roque said. COVID-19 vaccines were available at the event. After a springtime lull, coronavirus infections are beginning to increase again in New Jersey. The pandemic has made the appreciation of AAPI cultures an especially important measure for public welfare. Yasna Babich, supervisor for Atlantic City Multicultural Affairs and Services, underscored how critical diversity was in promoting public health. Diversity brings a community together, Babich said in the news release. As diverse as we are, we are united. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BUENA Fallout from last years dissolution of a local fire district continues to reverberate in the borough. The Borough Council held a lengthy closed session Monday night to discuss litigation that pits the borough and the Minotola Volunteer Fire Company against the Landisville Volunteer Fire Company. After returning to its chambers, council entertained a motion for the borough to drop the lawsuit, but ultimately decided to pull the motion. Members of council left open the possibility that they may hold a special meeting sometime before the next scheduled meeting June 13 to further discuss the issue. The council voted unanimously in July 2021 to dissolve Buena Fire District No. 1, a municipal entity that had historically been served by the 100-year-old Landisville fire company. The territory and responsibilities of Fire District No. 1 were to be taken over by Buena Fire District No. 2, which is served by the Minotola fire company. Buena Borough Hall set to reopen after flooding BUENA Four months after flooding shut down Borough Hall, Buena is beginning to create more The borough and Fire District No. 2 have since sued the Landisville company and former Fire District No. 1 commissioners. The plaintiffs say the Landisville company failed to turn over certain property as prescribed by borough ordinance. Landisville supporters maintain the plaintiffs have received what they need, and that outstanding property still belongs to the private Landisville company, rather than the dissolved public district. The dissolution and lawsuit have galvanized an ongoing opposition campaign against the then members of council. Two were unseated in the November election, and two people who voted for the dissolution are being challenged in the June 7 Republican primary. Council member Jorge Alvarez, who had seconded the motion, said he would be willing to vote in favor of dropping the suit if the Landisville litigants, many of whom were in the approximately 20-person audience Monday, agreed to resolve the dispute outside of litigation. We're asking that we meet and end this thing, let's get it done," Alvarez said. Let's come to an agreement as adults and more as residents, because we're residents." This has to end, this has to be done tonight, Council President Matthew Walker, who made the motion, said earlier. Some people involved in the litigation said they did not want to meet about the case without first talking with their lawyers. Others in the audience said the underlying cause of the lawsuit would have to be addressed, namely the dissolution of Fire District No. 1. Buena Borough Hall closed due to flooding BUENA People hoping for a smooth start to 2022 for borough government have had their hopes In response to the reluctance of people to meet on the spot after the meeting, the motion was pulled. Alvarez and Walker still met with some supporters of the Landisville company after the meeting to discuss resolving the situation and the possibility of holding a special meeting to take further action on the matter. Borough Solicitor Angela Costigan disputed that the motion on the floor was to drop the lawsuit and that the motion was instead to meet and discuss. She later said the council president had made a request to which Alvarez "agreed." Walker, when he seemingly made the motion, had begun by saying I want to make a resolution that we drop the lawsuit and that we bring all the parties to the table, to which Alvarez replied, and I second that. Costigan also noted that the litigation involved not only the borough but also Fire District No. 2, which is a separate municipal entity, meaning the borough does not have the power to end all legal action by itself. Council member Joseph DAlessandro III said he was concerned about how dropping the lawsuit would affect the boroughs ability to fulfill its fiduciary obligations to the firefighters of the former Fire District No. 1. He said the litigation would allow Fire District No. 2 to obtain records pertaining to Landisville firefighters Length of Service Award Program, or LOSAP, so they could receive their payments. Landisville officials have argued that Fire District No. 2 already has the documents it needs to distribute LOSAP funds. DAlessandro added the borough also had to enforce its ordinance, which he said mandated that transfer of property still in Landisvilles possession go to Fire District No. 2. Council members Patricia and Gina Andaloro, a mother-daughter pair and the two Democrats on the council, were excluded from much of the closed session to avoid creating the perception of conflict of interest. Patricia Andaloro is named as a defendant in the lawsuit due to her stint as a Fire District No. 1 commissioner. Some residents took issue with Gina Andaloros exclusion from the closed session, saying her familial relationship did not create a conflict of interest. Members of the council who voted to dissolve Fire District No. 1 in July 2021 have argued dissolution was warranted by code violations. The borough and the state Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health launched investigations that uncovered more than two dozen code violations at the Landisville company. Supporters of the fire company have argued the dissolution was unfair. They noted that Landisville passed a state inspection in June 2021 after the investigations were completed and before council voted to dissolve. The dissolution seemingly precipitated a swell of political action against the July 2021 members of council. Then Council President Rosalie Baker and then Council member Joseph Mancuso Jr., running as Republican incumbents, were defeated in the November election by the Andaloros, a remarkable outcome given Bakers approximately 30-year career on the governing body and the overall tilt of the New Jersey 2021 elections toward the GOP. Supporters of the company attributed the outcome in part to outrage over the dissolution of Fire District No. 1. The June 7 Republican primary election will see Baker and DAlessandro running against three newcomers Douglas Adams, Mariana Barsuglia and Joseph Fabrizio. Of the three newcomers, Fabrizio is running unopposed for the GOP nomination to fill a one-year unexpired term of a vacant seat on the council. Of the remaining four candidates, the two who obtain the highest vote totals will win the GOP nomination to fill two full-term seats on the council. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ATLANTIC CITY New loft-style apartments are coming to the city, part of a Philadelphia-based developers plan to convert an existing office building at a busy Atlantic Avenue intersection. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority board on Tuesday unanimously approved Atlantic Lofts, a roughly $10 million development proposed by Odin Properties at 1 S. New York Ave. We have been excited about Atlantic Citys potential, said Odin Properties CEO Philip Balderston. Theres a lot of existing land and buildings that we think can be repurposed productively. Odin plans to convert the offices on the second through eighth floors which Balderston said have been vacant for years into 56 apartments, as well as add a roof deck. That corner needs help, Jack Plackter, an attorney representing Odin, told CRDA board members. This building will stabilize that corner. Justin Kaplan, Odins director of development, said the residential units will include seven efficiencies, 28 one-bedroom and 21 two-bedroom apartments that range from 350 to 900 square feet. Rental rates will range from $1,300 to $1,900, Kaplan said. Maisha Moore named deputy executive director of CRDA ATLANTIC CITY A familiar face is joining the senior staff of the Casino Reinvestment Devel The current retail spaces will stay put in the approximately 2,740-square-foot ground floor, which will also include a fitness center, a bike storage room and a space for package deliveries for residents, according to Odins land use application with CRDA. Company representatives did not share an exact start date for the project, though Balderston said Odin expects to break ground in the third quarter of this year. The renovations should be complete by the end of 2023. Were targeting young professionals that live and work in Atlantic City, people that work from home, people that relocated to Atlantic City during the pandemic, he said. We think theres a really substantial market for that. Odin is bullish on Atlantic City and expects to continue to invest. Theres a clear opportunity for additional development over the next couple of decades, and we are actively looking at other opportunities to do that across the city, Balderston said. Some CRDA board members raised concerns about the lack of parking at the property, but Plackter pointed out that the building has never had on-site parking. Talks with the owner of a neighboring parking garage to lease spaces are underway, and Balderston said the real estate firm will ensure any tenants that have cars will have good parking options that are immediately adjacent to the building. Stockton hosts Atlantic City Community Cleanup Day ATLANTIC CITY Hundreds of volunteers were in ODonnell Park Saturday morning with trash ba The company purchased the eight-story property in late 2020 for $985,000, according to Atlantic County property records. In addition to the future Atlantic Lofts, Odin owns and manages Carolina Village at 124 N. North Carolina Ave. and Virginia Arms Apartments at 31 N. Virginia Ave. Headquartered in Center City, Philadelphia, Odin specializes in revamping underperforming properties along the East Coast, according to its website. It owns and manages about 9,000 apartments and 200,000 square feet of commercial space across 14 states. MARGATE A campaign to help local landmark Lucy the Elephant is asking anyone who adores Americas oldest roadside attraction to help raise $800,000 for her upkeep. The Lucys Life Preserver campaign is looking for 800 donors who can, ideally, each contribute $1,000, but donations of a lesser value are still appreciated, Richard Helfant, executive director of the Save Lucy Committee, said Tuesday in a news release. Lucy has been closed since September for restoration, and her managers are preparing to reopen her to visitors Memorial Day weekend, Helfant said. The attraction will be opened on a modified schedule to accommodate ongoing construction. The iconic elephant, originally named Elephant Bazaar when first erected by developer James Lafferty, of Philadelphia, has been covered by containment scaffolding since work began to add a waterproof layer underneath newly placed metal sheets that make up Lucys skin. Rotted wood sheathing was repaired or replaced, and Lucy received a fresh coat of paint, Helfant said. Costs to replenish Lucy have risen from $1.4 million to $2 million, funded in part by a grant from the Preserve NJ Preservation Fund and administered by the New Jersey Historic Trust and the Save Americas Treasures Grant program, he said. This has been an enormous financial undertaking, Helfant said. This isnt the first time donations have been sought to save the elephant-shaped structure. Lucy would have faced demolition in 1970 if not for Ed and Sylvia Carpenter, a local couple who launched the Save Lucy Committee, which helped move the giant elephant from Cedar Grove Avenue to Decatur Avenue, now known as 1 Lucy Plaza, her current home. The people in our community are very generous, and we feel confident there are enough who will want to come to Lucys aid at this critical time in her storied life, Helfant said. Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. OCEAN CITY The bright pink exterior of the Chatterbox will remain, according to the new owner of the landmark restaurant. As long as I own it, it will always be that way, and the sign will always be there, said Bill Bonforte, who settled on the purchase of the business and the building with the former owners Friday. Bonforte is part of an investment group that bought the building. On Monday, he declined to say how much they paid. Earlier this year, the property was listed at $2.895 million, which includes three apartments above the restaurant. The menu will change, he said. For now, the first step will be to staff up, with hopes of having something open by Memorial Day weekend, even if it is only for ice cream and possibly a limited lunch menu. Bonforte cited Jean Campbell, who founded the Chatterbox in 1937, describing it as a bold move. It was also bold to paint the building bright pink, he said. Im guessing Jean was quite a woman, he said. Instead of always trying to recreate the same vision for the food, were going to try to bring that same boldness to the food, to bring in food that is an homage to that spirit, thats a bit brighter and a bit over-the-top. He and his partners own a restaurant in Philadelphia, but he said he is not ready to name the brand publicly, at least until they are more certain about what they will do this summer. But it does not take too long on Google to find that Bonforte is a partner in the Green Eggs Cafe, with several locations in Philadelphia serving breakfast and lunch. There was also a location in North Wildwood in summer 2017, operating with a brunch menu at Keenans Irish Pub. Several published reports and reviews identify Bonforte, Stephen Slaughter and Andrew Zuccarini as the team behind Green Eggs Cafe. At 500 E. Ninth St. in Ocean City, the look will not change much, Bonforte said. When he is ready to bring his brand name to the location, he said, it will remain at the Chatterbox. I think in everybodys heart that building will always be the Chatterbox, he said. He added the first question most people have asked him is whether the building will remain pink. Ocean City landmark Chatterbox under an agreement of sale OCEAN CITY With Memorial Day closing fast and projections for a busy summer in 2022, a pin The restaurant originally opened in another location, then moved to its current spot at Ninth Street and Central Avenue in 1940. The Repici family operated the restaurant for decades. More recently, Regina Anthony and Giampaolo John Duva purchased the business and the building, undertaking extensive renovations, including to the exterior of the building as well as to the apartments and the electrical systems and plumbing. At one point, the restaurant remained open 24 hours a day in the summer, and stories abound about its heyday in the 1960s and 70s. There also is a persistent story that Grace Kelly, future film icon and Princess of Monaco, briefly worked as a waitress there while living in Ocean City. By most accounts the building was designed by Vivian Smith in the 1920s, around the same time Smith designed many other Ocean City landmarks, including the Flanders Hotel, the Music Pier and City Hall. Like several Ocean City buildings, the Chatterbox incorporated Spanish and Southwest design elements, including a bold color scheme. Finalizing the sale the week before Memorial Day presents challenges. Bonforte said the locals will understand, but for the visitors who are only in town for a week, he does not want to announce any details of potential changes until he is ready. If I cant give them what they want, I dont want to shortchange them, he said. They may drop some signature dishes from the Philadelphia location as a hint to customers in early summer. Its the Chatterbox for a new generation, he said. Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Govt takes steps to get economy back on track By WANG KEJU (China Daily) 08:30, May 24, 2022 Photo taken on Jan 14, 2021 shows a night view of Lujiazui in Pudong of East China's Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua] Development is the basis and key for resolving all problems, says premier China will adopt a package of measures to stabilize economic performance in an effort to get the economy back to a normal track and keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range, the State Council decided at a recent executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. Noting the increasing downward pressure on the economy and the serious difficulties facing many market entities, the meeting stressed the need to stay confident, respond resolutely, fully apply the new development philosophy and coordinate COVID response with economic and social development with high efficiency. "Power generation, freight volume and bank loans have all declined since April. Without a certain level of GDP growth, stable employment cannot be realized. One good thing is that we refrained from excessive money supply and mass stimulus in the past few years, and we still have policy tools in reserve," Li said. The meeting decided to implement 33 measures in six aspects, which mainly include fiscal and related policies, to keep the operation of market entities and employment stable. The policy of refunding outstanding and newly added value added tax credits will be extended to more industries, which is expected to increase tax refunds by more than 140 billion yuan ($21 billion) and bring the total amount of tax relief this year to 2.64 trillion yuan. The policy of deferred premium payments of old-age, unemployment and workplace safety insurance programs by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, self-employed households and companies in the catering, retail, tourism, civil aviation, and highway, waterway and railway transportation sectors will be prolonged until the end of this year, and extended to other industries facing serious difficulties. As a result, the deferred payments this year will reach 320 billion yuan. Insurance extended The subsidy for retaining employees under unemployment insurance will be extended to all hard-hit enterprises participating in the plan. The re-guarantee business of the national financing guarantee fund will be increased by more than 1 trillion yuan this year. Energy security will be ensured. The policy for approving the increased production capacity of coal mines will be recalibrated, and procedures for designating coal mines especially important for energy supply will be accelerated. A number of new hydropower and coal-fired power projects will start this year. The meeting decided to implement a string of financial policies. The scale of the support facility for inclusive loans to micro and small businesses will be doubled this year. Banks will be supported in deferring, within this year, principal and interest repayments on loans made to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed households, as well as truck loans, home loans and consumer loans borne by individuals facing temporary difficulties. "For China, development is the basis and key for resolving all problems. We must efficiently coordinate COVID response with economic and social development and better use the experience we gained in the past two years," Li said "Policy support must be beefed up, and policy measures should be swiftly rolled out wherever needed, to keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range and ensure stable overall economic performance." The meeting adopted measures to stabilize industrial and supply chains. The policies to enable early reopening of enterprises and their full-capacity production will be fine-tuned. People-oriented policies The meeting stressed the imperative need to ensure people's basic livelihoods. Support must be provided for people eligible for unemployment benefits and subsistence allowances and people facing difficulties. The mechanism of raising social benefits to keep pace with price increase will be promptly activated should the situation require. Restrictions on the passage of trucks from low-COVID-risk areas will be lifted and all undue limits and arbitrary charges will be scrapped. Domestic and international passenger flights will be increased in a well-paced manner. Consumer spending and effective investment will be boosted, and car purchase restrictions will be relaxed. There will be a phased reduction of purchase tax totaling 60 billion yuan on some passenger vehicles. City-specific policies will be adopted to meet people's basic housing needs and their wish to improve housing conditions. A number of infrastructure projects will be launched, including water conservancy facilities, especially large-scale irrigation facilities, transportation facilities, the renovation of old residential communities, and multipurpose utility tunnels. Banks will be encouraged to provide long-term loans on a sizable scale. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) PLEASANTVILLE More city residents will likely have better access to food through a grant that will help create the municipalitys first mobile farmers market. The $20,000 Sustainable Jersey Grant will help enable the city to partner with Communities Revolutionizing Open Public Spaces, a nonprofit that helps promote healthy communities. C.R.O.P.S. operates the citys downtown farmers on City Halls parking lot, having done so for two years, city officials said in a news release Monday. An independent committee examined the proposals, and Pleasantville was one of seven communities chosen to receive a grant of that value, officials said. Pleasantville is 25th on New Jerseys food desert list of municipalities facing shortages of healthy foods and local supermarkets. Northfield Fire Department responds to multiple fires NORTHFIELD Firefighters were busy Monday night into Tuesday morning when separate fires da The farmers market experience taught us that with a growing non-English-speaking population and the need for more nutritional education citywide, taking our market to the residents may be a better option, Mayor Judy Ward said in a statement. Grants from Sustainable Jersey, which city officials describe as a network of municipalities and school districts partnering to help promote sustainability, help bring local markets to impoverished communities, supplying them with fresh fruit, vegetables and workshops to help residents implement a healthy lifestyle, officials said. The city will embark on a volunteer-based public outreach campaign to advertise the mobile market, sharing flyers and managing social media accounts, as well as making cold calls to businesses and organizations, officials said. We are partnering with several agencies and organizations to improve the quality of life in the City of Pleasantville, Ward said. We appreciate the time and resources that C.R.O.P.S. has brought to our community. Sustainable Jerseys grant programs are funded in part by the PSEG Foundation, which supports grant programs for sustainable, safe neighborhoods, as well as education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. The foundation has contributed $2.8 million toward Sustainable Jerseys grant programs for municipalities and schools, officials said. Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Iowa Department of Transportation officials on Tuesday announced temporary measures to restrict vehicle access to the bike/pedestrian path on the new Interstate 74 bridge. And a planter was moved Tuesday in front of the entrance to the pedestrian path in Bettendorf to prevent vehicle access. No barriers had been placed at the other end of the pedestrian path in Moline as of Tuesday afternoon. The news came two days after the driver of a SUV entered the bike/pedestrian path on the I-74 bridge, striking three people and killing one of them. Ethan Gonzalez, 21, of Moline, died at the scene, which was near the path's Moline entrance. Two others, Charles Bowen, 22, and Anthony Castaneda, 18, also were struck and were described Monday as critical. Several bouquets of flowers had been tied to the railing along the pedestrian path by Tuesday afternoon, including one with a card that read: "In loving memory, Ethan Lee Gonzalez, our beautiful man that was taken way too soon. We love you." Chhabria "Chay" A. Harris, 46, of East Moline, is in custody on multiple charges, including aggravated driving under the influence, reckless driving, failure to stop after the crash and reckless homicide. She is being held in the Rock Island County Jail on $2 million bail. Three days after the incident, the Iowa DOT issued a statement on social media, saying temporary vehicle restrictions will soon be in place. "Iowa Department of Transportation is deeply saddened by the tragedy that took place early Sunday morning and we are committed to preventing incidents like this from happening in the future," the agency wrote in a statement posted Tuesday afternoon. "The path was built to fully separate users on bike or foot from vehicle traffic along its length using concrete barriers, along with other safety features. On Sunday, the driver involved in the incident was able to access the path at its entrance." Many in the public have asked why barriers were not placed at the two access points for the path to prevent vehicles from accessing it. While the riverfront bike paths have no such protections, the path on the bridge is different: In the event a vehicle drove onto it, pedestrians and cyclists would have no escape. "Iowa DOT and the cities of Bettendorf and Moline are taking immediate action to protect those using the path by implementing temporary measures, including the placement of large concrete planters on the sidewalks and curbs leading to the river bridge path to create an additional physical barrier between the roadway and the path," the DOT's statement continued. "In addition, we will soon install new signage and pavement markings on the path to provide more visual cues for motorists. "Further solutions will be implemented as we gather more information about the incident and determine the best ways to help prevent future incidents, while balancing the need for emergency and maintenance vehicles to quickly and safely access the path." Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn has said transportation officials in both states wanted to delay the opening of the path until all bridge construction and clean-up were complete, but Bettendorf and Moline were eager to permit access to it. Bridge-related construction and demolition are not expected to be finished for another year to three years, he said, and the community has been eager to use the path. It was unclear whether the DOT's original designs called for protection against vehicles entering the path, but Tuesday's statement suggests no plan was in place to bar accidental or intentional access by vehicles. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mayor Mike Matson touted Davenport's investment in roads and infrastructure, flood mitigation and violence prevention as evidence the city is tackling residents' top priorities. Matson delivered his annual state of the city address to a roomful of city partners and Scott County civic leaders Monday at Rhythm City Casino Resort. Recent city surveys have shown residents' top priorities to be: quality of city streets, quality of neighborhoods, police services, and efforts to attract and retain businesses. "Those are what people continue to ask us. That's what they want us to focus on, and that's what we'll be doing," Matson said. When it comes to quality streets, he noted the city's $47 million capital budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 includes $22.6 million for streets and sewer repairs, including $4.45 million for neighborhood street improvements and $4.6 million for high-volume street repair. "People call me, they call the staff, they call the council number: 'My goodness, you have a lot of roadblocks. My goodness, you have a lot of barricades, I can't get down this road,'" Matson said, adding the short-term pain of traffic delays are an unavoidable reality to achieve the long-term gain of improved and better-maintained roadways. "We understand. We hear you," Matson said. "And we're going to keep fixing the streets. And (you'll) keep seeing barricades and keep seeing roadblocks and keep seeing things being fixed. It takes a long time to do 900 miles of road." Davenport's major road construction project this season is the reconstruction of a 1-mile stretch of 53rd Street, a busy four-lane thoroughfare lined with restaurants and retail. Work includes the addition of a center left-turn lane, construction of a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side of 53rd Street and the installation of an 8-foot-wide multi-use path to the south. With lane closures, some residents have complained, and city officials have warned, of long traffic delays during busy times. Matson, though, said the temporary traffic delays will be worth it for the new road to be in place. City moving ahead with violence prevention Matson said the city also hired a coordinator earlier this month to lead a violence-prevention strategy. Davenport has experienced a spike in gun violence since 2020, which city officials have pledged to take steps to address. The city's group violence intervention strategy involved making contact with those most at-risk of committing or being victims of violence and offering support services and emphasizing the consequences of engaging in violence. Matson said the city interviewed five finalists and selected DeAmbuir Carter, who has experience in counseling and corrections. Carter and participating organizations talked face-to-face with three at-risk people in its first week, Matson told the audience. He declined to name the organizations or provide details on the circumstances of the talks but said the three notifications were "very successful," meaning the three people were thankful someone came and talked to them directly, Matson said. "We're done talking," Matson said during his address. "We're going to get this together, work with all the nonprofits, all the different agencies to make this group violence intervention approach (work). We're already executing it. We're already doing it." The Coordinated Assessment Program is another violence-prevention program promoted by the city and other local governments that identify and connect young people and families in need of services, such as housing and therapy, with the goal of stabilizing households. That program started last year, and dedicated staff with Family Resources have fielded more than 200 referrals. Flood mitigation Matson also touted the city's long-term plan to mitigate flooding along Davenport's riverfront and said the city would continue to carry out the plan. After a record 2019 flood breached a HESCO barrier, sending floodwaters downtown and causing millions of dollars in damage, new calls came to better protect the downtown from floodwaters. Davenport hired consulting company HR Green, which recommended phasing in flood-mitigation measures, including elevating parts of River Drive, upgrading storm sewers, building earthen berms and installing new pumping stations. The first construction project of the city's flood mitigation plan is underway this summer storm sewer improvements that will allow Davenport's East River Drive to open for traffic at the intersections of 3rd and 4th Streets during flood events up to a stage of 22 feet. "We put it into action to protect our assets," Matson said. "River Drive stays open, keeping the view of the river and not having something gigantic piece of metal or cement." The city also plans improvements to parks, including adding Wi-Fi to five public parks this summer, and awarded a contract to start construction on a new fire station. What did others have to say? Superintendent TJ Schneckloth said Davenport Community Schools were following the city's continuation of the Coordinated Assessment Program and Group Violence Intervention closely. He said the school system made the bulk of referrals to the Coordinated Assessment Program in order to help meet students' needs both at school and at home. "We work very closely with the city and the city administrators, as we believe being proactive. Getting resources to students and families is what is ultimately going to help people," Schneckloth said. " We have a lot of confidence in them (city leaders), and they're very collaborative with the schools with everything that we're trying to do." Kyle Carter, the executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership, said Davenport had built "a lot of forward momentum," despite the challenges of the pandemic. Looking ahead, Carter said implementing the city's flood mitigation plan will be key to the downtown's prosperity. "Actually getting the flood mitigation plan approved and then beginning construction of the first phase of the plan, for downtown, obviously, that's just paramount," he said. "And it was it was just very encouraging to hear that reiterated today." Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The breakdown of U.S. Supreme Court legitimacy may already have begun as the public perception of the court morphs from one of respectful observances of the law as interpreted by the nations top judicial scholars to a view of them as little more than political hacks in black robes. Various states, including Missouri, are on record openly defying Congress by effectively ignoring federal legislative mandates. It could be just a matter of time before defiance of the Supreme Court follows the same track. Various states, including Missouri, already are openly sidestepping federal marijuana laws, legalizing use of the drug even though the federal government outlaws marijuana as a Schedule I drug equivalent to heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. A steady stream of states, starting with Colorado, decided to defy the federal government to the point where federal authorities make minimal efforts to enforce their own laws these days. Missouri has taken its defiance a step further by asserting a right to forbid police from enforcing any federal gun laws that dont have a companion Missouri state law. Missouris Second Amendment Protection Act has forced local police to cancel cooperative arrangements with federal agencies for fear of losing their state funding if theyre caught helping enforce any semblance of a federal gun law not recognized by Missouri. This is how quickly federal authority can erode when states decide to go their own way. The U.S. Supreme Court and Congress might be only a few steps away from prompting similar defiance by states that refuse to recognize federal supremacy regarding abortion rights. After a draft Supreme Court ruling leaked that could overturn abortion rights, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell stated that a Republican-controlled Congress might move to establish a federal ban on abortion. California is already working on a law that would protect anyone involved in an abortion from being extradited if charged in another state for an abortion offense. We cant trust Scotus (the Supreme Court) to protect the right to abortion, so well do it ourselves, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted. Women will remain protected here. The courts politicization is no longer something justices can hide. The three most recent arrivals to the bench misled members of Congress by indicating they regarded Roe v. Wade as settled law, not to be overturned. Justice Clarence Thomas wife is an open supporter of former President Donald Trump and his efforts to subvert democracy. The Supreme Court has no police force or military command to impose enforcement of its rulings. Until now, the deference that states have shown was entirely out of respect for the courts place among the three branches of government. If states choose simply to ignore the court following a Roe reversal, justices will have only themselves to blame for the erosion of their stature in Americans minds. This editorial originally appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 On May 20, Dawes County 4-H hosted a Livestock Judging Contest at the Dawes County Fairgrounds. Twenty youth ages 5-18 from Dawes County, Scottsbluff County, and Wyoming participated in the contest. Youth judged a total of 10 classes: two market hog classes, market goats, market beef, market sheep, breeding ewes, performance angus bulls, commercial heifers, Hereford bulls, and feedlot cattle. Livestock judging helps youth to develop life skills in the areas of decision making, critical thinking, oral reasoning, self-confidence and problem solving. Youth evaluate livestock quality and then answer questions or orally defend their placings. The contest was a part of the Great Plains Livestock Judging Circuit. The Great Plains Livestock Judging Circuit is a lineup of contests held throughout the state giving youth the opportunity to perfect their skills in preparation for the Nebraska 4-H Premier Animal Science Event (PASE). More information at: https://4h.unl.edu/great-plains-livestock-judging-circuit. We want to give a special thank you to our sponsors, officials, and volunteers. Thank you to our sponsors Nebraska Bank and Justin & Tami Tollman. Dyer Ranch, Sellman Ranch, Sellman Show Cattle, Shaw Cattle, Lambert/Bomberger Genetics, Pieper Red Angus, Bolek Feedlot, and Phillips Family provided animals for the contest. Thank you to Eastern Wyoming College Livestock Judging Team for being officials. Thank you to 4-H volunteer, Clint Phillips for organizing the event. Results are as follows: Senior Placings 1 Cooper Sanchez 2 Blair Sanchez 3 Kaylie Phillips Senior Reasons 1 Blair Sanchez 2 Cooper Sanchez 3 Kaylie Phillips Intermediate Placings 1 Hunter Creech 2 Madison Engel 3 Garett Tollman Intermediate Reasons 1 Hunter Creech 2 Tallee Trawnicek 3 Garett Tollman Junior Placings 1 Skyler Edelman 2 Haylee Gompert 3 Leea Lambert Junior Reasons 1 Brooklynn Creech 2 Haylee Gompert 3 Leea Lambert High Individual Overall Senior Cooper Sanchez Intermediate Hunter Creech Junior Skyler Edelman High Individual Feedlot Cattle (Placings & Reasons combined) Leea Lambert Clover Kids: Reid Sellman, Kyle Shaw, and Gage Creech Dawes County 4-H is also having their annual 4-H Beef, Goat, & Sheep Progress Show on June 18. The show is open to all 4-H and FFA members ages 8-18 as of January 1 of current year. Youth ages 5-7 may participate non-competitively and with animals under 350 pounds. Participating in the Progress Show gives youth an opportunity to practice showing before county fairs. Check-in and weigh-ins will begin at the Chadron Fairgrounds from 7-8:30 a.m. The show will start promptly at 9:30 a.m. Entry fees are $15/head by June 6 or $25/head after June 6. Showmanship is $5 by June 6 or $10 after June 6. Youth ages 5-7 are free. Youth may register day of show. Cash awards will be presented to the top 2 overall places, cash awards to top 3 placings in each class, and certificates for champions and reserve champions in showmanship. A flyer, rules, and registration forms are available at the Dawes County Nebraska Extension Office or online at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/2022-dawes-county-programs/. To find out more about the Dawes County 4-H Progress Show, other area Progress Shows, or other livestock opportunities, contact Nebraska Extension Dawes County at 432-3373. The office is located just north of the Post Office at 250 Main, Suite 8, in Chadron. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Representatives from 16 member states of a commission for higher education, including three from South Dakota, met last week to discuss policy and issues impacting students in the Western United States. Last week was the first time the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) met in person following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first time since 2008 the group met in South Dakota. WICHE is a collaboration among the Western States and Pacific territories with representatives appointed by a governor that meets twice a year. It was created in 1953 and discusses ways to strengthen higher education, workforce development and behavioral health throughout the region. It partners with states, territories and post-secondary institutions to share knowledge and resources, and develop solutions to needs. State Rep. Larry Tidemann, R-Brookings, said Monday that the commission discussed how students are being affected by a lack of food and housing, although he said it doesnt seem to be an issue in South Dakota. However, Tidemann said being part of the commission allows South Dakota students to expand their horizons and for students from the other 15 member states to bring their own culture to South Dakota schools. David Lassner, WICHE commission chair and University of Hawaii president, said at the end of the May 17 commission meeting that the commissioners arent driving the activities of WICHE, but they generally provide guidance, advice, priorities and ideas. He said a new initiative theyre taking up is how to deal with health care workforce shortages. Thats a regional issue where we may be able to come up with some regional solutions, Lassner said. Maybe we need to do collaborative training of nurses, certified nursing assistants, physical therapists. Youre looking at some of those opportunities, strategies. He said one of the issues they found was a requirement to have hands-on, practical clinical experience. Lassner said its easier to come by in some areas than others, so the commission agreed to start a project to share strategies and approaches that each member can take back to their states. Lassner said legislators could introduce legislation in the next year or two. He said the most impactful and perhaps visible programs are the student exchange programs, which includes an undergraduate program for participating institutions. It allows institutions to offer a lower tuition rate to member state students than other out-of-state students. Lassner said having collaboration and access to other schools for students allows for the opportunity for greater study and the ability to understand each other better throughout the nation. We want to prepare (our students) for great lives, and hopefully theyre going to come home and contribute to their communities, he said. Its also helpful for a place like Hawaii or California or South Dakota to have students coming in from other places. Lassner said there is an indirect impact between kindergarten through 12th grade education on WICHE and higher education, but he said higher education cant succeed if K-12 isnt succeeding. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Senior citizens lose more than $3 billion to scammers every year, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates. An upcoming free seminar will help the public learn to recognize scams and protect themselves and their finances. Scams and More Scams What You Can Do to Protect Yourself! will be at 3 p.m. June 9 in the Community Room at Rapid City Public Library. Guest speaker Jody Gillaspie, director of the Division of Consumer Protection for the South Dakota Office of the Attorney General, will discuss the current prevalent scams in South Dakota and offer tips on how people can protect themselves. Gillaspie has been director of the division since 2012. Before that, she was an investigator with the division, and she's worked for the Attorney Generals office for more than 20 years altogether. The Division of Consumer Protections role is to pursue deceptive trade practices that affect South Dakota consumers and businesses on a daily basis. Gillaspie said the key to protecting South Dakotans is to educate the public to recognize scams and potential deceptive trade practices before they occur. Senior Companions of SD will sponsor this event and will provide information about its program in hopes of recruiting more volunteers. It is a federal grant volunteer program that provides in-home assistance and respite care for the elderly and persons with disabilities. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Concert has sponsored this grant since 1978. Senior Companions serves 16 counties in South Dakota including Pennington, Meade and Fall River. Senior Companions provides assistance with daily activities, transportation, respite breaks for caregivers, and friendship with the goal of helping their clients remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. To learn more about Senior Companions of SD, call 605-721-8884, go to good-sam.com/scpsd/ or follow the group on Facebook at facebook.com/seniorcompanionsofsd. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Three Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education candidates answered questions on the boards role in curriculum decisions, mental health, campaign ethics and goals during a learning forum panel discussion Monday night, but embattled Area 6 candidate Janyce Hockenbary failed to attend. Area 3 candidates incumbent Gabe Doney and Michael Birkeland, and Area 6 candidate Jamie Clapham attended the forum. A member of the Rapid City Youth City Council moderating the event said Hockenbary canceled due to a last-minute family emergency, but had originally confirmed her attendance. The forum was hosted by the Human Relations Commission-Mniluzahan Okolakiciyapi Ambassadors at the Western Dakota Tech Event Center. Members of HRC-MOA and the Rapid City Youth City Council moderated the event. Each candidate had two minutes to respond to questions, and questions came from the Youth City Council, HRC-MOA and the audience. One question from a Youth City Council member was in regard to the five books set to be destroyed on the school boards May 4 agenda. The moderator asked if certain topics cant be discussed or taught in schools, how can the district prepare students to understand the issues once theyre in the real world. Doney said there were certain things in the books that not only a principal and administration thought was inappropriate for students, but the board felt the same as well. He said he is 100% against the information in the books and didnt agree with it. I just dont feel that high school students, middle school students or elementary students really know what they need to be educated on, per se, he said. I think with the cell phones today, your parents, your internet at home, if thats the kind of stuff you want to learn about, then those books, you can do it there. Birkeland said he doesnt disagree that the board could miss the books on the surplus list, but since its been brought to the boards attention, its now their job to act. To just punt it off on the educators and administrators is very unfair, he said. Birkeland said there is literary merit to the books and thats why they were choice books available in the course. He said it doesnt matter what the controversial issue is, people should have conversations. He said there are protocols for controversial materials that should be followed. Clapham said she agreed that when educators are on a curriculum planning group with a district facilitator and a school board member present at the council that approved them, that everybody needs to be addressed in how the books were approved. She said teachers are also educating citizens of the world and one of those topics is how to make choices. Clapham said if a book is uncomfortable to a student or parent or belief, a discussion can be had with a teacher on the choice book. She said she thinks themes of sexuality, trauma, financial or economic abuse are themes she would hate for a child to have never heard of or been exposed to when they go out into the world. Clapham said schools are a great environment to have that discussion led by an educated teacher who can guide students to talk about controversial topics in a responsible and meaningful way. I think thats the way that I would much prefer those things be presented to our children than when they sit in the backseat of a movie theater on someones phone with awful information that they Googled, Clapham said. Somewhat related to the discussion on curriculum was staff morale. Candidates were asked how they plan to attract and retain qualified teachers. Clapham said the district needs to look at the root of what helps people be content and keeps them healthy and thriving in their job. She said every person needs to feel valued and heard, and the educators and staff are not getting that right now. She said as a board member, its her job to invest the time to hear what people need. Birkeland said a lot of teachers low morale comes from fear. He said hes spoken with teachers whove said they are scared a board member is going to walk into their room and demand they be fired. Its happened in the last couple weeks to seven of our English teachers who are on (the English 12 curriculum) committee, he said. The Journal has not been able to confirm Birkelands statement. The Journal has an unfulfilled South Dakota Open Records Act request regarding complaints on the books from the course. The request was originally made nearly a month ago on April 28. It was subsequently amended May 5 and May 16. South Dakota law places a limit of 10 days for open records to be disclosed. Doney said teacher retention and morale boils down to empowering principals to run their schools and teachers to educate. Ultimately Birkeland said people will be voting on what they want the city's public education to look like. He said to learn, everyone needs to feel valued, safe and respected. He also said the district is in a place in time where people need to be working together and to rebuild communication to focus on the real issues in the district. Clapham said if elected, she will do what is needed and work for the kids, educators and future of the community by focusing on a strategic plan to help prepare the district to move forward in a positive direction. Doney said he believes in improving facilities, retaining teachers, parental involvement and empowering teachers and principals. He also said he believes in aligning everyone to that vision from bus drivers to the school board members. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After missing two court dates for alleged methamphetamine use and hotel room damages, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Treasurer Stephen Denoyer III appeared in court last week at the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court, according to the Clerk of Courts office. The office declined to provide additional details regarding the status of Denoyer's case beyond confirming he attended his Thursday hearing. According to an April press release from the Oglala Sioux Tribe office of the president, Denoyer checked into Prairie Winds Hotel on the Pine Ridge Reservation on Sept. 22, 2019 and stayed overnight, consuming methamphetamine while there. The next day, his hotel room reportedly tested positive for methamphetamine use and, substances located in the room tested positive for methamphetamine, the release stated. Oglala Sioux Tribal Law Enforcement arrested Denoyer and charged him with possession and ingestion of methamphetamine after the alleged incident. He was then released from jail, but did not appear in court, according to the statement. The OST said Denoyer was picked up again in October 2021 after the court issued a bench warrant. Denoyer then failed to appear at his March 2 court date. The Oglala Sioux Tribe will not tolerate methamphetamine use on its reservation. Mr. Denoyer is innocent of the charges until proven guilty by court of law, the release said. The office of the president made the statement after "multiple inquiries" regarding the treasurer. At the time of that release, the Oglala Sioux Tribe intended to seek restitution of $37,266.47 in alleged damages caused to the hotel room by Denoyer. The Prairie Winds Casino and Hotel is owned and operated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The position of treasurer is one of 24 elected tribal council positions four officials and 20 council members on the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council. Denoyer is serving his second two-year term as treasurer. He was elected for the first time in 2019 and was sworn into his position on Sept. 3, 2019, less than three weeks before the alleged hotel incident. The Journal reached out to Oglala Sioux President Kevin Killer, Denoyer and Rosebud Sioux President Scott Herman for comment on Denoyer's case but did not hear back at the time of publication. The manager at the Prairie Winds Hotel told the Journal Tuesday that he's unable to comment on the situation as "it's still sorting itself out." Contact Shalom Baer Gee at sgee@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Policy and analysis on health sciences workforce development is one of the focuses for the South Dakota Board of Regents. Executive Director Brian Maher told the Journal on Tuesday that the board is in its infancy with partnerships, collaborations and thoughts on ways to address workforce needs. Maher is one of three appointed members to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), which met last week in person for the first time since the pandemic began in Rapid City. WICHE is a collaboration among the Western States and Pacific territories that discusses ways to strengthen higher education, workforce development and behavioral health throughout the region. Maher, who has been on the commission for two years, said one of the issues identified throughout the 16 member states was workforce development, particularly nursing. "That's an issue that we were already interested in as a state and an interest or an area where we see value in talking to the states around us to try to figure out what are the best practices currently in that environment," he said. "I think being at the table and being part of that conversation going forward is beneficial to South Dakota." Maher said they discussed how to make some professions appealing, and how to make sure middle and high schoolers see that profession as appealing. He said they also discussed how to retain people who do choose that industry. Maher said the question then becomes what role does higher education play in that situation, along with employers and high school counselors. "We think we have a societal role because we know we need the workforce," he said. "I think trying to figure out our role in concert with employers, with government, etc., etc., is really a crucial conversation that we need to have, West River or otherwise." The board's next meeting is June 22-23 at the University of South Dakota, according to its website. South Dakota's other WICHE representatives include South Dakota Rep. Larry Tidemann, R-Brookings, and Diana VanderWoude, vice president of learning, education and development at Sanford Health. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two wandering yaks spotted in Pennington County Sunday night have been reunited with their owners, according to the Pennington County Sheriffs Office. The Pennington County Sheriff received a phone call at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday night reporting that one male and one female yak were loose on private property, on Geary Boulevard near Johnson Siding. How they got there, where they came from and who they belonged to was a mystery. After receiving the phone call, Deputy Jacob Mundt was sent out to corral the yaks. Heavily-built animals with bulky frames, averaging between 770 and 1,300 lbs., the deputy managed to corral them into a fenced-in area, in spite of some aggression from the female. The male was nice, said Patrol Lt. Chris Hislip, noting that the female was not wanting a human near her. The reporting party wished to remain anonymous, but told the sheriffs office the animals were traipsing around where they didnt seem to belong. Mundt spent hours corralling the yaks and trying to track down the owners, to no avail. He clocked in his efforts at 2:43 a.m., still unsure where the yaks belonged. Though the yaks were contained, Hislip said they were uncertain of the integrity of the fence and hoped to contact the owners as soon as possible. We dont want someone to wake up to find a couple of yaks in their yard, or break through the fence, he said. While the sheriffs department had dealt with cattle and stray dogs, Hislip said yaks were a first in his 17 years of law enforcement. A social media post around 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office reported the yaks had been returned safely to their rightful owners. "We have located the owners and the Johnson Siding yaks are currently safe and sound with their rightful owners," the post read. They thanked the public for their help, along with yak whisperer Deputy Mundt. Contact Laura Heckmann at lheckmann@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The state health department, in response to and at odds with a District Court judge's ruling, enacted new restrictions on Montanans' ability to change the sex designation on their birth certificate in an emergency rule issued Monday. The emergency rule, developed between the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Montana Department of Justice, says people cannot change their birth certificates even with gender-affirming surgery, a stance by the state executive branch that disagrees with the District Court judge's definition of sex. The rule, signed by DPHHS Director Adam Meier, allows a person's birth certificate to be only amended "if it was listed incorrectly on the original birth certificate due to a data entry error," but does not allow the certificate to be amended "based on gender transition, gender identity or change of gender." The state health department said late Monday in an emergency order that it would no longer record the category of gender on people's birth certificates, replacing that category with a listing for sex that can be changed only in rare circumstances, the Associated Press reported. The process is at the center of a lawsuit filed by two transgender Montanans against the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services hoping to strike down new restrictions on their ability to change the sex designation on their birth certificates. The plaintiffs have contended that gender-affirming surgery is not medically necessary or desirable for all transgender people. The Montana Legislature in 2021 passed Senate Bill 280, which required transgender people to obtain surgery and an accompanying court order confirming the procedure occurred before changing their sex on their birth certificates. In April Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael Moses issued an injunction barring DPHHS from enforcing that law as a legal challenge against it plays out in court. Last week, the ACLU of Montana, representing the plaintiffs in the case against the new law, said DPHHS was not allowing people to make the changes under the earlier rule, as Moses ordered in his injunction. A DPHHS spokesperson said requests affected by the injunction "are temporarily on hold as DPHHS works with (the state Department of Justice) to review the recent preliminary injunction ruling and its implications." Akilah Lane, an attorney for the ACLU, said Tuesday the plaintiffs' attorneys intend to take the rule up with the court. Lane said her clients were "in a frenzy" on Tuesday at the news of the emergency rule. "One of the ways SB 280 harmed our clients was by being a constant reminder of the state of Montana's refusal to accept and see them as the individuals they know themselves to be," Lane said. "This law further does that, by excluding even the possibility of transgender people amending the gender marker on their birth certificates. It only creates further hurt, a deeper hurt." On Tuesday, DPHHS spokesperson Jon Ebelt said the rule was formed under the department's "obligation to ensure the accuracy of vital records." "The Department of Public Health and Human Services believes that all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect, and that they should be provided all of the rights and protections to which they are entitled under the Constitutions and laws of the State of Montana and of the United States," Ebelt said in an emailed statement. "The rule obeys the court's order, addresses a critical regulatory gap, and remains consistent with current law, as well as the science." Neither Ebelt nor the state justice department responded to questions about the DOJ's involvement in crafting the rule. Ebelt said state law does not require prior notice or a public hearing in "emergency rulemaking." The emergency rule issued Monday makes clear it was developed "as a result" of the injunction, and "to govern the procedures of the Office of Vital Records and to inform the public concerning when the Office of Vital Records will change the identification of an individual' sex on the birth certificate, to ensure such accuracy." The 2021 Legislature's passing of SB 280 essentially reverted DPHHS' policy back to a rule it had put in place in 2007, which required a judge's order indicating a person's sex had been changed by surgical procedure, according to the rule. In 2017, DPHHS, while under a Democratic administration, loosened the rule and required only a sworn affidavit from the person; this was the arrangement to which Moses ordered the department to revert. Today's executive branch is controlled exclusively by Republicans. The Legislature's wide Republican majority passed on party lines the law that triggered the lawsuit and, ultimately, the state's emergency rule on Monday. Democratic legislative leaders on Tuesday denounced the department's actions in issuing the rule. This emergency rule is a blatant abuse of power meant to undermine the checks and balances of our independent courts," Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour and House Minority Leader Kim Abbott said in a joint statement. "While this rule is intended to make the lives of our transgender neighbors harder, it impacts all of us by eroding the rights that let us live our lives free from government overreach. There's no emergency herejust the kind of politics that Montanans hate. Monday's emergency rule states, per SB 280, the 2017 rule on birth certificate amendments was repealed. Moses' ruling did not direct the department to re-implement the 2017 rule, the department said in its new rule, and "accordingly, there is currently no non-enjoined regulatory mechanism by which the department can accept and process birth certificate sex identification amendment applications." "The court's decision leaves this department in an ambiguous and uncertain situation," the rule reads. " The department needs, immediately, to correct this confusion and clearly set forth the standards under which such applications will be processed. Montanans deserve to know how such applications will be handled in this period." Moses wrote in his injunction order that "Gender-affirming surgery, even for those transgender people who have a medical need for it, does not 'change' their sex, but rather affirms it." The department's rule said Moses' ruling is at odds with the National Institutes of Health and other sources cited in the emergency rule. The sources cited by DPHHS in its emergency rule include a letter to the editor in the Irish Journal of Medical Science that argues sex is genetic, binary and immutable. "The department agrees," the rule states. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Paul Farrell, group publisher of Lee Enterprises Southeast Region and president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, is retiring this summer after 42 years in the newspaper industry. Farrell, 66, joined The Times-Dispatch in November 2019 from Lees corporate offices in Davenport, Iowa, where he served as vice president of advertising. In addition to The Times-Dispatch, Farrells purview in Virginia includes The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, The Roanoke Times, Bristol Herald Courier, News & Advance in Lynchburg, Martinsville Bulletin, Danville Register & Bee, The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Culpeper Star-Exponent and The News Virginian in Waynesboro. Farrell also leads Lees local markets in New Jersey and North Carolina. Farrell has guided the organization through the many challenges of the past two years, including the pandemic and resulting economic trauma. Under Farrells leadership, the Southeast Region has been a top performer in the Lee Enterprises organization and pioneered the launch of a local news video platform which has been embraced across Lee. During this time, the Times-Dispatch was awarded the 2021 Pulitzer for the insightful commentary of Michael Paul Williams in chronicling the dismantling of the citys monuments. Farrell began his career at the Miami Herald, where he served as Director of Sales and Marketing, and has held executive positions at a variety of newspapers, including The Boston Globe as advertising director and the St. Paul Pioneer Press as senior vice president of sales and marketing. As a young adult, I read two to three newspapers per day, a habit that compelled me to pursue local journalism as a profession. But never did I think that my 1,500-mile drive from Boston to Miami in 1980 would be the start of a life-long journey, remarked Farrell. Ive really enjoyed my time in Richmond and have grown close to many friends, neighbors and colleagues, he said. With that in mind, I plan to continue living in the city of Richmond, with the short-term goal of traveling throughout our region. Its hard to imagine Lee Enterprises without Paul, said Ray Farris, Lees Operating Vice President and VP of Advertising. Paul has been a friend and mentor to so many of us and his contributions and positive impact on our company are immeasurable. He will be missed and we all wish him much happiness as he moves on to this next exciting chapter. Russia and China have found a weakness in our cyber defenses: Congress willingness to break apart the companies that drive our cybersecurity advantage. These countries arent the only ones knocking at our door, but they present the largest threats, making every effort to hack and attack our energy grids, government systems, transportation and logistics resources, and even our personal information. In December 2021, Virginias digital legislative system was the victim of such an attack, just prior to the 2022 General Assembly session. As someone who has spent my career working in Congress and the White House, helping to protect our countrys national security, I understand the urgency and magnitude of this threat both to Virginia and to the United States. Virginia is critical to U.S. national security. It is home to the Pentagon and 27 bases representing each military branch, including the worlds largest naval installation. While the headlines focus on disinformation and ransomware, its important to remember these stories are part of a broader war waged on us by hostile nations. As the worlds largest data center market supported by massive investments in Henrico County and elsewhere in central Virginia the commonwealths information technology footprint makes it especially vulnerable to 21st-century cyberwarfare. Virginias investments in data centers are used by the worlds top companies, which means digital safety, defense and innovation are essential to the commonwealths economy. If we are to maintain our technological advantage, policymakers need to encourage and accelerate, not impede, the pace of digital innovation. Unfortunately, Congress is in a rush to regulate digital companies, advancing legislation that would force them to comply with standards that will have dangerous unintended consequences for businesses and consumers. The bills would throw a wrench in the giant economic engine the internet has become. Worse, these bills would stifle mechanisms that have protected us from cybersecurity threats posed by hostile foreign adversaries. Our opponents are not playing by the rules, as exemplified by Vladimir Putins ground and cyber tactics in Ukraine. They show the extreme lengths Russia is willing to go to win a war. Virginias leaders understand this clear and present danger, including Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence. The U.S. open internet has spawned revolutionary advancements in technology and business. Virginias intellectual capital and investments are contributing to the next generation of technological innovations that will grow our economy and keep us one step ahead of our adversaries. Amazons HQ2 in Arlington is one example, as is Googles recent $300 million announcement in support of data center growth and computer science instruction to educate Virginias future tech workforce. The last thing we need is regulation that stifles these innovations and makes it harder for businesses and our country to protect themselves from hostile attacks. With an emboldened Russia threatening to conduct debilitating cyberattacks against the U.S. and its allies, cybersecurity is more important than ever. Virginias elected officials must maintain the strategic advantage U.S. firms currently enjoy as technology innovators. Henrico has heavily courted data centers, and Richmonds investments in biotech, biomedicine and business incubators are leveraging innovation for cutting-edge leadership in business and research. We cant afford to let these investments become casualties in a digital war by focusing on the wrong things. We must not sign over the U.S. digital innovation engine to our regulatory bodies and the government bureaucracy that comes with it. Otherwise, we risk ceding U.S. cyber leadership to the likes of Russia and China, which use technology to censor critics, erode freedom of expression, sow divisions and erect barriers to entry. That is not an internet I want to operate in. Daleville Kroger employees said a man robbed a cash register and left a bomb in the store Monday evening, the Botetourt County Sheriffs Office said. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., Botetourts emergency operations center received a 911 call from an employee at the store reporting a robbery, according to a press release. The employee said a man approached one of their cashiers carrying a bag reportedly containing an explosive device and demanded that the clerk give him money. The man then fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. He left the bag, containing the reported explosive, inside the store. The suspect was seen leaving the parking lot in what witnesses said was a gray sedan, possibly a BMW, without a front license plate. Witnesses said the suspect was wearing dark sunglasses with a white bandana covering his face, a light gray sweatshirt and black pants. Botetourt County Sheriffs Deputy David Moyer said the hair and skin color of the suspect is unknown. The man was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, Moyer said Tuesday. With the sunglasses and bandana, it was impossible to see hair or skin color. The sheriffs office said deputies arrived on scene minutes after the store clerk made the call. The store was evacuated as a precaution until the Virginia State Police Explosives Unit could examine the reported explosive. Moyer said units cleared the scene late Monday night. The incident is still under investigation. The bag was cleared of any devices, Moyer said. We are not disclosing anything else about the bag. The sheriffs office asks that anyone who may have information or who witnessed the vehicle or subject in the Kroger parking lot is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Hosey at 540-928-2243. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COVINGTON Nancy Renee Fridley finished the Alleghany County end of a multifaceted criminal case Tuesday with a suspended prison term and three years of supervised probation, all punishment for possessing methamphetamine. Fridley, 46, of Clifton Forge, still faces charges of abduction and more in Giles County, where she is accused of taking toddler Noah Gabriel Trout from a church nursery during services last year. She is scheduled to begin a three-day jury trial in Giles County Circuit Court on July 25. Fridleys Alleghany County arrest came the day after Noahs disappearance, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Virginia State Police, and a host of other law enforcement agencies tracked the boy to her residence and found that Fridley was carrying meth in a cigarette pack. In February, Fridley pleaded guilty to possessing a Schedule I or II drug, making her plea with no recommendation from prosecutors about a penalty. On Tuesday, she was back in Alleghany County Circuit Court for short sentencing hearing before Judge Ed Stein. Stein imposed three years of supervised probation and two years of incarceration with the entire term suspended, with the possibility that it could be reimposed if Fridley breaks probation rules during the next five years. After the hearing, Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Shaun Mabry noted that the sentence was typical for a first conviction for drug possession and within the range suggested by state guidelines. Defense attorney Charlie Moore of Warm Springs had no comment. Fridleys boyfriend, Bobby Lee Taylor, 43, who shared the Clifton Forge mobile home where Noah was found, was charged with abduction and drug possession and has a jury trial scheduled for July 18 in Alleghany County. Giles County investigators have said that on May 2, 2021, the day that Noah was taken from the childcare area of Riverview Baptist Church in Ripplemead, Fridley first came to the churchs nursery during an early service and tried unsuccessfully to have a child released to her care. Fridley is accused of then going to two churches in Narrows and making similar unsuccessful requests, then returning to Riverview as that church held a later service. Nursery workers who testified at an earlier hearing identified Fridley as the woman said that she was there to pick up a child, and took Noah. Fridley is charged in Giles County with abduction, child abuse or neglect, and three counts of attempted abduction. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Salem police have arrested two men after a dispute between neighbors ended with a gunshot Friday, a city press release said. Trey I. Prater, 24, of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, was charged with attempted malicious shooting, reckless handling of a firearm and discharging a firearm within city limits. Jay Gilliland, 48, of Salem, was charged with public intoxication. At about 3 p.m. Friday, Salems 911 dispatch center received a call reporting gun shots in the area of South Broad Street and School Lane. Responding officers discovered a dispute between neighbors had ensued in front of a residence in the 10 block of School Lane. Officers also found a shot had been discharged from a firearm during the altercation. No one was injured as a result of the exchange, but several Salem schools were locked down out of an abundance of caution, according to the city press release. Elementary schools, including nearby G.W. Carver Elementary School, had dismissed students for the day. But students at Salem High School, Andrew Lewis Middle School and an after-school program at East Salem Elementary School were placed on lockdown for about 15 minutes while police assessed the situation. An investigation of the shooting is ongoing. Salem police have asked anyone with additional information to call 540-375-3078. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A possible hepatitis A exposure has been identified by local health officials at another Roanoke restaurant. Its the latest in an ongoing series of hepatitis A infections within the regional Roanoke and Alleghany Health Districts involving restaurant workers and the wider community. As in other recent incidents, a food service employee was diagnosed with hepatitis A, a potentially lethal liver inflammation that can be transmitted by consuming contaminated food or drink. However, after gathering information this week at Tucos Taqueria Garaje, the health department determined that the infected worker did not directly handle food and there is no significant risk of exposure to the public. That was also the original announced no-risk finding earlier this month after an employee of Luigis Italian Gourmet tested positive for hepatitis A. The health department later modified that statement, saying the worker may have handled food before it was cooked after all. Also, as it did for Luigis customers, the health department will offer hepatitis A vaccines, this time to anyone who had fare from Tucos, a Southwestern-style eatery on Salem Avenue, from May 3 to 15. Out of an abundance of caution and given the high level of sensitivity to the current hepatitis A outbreak in our community, the health department said. Those vaccines will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last, at the Roanoke Health Department, located on the second floor at 1502 Williamson Road: 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday 1 to 4 p.m. Friday We are saddened to announce another case connected to a current hepatitis A outbreak in our area said Dr. Cynthia Morrow, local health department director. The local health district said last week it had identified 56 cases of hepatitis A this year. Typically, the area sees an average of two to three cases per year. Most of the cases have been identified in at-risk populations, particularly the among members of the substance use community, injection drug users and the homeless. The large majority of cases are located in Roanoke and are found in those aged 30-39. Hepatitis A is a virus that causes liver inflammation, which can prevent the organ from functioning normally. The virus is spread through fecal to oral transmission, which means a person ingests fecal matter, usually in microscopic amounts. People also can contract the virus from using drugs with others, certain types of sexual contact or caring for someone who has the virus. Symptoms may develop 15 to 50 days following exposure. People are at increased risk if they have been in close and continuous contact with an infected person, particularly in a household or day care setting. Last year, a hepatitis outbreak at two Roanoke-area Famous Anthonys restaurant locations that originated from an employees killed four people and hospitalized more than 30. The health department said it conducted a comprehensive inspection at Tucos and interviewed key personnel. The restaurants management team is fully cooperating with the investigation, according to the health department, which determined the worker didnt handle food directly and led to a finding of low risk to the public. Frequent handwashing with soap and warm water after using the bathroom, changing a diaper or before preparing food can help prevent the spread of hepatitis A. Routine vaccination reduces the risk of this disease and is available to anyone. Virginia has experienced widespread outbreaks of hepatitis A, and vaccination is recommended for everyone. For more information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/hepatitis-a/ CHARLOTTESVILLE The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library will review a potential name change after descendants of enslaved laborers asked library trustees to do so. Members of Reclaimed Roots Descendants Alliance, a Charlottesville-based group of descendants of enslaved laborers, made the request during Monday's the librarys board of trustees meeting. Myra Anderson, director of Reclaimed Roots, said it is unacceptable that the library system bears the name of slaveholders Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. For a number of years now our community has been undergoing a racial reckoning. The efforts have resulted in schools and organizations changing their names and statues being removed, Anderson said. Our library has remained silent and continued to bear the name of two slave owners. We believe the library is long overdue for a name change, and that maintaining a bad name of a white supremacist is maintaining white supremacy in a space that is supposed to feel inclusive and equitable. As a result of Andersons comments, the board moved to add discussion of a name change to next months agenda. They are not planning to take a vote, but will open discussion on the issue. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library spans over eight branches and a traveling mobile unit across the city of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Greene County, Nelson County and Louisa County. Jefferson has Monticello and Madison has Montpelier. They will never be forgotten. The way we see it, the librarys goal is for the stories of Jefferson and Madison to be told inside the building in books, not outside by the name of the building, Anderson said. Ive lived here my whole life and I can tell you that theres some people who wont even walk into the building because of the name on the building. Thats real talk. Thomas Unsworth, president of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Board of Trustees, said hearing that the name discourages people from visiting is heartbreaking. The library is supposed to be a place that is open, welcoming. Our fundamental purpose is supporting ongoing education, ongoing learning, providing people with safe places to grow and explore. Hearing something like that breaks my heart, he said. Library director David Plunkett said the next steps are for him to review the librarys bylaws that would restrict or make it difficult for the library to change the name. Plunkett will present this information, as well as information about the name and its history, to the board of trustees at the June 27 meeting, which will be held with a Zoom option. Plunkett said the library system has gone through a few name changes in its over 100-year history. Its been the Charlottesville Public Library, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Library, and was the McIntire Regional Library prior to the board changing the name to the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in the early 1970s. Anderson said there is precedent for similar bodies that span multiple counties changing their names. She cited the Blue Ridge Health District, formerly the Thomas Jefferson Health District, which officially changed its name effective January 2021 after a phase out of the Thomas Jefferson name and branding in fall 2020. Other groups bearing Jeffersons name have made a switch. The United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area became the United Way of Greater Charlottesville in 2019, and the Jefferson Area Childrens Health Improvement Program also changed its name to Child Health Partnership the same year. In 2020, the membership of the Unitarian-Universalist church formerly known as Thomas Jefferson Memorial voted to drop the third presidents name. Albemarle and Charlottesville governments no longer have a paid holiday for Jeffersons birthday. The University of Virginias Board of Visitors passed a resolution in 2020 to add context to the Jefferson statue near the Rotunda to include his ownership of slaves. Despite national record fuel prices, AAA projects millions of Americans will hit the highways during the long Memorial Day weekend. AAA estimates more than 1.09 million Virginia residents will travel 50 miles or more from home over the three-day weekend, with about 90% planning to travel by road. More than 1.01 million Virginians traveled on Memorial Day weekend in 2021. More Information For current information on fuel prices nationwide, visit: https://gasprices.aaa.com/. While the increase in auto travel is notable given the pain at the pump, a sharp jump in air travel and travel by other modes of transportation suggests gas prices may be motivating some travelers to consider alternatives to driving, Morgan Dean, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic in Virginia, said in a written statement. The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline was a new record $4.59 per gallon on Monday, up 47 cents from a month ago and $1.55 more than last year, according to AAA. Virginias average was $4.46 on Monday, up 50 cents from last month and $1.52 more than a year ago. Despite record-high gas prices, 35 million Americans including nearly 1 million Virginians are expected to hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend. Our roadways will be as crowded as they have been over the holiday since pre-pandemic, but airports, train stations and bus depots will also be extremely busy, so travelers should plan accordingly, Dean said. In 2021, 36.2 million Americans traveled during the holiday weekend period, including 33.4 million by car. That compares to 42.8 million total and 37.6 million on U.S. highways in pre-pandemic 2019, according to AAA. From May 26 through May 30, more than 39 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of more than 8% over last year. More than 3 million people plan to fly to their destination, about 25% more than last year but still below pre-pandemic air travel levels. More than 1.3 million people a 200% increase over 2021 plan to travel by train, bus or cruise line. Whether you will be driving, flying or taking some other mode of transportation over the holiday weekend, planning ahead is key to ensuring your best travel experience, Dean said. Motorists are encouraged to make sure their vehicle is ready for summer driving, by checking the battery, fuel system, tires, brakes and all fluid levels. In case of breakdown, motorists are urged to pack an emergency kit including a fully charged cellphone, additional cellphone charger, jumper cables, first aid kit, flare or flashlight with extra batteries, blankets, water, snacks and extra medicines. Peak travel times are expected to be between 1-8 p.m. on Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday, according to AAA. Expect lighter traffic levels early in the morning or after 9 p.m. Anyone traveling by air is urged to check their flight status before going to the airport, arriving at least two hours early for domestic flights or three hours early for international flights. Review TSA guidelines for getting through security and pack accordingly. Also, remember that masks are still required in some airports and on some flights to international destinations. AAA encourages all travelers to abide by CDC guidelines. Websters defines constitution as the basic principles and laws of a nation, state or social group that determines the powers and duties of the government and guarantees certain rights to its citizens. The U.S. Constitution was adopted Sept. 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention, detailing the rules and regulations by which the federal government was to operate. It is not a state constitution nor does it specify the operations of individual states. The Constitution had to be ratified by nine of the 13 states before it was the official governing document of the new United States. Delaware was the first to ratify on Dec. 7, 1787. Though delegates from Virginia were instrumental in drafting both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, Virginia and three others didnt sign because they felt the Constitution did not sufficiently protect the rights of citizens. On June 8, 1789, James Madison, chief author of the Bill of Rights, introduced the first 10 amendments before all states had ratified the document. As a result of the intolerable treatment by the British, all 10 amendments are prohibitions against federal government action against citizens. The U.S. Bill of Rights is based on Virginias Declaration of Rights, the 1689 English Bill of Rights, writings of the Enlightenment, and the 1215 Magna Carta, all of which are derived from Judeo-Christian principles. The Bill of Rights protects citizens by specifying what the federal government cant do. In relation to the current protests over the Supreme Courts potential ruling on abortion, the term abortion rights is a misnomer, as abortion is not a constitutional or other documented right. The Supreme Court does not have the authority to ban or allow abortion, as it only interprets and rules on existing law. If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade it will not abolish or legalize abortion. The court is simply sending the previous ruling back to the individual states where it belongs according to the 10th Amendment the most abused and misunderstood amendment after the First Amendment. The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. Word context matters. One must always read and understand the context and intent of the writer(s) at the time written. Otherwise, one will always come to the wrong conclusions. Its no accident that the First Amendment prohibits the federal government from establishing a state religion and forcing its citizens to practice its religion as the British required of the colonists and as 20% of all countries do today, such as Iraq, Cambodia, Iran. The First Amendment also does not prohibit the free exercise thereof of religion in any setting. The First Amendment does not prohibit practice of religion in public forums, such as ball games or schools. Public prayer was commonplace, as pictured on the 12th page of my Bedford High School yearbook, for more than 350 years, from 1607 until misguided court decisions of the 1960s. One doesnt have to hide in a closet in fear of persecution or beheading to practice the religion of ones choice as is the case in other countries around the world. Even atheists rights are guaranteed by the First Amendment. The First Amendment also allows abortion and non-abortion advocates to peaceably assemble and petition (protest). However, all the noise and protests about abortion rights are to no avail: 1. There is no Constitutional right to abortion. 2. The Supreme Court has no authority to ban or allow abortion. 3. If Roe v. Wade is reversed, the court is simply sending the previous decision back to the states where it constitutionally belongs, without any change in abortion laws. 4. The news media follows the crowd like sheep to the slaughter, using the same rights verbiage with no understanding of the U.S. Constitution or the real issue. 5. Life must start at conception. If not, it has to start at some later time. What time is that and who decides the actual time of life? Its certainly not a function of the Supreme Court. I wonder what the abortion advocates moms views are on abortion? William C. Fizer, originally from Bedford, is a Vietnam era veteran and founder of Roanoke-based Lodging Technology. Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It" is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net " " The first-ever comet from beyond our solar system, as imaged by the Gemini Observatory. The image of the newly discovered object, named 2I/Borisov, was taken on the night of Sept. 9-10, 2019 using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Gemini North Telescope from Hawaii's Mauna Kea. Gemini Observatory/NSF/AURA/International Astronomical Union When 'Oumuamua was spotted tumbling away from our solar system, astronomers were captivated it was the first interstellar comet to be discovered after a chance encounter with our sun's gravity. Now, two years after this historic discovery, it's happened again; the galaxy has sent another tumbling chunk of frozen interstellar material our way. Advertisement An Amateur Discovery On Aug. 30, 2019, Gennady Borisov, an amateur astronomer in Crimea, spied the distant fuzzy object using a homemade 213-foot (0.65-meter) telescope, an incredible discovery that underscores the key role nonprofessional astronomers play in historic astronomical discoveries. After followup sightings and confirmation by other amateur and professional astronomers, the comet which was initially designated C/2019 Q4 was soon confirmed to be not from 'round these parts. Calculations of its orbit around the sun proved that it had an extremely hyperbolic trajectory, a path that meant it could not be gravitationally bound to our star. The ancient object had originated far beyond our solar system's shores, ejected from another star system located elsewhere in the galaxy. Typically, newly discovered comets have trajectories that betray their solar orbits and therefore make their origins clear. Long- and short-period comets all have elliptical orbits that can be nearly circular, or extremely elongated; their orbital speeds reveal that they originate from the ancient icy debris that is scattered in our solar system's hinterlands, maybe in the Kuiper belt (beyond the orbit of Neptune), or as far away as the hypothetical Oort Cloud (a vast swarm of gravitationally-bound objects extending up to 1.5 light-years from the sun). Many comets have regular periods, zipping through the inner solar system every few years, others may take tens of thousands of years to complete one orbit. Observations of C/2019 Q4, however, reveal that it is simply moving too fast to be in orbit about the sun; it came from afar and will feel the gravity of our sun only very slightly, giving it a tiny course correction as it zooms back into interstellar space to continue its journey between the stars. "The comet's current velocity is high, about 93,000 miles per hour (150,000 kilometers per hour), which is well above the typical velocities of objects orbiting the Sun at that distance," Davide Farnocchia, who works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in a press release shortly after the object was discovered. "The high velocity indicates not only that the object likely originated from outside our solar system, but also that it will leave and head back to interstellar space." Advertisement Confirmation as Interstellar In late September 2019, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially named the comet "2I/Borisov" after its discoverer and confirming in a press release, that it was "unambiguously interstellar in origin" making it only the second interstellar object to be discovered to date. And the best news is that, unlike its interstellar predecessor 'Oumuamua, we have a lot more time to study it it has only just begun its journey through the solar system and astronomers expect to be watching it for months to come. Astronomers calculate that it will make closest approach with the sun (perihelion) on Dec. 7, 2019, coming within 2 astronomical units (AU, where 1 AU is the average distance between the Earth and the sun). The thin, fuzzy coma and tail of the comet are already visible, suggesting that ices are being warmed by solar radiation, causing the ices to sublimate into space, creating a tenuous atmosphere around the comet's nucleus. As it approaches perihelion, its coma is expected to become more active, ejecting more vapor and dust into space, allowing astronomers to better study the chemical composition of ices being vented into space. According to the IAU, activity is expected to peak in December 2019 and January 2020. This is in stark contrast to 'Oumuamua that didn't possess a noticeable coma of tail after its discovery. " " This illustration depicts Comet C/2019's trajectory. NASA/JPL-Caltech Although we're only just getting to know our new interstellar visitor, astronomers are already beginning to learn about the comet's origins. Using the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma in the Canary Islands and Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, astronomers have analyzed 2I/Borisov's spectra to find that the comet has a reddish tinge on its surface, a characteristic of long-period comets in our solar system that originate from the Oort Cloud, such as comet Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake. It remains to be seen what other similarities with the material in the outer solar system 2I/Borisov has. Of the billions of star systems that occupy our galaxy, it comes as little surprise that chunks of icy debris the leftovers of stellar formation are being haphazardly sprinkled throughout interstellar space, but the big question is how many interstellar interlopers regularly encounter our solar system? Now astronomers have confirmed two such objects, and as observational techniques improve, it looks like we're finding out. Now That's Interesting Observations by Karen Meech and her team at the University of Hawaii indicate the nucleus of the Borisov comet is around 1.2 and 10 miles (2 and 16 kilometers) in diameter. LAKE CITY, S.C. Bigger will be better for Lake City Park. The manmade lake at the county park in Lake City will expand by three or four acres, the Florence County Council decided during Thursdays regular meeting. The project will increase the size of the lake by approximately 50 percent. It will create new areas for fishing, boating and other recreational activities, District 1 Florence County Council member Jason Springs said. The one thing weve always wanted is we have wanted more water. Water is calming to the soul. It gives people the reason to come out and do any number of recreational activities, Springs said. A bigger lake will encourage more people to head outside and enjoy more more family-friendly activities, Springs said. Florence County published a request for proposals to design and build and construct the addition to the lake at Lake City Park in the South Carolina Business Opportunities newsletter on April 5. Two proposals one from R.E. Goodson Construction Co. of Darlington and the other from Kirven Construction, Inc. of Darlington were received by the April 25 deadline. A selection committee evaluated the proposals. Goodson Construction received the highest rankings. Thursday, the County Council accepted Goodsons proposal. County Administrator K.G. Rusty Smith Jr. will negotiated a final project costs and execute all associated documents and contract agreements after the county attorney reviews and approves the final documents. An environmental study also will be conducted and submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for approval, Smith said. Construction of the lake expansion should begin in late summer or early fall, Springs said. HISTORYLake City residents and politicians opened talks about a lake for Lake City in 1988. The original plan was to create a 7-mile lake running east to west north of Lake City for $3.5 million. The Environmental Protection agency even issued a 401 permit. The project never started excavation. A much smaller, lake plan was announced in July 21. It was funded, in part, by a $3.1 million grant from the Doctors Bruce and Lee Foundation. Florence County invested $893,935 and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control added $125,000 to the project. The 55-acre park is located on North Church Street and incorporated 29.6 acres of the Ingram Lumber tract donated to the county for the park and 17.4 acres of the old Lake City Public Works facilities. The park includes an 8-acre lake, public restrooms, picnic shelters, playground equipment, exercise equipment, walking trails, elevated boardwalk, fishing piers and a waterfront plaza. The grand opening of Lake City Park occurred in April 2018. For many years, Lake City never had a lake. It was kind of a joke. People would say, Hey, its really the city with no lake, Springs said Thursday. The public private partnership let Florence County turn a landfill and a swamp into a lake and park, he said. We made this beautiful park that we call Lake City Park, he said. THE PROJECT The county will work with Goodson Construction for the next few months to finalize the expansion plan, Springs said. The lake expansion will connect to the current lake and provide more areas for fishing, kayaking and canoeing and other recreational activities, he said. Florence Countys recreation programs stretch beyond youth activities. They includes adults and senior citizens, Springs said. Weve branched out into other areas beyond the traditional ball programs. We also do trips for our seniors and family-fun activities, he said. Florence County has an environmental discovery center at Lynches River Park in Effingham, S.C., Springs said. The Lake City Park will complement activities at Lynches River Park. You can drive by here any day when the weather is very nice and many days its hard to find a parking place. This is a place where parents can bring their kids to play on the playground. We have exercise equipment here. We have a track that they can walk on. The lake is also stocked with fish so our citizens can come out and fish, he said. Lake City Park also is a great venue for community activities and family events like reunions, birthday parties, retirement parties and even weddings, he said. Lake City Administrator William A. Hall called the expansion of Lake City Park great news. Its a delight for our community to be able to have access to more of the county park to explore and use, he said. The Lake City Park expansion is exciting news, Lake City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary Kelley said. I know theyve been working on it for a while, she said. Its more opportunities for people to do things on the water. By expanding three or four acres, it opens more opportunities for kayaking and fishing. It also will increase Lake City Parks attractiveness to tourists. A bigger lake may encourage people traveling to Myrtle Beach to visit Lake City Park. It could become a destination for travelers to visit. Its always good to have family fun outside, she said, and opportunities for events, parties, birthdays and celebrations. It gives them more outdoor space on county-owned property to do it. With Senate leader now pushing for EQUAL Act, can crack sentencing reform finally get to finish line? | Main | So many depressing stories in a country awash with so many guns May 24, 2022 "A Catholic Perspective on Prison Conditions and Human Dignity" The title of this post is the title of this new article authored by Meghan J. Ryan now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract: Criminal offenders in the United States are often reviled. Instead of viewing them as individuals who need help, many view them as irredeemable, dirt, slime, scum, animal[s], sewer rats. As Catholics, though, we are taught to resist such impulses. We are called to put aside our overwhelming grief and fear when facing offenders and resist seeking revenge. We are instead asked to reach out our hands to sinners and offer them our forgiveness. This may be difficult to do, but walking in the steps of Christ requires just that. In following Jesus path not only are we working against our natural instincts of fear and revenge, but we are also working against the mass machinery of the American criminal justice system. Today, in the United States, there is often the mentality of locking up an offender and throwing away the key. Out of sight, out of mind. We generally keep offenders behind closed doors and, as measured against the practices in other countries, we keep them there for very long periods of time. Indeed, with nearly two million people, or approximately 0.6% of our population, behind bars, we incarcerate more individuals per capita than any other country in the world. Further, prisons are often located out of town, in remote locations; prison visits are relatively rare, and there is often little mainstream reporting of what goes on behind prison walls; and some incarceration facilities have even claimed trade-secret protection over their policies. Once an individual has been accused, convicted, and sentenced, he is often erased from most of societys consciousness. Behind the tall prison walls topped with razor wire, there is much that Catholics should be concerned about. Some prisons lack air conditioning and adequate plumbing, leaving inmates suffering in blistering conditions and wading through sewage. Many prisons suffer from severe overcrowding, contributing to unlivable conditions where vulnerable inmates are neglected and left in unsanitary conditions. Most prisons offer insufficient healthy food and inadequate medical care. Prison violence, including sexual assault, is a frequent occurrence. And prisons regularly place inmates in solitary confinement even though the practice is known to cause severe and permanent physical and mental health problems. In his recent encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis suggested that Catholics should work to traverse the wall of secrecy surrounding prison conditions and push to improve them: "All Christians and people of good will are today called to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty, legal or illegal, in all its forms, but also to work for the improvement of prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their freedom." Todays prison conditions are often abhorrent, and we have much work to do. May 24, 2022 at 02:36 PM | Permalink Comments Thank goodness the Framers made our law secular. Posted by: Bill Otis | May 24, 2022 11:38:34 PM Bill - does this mean that we should not try to reform prisons such that more inmates don't return to crime after release and that we should label criminals as "irredeemable" and "scum' as listed in the article instead of easily flawed people like the rest of us who can change their behavior with the right social support? Posted by: Brett Miler | May 25, 2022 10:50:35 AM Brett Miller -- As is typically the case with me, it means exactly what it says -- that I'm glad the Framers made our law secular, i.e., free from the dictates of any particular religion. Just for the record, though, I support improving prison conditions and have for years. I do not support diluting sentencing or other forms of accountability for criminals. Posted by: Bill Otis | May 25, 2022 1:14:32 PM This is another Trojan horse, complaining about prison conditions when the real goal is emptying them. Air conditioning? All of humanity lived without them until practically yesterday and now it is a cruel practice? Sewage? The biggest creators of sewage problems are the inmates themselves flushing pillow cases and other objects intending to create the problem. Things like prison rape are problems, although overstated. Whats the solution? If you put 1500 very bad people in close proximity, they will do bad things. Most prisons are run fairly efficiently considering the obstacles involved. The article is navel gazing without much in the way of solutions beyond emptying the places. Posted by: TarlsQtr | May 25, 2022 9:17:11 PM Hi Bill and Tarls - I believe that most people, with the right tools, can change their behavior and that marginalizing criminals on the scope we do now is a recipe for disaster. Bill and Tarls will respond that the crime rate has plummeted in the era of more incarceration/police but more incarceration and police does not remove the triggers (situations, trauma, poor upbringing) that cause people to become criminally inclined. We should be not so quick to judge or label but instead find solutions that are cost effective and that allow offending individuals to grow and change. Brett Miler Posted by: Brett Miler | May 26, 2022 12:19:07 PM Post a comment Notable (pandemic-impacted) justice data in "Federal Justice Statistics, 2020" | Main | "A Catholic Perspective on Prison Conditions and Human Dignity" The question in the title of this post is prompted by this New York Daily News article headlined "Schumer calls for end to crack cocaine sentencing disparity: Cocaine is cocaine." Here are excerpts: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday called on lawmakers to end a sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine that has had a disproportionate effect on Black Americans. We have a moment to balance the scales of justice, the New York Democrat said at a news conference outside the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in lower Manhattan. Its common sense: Cocaine is cocaine, and the sentencing should be equal. In September, the House overwhelmingly passed legislation to end a sentencing formula that uses an 18-to-1 ratio in treating equal amounts of crack and powder cocaine. The bipartisan vote was 361 to 66. Democrats and Republicans embraced the chance to correct what activists, researchers and law enforcement view as a historical wrong. Pricey powder cocaine has long been seen as the province of the wealthy, while crack is cheaper and generally associated with poorer Americans.... But the bill, called the Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act, has not yet landed on the floor of the Senate this spring, with both parties moving cautiously ahead of the pivotal midterm elections in November. Schumer, who declined to describe a timeline for passage, appeared to be embarking upon a pressure campaign meant to clear space for the legislations approval without a fierce fight on the floor. In the Senate, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) are sponsoring the legislation to end the sentencing disparities. Were working together Sens. Booker, Portman and myself figuring out the right timeframe and the right way to go, Schumer told reporters Monday. We want to get this done as soon as we can. Bookers office said Monday that the legislation has picked up 21 cosponsors, including 11 Republicans, since it was introduced in the Senate in January. Booker said in a statement he was pleased that Leader Schumer has called for a vote on the bill. For decades, our nations drug laws have been overly punitive and fraught with racial disparities, but perhaps no law has been as fundamentally flawed as the crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity, Booker said in the statement. I look forward to passing the EQUAL Act as soon as possible. Beginning in 1986, mandatory minimum sentences for crack cocaine and powder cocaine crimes were formulated using a staggering 100-to-1 ratio. The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, signed into law by President Barack Obama, changed the ratio to 18 to 1. Some of our colleagues would say, Well, Ill lower it, but I wont make it equal, said Schumer, who at one point held up sweetener packets as props during the news conference. 100 to 1 was horrible, but 18 to 1 was just as horrible, which it is now. 1 to 1 is fair. (PHOTOS: SFA, Getty Images) SINGAPORE Several batches of Jif peanut butter have been recalled in Singapore, following similar measures globally due to salmonella contamination arising from the consumption of the brand's products. The importer, DKSH South East Asia, has been directed by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to recall the affected batches of a 16-ounce Jif Omega 3 DHA & EPA Creamy Peanut Butter product. The batches of the US product come with lot codes 1274425 2140425, said SFA in a statement on Tuesday (24 May), adding that consumers who have purchased the items should avoid consuming them. Those who have concerns about their health arising from their consumption of the product should seek medical advice, SFA said. They may contact their point of purchase for enquiries, according to SFA. Its statement comes as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 20 May announced that the maker of Jif products, JM Smucker Co, will be recalling several Jif Peanut Butter products connected to a Salmonella Senftenburg outbreak that had sickened 14 people in various US states. FDA listed 49 products in Fridays announcement, including the companys Jif-branded honey. Countries that have followed suit in similar recall measures include Canada and Hong Kong. The outbreak has been linked to a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, where Jif peanut butter products are produced, FDA said. The strain had matched a sample that FDA took at the factory in 2010. Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium and can cause those infected to have fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhoea. It can cause severe and potentially fatal infections in young children, older people, or those with weakened immune systems. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore A worker feeds chickens in a poultry farm in Johor, Malaysia. (PHOTO: Reuters) SINGAPORE There will be an adverse impact on the prices of chicken and related products in Singapore, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said on Tuesday (24 May). The statement by CASE on its Facebook page comes a day after Malaysias Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the country will stop the export of 3.6 million chickens a month from 1 June, in a bid to stabilise production, as prices of the poultry continued to soar. Global chicken prices and related products such as raw materials for chicken feed have been surging in recent months due to the conflict in Ukraine. CASE also echoed the call by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to advise consumers to consider alternative sources of chicken and meat products and frozen options for now and to only buy what they need and "not buy excessively", as SFA monitors the situation. In addition, CASE encourages consumers to use Price Kaki to compare prices of chicken and related products in the coming weeks. We will also concurrently work towards increasing the number of chicken and related products available on Price Kaki so consumers can continue to stretch their dollar to tide through this sudden impact on our chicken supply, CASE said. Of Singapores chicken imports totalling about 214,400 tonnes last year, about a third, or almost 73,000 tonnes, were from Malaysia. Almost all of the Malaysian imports were live chickens, which were slaughtered and chilled in Singapore. Malaysia said it will abolish approved permits of poultry in a bid to help importers gain access to more supply sources. PM Ismail also noted reports of cartels manipulating chicken prices and production, and warned against such actions. The government regrets and is disappointed with the actions of some companies that stopped the supply of chicken, causing an increase in prices and lack of supply in the marketIf it is found that there is a cartel, the government will take legal action against them, said Ismail, according to a report by Malay Mail. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Retirement is like a long vacation in Las Vegas. The goal is to enjoy it to the fullest, but not so fully that you run out of money. -- attributed to Jonathan Clements We all want to enjoy our retirement, and none of us wants to run out of money. It's therefore a tricky thing, deciding when, exactly, to retire. There are many decisions related to that, too, such as when to stop working entirely, whether to work part-time in retirement for some years, and when to start collecting Social Security. You can start collecting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, and as late as age 70. (You can claim later than 70, but there's no benefit to that.) The most common age at which people start the Social Security income train rolling is 62. Here are some reasons why you might not want to do that. 1. Starting at 62 means smaller checks The key thing to understand about starting to collect your Social Security benefits early is that doing so will shrink the checks -- just as delaying starting to collect them beyond your "full retirement age" (66 or 67 for most of us) will plump them up. Indeed, if you expected to collect $1,000 per month starting at age 67, starting at age 62 would shrink that benefit to $700, while delaying until age 70 would get it to $1,240. That's a drop of nearly 44% if you opt to start at 62 instead of 70. These differences aren't really quite that stark, though. Starting early means smaller checks, but you'll receive many more of them, and starting late means bigger checks, but fewer of them. The system is designed so that those who live average-length lives will get roughly the same amount, in total, from the program no matter when they start the checks rolling. 2. Starting at 62 means smaller COLA increases This detail may be obvious, but many people don't think about it. In most years, Social Security benefits receive a "cost-of-living adjustment," or "COLA." There was a big one, 5.9%, in 2021, which followed 2020's 1.3%. In some years, it's zero. But whatever the increase is, the bigger your check is, the more additional dollars you'll receive. For example, consider that the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit was recently $1,666 (about $20,000) per year. If it increases by 5.9%, it becomes $1,764 -- an increase of $98. Now imagine that you were collecting a smaller sum, because you started receiving Social Security early. If your benefit was $1,200, the 5.9% bump would increase the size of your checks by nearly $71, about $27 less than with the bigger check. Over 12 months, that $27 difference will total $324. Over many years, the potential income lost will grow. 3. An early retirement can cost you Finally, retiring around age 62 might have some undesirable consequences. It means your retirement will be longer, yes, but it also means that your nest egg will have to support you for more years. Delaying retiring -- and delaying starting to collect Social Security -- can mean a few more years for you to save and invest for retirement, bigger Social Security checks, a bigger nest egg that will need to support you for fewer years, and perhaps a few more years on your employer's health insurance plan. Remember that Medicare coverage is available starting at age 65, so retiring at 62 means you may have to pay a lot more for healthcare for a while. Also, while you're working and not yet on Medicare, you (and your employer) may be able to contribute more to your Health Savings Account (HSA) -- and that can mean more money available to pay for healthcare expenses in a tax-favored way. Reasons to start collecting Social Security benefits early Despite all the issues above, there are still some good scenarios in which to start collecting your benefits early. For example: You have a decent chance of living a shorter-than-average life, in which case starting to collect soon will deliver more benefit dollars, in total. You need to retire early to care for a loved one and simply need the income. You want to retire early to be able to enjoy a longer retirement -- and you can afford to do so. You have been forced out of the workforce and are retiring early not by choice. The decision-making will be different for each of us, so take some time to learn more about Social Security so that you can make the best choices for yourself and your family. The $18,984 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $18,984 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Wedged into a recliner in the corner of her assisted living apartment in Portland, Skylar Freimann, who has a terminal heart condition and pulmonary illness, anxiously eyed her newly arrived hospital bed on a recent day and worried over how she would maintain independence as she further loses mobility. There to guide her along the journey was the Rev. Jo Laurence, a hospice and palliative care chaplain. But rather than invoking God or a Christian prayer, she talked of meditation, chanting and other Eastern spiritual traditions: The body can weigh us down sometimes, she counseled. Where is the divine or the sacred in your decline? An ordained Sufi minister and practicing Zen Buddhist who brings years of meditation practice and scriptural training to support end-of-life patients, Laurence is part of a burgeoning generation of Buddhist chaplains who are increasingly common in hospitals, hospices and prisons, where the need for their services rose dramatically during the pandemic. In a profession long dominated in the U.S. by Christian clergy, Buddhists are leading an ever more diverse field that includes Muslim, Hindu, Wiccan and even secular humanist chaplains. Buddhist chaplains say theyre uniquely positioned for the times due to their ability to appeal to a broad cultural and religious spectrum, including the growing number of Americans roughly one-third who identify as nonreligious. In response, study and training opportunities have been established or expanded in recent years. They include the Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School and the Buddhism track at Union Theological Seminary, an ecumenical Christian liberal seminary in New York City. Colorados Naropa University, a Buddhist-inspired liberal arts college, recently launched a low-residency hybrid degree chaplaincy program. Accredited training in chaplaincy is offered by the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. There's a two=year chaplaincy training program at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The programs keep expanding, so it seems clear that theres a growing demand from students. And the students appear to be finding jobs after graduation, said Monica Sanford, assistant dean for Multireligious Ministry at Harvard Divinity School and an ordained Buddhist minister. In the past, Buddhist chaplains were often hired by the likes of hospitals and police departments specifically to minister to Asian immigrant communities. During World War II, they served Japanese American soldiers in the military. Today, however, they are more mainstream. In a first-of-its-kind report published this month, Sanford and a colleague identified 425 chaplains in the United States, Canada and Mexico representing all major branches of Buddhism, though the researchers say there are likely many more. More than 40% work in health care, the Mapping Buddhist Chaplains in North America report found, while others serve in schools, in prisons or as self-employed counselors. Two-thirds of respondents reported holding a Master of Divinity, another graduate degree or a chaplaincy certificate. Most of those working as staff chaplains also completed clinical pastoral education internships and residencies in health care and other settings. Maitripa College, a Tibetan Buddhist college also in Portland, has seen increased interest in its Master of Divinity track since its launch 10 years ago, said Leigh Miller, director of academic and public programs. It appeals to a broad range, from older Buddhists with 20 years of practice to new college graduates who just started meditating, from spiritual seekers to people with multiple religious belongings. Hospitals and other institutions are eager to hire Buddhist chaplains, Miller said, in part to boost staff diversity and also because they are adept at relating to others using inclusive, neutral language. Buddhist chaplains are in the habit of speaking in more universal terms, focusing on compassion, being grounded, feeling at peace, she said. A lot of Christian chaplains fall back on God language, leading prayers or reading Bible scriptures. Meanwhile, training in mindfulness and meditation, as well as beliefs regarding the nature of self, reality and the impermanence of suffering, give Buddhists unique tools to confront pain and death. The fruit of those hours on the (meditation) cushion really shows up in the ability to be present, to drop ones own personal agenda and to have a kind of awareness of self and other that allows for an interdependent relationship to arise, Miller said. Buddhist chaplaincy also faces challenges, including how to become more accessible to Buddhists of color. The Mapping Buddhist Chaplains in North America report found that most professional Buddhist chaplains today are white and have a Christian family background, even though nearly two-thirds of the faiths followers in the U.S. are Asian American, according to the Pew Research Center. Traditional Buddhist communities tend to be small and run by volunteers so they often lack the resources to offer endorsements to chaplains a necessary step for board certification, which is often required for employment. And non-Christian chaplains can struggle with feelings of isolation and a need to code-switch in Christian-founded health care institutions where crosses hang on walls, prayers are offered at staff meetings and Jesus and the Bible are regularly invoked. Providence Health & Services, a Catholic nonprofit based in Washington state that runs hospitals in seven Western states, is one Christian health care system seeking to change that. Mark Thomas, a chief mission officer in Oregon, said the system employs 10 Buddhist chaplains not despite but precisely because of its Catholic identity. The aim is to ensure patients get good spiritual care however it best suits them. Many patients resonate with some aspect or even just a perception of Buddhism, said Thomas, citing practices like meditation and breathing that can help them cope with suffering. These tools have been enormously valuable. Laurence, the hospice chaplain at Portlands Providence Home and Community Services, grew up in London and felt called to Buddhism after witnessing poverty, violence and racism as a caregiver in Mississippi. She said that as more people become unchurched, many patients dont have a language for their spirituality or its tied up with religious trauma. Laurence supports them in whatever way they need, be it through Christian prayer, the comfort of a cool washcloth on a forehead or a Buddhist-inspired blessing. For some people the language of Buddhism is a respite, she said. It doesnt have the baggage, and it feels so soothing to them. Freimann, her patient, said she has practiced Eastern spiritual traditions and therefore was delighted to receive Laurence. I dont think of God the way traditionally religious people do, Freimann told her during the visit. What a joy youre here. It would be so much harder to talk with a Christian chaplain. This story was first published on May 15, 2022. It was updated on May 24, 2022, to correct that chaplaincy training programs at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care are fully accredited. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DOVER, Del. (AP) Delaware Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed a bill to legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults for recreational use, drawing the wrath of fellow Democrats who have fought for years to make weed legal. In vetoing the measure, Carney reiterated his previously expressed concerns about legalizing recreational pot concerns that did not dissuade fellow Democrats from pushing the legislation through the General Assembly. I recognize the positive effect marijuana can have for people with certain health conditions, and for that reason, I continue to support the medical marijuana industry in Delaware, Carney said in returning the bill to the state House. I supported decriminalization of marijuana because I agree that individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana and today, thanks to Delawares decriminalization law, they are not. That said, I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people. Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved. Carneys veto comes just days after legislation to establish a state-run marijuana industry in Delaware failed to clear the state House for a second time. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted 23-15 on Thursday to approve the bill, which fell two votes short of the required supermajority. The proposal requires a three-fifths majority in both the House and Senate because it creates a new tax, consisting of a 15% levy on retail marijuana sales. Last weeks vote came two months after a similar measure failed in the House on a 23-14 vote, and just hours after Carneys office received the companion legalization bill. Without legalization, the creation of a state-run pot industry is a moot issue. Its unclear whether Democratic lawmakers will try to override Carneys veto, which would be a rare occurrence. The last time Delaware lawmakers held a vote to override a veto was in 1990. The last time they succeeded was in 1977, when the House and the Senate voted to override then-Gov. Pete du Pont's veto of the state's budget bill. Rep. Ed Osienski, a Newark Democrat and chief sponsor of both bills, said in a statement that he was deeply disappointed by Carneys decision and would review his options. Senate Democrats echoed Osienski's assertion that Carney had chosen to ignore the will of Delawareans. The members of the Delaware General Assembly have been fighting for years to end the failed war on marijuana and we will not be stopped by this latest setback, read a statement from chief Senate sponsor Trey Paradee and Senate president Dave Sokola. Betsy Maron, chairwoman of the Delaware Democratic Party, said she was confident that lawmakers could trump Carney's veto and make legalization a reality. Last year, we went as far as to include it in our party platform, which passed unanimously at the 2021 state convention, Maron said in a statement. "Delawares voters have further solidified their voice on the matter by electing Democratic candidates to the legislature that support legalization. We are confident those legislators will override the veto knowing they have the support of Delawares Democrats. Osienski carved the legalization and industry-creation proposals into two separate bills in late March after the House rejected broader legislation that sought to do both. That cleared the way for passage of the legalization bill, which did not include any tax provision and thus required only a simple majority. The legalization bill cleared the Democrat-controlled Senate with no Republican support. Sen. Bruce Ennis of Smyrna was the only Democrat joining GOP lawmakers in opposition. Two Democrats, including Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, voted against the l egalization bill in the House, along with 12 of the 15 GOP representatives. Ennis and Schwartzkopf are both retired state troopers. Supporters of a state-run marijuana industry argue that it would create jobs, boost state coffers and shrink the illegal black market. Opponents contend that legalization and a state-licensed cultivation and sales would lead to increased marijuana use among teens and young adults, expose business owners to liability, and result in more traffic deaths and injuries. They also say establishing a state-run market with a 15% tax on retail sales would do little to eliminate illegal sales. The Associated Press reported earlier this year t hat legalization had done little to discourage black market sales in California, and that some licensees there are simultaneously participating in the black market in order to make a profit. Californias governor has now proposed a temporary tax cut for the marijuana industry to help struggling businesses. Currently, recreational marijuana use is permitted in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Since May 3, 2022, when Politico reported that the Supreme Court was planning to strike down Roe v. Wade, many Christians have celebrated the prospect of an America where abortion is not a constitutionally protected right or is someday banned entirely. Meanwhile, other conservative Christians have been working on a related target: limiting access to some contraceptives. In July 2020, when the Supreme Court ruled that organizations with sincerely held religious or moral objection are not obligated to provide contraceptive coverage to their employees, many conservative Christians applauded. Six years before, the evangelical owners of crafting chain Hobby Lobby took their objections to covering the IUD in their health insurance plans all the way to the Supreme Court. Hobby Lobby argued incorrectly, according to most medical authorities that it was a form of abortion, and therefore they should not have to cover employees health insurance for it. The justices sided with the chains owners. Yet as access to both abortion and contraception comes under threat, the vast majority of Protestants use or have used some form of contraception. Their actions are supported by almost 100 years of pastoral advocacy on the issue. In my work as a scholar of religous studies, gender and sexuality, I have researched the Protestant leaders who campaigned to make contraception respectable, and therefore widely acceptable, in the mid-20th century. History, I have found, provides a different story about the relationship between Protestants and birth control. Responsible parenthood As new contraceptive options emerged in the first two-thirds of the 20th century, from the diaphragm to the birth control pill, Christian leaders wrestled with what to think. Many came to see birth control as a moral good that would allow married couples to have satisfying sex lives, while protecting women from the health risks of frequent pregnancies. They hoped it could ensure that couples would not have more children than they could care for, emotionally and economically. They looked inward, considering the consequences of birth control for their own communities, and hoped that planned or responsible sex would create healthy families and decrease divorce. They also looked outward, thinking about birth controls wider implications, at a time of widespread concern that the global population was rising too quickly to handle. By the time the pill came on the market in the 1960s, liberal and even some conservative Protestants were advocating for birth control using new theological ideas about responsible parenthood. Responsible parenthood reframed debates about family size around Christian duty. To be responsible in parenting was not only to avoid having more children than you could afford, nurture and educate. It also meant considering responsibilities outside the home toward churches, society and humanity. Protestant leaders supporting contraception argued that the best kind of family was a father with a steady job and a homemaker mother, and that birth control could encourage this model, because smaller families could maintain a comfortable lifestyle on one income. They also hoped that contraception would help couples stay together by allowing them to have satisfying sex lives. Multiple denominations endorsed birth control. In 1958, for example, the Anglican Communion stated that family planning was a primary obligation of Christian marriage, and chastised parents who carelessly and improvidently bring children into the world, trusting in an unknown future or a generous society to care for them. The big picture Religious leaders support for responsible parenthood was not just about deliberately creating the kind of Christian families they approved of. It was also about heading off the horrors of population explosion a fear very much front of mind in mid-century America. In the middle of the 20th century, with increased access to vaccines and antibiotics, more children were living to adulthood and life expectancies were rising. Protestant leaders feared this so-called population bomb would outstrip the Earths food supply, leading to famine and war. In 1954, when the global population stood at about 2.5 billion, Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick, one of the most prominent Protestant voices of the age, framed overpopulation as one of the worlds basic problems, and the birth control pill, which was then being developed, as the best potential solution. Richard Fagley, a minister who served on the World Council of Churchs Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, argued that in family planning, science had provided Christians with a new venue for moral responsibility. Medical knowledge, Fagley wrote, is a liberating gift from God, to be used to the glory of God, in accordance with his will for men. These responsible parenthood ideas held that religious couples had a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth by not having more children than the planet could support. In the context of marriage, contraception was viewed as moral, shoring up a particular form of Christian values. Yesterdays arguments These ideas about good and bad families often rested on assumptions about race and gender that reproductive rights advocates find troubling today. Early in the 20th century, predominantly white, Protestant clergy were very interested in increasing access to contraception for the poor, who were often Catholic or Jewish immigrants or people of color. Some scholars have argued that early support for contraception was predominantly about eugenics, particularly before World War II. Among some white leaders, there was concern about so-called race suicide: the racist fear that they would be overwhelmed. Apart from some eugenicists, however, most of these clergy wanted to give people access to contraception in order to create healthy families, regardless of income level. Yet many were unable or unwilling to see how they were promoting a narrow view of the ideal family, and how that marginalized poor communities and people of color themes I am studying in my current book project. Moreover, many proponents were advocating for womens health, but not reproductive freedom. Their priority was setting women up for success to attain their ideal of the middle-class, Christian motherhood. With fewer children, some hoped, families would be able to get by on just a husbands salary, meaning more women at home raising children. A battle won and lost? Over the decades, Protestant leaders have, in large part, disappeared from pro-birth control arguments. There are many reasons. Mid-century agricultural technologies reduced fears of overpopulation which have only recently been reawoken by the climate crisis. Meanwhile, mainline Protestant churches, and their public influence, are shrinking. Conservative leaders eventually grew concerned that birth control would lead to more working women, not fewer. And since the 1970s, evangelicals have grown increasingly opposed to abortion, which was increasingly linked to birth control through the broad term family planning. In other words, since the population bomb was no longer ticking, contraception no longer seemed like such an urgent necessity and some of its other implications troubled conservatives, breaking an almost pan-Protestant alliance. Meanwhile, liberal Protestants had so embraced contraception that they no longer viewed it as turf that needed defending. Today, 99% of American girls and women between the ages of 15 and 44 who have ever had sex use or have used a contraceptive method. Reproductive rights advocates turned their attention to abortion rights largely leaving religious views on birth control to their opponents. ___ Samira Mehta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. ___ Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SAC CITY, Iowa -- Three Sac County men have pleaded not guilty to numerous charges related to a string of burglaries at rural homes. Nick Bogue, 34, of Lake View, Iowa, entered his written plea Monday in Sac County District Court to three counts of second-degree arson and one count of first-degree criminal mischief. He previously pleaded not guilty of second-degree theft and possession of a controlled substance. John Bogue, 34, of Lake View, pleaded not guilty on May 14 to ongoing criminal conduct, first-degree criminal mischief and three counts each of third-degree burglary and second-degree arson. James Becker, 33, of Wall Lake, Iowa, pleaded not guilty on May 9 of ongoing criminal conduct and two counts of third-degree burglary, plus drug charges from a separate case. The three are charged with burglaries and thefts in which copper piping and wiring and other property were stolen from at least three locations from Dec. 1 through March 4. John and Nick Bogue are charged with setting a fire that destroyed a house and two outbuildings. Kennedie Ford, 26, of Lake City, Iowa, previously pleaded not guilty to ongoing criminal conduct, criminal mischief and several counts of burglary and theft. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Drivers of stolen vehicles were arrested over the weekend in two separate chases that reached speeds over 100 mph in Sioux City. At 1:27 a.m. Saturday, Sioux City police spotted an SUV reported as stolen at South Helen and Dodge streets, where a chase ensued. The driver eluded officers for several miles, eventually hitting speeds over 100 mph on South Lewis Boulevard before the vehicle became disabled at South Lewis and Line Drive. Officers determined Raymond West was the driver and found him in possession of 20 grams of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun he was prohibited from possessing because of a previous felony conviction. West, 30, was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on charges of first-degree theft, eluding, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, failure to affix a drug tax stamp and felon in possession of a firearm. He also faces violations of his probation from 2021 convictions for burglary and failure to appear. Almost 24 hours later, at 12:31 a.m. Sunday, a Woodbury County Sheriff's deputy observed a northbound car speeding at mile marker 139 on Interstate 29 south of Sioux City. The deputy attempted to stop the driver, who sped away and led the deputy on a chase reaching a speed of 104 mph. The driver exited onto Singing Hills Boulevard and drove into oncoming traffic before reentering I-29 and heading north in the southbound lanes before Sergeant Bluff police officers stopped the car and ended the chase. The driver was identified as Michael Gonzales, 33, who is identified in court documents as a transient from Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to court documents, Gonzales was found in possession of a syringe and 4 grams of methamphetamine, and he admitted to having used meth 30 minutes before the chase. He also told officers he stole the car four or five days earlier in Omaha. Gonzales was arrested on charges of eluding, second-degree theft, operating a vehicle without owner's consent and possession of a controlled substance. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The woman who allegedly drove her SUV over the Interstate 74 bridge pedestrian path early Sunday morning, killing one person and injuring two others, faces 10 charges in Rock Island County court. Chhabria A. Harris, 46, of East Moline, knowingly drove her Cadillac Escalade on the pedestrian path, striking and killing Ethan Lee Gonzalez, 21, of Moline, and seriously injuring Anthony Castaneda, 18, and Charles Bowen, 22, according to court documents. Harris is charged with: Three counts of aggravated DUI, great bodily injury or death Three counts of failure to stop after a crash causing personal injury or death Three charges of aggravated reckless driving One count of reckless homicide She is being held on a $2 million bail in Rock Island County jail. To be released, she would have to post a $200,000 bond. Police say Harris drove her SUV onto the new walking/bike path from the Bettendorf side at about 2 a.m. Sunday and traveled the length of the span, striking the three people about 200 yards from the Moline pathway entrance, according to early police investigations. Gonzalez was killed at the scene, Castaneda and Bowen are in critical condition, according to a news release from Rock Island State's Attorney Dora Villarreal. Harris left the scene and was found in East Moline getting out of her SUV. She was taken to UnityPoint Hospital on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the state's attorney's release. Once released from the hospital, Moline police took her into custody, and formal charges were filed Monday. Harris made her first appearance on the charges Monday afternoon. Her next court appearance was scheduled for June 7, according to court records. Preliminary results of an autopsy performed Monday were that Gonzalez died of blunt trauma injuries to his chest, Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson said. There was no evidence Sunday of rubber marks from tires on the concrete that holds the railings in place and no visible scrapes or scratches to suggest the vehicle hit either side of the pathway railings when crossing. The span is 14 feet wide and separated by barriers from the bridge's motoring lanes. No skid marks from the vehicle can be seen on the path. Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn said Monday the city and both states' Department of Transportation would meet, "to see what measures, if any, should be taken." The Iowa DOT also made the following statement Monday: "We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Iowa DOT is coordinating with the cities of Bettendorf and Moline to investigate the incident and discuss how we can prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future." The path opened April 28 after five years of construction. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the path was held three days before the fatal crash. Moline is leading the investigation since the injuries occurred near the Moline entrance to the path. The coroner's office and the Illinois State Police are working with Moline police investigators, Gustafson said. Police ask anyone with information to contact police at 309-797-0401. Pedestrians struck by SUV on I-74 pedestrian path all Moline High School graduates The three pedestrians hit by an SUV driving on the recently opened I-74 pedestrian path early Sunday morning all graduated from Moline High School within the last three years. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY -- A woman involved in an assault that preceded a downtown Sioux City shooting was sentenced Monday to probation. District Judge Tod Deck suspended a five-year prison sentence and placed Miracle Walls on probation for two years. Walls, 24, of Sioux City, pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court in March to third-degree burglary, which had been reduced from second-degree burglary as part of a plea agreement. In her plea, Walls admitted to reaching into a car on Sept. 24 and punching one of the occupants. Walls and Joy Scott were charged with following the woman in a car and blocking her path on an access road in the 200 block of Nebraska Street. Once the car was stopped, Scott and Walls opened the woman's car door and assaulted her. Before the woman was stopped, she had called her brother, who arrived on the scene and tried to break up the fight. Aaron Word, who was in the car with Walls and Scott, is charged with shooting the man once in the back and once in the chest. Scott, 40, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty of second-degree burglary and is scheduled to stand trial in July. Word, 18, of Sioux City, is scheduled to stand trial in August on charges of attempted murder, willful injury, intimidation with a weapon, going armed with intent and trafficking in stolen firearms. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City police officers make every effort to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with resources to help them get off of the streets, said Community Policing Sgt. Jeremy McClure. Still, McClure said officers deal with "situations" involving the same people frequently in the city's skywalks, parking ramps and some downtown apartment buildings. He said these individuals are often dealing with mental health or substance abuse issues. "A lot of the complaints that we get are for a handful of aggressive panhandlers," he said. "When people give money to the panhandlers it creates a lot more of these situations." Charles Johns, who has lived downtown for five years, said the homeless are constantly asking him for money and cigarettes. He said of the situation, "It's bad." David Saltzgiver, another downtown resident, said he has witnessed homeless individuals screaming at things that aren't there. "I just think they need some place better to go than roaming around causing trouble," he said. "Some of them have been homeless for years." During the May 9 City Council meeting, Councilman Alex Watters said employees of downtown businesses have told him that some of the homeless are making them feel "threatened or unsafe." He said he received a text from a resident who works downtown expressing concerns about homeless individuals occupying elevators. He said he has heard similar complaints from "a number of individuals" and that "we need to do something to address some of this stuff." "This individual takes an elevator up to their office every single day and said the amount of time that he is stepping over individuals, or individuals are fighting, or that there's urine or feces in the elevator is just -- he's losing count at this point in time," said Watters, who noted that the resident calls the police department's non-emergency number "all the time." McClure told The Journal that these situations are not necessarily unique to Sioux City and that representatives from the police department, Neighborhood Services, Downtown Partners and Siouxland Mental Health Center meet quarterly to discuss these issues. He said they continue to look at what other communities have done to alleviate similar problems. Last June, the city launched a campaign to encourage people to donate to agencies that work directly with those experiencing homelessness, rather than give money to panhandlers. Then, in November, the council green-lighted an agreement with a local electrical contractor to provide and install security cameras at four city parking ramps in effort to curb crimes, such as burglary, drug possession, thefts from vehicles and incidents of criminal mischief. The cameras record the "comings and goings" at the ramps' entrances, but aren't monitored in real-time. "I've got one officer on the day shift who almost daily walks the skywalks and tries to alleviate some of those situations," McClure said. "We do what we legally can do. People have the right to panhandle and it's not a crime to be homeless. We try to educate them about trespassing and damaging property and some of the things that they do to look for shelter." Issues persist On Mother's Day, Justin Johnston went for a walk near Century Plaza Apartments, where he has lived in Sioux City's downtown for 20 years. "Just walking around the block itself, I found around six homeless people -- two of them sleeping at the US Bank entryway. There were two in the alley. One of them was in by the coffee shop," Johnston recalled. After Johnston brought concerns about the homeless sleeping in Century Plaza's stairwells and other common areas to the Council's attention, durable no trespassing signs were affixed to the walls inside the building at 411 Nebraska St., and a tenant, who was letting in the homeless, was eventually evicted. That former tenant went to the Gospel Mission, but he was kicked out, according to Johnston. Now, Johnston said the man is back circling the building. He said an unlocked door, which is connected with the skywalk, still allows the homeless to access the building. "We've had a couple people while intoxicated that still come in through the skywalk and get in the elevator and try knocking on people's doors," said Johnston, who said he has been warned by Century Plaza's management not to confront the homeless when he sees them trespassing. "We had incidents in our elevator where they would actually urinate and leave garbage behind." McClure described the tenants of Century Plaza as "vocal" about the problems involving the homeless. He said the department has been working with tenants to identify people who need to be removed from the building and get them banned by management. He said the department has also been educating management about better securing the property. A message left Thursday for Century Plaza's manager was not immediately returned. "Typically, what we'll do is we'll remove (the homeless). And, if it's the first time we've removed them, we'll typically give them a warning," McClure said. "We are sympathetic to the plight of many of these people. We want to treat them humanely, with dignity, but we're also obligated to uphold the property rights of the residents downtown. If warnings aren't working, then we'll look at filing charges or doing other things to dissuade them from continuing that behavior." Johnston, who has epilepsy, said he would like to see more security in and around Century Plaza. He said the building's tenants are elderly and persons with disabilities. "I know there are times where I did go back to my apartment and just call 911, but it took up to 40 minutes at times for them to come down here, because it's not an emergency," he said. "No, having someone that you don't know sleeping on your stairway or in your hall or on the couch, it is an emergency, especially for a person of disability. A lot of us don't have the capability of defending ourselves fully." Offering stability Since the city's rapid rehousing program began in January 2020, 99 households, consisting of 160 people, have been placed in permanent housing. "The skywalk staff are excellent at identifying people they think might need assistance and, then, they will refer people to coordinated entry," said Amy Keairns, the city's Neighborhood Services outreach supervisor. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires individuals experiencing homelessness to go through the coordinated entry process in order to receive housing services. Coordinated entry helps communities assess the needs of individuals and prioritize their need for housing and the type of housing that would best serve them. However, individuals often face long wait times or are screened out. "Sometimes, people have several addictions or a criminal background or any number of things that prevent landlords from accepting them into their units. So, that makes it a little bit trickier to house them as quickly as we want to," Keairns said. "We've been able to get landlords to participate because of the case management that we provide. We don't just drop someone who's been homeless for a number of years in an apartment and say, 'Good luck to you.' We provide those services, too." In the meantime, while the homeless are waiting for permanent housing, the Warming Shelter, an emergency shelter at 916 Nebraska St., is open overnight during the winter months to all, including those who are intoxicated. Staying at the Gospel Mission is an option year-round, but the shelter has rules, which Keairns said not every resident is interested in following. "They either don't want to stay there or they're not allowed to stay there," she said of some individuals. Not having an I.D. or Social Security card is another barrier to securing housing, according to Keairns. She said Neighborhood Services' interns visit the Warming Shelter on a regular basis to help residents obtain those forms of identification so they can apply for an apartment. A handful of the homeless also choose to leave the city each month, after receiving one-way bus tickets from Neighborhood Services, according to Keairns. She said the tickets, which are purchased with transportation funding, allow them to reunite with family in other parts of the country. "It's a one-time thing. The intent is that's where their support system is and that they would stay there. We don't want people to shuttle back and forth," she said. "We want to make sure that they're somewhere where they can be stable." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nebraska native Felisha Moore has spent her whole life working hard, and it's about to pay off in June when she receives her degree from Stanford University. For her mom, Shelley Moore, there was no doubt that her daughter had what it took to succeed. Growing up, Felisha Moore was always goal-oriented and driven. Her talent and dedication continued to shine throughout her time at Freeman High School in Adams, ultimately leading to a full-ride scholarship to Stanford. Its not something she learned from me," Shelley Moore said. "She has always had her own internal drive, motivation and determination. She just plain works hard and always has." Felisha Moore was recently honored with the Class of 2022 Stanford Award of Excellence, which is given to just 10% of graduates who were nominated by faculty for their involvement, leadership and dedication to the university. She doesn't know exactly what she wants to do with her international relations degree, but plans to return for her master's. One thing she knows for sure, however, is that she wants to travel, and she's on track to do that. After graduation, Felisha Moore will travel to the Dominican Republic to work as an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo over the summer. It will be her second year in the position after completing her first year remotely because of COVID-19. It is just one of several travel opportunities she's had so far. Before her sophomore year, Felisha Moore traveled to Costa Rica to volunteer as an elementary school teacher in a small, rural community. Later, she studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. "Stanford University has always been my dream school, and I couldnt have wished for a better place to spend my undergraduate career," Felisha Moore said in an email. "I have made the most genuine, abiding connections at this university, from friends to faculty." Felisha Moore had several universities in mind when it came time to apply for college, but Stanford replied first with an opportunity she simply could not pass up: an academic scholarship that covered room and board, tuition, the cost of a laptop and airfare for two trips home per year. Everything shes done she has worked very hard for," Shelley Moore said. "People always say that she must just be so brilliant, but shes really just a super hard worker. Some things come easy for her and some things don't, just like anyone else. But, if it doesnt, shes gonna study and study until she gets it. Her daughter's graduation is a great source of pride, but Shelley Moore is struggling to find the necessary funds to cover the cost of travel to California. A GoFundMe was set up in the familys name to help her and her youngest daughter, Gracie Moore, watch Felisha Moore cross the stage June 12. "The thought of not going and seeing her graduate is beyond heartbreaking," Shelley Moore said. Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.com Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY The Sioux City Council approved a plan for improvements at the newly renamed Jepson Park, formerly known as Thompson Park. According to city documents, the project includes the construction of playground structures and safety play surfacing, an open shelter, signage and other miscellaneous improvements at 803 14th St. and 1400 Ingleside Ave. Mike Bauer, Neighborhood Services project coordinator, said the property was known as Thompson Park for a while, before it became vacant. "We're putting a new park there. It's two empty lots, right now," said Bauer, who said grant funding would be used to pay for the improvements. "The name of the park is actually after a doctor from Sioux City," Bauer said of Dr. William Jepson. "That one particular lot that we're putting the park on was originally the Sioux City College of Medicine. He was a founder of that college and he also helped with four other hospitals in Sioux City, including the first hospital in Sioux City, so that's how we kind of came up with the name." Mayor Bob Scott asked why the park's name is being changed. Jill Wanderscheid, Neighborhood Services manager, said Neighborhood Services reached out to the Craig Thompson family, who donated land and money for the project, and they did not have a preference if the name was changed. Council Member Alex Watters suggested naming the park the Thompson/Jepson Park or T.J. Park. It was also suggested change the portion of the park where the hospital formerly resided to Jepson Park and naming the other part Thompson Park. Council Member Dan Moore asked if signs could be installed detailing the history of Thompson and Jepson. Bauer said there are plans to create a plaque for Jepson's history. No motion was made to change the name and the project specifications were unanimously approved. The engineers opinion of probable construction costs for the work is $423,000, according to the documents. If the council approves the resolution, the city is slated to go out for bid on May 25. The project has a completion date of June 1, 2023. The documents state that a public meeting was held before the pandemic to gain input on the proposed park. The top three desired components were outdoor cooking, a unique play structure and a playground. All three are to be incorporated into the project. The council also approved a resolution approving an offer of sale of land from the Flux Dance Company for the Normandy Park acquisition project. The vacant parking lot, at 3717 Summit St., where the former Normandy Restaurant once stood, will be turned into a pocket park. The property was appraised by Jim Verschoor, of Tri-State Valuation & Consulting. The fair market value was established at $78,500, according to city documents. That amount was offered to and accepted by Flux Dance Company. "We don't really have a timeline for developing it into a park," Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore said. "Phase 1 is just acquiring the property and then, we're going to work with the park board on what that could look like." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) Jurors in Johnny Depps libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard heard a snippet of testimony Tuesday contradicting one of Heards key witnesses, but much of the context was stripped away. Jennifer Howell who once employed Heard's sister, Whitney Henriquez testified briefly Tuesday in the six-week civil trial through a recorded deposition. Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name. Howell testified that she sent an email in 2020 to Henriquez begging her to tell the truth. Jurors, though, did not see the letter, nor did Howell explain in what way she thought Henriquez was being untruthful. The edited deposition played in court for less than 15 minutes Howell appeared to walk out of the deposition before lawyers had completed their questioning. In a court document, though, Howell goes into much greater detail. She gives a four-page declaration in which she says Henriquez confided in her that Heard was the aggressor in the fight and Henriquez allegedly said she thought Heard was going to kill Johnny. Howell also says in the declaration that Henriquez told her and others in their workplace that Heard cut off Depp's finger in a fight the couple had in Australia. The severed finger has been a point of dispute throughout the trial. Depp says the finger was severed when Heard lobbed a vodka bottle at him. Heard says Depp did it to himself on a night when he was in a drunken rage and sexually assaulted her with a bourbon bottle. Henriquez is the only one of Heards witnesses who testified in the six-week trial that she personally witnessed Depp physically assault Heard, in a fight where she said each landed blows on the other while she was caught between the two. It's not entirely clear why Howell's testimony was so limited. Throughout the trial, though, Judge Penney Azcarate has strictly enforced rules limiting hearsay evidence, and Howell's description of what Henriquez told her would likely be a classic example of hearsay unless Depp's lawyers could claim some sort of exception to the hearsay rule. In Howell's declaration, she acknowledged that she was upset when she learned that Heard had pledged millions of dollars to the American Civil Liberties Union and a children's hospital, when Howell thought the money could do more good at The Art of Elysium, the nonprofit she ran and that had employed Henriquez. The limited nature of Howell's testimony makes it unclear if jurors will draw the connections that Depp's team hopes to make. Howell testified as a rebuttal witness for Depp after Heard rested her case Tuesday morning without calling Depp to the stand Heard's lawyers had initially suggested they would call Depp as a witness. Jurors may still hear more from Depp. His team has indicated they may call him to the stand Wednesday. Both Depp and Heard have each testified extensively already about details of their toxic relationship. Also Tuesday, the celebrity news site TMZ filed an emergency motion seeking to block the testimony of a former employee, Morgan Tremaine. TMZ said it's concerned that Tremaine is prepared to testify Wednesday for Depp and violate a pledge of confidentiality that the news outlet provided to a source who gave TMZ information related to the couple's high-profile divorce. Heard has denied that she tipped off news outlets to the fact that she obtained a temporary restraining order after filing for divorce from Depp in 2016. Heard alleged Depp abused her in that application, and Heard was photographed by paparazzi leaving the courthouse with an apparent bruise on her cheek. Depp's lawyers have said she sought publicity about her abuse allegations to falsely damage his reputation. Also Tuesday, Judge Penney Azcarate rejected a motion from Depps attorneys to toss out a $100 million counterclaim she filed against Depp. The counterclaim alleges Depp's then-lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed Heard when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Azcarate said the bar for tossing out a claim before it goes to the jury is exceedingly high, and said there is enough evidence to allow it to go forward. She had already ruled Depp could be held responsible for statements made by his lawyer, a principle Depp's team disputes. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gunman kills at least 19 children at Texas elementary school UVALDE, Texas (AP) An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, officials said, in the latest gruesome moment for a country scarred by a string of massacres. The attacker was killed by law enforcement. The death toll also included two adults, authorities said. Gov. Greg Abbott said one of the two was a teacher. The assault at Robb Elementary School in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago. My heart is broken today, said Hal Harrell, the school district superintendent, announcing that all school activities were canceled until further notice. Were a small community, and were going to need your prayers to get through this. The attack also came just 10 days after a deadly, racist rampage at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that added to a yearslong series of mass killings at churches, schools and stores. And the prospects for any reform of the nations gun regulations seemed as dim as in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook deaths. Biden says 'we have to act' after Texas school shooting WASHINGTON (AP) Lamenting a uniquely American tragedy, an anguished and angry President Joe Biden delivered an urgent call for new restrictions on firearms Tuesday night after a gunman shot and killed 19 children at a Texas elementary school. Biden spoke from the White House barely an hour after returning from a five-day trip to Asia that was bracketed by mass shootings in the U.S. He pleaded for action to address gun violence after years of failure and bitterly blamed firearm manufacturers and their supporters for blocking legislation in Washington. 'When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden said with emotion. Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen?" With first lady Jill Biden standing by his side in the Roosevelt Room, the president, who has suffered the loss of two of his own children, though not to gun violence, spoke in visceral terms about the grief of the loved ones of the victims and the pain that will endure for the students who survived. To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away, Biden said. Theres a hollowness in your chest. You feel like youre being sucked into it and never going to be able to get out. Kemp wins Georgia GOP gov's race in stinging rebuke of Trump ATLANTA (AP) Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia easily dispatched Donald Trump's hand-picked challenger on Tuesday in a Republican primary that demonstrated the limits of the former president and his conspiracy-fueled politics in a critical swing state. Kemp will face Democrat Stacey Abrams this fall in what will be one of the nations most consequential governors races. The results served as a stinging rebuke of Trump in a race that he prioritized above almost all others. Angered by Kemp's refusal to go along with his extraordinary effort to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, Trump personally recruited former Sen. David Perdue to launch a primary. Trump even encouraged another Republican to drop out of the race to clear a path for a Perdue victory. But Kemp ultimately emerged as a powerful candidate able to draw prolific fundraising totals that helped him flood Georgia with television and other ads. He tapped into the power of his office to show voters what he could do for them, unveiling a $5.5 billion, 8,100-job Hyundai Motor plant near Savannah in the final days of the campaign. Even in the middle of a tough primary, conservatives across our state didn't listen to the noise. They didn't get distracted," Kemp told cheering supporters, before calling on his party to rally behind his campaign. Live updates | Russia-Ukraine War The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. After Texas shooting, Conn. senator begs for gun compromise HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A U.S. senator who came to Congress representing the Connecticut community where 26 elementary school students and educators were killed nearly a decade ago begged his colleagues Tuesday, as the latest school shooting unfolded, to pass legislation addressing the nation's gun violence problem. The mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) away from Newtown, Connecticut, felt all too familiar to residents and officials who saw many similarities to the attack by a lone gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. A gutted Sen. Chris Murphy took to the Senate floor Tuesday and demanded that lawmakers accomplish what they failed to do after 20 children, mostly 6 or 7 years old, and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut died on Dec. 14, 2012. Congress has been unable to pass substantial gun violence legislation since the collapse of a bipartisan Senate effort in the aftermath of that massacre. What are we doing? Murphy asked. The Democrat, who represented Newtown during his time as a U.S. congressman, urged his colleagues to find a compromise. "Im here on this floor to beg to literally get down on my hands and knees to beg my colleagues. Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely," he said. Takeaways: Trump's big primary defeat; scandals for the win Former President Donald Trump's crusade for vengeance suffered a devastating blow on Tuesday after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp won his primary despite rejecting Trump's entreaties to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state. Voters also demonstrated an openness to embracing scandal-plagued candidates depending on the candidate, and the scandal. Here are some takeaways from Tuesday's primary elections in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas and Minnesota: TRUMP'S BIGGEST PRIMARY DEFEAT Trump had hoped to turn Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp into an example of the danger in defying him. Instead, Kemp on Tuesday became an example of how Republican incumbents might not have as much to fear from Trump as the former president would like. Georgia primary running smoothly despite new election law ATLANTA (AP) In the first statewide test of new voting restrictions, Georgia's high-stakes primary election appeared to be running smoothly Tuesday with no reports of major problems in one of the nation's most important battleground states. A record number of ballots cast during the early voting period in the three weeks before Election Day helped ease the strain at polling places. There were no reports of long lines or widespread equipment problems despite hotly contested GOP primary races for governor and U.S. Senate. Its all quiet, and quiet is good, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who also was facing a GOP primary challenger in his re-election bid. He said overall turnout was on track to set a record for a midterm election in the state. Tuesday's primary was the first major election since the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republican governor adopted tighter rules following the 2020 presidential election and amid a concerted effort by former President Donald Trump to cast doubt on his loss with unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Seoul: N Korea fires suspected ICBM and 2 other missiles SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea test-launched a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile and two shorter-range weapons into the sea Wednesday, South Korea said, hours after President Joe Biden ended a trip to Asia where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend its allies in the face of the Norths nuclear threat. If confirmed, it would be North Koreas first ICBM launch in about two months. Breaking its 2018 moratorium on long-distance launches, North Korea in March claimed to have test-launched its longest-range missile as part of its development of functioning nuclear-armed missiles that can reach the American homeland. The launches took place as North Korea made a much-disputed claim that its first domestic COVID-19 outbreak was weakening. After an emergency national security council meeting, the South Korean government said the three weapons fired by North Korea included a suspected ICBM and two short-range ballistic missiles. North Koreas sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-U.S. combined deterrence and can only deepen North Koreas international isolation, the South Korean government statement said. (Our) government is maintaining constant readiness to strongly and effectively respond to any kind of North Korean provocation. Cannes Film Festival, born out of war, grapples with Ukraine CANNES, France (AP) The war in Ukraine took a starring role on the opening night of the 75th Cannes Film Festival and it has rarely been far out of frame since. The parties have continued nonstop, as has the red-carpet frenzy. But throughout the French Riviera spectacular has run a discourse about the role of cinema in wartime. Movie screens have lit up with footage from the front lines and films with trenchant meaning in relationship to the conflict. Sergei Loznitsa, one of Ukraine's most acclaimed filmmakers, was putting the finishing touches on his documentary The Natural History of Destruction when Russian invaded Ukraine in February. The film, which premiered Monday in Cannes, uses extensive archival footage to depict the Allied bombing campaign of Germany during World War II. The question at the heart of the film, inspired by W.G. Sebald's 1999 book of the same name, is about the morality of targeting civilian populations in times of war. With Russian bombs falling on maternity hospitals, theaters and other places crowded with sheltering civilians, The Natural History of Destruction transformed into a film less about the past than the present. It became clear that the lessons of 80 years ago havent been learned," said Loznitsa in an interview. It seems possible for us as humans to be thrown back 80 years to the stage where all these atrocities and terrible things were possible. Osaka's mental health discussion resonates at French Open PARIS (AP) Naomi Osakas 2022 French Open is over following a first-round loss. The players remaining in the tournament see and hear products of her frank discussion about anxiety and depression a year ago from new quiet rooms and three on-call psychiatrists at Roland Garros to a broader sense that mental health is a far-less-taboo topic than it once was. I remember after I got back from France last year and having photographers follow me even at random places like the grocery store. It felt really odd and a bit overwhelming, until one day a woman came up to me and told me that by speaking up, I helped her son, Osaka wrote in a recent email to The Associated Press. In that moment, it did all feel worthwhile. In conversations with The AP shortly before or during the French Open, which began Sunday, several professional tennis players credited Osaka with helping bring the subject out of the shadows for their sport and, in concert with the voices of other athletes such as Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles, helping foster more awareness and concern. I definitely think its something that is paid attention to way more than it was, at least when I was coming up as a teenager. I dont even think I knew what it was when back then. And were seeing people speak out and normalize it a bit in a way where its OK if youre struggling with something it doesnt matter if its on the court, off court, whatever, said Jessica Pegula, a 28-year-old from New York who reached the French Opens second round Tuesday. In tennis, the life we kind of live is not so normal, she said. It can lead to a lot of unhealthy habits. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The search is continuing for a Texas woman suspected in the fatal shooting of professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson in Austin. Authorities issued a murder warrant last week for 34-year-old Kaitlin Marie Armstrong. Wilson was a competitive gravel and mountain bike racer, and the 25-year-old Vermont native was in Austin for a cycling event at the time of her death. An affidavit says Wilson previously dated Armstrong's boyfriend and that Armstrong's SUV was seen on surveillance footage outside the home where Wilson was killed. Authorities say Armstrong last spoke with police on May 13. Her father, Michael Armstrong, told ABCs Good Morning America that he doesnt believe that his daughter could have killed Wilson. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was a top target of former President Donald Trump, has won the Republican primary as he seeks reelection. Raffensperger beat three challengers, including Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who had criticized his handling of the 2020 election. It was not immediately clear which Democrat he would face in November. What I have found is that every Georgian wants safe and secure elections with the right balance of accessibility with security. Thats where Georgia voting is today, Raffensperger told reporters late Tuesday after declaring victory. Raffensperger was among Trumps chief targets when the former president turned his wrath on top Georgia officials for not taking steps to overturn his narrow election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the state. Trump insisted without proof that victory had been stolen from him through widespread voter fraud. In a now-notorious January 2021 phone call, Trump suggested Raffensperger could find enough votes to overturn President Bidens victory. That led a prosecutor in Atlanta to open an investigation into whether Trump and others tried to illegally influence the states election. That investigation is ongoing. If you dont understand what happened in the election of 2020, heres what happened -- 28,000 Georgians skipped the presidential race and yet voted down ballot in other races, Raffensperger said. Hice fully embraced Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and objected to Georgias electoral votes being counted for Biden. State and federal officials, including Trumps own attorney general, have said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. The votes in Georgias presidential election were counted three times, and each tally confirmed Bidens victory. All three challengers in the GOP primary Hice, former Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle and former probate and magistrate judge T.J. Hudson criticized Raffensperger's handling of the 2020 election, saying he caused Georgians to lose confidence in the system. Raffensperger punched back, staunchly defending his record and insisting that Georgia's elections are fair and secure. He also made prohibiting noncitizens from voting a platform popular with conservative Republicans that is already enshrined in Georgia law a centerpiece of his reelection campaign. Trump's obsession with his election loss and his unproven claims of widespread fraud have put a spotlight on down-ballot secretary of state races around the country. Asked by a reporter if his victory was a direct rebuke of Trump, Raffensperger said, No, I think its a direct compliment to the goodness of my fellow Georgians. On the Democratic side, State Rep. Bee Nguyen, who occupies the seat formerly held by Democratic gubernatorial candidate and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, advanced to a runoff. It was too early to tell which of the other four Democratic candidates she will face in the June 21 contest. They are Floyd Griffin, a state senator and former mayor of the city of Milledgeville; Michael Owens, former Cobb County Democratic Party chairman; John Eaves, former Fulton County Commission chairman; and Dee Dawkins-Haigler, a former state representative from DeKalb County. Nguyen's campaign put out a news release early Wednesday saying her dominant position makes it clear that she's best positioned to beat Raffensperger. Georgians deserve a Secretary of State who will fight for the right of every eligible voter to make their voices heard at the ballot box, regardless of their party affiliation, zip code, or the color of their skin," Nguyen said. "Im running to be Secretary of State because our basic civil liberties begin at the ballot box. Nguyen has served in the state House since winning a 2017 special election to succeed Abrams in a district that includes parts of DeKalb County just east of the Fulton County line and some parts of the city of Atlanta. Nguyen is also a vice chair of the state Democratic Party. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SANFORD, Fla. (AP) Two political operatives and an independent candidate who opponents say hardly campaigned and only entered a state Senate race in central Florida in 2020 to siphon off votes from a Democrat were criminally charged on Tuesday. Prosecutors filed election finance charges against the candidate, Jestine Iannotti, as well as Seminole County GOP chairman Ben Paris and political consultant James Eric Foglesong in Seminole County, a suburb of Orlando. Some candidates with no party affiliation commonly referred to as ghost' candidates, have been used by political parties as a way to close elections or siphon off votes," State Attorney Phil Archer, whose jurisdiction covers Seminole County, said in a statement. While not illegal per se, many have questioned the ethics of the practice. However, when that candidate and the partisan political operatives involved violate election finance laws by illegally funding those races and filing false reports, it is the responsibility of government to act." The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. According to the FDLE, Iannotti illegally accepted a $1,200 cash donation from Foglesong for her campaign. Iannoitti and Foglesong falsely used the names of others as contributors in state campaign finance reports in order to skirt Florida laws on campaign contributions, the FDLE said in a news release. Paris provided the name and address of one of the individuals Iannotti and Foglesong falsely used in their official campaign reporting, even though Paris knew the individual had not contributed to the campaign, according to the FDLE. Paris works for the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, which is led by Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur. Brodeur won the election in which Iannotti ran in 2020. Brodeur won the District 9 race with 50.3% of the vote to Democrat Patricia Sigmans 47.6%. Iannotti took in 2.1% of the vote. No online court records had been filed yet in Seminole County, so it wasn't known if Iannotti, Paris and Foglesong had attorneys. No phone number was listed for Iannotti in campaign records filed with the state. Paris didn't return a voicemail message left for him. Foglesong didn't comment while turning himself in Tuesday at the Seminole County Jail. Iannotti's campaign, as well as those of two others in South Florida, have been the focus of scrutiny over concerns that they were ghost" candidates solely in the race to siphon off votes from Democrats. The three candidates were promoted by a pair of entities chaired by then-GOP political consultant Alex Alvarado, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Alvarado has been notified by South Florida prosecutors that he is a target of their investigation, which has already led to the indictment of former lawmaker Frank Artiles, according to the Sentinel. Artiles is accused of bribing another of the ghost candidates to run in South Florida's Senate District 37. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden told fellow Indo-Pacific leaders assembled for a four-country summit Tuesday that they were navigating "a dark hour in our shared history" due to Russia's brutal war on Ukraine and he urged the group to make greater effort to stop Vladimir Putin's aggression. "This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue," Biden said as the "Quad" summit with Japan, Australia and India got under way. While the president did not directly call out any countries, his message appeared to be pointed, at least in part, at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russian invasion. Unlike other Quad countries and nearly every other U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware. With Modi sitting nearby, Biden made the case that the world has a shared responsibility to do something to assist Ukrainian resistance against Russia's aggression. "We're navigating a dark hour in our shared history," he said. "The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as in exile." "The world has to deal with it and we are," he added. Later, in comments to reporters after a one-on-one meeting with Modi, Biden said they discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine "and the effect it has on the entire global world order." Biden added that the U.S. and India will continue to consult "on how to mitigate these negative effects." In his comments, Modi made no mention of the war in Ukraine, instead ticking off several trade and investment programs that he discussed with the president. The White House has been effusive in its praise of several Pacific countries, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, for stepping up to hit Russia with tough sanctions and export bans while offering humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv. For several of the bigger Asian powers, the invasion has been seen as a crucial moment for the world to demonstrate by a strong response to Russia that China should not try to seize contested territory through military action. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taking note of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, told the other leaders: "We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region." The White House has been disappointed with the relative silence of India, the world's biggest democracy. Biden has asked Modi not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other allies look to squeeze Moscow's energy income. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to get off from Russian oil, and Biden has publicly referred to India as "somewhat shaky" in its response to the invasion. Facing Western pressure, India has condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet it also has compounded fallout from a war that has caused a global food shortage by banning wheat exports at a time when starvation is a growing risk in parts of the world. The Indian prime minister did not address Russia's war against Ukraine in his public remarks at the summit. Biden has been making his case to Modi for weeks. The two spoke about the Russian invasion during a virtual Quad leaders' meeting in March, and last month they had a short video conversation when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Indian counterparts in Washington. "So it won't be a new conversation," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said ahead of the summit. "It will be a continuation of the conversation they've already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world." While Biden and Modi may avoid public confrontation over how to respond to Russia's aggression, the issue remains a major one as the U.S. and allies are looking to tighten the pressure on Putin., said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "It appears pretty clear the Biden administration is not looking for trouble with India and that most of these difficult conversations will be in private," said Green, who was a senior National Security Council aide during the George W. Bush administration. The summit came on the final day of Biden's five-day visit to Japan and South Korea, Biden's first trip to Asia as president. It also marked new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first moment on the global stage. The new premier flew to Tokyo on Monday right after being sworn into office. The center-left Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the weekend, ending the conservative leader's nine-year rule Biden, Modi and Kishida welcomed Albanese to the club and expressed awe at his determination to join the informal security coalition so quickly after assuming office. "I don't know how you're doing it," Biden, who looked a bit worn from his own travel, told Albanese. The U.S. president joked that it would be OK if the new prime minister happened to fall sleep during the meeting. Biden was to meet separately with Albanes later Tuesday. The four-way partnership has become increasingly relevant as Biden has moved to adjust U.S. foreign policy to put greater focus on the region and to counter China's rise as an economic and security power. He held bilateral talks with summit host Kishida on Monday. Albanese told his fellow Quad leaders he was dedicated to the group's mission to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. "We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change," Albanese said. Looming over the Quad leaders' talks was Biden's blunt statement on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is "even stronger' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Biden's unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. Asked by the reporters at the summit on Tuesday if his comments on Taiwan a day earlier were meant to mark a policy change, Biden simply replied, "No." Some modest initiatives were announced by the Quad leaders, including a new effort to provide pediatric COVID-19 vaccines to countries most in need and a program to help nations improve security and environmental awareness of their territorial waters. The Quad last year pledged to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. So far, the group has provided about 257 million doses, according to the Biden administration. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed reporting Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BANGKOK (AP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Solomon Islands this week in what the South Pacific nations leader said was a milestone in his countrys relationship with China, amid concerns that their new security pact could allow Chinese military personnel on the islands. But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare insisted in a statement posted on his government's website Tuesday that the partnership with Beijing does not come at the expense of ties with Australia, the United States and others. The visit of Wang at the head of a 20-person delegation on Thursday and Friday comes amid growing concerns about Chinas influence in the strategically important Solomon Islands. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese representative to visit the country since the two nations formalized diplomatic relations 32 months ago, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry said, after Sogavare switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said later that Wang would also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor in a 10-day trip. While in Fiji he will host a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pacific Island nations, it said. It is believed that the meeting will play an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries and in advancing the development of our relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security agreement, signed in April, would allow Beijing to send police and military personnel to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order" and let Chinese warships make port calls for logistical replenishment." That has raised fears of a possible Chinese naval base on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand. Sogavare, who defends the pact as entirely about internal security, said Wangs visit would include the signing of a number of key bilateral agreements. Prime Minister Sogavare looks forward to a productive engagement with PRC (the Peoples Republic of China) as an important development partner at a very critical time in our history, another statement released Monday said. Sogavare noted that a New Zealand delegation was also due in coming months and that he had hosted high-level visits from Australia, Japan and the U.S. in April. My government welcomes all high-level visits from our key development partners," Sogavare said in a statement posted Tuesday. "We will always stand true to our policy of Friends to All and Enemies to None as we look forward to continuing productive relations with all our development partners. The news of the visit came as U.S. President Joe Biden met in Tokyo with members of the Quad group of nations the U.S., Japan, Australia and India which has become increasingly relevant as the U.S. emphasizes security in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's rising influence. The meetings included newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose center-left Labor Party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to Chinas potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. Labor has condemned the security pact between China and the Solomon Islands as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. Following Albanese's victory, Sogavare congratulated him, assuring the new prime minister that Solomon Islands remains Australia's steadfast friend and development partner of choice. The U.S., Australia and others had urged the Solomon Islands not to sign the pact with China over concerns it could destabilize the country and set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific region. Wang, the Chinese spokesperson, said China hopes the U.S. will refrain from interfering with the sovereign decisions of the South Pacific island nations on normal cooperation with other countries. China pushed back last week at accusations the pact was being used to pressure countries in the Pacific, with another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, saying it was based on mutual respect, and is conducive to stability and peace, in line with shared interests in the South Pacific. Australia claims the Solomon Islands as its backyard and wants to set a red line, Zhao said. Isn't this coercion? Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The campaign of David McCormick, who is in a neck-and-neck Republican primary contest for the U.S. Senate against celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, sued in a Pennsylvania court Monday to try to ensure counties obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision that could help him make up ground. McCormick's lawsuit, filed after hours, asks the state's Commonwealth Court to require counties to promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope. It is the first but likely not the last lawsuit in the contest between Oz and McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO. McCormicks campaign said at least two counties Blair and Allegheny suggested they would not count the ballots as part of their unofficial result that each county must report to the state Tuesday. Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, led McCormick by 992 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, out of 1,341,037 ballots reported to the state as of 6 p.m. Monday. The race is close enough to trigger Pennsylvanias automatic recount law, with the separation between the candidates inside the laws 0.5% margin. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the likely recount is complete. That could take until June 8. Its not clear how many mail-in ballots that lack a handwritten date have been received by counties. Although he trails the vote count, McCormick has been doing better than Oz among mail-in ballots. In an appearance Monday on a conservative Philadelphia radio talk show, McCormick insisted every Republican vote should count" and said his campaign believes the federal court decision is binding on counties. The premise we should have, I believe, as Republicans is that all Republican votes count, and thats something weve all, I think, held as a principle," McCormick said. "And so thats the principle were holding here. We held that principle before this court ruling. This court ruling just illuminated it more. Ruling in a separate case late Friday, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state election laws requirement of a date next to the voters signature on the outside of return envelopes was immaterial. The lawsuit emerged from a county judicial election last year, and the three-judge panel said it found no reason to refuse counting the ballots in that race. Gov. Tom Wolf's administration said it would issue guidance to counties on how to handle ballots affected by the ruling, although it has yet to do so. The ruling went against the position that Republicans in Pennsylvania have taken in courts repeatedly in the past to try to disqualify legal ballots cast on time by eligible voters for technicalities, such as lacking a handwritten date. The law requires someone to write a date on the envelope in which they mail in their ballots. However, the envelope is postmarked by the post office and timestamped by counties when they receive it. Meanwhile, the state law gives no reason that a voter should date the envelope and does not explicitly require a county to throw it out should it lack a date. In an email attached to the lawsuit as an exhibit, Blair County's solicitor, Nathan Karn, told McCormick's lawyers that the county will not count them until there is clear finality. The federal appeals court decision affects just 10 Republican ballots in Blair County, Kern wrote. But the decision does not appear to be effective until the court releases an opinion justifying its action, Karn wrote, and he pointed out that the state has not released guidance which counties are not bound to follow and that the court's decision could be appealed. Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON (AP) Fort Bragg would become Fort Liberty. Fort Gordon would be Fort Eisenhower. And, for the first time, Army bases would be named after Black soldiers and women. An independent commission on Tuesday recommended new names for nine Army posts that now commemorate Confederate officers. The recommendations are the latest step in a broader effort by the military to confront racial injustice, most recently in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, is the only base that wouldnt be named after a person. Two others would be named after Black soldiers, and three would include women's names. Fort Gordon in Georgia would get the most well-known name commemorating President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led allied forces in Europe in World War II. Other proposed renamings would honor lesser-known heroes, including several who received the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award. Fort Polk, in Louisiana, would be renamed Fort Johnson, after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army in World War I. Fort Pickett in Virginia, would be named after Tech Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II, and And Fort Rucker in Alabama, would be named Fort Novosel, after Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II and Vietnam. Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia would be renamed Fort Walker, after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Fort Hood, Texas, would be renamed Fort Cavazos, in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, who served in the Korean War, received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military award, and became the Armys first Hispanic four-star general. Fort Benning, Georgia, would be named after a married couple: Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who served in Vietnam and received the Distinguished Service Cross, and his wife Julia, who prompted the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. And Fort Lee, Virginia, would get a hyphenated name Fort Gregg-Adams and is the only one that would commemorate someone who remains alive today: Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, known as a logistics leader. Lt. Col. Charity Adams - the other half of the name led the first female Black unit of the Army deployed in World War II. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. The renaming process was laid out in a law passed by Congress in late 2020 The secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. The proposal to change the names triggered widespread discussion and debate within the bases' communities around the country. Panel members visited the bases, met with local leaders and residents, and relied heavily on their recommendations when choosing the final names, said the vice chairman, Ty Seidule. For years, U.S. military officials had defended the naming of bases after Confederate officers. As recently as 2015 the Army argued that the names did not honor the rebel cause but were a gesture of reconciliation with the South. But in the aftermath of the Floyd killing, and the months of racial unrest that followed, Congress ordered a comprehensive plan to rename the military posts and hundreds of other federal assets such as roads, buildings, memorials, signs and landmarks that honored rebel leaders. The change in the militarys thinking was reflected in congressional testimony by Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a month after Floyds death. He said that the current base names could be reminders to Black soldiers that rebel officers fought for an institution that may have enslaved their ancestors. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the nations first Black Pentagon chief has spoken bluntly of his own personal brushes with racism. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he told of serving as a lieutenant colonel with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg when three white soldiers, described as self-styled skinheads, were arrested in the murder of a Black couple who were walking down a street. Investigators concluded the two were targeted because of their race, and all told, 22 soldiers were linked to skinhead and other similar groups or found to hold extremist views. The current chief of the Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, posted an emotional video last June in which he discussed the difficulties he experienced as a young Black pilot. Brown, the first Black Air Force chief, said he had to prove to white supervisors that their expectations and perceptions of African-Americans were invalid. Created in 2020, the Naming Commission first met in March 2021 and began taking name recommendations from the public in September. Overall, the commission received more than 34,000 potential names, which it said included about 3,670 unique ones that could possibly be used. That list was later narrowed to about 100 before the final nine were chosen to be recommended to Congress. Panel members said Tuesday that the decisions were difficult because they had so many heroes to choose from. But in all cases, they said they had widespread agreement from the local communities. In at least one case, however, the panel members said that local residents were adamant that they wanted a name that wasn't on the final list: Fort Liberty. During the panel's final visit to Fort Bragg, people at the meeting "were very, very adamant about the name Fort Liberty, said Lawrence Romo, a commission member. We gave a lot of deference to what the Fort Bragg community wanted. Seidule said that the panel wanted names that will inspire soldiers to achieve the highest standards demanded by their nation in peace and in war. The panel also is considering new names for two Navy ships: the USS Chancellorsville and USNS Maury. Those and the new names for hundreds of streets, buildings and other assets, will be in the final report. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. Under the law, the secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the 3-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Heavy fighting, meanwhile, was reported in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops took over an industrial town that hosts a thermal power station, and intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and other cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment," the governor, Serhii Haidai, wrote on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the encirclement with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theater where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theater attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging total war and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces in the region are facing a difficult situation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, which hosts a thermal power station and had a prewar population of about 11,000, and raised the Russian flag there. They have now hung their rag on the local administration building, Serhii Goshko, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio, in a reference to the Russian flag. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. Russian troops also shelled the eastern city of Slovyansk with cluster munitions, hitting a private building, according to Mayor Vadym Lyakh. He said casualties were avoided because many people had already left their homes, and he urged the remaining residents to evacuate west. Heavy fighting was also underway in the city of Lyman. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Hours later, Zelenskyy mocked Shoigu's assertion. Well, after three months of searching for an explanation for why they were unable to break Ukraine in three days, they couldnt think of anything better than to say thats what they planned, he said in his video address. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open Wednesday for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, there were signs of recovery after weeks of bombardment. Residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks, though Russia continues to shell the area from afar, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution center coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the center is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food, she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually come back home. Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region, told the Russian Interfax agency that preparations are underway for a trial of captured Ukrainian soldiers, including the Mariupol defenders. Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An 18-year-old gunman opened fire at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, in the nation's deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. The assailant also killed two adults before he was killed by law enforcement. The shooting happened at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a heavily Latino community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio. It was the worst school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in late 2012. UVALDE, Texas (AP) An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 18 children, officials said, and the gunman was dead. The death toll also included three adults, according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who said he was briefed by state police on the fatalities. But it was not immediately clear whether that number included the assailant. It was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since a gunmen killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago. And it came just 10 days after a gunman in body armor killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities say was a racist attack. Federal law enforcement officials said the death toll was expected to rise. This is a breaking news update. AP's original story is below: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A glance at "current petitions in circulation for the 2022 election" listed on the secretary of state's website provides a startling look at the political pot that is bubbling now. It's all part of the fallout from a still-contested presidential election, a violent, insurrectionary march on the nation's Capitol, battles over gun rights and a number of newly manufactured issues, ruptures in national unity, along with the ongoing slaughter on our streets and in our grocery stores. Petitions point to some of the divisions and the distrust. And some of them would concentrate power in an elected leader, in this case the governor. But it also needs to be noted up front that most of these proposals appear to have been generated by a small number of Nebraskans. One would create an election integrity judicial panel appointed by the governor with power to rule on "election irregularities," another would replace the Nebraska Department of Education with gubernatorial and legislative authority, and a third would give the governor authority to overrule laws and regulations adopted by political subdivisions. Another would create a "reserve militia" in addition to the Nebraska National Guard. And another proposes a "medical freedom" constitutional amendment to combat "forced medical mandates." Other proposals on the unusually long list look more familiar: medical marijuana, legalization of marijuana, a voter ID constitutional amendment, gun rights, minimum wage, motorcycle helmets. In the end, no more than two or perhaps three of these are likely to qualify for inclusion on the ballot. It's not easy to gather sufficient signatures on petitions that need to be spread statewide even when you have an organized and well-funded effort. * * * Big fund-raising event for Rep. Adrian Smith in Omaha next month. And look who's coming to help him. Smith, the 3rd District Republican congressman who will be seeking the chairmanship of the mighty House Ways and Means Committee if Republicans gain control of the House in November as widely expected, will host Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the ranking Republican member of the committee who has decided not to seek reelection to Congress. Brady will be helping Smith raise money at a June 20 pre-game event in Omaha during the College World Series. The fund-raiser at the Old Mattress Factory features sponsorship levels ranging from $250 to $5,800. If Republicans regain control of the House, Smith will be matched against Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri who are also seeking the coveted Ways and Means chairmanship. Both Buchanan and Jason Smith have raised more than a million dollars for the National Republican Congressional Committee as part of their campaigns to win the committee chairmanship. Money talks. * * * Redistricting has added a couple of rural Republican voices to Lincoln's legislative delegation. Both Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams and Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood, who now have Lincoln constituents, are members of the Appropriations Committee, which is the dominant voice in determining funding allocations for state government which, of course, is a key economic driver and employer in Lincoln. Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln is also a member of the committee. Both Dorn and Clements have been participating in Lincoln-based legislative forums, which is a healthy sign for the city. Last week, they joined four of their Lincoln counterparts, all Democrats, in discussing state issues with the engaged citizens who participate in OLLI -- Osher Lifelong Learning Institute -- events over coffee and pie at Stauffer's Cafe. Abortion, taxes, the distribution of federal COVID recovery funds, water development projects, prison and sentencing reform, retainment and attraction of young people to Nebraska and the accompanying development of a future workforce were all on the table. * * * Finishing up: * Sen. Clements scored highest in this past week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) ranking of Nebraska state senators based on their conservative 2021 voting records with a 96% mark. The lowest score went to Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha at 26%. * In an interesting choice of guests, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the most recent participant on Gov. Pete Ricketts' ongoing series of online podcasts. Pompeo said President Biden was "slow, late and small" in reacting to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. * When 1st Congressional District voters choose either Patty Pansing Brooks or Mike Flood to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, the winner will be only the third person to hold that House seat in the last 43 years. * With elected state officials already poised to tee up another round of state tax cuts following on the heels of a package of record tax reductions enacted during the 2022 legislative session, Open Sky Policy Institute argues that "it would be fiscally prudent to hold off on pursuing any new tax or spending measures" at a volatile time when economists suggest that the risks of recession and stagflation may be very high. Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Three pedestrians hit by an SUV driving on the recently opened Interstate 74 pedestrian path early Sunday morning all graduated from Moline High School within the past three years. Ethan Lee Gonzalez, 21, who died after being struck, was a member of the Moline High School Class of 2019. Also injured in the incident were Charles Bowen, 22, and Anthony Castaneda, 18. Both remain in critical condition. Both also graduated from Moline High School Bowen in 2019 and Castaneda in 2021. "With sincerest sympathy, the Moline-Coal Valley School District wishes to express condolences to the family of Ethan Lee Gonzalez who passed away over the weekend," school district spokesperson Candace Sountris said. "Our hearts go out to his family and the community as we mourn this devastating loss of an alumni student." Moline police were dispatched to the I-74 bridge path at around 2 a.m. Sunday, where they found Gonzalez, Bowen and Castaneda. It was determined that an SUV got onto the path in Bettendorf and drove its length before hitting the three men around 200 yards from the Moline path entrance. Chhabria A. Harris has been charged with three counts of aggravated DUI - causing death or great bodily injury; three counts of failure to stop after a crash causing personal injury or death; three charges of aggravated reckless driving; and one count of aggravated reckless homicide. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PIERRE, S.D. (AP) The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is suing Lyman County in federal court for delaying a redistricting plan that would ensure the timely election of tribal candidates to the County Commission. The tribe says the delay prevents them from electing two commissioners in the upcoming election. Instead, the Lower Brule will have to wait until 2024 and 2026. Lyman County has had an at-large election process since 1992. That means candidates running for the five commissioner seats can live anywhere within the county. Lyman County contains part of the Lower Brule reservation and has a Native American population of 38%. With at-large elections, no Native American candidate has ever succeeded in winning a seat on the commission, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported. To avoid a lawsuit, Lyman County and Lower Brule agreed that the county must establish two commissioner positions chosen by Native American voters. In October 2021, Lower Brule proposed five single-candidate districts, two of them with a Native American majority and three with a white majority. According to plaintiffs, that scheme was legal under existing South Dakota law. But in February, the Lyman County Commission enacted an ordinance establishing just two voting districts, one white with three commissioners and one Native American with two commissioners. The commission also voted to delay the changes until after the next election, leaving the at-large system in play. As a result, only one Native American commissioner could be elected in 2024, with the second one elected in 2026. Lyman County has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As the Supreme Court considers whether to overturn New York states restrictions on carrying guns in public, it will be illuminating to see whether the conservative majority adheres to its own standards as set out in the recently leaked draft opinion striking down Roe v. Wade. Guns and abortion are very different topics, of course, but in tentatively overturning Roe, the majority leans on some principles that should apply. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his draft that America had an unbroken tradition of prohibiting abortion prior to Roe. Similarly, stringent local restrictions on firearms were common throughout Americas history, prior to the modern eras redefinition of the Second Amendment. And of course Alitos overriding philosophy that abortion policy should be decided by elected officials rather than courts is even more relevant in the realm of firearms, which raise different issues in different communities. Before modern gun-control debates that began in the 1960s, states and local communities had long imposed strict rules on the carrying of guns in public, with little controversy about it. As Smithsonian Magazine has noted, storied Old West towns like Tombstone, Arizona, routinely required people to check their guns with authorities rather than carry them in public squares. The Second Amendment wasnt even part of the discussion, because it was widely understood to merely protect states rights to form militias. Recasting the amendment to apply to individual gun rights was initially viewed as an exotic legal theory one the Supreme Court didnt validate until 2008 with District of Columbia v. Heller, by a 5-4 split. (Roe in 1973, incidentally, was decided 7-2.) Its important to note that even the late Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority in Heller, specified that nothing in the Second Amendment prevents governments from imposing reasonable firearms restrictions. New Yorks 1911 law now under review is such a restriction. Its not an outright ban, but requires people to show proper cause of the need to carry firearms in public in order to get a state concealed-carry permit. In his draft opinion that would overturn Roe, Alito declared grandly: We thus return the power to the people and their elected representatives. New Yorks elected representatives include Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer who has said overturning the states gun law would be a recipe for disaster in his city; and Gov. Kathy Hochul, who says she supports gun rights but maintains those rights do not include walking around with a hidden gun. If the high court decides that those and other officials should have the power to regulate womens wombs, but not to prevent mayhem in the streets, it would provide a clear answer to the question of whether the courts conservative bloc actually is guided by bedrock principles, as it claims or if it is merely promoting partisan Republican policy, as it increasingly appears. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dear Prudence is online weekly to chat live with readers. Heres an edited transcript of this weeks chat. (R. Eric Thomas is filling in as Prudie for Jenee Desmond-Harris while shes on parental leave.) Q. Concerned out-of-district voter: My sibling is a toxic, narcissistic, controlling codependent type who is estranged from several people in our extended family. They are verbally and emotionally abusive to their spouse and extended family, including our aged father. While we were moving Dad into assisted living, we discovered they had secretly changed his estate planning documents to give themselves complete control (Dad didnt realize what the revised documents actually said). They lied about it when it came to light. Theyve also been fired from multiple professional positions due to toxic behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are now campaigning for local political office, with little substance behind positions, but with great publicity and lots of photo ops. Like many in the current political arena, the narcissism is the likely driver behind the campaign. I think our sibling is unfit for office. Should I write a letter to the local paper (about why I cant support them) or otherwise get involved? Do these character issues really matter, or is the family discord irrelevant and impairing my view? A: The situation with your sibling is a little similar to that of Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, whose six siblings spoke out against his reelection campaign. It generated a lot of press, but ultimately he was reelected. So its worth asking yourself what result youre hoping to get. Not to put on the election strategist hat, but do you think adding your voice to this election will have the result you intend, or will it simply bring more drama into your life? Thats not to say you shouldnt speak out if your siblings polling numbers are too good, but that you should be clear what you want to accomplish here and if your tactics can achieve that. Some of the things you intend to write about are, unfortunately, going to come off as family issues and may be less persuasive. Others, like financial elder abuse, are illegal and, if provable, should be aired. But if you cant prove it, you open yourself up to libel. In an ideal world, character matters. But in the worlds of politics and PR (and family), its not always that clear. Advertisement Advertisement How to Get Advice From Prudie: Send questions for publication here. (Questions may be edited.) Join the live chat Mondays at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Q. House-hunted: My father died six months ago unexpectedly. We hadnt spoken in years, so I was shocked to find out he left his entire estate to me. He left me two paid off properties: his childhood house and his three-bedroom condo in the city. As my rent is about to rise sky-high when my lease runs out, I have been debating about which property to sell and which to move into. I asked my mother for advice. Apparently, her husband leaked the information to his daughter, Debra. My mother remarried when I was in college, so Debra and I didnt have much to do with each other beyond the occasional holiday. Debra is getting a divorce and desperate to find an affordable house in a good school district, which fits my house. She looked up my house and then called me up, begging me to sell it to her. I had to. The conversation left me very uncomfortable and I put Debra off by saying I needed to talk to my lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have a lot of internal conflict over how things ended between my father and me, and selling his childhood home to anyone I know feels like a recipe for disaster. On top of that, my family has also been pressuring me on Debras behalf. I understand she is going through a rough time and my mother considers Debras kids her grandchildren, but I have zero connection to them. How do I deal with this? My lawyer told me to just put the house on the market, but I am afraid of the family backlash. A: Inheritance is so rarely without some sort of trial or tribulation, at least judging by the Dear Prudence letters, and my pet theory is that its because inheritance is an unholy marriage of legal/financial business and familial emotion. Theyre simply different languages. However, the house and the sale of a property is very clearly the in the category of legal language. You should explain to your family that whomever you sell the house to, its going to go through your lawyer. This is a business deal with a lot of legal liability on both sides and a lot of money at stake. Your family may want you to just sell it to Debra, but I dont think one can just sell a house. Offloading the entire conversation to your lawyer because of the headache, the paperwork, and the legal protection will also allow you to sidestep any conversation about price. Your lawyer doesnt have to get you a record-breaking price on the house, but they do have a responsibility to protect your interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chances are, the family will pressure you to give Debra a deal. Telling them that youve entrusted your lawyer with this business dealing isnt a foolproof way of getting them off your back, but it will help place the conversation back in the business arena rather than the family emotions arena. Also, see if you can have a one-on-one conversation with your mother to explain that youre trying to protect yourself and protect Debra. She may not be able to fully mitigate the family pressure and tension, but hopefully shell understand where youre coming from. Q. Poop-free weekend: I have a group of college friends that have known each other for more than 20 years. We havent been able to hang out for a long time because of the pandemic. One of my friends, Gabby, offered to host the five of us for a weekend this summer. I am beyond excited to spend time with everyone. Advertisement However, I was able to see Gabby recently at her house. I hadnt been there in years. Her house was disgusting. She allows her dog to urinate and defecate everywhere. In just the short time I was there, an afternoon, the dog peed twice and pooped once on the floors. Gabby grabbed a dry towel to wipe the urineno cleaner, not even water in the clean-up process. The place smelled awful. I asked her why she allows her dog to do this. She didnt want to talk about it, and just said that she leaves for work and cant let the dog out during the day, so it is used to using the floors at its toilet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not want to stay there for a weekend. I would offer my place, but we are getting our house ready to sell. I was thinking of suggesting a rental somewhere, but Gabby is single and works a low-wage job that doesnt leave her much disposable income, and I dont think the other friends would understand why we would need to do this without me saying that Gabbys house is too gross to be in. Is there any way to diplomatically manage this weekend? Is there a way to do say something without hurting Gabbys feelings and so we dont subject everyone to her dogs foulness? Advertisement Advertisement A: Oh my! Its neither here nor there but I really dont understand Gabbys reasoning and it deeply concerns me. Like, not on a clinical level or anything, just logistically and hygienically, Im vexed. Sounds like you are, too. If you dont want to get into it with the friend group, see if blaming it on allergens might work. Suggest that you all rent a house because you found that theres something about Gabbys dog thats setting you off. Its a weak-ish excuse but its not technically a lie. You should also reach out to Gabby one-on-one and offer to pay her portion of the rental, if you can, and explain that you had a reaction in the house (again, not technically a lie) and you hope she doesnt mind. She might see through this, but I dont know that thats a problem. Youre not under an obligation to stay in a home thats unpleasant and it sounds like youre willing to do the extra work to manage everyones feelings around it, which is very kind. Advertisement Get Dear Prudence in Your Inbox We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Q. Never the right fit at the time: I (25F) recently graduated with my MFA, making it my third degree. Summa cum laude, gifted kid, blah blah blah. All of my degrees are creative in nature, and my dream is to work in a very specific, extremely competitive industry. While logically I know Im young and it will take time to get to where I want to be, I dont know how to avoid getting burnt out while searching. I obsessively stalk job boards, I have over 100 (seriously) tailored cover letters, and I keep my portfolio up to date. I feel like Im doing everything right! But Ive been applying to internships and entry-level jobs for three years now, and I always get ghosted or wake up to an automated rejection. Its depressing and degrading. And yet, I see a new job opening and cant help but get excited, even though Im just setting myself up for disappointment! I wish I could just give up on it, but Im currently in a non-creative career that makes me miserable, and something inside me wont let me quit. I know its way too soon to let go of my dreams, but how can I possibly stay encouraged? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: As someone who worked outside of my desired industry for more than a decade before finding a way in, I understand your feelings of frustration and disappointment. I cant tell you that it wont be hard, especially in a competitive field where there are more nos than yeses. But I can tell you that the thing that changed things for me was cultivating my practice on my own for myself. Its one thing to keep your skills sharp and your resume updated, its another to do creative work for the sake of doing creative work. This can be hard to fit into the schedule of working full-time, I know. But if you dont remember why you love the work, the grind of trying to get paid to do the work will wear you out. Find a place in your practice that is just for your own enjoyment and guard it fiercely. Even if youre looking to, say, go into TV development and you dont consider yourself a creator per se, there was some part of that world that sparked for your initially and some way that you expressed your creativity before the schooling and the applying took over. Dont let go of that. Advertisement Advertisement Q. Hoping to breathe easier: Ten years ago, my father died of smoking-induced lung cancer. Since then, my mother has actually taken up smoking again. For my siblings and I, this has been hard to cope with. Our mother is respectful and doesnt smoke in front of us, but when we return home, the house smells like an ashtray. Its deterring us from spending time there. How can (or should?) we bring this to her attention? We love our mom, but her smoking is becoming a barrier to us enjoying time with her at home. What advice do you have for us? Advertisement A: As Im sure you know, your mothers choice to pick up smoking is likely tied up in grief, old habits, and the pull of nicotine, which makes it impervious to logic and medical advice. Your mother probably knows this too, so having a conversation that is as free from judgment and shame as possible will help you. Pick a location thats comfortable and private, but not her home. Maybe use your home instead, or if thats not geographically possible, try a phone call. Using I statements, let her know that the smell of the smoke in the house is hard for you to be around, from a physical comfort standpoint and from an emotional one. Tell her what you wrote herethat you love her and want to spend time with her, but that the smoking and its effects are creating a barrier. Tell her you want to come up with solutions. And if the conversation goes well, you may also want to ask her why shes smoking again and if shes considered quitting or alternatives. But if you ask that, you have to be prepared to accept her answer, even if the answer is I dont want to quit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q. Re: House-hunted: Property law and estate law are among the most complicated and arcane areas of the law, so you want to follow everything to the letter, and thats why you leave it to your lawyer to deal with this. What you dont want is to have this come back and bite you because you didnt disclose something to your stepsister that you didnt know about because you have never lived in that house, and then have her demand, post-sale, that you owe her money to get something fixed. Prudie is right. Leave this to your lawyer(s), and make sure you use a reputable and experienced broker to handle the sale. Just selling it (which sounds more like code for giving it to her at a substantially below-market price) will bring on a world of hurt, even more than having people be angry at you for protecting yourself. Advertisement Advertisement A: Yes, I really worry that the family is encouraging LW to cut her stepsister a deal, which makes mixing family and business even more complicated. Leave it to the professionals to hash out! R. Eric Thomas: Thanks for your questions and comments, everyone. And just a programming note: The live chat will be taking place on Tuesday next week because of the holiday. Be good to yourselves! Dont miss Part 1 of this weeks chat: My Fiances Brother Is Choosing His Controlling Girlfriend Over Our Wedding. Discuss this column on our Facebook page! From Care and Feeding My husband and I were lucky enough to find a great day care less than a mile from our house. I typically drop our 3-year-old off on my way to work, and my husband picks him up on his way home. My husband owns multiple cars and often rotates which he drives to workbut he only has one car seat. I assumed he moved the car seat in the morning when he chose what car to drive, but discovered he was not doing that. He admitted that if he happened to drive a car that didnt have a car seat in it on a given day, he would simply buckle our son in normally (as if he were an adult). I was livid and told him I felt like this was dangerous and really irresponsible. Am I overreacting? Its no secret that abortion bans do more than block abortion access. They impinge on medical care for a variety of issues. Thats because the medication that is prescribed to end a pregnancy isnt just used for abortions. One such drug prevents stomach ulcers and induces labor. Another is used for chemotherapy, arthritis, and lupus. But now, amid mounting restrictions on legal abortion, some pharmacists fear that if they fill prescriptions for these drugs, even for non-abortion reasons, they could be subject to civil lawsuits or criminal prosecution. Advertisement In the state of Texaswhere abortions have been severely restricted for more than eight monthsthis problem is already leading to administrative hassles and treatment delays that endanger patients and frustrate medical personnel. In an interview with the Slate podcast What Next, Natalie Crawford, an Austin-based OB-GYN and fertility doctor, said that pharmacists in her area do not want to fill prescriptions for misoprostol, a drug commonly used to prevent stomach ulcers and induce labor. Crawford and other physicians sometimes use misoprostol to soften the cervix of a patient who isnt pregnant before performing a gynecological procedure, such as inserting an IUD or examining the inside of her uterus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Read more about how the Texas abortion ban is affecting clinics.] Advertisement Misoprostol is also one part of a medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of abortions performed in the U.S. So when Texas pharmacists see a prescription for misoprostol come in, theres definitely hesitation, said Ashley Garling, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy. Its turning to a colleague and saying, How do you feel about filling this? Would you fill this? Garling practices at pharmacies associated with H-E-B, a Texas supermarket chain. In the months since the abortion ban took effect, shes heard concerns from co-workers who worry they might be held liable for dispensing the medication if it were used for an illicit abortion. Physicians can append a diagnosis code to a prescription for its intended use; if a misoprostol prescription arrives without one, Garling and her colleagues will now call the prescriber and document the diagnosis in the pharmacy recordsboth for insurance purposes and as a kind of protection against possible lawsuits. Advertisement Advertisement This extra layer of caution has made it more challenging for Jamie, a Houston OB-GYN, to provide care for patients experiencing miscarriages. (Jamie requested the use of a pseudonym to preclude retaliation from an employer.) When some fetal tissue remains in a patients uterus after a miscarriage, or if a patients uterus has failed to expel a nonviable fetus, her doctor may prescribe misoprostol to complete the process. This is not an uncommon medical issue, but some pharmaciesincluding CVS, according to Jamienow require their employees to speak directly to the prescriber on the phone before filling a misoprostol prescription. Advertisement If they dont speak with someone, or if the diagnosis code does not match their allowed codes, they will deny the prescription, Jamie said. I have also run into issues with pharmacies not being able to reach us on Friday or after hours or on the weekends when our offices are closed, and denying the prescription. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about its misoprostol policy, a CVS spokesperson responded with a statement: Our highest priority is ensuring safe and timely access to medications for our patients. Weve educated our Texas pharmacy teams about changes in Texas law and its requirements and expect them to comply as they would with any other state regulation. Jamie has tried to send prescriptions for misoprostol to pharmacies that dont require this extra step, which can obstruct timely care for a patient going through a miscarriagean already physically and mentally taxing experience. But the extra demand on those pharmacies has made them more likely to be out of inventory. To make matters worse, the medical term for a miscarriage is spontaneous abortion. But pharmacists and pharmacy technicians dont always understand that the term does not mean elective abortion. The pharmacists will ask if we are aware of new Texas laws, Jamie said. Yes, we are aware. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very demoralizing to have so many people not a part of this patients lifewho is going through one of the worst times in their lifesecond-guess you and treat you like you could be a criminal, Jamie said. There are two Texas laws that could theoretically be used against a pharmacist who helps a patient terminate a pregnancy. The better-known one is S.B. 8, the ban on abortions performed after the onset of fetal cardiac activity. That regulation is enforced through the threat of private lawsuits: Anyone can now sue abortion providers or any of the patients abettors for $10,000 or moreplus attorneys feesfor participating in an abortion after the legal limit. Advertisement But pharmacists are particularly concerned about S.B. 4, a law restricting the distribution of medication that can be used for abortions. S.B. 4 added two medications to the category of abortion-inducing drug in Texas law: misoprostol and methotrexate. (Previously, the category only named mifepristone, the so-called abortion pill, which blocks progesterone, the hormone that supports the pregnancy.) Advertisement Misoprostol, the medication being denied to women having miscarriages, is used alongside mifepristone for a medication abortion. Methotrexate is prescribed for ectopic pregnanciesa condition wherein a fertilized egg embeds in a fallopian tube or somewhere other than the uterus. If left untreated, an ectopic pregnancy will not result in a live birth; more likely, it could rupture the fallopian tube and cause severe bleeding or death. Methotrexate is also used to treat chemotherapy and autoimmune diseases. Advertisement Advertisement The law requires anyone who dispenses these medications for the purpose of inducing an abortion to complete a variety of tasks, including independently verifying the existence of a pregnancy and documenting how far along the pregnancy isjobs that pharmacists do not perform. And unlike S.B. 8, which carries the risk of a potentially ruinous lawsuit, S.B. 4 threatens clinicians who violate the law with a felony charge. Pharmacists likely wouldnt be penalized under this law for filling standard prescriptions from OB-GYNs, because the Texas law makes exceptions for the situations outlined by the doctors above. The category of abortion-inducing drug explicitly excludes medication that may be known to cause an abortion but is prescribed, dispensed, or administered for other medical reasonssuch as, perhaps, misoprostol prescribed for an IUD insertion. Another statute clarifies that a medical intervention is not an abortion if it is performed with the intent to complete a miscarriage or treat an ectopic pregnancy. Advertisement But the laws can be difficult to parse, and pharmacists are clearly worried that theres nothing to stop an overzealous prosecutor or lawsuit-wielding citizen from initiating a lengthy, expensive legal battle, even if a pharmacy worker did nothing wrong. Advertisement Advertisement The average pharmacisttheyre not a lawyer. Theyre just going, Hey, if theres a law that says I can be arrested for giving this, Im not going to give it, said Charlie Brown, a maternal-fetal medicine physician who recently retired from UT Southwestern Medical School. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, when the Texas legislature was still debating and revising S.B. 4, Brown was called in to educate members on the medications named in the bill. He told the legislators that over-regulating misoprostol and methotrexate was a bad idea, because they are both used for a variety of purposes that have nothing to do with elective abortion. Advertisement I thought they were problematic to be embedded in a law, he said. Methotrexate is a chemotherapy agent. Its used to treat cancer. Its used for people with arthritis, for people with lupus, for autoimmune diseases, for psoriasis. Its a widely used, inexpensive drug. And now, if someone makes an error and gives it to a pregnant woman, they can be arrested and jailed. Whether or not S.B. 4 is ever used to prosecute a pharmacist is almost beside the point. As long as theres a law on the books that can reasonably be read to suggest the possibility of criminal charges for providing these drugs, it will be harder for patients to get them. Advertisement Last month, John Thoppil, an Austin-based OB-GYN and president of the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recounted on the phone how, a few months ago, he heard from a doctor who was trying to get methotrexate from a nearby pharmacy to treat an ectopic pregnancy. The pharmacist had refused to fill the prescription, citing fears of prosecution under the new law. Thoppil was able to direct the doctor to a different pharmacy, and the patient received her care. But that sort of unintended consequence is frankly scary, because a tubal pregnancy is life-threatening, he said, using another term for ectopic pregnancy. And to have that delay of care is incredibly bad. I just think that theres so much fear, and sometimes a little bit of misunderstanding about this process, Thoppil continued. And honestly, unfortunately, I think that this is all part of the intent of the way the law is written: to create fear that does even more than what the law does. Read more of Slates coverage on abortion rights here. During a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, President Joe Biden told reporters that if China were to ever attack Taiwan, the United States would be ready and willing to help defend the tiny island nation. The remark made global headlines as it seemed to break with decades of U.S. policy. But what, exactly, should we make of it? Was Biden just pulling yet another Biden, accidentally opening his mouth and speaking a bit too cavalierly on an issue requiring subtle sensitivity? Or did he deliberately unfurl a new policy? And was it a good or bad thing if he did? Advertisement As is often the case with such incidents, the answers are unclear. Bidens remarks may have been calculated or careless. The consequences could be damaging or beneficial or both. Either way, they have added another element of uncertainty to, U.S.-Taiwan relations, a uniquely head-twisting g hall of mirrors in the funhouse of American foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens remark came in response to a reporters question about a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. Biden replied that policy has not changed at allthe U.S. and Japan stand firmlywith other nations not to let that happen. Then, in a followup, a reporter noted that Biden had ruled out direct U.S. military involvement in Ukraine, and asked whether he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that. Advertisement Advertisement Yes, Biden replied. Thats the commitment we made. In fact, we have made no such commitment. We once did, a long time ago, between1954 and 1979, but then came a major shift. The U.S., like most of the rest of the world, transferred formal diplomatic relations from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, to Beijing, the capital of the Peoples Republic of China, recognizing the PRC as the sole Chinese government (what the PRC called the One China principle). However, also in 1979, and in just as important a measure, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, declaring that the U.S. shall provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character and maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or social or economic system, of the people of Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement This dual policy came to be dubbed strategic ambiguity. We acknowledge Beijings position as the One China but dont quite endorse it. We retain diplomatic, commercial, and other relations with Taiwanwe even sell it advanced weapons systems and dispatch special forces to train its militarywithout addressing the question of whether Taiwan has sovereignty. We are committed to helping Taiwan defend itself from attack, but dont say whether we would get involved directly. Advertisement Advertisement The aim of this loose yet tangled web is to keep the peace. It is designed to avoid challenging Chinas claims about its rightful territory, while still pledging to assist Taiwan if China tries to press its claim on the tiny island-nation forcefully, without quite saying just how far we would go to help. Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, as China has strengthened its military and expanded its presence in the South China Sea, some conservatives have called for a switch from strategic ambiguity to a policy of strategic clarity, where the U.S. would pledge to defend Taiwan outright in the case of an attack. The Biden administration, like all administrations before it, has resisted this pressure, saying it could provoke Beijing to take aggressive moves or encourage ultra-nationalists in Taiwan to declare outright independence, which would certainly prod Beijing to up its aggression. Advertisement Advertisement However, Bidens remarks in Tokyo seemed to shift away from strategic ambiguity. It wasnt the first time. In September, at a CNN Town Hall, he was asked whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan from attack and replied, Yes, we have a commitment to do that. Again, we in fact have no such commitment to do that. Even more off-script, in an ABC-News interview in August, he said we would respond if there was a military attack on a NATO ally, Advertisement adding, Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with Taiwan. In fact, though the U.S. does have treaty obligations to respond with force to attacks on NATO, Japan, and South Korea, it has no such treaty when it comes to Taiwan. Hours after each of these casesin August, in September, and this past Mondaythe White House issued a clarifying statement, noting that U.S. policy had not changed. Biden himself affirmed on Tuesday, standing alongside other Asian allies, who had assembled for a conference, that the policy of strategic ambiguity has not changed at all. Advertisement But is that true? Biden is the president. Three times in the past nine months, he has made statements about U.S. security guarantees toward Taiwan that differ quite a bit from the tenets of strategic ambiguity. As Hal Brands, professor of global affairs at Johns Hopkins Universitys School for Advanced International Studies, wrote in Bloomberg News on Monday, Once is a gaffe. Three times is a policy. Advertisement Advertisement Does the U.S. now have, in effect, a new policy? Either way, wouldnt the leaders of China, Taiwan, and other Asian countries have good reason to believe that U.S. policy has changed? Brands thinks soand, further, thinks its a good thing. If Chinese President Xi Jinping believes the U.S. would take action in response to an attack on Taiwan, that would further deter Xi from attacking in the first place. However, Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund, isnt so sure. To the contrary, she thinks Bidens confusing signals might be dangerous. People say, This is good, it will deter China, but how do we know that? Glaser said in a phone conversation Tuesday. Maybe Xi will see this as challenging Beijings core interests and be moved to attack Taiwan sooner. She notes that Chinese domestic politics are opaque, adding, Xi is under great pressure, with the economy, with COVID. Its not clear Bidens statements would intimidate him. They could just aggravate his pressures. Advertisement Glaser sees strategic ambiguity and strategic clarity not as opposites but as two points along a spectrum. She sees Bidens comments as reflecting a move away from ambiguity, and, in some respects, she supports the move. Chinas buildup of military forces and threats do warrant a strengthening of our posture, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, she doesnt like the way Biden is moving the policy, if hes deliberately moving it at all. Its not delivered as a change in policy, she told me. There has been no discussion of the policy in interagency meetings of the National Security Council. And we cant ignore all the inaccuracies about what our policy is. It leads to strategic confusion. Advertisement The irony is that, in all other respects, the Biden administrations policy toward Chinaa mix of engagement and confrontation, all through joint action with major alliesis fairly sound and strategically well considered. Biden is in Asia this week to revive a regional trade pact that President Trump had torpedoed; and while the new pact isnt quite the Trans-Pacific Partnership (in part because labor and environmental groups, elements of the Democratic Partys base, arent keen about the TPP either), it does at least bolster U.S. leadership roleits interests and its idealsin the region. Taiwan has long been a sizzling anomalya teardrop-shaped island slightly larger than the state of Maryland but jammed with four times as many people (24 million, 80 percent of them in cities), dangling 100 miles off the coast of southeastern China yet also a bustling high-tech capitalist economy with a GDP-per-capita thats the 13th richest in the world. A Pentagon report last fall spelled out many reasons why China would have a hard time conquering Taiwan in an invasion. Its military, which hasnt fought a war since its border clash with Vietnam 1979 (and didnt do so well in that one), has few amphibious vessels, scant training, and little sense of combined-arms operations. Besides, Taiwans coastline is very craggy, and Taiwans army is well trained in resistance tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Chinas air force and navy have built up enormous assets to keep other powerssuch as the United Statesaway from its coastline, and Xi, like many PRC leaders before him, has long held the reoccupation of Taiwan as a key strategic goal. As a result, U.S.-Chinese tensions have always jagged up and down in parallel with worries about the security of Taiwan. It may be time for the United States to define more clearlyor at least to discuss more openlyhow far we are willing to go to protect Taiwan. There are good reasons for a certain amount of strategic ambiguity, but not when it drifts into a muddled self-contradiction, as we seem to be doing now. This article was adapted from Jonathan M. Katzs newsletter, the Racket. Subscribe at theracket.news. About a year ago, I got a message from my friend Matt Apuzzo, an old AP colleague who is now a big shot at the New York Times. He and his colleagues were working on a story about Haitis so-called independence debtthe massive ransom and loan the French extorted from Haiti in the decades after the Haitians bottes le cul francais in their 17911803 revolution. Advertisement Apuzzo wanted my advice starting out. Actually, he really wanted the guidance of my wife, Claire Payton, who has a Ph.D. in Haitian history. As we told him, the broad outlines of that storythe French kings gunpoint demand, the Haitians impossible choice between immiseration or reinvasion, the near-century it took to pay the debts offare well known to anyone who knows anything about Haitian history. (Ive written two books in my life so far, and talked about the debt in both of them.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Apuzzo and his colleague told us they were working on something new: an investigation that would detail exactly how much the French extracted from Haiti and where the money went. They also planned to dig into the predatory U.S. loanand subsequent U.S. invasion, demanded by the bank that is now Citigroupthat came as a result. Advertisement Advertisement Sign Up for the Surge The most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. That story finally dropped over the weekend. Story doesnt really cover it: Its a four-byline, five-article package with a paper insert in the Sunday edition, teased in a box that dominated the front page. It is, in other words, a News Eventalmost certainly modeled on the epic success of the 1619 Projectas only the New York Times can attempt. The reactions have been intense. Among the majority of readers whod never heard (or forgot) that so much of Frances and Citigroups wealth was literally stolen at gunpoint from Haiti, its been scandal and shock. (Im getting emails from relatives I talk to once every other year asking if Ive heard this story before.) My Twitter feed, meanwhile, is filled with historians who are furious that they werent cited for the help they gave the Times, or incredulous that the paper of record Columbused a central story in the place where Columbusing was invented. Advertisement Advertisement At the risk of a little Timesian bothsidesing, I think both camps have a point. The package did cover a lot of very old ground, a lot of which is presented as if it is new. Theres a lot of rarely taught or acknowledged, the Times reveals, etc., about things that have been known and talked about by millions of people for decades. But there is value in making this story more widely known in France and the United States. And moreover, there is important reporting that many people who think they know the story are missing. Advertisement Advertisement So as a piece of service journalism for you, dear Racket reader, Im going to suss out the things that got my attention. Then Ill theorize about how it is getting lost in the pomp of trying to create a News Event. Advertisement Advertisement 1. The Exact Amount of the Ransom This is the big one. Scholars have long known that King Charles X of France demanded 150 million gold francs from Haiti in 1825 and that the sum was pared down to 90 million francs in a so-called treaty of friendship in 1838. What the Times did was calculate exactly how much Haiti paid over the years, including interest on the French loans it was forced to take out to avoid default. That number is 112 million francs, which reporters estimate would be worth $560 million in todays dollars. They extrapolated from that to arrive at a range of estimates, describing how much the robbery of those funds cost the Haitian economy to date. They give it as a range: $21 billion to $115 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (It could be even morelooking at the Times methodology, I wonder if it wouldnt be more accurate to compare Haitis lost growth to, say, the actual French economy, rather than using as a baseline its Latin American neighbors who were also victims of European and U.S. colonialism.) Suffice it to say that in 15 years of covering Haiti and two books worth of fact checks on the French indemnity, I have never seen numbers that precise and well sourced before. The research-intensive method the reporters used to arrive at those numbers is detailed in the series bibliography (yes, there is one). Why is that important? Two reasons. One, it gives some functional precision to the mechanics of the claim: not only do we know that there was an enormous wealth transfer from the Caribbean nation to France, but here are the numbers and dates of each payment, etc. The other is that, if France is ever going to be forced to give any of that money back, then presenting a detailed bill is key. Advertisement Advertisement Yes, surely Emmanuel Macron and Co. will try to just do what the French have done for over a century, and ignore the facts of their crime completely. But as the immediate reaction from one of the accused parties shows, the precision the Times journalists brought to this project will make it harder for French officials to do that. And that could be a real achievement. 2. Haiti Financed the Eiffel Tower The rapaciousness of the French bank Credit Industriel et Commercial in Haiti has been documented before, particularly by the anti-imperialist economic historian Peter Hudson (who is quoted multiple times in the Times package and was also a major source in my latest book). But the reporting goes even further, documenting that French shareholders earned so much money that in some years, their profits exceeded the Haitian governments entire public works budget for a country of 1.5 million people. Advertisement Advertisement And as far as I can tell, the Times is the first to make this connection: At a time when [C.I.C.] was helping finance one of the worlds best-known landmarks, the Eiffel Tower, as a monument to French liberty, it was choking Haitis economy, taking much of the young nations income back to Paris and impairing its ability to start schools, hospitals and the other building blocks of an independent country. Haiti-heads have always known that Frances imperial wealth was built on colonialism and slavery, especially in Saint-Domingue (the colony that became Haiti). Now we can add the Eiffel Tower to the list of Haitis gifts to La Republique. 3. and the French government Another new finding, Hudson told me when I asked him on Monday. Bill this one to Macron as well: Advertisement Haitis payments to former colonists were supposed to go solely to individual property owners, not to the French government itself. Yet the state ended up with a cut anyway. The Times unearthed several government documents from the early 1900s revealing that 2 million francs from the descendants of Haitis enslaved people, or $8.5 million in todays currency, landed in French state coffers. (Frances treasury declined to comment, saying its archives dated from only 1919.) 4. and Salaries at Citigroup Citibanks role in the 1915 U.S. invasion of Haiti is no secret. Smedley Butlera venerated Marine who played a key role in the invasion and occupationname-checked it in the 1930s. I talk about it at length in Gangsters of Capitalism. But this was a great detail Id never seen before: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But according to nearly two dozen annual reports published by American officials and reviewed by The Times, a quarter of Haitis total revenue went to paying debts controlled by National City Bank and its affiliate over the course of a decadenearly five times the amount spent on government-run schools in Haiti during that time. And in some years, the American officers who controlled Haitis finances spent more of its money on their own salaries and expenses than on public health for the entire nation of about two million people. Paging Jane Fraser. 5. Eighteen Years Later, a French Ambassador Calls Aristides Ouster a Coup This one came out of nowhere. For the past two decades, one of the fastest ways to start a fight over a story about Haiti was to ask which word describes what happened in 2004 to Haitis then-president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide: Was he forced out of power by Haitian rivals, or through a U.S.- and French-backed coup? Buried in the last story of the package is this nugget, which could settle the debate forever (emphasis mine): Advertisement France and the United States have long said that Mr. Aristides call for restitution had nothing to do with his ouster, that he had taken an autocratic turn, lost control of the country and was spirited into exile to prevent Haiti, already heaving with turmoil, from careening into chaos. But Frances ambassador to Haiti at the time, Thierry Burkard, conceded in an interview that France and the United States had effectively orchestrated a coup against Mr. Aristide, and that his abrupt removal was probably a bit about his call for reparations from France, too. So why arent these the things that journalists and historians have been talking about nonstop since the story dropped? Maybe its because historical details arent nearly as interesting as interpersonal drama. Or maybe because the Times buried them in a glossy package, under headlines and subheadlines that promised to solve a mystery that had gone unsolved until now. That left the paper open to the criticism that it was just stealing or erasing other peoples worka perception not helped by the fact that the Times has a long history of doing that sort of thing (COUGH, COUGH). Advertisement Advertisement Some scholars are angry that they didnt get cited by name, which is a real issue in an economy and a field where the kind of public exposure this package offers can make the difference between tenure and poverty. But the Times did take the novel step of publishing a stand-alone bibliography. (Disclosure: My latest book is in it). And Ive yet to see anyone make the claim that their original scholarship was taken without attribution. (If you know of a case, message me.) My journalism-school superego says that a more honest thing for the Times to have done would have been to package the story as what it wasa significant but incremental advance in the understanding of a historical event that scholars and Haitians know about and that much of the rest of the world does not. But would a single front-page story with a headline like France Stole Over $500 Million From Haiti in 19th Century, Times Analysis Showsor maybe In an Impoverished County, a Legacy of Thefthave gotten the magnitude of attention that this reporting has so far? Probably not. Will this News Event change anythingforce France, or Citigroup, to return the money they stole, or push others with power to hold them accountable in any way? On verra. Newsletter originally edited by Sam Thielman and Claire Payton. Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. I seriously need a new pair of headphones, I think as I hit pause on Video Games by Lana Del Rey and drape my arms around my crying, terrified mom. I know better than to play Lana songs around her, but I didnt know until she told me only moments earlierwhen I had just returned home from my evening walkthat my hot-pink, $20 headphones bleed so much sound that anyone within 10 feet can hear what Im playing. And thats a problem when your mom is also your spotter: the person who keeps an eye on you so that they can pull you back if you start to drift from reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the one hand, I get where my mom was coming from. I listened to Lana Del Rey nonstop when I was sick. But now that Im a year into my recovery, I feel confident in my own ability to tell when Im slipping, and today is not one of those days. I dont know how to explain to my mom that there are times when I just want to revel in some of my memories from the 10 months when an imaginary team of psychologists assumed control of my life and experimented on me against my will. Dont get me wrongparts of psychosis were truly terrifying, and Im glad the episode eventually came to an end and I regained control of my mind. But other times were whimsical and beautiful. The music I listened to in psychosis provided comfort during a time when my mental health conditionschizoaffective disorder, bipolar typeleft me totally isolated. Advertisement Advertisement I was far from isolated when the illness began to take hold in late 2018. I lived in the Bay Area, a place Id called home since I was 3 years old, so I had plenty of friends and family around and an active social life. But as my undiagnosed, unmedicated disorder gradually began to hijack my relationship to reality, people started to respond to me differently. Advertisement When I tried to tell those in my lifemy roommates, my mother, my friendshow stressed I was at work because of a boss who seemed to be actively rooting for me to fail, they all seemed indifferent, distracted, and exhausted. My mom kept interrupting me to talk about what was going on in her life, which felt so rude. When I expressed my frustration, she said hesitantly and gently, But honey, it feels like I havent been able to get a word in for the past hour. At the time, I thought she and others were being self-centered, but on the other side of psychosis, I would come to realize Id been experiencing what the doctors call pressured speech: a sign of mania that means you talk far more rapidly and frenziedly than is socially appropriate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The isolation my pressured speech created gave way to a different kind of isolation. This one began after a very stressful work meetinga meeting so stressful it ripped a hole in my consciousness. Fake memories of all-powerful psychologists flooded uncontrollably through this hole for the next 10 months. Nobody wanted to talk to me about my imaginary team. By January of 2019, when my prodromal symptoms gave way to a full-blown psychotic break, theyd all gotten the message from real-life health care professionals that confronting delusions is unproductive and erodes trust. But the psychologiststhe ones in my headthey spoke to me through music. The music that came up on my YouTube account consistently proved to me they were real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How else to explain the fact that 24 by Lana Del Rey showed up on my YouTube playlist the same month I turned 24 while in psychosis? How to explain the special version of Sunday by the Cranberries that played over my headphones one Sunday when I was hiking the Mist Trail in Yosemitea version that emphasized the myst in the lyric You mystify me? Or that Blue Light by Mazzy Star came on as I was trying to fall asleep while staring at a neighbors blue porch light through the window? Music enhanced my sense that my life had become a choose-your-own-adventure story. I would pick a song off the YouTube playlist that the team curated for me, and it would kickstart memories in my brain of things that never happened. When I picked Girl on TV by LFO, I started to remember the day the psychologists first started experimenting on me. Advertisement After that stressful meeting, I sat in my car for what I was sure couldnt have been more than 10 minutes, but the psychologists sped up my clock so that the next time I glanced at it, it looked like six hours had gone by. Advertisement Advertisement Over the next several weeks, Id think so hard about those missing six hours that fake memories, often influenced by the music I listened to, flooded through the hole in my consciousness to fill in the blanks. Weeks after the meeting, when I picked Girl on TV, I started to remember being interviewed on CNN during those missing hours immediately after the meeting. My reaction, of course, was embarrassment, as I couldnt believe CNNs entire national audience now knew I still, in 2019, listened to LFO. Advertisement When my imaginary team controlled my world, I stayed up late every night, listening to musicmost of the time, Lana Del Reyand smoking cigarettes on the front porch. One night I played a new Lana Del Rey song called Florida Kilos. I knew Id never heard it before, but it sounded oddly familiar. Florida Kilos was the first of many songs I came to believe I had written. The psychologists songs guided not just my delusions but my actions as well. Come on down to Florida, I got something for ya, Lana sang. What do you have for me? Where should I go? I wondered. The answer was in the song, of course. I left the house and went on downnot to Florida, but down the hill to town, a trip Id later make whenever the team suggested I do so through the songs that came up on YouTube. It was after midnight by the time my mom got worried enough to come looking for me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She drove around in her nightgown until she finally found me on the swing set in the park across the street from the high school. Despite having been terrified of the dark all my life, I felt safe swinging alone, gazing up at the stars outside in the middle of the night and listening to the same song on repeat for hours. The team had chosen the song to guide me to the park, and I knew they were watching out for me. Advertisement Advertisement Honey, what are you doing out here? she asked me gently, failing to mask her anxiety at having let me slip through her fingers yet again. Waiting, I replied dreamily, still gazing up at the stars. I was never quite sure what I was waiting for. I just know that it never came. Advertisement Eventually, my 10-month psychotic episode came to a close after medication built a dam to keep fake memories from flooding in. In October 2019, when I realized I hadnt had any new transmissions from the psychologists for a few weeks, I bit the bullet and Googled characteristics of schizophrenic delusions. I realized the symptoms fit what I had experienced over the past year to a T. Advertisement My psychologists vanished instantly. In that moment I grievedboth for my old self who would never be the same now that she carried the label of schizophrenic, and for the beautiful, strange, terrifying world I inhabited for 10 months, because I knew I would never experience music the same way again. Advertisement The soundtrack to my schizophrenia takes me back to my most spectacular choose-your-own-adventure, in which I did wild things. I broke into houses, climbed on top of cars, shoplifted, and snuck into a concert. Two-and-a-half years after my 10-month psychotic episode ended, Im still listening to the music that reminds me of the single greatest adventure of my life. People often say I suffer from schizophrenia. Its true that parts of psychosis were extremely painful, and I may never truly be able to comprehend how much my mother suffered seeing me talk to myself on the street, shoplift cans of wine from Safeway, and smoke other peoples used cigarette butts. But I hate being thought of as a powerless victim constantly tortured by her own mind. Its not just disempowering, its inaccurate: For me, the traumatic part wasnt the schizophrenia itself but the stigma with which society regards it. Though some of my delusions were straight out of a horror movie, others provided comfort and made the transition into a marginalized identity bearable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A couple of weeks ago, I was having dinner with my family at my moms house. During a lull before dessert, I picked up her boyfriends guitar and started picking at a few songs. I sang I Dont Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, Love in This Club by Usher, and Ill Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday. Honey, how are you coming up with these songs? my mom asked as she was clearing our plates. I havent heard you play them before. Oh, theyre all part of a soundtrack, I told her with a private smile. One you probably wouldnt have heard of. 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. He suggested a law dictating who the media can invite to discussions. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Igor Matovic is attacking journalists again. He suggested a law dictating who could be invited to political discussions. Although Matovic considers himself to be Robert Fico's greatest critic and opponent, OLaNO chair's derogatory statements about the media bring him significantly closer to the head of opposition Smer. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement While Fico called journalists "dirty anti-Slovak prostitutes", a "gang of Soros pigs", and an "organized criminal group", Matovic once again abused the murder of a journalist in his attack. "You regularly hide behind Jan Kuciak, you almost act as his tutor. In fact, you cannot hold a candle to him," Matovic told Aktuality.sk editor-in-chief Peter Bardy. "You are a disgrace," he wrote. Currently, Finance Minister Matovic is trying to push his social package intended to help with rising prices even with the support of extremists from the LSNS party. The coalition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) had announced it would not support the package. Related article Related article If Matovic insists on raising taxes, SaS ready to withdraw from coalition agreement Read more That is why Bardy reminded Matovic of an older statement of his, that politicians must solve the real problems of people so that "fascism does not creep its dangerous tentacles across Slovakia". Dusan Kovacik's definitive conviction could clear the way for multiple further cases. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Dusan Kovacik, one of the most powerful persons in the state under successive Smer governments, is guilty of corruption and will serve a prison sentence. The Supreme Court has delivered a final verdict on the former special prosecutor. It found him guilty of accepting a hefty bribe for releasing the boss of an underworld group from prison, and for repeatedly leaking classified information and materials from the prosecutors office. The court sent the former special prosecutor to prison for eight years, and ordered him to pay a fine of 100,000. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The Specialised Criminal Court originally sentenced Kovacik to 14 years in prison and forfeit of property. The Supreme Court lowered the sentence, with its judges saying that they did not find sufficient reason to convict him for part of the charges, linked to supporting an organised group. The special prosecutor heads a branch of the prosecution service, the Special Prosecutors Office, which oversees the most serious crimes, as listed in the law that regulates the office, including political corruption, high-level financial crime, organised crime and premeditated murder. The seriousness of the case was stressed by the judge in the original trial. Who in this republic is an entity with greater powers and authority than the special prosecutor himself? Specialised Criminal Court Judge Pamela Zaleska asked after sentencing Kovacik to jail. There is no more serious, bigger and significant offender than the special prosecutor himself. Todays Supreme Court decision was eagerly awaited, and may mark a defining moment for Slovak justice: a range of other cases concerning serious alleged abuses by senior state officials and high-level police officers are linked to the Kovacik case. They include the Twilight case, which involves charges against former prime minister Robert Fico and his right-hand-man and former interior minister Robert Kalinak, both of the Smer party. The case against Kovacik No monkeypox case has been reported in Slovakia. As more cases of monkeypox are detected in Europe and North America in 2022, some scientists who have monitored numerous outbreaks in Africa say they are baffled by the unusual disease's spread in developed countries. (Source: TASR/AP) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Unlike other European countries, Slovakia had not recorded any confirmed or suspected case of monkeypox by Tuesday, May 24, the Public Health Authority said. Monkeypox, which was first identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a disease spread between animals such as squirrels, primates and people, currently the most prevalent orthopoxvirus infection in humans after the eradication of smallpox and the cessation of universal smallpox vaccination. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Symptoms: The incubation period is usually 6 to 16 days, but can vary from 5 to 21 days. fever headache back pain muscle pain cold fatigue swelling of the lymph nodes The disease lasts from 2 to 4 weeks. Source: Public Health Authority, ECDC Increasingly reported in Africa, the first recent case in Europe was recorded in Great Britain on May 7 when a person travelling from Nigeria had imported monkeypox to the country. The latest confirmed case appeared and was reported in Austria, a neighbouring country to Slovakia. Nine countries in the European Union, mostly in the south and the west of the Union, confirmed 67 cases and more than 40 suspected cases are under investigation as of May 23. Neither did Slovakia record cases of the disease in the past, the Public Health Authority said. Slovakia, however, is not an endemic area for monkeypox. As Slovaks have a wide range of travel options, the Authority said, it could not rule out that Slovakia may confirm monkeypox cases. Monkeypox does not spread easily among people, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) emphasised. The Centre added that human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact with infectious material from the skin lesions of an infected person, through respiratory droplets in prolonged face-to-face contact, and through fomites. Geographical distribution of confirmed cases of monkeypox in EU/EEA countries, as of May 23, 2022. (Source: ECDC) As for the current outbreak, the ECDC said that the new monkeypox cases were mostly diagnosed among gay men. The nature of the lesions in some cases suggest that transmission occurred during sexual intercourse, the ECDC said, noting that people have had mild symptoms. The European Medicines Agency has not authorised any vaccine against monkeypox in the EU. Early post-exposure vaccination with smallpox vaccine may prevent the disease or make its course less severe, the ECDC said. The Public Health Authority in Slovakia does not anticipate a large-scale epidemic in Slovakia but sporadic outbreaks. There is a real risk of the disease developing, the Authority said. Abbott Laboratories plans to restart production of infant formula at its Michigan facility June 4, and it will begin releasing specialty formula EleCare in the next several days, the company said Tuesday. The announcement comes amid a nationwide shortage of infant formula caused by supply chain issues and exacerbated by a recall of formulas made at Abbotts Sturgis, Mich., facility. Advertisement Abbott recalled a number of infant formulas produced at that facility in February as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it was investigating complaints of Cronobacter sakazakii infections among four babies who reportedly consumed formula made there. All four were hospitalized, and Cronobacter may have contributed to two babies deaths, according to the FDA. The Abbott Nutrition baby formula plant in Sturgis, Michigan, May 20, 2022. (Sarah Rice/The New York Times) The FDA inspected the facility from Jan. 31 through March 18 and found five environmental subsamples collected from the Sturgis facility to be positive for Cronobacter sakazakii, though product samples collected by the FDA at the facility were negative for Cronobacter. Advertisement Abbott has said the Cronobacter that was found in environmental testing during the investigation was in non-product contact areas of the facility and has not been linked to any known infant illness. Abbott has said it has taken action to address issues with processes and procedures found during the FDA inspection. Earlier this month, Abbott entered into a consent decree with the FDA outlining steps the company would have to take before it could restart production of infant formula at a Michigan facility. Abbott said Tuesday it will also immediately begin releasing limited quantities of EleCare specialty formulas that were on hold following the recall. Many infants and some older children rely on EleCare formulas to meet their nutritional needs because of certain allergies or gastrointestinal disorders. Some older children with medical conditions, including in Illinois, have had to be hospitalized because of difficulty finding EleCare. All products have been tested and meet all product release requirements, Abbott said in a news release Tuesday of the EleCare it will release. In addition, Abbott has concluded additional, enhanced testing to provide assurance the product is safe to distribute. Abbott said it expects to begin shipping the EleCare in the next several days to health care professionals, hospitals and consumers. Parents and caregivers who need EleCare should contact their health care professionals or Abbott at 1-800-881-0876 for more information. The announcement Tuesday comes just a day before an Abbott executive is expected to testify about the formula recall before the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations panel. It also came the same day that the Federal Trade Commission announced it was launching an inquiry into the formula shortage and the factors that have led to concentration in the infant formula market and the fragility of the supply chains for these crucial products, according to an FTC news release. Abbott CEO Robert Ford apologized in an op-ed in The Washington Post over the weekend for Abbotts role in the formula shortage. Ford said in an Abbott news release Tuesday, of the EleCare release: Releasing this product immediately will help families impacted by the lack of availability of EleCare. When we restart our Sturgis facility the first week in June, we will produce EleCare first and make enough so that several months of supply will be available. Asked if he was tempted to come out of retirement to drive one more time on June 12 at Clinton Raceways Legends Day, Hall of Famer John Campbell gave a typical all-class Campbell answer. No, Im really not. I thought it was a perfect exit for me leaving it at Legends Day before and Im content to leave it at that, said Campbell. Campbell, 67, a native of Ailsa Craig, Ont., drove for the final time in his stellar career at the 2017 edition of Legends Day. He retired from the sport with career earnings of $303 million, making him the richest driver in harness racing history. His retirement at Clinton Raceway was a magical ending to a remarkable career. Campbell said he doesnt want to spoil that by returning to the bike. Campbell, who has been present at all 10 previous editions of Legends Day, will be making the journey from his home in New Jersey for the 11th Legends Day to sign autographs and rekindle old friendships. Its always a great day for me and it always has been since the first one," he said. "Its just a chance to go back and see so many people theres a certain segment of people and thats the only time I see them is on Legends Day people I grew up with and started out racing with, people I knew when I was young. It's really an enjoyable experience for me. Its kind of a homecoming deal for me. I cant stress enough how much fun Ive had over the years at Legends Day. Legends Day honours some of the greatest drivers in the sports history. All have been inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Those coming to this years edition have collectively earned nearly $1.2 billion yup, thats billion with a b in their racing careers. This year, Doug Brown, Steve Condren, Wally Hennessey, Trevor Ritchie, Ron Waples and freshly-minted Hall of Famers Paul MacDonell and Randy Waples who will both be officially inducted in August will contest the $15,000 Legends Day Trot. It is the first Legends Day for MacDonell and Randy Waples. Campbell, Bill ODonnell and Dave Wall will also be there to sign autographs. I think theres two things that have made Legends Day what it is, said Campbell. The first thing is the interaction both ways between the fans and the legends. Its a unique dynamic that synergy between the legends and the fans, both ways, its really special. The other thing is just [Clinton Raceway GM and Hall of Famer] Ian [Fleming] tweaking it and keeping it fresh and coming up with the concept in the first place. This year, there will be an online auction from June 5-9 at clintonraceway.com. On Legends Day itself, there will be a silent auction, autographs with the Legends from 2-3 p.m., the Legends Day Trot will hit the track at 4 p.m., and a chicken barbeque will follow the races. All the food has been donated and all sales will, again, go to the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation. Previous editions of Legends Day have raised more than $260,000 for the foundation. In 2019, Legends Day raised $50,000. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a one-year delay to the, normally, biennial event. Im just like everybody else, Im so happy that we can be together and were travelling again," said Campbell. "COVID hasnt left us, so we just have to learn to live with it and I think everyone is just ready to move on with their lives. We have to deal with COVID, but its not going to hinder us. (With files from Clinton Raceway) As we near the end of May, harness racing's future stars are preparing for competition. Many of those two-year-olds comprise the 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable, with entries closing on Friday, May 27. Trot Insider will break down the contenders in each category as the deadline approaches. (All entries and results information is up to date as of publication.) Our previous features examined the participants comprising Groups A and B, Groups C and D, Groups E and F as well as Groups G and H. This feature looks at the two-year-old contenders in Groups I through L. GROUP I - Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts & Geldings Admiral Hanover (Captaintreacherous - American Jewel) is a full brother to 17-time winner U S Captain (p, 3, 1:49 [$346,015]). The son of two-time O'Brien Award winner American Jewel was a $350,000 yearling purchase from the Harrisburg yearling sale. Twin B Nation (American Ideal Lovely Erin) is the fourth foal out of the Sportswriter mare Lovely Erin and a half brother to Bet The Line (p, 3, 1:56.2f [$40,259]). He was a $300,000 purchase from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Save America (Captaintreacherous My Lady Day) is a half-brother to a pair of stakes winners in Stag Party (p, 2, 1:50.4s [$962,645]) and Hen Party (p, 3, 1:49.2f [$594,518]). He was a $300,000 purchase from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Andy Mac Hanover (Captaintreacherous Ameraway) is the second foal out of the American Ideal mare Ameraway and a full brother to stakes-placed three-year-old Atlas Hanover (p, 3, 1:52f [$114,519]). He was a $295,000 purchase from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Steel Cowboy (Bettors Delight Dismissal) is the second foal out of the Western Terror mare Dismissal. He is a half brother to Bythemissal (p, 3, 1:51.1f [$36,250]) and was purchased for $275,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Sheer Terror (Always B Miki Economy Terror) is the fifth foal out of Breeders Crown winner Economy Terror. He is a half brother to stakes winners Market Based (p, 3, 1:50.2f [$250,911]) and One Eight Hundred (p, 3, 1:48 [$151,679]). He was purchased for $270,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Combustion (Captaintreacherous Acquavella) is a full brother to freshman stakes winner Captain Ahab (p, 2, 1:50.4s [$174,902]) and a half brother to stakes-placed mares Heart Of Mine (p, 2, 1:53.2h [$350,565]) and Sail By (p, 2, 1:50.4 [$87,680]). He was purchased for $260,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Fout (Bettors Delight Weeper) is a three-quarter brother to two-time winner Royal Tears (p, 3, 1:55f [$9,975]). He is the third foal out of half-million-dollar winner Weeper and was purchased for $250,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Cabot Beach (Captaintreacherous Santa Rosa) is a three-quarter brother to stakes winner Pebble Beach (p, 2, 1:48.4 [$366,250]). He was purchased for $250,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Chronicle (Downbytheseaside Tookaloo Hanover) is the first foal out of the Art Major mare Tookaloo Hanover. He was purchased for $230,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. GROUP J - Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies Seashell (Captaintreacherous Aria Hanover) is the fourth foal out of the Well Said mare Aria Hanover as well as a full sister to stakes winners Blue Diamond Eyes (p, 3, 1:47.2 [$1,152,714]) and Captain Kirk (p, 4, 1:47.4 [$388,208]). She was purchased for $450,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Bellisima Hanover (Captaintreahcerous Bedroomconfessions) is a full sister to stakes winner Boudoir Hanover (p, 2, 1:49.4 [$240,716]) and the second foal out of millionaire mare Bedroomconfessions. She was purchased for $400,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Stop The Show (Sweet Lou Come See The Show) is the first foal out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Come See The Show, herself the second foal out of world champion Put On A Show. She was purchased for $400,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Knights Tale (Captaintreacherous Dragons Tale) is a full sister to stakes winner Workin Ona Mystery (3, p, 1:48.1 [$891,069]). She was purchased for $350,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Caviart Davia (Captaintreacherous My Little Dragon) is the ninth foal out of the star mare My Little Dragon and is a three-quarter sister to stakes winner Stay Hungry (p, 3, 1:47.3 [$1,358,086]) and a full sister to stakes winners Treacherous Dragon (p, 3, 1:49.1 [$324,862]) and Force N Fury (p, 2, 1:50.2 [$212,147]). She was purchased for $340,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Captain Cassiopeia (Captaintreacherous Classic Star) is the eighth foal out of the Cams Card Shark mare Classic Star, who herself is a full sister to Bettors Delight. She is also a half sister to millionaire Blue Moon Stride (p, 4, 1:48.4s [$1,244,786]). She was purchased for $325,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Froufrou Hanover (Captaintreacherous Fresh Idea) is a half sister to stakes-winning mare Bettors Up (p, 3, 1:49.4s [$1,204,934]). She was purchased for $300,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Prosecco Princess (Captaintreacherous Sakura Hanover) is a half sister to stakes winners Miso Fast (p, 4, Q1:49 [$897,881]) and Forty Five Red (p, 4, 1:50.1h [$732,228]). She was purchased for $285,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Odds On Sauvecito (Captaintreacherous World Of Rock) is a half sister to Breeders Crown champ Peaky Sneaky (p, 3, 1:48 [$803,211]). She was purchased for $270,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Star So Bright (Bettors Delight Sun Shines Bright) is the first foal out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Sun Shines Bright, herself a daughter of star mare American Jewel. She was purchased for $250,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. GROUP K - Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings Ari Ferrari J (Walner Dream Child) is a half brother to stakes winner You Ato Dream (t, 3, 1:52.2f [$593,852]). He was purchased for $620,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Craft Made (Walner Woodshopper) is the seventh foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Woodshopper and a full brother to stakes winner Fashionwoodchopper (t, 2, 1:53 [$490,858]). He was purchased for $610,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Oh Well (Muscle Hill Fine Tuned Lady) is the first foal from stakes-winning mare Fine Tuned Lady (t, 3, 1:52.2 [$643,987]). He was purchased for $530,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Powhatan (Muscle Hill Danae) is the ninth foal from Hambletonian Oaks winner Danae. He is a full brother to stakes winners Dream Together (t, 4, 1:51.3 [$893,046]), Dorsay (t, 4, 1:51.4 [$450,683]) and Propulsion (t, 4, 1:52.1 [$86,738]). He was purchased for $500,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Cypress Hanover (Muscle Hill Cedar Dove) is the fourth foal out of Breeders Crown winner Cedar Dove. He is a full brother to Hambletonian Oaks winner When Dovescry (t, 4, 1:50 [$1,719,328]). He was purchased for $475,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Cadillac Moon (Muscle Hill Order By Wish) is a full brother to stakes winners Marseille (t, 3, 1:51.4 [$518,285]) and Rome Pays Off (t, 3, 1:52.3 [$454,778]). He was purchased for $400,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Double Dippin (Walner Borrow And Spend) is the fourth foal out of the Credit Winner mare Borrow And Spend, herself a full sister to stakes winner Dejarmbro and a half sister to Shared Past. He was purchased for $300,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Little Expensive (Muscle Hill Seviyorum) is the first foal out of the stakes-winning mare Seviyorum (t, 1:53.1f [$501,372]). He was purchased for $260,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Anointed (Tactical Landing Graceful Touch) is the 12th foal out of Graceful Touch. He is a more-than-half brother to Hambletonian winner Muscle Massive (t, 3, 1:51 [$1,245,297]) and Muscle Mass (t, 2, 1:53.4 [$229,000]). He was purchased for $260,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Bourbon Courage (You Know You Do Luv U All) is the second foal out of the Angus Hall mare Luv U All. He is a half brother to Hambletonian winner Captain Corey (t, 1:51f [$1,090,333]). He was purchased for $260,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. GROUP L - Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies Exile (Walner Swan Hot Mama) is a half sister to stakes winners Altar (t, 3, 1:50.3 [$229,206]) and Repentance (t, 3, Q1:53.3 [$278,854]). She was purchased for $800,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Mandrill (Chapter Seven Steamy Windows) is a full sister to three-time Breeders Crown winner Gimpanzee (t, 4, 1:50 [$2,792,478]) and stakes-winner Iteration (t, 3, 1:53.1s [$780,818]). She was purchased for $750,000 from the Lexington-Select Yearling Sale. In Italian (Chapter Seven Hemi Blue Chip) is a full sister to Hambletonian winner and world champion Atlanta (t, 3, 1:49 [$3,334,788]). She was purchased for $750,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Swanky Hanover (Muscle Hill Secret Magic) is a full sister to world champion Manchego (t, 4, 1:49 [$3,279,400]) and stakes winner In Secret (t, 3, 1:52.3f [$993,476]). She was purchased for $700,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Wall To Wall (Walner Pearl Axe It) is the fourth foal out of the Love You mare Pearl Axe It. She is a half sister to six-time winner Hall It Off (3, 1:56.3f [$49,635]). She was purchased for $525,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Walner Payton (Walner Lonely Lady) is the second foal out of the Muscle Hill mare Lonely Lady, herself a full sister to stakes winner Bar Hopping (t, 3, 1:51.4 [$1,385,293]). She was purchased for $510,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Cyberspace (Walner Southwind Serena) is a half sister to world champion Mission Brief (t, 3, 1:50.2f [$1,657,399]) and stakes winner Tactical Landing (t, 3, 1:50.2 [$812,300]). She was purchased for $500,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. Defacement (Muscle Hill Thatsnotmyname) is a full sister to five-time winner Fifty Cent Piece (t, 3, 1:52.2f [$141,698]) and a half sister to stakes winner Basquiat (t, 3, 1:51.2 [$289,748]). She was purchased for $500,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Unicorn Blue Chip (Chapter Seven Dunk The Donato) is a half sister to world champion Plunge Blue Chip (t, 3, 1:49.4 [$1,596,841]) and stakes winner Splash Blue Chip (t, 3, 1:51.4 [$474,623]). She was purchased for $475,000 from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Karma Dolce (Muscle Hill Megadolce) is the first foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Megadolce, herself a half sister to Hambletonian Oaks winner Bella Bellini (t, 3, 1:52.1 [$1,174,769]). She was purchased for $450,000 from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale. To enter the 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable contest, click the following link: 2022 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable Entry Form. Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears captivated a capacity crowd at the 10th Annual Ronald Reagan Legacy Dinner Saturday night at Valhalla Farm in Culpeper County, according to a release from the Culpeper County Republican Committee, event sponsor. A highlight of Sears no nonsense approach to government was her appeal to fellow Republicans to go into small shops and businesses to listen to citizens, the release stated. In addition, she advocated protecting parental educational choices for their children and for the safety of Supreme Court justices living in Virginia. Sears, a former U.S. Marine, took a wide range of questions from the audience at the event, held on Armed Forces Day. Steve Myers, speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, introduced Sears. Myers added colorful comments of his own from years of experience. Another highlight of the evening was a Resolution of the Virginia Legislature honoring William Bill Halevy, Chief Warrant Officer 5, for his continued service. Halevy, wounded in action while in the military, has further distinguished himself by helping other veterans throughout the region as head of Veterans Health & Benefits Management. Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, presented a printed copy of the formal resolution at Saturday nights event. Steve Mouring, recently elected Culpeper GOP Committee chairman, was master of ceremonies with Freitas, a former local committee chairman. Al Aitken, founder of the Ronald Reagan Legacy Dinner and a former committee chairman, read an original letter from Nancy Reagan appreciating the dinner at the beginning of the event. Town Councilman Erick Kalenga, a local pastor, opened the meeting in prayer. Dinner guests included primary candidates in the 7th District Congressional June election as well as elected officials of Culpeper and surrounding counties. Applause was strong and frequent with standing ovations despite the oppressive heat of the day, the release stated. Sears is the first female Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth and the first Black female elected to statewide office. She previously worked as a leader in a mens prison ministry and as a director of a womens homeless shelter. Sears thanked the local GOP committee for the invitation to speak, in a post Sunday. What a great night! she said. Congressional candidate Crystal Vanuch said it was an awesome crowd with lots of energy to fill Virginias 7th District, in a post. Congressional candidate Dave Ross was there with his wife. He thanked Sears, saying she spoke about education and the importance of school choice. Congressional candidate Derrick Anderson also posted about the event saying it was great to see Sears, a fellow veteran, on Armed Forces Day. Congressional candidate Yesli Vega also attended. One thing is clear. Folks across the 7th are ready for a change and tired of big government politicians, she posted, with photos from the Reagan Legacy Dinner. Mariachi, which refers to the person, the group and the music, is coming the Bluffs Middle School for the 2022-23 school year. Mexico is famous for mariachi, which began in Jalisco, Mexico, in the 1880s, according to the National Parks Service website. The rural tradition became commonplace in urban areas, with numerous musical styles with folk, African, Andalusian gypsy and Jarabe offering music for all listeners to enjoy. With the support of a $1,800 Scottsbluff Public Schools Foundation classroom grant, BMS orchestra instructor Ashley Hillman will bring the signature sound to the school as an extracurricular opportunity for students in grades 7-9. The grant allowed Hillman to purchase a Mexican vihuela (soprano guitar), a baja quinto (10-string guitar), an accordion, arpa (harp) and a bass guitarron (guitar). Students will also play trumpets, violins, violas and cellos to provide a full mariachi band experience. I just wanted to create another way for my students to be successful in multicultural music, Hillman said. There is a need for community outreach and I wanted to find a way to reach those people. I really think that mariachi music is beautiful and theres a big emphasis on the strings the viola, the violin and I teach those instruments everyday, so I felt like the mariachi would be a good fit. Hillman said about half of her music students are interested in participating in the mariachi band next school year. Those students auditioned for the band Monday and Tuesday. I was a little nervous to tryout, but then, Ive always wanted to learn a Spanish instrument, incoming seventh grader Katherine Johnson said. While she doesnt know much about the mariachi-style of music, she said she looks forward to playing alongside her sister, Rochelle. Im excited because she plays the guitar and she can teach me a lot, Johnson said. Music is just my life right now. It keeps me up when Im down. Incoming eighth grader Destiny Valles said she was inspired to audition for the mariachi band because of her late father, Enez Brady, who played guitar. I think it was because my dad used to play in a mariachi band and I thought it would be really good to try a group like he did, she said. Valles will play the viola, an instrument shes played since fifth grade. Hillman plans to introduce the program at the middle-school level to grow the program, with next school years freshman, eighth and seventh graders invited to audition. Well have a few years to perfect the skills here and figure out what were doing, she said. The students will practice weekly on Mondays from 7 to 7:30 a.m. before school and as the school year progresses, the band hopes to participate in community events and performances. Im hoping we get invited to perform around town and also for Cinco de Mayo and some of those holidays and celebrations, she said. Johnson said she looks forward to the opportunities to play for the public. I think it would be really fun, Johnson said. I love performing. Valles also expressed excitement about performing for the community. I think its just about playing in front of the crowds, she said. Im really looking forward to helping others and vibing with everyone. As the BMS mariachi band showcases its skills to the community, Valles hopes it inspires younger kids to get involved in music. I really hope that they start liking it and I hope little kids, that they might want to join one day or they get in involved in music, Valles said. Not a lot of people go into orchestra or band. She also hopes to share some of her culture with the community. A lot of people now dont get to hear mariachi bands here anymore, Valles said. Im hoping that we can bring out our culture even more and share it with the whole town. One challenge Hillman faces is learning how to play some of the instruments. I have to learn how to play the accordion and the harp and the guitarron and the baja quinto, so that I can effectively teach these students how to play them, she said. Hillmans summer will focus on learning how to play those instruments. She is also hopeful members of the community will be willing to visit the school and work with the students. I hope the community respects this new type of music and that everyone can play it, Hillman said. You dont have to be a certain nationality. I hope it unites us in music. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Legacy of the Plains Museum will be hosting its monthly Speaker Series program. The event will be held Tuesday, May 31, at 6 p.m. Every month, the museum will host a speaker or panel to discuss the rich and vibrant history of the region and the state. This month, Nancy Gillis will be discussing the impact of the Homestead Act on the Native American tribes. She is the former executive director of the John Neihardt State Historic Site and continues to present to schools about a variety of topics such as Neihardt related topics and Native American history. A questions and discussion period will follow the presentation. Funding for the speaker was provided by Humanities Nebraska, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities A More Perfect Union Initiative, Advancing Civic Education and Commemorating the Nations 250th Anniversary. The event is free to the public. For more information, call Legacy of the Plains Museum at 308-436-1989. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form BRICS to enhance manufacturing ties By MA SI in Beijing and HU MEIDONG in Xiamen, Fujian (China Daily) 08:31, May 24, 2022 Visitors look at the model of a 5G-enabled factory during the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, Sept 6, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] Efforts will be made to speed up 5G and high-tech transformation China will step up its push to cooperate with fellow BRICS partnersBrazil, Russia, India and South Africato stabilize global supply and industrial chains, with a focus on leveraging the industrial internet and smart manufacturing to empower traditional sectors, said the nation's top industry regulator on Monday. Xiao Yaqing, minister of industry and information technology, said via a video link at the 6th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting that the ministry will boost ties with its BRICS counterparts of partners to build an industrial cooperation network within the bloc to promote circulation of capital, goods, talent and technology so as to form a shared community in industrial and supply chains. More efforts will be made to speed up digital transformation, accelerate the integration and application of emerging technologies such as the industrial internet and 5G with manufacturing, and boost experience and knowledge-sharing among BRICS countries so as to jointly create an open, fair and just development environment, Xiao said. The comments came as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, and the resilience and stability of global industrial and supply chains have not been fully restored following disruptions over the past two years. Aware of the challenges and uncertainties ahead, a joint declaration from the meeting highlighted the importance of fully unleashing the potential of new-generation information and communications technologies to transform and upgrade traditional industries, especially manufacturing, in achieving higher output at lower cost, thus promoting sustainable development and inclusive growth. The joint declaration emphasized the promotion of new business models such as network-based collaborative manufacturing, personalized customization, as well as remote operation and maintenance services. It also underlined the importance of collectively fostering an enabling and innovative ecosystem with a cluster of innovative resources and dynamic market entities and delivering new drivers for digitalization of industries in BRICS countries. Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics giant TCL Technology Group Corp, said the industrial internet is like a bridge connecting traditional industrial manufacturing on one end with new generation information technology on the other. The industrial internet is providing common development opportunities for countries around the world to achieve green economic recovery and sustainable development in the new era, Li said at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Forum on Development of Industrial Internet and Digital Manufacturing, which kicked off in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Monday. In recent years, TCL has expanded overseas factories making televisions, modules and photovoltaic cells in Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico and India. It established ventures with local partners in Brazil to jointly build production bases, supply chains and a research and development system. According to a report on the competitiveness of BRICS nations released by the China Science and Technology Exchange Center, the export value of high-tech products from BRICS countries totaled $6 trillion in 2020 and accounted for over 25 percent of such products globally. BRICS countries' annual R&D investment for scientific and technological innovations accounted for over 16.7 percent of the global total in 2020, the report said. The comprehensive innovation index of BRICS countries will grow 1.5 percent annually on average in the coming years, it said. The average annual rate is 2.8 percent in G20 economies. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) Health officials are investigating at least one case of someone in Illinois who was sickened in a salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter made by Jif. So far, a total of 14 people from 12 states have reported infections involving salmonella senftenberg linked to certain types of Jif peanut butter made at a facility in Kentucky, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advertisement The Illinois Department of Public Health said it is working with the CDC, the FDA and local health departments to investigate the outbreak. The case in Illinois was in the central part of the state. The state health department did not provide additional details about the person in Illinois who became ill. The J.M. Smucker Company has voluntarily recalled certain Jif brand peanut butter products, a staple in many households, that have the lot code numbers between 1274425 to 2140425, which were manufactured in Lexington, Kentucky, due to possible salmonella contamination. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) J.M. Smucker Co. recalled multiple types of Jif brand peanut butter on May 20. Consumers can go online to see if they have peanut butter involved in the recall. They should also check the lot code number on the containers, which is located by the best by date. Products with lot codes with 425 at the end of the first seven numbers are part of the recall. Advertisement Consumers with peanut butter thats part of the recall should throw away that peanut butter, and wash surfaces or containers that may have touched the recalled peanut butter using hot, soapy water. Consumers can go online to get a coupon to replace their recalled peanut butter. Symptoms of illness caused by salmonella can include headache, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, chills, fever, nausea, and dehydration. If people experience those symptoms 12 to 72 hours after eating Jif brand peanut butters, they should contact a health care provider. Gracie LeAnn Dimit was 20 years old when she was killed in a car crash near Emory & Henry Colleges main campus on the night of July 16, 2020. Her family believes that her death was directly linked to Greek life at the college. Last week, Gracie Dimits estate filed a wrongful death suit against E&H. Steve Dimit, Gracies father and the administrator of her estate, was clear when he explained the decision to take the civil action. It is, he said, to prevent another family from suffering the same kind of loss that he and his family have experienced for nearly two years. According to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County General District Court, Gracie Dimit was riding in the driver's side rear passenger seat of the vehicle when the driver, 21-year-old Lauren Nicole Salyer, lost control of the vehicle in a curve on Itta Bena Road near Emory & Henry, slid off the roadway and struck a tree. Dimit died at the scene and another passenger was airlifted to a hospital. Salyer was also injured, while a fourth passenger was not harmed. The complaint also notes that witnesses reported that a video was sent out prior to the crash befor [sic] going down the hill to the curve. The gravel road is known as the 500 to the college students, Virginia State Trooper D.J. Hess wrote in the complaint. At the curve the students say they try to drift/fishtail the vehicle. The wrongful death complaint filed May 16 in Washington County Circuit Court describes The 500 as an activity which had taken place at Emory & Henry for many years prior to July 16, 2020, during which fraternity and sorority members drove automobiles through and around the campus at a dangerously high rate of speed. The 500, the suit says, is a Greek life and KPA tradition. KPA is the Kappa Phi Alpha Sorority, which Gracie Dimit joined in the fall of her sophomore year at E&H. On the night of her death, the suit says that it was the sorority that brought the girls together and prompted the fatal car ride. That evening, the suit says, KPA members and representatives gathered at Gracies apartment. After an exchange of sorority materials, they decided to engage in The 500. The document continues, Near the end of this running of The 500, prior to descending the hill of Itta Bena Road, a gravel road connected to campus, Salyer stopped the vehicle and took a cellphone video of the occupants of the car, who were commemorating what in all likelihood would be their last running of The 500 as KPA sisters before graduation. A few minutes later, the vehicle fishtailed. The vehicle began to overturn and crashed into a number of trees, before it finally came to rest. The suit says, The driver of the vehicle never applied her brakes. The legal action contends that Emory & Henry officials knew about The 500 as an inherently dangerous activity occurring under its auspices, both on and off campus, and negligently, recklessly, and with callous disregard for the lives and safety of others encouraged and permitted this conduct to occur. The court document also contends that the dangers of Greek life at E&H extend beyond The 500. The suit says that E&Hs Greek houses werent affiliated with national organizations but were all created, organized, fostered, governed, and regulated and policed by Emory & Henry. The fraternities and sororities were used as a college marketing tool to attract students, including Gracie, with representations of an active and safe social life at Emory & Henry. In its marketing efforts, Emory & Henry represented to parents, family members, potential students and enrolled students that hazing was inconsistent with the values of the College and the stated values and purposes of Greek organizations. Emory & Henry further made public assurances that Emory & Henry was committed to prevent [hazing], addressing it, educating about it, and eradicating it. E&H also maintained a Greek Life office, the suit says, with the purpose to support and advocate for the safe and positive experience of all members. Students experiencing hazing or parents who were aware of hazing were encouraged to report incidents to that office. Yet, as a member of KPA, the suit alleges that Gracie was encouraged by Emory & Henry to participate in a number of hazing activities, including, but not limited to, physical beatings, zip-tying pledges to one another, and consuming massive quantities of alcohol, and an activity called The Emory 500 or The 500. Two of the court filings exhibits are Kappa Phi Alpha Bingo cards. KPA Bingo, the suit says, is a KPA-sponsored and -sanctioned list of dangerous hazing activities, including, but not limited to Threw Up Before 10AM on Homecoming, Downed 10 Apple Pie Shots, Hallucinated, and 500 Around Campus. The suit also notes that hazing was prohibited by the Non-Academic Conduct Code and is a violation of Virginia law. The Virginia Code statute that prohibits hazing also, according to the suit, requires institutions of higher education to take affirmative steps to combat known hazing practices in its student body. The suit also states that E&H has not taken any action against Salyer or KPA for their actions in connection with Gracie Dimits death. Emory & Henry has ratified and endorsed this misconduct, as evidenced by Emory & Henrys continuing defense of and praise for Salyer. Shortly after this incident took place, Emory & Henry honored Salyer by posting an announcement praising her college career on its website and continuing to allow her to serve as a member of the Greek Council Judicial Board, the very body whose responsibility it is to investigate and punish Greek life policy violations. The suit also maintains that the hazing referred to in the complaint continues at Emory & Henry unabated to this day. Ultimately, the suit maintains that Emory & Henry breached its various duties to Gracie, and as a proximate result of these multiple failures to address and eradicate the hazing practice of The 500, Gracie suffered significant and serious bodily injuries that were a proximate cause of her death. The complaint seeks a jury trial and is asking for $5 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. Emory & Henry was served with the complaint Friday. The college has 30 days from the time it was served to formally respond to the suit. Monday, when asked how the college responds to the complaint, Mark R. Graham, E&Hs vice president for administration, said in a written statement, The loss of Gracie Dimit is one that weighs heavy on many hearts at the College. She was an exemplary student and friend to many and is remembered fondly. This was a tragic car accident that took place in the summer of July 2020 during the pandemic, when the college was shut down and only conducting online classes. Steve Dimit doesnt share that perspective. In a written statement to the News & Messenger, he explained that he and his family began trying to work with the college shortly after Gracie Dimits death. On July 23, 2020, three days after we buried our daughter, Steve Dimit wrote, we initiated a meeting with Emory & Henry President, Dr. John Wells, and the Dean of Students. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss our concerns about Itta Bena Road and the practice of 500ing. During our meeting, Dr. Wells indicated that Emory & Henry had already begun the process of petitioning Virginia to close the road to through traffic and we were satisfied with this decision. On Jan. 12, 2021, Steve Dimit said they followed up with VDOT and an agency official advised us that no such request had ever been made. We later learned that Emory & Henry had purchased a residence at 12442 Itta Bena Road, and it was converted into student housing, making the gravel road even more traveled. In the meeting, we were also told the practice of 500ing was a parade-like event used by Greek organizations, and that the gravel section of Itta Bena was not driven on in these events. We have since learned that the Emory 500 is a longstanding tradition at the college, in which students drive around campus, including Itta Bena Road, at a high rate of speed, blaring music and horns. Steve Dimit also wrote that Emory & Henry administrators advised us that they would be adding language to the Student Code of Conduct indicating any student found participating in the Emory 500 would face expulsion, as of today we have not seen this modification added to the Student Code of Conduct that is currently available online. Since our initial meeting with Dr. Wells, we have received no communication from him in reference to this issue or any other concerns that we have had. Steve Dimit said, We feel we have a moral obligation to have these reckless traditions removed from Emory & Henrys Greek life. He cited a quote from John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist denomination, What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. Dr. Wells made a promise to be with our family every step of the way but that promise was broken one week after Gracies death, Dimit wrote. Our goal was only to prevent other families from enduring the loss and pain our family has suffered the past 22 months, unfortunately nothing can be resolved without communication from both parties. We are heartbroken and will never recover from the loss of Gracie, but our hope is that Emory & Henry will make changes in the future to prevent this type of tragedy from occurring to another student/family. It is also important for us to note that there are some wonderful faculty and staff at Emory & Henry who have reached out with quiet support, love and sorrow for the way this has been handled; we are grateful to these individuals and the love you showed Gracie. In addition to this suit, a criminal case continues against Salyer, who was indicted by a grand jury on Oct. 26, 2021 on an involuntary manslaughter charge. A jury trial in the case, which has been delayed twice, is now set for July. Last year, the Dimits announced that they had established the Gracie LeAnn Dimit Memorial Foundation to continue Gracies dreams of helping others, especially children. Gracie Dimit was working to become a teacher and had volunteered since she was 9 years old to help children. Of establishing the foundation, Brandy Dimit, Gracies mother, said, We want her servants heart to live on. Well do it for her in her honor her legacy. Steve Dimit reiterated that point in his statement released Tuesday, saying, We will continue to focus our efforts on our family and Gracies Foundation as we are determined to keep her loving and giving spirit alive. On a 100+ acre farm in Marion, the Dimits want to establish a camp for children with special needs and disabilities and their families. The foundation is also awarding scholarships to local students who plan to teach and especially those who may want to work in special education or with at-risk children. Theres also a scholarship to help a student with special needs or who is at-risk to continue their education. The Dimits are also exploring the development of a community playground that will also be accessible to children with special needs. Cowlitz County children who received a COVID-19 vaccine late last fall are now eligible for a booster dose, after federal and state health officials on Friday expanded Pfizer booster eligibility to include 5- to 11-year-olds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the booster for those 5 and older based on data from an ongoing trial showing an increased level of antibodies one month after the shot, according to the agency. The CDCs announcement is welcome news as we continue to do everything we can to keep Washingtonians of all ages safe, said Umair Shah, state Secretary of Health, in a statement. This pandemic is not over and we must continue to use the tools at our disposal. This includes masking, therapeutics, vaccinations and of course boosters." While children often have more mild cases of COVID-19, they still can become severely ill and be hospitalized, according to the Department of Health. Washington state began rolling out pediatric COVID-19 vaccines in early November. The pediatric vaccine is a smaller dose than the vaccine approved for those 12 and older and requires two doses given three weeks apart. The Pfizer vaccine is the only type approved for those younger than 18. COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, are available at Child and Adolescent Clinic, PeaceHealth's and Kaiser Permanente's Longview clinics and many pharmacies. Residents can search for locations at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov. In the state and Cowlitz County, children 5- to 11-years-old have the lowest vaccination rate of any age group. About 14% of Cowlitz County children in that age group are fully vaccinated, compared to 32% statewide as of Saturday a difference of roughly 19 percentage points. In Cowlitz County, about 38% of 12- to 17-year-olds are fully vaccinated and roughly 20% of those eligible have received a booster dose. This age group has been eligible for boosters since January. Booster dose uptake in the county increases with age, with 26% of eligible 18- to 34-year-olds, 35% of 35- to 49-year-olds, 51% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 68% of those 65 and older receiving one as of Saturday. Overall, about 62% of Cowlitz County residents have received at least one shot and 57% have received the primary series as of Saturday. About 54% of residents 12 and older, who are eligible for a booster, have received one. Statewide, 68% of residents have received the shots needed before boosters and about 59% of those 12 and older, who are eligible, have received a booster as of Saturday. Booster timeline The Department of Health recommends people 5 and older who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine get a booster at least five months after receiving their primary doses. Those who initially received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine can receive a booster at least two months after the first dose. Everyone who got a primary dose and booster of the J&J vaccine can get an additional booster of either Pfizer or Moderna, according to the Department of Health. Everyone 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals 12 and older can get another booster after four months. Those moderately or severely immunocompromised could receive an additional dose 28 days after their second vaccine shot, and then be eligible for two boosters, meaning they could receive five doses total of Pfizer or Moderna or four if they received an initial dose of J&J, according to the Department of Health. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. VANCOUVER Scores of spectators flocked to Vancouvers Columbia River shoreline on Friday to watch some of the worlds fastest boats. Four Unlimited Hydroplane teams held a practice exhibition, racing around a 2-mile oval course at speeds approaching 150 mph. Its the first time the boats have raced in Vancouver since a similar exhibition in 1979. Though the session was initially delayed due to strong river currents that required course adjustments, fans were thrilled when Dave Villwocks U40 Bucket List Racing boat hit the water at 11:30 a.m. Villwock is the sports winningest driver with 67 Unlimited Hydroplane victories. His boat kicked up a large rooster tail as it sped past fans watching along Vancouvers Waterfront Renaissance Trail upstream of the Interstate 5 Bridge. Villwocks and three other teams used Fridays session to prepare for the upcoming season, which starts in late June in Alabama. The Unlimited Hydroplane series will be in the Tri-Cities July 29-31 and in Seattle Aug. 5-7. Event Director Nelson Holmberg hopes Fridays exhibition, and the spectator turnout which numbered well over 1,000, can build momentum for Vancouver to host an Unlimited Hydroplane race in the future. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group on Tuesday unveiled a massive 450 trillion won ($356 billion) investment blueprint for the next five years aimed at making it a frontrunner in a wide range of sectors from semiconductors to biologics. The new figure is an increase of more than a third over its investments spent over the past five years. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: The tech giant is South Korea's largest chaebol -- the family-run conglomerates that dominate the economy -- and its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product. Samsung Electronics, its flagship subsidiary, is the world's biggest smartphone maker. The investment plan would bring "long-term growth in strategic businesses and help strengthen the global industrial ecosystem of crucial technology", Samsung said in a statement. The 80,000 new jobs would be created "primarily in core businesses including semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals" through 2026. It also noted the investment would "bring forward the mass production of chips based on the 3-nanometer process", the latest technology to further shrink the size of semiconductors and boost computing power. It will also invest heavily in biopharmaceuticals with its affiliates Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis. The new plan represents a 36 percent increase in investment over its total investments over the past five years. Of the 450 trillion won Samsung plans to spend over the next five years, it will commit 360 trillion won to South Korea. - Biden visit - The announcement comes after US President Joe Biden toured Samsung Electronics' massive Pyeongtaek semiconductor factory on Friday, underscoring the South Korean giant's role in securing global supply chains of microchips. South Korea and the United States need to work to "keep our supply chains resilient, reliable and secure," Biden said, calling semiconductors manufactured there as "a wonder of innovation" and crucial to the global economy. Lee Jae-yong, the firm's vice-chairman and the de facto leader of the wider Samsung conglomerate, escorted Biden and newly sworn-in South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol inside the assembly line, and introduced the two to an audience in English. It was Lee's highest-profile public appearance since his release on parole in August. He had served more than half of a two-and-a-half-year sentence for bribery, embezzlement and other offences in connection with a corruption scandal that brought down ex-South Korean president Park Geun-hye. Samsung employs about 20,000 people in the United States and work is under way to build a new semiconductor plant in Texas, scheduled to open in 2024. The vast majority of the world's most advanced microchips are made by just two companies -- Samsung and Taiwan's TSMC -- both of which are running at full capacity to alleviate a global shortage. Many major industrial powers such as the United States, Europe, China and Japan are scrambling to build semiconductor plants on their own soil to diversify supplies. Samsung's massive infrastructure promise comes two weeks after Yoon, a fiscal conservative and a vocal supporter of the chaebols, was sworn in as South Korea's new president. "It's a classic way of Korean companies to appeal to a new president," Park Ju-gun, head of Leaders Index, a Seoul-based research institute, told Bloomberg News in reference to Samsung's investment announcement. "Investors need to check whether the promised amount of investments are actually executed or not." OPPO held an event in China yesterday for its Reno8 series, in which the Chinese company also unveiled a couple of other new devices. These include the release of the OPPO Pad Air as well as the OPPO Enco R weireles earbuds. The second ever tablet released by OPPO following the OPPO Pad earlier this year, the OPPO Pad Air features a 10.36-inch IPS LCD display. It has a 2000x1200 resolution and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The second tablet released by OPPO following the OPPO Pad earlier this year, the OPPO Pad Air features a 10.36-inch IPS LCD display. The screen has a 2000x1200 resolution and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the tablet has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset paired with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM. Powering the devices is a 7100mAh battery which supports 18W charging and before you ask, yes, the charger is included in the box. Camera-wise, the Pad Air has an 8MP shooter at its rear and a 5MP selfie camera at the front. As for sound, the tablet is capable of Dolby Atmos with its quad-speakers speaker. Other notable specs include a light 440g weight, microSD card support, Android 12 via ColorOS for Pad and options for either 64GB or 128GB storage. However, the Pad Air only comes in a Wi-Fi version, with no cellular variant announced by OPPO. You can get the Pad Air comes in either star silver or fog grey, with the 4/64GB variant priced at CNY1299 or ~RM860 and the 6/128GB configuration priced at CNY1699 or ~RM1125. Moreover, OPPO is also selling official accessories for the Pad Air. These include a keyboard cover at CNY349 or ~RM230 and a stylus for CNY299 or ~RM197. Speaking of accessories, OPPO also released a budget pair of wireless earbuds during the same event called the OPPO Enco R. Featuring a 13.4mm drivers, each earbud weighs just 3.5g. The Enco R also supports AAC and SBC codecs and have an AI noise reduction feature. However, it has no active noise cancelling (ANC). OPPO promises 24 hours of battery life, which includes 4-hours for the earbuds itself and an additional 20 hours from the charging case. Other notable specs for the Enco R include an IPX4-rating, USB Type-C charging and Bluetooth 5.2. It is priced at CNY299 or ~RM200. Both the Pad Air and Enco R will be available for purchase in China starting this 1 June 2022. No official announcement has been made by OPPO on whether both of these devices will make their way to Malaysia, though based on past releases, it seems very likely. So, what do you guys think of the Pad Air and Enco R? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news! Princeton Engineering researchers developed an easy way to make composite elastic materials in a pixel-by-pixel method that's as simple as an inkjet printer. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Borrowing a technique from inkjet printers, researchers at Princeton Engineering have rolled out a pixel-by-pixel method to program and manufacture soft structures for use in robotics, biomedical devices or architectural features. The new technique creates pixelated sheets of soft material as easily as pressing a button. Each pixel can be programmed uniquely to create composite shapes, colors and mechanical abilities. And it works with a class of materialscurable elastic polymersthat cannot be printed with conventional inkjets or 3D printers. "The selling point here is the simplicity of the methodology. All you need are two plates with a bunch of holes," said Pierre Thomas Brun, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering. The materials start as fluids that cure into solids once they are deposited. The key is in how the fluids flow as they set. A deep understanding of this behavior led Brun's team to fabricate these composite materials without using complicated machinery. Instead, they let nature do the work. Brun said the new approach, which applies age-old fluid dynamics to a modern materials problem, keeps costs low without cutting corners. "You will get a structure that is very precise," he said. "This frugal approach is not a compromise on the quality." The team published their findings on May 22 in the journal Advanced Materials, extending additive manufacturing into new material domains that are especially useful in biologically inspired designs. A simple approach with complex potential The pixels in an inkjet printer use four droplet colors to create millions of apparent hues. Depending how they are arranged on the paper, these dots can be made into myriad shapes, from simple letters to elaborate trees. Scientists have wanted to do something similar with soft composite materials. "If you want a material that interacts well with humans, you want it to be soft," Brun said. But the gooey liquids that cure into elastic solids have proven too viscous for inkjets and too pliant for 3D printers. The new approach finds a way to work with the inherent properties of curable elastic polymers, such as silicone rubber, and could be extended to work with some liquid metals and molten glass. "This simple and versatile technique opens many paths to develop 'soft-robotic' devices, at least for fast prototyping," said Jose Bico, a physicist at ESPCI-Paris, who was not involved in the research. "Sometimes you think you need to make very complicated things," Bico added, "but what works in practice are very simple things." When you put a straw into a glass of water and the water rises through the straw, that's due to capillary action, in which liquid flows into a narrow space. In this case, that narrow space is a thin layer between two acrylic plates. When the researchers dropped a sample liquid into holes in the top plate, it seeped into the space between the plates in mathematically predictable ways. The liquids spread and eventually came in contact with each other, forming the edge of each pixel. Because of their honey-like viscosity, the pixels didn't mix. Moreover, without air between them, the liquids essentially zipped together to create geometric features, Brun said. The material then cured into a solid in a few minutes at ambient temperatures, creating a sheet of soft-pixelated elastic. As their proof of concept, the researchers used color to make a variety of composite imagesa Princeton-themed "P" and a figure inspired by Space Invaders, the pioneering arcade game. The same principle can be applied to pixels with varied mechanical or magnetic properties, leading to vast new applications in soft robotics, medical devices and beyond. "You could easily pick a region where you add magnetic particles so that when the sheet is composed, it has regions that could be actuated with magnets," said co-author Christopher Ushay, a Ph.D. candidate in Brun's lab. Reverse engineering an age-old problem To determine where to put the holes in creating a design, they borrowed a mathematical trick from image analysis called watershed transform. Imagine river basins on a topographic map: If you flood the area, which river basin will the water run into? Researchers used the same idea to determine where the polymers would flow before they came in contact. But because they were using polymers with different viscosities, they flow at different rates. "This is taking the watershed transform a little bit farther," Ushay said. "You're no longer doing a transform with respect to space, but also with respect to time." The researchers were able to create different patterns, called Voronoi tessellations, depending on how many holes they used and the spacing between them. For example, by using four holes, they could create square patterns, and using six sources, they could create triangles. "The surprising thing here is how well it works," Brun said. "If we don't start in a perfectly synchronized way, you'd think we'd get a slightly crooked pattern. But this is not the case. Things manage to catch up. This is very important for the robustness of the approach." Future research will look at how to stack the thin pixelated sheets to created voxels, or volumetric pixels. "We're obtaining these very thin sheets," Brun said. "But we're made of 3D materials." The National Science Foundation was one of the funders of the work, as part of an effort to find ecological approaches to manufacturing, Brun said. By taking advantage of natural properties, this technology requires less energy because it can be performed at room temperature and needs no specific building to be designed to operate it. The technique could also be scaled up for architectural structures such as bridges and arches or scaled down to apply to microscopic structures. Mohamed Badaoui, a former VSRC student; Grace Kresge, a CBE undergraduate working on her senior thesis; and Joel Marthelot, a former postdoctoral research associate in Brun's lab who is now at the Aix-Marseille University in France, also contributed to the study. More information: Mohamed Badaoui et al, Formation of Pixelated Elastic Films via Capillary Suction of Curable Elastomers in Templated HeleShaw Cells, Advanced Materials (2022). Journal information: Advanced Materials Mohamed Badaoui et al, Formation of Pixelated Elastic Films via Capillary Suction of Curable Elastomers in Templated HeleShaw Cells,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202109682 Researchers from the University of Cordoba. Credit: University of Cordoba A UCO research group, in collaboration with the University of Xiamen and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, has studied, on a laboratory scale, the feasibility of magnesium batteries using a new compound as a cathode Since the 1990s lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have dominated the market to power electronic devices. However, this material is saddled with some problems, such as its scarcity and geographical concentration, mainly found in areas of Latin America and Asia. In fact, it is estimated that the mines from which lithium can be obtained are not currently sufficient to meet the foreseeable future demand generated by the rise of electric vehicles, such that "if we wanted to replace gasoline and diesel vehicles with ones powered by lithium-ion batteries, tomorrow, we wouldn't have enough," stated UCO researcher Carlos Perez-Vicente. Faced with these disadvantages, the scientific community is looking for alternatives to lithium, such as sodium, calcium, aluminum and magnesium. Along this line, the FQM288 research group at the UCO has published an article in the journal Energy Storage Materials in which they report their findings regarding the viability of magnesium batteries using a new compound (a magnesium and manganese oxide) as a cathode under very specific conditions (with the cations occupying controlled positions in octahedral and tetrahedral voids). All batteries are composed of 3 elements: an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, with their relationship producing the chemical reaction that releases usable energy. In this study, magnesium metal was used as an anode (the negative pole of the battery). This material boasts some advantages over lithium: being metallic, it has a greater capacity than the current anodes of Li-ion batteries, and it does not produce dendrites (deposits that affect the batteries' safety, causing them to short-circuit), something that did occur with lithium metal batteries. While magnesium metal can double batteries' capacity, producing the reaction is more difficult. Therefore, as Gregorio Ortiz, a researcher at the UCO, stated: "not just any material can work with magnesium; there must be theoretical and experimental preliminary studies that lead to success." Thus, it is necessary to combine the magnesium metal with a suitable cathode (the battery's positive pole). The material they used as a cathode in the study is a magnesium manganese oxide, Mg 2 MnO 4 , which is presented in a stable structure. This compound gives rise to the reduction and oxidation (redox) process through which the energy of the batteries is generated. In this process the metal of the cathode (manganese) is reduced and gives up electrons to the metal of the anode (magnesium), which receives them and oxidizes. The ion transfer is carried out through the electrolyte, the third component of the battery, which joins the anode and the cathode. In the study carried out a non-aqueous electrolyte was used that makes it possible to work with higher voltages. The study, which is part of a research project that began in 2018 and brings together the University of Cordoba, the University of Xiamen, and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, mixes theoretical calculations with an experimental component where techniques such as X-ray diffraction, electronic paramagnetic resonance, electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy have been used. For the achievement of these scientific advances interaction with scientists in China, and Professor Ortiz's leadership, have been fundamental. They have verified that magnesium batteries with the manganese compound increased their capacities up to 3.1 volts, which means that their energy density, at the laboratory scale, is 335 Wh/kg, representing 60% of lithium-ion batteries' energy density. This is a breakthrough, as in previous studies a maximum of 2.2 volts was never exceeded. However, they also found that in charging and discharging cycles the batteries saw their initial capacity cut in half. As Ortiz argues, "with new scientific strategies, the initial capacity might be recovered." The results obtained by the study are promising, suggesting that the existence of batteries complementing lithium ones is possible. However, this formula has only been tested at the laboratory level, so we will have to wait to see how it performs on a real scale, which would require industry to invest money in the development of these batteries. Explore further More research needed to correct the paradox of sustainable batteries More information: Rafaela Ruiz et al, A Cubic Mg2MnO4 Cathode for non-aqueous Magnesium Batteries, Energy Storage Materials (2022). Rafaela Ruiz et al, A Cubic Mg2MnO4 Cathode for non-aqueous Magnesium Batteries,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ensm.2022.02.047 Google's cameras were not universally welcomed. Google celebrated on Tuesday 15 years since it kicked off its mammoth and hugely controversial effort to photograph streets in minute detail across the globe. The panoramic images of Google Street View have slipped into daily life for millionsbut during its early years it attracted countless court cases and howls of anguish from privacy campaigners. The US tech giant is marking the anniversary by releasing a slew of new features, including an improved version of the "time travel" tool that allows users to see previous photos taken by Google's cameras. The firm also published lists of the most popular destinations for userswith Burj Khalifa in Dubai taking the top spot for buildings, followed by the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. Google said Indonesia was the most popular country for Street View, ahead of the United States, Japan, Mexico and Brazil. The Indonesian capital Jakarta was the most searched city, beating Tokyo, Mexico City, Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. The firm boasted in a blog post that it had collected 220 billion images and travelled more than 10 million miles since the first images were released of cities including San Francisco, New York and Miami. It has since provided armchair travellers with panoramic views everywhere from the peak of Everest to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef. But as Google expanded its reach, it drew widespread criticism and years of scrutiny from regulators in several European countrieslarge parts of Germany are still absent from the tool. It has also faced several embarrassing moments when inadvertently capturing images of a private nature. In 2013, the firm photographed a couple having sex next to their car on an otherwise deserted road in Australia, and the picture briefly made it onto the platform. Explore further Google Street View finally captures missing Austria 2022 AFP Physical therapist Emily Caffee works with a patient on building strength and tolerance in her shoulders at PT Solutions, May 23, 2022, in Bloomingdale. Caffee had long COVID-19 with symptoms lasting almost two years. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) People with long COVID-19 who visited a Northwestern Medicine clinic were still experiencing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue and brain fog for a median of 15 months after first falling ill, despite never needing hospitalization, according to a new Northwestern study. Advertisement The study looked at 52 patients who were seen at Northwesterns Neuro COVID-19 clinic between May 2020 and November 2020, who initially had mild COVID-19 symptoms. Study senior author Dr. Igor Koralnik said the study is the first to look, over such a long time period, at neurological symptoms in people who didnt need to be hospitalized for COVID-19. The study was published Tuesday in peer-reviewed journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. Advertisement Its important because ... long COVID is not going to be going away, said Koralnik, who is chief of Neuro-infectious Diseases and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine and oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic. Researchers believe long COVID may affect up to 30% of people who get COVID-19, which means an estimated 24 million people in the U.S. may be experiencing lingering symptoms, according to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, though some studies have found that being vaccinated may reduce a persons risk of developing long COVID if they catch COVID-19. This is something people need to know about because it impacts a very large population in the U.S., Koralnik said. In the study, there was no significant change in the frequency of patients experiencing symptoms including brain fog, numbness/tingling, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus and fatigue, between their first appointments and when they completed questionnaires six to nine months later. Loss of taste and smell decreased over time, but heart rate and blood pressure variation and gastrointestinal symptoms increased at follow-up. The average age of the participants was 43, and nearly two-thirds were women. More than two-thirds were vaccinated, but they were vaccinated after they began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms because the vaccines were not yet available when they first got sick. The vaccines did not seem to worsen or improve their cognitive function or fatigue, according to the study. For the study, researchers reached out to the first 100 non-hospitalized patients who visited the Northwestern clinic, and the 52 studied were those who completed follow-up questionnaires. Those patients had varying experiences with long COVID, with some mainly experiencing loss of taste and/or smell, while others, like Emily Caffee, struggled with a debilitating litany of symptoms. Advertisement Caffee said she likely got COVID-19 at the very beginning of the pandemic while traveling for a rowing competition. She had body aches, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain and foggy thinking. Though she felt ill, she wasnt so sick that she had to be hospitalized. Physical therapist Emily Caffee works with a patient at PT Solutions in Bloomingdale on May 23, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) After her initial bout with COVID-19, she returned to her then-job as a physical therapist for Northwestern, but her symptoms soon worsened, to the point that she took a three-month-long medical leave from work, starting in May 2020. She was plagued by crushing fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, vision issues, pain in her legs and neck and unrelenting anxiety what she called her buffet of misery. I couldnt stand for five minutes without getting so dizzy and nauseous I needed to lay down for an hour, said Caffee, 36, of Wheaton. If I knew I had to take a shower or follow a recipe or walk downstairs to get the mail, that was it, that was all I could do all day. In August 2020, she returned to work, slowly ramping up her hours. By September 2020, when she saw Koralnik, she was feeling about 50% better, she said. Koralnik told her to continue doing what she was doing, slowly resuming her activities, she said. The feedback was validating, considering that she had previously been told her problems were related to anxiety. She never tested positive for COVID-19, as testing wasnt yet widespread when she got sick. Advertisement Just hearing from them, from a physician ... that what I was going through was real and not just anxiety was key for me, she said. Caffee, who now works at PT Solutions in Bloomingdale, said she now feels about 95% back to normal. This took over two years of my life that I feel was just suffering in so many ways, but I consider myself lucky Ive come through it without any major complications. Like Caffee, about half of the patients in the study never tested positive for COVID-19. But Koralnik said it was important to include them because, like Caffee, many likely had COVID-19, based on their symptoms, before testing was readily available. Those patients have experienced a lot of rejection and stigma, and those people are often women in their 40s, Koralnik said. There are millions of those people who couldnt get tested in 2020 yet they continued to have long COVID symptoms. Koralnik acknowledges that the study has its limitations. The study is based on just 52 patients, but Koralnik said researchers felt it was important to share what theyve learned so far, rather than wait longer to study a larger group of people. Also, because the study consists of people who visited the Northwestern clinic and chose to participate in the study, its not representative of all people with long COVID who didnt require hospitalization. About 90% of the study participants were white. Still, Koralnik said Northwestern has had an open-door policy for its clinic, meaning patients did not need to be referred by other doctors or show proof of insurance. The clinic also has seen people from across the country, by performing both in-person appointments and telehealth visits. Advertisement The findings in the new study follow up on a Northwestern study published in March 2021 that found that 85% of people with long COVID-19, who did not require hospitalization, experienced four or more neurological symptoms that impacted their quality of life, and, in some cases, their cognitive abilities. This study is the first of its kind that was started in a difficult circumstance, in the lockdown in Chicago, and provides very unique and important data on this population of patients, Koralnik said. We hope its going to help clinicians take care of those patients and further studies are going to be done. LandScan Global depicts population distribution estimates across the planet. The darker orange and red colors above indicate higher population density. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy It's a simple premise: To truly improve the health, safety, and security of human beings, you must first understand where those individuals are. Everything elsehow many people may be in danger from a weather event, who might be impacted by a resource scarcity, and how to efficiently deploy limited resources in response to a crisisstems from the initial, basic knowledge of population locations. It seems obvious. But twenty-five years ago, obtaining that population data was nearly impossible. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have spent more than two decades working to solve this challenge through the development of cutting-edge population distribution models. Now their suite of LandScan datasets is available online to the global public under a new open-source creative commons license. Peanut butter and Jell-o? In the mid-1990s, the world had no good, consistent data on populations around the globe. Most countries conducted censuses, but the data was wildly inconsistent. Recognizing that this lack of data could prove fatal when disaster struck, ORNL's geospatial scientists and human geographers started a project to develop the world's first reliable, standardized population distribution model. "The idea when we started was to provide a realistic estimate of population counts for every square kilometer of the planet," said Amy Rose, an ORNL senior staff scientist and LandScan project principal investigator. The project began not by counting people but by analyzing and characterizing existing environmental and infrastructure data. Understanding what the physical space looked like enabled researchers to identify where people were likely to be and, importantly, where they weren't. "When you factor in things like terrain, land cover and usage, and facility characterizations, you can start to build a sort of Jell-o mold that identifies the relative likelihood of people being in a given location," Rose said. The alternativecalled the "peanut butter" methodwas to spread the known population count evenly across the geographic space. But that would frequently result in models that could only assume people were living in water, on steep mountain slopes or in other impossible locations. Instead, ORNL's researchers took the available census data for a given area and dropped it into their so-called Jell-o moldin reality, a complex algorithm that gives greater weight to the areas more attractive to populationsto get a much clearer picture of where within a given region people were likely to be and an estimate of how many in each area. Rose likened this approach to a conference room with a table, chairs and a podium. "People are more likely to be in those chairs around the table, possibly someone up at the podium, than they would be in the remainder of the space in the conference room," she said. "So, people aren't equally distributed throughout the room, but we can intelligently estimate where they might be based on the characteristics of the room." Not all conference rooms, or countries, are alike The team quickly realized that modeling global population distribution was not a one-size-fits-all proposition. A single Jell-o mold would never capture the distribution worldwide. The LandScan USA platform showing the day, left, and night population distribution variations for Chicago, Illinois. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy "One of the main distinguishing characteristics of LandScan, as opposed to other population datasets that came along later, is that when we first started we realized that population distribution was certainly not a case where a single model would adequately capture the distribution world-wide," said Eddie Bright, a retired ORNL scientist and one of the original developers of the LandScan program. Bright added that some regions are dominated by nucleated, or clustered, settlements while others may be more linear along rivers and roads. "So, we developed separate models for each country based upon both the cultural and natural factors present for that country as well as the quality of data that was available for each nation." LandScan Global was launched in 1998 and made available to the U.S. government and mission partners, offering the first global population distribution dataset capturing the full potential activity space of people over the course of 24 hours. "The initial release was a pretty big deal because it was the first comprehensive population dataset of its kind," Rose said, "and it was also the first to specifically consider populations at riskwhether from man-made events or natural disasters." It didn't take long for LandScan, which won an R&D 100 Award in 2006, to show its value and life-saving impact. By 2003, the database was being used to aid recovery efforts following an earthquake in Iran and, a year later, the tsunamis that devastated Sri Lanka and Indonesiagiving first responders and relief workers quick insight into where potential victims were and how best to reach them. "If you have a good sense of where people were at the time of an event, you have a very educated guess as to how many people may have been affected in a particular location," said Marie Urban, Human Geography group leader at ORNL. "From there, you can adjust the level of response and assistance for the greatest impact." Expansion, enhancement and geospatial innovation As technologies improved, computer capabilities advanced, and the amount of data increased, the LandScan team refined their models and branched off on related efforts. In 2004, they built LandScan U.S., an enhanced version of LandScan Global that offers day and night population variations for the entire U.S. at a much finer spatial resolutionapproximately 90 meters. And the ongoing rollout of LandScan HD provides similar granularity for additional countries and regions. Along the way, the team has developed tools and resources to support a variety of research missions, and vice versa, helping ORNL remain a leader in geospatial science discovery and innovation. "We take advantage of work done at ORNL in GeoAI, which enables us to incorporate automated building feature extraction, as well as population density tables, which provide estimates of people per 1,000 square feet for different types of facilities globally," Rose said. Similarly, a project to develop foundational critical infrastructure data for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security grew out of LandScan U.S., and much of ORNL's machine learning and computer vision research for settlement mapping has been supported by the LandScan program. "We are very conscious of the relationships among these different research efforts," Urban said. "Because they're all funded by the government, we are constantly sharing our results and re-integrating to get the best value out of each taxpayer dollar." The team is excited to make this groundbreaking population data free and open to the global public. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which funds the LandScan program, has worked to make the datasets publicly available, in particular to help the humanitarian community. The COVID-19 pandemic added urgency to the efforts. "We had always been talking about trying to make these open-source datasets, but when COVID came around, it presented a very clear case that more people needed access to good population data," said Rose. The LandScan dataset has been cited in all kinds of research outside ORNLdisaster preparedness and recovery planning, urban design and walkability plans, and facility siting studies. With the new open-source copyright and unrestricted transfer of this technology to the public, the possibilities seem endless. "It's really amazing to me how far this data has reached, across multiple government agencies, the humanitarian community and international partners," Urban said. "And the usage and impacts on people's lives will absolutely grow because of this public release. I'm excited to see what people might do with it." Explore further Researchers anticipate, help prevent national security consequences of climate crises One of Intel's Nahuku boards, each of which contains eight to 32 Intel Loihi neuromorphic chips. Credit: Tim Herman/Intel Corporation For the first time TU Graz's Institute of Theoretical Computer Science and Intel Labs demonstrated experimentally that a large neural network can process sequences such as sentences while consuming four to sixteen times less energy while running on neuromorphic hardware than non-neuromorphic hardware. The new research based on Intel Labs' Loihi neuromorphic research chip that draws on insights from neuroscience to create chips that function similar to those in the biological brain. The research was supported by The Human Brain Project (HBP), one of the largest research projects in the world with more than 500 scientists and engineers across Europe studying the human brain. The results of the research are published in published in Nature Machine Intelligence. Human brain as a role model Smart machines and intelligent computers that can autonomously recognize and infer objects and relationships between different objects are the subjects of worldwide artificial intelligence (AI) research. Energy consumption is a major obstacle on the path to a broader application of such AI methods. It is hoped that neuromorphic technology will provide a push in the right direction. Neuromorphic technology is modeled after the human brain, which is highly efficient in using energy. To process information, its hundred billion neurons consume only about 20 watts, not much more energy than an average energy-saving light bulb. In the research, the group focused on algorithms that work with temporal processes. For example, the system had to answer questions about a previously-told story and grasp the relationships between objects or people from the context. The hardware tested consisted of 32 Loihi chips. Loihi research chip: Up to sixteen times more energy-efficient than non-neuromorphic hardware "Our system is four to sixteen times more energy-efficient than other AI models on conventional hardware," says Philipp Plank, a doctoral student at TU Graz's Institute of Theoretical Computer Science. Plank expects further efficiency gains as these models are migrated to the next generation of Loihi hardware, which significantly improves the performance of chip-to-chip communication. "Intel's Loihi research chips promise to bring gains in AI, especially by lowering their high energy cost," said Mike Davies, director of Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Lab. "Our work with TU Graz provides more evidence that neuromorphic technology can improve the energy efficiency of today's deep learning workloads by re-thinking their implementation from the perspective of biology." TU Graz scientist Wolfgang Maass deals with the question of how the information processing in the human brain works and how this could be used for computer applications. Credit: LunghammerTU Graz Mimicking human short-term memory In their neuromorphic network, the group reproduced a presumed memory mechanism of the brain, as Wolfgang Maass, Philipp Plank's doctoral supervisor at the Institute of Theoretical Computer Science, explains that "experimental studies have shown that the human brain can store information for a short period of time even without neural activity, namely in so-called 'internal variables' of neurons. Simulations suggest that a fatigue mechanism of a subset of neurons is essential for this short-term memory." Direct proof is lacking because these internal variables cannot yet be measured, but it does mean that the network only needs to test which neurons are currently fatigued to reconstruct what information it has previously processed. In other words, previous information is stored in the non-activity of neurons, and non-activity consumes the least energy. Symbiosis of recurrent and feed-forward network The researchers link two types of deep learning networks for this purpose. Feedback neural networks are responsible for "short-term memory." Many such so-called recurrent modules filter out possible relevant information from the input signal and store it. A feed-forward network then determines which of the relationships found are very important for solving the task at hand. Meaningless relationships are screened out, the neurons only fire in those modules where relevant information has been found. This process ultimately leads to energy savings. "Recurrent neural structures are expected to provide the greatest gains for applications running on neuromorphic hardware in the future," said Davies. "Neuromorphic hardware like Loihi is uniquely suited to facilitate the fast, sparse and unpredictable patterns of network activity that we observe in the brain and need for the most energy efficient AI applications." Explore further Neuromorphic memory device simulates neurons and synapses More information: Arjun Rao et al, A Long Short-Term Memory for AI Applications in Spike-based Neuromorphic Hardware, Nature Machine Intelligence (2022). Journal information: Nature Machine Intelligence Arjun Rao et al, A Long Short-Term Memory for AI Applications in Spike-based Neuromorphic Hardware,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-022-00480-w VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin A combative man approaches, moving quickly toward a police officer who pulls out a Taser. The man is wearing a heavy jacket, which could mean the prongs that would generate an electronic current and send him to the ground might not work. It's a scenario that's played out over and over for police officers across the U.S., sometimes with fatal consequences. The scenario was highlighted recently with the police shooting death of Patrick Lyoya, who was shot in the back of the head by an officer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a struggle after the officer tried to fire his Taser twice at Lyoya. Both times it was ineffective. Had it been effective it's possible the incident would have ended then. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding a virtual reality and immersive training program that is aimed at increasing training for officers with Tasers in life-like scenarios and making them comfortable with split second decisions, including where to fire the weapon's prongs to incapacitate a suspect without needing to turn to deadly force. Axon has grown to become one of the largest technology companies for police agencies in the U.S. and supplies departments large and smallincluding a majority of the largest forces in the nationwith Tasers and body cameras. The new training, being formally rolled out Tuesday, is the latest in the company's virtual reality programs and is coupled with other real-life training simulations, including responding to calls with people with Autism and domestic violence calls. VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin The virtual reality training, which uses headsets, wrist controllers, and an officer's actual Taser with a special virtual reality cartridge, is assembled in a small duffel bag, giving police departments the ability to implement the training during roll calls or for officers at a police station, between calls. It also means officers can go through training all the time, instead of being called out to a training center or a police academy. "The level of repetition and really kind of training for things that are more realistic, that they don't necessarily have time or resources for, it just enables them to do that in a much better way, a more immersive way," said Chris Chin, the vice president of immersive technologies at Axon. The portable setup and constant access have been lauded by departments that have been piloting the program. For many police departments, training simulators have proved costly and required two-dimension displays being built in a police academy or other building. With Axon's new equipment, an officer only needs a few feet around them and the program can be done remotely, with a trainer at another location or working from home. VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding virtual reality and immersive training in an effort to encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin The training also offers the officers the ability to train at a virtual firing range, in addition to the three-dimensional room where multiple suspects approach. The training is aimed at having officers quickly identify when and how to fire their weaponincluding whether to use a closer or wider spread for the prongs and wires that carry the electrical current to override the person's central nervous system and temporarily incapacitate them. The training program will be expanded, and Axon has already started creating another scenario that incorporates the Taser training in a scenario of a call for domestic abuse. "We want to actually have something that's very fluidly deployable, mobile, and can be kind of thrown in the back of a vehicle, can be done before roll call or after roll call," Chin said. "It can be done in a way where you can actually have trainers and trainees in different locations." VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin In New Castle, Delaware, nearly every police officer has gone through Axon's community training programs and the department is expanding with the new Taser training program. The virtual reality simulations now mean officers in the force of about 350 can train during every shift, including overnight, said Master Corporal Michel Eckerd. "We're always doing new and innovative things," Eckerd said. "The big thing with this is the convenience and the portability." Axon already offers police departments virtual reality community engagement training, which were developed with the help of mental health experts, community advocates and other experts, and are designed to put officers in real-life scenarios to de-escalate a situation and deal with victims or suspects during a call. The company partnered with Phoenix police to put officers through nine training modules. A report from the National League of Cities found that more than 80% of officers who went through the training said it had prepared them to adapt their approach to a related call and nearly 60% said the training encouraged them to see a situation from another perspective. A VR helmet that is used with a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding virtual reality and immersive training in an effort to encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding virtual reality and immersive training in an effort to encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding virtual reality and immersive training in an effort to encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin VR equipment and a version of the TASER 7 that utilizes VR technology for training, is demonstrated, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Washington. Axon, the company that is best known for developing the Taser, is expanding virtual reality and immersive training in an effort to encourage police officers across the U.S. to more regularly train with less-than-lethal weapons. Credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin "This virtual reality training gives the officer a chance to experience an incident from multiple perspectives," Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in an interview. "So an officer could go to a domestic violence call from the perspective of an officer and then have a chance to go to the same incident from the perspective of a victim." Gallego also highlighted the portability as a major benefit in a city like Phoenix, where going to the police academy could mean a nearly one-hour ride for an officer. With the virtual reality headsets, officers could just train in their precincts and wouldn't need to be pulled away from patrol for a full day. "The more we can have tools that are nimble and allow us flexible training, the less time we take officers off the streets and the more we can get real results," she said. Explore further Virtual reality helps police in dealing with autistic people (Update) 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe It might be called MusicNOW, but Jessie Montgomerys first season curating the Chicago Symphonys contemporary music series was one for the ages. The CSO composer-in-residence blazed out of the gates with a smart, savvy program in November that featured composers with feet in both Chicago and New York, her hometown. Then, Marchs sequel shook up the instrument-heavy MusicNOW with an evening of fresh, profound art song again with special deference to Chicago-based magicians of that form, like Shawn Okpebholo and Ayanna Woods. Advertisement Mondays season finale also exalted a mostly overlooked genre in the MusicNOW canon: concertos. In previous years, audiences heard just a couple a season, prior composers-in-residence mostly gravitating toward works that distributed virtuosity among chamber ensembles instead of vesting it in soloists. Concerto argued those ideas arent so oppositional after all. Three of the four works all composed between 2009 and 2022 brought ensemble and soloists eye-to-eye in their acrobatics. Advertisement American musical doyenne Joan Tower, whose presence at Mondays concert unleashed an extended peal of applause, does so most pointedly in her Rising for solo flute and orchestra. Alluding to a traditional sonata form and cadenza structure, the concerto foregrounded CSO principal Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldssons intelligent, understated intensity but roiled with fitful string writing, most flashily in a cello solo played con fuego by cellist Richard Hirschl. From left, flutist Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson stands next to Jeffrey Milarsky as he conducts members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as they perform "Rising" by Joan Tower during a MusicNOW program at the Harris Theater May 23, 2022 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) More sparks flew off that instrument in Alyssa Weinbergs cello concerto Caligo, played by the composers longtime collaborator Gabriel Cabezas. The pieces name comes from a Latin word describing a dense, disorienting fog, and its easy to see why. Soloist and section strings dance around harmonics on the string, lending gauzy transparency to the sound, while wind players start blowing unpitched air through their instruments. Then, like suddenly noticing one cant see the road ahead, the ensemble shifts almost imperceptibly into opacity, all dense clusters and husky sul ponticello bowings in the strings. Its rare that this reviewers pen is totally still for a performance of a new work its usually working overtime jotting impressions. But Caligo and Cabezas are quite literally stunning, kneading more meditative explorations of the harmonic series by composers like Eliane Radigue or James Tenney into a dramatic narrative. And Cabezas is nothing short of brilliant, his musicianship soulful and probing. Lets hope we hear him here again sooner rather than later. It was hard to imagine a worthy rejoinder to Caligo. But how about the world premiere of an electric guitar concerto? Princeton composition student and guitarist James Moore played double duty as composer and soloist in Sleep is Shattered, originally written for Tom Waits and Elvis Costello sideman Marc Ribot. That piece was a highlight among highlights, not only for Moores sharp-eared handling of the solo guitar lines and loop pedals but his remarkable orchestral writing. Electric guitar stands in resonant relief with the ensemble but mostly extends its sonorities, sometimes heightening its harmonic tension or slackening into humid, beachy languor, as did Moores lap steel-esque passages near Sleeps middle. Guitarist and composer James Moore performs his piece "Sleep is Shattered" with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during a MusicNOW program at the Harris Theater May 23, 2022 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Nor is Sleep an amalgam of genres usually associated with electric guitar: Though drum kit and feedback whines crop up on occasion, the piece is squarely in the contemporary classical tradition. Its an enthralling addition to the guitar repertoire. Stepping in for former Solti Conducting Apprentice Erina Yashima due to a scheduling conflict, Jeffrey Milarsky led Sleep is Shattered for the first time since he workshopped the work with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. In this familiar work and throughout the evening, Milarskys leadership was sensitive, flexible and thoughtful a podium standout after his long hiatus from MusicNOW. Milarsky eschewed a baton to lead Jessie Montgomerys opening Overture. That work, the newest on the program, didnt plant a soloist front and center, instead interpreting the concerto theme as more a concerto grosso. But it was a winsome, taut curtain-raiser, marked by extended chords and idiosyncratic voicings. Its orchestrational inquisitiveness sometimes recalled Montgomerys recent CSO commission Hymn for Everyone, which similarly winds through different instrument pairings. Advertisement But dont take my word for it. Overture, an excerpt from Montgomerys Because, A Symphony of Serendipity will get a repeat local performance this summer at a kids program at Ravinia. Mondays rich rewards left one wishing Harris Theater had been better attended, despite MusicNOWs reinstatement of complimentary post-concert pizza and beer. (At the very least, actor Bill Murray made an appearance, milling around the reception. CSO representatives confirmed Murray is a family friend of Montgomerys.) But if MusicNOWs 25th season next year is anything like its 24th, it could be the strongest in recent memory. A few featured composers have already been announced, among them Osvaldo Golijov, Carlos Simon, Alvin Singleton and, of course, Montgomery herself. Fall couldnt come sooner. MusicNOWs 25th season has been partly announced, with concerts Oct. 24, Nov. 21, Feb. 20 and April 24 at Symphony Center; 220 S. Michigan Ave.; check cso.org for more information. Conductor Jeffrey Milarsky applauds "Overture" composer Jessie Montgomery after her piece was performed by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during a MusicNOW program at the Harris Theater Monday May 23, 2022 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Hannah Edgar is a freelance writer. The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains complete editorial control over assignments and content. One Islander and a couple Bearcats scored a 36 on their ACTs the highest score achievable. Lilian Miller, a recent graduate of Grand Island Senior High, along with Kearney High School graduates Isabella Cao and Hung Vu, were among 22 top performing Nebraska students honored Monday in Lincoln. Also attending State Capitol Rotunda ceremony were Gov. Pete Ricketts; Matt Blomstedt, Nebraska Department of Education commissioner and Janet Godwin, CEO of ACT. Elkhorn South and Millard North had the most students with top scores in this years graduating class, with three each. Kearney High School and Omaha Creighton Preparatory School each had two students honored. Even after the city in April settled a federal lawsuit with a protester who was injured during racial justice protests in May 2020, momentarily ending litigation related to the demonstrations, Lincoln will not release body-worn camera footage from officers who policed the demonstrations. The city earlier this month denied the Journal Star's public records request for body-worn camera footage from the 2020 demonstrations, citing an exception in the state's open records statute that allows law enforcement agencies to withhold records they deem "investigatory" in nature. The newspaper sought four nights' worth of footage after the city's $497,500 settlement with Elise Poole, the Lincoln woman who was struck by a rubber bullet two years ago amid a tumultuous week of local demonstrations in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis at the hands of police. Footage captured on body-worn cameras is public record, but due to the investigatory exception, "state law effectively prohibits disclosure of all body-worn camera footage to the public," said Max Kautsch, an attorney who focuses on First Amendment rights cases in Kansas and Nebraska. Kautsch noted that there are no exceptions in Nebraska, like there are in Kansas, that guarantee people captured in body-cam footage are entitled access to the video, leaving decisions on whether to release footage entirely in the hands of Nebraska law enforcement agencies. City Attorney Yohance Christie said the requested footage "includes a time period where litigation is currently pending," adding that there are "other claims that are pending" from the same time period. "We do not believe it is appropriate to release any footage that may taint a potential jury pool or otherwise impact the fair resolution of those claims," he said. (In the days after Lincoln settled with Poole, a 45-year-old Lincoln man also sued the city, claiming he was struck in the face by a rubber bullet or other projectile shot by a police officer or sheriff's deputy while outside the U-Stop, across the street from the Hall of Justice, where he'd gone that night to buy something). The police department also declined to commit to a timely release of the footage. Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian, a department spokesman, said the decision whether to release the footage would be up to Chief Teresa Ewins, adding that he couldn't provide a final decision or possible timeline, "however, it's not likely to be released in the near future." Ewins, who was not made available for an interview in the three weeks prior to publication of this story, addressed the release of body-worn camera footage at a candidate forum last June before she was named the city's police chief, calling the cameras "a great tool for law enforcement." "The public gets to see the interaction between the officer and the community, whoever they're interacting with," Ewins said then. "That's very important, and that was really misunderstood way back when, when all you could rely on was really a police report." Asked specifically if she would support releasing body-cam footage in the immediate aftermath of critical incidents, such as officer-involved shootings, Ewins cited investigatory concerns but pledged overall transparency. "There has to be a process in place, in which I consult with the city attorney, as well as the (county attorney's) office, to make sure we don't have any problems with the investigation itself," she said. "But, overall, getting ahead of anything the public needs to know is something that I will do, whether it is me speaking to the media and getting the messaging out, or body-worn cameras." But that statement does not align with the department's written policy or de facto practices on the release of body-worn camera footage a reality that advocates and observers say exists not just in Lincoln but across Nebraska, where the investigatory exception to the state's public records law serves as a broad shield for law enforcement agencies. "If you see an incident in another jurisdiction, in another state whether it's a police shooting or even just a law enforcement thing that's caught on a body cam it's on CNN like 20 minutes after it happens in those other places," said Spike Eickholt, a lobbyist for the ACLU of Nebraska. "Here, it's just pulling teeth to get those things. Unless, of course, the police want to release it." The Lincoln Police Department's body-cam policy does not address the potential for release of footage. And though the city cited the investigatory exception when it declined to release the footage requested by the Journal Star, it's unclear if there are any active criminal investigations involving the video captured nearly two years ago. LPD's public information office did not respond to questions seeking clarity on the status of investigations stemming from the protests. The only specific reference to body-worn camera footage in state law stems from a bill passed in 2016 requiring law enforcement agencies that utilize body-worn cameras to develop written policies for training and footage-handling processes. When he championed the bill through the Legislature in 2016, Heath Mello, then an Omaha-area senator, pointed to high-profile incidences of police brutality across the country. "By creating objective visual records, body-worn cameras have the potential to protect the public from police officer misconduct," he said as the Legislature weighed his bill. In the six years since Mello's bill passed, though, the visual records created by body-worn cameras have largely remained inaccessible to the public a reality that calls into question the effectiveness of body cameras as a tool for police accountability. "If the standard practice in Nebraska is going to be to never share body-cam footage, I don't think it is accountability, because nobody ever gets to see it," said Sen. Matt Hansen of northeast Lincoln, who sponsored LB557 in 2021, which would have strengthened the state's public record law. In February 2021, Eickholt testified in support of Hansen's bill, which would have required governing bodies to incur more of the costs when fulfilling public records requests and requiring law enforcement agencies to release body-worn camera footage after officer-involved shootings or in-custody deaths. The bill was later amended to only address the release of body-cam footage. Under the amended bill, footage relating to in-custody deaths would become public record at the conclusion of a grand jury investigation a process that usually extends for several months. "That is, granted, very, very narrow," Hansen said. "But that was also the most clear-cut case of, 'Well, those are the situations we need to see.'" The amended bill made it out of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs committee with unanimous support despite opposition from two of the state's three largest police departments. An Omaha police captain at the committee hearing said the immediate release of footage could "derail the process of justice by fracturing the ability to obtain and deliver the truth," potential tainting grand jury pools, leaving investigations "severely compromised." And in a letter to the committee dated Feb. 19, 2021, then-Acting Lincoln Police Chief Brian Jackson and Assistant Chief Jason Stille wrote in opposition to the bill, calling it "a well-intentioned but flawed effort to increase the accessibility of certain public records" in the state. "Prematurely releasing limited video evidence jeopardizes the right to due process for those individuals involved," the letter reads in part. "We cannot and should not sacrifice the right to due process merely to satisfy someone's curiosity or because a media outlet wants to be the first to break a story." For Eickholt, the oppositional testimony from police and the Attorney General's Office the government agency tasked with upholding the Nebraska's public record laws is itself cause for concern, he said. "It should raise eyebrows for many people," he said. "... what are they afraid of?" The bill was never debated on the floor last year or in 2022, Hansen's last session as a senator. Now a candidate for Lancaster County Clerk, Hansen is still hopeful his former colleagues will take action to reform the state's public records laws, which he said are weaker than state officials would like to believe. "Nebraska isn't as transparent on this particular issue as we like to hold ourselves out to be," he said. "I hope we get the traction to change it." Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley [Dedicated to the memory of Jeffrey Goggin, a.k.a. JG, camera-builder extraordinaire.] - Carsten Bockermann "I'm from Bonn, Germany. Here's my website. "When I received this custom-made camera strap from Hyperion, it immediately occurred to me that I needed to photograph it on my Fuji X100F, wearing a bowtie in matching red." Bob Rosinsky "The posterior of my erstwhile Olympus E-M5 Mark II (it was a great camera). The photo was taken with an Olympus E-M1 in 2015 at Siesta Key beach in Sarasota, Florida." "I currently live in Boulder County, Colorado. I do not miss the ocean." Pal Kossowski "I live on the outskirts of Tokyo. "I always carry a small portable camera with me to capture these unexpected and fleeting moments as they may play in front of our eyes. They later serve as mental remainderstacks on the map of timethis one being a self-portrait taken in a harsh light with a Nikon 1 camera and a 10mm pancake lens back in 2013but I still remember the exact place I took this picture while walking some short distance to a car parking after Sundays lunch at Denny's." Mark Hobson "I live the Adirondack Park near Lake Placid, New York, USA. My web address is: lifesquared.squarespace.com. "a r g o f l e x Seventy-fiveA picture of the making of a picture from the picture maker's point of view." Richard F. Man "I live in Palo Alto, California. "The short version of the story is that our car had a catastrophic failure and fire consumed the car in minutes. No one was hurt but I left my Leica M9 and the iPhone 10 in the car. More photos and a bit more detail at my website. The Summilux was my first and favorite Leica lens. I doubt I can afford to buy another one. "While I was cleaning whatever is left of the camera, I made up fictional sales descriptions: My conservative rating for this camera is near mint. A CLA will make this back into a formidable shooting machine. This M9 has slight sensor corrosion, but Leica should be able to replace it for free. The Summilux 35mm produces lovely images with great bokeh. Slight coating damage but that adds dreamy signatures to your images. The shutter curtain is rated for 200,000 actuations and is as precise as when it left the factory 12 years ago. "Taken with a Hasselblad 203FE with CFV II 50C digital back." T.C. Lin "I'm from Taipei, Taiwan. "A Leica M3 I borrowed from a friend, c. 2008. I was experimenting with Sigma's new DP1 at the time, and took a shot of the Leica on my office desk in the afternoon light. Always loved the Sigma's rendering, even if the camera was frustrating to use." Irene Burnes (submitted by Terry Burnes) "I live in Gardnerville, Nevada, USA. Here's my website. "This is a self portrait taken by my mother Irene with her Speed Graphic in the 1940s. My parents met at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, during WWII, where my father was an Air Force photography instructor and my mother was a civilian student of his, having come there from her home in North Dakota looking to help with the war effort. When my father was later deployed to the Pacific, my mother moved in with her parents, who had moved to San Diego. She started a photography business there that ended with the war, while also working at Convair Aircraft. "My father was a good technical photographer but I think my mother had the creative gene. My interest in photography and whatever ability I have is directly attributable to them. There were always cameras, and occasionally darkrooms, in our homes." Barry Prager "From San Fancisco, California, USA. "This photo was taken of a camera obscura which resides where San Francisco meets the Pacific Ocean near Seal Rock. There is a lens mounted in the top of the camera which rotates 360 degrees every six minutes and reflects down to a 150-inch mirror which is mounted to an observation table, which gives an oddly beautiful image. "The photo was taken with a Sony NEX-7 and /3.55.6 18200mm zoom lens which was converted to shoot in infrared." Marco Alpert "From California, USA. Here's my website. "Shot in Central Park, New York City in pre-plague days." Bruce Walker "Where: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. URL. "Title: Portrait of a self-portrait. "This studio shot is from a creative I did in 2015. Camera in the shot is a Kodak Junior Six-20 Series II. Shooting camera is the Pentax 645Z, and the lens is the wonderful 645 90mm /2.8 Macro at /11, 1/125th second, ISO 100. A single strobe is suspended directly overhead in a seven-foot silver umbrella. Model is Molly Fassbender." Chris Bertram "I'm in Bristol, United Kingdom. "This is a shot of the inside of a camera, or, more exactly, an accidental camera obscura caused by my poor fitting of the curtains in our bedroom. We were astonished one morning by the patterns on the wall and then realised they were the inverted image of the houses opposite. "My photography." Willem Numan "I'm in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. "This is at the annual market for all things camera-related in the town of Doesburg in the Netherlands. Image was made with an iPhone SE on 20-08-2017." Gary Nylander "I'm from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Here's my website. "This is my Tachihara 8x10 view camera with a Schneider 300mm /5.6 lens. I made this photo to illustrate some of the different film cameras (including digital) that I use as part of my overall work on my social media accounts. That's me under the dark cloth. I had set up my digital camera on a tripod with a set of low wattage lights, the exposure time was 25 seconds allowing me plenty of time to walk behind the view camera and stay as still as possible while the digital camera was recording the image. "This is a camera that I have owned since 1991. The 300mm lens I bought a little earlier, around 1990. I wanted a short telephoto lens for my 4x5 view camera; I didn't realize when I bought this lens over the phone from a camera store in Vancouver, British Columbia, that it would be so big, and that it actually covered 8x10 format. Since I now had a lens that covered the larger format I figured I might as well get myself an 8x10 camera. Easier said than done in my part of Canada. "The first 8x10 camera I purchased, which was used and also a Tachihara camera was through a mail-order ad in the back of a photo magazine for a camera dealer in California. It was listed as 'mint' and priced a couple of hundred dollars less than a new one. After several weeks it showed up at my door and I excitedly unboxed it only to find it was hardly mint, but well used. I sent it back and got my money back. Then I ordered the new one from a popular camera store in New York City. The new one was perfect of course. "Although I don't use it that much these days, as I often use my more practical 4x5 camera or my digital camera, I still enjoy hauling out the big rig to make a few photographs now and then. It's fun to use and gives me a unique view of my subjects that I would not normally get with my other cameras." - And one more for good measure... Rob de Loe "I live in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. "My friend Jeffrey, whose passing in early April of this year was noted in a column on TOP, was a person who viewed any object produced by someone else as a starting point for his projects, rather than an ending point. Over many years of conversations, I absorbed that ethos, and now run with it for my own camera building projects. "This ugly creature is my enormously functional 'MAB Camera.' The foundation is a Mamiya 645 Auto Bellows (hence 'MAB'). I'm sure that Mamiya's engineers considered their product 'done.' For me, it was the starting point. My MAB Camera lacks the huge range of movements available on my Toyo VX23D, but it has the ones I need to do most of what I need to do. It weighs only 780 grams, and it can mount my Pentax-A 645 /3.5 35mm lens, my two Mamiya G lenses, and various enlarger and technical lenses. Jeffrey, whose finished 'FrankenKameras' always had a professional and polished appearance, would have politely appreciated my dedication to 'function over form.'" + = + = + = + Thanks to everyone who participated! As always, if your picture didn't appear, I should remind you that it's not a contest. I'm just doing my best to create a varied and entertaining set. Many other pictures would have done just as well, but these are the ones that looked right together to me. A few honorable mentions (the other selects that I shuffled and diced to create the final set): Terry Letton, Jonathan Hayes, Mark Gregg, Rodger Kingston, Bruce Polin, Larry Sumners, San Warzone, Reese Robinson, Rolf Behrends, Stefan Kassel, Richard Alan Fox, William Harrison, Greg Heins, Sean Felhofer, and Rich Beaubien. If your name didn't appear here, it might simply be because I got several submissions with a similar motif or that I thought would serve the same function in the set, and I had already chosen another one for the finalists' cut. As I said earlier, I especially appreciated the stories and the memories. "Good light" to you Mike Book o' the Week All About Saul Leiter. The Amazon writeup for this book says "Photography lovers the world over are now embracing Saul Leiter"and oh boy, is that ever true of me"who has enjoyed a remarkable revival since fading into relative obscurity in the 1980s." One of my favorite photographers. Beautiful photopoems. Saul's Early Color (which you can still get for around $300) was one of our all-time bestselling book links. (I bought two, one to thumb and one to not touch!) This book link is a portal to Amazon. Link to B&H Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.) Featured Comments from: President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: As the Centers for Disease Control announced it recommends a booster dose of vaccine for children, COVID-19 numbers in Illinois are creeping upward. Shawna Rhine, health educator for Southern Seven Health Department, said Johnson and Massac counties are now at the medium community level of the virus. They are joined by Jackson County, which also is at the medium community level. On Friday, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported 40,193 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois since May 13, including 56 deaths. According to the CDC, eight Illinois counties are now rated at the "high" risk community level for COVID-19 cases and 39 counties are rated at medium. Our region has only three counties at the medium level. Other counties remain at the low level. Bart Hagston, administrator of the Jackson County Health Department, said they had two new cases per day in April. They now have 20 cases per day. The CDC uses three metrics to determine community level: New COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 residents for the past seven days, the seven-day average percent of staffed, inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and new cases per 100,000 residents. According to the CDC, Jackson County went from the low to medium community level, Hagston said. We are just trying to get people to pay attention and take extra precautions. Hagston added that the medium community level means anyone who is immunocompromised or at higher risk, such as the elderly, need to think about adding precautions and talk to their medical provider about their higher risk. That means returning to some of the precautions used earlier in the pandemic wearing a mask, social distancing and washing or disinfecting your hands. Certainly, those people who come into contact with higher risk individuals may want to protect them by adding precautions, Hagston said, adding that we are still promoting the same things. Last week, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it supports the recommendation by the CDC of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster dose for children ages 5 to 11 years old. IDPH issued an advisory to vaccine providers throughout the state endorsing the booster for children 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completion of a primary series with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. A fourth booster vaccine is recommended for adults. Staying up-to-date on vaccinations and boosters helps protect you from the virus, according to Hagston. On Monday, IDPH announced it is making another change to its COVID-19 contact tracing efforts and individual case investigation telephone calls to focus on a more strategic approach of automated case notifications. Starting June 1, IDPH will no longer make individual case investigation calls to persons positive with COVID-19. Instead, those individuals will receive an automated message. IDPH notifications to COVID-19 cases had previously included a call back option from contact tracers and individual case investigations of persons 65 years of age and older. Under the new system, positive COVID-19 cases reported in the Illinois National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (I-NEDSS) will receive an SMS message in English and Spanish which reads: IDPH has important info for you: Call 312-777-1999 or visit dph.illinois.gov/covidhelp?ch=sms Llame al 312-777-1999 o visite dph.illinois.gov/covidhelp?ch=sms The message will direct callers to resources through automated voice prompts in English, Polish, and Spanish. This new contact tracing process will not impact investigations of cases in congregate facilities, which remain a top priority for local health departments and IDPH. The current contact tracing surge center will cease operations May 31. Additional information is available on the IDPH Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 webpage. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A local resident injured in a Russian strike rests in a hospital in Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine, May 25, 2022. Two rockets struck the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region early Wednesday morning, causing at least four injuries. (Francisco Seco/AP) When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it had hoped to overtake the country in a blitz lasting only days or a few weeks. Many Western analysts thought so, too. As the conflict marked its third month Tuesday, however, Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield. Advertisement There was no quick victory for Russian President Vladimir Putins powerful forces, no rout that would allow the Kremlin to control most of Ukraine and establish a puppet government. Instead, Russian troops got bogged down on the outskirts of Kyiv and other big cities amid stiff Ukrainian defenses. Convoys of Russian armor seemed stalled on long stretches of highway. Troops ran out of supplies and gasoline, becoming easy targets. Advertisement A little over a month into the invasion, Russia effectively acknowledged the failure of its blitz and pulled troops back from areas near Kyiv, declaring a shift of focus to the eastern industrial region of the Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. To be sure, Russia has seized significant chunks of territory around the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago. It also has managed to cut Ukraine off completely from the Sea of Azov, finally securing full control over the key port of Mariupol after a siege that prevented some of its troops from fighting elsewhere while they battled diehard Ukrainian forces. But the offensive in the east seems to have bogged down as well, as Western arms flow into Ukraine to bolster its outgunned army. Russian artillery and warplanes relentlessly pound Ukrainian positions, trying to break through defenses built up during the separatist conflict. They have made only incremental gains, clearly reflecting both Russias insufficient troop numbers and the Ukrainian resistance. Russia recently lost hundreds of personnel and dozens of combat vehicles while trying to cross a river to build a bridgehead. The Russians are still well behind where we believe they wanted to be when they started this revitalized effort in the eastern part of the country, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday, adding that small towns and villages were changing hands every day in the Donbas. Cars pass by destroyed Russian tanks in a recent battle against Ukrainians in the village of Dmytrivka, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, May 23, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian forces have methodically targeted Western weapons shipments, ammunition and fuel depots, and critical infrastructure in hopes of weakening Kyivs military and economy. But in trying to gain ground, Russian forces have also relentlessly shelled cities and laid siege to some of them. In the latest example of the wars toll, 200 bodies were found in a collapsed building in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday. The Kremlin appears to still harbor a more ambitious goal of cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border, a move that would also give Moscow a land corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed. Advertisement But Russia seems to know that this objective is not currently achievable with the limited forces it has. I think theyre just increasingly realizing that they cant necessarily do all of it, certainly not at one go, said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander who heads Sibylline, a strategic advisory firm. Moscows losses have forced it to rely increasingly on hastily patched-together units in the Donbas that could only make small gains, he said. Its a constant downshifting of gear toward smaller objectives that Russia can actually achieve, Crump said. And I think on the biggest scale, theyve actually downsized their strategy better to match their their ability on the ground. Two top officials appeared to acknowledge Tuesday the advance has been slower than expected. Secretary of Russias Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said it is not chasing deadlines, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the pace was deliberate to allow civilians to flee, even though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Many in Ukraine and the West thought Putin would pour resources into the Donbas to score a decisive triumph by Victory Day on May 9, when Moscow celebrates its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Advertisement Rather than a massive campaign, however, the Kremlin opted for tactical mini-offensives, aimed at steadily trying to encircle Ukrainian forces. The Russian leadership is urging the military command to show at least some gains, and it has nothing else to do but to keep sending more troops into the carnage, said Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military expert at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think tank. Many in the West expected Putin to declare a broad troop mobilization, with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace saying he might do it on Victory Day. That never happened, with Russia continuing to rely on a limited force that was clearly insufficient. A massive mobilization would likely foment discontent in Russia, fuel antiwar sentiment and carry political risks. Authorities opted for more limited options, with lawmakers drafting a bill to waive the current age limit of 40 for those willing to sign up for the military. The lack of resources was underlined last week by an abrupt Russian withdrawal from areas near Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that has been bombarded since the war began. Some of those forces apparently were redeployed to the Donbas, but it wasnt enough to tip the scales. They really had to thin out the troops they had around Kharkiv, simply because theyre trying to hold to too much of a line with too few troops, said Phillips OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Advertisement The Donbas fighting has increasingly become artillery duels, and it might go on for quite a long time without much movement in the lines, he said. So it will be a more of a positional battle at that point, OBrien added, with success going to whoever can take the pounding. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to get a steady flow of Western arms, including U.S. howitzers and drones, tanks from Poland and other heavy gear that is immediately sent into combat. Ukraines plan is simple and obvious wear down the Russian forces in the nearest months as much as possible, win time for receiving Western weapons and training how to use them, and then launch a counteroffensive in the southeast, said Sunhurovskyi, the Kyiv-based military expert. He said Ukraine hopes to receive even more powerful Western weapons, such as U.S. HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, anti-ship missiles and more potent air defense weapons. Russian hard-liners warn that Moscow cant win if it doesnt conduct a large mobilization and concentrate all of its resources in a decisive attack. Advertisement Igor Strelkov, a former security officer who led the separatists in 2014, denounced what he described as the Kremlins indecision, saying it could lead to defeat. For Russia, the strategic deadlock is deepening, he said. Ukrainian authorities are increasingly emboldened by the slow pace of the Russian offensive and growing Western support. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed last week that pushing the Russians back to pre-invasion positions would represent a victory, but some aides declared even more ambitious goals. Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine isnt interested in a cease-fire until Russia is ready to fully liberate occupied territories, a bold statement that appears to reflect hopes for reclaiming the Donbas and Crimea. Russia, meanwhile, apparently aims to bleed Ukraine by methodically striking fuel supplies and infrastructure while grinding out military gains. The Kremlin may also hope the Wests attention will shift elsewhere. Their final hope is that we will lose interest completely in the conflict in Ukraine by the summer, Crump said. Theyre calculating the Western audiences will lose interest in the same way as Afghanistan last year. Russia thinks that time is working in its favor. Advertisement Danica Kirka in London, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, contributed. HERRIN A 19-year-old Herrin teen - Julia Mohr - was crowned the 27th Annual Miss HerrinFesta Italiana Scholarship Pageant Queen Monday evening at the Herrin Civic Center before a packed crowd. Mohr beat out some stiff competition to claim the crown. First runner-up went to Emma Shick of Carbondale. Second runner-up was awarded to Samantha Allen of West Frankfort. Third runner-up was Addison Osman of Anna. Fourth runner-up was Sydney Allen of Herrin. Miss Photogenic went to Alayna Jarvis of Herrin. Mohr received a $2,500 cash scholarship, queen's crown, trophy, banner and flowers. The first runner-up was awarded a $400 cash scholarship and trophy. The second runner-up was awarded a $300 cash scholarship and trophy. The third and fourth runners-up were presented trophies, as was Miss Photogenic. "If you know me, you know that this is something I've looked forward to since I was a little girl," said Mohr, who will be a sophomore nursing student at SIU this fall. "I have just been waiting for the opportunity to step onto this stage in front of all the people that I love and represent my hometown. HerrinFesta is about our heritage and culture. It means so much to me." Mohr said she is "beyond ecstatic" to know that she will preside over the myriad events of the Festa. She said there wasn't anyone in particular who inspired her to compete. "You have to embody the spirit of Miss HerrinFesta. This isn't something that somebody can inspire you to do. What you do need are people around you supporting you. And I have that. I love, love, love HerrinFesta. Winning this pageant just means so much to me because I live here in Herrin. This is definitely going to be my best Festa yet. I can't wait to get started." Longtime pageant director Melissa Morgan said more than anything else, she was simply glad to see the pageant take place in person on the stage after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. "We had 11 contestants tonight and that makes me very happy," she said. "We have girls from all over Southern Illinois who compete every year, but even though Julia is from Herrin, her selection is well deserved. "I think what she said in her final question was the deciding factor. Her greatest strength is her ability to communicate effectively and confidently," Morgan said. "And Julia certainly did that tonight. We're excited. She's excited and we couldn't really ask for more than that. She will make a great HerrinFesta Italiana queen." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Every night there is an ambulance sitting idle at the Pinckneyville Ambulance Service. And it's not that there isn't a need for it. Rather it's because Patty Lipe, the coordinator for the service, cannot staff it. Elsewhere in the region and all across the country, a shortage of paramedic and emergency medical technicians is hampering ambulance service, potentially putting lives at risk. The problem is so bad that industry leaders have asked Congress for help. Our nations Emergency Management System is facing a crippling workforce shortage, American Ambulance Association President Shawn Baird and Bruce Evans, president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, wrote in a letter to Congress late last year. It threatens to undermine our emergency 911 infrastructure and deserves urgent attention. Lipe said the problem impacts Southern Illinois as well. Were all hurting, she said. We just dont seem to be having new applicants, but we really could use a couple of paramedics and a couple more EMTs. Lipe said many nights she only has two ambulance teams on duty. If one crew goes out of the county for a transfer, then we only have one crew left to cover the whole county, she said. She said the situation can leave residents with a wait for an ambulance. With the shortage, we can only do so much and not long ago we had three almost simultaneous calls, but only two ambulances in the county, so the third call had to wait until one of the other ambulances got their patient transported before they could get to them. Unfortunately, that happens too frequently, she explained. Grant Capel, director of Union County Ambulance, said the need for additional advanced EMS personnel is especially great in rural areas. The more rural you are, the more you need to have paramedics in the field because transport times to the hospitals are longer. Advanced life support is crucial for those patients, he said. Fewer people are choosing to work as paramedics and EMTs, said Kenton Schafer, Jackson County Ambulance Service director. The hours are long. Many ambulance crews work two 24-hour shifts each week. The conditions are stressful and, he admits, other sectors of the medical field pay better. This shortage is pretty severe. Right now we have four full-time paramedic jobs open and at least six part-time EMT spots. Its a constant battle for us, he said. Were not losing people to other EMS units, were losing them to nursing school, medical school and things like that jobs where you can do less physical labor, be indoors and make more money. In their letter to Congress, Baird and Evans said a national survey found that overall annual turnover among ambulance personnel is as high as 30%. Staffing shortages compromise our ability to respond to health care emergencies, especially in rural and underserved parts of the country, they wrote. To combat the shortages, ambulance services in the area are being more diligent about recruiting, posting job openings on social media and trying to enhance pay scales as well as benefit packages. They also are working closely with programs to train new EMTs and paramedics. Union County Ambulance often offers in-house training and area community colleges including John A. Logan College and Rend Lake College offer one-semester programs to prepare for EMT licensing and longer programs to become paramedics. Those academic programs also are trying to attract more students. It used to be that in the 1990s and early 2000s, we would have to cap the class sizes because we wouldnt have enough clinical sites to train them, but in the past few years, those numbers have dwindled, Schafer said. Capel said everyday he tries to encourage people to consider work as EMTs or paramedics and he said he hopes something can be done to increase the number of people entering emergency medical service training. Id like to find a way to attract more community-minded people to this job. Wouldnt it be great if we could offer scholarships or some other assistance? If there was some sort of benefactor who would be willing to sponsor people to go through training programs like they do for other vocational areas that are important, that is something I would like to see, he said. Schafer, a 31-year veteran of ambulance work, said it is a great career field with very unique rewards. The fact that you may be involved in saving the most precious thing a persons life is pretty remarkable, he said. Our communities depend on us and we have to be there. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An 18-year-old is facing his second murder charge. Deamonta Saquandra Davis, of 113 Peace Lily Lane, St. Matthews, is charged with murder in the death of 19-year-old Alton Jermaine Hair Jr. on Dec. 27, 2021. Davis is also charged with three counts of attempted murder and four counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in the incident. The Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office served Davis with the new warrants on Monday at the Orangeburg County Detention Center. He was already being held there in connection with a February shooting death. Decembers shooting took place after four male teens rode to a Cordova location to see someone about buying a gun, sheriffs office Sgt. LaKesha Gillard said during a Monday hearing. The teens remained in their car as one male approached on the drivers side and another male approached on the passengers side. One of the teens and one of the males outside of the car discussed a scope that was attached to the gun. Moments later, one of the men outside of the car allegedly said, Give it up! Shots were fired, Gillard said. Hair died at the scene. A 17-year-old in the car was shot in the arm and suffered a severe injury, Gillard said. The two other teens in the car managed to get away without physical injury. The case remains open and active, sheriffs Office Maj. Rene Williams said. Davis is also facing the charges of murder and attempted murder in an incident that occurred on Woodridge Lane in Orangeburg on Feb. 22. Warrants accuse Davis of shooting and killing 43-year-old John B. Pinckney and injuring a 22-year-old man. If convicted, Davis faces up to life in prison. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 3 Angry 7 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MCCORMICK With a shared vision to advance agriculture in the Palmetto state, two South Carolina agencies celebrated their partnership to grow the next generation of leaders. SC State University 1890 Research & Extension awarded full-tuition scholarships to two seniors at the South Carolina Governors School for Agriculture at John de la Howe during a college-acceptance signing ceremony on April 27 in McCormick. Jake Simpson and Jaquez Perry, recipients of the 2022 SC State 1890 Agriculture Innovation Scholarship, will join the freshman class of 2026 as declared agribusiness majors in the newly established College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences at SC State University. The pair looks to expand their knowledge of the management and business aspects of the ag industry and bring a fresh perspective to the states growing billion-dollar industry. The two seniors will each receive up to $83,300 in scholarship monies that will cover their expenses throughout their four-year academic careers. Its a great day to be a Bulldog, Simpson, the senior at JDLH, boasted. The faculty and staff at SC State have been very welcoming, and I am excited to continue my education at one of the best colleges in the state. Its a blessing to be able to receive a free education. I am thankful for this opportunity and looking forward to attending SC State University, Perry stated. I am proud to be a Bulldog. I am proud that these two have chosen SC State University to pursue their academic goals, said William Whittaker, acting dean for the College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences. We are confident that Jake and Jaquez will enjoy their time at SC State and will ultimately graduate with the skills necessary to take on new challenges and opportunities within agriculture. To assess the needs of future farmers and add value to the agriculture industry, SC State 1890 and the Governors School of Agriculture at John de la Howe signed a memorandum of agreement September 2022. Since the signing, the two institutions have developed summer programs and other initiatives which have blossomed into a pipeline that will help train and prepare the next generation of leaders in the agricultural industry. The students and I at JDLH are going to miss these two young men, but I am confident that they will succeed at SC State University said Greg Thompson, principal, SC Governors School for Agriculture at JDLH. As a proud graduate of SC State University, I have no doubts that these two will be able to matriculate into an environment that encourages integrity, tenacity and excellence. Both Jake and Jacquez are exceptional students and agronomist. Through this partnership, I am certain that these two will continue to receive the love, support and education that will lead towards a promising future in agriculture. Knowledge and skill are needed to be successful in any career field, and we are excited to welcome these bright individuals to SC State University, said Dr. Louis Whitesides, vice president and executive director for 1890 programs. The partnership between JDLH and SC State University is essential to improving the knowledge and skills of our future leaders. Not only will these students receive an education, but both will also be able to further develop their skills while working on our new 200-acre research and demonstration farm. Pushing the envelope in research and innovation in agriculture, the two will have student employment opportunities at the new research and demonstration farm located in Olar, where they will work alongside the farm manager to receive professional development and research training. Offered to high school seniors and transfer students with an interest in agriculture and ag-related careers, the 1890 Agriculture Innovation Scholarship is a four-year full-tuition scholarship that covers students tuition, books/fees and housing expenses, after other scholarships and aid have been applied. Funded by the United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Institute of Food And Agriculture, students also receive a complimentary laptop, professional development and direct connections to internship and job opportunities with the USDA. To learn more about the Agriculture Innovation Scholarship, contact Dr. Derrick Wise, state program leader for education innovation and support, at dwise5@scsu.edu. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A possibly gang-related shooting in a Greenville middle school. Records from the 2009 disappearance of a high school student in Myrtle Beach. And the notorious murder of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh at their family estate in Colleton County. In the Greenville and Murdaugh cases, police agencies released only brief, one-page reports to the press and public that said little beyond vaguely describing the incident that occurred, as well as when and where it happened. In the Myrtle Beach case, police have refused to release even that. Releasing any more information, the police agencies said, would compromise their investigations and eventual prosecutions. The release of a vague or minimalist incident report is unlikely to satisfy the requirements of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, which provides that reports which disclose the nature, substance, and location of any crime or alleged crime reported as having been committed are public information and must be made available for 14 days after an alleged crime occurs. While the act permits law enforcement agencies to delete from the report certain information that is legally exempt from disclosure, many South Carolina police agencies take this too far releasing only perfunctory reports that record just a few basic facts of a police incident, and refusing to release any more information contained in supplemental reports. Law enforcement agencies vary widely often on a case-by-case basis on how much information they include in the police incident reports that they release. Reporters know their communities and are often able to fill in the blanks of these sparse reports. Sometimes, they will even receive upon request the supplemental reports that were initially withheld. But disclosure of only scant details of police reports seems to be a common and persistent problem in many areas of the state. The Post and Courier (represented by the Fenno Law Firm, where I am of counsel) sued last June over the initial disclosure of a mere two-line incident report in the Murdaugh murders. That report stated only that On June 7, 2021 at approximately 2226 hours I, [REDACTED] responded to 4147 Moselle Rd in Colleton County in reference to two gunshot victims found by the caller. See supplement for details. The rest of the page was redacted and no supplement was provided. Journalists were soon able to learn more about the case, and the murders turned out to just be the tip of a seemingly ever-expanding web of deceit and corruption surrounding disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh. But the police should be releasing more than these scant generalities. While there certainly may be a need in some cases to withhold information as an investigation continues, law enforcement agencies in South Carolina should be doing their best to meet the purposes of the states FOIA law, which states that it is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner so that citizens shall be advised of the performance of public officials and of the decisions that are reached in public activity and in the formulation of public policy, and that the activities of their public officials should be made available at a minimum cost or delay to the persons seeking access . In short, as the Supreme Court of South Carolina stated in 2001, the FOIA was enacted to prevent the government from acting in secret. This has been a long-term problem. A lawsuit similar to The Post and Couriers was filed in 2015 by the Greenville News, the (Anderson) Independent Mail and The (Seneca) Journal over SLEDs refusal to release records it received from the Seneca Police Department regarding an officers killing of Zachary Hammond. That case was dismissed after SLED agreed to release some of the materials. Another lawsuit brought by the (Greenwood) Index-Journal led to a court order that SLED release some materials. The Post and Courier lawsuit over the Murdaugh records had a similar result, with SLED and the Colleton County Sheriff releasing more information shortly after the lawsuit was filed. The judge then reviewed the information that was still withheld and ruled that these remaining redactions were justified. The parties then mutually agreed to dismiss the case. In the 1990s, SLED went so far as to claim that it was not required to release any information contained in criminal investigative reports. This was rejected by the South Carolina Supreme Court, with the court holding that the agencys blanket refusal to disclose anything from the reports was in direct contravention of the clear language of the FOIA. The media should not have to undertake the expense of litigation to force police agencies in our state to release more than basic information about investigations. While there certainly is the need for secrecy in some circumstances, police agencies must realize that the default as expressed in the FOIA law is that information on issues of public safety and concern should be disclosed to the press and public. Eric P. Robinson focuses on media and internet law as associate professor at the USC School of Journalism and Mass Communication and of counsel to Fenno Law in Charleston/Mount Pleasant. He has worked in media law for more than 20 years and is admitted to legal practice in New York and New Jersey and before the U.S. Supreme Court. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For decades, politicians across the political spectrum have declared a desire to decrease the number of abortions in South Carolina. Although abortion opponents have focused mostly on reducing access to the procedure, even they have talked about reducing unwanted pregnancies. Unfortunately, while the S.C. Legislature has done a lot to reduce access to abortion, it has done precious little to encourage this embraced-by-all idea of reducing demand for abortions. Until now. The Legislature recently gave final approval to S.628, which allows pharmacists to dispense birth-control pills and other hormonal contraceptives to women without a doctors prescription. The bill was the brainchild of Republican Sen. Tom Davis of Beaufort County, an abortion opponent who argued that efforts to curtail abortion also must make it easier and cheaper for women to prevent unwanted pregnancies. At a committee meeting last month, Democratic Rep. Russell Ott of Calhoun County told his colleagues the idea was to make sure women have more of an opportunity to access contraceptives than they currently do. Critics said it was unwise to give patients access to hormonal treatments without a physicians OK, but thats a hard argument to make against a bill thats supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association. While some on the far right opposed the bill, it nearly died not so much from opposition as indifference. It sat for almost a year in the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, which has little interest in medical issues. The bill moved quickly once it was reassigned to the medical affairs committee, which reported the bill out just days before a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion leaked out, indicating the court may overturn the Roe vs. Wade decision that declared abortion a constitutional right. Against the backdrop of legislators putting procedures in place to return to work this summer to pass tougher restrictions on abortions if the court follows through, the contraceptives bill passed 91-12 in the House and unanimously in the Senate. The Post and Couriers Seanna Adcox reports that the bill would make South Carolina the 15th state, along with the District of Columbia, to allow pharmacists to provide birth control to women without prescriptions. Gov. Henry McMaster should sign it. Whatever the U.S. Supreme Court does, we need our lawmakers thinking less about how they can get the votes to pass a complete ban on abortion and more about how they can reduce the need for anyone to consider abortion in the first place about what they can do to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, and what they can do to reduce the number of pregnant women who feel like an abortion is their only option. Sen. Davis bill is a good, if long overdue, start. This editorial is from The Post and Courier of Charleston via The Associated Press. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A former Illinois school board member and Casper newcomer is running for House District 57. Jeanette Ward announced shes running as a Republican in a suburban district that is being vacated by Rep. Chuck Gray so he can run for secretary of state. Ward has lived in Wyoming since late August and works as a project manager in the chemicals and materials industry. Ward said that Gray reached out to her to run after he jumped into the secretary of states race. Although Ward has been in Casper less than a year, she thinks shes the best person to represent the residents of HD57. Since arriving in Wyoming, Ward said she has been quite involved politically and very connected with the liberty lovers here. She was a part of the recent pro-life protests at the abortion clinic that is being built in Casper. Shes also a part of the Natrona County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national organization that promotes parental rights in government. Before coming to Wyoming, Ward served one term on a school board in the suburbs of Chicago from 2015 to 2019. She was described by the Chicago Tribune as a controversial board member and made headlines for comments and Facebook posts that caused a stir. She made statements in opposition to the district adopting a new policy pertaining to transgender students and to a class assignment one of her daughters received that made religious statements Ward didnt agree with, according to the Chicago Tribune. During Black History Month, Ward made a Facebook post in honor of the commemorative month that also prompted backlash. Ward included in the post a quote that asserts that the issues facing poor Black people today are a function of values and habits, not oppression from a manifestly unjust society. Ward described it as a rather colorful time in her life, adding that she stands by her actions and what she said then. I am a person who will stand up for what is right regardless of what the blowback is, she said. Even when people call me names unfairly. In her campaign announcement, Ward referenced one of the times she believes she was labeled unfairly. I publicly exposed a fellow board member who said the American Flag was nothing more than toilet paper to her and who said I was the 21st century brand of the KKK, Ward wrote. Ward also stated in her campaign announcement that she believes marriage is between one man and one woman. That we let marriage be re-defined as anything else is destructive to society, she wrote. This stance is in line with the Wyoming GOPs party platform, which tends to be farther to the right than many lawmakers in the state legislature. After her term on the school board, Ward ran and lost for Illinois Senate. The Democrat prevailed in the general election by two points, or roughly 2,000 votes. If shes successful in this race, Ward said she wants to ensure that Wyomings future nuclear power plants are fueled with Wyoming uranium and wants to see a cap put on property taxes. TerraPower, the company bringing the first nuclear reactor to Wyoming, said that future reactors could be fueled with the states untapped uranium reserves, but not in time for this first plant. Ward would also like to put a property tax cap of 3% in place, just as Gray attempted to do during the 2021 session. Property taxes in many Wyoming counties have risen considerably in the last couple of years, putting the costs out of reach for many residents. As of now, Ward will face Democrat Robert Johnson in the general election. Filing for the House districts close Friday, so there is still time for Ward to face a challenger in the primary. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 5 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Forensic analysis showed Daniel Hendricks, 33, had sexually abused an infant in order to create and distribute child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Wyoming. The criminal investigation of Hendricks began after Facebook reported he was sharing child pornography on its platform, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched his home and devices, leading to the forensic analysis that showed he had been sexually abusing an infant. When Gail Curley began her job as Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court less than a year ago, she would have expected to work mostly behind the scenes: overseeing the courts police force and the operations of the marble-columned building where the justices work. Her most public role was supposed to be in the courtroom, where the Marshal bangs a gavel and announces the entrance of the courts nine justices. Her brief script includes Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! meaning hear ye and concludes, God save the United States and this Honorable Court. Advertisement This image provided by the U.S. Army shows Col. Gail Curley. (AP) Earlier this month, however, Curley was handed a bombshell of an assignment, overseeing an unprecedented breach of Supreme Court secrecy, the leak of a draft opinion and apparent votes in a major abortion case. Leaks to Politico suggest that the court seems ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that women have a constitutional right to abortion. That has sparked protests and round-the-clock security at justices homes, demonstrations at the court and concerns about violence following the courts ultimate decision. People who know Curley, 53, described the former Army colonel and military lawyer as possessing the right temperament for a highly charged leak investigation: smart, private, apolitical and unlikely to be intimidated. Advertisement Im confident that if the truth can be found out here, shell find it out and present it in an unbiased manner, said retired Army Brig. Gen. Patrick Huston, her direct supervisor at the Pentagon in her last military job before the Supreme Court. Huston said he was incredibly impressed by Curley and that she had a tremendous reputation as a leader, but even as her boss of two years he didnt know if she had a spouse or children. Through a court spokeswoman, Curley declined an interview request. She is the courts 11th Marshal and the second woman to hold the post. She is also in some ways constrained in her investigation by her position, which was created just after the Civil War, in 1867. Experts say leaking the draft opinion likely wasnt a crime, and Curleys investigative tools are limited. She could theoretically hire an outside law firm to assist, and in other judicial records cases the FBI has been called in. But it isnt clear if she or others have the power to issue subpoenas to get material from journalists or the fewer than 100 people in the court including justices with access to a draft opinion. The investigation doesnt appear to have any real precedent. In 1973 the outcome in the Roe case leaked several hours ahead of its announcement. The chief justice at the time was furious and threatened lie detector tests, but the leaker quickly came forward and explained it had been an accident. Even if the circumstances are different, overseeing an investigation isnt new to Curley. In her military career she routinely oversaw a dozen or more criminal and administrative investigations and supervised large numbers of attorneys and paralegals, Huston said. She was an authority on international law and laws surrounding armed conflict, but the investigations she oversaw throughout her career could range broadly, from criminal matters involving service members to contract issues. Huston described her as not the sort of person who would ever be intimidated by anything. Curley began her military career at West Point, where just under 10% of her 1991 graduating class was women. Lisa Freidel, a member of the same 25-member company as Curley, remembered her as kind and studious but also a pretty serious person. She didnt like the tomfoolery of some of the boys, some of the guys, in our company. They were young men. They do stupid stuff. She did not like that, Freidel remembered, adding Curley wanted to be surrounded with intellectuals, people that were smart to challenge her. Curley was dubbed Swirlin Curl in West Points yearbook, which listed her hometown as Baltimore. She was something of an introvert, Freidel said, adding that she never met Curleys parents, just an aunt and uncle, and couldnt remember her talking about siblings. In school, Curley was interested in American politics and government, an interest that coincided with one West Point requirement: being knowledgeable about current affairs. The New York Times was delivered every morning and cadets were supposed to be able to talk about four articles in the paper every day, Freidel remembered. Advertisement You had to make sure your shoes were shined, your belt buckles were all shined and everything before formation and try to memorize the paper, she said. Still, Curley found time for extracurricular activities. A domestic affairs club she was a member of took a trip her senior year to Washington that included a meeting with Justice Sandra Day OConnor. See you in the White House someday! her yearbook entry reads. After graduating, she joined the Armys Signal Corps, which is responsible for setting up communication systems in the field. Ive been very fortunate in my career, Curley said of that time according to a 2017 news article. As a young Army signal officer I was able to lead a large platoon in Europe during my first assignment ... that was at a time when women were not allowed to serve as platoon leaders in certain jobs. She eventually went on to earn a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and become an Army lawyer. Her career took her around the United States but also to Afghanistan for a year. Later, she spent three years in Germany as the chief legal adviser to the commander of U.S. Army Europe, first Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who is now retired, and then Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli. Cavoli, now a four-star general, was nominated earlier this month to serve as the Supreme Allied Commander for NATO. In Germany, Curley was the senior Army attorney overseeing some 300 legal officials throughout Europe. She also provided legal review and advice on the millions of things we were doing, Hodges said in an interview. Advertisement I dont know if Ive ever met anybody more with more integrity, Hodges said, adding that Curley also had a sense of humor and a real dose of humility. The three-star general said because he liked and respected her so much, he would sometimes tease her. She had no problem holding her own, he said. She had the confidence of knowing that her IQ was about 40 points higher than mine, he said. And so she could afford to be self-confident. AP reporter Ben Fox in Washington and AP researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. A state judge did not err by presiding over the case of a man that she once represented on similar charges, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Monday. Brian Neal Gilbert, who was sentenced last year to four to eight years in prison for methamphetamine-related charges, did not show that Judge Kerri Johnson was biased against him, the high court held. The justices also rejected an additional part of his appeal that centered on what evidence should have been allowed at his trial in Natrona County. He ... failed to present convincing evidence that Judge Johnsons previous representation of him caused her to harbor such a personal bias or prejudice against him that she was unable to impartially base her decision on the law and the evidence, the ruling states. Police in Mills arrested Gilbert in 2020 after pulling him over on a traffic offense. They found a pipe with meth residue in his one of his pockets and $570 in cash. Prosecutors charged him with four drug-related crimes including possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, court documents show. Gilbert eventually chose to act as his own attorney. Among various motions that he filed was one that claimed Johnson, a longtime public defender before becoming a judge, had a conflict of interest because she had represented him in two earlier drugs cases similar to the one he now faced, according to the high courts opinion. The defendant further argued Johnson had violated his due-process rights by denying some of his requests. Johnson asked Natrona County District Judge Catherine Wilking to decide on Gilberts motion for a new judge. Wilking denied that request, concluding that he had not established Johnson was prejudiced against him, which is required under Wyomings court rules. She also noted that he had not complied with a rule that required him to support his motion with affidavits. The high court in its ruling Wednesday backed Wilkings conclusion. Merely accusing Johnson of bias wasnt enough to support Gilberts request, the Supreme Court ruled. Mr. Gilbert provided no evidence that Judge Johnson had any personal knowledge of the current proceedings against him based on her prior representations of him, the ruling states. Nor did he he present any evidence that her prior representation of him caused her to harbor any personal bias or prejudice against him. Indeed, he did not provide any information about those prior proceeding other than she had obtained a favorable outcome for him and his personal opinion they were similar to his current case because drugs were found in a vehicle and he was not in possession of them. Gilbert, 45, is being held at Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp in Newcastle. He is eligible for parole next year. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sen. Tara Nethercott announced Tuesday that she is running for secretary of state after five years in the Wyoming Legislature. Nethercott, a Cheyenne attorney, is the third member of the statehouse to announce a bid for secretary of state since incumbent Secretary of State Ed Buchanan bowed out. I am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Wyoming as Secretary of State. We should be proud of our elections. Wyoming serves as an example to the nation for election integrity, but it is more important than ever to protect Wyomings elections, Nethercott said in a statement. I will be steadfast and vigilant to ensure safe and secure elections to defend our shared western values and will bring my experience and dedication as your next Republican Secretary of State. Buchanan originally announced that he would run, but once a judicial position opened up in his hometown he reversed course and said he would pursue the judicial appointment. Hours after Buchanans announcement, Senate President Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, filed to run for secretary of state. A day later, Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, threw his hat in the ring. For Dockstader and Nethercott, this is a politically low-risk race: Their Senate terms are not up for another two years, so if they lose the secretary of state race, they can keep their current offices. The secretary of state oversees statewide elections, campaign finance and business entity registration, among other things. The stature of the role has risen amid a time of growing skepticism over election integrity in the state, which has jumped since former President Donald Trump made false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. Gray had echoed Trumps statements about stolen elections. While campaigning against Cheney, he visited a partisan Arizona audit of the presidential election, which later reaffirmed President Joe Bidens victory there. With Biden and the radical Left trying to steal our elections, I will fight them tooth and nail to preserve the voter ID law I passed and the integrity of Wyoming elections, Gray said in his secretary of state campaign announcement. Dockstader walked the line. Dockstader dodged the question three times last week when asked whether he thought there was enough fraud in the 2020 presidential election to steal it for Biden. Weve got to make sure were addressing those concerns or the issue wont go away, he said. Dockstader also, however, commended Buchanan for his statewide work to dispel the myths that Wyoming experienced significant voter fraud. Nethercott is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and serves on the corporations committee, the capital finance and investments committee, the Wyoming retirement system board as well as the select committee on blockchain. Nethercott was elected to the Wyoming Senate in 2016. She has a reputation as a conservative, no-nonsense senator who speaks with force. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Railroad workers who ship coal from northeast Wyoming say a new attendance policy is too demanding and incentivizes train engineer crew members to work sick or fatigued for fear of being fired. The Berkshire Hathaway-owned BNSF Railway launched the Hi-Viz attendance policy across its North American system in February. It established a point-based system that allows employees to bank points by being available on high impact days and penalizes them for taking certain days off. If an employee loses all their points, he or she can be fired. Workers say it leaves few options for planning days off and lessens the flexibility to take enough sick days or personal days. Its a safety issue for both railroad workers and the public because employees feel pressure to work on days they might not be prepared to meet the rigorous safety demands of the job, said Gillette-based BNSF conductor Kevin Knutson, chairman of the SMART Transportation Division Local 65 union. So what we have is a huge impact on employees, but also the public because we have people out there basically driving drunk, Knutson said. BNSF contends the program does not result in any less time off for employees and it actually allows for 25% more personal leave days. The company adjusted its Hi-Viz policy earlier this month to allow for more flexibility and to better reward good performers. We introduced Hi-Viz in February to not only improve crew availability and to help us remain competitive, but also to give our train crews more visibility to manage their time off, BNSF Railway Vice President of Transportation Matt Garland said in a video message posted to YouTube earlier this month. Hi-Viz is certainly a change from the past and we appreciate those who have adapted to the new system. Were also grateful for the constructive feedback shared over the last three months. Union representatives say the updates to the Hi-Viz policy amount to fluff. The sad fact is that the nations supply chain challenges are partially due to a 29% cut in rail labor at the Class I railroads over the past six years, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Dennis Pierce said in a prepared statement May 16. They downsized the workforce nationwide and its not just BNSF, Pierce told WyoFile. Were not pleased with any of these Class 1 railroads because theyre all doing the same thing. Unions representing BNSF workers authorized a strike in response to the Hi-Viz program, but a court ruled it a non-strikeable matter under the Railway Labor Act. Knutson and fellow union members organized protests May 10 at two locations in Gillette, including one on a public overpass as a passenger train with railroad executives passed through the Gillette terminal. Pushback against the Hi-Viz program is singularly focused on workplace and public safety and the wellbeing of BNSF employees and their families, Knutson said. We have good pay and benefits, but its all for naught when youre working constantly and if you have to work sick or fatigued. Its a very unsafe environment right now. The Powder River Basin coal industry is primarily served by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. In 2008 the peak of PRB coal production the two railroads moved about 90 trainloads of coal per day out of the basin. That number has slipped in-step with declining coal production in the region, down to an average of less than 29 trains per day in April. Both railroads have trimmed job numbers on the PRB coal system over the past decade. BNSF slashed nearly 90 positions in Guernsey and closed a mechanical shop there in the summer of 2020. Automation has also resulted in fewer railroad workers dedicated to the PRB coal transportation system. Yet, mining companies have enjoyed a slight rebound in demand in the past 18 months, both in metallurgic coal (for steelmaking) and in thermal coal (the type Wyoming produces for generating electricity). Metallurgic coal producers in the eastern U.S. say theyre not getting enough trains to meet demand, while thermal coal producers in the PRB have generally met the recent uptick in demand with more trains but fewer engineers overseeing the operations, according to Knutson. The number of BNSFs trains dedicated to PRB coal has gone from about 150 a few years ago to approximately 300 today, Knutson estimated. The railroad is hiring, and is already training 300 new employees company-wide, according to BNSF. Yet, its Hi-Viz attendance policy was put in place to move more coal and freight with fewer employees, union representatives contend. Pierce, of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, claims that both BNSF and Union Pacific are contemplating extending the coal trains that serve the PRB from 1.5-2 miles long to 4 miles long. It would essentially turn three trains into one long train with a single crew, Pierce said. Its almost a competition between the Class 1 [railroads] to see who can run the longest train and theyre exceeding the grasp of the technology routinely, Pierce said. Theres no way to really teach people how to operate a train like that. Pierce said the Hi-Viz policy is part of a growing go to work sick, tired or get fired attitude among railroads while shirking supply chain demands which, he believes, is an argument for re-regulating the industry. One of the unintended consequences that I think the railroad completely missed is that when you treat people like this, they dont want to work for you anymore, Pierce said. The policy is not a good selling point for prospective new employees, Knutson said. Railroad workers simply want fair attendance policies and a safe workplace because theyre dedicated to their jobs. [BNSF employees] are not making it unsafe by saying excuse my French F*** the railroad, Knutson said. Theyre still doing their job. Its just tougher and tougher to do. WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The shooter in Buffalo had a racist motive. He wanted to kill Black people. We dont know exactly how he developed his hatred, but we know that it was the motivating factor in his rampage because its confirmed by his own words. Beyond that, we know that this race hatred manifested itself in the most tragic form of loss for ten grieving families. These are the things that we know. Unfortunately, a lot of people with shady motives have explained from their lofty media pulpits exactly how the Buffalo assassin became an avenging angel for the white race. Mind readers all, they have the same theory which undergirds their narrative, as if theyd all received the same explanatory email from some leftist university docent. Here is how it goes: Tucker Carlson, newly dubbed American Nationalist by the New York Times, has fomented this race hatred with his highly rated cable news program on Fox. Critics argue the Fox News star has promoted something called replacement theory, which essentially holds that white Americans are being replaced by people of color. That theory, which actually is bandied about on white supremacist websites and in the dark corners of the interwebs, is real. It is dangerous, it is toxic, and it has taken a deep foothold in certain segments of American society. It is also nothing new. But the problem comes when you try and argue that this sort of hatred has become a mainstay of the conservative movement, which is exactly what the commentators alleged in the wake of the Buffalo massacre. NPR published an article entitled How the Replacement Theory Went Mainstream on the Political Right. In case the reader didnt get the complete message, a picture of President Trump accompanied the article, which noted that replacement theory began in white supremacist circles, but has since moved more mainstream on the political right in this country among many Republicans, explicitly or implicitly. I think were all a little tired of the guilt by association that has become common practice on the left when it comes to issues of racism. Any time there is the suggestion that a shooter has targeted his victims because of their race, religion or ethnicity, the angle for the media becomes he was radicalized by Fox News. They dont even try and hide it anymore, with anchors on CNN and MSNBC literally calling out their favorite personalities by name. Tucker demonized brown people. Sean Hannity is a mouthpiece for Trump, who demonized brown people. Laura Ingraham hates brown people, as well as little trans kids and Heathers two mommies. President Biden has played into the whole conservatives are racist schtick with his coining of the phrase Ultra Maga, which conjures up visions of storm troopers in tactical gear waving Nazi flags while attending a CPAC conference. The pity is that he doesnt need to do that, doesnt need to exaggerate. There really are evil people who march in the streets and say things like Jews will not replace us. There are murderous thugs who did just that in Charlottesville, when Heather Heyer was massacred and the full measure of racism was on display. Just as the terrorists who took down the Twin Towers are not representative of an entire religion, the philosophical extremists do not reflect an entire demographic of political thinkers. They dont even represent one side of the political divide. The Buffalo assassin defined himself as a center-left, Fox News hating atheist who thought that the Republican Party was in league with corporations. He would not have been pulling the lever for Trump. I grieve for the families who lost loved ones. I think that we can have legitimate discussions about gun laws and mental health laws and, yes, hate crime statutes. But I am personally sick and tired of being told that a young white man who murdered ten Black people is representative of me, and of those who think like me. I refuse to believe that every Muslim wants to destroy America, and that every Black American wants to drive a car into a crowd where white grandmothers are dancing in joy and celebration. Its time for a large part of those who stand on the other side of the political divide to extend that same human courtesy, and decency, to me. Christine Flowers is an attorney and a columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times, and can be reached at cflowers1961@gmail.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An online Trade and Business Information Portal to assist the business community in doing business with ease is now a reality, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The business community has been lobbying for this facility for several years. Speaking at the launch at the Hilton Trinidad, St Anns, on Wednesday, Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon said the Trinidad and Tobago Trade and Business Information Portal is a one-stop online facility for searchable, accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information on trade and business procedures and other relevant business data. LUNG cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide. Although there arent any statistics on the number of cancer deaths attributed to lung cancer in T&T, back in 2017 it was cited as the second most common cancer in this country. There is nothing to suggest that anything has changed between then and now. An inquest has been ordered into the death of Roy Phillip and the woman who was detained has Public sector wage negotiations recently began, and with them have come the usual unfortunate sabre rattling by some of the parties. Two principles are really at play here. The first is a tenet of family law, where a divorced spouse demands to be kept in the condition to which he or she has grown accustomed. The quantum of alimony payments must reflect this. The second is informed by an economic reality. You must learn to live within your means. 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. The owner of a chain of clothing stores in and around Tucson and Phoenix has pleaded guilty to tax evasion. Authorities say Sung Hwan Lee, the owner of BBB Fashion, conducted a scheme to evade taxes by underreporting a total income of more than $9 million, resulting in a total tax owed of more than $3 million between 2012 and 2016 on his personal returns. According to a news release from the IRS, he directed his employees to give him any cash received from customers and to keep a second set of books and records to track his true versus reported income and expenses. At his direction, the books and records provided to his accountant for tax return preparation omitted cash receipts. BBB Fashion's bookkeeper, Young Bok Lee, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States Sung Hwan Lee has owned the business since 1998. He will be sentenced Sept. 21. Young Bok Lee worked there performing bookkeeping, payroll and management duties from 2006 through 2020. His sentencing is set for July 28. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. ATLANTA (AP) A prosecutor on Monday said he would not prosecute Atlanta police officers involved in a May 2020 confrontation with two college students who were stunned with Tasers and pulled from a car while they were stuck in traffic caused by protests over George Floyds death. Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim, two students at historically Black colleges in Atlanta, were confronted by police in downtown Atlanta on May 30, 2020. Within days, then-Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced arrest warrants had been obtained for six officers. Not only was law enforcement acting within the scope of their legal authority in their actions to obtain compliance, their actions were also largely consistent with the Atlanta Police Departments own use of force policy, Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Samir Patel said in a statement Monday. Patel dismissed the warrants filed against the officers involved: Ivory Streeter, Mark Gardner, Lonnie Hood, Roland Claud, Willie Sauls and Armon Jones. He said he is unable to find probable cause to prosecute the officers involved for a crime under Georgia law. Lance LoRusso, a lawyer representing Streeter and Gardner, said his clients have been vindicated and look forward to returning to full duty. While many of their critics and detractors are gone, Investigators Gardner and Streeter, like so many law enforcement officers, remain willing to risk their lives to protect strangers in fulfillment of their oaths of office, LoRusso said in an emailed statement. Streeter and Gardner were the officers who were fired. Their dismissals were overturned in February 2021 after the Atlanta Civil Service Board found the city did not follow its own personnel procedures. Lawyers L. Chris Stewart, Justin Miller and Mawuli Davis, who represent Pilgrim and Young said the two young people are incredibly disappointed and disheartened by Patel's decision to dismiss the charges. The world witnessed the outrageous and unjustified level of violence perpetrated against these college students. How can a broken arm and 25 stitches be deemed the appropriate response for an alleged curfew violation?" the lawyers said in an emailed statement. State Attorney General Chris Carr in July appointed Patel to take over the case after Howard lost a bid for reelection in November 2020 and his successor said actions by Howard made it inappropriate for her office to handle it. Video of the confrontation circulated quickly online. The day after it happened, then-Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and then-Police Chief Erika Shields announced that two officers had been fired and three others placed on desk duty. They said at the time that they reviewed police body camera footage before making their decision. After that review, Bottoms said, Use of excessive force is never acceptable. Shields called the footage really shocking to watch. Police released the body camera video the night after the confrontation happened. It shows police taking another young man into custody in a downtown street alongside a line of stopped cars. The man is pleading with police to let him go, saying he didnt do anything. Sitting in the drivers seat of a car stopped in the street, Young holds up his phone, appearing to shoot video as an officer approaches and pulls the drivers side door open. Young pulls the door shut and urges the officers to release the other man and let him get in the car as the dark sedan advances a bit. The car gets stuck in traffic and officers run up to both sides of the car shouting orders. An officer uses a stun gun on Pilgrim as shes trying to exit the car and then officers pull her from the vehicle. Another officer yells at Young to put the car in park and open the window. An officer repeatedly hits the drivers side window with a baton, and another finally manages to break it. As the glass shatters, an officer uses a stun gun on Young and officers pull him from the car, some shouting, Get your hand out of your pockets, and, He got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun. Once Young's out of the car and on the ground, officers zip tie his hands behind his back and lead him away. Police reports do not list a gun as having been recovered. At a news conference two days later, Pilgrim said she and Young felt like we were going to die in that car. Patel's statement says video that was distributed after the incident was not an accurate portrayal of the entire encounter between Mr. Young, Ms. Pilgrim, and law enforcement. It wasn't immediately clear whether he was meant the first videos that circulated online or the body camera video. The evidence shows that the two students violated a curfew put in place because of protests, and the officers' use of force was the direct result of Mr. Young and Ms. Pilgrims resistance to and noncompliance with the officers instructions, the statement says. It also shows the use of the Taser, and indeed any force used by the officers ended immediately once Mr. Young and Ms. Pilgrim were subdued. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. NEW YORK (AP) A former London and Miami art dealer who pleaded guilty to defrauding art buyers and others of over $86 million was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison. Inigo Philbrick, 34, a U.S. citizen who previously lived in London, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Sidney H. Stein. He also was ordered to forfeit $86 million. Philbrick pleaded guilty last November to a single count of wire fraud for conducting a multiyear scheme to defraud individuals and entities in order to finance his art business. Prosecutors said he carried out the scheme by misrepresenting the ownership of certain artworks and by sometimes selling more than 100% ownership to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Philbrick's success as an art dealer came only after he collateralized and resold fractional shares in high-value contemporary art. Unfortunately, his success was built on brazen lies, including concealed ownership interests, fake documents, and even an invented art collector," Williams said. When the house of cards fell apart, Philbrick fled for a remote island in the Pacific, leaving many of his victims without recourse. For his extensive fraud, Philbrick is now sentenced to a substantial prison term. Artworks used in the scheme included, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled Humidity, a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso, authorities said. The scheme unraveled as jilted art buyers filed civil lawsuits, a lender notified him that he was in default of a $14 million loan and he stopped responding to legal processes, prosecutors said. In 2019, his art galleries in Miami and London closed and Philbrick fled the U.S. before being arrested in June 2020 in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, where hed been living since October 2019, prosecutors said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. NEW YORK (AP) The statistics discussed at the inaugural Global Citizen NOW conference were bleak. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed 100 million people back into lives of extreme poverty. Up to 243 million people could face food insecurity between now and November due to the war in Ukraine. In Afghanistan, 24 million people depend on charitable donations for food. Yet Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans says he feels optimistic: The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the world can unite to fight a crisis when it needs to. Evans and the dozens of speakers from the worlds of business, politics, culture and philanthropy gathered for the two-day summit in New York that concluded Monday expressed hope that same united effort can be applied to help curb climate change, food insecurity and extreme poverty. During the pandemic, the world was able to mobilize $17 trillion in economic stimulus, largely for hard-hit sectors of the economy, which I think was the right thing to do, Evans told The Associated Press. Why do we not respond with the same degree of urgency to climate change? Because we dont internalize this idea of (helping) now. We think acceptable loss. The Global Citizen NOW summit was organized to bring leaders together to change acceptable loss to action now. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Friday Night Lights actress Connie Britton about the importance of getting people to work together. They know where there can be common ground, she said of Global Citizen. Its a place where we laugh together, cry together, are inspired together, dance together you can never do too much dancing, I always say and forget our differences. Feminist activist Gloria Steinem said she worries about the suffering that could come from the Supreme Courts overturning of its Roe v. Wade decision, but she is hopeful because she knows that the situation will not be as bad as when abortion was illegal throughout the country. Obedience cannot be secured by unjust laws because people just dont obey them, she said. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said that a bipartisan consensus on climate change can be built by creating a policy that meets national security, energy and economic priorities. You get bipartisan agreement by creating an understanding where all understand the connection to what they hold most important, he said. Many panelists discussed the Global Citizen idea of creating change from the bottom up, by mobilizing millions of its followers to convince their political and business leaders to change their minds. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario explained how her series about maternal mortality in Sierra Leone convinced Merck to donate $500 million to establish the Merck for Mothers initiative to reduce the risks of childbirth. CNN political commentator Van Jones said the genius of Global Citizen is bringing hopeful, hard-working people together to discuss victories and future challenges. I think the world is running at a hope deficit, Jones told The Associated Press. I live in the world of bad news and this is like a supernova of good news. 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Take a look at COVID-19 news from today, May 23, here: Biden says monkeypox not as concerning as Covid US President Joe Biden said Monday he doesn't believe an outbreak of monkeypox is as risky as the Covid-19 pandemic, tempering comments he made a day earlier that people should be "concerned." "We have had this monkeypox in large numbers in the past. We have vaccines to take care of it," Biden said during a visit to Tokyo. "I just don't think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with Covid-19." Read more of what he said here: Pfizer says 3 COVID shots protect children under 5 Three doses of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday, another step toward shots for the littlest kids possibly beginning in early summer. Pfizer plans to submit the findings to U.S. regulators later this week. The Food and Drug Administration already is evaluating an application by rival Moderna to offer two-dose vaccinations to tots and set June 15 as a tentative date for its independent scientific advisers to publicly debate the data from one or both companies. Find out more info here: What's next for COVID-19 vaccines for youngest US children Parents hoping to get their youngest children vaccinated against COVID-19 got some encouraging news Monday. , according to preliminary data. That news comes a month after Moderna said it would ask regulators to OK its two doses tor the youngest kids. But a few steps remain before the shots are available. Health officials and their expert panels must first decide they are safe enough and provide enough protection to authorize them. Get more here: *** Get more COVID-19 news from today here: How child vaccination rates for COVID-19 compare across every state How child vaccination rates for COVID-19 compare across every state #51. Alabama #50. Louisiana #49. Mississippi #48. Wyoming #47. West Virginia #46. Tennessee #45. Oklahoma #44. Georgia #43. Arkansas #42. Indiana #41. Idaho #40. South Carolina #39. Nevada #38. Kentucky #37. Florida #36. Missouri #35. North Dakota #34. Montana #33. Ohio #32. Kansas #31. North Carolina #30. Texas #29. South Dakota #28. Iowa #27. Alaska #26. Arizona #25. Michigan #24. Nebraska #23. Utah #22. Delaware #21. Wisconsin #20. New Hampshire #19. Pennsylvania #18. Oregon #17. New Mexico #16. Colorado #15. California #14. Washington #13. New Jersey #12. New York #11. District of Columbia #10. Illinois #9. Minnesota #8. Virginia #7. Maryland #6. Hawaii #5. Connecticut #4. Maine #3. Massachusetts #2. Rhode Island #1. Vermont Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. UNITED NATIONS The United States and Britain are accusing Russia of spreading disinformation online and manipulating public opinion about the war in Ukraine and vehemently rejecting Russian claims that the West is aiming to control all information flows and define what is true or not true. Britains deputy ambassador James Roscoe told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the use of digital technologies in maintaining peace that Russia has conducted cyber-attacks and used an online troll factory to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion about their war. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Russian government continues to shut down, restrict and degrade internet connectivity, censor content, spread disinformation online, and intimidate and arrest journalists for reporting the truth about its invasion. Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused countries that call themselves a community of democracies of building a cyber-totalitarianism and along with technology giants like Meta of shutting down Russian TV channels, expelling Russian journalists and blocking access to Russian websites. Nebenzia again accused Western governments and media of fabricating the story of the Russian military killing civilians in Bucha near Kyiv. He claimed the civilians died from injuries caused by artillery projectiles fired from outdated hardware used by the Ukrainian army. Britans Roscoe countered Russias claims of a staged provocation and suggestion that the Ukrainians were responsible for the civilian deaths after retaking the town, saying satellite images prove the bodies were there for several weeks when Russia controlled Bucha. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Russian sentenced to life in Ukraines 1st war crimes trial They ruined everything: Fleeing the devastation in Ukraine Russian offensive turns to key Donbas city, heavy shelling A long journey: Volunteers from Belarus fight for Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Russias claim of Mariupols capture fuels concern for POWs Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: Luhansk Gov. Serhii Haidai says police are continuing daily evacuations due to the war with Russia and the number of those willing to leave is increasing. Haidai posted a video Monday on Facebook taken from a vehicle that he said was traveling along a highway near Sievierodonetsk. The vehicle is racing down the road, dodging debris, mounds of earth, barricades and destroyed vehicles as shells explode in the fields just yards away. A photo in the post shows about a dozen civilians, with luggage, packed tightly inside what appears to be the back of a vehicle. Haidai wrote that people are agreeing to the risk because what is happening in the cities is much worse. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is waging total war on his country, and that includes inflicting as many casualties and as much infrastructure destruction as possible. Zelenskyy made the comments in his nightly address Monday, the eve of the three-month anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine. In it, he noted that since Feb. 24, the Russian army has launched 1,474 missile strikes on Ukraine, using 2,275 different missiles. He said the vast majority hit civilian targets. There have been more than 3,000 Russian airstrikes over that period. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, he said. Zelenskyy said an attack on the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Kyiv, resulted in 87 deaths. The Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities like Bakhmut, Popasnaya and Sievierodonetsk, Zelenskyy said. He called on Ukrainians who are not on the battlefield to help in whatever way they can and said his own task was working to increase international pressure on Russia. The absolute priority is weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine - Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko says three civilians in the region died in Russian attacks on Monday. He did not give further details. Earlier Monday, Kyrylenko told The Associated Press in Kramatorsk that heavy fighting was continuing near the region of Luhansk and that the front line was under continuous shelling. Luhansk and Donetsk regions are in the Donbas area, much of which has been held by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. Russia is trying to expand the territory they control with artillery and missile attacks. Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk are the largest cities in the parts of Donetsk region not held by Russian forces currently. Kyrylenko said that the situation is difficult. The front line is under shelling at all times. The vast majority of the population has already been evacuated, he said. Of more than 1.6 million people who lived in the region before the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, there are not more than 320,000 people left. UNITED NATIONS Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that U.N. staff on the ground remain concerned about the impact on civilians by the reported fierce fighting in eastern Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. He said people are being killed or injured. Homes, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. In the government-controlled part of Luhansk, local authorities informed the U.N. that a bridge leading to the administrative center of the region Sievierodonetsk was destroyed on May 21. He said that left the partially encircled city reachable by only one road. While some people managed to leave Sievierodonetsk over the weekend, Dujarric said local authorities estimate that thousands of civilians remain in the war-affected city and require urgent support. U.N. humanitarian staff also said that shelling and airstrikes were reported in other areas of Ukraine, including in northern, central and southern parts, claiming civilian lives and damaging civilian infrastructure. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine - A Ukrainian official says Russian forces are stepping up their bombardment of the Donbas area. Pavlo Kyrylenko told The Associated Press on Monday in Kramatorsk that heavy fighting was continuing near the region of Luhansk and that the front line was under continuous shelling. Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk are the largest cities in the parts of Donetsk region not held by Russian forces currently. The Donbas consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Kyrylenko told The Associated Press in Kramatorsk that the situation is difficult. The front line is under shelling at all times. The vast majority of the population has already been evacuated, he said. Of more than 1.6 million people who lived in the region before the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, there are not more than 320,000 people left. BERLIN Germanys banks say refugees from Ukraine will be allowed to exchange a limited amount of Ukrainian currency into euros from Tuesday. In a statement Monday, the banks said they had signed an agreement with the German Finance Ministry and the national banks of Germany and Ukraine to allow a total of 1.5 billion hryvnia ($50.8 million) to be converted. Every adult Ukrainian refugee with an account at a major German bank will be allowed to exchange up to 10,000 hryvnia, or about 317 euros ($339). DAVOS, Switzerland A veteran Russian diplomat in Geneva says he handed in his resignation before sending out a scathing letter to foreign colleagues inveighing against the aggressive war unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Boris Bondarev, 41, confirmed his resignation in a letter Monday after a diplomatic official passed on his English-language statement to The Associated Press. For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24 of this year, he wrote, alluding to the date of Russias invasion. Reached by phone, Bondarev a diplomatic counselor who has focused on Russias role in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva after postings in places like Cambodia and Mongolia confirmed he handed in his resignation in a letter addressed to Amb. Gennady Gatilov. Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred, he said, telling the AP that he had no plans to leave Geneva. MOSCOW President Vladimir Putin says Russian economy is withstanding the blow of international sanctions well, even though it is not easy. Putin on Monday hosted his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The Russian economy withstands the sanctions blow, it withstands it very worthily, Putin said, opening the talks. All the main macroeconomic indicators speak of this. At the same time, the Russian leader noted that everything is not easy, everything that happens requires special attention and special efforts from the economic bloc of the government. Putin has repeatedly assured the public that Russia is coping well under the pressure, which many experts describe as unprecedented. However, the ruble has briefly lost half its value at some point, prices for food and other goods spiked and even temporary shortages of sugar, sanitary products and some medications were reported. ANKARA, Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country has objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, called on Stockholm on Monday to take concrete steps that would alleviate Turkeys security concerns. Turkey has said it opposes the two Nordic states membership in the alliance citing their alleged support to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK and other groups that Turkey views as terrorists. The country is also demanding a lifting of military export bans on Ankara. We can in no way ignore the fact that Sweden is imposing sanctions against us, Erdogan said Monday during a ceremony marking the docking of a submarine. Turkeys rightful expectations concerning (an end to the) support to terrorism and sanctions must be met. In his speech, Erdogan made no reference to Finland amid reports that most of Turkeys grievances are directed at Sweden, which has a large community of Kurdish exiles. A Russia-installed governor of Ukraines southern Kherson region says that starting Monday, the region will officially become an area with dual currency Russian rubles and Ukrainian hryvnyas. Vladimir Saldo also said that an office of a Russian bank will open in the region, according to the RIA Novosti news agency. The Russian forces have took control over the Kherson region, which borders the Donetsk region to the east and Crimea to the south, early on in the war and installed a pro-Kremlin administration there. One official in this administration has announced plans to appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to incorporate the region into Russia. Putin has previously said that Russia doesnt plan to occupy Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the residents of Ukrainian regions must determine how and with whom they want to live. - KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian court sentenced a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life in prison on Monday for killing a Ukrainian civilian, in the first war crimes trial held since Russias invasion. Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin was accused of shooting a Ukrainian civilian in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region in the early days of the war. He pleaded guilty and testified that he shot the man after being ordered to do so. He told the court that an officer insisted that the Ukrainian man, who was speaking on his cellphone, could pinpoint their location to the Ukrainian forces. - KYIV, Ukraine A Mariupol official on Monday sounded the alarm about the growing threat of an epidemic in the ravaged port city captured by the Russians, pointing to unsanitary conditions compounded by the weather. Mayor advisor Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that rain drains and sewers make rainwater spread across the city along with rotting garbage and corpse poison. The threat of an epidemic becomes a reality with each thunderstorm, Andryushchenko wrote, adding that the Russian forces in the city continue to ignore sanitary challenges and are only engaged arranging good photos depicting fictional life improvements. The official said that Mariupol desperately needs a new wave of evacuations. - The head of the Russia-backed separatist region in eastern Ukraine says that Ukrainian fighters from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol who were captured by Russian forces are being held in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and will face international tribunal there. The plan is to arrange the international tribunal on the territory of the republic as well, Denis Pushilin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. Pushilin added that at the moment the charter for the tribunal is being worked out. Pushilin said earlier that 2,439 people from Azovstal were in custody, including some foreign citizens, though he did not provide details. Family members of the steel mill fighters, who came from a variety of military and law enforcement units, have pleaded for them to be given rights as prisoners of war and eventually returned to Ukraine. MOSCOW The Russian military on Monday released footage of de-mining specialists working at the recently overtaken Azostal steel mill in the captured port city of Mariupol. Russias Defense Ministry was quoted by the state RIA Novosti news agency as saying that over the past two days, more than 100 explosives have been destroyed. KYIV, Ukraine Russian forces overnight shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region in southeastern Ukraine, its governor Valentyn Reznichenko said Monday morning. The Dnipropetrovsk region borders with the Donetsk region, which remains the focus of the Russian offensive in the east. According to Reznichenko, the Russians used the Uragan or Hurricane multiple-rocket launch system and the shelling hit between the two settlements. No one was hurt, he added. LONDON British military officials say Russian forces in Ukraine have experienced a death rate similar to that suffered by the Soviet Union during its nine-year war in Afghanistan. The U.K. Ministry of Defense, in a briefing posted Monday morning, says the high casualty rate during the first three months of the war is due to poor tactics, limited air cover, a lack of flexibility and a command approach that reinforces failure and repeats mistakes. The ministry says the death toll may weaken support for the war among the Russian public, who have been sensitive to losses in past wars. As casualties suffered in Ukraine continue to rise they will become more apparent, and public dissatisfaction with the war and a willingness to voice it, may grow, the ministry said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) In one of the year's most closely watched congressional Republican primaries, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace met two GOP challengers on the debate stage who are seeking to oust her from South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, one of whom immediately endorsed the other, before walking off stage. In the Monday night matchup in Charleston, slated to be the only debate for Mace, Katie Arrington and Lynz Piper-Loomis ahead of the June 14 primary election, Piper-Loomis answered her opening question by saying she would be supporting Arrington before removing her mic and leaving the debate. With Piper-Loomis having been unable to attract significant fundraising, her departure now makes official the two-way contest that had already been largely shaping up between the freshman Mace and Arrington, a former Defense Department cybersecurity expert who is making her second run for the seat. In 2018, Arrington notably knocked U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford out of the GOP primary, going on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham, who became the first of his party in decades to flip a South Carolina House seat. Mace, who ousted Cunningham in 2020 to become the first Republican woman elected to Congress from the state, has supported issues largely popular among conservatives, like transgender athlete bans, but has also backed bipartisan efforts, like the decriminalization of marijuana. On Monday night, Mace and Arrington faced off on offshore drilling, the issue that was a hallmark of Arrington's losing 2018 bid, during which she argued both in favor of and against the practice. If there was oil off our coasts, there would be rigs, they would have been there a long time ago, Arrington said, asked if she supports drilling off South Carolinas coast. She then tilted her answer toward criticism of the Biden administration for degrading the energy independent" and "energy dominant era of the Trump administration. This was a major issue in why we lost the seat to begin with, Mace pointed out in her answer, noting that Arrington campaigned in support of offshore drilling during her 2018 primary but walked back the sentiment during the general election campaign against Cunningham, a staunch drilling opponent. Ive always been against off shore drilling, added Mace, who has cosponsored legislation to end it. Arrington several times mentioned her endorsement from Trump, who solicited challengers to run against Mace following her vote to certify President Joe Bidens win in the 2020 election and frequent television appearances blaming Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection. On Monday, Arrington argued that Mace turned her back on us, and she turned her back on President Trump, claiming that Mace read the room wrong; she thought this district was a moderate district, and we are not. We are conservative. Mace, who had Trump's backing in 2020, filmed a video of herself in front of Trump Tower after the former president endorsed Arrington, saying her opponent was more than qualified to lose the seat to Democrats for a second time and casting herself as best suited to represent the district's fiscally conservative values. She also reminded voters she was among Trump's earliest supporters in 2016, when she worked for his campaign. On Monday, Mace rarely mentioned the former president, though at one point she called him one of the greatest presidents of all time in protecting animal rights, after Arrington questioned Mace's sponsorship as a fiscal conservative of animal rights legislation. Both Piper-Loomis and Arrington feel that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, a sentiment expressed by many of the candidates across the country to receive his backing. State electoral officials and courts throughout the country, however, found the Trump campaigns complaints systematically groundless and certified the election as fair and legitimate. During a March South Carolina rally, Trump called Mace a terrible person who has no idea what shes doing." You won this seat because President Donald J. Trump endorsed you, Arrington said Monday, after Mace touted her winning the seat back from Democrats in 2020. We need to hold the line. I am conservative before I am Republican, and I have the record to back it up, Mace said in response to Arrington's allegation she works too much with Democrats. My opponent simply can't tell the truth, and maybe it's she just can't handle the facts. Mace had amassed a campaign war chest of more than $3.8 million as of the end of March, nearly $1 million of which came in the weeks after Trump backed Arrington. In the first quarter, Arrington said she brought in around $814,000, $525,000 of which was in the form of a personal loan from herself. The winner of the 1st District GOP contest will go on to face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews, who faces no primary opposition, in November. Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. NEW YORK (AP) A U.S. history and government exam for New York high school students has been canceled in the wake of the racist shooting at a Buffalo supermarket over concerns that material on the test could compound student trauma," education officials said Tuesday. The state's Regents exam had been scheduled for June 1, but a review of the content following the May 14 shooting found the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment," said Emily DeSantis, a spokesperson for the state Education Department, in a statement. As a result, she said, it is not appropriate to administer the exam with a question that could compound the grief and hardship faced by our school communities." Ten people, all of them Black, were killed in the Tops Friendly Market when a white 18-year-old opened fire. Three others were injured. Funerals for the victims have been taking place this week. The department refused to say what the content was, or give any additional information on the question of concern. In a memo sent to school administrators, Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa said it wouldn't be possible to make a different test or modify the one that had been scheduled. High school students in New York are required to pass Regents exams in certain subjects in order to get their diplomas. Rosa said in her memo that the department would be asking the Board of Regents to approve a graduation exemption for students who would have been scheduled to take the exam in June and August of this year and January 2023. Officials said the questions on the exam had been put together more than two years ago, and this version of the test had been expected to first be administered in 2020 but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Police were searching Monday for a woman suspected in the fatal shooting of a professional cyclist at an Austin home. The body of Anna Moriah Mo Wilson, 25, was found May 11, and Austin police issued a murder warrant for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 34, last week. The warrant affidavit says there was a possible romantic triangle involving Armstrong, Wilson and Colin Strickland, another professional cyclist who had been Armstrongs longtime boyfriend. The affidavit says Strickland took up with Wilson after he and Armstrong split last October but that Strickland and Armstrong had subsequently reconciled. Strickland has cooperated with investigators and is not a suspect. Wilson, whose family says she recently decided to move from San Francisco back to her Vermont roots, was in Austin for a race in Hico, which is about 120 miles (190 kilometers) north. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is vetoing several key pieces of a legislative budget deal. The vetoes announced Thursday now force a showdown with lawmakers in his own party who are expected to try and override his vetoes on Friday. It takes a two-third's vote in the House and Senate to override a veto. Stitt told reporters he and his staff were left out of budget negotiations, and said he disagreed with several parts of it. Among the bills Stitt said he vetoed were proposals to send cash rebates to individual taxpayers and slash a tax on vehicle purchases. A trip to score some dope and a missing cellphone precipitated a confrontation between a group of homeless people and a Ford Mustang driver that left a man who uses a wheelchair dead late last week. A federal criminal complaint made public Tuesday charges Steven Alberto Juarez with second-degree murder in Indian Country, alleging that he drove over Orlando Lorenz Lays Bad, 45, about 4:30 a.m. Friday in an eastside church parking lot, according to court records. Lays Bad, whose last name is spelled Laysbad in other court-related records, died at the scene after being pinned under the vehicle, police said. An affidavit filed in support of an arrest warrant for Juarez alleges that the teen driver and an unidentified woman had been with a relative of Lays Bads and the relatives girlfriend a few hours earlier, looking for dope. The relatives were among six friends and family members who were living in a van with Lays Bad in the Christview Christian Church parking lot, 2525 S. Garnett Road, according to the affidavit. After their trip to buy drugs was fruitless, Juarez dropped Lays Bads relative and girlfriend back at the church parking lot and left, according to the affidavit. Later that same morning, Juarez and the unidentified woman returned to the parking lot, and the woman got out of the Mustang and banged on the van, claiming someone had stolen her cellphone. A friend of Lays Bads told the woman that he didnt know anything about the cellphone and asked her to leave, the affidavit claims. The woman then hit a man in the back of the head, prompting the two to fight until they were separated by the other people. Witnesses told police that the woman then got in the Mustang and struck a relative of Lays Bads with the car before fleeing with Juarez. Witnesses told police that a short time later, the Mustang returned to the parking lot, this time with Juarez behind the wheel, yelling and screaming at the group again and acting erratically. The Mustang driver revved the cars engine and drove it toward the group, who by that time had moved out of the parking lot and past the sidewalk to a grassy area near the church building. Most of the group were able to avoid being struck, but Lays Bad, who was in a wheelchair, was unable to get out of the vehicles path, according to the affidavit. The remaining members of the group attacked Juarez while he was behind the wheel of the vehicle, holding him there until police arrived. The unidentified woman fled and has not been located. Juarez initially told police that the woman was driving the Mustang both times when it struck people. He later changed his story to say the woman was sitting on his lap and both were holding the wheel at the same time when the car struck Lays Bad. The case is within federal criminal jurisdiction under the Supreme Courts McGirt ruling because Lays Bad is a member of the South Dakota-based Oglala Sioux tribe and the death occurred within the Muscogee Nation. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Bartlesville man faces charges after he claimed to have flown on a one-way ticket to Washington to confront U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern over what he believed to be his illegitimate 2018 election. Keith Charles Eisenberger, 39, is jailed on a federal complaint unsealed Monday that alleges he cyberstalked and issued a series of threats toward the Tulsa congressman and his family that began prior to his 2018 election and continued until this month. A Tulsa federal judge on Friday ordered Eisenberger held in jail without bail pending a detention hearing following his arrest by the FBI, according to court records. A federal complaint filed Thursday in Tulsa federal court charges Eisenberger with cyberstalking and threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States official and the immediate family member of a United States official. Following his arrest, Eisenberger reportedly explained his actions to investigators. Eisenberger stated that he was angry with Congressman Hern because Eisenberger believed that Hern had been appointed to that seat without Eisenberger being considered for it, according to an affidavit submitted to a judge in support of his arrest. Eisenberger told investigators that (former) Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin did not allow him to compete in the primary special election and that he wanted to speak with Congressman Hern face-to-face and tell him he was fraudulently appointed to that seat, according to the affidavit. Hern won a five-person GOP primary and runoff in 2018 before going on to win the general election in November 2018. He replaced Jim Bridenstine after the latter was appointed NASA administrator. The affidavit claims staff members for the Oklahoma U.S. House and U.S. Senate, as well as those for the governor and Tulsa mayor, noticed Eisenbergers attendance, beginning in the summer of 2017, at political events where he would lie about his identity to be in close proximity to politicians and make requests or take photos of them. In April 2018, the same month he resigned to take the NASA job, Bridenstine requested that Eisenberger be placed on a Be on the lookout for list at the U.S. Capitol due to threatening comments and behavior, according to the affidavit. Following Herns election, staff members reported Eisenberger to the Capitol Police on Nov. 27, 2018, after he allegedly called them on the telephone and told them: I will do everything I can to stop this. It was an illegal election there was no special election in Oklahoma. Hern is not our representative, the affidavit says. Herns staff members reported on Jan. 4, 2019, that Eisenberger showed up at his Washington, D.C., office yelling and angrily demanding to see Hern, according to the affidavit. Eisenberger allegedly told Capitol Police that he had bought a one-way ticket to D.C. and that he was broke and not leaving until Hern resigned. The affidavit alleges that Eisenberger authored a Facebook post on the day of the November 2020 general election in which he claimed he would be attending a few watch parties, warning Tulsa police to keep Hern and his family out of his sight or Eisenberger himself might have to be shot to get me off them if he becomes upset. Days after the 2020 election, a post on Eisenbergers Facebook account called for his death or execution, according to the affidavit. In a now-deleted Facebook post, Eisenberger on Oct. 6 is alleged to have stated on video that he planned to assault Hern if cameras are on us. Im only gonna do it if theres national coverage, the complaint alleges Eisenberger said. The complaint claims that Eisenberger authored a May 11 post on Facebook describing his hope to kidnap Hern and his wife and saying that the woman and children would die. In all, the complaint alleges that Eisenberger authored dozens of Facebook posts regarding his theory that Hern conspired with others to steal the congressional seat from him. January 2021 video: Threats against Congress keep National Guard in D.C. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An Owasso man has been sentenced to federal prison after a jury found him guilty of four criminal counts related to a scam to obtain bogus COVID-19 small-business loans. U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Olusola Ojo, 43, to prison terms totaling four years followed by five years of supervised release. Eagan also ordered Ojo to pay $150,000 in restitution and pay a $400 assessment. The U.S. Attorneys Office continues to pursue justice in cases where fraudsters bilk American taxpayers of funds meant to support vulnerable small-business owners and their employees, said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Olusola Ojos four-year prison sentence should send a message that white-collar criminals will be held accountable for their illicit behavior. A Tulsa federal court jury in November found Ojo guilty of two counts of bank fraud and one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ojo was named along with two others in a series of grand jury indictments dating back to July 2020 that involved over $5 million in small-business Paycheck Protection Program loans. The indictments alleged that Ojo and a co-defendant, Ibanga Etuk, conspired to commit bank fraud between April 1 and Aug. 4, 2020. The defendants created 18 businesses that fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans under false pretenses such as the number of employees, payroll expenditures, taxes paid during previous months, details of business ownership and a false representation of their relationship with one another, court filings alleged. Etuk and his wife, Teosha Etuk, who was charged later, have already pleaded guilty to crimes linked to their part in the scheme. Ibanga Etuk was sentenced to serve four years in prison. His wife was released April 22 after serving a 12-month, one-day prison term, according to online U.S. Bureau of Prison records. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. took to social media Monday night to dispel a rumor that the tribe plans to build a jail in north Tulsa. I must stress that we are absolutely not, contrary to rumors on social media, building a jail, Hoskin wrote on Twitter. The confusion stems from the tribes effort to repurpose a commercial property in North Pointe Shopping Center for use as a courthouse and administrative building. The building is on the northeast corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Pine Street. The Cherokee Nation was scheduled to appear before the city of Tulsas Board of Adjustment on Tuesday to seek a special exception to the zoning code for that purpose. But Hoskin said in his tweet that the tribe plans to join in a request to postpone the hearing until June 28. The hearing was, and remains, simply one part of the process as we consider this investment, Hoskin wrote. We will continue to listen to community stakeholders as we work to grow with the north Tulsa community as good neighbors. The Cherokee Nation District Court and Cherokee Nation Supreme Court are in Tahlequah. According to its rezoning application, the tribe has for several years been looking to establish a location within its reservation where it could provide day-to-day civic services and conduct other operations for its growing population in Tulsa. The need for those services has only increased since the historic 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, according to the rezoning application. The high courts decision recognized that the Muscogee Nation reservation, which includes much of Tulsa, had never been disenfranchised by Congress. A state appellate court, in a series of decisions, has subsequently ruled that five other eastern Oklahoma tribes reservations with treaties with the U.S government also were never disestablished. One of those was the Cherokee Nation. The rulings mean crimes involving tribal citizens within any of those six reservations are in federal or tribal jurisdiction, not state jurisdiction. The Subject property would allow for a fully-functioning courtroom and affiliated activities including offices for the Attorney General of the Cherokee Nation and staff, the Board of Adjustment application states. The operation of this court would allow for a variety of legal cases to be handled in a more streamlined and timely fashion for all parties involved. In his tweet, Hoskin stressed that the proposed repurposing of the North Pointe Shopping Center property is part of the tribes ongoing commitment to meet its obligations under McGirt and to invest in the community. If this request were to be granted, the subject property would undergo significant rehabilitation including repair of long-term issues such as roof replacement as well as landscaping and exterior updating, the application states. The updating combined with the large amount of daily activity at the site will operate to continue to drive traffic to the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Pine Street and will provide impetus for continued increased economic activity in North Tulsa. City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper, whose district includes the shopping center, said she is the person who requested that the BOA meeting be postponed. When I learned of it, I immediately told them, We are not voting on this on the 24th (of May), she said. This is going to be postponed, and we are going to have a town hall meeting, and you all need to come to this community and stand in front and answer any questions or concerns they may have, so that is what were doing. Hall-Harper said she was disappointed that she never heard of the proposal until she received an email from BOA staff informing her of Tuesdays scheduled hearing. That lack of communication led many of her constituents to misunderstand what was being proposed, she said. When people have asked me, Ive told them, No, its not a jail; its not a detention center, Hall-Harper said. But heres the point: Had they done it the right way, people would not have been left to assume things that are not true. When you dont engage with the community like you should, then people are left to assume, and oftentimes when that happens, the assumptions are incorrect. The Cherokee Nation did not respond to a request for comment regarding Hall-Harpers remarks. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority has recalled 99 products related to allegations of rules violations by a marijuana testing laboratory that prompted an emergency order from the state commissioner of health on Friday to temporarily suspend that labs license. Commissioner Keith Reeds emergency order immediately suspended the medical marijuana business license for Oklahoma City-based Scale Laboratories, the trade name for Shiv Krupa LLC. OMMA inspections at Scale Laboratories on April 12, April 13 and April 20, along with a review of the labs records, found alleged testing violations that pose a threat to public health, according to a press release from the OMMA. We are first and foremost concerned about the health, safety and welfare of patients who might consume harmful marijuana products, OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry said. Let this serve as a warning to any licensee attempting to skirt state laws: We work diligently behind the scenes to find and take down the bad actors within this industry. If youre engaging in actions that threaten the health and safety of Oklahomans, you wont get away with it. According to the emergency order, Scale Laboratories reported to medical marijuana licensees passing test results on 138 samples that actually failed yeast and mold tests, nine samples that failed aspergillus, five samples that failed E. Coli tests and one sample that failed salmonella tests. The lab also is alleged not to have used appropriate procedures for testing microbiological contamination, pesticides or heavy metals; not to have used appropriate quality-control methods; to have manipulated testing data; and to have routinely deviated from its standard operating procedures, the OMMA reported. The OMMA alerted 33 businesses to the recall, informing them about actual testing on the 99 products. The growers and processors that received the recall notice are required to inform dispensaries that bought the recalled products from them. OMMA rules require dispensaries to contact patients who purchased the recalled products. Patients with questions about the recall should contact their dispensary. OMMA advises any patient in possession of a recalled product to return it to the dispensary and any patient concerned that they might have consumed a recalled product to contact their physician. A list of the recalled products is available on the OMMA website. Featured video: Medical marijuana lab shopping: The difference between $20k and $30k for a grow TOKYO (AP) Hours after being sworn in as Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese found himself fresh off a jet and thrown into the glare of a global spotlight Tuesday. He was rewarded with a warm welcome, as well as a bit of a gentle ribbing, from U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders at an international summit in Japan. You were sworn in and got on a plane, and if you fall asleep while youre here, its OK, Biden joked as the leaders met at the Quad, an Indo-Pacific security and economic coalition meant as a counterweight to China's growing influence in the region. Biden marveled at Albaneses stamina. I dont know how youre doing it. But it is really quite extraordinary, just getting off the campaign trail as well. The weekend election win for Albanese, from the center-left Labor Party, was a vivid change in Australian politics, ending nine years of conservative rule, the last several under former leader Scott Morrison. Albanese has described himself as Australia's first-ever political candidate with a non-Anglo Celtic name. He and Malaysian-born Penny Wong, Australias first foreign minister who was born overseas, were sworn into office Monday just before they flew to Tokyo for the meeting with Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Albanese's election came after a hard-fought campaign during which he caught COVID-19. Because his predecessor set the election date a week later than expected, Albanese had little time to prepare for the Tokyo summit. For his efforts, however, he received friendly greetings from other leaders. Kishida, in his opening remarks, took note of Albanese's tight schedule, offering his heartfelt appreciation for coming all the way to Japan right after the elections. Modi said Albaneses presence in Tokyo within 24 hours of his swearing-in demonstrates the strength of our friendship within the Quad and your commitment to it. At the summit, Albanese stressed Australias unwavering commitment to the regional forum and stressed his countrys efforts to deal with climate change and look for greater engagement with Southeast Asian countries. He did not mention aggressive security moves by China, which many countries in Asia view with worry. During the summit, Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights near Japan, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said, calling it an increased level of provocation and a threat to the Quad. Chinese H-6 bombers joined Russian TU-95s over the Sea of Japan and flew to areas over the East China Sea, but did not violate Japanese airspace, Kishi said. Separately, a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane was spotted flying off the northern Japanese coast. Kishi said Japan conveyed serious concern to both Beijing and Moscow. China's Ministry of Defense said the Chinese and Russian militaries carried out joint strategic air patrols above the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific. In a meeting later Tuesday, Albanese and Kishida shared concern about Chinas new security pact with the Solomon Islands, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. They also agreed to further cooperation in defense, a new U.S-led regional economic framework, clean energy and supply chain resilience, it said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote to congratulate Albanese on his election victory, in what Australian media described as a thawing of relations after years of tension over Australian laws designed to outlaw covert foreign interference in politics, which many see as aimed at China. "It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important Quad leaders' meeting here in Japan," Albanese said in his opening remarks at Tuesdays summit at the Japanese prime ministers office. We have had a change of government in Australia. But Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change. During a separate meeting with Biden, Albanese recounted that the U.S. government had paid for him to visit the gambling center of Las Vegas during a program he participated in in his 20s, eliciting laughter. I'm not quite sure where that fit in, but it was a good trip indeed, he said. And of course my government is very committed to the alliance. Albanese said he will visit Washington to see Biden again before hosting the next Quad summit in Australia. After what has been a smooth diplomatic debut, he will face a spate of domestic demands when he returns home Wednesday and attempts to fulfill his campaign promises. On the list are tackling climate change, affordable child care and strengthening Medicare. McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Tokyo and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. MORA, N.M. (AP) Nearly 3,000 firefighters in New Mexico kept the nation's largest active wildfire from growing on Monday as they took advantage of cooler weather before the return of more dangerous conditions later in the week. Overall, a good day, fire operations chief Alex McBath said Monday night. Everything stayed within the fire lines. Firefighters also expanded contingency firebreaks northeast of Santa Fe as forecasters warned that hotter, windier weather will return by Friday. Just because weve had a few good days of weather ... it doesnt mean we are out of the woods yet, San Miguel County Sheriff Chris Lopez said Monday night. The blaze that started nearly seven weeks ago in the Rocky Mountains foothills southeast of Santa Fe remained just 40% contained Monday. It started as two fires and burned into one large conflagration now larger than the city of Los Angeles. Flames have consumed more than 484 square miles (1,253 square kilometers) of timber, grassland and brush and evacuations have been in place for weeks. However, evacuation orders were relaxed in many areas and stretches of highway reopened south of Taos. Along with cooler temperatures, fire crews were helped over the weekend by water-dropping helicopters and aircraft. Rising humidity was expected to help add moisture to the bone-dry fuels on forest floors for a few more days, forecasters said. However, by Friday we're back to the same old critical fire weather that we have been experiencing for many, many days, said Stewart Turner, a fire behavior analyst for the U.S. Forest Service. Also on Monday, the U.S. Forest Service released a survey of vegetation and soil damage across 118 square miles ( 465 square kilometer) of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that burned in recent weeks, including public and private land. About one-fifth of the area experienced high-severity burning that can lead to heavy and even dangerous erosion. Trees in those areas will take many years to recover without planting. The fire is among five active large fires in the state and among 14 nationally, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The New Mexico fire accounts for nearly 60% of the 536 square miles (1,388 square kilometers) consumed by wildfires in the U.S. so far this year. Wildfires have broken out this spring in multiple states in the western U.S., where climate change and an enduring drought are fanning the frequency and intensity of forest and grassland fires. The number of square miles burned so far this year is far above the 10-year national average. Fire crews continued to make progress toward cordoning off a wildfire on the outskirts of a U.S. national security research station at Los Alamos, New Mexico. That fire in the wooded Jemez Mountains was 85% encircled by clearings and barriers that can stop a wildfire from spreading further, U.S. authorities said. Bandelier National Monument announced plans to partially reopen its reserve for ancestral Native American settlements and culture to the public Friday after a weekslong closure. Campgrounds, backcountry areas and some trails will remain off-limits. In southwestern New Mexico, a fire that is burning through portions of the Gila National Forest triggered new evacuations on Sunday in rural areas, as emergency crews labored to protect homes and outbuildings from advancing flames. That fire has burned across 230 square miles (595 square kilometers) of forest and scrubland and continues to grow. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. PHOENIX (AP) An impassioned effort by some Arizona Senate Republicans to ban the use of ballot drop boxes failed Monday. Scottsdale Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Ritas efforts to change a proposal requiring drop boxes to have video monitoring was blocked by fellow GOP senators who knew House Republicans werent on board with the harsher proposal. And the whole exercise ended up being in vain after Republican Sen. Paul Boyer of Glendale joined all Senate Democrats in rejecting the measure outright. Ugenti-Rita said drop boxes are rife with possibilities for ballot harvesting, a pejorative term for dropping off completed ballots for other people. The Legislature in 2016 made it a felony to return another person's mail ballots unless it is for a family member or if the person returning the ballot is a caregiver. She pointed to recent documentary that alleged thousands of ballots were illegally cast in 2020 battleground states . Fact-checkers have shown the arguments made in 2000 Mules are full of unsupported allegations that thousands of ballots were illegally deposited into drop boxes. If you think ballot boxes contribute to ballot harvesting and can be manipulated, you would ban them, not require that we tape them, Ugenti-Rita said. Its too late at that point. But GOP Sen. J.D Mesnard noted that banning drop boxes outright would essentially kill the bill, because theres no support in the House for going as far as Ugenti-Rita was proposing. I dont want to kill the bill, Mesnard said. I want something done in this area that leaves us better. And I strongly disagree that doing nothing is better than having them monitored with cameras. The original House measure would have completely banned unmonitored drop boxes, but it did not have the votes to pass so it was watered down to allow counties to set up video monitoring where practical. About 90% of Arizona voters cast early ballots, either through the mail, at early voting sites or by using drop boxes put in place by county election officials. Those boxes are most important in the week before an election, when there is doubt a mail-in ballot will reach the local election department in time. Republican Sen. Kelly Townsend had shepherded the bill through the Senate and struggled with whether to support Ugenti-Rita's amendment, but ended up voting for it when a formal vote on the amendment was called. She said she had to choose between what's best for the state versus procedure. Boyer also teamed up with Democrats to defeat a bill that would have required county recorders to sign off on any settlement the Secretary of State negotiates to end an election-related lawsuit. And he opposed a measure barring local election officials from opening emergency vote centers except in cases of war, civil unrest or a natural disaster. Emergency vote centers were widely used in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. But Boyer did vote with majority Republicans for a bill that mandates a person's voter registration be cancelled if election officials are notified the person has left the county. He also backed a measure that bars government agencies from registering someone to vote without their direct request. Republicans have introduced dozens of election bills this session, may based on the disproven contention that President Joe Biden defeated former president Donald Trump because of election fraud. The most contentious have failed to pass, but some have made it to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's desk. On Monday, he signed bills that banned same-day voter registration, which is already not allowed, and boosting requirements for court officials to notify the Secretary of State when someone is convicted of a felony and loses their voting rights. This story has been corrected to show that GOP Sen. Kelly Townsend did not initially oppose the amendment Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says the U.S. and China are making progress on putting together a group to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kerry told The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the the worlds two largest emitters of greenhouse gases are close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. He says we are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions. Kerry noted that maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crack down on methane leaks. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central focus for the group. Kerry says he was hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There's no sign of progress, or even movement. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated with Congress stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said nobody is going to be in one job forever" but he wasn't planning to move on. He says he's working toward the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November. A top adviser to new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea hasnt responded to a proposal to send COVID-19 vaccines to the reclusive country. Na Kyung Won told reporters that she was meeting with officials from the Red Cross and the international vaccine group Gavi in Davos, Switzerland, about ways to help send coronavirus vaccines and other medicines but Pyongyang has been silent. Na told The Associated Press Tuesday at the World Economic Forum meeting that we worry because North Korea doesnt open, frankly." Before acknowledging an outbreak of the omicron variant on May 12, North Korea had insisted it was virus-free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It snubbed millions of vaccines offered by the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program and has not responded to offers of medicine and other aid from South Korea and the U.S. Gavi, which runs COVAX with partners, said it hasn't received any requests for COVID-19 vaccines from North Korea, but it has allocated doses for the country. The World Health Organization has pleaded for more information on the outbreak but not gotten a response. Leaders from some European nations and the head of NATO agreed that bolstering weapons systems and arming Ukraine is critical as Russia attacks its neighbor. Speaking on a securing Europe panel Tuesday at the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren says the European Union can join forces to provide complex systems that Ukraine needs. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says there needs to be more coordination on deciding what weapons systems the 27-nation bloc needs as a long-term security goal. Ollongren agreed. North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski says joint weapons procurement is important long term but that it's critically important to help Ukraine now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the strongest way to support Ukraine is providing weapons, which allies are doing at unprecedented levels as Ukraine has requested. He reiterated that we support Ukraine, but NATO will not be part of the conflict." Opening the session by video link, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, said, You dont need to wage this war, just help us to do it. He proposed an international advisory working group that would offer security guarantees for Ukraine, including providing weapons, funding for rebuilding and defense, maintaining sanctions against Russia and joining the EU as soon as possible. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and using food supplies as a weapon. Russias invasion of Ukraine has created disruptions of global food supplies, with both countries two of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, barley and sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful, with the EU saying sea shipments accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are struck in Ukraine. Von der Leyen says exports typically amount to 5 million tons of wheat per month, and it's down to 200,000 to 1 million tons. She says by getting it out, we can provide Ukrainians with much needed revenues, and the World Food Program with supplies it badly needs. The European Commission has proposed helping Ukraine export its wheat and other grains by rail, road and river to get around the Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most, with bread prices in Lebanon having increased by 70% and food shipments from Odesa prevented from reaching Somalia. Plus, she says Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support. This is using hunger and grain to wield power." Von der Leyen added that the EU is stepping up its production to ease pressure on the global food market while supporting Africa to become less dependent on imports. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine is providing proof that doing business with authoritarians in Russia or China poses risks for Western security. Stoltenberg says free trade has brought a lot of prosperity and wealth but that it comes with a price because some of this trade, some of this economic interaction with authoritarian regimes is undermining our security. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stoltenberg said the idea that Europe can buy as much gas from Russia as you want, thats wrong. Its dangerous. It provides Russia with a tool to intimidate and to use against us and that has been clearly demonstrated now. He warns against any overreliance on commodities or advanced technologies or by allowing foreign control over national infrastructure like 5G networks. Stoltenberg says, This is about Russia. But also about China. Another authoritarian regime that does not share our values. And that undermines the rules-based international order. Polish President Andrzej Duda says he sees no possibility for neighboring Ukraine to accept any peace terms dictated by Russia or to consent to give any of its territory to Russia. Duda spoke Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He says the mere drive to take revenge and regain whats theirs is so powerful that I dont believe that they (Ukrainians) could agree to peace terms that would boil down to the Russians taking again kilometers of Ukrainian land." He says the Russians have destroyed so much of Ukraine and the Ukrainians have spilled so much blood defending their country that any politician in Ukraine who would suggest bending to Russias demands would simply be finished. Duda says any politician in the West who believes he can persuade Kyiv to accept any of Moscows terms is deeply mistaken. Poland has been supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia through political and defense means, and has accepted more than 3 million refugees fleeing the war. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos that Russia's war in Ukraine shouldn't deter climate goals. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday about speeding up the road to net zero," Kerry says we should not allow a false narrative to be created" that the war somehow obviates the need to move forward and address the climate crisis. He says it's possible to both meet the need of increased energy from fossil fuels in the short term, particularly in Europe, and stay on course to reduce emissions over the coming years. Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the next climate change summit in Egypt in November will be a pivotal moment for the planet. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano says negotiations are over and implementation is starting as an investment in a better future for all. She says governments now need to assess how they can attract the right investments for energy transition. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he believes Sweden and Finland will succeed in joining NATO despite Turkeys objections to their membership. In an address Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sanchez says that the political will of the allies is to welcome these two countries. He said Spain will accelerate all the parliamentary processes" to the two Nordic nations important for NATO and European Union stability. Turkey has objected over what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists and their block on arms sales. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Sanchez said it was imperative that we make every effort to restore food productions, trade systems and achieve food security for the most vulnerable. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently accused Russia of weaponizing food and holding hostage the grain the Ukraine produces for millions of people around the world. U.N. food chief David Beasley has warned that the war has created an unprecedented crisis of escalating food prices that are already sparking protests and riots and growing hunger. Finland's foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations' application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns" regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns." He says he's confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance." Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Unions response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the blocs migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than 6 million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says shes proud of her small country's reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has raised the focus on how the oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that oligarchs are not naive. He says they have lawyers, asset protection specialists and shell companies. The founder of Heritage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder credited U.S. efforts to put a squeeze on the Kremlin since the war began, by putting a freeze on the assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, Browder says were only scratching the surface. Citing a quite radical solution, Browder says what would solve the problem is to force the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. He says such an amendment to money laundering and sanctions laws should come with fines and imprisonment. The European Unions top official said the 27-nation bloc should avoid becoming dependent to untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy with the need to find crucial raw materials. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal. She says the green and digital transitions will increase the need for materials like lithium and silicon metal required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. The head of the EUs executive arm says we rely on a handful of producers in the world. So, we must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas. Von der Leyen said the EU has secured materials partnerships with countries like Canada. She added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to quickly get rid of Russian fossil fuels. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal from Russia but has yet to find a deal on sanctions targeting oil. The head of the European Unions executive arm says Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. She said the World Economic Forums annual gathering that the EU is mobilizing our full economic power" and we will, hand in hand, help Ukraine rise from the ashes. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She says the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of (Ukraines) judiciary and help tackle corruption. The World Economic Forums annual gathering is resuming for a second day, with business leaders, government officials, representatives from global institutions and journalists gearing up for more panel talks and networking at the exclusive meeting in the Swiss Alps. Tuesdays agenda in Davos is packed with sessions on one of the meetings key themes climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is due to make an appearance. There also will be addresses by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Meanwhile, outside the conference venue, a Ukrainian activist was planning a street performance to urge foreign energy companies to stop doing business with Russia. Later, billionaire financier George Soros is hosting a dinner for media a non-official forum event but a fixture outside the Davos meeting. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. MANILA, Philippines (AP) Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sharply criticized Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine, saying while the two of them have been tagged as killers, I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly. Duterte, who openly calls Putin an idol and a friend, voiced his rebuke for the first time over Russias invasion of Ukraine in remarks aired Tuesday where he blamed the three-month old war for the spike in global oil prices that has battered many countries, including the Philippines. While stressing he was not condemning the Russian president, Duterte disagreed with Putins labeling of the invasion as a special military operation, and said it was really a full-scale war waged against a sovereign nation. Many say that Putin and I are both killers. Ive long told you Filipinos that I really kill. But I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly, Duterte said in a televised weekly meeting with key Cabinet officials. Were in two different worlds. Duterte, who steps down on June 30 when his turbulent six-year term ends, has presided over a brutal anti-drugs crackdown that has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Human rights groups have cited a much higher casualty and say innocent people, including children, have been killed in the campaign that Duterte vows to continue up to his last day in office. The unprecedentedly massive drug campaign killings have sparked an investigation by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte has said he expects to face more lawsuits arising from the drug deaths when his presidency ends. Duterte and his police officials have denied sanctioning extrajudicial killings in the campaign against illegal drugs but has openly threatened drug suspects with death and made an unsuccessful attempt to reimpose the death penalty in the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia to deter drug dealers and other criminals. When he took office in 2016, he reached out to Russia and China for trade and investment and to expand military cooperation while often criticizing the security policies of Washington, Manilas longtime treaty ally. He visited Russia twice in 2017 and 2019 to meet Putin but cut short his first visit after Islamic State group-aligned militants laid siege on the southern Philippine city of Marawi while he was away with his defense secretary and military chief of staff. More than a week after Russian forces laid siege on Ukraine, the Philippines voted in favor of a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion. The Philippines appealed for the protection of civilians and public infrastructure in Ukraine, although Duterte held back from strongly criticizing Putin and said he would remain neutral in a conflict that could potentially lead to the use of nuclear weapons and spark WWIII. Addressing Putin as a friend and the Russian Embassy in Manila, Duterte urged them to stop bombing and firing artillery rounds on residential areas and allow innocent civilians to safely evacuate before launching a bombardment. You are in control of everything. Anyway, you really started the ruckus there so control your soldiers strictly. They are on a rampage, Duterte said. Duterte said he was concerned about the stability of his countrys oil supply as the war in Ukraine continues to rage and spark global instability. Im on the way out and I dont know how to solve the problem, Duterte said. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before we can talk of even returning to normalcy. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lanka received a first consignment of a $16 million humanitarian aid package from neighboring India to help mitigate severe shortages caused by the countrys worst economic crisis in recent memory. Gopal Baglay, the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, delivered the donation from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris late Sunday. The goods, worth $5.6 million, include rice, milk powder and essential medicines. They will be distributed among vulnerable families in different parts of the country, the Indian Embassy said in a statement. Sri Lanka is near bankruptcy and has severe shortages of essentials from food, fuel, medicines and cooking gas to toilet paper and matchsticks. For months, people have been forced to stay in long lines to buy the limited stocks. The country's new prime minister said last week that petrol stocks ran down to a final day, worsening commuting problems and lengthening lines. But shipments of gasoline paid through an Indian credit line started arriving over the weekend. Sri Lanka has suspended repayment of about $7 billion in foreign loans due this year out of $25 billion to be repaid by 2026. The countrys total foreign debt is $51 billion. Separately, India has provided a $3.5 billion economic assistance in the form of loans and buyers' credit for food, medicine and fuel. Sri Lanka's economic crisis has created political unrest with a protest occupying the entrance to the president's office demanding his resignation continuing past 40 days. Government supporters earlier this month attacked the peaceful protesters, sparking countrywide riots during which nine people, including a lawmaker who was beaten to death, were killed. Many homes and properties of sitting ministers and ruling party politicians were burned. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency, giving police and the military wide powers to search, arrest and detain suspects. The emergency lapsed last Friday because the government did not seek Parliament's approval within 10 days as required by the constitution. The protests calling for the president and his family to leave politics led to a near-dismantling of the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty with the president's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigning as prime minister. Before that, two of president's siblings and a nephew resigned as Cabinet ministers. The president himself is facing the prospect of having his powers significantly curtailed to strengthen Parliament under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is directing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a rescue package. A constitutional amendment to curtail the president's powers was being considered. Tamil Nadu, which shares language and culture with Sri Lankas minority Tamils, is separated by a narrow strait from the island's Tamil-majority north. The donation was prompted after dozens of families fled to Tamil Nadu because of the economic crisis. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) A former Moldovan president was ordered detained following a series of police raids Tuesday as part of a judicial investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment and illegal party financing, prosecutors said. Photographs showed members of Moldovas Information and Security Service escorting former president Igor Dodon to a van after he was detained at his house in the capital, Chisinau. Dodon leads the Eastern European countrys pro-Russian main opposition bloc. Senior anti-corruption prosecutor Elena Cazacov did not identify the detainee. She told a press conference that he and a second person were ordered held in custody for 72 hours after authorities deemed that otherwise there was a risk of destruction of evidence. Earlier Tuesday, Moldovan media reported Dodon's detention but authorities didn't officially confirm it. Moldovan website Protv.md broadcast a live feed of several police officers standing guard at the gate of a house described as belonging to Dodon, who was president from 2016 to 2020. Cazacov said the investigation focused on suspected acts of illicit enrichment, passive corruption, illegal party financing and (treason), which have taken place since 2014. She did not provide details. The subjects of the investigation are mainly one of the former Presidents of the Republic of Moldova and those close to him, but also other persons who have a connection to the commission of the alleged acts, she said. During the police search, numerous supporters of Dodon as well as other protesters congregated on the street. Dozens of Dodon supporters also gathered outside Moldovas parliament in the capital Chisinau demanding the governments resignation. The former presidents party controls 22 of the parliaments 101 seats and is the main opposition force, acting in a coalition with Moldovas communist party. Cazacov said a total of ten locations were searched, and sums of money in Moldovan lei and foreign currency seized. During the searches, one of the persons tried to destroy, by swallowing, documents ... which confirmed real estate transactions worth about 700,000 euros, she said. The searches revealed that only at the beginning of 2022 the persons under investigation benefited from leisure services, contracted through tourism companies in the Russian Federation, worth about 4 million rubles ($70,000), the prosecutor added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow was alarmed at the persecution of Dodon, but noted that it was an internal affair of Moldova's. "We are, of course, alarmed that again such a practice and persecution is being used against those who are supporters of the development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation, Peskov told reporters during a conference call. One of Europe's poorest countries, Moldova is an ex-Soviet republic that gained independence in 1991. Russia maintains troops nominally peacekeepers in the separatist Moldovan region of Transnistria, a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. OKLAHOMA CITY An advocacy organization is asking the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to deny a $164 million rate hike requested by OG&E. The Oklahoma chapter of the AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, held a news conference to announce that it had sent the Corporation Commission 7,000 postcards and petitions from those who oppose the proposed rate hike. AARP Oklahoma President Jim Randall said residents are watching every penny they spend because prices continue to rise. There is no doubt Oklahomans, especially those on fixed incomes, will have to make difficult decisions, Randall said. Some will have to choose among food, medical care and ridiculous utility costs, Randall said. He called on the three members of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to stop the hike. The $164 million rate increase is ill-timed, said Sean Voskhul, AARP Oklahoma state director. Quite frankly, it feels like deja vu as we are talking about another rate hike by OG&E. OG&Es largest customer base is the Oklahoma City area, but it also provides service in Sapulpa, Glenpool, Bixby and parts of Jenks, as well as other parts of the state. Voskhul said OG&E recorded significant profits but still is requesting another back-to-back rate increase. Voskhul said AARP not only is elevating the voices of its members who are concerned about the rate hike but is an intervenor in the rate case with OG&E. The organizations attorney, Deborah Thompson, said the state should be looking at an $18 million rate decrease, instead. A big chunk of the request relates to an additional $60 million more per year in requested profit on top of the cost of operating the system, she said. Another major issue is that OG&E is asking to raise its fixed customer charge from $13 to $23, she said. This is a payment you make regardless of how much electricity you use, she explained. The proposed rate increase is in addition to the $10 a month rate increase the Corporation Commission approved in December to cover the cost of the February 2021 winter weather event, she said. The base rate review is separate from the securitization request that has been approved by the Commission and the Oklahoma Supreme Court to recover direct fuel and purchased power costs from the February 2021 Winter Weather Event, according to a statement from OG&E. OG&Es request addresses its continued efforts to execute its Grid Enhancement Plan, the company said in the statement. Established in 2020, the proposed five-year plan involves replacing and upgrading aging infrastructure and installing smarter and more automated technology platforms and communications systems. Together, these investments will improve the customer experience by reducing the number and duration of outages, while also modernizing the system. Also included in the review are technology infrastructure and weather hardening investments, and other transmission and generation improvements. If approved, residential rates will increase about $9.98 a month, effective as early as July, according to the company. The hearings will start June 14, Voskuhl said. There is an opportunity for public comment before the commission on Thursday, he said. Voskuhl said the Corporation Commission could accept, reject or modify the rate increase after an administrative law judge issues an opinion. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Legislation linking unemployment benefits to the job market has been signed into law, Gov. Kevin Stitts office said Monday. The measure, House Bill 1933, by Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, was among 35 Stitt signed on Friday. While shepherding his bill through the Legislature, Martinez said it is intended to encourage people receiving unemployment benefits to reenter the workforce as soon as possible. He also said its intended to protect the states unemployment insurance fund, which was hit hard during the pandemic but is still considered one of the soundest in the country. The bill creates a sliding scale of 16 to 26 weeks of unemployment eligibility, depending on the number of Oklahomans filing for benefits. The fewer filing, the shorter the eligibility period. Critics say the new law is punitive and does not take into consideration many individuals need for retraining even in a strong labor market. The law is effective Jan. 1. Among the other measures Stitt signed Friday was Oklahomas attempt to limit automated sales calls. HB 3168, by Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, is limited because the state has no jurisdiction on calls originating outside of Oklahoma, but to the extent possible it bans robocalls without prior express written consent and calls that do not register the actual originating telephone number on caller ID displays. HB 3158 is effective Nov. 1. Stitt also signed the Legislatures response to a contingency fee agreement that netted three law firms $60 million from a $270 million settlement between the state and Purdue Pharma three years ago. The biggest share of the money went to an addiction research center at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa. Stitt and many lawmakers were upset because then-Attorney General Mike Hunter entered into the arrangement and agreed to the unusual settlement without consulting them and because they thought the lawyers 22% cut was too high. Although a 20% to 25% contingency fee is not exceptional, lawmakers grumbled that the total amount should have been capped. Under Senate Bill 984, by Sen. Kim David, the lawyers in the opioid case would have received only 5% if they had taken the case at all. The bill establishes a sliding contingency scale ranging from 5% to 25%, depending on the size of the settlement. Settlements of more than $25 million would be subject to the lowest percentage, those below $10 million to the highest. The bill, which becomes effective Nov. 1, also places numerous conditions on the states hiring of outside attorneys on a contingency basis. May 2021 video: Oklahoma governor announces executive order offering $1,200 workforce-reentry incentive Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. OKLAHOMA CITY Toll rates for the soon-to-be opened Gilcrease Expressway extension could be set July 26. Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz was asked Tuesday about the project during the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority meeting. Gatz said the toll road is expected to open in mid-to late summer. I think it is going along pretty well, he said. We will have an item in front of the board sometime between now and the July meeting looking like the July meeting talking about the final tolling configuration. He said the OTA has gotten feedback from members of the Berryhill community. Berryhill-area residents told the OTA in April that eliminating the toll on the section of the highway between 41st Street and 51st Street was a top priority. That section had been free since completion but will have a toll as soon as the rest of the 5-mile turnpike is opened to traffic. We are looking at options and looking at reducing the toll rate as much as we can, said James Poling, an OTA spokesman. Under the current funding mechanism, it has to be tolled. Poling said no price range is available for the four sections of the new road that will be tolled. He said the OTA is considering a lot of factors and how best to keep the rates low while meeting its financial obligations. The OTA undertook the project at the invitation of a lot of different parties, including the city of Tulsa, Tulsa County and the Indian Nations Council of Governments, Gatz said. He said the parties needed a plan to leverage resources to build one of the most expensive sections of highway in Oklahoma. The $330 million, 5-mile turnpike has 22 bridges, including several large ones over the Arkansas River, Gatz noted. It will complete the gap from where the existing Gilcrease Expressway connects to Interstate 44 just south of 51st Street in west Tulsa to just north of U.S. 412 the Sand Springs Expressway at Edison Street west of downtown Tulsa. All of the roads that will connect to the turnpike are free roads. Construction of the roadway began Jan. 30, 2020. Under a recently announced 15-year, $5 billion roadway improvement plan, the Gilcrease Expressway is set to get further work. The plan calls for the completion of Gilcreases northern leg, connecting it to the Tisdale Expressway. The plan also calls for several other projects, including widening the rest of the Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and widening the Will Rogers Turnpike between the Catoosa area and Claremore. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Jim Tygart, a Tulsa-area World War II veteran who drove a jeep during the D-Day invasion and other campaigns before being wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, died Friday, May 20. He was 102. A celebration of life is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 24, at Northside Christian Church in Broken Arrow. Floral Haven Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Tygart, a longtime Broken Arrow resident, told his story in 2017 as part of the Tulsa Worlds World War II Veterans Remember series. Born in 1920, Tygart was originally from Missouri, where he grew up on a family farm before moving to the Tulsa area. He joined the Army in 1941 for what was supposed to be a one-year stint. But with U.S. entry into WWII, he was sent to Europe with the Armys 2nd Infantry Division. With the launch of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, Tygart, a jeep driver, went ashore at Omaha Beach, Normandy, on the second day. As his unit fought its way across France, his main job was serving as a driver for officers. It was in Belgium, after the start of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, that he was wounded. Tygart recalled the incident: At the sound of incoming shells, we had only seconds to take cover. So I ran for a house. There were about five or six guys running ahead of me. They made it through the door. I didnt. The explosion, which destroyed his jeep, knocked him to the ground and left him with a serious leg wound. Shrapnel had cut the sciatic nerve almost in two. But he was lucky, he said: It couldve paralyzed his leg for life. Nevertheless, he had a long recovery ahead, and for several years he had to wear a brace. Tygart, who was awarded a Purple Heart, went on to a career as an aircraft instrument mechanic, including with Douglas Aircraft and later American Airlines. Hed lived in Broken Arrow since 1958 and was still enjoying an active life there into his 100s. In 2020, as part of an effort to recognize Americans who helped liberate France, Tygart was presented the French Legion of Merit medal by the French Consulate. The ceremony was held at the Military History Center in Broken Arrow. Tygart was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Betty Tygart; a grandson; and a great-grandson. Survivors include two sons, Delbert and Darrell; seven grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The notorious 1977 murders of three Tulsa girls on their first night at Girl Scout camp will be introduced to a new generation on an international platform this week. Keeper of the Ashes: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders, a four-part documentary being released Tuesday on Hulu, resurfaces the crime that remains officially unsolved. We hope viewers will keep the victims at the forefront: Lori Farmer, 8, Michele Guse, 9, and Denise Milner, 10. It may have been 45 years since their deaths, but time works differently for their families and others who love them. Trauma and grief dont diminish; they only shift shapes. Producers interview survivors, investigators and family members of the girls as they reexamine evidence. Oklahomans speak about that time and the trauma it left behind. Actress Kristin Chenoweth reveals that she was scheduled to be at that camp but had gotten sick at the last moment. It has stuck with me my whole life. I could have been one of them, Chenoweth says. A significant revelation is that DNA testing strongly points to the main suspect, Gene Leroy Hart. It it adds to him more genetic markers that match the murderer and eliminate all other potential suspects. After a high-profile, emotional trial, a jury found Hart not guilty in March 1979. He died in prison of a heart attack about two months later, serving time on an unrelated conviction. The Tulsa World participated in the documentary, in large part due to a 2017, six-part series written by reporter Tim Stanley. For the 40th anniversary of the murders, he spent a year revisiting the crime and its aftermath in a compelling narrative that has been turned into a podcast. At that time, Stanley and Tulsa World editors pledged to keep the girls at the storys center, to be respectful and truthful. Stanley explained his process in a June 2017 column: For me, priority No. 1 was to honor Lori, Denise and Michele. A lot of people know about this case. But sadly, few seem to remember the girls names. If they are destined to be denied justice, lets not do them the further injustice of forgetting them. Often with this tragedy, there are those who are critical, claiming it brings up bad news. Stanley spoke to Sheryl Stokes of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a childhood friend of Lori Farmers who became a family advocate, for perspective. Stanley said he learned that for families there is no dragging it up: They live every day with the memory of what happened. Its a part of their lives, of who they are. Forgetting is a luxury they dont have, although they wouldnt if they could choose to. The families found a way to survive and help other families in grief. Others affected by the tragedy found their own ways to cope. The story is a dark and painful one but one worthy of retelling. For us, the story is about Lori, Michele and Denise. We remember them and hope the documentary can get a step closer to justice. Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Isn't it funny seeing all these politicians flying to Kyiv to get their picture taken with Volodymyr Zelenskyy? It is amazing to see a leader, and the people of Ukraine, fighting for democracy even to the death. Yet some of the same people that want their pictures taken (Republican leadership) don't have the stomach to stand up to those who tried an insurrection to overturn a legitimate election here at home. Our Oklahoma members of Congress, fearful about getting primaried and losing their cushy jobs in Washington, forget the oath they took to the Constitution: to defend it against all enemies foreign and domestic. The insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021 to stop the electoral vote count, and possibly hang Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi was not as the Republican Party says "legitimate public discourse." It was an insurrection. Sen. James Lankford stood in the well of the Senate giving a speech about how he was going to vote: to not to certify the election as the mob was breaking into the Capitol, injuring and killing police. Our whole Oklahoma congressional delegation voted against Donald Trumps impeachment, and still stand firmly behind him. They run TV ads saying what fine Christians they are, the same people who put their hand on the Bible and swore allegiance to the Constitution. Their facade and hypocrisy shows through. Should you go to one of these Republican events, don't drink the Kool-Aid. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter. Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have approved a plan to restore a roundabout that was demolished eight years ago in the center of District 1 for the construction of a metro station system. News of its comeback was lauded by longtime citizens who cherish the citys traditions. The Willow Roundabout, named for the willow trees planted around the roundabouts fountain in the past, sat at the intersection of Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street and Le Loi Street in the heart of the southern city. Memories of old Saigon According to feng shui, a road should not lead to a buildings main entrance, hence the roundabout, which lay in front of the Peoples Committee edifice, was thought to prevent bad luck. Those who believe in feng shui also reckon that the trees and water featured in the roundabout could facilitate air circulation and purification. A 1880 urban map of Saigon features the Charner-Bonard roundabout and its fountain. Not everyone wants to see the roundabout restored for feng shui purposes. A large group of residents hope the project will rekindle memories of Ho Chi Minh Citys good old days and add to the citys esthetic value thanks to its fountain and the trees planted on its edge. Le Loi Street will be converted into a pedestrian street once the citys metro system is inaugurated, a plan launched by local officials who hope the new walking street, alongside the already popular Nguyen Hue promenade, will appeal to a greater audience thanks to the historic signage, artistic structures, and small-scale galleries planned for the underground centers below the two streets. Prior to taking on its latest nickname, the Willow Roundabout was known as 'the Brass-band Roundabout' or simply 'the Saigon Roundabout.' A brief history of the Willow Roundabout The four buildings which surrounded the Willow Roundabout are rich in history. One of these is the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, designed in 1909 following European architecture principles. It currently overlooks the Bach Dang Wharf. Before the addition of a fountain, the Willow Roundabout was octagonal and featured a stage where French brass players performed on weekends. Another edifice which surrounded the Willow Roundabout was the erstwhile Saigon Tax Trade Center, known during French colonial time as Charner, which was situated to face both Nguyen Hue and Le Loi. Nearby is the Saigon Opera House, which was constructed in 1901 and now sits at the junction of Le Loi and Dong Khoi Streets. Nguyen Hue Street, which leads to the Saigon Opera House, used to feature a canal called The Fabric Market Channel, though it was removed in the 1890s to make way for new construction. Le Loi Street formerly Bonard Street used to be a water channel as well. In the early 1900s, shortly after Ben Thanh Market was built in 1914, the street became a bustling shopping hub, boasting stores, apartments, theaters, and automobile showrooms. Toward the end of Le Loi Street was Cuniac Square, now known as Quach Thi Trang Roundabout, where streets branch off toward Bach Dang Wharf, the train station, and Cho Lon (Chinatown) in District 5. The Willow Roundabout was eventually transformed into a circular fountain with willow trees planted at its flanks. This picture was taken after 1975, the milestone of Vietnam's reunification. Vuong Hong Sen, the author of Saigon in the Past, a book which brings Ho Chi Minh Citys rich history to life, once said that French brass players performed at the roundabout on weekends and holidays. This was likely the beginning of Western music making its way into public life in the city. In 1942, the performance stage at the roundabout was replaced with a circular fountain, according to Nam Ky Weekly. Willows were grown around the fountain in 1970, hence the name 'the Willow Roundabout. The traffic circle quickly became a popular spot for weekend and evening strolls, photoshoots with friends, and shopping. In 2014, the Willow Roundabout, along with a roundabout and clock tower at the Nguyen Hue Mac Thi Buoi intersection and a traffic circle at the Nguyen Hue Ngo Duc Ke intersection, was demolished. In 2014, the Willow Roundabout was flattened to make way for the construction of a metro station system in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phuc Tien / Tuoi Tre The removal of these roundabouts gave city planners the space they needed to turn the area into a pedestrian zone, flanked by one-way streets and high-rise buildings. Experts weigh in City planners hope residents and experts alike will be vocal in their opinions regarding changes to the cityscape. Their main goal is to continue beautifying the city and maintaining connections to fading values of the past. Phan Van Mai, chairman of the Peoples Committee, tasked the Department of Transport with submitting a proposal on the restoration of Le Loi Street by May 20. A highlight of the project is the reappearance of the Willow Roundabout, according to Mai. Though many people would like Ho Chi Minh City to transition back to the past, others appreciate the citys modern esthetics and would prefer the area slated for the Willow Roundabout restoration to be used as a green space, architect Vo Kim Cuong said. A birds-eye view of the Nguyen Hue Le Loi junction, taken in 2018 when the Willow Roundabout was replaced with a water music display area. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre I think that the proposed Willow Roundabout is just for decoration. It is not a major structure so restoration does not have to be particularly complicated, she said. I am happy with the current Nguyen Hue Le Loi intersection. "It reminds me of the once beautiful roundabout. Cuong shared that she looks forward to the resurrection of other well-known structures that once overlooked the area, such as the Saigon Tax Trade Center. Nguyen Dinh Hoa, member of the Ho Chi Minh City Architect Association, explained that construction of the Willow Roundabout was a planned step in the redesign of the entire downtown area in the old Saigon. The space in front of governmental buildings in District 1 all featured roundabouts, like the Pham Ngoc Thach Le Duan Roundabout in front of the Reunification Palace and the Willow Roundabout in front of the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. The former Willow Roundabout has a new fountain, as seen in this picture taken in 2020. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre The roads around the Peoples Committee building intersect one another, with the Nguyen Hue Le Loi intersection being the largest. This arrangement helped to manage traffic in the area, Hoa added. When Nguyen Hue Street was transformed into a pedestrian street, the intersections on the street were closed and traffic became much worse. I believe that restoring the Willow Roundabout can be a solution to traffic problems in the area. "The city can also plant more trees to add a bit of freshness. The restored version wont live up to the original, but it will still be a good reminder of the irreplaceable past. The Willow Roundabout, the Saigon Tax Trade Center, the Bach Dang Wharf, and Ben Thanh Market are historic landmarks of Ho Chi Minh City. They mark the glory of the best city of the south. A water music show on April 23, 2015 on Nguyen Hue Street. Photo: Nguyen Cong Thanh / Tuoi Tre The fountain at the Willow Roundabout in this photo taken on November 11, 2015. Photo: Nguyen Cong Thanh / Tuoi Tre Children play in the fountain at the Willow Roundabout in old Saigon. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh virtually attended and delivered a speech at the launching ceremony of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on Monday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Organized in both online and offline formats, the launch of the IPEF saw the attendance of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the economic ministers of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and leaders of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The leaders shared a vision of an open, inclusive, equitable, rules-based, connected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region with the potential for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, which will be the driving force for the global economy. They also upheld the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The leaders emphasized the urgency of working closely to ensure economic recovery and development on an adaptive, sustainable, and inclusive basis. They affirmed the importance of improving economic competitiveness, transparency and anti-corruption, cooperation, maintaining essential supply chains, promoting economic growth, creating jobs, and expanding economic opportunities for the people. They agreed to launch the discussion on IPEF and were willing to invite countries interest in the region to participate in the hope that this cooperation framework will help boost their economies resilience, especially during the post-pandemic recovery. This will thereby enhance competitiveness, adaptability, sustainability, and inclusivity, contributing to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace in the region, for the practical interests of the people. Discussions in the coming time will focus on four pillars, namely trade; supply chains; clean energy, decarbonization, and infrastructure; and taxation and anti-corruption. Speaking at the ceremony, PM Chinh underlined the need to make growth models and economic linkages more sustainable and more resilient, and to fully tap internal power and external resources. He called for upholding multilateralism and strengthening international solidarity on the basis of sincerity, trust, and responsibility. This event will kick-start discussions among countries to jointly address regional and global issues, including supply chain diversification and sustainability, technological innovation, digital transformation, e-commerce, climate change, emission reduction, green development, taxation, and anti-corruption, among others. The premier stated that Vietnam is determined to build an independent and self-reliant economy in association with extensive and substantive international integration. The country is participating in various economic connectivity initiatives and making positive and responsible contributions to the common efforts to accelerate sustainable economic recovery and development in the region and the world. The IPEF discussions should aim to formulate a framework that can bring practical benefits to the people, PM Chinh continued, adding that Vietnam will work with other ASEAN member states and relevant partners to further clarify the content of the cooperation pillars of this framework. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh virtually attended and delivered a speech at the launching ceremony of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on Monday. COVID-19 Updates -- The Ministry of Health documented 1,179 COVID-19 cases on Monday, raising the national tally to 10,710,066, with 9,405,908 recoveries and 43,076 mortalities. Society -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City confirmed on Monday afternoon they had arrested a 23-year-old man for robbing a gold shop with a hammer in Binh Thanh District earlier the same day. -- A 34-year-old Russian man has been sentenced to seven months in prison after he was caught planting 27 cannabis trees at his rented house in south-central Binh Thuan Province in late 2021. -- Rains in northern Vietnam are expected to decrease in intensity starting Wednesday, while southern provinces will continue to see sunny skies during the day and showers in the evening over the next few days. Business -- Gasoline prices in Vietnam increased for the fifth consecutive time on Monday afternoon, with the RON95-III fuel now selling at VND30,653 (US$1.32) per liter. -- Vietnamese technology startup True Platform announced on Monday it had raised $3.5 million in a seed round led by January Capital. -- Vietnams textile and garment exports to the United States in the first quarter of 2022 reached nearly $4.36 billion, up 24 percent year on year, the highest ever since 2012, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the General Department of Vietnam Customs as saying. Sports -- The closing ceremony of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games took place at My Dinh Indoor Athletics Arena in Hanoi on Monday evening with the participation of about 3,000 delegates, spectators, and members of sports delegations. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A four-year-old Vietnamese girl has passed away after she was bitten by a venomous snake but no venom antiserum against the species was available for use to save her then, local authorities said. The little girl, S.T.N.N., died on Sunday, a week after being bitten by a Malayan krait snake, one of the venomous snake species, while sleeping at home in Phuoc Tan Commune, Son Hoa District, Phu Yen Province, located in the south-central region. N.'s mother found her daughter being bitten by the snake at 0:00 on May 16 and took the girl to the district health center immediately, the commune authorities said. Due to her critical condition, the girl was transferred to the Phu Yen Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital at 2:30 am the same day in a state of lethargy and difficulty breathing. Doctors later performed endotracheal intubation on the girl as she showed signs of apnea, said Dr. Phan Van Minh, the hospital director. They promptly transferred her to the provincial General Hospital because they had no venom antiserum against the snake species. As the general hospital stored no such antivenom either, the girl was sent back to the Phu Yen Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital at noon the same day. We contacted Childrens Hospital 1 and Childrens Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City for transferring the girl to either of them, but they said that they had no specific venom antiserum for the snake species, Dr. Minh elaborated. Doctors therefore continued to treat N. according to the Ministry of Healths therapeutic regimen for cases in which no snake venom antiserum is available for use, Dr. Minh added. After six days of treatment, N.s condition got worse on the evening of May 21, with liver and kidney failure and high fever. As doctors gave her a very poor prognosis, her relatives asked for permission to take her home, and she succumbed at noon the next day. A leading official at the Ho Chi Minh City Childrens Hospital said that the infirmary currently lacks venom antiserums for both Malayan krait and Indochinese spitting cobra snakes. These two serums are rarely used so they are hardly imported by businesses despite cheap prices, the official said. Every year, the hospital treats only one patient bitten by either of the snakes and there have been years seeing no cases, the official said, adding that when it is lacking in any venom antiserum, it will borrow from Childrens Hospitals 1 and 2. Dr. Dinh Tan Phuong, head of the emergency department of Children's Hospital 1, said that the hospital currently does not have venom antiserums for both Malayan krait and Banded krait snakes, while those for other snake species are available. Dr. Le Quoc Hung, head of the tropical disease department at Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital, also said that the hospital has no longer stocked venom antiserums against Malayan krait snakes for a year now. This antivenom is usually purchased from Thailand and it has yet to be imported into Vietnam over the past time, for the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted antiserum production, Dr. Hung explained. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Russian man was sentenced to seven months in prison after he was caught growing 27 cannabis plants at his rented apartment in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam in late 2021. The provincial Peoples Court on Monday handed down the jail term to Shedko Dmitrii, 34, for the illegal possession of narcotics. On December 24, 2021, police in Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province caught Dmitrii cultivating 27 cannabis plants at his tenanted residence, the indictment showed. The plants measured about 30 to 140 centimeters tall and weighed a combined 6.5 kilograms. Police officers also found more than three kilograms of dried cannabis stems and leaves, as well as equipment and tools used to grow, harvest, and process cannabis. Dmitrii claimed he traveled to Vietnam in November 2019 and has been living at the apartment in Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City ever since. In August 2020, the Russian man was attacked by another person and suffered a broken arm, so he began using cannabis to ease the pain. After running out of money to buy cannabis, he decided to buy seeds and tools on social media to grow the plants on his own. He initially planted about 20 seedings. After harvesting and processing the plants, he kept some for his own use and shared the remainder with other foreigners in Phan Thiet. The man went on to grow another 27 plants until he was caught by police officers. At the trial, Dmitrii said he was not fully aware of Vietnamese law regarding the use of cannabis. The foreigner also hoped to have his sentence reduced so he could continue treating his arm injury. Vietnam bans both medical and recreational uses of cannabis and cannabis-based products. It is thus illegal to grow, trade, transport, possess, and use cannabis in the Southeast Asian country. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Torrential rains resulted in serious flooding along many streets in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang Provinces, northern Vietnam on Tuesday morning, leaving many cars almost fully submerged. In Bac Giang City, the capital of the namesake province, severe inundation was recorded on Hoang Van Thu and Ngo Gia Tu Streets, as well as at the Nguyen Van Cu-Nguyen Thi Luu intersection and Quang Minh Apartment Building. Floodwaters reached as high as 50 centimeters, posing difficulties for commuters and causing many cars and motorbikes to break down. Cars are submerged along a heavily flooded street in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: B.Ninh / Tuoi Tre A similar situation also occurred in multiple locations in Bac Ninh City under Bac Ninh Province, especially along the section of Lac Long Quan Street in front of Hoang Gia Apartment Building, where many cars were almost under the water. This location is the lowest point of the city, said Ngo Van Thuc, head of the municipal management board for urban order. A flooded neighborhood in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: Y.Phong / Tuoi Tre Authorities have installed a pump in the area, but it seems to be ineffective, Thuc continued, adding that certain units were mobilized to warn local residents against traveling on this street section. Downpours of 60 to 130 millimeters were forecast to lash northern and north-central provinces on Tuesday. The rains are expected to decrease in intensity from Wednesday, but showers and thunderstorms in mountainous localities may persist for a few more days. People travel on a flooded street in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: B.Ninh / Tuoi Tre A resident travels on an inundation road in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: Ken / Tuoi Tre A car travels on a flooded street in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: Ken / Tuoi Tre A man falls off his motorbike when traveling on a flooded street in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, May 24, 2022. Photo: Ken / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Beautiful Vietnam, a collection of anime drawings depicting well-known Vietnamese landmarks by artist Nguyen Quang Thinh, has captivated netizens across the country thanks to its creative take on various landmarks. As anime, a specific genre of Japanese animation derived from manga comics, grows in popularity on the world stage, more and more artists from around the globe are producing works in the style. Thinh is one of these artists, and the detail in his anime-inspired depictions of notable Vietnamese landmarks is stunning netizens from across the country. An anime depiction of Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda by Vietnamese artist Nguyen Quang Thinh. Photo: Supplied Throughout his nine years as a creative professional, Thinh has wondered what an animated Vietnam would look like. Seven years ago, he decided to find out. His first piece was a sketch of Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda, commonly known as the 'Gate of Heaven.' He shared the drawing with a design group on Facebook, and racked up over 2,000 likes in just two hours. An anime depiction of Saint Mary's Cathedral in Kon Tum City, Kon Tum Province, Vietnam. Photo: Supplied The popularity of his work was such a surprise that he wound up taking the post down. Now, after years of work, Thinh is once again publishing anime depictions of Vietnam, this time as part of his Beautiful Vietnam series. Each picture portrays a well-known landmark or architectural structure, such as Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda in Bao Lam District, Lam Dong Province; Nghinh Phong Tower in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province; Tram Huong Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province; Lam Vien Square in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province; and Saint Mary's Cathedral in Kon Tum City, Kon Tum Province. An anime depiction of Tram Huong Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Photo: Supplied "I have drawn a lot of Japanese scenery, but had never really considered how beautiful my own country is and drawing Vietnam, Thinh said. "There are just too many gorgeous sights in Vietnam. "I'd like to create more landscapes, at least one from each province, but that will take a long time to finish." An anime depiction of Nghinh Phong Tower in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam. Photo: Supplied In addition to his passion for art, Thinh is an avid traveler who enjoys visiting tourist destinations and finding new locales. His artwork is based on his actual recollections and reflections of such travels. Netizens across Vietnam have shown wide support for Thinh. His Beautiful Vietnam series has garnered tons of compliments and likes online. Nguyen Quang Thinh during one of his trips across Vietnam. Photo: Supplied "I appreciate the emotion that people, especially locals, get when they see the magnificent landscapes of their hometowns transformed into anime, Thinh shared. In addition to his Beautiful Vietnam series, Thinh has also worked on several popular anime movies, including Attack On Titan, Dr.STONE, Baki Hanma, and Kabaneri. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Documentary film The Janes, directed by Tia Lessin (Trouble the Water) and Emma Pildes (Jane Fonda in Five Acts), which looks at the fight for abortion rights pre-Roe v. Wade, will screen on Binge in June. In the 1970s an underground network developed for women seeking safe, affordable, illegal abortions. They called themselves Jane. In the spring of 1972, police raided an apartment on the South Side of Chicago where seven women who were part of a clandestine network were arrested. Using code names, fronts, and safe houses to protect themselves and their work, the accused had built an underground network for women seeking safe, affordable, illegal abortions. They called themselves Jane. Offering first-hand accounts from the women at the centre of the group, many speaking on the record for the first time, The Janes tells the revelatory story of a group of unlikely outlaws. Defying the state legislature that outlawed abortion, the Catholic Church that condemned it, and the Chicago Mob that was profiting from it, the members of Jane risked their personal and professional lives to support women with unwanted pregnancies. In the pre-Roe v. Wade era a time when abortion was a crime in most states in the U.S. and even circulating information about abortion was a felony in Illinois the Janes provided low-cost and free abortions to an estimated 11,000 women. The film offers an extremely timely portrait of the Janes and a stark reminder of a time in the U.S. before the constitutional right to abortion was affirmed with reproductive rights in the headlines and indications that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade in an upcoming decision. The film includes stirring accounts from the women who received abortions from the secret organisation and the women at the center of Jane, including Heather Booth, Judith Arcana, Marie Leaner, Diane Stevens, Eleanor Oliver, and more, as well as insights from lawyers, doctors and others who reflect on the era, including a man who performed abortions and went on to teach The Janes how to perform the procedures themselves. HBO Documentary Films presents a Pentimento Production. Directed by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes; produced by Emma Pildes, Daniel Arcana, and Jessica Levin; executive produced by Susan Lacy. For HBO: senior producer, Sara Rodriguez; executive producers, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller. Thursday 9 June on Binge. Simon Baker, Sandra Sully and Dr. Chris Brown have been announced for the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? on SBS. They join presenter Myf Warhurst, actor Paula Duncan, chef Matt Moran, NRLs Justin Hodges, and netball champion Liz Ellis. Simon Baker said: When I started this journey, I looked back at my immediate family as this sort of mess. But the truth is, families have many different forms and I think if you can look at your own past and the past of your ancestors with compassion, you can carry that forward with you with a little bit more wisdom. Sandra Sully said: I think this experience is one of the greatest gifts myself and my family could ever have. Its given a greater understanding of why my parents are the way they are. Bernadine Lim, SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries said: Who Do You Think You Are? is one of SBSs most loved series. Through the personal stories of some of Australias biggest names, the program explores the universal desire of wanting to understand our past and where we came from. A fascinating journey that is often described as lifechanging for those involved, Who Do You Think You Are? Season 13 promises to captivate and entertain. From Australias major cities to rural communities, stories of passion, hardship and triumph colour the history of these Australian families, provoking cause for discussion and reflection on our diverse origins. In this deeply personal experience, we see participants embark on a whirlwind journey from capital cities to the most rural parts of the Australian landscape. From discoveries of brutality and heartbreak to perseverance and strength, we catch a glimpse into the lives of our most loved celebrities as they reflect on the stories at the core of their family tree. In this season, viewers will see one participant uncover the truth surrounding the identity of her dads father, while another discovers his great grandfather walked from Sydney to Bathurst at just six years old, leaving behind a life of crime and turmoil. One participant discovers his three times great grandfather was an Irish orphan who, against all odds, became a pioneering eye surgeon, leaving behind an incredible legacy to this nation. While exploring his Indigenous roots, one participant discovers spirits, heroes, and long lost family, finding a sense of spirituality he never knew existed. With multiple links to the gold rush, one participant searches for the origin of a pure gold brooch owned by her great grandmother, while another is determined to learn the truth about a handshake adoption. These intimate and often surprising journeys reflect the diversity of Australia and the natural human desire to belong. Who Do You Think You Are? is produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for SBS. Season 13 will be subtitled in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean on SBS On Demand. 7:30pm Tuesdays on 21 June on SBS. U.S. plays with fire by using "Taiwan card" to contain China: spokesperson Xinhua) 08:59, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council warned on Monday that the United States is playing with fire by using the "Taiwan card" to contain China, and will itself get burned. Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian made the remarks in response to U.S. President Joe Biden's recent Taiwan-related comments. Reiterating that the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, Zhu urged the United States to stop any remarks or actions that violate the principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques. The General Committee and the Plenary Session of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) have respectively decided to reject a Taiwan-related proposal submitted by certain countries. Zhu said this shows that the one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community and cannot be challenged. Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority must immediately halt any separatist activity and its attempt to seek "Taiwan independence" by relying on U.S. support, otherwise it will come to a bad end, Zhu warned. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Dinesh Alt Bags $157K Bounty After Demolishing the SCOOP Titans Event May 24 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor Progressive knockout (PKO) tournaments often award their champion a substantial bounty prize but the final bounty Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt received after becoming the $5,200 Titans champion was extraordinary. Alt topped a field of 163 entrants in the SCOOP 66-H: $5,200 NLHE 8-Max PKO Titans event and walked away with $230,145 in total, with an incredible $157,285 coming from the bounty prize pool! That sum is one of the biggest bounty payments PokerNews has ever seen in the online poker world. It is what happens when someone eliminates all eight of their final table opponents. SCOOP 66-H: $5,200 NLHE 8-Max PKO Titans Final Table Result Place Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt Austria $157,285 $72,860 $230,145 2 Andy "BowieEffect" Wilson United Kingdom $2,500 $72,860 $75,360 3 Ramon "RamonColillas" Colillas Andorra $15,937 $49,183 $65,120 4 Mathias "giftmyra" Joelsson Sweden $7,910 $38,054 $45,964 5 oriente1 Bolivia $24,375 $29,444 $53,819 6 Sintoras Germany $7,812 $22,782 $30,594 7 Daniel "SmilleThHero" Smiljkovic Austria $12,187 $17,627 $29,814 8 mamamamama70 Sweden $13,638 $13,368 9 Elio "smokrokflock" Fox Canada $8,750 $11,452 $20,202 A field of 163 entrants resulted in an $815,000 prize pool where half the prize money went on the heads of each player with the remaining 50% being shared by the top 20 finishers. Ognyan "cocojamb0" Dimov burst the money bubble, although he did receive $1,875 worth of scalps. The likes of Preben "prebz" Stokkan, Patrick "pads1161" Leonard, and Francisco "Tomatee" Benitez cashed, with the latter falling in tenth place and setting the final table. Elio Fox was the first victim of Dinesh Alt's sun-run Elio "smokrokflok" Fox was the first of the nine finalists to fall by the wayside. Fox crashed out in a relative cooler of a hand. Alt raised to 88,000 from under the gun, Mathias "giftmyra" Joelsson called in the cutoff, only for Fox to squeeze to 330,000 on the button. Alt made it 700,000, which folded out Joelsson, but Fox pushed all-in for 1,886,683 in total, and Alt snap-called. Alt flipped over pocket kings, Fox a pair of queens, and the kings held to gift Alt a substantial chip lead. Sweden's "mamamamama70" was the next player to fall and in dramatic circumstances. With blinds at 25,000/50,000/6,000a, Alt open shoved from middle position with none of the player in behind him having more than 25 big blinds. Daniel "SmilleThHero" Smiljkovic called all-in on the button for only 383,950 chips, and mamamamama70 called all in for 1,008,297 from the small blind. Alt turned over ten-eight of diamonds, Smiljkovic pocket queens, and mamamamama70 a pair of nines in the hole. A ten on the flop was enough to bust mamamamama70 in eighth, but Smiljkovic won an ample side pot and more than tripled up. Daniel Smiljkovic Smilkjovic was the next star out of the door despite earning that reprieve. The Austrian crashed out after Alt min-raised to 120,000 in the cutoff, Andy "BowieEffect" Wilson called on the button, and Smiljkovic defended his big blind with a call. The flop fell ten-deuce-nine with two diamonds. Smiljkovic checked, Alt bet 180,000, Wilson ducked out of the way but Smilkjovic check-raised all-in for 453,350, which Alt called. Alt had flopped top pair with his queen-ten, while Smiljkovic needed some help because his nine-eight had flopped an inferior pair. Help never arrived and Smiljkovic busted. The final six became five when Alt claimed the tournament life of "Sintoras". Sintoras open-shoved for a mere 426,730 from early position and Alt put in calling chips after paying the 60,000 big blind. It was queen-four for Alt and king-ten for Sintoras. The flop gifted Sintoras two pair, but the turn improved Alt to a straight. Game over for Sintoras. Bolivia's "oriente1" crashed out in fifth-place and Joelsson in fourth both at the hands of the unstoppable Alt who enjoyed a double elimination. Oriente1 pushed their tiny 408,231 stack into the middle during the 35,000/70,000/8,750a level. Alt made it 746,462 from the button before calling the 3,556,698 shove from Joelsson. Oriente1 flipped over pocket sixes, Joelsson the ace-deuce, but Alt was sat with pocket jacks; of course he was. Those jacks improved to a set on the flop, and the Titans event lost two players. Ramon Colillas was the victim of a Dinesh Alt cooler The very next hand saw Alt eliminate Team PokerStars' Ramon "RamonColillas" Colillas in the coolest of coolers. Colillas limped from the small blind with pocket kings, only for Alt to make it 210,000 with pocket aces! Colillas called, and the flop fell deuce-nine-queen. Colillas check-called a 175,000 bet, leading to a six on the turn. Colillas checked-called a 280,000 bet on the turn. The river was a jack, and Colillas led for 140,000 and called off the 748,236 chips he had behind when Alt shoved. That hand gave Alt a monster-sized 14,509,802 to 1,790,198 chip lead over Wilson, and the writing was on the wall for the latter. It did not take long for Alt to get the job done and his hands on his eighth final table bounty. Alt limped in for 80,000 and Wilson checked his option. A jack-ten-nine flop was greeted with a check from Wilson and an 80,000 continuation bet from Alt. Wilson check-raised all-in for 1,008,628 in total, and Alt beat him into the pot with a call. Wilson showed jack-three for top pair but Alt's queen-eight had flopped a straight! That straight held and Alt walked away with $230,145 and the title of champion. The 2022 888poker LIVE Barcelona 1,100 Main Event has come to a conclusion and Italy's Sandro Hauser came out on top of a tense heads-up duel with Alexandre Ventura Bolet. In the fourth edition of the popular mid-stakes tour at Casino Barcelona, a field of 334 entries produced a prize pool of 320,640 and the biggest portion was shared among the final three players. Besides Hauser and former Catalan chess title winner Ventura Bolet, 2013 EPT Barcelona runner-up Kimmo Kurko was also part of a three-way deal which left 13,800 and the trophy to up for grabs to the eventual champion. Kurko was the first to bow out thereafter and had to settle for 39,800 while Ventura Bolet earned 41,400 for his efforts. For cash game player Hauser, the victory not only came with a top prize of 56,800 and the 888poker LIVE Main Event trophy but also a package for the next stop of the series in Bucharest in June 2022. Kurko was one of the most notable contenders on the final table alongside the 2017 WSOP Europe Main Event champion Marti Roca de Torres and popular Spanish streamer Gerard "Gforcall" Carbo. Final Table Result 2022 888poker Barcelona 1,100 Main Event Place Winner Country Prize (in EUR) 1 Sandro Hauser Italy 56,800* 2 Alexandre Ventura Bolet Spain 41,400* 3 Kimmo Kurko Finland 39,800* 4 Stefan Wesson United Kingdom 24,000 5 Bernat Carreras Spain 20,000 6 Gerard Carbo Spain 16,500 7 Ewen Trevidy France 13,000 8 Marti Roca de Torres Spain 10,000 9 Alex Baena Spain 7,500 * includes deal of the final three players, which continued to play for 13,800 and the trophy to the winner Sandro Hauser wins the 2022 888poker LIVE Barcelona 1,100 Main Event The final day recommenced with 13 players still in contention and Sandro Hauser dominated the early stages on the outer table. As a matter of fact, he was responsible for three of the first four eliminations to enter the unofficial final table of the last nine with a very solid lead. Antonio Sanchez Torregrosa and Adan Soler Fernandez were the first two victims of Hauser's hot run while Gerard Carbo knocked out the always dangerous Jose Manuel Gonzalez on the feature table. Ashley Timms started the final day with the lead but never got anything going. When he made his stand with ace-deuce via three-bet shove, Hauser looked him up with the superior ace-jack and the Brit found no help. The final table kicked off with a clash between Day 1a chip leader Alex Baena and Kimmo Kurko as three-way action triggered the shove by Baena with the nut flush draw. Kurko tank-called with jacks and held up thanks to blanks on turn and river. The Finn was also responsible for the elimination of Marti Roca de Torres thanks to a successful flip with ace-king versus pocket tens. Hauser got back in the mix by felting Ewen Trevidy but it was Kurko who continued a hot run in all-in showdowns, sending Gerard Carbo and Bernat Carreras to the rail next. The streak vaulted the Finn to two-thirds of the chips in play but as quick as the chips came, they vanished in a spell of 20 minutes as he dashed out three double-ups. Kimmo Kurko had to settle for third place Stefan Wesson was one of several short stacks to watch as it all unfolded while taking part in his first major live poker event. He was in Barcelona on a business trip as the manager of 888poker brand ambassador Chris Eubank Jr and made it all the way to fourth place. After the departure of Wesson, the final three players struck a deal and left 13,800 to play for. Hauser prevailed with the top two pair against Kurko's gutshot and flush draw to take a near three to one lead into heads-up play with Ventura Bolet. But a fierce duel unfolded from there on with several double ups taking place. Ultimately, the blinds made the action shallow and Hauser had the best of it to earn his first tournament victory on the live poker circuit. Third Italian champion in four editions of 888poker LIVE in Barcelona The 888poker LIVE tour headed to Barcelona for the first time in 2017 and Luigi Shehadeh came out on top of an 609 entry strong field to claim the top prize of 110,000. In 2018, Adrian Constantin and Joel Isla Gonzalo cut a heads-up deal to secure 114,025 each and Constantin won the following duel for the trophy. The Romanian was among the contenders in the current edition as well but got knocked out early on Day 2 by fellow 888poker LIVE Main Event winner Adrian Costin Constantin. Gabriele Rossi then followed in the footsteps of fellow countryman Shehadeh in 2019 to claim 110,000 after topping a field of 551 entries to make it two victories out of the first three editions in Catalunya. The Italian domination in Barcelona has now continued with yet another triumph albeit in the smallest edition so far. Year Entries Prize Pool Winner Country Top Prize 2017 609 584,640 Luigi Shehadeh Italy 110,000 2018 709 709,000 Adrian Constantin Romania 114,025 2019 551 551,000 Gabriele Rossi Italy 110,000 2022 334 320,640 Sandro Hauser Italy 56,800 For its next stop, 888poker will be heading back to Bucharest in June 2022 for an 888 Main Event and Hauser will be invited to take part courtesy of the event sponsor. The online satellites and further details will be announced shortly. Gunman kills 19 children in Texas school rampage UVALDE, Texas (AP) An 18-year-old gunman opened fire at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, in the nation's deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. The assailant also killed two adults before he was killed by law enforcement. The shooting happened at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a heavily Latino community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio. It was the worst school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in late 2012. Relatives worry, mourn in wake of elementary school shooting Relatives turned to social media in a desperate attempt to find their missing children as the death toll in a gruesome school shooting at a Texas elementary school rose to at least 19 students and one teacher. Among those killed in Tuesdays shooting at Robb Elementary School in the town of Uvalde was fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles. Relative Amber Ybarra, of San Antonio, remembered her as a loving mother and wife who also was adventurous." Ybarra was preparing to give blood for the wounded and pondering how no one was able to spot problems in the 18-year-old shooter in time to stop him. Kemp wins Georgia GOP gov's race in stinging rebuke of Trump ATLANTA (AP) Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia has easily dispatched Donald Trumps hand-picked challenger in a Republican primary that demonstrated the limits of the former president and his conspiracy-fueled politics in a critical swing state. Kemp will face Democrat Stacey Abrams this fall in what will be one of the nations most consequential governors races. The results serve as a stinging rebuke of Trump in a race that he prioritized above almost all others. Angered by Kemps refusal to go along with his extraordinary effort to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, Trump personally recruited former Sen. David Perdue. But Kemp ultimately emerged as a powerful candidate. Biden says 'we have to act' after Texas school shooting WASHINGTON (AP) An anguished and angry President Joe Biden is calling for new restrictions on firearms after a gunman massacred at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school. We have to act, Biden told the nation Tuesday night from the White House, after years of failure to pass new laws. He spoke after arriving home from a five-day trip to Asia that was bookended by horrific mass tragedy. Just two days before he left on his trip, he met with victims families after a hate-motivated shooter killed 10 Black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. After Texas shooting, Conn. senator begs for gun compromise HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy came to Congress representing Sandy Hook. Now he is begging his colleagues to finally pass legislation that addresses the nations continuing gun violence problem. During an impassioned speech on the Senate floor as the latest school shooting unfolded, he said hearts in his state where 26 school children and educators were killed a decade ago are breaking for the families in Texas. The Democrat gave an impassioned speech, urging his colleagues to finally find a compromise. Live updates | Russia-Ukraine War The Russian parliament has given preliminary approval to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass says foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. Takeaways: Trump's big primary defeat; scandals for the win Donald Trumps crusade for vengeance has suffered a devastating blow after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp won his primary Tuesday despite rejecting Trump's entreaties to overturn his 2020 election defeat in the state. Voters also demonstrated an openness to embracing scandal-plagued candidates depending on the candidate, and the scandal. Former football great Herschel Walker, Trumps pick for U.S. Senate in Georgia, dominated his primary even after Republican Party leaders had first shied away from him because of his checkered history. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene won her Republican primary, shrugging off challengers who complained she was giving the party a bad name with headline-grabbing, bombastic behavior. Katie Britt, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in Alabama Senate runoff MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabamas Republican primary for U.S. Senate is going to a June runoff between Katie Britt and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks. The Republicans are seeking the nomination for the Senate seat now held by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby who is retiring. Britt is Shelbys former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Brooks overcame a feud with former President Donald Trump to secure a runoff spot. Trump initially endorsed Brooks in the race but withdrew that endorsement in March. The two edged out businessman Mike Durant, who is best known as the helicopter pilot held captive in the events chronicled in Black Hawk Down. Seoul: N Korea fires suspected ICBM and 2 other missiles SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korea says one of the three weapons North Korea test-launched into the sea Wednesday was a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile. The launches were made hours after President Joe Biden ended an Asian trip where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend its allies in the face of North Korea's nuclear treat. North Korea in March had ended a years-long moratorium on launching ICBMs. Its intent is to develop nuclear-armed missiles that can reach the American homeland. South Korea's government said one missile was an ICBM and the other two were shorter-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. and South Korean militaries fired two surface-to-surface missiles in response to demonstrate the allies striking capabilities, Osaka's mental health discussion resonates at French Open PARIS (AP) Naomi Osakas 2022 French Open is over following a first-round loss. The players remaining in the tournament see and hear products of her frank discussion about anxiety and depression a year ago. Changes at Roland Garros include new quiet rooms and three on-call psychiatrists. There also is a broader sense that mental health is a far-less-taboo topic than it once was. Several professional tennis players credit Osaka with helping bring the subject out of the shadows for their sport and helping foster more awareness and concern. As a four-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1-ranked player, Osaka's decisions to withdraw from Roland Garros last year and explain her reasons for it resonated. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WATERLOO Black business leaders in the Cedar Valley met with U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, on Monday as they worked to build relationships with the congresswoman. Those who gathered are associated with the Waterloo-based nonprofit 24/7 BLAC, or Black Leadership Advancement Consortium. The organization was formed to help Black professionals develop networks in the Cedar Valley. The name comes from a 2018 report on the financial website 24/7 Wall St. that named Waterloo/Cedar Falls as one of the worst places for Black people to live in the U.S. Organizers say they chose that name to remind themselves that they can make things better. Sharina Sallis, the president and co-founder of 24/7 BLAC, said Hinson reached out to the group. Participants spoke with her about why the group started and why it was needed. They also discussed if any laws have been passed that negatively affect Black residents. One topic of discussion was the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The act was created as a response to the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009. According to the Brookings Institution think tank, there are no Black commissioners on the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and there hasnt been a Black chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Sallis said there also are barriers to lending. Understanding how policy is connected to some of the barriers that have created the disparities is always a good opportunity. She noted it is important to share and have those conversations and open dialogue so that we can really fully understand what we can do to create a more beloved community. Hinson also mentioned barriers, and said her main takeaway from the conversation included the challenges of starting small businesses. She said she wants to target resources to specifically get Black-owned, women-owned and minority businesses and work with the Small Business Association to decrease barriers to receiving services. Hinson said she plans to work on that in Washington, D.C. She also made the point that the pipeline to entrepreneurship begins with education making sure Black students are graduating from high school. Almost 40 people have graduated from the organizations Cedar Valley Black Business Entrepreneurship and Accelerator program since 2020, and Hinson said the women leading 24/7 BLAC are creating a positive snowball effect. If theres anything I learned today, its that this group of women and leaders got together and stopped talking about (the disparities) and started doing something about it, Hinson said. Sallis said her organizations focus is at a local level, but its reach is starting to spread regionally and even nationally. She said she loves seeing relationships starting and advancing versus waiting until they need assistance. I just think the way were going to create the type of beloved community that we all desire and hope to see is that all of us are going to have to be working together, Sallis said. This is all of our community, and if we have one subset or set of individuals that are not thriving, then it all hurts us as a community. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO More than a year after armed robbers burst into their home, an Elk Run Height mother and her three children remain on edge. Random vehicles turning around in their driveway, summer fireworks and loud noises can upset the delicate balance. The mother is fearful whenever she is home alone. And then there are the night terrors that keep them up, sending the father through the dark house to double check that the doors are locked. Its tough having to look at your kids and see them cry all the time, the father, who gave up a lucrative traveling construction job following the robbery to take a position that allowed him to stay in town. His statements came Monday as one of the intruders was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison with a mandatory 17 years and six months before parole eligibility. The bottom line is this home invasion was a cowardly act, said Assistant County Attorney Brad Walz. In handing down the sentence two consecutive 25-year terms Judge Joel Dalrymple noted the crime involved a scheme to steal guns and get them onto the street. Authorities said Davon Marcell Oliver, 22, of Waterloo, and others forced their way into a Marie Drive home in February 2021, shortly after the father left town for work. They threatened the mother and made her open her husbands gun safe, Walz said. Oliver was caught days later in Waterloo apartment with most of the stolen firearms. Oliver pleaded guilty to first-robbery and first-degree burglary in December in the middle of his trial under a plea agreement that prosecutors wouldnt recommend the case to federal court. He later attempted to take back his plea saying he had been coerced and on Monday told the family that he wasnt one of the robbers and was looking out for a friend who has a child on the way. What happened to your family was definitely not right, he said. I wouldnt want anybody else to go through that. During trial, police said Oliver had admitted to his role and had entered the house during the robbery. The getaway driver in the plot, 22-year-old Dequonterio Jashawn Galloway-Bass, entered an Alford plea in the case in March and was sentenced o up to 25 years in prison with 17 and a half years mandatory. He was also sentencing in an unrelated shooting. The person who is accused of planning the crime, Daymion Eugene Ohrt, who is related to the victims, is awaiting trial. Photos: Guns in Northeast Iowa crime cases Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO A man who told police he was looking at infant and toddler porn in an effort to find missing children has been sentenced to prison. Authorities said 21-year-old Collin David Nissen, of Waterloo, formerly of Dubuque, was found with sexual images of children including sado-masochistic depictions on two Samsung cell phones and an SD card. On Monday, he was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison on a plea to one count of receipt of child porn and three counts of possession of child porn in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. He will be on supervised release for 10 years following his prison time. Evidence at sentencing showed that Nissen took steps in order to conceal his identity and possessed sexually explicit photographs and videos of babies and toddlers in 2019 and 2020. When confronted by law enforcement, he stated that he was trying to help find missing children, according to prosecutors. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO Police continue to investigate an early Sunday morning shooting that ended in the death of a local woman. An autopsy by the State Medical Examiners Office was scheduled for Monday, and the identity of the victim hasnt been released. No arrests have been made, and investigators continue to talk to witnesses and review footage from security cameras in the area. Police reopened the scene a stretch of Manson and Sumner streets on Sunday after collecting evidence. Authorities said the woman was a passenger in a car that was traveling on Sumner Street around 3:24 a.m. Sunday. Someone opened fire on the vehicle as it turned onto Manson Street, with rounds striking the vehicles passenger side and the woman. The car came to a stop in the 200 block of Manson Street, and police and paramedics attempted to save the woman. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating in the investigation, police said. It is the third homicide in the city of Waterloo in 2022. Courtney Lamont Harris, 18, was shot and killed while sitting in a parked car on Broadway Street on Jan. 8. Eugene Octavius Love Jr. is charged with murder in the case. On March 22, LaVance Cooper, 41, was shot in killed in a relatives apartment on West Second Street. His cousin, Dorray Darnell Cooper, 58, is charged with murder in the case. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO Authorities have released the identity of the Waterloo woman who was killed by gunfire over the weekend. Ana Hellia Berinobis-McLemore was a passenger in a Dodge that was traveling on Sumner Street around 3:24 a.m. on Sunday when someone began shooting at the vehicle as it rounded the corner onto Manson Street, according to Waterloo Police. Berinobis-McLemore was struck in the head and was later pronounced dead at UnityPoint-Health Allen Hospital, according to police reports. She was 26. No arrests have been made in the shooting. Anyone with information on the shooting asked to call Waterloo Police Department at (319) 291-4340 or Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers at (855) 300-TIPS (8477). Berinobis-McLemore was awaiting trial for robbery charges in the Aug. 15, 2020, shooting on Adrian Street that left one man dead. Court records allege her phone was used to communicate about the robbery plan with Robert Lee Williams Jr., who is charged with murder in the case. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 4 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR FALLS Three prestigious Bronze Medal Congressional Awards were awarded to Cedar Falls High School students, in part for their several dozen hours spent being instigators for switching to LED bulbs. A few weeks ago, Klaertje Hesselink, Harrison Redfern and Will Lynch then seniors, now graduates were formally recognized by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernsts office during the Honors Convocation for their award and work they completed with the help of the nonprofit LED Brighter Communities. In addition to completing more than 100 volunteer hours as part of the voluntary public service for the award, they met other requirements for personal development, physical fitness, and expedition and exploration that they found similarly fulfilling. The U.S. Congress touts the award as its only nonprofit and highest honor for youth civilians, according to a website that explains how whether addressing a community need, growing personally, tackling a physical challenge, or embarking on a great adventure our youth rise to the occasion. To put it simply, Congressional Award participants are difference makers. The teens were guided by their adviser, Glynis Worthington. Now theyve inspired the next generation as five additional CFHS students are currently working toward completing LED projects and building Congressional Award resumes. For me, its less about the award, but more when I see the award on my wall, Ill remember the project that we did and how we helped out, said Lynch, who worked with Redfern to replace the fluorescent lights at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Waterloo with LEDs. It will save them $800 to $1,000 per year in electrical expenses, and they wont have to replace the lights as frequently, which, with the ceiling up so high, is difficult, said Redfern, who will attend Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. The LED lights also are much brighter, and they illuminate things better in the store, which we thought might help boost sales. And they generate less heat, so it might help save on air conditioning costs in the summer. Lynch, who will attend Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Redfern worked with an electrician to take out about 66 fluorescent light fixtures, each with four light tubes, and install around 250 LED bulbs. They also raised a few thousand dollars to ensure the nonprofit wouldnt have to pay a dime. A group of donors from Prairie Lakes Church made a significant contribution. And one fun fact, Redfern pointed out, is the return on investment for LED conversions at individual homes is over 100%, meaning youre making back all of the money you spent to convert to LED in less than a year. Who is Lynn 'Al' Fear Jr., the lone external finalist for Cedar Falls public safety director? Fear is one of three finalists for the public safety director job. The other two are Craig Berte and Mark Howard who combine for about 45 years serving Cedar Falls on the force. Hesselink created a public service announcement that ran on a local radio station and promoted the benefits of installing the lights. Hesselink, who will attend the University of Iowa in Iowa City, said her ad was a good message to send to the community to change their lights to LED and was focused more from a cost perspective, instead of focusing on the environmental benefits. It was targeting the older generation, Id say 50 and up, because the newer homes are already built with LEDs, so theres no use in targeting them, and younger people dont listen to the radio, she said. More specifically, the hope was reaching people who are not in retirement or assisted living homes and who are independent. She also informed people of her project through meetings with Cedar Falls Utilities, the Rotary Club, the Public Library and other organizations. Doing the project was better than receiving any award, said Hesselink. She also led the volunteer club at her school, and a youth outreach committee promoting volunteerism. Woman killed in overnight Waterloo shooting Police and paramedics were called to the 300 block of Manson Street early Sunday, where they found a female gunfire victim in a car who was later pronounced dead. Hesselink said the personal development component was another memorable aspect of the award. I decided to self-study Japanese to take the AP Japanese test. Im half Japanese, so I do have some of that culture, but I wasnt fluent, she said. Lynch agreed the time on personal development was meaningful. Ive never been very good at handy work, so over the summer, I worked hard with a family friend doing home design, tearing up floors, and I learned a lot that Ill remember and use in the future, he said. Redfern found the award meaningful because of the guidelines for working on the initiatives. I may not have gotten involved and done our project as thorough if it wasnt for the award providing guidelines, he said. He found the exploration piece worthwhile. He went camping for the first time, which, he said, he probably wouldnt have done if it wasnt a requirement for the award. The physical fitness component also served as encouragement to go out for the swim team for the first time. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO For the first time in my entire life, I thought twice about going to the store. Thats what the Rev. Belinda Creighton-Smith told the crowd at a Monday night vigil for the victims of the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, where 10 people were killed and three hurt at a supermarket. I figured (the Buffalo store) was like a Hy-Vee on Logan, Creighton-Smith said. I thought, this would be a good opportunity for someone filled with hatred. On May 14, a teenager opened fire in a grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood in what police describe as a hate crime. The gunman, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, drove about 200 miles to carry out the attack. He also livestreamed the shooting. In a manifesto published by the alleged killer, Gendron wrote he chose the supermarket because it had the largest percentage of Black residents near his home. Although over 800 miles away, the pain is being felt in Waterloo, with some leaders and residents feeling re-traumatized. The pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, Charles Daniel, organized the vigil for the victims. When I was approached last week about holding a vigil, I did not want to do it, NAACP President LaTanya Graves said. We pray. And then within two days, three days, another shooting. Another death. Over the weekend, a young woman was killed in the 300 block of Manson Street in Waterloo. Police found the woman inside a car, and she was later pronounced dead. The recent violence both in Buffalo and in Waterloo has left Black community leaders conflicted about what to do. How many vigils do you intend to have, because the destruction of Black lives is happening every day? Waterloo Human Rights Director the Rev. Abraham Funchess asked. How do you determine which funeral youre going to highlight at this particular time? Monday nights speakers attributed gun violence to poverty in the area. A 24/7 Wall Street report that listed Waterloo-Cedar Falls as the sixth worst place to live if youre Black in the U.S. notes the metro area has one of the largest unemployment gaps between white and Black residents. The national unemployment rate is 5.3%. The rate for white residents here is 3.1%. For Black residents its 14.7%. The unemployment rate feeds into the issue of poverty. In the area, more than 33% of Black residents live in poverty. Waterloo City Councilor Nia Wilder said if someone is stuck in a situation and doesnt have a solution, they are going to act in any way they can to resolve it, whether its right or wrong. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A meeting was held in Beijing on Monday to commemorate a celebrated speech on literature and art delivered by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong at the revolutionary base of Yan'an 80 years ago. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, spoke at the meeting. He said Mao's speech expounded on the relationships that literature and art have with the people, the revolutionary struggle, and social life. Wang called on writers and artists to adhere to Marxism in the development of literature and art, maintain a people-centered approach to their work, understand that China's national rejuvenation is the theme of the present era, and carry forward the fine traditional Chinese culture. Stressing the importance of enhanced Party leadership over the literature and art sector, Wang urged efforts to cultivate more masters with both professional excellence and moral integrity. Mao delivered his speech at a meeting held in Yan'an in May 1942 to discuss the orientation of Chinese revolutionary art and literature. 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High-precision air-based missiles have hit 3 command posts, 36 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 1 self-propelled artillery division of the 14th Mechanized Brigade near Soledar, as well as 6 ammunition depots in Minkovka, Bakhmut, Nikolaevka, Spornoe and Krasnyi Liman in the Donetsk Peoples Republic, including 1 large depot of 155 mm shells for US M-777 howitzer in Razdolovka during the day. Operational-tactical and army aviation have hit 2 command posts, 3 ammunition depots, 80 areas of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 1 Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system near Pilipchatino in the Donetsk Peoples Republic. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 210 nationalists and up to 31 armoured and motor vehicles. Also, Russian fighter aviation have shot down 1 Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft near Kramotorsk in the Donetsk Peoples Republic. Missile troops and artillery have hit 84 command posts, 463 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 137 artillery and mortar units at firing positions. 13 tanks and armoured combat vehicles, 4 Grad multiple rocket launchers and 3 ammunition depots have been destroyed. Russian air defence means have shot down 5 unmanned aerial vehicles in Chernobaevka in Kherson Region, Dibrovnoe, Kamenka, Pitomnik and Malye Prokhody in Kharkov Region. In addition, 4 Ukrainian Smerch multiple-launch rockets have been intercepted over Topolskoe, Semenovka and Sukhaya Kamenka in Kharkov Region. In total, 178 Ukrainian aircraft and 125 helicopters, 995 unmanned aerial vehicles, 320 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,243 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 425 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,658 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3,124 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation. #MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing @mod_russia_enjoy WtR McFauls remarks came as NATOs Stoltenberg claimed that Alliance was confident that we will come to a quick decision to welcome Finland, Sweden. Former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael Anthony McFaul on Friday, May 20 said that Washington has been lying to Ukraine about its NATO bid since 2021. At the semi-annual Munk Debates, Harvard international affairs professor Stephen Walt was highlighting that throughout 2021, the US was cheerleading for Ukraine to join NATO despite Russias concerns about the defensive Alliances eastward expansion. Walt underscored Moscows Russias longstanding opposition to NATO expansion which he stressed poses a threat to Russias regional security. In 2021 we kept reiterating that Ukraine was going to join [NATO]. We kept saying that, over and over again, Walt noted. To this, US ambassador McFaul replied, Did you believe that? He then asserted our [US] diplomats were lying when offering Ukraine NATO membership to Ukraine, adding Yes! Yes! Thats the real word! The ambassador that served in office from 2012 to 2014 claimed that diplomats in Washington have been lying all the time about NATO membership of Ukraine, dismissing the threat to Russian security, and sarcastically adding yet the Russians should trust them. Walt then questioned the US ambassadors controversial remark, asking whether it was a common practice for diplomats like McFaul in Washington to lie or make casual statements. So our diplomats are lying? Walt asked McFaul. Thats the real world, the latter reiterated. By Zaini Majeed https://m.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/former-us-ambassador-to-russia-claims-washington-was-lying-to-ukraine-about-nato-bid-articleshow.html WtR The debate of whether sweet or savory zongzi, or sticky rice dumplings, tastes better, has become a part of the routines of Dragon Boat Festival in recent years. To cater to the varying preferences of zongzi lovers, the National Museum of China created four different packages with assorted flavors. A collaboration with noted restaurant Ding Tai Fung, the packages include both traditional and innovative zongzi fillings. The dumplings are packed in cloth bags inspired by two collections of the museum, The Scroll of a Dragon Boat Race, a classical mountain-and-water painting from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and a bronze rhinoceros-shaped zun vessel dating to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220). Prescription drug use is a major issue in the United States. The availability of prescription drugs, re-importation from foreign countries, cost, safety, and effectiveness have captured the attention of the media and the American public. The purpose of this study was to look at the use of prescription drugs in the United States among those age 50 and older. Most Americans age 50+ report using medicines wisely. However, there appears to be a disconnection between what older Americans say and do with regard to drug effectiveness. Although majorities say it is important to them to have consumer-friendly research on the relative effectiveness, safety and cost of pharmaceuticals, few say they discuss different prescription drugs (other than generics) for treating their condition when their doctor prescribes one. Among the minority (33 percent) to report talking with their doctor about different prescription drugs to treat their condition, most say their doctor raised the issue. Telephone interviews were conducted by Roper Public Affairs, part of NOP World, among a nationally representative sample of 1,001 age 50+ Americans in the continental United States between October 7th and 18th, 2004. Random digit dial (RDD) sampling was used to ensure the survey is representative of the targeted population. Dr. Barrett, the report's author, may be contacted at 202-434-6197 for additional information. Suggested citation: Barrett, Linda. Prescription Drug Use Among Midlife and Older Americans. Washington, DC: AARP Research, April 2005. Amid the latest COVID-19 flare-ups in China, fallacies have emerged in the Western media, from hyping up China's suffering from a loss in foreign investment and supposed economic stagnation to accusing China of exacerbating the global supply chain crisis and drawing smaller economies into "debt traps." The ultimate goal of these bizarre claims is to discredit China's economy and its dynamic zero-COVID policy. None have a leg to stand on. Still ideal investment destination First, all that is needed is a simple review of the hard data and interviews with business insiders to avoid the absurd belief that foreign capital is leaving China. In the first four months, foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, expanded 26.1 percent year on year to 74.47 billion U.S. dollars. The country saw 185 newly-added major projects during the period, each with foreign investment of over 100 million dollars. These figures again demonstrate that China remains one of the preferred destinations for global investors. John Ross, former director of Economic and Business Policy of London, has refuted the view calling on foreign companies to leave or minimize investment in China, stressing the most important thing is to examine the facts. As for the balance between COVID-19 controls and economic development, Ross said, "China dealt with it quite successfully and this therefore helps its economy to rebound quickly," highlighting "The results show that because the economy grew very quickly, this makes it much more attractive to FDI." A recent report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China has indicated that more than 70 percent of the assessed companies have reinvestment plans in China for 2022, and 58 percent consider their overall return on investment in China to be higher than in other places. In fact, despite temporary fluctuation facing the Chinese economy, several global investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs Group and JP Morgan Chase, still earmarked Shanghai as a target for major investment in the coming years, the Financial Times reported. Clearly, far-sighted investors believe that short-term setbacks in the Chinese economy won't derail business growth in the long run. Economic momentum remains strong Although the Chinese economy has encountered several difficulties and challenges so far this year, it is still too early to think that the country's economic growth is slowing down. As one of the first countries to resume work and production, China became the only major economy to register positive growth in 2020, with its GDP surpassing 114.4 trillion yuan (about 18 trillion dollars) in 2021. These achievements indicate that China's economic fundamentals are solid enough to maintain its growth momentum. Despite the current pressure, fundamentals remain unchanged, and the economy still enjoys strong resilience, enormous potential, vast room for maneuver and long-term sustainability. China is capable of boosting its economy amid headwinds because it has "ample" policy space, both in terms of monetary policy and fiscal policy, Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said in April, adding that China's growth "remains in positive territory." Similarly, in a recent interview with Xinhua, Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, noted that the Chinese economy prioritizes long-term structural growth over the short-term, saying he has full confidence in the robust Chinese foreign trade sectors. "I feel quite optimistic about the country realizing its potential," he said. In the face of challenges, thanks to a slew of pro-growth measures, the Chinese economy is off to a steady start this year, with its GDP up 4.8 percent year on year in the first three months. "This is a good achievement, benefiting from the economic performance and front-loading macro policy support in the first two months," Jerry Zhang, chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank (China), told Xinhua in a recent written interview. "The impact of the epidemic and global geopolitical risks may continue in the short term, but we think the fundamentals of a resilient, high-potential and prosperous economy in China remain intact," Zhang added. Global supply chain stabilizer The Western media claimed that China's fight against COVID-19 may lead to a supply chain crisis. Instead of blaming China, they should first reflect on the "de-globalization" and protectionism advocated in their own countries. While the United States and other Western countries are undergoing supply chain disruptions caused by the labor shortage crisis and a massive backlog of cargo at several ports, China has played a vital role in maintaining the stability of global supply chains with its solid industrial base, resilient supply chain and science-based policies. From January to April, China's total imports and exports expanded 7.9 percent year on year to 12.58 trillion yuan (about 1.9 trillion dollars), proving that China has successfully minimized the epidemic's negative impact on trade. Although trans-regional cargo transport in some parts of China was temporarily disturbed by the new wave of Omicron, most of the supply chains within the country are operating smoothly. Impacted factories are gradually resuming production, allowing China to continue contributing to world supply chain stability. "China still holds the cards for global supply chains," CNBC wrote on May 16. In the same piece, Vishrut Rana, a Singapore-based economist at S&P Global Ratings, was quoted as saying, "China still remains at the very center of the electronics network" the Asia-Pacific region. Rana added that "the movement out of local manufacturing is not going to be significant enough to really alter the nature of China's role in the overall supply chain." Partner without political strings The Western media continue to accuse China of laying "debt traps" worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Lending is simply an economic transaction to acquire external finance for economic development, while debt with harsh political conditions or malicious purposes are "traps." The West's hype is aimed at politicizing economic issues and tarnishing China's cooperation with other countries. In fact, China's portion of the external debt of many developing countries is smaller than some realize. Until 2020, Latin America was the region with the highest debt ratio in the world. Most of the region's foreign debt comes from the international financial markets, with Wall Street and some Western commercial banks as the leading players, not China, Zhou Yuyuan, a senior research fellow with Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told Xinhua. Similar cases can be seen in Africa, Zhou said, noting that the amount of money borrowed from the private financial sector has risen rapidly, becoming the largest source of external debt. Moreover, although China has not offered as many loans as Western banks, its investment and loans are more welcomed. According to an article in The Diplomat magazine, many low- and middle-income countries prefer Chinese investment over U.S. and European alternatives, since rich countries see developing countries as high risk and low reward and often impose onerous conditions. As the world's second-largest economy, China offers exciting market opportunities for all countries, injecting momentum into global economic growth. "The rise of China, and its powerhouse economy, remains by far the most important story of the 21st century," said one opinion piece in The Telegraph. While there may be some bumps in the short term, China's long-term economic development remains a sure bet. Providence Prospect now a Copper-Gold System Perth, May 24, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Monger Gold Ltd ( ASX:MMG ) is pleased to announce that multi-element assays from one diamond drill hole 22MNDD003, completed at the Providence Prospect, Monger North, have returned significant copper associated with the high-grade gold results (5 May 2022: Drilling at Providence Uncovers Significant Gold Results).The style of mineralisation found in this drill intersection (figs 1, 2 and 3*) is more analogous with Silver Lake Resources Ltd's ( ASX:SLR ) Deflector copper-gold mine in the Gullewa greenstone belt, that contains 27,000 tonnes of copper resources with gold, as opposed to the mines in the surrounding Mt Monger area (March 2022 Quarterly Activities Report). This copper drill intercept found at Providence appears to be unique to the Wombola Structural Domain, which is separated from the currently operating Silver Lake Resources mines, by the Monger Shear to the east and bounded by the Monger Fault to the west.Commenting on the latest drill assay results, Monger Gold's Chairman Mr Peretz Schapiro said "This high-grade copper result of one metre at 0.56% associated with 21.30g/t gold within massive sulphides pleasantly surprised us because the adjacent Silver Lake Resources Ltd mines do not contain this level of copper with gold in their ore.This early-stage copper discovery in a drill hole at Providence dovetails nicely with our foray into battery metals used in electric vehicles. Over 3-5 times the amount of copper is used in an EV compared to a combustion engine vehicle, thereby significantly increasing the demand for both copper and lithium.We are progressing with organising work programs at the recently announced Scotty Lithium Project in Nevada by with a selection for preferred contractors being finalised.We are fortunate to also possess exciting gold and other base metal projects in WA, providing us with multiple near-term catalysts. We look forward to keeping the market updated on our new copper and lithium projects".Drill hole 22MNDD003 NQ2 core size was drilled to 142.2m depth at -55deg inclination towards approximately 130deg magnetic as a diamond tail off of MMG RC drill hole 22MNRC020, into a previously untested area. Large quartz-carbonate vein breccias with massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite were discovered within dolerite host rock (photo 1*). The drill intercept at Providence is interpreted to be the down dip extension of 21MNRC007 that has opened up, due to the boudinage form of mineralisation. Because the veining up dip is within a highly deformed leucogabbro dyke on a sediment contact and this deeper intercept is on the same structure entirely within basal dolerite, the character of the gold mineralisation has changed.These types of copper-rich sulphides associated with gold are unique to this area and there has been very little exploration for copper across our tenements. Copper was also identified as being associated with gold at our Hoffmann Prospect 5km to the NE in rock chip samples.Multielement assays illustrate that copper-gold mineralisation is associated with above background trace elements of bismuth, nickel/cobalt and tellurium but interestingly very low zinc, arsenic/antimony and tungsten.Results are awaited from hyperspectral scanning by Corescan (Geoscan) Ltd, Perth, in order to quantitatively determine mineral assemblages and parameters that are important as exploration vectors and for use in future resource estimation geological models i.e. verification of geological and grade continuity.MMG recently discovered the Ben Nevis Prospect copper-zinc rock chip anomaly along strike 10km to the southeast at our Mount Monger South Project and while a planned surface EM geophysics survey is completed across this prospect, after this survey, we have locked in an EM survey across the Providence Prospect to be completed in June '22. This EM survey will look for the extent of massive sulphides associated with both copper and gold at Providence and may allow us to more effectively target the copper-gold rich zones with drilling. At Providence, initially two MLTEM lines have been planned by Southern Geoscience Consultants Pty Ltd to establish the conductor's orientation and location to maximise the effectiveness of a FLTEM survey (fig. 4*). On completion of the two lines a detailed FLTEM survey can be planned to maximise coupling with any conductors. The two lines consist of 200x200m loop with 50m moves for a total of 24 stations.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Monger Gold Ltd With an enterprise value AUD $1m and AUD $5m in funding, Monger Gold Limited's (ASX:MMG) intention is to generate value for shareholders by directing funds raised by the Offer into targeted and systematic exploration of our Projects, resulting in the definition of one or more JORC compliant gold and nickel resources. loading......... Malibu, CA, May 24, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Join Ellis Martin for a conversation with Jordan Trimble, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Skyharbour Resources ( CVE:SYH )( OTCMKTS:SYHBF ). SkyHarbour is a preeminent uranium and thorium exploration Company with projects located in the prolific Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has just secured an Option to Acquire an Initial 51% and up to 100% of the Russell Lake Uranium Project from Rio Tinto in the Athabasca. This brings the total land package of SkyHarbour Resources in the Athabasca Basin up to over 450,000 hectares or 4,500 sq km consisting of a total of 15 properties with some of the most high grade uranium targets in the world.Skyharbour Resources Ltd announced that it has entered into an Option Agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. ("RTEC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto Limited ("Rio Tinto"), to acquire up to 100% of the Russell Lake Uranium Project (the "Property" or "Project"), which comprises 26 claims covering 73,294 hectares of prospective exploration ground strategically situated between the Company's Moore Uranium project (to the east) and Denison Mines' Wheeler River project (to the west) in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin.The Project is a premier, advanced-stage exploration property given its large size, proximity to critical regional infrastructure, and the significant amount of historical exploration carried out on the property, which has identified numerous prospective target areas and several high-grade uranium showings as well as drill hole intercepts. The Property is centrally located between Cameco Corp.'s Key Lake mill to the south and McArthur River mine to the north. Access to the Property is via Highway 914, which services the McArthur River Mine and runs through the western extent of Property along with a high-voltage powerline that energizes the existing mining operations in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin.Jordan Trimble, President and CEO of Skyharbour Resources, stated:"We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with Rio Tinto to acquire up to a 100% interest in Russell Lake. This is a significant transaction for Skyharbour and involves the acquisition of a premier exploration property adjacent to our Moore project. Uranium properties with the pedigree and prospectivity of Russell Lake are few and far between given the very strategic location, notable historical exploration and findings, as well as the numerous property-wide targets with the potential to generate new discoveries.""Additionally, we welcome Rio Tinto as a new strategic shareholder and project partner. We have a shared vision for the exploration of the various prospective target areas that remain to be fully tested on the Property using modern exploration methods and techniques. We look forward to working with Rio Tinto to generate a new meaningful discovery in the years to come."To listen to the interview, please visit:*To view the release, please visit:About Skyharbour Resources Ltd. Skyharbour Resources (CVE:SYH) (OTCMKTS:SYHBF) holds an extensive portfolio of uranium and thorium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with six drill-ready projects. In July 2016, Skyharbour acquired an option from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, to acquire 100% of the Moore Uranium Project which is located approximately 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced stage uranium exploration project with high grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone. Drill results have returned up to 6.0% U3O8 over 5.9 metres, including 20.8% U3O8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. Skyharbour has signed option agreements with Orano Canada Inc. and Azincourt Energy whereby Orano and Azincourt can earn in up to 70% of specific segments of the Preston Project through a combined $9,800,000 in total exploration expenditures, as well as $1,700,000 in total cash payments and Azincourt shares. Preston is a large, geologically prospective property proximal to Fission Uranium's Triple R deposit as well as NexGen Energy's Arrow deposit. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Falcon Point Uranium Project which hosts a high-grade surface showing with up to 68% U3O8 in grab samples from a massive pitchblende vein, the source of which has yet to be discovered. The Company's 100% owned Mann Lake Uranium project on the east side of the Basin is strategically located adjacent to the Mann Lake Joint Venture operated by Cameco, where high-grade uranium mineralization has been identified. Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions. DENVER Police on Monday were investigating several shootings in the Denver area and Colorado Springs that left seven people wounded. In Colorado Springs, two juveniles were shot in a parking lot outside The Citadel mall after a disturbance that started inside the mall, police spokesperson Lt. Pam Castro said. KKTV reported that one of the victims was a 12-year-old girl who happened to be walking by when the shooting started in a dispute involving an ex- and current boyfriend of a girl. The 12-year-old is expected to survive. A boy was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound in his chest and a bullet graze on his arm. In Denver, two men and a woman were wounded in a shooting near a homeless shelter downtown early Monday and were taken to the hospital, police said. Another person was injured in a shooting in west Denver. Details of their injuries were released. Meanwhile, a woman who was shot in the shoulder in Aurora took herself to the hospital around 1 a.m. Monday, police said. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire is a looking glass into the lack of preparedness for disasters in rural New Mexico. This disaster opens the curtains on decades of neglect in our aging communities. Those seeking elected office know they need the north to win and never miss a fiesta parade, only to forget about us the morning after the votes are tallied. Now that the largest fire in the United States has landed at our feet, we are forced to navigate this disaster alone with no preparation. The states response has been painfully slow, disorganized and largely inadequate. The fire started on April 16. The first incident commander arrived in Mora 12 days after the presidential executive order was entered and a full month after the fire started. In good times, Mora has poor mobile service, limited broadband access and stretched human resources. Now the electrical service is compromised and there is no drinking water. In an age of abundant satellite technology, local leaders needed communication at ground zero at the start of the disaster, not four weeks into the tragedy a need that was too slow to be realized. Mora has an emergency medical service that operates out of two hotel rooms and pays minimum wage. Qualified and educated first responders stay and do the work because its home. There has been chronic underfunding for decades, and the fragile system is now hanging by a thread. Today, these same responders have gone weeks in that hotel with no running water and no electricity, at times sleeping in their units because if they didnt stay behind, others could die. Across the valley, the volunteer firefighters, our homegrown heroes, have been operating under the same conditions because generators were tied up in state bureaucracy in Las Vegas, New Mexico. These firefighters continue on with overused equipment and limited uniforms. These heroes have been the life blood of Mora, feeding the elderly and keeping pets alive. They do it without complaint because its home and if they dont save it, no one will. The locals at the food distribution center have been chastised for not evacuating, when evacuation resources were scarce. Their eyes are red from smoke, and despair is apparent. The Santa Fe bureaucrats wanted them out, so supply lines were repeatedly stalled behind roadblocks. If they had left, the vulnerable would suffer. Their efforts have succeeded by pure perseverance. There was no plan in place to help those that could not leave. The fires have charred our land, and the lack of resources may break our spirit. Mora residents are starting to return to rancid refrigerators from weeks without electricity. As always in the north, we are left to our scrappy ways to find solutions. The solid waste department was underfunded prior to the disaster. Now, mountains of waste will compound. Until now, none of this could be reported because reporters were also stalled behind road blocks. In a time of disaster, we do not have time for bureaucracy. We do not have time for the correct politician to get credit before providing a resource. Local leaders cannot keep up with the extreme need, exhausted themselves. Its time for the chronic underfunding of rural communities to end. Rural communities are not capable of handling the logistical burden of a disaster without immediate help. If this calamity ever falls on another New Mexico community, disaster commanders are needed on the first day of the crisis. Rural residents deserve a proper disaster response and shouldnt have to beg at the states feet to get it. People needed help weeks ago; we are now desperate for it. Antonia Roybal-Mack was born and raised in Mora. Her parents and siblings have been directly impacted by the blaze. She now practices law in Albuquerque. TOKYO President Joe Biden told fellow Indo-Pacific leaders assembled for a four-country summit Tuesday that they were navigating a dark hour in our shared history due to Russias brutal war on Ukraine and he urged the group to make a greater effort to stop Vladimir Putins aggression. This is more than just a European issue. Its a global issue, Biden said as the Quad summit with Japan, Australia and India got under way. While the president did not directly call out any countries, his message appeared to be pointed, at least in part, at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russian invasion. Unlike other Quad countries and nearly every other U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware. With Modi sitting nearby, Biden made the case that the world has a shared responsibility to do something to assist Ukrainian resistance against Russias aggression. Were navigating a dark hour in our shared history, he said. The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as in exile. The world has to deal with it, and we are, he added. For several of the bigger Asian powers, the invasion has been seen as a crucial moment for the world to demonstrate by a strong response to Russia that China should not try to seize contested territory through military action. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taking note of Russias aggression in Ukraine, told the other leaders: We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region. A reminder of tensions in the region came during Bidens trip. Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights around Japan on Tuesday. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi described the exercise as a threat and an increased level of provocation, and said the cooperation between China and Russia was concerning and unacceptable. The White House has been effusive in its praise of several Pacific countries, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, for stepping up to hit Russia with tough sanctions and export bans while offering humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv. However, the White House has been disappointed with the relative silence of India, the worlds biggest democracy. After a one-on-one meeting with Modi in Japan, Biden said they discussed Russias invasion of Ukraine and the effect it has on the entire global world order. Biden added that the U.S. and India will continue to consult on how to mitigate these negative effects. But in a reflection of Indias relationship with Moscow, the Quad leaders post-summit joint statement made no mention of Russia. In his comments, Modi did not refer to the war in Ukraine, instead ticking off several trade and investment programs that he discussed with the president. Biden has asked Modi not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other allies look to squeeze Moscows energy income. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to get off from Russian oil, and Biden has publicly referred to India as somewhat shaky in its response to the invasion. Facing Western pressure, India has condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet it also has compounded fallout from a war that has caused a global food shortage by banning wheat exports at a time when starvation is a growing risk in parts of the world. The Indian prime minister did not address Russias war against Ukraine in his public remarks at the summit. Biden has been making his case to Modi for weeks. The two spoke about the Russian invasion during a virtual Quad leaders meeting in March, and last month they had a short video conversation when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Indian counterparts in Washington. So it wont be a new conversation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said ahead of the summit. It will be a continuation of the conversation theyve already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world. While Biden and Modi may avoid public confrontation over how to respond to Russias aggression, the issue remains a major one as the U.S. and allies are looking to tighten the pressure on Putin., said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. It appears pretty clear the Biden administration is not looking for trouble with India and that most of these difficult conversations will be in private, said Green, who was a senior National Security Council aide during the George W. Bush administration. The summit came on the final day of Bidens five-day visit to Japan and South Korea, Bidens first trip to Asia as president. It also marked new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses first moment on the global stage. The new premier flew to Tokyo on Monday right after being sworn into office. The center-left Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the weekend, ending the conservative leaders nine-year rule Biden, Modi and Kishida welcomed Albanese to the club and expressed awe at his determination to join the informal security coalition so quickly after assuming office. I dont know how youre doing it, Biden, who looked a bit worn from his own travel, told Albanese. The U.S. president joked that it would be OK if the new prime minister happened to fall sleep during the meeting. Biden was to meet separately with Albanes later Tuesday. The four-way partnership has become increasingly relevant as Biden has moved to adjust U.S. foreign policy to put greater focus on the region and to counter Chinas rise as an economic and security power. He held bilateral talks with summit host Kishida on Monday. Albanese told his fellow Quad leaders he was dedicated to the groups mission to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change, Albanese said. Looming over the Quad leaders talks was Bidens blunt statement on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is even stronger after Russias invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Bidens unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. Asked by the reporters at the summit on Tuesday if his comments on Taiwan a day earlier were meant to mark a policy change, Biden simply replied, No. Some modest initiatives were announced by the Quad leaders, including a new effort to provide pediatric COVID-19 vaccines to countries most in need and a program to help nations improve security and environmental awareness of their territorial waters. The Quad last year pledged to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. So far, the group has provided about 257 million doses, according to the Biden administration. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed reporting An Albuquerque district judge running in a Democratic primary acknowledged she had been subjected to a state tax lien after indicating otherwise on a Journal questionnaire. Judge Jennifer Wernersbach said Monday that she didnt recall receiving the lien demanding payment of $1,240 for unpaid taxes from the 2016 filing period. Wernersbach faces challenger Emeterio Rudolfo for the 2nd Judicial District Court Division 16 post in the June 7 Democratic primary. In a questionnaire, the Journal asks all candidates for elected office, Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens? Wernersbach answered No. However, she acknowledged that she had been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding. Rudolfos campaign manager, Victor Lopez, sent the Journal a notice of a 2018 tax lien addressed to Wernersbach and her husband, Matthew Huggins. The notice, dated Nov. 11, 2018, said the couple owed $985 for the 2016 personal income tax filing period, plus a penalty and interest totalling $1,240.63. Online records show the lien was released in April 2020. Wernersbach said Monday she did not remember receiving the lien but didnt deny its authenticity. I honestly dont remember that particular document by any means, Wernersbach said in a phone interview. It is coming as a complete surprise to me, she said. I know I owed some taxes at some point, but I dont ever remember having a lien. Wernersbach said she had been unable to reach her certified public accountant on Monday to ask about the lien. Rudolfo acknowledged in his own Journal questionnaire that, I had tax liens many years ago. They have been resolved. Rudolfo said on Monday that he found Wernersbachs response hard to believe given that she satisfied the lien less than two years ago. Anyone who has had a tax lien does not forget, Rudolfo said in an email. This is about character, transparency in government, and rebuilding peoples faith in the judiciary. After signing up to help tackle Shanghai's latest wave of COVID-19, Chen Lei, 41, a nurse from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei province, did not immediately tell her family. The first person to hear of Chen's decision was Wei Yin, a nurse in Shanghai. In a text message sent to Wei on the afternoon on April 2, Chen wrote, "I'm going to fight the outbreak with you side by side." Chen had no hesitation in making her decision, because Wei, who works at Shanghai Huashan Hospital, traveled to Wuhan to help the city when it was hit hard by COVID-19 in early 2020. "Our friendship has developed since then," Chen said. Within minutes of contacting Wei, Chen received a reply from her friend, who tried to persuade her not to travel to Shanghai. "It is easier to become infected with the current virus, which would be a more dangerous situation than two years ago. We also won't be able to see each other this time," said Wei, a Shanghai native. Wei also phoned Chen to tell her about the high risk of infection, but Chen was determined to join the frontline battle against the outbreak. "It's what a medic should do, and also what a friend should do," she said. At 6 pm on April 3, Chen arrived in Shanghai with some 50 medics from her hospital in Wuhan. After about two days of preparation and training, they began nursing people infected with the virus at a makeshift hospital at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong New Area. Medical workers from Tianjin, and Hubei and Jiangxi provinces are in charge of the temporary hospital, which has a capacity of 15,000 beds. As of May 1, more than 30,000 patients who recovered from infection had been discharged from the facility. Before starting work at the makeshift hospital, Chen and her colleagues from Wuhan learned how to say "fever" and "headache" in the Shanghai dialect, to better ease patients' fears and learn more about their needs. Wei taught Chen the dialect, giving her personal mentoring via video link. Chen and Wei, who are of a similar age, met during the battle against COVID-19 in Wuhan, and found that they had similar ideas about their work. Over the past two years on WeChat, they have shared medical knowledge and interesting stories about life. Chen said, "I've always appreciated the timely and strong support provided by the Shanghai medical team two years ago, so this time, when they encountered difficulty in Shanghai, I was duty-bound to help." Zhao Kaochang, a respiratory physician from Wuhan who traveled to help Shanghai, also expressed his thanks for the efforts made by Shanghai medics in 2020. "I feel it is my responsibility to repay the favor, and I want to fight with them shoulder to shoulder," he said. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Twenty-five years ago, police found Edd Thompson, 48, strangled to death in an East Central motel room. On Monday, a District Court judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the case against the man accused of killing him. David Ortega, 48, was tried on a charge of first-degree murder in Thompsons 1997 death. Jurors deliberated only half a day Monday before telling Judge Bruce Fox that they had deadlocked. Prosecutors alleged that two weeks after Thompsons death, his truck turned up in Colorado containing a pay stub with Ortegas name and fingerprint on it. Ortegas DNA also was found on Thompsons fingernails, according to testimony offered during Ortegas weeklong trial in 2nd Judicial District Court. We know that Edd Thompsons keys and truck were not at that motel, Jolanna Macias, senior trial attorney for the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office, told jurors during closing arguments Monday. We do know that Edd Thompsons truck was found 15 days later in Aurora, Colorado, Macias said. We know that a pay stub belonging to this defendant was found in Thompsons truck. But Ortegas attorney, Douglas Wilber, told jurors that prosecutors offered no evidence showing that Ortega had entered the motel room or strangled Thompson. Prosecutors also offered no accounting of Thompsons actions in the hours and days before he was killed, he said. This case is just a bunch of unanswered questions, Wilber told jurors during closing arguments. The Central Avenue motel where Thompson was found no longer exists and investigators were unable to find people who worked at the motel at the time. Crucially, there are zero witnesses from the actual event, whatever it was, Wilber said. None of Ortegas fingerprints were found in the motel room or in Thompsons truck, he said. The state is showing you very, very little of what you could actually call evidence, he said. Wilber also cited what he described as a sloppy investigation by the Albuquerque Police Department. Prosecutors werent able to produce a report by the violent crimes detective who investigated Thompsons death, Wilber said. Nor did they produce any recordings of people interviewed at the time, he said. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal The two Democrats running for Bernalillo County assessor both have a history working with the office. Stephen A. Sais and Damian R. Lara are vying to fill the seat being vacated by Tanya Giddings, who cannot run again because of term limits. There are no Republicans running for the post. Sais, 39, has held positions with the Assessors Office for nearly two decades and under three administrations. He is currently the manager of the residential appraisal section, is a certified residential and commercial appraiser, and trains other assessors. The Assessors Office, Sais explained, is responsible for valuing all taxable property fairly and equitably for property tax purposes, and applying all applicable exemptions. This includes residential, commercial and business personal property, including livestock, he said. The county assessor is an important position because the majority of our local government is funded through property taxes, he said. One of the biggest issues facing the office relates to New Mexico being a partial non-disclosure state. Commercial property sales do not require a sales affidavit, Sais said, making it extremely difficult for the Assessors Office to attach an accurate and equitable value to those properties. And unlike residential properties that are subject to a 3% yearly cap on the increase in value, commercial properties can be assessed at the full current market value every year. But only when a commercial property owner feels the property has been over-assessed and wishes to appeal the appraised value is the owner willing to provide the Assessors Office with further documentation, Sais said. For the last four or five legislative sessions he has been part of discussions to update the disclosure laws as they apply to commercial property. I hope to continue that moving forward, he said. Sais, a graduate of Del Norte High School and a Marine Corps veteran, has been married for nearly 13 years to his wife, Ashley, a medical credentialist for Presbyterian Hospital. They have two daughters, age 10 and 7, both of whom attend St. Marys Catholic School. Lara, 44, formerly was a Bernalillo County deputy assessor, the economic development director for the city of Albuquerque and the lead staff attorney for the Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy Committee. He is currently an attorney with the Calderon Law Firm, specializing in real estate and property. He is also a state certified appraiser. The county assessor position is important, he said, because the taxes paid on the property assessments help to fund our infrastructure, our school capital outlay, our bonding and our GO (general obligation) bonds. All of which ultimately help fund government. I have management experience, Ive led the office. I have experience administering the constitutional and statutory requirements of the office, and I am a state certified appraiser, Lara said. So not only can I put a value on the office and know how to do that, I also know how to administer the entire gamut of the office. One of the issues he hopes to address should he be elected as county assessor is why commercial properties have declined in value over the last five or six years, he said. Lara was born in Mexico and his family came to the United States when he was 6 years old. They lived in the area of Melrose and Clovis and worked in the local fields. I pulled potatoes out of the ground and worked the onion fields in the summers, he said. Lara graduated from Riverside High School in El Paso. He then attended Brown University for his undergraduate degree and the University of New Mexico where he received his law degree. He met his wife, Iris, also a lawyer, when they were in law school. They have been married since 2008. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A wildfire that killed two people and destroyed more than 200 homes in the Ruidoso area last month might have been avoided if the Public Service Company of New Mexico had better maintained its powerline easements, a lawsuit contends. The fire began April 12 when high winds foreseeably pushed over a tall pine tree that landed on PNM utility lines, igniting dry brush and grass below, according to a lawsuit filed by three property owners seeking damages from PNM. The tree, rooted in shallow soils, on a steep slope was located near the 100 block of Warrior Drive in Ruidoso, the suit alleges. Laura Rabon, a spokeswoman for Lincoln National Forest, said Thursday that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. PNM spokeswoman Shannon Jackson responded that PNM had received the lawsuit. PNM will work with all involved parties in this litigation, Jackson said in a written statement. A U.S. Forest Service assessment issued this month said the McBride Fire started near Warrior and Gavilan Canyon road in the Village of Ruidoso. The cause remains under investigation. Strong winds spread the McBride Fire quickly, destroying 207 primary residences and blackening 6,246 acres, including more than 4,500 acres in the Lincoln National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service reported. An elderly couple were killed April 12 when the fire destroyed their home at 569 Gavilan Canyon Road. Wind gusts up to 80 mph and extremely dry conditions contributed to the fires rapid spread and ferocity. The 2nd Judicial District Court lawsuit was filed by James Karr of Lubbock, Texas, and Jerry and Debye Cox of Henderson County, Texas. The three owned vacation trailers and related property destroyed by the fire at 530 Gavilan Canyon Road in Ruidoso. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for destroyed property. It identifies as defendants PNM and PNM Resources Inc. It also names as a defendant Trees Inc., described in the suit as a Houston-based company under contract with PNM to cull trees and brush in PNM powerline easements and rights-of-way. Trees Inc. officials did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment. The firms had an obligation to maintain trees and vegetation near electrical transmission lines, the suit alleges. PNM knew that vegetation maintenance was critical to control fire damage, the suit said. PNM took a calculated risk that loss of life and damage to private property may occur if it failed to act appropriately in regard to vegetation maintenance, it said. It bet that it could reduce its cost by ignoring some hazardous vegetation threatening its electric system, while still meeting its reliability obligation to the state of New Mexico. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Soaring thousands of feet above the Southwest landscape in his ultralight trike, Jeff Gilkey feels on occasion as if he has gone back in time. Sweeping above Lucero Mesa, 30 miles west of Belen, for example, he comes upon a scene right out of the Old West, wild horses galloping into a vast brown and green country uncluttered by vehicles, structures or power lines. Theres not a sign of civilization, not even a dirt road, he said. Its really fun to fly over. And then there are those times when it seems as if he has breached the future. The other thing I often feel is that Im in a little space ship, flying over an alien world, making nice, gentle turns, following the terrain, just exploring it like in some science fiction movie, he said. Natural high Gilkey, 65, has degrees in aeronautical and mechanical engineering and is retired from Sandia National Laboratories. He has logged 2100 hours flying his Aerotrike Cobra which has a 30-foot wing and is powered by an 80-horsepower motor. Videos and still pictures he has taken from his high-flying perch have been used to make five programs shown on the Dynatheater screen at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History. His sixth presentation, Over New Mexico and the Southwest, will be screened at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Natural History Museum. It is different than his previous efforts. This new show takes things to a whole new level, he said. I bought a GoPro Fusion 360 camera and attached it to the wingtip of my trike. The camera records the entire sphere. It films in every direction and makes it possible to create amazing, immersive videos. When you watch this movie, you feel like you are pulled into this world of flying and exploration. It will be shown on the museums 55-foot planetarium dome to enhance the feeling that viewers are surrounded by the video. During the editing process, Gilkey discovered the video was sometimes too realistic for comfort. He said Geoff Skelton, Natural History Museum planetarium technician, warned him to rein in footage taken over Cerro Alesna, a volcanic peak in McKinley County. Geoff said Youve got to slow that way down. Youll have people vomiting,' Gilkey said. Over New Mexico and the Southwest includes obscure and picturesque places in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Gilkey said that sometimes the scenery is so spectacular, so beautiful that it is almost hypnotic. He tells of one such experience while flying above Marble, Colorado, near the Elk Mountains. Theres Capitol Peak with its knife-sharp ridge and the Maroon Bells, a double peak with deep maroon colors, he said. Its so overwhelming, you get this euphoria, this natural high. I got so oversaturated by the scenery, I thought I had been up for hours. When I landed, I found out I had only been up for an hour. More relaxing Gilkey started shooting the video for Over New Mexico and the Southwest in 2018 and had the project ready to go in 2020, just before the pandemic shut things down. He has been anxious to get it in front of an audience. I really enjoy flying, he said. But I also really enjoy showing the videos. His new camera has completely changed his flying and shooting experience. With the old camera, you aimed it with your wing and tried not to hit the canyon wall, Gilkey said. I can just forget (the new camera) and fly. It is much more relaxing. The down side is the editing takes ten times longer because you have so many options. You edit with a computer. You tell the camera where to point, when to zoom. It took me a year to figure it out. Id rather just go fly and collect video than do the editing. A New Mexico facility where researchers work to restore forests devastated by fires faced an almost cruelly ironic threat: The largest wildfire burning in the U.S. was fast approaching. Owen Burney and his team knew they had to save what they could. Atop their list was a priceless bank of millions of ponderosa pine, spruce and other conifer seeds meant to help restore fire-ravaged landscapes across the American West. Next were tens of thousands of tree sprouts, many of which were sown to make them more drought tolerant, that were loaded onto trailers and trucked to a greenhouse about 100 miles away. New Mexico State Universitys Forestry Research Center in the mountain community of Mora is one of only a few such nurseries in the country and stands at the forefront of a major undertaking to rebuild more resilient forests as wildfires burn hotter, faster and more often. Firefighters have managed to keep the flames from reaching the centers greenhouses and theres a chance some of the seedlings left behind could be salvaged. But Burney, superintendent of the center, said the massive fire still churning through New Mexico highlights how far behind land managers are when it comes to preventing such fires through thinning and planned burns. The sad truth is were not going to be able to do that overnight, so were going to see these catastrophic fires for a decade, two decades, three decades it depends on how quickly we make this turn, he said, while stuck at home watching live updates of the fires progression as road blocks remained in place. This year is the worst start to the wildfire season in the past decade. More than 3,737 square miles have burned across the U.S., almost triple the 10-year average. With no shortage of burn scars around the West, researchers and private groups such as The Nature Conservancy have been tapping NMSUs center for seedlings to learn how best to restore forests after the flames are extinguished. The center has provided sprouts for projects in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Texas and California, but experts said its capacity for turning out as many as 300,000 seedlings annually isnt enough now and certainly wont be in the future as climate change and drought persist. The newly formed New Mexico Reforestation Center, made up of a number of universities and the states Forestry Division, submitted a nearly $80 million proposal to the federal government just last month to jump start a reforestation pipeline that encompasses everything from seed collection to how seedlings are sown in nurseries and where theyre ultimately planted. Matt Hurteau, a biology professor at the University of New Mexico, and his team have been building models to better predict the sweet spot where seedlings will have the best chance of survival as researchers and land managers try to reestablish pockets of forest around the West. About 10,000 seedlings rescued from the forestry center in Mora will be used for a project focused on growing ponderosa pine at higher elevations. The trouble, Hurteau said, is that past fire footprints chosen for the research are in the line of fire again this year. He also noted that modeling done last year on the upper Rio Grande watershed that spans Colorado and New Mexico suggested higher elevation forests would see the biggest impacts from wildfire and climate change through the end of the century. Here we have the Calf Canyon (Hermits Peak Fire) and its ripping through those high elevation forests like its no problem at all, he said of the fire currently burning. I think were consistently seeing actual conditions happening sooner than our models would suggest. Many areas are going to need some attention, said Anne Bradley, the forest program director for The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico. The group has worked with Santa Clara Pueblo to collect seeds and plant thousands of tiny trees sown at the research center over the last few years in hopes of boosting the emerging science of reforestation. But at this pace, she acknowledges the work will take centuries. Part of the goal, she said, is to find ways to do it cost-effectively. Researchers also are looking at how the forest naturally regenerates after fire. Experts say mimicking nature by focusing on tree islands rather than dense swaths of timber could act as a hedge against the next wave of wildfires. The genetics really matter; it matters how you raise them in the nursery; it matters where you put that hole in the ground, how you harden those trees as seedlings, Bradley said. Everything we do is an attempt to learn more and to see what our options might be. Similar work is happening in Colorado, with thousands of seedlings from the center in Mora earmarked for reforestation projects there. Larissa Yocom, an assistant professor at Utah State Universitys Wildland Resources Department, has plans for thousands of aspen seedlings that were rescued from the center. She and her team have worked in the footprint of a 2020 wildfire in southwest Utah. Shes holding out hope that the large New Mexico fire wont dash plans for the latest experiment in an older burn scar just north of the fire line. If the West wants to keep its forests, policymakers need to think about it in economic terms that would have significant benefits for water supplies, recreation and the rural and tribal communities that hold these mountain landscapes sacred, said Collin Haffey, forest and watershed health coordinator with the New Mexico Forestry Division. Haffey said he can see, feel and smell the dryness thats overtaking the mountains. He has been part of a big project to replant areas of the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico, where several large blazes have burned over the last two decades, taking hundreds of homes with them. The latest fire still is creeping through some of the old burn scars. Thats part of why the reforestation component is important to me because it does allow us us being our communities to find ways to start the healing and the recovery process, he said. It will take generations after these fires. But planting trees is one small thing we can do to potentially have a large impact further down the road. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal When the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station fully closes in late September, Public Service Company of New Mexico customers could benefit from an immediate $7-per-month savings on their monthly bills. At least, thats what the state Public Regulation Commission contemplated in 2020 when it approved PNMs request to abandon the plant and replace it with less-expensive, environmentally-friendly solar generation. But now, PNM is locked in a contentious dispute with environmental and consumer advocacy groups over when the rate reduction should actually take place. PNM wants to include those consumer savings in its next rate case, to be filed in December. But that means customers wouldnt see San Juan-related cost reductions on their bills until the case ends and new rates take effect, likely in January 2024. In contrast, opponents want the PRC to order an immediate rate credit on customers bills as soon as the plant fully closes. Those issues will be hotly debated this week in public hearings at the PRC that began Monday, with roughly a dozen parties involved. After the hearings conclude on Thursday, PRC case examiners will prepare a recommended decision for PRC commissioners to consider when making a final determination, likely in June. The examiners will issue their recommendation quickly for commissioners to rule on the case before the scheduled June 30 shutdown of one of two generating units still operating at San Juan. The other unit will close in September. Well issue our recommended decision in time for the commission to take action prior to the June 30 retirement of unit 1, hearing examiner Anthony Medeiros said last week. Complex issues The case has generated acrimonious backlash against PNM. During an online PRC forum last Thursday, about two dozen people lined up to demand that PNM immediately credit customers bills after San Juan closes. But the issues under debate are fairly complex, and steeped in legal arguments about what the law actually requires of PNM, and how best to balance customer interests while preserving the utilitys financial well-being. Opponents say PNM is reneging on firm commitments it made in 2020, when the PRC approved coal-plant abandonment to comply with the states Energy Transition Act, which requires PNM to convert its grid to 100% non-carbon generation by 2045. To assist in that transition, the ETA authorized a financial mechanism known as securitization, which allows PNM to shut down San Juan years earlier than anticipated while still recovering its lost investments in the plant to maintain the companys financial stability. Under securitization, PNM can sell low-cost bonds to investors to immediately recoup its losses in the coal plant, which customers would then pay back over 25 years through a surcharge on their monthly bills. That ensures PNMs recovery, while also benefitting customers through low-interest bonds that save ratepayers money compared to what they would have paid had San Juan remained in operation. PNM also agreed to forego any profit on its investments, lowering costs for customers even more. And, once the plant closes and all operating costs disappear, PNM has estimated that average customers would see an immediate, $7-per-month savings on their bills, plus an additional $3-per-month reduction from lower utility fuel costs as solar generation replaces expensive coal supplies. Those promises were enshrined in a PRC financing order approved in 2020. The problem now is, PNM wants to delay issuing the securitization bonds until after its upcoming rate case concludes to true up all the companys systemwide expenses, which includes some $2.2 billion in new grid investments. The promised San Juan savings would then be used to offset an expected rate increase to pay for those new investments, which include costs for the solar facilities that replace San Juan. Unified opposition Opponents, however, say the PRC financing order commits PNM to issue the bonds almost immediately after plant shutdown, allowing the low-cost bonds to rapidly replace San Juan expenses on customers bills and promptly provide the promised $7-per-month savings. By delaying bond issuance, PNM will postpone rate relief for at least 15 months until after the rate case concludes, and, in the meantime, customers will continue paying for a plant thats no longer operating, opponents say. Also, PNM will still earn a profit on its San Juan investments during that time, because its commitment to forego profits only begins once the securitization bonds are issued. That means double recovery on PNM investments, opponents say, because, under securitization terms and conditions, the bonds must reflect the value of PNMs lost investments at time of plant closure, even if those bonds are issued 15 months later. Moreover, the bond proceeds will provide $40 million to assist displaced San Juan workers, and to support economic development to buffer the impact of coal closure on local communities. A 15-month delay could deprive customers and communities of assistance they need now, said Noah Long of the Natural Resources Defense Fund. For PNM to delay those benefits directly contradicts the goals of the ETA and the PRC financing order, Long told the Journal. The timing of that funding should not be at PNMs discretion. Times are tough, and ratepayers and communities need those bond benefits now. Opponents want the PRC to order an immediate customer rate credit from PNM, or, at least, force the company to place all post-shutdown revenue from San Juan into an account to guarantee that those funds are given back to customers as part of the rate case, said New Energy Economy Executive Director Mariel Nanasi. PNM doesnt have the authority to withhold those benefits from customers, Nanasi told the Journal. Oversimplifying issues? PNM says those arguments ignore the complexities involved in balancing customer interests while also maintaining the utilitys financial stability. PNM hasnt had a rate increase since 2019, but its invested $1.2 billion more in the grid, with another $1 billion planned for next year. And it wont start earning revenue back on those investments until after its next rate case. PNM says it always planned to issue the bonds after concluding its rate case to fully true up all investments and expenses, with San Juan-related customer savings offsetting any new rate hike approved by the commission. But the global pandemic and PNMs proposed merger with Connecticut-based energy giant Avangrid led PNM to postpone two previously planned rate cases in 2020 and 2021. If PNM issues the bonds this fall after San Juan closes, it would lead to a rate roller coaster for consumers, with bills initially dropping, then rising significantly again following the rate case, according to PNM. In any case, customers are currently experiencing a net benefit of up to $36 million annually because of PNMs rate-case delays, since PNM cant collect on its new grid investments until after the PRC approves new rates. But if the PRC orders an immediate rate credit upon San Juan shutdown, it would deprive the utility of needed revenue to help pay for its new investments before new rates take effect, adversely affecting credit ratings and driving up utility borrowing costs, which would hurt ratepayers more in the long term, PNM says. In addition, although customers wont see San Juan savings on their bills until after the rate case, they will benefit from a $3-per-month savings in fuel costs after the coal plant closes. We understand the political arguments of all the parties, but running a regulated, publicly-traded utility during this time of immense transition is complex, PNM spokesman Ray Sandoval told the Journal. We hold steadfast that our long-term plan provides the most benefit for customers. Opponents, however, say those are self-serving justifications to delay the bonds, which, under the PRC finance order, are supposed to be issued immediately after plant closure. Its fundamentally a disagreement over when the bonds and rate credits for customers should be issued, said Pat OConnell of Western Resource Advocates. The stakes are high. Rate relief through an immediate rate credit is a big deal, and PNM is working hard to prevent it. KYIV, Ukraine Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the 3-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Heavy fighting, meanwhile, was reported in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops took over an industrial town that hosts a thermal power station, and intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and other cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment, the governor, Serhii Haidai, wrote on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the encirclement with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theater where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theater attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging total war and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces in the region are facing a difficult situation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, which hosts a thermal power station and had a prewar population of about 11,000, and raised the Russian flag there. They have now hung their rag on the local administration building, Serhii Goshko, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio, in a reference to the Russian flag. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. Russian troops also shelled the eastern city of Slovyansk with cluster munitions, hitting a private building, according to Mayor Vadym Lyakh. He said casualties were avoided because many people had already left their homes, and he urged the remaining residents to evacuate west. Heavy fighting was also underway in the city of Lyman. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Hours later, Zelenskyy mocked Shoigus assertion. Well, after three months of searching for an explanation for why they were unable to break Ukraine in three days, they couldnt think of anything better than to say thats what they planned, he said in his video address. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open Wednesday for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, there were signs of recovery after weeks of bombardment. Residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks, though Russia continues to shell the area from afar, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution center coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the center is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food, she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually come back home. Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region, told the Russian Interfax agency that preparations are underway for a trial of captured Ukrainian soldiers, including the Mariupol defenders. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine DAVOS, Switzerland John Kerry, Americas top official on climate change, said Tuesday that the U.S. and China were making progress on putting together a group from both countries to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the worlds largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions, said Kerry. Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crackdown on methane leaks, a highly potent greenhouse gas. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central area of focus for the group. The progress report came as government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grappled with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects. A central question was: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels? In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world. But today, the question is both practical and urgent, as Russias invasion of Ukraine has forced many countries that depended on Russian oil and gas to make swift changes to energy supplies. The debate comes as examples of acutely felt impacts of climate change multiply, including recent heat waves in Southeast Asia to flooding in parts of South America. Meanwhile, the worlds top climate scientists have repeatedly warned that increased investment in fossil fuels are hurting chances to keep warming to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), and thus avoid even more devastating effects. Kerry, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, and several European officials argued Tuesday that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to lose focus on renewable energy goals. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the 27-nation bloc should never again become dependent on untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy. She said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal, but rather the green and digital transitions will rely on other materials like lithium, silicon metal or rare earth permanent magnets which are required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. We must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas, she said. We should not replace old dependencies with new ones. Von der Leyen added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to get rid of Russian fossil fuels rapidly. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal imports from Russia but member countries have yet to find a deal on sanctions on Russias oil and gas. Attendees in Davos this week were also discussing several other high-priority issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of rising hunger worldwide, inequality and persistent health crises. That included Turkeys pushback to Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital Wednesday for talks. Both Haavisto and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in separate comments at the gathering that they believe they can overcome Turkeys concerns about what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists. We have to do what we always do in NATO, and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns, Stoltenberg said. But even in discussions of those issues, climate change was often ever present, as was the tension over what role oil and gas companies may play in a transition to green energy. Davos represented one of the biggest platforms to discuss climate change ahead of the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November. Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum a major oil company, said that oil and gas industries had a central role to play in the transition to renewable energy. Instead of talk about moving away from fossil fuels, Hollub said the focus should be on making fossil fuels cleaner by reducing emissions. She said Occidental had invested heavily in wind and solar energy and planned to build the largest direct air capture facility in the world in the Permian Basin. Direct air capture is a process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it deep in the ground. The U.S. can provide ample resources to the rest of the world. However, its becoming more and more difficult to do that because of the fact that we are getting a lot of headwinds, she said on Monday. One is the belief that we can end the use of oil and gas sooner rather than later. Joe Manchin, a U.S. senator from West Virginia who has opposed a major bill on climate change proposed by President Joe Biden, said Monday that fossil fuels were key to ensure energy security, and America had the resources to help ensure such security for the world. We cant do it by abandoning the fossil fuel industry, said Manchin, a Democrat, adding that no transition could take place until alternatives were fully in place. Many energy experts argue that viable alternatives are already in place. For example, the cost of wind and solar have come down considerably in recent decades while efficiencies of both have dramatically increased. At the same time, other more nascent technologies have promise but need massive investment to develop. Kerry, in the interview, said he was still hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There is no sign of progress, or even any movement, by the Biden administration. When you are a legislator, hope springs eternal, said Kerry. You always are working to try to get the votes to make something happen. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated because Congress is clearly stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said no. Nobody is going to be in one job forever, are they? Kerry asked. But Im not planning to move on. Im working toward the COP (in Egypt) and well see what happens. ___ Associated Press journalists Kelvin Chan and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Dana Beltaji in London and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. ___ Peter Prengaman is The Associated Press global climate and environment news director and can be followed at: twitter.com/peterprengaman ____ 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. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it had hoped to overtake the country in a blitz lasting only days or a few weeks. Many Western analysts thought so, too. As the conflict marked its third month Tuesday, however, Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield. There was no quick victory for Russian President Vladimir Putins powerful forces, no rout that would allow the Kremlin to control most of Ukraine and establish a puppet government. Instead, Russian troops got bogged down on the outskirts of Kyiv and other big cities amid stiff Ukrainian defenses. Convoys of Russian armor seemed stalled on long stretches of highway. Troops ran out of supplies and gasoline, becoming easy targets. A little over a month into the invasion, Russia effectively acknowledged the failure of its blitz and pulled troops back from areas near Kyiv, declaring a shift of focus to the eastern industrial region of the Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. To be sure, Russia has seized significant chunks of territory around the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago. It also has managed to cut Ukraine off completely from the Sea of Azov, finally securing full control over the key port of Mariupol after a siege that prevented some of its troops from fighting elsewhere while they battled diehard Ukrainian forces. But the offensive in the east seems to have bogged down as well, as Western arms flow into Ukraine to bolster its outgunned army. Russian artillery and warplanes relentlessly pound Ukrainian positions, trying to break through defenses built up during the separatist conflict. They have made only incremental gains, clearly reflecting both Russias insufficient troop numbers and the Ukrainian resistance. Russia recently lost hundreds of personnel and dozens of combat vehicles while trying to cross a river to build a bridgehead. The Russians are still well behind where we believe they wanted to be when they started this revitalized effort in the eastern part of the country, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday, adding that small towns and villages were changing hands every day in the Donbas. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian forces have methodically targeted Western weapons shipments, ammunition and fuel depots, and critical infrastructure in hopes of weakening Kyivs military and economy. But in trying to gain ground, Russian forces have also relentlessly shelled cities and laid siege to some of them. In the latest example of the wars toll, 200 bodies were found in a collapsed building in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday. The Kremlin appears to still harbor a more ambitious goal of cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border, a move that would also give Moscow a land corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed. But Russia seems to know that this objective is not currently achievable with the limited forces it has. I think theyre just increasingly realizing that they cant necessarily do all of it, certainly not at one go, said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander who heads Sibylline, a strategic advisory firm. Moscows losses have forced it to rely increasingly on hastily patched-together units in the Donbas that could only make small gains, he said. Its a constant downshifting of gear toward smaller objectives that Russia can actually achieve, Crump said. And I think on the biggest scale, theyve actually downsized their strategy better to match their their ability on the ground. Two top officials appeared to acknowledge Tuesday the advance has been slower than expected. Secretary of Russias Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said it is not chasing deadlines, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the pace was deliberate to allow civilians to flee, even though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Many in Ukraine and the West thought Putin would pour resources into the Donbas to score a decisive triumph by Victory Day on May 9, when Moscow celebrates its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Rather than a massive campaign, however, the Kremlin opted for tactical mini-offensives, aimed at steadily trying to encircle Ukrainian forces. The Russian leadership is urging the military command to show at least some gains, and it has nothing else to do but to keep sending more troops into the carnage, said Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military expert at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think tank. Many in the West expected Putin to declare a broad troop mobilization, with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace saying he might do it on Victory Day. That never happened, with Russia continuing to rely on a limited force that was clearly insufficient. A massive mobilization would likely foment discontent in Russia, fuel antiwar sentiment and carry political risks. Authorities opted for more limited options, with lawmakers drafting a bill to waive the current age limit of 40 for those willing to sign up for the military. The lack of resources was underlined last week by an abrupt Russian withdrawal from areas near Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that has been bombarded since the war began. Some of those forces apparently were redeployed to the Donbas, but it wasnt enough to tip the scales. They really had to thin out the troops they had around Kharkiv, simply because theyre trying to hold to too much of a line with too few troops, said Phillips OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The Donbas fighting has increasingly become artillery duels, and it might go on for quite a long time without much movement in the lines, he said. So it will be a more of a positional battle at that point, OBrien added, with success going to whoever can take the pounding. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to get a steady flow of Western arms, including U.S. howitzers and drones, tanks from Poland and other heavy gear that is immediately sent into combat. Ukraines plan is simple and obvious wear down the Russian forces in the nearest months as much as possible, win time for receiving Western weapons and training how to use them, and then launch a counteroffensive in the southeast, said Sunhurovskyi, the Kyiv-based military expert. He said Ukraine hopes to receive even more powerful Western weapons, such as U.S. HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, anti-ship missiles and more potent air defense weapons. Russian hard-liners warn that Moscow cant win if it doesnt conduct a large mobilization and concentrate all of its resources in a decisive attack. Igor Strelkov, a former security officer who led the separatists in 2014, denounced what he described as the Kremlins indecision, saying it could lead to defeat. For Russia, the strategic deadlock is deepening, he said. Ukrainian authorities are increasingly emboldened by the slow pace of the Russian offensive and growing Western support. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed last week that pushing the Russians back to pre-invasion positions would represent a victory, but some aides declared even more ambitious goals. Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine isnt interested in a cease-fire until Russia is ready to fully liberate occupied territories, a bold statement that appears to reflect hopes for reclaiming the Donbas and Crimea. Russia, meanwhile, apparently aims to bleed Ukraine by methodically striking fuel supplies and infrastructure while grinding out military gains. The Kremlin may also hope the Wests attention will shift elsewhere. Their final hope is that we will lose interest completely in the conflict in Ukraine by the summer, Crump said. Theyre calculating the Western audiences will lose interest in the same way as Afghanistan last year. Russia thinks that time is working in its favor. ___ Danica Kirka in London, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine NEW YORK U.S. births bumped up last year, but the number of babies born was still lower than before the coronavirus pandemic. The 1% increase was a bit of a rebound from 2020, the first year of the pandemic, which witnessed the largest one-year drop in the U.S. births in nearly 50 years. But there were still about 86,000 fewer births last year than in 2019, according to a government report released Tuesday. Were still not returning to pre-pandemic levels, said Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine. U.S. births had been declining for more than a decade before COVID-19 hit, and I would expect that we would continue to see small, modest decreases, she said. Officials think last years uptick reflects births from pregnancies that had been put off during the uncertain early days of the pandemic. Deliveries were way down in January 2021, but improved as the year went on, said Brady Hamilton of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Much of the increase was seen in older moms. These are births that were postponed, said Hamilton, lead author of the new report. The report is based on a review of nearly all birth certificates issued last year. Some of the key findings: Nearly 3.7 million births were reported last year, up from the roughly 3.6 million recorded in 2020. Birth rates dropped again for teens and for women younger than 25, but rose 3% for women in their early 30s, 5% for women in their late 30s, and 3% for women in their early 40s. Birth rates rose 1% for Hispanic women and 3% for white women. But they fell 1% for Asian women, 3% for Black women, and 4% Native American and Alaska Native women. That may reflect the pandemics harsher impact on the health and lives of some racial groups, experts said. The U.S. was once among only a few developed countries with a fertility rate that ensured each generation had enough children to replace itself about 2.1 kids per woman. But its been sliding, and in 2020 dropped to about 1.6, the lowest rate on record. It rose slightly last year, to nearly 1.7. The percentage of infants born small and premature at less than 37 weeks rose 4%, to about 10.5%. It was the highest its been since 2007. The premature birth rate had declined slightly in 2020, and health officials arent sure why the increase occurred. But older moms are more likely to have preterm births, as are women infected with COVID-19, said the CDCs Joyce Martin, a study co-author. ___ 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. China on Monday published an action plan on rural construction to improve people's livelihoods in rural areas and facilitate the country's rural revitalization drive. By 2025, tangible progress should be made on rural construction, and continuous improvement should be seen in the rural living environment, according to the document jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council General Office. In the meantime, China also expects positive progress on ensuring that every village and household has access to rural infrastructure, steady advancement in basic public services, and solid results on promoting cultural and ethical progress in rural areas. The action plan will play a guiding role in advancing the rural construction initiative and making rural areas more attractive places to live and work, according to the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. The document lists 12 key tasks for promoting rural construction, including formulating a unified plan, carrying out major projects and improving relevant mechanisms in rural areas. The projects will cover areas such as road transport, water supply, energy, logistics, informatization, comprehensive services, rural housing and living environment, it said. TOKYO Hours after being sworn in as Australias new prime minister, Anthony Albanese found himself fresh off a jet and thrown into the glare of a global spotlight Tuesday. He was rewarded with a warm welcome, as well as a bit of a gentle ribbing, from U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders at an international summit in Japan. You were sworn in and got on a plane, and if you fall asleep while youre here, its OK, Biden joked as the leaders met at the Quad, an Indo-Pacific security and economic coalition meant as a counterweight to Chinas growing influence in the region. Biden marveled at Albaneses stamina. I dont know how youre doing it. But it is really quite extraordinary, just getting off the campaign trail as well. The weekend election win for Albanese, from the center-left Labor Party, was a vivid change in Australian politics, ending nine years of conservative rule, the last several under former leader Scott Morrison. Albanese has described himself as Australias first-ever political candidate with a non-Anglo Celtic name. He and Malaysian-born Penny Wong, Australias first foreign minister who was born overseas, were sworn into office Monday just before they flew to Tokyo for the meeting with Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Albaneses election came after a hard-fought campaign during which he caught COVID-19. Because his predecessor set the election date a week later than expected, Albanese had little time to prepare for the Tokyo summit. For his efforts, however, he received friendly greetings from other leaders. Kishida, in his opening remarks, took note of Albaneses tight schedule, offering his heartfelt appreciation for coming all the way to Japan right after the elections. Modi said Albaneses presence in Tokyo within 24 hours of his swearing-in demonstrates the strength of our friendship within the Quad and your commitment to it. At the summit, Albanese stressed Australias unwavering commitment to the regional forum and stressed his countrys efforts to deal with climate change and look for greater engagement with Southeast Asian countries. He did not mention aggressive security moves by China, which many countries in Asia view with worry. During the summit, Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights near Japan, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said, calling it an increased level of provocation and a threat to the Quad. Chinese H-6 bombers joined Russian TU-95s over the Sea of Japan and flew to areas over the East China Sea, but did not violate Japanese airspace, Kishi said. Separately, a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane was spotted flying off the northern Japanese coast. Kishi said Japan conveyed serious concern to both Beijing and Moscow. Chinas Ministry of Defense said the Chinese and Russian militaries carried out joint strategic air patrols above the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific. In a meeting later Tuesday, Albanese and Kishida shared concern about Chinas new security pact with the Solomon Islands, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. They also agreed to further cooperation in defense, a new U.S-led regional economic framework, clean energy and supply chain resilience, it said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote to congratulate Albanese on his election victory, in what Australian media described as a thawing of relations after years of tension over Australian laws designed to outlaw covert foreign interference in politics, which many see as aimed at China. It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important Quad leaders meeting here in Japan, Albanese said in his opening remarks at Tuesdays summit at the Japanese prime ministers office. We have had a change of government in Australia. But Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change. During a separate meeting with Biden, Albanese recounted that the U.S. government had paid for him to visit the gambling center of Las Vegas during a program he participated in in his 20s, eliciting laughter. Im not quite sure where that fit in, but it was a good trip indeed, he said. And of course my government is very committed to the alliance. Albanese said he will visit Washington to see Biden again before hosting the next Quad summit in Australia. After what has been a smooth diplomatic debut, he will face a spate of domestic demands when he returns home Wednesday and attempts to fulfill his campaign promises. On the list are tackling climate change, affordable child care and strengthening Medicare. ___ McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Tokyo and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report. DEVELOPING... Story will be updated as new information can be verified. Updated 4 times UVALDE, Texas Frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the Texas elementary school where a gunmans rampage killed 19 children and two teachers, witnesses said Wednesday, as investigators worked to track the massacre that lasted upwards of 40 minutes and ended when the 18-year-old shooter was killed by a Border Patrol team. Go in there! Go in there! nearby women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who saw the scene from outside his house, across the street from Robb Elementary School in the close-knit town of Uvalde. Carranza said the officers did not go in. Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raced to the school when he heard about the shooting, arriving while police were still gathered outside the building. Upset that police were not moving in, he raised the idea of charging into the school with several other bystanders. Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to, he said. More could have been done. They were unprepared, he added. Minutes earlier, Carranza had watched as Salvador Ramos crashed his truck into a ditch outside the school, grabbed his AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and shot at two people outside a nearby funeral home who ran away uninjured. Officials say he encountered a school district security officer outside the school, though there were conflicting reports from authorities on whether the men exchanged gunfire. After running inside, he fired on two arriving Uvalde police officers who were outside the building, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. The police officers were injured. After entering the school, Ramos charged into one classroom and began to kill. He barricaded himself by locking the door and just started shooting children and teachers that were inside that classroom, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Department of Public Safety told CNN. It just shows you the complete evil of the shooter. All those killed were in the same classroom, he said. Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told reporters that 40 minutes to an hour elapsed from when Ramos opened fire on the school security officer to when the tactical team shot him, though a department spokesman said later that they could not give a solid estimate of how long the gunman was in the school or when he was killed. The bottom line is law enforcement was there, McCraw said. They did engage immediately. They did contain (Ramos) in the classroom. Meanwhile, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation said the Border Patrol agents had trouble breaching the classroom door and had to get a staff member to open the room with a key. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner. There were more of them. There was just one of him, he said. Uvalde is a largely Latino town of some 16,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. Robb Elementary, which has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades, is a single-story brick structure in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. Hundreds packed into bleachers at the towns fairgrounds for a vigil Wednesday and the crowd swelled so big some stood around the speakers on the dirt arena. Some cried. Some closed their eyes tight, mouthing silent prayers. Parents wrapped their arms around their children, as the speakers lead prayers for healing. Before attacking the school, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother at the home they shared, authorities said. Neighbor Gilbert Gallegos, 82, who lives across the street and has known the family for decades, said he was puttering in his yard when he heard the shots. Ramos ran out the front door and across the small yard to the truck parked in front of the house. He seemed panicked, Gallegos said, and had trouble getting the truck out of park. Then he raced away: He spun out, I mean fast, spraying gravel in the air. His grandmother emerged covered in blood: She says, Berto, this is what he did. He shot me.' She was hospitalized. Gallegos, whose wife called 911, said he had heard no arguments before or after the shots, and knew of no history of bullying or abuse of Ramos, who he rarely saw. Investigators also shed no light on Ramos motive for the attack, which also left at least 17 people wounded. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Ramos, a resident of the small town about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio, had no known criminal or mental health history. We dont see a motive or catalyst right now, said McCraw of the Department of Public Safety. Ramos legally bought the rifle and a second one like it last week, just after his birthday, authorities said. About a half-hour before the mass shooting, Ramos sent the first of three online messages warning about his plans, Abbott said. Ramos wrote that he was going to shoot his grandmother, then that he had shot the woman. In the last note, sent about 15 minutes before he reached Robb Elementary, he said he was going to shoot up an elementary school, according to Abbott. Investigators said Ramos did not specify which school. Ramos sent the private, one-to-one text messages via Facebook, said company spokesman Andy Stone. It was not clear who received the messages. Grief engulfed Uvalde as the details emerged. The dead included Eliahna Garcia, an outgoing 10-year-old who loved to sing, dance and play basketball; a fellow fourth-grader, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming; and a teacher, Eva Mireles, whose husband is an officer with the school districts police department. You can just tell by their angelic smiles that they were loved, Uvalde Schools Superintendent Hal Harrell said, fighting back tears as he recalled the children and teachers killed. The tragedy was the latest in a seemingly unending wave of mass shootings across the U.S. in recent years. Just 10 days earlier, 10 Black people were shot to death in a racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. The attack was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Amid calls for tighter restrictions on firearms, the Republican governor repeatedly talked about mental health struggles among Texas young people and argued that tougher gun laws in Chicago, New York and California are ineffective. Democrat Beto ORourke, who is running against Abbott for governor, interrupted Wednesdays news conference, calling the tragedy predictable. Pointing his finger at Abbott, he said: This is on you until you choose to do something different. This will continue to happen. ORourke was escorted out as some in the room yelled at him. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin yelled that ORourke was a sick son of a bitch. Texas has some of the most gun-friendly laws in the nation and has been the site of some of the deadliest shootings in the U.S. over the past five years. I just dont know how people can sell that type of a gun to a kid 18 years old, Siria Arizmendi, the aunt of victim Eliahna Garcia, said angrily through tears. What is he going to use it for but for that purpose? President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the Second Amendment is not absolute as he called for new limitations on guns in the wake of the massacre. But the prospects for reform of the nations gun regulations appeared dim. Repeated attempts over the years to expand background checks and enact other curbs have run into Republican opposition in Congress. The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston, with the Texas governor and both of the states Republican U.S. senators scheduled to speak. Dillon Silva, whose nephew was in a classroom, said students were watching the Disney movie Moana when they heard several loud pops and a bullet shattered a window. Moments later, their teacher saw the attacker stride past. Oh, my God, he has a gun! the teacher shouted twice, according to Silva. The teacher didnt even have time to lock the door, he said. The close-knit community, built around a shaded central square, includes many families who have lived there for generations. Lorena Auguste was substitute teaching at Uvalde High School when she heard about the shooting and began frantically texting her niece, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary. Eventually she found out the girl was OK. But that night, her niece had a question. Why did they do this to us? the girl asked. Were good kids. We didnt do anything wrong. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Acacia Coronado, Eugene Garcia and Dario Lopez-Mills in Uvalde; Ben Fox, Michael Balsamo, Amanda Seitz and Eric Tucker in Washington; Paul J. Weber in Austin; Juan Lozano in Houston; Gene Johnson in Seattle; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings ATLANTA In the first statewide test of new voting restrictions, Georgias high-stakes primary election appeared to be running smoothly Tuesday with no reports of major problems in one of the nations most important battleground states. A record number of ballots cast during the early voting period in the three weeks before Election Day helped ease the strain at polling places. There were no reports of long lines or widespread equipment problems despite hotly contested GOP primary races for governor and U.S. Senate. Its all quiet, and quiet is good, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who also was facing a GOP primary challenger in his re-election bid. He said overall turnout was on track to set a record for a midterm election in the state. Tuesdays primary was the first major election since the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republican governor adopted tighter rules following the 2020 presidential election and amid a concerted effort by former President Donald Trump to cast doubt on his loss with unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Lawmakers added restrictions to mail voting, limited drop boxes and changed rules that could make it harder for voters who run into problems on Election Day to have their ballots counted. Thats despite no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, a state that Democrat Joe Biden won by about 11,800 votes. Election Day capped a record-setting early voting period in Georgia. Nearly 860,000 ballots had been cast through Friday, the majority of which were done in-person as opposed to mail. State election officials said the early turnout marked a 168% increase from the 2018 primary and a 212% increase from 2020. Republicans have touted the early voting numbers as evidence that the Georgia elections law, known as Senate Bill 202, has not harmed voters. Now we are seeing the hard evidence that as we all knew, the hysteria was never based on fact to begin with, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Tuesday. Since primaries tend to draw more experienced voters, it may be too soon to draw any sweeping conclusions about the effects of the Georgia law. In the fall, more first-time and infrequent voters those who are more likely to encounter challenges at the polls will be casting ballots. Georgias primary also was expected to draw far higher turnout among Republicans because of the closely contested GOP races for governor and secretary of state, and a high-profile U.S. Senate race. The two leading Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate were facing little to no opposition. Nothing I have seen so far has changed the fact that Georgia could have celebrated the historic turnout we saw in 2020 and made voting more accessible, said Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project. Georgia was among three states, along with Alabama and Arkansas, holding regular primaries Tuesday. Texas had runoff elections for the GOP primary for attorney general and for a Democratic congressional seat, while Minnesota was holding a special primary for the seat of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. Georgia along with other states that have held early primaries has seen a dramatic decline in the use of mailed ballots since the record numbers reported in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when voters were seeking alternatives to crowded polling places. Brad Conlon, who cast his ballot at a church in the north Georgia town of Holly Springs, said he prefers voting in-person because he believes its more secure. He said poll workers checked his ID twice. I have a lot of concerns about methods that arent really well-watched, protected, said Conlon, who owns a small business in heavily Republican Cherokee County. Across the state, election officials and voting rights groups reported a few instances of polling locations opening late, minor equipment troubles and some voters showing up at the wrong voting location in some cases because of errors in the voting materials they received. Officials acknowledged the error for some voters in Chatham County, home of Savannah, and posted signs on the door of at least one polling place redirecting voters. State election officials said a drawn-out redistricting process gave election offices tight deadlines to ensure that all voters were assigned to their proper precinct. Voting was being extended in at least seven precincts in Georgia that delayed their morning opening. There were no immediate reports of major voting issues in the other states. The new Georgia elections law made several changes. It made it harder to request a mail ballot by shortening the period voters can apply for one and added new ID requirements to the applications and the ballot itself. Voters could request a ballot online two years ago, but now they must print or obtain a paper form, sign it in ink and send it in by mail, email or fax. As of Monday, about 72,000 mail ballots had been returned out of nearly 97,000 requested by Georgia voters. About 1,300 applications were rejected for arriving past the new, earlier deadline, or about 1.4% of those submitted. Texas primary voters in March were tripped up by new identification requirements, resulting in an abnormally high rate of mail ballot rejections. Lawmakers in Alabama and Arkansas also shortened the period for those requesting absentee ballots. ___ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Alan Fram in Washington, D.C., and Jeff Martin in Holly Springs, Georgia, contributed to this report. A defiant U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene easily defeated five fellow Republicans on Tuesday in a primary race that showed her conservative Georgia constituents standing steadfastly beside her after a turbulent freshman term. Greene showed no signs of mellowing in her victory speech late Tuesday. She called, as she has in the past, for the impeachment of President Joe Biden and dismissed his election as the product of fraudulent electoral votes. She likened pandemic mask and vaccine mandates to medical tyranny, and bemoaned the cruel and illegal treatment of many nonviolent Jan. 6 protesters. Greene called Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell one of Congress failed leaders and said to loud applause that shes part of a majority who even now wants to see Hillary Clinton in jail. Sending me back to Washington will send a message to the bloodsucking establishment: It is we who will set the policy agenda for the next decade and not them, Greene said. She added: Were going to start speaking the truth more forcefully and more loudly than ever before. Greene, 47, will be back on the ballot in November facing Democrat Marcus Flowers in northwest Georgias 14th District, a seat drawn to give Republicans a huge advantage. Flowers, an Army veteran who raised $8.1 million, easily beat two other candidates in the Democratic primary. Greene became a celebrity of the Republican Partys far-right fringe with her election two years ago as she embraced former President Donald Trumps false claim that the 2020 election was stolen, and engaged in conspiracy theories about the coronavirus. Greene spoke at an event organized by a white nationalist where the crowd chanted Putin! after Russias invasion of Ukraine and launched other partisan attacks that critics said promoted racism and violence. Greene remained on the primary ballot Tuesday in Georgias 14th Congressional District after a failed effort to disqualify her by opposing voters. They argued Greene engaged in insurrection by encouraging the Jan. 6, 2021, riot that disrupted Congress certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. Georgias secretary of state and an administrative law judge dismissed the claims. Still, fellow Republicans refused to give Greene a free ride to reelection. Though her first term won loyal followers, it left others in the GOP embarrassed. Leading the slate of Republicans running to oust Greene in the primary was Jennifer Strahan, founder of a suburban Atlanta health care advisory firm who pitched herself to voters as a no-nonsense conservative. This is not the time for unserious politicians who just want to hear themselves talk, Strahan said in one campaign ad, without mentioning Greene by name. In another she stated bluntly: Our current U.S. representative isnt doing her job. Greene was stripped of her committee assignments last year by House Democrats who accused her of spreading violent and hateful conspiracies. In recent months, Greene got banned from Twitter for spreading coronavirus misinformation. Green has been largely unrepentant. In a campaign ad posted recently to her Facebook page, she calls Biden and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi communist Democrats who hate America, hate God and hate our way of life. Greene proved popular enough that she raised more than $9 million for her reelection bid, placing her among the years top fundraisers in Congress, according to the Federal Election Commission. Greene spent more than $6.6 million before the primary. Strahans $391,000 in fundraising trailed far behind Greene but dwarfed that of other Republican contenders retired physician Charles Lutin, engineer James Haygood, Marine Corps veteran Seth Synstelien and logistics executive Eric Cunningham. Spanning a stretch of northwest Georgia from metro Atlanta to the state line at Chattanooga, Tennessee, Greenes district was drawn to favor Republicans even after state lawmakers slightly shifted its boundaries during redistricting last year. Three New Mexico destinations are being billed as one of the 150 best things to do around the USA by Travel Lemming. The team of writers picked places across the country. Taos comes in at No. 4. Meanwhile, Santa Fe-based Meow Wolf ranks at No. 30 and Carlsbad Caverns National Park is at No. 52. The Southwest has three of the top five destinations, with Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff and Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, Colorado in the top two spots. This summer is shaping up to be pivotal for the tourism industry, said Nate Hake, Travel Lemming CEO. With so much on the line for the future of travel, we decided to spotlight 150 unique things our team feels are especially worth your tourism dollars. According to the article, it says Southwest soul is around every corner in the high desert town of Taos. The outdoor spaces, cultural experiences, and incredible art are all wonderful. But in my opinion, what makes Taos a stand-out destination is the kindness of its locals, said Travel Lemming editor Abigail Nueve. At No. 30 is Meow Wolf, which has portals in Las Vegas, Nevada, Denver and Santa Fe. The interdimensional art experience features immersive installations [that] will transport you to an otherworldly fantasy realm, and perhaps leave you scratching your head and wondering what you just saw, the article said. Meow Wolf is one of those things thats hard to describe, but impossible to forget, Hake said. Travel Lemming writer Jasmine Pettitt wrote about Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which is on the list at No. 52. She described it as enchanting, awe-inspiring, and humbling all at once. The overwhelming silence in the caverns allows you to reflect and contemplate life as you take it all in. To read more, visit travellemming.com/things-to-do-in-usa/ COLUMBUS, Ohio An Iraqi man who came to the United States two years ago and applied for asylum hatched a plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush in retaliation for casualties against his compatriots during the Iraq war, the U.S. government announced Tuesday. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, also schemed to smuggle other Iraqis into the U.S. from Mexico to aid in the plot, after which theyd be smuggled back out through Mexico, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Columbus. Shihab insinuated he had contacts with the Islamic State group, but it did not appear the plot came close to materializing, with confidential informants briefing the FBI from April 2021 through this month, the complaint said. Shihab was ordered held without bond by federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers during a short hearing in court Tuesday. Deavers scheduled a detention hearing for Friday. Shihab was not required to enter a plea. Soumyajit Dutta, a federal public defender representing Shihab at the hearing, declined to comment. If convicted, Shihab could face up to 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. Freddy Ford, the chief of staff at the 75-year-old former presidents office, said, President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities. Shihab worked at restaurants in and around Columbus and also at a market in Indianapolis where he had an apartment, the government said. Shihab told a confidential informant that he assisted in the killing of American soldiers during the Iraq War, and said he and others wished to kill former president Bush because they felt that he was responsible for killing many Iraqis and breaking apart the entire country of Iraq, the complaint said. Shihab traveled in February to Dallas, where he took video of the entrance gate to the neighborhood where Bush lives, and also traveled to Detroit in November to investigate smuggling Iraqi nationals into the U.S., the government said. Shihab met a confidential informant a Columbus hotel room in March to examine weapons and U.S. border patrol uniforms, according to the complaint. Shihab allegedly planned to use a Columbus car dealership to help transfer money from an Islamic State official into the U.S. Last fall, Shihab accepted thousands of dollars for what he thought was payment for him to smuggle another Iraqi citizen into the U.S., according to the complaint, but the transaction was entirely coordinated by the FBI. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police arrested a man in his fathers death at a mobile home park on Tuesday, and detectives identified three people killed in separate incidents across Albuquerque. Lt. Ray Del Greco, with the Albuquerque Police Department, said officers responded around 9:45 a.m. to the 10200 block of Central SW, near 98th, and found Abelito Rivera Sr., 70, dead outside the mobile home where he lived. By Tuesday night police had arrested his son, Abelito Rivera Jr., 42, and charged him with an open count of murder in his fathers death. Police said Rivera Sr. had died from blunt force trauma. Del Greco said there was an extensive domestic violence history at the mobile home where the men lived. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, released the names of three people killed this month across the city, including a teenage boy. He said the deaths of Angel Soto-Gallardo, 16, Nathan Wasserman, 32, and Rene Castillo, 21, were being investigated as homicides. The first was May 11, when police responded just after midnight to a shooting near Cardenas and Southern SE. Officers found Soto-Gallardo fatally shot and lying in the street. Then, on May 15, officers responded to a shooting near Chico and General Patch NE and found Wassermen shot to death. And on Friday, police were called around 2 p.m. to a shooting near Interstate 25 and Central. As they responded, Castillo showed up to the hospital with gunshot wounds and died soon after. New Mexico is set to receive $250,000 from a multi-state settlement with Ford Motor Co. over claims of false advertisement for two of the companys vehicles. Overall, the company agreed to pay $19.2 million. We worked with the states to resolve their concerns and in the process limited additional investigative costs and legal expenses for all parties, the automotive company said in a statement to the Associated Press. The states allege Ford Motor Co. falsely advertised the fuel economy of the model year 2013-2014 C-Max hybrids, as well as the payload capacity of 2011-2014 Super Duty pickup trucks. Jerri Mares, a spokeswoman for New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, told the Journal in an email that owners of model year 2013 and 2014 C-Max hybrids received restitution directly from Ford, adding that the money the state received will go to the Consumer Settlement Fund for consumer education and future investigations. An investigation found that Ford misrepresented the distance consumers could drive on one tank of gas, the real world fuel economy compared to other hybrids and falsely marketed that driving style would not impact real world fuel economy for the C-Max hybrid. Ford initially promoted the C-Max hybrid as 47 miles per gallon in the city and highway. But the company had to lower the vehicles fuel economy rating twice once in 2013 and in 2014 for the affected model years, according to the news release. As for the Ford Super Duty pickup trucks which include the F-250, F-350 and F-450 the company had omitted standard items such as the spare wheel, tire and jack when calculating the maximum payload, with the attorneys general saying Ford advertised a hypothetical truck configuration. New Mexico families deserve trustworthy and accurate information when shopping for automobiles, and it is crucial to hold businesses accountable when fuel efficiency and environmental impact is so critical for our nation, Balderas said in a statement. Dispensaries across New Mexico may owe money to the state depending on how they have taxed their adult-use products since the start of recreational sales. Recreational cannabis sales are subject to a cannabis excise tax of 12%, as well as a local gross receipts tax on each transaction. But many dispensaries, including Amnesia Dispensary & Accessories in Albuquerque, have combined the two taxes something the state is saying is incorrect and can leave businesses owing the state additional money. The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department sent a memo May 6 reminding cannabis businesses that gross receipts taxes should be figured on the total sales price, including the excise tax amount. The memo included guidance on how to do that. For instance, a sale of $100 would include a 12% cannabis excise tax to bring the total to $112. Then, businesses would add the gross receipts tax to the combined total. I havent been made aware that Im going to have to pay, but if they change that then it looks like I would have to, said Julieta Neas, owner of Amnesia Dispensary & Accessories. If thats whats going to happen, then they need to kind of just bite the bullet and take that loss because that loss shouldnt fall on us. Charlie Moore, a spokesman with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, said dispensaries werent told prior to the May 6 memo how they should be collecting taxes, but added that the department provided guidance as quickly as we could considering the statutory language. Duke Rodriguez, president and CEO of Ultra Health, said dispensaries may owe thousands of dollars because of the miscommunication. For the smallest operators, like a micro business, it probably is $1,000 to $2,000 a month, Rodriguez said. For the top operators, its probably as much as ($25,000) to $50,000. He said Ultra Health the largest cannabis business in the state was operating off of a March 2021 state analysis of the legislation that legalized recreational cannabis sales for adults, which refers to a combined maximum tax rate. He said many other businesses may have been doing the same. This method the Taxation and Revenue Department is demanding really does violate basic tax fairness principles of taxing, Rodriguez said. Both Ultra Health and Amnesia use BioTrack the states contracted track-and-trace system as a point-of-sale system for their businesses. Neas said BioTracks system had combined the two taxes when sales were made. BioTracks vice president Moe Afaneh told the Journal the company asked the state how taxes were to be levied prior to the sale of recreational cannabis, adding that there wasnt clear guidance from the start. He said BioTrack was made aware of the changes from the state after the May 6 memo was sent out, prompting the software company to make changes to its system for New Mexico dispensaries. Moore said the department would support a legislative change in the future. The Department is preparing to propose a statutory fix for calculating Gross Receipts Tax on both cannabis and cigarettes in the next legislative session, he said. WASHINGTON One of the last remaining anti-abortion Democrats in Congress was facing his toughest primary challenge yet in Tuesdays runoff, while a staunch gun safety advocate ousted her House colleague in a fierce member-on-member congressional primary in suburban Atlanta. Meanwhile, in northwest Georgia, far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conspiracy-peddling provocateur, sailed to victory despite facing a handful of GOP primary challengers in her Republican-leaning district. For both Republicans and Democrats, Tuesdays primary elections in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota and Texas pitted members of the partys activist base against more moderate candidates. The races offer a glimpse of what the next Congress could look like. Here are a handful of races to follow: THE LAST ANTI-ABORTION HOUSE DEMOCRAT Moderate Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar, a nine-term incumbent, is a perennial target for progressives. But so far the anti-abortion congressman has prevailed in a series of close races in the largely Hispanic district that stretches from the Rio Grande to San Antonio. Whether his winning streak will continue was not clear early Wednesday as Cuellar was locked in a close race against Jessica Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration attorney and abortion rights supporter who once interned in Cuellars Washington office. The race was too early to call Wednesday morning. The race is Cisneros second attempt at ousting Cuellar, whom she lost to by 4 percentage points in 2020. She came within 1,000 votes of Cuellar in Texas March primary, forcing Tuesdays runoff. Heading into the night, it appeared she had a new edge after a recently leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft showed the justices poised to overturn the historic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that grants a constitutional right to abortion. Adding to Cuellars headwinds, the FBI earlier this year raided his home in the border city of Laredo. Though Cuellars attorney says he had been exonerated, the issue was enough of a liability that his allies sent out direct mail ads with a mock newspaper headline proclaiming him cleared. The winner will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat. BRING IT ON, LIARS For the vast majority of Vernon Jones nearly three-decade-long Georgia political career, he was a Democrat. But this year, the scandal-plagued politician reinvented himself as a pro-Donald Trump Republican and jumped in the race for an open House seat that stretches from the Atlanta suburbs to Athens. Hell, they even call me the Black Donald Trump! Jones tweeted after entering the race while challenging his rivals to Bring it on, liars! Jones is one of the most prominent Black politicians to endorse Trump and spoke at the 2020 Republican convention. He even had Trumps endorsement. Jones will go to a June 21 runoff against Mike Collins, a trucking company president whose father, Mac Collins, was a former Georgia congressman, on Tuesday. Neither crossed the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Collins has already telegraphed that Jones considerable baggage will be an election issue. As DeKalbs executive, Jones faced investigations over his expensive security detail, and a woman accused Jones of raping her in late 2004. She dropped the charges but never recanted. Jones said they had a consensual sexual encounter. A grand jury later alleged that as CEO he was part of an endemic culture of incompetence, patronage, fraud and cronyism. MEMBER ON MEMBER PRIMARY After the 2020 census, Georgias Republican-dominated Legislature redrew the boundaries of Democratic Rep. Lucy McBaths suburban Atlanta district, transforming it into a GOP stronghold. They also redrew another Atlanta-area swing seat, making Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeuxs district solidly Democratic. So McBath, a nationally renowned gun-safety advocate, went district shopping and decided to challenge Bourdeaux, a college professor in her first term. And on Tuesday, McBath ousted her colleague-turned-rival, boosted by $4 millions in ad spending by the gun safety lobby, as well as a cryptocurrency billionaire. McBath ran on a compelling personal story. Shes a Black woman whose son was killed by a white man during a dispute over stereo volume in 2012. Ever since her first election in 2018, McBath has made passing gun legislation through Congress her rallying cry. Its a message that took on added poignancy Tuesday after an 18-year-old gunman entered a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children. We are exhausted, all of us, McBath told supporters late Tuesday. We are exhausted because we cannot continue to be the only country in the world where we let this happen again and again and again. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE Marjorie Taylor Greene has been a lightning rod for controversy since her 2020 election to Congress. Barely a month into her term, she was stripped of her committee assignments after social media posts were unearthed showing she had endorsed calls to assassinate prominent Democrats. But her provocations havent ebbed since then. And thats apparently what voters in her conservative northwest Georgia district like about her. On Tuesday, they overwhelmingly voted to send her back for a second term, dispatching a field of five GOP challengers, including a health care consultant who marketed herself as a no-nonsense conservative alternative. Even before Greene was first elected, her antics enraged Democrats and made her a rising Republican star. In the short term, Democrats decision to strip Greene of her committee assignments reduced her influence in a chamber where the hard work of legislating is what builds power and influence. But if Republicans win back the House majority in November, as history suggests they may, she could still come out ahead. GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is in line to become House speaker, has said she wont just get her committee assignments back; shell likely receive a promotion. MINNESOTA DUMPSTER FIRE When Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn died of kidney cancer in February, his widow, former Minnesota GOP chair Jennifer Carnahan, said her husbands wish was for her to succeed him and represent southern Minnesota in Congress. The GOP primary race did not shape up that way, with Carnahan trailing in a distant third. The Associated Press has not yet called the race. Even before announcing her bid, Carnahans friendship with a GOP donor who was federally indicted for sex-trafficking minors sparked a firestorm. Then a recording surfaced last year in which she said, Jims gonna be dead in two years. So be it. Last week, she was sued by her deceased husbands family as they attempted to recoup money they loaned him for cancer treatment, which they say she was supposed to pay back to them. The drama, which local GOP officials have likened to a dumpster fire, allowed two other candidates to surge ahead. Former state lawmaker Brad Finstad held a slim lead over state Rep. Jeremy Munson early Wednesday. But the race was too early to call. The winner will face former Hormel Foods executive Jeff Ettinger, who won the Democratic nomination. Barkhor Street is a famous scenic and shopping area in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Near the street sits a mosque, which stands out against the background of neighboring Tibetan-style buildings. While Buddhists worship at the landmark Jokhang Temple on the street, local Muslims go to the mosque regularly to pray. The community of Wabaling, where the mosque is located, is home to over 8,700 people from 10 ethnic groups, including Han, Tibetan, Hui and Bai. Despite having different religious beliefs and customs, residents live there in harmony, with many families made up of two or more ethnic groups. Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed on many occasions that the Chinese nation is closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate. "We are all members of the community of the Chinese nation." Caring neighbors Liu Gabu, a Hui ethnic, goes to the mosque every Friday. Liu, from northwest China's Gansu Province, came to Lhasa 32 years ago to start a beef and mutton business. "I fell in love with the city largely because the people here are so nice," said Liu, 51. He recalled his two-wheeled cart, which he used to deliver meat, often getting stuck back when the roads in Lhasa were still bumpy. "I often found Tibetan strangers coming to help pull out the cart," he said. Via a matchmaker, Liu met his wife, a Tibetan from Sichuan Province. Now, the couple has bought a villa with six bedrooms in Lhasa. When the family leaves for vacation, they will leave the door key to a Tibetan neighbor. "My neighbor is very kind. He will take care of our house, and help us water the flowers," said Liu. In Tibet, there are 45 ethnic groups with Tibetans and other ethnic minorities accounting for about 90 percent of the population. The region has long had a fine tradition of exchanges, communication, and integration among ethnic groups since ancient times. In the seventh century, Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo married Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), starting a new chapter of building ties among different ethnic groups. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, economic and cultural exchanges between ethnic groups have become closer and their sense of national identity has grown stronger. While addressing the central conference on ethnic affairs last August, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said guiding all ethnic groups to jointly strive for fully building a modern socialist country must be taken as a crucial task of the ethnic work of the CPC in the new era. One community, one family Yangpel, a community worker from Wabaling, said more than 100 couples spanning Tibetan, Hui and Han ethnic groups have wedded in the Wabaling community. During festivals of different ethnic groups, the community will organize activities, inviting the families of cross-ethnic groups to enjoy festive food. "We offered mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival and yogurt at the Tibetan Shoton Festival for them to enjoy together," she said. Halima, 81, enjoyed the mooncakes distributed by the community last year. The former Tibetan farmer named herself "Halima," a Hui-style name, after marrying her Hui husband, a telecommunication worker. Her younger daughter-in-law is of Han ethnic group. Their house, a three-story Tibetan building, is decorated with accessories of various ethnic styles, such as a Tibetan liquor vessel, an Islamic-style alarm clock, and Han-style ceramic horses. The big family celebrates all Han, Tibetan and Muslim festivals, including the Spring Festival, Tibetan New Year, and the Eid al-Fitr. "The secret to harmony among family is caring for each other and understanding each other," said Halima. Tibet is a prime example of how ethnic unity has boosted local development. Regional GDP ballooned to 208 billion yuan (about 31.1 billion U.S. dollars) in 2021 from 129 million yuan in 1951; all registered poor residents and counties had shaken off poverty by the end of 2019, meaning that the region escaped absolute poverty for the first time in history. While visiting the region in July 2021, Xi said people of all ethnic groups had jointly contributed to the development of Tibet and written the history of Tibet. "Tibet could never have attained such achievements without ethnic unity," said Losang Jamcan, director of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress. "Tibet's development over the past 70 years has offered convincing evidence that solidarity and stability bring prosperity." Mission Paani, an initiative by News18 and Harpic, has taken a giant leap towards becoming a global agenda at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting being held in Davos, Switzerland. At the World Economic Forum, the Mission Paani campaign is putting the spotlight on issues such as Clean Water, Sustainable Sanitation that need urgent attention for an equitable tomorrow. As a part of the initiative, News18 Network will host a wide array of conversations with global leaders and change makers on the issue of sanitation at the World Economic Forum. Ushering powerful and impactful dialogues on sustainable sanitation, the Mission Paani initiative will bring on board global leaders to commit to the cause of ensuring safety against infectious diseases, provide safe toilets and clean drinking water. Mission Paani highlights urgent humanitarian and security challenges as they simultaneously advance long-standing economic, environmental and societal priorities all while reinforcing the foundations of a stable global system. With the campaign now showcased at the World Economic Forum, it hopes to bring the attention of the world leaders to this global issue. At the World Economic Forum, the Mission Paani initiative has already gathered support from Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri and spiritual leader Sadhguru. Several other key opinion leaders such as Raghav Chadha (MP, Aam Aadmi Party), K. T. Rama Rao (Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology of Telangana,), Salil Parekh (CEO, Infosys), Prashant Pitti (Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip), Yusuf Ali (Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group International) and Nas Daily, International Blogger have also shown their support for the Mission Paani initiative at Davos. Ravi Bhatnagar, Director External Affairs and Partnerships SOA at Reckitt and Sourabh Jain, Regional Marketing Director & SPOC, South Asia, Reckitt Hygiene are also powering the Harpic Mission Paani initiatives presence at the global forum. As part of the initiatives endeavour to give voice to the water and sanitation needs of millions of Indians and inspire many to work towards saving water and maintaining hygiene and sanitation, Mission Paani launched the Sanitation Preamble last year on Nov 19th, on the occasion of World Toilet Day at the Rashtriya Swacchta Kendra in the presence of many senior dignitaries and Government Representatives. Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Monday called for adhering to the dynamic zero-COVID policy and taking more thorough measures to cut off all COVID-19 transmission chains in communities. Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Beijing. She urged efforts to strengthen epidemiological investigation and tracing, transferring and quarantine, to ensure the health and safety of the people, as well as the normal order of production and life. The current epidemic situation in Beijing remains controllable overall but there have been sporadic cases in a few localities, Sun said, adding that the COVID-19 containment efforts cannot be slackened. She also called for efforts to move faster to handle cluster cases and to properly organize nucleic acid testing to detect infections at an early date, and in the meantime, to ensure that basic living needs are met, as well as people's needs regarding medical treatment. After more than two years of working from home, most organisations are back to work from office mode, while some are opting for a hybrid work mode. Two-way communication is essential in todays fast-paced corporate world. Cultivating a two-way interaction with the work force has become essential for organisations for a successful internal communication strategy. InMobi recently implemented a return-to-work plan to raise enthusiasm about returning to the office among teams through a guerrilla marketing campaign within the company. The campaign was a big success, thanks to the HR staff's collaboration with their content marketing team. Employees were enthusiastic participants and supporters and mirrored the InMobi work culture. In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Sahil Mathur, CHRO, InMobi Group, speaks at length about how the company geared up to welcome back its employees to office in an innovative way. What encouraged you to come up this campaign? InMobis Back 2 Office (B2O) campaign was created to welcome team members back to the office and to help them transition in an exciting way. We wanted to make it celebratory, fun, and festive. Most importantly, it was designed in such a way that it could give employees a glimpse of what InMobi culture is. This was an opportunity to have everyone establish and experience real connections with their colleagues. This is where the beliefs and values become tangible and, therefore, culture comes to life. This campaign was important as more than 50 per cent of the workforce had joined during the pandemic and had never met their colleagues and/ or had never been to any of the vibrant InMobi Group company offices before. It was important for us to understand the nuances of how to get people back into offices with ease, comfort, sensitivity, compassion, and fun. How do you plan to be different through your new campaign? We wanted to create a campaign that would make coming back to office less stressful and would also ease many of the concerns that employees would have about this transition, in a fun way. We decided to leverage the skills of our content marketing team to create internal buzz around The back to office program, instead of just sending out boring emails. The team came up with the idea of a series of emailers from unique IDs. These emails were sent across the organisation as a guerrilla campaign not even the leadership knew these were going out! To begin with, everyone at Glance received a mailer from yourofficeclothes@glance.com, which had old office clothes reach out to people asking to reconnect after a two-year separation! These sparked an intense debate among employees as to who was sending these emails. Senior leaders even sent messages to IT and HR asking if they could investigate and find out if these emails might be part of some external phishing attempt. Never once did we reveal these emails were seeded and employees started talking about it in different Team groups. Eventually, they realised this was a B2O campaign, but by then a lot of buzz and engagement was created for the campaign. It was immensely appreciated by employees, who even wrote back to these email IDs with some hilarious responses. What is the objective of this campaign and who are you targeting with this campaign? Could you elaborate on the profile of this audience? This campaign was done specifically at Bengaluru, India. The objective was to give employees an immersive experience of our culture and assist them to make a smooth transition from working remote to working in office, for a few days in a week. The employee demographic and attributes are varied new to tenured, junior to senior, and across all types of roles. What is the importance of flexibility in the workplace, and how can organisations leverage it to the best? At the InMobi Group, team members have always had the flexibility to work in a manner that brings out the best in them. Our core culture and values are based on trust. Trust your employees to deliver their best and they will trust you in return and deliver beyond your expectations. They are empowered in multiple ways to meet the goals of the organisation and their personal goals too. Team members have flexibility to decide how they wish to use their time. We provide freedom and flexibility and expect our people to be responsible. Also, with the pandemic, the social ecosystem and the familial environment have changed. And we need to allow people to mesh the professional and the personal so that they find the right harmony. Decisions have been made by employees with respect to their surroundings and families that are now key factors. We need to let our employees be natural in these and, therefore, have them give their best. What are the key takeaways from the exercise, and some insights for HR leaders? There are several learnings from an exercise such as this. The exercise was hugely successful, but there were some challenges as well. One thing which was clear was that the social interactions and collaborations in the same physical space and not on a screen have their advantages. People need to get comfortable with both and derive maximum value by optimising the two. On a related note, etiquettes of ensuring the virtual and physical collaboration in meetings so that it is equally inclusive for people in the room and virtual, is key. Employees have changed city locations, set up workspaces and environments in certain ways, have merged professional and personal responsibilities through the day and due to these and as with any change, adoption and adaptation take time. The key is to have an employee-centric approach while planning any such change. As leaders, it is important to be empathetic, be flexible, give time to adapt and most importantly show the way. Overall well-being of the employees must be in focus. Summer season is perfect time to don attire which makes one feel comfortable in their skin, provides necessary comfort in the heat, and makes them stand out from the crowd. MADAME has come up with summer collection for the year 2022 which is being appreciated by the customers across the country. To further showcase its unique apparel range for the year 2022, MADAME has launched a video campaign featuring Bollywood actress Tara Sutaria. She can be seen shining in the video as Sutaria gracefully carries the premium clothing by MADAME. This year, the brand has partnered with Sutaria and brought her onboard as the celeb face of MADAME. This is the first video campaign which the brand has released as part of this collaboration. The campaign, released with the tagline 'Make Now Yours', is themed around living every moment to the fullest, so that you can call the moment yours. The Summer Collection is designed to be warm and summery, filled with blooming flowers and an airy breeze. The dreaminess reflects in the transition from a dreamland to an equally dreamy reality, as shown in the movie launched. "I adore the collection by MADAME, a brand that has also been a favorite of mine for a very long time. I believe it reflects everything that an Indian woman stands for, courage, determination, freedom, and grace. I'm positive everybody will definitely love this fabulous summer collection," said Tara Sutaria. "With the Spring Summer'22 collection by MADAME, you can claim every moment as your own. We believe that there's no better moment than now and there's no better person than you to grab every fleeting opportunity to celebrate. Let the sun be your spotlight as you #MakeNowYours with MADAME," said Sumedha Jain, Head of Marketing and Communications, MADAME. The thoughtfully created capsule collection such as the Daisy Mist, Pink Caravan, Sorbet Blue, Lilac Sage, Indigo Breeze, Saturated Blends and Pastel Checks, etc. is aimed at inspiring modern women to be chic, bold and brave. These have been designed specifically for the Indian customers keeping in mind their unique requirements. In 1993, the brand was created to meet the fashion needs of progressive and modern Indian women. It has a strong customer base and provides high-quality, reasonably priced clothing for Indian customers. MADAME opened its first store in 2002, and it now has over 150+ storefronts and another 700+ retail touchpoints across the country. Commendably, having achieved the targeted sales this year, the company has set an aim for a 50% growth in its overall business in the current financial year. The brand is also vended through shop-in-shop stores like Kapsons, large format stores like Shoppers Stop, online marketplace such as Myntra, Ajio, Flipkart and Amazon, and its own online store, glamly.com. The third season of Indias most-watched, loved Web show Aashram is all set to stream on MX Player on 3rd June 2022. Watched by 160 MN unique users, the show has been a massive hit among the audiences and is the biggest franchise on Indian OTT. Bobby Deol is back in this riveting social drama as Baba Nirala in a more intense and vicious avatar, who continues to bend every rule to suit himself and has become a power-hungry adversary. The much-anticipated trailer of the third season has certainly left the audiences asking for more. Producer and Director Prakash Jha said, It was indeed a pleasure working with the team of MX Player who supported us throughout in all our decisions. I'm blessed to have landed such a lovely set of cast members who put their life into the show and the crew who helped me bring out such a story. Everywhere I went, I was asked one question When is the third season of Aashram coming? Well, now you all know. A lot of research was done prior to the making of the show and now that it is almost here, I hope everyone loves it. Talking about the much-anticipated show, Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Officer at MX Player said, I genuinely believe that cinema reflects society and vice versa. Its important to create an impact with your work. Personally, I have never come across or met any baba. It requires a lot of time, effort, energy, and passion to create a show of this magnitude and scale. The first two seasons of Ashram have been so well received by the audiences, with a total viewership of around 160 MN unique users. The social drama was watched by more than 60 MN users in Maharashtra and Delhi NCR alone. And the trailer of Aashram season 3 was trending number one in India within 6 hours of its launch organically. This is the power of a good show, and it has been made possible by a lot of people my team at MX Player, the entire cast and crew of the show. But above all, the credit goes to the captain of the ship, the man with a vision, the man who breathed life into all the characters and the story, Prakash Jha. Bobby Deol, who essays the central character of Kashipur Waale Baba Nirala, joined the event virtually. He said, It is really heartening to see this kind of love and appreciation that Aashram has been receiving over the years. I am grateful to our loyal viewers who have made this the most watched show with 1.6 billion views and hope they continue to shower their love on us with the third season. Darshan Kumaar essaying the role of a dedicated police officer, Ujagar Singh said, I am grateful to Prakash Sir and Gautam Talwar for this opportunity and for the love they have showered upon all of us. A special thanks to MX Player for their support throughout. I know theres a certain responsibility to live up to the audiences expectations and we all have worked really hard to deliver the best performances. Hope people enjoy watching it as much as we did while shooting it. With all the quintessential requisites of an entertaining show that combines politics, crime and drama, Ek Badnaam Aashram 3 revolves around the meteoric rise of godmen in India and how the masses blindly follow them in the name of religion. This fascination for godmen in India is prevalent for decades now. Backed by the elite and the political class, these self-proclaimed gurus fear no one. Despite convictions for violent crimes like murder and rape, people continue to believe in the supremacy of fake gurus. Ek Badnaam Aashram 3 brings to light the hard-hitting narrative through a fictional story of megalomaniac Baba Nirala who continues to exploit women, indulge in the drug trade, and control the politics of the town. Produced and directed by Prakash Jha, the MX Original Series stars an ensemble cast comprising Bobby Deol, Aaditi Pohankar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Darshan Kumaar, Anupriya Goenka, Esha Gupta, Sachin Shroff, Adhyayan Suman, Tridha Choudhury, Vikram Kochhar, Anuritta K Jha, Rushad Rana, Tanmaay Ranjan, Preeti Sood, Rajeev Siddhartha and Jaya Seal Ghosh. Stream all episodes for free, exclusively on MX Player on 3rd June 2022 Celebrating the passionate spirit and doers attitude of our Gen Z, Nescafe Ready-To-Drink (RTD) cold coffee has launched an inspiring new campaign Thoda Aur Machaa. Through a 3-part video series the campaign brings forth stories of real Gen Z heroes who believe that their actions and attitude can make a meaningful impact. On being part of the campaign with Nescafe RTD cold-coffee, Malhar Kalambe 23 year old, founder of NGO Beach Please shares The most prominent type of waste we come across during our clean-up drives is plastic packaging. I'm glad that brands like Nescafe RTD are plastic neutral and are taking greater strides towards sustainability. Animal rights activist, Zabi Khan featuring in this campaign commented Animals rights are as important as human rights, and I wont stop till every cage is empty. Rayna Singh, an 18-year old, teaches self-defence to girls in underprivileged areas. She says, Self defense is important for every girl, not just for safety, but also for self-confidence. The three real heroes appreciated Nescafe RTD for choosing changemakers like them to represent the brand. Commenting on the new campaign, Mehernosh Malia, Head Dairy Business, Nestle India said, There is a change happening and Nescafe RTD cold coffee is celebrating this. The Gen Z in India today are not walking the beaten path. They are truly being the change they want to see. We are super-inspired by the real stories of these young heroes. There are 100s of such stories - Malhar, Zabi and Rayna are the first stories amongst them that we would like to share with you. The campaign is conceptualized in partnership with Lowe Lintas. Prateek Bhardwaj, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas Gurugram office stated Stimulation and indulgence- for us Nescafe RTD cold-coffees product truth was in those two words. Indulgence is the reward for your hard work. While stimulation lent by coffee is the push to go forth! In a very refreshing, clutter-breaking format Nescafe RTD cold-coffee encourages the youth to continue rocking a little more or as a Gen-z would put it, Thoda aur Machaa! The brand will not stop just at this campaign, Nescafe RTD cold-coffee plans to partner with youth-centric platforms to celebrate more such real Gen Z heroes. Also, the idea of Thoda aur Machaa will be extended to relevant consumption occasions for Nescafe RTD cold coffee like food accompaniment, travel, colleges, tourist pitstops etc. This campaign will be promoted nationally across digital and social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and OTT platforms like Sony Liv. Yellow.ai, the worlds leading next-gen Total Experience (TX) automation platform today announced the appointment of Surbhi Agarwal, as its Senior Vice President (SVP) of Global Marketing. Surbhi joins Yellow.ai from Google Cloud, where she led product and solution marketing for Data Analytics and Cloud AI portfolio, including Contact Center AI. She comes with over two decades of leadership across product life cycle management, sales enablement, product marketing and product led growth in early-stage start-ups and large enterprises. Surbhi has also run product management and corporate strategy at Intel Corporation and McAfee. Raghu Ravinutala, CEO and Co-founder, Yellow.ai, said, We are thrilled to bring Surbhi onboard at Yellow.ai as part of our executive team. This is a crucial appointment for us, at a time when we are sharpening our global strategy as a Total Experience (TX) solutions provider. As we scale our operations and expand our capabilities, Surbhis leadership will augment our efforts towards defining our brand and driving revenue. We look forward to her leadership and believe her experiences with global industry leaders will be invaluable as we grow across markets. In this role, Surbhi will be managing all of the marketing initiatives for Yellow.ai across geographies to grow business in the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific regions. Based out of the San Francisco bay area, she will be actively expanding the companys global footprint by building a highly impactful go-to-market team that would strengthen Yellow.ais position in the market. Speaking on her appointment, Surbhi said, Yellow.ai is at a pivotal point of entering new geographies with its proven product capabilities, making this a very exciting time to join the executive team. With Yellow.ais driven culture, differentiated offerings, leadership and market potential, I believe the company is strongly positioned to define and lead the Conversational AI space. I look forward to building the best-in-class marketing organization at Yellow.ai to increase our market share and achieve new heights. With over 800 employees globally, Yellow.ai continues to hire talent across sales, marketing, product and engineering. The company is growing at a fast pace and was recently recognized in the first ever Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Conversational AI Platforms, providing strong validation of its platform capabilities, and the disruption Yellow.ai is bringing to the Conversational AI market. The proportion of schoolchildren with an autism diagnosis in Northern Ireland has quadrupled in just over a decade, according to figures just published by the Department of Health. Boys were three times more likely to have a diagnosis of autism than girls Here is the official report: Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland . Even more alarming are the numbers exclusively from Belfast. There one in every 14 students has a diagnosis. By Anne Dachel Theres been another stunning announcement about autism in the UK. This time its from Northern Ireland. An annual report released on May 20 th revealed that, according to the Department of Health, one in every 17 students in the 6 counties of Northern Ireland is autistic. ( This would also mean about one in every 10 boys.) Shirelle Stewart from the National Autistic Society NI said many schools were "already struggling to provide the support that autistic children need". More than 14,000 children between four and 16 have an autism diagnosis. That is an estimated 4.7% of the school-aged population. That is up from about 1.2% of pupils in 2009.... The health trust area with the highest prevalence of autism in school-aged children was the Belfast Trust where about one in every 14 children had a diagnosis. The DoH statistics also show that about one in every 17 pupils in the first years of post-primary school (years eight and nine) is autistic. The director of the National Autistic Society NI, Shirelle Stewart, called for more teacher training and classroom aides, but she did not sound an alarm about the unending increases in autism. They seem to be something we have no control over. We were told the government has started a six month review to see if there are appropriate supports in schools. Incredibly, in the Belfast Telegraph, Stewart dismissed the higher rate as no real increase at all. Research would indicate that the diagnosis rate is rising due to greater awareness and understanding of autism, but diagnostic services are not keeping up with the need, she told this newspaper. NEVER-ENDING INCREASES In May last year, the same officials put the autism rate in Northern Ireland at almost one in 20 children. Heres what the BBC said then: Almost one in every 20 school-age children in Northern Ireland has been diagnosed with autism. More than 13,000 children between the ages of four to 15 have a diagnosis of autism - an estimated 4.5% of the school aged population. That is according to new figures published by the Department of Health (DoH). The proportion of children with autism in schools in Northern Ireland has more than trebled in a decade. ONCE AGAIN we were told there was no real increase. Increased awareness and the effect of the Autism Act NI, which was passed in 2011, have been highlighted as potential reasons for the rise in diagnoses. The BBC left us with the cold reality that this isnt going to stop. The number of children of school-age with autism has been increasing by about 10% a year for the past decade. WE WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT AUTISM Media outlets continue to give us updates on the autism rate while dismissing any concern about the cause. In 2020, there was the same scenario. More children have autism; its nothing to worry about. May 22, 2020, Belfast Telegraph: Schoolchildren diagnosed with autism in NI increases 82% over last five years Cases of autism in school-age children have increased by 82% in the last five years, a report has found. One in 24 children of school age here has been diagnosed, according to figures from the Department of Health. Its report said 12,544 school-aged children are autistic - a prevalence rate of 4.2%. The figures were described as "alarming" by the charity Autism NI. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland reports on horrific increases in a seriously disabling condition affecting children while doing nothing about it. Should the people of Northern Ireland expect a 10 percent increase in the autism rate until its one in 10, one in five, or one in two? When will it be so bad that officials will do something to address why its happening? SO MUCH WORSE As chilling as this news is, its not accurate. Also in May 2021, officials admitted that there were thousands of children waiting, many for years, for an autism diagnosis. Belfast Live published the story, Autism assessment waiting list hits 4,500 in Northern IrelandSome families report waiting for more than 4 years for the first step to diagnosis. Almost 4,500 children in Northern Ireland have been recorded as waiting for an autism assessment - and there could be more. The latest figure taken from December was revealed during a Stormont Health Committee meeting on Monday, where the Health Minister Robin Swann was urged to create a longer-term autism strategy in Northern Ireland. Health Minister Swann promised to reduce wait time. The future looks very bleak for Northern Ireland. Not only is autism a nightmare, but the overall condition of children is a disaster. A report from the UK Parliament in 2019 revealed that 23 percent of students in there had special needs. The Commissioner reported that altogether there are 79,000 pupils in Northern Ireland with some form of special needs, 23 per cent of the school population. Since that was three years ago, the percentage is probably higher now. HOPELESSNESS Seeing this happen, year after year after year, cant be understood or accepted by any rational person, yet we hear the news, and immediately the story dies. How can the government care so little about the welfare of children and the future of the country? Why dont members of the media ask relevant questions? When will it stop? Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. DPP warned against attempt to seek "Taiwan independence" by using pandemic Xinhua) 09:01, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to stop seeking "Taiwan independence" under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic and said that such attempt will only come to a dead end. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a query on reports that the General Committee and the Plenary Session of the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) have respectively decided to reject the so-called proposal of "inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer" submitted by certain countries. This demonstrates the shared international commitment to the one-China principle, an overriding trend that cannot be challenged, Wang said. He said the DPP authorities, disregarding the wishes of all parties and the livelihood and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, obstinately instigated countries having what it calls "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan to make Taiwan-related proposals, and a handful of countries have encouraged and emboldened this move overtly or covertly. These behaviors go against the historical trend and are egregious in nature, which are unanimously opposed by countries that uphold justice in the world. By the time the assembly commenced, nearly 90 countries sent letters to the WHO to express their commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA, Wang said. The Chinese central government always attaches great importance to the health and well-being of our compatriots in the Taiwan region, Wang said. "Under the precondition of abiding by the one-China principle, we have made appropriate arrangements for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs. The central government has given the Taiwan region about 400 updates about the pandemic situation since the start of COVID-19, and approved 47 visits by public health experts from the Taiwan region to 44 WHO technical activities over the past year." "There is an International Health Regulations Contact Point in the Taiwan region for it to promptly access and report information related to health emergencies," Wang said. "The claim of a 'gap' in global anti-epidemic efforts is groundless." The DPP authorities should know that the attempt to seek the "Taiwan independence" by taking advantage of the pandemic will lead nowhere, Wang noted. "We also urge certain countries to stop politicizing the health issue and stop interfering in China's internal affairs by exploiting Taiwan-related issues. Otherwise, they are doomed to fail just like a man who lifts a rock only to drop it on his own feet." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) The Institute for the Study of War has been providing expert assessments of the conflict in Ukraine. Its May 20 report included the observation that Russian forces reportedly are holding defensive positions north of Kharkiv City following the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive since May 5 and have conducted limited spoiling attacks either to give Russian forces time to complete their redeployment back to Russia in good order or to allow reinforcements to arrive to defend territory in Kharkiv Oblast. Russian president Vladimir Putins expectation that it would only take five days to reach the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and that the people of Ukraine would welcome a return to the Russian Empire has proven a bloody fantasy. Roughly half the Russian invasion force was aimed at Kyiv. It took heavy casualties and has withdrawn back across the border to regroup and redeploy to reinforce the battered units retreating from Kharkiv. Only in the south and east, where Moscows best units have been operating from territory held before February 24 (Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk), are the Russians still undertaking minor offensive actions. Even in the Kherson area at the head of the Crimea, the Ukrainians are counterattacking. At the Hudson Institute, the best conservative think tank in Washington on foreign and defense policy, the call has shifted from helping Ukraine defend itself to helping Ukraine win. A recent paper argues The U.S. goal should be to end the war quickly to stop the suffering of Ukraines people and allow its economic recovery. To that end, Ukraine must be equipped to carry out a punishing counteroffensive in defense of its sovereignty and compel Russia to contrive an off-ramp. Unfortunately, the foreign-policy establishment sees an off-ramp for Russia in a different way. They believe Putin must be offered the carrot of the strategic victory he was aiming for when he sent 60,000 troops toward Kyiv. Putin wanted to install a puppet government to tie Ukraine to Moscow, as is true of Belarus. That failed, but his central priority is still to keep Ukraine from joining NATO, a move that would shut the door to renewed Russian expansion. That the liberal establishment in the West has sought to appease Moscow for decades by leaving Ukraine in the open has resulted in what appeasement always does; it served as an invitation to Putin to invade. In Putins eyes, the independence of the Baltic States is just as illegitimate as Ukraines. The Baltic States would have also been easier to overrun. But he dares not attack them because they are NATO members. In the run-up to the current war, Putin tested the waters with a lengthy deployment of troops to see what the Western reaction would be. When President Joe Biden assured him that Ukraine was outside the U.S.-NATO security perimeter and no Western military forces would intervene, he attacked. Now, the establishment wants to reassure Putin that nothing has changed. Thomas Graham at the Council on Foreign Relations advises The United States should forgo expansion into the former Soviet space for an extended period. No one believes that any former Soviet state will be ready for membership for years to come. Without necessarily abandoning the Open Door policy, the alliance should make clear that it will not expand eastward. George Beebe, Director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, writes To encourage the Russians to end the fighting, we must face the painful reality that they need a viable path toward a future in which sanctions are eased and NATO is not in Ukraine, while at the same time safeguarding Ukraines security. Beebe was once an advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney but now works for a think tank funded by leftist George Soros and libertarian Charles Koch which sees the emergence of a multi-polar world in the 21st century where economic power is more evenly shared across nations. Events have made obsolete several suggestions for Ukrainian neutrality outside NATO. Audrey Kurth Cronin of American University offered Finland and Sweden as examples of well-armed neutrals that Ukraine could copy, but that was before Finland and Sweden petitioned NATO for membership as the best guarantee against Russian aggression. Joseph Nye, Jr., a prominent foreign policy expert at Harvard University argues that China should mediate a Ukraine settlement. As the war drags on and Western sanctions increase, there is also a danger that secondary sanctions will spill over and harm China. Providing Putin with a face-saving off-ramp could address this and the other dangers the war poses. And it would deepen Russias growing dependence on China and boost Chinas own global image and standing. Xi might even win a Nobel Peace Prize. Nye doesnt mention the terms of a Beijing mediated deal but notes Chinese official media and nationalistic websites have repeated Putins claims that Ukraine is a puppet of the West, and that Russia is standing up to Americas bullying of both Russia and China. So, the outcome would not be good for Ukraine or the West. Graham Allison, also of Harvard, agrees with Nye that Chinas diplomatic position strengthens its hand as a mediator. Allison is the author of Destined for War: Can America and China Avoid the Thucydides Trap? (my critique of this book is here) which argues that it is both dangerous and futile for the U.S. to stand in the way of Chinas rise to global power. He is in the appeasement camp that believes wars are not caused by aggression but are the result of standing up to aggression. The connection between Ukraine and China has been explicit from the start of the war. It has become tighter with President Bidens statement in Tokyo Monday that the U.S. would fight for Taiwan if attacked by China. Beijing has been warning Taiwan that since Washington did not fight for Ukraine, it will not fight for Taiwan; the democratic island is on its own and cannot resist Chinese demands. Biden said that defending Taiwan is the commitment we made and that it is "even stronger' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Establishmentarians at the State Department and on the White House staff tried to walk back this direct pledge by the President. This is reminiscent of the objections by the same type of people in the same positions to President Ronald Reagan saying tear down this wall in Berlin. The hope is that Biden has learned from his mistakes in Europe during the Winter and is prepared to offer real deterrence in Asia in the brighter light of Summer. The establishmentarians deal in academic theories and feel-good pontifications. They generate reams of paper on every topic except victory. The counter is the study of the real world and what it actually takes to provide for national security and the maintenance of peace in the violence-prone realm of Great Power competition. Three months of war has not concentrated as many minds as it should have, but it may have impressed the one that matters most. Well have to wait and see if Biden can hold the thought. William R. Hawkins is a former economics professor who has written widely on defense and foreign policy issues for a variety of scholarly and popular publications. He has also served on the staff on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Image: Efrem Lukatsky As I returned from Ukraine a few days ago after my first post-COVID reporting trip and after a couple of days of letting my aging bones resume their proper position after the trauma of 10 hours in an economy-class airline seat, I do believe I have gained some insight into the logistics of this conflict after all. Which I have to say I initially doubted. During those three weeks in Ukraine, I was present for missile attacks in two cities, sat wide-eyed through dozens of artillery barrages, spent hours discussing the war with a wounded Ukrainian soldier on a 17-hour train ride from Lviv to Dnipro in a small train cabin, visited with serving members of the Ukrainian army, photographed many wrecked buildings in the eastern part of the country, and ate borscht so many times that I believe I can now identify the recipe differences between Dnipro and Lviv. Photos by the author Before I begin, let me establish a couple of things as a reference point for my views. First, of course, Putin was wrong to invade Ukraine, that is a given. The loss of life is horrific. I fully support the Ukrainian people in their efforts to expel what are called there the Russian Occupiers. (Tellingly, Russian soldiers are now being referred to as Orcs by younger Ukrainians.) But the relationship between Russia and Ukraine is a long one, and it is much more complex than we as outsiders can ever imagine. I had a three-hour conversation with a Polish computer technician named Vasily who sat next to me on the plane out of Warsaw about this exact issue. And while he admitted he was surprised the invasion occurred, he was not as dismissive of Russian methods and goals as you might think. More than once, the concept of being Russian as not just a nationality, but instead an ethno/spiritual state of being, was expressed by him to me. So, with that being said, I would rather comment on just a few specifics and throw in a little speculation that I will state to some extent as fact, simply because to do otherwise would become tedious for the reader. It appears to me Moscow (and I am choosing to use Moscow to refer to the Russian Federation as to me its a bit simplistic to refer to one man as the leader of a nation with a representational body as is the Duma) has a fixed series of goals in the war. Now we could argue all day over whether the Duma truly represents the people of the nation, but that would be pointless given the reason for writing this piece. I perceive Moscows goals in this military engagement as: A route to the Black Sea. The unification of areas perceived as belonging to Russia and whose citizens (a majority at least) desire to join Russia. A notice to the world that the lands that once formed the Soviet Bloc are still under the guidance of Moscow at some level. To discourage Ukraine and surrounding nations from joining NATO/EU. To illustrate that all of Eastern Europe is still under the influence of Moscow. If we approach the situation with these points in mind, events and decisions made by Moscow will begin making a bit more sense. Despite what the media is presenting, the army of the Russian Federation is not made up of rampaging Orcs who rape, murder, and pillage. And they have not, as we are told, being bested in every contest with the Ukrainian army. Additionally, Moscows army is not exhausted and out of fuel, equipment, and supplies. There have not been mass desertions from Russias army. What you are reading is the typical propaganda that always seems to show up in a war in this region. I saw the exact same thing and devices used in the 2008 South Ossetia War when I worked for the newspaper Georgia Today and that particular Russian Invasion was occurring. Perhaps it is best to begin by being honest and recognizing that Moscow is exercising (to some extent anyway) restraint in this action so far. I am not defending this endeavor, but this is the simple fact of the military situation as I perceive it. If you accept that a decision has been made to only accomplish a relatively small set of specific goals as outlined above, it is easy to see that this is why there has been no out-and-out destruction of the infrastructure of Ukraine when it is well within the ability of Moscow to do so. With a map of the country in hand and after riding the train and taking the bus on several of the east-west-north routes, you would most likely see it doesnt take a military genius to realize that the topography of Ukraine makes it very vulnerable to aerial bombardment. And the country is by all appearances not prepared for attacks at these vital points. As one example, on the bridge crossing the Dnieper River in Dnipro, there were no aerial defense systems present; instead, there were only two small groups of soldiers on either end armed with PKMs in sandbag enclosures. Additionally, in terms of intra-country transportation, Ukraine suffers from antiquated facilities and rolling stock, particularly in the area of railroads. Some of the rolling stock is still of Soviet vintage. And not as curious antiques for tourists to ride in, but for the actual transportation of goods. Below is a map of Ukraine. I would like you to examine this map before and after you read my points. Map credit: Lencer CC BY-SA 3.0 license It is worthwhile to note the presence and geographic position of the Dnieper River, which essentially splits Ukraine into a western and eastern section. From the standpoint of defense of a nation from a land-based invasion, it would be difficult to overstate the significance of this fact. Simply put, if the actual goal of Moscow were to simply invade and occupy Ukraine, then the following would be their logical course of action to pursue: Strike and destroy bridges over the Dnieper River at Kiev, Cherkasy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia using TU22 and TU60 heavy bombers or the equivalent. Destroy the railroad yards at Lviv, Kiev, Dnipro, Poltava, and Uman using a combination of TU 22s and fighter bombers such as the Sukhoi 34 and the Tupolev 160. Basically rinse and repeat the above for the highways systems M06 and MO3 at Kiev, the M12 at Kirovgard, the MO4 at Dnipro, and the M20 at Kharkiv. Send in any suitable aircraft to simply shoot up the rail and road systems after the above was completed. Target with 9K720s truck mounted surface-to-surface missiles and destroy electrical stations in key towns such as Lviv, Kiev, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. This would have several effects, one being it would demoralize the citizens in the cities that were hit. Moscow could accomplish all of the above in approximately one weeks time. It has air superiority despite what you read. And it is important to remember as well that Moscow has the aircraft -- a combat-ready 964 heavy bombers and fighters as reported by Janes Intelligence Review -- to withstand what losses would occur if this route to invasion is chosen. If such a series of steps were taken by Moscow, the following would happen: With the bridges and other transport infrastructure destroyed, no fuel, military equipment, food or goods would move west to east. Internal military communications would be severely disrupted. Refugees would be swarming the bridge sites on the eastern side of the river, which would impede movement even more and produce an almost unimaginable humanitarian crisis. Virtually no military equipment or reinforcements could be moved into the eastern areas in Donbas, Odessa, etc. to reinforce the already stressed Ukrainian defenders. With the eastern part of the country cut off, after a few weeks what Ukrainian forces left in that region would be forced to surrender. What I find almost staggering is I could go there, travel around a bit, interview a few people, look at how poorly bridges, road junctions, and railway stations are actually defended, and then figure out that Moscow has decided to prosecute this war with perhaps only 10% of its armed forces capability. Instead of examining the simple facts of this conflict, analysts and media personalities choose to ignore the obvious and instead become ecstatic over a series of videos of Russian BTR 80s, BMP2s, T72s (and at least one of the new T90s) being blown up in minor engagements with Ukrainian forces. Moscow does have an end game. It is in fact accomplishing what appear to be the goals it began with on February 24th. Russia is fighting exactly the war it wants to fight on an apparently adjustable timetable. I have no insight into why Moscow is fighting the war this way, but it has up until now decided on not conquering Ukraine, or even making inhabitants suffer to any great extent outside of a few cities. My best guess is that the holding back of Russian forces is part of an evolving plan so that when the inevitable peace negotiations begin, it will make it easier for both parties to come to terms. If, however, we begin hearing that train stations, road junctions and electrical stations in the country are being systematically destroyed on a massive scale in rapidly increasing numbers (particularly if the bridges at Kiev, Cherkasy, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia are targeted) then that may very well indicate there has been a change of plans by Moscow in terms of goals for this invasion. My take is everything is being run on a timetable, with some obvious setbacks for Moscow, as the Ukrainians are receiving massive amounts of military equipment from the west and they are putting up the best fight that they can. But the Russian Federation is not losing this war. Please do not be fooled into thinking that. Salenas Zitos latest analysis for the Washington Examiner (The conservative populist coalition has grown in Pennsylvania. What that means going forward is important) correctly describes the trend that has been ongoing in the Keystone State for the past decade. What it misses, though -- and its a big miss -- is that Democrats are at it again in the commonwealths 2022 midterms elections. Theyre tilting the playing field in their favor. This autumn, the No Questions mail-in balloting returns have the potential to blunt a favorable GOP trend with a deluge of Democrat ginned-up mail-ins, which will impact critical statewide contests and competitive congressional and state legislative races. Why should American Thinker readers elsewhere care about what happens in Pennsylvania? Because Republicans aim to capture a majority in the U.S. House and Senate. The GOP is very likely to pick up enough seats across the country to win the House. But gaining a majority in the Senate may hinge on the Mehmet Oz or Dave McCormick-John Fetterman matchup in the autumn. Ironically, the outcome of the razor-thin Oz-McCormick fight is bogged down in ballot errors and counting an undetermined number of mail-ins. Per Amac, it is a mess. Thanks to a ruling by the commonwealths Democrat-controlled Supreme Court, wide open mail-in balloting was restored. The Court claims therell be further review toward a final decision, but who wants to bet that the 5-2 Democrat majority upholds the current law? From the Associated Press, via NBC 10 Philadelphia, March 2: Pennsylvania's mail-in voting law will remain in place, at least for the near future, despite a state judge's order that would have made it expire in two weeks, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The justices issued a one-paragraph order that overturned a Feb. 16 decision by Commonwealth Court Senior Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt that would have pulled the plug on the state's two-year-old voting law. Judge Leavitts ruling was common sense: No Questions mail-in balloting represents a change to Pennsylvanias constitution. The process of amending the constitution is violated by the current law. Mail-in balloting is most vulnerable to fraud, as was learned not just in Pennsylvania but across the country in 2020. Chain-of-custody is a principal concern. With avalanches of mail-ins, good luck making verifications. Most states lack the resources to enforce proper verification at such a scale. Local election offices can be quite partisan. Moreover, since Pennsylvania Democrats generated the lions share of mail-ins in 2020, how likely are Democrat governor Tom Wolf and acting secretary of state Leigh M. Chapman to pursue scrupulous balloting this autumn? In 2020, nearly 2.6 million mail-in ballots were cast in Pennsylvania. Of those, close to 2 million went to Biden, while about 600,000 went to Trump. Trump lost Pennsylvania by a mere 81,660 votes out of 6.8 million cast. A swing of 40,831 votes would have given Trump the win. Mark Levin commented on Townhall, December 7, 2020: "This push for mail-in voting has been going on with the Democrats for at least a decade. One of the first places they imposed it was in California, and theyve tried to do this in every state," he continued. "So the Republican state legislature in Pennsylvania buckled. They passed it as I said in an omnibus bill, and the Democrat governor, who is a leftist, signed it almost immediately. As Dinesh DSouzas 2000 Mules persuasively illustrates, ballot fraud occurred sufficiently to swing the 2020 presidential election. Former federal elections commissioner and now a legal scholar at the Heritage Foundation Hans von Spakovsky, bolsters DSouzas findings, telling the Epoch Times Joshua Phillips in a May 20 video interview: For the past several decades, there have literally been dozens of organizations formed on the left to engage in voter registration. But more importantly, to, for example, file lawsuits against states to get rid of every safety and security protocol put on. Mark Zuckerberg dispersed $419 million in grants to nonprofits that merged with local elections offices, mostly in Democrat jurisdictions, helping to maximize Democrat turnout. Mollie Hemingways excellent book, Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections, exposes in detail how this cabal laid the groundwork for the greatest presidential heist in the nations history. Time crowed about it. Ballot harvesting is illegal in Pennsylvania, but it occurred in 2020 through The Amistad Project. Zito fails to address the offset of possible mail-in ballot chicanery by Democrats on voters swinging toward the GOP in this years Keystone State elections. Zito does characterize GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano as well outside the right wing of the party and has demonstrated more interest in conspiracies than building a coalition to win or allowing the press to cover his campaign. [Italics added] As a state senator, Mastriano led investigations into ballot fraud in the 2020 Pennsylvania presidential contest. He won the gubernatorial nomination by better than a 2-1 margin. As to a Trump presidential run in 2024, Zito writes: The more compelling issue about Trump is that his voters will still tell you they loved his policies and the America First agenda, but his comportment since losing in 2020 has finally turned them off. While nuance is dead in American reporting, the truth is a Trump voter can often believe he was a great president and still be ready to move on; both of those sentiments are fairly common. Perhaps thats what Trump-leaning Pennsylvanians are telling Zito now. But Trumps comportment since the 2020 elections has been admirably restrained. His willingness to call out 2020 election fraud -- backed by growing evidence and analysis -- isnt just reasonable but necessary. Truth and democracy die in the darkness, no? As to what the 2024 presidential contests hold in store, no one knows. Speculation is a game. Trump is the odds-on favorite for the Republican presidential nomination if he wants it and if his health permits, which Trump has openly admitted. The GOP is an America First party now. Trump is its vital center. Moreover, if the state of the nation is as poor in 2024 as it is now -- or the country is in worse shape -- Trump may be regarded as the only man capable of fixing the mess that Bidens handlers and Democrats have caused. A good bet is that the mess worsens. The takeaway is that while voter trends favor Pennsylvanian Republican candidates this autumn, no-questions mail-in balloting remains a wild card. A GOP advantage: Disgust with Democrats will make for robust voter participation. If Pennsylvania independents swing strongly for Republicans, that may offset any mail-in ballot rigging favorable to Democrats. Also, Democrat high-dollar donors may be skittish about writing checks for dark money operations this go-round. They may prefer keeping their powder dry for the 2024 presidential election. Plus, they may not welcome increased scrutiny in 2022, which will surely occur during and post elections. A final word about Salena Zito. Though I clearly find her analysis here lacking, Ive always admired her reporting. Zito is a throwback, a shoe-leather reporter who cares about what common folk think. Recall the great Ernie Pyle, who not only reported from the dogfaces perspective in WWII but logged thousands of miles crisscrossing America during the Depression Era reporting on what common folk thought. Zito is to be commended for reviving that important aspect of journalism and doing it well. J. Robert Smith can be found regularly at Gab @JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover. Image: Famartin Even though the American military's fighting force is made up almost entirely of healthy people under sixty who are not very vulnerable to COVID, and even though the experimental vaccine has proven to be not only useless but often dangerous to young people (especially men), Biden has insisted that everyone in the military must be vaccinated. As a result, people who are opposed to COVID vaccinations for whatever reason have been forced out of serving their nation. That may be changing, though, because a Navy administrative separation board voted 3-0 to retain an officer who refused to get vaccinated. Just The News has the story: In a stinging rebuke to the Pentagon, a Navy administrative separation board voted unanimously to retain an officer who refused to comply with the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Navy Lt. Billy Moseley, who has been an officer for 22 years, could have chosen to retire from the military when he was ordered to receive the COVID vaccine. He also could have submitted a Religious Accommodation Request, since he objected to the vaccine for religious reasons. Risking his retirement, Moseley chose instead to take his case to the administrative separation board after learning "that the Navy and the other services intended to implement a blanket denial policy," according to a press release from his attorney, R. Davis Younts. Image: The Pentagon. Public domain. Younts's technical argument is one that other people who have been forcibly separated from the military (or, like recent Air Force Academy grads, been denied commissions) should consider: Younts argued at the board hearing that the mandate for the experimental COVID vaccines was not a lawful order since the military has not made fully FDA-approved versions of the vaccines available to military members. The military defense attorney told Just the News that the attorneys for the Navy agreed with him that there are no FDA-approved vaccines available, only interchangeable vaccines. Younts added that if there are no FDA-approved vaccines available, then the president would have to authorize the experimental shots that are currently available, which hasn't happened. What we've learned from COVID is that the Democrats took a flu that is most deadly to people who are elderly or have otherwise compromised immune systems, and used it as a cudgel to initiate vast societal changes. They destroyed the middle class, struck neurotic terror into a generation of young people, conditioned Americans to cower at home, forced experimental drugs on people, and weeded out of the military those people who are more likely to be conservative or independent thinkers. And of course, Democrats used COVID most effectively to destroy an economy and an American president. However, with Biden's popularity in the gutter (and imagine how much lower it would be with an honest media establishment), people and institutions that had previously been cowed or willing to go with the flow are no longer doing so. Just as parents, skateboarders, and comedians are unwilling to accept transgender madness, it seems that the more courageous officers in the Navy are finally ready to refuse to abide by vaccination mandates. Trends matter. As people see that the Democrats no longer have a tailwind but are, instead, stuck in a fetid whirlpool with no way out but down, they will increasingly begin to oppose social and political dictates that are dangerous and stupid. The Biden administration's handling of the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border is an ongoing disgrace, and recent reports suggest that this White House still hasn't reached rock bottom. The White House is considering diverting doctors and other personnel from the Department of Veteran Affairs (V.A.) to the border once Title 42 ends (at whatever point that may be), in order to help handle the expected influx of migrants. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed this possibility during testimony before the House Appropriations Committee late last month. "The resources that the medical personnel from the Veterans Administration would allocate to this effort is under the judgment of the secretary of Veterans Affairs, who prioritizes the interests of veterans above all others for very noble and correct [sic]," Mayorkas responded when pressed by lawmakers at the hearing. There are expected to be as many as 18,000 illegal aliens arriving at the U.S. border each day once Biden finally terminates the Trump-era Title 42 program. The move had been expected to happen on May 23, but a federal judge called a halt to the lifting. The Biden administration is appealing that ruling. And if the administration wins, the border will almost certainly become overwhelmed, and the White House is going to have to divert resources from other agencies to help deal with the problem. That the administration is even considering diverting resources from our veterans to illegal aliens illustrates its misplaced priorities. It's especially appalling for the administration to consider stripping resources from the V.A. at a time when veteran suicide rates have skyrocketed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of suicide and mental illness rose throughout the country, and our veterans were hit especially hard. According to a recent report from the Army, suicide rates among soldiers last year were the highest since before World War II, and the number of total suicides among soldiers was the highest in 20 years. The problem of veteran homelessness is also still being largely neglected, even though numbers have improved overall in the past decade. There are still roughly 40,000 homeless veterans on our streets. Veterans make up roughly 11 percent of the nation's homeless population, despite making up just around seven percent of the nation's overall population. The rapid rise in suicides and homelessness that occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected our country's veterans. To strip them of resources during this time in favor of illegal aliens would be unconscionable. Right now, 40,000 veterans are homeless, and an average of 17 are committing suicide on a daily basis. Until both those numbers go down to zero, no V.A. resources should be allocated to the border. It's likely that resources from other agencies will have to be surged to the border to help mitigate the catastrophe that Biden has created, but the focus of the V.A. should be entirely on helping veterans, not illegal aliens. However, the Biden administration has established a clear pattern of prioritizing illegal aliens over Americans, particularly during crises. Right now, as American women and infants face baby formula shortages, illegal aliens are being given hard-to-find formula by the U.S. government, according to Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida. "They are sending pallets, pallets of baby formula to the border," Cammack said. "Meanwhile, in our own district at home, we cannot find baby formula." Other areas where the administration has prioritized migrants over Americans include COVID-19 and foreign policy. Shortly after the Biden administration announced an end to Title 42, they announced that they were extending mask mandates for traveling Americans. The rule was eventually tossed by a federal judge but, if the White House had its way, illegal aliens would have received relief from COVID-19 restrictions earlier than Americans. During the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, the administration left hundreds of Americans behind. Now, even as Americans remain stranded under Taliban rule, Biden has turned his focus toward pushing Congress to grant citizenship to tens of thousands of unvetted Afghan refugees. In almost every policy area over the past 16 months, the Biden administration has chosen foreign nationals over American citizens. But taking resources from our veterans would be a new low, even for this White House. That cannot be allowed to happen. Dale L. Wilcox is executive director and general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration. Image: Screen shot from USA Today video, via shareable YouTube. One could, and many likely do, easily assume that the promotion of equity, which is commonplace across multiple institutions, ensures America's lifelong pledge of equality under the law. However, one would be mistaken. Equity, as defined by the Marxist left, purposely rejects and seeks to eliminate our nation's bedrock principle of equality under the law. Rather than being judged on merit, equity demands that individuals become nameless, faceless members of predetermined identity groups. To quote Race Marxism author James Lindsay, equity arose from what is known as "social equity theory," an attempt to engineer equality of outcome. Moreover, where equality means that John and James are treated equally under the law, equity means "synthetically" rectifying these disparities in the form of preferential hiring, purging standardized tests, and even openly discriminating against "dominant" groups. In order for the equity agenda to materialize, some identity groups, often described as "marginalized groups," are to be provided privileges in order to ameliorate irregularity due to historical and modern circumstances. Moreover, Lindsay states, "Equity is, in some sense, a perpetual demand for more reparation, either in opportunities, power, or direct payments, none of which will ever be good enough. So Equity understood Critically is a clumsy tool for a power grab." Equity is chiefly concerned with positions of influence that reflect power with the intent to re-engineer the structures of society. Equity is intended to cure "perceived power dynamics," which are said to be solely responsible for all disparities within society. According to Lindsay: All imbalances of representation in desirable areas of work are held to be caused by these perceived power dynamics. Equity is the intended remedy to this problem, and it is made applicable only (and especially) to positions of status and influence. For example, there is no equity program that attempts to increase the number of female sanitation workers, though there are equity programs that seek to increase the number of female doctors and politicians, and these endure even in high-status positions that employ more women than men. Of particular concern are positions that have influence where power is concerned, including in terms of shaping the discourses of society. Correspondingly, to the great pleasure of the Marxist left, any equitable agenda implementation would fall to an all-power federal leviathan an intrusive, unelected bureaucracy. Only a bloated government, and increasingly powerful three-letter agencies, could compel an equity agenda suitable for all constituents. By this reveal, equity would appear to take the shape of socialism. Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University, lays out in How to Be an Antiracist the need for discrimination to ensure equity: "The defining question is whether the discrimination is creating equity or inequity. If discrimination is creating equity, then it is antiracist. If discrimination is creating inequity, then it is racist." To his credit, Kendi is unabashedly saying the "quiet part out loud," admitting that equity requires discrimination, relying on the use of identity-based quotas and aggressive social manufacturing. This notion that discrimination is a requirement to ensure equity has become universally accepted. It is worth mentioning that the idea of "economic class," which Victor Davis Hanson has mentioned countless times, is absent from any discussion pertaining to equity. As a fictional example, Jon Jones is an African-American male, currently enrolled at Harvard Law School, whose parents are both prestigious doctors. On the other hand, Jon Johnson, a Caucasian male from rural West Virginia, withdrew from high school at the tender age of fourteen in order to care for his infant sister, Sarah, after their mother passed away from a heroin overdose. Johnson never met his father. Honest reporting from an economic or class interpretation would suggest that if we sought to make Jones and Johnson "equal," we would have to provide Johnson "privileges." However, within the social justice paradigm, we are to redistribute shares to correct for "groups" (not "individuals") who have been discriminated against due to race, sex, or sexuality. As such, according to the law of "equity," Jones would receive special accommodations, not Johnson. According to WSJ contributor Tunku Varadarajan, "equality has lost to equity." J.B. Cohle is a graduate student. Image: JustGrimes. Australia is going to go hard left, with the left-wing Labor Party set to take over the federal government, likely in a coalition with the Green Party in the Senate, to obtain a majority in the upper house. In the wake of its defeat, Australia's conservative party, confusingly named the Liberal Party, needs to pick a new leader to replace defeated prime minister Scott Morrison. The media consensus has Peter Dutton, outgoing defense minister, likely to win the leadership. Peter Dutton. As Anthony Albanese is sworn in as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia and announces his cabinet, the Liberal Party is now looking to vote for another person to lead then the opposition. Peter Dutton, former defence minister, has emerged as a likely candidate to lead the opposition for the next three years. (snip) "Until we have a field of candidates I don't know who the leader will be but I can only assume Peter Dutton is in the ranks," Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes told The Daily Telegraph. "He's an absolute star performer and a terrific defence minister. "He, like Scott, has been unfairly maligned, but those of us who know him know what an amazing guy he is." But John McMahon, who watches Aussie politics for us from Queensland, Australia, cautions us: Already the knives are out for him with comments such as being "inadequate", "stupid", "too far to the right" etc. In times past the Liberal Party did not have a "Left" faction; now we have defeated "Leftist" Liberals claiming that the Liberal Party had lurched too far to the Right as being the reason for the decimation and loss of probable 22 seats. There are other "leftist" Liberals who are blaming the Coalition junior partner, the Nationals, for the Government being ousted; but as has been pointed out to them the National Party didn't lose any seats. It retained all its seats with a good chance of even gaining another. The main difference between the Parties? The Nationals don't support any "climate change" measures at all particularly the measure of NettZero50 unilaterally adopted by the PM in November last at COP26 in Glasgow. The Nationals are a conservative party that mainly represents rural areas and were in a coalition with the Liberals to govern Australia under Scott Morrison. This sounds awfully familiar. The squishes among Aussie conservatives want the approval of the media and global elites, who have united behind the climate hoax, just as so many RINOs do in this country. I have no idea how conservative Peter Dutton would be as party leader, but if he's being attacked from the left, he's probably the best man for the job. Photo credit: Australian Embassy, Jakarta, CC BY 2.0 license. Every single day, we learn two things about the Biden administration. First, they are stubborn and stick to policies that even Democrats can't defend, like dropping Title 42. Second, it's clearer day by day why this administration has the cleanup squad ready to go out and clean up after the commander in chief. My guess is that they travel with him anytime the president has to answer a question in public. Across the Pacific, President Biden said something a bit shocking about going to war: President Joe Biden said Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is "even stronger' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of self-governing in decades. Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said "yes" when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. "That's the commitment we made," he added. Thanks for the update, Mr. President. I guess I missed that story about a "commitment we made." I'm old enough to remember President Nixon going to China in 1972 and then President Carter going on TV in 1978 to tell us about establishing relations with Peking. Then I remember something called "The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act," which did not require the U.S. to defend Taiwan if China invaded, but something along the lines of keeping Taiwan well armed to defend itself. Ever since, we've spoken with "strategic ambiguity," another one of those terms used by diplomats when they want to avoid the subject. This is not the first time that President Biden has referred to a "commitment." He did it back in October 2021, and the cleanup crew had to clean up again. So President Biden needs to stop talking "tough" or come to the U.S. Congress for a resolution, as President Bush did in Kuwait and the second President Bush did in Iraq and Afghanistan. You can't commit to the defense of other countries without checking it with the American people. After all, it is the sons of the American people who will be fighting this war. PS: Click for my videos and podcasts at Canto Talk. Image: Gage Skidmore. Last Friday, San Francisco archbishop Salvatore Cordileone actually took a stand for Catholic doctrine and held that Nancy Pelosi, who aggressively uses her power in government to push for unlimited abortion, could no longer receive Communion in his diocese. The San Francisco Examiner responded with an editorial arguing that Nancy Pelosi, because she redistributes money from taxpayers, is the real Christian compared to an archbishop who has the temerity to stand for Catholic doctrines. I won't rehash here the fact that being anti-abortion is one of the core tenets of the Catholic Church because I covered the topic in my earlier post about the archbishop's stand. It's enough to say that abortion is not a tangential issue; it is central to the faith, and Nancy Pelosi has long stood in direct opposition to the Church's position. While she's welcome to do politically whatever she wants, that doesn't mean the Church must accommodate her. The Examiner speaks approvingly of Pope Francis and various American bishops who have decided that making nice with politicians is more important than standing by the religious principles they allegedly represent. It offends the Examiner that the whole point of traditional organized religion is that it upholds standards of behavior. The Examiner is horrified that Cordileone actually believes in and acts upon church doctrine: In 2015, he attempted to force teachers and staff at San Francisco's Catholic schools to condemn gay rights, abortion and birth control as "intrinsically evil." It's irrelevant to the biblical scholars on the Examiner's editorial board that, according to core Catholic doctrine, Cordileone is absolutely correct. The Church must yield to the demand of San Francisco's leftists, both Catholic and otherwise. In that vein, the Examiner's editors no doubt would approve of the two percent of Anglican bishops who don't believe in God. This oxymoron is a virtue to the left. Leftists want America's religious people to be like the Russian Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union: an arm of the state, rather than a moral bulwark that willingly opposes a too ascendant state. Image by Andrea Widburg. What really gets the editors' collective goat is that Cordileone has no harsh words for "right-wing politicians." Their sin? They don't use taxes for the poor: Why don't Republican Catholics have to fear being cut off from Communion when they vote against health care or funding for the poor? Where was Cordileone's harsh judgment when right-wing politicians voted this week against a measure to ease the nation's baby formula shortage? Pelosi has consistently fought on the morally right side of these issues. Why is she being singled out for punishment in her hometown, especially when she can still receive Communion in Washington, D.C. or Oakland? As always when the left quotes Scripture, activists seek to convert personal religious obligations into government mandates. I admit that I'm not overwhelmingly conversant with the Bible (either the Old or New Testament). However, when I read through Bible verses about giving to the poor, I notice that not a single one says, "Rather than give all your possessions to the poor [e.g., 1 Corinthians 13:3], just have your congressional representative raise taxes on everyone to establish an inefficient government program that perpetuates the problem in order to keep the bureaucracy alive." Nancy Pelosi is worth almost $115 million or even more (politics has been good to her). She is not renowned for her charitable giving. As far as Pelosi is concerned, she's doing her bit when she gives your money away. The Examiner ultimately concludes that Nancy Pelosi, by giving away your money, is doing God's work, while Archbishop Cordileone, by abiding by the doctrine of the Church that he serves, is a failed Christian: "It is Nancy Pelosi, not Archbishop Cordileone, who reflects the true spirit of Christian care in the City of St. Francis." When the left starts citing Scripture, beware. It is not submitting itself to traditional faiths and acknowledging that there is a higher power than government. Instead, it is twisting faith to make it bow to the government. And if you doubt me, just read the editorial at the San Francisco Examiner demanding that the Catholic Church fire an archbishop for daring to believe in the core tenets of his own faith and acting accordingly. This week, the World Economic Forum hosts its annual meeting to discuss the takeover of the world economy. I reviewed the attendee list and found my own senator, Roger Wicker, on the list. Some of you may know he is a very dangerous senator. I cannot fathom a reason why he should attend. He is among a list of other Republican non-luminaries attending, including Nebraska senator Debra Fischer, Indiana governor Eric Holcomb, and Texas representative Michael McCaul. I cannot think of any reason for them to attend, either. So what's the World Economic Forum (WEF), and what's this annual meeting all about? The WEF is an international non-governmental and lobbying organization founded by Klaus Schwab. The WEF is mostly known for its annual economic conference in Davos, Switzerland. It's attended by mostly global elites but also elite wannabes like Roger Wicker. The WEF also conducts regional conferences worldwide to promote its agenda, which is that the globalized world is best managed by a self-selected coalition of multinational corporations, governments, and civil society organizations. You may have heard about the "Great Reset." That was the name of the 2020 meeting and also the direction of the WEF is going. The Great Reset seeks to focus on "green growth, smarter growth and fairer growth." What this really means is that the elites believe that the citizens of the United States are using too much energy, have too much wealth, and have too much freedom. At the time, the idea was to use the COVID pandemic to reset the World Order. Now the idea is to capitalize on the current weakness of the United States. This year, the theme is "History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies." Topics include many diverse areas. Here are a few sessions on day one: "Central Bank Digital Currencies," which encourages governments to have an all-digital currency so the elites can control what and where we spend. "Embracing Climate Adaptation Action" discusses how the elites will take away our energy supplies and how they will give us the Smales Exhortation. Finally, John Hickenlooper, idiot former Colorado governor and now U.S. senator (who also has no business being there), is speaking on "Rebuilding Societal Trust," since government has totally lost all credibility, first with the COVID-19 response, then with the disastrous Biden regime. I could go on about the WEF and Davos, but I think you get the point. The WEF, along with the global elites, has a mission to eliminate American sovereignty, restrict our energy sources, and transfer the wealth of the United States to the rest of the world. Roger Wicker, why are you attending? How will this help the people of the state of Mississippi? The answer is clear to me. Roger Wicker is a wannabe elite globalist who cares not about the citizens of Mississippi nor those of the United States as a whole. Image: WEF. It has been over two weeks since Politico published a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito that provides the rationale on why Roe v. Wade (1973), which legalized abortion nationwide, has to be overturned. The document, which was leaked to Politico by an unnamed "source," launched a thousand protests all over the country. Law enforcement was compelled to place barricades before the Supreme Court building in Washington, and U.S. Marshals had to provide around-the-clock security at the homes of Supreme Court justices because of relentless intimidation from the "protesters." That wasn't all. "Protestors" vandalized Catholic churches and pregnancy centers. Hoodlums tossed a Molotov cocktail into the offices of a Wisconsin pro-life group. The rapidly moving news cycle and the pace at which the Democrats mobilized their hooligans could cause people to forget how it all started. The starting point was the leak. The word "unprecedented" is frequently used without much consideration in current times, but this leak truly was unprecedented. Supreme Court historians, law professionals, and court observers have expressed shock over the leak, saying they cannot recall any such previous instance. Chief Justice John Roberts called the leak a "betrayal of the confidences of the Court" and vowed that its work will not be affected in any way. He also said he has directed the marshal of the court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak. Democrat leaders, including Biden, Harris, and Pelosi, have not uttered even perfunctory words of criticism for the leaker. Therefore, it seems likely that the leaker was a liberal attempting to apply public pressure to prevent the justices from overturning Roe v. Wade. A good test to know what is morally right is to see what the Democrats stand for and do the exact opposite. The Supreme Court or any other Court is supposed to be apolitical. A court's function is to be as objective as possible in interpreting the Constitution. Once upon a time, the phrase "I have full faith in the Judiciary" was frequently used because the public did actually feel like that. Those days are sadly over. We are at a juncture where societal trust in governmental institutions and the courts is at an all-time low. For this particular ruling, irrespective of the direction that the Supreme Court takes, there will be a section of people who will always view it as either a compromise or a capitulation, or a purposeful act of defiance against the mob. To restore this rapidly eroding faith, the leaker must immediately face consequences for his actions. In addition to punishment, it will also serve as a deterrent to aspiring leakers and snitches. According to Bloomberg Law, the marshal and Supreme Court Police have the authority to make arrests for violations of state or federal law. However, for this leak, any potential decision on prosecution most likely would come from the Justice Department. Even if the leaker doesn't face criminal prosecution, this offense must at least cause a permanent stain on the individual's professional record. Perhaps disbarment would be a fitting punishment. If the individual turns out to be a pro-abortion liberal, do not be too surprised if the Democrats attempt to brand the leaker as a whistleblower and demand that he receive all the protection a whistleblower gets for "doing the right thing." It is beyond any doubt that the leaker will receive a hero's worship among liberals, irrespective of punishment. Celebrities will fund legal defense and bail. We also know that the liberal ecosystem enables its own to prosper. The leaker will have myriad career choices. If the individual is reasonably well-spoken, he can be a pundit on MSNBC or CNN. Perhaps the leaker can host a podcast or write books or host documentaries on Netflix. There could be lucrative speaking assignments and endorsements. Perhaps the individual joins politics and becomes a member of AOC's Squad. If the individual prefers to remain in the shadows, the leaker could launch a BLM-style pro-abortion advocacy group and make millions. Perhaps the slogan will be "No Lives Matter." The pecuniary gains made by the leaker would be considerably higher than what would have been earned from a regular career path. It is even possible that the leak may have been a calculated move in close coordination with the top echelons of the Democrat party, knowing that it provides a shortcut to prosperity without any perspiration. If the leaker does indeed prosper, it sends a bad message to everyone working in an office of importance. If, however, the leaker turns out to be a conservative who wanted to pressure the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, then the treatment meted out will make the punishment given to January 6 protesters seem like a picnic. Beyond public confidence and perception, the leak affects the work environment of the courts. Personnel at various levels will hesitate to express themselves freely for fear of being exposed to the public and attacked. There will be those who stick to the liberal groupthink just to avoid placing themselves and their families at peril. The liberal mob is hence slowly but certainly gnawing at the roots of the democratic foundation of America. If the mob is not stopped, someday, the root will be so weakened that it will all come tumbling down. The damage will be irreparable, and then there will be anarchy. The only group that can stop them is the Republicans. The question is, are they up to the challenge? Photo credit: Joe Ravi, CC BY-SA 3.0 license. About 25 kilometers northwest of Znojmo, in Czech Republic, where the rivers Zeletavka and Dyje meet, lies the small village of Bitov. Here, on a dramatic promontory overlooking the confluence and the vast swaths of forest and wilderness stands the Bitov castle. Built in the 11th century, Bitov is one of the oldest and largest Moravian castles. Throughout its long history Bitov was owned by a number of different noblemen and rulers, each of whom have left their imprints on the castles history and design. There are Neo Gothic furniture in the dining room dating to 1860, and porcelain in the smoking room that once belonged to the Haas family, who were co-owners of a famous porcelain manufacturer, one of the oldest in the Czech lands. And then, there is this surreal collection of taxidermied dogs, which is one of the highlights of the castle. The castles last owner Baron Georg Haas junior was an animal lover, and sort of eccentric. He was the proud owner of thousands of animals, birds and exotic creatures from around the world, including a lioness called Mietzi-Mausi, with whom he enjoyed sharing lunch every day. But his favorite pet was the humble canine of which he had more than 200 in the castle grounds. When the dogs passed away, the baron buried the majority of them in the castles cemetery. Each grave is decorated with a wooden cross and small metal plate bearing their name. But a select few underwent special treatment in the workshop of the local taxidermist where they were stuffed and poised with their heads up and ears cocked, as if lying patiently in wait of their masters return. The collection which consist of terriers, spaniels, poodles, boxers and hounds of every shape and size is in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest of its kind. Kan Bider, the warden of Bitov Castle, is responsible for taking care of the collection. After the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, Bitov Castle and the village became part of the Protectorate. Although Haas was a vocal anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi during the Second World War, he was was nevertheless an ethnic German. At the end of the war he was given just 24 hours by Czech partisans to leave everything he owned behind and get out of the country. Heart-broken, Haas committed suicide by shooting himself. Bitov Castle. Photo: Tono Balucha/Flickr References: # The Daily Mail # Radio Prague International Samsung will release a One UI Watch beta for the Galaxy Watch 4, the company said through its forum. While the manufacturer generally rolls out One UI betas for its phones and tablets, this is the first time it would be available for Samsungs flagship smartwatch. The One UI Watch beta will begin rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 4 in South Korea next month The company said (via TizenHelp) that it would commence the One UI Watch beta rollout for the Galaxy Watch 4 starting June 2. However, the update will be restricted to South Korea, at least initially. But it could expand to regions like the U.S., China, Europe, and other regions, as Android Police points out. Moreover, the update will only be available for the standard models of the vanilla Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Its currently unclear as to what features the new beta release will bring to Samsungs premier smartwatches. But we expect to learn more about it when the beta becomes officially available next week. Advertisement Eligible customers can apply for the One UI Watch beta through the Samsung Members app. If the beta program is available in your region, you should find a banner on the app notifying you of its availability. Clicking the banner will let you sign up for the beta, thus making you eligible to download the One UI Watch beta on your Galaxy Watch 4 when its available. The Galaxy Watch 4 recently received Google Assistant support There are some limitations to consider, however. Users cant revert to the stable version of One UI Watch if they leave the beta program before its conclusion. Instead, they will have to wait until the manufacturer rolls out the stable version of the software. Users cant leave and rejoin the beta either. Advertisement Samsung has introduced a bunch of new features for the Galaxy Watch 4 since its launch last August. The smartwatch has seen the inclusion of new watch faces and even gained Google Assistant support as of this week. Although we dont know what the upcoming One UI Watch beta brings to the table, we wouldnt be shocked to find some surprises. (ANSA) - ROME, MAY 24 - Italian monkeypox cases rose to five Tuesday as another case was found at the Spallanzani Hospital in Rome, Italy's premier infectious-disease institute. The hospital said the new case had "clinical and transmission characteristics similar to the previous ones". The number of Italian monkeypox cases rose to four Monday after the South-East Tuscany health authority said a 32-year-old man who returned to Arezzo on May 15 from a holiday in the Canary Islands had the disease. The news came amid reports that the virus has been sequenced for the first time, in Portugal. The Arezzo man is being treated at Arezzo's San Donato hospital. It is the first case in Tuscany. Four other men are being treated at the Spallanzani, in Rome. And 15 men who had been in contact with them are now self-isolating, across the Lazio region surrounding Rome, the hospital said. The first Italian case of monkey smallpox, or monkeypox, also regarded a man who had recently returned from a stay in the Canary Islands. Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, hence the name 'monkeypox.' The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then monkeypox had mainly been reported in humans in other central and western African countries. The World Health Organization said it was monitoring the "quickly evolving situation" after recent reported cases in Britain, Spain and the United States, as well as Italy, sources said Monday. The WHO has now confirmed over a hundred cases with outbreaks in at least 12 countries. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that forms blisters and crusts over. Monkeypox can be contracted from close contact with an infected person, sexual relations, contaminated objects, handling bushmeat and an animal bite or scratch. Many of those who have contracted it are gay men but the United Nations AIDS body, UNAIDS, has condemned what it called "stigmatizing language" similar to that which circulated during the first stage of the AIDS epidemic, describing it as "the gay plague". Monkeypox is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease but it can be contracted via the exchange of bodily fluids, whether through close physical contact or through sexual relations. It is not an airborne virus and its several strains are very far from being as contagious as COVID-19 and its latest much faster spreading sub-variants. Also on Monday, Portuguese infectious disease Doutor Ricardo Jorge, of INSA in Lisbon, said his team had sequenced the latest strain of the monkeypox virus for the first time. He said it was similar to several cases detected in 2018-2019. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said "most of the cases of monkeypox in Europe have presented with slight symptoms and, for the broader population, the probability of spread is very low". It said 85 cases had been detected in eight EU countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said the EU's health security committee would discuss the situation Tuesday. She added: "Our response and health emergency preparation authorities, HERA, ECDC and EMA are working in close contact to ensure that information on the epidemiological situation and the availability of vaccines and treatments is accurate and thorough". Milan Bicocca University virologist Francesco Broccolo said the strain that has been found in Europe is "the least aggressive strain of the virus" and stressed that it was now important to establish the causes of its spread. (ANSA). (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MAY 24 - A small boat capsized in an incident in which a reported four migrants died while three others went missing "near the beach of Mellitah", on the western coast of Libya, according to the Facebook page of the "chief of staff of the Libyan naval forces". It added that the shipwreck occurred on Monday and that a Libyan coast guard cutter was able to rescue 13 people. The same page reported that, over the course of "nine operations" carried out "off Libyan coasts", coast guards on Monday "succeeded in rescuing 500 people".(ANSAmed). Flash The annual meeting 2022 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) officially kicked off in the Swiss town of Davos on Monday, focusing on four major challenges: geopolitical risks, pandemics, climate change, and global economic risks. Convening under the theme "History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies", the Annual Meeting 2022 and its 200 sessions bring together global leaders from business, government and civil society for discussion to tackle global challenges and to shape a more sustainable and inclusive future. "The political, economic and social circumstances of our meeting are unprecedented. Davos will bring key global leaders from all parts of society together in person, and look at the consequences and repercussions for government policies and business strategies," said Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF. According to WEF, the agenda of the meeting will cover fostering global and regional cooperation; securing economic recovery and shaping a new era of growth; building healthy and equitable societies; safeguarding climate, food and nature; driving industry transformation; and harnessing the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The event will last till Thursday. ROME - Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said "the private sector is the engine that fuels our bilateral economic cooperation", at the end of a meeting with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grilic-Radman at the Farnesina foreign ministry in Rome. "Our productive systems, characterized by a strong affinity and complementarity, succeeded over the last year in producing an extraordinary economic interconnection". Di Maio recalled that in the afternoon he will attend with his Croatian counterpart the Business Forum Italy-Croatia "which will be divided into three sectorial roundtables dedicated to industrial processes and agribusiness, ICT and digitalization, infrastructure and mobility". Di Maio moreover recalled that "macroeconomic data saw a major growth in exchanges, which reached a meaningful record of 5.7 billion euros in 2019. But the partnership between Italy and Croatia proved to be strong and resilient, because there was strong post-Covid recovery, which has brought us back to the figures of 2019". "The important investment projects announced over the past weeks by some of our important businesses - he concluded - represent encouraging signs that lead to the start of a 'new generation' of Italian investments in Croatia". ATHENS - Greece's coast guard said on Monday that it had prevented approximately 600 people from entering the country by sea from Turkey, thwarting the biggest "mass migration" attempt in over two years. According to an announcement from the coast guard, a total of five boats and four dinghies with 590 people on board were stopped from crossing into Greek territorial waters earlier on Monday morning. "In the early hours of today there was particular tension in the wider sea area between the prefectures of Chios and Samos with five incidents in which boats carrying a substantial number of people tried to enter Greek territorial waters; these boats had departed from the Turkish coast and their final destination was the Italian coast," said the statement. The statement added: "At the same time, four additional inflatable boats carrying foreign passengers were located in the area, which also attempted to enter Greek territorial waters. The total number of passengers in the total nine cases exceeded five hundred and ninety people. "After the timely detection and use of light and sound signals by our patrol boats, none of the above vessels entered Greek territorial waters. It is worth noting that for all nine incidents the Turkish Coast Guard was immediately informed, in order to take over their management and to seize, as they should, the specific vessels since they were located in Turkish territorial waters." The Greek Coast Guard said also that three of the vessels returned to the Turkish coast of their own accord, while all the other migrants were eventually taken back to Turkey by Turkish patrol vessels. "The Hellenic Coast Guard consistently takes all necessary measures, with determination, respect for international law and sensitivity to human life, for the effective surveillance and protection of the maritime borders of Greece and the EU, the results of which are reflected in the rapid reduction of the number of illegal crossings of our maritime borders by third-country nationals," concluded the statement. Greece, as a hotspot of refugee and migrant activity since the outbreak of the crisis in 2015, has been repeatedly accused of illegally sending asylum-seekers who have already succeeded in entering Greece back to Turkey by human rights groups, prominent international media, and Turkish authorities. Athens, however, has repeatedly denied such activity, with Greece's Minister of MIgration and Asylum Notis Mitarakis recently pointed to a report from Greece's Independent National Transparency Authority, which was published on March 24, that concluded that "there is insufficient documentation of repatriation actions in the country". ISTANBUL - Turkey has expelled 28,581 migrants who entered the country since January, up 70% compared to the number of expulsions carried out over the same period in 2021. The figures were provided by the ministry of interior's immigration directorate, through a statement published by Sabah. According to the statement, documents are being prepared for the repatriation of another 18,801 irregular migrants mainly coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria. In 2022, Turkish forces stopped 153,088 migrants of various nationalities who tried to enter the country illegally, according to the statement. Turkey is hosting at least 4 million refugees, including over 3.7 million coming from Syria. Over the past few years, the majority of the Turkish population expressed frustration towards migrants and several episodes of violence were recorded against them. Recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned a plan for the repatriation of one million Syrians. PARIS - Two days ahead of Algerian president Abdelmajid Tebboune's visit to Italy, with stopovers in Rome (May 26) and Naples (May 27), the NGO Riposte Internationale has urged Italian authorities to raise the issue of arbitrary convictions and the respect of human rights in the country. In a statement, the NGO denounced in particular "violence of Algerian power against opponents and the peaceful population", as well as the "masked murders of detainees" convicted for "crimes of opinion in Algerian prisons". "These are parameters we would like the Italian government to consider in its future cooperation with Algeria's totalitarian regime", said the Paris-based NGO, highlighting in particular the death "under particularly obscure conditions of a detainee for crimes of opinion, Hakim Debazi, in the jail of Kolea". "This very grave precedent must not remain unpunished", warned Riposte Internationale, calling for an international investigation. Hakim Debazi, 55, the father of three children, was arrested on February 22 in Hadjout for his posts on social media. "Like hundreds of other detainees - accused the NGO - he is the victim of the regime's arbitrary power. Riposte Internationale believes that both the management of the prison of Kolea and protection authorities must take responsibility" for this death. The objective of an investigation that is "impartial consists first of all in establishing responsibilities in this type of tragedy", continued the NGO, urging the international community to "demand the cessation of torture, arrests and arbitrary convictions" in Algeria as well as the "unconditional release" of all those detained for political reasons and for their opinion. Flash The World Health Assembly (WHA), the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the General Committee of the WHA on Monday seperately decided not to include in its agenda a proposal on Taiwan's participation in the annual assembly as an observer. The decision at the 75th WHA fully demonstrates that the one-China principle has become the consensus of the international community and represents the aspiration of the people and the trend of the times, which cannot be stopped. The political manipulation of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities through the pandemic wins no support, brings disgrace to themselves and is doomed to fail. On the basis of adherence to the one-China principle on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, the Chinese central government has agreed to allow the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA as an observer for eight consecutive years from 2009 to 2016. Since the DPP came into power, it has stubbornly adhered to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle. As a result, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to join the WHA has ceased to exist. Since 2017, the Chinese central government has suspended the special arrangement for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA. The WHA has also rejected Taiwan-related proposals for many years. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the international community has expected this year's WHA to strengthen cooperation and solidarity in fighting the epidemic. However, the DPP authorities have gone against the trend of history and insisted on making Taiwan-related proposals, which fully exposed its political plot to engage in "Taiwan independence" separatist activities by hyping up its participation in the WHA. The vast majority of the world's countries uphold a just position on Taiwan-related issues at the WHA. Prior to the opening of the WHA, nearly 90 countries expressed their adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA through sending letters to the WHO and other ways. Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said in a statement at the meeting that the Taiwan-related proposal has no legal basis, stressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1 provide the legal basis for the WHO to abide by the one-China principle. The Taiwan region's participation in the WHA must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle and through cross-strait consultations, he noted, adding since the DPP authorities obstinately adhere to the "Taiwan independence" stance, the political foundation for Taiwan to join the WHA has ceased to exist. According to Chen, the Taiwan-related proposal has no factual basis. The central government has not only invited experts from Taiwan to visit Wuhan, but also specially notified the way to obtain the virus gene sequence, he stressed. Since April 2021, as many as 47 experts from Taiwan were approved to participate in the WHO-organized technical activities for 44 times in total, Chen said, noting there isn't any so-called "international epidemic prevention gap." The Chinese diplomat also emphasized that there is no international consensus on the Taiwan-related proposal. The WHA has already reached a conclusion on the Taiwan-related issue and has, for years, refused to discuss Taiwan-related proposals. The real purpose of the DPP authorities' attempt to exploit COVID-19 for political manipulation is to "use the pandemic to seek independence," Chen said, adding that the endorsement of some certain countries for the Taiwan authorities is a political trick of "using Taiwan to contain China," which is bound to fail. Flash BRICS industry ministers met virtually on Monday, calling for deepening innovative cooperation on the new industrial revolution for achieving sustainable development goals in a stronger, healthier and more resilient manner. The sixth BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting was held via video link in the port city of Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. During the meeting, the ministers had in-depth exchanges on promoting comprehensive cooperation, digital transformation of traditional industries, and collaboration on industrial and supply chains. Xiao Yaqing, minister of industry and information technology, reviewed progress that has been made since the first Meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers in 2015, and lauded progress made through BRICS practical cooperation on industry with the establishment of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR), alongside the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center. Xiao noted that, as the world faces a pandemic and drastic changes that have not been seen in a century, the Chinese government has taken proactive measures to balance pandemic response and socioeconomic development. China stands ready to work with all parties to deepen innovative cooperation on the new industrial revolution for achieving sustainable development goals in a stronger, healthier and more resilient manner, the minister added. Representatives present at the meeting issued a joint declaration, in which they encouraged the BRICS countries to deepen industrial cooperation and expedite the recovery and growth of the industrial economy through jointly creating an open, fair, vibrant and resilient environment, while fostering a stable, secure, mutually beneficial system for cooperation on industrial and supply chains. WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed back Tuesday on the decision by San Francisco's conservative Catholic archbishop to deny her Communion over her support of abortion rights, saying she respects that people have opposing views but not when they impose them on others. The California Democrat says she comes from a large family with many members who oppose abortion. I respect peoples views about that. But I dont respect us foisting it onto others. Pelosi added, Our archbishop has been vehemently against LGBTQ rights. In fact he led the way in an initiative on the ballot in California. Pelosi made her comments on MSNBCs Morning Joe. In a letter last week to Pelosi, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said he would refuse her Communion after she vowed to codify into law the Supreme Courts Roe vs. Wade decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion. That legislation passed the House but died last week in the Senate. Pelosi said women and families need to know this is about more than abortion. These same people are against contraception, family planning, in vitro fertilization. Its a blanket thing and they use abortion as the front man for it. Cordileone has said he told Pelosi that she must either repudiate her support of abortion rights or stop speaking publicly about her Catholic faith. In a separate letter to church members, he said he had asked several times to meet with Pelosi but that her office didnt respond or told him she was busy. After numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking, I have determined that the point has come in which I must make a public declaration that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion, Cordileone wrote. Over the past year, Cordileone has been among the most outspoken U.S. bishops advocating that Communion be denied to President Joe Biden and other politicians who support abortion rights. However, each bishop has authority in his own diocese on this matter, and the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, has affirmed that Biden is welcome to receive the sacrament there. WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a Harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that low-level discussion is underway on how the U.S. may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some U.S. troops should be based in Ukraine. The U.S. withdrew its few troops in Ukraine before the war and has no plans to send in combat forces. Milleys comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another non-combat role. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is staffing up again, and there have been questions about whether the U.S. will send a Marine security force back in to help protect the embassy or if other options should be considered. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, speak with reporters after a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Pentagon, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Asked if U.S. special operations forces may go into Ukraine, which officials have insisted they are not doing yet, Milley said that any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So were a ways away from anything like that. Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the U.S. will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark. In particular, he said that Denmark has agreed to send a Harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help Ukraine defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports. Weve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraines priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield, Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defense leaders. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems and tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training. A Harpoon rocket launcher is among military hardware promised for Ukraine. (Getty Images) The U.S. and other countries have been training Ukrainian forces in nearby European countries. Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition. The nature of the fight, as youve heard us describe a number of times is ... really shaped by artillery in this phase, said Austin. And weve seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks. Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weeks long-range artillery and rocket systems, armored personnel carriers and drones. Milley provided the greatest detail to date on the increased U.S. presence in Europe since Russia invaded in late February. Last fall. there were roughly 78,000 U.S. troops in the region, and that has gone up to 102,000 including 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, along with their division and corps leaderships. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appears on a screen set up at a court room of the Moscow City Court via a video link from his prison colony provided by the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service during a hearing of an appeal against his nine-year prison sentence in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. A Russian court has rejected Navalnys appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for fraud. The Tuesday rejection means Navalny will be sent to a strict-regime prison, according to the independent news site Mediazona. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) MOSCOW (AP) A Russian court on Tuesday rejected opposition leader Alexei Navalnys appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for fraud. The rejection means Navalny will be sent to a high-security prison, according to the independent news site Mediazona. Navalny, the Kremlins most persistent critic who had built a nationwide network of supporters, was arrested in January 2021 upon returning from Germany, where he had been recuperating from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Authorities said the six months of recovery abroad violated terms of a 3-year suspended sentence in a fraud case. In March, he was sentenced to nine years in a separate case alleging that he defrauded supporters by seeking donations to run for president even though he knew the previous conviction disqualified him from being a candidate. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Cloudy early with peeks of sunshine expected late. High 86F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Flash China has hit back at United States President Joe Biden's claims that Washington would militarily defend Taiwan, warning that no one should underestimate the nation's "firm resolve, staunch will and strong ability" to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Speaking at a regular news conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China expresses strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to Biden's remarks, stressing that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Wang's comment came after Biden, who was visiting Japan, said earlier on Monday in Tokyo that the US would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan, a statement that was seen as a violation by Washington of its commitment to the one-China principle and a fresh challenge to China's core interests. The spokesman reiterated that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and so allows no foreign interference. "On issues that bear on China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and other core interests, no one shall expect China to make any compromise or trade-offs," said Wang, warning the US not to stand on the opposite side of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. He also urged the US to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and stipulations in the three China-US joint communiques, honor its commitment to not supporting "Taiwan independence" and be prudent with its words and actions on the Taiwan question. The US should avoid sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, lest it should seriously damage China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, Wang said. "The Chinese side will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. We live up to our words," he added. Shortly after Biden's remarks, a White House official clarified that the US policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, Reuters reported. The official said that Biden reiterated that the US pursues the one-China policy and stays committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. Meanwhile, the 75th World Health Assembly unequivocally refused on Monday to put on the conference's agenda the proposal of a handful of countries inviting Taiwan to participate as an observer. The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization. It has been proved that the one-China principle is a broad consensus of the international community and also an overriding trend that brooks no challenge, said Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on Monday. The Taiwan question has been the most sensitive in China-US relations. However, Washington has constantly played the "Taiwan card" in recent years to contain China's development by developing official exchanges with Taiwan and selling more advanced arms to the island. In 2018, then US president Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act, encouraging visits between the US and Taiwan at all levels. One of Washington's provocative moves against China was the visit by a delegation of US Congress members to Taiwan in April. There had been reports that Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, might visit Taiwan during her Asian trip, but the trip was postponed after she became infected with COVID-19. Recently, wording about not supporting "Taiwan independence" and acknowledging Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China was removed from the section of the US State Department website regarding Taiwan. The Foreign Ministry has warned Washington to stop hollowing out the one-China principle and stop condoning or abetting "Taiwan independence" moves, and urged it to honor its political commitments to China. Observers said that Washington's irresponsible words and deeds run counter to a series of consensuses reached between the heads of state of the two countries, and that if the US persists in playing the "Taiwan card" and goes further down the wrong path, it will lead to a very perilous situation. Xu Liping, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that at a time when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has yet to be resolved, the US is constantly fanning the flames and attempting to damage cross-Straits relations, which is detrimental to regional and global peace, stability and development. As the world's largest economy, the US should take the responsibility of promoting world peace, but what it is doing is only hampering regional and global development, Xu said, adding that this shows the hypocrisy of the US government. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The anti-government demonstrators in Yerevan are protesting outside the foreign ministry building since early Tuesday morning. The demonstrators have blockaded the building. The protesters, led by Vice Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan from the opposition Hayastan faction and member of the ARF, marched down the city towards the foreign ministry from the France Square. Saghatelyan called on his followers to block all entrances and exits to the building. After doing so, the protesters pushed through police lines and blocked the building. UPDATES: 12:20 Demonstrators open entrances Opposition Members of Parliament Hayk Mamijanyan, Aram Vardevanyan and Ishkhan Saghatelyan entered the building after telling police officers that they have the right to do so as lawmakers. They entered the building to relay the message of the demonstrators. Afterwards, the MPs exited the building and led the crowd of supporters back to the France Square. We are expecting around 100-150 defence manufacturers would attend it, said Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita Kolkata: For the first time, the Indian Army is going to organise a mini defence expo in Kolkata in July this year to attract investments in defence sector. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita made the announcement at the MCCI Defence Conclave 2022 in the city on Tuesday. He also informed that the Army Design Bureau has plans to set up its nodes regionally. Lt Gen Kalita said, "I am happy to announce that we are planning to hold a mini defence expo from July 6-9 in Kolkata. I request the industrialists to come and participate in it in a big way. It would be a wonderful opportunity for you all to showcase your equipment, especially for the start-up and defence in the MSME sector. We are also reaching out to industry bodies like CII and MCCI and academic institutions like IIT." Asked about the number of participants for the upcoming mini defence expo, he later added on the sidelines, "We are expecting around 100-150 defence manufacturers would attend it." The Eastern Army Commander, while speaking at the session earlier, elaborated, "In the Eastern theatre, we have been encouraging industry participation in various development and research for enhancing our military capability. We have a continuous process wherein we examine technology on proposals we receive from various industry houses. Some of these are observed and tried out in the operational areas. If found suitable we go for the procurement following the procedure. A number of such items have been procured in the recent past." On the Army Design Bureau's expansion plans, he explained, "One of it's location is in Delhi. We are also trying to increase its footprint by establishing some more regional nodes." Lt Gen Kalita also underlined the importance of self-reliance in building critical military capabilities. Tehran violently represses new wave of popular discontent over price escalation and the drastic reduction in subsidies. The demonstrations promoted by young people and citizens, without political affiliations. Ayatollah Khamenei and President Raisi target of criticism. Tehran (AsiaNews) - Iranian authorities have violently repressed street protests in several cities, with at least five victims (only one officially recognised), wounded and dozens of arrests. The cut in subsidies decided by the government in Tehran has triggered a new wave of demonstrations of popular discontent, in this case too - as in the past - quelled by police and security agents with an iron fist. Since the beginning of May, the citizens of the Islamic Republic have been expressing their anger on social networks and the Internet against the price increases, which have particularly affected cooking oil, bread and everyday foodstuffs. In some cases, the cost has risen by more than 300%. In recent days, President Ebrahim Raisi has also intervened. During a meeting with ministers, economists and government officials, he promised that instead of subsidies for foodstuffs, there will be an allocation of funds directly to the accounts of the most needy families. Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber added that 'within the next few days' the cost of oil, poultry and eggs 'will return to normal levels'. As for bread and flour, he added, 'speculation will not be tolerated' and if someone has manipulated prices 'they will answer to the courts'. However, the reassurances provided by the authorities on price containment have not helped to calm the spirits of a population struggling with a protracted crisis situation. In 2019, protests against high fuel prices were widely echoed, repressed with extreme violence by the government then led by moderate Hassan Rouhani. And last year, the Islamic Republic recorded more than 2,300 demonstrations (most of them related to workers' rights), to which was added the arrest of around 1,700 pro-human rights activists and opponents. Returning to the demonstrations in recent days, a popular social account showed a march in Tehran with blurred images of the protesters to 'protect' their identity. Those present are loudly denouncing the collapse of salaries or non-payment of wages. In other parts of the country, demonstrators even targeted the supreme leader, the ayatollah, Ali Khamenei, with slogans and chants including 'Death to Khamenei! Death to Raisi!". Harsh accusations were also levelled at the Islamic Republic's institutional and judicial system. In the past, at least before this latest wave of discontent related to the subsidy cut, protests in Iran were often promoted by one side and organised by specific groups with political aspirations in the national scene. In this case, the subsidy marches seem to be mostly attended by disgruntled youth without any political affiliation, although they do not have an organic and organised vision of the nation's future. Analysts and experts point out that the continued violent suppression of protests will cost Iran in the future. To date, there are no political leaders to put under arrest or specific demands around which to bargain. For now, the only strategy is to forcibly disperse public demonstrations of discontent (which have received the support of the US State Department), even at the cost of deaths and injuries. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity is not a free trade agreement. Its 13 members include India. Its focus is on international standards for investments in infrastructure, supply chains and the digital economy, but without tariff reductions it may not work. China speaks out against attempts to sow division and confrontation. Tokyo (AsiaNews) The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is not a grand free trade agreement. As the White House pointed out in a statement, the initiative US President Joe Biden announced yesterday during his visit to Japan has a more modest aim, namely enhancing trade cooperation between the United States and several Asian countries, with focus on issues ranging from climate change to supply chain resilience and digital trade. In addition to the United States, 12 countries are party to the IPEF: Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. With this project, Biden is adding a trade component to US Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at containing the geopolitical rise of China, hitherto limited to the diplomatic-military field. With this initiative, the US president falls far short than the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) now called Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), former President Barack Obama launched, from which Donald Trump pulled out in 2017. In Congress, both Democrats and Republicans are by and large opposed to opening the US market to competitive Asian products, fearing job losses. Without the mutual reduction of trade barriers and tariffs, Asian members will see little benefit in the IPEF, and this could sink the project, critics argue. India and Southeast Asian countries will have to accept environmental, social and labour standards defined by the United States and other advanced nations. Without them, they may be denied access to greater US investments in infrastructure and technologies. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the IPEF is meant to be an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which many observers consider lacking in transparency and unsustainable. China has shown no interest in joining Biden's scheme; according to the US, this is precisely because the IPEF requirements for international investment standards make it unattractive to Chinese interests. Beijing immediately distanced itself from an initiative it perceives as another US attempt to counter its interests in the Indo-Pacific, like two US-leader military initiatives in the region. The first one, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, colloquially called the Quad, is a forum to discuss strategic security between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, which Beijing fears might turn into an Asian NATO. The second, AUKUS, is a trilateral security pact signed in September 2021 between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to help Canberra obtain nuclear-powered submarines. Yesterday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China welcomes initiatives conducive to strengthening regional cooperation but opposes attempts to create division and confrontation. To avoid tensions with Beijing, Washington excluded Taiwan from IPEF discussions for now; however, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stressed that the US will boost trade ties with Taiwan on a bilateral basis. The trial against him and five pro-democracy activists will begin Sept. 19. The charge of threatening national security is dropped. New charges of failing to register a charitable fund wth preliminary hearing today, the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. Meanwhile, the diocese cancels traditional masses for the Tiananmen massacre. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The West Kowloon Court today charged Card. Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, and five well-known Democratic Front members of failing to properly register a humanitarian fund of which they were trustees. Police had arrested the city's bishop emeritus and the others charged with the far more serious charge of "collusion" with foreign forces, in violation of the draconian national security law imposed by Beijing in the summer of 2020. Until it was shut down last October, Fund 612 assisted thousands of democracy activists involved in the 2019 protests. All of the defendants have pleaded not guilty: their advocates questioned whether the charity was required to register under the Societies Ordinance. The actual trial will begin on September 19. Without an indictment for threats to national security, the defendants face a maximum fine of ,750. However, one of them, activist Cyd Ho, is already in jail for participating in an unauthorized demonstration, a charge that has targeted several Democratic figures, including Catholic tycoon Jimmy Lai. Italian, German, French and Swedish diplomats were present at today's hearing. Many Western countries have long denounced the repressive actions carried out by the Hong Kong authorities, which in effect have erased the traditional freedoms guaranteed to the people since their return under Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Demonstrating the climate of fear experienced in the former British colony, the city's diocese announced today that traditional masses commemorating the Tiananmen massacre of June 4, 1989, when thousands of Chinese students and citizens were massacred in Beijing for demanding freedom and democracy in the country, will not be celebrated this year. The halt to the celebrations is motivated by concerns that it may violate the National Security Law. For the Feast of Mary Help of Christians and Our Lady of Sheshan - established by Benedict XVI in 2007 as the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China - tonight at 8 p.m. (local time) Card. Zen will celebrate a Mass organized by the Justice and Peace Commission, while another celebration at 6 p.m. will be presided over by Card. John Tong at the Holy Spirit Study Center. by Mathias Hariyadi High tide and three-metre waves from the Java Sea inundate roads linking Semarang to other cities. Various areas are under water, impacting local shrimp hatcheries. Rainfall is not the cause. Climate change is bound to aggravate the problem. Jakarta (AsiaNews) Unprecedented tides have hit the northern coastline of the island of Java[*], flooding local towns and cities. High water levels and three-metre waves were triggered by the perigee[], the Meteorological Office in Semarang (Central Java) reported. As in the past, tidal waters from the Java Sea breached protective seawalls, pouring onto the coastline, especially the city of Semarang, despite the absence of rain. For years, local authorities and the central government have tried to solve the problem of tidal floods, aggravated in recent years by climate change. Seawalls were built on the Banger River to control water levels and stem flooding with a system of dikes and polders[] designed to limit the impact of tidal waters. When tides rose, they caused havoc in the city, inundating several residential areas with hundreds of homes submerged by seawater. The main roads between Semarang and other cities in East Java were also affected, with vehicular traffic backed up with five-kilometre queues. The Tanjung Mas seaport was also severely impacted, whilst other coastal towns reported major damages, including to shrimp hatcheries, a major local economic activity, with serious financial losses to local producers. Luckily, no one has been killed or injured so far. Meteorologists and other experts note that the tidal surge occurred without heavy rainfall, suggesting that it is linked to broader climate anomalies. More sudden floods could come in the next few days along the entire northern coast, said Eko Prasetyo, weather forecaster at Indonesias Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Council (BMKG[]). Local residents have been informed of the potential and imminent danger, he explained. The latest episode began on 14 May repeating itself every other day, with waves varying in height depending on the shape of the coastline. [*] Known in Indonesian as Pantura (North Coast) or Pantai Utara Jawa (North Jawa Beach). [] The perigee of the moon is the point when the moon is closest to the Earth, which causes the Perigean spring tide. [] Artificially created coastal flood plains. [] Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika. Flash Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Monday co-chaired the sixth meeting of China-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee (COSBAN) with Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao via video link. Wang said that in recent years, China and Brazil have been accommodating each other's fundamental and long-term interests, and have worked together to counter global challenges, writing a new chapter of cooperation between emerging economies. China and Brazil, both as major countries with global influence, should maintain close communications over major international and regional issues, enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks, and help maintain and facilitate the common interests of emerging markets and developing countries, he said. Noting that Brazil attaches great importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, Mourao said Brazil hopes to expand exports to China, work with China to respond to common challenges including food security, and tap into new opportunities brought by energy transitions and the low-carbon economy. He said that Brazil welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in Brazil. by Melani Manel Perera No economic recovery plan can work without strong action against kleptocratic practices. The NGO makes 15 recommendations for Sri Lankan leaders. They include an open digital platform on donations and loans and use of funds, external audits of public companies and the establishment of an Authority for the recovery and management of illegally acquired assets held abroad. Colombo (AsiaNews) Corruption is a major cause of Sri Lankas current economic crisis, this according to Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL). For decades, public resources were misappropriated and poorly managed as a result of kleptocratic practices, systemic corruption and a general lack of transparency and accountability among elected officials and in the public service. If a solid economic recovery plan is the top priority at present, any effort is likely to fail if the people and agencies tasked with its implementation are corrupt or perceived as such. For this reason, TISL recently made public 15 recommendations to fight corruption. The first step is obviously to make sure that government agencies are entrusted to people with a track record showing their integrity and genuine commitment to public service. Along with this, however, certain concrete actions are required. One is an open digital platform to share all information relating to donations and foreign loans obtained by Sri Lanka with detailed information on their use. The NGO calls for the repeal of the 20th amendment to the constitution since it removed essential accountability measures in governance. Provisions should be introduced to strengthen Parliament's oversight of public finances, and mandatory accountability measures should be put in place to supervise public procurement under a National Procurement Commission with supervisory authority. The NGO has strong reservations about the countrys presidential system because it concentrates power in the hands of a single person, and insists on depoliticising the public service through constitutional changes that would boost the independence of public servants. TISL goes further, recommending that all state-owned enterprises be subject to external audits to monitor the use of public funds, while concrete action should be taken to recover stolen assets. An independent Asset Management Authority should be established to recover and manage stolen wealth held abroad. Lastly, a new law is urgently needed to regulate election campaign financing. We urge citizens to continue to actively seek information and knowledge on the types and impact of corruption and to be informed of the essential systemic and cultural changes needed to uplift the country, said Nadishani Perera, TISLs executive director. We stand with citizens in demanding accountability and corrective action from our public representatives in a peaceful manner, she added. Together we can weather this storm and create the change we thought may not be possible in our lifetime. by Vladimir Rozanskij Rampant corruption in the country overshadows the first outing since the official inauguration of President Serdar Berdymuhamedov, son of his predecessor. A journalistic investigation revealed that the state-of-the-art health care facility ran on bribes for everything: treatment, operations, bed places and hiring. Ashgabat (AsiaNews) - The new president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdymuhamedov, had gone in person on April 15 to inaugurate a state-of-the-art multi-purpose hospital in Turkmenbasi, the city of the "father of all Turkmen," named after the first president Saparmirat Nyyazov. All it took was a Radio Azatlyk investigation into bribes distributed among Turkmen health officials for the occasion to shut it all down while an audit by a special anti-corruption investigative team arrived from the capital Asgabat, with members of the General Prosecutor's Office and the Court of Accounts. Reports filtering in speak of a series of arrests among hospital staff and others, starting with chief-director-general Takhir Annataganov, who was overseeing the haggling over jobs, which were awarded through rounds of bribes. There was panic in the khjakimlyk (municipality) of Turkmenbasi when word of the young president's wrath over newspaper inquiries got out, in what was his first outing for an inauguration of a major social facility. The management staff had been chosen after careful selection by the Ministry of Health, and Annataganov had been appointed as early as February, two months before the opening, transferring from the old city hospital. He had received several honors in the past, up to that of "doctor of the people" in 2020. According to confidences gathered by Azatlyk, about 20 young doctors from the Balkan region, who had recently finished their studies at the "Murad Garryev" state university, paid 200,000 manat (over 100,000 euros) in bribes to get jobs at the new hospital. Thirty-four nurses were also forced to pay a sum of 100 thousand manat, while ordinary employees had to shell out at least 40 thousand manat. These are remarkable figures even for a country like Turkmenistan, with an entrenched tradition of corruption, and especially unprecedented in a regional-level medical institution. The system governed by Annataganov involves off-the-books payments for everything: treatment, operations, bed places, and-indeed-hiring. "Without money, they won't even give you a checkup," one of the sources tells reporters at Turkmen.news, an official agency that itself took action after Azatlyk's independent investigation. Several public health officials confirm the allegations against the chief physician, who seems to be singled out as the scapegoat for all corruption in the medical field, and now remains awaiting the conclusion of the investigation in a cell in Asgabat. In reality, corruption in Turkmenistan has been prevalent for many years in all work and social spheres, and citizens have to give bribes even just to get a job as a street sweeper, and for any public administration-related position. According to the Transparency International organization's Corruption Perception Index, in 2021 the country ranked 169th in this field out of 180 countries in the world. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form Flash Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao on Monday called China the "main and most strategic trade partner" of Brazil as bilateral ties are "very good" and have an "extraordinary future." "I can affirm for the second time that Brazil and China converse regularly, fluidly and in a constructive spirit on the main issues of our bilateral agenda," Mourao said, following the 6th Plenary Meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN). "The 6th COSBAN Plenary Meeting showed the harmony between Brazil and China, and demonstrated the willingness of both sides to work together to overcome challenges, identify pending issues and improve our ties," Mourao said. China has been Brazil's main trade partner since 2009, with two-way trade growing every year, he noted. "We are certain that today China plays the role of the engine of the world economy," due to its production capacity and its market of 1.4 billion people, he said. Meanwhile, as the potential "granary of the world," the vice president said, Brazil is willing to become a reliable partner of China in addressing food safety. Share This: Stellantis N.V. and Samsung SDI on May 24 announced they will establish an electric-vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Kokomo, IN. Targeted to start in 2025, the plant aims to have an initial annual production capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours (GWh), with an aim to increase to 33 GWh in the next few years. The total capacity would increase further as demand for Stellantis electric vehicles is expected to rise. The joint venture company will invest more than $2.5 billion and create 1,400 new jobs in Kokomo and the surrounding areas. The investment could gradually increase up to $3.1 billion. The new facility will supply battery modules for a range of vehicles produced at Stellantis' North America assembly plants. Plant construction activities are scheduled to begin later this year with production operations planned to launch in the first quarter of 2025. "Just under one year ago, we committed to an aggressive electrification strategy anchored by five gigafactories between Europe and North America," said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. "Today's announcement further solidifies our global battery production footprint and demonstrates Stellantis' drive toward a decarbonized future as outlined in Dare Forward 2030. "I am grateful to Gov. Eric Holcomb and Secretary of Commerce for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation Brad Chambers, along with Mayor Tyler Moore and their teams, as well as to all my colleagues for their support and dedication to bring this operation to Kokomo, a city that holds a rich and long history for our company." "We express our gratitude toward officials from the state of Indiana and Stellantis for supporting the final selection of the plant site in Indiana," said Yoon-Ho Choi, CEO of Samsung SDI. "We have secured a solid foothold in a rapidly growing North America EV market through the joint venture with Stellantis. We will make sincere efforts to bring satisfaction to the market with top-class quality products in the future, and we will contribute toward meeting the climate change target." "It's another incredibly exciting day to be back in Kokomo celebrating such a transformational investment from Stellantis and our new partners at Samsung," said Holcomb. "Today's announcement is another step toward positioning Indiana as... 4WD Even though many expected a ground-up redesign for 2023, the Japanese automaker did not deliver. Its also understandable given that the Tacoma and Hilux havent moved to the TNGA-F platform of the all-new Tundra.Dating back to August 2009 for the 2010 model year, the fifth-generation 4Runner is entering 2023 with a few improvements and a special edition that numbers 4,040 units. Offered exclusively with four-wheel drive, the 40th Anniversary can be specified in three colors: the pictured Midnight Black Metallic, White, and Barcelona Red Metallic. Based on the SR5 Premium, this fellow stands out in the crowd with 17-inch bronze wheels.A body-color heritage front grille, heritage graphics, and tailgate badge also need to be mentioned, along with a passenger-side dash badge, bronze stitching on the shift knob and seats, anniversary floor mats, anniversary logos on the SofTex-wrapped headrests, as well as the power moonroof.Moving on to the rest of the lineup, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner gains Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert completely as standard. Every single trim level rocks LED high beams. With room for up to seven people, the family-oriented overlander further boasts the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite of driver-assist technologies that include the Sway Warning System.Backed up by 36 months of basic new-vehicle warranty, the 4Runner soldiers on with a familiar V6 engine that drives the rear wheels or all four through a five-speed automatic transmission. Rear-drive vehicles are equipped with an automatic limited-slip differential, while four-wheel-drive vehicles combine the part-timesystem with Active Traction Control, an electronic nanny that maintains traction whenever it senses any wheel slippage.Capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms), the 4.0L V6-engined 4Runner belts out 270 ponies and 278 pound-feet (377 Nm). In fact, if a recent report from South Koreas Chosun Ilbo , quoted by the Korean Car Blog , is correct, then another model that will be discontinued after the current generation will be the Hyundai Sonata.Citing undisclosed insiders, the outlet said that it is an open secret in the company that the Sonata will be discontinued, and Sonata assembly lines are being converted to produce electric cars. Although a sad rumor, nonetheless, it is hardly a surprise, considering that Kia is looking to become a fully-electric automaker by the end of the next decade.Now, about the Sonata , it wont be discontinued in the near future, but after the current one gets facelifted again, or so it seems. Its successor was supposed to arrive around 2025, but its development is not in progress, a Hyundai official reportedly said, quoted by the Korean Car Blog. There is no confirmed content about the development of DN9 (Sonatas successor) parts, they added.Having been around for 37 years now, Hyundai has managed to shift in excess of nine million units of the Sonata globally. The eighth generation, which has been in production since 2019, and is being put together at different factories worldwide, is on the verge of becoming a shadow over the older ones sales-wise. Last year, Hyundai parted ways with 93,142 copies in the United States, according to CarSalesBase , up from 76,997 units the year before. In 2019, 87,466 Sonatas were sold nationwide. The models best year in terms of sales was 2012, when 230,605 examples were sold, up from 225,961 in 2011. When Beyonce shared photos of her and Jay-Z spending almost the entire month of September 2021 on board the Flying Fox, the media went crazy with rumors about it belonging to the space cowboy himself. It made sense, since the giant 446-foot (136 meters) vessel was one of the most impressive on the market, with an estimated worth of $400 million. But this years international sanctions against Russian oligarchs revealed its true ownership.Dmitry Kamenshchik owns the second-largest airport in Russia and one of the largest in Eastern Europe. At 54, hes among the younger oligarchs, with a fortune estimated at more than $2 billion.His ultra-luxurious megayacht was faced with an entirely different experience this year. After Kamenshchiks name was reportedly included on the U.S. sanctions list, the Flying Fox was detained in the Dominican Republic earlier this year. The yacht was not allowed to leave to country until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) carried out a search over fraud allegations (among other things).After spending an entire month in Port Don Diego, the infamous megayacht simply disappeared one day, with no official explanation for why it was able to leave or why it did it so late. The owner of Moscow's Domodedovo Airport seems to no longer be on the sanctions list. However, it rushed to get its luxury pleasure craft to a safe haven, just like the oligarchs who are at risk of losing their boats.After a one-month trip from the Dominican Republic, vessel tracking platforms are now showing that the Flying Fox has recently stopped near Gocek, Turkey. Turkey has become a well-known safe haven for Russian superyachts since it has openly disagreed with the sanctions against Russia. Business Insider also confirmed that Flying Fox has joined the other targeted vessels stationed in this area.Last year, it was making headlines as a $4 million-per-week party boat. Now its losing money (the prolonged stationing in the Dominican Republic cost it over $1 million) and simply trying to stay safe the tides sure have turned. BMW is currently considering adding solar panels to its plants, while also developing plans with local authorities to ship hydrogen to its facility in Leipzig, Germany. Last year, natural gas accounted for 54% of the Bavarian brands total energy consumption, as per Reuters Hydrogen is very well-suited to lower or even fully compensate for gas demand, stated Nedeljkovic.Then, when asked what would happen to BMWs factories if gas deliveries from Russia would stop, he shared a rather negative outlook: Our industry accounts for around 37% of German natural gas consumption. Not just BMW, but the entire sector would come to a standstill.Its not just BMW who are preparing to shift away from Russian gas, but rather most of the German industry. Furthermore, solutions are being explored with regard to a rationing system in the event of a sudden halt on deliveries.BMW also operates a new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which is said to be the worlds first car factory run entirely without fossil fuels. According to Nedeljkovic, this facility will rely heavily on solar energy, with geothermal also being explored.Geothermal power is considered to be more stable than weather-dependent renewables, but it hasnt attracted as many investments as wind or solar power mostly because of high upfront costs and a complex licensing process for drilling into the ground.When asked if nuclear energy is an option, the BMW exec admitted that it could act as a stabilizing factor in volatile times such as these, but as far as his company is concerned, they will be focusing entirely on regenerative energy sources. ECU In stock form, a 2022 BMW M3 Competition xDrive comes with 503 horsepower (510 metric horsepower) and 650 Nm (479 lb.-ft) of torque. Its eight-speed automatic allows it to have a top speed of 290 kph (180 mph) in stock form, while the 0-60 (0-97 kph) sprint is made in just 3.3 seconds.For the full 0-62 (0-100 kph), an additional 0.2 seconds are required. The example seen in the photo gallery and in the video below is fitted with 20-inch wheels made by Edelweiss. It also has a neat wrap that looks great on it, if you do not mind our opinion on the matter.Now, the S58 motor is powerful in stock form, but that does not stop people from tuning it. The example in the video comes with the RaceChip GTS Black unit, which is a tuning box that can be installed and removed with ease. The company prides itself on offering a two-year warranty for the engine, and the customer will be able to get free reprogramming (just once, though) if they switch cars and keep the unit.As we noted above, this model now prides itself on having 660 horsepower after the installation of the tuning box. It is important to underline the fact that customsoftware might bring more power and torque , but it might leave the vehicle without the coverage of its factory warranty.With a plug-in unit such as this one, the changes are reversible, so it might not be an issue for those who have a concern on that matter. In case you were wondering, going back to the stock tune on a vehicle's ECU can be detected by dealership employees. It all depends on the terms of the warranty in your country, but dealership employees tend to be skeptical of performing warranty work on modified vehicles.With that in mind, check out how the slightly modified M3 accelerates on the German Autobahn. Mind you, the sound that you will hear as the gears are shifted is generated from the speakers of the vehicle after an infotainment update that has changed the ActiveSound system. The latter change has affected many other M3s and M4s, but this is the first time we all get to hear it.If we already had a fake engine noise even for some M cars , the latest infotainment update brings fake pops on upshifts. One can only hope it is just a deterrent for people going to reflash their ECUs to get the same effect with their tune. Who knows, maybe this will make pops and bangs tunes uninteresting. EV Full Self-Driving To be sure, Cadillac was already flirting with luxury as the upscale brand of General Motors. But the perception has waned over the years, especially since the British and German brands dominate this market segment. At the same time, GM has put Cadillac on the back burner, which led to an aging lineup and very few reasons to spark anyones imagination. Things are set to change, though, and now Cadillac has found itself at the forefront of the war that GM CEO Mary Barra has waged against othermakers.Cadillac will soon start deliveries of the all-new all-electric Lyriq crossover and is preparing a host of new electric models. The flagship sedan Celestiq will possibly launch this summer, and GM wants to pit it against the very finest in the luxury car market. It will feature the highest level of customization available for any GM vehicle to date. It was undoubtedly inspired by the Bespoke division of Bentley and Rolls-Royce.According to GM Authority , Cadillac aims to fulfill the wildest wishes that future Celestiq customers might have. If someone wanted to use the wood from a tree on their property to outfit the interior of their Celestiq, this would be no problem. Cadillac sees this as a sweetener for the very steep projected price of the Celestiq, which at over $200,000 seems out of Cadillacs league. The most expensive Cadillac right now would be the Escalade-V , at around $150,000.Cadillac Celestiq is the second vehicle from the brand using the new Ultium battery and drive motors on top of the BEV3 chassis. The cabin will feature a 2+2 arrangement, while the panoramic roof will feature the SmartGlass technology with programmable opacity. Cadillac Celestiq will also be the launching vehicle for GMs Ultra Cruise semi-autonomous driving system, which should put Teslato shame.If you are curious about what the Celestiq will look like, you should revisit the pictures of the Cadillac Escala Concept unveiled in 2016 at Pebble Beach. It seems a little too close to a Jaguar XJ, but it should do the trick. Not sure about the price, though, as people would still consider it a very expensive Cadillac instead of an affordable Rolls-Royce. Electric cars have even more sensor needs than conventional vehicles and Continentals two new sensors promise to meet some of the most important ones, being designed to support both electrification and road safety. One of them is the Current Sensor Module (CSM), which aims to ensure the long-term durability of the battery , protecting it from overstress and limiting aging effects. Continentals other recently unveiled sensor is the Battery Impact Detection (BID) system, which can sense potential battery damage and warns the driver about it.The CSM gets integrated either in the battery disconnect unit or the battery itself. As explained by Continentals Horst Gering, program manager in the Passive Safety and Sensorics segment, lithium-ion batteries have an optimum temperature span in which theyre safe and age very slowly. But some factors, such as fast charging the battery or driving the car in a more aggressive, sportier manner, will cause the battery to heat up and will shorten its lifespan. Continentals CSM sensor helps keep it healthy and safe, providing valuable current and temperature info. It will also detect any mechanical malfunctions, which might lead to a fire if unidentified in a timely manner. Continental says it plans to start the mass production of its CSM sensor sometime this year.As for its BID system, it can detect and classify underfloor impact events, alerting the driver if the battery integrity has been breached. It can also pinpoint the area of the damage, so the battery management can empty the cells in that area to prevent any risk of fire, as explained by Johannes Clemm, managing director at Continental Safety Engineering in Alzenau.Two main types of impacts are covered by the BID system. One is ground contact at low speeds, for instance when a driver is parking the car and the vehicle rolls over a curb and hits the ground. The other type is high-speed intrusion, which can be caused by objects such as rocks or lashing straps, which can damage the underfloor and maybe even penetrate the structure of the battery. So far, Continental hasnt mentioned a production date for its Battery Impact Detection system. EV Ramsey will drive the specially equipped Nissan from the Arctic through North, Central and South America, before eventually arriving in Antarctica. This is the first such undertaking to feature an all-electric passenger vehicle.Were proud to announce our partnership with Chris Ramsey and the Pole to Pole expedition team, stated Nissan marketing & sales executive VP, Asako Hoshino.The all-new, all-electric Ariya crossover SUV enables you to go further, easier and in comfort. And with e-4ORCE control technology providing enhanced stability and traction on a variety of surfaces, we know it will be the perfect partner for Chris and his team on their challenging all-electric journey.Of course, in order to handle the freezing Arctic and Antarctic conditions, Ramseys Ariya will be heavily modified, starting with a custom exterior body kit, followed by upgraded wheels, tires and suspension. It could also feature a set of custom roof lights, which would come in handy in regions where theres no artificial lighting of any kind.While driving through the Americas, a second, unmodified Nissan Ariya crossover will act as a support vehicle. This cars journey will end as soon as Ramsey reaches treacherous Antarctic terrain.As far as Ramsey is concerned, this isnt his first endurance rodeo, as hes been adventuring in electric vehicles for over a decade now. Back in 2017, he and his wife, Julie, became the first team to complete the Mongol Rally in an, travelling over 16,000 km (10,000 miles) in a Nissan LEAF Our mission is to show that electric vehicles can tackle the harshest of environments from the bitter cold of the poles to the hot and humid jungles of South America and illustrate that they are exhilarating to drive whilst meeting the daily demands of drivers around the world. Its fantastic to see such an important and innovative global brand partner with our expedition, said Ramsey. EV Russia is a crucial source of nickel required for the manufacturer ofbatteries. It supplies 20 percent of the metal to battery makers. Besides nickel, it's a top supplier of aluminum used in developing batteries.The Eastern European country also accounts for 12 percent of crude oil exports, affecting the global gas price.Russia's war in Ukraine is disrupting the supply of these metals and affecting the cost of critical components needed to produce electric vehicle batteries, including cobalt and nickel. As a result, battery manufacturers are forced to seek alternative sources that are often costlier.Indonesia and the Philippines also produce nickel, but the mounting pressure is already causing constraints.With gas pump prices surging and world governments setting strict regulations on ICEs, more and more consumers are considering switching to electric models. But there's a problem. Another critical component in battery development is lithium. It takes years to set up lithium mines, confining supply.According to the IEA, the hikes in raw materials needed for battery production are the biggest obstacle for consumers looking to switch from ICEs to electric vehicles, closely followed by supply disruptions.In January, the average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. was $45,000. Industry experts warn the price could increase with another manufacturing crisis. Faith Birol, executive director at IEA, said policymakers, industry executives, and investors need to be vigilant and resourceful to reduce the risks of supply interruptions, ensuring a sustainable supply of critical raw materials.In 2021, EV global sales doubled to 6.6 million, making up about 10% of all vehicle sales. But the current raw material hikes and supply disruptions could slow the progress. James Lucas Condon, popularly known as TheStradman on YouTube , took part in Festival Del Toro, a Lamborghini-only rally event (Shmee150 sneaked a Mustang), driving from New Jersey to the inner streets of New York City.New York is famous for many things, including the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, Broadway, Skyscrapers, and Wallstreet. But never Lamborghinis. If you want to spot a bounty of Lamborghinis and luxury cars go to Dorchester, Harrods , or Sloane Street in London.For Festival Del Toro, TheStradman, and a bunch of other Lamborghini enthusiasts took their straight-piped hell-raisers to the streets of New York. The caravan of about 57 Lamborghinis, roughly a $6 million-plus convoy (considering each Lambo is $200,000), cruised through the jam-packed streets of New York, flaunting their irresistible majestic beauties.This wasnt the best of ideas, considering the recent hikes in fuel and how insatiable these throaty supercars can get. It would have been a bummer if one stalled in the middle of Manhattan, but then again, whats $8.50/gallon if your car is worth more than $200,000 (plus options).It didnt take long before Condons precious Lamborghini Aventador Roadster started heating up under the intense humidity. But with all the lights, cameras, and attention from the enthusiastic crowd, he couldnt resist revving the engine a couple of times.When my Aventador Coupe overheated in the past, when you turn the car off and let it cool down, it wont turn on. It goes into limp mode, where it wont turn on for like three or four hours. So, we cannot shut this car off under no circumstances whatsoever, Condon confessed.Empire State Of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys talks of New York being a "concrete jungle where dreams are made of." For Condon, those words are like a prophecy. Two years ago, his Lamborghini Aventador Roadster was in downtown Chicago after rear-ending a cop car. Fast-forward, the car was repaired and he bought it. After a thousand man hours of labor, he flaunts it in Times Square, New York City. kWh Most of what Merlin and Oliver Ouboter said in the virtual premiere had already been disclosed. Our readers will remember all four derivatives of the Microlino 2.0 (Urban, Dolce, Competizione, and Pioneer Series), their specifications, and the perspective that the most affordable one would cost 12,500 ($13,415 at the current exchange rate). What the Microlino co-founders offered us was a more comprehensive idea of deadlines and technical specifications.The first Microlino 2.0 to be delivered will be the Pioneer Series, limited to 999 units. Its prices will only be disclosed when the online configurator is published, something the Ouboters intend to do around May 26. Switzerland will be the first country to get these EVs, followed by Germany and Italy. The rest of Europe should only get these cars by 2023.After the Pioneer Series, the first versions to be offered will be the Dolce and Competizione, expected to arrive by the years end or the beginning of 2023, depending on what the suppliers will manage to deliver.All three come with the 10.5-battery pack and sunroof as standard equipment. What the Pioneer Series offers as a plus is a numbered plate inside the vehicle and Pioneer badges, apart from two exclusive colors: Atlantis Blue and Torino Aluminum.Curiously, the Atlantis Blue Microlino represents the Dolce edition for people that love retro designs. The Torino Aluminum represents the Competizione derivative, with more futuristic styling. The 10.5-kWh battery pack offers 177 kilometers (110 miles) of range.The Urban version has a smaller battery pack as standard: it has 6 kWh for a 95-km (59-mi) range. Its buyers will be able to order it with the 10.5-kWh battery pack or with the 14 kWh component, which offers 230 km (143 mi) of range.This battery pack will only be available by the end of 2022, which means that people ordering the Pioneer Series, Dolce, or Competizione with this option will have to wait a bit more to get it.The Ouboters presented the competitors their electric bubble car will have: basically the Renault Twizy and the Citroen Ami/Opel Rocks-e. The Microlino co-founders said that they know the Microlino is more expensive. On the other hand, it is the only one with unibody construction. The other two use tubular frames, which are cheaper and less safe in case of crashes.To be fair, the Microlino 1.0 also uses tubular frames. It now is the Artega Karo , which Electricbrands plans to sell in 2023 after it bought Artega. Electricbrands said it would start accepting orders next summer. At this point, it would be wise to wait for more news on what the Karo (or whatever the company decides to call it) will be and how much it will cost. With Artega, prices would start at 17,995 ($19,312).The last surprise the virtual event reserved was the Pioneer membership. Anyone willing to pay 1,999 ($2,145) to Microlino in 2022 will have lifetime access to discounts, prioritized delivery, an e-scooter, special trade-in deals, accessory discounts, and special events, such as visiting the factory and even helping to assemble their bubble cars if they wish to do so.Customers will also have access to the Pioneer membership in 2023. However, waiting will be a bad deal: they will have to pay 1,000 ($1,073) every year to keep the special status. For those willing to purchase other Microlinos (including the Microletta), it may pay off in the long run. The good folks over at Hollywood, California-based RDB LA unintentionally sparked an entire confusion-related discussion when showcasing one of their most recent builds . While it has not been included in one of the latest vlog episodes on YouTube, this all-black Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge that fully adheres to murdered-out principles still got a little shout-out (or two) on their Instagram page.There, it posed standing still, for everyone to see its goodies: the black body and matching deep-dish spindle aftermarket wheels, the tiny spec of contrasting red brake calipers, as well as the massive Novitec widebody aerodynamic kit, among many others. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the interior POV and those tinted windows plus windshield are not making it easier to throw in a peek.Additionally, there is little to no information regarding what changes were made for this custom build aside from the obvious murdered-out attire, lowered stance, and cool widebody tricks, that is. Albeit people might not even need a lengthy description for this custom ride because they already knew how to get thoroughly entertained once the static photoshoot ended and they jumped on board the quick video feature embedded second below.In there, the Novitec Rolls-Royce Cullinan widebody rolled stealthily past an Arco gas station and all humongous prices hell broke loose in the comments section. Seriously, one can easily read all those and jump from ecstasy to horror as some commented it is normal life in California to see $5.99 to $6.43 gas prices nowadays. Meanwhile, others told them to see the half-filled part of the glass, as Old Continent residents have $8.3 per gallon prices in certain regions, and over in Singapore, they are joyfully heading towards the $10 mark EV Elon whats up with your Teslas? We watched this one catch on fire. #Tesla @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/puzpQHmZRg Bray Bray (@Badboyzz512) May 23, 2022 What makes them newsworthy is that they are happening at a faster pace than they usually did. From June 2021 until very recently, I personally covered seven Tesla fires. Now we already have six more just in May, which is leading to multiple theories about why they are happening so often these days. Well get there after we talk about the new blazes.The first one was in an undisclosed location. The Twitter user Bray Bray shared a video with a red Model 3 on fire. The vehicle seems to have hit a tree, and it is in the wrong way of the road on which the video was shot. That suggests it crashed and flipped.That was enough for Tesla advocates to rule out issues with the vehicle and claim that it caught fire after crashing, which is not a very effective way to defend anything: cars should never catch fire after a wreck. The Ford Pinto became a major stain in Fords history because it did exactly that. If crashing is enough for a Tesla to catch fire, it should not be driven anywhere or never hit anything, which is impossible to ensure.Some other Twitter users raised the possibility that the car crashed because it started catching fire. If that were true, it could also explain the fatal crash with a fire that we wrote about in our last story about these blazes. At this point, no one can say precisely what happened or how which makes blaming the crashes for the fires even more inadequate.The second fire happened on Route 3 in Brooklyn, Illinois. It was first reported by Fox2Now, which informed it started at 4:30 AM on May 23. Fox2Now said the police found a man and a woman close to the burning vehicle. The unidentified woman told them the man had bought thethe previous week.Still, according to the news channel, the cause of the fire was unknown, but the recent overheating CPU recall for 130,000 cars in the U.S. was suggested as having some connection to the problem. According to Tesla, the OTA update just improves the management of the CPU temperature and associated communications with elevated temperature operation. However, we are not sure how that management happens or if it also deals with the battery pack.Another source told a different story. Belleview News-Democrat stated that a Tesla hit a hydrant at high speed on St. Clair County highway at around 4:30 AM. Although we were not sure it was the same crash, the Belleview News-Democrat linked the Fox2Now story to its report when it disclosed that the collision happened at Illinois 3 and Jefferson Street in Brooklyn.According to that website, Brooklyn Police Chief Thomas Jeffrey said the man fled the scene. Witnesses told Jeffrey that both the man and the unidentified woman were heavily intoxicated. The police chief preferred not to take that as a proven fact and said he needed to confirm that. The woman was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with chest pains.Firefighters stayed at the location until 7 AM to kill the fire. It could have been worse: they could have to go there twice, as with the Coral Gables fire that we reported in our previous article. We needed more information about that, and NBC6 did us that favor.According to the news channel, two cars were destroyed, and one had fire damage in the parking lot of the local Tesla Service Center . After the firefighters killed the blaze, they had to return at night because the vehicle had reignited. Checking the images presented by NBC6, wed say it is also a write-off. The facility manager did not want to talk to the press, and the fire cause will be investigated.At this point, Tesla would better offer some sort of clarification to its concerned customers. The idea that an OTA (over-the-air) update could be causing this could explain why at least three of these six fires happened so close to each other. The ones involving crashes suggest the EV maker should also explain how it ensures the battery pack will not ignite in collisions. For a company that brags about selling the safest cars in the world, these incidents make it look like cheap talk. SUV But for reasons we needn't rehash yet again, sanctions and all that's especially the case right now. If you're just an average Joseph, the biggest effects you feel are skyrocketing prices, even for the bare essentials. So when one Russian man by the name of Dan Sheekoz on YouTube wandered into a few car dealerships near his village, the results were equal parts horrifying and hilarious.Considering Dan is trying to get a sweet deal, Toyota is the obvious first place to look. A nicely balanced crossoveris much preferable to sedans on Russian roads. So how about a nice, simple, Rav4? Well, sadly for the Russian people, even the most basic of those will set them back $65,000 in American money.It's as if every single shipping vessel on route to the Russian Federation pulled a handbrake turn and sailed back home as soon as they heard the word of what was going on at Russia's western border. In a sense, that really is what happened, and the prices of new cars clearly reflect this. So how do you bet that translates further up the Toyota range? How about a Land Cruiser?Well, that'll set you back a cool $130,000 worth of a basically worthless Russian ruble. At least, it was worthless until it magically started skyrocketing again in the middle of a war. As Russia forced domestic businesses to convert their foreign currency assets to hometown standards.Think you're a big spender and want to upgrade to a Lexus? Well, my Russian friends, you better be ready to spend new house money on the affair. $66,000 or so for the most spartan ES200 and upwards of $150,000 for an NX250 SUV. But hey, even so, at least you can still buy a Toyota Land Cruiser in Russia. Can't say the same about the States, so good on you, we can only suppose.Moving on to a Nissan dealer, Dan spots a very nice-looking white Nissan Pathfinder, presumably brand new as well. But with a sticker price of $150,000, we can all keep dreaming. Dan is quick to point out that the R53 fifth-generation Pathfinder had only just arrived on Russian soil when the invasion began.It's the first time he'd ever even seen one in person. But maybe Dan was misguided trying to buy a new car from an established global manufacturer like Nissan or Toyota. Maybe he'd have better luck with something like a Renault. The Renault Duster was once a pretty sweet bargain in Russia.One no doubt aided because there are Renault badges instead of Dacia logos. Perhaps this is because Russians aren't all that keen on buying cars from the Romanian nation that, back in the early 60s, told the former Soviet Union in the most polite terms to go take a hike and that they were perfectly well off without them. But hey, it's a car sold around the world, so who really knows.Whatever the case, any deal bargain the Duster was in Russia six or so months ago is now up in smoke to the tune of $30,000. That's Honda Accord money for an SUV our friend called "not comfortable." Dan's desperation for a new deal gets so bad that he even walks through the door of a Geely dealership.For those of you who aren't aware, the Russian people deeply distrust Chinese automakers in spite of more and more of them popping up across the country. By his own admission, Dan finds the quality in a Geely Atlas to be more or less on par with Japanese cars in terms of comfort, if not quality.So, what can we learn from one man's fruitless attempt at a bargain new car in Russia post-sanctions? Well, for one thing, it certainly isn't going to stop the Russian people from trying to find bargains. Though as far as anyone can tell, they'll be looking for quite some time. It can travel for 5,500 nautical miles (6,330 miles/10,186 km) without stops. It can reach a speed of Mach 0.9 (690.5 mph/1,110 kph). It boasts a larger cabin cross-section than any other purpose-built business jet. This is the new Falcon 6X. For the past months, it has demonstrated its abilities during challenging trials, including high-elevation tests, cold-soak tests, and maximum speed tests. Three test aircraft have now accumulated more than 850 hours of flight time.But its not over. Natural icing tests and contaminated runway tests are still to follow. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) flight evaluation process began, and obtaining the certification is no easy task. The fourth Falcon 6X (which is also the first production unit) will kick off a one-month tour with stops across Europe, North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.This 150-hour campaign is not meant for the Falcon 6X to just show off its impressive looks. The Dassault team traveling with it will test no less than 250 evaluation points. For example, the Falcon 6X will have to perform long night flights, high-speed long runs, or multiple (up to seven) short segments during the course of one day. Engineers and interior specialists will be joining the pilots and flight attendants for this challenging flight campaign with 40 stops.The campaign will be kicked off next month, prior to launching the first customer deliveries. In the meantime, the fifth Falcon 6X is undergoing finishing work at the Dassault completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, with a sixth one on its way. This 1965 convertible was parked in a garage back in 1993, with seller littleterror1957 explaining that the second owner purchased the car back in 1970. The Vette ended up being donated to the owners son at some point during the 90s, and this is how it was moved to long-term storage.However, it looks like this Chevrolet Corvette has already received some pretty important changes under the hood. Also supposed to be used on the strip, the car was the subject of an engine swap, with the owner installing a 327 (5.3-liter) V8 unit with 300 horsepower specifically to make it more appropriate for the wife.The engine still started right up with only a few fixes here and there, the seller says, and after all these years, bird nests were coming out of the exhaust the first time the V8 started roaring once again.Based on the provided photos, the Corvette indeed requires a series of fixes here and there, but on the other hand, it doesnt seem to be a major project either.The rust, for example, isnt something to be worried about, and in fact, the frame is still very solid, obviously thanks to the car being parked in that garage in just the right conditions.The bidding for the Corvette is currently underway, but unfortunately, the seller has also enabled a reserve whose value is unknown. In other words, the top offer, which already exceeds $15,000, is yet to trigger the reserve, so the interested buyers must strive harder to be able to buy the car.If you want to see the Vette in person, its located in Monrovia, Maryland. The Volkswagen Kombi here started life as a Brazilian van and was later converted into a camper . This rules out the trendy Westfalia equipment, including the pop-top tent, but this does not make the Kombi less attractive. Like so many others, it was imported to the U.S. in March 2022 and is now up for grabs. The fact that theres no reserve indicates that the owner wants to get rid of it at any price, which might be good or bad.The van is finished in Ipanema Beige over a textured fabric and brown vinyl interior and comes with dual roof racks and a side ladder. The exterior was refreshed under previous ownership, which explains the good-looking body, unusual for a 43-year van. The 14-inch wheels match the body color and come with stainless steel VW-stamped hubcaps. This Brazilian build also comes with power-assisted brakes.The cabin looks neat, with the seat upholstery in good condition and the front seats equipped with three-point seatbelts. This is unusual for the Kombi but good for safety. The rear cabin features woodgrain paneling and a camper setup with the bare essentials. Although its far from the cleverness of a Westfalia build , it still features a fold-down bed and a fold-away table. Additional camping equipment includes a sink, water tanks, an auxiliary battery, a 220-volt power hookup, and various storage compartments.The Kombi is powered by an air-cooled 1.6-liter flat-four engine equipped with dual downdraft Solex carburetors. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transaxle, and the owner admits both the engine and the transmission leak oil. This points to some potential problems that need to be addressed by the future owner.This partly explains why the seller offers the Kombi with no reserve only two months after he took the trouble to bring it from Brazil. But the van drives normally, and the Type 2 is famous for being easy to repair so it might prove a good deal after all. The last offer it got was $5,700, but there are still six days until the auction ends. Deepen BRICS cooperation to make stronger force for progress 09:01, May 24, 2022 By He Yin ( People's Daily Photo taken on May 19 shows the Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations held in a virtual format. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a video address at the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on May 19. He profoundly expounded on security and development issues, and offered important opinions on deepening political and security cooperation among BRICS countries, enhancing confidence in and strength for building a community with a shared future for mankind. He said, As a positive, inspiring and constructive force in the international community, the BRICS countries need to firm up belief, brave the storms and waves, and take real action to promote peace and development, uphold fairness and justice, and advocate democracy and freedom, so as to inject stability and positive energy into international relations in a period of turbulence and transformation. The world today is seeing profound changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century. It is facing sluggish global recovery, a widening development gap, rising global challenges, as well as increasing factors of instability, uncertainty and insecurity in the international situation. At the same time, the governance, trust, development and peace deficits continue to grow. Despite it, peace and development remain the unchanging theme of the times, the aspiration of people across countries for a better life remains unchanged, and the historical mission for the international community to pursue solidarity and win-win cooperation remains unchanged. Facing the various risks and challenges of the day, it is more than ever important for emerging markets and developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation. Both history and reality tell us that seeking ones own security at the expense of others will only create new tensions and risks, Xi said in the address. In the world today where countries are interdependent, the pursuit of absolute and exclusive security has no way out. Countries must replace confrontation with dialogues, coercion with negotiation, alignment with partnerships, and zero-sum games with win-win cooperation, so as to maximize the convergence of universal security. The Global Security Initiative proposed by Xi has contributed Chinese wisdom and schemes to tackling global governance challenges and narrowing the global security gap. BRICS countries need to strengthen political mutual trust and security cooperation, maintain close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, accommodate each others core interests and major concerns, respect each others sovereignty, security and development interests, oppose hegemonism and power politics, reject Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and work together to build a global community of security for all. All emerging markets and developing countries need to develop. Facing risks and challenges, its more important than ever to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries. The Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by Xi has charted the course for promoting the development of the world. It has been supported by more than 100 countries and multiple international organizations, including the UN. Over 50 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. BRICS cooperation is more than about the five countries. It bears the expectation from the emerging markets and developing countries, and the entire international community at large. BRICS countries need to communicate with more emerging markets and developing countries to build a more diverse network of partnership, and attract more attention from the international society on global development, so as to involve more emerging markets and developing countries in win-win cooperation. A number of consensuses were reached at the first BRICS Plus Foreign Ministers Dialogue held on May 19, which demonstrated emerging markets and developing countries aspiration for and confidence in gaining strength through unity, deepening cooperation and jointly building a prosperous future. China attaches high importance on the BRICS cooperation mechanism and is actively working to deepen the cooperation. Since 2013, Xi has delivered a series of important speeches at the BRICS summit and on other important occasions, providing the cooperation with Chinese initiatives and injecting Chinese confidence and strength into it. From pledging to flesh out the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution at a faster pace to foster new economic growth drivers, to building the Chinese national center of the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center to narrow the vaccination gap, and to holding the BRICS Seminar on Governance & Cultural Exchange Forum to enhance mutual learning, China has worked with relevant parties to achieve new progress of the BRICS cooperation, consolidate the cooperation architecture with the three main drivers of economic cooperation, political and security cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, and build a partnership that is closer and more practical. China, as the BRICS Chair for this year, has held over 50 important events, which has promoted the progress of the cooperation mechanism in multiple areas and laid a solid foundation for the 14th BRICS summit. The 9th BRICS summit chaired by Xi in Xiamen, China in 2017 ushered in the second Golden Decade of BRICS cooperation and left a deep Chinese mark in the process of the BRICS cooperation. This year, China will hold another BRICS summit and unveil a new chapter of the cooperation mechanism. China will keep upholding the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and work with other BRICS countries to make the pie of cooperation bigger and the force for progress stronger, and contribute still more to the lofty vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) EV The current chip crisis isnt taking any hostages, and like the rest of the automakers out there, Toyota has found itself in a position where it needs to make adjustments to curb the effects of the lack of chips.In March, the Japanese giant announced it would halt production in one of its domestic plants, going offline for eight days due to a lack of semiconductors. It also made plans to cut global production by 150,000 in April.On Tuesday, the bZ4X automaker announced that it would cut global production again by about 100,000 to about 850,000 units in June, due to the elusive microchips. However, the automaker did not change its estimate of producing about 9.7 million units worldwide by March 2023.Additionally, the Japanese giant announced another factory line suspension, due to component supply shortages occasioned by tight lockdown measures in Shanghai, China. The suspension will last five days, beginning Wednesday to June 3. The break will affect 16 lines in 10 plants for May and June.Toyota made an ambitious plan to launch 30 new BEVs by 2030 , selling about 3.5 million battery-electric cars annually. But with the current setbacks occasioned by supply disruptions and elusive semiconductors, its plan might face similar obstacles.Earlier in the week, the International Energy Agency said the cost of electric vehicle batteries would increase by 15% if raw materials used for production remain high. The agency advised industry players to stay vigilant and resourceful to reduce the risks of supply interruptions.Last month, VW executives said there wouldnt be any meaningful changes regarding the chip shortage this year or the next. The load of problems now falls on the consumers asprices hit the roof and the cost of fuel surpasses cost-effective levels. Losing about $5.6 billion investing in other ride-sharing companies doesnt seem to deter the giant Taxi company. Its current deal with IT Taxi is part of its strategy of working with established taxi-hailing services and tapping into a recovery in demand after the pandemic lull.Two weeks ago, Uber reported strong growth in its delivery and ride-hailing business. The company pointed out that it was beginning to bounce back from a downturn occasioned by the global pandemic.According to the statement released on Tuesday, the partnership allows more than 12,000 IT Taxi drivers in the eurozones third-largest economy, Italy, to accept trips using the Uber app across 90 cities in the country.Like other taxi-hailing services, Uber is grappling with an immense shortage of drivers that is affecting prices and leading to longer waiting times for consumers.Last year, Uber spent heavily trying to lure back drivers in the second quarter of 2021, resulting in a larger-than-expected loss. The move raised fresh doubts over the reliability of its labor model in the long term.IT Taxi isnt the only company in a partnership deal with Uber. The leading taxi service signed a similar agreement with New York City taxis in March . The company also has partnership deals in San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Madrid.Uber has had a rocky growth in Europe , and in 2015, Italy, like many other countries in the region, blocked the service after legal challenges with taxi associations.Dara Khosrowashahi, Uber CEO, said the deal was truly historical, being in one of their most strategically important markets globally. He added that he firmly believes taxis and Uber are better together. The protesters broke through a police cordon and surrounded the building early in the morning, preventing ministry officials from entering or leaving it for nearly three hours. With this blockade we are demonstrating that every working hour inside this building is against our national interests, said Ishkhan Saghatelian, one of the protest leaders. We are expressing our outrage by disrupting the work of state agencies. Riot police jostled with the crowd at one point. They made one arrest but did not manage to unblock the buildings entrances. Several opposition parliamentarians entered the ministrys premises two hours after the start of the blockade. Mobile phone footage circulated by some of them suggested that the building was largely empty. Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safarian was one of the few diplomats encountered by the oppositionists. Safarian pointedly declined to fulfill their demand to publicly declare that Azerbaijan will not regain full control over Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenias main opposition groups accused Pashinian of planning to formally recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh before launching the civil disobedience campaign on May 1. They doubled down on their accusations following Pashinians fresh talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels on Sunday. Michel said after the talks that the two leaders agreed to advance discussions on an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty sought by Baku. He said he told them that it is necessary that the rights and security of the ethnic Armenian population in Karabakh be addressed. In a statement issued on Monday, the opposition portrayed Michels comments as further proof that Yerevan has stopped defending the Karabakh Armenians right to self-determination that had long been accepted by the United States, Russia and France. Nikol Pashinian is not legitimate and does not have a mandate of Armenias citizens and the Armenian people to lead our country to new concessions and cater for the Turkish-Azerbaijani agenda, the statement charged. Agreements reached with him do not reflect the view of the Armenian people and are null and void. Opposition leaders have said that the protests will continue until Pashinian is removed from office. Their next major rally was scheduled for Tuesday evening. Pashinian and his political allies reject the opposition demands for his resignation. They also accuse the opposition of misrepresenting the prime ministers policy on the Karabakh conflict. According to the Armenian governments readout of the call, Pashinian shared his impressions of the five-hour talks hosted and mediated by the European Unions top official, Charles Michel, in Brussels on Sunday. He described them as generally positive while complaining about comments that had nothing to do with the content of the discussions held in Brussels. Pashinian apparently alluded to Aliyevs claim that Armenia will open a permanent land corridor that will connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhichevan exclave. A senior Armenian official denied the claim earlier on Tuesday. The Secretary of State reaffirmed the U.S. readiness to continue supporting Armenia's democratic reforms, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the demarcation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, the opening of regional communications, and the establishment of regional stability, read the Armenian government statement. The statement also said Blinken praised Yerevans efforts to establish peace and stability in the region. Blinken commended Pashinian on May 2 for the courage and flexibility demonstrated by him in the talks with Baku. Addressing the Armenian parliament on April 13, the prime minister said the international community is pressing Armenia to scale back its demands on the status of Karabakh and recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity. He signaled Yerevans intention to make such concessions to Baku. The countrys leading opposition groups responded by accusing Pashinian of planning to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh. They launched on May 1 daily demonstrations in Yerevan aimed at forcing him to resign. Commenting on the peaceful protests on May 9, the U.S. State Department urged the Armenian opposition to refrain from violence and respect the rule of law and Armenias democracy. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Some sun in the morning with increasing clouds during the afternoon. High 89F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 63F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 88F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 63F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Houston rapper and community activist Trae tha Truth is helping residents of East Buffalo stay fed after a mass shooting on May 14 shuttered their Tops Friendly Market the only grocery store in the community. There's been no word on when the grocery store will reopen as officials continue their investigation into the shooting that left 10 people dead. Upon learning this, Trae indicated that he planned to do something about it, writing on Instagram Monday morning: "Time to get it." By the end of the day, Trae announced on the social platform that an 18-wheeler filled with food and other necessities was being prepared to be sent to Buffalo. In the post, Trae wrote: "Buffalo .. We Pulling Up, Gettin 18 Wheeler ready With Foods And Needs. Yall Not Alone.. We Will Stand For Yall Against Whateva Salute To All Tha Teams Teaming Up and All Those On Tha Frontline In Buffalo Thats Been Assisting And Salute @4mycity.us @untilfreedom @reliefgang @angelbynatureorg We Are One!!!" Trae also shared a two-minute clip of Christopher Dipnarine, executive director of 4 My City a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization collaborating on the effort providing a behind the scenes look on the effort. "My guy Trae tha Truth, he called me and said 'Hey, I've got some families in Buffalo that need some support can we make something happen?'" Dipnarine said in the video. "A lot of families are just mentally not able to process going back into a situation like that, like going back and doing grocery shopping. So he said, 'Hey we want to do a community healing thing, we want to do a prayer, we want to get people together, we want to get them food.'" Dipnarine showed dozens of stacked boxes filled with canned goods, bread, fresh produce, and other items, which he said will arrive with Trae in Buffalo on Wednesday. "When people need us, we're there," Dipnarine said. "This is where we step up and we're there for communities... Everybody eats man, that's what we do." Tom Werner/Getty Images A new roundup from WalletHub ranked the best and worst U.S. states for millennials based on quality of life, affordability, education, health, civic engagement and more. So, where does Texas rank among U.S. states and how does the Lone Star State compare across the various ranking metrics? Overall, the top-ranked states include Washington at No.1, followed by the District of Columbia and Massachusetts, in order, with Utah, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin, Virginia and Colorado rounding out the top 10. The Lone Star State just missed the top 20, coming in at No. 22. Today is the last day to decide who is headed to the November general election in two major positions representing Southeast Texans. District 22 House of Representatives Chief of Staff Christian Manuel will face off against former Jefferson County Democratic Party Chair Joseph Trahan for the District 22 seat in Austin. Jefferson Countys Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Cary Erickson and Beaumont Municipal Airport Manager Alex Rupp both are competing for the Precinct 2 County Commissioner seat. Related: Voter Guide: Jefferson Co. Precinct 2 commissioner - Republican primary In both races, the winner of Tuesdays contest will face another partys opponent in November. The District 22 Democratic nominee will run against Republican Jacorion Randle. The Precinct 2 Commissioner Republican nominee will run against Democrat Julia Rodriguez. Neither Randle, nor Rodriguez, drew a primary opponent. For more information: Head online to beaumontenterprise.com for a sit-down interview with each of the candidates in Tuesday's runoff. See More Collapse According to the Jefferson County Elections Department, just over 6,000 people cast an early, in-person ballot for the May 24 election. Just over 1,500 mail ballots were returned as of May 20 for a combined total of 7,938 ballots. Related: Voter Guide: Texas Rep. District 22 - Democratic primary Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at 37 locations across the county. If you foresee a challenge in getting to a polling place, Bird Scooters want to help. As part of a program called Rolls to Polls, Bird Scooters will take any Beaumont voter to cast their ballot in the election today for free. To unlock a free ride, users must download the Bird app and type in code VOTE2022. The code is valid for up to 30 minutes. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) The energy startup SPARKZ said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the nation's largest coal miners' union on a labor-management agreement for its planned electric battery factory in West Virginia. The company and the United Mine Workers of America will partner to recruit and train dislocated miners to be the factorys first production workers. In March, the company said it would start construction this year on the plant that will employ at least 350 workers. The factorys location has yet to be announced. SPARKZ is proud to partner with the United Mine Workers of America to help West Virginia workers become part of the new energy economy, while re-engineering the battery supply chain domestically, SPARKZ founder and CEO Sanjiv Malhotra said in a news release. This partnership is a symbol of American innovation and American workers literally building our energy future together and fighting to end Chinas dominance of advanced batteries. West Virginia has lost thousands of jobs in mining and other resource extraction industries in recent years. UMW President Cecil Roberts said the agreement is a win-win for the laid-off coal miners who will work in this facility, their families and their communities. Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said the partnership is proof that there is an important role for the union in the nation's energy transition. The factory will produce cobalt-free batteries, an effort to bring down the cost of U.S. lithium-ion battery production. The Democratic Republic of Congo has historically been the top producer of cobalt worldwide, with most mines controlled by Chinese companies. Earlier this month, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced $3.1 billion in funding to U.S. companies that make and recycle lithium-ion batteries. In the statement, Granholm said her department is "thrilled to support the battery manufacturing industry and labor partners coming together to solve clean energy deployment challenges, like workforce development. Momentum is building as more companies see that partnering with labor is smart business strategy and key to accelerating an equitable clean energy transition. SPARKZ, founded in 2019, is in the final stages of site selection, and will be announcing customer partnerships in the coming months. Its first markets will likely be in material-handling vehicles like forklifts, agricultural equipment and energy storage. DOVER, Del. (AP) A Delaware judge has refused to dismiss corpse abuse charges against a former state forensic investigator accused of improperly handling two bodies on separate occasions. The judge rejected defense arguments that the indictment against James Schaeffer-Patton should be dismissed because statutory language regarding abuse of a corpse is vague and offends due process. Judge Sheldon Rennie noted that the circumstances involved in a forensic investigators job may support a valid defense but do not render the law itself void. The statute makes no exception for forensic investigators or their transporting of bodies, and the court will not create one here, he wrote in last week's ruling. Prosecutors allege that after a 2018 suicide by hanging in a New Castle County home, Patton used the ligature tied around the dead persons neck to drag the body out of a bedroom and down a hallway. Authorities also allege that after a fatal drug overdose in Newark in 2019, Patton dragged the body bag down three flights of stairs, allowing the victims head to hit each stair on the way down. Officers at the scene reported loud repetitive thuds, according to a police affidavit. Abusing a corpse is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison but a presumptive sentence of probation. Delawares criminal code states that a person is guilty of the offense if one treats a corpse in a way that a reasonable person knows would outrage ordinary family sensibilities. Defense attorney Eugene Maurer Jr. argued in the motion to dismiss that ordinary is a subjective term, and that ordinary family sensibilities is extremely vague. Rennie could not find any Delaware case law on that issue, but he noted that a Pennsylvania law using ordinary family sensibilities has withstood a court challenge. An Ohio appeals court similarly upheld a statute using the term reasonable community sensibilities. That court said such language is commonly understood by people of common intelligence. Maurer also argued that the vagueness in Delawares law makes a defendants state of mind irrelevant and instead relies on an objective reasonable person standard. The judge suggested that that standard is appropriate. It does not vary either to exculpate on the basis of the actors unusual callousness or to condemn for outraging an excessively delicate relative of the deceased, Rennie wrote, citing the Model Penal Code. NEW YORK (AP) A former London and Miami art dealer who pleaded guilty to defrauding art buyers and others of over $86 million was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison. Inigo Philbrick, 34, a U.S. citizen who previously lived in London, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Sidney H. Stein. He also was ordered to forfeit $86 million. Philbrick pleaded guilty last November to a single count of wire fraud for conducting a multiyear scheme to defraud individuals and entities in order to finance his art business. Prosecutors said he carried out the scheme by misrepresenting the ownership of certain artworks and by sometimes selling more than 100% ownership to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Philbrick's success as an art dealer came only after he collateralized and resold fractional shares in high-value contemporary art. Unfortunately, his success was built on brazen lies, including concealed ownership interests, fake documents, and even an invented art collector," Williams said. When the house of cards fell apart, Philbrick fled for a remote island in the Pacific, leaving many of his victims without recourse. For his extensive fraud, Philbrick is now sentenced to a substantial prison term. Artworks used in the scheme included, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled Humidity, a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso, authorities said. The scheme unraveled as jilted art buyers filed civil lawsuits, a lender notified him that he was in default of a $14 million loan and he stopped responding to legal processes, prosecutors said. In 2019, his art galleries in Miami and London closed and Philbrick fled the U.S. before being arrested in June 2020 in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, where hed been living since October 2019, prosecutors said. Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images A Kemp's Ridley sea turtle nest was found on the dunes of Galveston Island State Park on the morning of May 19, according to a recent press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The turtle nest contained 107 eggs and was the first egg sighting by the Galveston Sea Aggie Turtle Patrol since 2012. After the finding, the eggs were transferred to the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The campaign of David McCormick, who is in a neck-and-neck Republican primary contest for the U.S. Senate against celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, sued in a Pennsylvania court Monday to try to ensure counties obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision that could help him make up ground. McCormick's lawsuit, filed after hours, asks the state's Commonwealth Court to require counties to promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope. It is the first but likely not the last lawsuit in the contest between Oz and McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO. McCormicks campaign said at least two counties Blair and Allegheny suggested they would not count the ballots as part of their unofficial result that each county must report to the state Tuesday. Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, led McCormick by 992 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, out of 1,341,037 ballots reported to the state as of 6 p.m. Monday. The race is close enough to trigger Pennsylvanias automatic recount law, with the separation between the candidates inside the laws 0.5% margin. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the likely recount is complete. That could take until June 8. Its not clear how many mail-in ballots that lack a handwritten date have been received by counties. Although he trails the vote count, McCormick has been doing better than Oz among mail-in ballots. In an appearance Monday on a conservative Philadelphia radio talk show, McCormick insisted every Republican vote should count" and said his campaign believes the federal court decision is binding on counties. The premise we should have, I believe, as Republicans is that all Republican votes count, and thats something weve all, I think, held as a principle," McCormick said. "And so thats the principle were holding here. We held that principle before this court ruling. This court ruling just illuminated it more. Ruling in a separate case late Friday, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state election laws requirement of a date next to the voters signature on the outside of return envelopes was immaterial. The lawsuit emerged from a county judicial election last year, and the three-judge panel said it found no reason to refuse counting the ballots in that race. Gov. Tom Wolf's administration said it would issue guidance to counties on how to handle ballots affected by the ruling, although it has yet to do so. The ruling went against the position that Republicans in Pennsylvania have taken in courts repeatedly in the past to try to disqualify legal ballots cast on time by eligible voters for technicalities, such as lacking a handwritten date. The law requires someone to write a date on the envelope in which they mail in their ballots. However, the envelope is postmarked by the post office and timestamped by counties when they receive it. Meanwhile, the state law gives no reason that a voter should date the envelope and does not explicitly require a county to throw it out should it lack a date. In an email attached to the lawsuit as an exhibit, Blair County's solicitor, Nathan Karn, told McCormick's lawyers that the county will not count them until there is clear finality. The federal appeals court decision affects just 10 Republican ballots in Blair County, Kern wrote. But the decision does not appear to be effective until the court releases an opinion justifying its action, Karn wrote, and he pointed out that the state has not released guidance which counties are not bound to follow and that the court's decision could be appealed. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter. ___ 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. WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 631 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central Pecos and southwestern Reeves Counties through 715 PM CDT... At 631 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Balmorhea, or 19 miles south of Toyah, moving east at 20 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. Locations impacted include... Balmorhea, Balmorhea Lake, Balmorhea State Park, Saragosa, Verhalen and Toyahvale. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 203 and 229. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 3090 10377 3111 10387 3133 10351 3088 10334 TIME...MOT...LOC 2331Z 248DEG 15KT 3104 10374 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southwestern Borden County in western Texas... Northeastern Martin County in western Texas... Northwestern Howard County in western Texas... Southeastern Dawson County in western Texas... * Until 730 PM CDT. * At 633 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Luther, or 14 miles east of Ackerly, moving northwest at 15 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... Ackerly, Luther and Vealmoor. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN DIMMIT COUNTY... At 635 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Light, or 14 miles northwest of Encinal, moving east at 25 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. Chaparral Wildlife Management Area. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Warhammer 40K: A Primaris Lt. Visits Italy And Finds The Origins Of the Imperium 5 Minute Read Advertisement Come and take a trip through the old country with a Primaris Lieutenant. If you tuned in last time you know, how our story starts. In the hectic days of the Indomitus Crusade the safety of Holy Terra was utmost in Guillimans mind. To insure its safety he dispatched troops to inspect the fortifications. One such envoy was Primaris LT. Antonius aided by the trusty Guardsman Privit. Upon arriving on Terra however, they found that due to a Warp Rift theyd be transported to the distant past of the world. Still, orders are orders, and they set out to make sure the defenses were in good shape. After touring Canada and seeing some great forts, the pair hoped in a Warp Rift hoping to end up home. Sadly for them, it simply took them across Old Terra to a new locaiton. For the last few weeks, Ive had the pleasure of traveling Italy seeing various castles and other sites. As is my tradition, I also took along some minis to view the trip and photograph. I figured the most fitting model to take on my travels was a ubiquitous Primaris Lt., the model soon to make up 100% of GWs line up. Along with him, and returning from other trips is Guardsman Privit. Here are a few of the highlights my little friends saw along the way. The pair made a first stop at the port city of Venice. The triumphal entrance way to the main square reminded them of many a site they would see on an Imperial world. LT. Antonius quite enjoyed the main square, Saint Marks, even if it was named after a pre-Imperial Saint. Indeed he soon learned he would have to endure many pre-Imperial faith fanes on his trip. Guardsman Privit also enjoy the views of the square. He was a little more interested in enjoying cafe culture and Aperol Spritzs. Advertisement Nearby LT. Antonius found some statues taken from another great, but now fallen imperium. A sobering thought. Hoping to learn about the weapons of the time they visited a naval museum and found many large maps. Large enough they wished they could battle over them. Subscribe to our newsletter! Get Tabletop, RPG & Pop Culture news delivered directly to your inbox. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy A collection of large and impressive ship models was also present. LT. Antonius felt this his creator (the God-Emperor surely?) would really appreciate these. After a couple drinks Privit decided to explore some of the sites. Starting with the large clocktower. Advertisement And the local rulers palace. He quickly sobered up after seeing the Bridge of Sighs, over which he was told the local Inquisitors lead the condemned. After a couple more moments spent enjoying the sites of the city, the pair headed off to their next destination. Heading northwards, the pair took in the splendor the mighty Dolomite mountains and some break taking views. Here they learned about something called The Great War. A massive conflict fought in Terras past. On these very rocks men struggled and died. You can still make out the caves they used as fortification. Advertisement It came as no surprise to Guardsman Privit that generals would order their men to fight and die pointlessly in such inhospitable places. Climbing the Col Di Lana where thousands fell he got a small sense of that conflict. As horrifying as the losses here were, the views in this more peaceful age were breathtaking. Heading south the pair stopped in Rivoli, site of a great battle won by an Emperor, thought not Antonius. Still this mans love of Eagles, and use of other iconography, not to mention an Imperial Guard, seemed almost comforting. In the land of Tuscany they slept in castles. Tried local drinks. And feasted. Advertisement In Florence they found stunning buildings. And disturbing depictions of what must be some sort of Chaos Deamon. In Lucca they found a fully walled city, with might intact defenses. It was a city that seemed ready for a siege. The Church there featured a common sight to the two, the preserved body of a saint. In Orvieto they found a church covered in art. A work that would not be out of place in the Imperium. Leaving this last hilltop town they headed south again, with one more city, the heart of this realm ahead of them. Let us know what you think is in store for you little friends next, down in the comments! Latest News From BoLS: Advertisement Read the Comments (1) A hooded sharia enforcer prepares to strike a man convicted of gay sex in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, May 23, 2017. Indonesias parliament is debating a bill that would outlaw so-called deviant sexual behavior, raising alarm among human rights activists about a possible increase in violence against LGBTQ people. Homosexuality and extramarital sex are not outlawed in Muslim-majority Indonesia, but some among the more conservative followers of Islam here view them as vices. It is only in Aceh province where a version of Islamic law, or sharia, is in force, punishable by up to 100 lashes of the cane. However, a contentious new bill to amend Indonesias criminal code contains provisions that would criminalize sex outside marriage, including homosexual acts, said Kurniasih Mufidayati, a lawmaker involved in deliberating the bill that may be passed in July. Yes, its true [there are clauses in the draft bill under which extramarital sex] is subjected to criminal punishment ... LGBT included, she told BenarNews on Tuesday. She also said there were clauses criminalizing deviant sexual behavior. Allowing promiscuity is against the constitution, she added, but declined to give details. Bill discussion on Wednesday Anti-LGBT sentiment has been growing in Indonesia lately. On Monday, Indonesia summoned the United Kingdoms envoy after the British embassy came under fire from conservative Muslim groups and politicians here for flying a rainbow flag in support of sexual minorities. Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah called the embassys move utterly insensitive. Last week, the embassy also had posted a rainbow flag photo on Instagram to mark the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, with text that said: The U.K. will champion LGBT+ rights and support those who defend them LGBT+ rights are fundamental human rights. The post led to a flurry of criticism from conservative Muslim leaders and politicians, who accused the British embassy of disrespecting Indonesian values and norms. Earlier this month, there was a public backlash against a popular YouTube talk show hosted by an Indonesian celebrity that featured a gay couple. The host was forced to remove the video and later apologized. In a Twitter exchange with a conservative Muslim politician who called for action against homosexuality prompted by this episode, a minister, Mohammad Mahfud MD, said he had advocated for the inclusion of extramarital sex and same-sex relations in the criminal code since 2017. But you guys [lawmakers] still have not passed it. We cant take legal action until there is a legal basis. When will it be passed? Well wait, tweeted the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs. The proposed amendments to the criminal code did not specifically mention LGBT but they called for criminal penalties against anyone engaging in same-sex activity in certain circumstances and ways, Mahfud MD also said. He did not elaborate. Last week, he called on those who object to its contents to challenge it at the Constitutional Court. On Monday, Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Edward Hiariej said there was no mention of LGBT in the draft bill. He said officials from his ministry would meet with lawmakers to discuss the bill on Wednesday. Violation of human rights To outlaw same-sex relations would violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Indonesia has ratified, according to Johanna Purba, a researcher at the Center for Legal and Policy Studies. Criminaliz[ing] someone because of their sexual orientation is a violation of human rights and interferes with the right to privacy, Johanna told BenarNews. Dede Oetomo, an activist for gay rights, criticized Mahfud MD for advocating the outlawing of homosexual relations at a time when more countries have started to recognize the rights of sexual minorities. He disrespects the principle of separation of religion and state that the late Gus Dur embraced, the news site Tempo.co quoted Dede as saying, referring to former President Abdurrahman Wahid, who died in 2009. A member of NGO Crisis Response Mechanism, Riska Carolina, said she was surprised by Mahfud MDs comments, according to a report by Tempo. I dont know what Mahfud MDs agenda is, but thanks to him, the potential for violence, discrimination, and hatred against gender minorities will only increase, Tempo quoted her as saying. He is a state [minister], what he says will have major effects on gender and sexual minorities. (L-R) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave to the media prior to the Quad meeting at Kishidas office in Tokyo, May 24, 2022. Leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) met on Tuesday in Tokyo, with Chinas increasing influence and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region looming large over the four-nation summit. They announced the roll out of a major new maritime initiative that is expected to monitor Chinese maritime activities in the region. Leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States said in a joint statement that they convened to renew our steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed our resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion. The statement did not mention China but said the Quad leaders opposed the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries offshore resource exploitation activities actions that China has been accused of in the East and South China Sea. The Quad members would probably not say so out loud in public, but in private they would all acknowledge that the Quad only exists because all four members are nervous about the authoritarian tilt of an expansionist and assertive Peoples Republic of China (PRC) under President Xi Jinping, said John Blaxland, professor at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. By not being explicit about the raison detre, the Quad countries hope to provide some space for other regional states to continue to engage constructively on security issues with Quad nations, Blaxland told RFA. The four leaders announced a so-called Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative that would support Indo-Pacific countries to monitor their waters, not only to respond to humanitarian and natural disasters but also to combat illegal fishing, another reference to Chinas assertive actions in the regional seas and oceans. Strategic ambiguity on Taiwan A White House fact sheet said the IPMDA will allow tracking of dark shipping and other tactical-level activities. This initiative will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores and, in turn, to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. Asked about the Quad statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing actively upholds the U.N.-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and took a swipe at critics. We hope certain countries would not see China through tinted glasses and make unwarranted accusations. Building small cliques and stoking bloc confrontation is the real threat to a peaceful, stable and cooperative maritime order, he told a news briefing in Beijing Tuesday. The Quad summit came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden attracted much attention and drew criticism from Beijing when he stated that he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan in the case of any Chinese invasion. China considers the democratic island a breakaway province and vows to reunify it with the mainland, by force if necessary. Biden told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that there was no change to the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan, meaning the U.S. acknowledges the One-China policy but informally supports the island and provides it with defensive weapons. In Beijing, Wang said Washington had publicly or stealthily incited and endorsed Taiwan independence separatist activities and warned it to stop. If the U.S. continues to go down the wrong path, there will be irretrievable consequences for the China-U.S. relations and the U.S. will have to pay [an] unbearable price, he said.. In his opening speech, Biden said the summit was about democracies versus autocracies, and we have to make sure that we deliver. The Quad leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine, which Biden said had become a global issue and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida said a similar invasion should not happen in Asia. Debut of Australian PM Albanese Without mentioning Russia, as Quad member India has so far refused to condemn Moscow, the four leaders said they reiterated our strong resolve to maintain the peace and stability in the region at a time of profound global challenges. This is the fourth meeting of the leaders of the Quad, but the second in person because of the Covid pandemic. This is also the first summit for Australias new Prime Minister who was sworn in just a day earlier. Australia has been spooked by Chinas growing presence in the Pacific islands, especially after Beijing signed a controversial security pact with the Solomon Islands that may allow China to deploy troops in Australias back yard. The new Prime Minister has made clear that in terms of broad security policy choices, he is aligned with the previous government, said Blaxland from Australian National University. The difference lies in the rhetoric, Albanese probably will have a softer line. It also lies in some of the substance on the issue of the environment. Addressing the felt need of nervous small Pacific Island nations is now seen as being of fundamental importance." Bennington, VT (05201) Today Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Business writer Tony Dobrowolski's main focus is on business reporting. He came to The Eagle in 1992 after previously working for newspapers in Connecticut and Montreal. He can be reached at tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6224. Vermont State Police are seeking ATV driver that struck a vehicle in Pownal and fled toward Williamstown 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. Scott Stafford has been a reporter, photographer, and editor at a variety of publications, including the Dallas Morning News and The Berkshire Eagle. Before the pandemic, one of the best options for those without cars to get around was to hail an Uber or Lyft, if the bus wasnt available or wasnt going as far as they needed. Several years ago, when I was a student living at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams and working in Pittsfield, I often relied on them to get home and became acutely aware that there were certain hours where drivers were aplenty (usually before 7 p.m.) and other hours when they were scarce (any time after 10 p.m.). I learned quickly that it was a lot easier to get an Uber or Lyft in Pittsfield than it was in North Adams. They were a great option. Not only did their apps give precise estimated time of arrival, but they were also cheaper than taking a taxi. The Berkshire Flyer gets passengers from NYC to Pittsfield, but how do they get around once they get to the Berkshires? Not easily one family found When Berkshire Flyer service got the green light this week, it seemed a dream of easier rail trips linking New York City with Berkshire County had been achieved. But simply getting to Berkshire County isnt the whole story for rail travelers. We follow one family trying to get four miles in Pittsfield without a car. The pandemic decimated the local Lyft and Uber scene in the Berkshires. A recent Eagle article that assessed transit in Pittsfield found both Uber and Lyft drivers were unavailable to transport passengers from Amtraks Lake Shore Limited on a Thursday afternoon, which is illustrative of the Berkshires overall transportation woes. It was also consistent with my own experience trying to find Ubers and Lyfts, even during what were peak hours before the pandemic. This is not to say that its impossible to find Ubers and Lyfts in the Berkshires its just hit or miss, and not something you can rely on if you dont have a car. So, what happened? The early days of the pandemic were catastrophic for Uber and Lyft, according to a July 2020 Forbes report. Ride-sharing companies had experienced between a 70 and 80 percent drop in ridership. (Overall, U.S. transit experienced a 90 percent drop in ridership.) Last year, The Washington Post reported that many Uber and Lyft drivers chose to simply not come back after getting a peek at what life could be like without them: Drivers said the coronavirus pandemic provided the first glimpse in years at what a life after Uber could look like. For many of them, it was a meaningful reset that gave them a better understanding of the toll the gigs had taken on their bodies, their mental health and their vehicles. It was the push they needed to finally begin their lives after Uber. The Post also cited declining earnings and changing business models as major reasons why drivers have not returned nationwide. Both the Post and Forbes noted the breakout success of Uber Eats during the pandemic, and indeed food delivery apps like Grubhub and Doordash were no doubt a more attractive option for drivers looking to make extra income, as they eliminate the risk of catching COVID from a passenger, with contactless delivery being a popular option on those apps. Food delivery apps also limit how far away you can order food from the app. For example, DoorDashs default delivery radius is about 5 miles away, but it can deliver up to 30 miles away. Ride-share distance limits are more broad, with Uber capping its trips at eight hours and Lyft limiting theirs to 100 miles. Limiting longer trips inherently locks drivers into a set geographic area, which can have its benefits; one common complaint I heard from my Uber and Lyft drivers over the years who would take riders on longer trips especially those that took them outside of where Uber and Lyft were reliably used is that theyd have to take a loss on return trips back to their familiar coverage zones. Need a ride and theres no bus, taxi or Uber? Three South County towns are poised to test 'on-demand' service, even on Sundays MassDOT has offered a $187,300 matching grant to Great Barrington, Stockbridge and Egremont for a test run of a one-year micro-transit pilot project. The three towns are getting on board for the ride service available to anyone needs it during designated hours, seven days a week. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is poised to launch a micro-transit pilot project in southern Berkshire County, which might provide more value to riders given its low fairs ($2.50 for a one-way trip within one of the three towns in its coverage area; $3.50 for a trip to an adjacent town), but it is intentionally limited in scope and requires riders to sign up in advance. Still, if successful, it could create a useful model that could be applied to the rest of the county for those who need consistent, habitual rides outside of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authoritys current coverage areas and hours of operation. Still, as normal life returns, I think the need for on-demand rides through apps like Uber and Lyft will come back. For those apps to be active again, though, a few things must happen. Mitchell Chapman: A car-less commuter assesses county transportation issues PITTSFIELD Not having a car in Berkshire County is often seen as a social and professional death sentence, especially if you live in the hill towns. While the reality is far less harsh, there are major holes in the Berkshire public The first is a concerted effort to relaunch them in Berkshire County. Ive described in previous columns that, for on-demand ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft to work, they need both an active base of customers consistently requesting rides and an active pool of drivers signed on ready to take on them on, and they have to be on the app at the same time or else theyll miss each other. If this happens enough times, theyll each ditch: riders will stop requesting rides and consider it unreliable, and drivers will likewise move on due to lack of available work. The pandemic dramatically took riders out of the equation, especially as the country embraced lockdown in hopes of curbing the coronavirus. Uber and Lyft will also have to find ways to compete with the likes of Doordash and Grubhub, especially in rural settings like the Berkshires. A 2019 Vox report noted that even before the pandemic there was a stark difference in usage in Uber and Lyft between rural and urban communities, with the apps business model being more beneficial for short urban rides than longer, rural ones, noting that 19 percent of rural residents use ride-hailing apps whereas 45 percent of urban residents used them. I think Uber and Lyft deserve to have a comeback in the Berkshires, but it wont happen on its own or overnight. Richard Reiss is the author of Desperate Love: A Fathers Memoir. He lives in Canaan, N.Y., with his wife Paula. He can be reached at rpreiss63@gmail.com. The 186-13 ballot, far above the necessary two-thirds majority, allows groundbreaking for the new town hall, library and community center building in about six weeks. Completion is projected by the end of next year. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close My beloved and faithful son in the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17). These are touching words shared by a mentor about his apprentice and friend, which the apostle Paul used to describe his connection with Timothy in the book of 1 Corinthians. Timothy was regularly featured in Pauls letters, and two books of the Bible share Pauls individual letters to Timothy. But who is Timothy? We know he was a major part of Pauls ministry to others and that he dealt with the same struggles Christians of today face in sharing the gospel with people not interested in hearing it. However, there is so much more to share for this man who was born and raised in the city of Lystra, located in Asia Minor. What he experiences sharing the gospel characterizes more of the difficulties Christians face with telling others of Jesus, as well as the importance of a strong Christian mentor like Paul to help when we need encouragement. He may not have been at the heights of Moses, King David, or Paul, but the efforts that Timothy made in spreading Christianity shouldnt be overlooked. Who Was Timothy? As stated earlier, he was from the city of Lystra in Asia Minor, which was one of the cities the apostle Paul journeyed to with Barnabas and Mark during his first evangelizing trip in A.D. 46-48. Timothy was raised by his parents and grandmother, though Paul only describes his mother and grandmother in 2 Timothy 1:5, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. His father was said to be a Greek while his mother was a Jew. It is believed that when Paul was evangelizing in their city, Eunice converted to Christianity and was even mentioned by Paul in the book of Acts. 2 Timothy 3:15 shares what impressed Paul about Timothy his knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, which made him wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Some time later, Paul made the decision to bring Timothy with him in spreading the gospel and had him ordained and circumcised to avoid any questioning or ridicule with Jewish Christians. What Did Paul Have to Teach Timothy? After Timothy was properly prepared for his mission, he went with Paul as Paul traveled on his second evangelizing journey. He stayed in Berea with Silas at one point while Paul was sent elsewhere. Timothy is also mentioned as having traveled to Corinth, Greece, Rome, Ephesus, and Macedonia, sometimes with Paul or sometimes while waiting in a city to be summoned by Paul. Given that Timothy already had a vast knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, it can be assumed that what Paul was teaching him most was being strong in faith and firm in the gospel. At times, Paul, Timothy, and others went to cities where they were not welcomed and dealt with hostility, so Paul probably used these experiences as ministry lessons to Timothy. 1 and 2 Timothy comprise letters from Paul to Timothy that were meant to be read out loud to the congregations Timothy was visiting as part of sharing the gospel. Paul wanted to make sure sound doctrine was being shared with the cities, remarking in the early verses of 1 Timothy about the deceptions of false doctrine and teachers. But the letters also praised Timothy for his efforts and faith, almost becoming vouchers of his character and knowledge in case they were called into question by congregants. Many recall the beloved verse in 1 Timothy 4:12 where Paul encouraged Timothy to have good character and not let people look down upon him because of his age or experience. Since Paul endured life-threatening situations regularly while traveling to share the gospel, it is understood why he would advise Timothy to be strong in faith and prepared for deception and hostility especially from older congregations not appreciative of a young man in faith. 2 Timothy chronicles more of Pauls parting thoughts and teachings, as he was in Rome awaiting his execution. He shared about staying strong in grace, being faithful in spreading the gospel, and being aware of false teachers and doctrines. In this letter, Paul also shares his wish for Timothy to travel to Rome and support him as he prepare for his execution (2 Tim. 4:9). This demonstrates the respect and platonic love the two shared with one another as spiritual father passing on his teaching lineage to his spiritual son. Not much is mentioned of Timothy after 2 Timothy, outside of a quick mention in the book of Hebrews that Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly, (13:23). From there, we can only guess, and hope, that Timothy still told others about Jesus, following in the footsteps of his mentor until he wasnt able to anymore. How Does Timothy's Life and Ministry Encourage Us Today? Timothys life reflects the understanding that God can use you no matter what your home life is, how old you are, or how certain or uncertain you are about the path ahead. Timothy was a regular child with a firm grasp on the Bible, probably as rare in his day as it can be in our day now. However, Paul saw something in him, a light that wanted to shine for Jesus and proclaim the Good News. He knew he needed to take Timothy under his wing. The books of 1 and 2 Timothy, as well as selected mentions in other books, show that Paul used every opportunity to encourage Timothy and prepare him for the difficult journey ahead of him. We might see that each of us is a modern-day Timothy in need of a mentor like Paul, as we face many of the situations Timothy probably faced as we live out our faith in Christ. This is why Pauls letters to Timothy connect personally to us, because Paul is still mentoring us in our faith centuries after his death. Reading through Timothys journey in the Bible, we see a man who came from humble beginnings, but with a stirring belief in the power of God and the right spiritual mentor, he was able to be part of life-changing events in Christianity and we can be too! We cant read Pauls letters and not think of Timothy and the spiritual connection these two shared as they evangelized Asia Minor during a critical time. Though we know very little of who Timothy was or even what became of him, we know that he was a man who respected Gods Word and knew when he had been called for a great purpose of faith. We can also picture ourselves in the place of Timothy, unassuming individuals who have been placed on journeys of faith. And just like Paul became a mentor when Timothy really needed it, we can be assured that God will place people in our lives to encourage us to believe in ourselves. Timothy may not have been as recognized as others in the Bible, but he is a great example of God using all who are willing to be intricate parts of His plan. Photo credit: Getty Images/pcess609 Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com, and previously worked for eight years with Xulon Press. A graduate of Stetson University with a Bachelor's in Communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Central Florida area, including Celebration Independent and Lake Magazine in Leesburg, Florida and currently freelances for the Southwest Orlando Bulletin. Most large museums dedicate at least one room to display the armor worn by medieval knights. Those warriors wore great defensive suits of armor, and the metal protection covered as much of their flesh as possible against enemy attacks. Even horses were arrayed in some form of protective covering. After all, how much use is a heavy coat of metal with no beast of burden to carry you to the battle? Christians too are called to protect themselves with armor, yet ours is the full armor of God, and this armor includes the breastplate of righteousness. What Is the Breastplate of Righteousness? Our breastplate of righteousness is symbolic in the physical sense, but spiritually authentic. Lets unpack the role and merits of this valuable piece of equipment. Ephesians 6:10 begins with amazing encouragement for the Ephesian believers (and therefore us). We are told to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Do you see that encouraging truth? Our strength is not from us, its from the Lord Jesus and His might (cf. Colossians 1:29). Three times in Ephesians 6:10-14, Paul tells believers to stand. All good armor is heavy. Can you imagine the weight of Gods perfect armor for defense against the enemies of our souls? How can one stand except in the Lords strength? We do not cower; instead, we take a firm stance as we wear each part of our spiritual armor. And once we secure the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, we stand (v. 14). What does this breastplate cover? And why is it of righteousness? John MacArthur says, The breastplate was usually a tough, sleeveless piece of leather or heavy material with animal horn or hoof pieces sewn on, covering the soldiers full torso, protecting his heart and other vital organs. Because righteousness, or holiness, is such a distinctive characteristic of God himself, it is not hard to understand why that is the Christians chief protection against Satan and his schemes. As believers faithfully live in obedience to and communion with Jesus Christ, His own righteousness produces in them the practical, daily righteousness that becomes their spiritual breastplate. Lack of holiness, on the other hand, leaves them vulnerable to the great enemy of their souls (cf. Isaiah 59:17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Righteousness is akin to faith. Righteousness, in its simplest sense is being right with God. No one may be right before God in and of his own merit. On the other side of the cross in the days of the biblical patriarchs Abraham was the first to be called righteous (Genesis 15:6). His faith in God was counted to him as righteousness. He believed God. For us, our faith in Jesus has put us in right standing with God. His righteousness has been imputed to us via His atoning work on the cross. Because of Jesus, we are right with God. He is called, in Jeremiah 23:6, the Lord our righteousness." Our hearts are of great importance regarding righteousness, for they are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), and we are prone to wander away from the Lord (Proverbs 16:9; Matthew 15:19). And so, to make a solid, godly stand against the schemes of the evil ones, we must put on that which covers (protects) our hearts Christs righteousness. He gives us the only protection that guarantees success against the devil. Where Do We Find the Breastplate of Righteousness in Scripture? Ephesians 6:10-17 describes each part of our Christ-won armor, which includes the breastplate of righteousness. Paul used military terms when he designated how we are to array ourselves for the spiritual battles we will most certainly face as Christians. In its context, this passage was written as the encouraging conclusion to Pauls letter to the Ephesian church. Ephesus found itself full of false teachers which threatened to infiltrate the fledgling church (and many new believers were swayed by those untruths). In Revelation 2:1-7, Jesus told the Ephesians they had lost their first love, which was their love of Him. What they needed (as do we) was to focus on Christ as the center of their lives and protection from infiltrators (the devil being the chief subversive). What Are the Other Pieces of Armor? Jesus Christ our Lord secured the full amor of God for us. Its other components are: The belt of truth: Truth secures every piece of our armor. Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6), and He is the One who brought truth into our lives. The helmet of salvation: A popular saying is, I know because I know because I know because I know Jesus saved me. Without the truth of His salvation permeating our thoughts, our actions will not reflect Christs salvific work in us (1 John 5:11-13). The shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace: Jesus said, in Matthew 28:19, Go therefore Its literal rendering is, While you are going Paul also said in Romans 10:15, And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! The shield of faith: Jesus gave us this shield to act as a defensive weapon to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. The devil may think his fiery accusations and schemes will cause us to falter, but when fully arrayed with our full armor of God and with Jesus as our Advocate, the devil always fails. His flaming darts fall as wet dust as we extend our full faith in the Lord Jesus. The sword of the Spirit: This important piece of our armor can be used defensively and offensively. We can smite spiritual attacks with the Word of God as the evil ones try to assail us with lies. We can also use the Word of God to prepare and engage in a proactive sense (1 Peter 3:15). Can We Pick and Choose What Pieces We Use? All of the pieces of the armor work together as we display our full trust in the Lord through what Jesus Christ has done and continues to do for us. If we miss just one piece, we are not fully equipped to do battle against the enemy of our souls the devil. Ephesians 6:12 says, For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Pauls command to us as believers is to put on the full armor of God. Nowhere does he say to don partial protection. A person can pick and choose, but why would we want to embark on any activity of our Christian life without being fully covered? Why Is Righteousness Important? Hebrews 11:6 says, And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Our faith is what is counted to us as righteousness, just as it was to Abraham. Righteousness is defined by Websters 1928 dictionary as purity of heart and conformity of heart and life to the divine law. As used in Scripture, it is nearly equivalent to holiness and includes all we call justice, honesty, and virtue with holy affections. We are not righteous in and of ourselves because of our wicked hearts. But because of our faith in, love of, and obedience to Jesus, God sees us as righteous. Because of Jesus, we are justified in Gods sight. And when we put on the breastplate of righteousness, no evil can penetrate us. A Prayer to Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness Lord Jesus, Thank you for our full armorsecured by You and useful for every attempted attack by the devil and his minions. We praise You for Your righteousness and for Your goodness. Help us to always remember it is by Your strength and by Your doing that we are able to withstand the attacks of the evil ones. Help us as we put on our full armor every day, and we thank you for the breastplate of righteousness which protects the hearts which belong to You alone. We confess, all we are is filthy rags before You, our holy God. Its Your righteousness which rests in each of us and protects us! We did nothing to deserve this, nor can we put it on without You, because it IS You! Your word tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:10, You are our righteousness, and because of You, we can stand! Thank You. We love You. In the matchless name of the King of kings and Lord of lords we pray. Amen. Related articles How to Put on the Full Armor of God and Receive Strength How to Pray Through the Armor of God 3 Truths to Know about the Righteousness of God Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Lisa Loraine Baker is the award-winning author of Someplace to Be Somebody (End Game Press, February 2022). Lisa writes fiction and nonfiction and is currently co-writing a Christian living book with her husband, and a suspense novel. Lisa is a member of Word Weavers, Intl (as a critique partner and mentor), AWSA, ACFW, Serious Writer Group, and BRRC. Lisa and her husband, Stephen, inhabit their home as the Newlyweds of Minerva with crazy cat, Lewis. LEWISTON - Two recent graduates of the Lewis-Clark State College graphic communications program finished second and third in a poster design contest sponsored by the Printing Industries Association, Inc., of Southern California (PIASC). Alex Austin, who is from Clarkston, placed second in the College Category competition, while Jazmyn Roy, from Lewiston, placed third. Both graduated earlier this month with graphic communications associate degrees. Each year students are asked to create a post that inspires students to learn about the graphics and printing industry. The themes for this years competition included print is essential, print is imaginable, and print opens doors. PIASC supports and advocates for the graphics industry for 13 western states. Each year it sponsors competitions, including the Northwest States Student Competition, which is open for both college and high school students in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Utah and Wyoming. Austin used print is imaginable and his poster featured a cartoon head of man dreaming that print is imaginable. Roy used print opens doors and drew an open door with sheets of paper blowing in the door. Both students received small monetary rewards for placing in the top three. BIG RAPIDS Memorial Day is a time for remembering the Veterans that served in the military, and Big Rapids will have multiple moments to respect the Veterans who gave their time protecting this country. On Monday, May 30, multiple events will be held throughout the city. AMVETS Post 1941 and American Legion Post 98 will be hosting the ceremonies throughout the city, starting at 10 a.m. at the Mecosta County Courthouse, 400 Elm St., Big Rapids. This day of remembrance was instituted by Congress in 1971. Prior to it becoming an official holiday, it was observed from 1868 to 1971 as a day to remember and honor those who died in combat fighting for the United States. American Legion Post 98 commander Mark Brejcha explained the importance of Memorial Day. Well, Memorial Day is a reflection of our society's value that we put on Veterans that went to war and didn't come home. They did come home but they gave the ultimate sacrifice. Brejcha said. We should always honor them, and this is the day to do that. "We also reflect on Memorial Day those that came home, served their nation. As Veterans came home and contributed to their community and their society and passed away with military honors. According to Brejcha, the ceremony starts at the Mecosta County Courthouse because the courthouse has the memorial for those who died in combat through World War I, World War II, Vietnam War and Desert Storm. It will feature the American Legion Post 98s honor guard and the Big Rapids High School band. From there, the procession will march down Michigan Avenue to Mitchell Creek, where there will be a memorial for those in the Navy who were lost at sea. Since they were lost at seas, they dont get a gravestone. Brejcha said. So, we lay a wreath at Mitchell Creek to give honor and a 21-gun salute. The procession will then cross the highway to Highlandview cemetery, 607 W Bellevue St., Big Rapids, where a similar ceremony to what was held at the courthouse will be held at Highlandview ceremony. There will be over 800 flags placed at the gravesite of Veterans this Memorial Day at Highlandview Cemetery. Its pretty impressive, Brejcha said. Please take the time on that day to walk through a local cemetery and read a few of the bronze placards that adorn the tombstones of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. "Why is their military service displayed? Because for many, it was the most important experience of their life. It defined them, it strengthened them, it grew them up. Its symbolism is irrefutable I served my country in peacetime and war. I answered my nations call. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATLANTA State Rep. Bee Nguyen is advancing to a runoff in the Democratic primary for Georgia secretary of state. It was too early to tell which of the other four Democratic candidates she will face in the June 21 contest. They are Floyd Griffin, a state senator and former mayor of the city of Milledgeville; Michael Owens, former Cobb County Democratic Party chairman; John Eaves, former Fulton County Commission chairman; and Dee Dawkins-Haigler, a former state representative from DeKalb County. Nguyen has served in the state House since winning a 2017 special election to succeed Stacey Abrams in a district that includes parts of DeKalb County just east of the Fulton County line and some parts of the city of Atlanta. Nguyen is also a vice chair of the state Democratic Party. With former President Donald Trump and his allies pushing false claims of widespread voter fraud in Georgia, Nguyen has highlighted her work to debunk false narratives. All five Democratic candidates have championed voting rights and criticized a sweeping election law passed by Republicans in the General Assembly in 2021. ___ Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas and Minnesota are holding primary elections Tuesday. HERES WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Kemp wins Georgia GOP governors race in stinging rebuke of Trump Georgia US Senate race will pit Warnock against Walker Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger defeats Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wins GOP primary in test of her divisive politics Unopposed Stacey Abrams still a target in Republican primary Texas Attorney General Paxton defeats Bush in GOP runoff Ex-Trump press secretary Sarah Sanders wins GOP bid for Arkansas governor Follow all AP stories on the midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: ATLANTA Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was a top target of former President Donald Trump, has won the Republican primary as he seeks reelection. Raffensperger beat three challengers, including Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who had criticized his handling of the 2020 election. Raffensperger was among Trumps chief targets when the former president turned his wrath on top Georgia officials for not taking steps to overturn his narrow election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the state. Trump insisted without proof that victory had been stolen from him through widespread voter fraud. In a now-notorious January 2021 phone call, Trump suggested Raffensperger could find enough votes to overturn President Bidens victory. That led a prosecutor in Atlanta to open an investigation into whether Trump and others tried to illegally influence the states election. That investigation is ongoing. Hice embraced false claims about the 2020 election being stolen and objected to Georgias electoral votes being counted for Biden. The other two candidates in the Republican primary were former Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle and former probate and magistrate judge T.J. Hudson. ___ ATLANTA Businessman Mike Collins and Vernon Jones, a former Democrat endorsed by Donald Trump, will compete in a runoff election to decide the Republican nominee for an open congressional seat in Georgia. Collins and Jones were the top finishers out of eight Republican primary candidates running in the 10th District east of Atlanta. Both contenders fell short of winning a majority of the vote, forcing a runoff June 21. The race for the conservative-leaning seat drew a crowded field after Republican Rep. Jody Hice announced he was forgoing reelection to challenge Georgias secretary of state a race Hice jumped into with Trumps blessing. Collins owns a trucking company and is the son of former U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, who died in 2018. As a Democrat, Jones served in the Georgia legislature and as the elected CEO of Atlantas DeKalb County before switching parties last year and becoming an outspoken Trump supporter. Jones dropped out of the governors race to campaign for Congress at Trumps behest. The former president had already endorsed a challenger to GOP Gov. Brian Kemp. The GOP winner will run in November against the victor of a five-candidate Democratic primary. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. County official Dale Strong and former Huntsville school Superintendent Casey Wardynski have advanced to a runoff in the Republican primary for the congressional seat given up by U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in Alabama. Both ran on issues that are reliably popular among Alabama Republicans: support for gun rights, opposition to abortion and support for former President Donald Trump and his policies. Brooks gave up the position to run for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. The winner of the June 21 runoff will face the Democratic nominee in the reliably Republican district in November. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Kathy Warner-Stanton has won the Democratic nomination in north Alabamas heavily Republican 5th Congressional District. Warner-Stanton, who worked as a computer specialist for the federal government before moving to the private sector, defeated Charlie Strong. Warner-Stanton will meet the GOP nominee in the fall race to succeed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who gave up the seat to run for Senate. Strong was a first-time candidate with experience in the car rental industry. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has turned back eight primary challengers to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination without a runoff in a race that pushed her far to the right. Ivey, 77, is seeking her second full term and will meet whoever emerges from a Democratic primary of six poorly financed candidates in November. Facing a challenge from candidates who portrayed themselves as more conservative, Ivey repeated former President Donald Trumps false claims about election theft and pulled a pistol out of her purse in a TV commercial. Ivey was catapulted to the states top office when Robert Bentley resigned in 2017. She easily won her full term in 2018. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabamas Republican primary for U.S. Senate is going to a June runoff between Katie Britt and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks after neither candidate captured a majority of the vote. The winner of the runoff will face the Democratic nominee in November to determine who will represent the reliably Republican district as the successor to retiring GOP Sen. Richard Shelby. Britt is Shelbys former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Brooks is a six-term congressman from north Alabama. Former President Donald Trump initially endorsed Brooks in the race but withdrew that endorsement in March. The two edged out Mike Durant, a businessman best known as the helicopter pilot shot down and captured in the events chronicled in Black Hawk Down. Shelby, one of the Senates most senior members, announced last year that he would not seek reelection in 2022, igniting a messy GOP primary at a time when the national Republican Party is trying to chart a direction after Trumps departure. ___ ST. PAUL, Minn. Former Hormel Foods CEO Jeffrey Ettinger has won a Democratic primary to finish the term of a Minnesota congressman who died in office. Ettinger, a political newcomer who had far outraised several rivals, easily prevailed Tuesday in a field that included Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who was an ethics lawyer during President George W. Bushs administration. Hell face the winner of the Republican primary in a special general election Aug. 9 to complete the term of Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died of cancer in February. The southern Minnesota district is mostly rural and agricultural, with the exception of the cities of Rochester and Mankato, and leans Republican. ___ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, who won the Republican primary for Arkansas governor, called the fatal shooting of 18 children at a Texas elementary school a stark and humbling reminder of just how precious life is. Sanders, who has opposed gun control efforts, mentioned the shooting during her victory speech Tuesday night in Little Rock after winning the primary. Sanders is heavily favored in the general election in solidly red Arkansas. Every single life has value and the most vulnerable among us are the ones we should be fighting for and protecting the most, Sanders said. I can assure you that in my administration, thats exactly what we will do. We will make sure that when a kid is in the womb, theyre as safe as they are in the classroom, the workplace, the nursing home, because every stage of life has value. Sanders didnt mention her former boss, former President Donald Trump, or former President Joe Biden during her victory speech. Sanders had focused heavily on national issues with ads that went after Biden and Democrats on issues like inflation. Nuclear engineer and ordained minister Chris Jones won the Democratic nomination to run against Sanders. ___ ATLANTA Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock have opened their contest for Senate in Georgia with sharp attacks. During a speech to supporters in Atlanta on Tuesday, Walker accused Warnock of being a rubber stamp for President Joe Biden who was responsible for inflation, crime and other problems in the country. In a statement, Warnock Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks said Walker has a pattern of lies, exaggerations and outright bizarre claims that show he is not ready to serve Georgia in the Senate. Warnock and Walker won their respective primaries handily on Tuesday, setting up what is expected to be a fierce general election contest that could decide which party controls the Senate. ___ ATLANTA Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp celebrated his primary victory without mentioning former President Donald Trump, who had endorsed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue in the governors race. Conservatives across our state didnt listen to the noise. They didnt get distracted. They knew our record of fighting and winning for hard working Georgians, Kemp told supporters at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta. He thanked Perdue for a nice phone call earlier in the evening and for his support. He then turned his attention to his upcoming rematch with Democrat Stacey Abrams. Our battle is far from over. Tonight, the fight for the soul of our state begins to make sure that Stacey Abrams is not going to be our governor or the next president, Kemp said. He attacked Abrams woke agenda and said shes not interested in Georgia and just wants to use the state as a steppingstone to the White House. ___ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Sen. John Boozman has won the Republican primary in Arkansas, fending off efforts by challengers on the right after relying heavily on his endorsement from Donald Trump and the states top GOP figures. Boozman defeated three rivals in Tuesdays Republican primary. Three Democrats were seeking the partys nomination for Boozmans seat in Tuesdays primary. The soft-spoken two-term senator had Trumps backing, which featured prominently in every ad and mailer, and had adopted a more combative style during his reelection bid. Boozman is in the line to chair the Senate Agriculture Committee if Republicans win control of the Senate and he had the backing of groups like the National Rifle Association. But his challengers had tried to portray the incumbent lawmaker as not conservative enough. They included former NFL player Jake Bequette, who had the support of a super PAC that spent more than $1.5 million on ads supporting his bid and attacking Boozman. Conservative activist Jan Morgan and pastor Heath Loftis also sought the nomination. ___ ATLANTA U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath has defeated fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux in a Georgia primary race between two incumbents who became rising stars after flipping districts long held by Republicans. The contest in metro Atlantas 7th Congressional District cost Democrats one of the two Georgia lawmakers who had picked up House seats for the party since 2018. McBath elected to run for Bourdeauxs seat rather than stand for reelection in the neighboring 6th District, which she had represented for two terms. McBath left her former district after the Republican-controlled state legislature redrew it to be more conservative. Bourdeaux, who was seeking a second term, said she was shocked by the challenge from a colleague she had called a sister. McBath said her decision was driven by her desire to keep advocating for gun safety in memory of her teenage son, who was fatally shot in 2012. In the November election, McBath will face the winner of Republican primary between five candidates. ___ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Nuclear engineer and ordained minister Chris Jones has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Arkansas as he mounts an uphill bid for the extremely red states top office. Jones defeated four rivals in Tuesdays primary, winning the majority needed to claim the nomination without a runoff. Hell face Republican Sarah Sanders and Libertarian nominee Ricky Dale Harrington in the November election. Jones is among dozens of Black Democrats running for office in areas that former President Donald Trump won. Arkansas has never elected an African American to statewide or federal office before. He launched his campaign last year with an online video last year that quickly went viral. In the video, Jones talked about his faith, love of science and his familys history in the state. Jones is running to succeed Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection and is considering running for president in 2024. ___ ATLANTA Former Sen. David Perdue said he called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to congratulate him on his victory in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Perdue had been recruited by Donald Trump to challenge Kemp, who had attracted the former presidents wrath for rejecting his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. But Perdue never gained much traction in the race and was easily beaten by the incumbent Tuesday. Perdue said he would work to ensure Kemp beats Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams in the November election, a rematch of their contest four years ago. Everything I said about Brian Kemp was true, but heres the other thing I said was true: Hes a much better choice than Stacey Abrams. We are going to get behind our governor, Perdue said. We are going to do everything we can to make damn sure Stacey Abrams doesnt take over this state and let the woke mob take over our beloved children and grandchildren, he said. ___ LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has won the Republican nomination for governor in Arkansas after a campaign where she focused primarily on national issues and criticizing President Joe Biden. Sanders defeated former talk radio host and podcaster Doc Washburn, who mounted a longshot bid for the GOP nomination in Tuesdays primary. Five Democrats were also seeking their partys nomination for governor in Tuesdays primary. Sanders was endorsed by her former boss, former President Donald Trump, and shattered fundraising records since entering the race last year. Sanders, the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, blanketed the state with ads targeting Biden on issues like inflation and vowing to fight the radical left. Shes running to succeed outgoing Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection and is considering a run for president in 2024. Trump had publicly encouraged Sanders to run for governor when she announced in 2019 she was leaving the White House to return to her home state. ___ AUSTIN, Texas Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is again the GOP nominee for his job in a primary runoff victory over Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. Bush is the only member of his famous family still in office, but the loss means he will now exit in January. That will leave the Bush dynasty out of elected office for only one of the few times in the last 40 years. The coming end of the Bush era at least for now came at the hands of a two-term incumbent still dogged by a 2015 felony indictment and a separate FBI investigation into accusation of corruption. But importantly in Texas, Paxton had the backing of Donald Trump the former president who has mocked and antagonized the Bush family on his way to taking their mantle as the GOPs standard-bearer. Paxton, who has denied wrongdoing, is now within reach of a third term in Texas, where a Democrat hasnt won statewide office in nearly 30 years. ___ ATLANTA U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene defeated five fellow Republicans in a Georgia primary that tested conservative voters tolerance of the first-term congresswomans divisive politics. Greene, a celebrity among the GOPs right-wing fringe, will be on the ballot again in the November general election. She will face the winner of a three-way Democratic primary in northwest Georgias 14th District, a seat drawn to give Republicans a huge advantage. Jennifer Strahan and other Republican challengers sought unsuccessfully to convince voters that Greenes combative rhetoric and willingness to embrace baseless conspiracy theories did little to benefit her constituents. Greene raised more than $9 million to defend her seat and spent more than $6.6 million in the primary fending off attacks from within her own party. She remained on the ballot after voters mounted a failed effort to disqualify her by claiming she encouraged the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and riots that disrupted Congress certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. ___ ATLANTA Georgias Republican attorney general has defeated a GOP primary challenger who entered the race with the backing of former President Donald Trump. Unofficial election returns show Attorney General Chris Carr winning the Republican nomination over John Gordon, who largely campaigned on Trumps baseless allegations of widespread election fraud. Gordon said he wanted an investigation into the 2020 election and blamed Carr for not doing enough. Carr said flatly that Trump and Georgias two Republican senators lost that election and there was no need to investigate. Appointed to the attorney generals office by the governor in 2016, Carr is seeking his second full term. He counts his top achievements as prosecuting human trafficking, securing a $636 million opioid settlement, and defending the 2021 Georgia voting law. ___ ATLANTA Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has defeated his Donald Trump-backed challenger David Perdue after a furious push by the former president to punish Kemp for not overturning the 2020 election results. Kemps victory on Tuesday sets up another general election race against Democrat Stacey Abrams, who was unopposed in her primary. The November rematch of their 2018 contest is likely to be one of the nations most expensive and closely watched. Perdue was courted by Trump to enter the race as retribution for Kemp not going along with the former presidents effort to overturn his defeat in Georgias 2020 election. Perdue embraced Trumps election lies, opening two debates between the candidates with the claim that the 2020 balloting was rigged and stolen. Election officials found no evidence of fraud after multiple reviews. Kemp survived the challenge by using the power of his incumbency to push a raft of legislation through Georgias Republican-controlled legislature. He signed measures that cut taxes, allowed people to carry concealed handguns without permits and helped ban transgender girls from high school sports. The governor also tapped bountiful state coffers to give pay raises for public employees and announced two large electric vehicle factories. ___ ATLANTA Football great Herschel Walker, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won Georgias GOP Senate primary. Walker defeated five fellow Republicans, including Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and former Trump administration official and Navy veteran Latham Saddler. Walker is a political newcomer but has nearly unmatched name recognition in Georgia from his days as a college football running back. He led the University of Georgia football team to a national title during the 1980 season and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. Trump, a close friend of Walkers, backed his run despite questions about Walkers business dealings and history of violence against women. Walker has been open about his long struggle with mental illness and acknowledged violent urges. He won the primary despite skipping debates with his Republican opponents and making some gaffes. ___ ATLANTA U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock won Georgias Democratic primary as he seeks to hold on to his Senate seat in the upcoming midterm elections. Warnock defeated beauty industry professional Tamara Johnson-Shealey. The junior senator and pastor is seeking a full, six-year term in the Senate after winning a special election in 2021 for the final two years of former Republican Sen. Johnny Isaksons term. Republicans believe Warnock is vulnerable and are targeting his seat in their efforts to regain a Senate majority. Warnock is the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. On Capitol Hill, he has attacked Republicans push for tighter voting rules as Jim Crow in new clothes. In Georgia, he has stressed his work in bringing home funding for health care, national security research and other projects. He has also highlighted his efforts to try to cap the cost of insulin and temporarily suspend the federal gas tax. ___ ATLANTA Stacey Abrams has won the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor after narrowly losing the 2018 race to current Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Abrams became a star in the Democratic Party after her first gubernatorial election and ran unopposed in this years primary. She has become a leading advocate for voting rights and is credited with laying the organizational groundwork for Joe Biden to become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia in 28 years. Abrams is likely to face either Kemp or former U.S. Sen. David Perdue in a November contest that is gearing up to be one of the nations most expensive and closely watched. The centerpiece of Abrams platform is a call to expand Medicaid to all adults. But she is also highlighting her support for abortion rights and opposition to state laws abolishing the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public. Abrams has showed the ability to raise millions, but Republicans have raised the specter of her becoming governor to try to unify a party fractured by former President Donald Trumps attempts to unseat Kemp. ___ ATLANTA Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, says she expects the personal attacks to continue as she moves toward the general election in November. Abrams was asked at a news conference Tuesday in Atlanta about a comment the day before from Republican rival David Perdue, who said Abrams had been demeaning her own race with remarks she had made. She turned the conversation back to Perdues opponent, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is leading in polls and fundraising. I had an inelegant delivery of a statement that I will keep making that is Brian Kemp is a failed governor who doesnt care about the people of Georgia, Abrams said. On the eve of Tuesdays primary, Perdue took a shot at Abrams remarks Saturday at a Democratic dinner. She had said, I am tired of hearing about being the the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live, and went on to explain that when Georgia has dismal rankings for mental health access and maternal mortality, then youre not the No. 1 place to live. She is demeaning her own race when it comes to that, Perdue said Monday in an interview with conservative radio host John Fredericks and former Trump adviser Peter Navarro. Abrams said she expects Republicans to continue to attack her personally. I have listened to Republicans for the last six months attack me, but theyve done nothing to attack the challenges facing Georgia, Abrams said. ___ AUSTIN, Texas Tuesdays primary runoff election in Texas will test how much weight the Bush family name still carries in Americas biggest red state in the race for attorney general. But George P. Bush, whos challenging embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Republican nomination, says Tuesdays vote isnt about family dynasty. Speaking in Austin after casting his ballot, Bush says the election is about doing the right thing and supporting the right people for the right offices. Paxton is the subject of an ongoing FBI investigation over accusations of corruption, and hes still awaiting trial on securities fraud charges after being indicted in 2015. Bush, who now serves as Texas land commissioner, called Paxton a crook ... who continually abuses his office. Bush forced a runoff against Paxton during a crowded four-way primary election in March. But he still trailed Paxton by 20 points in the March election, underscoring Paxtons continued political durability in Texas. To reduce the antibiotics being consumed without prescriptions and to stop prescriptions being written by non-clinicians South Korea-based International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Ministry of Health, and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of Bangladesh have shared key findings from the Capturing data on Antimicrobial resistance Patterns and Trends in Use in Regions of Asia (CAPTURA) project. CAPTURA is an IVI-led initiative to increase the volume and quality of data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), consumption (AMC), and use (AMU) in South and Southeast Asia funded by The Fleming Fund, a UK Aid programme working in partnership with Mott MacDonald. Led by IVI, the National Dissemination Workshop held in Dhaka reviewed the last two years of key CAPTURA activities in Bangladesh. The research findings will help the government of Bangladesh form evidence-based policies and practices to contain AMR, which is a critical and growing threat to global public health. The project resulted in the key accomplishments including identification of historical and current data on AMR, AMC, and AMU; collation and analysis of 4 years of retrospective AMR/U data from 34 laboratories (11 public and 23 private) and 5 pharmacies (all private model pharmacies); WHO Global Priority List of antibiotic-resistant Bacteria were also observed to be prevalent in some settings in the country; a gap in internal and external quality assessment has been observed in majority of the labs, which needs to be addressed to ensure validity of AMR data being generated in the country. The agreement will support the Indian health to combat COVID-19 Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) has concluded a $100 million loan agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), along with three Japanese private financial institutions, namely, MUFG Bank, the Bank of Kyoto and the Hachijuni Bank, on the side-lines of the Quad Leaders' Summit. The purpose of this facility is to support the Indian healthcare sector related to combating COVID-19, including but not limited to vaccine manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of personal protective equipment, medical oxygen or other medical devices, hospitals, and other related activities. As a prelude and to better understand the market requirements of this sector, India Exim Bank along with JBIC organised a Roundtable in collaboration with the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) in July 2021, with participation from the CEOs of some of Indias largest healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. To further spread awareness on the funding structures available for such companies in India, India Exim Bank and JBIC jointly organised another programme in collaboration with Pharmexcil in September 2021. Through this facility, India Exim Bank and JBIC will jointly work towards expanding the safe and effective manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines and related pharmaceutical and healthcare products in India. Cape Town-based creative agency, Saatchi & Saatchi has named Firdous Osman as its new managing director. Firdous Osman has been appointed as managing director at Saatchi & Saatchi Osman joined Saatchi & Saatchi as managing partner in May 2020, after an impressive 18 years in the industry. Having run her own advertising agency for almost five years and thereafter spending 14 years at Ogilvy South Africa (nine of those years spent leading teams in upper management roles), Osman has been described as the perfect candidate to lead the Nothing is Impossible agency into 2023 and beyond.We couldnt have found a better fit if we tried. This plan has been in the making for two years now so I am very happy to finally bring it to life explains previous Saatchi & Saatchi managing director Quinton Luck, who has already handed over the reins to Osman.Firdous has been working closely with me over the past two years to understand the Saatchi & Saatchi business, as well as the wider Publicis Groupe. Im excited to see her visions come to life and with her strong people focus, I feel confident that Im leaving the business in very capable hands. I wish her the very best and know confidently that shell bring massive success to the role.In addition to a wealth of experience, Osman also brings with her a long line of accolades, including over 50 effective and creative awards from Grand Prix at Loeries to Gold at Cannes. Most recently she received the SA Women Leader 2021 award and was appointed to the board of the Cape Town Film Festival.Talking about her new position, which is effective this month, Osman said: I am delighted to be leading Saatchi & Saatchi as their new MD and cant wait to get stuck in and deliver against our strategy and our vision. To me, the secret to building a successful agency lies in developing and growing its people and bringing diversity into the workplace. Continuing to foster trust in our people, our creative offering and spirit, as well as our work, are just a few of the things I am excited to bring to my new role.Publicis Groupe Africa senior vice president, Jonty Fisher concludes: We are very proud to have Firdous heading up the Saatchi & Saatchi fold. Her top-notch skillset and exceptional level of experience is undeniable and so is the success shes already brought to the agency. Were very excited about what is to come. With Jordan Rittenberry having served as the CEO of Edelman Africa and now moving to lead the Edelman Bay Area Hub, Edelman has appointed Karena Crerar as CEO, Edelman Africa. Karena Crerar, new Edelman Africa CEO Congratulations on your new appointment, how are you feeling about it? Last time we spoke, you'd been appointed MD of Edelman South Africa. What was that experience like? What are the biggest lessons as MD of Edelman South Africa have you learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic? What will your new role entail? What are you excited most about the new role? What approach will you be taking going forward? What advice do you have for businesses as we navigate into a post-pandemic world? We find out more from Karena Crerar on the new appointment...I am humbled by Edelmans show of faith in entrusting me with this position. Its an honour to be a part of the number one consultancy in the world: a creative, innovative, and impactful business which I believe is pioneering value-based PR models for our clients around the world. I am eager to work with our many teams across Africa, and within our global network, to diversify our service offering and advance creative solutions for our clients.Taking the helm of any business during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic presented a unique set of challenges. It required building trust and rapport with remote-working teams without traditional face-to-face interaction, while navigating perpetual changes to the workplace environment.At Edelman South Africa, this meant finding sustainable solutions to maximise our output to clients while ensuring the health and safety of our teams. We therefore placed focus on better utilising the resources and partnerships available across Edelmans EMEA network to ease this transition and create additional value for our clients in Africa.Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen an evolution in communications plans which are now more closely entwined with overall business strategies, whereby we have had to explore creative and innovative ways to connect our clients with their audiences on a human level. The pandemic has also forced companies to reevaluate their purpose and role in society. Edelman has helped many of our clients on this journey to make a sustainable, positive impact in their communities through their PR campaigns.Significantly, the pandemic has also highlighted the importance of compassionate leadership in ensuring our teams overall wellbeing as they too traverse a multitude of factors brought on by Covid-19 in their personal lives. It has shown us that the traditional work model is archaic because technological advances offer new ways to work together while we are apart. At Edelman, we have adopted a hybrid work model which offers our teams flexibility while ensuring our clients receive the same quality services we are renowned for.My role would be to oversee our clients programmes across more than 40 countries on the continent. I will be working more closely with all our regional teams to stimulate further collaboration and support the many startups, blue-chip brands, and multinational corporations we have partnered with. By doing so, we hope to create real cross-continent delivery for our clients across Africa.Across the continent, organisations big and small are seeking support in developing, and thereafter reaching, their sustainability and social responsibility goals. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is rightfully becoming a fundamental practice for businesses in Africa.With Edelman having two decades of knowledge in this area, I look forward to leveraging this resource in helping our clients toward sustainable growth, which has a net impact on the environment and the society where they operate.Edelman Africas ability to reach audiences across Africa has recently resulted in both its South Africa and Kenya teams being honoured at the Sabre awards across a variety of categories, including being nominated as the PRovoke Media 2022 African Consultancy of the Year.Core to this success has been the unique collaboration across our corporate, brand, creative, and digital practices in achieving integrated programmes of impact, with trust at the centre. My focus going forward will be in building trust for our clients with their stakeholders, exposing them to an unmatched network of partners across Africa and to a global network of practice and sector experts.Many businesses remain in a recovery phase as we continue to traverse the pandemic. While long-term aspirations should remain in sight, businesses should focus on short-term goals linked to immediate priorities in recovering their operations and thereafter ensuring sustainable growth.Effective public relations still remain an important growth factor, and businesses need to consider merging their communications strategies with their overall operational goals. Building trust is more important than ever before. In line with the events theme purpose driven supply chains, Bidvest Mobility will demonstrate how mobility empowers businesses to manage, track and monitor goods anytime, anywhere with real-time visibility from first mile to last mile across the supply chain to improve productivity and margins, boost operational efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction through a seamless delivery experience.Simon Grisdale, managing executive at Bidvest Mobility says, We have invited all the delegates to meet our global partners in person who will be present at our stand and find out about the powerful elements that drive mobility in the supply chain.Honeywell will display their latest portfolio of print, scan and mobility devices, while SOTI will demonstrate their SOTI ONE platform , a suite of applications for every enterprise mobility need. Delegates can also meet the FarEye team and find out more about their industry-leading logistics SAAS platform.Arvind Sahay, regional lead, MEA, FarEye, Dubai will present Disruptions in the Final Mile how to stay Customer Obsessed at the conference on 13 June at 1.30pm in Hall C. The presentation focusses on current supply chain challenges and how organisations compare to Amazon. It will include real life situations where a retailer listing is compared to Amazon for the same product, and how the retailer can win over Amazon. This will be focused on thought leadership and real world issues that are interesting and relevant to the audience.Grisdale adds, Arvind will also discuss how Bidvest Mobility and FarEye provide retailers and CPG customers with a five-star experience.Visit Bidvest Mobility at stands ES21 and ES22 at SAPICS at Century ooCity Conference Centre in Cape Town from 12 to 15 June 2022. Agility, interconnected data and actionable research insights are the standards for effective marketing research. Done correctly, this guarantees clients a tactical competitive advantage over competitors. As such, this approach has become a hallmark of BMi Research. Jenni-Ruth Coggin, CEO at BMi Research Michelle Daines, Consumer Behaviour and Business Insights Research manager at BMi Research Cindi Collett, commercial director at BMi Research Servicing many leading South African brands, including retailers, FMCG, education and services companies, BMi Research has long provided a cohesive solution using an agile and customised approach to ensure that clients meet their particular business objectives.BMi Researchs ability to take different data sets, extract meaning and value from these insights and then deliver actionable strategies, has seen the firm become a valued insights partner to its clients.Jenni-Ruth Coggin, CEO at BMi Research says the firms focus is to provide research that is appropriate for the new normal. This has seen it move into the fields of neuro-science, statistical modelling and the online space more significantly with the introduction of a number of innovative and relevant products.BMi Researchs Consumer Behaviour and Business Insights division specialises in Qualitative and Quantitative consumer and B2B insights, including modern day solutions for brand health, market sizing, advertising effectiveness, mystery shopping and online customer experience.The division has been focusing on three products in particular: its Brand Gauge Equity Model, phase two of the CX Online offering, and an advertising measurement product called Ad-Apt, reveals Michelle Daines, Consumer Behaviour and Business insights Research manager at BMi Research.The Brand Gauge Equity Model, which has been tested and piloted and is now ready to be rolled out, measures key brand indicators over time, including brand imagery and saliency, price perceptions and levels of differentiation.CX Online is an online customer satisfaction measurement tool which utilises mystery shoppers to assess and evaluate the online shopping experience. The tool can also be used to track competitor sites and deliver benchmark assessments. This year the CX Online tool will launch a second round of pilot studies, incorporating a wider range of sectors.Ad-Apt is a neuro-science product which tracks eye movements to measure consumer responses to advertisements.BMis Pricing Intelligence Solutions division provides on-shelf pricing, competitor pricing and basket analysis as well as advertised promotional pricing, adspend and share of voice insights. The newly launched e-commerce price tracker allows clients to remain abreast of market moves and keep an eye on price changes across crucial SKUs, categories or brands.In addition to offering price solutions, the division is expanding its offering with a product which allows brand owners to track multiple price points for on shelf price, promoted price and e-commerce pricing in one dashboard, reveals BMi Research commercial director Cindi Collett.We focus on providing a Central Source of Truth, explains Collett. Essentially, this is about our ability to aggregate data across research solutions to enable an integrated output to clients with pricing intelligence provided at three different touchpoints (in-store, advertised promotions and e-commerce), as well as market quantifications and consumer insights. At the same time, our research insights incorporate actionable findings to ensure that our results feed directly into each clients marketing plans.What makes BMi Research different, says Coggin, are strong client engagements and ongoing client partnerships which ensure that the firm delivers on each clients unique objectives. The firm avoids standardised global research models, instead customising offerings for local South African markets based on specific client needs.Given a rapidly evolving marketplace, the need for brands to keep their pulse on the current environment and consumer behaviour has never been greater. Using technology, BMi Research has positioned itself to provide clients with time relevant research that allows them to maintain their competitive edge, concludes Coggin.For more information, visit https://www.bmi.co.za/ or phone (011) 615-7000 Willie Lategan has been appointed the new Group chief executive officer of Hollard Insurance. Source: Supplied. Hollard Insurance's new Group chief executive officer, Willie Lategan, effective 1 July 2022. The news comes on the back of Saks Ntombela announcing his resignation this week, with the intention of moving to Ireland to reunite with his family.Lategan will take on his new role with effect on 1 July 2022.He brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record of delivery.Lategan joined Hollard Insurance as Group chief financial officer in 2015, and in 2018 was appointed chief executive officer of Hollards short-term business unit.We are very pleased to be able to appoint someone with Willies record from within our internal ranks. Willie has cemented his reputation as a visionary leader. We are confident that he will continue Hollards journey towards becoming a transformed company that truly represents Africa in all her diversity, Adrian Enthoven, Hollard Group chairperson said. South Africa is a growing forex trading market. According to some estimations, there are over 200,000 traders in the country, and they deposit an average of around $1000 with their brokers. There is no bigger market for Forex on the continent, and due to the policies of the FSCA, the regulatory body in the country, brokers from all over the world offer their services to South African clients. If you are one of these clients, it could be slightly overwhelming to pick a broker. Not only are there a lot of licensed firms that will compete for your attention, but there are also a lot of scammers to avoid. It is important to stick to licensed brokers and in this article we have listed the top 5 most regulated firms in the country to go for. Before we outline them, however, a quick introduction of the regulatory framework of the country is in order:The markets in the country are overseen by a regulatory body called the Financial Sector Conduct Authority ( FSCA ). This regulator is not particularly strict, at least when compared to its counterparts in Europe, the UK and the States. It does not really set any formal requirements for a broker, except for the company to get on the register the FSCA operates online. This register still manages to make it so in the case of a broker running a scam, you know who to litigate against but there are a lot of protections that are not available to clients of brokers licensed by the regulator alone.For example, the brokers in the jurisdictions we mentioned are required to come up with a certain minimum capital to be allowed to operate on the markets this amount is different between jurisdictions, with the EU and UK demanding at least 730,000 in liquid funds, and the States requiring much more $20m, to issue a license to a broker. The purpose of each of these high requirements is the same, however. They aim to ensure brokers have the necessary liquidity to actually meet their costs and stay afloat on the competitive markets. Brokers in South Africa that do not have licenses with these other regulators are not bound by the same rules there is no guarantee these firms have the stability required to keep providing you with their services!Of course, the lax regulatory approach also has some advantages over the strict regimes of other jurisdictions. For example, the maximum leverage allowed in the EU and the UK is up to 1:30 for FX majors. In the States, that amount is up to 1:50 for the asset class. It is reasonable to restrict leverage, as it can be dangerous to the retail client. At the same time, if you know how to handle the increased risk, you can trade with a broker in South Africa, which is not bound to restrict its available leverage. The same can be said for bonuses they are banned in most strict jurisdictions, but brokers in South Africa are free to grant them to clients.Overall, there are certainly some pluses and minuses to a lax regulation. Fortunately for clients from South Africa, the FSCA allows them to trade with brokers licensed in other jurisdictions. This allows the world's leading brokers to offer their services on the market. These companies are already licensed, sometimes in multiple jurisdictions, making them safe from default and reducing the probability of them being a scam to zero. Here are the five most licensed brokers in South Africa, ordered by the number of licenses they have acquired:The first broker we would like to present is FXTM. The company is licensed in four jurisdictions the EU, the UK, Mauritius and, most importantly, South Africa. FXTM being licensed within the country means the broker's finger is on the pulse of its financial markets. As far as trading conditions go, the company is excellent it takes a small minimum deposit of $50 to open an account. Said account can make use of a high leverage of up to 1:2000 and receive a number of attractive bonuses. For example, the client who has opened a FXTM account can qualify for a series of Forex trading contests with attractive prizes. The broker offers access to the Metatrader 4 and 5 platforms, which is the best trading software currently on the market. Overall, your money is in good hands with FXTM!The second broker in our list is FBS once again, the broker holds four licenses. The company has an EU license due to its office in Cyprus. It also has a license by the Australian ASIC, as well as with an offshore regulator the IFSC Belize. Finally, the company is once again licensed by the FSCA as well. The broker offers access to an even higher leverage than FXTM up to 1:3000. The minimum deposit with it is as low as $1, which is very attractive to clients who are looking to get their feet in the water and trade without significant risk. Once again, the broker offers access to the Metatrader platforms, as well as a trading app for Android devices, called FBS trader.FXCM claims the third spot in our ranking with four licenses. The company is regulated by the regulators of the UK, Cyprus, Australia and South Africa. Its clients can open an account at the low cost of $50 and make use of a leverage as high as 1:400. The broker offers access to the Metatrader 4 as well as a surprisingly comprehensive web-based platform. Copy trading is available on the web platform as well.Fourthly, HFM is a broker licensed in five jurisdictions. These are the EU, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Kenya. The company has a lot to offer to its clients there is the access to an account for just ZAR70 around $5, available especially to clients from South Africa. There is also the attractive leverage of up to 1:1000 they can make use of. This leverage can be utilised on the two Metatrader platforms. The broker also offers access to copy trading, available on its dedicated platform. Clients of the firm can also make use of several very attractive bonuses, like a 100% deposit bonus.Lastly, Saxo Bank is the most licensed broker that operates on the South African market. The company has a license in over 10 different jurisdictions it is licensed in Denmark, France, Japan, the UAE, the UK, Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Australia and South Africa. This staggering amount of licenses is due to the fact the company is an actual bank that also operates as a Forex broker. This means Saxo Bank is a bit more specific than the other brokers in the list and might not be the best choice for every trader. The company has a high minimum deposit of $10 000. It is also a fundamentally different kind of broker from the rest of the companies it is a Market Maker, while the other firms provide STP and ECN services. Despite this, if you are after the most licensed broker in the country, that is Saxo Bank! District in Chinas Tianjin to appoint tree chiefs for ancient trees protection 09:14, May 24, 2022 By Wu Shaomin ( People's Daily Jizhou district in north Chinas Tianjin municipality plans to implement a tree chief system for the maintenance and management of its ancient and precious trees, under which each one of such trees will have its own file and be in the charge of a designated person, according to a work plan recently issued by the local government. Photo taken on April 30, 2022 shows a panorama of a Manchu ethnic village in Jizhou district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality. (Peoples Daily Online/Wang Yang) Last year, Jizhou district formulated an implementation plan to specify the responsibilities of administrative units at all levels in the protection of ancient and precious trees, aiming to effectively protect the trees and realize standardized and careful management of them. As the only mountainous area of Tianjin, Jizhou boasts rich resources of centenarian and precious trees. In May, luxuriant trees and flowers in full bloom are widely seen across the district. At the cultural square of Donghouziyu village, Guanzhuang township, Jizhou, a pine tree that looks like a coiled dragon provides dense shade. More than 60 stone pillars support the tree, each with a height of three meters. It is a 650-year-old lacebark pine, a rare pine species in China, said Bai Yunfeng, a 77-year-old villager who was watering the tree. The verdant cypress standing next to it is over 320 years, the villager added. Liu Fengming, a senior agronomist with the forestry bureau of Jizhou, told Peoples Daily that the lacebark pine is a first-class ancient tree in China and has been included in a book on Chinas ancient and precious trees compiled by the office of the National Greening Commission. To protect the old tree, the local forestry authority has, based on its condition, supported it with dozens of stone pillars and put up fences and prepared fire extinguishers for it. A Chinese fringetree in full bloom in Sandaoling village, Luozhuangzi township, Jizhou district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality. (Peoples Daily/Wu Shaomin) Thats a monitor, which can sense how hard the tree shakes and send abnormal data back, Liu said, pointing at a grey iron box on the pine trunk. The monitor has been in use for over 10 years and will soon be replaced by a new product with higher sensitivity, Liu added. My fellow villagers and I have kept a close watch on the old tree, and everyone is doing their best to take good care of it, said Wang Ye, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch of Donghouziyu village, while checking on the tree. There has to be no negligence in the protection of ancient trees, and precautions need to be taken against pests and fire, Wang noted, who believes that it is also important not to interfere too much with their growth. We never use nutrient solutions on any ancient trees in the village. We just water them regularly and wipe out the pests, trying to help them grow naturally, Wang said. There are many centenarian and precious trees in Jizhou, among which 112 are more than 500 years old, Liu pointed out. Up to now, there are 3,831 registered ancient and precious trees aged over 100 in Jizhou, which account for 82.6 percent of that resource in Tianjin, Liu said. Photo shows an ancient locust tree that is 1,630 years old in Dongshuichang village, Chuanfangyu township, Jizhou district, north Chinas Tianjin municipality. The tree, which is 30 meters high and has thick branches and dense foliage, is known as a divine locust tree. (File photo) We have so far recorded over 5,000 large trees with a diameter of over 30 centimeters along urban roads and public green spaces. We found 15 more ancient and precious trees, including a metasequoia, nine Chinese scholar trees and five black locust trees, said Liu Yanxin, a manager at the municipal landscaping service center under the urban management committee of Jizhou. Jizhou has also continuously strengthened the protection and management of urban green space, improved urban green coverage, and maintained urban biodiversity in recent years. The management, maintenance and inspection of urban green space have become routine tasks, and the maintenance of plants along roads has also been continuously improved, according to Liu Yanxin. Jizhou district has increased its green coverage rate to 53.5 percent, with that of the mountainous areas in northern Jizhou reaching 81 percent, Liu said, adding that the per capita park green area in the district reaches 15 square meters. An official with the urban management committee of Jizhou said that the service center will implement delicacy management of more than five million square meters of green space and over 50,000 trees along roads in the urban areas to ensure that these trees can grow vigorously and form a good urban landscape, eventually realizing the harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) This editorial began: "The Russia-Trump collusion narrative of 2016 was a dirty trick for the ages -- and now we know it came from the top -- candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton." The editorial quickly explained: "That was the testimony Friday by 2016 Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook in federal court [in Washington, D.C.], and while this news is hardly a surprise, it's still bracing to find her fingertips on the political weapon." (Also not surprisingly, The May 20 print edition of The New York Times did not include a story on Mook's testimony.) Mook's testimony was heard at the trial of attorney Michael Sussman, charged with lying to the FBI in calling to their attention a story that Donald J. Trump, by means of connections with Russia's Alfa Bank, was colluding with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The lie at issue was not the false claim about a Trump-Alfa connection, but the charge that Sussman brought this matter to the FBI as a good citizen, and not as a representative of the Clinton campaign. As the Journal editorial noted: "Prosecutors say [Sussman] was working for the Clinton campaign." The editorial pointed out, "Mr. Mook said Mrs. Clinton was asked about the plan [to call attention to the Trump-Alfa ties] and approved it. A story on the Trump-Alfa Bank allegations thus appeared in Slate, a left-leaning online publication." After that, the Journal explained how the Clinton campaign used the self-generated news of the investigation and the initial Slate article that came of it, both of which they had planted, as the basis for making tweet after tweet to the press about the Slate report to churn up mass coverage about it in the press and convince the public that the investigation was about something serious. The concluding paragraphs of the editorial are worth quoting in full: In short, the Clinton campaign created the Trump-Alfa allegation, fed it to a credulous press that failed to confirm the allegations but ran with them anyway, then promoted the story as if it was legitimate news. The campaign also delivered the claims to the FBI, giving journalists another excuse to portray the accusations as serious and perhaps true. Most of the press will ignore this news, but the Russia-Trump narrative that Mrs. Clinton sanctioned did enormous harm to the country. It disgraced the FBI, humiliated the press, and sent the country on a three-year investigation to nowhere. Vladimir Putin never came close to doing as much disinformation damage. The harm done to the United States by the perfidy of the Clintonistas cannot be overemphasized. That "three-year investigation to nowhere" represented the Clinton-Obama attempted takeover of the government. (Call it the COAT campaign.) With congressional Republicans unwilling to prevent the COAT campaign, the Trump administration was blocked from putting U.S.-Russia relations on a rational, mutually beneficial footing, to the point that, under the present Senate leadership, the specter of war with Russia is no longer an unthinkable thought. The COAT campaign succeeded in keeping the Ukraine pot boiling, with the water first heated by Obama's stirring up of anti-Russian feelings in Ukraine, leading to the Maidan revolution that ousted the legitimately elected president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych. A political opposition ready to lie about Donald J. Trump, supported by a media prepared to believe the worst about Mr. Trump has given us the current reality where the deep state is using NATO as an instrument to humiliate Russia, and Republican leaders in Congress are going along with the plans of the deep state to make the globe an unsafe place except for the globalist hegemony. Most of the press will indeed ignore disclosure of the source of the baseless accusations of Trump-Russia collusion -- it is no accident that the New York Times ignored the Mook testimony in its May 20 editions. It is, moreover, unlikely that the press will be humiliated by its mendacious coverage of Hillary Clinton; the media, on the contrary, wears its mendacious coverage of Clinton and the anti-Trump neo-totalitarians as deserving of journalistic honors. Never in the history of this Republic have so many citizens been so ill-served by so many "elitists" in government and the media. According to The Times of Israel, The U.S. Air Force will serve as a complementary force, with refueling planes drilling with Israeli fighter jets as they simulate entering Iranian territory and carrying out repeated strikes. The mock attack on Iran will happen this month, as part of a broader Israeli military exercise called Chariots of Fire. The US Air Force is joining apartheid Israel to do military exercises simulating entering Iranian territory and launching airstrikes. The US and Israeli militaries are blatantly threatening Iran with war.https://t.co/j8upZD96FR Benjamin Norton (@BenjaminNorton) May 17, 2022 In September, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi said the IDF had greatly accelerated preparations for an attack on Irans nuclear facilities. Dozens of Israeli air force fighter jets are expected to take part in the exercise and fly hundreds of miles from Israel to the west above the Mediterranean in a way that simulates a flight route to Iran, reports Axios. General Michael Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, landed in Israel on Tuesday to observe the exercises. Though theres no indication of an imminent real-world strike, U.S. participation in the drill is an implicit endorsement of an Israeli-initiated war of aggressionand a signal that the United States might not only agree to it, but participate. If so, it wouldnt be the first time USAF tankers facilitated aggression in the region: Before a halt was announced in 2018, American tankers controversially aided Saudi strikes in Yemen. In addition to directly killing civiliansincluding 131 men, women and children gathered at a 2015 wedding celebrationthe Saudi campaign has plunged Yemen into one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises. To the Quincy Institutes Trita Parsi, the hawkish participation in the Israeli drill is a puzzling extension of a pattern, as Biden perpetuates an aggressive Trump-like posture toward Iran that Biden previously condemned: Biden heavily criticized former President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal and opposed his maximum pressure strategy seeking to force Iran to capitulate by crushing its economy through unprecedented sanctions. Yet, 18 months into his presidency, Biden has yet to shift away from Trumps sanctions policy. The saber-rattling move by Biden comes as talks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are stalled. A key sticking point: Iran wants the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps removed from the list of designatedand sanctionedterrorist organizations. As with sanctions, Bidens intransigence on the IRGC designation represents another hypocritical embrace of Trump policy. Parsi notes that, in 2017, current Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote a New York Times op-ed arguing that such a designation by the Trump administration would needlessly escalate tensions. But hey, whether its Ukraine or Iran, ditching honest diplomacy in favor of nerve-racking brinksmanship seems to be the Biden administrations trademark. Sure, it pushes us deeper into the threshold of World War III. On the other, as Bidens approval rating has just reached yet another a new low, at least it helps keep our mind off surging price inflation, baby formula shortages and an economy thats teetering along the edge off the abyss. Maybe thats the point. Joe Biden announced on Monday that the US would go to war with China if they were to invade Taiwan. From Politico: When asked by a reporter if the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China, Biden responded: 'Yes ... That's the commitment we made.'" "We agree with a One China policy," Biden said. "We've signed on to it and all the intended agreements made from there. But the idea that, that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not, is just not appropriate." His handlers quickly rushed to put out a statement walking it back, as the AP reports: A White House official said Biden's comments did not reflect a policy shift for the United States, a point echoed more firmly by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asked by reporters if Biden's answer indicated the U.S. would do more to help Taiwan than it has done to help Ukraine and whether the U.S. was making a commitment to send troops to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion. "As the president said our One China policy has not changed," Austin said at the Pentagon. "He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. So, again, our policy is not changed." But Biden's words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed Taiwan to be a rogue province. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to Biden's comments. "China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving China's core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity." He added, "China will take firm action to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests, and we will do what we say." Politico reported Monday that Biden's comments make a war more likely: The White House moved swiftly to clarify President Joe Biden's comments, but his assertion Monday that the U.S. will militarily defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion attempt may actually pave the way to conflict in the Taiwan Strait. It's the second time since October that aides have had to walk back Biden's comments that appear to reverse the longtime policy of "strategic ambiguity" regarding U.S. willingness to defend Taiwan. [...] Observers say Biden's verbal commitments to defend Taiwan may encourage rather than deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan. Some analysts argue that it could prompt preemptive military action by Beijing while China's military offensive capabilities outstrip U.S. capacity to defeat them. "I still think this is Biden's gut instinct reflected in mindless wording, not a policy reversal, but it is needlessly unsettling ... if Biden keeps doing this, it could be a big deal' indeed," Winston Lord, former U.S. Ambassador to China, told POLITICO in a statement. "We should maintain strategic ambiguity. We can deter Chinese attacks on Taiwan without destroying our ambiguous one-China policy, which has been a core element of our relations with Beijing for a half century." The U.S. relationship with Taiwan is spelled out in the U.S.-China Three Communiques, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 Six Assurances. The TRA commits the U.S. "to maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan." None of those documents specifically obligate the U.S. to military intervention to protect Taiwan in the face of a PRC invasion. But the TRA suggests an active U.S. role in maintaining the island's status quo. "It's simply not correct to say that we have a commitment to come to Taiwan's defense ... the fact that [Biden] keeps misstating the policy ends up undermining deterrence," said Bonnie Glaser, Asia Program director at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. "It might well provoke the attack that we are trying to deter because Xi Jinping could conclude that China should act while it still has a conventional advantage. He might feel pushed into a corner by a U.S. direct challenge to Beijing's claim to sovereignty over Taiwan." A Rand Corporation report published Monday backs Glaser's assessment of the balance of power across the Taiwan Strait. The report warns that the U.S. currently lacks the capacity to deter and defeat an economic blockade of Taiwan, let alone a full-scale invasion of the island. "The force requirements for the United States are likely to be heavy. The majority of U.S. reactions require sizable military forces. This force needs to be available shortly after the United States decides to react if the response is to be in any way effective," the report said. Biden seems to be constantly baited by reporters into agreeing with anything they ask but the prospect of the US intervening militarily in defense of Taiwan sounds quite likely to me. If anything, this was a "senior moment" where he slipped up and told the truth (like we saw with George W. Bush last week). Biden's pledge not to put boots on the ground in Ukraine and risk World War III with Russia was clearly a lie. The White House in yet another provocation is now reportedly debating sending troops to Kiev as cannon fodder to "help guard" our reopened embassy. In March, Biden called for regime change in Russia in a scripted speech and then his handlers "walked it back" by claiming it wasn't a call for regime change. We've seen this song and dance before. "For god's sake this man can not remain in power!" After denying NATO enlargement has anything to do with destabilizing Russia, Biden closes his Poland address with a stentorian demand for regime change in Moscow. Washington's ultimate goal, made plain. pic.twitter.com/vjg6Vxs7dw Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) March 26, 2022 Last week, the Times of Israel reported that the Biden regime, in a first, will hold military exercises with Israel "simulating a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities." The US Air Force is joining apartheid Israel to do military exercises simulating entering Iranian territory and launching airstrikes. The US and Israeli militaries are blatantly threatening Iran with war.https://t.co/j8upZD96FR Benjamin Norton (@BenjaminNorton) May 17, 2022 On Sunday, Israel reportedly assassinated Iranian General Hassan Sayad Khodayari in Tehran. An IRGC Colonel, allegedly identified as Hassan Sayad Khodayari, has been shot 5 times and killed in Tehran by Israeli Mossad. Iranian media claims "to have arrested some of the plotters" pic.twitter.com/8dg2Tr0EA5 Lebanese News and Updates (@LebUpdate) May 22, 2022 Israel implicitly takes credit! "At exactly 8 p.m., all three major Hebrew-language television networks reported that the senior IRGC member assassinated in Tehran, oversaw and planned attacks against Israelis and Jews worldwide." Lebanese News and Updates (@LebUpdate) May 22, 2022 In related news, the CIA added two stars to its Memorial Wall that "commemorates officers who gave their lives in service." CIA added two stars today to its Memorial Wall, which commemorates officers who gave their lives in service. There are now 139 stars on the wall. pic.twitter.com/4gI8hiusOo Olivia Gazis (@Olivia_Gazis) May 23, 2022 The officers were not named and no information has been shared on where they were killed. The New York Times reported last year that the CIA was getting their ass handed to them by China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan, with dozens of informants/agents being captured, executed or turned into double agents. One would think that after the debacle in Afghanistan our occupiers would take a step back from picking fights and antagonizing the Eastern world but instead they're just doubling down. Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab, Minds and Telegram. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. A Westman treasure hunter recently reunited a man with his high school graduation ring 17 years after he lost it. Advertisement Advertise With Us A Westman treasure hunter recently reunited a man with his high school graduation ring 17 years after he lost it. Robin Burnett-Klyzub, founder of a Facebook group dedicated to metal detecting Westman Treasure Hunters said she found the ring while searching a shallow part of Lake Manitoba, near Dauphin. SUBMITTED Westman Treasure Hunters founder Robin Burnett-Klyzub says she found this ring belonging to a man named Brad, who lost the item 17 years ago. The discovery came at the end the day in late September, after Burnett-Klyzub and others in her metal-detecting party had combed through the area thoroughly or so they thought. "We had all been over that area multiple times that day and it was fairly close to the shore," she said. "Just on my very last little attempt to hunt while shutting down the day and I got this signal and it was such a beautiful sound." Different metals give off different readings on the detector, she said. "I knew I had gold." The ring was under approximately two feet of water and a foot of sand along the lake bed, she said. Burnett-Klyzub dug it out with a scoop specifically designed for sand digging. The jewelry in question was a large, gold ring with "Mel Johnson School" etched into it, a school in Wabowden, north of Lake Winnipeg. The name Brad was also carved into it. "It just offered such a perfect opportunity," she said. Burnett-Klyzub called the school and spoke to an administrator, who said there had only been three Bradleys to graduate from the school in the small northern community. "She sent them a text message right away within 30 minutes, he called me, so it was an immediate contact." Burnett-Klyzub returned the ring to Brad, who graduated in 2004, after talking to him on the phone and reunited him with the long-lost treasure. She said Brad told her he lost the ring shortly after graduation while playing in the water with family. "It took him 17 years to earn the ring and 17 years to have it returned to him." Its often difficult to reunite people with their lost jewelry as most dont have such clear markers of who they belong to, she said. The Sun attempted to contact Brad, but didnt receive a response by press time. "It puts you on like Cloud 9. These opportunities are very rare. When we find a piece of jewelry, were really hoping to find some sort of an insignia inside the band or something. Those are the opportunities we get." The depth at which items are buried varies, she said. The freeze-thaw cycle every year allows items to shift in the dirt or sand, bringing them closer to or pushing them farther from the surface. While metal detecting is a growing hobby in the region, Burnett-Klyzub said there are important considerations for people who want to pick it up for themselves. Treasure hunters shouldnt leave holes in the ground after digging something up and shouldnt leave a mess. Its also important to do the least amount of damage possible and to pick up any garbage you come across. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Water levels are still high along the Assiniboine River in Brandon, but the local flooding situation is improving after less precipitation than anticipated fell over the weekend. Advertisement Advertise With Us TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN Floodwater from the bloated Assiniboine River covers low areas in the valley around the 18th Street Bridge in Brandon as seen from the air on Saturday morning. Water levels are still high along the Assiniboine River in Brandon, but the local flooding situation is improving after less precipitation than anticipated fell over the weekend. Upwards of 90 millimetres of rain was forecast to fall in southern Manitoba last week, but in Brandon only around 34 millimetres of rain fell since Thursday, according to Environment Canada. Thats positive news for the Assiniboine River, which has spilled over its banks in the city and flooded some areas of Brandon, said Tobin Praznik, the citys emergency co-ordinator. The accumulation was also less than expected in the Assiniboine and Shellmouth basins. The Assiniboine River peaked on May 20, he said, and has declined slightly since. At 9:35 a.m. on Monday, the City of Brandon measured the river to be at 1,174.74 feet above sea level. DREW MAY/THE BRANDON SUN Flooding of the Assiniboine River at Dinsdale Park which is currently closed on Monday. While the situation is "stable," Praznik said there is concern heading into thunderstorm season in June and July. "As long as those rivers remain high, were certainly going to remain under risk depending on future storms." Both Dinsdale and Queen Elizabeth parks, which are along the banks of the river, are currently closed due to flooding. On Monday, water reached to the edge of Dinsdale Park, and it was largely underwater. Its too soon to tell if the two municipal parks have sustained significant damage from the floodwaters, Praznik said, and it depends how long the water stays spilled over the banks. Water levels are high all along the river in Brandon, including at the Riverbank Discovery Centre. The flooding has delayed plans to install a kayak launch and submerged the trail leading to and from the footbridge over the Assiniboine River, said general manager James Montgomery. He doesnt know yet whether the trail is damaged, as its not safe to wade into the floodwaters, he said. Despite the flooding, Montgomery said he gives credit to Brandons flood protection measure investments and dikes for doing their job. "I think Brandon is actually a shining example of how we can adapt to climate change and not just constantly respond to it," he said, adding there isnt a massive need for sandbagging in Brandon like during past floods. A total of 106 millimetres of rain has fallen so far this month in Brandon. As flooding continues, Praznik said it is very important to stay safe around the water and avoid closed areas. Water, especially in such large volumes, can be unpredictable. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ VANCOUVER - It's been a difficult year for many since the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools and those expressing anger are justified in doing so, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. Advertisement Advertise With Us The former Kamloops Indian Residential School is seen at sunset after a rainstorm and a day-long ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc announcement of the detection of 215 suspected grave sites at the school, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 23, 2022. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, May 24, 2022 that it's been a difficult year for many since the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools and those expressing anger are justified in doing so. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER - It's been a difficult year for many since the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools and those expressing anger are justified in doing so, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. Trudeau made the comment Tuesday after facing angry chants by some attendees of a memorial ceremony at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., the day before. "There were a number of people who are still very, very hurt by this and who are angry, and, frankly, they have a right to be angry," Trudeau said at an event in Vancouver, where he was visiting a family to discuss federal housing policy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) meets with (from right) Gardy, Kate, Hudson and Charles Frost in their front yard before going into their home in Vancouver, on Tuesday May 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rich Lam The ceremony in Kamloops on Monday marked one year since the Tkemlups te Secwepemc announced that ground-penetrating radar had identified 215 suspected graves in an apple orchard by the former residential school. The announcement sparked a reckoning over Canada's treatment of Indigenous Peoples and additional searches on former residential school grounds across the country. Trudeau said the news affected Indigenous people who have long known that many kids who went to the schools never came home, as well as Canadians who learned with shock that residential schools had graveyards. "These are things that Canada needs to grapple with and, of course, there's a need for healing, there's a need for partnership, but there's also going to be a lot of trauma and anger," Trudeau said. He said he was "incredibly touched" by elders who welcomed him and told him it was important for the federal government to be at the ceremony and he also understands there are others who are still very hurt. Hundreds of people attended the daylong memorial in Kamloops and Trudeau was followed by a large group who chanted and pounded drums as he stopped in the stands, talking face-to-face with people. While he exchanged hugs with some, others were less receptive, chanting, "Canada is all Indian land," and "We don't need your Constitution.'" "Canada was responsible for horrific things happening to Indigenous people, and those injustices continue not just in the past, but in the present today," Trudeau said Tuesday. Socio-economic inequality and mental health challenges are among the legacies of residential schools that require ongoing action, he added. "I was grateful to be there, grateful to hear people's perspectives, and grateful to be able to continue to insist and demonstrate that the federal government will be there as a partner on reconciliation for the long term." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2022. My jaw literally dropped when I read the editorial Its an injustice waiting to happen in the May 23 edition of The Brandon Sun. My jaw literally dropped when I read the editorial "Its an injustice waiting to happen" in the May 23 edition of The Brandon Sun. Not because of the ruling itself, but because of the out-of-touch rantings of whomever decided to write and print the editorial. This ruling pits "drunkenness" against "extreme intoxication" and how either is defined by society. This ruling does not mean that someone who consumes "intoxicating substances" is not accountable for their actions. It means that someone who has consumed a substance that puts them into a state of psychosis has to prove that they arent accountable for their actions. Suggesting that violent crimes are primarily caused by someone who uses an "intoxicating substance" is also a vulgar slam against people who have a substance-use disorder. It is well known that violent crimes against women and children also take place by people who do not use "intoxicating substances." Where I will agree with the writer of the editorial is to state that mental health and substance-use disorders are the No. 1 disability in Canada (Lang et al. (2018). Global Burden of Disease Study trends for Canada from 1990 to 2016. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190: E1296-E1304.). Where I would like to educate the writer is to remind them that stigma is the No. 1 reason why people do not seek help for a mental health issue. In a 2019 survey of working Canadians, 75 per cent of respondents said they would be reluctant or would refuse to disclose a mental illness to an employer or co-worker (Ipsos (2019). Mental illnesses increasingly recognized as disability, but stigma persists. Retrieved from ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/mental-illness-increasingly-recognized-as-disability). I would encourage said writer to refrain from gaslighting and stigmatizing and move more toward having empathy for all people who struggle with a substance-use disorder. No one wakes up one day and says, "today Im going to become a substance user so I can harm others while I harm myself." It is a gradual process fuelled by stigma and an out-of-date system used to treat people with a substance-use disorder. Writing this letter in no way takes way from the mayhem that is caused by people who use a substance that they are aware they cannot control. It also doesnt take away from the harm caused to our society by people who, while intoxicated, do things that we wish they didnt do. This letter is meant to remind all of us that we are imperfect beings. Weve all done things we arent proud of while intoxicated. If you were someone who could manage your use of a substance, count yourself lucky. And maybe while you are feeling lucky, if you do it, please stop stigmatizing those who are not so lucky. Maybe give them a hand up instead of a foot on their head. KIM LONGSTREET Brandon MAIGRET (M) 89 minutes Well, of course Gerard Depardieu should take his turn as the great French detective whos really Belgian. Gerard and Jules Maigret were made for each other. Depardieu follows a long line of distinguished interpreters: Jean Gabin, Charles Laughton, Michel Gambon. Georges Simenon was born in Belgium, although he moved to Paris in 1922, aged 19. He had become a journalist at 15, documenting the seamier side of life in Liege. He did the same in Paris, where there was more to explore. Once he learnt how to write for the pulp market, he worked at an astonishing rate up to 80 pages a day. When he came up with Jules Maigret, he had hundreds of novels and stories in print. Gerard Depardieu (left) was made to play the great French detective, who is really Belgian, Jules Maigret. The first Maigret novel appeared in 1931. There were nine more that year. Maigret was partly conceived as the direct opposite to Sherlock Holmes. He was a broad-shouldered hulk of a man with bowler hat, permanent pipe and heavy overcoat. He said little and observed much. Maigret is compassionate towards the afflicted, with an understanding of human nature, both criminal and those sinned-against. Anthony Albanese at the Quad leaders' meeting in Tokyo Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Senior NSW police are confident they have dealt a fatal blow to the notorious, mafia-like Alameddine crime network and are hopeful they have put an end to Sydneys recent gangland killings after dismantling an illicit drug syndicate. One of the 18 people arrested by Police on Tuesday. Credit:NSW Police Police made 18 arrests and seized 34 mobile phones in dawn raids at 29 locations across south-west Sydney on Tuesday, which they say amounts to smashing an entire dial-a-dealer drug supply operation run by the Alameddine family. NSW Police Minister Paul Toole said police have closed the net on one of Sydneys most dangerous crime families, with senior members of the clan alleged to be among Tuesdays arrests. The Alameddines have been linked to an escalating, bloody gang conflict involving up to 13 fatal shootings in Sydney since 2020 most on the streets of the south-western suburbs and involving members of the rival Hamzy family. Influenza vaccines will be free to people across NSW as early as next week in a bid to curb a massive rise in flu infections that have soared to almost 12,000 this month. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has warned that influenza season has hit the state harder and earlier than it has for many years. He urged people to get the flu jab amid enormous pressure on the health system, with thousands of people presenting to emergency departments with influenza-like illness and 380 hospitalised with the virus this year. This flu season could be as bad if not worse [than previous seasons], Hazzard said. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant. The state has reported almost 12,000 influenza cases this month. Credit:Peter Rae As surging cases put extra pressure on hospitals and ambulances around the country, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is expected to announce fourth COVID-19 vaccines will be expanded to people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes. The main focus of the Brisbane branch of CSIROs 140-strong biosecurity arm is preventing or eradicating invasive plant species in Australia. Their secure facility is located mostly on the roof of the Ecosciences Precinct building just south of Brisbanes CBD which, although unassuming, is one of the most secure biosecurity facilities in the country. Sheds containing plant and animal specimens are accessed by a double airlock, and staff must be authorised to enter. An entire floor of the building under the roof is given over to maintaining continuous negative pressure airflow, which must be maintained at all times to ensure nothing gets out of the facility. A scientist at work inside the secure facility. Credit:Stuart Layt Staff at the facility are investigating numerous invasive weeds and looking at biological ways to control or eradicate them. Sathyamurthy says in the case of plants, that usually meant either plant pathogens or insects. A key thing that happens when a plant moves from its native range to a new area is that it often leaves behind the animals that specialise on it, he says. Our task is to find out which of those organisms can be introduced to Australia safely so that they can control the weed without becoming a biosecurity threat themselves. An example of this process is the current fight against a plant called cabomba, an invasive weed that clogs up dams and waterholes. It originates in the Americas, where it is one of many water plants, and it is suspected to have arrived in Australia as an exotic plant for private aquariums. In Australia, it has no natural checks and balances, and so it often completely fills natural and man-made lakes, making them uninhabitable for fish and other wildlife, as well as unsuitable for recreational activities such as boating and swimming. Current management practice is to simply send in divers to scoop out as much of the slimy plant as they can, but Sathyamurthys team is working on a more efficient way to control the weed using one of its natural insect pests. Weve done extensive work in Argentina over a decade to identify over a dozen different insects and plant pathogens found in cabomba over there, he says. A cabomba infestation at Siebs Dam in Queensland. Credit:CSIRO Of those, only one was identified as having any prospect of being specialised enough [to be useful]. That last point is key the CSIRO scientists are looking for a plant pathogen or insect that exclusively acts on cabomba, and will not suddenly skip to another native plant once introduced to Australia. The extensive testing required for this is the main work being conducted at the rooftop facility in Brisbane, where scientists are testing the candidate species against multiple native plants in various environments to ensure it will not turn out to be another cane toad. Loading In the case of cabomba, that species is a weevil (Hydrotimetes natans), which has been approved by Commonwealth regulators to be released into the wild after a 5-year testing process. Sathyamurthy stresses that his team does not actually implement the majority of these management processes, but simply provides them as options to federal, state and local governments, which can implement them if they choose. Its all about risk management, he says. Does the risk of using a given thing as a management tool offer benefits greater than the risk of doing nothing? Doing nothing about a biosecurity issue is actually a valid option, so anyone who is managing a biosecurity threat needs to consider the cost of doing nothing compared to the cost of an intervention. Loading The work is not all one way, either. CSIRO also works with foreign governments and their science agencies to help them deal with Australian species making a pest of themselves overseas. One of the CSIROs success stories in this regard is the iconic paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), which although a welcome feature of Australian landscapes, became an invasive pest in the swampy south-east of the United States, especially around the Florida Everglades. In some areas the trees grew so thickly they blocked native animals from entering certain areas, and crowded out native plant species. In response, CSIRO studied more than 300 insects, eventually releasing four, including a weevil, Oxyops vitiosa, and a sap-sucking psyllid, Boreioglycaspis melaleucae. CSIRO identified that these affected only the Australian broadleaf paperbark tree, and would not cross over to other US species a discovery that has been borne out since the first of the insects were released in the late 1990s. Since then paperbarks have not been completely wiped out in the Everglades, but have been reduced to small and manageable numbers. Sathyamurthy says the work his team does is intensive but rewarding, although he admits it is often unsung. Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison in first Ukrainian war crimes trial Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester is considering challenging Barnaby Joyce for the leadership of their party, saying the former deputy prime minister damaged the re-election prospects of moderate Liberal MPs. Chester, who was one of only a handful of Coalition MPs to improve their margins at the federal election, told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday that he was still considering whether to enter the race for the Nationals leadership but promised to be a less combative leader and bring a significant change to the top job. Darren Chester said that as the Nationals leader, he would aim to build consensus in Canberra. Credit:Simon Schluter Joyce is expected to face a challenge when Nationals MPs meet in Canberra on Monday. Furious Liberals blame his toxic brand and comments deriding the Coalitions net zero emissions commitment as the reason for the Coalitions dismal election results, particularly in inner-suburban seats. A woman accused of arranging for her husband to murder her ex-partner allegedly wanted both men out of the way as she had another sugar daddy waiting in the wings, a trial has been told. Biannca Edmunds has been charged with murder, despite being 170 kilometres away from a fatal struggle at a house in Westmeadows, in Melbournes north, on the night of March 12, 2016. Biannca Edmunds (left) and husband Glen Cassidy, who killed Edmunds ex allegedly on her order. A Supreme Court jury was told on Tuesday that Edmunds husband, Glen Cassidy, arrived at the home of her former partner, Michael Caposiena, at about 7.30pm and that both men were armed before a struggle began. Caposiena had a kitchen knife and stabbed Cassidy at least twice before Cassidy shot Caposiena in the head. Caposienas girlfriend witnessed part of the struggle, and when police arrived at the scene, they found both men dead. Edmunds was in Shepparton that night, but prosecutors allege she arranged, assisted and encouraged Cassidy to murder Caposiena, though she didnt intend for her husband to die as well. The way Joe Biden greeted Anthony Albanese on Tuesday suggested the US president and Australian prime minister will get along just fine. Biden pointed to Albanese as soon as he saw him arrive for the official photographs at the Quad leaders summit on Tuesday. The president put a hand on his arm and greeted him with a warm smile. It was a cheerful and relaxed moment with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the host, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has a word with US President Joe Biden as they meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Once the formalities were over, Biden drew Albanese in close again. He put his arm over Albaneses shoulder as they walked toward the meeting room. Biden, a man who entered the US Congress in 1972, was doing everything he could to make Albanese welcome at the top table, even to the point of bringing humour to the otherwise-serious occasion by joking about the Australian leaders schedule. China must remove its sanctions on Australian products to have any chance of improving relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared after joining the Quad summit in Tokyo with regional leaders to endorse a firm line against Chinese coercion. Albanese also pledged stronger security ties with the US, Japan and India at the summit, which discussed risks to the region, such as Beijings new security pact with the Solomon Islands. The meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a strong stance towards Russias invasion of Ukraine. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Striking up a quick friendship with US President Joe Biden one day after taking office, Albanese promised greater action on climate change and more aid for the Pacific as ways to strengthen the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between the four countries and gain support for the group in the region. While Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a letter to Albanese on Monday to congratulate him on his election victory and seek sound and stable relations, Albanese responded with a pointed remark about Chinese restrictions on imports of Australian coal, barley, wine and other products in recent years. Chinese snipers were ordered to shoot Uighur Muslims attempting to escape internment camps in Xinjiang, according to rare leaked documents that appear to debunk tightly controlled Beijing propaganda. The trove of documents from police databases reveal how China locked up Uighurs arbitrarily in military prisons, countering claims that Muslims entered education camps voluntarily. A young man is shackled in a tiger chair during what appears to be an interrogation in 2018. Credit:ICIJ The files, published by the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, also reveal a chain of command over the camps in the western region of Xinjiang leading all the way to Xi Jinping, the Chinese president. The files have been made public just as Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, began a visit to Xinjiang on Monday. They contain the first images of the inside of the camps, where up to 1 million people are thought to have been detained. Davos, Switzerland: The head of the UNs World Food Program is telling billionaires its time to step up as the global threat of food insecurity rises with Russias war in Ukraine, saying hes seen encouraging signs from some of the worlds richest people, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Agency Executive Director David Beasley built upon a social media back-and-forth he had with Musk last year, when the Tesla CEO challenged policy advocates to show how a $US6 billion ($8.4 billion) donation sought by the UN agency could solve world hunger. David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Porgram, says that unless Ukrainian wheat can be exported, its going to be hell on earth for millions without enough to eat. Credit:AP Since then, Musk put $6 billion into a foundation. But everybody thought it came to us, but we aint gotten any of it yet. So Im hopeful, Beasley said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where some of the worlds biggest elites and billionaires have gathered. I dont know what its going to take, he said of Musk. Were trying every angle, you know: Elon, we need your help, brother. The countrys first ever carmaker, Hindustan Motors, is looking at a second coming. Talks are on for a joint venture with a European auto company focused on the electric vehicle (EV) space. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed and due diligence is expected to start shortly and will take 2-3 months to conclude. Initially, the project will launch two-wheelers and subsequently four -wheelers, said Uttam Bose, director, . While discussions are on for a joint venture, Bose did not rule out the possibility of the company picking up a stake in the C K Birla-owned (HM). Bose, however said, currently discussions were focused around a 51:49 joint venture where HM would have 51 per cent. But he clarified that the equity pattern could be discussed. We will evaluate, he said. The vehicles would roll out of HMs Uttarpara plant in West Bengal, which declared suspension of work in 2014. Since then there have been no operations. The companys notes to annual results for FY22 mentioned that the management declared suspension of work at the Uttarpara plant with effect from May 24, 2014 due to low productivity, growing indiscipline, shortage of funds and lack of demand for products; the Pithampur plant declared layoff with effect from December 4, 2014. The Uttarpara plant, which used to roll out the Ambassador, went downhill with the decline of the iconic brand. Modeled on the Morris Oxford, it was a protracted slide for brand Ambassador. HM, established in 1942 by C K Birlas grandfather, B M Birla, was the first indigenous carmaker. Ubiquitous in official use, by the 1970s it enjoyed a 75 per cent market share. The slide started when Maruti Suzuki launched the Maruti 800 in 1983. Between 1984 and 1991, reports suggested that the Ambassadors market share tumbled to 20 per cent. Then global automakers descended and hastened the decline. In 2017, the Ambassador brand was sold to Peugeot SA for Rs 80 crore. The new HM joint venture will utilise the 295 acres at Uttarpara for the project thats left with the company. Originally, HM had about 700 acres at Uttarpara. But in 2007, it entered into a deal with Shriram Properties for 314 acres, which was surplus. Last year, the Hiranandani Group signed an MoU with HM to acquire 100 acres for a logistics and hyperscale data centre park. The capital infusion with the deal on land transfer with Hiranandani will be sufficient to take care of the debt, said Bose. Spare funds could be used to plough into the upcoming EV and components project. The companys notes to results mentioned that it was practically debt free barring few liabilities which stand mainly on account of employee account, trade payables and other liabilities. When the suspension of work was declared there were about 2,300 employees. About 2,000 were separated in 2017 and 2018 with a VRS after the first round failed in 2015. Now, there are about 300 employees on the rolls. Their liability is with us and we will take care of them, said Bose. The company realized that the accumulated loss as on March 31, 2022 stands at Rs 148.55 crore against share capital of Rs 104.41 crore and its current liabilities also exceeded its current assets indicating the existence of material uncertainty about the companys ability to continue as going concern, it was mentioned in the notes. But based on the additional revenues expected from the handing over of surplus land at Uttarpara and the upcoming EV project, HM prepared its accounts on a going concern basis. We have the facility and the infrastructure and we want to sweat it out, Bose said. According to Bose, the initial investment would be Rs 300-400 crore. A greenfield project that would have included land and infrastructure would have cost Rs 1,000-1,200 crore, he pointed out. The board of (ABFRL) on Tuesday approved raising up to Rs 2,195 crore by way of preferential issuance of equity and warrants to an affiliate of GIC, Singapores sovereign wealth fund (GIC), the company said in a statement. GIC will first invest Rs 770 crore towards subscription of equity and warrants, followed by up to Rs 1,425 crore in one or more tranches within 18 months upon exercise of warrants. Post investment, GIC will own approximately 7.5 per cent equity stake in ABFRL, while Aditya Birla Group will hold 51.9 per cent stake. ABFRL will use the proceeds to accelerate its growth engine built around strength of its current businesses along with a rapidly evolving play in emerging high-growth business models. The transaction is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals. Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla Group said, Indian apparel industry is set for robust long-term growth due to strong fundamentals of a large and growing middle class, favourable demographics, rising disposable incomes and aspiration for brands." Birla said ABFRL has become one of the leading players in this market through its diversified portfolio of strong brands, wide distribution and an established business model and is well positioned to benefit from this opportunity. "I am delighted to welcome GIC, a global institutional investor, as a long-term partner in the companys exciting growth journey. An investment of this nature serves to underscore ABFRLs strong position and dynamic growth model," he added. Ashish Dikshit, MD of ABFRL also said in the release that in the last few years, the company has built a strong presence across all large and attractive segments of the Indian fashion market through organic & inorganic actions. This capital infusion will allow us to accelerate the growth of this platform of strong brands and well-established retail formats in the fast-growing branded apparel market & fortify our position as one of the leading players in the industry. We look forward to benefit from GICs extensive experience of investing in businesses globally and its long-term orientation as we plan to expand our presence and significantly enhance our digital play in the coming years to benefit from rapidly evolving consumer habits, Dikshit said. Choo Yong Cheen, chief investment officer of private equity at GIC said, "the company is delighted to partner with to bring its long-term capital and resources to support its next phase of growth." ABFRL has a strong track record of building brands and its new business lines, including innerwear and ethnic wear, have strong structural tailwinds. We are confident that the company is well-positioned to continue its transformational journey into a future-ready consumer company powered by the growth of India, Cheen said. BluSmart, the electric full-stack ride-hailing service and operator of EV Superhubs, announced it has closed a Series A1 round raising $25 million. This is a follow-up to the series A round that closed in September 2021, bringing the total of its Series A investment to a significant $50.7 million. The company has raised $25 million in the Series A1 round comprising $15 million equity capital and a venture debt of $10 million. The equity round was led by BP Ventures and Green Frontier Capital with participation from existing investors. The venture debt comes from Stride Ventures, Alteria Capital, BlackSoil and UCIC. The company claims that this is one of the largest Series A fundraise in ride hailing and smart mobility space globally. BluSmart plans to use the funds to scale up its all-electric ride-hailing fleet to over 5,000 BluSmart EVs and expand its network of EV Superhubs across the Delhi NCR. In addition to equity, BluSmart also recently secured EV financing of $35.7 million backed by IREDA (BluSmart has raised $75 million in EV asset financing backed by global development financial institutions Indias largest till date). BluSmart has been able to scale 25x since launch. BluSmart is creating inclusive and equitable economic opportunities for driver partners who can drive and earn without the hassles of asset ownership,'' Co-Founder and CEO, Anmol Jaggi said in a statement. He further added, We continue to build the next generation EV ride hailing service and EV charging infrastructure making BluSmart Indias largest integrated and full-stack EV ecosystem solutions provider. British premium brand on Tuesday said it has launched an all-new Tiger 1200 adventure in four variants, including new long-range Explorers, in the country with a price starting at Rs 19,19 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India). The all-new Tiger 1200 family includes both the Pro variants -- GT Pro and Rally Pro) and the long-range variants -- GT Explorer and Rally Explorer, the company said. With the addition of the Tiger 1200 range, now has the strongest adventure portfolio among premium manufacturers in India, with nine motorcycles, it added. The Tiger adventure range now comprises Sport 660, 850 Sport, 900 GT, 900 Rally, 900 Rally Pro, 1200 GT Pro, 1200 Rally Pro, 1200 GT Explorer and 1200 Rally Explorer to suit every adventure motorcyclist, tourer or an off-road enthusiast, the company said. "We are excited to introduce the all-new Tiger 1200 family to our diverse portfolio of ultimate adventure motorcycle range in India. With the launch of the biggest Tiger, we have further strengthened our presence in the category while resetting the expectations of our brand loyalists and enthusiasts," said Shoeb Farooq, Business Head at Motorcycles India. Tiger 1200 is aimed at taking the competition to the next level and setting new benchmarks in the large capacity adventure motorcycles, he added. Explorer variants of the Tiger 1200 will add even more adrenaline to the riders, who like to take on the unexplored trails and conquer every part of the world, Farooq said. "We had a great financial year in terms of sales attributed to new launches and overall consolidation of the brand. We are poised to repeat the same and look forward to welcoming the big adventure riders into the exciting world of Triumph Motorcycles," he added. The motorcycle comes with a class-leading 16,000 km or 12 months service interval, making it easier for the riders to own it, Triumph said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ride-hailing company on Tuesday announced that it has hired Namit Jain, as a new Senior Director, Engineering, to lead its data, core infrastructure and platform teams in India. Jain will head a team of engineers working to bolster the company's core platform and leverage data to improve efficiencies in Bengaluru's new office. "I am excited to join forces with the amazing teams here at Uber, and embark on what I am certain will be an exciting journey alongside incredibly talented people who are mission driven. It feels special to join a pioneering company whose products are used by millions of people daily across the globe," he said. The company said that its tech centres in India are working across domains and geographic lines to innovate for markets globally. "We are excited to be making talent investments in our engineering organisation in India and Namit's joining is a testament to our commitment to hire some of the best tech talent that India offers. Namit has led tech organisations in similar capacities and I'm looking forward to his leadership helping us grow and move forward," said Smitha Subhas, Lead HR Business Partner, Tech. Jain joins with over 25 years of experience, including a long stint in the San Francisco Bay area working at Oracle and Facebook, where he was the first PMC chair for Apache Hive. After moving back to India, he started Nutanix India from scratch, a pioneer in hyper-converged infrastructure. said it is committed to the growth and recognition of tech talent in India and aims to continue strengthening the workforce at the twin tech centres in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. --IANS vc/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) firm on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai at the meet in Davos, to invest Rs 50,000 crore in the state over the next seven years. On the second day of his visit to the WEF meet in the Swiss ski resort town, Bommai today held a series of meetings with industry captains from various countries. intends to set up production units in Renewable Energy, Battery Storage and Green Hydrogen with potential to create employment opportunities for 30,000 people, the Chief Minister's office said in a statement. Stating that the company intends to set up production units over the next 7 years in two phases, it said, in the first phase Rs 11,900 crore would be invested on the ongoing projects in the State and they would be operationalised in the next 2 years, and in the second phase the company plans to invest Rs 37,500 crore to set up and Green Hydrogen units over the next 5 years. The Chief Minister termed it as a milestone in the sector of . has implemented over 120 Wind, Solar and Hydro Power projects spread over nine states of the country. The company is generating about 12 Gigawatts of power through its plants in the country and has a strong presence in . During the day, Bommai met Chairman and CEO of Bharti Enterprises Sunil Bharti Mittal. Mittal has expressed keen interest to set up a 'Mega Data Centre' in the State, and the Chief Minister has assured all the support from the state government to make it a reality, the release said. Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, also called on Bommai and discussed investment opportunities in Karnataka. Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, IT, BT Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Additional Chief Secretary in the Department of Industries E V Ramana Reddy, CM's Principal Secretary N Manjunath and Commissioner in the department of Industries Gunjan Krishna were present at these meetings. Nirani expressing happiness about meeting with Adani, in a tweet said, "The Adani Group had recently expressed interest to invest nearly Rs 50,000 crore in Karnataka which will boost the economy and create jobs." The Chief Minister also held talks with George Oliver, the CEO of Johnson Controls, IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna, Honeywell International Inc Vice President of Government Relations Amy Chiang on investment opportunities in Karnataka. Industry Minister Nirani also shared information about the meeting with Volvo. "Volvo is known for their quality and precision engineering globally, among many other positive attributes. It was wonderful to dine with the CEO of Volvo, Mr. Martin Lundsedt today and understand how their drive for quality and precision has made them one of the most revered companies," he said in a tweet. (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.) Determined to make a watertight case in the probe in the School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Income Tax department to seek details of the assets and properties held by two ministers, alleged to be involved in the case. These two ministers are -- a former state education minister and current state commerce & industries minister, Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, and Minister of state for education Paresh Chandra Adhikari. Both Chatterjee and Adhikari have been grilled by the in the recruitment irregularities scam. Highly placed sources said once the details from the Income Tax department are available, the will tally the same with the details of the income tax return files of the two ministers as well as the documents about their asset details that they have submitted to the . The CBI has also sought details of the assets and property details of the family members of the two ministers. At the same time, the CBI sleuths have also sought from the Income Tax department the details of the PAN- registered assets and property details of Trinamool Congress strongman and the party's Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mandal. He is currently under the Central probe agency scanner in two cases of cattle & coal smuggling and post-poll violence in . Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court's order for dismissal of Paresh Chandra Adhikari's daughter, Ankita Adhikari from the services of higher secondary political science teacher in state- run Indira Girls High School at Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar district, has already reached the school authorities. A single- judge bench of Justice Avijit Gangopadhyay has also directed Ankita Adhikari to return the salary for about 43 months that she had received from the school during her service period. It has been reported that Ankita Adhikari got her appointment flouting all norms even though she did not qualify in the merit list and even did not appear for the personality test. --IANS src/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.) The All India Backward And Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) has decided to observe 'Bharat Bandh' on Wednesday over the government's refusal to conduct a caste-based census for other backward classes (OBCs). According to Neeraj Dhiman, the Saharanpur District President of the Bahujan Mukti Party (BMP), the federation is also protesting the non-implementation of reservations for the SCs/STs/OBCs in the private sector and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) during elections, among other issues. Along with BAMCEF, the is also supported by the Convener of Bahujan Kranti Morcha, Bahujan Mukti Party, Parivartan Morcha, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Bhartiya Yuva Morcha, and other affiliated organisations. Meanwhile, D P Singh, acting state president of the BMP, has appealed to the people to make a successful movement. People who are supporting the Bandh are spreading the word on social media platforms to demand the closure of businesses and public transportation tomorrow. The demands of the organisations include: Caste-based census of OBCs Scrapping the Use of EVMs in elections Reservations for SCs/STs/OBCs in private sector Non-implementation of NRC/CAA/NPR Vaccination not to be made compulsory New law to guarantee MSP to farmers Resumption of old pension scheme Separate electorates in OBC reservation in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha Panchayat polls Protection of tribal population against displacement in the name of environmental protection Protection of workers from labour laws made during Covid-19 lockdown Shops, banks and small businesses may be impacted today. On the other hand, transport services, offices, schools and colleges are likely to operate normally. Prime Minister on Monday said that the BJP-led government has strived in the past eight years to make a positive change in the lives of people and has fostered a strong, resilient and responsible democracy in the country. Addressing an Indian community event here, the Prime Minister appreciated their skills, talent and entrepreneurship and their connect with the motherland. He addressed and interacted with over 700 members of the Indian diaspora. Before the event, the Prime Minister met with Japanese Indologists, sportspersons, and cultural artistes who are contributing to promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges between and Japan. Prime Minister also met Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees in Japan. Indian diaspora in Japan is over 40,000. The Prime Minister underlined the deep cultural ties that exist between and Japan. He also highlighted the various socio-economic developments and reform initiatives in in recent years, particularly in the domains of infrastructure, governance, green growth, digital revolution. He invited the Indian Community to join and take forward the campaign of 'Bharat Chalo, Bharat se Judo'. "There is specialty to the changes taking place in the country. We have created an identity of strong, resilient and responsible democracy in the country. We have made it an instrument of positive change in the lives of people in the last eight years. Today those sections of society, which were not being able to feel the pride are doing so," he said. He said those following elections in India would have noticed that women are voting in greater numbers than men. "This is proof of how alive is democracy to the needs of the common people and how it contributes to making every citizen capable," he said. The Prime Minister said India and Japan are natural partners and Tokyo has played a crucial role in India's development journey. He also recalled linkages between Indian and Japan related to Buddhism and said the world today needs to follow the path shown by Lord Buddha. "India and Japan are natural partners. Japan has played an important role in India's development journey. Our relationship with Japan is of intimacy, spirituality, cooperation and belonging," the Prime Minister said. "Today's world needs a lot to follow the path shown by Lord Buddha. This is the way to save humanity from all the challenges facing the world today, be it violence, anarchy, terrorism or climate change," he added. The Prime Minister, who is on a two-day visit to Japan, also spoke extensively on India's Vaccine Maitri programme, a humanitarian initiative undertaken by the Indian government to provide COVID-19 vaccines to countries around the world. He said after vaccines against the pandemic became available, India supplied 'Made in India' vaccines to crores of its citizens and also sent them to more than 100 countries. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has reiterated here that the Covid-19 pandemic "is far from over". "... the pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90 per cent of member states reporting disruption to one or more essential health services," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. Addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus said the Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated why the world needed the WHO, Xinhua news agency reported. "We need a stronger and sustainably financed WHO, at the center of the global health security architecture," he said at the annual assembly. "In ways small and large, seen and unseen, I am proud to say that this organization is making a difference," he said. The was still "far behind" to see 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by next year. Before the pandemic, the estimated that only 270 million more people would be covered by 2023 -- a shortfall of 730 million people against the target of 1 billion. "Disruptions to health services during the pandemic have sent us backwards, and we estimate the shortfall could reach 840 million," he said. Ghebreyesus also said governments should put people's health at the center of their plans. "We are calling on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth," he said. --IANS int/shs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 29-year-old NRI who recently came to Vadodara in from South Africa has been found infected with the BA.5 sub-variant of the highly-transmittable Omicron variant of coronavirus, a health official said on Tuesday. The man, who lives in South Africa, had on May 1 tested positive for the after he arrived here to meet his parents. He had left for New Zealand on May 10 after testing negative for the virus, Vadodara Municipal Corporation's chief health officer Dr Devesh Patel said. His sample was sent to a laboratory in Gandhinagar for genome sequence. The report, received on Tuesday, confirmed that he was infected with the BA.5 sub-variant of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, he said. "After testing positive for the on May 1, the man was under self-isolation. He tested negative before leaving for New Zealand on May 10. His current whereabouts are not known," Dr Patel said. "The patient showed no symptoms. His parents, who were his only contacts, had tested negative for COVID-19 at that time. They have again tested negative for the virus," the official said. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) had on Sunday confirmed the presence of the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants of the in India- one case in Tamil Nadu and another in Telangana. BA.4 and BA.5 are sub-variants of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant circulating globally. These were first reported from South Africa earlier this year and are now being reported from several other countries. The INSACOG had said these sub-variants have not been associated with disease severity or increased hospitalisation. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister on Tuesday flagged off 150 electric buses and took a ride in one of them. "These are your buses. Please take care of them, don't make them dirty," he urged people while interacting with reporters. The government allocated Rs 1,862 crore for getting electric buses over the next 10 years. The Centre has provided Rs 150 crore. Kejriwal said the target is to get 2,000 electric buses in a year. Asked about the Centre's fund, he said "We are thankful to the Centre. We give them the credit. Work should happen in ." The chief minister flagged off the buses from the Indraprastha Depot and boarded one of them to reach the Rajghat Bus Depot. He was accompanied by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and chief secretary Naresh Kumar. Kejriwal also welcomed new Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and said, "We will work together to take Delhi to new heights. (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.) An Afghan woman holds her child as she leaves the country at Islam Qala, a town along the border with Iran in the western Herat province of Afghanistan, March 3, 2022. The U.S.-led coalition force's 20-year war in Afghanistan caused poverty and forced hundreds of thousands of Afghans to leave homeland. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) "The U.S. presence solely led to an escalation in violence and terrorism in Afghanistan," said Abdollah Saebi, a 40-year-old Afghan refugee who fled to neighboring Iran following the hasty and chaotic U.S. military pullout in August 2021 to end its 20 years of occupation. TEHRAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Battered and bruised by hardships, Abdollah Saebi, an Afghan in his late 40s, looks much older than his age. A former teacher and farmer in Afghanistan, Saebi is now a refugee earning a hard living in the Iranian capital of Tehran as a watchman to support his family with four daughters and two sons. Saebi became a refugee in 2021 when he was forced to flee to neighboring Iran amid the surging violence and instability in his home country following the hasty and chaotic U.S. military pullout in August 2021 to end its 20 years of occupation. According to the estimates released by the Iranian media, more than 3 million Afghans are living in Iran, including 780,000 refugees. Afghan refugees buy fruit at a bazaar on the outskirts of Mashhad, Iran, Nov. 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) As a witness to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Saebi held Washington accountable for the deteriorating security and economy in his home country. After the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York, the U.S. launched the so-called war on terror in Afghanistan under the pretext of pursuing Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the terror attacks. However, despite its claims of seeking to ensure peace in Afghanistan, the U.S. has neither improved the security in the country nor ended the terrorism throughout its 20 years of occupation, said Saebi. "The U.S. presence solely led to an escalation in violence and terrorism in Afghanistan," Saebi noted, recalling the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, during which one of his brothers was killed by the Islamic State (IS). "The terror group (IS) has been created by the United States," he said, adding "the United States is behind the murder of Afghan people and plunder of their resources." Photo taken on Feb. 27, 2022 shows a bazaar destroyed in U.S. air strikes in Sangin district of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The U.S.-led coalition forces may have run from Afghanistan last year, but the indiscriminate killing and widespread atrocities committed against the Afghan people during the occupation will haunt the victims and their families for years. (Photo by Arghand/Xinhua) On the 2021 "irresponsible and chaotic" U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, Saebi described it as "worse than the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan." "The U.S. always seeks to sow discord and provoke divisions, and turn different ethnic and religious groups against each other in order to control them, plunder their resource and safeguard the U.S. own interests," he said. In the eyes of Maqsoud Majidi, another Afghan refugee in Iran, the 20 years of U.S. occupation had "made everybody's life (in Afghanistan) miserable" by ruining the economy. "Ever since I can remember, there have always been conflicts in Afghanistan," said the 17-year-old boy who was born after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The U.S. occupation ruined his childhood dream of becoming a teacher or physician as he was deprived of proper education, Majidi said. "The United States is the main factor behind the war in Afghanistan. It always involves massacres and destructions and is followed by insecurity and instability," he said. The handover ceremony of a key operating base of the U.S. forces is held at Camp Antonik in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 2, 2021. U.S. and NATO troops began to pull out from Afghanistan on May 1, 2021. (Xinhua) Amid the unsafe and unstable security and economic conditions in Afghanistan, Majidi fled to Iran to support his family, which includes his father, mother, three sisters, and two brothers. "The money I earn is enough to support my family back in Afghanistan and help my brothers and sisters go to school," said Majidi, who earns around 4 million tomans (around 133 U.S. dollars) per month by working at a fruit store in Tehran. "The entire U.S. project of invading, occupying and then leaving Afghanistan was a mistake. I want Afghanistan to be a peaceful place where there is no war," Majidi said. Some of the MCD-run schools are "horror houses", the Commission for Women (DCW) remarked after it conducted surprise inspection and found them without adequate security and sanitation facilities. In one of the school premises the DCW inspected on May 20 and 21, the panel claimed it found syringes, drugs, cigarette cases, gutkha wrappers and even broken liquor bottles. The inspection came days after the panel initiated an exercise to go into the safety and security of students in schools after two girls allegedly faced sexual assault at a Municipal Corporation of Delhi-run school in Bhajanpura earlier this month. Bhai Mandeep Nagpal Nigam Vidhyalaya, Aruna Nagar (North), Nigam Pratibha Sah Shiksha Vidhyalaya, Kewal Park (North), Purvi Dilli Nagar Nigam Pratibha Vidhyalaya, Mustafabad (East), and Dakshini Dilli Nagar Nigam Prathmik Sah Bal Balika Vidhyalaya, Sanjay Colony, Bhati Mines (South) are the schools that were inspected. The DCW said its teams found the gates of all these four schools open and there were no security guards. After it found syringes, drugs and broken liquor bottles among other substances at the premises of the Kewal Park school, the panel said it has recommended filing an FIR in the matter urgently. Most of the school buildings were severely damaged and unsafe for children, it said. "Parts of the ceiling and walls have fallen several times in the school at Aruna Nagar and there have been several narrow escapes. In Bhati Mines, the children were forced to sit in a tin shade in scorching heat," it noted. The DCW observed that the schools did not have a single CCTV camera that was operational and that the toilets were extremely dirty. "Also, there were several toilet doors that were broken or could not be locked from inside, which raises serious concerns regarding the safety and privacy of children. In the school at Bhati Mines, the girl toilets were locked, and the boys and girls were forced to defecate in the open, as there was no water connection in the toilets," it alleged. Further, the panel said the four schools were overcrowded and it was clear that the norms for teacher-pupil ratio were not being followed. "The DCW was informed that is running summer classes for the children studying in its schools from 7.30 am to 11 am. However, the mid-day meal is presently not being served in any of its schools," it said. During the inspection, it was also found that proper benches were not available in schools. The civic body, in a statement, responded to allegations, saying that broken syringe was found due to existence of a corporation dispensary near the school located at Keval Park. It also said the school at Bhati Mines is facing difficulty in providing wholesome facilities as it is located on forest department land, while corporation school in Aruna Nagar will be renovated soon. The building of Bhati Mines school being located on the land of the forest department, construction of a permanent building is not allowed there. The school is facing water related problem as Jal Board could not provide water connection. However, the corporation has arranged water supply from a nearby temple for now and permission for installation of borewell has been taken from District Magistrate (DM) South. This will help resolve water supply problem permanently in the school, the statement said. As many as 12 CCTV cameras have also been installed in the school premises, which are often damaged due to the monkey menace. It was on this account that CCTV cameras were not found working on 21st May, 2022 when the team visited the school, the statement said. Since dispensary is near the school located at Keval Park, gutkha wrappers, broken syringes and cigarette butts were found there. An inoculation camp was organised on May 20, 2022 and the syringes used during inoculation were thrown carelessly in the school, the statement said. The gutkha wrapper and cigarette butts found are result of careless attitude of public visiting inoculation camp held in the school, it claimed. The MCD is making efforts to improve the condition of the school building there, the statement said. The DCW has issued a notice to MCD commissioner and sought a detailed action report by May 30. It panel has also sought details of the officials responsible for the "dismal" condition of schools and has asked the MCD to take action against them. "These schools are horror houses where students and teachers are extremely unsafe. How can a school exist without a security guard and CCTV? In today's world, MCD is running schools where girls are forced to defecate in the open! "So much for the Total Sanitation Campaign! The situation is extremely alarming and urgent steps need to be taken to safeguard the future of the children," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who has been named in an FIR lodged by the (SBI) in an alleged visa scam case, on Tuesday denied all charges and termed them to be fabricated. On his way to home from a scheduled trip abroad, Karti said that he would "fight malicious, patently false accusations. The truth shall prevail." "It does not intimidate me that the central govt is once again using its agencies to accuse me of malicious and completely fabricated charge... I'm not associated with this visa issue... I deny these allegations," he said in a statement. Karti has been directed to appear before the CBI within 16 hours of his return. Saying that the case does not intimidate him, Karti said, "...the central government is once again using its agencies to accuse me of malicious and completely fabricated charge. Previously, the agencies have gone after me based on the statement of an undertrial murder suspect. Now, they are basing their bogus charges on the alleged actions of a deceased person, whom I have never met. I continue to fight every one of their motivated attempts to target my father through me." Karti further said he had no relationship with any of the corporate entities mentioned in the FIR in which he had been named. "I say with certainty that I have never facilitated even a single Chinese national in their visa process, let alone 250," his statement read. He also claimed to have no knowledge of the procedures, process and formalities that needed to be fulfilled to obtain visas related to project work in India. "I know no person who has the authority to issue such visas." On May 20, a Delhi court directed the CBI to give a three-day prior notice to the Congress MP, if the need to arrest him in connection with the case arise. The case is related to an alleged bribe of Rs 50 lakh paid for clearing visas of 263 Chinese nationals working at Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd in Punjab. The incident reportedly took place in 2011 when Karti's father was the Union Home minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lauding Punjab Chief Minister for sacking his health minister over graft charges, Aam Aadmi Party chief Tuesday said is a betrayal with the nation which his party will not allow. Addressing a virtual press conference here, the Delhi chief minister said his AAP is a diehard honest party and will not tolerate corrupt activities. "We will not spare even our own leaders if they are found to be involved in . We are proud of Punjab CM who immediately removed his minister found involved in corruption," he said. Kejriwal said is a betrayal with the country and Bharat Mata. "We will rather die than betray the country." The Punjab Police arrested Vijay Singla shortly after he was sacked from the state cabinet on corruption charges by Chief Minister . CM Mann said Singla was allegedly demanding a one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department. Kejriwal said that in 2015 his government has taken a similar action and had sacked his food minister over corruption charges. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Live news updates: The progress on initiatives aimed at fostering peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region will be discussed during the Leaders' Summit here on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of the US, Japan and Australia also exchanging views about developments in the region and global issues of mutual interest. The cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. A district court here will decide Tuesday whether to hear first the Hindu petitioners' plea to invite objections to the Gyanvapi mosque survey report or the Muslim side's case that the writ is not maintainable. The court of District Judge A K Vishevesh on Monday heard pleas of both sides after the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex case was transferred to it by the Supreme Court, said District Government Counsel Rana Sanjeev Singh. A fresh plea seeking permission to worship the "Shivling" claimed to have been found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises during a videography survey ordered by a lower court was also filed. leader was left stumped and emotional at the University of Cambridge by a question linked to his father Rajiv Gandhi's assassination on May 23 evening. The question and answer session to mark 'India at 75' was hosted by Assistant Professor of Indian History at Cambridge and Director of Studies at the university's Corpus Christi College, Dr Shruti Kapila. After a long pause during which he was visibly moved by the subject, he finally replied: "I think the word that comes to mind is forgiveness. It's not precisely the most accurate." He then added: "The single biggest learning experience of my life was my father's death." Thereafter, an Indian academic dealing with public policy challenged Gandhi's reiteration of what is inscribed in the Indian Constitution that 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States' by saying it also describes the country as a 'nation' and one which had a 'composite culture'. Gandhi disagreed. He said: "The word nation is a western concept." He continued by stressing the union of states definition "goes to the heart of Indianness". "Then how would you define it (India)," Kapila chipped in. Gandhi responded: "I would define it as a voice. I would define it as the expression of a people. I would define it as a journey moving forward together." In a veiled reference to treatment of Muslims, Dalits and Other Backward Castes (OBCs), but especially the first mentioned, in India, he stated one cannot "isolate 200 million people". He called it "unfair". The meeting at the McCrum Lecture Theatre meant for the members of the university and special invitees only was packed with students, scholars and professors. Dozens waiting outside the hall were turned away because registration was on a first come first served basis. Later, Professor Pippa Rogerson, Master of Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge, founded in 1348, hosted a private dinner in honour of . The meal took place in the distinguished dining room of the College's ancient Master's Lodge. Among the eminent attendees were Sir Christopher Clark, Regius Professor of History at Cambridge, and Professor Brendan Simms, Director of the Centre for Geopolitics. Also present was a great-granddaughter of India's second President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was previously Professor at the University of Oxford on Religion, Philosophy and Ethics. His lectures and writings significantly shaped international understanding of Hinduism. --IANS ashis/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.) : Arson broke out in Amalapuram town in on Tuesday when police resorted to lathi-charge at people who staged a protest against the proposed renaming of the newly-created Konaseema district as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district, with a number of police personnel left injured and the protestors opposed to the name change allegedly setting the houses of state minister P Viswarupu and a ruling YSR Congress MLA P Satish on fire. While the ruling party blamed unnamed forces behind the arson, all opposition parties hit out at the Jagan Mohan Reddy government over its "gross failure" in controlling the situation. The opposition parties appealed to people to observe restraint and ensure peace returned to Konaseema. State Home Minister Taneti Vanitha said some 20 police personnel were injured in stone pelting by the mob while the protestors torched a school bus. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were clamped in Amalapuram even as additional police forces were rushed in to bring the situation under control. Eluru Range Deputy Inspector General of Police G Pala Raju, who rushed to Amalapuram, said they were observing restraint and trying to bring the situation under control. He said the injured police personnel were "not in danger." Trouble started when the police allegedly prevented leaders of the Konaseema Sadhana Samiti from going into the district Collector's office for submitting a memorandum against renaming the district and resorted to a lathi-charge. The Samiti was opposed to the proposed renaming of the newly-created Konaseema district as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district. As police tried to chase the Samiti leaders and workers away, stone pelting ensued. As trouble broke out, shops in the town downed their shutters even as the protestors allegedly went berserk and first set a school bus on fire. They later went to the house of Transport Minister Viswarupu and torched it. Sensing trouble, police had by then moved the family members of the ministers out to safety. Later, the protestors targeted Mummidivaram MLA Ponnada Satish's residence and set it on fire. "It was such a horrifying thing when a mob of 1,000-1,500 persons came and burnt our house. They were carrying petrol in bottles, which clearly indicated that they did all this intentionally," Satish said. He and his family members were, however, moved to safety. The state Home Minister Vanitha told reporters at the Secretariat here that some parties and anti-social elements apparently instigated the arson. "It is unfortunate that over 20 police personnel sustained injuries in the incident. We will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and bring the culprits to book," she added. Principal opposition Telugu Desam Party, BJP, Jana Sena and the Congress hit out at the government over its gross failure in controlling the Amalapuram situation. "The arson in Konaseema, known for its peace, is unfortunate. The Home Minister made baseless allegations on a delicate issue. This is completely a failure of the government and the police," Telugu Desam chief N Chandrababu Naidu said in a statement. Jana Sena chief K Pawan Kalyan lashed out at the Home Minister for blaming the opposition parties over the Amalapuram incidents. "It is nothing but an effort to cover up the government's failure in maintaining law and order. The ruling party is only seeking to push the blame on to the opposition to cover its failures," Kalyan said. State BJP president Somu Veerraju strongly condemned the incidents and blamed the government for failing to ensure peace. "The government should take responsibility for its failure to maintain peace in Konaseema," he added. State Congress president Sake Sailajanath too blamed the government over this. Former Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy, too, found fault with the police. "Instead of blaming I can say it is failure of police. (When I was) DGP of combined AP, such incidents were never allowed to boomerang on this scale," Dinesh Reddy said in a social media post. He recalled that he worked as SP of the erstwhile East Godavari district for a long period and people of Konaseema were found to be peace-loving. "I am shocked at the turn of events," he added. On April 4, the new Konaseema district was carved out of the erstwhile East Godavari. Last week, the state government issued a preliminary notification seeking to rename Konaseema as B R Ambedkar Konaseema district and invited objections, if any, from the people. Viswarupu said the proposal to rename the new district was based on the demand raised by all political parties. In this backdrop, the Konaseema Sadhana Samiti objected to the proposed renaming of the district and wanted the name Konaseema retained. The Samiti organised a protest on Tuesday and sought to submit a memorandum to the district Collector Himanshu Shukla against the renaming. Police tried to foil the protest, which apparently infuriated the protestors and eventually all hell broke loose in the otherwise quiet town. (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.) An early phase out of coal plants around the world could help avoid over 14.5 million premature deaths from air pollution over the next three decades, a new analysis published on Tuesday said, delivering an economic benefit of $16.3 trillion. This equates to saving around 425 million years of life, or gaining an additional 20 days for each of today's 7.9 billion global population. The assessment, set out in a blog post and accompanying interactive webtool by researchers in Germany at NewClimate Institute, shows the enormous scale of public benefits of urgently phasing out operating and planned coal plants in 24 countries, covering over 90 per cent of the global fleet. The researchers show that existing coal plants around the world are contributing to more than 900 thousand premature deaths per year. One of the study's authors, Harry Fearnehough, stresses the critical importance of the synergies between taking action to combat climate change and driving major improvements in around the world. "We're all aware how damaging coal-fired generation is for the climate and that as a global community we need to rapidly wean ourselves off this dependence on coal to meet our energy needs. The tool we're publishing today offers in numbers a global overview of the benefits we can realise by delivering an urgent energy transition, showcasing impacts from the national level, right down to the detail of individual coal units." The study and online tool show how global adverse health impacts from coal-fired electricity generation are dominated by China. China accounts for over half of the global coal fleet today. Operating coal plants in China alone are causing over 720,000 premature deaths per year and the researchers estimate that the operation of existing and planned coal plants in China could cause in the order of 21 million premature deaths over the coming three decades without measures to curtail their construction and use. Other major coal powerhouses in Asia would also be responsible for significant premature loss of life if they continue to build and operate coal plants over the coming decades. India has the world's second largest coal fleet and a high population density, which typically means a more sizeable population is exposed to the local air pollutants from the plants. Reena Skribbe, a co-author of the study, noted that it is not just India and China that need to take action to reduce their coal generation. "Whilst China and India are clearly the biggest players, our shows that there is still significant potential to prevent premature deaths in all of the 24 countries we have analysed and feature in the AIRPOLIM webtool. As a starting point, around 3.2 million premature deaths could be avoided across all the countries we cover, simply by stopping building any new coal plants today." The researchers invite others, including policy makers, as well as investors and civil society organisations to use the AIRPOLIM tool as a starting point to inform their decisions and ensure the critical health aco-benefit' to decarbonising power sectors is used to mobilise action. --IANS vg/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister left for on Tuesday after concluding his fruitful two-day visit to during which he held a series of bilateral meetings with the leaders, including US President Joe Biden, to boost cooperation among the member nations of the influential grouping and discussed developments in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. The or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, and . Modi, who visited Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, held separate bilateral meetings with US President Biden, Kishida and new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the summit. "Leaving after a fruitful visit in which I attended various bilateral and multilateral programmes. Glad to see the emerge as a vibrant forum to further global good. Also had excellent bilateral meetings with all the Quad leaders," Modi said in a tweet. "I had excellent discussions with the business leaders of Japan, and an engaging interaction with the vibrant Indian community in Japan. I thank the Government and the people of Japan for the warm hospitality," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister and leaders of the United States, and on Tuesday attended the second in-person meeting of leaders here during which they are expected to exchange views about developments in the region and global issues of mutual interest. The or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, and . Besides Modi, the summit is being attended by US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In a statement, before he left for on Sunday, Modi had said the summit will provide an opportunity for the leaders to review the progress of the Quad initiatives and exchange views about developments in the region and global issues of mutual interest. The summit is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Quad leaders are also set to discuss the Russian military offensive in Ukraine and the humanitarian as well as security implications of the conflict. The summit is also taking place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. On the eve of the summit, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas such as clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade. The rollout of the IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. In March last year, President Biden hosted the first-ever summit of the Quad leaders in the virtual format that was followed by an in-person summit in Washington in September. The Quad leaders also held a virtual meeting in March. In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China's growing military presence in the strategic region. (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.) Quality of rural roads should be at par with that of national highways, Union Rural Development Minister said on Tuesday while asserting that roads constructed under the PMGSY are lifeline of villages. Addressing the International Conference - 'New Technologies and Innovations in Rural Roads', Singh advocated for the use of green technologies especially using waste as it makes the road construction more environment friendly. New technologies like full depth reclamation, cement treated sub base, nano technologies and others are being used in construction of rural roads, these technologies help in reduction of cost by 10 to 15 per cent per km. "At the same time we also should ensure that quality of rural roads is at par with that of . These roads are lifeline of our villages," Singh, also the Union Panchayati Raj Minister, said. Echoing similar sentiments Union Minister of state for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Moreshwar Patil, said travelling on rural roads should be as comfortable as it is on so that when travellers move out of the highways towards the rural roads, they should not feel any difference. Underlining that rural roads have been a "cost-effective" strategy for improving the lives of people in villages, Secretary Department of Rural Development Nagender Nath Sinha said, many studies which prove that rural roads is very cost effective component for development of rural areas and it also results in employment generation. Sinha said more than 7 lakh km of rural roads have been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which helped in lifting the social economic condition of rural masses. PMGSY was launched in December, 2000, with an objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitation of designated population size of more than 500 in plain areas, and 250 in northeast, hill, tribal and desert areas. (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.) TRIPOLI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan navy on Tuesday said that four bodies of illegal migrants were recovered and 3 others were missing when a boat capsized off of the country's western coast. "A boat carrying illegal migrants capsized yesterday off the coast of Mellitah town (in western Libya)," the Libyan navy said in a statement. "A coast guard patrol rescued 17 illegal migrants and recovered 4 bodies, while 3 others remain missing, as they were on their way to Europe," the navy said. The Illegal Migration Control Department will look after the rescued migrants and prepare to deport them back to their countries, it added. Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores. So far in 2022, a total of 6,340 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, including 510 women and 273 minors, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In 2021, a total of 32,425 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, while 662 died and 891 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the central Mediterranean route, IOM said. There has been an alarming rise in breaches globally, including India, which increased by 13 per cent in the past one year, representing a jump greater than the past 5 years combined, a new report said on Tuesday. Heightened geopolitical tensions are driving increased sophistication, visibility, and awareness around nation-state affiliated cyber-attacks, according to the "Verizon Business 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report (2022 DBIR)". "The continued explosion of connected devices and widespread digitisation in multiple sectors has increased the likelihood of cyberattacks, especially ransomware," said Anshuman Sharma, Head Investigative Response, APJ at Verizon. While the pandemic led to a rise in attacks, the inaction, or the delay in the implementation of technical and infrastructure changes in the new normal has made organisations more vulnerable. "The emergence of as a Service (RaaS) and the adoption of cryptocurrency could be a contributing factor as well," Sharma added. The report analysed 23,896 security incidents, of which 5,212 were confirmed breaches. "Roughly 4 in 5 breaches can be attributed to organised crime, with external actors approximately 4 times more likely to cause breaches in an organization than internal actors," the findings showed. Human element was involved in 82 per cent of all breaches analysed over the past year. About 25 per cent of total breaches in the report were the result of social engineering attacks. As across industries adopt a hybrid work model, new security challenges and complexities continue to emerge. "India can be transformed into a digitally-empowered society and address the emerging challenges within the technology space if organisations invest more in security along with the government's robust cybersecurity strategy and approach," Sharma said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Vinai Kumar Saxena will take the oath of office at the Raj Niwas here on May 26, officials said on Tuesday. Saxena, who held the post of chairperson of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), was appointed as the new LG of on Monday. Acting Chief Justice of High Court Vipin Sanghi will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Saxena. Thereafter, the new LG will administer oath to Justice Satish Chandra Sharma as the new chief justice of the Delhi High Court. "This is a unique coincidence taking place for the first time in Delhi," said constitution expert S K Sharma. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended on May 17 the name of Justice Sharma as the new chief justice of the Delhi High Court. The oath-taking ceremony of Saxena will take place at 11 AM on May 26, officials said. Saxena, 64, will succeed who resigned from the post last week citing "personal reasons". Saxena had started his career as an assistant officer in Rajasthan with JK Group and was elevated as general manager in 1995 to look after a proposed port project in Gujarat. He was appointed as KVIC chairperson in 2015. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress MP is likely to appear before the on Wednesday to join investigation into an alleged scam pertaining to issuance of to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when his father was the home minister, officials said. Karti, who has gone on a trip to the UK and Europe with the permission of the Supreme Court and a special court, is scheduled to return on Tuesday. According to the special court's order, he has to join the CBI investigation within 16 hours of his return. The case pertains to allegations of Rs 50 lakh being paid as bribe to Karti and his close associate S Bhaskararaman by a top executive of company Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. (TSPL), which was setting a power plant in Punjab, the CBI FIR said. According to the CBI, the work for setting up the power project was being executed by a Chinese company and was running behind schedule. A TSPL executive had sought re-issuance of project for 263 Chinese workers for which Rs 50 lakh allegedly exchanged hands, according to the CBI FIR. has denied all allegations and said " if this is not harassment, not a witch hunt, then what is." In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said, "I am heading back home today, as was planned when I left 2 weeks ago for a work/ family-visit trip to UK and Europe. It does not intimidate me that the central government is once again using its agencies to accuse me of a malicious and completely fabricated charge." "Previously, the agencies have gone after me based on the statement of an undertrial murder suspect. Now, they are basing their bogus charges on the alleged actions of a deceased person, whom I have never met. I intend to continue to fight every one of their motivated attempts to target my father through me," he said. The MP said, "For what it's worth, however, I firmly state that I am not associated with this issue directly, indirectly, vicariously or even telepathically! The allegations against me by the CBI are ludicrous, to say the least. I categorically deny all of them." The agency has alleged that Bhaskararaman was approached by Vikas Makharia, the then associate vice president of TSPL, for the reissue of project visas for 263 Chinese workers working at the Mansa-based power plant. The CBI FIR, which contains the findings of the investigating officer who probed the PE, has alleged that Makharia approached Karti through his "close associate/front man" Bhaskararaman, the officials said. "They devised a back-door way to defeat the purpose of ceiling (maximum of project visas permissible to the company's plant) by granting permission to reuse 263 project visas allotted to the said Chinese company's officials," it was alleged. Project visas were a special type of visa introduced in 2010 for the power and steel sector for which detailed guidelines were issued during P Chidambaram's tenure as the home minister but there was no provision of reissue of project visas, the FIR alleged. "As per prevalent guidelines, deviation in rare and exceptional cases could be considered and granted only with the approval of the home secretary. However, in view of the above circumstances, the deviation in terms of reuse of project visas is likely to be approved by the then Home Minister...," it further alleged. The CBI in its FIR on May 14 has named as accused Karti, Bhaskararaman, Makharia, Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), and Mumbai-based Bell Tools Limited through which bribes were allegedly routed. The case was registered under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 477A(falsification of accounts) and sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, they said. Makharia allegedly submitted a letter to the home ministry on July 30, 2011, seeking approval to reuse the project visas allotted to his company, which was approved within a month and permission was issued, the officials said. It alleged that the payment of the bribe was routed from TSPL to Karti and Bhaskararaman through Mumbai-based Bell Tools Ltd with payments camouflaged under two invoices raised for consultancy and out-of-pocket expenses for works related to visas for the Chinese workers. Makharia had later thanked Karti and Bhaskararaman on email, it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Tuesday announced that four more industrial clusters from Europe and the US are joining its 'Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net-Zero' initiative. The initiative will enable these hubs to accelerate industrial decarbonization, boost job creation and improve competitiveness. It will help connect private and public stakeholders from these industrial hubs, as they strive to meet individual and collective decarbonization goals, foster enabling policies and support local community engagement. The four new industrial clusters are from the Netherlands, Belgium and the US. They will work together with the WEF to reduce their carbon emissions faster through the Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net-Zero initiative. Launched at COP26 in November 2021, the initiative aims to accelerate the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industrial sectors, while maximizing job creation and economic competitiveness. The approach focuses on building cross- and cross-cluster partnerships to better implement low-carbon technologies -- as in the case of the regionally developed Basque Hydrogen Corridor -- and on accessing public funding and blended-finance options for clusters' decarbonization projects. Under this initiative, the WEF, working closely with Accenture and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as knowledge partners, connects private and public stakeholders to assess how to meet individual and collective decarbonization goals, fosters new enabling policies and provides guidance and support for local community engagement. Industrial clusters are geographic regions, where industrial companies are concentrated, making them an attractive target for impactful emissions reduction strategies. Since industrial assets are located in close proximity, sharing of infrastructure (such as CO2 and hydrogen pipelines or renewable energy assets), financial and operational risks, and natural and human resources becomes possible. This also provides opportunities to deploy and scale new green technologies, such as hydrogen and the capture, utilization and storage of carbon for industrial applications, enabling a systemic approach to emissions reduction. The four large industrial emissions centres, involving oil and gas extraction and processing, shipping, heavy-duty transportation, chemicals and other sectors, currently account for CO2 emissions of 296 million metric tonnes per year greater than the annual emissions of Poland. They employ more than 470,000 people and represent an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 135 billion. The four new clusters join four others in the UK, Australia and Spain, which were part of the initial launch of the initiative. Based on metrics provided by each cluster, all eight clusters could potentially save more than 334 million tonnes of CO2 more than the equivalent annual emissions output of France. They could also create and protect 1.1 million jobs and contribute USD 182 billion to regional GDP. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the first day of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual meeting, Oxfam International Executive Director Gabriela Bucher called for the wealth tax on billionaires to benefit women pushed into poverty by the (Covid-19)pandemic During a session on gender parity at the WEF on Monday, Bucher noted that while billionaire wealth has risen greatly during the two years of the pandemic, women have been left out as millions, especially in the Global South, lost their jobs in the informal sector. Achieving gender equality will now take 136 years, with the Covid-19 pandemic pushing back progress by a generation, she added. ALSO READ: WEF 2022: Here's what will happen on Day 2 at Davos Annual meeting Bucher called for structural changes to the economy, eg. through . By and large those profiting at the top are mostly men and the whole system is really structured on the shoulders of women in the sense of unpaid care work, she said. According to Bucher, the key transformative policy that needs funding is childcare to enable women to work, along with a push to get girls back into education. Bucher noted the need to tackle the pandemic of domestic violence which affected one in two women during Covid-19, according to the UN. Many organisations have realised that in-person presence in the workplace does not equate to productivity, said Jonas Prising, chairman and CEO of ManpowerGroup, adding the lasting legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic is going to be greater flexibility, which will enable women to participate easier in the absence of support structures such as childcare. However, that flexibility has to be well-managed to ensure that those working outside the office are not at a disadvantage when it comes to promotion. Meanwhile, said Prising, in the current environment of a skills-short labour market, essential workers are seeing their wages rise. This will benefit women seeking to get back into the workforce, he said. Employers are looking for skilled workers. Women are more skilled and more educated than men yet are 20% under-represented, so employers will understand they need to attract female talent into their workforces. Stephanie Trautman, chief growth officer of global tech company Wipro, highlighted the inconsistency in how companies promote men and women. We have to be purposeful without necessarily being quota-driven, she said, because I dont think women want that. We want to be in leadership positions because we deserve to be in leadership positions. Steve MacMillan, Chairman and CEO of medical device and diagnostics company Hologic, emphasised the importance of getting the right data to reveal gender gaps and challenges. After being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic for two years, the is showing signs of recovery in many parts of the world, with the US, Japan, Spain, France and Germany at the top. India, meanwhile, ranked at the 54th place in an index, down from 46th in 2019, but still remained on the top within South Asia. Released by the (WEF) on Tuesday, The Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future, raned 117 economies on a range of factors that are crucial to the development, sustainability and resiliency of their travel and tourism industry, which in turn contributes to economic and social development. Covid shutdowns have re-emphasised the important contribution travel and tourism makes to many economies around the world, said Lauren Uppink, Head of Aviation, Travel and Tourism at the WEF. The report found that while overall international tourism and business travel is still below pre-pandemic levels, the sector recovery has been bolstered by greater vaccination rates, return to more open travel, and growing demand for domestic and nature-based tourism. According the UNWTO, the growth in international tourist arrivals in January 2022 over January 2021 is greater than arrivals growth in all of 2021, the report said. Despite positive trends, the sector is still facing many hurdles with its recovery due to uneven vaccine distribution, capacity constraints, labour shortages, supply chain disruptions and more. Government, business and civil society leaders can address barriers to recovery by looking at the different factors that can support the long-term development and resiliency of their respective travel and tourism economies, added Uppink. In this year's travel index, other than the US, the top-10 scoring economies are high-income economies in Europe or Asia-Pacific. After top-ranking Japan, regional economies Australia and Singapore come in seventh and ninth, respectively. Vietnam experienced the greatest improvement in score (from 60th to 52nd) on the overall index, while Indonesia (44th to 32nd) and Saudi Arabia (43rd to 33rd) had the greatest improvement in rank. Europe is the only region to have decreased its average score since 2019, slightly eroding its considerable lead. Sub-Saharan Africa had the greatest improvement in performance, but far more needs to be done for economies in the region. The Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, published biennially, reflects the enhanced focus on the sectors overall role in economic and social development and the greater need for stakeholder collaboration and development strategies. As economies look to rebuild their travel and tourism sectors, the report said it should focus on making their travel sectors more inclusive, sustainable and resilient to future risks, by prioritising international openness and consumer confidence by improving health and security. Efforts to build favourable and inclusive labour practices, improve environmental sustainability and strengthening the management of tourism demand and impact will help economies ensure strong development of their travel destinations, said Uppink. IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Monday held a series of meetings with various industry leaders at the pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. On the first day of the WEF in Davos, many companies came forward and announced their plans to invest in after their meetings with the KTR who is leading the state delegation at the annual meet. The announced that it will invest Rs 500 crore in Telangana. It will start its operations in the food processing sector in the state with a huge investment of Rs 500 crore. On behalf of the Telangana government, KTR handed over the necessary permission documents to Chairman & MD, Yusuf Ali. Ali said they will be laying the foundation stone for their food processing units soon. The company's unit would export food products from Telangana to foreign countries like Europe. "We have already selected several areas in Hyderabad city in this regard and are in talks with the respective property owners. Our aim is to build an excellent shopping mall of international standards in Hyderabad city," he said. KTR also welcomed Swiss Re, the world's largest insurance company to Telangana, which will set up its office in Hyderabad in August 2022. Swiss Re is a 160-year-old insurance organisation, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and operates in 80 locations globally. Swiss Re's Hyderabad centre will start with an initial headcount of 250 and will focus on data and digital capabilities, product modelling, and risk management. While speaking at a panel discussion on 'Telangana Life sciences Industry's Vision For 2030', KTR stated that the life sciences sector in India needs revolutionary reforms to strengthen the sector and compete with the world. According to KTR, India needs a conducive regulatory framework in the life sciences sector. KTR highlighted that Telangana is known as the "Vaccine CapitaDavosl of the World" and Life Sciences capital of the country. He added that Hyderabad Pharma City spread across 19,000 acres will be the world's largest pharma cluster. Days after the Centre hiked the duty on exports of iron ore to 50 per cent, the government has urged the Union to bring down the duty on low-grade ore to 'nil'. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi urging her to impose 'nil' duty on low-grade ore. In a bid to increase domestic availability, the Centre has hiked the duty on exports of iron ore to 50 per cent. In a statement issued last evening, the chief minister's office said "vide notification dated May 21 the Central government has levied 50 per cent duty on exports of all grades of iron ore". "Goa's ore largely being low grade (that is below 50 per cent Fe) and not processed for steel making in the country, the state has requested the ministry of finance to consider 'nil' duty instead of 50 per cent on low grade iron ore exports, as was done since 2016," the CMO stated. The state government further said that "this is necessary for sustainable mining in the state". The iron ore mining industry in has come to a standstill since March 2018 after the Supreme Court quashed all mining leases. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Officials from India and Canada are expected to meet virtually next week to commence the second round of negotiations for a free-trade agreement (FTA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. India is expected to push for greater market access for pharmaceutical products, readymade garments, agriculture goods and easier movement of skilled workers, to create more jobs for its IT professionals, people aware of the matter said. Canada is expected to seek greater market access for agriculture products such as pulses. Both nations may steer away from including sensitive items such as dairy in the trade deal, they said. The first round of negotiations happened soon after the fifth Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment, where broader issues were discussed. There will be more clarity on the way forward as something more concrete is expected after the second round of discussions, one of the officials cited above said. India and Canada had launched negotiations towards a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in 2010. However, no headway was made even after the 10th round nearly five years ago. A joint statement released by India and Canada in March stated that both the countries are looking to finalise an interim or an early progress trade agreement (EPTA). A spokesperson from the High Commission of Canada said that while India has rolled out various reform measures over the last few years, uncertainty caused due to unpredictable tariff rates in Indias agriculture sector are some of the hurdles faced by the exporters from Canada. "Canada is happy to note that India is steadily moving up the ranking of the World Banks Ease of Doing Business. This has been possible, in part, as a result of some Government of India initiatives such as the establishment of the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Similarly, the amalgamation of various taxes into one GST has been welcomed by the business community and has facilitated trading across state borders. The debt and insolvency law, as well as implementation of the PLI, are being used by some Canadian producers in India, the spokesperson told Business Standard. However some challenges still exist, mostly at the local and state level, such as permit approvals, land acquisition, supply-chain unpredictability, and high tariffs. And in the agricultural sector, unpredictable tariff rates and quantity restrictions can cause uncertainty, the spokesperson said. Canada was Indias 36th largest trading partner in FY22. India exported goods worth $3.76 billion to Canada, while importing goods worth $3.13 billion in the financial year 2021-22. JAKARTA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Police's anti-terror squad on Tuesday arrested a college student for allegedly helping raise funds to support the activities of the Islamic State terrorist group in Malang, East Java province. "The suspect, initialed IA, is a 22-year-old college student of a university in Malang. Besides raising funds, he also operated a social media account to spread materials regarding how to do acts of terrorism," Indonesian Police spokesman, Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan, told a press conference. The police also found evidence that IA intensely communicated with a terrorist suspect and member of extremist group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), MIR, in plotting suicide explosions in the public facilities and authorities' offices, the spokesman said. JAD is responsible for a string of attacks, including a suicide bombing at a cathedral in Makassar City on Sulawesi Island in March 2021 and suicide bombings at churches in East Java in 2018, which killed dozens of people. As a counter to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, the nations India, the US, Japan and Australia on Tuesday agreed to extend more than $50 billion of assistance to the region over the next five years to bridge the infrastructure gaps. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to deepen cooperation on infrastructure, which is critical to driving productivity and prosperity in the region. We are committed to working closely with partners and the region to drive public and private investment to bridge gaps, the leaders said in a joint statement. Briefing reporters at the end of the two-day visit of Prime minister Narendra Modi to Japan, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the leaders mentioned that the filling up of the infra gaps had to be in a manner that it did not result in unsustainable burden and unsustainable bouquet of projects. The figure ($50 billion) that you saw is a projected figure. Infrastructure cooperation that will flow out of this will precisely address these points -- that the projects are sustainable, they are demand-driven, and they meet the specific needs of the countries, Kwatra said. ALSO READ: Quad nations to deepen cooperation on infrastructure: Joint statement Kwatra said Modi put forward specific proposals at the Quad summit which could contribute to guiding the groupings agenda in the months and years ahead. Some of the proposals include the need to take solid initiatives in the field of climate finance and sustainable developments; emphasis on the importance of building appropriate platforms for the industry and businesses in the Quad and Indo-Pacific countries to forge partnerships in the field of critical and emerging technologies; formal and informal mechanisms to strengthen partnership among the like-minded countries in the areas of common interest, he added. Without naming Sri Lanka, the Quad leaders also resolved to address debt issues of countries in the region. We will work to strengthen capacities of the countries in need to cope with debt issues under the G20 Common Framework, and by promoting debt sustainability and transparency in close collaboration with finance authorities of relevant countries, including through the Quad Debt Management Resource Portal, which consists of multiple bilateral and multilateral capacity building assistance, the joint statement said. The Quad countries also launched a new maritime domain awareness initiative, the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), to combat illegal fishing and respond to humanitarian and natural disasters in the region. China is believed to have become the worlds largest perpetrator of illegal fishing, depleting global fish stocks and undermining traditional livelihoods of many countries. Biden hails Modis Covid handling During a closed session of the Quad summit, US President Joe Biden praised Modi for handling the Covid pandemic successfully in a democratic manner. He contrasted India's success with China's failure to handle the pandemic, though both countries are of comparable size, a senior official said. The Cabinet on Monday took certain key decisions, including revision of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) for the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes under the New Policy (NEP). The Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, decided that the CBCS will be revised in accordance with the NEP guidelines and there will be no hard and fast separation between streams, curricular and extra-curricular, vocational and academic arena, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said. The basic structure of the Undergraduate degree programmes will be of three/four years duration with multiple entry and exit points along with re-entry options, he said. The students will be provided with certificates after completing one year, diplomas after two years, Bachelor's degrees after three years, Bachelor's degree with Honours after a four-year programme and Bachelor's Degree with Research after a four-year programme, if the student completes a rigorous research project. The Cabinet also approved the notification of speed limits for various road categories to regulate vehicle speed and minimise the risk of accidents. The Cabinet gave its nod to the setting up of the Millet Mission (AMM) for seven years from 2022-23 to promote millet cultivation as the cereal can increase nutrition of children. The Council of Ministers also approved the rationalisation of the teacher transfer process to facilitate intra-district, inter-district and mutual transfers of elementary, secondary, Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) as well as teachers in government educational institutions in online mode via a transfer portal. (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.) Higher and Technical Minister Uday Samant on Tuesday said the upcoming examinations of non- universities in the state will be held offline, as decided by vice-chancellors of such institutions. Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Samant said students must understand that exams had earlier been cancelled and later also conducted online in the wake of the COVID-19 wave. "If we keep conducting the exams online, it would raise a question mark on whether the industry would accept such students. Hence, the examinations will now be conducted as per directions of the universities and in the offline mode," the minister said. He said the decision to hold the exams offline was not taken by the state government, but by vice-chancellors of 13 non-agri universities. The minister was replying to a query on some students demanding exams through the online mode. O April 2 this year, the government had lifted all COVID-19-related restrictions, including wearing of face masks in public places. (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.) Polling is underway for the third phase of panchayat in on Tuesday, amid tight security arrangements, an official said. Voting began at 7 am for of members to 1,047 across 19 districts of the state and will continue till 3 pm. Polling has so far been peaceful in 12,912 booths across 70 blocks. Around 18 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am, a State Election Commission official said. Long queues were seen outside many booths as people turned up early for casting their votes. As many as 6,021 polling booths have been declared sensitive and 3,804 hyper-sensitive, the official said. More than 46.94 lakh voters, including 22.86 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 27,343 candidates in the third phase of the rural polls. Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, The third phase of panchayat polls is underway in the state. My best wishes to all the candidates, voters, poll officers and workers engaged in polling exercise. Panchayat are not held on party lines in . In Ranchi district, polling is going on in four blocks Ormanjhi, Namkum, Angara and Silli. Ranchi deputy development commissioner (DDC) Vishal Sagar is monitoring the voting process from a control room. He directed polling officials to report to the authorities concerned immediately if any disturbance is found during the exercise. Voting is going on peacefully across 778 booths in Deoghar and 751 in West Singhbhum, another official said. Polling is being held to elect 6,370 panchayat members, 1,043 mukhiyas, 1,165 panchayat committee representatives and 126 zilla parishad members. Altogether, 5,950 candidates have already been declared elected unopposed in the third phase, the official said. Votes will be counted on May 31. Panchayat polls in the state are being held in four phases in the state with the last round scheduled on May 27. The first and second phases of polls were held on May 14 and 17. The counting of votes for the second phase of polls, which began on May 22, is still on, while that of the first round was completed. (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.) Inc. announced Tuesday it will stop representing short-term rental properties in and focus its business in the country on serving Chinese tourists looking for lodgings abroad. joins a series of foreign internet including Yahoo Inc. and eBay Inc. that pulled out of after running into fierce local competition and regulatory barriers. We have made the difficult decision to refocus our efforts in on outbound travel and suspend our homes and Experiences of Hosts in China, starting from July 30, 2022, said the chief strategy officer of China, Nathan Blecharczyk, in a statement on its social media account. Landlords represented by Airbnb have had more than 25 million guest arrivals since 2016, according to Blecharczyk's statement. The Chinese government has blocked foreign tourists from visiting since the pandemic hit in early 2020 and has told the Chinese public to avoid foreign travel that isn't essential for business or study. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of the U.N.'s World Food Program is telling billionaires it's time to step up as the global threat of food insecurity rises with Russia's war in Ukraine, saying he's seen encouraging signs from some of the world's richest people, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Agency Executive Director David Beasley built upon a social media back-and-forth he had with Musk last year, when the Tesla CEO challenged policy advocates to show how a $6 billion donation sought by the U.N. agency could solve world hunger. Since then, Musk put $6 billion into a foundation. But everybody thought it came to us, but we ain't gotten any of it yet. So I'm hopeful, Beasley told The Associated Press at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where some of the world's biggest elites and billionaires have gathered. I don't know what it's going to take, he said of Musk. We're trying every angle, you know: Elon, we need your help, brother. Musk and Bezos didn't immediately respond to emails or other messages seeking comment. Beasley's challenge came as a new study projected that nearly 1.9 billion people could face food insecurity by November. Eurasia Group and DevryBV Sustainable Strategies presented the report at the Global Citizen NOW Summit in New York Monday, saying that as many as 243 million people could fall into food insecurity due to what U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called hurricane of hunger heightened by the war in Ukraine. The projections are bleak right now, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans told The Associated Press. This doesn't have to happen. A lot of institutions are failing people. Evans said he hopes that launching the Global Citizen Impact Fund, which will only require payment on pledges based on results, will convince ultra high net worth individuals to donate more since they will already have proof of the effectiveness of their gifts. In the short-term, though, Erna Solberg, former prime minister of Norway and a Global Citizen board member, said at the summit that Agenda Item #1 is to get the grain already harvested in Ukraine out of the country through its ports. Musk, the world's richest man, donated about 5 million shares of Tesla stock worth roughly $5.7 billion at the time to an unidentified charity in November, according to a regulatory filing. It came after Musk tweeted in late October that he would sell $6 billion in Tesla stock and give the money to the World Food Program if the organization would describe how the money would solve world hunger. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing did not name any recipients for Musk's donation. Beasley told AP on Monday that his message wasn't just to those two high-profile tech mavens, but other billionaires, too. The world is in real serious trouble. This is not rhetoric and B.S. Step up now, because the world needs you, he said. Ukraine and Russia together export a third of the world's wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil, while Russia is a top supplier of fertilizer that has surged in price. The Kremlin's forces are accused of blocking Ukrainian ports, and the interruption of those affordable food staples is threatening food shortages and political unrest in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The threat to the global food supply has been a pressing concern for officials, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying last week that he was in intense contacts with Russia and other key countries and is hopeful of an agreement to allow the export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports and ensure Russian food and fertilizer have unrestricted access to global markets. If Ukraine's supplies remain off the market, the world could face a food availability problem in the next 10 to 12 months, and that is going to be hell on earth, Beasley said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two of Chinas biggest provinces are raising power rates for factories amid increased environmental scrutiny and higher fuel costs, adding another obstacle to hitting economic growth targets. Jiangsu, the countrys second-biggest provincial economy, has increased tariffs for nearly 30 large factories either because they missed energy efficiency targets or are using outdated equipment. Its neighbor to the south, Zhejiang, is seeking feedback on a proposal to boost rates for more than 600 factories to cover higher natural gas costs. ALSO READ: China's power crisis will go global if renewables don't replace coal The moves come after global coal and gas prices soared following Russias invasion of Ukraine, and underscore the governments focus on reducing emissions and shifting its economy away from the large polluting industries of the past to more efficient high-tech sectors. But higher power prices will make it even harder for Beijing to meet its annual GDP growth target of 5.5 per cent, which was already looking out of reach given the ongoing Covid Zero virus restrictions. Chinas economic miracle of the past four decades rested partly on cheap and abundant coal power. But since late last year, in an effort to reduce air pollution and meet climate goals, local officials have been allowed to raise electricity tariffs for industrial users, including an unlimited price ceiling for the biggest polluters. In Jiangsu, which has an economy roughly the same size as South Korea, regulators raised power prices by as much as 0.5 yuan (7 cents) per kilowatt-hour starting May 1, a development first reported by BJX.com and confirmed by the local planning agency. The companies affected, including a crane builder, textile and petrochemical plants, had failed to meet the governments targets of reducing energy use per unit of GDP produced. Zhejiang is proposing to raise rates from July 1 to Dec. 31 by 0.172 yuan per kilowatt-hour for sectors including cement, glass, ceramics, metals and petrochemicals, according to a regulatory notice seeking public comments. The increase is needed to cover the rising cost of natural gas for the provinces power plants, estimated at an extra 7.9 billion yuan. Both provinces border Shanghai, and the higher prices come just as the government tries to restart factories in the region hobbled by the citys prolonged shutdown. Higher energy costs have already exacted a heavy toll on some industries, with officials in Guangdong canceling business licenses for nearly 70 local ceramics makers that havent been able to operate because of high fuel prices and less demand after the property market slowed. The curbs to old and energy-intensive factories arent just a local issue, but fall under the larger goals for to upgrade and decarbonize its industries, said Lara Dong, an analyst with S&P Global Commodity Insights. The premium Chinese steel producers pay for higher-quality iron ore has shrunk to single figures from almost $40 a ton in the middle of 2021. Its the smallest gap in three years, and shows mills opting for cheaper varieties as virus-driven lockdowns slow demand and hurt their profitability. On The Wire rolled out a broad package of measures to support businesses and stimulate demand as it seeks to offset the damage from Covid lockdowns on the worlds second-largest economy. Chinas plans for 169 new and expanded coal projects could boost global methane emissions from mines that produce the dirtiest fossil fuel by 10 per cent and jeopardize its own short-term climate targets, according to a new analysis. The liquefied natural gas market is hurtling toward a potentially historic shortage this winter as the world rushes to secure the super-chilled fuel. Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary told reporters. And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that low-level discussion is underway on how the U.S. may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some U.S. troops should be based in . The U.S. withdrew its few troops in before the war and has no plans to send in combat forces. Milley's comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another non-combat role. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is staffing up again, and there have been questions about whether the U.S. will send a Marine security force back in to help protect the embassy or if other options should be considered. Asked if U.S. special operations forces may go into Ukraine, which officials have insisted they are not doing yet, Milley said that any reintroduction of U.S. forces into would require a presidential decision. So we're a ways away from anything like that. Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the U.S. will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark. In particular, he said that Denmark has agreed to send a harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help Ukraine defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports. We've gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraine's priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield, Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defense leaders. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems and tanks and other armored vehicles. came forward with new commitments for training. The U.S. and other countries have been training Ukrainian forces in nearby European countries. Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition. The nature of the fight, as you've heard us describe a number of times is ... really shaped by artillery in this phase, said Austin. And we've seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks. Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weeks long-range artillery and rocket systems, armored personnel carriers and drones. Milley provided the greatest detail to date on the increased U.S. presence in Europe since Russia invaded in late February. Last fall. there were roughly 78,000 U.S. troops in the region, and that has gone up to 102,000 including 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, along with their division and corps leaderships. (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.) City has declared a state of emergency due to the shortage of infant formula supply in the US. Mayor Eric Adams signed an emergency executive order empowering the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to prevent price gouging for infant formula, reports Xinhua news agency. The emergency executive order will help authorities to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this formula supply crisis by jacking up prices on this essential good, said Adams. residents who are overcharged for formula can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, according to a statement from the city authorities. "The nationwide infant formula shortage has caused unimaginable pain and anxiety for families across New York, and we must act with urgency," added Adams. The State Division of Consumer Protection recently issued an alert reminding parents to be aware of online scams and unscrupulous vendors who may try to take advantage of the situation. New York Attorney General Letitia James also urged New Yorkers to be on alert for potential price gouging of baby formula and to report any dramatic price increases to her office. It is estimated that over 40 per cent of large retailers are out of stock of infant formula in the US, including 43 per cent of retailers in the Tri-state area, where is located, news reports said. Although the federal government invoked the war-time Defense Production Act to secure domestic supply, it likely would take a few more weeks for domestic supplier Abbott Nutrition to resume production of baby formula in its Michigan facility, the reports said. A military plane shipped the first batch of infant formula from Europe to the US on Sunday, as part of the government's effort to ease the nationwide shortage. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africa: SANDF hard-pressed to respond to civil events Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Thandi Modise, says the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will be hard-pressed to respond to critical events due to a severe shortage of resources. Modise said this when she tabled the departments Budget Vote during a mini plenary of the National Assembly on Tuesday. Honourable Members will remember that we have a dire shortage of critical equipment currently, not to speak of future disasters and continuous climate change events, for example tents, water purification and distribution systems are critically low. Serviceable airframes and flying hours are also in a critical state. I must inform this House that the SANDF will be hard-pressed to respond to critical events in other provinces should the need arise. I state this with a very heavy heart we are willing, but we lack resources. Unless there is a significant intervention the cupboard will remain bare, she said. Modise said over recent years, the SANDF has been called on to support civil interventions to ensure the delivery of basic services to the citizens of the country, and this is over and above the forces contribution to African peace missions. We have assisted the North West province with health services, the Department of Water and Sanitation with the Vaal River clean-up project, the National Disaster Management Centre called on the SANDF to assist during the COVID-19 pandemic and we are still involved in the KwaZulu-Natal flood relief. The deployments speak to our responsibilities and there is no way we cannot be at the centre of saving lives. She said the deployments also come at great cost to the equipment and funding of the SANDF. There is often little or no re-imbursement delivered. This puts the SANDF under great pressure. Operation Prosper a success In July 2021, there were incidents of civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Modise said properties and businesses were damaged and looted, and the target areas were malls and businesses. The SANDF worked in cooperation with SAPS to quell the unrest and to restore law and order. We deployed plus or minus 15 000 members of the SANDF, to quell the unrest. Operation Prosper was successful and was lauded by the citizens and business across the country, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Xi Focus-Closeup: Preserving the beauty of West Lake Xinhua) 09:18, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Architecture is frozen music. With white walls, black tiles, and a slanting roof, an art museum was built at the foot of the lush Yuhuang Mountain, stretching out toward the iconic West Lake in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province in east China. The elegant Zhejiang Art Museum building seems to blend perfectly into its surroundings of lucid waters and green mountains. Today, it is one of China's major art museums. According to Yang Jianxin, former head of Zhejiang's provincial cultural department, the beauty of the surrounding environment might not have become what it is today if not for President Xi Jinping. Xi served as the Party chief of Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007. It was he who set the tone of the museum's construction and underscored that it should complement its surroundings. Indeed, on his first inspection tour of Hangzhou in 2002, he visited the West Lake. Earlier that year, work had begun on a preservation project to protect the lake. During that inspection, Xi's focus was on how to continue the initiative. This attention did not wane with the years, and Xi has kept an eye on related projects from that day on. On the eve of the Lunar New Year in early 2003, Xi braved the cold weather and rain and revisited the West Lake. After listening to reports and reviewing plans for the museum, he decided that it should be built beside the West Lake. Yang recalled that Xi stressed that the design must be "instantly recognizable as a Chinese architecture." The West Lake has an almost mystical appeal to many Chinese as it has inspired a bounty of literary works and legends. One poem by Su Shi, a prominent 11th-century literary figure, likens the lake to a woman from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), famed for her beauty: "The West Lake looks like the fair lady at her best; whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed." When explaining how the natural elements of the lake and adjacent construction projects could interface in harmony, Xi emphasized that the elegance of the West Lake should always rest with its natural characteristics. He said buildings near the lake should be like the "maidservants" of the lake and be designed to serve the lake with a relatively "plain dress." Thanks to Xi's support and instructions, more than 180 cultural sites were renovated, and the western section of the lake was restored to what it looked like in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 2011, the West Lake was included on UNESCO's World Heritage list. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Undated photo shows chukars in Pinglu County, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua) TAIYUAN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Every morning when Yang Jianguo walks out of his home, the morning has barely broken and only the sound of insects and birds can be heard in the deep mountains. For the past six years, the 60-year-old wakes up early every morning and carries a bag full of corn to feed his "little friends," chukars, rain or shine. The gray-colored creature, distinguished by its coral beak and claws, is smaller than a chicken. During Yang's childhood, chukars could be seen everywhere on the farmlands and hillsides of Qiwan village, Pinglu County, north China's Shanxi Province. Yang's passion for chukars originated from a chance encounter six years ago. A group of photographers came to Pinglu County to take pictures of birds. During a chat, they learned that Yang had seen chukars before and then asked him to lead the way. As Yang recalled, the birds were common in Pinglu in the 1950s and 1960s. However, due to the lack of targeted protection, their population declined significantly. After several days of searching, they finally found two chukars in a valley. Before leaving, the photographers told Yang that this bird was the national bird of Pakistan, and left him some money so that he could take care of the birds and help them settle down here again. "Keeping my promise is one thing, and on the other hand, I also hope to protect these small animals from the bottom of my heart," Yang said. It was not easy to feed chukars because they are naturally timid and sensitive. After nearly a month of squatting and observing, he found several chukars in a mountain col. Yang Jianguo leaves corn to feed chukars in Pinglu County, north China's Shanxi Province, March 25, 2018. (Xinhua) The next day, Yang began to spread food in the place where chukars appeared, but they disappeared for a long time. Yet Yang persisted, and one morning a few months later, he saw three chukars eating the food he had left the day before. Afraid of frightening them, he lay behind a mound to observe. "Although I had seen them before, it was the first time for me to see them so closely. Their small and cute appearance immediately captivated me," Yang said. Gradually, Yang started to hide behind big stones to observe and record the chirping sound with his mobile phone after feeding. As the chukars became familiar with him, every time Yang played the chirping sound, the birds would come out to eat. It took Yang half a year to gain the chukars' trust. Every morning and afternoon, he fed them twice a day. From the few chukars discovered at the beginning, to more than 30 of them foraging every day, Yang felt happy to see the continuous population growth. Through the publicity of photographers, more bird enthusiasts are coming to shoot. Yang has become a bird guide, and the photographers always call him "Uncle Bird." In order not to disturb the birds, Yang built a simple black "photo studio" near the foraging points, and he also built 78 cement steps out of his own pocket. Photo taken on March 25, 2018 shows a simple black "photo studio" near the foraging points of chukars built by Yang Jianguo in Pinglu County, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua) "Providing help to photographers can better promote animal protection, so that more people will know about them, fall in love with them, and protect them," Yang said. With the conversion of hillside land to forests in recent years, the local environment has been improving, and the populations of wild animals such as herons and golden pheasants have also been increasing. Pinglu is now one of the go-to sites for wildlife photographers domestically. In Qiwan village, benefitted by the "bird-watching economy," many villagers are now engaged in running agritainment or homestays. "I received 1,500 yuan (about 220 U.S. dollars) for returning 0.2 hectares of farmland to forest. Adding my income from agritainment and farming, I can earn an extra 10,000 yuan annually," Yang said. With this new income stream, many villagers, including Yang's own children, have moved out of the mountains, but he insisted to stay. "I won't be able to feed these birds once I move out," Yang said, vowing to continue to protect his "little friends," and through his persistence, hopefully more will take up the cause. fell on Tuesday as concerns over a possible and China's COVID-19 curbs outweighed an expectation of tight global supply and a pick-up in fuel demand with the U.S. summer driving season. Brent crude futures for July slid 61 cents, or 0.5%, to $112.81 a barrel by 0402 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for July delivery dropped 55 cents, or 0.5%, to $109.74 a barrel. Both benchmarks fell by more than $1 earlier in the session. Brent gained 0.7% on Monday while WTI settled nearly flat. Multiple threats to the global economy topped the worries ofthe world's well-heeled at the annual Davos economic summit,with some flagging the risk of a worldwide . Monetary Fund Managing Director KristalinaGeorgieva said she did not expect a for majoreconomies but could not rule one out. "Investors were selling off as they expected higher to dent consumption for fuels worldwide," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities Co Ltd. While Shanghai, China's commercial hub, aims to normalise life from June 1 as its coronavirus caseloads decline, an increase in new COVID-19 cases in Beijing have raised concerns for further curbs. The Chinese capital detected 99 new cases on Sunday, up from 61 the previous day - the largest daily tally so far during a month-old outbreak that has consistently seen dozens of new infections every day. "China's COVID lockdowns are certainly playing a substantial role that weighs on fuel and energy demand outlook, with Beijing reporting rising positive cases, making investors concerned about expanding lockdowns into another business hub apart from Shanghai," said Tina Teng, an analyst at CMC . Losses were limited by expectations that gasoline demand would remain high amid. The United States is set to enter its peak driving season beginning on Memorial Day weekend at the end of this week. An embargo on Russian oil imports will likely be agreed on by the European Union "within days," according to its biggest member Germany, as Moscow said it saw its economic ties growing with after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine. The world is facing an oil supply crunch, with most companies afraid to invest in the sector as they face green energy pressures, the head of Saudi Aramco told Reuters, adding it cannot expand production capacity any faster than promised. (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi and Isabel Kua; Editing by Stephen Coates) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oil fell as Chinese efforts to cushion the impact of antivirus lockdowns failed to reassure investors over the outlook for Asias top economy. West Texas Intermediate sagged below $109 a barrel after ending little changed on Monday. The drop came even as China rolled out a broad package of measures to support businesses and aid demand, including policies to help people buy cars and ensure cargo transport runs smoothly. Crude retreated alongside other industrial commodities, including copper and iron ore. As Chinas curbs drag on, banks are pruning forecasts for growth in the largest oil importer. UBS Group AG cut its gross domestic product projection to 3 per cent, from 4.2 per cent, while . downgraded to 3.7 per cent, from 4.3 per cent. US benchmark oil has traded in a narrow range around $110 a barrel over the past two weeks as investors weigh the fallout from the war in Ukraine, including Hungarys opposition to a (EU) ban on Russian crude, and the outlook for growth. While US oil consumption is expected to pick up further over a busy summer-driving season, energy usage in China has been crimped by the harsh lockdowns imposed in key cities to combat coronavirus outbreaks. A high level of uncertainty remains over demand from China, according to Daniel Hynes, a senior commodities strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. In addition, the stalled EU ban suggests a move towards the thinking that we wont see sanctions happen in the short term, he said. Leaders of the grouping of countries, including India's Narendra Modi, shared concerns over the situation in Ukraine at their meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday. "The four leaders had candid discussion on the impact of the Ukraine situation on the Indo-Pacific region, and we, including India, expressed our concern over the tragic war in Ukraine, and confirmed that principles such as the rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity should be observed in any region," Kishida said. Kishida made the comments following the meeting of the leaders, which also included Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden and the newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. All four, including Modi, also agreed on the importance of the rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, Kishida said. India has frustrated the United States with what Washington regards as a lack of support for U.S.-led sanctions on Russia and condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine. Moscow describes its military action in Ukraine as a "special operation". Although India has developed close U.S. ties in recent years and is a vital part of the grouping aimed at pushing back against China, it also has a long-standing relationship with Russia, which remains a major supplier of its defence equipment and oil supplies. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Kim Coghill) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says last week's attack on the town of Desna resulted in 87 deaths. Desna is 55 kilometers north of Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the debris removal in Desna, in the Chernihiv region, has been completed and the deaths and destruction was cause by only four missiles. Zelenskyy made the comments in his nightly address Monday, the eve of the three-month anniversary of Russia's invasion of . Since Feb. 24, Zelenskyy said the Russian army has launched 1,474 missile strikes on Ukraine, using 2,275 different missiles. The vast majority hit civilian targets and there have been more than 3,000 Russian airstrikes over that period, according to Zelenskyy, who said Russia is waging total war on his country and that includes inflicting as many casualties and as much infrastructure destruction as possible. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Russia-appointed administration of Ukraines Kherson region will ask Moscow to set up a military base on its territory, Russias RIA news agency quoted a local government official as saying on Tuesday. Russia invaded Ukraine in February, seizing in particular the Kherson region which is adjacent to Crimea, the peninsula which Moscow has controlled since an earlier conflict in 2014. It has installed a new administration there and started introducing the Russian rouble as a currency. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of what Russia calls the civil-military regional administration of Kherson, told RIA. We will ask for this and this is what the whole population wants. This is essential and will be a guarantor of security for the region and its inhabitants. The calls the invasion a special military operation to disarm Ukraine and rid it of radical anti-Russian nationalists. Ukraine and its allies have dismissed that as a baseless pretext for the war, which has killed thousands of people in Ukraine and displaced millions. Russia launches all-out assault to encircle Ukraine troops in east Russian forces were launching an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling a river in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, a battle which could determine the success or failure of Moscows main campaign in the east. Exactly three months after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, authorities in its second-largest city Kharkiv re-opened the underground metro, where thousands of civilians had sheltered for months under relentless bombardment. The reopening was evidence of Ukraines biggest military success over the past few weeks: pushing Russian forces largely out of artillery range of Kharkiv, as they did from the capital Kyiv in March. But the decisive battles of the wars latest phase are still raging further south, where Moscow is attempting to seize the Donbas region of two eastern provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, and trap Ukrainian forces in a pocket on the main eastern front. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Russian court on Tuesday rejected opposition leader Alexei Navalny's appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for fraud. The rejection means Navalny will be sent to a high-security prison, according to the independent news site Mediazona. Navalny, the Kremlin's most persistent critic who had built a nationwide network of supporters, was arrested in January 2021 upon returning from Germany, where he had been recuperating from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the . Authorities said the six months of recovery abroad violated terms of a three and a half year suspended sentence in a fraud case. In March, he was sentenced to nine years in a separate case alleging that he defrauded supporters by seeking donations to run for president even though he knew the previous conviction disqualified him from being a candidate. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Tuesday said his country's policy towards remained unchanged, a day after his comments raised questions about whether Washington was shifting from its long-standing policy of maintaining an ambiguous stance on the self-ruled island claimed by China as a renegade province. When asked at the sidelines of the QUAD summit hosted by Japan as to whether the policy of strategic ambiguity towards was changed, Biden replied: "No." "The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday," Japan's Kyodo news agency quoted Biden as saying in a response to another question about whether or not US troops would be sent to if China invaded the island. Biden on Monday said the United States was committed to defending Taiwan if China attempted to seize the self-ruled island by force. Asked if the US is willing to get involved militarily in a Taiwan contingency, Biden told the media after a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida here: "Yes. That's the commitment we made." Biden also said the burden to protect Taiwan was "even stronger" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Biden's unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in US policy towards the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. The US has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but sells arms to it as part of its Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself. China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary, reacted with strong opposition to the President's Monday's comment, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin warning that Beijing will "take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. We will be true to our word. Wang also urged the US to earnestly abide by the One China policy, recognising Taiwan as part of the Chinese mainland and refrain from sending a wrong message to Taiwan's independence forces. Biden on Tuesday said: The US made the commitment, we support the One China policy that does not mean China has the jurisdiction to use force to take over Taiwan. The President also said the US policy had not changed at all with its commitment to supporting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The US traditionally has avoided making such an explicit security guarantee to Taiwan, with which it no longer has a mutual defence treaty, instead maintaining a policy of strategic ambiguity" about how far it would be willing to go if China invaded. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed US relations with the island, does not require the US to step in militarily to defend Taiwan if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status in Taiwan by Beijing. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep threatened Monday to launch a new military operation in to secure Turkey's southern border. Speaking following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan said the aim of the operation would be resume Turkish efforts to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along its border with . We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30-km deep safe zone we established along our southern border, Erdogan said. Erdogan did not provide further details but said the operation would begin after Turkey's military, intelligence and security forces complete their preparations. Turkish forces have launched three major incursions into northern Syria, taking control of areas along the border in a bid to secure its frontier from threats from the Islamic State group and Kurdish militia group, the People's Protection Units, or YPG. views the group as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK which is listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The PKK has waged an insurgency against since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Erdogan's comments come at a time when is objecting to Sweden and Finland's membership in the NATO alliance, citing the two countries alleged support for the PKK and other groups that Turkey views as terrorists, as well as their decision to impose restrictions on military sales to Turkey following Ankara's incursion into in 2019. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's withdrawal from was a disaster and betrayal hampered by a lack of leadership from senior politicians and civil servants, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said in a report released Tuesday. The committee criticised the Foreign Office for the total absence of a plan for evacuating Afghans who supported the mission despite knowing for 18 months that such an evacuation might be necessary. This was compounded by the fact that there seemed to be no clear lines of leadership among political leaders, with decisions made on the basis of untraceable and unaccountable political interventions, the committee said in its report. The fact that the Foreign Office's senior leaders were on holiday when Kabul fell marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency, the committee said. The report was based on an eight-month inquiry during which the committee heard testimony from 20 witnesses and reviewed written evidence from 36 organisations. (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.) America's new Ambassador to Donald Blome has said that he was thrilled to be in Islamabad and pledged to build on the existing strong ties between the two countries. He began his assignment on Monday at the Embassy here, the US mission said in a statement. I am thrilled to be in . I look forward to exploring this beautiful country and acquainting myself with its people and its culture, Blome was quoted as saying by the embassy on his arrival to take up the new responsibility. Most importantly, in this 75th year of US- relations, I will continue to build on the strong relationship between our countries, he said. He will lead the US mission in Pakistan in its ongoing efforts to deepen connections between the Pakistani and American people and work with the government of Pakistan towards a more stable, secure and prosperous future for Pakistan. Ambassador Blome brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this shared effort and to the US mission in Pakistan, the embassy said. He started his day in the office in the backdrop of former prime minister Imran Khan telling CNN in an interview that the US should sack its Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asia Donald Lu for "sheer arrogance and bad manners". Lu is the central figure in Khan's claims about a US-backed regime change conspiracy that toppled his government through a no-confidence motion last month. Ambassador Blome's immediate task would be to ease the strained ties and rebuild the bilateral relations which had been under stress for the last many years due to the mistrust over the issue of terrorism and the Afghan Taliban. (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.) JERUSALEM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday welcomed the reported U.S. decision to keep Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on its terrorist list. Keeping Iran's IRGC on the U.S. blacklist "is a right, moral and justified decision by (U.S.) President Biden," Bennett said in a statement, adding he was informed of the move in his last phone call with Biden on April 24. In recent months, Israel has urged Washington not to remove the IRGC from its blacklist of terrorist groups as part of the emerging nuclear deal, accusing the Iranian armed force of undermining stability in the Middle East. Israel considers Iran its arch-foe and has carried out numerous airstrikes inside Syria on what it claims to be Iranian military sites. A new bipartisan bill aimed at breaking up Google's online ad business has been introduced in the by a group of senators led by Utah Republican Mike Lee. The Competition and Transparency in Digital Act was introduced in the on Thursday, and it would ban that are processing more than $20 million in digital ad transactions annually from engaging in ad sales, reported a newspaper quoting the bill. If passed, the legislation would force Sundar Pichai-led to divest its digital ads business within a year. Google's revenue model is heavily dependent on advertising, as its parent company Alphabet reported $68.01 billion in revenue in Q1, $54.66 billion of which was generated by ads. runs auction or exchanges, where advertisement transactions are done. It has tools that help other to sell or buy ads. After this legislation, will have to choose in which part of business it wants to stay. "When you have Google simultaneously serving as a seller and a buyer and running an exchange, that gives them an unfair, undue advantage in the marketplace, one that doesn't necessarily reflect the value they are providing," Lee told The Wall Street Journal. Lee added, "When a company can wear all these hats simultaneously, it can engage in conduct that harms everyone." Google's business model is a "tax on thousands of American businesses, and thus a tax on millions of American consumers," Lee and other US senators said in a press release. Google said that its ad tolls help US businesses grow and also protect customers from privacy risks or misleading ads, a media report said quoting a Google spokesperson. "Breaking those tools would hurt publishers and advertisers, lower ad quality, and create new privacy risks," the spokesperson added. This is "wrong bill, at the wrong time, aimed at the wrong target," said Google. The US development agency has pledged support to the people of Sri Lanka, saying that it is committed to helping the island nation weather the financial crisis. is facing its worst since gaining independence from the UK in 1948. The also triggered a political turmoil in the island nation with citizens holding nationwide street protests for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortage of fuel, food and other daily essentials and demanding the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. On Monday, Samantha Power, the US Agency for Development (USAID) administrator, held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to discuss how USAID is responding to the country's political and economic crises. "Administrator Power expressed her sympathy for those Sri Lankans who were killed or injured in the political unrest earlier this month. She pledged her support to the people of and committed that USAID would help the country weather the crisis. She stressed the need to urgently undertake political and economic reforms to gain the trust of the Sri Lankan people," USAID spokesperson Rebecca Chalif said in a statement. "Power underscored that USAID is pivoting its ongoing programmes in to help address the urgent needs of Sri Lanka's most vulnerable and marginalised communities as they experience the economic shocks, compounded by rising food, fuel and fertilizer prices due to Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine," Chalif added. "Power assured the Prime Minister that USAID would closely work with other donors such as the IMF, the World Bank, G7, and others to support Sri Lanka during this extraordinarily difficult period," she said. A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people. With the and the shortage of forex, the Indian credit line of USD 500 million for fuel imports has provided a lifeline to the island nation. The ADB as well as the World Bank has just promised around 160 million each to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is now negotiating a loan with the IMF. The country had to pay USD 106.34 million this year but only managed to pay USD 12.4 million by April. In this challenging time, on May 20, the Group of Seven (G7) nations announced that they will assist Sri Lanka in securing debt relief. The G7 comprises the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that Russia's aggression against must be countered, President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said must win this war and Europe was committed to doing everything to ensure that. Addressing the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 here, she said the playbook of Russia's aggression against comes straight out of another century. "This is not a matter of Ukraine's survival. It is not about Europe. It is about the entire global community. Ukraine must win this war and Putin's aggression must be countered and we will do everything to ensure that," she said. "We will do everything we can to help Ukrainians prevail. For the first time, the EU is providing military aid to a country under attack. We proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest such package ever conceived by the EU for a third country," she noted. "We are determined to stop funding of Russian military. In parallel, Ukraine needs direct financial support to keep its economy running. But that's not all," she added. The EU leader said Ukraine will have to be helped rise from the ashes and that is where reconstruction operations would be needed. "As (Ukrainian President) Zelenskyy said, the work required to be done is colossal, but we are determined to do everything," she added. "Today, we must address the costs and consequences of Putin's war of choice. This is putting our whole order into question. And that's why countering Russia's aggression is a task for the entire global community," she said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The president of the next UN climate change conference in says the event will push countries to make good on their pledges to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, facilitate talks on compensating developing countries for global warming effects and allow climate activists to protest. In an interview Monday with The Associated Press at the gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says the overall goal is implementation. Shoukry said a rapid shift to renewable energies presented enormous opportunities for investors. When asked whether fossil fuel companies could or should be part of the transition to renewable energies, an argument made by oil and gas companies, Shoukry disagreed. He says fossil fuels have been the problem, though we might see in gas a transitional source of energy with certainly less emissions." But he said the focus should be quickly moving to a net zero" goal. (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.) Group AG Chief Executive Officer Thomas Gottstein doesnt think banks will ever return to working full-time from the office. Its unrealistic and it is not what employees want, he said in an interview at the WEF in Davos on Monday. We are in a soft way trying to encourage people to come back, but its counterproductive if you push too hard. The comments add to a growing chorus in Europe supporting flexible work policies, as lenders seek to attract and retain talent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The outbreak of monkeypox cases outside of Africa can be contained, the said on Tuesday, as more governments said they would launch limited vaccinations to combat rising infections of the virus. The moves came as authorities investigated 237 suspected and confirmed cases of the virus in 19 countries since early May. That number is expected to increase, WHO officials have said, but most of the infections so far have not been severe. Scientists do not expect the outbreak to evolve into a pandemic like COVID-19, given the virus does not spread as easily as SARS-COV-2. Monkeypox is a usually mild viral infection that is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It spreads chiefly through close contact and until the recent outbreak, was rarely seen in other parts of the world, which is why the recent emergence of cases has raised alarms. The majority have been reported in Europe. On Tuesday, England reported 14 new cases, taking its total to 70 since May 7 and the United Arab Emirates and the Czech Republic registered their first infections. "We encourage you all to increase the surveillance of monkeypox to see where transmission levels are and understand where it is going," said Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness. While she said the outbreak was "not normal", she stressed that it was "containable". There are also vaccines and treatments available for monkeypox, she added, calling for appropriate containment measures, more research, and global collaboration. "Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill," she said speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The WHO is working on new guidance for countries on strategies and is convening further meetings to support member states with more advice on how to tackle the situation. Targeted Vaccinations Some countries are already taking precautionary measures to provide protection for people who might have been exposed to the virus. On Tuesday, France's health authority recommended that at-risk adults who have been in contact with a person with confirmed monkeypox and health staff exposed to an infected patient should be vaccinated. Denmark did similar, providing vaccines to close contacts of those infected with the virus, the Danish Health Authority told public broadcaster DR. The country has registered two cases. The vaccine being deployed is produced by Bavarian Nordic . It is branded Jynneos in the United States where it is approved for use against smallpox and monkeypox. It is also approved for smallpox in Europe, where it is called Imvanex, but has been provided for off-label use in response to monkeypox cases. Germany has ordered 40,000 doses to be ready to deploy on contacts of those infected if an outbreak in the country becomes more severe. But for now, officials said they were banking on other precautionary measures. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the outbreak could be contained with early intervention and did not signal the start of a new pandemic, and a senior WHO official gave similar guidance on Monday. U.S. health officials were on Monday preparing to releasing some Jynneos doses. British authorities were the first to take such action, offering vaccines to some healthcare workers and who may have been exposed to monkeypox last week. No Mutation The moves come as scientists seek to understand more about the means of transmission and who might be most at risk. Briand reiterated WHO's view that it was unlikely that the virus has mutated but said transmission might be being driven by a change in human behaviour, particularly as people return to socialising as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted worldwide. Health experts watch for concerning mutations that could make a virus more easily transmissible or severe. Many, but not all, of the cases have been reported in men who have sex with men, and Briand said it was particularly important to try to prevent sexual transmission. Symptoms include a fever and a distinctive bumpy rash. The West African strain of monkeypox, which is the one identified in the current outbreak, has a mortality rate of around 1%. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep said Monday he would cease talking to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and cancel a key meeting between their two governments, accusing the Greek leader of antagonizing . In a televised address following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan accused neighboring of harbouring followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who says was behind a 2016 failed coup attempt, and of establishing military bases against . Gulen has long denied the Turkish allegation. Erdogan then went on to accuse Mitsotakis of recommending to U.S. officials that Washington not sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey during a recent visit to the United States. This year we were supposed to have a strategic council meeting. There's no longer anyone called Mitsotakis in my book. I will never accept having such a meeting with him because we walk on the same path as politicians who keep their promises, who have character and who are honourable, Erdogan said. Erdogan was apparently referring to a speech Mitsotakis delivered in Washington on May 17, when he told Congress that the U.S. should avoid creating a new source of instability on NATO's southeastern flank. The last thing that NATO needs at a time when our focus is on helping Ukraine defeat Russia's aggression is another source of instability on NATO's southeastern flank, the Greek leader said. And I ask you take this into account when you make defense procurement decisions concerning the eastern Mediterranean. Responding to Erdogan's comments Monday, Greek government spokesman Yiannis Economou said Athens will not get into a confrontation of statements with Turkey's leadership. Greek foreign policy is strongly founded on history, law and our alliances, however much that may annoy some, he said. and Turkey are NATO allies but have strained relations over a slew of issues including competing maritime boundary claims that affect energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Tensions flared in 2020 over exploratory drilling rights in areas in the Mediterranean Sea where and Cyprus claim their own exclusive economic zone, leading to a naval standoff. Turkey also claims Greece is violating agreements by militarising islands in the Aegean Sea. Athens says it needs to defend the islands many of which lie close to Turkey's coast against a potential attack using Turkey's large fleet of military landing craft. Officials from both countries resumed exploratory talks in 2021 after a five-year pause to lay the groundwork for formal negotiations to begin, but haven't made much progress. Greece this month formally extended its bilateral military agreement with the United States for five years, replacing an annual review of the deal that grants the U.S. military access to three bases in mainland Greece as well as the American naval presence on the island of Crete. Who is Greece threatening with these bases? Why is Greece establishing these bases? Erdogan asked. Erdogan also reiterated that Turkey made a mistake by re-accepting Greece into NATO's military wing in 1980. The Turkish leader has also recently lashed out at Sweden's and Finland's requests to join NATO, saying Turkey would not support that. (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.) today: Following a muted close in the previous session, the Sensex and Nifty are likely to start Tuesday's session with minor gains, tracking overnight strength in the US markets, that posted a rally led by tech and banks. At 7:30, the SGX Nifty futures were quoting at 16,220 levels, hinting at an opening gain of 40-50 odd points for the Nifty. Meanwhile, these are some stocks that may see market action today: Earnings Watch: Grasim Industries, Adani Ports, Ipca Lab, Inox Wind, Jyothi Lab, Metropolis Healthcare, Minda Industry, MTAR Tech, NIIT, National Fertiliser, Rail Tel, Renuka Sugars, RITES, Strides Pharma Science, Zee Media, JM Financials, Clariant Chemicals, Ugro Capital, Bank of India, EClerx, among others will announce their Q4 results.Logistics gaint will get listed on the bourses today. The issue price is fixed at Rs 487.The company will also make its market debut today. The issue price is fixed at Rs 326. Maruti Suzuki: The company said it will acquire a 12 per cent stake in Sciograph Solutions for about Rs 2 crore. The latter is an artificial intelligence (AI) software company that specialises in visual AI platforms predominantly used to help enterprises improve sales experiences and improve efficiency in their business. GAIL: A legal battle is brewing between Uttam Galva, the bankrupt steel firm, and GAIL India (GAIL), with the gas distribution company moving the National Company Law Tribunal for rejection of its dues worth Rs 9,942 crore by the companys debt resolution professional. GAIL moved the NCLT Mumbai Bench after the resolution professional accepted claims of only Rs 167 crore of its entire dues. Read more Zomato: Food delivery firm said on Monday its consolidated net loss for the quarter ended March widened to Rs 360 crore compared to Rs 134.2 crore in the corresponding period last year. Revenue from operations was at Rs 1,211.8 crore, up 75.01 per cent compared to Rs 692.4 crore in the same period last year. Read here Marico: The FMCG major on Monday said it has acquired a majority 54 per cent stake in the digital-first healthy breakfast and snacks brand True Elements for an undisclosed sum. The homegrown firm has acquired a 54 per cent equity stake in HW Wellness Solutions, which owns brand True Elements, through primary infusion and secondary buyouts, said a company statement. Read more Aditya Birla Fashion: The board is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the sdale of a minority stake to private equity firms in order to raise up to Rs 2,300 crore. The company will utilise the funds to grow its offline business, which is witnessing a sharp turnaround after two years of slowdown due to the pandemic. Read here State-owned Steel Authority of India on Monday reported a 29 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 2,479 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2022. It reported consolidated net profit of Rs 3,470 crore in the year-ago period. However, in sequential terms, the company's net profit rose 62 per cent in Q4FY22.The company 's net profit fell 73 per cent YoY in March quarter to Rs 124 crore compared with Rs 214 crore a year back, due to cost pressures and lower realisation. Revenue from operations for the quarter stood at Rs 1,698 crore compared to Rs,624 crore in the year-ago period. Power and fuel costs shot up to Rs 467 crore compared to Rs248 crore, while finance costs more than doubled to Rs 33 crore from Rs 15 crore. Bharat Electronics: The company reported a 16 per cent year-on-year drop in its net profit for the March quarter to Rs 1140 crore. Revenue for the quarter fell 9 per cent from a year ago to Rs 6320 crore. According to a Bloomberg analysts poll, the firm expected to post a profit of Rs 1240 crore while revenue was expected at Rs 6370 crore. Total order book as on 1 April stood at Rs 57,570 crore. ONGC: The company hasstarted selling gas from KG Basin block on the Indian exchange. ONGC said that it has become the first explorer to trade natural gas produced from local fields on the Indian Gas Exchange. The gas was sold from ONGC's KG-DWN-98/2 in offshore Krishna Godavari Basin. Indian Hotels Company: The company is eyeing to build a portfolio of 300 hotels and strengthen and scale up new businesses, including Qmin, 7Rivers, ama Stays & Trails, under its Ahvaan 2025. Read here Olectra Greentech: The company announced securing the biggest ever order in the history for 2,100 electric buses from Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). Evey Trans Private Ltd (EVEY), an arm of Olectra, has obtained the letter of award from BEST after being declared as an L1 (least quoted) bidder. Rupa &Co: The company said it accepted the resignation of Dinesh Kumar Lodha, from the post of Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective from May 31, 2022. It also accepted the resignation of Ramesh Agarwal from the post of Chief Financial Officer of the company. Birlasoft: The company will buy back upto 2.79 per cent of shars at a price of Rs 500/share for an amount of up to Rs 390 crores. Stocks in F&O ban: Delta Corp, GNFC and IndiaBulls Housing Finance. Bank of India rose 1.83% to Rs 47.3 after the public sector bank reported a net profit of Rs 606.27 crore in Q4 FY22, steeply higher than Rs 250.19 crore posted in Q4 FY21. Standalone total income stood at Rs 11,443.46 crore for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 as against Rs 11,155.53 crore during the same period in the previous year, registering a growth of 2.6%. Profit before tax stood sharply higher at Rs 925.05 crore in Q4 FY22 as compared to Rs 263.33 crore in Q4 FY21. Net interest income jumped 35.7% to Rs 3,986 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 2,936 crore registered in the corresponding quarter last year. Net interest margin improved to 2.58% in Q4 FY22 from 2.27% in Q3 FY22 and 2.01% in Q4 FY21. Operating Profit before provision and contingencies grew nearly 32% year on year to Rs 2465 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 1870 crore posted in Q4 FY21. Provisions (other tax) and contingencies slipped 4.1% year on year to Rs 1,540.61 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) stood at 86.24% as on 31 March 2022 against 86.24% as on 31 March 2021. On the asset quality front, the bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 45,605.40 crore as on 31 March 2022 as against Rs 56,534.95 crore as on 31 March 2021 and Rs 45,759.76 crore as on 31 December 2021. Gross NPA ratio declined to 9.98% as on 31 March 2022 from 13.77% as on 31 March 2021 and 10.46% recorded as on 31 December 2021. Net NPA ratio stood at 2.34% as on 31 March 2022 as against 3.35% as on 31 March 2021 and 2.66% recorded as on 31 December 2021. The bank's slippage ratio improved to 0.44% in Q4 FY22 from 2.05% in Q4 FY21. Meanwhile Credit Cost fell to 1.1% in Q4 FY22 from 3.36% in Q4 FY21. The bank's deposits marginally increased to Rs 6,27,895.96 crore, while advances rose 15.08% to Rs 4,20,841.79 crore as on 31 March 2022 from 3,65,686.52 recorded on 31 March 2021. As on 31 March 2022, the bank's capital adequacy ratio (CRAR) stood at 17.04% against 14.93% in March 2021. Meanwhile, the bank's board approved a dividend of Rs 2 per share. Bank of India is a public sector bank. The Government of India held 81.41% stake in Bank of India as on 31 March 2022. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Electronics (BEL) fell 4.17% to Rs 221.60 after the PSU company reported a 15.6% fall in standalone net profit of Rs 1,141.81 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 1,352.38 crore posted in Q4 FY21. Net sales declined 8.2% to Rs 6,200.69 crore for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 from Rs 6,757.05 crore recorded in the corresponding period last year. Profit before tax tumbled 20.9% to Rs 1,526.56 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 1,930.53 crore in Q4 FY21. Total expenses shed 3.7% to Rs 4,757.09 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Cost of material consumed rose 10.7% to Rs 3,394.76 crore and employee benefits expenses surged 20.82% to Rs 577.75 crore. On full year basis, the company recorded 13.7% increase in net profit to Rs 2,348.93 crore on a 8.9% rise in net sales to Rs 15,043.67 crore in FY22 over FY21. The order book position of the company as on 1 April 2022 stood at Rs 57,570 crore. Meanwhile, the board of directors of the company recommended a final dividend of Rs 1.50 per equity share, for the financial year ended 31 March 2022. State-run BEL is a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It manufactures electronic products and systems for the Army, Navy and the Air Force. The Government of India held 51.14% stake in BEL as on 31 March 2022. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HARARE, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China's Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt said Tuesday it will invest around 300 million U.S. dollars to develop the Arcadia hard-rock lithium mine in Zimbabwe which it recently acquired from the Australian-listed Prospect Resources. The investment will also be used to construct a process plant with a capacity to treat around 4.5 million metric tonnes of ore and produce 400,000 metric tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum, the company said. Huayou Cobalt completed the purchase of the Arcadia lithium project, located 40 km outside the capital Harare, in April this year after acquiring a 100 percent stake in the mine for 422 million U.S. dollars. "We intend to develop the project rapidly over the next year and invest around 300 million U.S. dollars to develop the mine and construct a process plant with a capacity to treat around 4.5 million tonnes of ore and produce 400,000 tonnes of lithium concentrate per annum," the company said in a statement. The company added: "This will be a massive shot in the arm for the Zimbabwean economy and contribute towards achieving the National Development Strategy Vision 1 set out by the government." The company said its investment will also assist Zimbabwe in attaining the projected 12 billion mining economy by 2023. Huayou said the deal, which made Zimbabwe's biggest investment in lithium, sets the project on course for a big upturn that will see the country take its position on the global renewable value chain through battery and electric vehicle manufacture. It said at least 600 locals will be employed during the construction phase, with figures rising to between 700 and 900 when production goes into gear. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since lauded the partnership between Huayou Cobalt and Prospect Resources, saying the deal will further unlock Zimbabwe's mining potential. "As a country with one of the largest lithium reserves in Africa, we are poised to become a hub for research, development, exploitation and manufacturing of green energy and lithium-based solutions," Mnangagwa said. Acquisition of equity shares of HW Wellness completed on 23 May 2022 at a mutually agreed pre-money enterprise valuation. Marico has announced a strategic investment in Pune-based HW Wellness Solutions with an acquisition of about 54% equity stake through primary infusion and secondary buyouts. HW Wellness Solutions owns "True Elements", a digital-first brand of healthy breakfast & snacks, co-founded by Puru Gupta and Sreejith Moolayil. It is India's only food brand to be certified as both 'Clean Label' & '100% wholegrain' by leading US-based non-profit organizations. It promises 0% preservatives, 0% chemicals & 0% added sugar in its offerings. It offers a wide range of 70+ products spanning across categories of Western breakfast (oats, quinoa, muesli, granola, flakes), Indian breakfast (poha, upma, dosa), snacks (roasted seeds, seed mixes, raw seeds) amongst others. Available on over 90 online platforms & in over 12,000 retail outlets, True Elements currently garners majority of its business through online marketplaces and plans to significantly ramp up its offline presence over the next few years. Marico acquired HW Wellness at a mutually agreed pre-money enterprise valuation, which was not disclosed due to reasons of confidentiality. The FMCG major said that the transaction will expand its presence in the healthy foods segment and accelerate its digital transformation journey by adding another digital-first brand with a strong and differentiated proposition in its portfolio. Saugata Gupta, MD and CEO, Marico, said, "True Elements is another step towards expanding our total addressable market in the healthy foods segment. We believe the ethos of the brand complements the purpose that drives Marico. The exciting range of products bring to life the rare and virtuous blend of quality, taste and health at the right price. This adds another digital-first brand in our portfolio, which not only has a distinct proposition but also exhibits strong fundamentals along with a growing digital and offline presence." Marico is one of India's leading consumer products companies in the global beauty and wellness space. During FY 2021-22, Marico recorded a turnover of Rs 9500 crore (USD 1.3 billion) through its products sold in India and chosen markets in Asia and Africa. Its portfolio brands includes Parachute, Saffola, Saffola FITTIFY Gourmet, Saffola ImmuniVeda, Saffola Mealmaker, Hair & Care, Parachute Advansed, Nihar Naturals, Mediker, Pure Sense, Coco Soul, Revive, Set Wet, Livon, Just Herbs and Beardo. Marico's International business contributes to about 23% of the Group's revenue, with brands like Parachute, Parachute Advansed, HairCode, Fianc, Caivil, Hercules, Black Chic, Code 10, Ingwe, X-Men, Mediker SafeLife, Thuan Phat and Isoplus. Marico reported 13.2% rise in the net profit to Rs 257 crore on a 7.4% increase in net sales to Rs 2,161 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Shares of Marico rose 0.58% to settle at Rs 531.40 on Monday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metal stocks were trading in the positive zone, with the S&P BSE Metal index rising 79.14 points or 0.45% at 17734.36 at 09:47 IST. Among the components of the S&P BSE Metal index, APL Apollo Tubes Ltd (up 3.16%), Vedanta Ltd (up 2.34%),Steel Authority of India Ltd (up 0.68%),JSW Steel Ltd (up 0.49%),NMDC Ltd (up 0.47%), were the top gainers. Among the other gainers were Coal India Ltd (up 0.35%), and Hindustan Zinc Ltd (up 0.35%). On the other hand, Hindalco Industries Ltd (down 1.29%), Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (down 0.27%), and Tata Steel Ltd (down 0.13%) moved lower. At 09:47 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 86.54 or 0.16% at 54202.07. The Nifty 50 index was down 48.25 points or 0.3% at 16166.45. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 55.65 points or 0.21% at 26126.41. The S&P BSE 150 Midcap Index index was down 6.75 points or 0.08% at 7969.26. On BSE,1115 shares were trading in green, 1567 were trading in red and 138 were unchanged. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PG Electroplast said that its wholly-owned subsidiary PG Technoplast has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Government of Maharashtra for investing Rs 315 crore in the State. PG Technoplast is an electronics manufacturing service provider and appliances manufacturer. It has 8 manufacturing locations across India, and provides one-stop solutions for air conditioners, washing machines, LED televisions and air coolers along with various component manufacturing services to 40+ leading Indian and multinational brands. PG Technoplast will collaborate with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) for creating Maharashtra's largest room AC manufacturing capacities as a part of the Magnetic Maharashtra initiative. This megaproject will be the nation's most vertically integrated RAC manufacturing facility and will provide a major thrust for the region's electronics system design & manufacturing (ESDM) components' ecosystem. Vikas Gupta, MD-Operations, PG Group, said: "We are grateful to the Government of Maharashtra for facilitating PG's push to provide its customers turn-key solutions for all home appliances. The move will help bring Room AC Manufacturing to the Western region of the country, which historically has been concentrated in the Northern, and now Southern parts of the country. PG Electroplast manufactures printed circuit board assemblies, plastic injection mouldings for major consumer durables, specialised AC components, home electricals and kitchen appliances. The company caters to industries such as automotive components, consumer electronics mobile handsets and sanitary ware. The company's net profit had declined 2.62% to Rs 6.33 crore despite a 45.44% increase in sales to Rs 267.57 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. The scrip shed 0.51% to currently trade at Rs 722.30 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamilnadu Petroproducts (TPL) dropped 11.64% to Rs 100.20 after the company's standalone net profit declined 48.04% to Rs 23.85 crore on 24.15% increase in net sales to Rs 433.64 crore in Q4 March 2022 over Q4 March 2021. On a standalone basis, profit before tax (PBT) fell 62.40% year-on-year to Rs 33.79 crore in Q4 March 2022. EBITDA fell 44.10% YoY to Rs 41.47 crore in Q4 FY22. The lower profit was mainly due to Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) annual turnaround maintenance undertaken during the quarter. LAB finds extensive application in the manufacture of domestic detergents, institutional and industrial cleaners. Total expenses rose 40.77% to Rs 404.59 crore. Cost of material consumed climbed 30.56% to Rs 211.85 crore and employee benefits expenses rose 5.13% to Rs 11.06 crore. For the full year, net profit rose 63.68% to Rs 170.64 crore on 57.70% rise in net sales to Rs 1,802.17 crore in the year ended March 2022 over the year ended March 2021. The board recommended a dividend of Rs 3 per share for FY21-22. Ashwin Muthiah, vice chairman - TPL and founder chairman, AM International, Singapore said: "Navigating geopolitical risks will be crucial to our success in the future, alongside delivering financial performance. The good results, in spite of various external challenges, showcase our ability to de-risk our operations through predictable business decisions. In addition, we are complementing India's policy thrust to become Atmanirbhar through local manufacturing and a globally competitive chemicals and science organisation. We look forward to ramping up capacity, driving operational efficiency and increasing market share; the team's ability to deliver good results in such challenging times is commendable. Alongside operations, the safety and health of our colleagues and scaling up our CSR programs for sustainable impact remain a firm commitment." Ravi, CEO, Petrochemicals Division of AM Group said: "the global scenario and the higher domestic demand and relatively lower imports helped the Company to earn best ever sales and profits. However, some slowdown in demand has been witnessed since the beginning of the current year. Higher input cost on account of oil price increases, lower price due to fall in demand and imports reaching almost the pre-2020 levels are cause for concern. TPL with its more than 3 decades of experience is confident of overcoming the challenges, he added." TPL is one of the leading manufacturers of industrial intermediate chemicals, viz., Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB), Caustic Soda and Propylene Oxide in the country. The company also sells Chlorine as a co-product of Caustic Soda. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Digital safety is key to creating a safe environment to protect the worlds 4.8 billion internet users from abuse and harmful content that ranges from life-threatening health misinformation, violent extremist and terrorist content, and online exploitation of children. Issues of digital safety, security and protection are dominating conversations at the first post-pandemic global gathering of leaders at . ALSO READ: WEF 2022: Here's what will happen on Day 2 at Davos Annual meeting As the reach of digital platforms expands to integrate with almost every aspect of our lives, the world is collaborating to accelerate public-private partnerships to adopt and adapt best practices for online safety regulation to reduce the risk of online harms and enhance digital literacy of users. As a member of the Global Coalition for Digital Safety, we are trying to create public-private partnerships in this domain and I think it a very timely thing to do, it is absolutely necessary to look at it in a holistic way and not in silos. We have been doing some work in the three areas of concern; child abuse, terrorist and extreme violent content online, and misinformation and disinformation, which is very topical with the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. There is a lot of fake news and false information available on the internet, Ms Petra de Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Public Enterprise, telecommunications and Post, Belgium said at a session on Digital Safety in . The world is struggling to strike a balance between safeguarding rights and privacy and keeping people safe, which is leading to debates on issues such as data retention, where telecom operates can store data for a certain amount of time that can be used afterwards for investigations of serious crime. There will be a new European regulation dealing with terrorist content online coming into force in June this year that also tries to find that balance, said de Sutter. The EU adopted a new strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+) on May 11, 2022, for the safe participation, empowerment and protection of children. Digital safety brings together three distinct discussions or the three Csthe security of content, the safety of contact, and safety of connection. All these are an equal part of digital safety as a holistic concept in Finland, we put a lot of emphasis on trust. Trust is a key component on any data economy or any digitalisation and this is something that we need to enhance It is an invisible added value in any economy, which I would like to call the trust economy trust economy. So that is the component that is bringing the primary data that we can operate with and the trust that it can be reused, utilised and analysed and used in many forms as necessary and Im really glad the European Union has made regulations to enhance this trust in the Digital Governance Act, said Mr Timo Harakka, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Finland. Setting up infallible guardrails and empowering digital users with evidence-based information, and not content censoring, is the way ahead. We have to be very nimble and innovative and not be a traditional regulator to achieve what we wanted to We take a holistic approach prevention, protection and proactive change, said Ms Juilie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner, Office of eSafety Commissioner, Australia, who holds the first such agency in the world. Indias success in healthcare delivery using drones showcased at Davos Indias use of drones to provide essential healthcare services to people living in remote and hard-to-reach areas was showcased at Annual Meeting at as a model that could be scaled up in other parts of the world. The results of a 45-day trial of delivery of Covid-19 testing samples, vaccines and medicines to a population of over 300,000 people living in forested Anantagiri hills in the Vikarabad district of Telangana. The trial, which documented the first vaccine delivery beyond visual line of sight by 300 long-range drone sorties over 45 days, is the first successful trial of long-range vaccine delivery in Asia. Several other states in India have also piloted the use of drones for vaccines and medicines delivery to overcome challenges of distance. The is part of global Medicine from the Sky report done in partnership between WEFs Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India, Government of Telangana, Apollo Hospitals Healthnet Global and NITI Aayog. It follows Indias formulation of Drone Rules 2021, which is accelerating drone deployment in key sectors, such as logistics, agriculture, healthcare and emergency response. Using drones to successfully enable a case for touching the lives of citizens in remote and inaccessible areas is a highlight that demonstrates how drones can be integrated into the healthcare ecosystem. Post Telangana, several other states have replicated the medical delivery use case, said Mr KT Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology of Telangana. In a face-off with president in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on law and order, Chief Minister on Tuesday recalled SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's "boys will be boys" remark on rape. Opposing death penalty for rape, Akhilesh Yadav's father and patriarch had purportedly said at a rally,"Ladke, ladke hain. Galti ho jati hai (Boys will be boys. Mistakes happen sometimes)". Replying to Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav's attack over the crime against women, the CM said, "This is the government of the . Here it's not said that boys will be boys. Mistakes happen sometimes." Any kind of crime is "unforgivable" and the government is taking strict action against criminals, especially those committing crime against women, he claimed. During the zero hour, Yadav referred to the crime against women in Allahabad, Chandauli, Siddharthnagar and Lalitpur, claiming that maximum crimes against women were committed in UP. Referring to a girl's rape allegedly by an SHO in Lalitpur, he said the case was registered only after the CM went there. Yadav added that the CM at a meeting said he will set "officers right" and asked them to leave acting like "middlemen". The CM wasn't aware of it in the past five years, said Yadav in a jibe at Adityanath. Adityanath retorted to Yadav saying, "You support every criminal who spreads anarchy in the state and practise hooliganism." Appreciating his government, he said in the past five years, better law and order has prevailed. "We got wide public support," he said referring to the numbers in the House. "For crimes related to women, our government constituted anti-Romeo squads in 2017 and along with it in 2018, POCSO courts were established," he said. Claiming a reduction in crime under his government, Adityanath said had the Opposition members listened to the Governor's address, things would have been clear to them. "When I will reply to the Governor's address, you will clearly know how much crime has come down," he said. "There was no riot in the past five years. Between 2012 and 2017, there were more than 700 incidents of riots but between 2017 and 2022, there was no riot, no curfew," he added. Adityanath said property worth more than Rs 2,000 crore of criminals was confiscated in UP. "So, whether it is a matter of women's safety or the safety of 25 crore citizens, all these are on a priority for the government," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former president Rahul Gandhi's meeting with British Labour leader in triggered a row back home with the asking him whether he endorsed the UK opposition leader's "anti-India" views. The justified Gandhi's meeting and shared pictures of Corbyn with Prime Minister to ask whether he too endorsed the "anti-India" views of the UK Labour leader and MP. Gandhi, who is on a visit to London, met Corbyn on Monday and the Indian Overseas shared the picture of the two along with . Corbyn, who served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2015 to 2020, has often expressed his views against India. leader and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a picture of Gandhi's meeting with the British leader on Twitter and attacked the former Congress chief, saying for how long can one go on against one's own country. "Again.. meets UK MP and Labour leader who is known for his hatred and dislike for India, advocates Kashmir's secession. Or how long and how much one can go on against one's own country," Rijiju asked in a tweet. leader Kapil Mishra said, "What is doing with ...in Jeremy Corbyn is infamous for anti-India, anti-Hindu stand. Jeremy Corbyn is openly advocating separation of Kashmir from India." Hitting back, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Am amazed as to how dearest friends in TV Media have to bend over backwards to serve the idiotic agenda of Government and ilk of Kapil Mishra." He said political leaders have met in the past and will meet in future other leaders having divergent and opposite views. "Hope the media friends will ask the BJP as to what did PM discuss in this meeting and whether PM endorsed those views," he said. Surjewala also shared a picture of Corbyn with PM Modi and asked, "Finally, May I also ask our Media Friends to identify the two men in picture below and ask the same questions? Does it mean PM has endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's views on India?" He also cited examples of PM Modi's public interactions with economic fugitives Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi and asked whether he endorsed them. "Rahul Gandh taking a picture with a person with whom we hold divergent views is neither a crime nor an act of terror as is being made out. If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - Why did PM take Nirav Modi to Davos and about their common photos? What about video of PM addressing Mehul Choksi as Hamare Mehul Bhai in a public function," he asked. "Why does PM meet President Xi Jinping, when China has occupied our territory? Why did PM go to Pakistan to meet the then PM, Nawaz Sharif? Will the Government promise it'll never ever meet anyone having divergent views from us? Time to debate real issues, not BJP propaganda," the Congress leader said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President on Tuesday praised Prime Minister for handling the Covid pandemic "successfully" and contrasted India's success with China's "failure" in dealing with coronavirus, according to a senior Indian official. During a closed session of the Summit, Biden said Modi's success has shown the world that democracies can deliver, and busted the myth that "autocracies" like and can handle the rapidly changing world better because their leadership can take and implement decisions without going through lengthy democratic processes, the official added. Biden praised Modi for handling the Covid pandemic "successfully in a democratic manner", the official said on condition of anonymity. The US president contrasted India's success with China's failure to handle the pandemic, though both countries are of comparable size. According to the official, President Biden's remarks appeared to be unscripted as he made a special intervention to say this before his prepared remarks. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also appreciated India's contribution and recalled that Indian-made vaccines delivered under the Vaccine Initiative were received with gratitude in Thailand and Cambodia recently, the official said. Kishida also noted that in Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen himself attended the handing over ceremony. In the same session, Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said vaccines supplied by India to other countries have made a difference on the ground, and such success is more valuable than just winning a theoretical debate of ideas, the official added. The leaders on Tuesday committed to getting ahead of the virus by strengthening the global health architecture, including by enhancing finance and bolstering ongoing science and technology cooperation. On March 21 last year, the Quad countries announced 'the Quad vaccine partnership' at the first summit of the four-nation grouping. The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. The Quad summit in Tokyo was hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida. Noting that India has always found a solution no matter how big the problem is, Modi had said in an address to the Indian community here on Monday that during pandemic, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty, but even in that situation, India supplied 'Made in India' vaccines to crores of its citizens and also sent it to more than 100 countries. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ISLAMABAD, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Two military personnel were killed when terrorists targeted security forces in North Waziristan district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a statement of the military said on Monday night. The terrorists carried out the raid on a military post in Mir Ali area of the district, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. During an intense exchange of fire, two young soldiers lost their lives, the ISPR said. Clearance operation is being carried out to eliminate terrorists' presence in the area, it added. New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/PNN): The Dapper Cheetah Club, the newest entrant into the world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), is ready to launch a one-of-a-kind collection of 10,000 limited Cheetah NFTs on Metaverse. Before the actual launch, the Dapper Cheetah Club is opening an exclusive introductory mint of 200 NFTs for early adopters in May 2022. During this phase, the Dapper Cheetah Club will provide a massive 70 per cent discount on its official website, (https://dappercheetahs.com). The collection will be released in different phases so that the floor price continues to rise and early adopters can take advantage of the best deals. After the sale The NFTs would also be available on the Secondary market ie: Open Sea, the world's largest NFT marketplace and platform, which allows people to create, sell and buy ownership rights to digital works of art using NFTs. The NFT line is created to honor the magnificent Cheetahs. The Dapper Cheetah NFTs are classified based on their rarity on the blockchain. It's worth noting that as part of the project, the proceeds from the sale will be utilised to save and conserve endangered Cheetahs and help boost their numbers in India. The Dapper Cheetah Club has pledged to donate 7.5 percent of the profits to Wildlife Trusts of India as part of the project, making India the first country in the world to have seven big cats under its roof. The NFTs would also allow wildlife enthusiasts to own digital Cheetah collectibles. The NFT collection coincides with the announcement of the Indian government's ambitious 'Action Plan for Cheetah Introduction in India.' The ownership of an NFT will give unique membership access to a club with growing privileges and offerings. The Dapper Cheetah NFT would serve as the digital identity and open digital doors for the owner. The holder of an NFT will benefit from the steadily rising floor prices as well as the utilities that come with each NFT. The digital assets will also provide a monthly passive income for their owners. A fancy location with a variety of amenities and admission to special events could be obtained. Owners of NFTs can communicate with one another to showcase or trade collections or trade cards. In India, the club intends to host a specific Metaverse week. It will be a first-of-its-kind event, with the entire event focused on exposing India to technology. Top Metaverse speakers and influencers will speak about the technology and its uses through seminars, discussions, pitch challenges, creative installations, immersive art, and music at the event. Well-known YouTubers, well-known DJs, major influencers, and a bevy of other A-listers would attend the event to make it even more unforgettable. The NFTs will act as a pass to these events for those who own these NFTs. The NFTs issued by the Dapper Cheetah Club will not only provide great utility, but also security and exclusivity to their holders. The club will debut the Dapper Space during phases to provide the community with an unforgettable experience with THE BEL AIR, a Dapper Space being created in the Metaverse. Extraordinary Estates, production studios, casinos, and nightclubs are just a few examples of these realms. For its owners, the Dapper Cheetah NFT would serve as a key to unlocking ultimate luxury and an unimaginable experience for its community. The community will have unique membership access to a club with rising privileges and options thanks to the ownership of these NFTs. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): Tiger Logistics (India) Limited, an international logistics and freight forwarding company is all set to launch a cutting-edge price discovery and supply-chain automation platform, aiming to bring in efficiency and transparency to the highly fragmented shipping sector of the country. This will in turn make shipping accessible to more than 63 million SMEs and MSMEs. In India, MSMEs contribute nearly 40 per cent of overall India's exports, approx. 6.11 per cent of the country's manufacturing GDP & make up for 24.63 per cent of the GDP from services sector. This digital platform aims to simplify operations procedures that will revolutionize the freight industry, starting with the Indian market, and then expanding into other developing nations. Commenting on this digital initiative, Harpreet Singh Malhotra, CMD, Tiger Logistics and a veteran in the shipping industry said, "Technology is the operating word in the current times. Shipping cannot lag behind if we have to sustain the business. This new digital segment will help exporters and importers to instantly book their freight, automate their documentation process, keep track of their shipments, and manage payments all on a single platform. In the process, they will save hours of manual work, bypass countless email exchanges and experience a fully transparent logistics process." "In its first rendition, Tiger's full-stack platform will offer cross-border solutions for ocean and air shipments, along with first-mile transportation, last-mile delivery and customs clearance. With real-time rates, complete visibility, and access to instant information about shipment updates, Tiger's platform will mirror MakeMyTrip for the international logistics sector," Malhotra added. The platform is being spearheaded by Simar Malhotra, Manager Key Accounts and Digital Lead, a Stanford University graduate and the second-generation leadership of the management. "International shipping is highly unorganized, wrought with inefficiencies and is presently going through a massive freight and container crisis. While big shippers have the power to negotiate rates directly with carriers and multinational forwarders, SMEs and MSMEs get left behind in the chase. With our new platform, we hope to change this and democratize access of every business to freight services." The growth in export share of MSMEs in FY22 would be important to note as the government has been aiming at increasing the current share to 60 per cent. Former MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari had said last year at public forums that the government had aimed to increase the export share by 12 per cent in five years along with a jump in contribution to the gross domestic product from around 30 per cent to 50 per cent and additional 5 crore jobs in the MSME sector. The digital platform of Tiger Logistics is a disruption to the existing manual norms of operations in the freight industry. The focus is to build a robust MSMEs clientele in the Indian market, and provide a seamless, jargon-free and customer-first experience. Once the pilot kicks off, the platform will also incorporate cargo insurance and cargo financing among other features to build itself as a one-stop solution for all shipping requirements. Tiger Logistics (India) Limited was founded in 2000 in New Delhi, India by Harpreet Singh Malhotra, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of the company. Under his leadership, the company has achieved tremendous success over the years and has now emerged as a leading provider of end-to-end logistics solutions. The company is known for its innovations and driving cost saving and operational efficiencies with greater rigor. As a result, Tiger Logistics has been able to achieve a yearly growth rate of 25-30 per cent. Tiger Logistics has been serving industry clients for more than 21years. It has been listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange since 2013. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The deafening noise of 228 aircraft completely drowned the sound of clapping at Assams Dibrugarh airport on 12th of April. But it didnt stop those at the airstrip from cheering. On-board the 17-seater aircraft were Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Union law minister Kiran Rijuji -- who were flying into history. Built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd or HAL, the light-weight aircraft was so far used to transport troops, carry out maritime surveillance and several other government missions. But, on April 12th, it took off on its first commercial flight between Assams Dibrugarh and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. From 1985 to the early 1990s, a regional airline called Vayudoot used Dorniers to service 100-odd airports across India. The Dornier-228 made up close to half of Vayudoots fleet of 21 aircraft. Back then, however, it was a German-made aircraft. Unfortunately, there were multiple reports of engine failure during flight. In fact, in 1989, a flight from Pune to Hyderabad crashed and killed all 11 on-board. Vayudoot wound up in 1997. However, the HAL-built plane is based on a new generation of 228 aircraft. Until recently, the Dornier-228 aircraft were being manufactured under licence from RUAG, a Swiss company. While HAL would supply the fuselage, wings and tail unit, the aircraft itself would be assembled at RUAGs German facility. So, what about the Do-228s that have been on commercial jaunts in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam for Alliance Air? These aircraft have been made in India from the raw material stage itself. The aircraft will now help the government meet its targets of providing air connectivity to tier 2 and tier 3 cities of the country under its . UDAN's aim is to make air travel both affordable and widespread. One of the ways it does this is by connecting unserved airports and airstrips across the country. Recently, HAL Chairman and Managing Director R Madhavan told Business Standard that there were over 150 airports and airstrips that were only suitable for less than 20-seater aircraft, which is the class the Dornier-228s fall in. Therefore, airline operators can fly Dornier-228s on routes connecting such airports and airstrips. According to Madhavan, the Northeast, with its challenging hilly terrain and the difficulty of travelling there by rail or road, was the obvious area to begin with. It is a modest start. However, Madhavan is confident that the use of two civil Dornier-228s by Alliance Air will bring in other operators, who would also be prospective HAL customers, into the regional aviation market. Whats new: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit eight countries in the Pacific and from this week as Beijing seeks to boost security ties in the region. Wangs trip will last from Thursday to June 4, during which time he plans to visit the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, according to a ministry statement (link in Chinese). The Solomon Islands confirmed Wangs visit will take place later this week, describing his visit as a milestone in the island nations relationship with China, according to a government statement issued Monday. The statement quoted Li Ming, Chinas ambassador to the Solomon Islands, as saying that the highlight of the visit is the signing of a number of key bilateral Agreements with the national government. The background: Wangs visit comes after China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact in April to help the South Pacific country enhance its capacity to maintain social order and protect the safety of its people and their property. The deal has been a subject of concern by the U.S., Australia and New Zealand over whether it could pave the way for China to establish a military base on the Solomon Islands. Meanwhile, China is intensifying its drive for influence in the Pacific by negotiating security deals with two other island countries, including Kiribati, the Financial Times reported, citing officials in the U.S. and allied countries. Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. TALUQAN, Afghanistan, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A relatively powerful earthquake jolted Afghanistan's Takhar and Kunduz provinces on Tuesday, locals said. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted 63 km SE of Farkhar district on Tuesday. "I was sitting in my shop when the tremble jolted the area and all the goods in the shop fell down and scattered, I scared and escaped the shop," shopkeeper Abdul Haq from Farkhar district told Xinhua. According to locals, the quake was also felt in neighboring Kunduz province, but there was no report on casualties. In the meantime, Mohammad Zarif, an official from the Farkhar district administration, told Xinhua that authorities had begun to collect information on possible property damages due to the tremble. ULAN BATOR, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia on Tuesday launched a smartphone app to provide information about its rare and endangered species of wild fauna and flora, according to the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The smartphone app "Baigali," which means nature in Mongolian, contains information about 3,000 rare and endangered species of wild fauna and flora in Mongolia, the ministry said in a statement. Smartphone users can download the app for free and add information and photos about rare and endangered animals and plants to the app, according to the ministry. "Foreign and domestic tourists often use the Internet to get information not only about the services offered, but also about the nature before deciding on their travel destination. Therefore, we aim to make the app, which represents the biodiversity of Mongolia, an important marketing tool in the tourism industry and to introduce it to everyone," Bat-Ulzii Bat-Erdene, minister of environment and tourism, said at the launch ceremony of the app. A man visits Chini Mosque in Nilphamari, Bangladesh on May 17, 2022. Chini Masjid in Nilphamari, 360 km northwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, is a unique piece of architecture that has drawn crowds of tourists for centuries.(Xinhua) NILPHAMARI, Bangladesh, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chini Masjid in Nilphamari, 360 km northwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, is a unique piece of architecture that has drawn crowds of tourists for centuries. Built in 1863, the beautiful masjid is in the standard architectural style of buildings associated with Islamic tradition. What makes Chini Masjid special is the 25 tons of Chinaware plates and pieces of glass that adorn the walls. So resplendent were the marvelous China ceramic and stone pieces that the place of worship soon became known as the "Chini Masjid", attracting visitors from far and wide. BUILT BY THE PEOPLE Hafez Muhammad Arif Reza is the muezzin, the person of a mosque who proclaims the call to the daily prayer from a minaret five times a day. He told Xinhua that the mosque was built in 1863 by Haji Bakir Ali Ahmed as a little prayer room. Descendants of Ahmed extended and modified the masjid, beautifying it with decorative Chinese ceramics brought from Kolkata, India. "The people built the mosque gradually with their own contributions," said the muezzin. The mosque is divided into three parts, one built during the British period, one during the Pakistan period and the most recent in modern Bangladesh. It has not been renovated since its inception. "Many tourists from home and abroad now come to visit our mosque," he said. FASCINATING TECHNIQUES To decorate Chini Masjid, nearly 300 pieces of cross marble stones were used. Along with the cross marble stones, around 25 tons small chips of Chinaware-plate and pieces of glass, both color and non-color, were also used, making it one of the most fascinating and distinctive architects in Bangladesh. Rahimul Haque Afrat, a student at North South University in Dhaka came to Nilphamari with friends, just to see the masjid. "We're fascinated by the artistry," he said. "This type of architecture is not seen much in Bangladesh, it would fascinate anyone." "My friends and I were very impressed. We loved it." Photo taken on May 17, 2022 shows the Chini Mosque in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Chini Masjid in Nilphamari, 360 km northwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, is a unique piece of architecture that has drawn crowds of tourists for centuries.(Xinhua) People visit Chini Mosque in Nilphamari, Bangladesh on May 17, 2022. Chini Masjid in Nilphamari, 360 km northwest of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, is a unique piece of architecture that has drawn crowds of tourists for centuries.(Xinhua) BUDAPEST, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's Parliament amended the country's constitution on Tuesday to enable the government to introduce a special legal order and declare a state of emergency in case of an armed conflict, war or humanitarian disaster in a neighboring country. The legislation was approved with 136 votes for and 36 against. Currently, Hungary's constitution authorizes the government to declare a state of emergency, referred to as a "state of danger," "in the event of a natural disaster or industrial accident endangering life and property, or in order to mitigate the consequences thereof." Under the changes, the government will have the power to suspend some laws or deviate from their stipulations to ensure the security of residents, their assets, as well as the stability of the national economy. The Constitutional Court, if requested, must review the measures taken by the government. The 10th amendment of the country's constitution was initiated by Justice Minister Judit Varga and will enter into force on Nov. 1, 2022. by Dames Alexander Sinaga JAKARTA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- For more than five years, Mad Soleh has been feeding his family from his own small-scale tofu production business in Rangkasbitung in Indonesia's Banten Province, yet in the past three months his business has been in dire straits due to the skyrocketing prices of soybeans. Soybeans are the primary material for making tofu and tempeh, a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. The 35-year-old father of two children said that his daily income from the tofu production business has slumped drastically because of the increasing production cost. During the past three months, he had to spend about 620,000 rupiahs (about 42 U.S. dollars) for a sack of 50 kilograms of soybeans. The price more than doubled compared to before, Soleh said. "The situation is now very hard for my business to survive. I don't know how long this will go on," he told Xinhua. Another local tofu producer, Dodi Sudrajat, is also facing the same situation as Soleh. The 55-year-old man reduced the tofu output. "The production cost is still high. But, hopefully by doing this (reducing the output), my business can manage to survive," he said. In Banyumas, Central Java province, some small-scale tempeh producers in the district had to increase the price of tempeh. As a result, their daily turnovers fell. In late February, tofu and tempeh producers in several Indonesian provinces halted their business for three days in protest against the soaring price of soybeans. Reports said soybean prices surged because the soybean production of South American countries dropped. Tofu and tempeh producers have asked the Indonesian government to immediately give them subsidies so that their production cost can return back to normal. To manage the crisis, the government had begun to distribute soybean subsidies amounting to 850 billion rupiahs to tofu and tempeh producers across the archipelago starting from April. The fund is to cover the gap in soybean prices between importers and local producers, Indonesia's state food procurement agency Bulog president director Budi Waseso said, adding that the subsidies would be distributed to regions gradually. However, tofu producers like Soleh believed that the subsidies were only a temporary solution. Producers could still face soaring soybean prices in the future. The government, he said, must be firm and focus on self-sufficient in soybeans. COPENHAGEN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- According to Danish researcher Jan Oberg, the expansionist policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is responsible for creating the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. If left unresolved, conflicts tend to escalate into severe violence, as is the case in Ukraine today, according to Oberg, a former head of the Lund University Peace Research Institute (LUPRI) and former general secretary of the Danish Peace Foundation in Copenhagen. "If they want peace, they should not increase the symptoms -- they should address the real causes instead. The conflicting parties should spell out their problems and goals, and step-by-step that is how they can reach a sustainable solution," Oberg told Xinhua in a recent interview. Having sowed the seeds of the conflict, the West has been steadfast in not seeking solutions...Instead, he said, the West reacted in "hysterical panic of the moment" and exacerbated the conflict by fast-tracking applications from Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, further fueling Russia's concerns about NATO encroachment. This has predictably led to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "warning" to Finland's President Sauli Niinisto that it would be a mistake for Helsinki to abandon neutrality and join NATO "with the potential to damage relations between the two countries." Sweden has received a similar "warning" from Putin that "expanding military infrastructure onto their territory would provoke a response from us, based on the threats they create for us." The West's "irrational and emotional" escalation of the conflict, and Putin's reaction to that, have led to a cynical escalation as "there is simply no credible, realistic scenario that would lead to an isolated, out-of-the-blue Russian attack on either of them if they remained non-aligned as they've been for decades," he said. NATO, U.S. PRESSURE ON SWEDEN AND FINLAND According to Oberg, Sweden and Finland have both been under heavy pressure, for many years, from NATO, the U.S. and their own elites to join NATO. This pressure has encouraged the two countries to increasingly flirt with NATO membership over the past 20 years, facilitating a slow erosion of their appearance of neutrality, so much so that Oberg suggested that the feeling became "why not marry now?" "In other words, Finland and Sweden now join because they have incrementally made one wrong decision after the other, painted themselves into a 'no-choice-but-NATO' corner and abdicated every ounce of their historical, independent-minded creative foreign policy thinking." However, NATO and U.S. pressure would not be successful if it did not come coupled with an "intellectual disarmament" in both Nordic nations, Oberg said, where local decision-makers have simply unified around a single alternative, "quelling alternative solutions." "The discourse about peace in the media, in politics and in research has disappeared. Peace has come to mean weapons, deterrence, more and more of it coupled to blind loyalty to every U.S./NATO war." The result has been an environment of intellectual malaise, which has led to the further empowerment of the local political elites, who have made the decision to join NATO with the support of the local pro-NATO liberal media, who have justified the political elites bypassing a referendum on entering NATO based on "time pressure" surrounding the increasing Russian threat, according to Oberg. "Elites related to the military-industrial-media-academic complex, MIMAC, in both countries, rather than the people, decide security and foreign policy matters," Oberg said. NO CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MECHANISMS LEFT IN EUROPE According to Oberg, the bid to join NATO serves only to destabilize both countries by heightening "harder confrontation and polarization instead of soft borders and mediating attitudes." The NATO bid also means that the two countries, once adamantly opposed to nuclear weapons and NATO military bases on their soil, are now available to requests to host U.S. bases, which Oberg said they will be unable to refuse. "There will be virtually no confidence-building and conflict-resolution mechanisms left in Europe. No discussion will be possible about a new all-European peace and security system." In light of the difficulties and arbitrary decision-making, Oberg said it was time for the West to refrain from hysteria and "keep cool," as the NATO membership bids have revealed that "the real enemy of the West is the West itself." Photo: The Canadian Press California Gov. Gavin Newsom. California Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened Monday to impose mandatory water restrictions if residents don't use less on their own as a drought drags on and the hotter summer months approach. Newsom raised that possibility in a meeting with representatives from major water agencies, including those that supply Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area, his office said in a press release. The Democratic governor has avoided issuing sweeping, mandatory cuts in water use and instead favored an approach that gives local water agencies power to set rules for water use in the cities and towns they supply. January through March typically is when most of Californias annual rain and snow falls, but this year those months were the driest in at least a century. Despite calls for conservation, the state's water use went up dramatically in March 19% compared to the same month in 2020 and now Newsom is considering changing his approach. Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures, Newsom said in a statement. California is in its third year of drought and virtually all areas of the state are classified as either in severe or extreme drought. Newsom last summer called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15% by doing things like taking five-minute showers and avoiding baths, only running the washing machine and dishwasher with full loads and limiting water use for cleaning outdoor areas. But residents have fallen far short of the goal. How soon Newsom could impose mandatory restrictions if conservation doesn't improve wasn't clear. He plans to meet with the water agencies again in two months, his office said. Spokesperson Erin Mellon said the administration would reassess conservation progress in just a few weeks." She didn't offer a metric the administration would use to measure. Newsom has already moved to force more conservation from local water districts. He directed the State Water Resources Control Board to consider a ban on watering of decorative turf, such as grass in office parks, and to force local agencies to step up their conservation efforts. After the last drought, the state started requiring cities and other water districts to submit drought response plans that detail six levels of conservation based on how much water is available. Newsom has asked the board to require those districts move into Level 2" of their plans, which assumes a 20% water shortage. During the last drought, from 2012 to 2016, former Gov. Jerry Brown issued a mandatory 25% cut in the state's overall water use, and the state water board set requirements for how much each water district had to cut based on their existing water use; districts in which people used more water were asked to cut more. Water agencies could be fined up to $10,000 per day if they didn't comply. Newsom's current approach gives local water districts some more flexibility, and he's said it's important to recognize different parts of the state have their own water needs. Photo: Twitter Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets elders in Kamloops on Monday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Metro Vancouver today where he is expected to discuss housing and food bank issues. Trudeau's stops in Metro Vancouver come following his tense appearance at an unmarked residential school graves memorial ceremony Monday in Kamloops. The prime minister faced angry chants from some people at the memorial but was also warmly greeted by elders. Trudeau has scheduled a news conference this morning after he holds an event to discuss federal housing policy. Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan are also scheduled to make an afternoon announcement regarding the 2025 Invictus Games. Trudeau is also set to visit a Metro Vancouver food bank. Photo: The Canadian Press During her two years as President Donald Trump's spokesperson, Sarah Sanders used the White House briefing room to take aim at Democrats on issues such as immigration and crime. She is poised to win the Republican nomination for Arkansas governor on Tuesday after employing the same strategy. Sanders has shattered fundraising records and blanketed her home state with ads that have focused on President Joe Biden, national media and other Trump targets rather than her opponents for the state's top office. That approach, along with Trump's endorsement in this conservative state, has made her the heavy favorite to win the GOP nomination for the office her father, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, held for a decade. As governor, I will say no to Biden and the radical left's agenda, Sanders says in one of her TV ads. Sanders, accompanied by her husband and three children, cast her ballot in Little Rock shortly after polls opened Tuesday. I think paying attention to the bad policies and the failures of the Biden administration and the impact that they have on our state is critically important, she said Tuesday. If they continue to fail the way that they have and they continue to, I think, put states in a difficult position, then absolutely, were going to call them out and were going to continue to talk about that. Sanders faces former talk radio host Doc Washburn, who is making a long-shot bid against Sanders in the primary. The front-runner in the Democratic primary for governor is Chris Jones, a nuclear engineer and ordained minister who launched his campaign last year with a video that quickly went viral and contrasted with Sanders' rhetoric. I wasn't born into politics," Jones said in a recent TV ad. My parents raised me to care about people." Jones faces educator Anthony Bland, former state Rep. Jay Martin, mental health clinic operator James Rus" Russell and small-business owner Supha Xayprasith-Mays in Tuesday's primary. If none of the Democrats wins a majority of the votes, the top two will face each other in a June 21 primary runoff. The candidates are running to succeed Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barred from seeking reelection because of term limits and is considering a run for president in 2024. Hutchinson endorsed Sanders' bid after her two chief rivals for the nomination, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, dropped out to run for other offices. Trump publicly encouraged Sanders to run for governor when she left the White House in 2019 to return to her home state. Sanders was already well known in Arkansas politics, going back to when she appeared in ads for her fathers campaigns. She managed Sen. John Boozmans 2010 election and worked as an adviser to Sen. Tom Cottons in 2014. She's appearing in ads endorsing Boozman's reelection bid as he tries to fend off challenges in Tuesday's primary. During Sanders nearly two-year tenure at the White House, she scaled back daily televised briefings after repeatedly sparring with reporters who aggressively questioned her. She faced questions about her credibility, particularly after special counsel Robert Muellers report revealed that Sanders admitted making an unfounded claim to reporters about FBI agents reaction to director James Comeys firing. But she also earned reporters respect working behind the scenes to develop relationships with the media. Sanders has run on a promise to phase out the state's income tax, though she's stopped short of giving a timeline for doing so or offering details on how she'd pay for the loss in revenue. Before jumping into the governors race, Jones headed the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs. He has dubbed his platform PB&J, which he says stands for preschool, broadband and jobs. Re. Joe Gluskas letter Carbon Tax paid, passed on (Castanet, May 20) Well said Joe. One way to try to get the politicians in Ottawa to listen is to vote against the status quo. Our vote out here in the West means nothing, as the election is won or lost in Ontario and Quebec. Have a look at the Maverick Party website. Not saying they are the end all, but if everyone in the West voted for these guys, maybe Ottawa would stand up and take notice. (The federal government) just uses us in the West as a cash cowtake, take, take, with never a thought to what its policies are doing to the hard-working people from Manitoba west. Quebec says no to a pipeline (Energy East) while raking in transfer payments, even though it is not a have-not province. Look at how Ottawa has been scrambling to make sure Quebec does not lose a federal seat due to redefining of electoral boundaries. If (the government) was to lose a seat in Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver due to redefining electoral boundaries, nothing would be done about it. If more people would take notice of what Ottawa does to us Westerners on a regular basis, and not vote along party lines but vote completely against all the regular parties, maybe someone would take notice. Jack Staeheli Re.Patrick MacDonald's letter Trudeau conflicts defended (Castanet, May 23) Where to start to refute such a ludicrous argument. Firstly, people who say (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau is a criminal are not factually correct. There are various definitions of crime according to the Oxford Dictionary, however, as it notes an action or activity that, although not illegal, is considered to be evil, shameful or wrong is perhaps the definition people who say he is a criminal are suggesting? 1. Jody Wilson-Raybould is a lawyer who was called to the bar in 2000 and was a provincial Crown prosecutor. I cannot find any reference to her being an activist Her refusal regarding SNC-Lavalin was done standing up for what she, as federal justice minister, felt was right. She recorded a conversation on Mach 29, 2019 between herself and Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick, where he stated Trudeau wanted a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavelin one way or another. On April 2, 2019 Trudeau expelled Wilson-Raybould from the federal Liberal caucus and stripped her of the Liberal Party nomination for the 2019 election. Under the bus you go, Jody. 2. The WE issue. The writer neglected to mention the conclusion by Trudeau that only the WE organization was capable of administering a federal contract of $456 million for the Summer Student Grant Program and when it was revealed the speakers bureau hired members of Trudeaus family to appear at its events despite making claims to the contrary, Trudeau revealed he did not recuse himself from the decision to award the contract which appeared unethical but not criminal. It was revealed then-finance minister Bill Morneau, who also did not recuse himself from the decision, had a daughter employed by WE. Under the bus for you, Bill. 3. The Aga Khan free vacation. Trudeau was found guilty of violating Sections 5,11,12 and 21[1] of the Federal Conflict of interest Act. Why is significant? Because the Aga Khan Foundation received more than $50 million in federal funding in 2016 while (Trudeau) said he and the Aga Khan were close friends. The then ethics commissioner Mary Dawson stated in her ruling that Trudeau and the Aga Khan had undertaken no serious social interactions for 30 years, outside a single instance at the funeral of (Trudeaus father) Pierre Elliot Trudeau. This lead me conclude that their relationship cannot be described as one of friends for purposes of the Act, said Dawson. Criminal? No, but unethical and certainly not in Canadians best interests. I would love to see Mr. MacDonald spin Trudeaus multitude of non-criminal events starting with his appearing in black/brown face admittedly at least three times, including in a video of him with a banana stuffed in his pants while wearing black makeup and pretending to be a chimpanzee. I would like his spin on Trudeaus B.C. groping incident, where he described that event saying she experienced it differently. How about a dressing down from the leaders in India for he and his family dressing up Bollywood-style while (their hosts) were in proper business attire and who stated we dont dress up like here. Maybe explain a more recent example where (Trudeau) evoked the Emergency Act on the (truckers) Freedom convoy saying the police told him they needed it. But neither the RCMP nor the Ottawa Police said they requested it. Maybe also explain why Trudeaus itinerary on the first national Truth and Reconciliation Day indicated he was in private meetings in Ottawa while he was actually surfing in Tofino? Sorry my letter is so long. Unfortunately it would be book length to outline all of Trudeaus missteps and false claims. Robert Hepting, Kelowna Photo: The Canadian Press Minister of Defence Anita Anand responds to an opposition question during Question Period, Tuesday, April 5, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada is shipping 20,000 rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. Anand says the ammunition is "exactly" what Ukraine's government asked for from its allies. She says the rounds are the standard NATO artillery calibre and compatible with the artillery guns provided to Ukraine by Canada and other countries. In April, Canada shipped four M777 howitzers to Ukraine, part of more than $130 million in military equipment Canada has donated since Russia launched its unprovoked attack in Ukraine in February. The new ammunition comes with a price tag of $98 million, drawn from the $500 million in military aid Canada budgeted for Ukraine this year. Anand says Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot simply remake borders to his own liking and Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine. Photo: The Canadian Press The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018. RCMP in British Columbia say a woman was shot and injured during a confrontation with police in Surrey on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck RCMP in British Columbia say a woman was shot and injured during a confrontation with police in Surrey this afternoon. Mounties say they responded to reports of a woman with a weapon around noon. They say officers arrived and found the woman still "in possession" of the weapon. Police say shots were fired by officers during an interaction with the woman. They say the woman was taken to a local hospital with what are believed to be serious injuries. The Independent Investigations Office, B.C.'s police watchdog, is now looking into police actions in the incident. China firmly supports work of ESCAP: Chinese FM Xinhua) 09:19, May 24, 2022 GUANGZHOU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China will firmly support the work of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), calling for joint efforts to build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future. Wang made the remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the 78th session of the ESCAP via video link. Noting this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the ESCAP, Wang said that the Asia-Pacific community has once again stood at the crossroads of history. The peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific bear not only on the destiny of the region but also on the future of the world, Wang said, pointing out that the concept of the Asia-Pacific should not be diluted and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific should not be disturbed. He called for learning from history, forging ahead with determination, and jointly building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, so as to create new glory in Asia-Pacific cooperation. Firstly, the Asia-Pacific area should unswervingly safeguard peace and stability, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and unequivocally reject any attempt to introduce military blocs or bloc confrontation into the region, he said. Secondly, Wang called on the region to make concerted efforts to promote economic development and bring more "Asia-Pacific opportunities" to the recovery and growth of the world economy. Thirdly, countries in the region should draw on each other's strengths to achieve win-win cooperation, and make an Asia-Pacific contribution to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said. Wang stressed that the Asia-Pacific region is the place where China lives and thrives. China will continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific for the region's benefit and make a greater contribution to its lasting peace and sustainable development with concrete actions. China will firmly safeguard peace and promote the development of the Asia-Pacific region, and will firmly support the work of ESCAP, he added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) BRUSSELS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) member states need to take decisions on a potential embargo on Russian oil urgently, said Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of economy, on Tuesday. "It's important that those decisions are taken without delay, otherwise we are in a strange situation where we are discussing massive financial support to Ukraine on one hand, and continue to provide financing for Russia's war on the other hand. It needs to be stopped," said Dombrovskis. About 62 percent of Russia's imports to the EU were hydrocarbon in the year 2021, explained Dombrovskis. "When we are addressing Russia's fossil fuel, we are really addressing financing sources of Russia's war," he said following a meeting of the EU finance and economic ministers. The European Commission brought forward a proposal to put an embargo on Russian oil in early May, as part of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, EU member states failed to reach a consensus on the matter. Hungary, a landlocked country heavily dependent on Russian oil imports, is opposed to the proposal. "We know there are concerns, specially of landlocked countries, on effects of the oil embargo concerning the security of supply, and we are working with these member states to see the best way to address those concerns," said Dombrovskis. The EU heavily depends on Russian energy, with 30 percent of its oil and 15 percent of petroleum products supplied by Russia. Drake Cement inaugurates new finish mill 24 May 2022 Ricardo Rizo Patron, chairman of Skanon, the Board of Directors of Skanon Investments and Skanon CEO, Enrique Rozas, visited the Drake Cement plant on 11 May to inauguration the new finish mill at Drake Cement, Paulden, Arizona, USA. With this new project, Drake Cement and Materials continues to expand, reduce its environmental footprint and improve sustainability while offering high-quality products to its customers. The new mill is a vertical roller mill and the draft environmental report stated that it would have a cement capacity of 30-115tph. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions The family tree of education in the state capitol has many branches but the base is fully entrenched with the establishment of Cumberland College (CC) in 1826 which evolved into the University of Nashville (UN). An Act of the Tennessee Legislature that year changed the name of the institution from CC to UN. Educational institutions in existence in the modern era that can trace their origin back to the school include the prestigious Montgomery Bell Academy, the Vanderbilt University Medical School, and Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Famous and (infamous) individuals that have been affiliated with at least one of the founding schools include the confederate generals Gideon Pillow, Bushrod Johnson, and E. Kirby Smith. A young man by the name of Sam Davis had attended the Western Military Institute that later merged with the University of Nashville. Davis was later called the boy hero of the Confederacy, after being hanged by Union forces as a spy. Nashville industrialist Montgomery Bell had left the sum of $20,000 upon his death in 1867 to start a boys preparatory school in his name. His namesake educational institution would later take over the Western Military Institute and the University of Nashville school and merged all three into one unit. Due to financial necessity several other changes would take place over the years.A medical school would become part of Vanderbilt University in 1874, the George Peabody College for Teachers was created in 1909 and became a part of Vanderbilt University in 1979. Under the original umbrella of the University of Nashville, the growing metropolitan area of Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee has grown to include about 20 colleges that include 18 private colleges and universities, 1 public college or university, and 1 two-year community college. As the population in Middle Tennessee continues to explode further expansion of the above educational institutions are anticipated. Nashvilles reputation as the Athens of the South was primarily acquired based on its educational instruction to young men (fortunately that privilege has been extended to all other segments of the population.) * * * Jerry Summers (If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com) A woman told police that a man had called her 10 minutes before and said, Hello Ms. Jones, and she hung up immediately because she receives scam calls on a daily basis. She said the man immediately called back and said, "Ms. Jones, the phone hung up," to which she replied, "No, I hung up. Don't call me again." She said the man then cursed her and she told him she was going to call the police if he kept calling her. He then said, "I am the police and work for the FBI." She said she then hung up again. * * * A woman on Shallowford Road told police she left her home and came home four days later and discovered the glass door on the back side of the house had been broken. Officers did not see any signs of entry into the home. The door that was broken was a secondary door. The main door leading into the home was not damaged. The woman said it would cost $500 to replace the glass door. * * * A man at East Ridge Fast Lube, 3225 Broad St., told police he had personal belongings of a former employee that he wished to return. The man wanted police to document the return of the items. The personal belongings of the former employee were returned in police presence. * * * A woman called police from the Sam's Club on Lee Highway. She told police the vehicle in front of her rolled into her vehicle. She did not want to make an accident report at this time. * * * Police initiated a traffic stop at 300 N. Willow St. on a Ford TSE for improper display of registration. Police met with the driver and the two other passengers. Police ran all through NCIC and the vehicle without return. The driver was given a warning and all left the scene. * * * An anonymous person called police about a disorder at a residence on Bradmore Lane. The caller told police a couple was in an argument and the man had the woman cornered against a wall and was yelling at her. The caller said the couple then left the area in a white newer truck with a temp tag. A photo was given to police. * * * An officer was patrolling the area when she observed a Honda motorcycle parked and unattended behind the Motel 6 parking lot, 2440 Williams St., with no tag, that had been spray painted white. Due to the increase in motorcycle thefts in the area, the officer ran the VIN displayed on the motorcycle. It did not return stolen, but was suspicious, as it returned as a red motorcycle with a tag that is valid until 9/2022. The vehicle was documented. * * * An employee of the Holiday Inn & Suites, 434 Chestnut St., told police she observed via surveillance footage a black male wearing blue jeans, black collared shirt, and a dark ball cap with white lettering that says "Chicago" on it, had approached the unattended valet stand and stole her backpack. She said the backpack contained $200 in cash, her car keys and other miscellaneous items. The man's description was BOLO'd and police searched the area, but were unable to locate him. * * * Police were called to Hamilton Corners, 2115 Gunbarrel Road, in reference to a woman who was refusing to leave the property. The caller, an Allied Universal Security officer, said he wanted the woman to leave and be trespassed. The woman was trespassed from all CBL Properties and left the scene. * * * A suspicious car was reported at 101 W. 21st St. Police spoke to three people who were sitting in the parking lot in the vehicle. All three said they were actively looking to rent a room at the hotel. All three had no active warrants. * * * Police went to a residence on Quinn Adams Street to serve warrants to a woman for harassment and stalking. Police knocked on the front door and could not get anyone to the door. The woman's personal vehicle was on scene and a neighbor said that if her car is there she should be there. Police observed a camera on the front door so the woman can see whoever is on her porch. Given that the warrants are not violent felonies, police were unable to pursue any further action. * * * A woman on E. 48th Street told police that someone withdrew $1,137.25 out of her bank account with Suntrust Bank. She said the bank told her the withdrawal was done by Internet by an unknown person. She said she has already made a report with the bank and said they will return the money to her account once she makes a police report. * * * The owner of After Paint Solutions, 7610 Lee Hwy., told police the catalytic converter had been cut off one of his company vehicles sometime overnight. He said it was left parked there the night before around 6 p.m., and this was discovered around 10 a.m. that morning. He said there is no video of the incident. * * * A man at KO Self Storage on Pinnacle Lane told police that his son's truck that was parked there had several items stolen from it. It is unknown when the theft occurred. Stolen was the battery ($200), starter ($200) and catalytic converter ($1,200). There is no suspect information. * * * A woman told police that while she was at a nail salon on Greenway View Drive she lost her diamond engagement ring worth $4,900. I am writing to express concern about efforts to not accept election results for Hamilton County Mayor in which Weston Wamp won the Republican Primary. A source of criticism is that Mr. Wamp reached across the aisle to court Democrat voters. Good for him. This skill will be sorely needed when he takes office. In Tennessee, cross-over voting is allowed. It is not illegal or unethical. The candidates have no basis for contesting this already certified election and overriding the voters voice. All Tennessee registered voters have the legal right to vote in either partys primary; we do not register by party in Tennessee. I voted for Matt Hullander. I now fully support and wish the best to Weston Wamp. That is how democracy works. Context for my grave concern. I have been an active Republican since 1964 (58 years). I had the great fortune of having as mentors the late, great Tennessee Senators Bill Brock and Howard Baker. These founders of the Tennessee Republican Party respected the voice of the voters. How far we have strayed. The Hamilton County Republican Party began participating in the primary versus convention process in the 1980s. Prior to that time, there were rarely viable Republican candidates. Thus, if Republicans did not vote in the Democrat Primaries, we would have had no say in elections. Today, the reverse is true. All voters have a fair choice in which primary to vote. If you voted in the Republican County Primary, I suggest you contact Scott Golden, Director of the Tennessee State Republican Party at golden@tngop.org. Let him know that you want your vote to count and to not allow the 66 members of the Tennessee State Republican Executive Committee to overturn the fairly elected nominee for Hamilton County Mayor or any other office. If this action occurs, we will not have a say in who should be the nominee; a handful of people in a convention will decide for us. Marti Rutherford United Way of Greater Chattanooga and its nonprofit support and innovation program Venture Forward hosted the second annual Celebrate awards, presented by Southern Champion Tray last Thursday. Over 200 Greater Chattanooga leaders, volunteers and community advocates came together at Waterhouse Pavilion to celebrate this years Celebrate nominees.There were five categories for this years awards. The categories were: Collaboration of the Year, Innovation in Action, Volunteer of the Year, Nonprofit Leader of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year.A group of community volunteer judges from in and around the Greater Chattanooga area selected the finalists and the winners.The winner of the Shaw Innovation in Action award is Gaining Ground Grocery. "Gaining Ground Grocery helps fight a problem that many of our neighbors face: access to affordable, healthy food," officials said. "Innovative partnerships with local farms help supply the store, and customers are encouraged to bring their own bags or containers. Now, in Highland Park, which was previously a food desert, this store helps people of all ages, from infants to seniors, have access to meats, produce, eggs and more at the lowest prices possible." To hear more from the winner, click here The winner of the Collaboration of the Year award goes to The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and Habitat for Humanity and their Eviction Prevention Initiative. This initiative focuses on housing stability, with the goals to increase housing stability through legal representation, case management and access to flexible and coordinated funding; to collect and share data to inform the scope of the current eviction crisis and inform policy solutions; and to increase community education and awareness around housing issues and affordability in the community. To hear more from the winner, click here The winner of the Elders Ace Hardware Volunteer of the Year award is Iain Hoefle, who volunteers his time at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. "In the last year alone, Ian has helped lead the team in repurposing pallets into shelves, raising funds to replace tools that were damaged in a flash flood, finding and fixing a leak and teaching other volunteers how to use tools so they can contribute to other projects," officials said. To hear more from the winner, click here The winner of the Roper Corporation Nonprofit Leader of the Year award is Amy Jo Osborn, president and CEO of the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. "Amy suffered a personal tragedy of her own and was able to turn her grief into action, and with the support of her husband, started the Austin Hatcher Foundation," officials said. "Amy projects an essence of vulnerability and passion that inspires others to join in her fight in whatever way possible, whether this be monetarily or by the giving of their time and resources." To hear more from the winner, click here The winner of the Double Cola Nonprofit of the Year award is the Children's Advocacy Center of Hamilton County. This nonprofit works with child protective services, law enforcement, prosecutors and medical and mental health professionals to provide coordinated responses to child abuse victims and non-offending caregivers. They also provide intervention services, clinical services, evidence-based child abuse prevention education programs for both adults and children and so much more. To hear more from the winner, click here Malcolm Harris, director of Culture & Brand Experience at Steam Logistics, was the emcee for the event. Beth Kanter, a well-known thought leader in digital transformation and wellbeing in the nonprofit workplace, was the keynote speaker for the event. Over the past year, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga entrepreneur-in-residence Mike Bradshaw has laid the groundwork for an innovative entrepreneurship program intended to alleviate poverty and increase wealth-building among the economically and socially underrepresented within Chattanoogas urban core.The philosophy behind Urban Vision Initiative is that anyone can be an entrepreneur and that entrepreneurship can be a pathway out of poverty, Mr. Bradshaw said."Approximately 18 percent of Chattanoogans live in poverty, with many starting their own businesses to provide life-sustaining income," officials said."UVI will provide these entrepreneurs with instruction and mentoring to help them grow their businesses and achieve profitability as quickly as possible."As program facilitator, Mr. Bradshaw will match entrepreneurs with the program, introduce and pair UTC student consultants with these entrepreneurs, blend in community mentors and incorporate the knowledge and expertise of University faculty and staff.UVI is collaborating with numerous local partners, most notably LAUNCH Chattanooga, Tech Goes Home, The Company Lab, La Paz, Pathway Lending, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union and the City of Chattanooga.With a mission of fostering and creating 100 sustainable new ventures over the next five years, UVI is ready to launch.Our first cohort is ready to start in the fall and its all very exciting, Mr. Bradshaw said. It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. Those who apply the rule to particular cases, must of necessity expound and interpret that rule. If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each. So if a law be in opposition to the constitution . . . the constitution, and not such ordinary act, must govern the case to which they both apply. With these words in the famous Marbury v. Madison case, Chief Justice John Marshall explained early in our history the essence of the fundamental role of the federal courts in American government. In short, that role is to expound and interpret the law, including the Constitution, to resolve specific disputes. Chief Justice Marshall was not saying that the other two branches of the federal government, the legislative and executive branches, have no role in interpreting the Constitution. Obviously, they do and must have a role. Both branches must follow the Constitution. They cannot do so without an effort to interpret it. In drafting laws, Congress must respect what the Constitution says, and that entails a degree of interpretation. In executing the laws, the President must stay within the bounds of the Constitution. That also entails interpreting the meaning of the Constitution. Inevitably, however, conflicts will arise when the legislative and executive branches differ in their interpretations. For example, Congress may pass a law it thinks is constitutional, but the President may disagree and refuse to enforce it. Or the President may think the executive branch has the power to take certain actions, but Congress may disagree. The nation could not function without a mechanism to resolve such deadlocks between branches over the legitimacy of their actions. So, whose interpretation of the Constitution prevails? Congress, being an elected body, will always be dependent on public opinion. If Congress passes a law that is popular with the people, it is unlikely to then turn around and agree the law it just passed is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. It is also proper for the executive branch to be responsive to the desires of the majority. Both of these branches are designed to be influenced by public opinion, but public opinion can change frequently. This leaves the judicial branch. The judicial branch is not an elected body and thus is insulated from the direct pressure of popular opinion. Federal judges have life tenure, so they can focus on the Constitution and not the momentary desires of the majority of the public. Judges owe their allegiance strictly to the Constitution and laws, rather than any particular segment of the population. And because they have life tenure, they do not turn over in office as frequently as the members of the other branches. Thus, they can take a longer-term view of matters and look beyond the fracas of the moment. This, by design, helps ensure stability in the law and uniformity and consistency in constitutional interpretation. Moreover, interpreting statutes and regulations is what judges do routinely in deciding legal disputes and instructing juries on the law to apply during civil and criminal trials. Interpreting the Constitution fits closely with these duties and within these skill sets. Through the federal courts expounding and interpreting the law, suffocating conflicts between the branches of the federal government are avoided. The federal government and our society also have a definitive source of constitutional interpretation to follow. The wisdom of Chief Justice Marshall still serves us well. * * * Curtis L. Collier United States District Judge Chair, Eastern District of Tennessee Civics and Outreach Committee Carrie Brown Stefaniak Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier Past President, Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association Kristen A. Dupard Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier Charges against James R. Bennett, former Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Memorial Hospital, have been dismissed by the Hamilton County Criminal Court upon motion by the state. Judge Tom Greenholtz signed the order of dismissal. My client, Bob Bennett, lost his job, his license and had to face everything that comes with criminal charges, attorney McCracken Poston said, but we are thankful for a prosecutor who will take new information into consideration. Attorney Poston said that he revealed his sole defense to the prosecutor, and that a fresh look was taken at the case, resulting in the motion to dismiss the case. Mr. Bennett, who was working as an EMT on June 13, 2020, answered a call to an East Ridge residence on an illegal substance overdose case - the second such call regarding the same individual in a matter of a few weeks. The patient was non-responsive, attorney Poston said, and Bob needed to act quickly. He said the video offered by the East Ridge Police to prosecute his client would have been Exhibit A for the Defense. Attorney Poston said that laypersons do not know about EMT training, particularly regarding painful stimuli that EMTs need to apply to assess the depths of unconsciousness of an overdose patient. He said these can involve quite painful measures such as a clavicle pinch or a sternal rub. As we were in the middle of a pandemic, attorney Poston said, getting down next to the face of an unconscious drug abuser was not wise. Attorney Poston said The video did not reveal anything other than a modified application of the initial assessment painful stimuli of short swift kicks to the mans leg, pointing out that this was a method much safer for the emergency responder. He blamed "petty professional jealousies" for the charges being brought in the first place. When an EMT enters the room, they should be in charge, and I think some feelings got hurt when he ordered all of the police officers out of the small bedroom. BUDAPEST, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared a state of emergency immediately after his new government was sworn in on Tuesday. The special legal order takes effect at 12 midnight on May 24. Orban said that the state of emergency will allow the government to use "all tools of the state" and "react immediately" to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "The world is on the brink of an economic crisis," he said, reiterating that Hungary must stay out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the government must protect the financial security of families. Earlier on Tuesday, Hungary's Parliament amended the country's constitution to enable the government to introduce a special legal order and declare a state of emergency in case of an armed conflict, war or humanitarian disaster in a neighboring country. The legislation was approved with 136 votes for and 36 against. The amended constitution enables the government to suspend some laws or deviate from their stipulations to ensure the security of residents and their assets, as well as the stability of the national economy. The Constitutional Court, if requested, must review the measures taken by the government. Marcus & Millichap announced Tuesday the sale of All Seasons Storage, a 48,275-square-foot self-storage facility located in Chattanooga. "Chattanooga has experienced a flurry of activity over the past 18 to 24 months, as investors flock to this secondary market that offers stability, population growth and solid cash flows, said Anne Williams-Blackwell, first vice president investments in the firms Memphis office. "We ran a competitive marketing campaign that resulted in 12 offers from strong, qualified groups." Williams-Blackwell had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, a Tennessee-based limited liability company. The buyer, a private investor, was also secured by Williams-Blackwell. All Seasons Storage is at 4305 Benton Dr. It consists of 323 total units, all of which are climate-controlled. The facility is equipped with a large rental office, four loading docks and advanced security features. The facility was constructed in 1998 and sits on 3.80 acres of land. TL;DR: Paul McCartney said one of the songs from The Beatles Revolver is about marijuana. Paul said marijuana expanded his mind. The song was a hit in the United States but not the United Kingdom. The Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison | Michael Ochs Archives / Handout Paul McCartney revealed one of the songs from The Beatles Revolver is about cannabis. Subsequently, the song did not become a hit until years after the Fab Four disbanded. Paul compared writing a song about marijuana to writing a song about chocolate. What Paul McCartney was saying when he wrote a song from The Beatles Revolver In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed his relationship with marijuana. Id been a rather straight working-class lad, but when we started to get into pot, it seemed to me to be quite uplifting, he said. It didnt seem to have too many side effects like alcohol or some of the other stuff, like pills, which I pretty much kept off. Paul revealed how marijuana inspired one of The Beatles songs. I didnt have a hard time with it and to me it was mind-expanding, literally mind-expanding, he said. So Got to Get You into My Life is really a song about that, its not to a person, its actually about pot. RELATED: John Lennons Son Named His 2 Favorite Beatles Songs Even Though He Hates Being Asked About That Paul McCartney said writing the song was like writing a song about claret Paul compared writing Got to Get You into My Life to writing a song about chocolate. Its saying, Im going to do this. This is not a bad idea,' he revealed. So its actually an ode to pot, like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret. It wouldnt be the first time in history someones done it, but in my case it was the first flush of pot. Paul revealed he preferred marijuana to alcohol. He deemed the former less harmful. The Beatle opined marijuana causes people to fall asleep rather than commit murder. RELATED: The Beatles: John Lennon and Paul McCartney Used These 2 Words in Their Song Titles and Lyrics to Connect to Fans How The Beatles Got to Get You into My Life performed on the charts in the United States and the United Kingdom The Beatles first released Got to Get You into My Life on their 1966 album Revolver. It wasnt initially a single. The Beatles disbanded in 1970. 1976 saw the release of the Fab Four compilation album Rock n Roll Music. Afterward, Got to Get You into My Life reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 16 weeks. Rock n Roll Music peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the chart for 30 weeks. On the other hand, Got to Get You into My Life was not a single in the United Kingdom. The Official Charts Company reports the song never charted there. Meanwhile, Rock n Roll Music hit No. 11 in the U.K. and stayed on the chart for 15 weeks. It took several years, but radio stations eventually embraced Pauls ode to marijuana. RELATED: Paul McCartney Said Making The Beatles We Can Work It Out Was Like Doing Improv Comedy 90 Day Fiance Season 7 cast member, Guillermo reveals that his finacee, Karas drinking habits are becoming a problem for him. He said that it makes him feel uncomfortable. Could their differing lifestyles cause them to break up? Guillermo and Kara, 90 Day Fiance Season 9 | TLC Kara and Guillermos journey on 90 Day Fiance so far 29-year-old Kara fell in love with 23-year-old Guillermo while on a work trip to the Dominican Republic. After returning home, the two kept in contact but didnt think they could maintain a long-distance relationship. However, when Karas job relocated her to the Dominican Republic, everything changed for the couple. After Kara moved in with Guillermo in the Dominican Republic, the two became engaged. However, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Kara had to move back home to Charlottesville, Va. Nine months later, Guillermos K-1 visa was approved. Now Guillermo is in the United States, ready to start his new life with his fiancee. Guillermo says Karas drinking makes him feel uncomfortable On the May 22 episode of 90 Day Fiance, Karas friends, Hillary and Cooper, meet Guillermo for the first time and ask many questions regarding their relationship. Hillary asked Guillermo if there was anything Kara did that he didnt like. He replied, When Kara drinks, a lot. He explained, At some point, she wants to just keep going and never stop. And [its] so bad to say every time that you drink, I know almost exactly how its gonna end. Hillary asks Guillermo, How does it end? He explains, Drunk. Not remembering what happened the last night. Kara chimes in, I probably remember the beginning of it. He says, But I would love to enjoy the whole thing. When speaking to the cameras, Hillary agrees that Kara likes to live life on Karas terms and sometimes lacks regard for her fiance. Guillermo tells the cameras, Sometimes she know [sic] what makes me feel uncomfortable, and she still wants to do it. He explained that on the nights out when he wants to go back home, Kara refuses to leave. She said, I hate being the first people to leave a party. Kara doesnt see her drinking as an issue During the meal, Hillary asks the 90 Day Fiance couple, Do you guys feel like you fight more when Karas drinking? Kara answers, Absolutely. Guillermo says that Kara always promises to try to control her drinking. And even Kara agrees that she could try harder because theres always room for improvement. However, if Kara chooses to keep drinking, Guillermo wont try to stop her. He said, I wont tell her that she cannot do it, but definitely, she will have to understand that always I will have a limit. Will Karas outgoing lifestyle be too much for Guillermo? With only 90 days to get married, it will be interesting to see if this couple will overcome their differences and make it down the aisle. 90 Day Fiance Season 9 airs Sundays at 8 pm EST on TLC. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance Spoilers: Do Bilal and Shaeeda Get Married in Season 9? Kanye West has left his imprint on pop culture over the past two decades, and the Donda rapper is nowhere near done. His latest project: redesigning the packaging used by fast-food giant McDonalds with all their orders. Kanye West performs during Coachella | Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Kanye West is redesigning the McDonalds packaging Ye first teased his collaboration with McDonalds on his Instagram Stories. He included a photo of a reimagined McDonalds box with the outside resembling a cheeseburger and the top containing the companys iconic Golden Arches logo. The post contained the caption Next week its the fries, a reference to his 2005 smash hit Gold Digger: He got that ambition, baby, look at his eyes / This week he moppin floors, next week its the fries / So stick by his side. Returning from his social media hiatus, Ye then shared a post on Instagram that clarified what he was doing. Hes teaming up with Muji industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa to redesign McDonalds packaging. Ye teams up with legendary Muji industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa to reimagine McDonalds packaging, the caption read. TMZ reported that Yeezy was spotted with girlfriend Chaney Jones in Japan, where he was possibly working with Naoto Fukasawa on finalizing their packaging ideas. Yes first entry into the fast-food world was back in 2008. The Chicago rapper opened two Fatburger locations in his home city. RELATED: Kid Cudi Will Never Collaborate With Kanye West Again: I Am Not Cool With That Man Kanye Wests history with McDonalds Its not surprising to see Ye teaming up with McDonalds for a collaboration. The two household names worked together early in 2022: the rapper starred in the fast-food giants Super Bowl LVI commercial, where he found himself in the all-too-familiar situation of being at the drive-thru and not knowing what to order, asking for Let me get uhhhhh Ye has a history of expressing his love for McDonalds going back years. In 2016, he wrote poem titled The McDonalds Man about the iconic fast food restaurant. The tribute was published in Frank Oceans Boys Dont Cry magazine. RELATED: Roc-A-Fella Co-Founder Dame Dash Never Expected Kanye Wests Rise to Fame Yes other business ventures In recent years, Ye has become known for his own business ventures under his own name, including his Stem Player audio device and GOOD Music record label. But hes also collaborated with other major brands in the past and contributed much more than just his name. Over the years, Ye has signed collaboration deals with brands like Nike and Adidas. In 2015, he premiered his clothing line with Adidas in the Yeezy Season 1 show. Since then, Yeezy has had several drops with apparel of all kinds, in addition to shoes. In May 2021, Ye penned a 10-year deal with clothing retailer giant GAP for a new Yeezy GAP clothing line. The first piece from the collection a blue down jacket was released in June 2021. RELATED: Kanye Wests Donda 2 Album Is Coming Sooner Than You Think We are now hiring for our site in Ludwigshafen/Rhine a highly motivated Senior TPM PQA Analyst (all genders) to support our diverse team. REF: 2206830 Duties The Senior Product Quality Assurance (PQA) Analyst has various objectives / functions related to Third Party Manufacturer (TPM) plants and PQA functions. During routine operations, the Senior PQA Analyst is responsible for supporting the day-to-day Quality Assurance activities related to the TPM plants including but not limited to review and approval of master batch records, testing specifications, manufacturing investigations including assessment of product impact, effectivity of corrective and preventive actions as well as review and approval of changes. The Senior PQA Analyst also is responsible to monitor process capabilities and trends and to perform annual Product Quality Reviews. The responsibility is for revision of Quality Technical Agreements, too. This person also acts as a liaison between AbbVie regulatory areas and TPMs for regulatory submission. Your Job is to: Maintain an effective liaison and cooperative relationship with other AbbVie areas including but not limited to Quality, Regulatory, Technical, Supply Chain, along with the TPM Ensure that drug product production at TPMs is performed as per current good manufacturing practices, according to local procedures and as per specifications provided by AbbVie Ensure TPM procedures are in compliance with cGMP, policies, regulatory approvals, and Quality Technical Agreements Provide support to PQA in global compliance projects Ensure investigations of quality events at TPMs, e.g. process, laboratory, primary packaging materials are completed in a thorough and timely manner, and documented accurately, including adequate product impact analyses and definition of effective corrective and preventive actions Perform Product Quality Reviews according to AbbVie global procedure to comply with regulatory requirements Participate in the Trend Review Board to monitor process track and trending Participate in the Global Change Review Board to evaluate global changes related but not limited to supplier change notifications, process, laboratory, and regulatory submissions Generate change management plans related to TPMs including planning, risk analysis, and implementation Requirements Qualifications: Master's degree preferably in pharmaceutical sciences or equivalent field of study or other equivalent education as well Minimum of six years of experience within pharmaceutical operations, preferably Biologics manufacturing processes Knowledge of cGMP regulations and standards affecting pharmaceutical products Comprehensive knowledge and application of business processes and quality management concepts Strong analytical skills and attention to detail Experience in management of changes and exceptions Profound knowledge in Trackwise Proven ability to adapt the communication style for a variety of modes as well as for multicultural audiences Strong interpersonal relations and proficient communications skills in German and English Ability to effectively communicate, e.g. explain complex content in simplified form, across all levels of the organization Company AbbVies mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on peoples lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, womens health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. Want to be part of a high performing team? We offer that Ready to invest in your career? We offer that too Welcome to AbbVie! At AbbVie, we offer you the resources and a global reach to empower your innovative mindset. From day one, weve known it takes teamwork and collaboration to develop the scientific breakthroughs, innovative pipelines, and therapies that change millions of patients lives around the world. In short, we know it takes you to make those ground-breaking advancements happen. We take pride in serving and supporting our communities and protecting the environment, making a lasting impact that's felt within healthcare and beyond. The scene of a fatality car crash, June 2, 2021, in Tulsa, Okla. Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the highways after the pandemic forced many to stay at home. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began its fatality data collection system in 1975. LONDON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces and their local support personnel from Afghanistan last year was a "disaster" and there had been "systemic failures" of intelligence, diplomacy and planning, an inquiry by members of Parliament (MPs) has found. "The UK government failed adequately to shape or respond to Washington's decision to withdraw, to predict the speed of the Taliban's takeover, or to plan and prepare for the evacuation of our Afghan partners," said a report published by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons (lower house of Parliament) on Tuesday. The committee said it had lost confidence in Philip Barton, permanent under-secretary in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and urged him to "consider his position." U.S.-led coalition of international forces completed withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, 2021, ending a 20-year occupation. Claiming to be in pursuit of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, the U.S.-led military forces invaded Afghanistan, causing more than 30,000 civilian deaths, injuring more than 60,000 and resulting in estimated 11 million refugees. In February 2020, then U.S. President Donald Trump signed a withdrawal deal from Afghanistan with the Taliban. Concurrent with the exit of the coalition of forces, the Taliban quickly regained control of Afghanistan in mid-August last year. A survey released by evangelical organizations in the United Kingdom last month found that, while around half of the countrys population identify as Christian, only 6 percent are practicing and active enough in their faith to attend church at least once a month. The attendance decline is one reason over 2,000 churches have closed during the last decade. Communities are grappling with whether or how to save the historic buildings as new expressions emerge through church planting. If you were running a commercial organization, and you had a branch on every single High Street in the country but dwindling numbers of people visiting them, you would go bust if you didnt close some branches, said Theos senior fellow Nick Spencer. That is the reality facing the church. The number of churches in the UK fell from 42,000 to 39,800 in a ten-year span, according to a 2021 report from the Brierley Research Consultancy. If you have churches in rural areas, and there are fewer people going into them, and indeed fewer people living in rural areas, and you dont have the money to keep churches going, then theyre likely to close, Spencer said. A recent report from the Church of England found that up to 368 churches could be at risk for closure in the next two to five years, though the church said the rate of closure is slowing. These numbers of course dont take other denominations into account, but many of the buildings belong to the Anglican Church. Declines in attendanceand, in turn, involvement and givinghave left churches with fewer resources to maintain their aging buildings. Even churches with a fairly large worshiping body might not be able to afford repairs and restoration for churches that are hundreds of years old. National Churches Trust and other nonprofits can help bridge this gap, eager to preserve the spaces that have played such a meaningful role in peoples lives and communities. A historic and beautiful church building reminds you that you are part of a bigger story than your own life, one that spans the centuries, wrote Lucy Winkett, rector of St. Jamess Church in Piccadilly. The truth is that as people and as a society we need church buildings. At their best, they are public spaces with low barriers to entry (thresholds), that are open just because theyre open, free and easy to enter, inclusive, adaptable, beautiful, with a strong tradition of connection across time and space. The history and tradition that Winkett describes are of great importance to many across the UK who want to see local church buildings preserved even if they dont attend. We would very much like as many churches as possible to remain open because of that local [connection], Eddie Tulasiewicz of National Churches Trust explained. [The church] means something to the people who live there. People are buried in the graveyard. There are memorials to people who may have done something important or lived there. Its the history, which could be 50 years old, could be 200 years old, could be 1,000 years old. Urbanization has affected churches that once had a village to sustain them. Spencer explains that, for some rural churches, this local connection and history might be about all thats left in a village. In many of the villages in which the church still exists, the local post office, the local bank, the local shop and the local pub have closed, and the church is often the last public building there, he said. The church is synonymous with the history and identity of these villages. Back in 2019, Brierley found that churches outnumbered pubs in the UK, since they too had been steadily closing. Grants help struggling churches make repairs, but not all are able to remain open. Sometimes smaller churches close and consolidate with a larger church at a central location. Other times church buildings can be repurposed for other uses. Meanwhile, churches themselves are meeting in new spaces according to community needs. Ive never known such innovation in the UK, with church planting in different places in different communities, said Gavin Calver, CEO of the Evangelical Alliance UK. People are planting churches in coffee shops or in homes, and a lot of this church planting wouldnt be measured. Im excited about a fresh move of God in the UK, and the measure for that will not be how many church buildings we have, itll be how many active disciples we have, and Im not sure those two things give you the same answer. With the exception of some larger Anglican churches, research has shown that immigrant churches and Black-majority churches are growing fastest as British demographics shift. Immigration is changing the face of religion in Europe, religion in the UK and Christianity in the UK, Spencer said. Migrant churches will meet in the school halls or cinemas. They are more focused on the people and community element than the building element. A Theos report found that London is one of the most religious places in the country, largely because of the immigrant population. The challenge and opportunity remain with younger generations because 86 percent of people that come to faith in the United Kingdom are under 25, Calver said. Church buildings will continue to decay. Some will be saved, while others will be repurposed or demolished. However, Calver firmly believes God has given the UK church a tremendous opportunity. Were living in an incredible moment. Im not going to deny that buildings have been closed or closing, but Im excited about new expressions of church, he said. Im not going to deny that the number of people in the UK that would normally call themselves Christian is going down. But Im excited about the number that might come to know Jesus in a powerful, personal way. Were living in an incredibly exciting time where the spiritual temperature of the United Kingdom could be transformed. Matthew D. Kim is no stranger to pain, either personally or as a pastor. In Preaching to People in Pain: How Suffering Can Shape Your Sermons and Connect with Your Congregationwhich won CTs 2022 Book Award for church and pastoral leadershipKim encourages preachers not to avoid addressing pain from the pulpit. Kim served for many years as the director of the Haddon W. Robinson Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Hes recently been appointed the Hubert H. and Gladys S. Raborn Chair of Pastoral Leadership at Baylor Universitys George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Author and Denver Seminary professor Angie Ward spoke with him about how preaching to pain is a critical aspect of church health. Your book focuses on an often-overlooked reality for preachers: In any congregation receiving a sermon, there will be listeners who are in pain. To begin, how do you define pain and suffering? Pain is something thats universal and yet also so individualized. Even though we all share in pain, were not going to experience or process pain and suffering in exactly the same way. So I would say that suffering and pain are about where we each experience discouragement or loss. They have to do with an internal discouragement, frustration, or anger with a situation and feelings of hopelessness about it. In your book, you mention six universal types of pain: painful decisions, painful finances, painful health issues, painful losses, painful relationships, and painful sins. Have you seen an increase in particular types of pain over the past two years? I think most of us recognize that loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues seem to be at the forefront in our culture today, along with relational trials. Theres so much relational strife and divisioneven Christians not being able to speak to each other, not being able to find a place of unity in Christ. Even though we are Christians, weve allowed our identities and the things that we hold dear to divide us, especially in the last couple of years. What part should lament play in church health? How do you preach and lead lament from the pulpit? As a Christian culture, we often want to push aside how were really doing emotionally, but Peter Scazzero and others have talked about the importance of being emotionally healthy, especially as spiritual leaders. How we talk about pain from the pulpitor if we dont talk about itcommunicates a lot to the church in terms of whether or not its a taboo subject. I would like to see us, as a Christian community, be able to embrace how were feeling, even if its not always joyful. We can lead by not always putting on our Sunday face that communicates Im doing fine and tries to hide those issues. This doesnt mean that we need to be a completely open book and share everything from the pulpit. There should be discernment and wisdom in considering: Is this the right time to talk about these issues? Should I use self-disclosure or be vulnerable in the pulpit right now? What is proper in this moment? But at the same time, in my view the church is a hospital. We are able to be vulnerable and care for each other as a Christian community, which means that I can share from the pulpit about struggles Im having. Doing so can normalize an openness about pain so that it feels less taboo to talk about these things. In my own pulpit supply in the past few years, if its warranted in the sermon, Ill purposefully share about my own pain. Specifically, Ill share about the pain of losing my brother six years ago to murder. To give an example of what happens when I do this, one time after I preached about it, a lady came up to me and she started weeping. I wasnt sure why, but eventually she shared with me, My daughter was murdered two years ago. I never realized any pastor would ever speak about this issue from the pulpit. Essentially she was saying, Im surprised the Holy Spirit led you to talk about this so openly. Preaching lament is the ability to verbalize what were going through and to be able to make space for it. If we dont talk about these issues, were just allowing the Evil One to make us all feel like were on this journey alone. What are good ways for pastors to work on their own health before they bring their pain to the congregation? We need to remove the stigma around clergy receiving mental health care. We desire to be healthy pastors, but often pastors are not able to articulate their own personal pain to anyone. So I think the first thing is finding trusted people who love and care for usa leader, a friend, a mental health care professionaland being able to talk about these issues. But then we should also get leadership input in terms of, should I preach about this topic or not, or is this something that is unwise to do right now? You write that one of the roles of a preacher is to help listeners receive comfort from God, and it seems to me that a part of health for both the preacher and the congregation is dependence on God rather than on the pastor as an ongoing caregiver. As a preacher, how do you help move people from the Sunday-morning word from you to deeper dependence on God? Most of uspreachers and laypeople alikeare so busy that we dont make time for our own spiritual journey in terms of processing our hurt or the comfort we desire. I encourage congregants to protect space in their week to make this a regular practice in their lives: to invite God into the spaces where weve closed off to him, and to ask God to help us process some of the areas of our lives that we dont want to talk about openly with God or with other people. This can become a regular rhythm in our lives, where were able to spend some time in daily surrender, asking the Spirit to reveal the areas of our lives where were really struggling. I encourage daily surrender time, to invite God into the conversation. We often may counsel against sin and making bad choices from the pulpit, aiming to help listeners cultivate wisdom. But sometimes we can forget that those in our pews have already made bad decisions and theyre experiencing pain as a result. How can preachers challenge and comfort listeners at the same time? One of the things thats beautiful about preaching is that God speaks to people in different ways through the same sermon. One of the practices I do with my seminary students is I encourage them to think of who they know and then to write a sermon for that one person in the church. This helps prevent getting overwhelmed by all the different types of pain in the room. Write the entire sermon for that one person, and just see what God does. Ive done that in my own ministry. Sometimes Ill write a sermon with one specific person in mind, but after preaching, a totally different person will come up to me and say, How did you know that is going on in my life? I tell them, I didnt. That was God. God is able to do far beyond what we expect or envision for our sermons. There are also moments when we need to confront sin. Scripture tells us we are to challenge and rebuke with patience and great instruction, so as we confront sin or bad choices, we need to think through things like our tone: How are we conveying the truth of Gods Word in a loving, pastoral, encouraging way? One Sunday I spoke at a church, and I was trying to make the point that we are accountable for our sins. Afterward, a woman sat down next to me, and she was very angry. In short, she told me, I had an abortion seven years ago, and the Bible promises that God would not remember my sins. So why are you bringing up my sin? I was speechless at that point, so I just prayed with her. Then I said, Im sorry. If the Holy Spirit is confronting you or speaking into your life about something, I believe that is Gods work. But I didnt intend for this kind of response because I didnt know about your situation, and Im sorry. Because of these types of potential reactions from listeners, we can be afraid to speak about those issues from the pulpit. But we can challenge and confront our listeners and say, Maybe God is doing some kind of work in your life. Maybe God is trying to heal you of this. Yes, were accountable for our sins, but yes, God also promises that he remembers our sins no more. So I try to do both in my preachingbut ultimately it is up to the work of God moving in that persons life. This article is part of our spring CT Pastors issue exploring church health. You can find the full issue here. Maine Department of Education removes kindergarten LGBT lesson from website following backlash The Maine Department of Education has removed a video introducing the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity to kindergarten students from its website after it became the subject of an attack ad in the states upcoming gubernatorial election. The Maine Republican Party, which is seeking to defeat incumbent Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in the gubernatorial election this fall, released an ad last week alleging that Mills spent $2.8 million in taxpayer funding on radical school lessons. The ad features a clip from a lesson plan designed for kindergarten students. In the clip, teacher Kailina Mills described trans-identified individuals as people the doctors made a mistake about when they were born. She suggested that when a baby is born, the doctors will tell the parents what gender they think that baby is. Some people, when they get a little bit older, realize what the doctors said was not right, she claimed. The ad cut back to a narrator asking, Is this really what our kids should be learning in kindergarten, instead of math, science and reading? The video concluded by lambasting Mills agenda as just wrong for our kids and for Maine. The lesson on transgenderism is a portion of a six-minute video titled Freedom Holidays, which was part of the states Kindergarten MOOSE Module. As explained by the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Opportunities for Online Sustained Education module was created to leverage the expertise of Maine educators to develop a free resource for online learning and address the inequitable access to in-person education faced by Maine students at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resource consists of 300 project-based, interdisciplinary modules designed for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, including the controversial Freedom Holidays video featuring Kailina Mills. Mills announced on Facebook Friday that the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) and Mills administration caved to pressure instead of standing up for some of the most vulnerable people, families, and students in Maine by removing the video from the MOOSE Module. The MOOSE Module website, as captured by the internet archiving tool the Wayback Machine on May 3, featured a module titled Freedom Holidays: Celebrating an American Summer, one of several community modules designed for students in pre-kindergarten through second grade. The link to the module now lands on a page reading Access Denied, indicating that the video has been removed from the website. The video is still available on YouTube. We have learned about the Fourth of July, which celebrates the freedom of the United States from Great Britain. Weve learned about Juneteenth, which celebrates the freedom of enslaved people. Weve learned about Womens Equality Day, which celebrates the freedom of women to vote, Mills said in the video. The lesson quickly devolved into a discussion on the LGBT movement. At this point in United States history, lots of people are free: free to vote, free to buy land and own homes, free to have a bank account, free to have a job that pays them money, free to do lots of things, but not everyone was free yet, she maintained. People in this country who are LGBT-plus, were not free, she declared. She acknowledged that kindergarten students might have never heard that term before outlining what each letter in the acronym stands for. Mills identified lesbians as women who love other women, gays as men who love other men, and bisexuals as people who love both men and women. When Mills got around to explaining what the T in the acronym stands for, she made the statements featured in the Maine Republican Partys ad. She explained that when LGBT people get older, they might say the doctors told me that I was a man, but Im really a woman. Mills maintained that when they grow up and they can tell people that the doctors made a mistake about their gender, then they can transition to be the gender that they actually are. She characterized transgender men as people who the doctors thought was a woman when they were born, but when they grew up, they could tell people that theyre actually a man and so they transition to be a man and transgender women as the opposite. The video also touched upon the + in the LGBT+ acronym, designed to represent a lot of other people who love in ways that society hasnt always allowed. She recalled a time when only men and women were allowed to love each other and women were not allowed to love other women, men were not allowed to love other men, people were not allowed to transition to a different gender, classifying that time in American history as wrong. Back then, when people were not allowed to love who they wanted to love or to be who they wanted to be, they were not able to live freely or happily. Additionally, the video highlighted the movement for LGBT people to get the same rights as everyone else. Mills incorrectly stated that the U.S. Supreme Court decided that everyone can marry each other in 2014. The Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, which she was referring to, came down in 2015. Anyone can marry who they want to because love is love, the teacher summarized the decision as concluding. After praising Obergefell as a huge success for the LGBT-plus movement, she said that people had to fight so that they could live the way they wanted to live. Mills concluded the video by indicating that were going to learn today about three famous LGBT activists who fought so that they could love who they wanted to love and they could be who they wanted to be and fought so that all LGBT people could be free and be who they wanted to be and love whoever they wanted to love. She announced that youre going to watch three videos about those people, and then youre going to do a writing activity. While the Freedom Holidays video has received heightened attention following last weeks ad, the Twitter account Libs of TikTok posted an excerpt of the video on May 1. The account also reported that the lesson goes on and encourages 5-year-olds to celebrate pride and attend pride parades. Screenshots of the lesson plan reveal a video about Pride Parades as well as an encouragement to share your pride parade float with your family and talk with them about the way your float shows LOVE for the world. The Maine Dept of Education has resources for teachers on their website. This resource is for kindergartners and it discusses the LGBT acronym. For trans, the teacher explains that doctors decide a babys gender and are sometimes wrong. The official Maine DOE is promoting this. pic.twitter.com/Y6DE3lb2FL Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 2, 2022 Mills completely defended the content of her video in her Facebook post: It is a fact that I have taught preschool students who are transgender and non-binary, and it is a fact that I have worked with parents who are L, G, B, and T. Those children and those families deserve to be represented in their school curriculum. Public schools are for everyone and should, therefore, include everyone. Just because a topic might feel difficult to discuss does not mean that children arent ready for it, she added. As a teacher with both a BA and M.Ed in Early Childhood Education, I know that discussing gender in all its varieties is age-appropriate for kindergarten students. I know that discussing different kinds of family structures (two moms, two dads, single moms, single dads, grandparents, adoption, etc.) is also age-appropriate. In her Facebook post, Mills pointed to an article from the Journal of the American Medical Association contending that gender identity typically becomes constant at ages 5-7 years as the justification for bringing up the topic with young children. Using accurate pronouns and receiving affirmation from families, teachers, peers, and doctors is suicide prevention, and this affirming care must begin as early as kindergarten because thats when children are solidifying their gender identity," She said. Deriding the removal of her module from the MOOSE Module curriculum as discrimination, Mills implied that if Republicans had taken issue with the Juneteenth portion of the Freedom Holidays unit because it included black people, I believe the MDOE and the Mills campaign would have reacted differently because they know that removing black people from the curriculum would be discrimination. She asked, Why are Republicans attacks on LGBT+ children and families any different? It is incredibly disappointing to see the MDOE and the Mills administration cave to that pressure. Our students deserve better than this. Our students deserve an inclusive community for all. The removal of the Freedom Holidays video from the MOOSE Module curriculum comes as Mills faces a challenging reelection bid from former Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The most recent poll of the race was conducted by Pan Atlantic Research and found Mills leading LePage 46% to 42%, within the margin of error. Mills was elected to office in 2018, capturing 50.9% of the vote against Republican Shawn Moody and Independent candidate Terry Hayes. The outrage over the Freedom Holidays video comes as parents and community members across the U.S. have descended on school board meetings to express concern about sexually explicit material included in school curricula and libraries. The 1776 Project PAC, which supports school board candidates opposed to including sexually explicit material and critical race theory in the classroom, saw its candidates perform quite well in school board elections that took place in Texas last month. National School Boards Association mulled asking Biden to deploy military to local meetings White House staffer had 'advance knowledge' of controversial letter The National School Boards Association considered asking the White House to deploy the Army National Guard and military police to maintain order at local school board meetings, according to the findings of an independent review released by the organization on Friday. An early draft letter addressed to President Joe Biden released May 20 as part of the review asked that the Army National Guard and its Military Police be "deployed [in egregious circumstances] to certain school districts and related events where students and school personnel have been subjected to acts and threats of violence." That language was later removed, according to the review. Last October, emails made public showed the NSBA consulted with the Biden administration when crafting the Sept. 29, 2021, letter. Critics alleged the NSBA letter likened the activism of concerned parents to "domestic terrorism" and prompted a memo from Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting the FBI to work with local law enforcement to address threats against school officials. It was later reported that NSBA leadership had "been engaged with the White House for several weeks" leading up to the organization's letter. The letter asked the U.S. Department of Justice to mobilize law enforcement agencies to respond to "threats and acts of violence against public schoolchildren, public school board members, and other public school district officials and educators." Some of the "threats" cited by the letter included pushback from parents over COVID-19 mask mandates, "anti-mask proponents" and the confrontation of school boards by "angry mobs" that have led school boards to "end meetings abruptly." Following the public backlash to the letter, the NSBA retained attorney Philip Kiko to conduct the independent review. The organization vows the review "was conducted independently from the influence of the NSBA, its staff, and Board of Directors." As part of the review, attorneys interviewed 30 people, including NSBA staff, and issued formal FOIA requests for any information and documents to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The review concluded that the letter was "principally directed, reviewed, and approved by" NSBA's former Interim Director and CEO Chip Slaven. Slaven is said to be responsible for the letter's "origin and substance." The review also found that four board officers reviewed the letter: Slaven, NSBA Program Director Deborah Rigsby, NSBA's Interim Chief Advocacy Officer Jane Mellow and NSBA's Director of Communications Jason Amos. Other than review by those four officers, the letter was not widely reviewed or approved within the organization, and the finalized letter was not disclosed to the full NSBA Board of Directors or NSBA members until after it was submitted, according to the report. Notably, the review also "did not find evidence that most NSBA officers, board members, senior staff, or executives contributed to or were aware of the letter while the letter was being drafted." "As you saw in the report, a draft of the letter was shared with the Board Officers," NSBA Board President Frank S. Henderson Jr. said in a statement. "We regret that we did not review the letter more closely at the time. We apologized in 2021 and acknowledged that the letter should have never been sent the sentiments shared do not represent the Board's views or the views of the NSBA. "We are focused now on implementing processes to ensure this does not happen again." The review also found White House Senior Advisor to the President Mary C. Wall "had advance knowledge of the planned letter and its specific contents and interacted with Mr. Slaven regarding the letter during its drafting." However, the review did not find any "direct or indirect evidence suggesting the Administration requested the letter." "Evidence indicates that White House officials discussed the existence of the Letter, its requests, and the contents of the Letter with Department of Justice officials more than a week before the Letter was finalized and sent to President Biden," the review stated. The report found that the initial draft letter was written shortly after Sept. 9, 2021, when Slaven directed Rigsby via Mellow to do so. Slaven told investigators conducting the review that he decided to send the letter after reading a Sept. 8 Politico article entitled "Critical race theory turning school boards into GOP proving grounds." The report quoted him as saying he was influenced by the article, which mentioned members of the far-right "Proud Boys" attending school board meetings in New Hampshire. On Sept. 9, Slaven took part in a White House conference call regarding the Biden administration's upcoming announcement on its plan to "stop the Delta variant and boost COVID-19 vaccinations." According to the report, Slaven emailed NSBA staff while he was on the conference call and instructed them to draft a statement on the plan. In response, the NSBA drafted a statement that cited "in-person threats, abuse, and harassment" against school boards over COVID and masking policies. While Slaven considered requesting federal intervention as early as August 2021, he did not take such action until the Sept. 9 draft, the review states. As NSBA's primary spokesman, Amos worked closely with Slaven and Mellow to "provide advance copies of the Letter to media outlets and to intentionally draw significant attention to the Letter both before and after it was publicly released." In October, U.S. Attorney General Garland sent a memorandum directing the FBI to "convene meetings with federal, state, local, tribal and territorial leaders within 30 days" to "facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff." Within weeks following the letter's release, 18 state affiliates announced intentions to cut ties with the NSBA, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Virginia. The Christian Post asked NSBA for comment but was informed the organization won't provide further comment at this time. Southern Baptist leaders vow to release database of sexual abusers, apologize to victims Leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention publicly apologized to victims of sexual abuse within the denomination and vowed to make public a private database of offenders in response to an explosive report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and cover-up. On Tuesday, SBC leaders gathered to discuss a historic investigation report from Guidepost Solutions that found that the denomination's leadership mishandled widespread sexual abuse allegations, ignored and silenced victims and engaged in an abusive pattern of intimidation largely to avoid liability. Released Sunday, the nearly 300-page report covered a period from Jan. 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021. The report was promised to be delivered ahead of the denomination's annual meeting set for Anaheim, California, in June. With 13 million members, SBC is the largest Protestant body in the United States. SBC Executive Committee Chairman Roland Slade began Tuesday's meeting by stressing that while SBC leadership is "lamenting" the findings, it's not a time for "inaction." "Now that we know, we need to do better," he said. "The first thing that we need to do is turn to God. We need to express to God our frustration, our anger, our hurt, our disdain for what has happened, what we have found out; God's big enough to handle it." Willie McLaurin, interim president of the Executive Committee, apologized to survivors. "Now is the time to change the culture," McLaurin said. "We need to be proactive in our openness, in our transparency from this moment forward. That's the absolute bare minimum we must do." As the SBC moves forward, Slade stressed the need for the convention to "fall back on God." "We only have this opportunity, and we've got to get it right. We can't rush into it. We can't come up with half-baked solutions," Slade, the pastor of Meridian Baptist Church in El Cajon, California, said. "We have to know that God will work this out for the good of His glory. This is a time when we turn to God. We are not done. We have work to do, but we are changing direction, and today is the first step in what will be more steps and more action that we're going to take." SBC President Ed Litton said the Executive Committee must respond promptly to the report, reminding attendees that "we need to be mindful that the world is watching." He emphasized that "a great wrong has taken place." "They don't need to see business as usual," he said. "We're not going to get another opportunity to do this right." In a non-binding vote and after a brief discussion, nearly all executive committee members said they would support a statement repudiating statements that denigrated survivors, including a Sept. 29, 2006 statement by then-SBC Executive Committee Vice President and General Counsel, D. August Boto. At the time, Boto concluded that a "continued discourse between us [the Executive Committee and survivor advocates] will not be positive or fruitful." In its statement, the SBC Executive Committee said it "rejects this sentiment in its entirety and seeks to publicly repent for its failure to rectify this position and wholeheartedly listen to survivors." "Today, in the immediate aftermath of the report's release, the SBC Executive Committee seeks to make clear that it views engaging with survivors as a critical step toward healing our Convention from the scourge of sexual abuse and working to avoid its continued impact on our loved ones, their families, and our network of churches," the statement reads. Among other misdeeds, the Guidepost report found that since 2007, an Executive Committee staff member working for Boto had been collecting a private list of accused ministers in Baptist churches, including the ministers' names, years reported and relevant news articles, states and denominations. On Tuesday, Executive Committee leaders said they would make public that private database of offenders after redacting "all survivor names, confidential witness names and any unsubstantiated allegations." The SBC Executive Committee is diligently reviewing the list of offenders and abusers referenced in the Guidepost report with the goal of making as much of the report public as quickly as possible," McLaurin said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "As mentioned during the meeting on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, names of survivors, any confidential witnesses, and details regarding any unsubstantiated allegations will be redacted before the document is published. That work is being done carefully and as quickly as possible, with an anticipated release date of Thursday, May 26, 2022. Additional information will be provided with the release of the list." The committee is also reviewing the possibility of revoking Boto's retirement benefits and those of others named in the report. "The path that led us to this moment was ugly. There was lots of bad judgment and poor leadership that brought us here," one SBC leader commented. Reflecting on how the SBC can come alongside survivors in the coming months, Scarlett Nokes, a counsel with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, the legal firm assisting in document curation and collection related to Guidepost investigation, stressed the importance of "gentleness." "We need to be gentle with survivors," she said. "We need to be engaging. We need to be authentic. And we also need to be gentle with one another. Being gentle with those around us allows God's love to shine through us. And I think that's especially important when dealing with the survivor community." According to McLaurin, the Executive Committee is working to "enter into an agreement with Guidepost Solutions to provide and operate a hotline number to answer and care for all the individuals calling various Baptist entities and Guidepost to report abuse." "The SBC Executive Committee is committed to ensuring each and every individual impacted by sexual abuse within the SBC has a place to process their story, report their abuse, and have access to care and caring resources," McLaurin said. "We are working as quickly as possible to set up this hotline. As soon as it is live we will advertise this number as broadly and loudly as we are able. Last summer, SBC messengers voted for Litton to appoint a task force to oversee a third-party investigation of allegations leaders mishandled a "crisis of sexual abuse" in the SBC. Guidepost Solutions was commissioned to "review and enhance training provided to SBC Executive Committee staff and its board of trustees" related to sex abuse and the organization's "communications to cooperating churches and congregants in cooperating churches." Last October, the Executive Committee subsequently voted to waive attorney-client privilege for the investigation, prompted by a 2019 report from The Houston Chronicle that documented hundreds of abuse cases in Southern Baptist churches over decades. After the vote to waive the attorney-client privilege, several committee members resigned, including the committee's head Ronnie Floyd. Additionally, the longtime lawyers for the convention, James Guenther and James Jordan of Guenther, also resigned. Concluding Tuesday's meeting, SBC leaders prayed for survivors and thanked those who have been "wounded and injured" by sexual misconduct for "their willingness to continue to stay in the fight." "Heavenly Father, we come to you now and our hearts are broken," prayed Executive Committee Vice-Chair Stacy Bramlett. "There are things that you have allowed to be brought into the light. Lord, we know you're the great Healer; you're the Great comforter, Father." We need to rethink the relationship between the Church and the state. Start by remembering that the Church wins. When boxer Mike Tyson was asked by a reporter about an upcoming fight and whether he was concerned about his opponents strategy, he shot back with the now-famous answer: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Hes right. Everything sounds good in our heads, but when we get rocked by unexpected circumstances, plans can fall apart. Plans for how to live as Christians, and gather as churches, in America, for example. Which is exactly what happened in the spring of 2020. The Church in America got punched in the mouth. As COVID-19 hit the country in March and April that year, governors and mayors all across the nation issued indefinite lockdown orders (liquor stores, casinos, and abortion clinics exempted, of course). All of a sudden, churches had to figure out what they were going to do: Stay open or close? And for how long: Indefinitely or until they came to a different conclusion? It has been decades since the debate about what it means to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods (Matt 22:21) had broken out so fiercely in America, and in live-time. The time-tested plan that the church had always followed continue to gather regularly, in obedience to Gods Word and in the free exercise of religion, as protected by the First Amendment took a haymaker right to the head. To say that governing officials were overreaching when they told churches not to gather would be an understatement. At the most basic level, it was a gross violation of the First Amendment, which guarantees us as U.S. citizens that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Some churches that ultimately defied the lockdowns were later vindicated in court, like Grace Community Church, which won its legal battle with the state of California and Los Angeles County after the governments agreed to pay $400,000 each as part of a settlement for violating the churchs religious liberty during the COVID-19 pandemic. If we want to have better operating plans for churches going forward, it means we must first rightly understand the power and the purpose of the Church. In other words, we must get our bearings and begin walking at least in the general direction of understanding what God has said about the nature of the relationship between the church and the state. In order to do that, you should meet Abraham Kuyper. Kuypers concern: The sovereignty of God and the certain triumph of the Church One man who thought and wrote about this important question of the relationship between the Church and the state was Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper served as the prime minster of the Netherlands from 1901 to 1905 and was also an influential theologian and journalist. He famously exclaimed that There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: Mine! Christ as King over all, both seen and unseen, both spiritual and physical, both the Church and the state. This was a dominant theme in all of Kuypers theology and political reasoning. So, the purpose of this piece is to briefly reflect on this wonderful yet easily forgotten truth: The Church wins. This was something that Kuyper understood deep down in his bones: The church ultimately triumphs over the state forever. A series of Kuypers collected works, On the Church, contains a beautiful and resounding description of how it is the church and not the state that lasts into eternity. It is the Church, and not the state, that is the true Kingdom of God. The Church doesnt exist within the state as much as the Church is slowly but surely conquering and replacing the state. I think this is important for Christians to consider, wrestle with, and ultimately believe. Why? Because so much of the conversation about what the Church should do during COVID made it sound as if the Church was some sort of servant of the government. The dialogue seemed to imply that the Church only exists because the government allows it to exist. That is not just false but nothing could be further from the truth. Kuyper explains: The Church does not function in a human society that is by nature governed by the state, but she carries within herself the germ of the all-encompassing worldwide kingdom, which will one day replace every state and assume its function. It is therefore decidedly incorrect to honor the state as the palace in which the Church is assigned no more than a side wing. Rather, the state is little more than scaffolding erected on the building site where the Church is busy laying the foundation for the palace in which Christ will one day establish his royal throne. When the battle is over, the state will disappear forever. The dawn of the eternal existence of the nations will rise out of the Church, not the state. Have you ever thought about it like that? Far from the Church needing to come, hat in hand, begging for the state to let it worship God, the Church can and should stand tall by the authority granted to it from Christ. The supremacy of the Church and sphere of sovereignty The undergirding principle is that God is sovereign over all things. He is The Sovereign, ruling over every sphere of life with His perfect providence. Yet, to each sphere state, society, church, and also family He grants different responsibilities and authorities. Author Peter Heslam in Creating a Christian Worldview: Abraham Kuypers Lectures on Calvinism explains: According to his doctrine of sphere sovereignty, which found expression throughout his career from its inception around 1880, the Church and the state form independent, co-existing spheres accountable directly to God. Although the Church and state inhabit different spheres, they each have duties towards one another. Considering the duties that the government, the magistrates, have towards the Church, Kuyper argues, There had to be a magistrate who, by the virtue of common grace, would promote and maintain a society with honor and virtue. Kuyper rejects the notion that the state should be adjudicating which religions are true religions, or which church is the true Church. Thus, Kuyperian sphere sovereignty protects that notable Baptist distinctive of religious liberty. Yet Kuyper was not naive about the threat corrupt magistrates posed to the Church. According to David VanDrunen, this is exactly what sphere sovereignty is intended to help guard against. He explains: To put it simply, Christ is the sovereign Lord of each sphere, and no sphere may usurp the authority of another sphere and thus act as its lord. For Kuyper, this was a great bulwark against the tyrannical power of the state, which he considered a great danger, but sphere sovereignty was meant to halt any sphere threatening to encroach upon the territory of another. Conclusion: Christ, not Caesar, is head of the Church Kuyper noted the difficulty of the task of rightly establishing the true nature of the relationship between church and state in this era of redemptive history. He says, While we therefore may not place church and state over against each other as two heterogeneous powers, history shows us how very difficult it is to define the correct relationship between the two. But the main point I want you to leave with is this: The Church wins. The Church lasts. The Church is forever. The Church operates within a sovereign sphere, and in cooperation with the government, but ultimately it is fully vested with the authority to govern itself in matters pertaining to the practice of the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3 ESV). And as Kuyper reminded us, because Christ is head of the Church, the church will win in the end: When the battle is over, the state will disappear forever. The dawn of the eternal existence of the nations will rise out of the church, not the state. Lets act like it now. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Why I am not an abolitionist on abortion This might surprise many of you, but I am not an abolitionist on abortion. Though many people in my evangelical tribe have become abolitionists, I havent joined them. I am pro-life. I am anti-abortion, but I am not an abolitionist. Well, sort of. According to the dictionary definition of the word, I am an abolitionist. Like every genuine pro-life person, I am an abolitionist on abortion. I want the abortion industry to end. I want abortion to become illegal, with zero exceptions. However, for some anti-abortion advocates within the Church an abolitionist isnt merely a person who wants abortion to become completely illegal. For these brothers and sisters, an abolitionist is a Christian who wants to end abortion through in their own words a specifically Gospel-centered and immediatist manner. Therefore, though my pro-life advocacy is Gospel-centered, because of my support for step-by-step, gradual, or incremental pro-life bills, some Christians wouldnt describe me as an abolitionist. In fact, because of my incrementalist approach to making abortion illegal, anti-abortion abolitionists say pro-life Christians like me do not want to abolish abortion, we simply want to regulate it. In other words, according to them, we do not want to ban abortion, we only want to reduce it. Abolitionists make that accusation against pro-life organizations like the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, Gregg Cunninghams Center For Bio-Ethical Reform, Mark Harringtons Created Equal, Scott Klusendorfs Life Training Institute and secular pro-life groups like Lila Roses Live Action. Nevertheless, not all pro-life advocates are the same. Just as I am distinct from the so-called holistically pro-life groups like the Southern Baptist Conventions ERLC, some abolitionists are presumably distinct from perhaps even more divisive versions of abolitionists. So with that in mind, abolitionist groups include Abolish Human Abortion, Free the States, Rescue Those, and great ministries like Apologia and more recently, my dear friends at Founders Ministries. Though abolitionists tend to be Reformed and theonomists, they are primarily identified by their commitment to GATES, an acronym for the five tenets that describe their ideology. The five tenets are: Gospel-centered, Aligned providentially, Through the church, Engaged biblically, Sought immediately without exception or compromise. Essentially, abolitionists believe there is only one righteous and only one effective way to do anti-abortion advocacy. They believe anti-abortion advocacy should always be Gospel-centered, biblical, solely reliant on the providence of God, led by the Church, and especially immediatist in policy. Abolitionists are mostly infamous for their immediatist approach to anti-abortion policy. They believe anti-abortion laws that do not immediately ban all abortions are evil, unjust, and unfaithful to God. Abolitionists summarize their immediatist approach in what they call the five components of abolition bills: 1. Outlaw abortion from conception; 2. Include no exceptions for abortion; 3, Criminalize abortion itself, and establish equal justice for the preborn; 4. Do not submit to the unconstitutional ruling in Roe; and 5. Repeal or supersede all statutes which allow for abortion. Therefore any pro-life bill that doesnt contain each of the five elements wouldnt be supported by abolitionists. For instance, on Thursday Oklahoma passed the strongest pro-life bill in America since Roe v. Wade. The bill bans almost all abortions from conception, and it allows civilians to sue anyone who performs or facilitates an abortion. However, the bill allows for exceptions if the abortion is supposedly necessary to save the mothers life (though abortion is never medically necessary to save a mothers life) or if the pregnancy is a result of a sexual assault or incest. The bill also doesnt allow for abortionists and abortive women to be charged and prosecuted for performing abortions. Since the bill doesnt meet abolitionist standards, they do not support the bill. In fact, abolitionists would presumably vote against it. I am probably going to offend many abolitionists assuming theyre not offended already. However, I admire abolitionists more than they admire pro-life Christians like me. Though many abolitionists will not say the same about me I believe abolitionists are my allies. Like immediate anti-slavery abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and his more pragmatic former protege Frederick Douglass abolitionists and pro-life Christians have strong, internal disagreements. However, we are not enemies. We are allies with different convictions fighting the same battle. After all, I actually agree with some of the critiques abolitionists have against the pro-life movement. Just as Im sure this article will be offensive to some abolitionists, Im also sure some of my words will offend my pro-life colleagues too. I agree with abolitionists that many pro-life advocates are afraid to call abortion what it is: Murder. I also agree the pro-life movement needs to stop repeating the ridiculous claim that abortive women are victims. Women who are threatened, forced, and pressured to have abortions are victims. However, that doesnt describe the majority of women who choose to murder their babies for convenience. God doesnt call women who offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech as victims, we shouldnt either. And related to that, unlike the overwhelming majority of pro-life people, I do not believe only abortionists should be charged for murdering babies. When abortion becomes illegal I believe anyone, including abortive women, who facilitate or perform an abortion should be charged and prosecuted for murder (Leviticus 20:1-5). If abortion is murder, why shouldnt abortive women receive the same penalty all murderers receive? If a pre-born babys life is just as valuable as any persons life, then why shouldnt they receive justice for their murder? Clearly, I believe pro-life Christians should consider much of what abolitionists have to say on abortion even though abolitionists refuse to consider much of what pro-life Christians have to say. Im sure abolitionists disagree with much of what Ive said so far. Still, Im confident they would agree Ive represented their arguments fairly. However, I cant say the same about most abolitionists. Abolitionists consistently misrepresent and slander pro-life people. Abolitionists make false accusations about our real motives and real agenda concerning abortion. As I mentioned earlier, they say we do not want to end abortion, we simply want to regulate it. But worse, abolitionists also claim the reason why the pro-life movement wants to supposedly regulate abortion is because we profit off of abortion. Those accusations are so asinine they are not worth refuting. However, Ill address the basis for most of the false accusations the pro-life movement receives from abolitionists: the argument over incrementalism and immediatism. Abolitionists claim pro-life people are complicit in abortion and guilty of compromise and injustice because of our incrementalist approach to fighting abortion. However, they are profoundly incorrect theologically and politically. If incrementalism is sinful, every abolitionist who votes for the Republicans is a hypocrite. If incrementalism is sinful, every abolitionist who voted for Donald Trump is guilty of unrepentant sin. Candidly, abolitionists are the anti-abortion version of Never-Trumpers. Though a majority of them voted for Trump, like Never-Trumpers, they refuse to acknowledge the righteous basis others have for thinking differently than they do. They refuse to acknowledge they are inconsistent incrementalists. The Republicans are not immediatists, yet abolitionists vote for them anyway, presumably because they rightly believe the alternative (Democrats) are significantly worse. Since the Republicans have adopted a pro-gay marriage stance does that make abolitionists who vote for them complicit in homosexuality? Of course not. However, from my conversations with some abolitionists many of them havent considered this inconsistency and hypocrisy. The truth is, we are all incrementalists. Some of us just refuse to admit it. Every genuine pro-life person would like to immediately and completely ban all abortions. Pro-life Christians like me are not pragmatists by preference, we are pragmatists by necessity. Indeed, we want to abolish abortion. However, we are unashamedly committed to saving as many babies as possible until we have the power to save all babies. Unlike abolitionists, we do not believe it is right to allow all babies to get murdered if we are unable to save all of them. Especially since that kind of thinking is one of the reasons why Canada is one of only two nations in the world (with North Korea) without law or restriction on abortion. This is because some influential members of Canadas anti-abortion advocacy in the late 1980s effectively campaigned against an incrementalist pro-life bill by Prime-Minister Brian Mulroney. Since then, unlike our American counterparts the pro-life movement in Canada has struggled to gain significant momentum and progress. If Mulroneys imperfect bill had passed, Canada wouldnt murder as many children as it does today. Incrementalist pro-life bills are not ideal. However, they are effective and unfortunately necessary. Like every genuine pro-life person, Im happy to save as many babies as possible through incrementalism until were finally able to ban abortion, with zero exceptions. Though abolitionists attempt to claim otherwise, William Wilberforce was an incrementalist against slavery. Indeed, he once said: immediate abolition [is] preferable to gradual. But that sentiment matches the views of pro-life Christians like me, not anti-abortion abolitionists. Notice that unlike anti-abortion abolitionists, he said immediate abolition [is] preferable to gradual. He didnt say immediate abolition is the only option. The pro-life movement agrees with Wilberforce. We prefer an immediate end to abortion, but well accept a gradual or incrementalist end to abortion when thats the only option. After all, Wilberforces incrementalist approach is what eventually led to the end of slavery in Britain. Wilberforces mission as a politician was to ban slavery in the British Empire. However, he sponsored a motion in the British House of Commons in 1792 to gradually abolish the slave trade. That motion eventually produced the Slave Trade Act of 1807, an Act that banned the slave trade in Britain. Almost 30 years later, Wilberforces incrementalist campaigns culminated into the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, an Act that finally banned slavery in the British Empire. I know many of us have become disillusioned with mainstream evangelicals. If youre familiar with my blog, you know I am disillusioned with mainstream evangelicals, too. As Ive suggested, there are legitimate criticisms against the mainstream evangelical pro-life movement especially groups like the ERLC. However, our disillusionment shouldnt cloud our judgment. As disappointed as I am with mainstream evangelicals and some pro-life people, I am not willing to allow bitterness to cloud my discernment. Im concerned thats why many Christians are developing animosity towards the pro-life movement. Im concerned thats why some of my friends have become abolitionists. From my experience, many people will promptly accuse me of compromise, unfaithfulness, complicity in abortion, and cowardice. But I suppose they would also have to make the same accusations about William Wilberforce. Originally published at Slow to Write. RZIM can be sued by donors over Ravi Zacharias' sexual misconduct, judge rules A federal judge will allow a class-action lawsuit against Ravi Zacharias International Ministries to proceed, a case based on allegations that the apologetics organization used donated funds to pay off victims of the late Ravi Zacharias. Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued an order last week allowing donors to sue RZIM for refunds amid claims donations were used to help protect Zacharias' public image from accusations the late apologist sexually harassed and abused multiple women over several years. Brad R. Sohn, whose law firm represents the donors, told The Christian Post a statement Monday that he was "pleased" with how "the Court permitted the bulk of our clients' legal claims to survive and begin discovery." "[T]here were arguments that the allegations as stated lacked the required level of specificity for claims involving fraud, among others. Certainly we are pleased that largely we prevailed," Sohn said. "The next significant step in the case will be discovery the exchange of written documents and the sworn deposition testimony of important witnesses. There is a lot of fact-finding to do and we look forward to that challenge as we work to deliver for our clients and the proposed class." Margaret Zacharias, the widow of the late apologist who had been named as a defendant since she was the administrator of Zacharaias' estate, was removed from the lawsuit by the order. The lawsuit alleges that RZIM "bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from well-meaning contributors who believed RZIM and Zacharias to be faith-filled Christian leaders." "In fact, Zacharias was a prolific sexual predator who used his ministry and RZIM funds to perpetrate sexual and spiritual abuse against women," the lawsuit complains. The proposed class includes "[a]ll persons in the United States who made contributions of monetary value to Ravi Zacharias and/or the Ravi Zacharias International Ministry from 2004 through February 9, 2021." The lawsuit alleges that RZIM funds were funneled to women subjected to Zachariass sexual misconduct and that Zacharias provided money to these survivors, gave them large tips following massages, and showered them with expensive gifts. Touch of Hope was a discretionary fund that RZIM earmarked as a humanitarian effort, but a significant portion of its wire payments were made to or for the benefit of four women who were, at some point, Zachariass massage therapists," the lawsuit reads. During this time, plaintiffs allege that RZIM solicited donations to fund travel, training and other expenses "to continue reaching those around the globe with the Gospel. The lawsuit accuses RZIM of unjust enrichment and violating the Georgia Charitable Solicitations Act and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act. Christopher S. Cohilas, the lawyer representing RZIM, told The Washington Times that the apologetics group was looking forward to defeating the accusations in court. "We are thankful for the ruling which correctly dismissed many of the claims presented by the plaintiffs for being legally insufficient. RZIM looks forward to addressing what few claims remain and will vigorously defend itself against these allegations," stated Cohilas. The lawsuit comes after an investigation report by Miller & Martin released in February 2021 alleged that Zacharias had engaged in "sexting, unwanted touching, spiritual abuse, and rape" during his lifetime. Nearly two dozen spa therapists accused Zacharias of inappropriate sexual behavior during massages. Zacharias was accused of demanding sex from women after helping them financially and sometimes using religion to coerce the victims to comply. At least one witness described her encounters with Zacharias as rape. Before his death, a woman named Lori Ann Thompson claims to have had inappropriate communications and interactions with Zacharias, raising these allegations with RZIM. After Zacharias claimed his innocence, RZIM "steadfastly defended" the apologist and and declined to investigate Thompson's allegations despite "a notebook of evidence," the judge's order suggests. Sohn said in a statement last year that he found it "disheartening to think that a sexual predator would hide behind faith and a ministry to do as we allege was done here." "We are pleased to begin fighting for these bilked donors, who obviously felt strongly enough about their faith to part with their hard-earned money, only to learn they did so under the falsest of pretenses," he added. PARIS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Airbus signed a follow-on Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract with the U.S. Army, the European multinational aerospace corporation said in a press release on Monday. The deal is the largest helicopter performance-based support contract managed by Airbus worldwide, it said. Airbus will provide spare parts, material, and engineering support for the Army's helicopter models UH-72A and UH-72B Lakota fleet of 482 utility and training helicopters. It will support 67 Lakota sites in the United States and overseas. The contract includes a six-month base and 4.5 option years, with a potential total value of more than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. The UH-72B is produced at Airbus' facility in Columbus, Mississippi and the logistics are managed from the facility in Dallas, Texas. The UH-72A and UH-72B models are for Army's National Guard missions, it said. The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins clarifies his Mormons are Christians comments Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the most successfully crowdfunded series of all time, The Chosen, said he's setting the record straight for the last time on the matter of whether he believes Mormons are Christians. Throughout the years, Jenkins has mentioned that he has friends who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church), among them being the brothers who launched Angel Studios, the streaming platform behind The Chosen." However, Jenkins, the son of Jerry B. Jenkins, the writer behind the bestselling Left Behind franchise, has repeatedly said the studio owners' beliefs have nothing to do with the content in the series. In a video posted on YouTube Thursday, Jenkins addressed various rumors about his views concerning Mormonism and its connection to The Chosen, a popular multi-season series about the life of Jesus Christ that has been viewed nearly 400 million times worldwide. I probably need to add a little clarification to the LDS question when it comes to The Chosen, Jenkins said at the top of his video. The reason that I want to give this statement, or this comment, and have it be my final comment on the matter is because I've given dozens and dozens of comments about it that seemed to be unfortunately ignored by several people. The filmmaker then shared questions he's been asked to respond to based on news articles that claimed such things as, "Dallas Jenkins says Mormons, LDS and Evangelicals love the same Jesus" and "LDS are Christians. "Is it true that I said that? The answer is no, I did not, Jenkins said, adding that some of his past comments on this topic need more nuance and could have been misinterpreted. "I think we can agree that words matter, nuance matters, and I probably could have given more context and clarity, he said. I've done hundreds and hundreds of interviews and written thousands of things about my faith and about the faith of others, and I try very hard to be nuanced. I try very hard to be cautious and wise and clarify every word that I use, but I don't always succeed. I think it's fair to say that this is one where I don't take back what I said, but I could have given it a little bit more clarity. "I think it's also true that it would be a problem if I actually said those words definitively, Jenkins added. That would be a problem, and here's why: Not because there aren't LDS folks who aren't Christians and not because there aren't LDS and Evangelicals who love the same Jesus, but because it would be wrong of me to ever say that any one group believes any one thing altogether. That is just a level of arrogance that I don't have. Jenkins assured that people who make blanket statements cause problems because of the labels that are assigned to groups overall. "It would be just as dumb for me to say that all LDS are Christians as it would be to say that all Evangelicals are Christians or that all Catholics are Christians or any other faith tradition, he continued. It would also be dumb of me to say that none are! That's also a level of arrogance that I don't possess. "When I've talked about my brothers and sisters in Christ, and when I talked about those LDS folks that I know who loved the same Jesus I do, I'm referring to some of the friends that I have who identify as LDS who I've gotten to know very deeply over the last few years, in particular. And I've had hundreds of hours of conversations with [them], and I stand by the statement that those friends of mine that I'm referring to absolutely love the same Jesus that I do, he said. "You may still go, 'Well, that can't be true,' and that's your right to think that, Jenkins added. But it's not fair to say, 'Oh, then you are now speaking about everybody.' I know plenty of Evangelicals who I would say don't know the same Jesus that I do and don't love the same Jesus that I do. The series writer and creator maintained that he has Mormon friends who believe in Jesus of Nazareth, the Jesus of the Gospels, the Jesus that Im portraying in the show, and I do believe and do stand by that statement. Jenkins further stressed that he alone is responsible for the content in The Chosen and is inspired by the Bible. "I've said many times the content of the show has zero influence or input from any form of faith tradition or church. None, he added. Jenkins continued: "I'm a conservative Evangelical. I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. I believe in the supremacy of God's Word. I believe in the Holy Trinity. I believe in God the Father, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and all of the core tenants of Scripture. The father of four said he has dedicated his life to study the Scriptures above anything else. "I believe [that is] my job in my personal life. I believe that is your job as well, to get to know the authentic Jesus and the real Jesus as much as humanly possible, Jenkins said. When it comes to the content of the show, it's not my job in the show or outside of the show to try to give you all of the different versions of Jesus, or the wrong things that people say about Him. It's my job, both as a believer and as the creator of a show that is being seen by so many, to try to get that right, to try to portray Jesus accurately. Particularly also in our Bible studies and our devotional books, and our kids' books. We have tons of material that we're putting out; it's very important to get that right. Jenkins also encouraged viewers not to substitute the show for reading the Bible for themselves or attending their local church for discipleship and Bible study. In an earlier interview with Ruslan KD, Jenkins assured viewers that The Chosen did not receive any funding from Angel Studios or any religious organization. He maintained that while Angel Studios employs people who are Mormon, the company is only a "distribution partner," and "they don't actually fund it," he said. The beliefs of (small-o) orthodox Christianity and the LDS church conflict in many areas, including beliefs about the trinity and salvation. To learn more, read here, here and listen here. Alabama pastor who shot wife, then turned gun on himself, struggled with mental illness, family says An Alabama pastor who fatally shot himself after shooting his estranged wife at a local church struggled desperately with mental illness, his sister claimed. On Sunday, Unice Woodard, owner of Alabamas famous Big White Wings and twin sister of the late Elder Ulysses Woodard, who led the True Word of Deliverance Church of God in Prichard, revealed in a statement on Facebook that her brother had been struggling with mental illness for a while and had reached out to his pastoral community for help but none came. To set everyone straight, my brother was a True Mighty Man of God. He gave and did so much for other people but when he needed help where were yall? He begged for his pastor friends or so called Christian friends for help before it came to the point of him taking his own life. There so many stories, lies and rumors going around about him, she wrote. Since yall know so much then why didnt yall know Buck was suffering from Mental Illness, Depression, Pain all day every day and the separation from his wife!!! But yall want to say well if he was a pastor then why did he take his own life. You BASTARDS wouldve last a day in his shoes, she said. Last Wednesday, Pastor Derek Scott Gandy and his wife Kula of True Cornerstone Church in Mobile, Alabama, recounted to The Christian Post how his friend, Ulysses Woodard, shot his wife, Prophetess Alisha Woodard, after a womens conference outside their church on Feb. 21. Pastor Gandy told CP that what happened on Feb. 21, he never saw coming. Elder Woodard, he said, wasnt a monster. I didnt see this coming. I didnt see this coming. He wasnt a monster, at least not that Ive ever seen, he said. He noted that his friend had vented to him about things in his relationship that he thought could have been helped with counseling but saw nothing that would lead to this that his friend would shoot his wife in the chest while standing right next to him. Unice Woodard accused Pastor Gandy and his wife who witnessed the tragedy unfold along with their three young daughters, of trying to profit from the tragedy and blamed them for not doing more to prevent the attempted murder-suicide from happening at their church. For the pastor and his wife that spoke out from Cornerstone Church. Yall will burn in HELL trying to get a monetary come up off this sad encounter. I hold yall responsible because yall shouldve been prayed up and your grounds shouldve ran them damn Demonic Spirits away, Unice Woodard said. While she was not at the scene of the crime when it unfolded, she also claimed that the reason her brother took his life was because he thought he killed his wife after his gun accidentally went off. He was trying to take her to get help but no one bothered to mention that. He couldnt bear the fact that he thought he killed his wife and then he took his own life. So what yall need to do is STFU talking bout my brother. I have been quiet for too long and I will no longer sit back and watch social media SLANDER my brothers name. I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER!!!! she said. The Mobile Police Department said in a statement that at approximately 11:23 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, they responded to True Cornerstone Church on Halls Mill Road after receiving a report about a person being shot. When they got there, they saw a woman, later identified as Alisha Woodard, on the ground. She had been shot. The suspect, later identified as Ulysses Woodard, reportedly fled the scene as police arrived. He was pursued by authorities and subsequently returned to the church. As officers approached his vehicle, however, he shot himself. His car then crashed into the church. He was pronounced dead at the scene while his wife was taken to a local hospital, where she is recovering. Unice Woodard did not immediately respond to requests from CP for further comment Monday. When asked to comment further, Kula Gandy noted: "The only thing that I can testify of is what happened Friday night on our church grounds." In his sermon on Sunday, Pastor Derek Gandy responded to critics accusing him of trying to profit from the tragedy. This is a tragedy You know whats really peculiar about that and people expressing condemnation of our church and yalls pastor, those same people never reached out and say How are your children? We had our three daughters here. Our sons had left, Pastor Gandy explained. Our three daughters were here and they have not enquired about the well-being of our daughters who visually witnessed what was going on, he said. Youre mad because were rebuilding the wall? Youre the devil, he said further in addressing his critics. Thats the spirit of anti-Christ. Youd rather that the work of God stop for you to get in your feelings? But you have no concern for them who are still alive and whats happening with them. That was personal in this regard. Our daughters witnessed what happened. He noted that he and his wife did not pray to God asking for the tragedy to happen. It just happened, he said. I was here. I know what I heard, I saw, he said. While noting this part of his message was not connected in any way to the Woodards' relationship, Pastor Gandy also called on pastors in his sermon to stop abusing their wives. I do know that we have pastors who are abusive toward their wives. I know that. There are preachers, pastors, stand behind the pulpit after you cut the church up then you want to go home and beat on your wife. We ought not to beat on our wives, he said. More dangerous than atheism? The threatening issue festering inside the church There's an issue festering inside the American church that many believe is more damaging to faith than atheism, and it's called "apatheism." Christian Post reporter Ian M. Giatti joins host Billy Hallowell on The Christian Post Podcast: The Inside Story to discuss the term, how the issue is impacting churches, and why it is pervasively dangerous to the faith. Giatti focuses, in part, on a new Lifeway Research survey finding that 75% of pastors cite "peoples apathy or lack of commitment" as one of the biggest "people dynamics" they find troubling and challenging in ministry. Listen to Giatti break down the inside story on what's going on and why it matters (and subscribe to the podcast): The Christian Post Podcast: The Inside Story takes you behind the headlines of the biggest faith, culture, and political headlines of the week. In 15 minutes or less, Christian Post staff writers and editors will help you navigate and understand whats driving each story, the issues at play and why it all matters. Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app and be sure to subscribe to the Christian Post Podcast on your favorite platforms: Pandemic spikes prescriptions for depression, anxiety, insomnia as expert warns of mental health crisis The new coronavirus pandemic has triggered a spike in prescriptions for depression, anxiety and insomnia in a looming mental health pandemic that could explode in America if steps arent taken to prevent it, one of the worlds leading psychiatrists on mood disorders has warned. Dr. Roger McIntyre, who is currently a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto and head of the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network in Toronto, told The Christian Post in a recent interview that the deadly coronavirus which has already killed more than 47,000 people nationwide and infected close to 900,000 is already taking its toll on Americans mentally. This is the greatest threat on our mental health in our lifetime. A combustible mix of fear, insecurity and quarantine, said McIntyre, who also serves as the director of the Canadian Rapid Treatment Center of Excellence. "Were very concerned about an increase in suicide, depression, stress and alcoholism [but] with the appropriate social, medical and individual response we can prevent the [mental health] curve. In their latest report on the use of medications to treat three of the most common mental health conditions depression, anxiety and insomnia Express Scripts, Americas largest pharmacy benefit management organization, showed how the coronavirus has already been impacting Americas mental health. Express Scripts research shows that the number of prescriptions filled per week for antidepressant, anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia medications increased 21 percent between Feb. 16 and March 15, peaking the week ending March 15, when the virus was declared a pandemic. Its understandable. Americans have grown increasingly anxious as theyve seen this global pandemic upend their lives within a very short time," the report said. "This analysis, showing that many Americans are turning to medications for relief, demonstrates the serious impact COVID-19 may be having on our nations mental health. Prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications, which rose 34.1 percent from mid-February to mid-March, including a week-over-week spike of nearly 18 percent during the week ending March 15, showed the greatest spike. The number of prescriptions filled for antidepressants and sleep disorders also increased 18.6 percent and 14.8 percent, respectively, from Feb. 16 to March 15. Evidence from a previous study also shows that during the previous recession, for every 1 percent increase in unemployment there was a corresponding 1 percent increase in suicide. Over the last five weeks, over 26 million people in the nation have filed for unemployment as lockdowns nationwide forced businesses to close. Without the appropriate support systems to help people cope such as income assistance and counseling services, McIntyre predicts many people are likely to be overwhelmed in a potential mental health pandemic but insists it can be avoided. Its not a done deal that all these terrible things are going to happen. We can get ahead of it. Its no different than if I told you theres a tornado coming at you. It will be there in six hours. You would say thanks for letting me know; I can make the appropriate interventions to protect myself, he said. We have good reason to believe that this tsunami of mental health problems is frankly already here lets get ahead of it and lets get these things in place now to try and boost the resiliency of people so that they [dont] succumb to suicide and other stress-related issues like depression, he said. According to the Express Scripts report, nearly one in five U.S. adults experienced a mental health condition in 2018, and the rate of psychological disorders has risen dramatically among younger people in the past decade. From 2008-2018, the overall prevalence of mental illness increased 8 percent, from 177 to 191 per 1,000, and potentially disabling mental illness by 24 percent, from 37 to 46 per 1,000. Mental health conditions were also recorded as the costliest health conditions in the U.S., with a price tag of more than $200 billion annually on the healthcare system, and more than $193 billion in lost earnings per year. Mental health issues were also noted as the most common cause of hospitalizations for people ages 45 and younger. Within a month of being discharged from the hospital, some 13 percent of mental health discharges are readmitted. Not only do mental health conditions affect a person psychologically, they also negatively impact their physical health. People with mental health conditions are at higher risk for a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimers disease, explains the study. People who have both a mental health condition and a chronic disease have two to three times higher health care costs than those with only a chronic disease. McIntyre, who is also director for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, a comprehensive resource for more than 23 million people in the U.S. who live with mood disorders, said since the coronavirus pandemic began, his organization has also seen a significant spike in calls to their crisis lines. Were hearing from 24 hour crisis lines, suicide hotlines, the calls have gone up 500 percent to 1,000 percent. ... We are seeing a massive increase in calls to our phone centers as well as to our website looking for information on how to cope so I think were seeing plenty of evidence starting to emerge [of the looming mental health pandemic], he said. He urged people who may not know where to look for support or how to respond to a mental health crisis to reach out to organizations like churches or the DBSA for help. The literature around religiosity and spirituality is very clear. Church attendance, for example, has been shown to reduce suicides in a robust way. It decreases mental illness, it decreases drug and alcohol issues and so we really encourage that, he said. Find interests. Keep yourself purposeful, keep yourself engaged. Taken together, the social part to this that is the political, social contributions to society, the medical establishment, we strongly believe that you can prevent a lot of this curve. Pastor Chad Veach officiates wedding of Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker Reality star Kourtney Kardashian and musician Travis Barker were wed in an elaborate ceremony in Italy last weekend. Kardashian commissioned her long-time friend, Pastor Chad Veach, to officiate the special occasion. The celebrity gathering was all over mainstream media this week. Veach, the lead pastor of Zoe Church in Los Angeles, is front and center in many photos. Veach and his wife, Julia, also joined the family for the wedding reception, as seen in photos and videos posted online by the Kardashian and Barker family. Kardashian and Barker have said "I do" in three different ceremonies. But their Italian wedding is the first time they invited their family and friends to share the event with them. The Kardashians are known to reference their Christian faith on their Hulu reality show, "The Kardashians." Still, the wedding was loaded with more Catholic imagery than what is usually seen from the famous family. Along with a provocative dress that resembled lingerie, the bride was adorned in a sheer fabric Dolce & Gabbana veil with the Virgin Mary embroidered in the center of it. The embroidery was based on one of Barker's skull tattoos, according to Vogue. The headdress also featured the text "Family, Loyalty, Respect." In a 2015 interview with Vice, the famous drummer from the band Blink-182 explained the meaning behind his religious body art. "Well, I got the Virgin Mary tattooed on my foreman when I was 18, 19, and I was brought up Catholic," he said. "I definitely pray; I believe in God. I definitely think I was blessed, and I'm here for a reason after being the only survivor of a plane crash." "I'm not at church every day, and I'm not pushing religion on people, but I believe in God, and I pray and my kids pray," Barker assured. On the altar of Sunday's wedding ceremony was a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus. The figure was directly behind Veach as he officiated the ceremony. Kardashian's younger sister, Kylie Jenner, shared an image of the wedding program, which also included a Sacred Heart under "Travis and Kourtney." The Sacred Heart is a symbol of the heart of Jesus as described in well-known Catholic devotions. Although she uses vulgar language and dresses provocatively, Kardashian has tried to keep a Christian presence in her life. In a past video interview, the Poosh founder sat down with Chad and Julia Veach to discuss how to teach her children about faith without forcing her beliefs on them. "How do you teach your kids about religion and what we believe in? You don't want to force your own beliefs on them, but how do you?" Kardashian asked in the video posted on YouTube in 2019. She told the pastors that her late father, former celebrity lawyer Robert Kardashian, made it a point to raise his children in the Christian faith. "We grew up always hearing Bible stories. My dad already read us Bible stories, and we would talk about it in the car, we would listen to Bible songs, we went to Sunday school, not every Sunday but a lot," she added. "So I just wonder if there's something you guys do, or that's really important to you, like routines or things that you do with your own family that could be helpful." Veach, a spiritual leader to celebrities such as Justin and Hailey Bieber and Chris Pratt, said he "grew up with Christian parents who did some of the same things." "I think with our kids, we are just trying to, even on the drive to school every morning as I'm getting ready to drop off my son, I'm like, 'Alright, I'm going to pray over you and remember, you're a leader in your school and people follow you and I'm going to pray that you are a light on your campus.'" The pastor said he uses words of affirmation to keep his kids on the right path. "I think we just try and take regular moments and say, 'We're going to go to bed, but, hey son, is there any friend you want to pray for?'" Veach said. The Kardashian sister was moved by the idea of asking her kids to pray for their friends. She recalled other moments she had with her siblings and their dad. "We use to watch these cartoons that were Bible stories," she revealed. "So I know every Bible story, and you remember them growing up." Julia Veach said that, like many things in culture, "it's more caught than it is taught." "So yeah, we want to teach things, but a lot of time, the kids are [like] this is what they do, this is who we are," Julia Veach said. The Kardashians have been spotted at Kanye West's Sunday Service programs in recent years. Robert Jeffress: SBC polity no excuse for churches not to adopt zero-tolerance' sex abuse policies Texas megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress is calling for churches to have a "zero-tolerance policy" after an investigation report released this week showed that Southern Baptist Convention leadership failed to properly handle sex abuse allegations. In an interview with Shannon Bream of Fox News Monday, Jeffress touched on the findings of a report released Sunday by Guidepost Solutions after nearly a yearlong investigation into the convention's handling of sexual abuse allegations within its member churches dating back 20 years. Among other things, the 288-page report states that SBC leaders had a pattern of intimidating victims of abuse and refusing to adopt measures aimed at making churches safer because they wanted to avoid liability. Jeffress, the pastor of First Baptist Dallas, said the report is "absolutely horrific" and hopes it will serve as a "wakeup call for churches." He would like to see more churches "adopt the kind of policy that we have at First Baptist Dallas." Jeffress said his congregation practices a "zero-tolerance policy for abuse and harassment." "At our church, we have mandatory background checks for everybody working with children, both volunteers and staff members," he said. "We have mandatory reporting to law enforcement officers if there is any sign of abuse whatsoever." Jeffress stated that "these things don't guarantee an elimination of problems, but they will sharply diminish the problem." Jeffress addressed the concerns of some SBC leaders, who are worried about adopting measures that will make the convention more centralized. "A lot of Southern Baptists say, 'Our polity doesn't allow that. We can't have a denomination telling local churches what to do,'" Jeffress said. "That's true. But I tell you who does have the authority to institute these reforms, and it's the members sitting in the pews." "I would encourage any of your viewers tonight who are a member of any church to demand that your church have safeguards in place to protect women and children in the church," Jeffress continued. "The church ought to be the safest place in the world for women and children." According to the Guidepost report, which was presented to the SBC's Sexual Abuse Task Force, multiple SBC Executive Committee leaders exerted strong control over abuse allegations within the denomination and "were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC to the exclusion of other considerations." "In service of this goal, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action due to its polity regarding church autonomy even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation," the report reads. In a statement to The Christian Post, the SBC Sexual Abuse Task Force said that they "receive this report with open minds and heavy hearts." "We grieve for those impacted by abuse, and we are prepared to repent for anything the Credentials Committee inadvertently failed to do to alleviate the suffering of survivors," they stated. "We are committed to listening and learning from this extensive report and its recommendations. We look forward to implementing recommendations and strengthening the Credentials Committee's work." Last June, messengers to the SBC's annual meeting approved a resolution urging churches to "permanently" disqualify individuals who have committed sexual abuse from the pastorate. The non-binding resolution urges churches to hold a standard that any person who engaged in sexual abuse in their life is permanently disqualified from holding the office of pastor. The report's release comes just weeks before the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting kicks off June 12 in Anaheim, California. Supreme Court Rejects Vaccine Exemptions, SBC Ignored Sexual Abuse, Spiritual Biographies Of Rock Legends link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:19 07:19 A Canadian judge has dismissed a proposed $170 million class action against one of the worlds largest Christian ministries over an alleged misappropriation of funds. Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the most successfully crowdfunded series of all time, The Chosen, said he's setting the record straight for the last time on the matter of whether he believes Mormons are Christians. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from parents challenging New York's repeal of religious exemptions to school vaccine mandates. Evangelist Greg Laurie takes a closer look at the religious experiences of some of America's greatest rock music legends in his new book. Sen. Rubio grills NIH over lack of data supporting its push to give puberty blockers to kids Concerns regarding the harms of prescribing puberty blockers to children have prompted questions about the Biden administration's support for the use of such experimental drugs and cross-sex hormones for youth exhibiting gender confusion. During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, pressed Lawrence Tabak, acting director of the National Institutes of Health, about the agency's research to determine if the use of non-FDA approved puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are safe for children and teenagers who suffer from gender dysphoria. Tabak said the "NIH funds a small number of observational studies to gather the data on the effects of treatments that transgender youth and their parents have chosen. But all of the research in this space is observational. We do no interventional work." The acting NIH director added that "Researchers are observing longer term psychological impact of these protocols." "And so, by looking at individuals, transgender youth with and without histories of puberty suppression, we will be able to better answer the types of questions that you're posing," he continued. Rubio highlighted how policymakers are promoting and puberty blockers for youth without insight into the "long term implications" of such interventions and weighing the "cost and the benefits." "We clearly don't want anybody harming themselves but these policy decisions are being made on the basis of observational guidance and, by your own admission, without any sort of long term trajectory on its holistic impact," the Florida senator said. The Biden administration released multiple documents on March 31 a date referred to by trans activists as the "Transgender Day of Visibility" advocating for the use of cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers and body mutilation surgeries, including removing breast tissue in healthy girls and castration for boys (orchidectomy to remove both testicles or a vaginoplasty in which the penis is also removed). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Population Affairs released a document titled "Gender Affirming Care and Young People." The document describes so-called "early gender-affirming care" for non-binary or trans-identified minors "crucial" to their "overall health and well-being." HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Child Traumatic Stress Network released a document titled "Gender-Affirming Care Is Trauma-Informed Care" which claims that giving experimental drugs and cross-sex hormones to children are part of "evidenced-based interventions." Parents whose children were harmed by the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones warn that these risky interventions are often irreversible. In 2019, the nonpartisan Kelsey Coalition filed a petition and requested that then-U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams raise awareness about the dangers of giving cross-sex hormones to teens and allowing them to undergo operations to remove their breasts or genitals. "An increasing number of 'informed consent' clinics provide cross-sex hormones to young people after only one or two visits. These clinics do not require mental or physical health assessments. Surgeries may be obtained within months," the petition reads." The document also warned about the long term health repercussions, citing a 2019 American Heart Association cohort study of around 6,000 trans-identifying adults that showed significant risks to their cardiovascular health. Trans-identifying males faced a five times greater risk of developing venous thromboembolism, and trans-identifying females were three times as likely to have heart attacks. Michael Laidlaw, an endocrinologist from Rocklin, California, told The Christian Post in a 2019 interview that "mega-doses of testosterone are being given to teenage girls, some 10 to 40 times higher than what is normal for their body. Is it any wonder that follow-up studies in adults have shown an increased risk of myocardial infarction and death at these doses?" "Puberty is not a disease," Laidlaw said. The endocrinologist referred to puberty blockers as a form of "chemical conversion therapy" during an April 2019 panel discussion at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. He noted that Lupron, used to treat prostate cancer patients and children with precocious puberty, has never been through an FDA-approved process for blocking normal puberty and is prescribed off-label. Laidlaw added that puberty-blocking drugs can put children at risk of osteoporosis by disrupting normal brain and bone development. He also noted that Oxford professor Michael Biggs in England learned through a freedom of information request that at the Tavistock gender clinic, children reported greater self-harm with these particular medications. In addition, girls exhibited greater emotional problems and dissatisfaction with their bodies. During his presentation, Laidlaw showed a video clip of Ilana Sherer and Johanna Olson-Kennedy. Sherer explained that children receive puberty blockers at age 8 or 9, and Olson-Kennedy discussed a $5.7 million research grant she received through the NIH. One of her publications shows that elective mastectomies have been performed on girls as young as 13. In the clip, Olson-Kennedy claimed that children are capable of making life-altering decisions, such as choosing to remove their breasts. Last year, the National Health Service in England removed the claim that puberty blockers prescribed to trans-identifying youth are "fully reversible." The changes came after an individual who underwent these experimental treatments filed a lawsuit against the Tavistock and Portman National Health Service Trust in London. The NHS guidelines previously stated that puberty blockers were reversible. The revised guidelines removed the words "fully reversible" and warn that the long term side effects of hormone or puberty blockers on children are relatively unknown. The woman who filed the suit, Keira Bell, now in her 20s, was given puberty-suppressing drugs and cross-sex hormones during her mid-teens. Bell said the experimental treatment caused irreparable harm to her body, and said minors are incapable of consenting to such interventions. "The treatment needs to change so that it does not put young people, like me, on a torturous and unnecessary path that is permanent and life-changing," Bell said. 19 students, 2 teachers killed in mass shooting at Texas elementary school Gov. Abbott identifies shooter as 18-year-old Uvalde High School student UPDATE at 9 a.m. ET May 25: The death toll rose to 21 overnight 19 children and two teachers who were murdered by an 18-year-old gunman who barricaded himself in a classroom where he shot students and teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. UPDATE at 8:40 p.m. ET: Texas officials report that 19 children have died in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as the death toll continues to climb. UPDATE at 7:30 p.m. ET: The death toll rose to 20, among them 18 children, who were shot and killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Tuesday morning. President Joe Biden spoke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott where he offered any and all assistance he needs. Biden will be speaking about the shooting at 8:15 p.m. ET from the White House. Original report: As many as 14 students and one teacher are dead after a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and opened fire Tuesday morning. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott identified the shooter as Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old student at Uvalde High School, who was shot and killed at the scene. "He shot and killed horrifically and incomprehensibly 14 students and killed a teacher," Abbott said during a press briefing. Texans are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime & for the community of Uvalde. Cecilia & I mourn this horrific loss & urge all Texans to come together. I've instructed @TxDPS & Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime. pic.twitter.com/Yjwi8tDT1v Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 24, 2022 The suspect also allegedly shot his grandmother before entering the elementary school, Abbott said, adding that the shooter had a handgun and possibly a rifle. Uvalde Memorial Hospital posted an update at 2:47 p.m. Central time that it has admitted 13 children for triage and transfer, with two unidentified individuals being dead on arrival. Two children have been transferred to San Antonio and one child is pending transfer. Two individuals that arrived at UMH were deceased. No details are available. Please refrain from coming to the hospital at this time, explained the hospital. Two hours earlier, the hospital reported that it was currently caring for several students in the ER and that immediate family of the students are to report to the cafeteria on the second floor. UMH staff will be in constant communication with the family members. If you are not an immediate family member, we are asking you to refrain from coming to the hospital at this time, they said. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District posted an alert on its official Facebook page in the early afternoon on Tuesday that there was an an active shooter at Robb Elementary. Law enforcement is on site. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered it will be shared. The rest of the district is under a Secure Status, they stated at the time. Later, they designated the Willie DeLeon Civic Center as the location for reuniting parents with their children, noting that they needed to account for the students before they could release them. Parents are asked to pick up students at the regular dismissal times at the child's campus. There will be no bus transportation, posted the school district about three hours after the first alert about an active shooter. Officers will be on site to escort students to the [parents] cars. Parents please be patient as lines will be long. How compromised preaching is contributing to our cultural rot For many years, I have stated that a major reason America is so messed up is that much of the American Church is also messed up. And a major reason that so much of the American Church is messed up is that so many Christian leaders are also messed up. The domino effect is quite real. Church leaders greatly influence their followers, for better or for worse. And since Christian believers are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, if we are not fulfilling our moral and spiritual duties, this will have a deleterious effect on the nation. And how, exactly, do Church leaders influence their followers? They do it by their message and by their example. If they are preaching rightly and living rightly, they will produce healthy congregants. If their preaching is unbiblical and their lifestyle is compromised, they will produce unhealthy congregants. To be sure, America is not as influenced by the pulpit as it was in 1873, when Charles Finney preached that, If the public press lacks moral discrimination If the church is degenerate and worldly If the world loses its interest in religion If Satan rules in our halls of legislation If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it. Yet with 70% of Americans still professing Christianity and with evangelical Christians alone making up roughly 25% of the population, the Christian leaders of the nation remain influential, for better or worse. In that light, a recent Barna survey gives lots of cause for concern, especially when it comes to the message being preached by Christian leaders. As reported by Decision magazine, A new study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (ACU), guided by popular pollster George Barna, has found that just 37% of Christian pastors in the United States have a Biblical worldview. Seriously? Just 37%? It would be bad enough if less than 4 in 10 believers held to a biblical worldview. But less than 4 in 10 pastors? How can this be? In the words of Barna, This is another strong piece of evidence that the culture is influencing the American church more than Christian churches are influencing the culture. Or, viewed from another angle, rather than Christian leaders equipping their people to swim against the tide of the culture, they too are being carried by the current of the age. And that, in turn, means that the light is not shining and the salt is not being salty. It is a vicious cycle of moral and spiritual deterioration. In short, when the doctors are spreading disease rather than curing disease, the populace is in big trouble. Decision reports that, The survey looked at eight different categories of belief and behavior, including family and the value of life; God, creation and history; personal faith practices; and sin, salvation and ones relationship with God. Predictably, the heart of the problem can be traced back to beliefs about the Bible: The survey found that the category with the lowest percentage of pastors holding a Biblical worldview is the one related to beliefs and behaviors about the Bible, truth, and morality. No surprise here! And what do we make of the finding that just 4% of executive pastors (this is not a typo) hold to a biblical worldview? Just 4%? And how much influence do executive pastors have in the staffing of churches and in many of the practical decisions the church makes? As for the larger population (not just professing Christians), the survey found that just 2% of the parents of preteens held to a biblical worldview, along with men (2%), women (4%), whites (4%), blacks (2%), Hispanics (less than one-half of 1%), and less than one-half of 1% among those who identify as LGBTQ. But this, too, should not surprise us, seeing that, in 2009, Barna reported that, Even among born again adults, the statistics [concerning Americans with a biblical worldview] have remained flat: 18% in 1995, 22% in 2000, 21% in 2005, and 19% today. As I wrote in 2017, We have believed that we should blend in and not rock the boat, showing the non-believers around us that were no different than they are. But while its important to be contributing members of the society, and while were called to be peacemakers not troublemakers, we are also called to swim against the tide and go against the grain. We are called to show the world a better way Sadly, many Christian leaders have put more emphasis on discovering whats trending in society than learning whats on Gods heart. In their quest to become relevant, they have become irrelevant. To be sure, there are many healthy leaders and healthy congregations in America. And there are always questions about the precise accuracy of polls and the nature of the questions that are asked. But without a doubt, when we see so much moral and spiritual confusion in the larger society, it reflects the moral and spiritual confusion found in many churches. And that, in turn, reflects the confused and compromised message emanating from Christian leaders around America. May God bring a true revival to His people, starting with Christian leaders across the land. May the awakening begin with us! Franklin Graham on 'God Loves You' tour: Im not a preacher of hate; my message is about love Evangelist Franklin Graham, who is on a U.K. tour called God Loves You despite opposition from LGBT activists, including a Welsh Labour Party politician, due to his biblical views on marriage, said the accusation that he's a preacher of hate is a lie. Their criticism is a lie. They say, Im a preacher of hate, Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told Premier Christian News during his ongoing tour, which was scheduled for 2020, but the venues he had booked canceled the booking after activists groups complained about his past comments on homosexuality and Islam. The reason they say Im a preacher of hate is because I say that marriage is between a man and a woman, explained Graham, who also heads the Samaritans Purse humanitarian ministry. And it is. What I do is I answer reporters questions. Well, what do you think about gay marriage? Well, it's a sin. That's what the Bible calls it. Grahams tour involves free events throughout the U.K. from May through July. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has expressed his regret over Grahams upcoming visit to Wales. Im sorry to see a person of those views given a platform to express them here in Wales and they absolutely do not reflect any that the Welsh Government would be prepared to endorse or sanction, Drakeford said, according to Christian Today. Graham said the criticism is not fair. They say, Well, you're offending a lot of people. Im not offending them, but Gods offending them, because its what God says. But my message is not against gay people, or people that think differently or worship differently to us. My message is a message about love. Graham, who has taken legal action against the venues for canceling his tour events, said criticism was expected. We never expect to get 100 percent support to the churches, theres always critics within the Church, he said. Theyre always critics of the Lord Jesus Christ within the religious community. Theyre the ones that turned on Him. So I expect to have criticism, and there are a lot of churches that have compromised and theres division within the church. In the interview, Graham said the Church needs to rise up. We dont back up. I would hope that there would be an army of young evangelists who would come down and take their place to preach the Gospel. We cannot allow one act of violence to stop the Gospel. If anything, it should be a recruiting tool for other evangelists to stand up where she shed her blood and take the Gospel to the next generation not be afraid and not be ashamed. At his event in Liverpool Saturday, Graham encouraged the audience to seek a relationship with Jesus. We have a vacuum, an emptiness inside each of us, in our souls that only God Himself can fill, he was quoted as saying. God made us. God created us in His own image, the Bible says. Did you know that God has a plan and purpose for your life? In an interview with the BBC, Graham said he wants all to know that fulfillment in life is found in God, according to CBN News. I want people to know that God loves them. We have trials and storms that we go through in life, but Jesus Christ is our anchor. If we put our faith and trust in Him. He will get us through those storms of life He loves us and cares for us. This isnt the first time the evangelist has been met with opposition from LGBT groups. In 2018, bus ads for his evangelistic festival were pulled following an outcry from activists. Graham earlier said he believes the need for preaching the Gospel in the U.K. is greater than ever. He added he wanted people to know that we are all sinners and our sins separate us from God. The murder of San Francisco cyclist Anna "Mo" Wilson has led to a police search for the woman dating a man Wilson went swimming with on the day of her death, a police affidavit reveals. The suspect, Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, a 35-year-old yoga teacher and real estate agent from Austin, Texas, is now being sought as a fugitive by U.S. Marshals. Wilson, 25, was shot and killed in the apartment of a friend on May 11 on Maple Avenue in Austin, Texas, where the rising off-road gravel racing star was visiting for an upcoming race. An arrest affidavit filed in the Travis County District Court paints a love triangle between Wilson, Armstrong and another cyclist named Colin Strickland, 35. On May 11, a friend told police Wilson texted her to say she was going swimming with Strickland. When the friend returned from dinner she found Wilson shot multiple times, bleeding and unconscious on her bathroom floor. She called 911, and first responders arrived and pronounced Wilson dead after attempting CPR. Wilson's high-performance Specialized S-Works bike had been stolen, but nothing else was missing. The bike was later found around 70 feet away in some thick bamboo. Notifications on the electronic lock on the apartment door show that Wilson, who had a unique access code given to her by her friend, left the apartment at 5:55 p.m. to go swimming and returned at 8:36 p.m. Strickland later told police he picked Wilson up on his motorcycle and they swam that evening at Deep Eddy Pool in Austin. Strickland then returned home; surveillance footage reportedly corroborates him being elsewhere at the time of the murder and he is not currently a suspect in the case, police said. Footage from a neighbor's surveillance camera revealed a dark-colored SUV drive past the residence one minute after Wilson returned to the home. In a police interview the day after Wilson's death, Strickland told detectives that he and his girlfriend, Kaitlin Armstrong, had been dating for three years and lived together. The two took a "break" for "one or two" weeks in October 2021, which is when Strickland met Wilson and they started a romantic relationship. Strickland allegedly told investigators that he changed Wilson's name in his phone so his girlfriend would not know who he was speaking to, and deleted text messages. According to the affidavit, after dropping Wilson off back on Maple Avenue, Strickland sent a text to Armstrong in which he lied about dropping some flowers off at a friend's home. He also asked about dinner plans. Strickland told investigators that Armstrong later arrived at their home alone in her SUV. Austin police discovered that Armstrong had an unrelated warrant out for her arrest. This enabled them to bring her into the station, though that warrant was found to be invalid. While at the station the police brought up the death of Wilson the day prior, and her connection to Wilson through Strickland. The affidavit says that Armstrong "was very still and did not move at all as they spoke." After being shown footage of the SUV similar to hers at the scene of the crime, Armstrong asked to leave, the affidavit says. The following week a firearm owned by Armstrong, bought for her by Strickland, was tested ballistically and found to have a "significant" potential that it was the same firearm as the one used in Wilson's murder, the affidavit says. Police say they received a tip from an anonymous caller. The anonymous caller said that Armstrong had said in January that she wanted to kill Wilson after learning that Strickland was still in a romantic relationship with her. In a statement shared with the Austin American Statesmen this week, however, Strickland claims that his "brief romantic relationship" with Wilson spanned only a "week or so," and since October 2021 the relationship was "only a platonic and professional one." The statement makes no mention of the swimming trip on the day of Wilson's murder, about which police allege Strickland lied in a text to Armstrong. Strickland told the police that he has not spoken to Armstrong since May 13. All of her social media accounts have been deleted. "There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime," Strickland told the Austin American-Statesmen. "I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable situation." "The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force is assisting with the fugitive investigation of an Austin woman wanted for a homicide that occurred May 11 in the 1700 block of Maple Avenue," the U.S. Marshal's release states. "Austin police issued a homicide warrant May 17 for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, who is suspected of killing Anna Wilson, 25, a Vermont native who was in Austin for a race." Wilson was sponsored by, and working for, Specialized, the biking company based out of Silicon Valley, at the time of her death. She was reportedly living in San Francisco. Born in Vermont, Wilson was considered one of the best gravel-race cyclists in the country. In an interview with VeloNews published on the day of her death, the magazine described her as the winningest woman in the American off-road scene. Strickland characterized Wilson as the best female cyclist in the United States and possibly the world, according to the affidavit. "So incredibly heart broken. Was so looking forward to seeing you this July," a fellow cyclist commented under Mo's last Instagram post, "Ill be racing with your photo on my bike." "If there's the slightest chance you can read this from heaven I hope you know you were a role model to all esp young women!" said another, among hundreds of comments. "We are absolutely devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter and sister, Anna Moriah Wilson," the Wilson family said in a statement to NBC News. "There are no words that can express the pain and suffering we are experiencing due to this senseless, tragic loss." Armstrong is white or white Hispanic, 5-foot-8, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Anyone with information on Armstrongs whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or submit a tip using the USMS Tips app. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Tesla and SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk met with Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday to discuss connectivity and other projects in the Amazon rainforest. The meeting, held in a luxurious resort in Sao Paulo state, was organized by Communications Minister Fabio Faria, who has said he is seeking partnerships with the world's richest man to bring or improve internet in schools and health facilities in rural areas using technology developed by SpaceX and Starlink, and also to preserve the rainforest. Super excited to be in Brazil for launch of Starlink for 19,000 unconnected schools in rural areas & environmental monitoring of Amazon," Musk tweeted Friday morning. Illegal activities in the vast Amazon rainforest are monitored by several institutions, such as the national space agency, federal police and environmental regulator Ibama. But deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has surged under Bolsonaro, reaching its highest annual rate in more than a decade, according to official data from the national space agency. Bolsonaro's critics say he is largely to blame, having emboldened loggers and land grabbers with his fervent support for development of the region. During the event, Bolsonaro said the region was really important to Brazil. We count on Elon Musk so that the Amazon is known by everyone in Brazil and in the world, to show the exuberance of this region, how we are preserving it, and how much harm those who spread lies about this region are doing to us, he said. Bolsonaro and Musk appeared in a video transmitted live on the president's Facebook account, standing together on a stage and answering questions from a group of students. A lot can be done to improve quality of life through technology, Musk told the crowd. Although none of the students asked about Musk's prospective purchase of Twitter, Bolsonaro said that it represented a breath of hope. Freedom is the cement for the future, he said, calling the billionaire a legend of freedom. Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion, but said this week the deal cant go forward until the company provides information about how many accounts on the platform are spam or bots. Like Musk, Bolsonaro has sought to position himself as a champion of free speech and opposed the deplatforming of individuals including his ally, former U.S. President Donald Trump. The meeting with Bolsonaro occurs just five months before the far-right leader will seek a second term in a hotly anticipated election. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Ukrainian authorities have informed Cyprus about their seizure of $420 million worth of shares and securities linked to the east Mediterranean island nation, which belong to a Russian billionaire and other businessmen, a Cypriot official said Tuesday. Cyprus government spokesman Marios Pelekanos told the Associated Press that Ukraine raised the matter with the relevant authorities of the Republic of Cyprus." But he said no information can be disclosed" on whether Cyprus-registered companies were used to shield the assets from sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's Prosecutor-General Iryna Venediktova in a social media posting identified the Russian businessman as billionaire Mikhail Fridman of Alfa Bank, a Russian lender with major operations in Ukraine. Venediktova's office had previously described how an unnamed Russian oligarch and businessmen heavily involved in the Ukrainian banking sector sought to protect wealth from sanctions by routing it through Cyprus. Cyprus is fully committed to the effective implementation of both U.N. sanctions" and European Union restrictive measures and any violation is punishable by law, Pelekanos said. He added that Fridman does not hold a Cypriot passport. Cyprus said it would strip citizenship from eight Russians and their family members who appear on the EUs sanctions list. The Russians received Cypriot passports under the countrys once lucrative citizenship-by-investment program that was scrapped two years ago in the wake of an undercover TV report. The report allegedly showed the parliamentary speaker and a senior lawmaker claiming that they could skirt the rules to issue a passport to a fictitious Chinese investor supposedly convicted of fraud at home. A 2021 report found that more than half of a total 6,779 passports were issued unlawfully to relatives of wealthy investors over the programs 13-year run that generated more than 8 billion euros. The report said the government had incorrectly interpreted the law on issuing passports to relatives and also found that nearly 770 foreigners were wrongly granted citizenship primarily because of inadequate vetting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A captured Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian was sentenced by a Ukrainian court Monday to life in prison the maximum amid signs the Kremlin may, in turn, put on trial some of the fighters who surrendered at Mariupols steelworks. Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign colleagues in which he said of the invasion, Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24." Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for maximum sanctions against Russia in a video address to world leaders and executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also revealed one of the deadliest single strikes of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed almost 90 people. And on the battlefield, heavy fighting raged in the Donbas in the east, where Moscow's forces have stepped up their bombardment. Cities not under Russian control were constantly shelled, and one Ukrainian official said Russian forces targeted civilians trying to flee. In the first of what could be a multitude of war crimes trials held by Ukraine, Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was sentenced for the killing of a 62-year-old man who was shot in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region in the opening days of the war. Shishimarin, a member of a tank unit, had claimed he was following orders, and he apologized to the man's widow in court. His Ukraine-appointed defense attorney, Victor Ovsyanikov, argued his client had been unprepared for the violent military confrontation and mass casualties that Russian troops encountered when they invaded. He said he would appeal. Ukrainian civil liberties advocate Volodymyr Yavorskyy said it was an extremely harsh sentence for one murder during the war. But Aarif Abraham, a British-based human rights lawyer, said the trial was conducted with what appears to be full and fair due process," including access to an attorney. Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating thousands of potential war crimes. Russian forces in Mariupol bombed a theater where civilians were sheltering and struck a maternity hospital. In the wake of Moscows withdrawal from around Kyiv weeks ago, mass graves were discovered and streets were strewn with bodies in towns such as Bucha. Before Shishimarin's sentencing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was unable to defend the soldier but will consider trying to do so through other channels. Mary Ellen OConnell, an expert on international law at the University of Notre Dame, said that putting Shishimarin on trial could prove extremely detrimental to Ukrainian soldiers in the hands of Russia. She said Russia may decide to hold show trials of Ukrainians to boost the morale of its own soldiers and spread disinformation. Maybe it would have happened without the Ukrainians beginning trials, OConnell said. But the timing suggests that the Ukrainians should have held back and perhaps still should, so that the Russians cant say, Were just doing to their soldiers what they did to ours. Russian authorities have threatened to hold trials of captured Ukrainians namely, fighters who held out at Mariupols shattered steel plant, the last stronghold of resistance in the strategic southern port city. They surrendered and were taken prisoner last week, at which point Moscow claimed the capture of Mariupol was complete. Russias main investigative body said it intends to interrogate the Mariupol defenders to identify the nationalists and determine whether they were involved in crimes against civilians. Russian authorities have seized upon the far-right origins of one of the regiments there, calling the Azov Regiments fighters Nazis and accusing their commander without evidence of numerous atrocities." Russias top prosecutor has asked the countrys Supreme Court to designate the Azov Regiment a terrorist organization. Family members of the fighters have pleaded for their eventual return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap. Elsewhere, Boris Bondarev, a veteran Russian diplomat at the U.N. office at Geneva, quit and sent a letter denouncing the aggressive war unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bondarev told The Associated Press: It is intolerable what my government is doing now." In his letter, Bondarev said those who conceived the war want only one thing to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity. He also said Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is all about "warmongering, lies and hatred. At the Davos forum, Zelenskyy said sanctions against the Kremlin must go further. He urged an embargo on Russian oil, a complete cutoff of trade and a withdrawal of foreign companies from the country. This is what sanctions should be: They should be maximum, so that Russia and every other potential aggressor that wants to wage a brutal war against its neighbor would clearly know the immediate consequences of their actions, said Zelenskyy, who received a standing ovation. In other developments, nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including missiles to protect its coast, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Washington. On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories that Russia is bent on capturing. Donetsk's regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said three civilians died in Russian attacks there Monday and heavy fighting continued near the Luhansk region. The Donbas consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He said the Russians were decimating cities in their attempt to take them over. Only about 320,000 people out of the region's prewar population of 1.6 million remain, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he said. They are killing us. They are killing the locals during evacuation, Kyrylenko said. On the eve of the three-month anniversary of the start of the war, Zelensky said that four missiles killed 87 people last week in the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Kyiv. The deaths were tallied after debris was cleared, he said. The Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities and are trying to destroy all life, Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the nation. In the Luhansk region, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, local authorities reported that a bridge leading to the administrative center of Sievierodonetsk was destroyed, leaving the partially encircled city reachable by just one road. Some who fled the Donetsk region shared their suffering. We havent been able to see the sun for three months. We are almost blind because we were in darkness for three months, said Rayisa Rybalko, who hid with her family first in their basement and then in a bomb shelter at a school before fleeing their village of Novomykhailivka. The world should have seen that. Her son-in-law Dmytro Khaliapin said heavy artillery pounded the village. Houses are being ruined, he said. Its a horror. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the 3-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Heavy fighting, meanwhile, was reported in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops took over an industrial town that hosts a thermal power station, and intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and other cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment," the governor, Serhii Haidai, wrote on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the encirclement with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theater where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theater attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging total war and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces in the region are facing a difficult situation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, which hosts a thermal power station and had a prewar population of about 11,000, and raised the Russian flag there. They have now hung their rag on the local administration building, Serhii Goshko, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio, in a reference to the Russian flag. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. Russian troops also shelled the eastern city of Slovyansk with cluster munitions, hitting a private building, according to Mayor Vadym Lyakh. He said casualties were avoided because many people had already left their homes, and he urged the remaining residents to evacuate west. Heavy fighting was also underway in the city of Lyman. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Hours later, Zelenskyy mocked Shoigu's assertion. Well, after three months of searching for an explanation for why they were unable to break Ukraine in three days, they couldnt think of anything better than to say thats what they planned, he said in his video address. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open Wednesday for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, there were signs of recovery after weeks of bombardment. Residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks, though Russia continues to shell the area from afar, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution center coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the center is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food, she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually come back home. Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region, told the Russian Interfax agency that preparations are underway for a trial of captured Ukrainian soldiers, including the Mariupol defenders. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine NEW YORK (AP) Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday: Best Buy Co., up 88 cents to $73.47. The nations largest consumer electronics chain reported strong first-quarter revenue. Nautilus Inc., down 48 cents to $2.03. The maker of exercise bikes and treadmills forecast lower revenue for the current quarter than analysts expected. Snap Inc., down $9.68 to $12.79. The owner of social media app Snapchat warned investors that its second-quarter revenue will likely fall short of its forecasts. Nordson Corp., up $4.96 to $210.86. The maker of adhesives and industrial coatings raised its profit forecast for the year. Abercrombie & Fitch Co., down $7.64 to $19.09. The teen fashion chain's first-quarter earnings fell far short of Wall Street forecasts. KB Home, down 88 cents $ to $31.37. A government report showed that fewer newly built homes were sold last month than economists forecast. Insulet Corp., up $14.98 to $217.83. DexCom is reportedly considering buying the maker of insulin infusion systems. Citigroup Inc., down 9 cents to $52.68. Falling bond yields weighed on banks, which rely on higher yields to charge more lucrative interest on loans. Director Steven Spielberg has had an immensely successful career behind the camera. Known for his adventure films like Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, he has received numerous accolades for Best Director and Best Picture. His 2021 revamp of the famed musical West Side Story, with the help of screenwriter Tony Kushner, garnered him seven academy award nominations, plus nominations for a Golden Globe. Staring actors Ariana DeBose, Rachel Zegler, and Ansel Elgort, the film made waves with original film actress Rita Moreno as executive producer on the project. Aside from Spielberg's more recent movie success, he is remembered for creating a bevy of films, including his first-ever, Sugarland Express, the science fiction film franchise Star Wars with George Lucas, Raiders of The Lost Ark with Harrison Ford, and War Horse. Not to mention his work as executive producer on the Jurassic Park franchise, including The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and they aren't done yet. Jurassic World Dominion is set to release in the summer of 2022 through his production company Amblin Entertainment and Amblin Partners, with Laura Dern set to reprise her iconic role. Spielberg is known for keeping his friends close and working with them on several films, such as composer John Williams, and actors Mark Rylance and Tom Hanks. In addition to his work in film, he started the Shoah Visual History Foundation in Los Angeles dedicated to telling the stories of Holocaust survivors, which he started following the success of his movie Schindlers List. While Spielberg's resume goes on, the director has a wealth of knowledge to offer the younger generation. See below for the full transcript of his 2016 Harvard University commencement address, jammed packed with advice for future entrepreneurs. Thank you, thank you, President Faust, and Paul Choi, thank you so much. Its an honor and a thrill to address this group of distinguished alumni and supportive friends and kvelling parents. Weve all gathered to share in the joy of this day, so please join me in congratulating Harvards Class of 2016. I can remember my own college graduation, which is easy, since it was only 14 years ago. How many of you took 37 years to graduate? Because, like most of you, I began college in my teens, but sophomore year, I was offered my dream job at Universal Studios, so I dropped out. I told my parents if my movie career didnt go well, Id re-enroll. It went all right. But eventually, I returned for one big reason. Most people go to college for an education, and some go for their parents, but I went for my kids. Im the father of seven, and I kept insisting on the importance of going to college, but I hadnt walked the walk. So, in my fifties, I re-enrolled at Cal State -- Long Beach, and I earned my degree. I just have to add: It helped that they gave me course credit in paleontology for the work I did on Jurassic Park. Thats three units for Jurassic Park, thank you. Well I left college because I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and some of you know, too -- but some of you dont. Or maybe you thought you knew but are now questioning that choice. Maybe youre sitting there trying to figure out how to tell your parents that you want to be a doctor and not a comedy writer. Well, what you choose to do next is what we call in the movies the character-defining moment. Now, these are moments youre very familiar with, like in the last Star Wars: The Force Awakens, when Rey realizes the force is with her. Or Indiana Jones choosing mission over fear by jumping over a pile of snakes. Now in a two-hour movie, you get a handful of character-defining moments, but in real life, you face them every day. Life is one strong, long string of character-defining moments. And I was lucky that at 18 I knew what I exactly wanted to do. But I didnt know who I was. How could I? And how could any of us? Because for the first 25 years of our lives, we are trained to listen to voices that are not our own. Parents and professors fill our heads with wisdom and information, and then employers and mentors take their place and explain how this world really works. And usually, these voices of authority make sense, but sometimes, doubt starts to creep into our heads and into our hearts. And even when we think, thats not quite how I see the world, its kind of easier to just to nod in agreement and go along, and for a while, I let that going along define my character. Because I was repressing my own point of view, because like in that Nilsson song, Everybody was talkin at me, so I couldnt hear the echoes of my mind. And at first, the internal voice I needed to listen to was hardly audible, and it was hardly noticeable -- kind of like me in high school. But then I started paying more attention, and my intuition kicked in. And I want to be clear that your intuition is different from your conscience. They work in tandem, but heres the distinction: Your conscience shouts, heres what you should do, while your intuition whispers, heres what you could do. Listen to that voice that tells you what you could do. Nothing will define your character more than that. Because once I turned to my intuition, and I tuned into it, certain projects began to pull me into them, and others, I turned away from. Related: Sheryl Sandberg Commencement Speech, University of California at Berkeley, May 2016 (Transcript) And up until the 1980s, my movies were mostly, I guess what you could call escapist. And I dont dismiss any of these movies -- not even 1941. Not even that one. And many of these early films reflected the values that I cared deeply about, and I still do. But I was in a celluloid bubble, because Id cut my education short, my worldview was limited to what I could dream up in my head, not what the world could teach me. But then I directed The Color Purple. And this one film opened my eyes to experiences that I never could have imagined, and yet were all too real. This story was filled with deep pain and deeper truths, like when Shug Avery says, Everything wants to be loved. My gut, which was my intuition, told me that more people needed to meet these characters and experience these truths. And while making that film, I realized that a movie could also be a mission. I hope all of you find that sense of mission. Dont turn away from whats painful. Examine it. Challenge it. My job is to create a world that lasts two hours. Your job is to create a world that lasts forever. You are the future innovators, motivators, leaders and caretakers. And the way you create a better future is by studying the past. Jurassic Park writer Michael Crichton, who graduated from both this college and this medical school, liked to quote a favorite professor of his who said that if you didnt know history, you didnt know anything. You were a leaf that didnt know it was part of a tree. So history majors: Good choice, youre in great shape...Not in the job market, but culturally. The rest of us have to make a little effort. Social media that were inundated and swarmed with is about the here and now. But Ive been fighting and fighting inside my own family to get all my kids to look behind them, to look at what already has happened. Because to understand who they are is to understand who were were, and who their grandparents were, and then, what this country was like when they emigrated here. We are a nation of immigrants -- at least for now. So to me, this means we all have to tell our own stories. We have so many stories to tell. Talk to your parents and your grandparents, if you can, and ask them about their stories. And I promise you, like I have promised my kids, you will not be bored. And thats why I so often make movies based on real-life events. I look to history not to be didactic, cause thats just a bonus, but I look because the past is filled with the greatest stories that have ever been told. Heroes and villains are not literary constructs, but theyre at the heart of all history. And again, this is why its so important to listen to your internal whisper. Its the same one that compelled Abraham Lincoln and Oskar Schindler to make the correct moral choices. In your defining moments, do not let your morals be swayed by convenience or expediency. Sticking to your character requires a lot of courage. And to be courageous, youre going to need a lot of support. And if youre lucky, you have parents like mine. I consider my mom my lucky charm. And when I was 12 years old, my father handed me a movie camera, the tool that allowed me to make sense of this world. And I am so grateful to him for that. And I am grateful that hes here at Harvard, sitting right down there. My dad is 99 years old, which means hes only one year younger than Widener Library. But unlike Widener, hes had zero cosmetic work. And dad, theres a lady behind you, also 99, and Ill introduce you after this is over, okay? But look, if your familys not always available, theres backup. Near the end of Its a Wonderful Life -- you remember that movie, Its a Wonderful Life? Clarence the Angel inscribes a book with this: No man is a failure who has friends. And I hope you hang on to the friendships youve made here at Harvard. And among your friends, I hope you find someone you want to share your life with. I imagine some of you in this yard may be a tad cynical, but I want to be unapologetically sentimental. I spoke about the importance of intuition and how theres no greater voice to follow. That is, until you meet the love of your life. And this is what happened when I met and married Kate, and that became the greatest character-defining moment of my life. Love, support, courage, intuition. All of these things are in your heros quiver, but still, a hero needs one more thing: A hero needs a villain to vanquish. And youre all in luck. This world is full of monsters. And theres racism, homophobia, ethnic hatred, class hatred, theres political hatred, and theres religious hatred. As a kid, I was bullied -- for being Jewish. This was upsetting, but compared to what my parents and grandparents had faced, it felt tame. Because we truly believed that anti-Semitism was fading. And we were wrong. Over the last two years, nearly 20,000 Jews have left Europe to find higher ground. And earlier this year, I was at the Israeli embassy when President Obama stated the sad truth. He said: We must confront the reality that around the world, anti-Semitism is on the rise. We cannot deny it. My own desire to confront that reality compelled me to start, in 1994, the Shoah Foundation. And since then, weve spoken to over 53,000 Holocaust survivors and witnesses in 63 countries and taken all their video testimonies. And were now gathering testimonies from genocides in Rwanda, Cambodia, Armenia and Nanking. Because we must never forget that the inconceivable doesnt happen -- it happens frequently. Atrocities are happening right now. And so we wonder not just, When will this hatred end? but, How did it begin? Now, I dont have to tell a crowd of Red Sox fans that we are wired for tribalism. But beyond rooting for the home team, tribalism has a much darker side. Instinctively and maybe even genetically, we divide the world into us and them. So the burning question must be: How do all of us together find the we? How do we do that? Theres still so much work to be done, and sometimes I feel the work hasnt even begun. And its not just anti-Semitism thats surging -- Islamophobias on the rise, too. Because theres no difference between anyone who is discriminated against, whether its the Muslims, or the Jews, or minorities on the border states, or the LGBT community -- it is all big one hate. And to me, and, I think, to all of you, the only answer to more hate is more humanity. We gotta repair -- we have to replace fear with curiosity. Us and them -- well find the we by connecting with each other. And by believing that were members of the same tribe. And by feeling empathy for every soul -- even Yalies. My son graduated from Yale, thank you But make sure this empathy isnt just something that you feel. Make it something you act upon. That means vote. Peaceably protest. Speak up for those who cant and speak up for those who may be shouting but arent being hard. Let your conscience shout as loud as it wants if youre using it in the service of others. Related: Peter Thiel Commencement Speech, Hamilton College, May 2016 (Transcript) And as an example of action in service of others, you need to look no further than this Hollywood-worthy backdrop of Memorial Church. Its south wall bears the names of Harvard alumni -- like President Faust has already mentioned -- students and faculty members, who gave their lives in World War II. All told, 697 souls, who once tread the ground where stand now, were lost. And at a service in this church in late 1945, Harvard President James Conant -- which President Faust also mentioned -- honored the brave and called upon the community to reflect the radiance of their deeds. Seventy years later, this message still holds true. Because their sacrifice is not a debt that can be repaid in a single generation. It must be repaid with every generation. Just as we must never forget the atrocities, we must never forget those who fought for freedom. So as you leave this college and head out into the world, continue please to reflect the radiance of their deeds, or as Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan would say, Earn this. And please stay connected. Please never lose eye contact. This may not be a lesson you want to hear from a person who creates media, but we are spending more time looking down at our devices than we are looking in each others eyes. So, forgive me, but lets start right now. Everyone here, please find someones eyes to look into. Students, and alumni and you too, President Faust, all of you, turn to someone you dont know or dont know very well. They may be standing behind you, or a couple of rows ahead. Just let your eyes meet. Thats it. That emotion youre feeling is our shared humanity mixed in with a little social discomfort. But, if you remember nothing else from today, I hope you remember this moment of human connection. And I hope you all had a lot of that over the past four years. Because today you start down the path of becoming the generation on which the next generation stands. And Ive imagined many possible futures in my films, but you will determine the actual future. And I hope that its filled with justice and peace. And finally, I wish you all a true, Hollywood-style happy ending. I hope you outrun the T. rex, catch the criminal and for your parents sake, maybe every now and then, just like E.T.: Go home. Thank you. Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved MEXICO CITY (AP) Eleven people, eight of them women, were killed in simultaneous shooting attacks on two bars in north-central Mexico, authorities said Tuesday. Handwritten signs left at the scenes of the killings suggested the attacks were part of a rivalry between two drug cartels that have been battling for control of Guanajuato state for several years. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Two Rhode Island men have been sent to prison for their roles in a drug trafficking scheme that shipped or tried to ship an estimated 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of cocaine to the state through the postal service, federal prosecutors said. George Mojica, 42, and Angel Delgado, 25, both of Central Falls, were sentenced Monday to seven years and five years in prison respectively, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office. The world's most imperiled sea turtle faces frequent threats: poaching, shrimp nets, storms and an assortment of predators, including coyotes and raccoons. But 107 eggs found along the Texas coast serve as a reminder that the endangered species can be saved. Volunteers from a turtle conservation program spotted the Kemp's ridley sea turtle nest Thursday in the dunes of Galveston Island State Park, roughly 58 miles southeast of Houston. The nest was the first to be detected in the park since 2012 and among three discovered there in the past two decades. "Because Kemp's ridley sea turtles are the most critically endangered sea turtles in the world, every egg matters," said Christopher Marshall, director of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M University at Galveston, which runs the conservation program. Kemp's ridley sea turtles, the smallest sea turtles in the world, were common before facing a dramatic drop-off in population in the mid-20th century. Those that are left help maintain the balance of their marine ecosystems by eating blue crab and shells on the ocean floor. The Kemp's ridley is also the state sea turtle of Texas. The newly discovered eggs are now at an incubation facility off the coast of Corpus Christi, where conservationists can protect them before delivering the hatched turtles back to the Gulf of Mexico. The eggs are safer there than they would be on the beach, where storms and high tides exacerbated by climate change threaten their survival. Eggs left on beaches have about a 45% chance of successfully hatching, Marshall said, while the probability can reach 95% in an incubator. Conservationists can also control the sex of hatching turtles when the nests are kept in incubation facilities. Warmer nests tend to produce more females, while cooler temperatures usually result in more males. That knowledge means scientists can intentionally produce more females that in turn will lay eggs, Marshall said. Kemp's ridley sea turtles were abundant in the 1940s, when roughly 40,000 were documented on a nesting beach in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Four decades later, poaching and fisheries bycatch - the accidental capture of one species while trawling for another - had caused the recorded population to drop to less than 250 nesting females. "We almost lost the species to extinction," Marshall said. Intense conservation efforts began, including increasing the number of nesting beaches and protecting nests from poaching with armed guards. Commercial fishermen in the United States are also now required to add turtle excluder devices, escape hatches for turtles, to their shrimp nets. Those strategies enabled the number of Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests to increase rapidly from the 1990s until 2010, when the number of nests began to fluctuate. Roughly 5,500 females now nest in Mexico and an additional 55 nest in Texas each year, the National Park Service estimates. Galveston Island State Park, where the new eggs were found, is a fitting nesting ground. "It represents a critical need for the species to have quiet beaches that are of good quality, and the Galveston Island State Park still has that," Marshall said. "And I think that's becoming more rare on the upper Texas coast." During nesting season, which runs from early April to mid-July, adult female Kemp's ridley sea turtles return to a beach near where they were born decades earlier. They dig chambers in the sand and typically lay about 100 eggs, which incubate for roughly 50 days. Kemp's ridley sea turtles engage in arribada nesting, where groups of them come out of the water together to nest simultaneously as a defense against predators. The more baby sea turtles there are, Marshall said, the lower the chances that predators will eat them all before they reach the water. Helping as many of these turtles as possible to survive is critical at a time when conservationists are fighting to keep the species alive. "This species has been with us for 140, 160 million years, and we're the ones responsible for almost sending it to extinction in the 1980s," Marshall said. "So it's up to us to intervene and help bring this species back to a viable population level." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Four decades ago, Phillip Schuller stumbled into history, joining a demonstration that involved an ex-priest, 10 pints of blood and Donald Rumsfeld's front lawn. Schuller's 1976 arrest ultimately upended Maryland's law banning protests outside private residences. And it's a key reason why, today, abortion rights activists can picket in front of the suburban Maryland homes of conservative Supreme Court justices. "It's correct to say that thanks to him, they're not getting arrested," said David Rocah, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. "I was young and crazy then," Schuller, now 68, reflected last week from his Pittsburgh home. In the spring of 1976, Schuller was an impetuous sociology major at Slippery Rock University in western Pennsylvania. He saw a bulletin-board flier about a nuclear proliferation protest near D.C., he recalled, "and I said that I'm going to that." He stayed up until 2 a.m. baking bread, boarded a bus to Maryland the next day with no expectations, and found himself at a Catholic Worker House with some of the Vietnam War era's most iconic peace activists, including the former priest Philip Berrigan, fresh out of jail for digging a grave in the Pentagon lawn. Schuller knew of Berrigan and his brother Daniel Berrigan, still in the priesthood, who together had shaped the era's antiwar movement through colorful, high-profile activism. Schuller saw older boys get drafted, watched antiwar protests on TV and narrowly avoided the war himself: It ended after he went for his draft physical but before his number was called. "I was a little young to do much protesting against Vietnam, and I didn't," Schuller said. "But I was oriented and came of age during Vietnam." The looming threat and his Christian upbringing shaped a lifelong feeling that he should look for "the clear moral high ground," he said. The flier on campus felt like an invitation. But he had no idea the group would be so intense: The activists, he learned, planned to light a bonfire of tax forms and spray 10 pints of their own blood on the Pentagon. "They were heavy," Schuller said. "They were very heavy." Already, the Berrigans each had served years-long prison sentences for stealing hundreds of draft cards and destroying them with homemade napalm. After the war ended, they had turned their focus to pacifism and civil disobedience in protest of militarization. A key part of the strategy, according to planning documents, was to rally college students against nuclear weapons. The April 1976 protest Schuller had happened upon was a precursor to what would become the pacifist Plowshares movement. "Our country and the USSR have enough nuclear weapons right now to destroy everyone on earth several times over. This possession in itself is immoral," the organizers wrote in letters to Rumsfeld, who was then the secretary of defense. "The options for the American people are clear. To fight for disarmament or to dig graves." Ahead of the event at the Pentagon, the organizers held a four-day vigil outside Rumsfeld's home, in the Maryland suburb of Bethesda. In a bulletin to supporters afterward, preserved today in the Berrigan Library Collection at DePaul University, organizers wrote that 40 people came, from Massachusetts, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Oklahoma. "As a paragon of power, Mr. Rumsfeld had to consider that his high position . . . does not exempt him from responsibility to our home family," the bulletin said. Schuller arrived midway through the last day of protests, he said, and wasn't there long before the police showed up and said the activists had to leave. Most in the core group complied. Schuller did not. "I just felt it was a public street," he said. "It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn't really think it through." Arrested and charged with illegally picketing a protest, he went to jail with a few others for the afternoon. The man who would change Maryland law was absent for the main protest. The next day, Philip Berrigan got arrested in front of the Pentagon, having helped dump blood on nine of the 16 columns at the building's river entrance and spattered a number of security guards, too. The group also burned tax forms, in protest of tax dollars funding nuclear weapons. "A symbol of death purchased by war taxes," the bulletin explained, adding that activists had mixed ashes with blood and smeared that on the columns, too. This time, all 17 protesters were arrested. Four months after that, Philip Berrigan was arrested outside Rumsfeld's house with two other people. This time, they dug graves in the front lawn. Schuller, by then, had long since gone back to Pennsylvania and his life at Slippery Rock. He took over his dad's construction business in Pittsburgh after graduation. He fell into a series of odd jobs, following the same urge to find something new. Eventually, he got into computer programming, and he largely left activism behind, spending his free time playing jazz gigs with his guitar and harmonica. He would have simply left his picketing arrest behind, too, but the ACLU asked whether it could defend him instead. Schuller was in Pennsylvania when he was convicted that June. At trial - in a question that foreshadowed objections to abortion rights protests today - the judge asked Schuller's lawyer, "When is Mr. Rumsfeld supposed to get his rest?" Schuller got a light sentence: five days in jail, suspended until he completed 10 days of unsupervised probation. But he and another college-age man, Sean Ozzie Simpkins, agreed to let the ACLU appeal their convictions. In May 1977, deciding the appeal known as State v. Schuller, Maryland's second-highest court declared state law violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments in barring picketing in front of residences. Judges unanimously agreed the law was "unconstitutional on its face because it unreasonably and improperly impinges upon the defendants' rights of Freedom of Speech and Assembly." Rocah, the Maryland ACLU attorney, said State v. Schuller blocked Maryland authorities from arresting people simply for picketing outside a home. Subsequent federal court rulings, he said, have reinforced and strengthened protesters' right to be in a public arena, so long as they don't stay still targeting a single home. In justices' neighborhoods, abortion rights demonstrators are marching. "There seems to be a narrative out there that what people are doing is clearly illegal, and they're just getting away with it," Rocah said. "What they're doing is not actually illegal." Some calling for an end to the protests, including Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, both Republicans, have cited a federal law that prohibits demonstrations intended to sway a judge's opinion. So far, federal authorities have not intervened. Virginia, though, has an anti-picketing law that local authorities could try to enforce. Schuller's legacy means Maryland does not. "If I played a part in keeping an avenue of expression open, I feel good about that," he said last week. But, for years, he thought he had been in the right place at the right time in 1976 for a different reason. The night before his arrest, as he told it, the activists had held a Mass at their house. It was the week of Easter, and Philip Berrigan - that rabble-rousing ex-priest, that antiwar icon - needed bread for Communion. Schuller was not Catholic, but he still had his 2 a.m. loaf. He offered it up. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LAS VEGAS (AP) Former Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn has accepted an undisclosed financial settlement to end his federal defamation lawsuit against a well-known attorney who represented a dancer who she said accused Wynn of sexual harassment and retaliation. Los Angeles attorney Lisa Bloom retracted and withdrew claims she made in a news release in March 2018 announcing she represented a woman making claims of inappropriate behavior against Wynn, according to a statement included in a settlement document provided Tuesday to The Associated Press by Wynn's lawyers. The amount of the settlement was blacked out in the document, which was signed by Wynn and Bloom and submitted to U.S. District Judge James Mahan in Las Vegas. The judge approved the agreement and dismissed the case Monday. Blooms 2018 news release said she was representing a dancer who accused Wynn of leering at female performers who were instructed to strip down to bras and panties when he attended and watched physically revealing segments of rehearsals for Showstoppers at the Wynn Las Vegas resort. The settlement statement said Bloom wanted to correct the record and state that there has been no evidence obtained that Steve Wynn made inappropriate instructions to dancers, nor that he knew about any inappropriate instructions. Bloom and attorneys who represented her in the federal case in Nevada did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages seeking comment. Bloom is the daughter of nationally known womens rights and discrimination attorney Gloria Allred. Wynn, 80, offered a statement saying he was pleased with the agreement and declaring the matter fully settled, including with a retraction. Wynn attorney Todd Bice in Las Vegas told AP the settlement amount would remain confidential. He declined additional comment. Wynn had sought a jury trial and damages of at least $75,000 less than two months after the Wall Street Journal reported that he had harassed or assaulted several women. Wynn has consistently denied sexual misconduct allegations. He resigned as chairman and CEO of his namesake company, Wynn Resorts, in February 2018, and sold his company shares. He now lives in Florida. Wynn's lawsuit against Bloom was filed in April 2018. Mahan denied Bloom's bid to have the case dismissed and she appealed. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco referred it back to Mahan in March 2021. A reasonable jury could find Bloom "acted with actual malice in publishing the release, a three-judge appellate panel said. Allegations of wrongdoing against Wynn have spawned other lawsuits and sanctions. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled last month that state casino regulators could still impose a $500,000 fine and discipline Wynn over allegations of workplace sexual misconduct. Wynns lawyers argue he no longer has casino industry ties and the state Gaming Commission lacks authority to punish him. The commission separately fined Wynn Resorts $20 million in 2019 for failing to investigate claims of sexual misconduct made against Wynn before he resigned. Regulators in Massachusetts fined the company $35 million more and the companys top executive $500,000 for failing to disclose sexual misconduct allegations against Wynn when it applied for a license for a Boston-area casino. Wynn Resorts in November 2019 accepted $20 million in damages from Wynn and $21 million more from insurance carriers to settle shareholder lawsuits accusing company directors of failing to disclose misconduct allegations. Steve Wynn also has a pending defamation lawsuit against The Associated Press and an AP reporter based on a story about accounts made to Las Vegas police from two women who alleged sexual misconduct by Wynn. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A lawyer for the family of a 29-year-old Black man who was fatally shot last month by a Houston police officer said body camera video shows he was given only seconds to raise his hands before he was shot. Jalen Randle was shot April 27 as he exited a vehicle, police said. Police said he was being pursued because he was wanted on three felony warrants. Police released video of the shooting Tuesday after Randle's family demanded it, but Assistant Chief Thomas Hardin said in the introduction to the footage that the department is still in the early stages of its investigation. A spokesman for the Houston police department declined to comment further because of the ongoing investigation. The video shows the officer firing once almost immediately after yelling Hey, let me see your hands! as he got out of a police car. After Randle fell to the ground, the officer uttered an expletive. Attorney Ben Crump said in a statement that the video shows clearly that Randle had no time to comply with the officer's orders before he was shot. Crump said Randle was handcuffed and drug across the ground before officers rendered aid. "The brutality displayed in this video is extremely disturbing from the officer firing a deadly shot seemingly as he ordered Jalen to put his hands up to the way they handcuffed and dragged his lifeless body across the ground, said Crump, who is one of the nation's top civil rights attorneys and also represented the family of George Floyd after he was killed by Minneapolis police officers, has won financial settlements in about 200 police brutality cases. Police have said officers tried to pull over a vehicle after seeing Randle get into its passenger seat, but the driver didnt stop till officers eventually blocked its path. Police say Randle then exited and an officer shot him. Police say Randle was in possession of a bag with a gun in it. Crump said previously that an independent autopsy showed that Randle was shot in the back of his neck and witnesses said he was running away. Police havent identified the officer who shot Randle, but the body camera footage released Tuesday is labeled Officer Privette BWC. Houston Officer Shane Privette was indicted for using excessive force in a 2017 incident but that charge was dismissed in 2019. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Lamenting a uniquely American tragedy, an anguished and angry President Joe Biden delivered an urgent call for new restrictions on firearms after a gunman shot and killed at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school. Biden spoke Tuesday night from the White House barely an hour after returning from a five-day trip to Asia that was bracketed by mass shootings in the U.S. He pleaded for action to address gun violence after years of failure and bitterly blamed firearm manufacturers and their supporters for blocking legislation in Washington. 'When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?" Biden said with emotion. Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen?" With first lady Jill Biden standing by his side in the Roosevelt Room, the president, who has suffered the loss of two of his own children though not to gun violence spoke in visceral terms about the grief of the loved ones of the victims and the pain that will endure for the students who survived. To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away, Biden said. Theres a hollowness in your chest. You feel like youre being sucked into it and never going to be able to get out. He called on the nation to hold the victims and families in prayer but also to work harder to prevent the next tragedy, Its time we turned this pain into action," he said. At least 19 students were killed at Robb Elementary School in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde, Texas, according to local officials. The death toll also included two adults. The gunman died after being shot by responding officers, local police said. It was just a week earlier that Biden, on the eve of his overseas trip, traveled to Buffalo to meet with victims' families after a racist, hate-filled shooter killed 10 Black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. The back-to-back tragedies served as sobering reminders of the frequency and brutality of an American epidemic of mass gun violence. These kinds of mass shootings rarely happen anywhere else in the world," Biden said, reflecting that other nations have people filled with hate or with mental health issues but no other industrialized nation experiences gun violence at the level of the U.S. "Why? he asked. It was much too early to tell if the latest violent outbreak could break the political logjam around tightening the nation's gun laws, after so many others including the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut that killed 26, including 20 children have failed. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong," Biden said. He has previously called for a ban on assault-style weapons, as well as tougher federal background check requirements and red flag laws that are meant to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental health problems. Late Tuesday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer set in motion possible action on two House-passed bills to expand federally required background checks for gun purchases, but no votes have been scheduled. Biden was somber when he returned to the White House, having been briefed on the shooting on Air Force One. Shortly before landing in Washington, he spoke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and offered any and all assistance needed, the White House said. He directed that American flags be flown at half-staff through sunset Saturday in honor of the victims in Texas. His aides, some of whom had just returned from Asia with the president, gathered to watch Bidens speech on televisions in the West Wing. Id hoped when I became president I would not have to do this, again," he said. "Another massacre. In a stark reminder of the issue's divisiveness, Biden's call for gun measures was booed at a campaign event in Georgia hosted by Herschel Walker, who won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Speaking at an Asian Pacific American event that was intended to celebrate Biden's Asia trip, Vice President Kamala Harris said earlier that people normally declare in moments like this, our hearts break but our hearts keep getting broken ... and our broken hearts are nothing compared to the broken hearts of those families. We have to have the courage to take action ... to ensure something like this never happens again, she said. Echoing Biden's call, former President Barack Obama, who has called the day of the Sandy Hook shooting the darkest of his administration, said, Its long past time for action, any kind of action." Michelle and I grieve with the families in Uvalde, who are experiencing pain no one should have to bear, he said in a statement. Were also angry for them. Nearly ten years after Sandy Hookand ten days after Buffaloour country is paralyzed, not by fear, but by a gun lobby and a political party that have shown no willingness to act in any way that might help prevent these tragedies. Congress has been unable to pass substantial gun violence legislation ever since the bipartisan effort to strengthen background checks on firearm purchases collapsed in the aftermath of the 2012 shooting. Despite months of work, a bill that was backed by a majority of senators, fell to a filibuster unable to to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to advance. In impassioned remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who represented Newton, Connecticut, in the House at the time of the Sandy Hook massacre, asked his colleagues why they even bother running for office if theyre going to stand by and do nothing. Im here on this floor to beg to literally get down on my hands and knees to beg my colleagues, he said. Murphy said he was planning to reach out to Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn after the two had teamed on an 2021 effort to toughen background check requirements that never became law. He said he would also reach out to Texas other Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. I just dont understand why people here think were powerless, Murphy said. We arent. Cornyn told reporters he was on his way to Texas and would talk with them later. Cruz issued a statement calling it a dark day. Were all completely sickened and heartbroken. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who sponsored gun legislation that failed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate after Sandy Hook, said, Were just pushing on people who just wont budge on anything. It makes no sense at all why we cant do commonsense things and try to prevent some of this from happening, he said. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Michael Balsamo, Alan Fram and Farnoush Amiri contributed. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) The head of Serbia's Orthodox Church said Tuesday that he would recognize the full independence of the church in neighboring North Macedonia, signaling an end to a decades-old religious dispute. The Macedonian Church unilaterally announced its independence, or autocephaly, from the Serbian Church in 1967, while the two predominantly Orthodox republics were still part of Yugoslavia. Serbian religious leaders at the time had condemned the move as schismatic and the breakaway church was not recognized by other Orthodox churches. On Tuesday, Patriarch Porfirije, the leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, announced the decision during a joint liturgy with the head of North Macedonia's Church, Archbishop Stefan, held at the Cathedral of St. Clement of Ohrid in North Macedonias capital Skopje. Brothers and sisters, we are here to bring you joy," Porfirije said, adding that the synod of Serbia's senior bishops had unanimously accepted the change. An official proclamation of the church's independence was being prepared, he said, to be followed by an invitation of acceptance to be sent to other Orthodox churches. God is one, his church is one and our faith is one. That is why we are rejoicing today. A miracle is happening before us. We are part of that miracle, Porfirije said. His announcement was greeted with applause by hundreds attending the service. News that the church was no longer in schism with the rest of the Orthodox world was widely seen in North Macedonia as a historic event. Formal recognition of the autocephaly of the church fully named the Macedonian Orthodox ChurchOhrid Archbishopric is expected to be officially announced by the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. We have been waiting to hear this news for a long time. This is the day, Archbishop Stefan said, thanking Bartholomew and Porfirije for their support. On May 9, the Ecumenical Patriarchate formally resumed communion with the Ohrid Archbishopric, referring to the Macedonian Orthodox Church. WOOD RIVER COVID-19 cases are on the rise again throughout the county and the region, as eflected in the latest data from the Madison County Health Department. After many weeks of low levels, Madison County now has a community level of medium, according to the MCHD's figures posted at https://gisportal.co.madison.il.us/portal/apps/dashboards/c2a8d5f6752f498286bfc31252ecee1b . Were seeing an elevation of COVID cases throughout the United States again, MCHD Director Toni Corona said. There are different factors involved, including new case levels for the past seven days, but they also look at new COVID-19 hospital admissions for seven days, as well as the percentage of staffed beds occupied by COVID patients. "The idea behind it is to give communities and individuals a common operating picture across the country," she said. "It can help communities or individuals determine the impact that COVID may have where they are, and to take necessary actions. Corona said that, over a three-day period including May 21-23, Madison County had a total of 172 new cases of COVID-19. Looking at the last 14 days and comparing it to the previous 14-day period, weve had an 89.5% increase in the number of new cases, she said. Its important for folks to realize that COVID is very much still around," she said. "You could be exposed to COVID within your community when youre out and about. The prevention and behaviors remain the same," Corona said. "You want to stay up to date with your COVID vaccines and boosters and consider wearing a mask if youre going to be in tight quarters indoors. Corona emphasized the community level data is not designed to be an across-the-board mandate. Its designed for individuals who are at high risk for severe illness or are round other individuals that could be at high risk for severe illness, Corona said. We want to make them aware of what is going on in their community. She also stressed the continued availability of COVID testing and urged people to take advantage of it. Testing is something that we dont talk about much anymore because its somewhat more difficult to find places where you can get tested, Corona said. Even though the state has closed their community-based testing centers, testing is still widely available at retail pharmacies. In case people missed it, the federal government is sending free test kits again," she said. "You can get up to eight of them by signing up at covid.gov. Were still getting people that are testing positive with no symptoms, so if youre going to visit someone in a high-risk situation, its not a bad idea to take a test beforehand. Also, if you know you have been exposed to COVID, please get tested. Even if people believe they just have a cold or are dealing with allergies, Corona said its still a good idea for test for COVID. You want to know if its a runny nose and allergies or if its something else, she said. Everybody needs to have due diligence and stay home if they are ill. If you test positive, you need to continue to isolate. The isolation and quarantine recommendations have not changed, and you should be home for at least five days if you test positive. If your symptoms have improved and you are fever-free, you can resume going to work on Day 6," she said. "You should be wearing a mask at all times if you go back out in the community. Its easy to think that COVID has all gone by the wayside, but we want to continue to practice the best prevention behaviors, so we dont stress the hospitals and healthcare systems. Corona added that the Omicron subvariant continues to be the primary strain of COVID found in Illinois. Were not seeing any new predominant variant of concern, Corona said. Its important that folks realize they still need to be careful and cautious. Consider the vaccine and the boosters if youre eligible. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) John Kerry, America's top official on climate change, said Tuesday that the U.S. and China were making progress on putting together a group from both countries to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions, said Kerry. Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crackdown on methane leaks, a highly potent greenhouse gas. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central area of focus for the group. The progress report came as government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grappled with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects. A central question was: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels? In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world. But today, the question is both practical and urgent, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced many countries that depended on Russian oil and gas to make swift changes to energy supplies. The debate comes as examples of acutely felt impacts of climate change multiply, including recent heat waves in Southeast Asia to flooding in parts of South America. Meanwhile, the worlds top climate scientists have repeatedly warned that increased investment in fossil fuels are hurting chances to keep warming to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), and thus avoid even more devastating effects. Kerry, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, and several European officials argued Tuesday that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to lose focus on renewable energy goals. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the 27-nation bloc should never again become dependent on untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy. She said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal, but rather the green and digital transitions will rely on other materials like lithium, silicon metal or rare earth permanent magnets which are required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. We must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas," she said. "We should not replace old dependencies with new ones. Von der Leyen added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to get rid of Russian fossil fuels rapidly. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal imports from Russia but member countries have yet to find a deal on sanctions on Russia's oil and gas. Attendees in Davos this week were also discussing several other high-priority issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of rising hunger worldwide, inequality and persistent health crises. That included Turkeys pushback to Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital Wednesday for talks. Both Haavisto and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in separate comments at the gathering that they believe they can overcome Turkeys concerns about what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists. We have to do what we always do in NATO, and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns, Stoltenberg said. But even in discussions of those issues, climate change was often ever present, as was the tension over what role oil and gas companies may play in a transition to green energy. Davos represented one of the biggest platforms to discuss climate change ahead of the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November. Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum a major oil company, said that oil and gas industries had a central role to play in the transition to renewable energy. Instead of talk about moving away from fossil fuels, Hollub said the focus should be on making fossil fuels cleaner by reducing emissions. She said Occidental had invested heavily in wind and solar energy and planned to build the largest direct air capture facility in the world in the Permian Basin. Direct air capture is a process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it deep in the ground. The U.S. can provide ample resources to the rest of the world. However, its becoming more and more difficult to do that because of the fact that we are getting a lot of headwinds, she said on Monday. One is the belief that we can end the use of oil and gas sooner rather than later. Joe Manchin, a U.S. senator from West Virginia who has opposed a major bill on climate change proposed by President Joe Biden, said Monday that fossil fuels were key to ensure energy security, and America had the resources to help ensure such security for the world. We can't do it by abandoning the fossil fuel industry, said Manchin, a Democrat, adding that no transition could take place until alternatives were fully in place. Many energy experts argue that viable alternatives are already in place. For example, the cost of wind and solar have come down considerably in recent decades while efficiencies of both have dramatically increased. At the same time, other more nascent technologies have promise but need massive investment to develop. Kerry, in the interview, said he was still hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There is no sign of progress, or even any movement, by the Biden administration. "When you are a legislator, hope springs eternal," said Kerry. You always are working to try to get the votes to make something happen. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated because Congress is clearly stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said no. Nobody is going to be in one job forever, are they? Kerry asked. But I'm not planning to move on. I'm working toward the COP (in Egypt) and we'll see what happens. ___ Associated Press journalists Kelvin Chan and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Dana Beltaji in London and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. ___ Peter Prengaman is The Associated Press' global climate and environment news director and can be followed at: twitter.com/peterprengaman ____ 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. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) Investigators didn't find a DNA profile for the man accused of killing his wife's co-worker on items recovered in the case, including a gun, a hacksaw and a knife, a state criminalist testified Tuesday. Armando Barron's profile didn't turn up, but testing did find a DNA profile, or a possible contributor, for Jonathan Amerault, the man who died, said Katie Lynn Swanko under questioning from Barrons lawyer in a Keene, New Hampshire courtroom. Prosecutors allege Barron assaulted his wife, Britany Barron, the night he discovered she was texting with Amerault, then used her cellphone to lure him to a park just north of the Massachusetts state line in September 2020. They allege he beat and kicked Amerault, forced him into his own car and shot him three times. Barron's trial began last week. The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case Wednesday. Armando Barron has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges. His lawyers argue that his wife shot Amerault, which she denies. Britany Barron had testified that after Amerault was shot, she was then forced to drive the car 200 miles (322 kilometers) north to a remote campsite. There, she said, she was forced to behead Amerault and dispose of his body. About a dozen items submitted to Swanko had tested positive for the presence of human blood, but the DNA profile on them was unknown," Swanko said. She said comparisons were made to known profiles of Amerault, Armando Barron and Britany Barron. Amerault's profile came up on nearly all of the items. So across all of the items that you tested from this investigation, Armando Barron was not a possible contributor of the DNA to any of those items that you tested?" defense attorney Morgan Taggart-Hampton asked. That's correct," Swanko said. A few items, such as a black tank top and a sample of a napkin, showed Britany Barron's profile, Swanko testified. The tested items included a pair of blue sneakers. During earlier testimony Tuesday, a criminalist testifying about a zigzag impression left on Amerault's face, saying it could have been made by a blue sneaker that she was given to analyze. Prosecutors said earlier in the trial that Armando Barron owned a pair of blue sneakers. Also on Tuesday, an investigator testified about messages on social media accounts recovered from Britany Barrons and Amerault's phones that September night, including one on Britany's asking Amerault to come to a park, followed by one telling him to turn to the right" and that she was there. The jury also heard a recording of a conversation a police officer had with Armando Barron at his home a couple of nights later. Barron is heard saying he dropped his wife off to go camping, and that he thought the officer was serving him divorce papers. He also said he had driven up north. Britany pleaded guilty last year to three counts of falsifying evidence and was released from jail on parole last month. The Associated Press had not been naming the couple in order not to identify Britany Barron, who said she suffered extreme abuse. Through her lawyer, she recently agreed to the use of her name. SEATTLE (AP) The police department in Vancouver, Washington, has agreed to improve services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing as part of a settlement reached Tuesday with the U.S. Justice Department. Federal authorities became involved after receiving a complaint from a deaf woman who said she was denied services that would allow her to communicate with and understand officers during her arrest and interrogation. Officers knew she was deaf when they responded to the call that led to her arrest, but they did not bring a sign language interpreter. Instead, she said, police required her minor daughter to act as an interpreter. Further, the woman had her hands cuffed behind her during her transport to jail, preventing her from communicating at all. In the settlement the Vancouver Police Department agreed to pay the woman $30,000 and to update its policies and procedures to make sure those who are deaf or hard of hearing can effectively communicate and receive equal access to services in their encounters with Vancouver police. The woman is identified only by her initials, E.H., in the settlement documents, which also did not detail the reasons for her arrest. However, the U.S. attorney's office in Seattle noted that the investigation further revealed that Vancouver police failed to provide a qualified interpreter to the alleged victim of the incident, who is also deaf. Law enforcement encounters are some of the most high-stakes and personally significant moments a person can experience, Tessa Gorman, the first assistant U.S. attorney in Seattle, said in a statement. "It is critically important that individuals be able to effectively communicate in these moments both to provide information to the police and to receive information about their rights. The settlement notes that the Vancouver Police Department cooperated fully with the investigation. Under the deal's terms, the department will provide the U.S. Attorney's Office with draft policy revisions improve communication with those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The department agreed to modify its restraint and handcuffing policy so that detainees who are deaf or hard of hearing can communicate using American Sign Language or in writing by having their hands in front of their bodies. The U.S. Attorneys Office will monitor the departments compliance with the settlement for the next two years. SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) A man who had been kicked off a Southern California elementary school campus drove a car onto a curb and struck three children who were walking to school, police said Monday. The children were hospitalized in stable condition and Jason Guzman, 26, of Valencia was arrested, Santa Ana police said. Four incendiary devices were found in the mans car, police said. The man had trespassed at Taft Elementary School, apparently asking to use a restroom, and was escorted off campus at around 8 a.m., police said. A short time later, the man drove onto the curb a few blocks from school, hitting three children who were walking to school, authorities said. The car then continued rolling and hit a parked car before police took the driver into custody, Sgt. Maria Lopez said. The driver had what appeared to be a self-inflicted stab wound and was taken for treatment, Lopez said. Isaias Vazquez, who lives nearby, ran to help the children. Ones in the middle of the street just laying down motionless, Vazquez told KTLA-TV. As I go to tend to them, parents are just distraught, screaming, and I see an individual walking towards us with a knife in his hand so immediately I called the cops. The driver, who appeared to be disoriented, then turned around and walked back towards the car, where he left the knife, Vazquez said. Two of the children were OK, just in shock," Vazquez said. And then after a while, the one that was laying on the street motionless, she regained consciousness, was moving, thankfully, and was better but in a lot of pain." The school was locked down for three hours while police searched the school to make sure it was safe. Classes then resumed, authorities said. Investigators will try to determine whether the driver intended to hit the children and whether he had any connection to the school, Lopez said. LONDON (AP) Health authorities in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia have identified more than 100 cases of monkeypox in recent days. Officials around the world are keeping watch for more cases because, for the first time, the rare disease appears to be spreading among people who didnt travel to Africa, where monkeypox is endemic. They stress, however, that the risk to the general population is low. WHAT IS MONKEYPOX? Monkeypox is a virus that originates in wild animals like rodents and primates, and occasionally jumps to people. It belongs to the same virus family as smallpox. Most human cases have been in central and west Africa and outbreaks have been relatively limited. The illness was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were two outbreaks of a pox-like disease in research monkeys thus the name monkeypox. The first known human infection was in 1970, in a young boy in a remote part of Congo. WHAT CAUSED THIS LATEST OUTBREAK? Health officials are still investigating, but a top adviser to the World Health Organization said this week that the leading theory is that monkeypox was likely spread after sexual activity at two recent raves in Europe. Dr. David Heymann, who chairs WHO's expert advisory group on infectious hazards, said monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with someone already infected with the disease, and that "it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission. Authorities in countries including Britain, Spain, Germany and Portugal say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but experts emphasize that anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Scientists say it will be difficult to determine whether the spread is being driven by sex or merely close contact. WHY ARE MOST OF THE CURRENT INFECTIONS OUTSIDE AFRICA IN MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN? It's unclear, but the disease is no more likely to infect gay and bisexual men than anyone else. This may just be unlucky that (monkeypox) happened to get into this one particular community first, said Dr. Jake Dunning, an infectious diseases researcher at the University of Oxford, who is also involved in treating cases in London. It's just that they are a community and by having sex with each other, that is how it's spreading, he said. Other experts warn the disease could spread more widely if measures aren't taken to stop the outbreak. Infectious diseases dont care about borders or social networks. Some groups may have a greater chance of exposure right now, but by no means is the current risk of exposure to monkeypox exclusive to men who have sex with men, said the CDCs Dr. John Brooks. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW IS IT TREATED? Most monkeypox patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, monkeypox can be fatal for up to 6% of cases and is thought to be more severe in children. Smallpox vaccines are effective against monkeypox and anti-viral drugs are also being developed. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommended all suspected cases be isolated and that high-risk contacts be offered a smallpox vaccine. The U.K. is offering high-risk contacts the smallpox vaccine and recommending anyone who might be infected to isolate until they recover. The U.S. has 1,000 doses of a vaccine approved for the prevention of monkeypox and smallpox, plus more than 100 million doses of an older-generation smallpox vaccine in a government stockpile, officials said. HOW WORRYING IS THIS OUTBREAK? Any outbreak of an emerging virus is concerning, but most of the cases have been mild and there have been no deaths so far. Monkeypox also requires very close contact to spread, so it is not likely to prompt big waves of disease like COVID-19, which can be transmitted in the air by people with no symptoms. Still, Britains Health Security Agency has said it expects to see new infections on a daily basis and WHOs Europe director warned that the summer season of festivals and parties could spread the disease. Many of the cases being identified have no links to previous infections, suggesting the virus is already spreading widely. On Tuesday, Germanys Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the outbreak is not the beginning of a new pandemic but needed to be contained quickly. HOW MANY MONKEYPOX CASES ARE THERE TYPICALLY? The World Health Organization estimates there are thousands of monkeypox infections in about a dozen African countries every year. Most are in Congo, which reports about 6,000 cases annually, and Nigeria, with about 3,000 cases a year. In the past, isolated cases of monkeypox have been spotted outside Africa, including in the U.S. and Britain. The cases were mostly linked to travel in Africa or contact with animals from areas where the disease is more common. In 2003, 47 people in six U.S. states had confirmed or probable cases. They caught the virus from pet prairie dogs that been housed near imported small mammals from Ghana. ____ AP writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report. ___ 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. Some Bakersfield residents are concerned about potential explosions after a state agency found that six idle oil wells near homes were leaking methane in the past several days. State and regional inspectors found concentrations of methane in the air around some of the wells at levels considered potentially explosive and environmental activists in the region are worried that other chemicals may also be leaking from the wells that could pose a threat to public health. But Uduak-Joe Ntuk, head of the California Geologic Energy Management division of the California Department of Conservation, the agency that oversees wells and confirmed they were leaking, said in a statement that the leaks were minor in nature and do not pose an immediate threat to public health or safety. Residents and environmentalists in the region first became concerned when they were alerted by Clark Williams-Derry, an energy analyst, that two wells were hissing within a few hundred feet of homes. He was visiting the area on May 10 with a French documentary crew that's working on a film about cleaning up oil and gas infrastructure around the globe. One of them was leaking, it was making an audible hiss, Williams-Derry told the Associated Press. And I was like what the hell is going on?' I thought these things were supposed to be essentially sealed. On May 17, an inspector from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District measured the concentrations of methane in the air surrounding the leaking wells, Jaime Holt, chief communications officer with the district, said in a statement to the Associated Press. The agency wouldn't confirm the concentrations of methane they found. But a letter sent to the states oil and gas regulators by a coalition of environmental groups said the inspector found that methane levels in the air around one of the wells was 20,000 parts per million (ppm) and at least 50,000 ppm around the other well. Those two wells have since been sealed, Ntuk said in a statement on Friday, but while inspectors were checking to make sure the seals on those wells stopped the leaks, they found four more idle wells leaking. Three of the four wells had methane concentrations of 50,000 ppm in the air surrounding them, according to a report from the state. The other well had a methane concentration of 6,000 ppm. Methane is potentially explosive at air concentrations of 50,000 ppm, according to federal guidelines. Riley Duren, an international methane expert and research scientist at the Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies and Research, Innovation and Impact, said that methane concentrations of 50,000 ppm can imply "an extreme and potentially hazardous event." CalGEM said in their report on the four additional leaks that they were notifying the owner/operators of the wells, Sunray Petroleum, to repair the leaks and that they briefed the Bakersfield Fire Department. But environmental advocates in the region said the response by regional and state authorities did not go far enough. The response... (shows) complete disrespect for the safety of this community, said Nayamin Martinez, director of the Central California Environmental Justice Network and a resident of the area, in a statement. CalGEM said there was no reason to alert the public of the leaks, but advocates in the region disagree. In the days following discovery of the leaks, Cesar Aguirre, senior community organizer for the Central California Environmental Justice Network, canvassed the neighborhood surrounding the wells to notify residents. Aguirre said he was warning residents about the potential of an explosion or fire in their community, but also about other possible pollution, like acute levels of ozone or smog, that might be forming around the leaking wells. Methane itself is usually non-toxic to humans, but a 2021 report from the United Nations points out ozone pollution is tied to methane emissions. Methane is a health precursor, which means that it never shows up alone, Aguirre said. So if there's methane, there's definitely other scary chemicals that are floating around with it. David J.X. Gonzalez, lead author on a recent study on the distribution of abandoned wells in urban areas, echoed some of Aguirre's concerns and said the leaks are an urgent public health issue. He pointed out there are thousands of other idle wells spread throughout the state. Researchers have found that methane emissions from abandoned wells, which are disproportionately located in Black and Latinx neighborhoods, likely means other air toxics are being emitted too, which can cause birth defects, neurological damage, impaired hearing, and some cancers, he said in a statement. The neighborhoods near the leaking wells are between 20% and 70% Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 Census. The coalition of groups pushing for the wells to be sealed hope the discovery of these leaks pushes the state to take action to ensure other idle wells throughout the state aren't leaking methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The leaking wells represent damage to the climate as well along with the health concerns. We... hope this will spur CalGEM to move swiftly to address the tens of thousands of other idle or near-idle wells across the state to prevent these types of accidences in the future, they said at the end of the letter. ___ Follow Drew Costley on Twitter: @drewcostley. ___ 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. ___ This story was first published on May 24, 2022. It was updated on May 25, 2022 to correct the spelling of the name of Jaime Holt of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATLANTA (AP) In the first statewide test of new voting restrictions, Georgia's high-stakes primary election appeared to be running smoothly Tuesday with no reports of major problems in one of the nation's most important battleground states. A record number of ballots cast during the early voting period in the three weeks before Election Day helped ease the strain at polling places. There were no reports of long lines or widespread equipment problems despite hotly contested GOP primary races for governor and U.S. Senate. Its all quiet, and quiet is good, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who also was facing a GOP primary challenger in his re-election bid. He said overall turnout was on track to set a record for a midterm election in the state. Tuesday's primary was the first major election since the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republican governor adopted tighter rules following the 2020 presidential election and amid a concerted effort by former President Donald Trump to cast doubt on his loss with unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Lawmakers added restrictions to mail voting, limited drop boxes and changed rules that could make it harder for voters who run into problems on Election Day to have their ballots counted. Thats despite no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, a state that Democrat Joe Biden won by about 11,800 votes. Election Day capped a record-setting early voting period in Georgia. Nearly 860,000 ballots had been cast through Friday, the majority of which were done in-person as opposed to mail. State election officials said the early turnout marked a 168% increase from the 2018 primary and a 212% increase from 2020. Republicans have touted the early voting numbers as evidence that the Georgia elections law, known as Senate Bill 202, has not harmed voters. Now we are seeing the hard evidence that as we all knew, the hysteria was never based on fact to begin with, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Tuesday. Since primaries tend to draw more experienced voters, it may be too soon to draw any sweeping conclusions about the effects of the Georgia law. In the fall, more first-time and infrequent voters those who are more likely to encounter challenges at the polls will be casting ballots. Georgias primary also was expected to draw far higher turnout among Republicans because of the closely contested GOP races for governor and secretary of state, and a high-profile U.S. Senate race. The two leading Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate were facing little to no opposition. Nothing I have seen so far has changed the fact that Georgia could have celebrated the historic turnout we saw in 2020 and made voting more accessible," said Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project. Georgia was among three states, along with Alabama and Arkansas, holding regular primaries Tuesday. Texas had runoff elections for the GOP primary for attorney general and for a Democratic congressional seat, while Minnesota was holding a special primary for the seat of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. Georgia - along with other states that have held early primaries has seen a dramatic decline in the use of mailed ballots since the record numbers reported in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when voters were seeking alternatives to crowded polling places. Brad Conlon, who cast his ballot at a church in the north Georgia town of Holly Springs, said he prefers voting in-person because he believes its more secure. He said poll workers checked his ID twice. I have a lot of concerns about methods that arent really well-watched, protected, said Conlon, who owns a small business in heavily Republican Cherokee County. Across the state, election officials and voting rights groups reported a few instances of polling locations opening late, minor equipment troubles and some voters showing up at the wrong voting location in some cases because of errors in the voting materials they received. Officials acknowledged the error for some voters in Chatham County, home of Savannah, and posted signs on the door of at least one polling place redirecting voters. State election officials said a drawn-out redistricting process gave election offices tight deadlines to ensure that all voters were assigned to their proper precinct. Voting was being extended in at least seven precincts in Georgia that delayed their morning opening. There were no immediate reports of major voting issues in the other states. The new Georgia elections law made several changes. It made it harder to request a mail ballot by shortening the period voters can apply for one and added new ID requirements to the applications and the ballot itself. Voters could request a ballot online two years ago, but now they must print or obtain a paper form, sign it in ink and send it in by mail, email or fax. As of Monday, about 72,000 mail ballots had been returned out of nearly 97,000 requested by Georgia voters. About 1,300 applications were rejected for arriving past the new, earlier deadline, or about 1.4% of those submitted. Texas primary voters in March were tripped up by new identification requirements, resulting in an abnormally high rate of mail ballot rejections. Lawmakers in Alabama and Arkansas also shortened the period for those requesting absentee ballots. ___ Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Alan Fram in Washington, D.C., and Jeff Martin in Holly Springs, Georgia, contributed to this report. On Thursday, several pieces of legislation passed through the Michigan Legislature and were signed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Bills covered everything from addressing the health care shortage (House Bill 5089) to expanding prescription drug refill access (Senate Bill 166) and creating a fund to help fight the opioid crisis in Michigan (Senate Bill 993). Here are the highlights from the pieces of legislation. House Bills: HB 4674 and HB 4675 increase the amount of compensation available to crime victims and expand access to mental health resources. "Public safety that doesn't include the needs of crime victims is not true safety," Aswad Thomas, vice president at Alliance for Safety and Justice and national director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice said in a statement. "Today, Governor Whitmer has made clear that Michigan stands with crime survivors and their families. As a crime survivor, I understand the emotional and physical toll of violence. These reforms will provide crime victims with the critical help to heal and recover from violence." House Bill 4674 was introduced by Rep. Bronna Kahle, R Adrian. HB 4675 was introduced by Rep. Bradley Slagh, R Zeeland. HB 5089 modifies the requirements an applicant must meet to be granted registration as a nurse aide by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. It also adjusts training requirements without compromising the quality of training, which will help address the health care worker shortage. "All Michiganders deserve access to affordable, high-quality health care and by allowing for more nurse aides to enter the field and receive vital training, were meeting the needs of the moment," Whitmer said in a statement. HB 5089 was introduced by Rep. Ann Bollin, R Brighton. Senate Bills SB 166 allows pharmacists in Michigan to refill prescriptions authorized by a prescriber in another state or province of Canada. This allows those attending school, working or traveling in Michigan from other states or Canada to maintain easy access to have their prescriptions refilled. SB 166 was introduced by Sen. Curtis Vanderwall, R Ludington. SB 627 and SB 628 establish the Michigan-Indiana State Line Commission within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, to recover and re-establish the Michigan-Indiana State Line. The commission will be made up of five licensed surveyors from the five border counties. Upon completion of the survey, the commission is required to submit its findings to the legislature. SB 627 and SB 628 were both introduced by Sen. Kim LaSata, R Niles. Together, SB 993, SB 994 and SB 995 invest $800 million in treatment, prevention and mental health in response to the opioid crisis in Michigan. The bills manage the disbursement of settlement funds as a result of opioid-related lawsuits and create the Opioid Advisory Commission to advance policy to prevent, treat and support those with opioid use disorder. SB 993 was sponsored by Sen. Michael MacDonald, R Macomb. SB 994 was sponsored by Sen. Mark Huizenga. SB 995 was sponsored by Sen. Betty Jean Alexander, D Detroit. "Time is not on our side when it comes to Michigans opioid epidemic, so I applaud the bipartisan support that got these bills across the finish line and to Gov. Whitmer's desk," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. "I have spent the past couple of months visiting communities around Michigan to learn more about the work being done to prevent and treat Opioid Use Disorder, and while local governments will receive direct payments, the timely deployment of state settlement dollars is crucial in the fight against opioids in our communities." More information about the opioid settlements can be found on the Department of Attorney Generals website. Payments are expected to begin sometime this summer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JERUSALEM (AP) Turkey's foreign minister said Tuesday that improved ties with Israel will not come at the expense of its commitment to supporting the Palestinians and the two-state solution to the conflict. Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke in the Palestinian administrative headquarters in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank during a joint press conference with his Palestinian counterpart, Riad Malki. Cavusoglu's meeting with Palestinian officials comes a day before he makes a landmark visit to Israel. It would be the first visit to the region by a senior Turkish official in 15 years. We are leading the normalization process in coordination with Palestinian authorities, Cavusoglu said. Our support for the Palestinian cause is completely independent of the course of our relations with Israel. Cavusoglu said that dialogue with Israel would "make an important contribution to the reduction of tensions, as it did during Ramadan, and ... will also contribute to making the Palestinian cause or the voice of the Palestinians to be heard stronger. The foreign minister's visit to Israel is another sign of efforts by the two former allies to improve long strained relations. Earlier this year, Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the first official visit by an Israeli leader in 14 years. Turkey and Israel once were close allies but relations grew strained under Erdogan, who is an outspoken critic of Israels policies toward the Palestinians. Israel also has been angered by Erdogans embrace of Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israel considers Hamas a terrorist group. The countries withdrew their respective ambassadors in 2010 after Israeli forces stormed a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians that broke an Israeli blockade. The incident resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists. Relations broke down again in 2018 when Turkey, angered by the U.S. moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, once more recalled its ambassador, prompting Israel to respond in kind. The two countries have not reappointed their ambassadors. On Wednesday, Cavusoglu will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, visit Israel's main Holocaust memorial and pay a private visit to Jerusalem's flashpoint holy site, known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and to Jews as the Temple Mount. WARSAW, Ind. (AP) A church pastor told his Indiana congregation that he had committed adultery about 20 years ago, a disclosure that was followed moments later by a woman who stepped forward and said she was victimized by him when she was 16 years old. The remarks were recorded on video Sunday at New Life Christian Church and World Outreach in Warsaw and posted on Facebook. The Kosciusko County prosecutors office is investigating, WANE-TV reported. Prosecutor Daniel Hampton didn't immediately return a message Monday seeking comment from The Associated Press. Pastor John Lowe II told his congregation: I committed adultery. It was nearly 20 years ago, he said. It continued far too long. It involved one person and there's been no other. I have no defense. ... I sinned. I need to say that and you deserve to hear it. Lowe got a standing ovation. But then a woman walked up to the microphone with her story. It was 27 years ago, not 20. ... I was just 16 when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that? I know you do, she said. She said the "lies and the manipulation have to stop." I was a prisoner, and you kept me in your prison, she said as Lowe stood near. I'm a prisoner no longer. Some people then shouted questions at Lowe. He admitted having sex with the woman when she was a teenager. It was wrong. I cant make it right, Lowe said. A few dozen people walked up to encircle and support him as another man led a prayer. The church's phone was unanswered Monday afternoon. The Associated Press left a voicemail message for Lowe seeking comment. Lowe told the congregation that he was stepping down from his role as pastor. By Jokha Alharthi, translated from Arabic by Marilyn Booth Catapult. 224 pp. $26 - - - In 2019, Omani author Jokha Alharthi won the International Booker Prize for "Celestial Bodies." Her multifaceted generational story, translated from the Arabic by Marilyn Booth, offered English readers a rare look at Omani literature, particularly Omani fiction by a woman. Indeed, amid the surge of international attention generated by the U.K. award, Alharthi noted, "People were surprised by the book, and some even said they had no idea a country named Oman existed." The second of Alharthi's novels to be translated into English, "Bitter Orange Tree," arrives this month and should find a primed and better-informed audience. As before, the author continues to demonstrate a deep sympathy for the ways women suffer and survive the vicissitudes of a society that gives them little agency. And fans will recognize Alharthi's fluid treatment of chronology and setting, once again gorgeously translated by Booth. Alharthi, who earned a Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh and now teaches in Oman, can simultaneously emphasize the universality of her characters' feelings and the unique cultural context of their experiences. "Bitter Orange Tree" is a story of mourning and alienation, and Alharthi has developed a tone that captures that sense of being suspended in the timelessness of grief. The heroine is a young Omani woman named Zuhour studying at an unnamed British university. Her adventure in the West should be a period of excitement and discovery, but Zuhour is caught between past and present, Britain and Oman. Her displacement confronts us in the novel's very first words. On a snowy morning in her dorm room, she tells us, "I open my eyes suddenly and see her fingers." Those fingers, described in almost grotesquely intimate detail, belonged to Bint Aamir, a woman Zuhour regarded as her grandmother. She was the only person who ever showed Zuhour unconditional affection, and that belated realization produces some of the novel's most beautiful lines of tribute: "Her love just seemed there, simple, like the air that meant I could breathe, without thinking about it; given freely and generously, bestowed as the sun gives its light, freely enough to allow me to see my way ahead. Her love had to be deserved, it was true; but it left no obligation. My grandmother never made me feel - or made my father or brother or sister feel - that we were in debt to her. We deserved her as we deserve to be alive, and breathing, and turning our faces to the sun." Now, lonely and grieving, far from her family, Zuhour is transfixed by her loss of Bint Aamir. "I had gone. And then she had gone," Zuhour says, suggesting a grim correspondence between their departures - one geographical, the other existential. Convinced she didn't express her appreciation sufficiently while the old woman was alive, Zuhour keeps combing through memories of their time together. It's a process that continually consoles and torments her. "I would sometimes forget that she had died," Zuhour says, inspiring a new wave of sorrow. "She had died, gone silent, left the world as she lived in it, without a home, without a field, without a beloved to hold her close, without a brother to take care of her, and never having had children who came out of her own body." If "Bitter Orange Tree" has a weakness, it's this emphasis on the narrator's static grief, which may tax readers' sympathy and then exceed their interest. But fortunately, the swirling current of the narrative pushes against the narrow confines of Zuhour's extravagant mourning. In the undulating rhythms of this story, we're repeatedly drawn into the early details of Bint Aamir's life as a woman in Oman. Thrown out of her father's house at 13 and partially blinded by an herbal treatment, Bint Aamir survived shocking poverty and subsisted only on her wits and determination. From the fog of these harrowing years, anecdotes arise with arresting clarity. Subjected to such a precarious existence, all Bint Aamir ever wanted was "her own little plot of land to till," but that was not to be. Instead, a kind relative on her mother's side took her into his house, and there she lived into her 80s. The life that Alharthi describes is one of almost saintly self-abnegation. Not quite a servant nor a guest, Bint Aamir nonetheless assumes the household chores and cares for her hosts' child and then grandchildren, which include Zuhour. Bint Aamir was no masochist, but there's a masochistic element to Zuhour's ruminations. Every memory of Bint Aamir's tireless devotion reminds the young narrator again how cavalierly she treated her adopted grandma. Zuhour's thoughtlessness was nothing but the typical cruelty of youth - those blissful years when "what we had was certainty and contentment and pleasure in life" - but she's haunted by how repulsed she was by Bint Aamir's aging body, how impatient with her wandering mind. What would it really have cost, she berates herself, to have responded more kindly to Bint Aamir's little requests or to acknowledge the woman's tireless care before heading off to college? Between the leaves of that mournful story of recrimination and retrospection, Alharthi gently explores Zuhour's troubled life in Britain. The picture is elliptical and impressionistic. We catch mostly glimpses - a college party with bad snacks, Chinese students laughing in the dorm. But what becomes clear is that Zuhour has fallen in love with her best friend's husband, an anxious Pakistani man who seems equally uncomfortable in England. The agony of unquenchable desire creates a weird emotional triangle that keeps her vacillating between "the fear of abandonment and the dread of togetherness." "I was longing to tell the two of them how much I loved them," Zuhour says. "But I couldn't. I was frozen in my torment, tongue-tied in my destiny." Aside from how emotionally painful that sounds, frozen in torment and tongue-tied in destiny are particularly challenging conditions to sustain in a novel, which demands at least a modicum of dynamic movement. Zuhour hints at the same problem when she describes her sessions with a campus therapist as futile. With perfectly Western optimism, a British friend assures her that "there was a solution to every problem, even sadness." But to Zuhour, "sadness is not an illness" to be cured. She cannot express to her therapist the way she feels "bound to a wheelchair that was language's incapacity to fully express me." That awkward metaphor goes a long way toward suggesting why this exquisitely sensitive novel spins its wheels without going anywhere. MANCHESTER, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky woman charged with killing her newborn son has entered a guilty plea as her trial was set to begin. Amber Bowling, 25, had been set for trial on Monday, but instead entered a guilty plea, news outlets reported. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) An attorney convicted of bank fraud and other charges in lying to obtain millions of dollars in loans has been sentenced to four years in federal prison. Joseph Foistner, 68, of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, was a licensed attorney in Massachusetts when he used fraudulent means to apply for over $8 million in loans and laundered money between 2015 and 2018, the U.S. Attorneys office said Monday. According to prosecutors, he submitted misleading documents suggesting he was operating a lucrative international firm when he actually had neither paying clients nor income. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) Three firefighters were injured battling a major fire at a recently renovated hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, fire officials said. The fire at the Wayfinder Hotel was reported at about 8 p.m. Monday and crews remained on the scene on Tuesday morning. Nearly 100 firefighters from multiple municipalities responded to the blaze and all guests made it out safely, fire Chief Harp Donnelly IV told The Newport Daily News. The Red Cross responded to assist displaced guests find new accommodations. The cause remains under investigation. The four-story hotel has nearly 200 guest rooms, according it its website. The injured firefighters are expected to recover, Deputy Chief Mark Riding said at the scene Tuesday. We had one firefighter go through the floor. He was rescued by the crew that was with him. We dont know if it was from the heat or the water weight that was causing collapses," he said. As soon as the firefighter went through the floor all companies were pulled out. Hotel ownership in a statement said they were deeply grateful for the efforts of firefighters. With the support of all the first responders and our local community members, we can confirm that all employees and guests were safely evacuated, said Phil Hospod, CEO and founder of Dovetail+Co, which owns the Wayfinder. At this time, we are solely focused on the wellbeing of our guests and employees. The hotel reopened in the summer of 2020 after a $16 million renovation project. Elsewhere in New England, the Beach Cove Waterfront Inn in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, was destroyed by a fire on Monday night. The state fire marshal's office is investigating. The fire chief said no one was hurt. The owners were at the inn, which was scheduled to open on Memorial Day weekend. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan's elections bureau said late Monday that five Republican candidates for governor, including two leading contenders, failed to file enough valid nominating signatures and should not qualify for the August primary. The stunning recommendations immediately transformed the race in the battleground state and dealt a major blow to former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who has led in primary polling despite campaign problems, and businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his own money to run. Democrats had challenged their petitions, alleging mass forgery and other issues. Another GOP candidate, Tudor Dixon, had also contested Craig's voter signatures as fake. The bipartisan, four-member Board of State Canvassers will meet Thursday to consider the elections bureau's findings of fraud across five gubernatorial campaigns. The Republican candidates, who are vying to face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November, could end up going to court if they do not make the ballot. Bureau staff also determined that three other lesser-known GOP candidates Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey did not turn in enough valid signatures. If the canvassers agree with the recommendations, the 10-person field of political newcomers would be cut in half to five. Those qualifying for the ballot would be Dixon, a former conservative TV news host who netted the DeVos family endorsement earlier Monday; chiropractor and grassroots activist Garrett Soldano; wealthy self-funding businessman Kevin Rinke; real estate broker and anti-coronavirus lockdown activist Ryan Kelley; and pastor Ralph Rebandt. The bureau said Craig submitted 10,192 valid signatures well short of the 15,000 needed. It tossed 11,113 signatures, including 9,879 that were allegedly fraudulently collected by 18 paid circulators. The agency found evidence of consistent handwriting across all signatures on individual petition sheets and of round-tabling, where circulators took turns signing a line on each sheet in an effort to vary handwriting and make signatures appear authentic. Johnson turned in 13,800 valid signatures, according to staff. They tossed 9,393, including 6,983 that they said are fraudulent and were gathered by many of the same people who also forged signatures that Craig submitted. The bureau said it discovered the fraud on its own review and did not process the challenges filed by the Michigan Democratic Party and Dixon. It also uncovered more than 42,000 bogus signatures that were collected for Brandenburg, Brown and Markey. The agency dismissed a challenge to Dixon brought by Democrats, who said the heading on her petition wrongly listed the end of the next gubernatorial term as 2026, when it is Jan. 1, 2027. A message seeking comment was left with Craig's campaign late Monday. Johnson, a self-proclaimed quality guru, vowed to fight the recommendation from the bureau, which is part of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's department. The staff of the Democrat secretary of state does not have the right to unilaterally void every single signature obtained by the alleged forgers who victimized five campaigns, campaign consultant John Yob said in a statement. We strongly believe they are refusing to count thousands of signatures from legitimate voters who signed the petitions and look forward to winning this fight before the board, and if necessary, in the courts. The bureau said it was working to refer the fraud to law enforcement for criminal investigation. At this point, the Bureau does not have reason to believe that any specific candidates or campaigns were aware of the activities of fraudulent-petition circulators," staff wrote. The bureau identified 36 circulators who submitted sheets consisting entirely of invalid signatures across at least 10 campaigns, including for governor and local judgeships. Staff did not flag a reason for the fraud but noted the difficulty securing circulators and signatures for campaigns and ballot initiatives nationwide during the pandemic. Circulators often are paid per signature. Staff identified an unusually large number of sheets with every signature line completed or that showed no normal wear such as folds, scuffing or minor damage from rain. They flagged sheets on which handwriting of certain letters across different signatures and information was near identical. Staff also reported an unusually high number of signatures corresponding to dead voters and to addresses where living voters no longer live. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis on Tuesday named a bishop in his own image, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, as the new head of the Italian bishops conference, as the Italian Catholic Church comes under mounting pressure to confront its legacy of clerical sexual abuse with an independent inquiry. Francis widely expected choice was announced during the second day of the spring meeting of the conference. Zuppi, 66, is currently the archbishop of Bologna and has long been affiliated with the SantEgidio Community, a Catholic charity particularly close to Francis. The Italian Catholic Church is one of the few in western Europe that has not opened its archives to independent researchers to establish the scope of abuse and cover-up in recent decades. Whether by government mandate, parliamentary investigation or church initiation, such reports in Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France, for example, have shown systematic problems that allowed thousands of children to be abused by Catholic priests. The churches in Spain and Portugal have recently agreed to launch similar investigations. But the Italian church has so far resisted demands from survivors and advocacy groups to follow suit, though conference officials have said they were awaiting the appointment of a new president this month before announcing anything. Zuppis outgoing predecessor, Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, referred to the issue in general in his final speech Tuesday but made no commitments. We intend to promote a better understanding of the phenomenon of abuse to evaluate and make measures of protection and prevention more efficient, Bassetti said. Zuppi generally receives positive marks from the progressive wing of the church, in particular from the LGBTQ community. He wrote the preface to the Italian edition of the book Building Bridges, by the American Jesuit, the Rev. James Martin, about the need for the church to reach out more to gay Catholics. We hope his nomination represents a true turning point for the church, said a leader of the Italian LGBTQ community, Franco Grillini, on Instagram. But Italian advocates for clergy abuse victims were less convinced he would commission a comprehensive, independent inquiry based on church archives. Current proposals in the conference have focused on a more limited, in-house inquiry. We reject in advance any hypothesis of work carried out with tools and resources internal to the church itself, which would not have the necessary characteristics of third party and would be non-credible, deficient and ultimately useless, if not harmful, members of the #ItalyChurchToo movement wrote in an open letter to the conference leadership ahead of Zuppi's appointment. In recent days two new books have come out documenting the problem in the popes backyard, while a new national newspaper, Domani, has begun a regular series on Violence in the Italian Church, backed by a crowd-funding initiative. The aim of the series is to lift the veil of hypocrisy thanks to which the Italian Bishops Conference, aided by the wink-wink of the national media, manages to make people believe that the problem exists only in other countries, Domani said in its crowd-funding appeal. The reluctance of Italys establishment media to expose the problem has been cited by Lucetta Scaraffia, a former editor of the Vaticans womens magazine, as one of the reasons the issue hasnt reached a crisis point yet in heavily Catholic Italy. She and journalist Franca Giansoldati and historian Anna Foa recently published Lamb of God, recounting the cases of abuse in the Italian church that have been gathered by the main advocacy resource group, Rete lAbuso (Abuse Network), which is a founding member of the #ItalyChurchToo movement. Scaraffia said the networks archive showed a pattern in which typically poor children from families reliant on the church were victimized by predator priests who selected them precisely because of their vulnerability. The church managed to save the priests by turning to powerful lawyers who offered minimal payouts from 15,000-25,000 euros to the needy families if they opted against filing a criminal complaint, she said. Unfortunately in Italy, the faithful in first place but then the rest of society arent interested. The newspapers dont talk about it ever or just briefly, and then just the gory details in the local section, she said in an email. Iacopo Scaramuzzi, author of Sex of the Angels, about the churchs internal debates on abuse, feminism and gays, said Zuppi has been more open to dealing with matters of sexual morality than other Italian bishops. But he noted that Italian bishops and society as a whole are reticent on the issue and very late in the awareness of the crisis of sexual abuse. I hope that he will have the courage to choose a path an independent commission on abuses that occurred in the context of the sole Italian Church which would be looked upon with respect by other European countries that have already taken this path ... and that finally brings justice to the survivors, he said. A semiconductor career and apprenticeship program, recently approved by state economic development officials, aims to create more good-paying jobs and address a shortage in the semiconductor workforce. The program named the Semiconductor Career and Apprenticeship Network Program was announced by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a press release on Tuesday, explaining the Michigan Strategic Fund approved $1.5 million in grant money to be used to plan and develop the program. "As global demand for semiconductors continues to grow, Michigan is poised to be at the center of semiconductor and battery manufacturing and R&D efforts nationwide," Whitmer said in the release. "Michigan is one of only three states that will be launching planning work to define curricula to support employers in the semiconductor industry. With this new apprenticeship program, along with our global manufacturing and automotive R&D leadership, we are leading the charge." The demand for power semiconductors is rapidly increasing as automakers enter the electric vehicle market and telecommunication companies expand 5G capabilities. The Semiconductor Career and Apprenticeship Network Program grant will provide $1.5 million in funding to the SEMI Foundation, an arm of the global microelectronics industry association SEMI. The SEMI Foundations mission is to "support economic opportunity for workers and the sustained growth of the microelectronics industry," according to its website. "SCAN is a critical program that will provide economic opportunity and mobility to Michigan residents and support the health of the microelectronics industry by addressing its significant workforce challenges," Shari Liss, executive director of the SEMI Foundation, said in the release. The program is set to include two phases. Phase One will focus on "the workforce ecosystem by engaging key microelectronics employer partners, end users in the auto and manufacturing space, educational partners and key workforce development partners," according to the release. Phase Two will focus on "customization through conducting extensive discovery and focus groups with employers to confirm job roles, skills and competencies needed to successfully build and diversify a robust and knowledgeable incoming workforce." Additionally, Michigans automotive industry, which is home to nearly one-fifth of U.S. auto production, purchased nearly $35 million in products and services from Michigan semiconductor companies in 2020, according to the state. That builds on Michigan's leadership in semiconductor research and development and testing due in large part to the states talent and processes supported by Hemlock Semiconductor, KLA in Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, the top global institute for semiconductor training. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York will temporarily set aside its time limit for adults who were sexually assaulted to bring lawsuits under a law signed Tuesday a measure similar to one for child victims that sparked a surge of court actions. The Adult Survivors Act signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will open a one-year window for claims that would otherwise be barred by the states usual statute of limitations for lawsuits. The window will open in six months. The law is modeled after the state's Child Victims Act, which provided a similar window that closed in August. Advocates for survivors praised the act but said it failed to cover adults, who can experience the same sense of trauma or shame that makes it difficult to promptly seek accountability. It forgot a lot of people, Hochul said during a bill-signing ceremony at the state Capitol. What about the people who were adults when they experienced this trauma? We didnt do enough to protect those individuals, until today. More than 10,800 lawsuits were filed under New York's Child Victims Act during a two-year window, which had been extended because of difficulties bringing lawsuits during the pandemic. People involved with the issue say it's unclear if the new law would result in a similar number of lawsuits. I think that its impossible to predict, said Liz Roberts, CEO of Safe Horizon, a victim assistance organization. But we wouldnt be surprised if it was a similar scale to what we saw with the Child Victims Act. Jennifer Freeman, of the Marsh Law Firm, said it's possible some adults might be hesitant to move forward in court knowing defendants are likely to claim there was consent which is not an issue in cases involving children. But Freeman, who has represented hundreds of sex abuse survivors, said it's also possible some adults would be more prepared to move forward. A 45-year-old perhaps has a larger voice and ability to center themselves and bring on a claim versus someone who was sexually abused at age 6 when they really had a very difficult time processing what happened to them, Freeman said. And while Child Victims Act lawsuits often involved institutions like churches and camps, it's possible there will be a larger share of cases against individuals under the new law, experts say. Roberts said she expected a mix of cases against individuals and institutions, such as a hospital that failed to take action against an abusive doctor or a college that was aware of somebody who was sexually abusing students and failed to take action. Advocates said New York, along with New Jersey before it, is among only a few states addressing the fact that it can take adults time to address trauma. What were doing by signing the law today is putting the power back in the hands of survivors, advocate and survivor Marissa Hoechstetter said at the bill signing. A fire Monday at a North East Street duplex is the third suspicious fire this year at a vacant house in Jacksonville. Police Lt. Doug Thompson said the fire at 607 N. East St. about 4 p.m. Monday is the third since March. "The connection is that all these fires are at abandoned residences," Thompson said. The fires are being investigated by Jacksonville Police and the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office. Thompson said there were people seen in the area at the time of the fire, however, it is not clear if they were inside the duplex. Fire Chief Doug Sills said the investigation has determined a point of origin, but the cause is undetermined. The fire is being considered suspicious. On May 1, firefighters fought a blaze at a vacant house at 320 Farrell St. The house did not have any utilities connected and firefighters were investigating the cause. According to Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott & Cass Counties, a person was seen arriving and then leaving the residence just before the fire was reported. The person was described as between 5 foot 8 and 6 feet tall, wearing black pants, a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and a black mask. A race or gender could not be determined. A fire March 24 in the 600 block of North Fayette Street was also considered suspicious and took place at a vacant house. "There have been three [suspicious fires] in 2022 and they've all been vacant homes," Thompson said. Thompson said it is not yet determined if the fires are connected. "If you see someone entering a home you know to be vacant, call the police department," Thompson said. "If you see someone suspicious in the area and you know a residence is abandoned and there should not be people there, call the police." Thompson said anyone with information can contact the Jacksonville Police Department at 217-479-4630. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crimestoppers online, by calling 217-243-7300 or by texting 274637 with "payout" as the first word of the text. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HONOLULU (AP) A high school prom in Hawaii where masked dancers weren't allowed to touch. A return to virtual city council meetings in one Colorado town after the mayor and others tested positive following an in-person session. A reinstated mask mandate at skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County after 22 new outbreaks in a single week. A COVID-19 surge is underway that is starting to cause disruptions as the school year wraps up and Americans prepare for summer vacations. Many people, though, have returned to their pre-pandemic routines and plans, which often involve travel. Case counts are as high as theyve been since mid-February and those figures are likely a major undercount because of unreported positive home test results and asymptomatic infections. Earlier this month, an influential modeling group at the University of Washington in Seattle estimated that only 13% of cases were being reported to U.S. health authorities. Hospitalizations are also up and more than one-third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Northeast has been hit the hardest. Yet vaccinations have stagnated and elected officials nationwide seem loath to impose new restrictions on a public that's ready to move on even as the U.S. death toll surpassed 1 million people less than 2 1/2 years into the outbreak. People probably are underestimating the prevalence of COVID, said Crystal Watson, public health lead in the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Securitys Coronavirus Resource Center. I think theres a lot more virus out there than we recognize, and so people are much, much more likely than they anticipate to be exposed and infected. A major metric for the pandemic the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. skyrocketed over the last two weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The figure was about 76,000 on May 9 and jumped to nearly 109,000 on Monday. That was the highest it had been since mid-February, when the omicron-fueled surge was winding down. Deaths are still on the decline and hospital intensive care units arent swamped like they were at other times during the pandemic, likely because vaccinations and immunity from people who have already had the disease are keeping many cases less severe. The nature of the disease has changed. Two years ago I was seeing a steady flow of bad pneumonia cases. Now we are in a situation where people should be able to avoid that outcome by taking advantage of vaccines, pre-exposure prophylaxis (for high risk), and early anti-viral therapy, Dr. Jonathan Dworkin, a clinical infectious diseases physician in Hawaii, said by email. In Hawaii, which once had one of the nation's lowest rates of infection, hospitalization and death, new cases are surging among the states 1.4 million residents. The University of Hawaii will again require masks indoors across its 10-campus system beginning Wednesday. With cases climbing for eight straight weeks, Hawaii has the second highest infection rate of any state, trailing only Rhode Island. But because positive home test results aren't counted in official data, Hawaii's health department estimates that the case count is actually five or six times higher. Despite its surge, visitors have been flocking to Hawaii's beaches, especially in recent months. Yaling Fisher, owner of Hawaii Aloha Travel, said bookings to the islands haven't slowed during the surge. On the contrary, they've increased. Even now we are still busy, she said. We dont see any cancellations. Samantha Hanberg, who was in Hawaii this week with her newlywed husband, said the couple left their masks at home in California when they left for vacation. She said she contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic and subsequently got fully vaccinated, so she too feels safe. Nobody wants to get sick, but its definitely not at the forefront of my thought process anymore, she said, snacking on shave ice on Waikiki Beach. "Im to the point now where I just I want to go back to living and enjoying life, and not being so worried. Officials initially shut down Hawaiis tourism industry by requiring all incoming passengers to quarantine. They shifted to a testing requirement and then a vaccination exemption before dropping all restrictions in March. Hawaii was the last state in the nation to drop its mask mandate, though it remains the only state to require all public school students to wear masks while indoors a rule that will remain in effect throughout the summer and possibly into the next school year. Nearly two years after California Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide stay-home order, the state formally shifted to an endemic approach in February. Like Hawaii and many other states, its weekly infection rate has risen dramatically of late. The new surge led the school districts in Pacific Grove and Berkeley to reinstate their indoor mask mandates, while an outbreak at a Northern California long-term healthcare facility had sickened 26 residents and 10 staff members by Monday. Some Northeastern school districts have also revived their mask mandates, including those in Philadelphia and Providence, Rhode Island. However New York, which was once the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic, doesnt seem likely to follow suit. The city is dealing with another surge in cases, but Mayor Eric Adams has all but ruled out bringing back a citywide mask mandate unless hospitals get inundated again. The city's school district jettisoned its practice of closing classrooms if multiple students test positive, merely recommends that masks be worn and even abandoned its requirement that students need to be vaccinated to attend prom. ___ Dazio reported from Los Angeles. ___ Find more of the AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic GUYMON, Okla. (AP) Police in Guymon fatally shot a gun-wielding man who pointed the weapon at them, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday. Randal Haynes, 53, of Guymon was dead at the scene of the Monday afternoon shooting in the Panhandle city about 235 miles (378 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City, OSBI spokesperson Brooke Arbeitman said. NEW YORK (AP) The organizers of a We Build The Wall campaign to raise money for a wall along the U.S. southern border lied to donors by saying all their money would fund the wall when they were actually pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars, a prosecutor told a jury at the start of a criminal trial Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe directed the attention of jurors to defendant Timothy Shea, who sat alone facing charges after two other defendants recently pleaded guilty in the case and a fourth defendant, Steve Bannon, was pardoned by President Donald Trump hours before he completed his four-year term last year. She said Shea, of Castle Rock, Colorado, and his partners in crime beginning in December 2018 duped hundreds of thousands of people into believing that they would not pocket any money that was raised because 100% of donations went to building the wall. The prosecutor tried to narrow the focus of jurors by telling them that the prosecution is not about whether there should be a wall or whether money was used to build a wall. None of that makes it OK for the defendant to steal money at the same time, she said. Moe said Shea used a shell company, Ranch Property Management, to hide the fact that hundreds of thousands of dollars were being siphoned away from donations because Shea and his partners wanted some of that money for themselves. She said it had been agreed that the projects founder, Brian Kolfage, would receive $100,000 along with $20,000 a month even though donors had been told he would receive nothing. They were committing fraud, plain and simple, Moe said. Kolfage, an Air Force veteran who lost both legs in a mortar attack in Iraq, and codefendant financier Andrew Badolato, each pleaded guilty in April to charges. They await sentencing. Shea's attorney, John Meringolo, told jurors that the prosecution's case fails because Ranch Property Management was not a shell company and his client never said he didn't want to be paid for working out real estate issues related to the wall along a southern border where it's very dangerous. Meringolo told jurors that if he does his job, by the end of the case on the train going home, you'll say: 'That's not nice what they did to Tim Shea. When you work, you get paid.' The lawyer said the fundraising effort resulted in the construction of two stretches of wall, including one that was completed in a matter of weeks at a cost of $7 million even though the Army Corps of Engineers had predicted it would cost $31 million and take two years to build. Shea, the owner of an energy drink company, Winning Energy, whose cans have featured a cartoon superhero image of Trump and claim to contain 12 oz. of liberal tears, was described by Meringolo as someone with experience in real estate whose expertise came in handy along the border, where most properties are ranches. He warned jurors not to let their political views cloud their judgment. We're New Yorkers. Maybe we don't like the wall, he said. There's nothing wrong with us all having different views. That's what makes this country great. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) The dramatic story of an iconic movie costume from The Wizard of Oz thought lost for decades went through another plot twist Monday, when a judge blocked its planned sale at auction. One of the blue-and-white checked gingham dresses that Judy Garland wore in 1939 for her role as Dorothy was scheduled to be part of an auction of Hollywood memorabilia in Los Angeles on Tuesday, put up for sale by Catholic University of America. The dress was rediscovered at the school last year in a shoebox during preparations for a renovation. Auctioneer Bonhams listed a presale estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million for the dress before it was withdrawn. But U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan granted a motion for a preliminary injunction after a hearing in a lawsuit filed by a relative of Father Gilbert Hartke, who worked at the university and was given the dress in 1973. Hartke died in 1986; a niece, Barbara Ann Hartke, 81, filed a lawsuit against the school and the auctioneer earlier this month after media accounts that the dress was going up for auction. In her lawsuit, she said that as her uncle's closest living relative, the dress belongs to her. She says it was given to him as a personal gift by actress Mercedes McCambridge. According to her lawsuit, the university has no ownership interest in the dress as ... there is no documentation demonstrating decedent ever formally or informally donated the dress to Catholic University." In a filing opposing the lawsuit's request for the injunction, the school's attorneys said that as a Dominican priest, Hartke had taken a vow to never accept gifts in his personal capacity" and so the dress couldn't be considered part of any estate. Catholic University officials had said the dress went missing for decades after being given to Hartke, then head of the drama department. Garland wore several versions of the dress during the filming of the movie; auctioneer Bonhams said the one found at Catholic University was one of two that still had its accompanying blouse, and that Garland wore it in the scene in the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West. Bonhams had no comment. In a statement, lawyers for the university said, We look forward to presenting our position, and the overwhelming evidence contradicting Ms. Hartkes claim, to the court in the course of this litigation." An email seeking comment was sent to Hartke's attorney. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A U.S. senator who came to Congress representing the Connecticut community where 26 elementary school students and educators were killed nearly a decade ago begged his colleagues Tuesday, as the latest school shooting unfolded, to pass legislation addressing the nation's gun violence problem. The mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) away from Newtown, Connecticut, felt all too familiar to residents and officials who saw many similarities to the attack by a lone gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. A gutted Sen. Chris Murphy took to the Senate floor Tuesday and demanded that lawmakers accomplish what they failed to do after 20 children, mostly 6 or 7 years old, and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut died on Dec. 14, 2012. Congress has been unable to pass substantial gun violence legislation since the collapse of a bipartisan Senate effort in the aftermath of that massacre. What are we doing? Murphy asked. The Democrat, who represented Newtown during his time as a U.S. congressman, urged his colleagues to find a compromise. "Im here on this floor to beg to literally get down on my hands and knees to beg my colleagues. Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely," he said. I just dont understand why people here think were powerless, Murphy told reporters later. We arent." He said he was working with colleagues and reaching out in particular to Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas to see if they could muster any bipartisan support for gun violence legislation. Though the party of Democratic President Joe Biden has slim control of Congress, bills on gun violence have been stymied in the face of Republican opposition in the Senate. Last year, the House passed two bills to expand background checks on firearms purchases. One would have closed a loophole for private and online sales; the other would have extended the background check review period. Both languished in the 50-50 Senate, where Democrats need at least 10 Republican votes to overcome objections from a filibuster. Tuesday's tragedy in Texas appeared similar to the Sandy Hook shooting, where a 20-year-old man shot his way into the locked school on Dec. 14, 2012, then killed 20 first graders and six adults with an AR-15-type rifle purchased legally by his mother. He killed himself as police arrived. Before going to the school, he fatally shot his mother at their Newtown home. My son never came home from Sandy Hook. My heart bleeds for Texas as I relive Dylans murder, Sandy Hook parent Nicole Hockley wrote in an op-ed for USA Today. In February, the families of nine Sandy Hook victims reached a $73 million settlement in a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle used in the shooting. The case against Remington, filed in 2015, was closely watched by gun control advocates, gun rights supporters and manufacturers because of its potential to provide a road map for victims of other shootings to sue firearm makers. The families and a survivor argued the company should have never sold such a dangerous weapon to the public. Theyve said their focus is on preventing future mass shootings by forcing gun companies to be more responsible with their products and how they market them. I hope that more people stand up and demand action and demand change and stop just accepting the tweets of thoughts and prayers. Thats not going to save lives. Its not going to bring people back, said Erica Lafferty, daughter of Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, the slain principal of Sandy Hook. Its really just a gun lobby talking point and something that people feel that they need to say in lieu of action," she told The Associated Press. Lafferty, program manager at Everytown for Gun Safety and an advocate for universal background checks, said she decided a couple years ago to step back from talking to the media following what became a succession of mass shootings. On Tuesday, struck by the familiarity of the aerial news shots of an elementary school and the fact the victims included children as young as second grade and educators like her mother, Lafferty thought she'd try to digest what had happened in Texas privately as well. It didn't work. I think that lasted maybe five minutes before I hear my moms voice in my head: `Get off your butt, kid. This is definitely your time, Lafferty said. Advocacy groups that formed after Sandy Hook also expressed dismay as news of the shooting spread. For the past decade, we have warned all Americans, including elected politicians across the nation, that if a mass shooting can happen in Sandy Hook then it can happen anywhere," Po Murray, chair of the Newtown Action Alliance, said in a written statement. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, tweeted how the senseless violence will stop only when Congress matches thoughts & prayers with action. Murphy acknowledged the problem of gun violence won't be solved overnight. But, he said, it can be addressed. I understand my Republican colleagues will not agree to everything that I may support, but there is a common denominator that we can find, Murphy said. But by doing something, we at least stop sending this quiet message of endorsement to these killers whose brains are breaking, who see the highest levels of government doing nothing, shooting after shooting. ___ Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer David Collins contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea test-launched a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile and two shorter-range weapons toward its eastern waters Wednesday, South Korea said, hours after President Joe Biden ended a trip to Asia where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend its allies in the face of the Norths nuclear threat. The suspected ICBM didnt fly its full range. But if confirmed, it would still be North Koreas first test of an ICBM system in about two months amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. The launch suggests North Korea is determined to continue its efforts to modernize its arsenal despite its first COVID-19 outbreak, which has caused outside worries about a humanitarian disaster. North Koreas sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-U.S. combined deterrence and can only deepen North Koreas international isolation, the South Korean government said in a statement after an emergency security meeting. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi called the launches an act of provocation and absolutely impermissible. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held separate calls with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan during which they condemned the launches as a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, the State Department said. Blinken noted Washingtons commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains ironclad as the three allies continue to cooperate to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the statement said. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the launch of the three missiles only contributes to increasing regional and international tensions and reiterated U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres call on North Korea to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions, which ban such tests. Diplomatic engagement remains the only pathway to sustainable peace and complete and verifiable de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Dujarric said. (The launches) were a political message. Theyre saying they feel bad about Bidens recent summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, said Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at Korea Aerospace University in South Korea. Biden and Yoon said after their meeting Saturday that they would consider expanded military exercises to deter North Korean nuclear threats. Biden brushed aside questions about any possible provocation by North Korea during his trip, saying, We are prepared for anything North Korea does. He later met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, and they vowed to work closely to address security challenges, including North Koreas nuclear and ballistic programs and what they called Chinas increasingly coercive behavior in the region. According to South Koreas military, the first missile was likely an ICBM that reached a maximum height of 540 kilometers (335 miles) while traveling 360 kilometers (223 miles). The statement said the second missile disappeared from South Korean radar at some point and the third flew 760 kilometers (472 miles). Kim Tae-hyo, South Koreas deputy national security adviser, told reporters that the first launch involved the Norths biggest Hwasong-17 missile, whose potential range includes the entirety of the U.S. mainland. He said the missile was fired at a high angle and that its launch appeared aimed at reviewing the weapons propellant and stage separations, though he couldnt conclusively say whether the test was successful. He said the tests of the two other missiles, both short-range, implied North Koreas intention to improve its ability to launch nuclear strikes on its rivals. While the North Korean launches were part of its weapons development program, they were also strategically timed to the end of Bidens Asian visits and likely designed to test the readiness of South Koreas new government, which took office about two weeks ago, Kim said. The flight details for the suspected ICBM were similar to those of two previous North Korean launches this year, which the South Korean and U.S. militaries had said were meant to test components of the Hwasong-17 missile. North Korea said at the time it launched rockets to test cameras for a spy satellite. After the two launches, South Koreas military in March detected what it said was a North Korean Hwasong-17 missile that blew up soon after liftoff. Later in the month, North Korea claimed to have successfully launched the Hwasong-17 in its first full-range ICBM flight test that broke its self-imposed 2018 moratorium on long-distance launches. South Korea said North Korea may have fired a smaller ICBM, not a Hwasong-17. Whichever it was, the missile flew longer and higher than any other weapon the North has ever tested, experts say. Chang, the missile expert, said he doubts whether North Korea truly launched an ICBM again Wednesday because the country would have no reason to conduct the same test repeatedly and waste an ICBM that costs about 10 billion to 20 billion won ($8 million to $16 million). He said the flight details of the third missile resemble those of the hypersonic missile that North Korea tested in January. Other analysts say it could also be the Norths highly maneuverable, nuclear-capable KN-23 missile. After the Norths earlier launches, the South Korean and U.S. militaries said they fired surface-to-surface missiles to demonstrate their striking capabilities. South Korea said its air force on Tuesday conducted an elephant walk involving 30, fully armed F-15K fighter jets parading along a runway in formation. Wednesdays launches were North Koreas 17th round of missile firings this year. Experts have said North Korea wants to move ahead with its push to expand its arsenal and apply more pressure on its rivals to wrest sanctions relief and other concessions. U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials have said North Korea could soon conduct its first nuclear test in nearly five years as well. Kim, the South Korean official, said North Korea has been testing a trigger system for a nuclear explosive device. Before Wednesday, North Koreas most recent missile tests occurred on May 12, hours after the country acknowledged a COVID-19 outbreak. The country in the past few days has said there has been a positive sign in its anti-virus campaign. Since admitting to the outbreak, North Korea has identified about 3 million cases of an unidentified fever but said only 68 people died, an extremely low death toll for COVID-19. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Razor clam fisheries in parts of the Cook Inlet area will remain closed for sport and personal use this year, continuing a years-long trend of closures as the clam population has struggled to regain numbers. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says eastern Cook Inlet beaches from the mouth of the Kenai River to the southernmost tip of the Homer Spit are closed to clamming through the end of 2022, Anchorage TV station KTUU reported. STOCKHOLM (AP) Sweden on Tuesday denied that it was providing any financial assistance or military support to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria claims that Turkey's using to back its opposition to Sweden's and neighboring Finland's historic bids to join NATO. The denial came as delegations from Sweden and Finland were expected in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday to try and overcome Turkey's objections to their NATO bids. Turkey is citing the Nordic countries' perceived support for the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups Turkey labels as terrorists, as well as arms exports restrictions imposed against Ankara following its incursion into Syria in 2019. Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis through global allocations to humanitarian actors," Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Aftonbladet newspaper. Cooperation in northeastern Syria is carried out primarily through the United Nations and international organizations," she said. "Sweden does not provide targeted support to Syrian Kurds or to the political or military structures in northeastern Syria, but the population in these areas is, of course, taking part in these aid projects. Turkey has listed five concrete assurances it is demanding from Sweden, including what it said was termination of political support for terrorism, an elimination of the source of terrorism financing, and the cessation of arms support to the banned PKK and a Syrian Kurdish militia group affiliated with it. The demands also called for the lifting of arms sanctions against Turkey and global cooperation against terrorism. Listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union of which Sweden and Finland are members the PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Turkey said in a tweet posted by the presidential communications directorate that it has been requesting the extradition of Kurdish militants and other suspects since 2017, but hasn't received a positive response from Stockholm. Among other things, Ankara claimed that Sweden had decided to provide $376 million to support the Kurdish militants in 2023 and that it had provided military equipment to them, including anti-tank weapons and drones. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkeys southern border. The Swedish and Finnish delegations are scheduled to discuss Turkey's objections with Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. The Swedish delegation would be headed by state secretary Oscar Stenstrom while Jukka Salovaara, the foreign ministry undersecretary, would lead the Finnish delegation. At the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that we understand that Turkey has some of their own security concerns vis-a-vis terrorism and so forth. We think that we have good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled, Haavisto said. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns. He says hes confident the military alliance will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance. All 30 current NATO countries must agree to open the door to new members. Stoltenberg said he spoke to Erdogan, and the president raised the same issues as he had done publicly thats about terrorism, its about concerns about the PKK, and also of course the need for Turkey to acquire the weapons they deem that they need. Part of the solution is also to recognize that despite the fact that there are different views ... among NATO allies on issues related to Turkey, we also have to recognize that Turkey is an important ally. Turkey is the ally that has suffered most terrorist attacks far more than any other NATO allied country, he said. Sweden has welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East in recent decades, including ethnic Kurds from Syria, Iraq and Turkey. After being firmly against NATO membership for decades, public opinion in both countries shifted following Russias Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, with record levels of support for joining the alliance. ___ Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Courtney Bonnell at Davos contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ISLAMABAD (AP) The Taliban announced a deal Tuesday allowing an Emirati company to manage three airports in Afghanistan after the fall of the country's U.S.-backed government. However, the United Arab Emirates did not immediately acknowledge the deal. Under the deal, the Abu Dhabi-based firm GAAC Solutions would manage the airports in Herat, Kabul and Kandahar, the Taliban said. They held a news conference in Kabul in which they signed the deal with an individual they identified as a managing director for GAAC. Ghulam Jelani Wafa, the Talibans acting deputy transportation and civil aviation minister, signed the accord. Also on hand was Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister, who described the arrangement as renewing an airport ground-handling agreement with the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways. However, the deal left more questions than answers, particularly as Qatar and Turkey had been in line to run the airports, though the deal apparently broke down over requirements on having their own security personnel on hand at the airports. The Gulf Arab nation already has agreed to represent the United States in Taliban-run Afghanistan following the closure of the American Embassy in Kabul and withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the country in late August. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways had been running flights to evacuate American citizens out of Afghanistan since the takeover. The Taliban did not discuss the deal's terms with the UAE, which has had strained relations with both Turkey and Qatar in recent years, though tensions have recently eased. Baradar had traveled to Abu Dhabi recently to offer condolences for the death of its president and speak with its new leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Afghanistan's state-run Bakhtar News Agency. However, the UAE never acknowledged his visit. The Emirati Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. GAAC Solutions had described itself on a one-page website as an Abu Dhabi-based joint venture whose partners include the firm G42. Officials at G42 have refused to identify who owns the company, though many suspect it links back to Abu Dhabis ruling family. Hours after the announcement, G42 told The Associated Press in a statement that it had withdrawn from the GAAC consortium and halted its operations with immediate effect on Aug. 15, 2021. That was the day the Taliban entered Kabul and civil aviation authorities warned they no longer controlled the country's airspace. We have since had no operational involvement in Afghanistan, G42 said. It declined to explain why the GAAC website, which later became inaccessible Tuesday night, had listed G42 publicly as a partner. GAAC did not respond to emails seeking comment. The Emirates state-run WAM news agency also did not acknowledge the deal, though the UAE was one of the few nations that allowed the Taliban to operate diplomatic posts in their nation during their earlier rule. GAAC reportedly signed a $47 million service contract in 2020 to run airports in Afghanistan, including ground handling, information technology and security. During the ceremony, Baradar said the Taliban wanted good relations with all countries and called on investors to come and invest in Afghanistan. He insisted the Taliban government would provide facilities and security for them. After a while in which the negotiations were ongoing regarding the aviation agreement, thank God it has reached to a conclusion and the agreement has been done," Baradar said. However, the Taliban have faced withering international criticism of their rule since seizing the country by force last August amid the American and NATO troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. They have refused to reopen schools for girls above the sixth grade, despite earlier promises. Last week they ordered women working on television to cover their faces. The agreement, if true, may enhance perceived stability at Afghanistans airports and attract some airlines and investment to the country, but Afghanistans insecurity and the Talibans hardline domestic policies will likely continue to constrain interest, the risk consultancy RANE said in an analysis. ___ Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. The country's 45th president, Donald Trump, and his onetime governing partner, Mike Pence, held dueling events on Monday night for their favored candidates ahead of Georgia's highly anticipated Republican gubernatorial primary, in what could presage a potential fight over the future of the Republican Party. Dramatically breaking with his former boss, Pence held an ebullient rally with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, R, on the eve of an election the governor is expected to win. Meanwhile, Trump appeared at a tele-town hall with the man he recruited to oust Kemp, whom he blames for not working feverishly enough to overturn the 2020 presidential election results there: former senator David Perdue, R. The former vice president appeared with the governor in an airport hangar in Kennesaw, where a black bus with Kemp's logo rolled in through a large side door and country lyrics such as "it's harvest time" blared as the men posed for photos with supporters. "When you say yes to Brian Kemp tomorrow you'll send a deafening message across America that the Republican Party is the party of the future," Pence said to a crowd of about 300. Pence praised much of the Trump administration's agenda, and even Kemp praised Trump. Neither man mentioned Perdue by name and instead focused their ire on likely Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, in a sign the primary election was all but over, according to observers and polls. Kemp instead boasted of his reopening of Georgia ahead of others during the coronavirus pandemic - against the guidance of federal officials - and some of his other moves, such as suspending the state's gas tax. Pence briefly mentioned the 2020 election but largely concentrated on other topics. Pence did not answer shouted questions about Trump as he left the event. Meanwhile, Trump targeted Kemp - and Abrams - at the town hall for Perdue. "David is the only candidate who can beat Stacey Abrams, because I don't believe Kemp can do it. He's got too many people in the Republican Party that will refuse to vote," Trump said. He again attacked Kemp over the 2020 election. Perdue, for his part, said Abrams was "demeaning her own race" and should leave Georgia. "She said that Georgia is the worst place in the country to live. Hey, she ain't from here. Let her go back to where she came from. She doesn't like it here," Perdue said. The split-screen symbolism was stark between a once-obsequious vice president and Trump. The two men have not spoken in almost a year, and Trump has criticized Pence for not doing more to overturn the 2020 election results. Pence, meanwhile, has sometimes criticized Trump's comments about 2020, signaling privately that he may run in 2024, even against Trump. If Kemp wins on Tuesday as expected, it would be a significant setback for Trump, who goaded a reluctant Perdue into competing against him, political observers say. Fueled by anger at Kemp for not helping him overturn the election, Trump has insulted the governor for months, organized political opposition to him and held an earlier rally in Georgia on Perdue's behalf. Trump's political clout will also be tested in two other races: the Senate contest where ex-NFL star Herschel Walker is expected to win the GOP nod to face Sen. Raphael Warnock, D; and the secretary of state race between Brad Raffensperger and Trump's pick, Rep. Jody Hice, R. That no one criticized Trump explicitly reflects that he still remains the most influential Republican in the country and holds significant sway over his party's base, political strategists said. Kemp has repeatedly declined to say anything negative about Trump. "I had a great relationship with President Trump," Kemp said during a virtual news conference Monday. "I've never said anything bad about him. I don't plan on doing that. I'm not mad at him. I think he's just mad at me. And that's something that I can't control." In interviews with about a dozen voters at Monday night's Kemp rally, they all rejected Trump's criticisms of Kemp and said they had grown increasingly sour on the former president because of his moves in the state. Barry Schrenk, a 79-year-old Atlanta resident, said he'd recently had breakfast with six friends - all of whom were Republicans and voted for Trump. But Schrenk's friends also appear to be supporting Kemp, who he described as an "outstanding governor" who opened up the state "soon after COVID hit," which he said "turned out to be the right decision." "All of them voted for Trump and said he was a good president but he shouldn't be sticking his nose into this," Schrenk said, referring to the Georgia gubernatorial contest. "Everyone at the table said they were voting for anybody now who Trump didn't support." Schrenk described Trump as an "excellent president," sans his Twitter account. But his criticism of Kemp had been horribly unfair, Schrenk said. "He did everything he could," Schrenk said of Kemp. "He had to follow the Constitution. Trump . . . can't blame himself for losing the election. He's looking for someone to blame." Phoebe Mitchell, a special-education teacher, said she voted for Trump twice and "thought he was a great president. "But he lost the election. And the governor doesn't have the authority to overturn the election," she said. "When he started criticizing Kemp, I was not down with that. And then he was criticizing my state. I didn't like that. I have lost a lot of love for him." Now, Mitchell said, if Trump endorses a "guy or gal," the endorsement "makes me want to vote for anyone else." Brett Daise, a 22-year-old recent college graduate, said he'd voted for Trump twice but felt differently now. Kemp was "his guy," he said, because of how he'd handled the coronavirus and made the state "open for business," he said. None of his friends, he said, were voting for Perdue. Daise said he had turned away from Trump because of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the election. "It would be enough to lose anyone," he said. "Trump is a driving force behind some things," Daise said. "But if Trump was that much of a driving force, Perdue wouldn't be down by 30 points." The Georgia gubernatorial primary has become the latest test over the potency of 2020 election conspiracy theories in the GOP electorate, and may be a template for how Republicans can move past that election. President Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia in the 2020 election and Kemp refused to question those results and certified them. Voters will also go to the polls to pick nominees in a Senate contest to replace retiring Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; and choose candidates in Texas runoffs for attorney general and in Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar's 28th District. In Georgia, the Republican Governors Association, which launched a remarkable bid to protect incumbents from Trump-backed challengers this primary season, poured about $5 million into the Kemp-Perdue race, according to a person familiar with the funding who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private budget details. If Perdue loses, his defeat will be the third one in a governor's race for Trump so far in the primary season, including Charles Herbster in Nebraska and Janice McGeachin in Idaho. Trump also backed Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R, who lost his North Carolina primary last week. A coterie of GOP figures have descended on Georgia in recent days to back Kemp, including Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie. While Trump infused more than $2.5 million into the campaign, Perdue's team has struggled to raise money against an incumbent and popular governor - and observers say he has also struggled to land any political punches against Kemp. Georgia political observers say Perdue's campaign has largely gone dark, with few ads and few major appearances in the final days of the primary campaign. Perdue's campaign has revolved around unsubstantiated allegations of 2020 electoral fraud, and he continued that on Monday during his final appearance, declining to promise that he would accept the results of Tuesday's election and attacking the news media. "He's divided this state," Perdue said of Kemp during a brief news conference Monday. "He allowed fraud to happen in our election. He denied it happened. And he covered it up ever since," he said, using his final moments of the campaign to continue repeating Trump's false claims. Kemp canceled a fly-around of the state on Monday because of the weather, and his team expected about 500 people at Monday night's rally. A recent Fox News Poll showed that he's garnering 60% of the vote, well over the 50% margin required to avoid a runoff. The other major contest in the state is whether Raffensperger, the secretary of state, can keep his job. Like Kemp, he attracted a Trump-backed primary challenger because of his refusal to go along with Trump's wishes to overturn the election. Surprisingly, Raffensperger has tried to court the former president's base by raising some questions about the 2020 election that he refused to overturn without completely jettisoning his image as an official willing to stand up to Trump. He is being challenged by Hice, who embraced Trump's false claims about the 2020 election. - - - Dawsey reported from Kennesaw, Ga. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two years ago, a video of George Floyd rocked the world. Floyd - a father, boyfriend and man trying to get his life on track - was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for almost 10 minutes in May 2020. His last words, captured on cellphone video by a teenager, spurred protests across the nation. Thousands of Americans marched to call for an end to racism and police brutality against people of color. The Washington Post photographed some of these demonstrators in Minneapolis in the summer of 2020, documenting who was on the streets and why. Some told photographer Joshua Lott that they wanted to see a change in policing. Others hoped to show their outrage and demand an end to racism. Two years later, we asked the same protesters how their lives had changed since the summer the country caught fire. Here's what they said. - - - Maria Tovar, 20 Tovar is a musician. And in recent months, she's found herself writing songs that capture the despondency she feels about her beloved city, channeling her pain and sharing it on social media. "Hoping that there's more sunshine than rain in the city, I'd be lying if I said my city wasn't bleeding," she recently wrote following a double homicide at an intersection in north Minneapolis. "We're not healing," she said about the spike in violent crime. Tovar, who is Native American and Hispanic, knew long before Floyd's death that racism existed. She would feel glares from White students at her high school in St. Paul, and she says family members have been mistreated by law enforcement. But after Floyd's killing, she grew even more cautious. In the summer of 2020, she was pulled over with two Black friends for going 10 mph over the speed limit, she said. "I told everybody in the car: 'Don't say nothing. Make sure they can see your hands,'" she recalled, adding that the officer had called two squad cars for backup. "I'm rolling down all the windows just so they can see we don't have nothing." - - - Josh Melton, 31 Melton has been waiting for change. Two years ago Melton, who is White, and his wife, Hope, who is Black, took their 5-year-old daughter, Izzy, to the protests. The drywall finisher wanted Chauvin to pay for his crime and Minneapolis to hold officers accountable for their behavior. Though a jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder and sentenced him to 22.5 years in prison, Melton isn't feeling hopeful. More Black men have died in the Minneapolis area since Floyd's death, including Daunte Wright and Amir Locke, he said. Melton's days of making protest signs with his daughter have lessened. His activism these days is more about calling people out when they say something he considers racist or offensive. That has led to some strained relationships. He recalled a false story his stepmother posted on Facebook claiming that a Muslim cashier had denied service to a White person. Melton told his stepmom that she shouldn't be spreading fake stories, he said. They fought, and communication has been limited since. "Ultimately, there still has to be a lot more change," he said. "I think things are changing for the better. I would like to see them change faster." - - - Susan Larson, 55 For months, Larson tried to get the police to respond to her calls about the domestic violence and guns in her Bolero Flats apartment building, calling 911 multiple times. The Minneapolis Police Department did nothing, she said - until an officer fatally shot Amir Locke just four days after she moved out. "They kept telling me they had bigger fish to fry and more important things to do," she said. Since Floyd's death, violent crime has spiked in Minneapolis alongside rampant police staff shortages and other issues. "Whoever in Minneapolis who used the phrase 'defund the police' should've had their tush spanked because, of course, we all know now that's not what they intended," Larson said. Larson is still deeply committed to quashing bigotry anytime she hears it and wants to get back into diversity and inclusion work. She said most of the work to end racism starts with White people. "We're the ones who did the wrongs," she said. "Who cares if it was primarily our ancestors? Just because I see myself as not being a racist doesn't mean I don't do racist things." - - - Starla Wesley, 43 Wesley saw herself, her son and her father in Floyd as she watched the video two years ago. As a 15-year-old in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Omaha, Wesley said, she was held in a chokehold by a police officer. She believes that her foster mother's anguished cries saved her life. She has lived with suspicion of police officers since. And watching Floyd plead for air brought back a rush of feelings. Yet two years later, as the marches have dwindled, Wesley is working with police in her suburban neighborhood near Minneapolis. For the last 10 months, she has sat on a multicultural and multiethnic committee that works with police to address racial profiling. Wesley sees her work as a way to honor Floyd's legacy. And she hopes her committee's improvements will have a domino effect, unleashing change that could lead to better police practices. "You can't blame and point fingers at everyone or anyone when you're not doing nothing that impacts your community," she said. "When you work with the police, you're working with the politics. You have an impact on politics when you're working with the police. . . . That is our system. You work with the system and not against the system." - - - Doran Schoeppach, 58 About six years before Floyd's murder, Schoeppach witnessed police brutality outside the window of his South Minneapolis home. He saw eight or nine officers surrounding a handcuffed Black man on the ground; some were kicking him while other officers watched. Schoeppach wanted to go out and yell at the police, he said, but he was frozen in horror. "I don't know if I've even forgiven myself," he said. After Schoeppach watched the video of Chauvin on Floyd's neck, he knew he had to do something, attending multiple rallies and marches in honor of Floyd. Nearly two years later, 80-hour workweeks as a middle school teacher have made attending marches more challenging. Floyd's death, Schoeppach said, has made him more aware of issues that disproportionately affect people of color, such as no-knock warrants. He is pushing, through committees and proposals, for more diverse voices in his school district. He recognizes that school officials must try to connect with the growing Muslim community. "For me, that's a steppingstone," he said. "It's hard to peel away [from work]." - - - Vincent Kim, 20 As the son of Vietnamese and South Korean immigrants, Kim has always wondered about his place in Minneapolis. "I think Minneapolis is one of the poster cities for how to redline a metropolis pretty effectively," he said. "It's pretty clearly a segregated city." Kim, who is interested in English and political science, wants to remain active in activism after graduation. But he also wrestles with how to stay positive about the future as he reflects on the spate of violence against Asian people and other minorities. He was dispirited when he saw women who looked like his mother and grandmother gunned down by a White man - who one official said was just having a "bad day" - in three Atlanta spas last year. And when he thinks of Floyd, he mourns the humanity that was stolen from him in his last minutes of life. "I'm not sure what the impact of George Floyd's murder will be because some people make him into a martyr," Kim said. "It's unfair to him and his family that his impact will be forever relegated to that . . . on so many different levels, there is an unfairness that is so great and deeply twisted you cannot ever escape it." - - - Becky Waters, 47, and Deevo, 55 Waters and her fiance, who goes by Deevo, both demonstrated in the summer of 2020 to demand justice for Floyd - but for different reasons. Waters, who is White, wanted her children to understand the inequality that exists in America for Black people. "[Deevo] said, 'This happens all the time. You're just seeing it now,'" she said. "I remember how stunning that comment was. I knew that it happened, but I'd never seen it happen or witnessed it. There's just no denying . . . the realization of what happens when you just have a different skin color." Deevo, who grew up in Chicago, had grown tired of seeing Black people killed by police. Suffering from carpal tunnel in his arms since a 1999 encounter with White Minneapolis police officers, he was reminded that much hadn't change as he pumped his fist for justice during the protests. "Most of the time we're pretty numb to [the pain]," he said. "For whatever reason, we get to a point where we get fed up." - - - Jada Nutter, 41 Nutter can still recall the clamor of sirens and the smell of fire that permeated her yard in the summer of 2020. The stay-at-home mother of four spent the weeks after Floyd's death explaining to her children how people of color have been historically mistreated in the United States, often by people in power such as police officers. Nutter said she and her husband wanted to have balanced conversations, without branding one group as good or bad. Nutter, who has a Black father and a White mother, remembers how hard her mother tried to organize her neighbors for a safer community and how frustrating she sometimes found the work. "The lack of change with the system, I think that burned her out," she said of her mom, who was raising her and her siblings as a single parent. "She took a massive step back and didn't do anything after that." As she looks around two years later, Nutter can understand that frustration. "I wish we could say [Floyd] was the catalyst to change," she said. But "even two years now, we haven't seen much change." WASHINGTON (AP) A massive recall is getting most of the blame for the U.S. baby formula shortage, but experts say the products have long been vulnerable to this type of crisis due to decades-old policies that have allowed a handful of companies to corner the market. Those government rules aimed at assuring safe, affordable formula are getting renewed scrutiny as President Joe Biden's administration rushes to import formula from Europe. Theres perfectly good and safe baby formula available around the world. We just dont have access to it," said Bindiya Vakil, CEO of Resilinc, a supply chain analytics firm. We've created this problem by not setting up an infrastructure for imports. Abbott Nutrition said Tuesday it expects to restart its shuttered Michigan plant June 4 and begin shipping new formula to stores about three weeks later. The factory is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and has been closed since February, hobbling supplies of popular formulas and specialty formulas for children with rare medical conditions. The company also said it received permission from regulators to release 300,000 cans of its EleCare specialty formula for babies with allergic and digestive disorders. The product was not part of a February recall. Lawmakers will hold three hearings on the issue this week, calling on company executives, government regulators and outside experts to testify. The attention could spur changes to government safety and contracting rules that have been in place since the 1980s and favor big U.S. manufacturers that are capable of navigating the complex requirements. Baby formula is one of the few American products essentially unaffected by globalization, with 98% of the supply manufactured domestically. Four companies account for roughly 90% of the market: Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo, according to industry figures. That consolidation mirrors similar trends across the food industry. But infant formula wasn't part of a Biden administration initiative last year spotlighting dangerously concentrated industries, including prescription drugs, airlines, hearing aids and internet services. The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday that it has launched an inquiry into the formula shortage, seeking information on any deceptive or fraudulent business practices related to it. The agency said it also aims to shed light on what led to the concentration in the baby formula market and the weak supply chains. Food experts say strict formula regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration have long limited competition. Beginning in 1980, Congress gave the FDA authority to rigorously enforce the nutritional content of all formula sold in the U.S., imposing extra research and manufacturing standards that have few equivalents worldwide. The changes came after some babies were sickened by deficient formulas in the 1970s. They are pretty much the strictest food safety guidelines in the U.S. and America has some of the strictest guidelines in the world, said Wendy White, a food safety expert at Georgia Tech. Companies must consult with the FDA before selling a new formula, altering ingredients in an existing one or making major manufacturing changes. The result is only the biggest manufacturers have plants and procedures that comply with federal rules. And would-be competitors have little incentive to enter the field, given the declining U.S. birth rate. You have to have a lot of expertise, a lot of resources and a lot of research dollars, White said. There are other hurdles for foreign manufacturers looking to compete. The U.S. has long imposed tariffs and quotas on dairy imports from abroad, including Canada, in order to shield American milk producers from competition. Responding to political pressure, the Biden administration has begun airlifting shipments of formula from Europe. In a related move, the FDA said Tuesday it would allow the importation of 2 million cans of Kendal Nutricare formula from the U.K to boost supplies. The products are expected to begin arriving in U.S. stores early next month. The biggest driver of the U.S. market, by far, is a massive federal nutrition program that provides formula and other foods to lower-income women and children. The WIC program accounts for more than 50% of the U.S. market, providing formula for more than 1.2 million babies, according to the National WIC Association, which represents state and local administrators who run the benefit. Beginning in 1989, federal law has required states to award contracts to a single formula company, based on whichever one can offer the biggest discounts. The effect is that contract winners quickly squeeze out much of the competition on store shelves. Today, all 50 WIC contracts are held by three companies: Abbott, Reckitt and Nestle, according to the association. Abbott is the leader, with 34 state contracts. The competitive effects of these sole-source contracts have been researched for years. A 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that whichever company wins a state's WIC contract typically sees their market share grow by 74%, on average, as WIC recipients switch to their brand. But not everyone supports overhauling the system. Brian Dittmeier of the National WIC Association says doing away with sole-source contracts would jeopardize the savings that allow the plan to serve so many Americans. Instead he says manufacturers should be held accountable for not investing in their own capacity. This is a manufacturing failure, Dittmeier said. The fact is there just is not enough product to fulfill the demand that manufacturers have drummed up over the years. His group supports calls by some lawmakers for a federal antitrust investigation into the industry. WIC contracts are generally rebid every four years and market share swings back and forth between the handful of players who compete. Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas at Austin, says Congress should revisit the WIC program. We need to take a comprehensive look at where the failures happened and where we can fix them said Abrams. We need to consider whether we really want to have a situation where theres that much dominance in the program. ___ AP Business Writer Marcy Gordon contributed to this story. Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter. ___ 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) China on Tuesday said the U.S., Britain and other foreign powers are seeking to sabotage its foreign relations by orchestrating criticism surrounding a trip by the top United Nations official for human rights. China has long held back the fact-finding mission led by Michelle Bachelet, focused on allegations of mass confinement, forced labor and compulsory birth control measures imposed on members of the Uyghur, Kazakh and other Muslim minorities. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin went on the offensive over such criticisms Tuesday, saying the U.S., Britain and other Western countries have been repeatedly staging political farces around the U.N. high commissioner for human rights visit to China." They have first openly pressured and strongly demanded that the high commissioner visit China and Xinjiang, and conducted the so-called investigation with presumption of guilt," Wang said at a daily briefing. The U.S., Britain and other countries jumped out and spared no effort to disrupt and sabotage the visit, creating conditions and obstacles for the visit," Wang said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Bachelet in the southern city of Guangzhou on Monday, telling her that China opposes politicizing human rights and imposing double standards. Bachelet's trip is the first to China by a U.N. high commissioner for human rights since 2005. Her six-day visit is focused on allegations of abuses against Muslim minorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, but rights groups fear it will help whitewash the crackdown labeled by the U.S. as genocide. China locked up an estimated million or more members of Uyghur, Kazakh and other Muslim minorities in what critics describe as a campaign to obliterate their distinct cultural identities. China says it has nothing to hide and welcomes all those without political bias to visit Xinjiang and view what it describes as a successful campaign to fight terrorism and restore order and ethnic cohesion. From Guangzhou, Bachelet is to travel to Kashgar, once a stop on the Silk Road, and Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital. The U.N. and China barred foreign media from accompanying Bachelet, and its unclear whom she will meet and how much access she will be granted throughout her visit. The U.N. quoted Bachelet as telling Wang that she was looking forward to exchanges with many different people during my visit, particularly with government officials, business leaders, academics, students and members of the civil society working on human rights and other social and economic issues. While we will be discussing sensitive and important issues, I hope this will help us to build confidence and enable us to work together in advancing human rights in China and globally, it quoted Bachelet as saying. Wang noted that to advance the international cause of human rights, we must first respect each other and refrain from politicizing human rights." the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website. Multilateral human rights institutions should serve as a major venue for cooperation and dialogue rather than a new battlefield for division and confrontation," it said. China's ruling Communist Party allows no political opposition and strictly limits free speech and rights to assembly and religious expression. China is also one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and has signed but not ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights administered by Bachelet's office. Beijing has also come under criticism over its refusal to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as its hard-line zero-COVID" approach to the pandemic that has disrupted the lives of tens of millions of citizens and upended global supply chains. In an online meeting Tuesday with Wang, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on members of the international community to condemn Russias illegal war of aggression and to assume their responsibility to uphold international law and to protect the U.N. Charter." Baerbock cited the shocking reports and new evidence of very serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and called for a transparent investigation," her ministry said. Human rights are a fundamental part of the international order and Germany is committed to protecting them worldwide," Baerbock said. "I think its important that these accusations, which have been known for a long time, are addressed by the Chinese side, and I made that very, very clear in this mornings discussion, she added. Germanys Economy Minister Robert Habeck called the latest reports of internment, mistreatment and forced labor of Uyghurs particularly shocking. Internationally there needs to be a clear response and further investigation of this, he said in a statement. Habeck said Germany for years had shied away from looking to closely at the problematic human rights record of its close trading partner, but that the country's new center-left government was taking a different approach. Germany would scrutinize environmental, social and human rights aspects when considering German companies requests for loan guarantees for their investments in China, he said. We will also examine very closely Chinese firms takeover bids in Germany, he added, saying one recent offer was prohibited while another was withdrawn by the company after questions were raised. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, echoed the concerns. She tweeted: Horrified by the Xinjiang Police Files, which spotlight Chinas mass incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities." Thomas-Greenfield also said that Bachelet and her office must take a hard look at these faces and press Chinese officials for full, unfettered access and answers. __ Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report. (Bloomberg) -- A terrorist plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush in revenge for the Iraq War was uncovered earlier this year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in an unsealed search warrant. Shihab Ahmed Shihab, an Iraqi asylum seeker, described the plan to a paid FBI informant who also drove the suspect around Dallas to conduct surveillance on Bushs home and offices in February, according to a March 23 search warrant unsealed last month in federal court in Columbus, Ohio. The plotters wished to kill former President Bush because they felt that he was responsible for killing many Iraqis and breaking apart the entire country of Iraq, FBI Special Agent John Ypsilantis, a member of Joint Terrorism Task Force in Cincinnati, said in the filing. The warrant, first reported on Tuesday by Forbes, has been resealed. A spokesperson for the US attorneys office in Cincinnati declined to comment. Freddy Ford, a spokesman for Bush didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Citing operational security, Secret Service Special Agent Steve Kopek declined to comment on the matter except to say the US Secret Service takes all threats to our protectees seriously. ISIS Support Four Iraqi nationals, two of whom are ex-intelligence agents, were to be smuggled into the US from Turkey, Egypt and Denmark as part of the plot, the FBI agent said. The plan involved getting the plotters into Mexico and then crossing the border into Texas, Ypsilantis said. Though Shihab was not himself a member of the Islamic State militant group, the warrant described the smuggling plot as an attempt to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically ISIS. A Columbus resident, Shihab asked the informant for details about security operations at Bushs home in Dallas and Crawford, Texas, ranch, the FBI agent said. In February, the informant picked up Shihab at the airport in Dallas and assisted him as he used his phone to record video of Bushs gated home as well as the library and offices at the George W. Bush Institute, according to the filing. Shihab allegedly told the informant that he wanted to be involved in the actual attack and assassination and that he did not care if he died as he would be proud to have been involved. according to the search warrant. He also inquired about how to obtain fake FBI or police badges, the FBI said. The informant has been supplying information in exchange for money for over 10 years and recorded many of his conversations with Shihab, according to the filing. Bush last week reignited controversy over the war when he inadvertently transposed Iraq for Ukraine while criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. It seems as if the school culture wars have never been fiercer or more bizarre. Conservatives are rejecting textbooks - even math textbooks - for including "prohibited topics" and attempting to "indoctrinate students." Politicians such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, are accusing teachers of targeting "White babies" with Marxist teaching. State leaders are calling teachers "groomers," accusing them falsely of intentionally sexualizing children to satisfy their own predatory desires. The pitch is feverish, apocalyptic. It feels like a critical moment in a nationwide war for control of America's public schools. It's not. Conservative activists would like nothing better than to call their attacks on public education a "war," but, in fact, America's school culture wars ended long ago and conservatives lost. The battles in today's headlines are something different: part of a desperate retreat, an attempt to loot as many resources as possible from public schools on the way out the door, in the grim recognition that conservatives can only destroy what they can never control. A century ago, a true school culture war raged. Conservatives in the infamous Ku Klux Klan waged a campaign to seize control of every facet of public education nationwide. They planned to spread White supremacy by dramatically increasing public school funding; they even hoped to outlaw private school alternatives. In the 1920s, the KKK claimed millions of members across the country. They controlled state governments from Indiana to Colorado to Oregon. They relished their reputation as vigilante enforcers of America's religious and racial hierarchy, and they had their eyes set on imposing their strangled vision of "100 percent Americanism" in the nation's public schools. Unlike today's conservatives, they did not try to weaken public education. To the contrary, they saw strengthening public schools as their most important goal. As Klan leader Hiram Evans preached in 1923, "the greatest duty of America today is to build up our educational system." At the federal level, Evans called for a new Cabinet-level Department of Education with a then-extravagant $100 million budget to improve the quality of local public schools. Not only would public schools be better, the Klan promised, they would also be mandatory. In a dozen states, from California to Michigan, the Klan pushed laws to make private education illegal. As the Klan's list of enemies grew in the 1920s to include recent immigrants, particularly Catholics and Jews, they feared that private schools - especially Catholic ones - would undermine their ability to dictate the messages they wanted all American children to receive. In Oregon, they succeeded. The state passed its anti-private school law in 1922. The Klan dreamed of forcing all children - no matter what race or religion - to receive a Klan-controlled education. As Evans crudely put it, the Klan's dream was to "take every child in all America and put him in the public school of America . . . [w]e will build a homogenous people, we will grind out Americans like meat out of a grinder." At the local level, the Klan made its vision of public education clear. They took over local school boards in cities and towns nationwide. Once in control, they fired Catholic teachers and made racial segregation more complete. The Klan pushed for a new, "patriotic" history textbook as well. Evans complained that textbooks, particularly those used in Catholic schools, had "been so perverted that Americanism is falsified, distorted and betrayed." At every level, the Klan's goal was nothing less than the total transformation of American society through the reimagining of its public schools. It was more than a protest. It was a real culture war, an attempt to turn public schools into Klan schools and Klan schools into the nation's only schools. Perhaps most important, the Klan was not alone. In the 1920s, the Klan plausibly claimed allies in a variety of mainstream organizations. The Klan's preferred U.S. history textbook, for example, had been commissioned by the American Legion. And though Evans expressed it far more violently, he did not create his education policy on his own. He copied it from the National Education Association, the nation's largest teacher organization, a group that called immigrants in 1918 a "peril to free institutions . . . nurtured upon alien ideals." With such prominent, mainstream allies on its side, the Klan fought a true war for America's public schools. In the end, though, the Klan lost. The Supreme Court threw out the Klan's Oregon public school law in 1925, in Pierce v. Society of Sisters. The justices concluded that the law asserted too much state control over education. It took away parental rights and diluted the power of the educational market. Mainstream fellow travelers soon abjured any relationship with the Klan. Conservatives in the American Legion withdrew their support of their Klan-supported history textbook. The book, they concluded, was "filled with incomplete and inaccurate statements," and it attacked too explicitly "foreign-born citizens and the descendants of recent immigrants." The National Education Association, too, denounced the Klan's efforts to criminalize private schools. Despite Evans's grand promises, there was no new Department of Education. With small-government conservative Republicans in the White House throughout the 1920s, there was no huge injection of federal money into local schools. At the state and local levels, Klan governors and school boards soon lost, their educational plans stymied and abandoned. Today we face yet another round of bruising and confusing battles about public schools. Activist groups such as Moms for Liberty have tried to ban books, even children's books about sea horses, objecting to descriptions of sea horse couples "twist[ing] their tails together and twirl[ing] gently around." "Don't Say Gay" bills have spread across the country, potentially restricting teachers' ability to even discuss gender and families in school. Cynical strategists such as Chris Rufo, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, have openly declared their goal to sow "universal public school distrust." In Florida, conservatives have gone further than sowing distrust; they have helped pay for it by making more public money available to pay private-school tuitions. Their leader, Gov. Ron DeSantis, would like nothing more than to have his policies seen as a war. He relishes his self-promoted image as a warrior. As he put it: "I don't care what Hollywood says. I don't care what big corporations say. Here I stand. I am not backing down." But destructive attacks like these are not a war for control of public education. We've seen what that looked like. In a war for public education, both sides try to get more money into the public system, not out of it. In the 1920s war, in the name of "100 percent Americanism," extremists tried to force students into public schools, not give them tuition for private ones. Today's battles are different. Conservative attacks on public schools represent a decidedly minority viewpoint. As polls have shown for years, most parents are happy with their children's public schools. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, over 4 out of 5 parents said their schools "handled the pandemic well." And contrary to conservative charges that schools are exposing children to too much information about race and sexuality, a large majority (71%) of respondents say that schools are teaching about race either the right amount (37%) or too little (34%), and about sexuality the right amount (40 percent) or too little (31%). The history is clear: Today's conservatives are attacking public schools, but they are not fighting a war to control them. But their tactics make perfect sense when we see them for what they are: an attempt to pillage the nation's public education system and divert funds into private schools that conservatives actually have the ability to control. - - - Adam Laats is professor of education at Binghamton University (SUNY) and author of "Fundamentalist U." and "The Other School Reformers." Democrats and Republicans in Texas are getting their final say on their nominees for the November election in Tuesdays primary runoffs and there are plenty of statewide and national implications. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Democrat from Laredo, is fighting for his political life in a runoff that has put on vivid display a host of divisions within his party. And its one of several Democratic runoffs across South Texas that also carry stakes for the general election, where Republicans are eagerly waiting with new ambitions to turn the region red. At the statewide level, Attorney General Ken Paxton is up against a well-known challenger in George P. Bush, the land commissioner and last remaining member of his famous political family who still holds elected office. Meanwhile, in another Republican primary runoff, Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian is confronting an unconventional opponent in Sarah Stogner, whose shoestring campaign in the primary turned into a serious seven-figure effort in overtime. And across almost all the most competitive runoffs, there are still reverberations from the bombshell news earlier this month that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Here are five things were watching Tuesday. Can Cuellar hang on? The biggest race on the ballot Tuesday is Henry Cuellars. The nine-term incumbent faces progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, who ran against him in 2020 and lost by 4 percentage points. This time, thanks to a third candidate in the primary, they received nearly three more months to brawl in a runoff. Cuellar was already dealt a politically seismic blow in the primary when the FBI raided his home in Laredo. And then another major twist came in the runoff: the leaking of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion indicating it would overturn Roe v. Wade, which cast the harshest spotlight yet on Cuellars lonely status as a Democrat who opposes abortion. Jessica is running against a candidate, Mr. Cuellar, who apparently believes that it is appropriate for the government at the federal, state and local level to tell every woman in this country what she can and cannot do with her body, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said during a rally with Cisneros on Friday in San Antonio. Jessica and I and you disagree. House Democratic leaders have stood by Cuellar despite their promises to protect abortion rights in a post-Roe world. Two days after the leaked opinion, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn came to San Antonio to campaign for Cuellar, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has done a robocall for him in the runoff, calling him a fighter for hardworking families. Cisneros has had to confront an avalanche of attack ads claiming she would take jobs away from South Texas due to her 2019 suggestion to split ICE in half and reassign enforcement functions to other agencies. She has denied she would support anything that would put South Texans out of work. Pro-Cuellar super PACs have poured nearly $3 million into the runoff, with the lions share coming from United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with the pro-Israel group American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Groups backing Cisneros have not been able to keep pace, though she has raised much more money on her own during the runoff. The attacks on her have gotten personal. They have increasingly centered on a March story by the New York Post that said she had a relationship with a former high school teacher, who was married, when she was in college. One billboard put up by the advertising firm of a Cuellar backer labeled Cisneros a home wrecker. The runoff has been unscrupulous to the end. Over the weekend, it surfaced that a mailer went out proclaiming that Cuellar had been cleared in the FBI probe, a deceptive claim given that only his lawyer has said he is not the target of the investigation. Even more suspicious: The mailer lacked a disclaimer saying who paid for it. Will the Republican primary runoff for railroad commissioner be more competitive than the one for attorney general? Heading out of the primaries, it looked like the most competitive statewide runoff for Republicans would be the one for attorney general, where incumbent Ken Paxton faces challenger George P. Bush, the land commissioner. But polls have continued to give Paxton a lead sometimes double digits and he has been campaigning as if he expects a clear victory. Rather, the most interesting statewide runoff may be the GOP one for railroad commissioner. Incumbent Wayne Christian faces a unique challenger in oil and gas attorney Sarah Stogner, who first made waves in the primary by releasing an ad where she rode a pumpjack nearly naked. But her campaign got more serious in the runoff as she benefited from $2 million in funding from Ashley Watt, a West Texas rancher who is close to Stogner and has been battling the commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas, over abandoned oil wells on her property. Stogner is the underdog, but the runoff has been fascinating if only because it is rare to see a seven-figure fight over a seat on the commission, usually a political backwater. And Christian and his allies are taking it seriously, stepping up attacks on Stogner that portray her as a secret Democrat who would damage the states coveted oil and gas economy. Without his own seven-figure megadonor, Christian has had an industry-funded political action committee, Texas Now, come to his aid in the homestretch, airing TV ads saying there is only one candidate that we can trust to stand up and fight for Texas oil and natural gas. While the runoff for attorney general may not be that close, it still carries broader meaning because Bush is the last remaining member of his famous political family serving in elected office. Paxton has urged supporters to end the Bush dynasty. Bush has said hes proud of his familys contributions to the country but has tried to redirect attention to Paxtons personal legal issues. This is a big-stake race, Bush said in a radio interview Friday, and Im just so thankful to have the opportunity to present an option for conservatives out there that want to be proud of their choice to be the nominee to beat the Democrats. Can Democratic men survive statewide runoffs? While Beto ORourke is already the Democratic nominee for governor, the party is still sorting out its candidates for four other statewide offices and in each case, it is a man versus a woman. Thats put Democratic men in the awkward position of having to pitch themselves as stronger advocates for abortion rights than their female opponents in light of the Roe v. Wade news. The tension came into sharp relief over the weekend in the Democratic runoff for attorney general, which pits Joe Jaworski, a former Galveston mayor and current lawyer there, against Rochelle Garza, a former American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who sued to help an undocumented immigrant get an abortion. In recent days, Jaworksi sent out a mailer claiming to be the only candidate with the experience to protect reproductive rights from Day One. That drew a harsh response from a constellation of abortion rights groups that are supporting Garza. Reproductive rights are absolutely going to be on the ballot this year, so its no surprise that candidates want to highlight the issue, Laphonza Butler, president of EMILYs List, said in a statement. But Joe Jaworski is falsely inflating his own record while diminishing Rochelle Garzas. Polling shows other Democratic men in the statewide runoffs are also in precarious shape. Mike Collier, who is running statewide for the third time in eight years, could lose the runoff for lieutenant governor to state Rep. Michelle Beckley of Carrollton. He has the support of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, but Beckley has been campaigning on her votes for abortion rights in the Legislature, and a recent survey showed her in the lead. Furthermore, Collier is running TV ads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Beckleys backyard in the final days before the runoff as he tries to avoid getting upset. Then theres Jay Kleberg, the conservationist filmmaker and member of the prominent South Texas ranching family who is running for land commissioner. He has raised far more money and collected many more endorsements than his lesser-known runoff opponent, Sandragrace Martinez. He is the only fellow statewide candidate that ORourke has endorsed, too. But an April poll showed Martinez in the lead, and she is arguing that Democrats need to nominate a woman and challenge the good old boys club. It is a womans time a womans right to choose, a womans right to be here and a womans right to be on this ticket, she said during an appearance earlier this month in San Antonio. Can the Republican establishment keep up its success in state House races? Texas House Republican leadership did pretty well in the March primary, losing no incumbents outright after the hectic shuffle of redistricting and ensuring that its preferred candidates advanced in open seats. But the runoffs are proving more trying. Priority No. 1 for the establishment has arguably been state Rep. Stephanie Klick of Fort Worth, the only committee chair who was forced into a runoff. Her challenger, David Lowe, has been persistently working to outflank her on restricting abortion and medical treatments for transgender kids. Meanwhile, she and her allies have gone hard at him for owning a number of sexually explicit URLs in the early 2000s, suggesting he could be a public safety threat in the Legislature. Three other GOP incumbents are also in runoffs: state Reps. Glenn Rogers of Graford, Kyle Kacal of Bryan and Phil Stephenson of Wharton. House Speaker Dade Phelan and his allies have swarmed Rogers and Kacals races with resources, but Stephenson has been left for dead and Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed his challenger, Stan Kitzman, last week. It was the first time Abbott backed an opponent to a sitting Texas House Republican since the 2018 cycle. His Kitzman endorsement came after text messages and mailers went out falsely claiming that Abbott had endorsed Stephenson. In open seats, leaders especially have a lot on the line in places like House District 63, where they are trying to prevent a victory by Jeff Younger. He is an activist who has been one of the loudest voices statewide blaming Texas Republican leadership for not doing enough to outlaw gender-affirming care for transgender kids, and he would undoubtedly be a thorn in Phelans side if elected. It has not helped the establishment that top Texas Republicans have openly sided against one another in the state House runoffs. Most notably, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is opposite Abbott in several runoffs where the candidates appear to differ on school choice, with Cruz backing those who are more supportive of the concept. The mixed signals from GOP leaders continued over the weekend, when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick endorsed Nate Schatzline in the runoff for an open seat in the Fort Worth area. Schatzlines opponent, Laura Hill, is backed by Abbott and Phelan. What kind of Democrat prevails elsewhere in South Texas? The Cuellar-Cisneros battle has captured outsized attention, but there are three other primary runoffs in South Texas that are important to the future of the Democratic Party. The nominees in the region matter more than ever in recent memory given that Republicans are aggressively targeting South Texas in November. In the 15th Congressional District, Democrats Ruben Ramirez and Michelle Vallejo are running for the nomination for an open seat that Republicans see as their best congressional pickup opportunity this fall in Texas. In Texas Senate District 27, Democrats Morgan LaMantia and Sara Stapleton-Barrera are fighting for the nomination to replace longtime state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, a socially conservative Democrat who is backing LaMantia. And in House District 37, Democrats Ruben Cortez and Luis Villarreal are battling for a new battleground seat in Cameron County that Republicans created for themselves in redistricting. There are clear ideological divides in the runoffs. Ramirez is proudly running as a moderate, while Vallejo is doing the same as a progressive, embracing the single-payer health care system known as Medicare for All, drawing Ramirezs criticism. Candidates in these runoffs are also generally split on Title 42, the pandemic-era policy that border officials use to rapidly expel migrants at the border. The Biden administration had planned to end it late this month, but a federal judge has ordered it to remain in place. Lucios legacy also towers over these runoffs. While he is supporting LaMantia to fill his Senate seat, he is also backing Villarreal, a former aide, for HD-37. Both their opponents Stapleton-Barrera and Cortez ran against Lucio in the 2020 primary, and Stapleton-Barrera forced him into a runoff. Their bitter history is especially coming out at the end of the current runoffs. This race is reminiscent of the 2020 election, where Luis opponent unsuccessfully tried to unseat me with the help of various teacher advocacy groups, Lucio wrote in a recent letter to HD-37 voters that assailed Cortez on multiple fronts, including his education level. While Ramirez, LaMantia and Villarreal have all benefited from the support of key local incumbents, their more progressive opponents have also been able to build momentum in the runoff. Over the weekend, for example, Stapleton-Barrera announced the endorsement of state Rep. Alex Dominguez of Brownsville, who ran against her in the March primary and came in third with a quarter of the vote. Disclosure: Planned Parenthood 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 Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Tickets are on sale now for the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin on Sept. 22-24. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save big! This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/23/texas-runoffs-things-to-watch/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. WFO SACRAMENTO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 25, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Sacramento CA 230 AM PDT Tue May 24 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 11 PM PDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Afternoon temperatures from 95 to 105, with the hottest day expected on Wednesday. Overnight lows from 65 to 75. * WHERE...Portions of the Sacramento Valley, Carquinez Strait and Delta, Northern San Joaquin Valley and Northeast Foothills. * WHEN...From noon Tuesday to 11 PM PDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Widespread moderate, to locally high, heat risk. Heat-related illnesses will be possible, especially for groups that are sensitive to the heat. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather A particularly mammoth tornado stopped onlookers in their paths in Morton, Texas on Monday, the product of a severe weather system currently working its way across the Lone Star State. FOX Weather recorded video of the swirling cone that touched near the community, about 50 miles west of Lubbock, Texas. No injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the tornado. Storm chasers in the area captured stunning images and video of the twister. All marveled at the size of the system, which appeared to stretch across a large swath of the horizon. Some noted that the cone appeared dusty at times, a characteristic likely attributable to recent drought conditions across the state and possibly influenced by the arrival of a Saharan dust cloud over the weekend. The extreme event comes as a series of severe weather systems make their way across Texas. The Houston area saw the first of a pair of storm lines pass through the metro area late Tuesday morning, bringing rain and spats of lightning. Later this evening a second system from the north is expected to descend upon the city and surrounding area, dumping up to four inches of total rainfall. The wet weather is a welcome respite from record heat seen across Texas in May. The month to date has been one of the hottest on record, and at one time prompted an alert from state energy regulators asking Texans to conserve power to avoid blackouts. The National Weather Service's Lubbock division is monitoring Tuesday's storm for more possible tornados. It noted a "low chance" of another twister forming in the area, but did project damaging winds and large hail Tuesday evening from storms approaching from the west. WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Amarillo TX 611 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR DEAF SMITH COUNTY... At 611 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Bootleg, or 15 miles north of Friona, moving northeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Locations impacted include... Hereford, Simms and Bootleg. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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. ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL LAMPASAS AND SOUTHEASTERN MILLS COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 615 PM CDT... The rotation associated with the storm that prompted the Tornado Warning has weakened, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado. Therefore the Tornado Warning will be allowed to expire. The storm may still contain small hail and gusty winds. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE BAILEY CASTRO COCHRAN DALLAM DEAF SMITH HALE HARTLEY HOCKLEY LAMB LUBBOCK MOORE OLDHAM PARMER POTTER RANDALL SHERMAN SWISHER TERRY YOAKUM The National Weather Service in Austin San Antonio has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Dimmit County in south central Texas... * Until 700 PM CDT. * At 613 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles south of Catarina, or 20 miles northwest of Encinal, moving east at 25 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... Light and Chaparral Wildlife Management Area. 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. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Brownsville has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... South Central Cameron County in deep south Texas... * Until 1015 AM CDT. * At 923 AM CDT, An NWS employee reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...NWS Employee reported. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Southmost, Downtown Brownsville, Brownsville, Lincoln Park, Brownsville Public Library Southmost Branch, North Brownsville Little League, Perkins Middle School, Southmost Elementary School, Faulk Middle School, Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, J.t. Canales Elementary School, Gonzalez Elementary School, Brownsville Fire Department Station Six, Veterans International Bridge, Longoria Elementary School, Besteiro Middle School, El Jardin Elementary School, Hanna High School, Lopez High School and Cameron County Courthouse. NWS Employee reported outside lanes of Highway 48 in Brownsville were covered in 6 inches or more of water. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO CORPUS CHRISTI Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX 817 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL WEBB COUNTY... At 817 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Botines, or 17 miles north of Laredo, moving northeast at 25 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. Locations impacted include... Callaghan and Botines. This includes the following highways... Interstate 35 between mile markers 17 and 35. US Highway 83 between mile markers 690 and 698. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR NORTHEASTERN PARMER AND NORTHWESTERN CASTRO COUNTIES... At 817 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles southeast of Friona, moving east at 25 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. This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of northeastern Parmer and northwestern Castro Counties. The National Weather Service in Brownsville has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... West Central Jim Hogg County in deep south Texas... Northern Zapata County in deep south Texas... * Until 1130 PM CDT. * At 819 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Bustamante, Medina, Zapata County Airport, Escobas, Las Palmas, Zapata High School, Zapata Middle School, Zapata County Fire Department, Zapata County Public Library, Thompsonville and Zapata--Medina. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LAKE CHARLES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 1038 AM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northern Cameron, southwestern Jefferson Davis, southern Calcasieu Parishes in southwestern Louisiana and eastern Orange Counties through 1115 AM CDT... At 1037 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Hayes to 6 miles east of Groves. Movement was north at 20 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Lake Charles, Sulphur, Orange, Bridge City, Westlake, West Orange, Welsh, Vinton, Iowa, Grand Lake, Hayes, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Charles Regional Airport, Hacketts Corner, Toomey, Edgerly, Sweet Lake, Carlyss, Pinehurst and Heberts Marina. This includes the following highways... Interstate 10 in Texas between mile markers 880 and 868. Interstate 10 in Louisiana between mile markers 1 and 56. Interstate 210 between mile markers 1 and 12. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 2997 9376 2999 9380 3000 9379 2998 9383 2999 9386 2997 9384 2997 9385 2998 9386 2999 9389 3020 9392 3029 9278 2995 9285 2993 9324 2997 9327 3002 9327 3005 9329 3005 9333 2992 9335 2990 9377 TIME...MOT...LOC 1537Z 184DEG 18KT 3006 9294 2992 9381 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH The National Weather Service in League City has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Harris County in southeastern Texas... * Until 1115 AM CDT. * At 1040 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Baytown to near Deer Park to Pasadena to Pearland, moving north at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Pasadena, northern Pearland, northwestern Baytown, Deer Park, South Houston, Humble, West University Place, Galena Park, Jacinto City, Midtown Houston, Cloverleaf, Downtown Houston, Northside / Northline, Greenway / Upper Kirby Area, Second Ward, Greater Heights, Highlands, Neartown / Montrose, Barrett and Greater Eastwood. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ TORNADO WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Lubbock TX 722 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN BAILEY...NORTHEASTERN COCHRAN...NORTHWESTERN HOCKLEY AND SOUTHWESTERN LAMB COUNTIES... At 720 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located 4 miles southeast of Enochs, or 6 miles north of Morton, moving east at 15 mph. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW! HAZARD...Damaging tornado. Satellite tornadoes are revolving around the large tornado. SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado 6 miles north of Morton. IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible. Locations impacted include... Enochs. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW! Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of western Texas, including the following counties, Borden and Howard. * WHEN...Until 915 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 723 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 2 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Vealmoor. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE DUVAL JIM HOGG LA SALLE MCMULLEN WEBB ZAPATA ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Webb County through 800 PM CDT... At 723 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Laredo Community College, or near Laredo, moving northeast at 25 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Laredo, Texas A&M, Laredo International Airport, Unitec Industrial Park, St Augustine High School South Laredo, Doctors Hospital Of Laredo, Laredo Country Club, Laredo Community College, Ranchos Penitas West, Orvil and Botines. This includes the following highways... Interstate 35 between mile markers 1 and 18. US Highway 59 between mile markers 820 and 824. US Highway 83 between mile markers 718 and 720. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for south central Texas. LAT...LON 2749 9948 2750 9950 2750 9953 2757 9951 2758 9953 2761 9954 2761 9956 2760 9958 2761 9958 2764 9960 2764 9963 2763 9962 2763 9964 2764 9967 2782 9956 2765 9926 2746 9949 TIME...MOT...LOC 0023Z 210DEG 23KT 2753 9954 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN DIMMIT AND SOUTHEASTERN MAVERICK COUNTIES... At 724 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 6 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Gilson Groves. ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN LAMB COUNTY IS CANCELLED... The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of northwestern Lamb County. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for the Panhandle of and northwestern Texas. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN PARMER AND SOUTHWESTERN CASTRO COUNTIES... At 724 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles north of Earth, moving north at 15 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. Dimmitt. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northeastern Coryell County in central Texas... * Until 830 PM CDT. * At 723 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles west of Gatesville, moving northeast at 25 mph. HAZARD...Quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is possible. * Locations impacted include... Ames and Turnersville. For your protection get inside a sturdy structure and stay away from windows. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather US may lack ability to lead IPEF, reconcile interests with members (Global Times) 09:20, May 24, 2022 Illustration: Chen Xia/GT As the US announced on Monday its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a plan widely believed to be aimed at isolating China, observers noted that the comprehensive economic framework may take years to take shape and could become something the US itself may find hard to drive, but they added that it is still a menace that China needs to address. As a response, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized on Monday in a speech delivered to the 78th Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific that "the concept of Asia-Pacific should not be diluted, and Asia-Pacific cooperation should not be disrupted." The remark followed Wang's Sunday comment on the so-called US "strategy" which aims not only to erase the name of "Asia-Pacific" and effective regional cooperation framework in the Asia-Pacific region, but also to efface the achievements and momentum of peace and development fostered by regional countries through decades of joint efforts. Wang noted that anyone trying to use a framework to isolate China will eventually isolate itself, and the one making up rules to exclude China will be abandoned by the times. The US and 12 other countries - together accounting for 40 percent of world GDP - announced the IPEF, a highlight of US President Joe Biden's Asia trip, on Monday. Biden is also set to attend a Quad summit in Japan on Tuesday. Chinese analysts said that Wang's emphasis on "Asia-Pacific" is to reaffirm that the region's prevailing trend is cooperation, which goes against the confrontation heralded by the US' so-called IPEF that has geopolitical aims. Still, US officials could not help bragging about the "overwhelming and broad-scale response from the Indian subcontinent, to Down Under, to Southeast Asia, to Northeast Asia." Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a routine press conference on Monday that China is happy to see initiatives boosting regional cooperation but is firmly opposed to schemes that try to stir up discord and confrontation. Wang urged the US to follow free trade rules, rather than trying to reverse regional integration by setting up its own game. An 'economic NATO' The initial list of member countries of IPEF, as disclosed on Monday, is similar to that of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), with the absence of China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar and with the addition of the US and India. Experts said that compared with the RCEP, the world's largest free trade pact that is already yielding concrete benefits to signatory countries, IPEF has just been announced and details about it are still scant. However, IPEF could be something like an "economic NATO," with the US adding concrete rules to its framework in the coming years to serve its interests. Senior US officials said at a press call with reporters released on Monday that "negotiations will begin" after the launch event and future agreements may need to go to the US Congress for a vote. There is no tariff liberalization incorporated into the scope of IPEF, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai told reporters via a press call on Monday. Instead, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted one reason (for being part of the IPEF) is having the opportunity to "work closely with the US on rules and standards; on greater clarity and transparency and coordination on supply chains; on innovation." When asked by reporters whether China could potentially join, Sullivan said, "It won't just be if you raise your hand, you're automatically in." Economic impact on region Inclusion in the IPEF framework would bring some economic benefits to ASEAN members in terms of investment and trade, Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times on Monday. Vietnam, for instance, might enjoy some "policy bonuses" under the framework to further strengthen its textile and digital exports to the US. Gu surmised that the US should have chosen its IPEF partners based on both political and economic criteria, as countries that can help to weaken the competitiveness of China in terms of industries are selected. "Vietnam, as a country with a large market, and Malaysia, as a country that is good at chip production, could be used by the US to develop relevant supply chains to offset China's supply chains," Gu said. Experts said that so far the IPEF seems to lack concrete and clear measures like the RCEP, but in the next step, the US may choose to distribute its industrial chains along with different members under the IPEF framework and carry out cooperation, while countries that are too small in economic scale and are deemed as having relations that are too close with China won't be considered by the US. Negotiation may take years, they noted. As the US still wields considerable influence over many countries in the region, the IPEF could hold varying degrees of appeal to different members. Some ASEAN members joined the IPEF because the US has a grip on many core high technologies such as chips and software, and ASEAN members are concerned about possible US exclusion, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China. Chinese trade experts lambasted the IPEF, as the geopolitically charged trade structure aims to isolate China, the world's largest trading nation and the region's growth engine. However, they pointed out that the very aim of this strategy will guarantee its failure. None of the strategy's major pillars - digitalization, supply chains and clean energy - can develop without China, Tang Dajie, a visiting research fellow at the Wuhan University, told the Global Times. Tang noted that China is not only the world's largest digital market, but also has strong service output capabilities, and the country is the main supplier of clean energy. In terms of supply chains, the US would suffer the most without Chinese supplies, Tang said. Analysts warned that as some countries might get excited about joining a US-headed club, they might have ended up shackling themselves and compromised their economic security. For instance, Australia's coal industry development may be under peril under IPEF clean energy regulations. Uncertainties remain over whether the US, with its declining comparative economic advantage and domestic economy rife with problems, is capable of organizing and managing a transregional economic cooperative mechanism on such a large economic scale, or if it is capable of reconciling the interests of different countries, said Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies and director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University. Multiple economic deals Experts said that RCEP and CPTPP - which China applied to join in September 2021 - are economic entities that are not based on ideology, and predicted that at some point down the road member countries' political wisdom will be tested when they find that what is allowed in those trade deals is forbidden or challenged by IPEF. Nonetheless, the US in its containing campaign to check China's growth may be willing to sacrifice some of its economic interests, experts warned. In dealing with the situation, China should upgrade its RCEP cooperation, such as accelerating digital partnership negotiations with ASEAN members, Wang Yiwei said. He also noted that China would enhance economic cooperation with the EU, including by speeding up the China-EU investment agreement. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Lubbock TX 216 AM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT EARLY THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues. * WHERE...A portion of northwest Texas, including the following counties, Hale and Lamb. * WHEN...Until 300 AM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Water over roadways. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 216 AM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated very heavy rain due to slow-moving thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Plainview, Littlefield, Hale Center, Olton, Cotton Center, Halfway, Spade, Fieldton, Seth Ward, Edmonson and Springlake. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern Hidalgo and southeastern Starr Counties through 300 AM CDT... At 218 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over La Victoria, or near Garciasville, moving east at 35 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Palmview, Penitas, Sullivan City, La Joya, Los Ebanos, Garciasville, La Grulla, Narciso G. Cavazos Elementary School, Abram-Perezville and Cesar Chavez Middle School. This includes US Highway 83 between mile markers 828 and 850. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 2620 9844 2623 9845 2622 9848 2620 9848 2625 9856 2624 9855 2622 9856 2626 9859 2625 9862 2626 9862 2624 9867 2626 9868 2627 9872 2628 9870 2629 9872 2644 9872 2648 9829 2647 9825 2647 9824 2616 9837 TIME...MOT...LOC 0718Z 269DEG 30KT 2634 9864 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHERN LUBBOCK AND SOUTHEASTERN HALE COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 230 AM CDT... The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. However gusty winds and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 400 AM CDT for northwestern Texas. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western Coke County in west central Texas... Eastern Sterling County in west central Texas... Northwestern Tom Green County in west central Texas... * Until 415 PM CDT. * At 320 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 15 miles southwest of Broome, moving northeast at 45 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 be near... Sterling City and Broome around 340 PM CDT. Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Us- 87 Near The Coke-Tom Green County Line. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE ANDREWS BORDEN COCHRAN CRANE CROSBY DAWSON ECTOR GAINES GARZA GLASSCOCK HOCKLEY HOWARD KENT LOVING LUBBOCK LYNN MARTIN MIDLAND MITCHELL REAGAN SCURRY TERRY UPTON WARD WINKLER YOAKUM _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Central Tom Green County in west central Texas... Northeastern Irion County in west central Texas... * Until 430 PM CDT. * At 340 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Arden, moving east at 25 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 be near... Arden around 355 PM CDT. Tankersley around 415 PM CDT. Knickerbocker around 420 PM CDT. Twin Buttes Reservoir around 425 PM CDT. Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Us- 67 Near The Irion-Tom Green County Line. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Northwestern Coleman County in west central Texas... Southeastern Runnels County in west central Texas... North central Concho County in west central Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT. * At 341 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Paint Rock, moving northeast at 35 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Benoit around 405 PM CDT. Talpa around 410 PM CDT. Glen Cove around 425 PM CDT. Novice and Silver Valley around 440 PM CDT. Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Goldsboro, Hords Creek Reservoir, Us-83 Near The Concho- Runnels County Line and The Intersection Of Us- 83 And Ranch Road 1929. _____ 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 Last year, most spouses sponsored for Canadian immigration came from India. Canadians sponsored spouses the most from these 10 countries in 2021 Canadians sponsored spouses the most from these 10 countries in 2021 Last year, most spouses sponsored for Canadian immigration came from India. Canadians sponsored spouses the most from these 10 countries in 2021 Last year, most spouses sponsored for Canadian immigration came from India. Canadians sponsored spouses the most from these 10 countries in 2021 Last year, most spouses sponsored for Canadian immigration came from India. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A More than 64,000 spouses, common-law partners, and conjugal partners were sponsored for Canadian immigration in 2021. Of these, most came from India. Last year, Canadians sponsored about 10,715 loved ones from India, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The second most popular source country was the US, where nearly 4,810 spouses and partners immigrated from. Here are the top 10 source countries of new immigrants through the Spousal and Common-law Sponsorship program for 2021. Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration Source countries of Spouses and Partners in 2021 Country # of sponsored immigrants India 10,715 US 4,810 Philippines 4,805 China 4,265 Pakistan 2,740 Vietnam 1,945 UK 1,905 Mexico 1,575 Jamaica 1,345 France 1,125 Sponsoring spouses for Canadian immigration Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, and conjugal partners for Canadian immigration. Spouses need to be married to their sponsor in an in-person ceremony. Virtual marriages are not recognized for the purposes of immigration. Common-law partners need to demonstrate that they have lived together for at least 12 months. Conjugal partners are living outside Canada and have been in a relationship for at least one year. They need to demonstrate that there are legal or social barriers preventing them from getting married or living together. You cannot sponsor a conjugal partner who is living in Canada. Both sponsors and their partners must meet some basic eligibility criteria. The sponsor needs to be at least 18 years old, have Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or Indian status (under the Indian Act). Sponsors also must prove they are not receiving social assistance, and be able to financially support the family. Canadian citizens can apply to sponsor their spouse from outside Canada, but must demonstrate an intent to return once IRCC makes a decision on their file. Permanent residents must sponsor their spouses from inside Canada. There are also a number of circumstances that could make one ineligible for sponsorship, such as not being discharged for bankruptcy. Foreign spouses and partners must also be at least 18 years old. IRCC will check that the sponsored partner is admissible by running medical and background security checks. People with criminal convictions are oftentimes not allowed to come to Canada, but there may be options to overcome criminal inadmissibility. The immigration officer handling the file will also want to see that the applicants are in a genuine relationship. The goal is to avoid admitting people who are getting married for the sole purpose of Canadian immigration. Instead, the government wants to welcome those who are coming to Canada to reunite with their loved ones. After confirming that they meet all eligibility criteria, couples can then apply for spousal sponsorship to the Canadian government. IRCC has a 12-month processing standard on spousal sponsorship applications, although it may take longer. Applicants can track and update their application status online until IRCC makes a decision on their application. Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Understanding how Express Entry works is the first step to a successful application for permanent residency. How does Canadas Express Entry system work? Understanding how Express Entry works is the first step to a successful application for permanent residency. How does Canadas Express Entry system work? Understanding how Express Entry works is the first step to a successful application for permanent residency. How does Canadas Express Entry system work? Understanding how Express Entry works is the first step to a successful application for permanent residency. Edana Robitaille Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Anyone trying to become a permanent resident of Canada will no doubt run into the term Express Entry more than once. It is easy to assume that Express Entry is its own immigration program but, surprisingly, this is not correct. Understanding what Express Entry is, and how it works, is a vital step before submitting an application. Express Entry is a system, not a program Express Entry is an application management system introduced by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2015. It was brought in after it was found that the existing system was not efficient in processing the overwhelming number of applications that IRCC receives. In the past, Canada reviewed every single application that was submitted, regardless of whether or not an applicant met a baseline of qualifications. This meant that processing times for all applicants could take over five years. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment How does Express Entry work? Express Entry is not as complicated as it appears at first glance. The first step is to find out if you are eligible. You then need to complete your profile to express your interest in applying for status as a permanent resident in Canada. You will then get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Roughly every two weeks, IRCC invites the highest-scoring candidates to apply. Here is a simplified, step-by-step breakdown of the Express Entry process. Step 1: Check if you are eligible for Express Entry. Each of the three Express Entry-managed programs will have its own minimum eligibility criteria. You need to be eligible for at least one. Step 2: Complete your language testing and get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Step 3: Submit your profile to the IRCC website. Step 4: Wait to see if you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence from IRCC. Step 5: If you receive an ITA, submit your completed electronic Application for Permanent Residence (e-APR) to IRCC and pay your fees within the 60-day deadline. You need to include your medical exam and police certificates as part of this step. IRCC will then provide you with an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR). Step 6: Submit your biometrics once IRCC asks you to do so. Step 7: Wait for IRCC to make a final decision on your application. Once it is approved you will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a permanent resident visa (if you are from a country that requires a visa) so you can complete your landing. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment What counts as skilled work under Express Entry? Skilled workers are defined by Canadas National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. In short, the NOC is a system that Canada uses to determine the level of skill and education necessary to an occupation or career in Canada. For Express Entry, there are three NOC categories that are eligible: NOC 0: Management positions, such as in a restaurant NOC A: Careers that typically require a university degree NOC B: Skilled trades and technology Each NOC category has a separate ranking system and applicants are assigned specific numeric codes based on their occupation. The Federal Skilled Worker Program The FSWP is designed for skilled workers who meet certain requirements in language, work experience, and education gained abroad. Minimum requirements are one year of work experience, a CLB score of 7, proof of funds, and proof of education. You also need to get at least 67/100 on the FSWP points grid. Canadian Experience Class The CEC is specifically for those who have at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada within the past three years. The language requirement differs based on their NOC classification. Candidates whose occupations fall under NOC 0 and A need a CLB of at least 7, whereas NOC B workers need a CLB of at least 5. Federal Skilled Trades Program Facing a shortage of skilled trades workers, Canada created the FSTP in 2013. The program works similarly to FSWP but is exclusively for skilled trades. Those who enter Canada with the FSTP must have two years of work experience in a skilled trade, have a full-time job offer from a Canadian employer, or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian authority. Provincial Nominee Program Each province or territory (with the exceptions of Quebec and Nunavut) has a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Provinces regularly review the pool of Express Entry candidates. If a candidate, who is eligible for one of the Express Entry-managed programs, meets certain criteria that fill a need for a specific province, the province can issue an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination. Candidates may also indicate in their application that they would like to settle in a specific province. Provincial immigration programs that pull from the Express Entry pool of candidates are called enhanced PNPs. If the candidate gets the provincial nomination, they will subsequently receive an additional 600 CRS points. The Comprehensive Ranking System The CRS was created to score and rank Express Entry candidates. Those who wish to immigrate using Express Entry must go online to the IRCC website and complete a personal profile. This profile takes roughly an hour to complete. Candidates are scored and ranked based on criteria such as age, language skills, work experience, and education along with other factors. Prior to the pandemic, IRCC would issue ITAs to candidates with the highest CRS scores. It has temporarily departed from this approach, but will be returning to it in early July. Looking ahead The pandemic caused delays in the Express Entry system. IRCC paused invitations for CEC and FSWP candidates in an effort to address the backlog in applications. This upcoming July, IRCC will once again invite CEC and FSWP candidates under Express Entry. Also, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says that processing standards for new applicants will once again return to six months for new applicants. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High near 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Termen extins: Centrul CONTACT angajeaza expert/experta sau grup de experti in elaborarea de metodologie si livrare de training in domeniul colectarii de fonduri The Charity Commission has ordered Islamic Research Foundation International (IRFI) to be wound up after it funded programmes that exhibited hate speech and violence. In 2020 the Commission opened an inquiry into IRFI after Ofcom reported that Peace TV channels, which the charity funds, repeatedly breached the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. Ofcoms investigation found that since 2009, Peace TV channels had shown programmes that incited violence, murder and promoted hate speech. The Charity Commissions concluded that the charity was no longer viable and ordered it to be wound up. It has now been removed from the charity register. Almost 100% of charity expenditure was on funding TV channels The regulator found that between 2015 2020, 96% of the charitys expenditure was granted to the parent company of the Peace TV channels licence holders, Universal Broadcasting Company (UBC). This amounted to around 3.6m of its total expenditure. The charity continued to fund the Peace TV channels despite Ofcoms findings. The regulator ruled that it had not learned any lessons from the report. Some of the charitys trustees had been directors of companies within UBC, and the Commission found these conflicts of interest were not managed appropriately. Anti-semitic and homophobic language IRFI was registered as a charitable company in 2007 with the purpose of advancing the practices of Islam, as well relieving poverty, distress and suffering. The Charity Commission found issue with how the charity, IRFI, appeared as synonymous with Peace TV. The charity never had a website in its own name and until 2019 it used a domain name under Peace TVs name. It also collected donations through the Peace TV website. Ofcom suspended Peace TV Urdus license in November 2019 after it received complaints that some of its programmes contained homophobic and anti-semitic hate speech. Ofcom terminated both Peace TV and Peace TV Urdus licences in 2019. Its parent company, UBC, was dissolved as a company the same year. Lord Production and Club TV, which had held the licences for Peace TV and Peace TV Urdu respectively, were dissolved in February 2022. Dr Zakir Naik, the founder of the charity, acted as a trustee and director of UBC and Lord Production until he was disqualified from acting as a trustee. This conflict of interest was not managed, the Commission ruled. The Commission disqualified Naik from acting as a trustee before the inquiry took place. The regulator made the decision after the home secretary excluded him from the UK in 2010 on the grounds of unacceptable behaviour in making statements that attempted to justify terrorist activity and foster hatred. Naik then appealed the disqualification, which resulted in his disqualification being reduced to seven and a half years. Interim manager found charity not viable In July 2020, the Charity Commission appointed an interim manager as both a protective measure and to determine the charitys viability. The interim manager, Virginia Henley of law firm Hewitsons, concluded that the charity was no longer viable. Subsequently, the Commission ordered her to begin the process of winding up the charity. The Commissions inquiry concluded that the trustees mismanaged the charity and failed to act in its best interests. IRFI was removed from the register of charities earlier this month. Governance failures rendered the charity unviable The charitys remaining 57,950 was redirected to three charities with similar objectives. Tim Hopkins, assistant director, investigations and inquiries at the Charity Commission, said: This charity was mismanaged by its trustees, including through their failure to manage the charitys relationship with Peace TV channels following Ofcoms findings. These and other repeated governance failures rendered the charity unviable, and the Commissions intervention has secured its dissolution. As part of our intervention into this charity we determined that Dr Naiks conduct makes him unfit to act as a trustee or hold senior management positions in any charity in England and Wales. Our order protects charities by prohibiting him from acting. Haitis Lost Billions. The Root of Haitis Misery: Reparations to Enslavers. How a French Bank Captured Haiti. Invade Haiti, Wall Street Urged. The US Obliged. Demanding Reparations, and Ending Up in Exile. These were the top headlines in a sprawling package of articlestotaling tens of thousands of words and written primarily by four reporters, with the help of more than a dozen researchers in at least six locations on two continentsthat the New York Times published on Haiti over the weekend, under the rubric The Ransom. The package took the form of a slick multimedia production online and a special section in print, trailed on Sundays front page across four columns under a large illustration of plantations burning during the Haitian Revolution, when enslaved Africans won independence from French colonial rule. Though the events of the illustration date to 1791, the package really picks up Haitis story in 1825, more than twenty years after it declared independence, when the French returned and demanded that Haiti give them reparations or else face a war, setting the stage for decades of debt and exploitation. For years, as New York Times journalists have chronicled Haitis travails, a question has hovered: What if? What if the nation had not been looted by outside powers, foreign banks and its own leaders almost since birth? How much more money might it have had to build a nation? the paper asked. For more than a year, a team of Times correspondents scoured long-forgotten documents languishing in archives and libraries on three continents to answer that question, to put a number on what it cost Haitians to be free. The paper concludedand fourteen experts agreedthat the payments have cost Haiti at least twenty-one billion dollars in lost growth, and quite possibly much more. The Times described the story as a whole as rarely taught or acknowledged, and claimed that leading historians viewed its efforts to calculate the payments as a first. Monica Drake, a Times editor, described the package as investigative journalism, the documents are just really old. Related: The bot that saw the Times Alongside the package, the Times published at least two articles explaining how it came together, one of which offered an extensive, though not exhaustive, methodology and bibliography that itself came to five thousand or so words. Newspapers dont normally do this, Catherine Porter, a reporter on the series, said, but we thought it was important. The paper is also now running a live blog detailing the international reaction to, and impact of, the package. A French bank highlighted by the Times as having exploited Haiti said that it would hire researchers to investigate its history in the country, with the head of its parent company decrying a very sad illustration of the meaning of colonization. The Times also relayed reaction in Haitiwhere radio hosts discussed the package at length and a leading newspaper splashed the findings on its front pageand across the diaspora. The paper translated the package into both French and Haitian Creole, explaining that the latter step, a first for the Times, was particularly significant given the languages dominant yet often stigmatized status in Haiti. It published a piece about the reaction under the headline, Haitian Creole Speakers Welcome The Ransom Translation. Interestingly, the Times reaction blog also noted less positive reactions to the package among some historians, who took issue not with its historical content but with the way it was framedarguing, in essence, that the paper presented the roots of Haitis present-day poverty as a mystery that its reporters had just solved, without giving sufficient credit to the many historians, many of them people of color, whove been researching the topic for years. The Times quoted Mary Lewis, a Harvard historian who said that the paper hadnt credited her for putting the paper in touch with sources, and Paul E. Cohen, a University of Toronto historian who noted, among other observations, that the papers bibliography was partial and framed in a way that functions to legitimate the journalists claims about the originality and importance of their work. The Times pointed in response to the extensiveness of the bibliography and the uniqueness of its calculation. (Interestingly, the paper also noted, some way into the package, that the total figure it reached was surprisingly close to the very precise amount that Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Haitian president, demanded in reparations in 2003, before he was ousted by France and the US.) Like most historical discussions themselves, the debate as to how journalists ought to credit historians (and vice versa) is not new. (Indeed, the Times described its package as having rekindled the debate.) Views on the matter conflict sharply, but it strikes me that a case-by-case approach is probably best, with the extent of attribution owed depending on factors such as the terms on which a given historian has agreed to engage with a given journalist, the originality of the formers thesis, and the centrality thereof to the latters article. Very deeply reported worka standard to which we should all aspireis usually the tip of an iceberg of detail that would, if included, often serve to weigh down narrative structure and even basic factual clarity, doing the reader a disservice. As various observers have pointed out, academic-style citations typically arent tenable in journalism. Still, there are ways, these days, for journalists to ensure at least a degree of attributionlike hyperlinks, as my CJR colleague Mathew Ingram pointed out in this hyperlinked tweetthat dont infringe on their precious copy. Ironically, the Times bibliography laudably went far beyond this bare minimum, and its a little baffling to me, given its existing level of detail, why it didnt carry on to cite every source the Times consulted. (The Times also deserves to be lauded, to an extent, for quoting some of its critics tweets, especially in light of its recent, dismissive-sounding stance on online feedback. But I digress.) Sign up for CJR 's daily email If all this ties into a much broader industry debate about attribution to experts, it also ties into long-standing industry gripes about the Times, specifically, and its track record of prominently crediting the work of other journalists, with something like them at issue again here; Michael Harriot, for example, pointed to his past coverage for The Root headlined As Haiti Burns, Never Forget: White People Did That. Politicos Jack Shafer tweeted yesterday that the genuine scrimmage isnt journalists vs. historians but the New York Times vs. everybody else, elaborating in a column that no subject exists or matters until it receives the Times treatmentthats the papers code. The Haiti package is only the latest expression of this mindset. (Though Shafer, too, noted that broader industry dynamics are at play here.) As I see it, the most interesting and complicated issue at stake here doesnt involve the relationship between historians and journalists, but between history and journalism, as disciplines. The former, fundamentally, is seen as being expansive and about the past, whereas the latter concerns whats new, often tied to a rigid news peg; their demands are different and thus rightly draw on different practices, as I wrote eighteen months ago, amid another Times-driven controversy. But the two disciplines arent conceptually separable either, given how deeply the past informsor should informour understanding of the present, and excellent journalism can form a bridge between the two, as the Times itself did with its 1619 Project asserting the centrality of slavery to the American story. Even that project had a pegthe four hundredth anniversary of the first enslaved Africans arriving in Virginiabut it didnt claim to be new scholarship, as Nikole Hannah-Jones, its lead journalist, noted over the weekend. What the project achieved, she said, was helping to usher a particular understanding into the culture. It seems to me that we have to work to do, as an industry, to better define the boundaries of this type of engagement. As various journalists argued with regard to the Haiti package, the idea that a story must say something new in order to be news, while generally a good principle, is inflexible as a hard rule. At the very least, we could expand our definition of the news peg beyond new facts, seeing broad current problems as an opportunity to scrutinize how they came to be. The Haiti package certainly does contain some important new facts, but its much greater service, in my view, lies in focusing global attention on a shameful chapter of history with an ongoing legacy that many readers dont understand. (Old facts are usually new to someone.) The packages more sweeping claims of originality, in this light, werent just contrived, but also unnecessary. We need more nuanced understandings of how to slot the past into our present stories, beyond mirroring round-number dates and straining the boundaries of novelty. As a global and growing news juggernaut, the Times, perhaps more than any other outlet, has the resources to commit to seriously ambitious historical storytelling, and the reach to put it in front of readers and open up debates, both old and new. With that global dominance, though, should come a responsibility to be a generous and humble steward of such debates. Again, the bibliography the Times published here was a step toward that. But its not a misunderstanding that the way it presented the package rankled so many people to such an extent. If theres a timing problem with the Haiti package, it isnt any want of a current news peg, but the fact that its taken so much time for such a clear-eyed way of seeing the legacies of slavery and colonialism to routinely get such extensive treatmentand here, the Times is not a lone offender. The originality framing is not only not true, but also allows the NYT to be self-satisfied that its doing incredible work. It means you dont ask what took you so long? Kendra Pierre-Louis, a former Times journalist who is now at Gimlet, wrote over the weekend. What took them so long is white supremacy. White supremacy is why we expect a Black country founded in revolution and self-determination to be poor, so predominantly white institutions dont have to look at how they helped create that poverty. Below, more on the Times and Haiti: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Three months of press threats in Ukraine Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Traffic at the Port Authority of New York and New Jerseys bridges and tunnels has returned to pre-pandemic levels, partly due to changes in traveling habits, the agencys Executive Director Rick Cotton said. At the bridges and tunnels, the volumes have recovered to pre-pandemic levels or actually slightly above, Cotton told Bloomberg Television on Monday. I think youd have to say that there has been somewhat of a shift of people preferring to drive in cars as opposed to using public transportation. In April, the Port Authoritys four bridges and two tunnels handled a total of 10.1 million eastbound vehicles, the same level as April, 2019. Last month showed a 4% increase over March, when comparing average daily traffic. Automobile traffic was up almost 5%, while truck traffic was down nearly 5% compared to March, according to the Port Authority. PATH is still having a slow recovery, with train ridership stuck at about 50% of pre-pandemic levels, the authority said. PATH trains had 3.5 million riders in April. We havent seen much movement in those numbers, Cotton said. In the last 24 months, we have seen $3 billion of revenue disappear, the executive director said. The Port Authority is self sustaining from the revenues it collects, rather than from significant levels of tax income from its two sponsoring states or federal money, except for special grant funding. Safety Concerns Commuting to work has dropped as the work-from-home phenomenon took hold during the pandemic, cutting into PATH revenues and travel from the regions airports. Cotton said safety and security on public transportation is also a concern for travelers. Security and safety is really the highest priority that the Port Authority has, has been in the past and particularly today, Cotton said. The Port Authority, with a 2,000-person police department, has put its force on the highest alert since a fatal shooting Sunday aboard a New York City subway train. A man died after being shot on a Q train heading into Manhattan from Brooklyn. The victim, Daniel Enriquez, a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. employee, was traveling to a brunch, a typical weekend activity in New York City. Janno Lieber, MTAs chief executive officer, called the shooting a random and cold-blooded act of violence, during a monthly subway and bus committee meeting on Monday. The assailant remains at large. About the photo: Vehicles in traffic after exiting the Lincoln Tunnel in Weehawken, New Jersey, U.S., on Thursday June 17, 2021. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. KINGSVILLE, Md. (AP) Twenty seven people suffered minor injuries Sunday after a bus crashed and rolled on I-95 north of Baltimore, according to the Baltimore County Fire Department. The crash occurred near Kingsville, Maryland, shortly before 7 a.m., fire officials said in a statement. The vehicle was operated by megabus and was carrying 47 people. Officials said that 15 of the 27 people injured were taken to local hospitals. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which is being investigated by Maryland State Police, Baltimore County Fire Department officials said. Dan Rodriguez, a megabus spokesman, said in an email that the driver of the bus was among the 15 people taken to the hospital. Several of them have already been released and will be provided transportation to their final destination, he said. The company will be conducting a thorough review of what happened, but did not have further comment on the circumstances surrounding the crash. Our top priority is the safety of our customers and employees, Rodriguez said. Phil Givens, who lives nearby and took drone footage of the bus on its side, said the crash occurred on the southbound side of the highway. He said that particular stretch of road is straight. Theyve been doing construction, but its on the northbound side, he said by phone. Taylor Morningstar, who works for a local garage that towed the bus away, said by phone that a tire on the passenger side was most of the way ripped off, probably because of the way (the bus) came down into that ravine. It looked like they may have kicked the windshield out to start funneling (people) out of the bus, said Morningstar. He said the bus had a skylight on the roof that was spiderwebbed from the impact. About the photo: This image provided by the Baltimore County Fire Department shows the scene of a Megabus crash on I-95 south near Kingsville, Md., Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Baltimore County Fire Department via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) At least five people were killed when a 10-story commercial building still under construction collapsed Monday in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan, state TV reported. There were fears the casualty toll could be much higher as more than 80 people were still believed trapped under the rubble after the Metropol building toppled, burying shops and even some cars in the surrounding streets, the report said. Ehsun Abbaspour, the Abadan regional governor, told state TV that there were 27 injured in the collapse on Amir Kabir Street, some in critical condition. The report gave no reason for the collapse, which happened during a sandstorm, but the owner of the building as well as the project manager of the construction company that built it have been arrested. People lined up at the local blood transfusion center to donate blood for the injured. I thought it was an earthquake at first, said Ahmad, a shop owner in the neighborhood who gave only one name because he was not authorized to talk to the media. He said angry residents assaulted the citys mayor, Hossein Hamidpour, when he visited the scene. Videos on social media showed angry protesters gathering at the site as rescue teams were still working to retrieve casualties and clear the rubble. Rescue workers from neighboring cities rushed to Abadan to help. No further information was immediately available and authorities said the incident was under investigation. The collapse reminded many of the 2017 fire and collapse of the iconic Plasco building in the capital of Tehran that claimed dozens of lives. In 1978, a fire in Abadans Rex movie theater killed hundreds. Abadan hosts the Middle Easts oldest oil refinery, which went online in 1912. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Pre-monsoon deluges have flooded parts of India and Bangladesh, killing at least 24 people in recent weeks and sending 90,000 people into shelters, authorities said Monday. Both heavily populated nations in South Asia are prone to frequent floods and are considered major victims of climate change. The deaths have been reported since April 6 in Indias northeastern region, with Assam state continuing to experience floods. Those who have left their homes due to the floods are staying in 269 camps set up by authorities. The Indian army and air force have had to evacuate thousands of people in the last two weeks. Helicopters have been dropping essential items to people stuck in vulnerable spots in worst-hit Dima Hasao district. The Indian Space Research Organization is using satellites to assess the damage. Flash flooding is also occurring in the Bangladeshi districts of Sylhet and Sunamganj, which border Indias northeast. At least three rivers were flowing above the danger level Monday, said Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center in Dhaka, the capital. Bangladeshi media said hundreds of villages have been marooned and crops have been damaged badly. People also lack drinking water because wells have been under floodwaters or water supply systems have been damaged. No casualties have been reported in Bangladesh so far. Jamuna TV station said while flood waters were receding in some areas, many new areas were affected by new flooding on Monday. Authorities said hundreds of villages remain cut off from electricity and roads have been damaged extensively. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Washington's "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework" big scam to stoke division Xinhua) 09:29, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The White House added yet another incident to its stockpile of scams when it launched the so-called "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)" on Monday. During U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Japan, he said the IPEF will drive Asia "to the top" and "deliver for all people on Earth." But whatever grand visions he and his administration presented to rope regional countries into this initiative will not paper over Washington's sinister intentions to plot division and isolation, undermine regional stability, and maintain U.S. hegemony. Washington's pledge to boost the region's "inclusive" growth through the IPEF is a lie. Inclusiveness means all regional countries should be given equal access to opportunities and resources regarding the initiative. But the Washington-designed IPEF has since day one ruled out China, the biggest trading partner of most of the regional countries and an important contributor to regional stability and development. Washington has meant more than isolating China. The very idea of designing the IPEF is to form another exclusive U.S.-led economic bloc to contain China. A fact sheet by the White House in February described the IPEF as part of a wider push to "restore American leadership" in the region by "meeting urgent challenges" like "competition with China." In a letter sent to Biden last week, 52 U.S. senators urged using the IPEF to boost America's "ability to compete effectively with China." With a Cold War thinking, a bloc mentality and a hegemonic mindset, Washington has long bridled at China's rapid development and its ever closer relations with other Asian economies. Just as the American Enterprise Institute noted, the United States feels it has fallen behind in the regional trade agenda, leaving a gaping hole in its Asia strategy. The IPEF, therefore, was created as a new weapon to serve Washington's own geopolitical and economic goals to maintain long rule over the region, by forcing regional countries to take sides, luring them to decouple from China, and disrupting the normal regional economic order. Also, the IPEF, claimed to benefit all, is another version of "America First" that can hardly facilitate economic growth in the region. Just as a Foreign Policy article said, the IPEF is "an all-pain, no-gain economic deal." Removing tariff barriers and pledging more investments, hard commitments that Washington could offer to bring real benefits to many Asian countries, never appeared in the IPEF. Instead, through a tangle of evasion and bleakest reiteration, Washington attempted to distract regional countries from its unwillingness to serve their interests, and to brainwash them with blurry promises so that it can slam the present regional economic cooperation architecture, mar an increasingly deepening regional integration, and secure absolute economic dominance in the region. Moreover, Washington has shown the slightest sincerity and respect towards regional countries it repeatedly called "partners." When the IPEF was first brought up last year, Washington made it clear that it will only invite regional countries that back up America's values and rules. Based on that, as media reports revealed, it has thrown a number of Southeast Asian countries out of the invitation list, such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos. The IPEF's proclaimed standards in the fields of digital economy, labor, market supervision, environmental protection and anti-corruption are much higher than those set by domestic laws in some regional countries and even by international conventions. If implemented, the initiative will force these participating countries to abide by the rules unilaterally set by Washington, and change their domestic economic policies to serve U.S. interests only. The inequality of the initiative is also evident in its approval process. While Washington chose to base the IPEF on a presidential executive order and skip congressional approval, it asked other participating countries to complete all legal procedures for accession. In this way, Washington can walk away from its commitments whenever it wants to with little consequence. It can even discard the IPEF when a new administration takes office. Fortunately, the IPEF will just be another futile attempt by Washington to turn regional countries into pawns in its scheme to isolate China and perpetuate hegemony. Over the past decades, the region has witnessed achievements and momentum of peaceful and sound development created by concerted efforts of regional countries. The 6.3-percent growth in Asia in 2021 has not come easily amid the COVID-19 pandemic, giving credit to the solidarity of regional countries and the hard work of the people. Fully embracing globalization and free trade, the region has also established win-win cooperation platforms and enjoyed better liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment. As a matter of fact, the interests of regional countries are highly intertwined that they cannot be separated without facing massive losses. Well aware of that, many sober minds in the region have refused to take Washington's dangling carrot. A recent report by the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies showed some Asian countries have already expressed concerns that the IPEF is "primarily a political endeavor meant to counter China, rather than a sincere and thoughtful economic policy integration initiative." A good economic initiative is welcomed by all as it puts development first, pursues mutual benefit, and is open, inclusive and action-oriented. A bad one is doomed to fail as it creates economic decoupling, technological blockade and industrial disruption, and aggravates the supply-chain crisis. What the IPEF is could not be any clearer. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) In an ideal world, the data we need to analyze would be available in ready-to-use format. In the world we live in, though, a lot of valuable data is locked inside Portable Document Format (PDF) documents. How to extract that data from PDFs into an Excel spreadsheet? You have a number of PDF to Excel converters to choose from. Theres software from major vendors like Microsoft and Adobe, task-specific cloud services including PDFTables and Cometdocs, services from general-purpose cloud providers such as Amazon, and even free open-source options. Which is the best PDF to Excel converter? As with the best computer, the answer depends on your specific circumstances. 3 questions to ask when choosing a PDF to Excel converter There are several important considerations when selecting a PDF converter. 1. Was my PDF generated by an application or is it a scanned image? There are two types of PDF files. One is generated by an application like Microsoft Word; the other comes from a scanned or other image file. You can tell which one you have by trying to highlight some text in the document. If a click and drag works to highlight text, your PDF is app-generated. If it doesnt, youve got a scan. Not all PDF conversion tools work on scanned PDFs. 2. How complex is the data structure? Almost every tool will work well on a simple one-page table. Things get more complicated if tables are spread over multiple pages, table cells are merged, or some data within a table cell wraps over multiple lines. 3. Do I have a large volume of files that need batch file conversions or automation? Our best-performing tool on app-generated PDFs may not be the best choice for you if you want to automate frequent batch conversions. In addition, as with any software choice, you need to decide how much you value performance versus cost and ease of use. How we tested the converter tools To help you find whats best for your tasks, we tested seven PDF to Excel conversion tools using four different PDF files ranging from simple to nightmare. Youll see how all the tools perform in each scenario and find out the strengths and weaknesses of each one. PDF to Excel converters we tested Here are the tools we tested, starting with our overall best performers (but remember that best depends in part on the specific source document). All these tools did pretty well on at least some of our tasks, so rankings range from Excellent to Good. As the creator of the Portable Document Format standard, youd expect Adobe to do well in parsing PDFs and it does. A full-featured conversion subscription is somewhat pricey, but theres also an inexpensive $2/month plan (annual subscription required) that includes an unlimited number of PDF to Excel conversions. (You can output Microsoft Word files with this tool as well). The Excel conversions include any text on pages that have both text and tables. This can be a benefit if youd like to keep that context or a drawback if you just want data for additional analysis. Rating: Excellent our hands-down winner for non-scanned PDFs. Cost: $24/year Pros: Outstanding results; preserves much of the original formatting; deals well with tables spanning multiple pages; unlimited conversions of files up to 100MB; affordable for frequent users. Cons: No built-in scripting/automation workflow; expensive if you only convert a few documents a year. Bottom line: If you dont need to script or automate a lot of conversions and dont mind paying $24 per year, this is a great choice. For an AWS cloud service, Textract is surprisingly easy to use. While you certainly can go through the usual multi-step AWS setup and coding process for Textract, Amazon also offers a drag-and-drop web demo that lets you download results as zipped CSVs. You just need to sign up for a (free) Amazon AWS account. Rating: Excellent this was our best option for a complicated scanned PDF. Cost: 1.5 cents per page (100 pages per month free for your first three months at AWS) Pros: Best option tested for a complicated scanned PDF; performed extremely well on all the app-generated PDFs; offers a choice of viewing results with merged or unmerged cell layout; easy to use; affordable. Cons: Uploaded files are limited to 10 pages at a time. For those who want to automate, using this API is more complicated than some other options. Bottom line: An excellent choice if you dont mind the AWS setup and either manual upload or coding with a complex API. If youre looking for free and open source, give Tabula a try. Unlike some free options from the Python world, Tabula is easy both to install and to use. And it has both a command-line and a browser interface, making it equally useful for batch conversions and point-and-click use. Tabula did very well on PDFs of low or moderate complexity, although it did have an issue with the complex one (as did many of the paid platforms). Tabula requires a separate Java installation on Windows and Linux. Rating: Very good and you cant beat the price. Cost: Free Pros: Free; easy to install; has both a GUI and scripting options; allows you to manually change what areas of the page should be analyzed for tables; can save results as a CSV, TSV, JSON, or script; offers two different data extraction methods. Cons: Needed some manual data cleanup on complex formatting; works on app-generated PDFs only. Bottom line: A good choice if cost, ease of use, and automation options are high on your list of desired features and your PDFs aren't scanned. A key advantage to this service is automation. Its API is well documented and supports everything from Windows PowerShell and VBA (Office Visual Basic for Applications) to programming languages like Java, C++, PHP, Python, and R. PDFTables performed well on most of the app-generated PDF tables, even understanding that a two-column header would be best as a single-column header row. It did have some difficulty with data in columns that were mostly empty but also had some data in cells spread over two lines. And while it choked on the scanned nightmare PDF, at least it didnt charge me for that. Rating: Very good overall; excellent on automation. Cost: 50 pages free at signup including API use. After that its $40 for up to 1,000 pages, and your credits are only good for a year. Pros: Very good API; better performance on the moderately complex PDF than several of its paid rivals. Cons: Pricey, especially if you use more than the 50 free pages but less than 1,000 page conversions in a year. Doesnt work on scanned PDFs. Bottom line: Performs well and is easy to use both on the web and through scripting and programming. If you dont need an elegant API, however, you may prefer a less expensive option. This is a freemium platform with paid options. It proved to be the lone free choice that was able to handle our scanned nightmare PDF. Rating: Good. Cost: Free in the cloud, $5/month or $49/year premium cloud for batch conversions and faster service, desktop software $35 for 30-day use or $150 lifetime. Pros: A lot of capability for the free option; works on scanned PDFs; affordable. Cons: No API or cloud automation (we didnt test the desktop software); paid option required for batch conversions; split single-row multi-line data into multiple rows. Bottom line: Nice balance of cost and features. This was most compelling for complex scanned PDFs, but others did better when cell data ran across multiple lines. This web-based service is notable for multiple file format conversions: In addition to generating Excel, it can download results as Word, PowerPoint, AutoCAD, HTML, OpenOffice, and others. Free accounts can convert up to five files per week (30MB each); paid users get an unlimited number of conversions (2GB/day data limit). Cometdocs is a supporter of public service journalism; the service offers free premium accounts to Investigative Reporters & Editors members (disclosure: I have one). Rating: Good. Cost: 5 free conversions/week; otherwise $10/month, $70/year or $130 lifetime. Pro: Works on scanned PDFs; multiple input and output formats; generally good results; did extremely well on a 2-page PDF with complex table format. Cons: Not as robust on complex scanned PDFs as some other options; split one rows multi-line data into multiple rows; no clear script/automation option. Bottom line: Particularly compelling if you're interested in multiple format exports and not just Excel. Many people dont know that Excel can import PDFs directly but only if youve got a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription on Windows. It was a good choice for the simple file but got more cumbersome to use as PDF complexity rose. Its also likely to be confusing to people who arent familiar with Excels Power Query / Get & Transform interface. How to import a PDF directly into Excel: In the Ribbon toolbar, go to Data > Get Data > From File > From PDF and select your file. For a single table, youll likely have one choice to import. Select it and you should see a preview of the table and an option to either load it or transform the data before loading. Click Load and the table will pop into your Excel sheet. For a single table on one page, this is a quick and reasonably simple choice. If you have multiple tables in a multi-page PDF, this also works well as long as each table is confined to one page. Things get a bit more complex if youve got one table over multiple PDF pages, though, and youll need knowledge of Power Query commands. Its somewhat unfair to compare Power Query data transformation with the other tools, since the results of any of these other PDF to Excel converters could also be imported into Excel for Power Query wrangling. Rating: Good. Cost: Included in a Microsoft 365/Office 365 Windows subscription. Pro: You dont have to leave Excel to deal with the file; a lot of built-in data wrangling available for those who know Power Query. Cons: Complex to use compared with most others on all but the simplest of PDFs; doesnt work on scanned PDFs; requires a Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscription on Windows. Bottom line: If youve already got Microsoft 365/Office 365 on Windows and youve got a simple conversion task, Excel is worth a try. If you already know Power Query, definitely consider this for more PDF conversions! (If you dont, Power Query is a great skill to learn for Excel users in general.) If your PDF is more challenging and you dont already use Power Query / Get & Transform, though, youre probably better off with another option. PDF to Excel test results Heres how the seven tools fared in our four conversion tests: 1. Simple PDF to Excel challenge Our simple task was a single-page app-generated PDF pulled from page 5 of a Boston housing report. It contained one table and some text, but column headers and two data cells did include wrapped text over two lines. All the platforms we tested handled this one well. However, several broke up the multi-line text into multiple rows. The issue was easy to spot and fix in this example, but this issue could be difficult in larger files. For this easy one-pager, though, the PDF to Excel converters that werent in first or second place still had very good results. All were worth using for this type of conversion. First place: Tie Adobe and AWS Textract. With Adobe, no data cleanup was needed. The column headers even had the color formatting of the original. Adobes conversion included text (with lovely formatting), which is useful if you want to keep written explanations together with the data in Excel. Youd need to delete the text manually if you want data only, but thats simple enough. AWS Textract converted data only. No data cleanup was needed. Close second: Excel. Data only. Excel didnt break wrapped text into two rows, but it did appear to run text together without a space with multi-line rows. The data was actually correct, though, when you looked at it in the formula bar it just looked wrong in the overall spreadsheet. This was easily fixed by formatting cells with "wrap text." However, not everyone might know to do that when looking at their spreadsheet. Others: PDFTables: returned data and text. Same issues as Excel with appearing to keep wrapped text in a single line without a space between words. This was also easily fixed by wrapping text, if you knew to do so. This result also would need cleanup of a couple of words from a logo that appeared below the data. Explanatory text outside the logo had no problems, though. Tabula: data only. Split multi-line cells into multiple rows. Cometdocs: data and text. Split multi-line cells into multiple rows. Surrounding text was accurate, including logo text. PDFtoExcel.com: similar performance to Cometdocs. 2. Moderate PDF to Excel challenge Our moderate PDF challenge was a single app-generated table spanning multiple PDF pages, via the Boston-area Metropolitan Water Resources Authority data monitoring wastewater for Covid-19 traces. First place: Adobe. One of the few to recognize that all the pages were the same table, so there were no blank rows between pages. Headers were in a single row and spaces between words in the column names were maintained. Data structure was excellent, including keeping the multi-line wrap as is. It even reproduced background and text colors. The 11-page length wasnt a problem. Second: AWS Textract. Header row was correct. Each page came back as a separate table, although it would be easy enough to combine them. The one strange issue: There were apostrophes added at the beginning of the cells possibly due to how I split the PDF, since I needed to create a file with only 10 pages. However, those apostrophes were easy to see and remove with a single search and replace, since the data didnt include any words with apostrophes. It was easier to get the exact data I needed than with Tabula, but more cumbersome to get the full data set. Close third: Tabula. No blank rows between pages, data in the correct columns, wrapped cells stayed in a single row. Unfortunately, while the wrapped data appeared properly when you looked at the cell contents in the formula bar, once again the data appeared to merge together in the full spreadsheet and this wasnt as easily fixed by formatting with text wrapping as with Excel and PDFTables in the simple PDF. For example, this was the content of one cell as it appeared in the formula bar: B.1.1.7 76% But in the overall spreadsheet, that same cell looked like B.1.1.776% I was able to get that to display properly at times by increasing the row height manually, but this was an added step that most people wouldnt know to do, and it didnt seem to work all the time. Others: PDFtoExcel.com: multiple problems. The first few pages were fine except for multi-row headers, but data over two lines in single cells broke into two rows in the data, generating blank rows elsewhere that would need to be fixed. In addition, columns were shifted to the right in one section. This would need cleanup. PDFTables: multiple problems. All the data came in fine for most of the pages, but toward the end, a few cells that should have been in column J got merged with column I in ways that would be more difficult to fix than PDFtoExcels. For example, this single cell: Omicron 559 23% Was supposed to be 559 in one cell and Omicron 23% in the next cell. Cometdocs: failed. Conversion failed on the full PDF and even the 10-page version I uploaded to AWS. It was able to convert a version with just the first 5 pages, but the full file should have been well below Cometdocs account limits. Excel: it was possible to get the data in a format I wanted, but it required data manipulation in Power Query as well as wrapping text. Thats not a fair comparison with other platforms that were a single upload or command. Still, results were ultimately excellent. If youre an Excel/Power Query power user, this is a good choice. 3. Complex PDF to Excel challenge Local election results are some of my favorite examples of analysis-hostile public data. The app-generated PDF from Framingham, Mass. shown below was only 3 pages but with table formatting that was not designed for ease of data import. Is there a PDF conversion tool that can handle it? IDG Page 1 of the PDF showing recent election results for Framingham, Mass. (Click image to enlarge it.) First place: Tie Adobe and PDF to Excel. Adobe returned an Excel file in perfect format, complete with original cell colors. While PDFtoExcel.coms spreadsheet didnt have the pretty formatting of Adobe, all the data came in accurately, and it was usable as is. Others: AWS Textract: fair. Results came back in 5 tables. In one case, youd need to copy and paste them together manually and look at the original to make sure you were doing so correctly. PDFTables: poor. Data came back, but some in the wrong columns, whether I tried to download as multiple sheets or one sheet. This would need manual checking and cleanup. Tabula: poor. Similar problem as PDFTables with some data in the wrong columns, but at least I didnt have to pay for it. I tried both the Stream and Lattice extraction methods, and both had some wrong-column issues (although the issues were different). Cometdocs: conversion failed. 4. Nightmare PDF to Excel challenge Our nightmare comes courtesy of a presentation at this year's National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting conference, as an example of data that would be useful for training students if it was in a format that could be easily analyzed. Its a multi-page scanned PDF with four months of data from the federal Refugee Processing Center on refugee arrivals by country of origin and U.S. state of destination. This PDFs challenges range from multi-page tables to lots of merged columns. In addition, the table on page 1 proved to be somewhat different than tables on the other pages, at least in terms of how several tools were able to handle them, although they look the same. I only tested the first 10 pages due to the AWS 10-page limit, to be fair to all the tools. First place: AWS Textract. By far the best of the group. This is where sophisticated machine learning is an advantage. Results are download as a zipped file of multiple CSVs, one for each page. Instead of manually importing those files one by one into Excel, though, you can go to Data > Get Data > From File > From Folder and select the folder with those newly unzipped CSVs (without a few extra files, such as one with metadata and another with all the text in text format). I also had to rename file table-10 to table-910, because the import was putting table-10 right after table-1 and before table-2 (sorting the filenames alphabetically and not -9 after -10). While I didnt check all the data, the rows I spot-checked were all accurate. This was the easiest way to collect all the pages into a single, usable spreadsheet. Second: Tie Cometdocs and PDFtoExcel.com. Cometdocs had unexplained Grand lines on each of the pages a single row just with Grand in the first column but otherwise the data looked very good. And it came in a single file. Including text on each page could be a benefit or drawback, depending on your needs. Context is useful, but combining the data into one table would definitely take more work. PDFtoExcel.coms performance was similar to Cometdocs including the extra Grand lines. Others: Adobe: fair. While a lot of the data was fine, results merged some data on the first page and would need manual checking and cleanup. PDFTables: does not work on scanned PDFs without using OCR software first although at least it doesnt charge account credits when tables arent detected. Tabula: does not work on scanned PDFs without using OCR software first. PDF conversion tools we didnt test There are a number of other useful tools out there that require a bit more setup work or some significant coding in order to turn your PDF into data you can analyze. If none of the ones we tested work for you, though, here are a few others: Excalibur: I received a tip about this one, a web interface built for the Camelot Python library. However, it involves installing several dependencies, and that installation may be a turn-off for people who dont already have Python experience (even though you dont need to run Python in order to use it). Google Cloud Document AI: Google Clouds Document AI setup is significantly more involved than using AWS Textract. Plus, while you can upload a test document up to 5 pages to see whats extracted, I didnt see an obvious way to download the results through the web interface as a CSV or Excel file the only option was JSON. Youd probably need a programming language like Python or R to use this effectively. Microsoft Azure Form Recognizer: This is also more complex to set up than AWS Textract, but if youre already an Azure user, it's probably worth a look. 500 free pages per month. 05/24/2022 Photo (c) niphon - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 83,455,303 (83,291,791) Total U.S. deaths: 1,002,505 (1,002,178) Total global cases: 526,345,136 (525,703,492) Total global deaths: 6,279,189 (6,277,424) Study finds some long COVID symptoms can last more than a year In one of the largest studies of the condition known as long COVID, researchers at Northwestern University have found that some coronavirus symptoms can linger longer than a year while others fade away. In particular, they found that cognitive difficulties are likely to persist. The study, published in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, found that neurological symptoms like brain fog, numbness, tingling, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, and fatigue are the most frequently reported symptoms of the condition. A previous study found that 85% of the patients whose COVID-19 cases were followed reported at least four lasting neurological problems at least six weeks after their infections. For the follow-up, researchers studied 52 participants in the original group and found that most of them experienced neurological issues for at least a year after their infection. Study underscores effectiveness of boosters Scientists say there is a good reason for fully vaccinated people to get a booster shot. A study by the Minnesota Department of Health found that vaccine boosters have lowered rates of hospitalizations and deaths in Minnesota. The researchers studied people who suffered breakthrough infections after being vaccinated. They found that those who received a booster shot were more likely to weather their infection with only mild symptoms. The study found that people over age 60 were likely to benefit the most from the extra shot. Unvaccinated seniors were 1.6 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who were fully vaccinated. The unvaccinated were five times more likely to require hospital treatment than seniors who received scheduled boosters. FDA sets meeting to consider infant vaccinations The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will convene its panel of independent experts on June 15 to review data and make a recommendation on whether the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines should be administered to infants and toddlers. The committee will review the data that has been collected in clinical trials regarding the safety and efficacy of the two mRNA vaccines. It will then make a recommendation on whether the FDA should grant emergency use authorization (EUA) for vaccinating young children. We know parents are anxious for us to determine if these vaccines are safe & effective, the FDA said in a Twitter post. We are working as quickly as possible to carefully review all the data. Around the nation Qile98.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 26 Nov 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the qile98 homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if qile98 has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the qile98 homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the qile98 homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the qile98 homepage on Twitter + the total number of qile98 followers (if qile98 has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the qile98 homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE ____ DESCRIPTION ,,,,,,, KEYWORDS , , , , OTHER KEYWORDS east , east, , The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003 Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of qile98.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for qile98.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND New Delhi: The second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for leaders of four countries to review the progress of the grouping's initiatives and exchange views on developments in the Indo-Pacific as well as global issues of mutual interest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Japan from May 23-24, Modi said during his visit he will also hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, where they will discuss further consolidation of the multi-faceted bilateral relations. "We will also continue our dialogue on regional developments and contemporary global issues," Modi said. He said he will be visiting Tokyo at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, and noted that in March 2022, he had hosted Kishida for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit. "During my visit to Tokyo, I look forward to continuing our conversation further, with an aim to strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership," Modi said. In Japan, Modi said, he will also participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit, which will provide an opportunity for the leaders of the four Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives. "We will also exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest," Modi said. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Modi also noted that the newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be joining the Quad Leaders' Summit for the first time. "I look forward to a bilateral meeting with him during which the multifaceted cooperation between India and Australia under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and regional and global issues of mutual interest will be discussed," Modi said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATLANTA (AP) A prosecutor on Monday said he would not prosecute Atlanta police officers involved in a May 2020 confrontation with two college students who were stunned with Tasers and pulled from a car while they were stuck in traffic caused by protests over George Floyds death. Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim, two students at historically Black colleges in Atlanta, were confronted by police in downtown Atlanta on May 30, 2020. Within days, then-Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced arrest warrants had been obtained for six officers. Not only was law enforcement acting within the scope of their legal authority in their actions to obtain compliance, their actions were also largely consistent with the Atlanta Police Departments own use of force policy, Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Samir Patel said in a statement Monday. Patel dismissed the warrants filed against the officers involved: Ivory Streeter, Mark Gardner, Lonnie Hood, Roland Claud, Willie Sauls and Armon Jones. He said he is unable to find probable cause to prosecute the officers involved for a crime under Georgia law. Lance LoRusso, a lawyer representing Streeter and Gardner, said his clients have been vindicated and look forward to returning to full duty. While many of their critics and detractors are gone, Investigators Gardner and Streeter, like so many law enforcement officers, remain willing to risk their lives to protect strangers in fulfillment of their oaths of office, LoRusso said in an emailed statement. Streeter and Gardner were the officers who were fired. Their dismissals were overturned in February 2021 after the Atlanta Civil Service Board found the city did not follow its own personnel procedures. Lawyers L. Chris Stewart, Justin Miller and Mawuli Davis, who represent Pilgrim and Young said the two young people are incredibly disappointed and disheartened by Patel's decision to dismiss the charges. The world witnessed the outrageous and unjustified level of violence perpetrated against these college students. How can a broken arm and 25 stitches be deemed the appropriate response for an alleged curfew violation?" the lawyers said in an emailed statement. State Attorney General Chris Carr in July appointed Patel to take over the case after Howard lost a bid for reelection in November 2020 and his successor said actions by Howard made it inappropriate for her office to handle it. Video of the confrontation circulated quickly online. The day after it happened, then-Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and then-Police Chief Erika Shields announced that two officers had been fired and three others placed on desk duty. They said at the time that they reviewed police body camera footage before making their decision. After that review, Bottoms said, Use of excessive force is never acceptable. Shields called the footage really shocking to watch. Police released the body camera video the night after the confrontation happened. It shows police taking another young man into custody in a downtown street alongside a line of stopped cars. The man is pleading with police to let him go, saying he didnt do anything. Sitting in the drivers seat of a car stopped in the street, Young holds up his phone, appearing to shoot video as an officer approaches and pulls the drivers side door open. Young pulls the door shut and urges the officers to release the other man and let him get in the car as the dark sedan advances a bit. The car gets stuck in traffic and officers run up to both sides of the car shouting orders. An officer uses a stun gun on Pilgrim as shes trying to exit the car and then officers pull her from the vehicle. Another officer yells at Young to put the car in park and open the window. An officer repeatedly hits the drivers side window with a baton, and another finally manages to break it. As the glass shatters, an officer uses a stun gun on Young and officers pull him from the car, some shouting, Get your hand out of your pockets, and, He got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun. Once Young's out of the car and on the ground, officers zip tie his hands behind his back and lead him away. Police reports do not list a gun as having been recovered. At a news conference two days later, Pilgrim said she and Young felt like we were going to die in that car. Patel's statement says video that was distributed after the incident was not an accurate portrayal of the entire encounter between Mr. Young, Ms. Pilgrim, and law enforcement. It wasn't immediately clear whether he was meant the first videos that circulated online or the body camera video. The evidence shows that the two students violated a curfew put in place because of protests, and the officers' use of force was the direct result of Mr. Young and Ms. Pilgrims resistance to and noncompliance with the officers instructions, the statement says. It also shows the use of the Taser, and indeed any force used by the officers ended immediately once Mr. Young and Ms. Pilgrim were subdued. NEW YORK (AP) The statistics discussed at the inaugural Global Citizen NOW conference were bleak. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed 100 million people back into lives of extreme poverty. Up to 243 million people could face food insecurity between now and November due to the war in Ukraine. In Afghanistan, 24 million people depend on charitable donations for food. Yet Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans says he feels optimistic: The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the world can unite to fight a crisis when it needs to. Evans and the dozens of speakers from the worlds of business, politics, culture and philanthropy gathered for the two-day summit in New York that concluded Monday expressed hope that same united effort can be applied to help curb climate change, food insecurity and extreme poverty. During the pandemic, the world was able to mobilize $17 trillion in economic stimulus, largely for hard-hit sectors of the economy, which I think was the right thing to do, Evans told The Associated Press. Why do we not respond with the same degree of urgency to climate change? Because we dont internalize this idea of (helping) now. We think acceptable loss. The Global Citizen NOW summit was organized to bring leaders together to change acceptable loss to action now. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Friday Night Lights actress Connie Britton about the importance of getting people to work together. They know where there can be common ground, she said of Global Citizen. Its a place where we laugh together, cry together, are inspired together, dance together you can never do too much dancing, I always say and forget our differences. Feminist activist Gloria Steinem said she worries about the suffering that could come from the Supreme Courts overturning of its Roe v. Wade decision, but she is hopeful because she knows that the situation will not be as bad as when abortion was illegal throughout the country. Obedience cannot be secured by unjust laws because people just dont obey them, she said. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said that a bipartisan consensus on climate change can be built by creating a policy that meets national security, energy and economic priorities. You get bipartisan agreement by creating an understanding where all understand the connection to what they hold most important, he said. Many panelists discussed the Global Citizen idea of creating change from the bottom up, by mobilizing millions of its followers to convince their political and business leaders to change their minds. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario explained how her series about maternal mortality in Sierra Leone convinced Merck to donate $500 million to establish the Merck for Mothers initiative to reduce the risks of childbirth. CNN political commentator Van Jones said the genius of Global Citizen is bringing hopeful, hard-working people together to discuss victories and future challenges. I think the world is running at a hope deficit, Jones told The Associated Press. I live in the world of bad news and this is like a supernova of good news. ___ 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. Nearly a decade after 20 elementary school students and six staff members were fatally shot in Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary, officials said a teen killed at least 18 children at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday. The death toll also included three adults, but it was not immediately clear whether that number included the gunman, according to the Associated Press. The shooting at Robb Elementary School outside of San Antonio gave sharp focus to what has become a grim reality in the United States in the years since the Sandy Hook shooting: Even the most vulnerable are not safe from the ravages of gun violence. Addressing the nation Tuesday night, President Joe Biden said he is sick and tired of the violence. Its been 3,448 days, 10 years, since I stood up at a grade school in Connecticut where another gunman massacred 26 people, 20 first-graders at Sandy Hook Elementary school. Since then, there have been over 900 incidents of gunfire reported on school ground, he said. The list goes on, and the list grows when it includes mass shootings at places like movie theaters, houses of worship, as we saw just 10 days ago at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. These kinds of mass shootings rarely happen anywhere else in the world, Biden said. Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Where in Gods name is our backbone? Its time to turn this pain into action, he continued, calling for Americans to stand up to gun lobbyists. Its time to act. While details were still limited immediately after Tuesdays shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the 18-year-old shooter was dead, apparently shot by responding officers. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo identified the shooter as Salvador Ramos. According to Abbott, the shooter entered the building with a handgun and possibly a rifle, before opening fire. It was the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since Sandy Hook on Dec. 14, 2012. The news of another mass shooting, this time from Texas, is devastating. One life taken by gun violence is too many, but 15 innocent lives, including 14 children, is an utter tragedy, Gov. Ned Lamont said earlier in the day, ordering the flags in the state to fly at half staff. Nearly 10 years after Sandy Hook, Connecticut knows this feeling all too well. Our collective hearts and prayers go out to the families in Uvalde trying to process the unimaginable. While federal gun reform has been elusive following the Sandy Hook shooting, nine families of the victims successfully challenged whether a gunmaker could be held accountable if their weapon is used in a mass shooting. In what has been described as a landmark case, Remington, a manufacturer of the rifle used in the Sandy Hook shooting, agreed to a $73 million settlement with families to resolve the wrongful death suit. On Tuesday, representatives of the families of Sandy Hook victims reached an agreement with InfoWars host Alex Jones that will move along the trial to award damages in the defamation lawsuit the families won last year. A federal judges ruling last week in Texas will allow a similar defamation trial to begin as soon as June. Two defamation lawsuits were filed in Texas, while a third was filed in Connecticut after Jones called the Sandy Hook shooting staged, a giant hoax and completely fake with actors. Po Murray, the chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance and a former neighbor of the Sandy Hook shooter, said the community was reeling Tuesday over the similarities between the two incidents and the age of the victims. Obviously, were all devastated by what happened and the similarity between that shooting and the Sandy Hook shooting breaks our heart because we know exactly what theyre going through right now, Murray said. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has been on a political mission for a decade to pass gun violence legislation, immediately took to the Senate floor Tuesday to draw a parallel between the devastation in Sandy Hook and the shooting in Texas. As he has often done over the past decade, Murphy pleaded with fellow senators to pass gun control legislation. Im here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues: Find a path forward here, he said. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that makes this less likely. I understand my Republican colleagues may not agree to everything that I may support, but there is a common denominator that we can find. Murphy said he didnt expect gun control laws to end mass shootings or altogether eliminate gun violence, but would represent at least an attempt to address the problem. It will not solve the problem of American violence by itself, but by doing something we at least stop sending this quiet message of endorsement to these killers whose brains are breaking, who see the highest levels of government doing nothing shooting after shooting, he said. Murphy ended his brief speech by repeating a simple question: What are we doing? Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who, like Murphy, has ardently pushed for stricter gun control measures since the Sandy Hook shooting, similarly raised the call for action in Congress to stymie the violence. My heart breaks as I relive the shock and grief of Sandy Hook 10 years ago, knowing the infinite pain that will hit these families in Texas. ... This senseless violence will stop only when Congress matches thoughts and prayers with action, Blumenthal said. Like Blumenthal and Murphy, Lamont echoed the calls for gun reform both locally and federally. We clearly have a gun problem in America. There are more damn guns on the street than ever before, especially illegal guns, Lamont said. We must test our capacity as a nation in this moment to strengthen public safety and health. I want to be clear gun violence is a public health crisis. It is incumbent upon lawmakers everywhere, whether its Connecticut, Texas, or our nations capital, to rise to the moment in addressing this problem. The killings in Uvadle, Texas, come less than two weeks after a mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store where 10 Black shoppers and workers were killed in upstate New York. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said Tuesday enough is enough with the deadly gun violence. This is an avoidable American tragedy, but unfortunately, it is not unusual. Last week, it was a racist mass shooting in Buffalo. Today, 14 students and their teacher have been lost forever. I am terrified about what will happen next, DeLauro said in a statement earlier Tuesday. Mass shootings are taking the lives of babies, parents, brothers and sisters. In my home state of Connecticut, the tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School has traumatized our community and we will never be the same. We lost 26 beautiful souls on that cold December day, and we now mourn for those taken from us at Robb Elementary School today. Reporting from the Associated Press and the San Antonio Express-News, a Hearst newspaper, was included in this story. Staff writers Alex Putterman and Liz Hardaway contributed to this story. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) Frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the Texas elementary school where a gunman's rampage killed 19 children and two teachers, witnesses said Wednesday, as investigators worked to track the massacre that lasted upwards of 40 minutes and ended when the 18-year-old shooter was killed by a Border Patrol team. Go in there! Go in there! nearby women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who saw the scene from outside his house, across the street from Robb Elementary School in the close-knit town of Uvalde. Carranza said the officers did not go in. Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raced to the school when he heard about the shooting, arriving while police were still gathered outside the building. Upset that police were not moving in, he raised the idea of charging into the school with several other bystanders. Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to, he said. More could have been done. They were unprepared, he added. Minutes earlier, Carranza had watched as Salvador Ramos crashed his truck into a ditch outside the school, grabbed his AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and shot at two people outside a nearby funeral home who ran away uninjured. Officials say he encountered" a school district security officer outside the school, though there were conflicting reports from authorities on whether the men exchanged gunfire. After running inside, he fired on two arriving Uvalde police officers who were outside the building, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. The police officers were injured. After entering the school, Ramos charged into one classroom and began to kill. He barricaded himself by locking the door and just started shooting children and teachers that were inside that classroom, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Department of Public Safety told CNN. It just shows you the complete evil of the shooter. All those killed were in the same classroom, he said. Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told reporters that 40 minutes to an hour elapsed from when Ramos opened fire on the school security officer to when the tactical team shot him, though a department spokesman said later that they could not give a solid estimate of how long the gunman was in the school or when he was killed. The bottom line is law enforcement was there," McCraw said. They did engage immediately. They did contain (Ramos) in the classroom. Meanwhile, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation said the Border Patrol agents had trouble breaching the classroom door and had to get a staff member to open the room with a key. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner. There were more of them. There was just one of him, he said. Uvalde is a largely Latino town of some 16,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. Robb Elementary, which has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades, is a single-story brick structure in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. Hundreds packed into bleachers at the towns fairgrounds for a vigil Wednesday and the crowd swelled so big some stood around the speakers on the dirt arena. Some cried. Some closed their eyes tight, mouthing silent prayers. Parents wrapped their arms around their children, as the speakers lead prayers for healing. Before attacking the school, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother at the home they shared, authorities said. Neighbor Gilbert Gallegos, 82, who lives across the street and has known the family for decades, said he was puttering in his yard when he heard the shots. Ramos ran out the front door and across the small yard to the truck parked in front of the house. He seemed panicked, Gallegos said, and had trouble getting the truck out of park. Then he raced away: He spun out, I mean fast, spraying gravel in the air. His grandmother emerged covered in blood: She says, Berto, this is what he did. He shot me. She was hospitalized. Gallegos, whose wife called 911, said he had heard no arguments before or after the shots, and knew of no history of bullying or abuse of Ramos, who he rarely saw. Investigators also shed no light on Ramos' motive for the attack, which also left at least 17 people wounded. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Ramos, a resident of the small town about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio, had no known criminal or mental health history. We dont see a motive or catalyst right now, said McCraw of the Department of Public Safety. Ramos legally bought the rifle and a second one like it last week, just after his birthday, authorities said. About a half-hour before the mass shooting, Ramos sent the first of three online messages warning about his plans, Abbott said. Ramos wrote that he was going to shoot his grandmother, then that he had shot the woman. In the last note, sent about 15 minutes before he reached Robb Elementary, he said he was going to shoot up an elementary school, according to Abbott. Investigators said Ramos did not specify which school. Ramos sent the private, one-to-one text messages via Facebook, said company spokesman Andy Stone. It was not clear who received the messages. Grief engulfed Uvalde as the details emerged. The dead included Eliahna Garcia, an outgoing 10-year-old who loved to sing, dance and play basketball; a fellow fourth-grader, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming; and a teacher, Eva Mireles, whose husband is an officer with the school districts police department. You can just tell by their angelic smiles that they were loved, Uvalde Schools Superintendent Hal Harrell said, fighting back tears as he recalled the children and teachers killed. The tragedy was the latest in a seemingly unending wave of mass shootings across the U.S. in recent years. Just 10 days earlier, 10 Black people were shot to death in a racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. The attack was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Amid calls for tighter restrictions on firearms, the Republican governor repeatedly talked about mental health struggles among Texas young people and argued that tougher gun laws in Chicago, New York and California are ineffective. Democrat Beto ORourke, who is running against Abbott for governor, interrupted Wednesday's news conference, calling the tragedy predictable. Pointing his finger at Abbott, he said: This is on you until you choose to do something different. This will continue to happen. ORourke was escorted out as some in the room yelled at him. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin yelled that ORourke was a sick son of a bitch. Texas has some of the most gun-friendly laws in the nation and has been the site of some of the deadliest shootings in the U.S. over the past five years. I just dont know how people can sell that type of a gun to a kid 18 years old, Siria Arizmendi, the aunt of victim Eliahna Garcia, said angrily through tears. What is he going to use it for but for that purpose? President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the Second Amendment is not absolute as he called for new limitations on guns in the wake of the massacre. But the prospects for reform of the nations gun regulations appeared dim. Repeated attempts over the years to expand background checks and enact other curbs have run into Republican opposition in Congress. The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston, with the Texas governor and both of the state's Republican U.S. senators scheduled to speak. Dillon Silva, whose nephew was in a classroom, said students were watching the Disney movie Moana when they heard several loud pops and a bullet shattered a window. Moments later, their teacher saw the attacker stride past. Oh, my God, he has a gun! the teacher shouted twice, according to Silva. The teacher didnt even have time to lock the door, he said. The close-knit community, built around a shaded central square, includes many families who have lived there for generations. Lorena Auguste was substitute teaching at Uvalde High School when she heard about the shooting and began frantically texting her niece, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary. Eventually she found out the girl was OK. But that night, her niece had a question. Why did they do this to us?" the girl asked. Were good kids. We didnt do anything wrong. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Acacia Coronado, Eugene Garcia and Dario Lopez-Mills in Uvalde; Ben Fox, Michael Balsamo, Amanda Seitz and Eric Tucker in Washington; Paul J. Weber in Austin; Juan Lozano in Houston; Gene Johnson in Seattle; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings After her only son, Tyler, was shot and killed in New Havens Edgewood Park in 2007, Vickye Coward became intimately acquainted with Connecticuts court system. She was a constant presence at the trials and hearings of the man accused of his murder. She also grew accustomed to the fleet of news vans parked around the stately buildings. Her sons death wasnt the only tragedy in the state that year. The journalists in the vans were jockeying for position to cover the trial of two men accused and later found guilty of the Cheshire home invasion that ended in the deaths of three, Jennifer Hawke-Petit and daughters, Michaela, 11, and Hayley, 17. We learned the grisly details through painstaking reporting from the courtroom. The husband and father, Dr. William Petit, was beaten, but he survived. He later founded a charity that supports womens education, served as a state representative for the 22nd district (he recently announced he wont seek a return to the capitol), and he became an outspoken and respected proponent of the death penalty, which he suggested should be available as punishment for the kind of heinous crime such as the one that destroyed his family. At one point, he was quoted saying, Vengeance belongs to the Lord. This is about justice. We need to have some rules in a civilized society. It isnt meaningful to compare scars, and Cowards heart went out to Dr. Petit as a fellow survivor, but in her grief, on one of her walks past the members of the media at the courthouse Coward knocked on the door of a news vans. My son, Tyler, was murdered, too, she told the crew inside. Hes important, too, and if you want to talk about him, Ill give you a free report. She thought she could tell them of his potential, and how theyd accompanied one another him on drums, her on piano at church, and how he was supposed to start a new job just days before he was killed. The crew declined. Theyd been sent to cover the Cheshire home invasion trial, which made international news. What they didnt say but what Coward knew was unspoken was that her son was one more Black man shot dead in the city. Wheres the news? Because my son was of another color, my son didnt have a title in front of behind his name, he wouldnt be considered important enough to spread the word, Coward said. Maybe they thought he was dealing. Maybe they thought he was using drugs except an autopsy found nothing in his system. But even if he had been using drugs, six bullets in a public park was unacceptable. Last week, advocates and activists gathered on Zoom to mark the 10th anniversary of Connecticuts appeal of the death penalty. Hosted by New York-based Equal Justice USA, the webinar included Coward; Jamila Hodge, Equal Justice executive director, and Michael P. Lawlor, former state representative and former undersecretary for criminal justice policy, among other participants. Most of the panel members talked about the exorbitant cost and the awful racism inherent to the death penalty. Coward brought receipts. She talked about the need for mental health counseling in the wake of a violent death, and how so many in families like hers simply cannot afford to seek help. After her sons murder, she said a local news reporter visited her, and started the interview by warning her that everything she said would be double-checked. If her son was dealing drugs, the reporter said, they would find out and include that in the story. Imagine telling a grieving mother that. Coward thought about sharing the autopsy that came later, but she figured it wouldnt make much of a difference. Anyone in Connecticut in 2007 knew about the Petit home invasion and murders, and it was difficult to push for abolition of the death penalty in the wake of Dr. Petits grief. In fact, in the webinar Lawlor noted that the Cheshire crimes pushed the state to pass more draconian rules, and made abolishing the death penalty politically impossible. But while Petit lobbied to keep capital punishment in place, people such as Coward diligently lobbied against it. She went to Hartford multiple times, and stood in line to give testimony in front of legislators. She wrote a short book about losing her son, and talked about being a preachers kid, and about how one tear slid down her fathers cheek when she had to tell him his grandson had been shot and killed, and the pain that informs the words, He didnt make it. She wrote about the park where he was killed, and how people come to pose there for graduation/prom/wedding pictures. She told anyone who would listen that she missed her son, but that killing his killer didnt seem like a good answer. At a 2010 sentencing hearing, Vickye Coward told her sons killer, I forgive you. My son, I didnt raise him to hate any one, and I dont hate you. Tyler Cowards killer pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Coward has stayed in touch with him. Susan Campbell is the author of Frog Hollow: Stories from an American Neighborhood, Tempest-Tossed: The Spirit of Isabella Beecher Hooker and Dating Jesus: A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism and the American Girl. She is Distinguished Lecturer at the University of New Haven, where she teaches journalism. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte's administration says transgender people can not change their birth certificates even if they undergo gender-confirmation surgery, in defiance of a court order that temporarily blocked the Republican state's bid to restrict transgender rights. The state health department said in an emergency rule that it would no longer record the category of gender on people's birth certificates, replacing that category with a listing for sex either male or female that can be changed only in rare circumstances. Sex is immutable," according to the rule, while gender is a social...construct" that can change over time. Sex is different from gender and an immutable genetic fact, which is not changeable, even by surgery, said the rule from Public Health and Human Services director Adam Meier, a Gianforte appointee. Only Tennessee, Oklahoma and West Virginia have similar sweeping prohibitions against changes to birth certificates, according to the civil rights group Lambda Legal. Bans in Idaho and Ohio were struck down in 2020, according to the group. Other states also have recently sought to restrict transgender rights, including Indiana where lawmakers on Tuesday overrode their governor's veto and banned transgender females from competing in girls school sports. The Gianforte administration's rule was issued just over a month after a state judge temporarily blocked enforcement of a new Montana law that requires transgender people to have undergone a surgical procedure before being allowed to change their gender on their birth certificates. Judge Michael Moses ruled the law was unconstitutionally vague because it did not specify what procedure must be performed. The law also required transgender people to obtain a court order indicating they had a surgical procedure. Moses order forced the state to revert back to a process adopted in 2017 that said transgender residents could apply to change the gender on their Montana birth certificate by filing sworn affidavits with the health department. But state health officials said the April 21 ruling put them in an ambiguous and uncertain situation and led them to craft the temporary emergency rule. The changes exceed restrictions on transgender rights imposed by the Republican-dominated state Legislature and signed into law by Gianforte. Shawn Reagor with the Montana Human Rights Network said the rule was politically motivated and malicious and would harm transgender people who want to fully participate in civil society, which includes recognition of their gender. It's being validated and seen for who you are. But even more so, it's being able to navigate society and be active in today's world without having a threat of violence or discrimination, Reagor said. Democratic state lawmakers expressed outrage, calling the rule a blatant abuse of power meant to undermine the checks and balances of our independent courts. While this rule is intended to make the lives of our transgender neighbors harder, it impacts all of us by eroding the rights that let us live our lives free from government overreach, said House Minority Leader Kim Abbott and Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour. According to the rule, the sex listing can be changed only if someones sex is misidentified when theyre born or if the sex was wrongly recorded as a result of a scriveners error, according to the rule. In response to questions about the new rule, the Department of Public Health and Human Services said all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect. However," the agency statement continued, as noted in the emergency rule, the Department has an obligation to ensure the accuracy of vital records. Officials said the rule was consistent with state law and addresses a critical regulatory gap" while obeying the April court ruling. But attorney Akilah Lane with the ACLU of Montana which sued to block the state law said the group will take the matter back to Moses' court. The court order could not have been more clear. The court ordered the state to go back to the status quo, she said. Instead, by issuing this emergency rule, they just further showed their true colors that these laws and regulations are intended to harm transgender individuals. Half of the U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia, allow transgender residents to change gender designation on their birth certificates without surgical requirements or court orders, according to the policy organization Movement Advancement Project that supports transgender rights. Just over a dozen states require surgical intervention for changing gender on birth certificates and such barriers have been challenged in several states. Many transgender people choose not to undergo gender-confirmation surgeries. Such procedures are sometimes deemed unnecessary or too expensive, two transgender Montana residents argued in their July 2021 lawsuit challenging the Montana law. Over the last several years, legislation in numerous states has been aimed at limiting the rights of transgender people, and the new laws are being challenged in court. Alabama passed a law making it a felony for doctors to prescribe such treatments as gender-confirming puberty blockers and hormones to transgender minors, but a judge has blocked the law. In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered child welfare officials to i nvestigate parents of children receiving puberty blockers and other gender-confirming care as potential abuse. That effort was blocked by a judge. At least a dozen states have recently passed laws to ban transgender girls and women from participating in female sports, most recently Utah. NGT had earlier ordered a probe into works taken up on the tourism project atop Rushikonda. The tribunal instructed the government to suspend works on the project until further orders, as a probe is on. PTI VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh government on Monday approached Supreme Court against National Green Tribunals (NGT) recent stay order halting works of the proposed tourism project atop Rushikonda Hills. Presenting its argument, the government informed the apex court that all works at the Rushikonda site are being carried out without harming the environment in any way. NGT had earlier ordered a probe into works taken up on the tourism project atop Rushikonda. The tribunal instructed the government to suspend works on the project until further orders, as a probe is on. Following this, the state government has challenged the NGT order in the Supreme Court. NEW CANAAN Three years since Jennifer Dulos vanished, her mother clings to hope she will one day provide her daughter with a proper burial. Shed like to bury her next to her father, her mothers attorney Richard Weinstein said. Gloria Farber was in her mid-80s when her daughter vanished on May 24, 2019. Farber has since become the legal guardian of her daughters five children, who are now between the ages of 11 and 16. Jennifer Dulos was last seen dropping off her children at New Canaan Country School. The 50-year-old New Canaan woman had been embroiled in a two-year divorce and custody battle with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, who police believe attacked and killed her when she returned home from dropping off their children. Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020, weeks after being charged with killing his estranged wife. His death left questions whether Jennifer Dulos, who is presumed dead by authorities and her family, will ever be found. As Tuesday marks three years since the disappearance, Jennifer Dulos family and friends find peace through her children. We feel the immeasurable loss of her person every day; we also delight in her presence and celebrate her spirit as they manifest in her five incredible children, Carrie Luft, a longtime friend of Jennifer Dulos who has served as a family spokesperson since the disappearance, said in a statement. We are deeply grateful that Jennifers children are thriving and her mother, Gloria, is healthy and well. In a case that has generated international attention, Stamford/Norwalk States Attorney Paul J. Ferencek said his office remains focused on prosecuting those responsible for the murder of Jennifer Farber Dulos and seeking justice for her family, as well as working with law enforcement on any and all leads related to the case. The two remaining defendants in the case appear headed for trial. Michelle Troconis, Fotis Dulos former girlfriend who has been accused of helping him cover up the crime, will likely announce she is taking her case to trial when she appears in court on June 7, her attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, said Monday. Troconis is free on bond after pleading not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. Kent Mawhinney, a longtime friend and former attorney for Fotis Dulos, already has his case on the list for a trial date to be set. Mawhinney, who is accused of trying to provide an alibi for Fotis Dulos the morning of the disappearance, is also free on bond after pleading not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. The prosecution has said Mawhinney will likely be a key witness for the state if Troconis goes to trial. The case, which has prompted one of the largest police investigations in Connecticut history, has been the subject of several TV documentaries and the Lifetime movie, Gone Mom: The Disappearance of Jennifer Dulos. The case has also spurred new Connecticut legislation that broadens the definition of domestic violence. Dubbed Jennifers Law, the legislation was inspired by Jennifer Dulos and Jennifer Magnano, a Litchfield County mom who was killed by her husband in 2007. Jennifer Dulos was reported missing around 7 p.m. May 24, 2019 after not showing up for appointments in New York City that day. A New Canaan police officer investigating the missing persons report spotted what appeared to be blood in the garage of the home she had been renting, state police said. The discovery touched off a massive manhunt that is still active today, said Brian Foley, executive assistant to state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella who oversees the state police. Its still an open and active investigation, Foley said Monday. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A one-time U.S. House hopeful in Tennessee who landed former President Donald Trump's endorsement before state Republican Party officials booted her off the ballot is now providing national security advice to another candidate in that race. Morgan Ortagus is serving as a co-chairperson of the eight-member National Security Advisory Committee for the campaign of GOP congressional candidate Kurt Winstead, Winstead's team announced Monday. The campaign team for Winstead, a retired brigadier general in the Tennessee National Guard, praised Ortagus service as a U.S. Navy Reserve officer, touted her work in the U.S. State Department, and noted her recent launch of a national security advocacy group. Ortagus, a former State Department spokesperson under Trump who had his endorsement, was among three candidates removed from the August primary ballot in the 5th Congressional District by state party officials over challenges to their voting records. Ortagus did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment, nor did an official with her new advocacy group. The reconfigured nine-candidate Republican field for the 5th District also includes former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles. Prominent conservative backers have begun picking their sides for them, as well. Former Gov. Bill Haslam has donated to Harwell's campaign, while Ogles has landed an endorsement from the PAC for Americans for Prosperity. He once ran the group's Tennessee chapter. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Heidi Campbell is seeking the 5th District seat. Several candidates have set their sights on Tennessees freshly drawn 5th District after Republican redistricting this year. The seat opened up after Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper announced he would not seek reelection rather than run in a remapped district. The redrawn district carved up Nashville, favoring Republicans in each of the three seats and making it impossible for him to win any of them, in his view. Even with Trump's backing, Ortagus drew criticisms from some fellow Republicans who noted she recently moved to the state and argued she did not know the region or its voters. Tennessees Republican-controlled Legislature had sought to nudge Ortagus and others off the ballot by imposing residency requirements on most U.S. House and Senate candidates. However, that attempt fizzled after Republican Gov. Bill Lee allowed the new law to go into effect without his signature in April after the candidate filing deadline passed. State elections officials said that meant the new law would not apply retroactively to candidates who had already met the qualifications. Ultimately, the challenges through state GOP rules over who should be considered a bona fide Republican resulted in the removal of Ortagus, small business owner Baxter Lee and video producer Robby Starbuck. Each sharply has criticized the decision, as have some Republicans nationwide, including Donald Trump Jr. and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Starbuck has challenged his removal in court first in federal court, where a judge ruled against him, and now, in a state court challenge filed late last week. TD leaders of Prakasam are making elaborate arrangements for the annual Mahanadu at Manduvaripalem near Ongole on May 27 and 28. DC file image VISAKHAPATNAM / NELLORE: Telugu Desam national president N. Chandrababu Naidu perceives an upsurge among people in favour of Telugu Desam as the party prepares for its two-day 2022 Mahanadu starting Friday at Manduvaripalem near Ongole. Naidu predicted that waves of people belonging to all oppressed sections will be turning up for the public meeting coinciding with Mahanadu 2022. Seeing the enthusiasm among people in favour of Telugu Desam, YSRC government is creating hurdles for holding of the mega party conclave. This shows the level of frustration the ruling party is enveloped in, the TD chief remarked. A statement issued by the Telugu Desam here said 15 resolutions will be passed at the Mahanadu relating to both the Telugu states. The resolutions are being finalised by a committee chaired by former minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. Members of various Mahanadu committees have informed Naidu that invitations have been sent to over 12,000 top TD leaders for attending the party conclave. Telugu Desam state president K. Atchannaidu said over a lakh people will attend the public meeting being held as part of the massive party conclave. Meanwhile, TD leaders of Prakasam are making elaborate arrangements for the annual Mahanadu at Manduvaripalem near Ongole on May 27 and 28. Party national general secretary Beeda Ravichandra inspected the venue along with former minister Pattipati Pulla Rao and former Ongole legislator Damacharla Janardhan on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Ravichandra said 2022 Mahanadu will mark 40 years of Telugu Desam and centenary of party founder N.T. Rama Rao. He maintained that the party conclave is being held at a crucial juncture when the voice of those questioning ruling YSR Congress is being stifled. He pointed out that all sections of people, including SCs, STs, BCs, minorities, farmers, labour and youth have hit the road to realise their justified demands from the government. The party general secretary asserted that people want Chandrababu Naidu back in power to take out the state from the economic morass using his experience of being the chief minister of AP for 15 years. DOVER, Del. (AP) Delaware Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed a bill to legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults for recreational use, drawing the wrath of fellow Democrats who have fought for years to make weed legal. In vetoing the measure, Carney reiterated his previously expressed concerns about legalizing recreational pot concerns that did not dissuade fellow Democrats from pushing the legislation through the General Assembly. I recognize the positive effect marijuana can have for people with certain health conditions, and for that reason, I continue to support the medical marijuana industry in Delaware, Carney said in returning the bill to the state House. I supported decriminalization of marijuana because I agree that individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana and today, thanks to Delawares decriminalization law, they are not. That said, I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people. Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved. Carneys veto comes just days after legislation to establish a state-run marijuana industry in Delaware failed to clear the state House for a second time. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted 23-15 on Thursday to approve the bill, which fell two votes short of the required supermajority. The proposal requires a three-fifths majority in both the House and Senate because it creates a new tax, consisting of a 15% levy on retail marijuana sales. Last weeks vote came two months after a similar measure failed in the House on a 23-14 vote, and just hours after Carneys office received the companion legalization bill. Without legalization, the creation of a state-run pot industry is a moot issue. Its unclear whether Democratic lawmakers will try to override Carneys veto, which would be a rare occurrence. The last time Delaware lawmakers held a vote to override a veto was in 1990. The last time they succeeded was in 1977, when the House and the Senate voted to override then-Gov. Pete du Pont's veto of the state's budget bill. Rep. Ed Osienski, a Newark Democrat and chief sponsor of both bills, said in a statement that he was deeply disappointed by Carneys decision and would review his options. Senate Democrats echoed Osienski's assertion that Carney had chosen to ignore the will of Delawareans. The members of the Delaware General Assembly have been fighting for years to end the failed war on marijuana and we will not be stopped by this latest setback, read a statement from chief Senate sponsor Trey Paradee and Senate president Dave Sokola. Betsy Maron, chairwoman of the Delaware Democratic Party, said she was confident that lawmakers could trump Carney's veto and make legalization a reality. Last year, we went as far as to include it in our party platform, which passed unanimously at the 2021 state convention, Maron said in a statement. "Delawares voters have further solidified their voice on the matter by electing Democratic candidates to the legislature that support legalization. We are confident those legislators will override the veto knowing they have the support of Delawares Democrats. Osienski carved the legalization and industry-creation proposals into two separate bills in late March after the House rejected broader legislation that sought to do both. That cleared the way for passage of the legalization bill, which did not include any tax provision and thus required only a simple majority. The legalization bill cleared the Democrat-controlled Senate with no Republican support. Sen. Bruce Ennis of Smyrna was the only Democrat joining GOP lawmakers in opposition. Two Democrats, including Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, voted against the l egalization bill in the House, along with 12 of the 15 GOP representatives. Ennis and Schwartzkopf are both retired state troopers. Supporters of a state-run marijuana industry argue that it would create jobs, boost state coffers and shrink the illegal black market. Opponents contend that legalization and a state-licensed cultivation and sales would lead to increased marijuana use among teens and young adults, expose business owners to liability, and result in more traffic deaths and injuries. They also say establishing a state-run market with a 15% tax on retail sales would do little to eliminate illegal sales. The Associated Press reported earlier this year t hat legalization had done little to discourage black market sales in California, and that some licensees there are simultaneously participating in the black market in order to make a profit. Californias governor has now proposed a temporary tax cut for the marijuana industry to help struggling businesses. Currently, recreational marijuana use is permitted in 18 states and the District of Columbia. ATLANTA (AP) A Democrat running for the Georgia Public Service Commission stayed on the ballot Tuesday after a judge blocked a Monday decision by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to disqualify her over residency issues. Patty Durand of Conyers is one of two Democrats competing in a primary to challenge Republican incumbent Tim Echols. Raffensperger on Monday found Durand was not qualified to run for the District 2 seat. She moved into the new district in March after Durand's old Peachtree Corners residence was drawn out of the district. Durand said she was unconstitutionally targeted in redistricting, and should be able to run anyway, arguing it violated her 14th Amendment right to equal protection. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge on Tuesday ordered Raffenspergers office to put Durand back on the ballot and count her votes, pending a later decision on Durand's lawsuit. The order came after polls opened. Leftridge ordered removal of polling place signs stating Durand had been disqualified. Commission candidates run statewide, but must live in one of five districts for at least a year before the November election. The commission regulates Georgia Power Co. and will decide how the utility's customers pay for its share of $30 billion being spent on two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta. Durand agrees she did not meet the one-year residency requirement. Instead, she argues Echols and Public Service Commission President Tricia Pridemore, also a Republican, conspired to draw Durand out of the district. In a May 12 hearing, Durand produced texts between Echols and Pridemore showing Echols sent Durand's address in Gwinnett County to Pridemore after Pridemore had produced a draft map that kept Gwinnett County in Echols district. Administrative Law Judge Shakara Barnes found Friday that at the very least, the SB 472 redistricting map was drawn with respondents specific address in mind. But Barnes wrote she is not allowed to resolve constitutional challenges and recommended to Raffensperger that Durand be disqualified. Raffensperger ordered Durand disqualified on Monday, while disputing many of Barnes findings about what happened during redistricting. The other Democrat in the primary, Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Russell Edwards, was recruited by Durand to run in case she was disqualified, Durand has said. Edwards endorsed Durand and suspended his campaign in late April. Durand said that if she wins the nomination Tuesday and is later disqualified, the state Democratic Party would choose a new nominee. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) A court in Myanmar ruled Tuesday that a corruption trial for ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and three political colleagues will continue after finding that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence for their indictment. Suu Kyi, who was forced from office when the military seized power from her elected government last year, has been charged with 11 counts under the Anti-Corruption Act, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. The corruption cases are among a large number of charges under which the military is prosecuting her. If found guilty of all the charges, she could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison. Suu Kyis supporters and independent analysts say the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power while keeping her from returning to politics. The armys takeover was met with widespread non-violent protests. After the peaceful demonstrations were quashed by lethal force, they turned to armed resistance in many areas. A legal official who is familiar with Suu Kyis cases said she and her co-defendants were formally indicted Tuesday on four corruption counts on charges of allegedly building a residence with money from charitable donations and granting permits to rent land at lower-than-market prices for a foundation named after her mother. The court will now hear the defense arguments, including cross-examination of the prosecution's witnesses. According to Myanmar law, a judge can order an end to a trial after the prosecution has presented its case if it doesn't have merit. This first phase is roughly similar to a grand jury process in Anglo-American law. If the judge finds the prosecution case credible, the trial continues into a second phase in which the defense presents its case and a verdict is delivered. Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after being convicted on charges of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and another corruption charge. All of Suu Kyi's trials in the capital, Naypyitaw, are closed to the media and the public, the prosecutors do not comment on them and the state-controlled media have not reported directly on the proceedings. Suu Kyis lawyers have been barred since last year from providing details of the trials under a gag order. The courts decision on Tuesday was confirmed by a legal official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. In the cases under consideration Tuesday, the state Anti-Corruption Commission has declared that several of Suu Kyi's alleged actions deprived the state of revenue it would otherwise have earned. The former mayor of Naypyitaw, Myo Aung, is a co-defendant in the two cases relating to granting permits to rent lands in Naypyitaw. Ye Min Oo, Naypyitaws vice mayor, is a co-defendant in one and Min Thu, a former Cabinet minister and member of the Naypyitaw Development Committee, in the other. The seven other cases currently being tried under the Anti-Corruption Act include several related to the purchase and rental of a helicopter by another of Suu Kyis former Cabinet ministers. Suu Kyi is also charged with two counts of bribery that allege she took $550,000 from a construction magnate. She is also being tried on a charge of violating the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, and a charge of election fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of three years. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo BRIDGEPORT - The case against a former top city fire official, accused of initiating the rape of a military veteran who volunteered to give him a ride home from a bar, was continued Tuesday so that he can hire a lawyer. Standing before Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo, Harold Clarke Sr. told the judge he would need more time before entering a plea to the charges against him. Mark Lennihan/AP NEW YORK (AP) The chair of former President Donald Trumps inaugural committee pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the latest charges in an indictment accusing him of secretly working for the United Arab Emirates to influence Trumps foreign policy. Wealthy businessman Tom Barrack, who was arrested last year and released on $250 million bail, entered the plea during a remote court appearance before a Brooklyn federal court judge. Twenty-first century Europe has once again emerged as the sanctum sanctorum of bloodshed. Thirty European nations plus their allies are preparing for a prolonged war through other, or any, means. Supplying weapons to and enhancing war budgets for front-line warriors are their main agenda. However, when the reality of the wars spill-over effects on choked food supply lines dawned, non-belligerent, non-aligned India became the punching bag for admonitions and stern advisories. Do this, dont do that The explicit condemnation of Indias wheat export ban was surprising. All the more so as the warning came from Germanys agriculture minister, representing possibly the richest member of the wealthiest nations G-7 club (Canada, USA, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Britain). If everyone starts to impose export restrictions or to close markets, that would worsen the crisis, he said. One can offer a small suggestion, Let the G-7 club of the strongest and richest nations launch a fresh initiative to stop the bloodshed in Europe. The markets will immediately get back to normal. An attack on India would become redundant. Does the West even care to remember, or has it ever expressed remorse or apologised for the price that India has been forced to pay for the wars started, supported and sponsored by the West since the mid-nineteenth century, without being a direct belligerent? Though India was always dragged into the distant wars of the West, the consequential famine and starvation death of its population has never been a cause of concern for the biggest and strongest of all Western imperial powers Britain while it was forcibly ruling over Bharat and fighting wars all around to maintain its empire and control of the seas. Today, India faces below-par crop production and a real possibility of diminished buffer food stocks for a rainy day to feed its 1.35 billion population to stave off starvation deaths and famine. The latter was the worst recurring gift of Whitehalls War Cabinet during the last days of the British Raj in 1943. More than three million Bengalis were compulsorily made to die as the food supply lines were choked off on the orders of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, with the help of his white supremacist supporters and a large number of Indian traders who acted as stooges of the Raj. Importantly, in the initial days of English rule too, within five years of their 1765 advent, had taken place the ravaging 1770 Bengal famine, in which marauding Englishmen made money on the common mans misery, leading to the death of one-third of Bengals then population. Any apology? None so far, for one of the Wests greatest crimes against humanity. Like the 1770 famine which heralded the Wests arrival on Indian soil, the British departure from the East too saw the worst of all famines, that led to the death of at least 3.5 million people in Bengal in 1943, the price paid by the East for the wars of the West. Today, once again, its a story of war, wheat, starvation and famine. Let the facts speak for themselves. In 2020, the G-7 accounted for over 50 per cent of global wealth of $418 trillion, and 40-45 per cent of global GDP. In contrast, Indias GDP is less than $3 trillion. The G-7s total population is less than 800 million, to Indias 1.35 billion. So, whose responsibility is bigger G-7 or India feed people? How can anyone ignore Indias food security? India is therefore right to make tackling its peoples hunger as its topmost priority. Lets go to the Second World War famine and starvation death statistics. The figures show far fewer numbers died facing the gun than looking for grains. In six years (1939-1945), Britain lost 3.88 lakh people US 2.96 lakh people, while it was 8.1 lakh in France; Hungary (8.4 lakh), Greece (5.2 lakh); Romania (4.6 lakh) and (Italy 4 lakh) people collectively, a total of 3.71 million deaths in six years. This was almost equal to the 3.5 million deaths in the man-made Bengal famine in six months. Today, as the war rages in Ukraine and there are fears it could spread, the West is understandably edgy over a disruption in food supplies. But before trying to blame India for trying to protect its own population, the West should look at some figures. The 27-nation European Union is the worlds largest wheat producer (150,000 thousand tons) in 2020 and its production-consumption ratio has a surplus of at least 15 per cent for export. China, in the number two spot, has a four per cent surplus. In comparison, Indias wheat surplus is two per cent, and due to the long history of famine and starvation deaths in this country, India simply cant take any chances. Maintaining a healthy buffer stock to ensure the food security of 1.35 billion people is Indias compulsion, not choice. Besides these countries, there are Argentina, Canada and the United States, which have relatively smaller populations with a healthy wheat surplus for export. It would be wise, therefore, to focus on these nations than on countries with much bigger populations which have a history of chronic man-made famines, leading to millions of deaths. The West needs to remember that collateral damage has a more long-lasting effect than the combat casualties of combatants. Thus, despite the allegations and counter allegations, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has choked the supply lines of 30 per cent of the worlds wheat moving from the field to the food mart, creating an imminent and unprecedented human catastrophe. Its a problem that has been created by the West and not by India or any other developing nation of the Third World. The West, therefore, needs to reconsider its responsibility and think of ways to resolve the problem, rather than try to pin the blame on India or anyone else. The world has seen enough of the wars waged by the West. Korea, Libya, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Suez, Iraq these were all in Asia and Africa or on their edges, far removed from the developed nations of the West, with the sole exception of the one that raged in the European heartland in the mid-1990s in the aftermath of the breakup of a united Yugoslavia into the six independent states of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Serbia; Slovenia; Macedonia; Montenegro and Croatia. Its time for the West to ponder, and act with sincerity and a sense of responsibility. In the spring of 2021, 67% of the UO student body was estimated to be experiencing symptoms of at least one significant mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-injury or eating disorders, according toUO Counseling Services. The mental health of college students is a pressing issue today across the nation, especially as campus communities continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. As this May is Mental Health Awareness Month nationwide, the University of Oregon has events lined up for students, aimed to destigmatize mental health issues and to spark much-needed conversations. On May 24, UOs Duck Nest Wellness Center will be hosting the annual Mental Health Art Show. The theme for this year is Healing with Nature and Being in The Outdoors, centering on students interpretations through various art styles, ranging from poetry to paintings. The Duck Nest also encouraged students to submit virtual art forms to accommodate all students that wanted to share, from films to original recorded songs. Blake Nelson, peer wellness coordinator at the Duck Nest, discussed more about prioritizing accessibility when planning the event. We were wanting to be cognizant that everybody's pace, when it comes to reacclimating themselves on-campus, is going to be very different, Nelson said. It was very important for us to be able to give everybody the option, including those who may not have the emotional energy to do an in person art show. As the chaoticness of college life starts picking up towards the end of spring term, its important that UO students have a safe space to express their feelings surrounding mental health. Any art or discussion about mental health in general is very important because it lets people who may not have the bandwidth to really talk about it or start exploring that aspect of themselves yet to know that it's allowed, valid and accepted for them to do so, and that it looks different for everybody, Nelson said. Peer wellness coordinator Ava Hearn expressed that it is more difficult for students to focus on or maintain their mental health as the college environment is ingrained with a fast paced grind culture. This grind culture mindset centralizes ones work or career over self care and ones physical and mental health, and it isnt healthy. I think that there's been more of a movement recently to discuss mental health on college campuses. But I think for as much as we're pushing this grind culture, then we need to also be discussing mental health because it's so pertinent to academic success as well, Hearn said. We're here to push people to slow down, and to think about their well being as much as they're thinking about all the other things that are going on in their life. The Mental Health Art Show will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on May 24 in the Lease Crutcher Lewis Room at the Erb Memorial Union, and is free for attendees. Hearn added that they plan to feature some of the art on the Duck Nest Instagram for those who cant attend and possibly hang some of the art in the UO Counseling Center. As a campus community, I feel like our power when it comes to mental health is being able to support each other when we can't necessarily support ourselves, Nelson said. I really like that aspect of being able to help bring other people up and being able to help forward the conversation in productive ways. To find more information about the Mental Health Art Show and resources provided by the Duck Nest, check out their Instagram @uo_ducknest, or the Duck Nests location in the Erb Memorial Union. Children are brought up to believe their parents, but these posts prove that sometimes their trust is misplaced. People from around the world took to anonymous sharing app Whisper to reveal the lies their parents have been telling them for years, including one person who was told her grandmother had died when in fact she was alive and well. Another individual, who lives in Texas, claimed their father told them he was at the doctor's surgery instead of revealing he was getting married at a court house. Others said their parents had lied about stealing money, quitting smoking and having an affair. Here, FEMAIL shares some of the most startling confessions... People from around the world have taken to Whisper to speak candidly about the lies their parents have told them - including one person, who spent 23 years thinking their grandmother was dead One individual, who lives in Ohio, shared the devastation of discovering their father had been lying about dying from cancer I object! An individual, from Texas, claimed their father told them he was going to a doctor's appointment when he was actually getting married at the court house One person, who lives in the US, revealed they are going to report their mother to the police after being blamed for stealing a phone Another American said they caught their mother lying about having quit smoking 13 years earlier Seeing is believing! An individual who spotted their mother texting an ex-partner revealed they were blasted for confronting her One person, from New Mexico, shared the heartbreak of finding out their dad lied about being busy with friends to avoid spending time with them Another individual, who lives in Canada, admitted they were shocked to discover their mother was lying about her alcohol consumption Hiding in plain sight! A woman, from Texas, said her mother claimed to be looking for underwear when confronted about trying to steal her money One woman, who lives in the US, revealed she's struggling to accept that her mother lied about who her real dad is for 16 years Another person, from America, said their dad denied being unfaithful after they told their mother about what he has been secretly doing Family secrets! An individual, who lives in New Jersey, was left devastated after discovering their father lied about the death of their mother One person said they spent years not knowing they had a sister, but they have now become best friends A French website for jobseekers has been accused of being 'racist and sexist' after posting a series of memes to promote its services. TrouveTonJob.co, which provides jobseekers with advice and free training, was slammed on Twitter over bizarre Facebook posts, including one which advised users to use porn to learn English, and another joking about the 'first black man on Mars'. Another entitled 'When you haven't properly prepared your interview', showed a man in a swimming pool struggling under the weight of a plus-sized woman on his shoulders. In a statement on Twitter, the company denied being fatphobic, sexist or racist. Trouvetonjob.co, a French website for jobseekers, has offended Facebook users with a series of memes, including one showing a curvy woman in a skimpy bikini with the caption: 'You have to make your CV attractive' The company shared a snap of a man drowning under the weight of a plus-size woman in a pool, comparing it to a candidate being unprepared for a job interview The website was called out by the French feminist collective 'Sexist Gems,' which raises awareness about examples of sexism in marketing campaigns on social media. 'Racism, sexism and fatphobia, @Trouvetonjob we're awaiting your explanations,' the association wrote in the Twitter post. One of the four image shared showed a curvy woman in a very revealing bikini, with the caption: 'You have to make your CV attractive.' The company also shared a snap of a man drowning under the weight of a plus-size woman in a pool, comparing it to a candidate taking on a job interview. The fourth image was a bizarre joke, and showed a black man's foot pointing out to the month of March on a calendar. 'The first African man to set foot on Mars. The pride of a whole continent, the legend read 'When you haven't properly prepared your interview,' the caption read. A third image showed a man boasting about learning English through porn. The fourth image was a bizarre joke, and showed a black man's foot pointing out to the month of March on a calendar. 'The first African man to set foot on Mars. The pride of a whole continent,' it said. The joke was based on the fact that the name of the planet and the name of the month are both 'Mars' in French, and pronounced the same. The company shared the joke to mark the beginning of the month of March. Another post boasted about learning English by watching pornographic material. People on French Twitter found the series of posts bizarre The posts received a lot of negative attention, with many saying a job listings website should not be posting memes or jokes, especially inappropriate ones. 'I am shocked by the number of people trying to defend them,' one wrote. 'Take some time and take some perspective. It's a jobseeking website, it's supposed to be serious. Not supposed to make immature jokes, even if they weren't racist, sexist or fatphobic. Just because it makes you laugh, it doesn't mean it's good,' they added. One said the posts were uncomfortable to see and that the company was using humour to deflect the blame. 'Their answer: "humour". The reality: racism, sexism and fatphobia,' one said. Others said it was a marketing ploy from the company to share distasteful jokes online for free publicity. 'Given the what the f*** level, it has to be a marketing strategy. Create bad buzz on purpose so that the name of the company is known faster. There are always people who will say it's just to have a laugh. So mediocre,' one said. TrouvetonJob.co shared a statement responding to the accusations. 'We are not fatphobic, nor sexist or racist,' it read. People on French Twitter were not happy with the marketing campaign with one writing that the campaign was 'so uncomfortable' 'I am appalled by all these people who seek to defend them,' a commenter wrote. 'Sit down and take a step back. This is a hiring site, it's supposed to be serious. Not making immature jokes, even non-racist, sexist, grossophobic etc. Just because it makes you laugh doesn't mean it's good.' Another critic wrote: 'Given the level of wtf, it is necessarily a marketing technique. Create bad buzz on purpose so that the name of the company entering the market is known more quickly. There are always enough people, then, to say it's just for fun. So mediocre.' 'Their answer: "humour". The reality: racism, sexism and fatphobia,' one of the tweets, originally written in French, read 'Instead, we want everyone to get an equal chance at accessing a fair and paid job, regardless of their skin colour, religion, shape or size. 'By sharing this content we were not attempting to discriminate against anyone. 'This post illustrates the situation of a candidate that is not prepared for a job interview. 'Trouvetonjob.co apologises to its agreeable audience if by one way or another, this post hurt the sensitivities of some people,' the statement concluded. We've all had ideas that we think would benefit other people, but as proven by these viral photos a second opinion is always valuable. People from around the world have taken to social media to share photos of people whose good intentions ended in disaster, with Opossum Sauce rounding up a selection of the best examples. Among the snaps is an emergency hub that has a sign telling those in desperate situations to look elsewhere because a phone hasn't been installed. Another photo shows how the poor wording on a banner made a marriage proposal seem very aggressive. Opossum Sauce has rounded up a selection of viral photos that capture good intentions that fell short - including an emergency hub without a telephone installed Floods of tears! One woman in the Philippines was understandably emotional after her groom proposed with a banner stating she has no choice but to get married Another image shows a box with confusing labels after the symbols weren't spell checked or placed in the correct order Talk about a typo! Another snap shows a newspaper reporter in County Donegal who named an interviewee despite having being asked to remain anonymous Simple instructions! A screenshot from a WhatsApp conversation shows how a man who didn't understand how to boil two cups of water left his friend in shock A business owner who wanted to make their building more accessible made the baffling decision to paint a disabled sign on a staircase Another picture reveals a label had to be added to an exit button after a sign was hung above with the wrong information In a rush! A speedometre in the US showed drivers the time instead of their speed, which is really not helpful Guesswork! This instruction manual left out some very basic information, unless you happen to be a mind reader Silent Witness returned to screens last night for its 25th series and brought back its first star, Amanda Burton as Professor Sam Ryan. But it was the romance between Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (played by Northern Irish actor David Caves) that had viewers talking. After years of professional flirting, the pair finally spent the night together, in a hotel room in Liverpool. After years of professional flirting, Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (played by Northern Irish actor David Caves) finally spent the night together, in a hotel room in Liverpool The romance between the characters divided fans, with some insisting they had 'no chemistry' while others said it would 'break their heart' to see them separate They had spent the night in the hotel bar, listening to soft jazz and downing Jack Daniels. After 'one more' drink, the pair made their way upstairs and came to a halt at their rooms either side of the corridor. Nikki, emboldened by alcohol, lingered outside her door then brought up the kiss they had shared in the back of a taxi at the end of the previous series. 'It feels about a million years ago now but... what happened in the taxi. After the flood,' she said, the door to her hotel room half-open. 'No, no,' insisted Jack, moving to stand next to her. She continued: 'Good. I was worried that... Did I overstep the mark? Only because, I kissed you, then you had to go.' Slow burn: Jack and Nikki had spent the night in the hotel bar, listening to soft jazz and downing Jack Daniels Night to remember: After 'one more' drink, the pair made their way upstairs and stopped at their rooms either side of the corridor. Nikki lingered outside her door then brought up the kiss they had shared in the back of a taxi at the end of the previous series The morning after: The next scene cut to morning and showed the characters leaving Nikki's hotel room together 'Yeah, s**t timing,' Jack agreed, before finally leaning in and following Nikki inside. The next scene cut to morning and showed the characters leaving Nikki's hotel room together. The longing looks and slow-burn sexual tension had some viewers swooning, with one tweeting: 'Phenomenal first episode!! Im loving the chemistry between Jack and Nikki!' Another added: 'The way Nikki and Jack look at each other is unmatched!' However others insisted there is 'no chemistry' between the pair, who had spent years as friends and colleagues before this latest development. Tension: The longing looks and slow-burn sexual tension had some viewers swooning. Nikki and Jack gazed meaningfully at each other as they returned to work the following day One compared it to Friends, writing: 'This Jack and Nikki feels a bit like Joey and Rachel. Doesnt work. #SilentWitness #SilentWitness25.' The storyline of the first episode saw Prof Sam on the scene as the health secretary (Emma Beattie) was assassinated by a sniper. Suspicion fell on terrorist anti-vaxxers, determined to prevent the introduction of a 'health passport'. Dr Nikki and Sam clashed in the autopsy room, over one of the goriest dissections ever staged. Dynamic duo: Dr Nikki and Sam clashed in the autopsy room, over one of the goriest dissections ever staged Elsewhere, Jack began complaining of headaches, leading some viewers to fear that it might be bad news. One posted: 'Now then I must admit I'm a little concerned over our Jack's "Headaches" I hope it's not going to be something more serious.' Another wrote: 'Am I the only one watching worried that Jack having a headache and mentioning it twice means he will have something horribly wrong with him by the end of this series? #SilentWitness.' A woman who has lived with chronic pain for more than 20 years has revealed why she's taken the difficult decision to have a hysterectomy to ease the symptoms of endometriosis. Lisa Potter-Dixon, 39, who lives in London, explained the impact endometriosis has had on her life in a discussion with daytime presenter Lorraine. The make-up artist said she has gotten 'used to the pain' and won't let it stop her from living her life as she praised the support of her husband Theo, while revealing her dogs have taken the place of children. Lisa Potter-Dixon, 39, (pictured) who lives in London, revealed she is having a hysterectomy in the hopes of beating the chronic pain caused by endometriosis Lisa told presenter Lorraine that she has experienced pain every day for the past 20 years and some days are more excruciating than others Lorraine admitted that she 'doesn't know' how Lisa has managed to cope with endometriosis for so many years. Lisa said: 'After having it so long, for me it's now mind over matter. I've found things that have helped me, but I do think people underestimate the chronic pain. 'I would say that every single day for the past 20 years I'm at a five out of 10 in pain. I think when you have any chronic illness you get used to the pain. 'There's definitely certain days of the month, you're in excruciating pain. But my whole attitude is to it is that I just won't let it stop me. 'The simplest and least scientific way to describe it is that when you have your period you obviously bleed externally but you also bleed internally, when you have endometriosis. 'That sticks to your ovaries, fallopian tube, bowel and it can spread to other parts of the body too. That causes excruciating pain because it causes scarring, cysts, it can block your tubes. 'So everything around your stomach is tight like this and that's the best way to describe it really. Lisa said she spent eight years trying to have a baby before finding out she couldn't because of endometriosis 'They say about 50 per cent of people who have fertility problems it's because of endometriosis and that is a huge amount. It's one out of 10 that's what we know now. 'That's about 176 million people globally that we know of because the diagnosis can take, well for me 10 years. 'Eight years of trying for a baby and then finding out that we couldn't because of it. It is devastating. 'I'm very lucky to have Theo, my husband, whose an incredibly supportive partner. I think my biggest piece of advice to women is to remember you are enough. That is sometimes hard to remember.' Endometriosis: What is it, what are the symptoms and how can it be treated? What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that covers the inside of the uterus, the endometrium, appears in other parts of the body and causes chronic inflammation, scarring and pelvic pain. The endometriosis tissue outside the uterus will bleed just as it would as the lining of the uterus. According to womenshealth.gov 'this can cause swelling and pain because the tissue grows and bleeds in an area where it cannot easily get out of your body'. According to the NHS, it can appear in many different places 'including the ovaries, Fallopian tubes'. Endometriosis tissue can also appear inside the stomach, in or around the bowel and the bladder. The condition usually affects girls and women of childbearing age and is less likely to affect women who have had menopause. Endometriosis is more common in women in their 30s and 40s. The condition affects 6-10 percent of the general female population in the US, according to a scientific paper published in the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. Endometriosis UK says that one in ten around 3million women of reproductive age in the UK have the condition. Endometriosis causes There is no known cause of endometriosis, although one theory posits that family genetics plays a large part. Other potential causes explored are immune system issues and complications from menstrual period flow, whereby the tissue shed during the period ends up flowing through the Fallopian tube to other parts of the body such as the pelvis. Endometrium cells can also spread through the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Endometriosis symptoms Main endometriosis symptoms include chronic pelvic, lower back and abdominal pain that may be worse than normal during a period; experiencing pain during sexual intercourse, painful bowel movements; bloating and nausea. Painful periods and difficulty getting pregnant are other key symptoms. Experiencing heavy periods and infertility are noted as being symptomatic of endometriosis. The NHS recommends seeing a GP when symptoms manifest, in particular if they are 'having a big impact on your life'. Endometriosis diagnosis The doctor will conduct a pelvic exam and may perform an ultrasound, however, a laparoscopy is currently the only way to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis. A laparoscopy is a procedure that involves the doctor making a small incision in the skin and passing a small tube through it to see if there are any patches of endometriosis tissue. Endometriosis treatment There is no cure for endometriosis. However, the NHS offers treatments that can palliate the symptoms. These include painkillers such as paracetamol, hormone medicines and contraceptives like the pill, the contraceptive patch and an IUS. Surgery to cut out the endometriosis tissue or parts of the organ affected are also options. However, the NHS says that sometimes doctors may not start treatment immediately in order to see if the symptoms improve on their own. Advertisement Lisa explained that she's having a hysterectomy in the hopes that it will take away most of the pain she experiences. She continued: 'It's not a cure that's the thing with endo, there's no cure. I suppose you can in some way compare it to a mastectomy with breast cancer, where we do that because it hopefully prevents the cancer coming back. 'It's the same with a hysterectomy with endometriosis. You can have it and we hope it means it won't come back but it doesn't mean it's guaranteed. It's the best option.' Lisa revealed it took Theo and her a long time to decide on the procedure, which will leave them unable to have children. Lisa told Lorraine (pictured left) that she and husband Theo have a 'great life' with two dogs that are her babies Lisa said: 'We tried everything, not just Western medicine which is obviously incredible but also Chinese medicine, acupuncture, everything. 'I would always say to people to try everything. 'But I do think we've got a great life, we've got great friends, we love our lives. I think children are obviously such a gift but I've got two dogs. They are my babies.' Lisa said women's health isn't spoken about enough and there are thousands of women who experience painful periods that leave them unable to work but are unaware of the condition. Lisa urged other women who struggle with painful periods to visit their GP, claiming 'just getting the diagnosis is such a relief' 'Go to your GP, be persistent, ask to see a gynecologist. Don't just think I have to have this pain,' Lisa added. 'You do not need to be going through this excruciating pain as much as you are. There is no cure but there are things that help. 'Just getting the diagnosis is such a relief.' Viewers took to Twitter revealing how they've coped with the lifelong condition. One person wrote: 'I've just had a hysterectomy at the age of 34 and they discovered I had endometriosis once they operated. I'm now looking forward to being pain free.' Another said: 'Research, training and empathy needed. Age 21 was told by a male doctor in his 50s that I'd just have to put up with it until I had babies and then could have a hysterectomy. Helpful.' A third added: 'I had a hysterectomy at 26 due to endometriosis. I am now 58. I personally never regretted it.' The reigning Miss England has revealed she's faced vile racist abuse since being crowned. Rehema Muthamia, 26, who has Kenyan heritage and spent part of her childhood in Kenya, was crowned Miss England in a glittering ceremony in Coventry. Despite the prestigious accolade she's gone on to face horrendous comments, including being branded 'Miss KFC' and asked 'how is Miss England Black?' Speaking to My London she revealed people also sent emails to the Miss England organisation to complain about her winning. 'I already knew I would face racism as a Black woman in England, not in London so much but being British and Black I am conscious of the fact people will be prejudice towards me,' she said. Rehema Muthamia, 26, who has Kenyan heritage and spent part of her childhood in Kenya, was crowned Miss England in a glittering ceremony in Coventry Despite the prestigious accolade she's gone on to face horrendous comments, including being branded 'Miss KFC' and asked 'how is Miss England Black?' She is pictured being crowned alongside 2019's winner Bhasha Mukherjee 'I've had comments from people saying it's "Miss KFC not Miss England" and "how is Miss England Black - if we go Africa they wouldn't crown a white Miss Nigeria" 'I have faced racism in the past and I'm aware of it happening so I was prepared for it, it's saddening to think people are racist and prejudiced in this day and age. I accepted it for what it was, understood it must be coming from lack of understanding.' It's not the first time she's spoken out about racist abuse since winning. In October, she was told This Morning hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond cruel trolls told her she 'wasn't British' and 'didn't represent the UK' despite being born in England. 'Right after I won in August, obviously I was overjoyed, happy, elated,' she said. 'But quite quickly, racist messages came through the Miss England platform. In October, she was told This Morning hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond cruel trolls told her she 'wasn't British' and 'didn't represent the UK' despite being born in England. 'People were calling about me having won, telling the Miss England platform, they weren't happy that I was a black woman. 'And through press that has been released and there's been many comments, basically saying that as a black woman, I shouldn't have won Miss England. 'I'm ethnically black, but I am British. And I'm so proud to be British. 'I was born and raised in this country, and I feel like everything that I represent and stand for are British values. So people may have negative views about that. 'I don't understand it. I'm not a racist person. My family is so mixed. I'm mixed with everybody. But I read it as you know, lack of understanding, and hopefully through education, especially through Black History Month, maybe people can understand you know, people are differences'. After winning, the health technology consultant, who can speak four languages, said: 'My family are so supportive they can't stop talking about it, and the Kenyan community has really got behind me and wanted to support me and loved seeing someone from my heritage being represented.' Rehema received the shimmering crown - along with 2,000 and a host of other goodies including a photoshoot and a website - from previous winner Bhasha Mukherjee, an NHS doctor who held the title for two years after the pandemic saw last year's ceremony cancelled. Rehema received the shimmering crown - along with 2,000 and a host of other goodies including a photoshoot and a website - from previous winner Bhasha Mukherjee, an NHS doctor who held the title for two years after the pandemic saw last year's ceremony cancelled. Rehema flew out to Puerto Rico in late November for Miss World - which was cancelled after contestants tested positive for Covid. After winning the health technology consultant, who can speak four languages, said: 'My family are so supportive they can't stop talking about it, and the Kenyan community has really got behind me and wanted to support me and loved seeing someone from my heritage being represented.' Before scooping the top prize in the pageant, which took place at the Heart of England Conference and Events centre in the Midlands city, Rehema had also won the first ever Miss All African Colours contest. Rehema, from north west London, said: 'We are all devastated to have come this far. We had the most amazing final show rehearsed for the 70th Miss World'. She is pictured with Miss Ireland Pamela Uba Speaking about the contest, she explained: 'It was started by the director of Miss England following the Black Lives Matter movement to get more representation of minority girls in the competition. 'So I saw the advert. I thought this is the time for me to apply. I am a black woman. 'It was a form person, with two pictures. You had to say an interesting facts about yourself, what it is what to do with the platform that you have. 'And so I sent that off last summer after my master's degree and I thought, "I probably won't hear back" but I heard back a few weeks later and the journey began and it's just been amazing. Speaking about winning she went on 'it was a shock, I was in a daze'. Rehema also discussed how she spoke to Pamela Uba, 26, who was recently crowned Miss Ireland. The beauty queen, was born in South Africa to Nigerian Igbo parents and moved to Ireland when she was eight as an asylum seeker. The newly-crowned Miss England winner has revealed how she was the subject to horrific racist abuse following her victory at the beauty pageant in August. The 26-year-old, who grew up in Kenya and England speaks four languages, and says escaping an abusive relationship inspired her to enter the beauty pageant After becoming the first black Miss Ireland this year she faced similar abuse to Rehema. 'We had an amazing conversation on Instagram this past Wednesday, just to talk about our experiences being black women in the west, representing nations that we aren't necessarily ethnically from but are proud to represent. 'The conversation that we have is amazing. It was so it was a great education for people that were watching just to get insight into who we are'. Praising her, host Alison Hammond - who was born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents - asked: 'How did you cope with that? Because I've experienced exactly the same sort of things. Pride: The 26-year-old, who had also won the first ever Miss All African Colours contest earlier this year, said her family in Kenya were supportive of her 'Do you ignore, did you answer or did you just delete, block' 'I try not to read messages as much as I can because I was just overwhelmed,' Rehema said.' 'It's not helpful for your mind. But when I do happen to see any messages, I have a great support system. 'My family a great my friends are great and the Miss England team are great just to reassure me that you know, that beautiful you're more than that, you know, whatever is missing. It's not representative.'. Rehema, who was in an abusive relationship that saw he stalked and harassed for two years, said she wants to use her platform to educate girls about healthy relationships and support women in science. 'My degree in genetics is understanding that we need more women, more young girls getting representation within the STEM field, more women of colour too.'. The Prince of Wales donned his full regalia today as he attended the Order of the Bath service at Westminster Abbey. Charles, 73, looked stern as he entered the Abbey in an elaborate red robe with gold embellishments and a full train atop his military uniform. The royal will perform the Order of the Bath service, which is held every four years and honours officers of the Armed Services and civil servants. It is a role traditionally done by the monarch, however Charles is performing the duties in his role as Great Master of the Honourable Order of the Bath. The Prince of Wales donned his full regalia today as he attended the Order of the Bath service at Westminster Abbey. Charles, 73, looked stern as he entered the Abbey in an elaborate red robe with gold embellishments and a full train atop his military uniform The heir first stepped in for the Queen at the Order of the Bath Service in 2014, after aides feared that the steps at the Abbey were 'too steep' for her while dressed in full regalia. During the ceremony today, the installation of Knights Grand Cross of the Order will take place. It comes as it was announced the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will guest star in a special EastEnders episode in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. In the special programme, Charles and Camilla, 74 will surprise the residents of Albert Square at a street party held to celebrate the monarch's 70 years on the throne. The royal will perform the Order of the Bath service, which is held every four years and honours officers of the Armed Services and civil servants It is a role traditionally done by the monarch, however Charles is performing the duties in his role as Great Master of the Honourable Order of the Bath The royal couple filmed the scenes in March when they visited the new Elstree set and met the cast and crew of the long-running BBC soap opera. Viewers have already seen Mick Carter, played by Danny Dyer, decide to throw a Jubilee party for the Square. Charles has been stepping into more roles lately that would traditionally be held by his mother especially as royal duties heat up ahead of the jubilee. The Queen will not take the royal salute at the Trooping the Colour next month for the first time in 70 years, as she continues to delegate responsibility to senior members of The Firm. The heir first stepped in for the Queen at the Order of the Bath Service in 2014, after aides feared that the steps at the Abbey were 'too steep' for her while dressed in full regalia During the ceremony today, the installation of Knights Grand Cross of the Order will take place The heir (pictured today ) first stepped in for the Queen at the Order of the Bath Service in 2014, after aides feared that the steps at the Abbey were 'too steep' for her while dressed in full regalia Her Majesty's birthday, on June 2nd, has historically seen the monarch's personal troops, the Household Division on Horse Guards Parade, with the Queen herself attending and taking the salute. Instead this year, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal will ride on the parade as colonels of the Welsh Guards, the Irish Guards and the Blues and Royals. According to the Sunday Times , Her Majesty still hopes to attend some of the ceremony, which kicks off four days of celebration to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee . It comes as it was announced the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will guest star in a special EastEnders episode in honour of the Queen 's Platinum Jubilee . The Prince of Wales (pictured, centre left) and Duchess of Cornwall (pictured, centre right) will appear in a special Eastenders episode marking the Platinum Jubilee. Pictured here during a visit to the Elstree in March, meeting cast members Kellie Bright (left) and Danny Dyer (right) The news comes as the 96-year-old monarch continues to entrust members of the Royal Family with increased responsibilities as she faces 'episodic mobility problems'. Earlier this month, Her Majesty missed the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years, with Prince Charles and Prince William given power to jointly act at the event on the Queen's behalf. She has though made four recent public outings this month, including attending the Windsor Horse Show, star-studded Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Windsor, the Chelsea flower show and the opening of the Elizabeth Tube line, appearing in good spirits at all of them. The Grand Duke of Russia and his wife have announced they are expecting their first child together. Grand Duke George Romanov, 40, and his wife Victoria, also 40, who live in Moscow, have shared on Instagram that their baby is due this autumn. A statement revealed that Victoria is in good health and does not intend to postpone any of her engagements, but might reduce her outings as her due date approaches. This happy news comes just eight months after George and Victoria tied the knot during a glitzy St Petersburg ceremony. Grand Duke George Romanov, 40, and his wife Victoria, 40, who live in Moscow, have shared on Instagram that their baby is due for the Autumn A statement shared in English by George's official account read: 'H.I.H. Their Heir Tsesarevich and Grande Duke George and his spouse, H.S.H. Princess Victoria are pleased to announced that Princess Victoria is expecting a baby in the autumn of this year. 'H.I.H The Grand Duchess Maria, Head of the Imperial House of Russia, has received this news with great joy and gratitude to God. 'The Princess is in excellent health and for the moment, does not intend to cancel or postpone any current engagements, although she may well limit her acceptance of new commitments as autumn approaches.' The couple, who have called for peace in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, did not reveal the gender of their baby. This happy news comes just eight months after George and Victoria tied the knot during a glitzy St Petersburg ceremony last October This comes less than a year after the couple married in St Petersburg. Victoria and George said their vows at the Saint Isaac's cathedral in the former imperial capital Saint Petersburg in the presence of dozens of royals. The bride donned a stunning white satin gown which featured a high neck, long sleeves and a billowing skirt, as well as a glittering diamond tiara, which was designed by Chaumet, official jeweller to Empress Josephine and Napoleon. Born in Madrid, Romanov is the son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanova, the self-proclaimed heir to Russia's imperial throne. She is the granddaughter of Grand Duke Kirill, a cousin of Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar who was executed along with his wife and five children by the Bolsheviks in 1918. The news was announced shared on George's Instagram account. The gender of the baby was not revealed at this time George is distantly related to the British royal family, and is the great-great-great-great grandson of Nicholas II of Russia, who was cousins with Britain's George V, and Alexandra Fedorovna, who was Queen Victorias granddaughter. Meanwhile he is also the godson of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, King Constantine of Greece, and King Simeon of Bulgaria. Romanov, who graduated from Oxford and spent much of his life in France, met Bettarini in Brussels, where he worked in the European Parliament. Bettarini converted to the Orthodox faith last year and changed her name to Victoria Romanovna. Romanov also held jobs at Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel before moving to Russia three years ago. A statement revealed that Victoria is in good health and does not intend to postpone any of her engagements, but might reduce her outings as her due date approaches The couple met as youngsters, with Rebecca often accompanying her father to official receptions where they crossed paths. Later, they both started working in international companies and met again at a reception at the French embassy in Brussels. After living in Belgium for six years, the couple moved to Russia, where he works as a lawyer, and she works as a writer. The couple first lived in the Moscow suburbs before relocating to the city centre next to the Kremlin. Now Romanov works on several charity projects. Romanov said he believes European and Russian royals could help Moscow and the West mend fraying ties. 'I think that we can be ambassadors of goodwill.' A three-year-old who is Britain's youngest royal superfan, according to her mother, was royally unimpressed during an appearance on ITV's This Morning. Alex Fairhurst, who lives in Wigan, told presenter Alison Hammond that her three-year-old daughter Isla Bates has been touring care homes dressed up as the Queen to celebrate the monarch's Jubilee. She said the toddler makes 'everybody smile and laugh', while claiming Isla loves it and 'likes all the attention'. But Isla seemed less than enthused with being on TV and when asked to do a royal wave, she instead swung her toy corgi around by the tail, after ignoring Alison's questions. While viewers loved Isla's antics, some claimed Alex was making her dress up to get 'five seconds of fame'. Alex Fairhurst, who lives in Wigan, told presenter Alison Hammond (pictured left) her three-year-old daughter Isla (pictured centre) is a royal superfan Isla (pictured) dressed as the Queen for the daytime show, complete with a matching coat and hat with pearl necklace The segment began with Alison claiming that while Holly Willoughby and Philip Scofield were broadcasting from Buckingham Palace, she felt like she was 'in the presence of royalty' thanks to her young guest. Alison said: 'How are you doing Isla? Are you alright? You look absolutely beautiful and you're dressed up as the Queen aren't you?' When Isla didn't respond, Alison continued: 'Are you dressed up as the Queen?' Isla nodded slowly before responding that she likes pears and pulled her pearl necklace over her face. Alex (pictured right) told Alison that Isla 'likes all of the attention' and they dressed her up as the Queen after seeing a child in America dressed as the royal for Halloween Laughing, Alex said: 'My mum saw a toddler in America dressed up as the Queen for Halloween, sent it to me beginning of this year. 'We decided, let's do it with Isla and link it with the Jubilee.' 'Is she absolutely loving it?,' Alison asked. Alex said: 'She is. She likes all of the attention. 'I'm the recruitment lead at Newcare so we've been to eight of our homes across England. We've got two more left tomorrow.' Talking to Isla, Alison said: 'What do you liked best about going on tour and seeing all the old people and staff? What do you love about it Isla?' 'You like the parties don't you and the digging of the trees. You like planting the trees don't you?,' Alex said. 'The Queen's green canopy - we've been planting the trees to make a difference to the environment for the long lasting legacy of the Queen.' Isla began to swing a toy corgi around the studio despite Alison asking her to demonstrate her royal wave Alex claimed everyone's reaction to Isla dressed up as the Queen has been 'outstanding' and she has made 'everybody smile and laugh.' Seemingly uninterested, Isla began swinging a toy corgi and ignoring Alison's request to demonstrate her royal wave. 'Everybody has been overwhelmed to be part of our journey and I think it will be one to remember,' Alex added. Alison suggested that Isla wasn't willing to show her royal wave because she's 'star struck' as she continued to speak to Alex about their visit to Buckingham Palace. Alex said: 'It was amazing, but we couldn't get as close as we wanted to. Isla really wanted to go inside which we couldn't do.' Alison lifted Isla back onto the sofa as she playfully tried to encourage the three-year-old to speak about her love of dressing up as the Queen Isla lifted her hat and wig off her head saying, 'I'm chopping my hair off' as Alex tried to tell viewers about their visit to Buckingham Palace Alex tried to convince Isla to stay seated despite the toddler saying she wanted to go over to the afternoon tea Alison told Isla to sit next to her and lifted her back onto the sofa as she playfully asked, 'Is Isla there though? Is Isla under there? Where is Isla? Is she under there?' Isla lifted her hat and wig off as Alex laughed. Alison said: 'There she is, there's our Isla. Hiya lovely. Why do you like being the Queen Isla?' Isla responded: 'I'm chopping my hair off.' 'I want to do that now,' Isla said, while getting up from the sofa and walking towards the table containing afternoon tea. Alex tried to convince Isla to sit back down and show her wave, however the toddler began throwing herself back and forth on the sofa. Alison told Isla to pour some orange juice from the tea pot as she tried to get the toddler to interact during the interview Alison presented Isla with a hamper full of royal souvenirs and a ticket for a guided tour of Buckingham Palace Alison told Isla to pour some orange juice from the tea pot as she revealed a hamper filled with royal souvenirs including tickets for a guided tour at Buckingham Palace in the summer. 'Does that sound good Isla?,' Alison asked, as the three-year-old continued to rip open the boxes in the hamper. 'Isla, we're going to go to the palace properly,' Alex laughed as she thanked Alison. The mother added that her grandfather is a veteran and has always wanted to be apart of anything royal. A flood of viewers took to Twitter amused by Isla's lack of interest throughout the segment. One person wrote: 'Might as well have dragged a random kid in off the street & dressed her up as the Queen. This one isn't interested.' Another said: 'Isla has no idea who the Queen is, she doesn't give a crap. Reckon she was about a minute away from trashing the place' Many commenters praised Alison for continuing the segment, despite Isla seeming uninterested throughout A third commented: 'She doesn't care, she just wans to see what's in the basket' A fourth added: 'Poor Alison, that was painful. Don't know if the girl or mum was more uninterested.' Others blasted Alex, with one writing: 'Kid doesn't want to be dressed as the Queen. Pushy parent.' 'Well Isla couldn't give a toss, didn't even hear a thank you for any of that what Alison gave her. Perhaps mum should push more for manners rather than being the Queen's 'super fan',' another said. A third added: 'Isla's going to need answers when she realises what her mom put her through just to get 5 secs of fame. I have a toddler and would never do this. Poor kid.' Advertisement The Duke of Cambridge today praised brilliant, brave and inspirational bowel babe Dame Deborah James as he met some of the staff who treated her. He also donned medical scrubs and viewed first hand pioneering robotic surgery delivering faster, more accurate treatment to cancer patients on a visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea where Dame Deborah was a patient. Earlier this month William, who is President of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, privately visited her at home in Woking, Surrey, where she has been discharged for home hospice care with her family. Dame Deborah was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has spent the last five years giving a candid account of her treatment via the You, Me and the Big C Podcast as well as raising more than 6 million for cancer research. Speaking to patient Lorraine Kimber, 59, from Essex, who is currently undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer and knows Mrs James well, the prince described his meeting with her. She was incredible, incredible. She was surrounded by her family, we had a lovely afternoon, he said. The Duke of Cambridge today praised brilliant, brave and inspirational bowel babe Dame Deborah James as he met some of the staff who treated her Earlier this month William, who is President of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, privately visited Deborah at home in Woking, Surrey, where she has been discharged for home hospice care with her family Mrs Kimber remarked that he had been able to help her create some fantastic memories. William said: You know shes had over 100 tumours. Which is unbelievable. I couldnt believe that. The resilience you have to have to keep going back again, its got to be very draining on you. Consultant Interventional Radiologist Dr Nicos Fotiadis, who also treated Dame Deborah, thanked William for going to see her at home as it sent a powerful message. You lead from the front and we are very happy about that, he told William. The royal replied, slightly embarrassed at the praise: No, no. It is important to acknowledge and recognise people like Deborah who do such an awful lot to help other people in very difficult circumstances. Shes done a brilliant job. William asked Mrs Kimber: Tell me a bit more about what she has done for cancer. Obviously shes been brilliant at raising the profile, as she put it she made bowel cancer sexy. Those are her words not mine. Mrs Kimber said: Shes been am ambassador for everyone. She is amazing inside and out. We all have our own difficult cancer journeys and for her its been over five years, but she always, always took time out for other people. We go to meet literally in a chemotherapy clinic and we built our friendship through that. I saw first-hand the time she took for people. And going forward, what she has done is fantastic for the Marsden, fantastic for the cancer community and what a legacy we have. And she is still thinking of others even now. I have been honoured to call her a friend. Its difficult now. The Duke of Cambridge (left), 39, observed a robotic microwave ablation procedure at the Royal Marsden hospital in west London The team here are incredible. Its an absolute privilege to be a patient here. The prince was then introduced to the team of staff who treated her: chief nurse Mairead Griffin, deputy chief nurse Jo Waller and ward sister Rowena Trono. He told them: She was on amazing form when I saw her. She always is, she is always brightly dressed, always got her hair and make-up done. Doing tik toks with the staff and patients. And forever sitting outside in the sunshine to meet other patients. Waving at people outside. Just so positive, Ms Waller said. She was here for a few months at the end and the main part of our goal was to get out and see her family. We tailored treatments so that she could get outside more and do that, Mothers Day and things like that.. Deborah (pictured) was honoured with a Damehood after raising millions of pounds for charity since last week as she revealed she was receiving end-of-life care The former headteacher (pictured right, with children Eloise, 12, Hugo, 14 and husband Sebastien Bowen) was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and has kept her more than 500,000 Instagram followers up to date with her treatments Prince William said he found it 'very difficult' speaking to Deborah's children Hugo, 14, and daughter, Eloise, 12, during the visit last week HOW DEPUTY HEAD TURNED SOCIAL MEDIA STAR HAS TRANSFORMED BOWEL CANCER AWARENESS In 2018, Deborah (left) joined Lauren Mahon (front) and Rachael Bland (right) to present the award-winning podcast You, Me and the Big C on Radio 5 Live. Bland tragically died of breast cancer on September 5th that year; her husband Steve Bland now co-presents the show In December 2016, the West London mother-of-two, a deputy head, was diagnosed 'late' with incurable bowel cancer After sharing her experiences on living with the disease on social media, Deborah became known as the 'Bowel Babe' In 2018, she became one of three presenters on Radio 5 Live's You, Me and the Big C, which was conceived by her late co-host Rachael Bland On September 5th 2018, Welsh journalist and presenter Bland, diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, died at the age of 40 Deborah and her co-host Lauren Mahon continue to present the show, with Steve Bland, Rachael's husband, joining the duo On social media and in her column for the Sun newspaper, Deborah has documented the many chemo, radiotherapy sessions and surgery she's had since During her treatment, Deborah told followers on Instagram 'By my general lack of being on here (dancing!), that Things have moved (in the wrong direction) very quickly cancer wise.' Pictured: Deborah James undergoing a scan at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London In 2019, she had a procedure known as CyberKnife, a highly targeted form of radiotherapy to attack an inoperable lymph node close to her liver The pandemic's impact on cancer services saw her campaign for care to continue as normal and, earlier this year, she launched the ITV's Lorraine's 'No Butts' campaign, raising awareness on bowel cancer symptoms Since last year, she has been taking new experimental drugs as part of a trial after her oncology team gave her the green light to do so August, Deborah revealed that scans she's had in recent days have revealed her cancer has gone in the 'wrong direction very quickly' She told followers she would be taking a break on social media over the weekend to 'snuggle' with her family ahead of more scans The mother-of-two said a new 'rapidly-growing' tumour near her liver had wrapped itself around her bowel On October 1, Deborah celebrates her 40th birthday By October 18, the mother-of-two told her followers her chemotherapy is working Days later, she was rushed to A&E with 'spiking 40 degree temperatures' In November, she reveals she is unable to walk for more than 20 minutes and remains 'very weak' By December, Deborah said she was 'not sure what her options were' after her liver stent 'stopped working' In January, she had five operations in 10 days after nearly dying in an acute medical emergency January 25, Deborah returns home from hospital after three weeks March 14, the mother-of-two is back in hospital as an in-patient after suffering from septic infection In April, she concerned fans with snaps after suffering 'a rough few days' April 14, the mother-of-two tells fans she has been discharged from hospital but calls the situation 'very tough' April 27, she tells Lorraine that she has spent '80 per cent' of the year in hospital May 9 - Deborah announces she has moved to hospice care Advertisement William said: She was jokingbecause they are a very tight family, very close, you could see that.she was joking that at last she could now drink. 'She said it was brilliant. She was triple parked and kept on joking about how many drinks she could get lined up in front of her. 'Shes realising that being at home is just where she wants to be right now, surrounded by all her loved ones. She spoke very eloquently and very knowledgably about all the cancer treatments, not just her own. 'She has obviously done her research and was very passionate about making sure the money raised goes straight towards finding more treatments, speeding things up. She was very strong about that. Its amazing really in the world we live in that still talking openly and movingly about cancer is not as common as it should be. So many people are affected by cancer. 'I love Deborah, shes fantastic. Her legacy is massive. She said bowel cancer wasnt a sexy as breast cancer, her words, but its true though. Prince William (pictured) proved himself his mother's son today when he observed a minimally-invasive treatment for cancer in medical scrubs - similar to Princess Diana's appearance 26 years ago 'There are so many cancers and some get a bit more publicity than others. And she wanted to make sure some of the less sexy, the less well-known cancers get more knowledge and understanding about them. 'I was very honoured to be able to speak to her. It felt like a very personal family moment that I was there for. It was a glorious day as well. Thank you to you all for what you have done for her. She spoke very highly about her care. It was a touching moment. Dame Deborah James says she has been 'blown away' after her charity T-shirt sells out online within hours of its launch Dame Deborah James said she was blown away after her charity T-shirt line sold out within hours of being launched. The cancer campaigner, known as Bowel Babe, announced she was releasing the tops emblazoned with the motto Rebellious Hope on Thursday as part of a new clothing range. But fans snapped up the first 10,000 T-shirts created with fashion brand In The Style within one hour. Another batch of 10,000 was then released which also sold out within minutes. The sales have raised about 140,000 for Dame Deborahs Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK with total donations soaring past 6.4million. The 40-year-old, who is receiving end-of-life care for stage four bowel cancer, told The Sun: I cant believe how quickly it sold out. I am blown away yet again. The charity T-shirt is just a sneak peek but I am so proud. Dame Deborah, whose memoir topped Amazons bestsellers chart this week, said her clothing collection will also include the dress she wore when Prince William presented her damehood. Advertisement He added: I met her children as well. It was very difficult talking to them about it but they seem to have been talking about the situation a lot. 'Thats so important in those moment that the family talk and communicate about it and the children are brought into what is going on. 'They seem like such a lovely family, the parents were there was well. It was such a very special moment, it really was. A lot of parents and families I can imagine dont know how to brooch the subject. 'Its so difficult to talk about. But they were very open. I was asked lots of questions. It got me quite moved that they wanted to hear those answers, it was so open. Thank you so much for looking after her so well. She is a brave and inspirational woman. Speaking afterwards Ms Trono said she would never forget Deborahs smile, which never faltered even at her darkest hours, and the time she gave to other patients. She recalled how she would put out of office notes on her door to signal she had gone to speak to them. Ms Griffin added: People have always been so afraid to talk about cancer but she has turned that on its head. Her openness was key. The staff admitted it had been difficult to discharge her knowing she was leaving for end of life care and everyone on the medical team had been offered debriefs with their psychological and wellbeing team. Its such a privilege to do this job, though, and help people make their life as fulfilling as possible, Ms Waller said. She said of Williams visit: He has such massive empathy and an ability to put people at ease. Hes always like that when he is hear, spending time on the wards speaking to people in no hurry to go. He really absorbs everything. His late mother was our patron and she was like that too. William also discussed the hospitals revolutionary new microwave robotic treatment which destroys a tumour without removing it, so there are no scars or stitches, with Consultant Interventional Radiologist Dr Nicos Fotiadis, who also treated Dame Deborah and patient Mrs Kimber. Honestly, Ive had more difficult dentistry over the years, Mrs Kimber said. The team make you feel at ease, the recovery time is pretty quick. The prince laughed, shocked, when she told him that she had to confess to playing tennis two days after her surgery. Seriously? exclaimed William. You should never tell a doctor that! Say you are resting! Dr Fotiadis explained how the surgery was done under general anaesthetic as it is painful but that it is a powerful tool in their armoury. The prince then donned maroon scrubs and overshoes to into theatre to witness live surgery known as robot-guided microwave ablation. In his role as President of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, William (pictured) visited the hospital's facilities today to learn about some of the innovative work that is being carried out to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment During his visit, Prince William also chatted to staff about the team's morale during the coronavirus pandemic He then watched a robotic microwave ablation, where a heat-generating probe is used to kill cancer cells This type of interventional radiology uses energy from electromagnetic waves to heat and destroy advanced cancer via a tiny probe which is inserted into the patient through a tiny incision just one to two millimetres wide. It decreases the time of the procedure, is more accurate and can access more difficult to target areas of the body. Dr Nicos described it as game changing. Robotic-guided ablation procedures are currently only available at The Royal Marsden. After leaving the theatre William made his way outside of the hospital to The Royal Marsdens Man Van, a mobile health clinic which is visiting workplaces and churches in London to improve healthcare access and the chance of early cancer diagnoses for men who are less likely to receive regular health checks. Early diagnoses of prostate and other urological cancers is likely to increase the success of treatment. The initiative, which was first launched in March this year, focusses on men of working age who often have worse prostate cancer outcomes, particularly those in manual jobs who can struggle to access healthcare, as well as men of Afro-Caribbean heritage who have roughly double the risk of developing prostate cancer. William went inside the van to talk to Clinical Research fellow Dr Masood Moghul and Advanced Nurse Practitioner Fionnuala McCarthy. William listened intently about their work, which starts with encouraging men to talk about their lifestyles and undergoing a simple blood test, saying: The idea is to get ahead of the game and make it seem normal, it seems. In 2018, it was reported that the Royal Marsden has the largest and most comprehensive programme of robotic surgery for cancer in the UK, treating urological, gynaecological, head and neck, gastrointestinal and colorectal patients. Pictured, Prince William today The hospital has a poignant significance for William (pictured during his outing today) as it was the place Princess Diana visited on her first solo engagement in 1982 William (pictured right) became President of the Royal Marsden in 2007, taking over the Presidency from his mother who held the role from 1989 until her death in 1997 Father-of-three William (pictured during today's visit) also observed surgeons in the operating theatre during a visit in 2018 The Duke of Cambridge speaks to staff as he visits The Royal Marsden hospital, pictured A beaming Duke of Cambridge waves to staff during his visit to the London hospital today Can you get your results here and now? Some guys just bury things. They dont walk to talk about them. And he joked that may be they could offer their clients a free pint. Get them to have a pint and chat while they are waiting for their blood test. Funnily enough we have been trying for a while to get funding for a coffee machine, Dr Moghul told him As he left William was cheered by crowds who had gathered on the street. He was just about the step into his car when he spotted staff on the steps of the hospital and rushed back to greet them and thank them for their work. One greeted him with a squeak of excitement. The Royal Marsden opened its doors in 1851 as the worlds first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education. Today, The Royal Marsden is a world-leading cancer centre specialising in cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education with two hospitals, one in Chelsea and the other in Sutton, Surrey. Princess Diana acted as patron to the charity from 1989 and paid the hospital in Chelsea regular visits until her death in 1997. In 1996, the Princess of Wales visited Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, where she too donned surgical clothing (pictured) to watch a heart operation on a small boy from Cameroon Prince William proved himself his mother's son today when he observed a minimally-invasive treatment for cancer in medical scrubs - similar to Princess Diana's appearance 26 years ago. In his role as President of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, he visited the hospital's facilities today to learn about some of the innovative work that is being carried out to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment. Princess Diana acted as patron to the charity from 1989 and paid the hospital in Chelsea regular visits until her death in 1997. In 1996, the Princess of Wales visited Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, where she too donned surgical clothing to watch a heart operation on a small boy from Cameroon. The hospital has a poignant significance for William as it was the place Princess Diana visited on her first solo engagement in 1982. William became President of the Royal Marsden in 2007, taking over the Presidency from his mother who held the role from 1989 until her death in 1997. Today is not the first time that William has entered the operating theatre as he is believed to be the first royal to witness surgery at Marsden during a visit back in 2013. Princess Sofia showcased her trendy sense of style as she joined husband Prince Carl Philip at a charity event in Stockholm on Tuesday. The royal couple attended a performance organised in collaboration with the Tim Bergling Foundation, the real name of late Swedish DJ Avicii, who died in 2018. Mother-of-three Sofia, 37, donned a stunning lace dress from the DAY Birger et Mikkelsen AW22 collection, while Carl Philip looked equally polished in a navy suit. The event comes just days after the stylish couple celebrated Prince Carl Philip's 43rd birthday by taking to Instagram with a snap taken by Sofia. Princess Sofia showcased her trendy sense of style as she joined husband Prince Carl Philip at an event in Stockholm on Tuesday Sofia, 37, looked stylish in a stunning lace dress from the DAY Birger et Mikkelsen AW22 collection paired with a woven handbag Carl Philip (pictured centre), who seemed in good spirits, donned a navy suit with a white shirt and beige tie for a polished look Sofia teamed her cream lace dress with white court heels and a brightly coloured woven handbag. She completed the look by styling her light brown hair with a centre parting and a slight wave at the ends, while keeping her makeup relatively subtle. Prince Carl Philip teamed a navy suit with a white shirt and beige tie for an equally dashing look. The couple share three children together - Prince Alexander, five, Prince Gabriel, four and Prince Julian, who was born last year. The Swedish royals spoke animatedly as they spoke with participants as 9,000 students, teachers and people from the business community attended the event The 'Catwalk Live - A Manifestation of Everyone's Right to Shine' demonstration was organised to empower participants. Pictured: Princess Sofia on stage during the event Today, they spent time talking with some of the 9,000 students, teachers and adults from the business community at Glada Hudik Theater, Avicii Arena. Avicii, whose real name was Tim Bergling, died by suicide during a holiday with friends in Oman on 20 April 2018, aged 28 - two years after stepping away from the spotlight. The artist shot to worldwide fame in 2011 with his song Levels yet he stopped touring in 2016 following a battle with alcohol and opioid addiction. Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip took to the stage during the event in collaboration with the Tim Bergling Foundation Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia had a good relationship with the DJ; he performed during their 2015 wedding reception and the royal couple attended a tribute concert to Avicii in 2019, where all proceeds went to charities supporting mental health awareness. After the announcement of his death, the royal duo released a statement saying: We are grateful that we got to know him. He made our wedding unforgettable with his amazing music. The couple attended the opening of a new interactive museum dedicated to the Swedish DJ earlier this year. They cut the red ribbon to open the museum alongside Avicii's father Klas Bergling and the curator Ingmarie Halling. With the weather cooling down across Australia, travellers are flocking up north to chase the sun - and one stunning spot is attracting hundreds of visitors. Python Pool is a spectacular oasis in the middle of the Pilbara desert, less than a two hour drive inland from the mining town of Karratha, Western Australia. Nestled in the stunning Milstream-Chichester Range National Park renowned for its natural beauty, Python Pool is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike for its refreshing green waters and show-stopping scenery. The spectacular Python Pool in the middle of the desert in Western Australia's Pilbara region is attracting throngs of tourists Python Pool is a spectacular oasis in the middle of the Pilbara desert, less than two hours' drive inland from the mining town of Karratha Those who have visited have been capturing breath taking images of the ghost gum tree-lined natural lake. With the weather in the Pilbara peaking around 30C in the dry winter months, the magnificent pool encased by towering red rock walls is the perfect picnic spot. Being so remote, the only noises that can break the eerie silence are from the local bird life that echo off the rock faces. Nestled in the stunning Milstream-Chichester Range National Park, Python Pool is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike for its refreshing green waters and show-stopping scenery Being so remote, the only noises that can break the eerie silence are from the local bird life that echo off the rock faces With the weather in the Pilbara peaking around 30C in the dry winter months, the magnificent pool encased by towering red rock walls is the perfect picnic spot In the shallows, the water is clear enough to see the small fish that inhabit the pool that occasionally come close enough to nibble your toes The waters are suitable for swimming but contrastingly cold so many visitors being a floatation device to enjoy the water and stay warm In the shallows, the water is clear enough to see the small fish that inhabit the pool that occasionally come close enough to nibble your toes. Some lucky visitors may be able to see the waterfall flowing which comes after a rare bout of Pilbara winter rain. The waters are suitable for swimming but contrastingly cold so many visitors being a floatation device to enjoy the water and stay warm. Python Pool is accessed by 4WD down a rocky unsealed track off Roebourne-Wittenoom Road and is just an easy 200-metre walk from the small car park. Blood cleaning, brain-stimulating massages, electromagnetic energy zaps, vitamin cocktails or even having your cells energy boosted. These are just some of the costly treatments being touted by clinics in the UK and abroad that promise to treat long Covid. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 1.7 million people in the UK report having long Covid defined as symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog that last for at least two months. Around half say their symptoms have lasted for a year or more. In response, private clinics are marketing a range of therapies to tackle long Covid. However, experts say these have no scientifically accepted proof of effectiveness (even the NHSs long Covid services are providing unproven therapies). Yet several private UK clinics are offering intravenous drip treatments with cocktails of supplements said to help with recovery. For instance, the private London Clinic of Nutrition, is marketing an intravenous (IV) nutrient therapy for long Covid, as well as high-quality supplements and bespoke herbal formulas. Blood cleaning, brain-stimulating massages, electromagnetic energy zaps, vitamin cocktails or even having your cells energy boosted. These are just some of the costly treatments being touted by clinics in the UK and abroad that promise to treat long Covid. A file photo is used above It also offers diagnostic tests for long Covid: Mitochondrial Organic Acid testing and Adrenal stress profiling. Our mitochondria are essentially the batteries in our cells, but this test has not been approved for long Covid by the usual medical authorities. As for adrenal stress, a review of evidence in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders in 2016 declared that the condition a sort of hormonal exhaustion does not exist. The clinic has not responded to requests from Good Health for explanations about its treatments. When it comes to IV nutrient therapy, the website says these vary from 90 to 350 per session depending on the type of the nutrient mixture. Meanwhile, the Hale Clinic in Harley Street is offering vitamin drips that are redesigned by our infusion specialists in light of the Covid-19 virus to build strength. It claims its infusions directly target the immune system to help build resistance to viruses and diseases. These claims are being made despite a ruling in May 2020 by the Advertising Standards Authority that clinics must not claim IV drips can prevent or treat Covid because theres no scientific evidence to show they can. The Hale Clinic did not respond to our request for comment. Other practitioners claim massage may help. A company in Herefordshire, for example, is encouraging people to pay to become volunteers in a UK-wide study of the Bowen Technique as a treatment for long Covid. Bowen practitioners claim that massaging the body in a specific order stimulates nerve pathways between the brain and tissue to have a conversation. While there is no evidence in reputed scientific journals, UK practitioners claim impressive early results with long Covid. There are also claims being made online for an electronic bio-resonance machine sold on the resonator.uk website, to help people with long Covid. In June last year the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint by the UK safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), against claims made on the Resonator Facebook page and website that its 97 battery-powered gadget emits energy waves that can kill mutated viruses that cause long Covid. The ads must not appear again in the form complained of, the ASAs ruling says. We told Resonator.uk [a company based in Chichester, West Sussex] to ensure they did not make medical claims for a product, unless it was a CE-marked medical device and they held sufficient evidence to support efficacy claims. Bowen practitioners claim that massaging the body in a specific order stimulates nerve pathways between the brain and tissue to have a conversation. A file photo is used above The website is still running, however, with its claim that for long Covid using the Resonator every day until symptoms disappear will ensure a body free of the virus. This generally takes a week or two. The firms owner, Anthony Grant, told Good Health: The Resonator is not a medical device and does not require a CE mark. He also claims the Resonator is a very serious device, and if every home had one, there could never be another pandemic. Meanwhile, desperate long Covid patients are travelling abroad and paying thousands of pounds for private treatments yet to be proven for their condition. The Kempten hospital, near Munich, offers a blood purification process called apheresis that was developed originally for heart attack patients. This removes tiny blood clots from the body some scientists believe minute blood clots can be a consequence of viral infection and thus potentially to blame for long Covid symptoms. I know patients are going to Germany for apheresis, says Amitava Banerjee, a professor of clinical data science and a consultant cardiologist at University College London. Its an invasive treatment and I know of no strong evidence to support its use for long Covid. Professor Banerjee, who is the co-principal investigator of the STIMULATE-ICP study, a government-funded initiative to establish how to diagnose and manage long Covid, says his email inbox is full of people asking about private treatments or diagnostics. I also see patients who have spent thousands flying abroad for things that currently lack medical evidence, he says. They feel theyve been failed by clinicians and dont know what to do. Which brings us to the question: what is the NHS offering? The UK has more than 80 specialist NHS long Covid clinics that take referrals from GPs and are staffed with doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and mental health professionals. And while much of what they offer (such as physiotherapy) may have been proven for other conditions, none has been the subject of a major trial for long Covid. Last July, the Department of Health and Social Care trumpeted the news that 15 new medical studies covering more than 4,500 long Covid patients were being launched at a cost of 20 million. Thousands of people suffering from long Covid will benefit from new research programmes to help better understand the condition, improve diagnosis and find new treatments, it said at the time. When Good Health asked for updates on progress, a spokeswoman would only say: An extensive programme of 22 research studies is currently ongoing. Professor Banerjee says there is still a lot of mystery surrounding long Covid. Its definitely a syndrome but we havent fully defined it yet, he says. We have potentially several different diseases within a disease. Were not quite there yet with knowing the mechanisms or the medications to use. Patients are understandably getting frustrated and feel that we are not moving quickly enough. And because there has been a gap in provision of long Covid treatment, some private companies have been quick off the block to sell things that purport to fill it. But we should be really worried about anyone who says they fully understand long Covid and have a curative treatment for it, because there is no evidence for that yet in global scientific communities. Dr David Strain, a senior clinical lecturer at Exeter University Medical School, is also working to find new ways to diagnose and treat long Covid. He warns: These private clinics have popped up because at the moment no one knows what the proper treatment is. But if you see a clinic that offers to cure your long Covid, then they are lying. No one can offer a cure for long Covid because we dont even know what long Covid is doing to people yet let alone how we can fix it. Advertisement America's monkeypox tally rose to seven presumptive cases Tuesday, health chiefs revealed today as a man in Washington state and an individual in South Florida was probed for the virus that is rampaging globally. Officials in Washington said a man in King County which includes Seattle tested positive for the family of viruses that includes monkeypox after recently returning from abroad. He is now isolating at home and awaiting confirmatory test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health chiefs warn it is a 'possibility' that other cases will crop up in the state, although say they have found 'no evidence' of onward transmission so far. Florida also revealed a second suspected case today in another individual from Broward County which borders Miami. It was not clear whether this was linked to the first reported Sunday in the same county. America now has six suspected cases of monkeypox, with one also in New York City and two in Utah. One case has been confirmed in Boston, Massachusetts, so far. None of the individuals have been named, but the CDC revealed Monday that they were all male and had travelled internationally over the last month. Globally, the total has surged to more than 170 cases confirmed in at least 20 nations mostly in Europe including the UK, France and Italy. Cases are being disproportionately detected among gay and bisexual men, with experts suggesting the outbreak is linked to sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium. Concerns have also been raised that the disease endemic to west Africa has evolved to become more infectious after tests revealed it had acquired an extra 50 mutations. But the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that there was no sign the virus had become more transmissible. Washington today became the fifth state to reveal it was probing a case of monkeypox. Another infection has also been detected in Florida, although it is not clear if this is linked to the first case The above map shows the number of cases that are confirmed and suspected across the world, including in the US. The outbreak is mostly focused in Europe at present The disease, first discovered in lab monkeys in the late 1950s, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. It can kill up to 10 percent of people it infects. But this outbreak is of the milder, West African, strain of the virus which has a mortality rate of around one in every 100 cases. Monkeypox has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Patients then remain infectious for as long as they have warning signs of the disease. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can also develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Moderna testing monkeypox vaccine in the US and Europe Moderna has revealed it is testing a potential monkeypox vaccine in the U.S. and Europe. The major Covid vaccine manufacturer said it was taking the action amid concern at the World Health Organization over the outbreak. Its vaccine is currently at the 'pre-clinical level' and it is unclear which technology it would use. Monkeypox is normally found in west Africa where it spreads to humans from animals including squirrels. But a recent spate of cases has seen it crop up in countries where it is not normally found. European health chiefs warn the virus could become endemic on the continent if it manages to spread to animals there. Advertisement In Washington state local health chief Dr Jeff Duchin said there was currently 'no evidence' of further spread in the area although he did not rule it out. 'The risk to the public is low,' he said, 'but it's important for clinicians and the public to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors for monkeypox'. More than 200 people, mostly health care workers, are currently being monitored for monkeypox infection in Massachusetts. But the risk that the individuals have caught the virus is low, because it typically requires sustained skin-to-skin contact. U.S. officials were monitoring six people for a potential infection after they sat within three rows of a case on a seven-hour flight from Nigeria to the UK. There has been no subsequent report that any tested positive. Monkeypox is generally spread through touching infectious skin lesions, but can also be passed on through droplets in the air. At a CDC briefing yesterday Dr John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist at the agency, said in this outbreak many patients had lesions in the genital area. He added that in some instances they are being mistaken for a 'very bad' case of herpes. The CDC said yesterday that it had opened vaccination stocks to treat 'high risk' people exposed to the virus. More than 1,000 doses of Jynneous a vaccine which can treat both monkeypox and smallpox are now being given to high-risk individuals in the United States. People receiving the shot can get their first jab shortly after potential exposure to bolster their immunity levels. They must also get a second jab within four weeks. The CEO of Bavarian Nordic which makes the vaccine revealed Tuesday they had been inundated with calls. He told CNBC: 'We are ramping up production as we speak and hopefully will be able to provide doses. We have already provided some doses to some European countries, and we are doing so with more this week.' People who are infected with monkeypox often suffer from severe rashes, skin lesions and flu like symptoms. The virus kills around one-in-ten people it infects, though there is belief that the current strain making its way around the world has a mortality rate of one percent Concerns have been raised that monkeypox has evolved 'far more' than expected, as the virus usually only seen in western Africa continues to sweep the world. Portuguese virologists, tasked with conducting Covid-like studies to trace the virus's evolution, claim the strain currently circulating is very similar to one that cropped up in Britain four years ago. But samples taken from a handful of patients struck down in the fresh outbreak suggest the virus has collated an extra 50 mutations. Researchers wrote that this was 'far more than one would expect considering the estimated substitution rate for orthopoxviruses'. They also warned that an 'evolutionary jump' like with the Covid Omicron strain may have created a 'hyper-mutated virus'. Meanwhile, the Danish manufacturer of the smallpox vaccine, which is also effective against monkeypox, last year warned outbreaks were becoming more frequent. It claimed it could be down to the virus's 'genetic evolution'. But experts are still analyzing the monkeypox genome and the WHO said yesterday there was no sign that it had mutated. The current strain circulating globally is much milder than other viruses. The monkeypox outbreak that has swept the globe has churned up dozens of bogus conspiracy theories about its origins, how it is spread and its symptoms. Some of the myths being peddled online include that the outbreak is actually just a 'cover up' of vaccine-induced shingles and that AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine causes monkeypox. Others have wrongly suggested the virus leaked from the Chinese lab at the heart of Covid's origin debate, and that eating meat in Britain may give someone monkeypox. Here, MailOnline dismisses some of the bogus claims gaining most traction on social media. Conspiracy theories swirl in China that monkeypox was deliberately leaked by the United States Chinese social media users are saying the US could be the source of the rise in monkeypox cases, with conspiracy theories stating the US deliberately leaked the virus which has now spread to at least a dozen countries. A hashtag on the US reporting two cases of monkeypox has attracted more than 51 million views on Weibo as of Monday. The infectious disease became a trending topic on the platform after cases were found in the UK, Spain and Australia. Chinese state media has accused the United States of intentionally spreading Covid, which originated in China, but has so far held back from taking the same approach with monkeypox. Advertisement Monkeypox is NOT just shingles A picture of the tell-tale rash of shingles was used to illustrate a monkeypox story published by The Health Site, described as India's fastest growing medical info page. Social media users quickly noticed it, and have since peddled it as 'proof' that the world's monkeypox outbreak is fake. Both infections can cause itchy blisters despite being caused by two separate viruses. However, shingles usually appears on the tummy and chest and only one side of the body. With monkeypox, a rash often begins on the face before spreading to other parts of the body, including the genitals. But social media users latched on to the picture as supposed evidence that the monkeypox outbreak was actually only shingles. Conspiracy theorists also posted what appears to be fake a screenshot from a Canadian TV network, which stated that 95 per cent of suspected cases detected across the country actually turned out to be shingles. Although, this is not the case. Other anti-vaxx critics have since tried to pin shingles on the Covid jabs, claiming that monkeypox is being used as a 'cover story' for a side effect. Some described it as a known 'adverse reaction' to the jab. None of the Covid vaccines can cause monkeypox, however. Only a 'few' cases of shingles have been recorded following mRNA jabs, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. Shingles is rarely life-threatening. For comparison, the circulating monkeypox strain is estimated to kill around one in 100 people. AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine does NOT cause monkeypox AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine causes monkeypox, according to one completely bogus conspiracy theory. The suggestion was even peddled by boyband Right Said Fred. Twitter users posted a snip of a leaflet given alongside the AZ jab, which states the dose contains 'chimpanzee adenovirus vector', in an attempt to convince others of the falsehood. Adenoviruses are a different family to orthopoxviruses, the technical classification for monkeypox. The vaccine does contains the chimpanzee adenovirus, which has been genetically modified to contain material carried by the coronavirus so that the body recognises it. However, it cannot physically grow in humans. AstraZeneca's vaccine, originally developed by Oxford University researchers, has been given to millions of people and has been repeatedly proven to save lives. One epidemiologist at the US CDC, tasked with containing America's outbreak, said: 'Monkeypox is called Monkeypox because it was first discovered in infected monkeys in laboratories. Thats it. 'Getting AstraZenecas vaccine wont give you monkeypox. Period. 'Please stop with this outlandish theory.' AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine causes monkeypox, according to one completely bogus conspiracy theory. The suggestion was even peddled by boyband Right Said Fred Monkeys are NOT definitely to blame for monkeypox Despite decades of searching for the natural reservoir of monkeypox, health chiefs are no closer to an answer. The disease itself was first discovered in laboratory monkeys who became infected in the late 1950s, hence the name. Since then, various animal species in west and central Africa have been named as potential carriers of this pox virus. 'This includes rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, non-human primates,' according to the World Health Organization. Chickenpox is not named after chickens. Instead, its name is believed to originate from the rash, which can resemble pecks marks caused by a chicken. Wild claims are circulating social media that the NHS has warned eating meat will give you monkeypox Eating meat will NOT give you monkeypox... in Britain or the majority of the world Wild claims are also circulating on social media about the NHS issuing a 'warning to anyone who eats meat' in the wake of the outbreak. Twitter users have since wrongly stated that the health service says 'anyone who eats meat in the UK will get monkeypox'. This is not the case. The NHS does say: 'It may also be possible to catch monkeypox by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked thoroughly.' But this relates to infected wild animals in countries where the virus is endemic, like Nigeria and Cameroon. Monkeypox is not yet entrenched in animals outside of west and central Africa. The US CDC says that animal-to-human transmission may occur through 'bush meat preparation'. Until the recent outbreak - which is being spread by close contact with infected people - the virus was spread in west and central Africa, where it is endemic, by animals. In those countries, people can become infected if they eat meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked thoroughly Monkeypox has NOT leaked from Wuhan laboratory The Chinese lab at the centre of the Covid origin debate has this week found itself dragged into the monkeypox outbreak. It emerged that researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology were experimenting with monkeypox last year. Critics have since called for China to be slapped with 'crimes against humanity' for wanting 'freedom and liberty lovers dead or diseased'. The report is based on a study published in January, in which the scientists set out results from developing a PCR test for monkeypox. Although the paper, in the journal Virologica Sinica, showed the researchers toyed with the virus, only coincidence links it to the current monkeypox outbreak. The team used a fragment of monkeypox genome, less than one-third of its full size, which was described as a 'fail safe' way of preventing a leak. In contrast, the evidence around Covid leaking out of the high-security lab is much stronger. The lab at the centre of Covid origin debate has been dragged into the monkeypox outbreak after it emerged it was experimenting with monkeypox Bill Gates has NOT engineered the monkeypox outbreak The Microsoft co-founder the second richest man in the world was at the heart of a raft of conspiracies after he predicted that a coronavirus could sweep the world before the pandemic took off in early 2020. Twitter users accused him of 'experimenting on people in third world countries' and 'profiting' from health crises. Now, they have wrongly accused him of being a 'terrorist' because he warned of the possibility of a smallpox terror attack in November 2021. Others have called for him to be arrested. Smallpox is genetically very similar to monkeypox, but the two viruses are different. Most claims are based on false pre-existing narratives around the billionaire, whose foundation has heavily invested in developing vaccines. The Microsoft co-founder was at the heart of Covid conspiracies after he predicted that a coronavirus would sweep the world before the virus took off in 2020 How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 19 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Advertisement Philadelphia officials are bringing back masks in public schools in another effort to bring back face-coverings after officials implemented city-wide mask mandate last month that only remained in place for a matter of days before its subsequent lifting. Masks returned to schools in the City of Brotherly Love on Monday, with Superintendent Dr William Hite citing the increasing Covid cases in the Philadelphia for the decision in a statement on the matter last week. It is the second attempt at re-instating masks in the city in as many months. In mid-April, officials announced the case and hospitalization figures had crossed the thresholds necessary to reinstate an indoor mask mandate for public places - including schools. The bizarre decision was widely panned by residents, and no other blue cities followed the eastern Pennsylvania city's lead. Only days after the mask mandate went into place was it repealed, with officials then stating it was their plan all along to do so. Covid cases in Philadelphia county, which is mostly comprised of 1.5 million residents of the city, have jumped this month, up to around 500 per day after spending much of last month in the 300s, according to most recently available data from early last week. Deaths in the city have remained in the single digits for around two months, though. Daily Covid cases in Philadelphia county have jumped from around 300 per day to 500 per day during May, official data shows Daily Covid deaths in Philadelphia have remained in the single digits for around two months, according to official figures 'To help protect everyones health and well-being as COVID-19 case counts continue to rise in the Philadelphia area, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) has recommended that we resume universal mask wearing,' Hite said in a statement. Dr William Hite (pictured), wrote in a statement that the city's response the the virus will 'evolve' over time The order will last indefinitely, and will apply to both students and staff members at public schools in the city. There is an estimated 200,000 students and 18,000 staff members the orders will apply to. 'As weve learned since the pandemic began, the coronavirus continues to evolve and so too will our response to it,' Hite continued. On April 11, officials announced the drastic, but short-lived, decision to implement a Covid mask mandate for all indoor public places. 'Philadelphia's COVID-19 response levels allow us to be clear, transparent and predictable in our response to local conditions,' Jim Kenney, mayor of Philadelphia, said in a tweet. 'Given the rise in cases, we're moving to Level 2 on April 18 to prevent higher case rates.' 'Our city remains open; we can still go about our daily lives and visit the people and places we love while masking in indoor public spaces.' After widespread backlash, the order was lifted on April 22, only four days after it first went into effect on the 18th. 'With this steady decrease in hospitalizations with them levelling off, really we are not seeing that sustained rise that we were worried about seeing,' Dr Cheryl Bettigone said at the time. Covid cases have been rising around the nation in recent weeks, but the country's high vaccination rate combined with the relatively mild nature of the Omicron variant has meant that cases have not quite translated into deaths. The United States is averaging 108,605 cases per day as of Tuesday, an 18 percent jump over the past week, and recently eclipsed the 100,000 case per day mark for the first time since February. Deaths have remained low, though, with 344 Americans dying from the virus daily - one of the lowest figures of the pandemic that has been sustained for over a month. Other similar blue cities have managed to avoid the temptation of bringing back Covid mandates in the wake of rising cases. In New York City, health officials set the city's Covid alert level to 'high' last week, and reportedly pushed Mayor Eric Adams to reinstate and indoor mask mandate in an effort to control cases figures. The mayor was asked at a news event if he planned to follow those orders, and said 'no' on Wednesday. He also previously lifted the city's vaccine and mask mandate for indoor public places that was implemented in response to the Omicron variant wave over winter. The reinstatement of masks in Philadelphia schools comes as eligibility of the COVID-19 vaccines may be expanded. Pfizer revealed this week that trials for its three-dose vaccine in children aged six months to five years old showed 80 percent effectiveness at preventing infection from the Omicron variant. An FDA advisory meeting was scheduled in response to a new report from Pfizer - which is developing its shot as a joint project with the German company BioNTech. Unlike the previous versions of the shot, the regimen for this age group comes in three doses. The shots are also only three micrograms (mg) in size - a tenth the dosage of the 30 mg shots for adults. The New York City-based pharma giant had initially planned to make its jab for the youngest of Americans only two doses, but early results from the end of last year found that the first two doses made little impact on immunity from the virus in children aged three and four years old. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that recipients of Pfizer's antiviral Covid pill Paxlovid may have their symptoms rebound after they complete a course of the drug. The agency issued a notice on Tuesday, after reports emerged in recent months that those who received the drug where having their symptoms return after they finished treatment - even after feeling fully healed at some points. Paxlovid is believed to be the most effective treatment against the virus, and has been a favorite of the White House in recent months - with President Joe Biden even making it available for free to all infected people. Clinical trials showed it could reduce likelihood of hospitalization or death from infection by 90 percent if taken within days of symptoms first appearing, though some fear the protection may not be long-lasting. The CDC has issued a warning that some recipients of Pfizer's antiviral Covid pill Paxlovid may suffer symptoms of the virus once again after infection (file photo) 'Paxlovid continues to be recommended for early-stage treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 among persons at high risk for progression to severe disease,' the CDC wrote in the notice. '...A brief return of symptoms may be part of the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection in some persons, independent of treatment with Paxlovid and regardless of vaccination status.' Experts are not sure why this is occurring, or what could be causing a person that is seemingly fine to later start feeling sick against from the same infection. 'We had three cases in the house with the same pattern,' John Donoghue, 71, told the Boston Globe about the mysterious phenomena last month. 'The symptoms the second time were milder ... in some ways, we feel that Paxlovid did its job. It took away the extreme symptoms of the first round and reduced them very quickly in all three cases.' He reported that he, his wife and is mother, 95, all began to take the drug after contracted Covid. Each started to feel better after using Paxlovid, but and even began to test negative, before their symptoms and positive test status returned once again. The drug was widely touted by the White House as the best treatment for someone already infected by the virus (file photo) Dr Paul Sax, an infectious disease expert at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told the Globe he had heard about the same occurring in patients as well. 'We continue to monitor data from our ongoing clinical studies and real-world evidence. We have not seen any resistance to Paxlovid, and remain very confident in its clinical effectiveness,' Pfizer told DailyMail.com when asked for comment. The drug's arrival was met with fanfare among health and pharmacy experts across the world because of its successful trials. It received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in late 2021. While the New York City-based company initially ran into supply issues, hindering the rollout early on, there is reportedly an excess of the drug available in the U.S. at the moment. 'It's important to recognize treatments available today for COVID-19 have provided a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of the pandemic,' the company wrote in an email to DailyMail.com in April. 'Our trials and real-world evidence demonstrated that the treatment has the potential to save patients' lives, reduce severity of infections and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations.' Excitement for the drug was so high that President Biden even spoke of it at his State of the Union address earlier this year, and said that any American that needed the drug would have access to it. Some of those patients that did receive the drug are now reporting oddities with their infections after taking the drug, though. Experts told the Globe that the likely mechanism at play for the Donoghues, and others who have experienced similar phenomena can be described as a game of cat and mouse. 'It's literally that the Paxlovid is the cat, it suppresses the virus, and then when the cat's gone, the mice come out to play,' Dr. Michael Charness, chief of staff at Veterans Affairs Boston told the Globe. 'Paxlovid works really well while it's there, and for many people, they can eliminate the virus in a single phase of infection,' 'But for some people, maybe because it takes a little longer to ramp up immunity, they can't get rid of [all the virus] and the Paxlovid is no longer there to help.' Advertisement An eighth presumptive case of monkeypox has been detected in Northern California in an individual who recently returned from Europe, it was revealed Tuesday afternoon as the virus continued to spread globally. Health chiefs said the un-named patient came to a clinic in Sacramento County home to a city of 500,000 on May 21, just one day after returning from abroad. They are now isolating at home and contact tracing is underway including of people who shared the same flight, although they said in a briefing that the risk of other people in the state being infected was 'extremely low'. It is the third suspected case to be detected this week, after Washington announced its first case and Florida said it was probing a second on Monday. There are now seven suspected cases in the U.S. across six states on the east and west coasts, and one confirmed infection in Massachusetts. None of the patients have been named, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed Monday that they were all male and had travelled internationally over the last month. Globally, the total has surged to more than 200 confirmed infections in at least 20 nations mostly in Europe with at least another 100 now being probed. European health chiefs have warned the virus could become endemic on the continent as it is in west Africa should it spread to local wildlife. Cases are being disproportionately detected among gay and bisexual men, with experts suggesting the outbreak is linked to sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium. Concerns have also been raised that the disease has evolved to become more infectious after tests revealed it had acquired an extra 50 mutations. But the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that there was no sign the virus had become more transmissible. The suspected case in California now makes the Golden State the sixth to have at least one potential case within its borders, and brings the overall tally to eight presumptive cases The above map shows the number of cases that are confirmed and suspected across the world, including in the US. The outbreak is mostly focused in Europe at present Monkeypox, first discovered in lab monkeys in the late 1950s, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. It can kill up to 10 percent of people it infects. But this outbreak is of the milder, West African, strain of the virus which has a mortality rate of around one in every 100 cases. The disease has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Patients then remain infectious for as long as they have warning signs of the disease. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can also develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Moderna testing monkeypox vaccine in the US and Europe Moderna has revealed it is testing a potential monkeypox vaccine in the U.S. and Europe. The major Covid vaccine manufacturer said it was taking the action amid concern at the World Health Organization over the outbreak. Its vaccine is currently at the 'pre-clinical level' and it is unclear which technology it would use. Monkeypox is normally found in west Africa where it spreads to humans from animals including squirrels. But a recent spate of cases has seen it crop up in countries where it is not normally found. European health chiefs warn the virus could become endemic on the continent if it manages to spread to animals there. Advertisement Revealing the suspected case this afternoon, Sacramento public health official Dr Olivia Kaisye said the risk to people in the area was still 'extremely low'. They told a briefing: 'This case appears to be related to recent travel to Europe. 'Public Health is working with [the Department of Health] to conduct contact tracing, and risk to the general public is extremely low.' Last night officials in Washington said a man who recently returned from abroad had tested positive for the family of viruses that includes monkeypox. The individual from King County, home to Seattle is now isolating at home and awaiting confirmatory test results from the CDC. Health chiefs there say it is a 'possibility' that the monkeypox has been spread to others in the state, although at present they have found 'no evidence' of onwards transmission. Local health chief Dr Jeff Duchin said: 'The risk to the public is low, but it's important for clinicians and the public to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors for monkeypox.' Florida also revealed a second suspected case on Monday in another individual from Broward County which borders Miami. It was not clear whether this was linked to the first reported Sunday in the same county. One case has been confirmed in Massachusetts to date. Health chiefs are also probing two cases in Florida and Utah, and one case each in New York City, Washington and now California. More than 200 people, mostly health care workers, are being monitored for monkeypox infection in Massachusetts, CDC chiefs said yesterday. But the risk that the individuals have caught the virus is low, they added, because it typically requires sustained skin-to-skin contact. Health chiefs were monitoring six people for a potential infection after they sat within three rows of a case on a seven-hour flight from Nigeria to the UK. There has been no subsequent report that any tested positive. Monkeypox is generally spread through touching infectious skin lesions, but can also be passed on through droplets in the air. At a CDC briefing yesterday Dr John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist at the agency, said many of the patients in this outbreak had lesions in the genital area. He added that in some instances they are being mistaken for a 'very bad' case of herpes. The CDC said yesterday that it had opened vaccination stocks to treat 'high risk' people exposed to the virus. More than 1,000 doses of Jynneous a vaccine which can treat both monkeypox and smallpox are now being given to high-risk individuals in the United States. People receiving the shot can get their first jab shortly after potential exposure to bolster their immunity levels. They must also get a second jab within four weeks. The CEO of Bavarian Nordic which makes the vaccine revealed Tuesday they had been inundated with calls. He told CNBC: 'We are ramping up production as we speak and hopefully will be able to provide doses. We have already provided some doses to some European countries, and we are doing so with more this week.' People who are infected with monkeypox often suffer from severe rashes, skin lesions and flu like symptoms. The virus kills around one-in-ten people it infects, though there is belief that the current strain making its way around the world has a mortality rate of one percent Concerns have been raised that monkeypox has evolved 'far more' than expected, as the virus usually only seen in western Africa continues to sweep the world. Portuguese virologists, tasked with conducting Covid-like studies to trace the virus's evolution, claim the strain currently circulating is very similar to one that cropped up in Britain four years ago. But samples taken from a handful of patients struck down in the fresh outbreak suggest the virus has collated an extra 50 mutations. Researchers wrote that this was 'far more than one would expect considering the estimated substitution rate for orthopoxviruses'. They also warned that an 'evolutionary jump' like with the Covid Omicron strain may have created a 'hyper-mutated virus'. Meanwhile, the Danish manufacturer of the smallpox vaccine, which is also effective against monkeypox, last year warned outbreaks were becoming more frequent. It claimed it could be down to the virus's 'genetic evolution'. But experts are still analyzing the monkeypox genome and the WHO said yesterday there was no sign that it had mutated. The current strain circulating globally is much milder than other viruses. BP will today unveil a major deal with Abu Dhabi investors to back two hydrogen projects on Teesside. The investments, by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and renewables group Masdar, are a boost for the Government's hope to combat climate change and for the levelling up agenda. Bernard Looney, the oil giant's chief executive, said that the deal reinforces the 'world-leading role' Teesside and the UK can play in clean energy. 'We're backing Britain,' he said. Investing in Britain: BP chief executive Bernard Looney says the Teesside hydrogen production site will be world leading BP is not disclosing the figures involved. However, Louise Kingham, head of its UK business, said: 'We are talking about investments of considerable scale. 'What is really exciting is this is the first big inward investment into the hydrogen market in the UK.' The announcement comes as BP and its fellow oil giants face vociferous demands to pay a windfall tax on their profits. They stand accused of cashing in on high energy prices at the expense of hard-pressed consumers. But supporters argue that forcing them to pay extra levies on top of the higher rate they already stump up on their North Sea operations will deter them and others from investing in Britain. 'We expect to pay four to five times more tax this year, probably in excess of 1bn,' said Kingham, but she added: 'Our plans are not contingent on whether or not there is a windfall tax. Big plans: BP's UK chief Louise Kingham 'We want to invest in Britain, it is our home. But we'd love to invest more and a stable fiscal environment would be a key consideration for that.' The company plans to invest 18billion in the UK by 2030. BP is working on two sizeable hydrogen projects on Teesside in the North East of England, one 'green' and one 'blue'. Adnoc will take a 25 per cent stake in the design stage of the H2 Teesside venture, which produces 'blue' hydrogen using natural gas. Masdar will acquire a holding in HyGreen, which will generate 'green' hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. The two projects could deliver 15 per cent of the Government's 10GW target for hydrogen production in 2030. Until recently, BP's activities in the UK had been dwindling as it expanded in other markets, including in Russia through its tie-up with Putin-backed giant Rosneft. It is now severing those links. For several years it has been shifting attention back to the UK as part of a strategy to move into clean energy. Several of the business's most significant projects will be based on Teesside, which suffered badly from the decline of steel and heavy industry. The blue hydrogen initiative alone is expected to provide more than 600 direct jobs and 12,000 in the supply chain by 2027. His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE minister of industry and advanced technology, said: 'Our role in Teesside will represent Adnoc's first investment into the UK.' Payouts from UK companies surged in the first quarter of the year with shareholders lining their pockets just as many Britons are squeezed by the cost of living crisis. Dividend payments rose by just over 14 per cent in the three months to the end of March to 12billion, according to data from asset manager Janus Henderson. Oil companies were the main driver of the rise in payouts during the period as they posted soaring profits amid a surge in energy prices as a result of higher demand and supply disruptions caused by the end of pandemic restrictions and the war in Ukraine. Healthcare and telecom companies also helped to lift the figures as AstraZeneca posted the first hike in its dividend in nearly a decade and BT restored its own payout after a two-year hiatus. The rise in payouts for City investors, particularly those from oil and gas companies, is likely to fuel demands for a windfall tax to make UK corporates contribute as household budgets are squeezed. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said while the economic case for windfall tax was not clear, such policies can look like good politics as the cries gather for the Government and central bank to do something about the surge in the cost of living. It would now be a bigger surprise if we did not see a windfall tax on big oil than if we did, Mould said, adding the bosses of major energy firms should really be looking to get in early, rather than dodge the issue. The oil companies should convene with the big utilities and agree upon a suitable payment, he said. This would be good politics and from Big Oils perspective good economics, too, as they are then in charge of the debate. Around 81 per cent of companies in Janus Hendersons Global Dividend Index increased payouts during the period, while another 13 per cent held their payments at the same level. However, Jane Shoemake, client portfolio manager at Janus Henderson, warned the impact on dividends from the macroeconomic challenges facing businesses could hurt payouts in 2023. The two most recent big bear markets, from early 2000 to the end of 2002 and from late 2007 to early 2009, were somewhat different. The first followed the excesses of the dotcom boom, the second the excesses that led to the banking crash in 2008. However, I do think they are better templates into which to try to fit what is happening now, than the crash that followed the emergence of the pandemic in 2020. A 25-year-old man was killed and three people were injured after they fell off a 300ft cliff in Southern California during a hike in the early hours of Monday morning. The incident occurred at about 4.30am near Paseo Del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates after one woman in the group slipped and plunged down the cliff while going to the bathroom in the dark. The woman's three friends frantically searched for her in the dark - but in the process they also lost their footing and fell down. Jerardo Huitzil, 25, from Los Angeles, died at the scene and two women were critically injured and airlifted from the beach to a local hospital. The fourth person, Vincent Avila, 25, suffered minor injuries and managed to climb back up from the beach below and alert a passing officer at 4.30am, said Captain Steve Barber of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department. TV news helicopters showed a Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter hoisting one of the victims to a rescue vehicle at the top of the cliff One of the victims of the cliff incident is seen being hoisted up to the rescue helicopter The fourth person, Vincent Avila, 25, (pictured in hospital) suffered minor injuries and managed to climb back up from the beach below and alert a passing officer at 4.30am, said Captain Steve Barber of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department A 25-year-old man from Los Angeles died at the scene and two women were critically injured and airlifted from the beach to a local hospital. Pictured: Emergency crews were seen carrying the body of the 25-year-old victim Avila was hospitalized with broken ribs and minor kidney damage, KNBC-TV reported. He was pictured in hospital with several deep cuts and bruises to his legs and face. 'This is a miracle,' Avila's mother, Irma, said of her son being alive. TV news helicopters showed a Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter hoisting one of the victims to a rescue vehicle at the top of the cliff. Police were investigating the event as an accident, Barber said. Avila told his mother Irma that the four friends, who all knew each other from high school and often went hiking together, went to the cliffs Sunday night to hike and hang out. Irma said when one of the women went to relieve herself in the dark, she slipped and fell. The other three sat at the edge trying to find her in the dark, and they slipped too. Irma told CBS News: 'I went to the place of the accident and that's terrible. I'm in shock, believe me.' Barber said that two of the victims had told police that the group of friends had been hanging near the cliff's edge before the incident. Rescue crews were seen lowering themselves down towards the beach to rescue the victims Rescuers are seen on the beach surrounding a victim following the incident on Monday The man who survived, 25-year-old Vincent Avila of Los Angeles, was hospitalized with broken ribs and minor kidney damage, KNBC-TV reported. Pictured: The beach surrounded by cliffs in Palos Verdes Estates in California on Monday He said: 'Both of them told us they were hanging at the cliff's edge. The female who we did interview stated she slipped. And as she was starting to call, her friends, all three of them, tried to save her. And in doing so, all four of them went over the cliff.' Palos Verdes Estates is on the Palos Verdes Peninsula at the southern end of Los Angeles County. A trail runs along the bluff top about 300 feet above the Pacific Ocean. There have been several accidents in the area over the years, Barber said, and a few suicides. 'There's no indication at this point that this was anything other than an accident,' he said. Captain Wade Kelsey, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told Fox11 that the area is dangerous for the public. 'It's extremely dangerous; there's no fencing in the area,' Kelsey said. 'There's sloping to where it just goes off to a sheer cliff, and the majority of the area here is very unstable, very dangerous if you get close to the edge of this cliff without any sort of protection.' Georgia primary voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday, where the strength of Donald Trump's endorsements will be tested on everything from Congressional races, the governor's primary and even for the role overseeing the state's elections. The Peach State shattered early voting records for a primary election, with more than 850,000 already cast according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office. 'Compared early-voting turnout in recent primaries, this represented a 168 percent increase over the 2018, the last gubernatorial primary and a 212 percent jump above 2020, the last presidential primary year,' a statement from his office read. Raffensperger credited the state's newly-passed election security law for the surge by creating 'short lines, smooth easy ballot access, and confidence in ballot security,' despite Democrat critics blasting it as 'voter suppression.' In the heavily-rural 14th Congressional District, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is facing a crowded field of opponents trying to take her seat led by healthcare executive Jennifer Strahan. Meanwhile Republican voters statewide will go to the ballot box to decide whether to keep Governor Brian Kemp or get behind his Trump-backed opponent, former Senator David Perdue. Whoever wins that primary will go on to face Democrat Stacey Abrams in November, a former state lawmaker who narrowly lost the governor's race to Kemp in 2018. Strahan is hoping to offer voters the same brand of Trump-inspired America First politics without the eyebrow-raising headlines that caused Greene to be stripped of her committee assignments by the Democrat-led House early last year. Asked how Greene feels heading into Tuesday race, her spokesman told DailyMail.com that 'she is very confident.' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her main opponent, healthcare executive Jennifer Strahan, both spent the weekend campaigning for voters' attention in Georgia's 14th Congressional District Greene's spokesman directed DailyMail.com to the congresswoman's Telegram channel, where she shared photos and videos of herself mingling with supporters Strahan also reached out to voters across the district, seeking to separate herself from Greene as someone who will be a serious lawmaker rather than generating eye-popping headlines on a regular basis He also sent links to Greene's Telegram channel that contain images of the Congresswoman mingling with and embracing voters in the lead-up to her first re-election bid. Among Strahan's most persistent lines of attack against Greene involve accounts from constituents who claim the lawmaker does not engage with them and ignores their needs. The businesswoman's campaign claims Greene is already playing dirty, sharing with DailyMail.com screenshots of messages from people claiming to have seen Strahan campaign signs being ripped out of the ground. 'Hey, I just saw a pickup driving down the street down here...They were ripping up all the Strahan signs and putting up MTG signs. I think they're feeling threatened,' one of the messages read. Another message to Strahan's campaign read: 'I know you get millions of messages and probably will never see this but I just wanted to let you know that I'm(sp) Summerville on highway 114 I saw some crazy man tearing down your signs and throwing them into the woods.' Greene's critics want to see a repeat of her ally Rep. Madison Cawthorn's stunning defeat in North Carolina last week to a Republican establishment-backed rival - but political experts do not think that will be the case. Dr. M.V. Hood III, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia and the Director of the SPIA Survey Research Center, told DailyMail.com that Greene's national headlines - which include her past support for QAnon theories and supporting calls for violence against Democrat leaders before she was in office - do not have the same effect on the local scale in the 14th District. 'She does retail politics. She's in the district, she talks to people, she does a lot of very normal - even though she appears to be somewhat extreme in some of her statements - I mean, the kind of stuff she does back in her district is very normal,' Hood said. He added that he 'wouldn't be surprised' if Greene managed to sail to victory on Tuesday night past the 50-percent threshold required to avoid a runoff. Trump's former press secretary for governor and AOC-backed Democrat looking for an upset: What to watch out for in key primary races in four other states ALABAMA: Senator Richard Shelby's retirement sparks tense race Senator Richard Shelby's retirement launched a heated and expensive primary for the GOP nomination for the seat. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks faces Katie Britt, the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama and Shelbys former chief of staff, and businessman Mike Durant, best known as the helicopter pilot shot down and held captive in the events chronicled in "Black Hawk Down." Trump initially endorsed Brooks last year but withdrew the endorsement in March after their relationship soured. Trump has not made another endorsement in the race. The fractured field increases the chances the race will go to a June 21 runoff. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is attempting to avoid a runoff as she faces several challengers from her right flank. Lindy Blanchard, who was Trumps ambassador to Slovenia, and businessman Tim James have criticized Iveys support of a gas tax increase and her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that included a temporary mask mandate and appeals for people to get vaccinated. They also criticized Ivey over a charter school that welcomed LGBTQ students. Ivey has emphasized her conservative record, including signing legislation - now blocked by the courts - to make abortion a felony at any stage of pregnancy. In one campaign commercial, the governor pulls a handgun out of her purse to note her support of permitless concealed carry. ARKANSAS: Trump's ex-press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders favorite to win Republican nomination for governor In Arkansas, two-term Senator John Boozman hopes to fend off a challenge from three Republican rivals in a race in which hes had to rely on his endorsement from Trump as well as the states top GOP figures. The mild-mannered Boozman has taken a more aggressive tone in his campaign ads, vowing to complete the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Boozmans rivals include former NFL player Jake Bequette, who has the support of a super PAC thats aired ads attacking Boozman as not conservative enough, and Jan Morgan, a conservative activist and former TV reporter. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump's former spokesperson, is heavily favored in her Republican primary for governor. She faces a long-shot primary challenge from former talk show radio host Doc Washburn. Sanders has shattered fundraising records and has focused mainly on national issues, running spots criticizing President Joe Biden on issues like inflation while ignoring her rivals. Five Democrats are seeking the partys nomination for governor, with nuclear engineer and ordained minister Chris Jones the front-runner. The candidates are running to succeed Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. TEXAS: Jeb Bush's son and a battle been a moderate Democrat and his AOC-backed rival Texas held the first primary of 2022 back in March, but runoffs will finally settle two major races. One puts the Bush family dynasty on the line: Republican George P. Bush, a son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, has spent the past year mounting a primary challenge to Paxton, the two-term attorney general. George P. Bush is the last of his family still in public office and finished 20 percentage points behind Paxton in a four-way primary. Since then, Bushs efforts to close the gap have centered on emphasizing Paxtons legal troubles, including an ongoing FBI investigation into corruption accusations and a separate 2015 indictment on securities fraud charges. Paxton, who has denied wrongdoing, has broad party support and Trumps endorsement. On the Democratic side, Rep. Henry Cuellars bid for a 10th term has run head-on into a reenergized national battle over abortion rights. His position as one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress has become a central issue in his runoff against Jessica Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration attorney and abortion rights supporter. Democratic House leaders have lined up behind Cuellar, who is backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Cisneros trailed Cuellar by roughly 1,000 votes in March, but Cuellar didn't hit the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff. MINNESOTA: Republican race to replace Rep. Jim Hagedorn after his cancer death A primary Tuesday in southern Minnesota's 1st Congressional District is a first step for replacing Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died of cancer in February. A special general election to fill the rest of Hagedorns term in the Republican-leaning district is scheduled for Aug. 9. Hagedorns widow, Jennifer Carnahan, has been making the most overt appeals to Trumps supporters. She was state chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota until being forced out last August after a prominent donor was indicted on sex trafficking charges. State Rep. Jeremy Munson, a founder of a hard-right faction that broke from the main Minnesota House GOP Caucus, has been endorsed by U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Former state Rep. Brad Finstad has the backing of several Minnesota GOP officeholders. He has reminded voters he was Trump's Minnesota director for USDA Rural Development. On the Democratic side, the candidate endorsed at the party's district convention earlier this month is former Hormel Foods CEO Jeffrey Ettinger. His opponents include University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, a former White House ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush. Advertisement Strahan's campaign shared a pair of screenshots with DailyMail.com showing messages stating the businesswoman's election signs are being 'ripped up' 'I find it hard to believe that, you know, Republicans would turn on her now,' Jay Williams, a Republican strategist in Georgia, told DailyMail.com. Williams said Greene's voters likely are not seeing her name in the news cycle the way people who follow large national outlets like the New York Times and CNN, which he branded the 'national echo chamber.' 'Even if it's true, they might not believe it, or might not care because it's coming from CNN or some of these other outlets. So it's going to have a hard time penetrating down to down to that regular Republican voter,' he said. Asked about Strahan's chances, Williams branded the businesswoman's campaign 'uninspiring' and 'uninteresting' - emphasizing the uphill battle to get all of Greene's GOP critics into one faction, particularly when four other candidates are trying to do the same thing. Still, Strahan has received backing from some high-profile Republicans. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana appeared at a fundraiser for Strahan earlier this month in a direct challenge to Greene's re-election bid. Whoever wins the GOP primary in Greene's deep-red rural district is the likely favorite to win the seat in November's midterms. Trump may score a victory in the 14th District primary, but he's facing much longer odds in the Peach State's Republican gubernatorial primary race. Statewide, Republican primary voters will have to decide whether to keep Governor Brian Kemp (left) on the ticket or boot him out in favor of Trump-backed former Senator David Perdue (right) The ex-president helped Kemp to the Governor's Mansion in 2018 when he backed the then-Georgia Secretary of State for the role. Since then, however, Kemp's refusal to overturn his state's 2020 electoral count - which helped President Joe Biden clinch the White House - has made him among Trump's most frequent targets. Kemp's campaign told DailyMail.com: 'Governor Kemp and his family are honored by the strong support they have seen from Georgians across the state these last few months. Our team is leaving everything on the field in this primary, and we look forward to uniting Republicans to stop Stacey Abrams in the fall.' Trump's fury inspired him to throw his weight behind Perdue, who lost his Senate re-election bid in a January 2021 runoff to current Democrat incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff. But experts do not think Perdue's campaign effort can hold a candle to Kemp's current popularity. Wallace said of the incumbent governor: 'He's one of the only governors that kind of stood up to everybody during the coronavirus stuff, kept the state open, kept everything moving.' 'The economy's really good, he's past a lot of conservative legislation, so it's harder for Trump to make a case that he has to go,' the GOP strategist explained. 'And then you couple that with a campaign that David Perdue hasn't done a very good job running, it makes it more difficult for Trump.' Perdue's campaign made a splash when Trump first goaded him into tossing his hat in the ring, but it's sputtered since then with a lack of funds and a seeming lack of activity from the candidate himself. A Republican strategist told DailyMail.com that Kemp's success as governor of Georgia along with 'a campaign that David Perdue hasn't done a very good job running' then 'makes it more difficult for Trump' to succeed with his endorsement A poll of likely GOP voters published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution taken in late April shows Perdue trailing far behind Kemp, with just 27 percent of support compared to the incumbent's 53 percent. If that number holds true on election night, Kemp will be able to avoid a runoff like the kind that took down Perdue last year. 'I think Perdue is collapsing and I think Kemp will win without a runoff,' Hood told DailyMail.com. Trump released a statement attacking Kemp on Monday via his new social media platform Truth Social. 'The Fake News Media is "betting the ranch" on the worst Election Integrity Governor in the Country, Brian Kemp of Georgia, who handed the Dems two Senate seats and a big win in the State's Presidential race,' Trump raged. 'My Endorsement numbers, as they know, are unprecedented. Kemp can't win in General E!' Trump's other endorsements in Tuesday's primary include his longtime friend Herschel Walker to challenge freshman Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock, and GOP Rep. Jody Hice's bid to unseat Raffensperger as Secretary of State. Trump infamously called Raffensperger in the wake of the 2020 election asking him to 'find' enough votes to clinch his victory in the Peach State. Mark Zuckerberg was sued by the attorney general for the District of Columbia Monday - a rare move against a prominent CEO meant to hold him personally liable for the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach, which exposed millions of Facebook users' personal data and became a major corporate and political scandal. Karl Racine, the D.C. attorney general, filed the civil lawsuit against Zuckerberg on Monday in D.C. Superior Court. The lawsuit maintains that Zuckerberg directly participated in important company decisions and was aware of the potential dangers of sharing users' data, such as occurred in the case involving data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica. Cambridge Analytica gathered details on as many as 87 million Facebook users without their permission. Their data is alleged to have been used to manipulate the 2016 presidential election. Karl Racine (left), the attorney general of Washington D.C., on Monday sued Mark Zuckerberg (right) personally 'We're suing Mark Zuckerberg for his role in Facebook's misleading privacy practices and failure to protect millions of users' data,' Racine tweeted. 'Our investigation shows extensive evidence that Zuckerberg was personally involved in failures that led to the Cambridge Analytica incident. 'This lawsuit is not only warranted, but necessary. 'Misleading consumers, exposing their data, and violating the law come with consequences, not only for companies that breach that trust, but also corporate executives.' Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook and has headed its board since 2012, controls more than 50 percent of Facebook's voting shares and 'maintains an unparalleled level of control over the operations of Facebook as it has grown into the largest social media company in the world,' the lawsuit says. The social network giant has nearly three billion users worldwide. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has a market value of over $500 billion. Racine is seeking damages and penalties from Zuckerberg as may be determined in a trial. Meta Platforms spokesman Andy Stone declined to comment. Zuckerberg is accused of knowing that Cambridge Analytica's work threatened users' privacy, but pressing ahead regardless Racine is pictured in December, announcing charges against those involved in the January 6 insurrection. He has been targeting many tech companies over surveillance Meta, the parent of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is based in Menlo Park, California. Meta, Google, Amazon and Apple have been targeted in legal actions in recent years by federal regulators and state attorneys general of both parties accusing the tech behemoths of market dominance and abuse. But Racine's suit brought the rare action of a regulator specifically aiming at a Big Tech CEO. Zuckerberg directly participated in decision-making that allowed the massive data breach, while Facebook misled users with claims of privacy protection, the suit alleges. Racine tried last year to add Zuckerberg as a defendant in his ongoing suit against Facebook over Cambridge Analytica from 2018. But a D.C. Superior Court judge thwarted that attempt in March, saying that Racine had waited too long to add him. 'What value does it add to name him? There's no more relief for the consumers of the District' of Columbia,' Judge Maurice Ross said. Facebook's corporate headquarters in Menlo Park, California are pictured. The company has not commented on the D.C. attorney general's suit Now, Racine is asserting that thousands of documents he has since gained access to in the case establish Zuckerberg's direct participation in decision-making on Cambridge Analytica, and he is therefore suing Zuckerberg directly. A year ago, Racine sued Amazon, accusing the online retail giant of anticompetitive practices in its treatment of sellers on its platform. The practices have raised prices for consumers and stifled innovation and choice in the online retail market, he alleged. Amazon rejected the allegations. That suit was dismissed by the court and Racine has asked for it to be reconsidered. Heavy rain is lashing Australia's east coast amid the wettest start to winter in Sydney for more than 130 years. The wild weather is set to continue all week, from the Harbour City right up to the Gold Coast as the threat of floods looms. Residents in the NSW Northern Rivers region already reeling from the impact of devastating floods earlier this year are once again being told to brace for further downpours. The Bureau of Meteorology says the Wilson River at Lismore peaked near the minor flood level on Monday night but the downpour expected to continue all week. A minor flood warning is also current for the nearby Richmond River. April ended up being another wet month in Sydney with 267.2 mm in the gauge, while May has also been relatively soggy, with 147.8 mm up until 9 am this morning, spread across 13 rain days Heavy rain is lashing Australia's east coast amid the wettest start to the year for Sydney in over 130 years. Pictured: A Sydney resident braves the rain Pictured: Voters line up outside in the rain at the Waverley suburb polling station to cast their ballots on the day of the national election in Sydney 'We have a really large high-pressure system sitting off in the Tasman sea so that means quite a lot of moist easterly flow to areas east of the Great Divide,' Senior Meteorologist Jackson Browne told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday. 'The high-pressure system will move out toward New Zealand throughout the week. For Sydney today and Wednesday will see fairly heavy rain before it trundles off. 'But up in the north of the state from Port Macquarie up, it will continue to rain through to Friday.' Flash flooding remains a significant risk in the northeast of the state with soils heavily saturated from a record-breaking deluge of rain over summer increasing the chances of water pooling on the ground. 'We are just asking residents to really be vigilant and plan because the catchments are exceptionally wet and the rivers can respond quite quickly to any additional localised rainfall that may well occur,' Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan from the NSW SES told the Today show. 'We are monitoring conditions within the Sydney metropolitan area but also working very closely with the Bureau of Meteorology in regards to any potential rainfall by the end of the week in the Northern Rivers area. Pictured: Floodwater inundate cars on March 30, 2022 in Lismore, Australia Local residents walk through floodwater on March 31, 2022 in Lismore, Australia 'Flooding that's been experienced by a number of communities in the north-west of the state and that flooding is set to continue for at least the next few weeks.' Mr Browne said on Monday Sydney's total rainfall smashed a 132 year-old record. 'It is the quickest 1500mm to be seen in Sydney, smashing the old record going back to 1890 by a month,' he said. The BOM says the La Nina conditions that brought unprecedented rain and flooding to vast swathes of the coast in summer and autumn will continue throughout winter, bringing above-average rainfall for much of eastern Australia. Some areas had already reached the average rainfall for May in the past few days, the BOM said. Meanwhile, a hazardous surf warning is in place for much of the NSW coast, from Byron Bay in the north to Batemans Bay in the south. Two boys ride their bikes through continued floodwater from Lake Ainsworth across the main road on April 15, 2022 in Lennox Head, Australia Three South Florida residents who engaged in an elaborate multi-million dollar baby formula scheme were all sentenced to 18 years in prison last week. According to a statement from the US Attorney's Southern District of Florida office, the three fraudsters are Johnny Grobman, 48, Raoul Doekhie, 53 and his wife, Sherida Nabi, 57. In addition to losing their freedom, they face massive financial forfeiture. Grobman will hand over $115 million to the Feds, while Doekhie and Nabi will fork over $87 million jointly. Another man who was implicated in the scam, Edgar Torres, 61, of Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud before the trial began. He was listed as the president of a shipping company named Le Mare Transport that assisted in the scheme. One of the masterminds of the scam, Johnny Grobman, will hand over $115 million to the feds including his $5.2 million home in Miami's Golden Beach Grobman's home is a 6 bedroom mansion in Golden Beach, an area that has counted Ricky Marti, and Tommy Hilfiger among its famous former residents Raoul Doekhie and Sherida Nabi lived here at Las Olas By the River in a three-bedroom condo that is about to become the property of the federal government The trio sentenced this week ran a five-year scheme that saw them produce false documents and bogus export papers to Doekhie's homeland, Suriname. Between 2013 and 2018, they received discounts from major US manufacturers of infant formula, eye-care products, and other FDA-regulated items. The discounts were obtained through false documents that promised the childcare items were being sent to Suriname, one of the world's poorest countries per capita. In reality, Grobman, Doekhie and Nabi were selling them in the U.S. at full price. The loot was then divided between them. Sherida Nabi, wife of Raoul Doekhie, was listed as a director on his inactive company, Tropical Investments In order to fool authorities, they engaged in a series of elaborate plots. One involved sending 'dummy shipments' that did not contain the items listed in the manifest. Another involved sending items abroad temporarily and having them shipped back to the U.S. The third was a false documentation scam where fake paperwork was used to pretend that the items had been shipped to Suriname. The feds referred to the scam as involving the 'gray market,' the re-sale of goods that there were not intended for sale in the US. The trio of fraudsters were first arrested in May 2019. Grobman purchased his home Golden Beach alongside his wife, Noemi Gellar, in 2013, the same year the baby formula scam began News of the scandal comes as the US continues to endure a baby formula shortage They were tried in February 2020 and found guilty after 13 days of conspiring to commit wire fraud; wire fraud; money laundering; conspiring to obtain pre-retail medical products worth $5,000 or more by fraud or deception, theft of pre-retail medical products; and smuggling goods from the United States. In addition to the financial forfeiture, Grobman is also handing over his home in Golden Beach, reports the Miami Herald. Online records show that Grobman purchased the home with his wife, Noemi Gellar, in for $5.2 million in 2013. Meanwhile, Doekhie and Nabi are also handing over their three bedroom condo in Fort Lauderdale. According to a report in the Suriname-based news outlet De West, Doekhie is the founder of a company named Tropical Investments and is politically connected in his homeland, specifically to member of parliament Rashied Doekhie. Online records show that Tropical Investments was based in Aventura, Florida, with Doekhie and Nabi listed as directors. The company is now described as 'inactive.' The chairwoman of a team set up to tackle racism in the force wanted to defund the police and called for officers to be more 'woke'. Award-winning lawyer Abimbola Johnson, a barrister who bragged of her 'hatred' for the Tories, is one of three Labour-backers on a new six-person scrutiny panel. The 34-year-old had previously discussed crime being 'reclassified' until you 'no longer need to fund a police force'. Ms Johnson has now been chosen to head up the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB), which has been set up by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing. It is part of a new action plan launched yesterday to tackle racism and racial disparity in policing with the ultimate aim of 'creating an anti-racist police service'. Barrister Abimbola Johnson, 34, has previously discussed crime being 'reclassified' The board announced its six members this week, including Labour councillor Katrina Ffrench, 37, and Jeremy Corbyn supporter Nick Glynn, 54. It also includes communications expert Colin Douglas, senior civil servant Ram Joshi and data scientist Rachael Grant. Miss Johnson, who helped put together the team, previously defended calls to change police funding on Twitter in June 2020 during Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests that summer. She said at the time that people needed to 'engage and not react in knee-jerk fashion', and suggested funds be diverted to other areas such as mental health services, after-school programmes and shelters. 'Divert funds into other methods to tackle the causes of crime and even rethink what we classify as criminality in the first place. Until you no longer need to fund a police force,' the barrister posted. Katrina Ffrench, 37, has used her online profile to promote protests against 'police impunity' Miss Johnson, who said in her post that she is a Labour Party member, argued that people had the 'wrong impression' of the BLM movement. In the Twitter conversation on June 29, 2020, she said the movement 'is meant to make us think harder about how we could run a safe and fair society without the need for a police force'. In another tweet in response to a now-deleted post, she wrote: 'Yes, the ultimate aim is to create a societal system that no longer needs the police. Or at least doesn't need police forces in the sizes we have now.' In more recent times she has tweeted in favour of 'increasing funding' to police forces instead of widening their powers. In March 2021, she said more funding would enable the police 'to catch suspects and investigate crimes properly'. Meanwhile, fellow board member Miss Ffrench has used her online profile to promote protests against 'police impunity'. Mr Glynn has praised Jeremy Corbyn and attended events supporting the former Labour leader. He has also openly criticised the Conservatives on his social media. Nick Glynn, 54, has praised Jeremy Corbyn and attended events supporting the former Labour leader At the launch of the police's race action plan yesterday, Miss Johnson said: 'Speaking completely frankly, policing has never got this right, in terms of dealing with racial disparity. They either have made progress but not at a rate that they expected or they haven't made any progress at all. The police need to do this themselves. 'If they really do want to become an anti-racist organisation they need to put the work in, they need to develop these plans, and they need to make sure they implement them on a regional as well as a national scale.' Kevin Hurley, a former Met Police officer who was crime commissioner for Surrey Police, said calls to end funding for the police were 'naive, ignorant or stupid' and the establishment of the new board was a 'cop-out'. He said: 'For the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs' Council to set this up is, in fact, a cop-out for them failing to discharge their own responsibilities as leaders, setting and maintaining the correct values and standards.' A NPCC spokesman said the board members 'were selected for their skills, expertise and experience in an open selection and recruitment process. Board members have committed to approach their roles in an impartial and non-partisan way.' An ISOB spokesman said: 'Abimbola Johnson is a respected barrister appointed and vetted by the NPCC... using an open and fair recruitment process. Your claim that Miss Johnson tweeted about an ultimate aim to defund the police is factually incorrect as is the conclusion you have drawn from the tweets. 'There is no concern over board members' professional or personal affiliations. The chair and each member of the board is committed to working respectfully with people from all political parties.' Love letters sent by accused murderer Chris Dawson to his schoolgirl wife as she fled their crumbling marriage included lines like 'till death do us part', 'honey come back' and 'oh you beautiful doll'. The letters begged his second wife, known legally at Dawson's murder trial as 'JC', to return and were written after she had left his Gold Coast 'compound' for Sydney with their young daughter. Dawson, 73, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of murdering his wife, who disappeared aged 33. The Crown claims that then-high school teacher Chris Dawson killed Lynette and disposed of her body because of his affair with JC, who was one of his PE students. February 4, 1990 In a letter on February 4, Dawson wrote 'we've both treated each other poorly' and 'some of my anger has been a defence of what I believed was poor treatment of S & S', (Dawson's daughters with his missing wife Lynette. He also wrote 'Ive made mistakes, treated you poorly' and claimed it was 'through a frustration and fear of losing you'. 'The unpleasant times are behind us, lets make the happy times again? 'I believe we wont take each other for granted anymore as we once vowed "Till Death Us Do Part".' When Chris Dawson (above) was abandoned by his schoolgirl wife in 1990, after six years of marriage, he wrote letters begging her to return and saying they should be together forever In a letter written by Dawson on February 4, 1990, he said they still had 'a ton of love to share' and could have 'a beautiful life together ... Till Death Do Us Part' Under cross-examination, JC told the court Dawson's letters were from a 'desperate' man and she had no wish to return to their 'prison-like' marriage in which she was 'a slave' and 'a sex slave' February 11, 1990 Written on JC's 26th birthday, Dawson wrote he had done 'three loads of washing, vacuumed house, some ironing, lunch, BBQ, washed car, changed bed, towel, typed ribbons for swim carnival ... folded washing, bought the papers & milk, dishwasher & scrubbed the pool'. He then said 'I need my "old" secretary back', and added, 'I pay well', then wrote 'weve had fantastic times why dont we focus on those and not be clouded by some bad. For 8 years (most of it) weve been best friends, lovers, husband and wife, father and mother'. February 12, 1990 A day later, Dawson wrote, seemingly in lines from songs, 'I love you just the way you are. Honey come back . Oh you beautiful doll . Wish I could sleep'. February 14, 1990 Two days later, on Valentines Day, Dawson asked, 'dont I deserve some consideration? Wouldnt you like to know or dont you care how I am? Do you hate me that much?' 'FRIENDS TALK weve both said,' he added. 'You say you dont love me then it should be easy to talk to me.' March 1990 In March, Dawson wrote '(JC), how can a love so beautiful turn so wrong. In both Jan and Feb you told me you loved me what has happened since then? 'What about the words written by us both over eight years?' Dawson said it was a 'bastard of a feeling, it rips your guts out not to be able to communicate with you'. He also spoke about his daughter, asking JC to give their daughter 'a special hug and kiss from me for my "little cutie pie"'. When the letters were tendered on Monday in the NSW Supreme Court, JC - who has previously told the trial she was both Dawson's 'sex slave' and his house work 'slave' - was cross examined by Pauline David, lawyer for the accused. In a letter written on JC's 26th birthday, Dawson wrote, seemingly in lines from songs, 'I love you just the way you are' and 'oh you beautiful doll' JC (above with Dawson and his three daughters) said about the letters that he was 'trying to entice me back with lies and that he was 'a desperate man that has lost something he fought so hard to have' JC told the court 'all of these letters' showed Dawson was 'a desperate man that has lost something he fought so hard to have .. trying to entice me back with lies. She said at one point he was giving his two daughters dinner and 'had two separate chairs sitting there vacant for me and (their daughter) to take. Fantasy. Writing all these things down does not make it true. That did not happen,' she said. 'That is desperation, hes written this like an essay to get me back. Why would I have left the relationship if he was so loving? Hes just making all this up. He would have said anything he could to try and get me to come back to the abuse and prison-like state that I lived in and I was not interested in doing that and he would not take no for an answer.' JC and Chris Dawson on their wedding day when she wore a ring he had made from diamonds in missing wife Lyn's engagement and eternity rings she 'left behind' Startling evidence at the Chris Dawson murder trial emerged late on Monday when a former childcare worker colleague told the court she saw bruises around Lynette Dawson's neck, before she disappeared. Annette Leary said she was at work on a Friday at Warriewood Children's Centre, in Sydney's north, when she saw the marks on Lyn's neck as she changed nappies in the baby change room. Lynette, who worked as the centre's nurse, had earlier told Ms Leary she was having trouble in her relationship with husband Chris but believed they could be resolved by going to a marriage counsellor. Then 'one day', Ms Leary saw 'bruises on her throat,' she told the NSW Supreme Court. 'She told me Chris (and she) had got into the lift to marriage counselling and he had grabbed her by the throat and shook her and said "if this doesn't work I'm getting rid of you, I'm only doing it once",' Ms Leary said. JC, who is now in her late 50s, (left) arrives to testify against her former husband, Chris Dawson (right) who is now aged 73 and has a fractured hip Ms Leary said Lynette had then 'not laughed (but) seemed to make out ... pretending she didn't think he was serious'. The day Ms Leary said she saw the bruises was on the Friday before she vanished, with Lyn failing to return to work the following Monday. Another of Lynette Dawson's work colleagues at the centre, her boss, said that Lynette had revealed she feared her husband's interest in her was waning, during discussions in the staff room. The court heard that Dawson moved the schoolgirl into the home and when his wife (pictured together) fell asleep after he mixed her cocktails, had sex with the teenager in the family home Barbara Crews, who hired her to work as a nurse at the centre in 1981, said she believed Lynette was being 'naive' about schoolgirl JC. 'I think she felt her husband had lost interest in her, which concerned her of course ... his interest in her seemed to be waning, let me put it that way,' Ms Crews said. 'The young lady who had been a babysitter had moved into the home, Chris had wanted to move her into the home, I remember that. 'I remember her saying he wanted to move her into the home and I remember saying that I didn't think it was a very good idea. 'I thought she was fairly naive about it.' A former childcare worker saw 'bruises on the throat' of Lyn Dawson (above with Chris) who told her he had got into the lift to marriage counselling and grabbed her by the throat and shook her and said 'if this doesn't work I'm getting rid of you, I'm only doing it once' Ms Crews said on or about January 11, 1982, Chris Dawson rang her and said Lyn had gone away, 'that she needed a break, that she just needed time to sort things out'. Three years after Lynette vanished, she contacted the missing woman's mother because 'we didn't feel Lyn had disappeared of her own free will'. Ms Crews said Lynette 'always seemed short of money' and had in 1981 acquired a secret bankcard, which she didn't want her husband Chris knowing about. She had the statements sent to the childcare centre, rather than home. Asked under cross-examination if Lynette had gone 'out of her way to make herself look nice' and 'wanted to be attractive to Mr Dawson', Ms Crews agreed. The former schoolgirl who swam in the pool at Chris Dawson's marital home admitted at his trial on Monday she had been caught by Lynette sitting on his lap in the months before she disappeared. JC also told the court how two years later she married Dawson wearing a ring made from his allegedly murdered wife's diamond engagement and eternity rings. Chris Dawson is on trial for the alleged murder of his first wife Lynette (above, the couple together), who hasn't been seen since January 1982 Chris Dawson's layer accused JC (above) of telling 'vicious lies' to destroy him and his family, including what the barrister said was an untrue allegation about an insurance policy forgery Lynette, who shared two daughters with the former rugby player and lived in Bayview on Sydney's Northern Beaches, has been missing since 1982, with her husband now on trial for her alleged murder and disposing of her body. Dawson said he last saw his wife at Mona Vale bus station on January 9 of that year, but her body has never been found and neither family, friends or her children have ever heard from her. The Dawson home where JC said she heard a plot to forge Lyn Dawson's signature on an insurance policy and the swimming pool where she swam topless in the year she was babysitting Lyn's daughters Dawson, 73, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of murdering his wife, who disappeared aged 33. The Crown claims that then-high school teacher Chris Dawson killed Lynette and disposed of her body because of his affair with JC, who was one of his PE students. Dawson's legal team has argued that while he may have failed his wife as a husband, he did not kill her. The trial continues. A shopping centre security guard has adopted an old-school method of dealing with law-breaking citizens when he catches them red-handed. Father of seven and trained security guard Kevin Martin - nicknamed 'The Kevinator' - confronts shoplifters at a shopping centre in Logan, south of Brisbane, Queensland, and isn't afraid to use strong language to get the message across. Mr Martin makes no apology for his strong-armed approach. Logan father of seven and trained security guard Kevin Martin - nicknamed 'The Kevinator' (pictured) - confronts troublemakers where he finds them and isn't afraid to use strong language to get the message across Equipped with a walkie talkie and a body-worn camera, Mr Martin's tough approach includes naming, shaming and documenting every thief that he spots when patrolling the local shops. 'I suppose you could say it's a bit more old-school security,' Mr Martin told 9News Queensland. 'The dumb ones come back and the smart shoplifters don't come back,' he said of the effectiveness of his tactics. Equipped with a walkie talkie and a body-worn camera, Mr Martin patrols a shopping centre in Logan, Queensland, catching shoplifters and vandals (pictured, Mr Martin confronting young shoplifters) Ranging from break-ins to vandals and teen bag-snatchers, video of Mr Martin shows him swearing at offenders once caught. 'What's this s*** is going on here...what's this sorry bulls***?...you do it all the time,' Mr Martin said as he confronted one woman outside a shop. Mr Martin then tells the woman to go back inside and pay for the items she has in her possession. 'F*** me, take 'em out,' Mr Martin shouted as he stopped another young shoplifter. 'A lot of people are quite shocked that they get caught and that I'm a little bit more forceful,' Mr Martin added. While police are not fully supportive of Mr Martin's approach, businesses in the area are thankful for his efforts and say it has made a difference in deterring would-be criminals, particularly young offenders who are regularly shoplifting. Mr Martin (pictured) has said he will continue to take his no-nonsense approach to shoplifters until there is more action from the government Mr Martin said he will continue to take the law into his own hands until there is more action from the Government. He claims that Queensland's Youth Justice Act 'needs to be abolished completely and redone'. Mr Martin is no strange to trying to stop criminal behaviour. In 2014, he took it upon himself to chase down suspected robbers, catch shoplifters and snatch car keys from drink drivers. Mr Martin helped catch an array of suspects from those who shoplifted to a suspected drunk driver who ran a red light and collided with a pregnant woman's vehicle. In a clip of the later accident, the alleged drunk driver is seen abusing Mr Martin with slurred speech before he removed her keys from the ignition after the collision. Mr Martin stopped this woman from driving away after she hit a pregnant woman's car while running a red light The woman then started throwing things at an unseen person standing by the passenger door. 'She is clearly freaking out, she's all over the shop and just punches the ambulance officer,' Mr Martin said. Monkeypox is nothing to worry about and outbreaks will be in the hundreds rather than thousands of cases unlike Covid, a top doctor says. Former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth said monkeypox was not a novel virus, meaning newly-discovered, and there is already an effective vaccine. The World Health Organisation has confirmed 92 cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox in non-African countries, where it is endemic - meaning widespread - in some nations, including two in Australia. Monkeypox symptoms include, fever, body aches, chills, fatigue and after one to three days infected people may also develop a rash and fluid-filled lesions (pictured) But Dr Coatsworth said there was no cause for panic and the outbreak wouldn't blow up into a pandemic, which is when an epidemic occurs worldwide. 'We know about monkeypox, it's been endemic in West Africa and the Congo region of Africa,' Mr Coatsworth told the Today show on Tuesday. 'We know a couple of things: we know that the largest outbreaks in the past decades have been in the hundreds - not the thousands. 'It's not, in my view, going to move towards the same sort of whole nation epidemic that we saw with Covid-19.' It is also far less contagious, and also has no evidence of long-term effects, unlike Covid which has been shown to affect 1 in 3 people far beyond their initial infection and even cause permanent damage to cells and organs. Health officials were urged to keep a close watch for more cases at an emergency meeting convened by the WHO on Saturday, as the disease appeared to be spreading among people who had not traveled to Africa. However, health officials also stressed the rise in cases did not look like the start of another pandemic as the virus needs close contact to spread. The WHO identified the cases as belonging to the West African clade of monkeypox, which is relatively mild, compared to the more severe Congo Basin strain, which has a mortality rate of up to 10 per cent of cases. Infectious Disease Physician Nick Coatsworth (pictured) told the Today Show on Tuesday that monkeypox is not a new virus and is unlikely to cause a national epidemic Symptoms include fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. After one to three days, some people may also develop a 'chickenpox-like' rash and fluid-filled lesions on the face, arms and legs. Mr Coatsworth said although monkeypox was a hard disease to transmit, health officials should still 'treat it with respect'. 'Three ways it can be transmitted: contact, droplet, and a small number of cases it be airborne,' Mr Coatsworth said. 'It is prolonged contact for monkeypox, it is not like the casual in the same room contact that you can get Covid-19. 'So really it's a harder disease to transmit... which is why I think we'll have it contained.' The virus is generally self-limiting, which means an infected person recovers within a few weeks without treatment when put in isolation. Treatment for the rare viral infection includes the smallpox vaccine, which has been shown to be up to 85 per cent effective against monkeypox when administered up to four days after potential exposure. Monkeypox was first identified by scientists in 1958 after discovering the disease in monkeys with the first human case identified in a child in the Congo in 1970. The World Health Organisation has identified monkeypox in 14 different countries outside of Africa - where the disease is endemic The disease is endemic in Central and West Africa - the recent outbreak was first confirmed in Europe on May 7 in someone who returned to England from Nigeria. Infections have been reported across Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands with cases confirmed in the US, Canada, Israel, and Australia. A 40-year-old Sydney man developed a mild illness several days after arriving home from the UK and his GP found the tell-tale monkeypox symptoms of blisters and rashes. Another case in Victoria has also now been reported in a man in his 30s who had been on a trip to the UK and developed symptoms after his return on May 16. Belgium was the first country to introduce a compulsory 21-day monkeypox quarantine after three cases were recorded in the country. The infections, the first of which was recorded on Friday, are all linked to a festival in the port city of Antwerp. The virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding - and may be sexually transmitted (pictured, a 2003 electron microscope image showing monkeypox virions) The WHO said the virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding. 'Cases have mainly but not exclusively been identified amongst men who have sex with men,' it said. Although a clear link between cases has yet to be made, transmission may have been going on for sometime with many cases identified at sexual health clinics where men sought help for lesions on their genitals. WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential chairman David Heymann said the sexual transmission of monkeypox amplified its global spread. 'What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread, as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world,' he said. No one has died of the viral disease to date. The convicted art dealing fraudster who used to date Made in Chelsea star Victoria Baker-Harber has been jailed for seven years in the US for conning several former clients out of 80million in a 'Ponzi-like scheme'. 'Serial swindler' Inigo Philbrick, an American citizen dubbed the 'Mini Madoff of the art world' who previously lived in London, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and told a judge he did it all 'for the money'. Philbrick, 34, ran a 'Ponzi-like scheme' in which he used money from some customers to buy artworks, pay off others and bankroll a lavish lifestyle which saw him pose as an expert on art business conferences, federal prosecutors said. When he was uncovered in November 2019, he failed to appear for court hearings in London and Miami, cities in which he owns art galleries, and was eventually arrested by the FBI on the Pacific island of Vanuatu. At Manhattan federal court, Philbrick was sentenced to seven years in prison and was also ordered to forfeit 80million. He has a baby with Ms Baker-Harber, 33, who he began dating in 2017. Philbrick's then-partner gave birth to daughter Gaia in November last year, with the Made in Chelsea socialite posting pictures of her first birthday on Instagram in November last year. Inigo Philbrick pictured with former partner Victoria Baker-Harber, of Made in Chelsea fame, whom he had a baby with last year Pictured: Inigo Philbrick being arrested by the FBI on the Pacific island of Vanuatu in 2019 Philbrick (right) attends the opening of a Jean Royere Exhibition at Galerie Patrick Seguin London on February 25, 2016, with ex-partner Fran Mancini The home of Philbrick's registered offices in Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. The art dealer fraudulently lived a lavish lifestyle Philbrick's scams included the sale of a 1982 painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat named Humidity, pictured above The rise and fall of 'serial swindler' Inigo Philbrick Philbrick (pictured) has admitted conning investors out of millions of pounds and told a judge he did it all 'for the money' Born in East London, where his artistic parents were living in an abandoned warehouse, Inigo grew up in Manhattan and Connecticut, and in 2005 followed in his father's footsteps by studying art curation at Goldsmiths, University of London. In 2010, he was taken on as an intern at the prestigious White Cube gallery in London. Gallery founder Jay Jopling later one of Inigo's victims was impressed by the bright, sophisticated young man. In 2013, with Jopling's financial assistance, Inigo opened his own gallery and consultancy in London's Mayfair, specialising in post-war and contemporary art. A second Inigo Philbrick gallery opened in Miami in 2018. While some clients were wealthy collectors, wanting art to hang on the walls of their homes, he increasingly focused on those known in the art world as 'specullectors', who purchase artworks, or a percentage of them, as an investment. Inigo would then help these investors re-sell the artworks at a higher price, taking a share of the profits. As is the norm in this line of dealing, the artworks themselves remained in secure storage facilities meaning clients were completely in the dark when Inigo began selling works to several parties, or over-selling shares in paintings that investors never actually set eyes on. Until his life of crime unravelled in 2019, Inigo was the toast of the art world, a charming bon viveur who, with Victoria on his arm, cut a swathe through London and New York society. Flush with cash, the couple flew around the world on private jets, spending summers in Ibiza. Inigo wore 5,000 suits, hand-made shoes, a belt with a diamond lodged in the pin and a 48,000 watch. He drank 5,000 bottles of wine and had an account at Mayfair restaurant Cipriani so that dinner companions would think he was too important to need to produce a credit card. But throughout this time, he was lying to clients about ownership and prices of artworks, borrowing money against art he didn't own and misappropriating sales proceeds, as well as forging contracts and documents to try to cover his tracks. One of his friends, art writer and dealer Kenny Schachter, who also lost around 1.4 million to Inigo, has described how the young impresario would sell him an artwork for 'around a million dollars' and then re-sell it to another client for a higher amount and 'we'd both pocket a few hundred thousand'. He said: 'His rationale was 'these people are rich, so screw them'.' The piece that brought down his house-of-cards existence was a 2012 painting of Pablo Picasso by Rudolf Stingel, a photo-realist painter from northern Italy. In 2015, Inigo signed a deal with financial services provider Fine Art Partners (FAP) to sell it to them for 5.8 million as part of an agreement to re-sell the work together at Christie's for a supposedly guaranteed price of 7.5million. Such guarantees are a marketing strategy used by major auction houses to lure valuable artworks away from competitors. Yet he went on to sell the same work twice again including to an investment firm, Guzzini Properties, for $6 million (4.9 million). However, disastrously for Inigo, when the painting was finally auctioned in March 2019, it realised only 5.3 million. When FAP got in touch with Christie's, the auction house told them that not only had they never signed a guarantee, but the painting had not even been brought to auction by Inigo. FAP launched a lawsuit in Florida civil court in October 2019, with other clients launching their own legal actions in the U.S. and the UK, where Inigo's assets were frozen by a judge. But by the time it came for the dealer to appear in court, he had closed his gallery, disconnected his phones and disappeared. Philbrick was arrested in June 2020 following allegations he sold the same art works to different investors, sometimes at inflated prices, in order to get money to pay for another. He pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges at a New York's Southern District Court last November. When asked by Jude Stein why he committed the crimes, Philbrick replied: 'For the money, your honour'. Documents said he had a habit of 'drinking alcohol at lunch' and would continue 'throughout the day'. The court heard the serial swindler also took cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine because 'this is how art deals are done'. His supporters largely blame his downfall on the greed and excess endemic in the unregulated global art market, which in 2021 was worth around 53 billion. According to his lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman: 'While his actions were criminal in nature, he's part of an industry sick from top to bottom, where this sort of behaviour is sadly commonplace.' Advertisement Prosecutors said he carried out the scheme by misrepresenting the ownership of certain artworks and by sometimes selling more than 100% ownership to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge. US Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Philbrick's success as an art dealer came only after he collateralized and resold fractional shares in high-value contemporary art. Artworks used in the scheme included, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled 'Humidity,' a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso, authorities said. The scheme unravelled as jilted art buyers filed civil lawsuits, a lender notified him that he was in default of a $14million loan and he stopped responding to legal processes, prosecutors said. 'Unfortunately, his success was built on brazen lies, including concealed ownership interests, fake documents, and even an invented art collector,' Mr Williams said. 'When the house of cards fell apart, Philbrick fled for a remote island in the Pacific, leaving many of his victims without recourse. For his extensive fraud, Philbrick is now sentenced to a substantial prison term.' Born in East London, where his artistic parents were living in an abandoned warehouse, Inigo grew up in Manhattan and Connecticut, and in 2005 followed in his father's footsteps by studying art curation at Goldsmiths, University of London. In 2010, he was taken on as an intern at the prestigious White Cube gallery in London. Gallery founder Jay Jopling later one of Inigo's victims was impressed by the bright, sophisticated young man. In 2013, with Jopling's financial assistance, Inigo opened his own gallery and consultancy in London's Mayfair, specialising in post-war and contemporary art. A second Inigo Philbrick gallery opened in Miami in 2018. While some clients were wealthy collectors, wanting art to hang on the walls of their homes, he increasingly focused on those known in the art world as 'specullectors', who purchase artworks, or a percentage of them, as an investment. Inigo would then help these investors re-sell the artworks at a higher price, taking a share of the profits. As is the norm in this line of dealing, the artworks themselves remained in secure storage facilities meaning clients were completely in the dark when Inigo began selling works to several parties, or over-selling shares in paintings that investors never actually set eyes on. Until his life of crime unravelled in 2019, Inigo was the toast of the art world, a charming bon viveur who, with Victoria on his arm, cut a swathe through London and New York society. Flush with cash, the couple flew around the world on private jets, spending summers in Ibiza. Inigo wore 5,000 suits, hand-made shoes, a belt with a diamond lodged in the pin and a 48,000 watch. He drank 5,000 bottles of wine and had an account at Mayfair restaurant Cipriani so that dinner companions would think he was too important to need to produce a credit card. But throughout this time, he was lying to clients about ownership and prices of artworks, borrowing money against art he didn't own and misappropriating sales proceeds, as well as forging contracts and documents to try to cover his tracks. One of his friends, art writer and dealer Kenny Schachter, who also lost around 1.4 million to Inigo, has described how the young impresario would sell him an artwork for 'around a million dollars' and then re-sell it to another client for a higher amount and 'we'd both pocket a few hundred thousand'. He said: 'His rationale was 'these people are rich, so screw them'.' The piece that brought down his house-of-cards existence was a 2012 painting of Pablo Picasso by Rudolf Stingel, a photo-realist painter from northern Italy. In 2015, Inigo signed a deal with financial services provider Fine Art Partners (FAP) to sell it to them for 5.8 million as part of an agreement to re-sell the work together at Christie's for a supposedly guaranteed price of 7.5million. Such guarantees are a marketing strategy used by major auction houses to lure valuable artworks away from competitors. Yet he went on to sell the same work twice again including to an investment firm, Guzzini Properties, for $6 million (4.9 million). However, disastrously for Inigo, when the painting was finally auctioned in March 2019, it realised only 5.3 million. When FAP got in touch with Christie's, the auction house told them that not only had they never signed a guarantee, but the painting had not even been brought to auction by Inigo. FAP launched a lawsuit in Florida civil court in October 2019, with other clients launching their own legal actions in the U.S. and the UK, where Inigo's assets were frozen by a judge. But by the time it came for the dealer to appear in court, he had closed his gallery, disconnected his phones and disappeared. Philbrick was arrested in June 2020 following allegations he sold the same art works to different investors, sometimes at inflated prices, in order to get money to pay for another. Ms Baker-Harber was unaware of his criminal activity. Philbrick has not met his daughter, with the reality star speaking of her heartbreak as she raises her baby alone. Following the birth last year, she told Hello!: 'As hard as its been not to have Inigo around, I've been lucky to have amazing friends and amazing family. 'I am really excited for Gaia's first Christmas, I am going to have all of my family around. Sadly probably won't have Inigo around but as soon as I'm able to, I'm going to go and visit him so they can meet.' It is understood Philbrick was arrested after he browsed for souvenirs near the beach. He pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges at a New York's Southern District Court last November. When asked by Jude Stein why he committed the crimes, Philbrick replied: 'For the money, your honour'. Documents said he had a habit of 'drinking alcohol at lunch' and would continue 'throughout the day'. The court heard the serial swindler also took cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine because 'this is how art deals are done'. His supporters largely blame his downfall on the greed and excess endemic in the unregulated global art market, which in 2021 was worth around 53 billion. Ms Baker-Harber posing in a bikini for a picture posted to her Instagram account Victoria pictured with Jamie Laing (right) having lunch during an episode of Made in Chelsea in 2017 Ms Baker-Harber began dating Philbrick in 2017 and the pair had a baby together two years later According to his lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman: 'While his actions were criminal in nature, he's part of an industry sick from top to bottom, where this sort of behaviour is sadly commonplace.' Mr Lichtman added: 'It's a sad day for Inigo, but he's happy to put this behind him. 'The industry is corrupt from top to bottom. Inigo isn't the cause here, he's a symptom. I suspect many more cases like this would appear if the art world were investigated thoroughly. 'While his actions were dishonest and criminal in nature, he's part of an industry sick from top to bottom where this sort of behaviour is sadly commonplace. 'That being said, he apologises to his victims and will do all that he can to make them whole.' The fraudster, born in Connecticut, rose to notoriety in the industry after moving to Britain to study at Goldsmiths, University of London, aged 23. He is the son of Harry Philbrick, a respected former museum director, and Jane, a Harvard-educated writer and artist. Philbrick interned at the White Cube gallery in London before being made director of secondary market sales. Three years later, he opened the Inigo Philbrick Gallery in Mayfair. President Joe Biden began the last day of his trip to Asia with yet another stark warning about Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine calling it a 'dark hour' and condemning Putin's effort to 'extinguish' Ukrainian culture. 'We're navigating the Dark Hour in our shared history,' Biden said at the top of the meeting between the four regional powers, which include the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India. 'The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians are killed in the streets and millions of refugees are alternatively displaced as well as exiled,' Biden said. 'And this is more than just a European issue,' Biden underlined. 'Its a global issue. The fact is that when you turn on the television and you'll see what Russia's doing now, appears to me that Putin is just trying to extinguish the culture.' 'Hes not even aiming at military targets anymore. He's taking out every school every church, every natural history museum. Just to try to obliterate Ukrainian culture. And [the] world has to deal with it and we are,' he said. Biden has made similar tough talk domestically, but doing so in Asia communicated to allies in the region and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular his push to respond with a united front. Fab four: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, during his arrival to the Quad leaders summit at Kantei Palace, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Tokyo. It was the second in-person meeting of the group, at the start of Biden's last day in Asia India has longstanding energy and arms relations with Russia, at a time when the U.S. and other allies are trying to choke off Russian trade through sanctions in response to the invasion. It buys the vast majority of its arms from Moscow. Its resistance to global calls to cut off Russian oil and gas exports has helped provide a financial lifeline to Putin, who relies on energy sales to fund the war. Biden also spoke about global food shortages brought on by the invasion Ukraine and Russia are both major producers. 'And also as long as Russia continues to War, the United States will work with our partners to help feed the global response. Because it can affect all parts of the world,' he said. He spent some of his remarks justifying U.S. participation in the region. 'We are we are an Indo-Pacific power,' Biden said. 'We share the Pacific one an entire side of our country,' Biden said. 'As long as Russia continues this war, we're going to continue to be partners and lead a global response,' he said. It was a return to an issue he pounded on Monday at his press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, although the remarks were overshadowed by his comments on Taiwan. Biden also had a warm welcome for new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who flew straight to Tokyo after winning election. 'I think you fall asleep while youre here its okay. I dont know how youre doing it,' joked Biden who himself was once seen nodding off during a long global summit meeting. Diplomats organized the Quad so leaders can try to hash out new understandings on covid, cyber, maritime issues while responding to Russia's war on Ukraine. The sit-down diplomacy comes a day after Biden irritated China with blunt comments on Taiwan, when he said the U.S. would get involved 'militarily' if China invaded across the Taiwan Strait. The comment sent a stark warning to China, who has been conducting a series of military exercises near Taiwan in its own gesture, but also ran against longstanding 'strategic ambiguity' on the matter. 'That's a commitment we made,' Biden said at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Monday. The two later went out for an elegant meal Monday night that included salmon, scallops, needlefish, lobster, and dried cucumber. Tuesday saw the second in-person meeting of the Quad, a group the U.S. sees as an increasingly viable venue to tackle regional problems. 'Its developing into a cornerstone and it certainly is a fixture in the regional order,' a senior administration official told reporters traveling with the president Tuesday. 'Its significant because this is an extraordinary trajectory and one that really reflects the administration's focus on the region and its vision of how we can bring like-minded democracies to work together to deal with common challenges and issues,' the official said. But the official wouldn't provide a direct answer when pushed on whether Biden would press Modi to move away from Russia on military and energy imports. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese , left, flew to join the event shortly after his electoral win Power trio: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi smile during a photo session at the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Tokyo, Japan, 23 May 2022. Australia's new prime minister Anthony Albanese will join meetings of the Quad on Tuesday Tea time: President Joe Biden experiences a traditional tea ceremony with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a private dinner in Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2022, in this photo released by Japan's Cabinet Public Relations Office via Kyodo Don't start without me! Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo on May 23, 2022, for a summit with the US, Japanese and Indian leaders, known as the Quad Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken bump elbows before the Japan-US Foreign Ministers Meeting at Happo-en in Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2022 President Joe Biden (left) participated in a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) in Tokyo on Monday Dinner time! President Joe Biden, center is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, and his wife Yuko as he arrived for dinner at Kochuan, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. The meal came after Biden rattled China by saying the U.S. would get involved military to defend Taiwan if China invaded Sakie Yokota, left, and other families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago, attend a press conference in Tokyo, after they met U.S. President Joe Biden, Monday, May 23, 2022. The families said Biden talked to each of them and listened to their stories, encouraging them as their hopes were fading because of North Korea's escalating missiles and nuclear development One announcement will be a maritime agreement that will use technology to track illegal fishing, 'dark shipping' and 'rendezvous at sea' a reference to ships that turn off transponders that monitor their movements. Joining was the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese got on a plane a day after winning election so that he could make it to the event. 'It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important quad leaders meeting here in Japan,' he said at the top of their meeting. China appears to have offered Australia an olive branch in the wake of Anthony Albanese's election but the new Prime Minister is already talking tough on Beijing. An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times, described the election result as 'a turning point' and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been 'mutually beneficial' for 50 years. It went on to claim the Australian government under Scott Morrison 'severely damaged [the relationship] in just a couple of years, which is lamentable'. It said Australia had adopted a 'hawkish anti-China stance' in recent years, but appeared to pitch itself as 'a good partner' on tackling climate change and 'economic prosperity'. The Global Times has run a series of articles in recent years mocking, threatening and raging at Australia's trade and diplomatic ties to the United States, and attacking Mr Morrison, including labeling him 'a clown' in February. The brief ceasefire in the ongoing war of words between Australia and China appeared to end quickly with Anthony Albanese talking tough before he departed for a meeting with Joe Biden in Japan An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times , described the election result as 'a turning point' and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been 'mutually beneficial' for 50 years Mr Albanese met with Joe Biden on Tuesday to discuss economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region The official Xinhua news agency reported that Premier Li Keqiang had 'called' Mr Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory. This was denied by the PM's office. Mr Li spoke with Scott Morrison in 2018. Mr Morrison spoke with China's supreme leader Xi Jinping in June 2019. The brief ceasefire in the ongoing war of words between Australia and China appeared to end quickly with Mr Albanese talking tough before he departed for a meeting with Joe Biden at a Quad partnership meeting in Japan. 'The relationship with China will remain a difficult one,' Mr Albanese said before flying to Tokyo. 'I said that before the election. That has not changed. It is China that has changed.' Mr Albanese met with Mr Biden on Tuesday in Tokyo, committing Australia to an economic partnership in the Pacific with the United States. Mr Albanese, alongside Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, arrives at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, ahead of the Quad Leaders' Summit, between the United States, Japan, India and Australia The Quad partnership an information strategic alliance between the US, Australia, Japan and India. The Global Times said Mr Albanese's elevation to the top job 'provides a turning point for the China-Australia relationship which is currently at a low ebb'. 'We wish the new Australian government can bring the bilateral relationship back to the right track. 'There are no territorial disputes or historical grievances between the two countries,' it claimed. This is despite anger over China signing a deal with the Solomon Islands in April which could include a Chinese naval base less than 2,000km from the Australian mainland. Maintaining regional alliances will be one of the main focuses of newly sworn in foreign minister Penny Wong. There is also further speculation China is seeking similar deals with other Pacific nations, including Kiribati. The Global Times did not allude to these developments in its latest editorial. 'During the most part of the past 50 years of their diplomatic relations, neither ideological differences nor geopolitical disputes have affected the normal, mutually beneficial exchanges between the two countries.' There was shock and anger over China signing a deal with the Solomon Islands in April which could include a Chinese naval base less than 2,000km from the Australian mainland (pictured, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, second from left, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, second from right, in Beijing in 2019) Maintaining regional alliances will be one of the main focuses of newly sworn in foreign minister Penny Wong It correctly claimed China was Australia's biggest trading partner. But it said because of 'suppression' of Chinese companies and products, the Australian economy was suffering 'deplorable consequences'. 'The Australian side has gone further and further down the road of politicizing trade and investment issues, frequently suppressing Chinese companies on the excuses of 'national security'. 'So far, Australia has launched hundreds of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against Chinese products, while China has made only a few cases against Australian products.' The Global Times regularly draws inflammatory anti-Australia cartoons and its latest effort was a sleeping Kangaroo being dragged along by an American ship A former Australian diplomat writing for a Chinese government-controlled news agency attacked Scott Morrison as 'a clown' and said Anthony Albanese 'shines' in comparison (pictured, the PM at Morrison at a meeting of Australian, US, India and Japan foreign ministers in February 2022) It also claimed New Zealand, which it said has a 'similar political system' to China, had warned Australia over its stances on China. 'Even Australia's neighbor, New Zealand, of which China is also its largest trading partner, has advised the Australian government to show due respect to China.' The example the Global Times gave of a better time in Australian-Sino relations was John Howard's era of 'balanced diplomacy' - which it described as 'a pleasant episode in Australia's diplomatic history'. Britain is co-ordinating with its allies on a potential plan to send warships to the Black Sea port of Odesa to offer a protective escort to ships exporting Ukrainian grain. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said yesterday he had discussed the creation of such a 'protective corridor' from Odesa with British foreign secretary Liz Truss. He also said a 'coalition of the willing', made up of NATO countries and other nations reliant on the grain such as Egypt, may be willing to commit military resources to bolster the protection and avert widespread food shortages. The plan would see allied navies clear the area around the southern port of Russian mines before protecting freight ships carrying the vital produce from Putin's warships according to The Times. Long-range missiles will also be deployed to deter any Russian attempts to sabotage the corridor. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has hastened an impending global food crisis, with huge quantities of grain and other essential commodities sat in storage as war rages on. Ukraine and Russia together export a third of the world's wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil, while Russia is a top supplier of fertiliser that has surged in price. The Kremlin's forces are accused of blocking Ukrainian ports, and the interruption of those affordable food staples is threatening food shortages and political unrest in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. UN world food programme chief David Beasley yesterday condemned Russia for 'a declaration of war on global food security' and accused Putin of sending hundreds of millions 'marching to starvation' amid his blockade of the grain exports. Britain is co-ordinating with its allies on a potential plan to send warships to the Black Sea port of Odesa to offer a protective escort to ships exporting Ukrainian grain (The British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender arrives in the Black Sea port of Batumi on June 26, 2021) The plan would see allied navies clear the area around the southern port (pictured) of Russian mines before protecting freight ships carrying the vital produce from Putin's warships Russia's invasion of Ukraine has hastened an impending global food crisis, with untold tonnes of grain, oils, fertiliser and other essential commodities sat in storage as war rages on Corn lies scattered in a grain warehouse damaged by Russian tanks on May 14, 2022 in Cherkska Lozova, Ukraine UN world food programme chief David Beasley yesterday condemned Russia for 'a declaration of war on global food security' Denmark pledged a batch of Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a launcher to Ukraine on Monday in a joint announcement with the United States, to extent Ukraine's striking range and defend freight ships exporting grain. Ukraine has been seeking more advanced weapons such as air defences, anti-ship missiles and longer-range rockets, but so far the majority of aid has been in short-range systems like Javelin anti-tank weapons and artillery. The Harpoons, made by Boeing Co., could be used to push the Russian navy away from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, allowing exports of grain and other agricultural products to resume. There are six Black Sea Fleet ships and two submarines in the sea currently threatening the safety of freight ships, according to the Centre for Defence Strategies, a Ukrainian think tank. Landsbergis accused the Russians of 'holding hostage the vulnerable countries of the world' by preventing Ukraine from exporting its grain, and warned that hauling smaller amounts of grain abroad via rail and road networks would not satisfy demand. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was 'especially grateful to Denmark which announced that it will provide a Harpoon launcher and missiles to help Ukraine defend its coast.' Tom Karako, a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and the director of the Missile Defense Project, said: 'This is an important and measured step to increase the Ukrainians' capability and operational intensity against the Russians.' He added that the weapons 'will hold at risk high-value Russian ships attacking Ukraine from the Black Sea or elsewhere.' Congressional sources and a U.S. official have said Ukraine's Neptune anti-ship missiles are in short supply, so the Harpoons offer Ukraine more capability to push Russian ships back and begin de-mining operations. With the Harpoon missiles, Ukraine will likely depend on other nations for targeting data to use the systems effectively against ships at longer ranges, Karako noted. A handful of countries were willing to send Harpoons to Ukraine, U.S. officials and congressional sources have said. But a U.S. official said no nation had wanted to be the first or only nation to send Harpoons, fearing reprisals from Russia if a ship is sunk with a Harpoon from their stockpile. Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis (R) said yesterday he had spoken with British foreign secretary Liz Truss (L) about the creation of a 'protective corridor' allowing Ukrainian ships to export grain from Odesa Denmark pledged a batch of Boeing Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a launcher to Ukraine on Monday in a joint announcement with the United States, to extent Ukraine's striking range and defend freight ships exporting grain (Harpoon missile is fired from US ship) U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was 'especially grateful to Denmark which announced that it will provide a Harpoon launcher and missiles to help Ukraine defend its coast' Meanwhile, the European Union will likely agree an embargo on Russian oil imports 'within days,' according to its biggest member Germany. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told global business leaders in Davos on Monday that the world must increase sanctions against Russia to deter other countries from using 'brute force' to achieve their aims. Many of the EU's 27 member states are heavily reliant on Russian energy, prompting criticism from Kyiv that the bloc has not moved quickly enough to halt supplies. Hungary stuck to its demands on Monday for energy investment before it agrees to such an embargo, clashing with EU states pushing for swift approval. The EU has offered up to 2 billion euros to central and eastern nations lacking non-Russian supply. 'We will reach a breakthrough within days,' Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck told broadcaster ZDF. The European Commission and United States were working in parallel on a proposal to cap global oil prices, he said. 'It is obviously an unusual measure, but these are unusual times,' he said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (left, sat alongside US secretary of state Antony Blinken) said last week that he was in 'intense contacts' with Russia and other key countries and is 'hopeful' of an agreement to allow the export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports and ensure Russian food and fertiliser have unrestricted access to global markets Participants walk through the Davos Congress Centre, the venue of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Monday, May. 23, 2022 Though talks to implement a ban on Russian oil are progressing, tackling the threat to the global food supply is now a key priority for officials. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week that he was in 'intense contacts' with Russia and other key countries and is 'hopeful' of an agreement to allow the export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports and ensure Russian food and fertiliser have unrestricted access to global markets. If Ukraine's supplies remain off the market, the world could face a food availability problem in the next 10 to 12 months, and 'that is going to be hell on earth,' Beasley said. Speaking to the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday, Beasley described the impending disaster as 'the worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two', with a massive wave of migration into Europe likely to follow as hunger rises. He said: 'What do you think is going to happen when you take a nation that normally grows enough food to feed 400m people and you sideline that? Russia's three-month long invasion, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has seen over 6.5 million people flee abroad, turned entire cities into rubble, and prompted the unprecedented imposition of Western sanctions on Russia. A sadistic monster who raped an eight-year-old girl before strangling her in a shopping centre toilet will stay behind bars after the parole board refused for a second time to release him. Dante Wyndham Arthurs was jailed for life for murdering Perth schoolgirl Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu, a heinous crime that shocked Australia at the time. Next month will be 16 years since Arthurs, then 21, followed the little girl into a toilet at Livingston Marketplace where he raped, beat and suffocated Sofia before fleeing. Sofia's teenage brother went to find out why she was taking so long and found her naked body lying motionless on the bathroom floor. The State's Prisoners Review Board decided to keep Arthurs behind bars for at least another three years when his non-parole period of 13 years expired in 2019. The murder of Perth schoolgirl Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu in 2006 shocked the nation The board decided last week Arthurs should remain locked up and won't review his parole again until 2025, The West Australian reported. The reasons for the ruling are confidential. Attorney-General John Quigley hasn't commented on the latest decision but described Arthurs' crime in 2019 as 'one of the most shocking and brutal crimes in recent times'. Sofia went to the toilet at Livingston Marketplace in the southern suburb of Canning Vale as her uncle and siblings waited nearby. As she left the female toilets, she was grabbed from behind by Arthurs and dragged into a cubicle where she was raped, beaten, suffocated, and left to die. Sofia's brother, then 14, found her body when he went to look for her and why she was taking so long. Many police officers and lawyers who worked on the investigation still regard the case as one of the most harrowing of their careers. Child killer Dante Wyndham Arthurs will remain behind bars until at least June 2025 Sofia Rodrigez-Urrutia-Shu (pictured) was grabbed from behind and dragged into a cubicle where she was sexually assaulted, beaten, and suffocated The heinous crime sparked outrage and resulted in homicide laws introduced in 2008 in Western Australia that give judges the power to send child killers to jail for the rest of their lives. It was later revealed Arthurs stalked at least 10 young girls before Sofia's murder. He was charged with sexually interfering another eight-year-old girl in the same suburb three years before the Director of Public Prosecution dropped the case due to insufficient evidence. 'Had her killer been convicted for his earlier crimes, had his name been added to a register of child sex offenders... Sofia might be alive today,' a confronting statement from Sofia's family read at the time. The family broke their silence on the 10 year anniversary of Sofia's death in 2016. While they felt no anger or hatred, the family hoped Arthurs would never released from prison. Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu would have just celebrated her 24th birthday if she was still alive 'Since this guy's in jail, hopefully for as long as possible, we just keep on with our own lives. I wouldn't like to see him come out, I don't think he would make a contribution to our society,' Sofia's father Gabriel Rodriguez told The Sunday Times in 2016. 'We did take it once and Sofia had to pay for that mistake. It's something we have to make sure doesn't happen again and in my mind I don't need to have anything to do with that person. The only thing I want is him not coming out and if I can help in that I will do it.' 'What happened was just unimaginable, it was the worst luck ever, but it could have happened to anybody. I think that's why the community has felt so strongly,' An annual scholarship is awarded in her Sofia's memory at her former school Mater Christi Catholic Primary School in Yangebup, Dante Wyndham Arthurs (pictured after being charged by police in 2006) was sentenced to life behind bars for the murder of Sofia Rodrigez-Urrutia-Shu. Arthurs sexually assaulted the eight-year-old girl before strangling her to death in a toilet at a Canning Vale shopping centre (pictured) Several other convicted killers will face the parole board in coming months. James Stapleton, who was sentenced to strict-security life imprisonment for torturing 14-year-old Cleon Jackman to death in May 1999. Now in his mid-60s, he tortured Cleon for up to five hours, beating him with a shovel before pushing toilet paper down his throat. Stapleton then used a piece of wood to strangle the teen before burying his body in bushland. His parole was reviewed last week with the board's decision adjourned until later in the year. Douglas Crabbe, who killed five people and injured 16 when he deliberately slammed his truck into the Inland Hotel near Uluru in 1983, will have his parole reviewed in August. Mate Perich was recently freed from jail after 27 years behind bars for shooting the mother of his children Danica four times in 1995. William Tyrrell's foster mother has pleaded not guilty to giving false or misleading information to the NSW Crime Commission over an unknown matter. The 59-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was represented in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday over the fresh charge. She has maintained her innocence and will fight the charge when it returns to court in June. The maximum sentence for misleading the body is five years in prison. The foster mother did not appear in court on Tuesday and suppression orders protecting her identity and specifics of the case were extended. More than seven years after three-year-old William disappeared from his foster grandmother's home in Kendall, on the NSW mid north coast, detectives set their sights on his foster parents. His foster mother was named as a person of interest before being hit with a slew of unrelated charges, including stalking and intimidating a child who is not William. The most recent charge was laid in February and relates to lying to the NSW Crime Commission. Further details of the alleged offence are not available to the public. The Sydney couple were foster parents to the three-year-old when he disappeared from the NSW Mid North Coast town of Kendall, in September 2014 Her partner - William's foster father - was also hit with one count of lying to the commission and intimidating a child. The couple have been in and out of the courts for months now fighting to clear their names. Court documents state the stalking charges for both parents are domestic related. In November 2021, both foster parents were also charged in relation to the alleged assault of a child - again not William. The foster mother was later hit with a second count of the first charge. They have both pleaded not guilty, and indicated they may apply to have the matter heard under the Mental Health Act. The foster mother of William Tyrrell has now been charged with allegedly lying to the Crime Commission, on top of two counts of stalking and intimidation which were laid last week The Sydney couple were foster parents to the three-year-old when he disappeared from the NSW Mid North Coast town of Kendall, in September 2014. William Tyrrell's foster father (above on the day the toddler went missing in 2014) was quizzed about a mystery phone which police said had been registered in his name and disconnected days before the disappearance Documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia reveal the foster father was questioned at length by then-Tyrrell task force commander Gary Jubelin about a mystery phone which was live for nine months before being cut off. 'It had a disconnection date of the 9/9/2014, so yeah just a couple of days before you went up,' Mr Jubelin says to the foster father in a 2016 interview recorded at NSW Police headquarters at Parramatta. Police allege the foster father 'lied about something we can prove' when interviewed by the secretive NSW Crime Commission in 2021. He testified for up to two hours after being secretly summonsed to appear at the NSWCC Surry Hills headquarters on November 11. Four days later, police launched a surprise 'high intensity' search of bushland around 800m from the house where William had been staying with his foster parents when he vanished seven years ago. On the second day of the search for William's remains at a dig site in the NSW Mid North Coast town of Kendall, the boys foster mother was declared a person of interest in his disappearance. The foster mother's photo of her mother on the verandah with William and another child roughly an hour before the three-year-old vanished without trace Rural fire service officers search bush last December around 700m from the Kendall house where William had disappeared seven years earlier William Tyrrell had been placed with the couple in March 2012 as a foster child in the care of the then state minister for family and community services until he was 18 years old. William was driven to the Kendall home of his foster grandmother on Friday, September 11, 2014 and was last seen playing on the verandah of the house on the Saturday morning. A widespread search for him in the surrounding area failed to find any trace of him. Thousands of tons of food imported to the UK is being destroyed because of fears over contamination by stowaway migrants travelling in the back of lorries. British supermarkets automatically reject any fresh goods driven over from Europe if there is evidence that migrants have been on board the vehicle. This is because of food safety concerns but in many cases, perfectly good food is being rejected as a precautionary measure. One supply chain specialist, Oakland International, has seen a significant increase in the number of loads suspected of having come into contact with migrant passengers. Large quantities of food is being destroyed due to stowaways hiding in lorries, as supermarkets reject food over contamination fears A 'significant increase' in the number of lorries suspected to have had migrants in has been recorded in the UK The firms co-founder has warned that this could be a consequence of the Governments Rwanda policy which will see migrants sent to the East African nation to claim asylum there as stowaways are deterred from making sea crossings, and opt for lorries instead. Oakland, which operates a service that handles rejected food imports, said the rise seems to tie in to the major news about the Rwanda deportation announcements. Co-founder Dean Attwell told The Grocer magazine that he expects the boat crossings to become increasingly less popular as news of deportation spreads. Last year, Oakland handled 520 loads of stock subject to clandestine infiltration. It is currently handling 15 to 20 claims a week linked to migrants, and is expecting this figure to double later this year. The firm estimates that around 70 trucks carrying 1,400 tons of food could be at risk each week. Mr Attwell said: Most of this stock for disposal consists of pallets where immigrants have sat on or nested to conceal themselves and protect themselves from the cold. More than 9,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since the beginning of the year (pictured: migrants entering a lorry near Calais on its way to the Channel tunnel crossing) A loss adjuster firm handling claims from food companies has also recorded a recent rise in complaints linked to clandestine infiltration of delivery trucks. In one case, the door handles of a lorry carrying cheese products had apparently been tampered with. A source at the company said: A lot of colleagues and trucking companies give instructions to their drivers to not park within 100 to 150 kilometres [60-93 miles] of Calais. But then the immigrants and the people traffickers just go further out. Ive had people discovered in trailers as far out as the French-Belgian border [120 miles away]. The development comes as it was confirmed yesterday that more than 9,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since the beginning of the year. The Ministry of Defence, which took control of the UKs operations in the Channel last month, said 234 people arrived from northern France on Sunday. It takes the total so far this year to 9,187, but does not include the estimated 200 people, including several women and small children, thought to have reached the UK yesterday. Some 2,385 migrants have arrived in Britain so far this month, and the 9,187 figure was not reached until late July last year. Last year saw a record 28,526 migrants cross the Channel triple the number in 2020 and one expert has warned that this year more than 100,000 could risk their lives making the dangerous crossing. The infant who died after being allegedly poisoned by a children's nurse had deteriorated 'quickly and unexpectedly', an NHS letter today revealed. An investigation has been launched into the 27-year-old nurse's previous cases after she was arrested at home on Thursday for allegedly poisoning one of her young patients at Birmingham Children's Hospital. Parents of children currently being treated at the hospital have been sent a letter detailing the incident in an attempt to allay any fears for their own offsprings' safety. The note reads: 'An infant recently died on the paediatric intensive care unit after deteriorating quickly and unexpectedly. 'When this happens we try to understand why this has happened and follow a set of national rules to investigate.' Tina Turner, 38, one parent who received a letter, told the Telegraph she felt 'shocked' and found the situation 'really scary'. The suspect has now been released pending the investigation as forensic reports are finalised, West Midlands Police confirmed. A 27-year-old nurse was arrested at home on Thursday, just hours after an infant's death at Birmingham Children's Hospital The nurse's arrest has reportedly sent 'shockwaves' around the hospital and she has been suspended from duty, a source told The Sun. 'It's incredibly serious - the nurse has been suspended and this will now mean a major investigation,' the source said. 'No doubt the hospital will also be looking at previous cases she has been involved in. Cases like these are horrendous.' A West Midlands Police spokesman said: 'We have arrested a 27-year-old woman in connection with the death of an infant. 'The child sadly passed away on Thursday at hospital. 'The woman was arrested on Thursday evening at a property in the West Midlands area on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life. 'She has been released while the investigation continues and the results of forensic tests are examined. The woman was detained by police on suspicion of administering poison with intent to endanger life 'The family of the child are being supported by specially trained officers.' Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust runs the hospital, which is one of the top paediatric centres in the country and cares for 90,000 children each year. A trust spokesman said: 'Following the death of an infant at our Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital, we have asked West Midlands Police to examine what has happened, in line with our own safeguarding policy. 'The staff member involved has been suspended by the trust following the national process on the sudden unexpected death of a child. 'We are supporting the infant's family at this distressing time and ask that privacy is respected in this process.' U.S. new Indo-Pacific economic framework faces headwinds Xinhua) 09:31, May 24, 2022 TOKYO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday launched the so-called Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which a number of countries including Japan have joined, as the new economic initiative raised concerns in the Asia-Pacific. "In order to prepare our economies for the future, we are launching the process to establish the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity," said a joint statement by member nations of the United States, Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The U.S.-led IPEF, believed as part of its "Indo-Pacific Strategy", is described as being focused on "four pillars -- trade, supply chains, clean energy and infrastructure, and tax and anti-corruption." Biden's IPEF vision, if it comes to fruition, will not be without some serious headwinds, partly because a number of the commitments within the framework will be non-binding. Sources close to the matter have also said that some Asian countries and trade experts have thus far given a circumspect response to the program, as the Biden administration has made it clear that the IPEF will not be a traditional free trade agreement that involves commitments towards tariff-cutting. In addition, it has also raised some eyebrows that Biden is not willing to risk American jobs by offering increased market accessibility needed by the region. The Japanese public, in addition, has taken issue with Biden's IPEF and the upcoming Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) between the leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia and India here on Tuesday. Quad's objective purports to include maritime security, COVID-19 issues, climate change, technological innovation and investment, but all four Quad members have expressed similar yet unfounded opinions about China's "growing assertiveness" in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus some experts believed Quad was formed as a platform to counter China's peaceful rise and growing influence in the Asia-Pacific. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also criticized the United States for creating the Indo-Pacific Strategy to form small cliques in the name of freedom and openness, noting its purpose is to contain China. Wang said the framework attempted to erase the name "Asia-Pacific" and the effective regional cooperation architecture in the region when he and visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari jointly met the press after their talks on Sunday. "Facts will prove that the so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy is in essence a strategy that creates divisions, incites confrontation and undermines peace. No matter how the strategy is airbrushed or disguised, it is bound to be a failed strategy," he said. On Sunday, protesters took to the streets in central Tokyo against the Indo-Pacific strategy including Quad, denouncing the movement towards division and not harmony, and brinkmanship leading to confrontation instead of regional solidarity for the good of the region. One group of protesters among the thousands were carrying a banner that read in both Japanese and English: "CRUSH! Japan-U.S. & Quad Summit for War." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Iron ore mining magnate Andrew Forrest believes Anthony Albanese will adopt much stronger climate change policies than he campaigned on to win office. Australia's richest billionaire, widely known as 'Twiggy', made the comments to Bloomberg Television while attending the annual gathering of the global elite hosted by the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos. 'Our (Australia's) climate policy has been frankly embarrassing,' Mr Forrest said. Mining magnate Andrew Forrest (centre) here seen at a press conference flanked by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (left) and Deputy Premier Steven Miles (right) predicts that federal Labor will bring in strong climate change policies now in office 'I think the new government will pivot towards making Australia a global climate champion, which it should have been years and years ago. 'Their campaign to be elected was as a really small target but now that they're actually in government, and quite decisively, I think they'll be much more ambitious. 'And so they should be because compared to the rest of the world, Australia's been lagging.' Andrew Forrest (right) talks with a worker at a Queensland plant that his company Fortescue Metals is partnering with to develop hydrogen as an example of green energy Mr Forrest, 60, said he would like to see Australia aiming for a greenhouse emissions reduction of 50 or 60 per cent by 2030, a step up from Labor's stated goal of reducing emissions by 43 per cent. He pledged that his company, Fortescue Metals Group, would lead the way in the iron ore sector and other major companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP were enthusiastic about following the lead. 'We intend as a company to be down by 100 per cent by 2030,' Mr Forrest said. Mr Forrest said he had stepped into the role of executive chairman to ensure Fortescue goes green with a particular emphasis on developing new forms of energy, such as green hydrogen. 'Green steel, green iron, green fertilisers, green cement, it's to set the example for the huge commercial and industrial company, highly profitable and getting more profitable because we are going green,' he said. A Hyundai Nexo Hydrogen vehicle is filled with hydrogen, an energy source Andrew Forrest has strongly backed as a way to reduce Australia's reliance on fossil fuels and cut emissions Mr Forrest was particularly scathing of what he called 'greenwashing' - the practice of making false or exaggerated claims of being environmentally friendly. He call for an end to 'the rubbish, the people who spend the fortunes on advertising when in fact all they are doing is putting out more and more pollution'. 'When you hear that word clean you can be assured it is greenwashing,' Mr Forrest said. 'You've heard of clean coal, you've heard of cancer-free tobacco, get really hard on the greenwashing. 'Greenwashing is our biggest risk because so many companies out there are saying one thing to shareholders and the public are doing precisely another to their own profit and loss.' Andrew Forrest's fortune is estimated to be $27billion mainly flowing from iron ore mining, a sector he says his company Fortescue is leading the way in being more climate friendly Although he did not name any particular 'greenwashers' in the interview, Mr Forrest's previous claims that Australia's oil and gas industry is greenwashing have drawn stiff some stiff rebuke. State Gas Executive Chairman Richard Cottee, a towering figure in Queensland's coal-seam gas industry, told The Australian newspaper Mr Forrest needed to back up his accusation with facts because otherwise it was like being a school bully. In pushing green hydrogen last last year, Mr Forrest was himself accused of greenwashing. 'You're over-inflating the use-case for hydrogen for personal gain, even if it comes at the cost of worse emissions and under-consideration of alternatives,' climate analyst Ketan Joshi said. 'You're also building fossil fuel infrastructure, which is really bad.' Mr Forrest, who is the major shareholder of Fortescue as well being the company's executive chair and chair, has amassed a net worth of approximately $27.25billion, according to last year's Australian Financial Review's Rich List. A career criminal was indicted for impersonating a police officer this month - an elaborate ruse that he had kept up for at least 15 years using fake props, a real gun and even a trained dog, federal prosecutors said. The scheme began to unravel after he attempted to apprehend two women who disputed their bill at a restaurant in Prince George's County, Maryland, where he worked security. The incident occurred on March 6, as Antione Tuckson, 37, armed with a bite dog, police vest, Glock handgun and taser, sought to impersonate a member of the US Marshals service. When the dispute arose with two women, however, it was Tuckson himself who called the Prince George's County Police Department. Tuckson flashed a badge to responding officers, who he met close to the restaurant to describe the situation. Tuckson is a resident of nearby Waldorf, Maryland. Antione Tuckson pictured with his dog Pearl in 2017. Tuckson spent time in prison for crimes including theft and unlicensed possession of a firearm Antione Tuckson was indicted for impersonating an officer on May 19 and arrested on May 20. He could face three years in prison alone on charges of possessing firearm as a felon Tuckson's dog, Pearl, shown in front of one of the suspect's vehicles that came equipped with red and blue flashing lights The feds say that Tuckson created a fake US Marshal's ID card on a printer they found in his home in Waldorf, Maryland The cops noticed something was wrong when they realized that Tuckson had left his dog at the eatery - something that law-enforcement canine handlers never do. According to federal charging documents, Tuckson then tried to have his friend, named in charging documents as Nijea Rich, impersonate his supervisor when the officers demanded further proof of the suspect's credentials. When the officers were in the process of arresting Tuckson, Rich arrived at the scene in 'police-style clothing.' She told the police that Tuckson's dog was her emotional support animal and was also a patrol dog. Besides the bogus uniform, Rich was armed with a handgun, handcuffs, a radio and an expandable baton. Tuckson has been cited for impersonating an officer on three previous occasions in 2006, 2009 and 2018 These are some of the items retrieved from Tuckson's home, including an expandable baton These are some of the weapons that were found at Tuckson's home, they included an AR15 rifle with a scope According to documents, Rich asked the arresting officers: 'You locked up a US Marshal?' Tuckson and Rich were indicted on May 19 and arrested on May 20 in Maryland. The dog was placed in the care of the Prince George's County Animal Services Division. A day after Tuckson's arrest, Rich showed up at the animal services center and said that she was a US Marshal. Rich had the dog released to her. On May 20, a raid of Tuckson's home saw officers recover an AR-style rifle with scope and a pistol-grip pump-action shotgun. One image that was retrieved from Tuckson's cellphone showed a man apparently in handcuffs sitting on a sidewalk It wasn't the first time Tuckson was brought in on similar charges - he was accused of the same offense in 2006, 2009 and 2018. The most brazen of these impersonations occurred in 2018 when Tuckson became involved in a robbery by identifying himself as a US Marshal to a victim and responding officers. Between 2005 and 2009, Tuckson was arrested multiple times for receiving stolen property. In 2007, he was also convicted of a carrying a gun without a license, for which he was sentenced to 14 months in prison. He was then sentenced to 16 months in prison in August 2009 for first degree theft. In order to further his impersonations, federal charging documents say that Tuckson had his car equipped with police-style red and blue flashing lights. That's in addition to a fake ID card and other police weaponry. Tuckson's rouse was busted in part because cops noticed he left his canine partner behind, something which is not common practice in law enforcement These patches were also found at Tuckson's home Tuckson had also registered the trademark 'USMS Special Services.' USMS is a common acronym for the United States Marshal Services. In addition to the impersonating an officer charges, Tuckson is also accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Tuckson was in possession of a 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol at the time of the incident. If convicted on both charges, Tuckson could face a maximum of 13 years in prison. The person who is accused of impersonating Tuckson's supervisor was also named in a US Marshal's press release as Nijea Rich, 40, of Lexington Park, Maryland. If convicted, Rich could face a maximum of five years in prison. Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Mathew Silverman said in the press release that Tuckson and Rich's alleged behavior 'presents a grave risk to the community and undermines all the incredible work done by deputies who have earned the right to wear our badge.' Christopher Brown, a father of one, was shot dead in DC in August 2020. He was 17 years old. Tuckson described himself as a mentor and father figure to the young man In August 2020, Tuckson's 17-year-old cousin Christopher Brown was shot dead during a cookout in Washington DC. Tuckson told WAMU in an interview that he was like a father figure and mentor to Brown. Tuckson said in the interview that he talked to his cousin just before his death that Brown had told him that he wanted to do better with his life. He said: 'Those were the very last things that he said to me, and I was going to make sure I was there, to be there to help push him and motivate him.' ames Craig and Perry Johnson together turned in more than 20,000 invalid signatures and 15,000 that were 'fraudulently collected by circulators' Two leading candidates vying to become the Republican nomination for Michigan governor face being disqualified from the race after they failed to submit enough valid nominating signatures to make the ballot for the August primary, the state's election bureau said. Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who has led in primary polling despite campaign problems, and businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his own money to run, together turned in more than 20,000 invalid signatures and more than 15,000 that were allegedly fraudulently collected by paid petition circulators. The bureau said on Monday night that Craig, Perry and three other GOP candidates who had failed to file enough valid nominating signatures should not qualify for the forthcoming primary - a recommendation that immediately transformed the 2022 race in the battle ground state. If the bureau's findings hold, half of the 10 Republican candidates for governor will be disqualified from the race. Alongside Craig and Johnson, the bureau determined that three other lesser-known GOP candidates - Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey - did not turn in enough valid signatures. Johnson, a self-proclaimed 'quality guru,' vowed to fight the recommendation from the bureau, which is part of Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's department. Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who has led in primary polling despite campaign problems, could be disqualified from the ballot 'The staff of the Democrat secretary of state does not have the right to unilaterally void every single signature obtained by the alleged forgers who victimized five campaigns,' campaign consultant John Yob said in a statement. 'We strongly believe they are refusing to count thousands of signatures from legitimate voters who signed the petitions and look forward to winning this fight before the board, and if necessary, in the courts.' The bureau said it had identified 36 petition circulators - campaign workers who ask voters to sign a petition to place a candidate on a ballot - who 'submitted fraudulent petition sheets consisting entirely of invalid signatures' across at least 10 campaigns. The agency said it was 'unaware of another election cycle in which this many circulators submitted such a substantial volume of fraudulent petition sheets consisting of invalid signatures.' The election bureau found that Craig's campaign submitted 10,192 valid signatures - well short of the 15,000 needed. There were 11,113 invalid signatures, including 9,879 that were allegedly fraudulently collected by 18 paid circulators. The agency found evidence of consistent handwriting across all signatures on individual petition sheets and of 'round-tabling,' where circulators took turns signing a line on each sheet in an effort to vary handwriting and make signatures appear authentic. Johnson turned in 13,800 valid signatures, according to staff. They tossed 9,393, invalid signatures including 6,983 that they said are fraudulent and were gathered by many of the same people who also forged signatures that Craig submitted. Democrats had earlier challenged Craig and Johnson's petitions, alleging mass forgery and other issues. Another GOP candidate, Tudor Dixon, had also contested Craig's voter signatures as fake. The bureau said it discovered the fraud on its own review and did not process the challenges filed by the Michigan Democratic Party and Dixon. Businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his own money to run, faces being disqualified from the race for Michigan governor It also uncovered more than 42,000 bogus signatures that were collected for Brandenburg, Brown and Markey. The agency dismissed a challenge to Dixon brought by Democrats, who said the heading on her petition wrongly listed the end of the next gubernatorial term as 2026, when it is Jan. 1, 2027. A message seeking comment was left with Craig's campaign late Monday. The bipartisan, four-member Board of State Canvassers will meet Thursday to consider the elections bureau's findings of fraud across five gubernatorial campaigns. The board could agree with the recommendations or go against them. But it would take three of the four board members to diverge from the recommendations and put a Republican candidate on the ballot who was found to have an insignificant number of signatures. The Republican candidates, who are vying to face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November, could end up going to court if they do not make the ballot. If the canvassers agree with the recommendations, the 10-person field of political newcomers would be cut in half to five. Those qualifying for the ballot would be Dixon, a former conservative TV news host who netted the DeVos family endorsement earlier Monday; chiropractor and grassroots activist Garrett Soldano; wealthy self-funding businessman Kevin Rinke; real estate broker and anti-coronavirus lockdown activist Ryan Kelley; and pastor Ralph Rebandt. The bureau said it was working to refer the fraud to law enforcement for criminal investigation. 'At this point, the Bureau does not have reason to believe that any specific candidates or campaigns were aware of the activities of fraudulent-petition circulators,' staff wrote. Staff at the bureau did not flag a reason for the fraud but noted the difficulty securing circulators and signatures for campaigns and ballot initiatives nationwide during the pandemic. Circulators often are paid per signature. Staff identified an unusually large number of sheets with every signature line completed or that showed no normal wear such as folds, scuffing or minor damage from rain. They flagged sheets on which handwriting of certain letters across different signatures and information was near identical. Staff also reported an unusually high number of signatures corresponding to dead voters and to addresses where living voters no longer live. A guest on Peta Credlin's Sky News show has compared Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's diplomatic trip to Japan to Scott Morrison leaving Australia during the worst bushfire season on record for a holiday in Hawaii. The bizarre comparison was made by Sky News political commentator Chris Smith on Peta Credlin's show before Mr Albanese elected and sworn in as Australia's 31st Prime Minister on Monday. Mr Smith described the idea of Mr Albanese taking now-Foreign Minister Penny Wong to meet the leaders of the Quad as a 'glimmer of Labor craziness in the first week' and questioned how the process would work. 'He's not on the planet,' host Chris Smith said. 'To have Anthony Albanese in the stage of transitioning from a government to another government... a glimmer of Labor craziness in the first week. 'I know he's an economic dunce - we've proven that over the past five weeks, but this is like going to Hawaii on steroids... Like seriously, the first week?' Joe Biden has praised Anthony Albanese's energy after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job Mr Morrison's most famous debacle was sneaking out of the country to holiday with his family in Hawaii in the midst of the 2019-20 bushfires crisis Mr Smith only elaborated on his comparison by questioning how Mr Albanese would handle the factions - in an apparent reference to how his Cabinet would be selected - in such a situation. Mr Albanese was sworn into government on Monday before jetting off to Tokyo for a planned Quad leaders' summit with leaders from the US, Japan and India. The Labor leader is due to return from the whirlwind trip on Wednesday. Mr Morrison famously slipped out of the country to holiday in Hawaii with his wife and daughters in the midst of the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis. His office repeatedly denied he was overseas before it was finally confirmed he'd left the country while it was burning the week before Christmas. Social media pictures emerged of him posing for selfies with beer-swilling holidaymakers and relaxing with his wife Jenny at their Hawaiian hotel. In an interview with 2GB's John Stanley, while still in Hawaii, Mr Morrison notoriously said: 'I don't hold a hose, mate' to justify the trip. The trip was not well received and has haunted Mr Morrison in the years since, impacting his recent campaign and regularly being brought up in media interviews. Before the election, host Ms Credlin accused Albanese of appearing 'arrogant' in the lead up to election day, describing his leadership as 'Biden-esque' and 'in name only'. Credlin has long been a critic of Albanese and was mocked in the wake of his resounding win on Saturday night When Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the American election in January 2021, his critics claimed he would be the 'mouth piece' for his party and doubted how much power and influence he would have in the top job. '(Albanese) going to take off to Japan on Tuesday and leave us Richard Marles in charge as acting prime minister... but worse than that, he hasn't even got to choose his cabinet,' Credlin said. 'In come the factional war lords - faces most voters wouldn't even know - and they'll carve up his cabinet.' Days later, Richard Marles is now serving as Acting Prime Minister while Mr Albanese is overseas. The Labor leader is planning to select his Cabinet from a list prepared by the Left and Right factions of the party by next week. In an interview with 2GB's John Stanley, while still in Hawaii, he notoriously said: 'I don't hold a hose, mate' to justify the trip as the nation burned. Pictured: A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on Tuesday, Dec. 31 2019 Credlin has been inundated with comments slamming the comparison between Mr Albanese's work trip to Japan and former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's family holiday to Hawaii. I don't hold a hose, mate Scott Morrison defending his holiday to Hawaii during the 2019-2020 bushfires Meanwhile it appears Mr Albanese has made fast friends with global leaders at his first event as PM, seen laughing alongside President Biden at the Quad leaders' summit on Tuesday. The 79-year-old US President, who famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, told Mr Albanese: 'If you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK'. In his short speech to his fellow leaders, President Biden congratulated Mr Albanese on winning Saturday's election. The four leaders, including newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese waved for the cameras as they posed for photos at the summit in Tokyo 'Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got sworn in, got on a plane and if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK because I don't know how you're doing it,' he said. 'It's really quite extraordinary just getting off the campaign trail as well. 'Congratulations on your election. When you won and I called you, we greatly appreciate your commitment on being here so soon after taking office.' Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government. He announced the Quad will host a Quad security leader's summit in 2023. 'We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change,' he said. Mr Albanese also talked up his increased commitments on tackling climate change and spoke about his aim to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. A Utah hunting guide was charged for illegally baiting during a 2018 bear hunt paid for by Donald Trump Jr. The longtime outdoors professional allegedly used oil, grain and even pastries to lure in the animal, which Trump Jr. later shot and killed. He also reportedly used dogs to surround the bear - both common tactics used to hunt the species but which were illegal in the area the hunt was taking place in. Wade Cox Lemon, 61, was charged with 'wanton destruction of protected wildlife' which is a third degree felony. The charge stems from a hunt on May 18, 2018, according to court documents. The state wildlife department said it was tipped off to a pile of 'grain, oil and pastries' left by the hunting party from that day. Wildlife agents responded and confirmed that the half-eaten bait was left in front of a trail camera with Lemon's initials and phone number on it. Wade Cox Lemon, 61, was charged with 'wanton destruction of protected wildlife' - which is a third degree felony Lemon helps lure in animals for hunters and has been charged with illegal baiting, using dogs to nail down a bear in a hunt that involved Donald Trump Jr. (pictured above on a separate hunt) Trump Jr. was there that weekend to launch a hunting advocacy group called Hunter Nation, as well as a super PAC called Hunter Nation Action The witness said that the hunting party, which included the president's eldest son, was also using dogs because they found the straw used to line their cages on a nearby road. The bear in question was registered with the local wildlife agency that same day. 'The end of the hunt is recorded, showing the bear surrounded by a pack of hunting dogs before the client shoots and kills the animal,' prosecutors wrote in the charging document. 'Utah law forbids luring bears to a bait station and then pursuing the animal with dogs.' State law says it is illegal to 'possess or use bait or other attractant to take protected wildlife which is prohibited in this title or a rule, proclamation, or order of the Wildlife Board.' Trump Jr., who is a notorious hunter, was confirmed by multiple investigations to be Lemon's client that day. The president's son posted an Instagram photo in the same area on the weekend the hunt in question occurred. 'Lots of quality time in the woods hanging out at 10,000 feet. #outdoors #weekend #adventure #cabin #utah,' he writes. Trump Jr. was there that weekend to launch a hunting advocacy group called Hunter Nation, as well as a super PAC called Hunter Nation Action. Trump Jr., who is a notorious hunter, was confirmed by multiple investigations to be Lemon's client that day According to Open Secrets, the group spent a little less than $97,000 in ads against Democrats in the 2020 election. Lemon's Facebook page confirmed Trump Jr.'s presence that weekend saying 'we are proud to call you a friend and we thank you for all you do for hunting and Americans.' Technically, Trump Jr. is both a victim and now a possible witness in what the local county attorney Troy Rawlings calls 'a fraudulent scheme to lead the hunter to believe it was actually a legitimate Wild West hunting situation.' Lemon, briefly reached by phone by the Salt Lake Tribune, seemed startled. 'As far as I knew everything was above board,' the Tribune claimed he said before hanging up. Advertisement Scott Morrison's remaining fans have delivered bouquets of flowers to Kirribilli House as his family prepares to pack up and leave for the last time. The former prime minister must leave the heritage-listed Sydney mansion this week after being defeated at the federal election on Saturday, with Anthony Albanese to move in soon after. Mr Morrison spent the days since his defeat hosting parties with family, friends, and staffers as he tries to cheer himself up while facing impending unemployment. Videos showed he and his wife Jenny cracking a whip at a party on Sunday, but soon the whip will be cracked on him to move out of Kirribilli and The Lodge in Canberra. A steady stream of well-wishers arrived to console the defeated former PM in his darkest hours as the hangovers faded and reality set in. One sullen-looking woman arrived at Kirribilli on Monday night with a bouquet of roses, lilies and, chrysanthemums She arrived with her family, including a young boy and an older woman, and were let inside by police guarding the entrance One sullen-looking woman arrived at Kirribilli on Monday night with her family, including a young boy and an older woman, and were let inside by police guarding the entrance. She clutched a bouquet of pink roses, lilies and, chrysanthemums wrapped in white and pink paper as she approached the gates with a glum expression on her face. Later in the evening a delivery driver arrived with another bouquet of mixed flowers from CBD Flowers, which he handed to a policeman to take to Mr Morrison and his family. The somber scenes at Kirribilli were in contrast to Sunday when Mr Morrison let loose for one final party to say thank you to their staff and families. Mr Morrison was dressed in a smart casual navy pullover and holding a cold one as he chatted with friends, family and staffers on the lawn. A steady stream of well-wishers arrived to console the defeated former PM in his darkest hours as the hangovers faded and reality set in Later in the evening a delivery driver arrived with another bouquet of mixed flowers from CBD Flowers He handed it to a policeman to take to Mr Morrison and his family, with security tight at the PM's Sydney residence At one point in the festivities, he cracked a whip to amuse guests as his wife of over 30 years delivered a tray of cocktails to the surprisingly jovial crowd. Mrs Morrison decided to give it a go too, grabbing the leather strap and swiveling it above her head then lashing the ground before the couple's eldest daughter Abbey also had a crack. At another point in the event, Mr Morrison could be seen sharing an intimate moment with his wife, pulling her in for a hug as she drank a margarita. The Morrison family will have to move out of Kirribilli to make way for Mr Albanese, who is expected to live there with long-term girlfriend Jodie Haydon, his son Nathan from a previous marriage, and 'First Dog' Toto. He has a little more time that usual as Mr Albanese few to the Quad meeting in Japan on Monday almost immediately after being sworn in that morning, and will not return until Wednesday afternoon. One woman looks through the Kirribilli House gates during a gap in the rain late on Sunday afternoon Outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison enjoyed a cold drink as he chatted with staffers, friends, and family at a farewell social bash on the at Kirribilli House after losing the federal election (pictured) What Mr Morrison will do next is yet to be decided, but in his concession speech at Sydney's Fullerton Hotel on Saturday night, he confirmed he was stepping down as leader. But he vowed to stay on in Parliament to serve his South Sydney constituents, an unusual move for a prime minister ousted from office by voters. 'The people of Cook have supported me so strongly and I will continue to be your representative,' he said. What's not clear yet is if Mr Morrison will look for a role on the new Liberal leader's front bench as a shadow minister, or if he will move to the back benches. Alternatively, he may later reconsider his decision to stay on in Canberra and instead quit to spend more time with Jenny and their girls, Abbey and Lily. Veteran political broadcaster Barrie Cassidy predicted Mr Morrison will stay on in Parliament, with the intent to cause chaos by sniping from the sidelines. An advertising professional has argued members of her industry have the skills to be prime minister after Scott Morrison was perceived as ill-equipped due to his background in marketing. Mr Morrison, who stood down as Liberal leader after a crushing election defeat on Saturday, enjoyed a celebrated career in tourism and advertising prior to joining parliament in 2007. During his time as PM, he garnered the perjorative nickname 'Scotty from marketing', which was often proliferated online by Australians following unpopular decisions, such as his trip to 2019 Hawaii during the black summer bushfires. But Executive Consultant Liza McNally says she does not understand why marketing was publicly viewed as inadequate previous profession for a prime minister. 'As I start my Federal Election Day in Australia to the dulcet pings of unsolicited text messages from political parties, Im left wondering why "Scotty from Marketing" gets such a bad wrap,' she wrote on LinkedIn on Saturday. Liza McNally (pictured) has argued marketers make good leaders after former PM Scott Morrison notoriously attracted the negative nickname 'Scotty from Marketing' 'Ill leave the merits or not of "Scotty" for another forum (with wine) but its the ''from marketing" thats left me asking, why cant a marketer run the country?' Ms McNally said marketers broad set of abilities are transferrable across situations and they are able to deal with complex and highly vocal stakeholders, 'most of whom think they'd make better marketers if they had the time'. 'Marketers [also] identify the problems, draft a succinct brief, set measurable objectives, manage tight budgets that need high ROI [return on investment], [and] seek input from many groups,' she said. '[They also] develops solutions with action plans for a myriad of audiences, actually deliver the action plans, engage to bring everyone on the journey, measure the success or not of the delivery, adapt quickly when situations change, keep calm in a crisis, and communicate, communicate, communicate.' Ms McNally said the nickname was 'ironic' because his background in marketing was prominent in important aspects of his campaign. 'Its feeling ironic today that the only political party to text me so far that includes a welcome opt out link is the one from the party led by Scotty.from marketing,' she said. Scott Morrison's nickname has proliferated online since it was created by satirical site The Betoota Advocate in 2018 Ms McNally listed 16 skills marketers possess that would make them good prime ministers Scotty from Marketing could have learnt from from the President of Ukraine President of Ukraine stayed with his people as his country burned Scotty hopped on a plane to Hawaii as ours burned@ScottMorrisonMP pic.twitter.com/fPaU0jU1ZZ TR-68 (@TR68_KISS_ROCKS) May 9, 2022 The post finished with the hashtags marketing, underrated, and value, with many commenting they agreed with her point. 'Couldnt agree more. Good marketers and (product people) have a goody bag packed with incredible transferable skills. I think those skills are the same reason they make good CEOs,' one woman wrote. 'Agree...and not to forget just bloody good people too...and fun!' another added. 'This is why I shifted to Scotty from photo-ops,' a third joked. Mr Morrison's negative nickname 'Scotty from marketing,' was first used by satirical news website Beetoota Advocate in 2018, taking a dig at the former marketing executive's public persona. The term later proliferated online after his ill-timed Hawaiian holiday, frequently featuring in memes and hashtags. After serving as prime minister for four years, he was replaced by Anthony Albanese who was sworn in as Australia's new leader on Monday. 'To my colleagues who have had to deal with very difficult news, and have lost their seats tonight, I as leader take responsibility for the wins and the losses,' Mr told supporters at Liberal headquarters in Sydney on Saturday. 'That is the burden and that is the responsibility of leadership.' The Liberal Party is expected to replace Mr Morrison with outgoing defence minister Peter Dutton. Kristina Keneally has been accused of ducking blame for losing the safe Labor seat of Fowler to independent Dai Le, after she was controversially parachuted into the western Sydney electorate ahead of a local candidate. The senior Labor politician was unceremoniously dropped into the south-west Sydney seat at the last minute, despite having no connection to the area and previously living 50km away on the Northern Beaches. Outgoing Fowler MP Chris Hayes announced that he would not be contesting the seat for the federal election, which left a space open for a new Labor candidate. Vietnamese-born Western Sydney lawyer Tu Le was originally set to win pre-selection for Fowler. Ms Le was a former staffer of Mr Hayes and received his backing as the Labor representative for Fowler. However, she was eventually sidelined by senior Labor powerbrokers, who chose to parachute Kristina Keneally into the safe party seat instead. But the move caused outrage amongst locals in the area, and led to Ms Keneally's stunning defeat in an electorate that has been held by Labor since its creation in 1984. Her loss came despite an 18 per cent margin - one of the biggest in Australia. The senior Labor figure lost by 3385 votes, with Ms Le gaining 52.3 per cent of ballots compared to Ms Keneallys 47.68 per cent. The senator was unable to admit her loss in a stinging tweet on Sunday, instead declaring it was Labor that couldn't claim the seat, before she congratulated Independent Dai Le on her victory. Kristina Keneally (pictured) lost the safe Labor seat of Fowler after she was controversially parachuted into the electorate Vietnamese-born Western Sydney lawyer Tu Le (right) was originally set to win pre-selection for Fowler. Ms Le was a former staffer of Mr Hayes and received his backing as the Labor representative for Fowler. (Pictured with Anthony Albanese) The senator conceded on Sunday before she congratulated Ms Le on her victory in a tweet. Several users on the platform noticed the carefully-worded tweet focused the loss of Fowler on the party rather than Ms Keneally herself 'At the end of today, it seems that Labor will not claim victory in Fowler,' the American-born politician wrote. 'I congratulate Dai Le and wish her well. Thank you to the people who voted Labor & the volunteers on our campaign.' Ms Keneally concluded her concession tweet by congratulating newly-appointed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Labor party and telling her followers a 'better future for Australia lies ahead'. Several users on the platform noticed the carefully-worded tweet focused on the loss of Fowler on the party, rather than Ms Keneally herself. 'In the end, Kristina Keneally is to blame for losing the super safe heartland Labor seat of #Fowler,' tweeted journalist Troy Bramston, who penned a piece in The Australian on the debacle. 'But in true Keneally style, she is not to blame, only Labor is - 'Labor will not claim victory' ' The political journalist later told Sky News Australia that it was ultimately a 'terrible decision' from Labor. 'You can't just parachute someone from the northern suburbs of Sydney to western Sydney,' he said. 'It's a lesson for Labor too; don't take constituencies for granted.' Timeline of Fowler electorate leading up to 2022 election March 2021: Labor MP Chris Hayes, who holds the seat of Fowler, announces that he will be retiring at the 2022 federal election. April 2021: Vietnamese-born Western Sydney lawyer Tu Le expresses interest in being nominated for pre-selection for the seat of Fowler and Mr Hayes starts touting Ms Le as his favoured successor September 2021: Senator Labor senator Kristina Keneally is parachuted into the safe lower house seat. April 2022: Former Liberal politician Dai Le announced as Independent candidate for Fowler May 2022: Kristina Keneally loses the election to independent candidate Dai Le. Her loss came despite an 18 per cent margin - one of the biggest in Australia. It is the first time Labor has lost the seat since its creation in 1984. The senior Labor figure lost by 3,385 votes, with Ms Le gaining 52.3 per cent of ballots compared to Ms Keneallys 47.68 per cent Advertisement The senior Labor politician was unceremoniously dropped into the south-west seat of Fowler at the last minute despite having no connection to the area Columnist for The Australian, Troy Bramston, said Ms Keneally was to blame for losing the safe Labor seat Mr Bramston's sentiments on the decision were echoed by several other Twitter users. 'Slow Clap for @KKeneally and #Labor's desperate parachute 'strategy'. Did they really think Australians can be fooled that easily,' wrote one. Another said: 'Greet to see Kristina Keneally get destroyed in Fowler. Labor insulted the locals by parachuting her into the seat when she doesn't live there! Time to get a real job now Kristina!' 'Well done. Parachuting Keneally in was a complete disgrace and Labor should learn from this experience,' commented a third. Many Labor politicians conveyed sympathy for Ms Keneally on her loss, while others felt the decision to parachute her into Fowler was foolish. Independent Dai Le (pictured), who won Fowler, relayed the frustration from faithful Labor voters of the party's move to drop Ms Keneally into the electorate The move by Labor ultimately lead to many loyal supporters turning their back on the party for the first time in their lives and voting for Ms Le Speaking to the ABC about securing Fowler on Monday, independent Dai Le relayed the frustration expressed by voters about the decision. 'A lot of voters were so angry with the fact that the Labor Party was arrogant enough to think that they can parachute somebody from the Northern Beaches to come and represent the south-west, one of the most socially disadvantaged communities, to represent us,' she said. 'She has no roots here. She's not connected to this area. So how can we trust that she can deliver for us? She's never lived through the challenges that we have lived through.' Ms Le spoke to many devoted Labor supporters on election day who felt the move by the party was an 'insult' and a 'slap to the face'. The move ultimately lead to many voters turning their back on the Labor party for the first time in their lives and instead supporting Ms Le. Ms Le has distanced herself from the so-called 'teal' independents, claiming she is focused on her electorate which has 'different needs' to the seats snatched up by those independents. Train drivers are among the most feather-bedded of all public sector workers. Average pay is 59,000 a year, nearly twice that of nurses. A four-day week is the norm, and Sunday working optional. They retire at 62, with a full pension of around 40,000 plus a substantial lump sum. Yet their union, along with those of other rail workers, is the last bastion of knuckle-headed, Scargillite militancy. They claim their threatened forthcoming campaign of rolling strikes is about pay and conditions. Boris Johnson must now roll up his sleeves and draw on Margaret Thatcher for inspiration This is merely a smokescreen. It is overwhelmingly a political act an attempt by diehard class warriors to damage and even bring down a Tory Government. As for the potentially calamitous effects on the economy and travelling public, they couldn't care less. Indeed they brag about bringing the network to a halt. During the pandemic, the taxpayer shelled out a staggering 16billion (600 for every household in Britain) to keep the railways going when trains were virtually empty. No jobs were lost, or even furloughed. Yet the rail unions are back demanding money with menaces. Some gratitude! As the Mail explains today, an all-out strike would devastate freight as well as passenger services. Network Rail warns of food and materials shortages and even blackouts, as power stations fail to receive crucial supplies. Margaret Thatcher showed in the 1980s that union militancy can be beaten. But it takes resolve and it takes courage. Boris Johnson must now roll up his sleeves and draw on her for inspiration. He should treat this as the civil emergency it is. Paying ransom money won't work. The blackmailer always comes back for more. The PM must face down the wreckers. And if that means new labour laws to keep Britain moving, then so be it. Politicised policing There's no doubt the leadership of the police service is in dire need of a reset. Scandals from the VIP paedophile fiasco to the grotesque murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer whose work nickname was 'the rapist' show just how rudderless it has become. As a result, trust and confidence has plunged to an all-time low. However, the new 'oversight' board set up by the National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing to make the service 'continually aware of issues of race' verges on the farcical. Yes, the police must listen and be sensitive to the concerns of all communities. But this panel composed largely of Tory-hating, anti-police activists will widen divisions rather than heal them. Its chair, lawyer Abimbola Johnson, wants to 'rethink' what we classify as criminality and eventually defund the police. Then there's Labour councillor Katrina Ffrench, who co-organised a rally with Black Lives Matter using the slogan 'Get the Met's knee off our neck!' Meanwhile a third member, Nick Glynn, has described Conservatives as 'pure evil', railed against structural racism in the police and Royal Family and, of course, wants to decriminalise cannabis. Are these really the kind of measured, independent observers from whom chief constables should be taking their lead? Or is this just a pathetic attempt to pacify the race lobby? We all know the answer to that. Instead of pandering to shrill, one-eyed political campaigners, they should ask the public what they believe police priorities should be. The answer from black as well as white will be more officers on the streets, more effective crime prevention and a detection rate high enough to be a real deterrent. If chief constables put the same effort into crime-fighting as virtue-signalling, Britain would be an infinitely safer place. The British Museum has insisted its contested 'Elgin Marbles' sculptures were rescued from the Greek Parthenon and not ruthlessly stolen as a row deepens with Greek authorities over their repatriation. Ministers from Greece and the UK are set to hold talks over the future of the sculptures, which campaigners claim were violently seized from the Acropolis by henchmen working for British diplomat and art collector Lord Elgin in 1801. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni says Lord Elgin committed 'blatant, serial theft' by taking the marbles. The 2,500-year-old carvings are classed among the wonders of Ancient Greece and officials from Unesco have now waded in to help settle the quarrel, The Times reports. The 2,500-year-old Elgin Marbles are classed among the wonders of Ancient Greece and officials from Unesco have now waded in to discuss the quarrel The sculptures are said to have been ruthlessly seized from the Parthenon in Athens in 1801 by henchmen working for British art collector Lord Elgin Despite the controversial story of their acquisition, The British Museum's stance is that the marbles were rescued from rubble outside the Parthenon and were not highly prized. Deputy director of the British Museum Dr Jonathan Williams said: '[They were] in fact removed from the rubble around the Parthenon. 'These objects were not all hacked from the building as has been suggested.' The museum's attempt to reject the historical account of the sculptures' acquisition has been challenged by classicists. The British Museum insists that the artworks were little more than rubble and taken from outside the Parthenon After Lord Elgin acquired the marbles in 1801, the sculptures were bought by the British Museum in 1816 Professor Paul Cartledge, a renowned classicist from Cambridge, is among those calling for the Elgin Marbles' return to Greece. He said: 'Undoubtedly a lot of hacking went on.' However, Prof Cartledge also stated that the manner in which the items were taken is morally irrelevant, adding: 'They should all go back, however, obtained.' Letters written to Lord Elgin by his subordinates in 1801 appear to support the Greek version of events, with a note from Giovanni Batista Lusieri confessing to his master that he 'had been obliged to be a little barbarous' in removing some sculptures from the Parthenon temple. Using this as evidence, Greek Culture Minister Ms Mendoni added: 'Greek authortiies and the international scientific community have demonstrated with unshakeable arguments the true events surrounding the removal of the Parthenon sculptures. 'Lord Elgin used illicit and inequitable means to seize and export the Parthenon sculptures, without real legal permission to do so.' After Lord Elgin acquired them in 1801, the sculptures were bought by the British Museum in 1816. Unesco's Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property has told Britain it needs to adopt a more cooperative approach to those demanding the sculptures are returned to Greece. The development of hypersonic infrared homing missiles could strike an F-22 Raptor in seconds once it locks on to it. A US pilot says that the tech is dangerous to the advanced US fighter that is a sitting duck. US Hypersonic Missile Still in Testing Phase China is continuing to work on a heat-seeker superfast missile that can strike a speeding vehicle at five times the speed of sound, according to the Eurasian Times. Research done by Yang Xiaogang, lead scientist of the PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering in Xian, claimed to achieve a step to paint a moving target at high speeds. In time a hyper-fast missile could hit targets precisely at very long distances. This worries the US regarding how to stop it in flight before striking the target, cited Defense PK. Chinese scientists asserted last January this year that they had produced next-generation hypersonic weapons with infrared homing functionality unavailable to the US in 2035. The SCMP added that a prior article mentioned that a ground-to-air hypersonic missile could attack a Raptor second it deploys its weapon. Opposing forces in the Indo-Pacific could add to more interactions. J-20, F-35 First Time Encounter US Pacific Command General Kenneth Wilsbach remarked on the first time their stealth fighters have encountered each other. Changes how the US redeploys its F-22 Raptor stealth aircraft sent to Australia after Chinese expansion in the region, facing a threat from advanced hypersonic Infrared homing missiles Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President Heat-seeking hypersonic technology has nearly no escape. Chinese scientists from the National University of Defence developed the targeting technology which locks on heat sources like the F-22 at low flying altitudes changing warfare. Heat-seeking or infrared homing is a passive missile guidance system that traces and pursues a target which electromagnetic radiation in infrared. Heat-seekers missiles utilize infrared light, which is seen as heat sources getting detected. Heat Diffusing Technology The surface of a missile heats up at higher Mach speeds, and an increase in the heat signal of a target can be overwhelmed by background noise. No glass material can resist heat and shock waves that would shatter it. This approach had earlier been tried but failed because the cooling air causes significant fluctuation, distorting the thermal signal and likely to result in hazy, flickering, and inaccurate target acquisition. Chinese researchers developed a compact light device to eliminate an unclear signal that can create an extremely cold stream of inert gas at more than three times supersonic speed. Using 40 micro-vortex generators installed in an air-cooling device to project airflow that cancels the hot turbulence. This technology can attack even stealthy targets. One of the problems in detecting small objects flying like an F-22 is hard to detect, which makes seeing the target not so easy. Equipped with a heat sensor, a superfast missile will use the data to compute every pixel that is adjusted to track the target; until it hits the objective. Doubt is there if the Chinese claims are too ambitious for hypersonic weapons; reports of the Chinese development is a threat to the US that is too behind. Developing hypersonic infrared homing missiles capable of hitting an F-22 Raptor will cause problems for the US in the Indo-Pacific. Related Article: China Develops Hypersonic Rocket Plane Capable of Mach 5+ Speeds Travelling Intercontinental Distances Faster Than the Concorde @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A joey has melted hearts after it begged to be put back into a cloth pouch. The video was posted on the Facebook page of The Kangaroo Sanctuary at Alice Springs a week ago. In the video, the orphaned joey named 'Rooby' refuses to let go of a man's leg until it is placed inside a cloth pouch. In the video, the orphaned joey named 'Rooby' (pictured) refuses to let go of the man's leg until it is placed inside a cloth pouch The sanctuary claims that 'baby kangaroos feel safe, happy and loved when they are in their pouches' (pictured) The sanctuary told Daily Mail Australia that 'baby kangaroos feel safe safe, happy and loved when they are in their pouches'. 'Shes a little orphan who was rescued last month and brought to the sanctuary,' a spokesperson for the sanctuary said. 'Rooby is very young so spends just a few minutes a day out of her pouch to start to build strength in her tail and legs.' They have said she has settled in really quickly and she it quite a big character for such a tiny baby. One person commented 'She (pictured) is precious! Absolutely gorgeous, she's going to grow and be a beautiful 'roo!' 'She loves to cuddle and is always curious,' a spokesperson for the sanctuary added. The sanctuary said the aim is for the joey to be released back into the wild within a year once she's big enough. The adorable video drew plenty of comments on the Sanctuary's page. 'She is precious! Absolutely gorgeous, she's going to grow and be a beautiful 'roo!' one person commented. 'Thank for all you do for them! These beautiful 'roos are lucky to be so loved and cared for!' The sanctuary hopes Rooby (pictured) will be strong enough to be released back into the wild in about a year 'Oh, shes so sweet! I would move to Australia immediately if I could work at the sanctuary. You must be excited to go to work every day,' another added. 'His love and dedication to orphaned baby kangaroos and continued loving care as they live happy lives is absolutely wonderful!' one person said of the 'roo keeper. 'Can't praise him enough, restores your faith in humans! He is one in a million!' The story of Rooby followed the discovery of a mother kangaroo with a joey trapped inside a warehouse in the South Australian suburb of Richmond last Friday morning. The confused 'roo had found its way into an office within a warehouse and it was later discovered that she was carrying a joey in her pouch. Staff have received quite the shock after finding a kangaroo (pictured) inside their warehouse as they turned up to work Warehouse Manager Andrew Hargreaves told 9News Adelaide, 'I wasn't expecting it, that's for sure. You know, it's the sort of thing you see on the news which... here we are.' Mr Hargreaves said he had dealt with a customer before heading out the back to grab their order, only to discover a kangaroo waiting to greet him. 'I just thought, what is going on here? You know, where would this thing have come from?' The kangaroo then followed Mr Hargreaves into the showroom and made herself at home inside one of the offices. Fauna Rescue was called to help free the kangaroo (pictured), with rescuers stating it was 'bigger than what we expected' The friendly marsupial allowed Mr Hargreaves to give it some water and bread. It then made its way around the showroom, walking around customers. Fauna Rescue was called to help free the kangaroo, with rescuers stating it was 'bigger than what we expected'. After managing to get a few kicks in, a rescuer was able to capture the 'roo. The rescuers were able to place her (pictured) in the carrier and remove her from the office Rescuer Simon Adamcyzk explained that 'kangaroos get quite defensive when cornered in that situation'. The rescuers were able to place her in the carrier and remove her from the office. It's been suggested that she had become lost and was looking for food. Rescuers say the kangaroo made her way into the city from nearby scrubland at the top of Greenhill Road, which is where she was released back into the wild. A social media star has revealed why she and her partner had to flee their $2.75 million home after intruders entered the premises, trying to steal her car. Chloe Szepanowski, 23, and her boyfriend Mitchell Orval, 25, said they sold their mansion because they were too 'traumatised' to go back after the brazen break-in early in the year. The beautiful influencer took to social media on Monday disclosing the reason why she had to leave the Gold Coast home she shares with Orval, and their young son, Arti, one. The YouTuber (pictured) said the intruders broke in and got a hold of her car keys and tried to steal her car, but her partner's vehicle was blocking the driveway so they couldn't get out The footage gave the young influencer 'legit trauma cause I was upstairs screaming'. Pictured, a dark figure hopping into Ms Szepanowski's car in the Gold Coast home's driveway The family (pictured, left to right: Arti, with parents Mitchell Orval and Chloe Szepanowski), were too traumatised to return to the house, and have moved into another apartment The young mum posted about the intruders in the night footage (pictured) - the third break-in the family have experienced since moving in: 'Mitch ran down and caught them in the house' Szepanowski, who announced last April she was expecting their second child, posted home footage of someone trying to steal her car in the driveway. 'We got broken into at 3am one morning when we were all upstairs,' Szepanowski wrote in the post on Monday. 'The footage gives me legit trauma 'cause I was upstairs screaming, while I didn't know what was happening downstairs.' Two figures were seen in the video running from the house - one got into Szepanowski's car, while the other opened the big gate before fleeing on foot. Szepanowski (pictured, with her son) said she learnt the value of safety after the break-in, especially having her son in the house The social media influencer posted about what she learned from the ordeal including keeping her family safe and being more private - as her address had become quite well known online 'This is the third time in 2022 we got broken into but this time it was really traumatic for the entire family,' the young mum said on her social media After it was opened, Orval's car is seen parked at the gate, blocking the exit. The video then showed the person in the car trying to manoeuvre it out, but with the exit obstructed they were unable to get out. An enraged Orval is seen in the video running out in the night to confront the car thief, before he is almost run over and crushed by the vehicle during the fracas. Orval had gone downstairs and 'caught them in our house', the YouTuber said, before speaking about the confrontation her boyfriend had with 'a guy' in her car. 'They got my keys and tried to steal my car, while Mitch's car was in the driveway so they couldn't get out,' Szepanowski said. 'It was basically Mitch and this guy going head to head in the front yard ... the guy tried to run Mitch over with my car multiple times.' 'I thought Mitch was legit going to be dead on the driveway' the fashion influencer said. 'This is the third time in 2022 we got broken into, but this time it was really traumatic for the entire family.' She said she learnt the value of safety that night, especially having her son in the house. 'You go into some crazy mode of survival and fight when someone is in your house and you have a young [one] to protect.' Mitchell Orval (pictured in the post) can be seen in the video confronting the man in Szepanowski's car - while his own parked car (pictured, top right) is blocking the thief's exit The online star said the house's location had been posted 'everywhere literally' since the family had moved in but took the ordeal as a lesson to become more private. Since then she said they had not gone back to the house and had used a service to pack their home up 'so we didn't have to face it again'. They have moved into an apartment after spending some months in a hotel. The couple sold the house in February after living there for 12 months, where they did renovations to the Broadwaters mansion - pocketing a cool $900,000 profit. Selling agent Mitch Lambert said at the time their property on Monaco Street had attracted 50 enquiries in the first 24 hours of it being listed. Lambert said the popularity of the home stemmed from the celebrity profile of the sellers, the Hamptons-style design and the fact it's on a 'brand-name street'. A cargo shipmaster has been charged after allegedly smuggling $128million worth of cocaine into Western Australia. The Montenegro national, 51, was arrested by the AFP on the vessel Interlink Veracity on Monday, accused of allegedly being part of a smuggling plot in Port Hedland, in the state's north west, earlier this month. He has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and is expected to face South Hedland court on Tuesday. The arrest comes after authorities seized 320kilograms of cocaine in Port Hedland on May 15 and arrested two men who they alleged had collected the plastic wrapped drugs from the ocean off the coast of the Pilbara town. Police will allege they found the men inside a campervan with the cocaine shipment, which had been divided into 1kg blocks. The shipmaster of Interlink Veracity (pictured) was arrested on Monday over an alleged plot to smuggled cocaine into WA A 51-year-old Montenegrin national has been arrested (pictured) over his alleged role in a cocaine smuggling plot Last week, the AFP forensically examined a mobile phone seized from the 51-year-old and allegedly uncovered messages relating to the drug importation. Police will allege the 51-year-old man smuggled the cocaine onto the cargo vessel at an overseas port. He allegedly waited until the vessel was anchored in Australian waters about 28 kilometres off Port Hedland on 14 May, and dropped the packages into the ocean for retrieval. The two other men charged a German national and a NSW man - allegedly used a small boat to pick up the drugs from the water that evening. AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner John Tanti said the AFP and its partners had warned that the seizure of the drugs and initial arrests were just the start of the investigation, and they would be relentless in pursuing anyone involved in the venture. AFP officers pictured on their way to arrest the man on the vessel Interlink Veracity on Monday 'Trusted insiders are one of the highest threats to the integrity of Australias cargo supply chains,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Tanti said. 'Transnational organised crime syndicates rely on people who are willing to abuse the access and influence they have through their employment to help bring illicit drugs into Australia, as the accused is alleged to have done in this case. 'The AFP is also working with international partners to target these organised crime syndicates offshore and ensure they cannot profit at the expense of Australian communities.' WA Police Force Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said the overnight arrest further demonstrated that people involved in the alleged importation of illicit drugs would be actively pursued. Officers seized the 320kg shipment - which had been divided into 1kg blocks - inside the vehicle at Port Hedland, a town in the state's northwest, on Sunday 'It is our clear objective to systematically pull apart the syndicates that are responsible for the trafficking of these deadly illicit drugs to Western Australia,' Deputy Commissioner Blanch said. 'Our message to those who consider becoming involved in drug trafficking operations is simple dont. We will pursue you regardless of your role or your location in the world.' The 51-year-old man has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely cocaine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The German national, 37, and the NSW man, 49, have both been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and failing to comply with a 3LA order. They are remanded in custody and are next due in court on 15 June. The mother of the three-month-old baby found dead in a family freezer has broken her silence for the first time since horrified police made the tragic discovery. Little Kevin Patten was born last November to mother-of-four Kylie Patten but police were called to her parents' home after concerns were raised for the infant's safety. Neighbours in Corowa in the NSW Riverina region near the Victoria state border said they heard spine-chilling screams as the child's body was discovered in January. Kylie Patten, 40, was arrested at the scene but released without charge the following day as Sydney homicide squad detective launched a hunt for her son's killer The mother of the three-month-old baby found dead in a family freezer has broken her silence for the first time since horrified police made the tragic discovery Ms Patten, 40, was arrested at the scene but released without charge the following day as Sydney homicide squad detective launched a hunt for her son's killer. Forensic experts took the boy's body for a painstaking post-mortem and it was almost two months later before the family could hold a funeral for the child after the coroner finally released his body. A moving family funeral in the town's cemetery saw the heartbreakingly tiny coffin lowered into a grave during the emotion-packed service. Three days after the ceremony, Ms Patten poured out her heart about the tragedy on social media for the first time. 'My days with Kevin will never end and all my babies,' she posted on one of her several Facebook accounts on March 3. 'Mummy couldn't stop the world but I can stop to know you all.' Forensic experts took the boy's body for a post-mortem and it was almost two months before the family could hold a funeral for the child after the coroner finally released his body Under a picture of the infant apparently in hospital soon after he was born, she added cryptically: 'Nevertheless Daddies are there .. 'Love always, I asked for you to be always near .. Mum wants to see you and I still do... The identity of the child's father remains unknown. One local man who had a brief relationship with Ms Patten was told he was the father, but that was later denied. In the funeral notice, Ms Patten called her child a 'brave heart at rest' but did not name his father, despite listing the rest of the dead boy's family. 'Kevin passed away on January 19 2022 aged 3 months,' it read. 'He was the dearly loved son of Kylie and much-loved brother of Desiree, James, and Jack. 'Kevin was the grandson of Wayne and Sue Patten. A brave heart at rest.' Three days after the ceremony, Ms Patten poured out her heart about the tragedy on social media for the first time, after his obituary called him 'a brave heart at rest'. Ms Patten's heartbreak burst out on social media again last month when she updated her Facebook account with an emotional quote. 'Grief never ends. But it changes,' she posted. 'It's a passage, not a place to stay. 'Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. 'It is the price of love.' The posts are the first time she's commented publicly about the tragedy since police swooped to take away evidence including the freezer for intense forensic scrutiny. Ms Patten had moved back in with her parents - from her own home on the other side of Corowa where she lived alone - just before Kevin's birth so they could help the single mum raise the child. Her other children have either grown up and left or live with her former partner. Police swooped to take away evidence including the family freezer for intense forensic scrutiny in the wake of the tragedy In text messages, she told one friend that she blamed a 'sneaky' man who had been at the home on the night her son was found dead. Ms Patten added that she had shared her theory with police in a detailed statement but said she was 'depressed' and still trying to wrap her head around the loss. She said police had told her they needed more evidence before they could make an arrest. 'I know whom (sic) was at my place that night,' she said in the private text messages. 'I've already told the police who put me in handcuffs. No one can do anything without further evidence.' In text messages, she told one friend that she blamed a 'sneaky' man who had been at the home on the night her son was found dead Ms Patten said she had been in a 'sexual' relationship with the man who had once given her a lift, and added: 'He scored for us.' She told a friend the man's 'mummy and daddy are covering his arse'. The text messages added: 'I should be sneaky too, and take his life.' She also said she regretted how another man, the baby's father, never got to meet Kevin. Ms Patten told a friend in a new text exchange that the man she believes responsible for the baby's death was at her parents' home the night Kevin (pictured with Ms Patten) died After his birth, Ms Patten had proudly posted a photo on one of her Facebook accounts and gushed: 'Kevin John Patten Mummy loves you to the stars n all the way back to earth. XXXXXX' On January 6, she shared a series of pictures of her son with the caption: 'Proud, looked so damn well cutie had to... Love you xo' Police were called to the home on January 19. A NSW Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that enquiries were continuing. Australian miners are calling for a booze ban that restricts them to four drinks a day be extended to their site bosses. The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia on Monday announced an industry-wide edict that limits workers to four alcoholic beverages and zero shots a day on accommodation sites. However, workers are outraged as the 'flawed' policy does not extend to their worksite employers. Mining industry workers are outraged after a new ban that limits them to four alcohol drinks a day does not extend to worksite executives (stock image) Australian Workers Union State secretary Brad Gandy on Tuesday said the ban should apply to the rule-makers as well as FIFO workers. 'What's good for one worker in a company should be the case for all,' Mr Gandy told The West Australian. 'If you're going to have these rules in place for employees, you have them for all employees who work for the organisation and if not, then I guess we would say the policy is flawed. 'I've always wonder why some companies, big and small, get away with one rule for one and one rule for another. It's very odd.' CME's Safe and Respectful Behaviours Working Group introduced the limits on booze to help end sexual harassment and assault in the mining sector. Australian Workers Union State secretary Brad Gandy (pictured, centre), said the 'flawed' policy should apply to bosses as well as workers The policy was introduced after an investigation by The West Australian uncovered rampant sexual misconduct against women in the FIFO mining industry which led to a parliamentary inquiry. CME policy and advocacy director Rob Carruthers said the guideline reflected the sector's commitment to making work 'as safe as possible at all times'. 'It's also very important that there is industry-wide guidance that can be used at any operation, driving healthy behaviours that encourage a culture of moderation,' he said. 'Events over the past 18 months, including the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry have strengthened our resolve to provide safe and inclusive workspaces for all of the sector's 156,000-plus employees.' The policy was introduced after an investigation uncovered rampant sexual misconduct in the state's mining sector (pictured, FIFO worker at Norton Gold Fields' near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia Mr Gandy said the policy was met with mixed responses with some union members feeling as though the ban was controlling how they lived their life. 'There were other members saying, "I'm an adult, don't tell me how to manage my life",' MR Gandy said. 'It was one of those ones where people felt strongly about it from either side. 'You don't want to be working alongside someone who is intoxicated or who had too much to drink the night before. 'But as long as people are fit to work and have had alcohol tests and those types of things, what right does a company have to say someone can have four drinks and not five?' The rule only applies for workers at accommodation sites, however, the policy might be expanded to include external work-related events and functions. Joe Biden has praised Anthony Albanese's stamina after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo for a Quad leaders' summit on his first day in the job. The 79-year-old US President, who famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, told Mr Albanese: 'If you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK'. In his first appearance on the world stage, the Labor leader laughed at President Biden's self-deprecating joke along with the diplomats and journalists in the room. He also beamed from ear to ear as he posed for photos with his fellow centre-left leader, who remarked that his appearance at the summit just hours after taking office was 'quite extraordinary'. Joe Biden has praised Anthony Albanese's energy after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job President Biden famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year Mr Albanese, 59, was sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday and immediately flew to Tokyo for the Quad summit with the US, Japan and India. The alliance was set up to counter the growing assertiveness of China in the Indo-Pacific. Mr Albanese will be returning to Australia on Wednesday afternoon after the whirlwind visit. In his short speech to his fellow leaders, President Biden congratulated Mr Albanese on winning Saturday's election. 'Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got sworn in, got on a plane and if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK because I don't know how you're doing it,' he said. 'It's really quite extraordinary just getting off the campaign trail as well. 'Congratulations on your election. When you won and I called you, we greatly appreciate your commitment on being here so soon after taking office.' Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during the Quad leaders summit meeting The four leaders waved for the cameras as they posed for photos at the summit in Tokyo Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government. 'We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change,' he said. 'And our commitment to ASEAN (an alliance of south-east Asian nations) and its centrality has not changed. 'My government has already committed to a greater focus on South-East Asia, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for the region and $470million in additional foreign aid over the next four years.' Mr Albanese also talked up his increased commitments on tackling climate change and spoke about his aim to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. 'The new Australian Government's priorities align with the Quad agenda - taking action on claimant change, and building a stronger and more resilient Indo-Pacific region through better economic security, better cybersecurity, better energy security and better environmental and health security,' he said. 'Our cooperation is built on the values that we share - a commitment to representative democracy, the rule of law and the right to live in peace.' All four leaders talked about securing a 'free, open Indo-Pacific'. US President Joe Biden meets Quad Summit leaders Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government China's olive branch to Australia By Peter Vincent China appears to have offered Australia an olive branch in the wake of Anthony Albanese 's election but the new Prime Minister is already talking tough on Beijing. An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times , described the election result as 'a turning point' and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been 'mutually beneficial' for 50 years. It went on to claim the Australian government under Scott Morrison 'severely damaged [the relationship] in just a couple of years, which is lamentable'. It said Australia had adopted a 'hawkish anti-China stance' in recent years, but appeared to pitch itself as 'a good partner' on tackling climate change and 'economic prosperity'. The Global Times has run a series of articles in recent years mocking, threatening and raging at Australia's trade and diplomatic ties to the United States, and attacking Mr Morrison, including labeling him 'a clown' in February. The official Xinhua news agency reported that Premier Li Keqiang had 'called' Mr Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory. This was denied by the PM's office. Mr Li said in a statement: 'The Chinese side is ready to work with the Australian side to review the past, look into the future and uphold the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to promote the sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership.' Mr Li spoke with Scott Morrison in 2018. Mr Morrison spoke with China's supreme leader Xi Jinping in June 2019. Advertisement The Quad leaders were set to discuss security concerns in the region, including the signing of a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands, as well as climate change, infrastructure needs and collaboration on disaster relief. It comes as the Chinese foreign minister is due to touch down in Honiara later in the week to officially sign the agreement. The Quad is also set to unveil new maritime measures to curb illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific, including using satellite technology to track illegal fishers, according to the Financial Times. President Biden met with Prime Minister Kishida on Monday where he unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, which includes a dozen initial partners making up 40 per cent of the world's GDP. Partners include Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Brunei. Mr Albanese said the Quad dialogue would send a signal to the world that there was a new government in Australia. The four leaders gave speeches during the summit in Tokyo on Tuesday Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida welcomes Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese at the entrance hall of the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo Mr Albanese smiles as he represents Australia on the world stage for the first time 'It's a government that represents a change in the way we deal with the world on issues like climate change, but also a continuity in the way we have respect for democracy and the way that we value our friendships and long-time alliances,' he told reporters in Canberra before he departed on Monday. Mr Albanese will also hold individual bilateral talks with the leaders throughout Tuesday. The prime minister is joined by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, with the pair being briefed by the head of the Office of National Intelligence and top officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Foreign Affairs on the trip over. Mr Albanese also had a 25-minute conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while in the air on Monday. The pair discussed ongoing support for the trilateral AUKUS agreement and climate change, with Mr Albanese describing the call as a 'friendly and very positive discussion about our strong relationships between our two countries'. Mr Albanese received a phone call from President Biden on Sunday night, which the prime minister said was 'fruitful and productive'. With AAP President Joe Biden gave Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese permission to nod off during Tuesday's Quad summit in Tokyo. 'If you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK,' Biden said. 'I don't know how you're doing it.' On Saturday, Albanese won Australia's general election over incumbent Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He was sworn-in Monday and jumped on the flight to Japan several hours later for the meeting with the leaders of the U.S., India and Japan. 'Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting,' Biden said. 'He got sworn-in, got on a plane,' adding how difficult that was coming directly off the campaign trail. 'I know you've been on the job a long time,' Biden later joked at the top of their bilateral meeting. There, Albanese spoke glowingly about spending five weeks in the U.S. as a young man enrolled in a progr am through the U.S. State Department. 'I wanted to see the interaction of groups with the U.S. government, so I did everything from the National Rifle Association to the Sierra Club to Planned Parenthood - it was the whole kit and caboodle across the spectrum,' Albanese explained of his studies in the states. At that, Biden stood up and pretended to start to walk out of the meeting - before then reaching over and shaking hands with the new Australian leader. 'You're a brave man!' Biden said laughing, remarking at the vast difference between the Sierra Club and gun lobby. President Joe Biden (right) got up and pretended to walk out of his first meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) after Albanese recounted his time spent in the U.S. as a young man - spending time with groups including the NRA and the Sierra Club 'You're a great man,' President Joe Biden (right) told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenese as the two got together for the first time since Albanese's Saturday election. Albanese told Biden about spending time in the U.S. as a young man President Joe Biden (left) gave Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) permission during Tuesday's Quad meeting in Tokyo. Albanese was sworn-in Monday and hopped a flight to Japan to meet with the leaders of the U.S., Japan and India The Quad leaders gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday (from left) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gives a thumbs up as he boards his flight to Tokyo, Japan for the Quad summit just hours after he was sworn-in Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) waves as he arrives Monday night in Tokyo, Japan for the Quad meeting Albanese called it a 'opportunity to see the full diversity of the way that country operates.' 'And the U.S. State Department was good enough as well to manage to justify a trip to Vegas as well. I'm not quite sure where that fit in,' Albanese said to laughs. 'But it was a good trip indeed.' Albanese and Biden had a bilateral meeting after they met earlier alongside Indian Prime Minister Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo - the final day of Biden's first Asia trip. Albanese's Twitter account shared a photo of the new prime minister giving a thumbs up as he boarded his plane to Japan. During Biden's own 2020 campaign, former President Donald Trump assigned him the nickname 'Sleepy Joe,' highlighting the now 79-year-old's advanced age. President Joe Biden appeared to doze off during the COP26 summit in Scotland in November. Former President Donald Trump nicknamed Biden 'Sleepy Joe' during the 2020 presidential campaign Biden got caught snoozing on a different foreign trip. In November, a video of the president went viral after he appeared to doze off during the COP26 summit in Scotland. The 59-year-old Albanese told Biden, Kishida and Modi that the Quad was of the utmost importance for the new Australian government. 'It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important Quad leaders meeting here in Japan,' Albanese said at the top of the meeting. Australia was also included in the economic pact, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which the White House announced Monday. The IPEF brings together the U.S. and 12 Indo-Pacific nations to the negotiating table to deal with problems such as global supply chains, which have been hindered due to the coronavirus pandemic. A young entrepreneur who became a millionaire when he was just 17-years-old has raised $2.55million for his own refund fraud detection startup. Jack Bloomfield, 20, from Brisbane founded his company Disputify two years ago with the aim to help online businesses detect purchases which are likely fraudulent. His business has been backed by Australian venture capital fund Blackbird Ventures, as well as the founders from BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Google Shopping. Mr Bloomfield's passion for success started when he was just 12 when he designed the website 'Next Gifts' that enabled users to design cards online before sending them in the post. Jack Bloomfield, 20, (left with friend) from Brisbane founded his company Disputify two years ago with the aim to help online businesses detect purchases which are likely fraudulent Then In 2017, the school student started his parent company BloomVentures, which run a variety of ecommerce stores that sell everything from skincare products to novelty items. From there came Disputify after he realised how frequently customers were trying to fraudulently ask for refunds. 'We had this issue with real people buying products from us, using their own name and information, and we'd have support requests come through asking for refunds for a variety of reasons like they'd never received it, or it was faulty,' he told The Australian Financial Review. 'At first, we thought it was our problem, but then we realised it was the same people.' Mr Bloomfield said there were even forums where people reveal which merchants are the easiest to rip off. He estimated that up to 5 per cent of his customers from his ecommerce businesses were wrongly claiming refunds. Disputify analyses the behaviour of customers when they go to purchase an item and when they request a refund. Mr Bloomfield's business has been backed by Australian venture capital fund Blackbird Ventures, as well as the founders from BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Google Shopping If suspicious patterns are detected like someone repeatedly ordering the wrong size, the merchant is alerted to a potentially fraudulent refund. It also picks up on if a customer has made a fraudulent request before. Disputify also rewards trustworthy customers by offering them instant refunds, instead of a wait that could be up to 15 days long. 'The whole goal here is to fundamentally change the experience not just for merchants, but for end customers, and encourage people to be more confident when online shopping,' Mr Bloomfield said. Disputify has 450 ecommerce customers, most based in the US with the company opening an office in New York. Mr Bloomfield is hoping to have seven people on his team by July. Most of his four staff he currently employs are double his age. Mr Bloomfield's passion for success started when he was just 12 and in 2017 he started his parent company BloomVentures, which run a variety of ecommerce stores that sell everything from skincare products to novelty items Colby Ryan, 26, has told how his mother Lori Vallow refused for four months to tell him what had happened to his sister and brother. He then found out the children had been murdered The only surviving child of a California mother accused of murdering her two children as part of an apocalyptic ritual killing has said she refused to tell him what had happened to them, only saying: 'Everything's going to be revealed soon'. Colby Ryan, 26, said he was still struggling to accept the charges against his mother Lori Vallow, 48, who faces the death penalty if convicted of her children's murder. Vallow is due to go on trial in Idaho in October. Ryan's siblings Tylee, 16, and seven-year-old J.J. were found dead in June 2020 at the Idaho farm owned by Vallow's fifth husband, Chad Daybell. He is also on trial for their murder, and shared with Vallow doomsday cult beliefs - convinced that Tylee and J.J. were possessed, and the only way to 'free' them was to kill them. Ryan on Monday said that his mother refused to tell him what happened to his siblings, who vanished in September 2019, for months after their disappearance. Lori Vallow pleaded not guilty to murdering her children during a court appearance in April Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, left, and Tylee Ryan, right, were last seen in September 2019. Their bodies were eventually discovered buried on Chad Daybell's property after a nine-month search Vallow was arrested, along with Daybell, in February 2020. The children's bodies were discovered in June of that year. 'I asked her 100 times: 'what's going on?'' Ryan told The US Sun. 'And the only answer I ever got was: 'everything's going to be revealed soon.' 'So I just left. It was always a question mark - you couldn't get a straight answer.' Ryan - who has written a new book about his experiences and how his faith has helped him, The God Over Odds - said that he asked her for months where the children were, after they vanished in September 2019. 'Pretty early on I reached out to my mom and she was being really shady about it before she cut everybody - including me - off,' he said. 'And then obviously, you're going to start questioning: 'Is everyone alive? Are they okay? What if the worst has happened?' 'But you can't think like that.' JJ and Tylee are seen smiling and hugging while standing on a boardwalk in front of a thermal feature at Yellowstone National Park in Idaho on September 8, 2019, with their uncle Alex Cox. It would be the last time that Tylee was seen alive Lori Vallow (left) and Chad Daybell (right) were said to have extreme religious beliefs. Detectives believe the couple's 'belief system, lust and greed' also led to the deaths of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow He said he never believed his mother, who he was close to, was capable of murder. He never knew his biological father, and he and his mother moved frequently around the country. 'I think she leaned on me for emotional support, almost like a sidekick,' he said. 'So that kind of forced me to grow up a little bit faster. 'And her and I just had this bond that was more like friends. She would take me to do fun stuff, she took care of me, and it was just me and her - we kind of faced everything together.' He said their bond frayed with her third marriage, in 2001, to Joseph Ryan - Tylee's biological father - who physically and sexually abused him. In 2006, Vallow married for a fourth time, to Charles Vallow. But her fixation with doomsday cults began to deepen, and Ryan soon moved out. 'It was kind of early on,' Ryan said. 'I'm not exactly sure when it started but probably when I was around 11. 'I was never brought into it, really. I definitely feared it [the end times] because I heard it from her and because I trusted her. 'But as I grew up, probably around 17 or 18, I was like: 'I'm just going to live my life the way I can'. 'I can't live a life of impending fear of something happening. I can't live like that. It's an anxious life. So I never bought into any of the ideas that it was going to happen.' In this June 9, 2020, aerial photo, investigators search for the human remains of JJ and Tylee at Chad Daybell's residence in the 200 block of 1900 east, in Salem, Idaho When Ryan learnt of his mother's crimes, he was overcome with anger, he told The Sun. 'They took my family away from me, they took them away from everybody else that loved them,' he said. 'It's one of the most painful things ever to hear, to hear details about how your own people, that you grew up around and loved, killed your own family.' He contemplated finding a way of seeking revenge, but realized it was not the answer. 'I was very angry. I was hurt. I was uncomfortable. I was sick to my stomach all the time, and there was just this weight hanging over me,' he said. And the father of two said he was constantly aware of the absence of his brother and sister. 'I miss them all the time. 'I wish they were here to experience my family. I just miss their presence, like just being in a house together, having fun, and sharing our lives together. '[But] part of you needs [to let go]. 'Because if you're holding on to like, 'I just wish you were here,' there's almost no movement, you're never getting out of that spot - it just keeps you in that graveyard. 'So I love them and miss them all the time. But I also have to take an acceptance that they're not here. And that was definitely hard.' His mother could face the death penalty if convicted - something Ryan said is 'hard' to accept, but an inescapable fact. 'It's hard to hear that they would do that with my mom,' he said. 'But again, it's out of my hands and always has been. 'I've given up the fact that no matter what happens, it's not going to change anything. 'So I know they're in jail, I know they can't hurt anybody, and that's the best I can possibly ask for.' NSW could face a shortage of police officers as recruits give up or move interstate because it's too expensive to become a cop, the president of the state's police union says. Kevin Morton used the Police Association of NSW conference on Tuesday to attack the prohibitive cost of becoming a NSW cop. NSW is the only state where aspiring cops have to spend thousands of dollars and months of their lives to join the force. NSW could face a shortage of police officers as recruits give up or move interstate because it's too expensive to become a cop, the president of the state's police union says. (Pictured: NSW Governor Margaret Beazley inspects cadets during a ceremony at the academy in Goulburn) He said that's putting off people who have other responsibilities or not enough money. Prospective cops stump up about $17,000 during their recruitment and training. 'We're missing out on quality potential police officers in this state because people simply can't afford the application process,' Mr Morton said. Aspiring recruits first have to complete a university certificate course in workforce essentials before they can even apply to join the force. Successful applicants then have to spend more money during the almost nine-month training course at Goulburn Police Academy, where they can be restricted to the training facility and separated from their families. 'They're not even getting paid for it - in fact, they're paying out of their life savings to do it,' Mr Morton says. Aspiring recruits first have to complete a university course before they can even apply to join the force. They then have to spend more money during the almost nine-month training course at Goulburn Police Academy. (Pictured: Recruits throw their caps in the air during ceremony at the academy in Goulburn) The state already cancelled the next scheduled training course for new officers next month because not enough people applied, and is staring down the barrel of a shortage of officers. The state should be encouraging people with life experience into the job by removing the high cost and commitment of applying, Mr Morton added. The starting salary for a probationary constable in NSW is about $76,000 plus other allowances. Salaries increase by about $3000 annually for the first four years before officers progress to senior constable in their fifth year on the job, earning $86,517. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters that almost 50 defense officials from across the world met Monday and decided to deliver more modern weaponry to Ukraine, including a harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its shore. And according to Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, low-level discussions are taking place about how the US may need to change its training of Ukrainian forces and whether some US soldiers should be stationed in Ukraine. US, Allies Intensify Effort To Arm Ukraine Before the battle, the US withdrew its few troops from Ukraine and had no intentions of deploying combat forces. Milley's remarks left open the idea of troops returning for embassy protection or other non-combat duties. The US embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is re-staffing, raising concerns about whether the US. will re-enter a Marine security force to assist in protecting the embassy, or whether alternative measures should be examined When asked if US special operations soldiers might enter Ukraine, which authorities have denied, Milley responded that "any reintroduction of US forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision." So we're still a long way from anything like that." Austin declined to clarify whether the US will supply Ukraine with high-tech mobile missile launchers, as the country has asked. However, Austin stated that 20 governments confirmed on Monday that they would deliver additional supplies of security support to Ukraine as its conflict with Russia enters its third month, according to Associated Press via MSN. The United States and other nations have been training the Ukrainian military in neighboring European countries. Austin said that the Czech Republic recently supplied assault helicopters, tanks, and rockets and that Italy, Greece, Norway, and Poland announced fresh artillery systems and ammo deliveries on Monday. Read Also: Moscow Reports Ukraine Neo-Nazis Uses Civilians as Human Shields in Donetsk and Lugansk Republics After the Battle of Mariupol Russian Diplomat Resigns UN Post According to Austin, Ukraine officials expressed their security concerns during the virtual discussion. And he claimed they are in line with what has been discovered in recent weeks: long-range artillery and missile systems, armored personnel carriers, and drones. Milley offered the most detail on the expanded US presence in Europe since Russia's invasion in late February. Last autumn. There were around 78,000 US soldiers in the region at the time, and that number has now increased to 102,000, which includes 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, as well as division and corps command, as per ABC News. Meanwhile, a Russian ambassador is said to have resigned in protest of President Vladimir Putin's aggressive war on Ukraine, as well as the country's foreign ministry's warmongering, falsehoods, and hostility. UN Watch, a non-profit organization devoted to holding the United Nations accountable to its core values, released Boris Bondarev's resignation letter. Bondarev stated on that date that Putin's war against Ukraine, and indeed the entire Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the Russian people, All dreams and ambitions for a thriving free society in our country have been crossed out with a bold letter Z, Fox News reported. Related Article: Syria Asks the US Reparations of War Crime, Civilian Casualties of Baghuz Airstrike in 2019 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Joe Biden insisted Tuesday that he didn't change the U.S.'s policy toward Taiwan after rattling China Monday by answering in the affirmative when a reporter asked if he'd be 'willing to get involved militarily' to defend the island. 'The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday,' Biden told reporters at the Quad summit in Tokyo. The president was first asked if the policy of 'strategic ambiguity' toward Taiwan was dead. 'No,' Biden responded. When asked to elaborate, Biden declined. 'No,' he said. President Joe Biden insisted Tuesday that he didn't change the U.S.'s policy toward Taiwan after rattling China Monday by answering in the affirmative when a reporter asked if he'd be 'willing to get involved militarily' to defend the island President Joe Biden (center left) was peppered with questions about his Taiwan comments Tuesday as he participated in the Quad Fellowship Announcement alongside (from left) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Biden was meeting with the Quad leaders Tuesday - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida - to wrap up his first trip to Asia as president. During a press conference Monday alongside Kishida, Biden affirmed he would be willing to get involved militarily if China invaded Taiwan drawing parallels between that threat and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'Yes,' Biden said. 'That's a commitment we made,' Biden responded when asked about the hot button diplomatic issue. Biden reiterated that the U.S. agrees to the so-called 'One China' policy - that only the People's Republic of China is 'China,' thus the U.S.'s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan is unofficial. 'But the idea that it can be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not appropriate,' Biden said. 'It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.' Additionally, Biden said: 'My expectation is it will not happen, it will not be attempted.' Chinese troops take part in a military drill. Biden said Monday that Chin was 'already flirting with danger' by conducting military drills near Taiwan But he condemned military exercises China was conducting. 'They're already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers that are undertaken,' the president said. A White House official asked to clarify the comment responded: 'As the President said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.' Biden was asked at the very end of a press conference, held at Tokyo's Akasaka Palace: 'You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?' - to which the president answered in the affirmative. In response, China's foreign ministry told Reuters that the U.S. should not defend Taiwan's independence. China blasted Biden's comments, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressing 'strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.' 'China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving Chinas core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity,' he said. The U.S. is providing billions worth of weapons and aid to Ukraine, but Biden has steadfastly refused to get Americans involved in the fighting. The U.S. already provides fighter jets and Patriot missiles to Taiwan, but official policy is deliberately ambiguous in keeping with the 'one China' policy Biden referenced. 'Our policy toward Taiwan has not changed at all. We remain committed to supporting the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and ensuring that there is no unilateral change in the status quo,' Biden said minutes before. President Joe Biden affirmed he'd approve military action against China if it invaded Taiwan, drawing parallels between that threat and Russia's invasion of Ukraine during a press conference Monday in Tokyo Biden then pointed to Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'barbarism' in Ukraine, noting the Russian bombing of Ukrainian schools as well as repeated attacks on sites with cultural significance in Ukraine. 'I believe what Putin is attempting to do is eliminate the identity of Ukraine, the identity. He can't occupy it but he can destroy its identity,' Biden said. 'Russia has to pay a longterm price for that.' The president asked 'what signal does that send to China about the cost of attempting to take Taiwan by force' if Russia wasn't punished properly. Biden declined to answer several shouted questions about Taiwan at a later event Monday. His tough talk came days after a joint statement between the U.S. and South Korea explicitly mentioned Taiwan, despite public warnings by China. 'The two Presidents reiterate the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element in security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,' according to the statement. The White House had to clean up Biden comments last year that also stated a 'commitment' to come to Taiwan's aid. Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in October following the comment: 'There has been no shift. The president was not announcing any change in our policy, nor has he made a decision to change our policy. There is no change in our policy.' That, too, drew a rebuke from China, with Wang Wenbin urging the U.S. so 'strictly abide' by the one-China principle and 'be cautious in its words and deeds on the Taiwan issue, and refrain from sending any false signals to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces -- or it will seriously damage to Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.' President Joe Biden (left) participated in a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) in Tokyo on Monday Before Biden's press conference remark, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Taiwan wouldn't be included in the 13-country Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. It was just another sign of how professional diplomats typically try to handle matter so explosive it is often referred to merely as 'cross-Straits' issues. Taiwan's inclusion would have irked China. His Ukraine comments indicated that the brutal war on the other side of the war was never far from mind, even on a trip meant to display a focus on Asia and new economic cooperation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kishida said repeatedly issued his own denunciations of Russia's use of force in Ukraine in language that could be applied to the region as well. 'Russia aggression against Ukraine undermines the foundation of global order. And we can in no way allow whatsoever such attempts to change the status quo going forward, wherever it may be in the world,' he said earlier Monday. At the press conference he said Japan 'strongly oppose the attempt to change the status quo by force' in the East China Sea and South China Sea, a reference to Chinese territorial claims. And he called for 'peace and stability Taiwan Straits,' while raising 'serious concern' about North Korea's missile launches and nuclear tests. Daniel Andrews has ripped into Peter Dutton saying the Liberal frontrunner's previous controversial comments about African gang violence will taint his chances of leading the party to election victory. The outgoing defence minister is expected to replace Scott Morrison as Liberal leader after the party was defeated by Labor in the federal election on Saturday. But the premier said Mr Dutton may not be able to improve the party's popularity within his state because of his past claims that Victorians were too scared to go out for dinner due to African gang violence. 'I'm trying to be as polite as possible,' Mr Andrews said on Tuesday. 'He hasn't become the leader yet. If he does, then I wish him well, but he's made a whole range of comments about Victoria. 'You guys need to remember this. It wasn't that long ago when these people were running around saying we're all going to get murdered by an African gang and we couldn't go out for dinner.' Dan Andrews (pictured with his wife Catherine) says Peter Dutton may have difficulty trying to win over Victorian voters Mr Andrews said the federal MP would be haunted by the statement - which sparked fury among Melburnians - and his 'low-road' approach to politics has persisted. 'This is the sort of low-road politics that these people played just a few years ago, and if any of you think they've changed, well think again,' he said. Mr Dutton's comments were originally made during a 2018 interview, where he slammed Victoria for not having adequate crime deterrence measures. 'People dont see this in NSW, in Queensland, but the reality is people are scared to go out at restaurants of a night time because theyre followed home by these gangs, home invasions, and cars are stolen,' he told Sydney radio 2GB. 'Theres no deterrence there at the moment.' At the time, the Coalition was accused of using 'African street gang' rhetoric to attack the Andrews Labor government after a series of high profile crimes involving Sudanese youths. Despite the claims, statistics showed the overall crime rates across the state at that time were in decline. Mr Dutton was subsequently mocked online by Victorians who shared photos of their 'brave' meals out under the hashtag 'MelbourneBitesBack'. Mr Dutton (pictured) is tipped to become the new leader of the Liberal party after Scott Morrison's resignation 'I had to crawl over a mass of bloodied bodies that were obviously a result of the horrendous gang violence we experience in Melbourne every night but in the end we had a nice casual meal,' one man said. Another said: 'Bravely eating out at a Melbourne restaurant. Wish me luck'. Mr Andrews is not the only politician who has spoken critically of Mr Dutton since he was revealed by party insiders as the favourite to represent the Liberals. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on the Liberal Party to install a woman as leader, warning female voters wanted adequate representation in the parliament. 'Why not make the leader of the Liberal Party a woman. Why does it always have to be the deputy position?' she told Sky News on Tuesday. 'I don't think Peter Dutton is going to do any help to the Liberal Party of regaining ground in those seats that they've lost. Put a woman in charge and they'll do much better.' On Monday, WA Premier Mark McGowan used a Covid briefing to attack Mr Dutton's intellect and brand his party 'a fringe group'. 'He's an extremist. I don't think he fits with modern Australia at all,' the premier he said of Mr Dutton, who is one of the more conservative Liberal MPs. Just out having dinner. All going well until the main arrived and scared the shite out of me. @PeterDutton_MP #auspol #spudhead pic.twitter.com/f4Ka22u9xY Nat apscaon Bro (@raggamuffs) January 3, 2018 Another brilliant meal at Chez in Prahran, then walked home to St Kilda (yeah the horror huh)...#MelbourneBitesBack pic.twitter.com/CPxWIZpOhN Anne Day (@Pbearwilltravel) January 3, 2018 Mark McGowan has blasted Liberal Party leadership frontrunner Peter Dutton as an 'extremist' who isn't fit to be prime minister 'He doesn't seem to listen, he's extremely conservative and I actually don't think he's that smart. I've seen him present on things [and] I don't really pick up there's much there. 'As opposed to Scott Morrison, who is a clever guy, I don't pick up that Peter Dutton is fit to be prime minister.' Mr McGowan also attacked Mr Dutton's record as defence minister, which involved frequent critical comments about China. The premier is a frequent defender of the authoritarian communist superpower and his state draws a massive proportion of its revenue from selling iron ore to China. 'Peter Dutton was out there talking about war and war footing and conflict... that's absolutely crazy,' he said. 'We're a country of 25 million people, China has 1.4 billion people, with nuclear weapons. Why would a mainstream political party be talking about that? 'Let's just have a sensible, strong relationship with China and continue our strong alliance with the US and Britain.' Scott Morrison has stepped down as Liberal leader after Labor won the federal election on Saturday The premier argued the Liberal Party had become 'quite a fringe group controlled by extremist factional powerbrokers' and lurched to the far right of Australian society. 'They don't have very talented people in parliament and they seem to be off on niche issues and arguing with each other. 'They're not the party that they were when I was first elected [in 1996]... these days they don't appeal to the mainstream, they're out on the fringe more inclined to pursue their own hobby horses than listen to what the public wants. 'I think that reflects in the voting and I actually don't think they're fit for government.' However, Senior Nationals MP David Littleproud rushed to Mr Dutton's defence. 'Mark McGowan's comments yesterday were sad ... give it up, mate,' Mr Littleproud told the Nine Network on Tuesday. Mr Littleproud said Mr Dutton provided the balance Australians were looking for in a federal leader. 'On economic and national security he is quite hard ... (but) he is more pragmatic on some of the more social and environment issues than people think,' he said. Joe Biden and the leaders of India and Japan will head to Australia next year for the next Quad summit. While meeting his counterparts in Tokyo, Anthony Albanese has declared he is looking forward to hosting the 2023 event. 'Today I had the pleasure of meeting with PM Kishida, POTUS and Narendra Modi at the Quad Summit in Tokyo,' he wrote on Twitter. 'We affirmed our shared commitment to the Quad, and to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific. I look forward to hosting Quad Leaders in Australia in 2023.' Joe Biden has praised Anthony Albanese's energy after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job In the meeting on Tuesday, President Biden praised Mr Albanese's stamina after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job. The 79-year-old US President, who famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, told Mr Albanese: 'If you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK'. In his first appearance on the world stage, the Labor leader laughed at President Biden's self-deprecating joke along with the diplomats and journalists in the room. He also beamed from ear to ear as he posed for photos with his fellow centre-left leader, who remarked that his appearance at the summit just hours after taking office was 'quite extraordinary'. President Biden famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year Mr Albanese, 59, was sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday and immediately flew to Tokyo for the Quad summit with the US, Japan and India. The alliance was set up to counter the growing assertiveness of China in the Indo-Pacific and the first leaders' meeting was in Washington DC in 2021. Mr Albanese will be returning to Australia on Wednesday afternoon after the whirlwind visit. In his short speech to his fellow leaders, President Biden congratulated Mr Albanese on winning Saturday's election. 'Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got sworn in, got on a plane and if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK because I don't know how you're doing it,' he said. 'It's really quite extraordinary just getting off the campaign trail as well. 'Congratulations on your election. When you won and I called you, we greatly appreciate your commitment on being here so soon after taking office.' Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during the Quad leaders summit meeting The four leaders waved for the cameras as they posed for photos at the summit in Tokyo Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government. 'We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change,' he said. 'And our commitment to ASEAN (an alliance of south-east Asian nations) and its centrality has not changed. 'My government has already committed to a greater focus on South-East Asia, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for the region and $470million in additional foreign aid over the next four years.' Mr Albanese also talked up his increased commitments on tackling climate change and spoke about his aim to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. 'The new Australian Government's priorities align with the Quad agenda - taking action on claimant change, and building a stronger and more resilient Indo-Pacific region through better economic security, better cybersecurity, better energy security and better environmental and health security,' he said. 'Our cooperation is built on the values that we share - a commitment to representative democracy, the rule of law and the right to live in peace.' All four leaders talked about securing a 'free, open Indo-Pacific'. US President Joe Biden meets Quad Summit leaders Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government China's olive branch to Australia By Peter Vincent China appears to have offered Australia an olive branch in the wake of Anthony Albanese 's election but the new Prime Minister is already talking tough on Beijing. An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times , described the election result as 'a turning point' and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been 'mutually beneficial' for 50 years. It went on to claim the Australian government under Scott Morrison 'severely damaged [the relationship] in just a couple of years, which is lamentable'. It said Australia had adopted a 'hawkish anti-China stance' in recent years, but appeared to pitch itself as 'a good partner' on tackling climate change and 'economic prosperity'. The Global Times has run a series of articles in recent years mocking, threatening and raging at Australia's trade and diplomatic ties to the United States, and attacking Mr Morrison, including labeling him 'a clown' in February. The official Xinhua news agency reported that Premier Li Keqiang had 'called' Mr Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory. This was denied by the PM's office. Mr Li said in a statement: 'The Chinese side is ready to work with the Australian side to review the past, look into the future and uphold the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to promote the sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership.' Mr Li spoke with Scott Morrison in 2018. Mr Morrison spoke with China's supreme leader Xi Jinping in June 2019. Advertisement The Quad leaders were set to discuss security concerns in the region, including the signing of a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands, as well as climate change, infrastructure needs and collaboration on disaster relief. It comes as the Chinese foreign minister is due to touch down in Honiara later in the week to officially sign the agreement. The Quad is also set to unveil new maritime measures to curb illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific, including using satellite technology to track illegal fishers, according to the Financial Times. President Biden met with Prime Minister Kishida on Monday where he unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, which includes a dozen initial partners making up 40 per cent of the world's GDP. Partners include Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Brunei. Mr Albanese said the Quad dialogue would send a signal to the world that there was a new government in Australia. The four leaders gave speeches during the summit in Tokyo on Tuesday Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida welcomes Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese at the entrance hall of the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo Mr Albanese smiles as he represents Australia on the world stage for the first time 'It's a government that represents a change in the way we deal with the world on issues like climate change, but also a continuity in the way we have respect for democracy and the way that we value our friendships and long-time alliances,' he told reporters in Canberra before he departed on Monday. Mr Albanese will also hold individual bilateral talks with the leaders throughout Tuesday. The prime minister is joined by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, with the pair being briefed by the head of the Office of National Intelligence and top officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Foreign Affairs on the trip over. Mr Albanese also had a 25-minute conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while in the air on Monday. The pair discussed ongoing support for the trilateral AUKUS agreement and climate change, with Mr Albanese describing the call as a 'friendly and very positive discussion about our strong relationships between our two countries'. Mr Albanese received a phone call from President Biden on Sunday night, which the prime minister said was 'fruitful and productive'. With AAP A man from Sydney's ritzy eastern suburbs twice sexually touched a woman without her consent before messaging a friend he was a 'good guy' and 'probably' wouldn't do it again. Hesan Soufi, 21, was hosting a birthday party in his Bondi penthouse in April last year when guests found him naked kneeling over a woman who was described in court documents as 'out of it'. He would later inappropriately touch the same woman in the same room, before messaging another attendee on social media the next day that he was 'very disrespectful'. 'I'm actually a good guy okay,' one message by Soufi read, according to the Telegraph. 'I was very disrespectful but I was f**ked and it probably won't ever happen again.' Hesan Soufi, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually touching without consent after being found naked on top of an unconscious woman at a party in his Bondi penthouse Soufi was throwing a 20th birthday bash for himself at his flat in the Meriton Suites Bondi Junction last year where the incidents occurred. Court documents say Soufi entered a room where he found the girl sleeping, before other partygoers walked in found him on top of her. The woman was lying face down with her underwear around her knees and the 21-year-old kneeling over with his erect penis visible between her legs. One person called the girl's name three times but she didn't respond. She was then tapped multiple times but only muttered 'hmmm', according to court documents. The girl eventually became conscious and told Soufi 'we're not f***ing', before she heard his pants unzip and the man say 'it's fine baby'. She was underneath Soufi at the time and was unable to push him off so she started to cry and asked him to let her go, court documents say. The woman then cried 'please stop, get off me' as she felt Soufi's erect penis between her legs. Soufi was throwing a 20th birthday bash for himself at his flat in the Meriton Suites Bondi Junction (pictured) last year where the incidents occurred Soufi messaged the victim the next morning apologising. 'I don't remember any of it,' one message read. 'Clearly a lot of sh*t happened and I'm sorry.' He was arrested in July last year and earlier this month the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually touching without consent for the two sequences. Soufi will be sentenced in NSW District Court at a later date. An asylum seeker boat intercepted on election day has been turned back, and its passengers have been returned to Sri Lanka, in the first test of Labor's immigration policies. In a statement on Tuesday, Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said: 'This government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders, and to the protection of lives at sea.' Richard Marles (right) is acting prime minister until Anthony Albanese is back from Japan Operation Sovereign Borders Commander, Rear Admiral Justin Jones urged asylum seekers to not 'risk your life on a dangerous journey'. 'The direction to me, by the acting prime minister was clear - this government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders, and to the protection of lives at sea,' he said. 'We will intercept any vessel seeking to reach Australia illegally and safely return those on board to their point of departure or country of origin, or if not safe to do so, they will be transferred to regional processing.' Each person on the boat underwent a 'thorough assessment' to check their health and if they had grounds for protection. 'My message to people smugglers attempting illegal maritime ventures to Australia is clear, don't risk your life on a dangerous journey, Australia's policies have not changed, a legal and safe pathway is the only way to life in Austalia,' Rear Admiral Jones said. The boat was stopped just off the coast of Christmas Island and a second boat was stopped in Sri Lanka with the nation's navy arresting more than 40 people for allegedly attempting to 'illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea'. Border force officers intercepted the asylum seeker boat off the coast of Australia with all people onboard sent back to Sri Lanka A second boat was stopped by the Sri Lankan Navy before it could leave The turning back of the boat comes as Anthony Albanese's government said it was launching an investigation into the timing of the asylum seekers. Thousands of voters were bombarded with a robo-text blast on Saturday as they headed to the polls. The Liberal Party seized on the fact an asylum seeker boat had been intercepted, using it to argue Labor was soft on borders. The text message blast read: BREAKING Australian Border Force has intercepted an illegal boat trying to reach Australia. Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today. https://vote.liberal.org.au. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday there will now be an investigation into how the boat came so close to Australia on federal election day. The U.S. and three Pacific allies who make up the Quad announced a new policy Tuesday to crack down on 'dark shipping' that can undermine sanctions or illegal depletion of fisheries. The new effort relies on 'real-time, integrated' technology to achieve what policy gurus are calling 'maritime domain awareness' It amounts to a commitment to boost monitoring of the vast Indo-Pacific, where far-flung nations often have no idea what is onboard foreign-flagged ships traversing their waters. The official White House statement on the matter did not mention China by name, although its massive fishing fleet has been worrying neighbors by plying already stretched fisheries. It also didn't mention sanctions on Russia although President Joe Biden tore into Moscow for its war in Ukraine, which he said was meant to 'extinguish' Ukrainian culture, as evidenced by attacks on schools, churches, and cultural sites. Fishing vessels / trawlers in the harbour of Jin Shan Island | Location: Jin Shan Island, Aurora, China. A new plan announced by Quad leaders creates a 'Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness' But the better coordination may help the nations better get a handle on subterfuge amid pressure to crack down on Russian energy exports which are key to Russian President Vladimir Putin's ability to finance the war. 'This will allow the tracking of dark shipping and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improves partners ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events, and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to so many Indo-Pacific economies,' said a Senior Administration Official on a call with reporters traveling with the president. The four partners 'will offer a near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective maritime domain awareness picture' that the statement claimed 'will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores and, in turn, to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific,' according to a White House fact sheet on the plan. Quad leaders are announcing a Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness to cut down on 'dark shipping' Better eyes on the region may help cut down on evasion of sanctions on Russia amid its war on Ukraine. Leaders are concerned about 'rendezvous at sea' which can be used to evade authorities The policy agreements come amid Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine China's massive fishing fleet hauls in a stunning 15 million tons of marine life each year, according to ABC Australia. In one incident in 2020, 350 Chinese vessels gathered in international waters right at the edge of Ecuador's maritime boundary around the Galapagos Islands. The fleet was bigger than the navies of Ecuador and Peru combined, and feature some of the greatest biological diversity in the world. One study at the time put the size of China's fleet at an astonishing 17,000 distant water vessels. The fleet plies waters 'in the territorial waters of low-income countries,' it said. Other policy areas the Quad are working on include vaccines and global health, cyber security, climate issues, infrastructure, and space including sharing satellite data. A second South Australian high school has made the decision to remove doors from student toilets, outraging parents. The move by Modbury High School comes days after the principal of Golden Grove High School in Adelaide sent a letter to parents and caregivers about the school's decision to remove doors from toilets. Photos of the student toilets at Modbury High School, in Adelaide's north-eastern suburbs, shows urinals that are in view of students who walk by. There are reports a 'smell' has begun to seep throughout the school's corridors as a result of the alteration. The photos of the Modbury High School toilets shows urinals (pictured) that are in view of students who walk by The school locked outside cubicles (pictured) which forced to students to use the toilets that were now without an exterior door South Australia's Education Department had not enforced the removal of doors from toilet facilities and the decision was believed to have been made by the high school. The school had locked outside cubicles which had forced students to use the toilets that are now without an exterior door. A mother of two children who attend the school claims 'privacy and use of toilets had been an issue for at least 12 months'. She claimed that as a result, some students had held on instead of going to the toilet for such a long period of time that it had 'caused urinary tract infections', she told The Advertiser. The mother claims some students had even resorted to 'urinating on the walls'. 'This is putting children through psychological and physical distress and harm,' she said. 'The school just randomly took them off with no explanation to parents. She said she made many failed attempts to reach out to the school, the Education Department and former SA education minister John Garner. 'We will be removing the outer doors leading into the existing toilet blocks (pictured) so the toilets in these spaces are more easily accessible from the foyers,' Principal Peter Kuss wrote to parents In a letter (pictured) sent to parents and caregivers, Principal of Golden Grove High School in Adelaide, Peter Kuss, advised that changes of the current toilet facilities had been implemented The decision by Modbury High Schoool followed a letter sent to parents and caregivers by the Principal of Golden Grove High School, Peter Kuss, advising of changes to the toilet facilities that including removing doors. 'New toilets provided as part of the recent capital works project... have been constructed to meet the new standards,' Mr Kuss told parents. This included providing lockable, non-gendered, individual cubicles, with handwashing included inside the cubicle, accessed directly from common spaces or open corridors. Mr Kuss claimed the school was 'taking the steps to modify the design of the existing toilet blocks so they mimic as much as possible the look and feel of the toilet facilities in the new buildings'. 'Hence, we will be removing the outer doors leading into the existing toilet blocks so the toilets in these spaces are more easily accessible from the foyers.' Mr Kuss added: 'We believe this action will provide greater safety for student usage and will more closely align our older toilet blocks with the new standards.' The changes were criticised by parents, one mother saying her children 'no longer feel safe and feel their privacy has been compromised.' 'The cubicles on some of the toilets can be seen by students and teachers walking past,' she added. 'I've had other parents tell me their kids will not use the toilets either.' An Education Department spokesperson has claimed that the school's toilets are adequately private. 'Students' privacy isn't compromised. All the cubicles have lockable doors and only hand washing areas are visible from hallways or foyers.' Princeton University confirmed Monday that its board of trustees voted to fire tenured classics professor and free speech advocate Joshua Katz. The press release announcing his termination alleged that Katz, 51, 'failed to be straightforward' in a 2018 misconduct probe regarding his relationship with a student. But the move by the storied university is being viewed by many as a politically motivated one - with many accusing the university of targeting Katz for his outspoken criticism of the schools liberal staff and policies. The Ivy-league school said in a statement to The New York Times that Katz was fired after officials received a 'detailed written complaint from an alumna who had a consensual relationship with Dr. Katz while she was an undergraduate under his academic supervision.' The complaint was filed in 2021. Following an investigation on the back of the complaint, the school discovered 'multiple instances in which Dr. Katz misrepresented facts or failed to be straightforward,' during the original 2018 probe. The recommended dismissal accuses classics professor Joshua Katz of not cooperating with a 2018 investigation into a relationship he had with a student in 2006 Katz was fired following a vote by the Princeton University's board of trustees - who were voting on recommendations from the school's president Christopher Eisgruber, 60, and Gene Jarrett, Princeton's dean of faculty. According to Katz, the school failed to notify him that he had been fired and that they sent an email to the wrong address. The professor said that he only learned of his termination from his wife, who learned of the news herself when she was contacted by The New York Times, Katz told the National Review. In 2018, Katz was suspended by the school without pay for a year due to his consensual relationship with the student. That relationship occurred in 2006. Katz's lawyer Samantha Harris told the National Review that the professor offered to resign in the weeks leading up to his dismissal. Harris said: 'I think that it speaks to the climate of pressure in these politically charged situations, that they felt that they absolutely couldnt forgo the ability to say, We were going to fire him.' Separately, Harris told The New York Times: 'In our view, this is the culmination of the witch hunt that began days after Professor Katz published an article in Quillette that led people to call for his termination.' The move by University President Christopher Eisgruber has many accusing the university of targeting Katz for his criticism of the schools liberal staff and racial politics There had been calls for Katz to be fired for years following student uproar over the educator's criticism of liberal school policies and racial politics that emerged after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. The 2021 probe came shortly after Katz said he was 'embarrassed' by a slew of questionable policies passed by the New Jersey university after the May 2020 murder of Floyd. Some of the programs Katz found fault with were a campaign to address the school's 'racist' history and requests to give black professors more sabbatical time and higher salaries than their white counterparts. The move by Eisgruber, 60, is being viewed by many as a politically motivated one, with many accusing the university of targeting Katz for his outspoken criticism of the schools liberal staff and policies and not for the settled misconduct claims Katz, who started teaching at Princeton in 1998, slammed the school's proposals in an essay published to online magazine Quillette in July 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests and other racial justice movements quickly spread across the country. In the op-ed, titled A Declaration of Independence by a Princeton Professor, Katz said the 'proposals, if implemented, would lead to civil war on campus and erode even further public confidence in how elite institutions of higher education operate.' He also said of the proposals, aired in a 4,100-word Princeton Faculty letter signed by students, staff, and alumni, that he was 'embarrassed' for his colleagues that signed it. 'I am friends with many people who signed the Princeton letter, which requests and in some places demands a dizzying array of changes, and I support their right to speak as they see fit,' Katz wrote. 'But I am embarrassed for them,' he went on. 'To judge from conversations with friends and all too much online scouting, there are two camps: those cheering them on and those who wouldnt dream of being associated with such a document. No one is in the middle.' The investigation, which looked into a relationship Katz had with a student in 2006, saw the tenured professor suspended, and was subsequently resolved internally. However, more than a year later, a second student-led probe aired claims that the professor didnt fully cooperate and misled investigators during the 2018 inquiry He then urged onlookers to read the letter, which was addressed to President Eisgruber and other senior administrators at the university, citing how the policies broke students and school staffers' first amendment rights. The essay also saw Katz denounce the extremist student group that pushed for the policies, the Black Justice League, as 'a small local terrorist organization' after it successfully lobbied to have former President Woodrow Wilsons name removed from the universitys School of Public and International Affairs, due to his support of racial segregation. The campaign saw 30 student's stage a sit-in inside President Eisgruber's office, until that demand, along with others that included mandatory cultural competency training for staff and a cultural safe space on campus reserved for black students, was met. Katz went on to pan the group for asking for 'a committee composed entirely of faculty that would oversee the investigation and discipline of racist behaviors, incidents, research, and publication on the part of faculty,' warning of the implications it would have on staffers' free speech. 'This scares me more than anything else,' Katz wrote. 'For colleagues to police one anothers research and publications in this way would be outrageous.' He went on: 'Let me be clear: Racist slurs and clear and documentable bias against someone because of skin color are reprehensible and should lead to disciplinary action, for which there is already a process. 'But is there anyone who doesnt believe that this committee would be a star chamber with a low bar for cancellation, punishment, suspension, even dismissal.' The coalition of students from Princeton University have been widely panned by academics and onlookers alike for their extremist views, that Katz said were 'emboldened' by social unrest seen in the wake of Floyd's death. The essay also saw Katz denounce the extremist student group that pushed for the policies, the Black Justice League, as 'a small local terrorist organization.' Pictured are members of the group during one of their many protests in 2020 after the death of George Floyd The group, which Katz said was 'emboldened by the social unrest seen after Floyd's death, staged more protests after the professor's remarks disparaged the school and their group He said its over 200 supporters 'were baying for blood' with their ever-increasing number of demonstrations and demands. Days later, President Christopher Eisgruber responded with his own op-ed, which slammed Katzs remarks as 'irresponsible and offensive.' 'The ongoing controversy about classics professor Joshua Katz and the Black Justice League illustrates the point,' Eisgruber wrote. 'The Black Justice League was a group of non-violent student activists who protested about Woodrow Wilsons racism and other issues. 'Their arguments and rhetoric, even if others found them provocative or offensive, were protected by Princetons commitment to the freedom of speech.' He went on: 'When Katz disparaged the group last week as a terrorist organization, I was among those who found his statement irresponsible and offensive. 'Our policies, however, protect Katzs freedom to say what he did, just as they protected the Black Justice Leagues. He can be answered but not censored or sanctioned.' Two years later, the school launched its investigation into Katz over the sexual misconduct claims. Beginning in 2006, Katz, then 36, engaged in a romantic relationship with one of his of-age students, then a junior, until after her graduation in 2007. Twelve years later, a school investigation found Katz violated school policy prohibiting sexual relationships between teachers and the students by engaging with the relationship with the unnamed student, who refused to participate in the school's probe. He was promptly suspended, and returned to work at the school in 2019. However, in 2021, the schools newspaper investigated the relationship themselves, prompting the second investigation - and shortly after Katz' standoff with school brass over its policies. The school probe found two violations of school policy - the first being that Katz didnt 'fully cooperate with and misled investigators,' and that he discouraged the former student from seeking psychiatric help when she threatened self-harm. The revelations then led to more protests from students, who demanded Katz be fired for the reported misconduct. Eisgruber cited those reasons in his written recommendation for dismissal, first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Revelations concerning a romantic relationship Katz had with a student in 2006 saw Katz become the victim of a student campaign that he be fired in 2020. Those findings came after a second investigation into the misconduct was launched shortly after Katz criticized university brass and school activists for policies he deemed un-American As a result of the probe, Katz was placed on paid administrative leave back in July. Now, his termination has free-speech and conservative advocates across the globe up in arms. 'With the firing of Professor Katz, Princeton will have sent a message,' Edward Yingling, co-founder of Princetonians for Free Speech, reportedly said. 'If a faculty member or student says something that contradicts our orthodoxy, we will get you - if not for what you said, then by twisting your language, by using the extensive resources of the university to shame you before the student body, and by investigating your personal life for years past.' Faculty dean Gene Jarrett, meanwhile, who signed Eisgrubers letter calling for Katzs nixing, denied that politics played a part in the schools second probe into Katz. 'The current political climate of the University, whether perceived or real, is not germane to the case, nor does it play a role in my recommendation,' Jarrett reportedly wrote in the investigation summary. An accused member of the Alameddine crime network has been dragged out of his home in his undies amid a crackdown on an alleged 'dial-a-dealer' ring which police say is flooding Sydney with drugs - and fuelling the bloody underworld war. Eighteen men - all believed to be low and mid-level associates of the Alameddine crew - were arrested on Tuesday morning after a 450-strong team of police officers raided 29 properties across the city's south-west. The blitz follows a 10-month-long investigation into the organised crime group. Police, desperate for a win after 14 fatal shootings on suburban streets in the past 18 months, said the raids have brought down a major player in the NSW drug trade. '(We've) cut the head off the snake,' Commissioner Karen Webb said. The arrested men will be charged with crimes including drug supply, firearm, dealing with the proceeds of crime and direct or participate in a criminal group. Dramatic footage shows police ramming down the doors of several homes, before the alleged crooks were taken away in handcuffs. An accused member of the Alameddine crime crew was dragged out of his house by police in just a pair of Bonds underwear during raids in Sydney on Tuesday Eighteen men were arrested around Sydney's southwest on Tuesday morning over their alleged role in a drug syndicate Pictured is one of the men arrested on Tuesday. The blitz follows a ten-month-long investigation into the organised crime group, which NSW Police will allege has been distributing drugs throughout the city The man in his underwear was seen sitting on the side of the road barefoot, staring at the ground in handcuffs. He was given a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before he was taken to the police station. One man in a wheelchair was also arrested during the raids, while another man flashed two middle fingers at waiting detectives as he was escorted from his home. The raids were carried out in Sydney suburbs Guildford, Merrylands, Chester Hill, South Granville, Casula, Yagoona and Wentworthville. Among the arrested men were Rafat Alameddine's brother-in-law, Assaad Alahmad. Trent Jeske, another alleged mid-ranking member of the group, was also arrested. NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole claimed police had 'closed the net' on one of Sydney's most 'dangerous crime families'. A man in a wheelchair was also arrested on Tuesday after 29 properties were raided One man accused of being involved in the drug syndicate puts up his middle fingers during his arrest Police, desperate for a 'win' after a series of fatal shootings almost weekly in the city's south-west, claimed an 'entire' syndicate was shut down as a result of Tuesday's arrests Police are seen speaking with one man arrested on Tuesday Pictured from left to right are alleged Alameddine associates Ali Younes and Masood Zakaria, and Rafat Alameddine and Hamdi Alameddine. None were arrested in today's raids NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she was confident police had 'cut the head off the snake', shutting down the syndicate altogether. She said those arrested on Tuesday didn't appear to be employed but 'displayed considerable wealth'. Police claim mobile phones were seized which allegedly raked in more than $250,000 a week in drug deals. The alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate utilised 36 phones, with one device having more than 700 customers. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she was confident police had 'cut the head off the snake', shutting down the syndicate altogether The alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate utilised 36 phones, with one device having more than 700 customers More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days. Pictured is one man who was arrested on Tuesday morning A new taskforce has been set up to investigate the fatal shooting of Rami Iskander, 23. Taskforce Erebus helped coordinate the raids of 20 properties across Sydney this week Alleged Alameddine member Trent Jeske (pictured) was arrested on Tuesday after properties were raided across Sydney Assistant Commissioner Mick Fitzgerald alleged the phones had 'contributed to a number of murders' over the past two years, with large amounts of cash and drugs such as cocaine, prescription drugs, MDMA and cannabis found during the raids. Weapons, luxury watches and jewellery and cars were also found. 'We believe we've had a significant impact on the Alameddine organised crime network - the drug distribution of that network has been dismantled today,' he said. More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days. Over the past 18 months, 13 people have been killed in gang violence in Sydney's west and southwest. Three executions have occurred in recent weeks. The latest shooting occurred on May 14 when Rami Iskander, the nephew of slain gangland figure Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad, was shot dead at his western Sydney home. Iskander, 23, was shot in the chest in front of his pregnant wife and two-year-old child at his home on Knox Street at Belmore. The young father was killed just weeks after his uncle Ahmad was sprayed with bullets outside a Greenacre home on April 27 after a $1million bounty was placed on his head. A team of 450 police officers carried out the raids on Tuesday Police had to ram the doors down of some residents before they were taken away in cuffs Detectives are chasing down three theories trying to explain why Iskander was killed, including whether or not his enemies were trying to prevent him from avenging his father's death. Taskforce Erebus is examining the circumstances and links between recent fatal shootings as well as dozens of acts of violence and the supply of prohibited drugs, illicit firearms, vehicle theft and various other criminal activities. The taskforce brings together Australian Federal Police, detectives in southwest Sydney, the NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. It also involves bikie busting strike force Raptor, which has made a name for itself with its heavy-handed tactics in recent years. Earlier this month Comanchero boss Tarek, 41, and his brother Omar Zahed, 39, were gunned down while leaving a BodyFit gym on Parramatta Road in Auburn, western Sydney, on Tuesday. Omar died at the scene while his older brother was rushed to hospital fighting for life after suffering with ten bullet wounds to his head and body. The attack has left Tarek almost completely blind. Police had told the brothers as recently as May 5 that their lives were at risk but their warnings went unheeded. Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said police are investigating possible motives for the assassination attempt, refusing to rule out the possibility of an inside job. Police sources claim the Comanchero are in bed with the Alameddine crime family. By extension, the Alameddines' rivals the Hamzy family are considered enemies of the Comancheros. Tarek Zahed (seated) and his brother Omar (standing) were gunned down outside a gym in Sydney's west earlier this month Police and paramedics are seen trying to save the two men at the gym after the shooting - with pools of blood seen across the foyer Omar was laid to rest at the Rookwood Cemetery. Shooting spree erupts in Sydney The 23-year-old man who was shot in Belmore, Sydney's south-west, was identified as Rami Iskander - the nephew of underworld figure Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad. It marks the 13th gangland-style execution to rock Sydney in the last 18 months. Comanchero bikie Fares Abounader was the first victim in the long spate of shootings after he was killed in a drive-by attack in Panania, south-west Sydney, on August 29, 2020. Mejid Hamzy was shot dead in Condell Park on October 19, 2020 and then Mustafa Naaman was killed in a suspected mistaken identity attack on Ibrahem Hamze on January 31, 2021. Mejed Derbas, Shady Kanj, Ghassan Amoun and Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad are among the people who have also been shot. Comanchero bikies with links to the Alameddine clan, Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar were gunned down while leaving a gym in Auburn on May 10, 2022. Advertisement Mourners, some wearing balaclavas, arrived at the gravesite and embraced Muslim friends and family of the slain man. Among them was underworld identity, Ahmed Elomar, the brother of ISIS terrorist Mohamed Elomar. Elomar told Daily Mail Australia that Omar's fatal shooting was evidence of the 'shocking state of affairs for young Muslim men in Sydney'. 'This generation is all over the place,' he said. 'What happened, who knows?'. Advertisement Some 65,000 journeys were made on the first morning of London's new 19billion Elizabeth line today despite the service having to be part suspended and Paddington station evacuated when a faulty fire alarm went off. The much-anticipated opening of London's new 19billion network saw an estimated 130,000 journeys over the whole line up to 10am, which runs between Reading, Heathrow, Abbey Wood and Shenfield. Of these, around half - 65,000 journeys - involved the new central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood from 6.30am. The new Paddington station saw 14,000 entries and exits, Canary Wharf had 9,000 and Woolwich had 6,000 entries. Rail enthusiasts had travelled from Canada and Hong Kong and were queuing up from midnight in the rain to experience the new east-west line, with the first Paddington to Abbey Wood service leaving on time at 6.33am. But two hours into the launch - which Mayor Sadiq Khan has said will 'revolutionise travel' in London - passengers were quickly ushered out of Paddington and the line was suspended to the next stop, Tottenham Court Road. Paddington was eventually reopened and services restarted 30 minutes later after the London Fire Brigade arrived, with Transport for London confirming it was a false alarm. A spokesman told MailOnline: 'At Paddington there was a brief period where, in line with our procedures, we had to ask customers to leave the station. 'This followed a fire alarm being triggered. This was investigated and found to be a false alarm. Trains served all other stations throughout and Paddington was promptly reopened. A full good service is now in operation.' The line created by the Crossrail project has boosted capacity and significantly cut journey times for travel across London, with another first train also running in the opposite direction from Abbey Wood to Paddington at 6.30am. But the line - which stretches from Reading in Berkshire and London Heathrow Airport to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in Essex - is initially running in three separate sections, which are set to be integrated in the autumn. By next May, Transport for London hopes to have the service running in full. For now, it will initially be closed on Sundays - apart from on the Platinum Jubilee weekend - to allow for further testing and software updates. There are also three closures planned for software updates on the weekends of June 11-12, July 30-31 and October 29-30. Today, fans bought special edition Elizabeth line cushions and Oyster cards to remember the 'epic day', with one declaring: 'It's history.' Others branded it a 'great achievement' and said the chance to be among the first to ride it was a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity with around 500 people queueing when the gates opened at Paddington. However social media users in the North of England said it was 'depressing' that they were not receiving the same 'level of investment'. One said the North 'needs a new deal and fast!', particularly after key High Speed 2 (HS2) routes, including between Leeds and Manchester, were scrapped. In response to such criticisms, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the line was a 'source of pride' which would help the whole of Britain by 'contributing 42bn to our national economy', adding that it had 'already created 70,000 jobs'. It came after hundreds of Londoners and tourists had gathered behind a barrier in the rain at Paddington by 6am this morning, as excitement mounted ahead of the first Elizabeth line service to Abbey Wood at 6.33am. The first passengers on the Elizabeth line at Paddington travel down an escalator into the station at 6.20am this morning People queue at the entrance to the Elizabeth line at Paddington station in London at about 6am this morning Rail and underground enthusiasts travel on the first eastbound train as the Elizabeth Line opens at Paddington today Passengers on board an Elizabeth Line train approaching Tottenham Court Road station in London this morning Mayor of London Sadiq Khan poses for a selfie with passengers as they board the first Elizabeth Line train at Paddington today People queue at the entrance to the Elizabeth line at Paddington station as they wait to travel on the train this morning Rail and underground enthusiasts disembark from the first train as the Elizabeth Line opens to the public at Paddington today Rail enthusiasts pose beneath a sign while wearing masks of the faces of members of the Royal Family at Paddington today Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (left) and TfL commissioner Andy Byford (right) on an escalator at Paddington station today Firefighters arrive at Paddington station this morning following a fire alert on the Elizabeth line at around 8.30am Passengers board the Elizabeth line service at Abbey Wood station in South East London this morning A train heading back to Paddington station is pictured at Abbey Wood on the first day of Elizabeth line this morning A huge cheer went up from the crowd of more than 500 when the gates were opened at 6.20am, with a member of staff urging people 'please don't run'. People had been queuing from as early as midnight, with many paying homage to the colour of the line with purple-dyed hear, purple hoodies and face masks in the style of the Elizabeth line seat moquette. How Crossrail will open in three stages by May 2023 Stage 1: From Today The Elizabeth line launched today with services on Monday to Saturday from Paddington to Abbey Wood. Services from Reading and Heathrow to Paddington, and from Shenfield to Liverpool Street, have been 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 Those at the front who had been waiting for up to six hours rushed through into the station so they could get onto the first train at 6.33am. Station staff only partially opened the gates to manage the crowd as they went through and into the station before going down the escalators into the cavernous terminal. Once on the platform, people were urged to spread out by staff, with one employee acknowledging: 'I know we all want to be at the front.' And as the service to Abbey Wood pulled into the station, the announcer said: 'The train is your first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood.' Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford had earlier greeted the crowds and also urged them to avoid running when the gates opened. Meanwhile, huge queues had also been forming at Abbey Wood, where the first train left at bang on 6.30am. There was a hubbub in the air at Paddington with lots of excited chatter as rail enthusiasts - including one who had flown in from Canada yesterday - spoke to the media and posed for pictures, ahead of the expected opening of the gates at 6.20am. London Mayor Sadiq Khan arrived to greet the crowds shortly after 6am, and spoke to those at the front of the queue. He also fist bumped a child who was among those ready to be first on board. He then spoke to three Chelsea Pensioners who joked that he looked much shorter than they had thought in real life. Six police officers monitored the scene along with a throng of station staff. Mr Byford said a successful start would be a 'normal day of service' and that he hoped passengers would be 'amazed' by the journey. Members of the media and officials stand outside Paddington station this morning on the first day of the Elizabeth Line A man holds a special edition Elizabeth line cushion he has purchased on board an Elizabeth Line train in London today Rail and underground enthusiasts travel on the first eastbound train as the Elizabeth line opens to the public today Passengers take pictures and record videos on their phones as they descend the escalators at Paddington station today Mayor of London Sadiq Khan embraces TfL Commissioner Andy Byford as they travel on the Elizabeth line today Passengers flock to Paddington station this morning to be among the first to ever use the Elizabeth line London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) arrived to greet the crowds shortly after 6am, and spoke to three Chelsea Pensioners Passengers form long queues to be among the first to ride the Elizabeth line in Abbey Wood early this morning Transport for London recently released this new map showing how the initial Crossrail services that will operate from today The new Transport for London map released last week which incorporates the Elizabeth line in its three different sections Passenger Danny McLaren, 21, from Edinburgh, arrived at Paddington at 1.30am to make sure he was at the front of the queue. Will the Elizabeth line improve my journey? The delayed and overbudget Elizabeth line finally opens on Tuesday. Here are 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 today? Unfortunately not. The Elizabeth line is initially operating 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, before the full service is set to being in May next year. - 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 Citymapmer, 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 per cent. - How much will it cost to use? Elizabeth line journeys in central London will cost the same as equivalent Tube fares. Fares on services in the outer sections currently operated by TfL Rail will be unchanged. Advertisement He said: 'We've known it will open for a while. It's a brand new railway. New technology. New trains. It's an epic day to experience it when it's brand new.' Another passenger, Hakim Colclough, 24, from Chessington, Surrey, said: 'This is a momentous occasion. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing.' Colin Kelso, 18, travelled down from Glasgow for the opening. He was wearing a hoody emblazoned with 'Purple train' on the front, in a nod to the line's colour scheme. He said: 'I want to get on the first train. I've always liked trains and have been keeping up to date with the project.' Another passenger at Paddington, Colin Farmer, 84, from Croydon, arrived at 4.30am. He said: 'It's history. It's about time there were trains right through London without changing to the Underground. I'm very excited. We've been waiting long enough for it. It's a great achievement.' The crowd cheered and rushed forwards when the doors to Paddington Elizabeth line station opened at around 6.20am. The first Elizabeth line train from Paddington through central London departed on time at 6.33am carrying hundreds of excited transport enthusiasts. Another passenger, Mark Davis, 48, from Canary Wharf, said: 'We've been living with this for what feels like 10 years. We live in Canary Wharf, so it's a game-changer. It's the air conditioning that makes the difference.' James Robert, 48, from Wigan, was on the train with his 11-year-old son Matthew. Mr Robert said: 'It's lovely and bright and fast. I wish we had trains like this in Wigan.' Clare Cenci, 43, from Maidenhead, Berkshire travelled on an early morning Elizabeth line service from Paddington on her commute to Liverpool Street. She said there is 'a lot more space' compared with Tube trains. She went on: 'The air-conditioning makes it a lot better. The Central line in the summer isn't good.' Pietr Snepvangers, 21, a student from South London and friend Daniel Cross, 20, a hospitality worker from Edgware, said: ''We are absolutely loving it! It is strange to be here because over the last week we have seen pictures and videos of journalists trying it and The Queen opening it. ''To go on the first train is mind blowing. 'We got on at Paddington and the staff did a very smooth job. 'The staff did very well, we were worried there would be some kind of crush. It was a very calm atmosphere. 'It will really cut journey times. 25 minutes ago we were in Central London and now we are in South East London. It would have been great if Bond Street was open then we could have got the full experience. 'It is long overdue but people will forget that. It will be here for our children and grandchildren, it will be here when we are dead.' Financial researcher Alda Khan, 67, from East London said: ''It is a new beginning for London and I hope it will be here for generations. We have been waiting for it for a long time. Rail and underground enthusiasts pose beneath a sign while wearing paper masks at Paddington station this morning Passengers take in their surroundings on board an Elizabeth line train in London this morning Rail users arrive at Paddington station to use the Elizabeth line for the first time this morning Rail users can purchase limited edition Oyster cards (pictured) which are emblazoned with the Elizabeth line's seat pattern Passengers snake through the ticket barriers at Paddington station to access the Elizabeth line this morning A TfL worker wears a foam finger which reads: 'Ask me about the Elizabeth line' at Paddington station this morning A rail passenger tucks into a special edition cupcake emblazoned with the Elizabeth line logo on board a train today A train pulls into Abbey Wood station in South East London on the first day of Elizabeth line this morning A rail enthusiast poses in front of an arriving Elizabeth line train at Abbey Wood while donning a purple foam finger Passengers board an Elizabeth line train at Custom House station in South East London this morning Passengers board the Elizabeth line train to Paddington station for the first time this morning Passengers don face masks depicting Prince William, Kate Middleton and the Queen on the train this morning Crowds wait in line to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station in London this morning The Elizabeth line from Paddington gets a thumbs up from one passenger travelling from Paddington this morning Passengers put up umbrellas as they queue in the wet weather outside Abbey Wood station this morning Huge queues seen at Abbey Wood this morning, where the first Elizabeth Line service departed at 6am today Police watch on as journalists and passengers are among the packed crowds at Paddington station this morning Crowds queue in wet weather to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station this morning The first set of passengers board the Elizabeth Line early morning service at Abbey Wood in South East London today Mayor Khan fist bumps a young boy who had waited in the rain to be among the first to ride the Elizabeth Line today Crowds gather behind barriers at Paddington station this morning ahead of the opening of the line at 6.30am STAGE 1: Now the line has opened today, it is running in three different sections - from Reading or Heathrow to Paddington; Paddington to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street; and Liverpool Street to Shenfield. The green section is the new project 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 'It is going to be very good for London, especially after the pandemic. I think it will help London businesses to recover.' From Cross London Rail Links to Crossrail: Timeline of Elizabeth line London's Crossrail project has suffered numerous setbacks over the past 20 years, including as follows: January 2002 : Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), is set up to develop plans for Crossrail. : Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), is set up to develop plans for Crossrail. J uly 2004 : The Government commits to introducing legislation to enable Crossrail to proceed. : The Government commits to introducing legislation to enable Crossrail to proceed. October 2007 : Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives the green light for the project. It is expected to cost 15.9 billion and open in December 2017. : Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives the green light for the project. It is expected to cost 15.9 billion and open in December 2017. May 2009 : London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis break ground on the project at Canary Wharf. : London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis break ground on the project at Canary Wharf. October 2010 : Crossrail's budget is cut to 14.8 billion in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government's comprehensive spending review. Its opening date is pushed back 12 months to December 2018. : Crossrail's budget is cut to 14.8 billion in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government's comprehensive spending review. Its opening date is pushed back 12 months to December 2018. January 2014 : The National Audit Office says the scheme is 'just behind schedule', adding that Crossrail Ltd 'remains confident' it will open on time. : The National Audit Office says the scheme is 'just behind schedule', adding that Crossrail Ltd 'remains confident' it will open on time. May 2015 : Tunnel boring is completed as a tunnelling machine named Victoria arrives at Farringdon. Some 13 miles of new tunnels have been dug under London. : Tunnel boring is completed as a tunnelling machine named Victoria arrives at Farringdon. Some 13 miles of new tunnels have been dug under London. February 2016 : The Queen visits Bond Street station and announces the railway will be named the Elizabeth line in her honour. : The Queen visits Bond Street station and announces the railway will be named the Elizabeth line in her honour. July 2018 : Rail minister Jo Johnson announces that Crossrail's budget has risen to 15.4 billion as 'cost pressures have increased across the project'. : Rail minister Jo Johnson announces that Crossrail's budget has risen to 15.4 billion as 'cost pressures have increased across the project'. August 2018 : Crossrail Ltd announces it will miss its December 2018 opening date but the central section 'will open in autumn 2019'. The project is suffering from construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems. : Crossrail Ltd announces it will miss its December 2018 opening date but the central section 'will open in autumn 2019'. The project is suffering from construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems. December 2018 : TfL says Crossrail may be delayed further and could require a 2 billion funding boost, taking the cost up to 17.6 billion. The Government, TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan agree a financial package to cover this. : TfL says Crossrail may be delayed further and could require a 2 billion funding boost, taking the cost up to 17.6 billion. The Government, TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan agree a financial package to cover this. December 2018 : Sir Terry Morgan resigns as chairman of Crossrail Ltd and HS2, days after predicting he would be sacked. He is replaced at Crossrail by London Underground managing director Mark Wild. : Sir Terry Morgan resigns as chairman of Crossrail Ltd and HS2, days after predicting he would be sacked. He is replaced at Crossrail by London Underground managing director Mark Wild. April 2019 : A 'delivery window' between October 2020 and March 2021 is announced for the central section of Crossrail. : A 'delivery window' between October 2020 and March 2021 is announced for the central section of Crossrail. November 2019 : Crossrail Ltd announces that the railway will open 'as soon as practically possible in 2021'. The cost has increased by up to 650 million to 18.25 billion. : Crossrail Ltd announces that the railway will open 'as soon as practically possible in 2021'. The cost has increased by up to 650 million to 18.25 billion. January 2020 : The 'latest assessment' is that services will commence in summer 2021. : The 'latest assessment' is that services will commence in summer 2021. July 2020 : Crossrail Ltd says the railway will not open in summer 2021 because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It does not give an updated schedule. : Crossrail Ltd says the railway will not open in summer 2021 because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It does not give an updated schedule. August 2020 : It is announced that the line will open in the first half of 2022. : It is announced that the line will open in the first half of 2022. July 2021 : The National Audit Office says the estimated total cost of Crossrail is 18.9 billion. : The National Audit Office says the estimated total cost of Crossrail is 18.9 billion. May 17, 2022 : The Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit Paddington station to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. : The Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit Paddington station to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. TODAY : Elizabeth line services are launched in three separate sections. : Elizabeth line services are launched in three separate sections. Autumn 2022 : The three sections are due to be integrated. : The three sections are due to be integrated. May 2023 : The full timetable of up to 24 trains per hour is scheduled to be introduced. Advertisement Software developer Peter James, 28, was using the line as part of his commute from West Drayton to Canary Wharf. He said: 'I will be using it every day. 'I just got used to the delays. Initially it was disappointing but four years is a long time and we get on with things. I wasn't sure what it would be like but it is really quick.' However some rail users did not have a glowing report, after claiming they were turned away for bringing their folding bike. One Twitter user wrote: 'Don't try and get on the Elizabeth Line today with a folding bike. They're not allowed for just one day. 'Even the staff at the station weren't aware of it, except the rude (probably stressed) guy at the entrance (not) letting people through. Spectacular waste of a morning!' Another said: 'So apparently folded bikes are not allowed on the Elizabeth Line? Was turned away at Abbey Wood as the trains were too busy! Why was there no information about this if this was the case!' TfL told MailOnline today: 'Folded bikes are allowed on the Elizabeth line at any time.' Other transport users in the north lauded the new line, but said it was 'depressing' that they had not received a similar 'level of investment.' One wrote: 'Really depressing listening to the details of the new Elizabeth line - it's taken 30 years to get Crossrail so what chance have we got of ever getting significant investment in the north anytime soon?' Another added: 'As a huge transport and infrastructure nerd I can't wait to go and see it... but this is what the north needs, when will we see this level of investment, the north needs a new deal and fast!' London mayor Sadiq Khan, who also travelled on the first train, said: 'It's a landmark day. I'm excited. I'm like the little boy before Christmas.' He said the Elizabeth line is a 'game-changer' that will 'transform our city'. He added that the trains are 'fit for a Queen' after her Majesty visited Paddington last week to mark the completion of the Crossrail project. The Prime Minister said the whole country will 'reap the rewards' of a predicted multibillion pound boost to the economy, as the new railway line transports passengers from Tuesday. The delayed and overbudget line will boost capacity and cut journey times for east-west travel across the capital. Mr Johnson said: 'As the Elizabeth line opens to the public, we know it's not just Londoners that will reap the rewards, but the whole country - because better transport grows the economy, levels up opportunity and creates jobs.' The Government said the Elizabeth line project is supporting 55,000 jobs, 1,000 apprenticeships and is forecast to boost the economy by 42 billion. TfL commissioner Mr Byford said the Elizabeth line service was 'so far so good' and 'on time'. He went on: 'The customer reaction has been amazing, just as predicted. The universal reaction is 'wow'.' Speaking on BBC Radio 4 outside Farringdon station this morning, Mr Khan said the Elizabeth line should be a 'source of pride' and something that helps the whole country. He said: 'This line will help contribute 42bn to our national economy, it's already created 70,000 jobs across the country. 'The trains were built in Derby, the station doors in Cheshire, the signage in the Isle of Wight. 'Some of the steel comes from Dorset. Almost two thirds of the contracts given for this fantastic new line were given around the country, which already created tens of thousands of jobs.' The Labour politician said the line was first discussed in the 1940s before the idea was finally realised and construction began in 2009. Mayor Khan and Andy Byford, Commissioner at Transport for London (behind right), pose for selfies on the line today The Mayor of London said the line's opening would 'provide a crucial economic boost to the whole country' Passengers are seen queueing underneath their umbrellas to be among the first to ride the Elizabeth line at Paddington today Abbey Wood station saw its first Elizabet line train to Paddington depart at 6.30am today A passenger walks through the new Canary Wharf station in London on the Elizabeth line this morning The first ever Elizabeth Line service left Paddington station at 6.33am today. The station is pictured before it opened He added: 'These things take a long time but this is an amazing line, spacious, silent, speedy trains, comfortable, air conditioned. These stations in central London are cathedrals. .. it should be a source of pride for all of us. Boris Johnson says transport projects will 'get nation firing on all pistons' Transport projects will 'get the nation firing on all pistons again' as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, Boris Johnson has said. The Prime Minister hailed investment infrastructure across the UK, and insisted the Government's 'drive to get people into jobs is working'. He was speaking ahead of a Cabinet meeting today - the day the long-awaited Elizabeth line railway opens in London. Mr Johnson said such a project has benefits beyond the capital by growing the economy and creating jobs. He said: 'As the Elizabeth line opens to the public, we know it's not just Londoners that will reap the rewards, but the whole country - because better transport grows the economy, levels up opportunity and creates jobs. 'Just last week, official figures showed that under this Government unemployment has fallen to the lowest level in nearly half a century, just 3.7%, which shows our drive to get people into jobs is working. 'And we're going further and faster to ensure that by investing in infrastructure right across the UK, our massive transport projects will get the nation firing on all pistons again as we recover from the pandemic.' The Government said the Elizabeth line will support 55,000 jobs and 1,000 apprenticeships, and is forecast to boost the UK economy by 42 billion. Mr Johnson is expected to impress on his Cabinet ministers the need to maintain a high level of ambition for infrastructure investment to build a high-wage, high-skill economy. Advertisement 'I've met people this morning people from Hong Kong, the Netherlands, from Germany, from America who are looking at us with envy that as we embark on this recovery, a national recovery, we have this amazing new infrastructure in our capital city, a source of pride.' The Mayor also said the Elizabeth line is a 'remarkable, transformative railway line' on the day of its opening. Mr Khan told Sky News: 'I remember Ken Livingstone, the first mayor, lobbying for this and I give credit to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for giving the green light. 'The first bill went through Parliament when I first became an MP in 2005, royal ascent - 2008... and last week, Her Majesty, The Queen, formally opened this line named after her in this Platinum Jubilee year. 'It's a remarkable, transformative railway line. It's a landmark moment for our city. It will contribute 42million towards our nation's economy.' And Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: 'Absolutely delighted that the Elizabeth Line has opened to the public today. 'Long-term investment in UK infrastructure pays off - with this project alone supporting 55,000 new jobs, 1,000 apprenticeships, and forecast to boost the UK economy by 42billion.' Mr Byford added: 'It was fantastic to see thousands of excited customers waiting for the Elizabeth line to open this morning and board the first trains from Paddington and Abbey Wood. Tens of thousands of journeys have already been made on the new central section of the Elizabeth line since it opened this morning. 'This stunning addition to the transport network will transform life and travel in London and the South East by dramatically improving transport links, cutting journey times, adding capacity, transforming accessibility and supporting the economic recovery and growth throughout the country for years to come.' Ali Hussein, a 66-year-old pensioner on his morning walk, had come to Abbey Wood get his limited edition Oyster card and said he will be travelling to see his daughter and grandkids in Islington later in the day. He said: 'I've never seen anything like this around here. There are so many people, they must be here for the experience.' Ian Palmer, 52, an estate agent in Abbey Wood said: 'We've been waiting for years and were told 'yeah, yeah it's coming' and now it's finally here. It's fantastic. 'I work up the road and came down because this is a part of history, it's going to be huge for the area, it's going to be lovely. Everyone is excited, everyone is talking about it. 'People have started getting interested in Abbey Wood. Prices have been going up ever since they announced it. 'And this is all new development around here, it's a couple of acres, all brand new. Hopefully we get some nice bars and restaurants in the area too. Hopefully the council invests. 'I'm going up to Paddington later today as it's my day off. I could even head to Whitechapel and Brick Lane to go to a few bars and then head into the West End.' The Queen arrived at Paddington on May 17 to officially open the line. She is pictured with Prince Edward, right The Queen was shown how to top up an Oyster card during a surprise visit to Paddington station on May 17 The London Eye was lit up in purple last night to mark the long-awaited opening of the Elizabeth line Blackfriars Bridge, pictured, was beaming in purple lighting which shimmered over the River Thames last night London's Bridges were lit up in purple last night to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth line He added: 'My mum who hasn't got the train in years will start getting it again because of the platforms without the gaps. It's things like that that make a difference.' Local schools create purple artwork for opening of Elizabeth line Local schools have created purple artwork to mark the opening of the Elizabeth line's new stations. One school was chosen from near each of the nine new stations to participate in the project. The students' artwork has been made using the colour purple to reflect the new line's colour. Pupils from Marylebone Boys' School with their art work on display at Paddington Station in London yesterday to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth line The decorations and paintings by pupils from Marylebone Boys School, Soho Parish Primary School, St Mary Magdalene Academy, Kobi Nazrul Primary School, Swanlea School, New City College, Royal Docks Academy, Royal Greenwich Trust School and London South East College have been placed at landmarks near the new stations. Ann Gavaghan, customer experience manager at Transport for London's People and Places Programme, said it has been 'fantastic' to drum up excitement in the local communities using the new colour. 'TfL has a long legacy of collaborating with local communities both within our stations and beyond. With just one day until the Elizabeth line launches, it has been fantastic to drum up excitement within the local community using the railway's eye-catching new colour,' she said. 'The new 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. It will serve Londoners and beyond for many decades to come.' Richard Ardron, headteacher of Marylebone Boys' School, said the widening of transport links could 'only present a positive opportunity' for staff and pupils. 'We are very privileged to have been invited to display our students' artwork at this pre-launch event to celebrate the opening of the Elizabeth Line,' he said. 'With our secondary school being so centrally located in the heart of the Paddington Basin community, it can only present a positive opportunity for the staff body and our pupils that the local transport links are further widening.' Advertisement Retired John Malone, 75, who works as a school lollipop man said: 'I've already been on the train, I went to Woolwich, and got the limited-edition card.' John, who travelled with his wife added: 'I've bought 12 of them for my family, they will be worth about 30, but I won't sell mine. It's history. 'We've been waiting so long for it, it's going to make such a difference, everyone is so excited. You wait until you get on it, you'll be amazed.' On the platform an announcement was made that the train to Paddington was about to leave, passengers started to clap and cheer. The trains leave for every five minutes from 6.30am to 11pm Monday through to Saturday. The mayor had previously said the line's opening would 'provide a crucial economic boost to the whole country'. Mr Khan, who travelled on the first train today, said: 'Today is a historic day as the Elizabeth line opens to passengers. This is a huge moment, not just for London but the entire country, particularly in this special Jubilee year. 'This brand new line is the most significant addition to our transport network in decades. 'It will add billions to our economy and is set to serve up to 200 million passengers each year. I'm sure passengers will enjoy the modern trains, beautiful step-free stations and the reduced journey times across the capital and the South East. 'The Elizabeth line is much more than just a new railway, it will provide a crucial economic boost to the whole country and help to turbo-charge our recovery from the pandemic.' The line stretches from Reading in Berkshire and Heathrow Airport in west London to Abbey Wood in south-east London and Shenfield in Essex. It will beginning operating in three separate sections, which are expected to be integrated in the autumn. Transport for London (TfL) estimates that annual passenger numbers will reach 170 million by 2026. The new central section, built by the Crossrail project, runs through tunnels from Paddington in west London to Abbey Wood. It will initially be closed on Sundays, apart from during the Platinum Jubilee weekend, to allow further testing and software updates to take place. Crossrail suffered numerous issues including construction difficulties and complications installing signalling systems. It was due to be completed in December 2018 and was set a budget of 14.8 billion in 2010. The final total cost has been estimated at 18.9 billion, including 5.1 billion from the Government. The line is named in honour of the Queen, who visited Paddington station last week to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. It comes after 30 iconic London landmarks were lit up in purple last night to celebrate the opening of the new Elizabeth Line today. Landmarks including the London Eye, Tower Bridge, The Gherkin and the London Stadium were lit up in a regal purple to mark the opening of the latest Tube line, which is set to 'revolutionise travel' in the capital. On board the historic first Elizabeth Line service from Paddington: MailOnline joins hundreds of die-hard rail enthusiasts who dyed their hair purple, brought novelty cakes and queued since MIDNIGHT to get a seat on 6.33am service to Abbey Wood By MARK DUELL FOR MAILONLINE It's been delayed by four years, cost 4billion more than planned and faced numerous setbacks that had left many Londoners wondering whether it would ever run at all. But the cheers that erupted as the gates opened at Paddington today for the hundreds of passengers eager to travel on the first Elizabeth line service suggested few were worried about what had led to this point. In fact, they had little time to ponder the many construction difficulties and complications installing signalling systems that have hindered the Crossrail project and seen the budget balloon to 18.9billion. The journey time to Abbey Wood took just 29 minutes, with many of those on board the 6.33am service being rail enthusiasts who had been gathering outside Paddington from the early hours of this morning. These included people who had been queuing since midnight, one man who had flown in from Canada and hundreds of Britons who wanted to be a part of railway history at the station dating back to the 1850s. The delayed line has boosted capacity and significantly cut journey times for east-west travel across London, with another first train also running in the opposite direction from Abbey Wood to Paddington at 6.30am. But the line which stretches from Reading in Berkshire and London Heathrow Airport to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in Essex is initially running in three separate sections, which are set to be integrated in the autumn. By next May, Transport for London hopes to have the service running in full. For now, it will initially be closed on Sundays - apart from during the Platinum Jubilee weekend - to allow for further testing and software updates. Crossrail was due to be completed in December 2018 and was set a budget of 14.8 billion in 2010. But the final total cost has been estimated at 18.9billion, including 5.1billion from the Government. The line is named in honour of the Queen, who visited Paddington last Tuesday to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. Here is MailOnline's diary from on board the 6.33am service from Paddington to Abbey Wood: Passengers queue for the first Elizabeth line train at London Paddington station this morning at around 6am Hundreds of passengers were waiting to board the first Elizabeth line train outside Paddington station today Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford gave a young boy an Elizabeth line mug while at Paddington this morning Receptionist Paul Jubb (left), 64, stayed at the Hilton hotel just metres away from the new Elizabeth line platform at Paddington last night after coming down from Birmingham to visit. Reece Martin (right), 25, a transport YouTuber from Toronto in Canada arrived yesterday in London to be able to see the line open Vernon Kerswell, 33, a drone designer from Wimbledon, was the first person to arrive for the Paddington opening at midnight Transport for London's Andy Byford greets Vernon Kerswell, the first person to arrive for the Paddington opening today Station staff stand in front of the Elizabeth line entrance at London Paddington this morning before it opened at 6.20am Crowds wait in line to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station this morning Three Chelsea Pensioners wait to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station today Crowds wait in line to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station in London this morning London Mayor Sadiq Khan speaks to a young boy ahead of the opening of the Elizabeth line at Paddington today Crowds wait in line to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station in London this morning Members of the media prepare to film the opening of Paddington station for Elizabeth line passengers at 6.20am this morning Crowds wait in line to board the first Elizabeth line train to carry passengers at Paddington station in London today Transport for London recently released this new map showing how the initial Crossrail services that will operate from today PADDINGTON, 6.33am MailOnline arrived at Paddington for around 5.30am today, with around 200 people already gathered behind a barrier in the rain as excitement mounted ahead of the first Elizabeth line train to Abbey Wood at 6.33am. Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford greeted the crowds but also urged them to avoid running when the gates opened. He also gave a young boy an Elizabeth line mug and posed for pictures with those waiting. People had been queuing from as early as midnight, with many paying homage to the colour of the line with purple-dyed hear, purple hoodies and face masks in the style of the Elizabeth line seat moquette. There was a hubbub in the air with lots of excited chatter as rail enthusiasts - including one who had flown in from Canada yesterday - spoke to the media and posed for pictures, ahead of the opening of the gates at 6.20am. London Mayor Sadiq Khan arrived to greet the crowds shortly after 6am, and spoke to those at the front of the queue. He also fist bumped a child who was among those ready to be first on board. Mayor Sadiq Khan puts his thumbs up as the gates are opened at Paddington station in London at 6.20am this morning Passengers travel down the escalator at Paddington station at 6.30am this morning for the opening of the Elizabeth Line London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford are among the first people in at Paddington London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford gave a thumbs up at Paddington today Passengers travel down the escalator at Paddington station at 6.30am this morning for the opening of the Elizabeth Line Mayor of London Sadiq Khan uses his Oyster card as he goes through the barriers toward the platform at Paddington Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford gives a thumbs up next to a sign at Paddington this morning Mr Khan then spoke to three Chelsea Pensioners who joked that he looked much shorter than they had thought in real life. Six police officers monitored the scene along with a throng of station staff. From Cross London Rail Links to Crossrail: Timeline of Elizabeth line London's Crossrail project has suffered numerous setbacks over the past 20 years, including as follows: January 2002 : Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), is set up to develop plans for Crossrail. : Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), is set up to develop plans for Crossrail. J uly 2004 : The Government commits to introducing legislation to enable Crossrail to proceed. : The Government commits to introducing legislation to enable Crossrail to proceed. October 2007 : Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives the green light for the project. It is expected to cost 15.9 billion and open in December 2017. : Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives the green light for the project. It is expected to cost 15.9 billion and open in December 2017. May 2009 : London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis break ground on the project at Canary Wharf. : London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis break ground on the project at Canary Wharf. October 2010 : Crossrail's budget is cut to 14.8 billion in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government's comprehensive spending review. Its opening date is pushed back 12 months to December 2018. : Crossrail's budget is cut to 14.8 billion in the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government's comprehensive spending review. Its opening date is pushed back 12 months to December 2018. January 2014 : The National Audit Office says the scheme is 'just behind schedule', adding that Crossrail Ltd 'remains confident' it will open on time. : The National Audit Office says the scheme is 'just behind schedule', adding that Crossrail Ltd 'remains confident' it will open on time. May 2015 : Tunnel boring is completed as a tunnelling machine named Victoria arrives at Farringdon. Some 13 miles of new tunnels have been dug under London. : Tunnel boring is completed as a tunnelling machine named Victoria arrives at Farringdon. Some 13 miles of new tunnels have been dug under London. February 2016 : The Queen visits Bond Street station and announces the railway will be named the Elizabeth line in her honour. : The Queen visits Bond Street station and announces the railway will be named the Elizabeth line in her honour. July 2018 : Rail minister Jo Johnson announces that Crossrail's budget has risen to 15.4 billion as 'cost pressures have increased across the project'. : Rail minister Jo Johnson announces that Crossrail's budget has risen to 15.4 billion as 'cost pressures have increased across the project'. August 2018 : Crossrail Ltd announces it will miss its December 2018 opening date but the central section 'will open in autumn 2019'. The project is suffering from construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems. : Crossrail Ltd announces it will miss its December 2018 opening date but the central section 'will open in autumn 2019'. The project is suffering from construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems. December 2018 : TfL says Crossrail may be delayed further and could require a 2 billion funding boost, taking the cost up to 17.6 billion. The Government, TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan agree a financial package to cover this. : TfL says Crossrail may be delayed further and could require a 2 billion funding boost, taking the cost up to 17.6 billion. The Government, TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan agree a financial package to cover this. December 2018 : Sir Terry Morgan resigns as chairman of Crossrail Ltd and HS2, days after predicting he would be sacked. He is replaced at Crossrail by London Underground managing director Mark Wild. : Sir Terry Morgan resigns as chairman of Crossrail Ltd and HS2, days after predicting he would be sacked. He is replaced at Crossrail by London Underground managing director Mark Wild. April 2019 : A 'delivery window' between October 2020 and March 2021 is announced for the central section of Crossrail. : A 'delivery window' between October 2020 and March 2021 is announced for the central section of Crossrail. November 2019 : Crossrail Ltd announces that the railway will open 'as soon as practically possible in 2021'. The cost has increased by up to 650 million to 18.25 billion. : Crossrail Ltd announces that the railway will open 'as soon as practically possible in 2021'. The cost has increased by up to 650 million to 18.25 billion. January 2020 : The 'latest assessment' is that services will commence in summer 2021. : The 'latest assessment' is that services will commence in summer 2021. July 2020 : Crossrail Ltd says the railway will not open in summer 2021 because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It does not give an updated schedule. : Crossrail Ltd says the railway will not open in summer 2021 because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It does not give an updated schedule. August 2020 : It is announced that the line will open in the first half of 2022. : It is announced that the line will open in the first half of 2022. July 2021 : The National Audit Office says the estimated total cost of Crossrail is 18.9 billion. : The National Audit Office says the estimated total cost of Crossrail is 18.9 billion. May 17, 2022 : The Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit Paddington station to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. : The Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit Paddington station to celebrate the completion of Crossrail. TODAY : Elizabeth line services are launched in three separate sections. : Elizabeth line services are launched in three separate sections. Autumn 2022 : The three sections are due to be integrated. : The three sections are due to be integrated. May 2023 : The full timetable of up to 24 trains per hour is scheduled to be introduced. Advertisement Mr Byford - who admitted that he could not sleep last night ahead of the opening - said a successful start would be a 'normal day of service' and that he hoped passengers would be 'amazed' by the journey. Vernon Kerswell, 33, a drone designer from Wimbledon, South West London, was the first person to arrive for the opening at midnight. He told MailOnline: 'I was the first person here. It is a big celebration. 'I knew there would be a crowd but I did think they would get here a bit later than me. I got a feeling there would be a lot of people here so I wanted to get here early. I had a chair and a water ski suit to get warm and kept entertained with Twitter. 'I didn't get much sleep at all but did nod off a bit. I think it is a great transit system for the modern day. It is frustrating that it took so long but it is not an easy project, it runs on complex terrain.' Reece Martin, 25, a transport YouTuber from Toronto in Canada arrived yesterday in London to be able to see the line open. He said: ''The Elizabeth line is a very powerful and impressive project. It could be transformational. 'It is disappointing that it was late but that is part of the course for a complex project. It will really help commenters, you can cross the city at speeds you just weren't able to before. I have been to London five or six times before and I am a big fan of the city.' Receptionist Paul Jubb, 64, stayed at the Hilton hotel just metres away from the new Elizabeth line platform last night after coming down from Birmingham to visit. He said: 'I set my alarm for 5.15am but I hardly slept all night. I was so excited I even left my phone at the hotel and had to go back for it. 'I may not have slept well but I am still half awake to be on the 6.33am to Abbey Road which will be quite something. To be here for the first time riding a line which was opened by the Queen is really exciting. 'This is certainly more than a Tube journey. The line really decreases journey times and will really help commuters and the tourism industry by being linked to Heathrow.' There were cheers as passengers were allowed through the ticket barriers to the new 682ft (208m) underground platforms at what is the latest addition to Isambard Kingdom Brunel's world-famous station built 168 years ago. They touched in with Oyster and contactless cards through two surface-level entrances before walking down into the gigantic new station directly below Eastbourne Terrace and Departures Road, which spans three levels. More than 500 people appeared to be gathered when the gates were opened at 6.20am, with a member of staff urging people 'please don't run'. Some of those at the front of the queue had been waiting for up to six hours. They rushed through into the station so they could get onto the first train at 6.33am. Station staff initially only partially opened the gates to manage the crowd as they walked through before going down the escalators. Once on the platform, people were urged to spread out by Transport for London employees. One member of staff acknowledged: 'I know we all want to be at the front.' And as the 6.33am service to Abbey Wood pulled in, the announcer said: 'The train is your first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood.' The station, which has undergone its biggest transformation since opening in 1854, features a 295ft (90m) clear opening covered by a steel and glass canopy which let in plenty of natural light in the bright spring morning. Passengers also walked past a 393ft (120m) long canopy of art by US artist Spencer Finch which is said to create a picture of the sky appearing to change according to the light, the direction of the sun and the time of day. Some had arrived by train on one of the early services from West London which stretch out to Reading and Heathrow Airport on what was previously known as 'TfL Rail' but has now been rebranded the 'Elizabeth line'. Others had come in on one of the first Underground services of the day, with the new Crossrail station providing direct access to the Bakerloo line as well as changes to the Circle, Direct or Hammersmith & City lines. By the time the full Crossrail timetable is implemented and the network is full joined up in May 2023, there are expected to be 34 trains per hour going through Paddington - including 24 heading east and ten heading west. Passengers descend the escalators to the Elizabeth Line platforms at Paddington station in London this morning Rail enthusiasts pass through Paddington's ticket barriers to travel on the first eastbound train on the Elizabeth Line today A man takes a selfie with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Andy Byford from Transport for London at Paddington today Passengers wait to board the first Elizabeth line train from Paddington station in London this morning The train doors open at Paddington station this morning as Sadiq Khan and Andy Byford wait to board the train Passengers wait to board the Elizabeth Line at Paddington Station in London today as the new line opens to passengers Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (centre) poses for a selfie on board the first Elizabeth line train at Paddington station today A man holds an Elizabeth line branded cupcake at Paddington station today as services get underway One of Britain's best-known rail enthusiasts, Geoff Marshall, walks through the Elizabeth line carriage this morning Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (centre) speaks to a pssenger on board the first Elizabeth line train at Paddington station today BOND STREET, non-stop Passengers on Crossrail trains are only getting a short glimpse of Bond Street station, which is the only one out of ten on the new branch still to open - something to frustrate those hoping for quicker journeys to the West End. The Elizabeth line timetable for Paddington to Abbey Wood And those travelling through it today could not see the new ticket halls at street level with entrances bordered by colonnades - red sandstone and bronze for Davies Street, and pale Portland stone for Hanover Square. Passengers laughed as the train went through Bond Street, making light of the fact that they were unable to get off at the first station stop on the first journey. The platform was visible from on board the train, but signs said: 'opening soon' and 'station closed'. Bond Street, which has platforms 837ft (255m) long and is 92ft (28m) below ground, has suffered from a series of construction setbacks which project bosses say mostly relate to the tunnelling work being a year late in 2014. Mechanical and electrical equipment installation was then also delayed by about a year, along with problems with two large tunnel ventilation fans being installed - and the cost of the station rising by 595 per cent to 660million. Sadiq Khan and Andy Byford travel on the Elizabeth line train from Paddington to Tottenham Court Road this morning Rail and underground enthusiasts travel on the first eastbound train as the Elizabeth Line opens at Paddington station today A passenger gives a thumbs up following the opening of the Elizabeth line at Paddington station this morning Passengers on board an Elizabeth line train approaching Tottenham Court Road station in London this morning TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD, 6.38am The first stop on the first-ever Elizabeth line journey heading east from Paddington was Tottenham Court Road, with passengers arriving under the heart of the West End a mere five minutes after departing Paddington. The speed of the train was remarkable - and, while there were few people around on the platform, many passengers peered out from the doors of the carriages to take a look at what is another huge new construction. Young and old were gathered on the service, and a boy could be heard pretending to be a platform announcer while the train was in the station, telling the passengers: 'The next train will be in five minutes.' Transport bosses say the Elizabeth line station will have a capacity of 170,000 passengers every day, with passengers able to enter through ticket halls at Dean Street in Soho and below St Giles Circus on Oxford Street. The station offers an interchange with the Northern and Central lines and will provide a significantly quicker route from the West End to Heathrow Airport than the current slog on the Piccadilly line from Leicester Square. Tottenham Court Road station is pictured this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood A passenger holds a new Elizabeth Line Oyster card this morning as the new services get underway Passengers on board an Elizabeth line train approaching Tottenham Court Road station in London this morning A passenger reads a booklet about t he Elizabeth Line train on board a train in London this morning FARRINGDON, 6.41am Next it was onto the City of London, as the Elizabeth line train arrived in Farringdon only three minutes later - a station which is being transformed into one of the busiest in Britain with direct links across the South East. Passengers using the Elizabeth line station are now able to connect with Thameslink and Underground services which link it with outer London, the home counties, the City, Canary Wharf and three of the capital's five airports. For anyone getting off at this station, they can also enjoy the remarkable new lifts which move on a slope rather than the standard vertical movement - and fly through two new ticket halls connected by mined platforms. On our service, this was where Mr Khan and Mr Byford left the train - although there were few others getting on or off the train - but many were walking up and down the carriages and excitedly filming the action. One of the few commuters getting on board looked bemused at the amount of people on the train, given that the station itself was so quiet. A driver announced: 'Please mind the doors' - and then it was onto Liverpool Street. Passengers on board an Elizabeth line train travelling through the centre of London this morning Sadiq Khan and Andy Byford from Transport for London disembark the first Elizabeth line train at Farringdon station today Farringdon station is pictured this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood Sadiq Khan and Andy Byford walk through Farringdon station after riding on the first Elizabeth line train this morning LIVERPOOL STREET, 6.44am Liverpool Street station is an enormous station so big that passengers can even change for Northern line services from Moorgate - or the Central, Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines from Liverpool Street itself. The construction project has uncovered nearly 4,000 skeletons from the Bedlam burial site along with thousands of artefacts dating back to the Roman era - as well as having to weave through sewers and existing Tube lines. The station is 112ft (34m) below ground and features a ticket hall at Broadgate with a 16ft (5m)-high glazed canopy, which at night sees artificial lighting from inside shining out of the entrance at night to illuminate the area. As we arrived at Liverpool Street today, only 11 minutes after leaving Paddington, one passenger remarked that the speed of the service was 'crazy' - while another joked that it was the 'happiest commute' they had ever seen. A man wearing an Elizabeth line T-shirt enjoys the first journey from Paddington to Abbey Wood this morning The Elizabeth line map is pictured this morning during the first service from Paddington to Abbey Wood WHITECHAPEL, 6.46am Just two minutes later the train arrived at Whitechapel - again, an impressive construction project to create a new ticket hall sitting on a bridge above the Victorian railway that provides the interchange route to other services. The station has a a new concourse sweeping from Whitechapel Road over the east-west Underground lines and above the north-south London Overground lines before dipping under the road bridge at Durward Street. Among those getting on board was a man with a dog called Peppa, who had a collar that was purple - the Elizabeth line colour. Many passengers moved further back the train for a seat because the front was very busy. Passengers on board this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood Whitechapel station is pictured this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood A member of Transport for London staff on board during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood CANARY WHARF, 6.50am Just four minutes later we are at Canary Wharf, a remarkable new station which sits in a 820ft-long (250m) box surrounded by the water of West India Quay dock that retains a navigable channel for boats. The station ticket hall has eight long-rise escalators from the promenade level entrances at either end, and also features a 1,017ft (310m)-long timber lattice roof as well as a daily passenger capacity of 68,000 people. There was still huge excitement on the train, with many people wearing purple colours and one man even sporting an Elizabeth line waistcoat. Others were walking up and down with friends and relatives to enjoy the moment. A man and boy make the most of travelling on the first journey from Paddington to Abbey Wood this morning Canary Wharf station is pictured this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood A police officer monitors crowds on board the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood today CUSTOM HOUSE, 6.54am We were now travelling a route which can be taken by Docklands Light Railway, although certainly not in as little as four minutes to this new station - which is a freestanding building with an elevated concourse above it. Workers at the nearby ExCel centre were watching the train go by and it was at this point that the train came overground for the first time since Paddington, with the landscape looking very industrial with warehouses. Custom House station is pictured this morning during the first Elizabeth line service from Paddington to Abbey Wood Two stops remain following Custom House station as the Elizabeth line train runs into South East London today Passengers on board an Elizabeth line train travelling through the centre of London this morning WOOLWICH, 6.58am The new station at Woolwich, where we arrived another four minutes later, is on the historic site of the Royal Arsenal - a location which once featured the manufacture of guns, munitions testing and a military academy. The 905ft-long (276m) box station is now part of a major redevelopment which includes 3,750 new homes, and sits below a major development site. In future up to 56,000 passengers per day are expected to pass through. As we pulled in today, the train went underground again having travelled near London City Airport, and the surrounding area appeared far more residential with football pitches and allotments also visible. Woolwich station in South East London is pictured this morning following the opening of the Elizabeth line Passengers at Woolwich station in South East London as the first train from Paddington arrives this morning The information board on the Elizabeth line train shows that the next station will be Abbey Wood, the final stop Passengers wait for the doors to open at Abbey Wood station this morning following the first journey from Paddington A train on the platform at Abbey Wood station this morning, which is the Elizabeth line terminus in South East London Passengers take pictures on the platform at Abbey Wood station this morning following the journey from Paddington An excited rail enthusiast wearing Elizabeth line colours on the platform at Abbey Wood station in London this morning ABBEY WOOD, 7.02am Less than half an hour after leaving Paddington we are at Abbey Wood, the terminus of the Elizabeth line in South East London, following an extraordinary journey that will surely revolutionise transport in the capital forever. The final part of the journey was overground, with a train depot visible nearby, and the train also finishes above ground. The driver announced to passengers: 'Thank you for joining me on this Elizabeth line service.' As MailOnline touched out with an Oyster card - the journey from Zone 1 to Zone 4 costing 3.10 off-peak - passengers were welcomed by staff with one overheard telling a police officer: 'We're part of history.' The train journey had been astonishingly smooth and quick, with comparisons already being made to flying - with the stations so big that they resemble airports, and the trains so impressive that they are like planes. STAGE 1: Now the line has opened today, it is running in three different sections - from Reading or Heathrow to Paddington; Paddington to Abbey Wood via Liverpool Street; and Liverpool Street to Shenfield. The green section is the new project 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 new Transport for London map released last week which incorporates the Elizabeth line in its three different sections They are also very clean on board - hardly surprising considering they are new - and passengers were excitedly chatting to each other all the way about how their journey is going to become better thanks to the line. While the project has not yet been fully completed - in that fully-integrated services are still one year away - the Elizabeth line will surely be welcomed by most Londoners for making journeys much easier and quicker. And despite questions remaining over how the cost went up to 4billion and who should be paying for it, for now passengers will be keen to experience travelling on a project that many thought would never be finished. Watch this video to see what the journey was like going back the other way from Abbey Wood to Paddington: Four years late, 4bn over budget but FINALLY up and running: How Elizabeth Line was 15 years in the making after being bogged down by construction delays - as it opens 140 YEARS since Parliament first backed idea of east-west service in London By Harry Howard, History Correspondent for MailOnline When Parliament first gave the green light to plans for an east-west rail line across London, the British Empire was at its height and Queen Victoria was still on the throne. But it is only today, around 140 years on, that the first phase of Crossrail - 4billion over budget and nearly four years late - has opened. Running between Paddington and Abbey Wood, the service has opened ahead of the completion of the full Elizabeth Line - named after Her Majesty the Queen - next year. The project that became Crossrail has been nearly 200 years in the making, with proposals for a railway running across the capital - which would have linked Paddington with the East End - first being conceived in the 1840s. Whilst Parliament approved the plans in the 1880s, they fell by the wayside and work construction work never started. The idea resurfaced during the Second World War in 1943, after London had been devastated by the Blitz, but again the project did not get underway. It was not until 1974 that the name Crossrail first emerged, before the plan was again killed off in 1994, in part because the UK had just emerged from recession and public finances were tight. After being revived once again by the New Labour government, ground was finally broken by Boris Johnson - then London Mayor - in 2009, with tunneling beginning in 2012 and finishing in 2015. It has been decades of expense and wrangling, with the project's final estimated cost being more than 18billion. Crossrail suffered numerous issues including construction difficulties and complications installing signalling systems. It was due to be completed in December 2018 and was set a budget of 14.8 billion in 2010. Construction work on the Crossrail project finally started in 2009. The then London Mayor Boris Johnson broke ground at the Tottenham Court Road site with Transport Secretary Lord Adonis. Pictured: Workers at the site in 2009 Mr Johnson stands on a balcony overlooking the Crossrail construction site at Tottenham Court Road tube station on October 27, 2009 Tunneling on the Crossrail project began in 2012. Above: A tunneling machine is seen being prepared to start work in 2012 One of the Crossrail tunnels is seen under construction 115 feet below the streets of Whitechapel, east London in December 2013 Running between Paddington and Abbey Wood, the service has opened ahead of the completion of the full Elizabeth Line - named after Her Majesty the Queen - next year. Above: London Mayor Sadiq Khan gets off a train at Paddington Station this morning as he marked the opening of the Elizabeth Line Hundreds of people queued outside Paddington Station this morning so they could be the first to use the brand new line The opening of Elizabeth line at Paddington station today. Hundreds of people queued in an effort to be among the first to use the new line The first east-west London rail project was touted by the Regents Canal Company in the 1840s. With trains then burgeoning in popularity, it was envisaged that the system could replace the Regents Canal, which was then a major route for trade and travel through London. Whilst Parliament granted permission for the scheme in the 1880s and work continued to develop the route, the plan ultimately did not come to anything. Fifty years later, when Britain was in the midst of conflict with Nazi Germany, the idea resurfaced as politicians and planners began to look to what would happen when peace arrived. As part of what became known as the Abercrombie Plan, it was argued that better links were needed between east and west in London. Two new tube lines were proposed to do the job. However, as with their 19th century equivalents, the proposals did not become reality. Now, the Abercrombie Plan is better known for concepts such as the Green Belt, which did become reality and remain part of Britain's national fabric. The east-west rail plans emerged once again in the 1974 London Rail Study, which was published by the then Greater London Council and the Department for the Environment. It was in this that Crossrail got the name which remains today. It was hoped that new tunnels would ink lines west of Paddington to those east of Bethnal Green. There would also have been new stations at Paddington, Marble Arch, Bond Street, Leicester Square, Holborn and Liverpool Street. A handout photograph made available on 07 November 2013 by Crossrail showing workers as 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machine Elizabeth broke into one of Europeis largest mined caverns, 40m below Stepney Green in the East End of London The then Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Mr Johnson are seen visiting the Crossrail site underneath Tottenham Court Road Station in 2014 Crossrail workers strengthen, deepen and widen the Connaught tunnel to accommodate new trains on April 24, 2013. The tunnel was built in 1878 and had not been in passenger use since December 2006 During excavations for Crossrail, the bodies of victims of the Great Plague of 1665 were found during the excavation of the Bedlam burial ground at Liverpool Street. Above: One of the bodies in 2015 An adult and a baby skeleton lay uncovered at the Bedlam burial ground where over 20,000 Londoners are believed to have been buried between 1569 and 1738. Above: One of the bodies in 2015 Another tunnel would also connect to the likes of Victoria, Leicester Square, Blackfriars and London Bridge. As with their predecessor proposals, the plans outlined in the 1974 study did not come to fruition, with the cost of the scheme estimated at 300million. From human remains to Roman medallions and antique jars: The history unearthed by Crossrail Since work began on the new Crossrail line in 2009, a plethora of historical sites and artefacts have been discovered beneath some of London's busiest streets. An army of archaeologists discovered more than 10,000 objects the majority of which, along with thousands of records, images and plans, are now part of the Museum of London's Archaeological Archive. These range from those representing the tedium of every day life such as worker's boots and irons chains. In 2015, more than 3,000 human remains were excavated at the Liverpool Street Crossrail site from what had been the burial ground at the infamous Bedlam hospital. One grave contained 42 individuals, some of whom almost certainly died of the plague. Expert analysis found many of the bodies belonged to people who had moved to the capital from the countryside. Disease and dirt lead to their untimely demises while in their late teens or early adulthood. Also found at Liverpool Street was a Roman copper medallion, whilst a moated Tudor manor was found at Stepney Green. A moated Tudor manor was discovered at Stepney Green, whilst a Roman copper medallion was found at Liverpool Street. It was issued to mark the New Year celebrations in AD245. There were also 13,000 Crosse and Blackwell jars found near Tottenham Court Road. They were dumped in a cistern when the factory was built. A Victorian Chamber pot was found near Stepney green, etched with the words 'Oh what I see, I will not tell' and an eccentric looking figure. Advertisement Britain was then in the midst of an inflation crisis and economic turmoil caused by the huge hike in the price of oil. In 1980, another plan - outlined in a British Rail discussion paper - that looked very different to today's version of Crossrail almost became a success. Instead of focusing on links between east and west, it suggested linking existing infrastructure north and south of London. However, the overall concept - to create a mainline route linking various services together - was similar. Also in the 1974 study were plans for a Channel Tunnel link that could have arrived into London at Victoria, therefore linking in with the north-south plans. British Rail also suggested that the proposals may help to ease congestion on the Underground - a plus point that has been raised repeatedly with today's Crossrail. Whilst the 1980 paper did not come to anything, it continue developing the conversation about the approaching limits of the Underground, and the fact that a solution needed to be found. The next iteration of the plans came with the 1989 Central London Rail Study. In 1990, the Government gave the go-ahead for British Rail and London Transport - the forerunner to Transport for London - to develop an east-west scheme. The plans were presented to Parliament in November 1991 - a year after Margaret Thatcher had left office - in the form of a private member's bill. There were high hopes that the scheme would succeed and the then Transport Secretary Paul Channon, along with Prime Minister John Major, welcomed it. Journeys between Paddington and Liverpool Street would have been cut from 20 to 11 minutes, whilst trains from Wendover in Buckinghamshire to Paddington would have taken 45 minutes instead of an hour. However, the Bill was rejected by a committee of only four MPs in Parliament in May 1994 amid concerns about the public finances. Despite its failure, further studies were commissioned into the Crossrail project and the London Underground worked with developers to make sure it could proceed if resurrected by politicians. In July 2000, the new Labour Government said as part of its ten-year transport plan that the east-west project should go ahead. In 2002, Cross London Rail Links Ltd, a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL), was set up to develop plans for Crossrail. Two years later, Labour committed to introducing legislation to allow Crossrail to proceed. The project was finally given the legal green light in October 2007, when new Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave it the green light. The Crossrail Act of 2008 also finally gave Crossrail a confirmed route. It would run from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. In May 2009, the Crossrail project finally broke ground at Canary Wharf, with Mr Johnson and the then Transport Secretary Lord Adonis launching the first pile at the site of the new Canary Wharf station. 1855: The Regents Canal Company tried to capitalise on the 1840s Railway Mania and had looked at converting the canal between Paddington and City Road basin into a railway, but the finance could not be raised and the project was scrapped 1943: The Abercrombie Plan resulted in ideas such as the green belt and new towns, while it was also proposed that improved east-west railway links were needed for getting people across the capital much faster - but these never materialised 1974: The London Rail Study marked the first time the proposed line was dubbed 'Crossrail', and it featured a northern tunnel which would join British Rail's western region lines west of Paddington to the eastern region lines east of Bethnal Green 1980: Another idea was put forward in a British Rail discussion paper for a 330million Inter City north-south link for London which could meet a Channel Tunnel line at Victoria, rather than east-west proposals which had dominated earlier talks Tunneling then began on the project in 2012, when Phyllis - the first of eight tunnel boring machines used on Crossrail - set out from Royal Oak Portal towards Farringdon. In 2015, a tunneling machine named Victoria finished off the route after arriving at Farringdon. It meant that some 13 miles of new tunnels had been dug under London. However, there have been repeated delays to the project and its final cost is also well above the original calculations. Its original opening was set for 2017 and it was expected to cost 15.9billion. In October 2010, this date was pushed back 12 months to December 2018 as the Coalition government between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats cut the project's budget to 14.8billion. By August 2018, Crossail officials said the opening date would be missed, amid construction delays and difficulties installing complex signalling systems. The failure to hit the December opening date was also blamed on a decision to delay the procurement of new trains. However, TfL denied this at the time. Crossrail construction workers and media guests stand near to one of the 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machines during a photocall to mark the breakthrough into the Canary Wharf station box in London's docklands area on May 31, 2013 Builders continue the construction of the Foster-designed timber lattice roof on Canary Wharf Crossrail station and retail development in the North Dock of the Isle of Dogs on November 26, 2013 A worker walks through the partially completed Crossrail Bond Street station tunnel on December 8, 2014 in London Queen Elizabeth II stands with Mike Brown, the London transport commissioner at the tunnel entrance to one of the new platforms of the new Crossrail Bond street station which is still under construction on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 There were also said to be tunneling delays at Bond Street that further hampered the project. The coronavirus pandemic also pushed back the opening even further, because the need to maintain social distancing meant only a small number of workers could be on sites at any one time. In December 2018, the Government TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan had to agree a financial package to cover extra costs, as officials warned the project could be delayed further. In November 2019, Crossrail Ltd said the railway would open 'as soon as practically possible in 2021', after costs had increased again by up to 650million to 18.25billion. In January 2020 - just before the coronavirus pandemic began - it was hoped that services would begin in the summer of 2021. 2002: The Strategic Rail Authority was asked by the Labour Government to look into extra passenger capacity, with one of the options it came up with similar to the present day Crossrail - apart from the extensions to Amersham and Tilbury 2002: A further proposal from the Strategic Rail Authority also looked at an option of Crossrail running from High Wycombe and Reading in the west to Colchester and Southend in the east, with the central section looking as it does today 2002: A further option suggested a line connecting Essex to South West London, running from Shenfield and Tilbury in the east down to Wimbledon and Epsom, with a further spur at Clapham Junction connecting to Hounslow on a loop 2002: The study nearly two decades ago also looked at a Crossrail option linking Colchester and South in Essex with Southampton and Portsmouth in Hampshire, going through central London via Tottenham Court Road and Victoria 2002: A further plan within the 2002 proposals was to have a Crossrail network running from High Barnet and Epping down through Central London via King's Cross and Victoria and out the other side at Clapham Junction, before heading to Epsom 2002: Another proposal with the 2002 suggestions was to have a direct line running between Peterborough and Cambridge and Southampton and Portsmouth, running via King's Cross, Tottenham Court Road and Victoria through Central London 2002: The core route map of Crossrail 1 shows roughly the current route today, although it extends much further in the west to Reading, and the east to Shenfield. The map also includes provisions for a north-south line, to be known as Crossrail 2 2008: A bill for Crossrail was presented in February 2005 which was scrutinised over three years before it finally received Royal Assent in July 2008, putting into law the route from Maidenhead and Heathrow to Shenfield and Abbey Wood But by July of 2020, Crossrail Ltd said the project would not open in 2021 because of the delays imposed by the pandemic. The following year, the National Audit Office said the estimated cost of Crossrail had increased again to 18.9billion. Whilst the project was given a boost earlier this month by the unexpected visit by the Queen to Paddington Station to celebrate its completion, the three sections of the Elizabeth Line are not due to be integrated until Autumn of this year. Then, in May 2023, the full timetable of 24 trains per hour is scheduled to be introduced. From today, Crossrail 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. 2018: The final route for Crossrail of Reading or Heathrow to Shenfield or Abbey Wood was confirmed in 2014, with the line at first expected to open in December 2018 - before this was pushed back three times. The start date now stands at 2021 2018: This geographical map shows how Crossrail will cut through London to bring faster journey times for passengers, connecting Berkshire with Essex with an underground section between Acton Main Line and Maryland/Custom House 2018: This Transport for London map shows how Crossrail will fit in with the current Tube network, connecting with the Central line at five different stations - Ealing Broadway, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Stratford The Crossrail map is shown on top of the existing Transport for London map, showing how it interconnects with Tube lines 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 route is shown on a geographical map which displays how passengers will be able to travel through London 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 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. 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'. 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. Starbucks, the highly popular coffee chain, announced that it would be leaving Russia for good after 15 years of service in the country, following the footsteps of McDonald's, and vowed to pay 2,000 employees for the next six months until their next jobs. The incident makes Starbucks the latest Western corporation to quit serving the country over the invasion of Ukraine. The coffee chain will entirely retreat from the Russian market after suspending trading there earlier in March. The process of unwinding licensing deals takes a lot of time, which is why the companies decided to do it early. Starbucks Leaves Russia The company's officials said they would continue to pay nearly 2,000 staff members working at its shops in Russia for at least six months. US and Western allies responded to Moscow's aggression by hitting the country with wide-ranging economic sanctions. These aimed to isolate the nation economically and cut it off from the global financial system, rules that make it difficult for Western companies to operate there. Starbucks first entered Russia in 2007 and has since grown to include 130 coffee shops owned and operated by a licensee, as per BBC. Starbucks officials did not provide details of the financial impact of the decision to leave Russia but said that the company would provide assistance to staff "to transition to new opportunities outside of Starbucks." Read Also: Syria Asks the US Reparations of War Crime, Civilian Casualties of Baghuz Airstrike in 2019 A similar move was made by McDonald's, where the burger chain said last week that it was selling its Russia business after operating in the country for more than three decades. The company said that the "humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald's to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald's values." According to CNN, the company later announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell the business to an existing licensee who would open the restaurants with new branding. McDonald's also decided to pause operations in Russia in March. At the time, Starbucks' CEO Kevin Johnson said, "we condemn the horrific attacks on Ukraine by Russia and our hearts go out to all those affected." Economic Effects of the War Starbucks' exit from Russia will result in the closing of 130 stores in the country, which account for less than 1% of the company's annual revenue. Johnson had pledged to donate royalties from the Russian business to humanitarian causes. On the other hand, McDonald's was dealt a severe financial blow for shutting down its extensive operations in Russia. The fast-food company said it cost $127 million in its first quarter. The two markets accounted for 9% of its revenue in 2021, and it had roughly 850 restaurants in the country, the majority of which were operated by the company instead of licensees. The company's decision on Thursday to sell the stores will include an undisclosed sum that will be paid to a Siberian franchisee who is expected to run the stores under a new brand, CNBC reported. Related Article: Moscow Reports Ukraine Neo-Nazis Uses Civilians as Human Shields in Donetsk and Lugansk Republics After the Battle of Mariupol @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Anthony Albanese has been put on the spot about whether Australia would send troops to Taiwan if it were invaded by China - after Joe Biden said the US would defend the island. In a press conference at the Quad leaders' summit in Tokyo, the new Prime Minister said there was 'no change' on the position of 'strategic ambiguity'. Mr Albanese also revealed he had received a congratulatory letter from the Chinese Government after winning Saturday's election. The Labor leader said he would respond 'appropriately in time' to the letter from Premier Li Keqiang. The letter appears to be an olive branch after Beijing refused to speak to Canberra following Scott Morrison's calls for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 in 2020. Anthony Albanese (pictured with President Biden) has received a congratulatory letter from the Chinese Government after winning Saturday's election, he revealed The move enraged Australia's largest trading partner which subsequently slapped tariffs and unofficial bans on Aussie exports including barley, wine and seafood. Mr Albanese said the US-led position of 'strategic ambiguity' - or keeping China guessing over what allies would do if it invades Taiwan - was still in place. 'I confirm there's no change in Australia's position,' he said. 'There should be no unilateral change to the status quo. Our position has not changed.' It came after gaffe-prone President Biden said 'yes' when asked by a reporter if the US would respond militarily to an invasion of the island. Mr Biden's aides quickly scrambled to confirm there was no change to US policy. There is no mutual defense treaty between the US and Taiwan, but America sells the Taiwanese military hardware. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said President Biden's comment 'highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself.' Also in the press conference, Mr Albanese revealed he had a 25-minute phone call with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson which focussed on climate change. 'We had quite a good discussion, longer than I thought it would be,' he said, adding that Mr Johnson was pleased about Labor's commitment to take more climate action. He denied he would move to close down coal mines in Australia. 'We have our policy. We will do exactly what I've said we would do in terms of our powering Australia plan. It's all out there. It's fully costed. It's ready to go. It will make a big difference,' he said. Joe Biden has praised Anthony Albanese's energy after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job While meeting his counterparts in Tokyo, Mr Albanese declared he is looking forward to hosting the 2023 Quad leaders event. 'Today I had the pleasure of meeting with PM Kishida, POTUS and Narendra Modi at the Quad Summit in Tokyo,' he wrote on Twitter. 'We affirmed our shared commitment to the Quad, and to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific. I look forward to hosting Quad Leaders in Australia in 2023.' In the meeting on Tuesday, President Biden praised Mr Albanese's stamina after the new Prime Minister flew to Tokyo on his first day in the job. The 79-year-old US President, who famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, told Mr Albanese: 'If you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK'. In his first appearance on the world stage, the Labor leader laughed at President Biden's self-deprecating joke along with the diplomats and journalists in the room. He also beamed from ear to ear as he posed for photos with his fellow centre-left leader, who remarked that his appearance at the summit just hours after taking office was 'quite extraordinary'. President Biden famously fell asleep during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year Mr Albanese, 59, was sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday and immediately flew to Tokyo for the Quad summit with the US, Japan and India. The alliance was set up to counter the growing assertiveness of China in the Indo-Pacific and the first leaders' meeting was in Washington DC in 2021. Mr Albanese will be returning to Australia on Wednesday afternoon after the whirlwind visit. In his short speech to his fellow leaders, President Biden congratulated Mr Albanese on winning Saturday's election. 'Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got sworn in, got on a plane and if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK because I don't know how you're doing it,' he said. 'It's really quite extraordinary just getting off the campaign trail as well. 'Congratulations on your election. When you won and I called you, we greatly appreciate your commitment on being here so soon after taking office.' Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during the Quad leaders summit meeting The four leaders waved for the cameras as they posed for photos at the summit in Tokyo Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government. 'We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australia's commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change,' he said. 'And our commitment to ASEAN (an alliance of south-east Asian nations) and its centrality has not changed. 'My government has already committed to a greater focus on South-East Asia, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for the region and $470million in additional foreign aid over the next four years.' Mr Albanese also talked up his increased commitments on tackling climate change and spoke about his aim to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. 'The new Australian Government's priorities align with the Quad agenda - taking action on claimant change, and building a stronger and more resilient Indo-Pacific region through better economic security, better cybersecurity, better energy security and better environmental and health security,' he said. 'Our cooperation is built on the values that we share - a commitment to representative democracy, the rule of law and the right to live in peace.' All four leaders talked about securing a 'free, open Indo-Pacific'. US President Joe Biden meets Quad Summit leaders Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Mr Albanese said that Australia's commitment to the Quad remained steadfast despite the change in government China's olive branch to Australia By Peter Vincent China appears to have offered Australia an olive branch in the wake of Anthony Albanese 's election but the new Prime Minister is already talking tough on Beijing. An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times , described the election result as 'a turning point' and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been 'mutually beneficial' for 50 years. It went on to claim the Australian government under Scott Morrison 'severely damaged [the relationship] in just a couple of years, which is lamentable'. It said Australia had adopted a 'hawkish anti-China stance' in recent years, but appeared to pitch itself as 'a good partner' on tackling climate change and 'economic prosperity'. The Global Times has run a series of articles in recent years mocking, threatening and raging at Australia's trade and diplomatic ties to the United States, and attacking Mr Morrison, including labeling him 'a clown' in February. The official Xinhua news agency reported that Premier Li Keqiang had 'called' Mr Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory. This was denied by the PM's office. Mr Li said in a statement: 'The Chinese side is ready to work with the Australian side to review the past, look into the future and uphold the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to promote the sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership.' Mr Li spoke with Scott Morrison in 2018. Mr Morrison spoke with China's supreme leader Xi Jinping in June 2019. Advertisement The Quad leaders were set to discuss security concerns in the region, including the signing of a security pact between China and the Solomon Islands, as well as climate change, infrastructure needs and collaboration on disaster relief. It comes as the Chinese foreign minister is due to touch down in Honiara later in the week to officially sign the agreement. The Quad is also set to unveil new maritime measures to curb illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific, including using satellite technology to track illegal fishers, according to the Financial Times. President Biden met with Prime Minister Kishida on Monday where he unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, which includes a dozen initial partners making up 40 per cent of the world's GDP. Partners include Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Brunei. Mr Albanese said the Quad dialogue would send a signal to the world that there was a new government in Australia. The four leaders gave speeches during the summit in Tokyo on Tuesday Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida welcomes Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese at the entrance hall of the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo Mr Albanese smiles as he represents Australia on the world stage for the first time 'It's a government that represents a change in the way we deal with the world on issues like climate change, but also a continuity in the way we have respect for democracy and the way that we value our friendships and long-time alliances,' he told reporters in Canberra before he departed on Monday. Mr Albanese held individual bilateral talks with the leaders throughout Tuesday. The prime minister is joined by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, with the pair being briefed by the head of the Office of National Intelligence and top officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Foreign Affairs on the trip over. Mr Albanese also had a 25-minute conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while in the air on Monday. The pair discussed ongoing support for the trilateral AUKUS agreement and climate change, with Mr Albanese describing the call as a 'friendly and very positive discussion about our strong relationships between our two countries'. Mr Albanese received a phone call from President Biden on Sunday night, which the prime minister said was 'fruitful and productive'. With AAP President Joe Biden called out Russia's 'brutal and unjustified' invasion of Ukraine as he sat side-by-side with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tokyo Tuesday raising a freighted topic that Modi declined to name specifically in his own remarks. Biden made the statement shortly after referencing the 'dark hour' brought on by Russia's invasion in opening remarks although those comments took place with the broader 'Quad' group of four Indo-Pacific leaders. He made a point to go back to the topic with Modi, amid pressure for India to cut off imports of Russian energy and arms. 'We also discussed the ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the effect it has on the entire global world order,' Biden said in brief remarks, reading from a sheet with his legs crossed with Modi nearby. 'And the US and India are going to continue consulting closely on how to mitigate these negative effects,' Biden added. Modi didn't address the war in his own public statement, which like Biden's was translated line-by-line. President Joe Biden wrapped up his trip to Asia and left Tokyo Tuesday evening 'We also discussed the ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the effect it has on the entire global world order,' President Joe Biden said after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'I'm absolutely sure that the entire US friendship will continue to be a force for good for global peace and stability for sustainability of the planet and for human development,' he said. It was a stark illustration of the challenges bringing allies together even on the topic of Russia's unprovoked invasion of its neighbor, on the last of Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan to try and forge progress on topics ranging from trade investment to maritime security. Both leaders laced their remarks with diplomatic bromides, amid the difficulties forging common policy on Ukraine. Modi spoke of the 'very positive and useful Quad summit,' and said the U.S. and India share a 'strategic partnership, in the true sense, a partnership of trust.' The U.S. considers India, the world's largest democracy, a vital ally amid competition from a rising China, setting up a complex relationship in areas far beyond Russia. Modi said there was a 'common interest in defense and other matters and our shared values have indeed strengthened this partnership of trust,' but didn't go further into defense matters despite Biden bringing up the war in Ukraine repeatedly during his three-day trip to Japan. Biden met with fellow leaders in the Quad, and held a pair of bilateral meetings with the heads of Australia and India Biden's trip came at a time of tension amid the war in Ukraine, allied concerns about Chinese posturing toward Taiwan, and concerns about North Korean ballistic missile testing Biden's trip concluded without a North Korea missile or nuclear test, as US officials were warning could happen Biden concluded a trip that took him to Seoul and then Tokyo U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel was there to send off Biden There were not indications Modi said anything different in private, with a portion of the statement about condemning the invasion referring only to Biden. An official White House readout states that 'President Biden condemned Russias unjustifiable war against Ukraine. The leaders committed to continue providing humanitarian assistance, and discussed how to cooperate to manage disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine, in particular the rise in energy and food prices, to protect their respective citizens and the world.' With his last substantive meeting of the trip behind him, Biden met with U.S. embassy staff and soon took off for Washington, with a refueling stop in Alaska. Biden began the last day of his trip to Asia with yet another stark warning about Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine calling it a 'dark hour' and condemning Putin's effort to 'extinguish' Ukrainian culture. 'We're navigating the Dark Hour in our shared history,' Biden said at the top of the meeting between the four regional powers, which include the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India. 'The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians are killed in the streets and millions of refugees are alternatively displaced as well as exiled,' Biden said. Modi, who faces pressure over Russian energy and arms purchases, wouldn't call out Moscow when he had the opportunity Biden looked down repeatedly during a brief press availability, reading form a printed page 'And this is more than just a European issue,' Biden underlined. 'Its a global issue. The fact is that when you turn on the television and you'll see what Russia's doing now, appears to me that Putin is just trying to extinguish the culture.' 'Hes not even aiming at military targets anymore. He's taking out every school every church, every natural history museum. Just to try to obliterate Ukrainian culture. And [the] world has to deal with it and we are,' he said. Biden has made similar tough talk domestically, but doing so in Asia communicated to allies in the region and Modi in particular his push to respond with a united front. Fab four: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, during his arrival to the Quad leaders summit at Kantei Palace, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Tokyo. It was the second in-person meeting of the group, at the start of Biden's last day in Asia India has longstanding energy and arms relations with Russia, at a time when the U.S. and other allies are trying to choke off Russian trade through sanctions in response to the invasion. It buys the vast majority of its arms from Moscow. Its resistance to global calls to cut off Russian oil and gas exports has helped provide a financial lifeline to Putin, who relies on energy sales to fund the war. Biden also spoke about global food shortages brought on by the invasion Ukraine and Russia are both major producers. 'And also as long as Russia continues to War, the United States will work with our partners to help feed the global response. Because it can affect all parts of the world,' he said. He spent some of his remarks justifying U.S. participation in the region. 'We are we are an Indo-Pacific power,' Biden said. 'We share the Pacific one an entire side of our country,' Biden said. 'As long as Russia continues this war, we're going to continue to be partners and lead a global response,' he said. It was a return to an issue he pounded on Monday at his press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, although the remarks were overshadowed by his comments on Taiwan. Biden also had a warm welcome for new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who flew straight to Tokyo after winning election. 'I think you fall asleep while youre here its okay. I dont know how youre doing it,' joked Biden who himself was once seen nodding off during a long global summit meeting. Diplomats organized the Quad so leaders can try to hash out new understandings on covid, cyber, maritime issues while responding to Russia's war on Ukraine. The sit-down diplomacy comes a day after Biden irritated China with blunt comments on Taiwan, when he said the U.S. would get involved 'militarily' if China invaded across the Taiwan Strait. The comment sent a stark warning to China, who has been conducting a series of military exercises near Taiwan in its own gesture, but also ran against longstanding 'strategic ambiguity' on the matter. 'That's a commitment we made,' Biden said at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Monday. The two later went out for an elegant meal Monday night that included salmon, scallops, needlefish, lobster, and dried cucumber. Tuesday saw the second in-person meeting of the Quad, a group the U.S. sees as an increasingly viable venue to tackle regional problems. 'Its developing into a cornerstone and it certainly is a fixture in the regional order,' a senior administration official told reporters traveling with the president Tuesday. 'Its significant because this is an extraordinary trajectory and one that really reflects the administration's focus on the region and its vision of how we can bring like-minded democracies to work together to deal with common challenges and issues,' the official said. But the official wouldn't provide a direct answer when pushed on whether Biden would press Modi to move away from Russia on military and energy imports. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese , left, flew to join the event shortly after his electoral win Power trio: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi smile during a photo session at the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Tokyo, Japan, 23 May 2022. Australia's new prime minister Anthony Albanese will join meetings of the Quad on Tuesday Tea time: President Joe Biden experiences a traditional tea ceremony with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a private dinner in Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2022, in this photo released by Japan's Cabinet Public Relations Office via Kyodo Don't start without me! Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo on May 23, 2022, for a summit with the US, Japanese and Indian leaders, known as the Quad Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken bump elbows before the Japan-US Foreign Ministers Meeting at Happo-en in Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2022 President Joe Biden (left) participated in a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) in Tokyo on Monday Dinner time! President Joe Biden, center is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, and his wife Yuko as he arrived for dinner at Kochuan, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. The meal came after Biden rattled China by saying the U.S. would get involved military to defend Taiwan if China invaded Sakie Yokota, left, and other families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago, attend a press conference in Tokyo, after they met U.S. President Joe Biden, Monday, May 23, 2022. The families said Biden talked to each of them and listened to their stories, encouraging them as their hopes were fading because of North Korea's escalating missiles and nuclear development One announcement will be a maritime agreement that will use technology to track illegal fishing, 'dark shipping' and 'rendezvous at sea' a reference to ships that turn off transponders that monitor their movements. Joining was the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese got on a plane a day after winning election so that he could make it to the event. 'It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important quad leaders meeting here in Japan,' he said at the top of their meeting. One of the women at the centre of Craig McLachlan's withdrawn defamation case has announced a four-night 'behind the curtain' expose of 'deluded' theatre performers. Christie Whelan Browne spruiked a brief run of Show People, a 'biting showbiz expose', on her social media channels. It will run at Melbourne's Chapel off Chapel from June 15 to June 18, an unusually short run. She touted the 'darkly hilarious' show, while the venue's website promised Ms Whelan Browne would tackle 'a range of hysterical, deluded, funny and tormented performers'. One of the women at the centre of Craig McLachlan's withdrawn defamation case has announced a four-night 'behind the curtain' expose of theatre performers McLachlan was intending to sue the ABC, Sydney Morning Herald and actor Ms Whelan Browne over claims he'd touched, kissed and groped actresses without permission While it is unlikely McLachlan will make it into her show, the timing of the show and the fact it mocks musical theatre performers is an extraordinary coincidence. The show's promotional video includes several apparent digs at male performers, including one of a man who says he can't wait to 'get f***ing smashed over tacos at Mamacita, probably end up at Love Machine with all the poofs'. Ms Whelan Browne touted the 'darkly hilarious' show, while the venue's website promised Ms Whelan Browne would tackle 'a range of hysterical, deluded, funny and tormented performers' Both are well-known Melbourne venues. The trailer also shows her impersonating women. Her Show People announcement came two days before McLachlan dropped his defamation lawsuit because of the 'overwhelming' strain it placed on him and his family. It is also understood McLachlan, 56, has racked up legal bills of more than $3million from the fight. He was intending to sue the ABC, Sydney Morning Herald and actor Ms Whelan Browne over claims he'd touched, kissed and groped actresses without permission in the Rocky Horror stage production, Neighbours, City Homicide, and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. McLachlan wrote off the claims by Ms Whelan Browne, and those of Erika Haynatz and Erika Scundi as 'utterly and entirely false'. He dropped the defamation suit on day first of 11 women were due to give evidence Ms Whelan Browne promises a 'biting showbiz expose' of the theatre world in her latest show McLachlan wrote off the claims by Ms Whelan Browne, and those of Erika Haynatz and Erika Scundi as 'utterly and entirely false'. In withdrawing the defamation case McLachlan said: 'The strain that this case has put on me and, more importantly, my family, has been utterly overwhelming. 'I cannot continue to place my family under that strain, and my own mental health will not withstand the continuing pressure.' Acting Justice Carolyn Simpson discharged the jury after the actor's barrister Kieran Smark SC applied for leave to discontinue the proceedings. The announcement came on the same day the first of 11 women were to give evidence against the actor - with Ms Whelan Browne releasing an emotional statement saying she was traumatised by the years-long legal action. Kate McClymont - who wrote one of the stories about McLachlan for the Sydney Morning Herald - claimed he was facing a $1.1million legal costs bill for her publication alone. Ms Whelan Browne issued a statement last Friday saying she was pleased the lawsuit was being withdrawn. However, she said her name had been tarnished by the defamation action. 'My name was dragged through the mud and my character and own behaviour was exaggerated and called into question,' she said. Ms Whelan Browne issued a statement last Friday saying she was pleased the lawsuit was being withdrawn and that her name had been tarnished by the defamation action 'I had thought this kind of shaming was a thing of the past, but I was wrong. 'The past four-and-a-half years have significantly traumatised me and the other brave woman who spoke up at the time and afterwards. 'I have received multiple threats and constant abuse and it continues to this day. 'I know I haven't seen the end of it. 'I have lost my feeling of safety in the world, knowing someone wanted so badly to damage me for speaking the truth.' 'I hope this is a reminder that women will stand up for themselves and each other, even when threatened by those more powerful'. Ms Whelan Browne's new show was commissioned by Barry Humphries for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival but has not appeared at it. It was written for her by Ms Whelan Browne's collaborator, Dean Bryant. The Victorian Greens are pushing to ban the general sale of second-generation rodent poisons in stores across the state, as part of an agriculture reforms bill. Second-generation rodent poisons would no longer be able to be bought off supermarket and hardware store shelves in Victoria under a proposed ban. The Agriculture Legislation Amendment Bill is being debated in Victoria's upper house as both chambers of state parliament sitting. It will amend 11 different agricultural acts to address measures including biodiversity, chemical use, veterinary practice and food safety. Ellen Sandell, deputy leader of the Victorian Greens (pictured with Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt) has urged the Andrews government to back the second generation rodent poisons ban to protect the state's precious wildlife Federal authorities knocked back a request from NSW last year to use bromadiolone, a SGAR dubbed "napalm for rodents", to control its raging mouse plague over concerns for other wildlife. The bill has bi-partisan support, but the Victorian Greens plan to move an amendment to also outlaw the general sale of second-generation rodent poisons in supermarkets and hardware stores. Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) can currently be bought off the shelf in stores like Woolworths and Bunnings. Unlike first-generation poisons, a blood-thinning chemical used in SGARs can remain active for months and cause secondary poisoning of wildlife such as native eagles and owls that prey on dead and dying rodents. Federal authorities knocked back a request from NSW last year to use bromadiolone, a SGAR dubbed "napalm for rodents", to control its raging mouse plague over concerns for other wildlife. Under the proposed Victorian ban, farmers would still be able to purchase second-generation rodent poisons when required, in line with licence rules in Europe. Ellen Sandell, deputy leader of the Victorian Greens, has urged the Andrews government to back the ban to protect the state's precious wildlife. "Every year, countless native birds, mammals and pet cats and dogs are poisoned due to eating mice and rats that have ingested dangerous poisons you can buy at the supermarket," she said in a statement. "These dangerous rat poisons should not be for sale at supermarkets and hardware stores, and many countries have already banned them." The agriculture amendment bill has previously been subject to debunked viral claims, spread in Australia as well as parts of Europe, that it will ban people from growing their own food. "There is nothing in the bill to stop Victorians growing their own food," AAP FactCheck ruled. A Victorian government spokeswoman confirmed the changes would do no such thing, declaring the legislation will instead help safeguard food security, food safety and access to export markets. Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) can currently be bought off the shelf in stores like Woolworths and Bunnings Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been called a 'brave man' by US President Joe Biden after recounting stories from when he visited the National Rifle Association and planned parenthood movement during a trip to the states. The pair sat down on Tuesday following a meeting of Quad leaders in Tokyo, including Biden, Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During their relaxed encounter the two leaders discussed their strong commitment to the ANZUS alliance. Mr Albanese then recalled his trip to US when he was in his 20s, where he'd had the chance to 'immerse' himself in the country's government policies and culture. Following his story Mr Biden suddenly stood up and pretended to walk-off. 'You're a brave man,' Mr Biden said before shaking hands with the PM. Scroll down for the video Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with US President Joe Biden during Tuesday's Quad Summit in Japan 'I had a program and I wanted to see the interaction of groups with the US government,' Mr Albanese said. 'From the National Rifle Association to the Sierra Club to Planned Parenthood, the full kit and caboodle across the spectrum.' Mr Albanese went on to explain more about his trip and the places he visited. 'It was an opportunity to see the full diversity of the way the country operates,' he said. 'It was a chance to really immerse myself. I had security briefings in Hawaii on the way back. During their exchange Mr Albanese said he had visited the US to 'immerse' himself in the government interactions and Mr Biden called the PM a 'brave man' Mr Albanese said his government is committed to the alliance between the US and Australia to which Mr Biden said the PM was 'a great guy' 'The US State Department was good enough to manage to justify a trip to Vegas as well.' He then said he was committed to the alliance between the US and Australia and had previously formed relationships with US politicians. 'It was a good trip. My government is very committed to the alliance,' he said. 'I was a part of the government that brought the US Marines to Darwin under Julia Gillard. It was very important to really strengthen our relationship. 'I last met with your Vice President. I've known some of your colleagues for some time.' In an earlier press conference on Tuesday, Mr Biden indicated a possible change in policy by confirming questions he would militarily defend Taiwan from invasion The light-hearted 'alliance' discussion followed Mr Biden's indication of a possible change in US policy regarding China's relationship with Taiwan. During a joint press conference on Tuesday with Japanese President Fumio Kishida, Mr Biden was asked: 'You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?' Mr Biden said; 'Yes, that's the commitment we made.' Mr Albanese also touched on China's growing presence in the Pacific region while discussing his government's change in climate policy. Mr Albanese also discussed China's growing presence in the Pacific region and called climate change a 'national security issue' 'We know that China is seeking to exert more influence in the Pacific and we know that climate change is such an important issue,' he said. 'I share the view that this is a national security issue. Climate change is not just about environment. 'It is about the shape of our economy, but also our national security going forward. 'Our position is very clear. We want peace and stability in the region. 'That is best achieved through proper diplomatic processes by making sure we build relations in the region and act in a positive way.' Advertisement Thousands of photographs, spreadsheets and classified documents hacked from Chinese police servers have shed a horrifying new light on the terrors Uyghur Muslims have been subjected to in 're-education camps' and prisons in Xinjiang, as part of a state-sponsored campaign aimed at 'breaking' their cultural identity. The treasure trove of data lays bare how more than 20,000 Uyghurs from just one county - Shufu - were imprisoned or interred in camps between 2017 and 2018 on spurious charges such as growing a beard or failing to top their phone up with credit, under the watchful eye of guards who were ordered to shoot escapees on sight. Photographs show weeping detainees watched closely by officers clutching night-sticks, camp indoctrination sessions, and police armed with rifles, riot shields and clubs training how to subdue inmates who are shackled with hoods over their heads. Papers discuss the positioning of sniper and machine gun nests in the camps. Combined with classified speeches in which top Communist Party officials say up to two million Uyghur are infected with 'extremist thought' and praise Xi Jinping for re-educating them, it blows apart the government's official line that such camps are actually 'schools' that people are attending voluntarily. Taken as a whole, the leak represents perhaps the largest and single-most revealing glimpse into a system of repression that the Chinese government tried to hide from the world, then lied about when challenged. It will also pile pressure on the UN over a fact-finding mission to Xinjiang that begins today, amid fears of state whitewashing. Given the opportunity to denounce the leak as fake, the Chinese government did not - instead insisting the camps are 'countering violent terrorism, radicalisation and separatism, [and are] not about human rights or religion.' Authorities in Xinjiang have taken 'a host of decisive, robust and effective deradicalisation measures,' China's US embassy said, and 'the region now enjoys social stability and harmony as well as economic development.' Hawagul Tewekkul, 50, a Uyghur woman detained for re-education in October 2017 for reasons that were not specified, is shown weeping in her official police portrait - despite China claiming that people attend the camps willingly Tursun Kadir, 58 (left), was jailed for 16 years and 11 months for 'growing a beard under the influence of religious extremism', while Yusup Ismayil, 35 (right), was jailed in March 2017 for 'travelling to a sensitive country' Tajigul Tahir, 60, was detained because her son was suspected of 'strong religious leanings' because he did not drink or smoke. Her photograph captures a baton-holding officer just over her right shoulder Rahile Omer (left) was the youngest to be included in the leaked documents, and was just 15 when she was detained. The oldest detainee was Anihan Hamit (right), aged 73 The documents were leaked by a hacker who claimed to have scalped them from Chinese police computer servers, downloaded and decrypted them before handing them to US-based academic Dr Adrian Zenz of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, who has been sanctioned by China for his research on Xinjiang. Dr Zenz then shared the documents with a consortium of journalists including the BBC who spent months verifying the information they contained, before publishing it on Tuesday. The BBC says it has spoken with the hacker and has substantiated a large portion of the data they shared, but is unable to reveal any more information about the source due to fear of reprisals. Among the trove of documents are 5,000 images of Uyghurs taken between January and July 2018, at least 2,884 of whom were detained in either prisons or re-education camps in the region - mostly in Shufu county. The youngest was Rahile Omer, who was was only 15 at the time of her detention, while the oldest was 73-year-old Anihan Hamit. Tursun Kadir, a 58-year-old who was an Islamic preacher for some time in the 1980s, was sentenced to 16 years and 11 months in jail for the crime of 'growing a beard under the influence of religious extremism'. Yusup Ismayil, 35, was jailed for travelling to a 'sensitive country' - reported by the BBC to be a Muslim-majority nation. Tajigul Tahir, 60, was locked up because her son was suspected of having 'strong religious leanings' because he didn't drink or smoke. Hundreds were targeted for listening to 'banned lectures' or installing encrypted apps on their phones by Chinese spies. Others were jailed for allowing their phones to run out of credit - accused of avoiding technology as a way of hiding their activities. Other charges include 'picking quarrels' or 'disturbing the social order'. Sentences often relate to supposed crimes carried out well before China launched its crackdown on the region in 2014, following two terror attacks by Islamic extremist separatists from Xinjiang. One man was jailed for 10 years in 2017 for having 'studied Islamic scripture with his grandmother' for a few days in 2010. Husband and wife Tursun Memetimin and Ashigul Turghun were sent to a detention centre in 2018 for having listened to a banned lecture on someone else's mobile phone six years earlier, in 2012. Police files contain photos of two of their three children - daughters Ruzigul, 10, and Ayshem, six. Their fates are unknown. A leaked image from the police archives shows rifle-wielding soldiers working alongside police armed with riot shields and clubs during what appears to be a training exercise to subdue detainees Detainees with their hands and feet shackled and heads placed in hoods are subdued by police equipped with riot gear during a training exercise held in a prison in Xinjiang Police take part in training exercises at Tekes County Detention Center in Xinjiang, where Uyghur Muslims handed arbitrary sentences for minor crimes have been locked up A club-wielding officer stands next to a doctor during training exercises inside just one of the detention centres where Uyghur Muslims have found themselves locked up on inflated charges This image shows soldiers and police officers inside Tekes Detention Centre in northern Xinjiang, which was confirmed by buildings captured in the background of this photograph Even those not detained were heavily surveilled. The trove contains the photographs of at least 2,116 people for whom no arrest record exists but were still hauled into police stations to be pictured - sometimes in the middle of the night. Many of those photos appear to have been used to train government facial recognition software. Some 452 spreadsheets were also hacked containing the names, ID numbers and addresses of more than a quarter of a million Uyghurs being watched by the government. And classified speeches by Communist Party officials seem to confirm what earlier leaks have suggested - that responsibility for the crackdown lies ultimately with Beijing and policies outlined by Xi Jinping himself. One, delivered by Zhao Kezhi, China's Minister for Public Security on a visit to Xinjiang in 2018, is filled with references to Xi - praising him for 'important instructions' and funding to build camps and detention centres to cope with an influx of detainees. In another part of the speech, he suggests that up to 2million Uyghurs may harbour 'extremist thought' and are in need of processing in the camps. A second speech given in 2017 by Chen Quanguo, Xinjiang's hardline Communist Party secretary, suggests a five-year time-frame for the re-education mission though also admits 'for some, even five years may not be enough.' All the leaked documents date from 2018, thought to be because China changed the way it encrypted data around the camps in 2019 - perhaps putting them beyond reach of the hacker. Beijing claimed the same year to be scaling down its use of the camps, though observers believe this is untrue. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says there are 380 suspected facilities in the Xinjiang region - some 40 per cent more than previous estimates - with more than 60 sites were worked upon between July 2019 and July 2020. Fourteen camps were still under construction, the report said, indicating that China is still expanding their use. Under pressure from world leaders - particularly in the US - to take action, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet arrives in Xinjiang today on a fact-finding mission. Beijing says the visit will be a chance to 'clarify misinformation' about the camps, but critics fear it will simply provide the Communist Party with an excuse to peddle misinformation on a global stage - as it did with a much-criticised WHO report into Covid's origins published last year. Other images capture what appear to be rows of detainees in Guantanamo-style prison jumpsuits sitting behind one of the photographed inmates, further undermining China's claims that such camps are voluntary 'schools' Another photo of one of the Uyghur detainees captures what appear to be jumpsuit-wearing inmates locked behind bars over his right shoulder, contrary to Beijing's claims about the camps The leak will pile huge pressure on UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet (left), who today begins a visit to Xinjiang on a fact-finding mission that many fear will be white-washed by the Chinese state (foreign minister Wang Yi, pictured right) The ruling Communist Party is accused of detaining over one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the far-western region as part of a years-long crackdown the United States and lawmakers in other Western countries have labelled a 'genocide'. China vehemently denies the allegations, calling them the 'lie of the century'. Bachelet is expected to visit the Xinjiang cities of Urumqi and Kashgar on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a six-day tour. She met Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of her journey to Xinjiang, who also 'expressed the hope that this trip would help enhance understanding and cooperation'. But Uyghurs, the main victims of an alleged campaign of repression, raised doubts about her presence if her trip is as highly-controlled as expected. Nursimangul Abdureshid, a Uyghur living in Turkey, said she was 'not very hopeful that her trip can bring any change'. 'I request them to visit victims like my family members, not the pre-prepared scenes by the Chinese government,' she said. 'If the UN team cannot have unlimited access, I will not accept their so-called reports.' Another Uyghur, Jevlan Shirememet, called on Bachelet to help him contact his mother who he has not seen for four years. The Turkey-based 31-year-old - from the province's northern reaches near the border with Kazakhstan - hoped Bachelet would venture further than her itinerary. 'I don't know why she can't visit these places,' he added. Regional capital Urumqi - population four million - houses major government bodies believed to have orchestrated the province-wide campaign China described as a crackdown on religious extremism. It is home to a sizeable Uyghur community and was the site of deadly ethnic clashes in 2009 as well as two terrorist attacks in 2014. Meanwhile, Kashgar - home to 700,000 people - lies in the Uyghur heartland of southern Xinjiang. Documents detail how snipers and machine gun nests were placed around the detention centres with guards given order to shoot anyone who tries to escape on sight China has been engaged in a years-long crackdown of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang in response to two terror attacks carried out by separatists from the region An ancient Silk Road city, it has been a major target of Beijing's crackdown, researchers and activists say, with authorities accused of smothering the cultural hub in a high-tech security blanket while bulldozing Uyghur homes and religious sites. The outskirts of both cities are pockmarked with what are believed to be detention camps, part of a sprawling network of recently built facilities stretching across the remote province. Campaigners have voiced concern that Chinese authorities will prevent Bachelet from conducting a thorough probe into alleged rights abuses and instead give her a stage-managed tour with limited access. The US has said it is 'deeply concerned' that she had not secured guarantees on what she will see, adding that she was unlikely to get an 'unmanipulated' picture of China's rights situation. Bachelet also gave assurances on her access to detention centres and rights defenders during a Monday virtual meeting with the heads of dozens of diplomatic missions in China, according to diplomatic sources in Beijing. Caroline Wilson, the UK's Ambassador to China, was on the call and said she stressed 'the importance of unfettered access to Xinjiang and private conversations with its people'. 'There is no excuse for preventing UN representatives from completing their investigations,' Wilson wrote on Twitter. Bachelet's office has also said she will meet with civil society organisations, business representatives and academics. In addition to mass detentions, Chinese authorities have waged a campaign of forced labour, coerced sterilisation and the destruction of Uyghur cultural heritage in Xinjiang, researchers and campaigners say. Uyghurs overseas have staged rallies in recent weeks pressing Bachelet to visit relatives believed to be detained in Xinjiang. An accused Alameddine associate revealed his dramatic weight loss when he was dragged out of his home by police in his footy shorts. Trent Jeske, 23, was one of eighteen men arrested on Tuesday morning, all believed to be low and mid-ranking associates of the infamous Alameddine crime crew. The alleged member was able to show off his less rotund figure as he was escorted to a waiting police vehicle by two officers during a raid in Sydney's southwest. Jeske was able to shift the considerable amount of weight after having lap band surgery ealier this year, which involves putting a ring around the top part of the stomach. If successful, the surgery can decrease food intake by reducing the stomach size, leaving patients feeling fuller for longer. The alleged mid-ranking member appears to have already achieved significant weight loss post-op, after he was pictured on a boat substantially heavier (pictured left) The alleged member was able to show off his less rotund figure as he was escorted to a waiting police vehicle by two officers during a raid in Sydney's southwest (pictured) The alleged mid-ranking member appears to have already achieved significant weight loss post-op, he was pictured last year on a boat substantially heavier. He was taken into custody only wearing a pair of footy shorts, with another accused member of the crew dragged out of his home in just a pair of Bonds underwear. The arrests come as police crackdown on an alleged 'dial-a-dealer' ring which police say is flooding Sydney with illicit drugs and fuelling the underworld war. A 450-strong team of police officers raided 29 properties across the city's southwest on Tuesday, after a 10-month-long investigation into the organised crime group. Police, desperate for a win after 14 fatal shootings on suburban streets in the past 18 months, said the raids have brought down a major player in the NSW drug trade. '(We've) cut the head off the snake,' Commissioner Karen Webb said. Jeske was able to shift the considerable amount of weight after having lap band surgery which involves putting a ring around the top part of the stomach (pictured after the surgery) The arrested men will be charged with crimes including drug supply, firearm, dealing with the proceeds of crime and direct or participate in a criminal group. Jeske is currently on a bail for a raft of charges, including possessing an unauthorised firearm, affray and breaching Covid restrictions during the pandemic. His home was raided by NSW police in September last year. Jeske is also alleged to have been involved in a brawl at an address on Osgood St in Guildford in Sydney's west on September 5. Police alleged the fight unfolded after an Alameddine associate refused to talk about one of their neighbours, believed to be Salim Hamze. An accused member of the Alameddine crime crew was dragged out of his house by police in just a pair of Bonds underwear during raids in Sydney on Tuesday Eighteen men were arrested around Sydney's southwest on Tuesday morning over their alleged role in a drug syndicate Pictured is one of the men arrested on Tuesday. The blitz follows a ten-month-long investigation into the organised crime group, which NSW Police will allege has been distributing drugs throughout the city Dramatic footage shows police ramming down the doors of several homes, before the alleged crooks were taken away in handcuffs. The man in his underwear was seen sitting on the side of the road barefoot, staring at the ground in handcuffs. He was given a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before he was taken to the police station. One man in a wheelchair was also arrested during the raids, while another man flashed two middle fingers at waiting detectives as he was escorted from his home. The raids were carried out in Sydney suburbs Guildford, Merrylands, Chester Hill, South Granville, Casula, Yagoona and Wentworthville. Among the arrested men were Rafat Alameddine's brother-in-law, Assaad Alahmad. Trent Jeske, another alleged mid-ranking member of the group, was also arrested. NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole claimed police had 'closed the net' on one of Sydney's most 'dangerous crime families'. A man in a wheelchair was also arrested on Tuesday after 29 properties were raided One man accused of being involved in the drug syndicate puts up his middle fingers during his arrest Police, desperate for a 'win' after a series of fatal shootings almost weekly in the city's south-west, claimed an 'entire' syndicate was shut down as a result of Tuesday's arrests Police are seen speaking with one man arrested on Tuesday Pictured from left to right are alleged Alameddine associates Ali Younes and Masood Zakaria, and Rafat Alameddine and Hamdi Alameddine. None were arrested in today's raids NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she was confident police had 'cut the head off the snake', shutting down the syndicate altogether. She said those arrested on Tuesday didn't appear to be employed but 'displayed considerable wealth'. Police claim mobile phones were seized which allegedly raked in more than $250,000 a week in drug deals. The alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate utilised 36 phones, with one device having more than 700 customers. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said she was confident police had 'cut the head off the snake', shutting down the syndicate altogether The alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate utilised 36 phones, with one device having more than 700 customers More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days. Pictured is one man who was arrested on Tuesday morning A new taskforce has been set up to investigate the fatal shooting of Rami Iskander, 23. Taskforce Erebus helped coordinate the raids of 20 properties across Sydney this week Assistant Commissioner Mick Fitzgerald alleged the phones had 'contributed to a number of murders' over the past two years, with large amounts of cash and drugs such as cocaine, prescription drugs, MDMA and cannabis found during the raids. Weapons, luxury watches and jewellery and cars were also found. 'We believe we've had a significant impact on the Alameddine organised crime network - the drug distribution of that network has been dismantled today,' he said. More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days. Over the past 18 months, 13 people have been killed in gang violence in Sydney's west and southwest. Three executions have occurred in recent weeks. The latest shooting occurred on May 14 when Rami Iskander, the nephew of slain gangland figure Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad, was shot dead at his western Sydney home. Iskander, 23, was shot in the chest in front of his pregnant wife and two-year-old child at his home on Knox Street at Belmore. The young father was killed just weeks after his uncle Ahmad was sprayed with bullets outside a Greenacre home on April 27 after a $1million bounty was placed on his head. A team of 450 police officers carried out the raids on Tuesday Police had to ram the doors down of some residents before they were taken away in cuffs Detectives are chasing down three theories trying to explain why Iskander was killed, including whether or not his enemies were trying to prevent him from avenging his father's death. Taskforce Erebus is examining the circumstances and links between recent fatal shootings as well as dozens of acts of violence and the supply of prohibited drugs, illicit firearms, vehicle theft and various other criminal activities. The taskforce brings together Australian Federal Police, detectives in southwest Sydney, the NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. It also involves bikie busting strike force Raptor, which has made a name for itself with its heavy-handed tactics in recent years. Earlier this month Comanchero boss Tarek, 41, and his brother Omar Zahed, 39, were gunned down while leaving a BodyFit gym on Parramatta Road in Auburn, western Sydney, on Tuesday. Omar died at the scene while his older brother was rushed to hospital fighting for life after suffering with ten bullet wounds to his head and body. The attack has left Tarek almost completely blind. Police had told the brothers as recently as May 5 that their lives were at risk but their warnings went unheeded. Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said police are investigating possible motives for the assassination attempt, refusing to rule out the possibility of an inside job. Police sources claim the Comanchero are in bed with the Alameddine crime family. By extension, the Alameddines' rivals the Hamzy family are considered enemies of the Comancheros. Tarek Zahed (seated) and his brother Omar (standing) were gunned down outside a gym in Sydney's west earlier this month Police and paramedics are seen trying to save the two men at the gym after the shooting - with pools of blood seen across the foyer Omar was laid to rest at the Rookwood Cemetery. Shooting spree erupts in Sydney The 23-year-old man who was shot in Belmore, Sydney's south-west, was identified as Rami Iskander - the nephew of underworld figure Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad. It marks the 13th gangland-style execution to rock Sydney in the last 18 months. Comanchero bikie Fares Abounader was the first victim in the long spate of shootings after he was killed in a drive-by attack in Panania, south-west Sydney, on August 29, 2020. Mejid Hamzy was shot dead in Condell Park on October 19, 2020 and then Mustafa Naaman was killed in a suspected mistaken identity attack on Ibrahem Hamze on January 31, 2021. Mejed Derbas, Shady Kanj, Ghassan Amoun and Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad are among the people who have also been shot. Comanchero bikies with links to the Alameddine clan, Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar were gunned down while leaving a gym in Auburn on May 10, 2022. Advertisement Mourners, some wearing balaclavas, arrived at the gravesite and embraced Muslim friends and family of the slain man. Among them was underworld identity, Ahmed Elomar, the brother of ISIS terrorist Mohamed Elomar. Elomar told Daily Mail Australia that Omar's fatal shooting was evidence of the 'shocking state of affairs for young Muslim men in Sydney'. 'This generation is all over the place,' he said. 'What happened, who knows?'. A British tourist on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura is being tested for monkeypox. Health chiefs in the region confirmed the holidaymaker was one of five suspected new cases currently being analysed. The man, whose age has not been released, is thought to be the first British tourist in Spain affected since the country announced its first cases last week. A British tourist on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura is being tested for monkeypox, the first suspected UK case in Spain Health chiefs in the region confirmed the holidaymaker was one of five suspected new cases currently being analysed (file image of Fuerteventura) A spokesman for the Canary Islands' Health Service confirmed in a short statement: 'A suspected case of monkeypox in Fuerteventura corresponds to a British tourist.' It is not yet known when they will confirm whether he has the disease. Authorities have not said if he is holidaying alone on the island or is relaxing with relatives who are also being tested. Spain has so far confirmed around 40 cases of monkeypox and said another 67 people are being tested. The outbreaks have been traced to a gay sauna in Madrid and a Gran Canaria pride festival attended by 80,000 people from Britain and other European countries. News of the suspected Fuerteventura case follows warnings by chief medical advisor Dr Susan Hopkins for people to be 'alert to the virus' on holiday. Dr Hopkins, of the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA), told the BBC: 'The risk to the general population remains extremely low. EU health chiefs published a risk assessment today which will advise member states to prepare a programme for rolling out jabs to control the spread. No monkeypox vaccine exists, but the smallpox vaccine, which was routinely offered to Britons until the virus was eradicated more than four decades ago, is 85 per cent effective at stopping a monkeypox infection 'People need to be alert to it, and we really want clinicians to be alert to it.' Spain has been one of the worst affected countries so far. Yesterday, Britain's monkeypox outbreak nearly tripled in size as health officials confirmed another 37 patients have caught the tropical virus. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses have now logged 57 cases in little over a fortnight. Authorities described the outbreak which has disproportionately struck gay and bisexual men as 'significant and concerning' but insisted the risk to the UK population remains low. Health officials said yesterday the virus can be stopped but could become endemic to Europe unless the outbreak is thwarted soon. In a rallying cry urging nations to act immediately, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) executive called the situation 'containable'. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's emerging diseases lead, said: 'We want to stop human-to-human transmission. We can do this in the non-endemic countries.' However, she warned: 'We can't take our eye off the ball on what's happening.' Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's emerging diseases lead, said: 'We want to stop human-to-human transmission. We can do this in the non-endemic countries' The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) simultaneously warned monkeypox may become endemic to the continent, if transmission continues and it spreads to pets or wildlife. Sixteen countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, and Spain, have all detected the virus this month. Denmark today became the latest to confirm an infection in a man who recently returned from Spain. Until this worldwide outbreak, the rash-causing virus had only been detected in four countries outside of western or central Africa, where the virus is entrenched in animals and spillover events occur. Timeline of monkeypox in the UK 1958: Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. 1970: The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. 2003: A Monkeypox outbreak occurred in the US after rodents were imported from Africa. Cases were reported in both humans and pet prairie dogs. All the human infections followed contact with an infected pet and all patients recovered. SEPTEMBER 8, 2018: Monkeypox appeared in the UK for the first time in a Nigerian naval officer who was visiting Cornwall for training. They were treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London. SEPTEMBER 11, 2018: A second UK monkeypox case is confirmed in Blackpool. There is no link with the first case in Cornwall. Instead, the patient is though to have picked up the infection when travelling in Nigeria. They were treated at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital. SEPTEMBER 26, 2018: A third person is diagnosed with monkeypox. The individual worked at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and treated the second Monkeypox case. They received treatment at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. DECEMBER 3, 2019: A patient was diagnosed with monkeypox in England, marking the fourth ever case. MAY 25, 2021: Two cases of monkeypox were identified in north Wales. Both patients had travel links to Nigeria. A third person living with one of the cases was diagnosed and admitted to hospital, bringing the total number ever to seven. MAY 7, 2022: A person was diagnosed with Monkeypox in England after recently travelling to Nigeria. The person received care at the expert infectious disease unit at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London. MAY 14, 2022: Two more cases were confirmed in London. The infected pair lived in the same household but had not been in contact with the case announced one week earlier. One of these individuals received care at the expert infectious disease unit at St Mary's Hospital in London. The other isolated at home and did not need hospital treatment. MAY 16, 2022: Four more cases were announced, bringing the UK total to seven. Three of these cases are in London, while one of their contacts is infected in the north east of England. The spate of cases was described as 'unusual' and 'surprising' as experts warn gay and bisexual men to look out for new rashes. MAY 19, 2022: Two more cases were revealed, with no travel links or connections to other cases. The cases were based in the South East and London. Fears began to grow that infections are going undetected. MAY 20, 2022: Eleven more cases are announced, meaning Britain's monkeypox outbreak have doubled to 20. Minsters discuss the possibility of a public health campaign to warn gay men the disease may be more prevalent for them MAY 23, 2022: Scotland logs its first ever monkeypox case and 36 more infectioned announced in England. It brings the UK total to 57. Advertisement The ECDC, which oversees the EU response to infectious diseases, said: 'If human-to-animal transmission occurs, and the virus spreads in an animal population, there is a risk the disease could become endemic in Europe.' Health chiefs are alarmed about the 'unprecedented' cluster of cases, which has disproportionately struck gay and bisexual men. Speaking at a WHO live Q&A on monkeypox, Dr Van Kerkhove said: 'This is a containable situation, particularly in the countries where we are seeing these outbreaks that are happening across Europe, in North America as well.' She added: 'We're in a situation where we can use public health tools of early identification, supported isolation of cases. 'We can stop human-to-human transmission.' She said transmission was happening via 'close physical contact: skin-to-skin contact', and that most of the people identified so far had not had a severe case of the disease. Dr Rosamund Lewis, who heads the smallpox secretariat on the WHO emergencies programme, said 'this is the first time we're seeing cases across many countries at the same time and people who have not travelled to the endemic regions in Africa'. She said it was not yet known whether the virus had mutated to become more transmissible but viruses in the wider orthopoxvirus group 'tend not to mutate and they tend to be fairly stable'. 'We don't yet have evidence yet that there is mutation in the virus itself,' Dr Lewis said. Virologists are studying the first genomic sequences of the virus, she added. Andy Seale, strategies advisor at the WHO's global HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections programmes, stressed that while the virus could be caught through sexual activity, it was not a sexually transmitted disease. He said: 'While we are seeing some cases amongst men who have sex with men, this is not a gay disease, as some people in social media have attempted to label it. That's just not the case. 'This demographic is generally a demographic that really does take care of health screening... They've been proactive about responding to unusual symptoms. 'Anybody can contract monkeypox through close contact.' Dr Van Kerkhove added that as surveillance widened, experts did expect to see more cases. It comes as the ECDC released a report warning that monkeypox could become endemic in Europe. The ECDC said it is 'theoretically possible' that people in Europe could pass on monkeypox to their domestic pets, which could then act as a reservoir and transmit it back to humans. This is because rodents and squirrels have already been identified as carriers of the virus in west and central Africa, it noted. The report states: 'Currently, little is known about the suitability of European peri-domestic (mammalian) animal species to serve as a host for monkeypox virus. 'However, rodents, and particularly species of the family of Sciuridae (squirrels) are likely to be suitable hosts, more so than humans (see disease background), and transmission from humans to (pet) animals is theoretically possible. 'Such a spill-over event could potentially lead to the virus establishing in European wildlife and the disease becoming an endemic zoonosis.' The ECDC noted that the likelihood of this spill-over is 'very low', however. But it said national health authorities should work with veterinary experts to ensure there is a sufficient testing capacity to swab and quarantine pets which have been exposed to monkeypox. The agency said exposed rodent pets such as hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs should be isolated in monitored facilities and tested again before their quarantine ends. These pets should only be killed 'as a last resort' if there is no testing or isolation capacity, the report states. Mammalian pets, such as cats and dogs, can be isolated at home if there is a suitable outdoor space and a vet can check on them, the ECDC said. The same report told European countries to draw up an inoculation strategy to control the spread of the tropical virus. No monkeypox-specific vaccine exists but smallpox jabs, which were routinely offered to Brits until the virus was eradicated four decades ago, are up to 85 per cent effective. The report said using the smallpox vaccine within four days of exposure to monkeypox could have a 'significant protective effect' and urged countries to consider vaccinating those with an infection and their close contacts. Advertisement Monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe, health officials warned yesterday. Experts on the Continent sounded the alarm as it was announced that cases in the UK have almost tripled in three days. Another 37 cases were confirmed in addition to the 20 already identified, taking the total to 57. As of yesterday, there were 67 confirmed cases cases of monkeypox in nine European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France, and at least 42 suspected cases. A rapid risk-assessment published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said pet rodents, such as rats and mice should ideally be isolated in 'monitored facilities' if they belong to close contacts of infected people. In Africa, where monkeypox is endemic, or well established, the virus is often in rodents including squirrels and dormice. The ECDC said rodents and squirrels could be 'suitable hosts' and a 'spill-over event', where the virus spreads from people to pets to wildlife, could see monkeypox become endemic in Europe. Health chiefs have warned monkeypox, a virus endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions, could also spread to some pets and become endemic in Europe. Undated handout file image issued by the UK Health Security Agency of the stages of Monkeypox NHS only has room to treat up to FIFTY monkeypox patients at a time: Experts fear hospitals may run out of room soon if UK's outbreak continues to escalate NHS hospitals only have room to treat dozens of monkeypox patients and experts say hospitals could run out of beds soon if the outbreak continues to escalate, MailOnline can reveal. Current UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance says all confirmed cases who need hospital care must be transferred to high consequence infectious diseases (HCID) units. Only 15 such beds existed across the UK before Covid struck. Capacity was ramped up during the pandemic, but sources within the health service say it still only stands in the region of 50. NHS bosses insist the country is equipped to deal with the outbreak through its 'tried and tested plans'. Hospital insiders also say current HCID capacity is less than 50 per cent and many of the patients will be quarantining at home, instead. Experts today told this website that there is 'always a risk that we can run out of beds', and that it could happen if the 'situation continues to deteriorate'. Scientists also, however, insisted Covid proved the NHS can create special isolation wards in the unlikely event specialist units were overwhelmed. Advertisement The report states: 'Currently, little is known about the suitability of European peri-domestic (mammalian) animal species to serve as a host for monkeypox virus. 'However, rodents, and particularly species of the family of Sciuridae (squirrels) are likely to be suitable hosts, more so than humans (see disease background), and transmission from humans to (pet) animals is theoretically possible. 'Such a spill-over event could potentially lead to the virus establishing in European wildlife and the disease becoming an endemic zoonosis.' However, it said the probability of this happening was 'very low'. Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC, added: 'Most of the current cases have presented with mild disease symptoms and for the broader population the likelihood of spread is very low.' Cases in Europe and the UK are primarily in gay and bisexual men. Professor David Heymann, a global health expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the leading theory explaining the spread of the disease was sexual behaviour at two raves in Belgium and Spain. He said: 'We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission.' Symptoms include fever, backache, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion. A rash often begins on the face and blisters can appear. Until this month there had been only eight reported cases in the UK since 2018, all of which were linked to travel from Nigeria. Yesterday Scotland reported its first cases, with 56 now in England, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). It is an increase from 20 UK cases on Friday. Dr Susan Hopkins, UKHSA chief medical advisor, thanked people affected for coming forward, saying they are 'helping us limit the spread of the infection.' She added: 'Because the virus spreads through close contact, we are urging everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have any symptoms.' Anyone who has spent at least one night under the same roof as an infectious person is being advised to self-isolate for three weeks. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday: 'So far the consequences don't seem very serious but it's important that we keep an eye on it.' Smallpox vaccines, which offer protection against monkeypox are being made available to close contact. But the PM's spokesman said there we no plans for an 'at-scale' jabs programme. How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 16 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been informed of 92 confirmed cases by Saturday and 28 suspected infections, most of which have been detected in Europe. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Sporadic monkeypox infections are spotted outside of Africa but these have always fizzled out after few cases Scientists in Portugal have spotted mutations in 50 parts of 'hypermutated' virus that has infected at least 171 Advertisement Monkeypox has evolved 'far more' than expected, scientists have warned as the virus usually only seen in Africa continues to sweep the world. Seventeen countries have now detected the virus this month in an unprecedented global outbreak, sparking concerns it may have learned to spread easier among humans. Portuguese virologists, tasked with conducting Covid-like studies to trace the virus's evolution, claim the strain currently circulating is very similar to one that cropped up in Britain four years ago. But samples taken from a handful of patients struck down in the fresh outbreak suggest the virus has collated an extra 50 mutations. Researchers wrote that this was 'far more than one would expect considering the estimated substitution rate for orthopoxviruses'. They also warned that an 'evolutionary jump' like with the Covid Omicron strain may have created a 'hyper-mutated virus'. Meanwhile, the Danish manufacturer of the smallpox vaccine, which is also effective against monkeypox, last year warned outbreaks were becoming more frequent. It claimed it could be down to the virus's 'genetic evolution'. However, experts are still analysing the monkeypox genome and the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday said there is no sign that the virus has mutated. The strain currently circulating is much milder than others. Sporadic monkeypox infections are spotted outside of Africa, where the virus is endemic in animals. Imported outbreaks have always fizzled out naturally after a few cases, however. Fifty-seven people in Britain have already been sickened and Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday warned the worst was still to come. Health chiefs are alarmed about the cluster of cases, which has disproportionately struck gay and bisexual men. Yesterday experts warned that monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe. A senior WHO official yesterday claimed the leading theory explaining the spread of the disease was sexual behaviour at two raves held in Belgium and Spain. Meanwhile, experts at Portugal's National Institute of Health in Lisbon, who analysed the monkeypox strains, said the multi-country outbreak 'most likely has a single origin' at a super-spreader event. And Dr David Heymann, who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium. The Gran Canarian pride festival, held between May 5 and 15 and attended by 80,000 people from Britain and across Europe, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases. Dr David Heymann (pictured), who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium Pets could keep spreading monkeypox through Europe FOREVER: Health chiefs make stark warning as UK's cases TRIPLE in just three days Monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe, health officials warned yesterday. Experts on the Continent sounded the alarm as it was announced that cases in the UK have almost tripled in three days. Another 37 cases were confirmed in addition to the 20 already identified, taking the total to 57. As of yesterday, there were 67 confirmed cases cases of monkeypox in nine European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France, and at least 42 suspected cases. A rapid risk-assessment published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said pet rodents, such as rats and mice should ideally be isolated in 'monitored facilities' if they belong to close contacts of infected people. In Africa, where monkeypox is endemic, or well established, the virus is often in rodents including squirrels and dormice. The ECDC said rodents and squirrels could be 'suitable hosts' and a 'spill-over event', where the virus spreads from people to pets to wildlife, could see monkeypox become endemic in Europe. Advertisement The disease, first discovered in lab monkeys in the late 1950s, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. It can kill up to 10 per cent of people it infects. The milder strain causing the current outbreak kills one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. Monkeypox has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Dr Joana Isidro and colleagues analysed nine genome sequences of monkeypox, gathered from patients infected with the virus during the latest outbreak. The researchers calculated the virus is closely related to the same West African strain that was exported from Nigeria to Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019. However, each virus had 50 extra mutations, on average, compared to the cases detected in previous outbreaks, the pre-print states. This is 'far more than one would expect' based on the number of changes expected for orthopox viruses, a family of viruses that also includes smallpox but not chickenpox. Their findings, which suggest the cases all stem from a 'single origin', have yet to be examined by other scientists. Viruses constantly mutate and most versions of viruses are not of concern. DNA-based viruses such as monkeypox tend to evolve slower. Dr Emilia Skirmuntt, a virologist at Oxford University, said some sequences contain multiple mutations and deletions. She noted that experts previously believed these could increase human-to-human transmission of the virus. Dr Skirmuntt said, however, 'despite the possible higher than expected transmission rate' it is 'still not even close' to the speed at which Covid spread. And the disease symptoms 'are very mild and we have an effective vaccine', she added. Meanwhile, researchers from Bavarian Nordic warned in December, before the start of the outbreak, of an 'escalation' in monkeypox cases fuelled by increasing human-to-human transmission. Writing in a pre-print, the team said this could be down to a drop in immunity against monkeypox because the smallpox jab is no longer routinely offered. The jab has not been dished out in Britain since the 1970s. 'Overall, monkeypox is gradually evolving to become of global relevance,' the experts said. Bavarian Nordic manufactures the Imvanex jab, which is currently being deployed by countries around the world to stem the tide of monkeypox. Although not purposefully made for monkeypox, the smallpox vaccine, which costs around 20 per dose, is up to 85 per cent effective because the two viruses are so similar. The UK is using the jabs to vaccinate close contacts of confirmed cases, to form a buffer of immune people to limit the disease's spread. Britons who are high-risk close contacts of monkeypox sufferers, including NHS workers, are being told to self-isolate for three weeks and to avoid contact with children. Despite suggestions that virus may have evolved, experts have warned there is no evidence it has done so. Dr Rosamund Lewis, who heads the smallpox secretariat on the WHO's emergencies programme, said the global health agency does not have any proof that monkeypox has mutated. She told a briefing yesterday that mutations tended to be lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak. And Dr David Heymann, who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium. The Gran Canarian pride festival, held between May 5 and 15 and attended by 80,000 people from Britain and across Europe, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases. Spanish health chiefs have also linked many cases to a single 'sauna' in Madrid. In Belgium, three cases have been linked with a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, which ran from May 5 to May 8. Organisers said there is 'reason to assume' the virus was brought to the festival by visitors from abroad. Monkeypox outbreak may have been sparked by sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain, WHO expert warns The unprecedented monkeypox outbreak may have been caused by sex at two festivals in Europe, a former World Health Organization expert said. Dr David Heymann, who used to head the WHO's emergencies department, said someone with the tell-tale monkeypox lesions likely 'spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact'. He said this may have happened at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. The Gran Canarian pride festival, held between May 5 and 15, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases. And organisers of a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, which ran from May 5 to May 8, said there is 'reason to assume' someone at the event had monkeypox. Spanish health chiefs have also linked many cases to a single 'sauna' in Madrid. The theory marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Advertisement Dr Heymann, also a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'It's very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact. 'And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the US and other European countries.' The theory marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Scientists say it will be difficult to establish whether the spread is being driven by sex or merely close contact. Dr Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, said: 'By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a person's sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission.' Dr Andrea Ammon, the director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, warned 'the likelihood of further spread of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities among persons with multiple sexual partners, is considered to be high'. Dr Heymann said monkeypox is unlikely to trigger widespread transmission. He said: 'We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission,' Dr Heymann said. But he said the outbreak 'is not Covid'. Dr Heymann added: 'We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it.' The monkeypox cases so far have been mild, with no deaths reported. Typically, the virus causes fever, chills, rash and lesions on the face or genitals. Most people recover within several weeks without requiring hospital treatment. The UK has the most cases, with 37 more logged yesterday, including the first ever in Scotland, bringing the tally to 57. Health chiefs have warned numbers will continue to rise. How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 16 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been informed of 92 confirmed cases by Saturday and 28 suspected infections, most of which have been detected in Europe. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. On Monday, the House Ethics Committee said it was launching an investigation to look into three GOP members, namely Madison Cawthorn, Ronny Jackson, and Alex Mooney, for alleged financial improprieties and improper relationship with a staffer. The committee voted unanimously on May 11 to establish an investigative subcommittee to probe the North Carolina Republican's actions. In a release, the committee said that the investigative subcommittee would have jurisdiction to determine whether or not Rep. Cawthorn may have improperly promoted a cryptocurrency in which he may have had an undisclosed financial interest. Financial Improprieties It also said that the subcommittee would look into whether or not the Republican lawmaker was engaged in an improper relationship with an individual employed on his congressional staff. Cawthorn's chief of staff, Blake Harp, said that the office welcomes "the opportunity to prove that Congressman Cawthorn committed no wrongdoing and that he was falsely accused by partisan adversaries for political gain." In a statement, Harp said that the inquiry was simply a formality and noted that the office was not deterred in the slightest from completing the job the patriots of Western North Carolina had sent them to Washington to accomplish, as per CNN. Last week, Cawthorn lost his re-election bid in North Carolina after sparking an uproar in the Republican Party. At the time, he claimed that he had been invited to an orgy in Washington and had personally seen leaders in the effort to curb drug addiction doing cocaine. Read Also: Donald Trump Reacts After Robby Mook Claims Hillary Clinton Approves Leak of Russia Allegations In the runup to the North Carolina primary, the GOP member faced a barrage of negative headlines, many of which were prompted by material put out by an opposition group that was actively looking to unseat the freshman Republican. According to NBC News, the House Ethics Committee said that the announcement of an investigation "does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the committee." While Cawthorn denied the allegations, it was not enough for GOP voters who rejected him from serving another term after citing his lack of maturity. Investigation of Republicans The committee's announcement comes after a super PAC this month formally asked for Cawthorn to be investigated on seven possible violations of House ethics rules. Last month, one of the North Carolina lawmakers chief critics, Sen. Thom Tillis, urged the ethics panel into the possible cryptocurrency issue with Cawthorn. Earlier this month, the ethics committee met to discuss the misdemeanor charges against Cawthorn for several instances of speeding and driving with a revoked license. Ultimately, the panel decided to take no further action on that issue, noting that the handling of local authorities of the matter was sufficient. Jackson, on the other hand, is facing reported campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaigns or political purposes. The committee said there was substantial evidence to believe that Jackson used his congressional campaign funds to pay for "unlimited access to the Amarillo Club." The committee also published a report on Mooney, who this month won the primary race for the GOP nomination for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. The allegations against the Republican include that he may have accepted a "free or below-market-value trip" to Aruba and used a campaign vendor's Washington property as a free source of lodging, among others, the Washington Post reported. Related Article: Southern Baptist Leaders Allegedly Covered Up Sexual Abuse, Kept Secret Database, Report Finds @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. British model Kate Moss will testify her ex-boyfriend Johnny Depp 'caught her and tended to her after she slipped while wearing flip flops and fell down some steps in Jamaica'. The testimony will pour ice cold water on Amber Heard's courtroom suggestion that he pushed her, and that it made her believe he was a domestic abuser. Moss, 48, who dated Depp from 1994 until 1997, is set to appear at the actor's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Wednesday. The famously-private model, who rarely discusses her personal life, will be testifying publicly in support of Depp and is expected to shut down Heard's claim the 58-year-old pushed Moss down the stairs. A source familiar with the case told the New York Post Moss will talk about an incident when she 'was walking down some stairs in Jamaica'. 'She was wearing flip flips and she slipped on the last two stairs. Johnny caught her and tended to her.' Heard had brought up the model in her testimony earlier this month, saying she felt connected to Moss due to a rumor Depp pushed her down the stairs when they were dating back in the 1990s. But by mentioning the alleged misconduct, Heard inadvertently allowed Depp's lawyers to call her as a witness to discuss the rumor, which sources say is not true. In fact, after Heard brought up the allegation, Depp's legal team could be seen fist bumping and celebrating. Kate Moss, 48, who dated Johnny Depp (pictured together in 1995) from 1994 until 1997, is set to appear at the actor's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard on Wednesday. Moss (pictured on May 5) and Depp dated for four years before they broke up in 1997 The famously-private model, who rarely discusses her personal life, will be testifying publicly in support of Depp and is expected to shut down Heard's claim that the 58-year-old pushed Moss down the stairs. Pictured: Heard in the Virginia court on Monday After Amber Heard namedropped the super model on Thursday, Depp's legal team could be seen celebrating It comes as Heard's legal team announced yesterday that they changed their minds and will not call Depp back to the witness stand because it would be as 'relevant to us as a bicycle to a fish'. 'Everything Depp has testified up to this point has been irrelevant to the heart of this case, and there's no reason to believe it would be any different now,' Heard's attorney said. Heard first made the reference to Moss on May 5, when she told the jury about a March 2015 fight in which she punched Depp in the face over fears he was going to push her sister, Whitney, down the stairs. '[Whitney's] back was to the staircase, and Johnny swings at her,' Heard said. 'I don't hesitate, I don't wait - I just, in my head, instantly think of Kate Moss and stairs. 'And I swung at him.' Heard, 36, had previously brought up the rumor during Depp's 2022 UK trial against The Sun - which had branded him a 'wife beater.' As she described the same fight, Heard said at the time: 'I remembered information that I had heard [that] he pushed a former girlfriend- I believe it was Kate Moss - down the stairs. 'I had heard this rumor from two people and it was fresh in my mind.' Depp wound up losing that case after the UK high court substantiated the majority of Heard's allegations of abuse. But by namedropping Moss in the federal court in Fairfax, Virginia, his attorneys can now call her as a witness and deny that the incident ever happened. Heard becomes emotional as she testifies in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax Virginia on May 16 British model Kate Moss will testify that her ex-boyfriend Johnny Depp 'caught her and tended to her' after she tripped over her flip flops and fell down some steps in Jamaica, sources have claimed. Pictured: Moss and Depp in 1995 in California A source close to the case told the Post that Moss's testimony about falling on some stairs will not help Heard. 'Johnny picked up Kate and carried her - this was hardly Amber's scary interpretation of events,' the source said, adding that Depp's legal team have been speaking to Moss in the last week. 'Kate has nothing to gain in giving testimony, but she feels strongly about defending her friend,' the source added. The defamation trial revolves around a 2018 Washington Post op-ed written by Heard where she referred to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse'. Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million, alleging defamation in the op-ed whilst Heard has countersued for defamation for $100 million from the actor. The couple married in a private civil ceremony at their LA home in February 2015 but after just 15 months of marriage, Heard filed for divorce in May 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. Four days later a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Depp over domestic violence allegations. Moss and Depp dated for four years before they broke up in 1997 - but were still seen together in public at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1998. Their relationship was rocky at times, People reports, with people claiming they were seen out in public yelling at each other. The defamation trial revolves around a 2018 Washington Post op-ed written by Heard where she referred to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse'. Depp is suing his ex-wife for $50 million, alleging defamation in the op-ed whilst Heard has countersued for defamation for $100 million from the actor. Pictured: Depp at the Fairfax court on Monday And on September 13, 1994, Depp was arrested for criminal mischief at New York City's Mark Hotel for allegedly trashing his hotel room. When police arrived at around 5.30am that day, they found Depp 'in a state of possible intoxication' and Moss uninjured. A criminal-court judge later dismissed the charges against the Pirates of the Caribbean star on the condition that he stay out of trouble for six months, and Depp paid the hotel close to $10,000 - including more than $2,000 for damages plus the bill for the remainder of his reservation. Still, in a 2012 interview with Vanity Fair, Moss said she spent 'years' crying about Depp after their relationship ended. 'There's nobody that's ever been able to take care of me. Johnny did for a bit. I believed what he said,' she told the magazine. 'Like if I said 'What do I do?,' he'd tell me. And that's what I missed when I left. 'I really lost that gauge of somebody I could trust,' she continued, calling it a 'nightmare.' DailyMail.com have contacted Moss's representatives for a comment. From a surprise set-up to a high-profile heartbreak (and ALL the drama in between): Inside Johnny Depp and Kate Moss' glamorous and VERY tumultuous romance - as supermodel is set to testify in support of her ex in his $100M trial against Amber Heard By Lillian Gissen for DailyMail.com Johnny Depp's ex-girlfriend Kate Moss is gearing up to take the stand to testify in his $100 million defamation trial against Amber Heard, after the Aquaman actress namedropped the supermodel during her testimony earlier this month. The famously-private model - who rarely discusses her personal life and has previously said that she 'hates' doing interviews - will be testifying publicly in support of her former beau, and is expected to shut down Heard's claim that Depp once pushed Moss down the stairs. Moss' testimony could possibly throw a wrench in Heard's case since it will give Depp's team a chance to quell rumors about their relationship - an opportunity which only arose after Heard herself brought Moss up in court. While Moss, now 48, has always spoken highly of Depp, now 58, and is understood to be ready to lend a helping hand in his case, their high-profile three-year relationship in the nineties was far from smooth sailing. As two of the biggest names in Hollywood, the stars' high-profile romance, which began in 1994 and lasted for three years, was widely covered by the media - and the pair quickly became one of the most talked about couples of the '90s before they ultimately split in 1997. And although Depp and Moss were often spotted packing on the PDA on romantic trips around the globe and often attended glamorous events side by side, their relationship also had a darker side to it that embroiled the pair in scandal and controversy, and led them to be featured in many a headline. Johnny Depp's ex Kate Moss (pictured in 1994) is gearing up to take the stand to testify in his $100 million defamation trial against Amber Heard, after the actress namedropped the supermodel during her testimony earlier this month Depp and Heard (pictured in court today), 35, have been battling it out in court in recent weeks. And as Moss prepares to testify, FEMAIL has taken a look back at her wild and tumultuous relationship with the actor They were seen getting into heated arguments more than once, and on one occasion, a disagreement between them led to Depp being arrested for trashing a hotel room. We broke down Depp and Moss' (pictured in 1995) whirlwind romance from start to finish - from how they met to their many controversies - including ruined hotel rooms resulting in thousands of dollars of damage and drug-ridden parties which ended in someone being hospitalized Despite the tiffs, Moss and Depp stayed together for three years. They ultimately split in 1997, after Depp said he struggled to balance his busy work schedule with his relationship, and Moss later admitted that the breakup left her devastated for 'years.' Depp and Heard, 35 - who tied the knot in 2015, and were married for one year before Heard filed for divorce in 2016 - have been battling it out in court in recent weeks. The trial, which is still underway in Virginia, is attempting to determine if a 2018 Washington Post essay written by Heard, in which she accused the actor of domestic abuse, defamed Depp. During Heard's testimony, the actress alleged that Depp once pushed Moss down a flight of stairs - however, sources say it never happened and that Moss has continued to support her ex-boyfriend throughout the court case. Heard's accusations about the former flames have opened the door for Depp's lawyers to call Moss to the stand as a witness, which is reportedly set to take place on Wednesday. As Moss prepares to testify, FEMAIL has taken a look back at her wild and tumultuous relationship with Depp. We broke down the whirlwind romance from start to finish - from how the pair's random meet up in a New York City cafe blossomed into one of the most talked about relationships in Hollywood to their many controversies - including ruined hotel rooms resulting in thousands of dollars of damage and drug-ridden parties which ended in someone being hospitalized. How it all began: The chance meet-up in a New York City cafe that blossomed into one of the most talked-about romances in Hollywood Moss and Depp met at a popular New York City cafe called Tabac in 1994. Vanity Fair writer George Wayne later revealed that he was the one who set the two up. The pair is pictured that same year According to the model, who is seen with Depp a year after they started dating, she felt an instant connection to the movie star. She once said, 'I knew from the first moment we talked that we were going to be together' Moss and Depp met at a popular New York City cafe called Tabac in 1994, a year after he split from Winona Ryder - when the model was 20 years old and the actor was 31. Vanity Fair writer George Wayne later revealed that he was the one who set the two up. Wayne wrote on Instagram in 2019, 'Johnny was in the back having dinner and Kate walked in with Naomi [Campbell] and [I] grabbed her and made the introduction! 'I had no idea that they would then become the IT couple for seasons to come, destroying hotel rooms across the globe during their still unforgettable union.' According to Moss, she felt an instant connection to the movie star. 'I knew from the first moment we talked that we were going to be together,' she once said, according to People. For three years, the pair was practically inseparable, and they couldn't keep their hands - or lips - off one another. One onlooker who once spotted them together in 1994 told the outlet, 'They can't keep their hands, lips, mouths, legs off of each other.' The highs and lows: Inside the couple's numerous controversies, including trashed hotel rooms and drug-ridden parties Throughout their romance, the stars were seen arguing many times, and on one occasion in September 1994, a disagreement led to Depp being arrested for trashing a hotel room. They are pictured in April 1994 - just months before the incident Police said they found Depp 'in a state of possible intoxication.' Moss - who was also at the scene - was uninjured. A judge dismissed the charges, and Depp paid $9,767 to the hotel. The couple is pictured in 1995, seven months after the arrest While it certainly appeared to be filled with many ups, their whirlwind romance also had some downs, as the two stars were seen shouting at each other in public on more than one occasion. And in September 1994, one heated argument between them resulted in Depp being arrested for criminal mischief. The actor allegedly trashed their hotel room at the Mark Hotel in Manhattan. Police said they found Depp 'in a state of possible intoxication.' Moss - who was also at the scene - was uninjured. A judge later dismissed the charges, and Depp paid $9,767.12 to the hotel for the damages and the remainder of his bill. When Moss rang in her 21st birthday in 1996, Depp threw her an enormous party for her at the famous Hollywood club the Viper Room, which he owned at the time. Unfortunately, the night ended in devastation after one party goer - Australian actor Jason Donovan - had a drug-induced seizure. He later opened up about the terrifying incident in his 2007 memoir, Between the Lines: My Story Uncut Paperback, according to The Mirror. 'I had been excited about the party for weeks. Who wouldn't be? It's not every day you receive an invitation from Johnny Depp,' he wrote. 'I knew that it was going to be the party of all parties.' When Moss rang in her 21st birthday in 1996, Depp threw her a party for her at the Hollywood club the Viper Room (pictured), which he owned at the time Donovan recalled feeling jetlagged and exhausted after flying from Sydney to LA for the party, so he decided to get some drugs. 'I made a call. It was as easy as ringing for room service, the only difference being that what they were delivering was drugs,' he recalled. Unfortunately, the night ended in devastation after one party goer - Australian actor Jason Donovan (pictured in 1990) - had a drug-induced seizure. Thankfully, he fully recovered after being treated at Cedars-Sinai Hospital 'For a couple of hundred dollars I purchased a large bag of weed and half an ounce of uncut cocaine. 'It was more coke than I would have ordered if I had been at home, but I didn't want to run out and have to call the dealer again.' He did the drugs alone in his hotel room before heading to the Viper Room for the celebration. He said he continued to do drugs throughout the night until he started to feel sick - right as Depp and Michael Hutchence were taking the stage to perform. 'I knew the symptoms all too well, for it was not the first time this had happened to me,' he said. 'My heart was racing, my vision was blurring and I was becoming disorientated. I tried to steady myself but my legs buckled under me and I fell to the floor. 'I am not sure what happened next but I do know that someone had pulled the plug on the music and was calling for an ambulance.' Thankfully, he fully recovered after being treated at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Donovan recalled Depp telling him later, after he apologized to the actor, 'That's cool, don't worry. We're just pleased that you are OK. Now take some advice from me, go to your room, get some sleep and for God's sake take it easy in future.' After splitting in 1997, the celebrity couple was spotted hanging out again in 1998 at the Cannes Film Festival, where Moss faced her own hotel problems after she allegedly got in trouble for wearing a bikini in the hallways of the highly acclaimed Hotel du Cap. She reportedly trashed her hotel room during the stay, and was banned from ever setting foot there again. Where it all went wrong: A breakdown of why Hollywood's 'it' couple ultimately split up, leaving Moss in 'tears' for years The couple (seen in 1996, one year before things went wrong) was together for three years before they eventually split in 1997. After going their separate ways, Moss admitted that she spent 'years' crying over losing the actor As for why they split, Depp later told Hello magazine that he struggled to balance his busy work schedule with their relationship. The couple is pictured during happier times in February 1994 The couple was together for three years before they eventually split in 1997. After going their separate ways, Moss spoke out about the breakup to Vanity Fair, and she admitted that she spent 'years' crying over losing the Pirates of the Caribbean star. 'There's nobody that's ever really been able to take care of me. Johnny did for a bit,' she said in the 2012 interview. 'I believed what he said. Like if I said, 'What do I do?' he'd tell me. And that's what I missed when I left. I really lost that gauge of somebody I could trust. Nightmare. Years and years of crying. Oh, the tears!' As for why they split, Depp later told Hello magazine that he struggled to balance his busy work schedule with their relationship. 'I have never got that emotional over a woman before,' he said. 'I have been so stupid because we had so much going for our relationship. 'I'm the one who has to take responsibility for what happened - I was difficult to get on with, I let my work get in the way and I didn't give her the attention I should have done. After Depp split from Moss, he entered into a relationship with Vanessa Paradis. They split in 2012, and he started dating Heard - whom he met on set of The Rum Diary - soon after. Depp and Heard are seen on the red carpet for Rum Diary in 2011 As for Moss, she gave birth to a daughter, named Lila Grace Moss-Hack, in 2002, with Jefferson Hack. She is now dating British-German photographer Nikolai von Bismarck (pictured together in 2020) 'The whole thing was crazy because I should never have got so worked up over what people had to say about my work. 'Sure I should care about my movies, but when I get home I should try to leave that stuff behind. I couldn't do that and I was horrific to live with. Trust me, I'm a total moron at times.' Rumors started to circulate that the pair had reconciled in January 1998, when an outlet reported that Depp had ordered 36 bottles of champagne to his hotel room in West London so that Moss could take a bath in the bubbly. However, she denied these claims, explaining that she was not even staying at the hotel at the time. 'It was not her. It was not Kate, it's not her style. She doesn't use the hotel anymore,' a rep told The Independent. After Depp split from Moss, he entered into a long-term relationship with French singer Vanessa Paradis, whom he dated for 14 years. Together, they welcomed a daughter, named Lily-Rose, in 1999, and a son, named Jack, in 2002. They split in 2012 and he started dating Heard soon after. They got engaged in 2014, and married one year later. In 2016, Heard filed for divorce, and it was finalized in 2017. As for Moss, she was linked to a few famous faces since her relationship with Depp ended, including Libertines band member Pete Doherty and The Kills guitarist Jamie Hince. She gave birth to a daughter, named Lila Grace Moss-Hack, in 2002, with Dazed & Confused editor Jefferson Hack. She is now dating British-German photographer Nikolai von Bismarck. The defamation trial: How Moss' testimony could impact Depp's $100 million lawsuit against Heard While testifying during the defamation trial, Heard (pictured on the stand on May 4) claimed Depp once pushed Moss down the stairs. She made the allegation while discussing an argument she allegedly had with Depp at the top of a staircase The trial, which is still underway in Virginia, is attempting to determine if a 2018 Washington Post essay written by Heard, in which she accused the actor of domestic abuse, defamed Depp. The exes are pictured battling it out in court last month While testifying during the 2022 defamation trial, Heard claimed that Depp once pushed Moss down the stairs. Moss has never publicly accused Depp of hurting her, and she has never spoken out about Heard's claims, but sources say she has been nothing but supportive of Depp throughout the trial. She and Depp are pictured near the start of their relationship in 1994 She made the allegation while discussing an argument that she allegedly had with Depp at the top of a staircase, when she said her sister, Whitney, stepped in between them. 'She threw herself in the line of fire. She was trying to get Johnny to stop. Her back was to the staircase, and Johnny swings at her. I don't hesitate and wait - I instantly think of Kate Moss and stairs,' she claimed. Heard made similar claims during the 2020 trial between Depp and the British outlet The Sun, whom he sued for describing him as a 'wife-beater' while covering his relationship with Heard. 'He pushed Kate Moss down the stairs, I heard this from two people, and this was fresh in my mind,' Heard told the jury at the time. Moss has never publicly accused Depp of hurting her, and she has never spoken out about Heard's claims, but sources say she has been nothing but supportive of Depp throughout the trial. By mentioning the alleged misconduct during the court case, Heard inadvertently allowed Depp's lawyers to call Moss as a witness to discuss the rumor, and she is now gearing up to take the stand to testify on Wednesday. After Heard brought up the allegation, Depp's legal team could be seen fist bumping and celebrating over the opportunity. 'That's one mistake that [Heard] made, was bringing up Kate Moss, which potentially opened the door to [Depp's team] bringing [Moss] on as an impeachment witness, and say, 'This never happened,'' California entertainment lawyer Mitra Ahouraian told the New York Post after Heard first made the allegations. A Kentucky woman has admitted killing her baby boy by throwing him off a balcony as soon as he was born, a court heard on Monday. Amber Bowling, who was 21 at the time, placed the crying infant into a garbage bag and threw him over the second-story banister of an apartment complex in Manchester, according to an arrest citation. The infant died from injuries related to blunt-force trauma. Bowling's arrest citation said that the infant had a cranial fracture, fractured ribs, and a brain bleed. Her sentencing is June 27, with 40 years as the recommended sentence. Amber Bowling, who was 21 at the time, placed the crying infant into a garbage bag and threw him over the second-story banister of an apartment complex in Manchester, according to an arrest citation Bowling pleaded guilty to the murder in a court appearance Monday, reported TV station LEX18 Paul Herd, a resident of the apartment, was returning from work after a 12-hour shift at 7.30am on Tuesday when he saw the bag lying in leaves near the stairs to his second-floor apartment. He took the child inside and called police, but the child died soon afterwards. The infant died from a cranial fracture, fractured ribs, and a brain bleed left outside in the bag for several hours. 'I couldnt sleep at night knowing, just seeing what hes seen, over and over in your mind again,' said the man's son, Tyler Herd. Bowling threw the child in a trash bag and threw it over the staircase banister in her home A resident of the apartment called police after spotting the bag lying in leaves near the stairs to his second-floor apartment (above) 'Why didnt she take that child to the hospital and say, "I cant raise it?" Theres families waiting on these kids,' Clay County Sheriff Angie Johnson said. Kentucky's Safe Infants Act allows parents to leave babies younger than 30 days at a designated safe place, including police stations, fire departments, hospitals and places of worship. 'This is a quiet neighborhood, it's a nice place to live and I can't understand why someone would do something like this,' Sharon Wagers told WKYT. A judge declared Bowling competent to stand trial in August 2019, according to the Clay County Circuit Clerk. Advertisement Russian ships have been loading up with stolen Ukrainian grain while Vladimir Putin continues to 'blackmail' the world by causing deliberate food shortages, satellite images suggest. Aerial photos taken of the Crimean port of Sevastopol show two Russian-flagged carrier ships docking and loading next to huge silos. The photos, taken by Maxar Technologies this month, show the Matros Pozynich and the Matros Koshka at the port as the silos pour the food off a belt into an open hold. Both ships have now left the port. While the grain transport has not been confirmed, Crimea produces little grain itself compared to Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, regions which are largely under Russian control. Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of 'gradually stealing' food supplies, despite many in Ukraine starving and fears of a global famine as a result of the shortages. There are fears that such a crisis could cause another migration wave as Africans desperately try to move to Europe to escape the dwindling supplies, European leaders said at Davos today. A satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the Russia-flagged Matros Pozynich docked in Sevastopol on May 19 next to Ukrainian silos Aerial photos taken of the Crimean port of Sevastopol shows two Russian-flagged carrier ships docking and loading next to huge silos The photos, taken by Maxar Technologies this month, show the Matros Pozynich and the Matros Koshka at the port There are fears that a food crisis could cause another migration wave as Africans desperately try to move to Europe (pictured: migrants arrive in Malta on Saturday) Ukrainian officials told CNN that Putin's forces have emptied multiple silos in occupied areas and moved the grain south. Zelensky said on Saturday: 'The world community must help Ukraine unblock seaports, otherwise the energy crisis will be followed by a food crisis and many more countries will face it. 'Russia has blocked almost all ports and all, so to speak, maritime opportunities to export food -- our grain, barley, sunflower and more. A lot of things.' The Russian leader has been accused of deliberately weaponizing food supplies to cause global chaos. Poland's president Andrzej Duda said at the Davos economic forum today: 'If it turns out that there is hunger in North Africa... both Spain and the whole of southern Europe will have a huge migration problem. 'Today we should focus on Ukraine being able to export its grain.' Ukrainian officials told CNN that Putin's forces have emptied multiple silos in occupied areas and moved the grain south A warehouse at a farm in southern Ukraine is destroyed after shelling amid huge food global food shortages Putin (left) has been accused of deliberately weaponizing food supplies and even 'blackmail' by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (right, speaking today) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed his comments, accusing Russia of 'blackmail'. She said: 'In Russian-occupied Ukraine, the Kremlin's army is confiscating grain stocks and machinery (...) And Russian warships in the Black Sea are blockading Ukrainian ships full of wheat and sunflower seeds.' Russia's invasion of Ukraine - and the West's attempt to isolate Moscow as punishment - have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertiliser and energy soaring. The Kremlin said on Monday that is was the West that was responsible for the global food crisis by imposing the severest sanctions in modern history on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Last week, the United Nations warned of a global food crisis that could plunge millions into famine. Ukrainian farm worker Misha stands near a tractor destroyed by a Russian tank shell on May 14, 2022 in Cherkska Lozova, Ukraine. He said that Russian forces had destroyed a grain warehouse and farm equipment while occupying territory outside of Kharkiv Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered the stark warning at a ministerial meeting in which he declared global hunger levels 'are at a new high'. The number of people facing severe food insecurity has doubled in just two years from 135 million before the pandemic to 276 million today, according to Guterres. The secretary-general also said the number of people living in outright famine conditions has increased by more than 500 per cent since 2016. The war in Ukraine has greatly exacerbated a pre-existing problem, as Russia and Ukraine are responsible for producing an incredibly quantity of vital grain and cooking oils, as well as fertilisers used to bolster food production worldwide. Guterres confirmed he was engaged in 'intense contacts' with Russia and other key countries and is 'hopeful' of an agreement to ease the problem, but solemnly announced 'there is still a long way to go' before the issues can be resolved. People queue to receive flour at a food donation spot in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, yesterday The secretary-general said Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 is 'amplifying and accelerating' the drivers of food insecurity and global hunger climate change, Covid-19 and inequality. The conflict has closed Ukraine's Black Sea ports, halting food exports to many developing countries which rely on imports of staple foods from abroad. Guterres said that during a recent visit to Africa's Sahel region, he met families who did not know where their next meal was coming from. Elsewhere today, Russia is continuing its bombardment in the Donbas in a bid to encircle the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in Ukraine's east. Their capture would help Putin control the wider region, with the cities straddling a major supply river. Despite the incessant shelling, Zelensky's forces demonstrated the potency of new NATO weapons by obliterating a Russian base from 12 miles away. The artillerymen said they fired from a NATO-supplied howitzer at a distance of over 12 miles. The 128th Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade said they hit the base of Russian command staff and destroyed a military SUV marked with 'Z', killing several enemy soldiers in the process. The Ukrainian brigade said on 23rd May: 'From the first shot: The 'Transcarpathian Legion' hit a rashist target with a NATO howitzer from a distance of over 20 kilometres. 'Artillerymen of the 128th Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade hit the base of the command staff of one of the units of the Russian Army. 'A military SUV marked with 'Z' and several nearby rashists were destroyed. The shot was fired from a howitzer that arrived in Ukraine as part of NATO aid.' A military SUV marked with 'Z' and several nearby Russian troops received a direct hit from a NATO-supplied howitzer from 12 miles away A freeze-frame of the video shows the shell coming in for a direct hit on its target even as it is concealed under a tree Ukraine claimed that the base was destroyed and several soldiers killed in the strike. They have pioneered the use of unmanned drones hovering far above the battlefield to locate and target Russian units from far away 'A time-lapse drone video shows the arrival of a 155-caliber projectile and the moment of its powerful explosion. The target was over 20 kilometres away so an accurate shot clearly demonstrates the high accuracy of the latest weapons that have arrived and continue to enter the Armed Forces of Ukraine.' What is a 'rashist'? A new word is entering the Western lexicon - 'rashism'. Not to be confused with racism, rashism is a term used to describe the political ideology and social practises of the Russian state in the present period. It is used to describe an ideology and mental state representative of ultranationalism, military expansionism, repression of minorities and sub-groups and anti-democratic forces. The word 'rashist' has come to the fore as a term used to describe supporters of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the 'Z' symbol daubed upon Russian military hardware. The term is an attempted transliteration of the Russian and Ukrainian portmanteau of the words 'Russian' and 'fascism'. Advertisement The M198 howitzer, delivered to Ukrainian battlefields by the US military, is one component of the new NATO strategy of equipping Ukraine with the offensive weapons it needs to match the Russian army on the battlefield. In the build up to the war, amid Russian denials of any intent to invade, NATO countries operated a strategy of mainly providing defensive weaponry to Ukraine in order to avoid the threat of escalation and provoking a war they sought to avoid. With the conflict in the Donbas reaching something of a static stalemate, the superiority of Russian artillery was due to tell in a grinding war of attrition. The introduction of such weapons as the M198, capable of firing four rounds a minute to a distance of 12 miles with a high degree of accuracy, is intended to level the playing field. Ukraine has also been making innovative use of aerial drones that monitor the battlefield and locate enemy positions to help provide accurate fire for their artillery. Whereas in times past, soldiers on the front lines would observe the accuracy - or not - of artillery shells miles back from the lines and radio in targeting adjustments, now artillerymen can see what they are hitting in real time from these drones, allowing both accurate targeting initially and fine adjustments on the fly. But despite these innovations and the mountainous losses of materiel and equipment the Russians have suffered prosecuting their war against Ukraine, they still outmatch the Ukrainian army in terms of firepower and offensive capabilities. Should the Ukrainian army wish to launch a counter offensive in the near term to retake their territories under Russian occupation, they will require a massive upgrade of equipment from NATO countries and training on how to use it. The Ukrainian army has been defending its homeland with mostly Soviet-era weaponry - NATO-made shoulder-mounted missiles aside - which is of an entirely different design than NATO weaponry. Ukrainian soldiers are having to undergo crash courses in how to use the latest NATO weapons after the former Warsaw Pact countries now in NATO - such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia - delivered their stocks of Soviet-era legacy equipment, including T-72 tanks and S300 anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine. A destroyed Russian tank is seen in a village to the north of Kharkiv after the area was recaptured by Ukrainian forces A US program to 'train the trainers' is underway in Poland to train up select Ukrainian military personnel on NATO soil who then return to Ukraine to train up their soldiers in larger numbers to use NATO weapons. And British military trainers are thought to be training Ukrainian forces in the UK on how to use the 120 armoured fighting vehicles they have sent eastwards. Ukraine also released footage of Russian tanks being obliterated by Bayraktar drones in the Kharkiv region north of the Donbas, where Russian forces have been in retreat. Drone footage shows the tanks driving around and looking for somewhere to set up position in the village of Zirkuni in the north-eastern Ukrainian region of the Kharkiv Oblast. One of the tanks was filmed reversing into a tree-covered yard, with a soldier bringing up the rear. Drones spotted Russian tanks driving around the village of Zirkuni before trying to hide in the gardens in the north-eastern Ukrainian region of the Kharkiv Oblast Tank crews climbed on top of their vehicle while talking, seemingly trying to coordinate attempts to conceal their position Russian forces were attempting to regain lost positions in the area after giving ground. Footage shows how tanks hidden in gardens were blown up At one point, tank crews climbed on top of their vehicle while talking, seemingly trying to coordinate attempts to conceal their position. But the garden foliage failed to help. Ukrainian strikes soon obliterated the invading tanks, with footage showing them engulfed in flames. Track marks can be seen in Ukrainian back yards as the tanks attempted to protect themselves, but with little effect. The wreckage is left smoking by roadsides, scorching the earth around it. Russian forces were attempting to regain lost positions in the area after giving ground further west to the Ukrainian military. The Russian tanks went up in smoke after they were spotted by a Ukrainian drone and targeted in the village of Zirkuni Putin's men have been firing artillery at Ruski Tyshky, Cherkasy Tyshky and Pytomnyk - as well as the village of Zirkuni where the tanks entered. President Volodymyr Zelensky's said Monday that Russian forces were repelled when trying to storm Sievierodonetsk, a Ukrainian city in Luhansk. The city has become the main Russian target in recent days as Moscow tries to encircle Ukrainian forces in the east and fully capture the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Moscow is trying to overrun Sievierodonetsk, cut off a highway south of the city and cross the river further west at Bilohorivka, according to the Luhansk governor. The dramatic footage from Zirkuni is the latest embarrassment for Putin - and the latest example of serious Russian military blunders. Yesterday, the UK's Ministry of Defence said Moscow's losses in Ukraine over the first three months are likely to have already surpassed those of the Soviet-Afghan war which lasted nine years. The Soviet Union's losses are estimated to be around 15,000 killed in the Afghan war, with an additional 35,478 wounded and 311 missing. It comes as a Ukrainian intelligence chief claimed Putin is suffering from 'several serious illnesses' including cancer - but 'will not die tomorrow'. Kyiv military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said he fears the Russian leader still has a 'few more years' left in him. The major-general yesterday claimed Putin was the target of an assassination attempt shortly after launching his invasion. He said the abortive bid was by representatives of the Caucasus, but gave no further details. In an much-heralded interview with Ukrayinska Pravda, Budanov, 36, confirmed that the Ukrainians believe Putin is suffering from cancer, but did not add to an advance excerpt from the interview which revealed an apparent assassination bid on him. Vladimir Putin is suffering from 'several serious illnesses' including cancer - but 'will not die tomorrow', Kyrylo Budanov has claimed The major-general yesterday claimed Putin was the target of an assassination attempt shortly after launching his invasion (pictured yesterday) 'He has several serious illnesses, one of which is cancer,' he said. 'But it is not worth hoping that Putin will die tomorrow. 'He has at least a few more years. Like it or not, but it's true.' Budanov claimed Putin was in a 'confused' state mentally. 'Here we can argue a lot about the state of the dictator, who thought he would capture the whole country [Ukraine] in three days and raise the Russian flag on the administration building in Kyiv,' he said. 'And for the third month in a row, declaring that he has the second and sometimes the first army in the world, he cannot cope, in his words, 'with backward non-state Ukraine'. 'This is his rhetoric. That's what state he should be in?' Putin has 'significantly reduced people's access to people'. He allows in 'quite a small number of people' and 'keeps everyone else at a distance'. Asked if he believes Putin is grooming a successor, he suggested his medical condition has made him 'manic' and stops this. Kyiv military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said he fears the Russian leader still has a 'few more years' left in him 'This is a very interesting question. In different periods of his time, he thought about it, and in principle chose, as they say, the favourite. 'There were already several such people. 'Looking at some of his manic syndromes, he is likely to be afraid to seriously prepare a successor, realising that in preparation, this successor may want to take the chair a little earlier than Putin himself wants. 'Therefore, he keeps everyone at a certain distance. And he believes that he will rule forever. But it will not be so.' He said: 'Look at the history of any dictator of the 20th and 21st centuries. 'They ended the same, absolutely all. 'None of them ended differently. In most cases, they died against their will. 'Take recent examples, such as Saddam Hussein, the former Yugoslav dictator, the Libyan dictator. This is a classic image of a dictator. There were other examples in Africa. 'They all ended the same way, and Putin will end the same way.' Budanov insisted 'there were assassination attempts on Putin'. He said: 'There was even an assassination attempt on him, as they say, by representatives of the Caucasus not so long ago. 'This is non-public information. Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really took place. 'It was about two months ago. 'Once again, he was unsuccessful. There is no publicity about this event, but it happened.' The circuit judge overseeing the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz dismissed the entire group of 10 potential jurors on Monday after one member wore a T-shirt honoring those killed and traumatized in the 2018 massacre. The woman, a 58-year-old high school teacher, was wearing a T-shirt in the burgundy and silver colors of Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that read 'Teacher Strong.' Below that were two hashtags that were commonly found on T-shirts and bumper stickers throughout South Florida long after the February 14, 2018, shooting: #msdstrong and #NeverAgain. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to murdering 17 and wounding 17 others. The trial will decide whether he is sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits with his attorneys. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to murdering 17 and wounding 17 others. The trial will decide whether he is sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. A potential juror's T-shirt honoring those killed and traumatized in the 2018 massacre resulted in the dismissal of her entire group of 10, further slowing down the trial which has already been already been delayed Judge Elizabeth Scherer speaks during jury selection in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse earlier in May. The woman who prompted the dismissal of the potential jury was a 58-year-old high school teacher, was wearing a T-shirt in the burgundy and silver colors of Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that read 'Teacher Strong' Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill questions a prospective juror who entered the courtroom during jury selection in the penalty phase of the trial. The defender asked the potential juror about her T-shirt and how much contact she had with the other jurors. The woman said she hadn't talked to the others, but they had all seen her shirt. McNeill then told Judge Scherer that the entire group should be dismissed because the shirt possibly could have been prejudiced others against Cruz The judge said she hadn't noticed the T-shirt until McNeill brought it up and wondered if the other potential jurors would have, either. She obviously did that to get out of jury duty. It was irresponsible,' Scherer added The woman had been brought into the courtroom separately from the other nine potential jurors because she had written on her questionnaire that she has a medical condition that would prevent her from sitting for long stretches of time. After that was discussed, Melisa McNeill, Cruz's lead public defender, asked her about her T-shirt and how much contact she had with the other jurors. The woman said she hadn't talked to the others, but they had all seen her shirt. After the woman was asked to briefly leave the courtroom, McNeill told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer that the entire group should be dismissed because the shirt possibly could have been prejudiced others against Cruz. Prosecutors agreed. Scherer initially balked, saying she hadn't noticed the T-shirt until McNeill brought it up and wondered if the other potential jurors would have, either. But she eventually agreed after both sides warned the T-shirt could become an issue on appeal if the jury sentences Cruz to death penalty. They argued it wasn't worth the risk of having to retry the case years from now. 'She obviously did that to get out of jury duty. It was irresponsible,' Scherer said. The woman did not immediately respond to a Facebook message sent her by The Associated Press. The AP is not naming potential jurors in the case to protect their privacy. Jury selection, which began seven weeks ago, was originally scheduled to conclude next week, but now won't be done until late June - at the earliest. It is now in the second of three phases. During the first phase, the potential jurors were simply asked if they could serve from late June through September, the trial's scheduled duration. Judge Scherer participates in a sidebar discussion via headset. The judge eventually agreed to the dismissal after both sides warned the T-shirt could become an issue on appeal if the jury sentences Cruz to death penalty. They argued it wasn't worth the risk of having to retry the case years from now Assistant Public Defender Tamara Curtis speaks with Cruz. Jury selection, which began seven weeks ago, was originally scheduled to conclude next week, but now won't be done until late June - at the earliest. About 400 of almost 1,900 potential jurors said they could serve and are now being questioned as part of Phase 2 Defenders speak to prospective jurors during the third day of preliminary jury screening. The jury process was delayed after McNeill suffered an undisclosed illness. Potential jurors, in groups of about 10, are now being asked their opinion of the death penalty and whether they can put aside whatever knowledge they have of the shooting and be fair Attorneys for Cruz argued Wednesday that he should no longer face a possible death sentence. Either side can try to convince Scherer to dismiss a juror as being unfair to their case, with each side allowed at least 10 peremptory challenges enabling them to dismiss a juror for any cause except race or gender That process had a two-week delay after McNeill suffered an undisclosed illness. About 400 of almost 1,900 said they could serve and are now being questioned as part of Phase 2. Those potential jurors, in groups of about 10, are being asked their opinion of the death penalty and whether they can put aside whatever knowledge they have of the shooting and be fair. To pass, they must say they could fairly consider both alternatives - death or a life sentence - for Cruz. Including the group dismissed Monday, 26 of 80 potential jurors who have undergone the second screening have passed. Scherer is hoping to have 150 still eligible for the third phase, where they will be asked more questions and then pared down to 12 jurors and eight alternates. Either side can try to convince Scherer to dismiss a juror as being unfair to their case. Each side also will have at least 10 peremptory challenges, enabling them to dismiss a juror for any cause except race or gender. Western Australians have been left shocked by the murder of a FIFO worker who was allegedly stabbed to death while trying to retrieve a 10-year-old's stolen bike. Father-of-two Petr Levkovskiy, 42, died after allegedly being stabbed in the stomach in Bull Creek, Perth, on Sunday after offering to help a young child recover their allegedly stolen bike. Mourners have hailed Mr Levkovskiy a 'good Samaritan' whose nature was to help those in need. The incident unfolded after Mr Levkovskiy had heard a group of upset children outside his home at about 10am on Sunday, Nine News reported. Father of two Petr Levkovskiy (above), 42, has been remembered as a 'good Samaritan' after he was fatally stabbed in the stomach while attempting to recover a 10-year-old's allegedly stolen bike in Bull Creek, Perth The children reportedly told him and his wife, Anna, that a 15-year-old boy had allegedly stolen one of their bikes. The couple then jumped in their car and found the teen with the allegedly stolen bike a few streets away. WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said 'good Samaritan' Mr Levkovskiy confronted the teenager, who allegedly retaliated and stabbed him in the stomach. Mr Levkovskiy was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition but tragically died later that night. 'It's an absolute tragedy that someone who's a good Samaritan stepping forward, which I hope all of us would do in that type of situation, has then suffered this assault and has died,' Mr Dawson said. 'It's just a terrible outcome.' Levkovskiy was allegedly stabbed in the stomach by a 15-year-old male while attempting to recover a 10-year-old's allegedly stolen bike (above) after finding the child upset outside his Perth home Mr Levkovskiy leaves behind his wife, son, and daughter. Police arrested the teenager on Monday, just hours after Mr Levkovskiy's death was confirmed. The 15-year-old was charged with murder and stealing and faced Perth Children's Court on Tuesday morning. He is due to appear in court again next week. Anastassiya Onanchenko created a GoFundMe on Monday to help Mr Levkovskiy's grieving family. The page has raised over $95,000, smashing its $30,000 target. 'We will always remember Petr as a kind, wonderful friend, colleague, husband and father. His warm spirit and generosity was a joy to all who knew him,' Ms Onanchenko wrote. Heartbroken colleagues, family, and loved ones have shared tributes to the late father on social media. Flowers have been left at the scene where Mr Levkovskiy was stabbed (above) as donations continue to flood in to help support his grieving wife and two children 'I had the pleasure of working with Petr for the past 6 years with many great memories that seem like only yesterday,' a coworker wrote. 'His crazy experiments, addiction to eBay and eagerness to teach made him one of the most unique individuals I have had the pleasure to know.' 'It was in his character to stop what wasnt right, I just wish it had a different outcome on this occasion! 'He talked about his family every day offshore. I hope his family are ok and deal with this sad news the best they can.' 'He was just being the kind, good-hearted Samaritan he always was,' another person said. 'Petr never even thought before jumping in and helping someone else, it was simply second nature to him. 'Nothing was too much trouble. He was one of the most gentle and sweetest people it was my privilege to know and we will all miss him. 'It is hard to believe this has happened. Please help his family if you can, they must be devastated.' A British holidaymaker is fighting for life after a gang of thugs savagely stabbed him seven times to steal his mobile phone. Shocking CCTV footage of the attack shows Alister Gray, 32, walking home from a bar in Istanbul, Turkey, in the early hours of Saturday morning when he was attacked. The terrifying video shows a thug trying to snatch the phone out of his hand as he headed towards an underground station at 2.30am on the way to his hotel. A British holidaymaker is fighting for life after a gang of thugs savagely stabbed him seven times to steal his mobile phone Shocking CCTV footage of the attack shows Alister Gray, 32, walking home from a bar in Istanbul, Turkey, in the early hours of Saturday morning when he was attacked The civil engineer, who is now in a critical condition in hospital, tries to fight back, swinging at the hooded attacker. But then the rest of the gang moves in and chases the terrified tourist who starts to flee. Later CCTV footage shows the gang calmly walking away from the horrific attack. Local media reports that Gray suffered serious injuries to his neck and chest after being stabbed seven times. The gang is seen fleeing on CCTV after carrying out the callous attack on the streets of Istanbul Later CCTV footage shows the gang calmly walking away from the horrific stabbing Using local CCTV footage, the police have managed to identify four suspects who all have criminal records The British tourist is being treated at Okmeydani Hospital where he is said to be in a critical condition. Gray told police: 'Four people tried to take my mobile phone on the street. 'When I resisted, they stabbed me and took my mobile phone and ran away.' Using local CCTV footage, the police have managed to identify four suspects who all have criminal records. Enes Yoldas, Seyithan Erdem, Abdurrahman Baydak, and U.A., reportedly a minor, were arrested in a raid carried out the next day. Gray continues to battle for his life in hospital as the investigation continues. Advertisement Sir Philip Green has been spotted after months away from the limelight, with pictures showing him soaking up the sun with Leonardo DiCaprio aboard a 120million superyacht off the south of France. The Topshop founder, 70, appeared to be enjoying himself yesterday - taking the wheel of a speed boat before chatting with DiCaprio on the deck of the luxury craft. The pair are good friends, with DiCaprio, 47, attending Sir Philip's 60th birthday party in Mexico, where stars Kate Hudson, Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ronnie Wood and Kate Moss were also in attendance at the 6million, four-day bash in March 2012. It is not known specifically when DiCaprio and Sir Philip first met. Sir Philip and his wife Tina, 72, have been laid low in Monaco after the collapse of Arcadia Group, which fell into administration in 2020 at the cost of more than 700 jobs and 162 store closures, plus a 500million-plus pension scheme deficit. Sir Philip was last seen two days ago on a yacht off Antibes - a popular hub for celebrities at this time of the year thanks to the Cannes Film Festival - but before that has not been pictured in public for months. One of his last appearances was in October 2021, when he was seen snarling at photographers outside Harry's Bar, an exclusive London club. Sir Philip Green enjoying a chat with his friend Leonardo DiCaprio aboard a superyacht yesterday off the south of France Sir Philip, 70, appeared to be enjoying himself - taking the wheel of a speed boat accompanied by a group of friends Sir Philip and his wife Tina, 72, have been laid low in Monaco after the collapse of Arcadia Group, which fell into administration in 2020 The collapse of Sir Philip's Arcadia cost of more than 700 jobs and led to 162 store closures in a major blow for the UK high street He was understood to have been on a brief visit to Britain, in part to have dental treatment. The mogul was accompanied by Tina, who was named last year in the explosive Pandora Papers about offshore tax havens. The leaked documents appeared to show that she bought four multi-million-pound properties while BHS the department store she once owned with her husband teetered on the brink of collapse. Arcadia's assets, including the luxury furnishings of Sir Philip's boardroom, are being sold, the Topshop brand was acquired by online retailer Asos, and Ikea is set to move into the Oxford Street building following its 378 million sale last week. Arcadia also oversaw the chains Dorothy Perkins, Burton and Miss Selfridge. The Greens previously sold BHS for 1 to former bankrupt Dominic Chappell, who was last year sentenced to six years in jail for tax evasion over the 2015 sale. The chain collapsed the following year, and MPs subsequently dubbed Sir Philip 'the unacceptable face of capitalism' over the affair. Despite the fall of the one-time high street retail king, the Greens are still worth 910 million, according to The Sunday Times Rich List, and continue to enjoy the trappings of their wealth. DiCaprio has also been keeping a low profile of late, taking a break from movie sets to enjoy time at his Malibu home with girlfriend Camila. He was also seen in February enjoying the wedding of British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, where he mingled with the likes of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell at the English countryside nuptials. DiCaprio's next major project sees him reuniting with his Wolf Of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese. He stars in the true crime drama Killers Of The Flower Moon, which recounts the murders of members of the Osage Tribe in the 1920s, after oil was discovered on their land. Deckhands help moor Sir Philip's speedboat as he enjoyed the sun with friends off the south of France - where the Cannes Film Festival is currently taking place The former billionaire has not been pictured in public for months as he lies low following the collapse of his retail business DiCaprio is joined by another Scorsese regular, Robert De Niro, while The Power Of The Dog star Jesse Plemons and Certain Women actress Lily Gladstone are also featured. The eco activist has also recently expanded his green portfolio with an investment in the startup company Wildtype that creates cell-cultivated sushi-grade salmon. The San Francisco-based company announced in February that DiCaprio had joined as an investor in Wildtype's $100 million Series B round. The Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist also took to Twitter to announce his investment. 'Wild fish populations are threatened more than ever before. I'm pleased to be an investor in @wildtypefoods, the clear leader in cultivated seafood, which will give us the chance to protect our oceans while creating the cleanest seafood on the planet,' DiCaprio tweeted for his roughly 19.5 million followers. 'Wildtype will surely transform our food system with its incredible salmon,' DiCaprio added in a statement announcing the Series B funding. Sir Philip is known for his love of superyachts, and has recently based himself in Monaco - the Mediterranean city state beloved of the super rich A companion waves to Sir Philip as he joins them on the deck of the superyacht in photos taken yesterday The San Francisco startup was co-founded by Justin Kolbeck and Arye Elfenbein with a mission to create the cleanest, most sustainable seafood on the planet. Wildtype is expecting to launch its product in fine-dining partner restaurants after its cultivated salmon gains regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. It was the second eco-friendly investment announcement by DiCaprio in as many days as he tweeted the day before about his investment in Telmont Champagne. 'From protecting biodiversity on its land, to using 100% renewable electricity, @maisontelmont is determined to radically lower its environmental footprint. Proud to join as an investor in Champagne Telmont,' DiCaprio tweeted. DiCaprio showed off his physique as he stripped down to a pair of blue swimming shorts while sharing drinks and a smoke with friends The actor has also been keeping a low profile of late, taking a break from movie sets to enjoy time at his Malibu home with girlfriend Camila Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison is about to see his salary drop drastically by more than 50 per cent. Before anyone feels too sorry for him, though, it means instead of getting $550,000 a year, it will now be cut to a mere $211,250. But it's losing the benefits that come with the prime ministerial office that might really hurt - no more rent-free houses in Canberra and on Sydney Harbour, no more private plane and no more taxpayer-funded chef and chauffeur. The family will now also have to pay for their own dry cleaning and groceries too, which might explain why Mr Morrison did not know the price of a litre of milk or loaf of bread when asked during the election campaign. Then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny are pictured boarding an RAAF aircraft at Sydney Airport. Mr Morrison no longer has access to the government plane The cost of all these added extras comes to around $350,000 a year, or $1,000 a day, so the Morrisons, like a great many other Australian families, may have to do some belt tightening. During the election Mr Morrison called Anthony Albanese a 'loose unit' for supporting a rise of $1 an hour for minimum wage workers currently getting $20.33 an hour. But don't expect to see Mr Morrison looking for bargains in Aldi anytime soon his after tax salary as an ordinary MP will still mean he gets around $12,000 a month. You may bump into him in Sydney or Canberra airports though, as he will no longer have access to the VIP RAAF jet he has been using since becoming PM in 2018. The Morrisons are moving back to the house they own in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, which was empty for three-and-a-half years until last February. In February, the Morrison's former pool cleaner Nikki Durant and her two adult sons moved in when her house in the Northern Rivers town of Woodburn flooded. But the Durants moved out on Monday as the Morrisons need their home back. Their former digs at The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney came with four full-time staff including a senior chef and house attendants, though. Scott Morrison is pictured cooking with his daughter Lily in the industrial kitchen at The Lodge in Canberra. The Morrison family has move out since Labor won last week's federal election Scott Morrison (pictured) liked to post pictures to social media of him cooking curries in the kitchen of the tax-payer funded prime ministerial residence in Canberra, The Lodge It is not likely that their house in the Sutherland Shire is big enough to accomodate staff quarters, though, even if they did hire some home help. All former prime ministers are allowed to set up a tax-payer funded city centre office when they leave politics. But Mr Morrison is understood to not be in any rush to leave politics yet. Scott Morrison is pictured on the government plane, which he will no longer be able to use now that he is not the prime minister any more Scott Morrison is pictured getting out of a government operated ComCar, one of the benefits of office It is thought he will stay on as the member for Cook for a while until a corporate board room job comes up. Until then, he will have to make do on his take home pay of $12,000 a month. One benefit Mr Morrison will probably have, though, is the greater access to government operated ComCar given to former prime ministers. Premier League footballer Kurt Zouma has admitted kicking and slapping his pet cat in a viral video which sparked a series of similar animal cruelty attacks, the court heard. The shocking incident came to light after a woman who had been due to go on a date with Kurt's brother Yoan saw the footage on his Snapchat, prompting her to raise the alarm and cancel her date. The woman, who was not named, told Yoan Zouma she 'did not want to associate' with anyone who found his brother's actions funny. The West Ham United defender pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in east London on Tuesday morning. Zouma, 27, was forced to apologise after harrowing footage was filmed and shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, who also admitted one offence during the hearing. Prosecutors also told the court that the footage sparked a spate of copycat attacks which were filmed and shared online, sparking outrage from campaigners. Premier League footballer Kurt Zouma (pictured leaving court) admitted kicking and slapping his cat after a video of the incident which also showed him saying 'I swear I'll kill it' went viral West Ham defender Kurt Zouma (pictured) was summonsed to appear before court in relation to a video which emerged in February of him allegedly kicking and slapping his cat The court was told about disturbing footage of the incident, filmed at Zouma's home and posted on Snapchat by his brother on February 6. It was later seen by a woman who had been messaging Yoan, who raised the alarm. Zouma could be seen volleying the Bengal cat across his kitchen, before throwing a pair of shoes at it and slapping its head. Prosecutor Hazel Stevens told the court Kurt Zouma could be heard saying: 'I swear I'll kill it, I swear I'll kill it.' Ms Stevens said the 40-second clip appeared to be carried out after the cats were deemed responsible for damaging a chair in the home. She said: 'Kurt Zouma is determined to chastise or carry out some sort of retribution for the damage caused.' Kurt Zouma also enlisted his seven-year-old son to hold one of the cats while he slapped it in the head. Ms Stevens added: 'This is a scene which can only be described as shocking. He did not chastise the cat where it was but brought it into the kitchen and kicked it like a football.' Kurt Zouma was forced to apologise after a video of him kicking his cat went viral in February Zouma admitted two offences under the Animal Welfare Act after kicking and slapping his cat The court heard the young woman who first reported the footage was so appalled she cancelled a date with Yoan Zouma, writing: 'I don't think that is OK. The cat does not know what it is doing. Judge agrees to ban reporting of Zouma's address after abuse Footballer Kurt Zouma's address will be withheld from the public domain after a judge heard about the 'grotesque' abuse he received since a video of him kicking his cat went viral. Trevor Burke QC, for West Ham defender Zouma, said his client received abuse that was 'the worst' the football players' union had seen. He said police were looking to prosecute those responsible, but said the strength of the abuse gave rise to concerns about Zouma's safety, despite stringent security measures already being in place at his home. Content of the messages was not read out at Thames Magistrates' Court in East London on Tuesday, although a redacted copy was shown to the district judge, Susan Holdham. She imposed an order under Section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act, banning publication of the Zoumas' addresses, in full or in part. She said: 'I can see a number of messages - vile, racial abuse. 'There are threats to kill. They refer to him and his children. The bar (on media reporting) is a high one, but I think it has been reached. 'I quite understand the necessity for open justice and for the press to report freely but in these circumstances I am prepared for the address of both defendants to be withheld.' Advertisement 'I do not want to associate with people who find that funny, in front of a child as well. 'You should be careful of that stuff, especially with your family being who they are.' Footage showed Kurt Zouma filming the cat sitting on a chair and approaching it with a slipper before running at the cat. While carrying the cat at waist height Zouma 'drops the cat, kicks it in the stomach with his left foot and another cat can be seen running away,' said Ms Stevens. Kurt could be heard laughing in the background while Yoan posted the video with laughing emojis. Kurt was heard saying 'I'll hit it', 'you want a fight' and 'where is it. Where is it?' and 'I'll kill it - I swear - I'll kill it.' The prosecutor added: 'The cat was brought into the kitchen where it was then kicked. The chasing and the throwing starts. 'He already has a state of mind that he will do further harm to the cat.' Ms Stevens said there has been a 'spate of people hitting cats and posting it on various social media sites' since the footage was shared. 'Treating family pets in this way does not demonstrate good role model behaviour. 'They both have a position of responsibility as footballers. They are role models whose actions are copied. 'Their behaviour falls short of what is expected of a high-profile image.' The court heard the Premier League defender has since agreed for his two Bengal male cats to be re-homed and they are still in the protection of the RSPCA. An independent vet, who assessed the cats later and watched the video, said there were 'no remaining signs of injuries' to the cats when he examined them. But he said that being hit and kicked would have caused suffering, while being chased would have caused fear or distress. Yoan Zouma at court to appear over claims filming a cat being kicked by brother Kurt Zouma Yoan Zouma, the brother of West Ham's Kurt Zouma, arrives at Thames Magistrates' Court In his statement, he added: 'In my opinion, the force of the kicking into the abdomen of a cat and the slapping of the cat to the head, both of which were with force, as seen in the video recording would have without any doubt in my mind have cause soft tissue trauma, pain and discomfort to the cat (or cats) on the day but any evidence of that soft tissue trauma would be very unlikely to have been found three days later. 'I have no doubt that Kurt Zouma knew or would be expected to know that kicking a cat into its abdomen would cause or was likely to cause pain, discomfort and distress or worse injuries It is my opinion that there can be no justified reason to treat a cat or cats in this manner.' The 27-year-old admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on February 6. Yoan filmed the incident and admitted one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring his older brother to commit an offence. Defending the West Ham player, Trevor Burke QC said his client had been fined 250,000 by his club and lost a 'substantial' sponsorship deal with Adidas. He had also not been picked for the French national team, he said. Mr Burke said: 'A Google search will always reveal the guilty plea and the video.' District Judge Susan Holdham adjourned proceedings until the sentencing hearing on June 1. Two further charges against the men were dismissed. The RSPCA prosecuted Kurt Zouma (right) and his younger brother Yoan (left) over the video David Moyes received backlash for picking Zouma despite admitting his actions were 'terrible' Hammers defender Zouma arrived at court in chaotic fashion, accompanied by several security guards who emerged from a vehicle holding umbrellas to form a protective shield around the defendant. Two cats belonging to Zouma are still under the care of the the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA chief inspectorate officer Dermot Murphy said: 'It's never acceptable to treat an animal in this way and we were shocked when the video was first brought to our attention. 'What makes this case even more sad is the way the video was filmed and shared, making light of such cruelty. 'We hope this case will serve as a reminder that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and respect, and that we will not tolerate cruelty.' West Ham fined their player 250,000 in relation to the incident and made donations to nine animal welfare charities in the UK and overseas. In the aftermath of the incident in February, Zouma issued an apology which was sent out to the media and read: 'I want to apologise for my actions. 'There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret. The RSPCA has since taken care of the two Bengal cats who remain at an undisclosed location Pictured: One of the cats that were confiscated from Kurt Zouma after the video went viral Pictured: Zouma's two Bengal cats are due to be rehomed by the RSPCA later this year 'I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video. I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy. 'They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.' As well as his public apology, Zouma apologised to his team-mates at their training ground. It is understood the 29.8million defender was sent on an animal awareness course by his club. Zouma also lost his Adidas sponsorship deal as a result of the controversy. Yoan was temporarily suspended by Dagenham & Redbridge amid the backlash before returning to the team in March. He also issued an apology published on Dagenham & Redbridge's official website, stating: 'I deeply regret my involvement in the video that has been widely circulated and unreservedly apologise, not only for my actions, but for the upset and distress this will have caused to so many people. 'I am now taking time to reflect on what I have done but wish to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident and not something that I am proud of.' West Ham were criticised for playing Zouma just 24 hours after the disturbing video went viral West Ham boss David Moyes played Zouma during a home win against Watford, just over 24 hours after the video showing the player kicking and slapping his pet cat had circulated on social media, sparking widespread condemnation. West Ham confirmed they would continue to play Zouma despite the ferocious backlash to the footage of the Frenchman. Moyes confirmed in the aftermath of the video going viral, he would not be dropping Zouma, adding he does not regret the decisions he made and insisting he knew 'exactly where my moral compass is'. The Hammers manager said at the time that he considered the fine, along with the verbal abuse Zouma received from rival supporters at stadiums, sufficient punishment and asked for 'forgiveness' for his player. The incident led to a rise in copycat attacks by an online group who called themselves 'Kick the Cat Club'. The group filmed their attacks before circulating the disgusting footage on the internet. The brothers' addresses cannot be published because of concerns over the threats to the pair. A Harry Potter-mad student who forked out 3,000 on wands has hit back at trolls who brand his collection a 'waste of money' and vows to buy at least 40 more. Connor Cundale splashed the cash on his 80-strong wand collection over 12 years, but claims he has 40 more to go before completing the set. The 20-year-old admits that trolls, and even some pals, have questioned why he's spent so much on them, but Mr Cundale said the magical collection brings him 'happiness' and has vowed to keep them forever. Since sharing his treasure trove on TikTok, the advertising student has impressed fellow wizard enthusiasts, while drawing derision from trolls who question why a 20-year-old would buy 'toys'. Connor Cundale splashed the cash on his 80-strong wand collection over 12 years, but claims he has 40 more to go before completing the set He forked out 3,000 on wands has hit back at trolls who brand his collection a 'waste of money' But Mr Cundale maintains that the wands aren't toys and that they carry sentimental value for him as he grew up watching Harry Potter's adventures. Mr Cundale, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex, said: 'I have 80 wands overall, I started collecting them in 2010. 'I've always been a massive fan of Harry Potter, I saw the first wand in Hamleys in London. 'I bought one and over the next 10 years, I would get another one once in a while. 'I was kind of collecting them but it wasn't until lockdown hit in 2020 that I started my big collection and really got into it. Mr Cundale, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex, grew up with the Harry Potter world and said that the wands are sentimental to him. Pictured, Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in the Order of the Phoenix Mr Cundale saus he has 'always been a massive fan of Harry Potter'. Pictured next to the Hogwarts Express But Mr Cundale maintains that the wands aren't toys and that they carry sentimental value for him as he grew up watching Harry Potter's adventures The wizarding world enthusiast grew up with the Harry Potter series and bought his first wand aged eight, at Hamleys in London buying 60 in last two years He started a bigger collection in lockdown, buying 60 wands in the last two years 'I had 20 by that point, but I've gained about 60 in the past two years. 'Every character has their own wands. These wands are based on the ones in the films, they're all unique and different from each other, none are the same. 'I've been getting most of them from [prop replica store] The Noble Collection, but I do have a few from the Harry Potter Studio Tour too. 'My favourite wand is Lucius Malfoy's, it's conjoined with his walking stick and it's got a snake's head on top of it. 'On average each wand costs about 30, I reckon I've spent about 3,000. That includes the cases and some of them come with different ornaments to put on them.' The magical-themed hobby has drawn mixed responses both online and in real life, as some question the wisdom of spending money on the wands. The magical-themed hobby has drawn mixed responses both online and in real life, as some question the wisdom of spending money on the wands Mr Cundale said: 'The collection means a lot to me, it really is like a hobby. It brings me a lot of happiness, even though there's not so much you can do with them. 'I watched this film growing up so there is a nostalgic element to it too. They feel like I'm bringing the movie to life. 'People are always like "why are you so obsessed with them? They're toys". They're not toys, they're replicas. 'I get a mixed reaction from people about my wands. Most of my closest friends are all a bit like "oh, why do you that? That's not too normal." 'They just think it's a waste of money. They don't understand it, they think I could be putting the money to better use. 'Since I shared my wand collection on TikTok, most people have said they're impressed with them. Mr Cundale said that most people on TikTok have been impressed with his collection. Pictured in Gringotts Wizarding Bank at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour He says that the replica wands make him happy, and 'that's all there is to it'. Pictured in the Great Hall, at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour Mr Cundale said that he wants to keep the wands forever and pass them down. Pictured next to a model of Hogwarts, at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour 'I've had a few hateful comments from people saying "why would you spend money on that?" 'I've had people comment "You're 20 years old, why would you spend money on toys?", but as I said, they're replicas and they make me happy. 'I just think "Well it makes me happy, that's all there is to it".' Mr Cundale added: 'There are at least another 40 wands to collect and this isn't even covering all of the characters in the movie, it's crazy how many there are. 'I plan to get the rest of it. I had to take a little break for a while when money got tight but I'm getting more money coming in so I can go back to the collection and spend more money on them. 'I can't imagine selling any of the wands off at this point. They're a collection, I'd want to pass them down, keep them forever.' Josep Borell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that the EU weapon stockpile needs to be replenished after these arms were sent to Kyiv in the conflict against Russia. During the hostilities resupplying Ukraine, forces were needed to support them against Russian forces. Trying to support the proxy war of the US against Putin has inadvertently affected the European Union as a shortfall in its defense. Support for Ukraine Affected EU Security Borell, the bloc's foreign affairs chief cautioned that the reckless supply of arms to the Ukrainian forces is not wise, reported RT News. He reiterated that the bloc should exercise more caution related to security and make up for the shortfalls that must be avoided. His blog last Saturday mentioned the alarming shortage of arms caused by arms shipment to Kyiv. Other factors include are leftover from previous budget cuts and underinvestment, Borell remarked. Furthermore, the bloc's consolidated defense spending has increased by only 20% from 1999 to 2021, particularly in comparison to 66% for the US, 292 percent for Russia, and 592 percent for China. Hostilities in Ukraine as the Russian conducted the special operation in the Donbas is a hard shift in the security of the European Union. Support for the US-led proxy war has led to precarious security of the bloc members, cited Mass News. Borell advised this situation calls for the EU to have more prudent actions to guarantee security via a weapon stockpile affected by Kyiv that would need a modernized and interoperable European armed forces with high-end technology. Another is giving their forces more capabilities than it has now, noted TASS. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? All investments for the military must be coordinated with all EU members, including unilateral moves by nations that can end as a waste of expenses, including risks of increasing the present gaps and unnecessary duplications. EU's Depleting Arms Stockpile The diplomat identified three main lines of action that, over time, should enable the bloc to narrow the gaps in its protection. This includes improving their forces' combat readiness, stockpile resupply, and air defense modernization. Cyber and space-based capabilities and joint development of relevant key capabilities like main battle tanks are other factors to consider. The official from Brussels emphasized that the time to move ahead with European defense is now, rebuilding the defense industrial base and operating with the required military capabilities. He remarked to improve military capacity to defend, strengthen NATO, and support partners whenever needed. Moscow Charge Brussels With Stoking Fires of War The Kremlin reminded the Involvement of the EU in the Ukrainian conflict and military support; this prompted Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to state this. Lavrov said the bloc is shifting from a constructive economic platform as it should have been into a militant siding with the Biden administration that has broad geopolitical implications beyond Europe. Moreover, he said that the bloc has decided to fall in with NATO. Charged both are starting to merge that will end as the EU will be a puppet of the US-led military alliance remarked the Russian foreign minister. Last April, the Brussels official said that the war would be decided on the battlefield and promised a continuous supply of weapons. This included 2 billion for military aid that will be wasted as Russia hands loss after losing Volodymyr Zelensky. In the end, the EU's Josep Borell support for Kyiv has backfired and left a depleted weapon stockpile leaving the bloc in danger due to reckless choices. Related Article: EU Proposes Measures To Bypass Russian Sanctions Placed on Natural Gas Accommodating Changes by Paying in Rubles @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens today pleaded not guilty to four flashing offences where he exposed his genitals at a McDonald's drive thru - including once just days before he wielded his warrant card to abduct the marketing executive using Covid-19 lockdown laws. The former police officer 49, is serving a whole-life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of 33-year-old Miss Everard in March last year, when he was a serving in the Met. Four incidents of alleged exposure are said to have taken place earlier that year in Swanley at the McDonald's on the A20. The incidents are alleged to have taken place on four occasions in north Kent, between January 22 and February 1 2021, January 30 and February 6, on February 14 and February 27. Miss Everard was abducted on March 3. This morning, Couzens, from Deal in Kent, appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from HMP Frankland prison in Durham. Wearing a grey sweatshirt, white-bearded Couzens initially spoke to confirm his identity to Judge Mark Lucraft QC. Couzens, a former armed officer with the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, then denied four charges of exposure. The charges state he allegedly 'intentionally exposed his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm and distress'. Couzens will now face trial later this year. A bearded Couzens, wearing a grey jumper, appeared by video-link from HMP Frankland today (left). He then denied repeatedly exposing himself to members of the public in the weeks before Sarah Everard was murdered 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 Judge Lucraft set a timetable for the case with further hearings due to take place at the Old Bailey over three days from November 1. Prosecutor Tom Little QC observed: 'With no allocated trial judge at the moment it is not possible to even provisionally fix a trial date given the circumstances.' Couzens, a former armed officer with Scotland Yard's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, faces four charges of allegedly 'intentionally exposed his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm and distress' Judge Lucraft confirmed that the moment a decision was made on who would try the case, all parties would be informed and efforts made to set a trial date. The case had been sent to the Old Bailey last month following a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring had said the case was suitable for trial at the magistrates' court but Couzens opted for it to be heard at a Crown Court. The allegations of indecent exposure were made to Scotland Yard on February 28, but no arrests were made. Scotland Yard previously said the McDonald's allegations were 'allocated for investigation' but 'by the time of Sarah's abduction it was not concluded'. It then referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over how it handled the case. The watchdog last year launched an investigation into officers for possible misconduct over the failure to identify Couzens. MailOnline revealed that the IOPC was preparing to publish its findings on whether Scotland Yard could have stopped Couzens before he murdered Miss Everard 'next month'. A source told the website that just two of the four alleged incidents were referred to the IOPC. The decision to charge Couzens means that the watchdog's findings now must be placed on hold until the conclusion of his trial. The source added: 'It begs the question: Why did the Metropolitan Police only refer two of the four alleged incidents?'. Scotland Yard declined to comment when approached for comment. Couzens showed Miss Everard his warrant card to force her into his car as part of a fake Covid arrest in March 2021. He then used his Met-issued equipment to handcuff her before strangling her with his police belt. Sinn Fein's leaders accused the Tories of pandering to the DUP ahead of a rare visit to Westminster today, in which they will seek to break the political deadlock gripping Northern Ireland. Party president Mary Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O'Neill will visit Parliament later to meet with politicians in their most high profile visit to the capital in years. The republican party has seven MPs, but they refuse to take their seats because it involves swearing their allegiance to the Queen. The last high profile visit by party leaders to Parliament was in 2015 when Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness met with then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Ms McDonald was also among those who visited on that occasion, and today she told Good Morning Britain she expected a referendum on Irish unification to take place within a decade. The Sinn Fein president confirmed that her party has invited all MPs and members of the House of Lords to attend a briefing session at Westminster tonight for a 'conversation about change, about what's happening in Ireland, about the (Northern Ireland) protocol and the absolute urgency and necessity to get the Executive up and running'. It is understood no Government ministers are planning to attend. The Democratic Unionist Party collapsed the power-sharing executive in February in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol of Boris Johnson's Brexit deal with the EU, which introduced customs checks between Ulster and Britain. And the hardliners have refused to reconvene it post election, now they are no longer the largest party. Ms O'Neill told the BBC: 'The British government needs to stop pandering to the DUP. Party president Mary Lou McDonald and vice president Michelle O'Neill (pictured this week with Nicola Sturgeon) will visit Parliament later to meet with Tory politicians in their most high profile visit to the capital in years. The last high profile visit by party leaders to Parliament was in 2015 when Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness met with then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Ms McDonald was also among those who visited on that occasion, and today she told Good Morning Britain she expected a referendum on Irish unification to take place within a decade. 'The DUP's voice does not reflect the wider view at home. And the reality is that the Protocol is working.' 'It is only Boris Johnson and the DUP, in their approach, that are the outlier here.' Ms O'Neill leads the largest party at Stormont following the election earlier this month, the first time a nationalist party has come out on top. But she cannot form a devolved government at Stormont as First Minister without the DUP nominating a Deputy First Minister. She also claimed today she does not get 'too hung up' on what she calls Northern Ireland. She usually tries to refer instead to the 'North of Ireland' but referred to 'Northern Ireland' in the Assembly earlier this month, said people should be 'a bit relaxed about those things'. Asked if she could refer to it as Northern Ireland, she said: 'Yes, and I have done in the past week. 'And I think it's important that also if the democratic outcome of the election is respected I would be the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive. 'So I think we shouldn't get hung up on those things. It's the beauty of the Good Friday Agreement - British, Irish or both or neither. 'So I think that that's important. I think we should be a bit relaxed about those things.' Five university students managed to catch a peeping Tom red-handed after hearing strange noises for months. The flatmates set up a Google Nest device outside their Randwick home in Sydney's eastern suburbs after they continued to hear rustling and heavy footsteps outside. Their gut feeling was finally proven right after a six-foot man with fair hair was recorded sneaking around their driveway the following night. In the spine-tingling footage, the man walks up to a ground-floor window and tries to peer inside while holding the collar of his jacket over his nose and mouth. Their gut feeling was finally proven right after a six-foot man with fair hair (pictured) was recorded sneaking around the driveway of their Randwick home The hidden camera sent the notification 'person seen in the driveway' to one of the student's phones, the Daily Telegraph reports. The shaken household quickly notified police who chased the man down the street, however he was able to get away. Police will continue to investigate their complaints. One housemate recalled spotting a phone camera being raised to a window as she showered and screaming: 'I know you're there' at the peeping tom. A boyfriend of another renter encountered the man as he loitered around the driveway after returning from a party one night and asked what he was doing. 'I'm just taking a pee, mate,' the man replied in an English accent. Sarah Smith, a medical student, said she had felt like someone was creeping on her for three months before making the sinister discovery. The shaken household quickly notified police after the peeping tom appeared on the secret camera, who chased the man down the street (pictured, pedestrians in Randwick in 2019) She recalled entering her bedroom after having a shower and immediately feeling like she needed to pull the blind down. 'When I saw the footage on my phone, I started trembling and crying, - I thought I had been going crazy for months yet I was right all along,' Ms Smith said. The student refused to accept that what she was hearing was simply a possum. 'We were being stalked the entire time by a peeping Tom, a young man with a British accent,' she said. Advertisement Six historic sites scattered across England have been granted protected status to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. A Modernist theatre in London, a Birmingham church and a 1930s pavilion in Yorkshire are among the structures to have been listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The department issued the protections on Historic England's advice to reflect key social, technical and cultural changes over the 70 years of the Queen's reign. All six sites have been visited by the Queen, often with the Duke of Edinburgh as part of a royal tour of an English city. Among the new listings is the first church built in Birmingham after the Second World War - All Saints Church in Shard End - which was named after a church on Cooksey Road, Small Heath, following its obliteration by German bombs during the conflict. Its construction was funded by the War Damage Commission in 1954. Six historic sites scattered across England have been granted protected status to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. Above: The Queen's Theatre, in Hornchurch, Essex, is among the buildings being listed. It was visited by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2003 Among the new listings is the first church built in Birmingham after the Second World War - All Saints Church in Shard End - which was named after a church on Cooksey Road, Small Heath, following its obliteration by German bombs during the conflict. Its construction was funded by the War Damage Commission in 1954 The youngest building to be listed for the Jubilee is the Hampshire Archives in Winchester. It was completed in 1993 Also listed is the Art Deco Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, which was constructed in 1933 as a place for people to relax after exercising or using the spa in the town centre In Stroud, Gloucestershire, the 19th-century Imperial Hotel has been chosen for its impressive stone masonry crafted using local limestone Commemorative motorway markers on the M62 running through Yorkshire and Lancashire are also being listed, after the Queen opened the motorway in 1971. Above: The Lancashire boundary marker stone (left) that sits on the Lancashire Yorkshire border of the M62 motorway at Scammonden; the Yorkshire Rose marker (right) on the Lancashire Yorkshire border on the M62 motorway at Scammonden The Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch, London, which opened in 1975, and was influenced by German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is also being listed. In Stroud, Gloucestershire, the 19th-century Imperial Hotel has been chosen for its impressive stone masonry crafted using local limestone. Inspired by Cotswold market halls and continental colonnades, the structure was refurbished in 1950 before the then Princess Elizabeth's visit the same year. The youngest building to be listed for the Jubilee is the Hampshire Archives in Winchester. It was completed in 1993. Local brick was used within the walls of its steel-and-concrete frame - a reference to the surrounding Winchester Conservation Area and the nearby remains of the medieval city wall. When it was formally opened by the Queen accompanied by her late husband in 1993, Philip commented on how the building resembled a cruise liner. Her Majesty's visit to the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch in 2003. The visit celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original theatre Her Majesty meets the cast of The Lost World, during Her Majesty's visit to the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, in 2003 The theatre (pictured inside) was opened by Sir Peter Hall on 2nd April 1975 in a building designed by the Borough architect R.W. Hallam and project architect Norman Brooks Also listed is the Art Deco Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, which was constructed in 1933 as a place for people to relax after exercising or using the spa in the town centre. After a period of decline in the 1980s, the classical structure was restored following a campaign led by local resident Anne Smith, and supported by celebrities including author James Herriot. It was officially reopened by the Queen in 1998. Commemorative motorway markers on the M62 running through Yorkshire and Lancashire are also being listed, after the Queen opened the motorway in 1971. Running through the Pennines, it was the country's highest motorway, reaching a summit of 372 metres across the border between the counties. Two plaques displaying the historic symbols of the Red Rose of the House of Lancaster and the White Rose of the House of York mark each end of the road. For the Hampshire Archives (pictured inside), local brick was used within the walls of its steel-and-concrete frame - a reference to the surrounding Winchester Conservation Area and the nearby remains of the medieval city wall The interior of All Saints Church in Shard End, Birmingham. It was the first church to be built after the devastation caused by the Second World War A stone mounted on the wall of the church says: 'This church was consecrated by Leonard Bishop of Birmingham on All Saints Day 1955 and was visited by Queen Elizabeth II two days later'. Right: The font in the church The Queen is seen leaving the then new All Saints Church in Shard End, Liverpool after her visit in 1955. The church was the first to rise from the devastation of the Second World War The Queen arrives at the new All Saints Church built to serve the youngest housing estate of Shard End. Those presented included the Bishop of Aston (the Rt Rev Michael Parker) and representatives of C Bryant and Son Ltd the builders After a period of decline in the 1980s, the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in North Yorkshire was restored following a campaign led by local resident Anne Smith, and supported by celebrities including author James Herriot Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: 'These new listings celebrate the diversity and richness of our heritage overseen by Her Majesty during her 70-year reign, showing how the fabric of the nation has changed and developed. 'These sites cover the length and breadth of the country - from All Saints' Church near Birmingham, which she opened in 1955 when she was newly crowned, to the high-tech Hampshire Public Records Office, completed in 1993.' Heritage minister Nigel Huddleston added that the listings were 'a fitting way' to mark the Queen's Jubilee. He said: 'These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty the Queen's 70-year reign. 'Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service.' Next month, the Queen will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years on the throne. The nation will host celebratory events across a five-day bank holiday starting on June 2. This is the terrifying moment a rampaging bull jumps over a barrier and charges through a California crowd in a rodeo-gone-wrong. The bull escaped on Friday night during the Redding Rodeo's bull riding event, striking six people and sending one woman to hospital. The footage shows the bull bucking off its rider before jumping over the enclosure, through the VIP area, and over towards the parking lot, with people diving out of the way. Audience members screamed as the bull rampaged through the crowd as rodeo workers watched on in horror. The footage shows the bull bucking off its rider before jumping over the enclosure fence and into the crowd, with people diving out of the way. The bull escaped the Redding Rodeo on Friday night, striking six people as it left over the wall near the Sundial Bridge and sending one woman to hospital Audience members screamed as the bull rampaged through the crowd as rodeo workers looked on in horror. The rodeo announcer activated the emergency response plan when the bull escaped, with the Rodeo Associations statement saying first responders rushed to the scene to treat the injured The incident occurred on the third day of the four-day annual rodeo. 'Getting hit by a bull was an experience,' 15-year-old Jordan Greco, told the Redding Record Searchlight. 'To be honest, I didnt feel it at the time because my adrenaline was pumping and I had to make split-second decisions.' The bulls horns clipped his leg as the animal charged through the arenas VIP section. He was waiting in line to use the restroom after finishing his shift when the bull leaped over the enclosure, charging towards him. Four people were seen by emergency medical personnel and left before police could contact them could contact them, said Redding police Corporal Aaron Hollemon. 'The people that were injured were bystanders in the stands as well as people at the Sundial Bridge, so both locations,' Hollemon said. 'I know at least one person was injured in the area of the Sundial Bridge. I don't know if the other five were in the stands. I don't know exactly what the breakdown was.' The rodeo announcer activated the emergency response plan when the bull escaped, with the Rodeo Associations statement saying first responders rushed to the scene to treat the injured. The animal was finally caught near the Sundial Bridge, before it was placed in a trailer and returned to its ranch 'I'm stressed,' said 16-year-old sophomore Enterprise FFA student Braedon Jones, who was 15 yards away from his friend Greco when he got hit. 'We were working perfectly fine before that happened. (Greco) had to call me because he was close and I didn't realize he got hit. I saw the bull run through.' The animal was finally caught near the Sundial Bridge, before it was placed in a trailer and returned to its ranch. The final Saturday night rodeo will continue as planned, the Rodeo Association said. A 70-strong eco-mob hijacked a meeting of top Shell executives in central London today by singing their own rendition of Queen's hit song We Will Rock You, before telling shareholders: 'We will dismantle you!' The eco-zealots, led by Extinction Rebellion, were filmed interrupting the company's annual general meeting (AGM), being held at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, forcing it to be temporarily suspended. Other demonstrators glued themselves to parts of the building before being led away by Metropolitan Police. There were three arrests. One woman who was handcuffed was seen lying on the floor as officers attempted to get her to stand up. The force has not confirmed if there have been any arrests. It came as Shell is due to ask its shareholders to vote on a resolution supporting its climate strategy and rebuff an activist climate resolution, another version of which won 30 per cent of votes at last year's AGM. One woman who was led out of the building by police was later seen handcuffed on the ground and crying. 'Shell must fall,' the demonstrators repeatedly chanted during the meeting. After some time, chairman Sir Andrew Mackenzie said: 'OK, thank you. I would like to carry on with the meeting if I may', but was prevented from doing so by the protesters. 'That was an interesting start to our annual general meeting. I have listened to you for 15 minutes, could you...' he added before being interrupted again. 'I do not want to get to this, but if necessary I will ask you to leave the meeting so we can continue with the annual general meeting,' Sir Andrew said. In one clip a protestor is seen being pulled by her collar by a man in a face mask before a fellow demonstrator pushes his hand away. She then shouts towards the stage: 'You are willfully leading us to disaster, you are a disgrace, Shell must fall!' The Extinction Rebellion zealots were filmed interrupting the company's AGM meeting, being held at Central Hall in Westminster, forcing it to be temporarily suspended Eco-mob protestors unfurl signs at Shell's AGM in central London, with one reading: 'Shareholders fund death' Protestors scale the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, which was hosting Shell's AGM A climate activist attends the protest outside Shell's AGM in central London on Tuesday A handcuffed protestor is seen laying on the floor as police attempt to help her stand up A female protestor was seen being taken away in a police van One shareholder is heard shouting: 'Shell forever', as the eco-warriors continue to read out their messages. After some time, Shell Chairman Sir Andrew McKenzie said: 'I do not want to get to this, but if necessary I will ask you to leave the meeting so we can continue with the annual general meeting,' he added. He then told the group that he had asked the police to 'come and restore order' and remove them from the meeting. 'You have given me no alternative,' he added. The meeting continued to be delayed while dozens of protestors also gathered outside, banging on drums and chanting: 'Shell must fall.' Some held up banners reading: 'No faith in fossil fuels' as police officers were pictured arriving at the scene. At least two were seen scaling the building wearing disguises before setting off flares. Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also attended the protest (pictured) Police arrive to Shell's AGM meeting as protestors continue to sing and chant One protestor was pictured holding a sign reading: 'They came, they drilled, they wrecked the planet', as a Metropolitan Police officer looked up. Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also attended the protest. She shared photos of herself in Westminster today, donning a yellow coat and a Ukrainian pin badge. She wrote: 'Let's say it loud and clear. When it rakes in 7.3billion in profits in just the first three months of this year, while planning to spend over 6m a day on climate-busting oil & gas - what Shell is doing is criminal.' The protesters came from several different groups, including Money Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion, Christian Climate Action, Fossil Free London, Shell Must Fall and Stop Ecocide. They claimed that around 80 demonstrators were in the meeting hall. Joanna Warrington, from Fossil Free London, said: 'We can tackle the climate crisis and the cost-of-living scandal, but Shell is standing in the way. 'It's pushing ahead with reckless oil and gas projects that would take us far beyond safe climate limits, like the controversial Jackdaw gas field. Protestors unfurl banner reading: 'Guilty of ecocide' outside the Shell meeting in London on Tuesday Activists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion demonstrate outside Methodist Central Hall on May 24, 2022 in London Demonstrators outside Shell's AGM today accused the oil giant of profiteering off the Ukraine war 'Shell must fall', reads one yellow sign held up by protestors inside the company's AGM The meeting of Shell execs and its shareholders has had to be temporarily suspended Met police officers try to talk down eco protestors at Shell's AGM in Westminster 'As millions of people struggle to pay bills, Shell rakes in record profits by keeping energy prices high and paying zero tax on its UK oil and gas. 'This Government should be turbocharging investment in renewables and insulation, not handing whopping tax breaks to companies that burn our future for profit.' A Met Police spokesperson said: 'On Tuesday, 24 May a pre-planned police operation was in place outside Central Hall... 'At 09:43hrs officers were informed that a number of suspected protestors had secured themselves inside the premises using glue. 'Officers are liaising with the Central Hall staff to resolve the issue.' As of 12pm, some shareholders were seen filing out of the building. Meanwhile protestors inside were continuing to clap and sing as they began to be slowly escorted out by police officers. Metal barriers have been put up outside the building as the number of protestors grows into the hundreds. A Shell spokesperson said: 'We respect the right of everyone to express their point of view and welcome any engagement on our strategy and the energy transition which is constructive. 'However, this kind of disruption at our AGM is the opposite of constructive engagement. 'We agree that society needs to take urgent action on climate change. Shell has a clear target to become a net zero emissions business by 2050.' An Extinction Rebellion member claimed online that Shell's AGM had continued inside another room, before being disrupted yet again by protestors. It comes as Environmental groups have been ramping up their protests in recent months. At least six Extinction Rebellion eco-zealots were arrested last week after a group stormed a five-star central London hotel, glued themselves together in the lobby and sprayed black paint across the front in fresh anti-oil protests. Extinction Rebellion activists stage a protest at Methodist Central Hall as they scale the building and set off flares Protestor tells Shell: 'Think planet above profit' as she joins protests in London on Tuesday Metal barriers were put up outside the Westminster building as the number of protestors grows into the hundreds. (Pictured: One of the protestors) Disguised in hi-vis jackets, the eco-protesters used ladders to climb on top of the entrance to 350-a-night May Fair Hotel, where they unfurled a banner with 'End Oil Colonialism'. Video showed a group of activists lying down inside the building shouting the same phrase, while others held banners outside with the words 'Justice for Africa'. The hotel, just a short walk from Buckingham Palace, was hosting the annual Africa E&P Summit and Exhibition. According to the event's website, the summit aims to 'bring together Africa's upstream industry for a unique event shaped for companies active in Africa's oil and energy game'. Representatives from a dozen African governments were attending the event, while speakers include Somalian resources minister Mohamed Hashi Arabey Abdi, President and CEO of Africa Oil Corp, Keith Hill, and representatives from oil giant Shell. US energy giant ExxonMobil and French petrol firm TotalEnergies are listed as sponsors for the summit, which costs as much as 500 to watch remotely with an online ticket. Police taped-off an area around the hotel's entrance during the protest, with Scotland Yard saying some protesters had glued themselves together inside the building and police 'debonding teams' are currently attempting to unstick them. It comes as the UK's leading offshore energy body today warned that environmental activists could undermine the country's energy security and hinder its efforts to reach net zero. The group unfurled a banner with 'End Oil Colonialism' across of the front of the May Fair Hotel on Stratton Street Eco-activists entered a swanky five-star Mayfair hotel as part of an anti-oil protest last week Protesters managed to get on to a balcony next to the hotel and stayed up there with a banner with the words 'The Planet Can't Breathe' Protests, legal action and publicity stunts by organisations including Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil and Greenpeace may deter investment in the North Sea and set back the UK's efforts to cut emissions, according to Offshore Energies UK (OEUK). Addressing colleagues at the OEUK's annual conference, held in Aberdeen, on Tuesday, chief executive Deirdre Michie said attempts by pressure groups to block further oil and gas investment in UK waters would make the country increasingly dependent on other countries for energy, which could include Russia. Activists have refuted her comments, claiming it is the country's dependence on fossil fuels that undermines energy security, not the people highlighting the problem. Ms Michie emphasised the role of oil and gas-derived energy and products for British consumers, noting that emissions are driven by a country's infrastructure, and not by the source of its fuels. 'Our conference today follows months of disruption, protests and legal actions involving groups like Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, Greenpeace and others,' she said. 'It's no irony to say that we are aligned with their long-term vision of a low-carbon UK, but we do disagree with their approach as to how we get there, because the actions they've been taking - headline-grabbing but damaging - are another risk to investor confidence.' OEUK claims the UK has 32 million petrol and diesel vehicles, 24 million homes reliant on gas boilers, and 35 power stations that use gas to make 40% of the country's power, which Ms Michie said 'does absolutely need to change'. 'But - and this is not an excuse - those changes will take time - so, for some decades to come, much of our energy will inevitably come from oil and gas,' she added. Extinction Rebellion protesters demonstrating at the May Fair Hotel in London last week. The group were seen holding a sign up saying Justice for Africa The group hung banners saying 'End Oil Colonialism' and 'Justice for Africa' from the 351-a-night hotel's porch and lobby Extinction Rebellion protesters demonstrating at the May Fair Hotel in London. The group were seen outside the hotel after a number of activists gained access to the top of the entrance to the hotel 'Of course we do have a choice as to where that oil and gas comes from. We could cut production and increase imports, intensifying our reliance on other countries. But, as the Ukraine crisis shows, that's not a great option. 'Or we could instead choose to invest in the oil and gas resources in our own backyard.' Ms Michie claimed that, if pressure groups were 'to get their way', it would make the UK more dependent on other countries for oil and gas which would 'destroy tens of thousands of other jobs'. 'It would cost our country and consumers billions of pounds in import bills,' she continued. 'And here is the irony - it would actually increase global emissions as we would have to import fuels with a higher carbon footprint rather than use what we have produced locally.' Ms Michie urged politicians, policymakers and pressure groups to work with OEUK in the decades to come. A spokesman for Greenpeace UK said: 'It's our dependence on fossil fuels that's undermining our energy security, not the activists highlighting the problem. 'It's fossil fuels that are giving us budget-busting energy bills, funding (Vladimir) Putin's war, and fuelling megadroughts and record-breaking heatwaves all over the world. 'The quickest way to boost our energy security is to fix our energy-wasting homes and make the most of cheap renewables like solar and wind, not drill new oil and gas wells that will take years to develop. 'The organisation formerly known as Oil and Gas UK has done more than most to get us into this mess. 'No wonder their solution is to double down on the fossil fuels that caused the problem in the first place.' A spokeswoman from Extinction Rebellion quoted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said: 'Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels.' She added: 'Those protesting for change should take comments like this as a compliment - it means what we're doing is working and the fossil fuel industry is desperately trying to save face as concern over the climate crisis only intensifies among the general public.' The activist group claimed that a study last week found nearly half of existing fossil fuel production sites will need to close early if the UK is to keep within 1.5C of warming. Just Stop Oil members said: 'It is beyond ironic that Offshore Energies UK seeks to blame climate activists for the UK Government's energy security failure, when they represent the very industry that has lobbied governments for decades to delay climate action and kept us dependent on toxic oil and gas. 'Such actions will soon be viewed as criminal and those who have undertaken them will be prosecuted. 'The Government needs to focus on insulation, demand reduction and renewables as the most cost-effective way of meeting climate targets and reducing UK reliance on fossil fuels that fund wars and cause destitution. 'It's a no-brainer and the oil and gas industry can squeal all they like but either the industry dies or we all perish.' A mother has denied 'giving nature a helping hand' by feeding her severely disabled adopted son painkillers and antidepressants. Pembe Mehmetaliogullari, from Hove, East Sussex, had adopted Mustafa when he was a baby after he was found abandoned in a dustbin. The 47-year-old denies attempting to murder the boy, who was known as Musti and had complex needs that required round the clock care. Prosecutors allege she gave him her prescription drugs to hasten the end of his life, something Mrs Mehmetaliogullari denies, claiming she lived for the boy. Pembe Mehmetaliogullari, pictured here outside Lewes Crown Court, denies attempting to murder her adopted son by giving him prescription medication A jury in Brighton heard Mrs Mehmetaliogullari raised the boy alone after her abusive husband left when Musti was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. The boy, who weighed 28kg, also had severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine), could not swallow food and could only communicate by opening or closing his eyes. Musti was admitted to Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton in September 2018 after his mother found him unresponsive at home and dialled 999. Despite the best efforts of medics the 10-year-old died three days later. Mustafa, known as Musti, died at Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton (pictured) in September 2018 Traces of painkillers and antidepressants prescribed to the mother were found in his system. At her trial, which is being held in Lewes Crown Court, prosecutors alleged Mrs Mehmetaliogullari was worried medical staff would try to resuscitate him. Cross-examining the mother, Miranda Moore QC, said: 'You decided to give nature a helping hand. The tearful mum said: 'No, I didn't. I wouldn't do that to him. I couldn't do that to him. I just wanted him to be with me.' The court heard that in the days before her son was admitted to hospital respite care for Mrs Mehmetaliogullari had been cancelled, and that overnight help had been cut back. A previous hearing was told how she often had to care for him up to 24 hours a day as a result of the lack of support, The Argus reports. When asked by Ms Moore if she was at the 'end of her tether', the mother responded: 'No, I wasn't. Mrs Mehmetaliogullari, pictured here leaving Lewes Crown Court at an earlier hearing, claims she lived for her son 'He was what I lived for. He was the one thing in my life that made me happy. 'I would do anything to have him here with me.' Ms Moore asked her if she could offer any sensible alternative suggestion how the drugs got into Musti's body. In response, Mrs Mehmetaliogullari said: 'No, I can't. I really wish I could.' Mrs Mehmetaliogullari, who has dual nationality with Turkey but has spent most of her life living in the UK, denies attempted murder and administering a noxious substance with intent. The trial continues. Turkey has issued an official list of demands for Sweden to join NATO, as President Erdogan holds Europe's security to ransom over warring with the Kurds. Ankara wants 'concrete assurances' that Sweden will cut political ties with, stop sending money to, and refuse to supply arms for groups with links to the PKK - considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and US. President Erdogan also wants Stockholm to lift an arms embargo on Turkey put in place when the country attacked Kurdish groups in northern Syria in 2019, at the invitation of then-President Donald Trump. The demands put Turkey on a fresh collision-course with its NATO allies, threatening to undermine European security and unity in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine. President Erdogan's regime has issued a list of five demands that it wants 'concrete assurances' over before it will allow Sweden to join NATO The demands (pictured above) including cutting political ties with Kurdish groups, stopping aid and weapons shipments to Syria, and lifting an arms embargo Finland and Sweden will both dispatch diplomatic missions to the Turkish capital tomorrow in an attempt to win Erdogan around, Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said today. Erdogan has emerged as the sole opponent of Finland and Sweden - already 'partner nations' of NATO - becoming full members of the alliance, bolstering its ranks with up to 1m troops while benefitting from the protection of its mutual defence pledge. Until now, he has only said that their support for 'terrorist groups' means he 'cannot be in favour' of them joining, but on Tuesday spelled out his opposition to Sweden's bid in detail. A memo circulated by the government's press department laid out five demands of Stockholm mostly relating to its dealings with the PKK, saying it expects 'principled steps and concrete assurances' before it will drop its opposition. Sweden, like Turkey, designates the Kurdish PKK a terrorist group and has done since the 1980s, so does not support them directly. But it does lend its backing to Kurdish groups operating in northern Syria, which led a US-backed coalition which fought against ISIS in the Syrian Civil War. Turkey views those groups as terrorist extensions of the PKK, and has fought against them in recent years. Ankara singled out aid payments totalling hundreds of millions of dollars that Sweden is due to make to the Syrian Democratic Council up to 2023, calling for them to be stopped. It also accuses Sweden of sending anti-tank weapons and drones to the region, and also wants such shipments stopped. Sweden and Finland are hoping to quickly join NATO to provide extra protection in the face of Russian aggression (pictured, Sweden's prime minister and Finland's president visit Joe Biden at the White House last week) Another demand is for Sweden - whose parliament contains six MPs of Kurdish origin - to cut political ties with Kurdish groups, and to deport PKK members within the country who it considers to be criminals back to Turkey. It is unlikely that Stockholm - which has welcomed some 100,000 Kurdish refugees in recent years - will agree to the demands. But all NATO decisions must be taken by full consensus, meaning that Erdogan's opposition could prove fatal unless he can be won around. Sweden and Finland have decided to break with decades-old neutrality agreements by joining NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Since at least the end of the Second World War, both nations have relied on commitments by Russia not to attack for their security - in return for not allowing their territory to be used to attack Russia. However, Putin tore up similar agreements with Kyiv when he attacked Ukraine, which has forced the Scandinavian countries into a radical re-think. If Erdogan's objections can be overcome, then Sweden and Finland should be able to rapidly join the alliance as all other members have signalled their approval and intention to fast-track the process. That will mean the alliance gaining up to 1million new troops, if Finnish reserves are included in the total. Erdogan issued his list of demands just a day after announcing Turkey will renew its attacks on Kurdish regions of northern Syria (file image) It will also place Europe's largest collection of artillery at NATO's disposal, along with dozens of state-of-the-art fighter jets, fast attack boats, and five of the quietest and deadliest submarines on the planet. And, crucially, all of those reinforcements will be positioned close to the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania which have long-been NATO's weakest spot and among the most-likely members to be attacked. Erdogan's opposition to Finland and Sweden's membership has wrong-footed the alliance, as he hadn't opposed the move in preliminary talks. It is widely thought Erdogan is squeezing the alliance for concessions - though he insists opposition is a matter of principle and he cannot be won around. Another reason could be his close ties with Russia, which is collaborating on a number of key infrastructure projects in Turkey including a new nuclear power station and is a key weapons supplier. Ankara has so-far pursued a policy of non-alignment in the Ukraine conflict, barring Russian warships from reinforcing the Black Sea through the Bosphorus Strait but also welcoming sanctioned oligarchs and their yachts. Turkey also threatened a fresh incursion into northern Syria on Monday, in renewed efforts to create a 20-mile deep 'safe zone' along its southern border where millions of refugees can be sent. Doing so would mean taking swathes of territory from Kurdish groups, so pressuring Sweden to drop its support could be seen as a way of trying to weaken them before the fighting starts. Erdogan did not provide further details but said the operation would begin after Turkeys military, intelligence and security forces complete their preparations. Ian Thorpe has finally broken his silence after the sudden death of his ex-boyfriend Ryan Channing in Bali earlier this month. The retired Olympic swimmer described his death as 'tragic' and said he felt for his former partner's family during this difficult time. 'This is a relationship that I had that was a long-term relationship and I feel for Ryan's family,' Thorpe told The Daily Telegraph. 'I hope people are able to respect their privacy as well. I think when it is someone that is so young, it is tragic for anyone to see them passing at that kind of age.' While Channing's cause of death is yet to be confirmed, Indonesian police have said the 32-year-old died of an overdose of prescription medication. The retired Olympic swimmer (pictured at the Gold Dinner on Wednesday) described his death as 'tragic' and said he felt for his former partner's family during this difficult time Ian Thorpe's ex-boyfriend Ryan Channing died two days after overdosing on prescription drugs, sources say The model and skincare entrepreneur died on May 8 after he collapsed inside a villa in Bali while on holiday with family. Daily Mail Australia can reveal Channing was treated at BIMC Hospital in Kuta for an 'overdose of prescription medication'. He was rushed to hospital on May 6 after fainting, and spent two days in the intensive care unit before he died, aged 32. Channing's body was due to arrive back in Perth on Friday on a repatriation flight from Indonesia. His funeral is expected to be held in Perth next week. Thorpe was forced to put on a brave face just weeks after Channing's death while attending the prestigious Gold Dinner in Sydney on Wednesday night. The 39-year-old looked sharp in a tuxedo for the high-profile charity event benefitting the Sydney Children's Hospital. It was the first time the Olympic legend had been seen following the sudden death of his first long-term boyfriend, after he came out as gay. Thorpe was forced to put on a brave face just weeks after Channing's death while attending the prestigious Gold Dinner in Sydney on Wednesday night (pictured) Channing was the first long term boyfriend of former Olympic swimming champion Thorpe after coming out as gay His mother Joy Channing posted a family photo after his death with the caption, 'Family'. Pictured, left to right: Ryan Channing's grandparents, Ryan, his mother Joy and father Steve, sister Charis and brother Jake Channing's mother Joy, who was by his bedside during his final two days, issued a statement this week thanking friends for their support. 'Thank you to everyone for the overwhelming love and support you have shown to us through this tragic time in our lives,' she posted on Instagram. 'We are still in Bali but hope to be able to home (sic) soon.' Channing's skincare line, The Blaq Group, issued a statement shortly after his death noting he battled health issues. Channing's sister Charis said accepting his death was 'the hardest thing' her family had ever had to do. Kuta police were not treating Channing's death as suspicious and no report had been filed - standard practice given he died in hospital. Locals set up a memorial on a beach in Bali. Pictured: A banner that reads 'We love you Ryan' A medical team from Canggu Clinic stabilised Channing inside the villa compound before rushing him to the BIMC Hospital in Kuta (pictured) Channing was Ian Thorpe's first long term boyfriend after coming out publicly and the pair were in an on-again, off-again relationship for four years until finally separating in 2019. The former Olympic swimmer told Daily Mail Australia his thoughts were with Channing's family. He asked for privacy as he grieves. The model split his time between Bali, Australia and the United States for business, but he flew to Bali two weeks before his death to meet with his parents and sister. Earlier, the couple had attended a makeshift memorial at a Kuta restaurant. 'Ryan lived life to the fullest,' Mrs Channing said in a tribute to her son. 'Constantly surrounded by excitement and creativity, with an undeniable drive to seek perfection in everything. Ryan Channing was reportedly weak and fainting at his villa (pictured) before he was taken to hospital on Sunday 'To be part of Ryan's world, and to be swept up in his adventures and triumphs was a privilege for all of us. 'We will need time to comprehend how we will navigate the rest of our lives without his physical presence around us'. Mr and Mrs Channing were pictured at Mano Beach House surrounded by eight close friends for a dinner to remember the 32-year-old. '#ryanchanningmemorial', one friend wrote on the post. A second tribute was also held on the sand of Kuta beach, where lanterns were lit and friends held a banner with Channing's face. 'We love you - Ryan Matthew Channing', the banner read. Ryan Channing's parents (centre) joined some of his Balinese friends for a memorial dinner just three days after his death Charis Channing (left) says she's heartbroken over the loss of her brother Ryan (right) His shock death was announced on Instagram on Wednesday by his younger brother Jake. 'Seeing as the news headlines beat my whole family to posting about this unfortunate time in our lives, it's with a heavy heart I announce that my brother Ryan has recently passed away on Sunday the 8th of May at 32 years of age,' Jake wrote. 'As we seek answers and try come to terms with the heartbreaking loss of my beautiful big brother, we ask for your prayers, support and privacy, he will be forever loved, never forgotten and forever young. 'To my big brother, I love you, I'll see you one day soon you'll be missed more than you know.' Advertisement The Great British Staycation boom is over due to the return of foreign holidays and the crippling cost of living crisis - as visitor numbers drop below pre-Covid levels, tourism chiefs have warned. One tourism group, which represents more than 80 tourism businesses, said there had been a 'noticeable lull' in visitors across the sector. Almost half of its members saw fewer tourists over the holiday period than they did in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. They said increased running costs including food and energy prices were making it especially difficult for businesses and they now fear for their future. One regular staycationer, Christine Conway, who booked a holiday in the UK this year, said it's 'no wonder' families are looking overseas because holidaying in the UK has become hugely 'expensive'. She wrote: 'When you look at prices to holiday abroad and compare it to holidaying in the UK this year, it's no wonder people are going overseas, this year was so expensive in the UK. We're still holidaying here this year because we weren't confident enough to go abroad - but might not next year.' The decline comes as the soaring cost of living and fuel cost increases leave Britons seeking cheaper alternatives to their day-to-day lives as purse strings tighten across Britain. And there's further issues in Wales as hospitality chiefs, small businesses and tourism bosses have warned any new levy for foreign holidaymakers coming to Wales would 'decimate' the holiday industry. Visitors to Wales may be forced to pay a tourism levy to stay in the country in the future, if a planned consultation which will be launched by the Labour-backed Welsh Government this autumn is approved. 6ft long banner reading Turn around and f*** off - written in black paint on a white board - was held aloft by three people, in July 2020 over the A30 at Bodmin, one of the main roads into Cornwall he residents of Worth Matravers, on the Purbeck coast of Dorset, tie a painted sign to a fence for tourists Pictured: Bank holiday traffic in Exeter as thousands flock to Devon and Cornwall After a misty start the sun soon took over to reveal St Ives, west Cornwall in all it's spring glory Pictured: Tourists flock to Fistral beach in Cornwall after the lockdown restrictions eased in August 2020 Handwritten 'countryside is closed' signs are put up on fences by residents in Pendle Hill in Lancashire Hundreds of caravans parked up by tourists at Taunton Dean services in Somerset Bargains galore abroad vs high prices at home MailOnline research shows why so many are looking abroad. One break for a family of four in Cornwall will set you back 1700 - while a holiday in Marmaris, Turkey for seven nights costs under 800. Below are prices based a family of four (2x adults, x2 children): Porthminster, Cornwall: 1,700 (7 nights) Porthminster holiday cottage rental offers a beach/lake nearby, internet access and TV Brixham, Devon: 1,377 (7 nights) Brixham holiday house rental has internet access and TV, and is is on the outskirts of the Devon harbour town St Florence, Pembrokeshire 1,211 (7 nights) Harpers Lake is a country cottage hidden away in the peaceful village of St Florence Milton Abbas, Dorset: 1,255 (7 nights) Pip's Hideaway is a holiday cottage nestled in a woodland location on the edge of the historic and pretty village of Milton Abbas These staycation prices are compared to overseas holidays - where holidaymakers can save an average of 1000: Marmaris, Turkey: 792 (7 nights) The huge pool and al fresco restaurant are the main talking points at this modern apartment complex Gran Canaria, Spain: 821 (7 nights) The Spanish large pool is the main focus of this hotel with over 25C temperatures in September Lake Garda, Italy: 842 (7 nights) Lake Garda, in northern Italy, is known for its crystal clear water Corfu, Greece: 894 (7 nights) The large pool is the main attraction at this family-run apartment complex Source: Holidaylettings and Tui Advertisement Industry leaders warned the move could irreparably damage the country's tourism sector, with some saying a new charge could be seen as an 'anti-English' agenda. A WAVA spokesperson said: 'Many members are finding it difficult to pass on these extra costs knowing that families are struggling themselves with cost-of-living issues. They want to ensure family days-out continue to be affordable. 'The overall picture indicated by some attractions is that weekly footfall is down. Although weekends are holding up, these numbers are not covering the fewer visitors seen during on weekdays.' With the sector forecasting huge turmoil, the mood has turned to despondency, with almost a fifth of businesses 'seriously considering' projects outside Wales, said the group. Vince Hughes, who is the group's North Wales chair and also commercial manager of Snowdon Mountain Railway, said there had been a particular drop in holidaymakers seeking week-long trips away. He said: 'There aren't as many people around. We've definitely seen an impact on walk-up bookings - visitors seem to be more cautious as living costs rise. 'Shorter breaks, especially on Bank Holiday weekends, continue to be popular but the midweek lows are now more extreme.' Nearly half the group's members said they had seen fewer visitors in Easter 2022 than they had compared to the same period in 2019 - despite the warm weather. Mr Hughes said Welsh Government proposals to switch school holiday dates and shorten the summer break would also hit businesses. He said: 'If two weeks were to be cut from the summer, and moved to Christmas, we wouldn't be able to recover the lost income because we are a seasonal business,' he said. 'Effectively, we would lose two weeks from the peak season.' Another concern is a Welsh Government plan to adjust school term dates by shortening the summer holidays following a Welsh Labour manifesto pledge that became part of the Labour-Plaid Cymru agreement in the Senedd. It means up to three weeks could be shaved from the six-week annual break - peak time for tourism. As well as distorting the country's tourism market, potentially creating separate Welsh and English peak seasons, it could leave some businesses seriously out of pocket. Mr Hughes added: 'If two weeks were to be cut from the summer, and moved to Christmas, we wouldn't be able to recover the lost income because we are a seasonal business,' he said. 'Effectively, we would lose two weeks from the peak season.' Meanwhile, it was announced earlier this month that tourists and second home owners visiting a Cornish sea sideside resort will have to pay to use public toilets while the facilities will remain free for locals. St Ives Town Council has announced part of its policy to slash the cost of living for its residents by imposing the charges on incomers. All eight public toilets in the west Cornish town have traditionally been free to use by everyone, but now the local authority wants to recoup some cash without adversely affecting locals. Officials admitted servicing the lavatories 'cost a small fortune' each year, with mounting bills for water, cleaning and maintenance. Outraged residents of Cornwall have recently trashed claims that the county 'needs' second home owners to survive. The response follows rising tensions surrounding second home owners and the notion that they leave towns 'soulless' and 'empty' in the winter months. In an article published on Wednesday, it was claimed that Cornwall needed the income provided by second home owners and tourists to keep businesses in the region alive. The article stated that 2 billion revenue in Cornwall - equal to a fifth of all private-sector income, comes from tourism. However, locals complain that second home owners and investors are keeping the price of property in the region artificially high. There are an estimated 13,500 second homes in Cornwall with 10,000 places advertised on AirBnB. A recent report by Halifax has shown that homes by the sea have increased in value by more than 22,000 last year, with values boosted by the pandemic's work from home ethic. Last years price gains mean properties by the sea have soared by 50 percent or 95,599 over the past decade, with a 27 percent leap in the past five years. An article on Wednesday in the Telegraph writes that second home owners bring 'much-needed' investment into the area. But many disagreed with the notion that Cornwall would not survive without them calling the article 'fatuous tripe' and 'arrogant'. Within the article, second home owners and real estate agents are quoted as saying things like 'it's definitely not all 'take-take-take' and that 'people with second homes are here as often as they can be'. Kate Hanson, who has a four-bedroom second home in Mawgan Porth is quoted as saying: 'There is never any tension between second home owners and locals'. She continued: 'None at all, we get on extremely well. I feel people's pain - there is a lot of poverty in-land - but there is a lot of tourism, and we spend a lot of money when we're down there, as if we're on holiday.' Jane Baker, who has worked in property for three decades, added fuel to the fire in saying: 'We need second home owners, otherwise pubs would shut, restaurants would shut, shops would shut.' Here's some of the powerful reaction the article has sparked with people questioning: 'However did we survive before second homes?' @RicardoTomato added: 'Walking around Fowey and Polruan out of holiday season is one of the saddest strolls you will ever have. The complete lack of life is soul destroying. The Cornwall Is A Nation account tweeted: 'It's always the same story with these arrogant, entitled, ignorant, patronising, imperialistic morons.' @Kernow-Youth said: 'Cornwall will do just fine without second home owners. In fact, we'll succeed! We'll finally be able to rebuild our communities and not be priced out of our own towns. We need to phase out second homes now, and give our young people a fairer future. @IanSaltern said: 'If 'surviving' is living in a tent on the side of a cliff or food poisoning because you can't afford to run the fridge at night, I'd like to see what not surviving looks like.. What fatuous tripe.' @bernarddeacon wrote: 'Second home owners, estate agents and journalists queue up to inform naughty locals that Cornwall couldn't possibly live without them. 'However did we survive before second homes? Place must have been an unpopulated desert with no history.' In March, a wall in north-west Cornwall was daubed with the words: 'Second home owners give something back: Rent or sell your empty houses to local people at a fair price' . A message on a neighbouring wall read: 'No more investment properties'. One villager from St Agnes, near Perranporth in Cornwall, said each time they walk past the house, they feel sad that it sits empty for most of the year. They said: 'Although vandalism won't solve it, it is a talking point.' Speaking to The Telegraph, one local - 57-year-old Andy Goundry, claimed he knew who had authored the graffiti - because he recognised the handwriting. Mr Goundry, a local estate agent, estimated the village of St Agnes is 75 percent locally owned first homes, with the remaining quarter being second homes and holiday lets. He said: 'As a business, we dont discriminate, and ultimately most people want the best price for their property. 'Interestingly, weve had some landlords locally whove rejected higher offers in favour of keeping the property within the local community. People have complained about the cost of holidays in the UK, with some saying it actually works out cheaper to get on a plane and have a trip abroad He added: 'But youve got to be able to afford that.' People looking to book holidays this year have complained about the cost, with some saying it seems to be cheaper to fly abroad than to stay at home. Cheryl Scribens posted on Twitter: 'Holidays in the UK are more expensive than going abroad. I was looking at Cornwall for a couple of days but it cost more than an all-inclusive week in Turkey!' @Fanzy_81 added: 'It does seem expensive at the moment! Looking with my friend and it would actually be cheaper to go abroad for a week than a weekend in the UK. Such a shame really.' Meanwhile, @Mike_Northrepps wrote: 'For family reasons we had to go to Cornwall/Devon for six days recently, it was far more expensive than going abroad inclusive of airfares in four star hotels.' Amid record-breaking border crossings and legal drama over the fate of Title 42, critics say one voice has been repeatedly silenced; US Vice President Kamala Harris. Last July, Vice President Kamala Harris visited El Paso and warned migrants not to come on a trip to Guatemala. However, in recent months, she has confined her discussion of the problem to one-on-one sessions and swapped public remarks for printed comments. DHS Braces for More Immigrants as Title 42 Nears To End Kamala Harris seems to have attended only one public migration-related event this year, a January 27 travel to Honduras to attend President Xiomara Castro's inauguration. During her visit, Harris stated that focusing on the underlying reasons for migration will not solve the US-Mexico border situation overnight. Mark Morgan, who oversaw the US Border Patrol in the closing months of Obama's presidency before taking over as head of US Customs and Border Protection, Over the last six months, Kamala Harris has held a handful of migration-related events, the majority of which were closed to the public and focused on increasing private-sector investment in Central America to deter economic migration rather than restricting or stopping the flow of new arrivals across the US-Mexico border. On December 13, Harris launched a $1.2 billion private-sector investment in Central America to eliminate poverty, which leads to migration, engaging Pepsi, Cargill, Mastercard, and other large US firms to assist in job creation in the region. However, since that public occasion, the majority of her engagements have been private. On January 10, Kamala Harris spoke with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, and the official US readout indicated a conversation about the core causes of migration, trafficking, economic growth, and anti-corruption. The Department of Homeland Security is ready for more border record-breaking numbers, and NBC News reports that there is concern within the department that if Title 42 is lifted, they will not have enough funding to deal with a surge, compounding a challenge that Biden has faced since taking office. Concern mounted, even among Democrats, as the number of interdictions increased and catastrophic pictures from the southern border filled cable television. According to the New York Times, Biden's pollsters cautioned that the problem was a rising weakness. Biden is still alive. Read Also: Hyundai Announces $10 Billion Investment in US To Support Advanced Technology VP's Schedule Doesn't Include Immigration-Focused Event Since assuming the presidency, Biden has urged Congress to consider comprehensive immigration reform. On Capitol Hill, there is a little bipartisan appetite for the bill he delivered to Congress on his first day in office. The administration has now been left to its own devices, and Harris issued a 20-page plan to address the issue last July. According to the Los Angeles Times' analysis of that calendar, Kamala Harris has not held an immigration-related event since last summer. Last August, at a White House meeting with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander leaders, immigration was briefly discussed. Officials from the White House deny that Harris' published itinerary tells the entire story. The vice president's policy portfolio still includes dealing with the problem. She chairs high-level discussions that are not usually made public and has played a key role in regional diplomatic initiatives. For example, Harris was present in Honduras for President Xiomara Castro's inauguration in January. Officials in the administration hoped to discover a new partner in that executive, someone who might assist slow the flow of millions of migrants traveling north through Central America to the southern border. According to an official White House statement, Harris and Castro discussed various subjects, including migration, coronavirus, the economy, corruption, and gender-based violence, New York Post reported. Related Article: Donald Trump Reacts After Robby Mook Claims Hillary Clinton Approves Leak of Russia Allegations @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A British Army corporal allegedly groped a junior female soldier and called her a 'spoilsport' when she refused to send him naked photos in the shower after physical training, a court has heard. Corporal Phillip Marshall-Nichols is accused of grabbing the female Private's breasts after she had asked him to help find information on a computer system, pestering her for naked photos, and 'grinding' his groin into her bottom as he was leaving a room after making a cup of tea. The army corporal of 16 Medical Regiment - who is nicknamed 'two dads' due to his double-barrel surname - denies two counts of sexual assault. Bulford Military Court heard Cpl Marshall-Nichols and the young private were stationed at an Army barracks in Colchester, Essex. They had a purely professional relationship, the court heard, and had known each other for at least a year before an incident in December 2020. The alleged victim told the court she had been talking to a male soldier when Cpl Marshall-Nichols paused behind her and 'grinded' his penis into her bottom as he left the room. Pictured: Corporal Phillip Marshall-Nichols at Bulford Military Court Centre The woman said: 'I was in the break room with [another private]. Cpl Marshall-Nichols was making a brew. At one point he moved to leave the room, and as he passed me he stopped and grinded his d**k into my a**e, left to right. 'He didn't say anything and it didn't go on for long, but I could feel his penis.' The other soldier in the room at the time told the court he saw a look of shock cross his friend's face as Cpl Marshall-Nichols stopped behind her. The former private, who has since left the military, said: 'He pushed himself up against [the female soldier]. It looked like a joke at first but you could tell by her facial expression that she was scared. 'I couldn't see how close they were but by her facial expression she did not like it... It just happened out of the blue and went on for a couple of seconds. 'Me and [the female soldier] went out for a cigarette afterwards and she explained what had happened.' The female soldier reported the incident to another corporal and received private messages on Snapchat from Cpl Marshall-Nichols after returning from Christmas leave. Pictured: Bulford Military Court Centre in Wiltshire 'He contacted me on Snapchat quite a few times,' she explained. 'It was after PT, which we had three times a week, when I was going to take a shower... He was there when we did PT. 'He was asking for pictures while I was in the shower. I just said, "No". This went on for quite a while until I blocked him on Snapchat. '[In March] he sent [an emoji] of a camera and question marks. I said, "No".. That's what I always responded. He replied back saying, "Spoilsport lol" with a laughing crying emoji.' During an Easter break the Private went into work to update her 'objectives' on a computer system before an upcoming exercise and asked for assistance from Cpl Marshall-Nichols. The soldier told the court: 'He came over and I got off the swivel chair... I moved behind the chair. Then he turned around and touched my boobs. He touched both my boobs with both his hands. [A captain] walked in shortly after and he found my objectives.' Commander Peter Barker, prosecuting, told the court: '[The alleged victim] had known Cpl Marshall-Nichols for about a year. He was a work colleague. 'He approached [the female soldier] from behind and rubbed his groin against her without warning or invitation. '[In a later incident], as [she] was preparing to participate in an exercise, whilst they were in an office together, Cpl Marshall-Nichols grabbed her breasts with both hands - again without warning or invitation. 'Cpl Marshall-Nichols denies that either offence took place.' Defending, Simon Perkins argued the alleged victim had 'made up' both claims of sexual assault. Mr Perkins said: 'The first time you mentioned [these allegations] was at a social gathering [when you were drunk]. 'These two alleged sexual assaults never happened. The sexual assault in the tea room never happened and for some reason you are making this up to get Cpl Marshall-Nichols in trouble.' The trial continues. Middle-aged and wealthy people are the group most likely to continue working from home, it has been revealed. New figures from the Office of National Statistics yesterday found that fewer than one in 10 Britons want to return to working in the workplace full-time. However, the data also laid bare the wealth and age gap between people in the office full-time and those working from home. Among workers who earned 40,000 or more, 23 per cent are working from home 38 per cent were in a hybrid pattern, splitting their time between the office and home. On the other hand, among those on 15,000 or less, just six per cent of workers were WFH, while just 14 per cent of people had a hybrid working arrangement. In terms of age, the ONS found that workers aged between 30 to 49 were the most likely to have a hybrid pattern at 29 per cent. Meanwhile, just 23 per cent of workers aged 16 to 29 have a hybrid working arrangement, while that number dropped to 20 per cent for those aged between 50 and 69. More than a third (38 per cent) of those earning 40,000 a year or more were splitting their time, compared to eight per cent of those earning 15,000 or below. Some 90 per cent of those quizzed by the ONS want to keep working from home at least part-time despite efforts by ministers to get people to return to city centres. And the proportion of those wanting to spend the majority of their working week at home rather than their traditional workplace has also risen by 12 percentage points in the past year since rules were relaxed. The proportion rose from 30 per cent to 42 per cent between April 2021 and February, with the proportion wanting to work permanently from home rising from four to six per cent. At the same time, the proportion planning to commute five days a week fell from 11 per cent to eight per cent. The percentage planning to go to a workplace for the majority of their time also fell, as did those planning an even split. The figures appear to show that workers are ignoring pleas from ministers to return to offices and other sites. The ONS noted that the most common reason given for retaining WFH was that it had become part of workers' 'normal routine'. It came as Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey admitted that while he'd like more staff to return to Threadneedle Street it would operate a 'balanced' regime. Mr Bailey told the Jobs of the Future podcast with ex-Spad Jimmy McLoughlin that the organisation had 'surprised itself' with how much could be done from home. He said besides minding the gold stores 'most other things at one time or another in the last two years have been done from people's homes'. Mr Bailey said: 'We're now in a position where our staff, not all the time, are back here.' But he said the working environment would probably be 'more balanced' in future, partly because employers have to offer flexible working in order to attract staff. 'We do want staff to come back more,' he said. 'I do think, speaking personally you do get benefits from having face-to-face conversations of the sort that you don't get when you're on screen. Some 84 per cent of Britons want to work-from-home at least occasionally, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It came as Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey admitted that while he'd like more staff to return to Threadneedle Street it would operate a 'balanced' regime 'Secondly, I think we all face the challenge, how do we make sure that the staff that join us get the same benefits that we all got when we joined the organisation, of being able to work with and interact with people who have been here and learn from them. 'And I worry about the new staff, I worry about the young staff coming in. For the last two years it has been far more difficult for them than we want it to be to acquire that knowledge and understanding of how things are done. 'So for that reason if for no other I think it's important people come to work more. But we are going to balance it. Mr Bailey acknowledged that people 'take very different' attitudes on working from home. But he added: 'As employers we are all having to face the fact we're having to recruit people in a job market where that is increasingly part of the work life balance. Because it has to be said that organisations have proved that you can do more things with home working than you thought you could.' Advertisement A drug dealer jailed for life for the 'brutal' murder of three-year-old Kemarni Watston Darby smiled at police when they arrived at the scene shortly after the boy was beaten to death inside a filthy flat of horrors. Nathaniel Pope, 32, was found guilty of murder in April, following a five-month trial which heard that Kemarni had 34 separate areas of external injuries. Today, he was jailed for life at Birmingham Crown Court with a minimum of 24 years. His girlfriend and Kemarni's mother, 31-year-old Alicia Watson, was cleared of murder but was today jailed for 11 years for child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of her three-year-old son. Now, it has been revealed that Pope smiled with officers and claimed not to be Watson's partner when police arrived at the scene following Kemarni's killing. A video clip of the encounter with an officer was released by West Midlands Police after the sentencing, showing a shirtless Pope in an apparently relaxed mood despite beating Kermani to death. The Judge said she believed Pope was under the influence of cannabis when he killed the toddler. Kermarni was kept in a room locked with an electrical wire in a cramped property in West Bromwich, Birmingham. He suffered 'a catalogue of horrendous injuries' - likened to those of a car crash victim - in the weeks before he was killed while living in the flat which had rooms strewn with rubbish and clothing. In the photos of the living room, where Kemarni was pictured eating toast next to a clump of his hair, there was tops of baby bottles, pharmacy containers and plastic bags splayed out on the ground. Other photos show electrical wire being used a makeshift lock on a bedroom door, and the kitchen covered with plates, bottles, rubbish packets, and McDonalds packaging - which was one of the last meals Kemarni ate. Jurors heard that Watson and Pope, who blamed each other from the witness box, continued to live together for several months after Kemarni died from abdominal injuries in June 2018 when his ribs were 'crushed' at their two-bedroom flat in West Bromwich. Passing the sentences, Mrs Justice Tipples said the three-year-old had suffered more than 25 rib fractures at four different points in time. The judge told Pope and Watson: 'This is a particularly distressing and tragic case. Kemarni died on the afternoon of the June 5 2018. You, Nathaniel Pope, brutally assaulted Kemarni in the sitting room of his own home, and knowing he was in extreme distress and pain, you left him to bleed to death. 'I am sure that you did this when Alicia Watson was out. When you (Watson) returned, you found Kemarni's lifeless body on the sofa and dialled 999.' The judge added that Kemarni's injuries had been the result of extremely severe force 'compatible with the type of injuries seen in a road traffic collision or when an individual falls from a height'. Watson knew Pope was injuring Kemarni with punches and kicks and had done nothing to stop it, the judge said, while she also 'regularly beat him hard' with her hands. Kemarni Watson Darby, pictured, suffered fatal abdominal injuries in an assault at the two-bedroom flat where he lived with Pope and his mother Alicia Watson in West Bromwich, West Midlands Nathaniel Pope shows no signs of remorse and looks relaxed when being questioned by police on their arrival to the scene Nathaniel Pope, 32, (right) and Alicia Watson, 30, (left) have been convicted of causing the death of three-year-old Kemarni Watson Darby who suffered weeks of 'horrendous' abuse before he died One of the bedrooms in the two-bedroom flat where Kemarni Watson Darby was murdered in West Bromich back in 2018. Watson and Post, who were both also found guilty of multiple child cruelty counts, lived together in rooms strewn with rubbish and clothing This photo issued by West Midlands Police shows electrical wire being used a makeshift lock on a bedroom door at the flat where three-year-old Kemarni Watson Darby was killed In the living room, pictured, where Kemarni was shown eating toast next to a clump of his hair, there was tops of baby bottles, pharmacy containers and plastic bags splayed out on the ground He suffered 'a catalogue of horrendous injuries' - likened to those of a car crash victim - in the weeks before he was killed while living in the flat which had rooms strewn with rubbish and clothing Pictured: The court was shown this image of Kemarni eating toast with a clump of hair on the right of the frame The trial was told Kemarni had most likely been stamped on and had been subjected to physical abuse on several occasions in the weeks leading up to his death. Watson lied to several people about her son's injuries - telling his nursery and other family members that he'd been hurt in a play fight with his siblings. On the day he died, she took Kemarni to a medical centre where she told medics her son was suffering from a suspected stomach bug. At no point did she disclose that he had been assaulted and heartbreaking CCTV shows the mum and son visiting a McDonald's just hours before he died. Other images show the cramped and squalid conditions at Watson's two bedroomed flat with litter strewn across the property. Expert pathologists gave evidence that it was extremely likely that Kemarni suffered the fatal injuries when he returned home from the doctor's appointment. Mother claimed the case against her was 'disgustingly wrong' Alicia Watson cut a defiant and angry figure during much of her six days of evidence - accusing barristers of lying and dismissing the case against her as 'disgustingly wrong'. On the fifth day of her testimony, the 30-year-old suffered a nosebleed and told the jury she was mentally and physically exhausted - and was 'done' with giving evidence. The trial judge at Birmingham Crown Court then allowed Watson to complete her testimony by videolink at HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire - with the end of her cross-examination limited to just one hour. Watson had always insisted at trial that her son Kemarni must have been attacked by her former lover, Nathaniel Pope, while she was away from their flat, but also claimed she had no idea how he had suffered broken ribs. During questioning by Pope's QC Jonas Hankin she spoke of being 'p****d off' with some of the questions ranged at her. During his time-limited questioning of Watson, prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC asked her to account for 34 non-medical related external injury sites found on Kemarni's body, including some containing multiple bruises. Asked how many of the injuries she had been aware of, Watson replied: 'None. He had old scarring from accidents but nothing new as far as I knew. 'I didn't cause them, I didn't see them. I loved and cared for my child for three years.' Claiming to have been horrified at 'learning' of Kemarni's internal injuries, including damage to his abdomen, Watson repeatedly denied lying. Mr Badenoch put it to Watson that she had not been living with a 'secretive child abuser' but acted with Pope to abuse Kemarni 'for days, months and hours on end'. Watson said the Crown's case was 'disgustingly wrong', but jurors unanimously convicted her of child cruelty and causing or allowing her little boy's death, after a 65-day trial. Advertisement They believed there was no way he could have stood up and walked, let alone make it to the doctor's surgery with the injuries he later died of. Kemarni was left with a 'plethora' of severe injuries including multiple fractures to his rib cage and wounds to his liver and colon. Bruising was also uncovered on his lungs, head, mouth, neck, arms, chest, abdomen, back and legs. In a harrowing 999 call played to the jury, Watson can be heard telling operators her lifeless son was 'not responding'. The call-handler asks her 'Is the patient breathing?' to which she replies: 'Yeah, but he's not responding to me. 'He's three-years-old, he's not responding, he's not responding. 'I took him to the doctors this morning and I've just gone to pick up my other children but he's not responding to me.' She then goes on to tell the operator 'his breathing is quiet' before she can be heard sobbing down the phone. The judge added that she was sure Pope was under the influence of cannabis when he killed the three-year-old. The judge told Pope: 'The final assault involved multiple blows to his chest, limbs and abdomen from fists, kicking or with an object. 'This was a severe and sustained assault which will have caused extreme distress and pain and that would have been obvious to you. 'Abusing Kemarni was and became an accepted course of conduct in the flat. Kemarni was not your son and he did not mean anything to you. You saw him as a nuisance who got in the way of your relationship.' Among the fatal injuries to the toddler's body were four rib fractures believed by pathologists to have been caused up to four weeks before he was killed at his home. Pope, who was jailed for four months in 2011 for a brutal attack on a young mother on a London bus, claimed he had not seen or heard the final fatal attack. The former warehouse worker, from Wolverhampton, has previous convictions for burglary and possession of heroin with intent to supply. Watson, of Handsworth, Birmingham, swore at Pope's QC while giving evidence and denied any wrongdoing. During the trial, it emerged that she had bought cannabis and spent money on driving lessons as Kemarni lost his nursery place due to lack of funds. The trial was told that Kemarni would already have been in pain from serious injuries when, hours before he was beaten to death, he was taken by Watson to a walk-in health centre, where he was given medicine for a suspected stomach bug. Giovanni D'Alessandro, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'This was a deeply disturbing case of two people who were supposed to be protecting a defenceless three-year-old boy but instead subjected him to cruelty and repeated bouts of violence. 'It's incomprehensible that little Kemarni was subjected to such heinous acts of brutality in his final days, causing him intense and ongoing pain and distress before ultimately killing him. 'Rather than take responsibility for their actions, both Watson and Pope repeatedly lied and sought only to blame one another for all of these crimes. 'My thoughts are with the remaining members of Kemarni's family. Nothing can bring him back, nor do I imagine that this conviction will bring comfort to those that knew and loved him. Pictured: During the trial, jurors were shown pictures of an injury to Kemarni's right eye CCTV issued by West Midlands Police of three-year-old Kemarni Watson Darby walking with his mother Alicia Watson Pictured: Pope was jailed for four months in 2011 after attacking a young mother, dragging her off a London bus by her hair and beating her in front of her children after the young woman's pram accidentally nudged his partner's pram 'What I do hope is that the fact that his killer has been brought to justice and that he faces a lengthy prison sentence will assist them in coping with their grief and loss.' Yesterday, Kemarni's father revealed how he was 'deceived' by the 'lying couple' and paid tribute to his son. Chilling 999 call Alicia Watson made after her partner murdered her son Call handler: 'Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?' Watson: 'Um yeah but he's not responding to me, he's three.' Call handler: 'He's three? He's three-years-old?' Watson: 'He's three-years-old, he's not responding.' Call handler: 'He's not responding?' Watson: 'He's not responding, no. I went to the doctors this morning, I've come back home, he's not responding to me.' Call handler: 'Ok, is his breathing noisy or quiet?' Watson: 'He's breathing quiet.' Call handler: 'His breathing's quiet, and he's three-years-old?' Watson: 'Yeah.' Call handler: 'Just stay calm for me, we've got the help arranged, what's the address?' Advertisement In a statement read to a sentencing hearing by a barrister at the same court on Monday, Darren Darby said: 'My son Kemarni was an active, fun, boisterous, cheeky young boy. He was always smiling and laughing. 'His life has been cruelly cut short. He had the potential to be so much. 'I will not get to be involved in the key moments of his life. 'Kemarni was loved by so many people, both friends and family. Everyone has been impacted by his death.' Mr Darby, who is currently studying at university and made his statement two weeks after the trial ended, went on: 'We had to wait over three years before we could lay Kemarni to rest because of the criminal inquiry. 'When I first heard the news that Kemarni had died I cannot put into words how I felt. 'As time went on I would be told about the injuries Kemarni had. It didn't come all at once, it was piece by piece, revelation by revelation. 'Both Alicia and Nathaniel told lies so you can't be sure what's truth and what's fiction. All I feel is anger towards them - I feel deceived by them. 'It's about coping now - trying to get through each day. When you are in this situation it doesn't seem real. 'It's a true life sentence for me and my family. There is no coming back from this - Kemarni is not coming back.' A four-month trial followed where the jury was told Watson and Pope, who blamed each other from the witness box, were 'partners in crime' and continued to live together for several months after Kemarni's death. Jurors found the youngster died from abdominal injuries on the afternoon of June 5, 2018, after his ribcage was 'crushed' at the couple's two-bedroom flat in West Bromwich, inflicted by Pope. Revealed: How drug-dealing killer launched attack on young mother on London bus in 2011 after her pram nudged his partner's buggy The jury which convicted drug-dealer Nathaniel Pope was told some details of his criminal past - but not that he launched a sickening attack on a young mother on a London bus in 2011. Details of the brutal assault - which saw Pope repeatedly smash the victim's head into a hand-rail, drag her off the bus by her hair and kick her as she lay on the pavement - were kept from the jury after he claimed they were 'markedly different' to the facts surrounding the killing of Kemarni Watson Darby. The bus attack, committed in Hendon after the victim's pram accidentally nudged his then partner's buggy, led to Pope being jailed for four months. Jurors were told Pope was convicted of common assault and was jailed, but were not given further details of the attack following legal argument. Prosecutors claimed Pope's actions demonstrated that he had previously participated in a joint assault with a female partner in front of and with complete disregard to children. Advertisement But also among the fatal injuries to Kemarni's body were four rib fractures believed by pathologists to have been caused up to four weeks before he was killed at his home in West Bromwich. Pope, who was jailed for four months in 2011 for a brutal attack on a young mother on a London bus, claimed in court that he had not seen or heard the fatal attack on Kemarni. Jurors were told Pope was convicted of common assault and was jailed for the bus attack, but were not given further details of the attack following legal argument. The former warehouse worker has previous convictions for burglary and possession of heroin with intent to supply, and was found with a 'rock' of crack cocaine hidden in his buttocks when he was arrested for murder in March 2021. Watson, said to have a 'zero to 100' temper, became angry while giving evidence, blaming Pope and claiming she only lived with him after her son's death because she doubted the medical evidence. Expert witnesses said the youngster was already in pain from serious injuries when, hours before he was beaten to death, he was taken by Watson to a walk-in health centre, where she told a nurse her son was being sick, had a high temperature and was not eating. Notes from the visit suggested that Kemarni, who was given medicine for a suspected stomach bug, had been vomiting for five days and was 'not his usual self'. Opening the case at the start of the trial, prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC said: 'Post-mortem examinations revealed that Kemarni had sustained horrendous injuries both that day and on earlier occasions. 'The injuries were evident both externally and internally when a post-mortem examination was conducted. 'Amongst those injuries were multiple fractures to his skeleton, some of which would have required force akin to a road traffic accident or stamping. 'Both recent and non-recent injuries were found. There were multiple fractures to both the left and right side of his ribcage which could be dated historically into the hours and weeks preceding his death. 'At least four separate events caused the fractures. They included corner fractures, fracture lines, partial fractures and a complete transverse fracture.' CCTV showed Watson take Kemarni to the shops and to McDonalds hours before his death Pictured: Expert witnesses said the youngster was already in pain from serious injuries when, hours before he was beaten to death, he was taken by Watson to a walk-in health centre Both defence barristers offered mitigation to the court after Mr Darby's statement was read today by prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC. Jonas Hankin QC, representing Pope, submitted that the former warehouse worker's 'truly dreadful' actions, with many aggravating features, should not be viewed in the same category as the 'purposeful, systematic and perpetual abuse' seen in some other child murder cases in recent years. He said: 'The fatal violence, grievous and brutal that it must have been, was not obviously dangerous to life.' Watson's QC, Charles Sherrard, said: 'No matter what the court does, she has lost everything. 'Of course the jury's verdicts demonstrated that she is culpable in that loss. 'She will come out (of prison) to a family that is understandably split between some that remain supportive and those that will always understandably remain extremely critical. 'The effect on her mental health is significant. She is perhaps in a very dark place and may never come out of it.' And 'reason to assume' monkeypox case at fetish festival in Antwerp Maspalomas, the Gran Canarian pride festival, is being investigated Former WHO official said monkeypox may have spread at two raves in Europe Dr David Heymann, who used to head the WHO's emergencies department, said someone with the tell-tale monkeypox lesions likely 'spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact' Sexual transmission at two festivals in Europe may have sparked the worlds escalating monkeypox outbreak, a World Health Organization expert has claimed. Dr David Heymann, who used to head the WHO's emergencies department, revealed it was the leading theory behind the origins of the current cluster of cases. He said: 'We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission. 'It's very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact. 'And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the US and other European countries.' Despite not naming either festival, health chiefs tasked with containing the virus have already begun tracing cases back to the Gran Canarian gay pride festival attended by up to 80,000 people between May 5-15. Meanwhile, three cases in Belgium have been linked with Darklands a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, held from May 5-8. Organisers have since said there is reason to assume someone at the event was infected. Spanish health chiefs have also linked many cases to a single 'sauna' in Madrid. The Gran Canarian pride festival (pictured), held between May 5 and 15, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases And organisers of large-scale fetish festival Darklands (pictured) in Antwerp, which ran from May 5 to May 8, said there is 'reason to assume' someone at the event had monkeypox What are the super-spreader raves linked with the monkeypox outbreak? What was the event? Gay Pride Maspalomas Where was it? Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands When was it? May 5 to May 15 What is it? The festival featured international artists, a parade, boat trips and pool parties. How many people went? 80,000 people from around the world How is it linked with monkeypox? It was attended by people who tested positive for the monkeypox virus afterwards. Public health services from the Canary Islands are investigating the any links between the cases and the LGBT+ celebrations. Spanish health chiefs said 'several' confirmed cases in Madrid attended the event but it is 'not yet possible to know if one of them is patient zero of this outbreak or if they all got infected there'. What was the event? Darklands Festival Where was it? Antwerp in Belgium When was it? May 4 to 9 What is it? The fetish festival says it combines education, entertainment, shopping and parties. How is it linked to monkeypox? Health officials in Belgium confirmed three cases of monkeypox among visitors at Darklands. 'Theres reason to assume that the virus has been brought in by visitors from abroad to the festival after recent cases in other countries,' the organisers said. Advertisement The theory marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Scientists say it will be difficult to establish whether the spread is being driven by sex or merely close contact. Dr Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, said: 'By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a person's sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission.' Dr Andrea Ammon, the director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, warned 'the likelihood of further spread of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities among persons with multiple sexual partners, is considered to be high'. The Gran Canarian festival, Maspalomas, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases in Madrid, Italy and Tenerife, it emerged over the weekend. Held between May 5 and May 15, it attracts visitors from across the continent. It was attended by people who have tested positive for the monekypox virus afterwards, with public health services from the Canary Islands now investigating the any links between the cases and the LGBT+ celebrations. The Darklands fetish festival, in Antwerp, combines education, entertainment, shopping and parties. Health officials in Belgium confirmed three cases of monkeypox among visitors at Darklands. 'Theres reason to assume that the virus has been brought in by visitors from abroad to the festival after recent cases in other countries,' the organisers said. Dr Heymann, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said monkeypox is unlikely to trigger widespread transmission because it 'is not Covid'. 'We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it,' he said. Monkeypox cases so far have been mild, with no deaths reported. Typically, the virus causes fever, chills, rash and lesions on the face or genitals. Most people recover within several weeks without requiring hospital treatment. At least 172 infections have been confirmed worldwide, with scientists probing 87 more across 17 countries, including the US, Spain and Portugal. The UK has the most monkeypox cases, with 37 more logged yesterday, including the first ever in Scotland, bringing the tally to 57. Health chiefs have warned numbers will continue to rise. The UK is using the jabs to vaccinate close contacts of confirmed cases, to form a buffer of immune people to limit the disease's spread. Britons who are high-risk close contacts of monkeypox sufferers, including NHS workers, are being told to self-isolate for three weeks and to avoid contact with children. It comes as Portuguese virologists, tasked with conducting Covid-like studies to trace the virus's evolution, claim the strain currently circulating is very similar to one that cropped up in Britain four years ago. But samples taken from a handful of patients struck down in the fresh outbreak suggest the virus has collated an extra 50 mutations. Researchers at Portugal's National Institute of Health in Lisbon wrote that this was 'far more than one would expect considering the estimated substitution rate for orthopoxviruses'. They also warned that an 'evolutionary jump' like with the Covid Omicron strain may have created a 'hyper-mutated virus'. Meanwhile, they said the multi-country outbreak 'most likely has a single origin' at a super-spreader event. How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 16 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been informed of 92 confirmed cases by Saturday and 28 suspected infections, most of which have been detected in Europe. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Monkeypox may be able to linger in the body for 10 weeks even after the tell-tale rash has disappeared, scientists say. Experts don't believe patients can be contagious for that length of time but say that remains the 'big unanswered question'. The findings are from an analysis of the UK's seven previous cases, who were struck down between 2018 and 2021. It prompted experts to reassure parents cases in children are extremely rare and any new rashes in youngsters are more likely to caused by chickenpox or hand, foot and mouth disease. Seventy-one Britons have so far caught monkeypox, in an outbreak that has sparked alarm across the world. A disproportionate number of cases are in gay and bisexual men Usually only seen in Africa, sporadic cases of the tropical virus do crop up in Britain but outbreaks tend to fizzle out naturally. The new study also revealed that a smallpox antiviral could help people fight off the disease. Tecovirimat, not officially approved to treat monkeypox, helped one infected patient in 2021 recover and be discharged from hospital after just a few days of treatment. One of the UK's seven previous cases a man in his 40s, who caught monkeypox in Nigeria before being hospitalised here still tested positive 76 days after first falling ill, the research revealed. In what would be a world-first if proven true, doctors believe he suffered a relapse after having sex. Patient 4, a man treated for monkeypox in London in 2019, appeared to make a full recovery from the virus but suffered a post-sex relapse six weeks after being given the all-clear, testing positive for the virus 70-plus days after initially falling ill. This chart tracks his PCR results for monkeypox using blood (red), throat swabs (green), urine (yellow), and lesions (black) over time. It also shows how long he suffered from the initial monkeypox rash (dotted line) Scientists also published details about patient 7, who was given tecovirimat in an attempt to help her recover quicker. She was found to have recovered much quicker than other patients, the crosses on the graph indicate when she started her daily does of tecovirimat Monkeypox cases are rare in children and parents should not worry, experts say Parents should not worry about their children having monkeypox as cases in youngsters are rare, and it is more likely any rash is due to chickenpox or hand foot and mouth disease, experts have said. The reassurance comes as 71 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in the UK. Researchers who have been looking into the current outbreak, as well as past cases of the disease, say it is rare in children. Dr David Porter, paediatric infectious diseases consultant, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'As a parent with a child that might develop a rash, I don't think parents should be worried about this beingmonkeypox at this stage, because we're seeing a very low number of cases. 'And in all the previous outbreaks that have occurred outside of Africa over the last few years, we've seen very rare numbers of cases in children, so it's been predominantly in adults anyway. 'And without any contact history with somebody that's known or strongly felt to have monkeypox, and then if you've got a rash at this time of year when we've seen lots of rashes from chickenpox and other things in children, hand, foot and mouth disease, then that's what it's likely to be.' He added that if children have a rash and no contact history with someone who has had monkeypox, parents and carers should be reassured and follow what they normally do. Advertisement The man, who wasn't identified, was given the all clear and sent home from hospital a few weeks after being struck down with the virus. Six weeks later, when he had sex for the first time after his illness, his virus came back. He told medics how his lymph nodes had swollen in size, researchers wrote in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases. This swelling came with pustular skin lesions, characteristic of monkeypox. Subsequent PCR tests of the lesions and his throat came back positive for the virus. But the man's relapse was short and he was 'otherwise clinically well'. Study author Dr Hugh Adler, from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said they were 'surprised' that monkeypox could be detected in the throat and blood for that length of time. 'It remains positive in throat and blood for the length of the illness and maybe even longer after the rash,' he said. Traditionally, monkeypox patients are considered infectious while they have the characteristic rash and lesions. But these tend to scab over and fall off after a few weeks. The man did have a second rash, which likely means he was infectious again. But while the man was the most extreme example, other patients tested positive for monkeypox on PCR tests up to four weeks after their rash disappeared. No other patients experienced a relapse. Dr Adler warned more research was needed to confirm whether the virus could be transmissible after the hallmark rash has disappeared. 'We don't, in our paper, see any signal these patients are infectious for longer than the rash persisted,' he said. 'But it it a very notable finding that has not been demonstrated before that changes our understanding of how the disease works.' Dr Simon Clarke, an infectious disease expert based at the University of Reading who was not involved in the study, told MailOnline the research highlighted how little we know about monkeypox. 'This does suggest that the virus could persist for longer than we realise in people,' he said. Pictures taken from patients treated in Britain for monkey pox, showing the various lesions that can appear. Image H shows a deep abscess of puss located under the skin in one patient Dr Hugh Adler, an author of the new study, said they were 'surprised' that monkeypox could be detected in PCR tests and if people could be infectious for longer than might be expected is a 'big unanswered question' Pets could keep spreading monkeypox through Europe FOREVER: Health chiefs make stark warning as UK's cases TRIPLE in just three days Monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe, health officials warned yesterday. Experts on the Continent sounded the alarm as it was announced that cases in the UK have almost tripled in three days. Another 37 cases were confirmed in addition to the 20 already identified, taking the total to 57. As of yesterday, there were 67 confirmed cases cases of monkeypox in nine European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France, and at least 42 suspected cases. A rapid risk-assessment published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said pet rodents, such as rats and mice should ideally be isolated in 'monitored facilities' if they belong to close contacts of infected people. In Africa, where monkeypox is endemic, or well established, the virus is often in rodents including squirrels and dormice. The ECDC said rodents and squirrels could be 'suitable hosts' and a 'spill-over event', where the virus spreads from people to pets to wildlife, could see monkeypox become endemic in Europe. Advertisement 'That doesnt mean that it does in every case, it might just be a minority, but its a clear possibility.' He added that the idea of sex triggering a relapse in monkeypox was possible, but more studies were needed. 'Its not too difficult to envisage that a potential reservoir for this virus in the groin area could mean that the mechanics of sexual activity could somehow, and we really dont know how, result in reactivation of dormant virus,' he said. 'As the authors state, this has been proposed for other infections, but it requires a lot more research.' In the main arm of the study, the researchers also revealed tecovirimat could help patients recover quicker. Three patients were given the smallpox antiviral brincidofovir, while one received another antiviral tecovirimat. Brincidofovir had no 'convincing clinical benefit in treating monkeypox'. But the one patient given tecovirimat in 2021 did experience 'a shorter duration of symptoms', only being ill for about a week. However, scientists said with only one patient given the medication interpretation of the results is limited. Tecovirimat was approved as a monkeypox treatment in the EU in January, but UK health drug regulators have not approved for it general use. However, clinicians can give it to patients 'off-label'. The authors acknowledged that their sample size is tiny but say the findings should prompt further research into treating monkeypox patients with antivirals. All patients treated in the UK eventually made a full recovery. The research is timely, with the UK and numerous European nations dealing with a growing monkeypox outbreak. British officials are using the jabs to vaccinate close contacts of confirmed cases, to form a buffer of immune people to limit the disease's spread. The Government has also urged high risk contacts of monkeypox in the UK to self-isolate for three weeks as cases rise across Britain All monkeypox cases so far have been mild, with no deaths reported. Typically, the virus causes fever, chills, rash and lesions on the face or genitals. Most people recover within several weeks without requiring hospital treatment. Tucker Carlson has hit back at former Fox News colleague Carl Cameron for recent comments saying the host should be be jailed or 'end up in something worse,' for his shows content. 'Maybe wind up in jail or maybe something worse' Carlson said Monday, quoting a comment made by the former reporter over the weekend to CNN's Jim Acosta, which criticized the host for spreading false and potentially harmful material. 'Whats "something worse?"' Carlson, 53, asked his audience, after airing a clip of the remarks from former reporter Cameron, which the host told his audience to take as a threat. 'Were not sure what something worse is - but it certainly feels like were moving toward it at a very high speed at this point,' Carlson seemed to warn, before ominously adding, 'Thats the end point to talk like that - "something worse."' Carlson - who has come under fire for comments that leftist critics say support 'The Great Replacement theory, a racist ideology that allegedly inspired the accused Buffalo mass shooter and New Zealand Mosque killer - went on to criticize the left for trying to push a narrative that he is racist. 'Rhetoric has its own internal logic,' Carlson, on of the network's most prominent voices, said. 'Weve experienced it - we can talk ourselves into things. Weve all done that.' He continued: 'Democrats are doing it right now. And what theyre talking themselves into right now, is, quote, something worse. Its scary.' The host then offered what appeared to be a grim warning to his progressive critics. 'It is time to pull back, it is time to deescalate otherwise this is going to get really ugly, really soon.' Tucker Carlson has hit back at former Fox News colleague Carl Cameron for recent comments saying the host should be be jailed or 'end up in something worse,' for his shows content Cameron, who left Fox News in 2017, has been severely critical of the network's promotion of opinion shows, especially Carlson's Cameron, a longtime fixture at Fox before his sudden departure in 2017, has been highly critical of his former network in recent months, especially its promotion of opinion shows such as Carlson's Tucker Carlson Tonight and Tucker Carlson Today. On Monday, Cameron, who blames Fox News and conservative media for the Buffalo shooting, called for government intervention to take Carlson off the air, comparing his broadcasts to the trope of falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater. 'The fact of the matter is, if you disturb the peace by starting a riot in a movie theater, cops are going to arrest you and you might end up in jail or you might end up in something worse,' said Cameron, who now run progressive news aggregator Front Page Live. 'The president has to be more forceful and sooner or later the law enforcement and the US government is going to have to stop the lying because it's causing people's deaths,' he said. 'It's not just Fox, it's social media in general. It's on the internet. And we have to remember that a good portion of what we read is coming from folks who aren't Americans, pretending to be Americans in order to gaslight them even worse.' He went on: 'In this particular case, Tucker has been screaming fire in a crowded movie house for years.' 'That cliche really comes to the matter of what is free speech. And the fact of the matter is, if you disturb the peace by starting a riot in a movie theater, cops are going to arrest you.' At that point, Cameron offered the remark Carlson deemed menacing. 'And you might end up in jail, or you might end up in something worse,' Cameron said. Carl Cameron did not directly accuse Cameron of preaching 'The Great Replacement Theory' on his show Carlson has come under renewed scrutiny in the aftermath of the Buffalo supermarket shooting that killed 10 African American people on May 14, after it emerged the suspect in the shooting was a subscriber to the white nationalist 'The Great Replacement Theory.' The theory - which states that non-white immigration is a liberal plot to alter the cultural landscape of the United States - is something that Carlson has repeatedly been accused of espousing on his show. During the interview, Cameron suggested Carlson be censored and de-platformed because he 'puts out falsehoods that cause damage and violent, violent hate' - but did not outright accuse the host of pedaling the racist ideology. The on-air discussion served as the most recent installment of a media tour that has seen Cameron blame conservative media for the shooting at the Buffalo Tops supermarket on May 17. During an interview with MSNBC's Nicole Wallace on May 17, Cameron asserted that the President Biden should be 'taking some names and putting people in jail' following the racially motivated massacre by 18-year-old Payton Gendron. 'It really is kind of horrible to think that journalists with national and international capacity are putting together this type of nonsense,' Cameron said of longtime colleague Carlson in the interview. The former Fox Chief Political Correspondent then praised president Biden for an appearance the day prior that saw him address the racism and hate officials say motivated the gunman. 'I think the president did a great job. I wish he had done a lot of this a lot sooner, and we need a lot more from the left and the middle, and we got to watch out because the Republicans have become the purveyors of misinformation, and when our two-party system is broken like that, democracy is seriously in trouble,' Cameron said. 'The president acknowledged that it's time to actually start doing things and maybe taking some names and putting people in jail.' The interview also saw Cameron asked how Fox executives could deal with the fact that so many of Payton Gendron's beliefs mirrored issues brought up on Carlson's show. Cameron began criticizing his former employer in 2019 over the departure of known Trump critic Shepherd Smith (pictured), its longtime afternoon news anchor. Smith said he left the network for 'personal reasons' He responded by saying: 'I cant even imagine. Thats partly why I ended up getting out of there.' Cameron's exit from the network, which was announced as a retirement at the time, proved to be somewhat unceremonious in 2019, after Fox brass issued a scathing statement regarding his nixing, hinting the reporter had left on his own accord. 'Carl Cameron left the network because he was no longer able to show up to work each day he has a very short memory for our endless compassion, patience and graciousness in dealing with his multitude of personal struggles,' a spokesperson said at the time. The statement came shortly after Cameron first began criticizing his former employer, over the departure of known Trump critic Shepherd Smith, its longtime afternoon news anchor. At the time, Smith - who was frequently panned by the then president as 'low ratings Shep Smith' - said he left the network for 'personal reasons.' Since then, Cameron has embarked on a crusade against Fox - and in particular, Carlson - over potentially harmful content. In July 2021, he appeared on CNN's 'New Day' to accuse the host of spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. He said of Carlson's coverage: 'It's not news. It's gaslighting. It's propaganda.' Cameron was also critical of Fox News for producing Carlson's documentary on the January 6 Capitol riot named 'Patriot Purge.' He called the documentary: 'Really frightening' and a 'betrayal to the audience,' reports The Huffington Post. In 2019, Cameron told CNN in an interview that Fox News' opinion prime-time lineup was too much for him to take, leading to his retirement from the network. Cameron has yet to respond to Carlson's comments Monday. Carlson has denied promoting racist ideologies such as the Great Replacement Theory on his shows. A 65-year-old Indiana pastor has stepped down from his role in the church after admitting he had an affair with a 16-year-old girl in front of his entire congregation. Pastor John Lowe II stepped down from the New Life Christian Church after being confronted on stage by Bobi Gephart, a 43-year-old woman who came forward with a microphone to tell their church in Warsaw, Indiana, how he'd groomed her as a teen, starting when she was 16 - the legal age of consent in the state. Pastor Lowe II had just told the church that he 'sinned' 20 years ago by committing adultery, without mentioning how old the woman or girl was at the time. He begged for the church's forgiveness, then received a standing ovation. Bobi then stormed towards the stage with her husband, Nate, to say it 'was not just adultery' because she was so young at the time. 'For 27 years I lived in a prison... I lived in a prison of lies and shame. Lying to protect the Lowe family. For years I thought I was a horrible person, having suicidal thoughts and not realizing what had been truly done to me. 'I would still be in a prison if my brother had not just approached me two weeks ago with what he had seen as a teenager that bothered him all these years: his pastor in bed with his younger sister.' Turning to Lowe, she continued: 'I was just 16 when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that? I know you do. 'You did things to to my teenage body that should have never been done. If you can't admit the truth, you have to answer to God. You are not the victim here.' This is the moment Bobi Gephart, 43, and her husband Nate (middle) confronted Pastor John B. Lowe II (left) on stage at the New Life Christian Church in Indiana on Sunday Bobi and her husband then left the church stage and were comforted by other members of the congregation Pastor John Lowe II is now 65. He was 38 when his affair with Bobi began. She was 16 Bobi's husband Nate then added: 'This is a lie. This is not just adultery. 'It's another level. It happened for nine years. When she was 15, 16, the grooming started.' He presented a pearl necklace that his wife had been given by the church and a 'purity ring' that he said the pastor gave her during their affair. Nate returned both items and said the pair 'were not stretching the truth', but encouraged other women who had been these 'gifts of the ministry' to return them too. As the couple left the stage, the pastor then faced angry calls from the congregation. 'If you did it you need to admit it!' said one angry church-goer. Another yelled: 'We need to hear from our pastor!' A third then cried out: 'Give him the microphone!' Lowe returned to the stage. At first he said: 'I told you I committed adultery and that it went on far too long.' A member of the congregation then shouted out: 'You didn't tell us she was 16!' The pastor is shown addressing the congregation and receiving a standing ovation after telling them he 'committed adultery' 20 years ago, before Bobi took to the stage He then relented: 'It was wrong. I can't make it right. I can't make it better. That's just the way it is. 'It's not all true but it did happen, yes.' Because the legal age of consent in Indiana is 16, Lowe is not likely to face criminal charges for the relationship. He has stepped down from the church and has been scrubbed from its website. In a statement, the church said: 'This long-held secret first came to light when a woman in the church came forward and disclosed the relationship to various people within the church. 'When confronted by others in church leadership concerning that report, Pastor Lowe confessed privately that the adultery did, in fact, occur. The pastor and his wife Debbie have now both resigned from the church Bobi Gephart and her husband Nate. They told the congregation that the church was built 'on lies' 'In anticipation of Pastor Lowes public confession during our church service, the woman in question and her family were invited to be present. 'She did attend and, together with her husband, also addressed the congregation, indicating that improper sexual conduct first occurred when she was 16 years of age and continued into her twenties. She tearfully described living with deep shame and pain over the ensuing years. 'In the wake of what has now been revealed, we are hurting and broken for a woman who has lovingly attended and served in the church for many years, as well as for her husband and family. 'It is our deepest prayer and commitment to love, support, encourage and help her through a process of healing in any way in which we are able. 'Our brokenness extends to Pastor Lowe, his wife and family as well. 'For 42 years, New Life has taught and preached a Cross-driven message of repentance, forgiveness and restoration; a ministry of reconciliation which has been both led and modeled by Pastors John and Debbie Lowe. 'As healing occurs in their hearts, their marriage and family, we are committed to demonstrating the same support, encouragement, counsel and forgiveness that has come to define the collective heart and ministry of this body.' Pastor Lowe II and his wife have children the same age as Bobi. Advertisement Twitter's 'woke brigade' has turned on comedian Ricky Gervais after he was praised for his new Netflix special 'SuperNature' that mocks cancel culture with jokes about trans people, Adolf Hitler and AIDS. The comic, 60, who has been embroiled in controversy throughout his career, kicks off the show by describing comedy to the audience as 'basically a bloke talking', before purposely failing to recall any 'funny female comedians'. The new special has received the backing of viewers for broaching controversial topics including the trans debate, racism, identity politics and Hitler - weeks after Netflix was accused of 'being infected by the woke mind virus' by Elon Musk. The comic wastes no time singling out the 'virtue-signalling' and 'dominant mobs' who are quick to criticise just to 'bring people down to raise their own status'. And just minutes into his opening monologue, Gervais yawns to the crowd as he talks about 'those old-fashioned women, you know, with wombs'. He later moves onto quips after transgender women and pronouns, drawing huge laughs from the crowd when he mocks up a debate over gendered toilets. Gervais later offers a strong rebuttal to cancel culture, reminding audiences that their opinion on a comedian's work isn't necessarily the prevailing thought of everyone. 'When someone says to me: "Oh they're not funny", even if I agree with them I say "well you can't say that, you don't find them funny". 'I hate when people say: "That joke was offensive". No, you've got to say you found it offensive. It's all about feelings, and feelings are personal.' Turning his attention to a new brand of 'woke comedy', in which he says comics are required to sign a waiver before their sets promising not to say anything contentious, he told the audience he would rather watch American stand-up comedian Louis CK masturbate. 'Can't mention him anymore, he's cancelled. Not enough to apologise and move on', he jokes. The comedian, 60, starts the show by describing comedy to the audience as 'basically a bloke talking', before purposely failing to recall any 'funny female comedians' Ricky Gervais' gags which kickstarted a Twitter row Mocking up a debate over gendered toilets, Gervais starts the joke: 'They are ladies, look at their pronouns. What about this person isn't a lady? 'Well, his penis.' 'Her penis you f****** bigot'. 'What is he rapes me?' 'What if SHE rapes you?' Turning his sights onto a new branch of 'woke comedy', in which he says comics are required to sign a waiver before their sets promising not to say anything contentious, he jokes he would rather watch American stand-up comedian Louis CK masturbate. 'Can't mention him anymore. He's cancelled', he adds. Gervais later tells his audience: 'You cant predict what will be offensive in the future. You dont know who the dominant mob will be. 'Like, the worst thing you can say today, get you cancelled on Twitter, death threats, the worst thing you can say today is, "Women dont have penises", right? 'Now, no one saw that coming. You wont find a ten-year-old tweet saying "Women dont have penises." You know why? We didnt think we f***ing had to!' Discussing the minorities and the demographics of Britain, Gervais points out: 'We're 5 per cent black, 5 per cent Asian. 5 per cent LGBQT. 'I'm a white, heterosexual multi-millionaire. There's less than one percent of us. 'Do I whine? No. I don't mind'. In another joke towards the end of the show in which he addresses self identity, Gervais says he supports trans rights - a remark met by cheers by a few members of the audience. He adds: 'Full disclosure. In real life, of course I support trans rights. I support all human rights and trans rights are human rights. 'Live your best life, use your preferred pronouns, be the gender that you feel that you are. But meet me halfway ladies, lose the c**k, that's all I'm saying.' Advertisement Discussing Kevin Hart's decision to remove himself from hosting the Oscars in 2018 after historical homophobic tweets emerged, Gervais tells his audience: 'You cant predict what will be offensive in the future. You dont know who the dominant mob will be. 'Like, the worst thing you can say today, get you cancelled on Twitter, death threats, the worst thing you can say today is, "Women dont have penises", right? 'Now, no one saw that coming. You wont find a ten-year-old tweet saying "Women dont have penises." You know why? We didnt think we f***ing had to!' And in another joke towards the end of the show in which he addresses self identity, Gervais says he supports trans rights - a remark met by cheers by a few members of the audience. He adds: 'Full disclosure. In real life, of course I support trans rights. I support all human rights and trans rights are human rights. 'Live your best life, use your preferred pronouns, be the gender that you feel that you are. But meet me halfway ladies, lose the c**k, that's all I'm saying.' Talking to the audience about cancel culture and the transgender issues during an opening monologue, Gervais tells the audience: 'Ah women. Not all women, I mean the old-fashioned women, you know the ones with wombs? Those f***ing dinosaurs. 'I love the new women. Theyre great, arent they? The new ones weve been seeing lately. The ones with beards and c***s. Theyre as good as gold, I love them. 'And now the old-fashioned ones say "oh, they want to use our toilets". Why shouldnt they use your toilets? For ladies! They are ladies look at their pronouns!' Acting out a discussion, he adds: 'What about this person isnt a lady? "Well, his penis." Her penis, you f***ing bigot! "What if he rapes me? What if she rapes you, you f***ing TERF w***e?' The British comedian didn't hold back in the programme and also joked about 'taboo' subjects including Hitler, famine and AIDS. And he has been praised for the 'zero f***s given' approach to the Netflix special. One viewer said: 'How dare comic/actor Ricky Gervais have funny and accurate jokes about people with zero self awareness!' Another said: 'Well, the far left mob is at it again, trying to cancel comedian Ricky Gervais for making jokes about trans people. 'I saw the bit and though the jokes were fine. Light-hearted, no hate. I'll have to hurry and watch the whole show now in case it gets removed.' A third added: 'I'm watching #SuperNature in part because everyone is already offended. 'Being offensive is comedic currency, and the world has all but lost that perspective. Thankful Ricky Gervais doesn't give a s**t because I'm only five minutes in and I'm crying.' Others took to Twitter to share their enjoyment of the special, which was filmed on his most recent tour, many fans rushed to Twitter to praise the comic. One wrote: 'I'm not even 10 minutes into #SuperNature and this is hands down the funniest comedy special I've ever seen. Another said on Twitter: 'I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud as much at a stand up show as I am currently at SuperNature. Ricky Gervais, absolutely brilliant.' Jimmy Carr slammed over his Holocaust joke in Netflix comedy special His Dark Material Jimmy, 49, sparked criticism in February over a clip from his Netflix special His Dark Material, which saw him joke that the 'thousands of gypsies killed by the Nazis' was a 'positive' effect of the Holocaust. In a widely shared clip from his Netflix show, Jimmy joked about the horror of the Holocaust and 'six million Jewish lives being lost'. As a punchline, he then made a disparaging remark about the deaths of thousands of gypsies at the hands of the Nazis. 'But they never mention the thousands of gypsies that were killed by the Nazis. No one ever wants to talk about that, because no one ever wants to talk about the positives,' Carr quipped to a laughing audience. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman branded the joke 'unacceptable', while Health Secretary Sajid Javid urged people to boycott the one-hour special. Jewish comedian David Baddiel, 57, was also among swathes of other people to slam Jimmy over the gag. David said: 'You can obviously tell a Holocaust joke that is cruel and inhumane and mean spirited and racist. 'Or you can tell one that targets the oppressors, or draws attention to the fundamental evil of it, or shines and light on the humanity of the victims. 'It's not the subject matter of the joke that counts, it's the specifics of the individual joke. Clearly, Jimmy Carr's was the former.' Meanwhile, Conservative MP and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries told BBC News that the gag was 'abhorrent'. Advertisement A second wrote: The bloke never fails! Another masterpiece from Ricky Gervais with #SuperNature. Absolute National Treasure.' A third added: 'SuperNature was brilliant. Your comedic perspective is the perfect antidote to taking this crazy world too seriously.' A fourth wrote: 'Howled for the last 64 minutes. Tears rolling down my cheeks. It's been worth waiting for! Just brilliant!' Gervais' new show comes days after Netflix's recently axed of 290 staff - targeting many of the firm's wokest workers who are prolific social justice warriors on social media, it has been claimed. The struggling streaming service has pulled the plug on several projects that were aimed at discussing race and LGBTQ issues, Variety reported, and axed the diverse employees working on and promoting them. A total of 150 recruitment workers were fired, as well as another 70 animators, and 70 contractors working on promotional materials for the firm including social media and publishing. Netflix claimed its latest layoffs were due to 'a slow down in revenue and decline in subscribers.' But critics online speculated that the firings were part of a woke clear-out. SuperNature has, though, received criticism online over its controversial topics. One viewer said on Twitter: 'Netflix, care to comment on the bigoted hatred? Platforming hate, be it racism, homophobia, sexism OR transphobia is wrong! 'So why air Ricky Gervais' bigotry? Why encourage others to target trans people with these "jokes". It's NOT edgy, its NOT controversial, IT'S HATE. STOP!' Another said: 'Ricky Gervais has a new stand up show out on Netflix today. 5 minutes in and hes making jokes about trans women attacking & raping people in public bathrooms. 'To him we exist only as a punchline, a threat, something less than human.' A third added: 'Ricky Gervais is a disgrace, he is going to cause hate crime and ultimately the death of Trans folk. Anyone who needs to vilify minorities to get a laugh is the most evil hateful soul and seriously needs mental help.' It comes after Jimmy Carr faced criticism in February earlier this year after it emerged that he joked about the deaths of six millions Jews in the Holocaust. Gervais' new Netflix special SuperNature has, though, received criticism online over its controversial topics The comedian received a barrage of uproar in over a clip from his Netflix special which saw him joke that the 'thousands of gypsies killed by the Nazis' was a 'positive' consequence of the Holocaust. In the Netflix footage, the 8 Out of 10 Cats presenter said: 'When people talk about the Holocaust, they talk about the tragedy and horror of six million Jewish lives being lost to the Nazi war machine. But they never mention the thousands of gypsies that were killed by the Nazis. No one ever talks about that because no one wants to talk about the positives.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman branded the joke 'unacceptable', while Health Secretary Sajid Javid urged people to boycott the one-hour special. Jewish comedian David Baddiel, 57, was also among swathes of other people to slam Jimmy over the gag. David said: 'You can obviously tell a Holocaust joke that is cruel and inhumane and mean-spirited and racist. 'Or you can tell one that targets the oppressors, or draws attention to the fundamental evil of it, or shines and light on the humanity of the victims. 'It's not the subject matter of the joke that counts, it's the specifics of the individual joke. Clearly, Jimmy Carr's was the former.' Meanwhile, Conservative MP and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries told BBC News that the gag was 'abhorrent'. Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny unsurprisingly lost his legal appeal against a nine-year prison sentence on Tuesday as he lashed the judge as a 'traitor to Russia'. President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing in Moscow City Court via video-link from his prison colony and took the opportunity to tell the judge, 'it's you, your system and Putin who are traitors against the Russian people'. His sentencing came as the Kremlin seeks to silence the remaining government critics within Russia as it pushes on with its military offensive in neighbouring Ukraine. A Moscow court ruled to 'leave the sentence without changes' and for it to enter into force immediately, meaning that the leader of Russia's embattled opposition will be transferred to a strict-regime penal colony with harsh conditions, including few family visits. Navalny in late March had his sentence extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court in what his allies say are trumped up charges to remove a dangerous adversary for the Kremlin. President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing at Moscow City Court via video-link from behind bars at his prison colony outside Moscow, wearing a black prisoner uniform and a fur-collared winter jacket. At a hearing yesterday Putin critic Alexei Navalny had his nine-year jail sentence to a penal colony upheld by a Moscow court Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via a video link from the IK-2 corrective penal colony in Pokrov A man walks past the barbed wire fence of the IK-3 penal colony where Navalny is reported to have served some of his sentence He used the hearing as an opportunity to speak to the media and once again lambast Vladimir Putin and the Russian state for its crimes and corruption that he and his allies charge it with President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing at Moscow City Court via video-link from behind bars at his prison colony outside Moscow, wearing a black prisoner uniform and a fur-collared winter jacket The opposition politician appeared composed during the hearing, even joking about problems with the sound system Vladimir Putin has moved aggressively to dispose of Navalny, a long-term thorn in his side who has consistently revealed Kremlin corruption and challenged his rule He dismissed his trial as 'meaningless', saying: 'I despise your court, your system.' 'It's you, your system and Putin who are traitors against the Russian people', said Navalny, 45. 'I am ready to sit in jail to prove that not everyone in Russia is like this'. Navalny used his speech to condemn the Kremlin and its military campaign in Ukraine. 'What Putin is doing is pointless,' he said. 'One crazy thief has seized hold of Ukraine and no one understands what he wants to do with it'. The opposition politician appeared composed during the hearing, even joking about problems with the sound system. 'Your time will pass and you will burn in hell,' he concluded his speech. A former lawyer who rose to prominence more than a decade ago by lampooning Putin's elite and voicing allegations of corruption on a vast scale, Navalny has been the principal 'non-systemic' (i.e. genuine) opposition to Putin and his regime in Russia. As a long-term thorn in the side of the Russian autocrat, he was arrested on his return to Russia in January 2021 on charges of breaching bail conditions for a previous dubious fraud conviction. He was accused of breaching bail conditions after he was flown to Germany for emergency treatment in August 2020 due to being poisoned by the Kremlin with Novichok. Navalny managed to have a family meeting before being moved to a different colony. Pictured: Navalny with his wife Yulia, right, daughter Daria, and son Zakhar in 2019 In late March, he had his jail time extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzling donations to his political organisations and contempt of court. He was already serving two-and-a-half years in a prison around 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Moscow for violating parole on old fraud charges. The new sentence will replace the one he was handed in February 2021, meaning Navalny will remain behind bars for another eight years. The hearings started last week but Navalny was granted a week's postponement so he could have a family visit. Dozens of Navalny's team and supporters have also been targeted over the last 12 months, with his Anti-Corruption Foundation designated an extremist organisation and effectively outlawed. Many of the people who worked for his foundation will be facing long-term jail sentences themselves and it is thought that a large number have emigrated. Navalny's constant and consistent charges of corruption against Putin and the Russian state were echoed by Russian diplomat to the UN office in Geneva Boris Bondarev, 41, who resigned on Monday after 20 years in the diplomatic service. He sent a letter to 40 diplomats in which he said he had never been 'so ashamed of my country' following Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. In the letter, he condemned 'the aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine and in fact against the entire Western world'. Bondarev added that those who conceived the war 'want only one thing - to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity.' Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, 41, (pictured) resigned on Monday morning after 20 years in the diplomatic service before sending a letter to 40 diplomats in which he said he had never been 'so ashamed of my country' following Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine Navalny rests his arms on his prison bars during a hearing of an appeal against his nine-year prison sentence he was handed in March after being found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court, in Moscow Navalny's lawyer Olga Mikhailova told the court the sentence should be annulled as it is 'unjust' and 'contradicts international law', while the prosecutor called it 'legal and justified'. Navalny alleged his legal team 'caught judge (Margarita) Kotova right in the middle of the trial calling someone from the presidential administration'. Navalny rose to prominence as an anti-corruption blogger and, before his imprisonment, mobilised anti-government protests across Russia. In 2020, he narrowly survived a poisoning attack with Novichok, a Soviet-designed military-grade nerve agent. Despite accusations from Navalny, the Kremlin denied any involvement. He was arrested last year on his return from treatment in Germany, sparking widespread condemnation abroad and sanctions from Western capitals. In 2018, he campaigned as a presidential candidate but was barred from running in the election that saw Putin secure a fourth term in power. Navalny's political organisations across the country have been declared 'extremist' and shut down. His key allies have fled Russia and several are wanted by Russian authorities on criminal charges. Navalny's team continues publishing investigations into the wealth of Russia's elites that have garnered millions of views on YouTube. Downing Street defended its handling of the hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan today after ministers and senior officials were blasted for a lack of leadership as the country fell to the Taliban. In a damning report, MPs said a fundamental lack of planning and preparation by then foreign secretary Dominic Mr Raab and senior officials led to 'a disaster and a betrayal of our allies'. They said the incompetence may have cost lives and demanded the resignation of the Foreign Office's top mandarin, Sir Philip Barton. Both Mr Raab and Sir Philip remained on holiday as the chaos developed in Kabul last summer. In a long-awaited and damning report into the farce, MPs also raised the suggestion that senior figures may not be 'telling the truth' about the airlift of animals from a shelter run by former Royal Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing. Boris Johnson has been accused of intervening to help the Nowzad charity after it lobbied his wife Carrie for assistance. The Commons foreign affairs committee said there had been an 'appalling mismanagement' of the situation in Afghanistan last summer with 'systemic failures of intelligence, diplomacy, planning and preparation'. Ahead of the fall of Kabul, they found the UK Government did 'too little to lay the groundwork' with countries surrounding Afghanistan to secure their help for an evacuation effort. But Mr Johnson's official spokesman today said the were 'significant achievements' in an evacuation that got 15,000 people out of the country as the Islamist hardliners took over. He told reporters: 'We don't agree with all of the conclusions that the committee has drawn on this.' In a damning report, MPs said a fundamental lack of planning and preparation by Mr Raab and senior officials meant the withdrawal from Afghanistan was 'a disaster and a betrayal of our allies'. They said the incompetence may have cost lives. Pictured: A full flight of 265 people are evacuated out of Kabul by the UK Armed Forces on August 21, 2021 British armed forces work with the U.S. military to evacuate eligible civilians and their families out of the country on August 21, 2021 Dominic Raab was condemned yesterday for his lack of leadership when Kabul fell to Taliban forces A US Air Force aircraft is pictured taking off from the airport in Kabul today as the US deployment in the country comes to an end The UK completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, with the US due to complete its exit by Joe Biden's deadline of August 31 British military personnel returning to RAF Brize Norton, August 29, 2021 MPs point finger at Johnson over help for animal charity MPs have pointed the finger at Boris Johnson for a 'mysterious intervention' in an effort to evacuate staff from the Nowzad animal welfare charity from Afghanistan. In their scathing report, a cross-party committee said the situation around Nowzad's animals and staff highlighted the 'arbitrary and chaotic' nature of the Foreign Office's role in the evacuation process. Downing Street has denied the Prime Minister played any role in prioritising the evacuation of Nowzad's staff but the Foreign Affairs Committee said 'multiple senior officials' believed he had and 'we have yet to be offered a plausible alternative explanation'. Mr Johnson personally dismissed as 'total rhubarb' claims he was involved in prioritising the evacuation of animals over people. And today Downing Street insisted Boris Johnson did not approve the evacuation of the Nowzad animal charity when asked for a plausible alternative explanation. Nowzad was set up by former Royal Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing, who launched a high-profile campaign to get his staff and animals out of Kabul as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan. Despite the intervention, Nowzad's staff eventually fled Afghanistan to Pakistan rather than on a plane from Kabul, but the charity's animals were able to leave on a charter flight with Mr Farthing, which the MPs said absorbed 'significant' resources during the chaotic period. Advertisement Boris Johnson retains full confidence in Sir Philip Barton, he added. He praised staff's efforts during the evacuation effort and said there was 'significant pre-planning before that'. Asked if Mr Johnson retains confidence in Sir Philip, the spokesman said: 'Yes'. The spokesman insisted it was not impossible to get fired from Government. Pressed why Sir Philip is the right person for the job, the spokesman said: 'He has significant experience in that field and a number of changes have already been made.' The spokesman also said Mr Johnson does not regret making Dominic Raab Deputy Prime Minister after the evacuation. In the eight months leading to the Taliban's takeover, Mr Raab, who was foreign secretary at the time, made just one call on the subject to a neighbouring country. 'Though the UK Government saw a rapid collapse in Afghanistan as a plausible scenario, the Foreign Office failed properly to prepare for it,' the MPs said. 'As the situation deteriorated, the Foreign Secretary should have taken the lead on contact with third countries, making intensive efforts to put in place evacuation routes. Instead, he delegated meetings to junior ministers, only stepping into action once Kabul had fallen.' The MPs said that as soon as the US announced in February 2020 it was withdrawing from Afghanistan, ministers should have 'immediately taken steps' to develop a 'clear and coherent policy on who it would prioritise for evacuation'. Both Mr Raab and Sir Philip Barton, the head of the diplomatic service, were away on holiday when the Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15. The report said their absence demonstrated 'a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency' and was a 'grave indictment of the attitudes of the Government'. Mr Raab, who had been at a luxury beach resort in Crete, arrived back in London the next day, but Sir Philip returned to his desk only eleven days later once the civilian evacuation was over. The MPs said his decision not to come back 'while staff struggled to implement a poorly-planned evacuation process under intense pressure' was 'difficult to understand and impossible to excuse'. The committee said that Afghans who worked for the British Government were put at risk by the failure to destroy sensitive documents held by the embassy. The MPs also said they had yet to hear a 'plausible alternative explanation' for claims that Boris Johnson approved the controversial evacuation for the Nowzad animal charity. Mr Farthing (pictured in May 2013), who is now in Oslo with his wife Kaisa, said he was 'so bloody happy' that the Nowzad staff, were safely in the care of the British High Commission Mr Farthing (pictured), from Essex, previously said he was working 'every day' to get his Afghan staff out after he was forced to leave them behind amid chaotic scenes in Kabul Taliban patrols in Kabul. They are actively conducting searches for those who supported foreign organisations for the last twenty years The Prime Minister has repeatedly denied that he intervened to approve the rescue of 170 dogs and cats from the shelter run by Mr Farthing. The Foreign Office was accused of giving 'intentionally evasive, and often deliberately misleading' responses to the committee's investigations. Sir Philip 'displayed a worrying lack of knowledge of the department he leads' and a determination to avoid unearthing the facts, the MPs said. They also accused him of failing to ensure a record was kept of decisions. 'This would be a serious failure at any time, but during the withdrawal from Afghanistan may have led to the loss of life,' the MPs concluded. 'The committee has lost confidence in the permanent under-secretary, who should consider his position.' Mr Raab was ousted from the Foreign Office and shunted to the Ministry of Justice in the wake of the crisis. He faced an extraordinary backlash over his failure to make a crucial phone call to seek urgent help in airlifting translators out of Afghanistan. The rapid advance of Taliban fighters surprised the U.S. military and intelligence community. However, in his report the inspector general said the collapse of the Afghan armed forces should have been predicted once U.S. support was withdrawn Taliban fighters from the Fateh Zwak unit celebrated before storming into the Kabul International Airport after U.S. troops had left, securing their hold on the country Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman the committee, said: 'The UK's part in this tragedy exposes a lack of seriousness in achieving coordination, a lack of clear decision-making, a lack of leadership and a lack of accountability. 'While junior officials demonstrated courage and integrity, chaotic and arbitrary decision-making runs through this inquiry. 'Sadly, it may have cost many people the chance to leave Afghanistan, putting lives in danger.' A Government spokesman said: 'Our staff worked tirelessly to evacuate over 15,000 people from Afghanistan within a fortnight. 'This was the biggest UK mission of its kind in generations and followed months of intensive planning and collaboration between UK Government departments.' Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday vowed to avenge the death of a senior Revolutionary Guard member who was slain in the heart of Tehran in a mysterious attack on the nation's powerful paramilitary force. The official hailed Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei and called him a martyr while blaming "the hand of global arrogance" for his death. The term was a reference to the United States and its allies, including Israel, for the slaying of the guard member. Slain Iranian Revolutionary Guard Since the attack, there has been no claim of responsibility for the killing that was carried out on a Sunday afternoon by two unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike. The two suspects shot the Revolutionary Guard member five times in a car, an unarmored SAIPA Pride, which is among the cheapest, most-common Iranian vehicles. However, the style of the brazen attack bore the hallmarks of previous slayings in Iran that authorities have blamed on Israel, including those that targeted the country's nuclear scientists. In a statement at the airport before leaving Tehran for a state visit to Oman, Raisi said that there was no doubt that revenge for the killing was assured, as per the Associated Press. The Iranian president's remarks signaled Khodaei's prominence in the murky structure of the Revolutionary Guard which exerts extensive control inside Iran and across the Middle East. The Tehran city council also announced that it would name a street after the slain guard member, which is seen as another sign of Khodaei's power. Read Also: Ukraine Won't Give Up Territory in Ceasefire Deal With Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky Reveals Only Way to End War The Revolutionary Guard identified Khodaei as a "defender of the shrine," which is a reference to Iranians who fight against the extremist Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq within the elite Quds Force that oversees international operations. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency also described the slain member's role on Monday as "managing the advisory activities" of the Quds Force in the Levant region. According to The Guardian, the slaying of Kahodaei is the highest-profile killing of an Iranian official since the violent death of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020. Raisi has called on a pursuit of the attackers, insisting that security officials capture the gunmen. International Dispute Iranian officials have claimed that they have arrested "Zionist agents" but offered no evidence or details. On the other hand, Israeli officials have not provided any official comment on the latest assassination. However, the news of the killing was carried widely by Israeli press, which linked Khodaei to an alleged plot to kidnap Israeli diplomats abroad. It was previously claimed that the slain Revolutionary Guard was behind an attempt, which was recently uncovered, by Iranian operatives to lure Israeli academics, businesspeople, and former defense officials abroad and potentially kidnap them. The reports also said that he was behind an alleged plot to kill five Israelis in Cyprus. An Iranian security source said that Khodaei played an important role in the country's military industry, especially regarding drones. The situation comes after former United States President Donald Trump tagged the Revolutionary Guard as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Times of Israel reported. Related Article: Afghanistan Food Crisis: Expert Highlights Catastrophic Consequences if Afghans Don't Get Help @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A British Army instructor was secretly recorded admitting a female colleague had told him 'no' moments before he allegedly raped her, a court martial heard. Private Omar Archibald, 24, admitted he had sex with the woman in her bedroom in Yorkshire but denies her claims that she was so drunk she only remembers not wanting to sleep with him, a military court heard. The hearing was told Pt Archibald 'pestered' the female soldier who he had 'fancied for some time' to join him during a drink-fuelled evening on base. But after initially rebuffing his advances, and drinking Gordon's pink gin, Apple Sourz, Smirnoff vodka and beer, she told the 24 year old which room she was in during the early hours of the following morning. He then came and sat on her bed, removed her clothes and started having sex with her, the woman claims. She told the court she could remember saying 'no' and could not remember how they then had sex due to how drunk she was at the time. The court also heard a recording in which the soldier admitted his colleague had said 'no' when he tried to have sex with her. Private Omar Archibald had sex with the woman in her bedroom in Yorkshire when she was so drunk she can only remember not wanting to sleep with him, Bulford Military Court (pictured) heard Graham Coombes, prosecuting, said Pt Archibald knew the female soldier through his work as a physical training instructor at the garrison in Catterick, North Yorkshire. He told Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire: 'Sometime after 7.30am she was raped by the accused in her single living accommodation. 'Due to her heavily intoxicated state, she was either too drunk to consent or was so vulnerable due to her state of intoxication at the time the accused couldn't reasonably believe she was consenting.' The court heard how the female soldier had been drinking from 7pm until 6am and had consumed large amounts of alcohol. Mr Coombes added: 'For reasons unclear, but most likely due to how heavily intoxicated she was, when he messaged her [at 7am] asking what room number she was in so he could pop round she messaged back with her room number. 'She will say by this time she was very drunk and just wanted to go to sleep. 'Her memory was heavily affected by the alcohol but she has memories of kissing the accused in her bed. The next thing she remembers is the accused having no clothes on and her really not wanting to have sex with him. 'She remembers pushing him away' [as he tried to have intercourse with her] ... her telling him 'no, I don't want to'.' He also said the court would be shown Instagram messages prior to the alleged rape which are 'quite revealing' and shows she 'rebuffs' his 'advances' where he asks her out for a meal and a drink. Mr Coombes also said: 'He was messaging her throughout the entire evening asking her, to the point of pestering her, whether she was coming to the male accommodation block for drinks. 'This pestering reaches the point she has to tell him 'chill' on two separate occasions.' The court heard she messaged him saying she was still drunk in the morning and had not yet gone to sleep, while he had slept and sobered up before he arrived at her room at about 7.30am. She said: 'I just remember being very drunk. He came to my room, sat on my bed, I'm assuming we started kissing but I don't remember. 'The next thing is him not having any clothes on and me really not wanting to have sex and pushing him away a few times saying I don't want to do it. 'I think maybe I just gave in []. I don't really remember anything about it.' She said she arranged to meet Pt Archibald just over a week later to get 'clarity'. The court then heard a recording in which the soldier admitted his colleague had said 'no' when he tried to have sex with her. But he went on to say she then started kissing him and taking her own clothes off before they had sex, which he took as consent. He said: 'You did say no, but then you took all your clothes off.' She told the court: 'Taking my clothes off isn't consent to have sex, as well as me saying no.' The court also heard, in his police interview, that Pt Archibald denied raping the woman and insisted 'all sexual activity was performed with mutual consent' Addressing the woman, Tom Wilkins, defending, then said: 'You may have been drinking but you consented to him coming round. 'You may have regretted it, but you consented to the sex. You did consent but your memory was fragmentary and you just weren't sure what happened.' She replied: 'The one event I remember from that night is I said no. 'I know I didn't want that to happen and equally I know I was too drunk to make a decision about whether or not I wanted that to happen.' The court heard, in his police interview, that Pt Archibald denied raping the woman and insisted 'all sexual activity was performed with mutual consent'. He also claimed she did not appear intoxicated and that in the recording him conceding she said 'no' did not relate to them having sex. Pt Archibald, of 27 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps, denies one charge of rape. The trial continues. A box truck covered with anti-Semitic slogans and men dressed in Nazi uniforms drove through the Los Angeles area last weekend sparking an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The watchdog group, StopAntisemitism, has identified the men as part of an anti-Semitic hate group called the Goyim Defense League. On Sunday, the truck was film driving through the LA area and stopping in front of the posh Beverly Hills hotel. In the video, a man in yellow shorts and a hat with fake sidelocks, mocking the style of a Hasidic person, runs out of the box truck yelling 'The Nazi's. The Nazis are coming.' Two men in brown shirts with arm bands and helmets with their faces cover by gas masks followed after him and loitered outside the hotel. Anti-Semitic slogans like 'Ann Coulter is right about the Jews' and 'Jewish Lives Matter More' and 'Need any more proof that your'e [sic] living in a occupied country,' with the 'o' replaced by a star of David, where written on the truck. 'We are aware of an incident that occurred yesterday involving non-guests outside of The Beverly Hilton,' a hotel spokesperson told the Jerusalem Post. 'Upon being notified of the incident, we contacted local authorities immediately. We take this matter very seriously as our hotel has zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind and we are committed to providing a welcoming, hospitable and safe environment for our guests and team members.' Beverly Hills and West Hollywood police were also recorded talking to the men asking them to move on. 'A disgusting anti-Semitic truck spewing vulgar Jew-hatred drove through our streets today. An example of inhumanity,' Beverly Hills Mayor Lili Bosse posted on Twitter. 'As a daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, I will always stand up, speak out and fight this hatred.' No arrests were made, but the West Hollywood Sheriff's station are monitoring the incident as 'in case it raises to the level of a crime,' according to the Patch. Men in Nazi uniforms and a man wearing fake sidelocks stalked around the entrance of the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunday. Their box truck was spray painted with anti-Semitic slogans Anti-Semitic slogans were spray painted over this box truck in a stunt believed to be carried out by the Goyim Defense League, according to watchdog groups A group of men alarmed the population of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood with this truck carrying anti-Jewish slogans StopAnti-Semitism said the stunt was perpetuated by the GDL and the letters could be seen printed on the truck, but the police have not reported who was behind the incident. 'We are horrified that innocent bystanders in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, Jewish and otherwise, were subjected to such vile and atrocious hate,' Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism told the LA Times. 'When white supremacists like the Goyim Defense League are allowed to spread this type of vile bigotry without any pushback, then it normalizes Jew hatred and sends the message that this is tolerable.' The league was responsible for 74 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which monitors hate groups. 'Goyim' is a Yiddish word for anyone who is not Jewish. The GDL is a lose confederation of provocateurs led by Jon Minadeo II, 38, of Petaluma, California, according to the ADL. Rez said that Minadeo and his collaborator Robert Frank Wilson can be seen in the videos of the truck. Minadeo, along with another perpetrator Dominic Di Giorgio, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, posts white supremacist, homophobic and anti-Semitic videos on the YouTube-like platform, GoyimTV. The Anti-Defamation League called the GDL 'a loose network of individuals connected by their virulent anti-Semitism...via the internet, through propaganda distributions and in street actions...to troll or otherwise harass Jews.' Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntiSemitism, said that the Goyim Defense League have violent and disturbing criminal histories. She said that Minadeo pays members to join and uses GoyimTV to post hate-inspired stunts like the one in Beverly Hills. Minadeo also reportedly started a rash of banner drops along highways across the U.S. in 2020, beginning with in the Bay Area. The hate group was started by Jon Minadeo II, 38, from the Bay Area in 2020 (Left: Jon Minadeo II) The Goyim Defense League is one of many anti-Semitic hate groups that have popped up during the pandemic capitalizing on COVID conspiracy theories (Pictured: A white van covered in swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs that was used during a Goyim Defense League 'tour' of Florida in May 2020) The hate group took off in 2020 as they began spewing false conspiracy theories vilifying the Jewish people with anti-Semitic and anti-COVID narratives 'The City of Beverly Hills and BHPD strongly condemns antisemitism in all its forms,' the police department said in a statement. The truck also had slogans that echoed the same paranoid white supremacist great replacement theory as the Buffalo spree shooter Payton Gedron. 'Resisting Replacement = Greatest Threat,' had been spray painted on the truck. The Los Angeles area has seen a rash of anti-Jewish hate incidents this year. In February, flyers espousing Covid-19 conspiracy theories about Jews were strewn around Huntington Beach and Newport and in Beverly Hills on the first night of Hanukkah. These are also believed to be the work of the GDL. In mid-April, during Passover, the flyers again were left on doorsteps in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Flyers claiming to be from the Goyim Defense League have been found in Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, California and Maryland There has been a rise in anti-Semitic crime across the country. 'Here in Beverly Hills, we do have a large Jewish population and so, unfortunately, we have been the target in the past for hate speech directed against Jews, and so it is something that we care about deeply and something that we won't tolerate,' said Mayor Bob Wunderlich. Anti-Semitic incidents have jumped 40 percent over the last five years in California, Jeffrey Abrams, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League LA told NBC News. The Anti-Defamation League reported 2,717 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021, a 34 percent increase from the year before. This includes harassment, assault and vandalism. Most of the cases, 1,776 reported were from harassment incidents. Hate crimes against Jews jumped 59 percent from 2020, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University. According to this year's report on 'The State of Antisemitism in America,' published by the American Jewish Committee last month, 82 percent of nearly 1,500 surveyed Jews say that antisemitism has risen over the last five years. One in four Jews surveyed said they had been the target of antisemitism over the past 12 months. Four out of 10 Americans, based on a survey of about 1,200 respondents of different religions and backgrounds, said they had personally witnessed an anti-Semitic incident. Hate crimes in the United States shot up to their highest level in 12 years in 2020, according to the FBI's annual hate crime statistics report that was released in October. More than 7,700 victims reported that they had been subjected to hate crimes because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, religion or disability last year, 450 more people than the agency reported in 2019. Tucker Carlson took a shot at Kamala Harris for a recent gaffe-filled speech, calling the vice president a 'low IQ wine mom.' On Monday, Harris was given a tour of the Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC in honor of mental health awareness month. During her visit Harris and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a warning Monday about burnout among the nation's health care staff after more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. But following the tour the vice president gave another one of her signature confusing speeches, at one point saying: 'When we talk about the children of the community, they are children of the community.' Scroll Down For Video: 'Wait, we just elected a low-I.Q. wine mom as vice president' Tucker Carlson (pictured) said of vice president Harris On Monday Kamala Harris (pictured) gave another one of her signature confusing speeches, saying: 'When we talk about the children of the community, they are children of the community' Tucker seized on Harris' gaffe, saying that the Biden camp hid her ineptness during the campaign and is now keeping her occupied with busy work. 'So, you never heard anything about Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign that wasn't about her inspiring firstness. She's Black and Indian. She's a first, she must be excited,' Carlson said on his show Monday night. 'So she gets elected in the country wakes up the next morning and realizes, "Wait, we just elected a low-I.Q. wine mom as vice president." 'So the administration tried to give her jobs,' Carlson continued. "Hey, fix the border. Wait, get Russia to pull back and not invade Ukraine." That didn't work. So now she's become and a lot of people do become this in middle age just kind of a freelance philosopher.' 'She's like a dyslexic poet with a limited vocabulary, she just kind of bombs around the country emitting words. And they're hilarious,' the Fox News host added. Carlson then went on to mock her 'children of the community' comment and her description of electric buses, where she stated: 'On an electric bus, no exhaust. No diesel smell.' 'She's like a dyslexic poet with a limited vocabulary, she just kind of bombs around the country emitting words. And they're hilarious,' Carlson said On Monday, Harris was given a tour of the Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC in honor of mental health awareness month Harris has faced increasing criticism for continued gaffes and inappropriate laughter during public appearances. In a March speech, Harris said the phrase 'significance of the passage of time' four times in the matter of 30 seconds when talking about helping bring high speed internet to rural areas. In what appeared to be an off-script opening to her speech, the vice president said: 'The Governor and I and we were all doing a tour of the library here and talking about the significance of the passage of time. Right?' 'The significance of the passage of time,' she repeated. 'So, when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do to lay these wires, what we need to do to create these jobs,' Harris continued. She went on: 'And there is such great significance to the passage of time when we think about a day in the life of our children and what that means to the future of our nation, depending on whether or not they have the resources they need to achieve their God-given talent.' That same month, Harris appeared on a radio show called The Morning Hustle where she was asked to put the war in Ukraine in 'laymen's terms.' She obliged, but was mocked for describing the situation in a way suited for young children. 'Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia,' Harris explained in the March 1 appearance the same day of Biden's State of the Union address. 'Russia is a bigger country,' she continued. 'Russia is a powerful country. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine so, basically, that's wrong.' 'America's allies and partners expect our leaders to speak with coherence and clarity on issues that matter to them,' former speechwriter for ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo David Wilezol told DailyMail.com in a statement in March. 'Harris' repeated rhetorical gaffes don't just make her look bad they undermine American diplomacy,' added Wilezol, founder and president of the ghostwriting firm Seventh Floor Strategies. A tenured Princeton University classics professor who was fired this week has claimed that the move was in retaliation for his criticism of faculty demands over racial policies. Princeton said on Monday that professor Joshua Katz, 51, had been fired after he 'failed to be straightforward' in a 2018 misconduct probe regarding his relationship with a student. But in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Katz alleged that he was truly fired for 'publicly criticizing a number of antiracist demands, some of them clearly racist and illegal' that hundreds of his colleagues circulated in an open letter. The open letter in July 2020, shortly after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests over racial justice, demanded among other things additional compensation and sabbatical time for 'faculty of color'. Katz responded with a sharply worded essay criticizing many of the demands, and now he alleges that it is this dissenting view, rather than his previously litigated romance with a student, that led to his termination by the board of trustees. Princeton said on Monday that professor Joshua Katz, 51, had been fired after he 'failed to be straightforward' in a 2018 misconduct probe regarding his relationship with a student The move by Eisgruber, 60, is being viewed by many as a politically motivated one, with many accusing the university of targeting Katz for his outspoken criticism of the schools liberal staff and policies and not for the settled misconduct claims Princeton said in a statement to The New York Times that Katz was fired after officials received a 'detailed written complaint from an alumna who had a consensual relationship with Dr. Katz while she was an undergraduate under his academic supervision.' The complaint was filed in 2021. Following an investigation on the back of the complaint, the school discovered 'multiple instances in which Dr. Katz misrepresented facts or failed to be straightforward,' during the original 2018 probe. Katz was fired following a vote by the Princeton University's board of trustees - who were voting on recommendations from the school's president Christopher Eisgruber, 60, and Gene Jarrett, Princeton's dean of faculty. In his op-ed, Katz admitted that the issues surrounding his termination 'arent easy to summarize' but claimed that he had been subjected to 'cultural double jeopardy' in being fired for an offense he'd previously admitted to and been disciplined for. According to Katz, the school failed to notify him that he had been fired and that they sent an email to the wrong address. The professor said that he only learned of his termination from his wife, who learned of the news herself when she was contacted by The New York Times, Katz told the National Review. In 2018, Katz was suspended by the school without pay for a year due to his consensual relationship with the student. That relationship occurred in 2006. Katz's lawyer Samantha Harris told the National Review that the professor offered to resign in the weeks leading up to his dismissal. Harris said: 'I think that it speaks to the climate of pressure in these politically charged situations, that they felt that they absolutely couldnt forgo the ability to say, We were going to fire him.' Separately, Harris told The New York Times: 'In our view, this is the culmination of the witch hunt that began days after Professor Katz published an article in Quillette that led people to call for his termination.' The move by University President Christopher Eisgruber has many accusing the university of targeting Katz for his criticism of the schools liberal staff and racial politics There had been calls for Katz to be fired for years following student uproar over the educator's criticism of liberal school policies and racial politics that emerged after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. The 2021 probe came shortly after Katz said he was 'embarrassed' by a slew of questionable policies passed by the New Jersey university after the May 2020 murder of Floyd. Some of the programs Katz found fault with were a campaign to address the school's 'racist' history and requests to give black professors more sabbatical time and higher salaries than their white counterparts. Katz, who started teaching at Princeton in 1998, slammed the school's proposals in an essay published to online magazine Quillette in July 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests and other racial justice movements quickly spread across the country. In the op-ed, titled A Declaration of Independence by a Princeton Professor, Katz said the 'proposals, if implemented, would lead to civil war on campus and erode even further public confidence in how elite institutions of higher education operate.' He also said of the proposals, aired in a 4,100-word Princeton Faculty letter signed by students, staff, and alumni, that he was 'embarrassed' for his colleagues that signed it. 'I am friends with many people who signed the Princeton letter, which requests and in some places demands a dizzying array of changes, and I support their right to speak as they see fit,' Katz wrote. 'But I am embarrassed for them,' he went on. 'To judge from conversations with friends and all too much online scouting, there are two camps: those cheering them on and those who wouldnt dream of being associated with such a document. No one is in the middle.' The investigation, which looked into a relationship Katz had with a student in 2006, saw the tenured professor suspended, and was subsequently resolved internally. However, more than a year later, a second student-led probe aired claims that the professor didnt fully cooperate and misled investigators during the 2018 inquiry He then urged onlookers to read the letter, which was addressed to President Eisgruber and other senior administrators at the university, citing how the policies broke students and school staffers' first amendment rights. The essay also saw Katz denounce the extremist student group that pushed for the policies, the Black Justice League, as 'a small local terrorist organization' after it successfully lobbied to have former President Woodrow Wilsons name removed from the universitys School of Public and International Affairs, due to his support of racial segregation. The campaign saw 30 student's stage a sit-in inside President Eisgruber's office, until that demand, along with others that included mandatory cultural competency training for staff and a cultural safe space on campus reserved for black students, was met. Katz went on to pan the group for asking for 'a committee composed entirely of faculty that would oversee the investigation and discipline of racist behaviors, incidents, research, and publication on the part of faculty,' warning of the implications it would have on staffers' free speech. 'This scares me more than anything else,' Katz wrote. 'For colleagues to police one anothers research and publications in this way would be outrageous.' He went on: 'Let me be clear: Racist slurs and clear and documentable bias against someone because of skin color are reprehensible and should lead to disciplinary action, for which there is already a process. 'But is there anyone who doesnt believe that this committee would be a star chamber with a low bar for cancellation, punishment, suspension, even dismissal.' The coalition of students from Princeton University have been widely panned by academics and onlookers alike for their extremist views, that Katz said were 'emboldened' by social unrest seen in the wake of Floyd's death. The essay also saw Katz denounce the extremist student group that pushed for the policies, the Black Justice League, as 'a small local terrorist organization.' Pictured are members of the group during one of their many protests in 2020 after the death of George Floyd The group, which Katz said was 'emboldened by the social unrest seen after Floyd's death, staged more protests after the professor's remarks disparaged the school and their group He said its over 200 supporters 'were baying for blood' with their ever-increasing number of demonstrations and demands. Days later, President Christopher Eisgruber responded with his own op-ed, which slammed Katzs remarks as 'irresponsible and offensive.' 'The ongoing controversy about classics professor Joshua Katz and the Black Justice League illustrates the point,' Eisgruber wrote. 'The Black Justice League was a group of non-violent student activists who protested about Woodrow Wilsons racism and other issues. 'Their arguments and rhetoric, even if others found them provocative or offensive, were protected by Princetons commitment to the freedom of speech.' He went on: 'When Katz disparaged the group last week as a terrorist organization, I was among those who found his statement irresponsible and offensive. 'Our policies, however, protect Katzs freedom to say what he did, just as they protected the Black Justice Leagues. He can be answered but not censored or sanctioned.' Two years later, the school launched its investigation into Katz over the sexual misconduct claims. Beginning in 2006, Katz, then 36, engaged in a romantic relationship with one of his of-age students, then a junior, until after her graduation in 2007. Twelve years later, a school investigation found Katz violated school policy prohibiting sexual relationships between teachers and the students by engaging with the relationship with the unnamed student, who refused to participate in the school's probe. He was promptly suspended, and returned to work at the school in 2019. However, in 2021, the schools newspaper investigated the relationship themselves, prompting the second investigation - and shortly after Katz' standoff with school brass over its policies. The school probe found two violations of school policy - the first being that Katz didnt 'fully cooperate with and misled investigators,' and that he discouraged the former student from seeking psychiatric help when she threatened self-harm. The revelations then led to more protests from students, who demanded Katz be fired for the reported misconduct. Eisgruber cited those reasons in his written recommendation for dismissal, first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Revelations concerning a romantic relationship Katz had with a student in 2006 saw Katz become the victim of a student campaign that he be fired in 2020. Those findings came after a second investigation into the misconduct was launched shortly after Katz criticized university brass and school activists for policies he deemed un-American As a result of the probe, Katz was placed on paid administrative leave back in July. Now, his termination has free-speech and conservative advocates across the globe up in arms. 'With the firing of Professor Katz, Princeton will have sent a message,' Edward Yingling, co-founder of Princetonians for Free Speech, reportedly said. 'If a faculty member or student says something that contradicts our orthodoxy, we will get you - if not for what you said, then by twisting your language, by using the extensive resources of the university to shame you before the student body, and by investigating your personal life for years past.' Faculty dean Gene Jarrett, meanwhile, who signed Eisgrubers letter calling for Katzs nixing, denied that politics played a part in the schools second probe into Katz. 'The current political climate of the University, whether perceived or real, is not germane to the case, nor does it play a role in my recommendation,' Jarrett reportedly wrote in the investigation summary. Japan scrambled jets after two Chinese military aircrafts and four Russian warplanes entered its air defence identification zone on Tuesday on the same day President Joe Biden landed in Tokyo. It was the first joint military exercise held between China and Russia since the war in Ukraine broke out on February 24. Tokyo is hosting the leaders of the Quad countries including the United States, India and Australia. Japan conveyed 'grave concerns' to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, said Japanese defence minister Nobuo Kishi at a news conference that was broadcast online. He characterised the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo. 'We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past,' he said, adding it was the fourth such incident since November. Two Chinese warplanes flew over the Sea of Japan from the East China Sea and were then joined by two Russian warplanes for a flight together toward the East China Sea, Kishi said. Russian and Chinese jets had already entered South Korea's air defence identification zone earlier in the day. Russian TU-95 bomber and Chinese H-6 bombers were photographed flying over the East China Sea. Japan scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace on Tuesday. Russia's defence ministry said the patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas A Russian TU-95 bomber flies over East China Sea in this handout picture taken by Japan Air Self-Defence Force A Russian IL-20 information gathering warplane flies over East China Sea in this picture. Russia and China both confirmed they conducted a joint patrol The bombers flew over the Sea of Japan early Tuesday and continued south toward the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea Tokyo was hosting the leaders of the Quad countries including the United States, India and Australia Tokyo conveyed 'grave concerns' to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, the Japanese Prime Minister said at a news conference that was broadcast online The Prime Minister characterised the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo Later, the two Chinese warplanes were replaced by another pair believed to be Chinese, which then flew with the Russians on a long flight toward the Pacific Ocean, he said. A Russian reconnaissance plane also flew over the open sea from the northern island of Hokkaido to the Noto peninsula on Japan's main island, he said. RUSSIAN-CHINESE JOINT EXERCISES NEAR SOUTH-KOREA AND JAPANESE AIRSPACE ON FEB. 24 7:56am: Two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) from an area 126 kilometers northwest of Socotra Rock 9:33am: The bombers exit the zone and move towards the Sea of Japan 9:58am: Four Russian warplanes join the two Chinese warplanes. All jets then enter the KADIZ 10:15am: The six jets leave the zone 3:40pm: Four Chinese and two Russian military aircraft are spotted flying around 267km southeast of Socotra Rock, outside the KADIZ, closer to Japan's airspace Advertisement None of the aircraft entered into Japan's airspace, he said. Russia and China both confirmed they conducted a joint patrol. Russia's defence ministry said the patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas. The Japanese government had been tracking the military exercise in northeast Asia, said The New York Times. The exercise was part of an 'annual military cooperation plan', China's defence ministry said. In a separate incident, the South Korea's military said it scrambled fighter jets after at least four Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered its air defence zone on Tuesday. The Russian and Chinese aircraft entered and left the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (Korea ADIZ) in the Sea of Japan, several times through the day, according to South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The aircraft, which included fighter jets and bombers from each side, did not violate South Korea's airspace, the JCS added. The South Korean military deployed air force fighters to 'implement tactical measures' to brace for a potential contingency, it said. Unlike airspace, an ADIZ is usually an area where countries may unilaterally demand that foreign aircraft take special steps to identify themselves, with no international laws governing ADIZs. Moscow does not recognise the Korea ADIZ, while Beijing said the area is not territorial airspace and all countries should enjoy freedom of movement there. In 2019, South Korean warplanes fired hundreds of warning shots toward Russian military aircraft when they entered South Korean airspace during a joint air patrol with China. The two Chinese warplanes were replaced by another pair believed to be Chinese, which then flew with the Russians on a long flight toward the Pacific Ocean Fumio Kishida, Japan's prime minister, speaks at a news conference following the Quad leaders meeting. The four leaders of the Quad - an informal grouping led by Washington - on Tuesday stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of an increasingly assertive China The four leaders of the Quad - an informal grouping led by Washington - on Tuesday stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of an increasingly assertive China. A joint statement by the Quad bloc avoided any direct mention of China's growing military power in the region, but left little doubt about where its concerns lie. The carefully worded document also made reference to the conflict in Ukraine, but without offering any joint position on the Russian invasion, which India has pointedly declined to condemn. The Quad's other members have been less coy about their view that a strong response to Russia's war is needed, one that would deter other countries, including China. 'As Russia's invasion of Ukraine is shaking the fundamental principles of the international order... (we) confirmed that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force will never be tolerated anywhere, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region,' Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, using another term for the Asia-Pacific. The group's statement made no mention of Russia, or China, but inveighed against a range of activities that Beijing has regularly been accused of in the region. 'We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities,' it said. The exercise was part of an 'annual military cooperation plan', China's defence ministry said, as Quad leaders met in Tokyo The Quad nations are attempting to build their loose grouping into a more substantive counterweight to China's rising military and economic power, despite their differences. They unveiled plans to invest at least $50billion into regional infrastructure projects over the next five years, and a maritime monitoring initiative seen as intended to bolster surveillance of Chinese activities. The moves come with worries over recent efforts by China to build ties with Pacific nations including the Solomon Islands, which signed a security pact with Beijing last month. China's foreign minister will this week kick off a visit to a host of Pacific nations including the Solomons, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kiribati as well as holding video calls with Micronesia and the Cook Islands, Beijing confirmed Tuesday. Kishida urged Quad members to 'listen carefully' to regional neighbours, including the Pacific islands, while Australia's newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the bloc needed to 'push our shared values in the region at a time when China was clearly seeking to exert more influence'. Pedestrians walk past a big screen showing images of the Quad Leaders' summit in Japanese People hold signs and chant slogans during the march to protest against Quad Summit The Quad met a day after US President Joe Biden raised eyebrows and the regional temperature by saying Washington was ready to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan against any Chinese attack. He insisted Tuesday that his comments did not mean a change to Washington's longstanding 'strategic ambiguity' on how it might respond to a Chinese invasion, prompting another fierce response from Beijing. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused Washington of playing 'word games' on Taiwan and warned of an 'unbearable cost' if the United States 'carries on down the wrong path'. If Biden was keen to avoid being seen as changing policy on Tuesday, he left little doubt about where the Quad's focus lies. 'This is about democracies versus autocracies, and we have to make sure we deliver,' Biden said as the summit began. Among the regional concerns are increased Chinese sorties, naval exercises and encroachments by fishing vessels that are viewed as probing regional defences and red lines. The bloc said its new maritime monitoring programme would 'promote stability and prosperity in our seas and oceans', again avoiding pointing the finger at Beijing while referencing illegal fishing - an accusation frequently levelled at China. Omar Bojang, 18, had a prior rap sheet that allegedly included a series of Bronx robberies where the perpetrators lured victims using social media and then robbed them at gunpoint, police said,The teen been shot in the leg in two separate incidents, according to authorities The 18-year-old alleged getaway moped driver in the gang drive by shooting that killed an 11-year-old girl has turned himself into the authorities. Omar Bojang, 18, surrendered to police at the NYPD's 41st Precinct house on Monday night, accompanied by his lawyer. He remained silent as he was escorted out of the station wearing ankle chains before being put into a police cruiser, The New York Post reported. Police have been looking for Bojang over the May 16 shooting that took the life of Kyhara Tay. She had been walking along Fox Street in the Bronx's Longwood section on her way to get her nails done at a local nail salon, according to reports. On Friday, police arrested the 15-year-old alleged shooter, identified as Matthew Godwin. Godwin was said to be the passenger on the moped and the one who who fired random shots intended for a 13-year-old reported rival gang member. But the stray bullet struck Tay and tore though her abdomen before she was rushed to Lincoln Hospital and died. Bojang had a rap sheet that allegedly included a series of Bronx robberies where the perpetrators lured victims using social media and then robbed them at gunpoint. The teen had been shot in the leg in two separate incidents, according to local authorities. Second suspect, Omar Bojang, 18, surrenders in the killing of 11-year-old Kyhara Tay.Omar Bojang, 18, surrendered to police at the NYPD's 41st Precinct house on Monday night, accompanied by his lawyer. He remained silent as he was escorted out of the station wearing ankle chains before being put into a police cruiser Police has been looking for Bojang, the driver of the getaway vehicle, which was motorized scooter, in the May 16 shooting that took the life of Kyhara Tay, who was on walking along Fox Street in the Bronx's Longwood section, on her way to get her nails done at a local nail salon, according to reports. Tay, a sixth grader, was described as a bubbly little girl, who was affectionately known by friends and family as Kyky Before Bojang's Monday night surrender police had asked the public for their help in locating him. An NYPD spokesman told DailyMail.com Bojang was charged in the homicide of Kyhara Tay. His charges are murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. On Friday, police found Godwin, who had been holed up in a hotel in the Harding Park area of the Bronx, with his mother and three other children, law enforcement officials said, The New York Times reported. The family had reportedly checked in the night before, the news outlet reported. The young girl, said to be an innocent bystander, was hit in the stomach by a gunman riding on the back of a scooter through the Bronx Kyhara's classmates pay tribute to her at a memorial put up near the site of the fatal drive-by shooting Kyhara's parents are seen grieving as they walk by her memorial during an anti violence rally on Thursday Godwin was later charged with murder, manslaughter, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, all as an adult, The New York Post reported. During a Friday news conference, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the suspect 'ended the life of a totally innocent, completely uninvolved 11-year-old girl,' according to a release by Mayor Eric Adam's office. 'I won't say she was in the wrong place, because why shouldn't an 11-year-old child be able to stand outside in broad daylight?' Sewell said. At the Friday news conference, Mayor Eric Adams addressed the escalating gun violence that is affecting today's youth. 'Eleven, 15, 18. Over and over again, we're seeing 11, 15, 18,' Adams said. 'Kids killing kids.' Described by loved ones a bubbly sixth grader, the victim's mother, Yahisha Gomez, previously told The Post she was not interested in hearing the killer's name. The grief-stricken mother said, in part: 'I don't want to know his name,' she said. 'His name is killer. He's a killer.' New Yorkers have been frazzled by the latest spite in violence and crimes on the city streets and subways. On Sunday, Daniel Enriquez, a 48-year-old Goldman Sachs employee was shot and killed while he was riding the Q train in an unprovoked attack. The subway shooter is still at large, police said. In April, during the morning commute, suspect Frank James opened fire on a Manhattan-bound N train. No one was killed. James was charged with carrying out a terror attack against a mass transit system and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, reports said. While murders and shootings are down 11 and three percent from the already crime-riddled 2021 under lame duck Mayor Bill de Blasio, overall crime in the Big Apple is up 40 percent so far in 2022. That includes a 19 percent rise in felony assaults, a 12 percent increase in rapes and a 42 percent jump in robberies. Transit is up the highest at 62 percent as well - and the the recent rise in subway crime has set New Yorkers on edge. Eleven people were killed and five others were wounded after gang members launched simultaneous attacks at a hotel and two bars in search of members of a rival cartel in Mexico. Witnesses told authorities that about 15 armed men stepped out of several vehicles and started shooting at the three businesses around 10pm Monday in the city of Celaya, in the central Mexico state of Guanajuato. The gang members, who reportedly belong to Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, entered the Gala Hotel, which has a bar at the street level, and shot at the customers and employees inside, police said. The attackers also tossed Molotov cocktail bombs inside the two bars before they escaped. At least 15 gunmen were reportedly sent by the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel to the Hotel Gala in Celaya, Mexico, where they killed four people at the hotel and seven others at a bar next door on Monday night Eleven people, including eight women, were killed and five others were wounded by cartel gunmen who unleashed simultaneous attacks at a hotel and two bars Monday night in Celaya, a city in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato A male body lies inside one of the bars that was shot up and torched by cartel gunmen on Monday night in Celaya, Mexico The hotel and bar attacks that left 11 people dead and five others wounded were reportedly plotted by the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (C.S.R.L) in Celaya, Mexico, on Monday night. The attackers left behind a cardboard with a message in Spanish that read: 'This happened to me for supporting those f****** Jaliscans and for being involved with the three bodies in the bag.' Hours before the attack, authorities discovered three dismembered bodies inside a bag that had been dumped on a street Two men and two women were killed in the hotel bar assault while five women and a man died as a result of the attack at a bar across the street. A woman was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The female victims were employees of the hotel and bars. Authorities had not revealed the identities of the victims as of Tuesday. According to pieces of cardboard left behind at the hotel, the assault was allegedly orchestrated by the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and targeted members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. It also made reference to three bodies that were found inside bags hours before the deadly assault took place. The body of one of the 11 people killed by cartel gunmen seeking rivals was found on the sidewalk near a hotel and two bars that were shot up and bombed in the central Mexican municipality of Celaya on Monday night A male individual's body lies inside a hotel or bar where 11 people were killed Monday night The municipality of Celaya has been engulfed by an ongoing turf battle between the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel for access to stolen fuel and drug trade dating back to 2017. Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel leader Jose 'El Marro' Yepez survived multiple assassination attempts ordered by his archrival, Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera. Yepez was eventually captured by Mexican security forces in the Guanajuato city of Juventino Rosas on August 2, 2020. Oseguera, a former associate of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, remains at large and is wanted by the United States government. A $10 million bounty is being offered for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. Universities have been told to get a grip on spiking of students today, as a minister revealed one of her own friends was once targeted with 'devastating consequences' Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said the horrific crime, which sees mainly young women targeted with incapacitating drugs on a night out was 'very close to her heart'. It came as she launched a new group bringing together university bosses, police, campaigners and victims to end attacks on students. Higher education centres will also have to produce plans showing how they plan to protect students from spiking by the end of the year. A survey last year by student outlet The Tab suggested 11 per cent of students believe they have had their drink spiked, while research by the Alcohol Education Trust found more than one in 10 young adults had been victims of spiking. But questions have been raised over whether spiking by injection is actually happening. In January, Police Scotland said there was no evidence to support any of the claims made by students north of the border. Universities Minister Michelle Donellan said the horrific crime, which sees mainly young women targeted with incapacitating drugs on a night out was 'very close to her heart'. Higher education centres will also have to produce plans showing how they plan to protect students from spiking by the end of the year. Announcing the formation of the taskforce today, Ms Donelan, 38, who attended the University of York, said: 'This is an issue that is very close to my heart, having had someone close to me spiked when I was younger, which had devastating consequences. 'So I know first-hand what a horrific crime this is and I am determined to stamp it out.' She added: 'It made me more determined to ensure that we do tackle this issue head on, but equally so have all of the other stories that I have read or the people that I've met that have experienced these kinds of horrendous incidences.' She added that the Government wanted to 'hear from the voices of victims' and praised the 'exceptional individuals [who] have the courage to come forward and use their harrowing and awful experience to try and help others'. She said her priority was that students felt 'safe' so that they could 'enjoy that broader student experience that is so important'. Last year, universities said that the increasing number of cases of spiking by injection during nights out was 'incredibly disturbing'. Several women, including students, reported fearing they had been targeted by people injecting them with drugs at nightlife venues, with reports in a number of parts of the UK, including Nottingham, Scotland and Northern Ireland. She praised universities such as Nottingham Trent which has been involved in delivering bystander intervention training to staff in night-time city venues, and said that practices like this should be made widespread. She added that the Government wanted to 'remove some of the stigma around this issue' with a Students for Sustainability study showing that 70% of those who believe they have been spiked do not come forward, which 'leads to the perpetrator in fact getting away with it, free to attack another victim'. Ms Donelan added that with the 'evolution' of spiking some perpetrators 'horrifically inject [victims] in the arm, which is shocking behaviour and is very hard. 'The best practice is obviously to have something over your drink - you can't sort of protect your arms at all periods of time, so it is quite terrifying.' She said the prevalence of spiking through injection were hard to assess, with some studies suggesting the rate of people coming forward was low, which made 'evidence-based good practice' more important. Today, it was announced that Professor Lisa Roberts, University of Exeter Vice Chancellor, has been appointed to lead the working group and coordinate responses across the university sector. Last month a Home Affairs Select Committee report found the true prevalence of spiking - which can include spiking someone's drinks, 'hazing' rituals and attacks with needles - remains unknown. Ms Donelan added that recent incidents had shown perpetrators were becoming more 'brazen' in how they carried out 'this appalling crime'. Anthony Albanese has remained steadfast in how he will deal with a more assertive China after Premier Li Keqiang sent the new prime minister a congratulatory message. Mr Albanese confirmed he has received a letter from the Chinese premier and would respond in due course upon returning to Australia following Tuesday's Quad meeting in Tokyo. Australia would seek to work with all countries but would not compromise on its values, Mr Albanese said. 'It's not Australia that's changed, it's China,' he told reporters following the leaders' summit. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (centre) has sent new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a congratulatory letter for his election 'It's China that has placed sanctions on Australia. There is no justification for doing that and that's why they should be removed.' As Quad leaders discussed regional security, the Japanese prime minister raised concerns about the ramifications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region,' Fumio Kishida said in his opening remarks. Mr Albanese (right) said Australia would not compromise on its values while Foreign Minister Penny Wong (left) prepares to visit Fiji on Thursday Mr Albanese, along with Mr Kishida, US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outlined new measures to keep the Indo-Pacific 'free and open' but didn't expressly name China in the official communique. 'We will continue to act decisively together to advance these principles in the region and beyond,' the official statement said. 'We reaffirm our resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion.' The readout also included measures the counter Chinese influence in the region, including $US50 billion ($A71 billion) in infrastructure assistance and investment in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years to help countries with 'debt issues'. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) and Mr Albanese (left) outlined new measures to keep the Indo-Pacific 'free and open' but didn't expressly name China in the official communique during the Quad Summit in Japan on Tuesday Cybersecurity and the protection of critical infrastructure systems in the Indo-Pacific will also be tackled through further information sharing and capacity building programs for the region. But Mr Albanese's hand may be forced sooner than he thought, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi due to arrive in the Solomon Islands this week to formally sign a new security pact. Mr Yi is then due to visit seven other Pacific Island nations including Fiji, Tonga, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. But the Australian government appears to be on the front foot, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong due to touch down in Fiji on Thursday. A new security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands will be formally signed later this week (left: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right: Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare) The incoming Labor government says it will seek to build relationships across the Pacific and Asia in a renewed focus on the region. 'We want peace and stability in the region,' the prime minister said. 'That's best achieved through proper diplomatic processes by making sure we build relations in the region and act in a positive way.' But Mr Albanese also reiterated that a list of 14 demands by the Chinese government to repatch the bilateral relationship was 'entirely inappropriate'. 'We reject all of them,' he said. The remarks came after China's premier reportedly said Beijing is willing to push forward bilateral ties with Canberra. On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden (right) said the US would intervene militarily if China were to invade the island while Mr Albanese (left) reiterated the important of Australia's alliance with the US 'The sound and stable development of the Sino-Australian relationship conforms to the fundamental interests and common aspirations of the two peoples and is also conducive to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region,' the China Daily reported Mr Li as saying. Australia's relationship with the regional powerhouse has soured in recent years, with Beijing refusing to take calls from the outgoing Morrison government and blocking imports on a variety of goods despite a free-trade agreement between the two countries. China is still Australia's biggest trading partner, especially through the shipments of iron ore. Tensions also heightened after US President Joe Biden warned Beijing not to interfere with Taiwan, saying the US would intervene militarily. Mr Albanese maintained that Australia's position hadn't changed after President Biden said his remarks were in line with the established US position of strategic ambiguity. 'Our position is there should be no unilateral change to the status quo. Our position has not changed,' he said. Rape charges against French film director Luc Besson have been dropped by a Paris court of appeal. Dutch-Belgian actress Sand Van Roy had accused the Lucy director of raping her over a two-year on-off relationship, and filed a complaint against him in May 2018. Prosecutors dropped the case in February 2019 citing lack of evidence, but a new investigation was opened later that year after Van Roy brought fresh charges against one of the highest-profile #MeToo controversies in France. Rape charges against French film director Luc Besson (pictured) have been dropped by a Paris court of appeal A magistrate then closed the case in December 2021 and prosecutors asked for it to be dropped in April. Besson had always denied the accusations, describing the case in 2019 as 'a lie from A to Z'. 'The court confirmed my client's innocence... Luc Besson regrets these four lost years,' his lawyer Thierry Marembert said after the verdict. But Van Roy's lawyer Antoine Gitton said an appeal would immediately be filed for his client with France's Court of Cassation. Besson has admitted having a relationship with Van Roy, who had minor roles in his films 'Taxi 5' and 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets'. Dutch-Belgian actress Sand Van Roy had accused the Lucy director of raping her over a two-year on-off relationship (pictured with a tattoo reading Stop Violence Against Women' Van Roy first went to the police in May 2018 after a meeting with Besson in a luxury Paris hotel. Two months later she said that she had been raped four times over the two years when she had been 'in a controlling professional relationship' with the director. She said she had feared for her career if she complained. Police questioned Besson about the accusations in October 2018. One actress later told prosecutors that she had to escape on 'her hands and knees' from an audition in Besson's Paris office in 2002. Other women have made allegations of sexual harassment against Besson but he has always denied all the allegations. Washington has a spat with Greenland due to keeping US military plans for the Thule airbase should be open, not undisclosed. These bases are vital to the US expansion in the Arctic, where Greenland is close by. US Secret Plan To Build Military Power Reports say the US has plans to invest in an Arctic military expansion, spending on the American base found in Northern Greenland as claimed by Danish media Berlingske. The information was drawn from a report made by a US oversight committee linked to the matter. Statements by the outlet said the non-classified parts of the report made suggested that it would cost billions to establish the old US arctic base. It was built during World War Two. Base facilities are declining, and the US Air Force has shown interest in revamping it, according to the newspaper, reported Sputnik News. Neither the outlet of the Greenlandic authorities nor the Danish parliament is informed of what specific improvements will be implemented, which raises doubts about the United States' intention, sources say. Pipaluk Lynge Rasmussen, chairman of the Foreign and Security Policy Committee in the Greenlandic parliament and a member of the ruling party IA, says he does not know what the US will do with upgrades, noted The Local. She added that the government wants to know the plans to be part of it, to be aware of everything about the project when asked by the paper. Upgrading the Thule airbase by Washington about US military plans is not on the agenda of Greenland or Denmark. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? Greenland Official Says US Must Disclose Plans IA MP Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, representing Greenland in Denmark, made a point to highlight the importance of the US government keeping them in the loop and not hiding anything. Under all existing agreements between the United States, Greenland, and Denmark, Washington must inform Denmark and Greenland before making any significant modifications to the US military activities in Greenland that have been ongoing for decades. The US Space Force's northernmost base, located 1,210 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and 1,524 kilometers from the North Pole, is home to the global network of missile warning and space surveillance sensors. Greenland is a distant, desolate part of the Danish Realm with a population of fewer than 57,000 people. A colony until 1953, and after obtaining home rule in 1979, it's now a semi-autonomous region. There is considerable autonomy and can comment on most issues but depends on Copenhagen's annual locked subsidies. About a third of Greenland's budget comes from there. As a part of the Danish region, though full independence is growing as represented by several parties, the US could take advantage of 1951, giving it control without advising the government, noted Worldakkam. Since 1867, the United States has considered or even made several propositions to buy the island from Denmark, the most recent of which occurred during the Trump administration. Muddled relations between Washington and Copenhagen ended in canceled state visits, mentioned Fars News. Washington and its relations with Greenland are muddled by unclear military plans for the Thule airbase that concerns Denmark and Greenland and how it will impact them. Related Article: Syria Asks the US Reparations of War Crime, Civilian Casualties of Baghuz Airstrike in 2019 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement A Seattle woman has come forward to corroborate claims against a Mykonos restaurant owner and his allegedly aggressive and borderline predatory tactics against tourists visiting the Greek island. Cheryl Lamphere, 43, told DailyMail.com that her group of friends were misled, intimidated and scammed into paying $1,640 for food that did not justify the outrageous price. Lamphere and her group of girlfriends said they had no other option but to pay the eye-watering price after ordering one plate of calamari, one order of lobster pasta, a salad, and bread at the infamous DK Oyster restaurant in Platys Gialos. The mother-of-two said the group visited the picturesque island on May 3 and their first evening was ruined after owner Dimitris Kalamaras and male staff at the restaurant cornered them when they even dared to dispute the astronomical tab. 'Every man in the restaurant got up and surrounded us, there were at least five of them, almost blocking us in. It was a very, very scary situation because we were six women being surrounded by five men... I must add, they were all dressed in black, it was sort of gangsterish,' Lamphere told DailyMail.com on the phone. Lamphere, a marketing manager, said that they - like several other customers who have spoken out about the business' alleged intimidation tactics - were approached on the beach by a 'pushy' waiter who only flashed the menu at them briefly before pushing them inside. She said the food, and its taste especially, did not justify the massive bill. 'You know, they pride themselves in using [select ingredients], but the lobster was awful. Everything else was okay, but the lobster was possibly the worst I've ever had. Honestly, it was barely edible,' Lamphere added. Texas mother Brenda Moulton and her 19-year-old daughter Kaylea claimed they were also scammed into paying $641.15 for two crab legs and two mojitos when they visited the restaurant in May. Moulton told DailyMail.com the tactics used against her and her daughter were eerily similar to what Lamphere complained about. 'This has been going on for a long time... [and] someone is going to get hurt. They're so bold, and so not afraid of the police, or the government, or anything.' Moulton said. 'I think he targets women and tourists... They laughed at us [when we said] we'd call the police. They do not care.' She said a complaint she made about the restaurant with local police is still in the early stages, but her travel agency, her attorney and locals are doing everything in their power to get the business shut down. Cheryl Lamphere, 43, (center left) told DailyMail.com that her group of friends were misled, intimidated and scammed into paying $1,640 for food that did not justify the outrageous price at DK Oyster in Mykonos The mother-of-two said the group visited the picturesque island on May 3 and their first evening was ruined after Owner Dimitris Kalamaras (pictured) and male staff at the restaurant cornered them when they even dared to dispute the astronomical tab Lamphere said the food, and its taste especially, did not justify the massive bill 'You know, they pride themselves in using [select ingredients], but the lobster was awful. Everything else was okay, but the lobster was possibly the worst I've ever had. Honestly, it was barely edible,' Lamphere added Lemphore and her friends were charged $1,640 for food that did not justify the outrageous price, they said. They provided 5 out of four receipts to DailyMail.com Receipts obtained by DailyMail.com The 1,500 euro check was divided into six bills, five of which DailyMail.com obtained, and were not itemized The group of girlfriends had felt full of excitement at the prospect of going on an eight-day trip to Santorini and Mykonos, leaving their husbands and children behind to enjoy a much-needed reset in company of each other. The group thought the trip would go smoothly, and although they were aware of the dangers that came with visiting a foreign country, they did not expect to be taken advantage of at a fine dining establishment. 'We are strong, professional women, we keep wondering how did this happen to us?' Lamphere told DailyMail.com. Around 7:30 p.m. on May 3, the friends decided to explore the area around the hotel deciding they wanted to have dinner somewhere different than the hotel's restaurant and went on a stroll around the beach to choose a place to eat. Lamphere said they were hurried inside DK Oyster by a waiter who only showed them the menu briefly before he rushed them to order the minute they were sat at their table. She said the group was able to see prices averaged around $32 and decided to order three dishes because they were not especially hungry, vehemently gesturing and repeating to the staff they only wanted one order of each. 'We were like, ''hang on,'' we need to decide on what we want to order,' she said. At the insistent request of one of the women, the server showed her the menu, but didn't let go of it. 'He held it, just long enough to see what we wanted. We were not super hungry, so we agreed on ordering just a few different things to share,' Lamphere said. They ordered the lobster pasta, one order of calamari, and one order of salad and bread. One of the friends bought a $214 champagne bottle that was charged immediately and separately. Moulton and her 19-year-old daughter Kaylea claimed they were also scammed at the restaurant. Moulton told DailyMail.com the tactics used with her were eerily similar to what Lamphere complained about They experienced the scare of their lives on May 13 when intimidating staff at DK Oyster bar told them they wouldn't return to the US if they refused to foot the astronomical $640 bill, Brenda claims The pair had ordered two crab legs and two mojitos after staff insisted for them to order food The were charged $640 - 600 euros - for the food. The bill led to a confrontation between the Moultons and staff Lamphere said that they thought it was odd that the server asked for the card and kept it, putting it inside a drawer, but one of the friends kindly brushed off their concerns as a possible cultural difference. In hindsight, that was one of many missed red flags, the group now believes. Despite going out of their way to specifically tell the server they only wanted one order of each, when the food arrived at the table, the group knew the staff had seized on the language barriers excuse to purposely charge them for food they were not going to be able to finish. 'It was a massive platter. And we looked at it. There are six of us, we are all women. They knew they were screwing us over, it was all huge amounts of all food,' Lamphere said. They knew right there and then that the tab would be a lot more expensive than what they were expecting, but did not quite see the scope of the situation they were in. Lamphere said they were continually 'pestered' by servers who urged them to order oysters. 'We were like, ''No, we do not want the oysters,' Lamphere said, adding that they were still recovering from the huge disappointment that the 'awful' lobster pasta had been. The ladies continued to dine until they were ready to leave the restaurant, but were then confronted by staff who told them they had to go inside the restaurant to pay the bill. 'Our waiter said ''you need to come to our office to pay the bill.'' They didn't give us the receipt and told us it was 1,500 euro,' Lamphere said. A picture provided by Lamphere reportedly shows DK Oyster's owner Dimitris Kalamaras Food menu with prices is displayed outside the restaurant as it appears in a Facebook promotional video Brenda said that although she and her daughter were not hungry on the day of the incident at DK Oyster, they had ultimately decided to enjoy the sun on one of the sunbeds that the restaurant's waiters so insistently offered She said that the restaurant's owner, Dimitris Kalamaras, who is allegedly notorious in the area for dismissing customers' concerns, told them that was the price they were to pay without giving them an itemized receipt. The women were then cornered by five waiters dressed in black when they raised questions about the bill, Lamphere said. They reluctantly paid their bill when the situation grew increasingly tense. 'We were not walking away because, clearly we ate there. So, we are just looking at each other and saying we just have to take this up with our credit card company because we don't have any other choice. These men [were] surrounding us, almost blocking us in,' Lamphere added. Brenda Moulton and her 19-year-old daughter Kaylea, who raised a complaint with local police after they claimed to be harassed and intimidated at the restaurant, also said they were instructed to pay inside the restaurant 'It was very dark, and he leaned towards me. Suddenly, I realized, oh my god, I am alone in this restaurant, no one would probably hear me [If I scream] because the music is loud,' Moulton told DailyMail.com. Being in a foreign country, you are not completely sure who to trust. So, it is very disorienting what happened, very scary. 'And, you know, Mykonos people are victims as well... Everything else we did there was so wonderful. [And after the incident], people took care of us and made sure we knew that we were okay. They embraced us.' Moulton said that a lot of the time local police can not do anything because the complaints are focused on the high prices, but they have urged people to come forward with their experiences with the business' predatory tactics. She added that a journalist with the Greek outlet THEMA, which first reported her story, is working along with police and an attorney hired by Moulton to hold DK Oyster accountable. Prices for bottles of champagne are displayed on refrigerator inside the restaurant They were told the sunbeds were free and were lured in by insistent staff, customers have complained Lamphere, a marketing manager, said that they - like several other customers who have spoken out about the business' alleged intimidation tactics - were approached on the beach by a 'pushy' waiter who only flashed the menu at them briefly before pushing them inside. A menu shared on the restaurant's Tripadvisor show the prices Lamphere said on their walk to the hotel, the women were fuming, and told staff about the awful experience they had just had. 'The lady put her head down. They told us, ''we are supposed to tell all our customers to avoid going to that restaurant. I'm so sorry. I don't know how they're still in business.''' 'But we don't blame them because, you know, they have a lot of people coming in and out,' Lamphere said of the hotel staff. Lamphere said DK Oyster's alleged strategy is to not let customers see the menu, which states that they charge per-100-grams. Then they allegedly do not disclose to customers that one order equals 300 grams of the food. 'So in reality, when you get one order of something, you are really getting three,' Lamphere said. 'When we were leaving we saw this old couple who had ordered a 15-euro-special, we keep wondering what happened to them.' Other customers who have complained on the restaurant's Facebook page claim the restaurant takes advantage of Americans' lack of familiarity with the kilogram system. 'It was a terrible, terrible feeling. And I told them, ''you know exactly what you are doing, you guys are operating an awful business. You are awful people,'' Lamphere said. 'The most terrible experience ever is that it goes to show how intimidation and force can be used to scare people. We are strong, smart women and we were taken advantage of,' she added. Lamphere said that when they returned home, the friends disputed the charge with their credit card's company, but they haven't received an answer about their decision yet. Interestingly, Lamphere said that in the process of reviewing the charge on her banking app, she realized the company that appeared to have charged the price was Alamo Rent a Car, an American rental car agency. She said she and her group of girlfriends now want to make as many people as possible aware of the restaurant's alleged tactics. '[This is not happening to us] ever again. If something doesn't feel right, speak up,' she said on the phone. Lamphere said that the restaurant's owner, Dimitris Kalamaras, who is notorious in the area for dismissing customers' concerns, told them that was the price they were to pay without giving them an itemized receipt Responding to a negative review on the website, the restaurant answered: 'There is not free country in the western world that would force us to explain to each customer why we charge the way we do.' Dozens of reviews on Tripadvisor point out similar complaints to the ones made by the Mouldons People claiming to have visited the restaurant warned others to avoid DK Oyster's 'con-tactics' 'like the plague, and branded the establishment 'one of the sketchiest' on the island The restaurant's Tripadvisor page is flooded with telling reviews of customers who alleged that they were lured with the same strategy - overly insistent 'shady' waiters who offered 'free sunbeds', vague descriptions of the menu prices and ultimately astronomical bills. Responding to a negative review on the website, the restaurant answered: 'There is not free country in the western world that would force us to explain to each customer why we charge the way we do.' 'However, we have often tried to explain the great cost of operating a business like ours. Would you ask Bugatti why they charge as much as they do? Would you ask all the luxury brands to justify their prices? You may opt for cheaper products and services. There is no monopoly.' When reached out by DailyMail.com about DK Oyster's over 500 negative reviews, Tripadvisor said they regretted so many visitors had had horrible experiences at the restaurant. They wrote: 'This story is totally horrifying, and we sympathize with this family and others who may have experienced anything like this. This kind of horror story really underlines just how helpful a resource Tripadvisor is to travelers looking for guidance on where to visit. 'A first-hand account of an experience for a place from a fellow traveler is invaluable insight into what can be expected there. The reviews for this business speak for themselves. 'We'd urge travelers to refer to Tripadvisor when making plans at home or abroad. The Tripadvisor app makes it easy to do this on the go no matter where you are.' Organizers say the sight of cops in uniform could make community members 'uncomfortable,' due to previous negative encounters with law enforcement The city's fire department also said they were refusing to participate in the parade, in solidarity with the city's police force Breed, who last year spearheaded an effort to defund the city's police force, made the announcement hours after city cops said they would not attend Woke San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who last year spearheaded an effort to defund the city's police force, has revealed she will not march in this year's Pride parade, due to organizers' refusal to lift a ban blocking uniformed officers from attending. 'I love the Pride Parade, and what it means for our LGBTQ community and for our city. It's one of my favorite events of the year,' Breed said in a statement to San Francisco's Fox affiliate KTVU Monday. 'However, if the Pride Board does not reverse its decision, I will join our city public safety departments that are not participating in the Pride Parade,' the mayor, who elected to slice $120million off the city's police budget last year, went on to assert. The decision came hours after the San Francisco officers issued their own statement saying they would not attend the event, citing organizer's ban on officers in uniform participating. The city's fire department also said they were refusing to participate in the parade, in solidarity with the city's police force. Organizers say the ban stems from the fact that the sight of cops in uniform could make community members 'uncomfortable,' due to previous negative encounters with law enforcement. Woke San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who last year spearheaded an effort to defund the city's police force, has revealed she will not march in this year's Pride parade, due to organizers' refusal to lift a ban blocking uniformed officers from attending 'Let's be very clear about who we are talking about,' Breed said Monday while revealing she was standing in solidarity with San Francisco's LGBTQ first responders. 'Brave women and men who not only have the courage to put on their uniforms and go out and risk their lives every day to serve our city, but who also have the courage to do so as openly out women and men in uniform.' Breed went on to call her decision to abstain from the event a difficult one, citing her support for the liberal city's LGBTQ officer. 'I've made this very hard decision in order to support those members of the LGBTQ community who serve in uniform,' Breed, 47, told the outlet. The ban, which was instated in early September 2020 but has yet to be enforced due to last year's parade being nixed over COVID concerns, demands officers that want to march in the parade do so without their uniform. It does not apply to on-duty cops. The decision to instate the ban by the event's board came in response to a clash between anti-police protesters and officers at 2019's parade, after demonstrators attempted to block the parade due to qualms over their participation (pictured) Pictured are anti-police protesters at 2019's parade, the last held due to coronavirus concerns The decision to instate the ban by the event's board came in response to a clash between anti-police protesters and responding officers at 2019's parade, after the demonstrators attempted to block the parade due to qualms over their participation. Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, has said event organizers want cops to be able to participate - just as long as they are not in full uniform, Organizers suggest the officers wear T-shirts or other clothing that reads San Francisco Police instead. In a joint statement, the LGBTQ members of San Francisco Police Department, as well as the San Francisco Sheriff's Office and the San Francisco Fire Department, all said they would not participate in the parade under those conditions. 'The board of SF Pride offered only one option: that LGBTQ+ peace officers hang up their uniforms, put them back in the closet, and march in civilian attire,' LGBTQ+ members of the coalition, called the San Francisco Police Officers Pride Alliance, wrote Monday. 'The San Francisco Pride Committee has asked the LGBTQ+ peace officers to go back in the closet.' 'The LGBTQ+ members of San Francisco's public safety agencies believe that radical inclusivity is a core San Francisco value and are asking that SF Pride reverse its decision.' The group revealed how it had long been in talks with the parade's board over them lifting the ban over the past 18 months, but that the discussions ultimately proved unsuccessful. Organizers say the ban stems from the fact that the sight of cops in uniform could make community members 'uncomfortable,' due to previous negative encounters with law enforcement. On-duty officers will still be allowed to preside over the event In their statement Monday slamming the guidance, officers and firefighters further argued that organizers would not take similar actions against other groups that regularly participate in Pride, such as the drag and kink communities. 'This committee would not order the leather community to wear polyester at the parade. This committee would not order the drag community to wear flannel,' the city officials wrote. 'But they have told us, peace officers, that if we wear our uniforms, we may not attend.' Breed, meanwhile, said in her statement that despite electing to not attend the June 26 parade, she would continue to participate in other activities celebrating Pride Month. 'I'm hopeful that the members of the Pride Board will change their position on this matter, but even if they don't, we will still celebrate Pride throughout the month of June in San Francisco,' the progressive mayor said. 'I will raise the Pride flag over City Hall and participate in numerous other Pride activities that are happening. Organizers cited previous negative encounters between parade demonstrators and uniformed officers as reasons driving the ban In their statement Monday slamming the guidance, officers and firefighters further argued that organizers would not take similar actions against other groups that regularly participate in Pride, such as the drag and kink communities 'And I will remain committed to advancing policies that serve the LGBTQ community, building on programs like creating the nation's first guaranteed income program for the Transgender people and funding our efforts to get to zero new HIV infections.' Shortly after Breed's declaration, the San Francisco Police Department issued its own official statement stating that it supported Breed's and its LGBTQ officers' decision to abstain from the event, reiterating that uniformed officers would still be in attendance. 'We proudly stand with Mayor London Breed, members of the San Francisco Sheriff's Office and San Francisco Fire Department, to not march in the San Francisco Pride Parade,' the department wrote. 'We will be there to support them when the time comes that they return to marching in the parade.' They added: 'Even though our members may not be marching in this year's Pride Parade, the San Francisco Police Department will be on hand to ensure that everyone attending and participating in SF Pride Weekend activities enjoys a safe and celebratory Pride Weekend in San Francisco.' Newly-appointed SFPD Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who also serves as the director of strategic communications for the department, also publicly condemned the ban. 'All San Franciscans share a compelling interest in solving our public safety staffing crisis in ways that attract the most diverse and qualified pool of candidates we can,' the officer said Monday, shortly after the mayor's announcement. LGBTQ officers will not be allowed to march in the parade in the parade in their uniforms, according to the guidance. Organizers suggest the officers wear T-shirts or other clothing that reads San Francisco Police instead Shortly after Breed's declaration, the San Francisco Police Department issued its own official statement stating that it supported Breed's and its LGBTQ officers' decision to abstain from the event, reiterating that uniformed officers would still be in attendance 'We can do that by showcasing our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our police, fire and sheriff's departments. But a policy of exclusion, which prohibits LGBTQ+ first responders and allies from marching in uniform, sends exactly the wrong message at a time when we can ill afford to do so.' Breed's opposition against the cop ban comes on the heels of her abrupt about-face as to her anti-police position in December, when the mayor declared the city a state of emergency due to rampant drug dealing, car break-ins and theft seen during the first year of the budget cuts. Amid the crime wave, the mayor asked the city's Board of Supervisors for more money to be given to the city's police, to stamp out a rise in incidents. Joining a growing number of Democratic mayors in the US who U-turned on 'defund the police' strategies in December, Breed called for 'more aggressive policing' to replace 'bulls**t progressive policies,' acknowledging that the city needed more law enforcement to tackle rapidly rising crime rates. 'It's time the reign of criminals who are destroying our city, it is time for it to come to an end,' she said. 'And it comes to an end when we take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement, more aggressive with the changes in our policies.' Breed's opposition against the cop ban comes on the heels of her abrupt about-face as to her anti-police position in December, when the mayor declared the city a state of emergency due to rampant drug dealing, car break-ins and theft seen during the first year of the budget cuts The situation mirrors a previous ban on police at NYC's Pride Parade last year - a ban that will stay in effect until at least 2025 - as tension between officers and the LGBTQ community over supposed violent confrontations at past events. In a statement announcing the ban, NYC Pride brass told members of law enforcement at the time to 'acknowledge their harm and to correct course moving forward.' 'The sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide can instead be threatening, and at times dangerous, to those in our community who are most often targeted with excessive force and/or without reason,' the group said. The ban also demands on-duty officers stay a block away from the celebrations. Police in that case also panned the move. San Francisco Pride organizers have yet to comment on the mayor's and police's statements. Kellyanne Conway's memoir was published on Tuesday by Simon & Schuster Kellyanne Conway describes her horror at discovering that her 15-year-old daughter's TikTok posts had gone viral in her new memoir, published on Tuesday, and condemns people who called the police on her family. In 'Here's the Deal,' she tells the story of her time as one of Donald Trump's closest advisers and dishes juicy asides on the cast of characters who rotated through the White House. But she also describes how he marriage was derailed by her husband's Twitter condemnation of her boss and how family life was sent into a spin when Taylor Loewnz, a New York Times reporter, shared a thread of her daughter Claudia's anti-Trump TikTok videos. 'My first reaction to all this was utter terror. Terror for Claudias safety,' she writes. 'Instant fame brings instant chaos, as I well know. I routinely ignored the trolls and haters who came for me online and let the Secret Service agents do their job when the threats warranted attention. 'But now the mainstream media in pure lemming-like mob fashion had all but sent an engraved invitation to all those nutjobs to come for my child.' Her daughter had become an overnight sensation, catapulting her into the news cycle. 'This of course is the dream of every teenage girl who is on social media, but her parents' nightmare,' Conway, 55, wrote. In her new memoir, Kellyanne Conway blasts reporter Taylor Lorenz for sending her 15-year-old daughter Claudia viral, saying the experience horrified her Kellyanne Conway with her daughter Claudia. The strain led Conway to leave the White House, where she was senior counselor to Trump, to spend more time with her family She blasts Lorenz for failing to ask the permission of a minor's parents before speaking to her and her editor for apparently backing her actions. 'This started as a calculated move by an unethical, childless journalist who would go on to sloppily defend her misdeeds by creepily claiming that she, thirty-five years old, and Claudia, fifteen years old, were mutuals and peers and that she had spoken with Claudia, apparently with the approval of her editors, but not with the approval of either George or me,' she writes. Requests for interviews come flooding in for her daughter, she adds, heaping more pressure on the family with editors apparently ready to ignore guidelines designed to protect minors. 'Consider this: In 2020, Claudia Marie Conway, fifteen, got more media coverage than Hunter Biden, fifty-one,' she writes. 'My underage daughter became news, but not Joe Bidens dirtbag adult son, who had flown to Ukraine, China, and God knows where else, reportedly more than eighty times on the taxpayer dime, to coerce tens of millions in contracts and capital.' With the Conways in the public spotlight, police were called to the family home in New Jersey on more than one occasion after Claudia posted video claiming abuse. But her mother writes that the welfare checks simply increased the danger for families who really needed help. 'I worried about my children's physical safety and emotional health,' she says. 'The fools calling Child Protective Services and the police on us further harmed, not helped, Claudia, and no doubt diverted precious resources away from at-risk children in actual need of such protection and intervention.' In August 2020 Conway announced she was leaving the White House to devote more time to her family. Conway joined Donald Trump's campaign in 2016 and stayed with him at the White House until just before the 2020 election. She accuses his campaign team of letting him down in 2020 Conway writes that not only did his team fail to deliver victory in 2020, they also failed to confront to with the reality of his election loss That meant she was less integral to Trump's reelection campaign than his 2016 victory, and she slams his staff and the election deniers that surrounded him in his final days in office. 'Despite the mountains of money Trump had raised, his team simply failed to get the job done. A job that was doable and had a clear path, if followed,' she writes. 'Rather than accepting responsibility for the loss, they played along and lent full-throated encouragement (privately, not on TV) when Trump kept insisting he won.' It marks her out as one of few confidantes who say he should let the 2020 result go, and she does it withering prose. 'The team had failed on November 3, and they failed again afterward,' she continues. 'By not confronting the candidate with the grim reality of his situation, that the proof had not surfaced to support the claims, they denied him the evidence he sought and the respect he was due. 'Instead supplicant after sycophant after showman genuflected in front of the Resolute Desk and promised the president goods they could not deliver.' But much of her book is taken with the toll her role - and her family's reaction - took on married life. In 2019, as senior counselor to the president, she found herself talking to Trump's daughter about the effect it was having. Ivanka Trump explained that she understood what Conway was going through. 'I am in a family of Democrats,' she said, referring to at least some of the Kushners. 'I get it.' Trump's daughter later handed her a Post-it note with 'the names of two local doctors who specialized in couples therapy.' Kellyanne Conway's marriage to George provided one of the most engrossing subplots to the Donald Trump presidency. She was one of the president's closest advisers for four years, while he became of Trump's most outspoken and high-profile public critics In her memoir, Conway reveals that Ivanka Trump offered her the names of two people who specialized in couples therapy. 'I am in a family of Democrats,' she said. 'I get it' 'I noticed she had avoided putting that in a text or an email. I appreciated the information and her thoughtfulness and wanted to pursue it,' Conway recalled in excerpts obtained by DailyMail.com. 'After I showed George the names, he rejected one and said a halfhearted 'okay' to the other while looking at his phone. We never went. 'He spent his time exactly how he wanted to. If it was important to him, he would have made it happen.' George Conway, a Republican lawyer, responded to a Trump rant with definitions of 'narcissistic personality disorder By this point her husband was using Twitter to keep up a running commentary on the president and his administration. It made for a slew of headlines, as writers and commentators speculated on the state of the Conways' marriage. At one point, Saturday Night Live did a 'Marriage Story' parody of their relationship, with Scarlett Johansson playing the role of couples counselor. In a typical example, George Conway wrote in 2019: 'Don't assume that the things he says and does are part of a rational plan or strategy, because they seldom are. 'Consider them as a product of his pathologies, and they make perfect sense.' At the time, his wife steered away from discussing their relationship or the impact of the tweets. But in her memoir she describes how it felt like he was being unfaithful. 'During this time, the frequency and ferocity of his tweets accelerated. Clearly, he was cheating by tweeting,' she wrote. 'I was having a hard time competing with his new fling. 'I had already said publicly what I'd said privately to George: that his daily deluge of insults-by-tweet against my bossor, as he put it sometimes, "the people in the White House"violated our marriage vows to "love, honor, and cherish" each other.' In particular, she said she was hurt by his move from behind the keyboard to in front of the cameras - to join MSNB's special impeachment overage. 'It was sneaky, almost sinister,' she writes. Bosses have apologised after travellers were left waiting for four hours to collect their bags as long delays continue to impact holidaymakers at British airports. People flying in and out of Manchester and Gatwick airports took to social media to voice their frustration today after long queues put a dampener on their holiday plans. One person at Manchester Airport claimed they were left waiting four hours to collect luggage at baggage reclaim, while another described the airport as 'hell on earth'. Meanwhile, at Gatwick Airport there were complaints about delays on Tuesday morning, with one traveller taking to Twitter to describe their experience as 'horrible' and 'grim'. Gatwick Airport said these queues were temporary and dissipated relatively quickly. Both airports have apologised for the delays, with Manchester Airport blaming a slow recovery from the Covid pandemic and saying it was doing all it can to move people quickly. Photos taken at Gatwick Airport on Monday, May 23, show travellers stuck in long security queues Passengers looking for a smooth getaway at some airports have been frustrated in recent months, with complaints about the length of queues at check in and security in airports. In some situations this has led to people missing their flights, or flights being delayed to allow for travellers caught in the queues to reach the aircraft. These frustrations continued today, with passengers at Manchester Airport taking to social media to air their complaints. Adam Thomas tweeted: 'Four hours waiting for luggage to come through at arrivals at Manchester Airport.' Mhari Oakes wrote: 'Hell on earth this morning at Manchester Airport - avoid it like the plague!! Everyone missing flights despite getting there 3 hours before departure. Absolute and complete chaos. No check in staff.' Marion Wolstenholme-O'Reilly added: 'Chaos at Manchester Airport this morning. Almost two hours queuing to drop off case and still no end in sight. Really really poor @easyJet - no organisation, no communication. Upset, anxious and frustrated queues of customers.' At Gatwick Airport customers arriving earlier this morning complained of long delays when trying to pick up baggage and going through security in what seems to be a repeat of scenes from Monday, May 23. @gylesnamopaleen wrote: 'Gatwick Airport is a complete shambles today. Allow a lot of extra time for security if you're unfortunate enough to fly from there... the fast track security lane took about an hour. Yep, an hour.' @Mollscroll wrote: 'Queues at Gatwick Airport just to get to the escalator up to departures to queue again. Can't even see the end point. Gatwick is always a horrible experience. Grim.' This prompted the Gatwick Airport Twitter account to respond: 'Hi, we're really sorry for any delay. We are operating a moving queue system and staff are working hard to process passengers as quickly as possible through Security Search.' @DA7Guy46 complained about the wait at baggage reclaim, writing: 'Shambolic service at the north terminal waiting for luggage more than 90 minutes after landing!! No apologies no nothing and still no clue as to when luggage will arrive. Landed at 13.50. Sort it out please.' Gatwick Airport's twitter account responded saying: 'Hi there, I'm sorry your airline and their appointed handling agent are delayed in delivering your baggage. I am sure your airlines is working closely with their handling agent to reunite passengers with their bags.' A Gatwick Airport spokesperson, said: 'A queue formed for airport security at the airport this morning. 'At its worse, the queue time was around 30 minutes as it continued to flow and we worked hard to reduce and eventually remove the queue altogether. 'Gatwick Airport would like to apologise to any passengers who have been invoiced by queuing at the airport. 'We expect to be busy throughout the summer and passengers are advised to arrive at the airport as soon as check-in opens for their flight. Typically, this is 3 hours for long-haul and 2-2 for short-haul.' A spokesman for Manchester Airport said: 'We apologise to any passengers whose experience at Manchester Airport this morning was not how they would like it to be. 'As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we continue to advise customers there may be some times when security queues are longer than usual, which is why we advise people to arrive three hours before their flights. 'On Tuesday morning, while the vast majority of people passed through security in under 30 minutes, waiting times peaked at around one hour in one of our terminals for a brief period of time, and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. 'By 7am, security queues in all three terminals had improved significantly, and were as low as 15 minutes in the best case. 'We are also aware some passengers reported delays when checking in with their airline, and collecting baggage on their return. 'All parts of the aviation sector are experiencing challenges linked to the rapid recovery from the pandemic and we are working hard with all our partners, including handling agents, airlines and others, to deliver the best possible service we can in the circumstances.' A spokesperson for Swissport, a baggage handler at Manchester Airport, told Manchester Evening News: 'We are sorry for the delays passengers have experienced collecting their bags at Manchester Airport today. 'While the aviation industry is still recovering from the pandemic, we, like other ground handling services, are working hard to address these challenges and have already welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues across the UK and Ireland. 'We understand how frustrating and inconvenient delays are and we continue to work with our partners to implement contingency measures and improve turnaround times.' The delays come after industry chiefs have warned British holidaymakers hoping to fly abroad at any time this year to brace for 12 months of travel hell due to unprecedented airline staff shortages caused by Covid self-isolation and mass layoffs during the pandemic. Experts said that airlines 'are simply unable to cope with that demand due to a lack of resources' and warned that the 'nightmare' disruption - of the sort seen over Easter, where hundreds of flights were cancelled by airlines including British Airways and easyJet - could last all year. Queues at Gatwick Airport pictured yesterday. The airport apologised for the delays and said it was 'working hard' to 'reduce and remove' them as quickly as possible BA has axed hundreds of flights up on some routes to the US and the Far East until September, affecting thousands of travellers after it had already cancelled more than 1,000 flights in little more than three weeks. Routes affected have included from London to Berlin, Dublin, Geneva, Paris, Stockholm, Athens and Prague. The flagship carrier axed another 200-plus flights over yesterday and on Wednesday, affecting an estimated 20,000 passengers. There are fears that other carriers could also be hit with issues after easyJet cancelled hundreds of flights over Easter. Kully Sandhu, managing director of Aviation Recruitment Network, told the Express: 'In my opinion, it could be up to 12 months before we see staffing at airports back to pre-pandemic levels. Recruitment for people at airports takes longer than roles elsewhere because of necessary, additional security and background checks. 'Routine recruitment campaigns ground to halt during the pandemic and have been slow to start again as international travel has had a number of restrictions on it until recently. That means the recruitment pipeline was cut off and needs to be re-established. 'Aviation has lost its appeal, not only for returners but also for people who have never worked in an airport environment before.' Vladimir Putin has promoted his former personal bodyguard to be the Kremlin's new Emergencies Minister, months after his predecessor mysteriously fell to his death from a waterfall. Major-General Alexander Kurenkov, 49, nominated today by Putin, is the sixth bodyguard to the Russian president to be appointed to high government office. The last man to hold the post was Yevgeny Zinichev, also an ex-Putin guard, who died falling down a 90ft waterfall amid suspicions of murder. Vladimir Putin has promoted his former personal bodyguard Alexander Kurenkov to be the Kremlin's new Emergencies Minister (pictured together) The last man to hold the post was Yevgeny Zinichev, also an ex-Putin guard, who died falling down a 90ft waterfall amid suspicions of murder (pictured at the Kremlin together in April 2020) Nicknamed 'the man without a face', little is known about Kurenkov's past and background, with claims he had served in the FSB counterintelligence agency as well as the FSO, responsible for guarding senior officials. Pictures show ex-school teacher Kurenkov as a bodyguard close to Putin, now 69, on various visits. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'Putin knows him well personally. 'And the choice means that, according to the head of the state, Kurenkov's personal, service, and professional qualities will allow him to serve in this function.' Critics say an increasingly paranoid Putin only fully trusts those who have proved their loyalty by guarding his life. Nicknamed 'the man without a face', little is known about Kurenkov's past and background (pictured together) Pictures show ex-school teacher Kurenkov as a bodyguard close to Putin, now 69, on various visits (circled right) Official records said Zinichev, who was 'being groomed for tsardom as a possible successor' to Putin, was killed trying to 'save a man' at the Kitabo-Oron waterfall in September at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Siberia. Putin was visibly distraught at Zinichev's funeral, calling his death an 'irreplaceable personal loss'. Some analysts believed Putin had been grooming Zinichev - like him once a KGB operative - as his eventual successor. He had already served as deputy FSB director and second in command at the defence ministry. Zinichev, who held the rank of general, had enjoyed a spectacular rise under Putin and had been tipped for a new powerful role on the Kremlin's security council when he was killed in the mysterious Arctic incident. Professor Valery Solovey - linked to Telegram Channel General SVR - claimed: 'I will say right away that it was not the death, but the murder, of the general. Putin was visibly distraught at Zinichev's funeral, calling his death an 'irreplaceable personal loss' Some analysts believed Putin had been grooming Zinichev - like him once a KGB operative - as his eventual successor 'He did not die alone, several other people died with him.' The man he allegedly tried to save, documentary-maker-cameraman Alexander Melnik, 63, also died. Putin awarded him a posthumous Hero of Russia honour. His replacement Kurenkov had 'worked as Putin's senior adjutant', a source told RBC. Later he was deputy director of the Russian national guard - which answers directly to Putin. He was in recent years promoted to the rank of Major-General. The ex-bodyguard's appointment is expected to be rubber-stamped by the Russian parliament. Dmitry Mironov, 53, is now an assistant to Putin after a stint as governor of Yaroslavl region Emergencies Minister is a high profile job in Russia, battling with flooding, wildfires and storms, but also seen as a key security portfolio. It was in this role that Sergei Shoigu now defence minister made his name. It is unclear if Putin sees Kurenkov as a possible successor. One ex-bodyguard Alexey Dyumin, 49, is governor of Tula region. Another, Dmitry Mironov, 53, is now an assistant to Putin after a stint as governor of Yaroslavl region. Yet another Sergei Morozov, 49, was made governor of Astrakhan region before returning to the secret services as a Major-General. Highest flying of all ex-bodyguards is Uber-loyalist General Viktor Zolotov, 68, who heads the Russian national guard. He had also been a guard to Russia's first post-communist president Boris Yeltsin. A police raid in a Rio favela early Tuesday left 11 people dead, authorities in the Brazilian city said. Military police said they came under gun fire as they planned to enter a slum called Vila Cruzeiro in the north of the city with the mission of locating and arresting 'criminal leaders.' In the ensuing gun battle 10 alleged criminals died, as did a female resident of the favela who was hit by a stray bullet. Two people are being treated in the trauma wing, according to a statement from the states health secretariat. A woman reacts outside the Getulio Vargas Hospital, after more than eleven people were killed during a police operation against drug dealers in the Vila Cruzeiro slum Police said they were looking for gang leaders hiding out in Vila Cruzeiro that were from other parts of Brazil Police seized seven assault riles, five pistols, 10 motorcycles and six cars in Tuesday's operation. Police often carry out raids in Rio's teeming slums to fight drug trafficking Military police said they came under gun fire as they planned to enter a slum called Vila Cruzeiro in the north of the city with the mission of locating and arresting 'criminal leaders' Police often carry out raids in Rio's teeming slums to fight drug trafficking. They said that this time they were looking for gang leaders hiding out in Vila Cruzeiro that were from other parts of Brazil. This was the deadliest police raid in a year in Rio. Last May a police raid in a favela called Jacarezinho left 28 people dead including a police officer. It was the largest such toll in the city's history. The news website G1 said Tuesday's raid targeted the Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, one of Brazil's most powerful crime gangs. Police said there were gun battles in high-ground areas of the favela itself and in wooded grounds surrounding it. Police seized seven assault riles, five pistols, 10 motorcycles and six cars in Tuesday's operation. Last May a police raid in a favela called Jacarezinho left 28 people dead including a police officer. It was the largest such toll in the city's history A person reacts outside the Getulio Vargas Hospital, after more than eleven people were killed during a police operation against drug dealers Police are on the hunt for a Just Stop Oil activist who is facing jail after blockading an oil terminal. On-the-run Jake Handling, 27, is wanted by police after missing a court appearance last week. The long-haired eco-warrior was given a six-week prison sentence - in his absence - after breaching an injunction banning him from entering the Kingsbury Oil Terminal. He was arrested 11 days after the injunction was granted - on April 23 - while protesting outside the oil terminal in Warwickshire. Handling joined a group of 100 Just Stop Oil activists who lay in front of tankers and chained themselves to the gates as part of a protest. He was convicted of breaching the injunction and was sentenced to six weeks in jail in his absence last week. Now police have issued a warrant for his arrest and have issued a mugshot of the eco-zealot, featuring him with a beard and long straggly hair. A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: 'Anyone with information that could help police locate him should call 101. On-the-run Jake Handling, 27, is wanted by police after missing a court appearance last week. The eco-warrior was given a six-week prison sentence in his absence after breaching an injunction banning him from entering the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in Warwickshire The long-haired eco-warrior was given a six-week prison sentence - in his absence - after breaching an injunction banning him from entering the Kingsbury Oil Terminal (pictured) 'Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers.' Police say the injunction was secured by North Warwickshire Borough Council on April 14 against protestor groups who had previously targeted the oil terminal. The council said they had applied for the injunction as the protestors had posed 'a serious risk to themselves, residents, and the environment during the first week of protest in Kingsbury'. The injection gives police the power of arrest and detention until people are presented the next day at court for entering the oil terminal in Kingsbury. Police say copies of the order are placed 'prominently at the entrance to the terminal'. Alongside Handling, Joshua Smith, 29, of Manchester, was arrested at the Kingsbury Oil Terminal on April 23. Smith received a six-week suspended sentenced and ordered to pay 250. Leader of North Warwickshire Borough Council, Cllr David Wright said: 'The Council supports the right to lawful protest but some of the actions have and continue to create unacceptable dangers. 'The Injunction gives the Police much better powers to stop repeat and dangerous protestors and today's sentencing has shown that breaches won't be taken lightly. 'This hopefully will act as a deterrent to others and show that both the council and the Police are doing everything in their powers to prevent unsafe protesting at Kingsbury.' It comes as, in the latest set of eco-protests, a 70-strong group hijacked a meeting of top Shell executives in central London today by singing their own rendition of Queen's hit song We Will Rock You, before telling shareholders: 'We will dismantle you!' The eco-zealots, led by Extinction Rebellion, were filmed interrupting the company's annual general meeting (AGM), being held at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, forcing it to be temporarily suspended. Other demonstrators glued themselves to parts of the building before being led away by Metropolitan Police. There were three arrests. The Extinction Rebellion zealots were filmed interrupting the company's AGM meeting, being held at Central Hall in Westminster, forcing it to be temporarily suspended Eco-mob protestors unfurl signs at Shell's AGM in central London, with one reading: 'Shareholders fund death' One woman who was handcuffed was seen lying on the floor as officers attempted to get her to stand up. The force has not confirmed if there have been any arrests. It came as Shell is due to ask its shareholders to vote on a resolution supporting its climate strategy and rebuff an activist climate resolution, another version of which won 30 per cent of votes at last year's AGM. One woman who was led out of the building by police was later seen handcuffed on the ground and crying. 'Shell must fall,' the demonstrators repeatedly chanted during the meeting. After some time, chairman Sir Andrew Mackenzie said: 'OK, thank you. I would like to carry on with the meeting if I may', but was prevented from doing so by the protesters. 'That was an interesting start to our annual general meeting. I have listened to you for 15 minutes, could you...' he added before being interrupted again. 'I do not want to get to this, but if necessary I will ask you to leave the meeting so we can continue with the annual general meeting,' Sir Andrew said. In one clip a protestor is seen being pulled by her collar by a man in a face mask before a fellow demonstrator pushes his hand away. She then shouts towards the stage: 'You are willfully leading us to disaster, you are a disgrace, Shell must fall!' A black teaching assistant has won a race discrimination case after she was banned from working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic while her white colleague was allowed to. Abi Balogun showed Cubitt Town Infants' School in London a letter saying that her young son who was battling cancer and vulnerable should shield at home during the pandemic. Ms Balogun told an employment tribunal she explained to the infant school's deputy head Emmy Alcock she had to do whats right for my family and avoid a possible Covid infection. However, Ms Alcock ordered her to attend and threatened her with no pay. And when Ms Balogun questioned why a white, less qualified assistant was given permission to work from home, the deputy head terminated her contract the Isle of Dog school. The special needs and disabilities assistant is in line to receive compensation after she successfully sued the school for race discrimination and victimisation. Worried Abi Balogun told Cubitt Town Infants' School (pictured) bosses she had to 'do what's right for my family' and stay at home as her young son was battling cancer and vulnerable An East London Employment Tribunal heard how Ms Balogun's son was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment in January 2021. This was when the UK was plunged into its third lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ms Balogun who was employed by an agency, Teaching Personnel Limited, as a teaching assistant at the school was told it would be 'non contact' work and would be preparing work packs in a classroom. Previously, she had been allowed by the school to stay at home while 'the shielding advice for her son was in place'. But the deputy head Ms Alcock told the mother-of-two, the court heard, that the government guidance only required the vulnerable person to shield and she should come into work. A female assistant, named only as 'LC', carried out a similar role to Ms Balogun and was permitted to work from home from January 2021 as her mother was a vulnerable person and was shielding. On January 28, Ms Balogun texted Ms Alcock: 'Hi Emmy, I've made a conscious decision to do what's right for my family and stay home during the lockdown. 'It is impossible to work in isolation in school. Staff are everywhere and have come to speak to me without a face covering. 'It's not a risk I'm willing to take. Pupils have also approached me to show me their work, and I won't turn them away. 'My children were too in school while I was at work which defeats the purpose.' Ms Alcock replied: 'Hi Abi, I understand your concerns and why you want to stay at home. 'As the shielding document is for your son and not yourself, you are still expected to attend work. 'All staff apart from those that are themselves clinically extremely vulnerable are expected to attend work. This is the guidance from the DfE.' The tribunal heard Ms Balogun pointed out Ms Alcock's contradiction as LC was allowed to work remotely. She asked: 'To my knowledge, a specific co-worker is not clinically vulnerable however lives with a family member who is and shielding, why are they not expected to attend work, on the other hand, I have to?' Ms Alcock claimed she had 'done everything' she could but said she 'cant discuss other member of staffs arrangements' as they are 'confidential'. The tribunal also heard that the headteacher Robyn Bruce 'in hindsight' thought that Ms Alcock should have explained why another person was allowed to WFH. Ms Balogun then brought up the Equality Act and Ms Alcock terminated her contract an hour later and notified the agency which she was employed through. The tribunal also heard that the headteacher Robyn Bruce (pictured) 'in hindsight' thought that Ms Alcock should have explained why another person was allowed to WFH At the tribunal, Ms Bruce claimed Ms Balogun was not comparable to LC and the mother of a child with cancer could not have worked remotely, however the panel found this was not true. The tribunal concluded: 'Little thought was taken by the school prior to the termination of Ms Balogun's services by Ms Alcock of how she could be accommodated working from home. 'This was in stark contrast to LC who was allowed to work from home presumably with the necessary software to do so. 'Ms Balogun had a good work record and there were no performance or disciplinary issues with her. 'The tribunal was not satisfied that the explanation provided by the school at the hearing was reasonable as to why she could not work from home especially given her good work record, superior qualifications and adaptable experience. 'We were perplexed by the actions of Ms Alcock as it was clear to us that she was aware Ms Balogun was a single mother looking after two children, one of whom was suffering from cancer and was clinically vulnerable.' The panel said 'we were not satisfied' by the school's explanation of her sacking when the only difference was race. Ms Balogun, who worked at the school for a year, won claims of race discrimination and victimisation and will be awarded compensation at a later date. She lost an unfair dismissal claim as she was not directly employed by the school, but through an agency. Sporadic monkeypox infections are spotted outside of Africa but these have always fizzled out after few cases Scientists in Portugal have spotted mutations in 50 parts of 'hypermutated' virus that has infected at least 171 UK health chiefs insist the virus poses a low risk to Britons, despite further cases being detected England logged 70 infections since May 7, while Scotland yesterday confirmed its first ever case of the virus The UK Health Security Agency confirmed 14 more cases, bringing the UK total in ongoing outbreak to 71 Advertisement Another 14 monkeypox patients have been spotted in England as the tropical virus continues to sweep the world amid fears it may have mutated to spread easier between humans. UK Health Security Agency bosses (UKHSA) have now confirmed 71 cases in the unprecedented global outbreak. At least one child has been sickened so far but no-one has died. Officials have also warned the worst may still be to come. England has logged 70 cases since the first case was publicised on May 7, while Scotland has recorded one. None have yet been detected in Wales or Northern Ireland. Officials said a 'notable proportion' have occurred among gay and bisexual men but have not provided an exact breakdown. No gender or age details have been shared, either. Dr Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA's chief medical adviser, said new monkeypox cases were being spotted 'promptly' due to 'extensive surveillance and contact tracing networks'. Nineteen countries across the world mainly in Europe have already detected the smallpox-like virus, sparking concerns it may have learned to spread easier among humans. Infections are only detected sporadically outside of west and central Africa, where the virus is endemic in animals. Although, imported outbreaks have always fizzled out naturally after a few cases. Fears were fuelled today after analysis of the first few sickened patients suggested the virus has evolved 'far more' than expected. Portuguese scientists warned an 'evolutionary jump' like what happened with Covid may have created a 'hyper-mutated virus'. Health chiefs are alarmed about the cluster of cases. Yesterday experts warned that monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe. A WHO official yesterday claimed the leading theory explaining the spread of the disease was sexual behaviour at two raves held in Belgium and Spain. And Dr David Heymann, who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium. The Gran Canarian pride festival, held between May 5 and 15 and attended by 80,000 people from Britain and across Europe, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases. Dr David Heymann (pictured), who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium Pets could keep spreading monkeypox through Europe FOREVER: Health chiefs make stark warning as UK's cases TRIPLE in just three days Monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe, health officials warned yesterday. Experts on the Continent sounded the alarm as it was announced that cases in the UK have almost tripled in three days. Another 37 cases were confirmed in addition to the 20 already identified, taking the total to 57. As of yesterday, there were 67 confirmed cases cases of monkeypox in nine European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and France, and at least 42 suspected cases. A rapid risk-assessment published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said pet rodents, such as rats and mice should ideally be isolated in 'monitored facilities' if they belong to close contacts of infected people. In Africa, where monkeypox is endemic, or well established, the virus is often in rodents including squirrels and dormice. The ECDC said rodents and squirrels could be 'suitable hosts' and a 'spill-over event', where the virus spreads from people to pets to wildlife, could see monkeypox become endemic in Europe. Advertisement The disease, first discovered in lab monkeys in the late 1950s, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. It can kill up to 10 per cent of people it infects. The milder strain causing the current outbreak kills one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. Monkeypox has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Dr Hopkins said: 'We are continuing to promptly identify further monkeypox cases in England through our extensive surveillance and contact tracing networks, our vigilant NHS services, and thanks to people coming forward with symptoms. 'If anyone suspects they might have rashes or lesions on any part of their body, particularly if they have recently had a new sexual partner, they should limit their contact with others and contact NHS 111 or their local sexual health service as soon as possible, though please phone ahead before attending in person.' UKHSA teams are contacting people considered to be high-risk contacts of confirmed cases and advising them to self-isolate at home for three weeks and avoid contact with children. They are also being offered the Imvanex vaccine, which was designed for smallpox. Although not purposefully made for monkeypox, the jab made by Danish-based Bavarian Nordic is up to 85 per cent effective because the two viruses are so similar. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of the disease. EU health chiefs yesterday called on member states to adopt a similar plan. It comes as 19 nations have now confirmed monkeypox infections. The United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic and Slovenia today became the latest countries to log infections. In Czech Republic, the disease was detected in a man at Prague's Military University Hospital. Pavel Dlouhy, head of the country's Society for Infectious Diseases, said: 'It was only a question of time, we have been expecting this for days.' The Czech National Institute of Public Health said the sick Czech had shown symptoms of the disease after returning from a festival in Antwerp, Belgium in early May. Three cases in Belgium have been linked with Darklands a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, held from May 5-8. Organisers have since said there is 'reason to assume' someone at the event was infected. In Slovenia, a man who developed symptoms after returning from the Canary Islands, has also been confirmed to have monkeypox, according to health authorities. Health chiefs tasked with containing the virus have already traced cases back to the Gran Canarian gay pride festival attended by up to 80,000 people between May 5-15. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates announced the first case of monkeypox detected in the country, state news agency WAM reported, citing the health ministry. The virus was detected in a 29-year-old woman visiting the Gulf country from West Africa. It comes as researchers today warned the circulating monkeypox strain has mutated. Dr Joana Isidro, Portugal's National Institute of Health in Lisbon, and colleagues analysed nine genome sequences of monkeypox, gathered from patients infected with the virus during the latest outbreak. The researchers calculated the virus is closely related to the same West African strain that was exported from Nigeria to Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019. However, each virus had 50 extra mutations, on average, compared to the cases detected in previous outbreaks, the pre-print states. This is 'far more than one would expect' based on the number of changes expected for orthopox viruses, a family of viruses that also includes smallpox but not chickenpox. Their findings, which suggest the cases all stem from a 'single origin', have yet to be examined by other scientists. Health chiefs have warned monkeypox, a virus endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions, could also spread to some pets and become endemic in Europe. Undated handout file image issued by the UK Health Security Agency of the stages of Monkeypox Viruses constantly mutate and most versions of viruses are not of concern. DNA-based viruses such as monkeypox tend to evolve slower. Monkeypox outbreak may have been sparked by sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain, WHO expert warns The unprecedented monkeypox outbreak may have been caused by sex at two festivals in Europe, a former World Health Organization expert said. Dr David Heymann, who used to head the WHO's emergencies department, said someone with the tell-tale monkeypox lesions likely 'spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact'. He said this may have happened at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. The Gran Canarian pride festival, held between May 5 and 15, is being investigated after being linked to numerous monkeypox cases. And organisers of a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, which ran from May 5 to May 8, said there is 'reason to assume' someone at the event had monkeypox. Spanish health chiefs have also linked many cases to a single 'sauna' in Madrid. The theory marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Advertisement Dr Emilia Skirmuntt, a virologist at Oxford University, said some sequences contain multiple mutations and deletions. She noted that experts previously believed these could increase human-to-human transmission of the virus. Dr Skirmuntt said, however, 'despite the possible higher than expected transmission rate' it is 'still not even close' to the speed at which Covid spread. And the disease symptoms 'are very mild and we have an effective vaccine', she added. Meanwhile, researchers from Bavarian Nordic warned in December, before the start of the outbreak, of an 'escalation' in monkeypox cases fuelled by increasing human-to-human transmission. Writing in a pre-print, the team said this could be down to a drop in immunity against monkeypox because the smallpox jab is no longer routinely offered. The jab has not been dished out in Britain since the 1970s. 'Overall, monkeypox is gradually evolving to become of global relevance,' the experts said. Despite suggestions that virus may have evolved, experts have warned there is no evidence it has done so. Dr Rosamund Lewis, who heads the smallpox secretariat on the WHO's emergencies programme, said the global health agency does not have any proof that monkeypox has mutated. She told a briefing yesterday that mutations tended to be lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak. And Dr David Heymann, who formerly headed the WHO's emergencies department, said the monkeypox outbreak was a 'random event' that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent events in Spain and Belgium. Dr Heymann, also a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'It's very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact. 'And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the US and other European countries.' The theory marks a significant departure from the disease's typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Scientists say it will be difficult to establish whether the spread is being driven by sex or merely close contact. Dr Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, said: 'By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a person's sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission.' Dr Andrea Ammon, the director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, warned 'the likelihood of further spread of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities among persons with multiple sexual partners, is considered to be high'. Dr Heymann said monkeypox is unlikely to trigger widespread transmission. He said: 'We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission,' Dr Heymann said. But he said the outbreak 'is not Covid'. Dr Heymann added: 'We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it.' How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 16 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been informed of 92 confirmed cases by Saturday and 28 suspected infections, most of which have been detected in Europe. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Advertisement The New York City subway has long epitomized the grit and grottiness of the Big Apple. But with a new wave of unprovoked crime that culminated in the fourth subway murder of the year on Sunday, the dank trains and stations that were once a punch line are frightening and outraging the city's taxpayers. While New Yorkers grin and bear their daily commutes hoping not to be accosted, beaten or shot, city hall and the MTA opted last week not to act on the violence but instead to unveil a 'stunning' new set of concrete stairs at Times Square station which cost a dizzying $30million - $1million per unremarkable step. It is a desperate scenario that is thrust into context today by the gleaming new jewel in London's underground system - the Elizabeth Line. Londoners rushed onto the new trains today with gusto and were photographed in sparklingly clean stations. There were ample armed police to protect them and the politicians who visited to celebrate the occasion. It all leaves a sour taste in the mouths of New Yorkers, who pay a premium to live in the city. London's new Elizabeth Line was unveiled on Tuesday, giving Londoners brand new, clean trains on a safe and pleasant tube network Signage and an empty concourse are pictured at Liverpool Street, one of London's busiest, ahead of the opening of the Elizabeth Line Commuters walk through Liverpool Street on Tuesday May 24th after taking the first Elizabeth Line trains Meanwhile in New York City, straphangers wait on the dank subway platform at Grand Central Station on Tuesday morning preparing to board trains A straphanger gets ready to disembark the uptown 6 train on Tuesday morning while a homeless man sleeps on four seats at rush hour Trash on the tracks of the Grand Central station before an uptown 6 train in New York City on Tuesday morning The tracks at Grand Central on Tuesday morning after straphangers tossed their trash The subway in New York City is cheaper than in London; $2.75 will take passengers anywhere in the five boroughs, whereas London's fares can cost as much as 9.40 ($11) for a single journey between Zones 1 and Zones 9. New Yorkers however pay upwards of 3 percent in NYC income tax on top of federal and state income tax too. Mayor Eric Adams vowed a crackdown on crime when he took office in January but so far, he has failed to gain control of the situation. Transit Bureau Chief Jason Wilcox told the MTA board on Monday that a designated 'train force' of cops will be introduced to trains. 'In May we have created a new Train Patrol Force, or TPF, that will perform dedicated, targeted, and visible train patrols on the late evening and overnight hours. A typical staircase inside Canal Street station on Tuesday morning Canal Street subway station on Tuesday morning, two days after a man was shot dead on the Q train as it approached Manhattan Cops on the subway on Tuesday morning. There has been an increase in the last six months but not enough to stave off a wave of violent crimes A person lies on the ground at the 161 Street station in the Bronx. The pandemic drove many homeless people out of shelters and into the city's streets and subway stations 'The TPF is not a new concept, it was a type of transit patrol done in years past, notably, by our mayor when he was a transit cop,' he said, according to AM New York. 'It was an idea that we felt we needed to return to,' he added. The TPF existed in New York City in the 1990s but was disbanded in 1995 when it folded in to the NYPD. NYC Mayor Eric Adams at the Balenciaga show on Saturday. He is yet to crackdown on subway crime On Sunday, Daniel Enriquez, a 48-year-old Goldman Sachs worker, was shot dead at close range while riding the Q train at 11.42am. It was an unprovoked attack and the killer, believed to be Andrew Abdullah, remains at large; when the subway pulled into Canal St station, Abdullah fled. He is believed to have handed his gun off to a homeless person, but he remains at large in the city. Abdullah was out on bond at the time of the shooting on Sunday. According to court records obtained by the New York Times, Abdullah is a known gang member - who goes by the name 'Ace.' It is the second time in as many months that a gunman has opened fire on the subway and been able to evade police. On April 12, Frank James opened fire on a busy, Manhattan-bound N train. He injured ten people, causing rush hour chaos before somehow managing to escape the train station unnoticed. He caught the train the next day, riding back into the city from Brooklyn, then was arrested in the street after a member of the public recognized him and flagged down officers who were nearby. Abdullah, the alleged shooter in this Sunday's attack, has 19 prior arrests, according to reports by The New York Post. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams vowed to add high-tech machines that will be able to detect guns whenever people enter subway stations. He has not yet indicated how they will work or where and when they will be introduced. Curtis Sliwa and Replubican Senate candidate Joe Pinion visits the Canal Street subway to hold a press conference about the dangerous subway Andrew Abdullah is wanted for the shooting of Daniel Enriquez on the Q train on Sunday. He opened fire on Enriquez in the train then fled as it pulled into Canal Street. He remains at large in the city On April 12, Frank James opened fire on another subway car, injuring ten people. He evaded police for two days before being stopped in the street after a member of the public recognized him On May 18, MTA officials revealed they had spent $30million on a new set of stairs at the Times Square station - an expense that outraged New Yorkers who are waiting for the actual trains to be cleaned up and made more safe with police $1million per concrete step: That is the cost of the new stairs at the Times Square station He said at a press conference that it was 'every New Yorker's worst nightmare' to be killed as Enriquez was. 'It is their worst nightmare. I use the subway a lot. I'm in the system a lot and it's unimaginable.' 'Youre sitting down, going to brunch, going to visit a family member, a person walks up to you and shoots you for no reason. 'Not a dispute which is horrific to do it when [there is] a dispute but that is the worst nightmare,' he said. Adams said it was 'his responsibility' to find the killer and attempted to drown out critics as 'well-oiled Twitter users'. Adams is said to be eyeing a presidential term barely six months into his job as mayor. At the weekend, he attended the Balenciaga fashion show at the NYSE and he is a regular on the city's nightlife circuit. As more than a dozen countries grapple with outbreaks of monkeypox, health officials worldwide are rushing to assess reserves of vaccines and treatments that may be needed to contain the spread. According to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US emergency stockpile has two vaccinations licensed by the Food and Drug Administration that might be used to contain monkeypox. Is There a Vaccine For Monkeypox? More than 100 million doses of the original smallpox vaccination are stored in the stockpile. However, that vaccination has been linked to negative effects and should not be administered to some people, especially those who are immunocompromised. Jynneos, a newer vaccine, was authorized in 2019 for the protection of both smallpox and monkeypox. The CDC's stockpile has over 1,000 doses, according to Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director. Still, the scope of the problem in the United States is unknown. Officials have verified only one case in Massachusetts, as of Monday, and were assessing four more people. The situation in other parts of the world is more worrying. There were more than 100 confirmed cases in 14 countries outside of Africa as of Monday, with dozens more under investigation. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control asked European health professionals to check the availability of smallpox vaccinations, antivirals, and personal protective equipment on that day, according to the New York Times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the monkeypox case in the United States is a guy from Massachusetts, and the four orthopox cases are males from New York, Florida, and Utah. The word "orthopox" refers to all pox viruses. McQuiston recommended that doctors treat orthopox patients as if they had monkeypox. As per McQuiston, the CDC expects to receive samples from the four possible cases today or tomorrow for further analysis. The CDC's Laboratory Response Network can screen for an orthopox virus, and then the agency verifies monkeypox using PCR testing, which takes a couple of hours, she noted. The CDC sequenced the material from the confirmed case in Massachusetts quite fast, and researchers were able to see that it closely matched that of a case in Portugal within 48 hours. Monkeypox is not transmitted during intercourse but can be transmitted through touch during sex, according to Dr. John Brooks, the CDC's senior medical officer for HIV prevention. Anyone may contract or spread monkeypox, but homosexual and bisexual males account for a sizable proportion of cases in the current worldwide outbreak. The CDC opted to hold a news conference on the outbreak now, according to Brooks since LGBTQ Pride month normally begins around Memorial Day weekend, and authorities wanted to make sure the community was aware of the problem. He also advised clinicians to be on the watch for the condition, which might resemble other forms of STDs, CNN reported. Read Also: Starbucks Follows McDonald's in Russia Exit, Vows to Pay 2000 Staff for 6 Months Until Next Job What Is Jynneos Vaccine For? When asked if anyone in contact with confirmed or suspected monkeypox patients had received the Jynneos vaccine, which the US ordered millions of additional doses of last week, McQuiston said there had been a request for the Jynneos vaccine to be released from the National Stockpile for some of the early patients' high-risk contacts. Despite not being formally verified, the four suspected instances in the United States are extremely likely to be monkeypox since testing has revealed that the pathogen involved is from the orthopoxvirus family, which includes both monkeypox and smallpox. The CDC anticipates that samples from the cases will be analyzed for final confirmation this week. In 2003, a minor outbreak of monkeypox, which is generally seen solely in Africa, emerged in the United States for the first time. Smallpox was proclaimed globally eliminated in 1980, and no spontaneously occurring cases have been discovered thereafter. The Jynneos vaccine was created in part to address continued worries that the virus, which had a mortality rate of roughly 30%, may resurface as a bioterrorism agent. Monkeypox is still uncommon, with a death rate estimated to be between 1 and 10%. By the World Health Organization, there are presently at least 92 instances of monkeypox in 12 countries, with many more probable cases being investigated. President Joe Biden stated on Sunday that the globe "should be concerned" about the virus spreading further, as per Newsweek. Related Article: US Hepatitis Outbreak: CDC Seeks Answers on Unexplained Pediatric Disease That Spreads in 36 States, Kills 6 Minors @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. London mayor Sadiq Khan today sparked a backlash as he demanded the Metropolitan Police deliver a 'detailed explanation' of their Partygate decisions. The Labour politician inserted himself into the row over Covid lockdown breaches in Downing Street by writing to the Met Police's acting boss, Sir Stephen House. Mr Khan asked the force's interim Commissioner to explain 'the factors which were taken into account' by Scotland Yard officers when deciding whether to take action over Coronavirus rule-breaking in Number 10. His actions prompted Tory fury and angry accusations of political meddling by the mayor in police activities. Mr Khan's intervention comes after the publication of photos yesterday showing Boris Johnson boozing with others in Downing Street in November 2020 - a time when indoor social gatherings were banned. The Prime Minister has not been punished over the bash, which is said to have been a leaving do for his outgoing director of communications Lee Cain. This is despite the Met Police having confirmed the event was among those Partygate gatherings for which fines have been issued. Scotland Yard has refused to say how many fines were issued over the event or who received them. The release of the photos has fuelled questions about how Mr Johnson - who was pictured apparently toasting Mr Cain - escaped without a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) over the 13 November party. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has already been urged to launch an investigation into why the PM wasn't fined for his attendance. Sadiq Khan inserted himself into the row over Covid lockdown breaches in Downing Street by writing to the Met Police's acting boss, Sir Stephen House The London mayor demanded Sir Stephen explain 'the factors which were taken into account' by Scotland Yard officers when deciding whether to take action over Coronavirus rule-breaking in Number 10 The mayor's intervention comes after the publication of photos yesterday showing Boris Johnson boozing with others in Downing Street in November 2020 Mr Khan wrote to Sir Stephen as he stepped up his demands for the Met Police to provide 'clarity' on their decision-making. A spokesperson for the London mayor said: 'Sadiq has today written to the acting Commissioner of the Met to seek a detailed explanation of the factors which were taken into account by investigating officers when decisions were made about whether to take action in individual cases in the Downing Street 'Partygate' investigation. 'He has asked them to take steps to also reassure Londoners by making this explanation to them directly, because he is concerned that the trust and confidence of Londoners in the police is being further eroded by this lack of clarity. 'The mayor has been clear he cannot and would not intervene in operational decisions, however with the investigation now complete, he has made this request in accordance with the Policing Protocol Order 2011 paragraph 23(g).' Amid Tory fury at Mr Khan's intervention, the mayor was told he is risking politicial interference in police activities. Senior Conservative MP David Jones, a former minister, told MailOnline: 'This is an operational matter and he has no role in such matters. 'Why the police make decisions is a matter for the Commissioner, and not for a politician.' Following yesterday's release of photos of the PM drinking in Number 10, Scotland Yard declined to explain why Mr Johnson was not fined over the 13 November event. The Met Police offered no comment beyond what they said last week, when the force announced the completion of their Operation Hillman investigation into Partygate had resulted in 126 referrals for fixed penalty notices. Advertisement Devoted fans have lined up outside a Virginia courthouse for some of their last chances to sit in on Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's $50 million defamation trial as the legal drama enters its final days. Most of the fans could be seen flaunting their support of the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star, holding up signs calling for 'Justice for Johnny.' All of them are hoping to get their hands on a wristband, which grant them entry into the courtroom spectacle that has blown up social media, TMZ reports. One woman was dressed up as human excrement, an apparent reference to Depp's claim that Heard once left feces on their bed. Depp is suing Heard, his 35-year-old ex-wife, for writing a 2018 op-ed about being a survivor of domestic abuse. The opinion piece never mentioned Depp by name, but Depp's lawyers claim it was clear that Heard was referencing the Hollywood leading man. Additionally, they claim that the resulting negative publicity cost Depp roles in upcoming films and projects. Heard claims Depp is smearing her by accusing her of lying in the article and is countersuing for $100 million. Throughout the six-week long trial, Heard's attorneys have tried to paint Depp as an abuser and called in a psychiatrist on Monday to testify about his behavior. But online, many of Depp's supporters have vilified Heard, with some even taking to WebMD and Google Reviews to slam the psychiatrist, who claimed Depp has the 'behaviors of someone' who is abusive despite never examining the actor himself. Dr. David Spiegel, a Virginia-based psychiatrist, testified on Monday that Depp displayed 'behaviors of someone' who is abusive - despite later admitting that he did not actually interview the movie star One woman was dressed up as poop - an apparent reference to Depp's claim that Heard once left feces on their bed Dozens of devoted fans could be seen lining up near the entrance to the Fairfax County Courthouse on Tuesday as the Johnny Depp's and Amber Heard's $50 million defamation trial as it enters its final days Many were not afraid to show their allegiance to the Pirates of the Caribbean star, holding up signs saying 'Justice for Johnny' Supporters of Johnny Depp's cheered and waved as he arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday In court on Monday, Dr. David Spiegel, a Virginia-based psychiatrist, said that Depp is a narcissist whose behavior is consistent with someone that has 'both substance abuse disorder as well as behaviors of someone who is a perpetrator of intimate partner violence.' He listed the drugs that Depp has abused, including alcohol, amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and opiates - claiming that such drug use caused a concerning level of damage to Depp's memory, as evidenced by his former therapist asking him to remember three words and repeat them five minutes later. Spiegel also testified that evidence like a video of Depp smashing up his kitchen, as well as the firing and rehiring of his personal doctor, showed he had a 'significant trouble with delaying gratification.' 'One way to make that 'significantly worse is with substances', Dr. Spiegel said. He went on to claim that Depp's use of vulgar language in texts was 'disturbing,' saying: 'I have no problem with people being angry but the expressing of it and continual ranting was very uncomfortable to read'. Spiegel claimed that such prescription drug use could result in unexpected effects. 'You start getting irritable, you start getting agitated, suspicious, jealous, potentially disinhibited, psychotic,' he said, noting: 'We're talking about not your average everyday use of these substances, we're talking about chronic use together 'You're playing with fire when you're talking about substances and intimate partner violence.' Adding illegal substances to a situation where domestic violence was an issue, Spiegel explained, meant Depp's brain could no longer 'prevent' him from physically assaulting Heard even though such behavior was 'wrong'. He then reeled of the characteristics of narcissists and addressed whether they applied to Depp, telling jurors: 'Narcissism patients have poor control, rapid mood shifts, undue sense of admiration, worship power, they worship control. 'They have a lack of empathy and people are generally kept around as long as they are useful to them, a large sense of entitlement. Need for praise, and intimate partner violence'. Depp, 58, is suing Heard, his 35-year-old ex-wife, for defaming him in a 2018 op-ed in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse. Though the article did not mention Depp by name, his lawyers claim it was clear it was about him Heard (seen here speaking to her attorney on Tuesday) is countersuing him for $100 million According to Dr. Spiegel, being envious and have a 'fragile self esteem' were part of being a narcissistic. Asked if Depp was a narcissistic, he said: 'I do think that the fact he thought that Amber owed him and only wanted to be together with him because of his fame is an example of that. I think the jealousy is an example of that. 'This whole trial in terms of a narcissistic insult is what's going on.' But during cross-examination, he admitted that his testimony was based on Depp's appearances - apparently including in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, the evidence presented in court and other people's testimony. He said he had asked to speak with Depp twice, but was denied. In the aftermath, his page on the medical website WebMD was inundated with one-star reviews. Many called him 'unprofessional,' with some claiming he may be taking the medicine he prescribes to his patients. Others said his psychiatric license should be revoked, with one person commenting: 'The medical board and ethics committee needs to review the doctors' cases. You should never render medical [advice] if you have not personally examined and interviewed the patient.' And another wrote that they 'can't believe he watched a movie to diagnose someone. 'Just think how many innocent people have been found guilty due to his fake testimonies.' A third user also commented that Spiegel 'comes across as a Wish.com version of Doc Brown from Back to the Future. 'He needs an evaluation,' the user wrote. 'And then a termination.' Meanwhile, the one-star reviews that were leveraged against the doctor on Google Reviews seem to have been scrubbed from the website. But not before NBC News reporter Kat Tenbarge took screengrabs of them showing one person claiming Spiegel 'has simply been unprofessional, unpleasant to work with' and has misdiagnosed 'multiple people with the slightest hint of regret and acts like he knows everything. 'He should be avoided at all costs.' In the aftermath, fans of Johnny Depp's slammed Spiegel on his WebMD page, calling him 'unprofessional' and saying his license should be revoked The trial is now set to conclude on Friday, with British supermodel Kate Moss, 48, set to testify virtually on Wednesday about her relationship with Depp in the 1990s. She was not originally set to testify as her experience with Depp was deemed irrelevant to the alleged abuse allegations he now faces. But earlier this month, Heard had brought up the super model in her testimony, saying she felt connected to Moss due to a rumor that Depp pushed her down the stairs when they were dating back in the 1990s. By doing so, experts say, Heard inadvertently allowed Depp's lawyers to call Moss as a witness to discuss the rumor, which sources say is not true, noting that Moss continues to support Depp - with whom she was in a relationship with from 1994 to 1997. A source familiar with the case has since told the New York Post Moss will talk about an incident when she 'was walking down some stairs in Jamaica'. 'She was wearing flip flips and she slipped on the last two stairs. Johnny caught her and tended to her.' 'Johnny picked up Kate and carried her - this was hardly Amber's scary interpretation of events,' the source said, adding that Depp's legal team have been speaking to Moss in the last week. 'Kate has nothing to gain in giving testimony, but she feels strongly about defending her friend,' the source added. Advertisement Bloody battles are raging on Ukraine's eastern frontline today as Russia launches an all-out effort to surround and capture two key cities in the Donbas in what could prove a pivotal moment for Putin's war. Heavy fighting is today underway to the south, west and north of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk - sister cities straddling the Donets River in Ukraine's industrial heartland, where it is thought thousands of Ukrainian troops are trying to hold the line against mounting assaults. Lung-crushing thermobaric rockets were filmed pounding Lyman, 30 miles to the west of the cities, late Monday and into Tuesday as Moscow's forces stormed into the outskirts in an attempt to capture one of the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold on the eastern bank of the river, opening the way for a pincer movement to the south. Meanwhile rockets were also pounding the cities of Bakhmut and Soledar as the Russian soldiers fought for control of the town of Vasylivka and captured Svitlodarsk - driving Ukrainian defenders back and moving the other arm of the pincer steadily northwards. It means a key highway running between Bakhmut and Severodonetsk/Lysychansk is now at risk of getting cut off, with an AFP journalist capturing dramatic footage of shells exploding to either side of the road Monday. Losing the road would make it difficult for Ukraine to reinforce troops closer to the front, where fighting is also underway in the outskirts of Severodonetsk. If Russia is able to capture the cities, then Putin can claim to be in full control of Luhansk province - one of the key objectives of his 'special military operation' - while also clearing the way for attacks on Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, the last remaining strongholds in Donetsk province. Capturing both regions in their entirety would put Russia in control of the entire Donbas, which Putin's generals now cynically claim was their true goal all along, and could see a large part of Ukraine's military mauled or wiped out in the fighting. Putin may then sue for peace, hoping Kyiv would be too weak to resist. But failure would mean Russia being forced to give up on all-but its most-modest of war goals - heaping fresh humiliation on Putin after capitulation in Kyiv and Kharkiv, and putting the survival of his regime in doubt. A column of dirt rises into the sky just to the left of a road in eastern Ukraine as a key supply route for troops fighting in Donbas comes under attack by Russian mortars A mortar shell explodes close to a highway running between the cities of Bakhmut and Severodonetsk, as Ukrainian troops try to keep hold of a key supply route running to the frontlines Smoke rises from an oil refinery on the outskirts of Lysychansk, one of the two cities in Donbas that Russia is trying to surround and capture, amid heavy fighting in the region today Black smoke can be seen streaming across the sky near Lysychansk, a Ukrainian city in the Luhansk region of Donbas, which is facing heavy attacks from Russian troops Mobile artillery opens fire somewhere in the Donbas region on Thursday, amid heavy fighting with President Zelensky warning the current situation is 'difficult' Putin's closest allies today vowed they were in Ukraine for the long-haul, saying that fighting would continue until 'all the objectives have been achieved' - without outlining exactly what they are. Sergei Shoigu, Putin's long-time ally and defence minister, told ex-Soviet leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization: 'We will continue the special military operation... regardless of the massive Western aid to the Kyiv regime and the sanctions against Russia.' He added that Moscow's efforts to avoid civilian casualties 'are of course slowing down the pace of the offensive, but this is deliberate'. Separately, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said that Moscow's offensive would last as long as necessary. 'We are not rushing to meet deadlines,' Patrushev told the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty in an interview published on Tuesday. 'All the goals set by the President of Russia will be fulfilled,' Patrushev added. 'It cannot be otherwise, because the truth, including historical truth, is on our side.' Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine on February 24 in what was supposed to be a days-long operation that has today entered its fourth month. Since then, Russia has lost more than 15,000 soldiers - according to the latest Western estimates - and military equipment worth more than $13billion, according to new calculations b Forbes magazine. In return for the spilled blood and spent treasure it has gained control over the Azov Sea city of Mariupol, which was surrendered last week after 82 days under siege. It has also gained control over large parts of southern Ukraine including the port of Berdyansk, the regional capital of Kherson, the city of Melitopol and key power plants at Enerhodar, including Europe's largest nuclear plant. But, crucially, Russia has been forced to abandon attempts to capture the capital Kyiv and second-largest city Kharkiv after its attacks stalled with huge loss of life, and also failed to take Mykolaiv, in the south. As a result, Odesa - Ukraine's main Black Sea port city and main naval base - has also remained largely untouched aside from cruise missile strikes aimed at destroying military targets and fixing defenders in place to stop them reinforcing elsewhere. It means the vast majority of Ukrainian territory, as we as overall control of the country, remains in the hands of President Volodymyr Zelensky - though he admits the coming weeks 'will be tough.' 'The most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas,' Zelensky said in his nightly address Monday, singling out the worst-hit towns of Bakhmut, Popasna and Severodonetsk. The Ukrainian armed forces said in a Facebook update on Tuesday that Russian forces were conducting non-stop 'offensive operations' in the region, adding 'the enemy is exerting intense fire along the entire line of contact'. The governor of Lugansk said Russia had sent thousands of troops to capture his region and that Severodonetsk was under massive attack, warning residents that it was too late to evacuate. A Ukrainian soldier loads weapons into a truck as he prepares to head to the frontlines in Lysychansk, one of two cities in the Luhansk region that remain under Kyiv's control Ukrainian troops prepare to load into an armoured vehicle so they can travel to the frontlines in Lysychansk, where heavy battles are currently underway with Russian forces A soldier with yellow tape wrapped around his arm marking him out as a Ukrainian is pictured heading for the city of Lysychansk, in Donbas, to join the fight against Russia A Ukranian serviceman takes cover during shelling outside the city of Lysychansk in the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas 'At this point I will not say: get out, evacuate. Now I will say: stay in a shelter,' Sergiy Gaidai said on Telegram. 'Because such a density of shelling will not allow us to calmly gather people and come for them.' Residents of Bakhmut, a crucial junction that serves as a command centre for much of the Ukrainian war effort, told AFP of the aerial onslaught they had suffered. 'I looked up from my prayers and heard a frightening sound,' 82-year-old Maria Mayashlapak said next to the splintered remains of her home. 'Every day I pray to God. God heard me. God is watching over me.' Zelensky said in his address that Russia had carried out nearly 1,500 missile strikes and more than 3,000 airstrikes against Ukraine in the first three months of the war. The president earlier warned elites gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos - from which Russians have been barred this year - that slow-walking military aid was causing unnecessary deaths as Ukrainians are 'paying dearly for freedom and independence'. He said that 87 people had been killed in a Russian attack earlier this month on a military base in the north, in what would be one of the largest single recorded strikes of the war. Western countries have sent huge amounts of weapons and cash to Ukraine to help it repel Russia's assault, and punished Moscow with unprecedented economic sanctions. But Zelensky said via videolink that tens of thousands of lives would have been saved if Kyiv had received '100 percent of our needs at once back in February', when Russia invaded. He also ramped up his demands that Moscow be cut off from the global economy, calling for an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all its banks and the shunning of its IT sector. A tank spray-painted with the word 'Russia' is pictured rolling through the Donetsk region of Donbas, where heavy fighting is currently underway with Ukrainian forces A man walks in front of a destroyed super market after a strike in the city of Soledar at the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas A crater is picured in front of a destroyed super market after a strike in the city of Soledar, in Donbas - Counsellor quits - Meanwhile, a counsellor at Moscow's mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Boris Bondarev, announced he was leaving his job after 20 years of diplomatic service in protest at Russia's invasion. In the letter circulated to a number of diplomatic missions in Geneva and seen by AFP, he condemned the war as 'not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia'. 'Never have I been so ashamed of my country,' he said. A 21-year-old Russian soldier was on Monday found guilty of war crimes for killing an unarmed civilian and handed a life sentence by a Kyiv court, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began. Vadim Shishimarin looked on from a glass box as he was sentenced in a trial followed around the world - likely the first of many as Ukraine investigates thousands of alleged war crimes. The sergeant from Siberia had admitted killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, as he was riding his bike in the village of Chupakhivka in northeast Ukraine. He claimed he shot Shelipov under pressure from another soldier as they tried to retreat and escape back into Russia in a stolen car on February 28. But prosecutors stated he shot between three and four bullets with the intention of killing the civilian, and Judge Sergiy Agafonov sentenced him to life. International institutions are also probing abuses allegedly committed by Russian forces in places such as Bucha and Mariupol, which have become emblematic of the destruction and suffering of the war. More than six million people have fled Ukraine and eight million have been internally displaced since the war broke out, according to the United Nations. An 'evil' and abusive woman who humiliated her 'vulnerable' boyfriend by sharing a photograph of him bound with electrical cables to a would-be lover before she strangled him to death has been jailed for life. Drug-addict Charlotte Dootson, 25, murdered Mohammed Mukhtar, 53, with an extension lead at his home in Manchester in August last year, following a campaign of abusive and violent conduct against him. Manchester Crown Court heard how she humiliated her boyfriend by sending a photo of him bound on the sofa in his living room at home in Droitwich Road, Miles Platting to another man in a slew of sexual messages just hours before she killed Mr Mukhtar. The man had texted: 'Hope you don't do that to me.' Dootson replied: 'Never hang you.' The man went on: 'You can tie me up in kinky way', to which Dootson said: 'Shouldn't that be the man x'. He replied: 'Oh that if you into that x'. Dootson said: 'I sure am, I'm into whips x'. Prosecuting, Alaric Bassano said it was as if Dootson was 'revelling in or amused' by Mr Mukhtar's turmoil, adding: 'Her violence against the deceased was gratuitous and her treatment of him degrading and humiliating.' Undated handout photo issued by Greater Manchester Police of Charlotte Dootson Charlotte Dootson, 25, murdered Mohammed Mukhtar, 53, with an extension lead at his home in Manchester in August last year Police found Mr Mukhtar, known as Amin, bound by his feet, hands and neck after a report of concern for his welfare at about midday on August 30 at his flat, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Mukhtar had also suffered a laceration to his liver which was caused by a kick or stamp to his stomach from the defendant. Hours after sending the photograph, Dootson called her father and said Mr Mukhtar was not breathing or moving and she thought she had killed him. Her father asked her to put him in the recovery position, start CPR and call an ambulance but she said she did not want to alert the police and left the address. Dootson was arrested in the street shortly after and earlier this month pleaded guilty to murder. Mr Bassano said it was not an isolated incident and that Dootson had repeatedly assaulted Mr Mukhtar during their four-year relationship, often with weapons including knives and twice causing him to seek hospital treatment. The victim also reported to medics in March and July last year that Dootson had strangled him with extension leads. Between May 2018 and July 2021 there were 12 calls to the police about Dootson inflicting violence and she was arrested on three occasions and charged once. However, no action was ultimately taken as Mr Mukhtar lied to protect her or more often confirmed the violence but refused to support a prosecution, the court was told. Dootson was arrested in the street and earlier this month pleaded guilty to murder At the time of the murder the defendant was also under investigation for an allegation of assaulting Mr Mukhtar by strangulation. Today, the killer was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 22-and-a-half years in custody before she can be considered for parole. Sentencing, Judge Patrick Field QC said Mr Mukhtar, a man of slight stature, had been described as a 'gentle and kind man who faced considerable challenges in his life, particularly mental health problems'. He told Dootson: 'He was undoubtedly a vulnerable man and you chose to take advantage of his vulnerability. The relationship was abusive and you were the abuser.' Tim Storrie QC, defending, said Dootson suffered from a number of mental disorders, most notably a personality disorder with disassociatve traits, and had been homeless for most of her adult life and in exploitative relationships. However, the judge said Dootson's mental health issues, along with a mild learning disability, only had a 'limited impact' on her blameworthiness for the killing. In a victim personal statement on behalf of the family, Mr Mukhtar's sister, Fozia, said: 'Each and everyone of us are tormented at the thought of what Amin endured in the final moments before his death. 'It is just pure evil and callous. Amin was a timid guy, he was just so quiet and kind. He wouldn't hurt anyone and he did not deserve what you did to him. 'We can never forgive you for what you have done and for taking such a well-loved, genuine guy away from us all. Our hearts are broken.' Dootson, who smirked on prison videolink throughout the hearing, grinned and held her thumbs up to the camera in response to the family's statement. A Kremlin journalist accidentally gave away the position of a Russian supersized mortar in a report from the Donbas, and Ukraine duly blew it up a day later, dramatic drone footage shows. Aleksandr Kots was proudly showing off the 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled heavy mortar in a propaganda report in Severodonetsk after it was moved from Mariupol. The weapon is the largest calibre mortar system in service, firing huge 288-pound F864 shells to a range of six miles. A Russian 2S4 blows up in a huge fireball after it was struck by Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region Aleksandr Kots (pictured)was proudly showing off the 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled heavy mortar in a propaganda report The weapon is the largest calibre mortar system in service, firing huge 288-pound F864 shells to a range of six miles Kots' report in Rubizhne showed several angles of the giant mortar, which can also fire Smel'chak laser-guided rounds, 3B11 nuclear shells, and 308 rocket-assisted cargo shells, in his report showing off the weapon to Russians back home. But less than 24 hours after his footage was aired, the mortar was blown to pieces by Ukrainian forces, who gleefully shared footage of their scalp. The 2S4 is seen in a huge fireball as its ammunition detonates in another huge blow to Putin's botched war effort. It is the first confirmed loss of an 2S4 by Russia during the savage invasion, although the Kremlin reportedly has as many as 400 inactive mortar systems in reserve. Kots' report in Rubizhne showed several angles of the giant mortar, which can also fire Smel'chak laser-guided rounds Less than 24 hours after his footage was aired, the mortar was blown to pieces by Ukrainian forces, who gleefully shared footage of their scalp The 2S4 is seen in a huge fireball as its ammunition detonates in another huge blow to Putin's botched war effort The weapon systems are designed to destroy large buildings and heavy fortifications and was developed during the Cold War. There are only around 50 left in operational service, 12 per district-level High Power Artillery Brigade, according to Forbes. The weapons fire only one round a minute and can be both towed and self-propelled. In Ukraine, they have been used to destroy airport terminals in Donetsk and Luhansk, and have also been used in Syria, Lebanon and Chechnya. It is the first confirmed loss of an 2S4 by Russia during the savage invasion, although the Kremlin reportedly has as many as 400 inactive mortar systems in reserve The weapon systems are designed to destroy large buildings and heavy fortifications and was developed during the Cold War (file image) Kots (pictured) has been described as one of Putin's most 'valuable assets' and is regularly deployed as a war correspondent to spread propaganda to the Russian masses Earlier this month, the 2S4 was seen firing at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol where surrounded Ukrainian soldiers had been holed up. The mortar destroyed by Ukraine is believed to have previously destroyed a bridge between Lyschansk and Severodonetsk. Kots has been described as one of Putin's most 'valuable assets' and is regularly deployed as a war correspondent to spread propaganda to the Russian masses. In 2014, Putin even gave him an Order of Merit for the Fatherland medal for his 'objectivity in reporting on events in Crimea. The rural town of Newberry, South Carolina was rocked over the weekend by two separate fatal shooting incidents that took the lives of four teenagers just hours apart and about a block away from each other. On Sunday morning, cops responded to the scene of a shooting on the 700 block of Wise Street and found 16-year-old Mykain Davis shot at about 12:05 a.m., Newberry Police Chief Goodman said. Davis was taken to Newberry County Memorial Hospital where he died. About 15 hours later, at 2:50 p.m. Sunday afternoon, there was a second burst of gunfire, neighbors told police. Authorities say that shooting claimed the lives of Jhisere Robinson, 15, Jahquindon Toland, 18, and Sonterrious Davis, 19, at the 2400 block of Eleanor Street. The rural town of Newberry, South Carolina was rocked over the weekend by two separate fatal shooting incidents that took the lives of four teenagers just hours apart and about a block away from each other. Sonterrious Davis (left), 19, and Jahquindon Toland (right), 18, were among four teens fatally shot within a span of 15 hours on Sunday May 22 in Newbury, South Carolina Guns were found at the scenes of both shootings and the victims all attended Newberry High School at one point. In an interview with the DailyMail.com, Police Chief Kevin Goodman would not say if the crimes were gang related or if revenge was a motivation for the murders. One of the victims in the second shooting was questioned in the first shooting, but the chief would not say which one. Newberry County Medical Examiner Laura Kneece (left) and Newberry Police Chief Kevin Goodman explain that the four slain teenagers knew each other 'They're all within a block of each other,' Goodman said. 'Preliminarily, I would say that everybody, all the victims, are somehow connected. They knew each other and my understanding were in the same circle.' The chief said that he could not establish a motivation for the shooting or identify a suspect in the case. Goodman said that police have responded to shootings in that area before. He couldn't say if any of the fatalities were self inflicted. 'We're still putting a lot of the pieces of this case together,' he said. 'We're trying to figure out if these two shootings are in any way connected.' A forensic autopsy is scheduled for this week. The chief told the DailyMail.com that none of the young men had prior arrests in Newberry. Goodman could not say if MyKain Davis and Sonterrious Davis were related. Even 48 hours after the homicides, police had little information that they could share. Jahquindon Toland, 18, shown here fielding a ball for the Newberry Bulldogs. Police are investigating his murder on Sunday, May 22 Jahquindon Toland, 18, pictured here on the school bus for Newbury High School, which he once attended 'As I always say, it takes a village to keep this neighborhood, to keep this city and this county safe,' Goodman said. 'So, any and all information we need - we need. And we ask that you give us anything. Even if it doesn't seem like it's important, tell us anyway and let us decide if it's good information. The last homicide in Newberry happened in March 26 or this year and the suspect was arrested and charged in that case. Mykain Davis and Robinson were students at the Newberry High School and Toland and Sonterrious Davis had already graduated from the school. Out of an abundance of caution, the school switched to remote learning on Monday, but was back to in-person classes on Tuesday. 'I want to express my personal condolences to the families of the victims during this very difficult time,' Superintendent Alvin Pressley said. 'The Newberry community has been deeply impacted by this weekend's events, which has led to the loss of four young lives. No parent, friend, teacher is ever prepared to face a tragedy like this. I want to thank the local law enforcement agencies for their work and support and we will continue to work with them to make certain our schools are safe and secure. We have made the decision to have students return to Newberry High School tomorrow to provide them with the support from their school and district family.' World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been re-elected to serve a second five-year term as director-general of the global health body. He won a secret ballot at the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva as the sole candidate in what was a foregone conclusion. An overwhelming majority of the WHO's 194 member states voted for Dr Tedros to continue in his role as the UN health agency's director-general. Dr Tedros shook hands with delegates from various countries and received a standing ovation from the assembly in Geneva. 'This is overwhelming,' he said in his acceptance speech to the delegates. 'I'm really grateful and humbled for your confidence and trust.' The role can only be reappointed once, and Dr Tedros begins his new mandate officially on August 16. His trademark moustache became known in households globally as one of the leading protagonists dealing with the global Covid-19 pandemic that erupted at the start of 2020. He was a little-known figure before his rise to prominence during the coronavirus pandemic, serving as the Ethiopia government's first Health Minister and then Foreign Minister. World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was re-elected to a second term as director-general of the global health agency after a secret ballot in which he was the only candidate Dr Tedros became a household name during the Coronavirus pandemic, when he faced accusations of being too cosy with China He received a standing ovation as an overwhelming majority of the WHO's 194 member states voted for Dr Tedros to continue in his role as the UN health agency's director-general But he faced heavy criticism for his handling of the pandemic, which was deemed to be very 'China-centric', heaping praise on China's communist party for its response to the Covid outbreak. He hailed the regime's 'commitment to transparency' and said the speed with which it detected the virus was 'beyond words'. Indeed, it is not the first time that Dr Tedros has been accused of cosying up to China. Shortly after his first election victory in 2017, it was alleged that Chinese diplomats had been heavily involved in lobbying for him. UN records also show that Chinese contributions to both Ethiopia's aid budget and the WHO have substantially increased during times when he was in top leadership positions. However, he finally criticised China when he laid into its brutal Zero Covid strategy and urged it to change its policy, as millions in Shanghai struggle under a severe lockdown. In a rare rebuke of the Communist party, which is one of the biggest financial contributors to the health agency, Dr Tedros said the strategy was unsustainable. 'As we all know, the virus is evolving, changing its behaviours, becoming more transmissible,' he said. 'With that changing behaviour, changing your measures will be very important. 'When we talk about the zero-Covid strategy, we don't think it's sustainable.' He added: 'Considering the behaviour of the virus I think a shift [in China's strategy] will be very important.' Dr Tedros - who has never practised as a medical doctor - is a career politician who was born in what is now Eritrea, began work under the Communist Derg junta, and came to study in the UK in 1991. Shortly after his election to the WHO, a report in The Times said: 'Chinese diplomats had campaigned hard for the Ethiopian, using Beijings financial clout and opaque aid budget to build support for him among developing countries.' Dr Tedros faced heavy criticism for his handling of the pandemic, which was deemed to be very 'China-centric', heaping praise on China 's communist party for its response to the Covid outbreak Dr Tedros - who is married and has five children - was born in 1965 in Asmara, which was part of Ethiopia at the time but is now in Eritrea. As a child he saw his younger brother die to an infection, which he believes was measles, which he later said spurred his determination to work on health and health policy. He graduated from university in Ethiopia in 1986 with a degree in biology and went to work as a health official in the regime of Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, while the country was ruled by the Derg military junta. According to the BBC, Dr Tedros then joined the hard-left TPLF - which started life as a Communist party and played a major role in overthrowing Mariam in 1991. It later became part of the EPRDF, a coalition of left-wing parties that ruled Ethiopia until last year. Around the same time as Mariam's ouster, Dr Tedros left Ethiopia and came to the UK where he studied at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, graduating with Masters of Science in Immunology of Infectious Diseases in 1992. He then went on to study at the University of Nottingham, where he received a PhD in community health in 2000. After this, he returned to Ethiopia where he joined the health ministry and rose through the ranks from regional health minister all the way to national Minister for Heath - a position he took up in 2005. The WHO and its Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus (left, pictured meeting with Xi Jinping in January) faced accusations in 2020 that the organisation was 'China-centric' and was too quick to praise the regime's coronavirus response Dr Tedros (left) became the first African head of the WHO and the first non-medical doctor to hold the role when he was elected in 2017, amid allegations of heavy lobbying by China (pictured, Dr Tedros in Beijing shortly after his election) During his tenure, which lasted until 2012, he was widely praised for opening thousands of health centres, employing tens of thousands of medics, bringing down rates of HIV/AIDS, measles and malaria, as well as bringing information technology and the internet into the heath system. In November 2012 he was promoted to Foreign Minister, and was widely hailed for helping to negotiate a boost in UN funding for Ethiopia, including as part of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Indeed, UN funding records show that around this time the country received millions in additional funding - including from China, which had previously given little or nothing to support the country. In 2015 and 2016 China gave some $16million to Ethiopia in spending commitments and cash contributions, largely in support of food or refugee programmes. In 2011, just before Dr Tedros took up the role, and in 2017, just after he left, China handed over another $44million in commitments and contributions. Its total contributions outside of this period, dating back to the year 2000, were just $345,000. House speaker Nancy Pelosi questioned whether Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was holding a double standard for banning her from Communion for her position on abortion while keeping quiet about Republicans who support the death penalty. 'I wonder about the death penalty, which I am opposed to. So is the church but they take no action against people who may not share their view,' the California Democrat said Tuesday on MSNBC's Morning Joe. Cordileone said that the speaker was not to present herself for the Eucharist in his San Francisco archdiocese because her abortion views have become 'more extreme' and 'more aggressive.' Pelosi, who often publicly invokes her Catholic faith, added: 'We just have to be prayerful, we have to be respectful. I come from a largely pro-life Italian American Catholic family, so I respect people's views about that, but I don't respect us foisting it onto others.' Pelosi went after the archbishop for his anti-LGBTQ stance, and said his position was not consistent with the Gospel of Matthew, an argument she often makes to paint Republicans as opposed to helping the needy. 'Now, our archbishop has been vehemently against LGBTQ rights, too -- in fact, he led the way in some of the initiatives on -- an initiative on the ballot in California. 'So this decision, taking us to privacy and precedent, is very dangerous in the lives of so many of the American people. And again, not consistent with the Gospel of Matthew.' 'I wonder about the death penalty, which I am opposed to. So is the church but they take no action against ppl who may not share their view,' the California Democrat said Tuesday on MSNBC's Morning Joe She added that some Republicans claim they are against abortion but are really also against contraception, family planning and in-vitro fertilization. 'This should never have been politicized. It should never have been politicized...And, you know what, it is also a cover for a lot of other things that the far right wants to accomplish.' Catholic archbishops have broad authority over their diocese, and reversing Cordileone's decision would require rare intervention from the Vatican. On Sunday Pelosi was spotted at Mass in Washington, D.C. where she did receive Holy Communion. The California Democrat attended the 9 a.m. Mass at Holy Trinity in the Georgetown neighborhood, according to Politico. Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington has not publicly commented on whether the Speaker can receive the Eucharist. In the past, Gregory has expressed opposition to weighing in on whether Catholic politicians can take the Eucharist due to their political positions. Last year, amid calls for President Biden to be denied communion over his position on abortion, the parish council of Holy Trinity released a statement which said that it 'will not deny the Eucharist to persons presenting themselves to receive it.' The council said 'communion should be viewed 'not as a prize for the perfect, but as a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak,'' and added that 'the great gift of the Holy Eucharist is too sacred to be made a political issue.' But the bishop of Santa Rosa, Robert Vasa, told the Pillar Catholic that the ban on Pelosi would follow her to the parish where she attends Mass when she is staying at her nearby vacation home in Napa Valley. Meanwhile, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said during a Friday interview that the California Democrat lawmaker's views on abortion are getting 'more extreme' and said his 'conscience' made him act against her within the church. He denied that his decision had anything to do with the leaked Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization showed a majority of justices were in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. He's been called on to step down over the decision by an op-ed by the San Francisco Examiner's Editorial Board, who accused Cordileone of acting 'in open defiance' of the Catholic Church's current leader Pope Francis on Saturday. 'The leaked decision and the Dobbs case really have nothing to do with the timing of it,' Cordileone told the Jesuit publication America Magazine, adding that Pelosi 'did meet with me and speak with me over the years a couple of times.' 'But more recently, her advocacy for codifying the Roe decision into federal lawit's becoming more and more extreme and more and more aggressive.' The archbishop suggested he tried to reach out to Pelosi over the matter but to no avail. 'I've been trying to speak with her about this. I've been debating this within my own conscience for many years, actually. So this is not something that has just come up recently,' he said. 'I've done a lot of prayer and fasting. So I've been struggling with this for a long time.' He said in a statement on Friday that Pelosi will not be admitted to communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and cannot present herself to receive the Eucharist, until she backs away from her support for abortion. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said he wrestled with his 'conscience' over banning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Communion Cordileone previously waded into political waters as part of a push to ban President Joe Biden from Communion, which had run into opposition from Pope Francis. A March Pew Research survey found that 67 percent of U.S. Catholics think Biden should be allowed to receive the Eucharist, 29 percent say he should not. The fallout is over Pelosi's push to codify federal abortion protections. The bill failed in the Senate after the Democratic leader successfully shepherded it through the House of Representatives. Earlier this month, a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion revealed the judicial body's conservative majority appears poised to return the issue of abortion to the states by overturning Roe v. Wade. If it happens, 26 states are poised to immediately ban or limit abortion. Cordileone said that by banning Pelosi over the matter he was 'following the advice that Pope Benedict' had 'sent in a letter to bishops here in the United States back in 2004.' 'He gave us advice on how to approach this, specifically with politicians, Catholic politicians, and specifically on the two issues of abortion and euthanasia,' he said. 'And he said we need to meet, to dialogue, to try to move them down the path of conversion. And if after several attempts it comes to the point where it's clear [that] this is not going to happen, then the bishop or the pastor, [Pope Benedict] says, is to declare that the person is not to be admitted to holy Communion.' There are 18 states that have near-total bans on their books, while four more have time-limit bans and four others are likely to pass new bans if Roe is overturned He claimed to believe Pelosi that she's a devout Catholic, adding 'which makes me perplexed at why she would be so forceful on this issue as a politician.' 'It's very tricky as a politician; there are so many issues to balance out and trying to come to some kind of consensus and compromise and all that. But to be so aggressively promoting itthat's not what a devout Catholic does,' Cordileone said. The archbishop, however, has made some morally questionable decisions himself - which have sparked outrage amongst members of the Catholic faith. The minister was arrested and jailed on a drunk driving charge in August 2012 shortly after having been appointed as archbishop. He later joked about the arrest. He also came under fire in 2021 when he refused to release an official list of clergy who were 'credibly' accused of child sexual abuse. He also filed a motion, along with other California bishops, asking a judge to throw out a 2019 law that allowed accusers of clergy sexual abuse to sue even if they were molested decades ago. Then-Bishop Cordileone was arrested on August 25, 2012 after being stopped at a DUI checkpoint near San Diego State University. He, his mother and a visiting priest from Germany had attended dinner with some of Cordileone's friends, during which he was drinking. Then-Bishop Cordileone was arrested on August 25, 2012 after being stopped at a DUI checkpoint near San Diego State University. Officials say his blood-alcohol level was 0.11. Cordileone (center) is pictured during Easter Mass on April 4, 2021 After the meal, he decided to drive his mother home. Officials say his blood-alcohol level was 0.11 - above California's legal limit of 0.08. He was arrested and charged with a DUI, however in October accepted a plea for the lesser charge of reckless driving, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported at the time. Cordileone was ordered to pay a fine and placed on a three-year probation. He was also required to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving victim-impact panel and a three-month first conviction program through the state DMV. Shortly after his arrest, Cordileone issued a statement apologizing for his 'error in judgment' and asked for forgiveness from his family, friends and Diocese colleagues. He later joked about the drunken-driving arrest during his formal archbishop installation ceremony. 'I know in my life God has always had a way of putting me in my place. I would say, though, that in the latest episode of my life God has outdone himself,' he chuckled as he addressed the ceremony audience of more than 2,000 on Oct. 4, 2012. He went on to say he did not know 'if it's theologically correct to say God has a way of making himself known in this way,' and asked for the indulgence of other high-ranking church leaders in the audience. Cordileone later joked about the drunken-driving arrest during his formal archbishop installation ceremony in October 2012 (pictured) His mother, Mary Cordileone, previously said she blamed herself for her son's DUI, telling KMFB-TV: 'We were invited to some friend's house and he loved his wine and they kept filling his glass and filling his glass. And I didn't want to seem like a bossy mother. I should've told him, 'You're drinking too much wine.'' During that same August 2012 interview, she warned she was worried her son - who has openly opposed gay marriage - would struggle in San Francisco due its gay population. 'Its gonna be a tough job because, you know he's always preached against same-sex marriages and then the gays are very active there,' she told the TV station. Cordileone was slammed by the public again in 2021, after he and several other California Roman Catholic bishops filed a motion asking judges to rule Assembly Bill 218, known as the California Child Victims Act, unconstitutional. The bill allows alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse to sue even if they were molested decades ago. The motion argued the law revives 'long-expired claims' that already had been revived under an extension in 2003, 'making it inevitable that witnesses will have died, memories faded, and documents may have been lost. This reality absolutely impairs the defendants' ability to defend themselves.' It also argued that the law 'seeks to correct an injustice that does not exist with regard to the church defendants,' adding that 'the Legislature had no evidence of widespread abuse after 2003 and no evidence of cover-up.' The bishops, at the time, said they had 'great remorse for crimes committed against victims' and have made reforms, the motion said. The law has ultimately upheld and deemed constitutional. Cordileone (left on banner) came under fire in 2021 when he refused to release an official list of clergy who were 'credibly' accused of child sexual abuse. He also joined in filing a motion asking a judge to throw out a 2019 law that allowed accusers of clergy sexual abuse to sue even if they were molested decades ago. Attorney Jeff Anderson (left in 2018) accused the archbishop of 'risking of another child suffering the same horrors' Cordileone, along with his colleagues, were blasted by abuse survivors and advocates for failing to condemn sexual predators. The archbishop was also criticized after he neglected to release the names of all credibly accused clergy in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Jeff Anderson and Associates, which organized a June 2021 rally targeting the bishop, alleged that the 'vast majority' of American bishops had published information about about proven, admitted, and credibly accused predatory clerics. The group said the San Francisco Archdiocese of San Francisco, overseen by Cordileone, was one of only 16 dioceses refusing to disclose names. They accused him of contributing to the increased risk of child sex assaults. 'As long as the names of known perpetrators are kept secret, the children of San Francisco remain in immediate peril,' attorney Jeff Anderson said in a July 2021 press release. 'Every day he chooses secrecy over accountability runs the risk of another child suffering the same horrors and shame as those carried by hundreds of adult survivors today.' After Cordileone refused to release data about his fellow clergy, Anderson and Associates published a report detailing allegations against more than 200 clergy across the three dioceses of the San Francisco Bay Area. Cordileone has barred Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured May 13) from the Holy Communion after she voted to codify Roe. V Wade Cordileone on Friday banned Pelosi from Holy Communion due to her stance on abortion. President Joe Biden, who describes himself as a devout Catholic and regularly attends mass, has also been threatened with being barred from communion because of his pro-choice stance. Conservative catholic bishops have said neither him nor Pelosi should be allowed to receive communion, but the top Democrat has previously brushed aside feuds with the Church as a 'disagreement'. 'Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi's position on abortion has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months,' Cordileone says in the letter. 'A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others,' 'After numerous attempts to speak with her (Pelosi) to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking, I have determined that the point has come in which I must make a public declaration that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion unless and until she publicly repudiate her support for abortion 'rights' and confess and receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of Penance,' he adds. 'Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons 'are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. Cordileone insisted that the decision was 'pastoral' and not 'political'. DailyMail.com has reached out to Pelosi's office for comment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls abortion 'evil' and the teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable'. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law,' it says, before calling abortion and infanticide 'abominable crimes.' Pelosi, who has five children, was pressed on abortion after the Roe v. Wade opinion leaked to Politico and sent shockwaves across the country. Last month she said: 'This [topic] really gets me burned up in case you didn't notice, because again I'm very Catholic, devout, practicing, all of that. 'They would like to throw me out. But I'm not going because I don't want to make their day.' In a 2008 interview with C-SPAN, Pelosi said being denied Communion would be 'a severe blow, the Catholic News Agency reported. She added that the Church has 'not been able to make that definition' of where life begins. Pelosi also added that abortion should be 'rare', but it 'shouldn't impact on a woman's right to choose'. Pelosi has only been barred from communion in San Francisco, and it is up to Catholic bishops in other parts of the country whether she be allowed. Biden threw his weight behind a woman's right to choose during his presidential campaign in 2020, saying it is 'fundamental'. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has rebuked Biden over his stance on abortion. But he has continued to attend mass after Pope Francis told him in October 2021 during a meeting in Rome that he could continue to take the holy sacrament. Pope Francis told Biden he was a 'good Catholic', and urged bishops to make 'pastoral' and not political decisions when deciding how to treat politicians who favor abortion. Pelosi also met Pope Francis in October. After the Roe v. Wade leak, Biden doubled-down on his belief that women have a 'fundamental' right to an abortion and called on American voters to 'elect pro-choice officials this November'. He also warned that other 'fundamental' rights for Americans - such as same-sex marriage - could be at risk if the Supreme Court overturns Roe. Cordileone (pictured in 2015) said in a statement on Friday that Pelosi will not be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and cannot present herself to receive the Eucharist, until she backs away from her support for abortion Nancy Pelosi met Pope Francis during a trip to the Vatican in October 2021. She has said in the past that being denied communion would be a 'blow' In June, Catholic bishops ignored a pointed Vatican attempt to find unity over abortion by approving the drafting of a 'teaching document' for Catholic politicians who support abortion. Cardinal Luis Ladaria, the prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican's theological watchdog, has tried to intervene in the rebuke from US bishops. He wrote to the Conference of Catholic Bishops last year saying it would be 'misleading' to suggest abortion and euthanasia were 'the only grave matters of Catholic moral and social teaching' that require 'the fullest level of accountability on the part of Catholics.' In so doing, he signaled how the liberal Catholicism of Pope Francis - with a focus on poverty, racial inequality, climate change - is increasingly at odds with the U.S. Church. Brian Church, the president of CatholicVote, a conservative non-profit advocacy group, told DailyMail.com in a statement: 'Catholics across America commend Archbishop Cordileone and his pastoral leadership in handling the scandal posed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 'For too long Catholic public officials have created confusion and disunity by advocating for policies that destroy innocent human life in direct contradiction of the teachings of the Catholic faith. 'The persistent disobedience of these public officials is a source of enormous sadness and scandal that begged for a response. 'The Church has no choice but to protect itself and to encourage all of its members to live in communion with its teachings. For the sake of Speaker Pelosi and the rest of the flock in his charge, Archbishop Cordileone is right to call her to return to full communion with the Church. We hope and pray she will do so.' 'You are not to be admitted to Holy Communion': Archbishop Cordileone's letter to Nancy Pelosi in full The Second Vatican Council, in its Decree on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes, reiterated the Church's ancient and consistent teaching that 'from the first moment of conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes' (n. 51). Christians have, indeed, always upheld the dignity of human life in every stage, especially the most vulnerable, beginning with life in the womb. His Holiness, Pope Francis, in keeping with his predecessors, has likewise been quite clear and emphatic in teaching on the dignity of human life in the womb. This fundamental moral truth has consequences for Catholics in how they live their lives, especially those entrusted with promoting and protecting the public good of society. Pope St. John Paul II was also quite consistent in upholding this constant teaching of the Church, and frequently reminded us that 'those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a 'grave and clear obligation to oppose' any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them' (cf. Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life [November 24, 2002], n. 4, 1). A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons 'are not to be admitted to Holy Communion' (Code of Canon Law, can. 915). With regard to the application of these principles to Catholics in political life, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote to the U.S. bishops in 2004 explaining the approach to be taken: In striving to follow this direction, I am grateful to you for the time you have given me in the past to speak about these matters. Unfortunately, I have not received such an accommodation to my many requests to speak with you again since you vowed to codify the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in federal law following upon passage of Texas Senate Bill 8 last September. That is why I communicated my concerns to you via letter on April 7, 2022, and informed you there that, should you not publically repudiate your advocacy for abortion 'rights' or else refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion, I would have no choice but to make a declaration, in keeping with canon 915, that you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. As you have not publically repudiated your position on abortion, and continue to refer to your Catholic faith in justifying your position and to receive Holy Communion, that time has now come. Therefore, in light of my responsibility as the Archbishop of San Francisco to be 'concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted to [my] care' (Code of Canon Law, can. 383, 1), by means of this communication I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, until such time as you publically repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance. Please know that I stand ready to continue our conversation at any time, and will continue to offer up prayer and fasting for you. I also ask all of the faithful of the Archdiocese of San Francisco to pray for all of our legislators, especially Catholic legislators who promote procured abortion, that with the help and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they may undergo a conversion of heart in this most grave matter and human life may be protected and fostered in every stage and condition of life. Given at San Francisco, on the nineteenth day of May, in the Year of our Lord 2022. Advertisement Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tears into Oklahoma's 'extreme', 'absurd' and 'ultra MAGA' law that bans abortions at fertilization - and says contraception and same-sex marriage are next The White House has unleashed dury at Oklahoma's new abortion bill that bans terminations at the fertilization. President Joe Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a blistering statement on Thursday night calling the new legislation 'absurd', 'extreme' and part of the 'ultra-MAGA' movement to 'roll back the freedoms we should not take for granted in this country'. She also said other 'fundamental rights' such as contraceptives and same-sex marriage are at risk in her response sent out just before Biden landed in South Korea. It comes as the administration throws its weight behind protecting reproductive rights after the leak of the Roe v. Wade draft which suggests the landmark ruling will be overturned. President Joe Biden's press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a blistering statement on Thursday night calling Oklahoma;s new abortion ban 'absurd', 'extreme' and part of the 'ultra-MAGA' movement to 'roll back the freedoms we should not take for granted in this country' 'The President believes that women have the fundamental right to make their own reproductive health choices,' Jean-Pierre said. She added that the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade 'has been the law of the land for almost 50 years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned'. 'Today's action by the Oklahoma legislature is the most extreme effort to undo these fundamental rights we have seen to date,' the press secretary said. 'In addition, it adopts Texas' absurd plan to allow private citizens to sue their neighbors for providing reproductive health care and helping women to exercise their constitutional rights'. 'This is part of a growing effort by ultra MAGA officials across the country to roll back the freedoms we should not take for granted in this country,' Jean-Pierre added. Republicans 'are starting with reproductive rights, but the American people need to know that other fundamental rights, including the right to contraception and marriage equality, are at risk', she also said on the first day of the President's trip to Asia. The bill was given final approval by the state's conservative-majority legislature on Thursday, and is now headed to GOP Governor Kevin Stitt. He has already indicated he will sign it. It comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that suggests justices are considering weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nearly 50 years ago. The bill by Collinsville Republican Rep. Wendi Stearman would prohibit all abortions, except to save the life of a pregnant woman or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest that has been reported to law enforcement. She defended it by saying that pro-choice arguments are so cruel it may as well be legal to abort children up until the age of 18. Addressing the legislature Thursday, Stearman said: 'It would solve many problems. Think of the disruptions in school.' Vice President Kamala Harris was among those who condemned the new bill, branding it 'outrageous.' News of the bill sparked panic among women who feared they'd no longer be able to use popular methods of contraception including IUDs, or Plan B. It is taken up to 72 hours after a sexual encounter which may have resulted in a pregnancy, meaning any woman who took the pill may be carrying a fertilized egg. But Oklahoma lawmakers have insisted that Plan B has not been banned. Couples trying for a baby also feared the law outlawed IVF, but lawmakers say that is not the case. Grindr has sent out a monkeypox alert, urging gay and bisexual men to be aware of the virus's tell-tale rash. The dating app is the world's largest for men who have sex with men, who have been disproportionately infected in the unprecedented outbreak. It issued the warning to its users across Europe last night, advising them to contact their sexual health provider if they or any recent sexual partners have unusual sores or rashes. Monkeypox usually only seen in west and central Africa has now been spotted in 19 countries in little over a fortnight. The tropical virus can spread through any close contact with a sick person, including by touching contaminated clothing, bedding or utensils. Scientists believe the international outbreak could have been sparked by sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain. The message from Grindr, which has partnered with health agencies in the UK and EU, sent users to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's page on monkeypox. It also shared a linked to a webpage which enables users to find a local healthcare provider, in case they do not have their own doctor. Monkeypox outbreak may have been sparked by sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain, WHO expert warns Sexual transmission at two festivals in Europe may have sparked the worlds escalating monkeypox outbreak, a World Health Organization expert has claimed. Dr David Heymann, who used to head the WHO's emergencies department, revealed it was the leading theory behind the origins of the current cluster of cases. He said: 'We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission. 'It's very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact. 'And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the US and other European countries.' Despite not naming either festival, health chiefs tasked with containing the virus have already begun tracing cases back to the Gran Canarian gay pride festival attended by up to 80,000 people between May 5-15. Meanwhile, three cases in Belgium have been linked with Darklands a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, held from May 5-8. Organisers have since said there is reason to assume someone at the event was infected. Spanish health chiefs have also linked many cases to a single 'sauna' in Madrid. Advertisement The Grindr notification sent out said: 'The monkeypox virus is spreading in Europe, particularly among men who have sex with men. 'It is transmitted through close contact, like during sexual intercourse or through contaminated bedding, sex toys. 'If you or any recent (last 21 days) partner have unusual sores or rash, contact your sexual health provider or local health provider.' A Grindr spokesperson told MailOnline the message, issued in 13 languages, aimed to help users 'understand the situation and find testing providers'. The app is also working on a project with health chiefs in the US to communicate monkeypox public health advice to Americans. The ECDC webpage advises that 'men who have sex with other men that engage in casual sex, or who have multiple sexual partners' should be vigilant. It tells anyone with any tell-tale symptoms to seek specialist care and 'abstain from sexual activities or any other type of activities involving close contact until monkeypox is either excluded or the infection is resolved'. The disease, first discovered in lab monkeys in the late 1950s, is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. It can kill up to 10 per cent of people it infects. The milder strain causing the current outbreak kills one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. Monkeypox has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. A rash can develop, often beginning on the face, which then spreads to other parts of the body including the genitals. The rash can look like chickenpox or syphilis, and scabs can form which then fall off. Health chiefs tasked with containing the virus have already traced cases back to the Gran Canarian gay pride festival attended by up to 80,000 people between May 5-15. And three cases in Belgium have been linked with Darklands a large-scale fetish festival in Antwerp, held from May 5-8. Organisers have since said there is 'reason to assume' someone at the event was infected. It comes as the England today confirmed another 14 monkeypox cases, bringing the UK-wide total to 71. England has logged 70 cases since the first case was publicised on May 7, while Scotland has recorded one. None have yet been detected in Wales or Northern Ireland. Officials said a 'notable proportion' have occurred among gay and bisexual men but have not provided an exact breakdown. No gender or age details have been shared, either. UKHSA teams are contacting people considered to be high-risk contacts of confirmed cases and advising them to self-isolate at home for three weeks and avoid contact with children. They are also being offered the Imvanex vaccine, which was designed for smallpox. Although not purposefully made for monkeypox, the jab made by Danish-based Bavarian Nordic is up to 85 per cent effective because the two viruses are so similar. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of the disease. EU health chiefs yesterday called on member states to adopt a similar plan. How DO you catch monkeypox and what are the symptoms? EVERYTHING you need to know about tropical virus How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually caught from infected animals in west and central Africa. The tropical virus is thought to be spread by rodents, including rats, mice and even squirrels. Humans can catch the illness which comes from the same family as smallpox if they're bitten by infected animals, or touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs. Consuming contaminated wild game or bush meat can also spread the virus. The orthopoxvirus can enter the body through broken skin even if it's not visible, as well as the eyes, nose and mouth. Despite being mainly spread by wild animals, it was known that monkeypox could be passed on between people. However, health chiefs insist it is very rare. Human-to-human spread can occur if someone touches clothing or bedding used by an infected person, or through direct contact with the virus' tell-tale scabs. The virus can also spread through coughs and sneezes. In the ongoing surge in cases, experts think the virus is passing through skin-to-skin contact during sex even though this exact mechanism has never been seen until now. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease kills up to 10 per cent of cases. But this high rate is thought to be in part due to a historic lack of testing meaning that a tenth of known cases have died rather than a tenth of all infections. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. The UK cases all had the West African version of the virus, which is mild compared to the Central African strain. It is thought that cases in Portugal and Spain also have the milder version, though tests are underway. How is it tested for? It can be difficult to diagnose monkeypox as it is often confused with other infections such as chickenpox. Monkeypox is confirmed by a clinical assessment by a health professional and a test in the UK's specialist lab - the UKHSA's Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory. The test involves taking samples from skin lesions, such as part of the scab, fluid from the lesions or pieces of dry crusts. What are the symptoms? It can take up to three weeks for monkeypox-infected patients to develop any of its tell-tale symptoms. Early signs of the virus include a fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion meaning it could, theoretically, be mistaken for other common illnesses. But its most unusual feature is a rash that often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body, commonly the hands and feet. The rash changes and goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off. How long is someone contagious? An individual is contagious from the point their rash appears until all the scabs have fallen off and there is intact skin underneath. The scabs may also contain infectious virus material. The infectious period is thought to last for three weeks but may vary between individuals. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia, should contact NHS 111 or call a sexual health service. Britons are asked to contact clinics ahead of their visit and avoid close contact with others until they have been seen by a medic. Gay and bisexual men have been asked to be especially alert to the symptoms as most of the cases have been detected in men who have sex with men. What even is monkeypox? Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. The UK, US, Israel and Singapore are the only countries which had detected the virus before May 2022. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which kills up to one in ten of those infected but does not spread easily between people. The tropical disease is endemic in parts of Africa and is known for its rare and unusual rashes, bumps and lesions (file photo) Nurses and doctors are being advised to stay 'alert' to patients who present with a new rash or scabby lesions (like above) Is it related to chickenpox? Despite causing a similar rash, chickenpox is not related to monkeypox. The infection, which usually strikes children, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. For comparison, monkeypox like smallpox is an orthopoxvirus. Because of this link, smallpox vaccines also provide protection against monkeypox. Are young people more vulnerable? Britons aged under 50 may be more susceptible to monkeypox, according to the World Health Organization. This is because children in the UK were routinely offered the smallpox jab, which protects against monkeypox, until 1971. The WHO also warns that the fatality rate has been higher among young children. Does it spread as easily as Covid? Leading experts insist we won't be seeing Covid-style levels of transmission in the monkeypox outbreak. A World Health Organization report last year suggested the natural R rate of the virus the number of people each patient would infect if they lived normally while sick is two. This is lower than the original Wuhan variant of Covid and about a third of the R rate of the Indian 'Delta' strain. But the real rate is likely much lower because 'distinctive symptoms greatly aid in its early detection and containment,' the team said, meaning it's easy to spot cases and isolate them. Covid is mainly spread through droplets an infected person releases whenever they breathe, speak, cough or sneeze. How is the UK managing the outbreak? MailOnline this week revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are already being offered the Imvanex smallpox vaccine. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, involves jabbing and monitoring anyone around an infected person to form a buffer of immune people to limit the spread of a disease. A spokesman for the UKHSA did not disclose how many have been vaccinated, but said: 'Those who have required the vaccine have been offered it.' Health chiefs are also contacting all close contacts of those who have been infected. Additionally, close contacts of those with a confirmed monkeypox infection are being told to stay at home for 21 days and avoid contact under-12s, immunosuppressed people and pregnant women. The Government said unprotected direct contact or high risk environmental contact includes living in the same house as someone with monkeypox, having sexual contact with them or even just changing their bedding 'without appropriate PPE'. As with Covid, someone who has come within one metre of an infected person is classed as a monkeypox contact. This lower category of contact, which also includes sitting next to a person with monkeypox on a plane, means a tracer will call the person every day for three weeks and they will be advised to stay off work for 21 days if their job involves children or immuno-suppressed colleagues. The UK has stopped short of requiring people by law to quarantine if they develop monkeypox, but ministers are considering a public health campaign to alert gay and bisexual men, because of the number of cases in this group. What if it continues to spread? Experts told MailOnline they 'could see a role' for a targeted jab rollout to gay men in the UK 'if this isn't brought under control quickly'. Close contacts of the UK's known cases are already being offered the jab, which was originally designed for smallpox. The two rash-causing viruses are very similar. A health source told MailOnline 'there would be a number of strategies we'd look at' if cases continued to rise. Professor Kevin Fenton, London's public health regional director, said if the outbreak in the capital continues to grow then the rollout of vaccines and treatments could be broadened to more groups. He said there are 'plans in place' to have more antivirals if the outbreak keeps growing. What other countries have spotted cases? At least 16 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have now detected cases of monkeypox. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been informed of 92 confirmed cases by Saturday and 28 suspected infections, most of which have been detected in Europe. The most cases have been detected in Spain, Portugal, Canada and the UK. Within Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland have also confirmed cases. Australia, Israel and the Canary Islands also have monkeypox patients, while health chiefs in Argentina are investigating a possible case. The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses causing the illnesses are related Is there a vaccine for it? The smallpox vaccine, called Imvanex in the UK and Jynneos in the US, can protect against monkeypox because the viruses behind the illnesses are closely related. Data shows it prevents around 85 per cent of cases, and has been used 'off-label' in the UK since 2018. The jab, thought to cost 20 per dose, contains a modified vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. Because of its similarity to the pox viruses, antibodies produced against this virus offer cross protection. Are there any drugs to treat it? There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox, including the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January There are a handful of antivirals and therapies for smallpox that appear to work on monkeypox. This includes the drug tecovirimat, which was approved for monkeypox in the EU in January. Tecovirimat prevents the virus from leaving an infected cell, hindering the spread of the virus within the body. An injectable antiviral used to treat AIDS called cidofovir can be used to manage the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also works by stopping the growth of the virus. What is the situation with the UK outbreak? Twenty cases were confirmed in the UK between May 6 and 20. No details about the eleven confirmed on May 20 have been released yet. But six of the previous nine confirmed cases were in men who have sex with men which officials say is 'highly suggestive of spread in sexual networks'. How worrying is it? UK health chiefs say the risk of a major outbreak is low. But experts not that the outbreak is 'concerning' and that it is 'very unusual' to see community transmission in Europe. Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the rise in cases is 'undoubtedly worrying'. But he noted that 'a big monkeypox outbreak like this is still a very different situation to a Covid pandemic'. Dr Head added: 'Given 11 further cases have been announced today, it's likely there will be more cases to come in the UK. 'There certainly will be further cases confirmed in other countries. The contact tracing efforts by public health teams will be crucial in containing the outbreak.' Dr Charlotte Hammer, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Cambridge, said: 'It is very unusual to see community transmission in Europe, previous monkeypox cases have been in returning travellers with limited ongoing spread. 'Based on the number of cases that were already discovered across Europe and the UK in the previous days, it is not unexpected that additional cases are now being and will be found, especially with the contact tracing that is now happening.' What is the situation in the US? The US has confirmed two cases and is investigating more. A Massachusetts man on May 18 became the first confirmed US case for this outbreak. On May 19, officials in New York City announced they were probing a suspected monkeypox case as well. And what about Australia? Australia last week confirmed its first every monkeypox infections. One is a man in his thirties who travelled from Britain to Melbourne with symptoms earlier this week. The second case is a man in his forties who became mildly unwell days after returning to New South Wales from Europe. Both he and the person he lives with are isolating at home. What do I do if I have symptoms? Anyone worried that they could be infected with monkeypox is advised to make contact with clinics ahead of their visit. Health chiefs say their call or discussion will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Advertisement This is the moment that three migrant men had to be rescued after they got stuck atop a 30ft United States-Mexico border wall in southern California. The Mexican nationals had scaled the steel barrier in Tijuana, which was extended in height by Donald Trump during his presidency, but were unable to climb down. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department received a call for back up from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and dispatched a unit to the wall, just west of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Firefighters on the scene placed a ladder for the men to come down. U.S. Border Patrol agents took the three Mexican migrants into custody for processing. Three Mexican nationals required the aid of San Diego firefighters after the got stuck atop the steel fence at the United States-Mexico border on Monday morning. The three men were taken into custody by the U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department for assistance to help bring down the three Mexican migrants from the top of the border wall A Mexican migrant climbs down a stair after he and two other migrants, also from Mexico, got stuck about the 30 feet tall steel structure that divides Otay Mesa, California and Tijuana, Mexico The fire department has dealt with an increase of rescued calls at the United States-Mexico border, according to NBC 7. 'It's a very common rescue that we have down here in [Otay Mesa],' Cal Fire San Diego County Capt. Brett Bruno said, as quoted by the network. 'They can get up in between the fences but they can't get down on this side without causing significant injury.' At least 375 migrants have been treated for serious injuries caused by falls off the border wall between 2019 and 2021 in San Diego County. In comparison, only 67 people were hurt in accidents between 2016 and 2019. A recent study published in late April by UC San Diego Health, which has provided level 1 trauma treatment to the injured migrants, found that the injuries increased after former President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 24, 2017 to increase the height of over 400 miles of the frontier in San Diego and Imperial Counties. At least 375 migrants have been treated for serious injuries caused by falls off the border wall between 2019 and 2021 in San Diego County. In comparison, only 67 people were hurt in accidents between 2016 and 2019 The last of the three Mexican migrants who got stuck atop the border wall in Otay Mesa, California, on Monday climbs down a ladder that was set up by the fire department after border patrol agents were unable to rescue A fire department unit provided assistance to border patrol officers at the United States-Mexico border in Otay Mesa, California, after three Mexican migrants found themselves stuck atop the steel barrier and unable to climb back down The wall structure measured between six to 17 feet tall and was increased to 30 feet tall and was part of Trump's campaign promise to cut down on migrants who unlawfully crossed from Mexico into California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Trump visited a stretch of the Otay Mesa border wall in September 2019 and boasted that 'maybe one of the greatest pole vaulters in history can get over the low one, but it'll be very painful when they land.' 'We had 20 mountain climbers,' he said. 'That's all they do. They love to climb mountains. They can have it. Me, I don't want to climb mountains, but they're very good. Some of them are champions. And we gave them different prototypes of walls and this one was hardest to climb.' Mark Morgan, who was the CBP acting commissioner at the time, hailed Trump's wall 'a game-changer.' And to a point he was right. It was harder for migrants to cross over and also exposed them to serious injuries. 'The height increase of the border wall along the San Ysidro and El Centro sectors was touted as making the barrier 'unclimbable' but that has not stopped people from attempting to do with consequential results,' wrote Dr. Amy Liepert, the UC San Diego Health medical director of acute care surgery. The report found that migrants who fell from the new border wall suffered serious injuries to the brain, face and limbs. Many of the patients also required intensive care unit hospitalization and multiple surgeries. The UC San Diego Health research study slammed the Trump administration for not taking into consideration the costs that medical facility incurred for treating migrants, who did not have health insurance and required longer hospital stays because they didn't' quality for treatment at rehabilitation centers or for therapy after they were discharged. 'Additional capacity and associated costs were not accounted for in the federally appropriated funds to reinforce and heighten the border barrier system,' Liepert said. 'Hospital costs for border wall-injured immigrants at UC San Diego Health alone are estimated to be approximately $13 million between 2019 and 2021.' Chinese, Bahamian FMs exchange congratulations on 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties Xinhua) 09:48, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Bahamas' Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Frederick A. Mitchell on Monday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. In his message, Wang said the Bahamas is an important cooperative partner of China in the Caribbean region. Under the care and guidance of leaders of the two countries, China-Bahamas relations have witnessed steady development since the establishment of the diplomatic ties 25 years ago, with fruitful cooperation conducted in various fields, Wang said. The two sides have also maintained sound communication and cooperation in international and regional affairs, he added. In the face of COVID-19, China and the Bahamas have helped each other and worked together to fight the pandemic, ushering in a new chapter of the China-Bahamas friendship, said Wang. Wang said that China attaches great importance to China-Bahamas relations and stands ready to work with the Bahamas to take the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to further strengthen political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, improve the well-being of the two peoples and lift China-Bahamas relations to a higher level. Mitchell, for his part, said that the Bahamas attaches great importance to its relations with China. Since the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have been deepened continuously and pragmatic cooperation has achieved fruitful results, he added. The recent Foreign Ministers' Meeting Among China and the Caribbean Countries Having Diplomatic Relations with China has been fruitful, which has further strengthened the determination of both sides to work together to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Mitchell said. He added that the Bahamas is ready to, on the basis of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties, push forward the sustained and steady development of bilateral relations to continuously benefit the people of the two countries. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Every day, Prince Andrew meets with The Queen in an attempt to repair his reputation with the public and his mother ahead of her Platinum Jubilee festivities. The Duke of York, who agreed earlier this year to pay a large fee to settle the sex abuse scandal case before it went to a jury, pays the queen frequent visits to Windsor Castle. Prince Andrew Drives 5 Miles To Visit Queen Elizabeth II According to a royal source, Prince Andrew is driving the five miles from Royal Lodge to ensure the Queen is comfortable and well-cared for. In the aftermath of the civil sex assault lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew was deprived of all honorary military titles and the appellation HRH in January. Giuffre alleges Epstein compelled her to have sex with the Duke three times when she was 17 years old. The accusation has been refuted several times by Prince Andrew. The Duke of York will take part in the event at Windsor Castle on June 13 among other senior royals in what is one of the most significant occasions in the Royal calendar. His name will also appear in the Court Circular the following day, and he will attend Garter Day events as a Royal Knight. The Order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, dating back over 700 years. The Knights, who are now both male and female, were once restricted to aristocrats, but they are now chosen from a range of backgrounds in acknowledgment of their public service. The yearly iconic Garter Day procession, in which The Queen and the Knights process in sumptuous velvet robes, gleaming insignia, and plumed caps, is one of the Queen's most traditional rituals. The Queen is the Order's sovereign and chooses Knights of the Garter without consulting ministers, hence Prince Andrew's appointment was deemed private. There are no worries that Andrew's appearance in Garter Day festivities may overshadow the occasion, especially since he is claimed to have decided to walk aside from public life when the lawsuit is resolved, according to Daily Mail. Read Also: Elon Musk Goes Full HR Mode for Tesla in Search of 'Hardcore Litigation' Team, Gets Hilarious Twitter Responses Duke of York Won't Appear in Platinum Jubilee After the Palace stated that only active royals will attend one of the Jubilee weekend's most notable engagements, Prince Andrew will most likely be excluded from high-profile celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The Trooping the Colour procession will take place on June 2 to commemorate the Queen's official birthday. However, Prince Andrew, who has pulled away from the royal limelight in the aftermath of the sex abuse claims, will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the rest of the Royal Family. Only members of the Royal Family who are now executing formal public activities, according to a Palace statement, will take their place on the balcony. As reported by royal insider, while he has been stung by being overlooked for the Jubilee celebrations, he has been unusually cheery of late and looks entirely bent on being on hand for his parents while demonstrating to the family that he is still of some service, as per Express. Meanwhile, the queen has been making unexpected visits to commemorate the 70th year of the reign, known as the Platinum Jubilee. She is due to meet the people on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Trooping the Colour Parade on June 2. The palace announced that only working senior members will appear on the balcony, excluding Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Prince Andrew has mainly remained out of the spotlight after resigning in late 2019 following a catastrophic interview about his links to late American businessman and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew is still the heir apparent to the throne. He presently ranks ninth, after the two children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Prince Andrew, on the other hand, is not permitted to use the title His Royal Highness in any capacity, Fox News reported. Related Article: Prince Harry Paternity Scandal: Duke of Sussex Not Prince Charles' Son? Here's Dad Theory Formed! @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Russian Air Force Major General has been shot out of the sky above the Luhansk region, marking the latest in a long line of high-profile military losses sustained by Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. Major General Kanamat Botashev, 63, was enjoying retirement when Russian tanks rolled across the border on February 24 and had not flown since 2012. His Su-25 fighter jet was hit by a Stinger missile at around 8:25am on Sunday morning in the Donbas skies, and he was unable to eject. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported an Su-25 had been downed in Luhansk, and one of Botashev's former colleagues confirmed his death to BBC Russian Service. It is unclear why a retired general - the highest-ranking pilot to have been shot down in the war - was at the controls of a fighter jet worth 9million. Botashev's former colleague told the BBC that 'he simply could not stay away' when offered a chance to fly, but the loss of such a high-ranking, elderly general suggests the Russian air force does not have enough pilots capable of conducting sorties over Ukraine. The retiree is the 10th Russian general believed to have died already in Ukraine, while more than 40 colonels have been killed in bloody fighting. The Land Forces of Ukraine meanwhile declared in its latest count on Friday that 204 Russian planes have been destroyed over Ukrainian skies. Major General Kanamat Botashev, 63, was enjoying retirement when Russian tanks rolled across the border on February 24 and had not flown since 2012. His Su-25 fighter jet was hit by a Stinger missile at around 8:25am on Sunday morning in the Donbas skies, and he was unable to eject The Land Forces of Ukraine meanwhile declared in its latest count on Friday that 204 Russian planes have been destroyed over Ukrainian skies (wreckage of a Su-25 fighter, the same class of aircraft piloted by Botashev, is pictured in Kyiv region) One post reported the general's death and described how his plane was first damaged by a missile, but was then blasted out of the sky by a Stinger (Ukrainian Army soldier places a U.S.-made Stinger surface to air missile in a fighting position on the frontline on May 20, 2022 in Kharkiv Oblast) News of Botashev's death broke yesterday on several pro-war Telegram channels, but many of the posts were removed by administrators. One post reported the general's death and described how his plane was first damaged by a missile, but was then blasted out of the sky by a Stinger. 'Kanamat died today! Popasnaya district, 8:25... first the plane was hit (by a missile), secondly, bombs - Stinger, at the exit of the attack. 'There was an explosion in the air and... That's it.' One user posted a tribute to the slain general in Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber - a prominent channel popular in the aviation community with more than 110,000 subscribers - but this was also removed. 'Farewell, commander... There are few people on this planet who lived in the sky as much as you do. The sky takes the best, today it took you,' the post read, according to the BBC. Though Russia's network of private Telegram channels are not controlled by Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor, information suggesting Putin's war effort is faltering is often restricted or removed by pro-Kremlin administrators. Russian losses in Ukraine over the first three months are likely to have already surpassed those of the Soviet-Afghan war, according to the latest intelligence update from Britain's Ministry of Defence. The Soviet Union lost around 15,000 troops in the conflict between 19791989, with an additional 35,478 wounded and 311 missing. 'As casualties suffered in Ukraine continue to rise they will become more apparent, and public dissatisfaction with the war and a willingness to voice it may grow,' the MoD said, without providing an exact figure of the casualties it believes Putin's troops have sustained. The ministry cited poor tactics, limited air cover, a lack of flexibility, and a command approach reinforcing failure and repeating mistakes as the reasons behind the high casualty rate. Offering combat roles to retired veterans, particularly high-ranking officials such as Botashev, could likely be part of a Russian ploy to reinforce their dwindling troop numbers with respected and experienced fighters. A destroyed Russian tank is seen in a village to the north of Kharkiv after the area was recaptured by Ukrainian forces Rescuers work at a site of an apartment building destroyed by Russian shelling in Bakhmut, Donetsk region Russian troops are steadily advancing across Ukraine's eastern Donbas (pictured in Mariupol), but are suffering 'huge' losses in the process which will leave them too weakened to defend the eventual frontline - which will be hundreds of miles long Born in 1959 in Karachay-Cherkessia, Botashev graduated from the Yeysk Higher Military Aviation Institute and quickly established himself as an excellent pilot, qualifying as a fighter-bomber and rising rapidly through the ranks. Botashev commanded a regiment of the Guards Air Base in Voronezh, a Russian city located roughly 300 miles south of Moscow. His military career was cut short in June 2012 after he was found guilty of flying two aircraft without authorisation - one of which he crashed while performing aerobatics. But despite being fined and resigning from the air force, he remained in close contact with the military as the deputy chairman of the St Petersburg branch of the Volunteer Society for Cooperation with Aviation (DOSAAF). Botashev is the highest-ranking pilot to have been killed during Russia's war with Ukraine, and is the tenth Russian general confirmed dead in the past three months of conflict. An FBI search-warrant application alleges that an ISIS operative plotted to assassinate George W. Bush with a plan that included smuggling a kill team into the country via Mexico. The application was filed on March 23 and briefly unsealed this week in the Southern District of Ohio It describes how the suspect, Shihab Ahmed Shihab, an Iraqi asylum seeker, visited Dallas in November and took video footage of the area around the former president's home. The FBI said its evidence came through two confidential informants and surveillance of messages sent to and from the suspect's WhatsApp account, according to Forbes, which was the first to report on the warrant. The alleged ISIS member reportedly claimed he wanted to kill Bush because of his role in launching the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The plot, with international links and claims of high-powered connections, sounds sophisticated and far-reaching. But the reliance on confidential informants - who often themselves face charges and who can earn tens of thousand of dollars for their information - will also trigger concerns that the details will not stand up to scrutiny following the collapse of other high-profile cases. An FBI search warrant unsealed this week reveals details of an alleged plot by an Iraqi asylum seeker to assassinate former President George W. Bush for launching the 2003 invasion of Iraq The suspect allegedly plotted to bring in a four-man ISIS kill team to conduct the investigation via Mexico, from where he planned to smuggle them across the border Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 on the basis of flawed evidence of Saddam Hussein's weapons program led to the proliferation of terrorist groups including ISIS One of the informants reportedly offered help to people wanting false immigration and identification documents, while the other allegedly used people smuggling services. NBC reported that the suspect was in custody on Tuesday. Freddy Ford, chief of staff for the Office of George W. Bush, told Forbes: 'President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities.' The warrant reportedly says that the suspect told an informant in November last year of his plot and asked how to 'obtain replica or fraudulent police and/or FBI identifications and badges' to help carry out the killing, and whether it was possible to smuggle the plotters back out of the U.S. afterwards. He also asked the informant for details about security at Bush's home in Dallas and at his Crawford, Texas, ranch. He also planned to find and kill a former Iraqi general now living in the U.S. under a new identity after working with American forces during the war. His plan, according to the warrant, was to use Mexican visitor visas for four Iraqi nationals to enter Mexico before smuggling them over the border. Shihab said two of them were former Iraqi intelligence agents. Seamus Hughes, deputy director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, told Forbes: 'It's clear this was a sophisticated counterterrorism operation with a lot of moving parts. It was both far reaching and unique in its targeting. 'It also shows that while the debate on so called 'going dark' can be overcome through the use of undercover operatives, it's labor intensive but possible.' The term 'going dark' is used by law enforcement to describe the inability to get to data that has been encrypted by software applications. 'Also, we haven't seen a plot of this scale in a number of years. It shows that while domestic terrorism rightly takes a good amount of counterterrorism focus, the threats are not there alone.' However, the role of FBI informants is under intense scrutiny after the collapse last year of a trial alleging a plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan. A jury found two men not guilty and failed to reach a verdict on two other defendants, after their defense argued that they had been entrapped by an undercover operation. They said the plot was no more than 'smoke and mirrors,' the result of profane talk by disillusioned men. Bush and his invasion of Iraq were back in the headlines last week when he made a very Freudian slip. During a speech at his George W. Bush Presidential Centre in Dallas, Texas, he condemned the 'absence of checks and balances' in Vladimir Putins Russia, which had allowed 'one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq.' A new political action committee has launched to call on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024. The 'Ready for Ron' PAC is led by Ed Rollins, Ronald Reagan's campaign chairman in in 1984, the year he won a landslide victory and cinched 49 states, and Lilian Rodriguez-Baz, an appellate attorney and conservative activist. The draft committee is unaffiliated with DeSantis himself, and now is working to amass an army of supporters to convince him to run for president. The group avoided badmouthing former President Trump, who has consistently teased a 2024 race, but says they are moving in on DeSantis since Trump has not announced his candidacy. 'The era of President Trump was wonderful, but now, since he isn't currently running, we must get ready for a new leader, we must be Ready for Ron,' Rollins said in a statement. A new political action committee has launched to call on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president in 2024 The 'Ready for Ron' PAC is led by Ed Rollins, Ronald Reagan's campaign chairman in in 1984, the year he won a landslide victory and cinched 49 states The group has launched a petition online for supporters to sign to 'draft' DeSantis to run for the presidency, as well as a new advertising campaign to garner support for a DeSantis candidacy. The PAC also took the unusual step of asking the FEC to allow it to share its supporter list with DeSantis if he does launch a bid for the presidency. Not wanting to commit to challenging a former president, potential 2024 contenders have so far been stuck in limbo waiting on Trump to publicly commit one way or another on whether he'll run. Trump has been testing his 'kingmaker' status within the party over a series of spring primary races that pit Trump-backed candidates against a number of his incumbent foes who refused to deny the results of the 2020 election. Rodriguez-Baz told DailyMail.com that 'Ready for Ron' was not concerned with whether or not the former president had plans to run again. Asked whether DeSantis should run if Trump jumps into the race, Rodriguez-Baz said: 'We're not concerned with whether or not Trump is going to run.' 'To the people that are concerned with that, or to the people that are, I guess, tempted to draw any parallels, we would say that Ron DeSantis is probably the best person, if you look out on the sea of politicians right now, to carry on Trump's America First agenda policy.' Rodriguez- Baz, who emigrated to Florida from Cuba as a child, added: 'We see so many people that have moved to Florida in droves, and that's something that you know, anybody can verify. It's an undeniable fact. And a big part of that is because of what Ron DeSantis has done, his COVID responses. We've essentially have, we have a leader who's not catering to the trends of this woke and toxic culture.' A recent poll of Wisconsin state GOP convention-goers found that more Republicans want DeSantis to be the nominee than Trump. Viewing a potential 2024 field, 38 percent of convention-goers wanted DeSantis, 32 percent favored Trump and 7 percent wanted former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. Asked if he has presidential ambitions, DeSantis has said he is focused on winning re-election in the Sunshine State this November. The Florida governor has as of late garnered national headlines for his bill that bans classrooms from discussing gender and sexuality in grades kindergarten through 3rd and his war with the Walt Disney Company. DeSantis played coy when the 2024 question was posed to him on 'The Truth with Lisa Booth': 'My goal would be, if we win the election really big, people like you who analyze these things are going to say: 'The days of Florida being a swing state are over. Florida is a red state.' And I think that's because of a lot of what we've done.' Trump and DeSantis have not broken publicly, as has happened with a number of other one-time Trump acolytes who now have eyes on 2024, but the pair have come awfully close. After DeSantis in a news conference refused to say whether he had gotten the booster shot in December, Trump on OAN slammed as 'gutless' politicians who won't say whether they've been boosted Two days later, DeSantis said on the 'Ruthless' podcast he regretted not speaking out 'much louder' against the Trump administration lockdowns in the early days of Covid-19. A woman is being slammed as a 'California Karen' after she was recorded racially abusing a black man at a swanky Santa Barbara restaurant. The altercation, which transpired at The Boathouse at Hendrys Beach Wednesday, reportedly started after the woman, who has not yet been identified, began berating staff at the bayside eatery after her card was declined the night before. As an argument ensued, Ian Soleimani, a 39-year-old African-American man who works as a DJ, whipped out his phone and started recording the woman's tirade - spurring her to turn her aggression on to him. The five-minute clip - which shows the woman hurl racist insults at Soleimani - has since amassed tens of thousands of views online. Scroll down for video: The altercation, which transpired at The Boathouse at Hendrys Beach Wednesday, reportedly started after the woman (at right) began berating a manager (at left) at the swanky, bayside eatery after her card was declined the night before As an argument ensued, Ian Soleimani, a 39-year-old DJ, whipped out his phone and started recording the woman's tirade - spurring her to turn her aggression on to him The footage begins with the woman laying into one of the restaurant's managers over the unpaid check from May 10, which saw staffers reportedly confiscated the woman's ID per the eatery's policy. Returning the next day to pay the outstanding balance, the woman reportedly attempted to use PayPal to pay the unreported sum - which too proved unsuccessful. The video begins with the woman repeatedly asking for her ID from the manager, who politely asserts that the tab still had not been paid. 'It was paid, though, maam, and you rejected the payment,' the woman, sporting a pair of sunglasses and clutching an iPad, says in the clip. 'What part of you rejecting the payment dont you recall?' The confrontation soon escalates after the woman notices Soleimani recording, leading her to spew racial insults at the man. 'Excuse me, sir. Hi, one of four black people in Santa Barbara,' the increasingly incensed customer sarcastically snipes in the footage. Apparently noticing both Soleimani and the staffer react to the off-color remark, the woman doubles down on her comments in the footage. The footage begins with the woman laying into one of the restaurant's managers over the unpaid check from May 10, which saw staffers reportedly confiscated the woman's ID per the eatery's policy The confrontation escalates after the woman notices Soleimani recording, leading her to spew racial insults at the man 'Excuse me, sir. Hi, one of four black people in Santa Barbara,' the increasingly incensed customer sarcastically snipes in the footage The clip showed the woman verbally attacking the manager as well as the DJ, who started recording after he saw the abuse Pictured is The Boathouse at Hendrys Beach restaurant, where the May 11 altercation occurred 'Oh, now Im a racist, terrible person, sorry, just because youre an obnoxious guy. Its not your fault that youre black, of course. Just obnoxious,' the woman says. 'Im against obnoxious people to be clear, not against the black people.' At another point in the clip, where the woman asks Soleimani why he has his phone out, the DJ responds, 'Taking a video of this. This is absolutely ridiculous.' 'Are you sending it to the FBI after this?' the woman sarcastically responds. 'I might go psychotic pretty soon. Im probably going to, Im probably going to get very violent pretty soon, Im glad youre here.' Soleimani, somehow keeping his composure, then replies, 'Cool, keep going.' The woman then turns her attention back to the restaurant staffer, and the two continue to go back and forth about her ID. The manager eventually suggests the irate woman 'call it a day.' The woman, however, remains adamant in the footage that she needs the card back, and insists that she's made every effort to pay the bill, saying that other patrons even offered to foot the bill. 'Again, dont you have some fish to catch, African-American man?' she says in the footage. Soleimani said he had been wearing a Santa Barbara Fish Market sweater during the altercation, prompting the woman's fishing remarks. The five-minute clip - which shows the woman repeatedly hurl racist insults at Soleimani - has since amassed tens of thousands of views online 'I made an effort to pay for that, I had three people offering to pay for that because Ive been here for so long and I took his but I discontinued the other offers, and then suddenly that offer is not good enough for you?' she asks. 'Thats not true,' the manager replies in the footage. The woman in turn responds: 'Oh, now shes Oprah - and a psychic on top of it.' The woman then turns her attention again to Soleimani, once again evoking race, while sarcastically calling him 'Mother Theresa' for calmly recording the interaction. 'Again, dont you have some fish to catch, African-American man?' she says in the footage. Soleimani said he had been wearing a Santa Barbara Fish Market sweater during the altercation, prompting the woman's fishing remarks. 'Dont you want to go on a boat and do some African-American fishing?' she said. 'And this man, who thinks hes Mother Teresa for Santa Barbarans everywhere who want a pretentious breakfast, now hes here,' the woman went on. 'Thank god hes doing his three black people in Santa Barbara part - for Oprah apparently,' she added, referring to longtime Santa Barbara resident Winfrey, who lives in upscale Montecito. Other rich residents of the upscale nabe include Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Seinfeld showrunner Larry David. At this point in the footage, the manager, seemingly fed-up with the woman's behavior, leaves to retrieve the ID and gives it back to the woman. The clip ends with the staffer barring the woman from ever returning to the restaurant. Speaking to DailyMail.com Tuesday, Soleimani - who regularly works gigs at the ritzy eatery - said the incident is not uncommon, due to the affluent crowd the establishment typically attracts. 'People have been kicked out multiple times for racial comments - some towards myself. He said the incident 'doesnt surprise me,' and that he has 'learned to deal with' such attacks. He added that such incidents occur 'all the time' - and it was just in this particular instance, that the perpetrator was caught in the act. Soleimani shared with DailyMail.com the name of the woman involved, but her identity could not be confirmed before the publishing of this article. Advertisement Days before he was due to fly to London for the first time for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the Duchess of Sussex's father Thomas Markle has suffered a major stroke that has seen him lose his speech. He is currently receiving urgent medical treatment in an American hospital. I am devastated to report this news, just seven days before Thomas would have joined me in London to celebrate the Queen's 70th year on the throne for a TV special on my GB News show, fulfilling his long-held wish to visit Windsor Castle. But, in a cruel twist of fate, he will now be unable to make the trip as he recovers in hospital, just like he missed his daughter's wedding to the Duke of Sussex after suffering from a heart attack. I have been aware of the stroke since this morning and had agreed with both Thomas and his distraught daughter Samantha not to report the news while he underwent further tests to establish the severity of the stroke. But a high-profile American website has received information from within the hospital, meaning news of his stroke was about to break. Days before he was due to fly to London for the first time for the Queen 's Platinum Jubilee, the Duchess of Sussex 's father Thomas Markle has suffered a major stroke that has seen him lose his speech A high-profile American website has received information from within the hospital, meaning news of his stroke was about to break (pictured: Thomas Markle with Meghan) Samantha Markle told me: 'My father is recovering in hospital. We ask for privacy for the family, for his health and wellbeing. He just needs peace and rest. Godspeed. We are praying. He just needs some rest. It's a travesty how much he's been tortured and how much he's had to go through thanks to my sister's disregard the past few years. That is unforgivable.' Family members have been concerned about Thomas over the past few weeks, as he suffered relentless attacks from members of the so-called Sussex Squad of Twitter trolls who had been spreading internet rumours after his decision to launch a YouTube show. His blood pressure had become a concern before the stroke. There is fury among the Markle family that Thomas has been left to fund his own medical treatment. Despite his ongoing health issues, Thomas had been determined to visit the UK for the first time to pay his respects for the Queen. He was going to be hosted by myself and former I'm A Celebrity star and royal society commentator Lady Colin Campbell during the visit, with a series of events planned to pay tribute to the Queen and his Scottish heritage. He intended to visit Windsor Castle for the first time, the location where he was due to walk his daughter down the aisle during her nuptials before he suffered a heart attack that saw him unable to travel. Thomas also remained hopeful that his presence in London would finally see a reunion between himself and his daughter and a first meeting with his son-in-law Prince Harry. But then yesterday, his daughter Samantha became increasingly concerned as Thomas lost his speech during one of their daily phone calls. She immediately alerted local friends who were able to get Thomas to hospital in Tijuana, where he was photographed wearing an oxygen mask on a stretcher. Meghan Markle and husband Prince Harry are pictured as she presents him with a trophy after his polo victory His condition was so serious that he was moved overnight to a hospital across the border in the US, just a few hours drive from his daughter's mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara. Thomas is now communicating with family members and close friends via text message but is unable to speak, with the likelihood of a long recovery process ahead. His son Thomas Markle Junior is currently on a mercy dash to be by his father's side, while his wheelchair bound daughter Samantha herself recovering from a recent health issue is desperate to join him from Florida as soon as possible. The only offspring he has not heard from is his Duchess daughter who has the means to provide him with the best medical care money can buy in the highly expensive US health system. That emotional anguish has dominated Thomas's thinking and his overwhelming wish is that he is able to meet his grandchildren, Archie, three, and Lilibet, 11 months, before it is too late. He has had to a sedentary lifestyle as a virtual recluse since his heart attack and the pandemic, but has battled to turn his health around. I have got to know Thomas over many years now and he is a good soul whose family means everything to him. I pray for his recovery. But, even more, I pray that something positive comes out of this brush with death for Thomas: A reunion with his estranged daughter he loves so much who, before she entered the Royal Family, she used to publicly praise as her beloved 'daddy' on social media websites. Advertisement The NYC subway shooting suspect wanted for killing a man on Sunday has been charged with second degree murder after a blinged-up bishop in a Fendi blazer and Rolls Royce negotiated his surrender with the mayor himself. Andrew Abdullah is accused of shooting dead Daniel Enriquez on the Manhattan-bound Q train on Sunday in an apparently unprovoked attack. He then fled the Q train at Canal Street station and has been on the run ever since. On Tuesday, a man went to the Fifth Precinct in lower Manhattan on his behalf to negotiate with cops. The man arrived in a Fendi blazer and a $350,000 Rolls Royce. He can now be identified as Bishop Lamor Whitehead of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Church. At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, beleaguered Mayor Eric Adams revealed he negotiated with Whitehead and told him to bring Abdullah in, after Abdullah turned up at a legal aid office in Tribeca. Abdullah then appeared at the station around an hour later. He was marched into the police station by two cops and was wearing a stained white t-shirt and cargo pants. Speaking afterwards, the bishop said Abdullah 'doesn't remember anything' about the shooting, but is 'standing in his innocence' and has mental health problems. It remains unclear how Abdullah will plead when he is presented in court. He has not yet been charged. Witnesses said he was pacing up and down the subway car muttering 'no phones' before walking up to Enriquez, shooting him in the chest. Police also revealed on Tuesday afternoon that the suspect was stopped by police 11 minutes after the shooting on Sunday - but that the cops let him go. 'The officers were responding to the shooting, there was a description put out. They observed him walking away from the subway. They stopped him, talked to him, they were satisfied with his answers. He had a different color shirt on and backpack. It was a different description...he had altered his appearance.' Scroll down for video New York Subway shooting suspect Andrew Abdullah is escorted by New York City Police (NYPD) Detectives as he exits arrested from the Police Precinct in New York City on Tuesday Witnesses said he was pacing up and down the subway car muttering 'no phones' before walking up to stranger Daniel Enriquez, shooting him fatally in the chest. (Pictured: Abdullah is perp walked to car by NYPD on Tuesday) Abdullah is placed into a car by NYPD officers, with his hands cuffed behind his back Andrew Abdullah is accused of shooting dead Daniel Enriquez on the Manhattan-bound Q train on Sunday in an apparently unprovoked attack Abdullah is shown arriving at the police station on Tuesday in a stained t-shirt and cargo pants Bishop Lamor Miller Whitehead in a Fendi suit jacket arrives at the Fifth Precinct to 'negotiate' on behalf of the subway shooting suspect Andrew Abdullah on Tuesday Lamor M Whitehead pastor of Andrew Abdullah the man accused of allegedly shooting a stranger on the Q train, speaks to the press outside the 5th Precinct where Andrew was brought in for questioning The Rolls Royce that the minister arrived at the Fifth Precinct in Manhattan on Tuesday. He negotiated on behalf of the shooter, according to police sources The victim, Daniel Enriquez, 48, was traveling to meet his brother for brunch on Sunday at 11.42am when he was shot and killed Mayor Eric Adams blamed the shooting on the fact that Abdullah was walking the streets when he should have been in jail. He was arrested last month on suspicion of grand larceny for stealing a Lexus, and also committed an armed robbery in February. Adams said that the shooting was also the result of 'America's toxic gun cultures.' Earlier in the day, the victim's grief-stricken sister told DailyMail.com in an interview that she hoped her brother's death would bring an end to the violent crime on the subway and finally prompt action from officials. 'I want to make sure that everyone knows Daniel Enriquez was. I don't want anyone else to go through this. 'The senseless violence has to stop. My brother lost his life. Of all the people on that train, of all the people in New York, they chose him. I don't want him to die in vain,' Griselda Vile said through tears. Enriquez was on his way to brunch with his brother when he was shot in the torso in an unprovoked attack that is the latest in a spate of violent subway crimes. His sister said she planned to beg the DA not to release Abdullah on bail so that he cannot harm anyone else. 'We have to go back to work every day. I still have to take the train. I take it, my husband takes it, my daughter takes it every day to school. This is one of the things that makes the city great. The senseless violence has got to stop. We just went through a pandemic and we have to go back to work... my brother will not die in vain Victim Daniel Enriquez's sister Griselda 'We have no choice, we just went through a pandemic and we have to go back to work. We want our kids to feel safe in New York. 'I mean, we're New Yorkers. We take the train everywhere. I take my students on field trips on the train. I'm going to be speaking to the District Attorney. 'I don't want this person to go back out and do the same thing. This person needs help and prison may not be the answer but my brother will not die in vain. 'New York City does not feel safe and yet we have to go on.' Daniel's brother-in-law also slammed the suggestion that Abdullah was an out-of-control man overcome by mental illness. 'This gentleman allegedly went to a pastor to negotiate his surrender. He was in control of his faculties, he knew what he was doing. 'He's an unhinged lunatic but there's still enough up there to do a risk calculation? I hope punishment is meted out to the full extent of the law,' he told DailyMail.com. She also revealed that the NYPD has not kept the family updated with the investigation. 'My brother was executed on the Q train on the bridge. They didn't handle it delicately. I get more information from journalists than the police. I'm going to meet with the DA because every New Yorker should not wake up and wonder if it's their last day,' she said. At the time of the shooting, Abdullah was on bail for previous violent offenses. In 2017, the Times reports, Abdullah was arrested on an 83-count indictment from the Manhattan District Attorney for a slew of offenses along with other known members of the Harlem-based gangs Fast Money and Nine Block. 'My brother cannot die in vain... the violence has to stop': Daniel Enriquez's sister Griselda broke down in tears as she told DailyMail.com on Tuesday how she learned more about her brother's death from journalists than from the NYPD. She still takes the train and says she will personally ask the DA not to grant Abdullah bail in an effort to crack down on the violence Police had previously released photos from surveillance footage of the suspect Police were on the scene of the Canal Street subway after the shooting occurred He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy charges the following year in exchange for a maximum prison term of three years - but he was paroled by June 2019. Just six months later, in January 2020, Abdullah was again arrested for violating his parole by possessing a loaded gun outside of his Harlem apartment building - a case which is still pending - and was released after posting a $100,000 bail. By March 2021, the Manhattan District Attorney once again charged him with domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly punched a woman and slammed her against a wall while she was holding a baby. And in April, the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office charged him with stolen property and the unauthorized use of a vehicle. NYC Mayor Eric Adams at the Balenciaga show on Saturday. He is yet to crackdown on subway crime Both of those cases are also ongoing, the Times reports, and he is due back in court on the gun charge on June 6. Enriquez, meanwhile, was on his way to have brunch with his brother Sunday morning when he was shot and killed. He had planned to take an Uber but it cost $40 each way rather than the $23 it normally costs, his partner Adam Pollack told DailyMail.com. So instead, Enriquez decided to catch the Q train into Manhattan then switch onto the L train to Williamsburg, where he would walk to Horses and Divorces, a pool hall in the area. He would then take a cab back home, Pollack said. But Enriquez never made it back, and Pollack said he was stunned to learn his partner was sitting in the last car on the train - which he thought was too dangerous. 'I would never blame him but would I ever sit in the last car of the train? No f*****g way. As trapped as you are on the subway you're even more trapped in there.' He said he and Daniel often talked about crime in the city and how it was especially dangerous for people who didn't have any choice but to take the subway. 'The people who have to take the subway are less fortunate... he was fine. Everyone who is more wealthy is at home working.' Griselda Vile, Enriquez' sister, also spoke on Sunday night about the pain her family was suffering as a result of the attack. And Goldman CEO David Solomon said in a statement that the firm was 'devastated' by the man's death. He had worked there for nine years. 'Daniel Enriquez was a dedicated and beloved member of the Goldman Sachs family for nine years. 'He worked diligently to support our Macro Research team in New York and epitomized our culture of collaboration and excellence. 'We are devastated by this senseless tragedy and our deepest sympathies are with Dans family at this difficult time.' Transit Bureau Chief Jason Wilcox told the MTA board on Monday that a designated 'train force' of cops will be introduced to trains. 'In May we have created a new Train Patrol Force, or TPF, that will perform dedicated, targeted, and visible train patrols on the late evening and overnight hours. 'The TPF is not a new concept, it was a type of transit patrol done in years past, notably, by our mayor when he was a transit cop,' he said, according to AM New York. 'It was an idea that we felt we needed to return to,' he added. The TPF existed in New York City in the 1990s but was disbanded in 1995 when it folded in to the NYPD. Top-ranking Russian officials are said to be plotting a government without Vladimir Putin after Kremlin sources claimed the Russian President has turned almost everybody against him amid the invasion of Ukraine. Three months to the day since Russian tanks first rolled across the Ukrainian border, a government source told Russian-Latvian outlet Meduza 'there are almost no people who are satisfied with Putin' among Kremlin officials and Russian elites. 'Businessmen and many members of the government are unhappy that the president started the war without thinking about the scale of the sanctions - it is impossible to live with such sanctions,' the source said - a sentiment which was later corroborated by two other government insiders. 'The problems [in Russia due to the war] are already visible, and by midsummer they will come from different directions: transport, medicine, even agriculture. No one simply thought of such a scale,' Meduza's interlocutor close to the government explained. The revelation comes as Kyiv's spy chief claimed yesterday that Putin had escaped an assassination attempt around one month into the war, and declared the Russian leader's isolation is a preventative measure borne from a deep mistrust of his subordinates. Russia's three-month long invasion, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has seen over 6.5 million people flee abroad, turned entire cities into rubble, and prompted the unprecedented imposition of Western sanctions on Russia. Top-ranking Russian officials are said to be plotting a government without Vladimir Putin (pictured) after Kremlin sources claimed the Russian President has turned almost everybody against him amid the invasion of Ukraine 'There are almost no people who are satisfied with Putin' among Kremlin officials and Russian elites, according to government sources cited by Meduza (Putin is pictured speaking with members of the Security Council last week) Maksym, 3, is photographed with his brother, Dmytro, 16, on top of a destroyed Russian tank, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, May 8, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight Ukraine's military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said he fears the Russian leader still has a 'few more years' left in him, but claimed Putin had escaped an assassination attempt and is wary of being deposed A veteran Russian diplomat to the UN office in Geneva resigned yesterday over what he described as Putin's 'intolerable' invasion of Ukraine, and lent further credence to Meduza's claims in saying many Russian diplomats do not support the war. Boris Bondarev, 41, resigned on Monday morning after 20 years in the diplomatic service before sending a letter to 40 diplomats in which he said he had never been 'so ashamed of my country'. In the letter, he condemned 'the aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine and in fact against the entire Western world' - and supported Meduza's claims that high-ranking government officials in Russia are disapproving of the war. 'It is intolerable what my government is doing now... not all Russian diplomats are warmongering. They are reasonable, but they have to keep their mouths shut,' Bondarev claimed. '[The invasion] is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia... it is crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous free society in our country'. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shrugged of Bondarev's departure however, declaring the diplomat is 'against us' and that the 'actions of the Russian leadership are supported by almost the entire population. Even Russian elites who are in favour of the 'special military operation' in Ukraine share the discontent of their peace-seeking compatriots. Meduza claimed that high-ranking officials in Russia's security services FSB and GRU - referred to as 'hawks' - believe Putin has botched the invasion and want to seize control of the operation. 'The hawks are not satisfied with the pace of the 'special operation'. They think they can act more decisively,' a source said. Putin reportedly removed the FSB - Russia's domestic security agency - as the lead organisation responsible for intelligence gathering in Ukraine after early setbacks, and replaced it with military intelligence agency GRU. But the Russian President has seized control of the military operation, personally handing orders out to generals and struggling to delegate responsibilities. Meanwhile, the head of the main intelligence directorate of Ukraine's ministry of defence declared yesterday Putin is cutting himself off from close contact with his subordinates to avoid any assassination attempts. 'Looking at some of his manic syndromes, he is afraid to seriously prepare a successor, realising that in preparation, this successor may want to take the chair a little earlier than Putin himself wants,' Major General Kyrylo Budanov told Ukrainskaya Pravda. The resignation of Russian diplomat Bondarev amounts to a rare - if not unprecedented - public admission of disgruntlement about Russia's war in Ukraine among the Russian diplomatic corps In the letter sent to diplomats, Bondarev condemned the 'the aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine and in fact against the entire Western world' Kyiv military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov declared yesterday Putin is cutting himself off from close contact with his subordinates to avoid any assassination attempts 'Therefore, he keeps everyone at a certain distance. And he believes that he will rule forever. But it will not be so.' He said: 'Look at the history of any dictator of the 20th and 21st centuries. They all ended the same. In most cases, they died against their will.' Budanov went on to claim the Russian leader had escaped an assassination attempt which took place roughly a month into the war. 'There was even an assassination attempt on him, as they say, by representatives of the Caucasus not so long ago. 'This is non-public information. Absolutely unsuccessful attempt, but it really took place It was about two months ago. 'There was no public information about this event, but it happened.' Top Russian officials are now doubling down on the information war in an attempt to further control the narrative as Putin's forces fight a bloody battle in the east of Ukraine. Russia's parliament today passed a bill giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been 'unfriendly' to Russian media. Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has repeatedly scolded the West for preventing pro-Kremlin media such as the Sputnik news agency and RT television channel from operating by sanctioning the outlets The bill needs to undergo two more readings, be reviewed by the upper house of parliament, and signed by Putin to become law. But journalists of any media organisation deemed to be an offender under the bill would have their foreign ministry accreditation withdrawn - meaning they could not work in Russia. The new bill adds to the challenges facing foreign media after Russia in March adopted a law which penalised what it termed spreading 'fake' news about its army. 'In the current geopolitical situation, the mass media has become an instrument of influence on the informational state of society,' an explanatory note said. The bill was introduced by influential lawmakers, including Andrei Lugovoy, who was charged in absentia by British prosecutors for the 2006 poisoning murder of Alexander Litvinenko. Lugovoy, a former KGB bodyguard, has repeatedly denied the charges. Putin's policy of constant isolation comes even as his health continues to deteriorate according to a Russian Telegram channel which claims to have sources inside the Kremlin. The Russian leader underwent 'successful' cancer surgery last week and is recovering following advice from medics that treatment was 'essential', according to Telegram channel General SVR. The news emerged just hours before Putin appeared on state TV meeting with ally Alexander Lukashenko in Sochi, when he was caught on camera awkwardly twisting his feet while the pair sat down for talks. It is the second time Putin has been filmed making the odd movement, which was caught on camera during a meeting with Tajikistan's president a week ago, and comes off the back of rumours that he is suffering Parkinson's. Vladimir Putin has been filmed fidgeting with his feet in new footage while meeting with Alexander Lukashenko, amid fresh rumours about his health Emomali Rahmon appeared to notice the movement during his meeting with Putin and glanced at the leader's feet, though did not raise it in conversation. Critics have suggested the twisting motion could be an attempt to cover up the kind of involuntary twitches caused by Parkinson's - after Putin was seen shaking his arm and led before another meeting with Lukashenko on February 18. Since then, he has been seen to grip the arms of chairs and corners of tables in what some believe to be an effort to disguise any shaking. Whispers about Putin's health began at least two years ago when he was said to be suffering both Parkinson's and cancer, but have received renewed attention in the wake of his invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has not commented on the latest allegations of Putin's ill-health, but regularly denies he is suffering any kind of difficulties. General SVR wrote today: 'On the night of Monday May 16 to Tuesday May 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin underwent a surgical operation. 'The fact that Putin should be operated on as soon as possible was insisted upon by his attending physicians. 'According to the doctors involved in the treatment of the President, the operation was successful. 'We have already talked about the fact that Putin was personally absent from the information space from May 17 to May 19 and was not available even to his inner circle, with the exception of Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. 'From May 17 to May 19, 'canned', pre-recorded meetings and messages were posted in the information space, and Putin personally held two telephone conversations during this time.' It comes as a former MI6 chief predicted Putin will be 'gone by 2023' due to health problems and will not re-emerge as the leader of Russia. Sir Dearlove told the One Decision podcast: 'I think (Putin) will be gone by 2023 - but probably into the sanatorium, from which he will not emerge as the leader of Russia' Rumours have been circling for years that Putin (pictured gripping table during a meeting last month) has health problems, and they have intensified since he launched invasion of Ukraine With persistent rumours of serious ill health for the Russian strongman, one method of 'moving things on' without need for a violent coup would be to place him in a long term hospital for the incurably unwell, suggested Richard Dearlove. The various Russian systems of governance over the centuries have always been autocratic and have never been designed with transitions of power in mind. But now, with Russia facing military humiliation and economic catastrophe thoughts are turning inwardly in the Kremlin as to how to replace the man in power. These are the thoughts of Dearlove, who was speaking on the One Decision podcast which he co-hosts. 'I think he'll be gone by 2023 - but probably into the sanatorium, from which he will not emerge as the leader of Russia.' 'I'm not saying he won't emerge from the sanatorium, but he won't emerge as the leader of Russia any longer. 'That's a way to sort of move things on without a coup,' he concluded. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday defended President Joe Biden's much-criticized response to baby formula shortages and instead turned her fire on nine Republicans who voted against a bill to help poorer women buy milk substitute. Lawmakers will hold three hearings issue this week as they seek to find out what led to massive shortages across the nation. Under intense political pressure. the Biden administration has begun airlifting supplies from Europe. Appearing on Morning Joe, Pelosi was asked whether the crisis was an unforced error. Pelosi said the idea of baby crying and there being no food in the house, 'it hits home as deeply as possible.' 'But we did pass last week two bills,' she said. 'One that overwhelmingly passed bipartisan, in terms of setting us on a course that it cannot happen again. 'But the other, to have the money, $20 million-some to help facilitate baby formula getting to families and the Republicans voted against it. How do you vote against some million dollars for baby food? 'How do you do it?' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday turned her fire on nine Republicans who voted against a bill to help poorer women buy infant formula Infant formula has been in short supply after production was halted at the biggest U.S. plant Desperate parents have been confronted by empty shelves and signs saying stores are out of stock amid nationwide shortages The nine Republicans who voted against The Access to Baby Formula Act last week The Access to Baby Formula Act was passed the House on a vote of 414 to 9 last Wednesday. Nine Republicans voted against it . They are: Andy Biggs (Arizona) Lauren Boebert (Colorado) Matt Gaetz (Florida) Matt Gaetz of Florida was among the Republicans who voted against the bill Louie Gohmert (Texas) Paul Gosar (Arizona) Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia) Clay Higgins (Louisiana) Thomas Massie (Kentucky) Chip Roy (Texas) Advertisement The Access to Baby Formula Act would allow low-income women to buy more baby formula through the federal Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program. WIC is one of the main drivers of the entire baby formula industry, buying up more than 50 percent of all product in the U.S., according to the most recent federal data. It passed on a 414-9 vote in the House last Wednesday. All nine voting against were Republicans, drawn largely from a Trump-allied fringe of the party including such firebrands as Paul Gosar and Lauren Boebert. Several blamed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and said spending money to help low-income families would make no difference. Gosar justified his vote in a statement to The Arizona Republic. 'Spending nearly $30 million more will do nothing to the baby formula crisis created by the Biden administration,' he said. 'The fact is, the Biden administration's FDA knew about the formula shortage for months and refused to work with the impacted baby formula manufacturing plant to enable it to reopen and get supplies back on the shelves. 'Throwing taxpayer money at a problem and hoping it goes away is not a valid solution.' The bill passed the Senate unanimously on Thursday. The shortage was triggered by closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant over safety concerns. It got so bad that in 43 states more than 40 percent of formula was recently out of stock, according to Datasembly. The head of the FDA said the Abbott factory in Sturgis, Michigan could be be up and running this week, although it will still take two months for its output to hit the shelves. The FDA is also waiving some restrictions to allow more imports from overseas manufacturers. Lawmakers will be investigating whether an industry that is dominated by only four major players - Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo - can withstand shocks such as the closure of a plant. President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act last week to boost baby formula production and issued a directive for planes to import supplies from overseas The Biden administration said that shutting down the plant was the right thing to do at the weekend. National Economic Council Director Brian Deese was quizzed on Sunday talk shows about why the administration was so unprepared. 'The FDA did what it was supposed to do, which was assess safety and shutdown a facility in the United States, Deese told 'Fox News Sunday.' 'And that was a prudent thing to do because of safety. Were dealing with infants and babies here. 'Safety has to be paramount.' Alimentum, Similac and EleCare formulas, made by Abbott, were recalled in February after five infants who used the formula contracted a Cronobacter sakazakii infection. One of the infants died as a result. Biden touted the first flight, part of Operation Fly Formula, on Twitter shortly before the plane landed More than 70,000 pounds of baby formula arrived in the United States on Sunday via military aircraft, President Joe Biden announced, as his top economics adviser pledged stores could see replenished supplies 'as early as this week.' The shipment from the US military's Ramstein Air Base in Germany is the first in Biden's Operation Fly Formula program, aimed at ramping up international imports of baby formula to raise US supply. It's one of several measures the president unveiled to mitigate the increasingly dire baby formula shortage that's plaguing Americans nationwide - which has already led to multiple reports of hospitalized children. 'Folks, Im excited to tell you that the first flight from Operation Fly Formula is loaded up with more than 70,000 pounds of infant formula and about to land in Indiana,' the president wrote on Twitter just before the plane touched down. 'Our team is working around the clock to get safe formula to everyone who needs it.' A paedophile Eton College master who ran a photography club as a cover for his sick abuse has been banned from teaching for life. Matthew Mowbray, now 50, was jailed for five years in December 2020 after creating 4,500 child abuse images of pupils and molesting boys during late night visits to their rooms. He was today struck off for life by teaching watchdogs after Mowbray, who had initially pleaded not guilty to many of the offences, admitted to them: 'Given that I have been sent to prison, this is an open and shut case. I should not teach again.' The jury was told Mowbray ran a photography club where he photographed pupils and then combined the snaps with naked images of unknown children to make his own obscene creations. He also came into boys' rooms claiming he wanted to discuss school work before touching them for his own sexual gratification, the trial heard. Matthew Mowbray, now 50, was jailed for five years in December 2020 after creating 4,500 child abuse images of pupils and molesting boys during late night visits to their rooms The jury was told Mowbray ran a photography club where he photographed pupils and then combined the snaps with naked images of unknown children to make his own obscene creations A disciplinary panel was told Mowbray taught geography at 42k-a-year Eton College from September 1993 to March 2020 and was a housemaster from September 2010. On 17 May 2019, Mr Mowbray, who had previously had a spotless criminal record, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and released on police bail. He was charged with 16 offences, including nine counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, six of making indecent photographs of children and one count of voyeurism recording a person doing a private act. He admitted six counts of making indecent photographs but denied the remaining 10 counts. A jury at Reading Crown Court convicted him of eight of the nine counts of sexual activity with a child and the one count of voyeurism. As well as being jailed, he was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and ordered to sign on as a sex offender for life. The Teaching Regulation Agency hearing was told the sex offences involved four boys between 2012 and 2019. When Mowbray was arrested, the police found some 4,500 indecent images of children on his computer. Mowbray taught geography at 42k-a-year Eton College (pictured) from September 1993 to March 2020 and was a housemaster from September 2010 The voyeurism offence was described as Mowbray covertly filming a child dressing or undressing in the privacy of his own room, the panel heard. Ms Jo Palmer-Tweed, who chaired the hearing, said: 'The panel noted that the behaviour involved in committing the offences had significant effects on the pupils. 'They were described by the judge as "lasting", including depression, anxiety, stress, nervousness, loss of confidence, embarrassment, physical and psychological and sadness. 'The panel considered that public confidence in the profession would be seriously weakened if conduct such as that found against Mr Mowbray were not treated with the utmost seriousness when regulating the conduct of the profession. 'There was no evidence that Mr Mowbray was acting under duress. His actions were deliberate.' Banning him from teaching for life, Alan Meyrick, for the Education Secretary, said: 'In my judgement, this overall picture means that there is some considerable risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils. The trial judge said to Mr Mowbray: 'You knew what you were doing, but you continued to take the opportunities afforded to you as a housemaster to abuse children for your own gratification'. Top administrative leaders for the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, said Tuesday that they will release a secret list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse. During a public virtual meeting, an attorney for the SBC's Executive Committee announced the decision in response to a scathing investigative report detailing how the committee mishandled allegations of sex abuse and stonewalled numerous survivors. 'The reality is we'll never know the extent of the pain and the hurt that was caused to survivors,' said Willie McLaurin, SBC executive committee interim president, in prepared remarks. 'Today on behalf of all Southern Baptists I want to issue a formal apology and say that we are sorry to the survivors for all that we've done to cause hurt, pain and frustration,' he added. During the meeting, top leaders and several committee members vowed to work toward changing the culture of the denomination and to listen more attentively to survivors' voices and stories. The 288-page report by Guidepost Solutions, which was released Sunday after a seven-month investigation, contained several explosive revelations. Top administrative leaders for the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, said Tuesday that they will release a secret list of sex abusers Among those were details of how D. August Boto, the Executive Committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive pastors. Both retired in 2019. The existence of the list was not widely known within the committee and its staff. 'Despite collecting these reports for more than 10 years, there is no indication that (Oldham and Boto) or anyone else, took any action to ensure that the accused ministers were no longer in positions of power at SBC churches,' the report said. Boto joined the Executive Committee in 1995 and became executive vice president and general counsel in 2007. On Tuesday, the committee released a statement singling out and denouncing Boto's words written in a communication to survivors and their advocates on Sept. 29, 2006 that 'continued discourse between us (the Executive Committee and survivors' advocates) will not be positive or fruitful.' The committee, in its new statement, said it 'rejects the sentiment (of Boto's words) in its entirety and seeks to publicly repent for its failure to rectify this position and wholeheartedly listen to survivors.' Gene Besen, the committee's interim counsel, said during Tuesday's virtual meeting that releasing the list is an important step toward transparency. The names of survivors, confidential witnesses and any uncorroborated allegations of sexual abuse will be redacted from the list that will be made public, he said. Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton promised to carry out reforms and drag the denomination out of the damaging report's findings, calling them 'failures' in his response The report also claimed leaders of the church hid a secret database of abusers from victims and the public. Pictured: People take part in a worship service during the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee Besen said the committee's leaders will also look into revoking retirement benefits for Boto and others who were involved in the cover-up. He urged committee members to set aside past divisions and stay united in a collective commitment to end sexual abuse in the SBC. Willie McLaurin, the Executive Committee's interim president and CEO, issued a formal public apology to all those who suffered sexual abuse within the SBC, which has a membership of over 47,000 churches. 'We are sorry to the survivors for all we have done to cause pain and frustration,' he said. 'Now is the time to change the culture. We have to be proactive in our openness and transparency from now.' Executive Committee Chair Wally Slade began the virtual meeting by acknowledging the survivors. 'Our commitment is to be different and do different,' he said. 'We can't come up with half-baked solutions.' After the report's release, more sexual abuse survivors have been contacting the Executive Committee to tell their stories, Besen said. He said he has asked Guidepost to open up a hotline so survivors who reach out 'are directed to the proper place and receive the proper care.' The Sexual Abuse Task Force, appointed at the demand of SBC delegates during last year's meeting in Nashville, expects to make its formal motions based on the Guidepost report public next week. Those recommendations will then be presented to the delegates for a vote during this year's national meeting scheduled for June 14-15 in Anaheim, California, according to Pastor Bruce Frank who led the task force. Frank, lead pastor of Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, North Carolina, said the crux of the task forces recommendations based on Guideposts report would be to prevent sexual abuse, to better care for survivors when such abuse does occur and to make sure abusers are not allowed to continue in ministry. Survivors and advocates have long called for a public database of abusers. Former Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page resigned over sexual abuse claims made during his tenure after accusing survivors of fabricating stories and filing unfound lawsuits Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2014-2016 resigned after being accused of preserving the base of the denomination and not allowing sexual abuse survivors to vocalize their experiences The creation of an 'Offender Information System' was one of the key recommendations in the report by Guidepost Solutions, an independent firm contracted by the SBCs Executive Committee after delegates to last year's national meeting pressed for an investigation by outsiders. The proposed database is expected to be one of several recommendations that resulted from Guidepost's seven-month investigation presented to thousands of delegates attending this years national meeting. The sex abuse scandal was first thrust into the spotlight in 2019 by a landmark report from the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News documenting 700 cases in Southern Baptist churches, including several in which alleged perpetrators remained in ministry. Last year, thousands of delegates at the national SBC gathering made clear they did not want the Executive Committee to oversee an investigation of its own actions. Instead they voted overwhelmingly to create the task force charged with overseeing the third-party review. Litton, pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, appointed the panel. The task force had a week to review the report before it was publicly released. The task force's recommendations based on Guidepost's findings will be presented at the SBC's meeting in Anaheim. The report offers shocking details on how Johnny Hunt, a Georgia-based pastor and past SBC president, sexually assaulted another pastor's wife during a beach vacation in 2010. In an interview with investigators, Hunt denied any physical contact with the woman, but did admit he had interactions with her. On May 13, Hunt, who was the senior vice president of evangelism and leadership at the North American Mission Board, the SBC's domestic missions agency, resigned from that post, said Kevin Ezell, the organization's president and CEO. Ezell said, before May 13, he was 'not aware of any alleged misconduct' on Hunt's part. The report details a meeting Hunt arranged a few days after the alleged assault between the woman, her husband, Hunt and a counseling pastor. Hunt admitted to touching the victim inappropriately, but said 'thank God I didn't consummate the relationship.' Pastor Johnny Hunt, based in Georgia, has allegedly sexually assaulted another pastor's wife during a beach vacation in 2010, the report also found Hunt denied claims of inappropriately touching the woman, but confessed to interactions with her in the past. Pictured: Hunt with his wife Among those reacting strongly to the Guidepost report was Russell Moore, who formerly headed the SBC's public policy wing but left the denomination after accusing top Executive Committee leaders of stalling efforts to address the sex abuse crisis. 'Crisis is too small a word. It is an apocalypse,' Moore wrote for Christianity Today after reading the report. 'As dark a view as I had of the SBC Executive Committee, the investigation uncovers a reality far more evil and systemic than I imagined it could be.' According to the report, Guidepost's investigators, who spoke with survivors of varying ages including children, said the survivors were equally traumatized by the way in which churches responded to their reports of sexual abuse. Survivors 'spoke of trauma from the initial abuse, but also told us of the debilitating effects that come from the response of the churches and institutions like the SBC that did not believe them, ignored them, mistreated them, and failed to help them,' the report said. It cited the case of Dave Pittman, who from 2006 to 2011 made phone calls and sent letters and emails to the SBC and Georgia Baptist Convention Board reporting that he had been abused by Frankie Wiley, a youth pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church when he was 12 to 15 years old. Pittman and several others have come forward publicly to report that Wiley molested and raped them and Wiley has admitted to abusing 'numerous victims' at several Georgia Southern Baptist churches. According to the report, a Georgia Baptist Convention official told Pittman that the churches were autonomous and there was nothing he could do but pray. Christa Brown, a survivor of the SBC's abuse, speaks during a rally in Birmingham, Alabama, outside the SBC's annual meeting. Brown, an author and retired attorney, says she was abused by a Southern Baptist minister as a child. After Sunday's report, Brown said it 'fundamentally confirms what Southern Baptist clergy sex abuse survivors have been saying for decades. ... I view this investigative report as a beginning, not an end. The work will continue.' The report also tells the story of Christa Brown, who says she was sexually abused as a teen by the youth and education minister at her SBC church. When she disclosed the abuse to the music minister after months of abuse, she was told not to talk about it, according to the report, which said her abuser also went on to serve in Southern Baptist churches in multiple states. Brown, who has been one of the most outspoken survivors, told investigators that during the past 15 years she has received 'volumes of hate mail, awful blog comments, and vitriolic phone calls.' After reading through the report, Brown told The Associated Press that it 'fundamentally confirms what Southern Baptist clergy sex abuse survivors have been saying for decades.' 'I view this investigative report as a beginning, not an end. The work will continue,' Brown said. 'But no one should ever forget the human cost of what it has taken to even get the SBC to approach this starting line of beginning to deal with clergy sex abuse.' The Southern Baptist Church Convention claims more than 13 million members in the United States and more than 40 million worldwide. The scandal echoes the one faced by the Roman Catholic Church, which has been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse, when the Boston Globe newspaper revealed in 2002 that church hierarchy covered up sexual misconduct by its clergy for decades. The U.S. Catholic Church has paid out an estimated $3.2 billion to settle clergy abuse cases, according to BishopAccountability.org, which tracks the issue. China lambasted and expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to President Joe Biden's statement on the willingness of the United States to help defend Taiwan itself, saying Beijing will not permit foreign forces to meddle in its internal issues. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that "there is no room for compromise" on matters relating to China's "sovereignty and territorial integrity and other core interests." The official urged to refrain from sending "any wrong signal to pro-Taiwan independence and separatist forces" to avoid "serious damage to the situation across the Taiwan Strait and China-US relations." "We urged the US side to earnestly follow the One China principle ... be cautious in words and deeds on the Taiwan issue.." Wenbin noted. China's reaction came hours after President Biden cautioned on Monday that if Beijing attempted to seize Taiwan by force, the US would engage militarily, a threat that appeared to depart from Washington's typical careful ambiguity, as per CNN. Biden Ensures That the US Will Help Taiwan If China Attacks In a joint media conference in Tokyo, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden was asked if the US would go further to aid Taiwan in the case China launches an attack similar to what Russia did to Ukraine. He was asked by a journalist if the US is "willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?" Biden replied "Yes. That's the commitment we made." He explained that Washington agrees with the One China policy and "signed on to it and all the attendant agreements", however, the notion that Taiwan can be "taken by force" is not appropriate. Read Also: Pentagon: Harpoon Launcher, More High-Tech Weapons Coming to Ukraine Amid War With Russia US Recognizes One China Policy but Also Has a Defense Pact with Taiwan The diplomatic acceptance of China's assertion that there is only one Chinese government is known as the One China policy.The US recognizes but does not embrace, Beijing's claims that Taiwan is a part of China within this framework. Although the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it does have a "robust unofficial relationship." Taiwan is only about 110 miles (177 kilometers) off China's coast. Despite the fact that the two parts have been ruled independently for more than 70 years, China's governing Communist Party has claimed the island as its own despite never having had control of it. Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has stated that the "reunification" of China and Taiwan is imminent and has refused to rule out the use of force. Friction between Beijing and Taipei is at an all-time high, with the Chinese military sending an unprecedented number of warplanes near the island. The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, on the other hand, assures that Washington would provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself against Beijing's unilateral unification of the island. However, if China invades Taiwan, this act does not oblige the US to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan, as per a report from CNBC. Biden's pronouncements were tempered by the White House. "As the president said, our position has not changed," an official said in a statement to reporters, Politico reported. "He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself," the statement noted. Related Article: Biden Gives Undiplomatic Remark To Kim Jong Un When Asked What Message to Impart During South Korea Visit @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Whoopi Goldberg silenced a rowdy audience on The View today after they booed Kellyanne Conway for attacking Joe Biden. She cut the political consultant off mid-sentence before hushing the guests and telling them not to jibe her as she promoted her new book, 'Here's the Deal.' Meanwhile, she also had to referee a no holds barred debate between Conway and felling co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin. The pair locked horns over Conway's second term in the White House and repeatedly talked over one another during the frosty exchange. Both women had worked in the White House during the former President's Trump in office. Conway was Trump's campaign manager when he was running for office in 2016 and then became his senior counselor once he became president. Farah Griffin joined the administration in 2001 when she became the was a White House spokesperson During the broadcast, both women sparred over the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. 'I swore an oath to the Constitution, not to Donald Trump,' Griffin said. 'As we all did,' Conway replied. She continued: 'There was a lot wrong with the 2020 campaign' and said that Griffin's former boss, Mark Meadows, was 'a terrible chief of staff' due to him having 'not match the moment for a global pandemic, a re-election campaign.' Griffin shot back: 'Neither did Donald Trump.' Whoopi Goldberg silenced a rowdy audience on the popular daytime show, 'The View' after they booed Kellyanne Conway for attacking Joe Biden Kelly Conway appeared on The View to share her new memoir: 'Here's the Deal. During the appearance, she had a frosty exchange with co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former White House spokesperson. Farah Griffin charged that Conway took a 'cheap shot' Members of the popular daytime host discuss new events that at time can get heated At one point, Farah told Conway she once 'admired' her when Conway had worked for the former Vice President, Mike Pence before the interrogating began. 'How do you still defend him? Do you still think he could be a good president after he tried to overturn our democracy?' 'I left three months before you did, for my children, I have four of them. I said less drama more mama,' Conway said. 'And that's exactly what I did. I think you stayed a whole month after the election that you were having a problem with.' Griffin quipped: 'I wanted to help my junior staff get jobs.' 'I stayed for three weeks after 'I think people should know that because I haven't seen you since you changed, But I want to say this to you' Before she clarified her point, Conway jumped saying that she didn't 'want to argue.' The audience disapproval hit a a high note when Conway began to share her angst in the loss of her former boss during the 2020 election. 'He had all these accomplishments and was running against a guy who was stuck in the basement,' in reference to President Biden. While Goldberg reminded audience members what the show is about: 'Listen, this is 'The View.' And she's talking about her view and how she feels about things.' She continued: 'Please don't boo her.' Conway, appeared to take it in stride, and told Goldberg: 'I think it was me saying it was Biden staying in the basement that was the problem.' The book covers Conway's early years, her political career, raising four children, twins Claudia and George, and daughters Charlotte and Vanessa, whom she calls 'the four chambers of my heart. Her marriage to attorney, George Conway, whom she wed in 2001, and the impact her mother Diane, a single mother, had on her, People reported. 'I'm just one example of an American dream,' Conway, 55, said. An estimated 200 decomposing bodies have been found in the basement of an apartment complex which was destroyed during the Russian siege of Mariupol, Ukraine. International observers have accused Vladimir Putin's forces of deliberately targeting civilian buildings in their effort to crush Ukrainian resistance during the three-month-old conflict. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighbourhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Ukrainian authorities have found 200 decomposing bodies in the basement of an apartment complex in Mariupol which had been destroyed during the Russian siege of the vital port city Thousands of civilians have been killed in the city after Russian airstrikes, artillery and missiles targeted civilian buildings including a maternity hospital Some bodies found in the city have been removed to a new cemetery on the outskirts of the city. But observers claim Russians are using mass graves and mobile crematoriums to cover up evidence of their war crimes Heavy fighting, meanwhile, continued in the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops intensified their efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and neighbouring cities. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the siege with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theatre where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theatre attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. This body has been wrapped in a Mickey Mouse duvet cover awaiting burial Undertakers lower the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Oleksander Matyukhin, 32, in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, Monday, May 23, 2022 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging 'total war' and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. 'Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years,' Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved 'some localised successes' despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Moscows troops also took over the town of Svitlodarsk and raised the Russian flag there, Ukrainian media reported. Svitlodarsk is about 31 miles southeast of the strategically important city of Kramatorsk. Two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government 'is not chasing deadlines.' And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate - though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. As Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, recovers from weeks of relentless bombardment, residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution centre coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the centre is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. 'Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food,' she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. The sun's rays pass through charred structures of one of the shelled sections of the Barabashovo market in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, Monday, May 23, 2022 Klavdiya Tyshenko stands at the entrance of her home ruined by shelling in Irpin, outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 A resident sits outside a house ruined by shelling in Irpin, outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually 'come back home.' Russian authorities have threatened to put Mariupol defenders on trial on war crimes charges. Cars pass by destroyed Russian tanks in a recent battle against Ukrainians in the village of Dmytrivka, close to Kyiv, Ukraine, May 23, 2022. Three months after it invaded Ukraine hoping to overtake the country in a blitz, Russia has bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition with no end in sight Residents live in a subway station still used as temporary shelter in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Kharkiv subway resumed service on Tuesday morning after it was closed for more than two months during Russian attempt to capture the city People queue to receive flour at a food donation spot in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, Monday, May 23, 2022 A Ukrainian serviceman stands in a trench in Kharkiv region, eastern Ukraine Ukrainian nationals fleeing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine arrive at the Richardson International Airport, in Winnipeg, Manitoba Donald Trump on Tuesday laughed off rumors of a potential 2024 challenge from his former vice president, Mike Pence, and insisted the 2020 presidential election needs to be re-litigated in a contentious interview with Fox Business host Stuart Varney. The portion of the interview, which appears to have been cut from the versions on Fox Business' website and YouTube channel, features the former president clashing with the news host and insisting his approval rating was 98 percent among GOP voters. 'What I hear from a lot of Republicans is that they don't want you to look back to the 2020 election and rehash it,' Varney told the ex-president. 'That's not what people are talking about. People don't want you to do that.' Trump countered, 'No, I think that you have to look back to find out. You have to look at history, Stuart.' 'If you don't look at history, you're going to be lost. It's gonna happen again, you can't let it happen again,' he said referring to baseless claims the presidential election was rigged. He pressed on, telling the host via phone that 'a vast portion' of Republicans disagreed with him. 'They are very upset. They're very angry with what happened in the election,' Trump said. 'The problem is the press, including Fox, doesn't want to talk about it.' The former president had a contentious beginning to his interview on Fox Business Tuesday, as voters in five states head to the polls to cast primary ballots for this year's midterm elections Varney speculated that voters found the contentious 2020 race and Trump and his allies muddying the waters with election conspiracy theories to be a 'toxic' or 'chaotic situation.' 'They want to be positive - they want to look forward to the future and be positive,' the host offered. Trump balked, 'So somebody robs the jewelry store of all the jewelry, you just let him be alone, right? Just say okay, he got away with it.' 'I just I disagree with that. And a lot of people in the party disagree with that,' Trump said. Shifting gears, Varney asked Trump about rumors that Pence, his former deputy, is mounting a challenge against his old boss for the White House - though neither have yet formally announced a campaign. 'That's okay,' Trump said on the potential challenge. Chucking slightly, he continued: 'If he ran I mean, I wouldn't be concerned with that. That's fine.' 'People are very disappointed in Mike, and if he ran, I dont think that would be a problem.' The ex-president pointed out that multiple early surveys have shown him leading the pack of potential GOP hopefuls. Trump laughed off rumors that his former vice president, Mike Pence, may be readying a 2024 primary bid regardless whether Trump decides to run for president again or not 'Well, I think, if you look at the polls, Im leading by a tremendous amount. I had a 98 percent approval rating in the Republican Party,' Trump said. The former running mates are facing a significant test of their influence within the party on Tuesday as Georgia Republicans head to the polls to decide who will be the GOP nominee to face progressive activist Stacey Abrams for the governorship in November. Incumbent Governor Brian Kemp, backed by Pence, is fending off a challenge from former Senator David Perdue, who is endorsed by Trump. Trump reportedly persuaded Perdue to run against Kemp after the governor, a former ally of the ex-president's, became the subject of his outrage for refusing to overturn Georgia's 2020 presidential election results. The state, which narrowly went to Biden, was critical to Democrats securing a governing majority in the White House and Congress. Perdue has made Trump's election complaints a cornerstone of his campaign. Pence, who rebuffed pressure from Trump to reject certain states' election results early last year, has called the ex-president 'wrong' to push his conspiracy theories but has not hesitated to capitalize on the successes of the 'Trump-Pence administration' during his recent spate of appearances in front of GOP audiences. The former White House officials campaigned for their respective candidates on Monday night. Pence appeared at a rally for Kemp, where he focused on defeating Abrams in the fall rather than attacking Kemp's Trump-backed opponent. 'The Democratic Party has been taken over by a radical left wing that has literally lost its grip on everything that has made this country great, [and] with the full support of Stacey Abrams has unleashed a tidal wave of left-wing policies that has ruined our standing in the world and stifled the American economy,' the former vice president and ex-Indiana governor said. Trump, meanwhile, appeared at a tele-rally with Perdue where he said the former Senator is '100 percent MAGA' and that Kemp allowed the 2020 race in Georgia to be 'rigged and to be stolen.' Elon Musk has deepened his feud with fellow billionaire Bill Gates, tweeting in response to an article claiming that Gates is funding his critics. Musk on Tuesday tweeted 'sigh' in response to a link to a Breitbart article claiming that Gates' foundation donated 'hundreds of millions of dollars' to numerous groups behind a campaign pushing advertisers to boycott Twitter if Musk takes over. The article says the Gates Foundation donated to 11 of the 26 signatories of an open letter pushing the boycott, distributing the cash through the New Venture Fund and the Tides Foundation, which have been characterized as 'dark money' groups. It follows an escalating feud between Musk and Gates, who recently criticized the Tesla CEO's plan to buy Twitter for $44 billion. Musk has also accused Gates of taking a large position betting against Tesla stock, and chided the Microsoft creator's zaftig figure by comparing him to an emoji of a pregnant man. Elon Musk has deepened his feud with fellow billionaire Bill Gates, tweeting in response to an article claiming that Gates is funding his critics Gates said last month that while Musk has a good record as a businessman, he could make misinformation on Twitter worse if he completes his takeover as planned. 'He actually could make it worse,' Gates said. 'That's not his track record. His track record with Tesla and Space X is pretty mind-blowing at putting together a great team of engineers and taking people who work in those fields in a less bold way and really showing them up. I kind of doubt that'll happen this time but we should have an open mind and never underestimate Elon.' But Gates did question Musk's intentions with the app. The South African-born billion has said his purchase of Twitter is motivated primarily by a wish to restore the app 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. Musk, who calls himself a free speech absolutist, has criticized Twitter's moderation policies. 'You know, what's his goal?' Gates asked. 'When he talks about the openness, how does he feel about something such as "vaccines kill people" or that "Bill Gates is tracking people" is that one of the things he feels should be spread? So it's not totally clear what he is going to do.' 'Are his goals for what it ends up being, does it match this idea of less extreme falsehoods spreading so quickly, weird conspiracy theories, does he share that goal or not?' Gates pondered. Bill Gates commented on Elon Musk's plan to purchase Twitter and how he could make misinformation online worse. #WSJCEOCouncil https://t.co/0E4mtWvjQI pic.twitter.com/xkQMpurrcO The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 4, 2022 Last month Musk dissed Gates' gut on Twitter posting a photo of the Microsoft mogul alongside Apple's controversial pregnant man emoji 'in case you need to kill a boner' Musk appeared for the first time in public since inking his $44 billion Twitter deal, walking the Met Gala red carpet with his mother, the model Maye Musk Gates also refused to say whether or not he personally shorted Tesla 'It's possible the stock went down and whoever shorted the stock made money, I don't know' Gates also added that he has not taken Musk's recent tweets about him personally. Last month Musk dissed Gates' gut on Twitter posting a photo of the Microsoft mogul alongside Apple's controversial pregnant man emoji 'in case you need to kill a boner.' Gates also refused to say whether or not he personally shorted Tesla, saying that climate change was a focus of the Gates Foundation. 'It's possible the stock went down and whoever shorted the stock made money, I don't know,' he said. 'I don't think whether one's short or long Tesla is a statement about your seriousness about climate change,' he added 'I applaud Tesla's role in helping with climate change. I have nothing but positive things to say about Elon, if he makes Twitter worse, fine, I'll speak out about that, but I wouldn't assume that's what's going to happen,' Gates, the world's third richest man after Musk and Jeff Bezos, took a shot earlier this year at the Tesla CEO after the electric vehicle maker announced taking a $1.5 billion stake in Bitcoin. 'Elon has tons of money and he's very sophisticated, so I don't worry that his Bitcoin will sort of randomly go up or down,' Gates told Bloomberg. 'I do think people get bought into these manias who may not have as much money to spare, so I'm not bullish on Bitcoin. My general thought would be that if you have less money than Elon, you should probably watch out,' he said. Gates has also previously made comments about electric trucks like the Tesla Semi not being viable, which Musk countered. In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, Musk said he believes that the Microsoft founder had a big short position on Tesla stocks at one point. 'I heard that at one point he had a large short position. I dont know if thats true or not, but it seems weird,' Musk told Rogan. 'People I know who know the situation pretty well, I asked them are you sure? and they said yes, he has a huge short position on Tesla." That didnt work out too well.' groups that signed an open letter last month calling on advertisers to boycott Twitter if Musk completes his $44 billion takeover. Australian musician Nick Cave has thanked fans for their support as he continues to mourn the death of his eldest son. Jethro Lazenby, 31, died on May 7, two days after he was released from prison in Australia following an assault upon his mother. Cave, 64, is best known as the frontman of alternative rock act Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He thanked a fan for offering their condolences during a heartfelt exchange of messages on his Red Hand Fire blog. 'I have no question for you today. I just wanted to send my heartfelt condolences on the tragic loss of Jethro,' wrote a fan named Teresa, Rolling Stone reports. Musician Nick Cave has thanked fans for their heartfelt condolences following the death of his son Jethro Cave, 64, pictured with his eldest son Jethro Lazenby, 31, at the Portobello Film Festival 'All I can do is offer the collective love of all who read your letters.' Responding to her, Cave said: 'Thank you for your letter. Many others have written to me about Jethro, sending condolences and kind words. These letters are a great source of comfort and I'd like to thank all of you for your support.' Cave added that he would come back to the platform in several weeks' time and shared a childhood photograph of Jethro. 'With much sadness, I can confirm that my son, Jethro, has passed away,' theCave announced at the time. 'We would be grateful for family privacy at this time.' At the time of his death, a judge had ordered Jethro to attend a drug treatment programme and to stay away from his mother for two years, The Metro reports. Jethro had previously enjoyed a successful career as a model and had acted using the stage name Jethro Cave. His death occurred seven years after Cave's son Arthur, 15, died from falling off a cliff in Brighton. A Palestinian-American women graduating from Georgetown University was filmed refusing to shake Secretary of State Antony Blinken's hand in an act of protest over the death of an Al Jazeera journalist in the West Bank on May 11th. In the video posted online, Nooran Al Hamdan, a graduate of the Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service, could be seen walking up to the podium on Saturday holding up a flag representing the Palestinian people. As she passed Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who delivered the commencement address at the ceremony, she shakes her head 'no' and declines to extend her hand. The two appear to exchange words as she continues walking, before shaking the hand of another university official. In tweets following the ceremony, Al Hamdan said the act was part of a protest calling for an independent investigation into the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed while reporting during an Israeli raid on the West Bank town of Jenin. Al Hamdan also called for an end to the United States financial aid for Israel. Multiple students were pictured holding up signs of Abu Akleh and donning keffiyehs - a checkered black and white scarf that is widely considered a symbol of Palestinian resistance and is often worn as a sign of solidarity with Palestine. Nooran Al Hamdan could be seen in footage from the Georgetown University graduation on Saturday refusing to shake Secretary of State Antony Blinken's hand The move came as Al Hamdan (pictured) called for an independent investigation into the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and an end to American aid to Israel Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered the commencement speech at this year's Georgetown University graduation ceremony Al Hamdan tweeted afterwards that she was 'proud to have refused' Blinken's handshake, noting that he came up to her after the ceremony and said "I hear you" 'Myself and my classmates in Arab Studies honored the legacy of Shireen Abu Akleh during Antony Blinken's commencement address,' she tweeted Saturday, adding that she was 'proud to have refused your handshake and to have reminded you of our existence.' 'We demand an independent investigation and an end to American aid to Israel now. 'I relayed those messages to Blinken personally and refused to shake his hand,' she noted, adding that at the end Blinken 'came up to me personally and said "I hear you." 'I reiterated that an independent investigation and accountability for Israel were necessary,' Al Hamdan wrote. 'He walked away when I told him to cut all American aid to the Israeli military.' By Monday, as video of her snubbing Blinken's handshake went viral, Al Hamdan tweeted: 'Neither myself [nor] my peers have claimed that our action has done anything more than protest Blinken and the policies he upholds, and raise awareness for Shireen/Palestine. 'Comments claiming that were acting like weve done more than that are in bad faith,' she wrote, adding: 'Our collective silent protest and my own personal decision not to shake Blinken's hand were both the bare minimum in terms of activism and basic principled morality.' Al Jazeera said Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while wearing a press vest and helmet during a raid in the West Bank on May 11 As video of her snubbing Blinken went viral, Al Hamdan tweeted that it was the 'bare minimum in terms of activism and basic principled morality' as they called for an investigation into Abu Akleh's death and an end to American aid to Israel The White House has already condemned the killing of Akleh - who also has United States citizenship. Earlier this month, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said prosecuting anyone responsible for attacks on journalists was of 'paramount importance.' 'We strongly condemn the killing of Al Jazeera journalist and American citizen Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin today and we extend our deepest condolences to her family,' she said. 'We call for a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances of her death... Investigating attacks on independent media and prosecuting those responsible are of paramount importance.' State Department spokesman Ned Price has demanded accountability for those responsible. 'We are heartbroken by and strongly condemn the killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank,' he said. 'The investigation must be immediate and thorough and those responsible must be held accountable. 'Her death is an affront to media freedom everywhere.' Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based broadcaster Abu Akleh worked for, has already blamed Israeli forces for her May 11 death. In a statement that flashed on its channel, it called on the international community to 'condemn and hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for deliberately targeting and assassinating our colleague, Shireen Abu Akleh.' The Israeli Defense Forces, though, responded that Palestinians, who were firing indiscriminately during the incident, had claimed to have hit someone, yet no IDF soldier was hit. 'She may have been shot by Palestinians,' IDF spokesperson Ran Kochav said. 'She was very close to them. But if soldiers were responsible, we will have to apologize if a mistake was made.' Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett later said it was 'likely' that Palestinian gunfire killed her. The body of slain Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, lies on the ground while her colleague, Shatha Hanaysheh, covers her mouth in shock as firing continues A young man attends to Abu Akleh's body after her shooting 'Abu Akleh was wearing a flack jacket so I think she was the person that the Palestinians referred to, but I cannot be 100% sure,' he said. The Palestinian Authority has also rejected the offer of a joint investigation with Israel. 'I am not sure we will be able to definitively know the truth without their cooperation,' he added. In video footage of the incident, Abu Akleh can be seen wearing a blue flak jacket clearly marked with the word 'PRESS.' Journalist Mujahed Al-Saadi, who accompanied Abu Akleh to cover the Jenin raid, told Reuters that they were being 'targeted' by the Israeli army after having identified themselves as press. 'I turned and found Shireen on the ground in the first few seconds. I found Shatha [Hanaysheh] shielding herself by a tree and screaming with the shooting, and we were telling each other we were being shot at,' he said. 'The shooting continued for more than 3 minutes on the teams that were there, Ali was injured, he was able to cross the street and get to a point of safety, and the shooting continued. 'The last person that the sniper saw was taking refuge under a tree, our colleague Shatha Hanaysheh, the shooting towards her continued while she was standing under the tree, and we could not provide first aid to Shireen. 'The boys came to us, the ones that were in the street, who were trying to pull Shireen out, were also shot at, whenever any one moved forward they were shot at.' Shireen Abu Akleh's press colleague, Shatha Hanaysheh, is consoled by another colleague after the raid on a refugee camp in Jenin, in the north West Bank The Israeli army confirmed that its forces had carried out an operation in a Jenin refugee camp on Wednesday morning, in a region known to be a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups in the northern West Bank. It firmly denied, however, that it had deliberately targeted journalists. 'The (army) of course does not aim at journalists,' a military official told AFP. 'There is an ongoing inquiry into this event. We offered and want to conduct a joint investigation with the Palestinians.' The army said that during its operation in the camp, 'massive fire was shot toward Israeli forces by tens of armed Palestinian gunmen'. People in the camp 'also hurled explosive devices toward the soldiers, endangering their lives. The soldiers responded with fire toward the sources of the fire and explosive devices. Hits were identified.' The Israeli Foreign Ministry put out a short video on Twitter of IDF soldiers firing and a text over reading: 'Palestinian terrorists, firing indiscriminately, are likely to have hit Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqla'. 'Journalists must be protected in conflict zones and we all have a responsibility to get to the truth,' said Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. Virginia Morrison, 69, was home with her 80-year-old companion, Charlie at 12:40 p.m. on Sunday when she allegedly heard the door of her Azalea Park, Florida home start to open. 'I heard the door handle kind of rattle,' she told Channel WESH 2 News. And then the door opened and the guy stepped in my house,' she said. Morrison told police that 38-year-old Ezequiel Rosario-Torres walked into her home uninvited and unannounced. 'I didn't know who he was. I looked at him and I said, 'who are you and what do you want?' [He said] nothing. The whole time the guy was here. He never said one word and I never saw his eyes move. Total blank,' she said. So Morrison says she reached for the straw broom that she uses to sweep the front walk to her home and whacked the blank-faced intruder in the face. 'I picked up a broom, a straw broom that I'd been out here sweeping up with. I hit him in the face twice with it,' she said. She called to her housemate for help. 'I looked at him, I said, 'Get your gun!' because he had a .45 laying on the bed,' she told the news station. 'That gun never fazed this guy. Just total blank.' Charlie called allegedly 911 and fired off a warning shot into the ground near where the man was standing, but the guy never flinched. Virginia Morrison, 69, said that she warned an intruder to leave her home, and tried to shoo him away with her broom, but finally shot him when he ignored her pleas to leave Ezequiel Rosario-Torres, 38, allegedly wandered into Virginia Morrison's Florida home uninvited and unannounced Virginia Morrison, 69, say she was defending her Azalea Park, Florida home, pictured here Morrison said that she heard her doorknob wiggle and Rosario-Torres came in, ignoring her warnings and her warning shots, telling him to leave The stranger moved out into her yard, but supposedly would not leave the property. That's when the defiant granny decided to use her own firepower. 'I said, 'I'm getting my d--- gun' so I went to my bedroom and got my gun,' she told the broadcaster. Morrison told The Orlando Sentinel that she grabbed her loaded .32 Colt from a gun case near her twin bed. 'I've been shooting guns since I was 10 years old I grew up on a dairy farm in Tennessee. We had to know how to shoot rattlesnakes,' Morrison claimed. 'I've never had to pull a gun on anybody [before].' 'I went out the back door and I came to the fence and he sees me. He starts toward me. I fired a shot above him. 'Back off, dude, I'll shoot you.' He just keeps coming toward me. So I shot him.' 'I didn't know what he was going to do, but I knew I was going to protect myself. I'm a fighter. I'm going to defend myself,' Morrison told FOX2 KTVU. 'The guy stumbled and fell right there,' Morrison said, reportedly pointing to her driveway about five feet away from the door. 'His whole shirt was just saturated in blood.' When police arrived they found Rosario-Torres wounded on the ground. He was taken to a local hospital were he died. 'I feel bad for his family. But you just can't walk in people's homes,' she told the TV station. 'I didn't know what he was going to do, but I knew I was going to protect myself. I'm a fighter. I'm going to defend myself,' Morrison told FOX2 KTVU. The Florida State Attorney will investigate the shooting, but for now, no charges were filed. Morrison said that she's more worried about a higher authority. 'I have God in my life. That's my main thing, wondering if God's going to forgive me for taking a life. It bothers me,' she told KTVU. The nearby city of Orlando suffered several recent shootings in the downtown area, including innocent bystander, who was wounded at the end of March this year. The 40-year-old woman was hit in the leg during a rolling gun battle between two cars driving down the street near Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard. The wife of a 65-year-old Indiana pastor, who was forced to admit he once took a 16-year-old girl's virginity when she confronted him in front of the entire congregation, was a stripper during her teen years, DailyMail.com can reveal. Debra Lowe and her husband, Pastor John Lowe II, stepped down from the New Life Christian Church in Warsaw after he was confronted on stage by Bobi Gephart, 43. Gephart came forward with a microphone to tell their church how Lowe groomed her as a teen, starting when she was 16 - the legal age of consent in the state. It has now been revealed that Debra, a co-pastor at the congregation, also led a life against her Christian values before joining the church. According to her description on the church's profile, which has since been removed, Debra left her home in upstate New York when she was just 16 to become a stripper. The description also suggested the Lowes endured numerous challenges in their marriage and were on the verge of divorce at times, but ultimately overcame their issues through 'the love of Jesus Christ and the power of His Word to bring healing and deliverance in her life.' The now-deleted text continued: 'Since this transformation, Pastor Debbie has worked side-by-side with her husband in ministry. Debbie believes with God all things are possible! Pastor Debbie has a passion to see the power of the Word awaken in every life she encounters.' 'She believes God is within each of His sons and daughters and empowering them to be unstoppable. She is passionate for men and women to realize the power of the Spirit-Filled Christian Life we have in Christ Jesus.' Debra Lowe and her husband, Pastor John Lowe II, stepped down from the New Life Christian Church in Warsaw after he was confronted on stage by Bobi Gephart, 43 It has now been revealed that Debra, a co-pastor at the congregation, also led a life against her Christian values before joining the church According to her description on the church's profile, which has since been removed, Debra left her home in upstate New York when she was just 16 to become a stripper WHO IS PASTOR JOHN LOWE II? Pastor John Lowe II stepped down from the New Life Christian Church in Warsaw after he was confronted on stage by Bobi Gephart, 43. He admitted to having sex with Gephart when she was 16. The pastor is married with co-pastor and former stripper Debbie and they share adult children. The pair have been on tour outside the US preaching about building a new life through the church. 'We want to encourage you to build a new life this morning, the preaching is going to be awesome,' John Lowe said in an undated video recorded while they were in Ukraine. According to his deleted profile on the New Life Christian Church's website, he had been in full-time ministry for 35 years before stepping down. The time frame suggests that he already was in ministry by the time he had sex with a 16-year-old Gephart. The deleted text read: 'Marriage and family ministry, are of high value to Pastor and his wife Debbie. They desire to impart the truth that, God is good His word is true, and it works in our lives.' He also preached to the homeless, married couples and prison inmates through the church. Advertisement Debra's husband admitted before the church's congregation that he had sex with Gephart when she was a teen, after telling the church that he 'sinned' 20 years ago by committing adultery, without mentioning how old the woman or girl was at the time. He begged for the church's forgiveness, then received a standing ovation. Gephart then stormed towards the stage with her husband, Nate Gephart, to say it 'was not just adultery' because she was so young at the time. 'For 27 years I lived in a prison... I lived in a prison of lies and shame. Lying to protect the Lowe family. For years I thought I was a horrible person, having suicidal thoughts and not realizing what had been truly done to me. 'I would still be in a prison if my brother had not just approached me two weeks ago with what he had seen as a teenager that bothered him all these years: his pastor in bed with his younger sister.' Turning to Lowe, she continued: 'I was just 16 when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that? I know you do. 'You did things to to my teenage body that should have never been done. If you can't admit the truth, you have to answer to God. You are not the victim here.' Bobi's husband Nate then added: 'This is a lie. This is not just adultery. 'It's another level. It happened for nine years. When she was 15, 16, the grooming started.' He presented a pearl necklace that his wife had been given by the church and a 'purity ring' that he said the pastor gave her during their affair. Nate returned both items and said the pair 'were not stretching the truth', but encouraged other women who had been these 'gifts of the ministry' to return them too. As the couple left the stage, the pastor then faced angry calls from the congregation. The description also suggested the Lowes endured numerous challenges in their marriage and were on the verge of divorce at times Pictured: Bobi Gephart and her husband Nate. They told the congregation that the church was built 'on lies' This is the moment Bobi Gephart, 43, and her husband Nate (middle) confronted Pastor John B. Lowe II (left) on stage at the New Life Christian Church in Indiana on Sunday Bobi and her husband then left the church stage and were comforted by other members of the congregation Pastor John Lowe II is now 65. He was 38 when his affair with Bobi began. She was 16 'If you did it you need to admit it!' said one angry church-goer. Another yelled: 'We need to hear from our pastor!' A third then cried out: 'Give him the microphone!' Lowe returned to the stage. At first he said: 'I told you I committed adultery and that it went on far too long.' A member of the congregation then shouted out: 'You didn't tell us she was 16!' He then relented: 'It was wrong. I can't make it right. I can't make it better. That's just the way it is. 'It's not all true but it did happen, yes.' Because the legal age of consent in Indiana is 16, Lowe is not likely to face criminal charges for the relationship. He has stepped down from the church and has been scrubbed from its website. In a statement, the church said: 'This long-held secret first came to light when a woman in the church came forward and disclosed the relationship to various people within the church. 'When confronted by others in church leadership concerning that report, Pastor Lowe confessed privately that the adultery did, in fact, occur. 'In anticipation of Pastor Lowes public confession during our church service, the woman in question and her family were invited to be present. The couple has since stepped down from the church The pastor is shown addressing the congregation and receiving a standing ovation after telling them he 'committed adultery' 20 years ago, before Bobi took to the stage 'She did attend and, together with her husband, also addressed the congregation, indicating that improper sexual conduct first occurred when she was 16 years of age and continued into her twenties. She tearfully described living with deep shame and pain over the ensuing years. 'In the wake of what has now been revealed, we are hurting and broken for a woman who has lovingly attended and served in the church for many years, as well as for her husband and family. 'It is our deepest prayer and commitment to love, support, encourage and help her through a process of healing in any way in which we are able. 'Our brokenness extends to Pastor Lowe, his wife and family as well. 'For 42 years, New Life has taught and preached a Cross-driven message of repentance, forgiveness and restoration; a ministry of reconciliation which has been both led and modeled by Pastors John and Debbie Lowe. 'As healing occurs in their hearts, their marriage and family, we are committed to demonstrating the same support, encouragement, counsel and forgiveness that has come to define the collective heart and ministry of this body.' Pastor Lowe II and his wife have children the same age as Bobi. Sydney's south-west has been rocked by another shooting overnight, sparking a massive police operation on one of the city's busiest roads. A man has been rushed to hospital while three people have been charged over the latest incident in Roselands. Police were called to Canterbury Road around 10.40pm on Tuesday following reports of shots being fired. A man was found at the scene with a significant injury to his hand and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Dozens of police swarmed a unit block in Roselands overnight (pictured), which remains a crime scene Dozens of officers swarmed a unit block on the road and made arrests. Detectives and forensic officers have spent the morning combing the scene with police dogs as inquiries continue. 'A police operation is currently underway in the area with local diversions in place. Police are advising the community to avoid the area,' a statement read. Two women, both aged 25, were charged with concealing a serious indictable offence Both were refused bail in Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday. A man, 25 was charged with possession of a knife in a public place and armed with intent. He was bailed to appear in court next month. A man was rushed to hospital with a 'significant' injury to his hand (pictured, ambulance crews at the scene) Shocked neighbours told the Today show they heard gunshots followed by screams and yelling. The latest shooting comes hours after a major crackdown of Sydney's underworld as police dismantled an alleged criminal network linked to the notorious Alameddine family Up to 450 officers were involved in Tuesday's early morning operation which executed 29 search warrants and arrested 18 men aged 19-39. Police allege they are all linked to the Alameddine family, operating at the low to medium tier of a drug distribution network, rather than upper level figures that police were already targeting. 'I'm confident that we have cut the head off the snake,' NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said. Advertisement The Duchess of Sussex's father was in a US hospital last night after suffering a suspected major stroke. Thomas Markle, 77, was struck down, losing his speech, a week before he had been due to fly to London for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Last night it was not known whether Meghan, 40, who is estranged from him, was planning to go to his bedside. Mr Markle, a former TV lighting director, was taken by ambulance to a clinic in Chula Vista, California only a few hours' drive from Meghan and Harry's home in Montecito. He had earlier been admitted to hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, where he was seen arriving with an oxygen mask on his face and flanked by paramedics. A video posted on US gossip website TMZ showed him on a stretcher with a pale face and one hand on his chest. Mr Markle's daughter Samantha, 57, told MailOnline: 'My father is recovering in hospital. We ask for privacy for the family, for his health and wellbeing. He just needs peace and rest. 'Godspeed. We are praying. He just needs some rest.' Days before he was due to fly to London for the first time for the Queen 's Platinum Jubilee, the Duchess of Sussex 's father Thomas Markle has suffered a major stroke that has seen him lose his speech A high-profile American website has received information from within the hospital, meaning news of his stroke was about to break (pictured: Thomas Markle with Meghan) Mr Markle has had a difficult relationship with Meghan (pictured together) and her husband Harry whom he has accused of being 'snotty' His blood pressure had been high in the preceding days, it was said. It means that Mr Markle will miss the celebrations in London just as he missed Meghan's wedding to Harry in 2018 after suffering a heart attack. Mr Markle, who lives in Rosarito, Mexico, was taken by ambulance across the border to the US at around 9.30pm on Monday. His son Thomas Jr, 55, was with him and is at the hospital near San Diego, while Samantha was last night said to be flying in from her home in Florida. In the footage posted online, Mr Markle is seen lying on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask. Two paramedics try to lift him while speaking in Spanish and ask him what his name is. Somebody behind the camera responds that his name is Thomas. Speaking in English, one of the paramedics says: 'I'm going to be your paramedic. You're going to the US.' Mr Markle was due in London next week and was to have been a guest on TV during coverage of the jubilee celebrations. The trip would have fulfilled his 'long-held wish to visit Windsor Castle', MailOnline journalist Dan Wootton wrote. His health, however, seemly certain to have dashed that hope, just as it scuppered Mr Markle's plans to walk Meghan down the aisle in 2018 he was forced to pull out after suffering a heart attack. He underwent surgery to repair the damage and Prince Charles stood in for him, performing the father of the bride's duties during the wedding service. Mr Markle has had a difficult relationship with Meghan and her husband Harry whom he has accused of being 'snotty'. Meghan Markle and husband Prince Harry are pictured as she presents him with a trophy after his polo victory He and his youngest daughter have not spoken since before the wedding, when they were texting while he lay in bed at the hospital, he has claimed. According to Mr Markle, at that point they 'pretty much said goodbye' and Harry told him: 'If you had listened to me, this wouldn't have happened to you.' The Sussexes were said to have been angry at Mr Markle selling photos of himself to a paparazzi agency in the run up to the wedding. Last month he announced he was flying to the UK for the royal celebrations and said he wanted to meet Harry and Meghan, who will be attending, along with their son Archie, three, and 11-month-old daughter Lilibet. Mr Markle said he also wanted to meet Prince Charles and joked that they had both been 'ghosted by our own children'. In her interview with Oprah Winfrey in March last year, Meghan talked about the betrayal she felt when it emerged that her father had been working with a photo agency. She said: 'We called my dad and I asked him [if he talked to the tabloids] and he said 'No, absolutely not' and I said, 'You know the institution has never intervened for anything for us, but they can try to go in and kill this story, but if they do this once we're not going to be able to use that same leverage to protect our own kids one day. I just need you to tell me and if you tell me the truth we can help.' ' According to Meghan, her father 'wasn't able to do that' and she said his refusal to answer was 'so hard for me to reconcile'. A West Virginia man who confessed to threatening to kill Anthony S. Fauci, the chief infectious-diseases expert in the country, pleaded guilty to a federal violation Monday, according to the US attorney's office in Maryland. Prosecutors said Thomas P. Connally, 56, of Snowshoe, W.Va., used an anonymous account from a secure, encrypted email service provider to communicate threats to Fauci and his family. In one of the emails, they found that Fauci, now one of President Biden's top medical advisors, would be "dragged into the street" with his family, "beaten to death," and burned alive. Connally sent multiple emails from December 28, 2020, to July 25, 2021, using an anonymous email address from an encrypted email service provider based in Switzerland. He also admitted to threatening Dr. Francis Collins, the former Director of the NIH, Dr. Rachel Levine, currently the Assistant Secretary for Health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a Massachusetts public health official and a religious leader, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said, as reported by Washington Post. The man sent a series of four emails threatening Collins and his family with violence and death because the expert did not stop speaking about the need for "mandatory" COVID-19 vaccinations. A Retaliation Against Dr. Fauci According to a press release from the DOJ, Connally's plea agreement indicated his admission of the threats he sent to Dr. Facui and Dr. Collins "with the intent to intimidate or interfere with the performance of their official duties. " It also stated that the man has the "intent to retaliate against Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins for performing their official duties, including discussing COVID-19 and its testing and prevention." Connally also acknowledged sending six threatening emails to Levine, then the Secretary of Health for the State of Pennsylvania, through her email account at the Pennsylvania Department of Health on November 24, 2020. According to the DOJ, the subject lines and content of the emails threatened Levine with physical assault and death. Read Also: VP Kamala Harris Remains Inactive from Border Issue Discussion Despite Looming End of Title 42 Connally admitted to sending threatening emails to many persons who have not been named publicly. The DOJ press release stated that Connally "similarly" sent an email on August 31, 2020, threatening physical attack and death for a public health official in Massachusetts. "Finally, on April 21, 2021, Connally sent a series of four threatening emails to four individuals who work for a religious institution in Newark, New Jersey. The four emails threatened physical violence and death to a religious leader at the institution," the justice department stated. What Is The Court Sentence For Connally? Connally's threats were frightening and explicit, per Law&Crime, and contained homophobic and antisemitic remarks. Law officials conducted search warrants at Connally's rental home in Snowshoe, West Virginia, as well as his car on July 27, 2021, capturing five Apple laptop computers and two cellular phones. For threats against a federal officer, Connally faces a maximum term of 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for August 4, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. by US District Judge Paula Xinis. US Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the HHS OIG's investigating efforts. Barron commended the federal case's prosecutor, Assistant US Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan and Jessica C. Collins, as per the US Department of Justice. Related Article: Elon Musk Goes Full HR Mode for Tesla in Search of 'Hardcore Litigation' Team, Gets Hilarious Twitter Responses @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A panel on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that members of Congress who are found to have participated in an insurrection can be barred from holding public office, in a case brought forth against Rep. Madison Cawthorn. A group of North Carolina voters brought forth a case arguing that theRepublican was ineligible for future public service because he had spoken at former President Trump's 'Save America' rally ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Cawthorn argued the case was moot because he's already conceded the race to state Sen. Chuck Edwards, but the court determined it was not because the election has not yet been certified and because the same issue could come up in another campaign. A three-judge panel reversed a lower court's ruling that an 1872 federal law granted all insurrectionists, past and future, amnesty, and was used to pardon members of the Confederacy. A panel on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that members of Congress who are found to have participated in an insurrection can be barred from holding public office, in a case brought forth against Rep. Madison Cawthorn 'We hold only that the 1872 Amnesty Act does not categorically exempt all future rebels and insurrectionists from the political disabilities that otherwise would be created by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment,' Judge Toby Heytens, a Biden appointee, wrote for the panel. The other judges, Julius Richardson, a Trump appointee, and James Wynn, an Obama appointee, both agreed with the decision, but each wrote differing opinions. 'The available evidence suggests that the Congress that enacted the 1872 Amnesty Act was, understandably, laser-focused on the then-pressing problems posed by the hordes of former Confederates seeking forgiveness,' Heytens continued. The voters, led by Free Speech for the People filed suit alleging that Cawthorn violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that no person '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.' Cawthorn had in turned filed a suit in federal court in March. He said it was 'quite a stretch' to read the law as giving 'categorical advance forgiveness' to any future insurrectionists. The panel did not rule on whether Cawthorn himself had participated in an insurrection. Free Speech for the People had filed a similar suit to get Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tossed from the ballot in Georgia. State Administrative Law Judge Charles Beaudrot denied those efforts. A state court had dismissed similar challenges against Arizona Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs. While the Cawthorn suit will not be successful in its intended purpose, Free Speech counted it as a 'major victory' because it 'cements the growing judicial consensus that the 1872 Amnesty Act does not shield the insurrectionists of January 6, 2021 including Donald Trump from the consequences of their actions.' Bombshell photos show Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who recently accused his fellow lawmakers of inviting him to orgies and doing cocaine in front of him, dressed in women's lingerie, chugging wine and surrounded by women Attorneys for Cawthorn had argued that since the House of Representatives can grant any insurrectionist amnesty with a two-thirds vote, state officials can't take someone off the ballot for actions they may be pardoned for. Richardson agreed with the argument. He said that he would have reversed the decision not for misinterpreting the law but for considering it at all. 'The only actor in our American constitutional system that can judge the qualifications of members of the House of Representatives is the House of Representatives itself.' Cawthorn, once a rising star in MAGA world, lost his primary after a scandal-plagued campaign that mobilized Republicans at home and in Washington against him. On Tuesday the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into the 26-year-old congressman over claims he had an improper relationship with a staffer in his office and improperly promoted a cryptocurrency. President Biden will address the nation after 8pm on Tuesday evening President Joe Biden will address the nation at 8:15pm tonight after a gunman killed 15 people at a Texas elementary school, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced. Biden ordered all flags at the White House and on federal grounds to fly at half-staff until sundown on May 28 in honor of the victims. The president was briefed on the devastating mass shooting while aboard Air Force One, as he returns from his first trip to Asia as commander-in-chief. Biden was originally expected to return late on Tuesday with no events planned. He 'will continue to be briefed regularly as information becomes available,' his press secretary said. 'His prayers are with the families impacted by this awful event, and he will speak this evening when he arrives back at the White House,' Jean-Pierre added. She called the shooting a 'horrific' event. Biden was visiting with leaders in South Korea and Japan to reaffirm the United States' commitment to allies in the region and as a warning for China that it cannot operate unchecked. But he's returning to face the deadliest school shooting of his administration, and the worst since a teenage gunman killed 17 people at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in February 2018. At least 14 elementary school students and one teacher are dead after an 18-year-old opened fire in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas' governor told the press on Tuesday afternoon. Thirteen students are being treated at Uvalde Memorial Hospital as well as a 45-year-old male who suffered a 'graze.' Police walk near Robb Elementary School following the deadly shooting, Tuesday, May 24 At least 14 students are dead along with one teacher, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced The 18-year-old shooter was also killed by police, officials said Salvador Ramos, 18, shot his grandmother before going to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde; engaging border patrol agents nearby in a shootout; and then barricading himself inside the school, killing 14 students and a teacher The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School, had engaged in a shootout with Border Patrol officers and barricaded himself within the school facility. He died after a shootout with law enforcement, Abbott said. 'Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde,' the governor said in a statement. 'Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering. We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School.' Abbott, along with Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, are slated to speak at a National Rifle Association event in Houston on Friday - just three days after the shooting. A visibly distraught Senator Chris Murphy questioned on the Senate floor: 'What are we doing? What are we doing?' 'We have another Sandy Hook on our hands,' the Connecticut Democrat said. He said it was a 'choice' to let the numerous mass shootings continue unabated without passing any meaningful reform. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced that Biden was being kept updated on the shooting 'This wasn't inevitable. These kids weren't unlucky,' Murphy said. 'Nowhere else do little kids go to school thinking that they might be shot that day.' His fellow Democrat lawmaker, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, expressed his horror at the situation before laying blame with Republicans for their resistance to harsher gun control measures. 'The shooting at Robb Elementary in Texas is a horror. My heart aches for the families devastated by this tragedy and the Uvalde community,' Schiff said. 'Children are dying, and we could do something about it. But the GOP wont stand up to the gun lobby. Shameful doesnt begin to cover it.' Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo said in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that the elementary school, which has 600 students enrolled, catered to children in grades two, three and four. Arredondo confirmed the shooter acted alone. GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district the shooting occurred in, said: 'It is devastating when our innocent children become the victims of senseless violence. We are devastated.' Gonzales was among the majority of Republican lawmakers who voted against expanding gun control measures on the federal level. Robb elementary school, which has 600 students enrolled, is located in Uvalde - 60 miles east of the Mexican border and 80 miles west of San Antonio House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the 'monstrous' shooting before directing her ire at colleagues that have stood in the way of gun reform. 'Words are inadequate to describe the agony and outrage at the cold-blooded massacre of little schoolchildren and a teacher at Robb Elementary School today,' Pelosi said in a statement. 'This monstrous shooting stole the futures of precious children, who will never experience the joys of graduating from school, chasing the career of their dreams, falling in love, even starting a family of their own.' Referring to the multiple mass shootings in recent weeks, the Democrat continued: 'Across the nation, Americans are filled with righteous fury in the wake of multiple incomprehensible mass shootings in the span of just days.' 'This a crisis of existential proportions for our children and for every American. For too long, some in Congress have offered hollow words after these shootings while opposing all efforts to save lives,' she said. 'It is time for all in Congress to heed the will of the American people and join in enacting the House-passed bipartisan, commonsense, life-saving legislation into law.' 'Fourteen kids dead in an elementary school in Texas right now. What are we doing? What are we doing? Just days after a shooter walked into a grocery store to gun down African American patrons, we have another Sandy Hook on our hands. What are we doing?! 'There have been more mass shootings than days in the year. Our kids are living in fear. Every single time they set foot in the classroom they think they're going to be next. Why do you spend all this time running for the United State Senate? Why do you go through all the hassle of getting this job if your answer is that the slaughter increases? 'As the kids run for their lives, we doing nothing. What are we doing? Why are you here if not to solve a problem as existential as this? This isn't inevitable. These kids weren't unlucky. This only happens in this country and nowhere 'else. 'Nowhere else do little kids go to school thinking that they might be shot that day. Nowhere else do parents have to talk to their kids as I have had to do. It is a choice. It is our choice to let it continue. What are we doing? 'In Sandy Hook Elementary School after those kids came back into those classrooms they had to adapt a practice in which there would be a safe word the kids would say if they started to get thoughts in their brain about what they saw that day. 'If they started to get nightmares about stepping over their classmates body. In one classroom, that word was 'monkey'. Over and over and over again the kids would stand up and yell 'monkey!' 'Sandy Hook will never ever be the same. This community n Texas will neve ever be the same. Why are we here if not to try to make sure that fewer communities go through what Sandy Hook went through, what Uvalde is going through? 'Our heart is breaking for these families. Every ounce of love and thoughts and prayers we can send, we are sending. 'But I am here on this floor to beg. To literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues: find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely. There is a common denominator that we can find. There's a place where we can achieve agreement that may not guarantee that America never ever again sees a mass shooting, that may not overnight cut in half the number... it will not solve the problem of American violence itself. 'But by doing something we at least stop sending this quiet message of endorsement to these killers who see the highest levels of of government doing nothing shooting after shooting. 'Why do you spend all this time running for the United States Senate if your answer is that, as the slaughter increases, as our kids run for their lives, we do nothing? What are we doing? Why are you here? 'What are we doing? Why are we here? What are we doing? I yield the floor.' The Greens have blasted Labor's decision to turn back an asylum seekers boat as 'unnecessary, ineffective, inhumane and contrary to international law'. In the first test of Labor's immigration policies, the boat intercepted on election day has now been turned back and its passengers returned to Sri Lanka. The showdown in the Indian Ocean has raised questions over Labor's future policy on asylum seekers attempting to arrive by boat. But acting Prime Minister Richard Marles insisted they would not be opening the flood gates and reversing the Coalition turnback policy. 'People-smugglers out there should know that very clearly; there will be no change under this government, and Australia retains its strong border stance,' he told Sky News. 'This government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders, and to the protection of lives at sea.' But Green immigration spokesman Nick McKim hit back: 'Australians voted for change and deserve so much better than a shameful continuation of Scott Morrison's brutal policy.' Richard Marles (right) is acting prime minister until Anthony Albanese is back from Japan Operation Sovereign Borders Commander, Rear Admiral Justin Jones urged asylum seekers to not 'risk your life on a dangerous journey'. 'The direction to me, by the acting prime minister was clear - this government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders, and to the protection of lives at sea,' he said. 'We will intercept any vessel seeking to reach Australia illegally and safely return those on board to their point of departure or country of origin, or if not safe to do so, they will be transferred to regional processing.' Each person on the boat underwent a 'thorough assessment' to check their health and if they had grounds for protection. 'My message to people smugglers attempting illegal maritime ventures to Australia is clear, don't risk your life on a dangerous journey, Australia's policies have not changed, a legal and safe pathway is the only way to life in Austalia,' Rear Admiral Jones said. The boat was stopped just off the coast of Christmas Island and a second boat was stopped in Sri Lanka with the nation's navy arresting more than 40 people for allegedly attempting to 'illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea'. Border force officers intercepted the asylum seeker boat off the coast of Australia with all people onboard sent back to Sri Lanka A second boat was stopped by the Sri Lankan Navy before it could leave The turning back of the boat comes as Anthony Albanese's government said it was launching an investigation into the timing of the asylum seekers. Mr Marles said the former Coalition government's decision to publicise the boat's arrival was 'a disgrace' which was 'politicising national security'. 'They have been returned to Sri Lanka, and that has happened in a very ordinary and routine way,' said Mr Marles. Thousands of voters were bombarded with a robo-text blast on Saturday as they headed to the polls. The Liberal Party seized on the fact an asylum seeker boat had been intercepted, using it to argue Labor was soft on borders. The text message blast read: 'BREAKING Australian Border Force has intercepted an illegal boat trying to reach Australia. Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today. https://vote.liberal.org.au.' 'The texts sent out by the Liberal Party in that moment made our country less safe, made our borders less secure,' Mr Marles said. These are matters which should not have ended up in the public domain.' The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday there will now be an investigation into how the boat came so close to Australia on federal election day. A 43-year-old Argentinian will face a Sydney court accused of possessing child abuse material. Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers say they seized 18 storage devices containing child abuse material from the man who arrived on a flight from the Philippines on Saturday. He will appear in Sydney Central Local Court on Wednesday charged with importing tier 2 goods without approval and if convicted faces up to 10 years' jail. AFP Acting Sergeant Ryan Henderson said the arrest highlighted how the exploitation and abuse of children remained a global issue. Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers say they seized 18 storage devices containing child abuse material from the man who arrived on a flight from the Philippines on Saturday (stock image) 'The AFP aims to protect children, wherever they live, and to ensure anyone who tries to harm them - or exploit abuse committed upon children - is identified and brought before the courts,' he said. ABF Superintendent Phillip Anderson praised the continued efforts of border staff in stopping child abuse material entering the country. 'Tackling child exploitation is an operational priority for the ABF and our officers are highly skilled at identifying people at our airports who are involved in, or carrying this abhorrent material,' he said. A father's desire to begin a relationship with his estranged son saw him shot dead in his own home and his new partner brutally pistol whipped and left clinging to life. Biannca Edmunds, 35, has pleaded not guilty to organising the murder of Michael Caposiena, her former partner and the father of one of her children. Mr Caposiena, 32, was murdered by Edmunds' new partner Glen Cassidy, who died from injuries inflicted upon him by his victim before he was shot at point blank range through the head. Biannca Edmunds (right) is accused of ordering a brutal hit against her former partner in an effort to keep him out of their child's life Michael Caposiena died after he was shot in the head in March 2016 Edmunds is accused of manipulating Cassidy to do her alleged evil bidding by using a deadly mix of scathing abuse and kinky sex. 'If you were a real man and you had any f**king balls, you'd go and deal with this bloke,' Edmunds allegedly told Cassidy. 'You're a spineless coward. You're not a real man at all.' A Supreme Court of Victoria jury heard on Tuesday Edmunds had been determined to have her ex-partner killed to avoid him having access to their young son. She also had plans to profit from his demise by making a cruel legal challenge on his estate on behalf of their child, the jury heard. A court later ticked-off on half of the value of Mr Capasiena's $600,000 estate despite his current partner, Silvana Silva, still being alive. The jury heard Edmunds allegedly told multiple people, including her own family members, that she had wanted Mr Capasiena killed. 'I want Michael out of the way, I want him gone, I wish he'd just leave us alone and not try for (their son),' she allegedly said. The court heard Edmunds had routinely mocked Cassidy about his reluctance to do her bidding and had allegedly once asked an outlaw bikie to carry out the hit. Ms Silva had been fortunate not to have been killed that night when Cassidy stormed their Westmeadows home, in Melbourne's north. The jury heard Edmunds' plan had been for Cassidy to kill her too, but he bled to death from stab wounds inflicted upon him by Mr Capasiena before he was shot. Biannca Edmunds has been accused of directing her husband Glen Cassidy (both pictured) to kill Michael Caposiena Cassidy had pointed the gun at Ms Silva's head and fired, but he had already used the one and only bullet he brought for the assassination on her partner. He broke the pistol into pieces smashing Ms Silva's head in before neighbours' intervened. Before he dropped dead on the front lawn, the cold blooded killer claimed it had been her who stabbed him. His dying words saw baffled police arrest and detain Ms Silva before detectives finally worked out Cassidy had been the triggerman. A map found in Cassidy's car was allegedly found to have Edmunds' fingerprint on it. DNA found on the gun also allegedly contained traces of her DNA. The jury heard Edmunds had bragged about the bumbling police investigation after they interviewed her nine months after the killing. 'Thank God they didn't find Glen's laptop out in the garage. They've taken the wrong one,' Edmunds told her sister. Biannca Edmunds has pleaded not guilty to murder Police had also failed to extract a series of recorded conversations off Cassidy's phone, but when they returned to retrieve it a year later armed with new technology, Edmunds still had it in her possession. The jury heard Edmunds had been confident cops would swallow an alibi that placed her in Shepparton - in Victoria's north - at the time of the murder. Cassidy had supposedly sent her a well worded text message taking full responsibility for what he was about to do. Crown prosecutor Neill Hutton told the jury Edmunds had also made admissions to her new boyfriend, who she hooked-up with not long after Cassidy was killed. 'She had it planned all perfectly. He knew where to get away. He shouldn't have even known he was coming,' Edmunds allegedly told her lover. 'She talked about a map and described it ... then she started saying: "the police accused my of typing a text message for Glen", and she said she had to type it because "Glen couldn't spell for sh*t.' Edmunds' barrister John Kelly, SC told the jury his client denied all of the allegations against her and claimed he could explain how her fingerprint and DNA was allegedly found on incriminating items. The trial continues. The fossilised remains of a huge flying reptile dubbed the 'Dragon of Death' which lived alongside the dinosaurs 86 millions of years ago have been unearthed in Argentina. Measuring about 30ft (9m) long, it is the largest pterosaur discovered in South America and one of the biggest flying vertebrates to have ever lived. Researchers said the 'beast' would likely have been a frightening sight as it hunted its prey from prehistoric skies. It is estimated the fearsome species lived at least 20 million years before an asteroid impact on what is now Mexico's Yucatan peninsula wiped out about three-quarters of life on the planet 66 millions years ago. Giant beast: The remains of a huge flying reptile dubbed the 'Dragon of Death' which lived alongside the dinosaurs 86 millions of years ago have been unearthed in Argentina Researchers said the 'beast' would likely have been a frightening sight as it hunted its prey from prehistoric skies Measuring about 30ft (9m) long, it is the largest pterosaur discovered in South America and one of the biggest flying vertebrates to have ever lived This graphic shows how Thanatosdrakon amaru (F) compared in size to today's Andean condor (A), wandering albatross (B), and other pterosaurs, including the largest Quetzalcoatlus (G) A team of paleontologists discovered the fossils of the newly-coined Thanatosdrakon amaru in the Andes mountains in Argentina's western Mendoza province. Project leader Leonardo Ortiz said the fossil's never-before-seen characteristics required a new genus and species name, with the latter combining ancient Greek words for death (thanatos) and dragon (drakon). 'It seemed appropriate to name it that way,' said Ortiz, of the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza. 'It's the dragon of death.' The reptile was as long as a yellow school bus with an estimated wingspan of around 30ft (9m). Some 40 bones and fragments were unearthed by the team of paleontologists. Some 40 bones and fragments were unearthed by the team of paleontologists (pictured) Researchers said the fossil's huge bones classify the new species as the largest pterosaur yet discovered in South America and one of the largest found anywhere in the world Project leader Leonardo Ortiz said the fossil's never-before-seen characteristics required a new genus and species name They said the fossil's huge bones classify the new species as the largest pterosaur yet discovered in South America and one of the largest found anywhere in the world. The researchers found that the rocks preserving the reptile's remains dated back 86 million years to the Cretaceous period, which lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago. 'We don't have a current record of any close relative that even has a body modification similar to these beasts,' said Ortiz. The researchers wrote in their paper that Thanatosdrakon 'is the largest pterosaur that crossed the Cretaceous skies of South America discovered so far'. They said the discovery would allow scientists 'to expand the knowledge about the anatomy of this diverse group of pterosaurs'. The study has been published in the journal Cretaceous Research. The researchers wrote in their paper that Thanatosdrakon 'is the largest pterosaur that crossed the Cretaceous skies of South America discovered so far' A team of paleontologists discovered the fossils of the newly coined Thanatosdrakon amaru in the Andes mountains in Argentina's western Mendoza province From 'Babe' to 'Black Beauty', popular culture is constantly telling us that speaking to animals gently and 'politely' is the best way to get them to do our bidding. Now a new study has shown the same is true in the real world, as domesticated animals like pigs and horses can tell the difference between negative and positive sounds in human speech. Researchers from the University of Copenhagens Department of Biology and ETH Zurich found that the animals reacted more strongly to 'negatively charged' human voices. In some cases they even seemed to mirror the emotion expressed in the human voice, according to the researchers. 'That'll do, pig': The findings in the study backs up teachings in films like 'Babe' where characters speak politely to their furry companions The stallion in 'Black Beauty' goes through many good and bad owners, and researchers have found that this experience could have bearing on the wellbeing of real-life horses Graphic showing how the hypotheses were tested - A: Phylogeny of the species played back to animal B: Sounds produced in emotionally-loaded negative and positive situations for each species that were used in playbacks C: Hypotheses tested in the study WHY DO ANIMALS REACT DIFFERENTLY TO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SOUNDS? Researchers concluded that it is most likely that horses may be able to perceive and interpret each other's sounds by virtue of their common biology. This is known as phylogeny. However, the behaviour of the pig species is thought to be due to domestication, or close contact with humans over a long period of time. Animals that are good at picking up human emotions might have been preferred for breeding. A third hypothesis tested was familiarity, where species recognize human emotions as they are all exposed to human caretakers on a daily basis. In this case, they should not recognize the emotions of the closely related species that they have never heard. This was not proven to be a valid theory for the reactivity of any of the species studied. Advertisement The researchers tested how animals reacted to negative and positive sounds by playing recordings of animal sounds and human voices from hidden speakers. They then studied their responses - including how long the animals spent looking in the direction of the loudspeaker, the number of whinnies or squeals per minute, and tail movements. 'The results showed that domesticated pigs and horses, as well as Asian wild horses, can tell the difference, both when the sounds come from their own species and near relatives, as well as from human voices,' said behavioural biologist Elodie Briefer. 'Our results show that these animals are affected by the emotions we charge our voices with when we speak to or are around them. 'They react more strongly generally faster - when they are met with a negatively charged voice, compared to having a positively charged voice played to them first. 'In certain situations, they even seem to mirror the emotion to which they are exposed.' The animals in the experiment included privately owned horses, pigs from a research station and wild boars and horses from zoos in Switzerland and France. To avoid the domesticated species recognising words learnt from their owners, a professional voice actor was enlisted to record positive and negatively charged gibberish. The sounds were played in sequences with either a positive or negatively charged sound first, then a pause, and then a sound with the opposite emotion. Researchers studied pigs' responses to positive and negative sounds in categories like time spent looking at loudspeaker, number of squeals per minute and tail movements Sequences in which the negative sound was played first, for both animal sounds and human speech, triggered stronger reactions in all but the wild boars The frequencies of the sounds were specifically chosen so they could be heard most clearly by the species they were exposed to. The animals' reactions were recorded on video for the scientists to look back at and note any observations. Observations were made in a number of categories - including ear position, tail movement, number of whinnies or squeals and time spent eating. An aim of this study was to investigate whether animals 'mirror' the emotions felt by others, like an 'emotional contagion'. In behavioural biology, this type of reaction is seen as the first step in exhibiting empathy. The work was unable to detect clear observations of this, but the researchers did discover that the order of which the sounds were delivered had an effect on the response. Sequences in which the negative sound was played first, for both animal sounds and human speech, triggered stronger reactions in all but the wild boars. Briefer said: 'Should future research projects clearly demonstrate that these animals mirror emotions, as this study suggests, it will be very interesting in relation to the history of the development of emotions and the extent to which animals have an emotional life and level of consciousness.' The University of Copenhagen biologist claims this suggests that the way we talk around animals and the way we talk to animals may have an impact on their well-being. Those who work closely with animals could use this information to improve their daily lives. Briefer added: 'It means that our voices have a direct impact on the emotional state of animals, which is very interesting from an animal welfare perspective. 'When the animals reacted strongly to hearing negatively charged speech first, the same is also true in the reverse. 'That is, if animals are initially spoken to in a more positive, friendly voice, when met by people, they should react less. 'They may become calmer and more relaxed.' Researchers concluded that it is most likely that horses may be able to perceive and interpret each other's sounds by virtue of their common biology. However the behaviour of the pig species is thought to be due to domestication, or close contact with humans over a long period of time. Animals that are good at picking up human emotions might have been preferred for breeding. Briefer and her colleagues will next look into how well humans are able to understand animal sounds of emotion. Whether it's Apple Pay or Google Pay, many of us now use our mobile phones for contactless payments while we're out and about. But a new study may make you reconsider using mobile payments. Researchers from the University of Puget Sound in Washington have revealed that people who use these payment methods are more likely to overspend. 'Overspending via mobile payment may be linked to the intangible nature of the transaction, coupled with its convenience, which allows the user to detach from the transaction,' the researchers, led by Sun Young Ahn, said. Researchers from the University of Puget Sound have revealed that people who use mobile payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay are more likely to overspend How Britain became a nation of smartphone shoppers Smartphone payment methods like Apple and Google Pay were used for more online purchases in Britain in 2020 than physical debit cards were, a recent report revealed. So-called 'mobile wallet' payments were used for just under a third of all online transactions in 2020, with debit cards used for 29 per cent, according to payment processor Worldpay. Cards were the most popular method for in-person purchases, accounting for 49 per cent, with physical cash comprising just 13 per cent of all payments and the likes of Apple Pay just 8 per cent. Read more Advertisement Mobile payment systems including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay are now widely popular around the world, with 32 per cent of all online purchases made through mobile wallets in 2020. In the study, the researchers set out to understand how these technologies have affected spending habits. 'Despite the advantages of mobile payment use, there has been little research on the implications of how mobile payment use influences consumers' financial behaviours,' the researchers wrote in their study, published in Computers in Human Behaviour. A sample of 21,457 American adults were included in the study, in which their spending behaviours were analysed. The results revealed that 37 per cent of participants had used mobile payments either in person or online. The other 63 per cent reported that they had not used mobile payments. The preferred method of payment appeared to have an effect on overspending. Participants who used mobile payments had 34 per cent higher odds of spending more than their yearly income than those who used other payment methods. They were also 31 per cent more likely to have difficulties in paying bills and expenses. Overall, mobile payment users also consistently had higher scores for overspending behaviours, including a stronger tendency to overspend, struggles with money management, and poor credit card behaviours. 'The likelihoods of spending more than income, having difficulties covering expenses or paying bills on, paying a minimum payment, a late fee an over the limit fee in using credit cards were significantly higher for mobile payment users,' the researchers said. While the reason for the findings remains unclear, the researchers have several theories. Participants who used mobile payments had 34 per cent higher odds of spending more than their yearly income than those who used other payment methods (stock image) Firstly, like credit cards, mobile payments may allow people to avoid the pain of paying due to intangible outflow. Alternatively, the convenience of paying with your smartphone may influence overspending, according to the researchers. 'When credit card use significantly exploded in the 1980s, many researchers and practitioners pointed out that credit card use accelerates the probability, speed, and magnitude of spending given the benefits of convenience in paying, thus promoting credit card overspending,' the researchers wrote. 'Mobile payment use may have an even stronger effect of convenience on overspending behaviour since consumers may perceive that mobile payment use is a more convenient method compared to credit card use.' The researchers hope the findings could be used by technology firms to reduce the risk of people overspending using their platforms. 'The findings have practical implications for service providers in the mobile payment industry on how to design and develop interventions to reduce the unfavourable effects of mobile payment use among consumers,' the researchers concluded. Modern dentistry could learn a few lessons in bling from the Mayans - as they stuck colourful gemstones made of jade and turquoise on their teeth. But the stones were not just for decoration. The adhesive used by the ancient people to affix the stones may have had therapeutic benefits, according to a recent study. Research led by Gloria Hernandez-Bolio from Cinvestav, Mexico, found that some of the sealants had antibacterial properties. The biochemist and her colleagues at Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Harvard University and Brown University, analysed the sealants in eight teeth found in burial sites across the Maya empire, dated between 200 and 900 C.E. They identified 150 organic molecules that are commonly found in plant resins in the samples, used for their water-repelling and glue-like properties. Eight Ancient Maya teeth were analysed in the study that found the sealant used to affix the gemstones had antibacterial and antifungal properties Left: X-ray microscopy image of tooth and gemstone showing different colours according to density, and light blue hues represent an organic layer that acts as the adhesive. Right: Graph showing frequency of elements found in the tooth, which displays a high abundance of iron The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica believed their breath was a link to the divine, so polished and filled their teeth with precious gemstones to 'purify' it The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica believed their breath was a link to the divine, so polished and filled their teeth to 'purify' it. WHY DID THE MAYANS PUT GEMSTONES IN THEIR TEETH? The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica believed their breath was a link to the divine, so polished and filled their teeth to 'purify' it. Their dentists would drill holes through the enamel and into the dentine before affixing gemstones with a durable sealant. The colored stones that the ancient people stuck to their teeth may have had therapeutic properties as well as aesthetic. Researchers at Cinvestav, Mexico, found that some of the sealants used to affix the stones between 200 and 900 C.E. had antibacterial properties. Advertisement Their dentists would drill holes through the enamel and into the dentine before affixing gemstones with a durable sealant. Previous analyses of the adhesive in 1971 found inorganic materials similar to cement, and hydroxyapatite, a mineral obtained from ground teeth and bones. These helped to strengthen the adhesive, but would not have provided any stickiness. Hernandez-Bolio found that many of the sealants that affixed the jade, turquoise, or pyrite stones included ingredients from pine trees. Research suggests the pine tree extract can fight the bacteria that causes tooth decay, and helped maintain the oral health of the ancient people from what is now Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico. Two of the teeth showed evidence of sclareolide, a compound found in Salvia plants that has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Sclareolide is used today as an aroma fixative in fragrances, but has also been marketed as a weight loss supplement. The scientists determined that the sealants contents varied based on location, suggesting that local practitioners developed their own recipes. Stone adhesives from the outer Copan region, near the border of Honduras and Guatemala, included essential oils from mint plants that potentially have an anti-inflammatory effect. 'Each ingredient has a specific task,' Hernandez-Bolio told Science.org. Researchers identified 150 organic molecules that are commonly found in plant resins in the samples, used for their water-repelling and glue-like properties A: Taxonomy of eight generic volumes of dental voids B: Taxonomy of eight generic volumes of dental voids C: Five generic surface contours of embedded stones Skull of 1,600-year-old woman wearing a prosthetic lower tooth made of a green stone called serpentine discovered near Mexico's ancient ruins of Teotihuacan Maya people still use these plants for medicinal purposes today, so the ancient people may well have been aware of their effects. The Maya king of Palenque, Kinich Janaab Pakal, is thought to have died in 612 C.E. at the age of 80 with all of his teeth still intact and no signs of decay. However, the impressive gnashers found in his tomb in southern Mexico were in such a good condition that they could have belonged to a man 40 years younger. This has led some to question whether the bones in the tomb are really his at all. But others have suggested that the king had access to softer, less abrasive food than the average person, so that his teeth naturally acquired less wear. Bioarcheologist and co-author co-Vera Tiesler believes it could also be a testament to the Mayan peoples excellent dental care. In partnership with Joe Biden's NASA, Japan's space program announced their shared ambition of boosting the Land of the Rising Sun's presence in space. During Joe Biden's visit to Japan, the two countries plan to work closely together to realize a future moon landing but this time, we may see a Japanese astronaut's footprints. The U.S. is pleased with Japan's space ambitions and investment in the country's space program as it seeks to maintain its lead over China in a potential new space race. Japan's Partnership With Joe Biden Japan's space program will now include itself in the NASA Artemis program of the U.S., as announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden. The two countries are reported by Kyodo News to include a plan to conclude a pact in 2023 to expand their bilateral relations in space exploration over the next several decades. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, "We are aiming to realize a lunar landing by a Japanese astronaut in the latter half of the 2020s." The two governments are currently preparing a detailed fact sheet outlining the bilateral relations. In particular, Japan's Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and America's NASA are working with their shared intention to have Japanese nationals be part of the crew for the upcoming lunar mission of NASA within this decade. Japan aims to become the second nation to successfully land an astronaut on the Moon. JAXA's plan to be included in the lunar mission was first announced a few years ago, in October 2019. Japan's space program, aiming to be a powerhouse in aerospace, does not just have a partnership with NASA. It also has ongoing programs with the European space agency (ESA). Both ESA and Japan have an ongoing collaboration that intends to transport supplies using unmanned supply craft. Read Also: Mark Zuckerburg's Vision for Metaverse Receives a Huge Pass From Amazon Executive Japan Space Agency Japan's space program has a robust space program primarily concerned with creating launch vehicles and space probes. However, it does not have a human flight program, so it has depended on the United States and Russia to transport its astronauts into space. There have been more people from Japan aboard the International Space Station than from the United States or Russia. In line with the country's goal of space expansion, JAXA resumed the recruitment of astronaut candidates last year for the first time in more than a decade to rejuvenate its pool of astronauts nearing their retirement years. In addition, Japan plans to cultivate its space industry's startup scene, just like the U.S. has done with SpaceX, Boeing, Axiom Space, and many more. Japan has a space startup company called Ispace that is developing landers and rovers for lunar exploration, and Astroscale is a company that removes debris from outer space. As reported by Reuters, after the end of World War II, Japan's aerospace industry was dismantled. However, the country has since fostered the growth of its space industry through the efforts of industrial heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Mitsubishi Electric. MHI rockets launched from the Tanegashima Space Center have successfully delivered payloads. Some of these payloads are the Michibiki satellites which have helped improve the U.S. global positioning system (GPS) in Asia. Related Article: Boeing Is Celebrating a Milestone! Starliner Spacecraft Successfully Docks International Space Station A male baboon won't make the best 'swingman', as research shows those who form strong relationships with other males hold each other back from finding a mate. Strongly-bonded male Guinea baboons have been found to produce fewer offspring than those who spend less time socialising with the same sex. Researchers from Gottingen, Germany analysed the behavioural and paternity data of 30 males and 50 infants collected over four years in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. They found that close male baboons supported each other more frequently during conflict, but had a detrimental effect on their reproductive success. Strongly-bonded male Guinea baboons have been found to produce fewer offspring than those who spend less time socialising with the same sex Graphs show negative correlation between male bond strength and (a) number of associated females and (b) number of sired offspring per male per year Baboon bromances Strongly-bonded male Guinea baboons produce fewer offspring than those who spend less time socialising with the same sex. Researchers from Gottingen, Germany analysed the behavioural and paternity data of 30 males and 50 infants in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. It was found that close male baboons supported each other more frequently during conflict, but had a detrimental effect on their reproductive success. Advertisement Dr Federica Dal Pesco, from the German Primate Center, said: 'Males may gain access to females via overt competition, or by forming friendships with other males that help them to rise in status and increase reproductive success. 'But what are the predictors of reproductive success in a society with no discernible male rank relations and female choice, as in Guinea baboons? 'We found a clear negative relationship between male-male sociality and number of females and sired offspring.' He added: 'Guinea baboon males seem to face a trade-off between investments in same-sex versus opposite-sex bonds. 'Egalitarian societies with female choice promote male strategies that favour the investment in male-female bonding over male competition.' Guinea baboons lives in a tolerant, multi-level society with reproductive units comprising of a male and between one and six females. The findings published today in journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences state that reproductively active male primates, both young and old, did still maintain bonds with other males. They maintain their relationships with other males through greeting them in 'quick, stylized and costly exchanges', which are more 'intense' between strongly bonded males. However, they turn their attention to the females once they have becone primary males at the expense of time available for their male friends. This goes against the group's prediction that strong bonds between males would result in higher male reproductive success, due to the attraction of more females and support during fights. The researchers say that females may prefer males in 'good condition', in categories like mane length and hind-quarter coloration, rather than those who have strong male connections that could assist them in conflict. Futher research is still required to discover what the adaptive benefit of strong male bonding is. It may lie in longer breeding tenure or promoting group cohesion, according to the researchers. Male Guinea baboons turn their attention to the females once they have becone primary males at the expense of time available for their male friends Robert Lewandowski's former agent has mocked the Polish striker's potential move to Barcelona, claiming the Bayern Munich star has always wanted to join Real Madrid. Lewandowski appears set to leave the Bundesliga giants after his current agent, Pini Zahavi, said the player's trophy-laden eight years at the club had been consigned to 'history'. He has been linked with a switch to Barcelona, which Zahavi insists would 'fulfill a lifetime dream' for the 33-year-old. Robert Lewandowski could wave goodbye to Bayern Munich after eight years with the club Lewandowski's former agent Maik Barthel weighed in on the player's future in a sarcastic Tweet Maik Barthel, who represented Lewandowski until 2014 and was involved in his transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern, has weighed in on his former client's next move in a sarcastic Tweet as he disputed Zahavi's claim that he has dreamed of playing for Barca. 'Your whole life do you want to go to Real Madrid in order to end up at Barcelona later? OK,' Barthel wrote. Zahavi has alleged Bayern are 'denying Lewandowski the opportunity' to join Barcelona despite telling the German side of his wish to leave, which has left the talismanic striker feeling 'disrespected for months' by the club's board. 'For Robert Lewandowski, FC Bayern is history. Robert wants to leave FC Bayern after eight years in which he gave the club everything,' Zahavi told Bild. Lewandowski (left) wants to leave Bayern Munich, insists his agent Pini Zahavi (right) 'Now, at almost 34, he has the opportunity to fulfill a lifetime dream and join the club he always dreamed of. 'Why is FC Bayern denying him this opportunity? For Robert, the matter is very clear: he wants to leave FC Bayern this summer.' Zahavi also claimed that the striker has not received an offer to extend his stay at Bayern, before revealing that they wanted over 100million for the veteran striker if they were to sell him this summer, despite only having one year left on his current deal. Barcelona insist they can afford the 129-cap international despite their financial problems, but if an agreement cannot be reached, it is unlikely he would move to their rivals Real. Lewandowski has scored 50 goals in 46 appearances for Bayern this season. Essex police are investigating a flurry of abusive private messages sent to defender Kurt Zouma in which he is repeatedly called the N-word and targeted with chilling death threats in the aftermath of the infamous cat-kicking episode. The 27-year-old Frenchman pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act when he appeared at Thames Magistrates Court in east London on Tuesday morning. Footage emerged in February of Zouma - and his brother Yoan - abusing a cat which eventually led to the pair being prosecuted by the RSPCA. West Ham defender Kurt Zouma, 27, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in east London on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act Zouma has been targeted with abuse and death threats since video surfaced of him kicking his cat and police have launched an investigation But unusually, the court agreed for Zoumas address to be withheld, at the request of his lawyer. And Sportsmail can disclose some of the horrifying messages sent to Zouma on social media that compelled the judge not to reveal the former Chelsea defenders address amid obvious concerns over the players safety. In the messages seen by Sportsmail, Zouma and his family are threatened with sexual assault. Zouma is repeatedly called a monkey and the N-word. Zouma is also told he will be shot and stabbed. The central defender is also told that he will be left disabled, while another threatens to cut off various limbs. A statement from an Essex Police spokesman told Sportsmail: We received a report on April 8 of an allegation of malicious communications. Our enquiries are ongoing, and we continue to work with social media platforms to identify those responsible. The Premier League are also understood to be aware of the messages. Kurt Zouma was forced to apologise after a video of him kicking his cat went viral in February It is understood Instagram have suspended over 100 accounts in relation to the threats made to West Ham defender Zouma (centre) Sportsmail understands that Instagram have suspended the accounts of over 100 users linked to the abuse Zouma has received. In making a successful application for the judge to prohibit publication of his address, Trevor Burke QC, defending said: Mr Zouma, as a result of this video being posted on the internet, has received racial abuse over the internet that is the worst the FA has ever experienced. It is grotesque. Zouma, who has been fined by West Ham, has apologised after the footage was shared by his younger brother Yoan, 24, who admitted one offence during the hearing on Tuesday. Advertisement Google Street View turns 15 today and to celebrate it has released some of its picture highlights, from the White House at Christmas to Venice canals and the Eiffel Tower. It has also revealed the 20 most-searched-for locations in the UK from April 2021 to 2022, and it's London's Big Ben that's No.1, followed by Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium (second), Buckingham Palace (third) and Stonehenge (fourth), with Asda Nottingham West Bridgford Supercentre making an unexpected appearance at 13th in the table. Google has calculated that over the past 15 years, Street View cars have travelled over 10million miles a distance that circles the entire globe more than 400 times and collected more than 220billion images from more than 100 countries and territories in the world. Google Street View turns 15 today and to celebrate it has released some of its picture highlights. One is the White House at Christmas (above) A Google Street View capture of the waterways of Venice. Street View has collected more than 220billion images since 2007 A Google Street View operator captures the delights of Venice from a gondola The other photo highlights that Google picked out for its Street View birthday are the Taj Mahal, a floating market in Thailand, the International Space Station, Japan's cherry blossom, Yosemite National Park, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Colorado River ('in a boat!'). The rest of the top 10 most-searched-for UK locations is made up of the British Museum (fifth), London Bridge (sixth), Folkestone White Horse (seventh), the London Eye (eighth), the University of Oxford (ninth), and Wembley Stadium (tenth). At the top of the bottom half of the 20-place ranking is Liverpool FC's Anfield stadium (11th), followed by aside from the previously mentioned Asda supermarket - the Tower of London (12th), Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge stadium (14th), London's Tower Bridge (15th), Windsor Castle (16th), Manchester City's Etihad Stadium (17th), Trafalgar Square (18th), Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (19th) and Cheshire's Daresbury Hall (20th). Google Street View is proud of this image - captured from a boat on the Colorado River The Eiffel Tower and the spellbinding view across Paris is a Street View hit Google Street View went underwater in 2012 to capture Australia's Great Barrier Reef Google said in a statement that it is announcing 'some exciting developments for Street View that all serve to fuel people's curiosity about new places and even their past'. It continued: 'We know that our Maps users love to travel back in time with Street View to revisit their childhood home or see how their neighbourhood has evolved over the years. 'That's why from today, we're making it possible to see historical Street View imagery straight from your phone for the very first time.' Google Street View was dreamed up by Google co-founder Larry Page in 2004, with the service launching in five cities in 2007. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Thailand is an arresting Google Street View capture Time for a revelation: London's Big Ben is the most popular Street View search in the UK Stonehenge was the fourth-most-popular Street View search in the UK between April 2021 and 2022 In 2012 Google Street View dispatched hikers to the Grand Canyon (left). Camel-back desert imagery was captured in 2014 (right) Asda Nottingham West Bridgford Supercentre makes an unexpected appearance at 13th in UK Street View search ranking MOST-SEARCHED-FOR UK LOCATIONS ON GOOGLE STREET VIEW, FROM BIG BEN TO ASDA 1. Big Ben 2. Old Trafford 3. Buckingham Palace 4. Stonehenge 5. British Museum 6. London Bridge 7. Folkestone White Horse 8. London Eye 9. University of Oxford 10. Wembley Stadium 11. Anfield 12. Tower of London 13. Asda Nottingham West Bridgford Supercentre 14. Stamford Bridge 15. Tower Bridge 16. Windsor Castle 17. Etihad Stadium 18. Trafalgar Square 19. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London 20. Daresbury Hall Source: Google, using data from April 2021 to 2022. Advertisement In 2008 images began to be collected by trikes, by 2010 by snowmobiles and in 2012 Google went underwater to capture the Great Barrier Reef. Trekking image capture also launched in 2012, with camera-equipped hikers dispatched to roam the Grand Canyon. Camel-back desert imagery was captured in 2014, an active volcano in 2017 and in 2020 Google launched 'Live View', an augmented reality tool in Google Maps that projects directions onto the display of a phone when it's in camera mode. Jennifer Connelly looked effortlessly chic as she arrived at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in New York City. The 51-year-old actress donned a black silk monogram-printed Louis Vuitton blouse when she was spotted walking into the Ed Sullivan Theater on Monday. The Snowpiercer star tucked her long-sleeved, button-down shirt into a black flared miniskirt. Stunning: Jennifer Connelly looked effortlessly chic as she arrived at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in New York City on Monday The Academy Award winner's utility miniskirt featured gold buttons and a small front pocket that was fastened with a brown leather Louis Vuitton strap. Jennifer showcased her long legs in brown leather knee-high boots, and she accessorized with small gold earrings and gold rings. The brunette beauty wore her shoulder-length locks parted to the side and down in a sleek straight style. Luxury label: The 51-year-old actress donned a black silk monogram-printed Louis Vuitton blouse when she was spotted walking into the Ed Sullivan Theater The New York native had on a natural palette of makeup that included a rosy blush and a light pink lipstick. She beamed as she signed autographs for fans and gave a cheery wave while strolling into the theater. The mother of three made an appearance on the talk show to promote her new movie Top Gun: Maverick, which is set for release on May 27. Stylish: The Snowpiercer star tucked her long-sleeved button-down shirt into a black flared miniskirt In a recent interview with Variety, Jennifer told the outlet that she practiced pouring beers while on the film's set. The actress plays bar owner Penny Benjamin in the long-awaited action sequel and revealed that she wanted to look as if she knew what she was doing on screen. Jennifer said, 'We had a working beer tap on set, and I spent a lot of time pouring. I practiced a lot because I thought it would be a terrible giveaway if I couldn't do it properly.' Jennifer's character is the love interest for Tom Cruise's Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the new movie. Chic: The Blood Diamond performer showcased her long legs in brown leather knee-high boots and accessorized with small gold earrings and gold rings The Alita: Battle Angel actress told Variety that she enjoyed working with the Hollywood legend for the first time. She said, 'I had never even met Tom Cruise before. He's so exceptional. Spending time with him, you understand how someone has been such a movie star for so many years. 'It was clear to me what the franchise means to him, [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer and the audiences who love the film so much.' Jennifer dodged some of the more dramatic action scenes in the blockbuster but did shoot a sailing sequence in rough conditions in San Francisco. She was worried that she would forget something during the scene so decided to recreate it at home with her family. Making the rounds: The mother of three made an appearance on the talk show to promote her new movie Top Gun: Maverick, which is set for release on May 27 The star explained: 'I have a sailing scene, and it was a very distracting environment. We were on a boat shooting up in San Francisco; it was incredibly windy, with big waves. 'The boat was at an impossible angle, moving so fast, and we had to play the scene at the same time. I was so paranoid that I was going to forget something with all those distractions. 'I found myself standing on the coffee table in my living room, practicing with my kids spraying water at me and blowing on me while I ran my lines. I have video of it.' Jennifer shares son Stellan, 18, and daughter Agnes, 10, with her husband Paul Bettany, 50. She is also mother to son Kai, 24, whom she shares with her ex David Dugen. He is often seen surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women. And Australian model Jordan Barrett certainly attracted attention on Monday as he exited the five-star Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France. The 25-year-old, who is in town for the Cannes Film Festival, was accompanied by a braless brunette who left little to the imagination in a sheer white dress. Who's that girl? Australian model Jordan Barrett was accompanied by a braless brunette in a sheer white dress as they left the five-star Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France, on Monday Jordan placed an arm around his friend's shoulders as they strolled down the street. He looked every inch the European holidaymaker in a pair of fitted cream pants and a white T-shirt. The runway star completed his look with gold necklaces and a pair of tan shoes. Meanwhile, his glamorous pal turned heads by teaming her see-through dress with a black G-string and heels. Dramatic outfit: Jordan's pal turned heads in a semi-sheer gown, which she teamed with a black G-string and heels This wasn't Jordan's only outfit for the day, as he was also seen looking dapper in a blue linen co-ord while on the phone. He accessorised his ensemble with brown slip-on shoes. The male model has been flying around the world all year and was recently spotted in New York and London. Tailored: Jordan looked every inch the European holidaymaker in a pair of fitted cream pants and a white T-shirt In an interview with GQ Australia in April last year, Jordan spoke about his whirlwind modelling career, which saw him skyrocket to fame after being discovered as a teen. 'From being 17, and being extremely successful overseas in what I was doing, but not even really knowing what it was I was doing' he reflected. 'When I was scouted, I didn't even understand what it meant to be a model. I didn't know what was going on in my mind. I didn't even know what a panic attack was until now.' Dapper: This wasn't Jordan's only outfit for the day, as he was also seen looking dapper in a blue linen co-ord while on the phone Opportunity: Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald in May 2020, Jordan said his modelling career had brought him endless 'opportunities' Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald in May 2020, Jordan said his modelling career had brought him endless 'opportunities'. '[Modelling] has opened so many doors and opportunities in life. It's not like: let's go to a shoot and let's go home,' he said. 'It just opens so many doors to everything that I'm doing. It lets you do whatever you want, and be wherever you want... And I have access to do whatever I want.' Australians may have been divided in their voting choices on election night, but there was one issue everyone could agree on: Julie Bishop's fabulous new hairdo. Ms Bishop, who is remembered as one of Australia's most stylish former politicians, returned to the spotlight looking very different on Saturday night as she co-hosted Channel Nine's election coverage. Gone was the 65-year-old's trademark pixie cut, replaced by a head of long blonde hair slicked back behind her ears in a dramatic side part. The Minister of Fashion is back! Aussie were thrilled by Julie Bishop's longer new hairdo as she reported on the federal election for Channel Nine on Saturday night Fans couldn't get enough of the former foreign affairs minister's glamorous new look, with many applauding the ever-youthful pollie on social media. A TikTok user uploaded a clip of Julie presenting Nine's election coverage, and wrote: 'Okay, but long hair Julie Bishop is giving me LIFE.' 'Astute political comment of the day: I quite like Julie Bishop's hair,' one viewer tweeted, while another added: 'Julie Bishop looks really nice with longer hair. Anyone else notice that?' What a transformation! Gone was the 65-year-old's trademark pixie cut, replaced by a head of long blonde hair slicked back behind her ears in a dramatic side part. (Pictured left with her former pixie cut in 2019, and right with longer hair earlier this month) Fan: A TikTok user uploaded a clip of Julie presenting Nine's election coverage, and wrote: 'Okay, but long hair Julie Bishop is giving me LIFE' Ms Bishop was joined by a panel of experts to break down all the action as Anthony Albanese's Labor government triumphed in the voting booths. It comes after Ms Bishop shared her style secrets in a recent chat with The Daily Telegraph, telling the publication she prefers to wear 'classic and timeless' looks instead of following trends. 'Style reflects individual tastes and choices curating my own look,' she said. Praise: 'Astute political comment of the day: I quite like Julie Bishop's hair,' one viewer tweeted, while another added: 'Julie Bishop looks really nice with longer hair. Anyone else notice that?' Ms Bishop told the newspaper her favourite brands include Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss and Rebecca Vallance. The former member for Curtin in WA has maintained an active career since quitting the Liberal Party during question time in 2019. Since leaving office, the first-ever female foreign minister has taken a seat on the board of professional services company Palladium and started her own consulting firm, Julie Bishop and Partners. Inside Julie's wardrobe: It comes after Ms Bishop shared her style secrets in a recent chat with The Daily Telegraph, telling the newspaper she prefers to wear 'classic and timeless' looks instead of following trends. (Pictured at Australian Fashion Week in June 2021) Fashionista: She said her favourite brands include Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss and Rebecca Vallance. (Pictured at Flemington Racecourse in November 2019) Ms Bishop was also sworn in as the chancellor of the Australian National University in 2020, making her the Institutions first female chancellor, taking over from another former Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans. Other prominent roles include her membership of the Gender Equality Advisor Council - an independent group of experts convened by Prime Minister Boris Johnson under the UK's G7 Presidency. The council has been established to champion to principles of opportunity and freedom for women around the world. New horizons: Ms Bishop was also sworn in as the chancellor of the Australian National University in 2020, making her the Institutions first female chancellor, taking over from another former Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans. Pictured at the APPEA 2022 conference Ms Bishop's partner since 2014 David Panton is a prominent pharmacist and entrepreneur who now runs Pantonic Health with his two daughters Sally and Laura. The company recently hit it big by providing CareStart rapid antigen tests made by American company Access Bio during the Covid pandemic. The couple have been spotted together at events over the years, including the 2018 wedding of Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough. Over the million-dollar mark: Ms Bishop has a taste for the finer things previously appearing in a A Cheval bracelet, with the diamond and platinum cuff costing a whopping $1.54million. Pictured at the 2021 Gold Dinner Star on the rise: Ms Bishop's partner since 2014 David Panton (centre) is a prominent pharmacist and entrepreneur who now runs Pantonic Health with his two daughters Sally and Laura (right) Ms Bishop says she fell in love with the man behind the medical supplies business for his charm and charisma. 'I think that's self-evident have you seen him?' she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2019. 'He's a very independent-minded and successful businessman, and he has a delightful sense of humour. He makes me laugh.' Panton's daughter from a previous relationship, Laura Panton, is now the Director for Pantonic Health and has modelled for Chemist Warehouse, but despite her near stepdaughter's success Julie Bishop has repeatedly said she's glad she doesn't feel the need to have kids of her own. She previously was married to property developer Neil Gillon from 1983 to 1988, and had relationships with Senator Ross Lightfoot and the former Lord Mayor of Perth Peter Nattrass. Kim Kardashian is claiming that an obsessed fan made threats against her boyfriend Pete Davidson's life according to legal documents obtained by The Blast. According to the outlet, The Kardashians star, 41, included more than 30 letters allegedly sent to her by a fan who threatened her life and the lives of her children. In the filing, Kardashian's lawyer Shawn Holley laid out the specific threats made against Davidson Pete in danger? Kim Kardashian revealed that an obsessed fan made threats against her boyfriend Pete Davidson's life according to legal documents obtained by The Blast The Blast reported that the alleged stalker wrote, 'Pete Must and Will Die this weekend and you next weekend' in one of the letters. Holley also wrote that the alleged obsessed fan 'made numerous violent threats against Ms. Kardashian. In addition, he made numerous sexual comments regarding Ms. Kardashian and her partners. He further threatened that he would take actions that would cause Ms. Kardashian and her family to be imprisoned.' On top of personal death threats, the filing also claimed that the letter had 'a number of similarities' between them and a written bomb threat sent to her business office. Evidence: According to the outlet, The Kardashians star, 41, included more than 30 letters allegedly sent to her by a fan who threatened her life and the lives of her children Intense: The Blast reported that the person wrote, 'Pete Must and Will Die this weekend and you next weekend' in one of the letters She also said in the filing that 'In multiple letters, he has threatened to kill me. He has made numerous false and delusional claims about me and my intimate relationships. He has also made disturbing sexual references about me in his letters.' A Los Angeles judge looked at the evidence provided and put a temporary restraining order against the alleged stalker in place. The Blast reported that 'The man is ordered to not contact the famous couple in any way, or harass them. Plus, he is not to come within 100 yards of Kardashian or her home.' A hearing is set for June 13 for Kim to possibly receive a more permanent restraining order. Davidson and Kardashian started dating in October of last year after Kim hosted Saturday Night Live. Big day: While these legal issues have been working their way through court, Kim has been in Italy for her sister Kourtney's third wedding ceremony While these legal issues have been working their way through court, Kim has been in Italy for her sister Kourtney's third wedding ceremony. She showed off her show-stopping figure in a tight fitting co-ord as she stepped out for an ice cream in Portofino, Italy on Sunday. The star was joined by eight-year-old daughter North and niece Penelope, nine, as they travelled by boat to the town centre. The beauty sported a very tight fitting pair of grey trousers with a lace pattern and panel detail, alongside a matching corset top. Her newly platinum locks were bundled up in a tousled bun, with some pieces left down around her face. Kim shielded her face with a pair of chic black sunglasses, adding a chunky cross necklace to her ensemble. Khloe Kardashian took to Instagram on Monday to share three new images from Kourtney Kardashian's wedding weekend. The 37-year-old powerhouse uploaded stunning images in which she wore a vintage Dolce and Gabbana gown and a jeweled headpiece. 'The @dolcegabbana tiara and archive gown made me feel like a princess,' she wrote in one caption. New share: Khloe Kardashian took to Instagram on Monday to share three new images from Kourtney Kardashian's wedding weekend The TV personality stunned in the black chiffon dress, which was covered in various sized red hearts. The gown had an off-the-shoulder style and Khloe skipped a necklace so as not to overwhelm the look. In her ears she donned large drop earrings with a red heart base and gold cross attachment. The valuable fashion piece was created with a bodysuit serving as the bodice and had a skirt attachment. Gorgeous: The 37-year-old powerhouse uploaded stunning images in which she wore a vintage Dolce and Gabbana gown and a jeweled headpiece In one image the mom-of-one used her hands to create a billowing silhouette with the skirt fanned out. She accompanied it with a caption that said, Queen of Hearts, sandwiches between two red heart emojis. Kardashian wore her thick, long, blonde hair slicked back off her face. It fell behind her in rippling, uniform waves that cascaded down her back. Her tiara glittered on top of her head, adorned with yellow sunflower pendants. Royalty: 'The @dolcegabbana tiara and archive gown made me feel like a princess,' she wrote in one caption The Good American founders long, square nails were painted in a sheer, pink, nude hue. The night before the big event, she captioned the last photo. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum looked breathtakingly beautiful in a full face of glamorous makeup. She rocked sleek, black, winged eyeliner and fluffy lashes to bring out her hazel eyes. Her cheeks were warmed with a soft dusting of pink blush, and on her eyelids was a precise cut and crease eyeshadow palette. Family trip: Kourtney and Travis tied the knot on Sunday in a lavish ceremony held in Portofino, Italy Kourtney and Travis tied the knot on Sunday in a lavish ceremony held in Portofino, Italy. It marked the third wedding for the lovebirds, who became engaged in October. Prior to the big event the Kardashian-Jenner and Barker clans were seen enjoying pre-wedding festivities. Advertisement The Kardashians appear to have made liberal use of filters as they shared glamorous snaps from Kourtney and Travis Barker's Italian wedding. The eldest of the Kardashian sisters married her rocker beau in a star-studded ceremony in Portofino on Sunday, wrapping up three days worth of festivities. The Insta-famous family didn't hold back from posting their every move over the wedding weekend, modelling their looks from the nuptials' sponsor Dolce & Gabbana in their stunning surroundings. Instagram versus reality! The Kardashians appear to have given photos taken at Kourtney and Travis Barker's wedding the filter treatment But the social media snaps tell a very different story to the hundreds of shots taken of them during the celebrations. From their skin tone to their apparel, the women did not shy away from digitally enhancing their own social media images. Filter fan Khloe Kardashian, for example, had brighter, more radiant skin on Instagram compared to candid shots taken of her during the celebratory weekend. Even her D&G mini dress and racy thigh-high boots appeared a slightly lighter shade than in real life. Blushing bride Kourtney Kardashian also seemed to have made use of a photo enhancer in photos showing her in her Saturday look of a little black dress with a coordinating blue veil from Dolce. The difference: Kourtney Kardashian appeared to have used a filter which smoothed out her black Dolce & Gabbana mini dress and enhanced her skin tone In the shot, her dress appeared smoother and her skin had a brighter gold tan. She even appeared to have a slightly smoother complexion in her social snap. Kylie also looked polished to perfection in photos posted to her account, which showed her posing in a rose-print bodycon dress, flaunting her incredible figure. The make-up mogul was modelling a completely flawless complexion while the skin on her chest and arms also appeared to be smoothed out. Family matriarch Kris Jenner's photos appeared to have been given the filter treatment as well. The 66-year-old momager's complexion appeared smoother, more polished and brighter on Instagram, something which didn't go unnoticed by her followers. Strike a pose! Kylie also looked polished to perfection in photos posted to her account, which showed her posing in a rose-print bodycon dress 'Remove the filters dear you're not fooling anyone,' tweeted on follower in reply to her snaps. 'Stop editing your photos' demanded another while another agreed: 'Filters make us all perfect when we really aren't. Sad.' The family have been sharing a slew of snaps from the weekend, as part of their sponsorship deal with Dolce & Gabbana. As MailOnline exclusively revealed on Sunday, the showbiz wedding of the year has been sponsored by the luxury fashion house in a deal worth millions. Touched up: Momager Kris Jenner's photos appeared to have been given the filter treatment as well Critics: The 66-year-old's complexion appeared smoother, more polished and brighter on Instagram, something which didn't go unnoticed by her followers. The worldwide coverage of the reality stars showcasing the brands clothes against the idyllic backdrop of the Italian Riviera is set to give millions of pounds worth of free publicity to Dolce & Gabbana which has been hit by controversies in recent years. Dolce & Gabanna has been quick to capitalise on the reality stars giving their apparent backing to the brand by retweeting pictures of them in their outfits. In 2016 Khloe confessed to airbrushing her images, telling People: 'Of course I believe in airbrushing apps, I just think airbrushing apps, like who doesn't want to airbrush a thing here or there. 'I love FaceTune, that one's great. I don't really know of many more, but a filter, that's like airbrushing. Who doesn't love a good filter? Sometimes you're having a bad day,' she said. Before and after: Kim gave fans a rare unfiltered look at her pre-glam look on the sixth episode of Hulu's The Kardashians last week, when she appeared on camera without makeup and dressed in a bathrobe(seen right later in the show) Khloe also admitted she likes filters to add a different hue to her images. 'I dont want to see everybody in color. I need a black and white filter sometimes.' Khloe has come under fire in recent years for her changing face and body, with many accusing the KUWTK star of brazenly photoshopping her Instagram posts to an extent fans sometimes struggle to recognize her. Kim gave fans a rare unfiltered look at her pre-glam look on the sixth episode of Hulu's The Kardashians last week, when she appeared on camera without makeup and dressed in a bathrobe. The star was also recently forced to clear up months-long photoshop rumors about family Disneyland snaps. Confirmed! Kim recently was forced to clear up months-long photoshop rumors about family Disneyland snaps. The 41-year-old confirmed she did in fact photoshop out Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi and put in Khloe Kardashian's daughter True instead [the unaltered photo from Disneyland featuring Chicago with Stormi] The 41-year-old confirmed she did in fact photoshop out Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi and put in Khloe Kardashian's daughter True instead in the theme park photos. Kylie, Kris Jenner, Stormi and Chicago, four, went to Disneyland in October 2021, with Kim posting the photoshopped images on December 31, 2021 of Chicago with True - instead of Stormi. Their trip to Disneyland was just two weeks before Travis Scott's Astroworld tragedy, which led to 10 people being crushed to death. The reasons: Kim revealed that Kylie asked her not to post Stormi, four, because she wasn't 'really feeling posting at the moment' and so the star decided to swap out the color of the pants to pink instead of orange to fit her aesthetic of her Instagram - ignoring the part about then adding True's face to Stormi's body Kim did not share the photo until two months after the tragic concert, leading fans to believe Stormi was photoshopped out due to the fallout from Astroworld. Kim wanted to post the images so she decided to swap out the color of Stormi's pants to pink instead of orange to fit her aesthetic of her Instagram - ignoring the part about also swapping out Stormi's face for True's face - onto Stormi's body. The fan theory first surfaced in early January on TikTok after Kim posted the Instagram picture on New Year's Eve of her daughter Chicago and True - with True's face clearly looking photoshopped on. Hitting back: Kim also recently hit back at fans' claims she suffered a 'photoshop fail' after her belly button was noticeably missing in a slew of snaps posted to Instagram Denial: Using the jibe to promote her SKIMS line, Kim wrote on her Stories: 'Belly button insecurities?!' before plugging her range Kim has shared a string of posts in recent weeks, debunking other Photoshop claims, including suspicions she had photoshopped out her belly button. The reality star, 41, showcasing her very svelte waist as she donned a beige scoop neck sports bra and high-waisted briefs by her brand SKIMS in a slideshow of photos. Using the jibe to promote her SKIMS line, Kim wrote on her Stories: 'Belly button insecurities?! 'Well... why don't you head on over to skims.com to conceal that saggy belly button of yours with a great pair of high waisted underwear like I did! You're welcome!!! Accusing the star of editing the image, a fan previously wrote, 'Where on earth is your belly button, yo??' and, 'Superbly edited picture [four laughing emojis],' as well as, 'Where is your bellybutton Kim?' Following the in Buffalo tragedy, New York, New Jersey's Acting Attorney General Merrick Garland started an investigation into Twitch and Discord to examine if the websites broke laws against violent and extremist speech. The purpose of the investigation, according to Acting AG Platkin, was to see if policy or moderation shortcomings permitted the platforms to become vectors for disseminating extremist content, particularly among young people. Payton Gendron, the 18-year-old charged of shooting 13 people at a Tops supermarket on May 14, killing 10, used Discord to disseminate his white supremacist views and live-streamed the attack on Twitch. "These social media platforms have enormous reach, especially with young people, and have shown themselves to be staging grounds for hateful and extremist content that may radicalize children and others," said Acting AG Platkin. "New Jersey has a substantial interest in investigating how these companies moderate and prohibit content that may harm consumers." Platkin further said that New Jersey companies must fulfill their promises of content moderation. The acting AG then urged the stricter enforcement of laws against hate crimes. The investigation is similar to one launched by New York Attorney General Letitia James last week. Engadget said that it's unclear whether the investigations in New York and New Jersey will be coordinated. What Role Did Social Media Play in the Suspect's Crimes? As per our previous report, the shooter claimed to have become radicalized on 4chan two years ago. Other white supremacist mass shooters have utilized the website to distribute manifestos prior to their attacks. The suspect published a 180-page document outlining his belief in The Great Replacement, a right wing, white supremacist conspiracy theory. He also supplied information on how he planned and accomplished his attack. Read More: NY Attorney General: 4chan Radicalized Buffalo Shooting Gunman Who Also Used Discord, Twitch as Diary According to logs from the shooter's private Discord channel, he used the platform as a diary, detailing thoughts that turned deadly reality two weeks ago. Some of his Discord messages are from months ago. The shooter used the video streaming service Twitch to livestream his crime across the internet. The stream lasted approximately 10 minutes. In less than two minutes, the Twitch feed was pulled down. The horrible footage, however, quickly went viral on the internet. Facebook Struggles To Remove the Buffalo Shooting Footage Another report noted that Facebook is still working to prevent its platforms from being used to broadcast violent footage, as videos of the tragic mass shooting in Buffalo have gone viral. Not only are video footage of the shooting available on the internet, but reposted videos of the attack are occasionally displayed alongside Facebook ads. It's unknown how frequently advertisements run alongside footage from the shooting. However, this isn't a new phenomenon for Facebook. Following a shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, the social media network is also experiencing the same issues. Related Article: Facebook Still Can't Contain Buffalo Mass Shooting Video, Struggles To Remove Violent Footage Rebecca Hall stood out from the crowd as she posed up a storm at the premiere of Crimes Of the Future at Cannes Film Festival on Monday. The 39-year-old English actress looked nothing short of sensational in the figure hugging backless gold sequin gown. She sizzled in the glittering number which featured a subtle front split revealing her toned legs and a pair of towering matching heels. Sensational: Rebecca Hall stood out from the crowd as she posed up a storm at the premiere of Crimes Of the Future at Cannes Film Festival on Monday Rebecca turned up the heat wearing a glamorous palette of makeup including a pink lipstick and pink blush. The actress carried her personal belongings in a satin pink and gold clutch bag and styled her short brunette tresses in a chic do. The beauty seemed in high spirits as she made sure the cameras caught her best angle in the glamorous gown on red carpet. Dazzling: The 39-year-old English actress looked nothing short of sensational in the figure hugging backless gold sequin gown Glam: She sizzled in the glittering number which featured a front split revealing her toned legs and a pair of towering matching heels Wow: Rebecca turned up the heat wearing a glamorous palette of makeup including a pink lipstick and subtle pink blush Rebecca has been married since 2015 to actor Morgan Spector, 41, but made the red carpet appearance solo. They welcomed their first child in 2018. Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. Stylish: The beauty seemed in high spirits as she made sure the cameras caught her best angle in the glamorous gown Looking good: The actress carried her personal belongings in a satin pink and gold clutch bag and styled her short brunette tresses in a chic do After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony. The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist. There is set to be an array of TikTok stars taking to the red carpet this year after organisers sought to refresh their image by partnering with the video streaming platform, which is sponsoring an award for short films. Married life: Rebecca has been married since 2015 to actor Morgan Spector, 41, but made the red carpet appearance solo The event: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece In total, some 35,000 film professionals are expected to attend the festival between May 17 and 28, hoping for a return to form for cinema's most glamorous event after two years when it was hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. 'We are ready. The town hall has just redone everything - the whole place - so we hope it will go well,' said Jeremie Tripet, manager of 'L'Avenue', a bistro just off the main drag known as La Croisette. One major exception is the absence of Russians, due to the impact of sanctions over the war in Ukraine and a ruling from the organisers that state-linked delegates are not welcome. China is also expected to have a limited presence due to its continuing Covid restrictions. But otherwise the festival is keen to put the pandemic in the past, with no mandatory masks or health passes this year - and no restrictions to partying. Happy times: Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony Former Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir has posted an emotional TikTok video chronicling her battle with an eating disorder. The 25-year-old model revealed she previously struggled with body dysmorphia 'and no one truly knew [what] I was going through'. She then admitted: 'I was starving myself, training twice a day, comparing my body to everyone else, and fighting demons in my head 24/7.' Raw: Former Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir has posted an emotional TikTok video chronicling her battle with an eating disorder Tayla then revealed the toll the disease took on her body. 'My hair was falling out, my stomach bloated every time I ate, I was in pain all the time,' she said. 'I convinced my doctors and naturopaths I had a parasite so they wouldn't pick up on my body dysmorphia. 'I convinced myself I was intolerant to food but in reality my body forgot how to function properly.' Emotional: The 25-year-old model revealed she previously struggled with body dysmorphia 'and no one truly knew [what] I was going through' 'I spent thousands of [dollars] trying to figure out what was "wrong with my body" [but] it my mind that needed help,' she added. She credited her AFL star fiance Nathan Broad with giving her the help she needed. Sharing a picture of herself with her 'angel', she said he 'made me realise my body needed food to survive'. 'He was patient with me. He educated me. He motivated me and changed my mindset,' she explained. Her man: She credited her AFL star fiance Nathan Broad with giving her the help she needed Road to recovery: She concluded by saying she still has 'days when negative thoughts creep in but I have a great psychologist and a loving fiance that I owe my quality of life to' Tayla revealed that, as she began to eat more, her hair grew back, her 'metabolism kicked in' and her 'quality of life flourished'. She concluded by saying she still has 'days when negative thoughts creep in but I have a great psychologist and a loving fiance that I owe my quality of life to'. Tayla and Nathan recently celebrated their engagement. Road to recovery: Tayla revealed that, as she began to eat more, her hair grew back, her 'metabolism kicked in' and her 'quality of life flourished' Earlier this month the couple took to Instagram to show off their festivities after hosting a party at the Mandoon Estate in Caversham, WA. Tayla showed off her figure in a white mini dress and matching stilettos at the event. The footy WAG tied her long brunette locks in a low bun and let her natural beauty shine by opting for a neutral palette of makeup. Bride-in-waiting: Tayla and Nathan recently celebrated their engagement Nathan also looked dapper in black pants, a matching-coloured T-shirt and a blazer. The loved-up pair enjoyed a meal with their family and friends, before posing for photos in front of a floral backdrop. Tayla and Nathan announced their engagement in June, after the three-time AFL premiership player, 28, proposed at their home in Melbourne. The reality star has described Nathan as her 'forever love'. Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart put on an affectionate display at the screening of Crimes of the Future during the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on Monday. The screen stars were seen standing arm-in-arm as they posed on the red carpet at the event. Actress Lea, 36, who plays Caprice in the film, wore a floor-length semi-sheer black and slate grey dress. Pals: Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart put on an affectionate display at the screening of Crimes of the Future during the Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on Monday The mesh garment featured pretty lace detail at the top and the bottom, with its silky black striped sections glistening as they reflected the nearby bright lights. Kristen showcased her quirky sense of style in a bold white skirt with a large bow on the front, while flashing her toned midriff in a colourful long sleeved crop-top by Chanel SS22 Couture. The star, 32, who plays Timlin in the flick, boosted her height in a pair of black heels while she styled her golden tresses in a high ponytail and wore her signature smokey eye. Strike a pose: The screen stars were seen standing arm-in-arm as they posed on the red carpet at the event Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings.' Close up: Actress Lea, 36 (left), who plays Caprice in the film, wore a floor-length semi-sheer black and slate grey dress In style: Kristen showcased her quirky style in a bold white skirt with a large bow on the front, while flashing her toned midriff in a colourful long sleeved crop-top by Chanel SS22 Couture The evolution moves humans behind their 'natural state' and into a new metamorphosis that alters their biological makeup, known as Accelerated Evolution Syndrome. While some have embraced what is known as 'trans-humanism' and its limitless potential, others have tried to police it. The story centres on Saul Tenser, a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body. New movie: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece (Lea Seydoux, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart pictured in the film) Tenser and his partner Caprice have used the removal of these organs to thrill their audiences, though they're forced to re-consider their most shocking performance to date when the government and an emerging sub-culture taking notice. After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony. The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist. Amazing: Lea and David Cronenberg made a stylish entrance as they walked hand-in-hand along the star-studded red caret Incredible: The star was all smiles as she wore a natural palette of makeup with a bright red lip while her blonde tresses were styled to one side There is set to be an array of TikTok stars taking to the red carpet this year after organisers sought to refresh their image by partnering with the video streaming platform, which is sponsoring an award for short films. In total, some 35,000 film professionals are expected to attend the festival between May 17 and 28, hoping for a return to form for cinema's most glamorous event after two years when it was hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. 'We are ready. The town hall has just redone everything - the whole place - so we hope it will go well,' said Jeremie Tripet, manager of 'L'Avenue', a bistro just off the main drag known as La Croisette. Back to normal: The festival is keen to put the pandemic in the past, with no mandatory masks or health passes this year - and no restrictions to partying One major exception is the absence of Russians, due to the impact of sanctions over the war in Ukraine and a ruling from the organisers that state-linked delegates are not welcome. China is also expected to have a limited presence due to its continuing Covid restrictions. But otherwise the festival is keen to put the pandemic in the past, with no mandatory masks or health passes this year - and no restrictions to partying. Film fans can get stuck into the usual feast of new releases and competition entries, braving the festival's famously opinionated crowds, who are never shy about cheering and booing during screenings. The two-week annual event will see hotly-anticipated films Top Gun: Maverick and King of Rock 'N Roll' biopic Elvis shown. Making a comeback: After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony There's a lot of excitement around the Elvis Presley biopic from Australia's Baz Luhrmann, hoping to recreate the buzz he generated when he brought the can-can to Cannes with Moulin Rouge! 20 years ago. Elvis, playing out of competition, sees newcomer Austin Butler stepping into The King's blue suede shoes. Tom Hanks plays his infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker. There are 21 films in the race for the Palme d'Or, including the latest body-horror fable from David Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future, starring Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. The Canadian director told IndieWire it is likely to cause walkouts 'within the first five minutes'. There are only five women directors in the competition, hoping to follow the success of last year's winner, Titane, which made Julia Ducournau only the second female to win the Palme. Return: The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist Alongside all the glitz, festival director Thierry Fremaux said Cannes aimed to keep the war in Ukraine in the spotlight. 'Together we will have a great festival - we will think a lot about cinema without ever stopping thinking about Ukraine.' The final film by Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, who was killed by Russian forces in Ukraine last month, will get a special screening. He was shooting a follow-up to his celebrated documentary Mariupolis, about the conflict in Ukraine's Donbas region, when he was reportedly captured and killed. The main competition also includes exiled Russian Kirill Serebrennikov, who was unable to attend for his two previous nominations due to a politically charged conviction for embezzlement back home. Fremaux said the festival wanted to lend a hand to 'the Russians who take risks to resist' while offering 'absolute and non-negotiable support to the Ukrainian people'. The jury charged with selecting the winners this year includes Indian superstar Deepika Padukone and Iran's two-time Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi, and is headed by French actor Vincent Lindon. The world's biggest film festival will conclude with the Closing Ceremony on May 28. Tom Hiddleston said it was 'unprecedented' that the Norwegian song he sang on Loki made it onto the music charts on Monday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. 'Completely unprecedented,' Tom said of the song reaching the top 10 on the charts. 'That's never happened. I didn't see that coming.' The 41-year-old actor while wearing a steel blue suit and white button down shirt shared that when they gave him the song he only had four days to learn it, so he practiced it all the time. Popular song: Tom Hiddleston said it was 'unprecedented' that the Norwegian song he sang on Loki made it onto the music charts on Monday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC 'I was so worried I was going to offend a whole nation of people,' Tom said. Tom shared that the song was specifically written for the show. 'It was actually in Norwegian. As a kind of nod to the fact that Loki is a Norse god,' he said. Despite the fact that the song was in Norwegian, Tom said he didn't actually speak the language. Quick study: The 41-year-old actor while wearing a Canali steel blue suit and white button down shirt shared that when they gave him the song he only had four days to learn it 'I speak the words of that song,' Tom admitted. Tom then recited some of the words of the song in Norwegian. 'It means something like the trees, they dance and the waterfalls stop when she sings, she sings come home,' Tom said. 'It was was sort of like an old folk song, which Loki could turn into a drinking song.' Drinking song: 'It means something like the trees, they dance and the waterfalls stop when she sings, she sings come home,' Tom said. 'It was was sort of like an old folk song, which Loki could turn into a drinking song' They spoke about Jimmy, 54, recently having COVID and Tom shared that he had it over Christmas. 'I know some people have had a really hard time, and I so relatively was all right,' Tom said. 'I kind of felt like I was a gong or a bell and I was just sort of vibrating with this low level.' 'Are you sure you weren't high?' Jimmy asked. COVID talk: They spoke about Jimmy, 54, recently having COVID and Tom shared that he had it over Christmas 'I promise I wasn't,' Tom said. Tom said he was able to have a great New Year's because he was negative by December 30. Jimmy mentioned that there were many COVID variants and Tom, who plays a Loki variant in the Disney+ show Loki, laughed at the joke. Variant comedy: Jimmy mentioned that there were many COVID variants and Tom, who plays a Loki variant in the Disney+ show Loki, laughed at the joke 'When they wrote Loki, I said that's a really interesting word,' Tom recalled. 'You don't hear the word variant very often. I hope the audience gets it. And then cut to a year later and I think they will get it.' Jimmy said he learned that the whole cast was returning. 'It's great,' Tom said. Jimmy asked the English actor about the production for Loki being moved from Atlanta to London. Second season: Jimmy asked the English actor about the production for Loki being moved from Atlanta to London for its second season 'I think it was just an accident of scheduling but I'm thrilled about it,' Tom said. Tom also shared how he realized Loki had become popular. 'It was really interesting because we were still in a lockdown in the UK, we were still kind of restricted, and I was making this other show The Essex Serpent,' Tom said. 'I kind of got a sense of it because the show went out on a Wednesday night, and every Thursday morning, the crew would keenly be asking me questions. I would be getting mic'd up, and they would be like ''the TVAs are they the good guys or the bad guys?''' Warm welcome: Tom received a warm welcome from the studio audience in Hollywood 'There's a brilliant young actor who was playing my son in the show (The Essex Serpent), and I think it took him a few weeks to get around the fact that I wasn't actually Loki,' Tom said. 'Every week we had to have a full debrief on what had happened the night before.' Jimmy then played a clip from Tom's new show The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+ that he stars in with Claire Danes, 43. The show is set in 1893 after an earthquake dislodged a lot of fossils. 'It turns into a kind of story about faith and science and where we look to try to explain our meaning in our lives,' Tom said. Streaming series: Jimmy then played a clip from Tom's new series The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+ that he stars in with Claire Danes Jimmy mentioned that there were hearings in Washington about UFO's and asked Tom if people in England were laughing at us. Tom said there was probably a community who would be curious about it. 'I personally, about UFO's, I would like to live in the skepticism, to live in the question,' Tom said. ' I'm open to it but probably not, it's probably just imagination.' Jimmy asked if they had Big Foot in the UK. Somewhat skeptical: 'I personally, about UFO's, I would like to live in the skepticism, to live in the question,' Tom said. ' I'm open to it but probably not, it's probably just imagination' 'We have the Lochness Monster,' Tom said. Jimmy then asked him about ghosts. 'Yeah, sure I'm open to ghosts,' Tom said. 'Unexplained presence.' Jimmy asked him if he was more open to ghosts than UFOs. 'It's probably all in the imagination,' Tom said. 'Kind of like monsters under the bed when you were a child.' Ghosts stance: 'Yeah, sure I'm open to ghosts,' Tom said. 'Unexplained presence' Tom said he was interested in the bottom of the ocean. 'They say we have done less exploration at the bottom of the ocean than we have on the moon,' Tom said. 'We know more about the moon than the absolute bottom of the ocean. Isn't that crazy?' 'I am no scientist,' Tom added. 'I am just somebody who learns lines and tries not to bump into the furniture for a living. I am not a marine biologist.' 'With that accent we assume that you know more than we do,' Jimmy quipped. Jennifer Connelly kept it simple in an all-black outfit on Monday for a special screening of Top Gun: Maverick in New York City. The 51-year-old actress wore a silky black jacket over a black dress with a zipper front and short skirt. The New York native completed her outfit with knee-high, open-toed black boots. Special screening: Jennifer Connelly kept it simple in an all-black outfit on Monday for a special screening of Top Gun: Maverick in New York City Jennifer had her dark hair down around her shoulders and accessorized with earrings. She accentuated her natural beauty with eye makeup, pink lipstick and rosy cheeks. Jennifer in the sequel Top Gun: Maverick portrays single mother and bar owner Penelope 'Penny' Benjamin. Her character is the love interest of leading man Tom Cruise, 59, who reprises his role of fighter pilot Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the upcoming film. Simple style: The 51-year-old actress wore a silky black jacket over a black dress with a zipper front and short skirt Hair down: Jennifer had her dark hair down around her shoulders and accessorized with earrings In a recent interview with Variety, Jennifer told the outlet that she practiced pouring beers while on the film's set. Jennifer revealed that she wanted to look as if she knew what she was doing on screen while playing bar owner Penny. 'We had a working beer tap on set, and I spent a lot of time pouring. I practiced a lot because I thought it would be a terrible giveaway if I couldn't do it properly,' Jennifer said. Action star: Tom Cruise, 59, reprises his role of fighter pilot Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the upcoming sequel Jennifer shares son Stellan, 18, and daughter Agnes, 10, with her actor husband Paul Bettany, 50. She is also mother to son Kai, 24, whom she shares with her ex David Dugen. The special screening at the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem theaters also was attended by Top Gun: Maverick cast member Jay Ellis, 40, who plays Lieutenant Reuben 'Payback' Fitch in the movie. Jay looked dapper in a black-and-white floral print shirt while teaming up with Jennifer on the carpet. Cast member: The special screening at the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem theaters also was attended by Top Gun: Maverick cast member Jay Ellis, 40, who plays Lieutenant Reuben 'Payback' Fitch in the movie Floral print: The South Carolina native looked dapper in a black-and-white floral print shirt while teaming up with Jennifer on the carpet Pilot role: Jay plays a fighter pilot in the highly anticipated sequel Hip hop legend Doug E. Fresh, 55, opted for the sporty look in a Puma sweatsuit for the special screening. He accessorized with sunglasses and a black New York Yankees cap while walking the carpet. Talk show host Sherri Shepherd, 55, wore a black dress with a thigh slit and blue heels to the special screening. Fresh look: Hip hop legend Doug E. Fresh, 55, opted for the sporty look in a Puma sweatsuit for the special screening Show host: Talk show host Sherri Shepherd, 55, wore a black dress with a thigh slit and blue heels to the special screening Braunwyn Windham-Burke, 45, must have gotten the memo as she also wore an all-black outfit to the screening along with pink heels. The special screening also was attended by Caroline Lowe, Conor Leslie, Katheryn Winnick and Cara Buono. Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun and will be released in US theaters on Friday. Reality star: Braunwyn Windham-Burke, 45, must have gotten the memo as she also wore an all-black outfit to the screening along with pink heels Going green: Caroline Lowe wore a green jumpsuit and black boots Black dress: Conor Leslie also wore a black dress to the screening Familiar look: Katheryn Winnick apparently also got the memo and wore black The look: Cara Buono also looked lovely in a long black dress with matching heels Married At First Sight groom Al Perkins has quit his job as a carpenter to take advantage of his newfound fame. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 25-year-old let slip that he's no longer working as a chippie after appearing on the Channel Nine experiment. 'I had so much on after the show finished. It became too much of a balancing act with all the new opportunities that have popped up,' he explained. Married At First Sight EXCLUSIVE: Al Perkins, 25, (pictured) has QUIT his job as a carpenter to make the most of his newfound fame after appearing on the Channel Nine show 'I was working three days a week then went to two days then sometimes just working one day because I was having so much fun,' he added. The Bondi-based star, who boasts a whopping 268,000 Instagram followers, can expect to make upwards of $1,889 per post from sponsored posts. He's already been spotted spruiking Hello Fresh alongside his co-stars Brent Vitiello and Selina Chhaur. Influencer life: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Al said he is no longer working as a chippie because he was having 'so much fun' with the new opportunities that popped up 'I was working three days a week then sometimes just working one day because I was having so much fun,' he said. Pictured at Australian Fashion Week with co-star Brent Vitiello Brent is also understood to have put his resignation before flying to the US with Al for a two-week getaway. When asked what was on the agenda, Brent told Daily Mail Australia: 'We've got a Vegas wedding, long story, some trips to Disneyland, some Hollywood sign action.' He then joked he would need to bail Al out of prison. Holiday time! Al and Brent, 34, are both understood to have put in their resignations before their two-week trip to the United States. Pictured at Sydney Airport last week The pair were pictured arriving at Sydney International Airport last week before being told they needed to head to the domestic terminal to board their Los Angeles flight from Melbourne. Al and Brent, 34, were then seen frantically running through the terminal with their suitcases before quickly stopping to take a photograph with a fan. At one point, the pair asked for assistance with their travel documents before realising they both had forgotten to apply for an international Covid certificate. The digital certificate is a requirement for all countries requiring travellers to be fully vaccinated. Morgan Freeman's placement on a list of Americans banned from visiting Russia prompted a plethora of reactions on social media Monday - as many questioned why he would even want to visit the country. The Academy Award-winning actor, 84, was among the 963 people on the list released by the Kremlin Saturday, calling him 'a well-known film actor who in September 2017 recorded a video message accusing Russia of conspiring against the United States and calling for a fight against our country.' The star of films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy and Se7en had appeared in a clip for the Committee to Investigate Russia in which he claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin had implemented 'cyber warfare to attack democracies around the world,' particularly his 'sworn enemy, the United States.' The latest: Morgan Freeman's placement on a list of Americans banned from visiting Russia prompted a plethora of reactions on social media Monday. The actor, 84, was snapped last year during the remote Critics Choice Awards Freeman said in the clip: 'We have been attacked; we are at war.' Some users noted Freeman's past roles in response to the news item, including his portrayal of God in the 2003 film Bruce Almighty. 'Russia banned Morgan Freeman... Dont they know that man is both God and Lucius Fox.... how they think that gon end for them?' one user said. Another said, 'I'm dead. Russia banned Morgan Freeman ... they banned God from Bruce Almighty lmao. I'm f***ing dead.' One user pointed out the veteran actor's enduring popularity in response to the ban: 'I hadn't realized how messed up Putin's Russia was until I found out they didn't like Morgan Freeman. Who the f*** doesn't like Morgan Freeman?' Some users noted Freeman's past roles in response to the news item, including his portrayal of God in the film Bruce Almighty. One user pointed out the veteran actor's enduring popularity in response to the ban Some users questioned the impact of banning the Oscar-winner from the country Some users questioned the impact of banning the Oscar-winner from the country. 'Don't worry Morgan Freeman, getting banned from Russia is like getting kicked off the Titanic before departure,' one user wrote, while another said, 'As if Morgan Freeman even wanna go to Russia.' Other notable names on the list included President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, ex-White House press secretary Jen Psaki, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and members of Congress including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Ayanna Pressley. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was on the list, while ex-President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were not. Three deceased politicians - Sen. John McCain, Sen. Harry Reid and Sen. Orrin Hatch - were also on the list, according to The Washington Post. The Academy Award-winning actor was snapped at an event in LA in 2020 Prehistoric Planet Rating: Silent Witness Rating: When Sir David Attenborough first saw the tyrannosaurs and triceratops of Prehistoric Planet, he marvelled: 'It's like watching them through binoculars.' This five-part Apple TV+ series, with a new episode every day this week, superimposes animated digital dinosaurs onto real-world landscapes. The driving force behind the show is a big beast from the BBC's Natural History Unit, Mike Gunton producer of major wildlife documentaries such as Planet Earth II and Dynasties. His influence not only secured Sir David as the narrator, but persuaded LA producer Jon Favreau to bring a team of Hollywood computer graphics wizards. The results are astounding. In a vivid recreation of the world 66 million years ago, baby T. Rexes hunt turtles on the coastline of a vanished ocean. Alex Bull walks past Tyrannosaurus rex footprints that have been recreated in the sand to launch Prehistoric Planet Pterosaur hatchlings throw themselves from a cliff on their first flight, only to be snapped up by sabre-billed predators. Those familiar Attenborough tones help quell our disbelief as we see monster lizards diving to hunt on coral reefs or ammonites erupting in neon courtship displays underwater. Apple refuses to divulge the show's budget but only a tech company with the financial resources of a medium-sized nation could achieve this. It's TV in a new league. Another technical by-product is more alarming. I rarely attend gala screenings, since TV is best viewed at home, but I did go to the Prehistoric Planet launch. Escape kit of the night: Interrogated on Hunted (C4), a Brummie bloke called Anil was inventing silly lies to confuse the pursuers. His fugitive cousin Amarinder was easy to spot, he said carrying an air rifle and a mousetrap 'to catch his dinner'. Then he collapsed into giggles. Advertisement In a packed auditorium, journalists were told that every seat was miked up, so that everything we said could be heard and we wouldn't have to shout when we asked questions. We were also assured we didn't need to take notes. A full transcript would be provided later. I've been doing this too long to trust such promises. During an interval, I remarked quietly to my neighbour that writing shorthand in a dark cinema was almost impossible. Five minutes later, the master of ceremonies made an announcement. It had come to the organisers' notice that journalists might be recording the launch. This was forbidden. If any audio from the event appeared on the internet, he said, 'people will be hunted down like dogs and slain'. I don't mind the humorous threat, but the implied possibility of electronic eavesdropping on journalists at a media event is slightly chilling. The full transcript never arrived, by the way, and my shorthand was illegible. In another 66 million years, Silent Witness (BBC1) will still be going. The oldest crime show on TV celebrated its 25th series with the return of its first star, Amanda Burton as Prof Sam Ryan. She was on the scene as the health secretary (Emma Beattie) was assassinated by a sniper. Suspicion fell on terrorist anti-vaxxers, determined to prevent the introduction of a 'health passport'. Our forensic sleuths, Dr Nikki and Jack (Emilia Fox and David Caves), indulged in earnest discussions on the rights and wrongs of data protection. But they're distracted: after years of professional flirting, they plunged into bed, in a hotel room in Liverpool. That looks grim for Jack. Dr Nikki's boyfriends never survive long, and Jack is already complaining of headaches. It'll take more than a health passport to save him. But who will emerge the victor between Nikki and Prof Sam? They have already clashed in the autopsy room, over one of the goriest dissections ever staged. This could be a bloodbath in all sorts of ways. Kim Kardashian took to Instagram on Monday with a hot pink look. The reality TV star, 41, looked incredible in a thong bubblegum pink SKIMS bodysuit and matching Fendi tights, from her prior November FENDI x SKIMS capsule collection. In a second snap from the photoshoot, she showed off her famous assets from the back, as she perched one leg on top of a modern wooden chair. Pink: Kim Kardashian, 41, showed off her curves in a bubblegum pink SKIMS bodysuit and matching Fendi tights, from her prior November FENDI x SKIMS capsule collection The businesswoman finalized her outfit with a pair of furry open-toe pink heels with an intricate gold heel in the back. The raven-haired beauty wore her long black tresses plaited into a sleek braid that gently fell down her back. 'Still obsessing over the @skims @fendi collab,' the mom-of-four wrote in her caption. Famous assets: In a second snap from the photoshoot, she showed off her famous assets from the back, as she perched one leg on top of a modern wooden chair Kim was glammed to perfection, sporting dramatic black lashes, a lovely shade of pink blush, and nude lipstick on her visage. Her mom Kris Jenner, 66, was quick to comment on the stylish look, writing, 'Soooooooo FABULOUS,' along with three pink heart emojis. This was the second time in a week that she thrilled her 313M followers with an epic backside throwback shot. Earlier this week she shared a sizzling image from the beach which saw her rocking a racy thong bikini. Thrilling her fans: Earlier this week the mom-of-four shared a sizzling image from the beach which saw her rocking a racy thong bikini It's been a stressful week for the reality TV vixen, after she had to file for an emergency restraining order against a man she says threatened to kill her, her family, as well as boyfriend Pete Davidson, 28. In the filing, Kim also revealed the man threatened to bomb her business offices and has sent 'over 80 letters sent to Kim, including 30 in the last month,' as per The Blast. The publication reported that the man wrote, 'Pete Must and Will Die this weekend and you next weekend' in one of the letters. A Los Angeles judge has put a temporary restraining order against the alleged stalker. Stressful: Kim had to file for an emergency restraining order last week against an alleged stalker who threatened to kill her and boyfriend Pete Davidson; Pictured on April 2022 However, Kim was able to get her mind off the scary ordeal while celebrating her sister Kourtney's, 43, Italian wedding to rocker Travis Barker, 46, over the weekend, with the rest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan. The couple tied the knot for the third time, after getting married at a Santa Barbara, California courthouse last Sunday, and in a non-binding ceremony in Vegas prior to that. The star was spotted landing back in Los Angeles on Monday after the festivities ended, with her daughter North, eight, and sister Khloe, 37. Kim shares North with ex-husband Kanye West, 44, along with her younger daughter Chicago, four, and sons Saint, six, and Psalm, three. Tommy Lee Jones was seen working on an intense shooting scene for the movie Finestkind inside of a donut shop in Brockton, Massachusetts Monday. The 75-year-old actor sported a beard while clad in a plaid sage green shirt and denim blue jeans with a brown belt buckle. In the sequence, Jones was seen holding a bag while aiming a pistol at a person. The latest: Tommy Lee Jones, 75, was seen working on an intense shooting scene for the movie Finestkind inside of a donut shop in Brockton, Massachusetts Monday Finestkind, which is written and directed by Brian Helgeland, also stars Jenna Ortega, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Clayne Crawford, Tim Daly and Lolita Davidovich. The crime thriller's storyline centers on a pair of brothers from different backgrounds who are brought together and have to work out a deal with an organized crime syndicate, with a young woman caught in the center of the issues. The film was initially slated to star Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal and Ansel Elgort in 2018, but production delays led to casting changes. According to a report from The Standard-Times Friday, production took place last week in nearby locales such as Fairhaven and New Bedford. In the sequence, Jones was seen holding a bag while aiming a pistol at a person The crime thriller, which is written and directed by Brian Helgeland, is slated to stream on Paramount Plus later this year Producer Gary Foster told the outlet of the Academy Award-winning actor: 'He's a nice guy, he's fun,' and 'very nice to work with on this.' The San Saba, Texas-born star 'was smiling and very happy to see' a number of locals who praised him on his work, which includes films such as The Fugitive, Men in Black and Batman Forever. In recent years, the actor has been seen in films such as Ad Astra, The Comeback Trail, Wander and the forthcoming drama called The Burial. Finestkind is slated to premiere on Paramount Plus later this year. The Oscar-winning actor was seen at a Washington, D.C. screening of his movie Ad Astra in 2019 Dr. David R. Spiegel, a psychiatrist and expert witness who testified in the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, is now trending in Twitter as netizens claim that he looks and sounds eerily similar to Christopher Lloyd's "Back to the Future" character Doc Brown. Fingers crossed that that Doc Brown is going to make it so Johnny can go back in time & never marry Amber Turd. #JusticeForJohnny #AmberIsALiar #IStandWithJohnyDepp pic.twitter.com/jSSWQxx3ER Susie (@lowry_susie) May 23, 2022 However, Twitter is not the only social media platform that Dr. Spiegel trends as videos of him went viral on TikTok. In fact, #drspiegel hashtag gained 18.2 million views at the time of writing. It's worth noting that the latest trial just happened on Monday. TikTokers Had a Good Laugh Due to Dr. Spiegel's Videos In a video by @mculokii, which gained 1.4 million likes and 9.4 million views, the content creator posted sarcastic captions while Dr. Spiegel was testifying and held that "this is by far the worse witness." In the comments section, the majority of the netizens claimed that they were "entertained" by the expert witness' animated actions. Meanwhile, @theconfessional369 posted a video where the doctor was seen riding a car while talking non-stop. Most of the netizens mocked Dr. Spiegel, with some remarking on his unattractive hairdo. This video was viewed more than 385,000 times and garnered 28,200 likes. Netizens Flooded the Psychiatrist's Page With Negative Reviews Netizens did not only express their displeasure with Dr. Spiegel on Twitter and TikTok. In fact, the psychiatrist's page on the medical website WebMD reviews were bombarded by negative and low rating reviews. Insider reported (via BBC) that as one of Heard's witnesses, Dr. Spiegel testified that Depp "has behaviors that are consistent with someone that both has substance-use disorder as well as behaviors of someone who is a perpetrator of intimate-partner violence." Citing the NBC report, Dr. Spiegel's capability to reach his conclusions without having direct contact with Depp was questioned by Depp's lawyers. Dr. Spiegel claimed he tried twice to talk with Depp but was turned down. Read More: Johnny Depp's Lawyer, Camille Vasquez, Trends as She Cross-Examines Amber Heard in Defamation Trial What Do the Reviews Say About Dr. Spiegel? Most of the reviews found on the psychiatrist's WebMD page implied disapproval and criticism of his testimony during Depp's trial. "Regardless of the turd and Depp trial. This man is a total fruit cake and genuinely scares me children could be under his care. Absolutely loves himself. Fortunately the only people he'll be treating are as idiotic as him," one of the one-star reviews said. Another one-star review claimed that Dr. Spiegel was "Rude, Biased, Unprofessional. Was not able to look at all the facts in a case without making a judgmental bias (paid) opinion. Based opinions on hearsay not facts without interviewing subject at hand. Gave generalized fact less opinions. Does not follow orders." Despite this, the psychiatrist appears to have a few supporters. Among the many harsh reviews on WebMD, a few people tried to defend him. "So many reviews here spreading false claims about his testimony on May 23rd 2022. The fact that Johnny Depp needs and encourages this kind of fan support and hired aggressive bullies to represent him, says it all about Johnny Depp. Dr. Spiegel was brilliant and had the most amazing sense of humor. Kudos for Amber Heard's team staying classy!," a five-star review said. Now, what do you think about the peculiar incident? Related Article: A TikTok Trend Ridiculing Amber Heard Goes Viral A new trailer for the highly anticipated Australian-made Foxtel Original series The Twelve has just been released. Sam Neill, who plays a lawyer, leads an impressive ensemble in the 10-part courtroom drama, which will stream on Foxtel from Tuesday, June 21. The Jurassic World: Dominion star, 74, will share the screen with Brendan Cowell (Game of Thrones), Pallavi Sharda (Lion), Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth) and Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God). Looking for justice: A new trailer for the highly anticipated Australian-made Foxtel Original series The Twelve has just been released. Sam Neill, who plays a lawyer, leads an impressive ensemble in the 10-part courtroom drama, which will stream on Foxtel from Tuesday, June 21 They are joined by Brooke Satchwell (Neighbours) Nic Cassim (Mr Inbetween), Daniel Mitchell (The Moody), Gennie Nevinson (Muriel's Wedding), Toby Blome (Privileged), Warren Lee (Eight) and Susan Kennedy (All Saints). Based on the 2019 Belgian series De Twaalf, The Twelve tells the story of 12 jurors who, while dealing with their own personal struggles, must decide the case of a woman accused of killing a child. The two-minute trailer includes disturbing scenes of a bushland search for the body of a murdered 14-year-old girl. Sitting in judgement: Based on the 2019 Belgian series De Twaalf, The Twelve tells the story of 12 jurors who, while dealing with their own personal struggles, must decide the case of a woman accused of killing a child It is then revealed the victim was strangled with her own school tie. In a controversial twist, one scene shows a juror being offered a bribe to secure an acquittal. Other scenes show how the gruelling trial impacts the jurors' personal lives and makes them confront their own prejudices. Intense: Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth) is seen in the trailer for The Twelve Confronting: Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God) plays the accused in The Twelve Brendan Cowell, playing one of the jurors, tells a colleague on the case: 'You may not be able to be objective about this considering your personal history.' When The Twelve went into production last year, Brian Walsh, Foxtel's Executive Director of Television, said in a statement: 'The jurors, twelve ordinary people who behind the facade of their anonymity, bring with them their own histories. Confronting: Other scenes show how the gruelling trial impacts the jurors' personal lives and makes them confront their own prejudices 'Lives that are as complex as the trial, full of fractured dreams, shameful secrets, hope, fears, personal trauma and prejudice.' The Twelve is produced by Ian Collie, Ally Henville and Rob Gibson. The directors on the series are Daniel Nettheim (The Tourist) and Sian Davies (Bump). Adam Sandler returned to NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he graduated from 34 years ago, to deliver a speech for the school's commencement ceremony. The 55-year-old actor balanced his speech with heart and humor, saying, 'We just want to give our fellow humans an escape from this increasingly psychotic world we live in. 'The biggest reason we Tischies chose the arts is because we literally can't do anything else: What was I gonna do, become an investment banker? I can't even find my wallet three times a week.' The latest: Adam Sandler, 55, returned to NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where he graduated from 34 years ago, to deliver a speech for the school's commencement ceremony The Uncut Gems actor joked about the nature of the performing arts during his speech, telling attending parents they 'really messed up' and 'might be supporting these kids for a very long time.' He added, 'They are not leaving the nest anytime soon. This is a tough business they chose, but there's still time to talk them out of it.' The Brooklyn, New York native added that he tries to talk his daughters Sadie, 16, and Sunny, 13, 'out of showbiz and they know f***ing Adam Sandler.' The Saturday Night Live alum joked that he had 'two pieces of advice' for parents in attendance at the ceremony. The actor balanced his speech with heart and humor, saying, 'We just want to give our fellow humans an escape from this increasingly psychotic world we live in' The Uncut Gems actor joked about the nature of the performing arts during his speech, telling attending parents they 'really messed up' and 'might be supporting these kids for a very long time' Sandler told parents attending, 'They are not leaving the nest anytime soon. This is a tough business they chose, but there's still time to talk them out of it' 'Number one, somehow slip your kid's headshot to Mr. Martin Scorsese before this event ends; he'll love it, I promise,' Sandler said. 'He's probably gonna take the back exit out of here, so make sure you get there before he does. 'And do not take no for an answer - that's how Leo's mom did it,' he said, referring to Leonardo DiCaprio. Sandler mused about the nature of the business, saying of the graduates: 'Some will get to their goals quickly, some might take a bit to get there, some will change goals and say, "F*** it, Im gonna be an agent."' Sandler told the crowd, 'The biggest reason we Tischies chose the arts is because we literally can't do anything else: What was I gonna do, become an investment banker?' The crowd applauded at the famed actor's commencement speech Sandler had graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 1988 The actor also joked about the thoughts the graduates must be having amid the tumultuous time. 'Is school really over? What the hell do I do with my life now? Ive never been this hungover before,' he said. 'If I throw up in my cap, will anybody notice? I hope my parents dont expect me to pay for lunch after this. I cant believe my father is still looking for a parking spot.' Other notable alums of the school include Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Idina Menzel, Alec Baldwin and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Abbie Chatfield has never hidden her disdain for former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. And the former Bachelor star, 26, didn't hold back in the most recent episode of her It's A Lot podcast either, blasting the defeated politician with a profanity-laden tirade. 'Holy f**king s**t we did it, ScoMo's out,' began the influencer. 'F**king see you c**t, f**king bye!' Unleashed: Abbie Chatfield, 26, (pictured) hasn't hidden her dislike for Scott Morrison, blasting the former Prime Minister in a profanity-laden rant She then vowed 'never to speak about him ever again,' before playing a series of clips in which she'd previously roasted the ex-PM. Chatfield also referred to an infamous photo in which she flipped the bird at a photo of Morrison while out drinking with friends. She revealed someone at the time had called her out for being 'disrespectful,' but Abbie brushed off the comment, saying 'Yeah babe, that's the point. That was the goal, [to] disrespect that f**king c**t.' The reality star was out drinking with friends as the election results were revealed on Saturday night. So long: Morrison (pictured) conceded the election over the weekend and has since been succeeded as Prime Minister by Labor leader Anthony Albanese While watching a video of Morrison's concession speech over the weekend, Abbie stuck her middle finger up at the screen while taunting the politician with her friends. Sharing a photo of the outrageous moment to Instagram at the time, Chatfield wrote: 'Bye babe!!!' 'Hope you know everyone in this club was happy when I told them you lost,' she added. Reason to smile! Abbie celebrated Labor's win in the Australian election on Saturday She also reposted a video shared by a friend which was captioned: 'Bye Scumo' - a derogatory take on Morrison's nickname, Scomo. Anthony Albanese became Australia's 31st Prime Minister after defeating the Liberal Party. 'Tonight the Australian people have voted for change. I am humbled by this victory and I'm honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia,' Albanese said over the weekend. Advertisement Tom Cruise left James Corden absolutely terrified after convincing the late night talk show host to be his wingman as he flew them over the desert in two fighter jets. After accepting the 59-year-old action star's invitation to meet him at the Hollywood Burbank Airport at 5am, the English actor, 43, boarded a small aircraft with his friend headed to a remote desert. Upon their arrival, Tom reminded James of their last adventure in 2018, which saw the The Late Late Show host jump 15,000ft out of a plane with the Mission Impossible actor. Seeking the heights: Tom Cruise left James Corden absolutely terrified after convincing the talk show host to be his wingman on an adventure of a lifetime In the clip, which aired on The Late Late Show, Tom went on to reveal his plans to pilot James in a vintage fighter plane in true Top Gun style, leaving James at a loss for words. While looking slightly uneasy, the Cats star asked 'who' would be flying them, to which Tom, who got his pilot's license in 1994, replied: 'Ill fly you in it.' 'But you're not a pilot, you're an actor,' James cheekily reminded Tom. The Top Gun: Maverick star was quick to retort that he also flies planes, which did little to comfort James. Facing fears: After accepting the 59-year-old action star's invitation to meet him at the Hollywood Burbank Airport at 5 a.m., the actor, 43, immediately boarded a small aircraft with his friend headed to a remote desert Wingman: Upon their arrival, the father-of-three was informed that their next activity would be even scarier than their last adventure, which entailed jumping out of a plane Cruise control: Tom and James had their names printed on the side of the plane 'You also played a lawyer in a Few Good Men, but I wouldn't want you to represent me in court,' James quipped. James continued to list his concerns about flying on a '75-year-old plane' with someone who isn't a professional pilot, before hilariously running away from Tom. Finally, James reluctantly agreed to the flight, before admitting that even boarding the plane was 'terrifying' as he climbed up the wing and into the cockpit. As James sat in the cockpit, Tom walked him through the safety measures, including how they would have to use a parachute to land safety if they somehow lost the engine due to a fire or other unlikely scenario. Scary: Tom went on to reveal his plans to pilot James in a vintage fighter plane for the afternoon, which left the Emmy winner nearly at a loss for words Funny: While looking slightly uneasy, the Cats star questioned 'who' would be flying them, to which Tom, who got his pilot's license in 1994, replied: 'Ill fly you in it' 'Are you joking,' a terrified James asked, before quizzing Tom on how many engines the plane had, to which the actor replied 'one'. 'So when you say lose an engine, you mean lose the engine?' James asked. James, who is set to step down as host of the Late Late show next season, could be heard swearing as the pair finally began their journey, heading down the runway and taking flight in the vintage craft. During the flight, Tom flew them over the desert landscape and turned the plane on its side as James jokingly held up a sign reading 'help me'. 'But you're not a pilot, you're an actor,' James cheekily reminded Tom Making a run for it: The Top Gun: Maverick star retorted he also flies planes, which still did not comfort the The Late Late Show host Oh no: Corden continued to list his concerns about flying on a '70-year-old plane' with someone who isn't a professional pilot, before running away from Tom Another plane then flew up along side them and Tom joked that they had a 'dogfight' on their hands in scenes reminiscent of Top Gun: Maverick. The second aircraft began chasing the pair's jet and Tom began evasive maneuvers which left a terrified James swearing and screaming. Tom decided to give his friend yet another fright as he glided over the top of a mountain, flying close to the peak despite James's objections that he was a 'mad man'. After the bumpy ride, James looked queasy as he made it back to solid ground and was seen doubling over while Tom patted him on the back. The Gavin and Stacey star told Tom he couldn't believe this was his 'idea of a fun day out'. Fearless: Finally, James reluctantly agreed, before admitting that even boarding the plane is 'terrifying' Up in the air: Tom tries to walk him passenger through some of their safety measures, including how they would have to use a parachute to land safety if they somehow lost the engine due to a fire or other unlikely scenario 'Are you joking,' James asked, before they took off in the air Struggle: James couldn't keep it together as he was flown around by the Hollywood A-lister But Tom revealed that the daredevil activities were not over yet as he told James: 'The next plane has air condition.' As they staged a Top Gun training session, Tom joked that they were going to get into some 'serious Top Gun stuff' before showing him the modern fighter jet they would be flying in the next day. While training him for their next escapade, Tom told him: 'You are my goose.' 'When you say I am your Goose, it makes me feel excited and then I realize that Goose dies at the end of the film,' James fired back. Mirroring scenes in Top Gun: Maverick, the pair went on to train, play volleyball and tell stories beside a campfire before howling at the moon together. Happy place: While James looked scared for his life, Tom was beaming Wow! The pair went upside down in the fighter plane as they jetted over the desert Grateful to be alive: Despite a bumpy ride, James grimaced through and made it back on land Making memories: They go on to train, play volleyball and sit down by a fire and tell stories before howling at the moon together While making s'mores, Tom burst out laughing as an uneasy James told him if he killed him during the next flight then he would haunt him for eternity. The next day, the pair took to the air once again as they climbed into the cockpit of a sleek fighter plane. During the flight, the duo sang a few bars of Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone together as James appeared to be in better spirits as he laughed while Tom performed stunts. But his jovial mood didn't last long as James appeared terrified as Tom once again flew them close to the mountainside, with Cordon joking that he could 'touch the trees'. 'This is the stupidest thing I've ever done,' he added. Nervous: As they made s'mores, Tom burst out into laughter before James told him if he killed him tomorrow he'd haunt him for eternity Sporty side: The talk show host spun a volleyball on his finger at one point Second flight: After taking to the skies in a fighter jet for a second time, Tom told his pal: 'You can be my wingman, anytime' Daredevil Tom continued to scare James as he continued to fly terrifyingly close to the mountaintop with James saying that the flight was 'crazy'. In the grand finale, Tom nosedived towards the ground as he said he thought he 'saw something in the terrain' before soaring at speed back into the skies and flying upside down. 'You absolute b*****d!', James said. After their intense flight together, Tom told his pal: 'You can be my wingman, anytime.' 'You know what? I think I'm good,' James concluded with a laugh. The skit marked the release of Top: Gun Maverick, which has been unanimously praised in early reviews with one even declaring that it 'improves upon the original in every conceivable way'. Tom, who is famous for doing his own stunts, is said to have trained to withstand G-force power and actually flew in real fighter jets for the sequel. Peter Hoskin for the Daily Mail gave the sequel to Tony Scott's classic 1986 blockbuster Top Gun five stars, writing: 'Whenever the film threatens to become too cosy, it shocks itself and us back into the present with another madly ambitious action sequence.' Tom - who plays Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell - underwent a full Aviation Survival Training Curriculum before going up in the US Navy F-18, as did his co-stars. They worked up to the supersonic jets by going up in a succession of slower planes first over many months. Much has been made of Tom's insistence on real flying scenes, with no CGI work. He has said in numerous interviews that he refused to even talk about a Top Gun sequel unless they flew in real planes. Impressive: The sequel to Tony Scott's classic 1986 blockbuster Top Gun has been unanimously praised in early reviews (Tom Cruise pictured in character as Maverick) Tom said: 'For years, people had said, 'Can't you shoot [the movie] with CGI?' And I always said, 'No. That's not the experience.' I said, 'I need to find the right story. And we're going to need the right team. This movie is like trying to hit a bullet with a bullet. I'm not playing.' And Miles Tiller - who plays the son of Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw in - previously told how Tom put all of the cast through intense training to help them prepare for the project. 'We were all mini Toms making this movie. He put us through... I'll just call it a "Tom Cruise boot camp". We were getting in killer shape,' he told Total Film magazine. He explained there was a lot of detail going into the performance, adding: 'For the stunts and stuff that Tom does in movies, it's usually a very specific type of training.' 'You're not just going into the gym and lifting some weights. We did flight training for three months before we started filming... We got put through the wringer.' Preparing: And Miles Tiller - who plays the son of Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw in - previously told how Tom put all of the cast through intense training to help them prepare for the project Elsewhere, it was revealed that James will step down as the host of The Late Late Show at the end of next season amid plans to spend more time back home in the UK. The Brit, made the decision to quit at the end of season eight despite the best efforts of CBS executives who exclusively told DailyMail.com that they 'desperately tried to keep him for longer'. The star and his wife of 10 years Jules are mulling over a return to the UK with their three children Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four, but they are still trying to 'figure out' what's next for the family. An insider tells DailyMail.com that spending more time in the UK when the show ends is 'definitely on the horizon'. 'They sold their house in London so would have to look for a new base in the capital.' He's out! Elsewhere, it was revealed that James Corden will step down as the host of The Late Late Show at the end of next season The Late Late Show, which films out of Los Angeles, first premiered in 1995 with host Tom Snyder. Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson followed as host until James Corden came along in 2015. James promised to 'go out with a bang' as he informed audiences of his decision to step down. Revealing the news during the latest episode of the US talk show he said the show had 'changed my life' and promised there would be 'lots of tears' when his tenure came to an end. 'Seven and half years ago I started hosting this show and there's no other way to put it, it has changed my life,' he said. 'I never saw as it as my final destination, and I never want this show to overstay its welcome, I love making it and I really think in a year from now that will be a good time to move on and see what's out there.' The next move: Jules are mulling over a return to the UK with three children Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four, but they are still trying to 'figure out' what they will do He added: 'We are all determined to make this the best year we have ever had...we are going to go out with a bang. 'The fact that you watch this...all over the world...is an absolute privilege for me and every single person who makes this show.' 'We [CBS] desperately tried to keep him for longer but James only wanted to do one final year that will keep him on the show until next year,' a senior CBS source revealed. 'He's been such a hit for us for so many years, we will miss him very much.' 'It's very rare to find a talent who can redefine a long running format. His skits went viral globally, smashing records and creating the most watched online clips in the history of late night TV,' they continued. 'The biggest stars in the world have appeared on his show - which even took him to the White House!' Jeremy Irons was seen leaving the theatre by motorbike with his wife Sinead Cusack after watching Jodie Comer's one woman play Prima Facie. The couple, who have been married since 1978, put on a cool display as they sped off from London's Harold Pinter Theatre on the bike. They both donned helmets for the journey as Jeremy, 73, grasped the handle bars of the dark blue motor while his wife, 74, sat on the pillion. Speedy:Jeremy Irons was seen leaving the theatre by motorbike with his wife Sinead Cusack after watching Jodie Comer's one woman play Prima Facie The House Of Gucci actor, who shares sons Samuel, 43, and Max, 36, with Sinead, looked smart in an alabaster blazer which he layered over a salmon sweater and grey waistcoat. Opting for matching trousers and black boots Jeremy completed the look with a scarlet printed neck scarf. His silver locks slicked back the actor walked hand in hand with his wife as they exited the busy theatre. The heart-wrenching play sees the Killing Eve star play a London criminal barrister who unravels after she's raped by a work-colleague. Loved up: The House Of Gucci actor, who shares sons Samuel, 43, and Max, 36, with Sinead, looked smart in an alabaster blazer which he layered over a salmon sweater and grey waistcoat Star turn: The heart-wrenching play sees the Killing Eve's Jodie Comer (pictured in character) play a London criminal barrister who unravels after she's raped by a work-colleague Fellow actress Sinead chose a powder blue blazer for the evening complete with a sweet floral cuff. The distinguished beauty combined the jacket with a striking pair of printed linen trousers and a simple white blouse. Slipping her feet into well worn moccasins the star wrapped a stylish blue scarf loosely around her neck. Stylish: Fellow actress Sinead donned a powder blue blazer for the evening complete with a sweet floral cuff Off we go: Slipping her feet into a pair of moccasins the star wrapped a stylish blue scarf loosely around her neck Letting her blonde tresses fall in a relaxed style the Marcella actress showed off her youthful and make-up free complexion. The couple jumped on his blue BMW motorbike, a make of bike he has developed an affinity for over the years. He opted for a smart BMW R 1200 GS Adventure Triple Black motorbike while filming historical drama series The Borgia in rural Hungary in 2011, often using the powerful bike to go on treks around capital city Budapest during his days off. Speaking to People in 2013, he opened up about his passion for motorbikes which began when he was in his 30's. 'I ride horses, and the motorbike gives you similar freedom,' he said. 'You're very in touch with all your senses, and it's quite dangerous. So you have to concentrate.' The actor's enthusiasm for two wheels has been shared by the likes of fellow actors Laurence Fishburne, Lauren Hutton and the late Dennis Hopper with whom he joined forces to develop the Guggenheim Motorcycle Club in 1999. Gorgeous: Letting her blonde tresses fall in a relaxed style the Marcella actress showed off her youthful and make-up free complexion However, one person who didn't share his passion is his wife Sinead. 'She was wearing a mini skirt and high heels, and we had to travel about 45 miles to get home,' he said of the first time she saw him on a motorbike. However judging by these latest snaps Sinead appears to have gotten used to her husband's preferred method of travel. Their outing comes after Bafta winner Jodie was allegedly embroiled in yet another security scare as the same 'odd' fan who targeted her previously waited outside the London Theatre where she is performing. It comes just weeks after the 29-year-old was whisked out of a separate door when a man exhibiting 'worrying' behaviour in a suit with flowers attempted to meet the star at her usual exit. Shock: This comes after Bafta winner Jodie was allegedly embroiled in yet another security scare as the same 'odd' fan who targeted her previously waited outside the London Theatre where she is performing Having thought to have returned to the spot on Saturday evening- however onlookers soon recognised and pointed him out to the venue's security staff. A source told The Sun: 'He seemed to be trying to act casually but kept moving around. First he was across the road, then he moved to one side, and then another.' They added that it appeared as though he was trying to avoid being noticed. However, her 'die hard' fans alerted security who 'identified him as the same man who had raised concerns before', it has been claimed. The onlooker continued: 'That night, Jodie came out and got straight into her car. But some of her die-hard fans recognised him and pointed him out to security. 'The staff registered their warning and told them that Jodie isn't stopping to greet fans outside the stage door at the moment. They insisted that her safety is paramount.' Mobbed: However, her 'die hard' fans alerted security who 'identified him as the same man who had raised concerns before', it has been claimed (Jodie pictured leaving the theatre earlier this month) Representatives for Jodie and the Harold Pinter Theatre have been contacted for comment by MailOnline. Theatregoers appeared to have taken a step back after Jodie has been mobbed by huge crowds outside the venue since her West End debut last month. It comes after Jodie reportedly found herself at the centre of a security scare after a fan allegedly tried to get under a shutter to the stage door at the theatre of her play. Maisie Williams cut an edgy figure as she joined her co-stars at the afterparty for the UK premiere of the new Sex Pistols drama, Pistols, on Monday night. The actress, who plays model and actress Pamela Rooke, also known as Jordan, in the series, channeled pink glamour in a sequinned black mini dress. Maisie, 25, dazzled in the unique dress, which was made up of strips of sequins and featured fringe detailing and cut-out sleeves made of oversized disc beads. Punk: Maisie Williams cut an edgy figure as she joined her co-stars at the afterparty for the UK premiere of the new Sex Pistols drama, Pistols, on Monday night She completed her attention-grabbing ensemble with a pair of pointed black heels as she was escorted into London's Dingwalls by a security guard. Maisie accentuated her striking features with a dramatic slick of eyeliner and a smokey-eye make-up palette, while she sported bleached blonde eyebrows, which she dyed to play Jordan. She styled her platinum tresses in a slicked-back up-do and accessorised her glitzy look with dangling silver earrings. The New Mutants actress appeared to be in good spirits as she flashed a huge smile and stopped to take selfies with eager fans. Glam: The actress, who plays model and actress Pamela Rooke, also known as Jordan, in the series, channeled pink glamour in a sequinned black mini dress Star: Maisie features on the show as the late Jordan, aka Pamela Rooke, who became an early flagbearer of the punk aesthetic (pictured left, Mooney in 1976, and right, Williams in Pistol) She was joined at the star-studded event by Iris Law, who plays Soo Catwoman, with the model putting on a unique display in a sheer dress. The 21-year-old headed to the afterparty in the same Prada dress she wore at the premiere, giving a glimpse at her underwear through the sheer gold and black dress with yellow flora detail. The model wore a white vest top underneath the skimpy ensemble and swept a cream blazer across her shoulders. She wore a pair of black platform heels to add a few inches to her stature and wore lashings of make-up. All smiles: The New Mutants actress appeared to be in good spirits as she flashed a huge smile and stopped to take selfies with eager fans Bombshell: Maisie accentuated her features with a dramatic slick of eyeliner and a smokey-eye make-up palette, while she sported bleached blonde eyebrows, which she dyed to play Jordan Her hair was styled into an edgy bleached blonde do with dyed black tips on the fringe and black extensions. Also stepping out on the town was Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who had earlier in the evening looked loved-up at the premiere with Talulah Riley. But the actor, who plays music manager Malcolm McLaren in the drama, appeared to step out solo as he headed to the afterparty. Thomas, 32, looked dapper in a striped suit and black top and styled his blonde locks in natural curls for the occasion. Edgy: She was joined at the star-studded event by Iris Law, who plays Soo Catwoman, with the model putting on a unique display in a sheer dress Exciting: Iris is following in her father Jude's acting footsteps by making her screen debut as Soo Catwoman (pictured) in the Sex Pistols drama Suave: Also stepping out on the town was Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who had earlier in the evening looked loved-up at the premiere with Talulah Riley The man behind the band: Thomas Brodie-Sangster (L) is set to take on the role of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren (pictured right in 1978) He is dating co-star Talulah, who plays fashion designer Vivienne Westwood in the drama and is the ex-wife of Tesla billionaire Elon Musk. Meanwhile, Louis Partridge - who stars as legendary bassist Sid Vicious - cut a smart figure in black trousers and a red leather jacket, which he wore over a black and white Hawaiian shirt. The cast were joined at the afterparty by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, who is being played by Toby Wallace in the show. The rocker cut a smart figure in black trousers and a dark shirt as he stepped out at the afterparty after attending the premiere with Paul Cook. Good look: Louis Partridge - who stars as legendary bassist Sid Vicious - cut a smart figure in black trousers and a red leather jacket, which he wore over a black and white Hawaiian shirt Uncanny: Louis Partridge, left in character, and bassist Sid Vicious, pictured right in 1978 Star: The cast were joined at the afterparty by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, who is being played by Toby Wallace in the show Also seen at the event was The Stone Roses singer Ian Brown, who cut a trendy figure in black trousers and a navy bomber jacket embellished with birds and tiger stitching. Earlier in the evening, Maisie cut a glamorous figure as donned another sensational gown at the UK premiere of the six-episode limited series Pistol. She wore a floor-length black dress adorned with shimmering bead detail and shaped hips to accentuate her hourglass figure. Maisie was joined by her co-stars, including Thomas and Iris, and the Sex Pistols' stars Paul Cook and Steve Jones at the premiere for Pistol. The new miniseries - helmed by Boyle, who's an Oscar-winning director - is based on band member Steve Jones' memoirs and follows the group's rise to fame. Rocker: Also seen at the event was The Stone Roses lead singer Ian Brown, who looked strikingly different with his grey locks swept into a bun Unique: Ian, 59, cut a trendy figure in black trousers and a navy bomber jacket embellished with birds and tiger stitching Maisie features on the show as the late Jordan, aka Pamela Rooke, who became an early flagbearer of the punk aesthetic while modeling for Vivienne Westwood. She took her stage name from the character Jordan Baker in F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and was said by Adam Ant to have invented punk. Jordan, who was affectionately known as the 'Queen Of Punk,' died early last month at the age of 66 after suffering from bile duct cancer. While appearing on Good Morning America this week, Maisie revealed that the 'physical transformation' she underwent was helpful in getting into character. Looking good: Earlier in the evening, Maisie cut a glamorous figure as donned another sensational gown at the UK premiere of the six-episode limited series Pistol Out on the town: Maisie left plenty of skin on show, leaving her naked arms and shoulders exposed to the air, posing up a storm at the bash She confessed that getting into hair and makeup took 'a lot of time' as 'I had multiple wigs and different makeup looks, but for me, I'd never really played a character where I'd had such a physical transformation.' Maisie added: 'You know, I bleached my eyebrows, bleached my hair. So it was, yeah, it really felt like something to center myself everyday and find who Jordan was.' She dished: 'And I really appreciated that. I'd never been able to rely on that sort of physical transformation before.' Jordan was a consultant on the series, and after her death Maisie told Net-A-Porter that 'I replay our time together with great admiration.' Real deal: Jordan's distinctive look made her a symbol of the punk scene as The Sex Pistols rose to prominence in the mid-70s. Pictured: Maisie starring as Jordan She added: 'I feel grateful to have spent time with her, and the impact her image has had on the liberation of women's bodies will be felt by us all for the rest of time.' Maisie had previously told the outlet that Jordan 'was the most important resource for all of us; she saw it all and was there from the very beginning, before the Pistols were the Pistols it's very important to create something that she loves.' The Danny Boyle directed Pistols is based on the legendary punk band - consisting of John Lydon - known by his stage name Johnny Rotten - Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Sid Vicious - and their rise to fame in the 1970s. Johnny Rotten has spoken out against the series, while his former bandmates Paul Cook and Steve Jones attended the screening without him on Monday night. Speaking out: Meanwhile, John Lydon (pictured in September), known as Johnny Rotten, has hit out at the trailer for Danny Boyle's new FX series Pistol, saying it is 'rewriting history' Johnny, who has been critical of his ex pals for making the series without him, recently slammed the project over its sleazy content. The miniseries is based on the band's former guitarist Steve's memoir and goes into detail about his sex addiction. On steamy moments in the project, an indignant John told The Mirror: 'It's upsetting as a lot of it has sexual connotations which are dubious at best. 'They have gone for the wrong end of things just to be sensational. I think there is much more quality to the Pistols than that.' While John has said he's not yet seen the show but plans to watch it so he can 'fact-check' the band's history, it is said to touch on Steve's vast hunger for sex, his steamy relationship with Nancy Spungen, his Pistols bandmate Sid Vicious' girlfriend, and Steve's childhood sexual abuse. John has claimed he was 'completely ostracised' from the biopic, insisting: 'Cutting me out is a shockingly stupid move.' Pals: Steve Jones, 66, and Paul Cook, 65, of the Sex Pistols put on a united front at the UK premiere of their biopic Pistol on Monday without their former bandmate Johnny Rotten He has previously said his bandmates' career success was down to him. In an interview with The Sun , John said: 'They can all f*** off. I supported them for years and years and years, knowing they were dead wood.' John went on to explain that he will watch it when it airs, to see what his former bandmates have said behind his back for the past three years while creating the show. He continued: 'I don't really want to watch it but I will need to fact-check it. I have not seen one single second of it. Not any script, I've been completely ostracised.' John has been kept in the dark during the process and strongly feels that the documentary will not be a true representation of him. He said: 'To be misrepresented in such a rude manner is unacceptable. If there was any truth in it, they wouldn't have kept it from me.' The songwriter feels the other Sex Pistol bandmates wouldn't have a career if it wasn't for him as 'they did nothing before, they've done nothing since'. John recently slammed the trailer for Danny Boyle's series, saying it is 'rewriting history'. The musician released a statement on his website where he said his 'likeness' was being used to sell the series, despite having no involvement with it. He also criticised Disney, which owns FX, for creating a 'fairytale' that bares little resemblance to the band's real experiences. The statement reads: 'We were originally led to believe 'Pistol' was a Steve Jones story, not a Sex Pistols story. Going by the trailer it doesn't seem to be the case. Criticism: Johnny (pictured), who has been critical of his ex pals for making the series without him, recently slammed the project over its sleazy content 'John's 'likeness' is clearly being used to sell this series, a series he was not involved in, and was put together behind his back. Putting words in John's mouth and rewriting history. A middle class fantasy. 'Disney have stolen the past and created a fairytale, which bears little resemblance to the truth. It would be funny if it wasn't tragic.' The Sex Pistols are re-issuing their once-banned 1977 No2 hit God Save The Queen to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Some 4,000 copies of the punk anthem will be re-released through Virgin, and 1977 copies of the rare A&M version will also be available. His leading role in BBC's Poldark saw him obtain not only an NTA award, but an army of fans. And now, Aidan Turner, who played the title role of Ross Poldark from 2015 to 2019, is charging his admirers 150 for an autograph and a selfie. The dashing Irish actor, 38, will appear at the London Film and Comic Con event in July, which presents an opportunity for viewers to meet their idols. Meet and greet: Poldark's leading man Aidan Turner is charging fans 150 for an autograph and selfie at an upcoming London Film and Comic Con event (pictured on the BBC show in 2019) Fans must pay 24 entry to the event and 150 on top if they want the 'Aidan Turner Saturday Diamond Pass'. Extra signatures are 55. Aidan is married to American actress Caitlin Fitzgerald. The notoriously private pair married in a secret Italian wedding in August 2020, but the ceremony didn't come to light until March 2021. Heartthrob: The dashing Irish actor, 38, will appear at the London Film and Comic Con event in July, which presents an opportunity for viewers to meet their idols (pictured March 2015) Price: Fans must pay 24 entry to the event and 150 on top if they want the 'Aidan Turner Saturday Diamond Pass'. Extra signatures are 55 (pictured with Eleanor Tomlinson in August 2019) Sources claimed they decided to wed because they 'didn't want to wait' during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actor's parents were the only family members in attendance. Pictures taken on August 8 showed the newlyweds days after tying the knot as they wore their wedding rings while enjoying a romantic alfresco dinner date at Pierluigi's restaurant in Rome. Aidan's parents did not join the couple for their dinner date, despite flying out from their home in Dublin to watch the couple exchange their vows. Happy: Aidan is married to American actress Caitlin Fitzgerald. The notoriously private pair married in a secret Italian wedding in August 2020, but the ceremony didn't come to light until March 2021 (pictured February 2019) An insider revealed that although the couple wanted an intimate ceremony, Aidan insisted on his beloved mother Eileen and father Pearse being present. 'Aidan wouldn't have got married without them,' they said. 'The rest of the family heard about the wedding afterwards. Of course, everyone is delighted for him.' The couple had flown to Ireland prior to the pandemic so that Caitlin could meet his relatives, and it seems she made quite the impression on his family. 'She's lovely and they're very happy,' the source said. 'And of course, she had Irish roots, so that helps as well. 'They're no different to any young couple in love. They didn't want to wait until after Covid to get married, so they just went ahead. Good luck to them.' Calvin Harris is engaged to Vick Hope after proposing to the Radio 1 DJ at his farm in Ibiza. Friends close to the couple, who made their first public appearance at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, say they have been an item for five months and are 'smitten' following a whirlwind romance. Vick, who was beaming as she and the Scottish DJ, 38, walked around the London show together, has been wearing her diamond engagement ring for weeks after Calvin popped the question underneath a tree at his Ibiza farm, Terra Masia. Whirlwind romance: Calvin Harris is engaged to Vick Hope after proposing to the Radio 1 DJ at his farm in Ibiza. The new couple made their first public appearance at Chelsea Flower Show on Monday (above) Secret trip: Former Strictly star Vick flew out to see Calvin's 138-acre farm in Ibiza last month (pictured in January) A source told MailOnline: 'Calvin and Vick's relationship has moved quickly but they're smitten with each other. 'They could not be happier and are already planning their wedding, which is set to take place in Ibiza, where they grew close during Vick's secret visits to the White Isle. 'After keeping their relationship private, they decided to go public at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, they want everyone to now know their happy news.' In April, Vick shared a photo of a tree at Calvin's 138-acre farm, Terra Masia. Calvin had previously posted the same tree, where he later proposed to Vick, on his own Instagram account. Vick also teased an image of the couple on the beach in Ibiza by posting a picture of her feet alongside a man's foot believed to be Calvin's. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Vick and Calvin, who both declined to comment. Persistence: Scottish DJ Calvin has been pursuing Vick for over a decade, having first asked her out when she was 19 (pictured in May) A source added to The Sun: 'Vick has been telling people they are going to get married in Ibiza. It's a really special place for them both now and where they want to spend their lives together. 'Vick's mum is helping her to plan the wedding and they're already putting together mood boards and plans. 'It was a shock for some people because it happened so quickly but it is obvious how happy they make each other.' Calvin has liked every one of Vick's Instagram pictures since January, when he showed his admiration for her bikini photos taken in Mexico. Vick's romance with Calvin hasn't gone unnoticed by her Radio 1 co-star Jordan North, 32, who regularly teases her about their closeness live on their show. Secret visits: In April, Vick shared a photo of the same tree Calvin had previously posted on his own Instagram account, located on his farm Home sweet home: Calvin posted an image on Instagram of him hugging the same tree in August 2021, where he later proposed to fiancee Vick Calvin first pursued former Strictly star Vick, who appeared on the BBC series in 2018, ten years ago. She revealed during her days co-hosting the Capital FM Breakfast Show in 2018 that Calvin had asked her out when she was 19 but she turned him down because she was unimpressed with his looks. However, since his A-list makeover, which even led to an Emporio Armani underwear shoot, she admitted to regretting the decision, comparing his new look to an 'Adonis.' Breakfast host, Roman Kemp, 29, revealed: 'Calvin Harris asked Vick out on a date when he did Acceptable in the 80s.' Vick replied: 'He looked how he used to look, I was shallow, I was 19, and I said no and I went off with either Scouting for Girls, or The Wombats, I don't which, I thought they were going to be bigger but no, it turns out Calvin Harris was going to turn into an Adonis.' Basking in the sun: Vick also teased an image of the couple on the beach in Ibiza by posting a picture of her feet alongside a man's foot believed to be Calvin's Calvin reportedly split from model girlfriend Aarika Wolf in March while Vick has been publicly single since breaking up from boyfriend of four years, Tom Rosenthal. The multi-millionaire DJ has previously dated pop stars Rita Ora, 31, Taylor Swift, 32, and Ellie Goulding, 35. After selling his two multi-million-pound mansions in Los Angeles two years ago, Calvin snapped up a 138-acre farm called Terra Masia in Ibiza, where he now resides. This summer, Calvin will be taking up residence at iconic Ibiza club Ushuaia, where he will be playing 14 nights from June 3 to September 2. Strictly Come Dancing bosses are ready to make the next two-step away from COVID-19 restrictions by removing the plastic barriers employed to separate its four judges. The BBC show implemented a string of new guidelines, among them restrictive social bubbles, no studio audience and protective safety panels as the coronavirus pandemic paralyzed the UK in 2020. But in a move that suggests mainstream TV is ready to move on from the health crisis, producers are set to ditch the protocol that has remained in place to varying degrees over the last two years. Back to normal: Strictly Come Dancing bosses are ready to make the next two-step away from COVID-19 restrictions by removing the plastic barriers employed to separate its four judges Show favourite Anton Du Beke - confirmed as outgoing judge Bruno Tonioli's long-term replacement last week - recently issued a plea to remove the barriers ahead of its 21st series later this year. He told The Express: 'I am hoping we can get a bit closer so we can have a bit more chat amongst ourselves.' It's understood that bosses are also aiming for a return to Blackpool Tower, a focal point during the show's November special, after a two year absence caused by the pandemic. Speaking out: Anton Du Beke recently issued a plea to remove the barriers (L-R: judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse) However key changes away from the Strictly base at Hertfordshire's Elstree Studios will remain in place, including the decision to film every group number with its team of professionals in one batch. A BBC insider explained: 'Strictly bosses are planning to pre-record some of the pro dance routines again this summer. 'They are also hoping to have the studio audience back watching the live show each week.' Thing of the past: The BBC show implemented a string of new guidelines, among them protective safety panels as the coronavirus pandemic paralyzed the UK in 2020 New judge Anton will be joined be joined by Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas on the returning show, the BBC confirmed last week. Reacting to his permanent role, Anton admitted he was 'delighted' to become a regular judge as he will replace Italian star Bruno, who has quit the show after 18 years to focus on US variant Dancing With The Stars. He added: 'Woohooo! This is brilliant news. Everyone knows how much I absolutely love the show and I'm utterly delighted to be continuing as a regular judge. And I get to make the final again now I know how Giovanni feels!' She's currently enjoying a sun-drenched work trip in Mykonos. And the heat meant only one thing for Hana Cross, as she seized the opportunity to strip down to her bikini for a day beside the pool with Eyal Booker as they hung out at the five star Destino Pacha Hotel. The model, 24, showed off her her taut abs in the floral PrettyLittleThing two-piece, as she flashed a hint of underboob in the skimpy swimwear. Stunner: Hana Cross seized the opportunity to strip down to her bikini for a day beside the pool with Eyal Booker as they hung out at the Destino Pacha Hotel Hana - who had been putting on a cosy display with Eyal during a Superdry shoot on Monday - looked sensational in the bikini, which featured pretty halter neck detailing. The duo appeared to greet each other at the pool as Hana could be seen wrapping Eyal into a hug in one friendly snap. The former girlfriend of Brooklyn Beckham drew attention to her slender waist as she added a bohemian belly chain to the look. She had her lengthy brunette thrown back with a hair clamp, as she shielded her eyes with a pair of dark sunglasses. Flaunt it: The stunning brunette put on an eye-popping display as she larked around the luxury resort in the thong bikini showing off her peachy posterior Hanna - who had been spotted putting on a cosy display with Eyal Booker during the shoot - looked sensational in the barely-there bikini, which featured pretty halterneck detailing The stunning brunette put on an eye-popping display as she larked around the luxury resort in the thong bikini showing off her peachy posterior. Meanwhile, Eyal showed looked relaxed in a pair of joggers while showing off his hunky physique in a tank top. The pair have jetted off to Mykonos to model for Superdry's summer campaign, but seemed to have found some time to relax too. Chit chat: Hana and Eyal enjoyed a deep conversation as they took a break from the shoot Sun happy: Hana showed off her slender figure as she stood with her arms folded by the pool Minder: Hana showed off her gym-honed figure as she stood outside in the sun on the Greek island and was joined by her manager Ed Page Back in March, Eyal and Hana were spotted leaving Chiltern Firehouse in London together, after what seemed to be a cosy dinner. The dinner followed on from Eyal's split from ex-girlfriend Delilah Belle Hamlin at the beginning of the year. The pair, who are both single, seemed to be comfortable in each other's company - despite Hana previously being linked with Eyal's pal Scott Disick, 38. Korean auter Park Chan-wook, center, poses with Park Hae-il, right, and Tang Wei at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, May 23. Reuters-Yonhap Korean auteur Park Chan-wook has said that his latest Cannes-competing feature "Decision to Leave" is a precocious romance that is not as intense as his previous revenge-themed works, such as "Oldboy" (2003), but is one that he really wanted to make. "Decision to Leave," which premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, Monday (local time), as one of the in-competition films of the festival, is about a police detective who falls in love with a woman suspected of murdering her husband. Starring Chinese actress Tang Wei of "Lust, Caution" (2007) and Korean actor Park Hae-il of "Memories of Murder" (2003), it is a stylish romantic love story of two married people but has no sex or violent scenes that are easily seen in Park's renowned pieces, "Oldboy," "Thirst" (2009) and "The Handmaiden" (2016). "I wanted to make a love story for grownups, but it doesn't mean that I have to depict violence and sex in a stronger way," Park told Korean reporters at Cannes. "People may think it's monotonous and less sensational than my previous ones." He said the film shows a new type of romantic relationship between a married man and woman, who candidly present their desire but maintain dignity, in a more subtle, permeating way. But the 58-year-old director stressed that "Decision to Love" is not a thriller or mystery but another romantic comedy because it has both romantic and comedic elements as his previous films do. "I'm not joking. I've really made romance films so far. Frankly, I want to call them romantic comedies," he said. "Romance and comedy are main components of those films. So it was not that special for me to make another romantic comedy." For his first feature and Cannes entry in six years after the erotic psychological thriller "The Handmaiden," he teamed up with his longtime crew members, including scriptwriter Chung Seo-kyung, production designer Ryu Seong-hie and composer Cho Young-wuk. It is also his fourth work competing for the Palme d'Or following "Oldboy," "Thirst" and "The Handmaiden," with the first two winning a prize at Cannes. For this year's top honor, Park has been regarded as one of the leading contenders. "What is precious for me is that we gather here and enjoy the movie together," he said. "I just want to think about fun stories. It may be happy to win great response, but I think that's not a big deal." This year' Cannes Film Festival began last Tuesday and will close Saturday. (Yonhap) Yasmin Finney has admitted that it feels 'surreal' to be acting alongside huge stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate as they continue to film scenes for Doctor Who. The actress, 18, who will play Rose, has been shooting for the 60th anniversary episode in London with returning Time Lord David, 51, and Catherine, 52, who will star once again as companion Donna. And Yasmin, who recently shot to fame starring as Elle Argent on Netflix's LGBTQ+ series Heartstopper, revealed she has been starstruck at filming alongside the pair. Starstruck: Yasmin Finney has admitted that it feels 'surreal' to be acting alongside stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate as they film scenes for Doctor Who She said she grew up watching David and Catherine in Doctor Who, having been a baby when the Broadchurch star took over as The Doctor from Christopher Eccleston in 2005. Having been a longtime fan of the hit BBC franchise, Yasmin admitted it has been 'a bit surreal' shooting scenes with David and Catherine on her second ever TV job. She told The Guardian: 'It's insane and I'm learning so much.' She has been spotted shooting scenes in London this month, with tense pictures showing Yasmin standing closely beside David as he held up a sonic screwdriver. Filming: The actress, 18, who will play Rose, has been shooting scenes for the 60th anniversary episode with returning Time Lord David (pictured), and Catherine, who will star as Donna Speculation has been rife around how David's Doctor and Catherine's Donna Noble will be reunited, after her memory was wiped of their adventures in devastating scenes 14 years ago. Yasmin has joined the pair as character Rose in a nod to Billie Piper's stint as the companion to both David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston's Doctors. Speaking of being cast by returning showrunner Russell T Davies, Yasmin admitted that she couldn't believe she was recognised by the 'legendary' writer. 'I am in awe of the fact that I've been seen by such a legend,' she added. Yasmin said she heard about the Doctor Who role from Heartstopper director Euros Lyn, who collaborated on several episodes of the show and directed the third series of spin-off Torchwood, starring John Barrowman. Fan: Yasmin said she grew up watching David and Catherine in Doctor Who, having been just one-year-old when the Broadchurch star took over as The Doctor from Christopher Eccleston She said Euros, 51, recommended her to Doctor Who producers after learning they were looking for a transgender woman to star in the sci-fi series. Yasmin's role on Doctor Who is her second ever TV job, having shot to fame starring as Elle Argent in hit Netflix LGBTQIA+ teen romance Heartstopper, which was released on the streaming platform last month. The star said she knew she would land the job on the series, based off Alice Oseman's comic books, because it was a 'calling' for her. She said: 'There was no way anybody else could play this character.' Heartstopperfollows students Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit O'Connor), who embark on a secret romance at Truham Grammar School for Boys. High praise: Yasmin said she was recommended for the Doctor Who role by Heartstopper director Euros Lyn (pictured in May), who directed the third series of spin-off show Torchwood Yasmin plays the role of Elle, Charlie's friend who moves to a girls school from the all-boys school and befriends lesbian couple Tara Jones (Corinna Brown) and Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell). In the eight-part series, Elle reveals she has a crush on her best friend Tao Xu (William Gao), who is also close friends with Charlie and Isaac (Tobie Donovan). Yasmin admitted she was worried about how Heartstopper and Doctor Who fans would react to her being cast in both shows, but said the fanbases appeared to be getting along well. Looking to the future, Yasmin said she would like to play a cis gender role, a person whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. She said she enjoys playing transgender characters but wants to play a character whose gender identity or sexuality isn't specified as she shared her hope of trans actors being able to play any role. Second TV job: Yasmin shot to fame starring as Elle Argent (pictured) on Netflix's LGBTQ+ series Heartstopper, which follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit O'Connor) Yasmin is joining the much-anticipated 60th anniversary episode of Doctor Who alongside new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa, whose casting was announced earlier this month. Ncuti, 29, who played Eric Effiong on Sex Education, is to be the 14th time travelling timelord after first female Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker steps down. And Yasmin and Ncuti are seemingly already close, as the actress shared a snap of the new Time Lord wrapping his arms around her at London Fashion Week back in February. Yasmin recently explained that the role in the show has 'made her life', saying: If anyone would have told eight year old Yasmin that one day she'd be part of this iconic show, I would never in a million years have believed them. New face: Yasmin is joining the 60th anniversary episode of Doctor Who alongside new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa (pictured with returning showrunner Russell T Davies earlier this month) 'This show has a place in so many people's hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it's made my life.' They will be joined on the anniversary episode, set to air in 2023, alongside fan favourites David and Catherine, whose return to the series sparked elation among fans. Returning showrunner Russell T Davies teased their return earlier this month, saying: 'They're back! And it looks impossible - first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening? 'Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback. 'The only thing I can confirm is that it's going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.' Pals: And Yasmin and Ncuti are seemingly already close, as the actress shared a snap of the new Time Lord wrapping his arms around her at London Fashion Week back in February 'It looks impossible': It comes after Doctor Who's returning showrunner Russell T Davies teased David and Catherine's return earlier this month David took over the starring role in 2005 from Christopher Eccleston and was succeeded by Matt Smith while Billie Piper's companion role was the first in the programme's 2005 revival and was followed by Tate as Donna. Opinionated Donna helped to save civilisation from the Daleks during her spell with the 10th Doctor but she had her memories of her adventures in the Tardis wiped, because the powers the Time Lord had given her threatened to overwhelm her brain. David was also seen in the 50th anniversary special, The Day Of The Doctor, in 2013. A synopsis teasing their Doctor Who return mentioned Donna's memory wipe to save her life, adding that the Doctor had 'left her family with a warning: if ever she remembers, she will die'. It adds: 'But with the two coming face to face once more, the big question is, just what brings the Doctor and Donna back together?' They tied the knot in April - four years after they were first romantically linked. And Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead were spotted enjoying married life as they took a stroll in New York City on Monday. Ewan, 51, cut a dapper figure in a grey jacket and white three quarter length jeans while his ultra chic wife, 37, showcased her eye for style in a orange kimono-style coat. Newlyweds: Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead were spotted enjoying married life as they took a stroll in New York City on Monday The Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast member teamed the look with a basic white T-shirt and black trousers. Stepping out in a pair of tan sandals on the day, Mary Elizabeth found herself getting tangled in a little branch of leaves which got caught in her footwear. Thankfully as she made her way to her hotel with her beau, the leaves fell off. Whoops! Stepping out in a pair of tan sandals on the day, Mary Elizabeth found herself getting tangled in a little branch of leaves which got caught in her footwear Her gorgeous brunette hair was cut short and fell towards her shoulders as she showed off her flawless skin wearing a light dusting of make-up. While the Tru Calling actress went without a face covering on the day, her husband Ewan kept himself protected amid New York's high COVID-19 community levels. The happy couple have been romantically involved ever since 2017, when they met while working on the third season of the crime drama series Fargo. Happy couple: While the Tru Calling actress went without a face covering on the day, her husband Ewan kept himself protected amid New York's high COVID-19 community levels The outing comes after sources told People that Ewan and Mary exchanged vows last month in front of 'close friends and family.' An insider told the publication: 'It was a small wedding for family and close friends. They had an outdoor ceremony. It was lovely and joyful.' 'The menu was farm-to-table. They are an adorable couple. They are pretty low-key and like their canyon life. They often hike and go to the beach,' the source added. A source told Page Six: 'They are more in love than ever and having their first child together last year just strengthened their bond.' Ahead of their big day, the pair's eco-canyon hideaway was spotted being prepared for their big day, with the couple covering their pool with chairs for 60 guests, indicating an intimate affair. Trucks and other vehicles could be seen in the drive while workmen are pictured carrying tables to the property. On the move: Ewan was later seen making his way to the Good Morning America studios A number of other tables were seen dotted around, while strings of fairy lights are hung up and outdoor heaters set up, suggesting the couple opted for an outdoor reception with celebrations heading into the night. He shares daughters Clara, 26, Esther, 21, and Anouk, 11, with ex-wife Eve. They split in 2017 after 22 years of marriage and their divorce was finalised in August 2020. The couple, who met on the set of the TV crime drama Kavanagh QC, first confirmed their split in 2017 amid claims Ewan had been seen kissing Mary in a London restaurant. In 2020, Mary discussed her romance with Ewan after her own first marriage ended, telling Glamour UK: 'I got divorced a couple of years ago, which was a scary, crazy thing for me because I had been with the same person since I was 18 years old, and that was what I knew. 'I was really starting new as an adult for the first time in my life. For me that was a big turning point, being okay with changing, accepting that change is a good thing and that it's okay not to know where that change is going to take you.' Eve was pictured without her wedding ring at around the same time. The Star Wars actor who blamed 'irreconcilable differences' for the split then began dating Mary. The couple welcomed Laurie into the world in June. In September, Ewan also paid tribute to Mary during his acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards, saying: 'Mary, I love you so much. I'm gonna take this home and show it to our new little boy, Laurie. 'And to my beautiful girls, who I know are watching, Clara, Esther, Jamyan and Anouk, hello to you too. Thank you very much everybody.' The couple, who never revealed they were expecting, had their baby news announced by Ewan's daughter Clara on Instagram. Lara Worthington hasn't left behind her modelling days just yet. The 34-year-old worked her angles in photos taken for the 2XU clothing campaign on Tuesday. The blonde first posed in a black crop top and skin tight leggings as she worked out in a gym. Wow! Lara Worthington (pictured) hasn't left behind her modelling days just yet. The 34-year-old worked her angles in photos taken for the 2XU clothing campaign on Tuesday A second showed her rugged up in a black puffer coat as she shot the camera a smouldering look. In a third image Lara is seen beaming as she joyfully poses in a black crop top and jacket. On Sunday, the model shared some rare intimate photos of her holiday in Venice, Italy, as she enjoyed a boat ride. She posted a series of image to Instagram Stories, including a photo of her young son at the helm of a boat. Cosy: A second showed her rugged up in a black puffer coat and shot the camera a smouldering look Strike a pose: In a third image Lara is seen beaming as she joyfully poses in a black crop top and jacket She also posed on alongside a waterway, showing off her beige trousers and trendy boots. Lara additionally posted photos of the stunning, picturesque views on the Venice canals on what was a sunny day. The beauty and her husband of eight years, Sam Worthington, 45, share three young sons, Rocket, six, Racer, four, and River, one. Captain: Lara is on a family getaway to Venice. The 34-year-old posted a series of image to Instagram Stories, including a photo of her young son at the helm of a boat On trend: She also posed on alongside a waterway, showing off her beige trousers and boots The family spent last year in Australia, after living in the United States for several years. However they have since returned to America and appear to be living in New York where they previously resided. Lara has been famous for her bold fashion ever since she reinvented herself from swimsuit model to chic socialite, and moved to New York City. Kristen Stewart put on a busty display in an un-buttoned, trendy cleavage-revealing Chanel tweed jacket at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday The actress, 32, who was attending the Crimes Of The Future photocall, paired the high-fashion statement piece with matching trousers, adorned with the same plaid red, white and black design. The ornate ensemble featured chunky, bejewelled buttons and a rhinestone logo of the iconic designer on one sleeve. Loose buttons: Kristen Stewart, 32, put on a busty display in an un-buttoned, trendy cleavage-revealing Chanel tweed jacket at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday Adding an element of grunge to the sophisticated look, Kristen threw on a pair of yellow tinted sunglasses and chunky black boots. The star pulled her highlighted blonde tresses to the side, adding volume to her relaxed waves. Letting her loud outfit to the talking, Kristen kept jewellery minimal and opted for a clean make-up look with long lashes and a muted pink gloss. Kristen was snapped at a photo-call with co-stars - including Lea Seydoux, 36. What's black, white and red all over? Kristen looked phenomenal as she posed up a storm High-fashion: The ornate ensemble featured chunky, bejewelled buttons and a rhinestone logo of the iconic designer on one sleeve Suit up! Letting her loud outfit to the talking, Kristen kept jewellery minimal and opted for a clean make-up look with long lashes and a muted pink gloss The actresses put on an affectionate display at the film's screening on Monday, as they stood arm-in-arm and posed on the red carpet. Lea, who plays Caprice in the film, wore a floor-length semi-sheer black and slate grey dress. The mesh garment featured pretty lace detail at the top and the bottom, with its silky black striped sections glistening as they reflected the nearby bright lights. Kristen showcased her quirky sense of style in a bold white skirt with a large bow on the front, while flashing her toned midriff in a colourful long sleeved crop-top by Chanel SS22 Couture. The star, who plays Timlin in the flick, boosted her height in a pair of black heels while she styled her golden tresses in a high ponytail and wore her signature smokey eye. Edgy: Adding an element of grunge to the sophisticated look, Kristen threw on a pair of yellow tinted sunglasses and chunky black boots Sophisticated: Kristen made the high-fashion look her own by adding trendy glasses and chunky platforms to the ensemble Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenberg's long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. It is competing for the Palme d'Or in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings'. The evolution moves humans behind their 'natural state' and into a new metamorphosis that alters their biological makeup, known as Accelerated Evolution Syndrome. Co-stars: Kristen is attending the star-studded film festival for Crimes of the Future and was snapped at a photo-call with co-stars - including Lea Seydoux, 36, on Tuesday. Pictured left, co-star Viggo Mortensen. Next to Kristen is director David Cronenberg Day at the office: Kristen and David pictured together. Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David's long-awaited return to body horror While some have embraced what is known as 'trans-humanism' and its limitless potential, others have tried to police it. The story centres on Saul Tenser, a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body. Tenser and his partner Caprice have used the removal of these organs to thrill their audiences, though they're forced to re-consider their most shocking performance to date when the government and an emerging sub-culture taking notice. Futuristic: Crimes Of The Future centres on Saul Tenser, a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony. The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist. There is set to be an array of TikTok stars taking to the red carpet this year after organisers sought to refresh their image by partnering with the video streaming platform, which is sponsoring an award for short films. In total, some 35,000 film professionals are expected to attend the festival between May 17 and 28, hoping for a return to form for cinema's most glamorous event after two years when it was hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. Stylish: Ornate detailing added an element of glam to Kristen's quirky ensemble, accessorised with tinted shades 'We are ready. The town hall has just redone everything - the whole place - so we hope it will go well,' said Jeremie Tripet, manager of 'L'Avenue', a bistro just off the main drag known as La Croisette. One major exception is the absence of Russians, due to the impact of sanctions over the war in Ukraine and a ruling from the organisers that state-linked delegates are not welcome. China is also expected to have a limited presence due to its continuing Covid restrictions. But otherwise the festival is keen to put the pandemic in the past, with no mandatory masks or health passes this year - and no restrictions to partying. Film fans can get stuck into the usual feast of new releases and competition entries, braving the festival's famously opinionated crowds, who are never shy about cheering and booing during screenings. Baring it all: Kristen left her stylish blazer un-buttoned, adding an element of rock 'n' roll to the chic outfit The two-week annual event will see hotly-anticipated films Top Gun: Maverick and King of Rock 'N Roll' biopic Elvis shown. There's a lot of excitement around the Elvis Presley biopic from Australia's Baz Luhrmann, hoping to recreate the buzz he generated when he brought the can-can to Cannes with Moulin Rouge! 20 years ago. Elvis, playing out of competition, sees newcomer Austin Butler stepping into The King's blue suede shoes. Tom Hanks plays his infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker. There are 21 films in the race for the Palme d'Or, including the latest body-horror fable from David Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future, starring Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. The Canadian director told IndieWire it is likely to cause walkouts 'within the first five minutes'. There are only five women directors in the competition, hoping to follow the success of last year's winner, Titane, which made Julia Ducournau only the second female to win the Palme. Alongside all the glitz, festival director Thierry Fremaux said Cannes aimed to keep the war in Ukraine in the spotlight. 'Together we will have a great festival - we will think a lot about cinema without ever stopping thinking about Ukraine.' Pals: Lea Seydoux and Kristen put on an affectionate display at the screening of Crimes of the Future during the Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on Monday The final film by Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius, who was killed by Russian forces in Ukraine last month, will get a special screening. He was shooting a follow-up to his celebrated documentary Mariupolis, about the conflict in Ukraine's Donbas region, when he was reportedly captured and killed. The main competition also includes exiled Russian Kirill Serebrennikov, who was unable to attend for his two previous nominations due to a politically charged conviction for embezzlement back home. Close up: Actress Lea, 36 (left), who plays Caprice in the film, wore a floor-length semi-sheer black and slate grey dress Fremaux said the festival wanted to lend a hand to 'the Russians who take risks to resist' while offering 'absolute and non-negotiable support to the Ukrainian people'. The jury charged with selecting the winners this year includes Indian superstar Deepika Padukone and Iran's two-time Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi, and is headed by French actor Vincent Lindon. The world's biggest film festival will conclude with the Closing Ceremony on May 28. Lea Seydoux put on a very leggy display on Tuesday as she attended a photo call for her new movie Crimes of the Future during the 75th Cannes Film Festival. The French actress, 36, donned a chic oversized suit for the event with shorts revealing her toned legs for the cameras. The blonde beauty joined her co-star Kristen Stewart, 32, who went braless, turning heads in a striking Chanel jumpsuit, which she paired with some Oliver Peoples shades. Stylish: Lea Seydoux, 36, put on a very leggy display in a stylish suit as she attended a photo call for her new movie Crimes of the Future during the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday Former Bond girl Lea looked gorgeous in the androgynous look, as she layered a dark blazer over a crisp white shirt. The star added a pop of colour to the ensemble with a gorgeous floral printed tie which was secured with a smart Windsor knot. Forgoing any accessorises The Grand Budapest Hotel star added a little extra height with a pair of black pointed heels. Pals: The blonde beauty joined her co-star Kristen Stewart, 32 (right) who went bra-less, turning heads in a striking Chanel jumpsuit. Chic: Skyfall actress Lea looked gorgeous in the androgynous look, as she layered a dark blazer over a crisp white shirt Forgoing any accessorises The Grand Budapest Hotel star added a little extra height with a pair of black pointed heels. Lea wore her blonde tresses slicked to one side in a stylish bob as she beamed for the sea of cameras. Opting for a glamorous palette of make-up for the sun-soaked afternoon the sported a flawless complexion as well as a blush rose lip. Crimes Of The Future, which premiered at the festival on Monday evening, marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. Perfection: Lea wore her blonde tresses slicked to one side in a stylish bob as she beamed for the sea of cameras Glam: Opting for a glamorous palette of make-up for the sun-soaked afternoon the sported a flawless complexion as well as a blush rose lip The boss: Crimes Of The Future, which premiered at the Festival Monday evening, marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs (centre) long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings.' Co-Star Kirsten looked ravishing in a red checked Chanel jumpsuit, with it's open buttons revealing a flash of cleavage. Winner? It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest Friends: The duo appeared in high spirits as they took to the stage for the Movie's photo call Saucy: Co-Star Kirsten looked ravishing in a red checked Chanel jumpsuit, with it's open buttons revealing a flash of cleavage New movie: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur David Cronenbergs long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece (Lea Seydoux, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart pictured in the film) Letting her blonde locks fall to one side the Twilight actress shielded her eyes behind a pair of yellow aviator sunglasses. Appearing in high spirits the star posed for the cameras as she strutted her stuff in a pair of tall black platform heels. The actresses laughed together and they wrapped their arms around one another before being joined by fellow co-stars Viggo Mortensen, Scott Speedman, Lihi Kornowski and the movie's famed director. Having fun: The actresses laughed together and they wrapped their arms around one another before being joined by fellow co-stars Viggo Mortensen, Scott Speedman, Lihi Kornowski and the movie's famed director co-stars: (L-R) Scott Speedman, Kristen, Lea and Viggo Mortensen Pucker up: Lea gave co-star a kiss on the cheek before speaking with journalists about their new movie Loving life: Co-star Welket Bungue put on a very animated display for the cameras While actor Viggo cut a smart figure in a dark suit Lihi Kornowski, 29, turned heads in a head to toe neon pink look. The Israel born actress stunned in a plunging dress with bow detail which she matched to her tights, shoes and bag. The much anticipated movie sees humans evolve behind their 'natural state' and into a new metamorphosis that alters their biological makeup, known as Accelerated Evolution Syndrome. Pink! Israel born actress Lihi Kornowski, 29, turned heads in a head to toe neon pink look at the event All the girls: (L to R) Lea, Kristen , Nadia Litz, Denise Capezza and Lihi Kornowski Smart: Actors Viggo (left) and Sam (right) cut dapper figures as they both opted for dark suits While some have embraced what is known as 'trans-humanism' and its limitless potential, others have tried to police it. The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo) a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body. Tenser and his partner Caprice (Lea) have used the removal of these organs to thrill their audiences, though they're forced to re-consider their most shocking performance to date when the government and an emerging sub-culture taking notice. Chris Hemsworth was the executive producer on his wife Elsa Pataky's new Netflix action movie, Interceptor. And the Spanish actress says her action hero husband didn't spare her when it came to giving advice on her fight scenes. 'He was so bossy!' the 45-year-old said while appearing on The Project on Tuesday night. Side by side: Chris Hemsworth was the executive producer on his wife Elsa Pataky's new Netflix action movie, Interceptor. Both pictured 'He was just telling me, like, "This is the right angle when you punch". He was just showing me how to do it, what is the right position you have to have,' she went on. 'He has been doing it for a long time. It was great having him. He was supporting me from the beginning, from when he first read the script. 'He said, "You have to do this, it's going to be fun, you will enjoy it, I know how much you like this kind of movie". Advice: The Spanish actress said her husband didn't spare her when it came to giving advice on her fight scenes. 'He was so bossy!' the 45-year-old said on The Project Tuesday night 'He was just telling me, like, "This is the right angle when you you punch". He was just showing me how to do it, what is the right position you have to have,' she went on 'And [he told me] how destroyed you will be after, and you wont do it again,' she added with a laugh. Elsa was then asked by the show's hosts how the pair dealt with professional disagreements on set. 'It's like your marriage, in a way, you work things out. It's different when he's an executive producer, he gives you advice, he supports you. It's easier than when we are married every day,' she said. Fit: Elsa's role in the action film Interceptor (pictured), out June 3, sees her playing no-nonsense army lieutenant JJ Collins, who must save the world when 16 nuclear missiles are launched in the United States 'It's like your marriage, in a way, you work things out. It's different when he's an executive producer, he gives you advice, he supports you. It's easier than when we are married every day,' she said of working with her husband on set Elsa's role in the action film Interceptor, out June 3, sees her playing no-nonsense army lieutenant JJ Collins, who must save the world when 16 nuclear missiles are launched in the United States. The Fate of the Furious star and her Thor actor husband have been married since 2010. The power couple have three children, daughter India, nine, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, both eight. They reside in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay. Mark Wahlberg was seen tackling his co-star during action-filled filming for his new thriller Our Man From Jersey London on Tuesday. The actor, 50, was snapped as he worked on the dramatic scenes for the upcoming movie, looking dapper in a black bomber jacket and jeans. Mark was clad in New Balance sneakers as he dashed across the outdoor set and worked on stunts with the fellow actor. Friendly fighting: Mark Wahlberg was seen tackling his co-star for action-filled while filming in his new thriller Our Man From Jersey London on Tuesday At one point the action star seemed to be worn out, and was photographed mid-squat on the pavement, wearing a face mask as he looked to be taking a breather. Last week Mark and co-star Halle Berry appeared in good spirits as they filmed scenes for the film in the city. The pair have been shooting the project - which will be distributed by Netflix - in the UK capital for several weeks. The stars shot a dramatic scene on Albert Bridge, which saw extras dressed as armed police on bikes while a helicopter hovered inches away from the bridge. Action man: The actor, 50, was snapped as he worked on the dramatic scenes for upcoming movie, looking dapper in a black bomber jacket and jeans Quick break: At one point the action star seemed to be worn out, and was photographed mid-squat on the pavement, wearing a face mask as he looked to be taking a breather Sprinting: Mark was clad in New Balance sneakers as he dashed across the outdoor set and worked on stunts with the fellow actor Lights, camera, action! Mark donned a simple outfit featuring jeans and a black bomber jacket as he shot scenes in London on Tuesday Sweet ride: The dramatic stunt Mark worked on involved motorbikes Traffic: A rubbish lorry was also captured at the set as Mark worked on dramatic scenes for the movie The location shoot comes one year after it was first announced that the two would be working on the thriller together. Details of the forthcoming work have been kept under wraps - and its yet to be known who the two are playing. Halle recently worked with the popular streaming platform, premiering her 2021 directorial debut Bruised there. Running: Mark charged ahead in scenes while filming for his new movie on the streets of London Tackle: The action star worked on scenes where he tackled a co-star Debrief: Mark worked on stunts for his upcoming flick which also stars Halle Berry She also starred in the movie, which told the story of a disgraced MMA fighter named Jackie Justice. The actress is also slated to appear in the upcoming science fiction film The Mothership alongside Molly Parker and Omari Hardwick. As for Mark's recent work, he currently stars in the movie Father Stu, which was released April 15. In October he'll mark the 25th anniversary of his breakout film Boogie Nights. Several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future during Cannes Film Festival on Monday night due to the film's graphic scenes. The David Cronenberg-directed movie - which stars Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux - showed 'grotesque' scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked. At the end however the film was given a seven-minute standing ovation from remaining audience members, suggesting it could be polarizing among viewers. Oh no: Several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future - starring Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux (pictured at premiere) - during Cannes Film Festival on Monday night due to the film's graphic scenes Director David warned in a previous interview: 'There are some very strong scenes. I mean, I'm sure that we will have walkouts within the first five minutes of the movie. I'm sure of that. 'Some people who have seen the film have said that they think the last 20 minutes will be very hard on people, and that there'll be a lot of walkouts. Some guy said that he almost had a panic attack.' New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan tweeted from the theatre that she counted 15 people who walked out of the cinema during the screening. Odd: The David Cronenberg-directed movie showed 'grotesque' scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked Stars: David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart are pictured at Monday night's premiere together Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Lea as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience. Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance. The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other's open wounds. Scary: Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Lea as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience Plot: Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance The official synopsis reads: 'As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. 'Accompanied by his partner, celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser showcases the metamorphosis of his organs. Meanwhile, a mysterious group tries to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.' Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur Davids long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. Bizarre: The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other's open wounds Professional: Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur Davids long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings.' The evolution moves humans behind their 'natural state' and into a new metamorphosis that alters their biological makeup, known as Accelerated Evolution Syndrome. While some have embraced what is known as 'trans-humanism' and its limitless potential, others have tried to police it. Interesting: The story is set in the 'not-too-distant future' where humankind is learning to adapt to their 'synthetic surroundings' (Lea and David pictured at the premiere) The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo), a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body. Tenser and his partner Caprice (Lea) have used the removal of these organs to thrill their audiences, though they're forced to re-consider their most shocking performance to date when the government and an emerging sub-culture taking notice. Reviews have flooded in for the film on Tuesday after the screening, with the movie dividing critics. Different: The story centres on Saul Tenser (Viggo), a performance artist who has embraced Accelerated Evolution Syndrome and has sprouted new limbs on his body Stephen Fry thinks he will be sacked for by the BBC for being "old, fat and white." The 64-year-old star has worked for the broadcaster several times over the course of his career - famously hosting their flagship comedy panel show QI for over a decade. He has also starred in classic sketch show A Bit of Fry Laurie on the BBC - but "wouldn't be surprised" if he was shown the door in today's world. He said: 'Im not as old as the BBC but I'm getting there. You know, I wouldnt be surprised if I was shown a red card. I cant imagine myself stopping because I enjoy it too much. Frank admission: Stephen Fry thinks he will be sacked for by the BBC for being "old, fat and white" 'But I can imagine people saying: "do we really need this fat, old, white b*****?" Id be very upset if I was some great hero of comedy and drama who I sometimes overhear saying, f****** BBC, once you get past dont they know what Ive done for them?!"' The star - who has been married to Elliott Spencer, 35, since 2015 - also admitted that while he is due to reach the age of retirement in August 2022, he has no plans to call time on his career altogether. Speaking at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival, he added: 'Im of an age that I could retire, so everything thats coming to me is lucky. Im happy to still be asked to do things. Memorable: The 64-year-old star has worked for the broadcaster several times over the course of his career - famously hosting their flagship comedy panel show QI for over a decade 'Im going to Iceland and then a couple of weeks later Im off to Amsterdam to do a documentary about these remarkable Dutch resistance fighters who were both openly gay in the 1930s when the Germans invaded the Netherlands, they had courage thats just beyond belief. 'Then I have a couple of things for Netflix coming up. Theres a Neil Gaiman one Im looking forward to, its just a small part in the adaptation of The Sandman.' He added: 'Im very fortunate and lucky. I dont mean to sound like Im ready to settle down but were living in a very interesting time, theres a huge change going on.' Looking ahead: The star also admitted that while he is due to reach the age of retirement in August 2022, he has no plans to call time on his career altogether The star has also raised awareness for mental health after publicly addressing his own struggle with manic depression. Speaking in 2021, Fry said he had noticed a 'general rise in unhappiness amongst the young' - regardless of their social standing - and warned his visits to schools as part of mental health charity Mind showed him a 'prevalence of self-harm'. He told the Blank podcast: 'There is the general rise in unhappiness amongst the young which is manifested if no other way by the appalling epidemic of self-harm, which I don't remember as a child. 'It may just be we were protected from the notion or it may be that it didn't exist in quite the way that it now does. 'But I don't remember the phrase "self-harm", I don't remember ever hearing about a child - that I was at school with or at any school I attended - cutting themselves with knives.' He added: 'I've been to schools you might describe as sink schools. It's a horrible phrase but schools whose at pupils are drawn from very deprived and underprivileged areas and I've been to literally to Eton or other expensive private schools to talk. 'What's interesting is there doesn't seem to be a difference in the prevalence of self-harm.' EastEnders fans were left 'horrified' by a heartbreaking scene which saw Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) raped in Monday's episode. The soap tackled the storyline, which focuses on male victims of sexual violence, after having built up to it for some time. The latest episode began as an argument broke out when Callum Highway (Tony Clay) found out his husband Ben told barman Lewis Butler (Aidan O'Callaghan) about his brutal assaults on homophobes, having suffered his own targeted attack. 'Heartbreaking': EastEnders fans were left 'horrified' by a scene which saw Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) raped by Lewis Butler (Aidan O'Callaghan) in Monday's episode Impactful: It comes 10 years after the soap turned down a male rape storyline from executive producer at the time Bryan Kirkwood, with the show saying it was too difficult Ben then left for the pub, fearing the downfall of his marriage, and pulled up a dating app on his phone after a few drinks. He didn't spot a selfie Callum then sends him with Ben's daughter Lexi, and instead viewers see him and Lewis flirting. One thing leads to another and soon enough Ben and Lewis found themselves heading upstairs - before the vigilante finally saw the photo his husband sent. 'Horrible': The soap tackled the storyline, which focuses on male victims of sexual violence, after having built up to it for some time 'I'm dumbstruck': The 'heartbreaking' scene was praised by EastEnders fans, who took to social media to voice their grief He then made his way to leave and refused Lewis' advances, but the bar manager went on to carry out the horrifying assault regardless. The 'heartbreaking' scene was praised by EastEnders fans, who took to social media to voice their grief. One user tweeted: 'I'm dumbstruck. Well done everyone involved in that. Horrible. Stark. Heartbreaking.' Another said: 'Genuinely so much worse than anything I could have imagined. My heart hurts for Ben, for Callum too - but bloody hell Ben...I haven't cried at a soap for a very long time and tonight I did.' Elsewhere a commenter added: 'The way max delivered that last 'I said no' hurt my souls why do I still watch this show when all it does is sadden me.' Praise: Elsewhere a commenter added: 'The way max delivered that last "I said no" hurt my souls why do I still watch this show when all it does is sadden me' Max Bowden's performance was lauded by viewers, with one on Twitter saying he 'better get all the awards'. Looking ahead to Tuesday's episode, one fan added: 'Tonight is the aftermath of Ben's rape ordeal and he struggles to come to terms with it. 'Max Bowden is gonna smash this storyline and it's so important. No means no and sex without consent is rape.' The BBC soap worked with a number of charities, including SurvivorsUK, Survivors Manchester and the Male Survivors Partnership, to ensure the topic is tackled sensitively. Important: Looking ahead to Tuesday's episode, one fan added: 'Tonight is the aftermath of Ben's rape ordeal and he struggles to come to terms with it' It comes 10 years after the soap turned down a male rape storyline from executive producer at the time Bryan Kirkwood, with the show saying it was too difficult. The storyline and it's aftermath are set to play out over several months, with Max, who plays Ben, saying he is 'honoured' to portray it. He said: 'Alongside some wonderful charities, and some very inspirational survivors of male sexual assault in the UK, I think we've been able to really strive to tell the most truthful account we can, and I hope we can raise awareness and understanding on a topic that is rarely covered.' Fight: The latest episode began as an argument broke out between Ben and his husband, before the gruesome attack 'I'm honoured to be given this opportunity to tell such an important story' The harrowing storyline will not only focus on the assault but consent, masculinity, and how sexual assault affects loved ones around the victim. Giving some context to the story, BBC head of continuing drama Kate Oates said: 'Ben has endured a traumatic time after witnessing a homophobic attack on Callum that brought back painful memories of losing Paul.' 'As a result, Ben lost his way in lifewhich is when he found Lewis. 'Ben finds Lewis attractive, and thinks of him as a someone who can understand him in a way Callum does not; but that trust is abused when Lewis crosses a line and rapes Ben,' she explained. Consent: The harrowing storyline will not only focus on the assault but consent, masculinity, and how sexual assault affects loved ones around the victim It comes as both Hollyoaks and Coronation Street have explored the storyline in 2014 and 2018. It seems the soap is finally ready to explore the topic, after Bryan Kirkwood previously revealed he was told to avoid the subject matter 'in no uncertain terms' while he was executive producer, before moving to Hollyoaks - where he ran it. Rape charity SurvivorsUK hope the plot will encourage male victims to come forward, with Service Manager Marta Almeida detailing: 'Storylines like this one are an amazing opportunity to explore the reality for so many men, families and communities up and down the UK'. For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details. Actress Shin Si-ah in a scene from the film "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" / Courtesy of NEW By Kwak Yeon-soo On returning with the much-anticipated sci-fi thriller "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One," a sequel to "The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion" (2018), director Park Hoon-jung made it clear that there is still more story to tell. The upcoming film tells the story of a girl who comes out into the world as a lone survivor of a top-secret lab where the facility creates creatures with superpowers. The first installment of the female-centered heroine franchise attracted over 3.1 million moviegoers in 2018. "It's taken us four years to get a sequel. Our project has been delayed due to COVID-19. Under challenging circumstances, we weren't sure when we could resume filming. The plot also changed over time. I feel like I haven't told a 10th of the story in mind, but I think this one turned out to be a good one," Park said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday. Rookie actress Shin Si-ah beat out 1,408 actors who auditioned to nab the main role. "At first, I was just shocked. It didn't even really register until I started filming. It was a real honor," she said. She explained how her character, Sonyeo ("girl" in Korea), differs from Koo Ja-yoon (Kim Da-mi), the heroine of "The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion." "My character is the strongest among children who are trained to be ruthless killing machines. Compared to Koo, who was adopted by an elderly farmer and raised like an average kid, Sonyeo lacks social skills and can hardly feel or express her emotions," Shin said. From left, actors Seo Eun-su, Park Eun-bin, Shin Si-ah, Jo Min-su, director Park Hoon-jung, actors Sung Yoo-bin and Jin Goo pose during a press conference for the film "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NEW Actress Jo Min-su, who plays dual roles as Dr. Baek, a scientist who orders the slaughtering of genetically engineered children, and her twin sister, said she was worried that the sequel might be disappointing. "I was really happy to return for 'The Witch: Part 2,' but at the same time, I was a bit worried. I thought to myself, 'What if the sequel is not as good as the first one?' Even after reading the script, I only had a vague idea of how director Park would unravel the story," she said. Actors Lee Jong-suk, Park Eun-bin, Seo Eun-su, Jin Goo and Sung Yu-bin have been cast in the film. Lee, who is returning to the big screen for the first time since she appeared in the 2017 crime film "V.I.P.," didn't attend the press conference as details about the character are being kept under wraps. Instead, director Park hinted at the mystery character, saying, "When we collaborated on 'V.I.P.,' my impression of Lee was that he is incredibly smart. He's been on my mind ever since I created his character, a mysterious man in charge of the secret lab." Actress Park, who shot to fame through KBS' "The King's Affection" (2021) and plays Sonyeo's only friend Kyung-hee, talked about more thrilling and immersive action sequences. "The action looks bigger and better than in the first movie. Most of the action sequences take place outside of the lab, in open space," she said. "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" will hit local theaters on June 15. Amal Clooney made a glamorous arrival at The Prince's Trust Awards in London on Tuesday afternoon. The 44-year-old human rights attorney attended the Theatre Royal Drury Lane ceremony with her mother Baria Alamuddin, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster Amal, who is married to George Clooney, wowed in a chic red and white floral dress for the ceremony sponsored by TKMaxx and Homesense. Looking chic: Amal Clooney made a glamorous arrival at The Prince's Trust Awards in London on Tuesday afternoon. Amal put on a summery display despite the London downpours, matching the red carpet in her red floral dress. She added white heels and a matching clutch bag and completed her look with a dash of scarlet lipstick. Amal posed on the red carpet with her chic mother Baria, who coordinated with her daughter in tailored white trousers and a matching off-the-shoulder top, Family: The 44-year-old human rights attorney attended the The Prince's Trust and TKMaxx and Homesense Awards at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with her mother Baria Alamuddin Amal has a long-standing relationship with The Prince's Trust alongside her husband George. In 2019 the trust launched a new global award celebrating the achievements of inspirational young women around the world. The Amal Clooney Award sponsored by Charlotte Tilbury highlights the work of young women who have succeeded against the odds to make a lasting difference in their communities, with Amal personally selecting the winners. For a good cause: Amal, who is married to Hollywood star George Clooney, wowed in a chic red and white floral dress Don't rain on my parade: Amal put on a summery display despite the London downpours, matching the red carpet in her red floral dress. This year's Prince's Trust Awards will air on ITV and ITV Hub for the very first time. In the presence of Founder and President of The Princes Trust HRH The Prince of Wales, this year will mark the eighteenth year of the Awards, which celebrate the extraordinary achievements of young people supported by the charity. The Princes Trust Awards will be hosted by Ant & Dec who will be joined by a host of stars from film, television, music and sport. While Amal was in London on Tuesday her husband was filming down the River Thames at The Molesey Boat Club in Surrey. George has been shooting in the area for the past few weeks, directing his new movie The Boys In The Boat, about an Olympic gold medal-winning rowing team. The awards will take place in May and will be available to watch on 26th May at 20:30 on ITV and the ITV Hub. Cause: Amal has a long-standing relationship with The Prince's Trust alongside her husband George. In 2019 the trust launched a new global award named after her Hard at work: While Amal was in London on Tuesday her husband was filming down the River Thames at The Molesey Boat Club in Surrey He's an Academy Award winner and has starred in some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters ever made. And there was no signs of slowing down George Clooney on Monday as he was full of energy while directing scenes for his upcoming movie The Boys in The Boat. The 61-year-old movie hunk was all action as the cast and crew filmed scenes at Molesey Boat Club on the banks of the River Thames in Surrey. Action! George Clooney was full of energy while directing scenes for his upcoming movie The Boys in The Boat on the banks of the River Thames in Surrey on Monday The movie is based on the true story of the University of Washingtons 1936 eight-oar crew and their quest for a Gold medal at the Olympic Games in Berlin that year. The heartthrob actor cut a casual figure on the day as he wrapped up in the chilly English weather in a padded jacket and denim jeans. Looking on form, George could be seen laughing heartily alongside the camera operator as the rowers prepared to enter the water. Giggles: Looking on form on the day, George could be seen laughing heartily alongside the camera operator as the rowers prepared to enter the water The Boat Club on Barge Walk, East Molesey, had a makeover with a German Nazi swastika flag flying alongside the US Stars and Stripes at the front of the Boat House and the Molesey signage temporarily removed. The crew was made up of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers and farmers. Using a hands-on approach, the Oscar nominated director made it his business to interact with each and everyone of his cast and crew members on the day. Break time: George oozed confidence on set while taking some down time during an intense day of filming Scenes for the film have already been filmed at Winnersh Film Studios in Berkshire, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Cleveland Lakes near South Cerney in the Cotswolds and is expected to be released next year. The Thames at Henley is standing in for Seattle, with George enjoying the luxury of working just a hop and a skip from the 12million home in Sonning, Berkshire, which he shares with his British lawyer wife Amal and their twins. The cast includes British actors Callum Turner, who appeared in the BBC series The Capture and plays the main character Joe Rantz and Sam Strike, who played Johnny Carter in EastEnders. Professional: Using a hands-on approach, the Oscar nominated director made it his business to interact with each and everyone of his cast and crew members on the day Too cold? The heartthrob actor cut a casual figure on the day as he wrapped up in the chilly English weather in a padded jacket The crew was made up of the sons of loggers, Look up: George appeared to be in great form as he filmed scenes from the famous boat hoouse Larking about: George looked in great spirits as he joked on set with his colleagues Hands-on: The Academy Award winner passed on some important advice to some of the crew members on the day River traffic had been closed at intervals on the say-so of the Environment Agency, allowing George 45 minutes at a time to work. During the last week, he was trying to capture a complicated scene showing two teams racing up the river with camera boats behind, and a celebrating crowd in period costume on a barge. More than once, his shot was ruined by a leisure boat pottering into view. A source on set said: 'We have a flowing river, with the very large film set blocking one entire half of it, then two way traffic on the other half of it, going up and down at intervals like a traffic light system.' Beaming: George flashed his Hollywood smile in between takes on the day They continued: 'The weather was really hot on Tuesday meaning there were an awful lot of tourists and locals taking their boats out. 'And of course, once word of filming got out, everyone on the water went to see what was going on. 'Throughout the day it was 45 minutes of filming, then 45 minutes off. The 45 minutes off was to clear the river traffic building up. 'There were a couple of slip-ups and boats just didn't stop when they were supposed to.' The film is based on a book by Daniel James Brown and stars British actor Callum Turner. Scene set: Molesey Boat Club between Molesey Lock and Sunbury Lock on the River Thames was chosen as the filming location on the day Decorated: The Boat Club on Barge Walk, East Molesey, had a makeover with a German Nazi swastika flag flying alongside the US Stars and Stripes at the front of the Boat House Meanwhile, across town George's wife Amal made a glamorous arrival at The Prince's Trust Awards in London on Tuesday afternoon. The 44-year-old human rights attorney attended the Theatre Royal Drury Lane ceremony with her mother Baria Alamuddin, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster Amal wowed in a chic red and white floral dress for the ceremony sponsored by TKMaxx and Homesense. Love Island bosses have confirmed the show will officially be back on June 6 as narrator Iain Stirling has forecasted it will be the 'sexiest' season yet. Series eight of the hit realty TV classic will air next month from inside a brand new spacious villa in Mallorca. The show's official Twitter account confirmed the news with a post on Tuesday. Back in love: Series eight of the hit realty TV classic will air next month, fit with a brand new spacious villa in Mallorca (last year's winners Millie Court and Liam Reardon pictured) Hot summer ahead: The show's official Twitter account confirmed the news with a post on Tuesday It read: 'Here's your first hot date of the summer #LoveIsland is back Monday 6th June on @itv2 and @itvhub!' Iain, 34 - set to return to the show along with his wife, presenter Laura Whitmore, 37 - admitted he hasn't yet seen the villa but is certain this will be the 'sexiest' series yet.. The comedian told OK! magazine: 'I know it's got a fire pit because I talked about that in the trailer and I imagine if there's more working out space it'll be the sexiest series we've ever had.' Back soon: Love Island will officially be back on June 6 as show narrator Iain Stirling has forecasted for it to be the 'sexiest' season yet. Pictured in 2021 The narrator added he's 'confident' the show will always have 'great moments'. 'Every season there have been some absolute blinders,' he said. 'Like after Casa Amor when Shaughna told Callum "congrats, hun" after he recoupled with Molly. Or with the "who kissed who?" debacle between Georgia and Jack.' The announcement comes as the brand new Love Island villa last weekend finally looked near completion with just two weeks left to go until the launch of the new series. Lovely wife: Iain, 34 - set to return to the show along with his wife, presenter Laura Whitmore, 37 (Pictured in last year's series) has also admitted he hasn't yet seen the villa The original Mallorcan Love Island villa was sold back in March for 3m, (2.57m) and the new location has been revealed. New images showed that a fire pit has been constructed inside the new six-bedroom mansion where contestants will gather for eliminations and recouplings. This year's islanders will have plenty of space in the villa's outdoor area which also features a 20m swimming pool with a stunning view of the Spanish island's countryside. New and improved: The brand new Love Island villa finally looks near completion with just two weeks left to go until the launch of the new series It comes as the excitement for series eight is already amping up as Love Island has shared its first teasers for the show proclaiming itself to be the 'OG of love' compared to other rival dating shows. The two animated promos aired on TV for the first time earlier this month during ITV's Britain's Got Talent advert break. Love Island said: 'Love Island is the OG of dating shows and after 7 years of matchmaking, marriages and babies, for 8 weeks this summer, we're officially owning love. So stand down all you pretenders - Love Is Ours.' Show: The original Mallorcan Love Island villa was sold back in March for 3m, (2.57m) and the new location has been revealed (last year's islanders pictured) The preview cheekily poked fun at shows Naked Attraction, Celebs Go Dating and Ex On The Beach, by showing a TV with the title 'Naked Celebs Go Dating On A Beach.' A pink trainer squashes the TV, before the word 'LOVE' with a flag saying 'WE OWN IT', comes up next to the iconic Love Island pool and a little animated Millie Court with her keyboard from the infamous talent show last season. Earlier this month it was claimed the ITV2 show's new sexy, young cast were just days away from filming the advert. A source told The Sun: 'The schedules are being put together now and fans can expect a long, hot summer of fun from the villa from June 6. 'Filming for the promotional adverts is beginning in the next couple of weeks and the ads will start in May. A representative for ITV told MailOnline at the time: 'It's too soon for us to confirm the schedule.' Meanwhile, Love Island is reportedly set for another series' as 'bosses begin plans for a 2023 winter' edition, just weeks before the summer cast are set the enter the villa. ITV aired its first winter series in South Africa in January 2020, which was won by Paige Turley and Finn Tapp, having previously started in June every year since 2015. Oti Mabuse has revealed that competing in the UK with a larger chest left her questioning herself if she was still good enough to continue dancing. The ex Strictly champion released her own lingerie after feeling 'different' when she first started dancing in the country. The former BBC star, 31, appeared on Tuesday's episode of Loose Women where she said she felt in South Africa all women were more alike. Opening up: Oti Mabuse has revealed that competing in the UK with a larger chest left her questioning herself if she was still good enough to continue dancing She appeared on ITV daytime show alongside regular panellists Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Denise Welch and Brenda Edwards. During the group's conversation, Oti opened up and explained: 'When I started in South Africa, it wasn't such a big deal because we were all the same... but when I came here, I noticed that I looked different. 'Is that wrong? Am I wrong?' Candid: The dancer previously revealed that during her first ever stint on Strictly, she burst into tears at the dress fitting due to her 28GG boobs She continued: 'And you start to judge and that's what's happening in your head and you start to doubt yourself. 'It had to be a look of self-talking. 'I don't like to be lied to, so I don't lie.' Brave: The dancer previously revealed that during her first ever stint on Strictly, she burst into tears at the dress fitting due to her 28GG boobs It's not the first time the dance pro has spoken candidly about her body issues. The dancer previously revealed that during her first ever stint on Strictly, she burst into tears at the dress fitting due to her 28GG boobs. She said in an interview with Lorraine in 2018: 'I remember fitting my first bra and I was crying. I was like, this looks so bad and I look so massive compared to the other girls. Catching up: She appeared on ITV daytime show alongside regular panellists Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Denise Welch and Brenda Edwards 'Nobody picked on me for it and no one discriminated against me for it and nobody said anything in a negative way and I think that helped me and my self esteem and my nerves about being out in a bra with sequins on.' Oti revealed that as a child, she would cover up with baggy tops - but once she slipped into her sequinned number on Strictly, there was no hiding. She added: 'All my family has always had big boobs. I was hitting puberty way before other girls were.' Aspiring star: The dancer reflected on her Strictly journey also on Tuesday's episode as the hit show Back in February, the Romeo & Duet host shocked fans when she announced that she would be leaving Strictly after seven years as a professional dancer. Oti won the show with Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and comedian Bob Bailey in 2020. However, leaving on a high - the TV star said going out on a high left her ready for a 'new challenge'. She explained: 'I was on Strictly for seven years and it was such a big part of my career. I did feel like, 'OK, it's time to move on.'' She added: 'I think also, it was wanting a new challenge'. Advertisement Jourdan Dunn, Natasha Poly and Elsa Hosk showed off their sensational senses of style as they stepped out of their hotels during Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. Jourdan, 31, kept it casual in wide leg red trousers and a black T-shirt, which she wore underneath a sporty-style rouge and black jacket from fashion house Loewe. The British model carried her essentials in a Louis Vuitton bag and shielded her eyes from the sunshine with a rectangular pair of reflective sunglasses. Incredible: Jourdan Dunn, Natasha Poly and Elsa Hosk showed off their sensational senses of style as they stepped out of their hotels during Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday Jourdan wore her dark tresses loosely across her shoulders and showed off her fresh-faced beauty as she left the Majestic hotel. Elsewhere, Natasha, 36, flaunted her incredible physique in high-waisted tan trousers and a barely-there brown halter neck top as she left the Martinez hotel for a daytime outing. The Russian supermodel gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of pointed black stilettos as she showed off her catwalk credentials and struck a pose outside the lavish hotel. She covered her eyes with a pair of round tan sunglasses and wore her platinum locks in a straight fashion, loosely cascading across her shoulders. Chic: Jourdan, 31, kept it casual in wide leg red trousers and a black T-shirt, which she wore underneath a sporty-style rouge and black jacket from fashion house Loewe Looking good: The British model carried her essentials in a Louis Vuitton bag and shielded her eyes from the sunshine with a rectangular pair of reflective sunglasses And Elsa, 33, did not shy away from putting on a vibrant display as she left the Majestic hotel in a figure-hugging vibrant blue patterned maxi dress. The Swedish model completed her summery ensemble with a pair of brown sandals and slung a teal handbag across one shoulder. She accentuated her natural good looks with a bronzed dusting of make-up and styled her blonde tresses in an up-do, letting two strands of hair loosely frame her face. Maggie Gyllenhaal also looked smart in a mustard skirt and a white shirt, which she wore under a grey jacket, as she was seen out-and-about in Cannes on Tuesday. Amazing: Elsewhere, Natasha, 36, flaunted her incredible physique in high-waisted tan trousers and a barely-there brown halter neck top while Elsa, 33, did not shy away from putting on a vibrant display Beauty: She covered her eyes with a pair of round tan sunglasses and wore her platinum locks in a straight fashion, loosely cascading across her shoulders The actress, 44, clutched a Christian Dior bag in one hand and slung a black handbag over one shoulder, while she wore a pair of black sunglasses. And French actor Vincent Cassel and his model wife Tina Kunakey were seen having a relaxed morning as they stepped out on their balcony at the Martinez hotel. Vincent cut a casual figure in beige trousers and a white jacket while Tina sported blue jeans and a green and yellow top as she took a phone call on the balcony. After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on last week for the Opening Ceremony. Elegant: Maggie Gyllenhaal also looked smart in a mustard skirt and a white shirt, which she wore under a grey jacket, as she was seen out-and-about in Cannes on Tuesday Accessories: The actress, 44, clutched a Christian Dior bag in one hand and slung a black handbag over one shoulder, while she wore a pair of black sunglasses The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist. In total, some 35,000 film professionals are expected to attend the festival between May 17 and 28, hoping for a return to form for cinema's most glamorous event after two years when it was hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. There's a lot of excitement around the Elvis Presley biopic from Australia's Baz Luhrmann, hoping to recreate the buzz he generated when he brought the can-can to Cannes with Moulin Rouge! 20 years ago. Elvis, playing out of competition, sees newcomer Austin Butler stepping into The King's blue suede shoes. Tom Hanks plays his infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Couple: French actor Vincent Cassel and his model wife Tina Kunakey were seen having a relaxed morning as they stepped out on their balcony at the Martinez hotel There are 21 films in the race for the Palme d'Or, including the latest body-horror fable from David Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future, starring Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. But several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future on Monday night due to the film's graphic scenes. The David Cronenberg-directed movie - which stars Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux - showed 'grotesque' scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked. At the end however the film was given a seven-minute standing ovation from remaining audience members, suggesting it could be polarizing among viewers. Oh no: Several audience members walked out of the screening of Crimes of the Future - starring Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux (pictured at premiere) - during Cannes Film Festival on Monday night due to the film's graphic scenes Director David warned in a previous interview: 'There are some very strong scenes. I mean, I'm sure that we will have walkouts within the first five minutes of the movie. I'm sure of that. 'Some people who have seen the film have said that they think the last 20 minutes will be very hard on people, and that there'll be a lot of walkouts. Some guy said that he almost had a panic attack.' New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan tweeted from the theatre that she counted 15 people who walked out of the cinema during the screening. Set in the near future, the film stars Viggo Mortensen and Lea as a performance artist couple who grow and remove new organs on stage in front of a live audience. Kristen Stewart plays an investigator with the National Organ Registry, who is looking into Accelerated Evolution Syndrome, the disease that allows them to carry out their performance. Odd: The David Cronenberg-directed movie showed 'grotesque' scenes of child autopsies, bloody intestines, body mutations and open wounds being licked The film includes a gory child autopsy scene, shots of bloody intestines and characters who orgasm by licking each other's open wounds. The official synopsis reads: 'As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. 'Accompanied by his partner, celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser showcases the metamorphosis of his organs. Meanwhile, a mysterious group tries to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.' Crimes Of The Future marks Canadian auteur Davids long-awaited return to body horror, and he shot the entire film in Greece. It is competing for the Palme dOr in this year, making it one of five films there with a significant Greek interest. Gemma Collins has discussed her plans to one day emulate Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian's lavish Italian nuptials and shared raunchy details of her sex life with beau Rami Hawash. The 40-year-old, who recently denied she was engaged to the Essex businessman, 48, exclusively spoke to MailOnline as she has teamed up with Durex to launch a new range of sex toys. In the saucy chat the former TOWIE star gushed about her partner: 'Rami is just gorgeous full stop, he has beautiful eyes, teeth and hes packing in all the right areas if you know what I mean verging on an anaconda!. Loved up: Gemma Collins has discussed her plans to one day emulate Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian's lavish Italian nuptials and shared raunchy details of her sex life with beau Rami Hawash However the star said she won't be able to currently enjoy the products following a recent injury that forced her pull out of her role as Mama Morton in the musical Chicago. 'Using them is a bit awkward for me at the minute with my knee, but Im looking forward to taking them on holiday in the summer. American TV star Kourtney Kardashian, 43, recently married the Blink 182 drummer, 46, in lavish Italian wedding. Big day: American TV star Kourtney Kardashian, 43, recently married the Blink 182 drummer, 46, in lavish Italian wedding (both pictured) Held in a medieval castle the multi-million pound nuptials were sponsored by Italian fashion house Dolce and Gabbana. Taking inspiration from the Hollywood stars Gemma revealed her plans for a similar affair, though said she is not in a rush to walk down the aisle. 'If wanted to get married tomorrow I could, I could do a Travis and Kourtney, Dolce and Gabbana will do my wedding it will be an extravaganza'. But while the American couple share six children between them, Gemma said that intends on becoming a mother herself before the big day. Oh no: However the star said she won't be able to enjoy the new sex toys following a recent injury that forced her pull out of her role as Mama Morton in the musical Chicago As she plans to start a family with Rami, who is already father to three-year-old son Tristian from a previous relationship, just as soon as she is on the mend. Durex toys will be an integral part of getting pregnant, the minute Im back in action those toys will be used left right and centre. In the exclusive chat Gemma spoke more about the range saying that sex is '5% of a relationship' but '95% of the problem is your not having it'. When asked if she had ever felt unfulfilled in a relationship the star exclaimed: 'Absolutely not honey!'. 'Id dump them, straight away. Theyd have to go, theyd be dumped on the spot, theyd be banned from my Christmas card list for life'. Saucy: In the saucy chat the former TOWIE star gushed about her partner: 'Rami is just gorgeous full stop, he has beautiful eyes, teeth and hes packing in all the right areas if you know what I mean verging on an anaconda! The star went on to say: I think people need to talk 'have you used your sex toys recently? taboos have held us back for years, We need to discuss sex over our eggs Benedict in the morning!. Adding: 'And they're waterproof which is great because Ive got a hot tub Durex has partnered with Gemma Collins to launch its new range of vibrators. Together, they hope to normalise self-love and de-stigmatize sex toys helping us all get the pleasure we deserve. Fans of the KardashianJenner clan missed seeing one of the key family members at Kourtney Kardashian's wedding to Travis Barker her younger brother Rob Kardashian. The 35-year-old one-time reality star opted to skip the lavish nuptials in Portofino, Italy, over the weekend because he 'didn't feel comfortable' with all of the 'spectacle,' E! News reported on Tuesday. Rob had been largely absent from the latter seasons of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, following the fall out from his failed relationship with Blac Chyna, who lost her $100 million lawsuit against several of his sisters and his mother Kris Jenner. Missing out: Rob Kardashian, 35, sat out sister Kourtney Kardashian's wedding to Travis Barker in Italy because he 'doesn't like spectacle,' a source told E! News on Tuesday; seen in 2016 in LA Although almost every other member of Rob's family seemed to be living it up at Kourtney and Travis' wedding in coast Portofino, he wanted to keep out of the spotlight after previously shunning it. 'Rob didn't feel comfortable attending Kourtney's wedding because he doesn't like a spectacle,' a source close to him said. They added that the celebration was 'just not his thing,' and he didn't venture out often because he had 'become an extremely private person' in recent years. Luckily, there wasn't any bad blood between Rob and his oldest sister, who understood his situation and desires. No thanks: The source close to him added that the wedding was 'just not his thing,' and he didn't venture out often because he had 'become an extremely private person' in recent years; Kourtney and Travis tie the knot on May 22 in Portofino, Italy 'Kourtney and the entire family completely understand,' the source clarified. 'Kourtney didn't expect Rob to attend and knows she has his support either way.' The Poosh founder was likely cued in that Rob wouldn't be making the international voyage after he also sat out his sister Kim's 2014 wedding to Kanye West. In 2016, he revealed to People that part of the reason he skipped the nuptials was because of his discomfort with his body and weight gain at the time. 'I was doing my suit fittings in Paris right before the wedding and I just wasn't comfortable,' he explained. 'I'm 6-foot-1 and at my most I probably weighed 300 lbs. There were cameras at the airport on our trip there and I was very unhappy with the person I saw in all the pictures. I'm upset I missed my sister's wedding, but it was a personal decision.' Rob disengaged from the family's former reality show shortly afterward following the implosion of his relationship with Blac Chyna. 'Rob likes to stay out of the spotlight and keep to himself,' the source added. 'He will make appearances at more private low-key events but doesn't like to be around the cameras and at events like this.' Self-esteem issues: In 2016, he revealed to People that he also sat out Kim's 2014 wedding to Kanye West because he was uncomfortable with his weight gain and body image; seen in 2016 Aside from Rob, his sisters Kim, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie all made the trip to Italy for the wedding, as did his mother Kris, who filled in to walk Kourtney down the aisle. Last year, during the reunion finale of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khloe tried to explain Rob's absence from the series, which she attributed more to his traumatizing relationship with Chyna than his body image and health struggles. 'It's not so much about physical appearance,' she explained, adding that he 'just needed a break' from filming. 'It's about how he felt internally about some of the women in his life, and how they treated him or how he felt they might have used him to get to certain areas or levels,' she continued. 'I think that really affected him, because my brother is such a lover, and has the most incredible heart and personality,' Khloe gushed. 'I think he's just getting stronger. I think you have to get heartbroken and learn from your mistakes, and I think he's just stronger and feeling better to be around, and be more vulnerable or exposed.' Overruled: Rob sat out the wedding after his ex Blac Chyna lost her $100 million lawsuit against his sisters and mother, claiming they defamed her and schemed to get her reality series canceled; seen in 2016 Earlier this month, Rob's former partner Blac Chyna lost her $100 million lawsuit that she filed against Kris, Kim, Khloe and Kylie for allegedly defaming her and convincing the E! Network to cancel her reality series Rob & Chyna. The jury voted against Chyna on all counts, though they conceded that the KardashianJenners often acted in bad faith. During the intense trial, Rob testified that one celebration at the initial renewal of their show turned into an abusive fight when she allegedly pointed a gun at him, hit him with a metal rod and wrapped a phone charging cord around his throat. In her own testimony, she denied being violent but admitted to pointing the gun and putting the cord around his neck, which she claimed was just a joke. Rob previously got into hot water when he posted nude revenge porn photos of Chyna in 2017 to Instagram. The platform subsequently banned him, but his mother's communication company was later allowed to run an official page for him, which he claims to not post to directly. He and Chyna share a five-year-old daughter Dream, who spends plenty of time with her cousins but is also largely absent from their reality shows. Megan Fox was seen a sneak peek of her second collaboration with Boohoo, an online British fashion retailer. The company posted a video reel on Tuesday that gave a quick glimpse of some of the clothing that will be launched on June 7. The actress collaborated with the company back in 2021 when she worked on her first fashion line with the online retailer. Boo babe: Megan Fox was seen a sneak peek of her second collaboration with Boohoo, an online British fashion retailer The video reel uploaded by Boohoo showed Fox donning a few different looks. In the first outfit, the actress and model was wearing a sparkly, see through netted dress. Fox paired big, silver hoop earrings and long, orange nails to pull the ensemble together. The second outfit showed the gorgeous star wearing a long, orange coat that reached down to her ankles. Just weeks away: The company posted a video reel on Tuesday that gave a quick glimpse of some of the clothing that will be launched on June 7 Done it before: The actress collaborated with the company back in 2021 when she worked on her first fashion line with the online retailer Fox, 36, wore large, thick gold hoop earrings to accessorize the look. Fox's makeup was kept simple and sophisticated. The model wore nude lipstick and stuck to simple black eyeliner to make her eyes pop. The company added a caption to get fans hyped for the new launch this summer. 'SHE'S BACK. You sold out the first collection, now she's back for round 2. @boohoo x @meganfox 2.0 launches June 7, 2022.' Sparkle: In the first outfit, the actress and model was wearing a sparkly, see through netted dress. Fox paired big, silver hoop earrings and long, orange nails to pull the ensemble together The fashion line is meant to reflect Fox's own personal style and wardrobe. The model and actress discussed her first campaign with Boohoo in an interview with People. Maeve Reilly, Fox's stylist, helped her create the first line. 'Boohoo brought a lot of design ideas to me,' the Transformers actress stated. 'As I was going through them, I really did very little eliminating or changing.' The actress has been in the spotlight and a fashion influencer for many years. Fox has made appearances in multiple magazines, such as Rolling Stone and Maxim. Orange you glad it's me? The fashion line is meant to reflect Fox's own personal style and wardrobe. The model and actress discussed her first campaign with Boohoo in an interview with People . Maeve Reilly, Fox's stylist, helped her create the first line Fox's first fashion line which was made its official launch on the Boohoo website in October 2021 had completely sold out. Megan 2.0 is set to launch in a few weeks, which will give fans and style lovers a chance to have Fox's inspired fashion pieces at an affordable price. This comes after she was seen with fiance Machine Gun Kelly at Kourtney Kardashian's wedding in Italy to drummer Travis Barker. Kim Kardashian was dressed in black outfits as she celebrated sister Kourtney Kardashian's wedding to Travis Barker in Portofino, Italy over the weekend. So it was quite the contrast to see flashback bikini pinup images of her on her Instagram page Tuesday. These photos of the reality TV maven in a blue bikini were taken several months ago when she first plugged her new swimwear line called SKIMS SWIM. In her best suit: Kim Kardashian shared bikini images to Instagram on Tuesday that were taken months ago for her SKIMS SWIM launch Pinup pose: Kim wore the string bikini beautifully as she flashed her sculpted arms and lean legs, as well as tiny waistline. The mother of four was sitting on a blue surf board that was laid down on a white sand beach Kim wore the string bikini beautifully as she flashed her sculpted arms and lean legs, as well as tiny waistline. The mother of four was sitting on a blue surf board that was laid down on a white sand beach. The ex of Kanye West added mirrored wraparound sunglasses while her long black hair was down and flowing in the wind. The shoot first appeared in March when she was shot at night. After the sun went down: The shoot first appeared in March when she was shot at night Getting wet: For this image she sat on the shore as the ocean water rolled up on her 'We just announced our Skims Swim launch, which I am so excited about!' began the sister of Khloe and Kourtney. 'Ive wanted swim for a really long time, so I cannot wait for this I tested all the fabrics myself.' Kim then said she was happy to have the suits be versatile. 'The swimsuits are available in seven solid colours and can seamlessly go from day to night, poolside to party, the beach, and more. On Monday North West - the daughter of Kim and Kanye West shared a revealing TikTok clip from Kourtney and Travis' splashy Portofino wedding reception held at the medieval Castello Brown fortress. There were many highlights from the long video with the best being mom Kim dancing to the music with her sister Khloe as they both sang. North at work: North West is proving to be quite the savvy social media presence. On Monday the daughter of Kim and Kanye West shared a revealing TikTok clip from Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's splash Portofino, Italy Smiling cutie: North looked adorable with her braces showing and her black outfit with a silver cross and jeweled necklace Kim seemed to be having the time of her life as she worked up a sweat while grooving to the beat. The song played over the clip was We Are Family by Sister Sledge, which was a big hit in 1979. North has not slowed her presence on TikTok even though her father Kanye has made it very clear he feels she is too young to be on the video hosting service. The clip is full of fun details. The video was taken by the child, eight, as she walks around the wedding reception which took place on Saturday evening. Kim was also seen walking in a black D&G gown as she held onto North's hand. The Hulu star returned to Los Angeles from Italy on Monday with sister Khloe as she was seen getting off a orivate jet. Stassi Schroeder finally got her dream wedding to husband Beau Clark in Italy but it was much smaller than originally planned because she was unprepared to foot the hefty bill herself, the star revealed Monday. The 33-year-old was already 'locked in' with the venues when Bravo backed out of filming the nuptials following her firing from Vanderpump Rules and Stassi was forced to severely pare down her guest list. Schroeder's wedding went from 200 guests to just 35 because things were 'too expensive', she said during an appearance on the Dear Media podcast, The Skinny Confidential. Tough times: Stassi Schroeder was forced pare down her wedding and 'cut 70% of the guest list because it's too expensive' after she was fired from Vanderpump Rules 'It was supposed to be on Vanderpump Rules,' Stassi said, explaining that her wedding special would have served as a 'bridge' episode for a now defunct spin-off show. Stassi actually took a producer from the show with her and Beau to Rome back in 2019 to scout locations for the hotel, rehearsal dinner space and wedding venue so they could secure the rights to film there. 'So, we found our venue got locked in, we found our rehearsal dinner venue and got locked in, found the hotel,' she recalled. 'Then everything went down where I was fired and we were still locked in. So they wouldn't let us get out of these venues.' The Off With My Head author revealed that the venues refused to let her cancel. At the same time, after her firing over a racism scandal, all of Stassi's revenue streams - the show, her podcast and endorsements - all dried up Problems: The 33-year-old was already 'locked in' with the venues when Bravo backed out of filming the nuptials following her firing from Vanderpump Rules and Stassi was forced to severely pare down her guest list 'Bravo didn't pay for this s**t,' she said, 'like we paid for the s**t and the venues didn't let us get out of it. 'Do we want to just eat this money and let it go? Or, like, do we want to, re-imagine what this wedding will look like and like still do it?' she asked herself at the time. Beau and Stassi 'cut 70% of the guest list because it's too expensive.' Their invites went from around 200 people to just 35. Tom Sandoval and Scheana Shay were persona non grata at the swanky event, was one of the 70% that actually had her invite rescinded by the bride, while Sandoval was never invited. Sandoval and Stassi famously fought in a full blown screaming match over her book signing party at TomTom in 2020 leading Sandoval to ban his co-star from the bar. Persona non grata: Beau and Stassi's invites went from around 200 people to just 35 and Tom Sandoval and Scheana Shay were not invited to the swanky event (Tom and Scheana pictured together in 2018) 'Honestly, everyone's been pretty understanding,' Schroeder said if the austere guest list. 'We sent out an email, like, 'Yo, times are tough, we can't have a 200-person wedding. This doesn't mean that we don't like you, but you're not part of my 35 top people.'' Katie Maloney, who is Stassi's baby's godmother, made the cut for the wedding - as did her soon-to-be ex Tom Schwartz. Kristen Doute - who was fired from the Bravo show alongside Stassi after falsely accusing black castmate Faith Sowers of theft to the police - was also absent from the wedding but had been invited. 'I'm friends with Kristen but it's not the same,' Stassi said on the podcast. 'We're all going in different directions. Our lives are so different. I don't have time to be a Witch of Weho.' 'Bravo didn't pay for this s**t,' she said, 'like we paid for the s**t and the venues didn't let us get out of it. Do we want to just eat this money and let it go? Or, like, do we want to, re-imagine what this wedding will look like and like still do it?' she asked herself at the time.' Doute congratulated Schroeder on Instagram and was asked by a fan why she wasn't in Rome to celebrate. 'Ugh so sad I missed Rome, but we have a wedding here we had already booked! I'm soo happy she got her dream wedding,' she responded. Stassi and Beau started their romance towards the end of 2017 and they became engaged in July 2019. The two first officially wed in 2020 in a back yard with few in attendance due to COVID. They had to wait until 2022 to have a big, splashy wedding of their dreams with their friends in Italy. By Yi Whan-woo KB Financial Group said Tuesday its Chairman and CEO Yoon Jong-kyoo met with Brian Friedman, president of the U.S. investment banking company Jefferies Financial Group, to discuss consolidating their partnership to help the Korean firm expand its presence in the global investment banking industry. They will widen their partnership from the ongoing cooperation between KB Financial Group's brokerage arm KB Securities, and Jefferies Group LLC, a Jefferies Financial Group subsidiary, to incorporate the entirety of the Korean financial giant. The two parties signed a contract in July 2021, under which Jefferies Financial Group agreed to offer research data and information on U.S stocks to Korean institutional investors via KB Securities and also offer online educational seminars for KB Securities analysts. In a separate deal in November 2021, KB Securities and Jefferies Financial Group agreed to work together on brokerage services for overseas investors in the Korean stock market. KB Financial Group assessed the group-wide partnership with Jefferies Financial Group will help it increase the amount of capital invested overseas in banks, securities firms and asset management companies, among others. "We judged collaboration with a major global investment banking company is becoming more important more than ever, in accordance with the rapidly growing demand for both private and institutional investors," KB Financial Group said in response to the Yoon-Friedman meeting in Seoul, May 19. "We will seek ways to maximize customers' profits and enhance global businesses, through various means of cooperation with Jefferies Financial Group." The group underlined that global expansion of its business is especially in line with its vision for new growth engines as addressed by Chairman Yoon during a shareholders' meeting in March. By sales, Jefferies Group LLC was ranked eighth in the world in investment banking and seventh in equity capital markets. Headquartered in New York City, it has offices in more than 40 cities across the U.S., Europe and Asia, and employs a total of 4,500 workers. Izabel Goulart commanded attention on the red carpet at the L'Innocent premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday. The former Victoria's Secret model, 37, looked nothing short of sensational in the stunning red jumpsuit which featured a dramatic ruffled long train. The beauty showcased her incredible physique in the eye catching strapless ensemble as she posed up a storm at the star studded event. Sensational: Izabel Goulart commanded attention on the red carpet at the L'Innocent premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday The Brazilian fashion model elevated her figure in a pair of towering matching pointed toe heels. She turned up the heat wearing a dazzling pair of chandelier earrings and a chunky silver bracelet. Izabel swept her brunette tresses up in a chic high ponytail leaving the ends in loose waves. Incredible: The former Victoria's Secret model, 37, looked nothing short of sensational in the stunning red jumpsuit which featured a dramatic ruffled long train Wow: The beauty showcased her incredible physique in the eye catching strapless ensemble as she posed up a storm at the star studded event Ahead of leaving the Hotel Martinez she made sure to get some glamorous snaps in the lobby which was filled with pretty pink and purple flowers. She seemed in high spirits as she hit the red carpet making sure the cameras got all of her best angles. Izabel has showed off her incredible fashion sense at the festival this year as she put on a colourful display at the Decision To Leave premiere. Fashionista: The Brazilian fashion model elevated her figure in a pair of towering matching pointed toe heels Glamorous: She turned up the heat wearing a dazzling pair of chandelier earrings and a chunky silver bracelet The brunette beauty stood out from the crowd in a black flannel shirt and a purple and red patterned maxi dress. The model seemed in high spirits as she beamed in a towering pair of tan heels which added height to her tall frame. She styled her brunette tresses in loose curls as they cascaded down past her shoulders and she carried her personal belongings in a matching pattern bag. After Cannes was entirely cancelled in 2020 and held under strict health protocols in 2021, the red carpet returned in all its glamour on Tuesday night for the Opening Ceremony. Lady in red: Izabel beamed as she waves to the crowds in the backless number Elegant: The model made her way of the stairs sweeping her train behind her High spirits: She seemed in high spirits as she hit the red carpet making sure the cameras got all of her best angles The film chosen to open the festival was Final Cut, a comedy love letter to filmmaking and Z-list zombie movies from the team behind the award-winning The Artist. There is set to be an array of TikTok stars taking to the red carpet this year after organisers sought to refresh their image by partnering with the video streaming platform, which is sponsoring an award for short films. In total, some 35,000 film professionals are expected to attend the festival between May 17 and 28, hoping for a return to form for cinema's most glamorous event after two years when it was hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. Dazzling: Izabel looked radiant in the feathered ensemble Wow! She was greeted by several photographers as she exited the Hotel Martinez 'We are ready. The town hall has just redone everything - the whole place - so we hope it will go well,' said Jeremie Tripet, manager of 'L'Avenue', a bistro just off the main drag known as La Croisette. One major exception is the absence of Russians, due to the impact of sanctions over the war in Ukraine and a ruling from the organisers that state-linked delegates are not welcome. China is also expected to have a limited presence due to its continuing Covid restrictions. But otherwise the festival is keen to put the pandemic in the past, with no mandatory masks or health passes this year - and no restrictions to partying. Radiant: Izabel has showed off her incredible fashion sense at the festival this year as she put on a colourful display at the Decision To Leave premiere Khloe Kardashian delved into her embarrassing fib about her daughter True Thompson's fake visit to Disney during an appearance Tuesday on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast. Khloe, 37, admitted to the host Amanda Hirsch that she gave her sister Kim Kardashian, 41, permission to photoshop her four-year-old daughter's head over an image of Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi. 'I f**ked up the lie,' she said, referencing when she accidentally spilled the beans on social media. Owning up: Khloe Kardashian, 37, admitted Tuesday on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast that she gave her sister Kim permission to photoshop her daughter True over a photo of Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi; seen May 2 in NYC 'I forgot we did this,' Khloe added, before clarifying that Kim wasn't upset at the mistake. She explained that the fake visit to Disneyland came about because she wasn't ready to take her daughter to Disneyland, just as Kim was desperate to fill up her Instagram grid. 'When it happened, [Kim] sent me a photo of True and Chi. And I was like, "So cute!"' she recounted. But Khloe said she was multitasking, so she didn't initially realize the photo was supposed to have been taken at Disneyland. Whoops! 'I f**ked up the lie,' she said, adding that she 'forgot.' Kim sent her the photoshopped image and she just thought it was 'cute,' without realizing her daughter had never been to Disneyland Fooled: 'I was like, "Who would not tell me my kid went to Disneyland?" No one asked me for permission, nothing. And [Kim] was like, "Oh, you believed it?"' 'The I looked back, and I was like, "Wait, is she wearing Minnie Mouse ears?"' I was go, "You took her to Disneyland?" Because I would not let her go until I was taking her, and I was waiting for her fourth birthday, because I was not taking her in the thick of Covid,' Khloe said. 'I was like, "Who would not tell me my kid went to Disneyland?" No one asked me for permission, nothing. And she was like, "Oh, you believed it?"' the Good American founder recounted, perfectly mimicking Kim's girlish voice. 'I just I wasn't thinking. I would not think that someone would photoshop, so I'm like, "What's happening?!"' Khloe said that Kim told she just 'needed' the photoshopped image for her 'grid.' Without thinking further, she gave her older sister permission to post it. 'I didn't care. I thought she looked so cute, I was like, "She looks great,' she added. Good enough: Khloe said that Kim told she just 'needed' the photoshopped image for her 'grid.' Without thinking further, she gave her older sister permission to post it; seen May 21 near Portofino, Italy Caught red handed: Fans caught Khloe in the fib when she posted from the actual first time that True went to Disneyland, which she owned up to in April The photoshopped images showed what appeared to be True in a gray hoodie standing net to Kim's daughter Chicago, four, though eagle-eyed viewers noticed at True's face was considerably clearer in the images that Chicago. The conspiracy theory first went viral on TikTok, with fans speculating that Stormi had been removed due to the controversy over her father Travis Scott's Astroworld festival, where 10 people died from being crushed in a crowd during his headlining set on November 5, 2021. The tragedy occurred just a month before Kim posted the photos to Instagram, and Kylie largely kept her daughter out of the public eye afterward. Other obsessive fans discovered that photos of True from July were used in the photoshop work, and that other images from Disneyland showed Stormi from behind, revealing that she had a different hairdo that True was seen wearing in the augmented pictures. Receipts: Some eagle-eyed fans realized it couldn't have been True after discovering the pictures from July 2021 that were used in the altered image; seen together in April in LA Khloe let the truth slip out in April, when she shared that her daughter True had gone to Disneyland for the first time, meaning she couldn't possibly have been in the photos with Chicago. 'Welllppp I f**ked this one up. Anyways.. lets focus on something else (laughing crying emoji). Our show airs in a few days,' the reality star tweeted after she was caught. Later in April, Kim also fessed up about the deception, admitting that she replaced Stormi with True because Kylie wasn't 'really feeling posting at the moment.' The group originally went to Disneyland in October, before the Astroworld deaths, but they weren't posted until December. Confirmed! Kim Kardashian confirmed that she photoshopped out Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi and put in Khloe Kardashian's daughter True instead [the unaltered photo from Disneyland featuring Chicago with Stormi] 'The original pics were Stormi!' Kim wrote while posting the original with her caption. 'However I asked @kyliejenner if I could post them and she said [insert crying face] she wasn't really feeling posting at the moment and so I respect that! But it wasn't going to mess up my IG feed. Chi was wearing pink and it matched perfectly.' She added: 'It wasn't the aesthetic I was going for and I can own up to that! You know how much a good aesthetic means to my soul and I will be dammed if Kylie will ruin that for me and mess up my IG grid. So thank you True for taking one for the team!' [sic]. She concluded by adding, 'I didn't think it would be that big of a deal if her own mom questioned if I snuck her to a Disneyland for the first time' [sic]. Terrifying home surveillance footage has captured the moment hooded thugs broke into influencer couple Chloe Szepanowski and Mitchell Orval's $2.75million mansion on the Gold Coast. A shaken Chloe, 23, spoke of the moment she thought Mitch, 25, had been killed by the intruders during a late-night stand-off, and admitted she'd been left 'traumatised' by the incident. Chloe, who is heavily pregnant with the couple's second child, shared confronting CCTV vision of two hooded figures creeping into their driveway at 3am. Terrifying: Home surveillance footage has captured the moment hooded thugs broke into Chloe Szepanowski (right) and Mitchell Orval's (left) $2.75million mansion on the Gold Coast The footage was recorded on February 25, 2022, but Chloe did not publicly address the incident until Monday. The couple and their one-year-old son Arti were sleeping upstairs when they heard the sound of people entering their driveway. The footage, which Chloe posted on Instagram, shows one figure breaking into her luxury car, while the other opens the front gate before fleeing on foot. Awful: A shaken Chloe, 23, recalled the moment she thought Mitch, 25, had been killed by the intruders during a late-night standoff, and admitted she'd been left 'traumatised' by the ordeal A shirtless Mitch is then seen running down the driveway shouting at the robber as he frantically attempts to stop them driving away. Rather than fleeing the scene, the brazen criminal tries to mow down Mitch with the vehicle, then crashes into the family's outdoor trampoline. Chloe told her followers the couple was so disturbed by the incident they packed up their belongings and moved to a hotel that night. Scared: The family, including son Arti (left), were too traumatised to return to the house, and have moved into another apartment Horror: The CCTV footage shows one figure breaking into Chloe's luxury car, while the other opens the front gate before fleeing on foot 'We got broken into at 3am one morning when we were all upstairs,' Chloe explained. 'The footage gives me legit trauma because I was upstairs screaming, while I didn't know what was happening downstairs.' Mitch had gone downstairs and 'caught them in our house', the YouTuber said, before describing the confrontation her boyfriend had with 'a guy' in her car. Stand-off: A shirtless Mitch is seen running down the driveway shouting at the robber as he attempts to stop them driving away. Rather than fleeing the scene, the brazen criminal tries to mow down Mitch with the vehicle, then crashes into the family's outdoor trampoline 'They got my keys and tried to steal my car, while Mitch's car was in the driveway so they couldn't get out,' Chloe said. 'It was basically Mitch and this guy going head to head in the front yard... the guy tried to run Mitch over with my car multiple times. 'I thought Mitch was legit going to be dead on the driveway.' Awful: 'This is the third time in 2022 we got broken into, but this time it was really traumatic for the entire family,' the young mother said 'This is the third time in 2022 we got broken into, but this time it was really traumatic for the entire family,' she added. Chloe said she learned the value of safety that night, especially after having her son in the house as it was all happening. 'You go into some crazy mode of survival and fight when someone is in your house and you have a young [one] to protect,' she said. 'I didn't feel safe': Chloe said she learned the value of safety that night, especially after having her son in the house as it was all happening Chloe said her house's location had been posted 'everywhere' since they moved in, and the incident was a lesson in prioritising privacy. She and Mitch haven't returned to their property since the attempted invasion, and have hired other people to move their belongings 'so we didn't have to face it again'. They have moved into an apartment after spending a few months in a hotel after the invasion. Home woes: Chloe and Mitch had previously left fans confused when they suddenly sold their home in February, after living there for just 12 months Chloe and Mitch had previously left fans confused when they suddenly sold their home in February, after living there for just 12 months. The pair had completed extensive renovations to the Broadwater mansion and pocketed a cool $900,000 profit selling it three weeks before auction. At the time, Mitch told Realestate.com.au the couple was selling to take advantage of the booming property market on the Gold Coast. Sold: The pair had completed extensive renovations to the Broadwater mansion and pocketed a cool $900,000 profit selling it three weeks before auction Popular: Selling agent Mitch Lambert said in February their property on Monaco Street (pictured) had attracted 50 enquiries in the first 24 hours of it being listed But on Monday, Chloe confirmed the real reason for selling was the break-in. Selling agent Mitch Lambert said in February their property on Monaco Street had attracted 50 enquiries in the first 24 hours of it being listed. Mr Lambert said the popularity of the home stemmed from the celebrity profile of the sellers, the Hamptons-style design and the fact it's on a 'brand-name street'. The two-storey house has five bedrooms, two of which are ensuite, four bathrooms, six toilets and a stylish home cinema. There is also a large balcony off the upstairs master suite, while another bedroom boasts views of the nearby park and skyline. Scott Disick enjoyed his own taste of Italy after getting snubbed from Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding in Portofino. The reality star, 38, looked glum as he dug into a bowl of pasta at Bar Pitti in New York on Tuesday. But Scott appeared in higher spirits that same day during a naughty exchange with his model flame Holly Scarfone, where he joked about her many 'talents.' Eating his feelings: Scott Disick enjoyed his own taste of Italy after getting snubbed from Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's wedding in Portofino Scott did not appear to be in a flirtatious mood as he enjoyed lunch with his friends. The reality star gazed solemnly at his his fork full of pasta and did not appear to be in the mood for conversation as one of his pals sat across from him. Scott did not appear particularly upbeat when he was spotted out and about in NYC with friends. He wore a black sweatshirt, track pants, trainers, and rocked a full beard. Pasta for one: Scott did not appear to be in a flirtatious mood as he devoured his lunch Penny for your thoughts? Disick did not appear to be in a particularly chatty mood Stepping out: Scott did not appear particularly upbeat when he was spotted out and about in NYC with friends Scott appeared to be in better spirits after girlfriend Holly posted a sizzling snap of herself modeling one of his Talentless wears. 'oh lord she's @talentless,' she captioned the photos. 'I can think of a few talents you have right off the top of my head, no pun intended,' Scott commented. Holly replied, '@letthelordbewithyou see u soon.' With the boys: The reality star strolled through the city with his group of friends Wowza! Disick enjoyed a flirty exchange with Holly Scarfone after she posted this sexy snap Whoa! 'I can think of a few talents you have right off the top of my head, no pun intended,' Scott commented The comments came a day after Scott was spotted hitting up a strip club in the wee hours of Monday morning. Lord Disick was seen in cellphone video strolling through the Sapphire New York with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Clubgoers dished that Scott and his entourage kept a low profile at Sapphire, arriving at around 2:30AM and staying for about an hour, according to TMZ. Suns out, buns out! Scarfone showcased her cheeky backside on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday Dropping jaws: She ensured all eyes were on her body The sources added that Disick was with a group of men and women and spent his time chatting with one lady in particular but 'didn't even interact with any dancers.' The night before, Kourtney Kardashian threw her third and biggest wedding with husband Travis Barker however, Scott, the father of her three children, didn't get an invite. Kravis, as they are affectionately called, threw a lavish reception - sponsored by Dolce & Gabbana - at a castle in Portofino Italy. And while family and friends of the couple gathered in the coastal town for their big wedding weekend, Scott was not among them. Disick and Kardashian's three children, Mason, 12, Penelope, nine, and Reign, seven, were all in attendance but an invite was not extended to their father - despite his seemingly positive relationship with Kourtney. Guests were ferried to the ceremony and reception space on a fleet of speedboats decked out with D&G pillows and blankets. Peter van Onselen, the Political Editor of Network 10, left his colleagues shocked on election night by confessing he'd forgotten to vote. The high-profile journalist and academic, 46, made the startling admission live on air on Saturday as the results of the federal election trickled in. 'Sandra, I just realised I forgot to vote,' he told his co-host Sandra Sully, as the entire panel gasped, 'What!?' You had one job, PvO! Peter van Onselen (right), the Political Editor of Network 10, left his colleagues shocked on election night by confessing he'd forgotten to vote. (Left: Sandra Sully) Sully and her co-hosts Jan Fran and Hugh Riminton, the National Affairs Editor for Network 10, looked stunned by van Onselen's revelation. Labor politician Ed Husic even shook his head in disapproval and rolled his eyes. While van Onselen was likely too busy on election day to go to the polls, he could easily have voted early or via post like millions of Australians. 'Sandra, I realised I forgot to vote': Sully and her co-hosts Jan Fran (left) and Hugh Riminton (right), the National Affairs Editor for Network 10, looked stunned by van Onselen's admission The surreal moment went unnoticed by viewers on Saturday night - likely because Channel 10 had just 78,000 metro viewers for its election coverage. But it reached a wider audience on Tuesday when it was played on 10's comedy show The Cheap Seats, which compiles the biggest gaffes of the week. Host Tim McDonald said van Onselen's mistake was especially egregious given he isn't just a political journalist. Caught: The moment went unnoticed by viewers on Saturday - likely because Channel 10 had just 78,000 viewers for its election coverage. It reached a wider audience on Tuesday when it was played on The Cheap Seats, hosted by Melanie Bracewell (left) and Tim McDonald (right) Out: Scott Morrison (pictured with his daughters Lilly and Abbey) conceded defeat to Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday after Australians voted for a change in government PvO also happens to be a professor of politics with a PhD in political science, as well as the author of several books about former prime ministers, including John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. Mr Morrison conceded defeat to Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday after Australians voted in favour of a change in government. Mr Albanese was sworn in as PM on Monday, and promptly flew Tokyo where he is taking part in high-level talks with the heads of the United States, Japan and India. Rep. Yoon Chang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party, left, talks with Rep. Sung Il-jong of the same party, center, during an emergency seminar held to discuss ways to ensure protection of cryptocurrency investors amid the recent collapse of the controversial Luna token, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps-Yonhap Prosecution looks into Terraform Labs' co-founder Do Kwon By Lee Min-hyung Financial authorities and the government are moving to introduce legal safeguards in the cryptocurrency industry by strengthening supervision on exchanges to prevent a recurrence of the recent collapse of the troubled stablecoin Terra and its sister token Luna. "We need to make exchanges play their proper role, and toward that end, it is crucial for watchdogs to supervise them thoroughly," Rep. Sung Il-jong of the ruling People Power Party said during a National Assembly emergency seminar, Tuesday. "When exchanges violate rules, they should be held legally responsible to ensure that the market functions well without any troubles." The two-day-long meeting, which ended Tuesday, was designed to discuss countermeasures against the recent financial fiasco surrounding the two cryptocurrencies. About 280,000 Korean investors are estimated to have fallen victim to the abrupt plunge of the once-promising coins. But as the industry is not regulated by any financial watchdogs, many critics have called for the need to introduce regulatory measures in no time. Luna's market capitalization once surpassed 50 trillion won during its heyday last month, but its value nosedived to near zero in about a week in mid-May after Terra failed to defend its intended $1 peg. Leaders of the nation's top five exchanges also attended the meeting along with ranking officials from the government, including Financial Services Commission Vice Chairman Kim So-young. "We are going to build close ties with the Ministry of Justice, the prosecution and police, in a bid to monitor any illegal acts in the industry and protect investors' rights," Kim said during the seminar. With the Luna scandal making global headlines, investigative authorities have been looking closer at Terraform Labs, the developer of the two controversial cryptocurrencies. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police cyber-crime unit, the authority requested freezing of assets from one of the firm's employees suspected of embezzling corporate capital. The prosecution is also looking into whether Terraform Labs' co-founder Do Kwon, also known by his full Korean name Kwon Do-hyung, has engaged in any fraudulent acts targeting investors of the now-dead Terra stablecoin and Luna. Last week, LKB & Partners, a Seoul-based law firm representing victims of the latest Luna fiasco, sued Kwon and the firm's other co-founder Shin Hyun-sung at the Seoul Southern District Court. But given the legal ambiguity surrounding the crypto industry, it remains unclear whether investors of the Terra ecosystem will be able to receive any financial compensation from the company. As Luna was once considered one of the most promising altcoins in the global cryptocurrency industry, the rapid collapse of the Terra ecosystem has in recent weeks accelerated the downfall of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. According to data from CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin prices fell by around 30 percent in less than three weeks. Bitcoin was traded at as high as 50 million won as of May 5, but it tumbled to around 37 million won on Tuesday. This was sparked in part by the Luna shock starting May 9. With Luna's valuation falling to near zero in less than a week, overall investor sentiment plunged without any signs of bouncing back in the following weeks. The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also shared a message of warning against investing in cryptocurrencies similar to Luna. According to CNBC, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva called the Terra ecosystem a "pyramid," as it was not backed with assets, only promising to deliver 20 percent returns. Billage leaders said that the man was in debt and his disappearance was part of his plan to avoid repaying loans. Representational image/DC ADILABAD: A resident of Temburni village in Narsapur (G) mandal is missing after being fined Rs 30,000 by a village development committee for buying liquor from a neighbouring village. The committee allegedly threatened to socially ostracise him if he did not pay the fine. Family members of the missing person claimed that the man might have died by suicide. His wife has lodged a police complaint. The committee auctions the right to sell liquor in the village, which does not have a vend, to a private party and forces residents to buy liquor at higher prices from the belt shop, his family members alleged. However, village leaders said that the man was in debt and his disappearance was part of his plan to avoid repaying loans. They also said that the development committee had ceased functioning last December, after being directed by the police to do so. The mans family maintained that the committee was still functional. HYDERABAD: Telangana struck it rich on day one of the World Economic Forum Summit at Davos, Switzerland, with IT and industries minister K.T. Rama Rao luring investments worth Rs 600 crore, and commitments for setting up offices of Swiss Re, a Switzerland based insurance company, and Meesho, an e-commerce company. Rama Rao, during the day, held a series of meetings with various industry leaders at the Telangana pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The largest investment commitment came from the Lulu Group which said it would invest Rs 500 crore in Telangana in the food processing sector. The announcement came at a meeting Rama Rao had with Lulu Group head Yusuf Ali. Rama Rao, on behalf of the Telangana government, handed over the necessary permission documents to Yusuf Ali for the food processing unit to be set up by the company. Yusuf Ali said besides this investment, they also had plans of setting up another unit in the food processing sector and an official announcement would be made soon. He said they would be laying the foundation stone for their food processing units soon. The companys unit would export food products from Telangana to Europe and other parts of the world. Yusuf Ali also said the Lulu group would invest more in the construction of large-scale commercial complexes in the state of Telangana. "We have already selected several areas in Hyderabad city in this regard and are in talks with the respective property owners. Our aim is to build an excellent shopping mall of international standards in Hyderabad city, he added. Rama Rao, expressing happiness over the Lulu Groups decision to invest in Hyderabad, said the Telangana government was working towards increasing demand for agricultural products and agricultural allied products through food processing units. At another meeting with Veronica Scotti, group managing director, and Ivo Menzinger, MD public sector solutions, of Swiss Re, Rama Rao welcomed the 160-yar old insurance and banking company to Telangana. Swiss Re said it would start an office in Hyderabad with an initial staff of 250 and the city office would focus on data and digital capabilities, product modelling and risk management. Also announcing its intention to set up its facility in Hyderabad was Meesho, an e-commerce company which said it would work with the state government to onboard retail sellers in Tier-II towns in the state. Meanwhile, Chemo, the Spanish multinational said it would invest about Rs 100 crore to expand their site in Hyderabad over the next two years. The investments will go towards setting up a second line of production in Hyderabad to manufacture pharmaceutical finished dosage forms. Chemo, which in 2021, set up quality control and stability labs in their facility in the city, was gearing towards commencing commercial operations utilising the upcoming production line, the company said. Rama Rao, who also took part in a panel discussion on 'Telangana Life Sciences - Industry's Vision for 2030' at the World Economic Forum, said the life sciences sector in India needed revolutionary reforms to strengthen the sector and compete with the world. He said India needed a conducive regulatory framework in the life sciences sector, and highlighted that Telangana was known as the Vaccine Capital of the World and Life Sciences Capital of the country. He added that Hyderabad Pharma City spread across 19,000 acres would be the worlds largest pharma cluster. The others who took part in the discussion were Dr. Reddys Labs co-chairman and managing director G.V. Prasad, and PwC India partner Mohammad Athar. : Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Quad leaders summit meeting, at Kantei Palace, in Tokyo, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. (PIB/PTI Photo) Tokyo: The mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries is giving new energy to democratic forces and the work of the grouping is encouraging a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Tuesday at the second in-person summit of the four-nation coalition. "Quad is pursuing a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific region. With this, the image of Quad as a 'force for good' will be strengthened even more," he said. The leaders of the Quad, comprising India, Australia, the US and Japan, met in the Japanese capital in the midst of the geopolitical flux triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the steady decline in each member country's bilateral ties with China. Though US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida spoke strongly against the Russian attack on Ukraine, Modi did not touch upon the issue. "In such a short span of time, the Quad has made an important place on the world stage. Today the scope of Quad has become wider and the form has become effective," Modi said. "Our mutual trust, our determination, is giving new energy and enthusiasm to the democratic forces. Our mutual cooperation at the level of Quad is promoting a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, which is a common objective of all of us," he added. The prime minister also referred to increasing cooperation among the Quad nations notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic. "Despite the adverse conditions of COVID-19, we have increased mutual coordination in many areas like vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response and economic cooperation. This is ensuring peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he said. In his remarks, Modi also complimented his newly elected Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese saying his presence at the summit after 24 hours of taking the oath showed his commitment to Quad. Biden spoke about the importance of the Quad in responding to Covid-19, partnering on supply chains among others, But much of his remarks focused on the war in Ukraine. "We are navigating a dark hour in our shared history," Biden said. "Russia's brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. And innocent civilians are put into the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as exiled." The US President said the situation in Ukraine is more than just a European issue. "It's a global issue. The fact is that when you turn on the television and see what Russia's doing now, it appears to me that (President Vladimir) Putin is trying to extinguish a culture. He is not trying to hit military targets anymore, he is taking out every school, every culture, every natural history museum," Biden said. "As long as Russia continues this war we are going to be partners and lead a global response," he said. Kishida opened the summit by welcoming the participants and thanking Albanese for coming to the meeting so soon after his election. The Japanese prime minister said it was important for the Quad leaders to get together to make a "firm commitment" to "a free and open Indo-Pacific". Albanese said it was an honour that one of his first acts as prime minister was to attend the Quad meetings The Quad has been focusing primarily on ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's increasing muscle-flexing in the region. In line with its long-term vision for the region, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas like clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade. The rollout of the IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. Attending the event to launch the IPEF, Modi said that the announcement of IPEF is a declaration of a collective desire to make the Indo-Pacific region an engine of global economic growth. The prime minister also called for finding common and creative solutions to tackle the economic challenges of the Indo-Pacific region. Sources also said that state Congress chief Revanth Reddy is against former Congress leaders re-joining the party. DC Image ADILABAD: The Congress is on the lookout for candidates to field in the next elections in constituencies where it does not have strong leadership, particularly the erstwhile Adilabad district. Party sources said that they are focusing on senior TRS leaders and elected representatives from Asifabad and Boath constituencies, where there is an internal cold war in the TRS over ticket allotment. They said that in Khanapur, they are looking to field an Adivasi candidate. TRS leaders and elected representatives are also tussling for a ticket in Khanapur, which is a reserved ST seat. The development comes on the heels of TRS MLA Nallala Odelu and his wife, Bhagyalakhsmi, a zilla parishad chairman, joining the Congress. Congress sources also said that they are focussing on Sirpur (T), where the party lacks a strong presence and garnered few registrations during the digital drive. The Congress is also facing a problem of defections. Atram Sakku of Asifabad, who won the elections on a Congress ticket in the 2018 elections, later joined the TRS. Another leader, Palvai Harish Babu, who came second in the Sirpur (T) election, defected to the BJP. Sources also said that state Congress chief Revanth Reddy is against former Congress leaders re-joining the party. China releases action plan on rural construction Xinhua) 10:11, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday published an action plan on rural construction to improve people's livelihoods in rural areas and facilitate the country's rural revitalization drive. By 2025, tangible progress should be made on rural construction, and continuous improvement should be seen in the rural living environment, according to the document jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council General Office. In the meantime, China also expects positive progress on ensuring that every village and household has access to rural infrastructure, steady advancement in basic public services, and solid results on promoting cultural and ethical progress in rural areas. The action plan will play a guiding role in advancing the rural construction initiative and making rural areas more attractive places to live and work, according to the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. The document lists 12 key tasks for promoting rural construction, including formulating a unified plan, carrying out major projects and improving relevant mechanisms in rural areas. The projects will cover areas such as road transport, water supply, energy, logistics, informatization, comprehensive services, rural housing and living environment, it said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) A passenger walks by a real estate office in Seoul on May 12. Newsis By Anna J. Park The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is moving to ease the tax burden that increased during the previous administration, including overhauling the housing tax system to lower taxes levied on home owners. The main opposition party is also campaigning to lower the comprehensive real estate tax levied on the owners of expensive homes, ahead of the June 1 local elections. According to authorities on Monday, the government is currently mulling over lowering housing taxes back to 2020 levels. The new administration is also expected to lower comprehensive real estate taxes levied on households that own only one home to the tax level imposed in 2021, but now it seems almost certain that the government aims to lower it further to the level in 2020. With the rapid increase in real estate prices over the past few years, the declared value of apartments nationwide, or the state-assessed price which provides the ground for the imposition of housing taxes, rose by 19.05 percent in 2021 alone and increased 17.22 percent in 2022. The declared prices of apartments nationwide increased five percent for three years from 2018 and 2020. Considering the housing price surges in 2021 and 2022, the government's plan to turn back housing taxes to 2020 levels signifies that the sudden increase in the housing tax burden due to soaring declared values during the past few years will almost disappear for taxpayers. "Taxpayers have been seriously burdened by real estate price hikes due to a series of wrong policies as well as the increase in declared prices. The Yoon administration aims to lower their comprehensive real estate tax burden to the level imposed in 2020," Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said in an interview with a local media news outlet earlier this month. The government is also likely to ease corporate taxes as Choo vowed that the administration will free the business sector from "chains and sandbags." According to the Korea Economic Research Institute, the highest corporate tax rate rose by 3 percentage points in Korea during the past five years, while some other developed economies including France, the U.S., and Japan lowered their rates. The government is also examining an option of reducing the possession tax levied on a single household that only possesses only one home. The Yoon administration is expected to announce a new set of real estate tax schemes within this month. Regarding such moves, the main opposition party has also begun campaigning to lower the comprehensive real estate tax burden as one of its campaign pledges, ahead of the local elections set for June 1. The issue of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi has now become live and is likely remain with us for years, if not decades, just as Ayodhya did. What should we anticipate? In an interview with journalist Barkha Dutt, the vice-chancellor of Hyderabads National University of Law, Faizan Mustafa, spoke about the legal issues at hand. The core belief is that the Places of Worship Act 1991, which was passed by Parliament during the heat of the Babri Masjid campaign, will protect the mosque in Kashi. Prof. Mustafa said that this was not necessarily so. First, the Supreme Court could strike down the law because it does not permit judicial review. This means judges were barred from adjudicating on any dispute on whether a place of worship was really a mosque, temple, gurdwara or church, instead of what it was currently. This barring of judicial review went against what is called the basic structure doctrine, and on those grounds the Places of Worship Act could be struck down. And from there, the Kashi dispute would go into the same direction as the Ayodhya one did. Second, Parliament has the right to repeal the Places of Worship Act, and indeed some people in the BJP have been asking for this to happen. Given the current numbers in Parliament, this is entirely possible. Prof. Mustafa then said that there was no real legal cover for Muslims and they should instead try for reconciliation with Hindus, meaning that they should voluntarily give up some mosques so as to end the issue once and for all. Something similar, though on a different subject, was suggested by the journalist Saeed Naqvi, with whom I had a discussion a few days ago at the Bangalore International Centre. Mr Naqvi felt that Hindus were upset that while Pakistan got an Islamic state, India remained secular. If India were to be made a Hindu Rashtra formally, then that sense of grievance in Hindus would vanish. He said that it might even be better for India, and pointed to the United Kingdom which officially is a kingdom with an Anglican ruler, but where figures like Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid could aspire to high office, unlike India. Both Prof. Mustafa and Mr Naqvi are well-meaning, knowledgable and experienced. It would not be appropriate to dismiss what they are saying and we would do well to contemplate the meaning of their words. I wanted to look at the other aspect here. Is the assumption that Hindus feel grievance against their own Constitution? And second, is the historical sense of grievance behind what is happening in Kashi and what had happened in Ayodhya? Perhaps it is, and for the purpose of trying to understand events, let us assume that this is the case. What follows from here is that we have to see what else has been going around us and connect it to this fresh dispute in the court. Since 2014, but especially since 2019, we have seen a slew of State actions from the BJP that address Muslims. The criminalisation of Muslim divorce, the gutting of Kashmirs democracy and autonomy, the criminalisation of the possession of beef, the ban on hijab, the ban on namaz in designated spaces, the ban on Muslims vending near temples, the blaming of Muslims for the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of bulldozers against mostly Muslim homes and shops. These are the things that have kept this nation busy and are what have made the news headlines in the last 36 months. For us to engage with what Prof. Mustafa and Mr Naqvi are saying, we have to assume that all of the above are also the product of Hindu resentment that they have been stuck with a secular State, and the product of their historical grievance against the Mughals. Is this the case? I do not want to answer this here but it would be interesting for us to each ask ourselves what the core issue is, if there is a core issue. The other thing to ask ourselves is whether, if we were to change the name of our country officially, and become a Hindu Rashtra, if the treatment of Muslims and their inclusion in political power change. We accept that at the moment no Muslim in India can aspire to be Prime Minister of India as Mr Sunak or Mr Javid can in the UK. Does changing the name of the country also change the reality of this exclusion? Again, something for us to think about. Of course, there is also the problem of reducing everyone to their religious identity and seeing society as Hindus and Muslims. Collective identity is the sign of primitive societies. In democracy, the most important unit is the individual, who has rights that the State must respect. An individual is defined as a single human being distinct from a group. Fundamental rights are addressed to the individual. In our Constitution, equality cannot be denied to any person (Article 14), and the State cannot discriminate against any citizen (Article 15). These are the issues that are on the table. We have two well-meaning men put forward what they think should be done in conciliatory terms. It would be good for the BJP, since it is in government and has been at the forefront of all the campaigns and laws and policies described here, to articulate what it wants. What is it that will put an end to the hostility and resentment and violence? It would be good to know. Hosiery and knitwear company, Dollar Industries Limited, has grand plans to strengthen, and expand, its manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu. With a 67 per cent rise in year-on-year net profit, Dollar is optimistic about becoming a Rs 2,000 crore company by 2024-25, as it continues to gain positive response, and see market expansion, with Karnataka having a strong growth potential. Karnataka market is good, and we are expanding very well there, Vinod Kumar Gupta, managing director of Dollar Industries Limited, told Deccan Herald. Dollar is the only hosiery and knitwear company in India consisting of a fully integrated production unit. Now, as part of its expansion, the company plans to add a new spinning mill at its Dindigul facility. In Tirupur, the knitting unit will be expanded on a purchased plot, and this could incur an investment of Rs 60-65 crorea part of the Rs 120 crore investment earmarked for expansion. We are expanding our product manufacturing facility in sync with our growing turnover and product demand, Gupta said. In Tamil Nadu, we are doubling our spinning mill capacity. Dollars total revenue for FY22 stands at Rs 1,356.85 crore, with a more than 30 per cent rise, as compared to FY21s Rs 1040.43 crore. The profit after tax also rose a steep 67 per cent. The exports form around eight per cent of the companys revenue. The brand has a presence in West Asian markets. Gupta said that a 15-20 per cent growth in exports is expected this year. While the products have had an association with African markets, the company intends to have its products reach countries like Zambia and Sierra Leone. A proposed hike of the goods and services tax (GST) on textilesfrom 5 per cent to 12had been deferred at the end of last year as apparel manufacturers had expressed concern that this would not be favourable for the industry. Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai heads the group of ministers on GST rate rationalisation. Gupta said that industry representatives had earlier met Bommai requesting him to consider the issue, as he finalises his report on the rate rationalisation. Oil prices eased in early trade on Tuesday as concerns over a possible recession and weaker consumption outweighed an expectation of tight global supply and a pick-up in fuel demand in China after Beijing's promises of stimulus. Brent crude futures for July slid 35 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $113.07 a barrel by 0122 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for July delivery dropped 36 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $109.93 a barrel. Both benchmarks declined by more than $1 earlier in the session. Brent gained 0.7 per cent on Monday while WTI settled nearly flat. Multiple threats to the global economy topped the worries of the world's well-heeled at the annual Davos economic summit, with some flagging the risk of a worldwide recession. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said she did not expect a recession for major economies but could not rule one out. "Investors were selling off as they expected higher oil prices to dent consumption for fuels worldwide," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities Co Ltd. "But lingering concerns over tight global supply and hopes for demand recovery in China were providing some support," he said, predicting Brent to stay within a boxed range of $105-$115 a barrel for a while. The world is facing an oil supply crunch with most companies afraid to invest in the sector as they face green energy pressures, the head of Saudi Aramco told Reuters, adding it cannot expand production capacity any faster than promised. China, the world's top oil importer, will broaden its tax credit rebates, postpone social security payments and loan repayments, roll out new investment projects and take other steps to support the economy, state television quoted the cabinet as saying on Monday. Shanghai, China's commercial hub, aims to normalise life from June 1 as its coronavirus caseloads decline, though rising new Covid-19 cases in Beijing raised concerns for further curbs. Meanwhile, the European Union will likely agree an embargo on Russian oil imports "within days," according to its biggest member Germany, as Moscow said it saw its economic ties growing with China after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine. A 22-year-old Bangladeshi woman who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in eastern Bengaluru last year has been sent back home, senior police officers said. The deportation order came on May 21, a day after a fast-track court in the city convicted seven of the 12 accused. Speaking to DH, S D Sharanappa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said the gang-rape survivor was escorted to the Bangladesh border by a team of Bengaluru police and deported from there. The woman was trafficked into India by her tormentors on a job promise but was forced into prostitution. She was gang-raped in a house in Ramamurthy Nagar on May 27, 2021. The assault would have remained under wraps but for a video recorded by her tormentors. The video went viral in northeastern India and in Bangladesh before eventually reaching Bengaluru and prompting the police to act. A special team tracked down the suspects within days. Police initially struggled to trace the survivor who was in Kozhikode in Kerala back then. She was unwilling to testify because she didn't know how the Indian law works and didn't want to get into further trouble with her assaulters. But police managed to take her into confidence and promised her full protection and speedy justice. She was brought to Bengaluru and her statement was taken. Police also recreated the crime scene (mahazar). Police asked for the trial in a fast-track court and filed a 1,019-page charge sheet within 28 days of registering the case. Veeranna Tigadi, a special public prosecutor, argued the case. After a trial that lasted just over three months, 53rd Additional City Civil and Sessions judge N Subramanya pronounced the verdict on May 20. The court awarded a rigorous life sentence to seven accused Sobuj alias Chand Miya, Hridoy Babu alias Mohammed Rifakdul Islam, Rafsan Mandal alias Mohammed Alamin Hossein, Rakibul Islam Sagar, Mohammed Babu Sheik, Mohammed Dalim and Ajim Hossain. A woman accused named Thania Khan was handed 20 years' rigorous imprisonment. Mohammed Jamal, another accused who was charged with illegally staying and supporting the gang, was awarded five years in jail. Two more women Nusrat and Kajal got nine months' jail term each for not revealing the crime despite knowing about it. The 12th accused turned approver. The survivor testified in court for three days. On the court's directions, authorities took the victim to the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO). On May 20, she was taken to West Bengal and deported the next day, a senior police officer said. Until her deportation, the survivor was housed in the state women's home. The Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia have registered their first cases of monkeypox, health authorities said Tuesday. In the Czech Republic, the disease was detected in a man at Prague's Military University Hospital, according to Pavel Dlouhy, head of the Czech Society for Infectious Diseases. "It was only a question of time, we have been expecting this for days," Dlouhy told AFP. The Czech National Institute of Public Health said in a statement Tuesday that the sick Czech had shown symptoms of the disease after returning from a music festival in Antwerp, Belgium in early May. In Austria, a man, who was hospitalised in Vienna on Sunday with symptoms of monkeypox, including fever, has been confirmed to have contracted the disease, the capital's health authorities said. In Slovenia, a man, who developed symptoms after returning from the Canary Islands, has also been confirmed to have monkeypox, according to health authorities. Over the past few days, several European and North American countries including Britain, France and the United States have reported cases of the rare virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa. Medical authorities have said, however, that the risk that the disease will spread widely is low. An MNS leader on Tuesday tweeted a photograph of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh at an event and claimed they had formed an alliance against Raj Thackeray. Notably, Raj Thackeray has been facing stiff opposition from Uttar Pradesh BJP MP Singh, who has warned that the MNS chief will not be allowed to enter Ayodhya till he tendered a public apology for humiliating north Indians in the past. Thackeray on Sunday said he had deferred his visit to Ayodhya in UP as there was ploy to trap his party workers into legal issues. On Tuesday, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande tweeted a picture of Pawar and Singh at a wrestling event and in a cryptic post said, "... both have formed an alliance against Raj saheb." However, Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil rubbished Deshpande's claim, saying the photograph of Pawar and Singh was from a wrestling event and had nothing to do with politics. Raj Thackeray, who recently called for removal of loudspeakers atop mosques, last week announced that his visit to Ayodhya, earlier scheduled on June 5, has been put on hold for now. He had also said that when he posted the message about deferring his Ayodhya visit, many people were happy, while some did not like it. Sita Khanal did not remember her name, who her family was or where she came from when she was spotted wandering aimlessly in a north Kerala town seven years ago. It took years of treatment aided by the NGO Health Oriented Project Establishment (HOPE), based in Kannur, and an MSW intern Jastina Nivils days of interaction with the now 52-year-old that helped her piece her life together -- she is Sita from Nepals Kapilavastu, the land of Buddha. Sita is now returning home after she located her village on Google Maps which Jastina showed her. Sita was spotted wandering by local police in Kannurs Payyanur and brought to HOPE in February 2015. It was only in June-July last year that they managed to establish her identity. She was undergoing psychiatric treatment during these years. The volunteers at HOPE, including its General Secretary K S Jayamohan who took it on himself to reunite her with her family, did try all these years to find more about her but her language was an impediment. None could figure out that she was speaking Nepali and her reticent nature added more trouble. Whenever she spoke initially, she gave herself different names -- Umakala, Barmala, Vanamala and Laxmi. But as the treatment continued, her condition improved and then Jastina, who had quit her teaching job to study MSW, landed at HOPE for an internship. Jayamohan said he asked her to cull out as much information as she could. Jastina, who had worked in a Delhi school and had some knowledge of Hindi, got a breakthrough soon after. I started interacting with her and then I understood she was from Nepal. She told me her name was Sita. I wasnt convinced at first. Then she gave the names of husband and children, Jastina told DH. She found out that Khanal was a popular surname in Nepal. With the breakthrough, Jastina dug deeper and showed her pictures of Lord Budha, to which Sita reverently responded and said that her husband is a priest in a Buddha shrine. She was asked about her village and shown places as well as shrines on the Google Map. She identified her village, Jastina said. Following this, HOPE officials reached out to the Nepal Embassy in India as well as the Ministry of External Affairs seeking help to establish her identity and locate her family in the Himalayan country. A search in Kapilavastu with the help of Nepal-based NGO and authorities managed to locate Sitas family, Jayamohan said. Derry crime writer, Brian McGilloway dropped into the city's Waterstones branch hoping to steal his way to a top national literary prize. McGilloway, is one of 18 authors longlisted for this years Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, visited Waterstones in the Foyleside Shopping Centre, to help promote his book, Blood Ties. The book, which is the sixth installment of the Inspector Ben Devlin series, where a brutal murder in the north finds itself linked back 20 years to a murder of a teenager in Strabane. In an interview last year, McGilloway said of the novel: I'd had this idea about the fresh blood of a murder victim somehow appearing at the scene of their killer's murder years later. I'd tried to develop it as a story a couple of times and I just couldn't find a way to tell it. I knew it didn't have 'legs' yet so I was always abandoning it and coming back to it at a later stage. I kind of worked out that it would suit Devlin and I could then see the patterns. That idea of blood connecting things, which then led on to the story with his dad and the blood ties within families how our identities are defined by our family relationships. Who we are and our sense of self, we get from the people that we love. That's why the book opens with a line from a poem that I love by Elizabeth Jennings, Identity, 'When I decide I shall assemble you'. Our own sense of identity is one thing, but other people have a sense of who we are as well that might be completely different but nonetheless it's who we are. Previous winners of the prestigious accolade include Lee Child, Val McDermid, Denise Mina and Mark Billingham, and all 18 of this years books are available at Waterstones, either instore or online. As well as a cheque for 3000, the winner receives an engraved oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of Britains last coopers from the Masham brewery. Now in its 18th year, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is presented by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, and celebrates excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors. In addition to Brians book, Blood Ties, other longlisted books this year include: Girl A, the gruelling bestseller from debut novelist Abigail Dean; historical mysteries set in Georgian Londons dark underbelly, a haunted ship in the 1600s, and the turbulent streets of 1950s Bombay; the latest in Mick Herrons Slough House series, which have been adapted for Apple TVs Slow Horses; and The Herons Cry, the second installment in Ann Cleeves new Two Rivers series. But it's not just the expert industry panel who get to play jury. The public are invited to vote for their favourite novel at: www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com at the longlist stage by Thursday 26 May, with the shortlist of six authors announced on Tuesday, June 14, when voting opens again to pick the winner. This years winner will be announced at the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival on Thursday 21 July in the spa town synonymous with the disappearance of Miss Marple and Poirot creator Agatha Christie. Sharon Canavar, Harrogate International Festivals Chief Executive, said: Waterstones plays a major part in this annual Festival of crime writing, and as ever we are grateful to them for alerting the public to the whereabouts of these 18 most-wanted titles. Brian is one of the writers vying for this years title, and to help promote his book and win over a few more fans, he popped into the local Waterstones. The bookshop is a terrific supporter of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, with a creative partnership of digital and in-store campaigns. The 18 books, all available at national Waterstones, have been selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee, and representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd. In a few weeks, the shortlist will be announced along with the second round of public voting. Were excited to crown the eventual winner at the awards ceremony, where an icon of the crime genre will also be honoured with the Outstanding Contribution accolade. Voting at the longlist stage closes at 11.59pm on Thursday 26 May. Further details about this years Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award are available at: https://harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com/ Sinn Fein Foyle MLA, Ciara Ferguson, has slammed the British Home Office over the treatment of asylum seekers in Derry. Ms Ferguson's comments came after 17 individuals were told they were being moved to new accommodation in Scotland on a no-choice basis. The move was criticised not only on a human rights level but as also undermining Derry City & Strabane District Council's current process of organising provision for the asylum seekers' well-being. Ms Ferguson described the action by the British Home Office as deplorable and should be reversed. She said: These are people, many of whom have fled appalling situations in their own country and now they are being treated in a cruel and deplorable manner by the British Home Office. It is particularly heinous given the fact that the local council was in the process of organising their provision in Derry so that they feel welcome here while their asylum applications are processed. They have now been told they are being moved to Scotland. The letter they received says they have no choice in this and there is precious little information about the type of accommodation they will be placed in. Given the inhumane accommodation many asylum seekers have been housed in Britain, there are severe concerns as to the conditions they will face. All of us who care about human rights and basic humanity should make clear our opposition to the British Home Offices self-declared policy of creating a Hostile Environment for asylum seekers. Every individual has the right to live free from discrimination, as well as the right to be free from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment. The planned deportation of these people just like the British Governments plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is deplorable and should be reversed immediately. In response, a Home Office spokesperson said: Asylum accommodation is offered on a no-choice basis across the United Kingdom. We continue to ensure that the accommodation provided is safe, secure and leaves no one destitute and ensure it is appropriate for an individuals needs. The Home Office does not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels. Sinn Fein Councillor, Sandra Duffy, has demanded the DUP get back to work and help Derry and the North find a path out of the current cost of living crisis. Cllr Duffy said the DUP should end its current boycott of the Executive in Stormont so that a government can be put in place to provide vital assistance for people in need. The partys Council Group Leader was speaking ahead of tabling a motion calling for the democratic outcome of the Assembly election to be respected and an Executive formed. She said: People voted to make politics work, to invest an extra 1 billion in our health service and for an Executive to put money in their pockets to help deal with the cost-of-living crisis. We need an Executive up and running now, people should not have to wait a day longer. No one has a veto over progress and it is reprehensible that the DUP is holding everyone to ransom by preventing that from happening. The people want all parties back to work. They want progress on the key issues of healthcare, housing, education and the cost of living. It is only the DUP that stands in the way of that so I would urge the other parties to back my motion and give voice to the growing public demand for the democratic outcome of the election to be respected and an Executive restored immediately. Meanwhile, Cllr Duffy's Sinn Fein colleague, Cllr Emma McGinley, has called upon the Republic of Ireland Government to establish a new Irish passport office in the North. Cllr Emma McGinley of Sinn Fein This follows from SDLP Foyle MLA, Mark H Durkan's written request to the Irish Foreign Secretary, Simon Coveney, to look into setting an office up in Derry. However, as reported in The Derry News earlier this month, the Department for Foreign Affairs stated there would be no additional offices set up alongside the ones in Dublin and Cork. Cllr McGinley was commenting ahead of tabling a motion on the issue before the monthly meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council. The Council has previously supported the need for an Irish passport office to be opened in the North, she said. Given the surge in demand for Irish passports in the wake of Brexit and the fact that many people here are facing lengthy waits for applications to be processed, it is time we reiterate that call. Therefore my motion will ask Council to write to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Dublin, Simon Coveney, expressing concern at the current backlog and delays in applications and seek the establishment of a dedicated passport office in the North as a means to address this. It has been clear for many years now that there is a real need for an Irish passport office in the north. This has been underlined by the latest figures which show that Irish passport applications now surpass the numbers of British applications so I hope that all members can get behind this motion as a recognition of that reality. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during his first meeting with ministers on reforming regulations at the Government Complex in Seoul, May 24. / Yonhap Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday there was a need for the government to be guided by the market in adopting corporate regulations. Han made the remarks as he presided over his first meeting with ministers on reforming regulations earlier in the day. "Rather than directly regulating corporate activities, the government needs to leave it to the market's judgment," Han said. Without direct regulations, some foreign companies set their own standards much higher than those set by law for fear of market retaliation, Han said. Han said President Yoon Suk-yeol "is very determined to innovate regulations," calling for all ministries to establish task forces to reform regulations. Yoon has promised to give his full support to companies if they create more jobs and increase domestic investment. Yoon also pledged to let the private sector drive economic growth and to remove around 80 types of regulations that he said were tying up businesses, although the details still remain sketchy. (Yonhap) Two County Derry entrepreneurs who skipped university and moved to California to grow their agri-tech business have been rewarded with a multi-million pound investment. John McElhone from Ballyronan and Micheal McLaughlin from Draperstown, developed CropSafe, a platform that provides real-time data to allow farmers to manage their farms, while in their teens. CropSafe allows farmers to create alerts and enable real-time modules from their marketplace to monitor the condition, health, and weather on their farm. The data is monitored remotely through CropSafes network of global weather stations and orbital satellites. It helps growers take action on data, rather than leaving the complex job of interpretation to farmers. John and Micheal pictured in 2019. The duo have recently sourced over $3 million in funding, vindicating a decision to move straight to the tech hotbed of California after leaving St Mary's Grammar School in Magherafelt. California was a big move. I came out the day after my last A-Level exam, John told Derry Now. I remember doing them in the school hall and realising all the paths I could go down after I'd finished them, did well and got a job. That wasn't really the path I wanted to take, so I said I'd forget these exams. Even though I've done them, I'll head off to California to see what other paths are available, and I'm glad I did that. John arrived in California with 200 in his bank account, somewhat short of the $2,000 per month average rent in San Francisco. After initially working part-time at Stanford University, where he received free food and accommodation, John took on a number of part-time roles around the area. Along with Micheal, he returned home for six months to engage with Invest NI's Ignite programme, before the pair returned to California in March 2021, and began to look for investment. The leap of faith paid off. The $3 million has come from a number of investors, with Elefund, Foundation Capital, Global Founders Capital, V1.VC and Great Oaks Capital all providing funding. Angel investors included Cory Levy, Josh Browder and the Microsoft's former head of strategy Charlie Songhurst. Charlie Songhurst I realised the potential of how big we could make the company if we branched out into the US, said John. We still have operations in Ireland, and I think that's very important, but making that jump to the US and having those dual operations is very valuable. I never thought we would get that much when I first went out. We've opened two offices; one in Belfast and one in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. We're expanding the team and we're hiring, so that will keep us full steam ahead over the next few years. Our office neighbours are massive companies like Snapchat or SpaceX or NASA, all these really cool companies you read about and then all of a sudden, they're the people you're working beside. California has long been a Mecca for ambitious entrepreneurs looking to make their fortune in the tech industry, and an atmosphere of relentless positivity is helping to spur the County Derry men on. When someone says they want to build a new social network with five billion users, nobody really questions it in a negative way, said John. Everyone's like 'that's great, I'm going to help you out'. Whereas I think outside of California, a lot of people would laugh it off a bit. In California, every ambitious idea people have, people take it seriously and want to help you 100% to actually achieve it. Being surrounded by that atmosphere is extremely important, a lot of ambitious people who are also building huge projects; that's one of the benefits of California. Their surroundings may be wildly different from where they started in rural Derry, but at least one thing has remained the same. The name is one of the only things in the company we haven't changed from Day One it's always been CropSafe but I'm not sure where it came from, said John. We always knew it would be CropSafe, and we didn't really question it, which is kind of funny. That was always the 'codename' for the company and it seemed to work really well as a name. To find out more about CropSafe, visit their website https://www.cropsafe.io or for information on how to join the CropSafe team, visit www.jobs.wrk.xyz/cropsafe. PayPal is set to cut more than 300 jobs from its offices in Dublin and Dundalk. The company told employees on Tuesday that it is to begin a consultation with impacted staff. A total of 135 of the positions are based in the Blanchardstown offices, and 172 are in Co Louth. A spokesman for the firm said: PayPal remains committed to Ireland and our Dublin and Dundalk sites will continue to be among our largest global centres for employment and operations, supporting our customers. We will continue to employ well over 2,000 employees after the proposed changes. The spokesman said the firm is looking at changes that may be necessary to shape the business, and added that the decision is not in response to economic conditions. We are offering enhanced redundancy and support packages to help them as they move to the next step in their careers, he said. Minister for Enterprise Leo Varadkar said the news will come as a real shock to the staff. I have spoken with the PayPal leadership team and expressed my disappointment at the decision and the impact it will have on their employees, he added. Update on the jobs front today pic.twitter.com/w1D6uBB6aa Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 24, 2022 The company has assured me that PayPal remains committed to Ireland and the remaining 2,000 staff the company will continue to employ here. Consultation with staff will begin this Thursday and I understand all 307 redundancies will be initially sought on a voluntary basis and a good redundancy package will be made available. Im very conscious of the workers and their families receiving this news today. I know this is coming on top of what has been a very difficult couple of years for everyone and will be very worrying. Our goal is to create a job for everyone that wants one secure, well-paid, sustainable jobs located in every county in the country. We are working hard to reach this goal and have set ourselves the target of 2.5 million people at work by 2024, which would be the highest level of employment in the state. The Government will make all necessary state assistance available to the workers, to help them find new employment, education and training opportunities as soon as possible. Tele2 Russia is reportedly suing Finnish vendor Nokia, claiming the company failed to complete network contracts, as Nokia announced previously it would cease business in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. ComNews reported Tele2 applied to the Moscow Court of Arbitration to recover 7.2 million and US$2.6 million from Nokia. Tele2 said in a translated statement, the lawsuit is due to Nokias refusal to fulfil its contracts for orders made long before the imposition of sanctions on Russia. It also claimed Nokia has not responded to its appeals or offered any alternative settlements. The court is proceeding with the case and scheduled a preliminary hearing. Tele2 has also applied for the legal right to seize assets and properties that are within its claim. Nokia and Ericsson, two of the largest infrastructure vendors in the world announced they would cease supplying operators in Russia and move R&D centres out of the country, stating humanitarian reasons. But Nokia did state Telefonica-owned Mexican operator Movistar has said that it is considering a launch of 5G in Mexico via a network sharing agreement with fellow operator AT&T. Local press reports indicate that there is already an infrastructure sharing model with AT&T in place. This means, in theory at least, that AT&T and Movistar could launch services simultaneously. AT&T Mexico began 5G deployment late last year using spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. The initial coverage of AT&Ts 5G network was limited to parts of Mexico City, though more of Mexico City, along with Guadalajara and Monterrey, will be covered in the coming months. In fact according to news website Xataca.com, AT&T this week has revealed more details about its 5G network, from plans, price and coverage to compatible smartphones and what is required to connect to 5G. The 5G AT&T network will be available in Mexico from 24 May, with limited coverage for now, and for postpaid users only. After Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey the operator aims to connect 25 cities throughout Mexico to 5G by the end of the year. As for the leading operator in the country, in February America Movil launched 5G services in 18 of Mexicos largest cities, reaching more than 48 million people. However, the availability of spectrum is still an issue. Earlier this year, Mexican telecommunications regulator the Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) confirmed that the Mexican 5G spectrum auction, delayed due to Covid-19, will take place during 2022. The plans are to auction off 5G-enabling frequencies in the 600MHz, 3.3GHz and 3.5GHz bands, along with the L band (1500MHz range), though its not yet clear when this will happen. The sub-3GHz spectrum bands are rising in prominence as the whole industry advances in its 5G journey. Innovative upgrades to the network featuring multi-antennas MIMO, ultra-wideband and multi-RAT coordination will be the key to successful 5G evolution. At the recent Huawei Analyst Summit 2022 held in Shenzhen, Huawei and industry members urged maximal use of ultra-broadband and multi-antenna technologies to accelerate the sub-3GHz to 5G and deliver on user experiences. Huawei VP of Wireless Network Product Line, Cao Ming, opened the Sub3-3GHz analyst roundtable. Sub 3GHz is an important task from resources for 5G, by which more than 650,000 base stations have been deployed worldwide. Sub-3GHz products are commercially used in more than 100 countries. At MWC this year, Huawei was recognized for its creation of a mobile network last year in FDD which became an industry-leading example. It showed the industry recognition of Huawei's leading products and Huawei can't have achieved this without your recognition and support." Multi-band, multi-RAT and multi-channel demands more power, however, it is not the right way to increase the power. We think we have to combine the radio capability of hardware, software and AI to get the best performance and energy efficiency. This is the strategic direction for future sub-3GHz evolution. Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) president Joe Barrett started the forum, showcasing the pivotal role lower band spectrum is to operators for augmenting the high speed and low bandwidth we associate with 5G. He highlighted mid and low band frequencies will account for 40% of 5G traffic which is why the industry needs to focus on freeing up spectrum in the lower bands, which will come to a head at the World Radio Communication Conference 2023 (WRC-23). That's a key area that we need to focus on. The high bands also need to be producing traffic for the ultra-experiences. But the coverage and capacity layer in the mid-band is also very important, as is a low band for coverage, said Barrett. According to GSA data, 92 operators have launched 5G in sub-3GHz bandwidths. Europe is currently the leader in tapping into sub-3GHz airwaves, as 17 operators rolled out on 2.1GHz, 15 in 700MHz, and five at 1.8GHz. The sub-3GHz ecosystem is also expanding with a rapid increase in devices that support all 5G frequencies. Between 1990 and the present there have been 979 devices unveiled and commercialised. Currently, there are 852 devices supporting low bands from 121 vendors, most vitally, 5G devices are becoming more affordable as they dip into the sub $US200 range. That really will start to drive the take up of 5G, its services, and the experiences that users are now coming to expect, said Barrett. We've got a lot of growth happening in the industry, through bringing devices and networks to market. Spotlight is on Sub-3GHz Huaweis 3GPP standard senior expert and vice-chair at 3GPP RAN1 David Mazzarese noted key technologies that tap into the use of sub-3GHz spectrum was being standardised in each 3GPP release since 15. After release 15, we started approving individual projects and announcements, targeted at specific features in 3GPP, said Mazzarese, many of which were advocated by Huawei. This showcases how the industry is starting to recognise the importance of sub-3GHz for 5G evolution, said Mazzarese. In release 16, we saw technologies pushed such as MIMO (enhanced type 2 codebook), DSS Enhancement and spectrum evolution (RAN4). That continues in release 17 where there were more MIMO announcements for FDD bands, DSS/MR-DC and more spectrum evolution. Looking ahead to release 18, MIMO will be advanced through multi-cell coherent joint transmission (MC-CJT), multi-carrier enhancements and specific announcements to enable 700 800 900MHz band combinations on smartphones as well as infrastructure gear. Needed innovation Huawei is one of the worlds key suppliers of infrastructure equipment which was illustrated at MWC earlier this year, when Huawei won the GLOMO award for best mobile network infrastructure for the second year running, with its New FDD Giga Band MIMO Modules that support low and mid-band Sub-3GHz frequencies in one radio box while implementing 4T4R, 8T8R, and Massive MIMO. Great technology is supported by great technology and that is certainly the case in the infrastructure space, where when new resources such as spectrum become available, new challenges arise for operators. This was pointed out by Huawei VP of 5G and LTE FDD Domain Qiu Zheng, who highlighted operators face the usual pressures of providing high download/upload speeds with sufficient coverage. But this is being compounded with much needed carbon neutrality target. A way through for operators is to expand transceivers and antennas, but this adds weight and space challenges, as well as an increase in energy use which contradicts carbon neutrality targets. For Sub-3GHz, the characteristic obviously is a lot of bands, rich bands, for both legacy bands and new bands, but they are fragmented, our ambition is to solve those challenges and problems. I think our whole industry should be together to find the best way to optimise that cost per gigabit. The answer for those headaches, comes in two key parts; one is the use of ultra-wideband and the other is multiple antennas, said Qiu. Ultra-wideband is a radio technology which uses low energy for short-range but high bandwidth communications over large sections of spectrum. Power can be shared in between different sub-bands through the use of this technology, noted Qiu. The use of multiple antennas enables efficient use of spectrum which brings a host of advantages to operators. Multiple antennae can significantly increase spectrum efficiency, it can produce good network performance for example multiplexing, suppress interferences and encourage transceiver diversity, said Qiu. The starting point is 4T4R, especially in lower bands, which is the ubiquitous coverage layer. You then progress to 8T8R or massive MIMO in the mid-band, which is the universal capacity layer. Massive MIMO is the only viable option at higher bands as it combines capacity with great customer experience. We call it the extreme experience layer. Success stories Utilising the right innovative technologies can quickly overturn an operators standing which was the case for a Netherlands-based operator who tapped Huawei for solutions. The unnamed operator possessed less infrastructure footprint and bandwidth compared to rivals, which was evident in testing from industry benchmarkers P3. To improve on its disadvantage, the operator with Huawei then upgraded its 1T2R dual-band radio units to 4T4R triple-band for sub-1GHz and 2T2R to 8T8R in mid-band. Then through tower upgrades, the operator was able to tap into seven bands using its usual four boxes and coverage was also boosted. As a result, the company received its best ever P3 network results, not only nationally but also ranked globally, improving from a score of 954 to 962. Its NPS scores also increased by 6% as a result. Another example is an operator in Finland, which had a similar problem as its Netherlands-based counterpart. This operator modernised its towers with more advanced boxes, which cut its use of three boxes to two, freeing up space for a massive MIMO to upgrade to 4G and 5G. Even though there was an upgrade, there was no change to the operators energy consumption, Qiu pointed out, despite now tapping into seven bands instead of four. The commercial feedback from the market was amazing for this operator because its performance and accountabilities significantly increased. From this upgrade, the operator gained the capability to increase prices and upsell. The average revenue per user then increased 10% year by year. One of Germanys major operator players was also in a less fortunate position with fewer spectrum holdings, huge distances between base stations, and a lower budget. This operator deployed 8T8R and Blade AAU with C-bands. From these upgrades, this operator saved 30% on the total cost of ownership on its mobile sites, boosted coverage by 40% and user throughput by 30% to 70%. Overall, this operator bested rivals in customer data performance according to P3 network testing. In closing the roundtable, Qiu again highlighted how vital it is for the industry to pay close attention to innovations within the sub3-GHz space. Operators who recognise this can take a true evolutionary step into the 5G NR era and push the full potential of their networks, which will, in turn, deliver ubiquitous coverage and high levels of performance. Wireless broadband technology Curvalux has announced a collaboration agreement Brazilian ITC Consultancy Tree Net to bring highspeed Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions to Brazil. Tree Net will deliver last mile connectivity solutions to both telecom operators and business developers with Curvaluxs multibeam technology. Curvalux and Tree Net are planning to carry out a series of field trials in both urban and rural areas, with the first set to take place in a densely populated area of Sao Paulo in early June. This trial will demonstrate the performance of the Curvalux system to deliver high capacity and exceptional signal quality even operating in the unlicensed bands in a noisy environment through Curvaluxs phased array multibeam system with superior interference mitigation. The second field trial will be in two locations: one in the City of Brasilia and the other outside Brasilia in an agricultural setting. Coverage and sector throughput will be key features in the rural setting as the trial aims to illuminate IoT devices in scattered locations. Curvaluxs long range, multi-gigabit speeds and low power consumption are suited to these conditions. Other industry sectors such as manufacturing, mining and logistics can easily adapt to the agricultural business model. The arrival of 5G in Brazil has opened an unprecedented discussion about the use of high-speed FWA solutions in urban areas as a complementary solution to fibre, and how FWA solutions will aid operators covering hard-to-reach areas. Internet access is no longer a luxury but a necessity in todays society, and every government in the world is prioritising the need to bring affordable broadband access for each and every one of its citizensSocial, economic, technical and environmental hurdles need to be tackled and overcome, says Richard Pak, Curvalux Group CEO. Irelands trade in goods and services with Africa reach all time high Press release Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney T.D., today presented to Government a report on the second year of the implementation of Irelands Africa Strategy. The report was presented on the eve of Africa Day, which is celebrated tomorrow (Wednesday, May 25th). Commenting on the report, Minister Coveney said: Ireland made considerable progress to advance the objectives of the Africa Strategy throughout 2021. Irelands trade in goods increased to a record level of 2.42 billion, while trade in services reached all time high of just over 4 billion, with growth in services exports up by 300% in the ten years to 2020. Our diplomatic network in Africa was extended with the opening of an Embassy in Morocco and this will expand further with an additional Embassy in Senegal. Another key highlight was Ireland becoming an associate member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, deepening our links with Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and around the world. 2021 saw Ireland take up its role as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council, which has further enabled Ireland to play a leadership role in contributing to peace and security in Africa. Ireland worked closely with African partners on key Security Council matters including through our role as co-penholders on the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel and co-chairs of the Informal Expert Group on Climate and Security. Ireland has also been at the forefront of efforts to address the conflict in Ethiopia at the Council. I was delighted to be able to visit both Kenya and Somalia last year which proved vital in informing our work on the Council. Speaking from Mozambique, where he is meeting Irish Aid partners working in the health, education, climate and nutrition sectors, Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and the Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., said: I am delighted to be able to see first-hand the impact of Irelands longstanding commitment to bilateral cooperation with Mozambique. Ireland is making a positive and sustainable difference to the lives of people here. As we mark Africa Day, this review shows how Ireland is deepening and strengthening political, economic and cultural relationships with Africa. The pandemic had a serious impact on people who were already furthest behind. Ireland has responded by increasing our international development assistance budget to over 1 billion for 2022. This will allow for increased investment in partner countries across Africa to recover from the impact of the pandemic, and also to respond to the consequences of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Ireland will contribute 800 million for global nutrition over the next five years. We will also continue to play a leading role on climate action. This was evident through the commitment made by the Taoiseach at COP26 to more than double Irelands international climate finance to at least 225 million per year by 2025. ENDS Press Office 24 May 2022 The report on the second year of the implementation of Irelands Africa Strategy can be accessed here. Global Ireland: Irelands Strategy for Africa 2019-2025 was launched in Dublin Castle on 28 November 2019. The Africa Strategy elaborates upon the commitments set out in the Global Ireland 2025 programme to expand Irelands engagement in Africa. Ireland was elected to the UN Security Council in June 2020 and is currently serving a two-year term, 1 January 2021 31 December 2022. Ireland became an Associate Observer member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) in July 2021 at the CPLP Summit in Angola. Six of the CPLPs nine Member States are African. Irelands goods and services exports to Africa in 2021 amounted to approx. 6.5 billion. Africa Day celebrations are taking place across the country this week, including on Africa Day itself. Irish Aid has funded 30 local authorities to host Africa Day events. See AfricaDay.ie for further details. | Ireland raising safety of journalists and the vital work of media in conflict zones Press release Minister Coveney speaks to the Dail about the role of journalists in Conflict Zones globally Ireland holds UN Security Council meeting on protection of journalists Recognising that media freedom and the safety of journalists remain under threat around the world and acknowledging the critical role of journalists and media professionals in ensuring transparency and accountability from those in power, Minister Coveney addressed the Dail today, Tuesday 23 May. The Minister said: While the television cameras and the eyes of the world most recently focused on the recent killings of journalists in Ukraine and the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh on 11 May in the occupied Palestinian territory, we cannot afford to overlook attacks on journalists anywhere. Across the world, attacks against journalists occur against the background of growing authoritarianism, with associated restrictions on press freedom, increasing cyber-surveillance, as well as the growth of disinformation. In too many countries, attacks on journalists occur in tandem with a broader pushback, against human rights in general, and against civil and political rights in particular. The promotion and protection of all human rights remains a key foreign policy priority for Ireland. It is central to our commitment to a rules-based multilateral order, with the United Nations at its core. We unequivocally condemn impunity and demand protection for journalists, whether in situations of conflict or otherwise. Ireland is prioritising Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law during our term on the United Nations Security Council. Today, Tuesday 24 May, Ireland is hosting an informal meeting of the Security Council on the protection of journalists, which will be chaired by our Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason. The meeting, which can be watched live on UN webtv from 21:30 Irish time (16:30 E.S.T. - UN Web TV | UN Web TV), will hear contributions from: Irene Khan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion; Jon Williams, Managing Director of News & Current Affairs at RTE, Irelands national public service media organisation, & Board of Directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists; Abderrahim Foukara, Aljazeera Bureau Chief USA; and Joshua Melvin, Washington-based correspondent for Agence France-Presse. The killing of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan are just three very recent examples of where journalists have faced unacceptable attacks and threats for doing their important work. There are many others too, including in Belarus, Myanmar, Somalia and Mali. This Security Council meeting is an opportunity for Member States to take stock of the protection of journalists in situations on the agenda of the Security Council and to discuss implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015). ENDS Press Office 24 May 2022 As part of its UN Security Council membership (2021-2022), Ireland is hosting todays meeting in an Arria format, which allows for a consideration of broader themes and contributions from States beyond those on the Council itself. Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015) condemns all violations and abuses committed against journalists. It affirms that a free media constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, and can contribute to the protection of civilians. It recalls that journalists, engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict, shall be considered as civilians and respected and protected as such. Ireland took up its seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term on 1 January 2021. Irelands approach to its term on the Security Council is underpinned by three core principles: Building Peace, Strengthening Conflict Prevention and Ensuring Accountability. Ireland was previously elected to the Human Rights Council from 2013 to 2015. Building on Irelands achievements at the UN Security Council, the Government has decided that Ireland will seek our next term on the Human Rights Council for the period 2027 2029. Previous Item | Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) Starbucks is pulling out of the Russian market. In a memo to employees Monday, the Seattle coffee giant said it decided to close its 130 stores and no longer have a brand presence in Russia. Starbucks said it will continue to pay its nearly 2,000 Russian employees for six months and help them transition to new jobs. . . . Passengers line up to check in at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul's northwestern district of Gangseo, May 5. Newsis By Lee Hae-rin The Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) will resume international flights and activate local airports network to pave the way for the industry's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, its chief said, Tuesday. KAC President and CEO Yoon Hyeong-jung, who took office in February, said that the "super-converged global strategy," or the vitalization of international travel from local airports via the integration of advanced technologies with various sectors, is the company's prime focus for its post-pandemic recovery. Korea Airports Corp. President and CEO Yoon Hyeong-jung / Yonhap Yoon said that the coronavirus pandemic has triggered an unexpected growth in domestic tourism and revealed the potential of local airports and travel destinations. The KAC plans to reinforce the network of the country's local airports and meet growing travel arising from the global popularity of Korean content and culture. Subscriber content preview MANILA, Philippines (AP) The Philippines has established three coast guard outposts on three islands in the disputed South China Sea to monitor ship movements and promote safety, officials said Friday, amid increasing maritime tensions with China. The move reinforced the presence of Filipino troops on the islands in the hotly contested Spratly archipelago and will likely be frowned upon by Beijing, which has claimed the disputed waterway virtually in its entirety. . . . Subscriber content preview ISSAQUAH A small office building at 230 N.E. Juniper St. in Issaquah sold for $3.4 million, according to King County records. The seller was Juniper Management LLC, which acquired the property in 2015 for $2 million. . . . By Dong Sun-hwa Yoogeum Museum is the only museum in Korea dedicated to collecting and exhibiting roof tiles from different East Asian countries Korea, China and Japan. Founded in March 2008, it is home to some 5,000 roof tiles and other stones used to decorate the walls and floors of ancient buildings. In particular, Yoogeum Museum displays traditional Korean roof tiles collected by Japanese physician Isao Iuchi (1911-1992), one of the biggest collectors of Korean roof tiles, along with other works from the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.A.D. 668) to the 1392-1910 Joseon era. "Each kingdom had its own distinctive roof tiles," Yoo Chang-jong, one of the founders of Yoogeum Museum, said during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum that took place at the museum, May 21. The forum intends to bring together opinion leaders and promote cultural exchanges worldwide. "The Goguryeo roof tiles, for instance, often featured lotus patterns and the faces of goblins. In the case of Joseon, the roof tiles were far from being magnificent or aesthetic due to economic crises triggered by foreign invasions. So people made more functional roof tiles adorned with dragons and birds," he explained. "Yoogeum" is the combination of the surnames of Yoo Chang-jong and his wife Geum Key-sook. Yoo, a former prosecutor who fell under the spell of roof tiles many years ago, joined hands with his wife, a former professor of textile art and fashion design at Hongik University, to set up the museum in Seoul's Jongno District. The Korea CQ Forum was joined by German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel, Italian Ambassador Federico Failla, Australian Ambassador Catherine Raper and Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, among others. Quad summit sees launch of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework A summit of the leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India today announced the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the event in Tokyo, which also saw the presence of US President Joseph R Biden, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, as well as the virtual presence of leaders of other partners countries, viz, Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic partnership amongst participating countries with the objective of enhancing resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a joint statement issued by the leaders. Prime Minister Modi, in his comments during the launch ceremony, said that the announcement of IPEF is a declaration of a collective desire to make the Indo-Pacific region an engine of global economic growth. India has historically been at the centre of trade flows in the Indo-Pacific region, having the worlds oldest commercial port in Lohtal, Gujarat. Prime minister called for finding common and creative solutions to tackle economic challenges of the Indo-Pacific region. He expressed Indias commitment towards working with all Indo-Pacific countries for an IPEF, which is both inclusive and flexible. He underlined that the foundation of resilient supply chains must be 3Ts Trust, Transparency and Timeliness. India, he said, is committed to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and believes that deepening economic engagement among partners is crucial for continued growth, peace, and prosperity. India is keen to collaborate with partner countries under the IPEF and work towards advancing regional economic connectivity, integration and boosting trade and investment within the region. With today's launch, partner countries will begin discussions focusing on strengthening economic cooperation and achieving shared goals. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is a declaration of our collective will to make the region an engine of global economic growth. I thank President Biden very much for this important initiative. The Indo-Pacific region is the centre of manufacturing, economic activity, global trade and investment. History is witness to the fact that India has been a major centre in the trade flows of the Indo-Pacific region for centuries. It is worth mentioning that the world's oldest commercial port was in Lothal in my home state of Gujarat, India. Therefore, it is essential that we find common and creative solutions for the economic challenges of the region, Prime Minister Modi said. India will work with all of you to build an inclusive and flexible Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, he said, even as he emphasised on three main pillars of resilient supply chains: Trust, Transparency and Timeliness. I am confident that this framework will help strengthen these three pillars, and pave the way for development, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, he added. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said there is a deep well of support from our partners across the world for the EU and UK to come to a joint, pragmatic solution over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Unilateral action will not bring us closer to that goal, the Taoiseach said on Monday. Speaking alongside Mark Rutte at a press event in Dublin, Mr Martin said he had told the Dutch Prime Minister that industry representatives from Northern Ireland had said the protocol was working for many sectors, mentioning manufacturing, meat and dairy industries. From my contact in recent days in Belfast on Friday, with European leaders, with the delegation from the US Congress I met this afternoon, I know that the only way we will find a way through the current difficulties on the protocol is through good faith engagement between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The EU wants a harmonious relationship with the UK, Mr Martin said. Mr Rutte said he still gets emotional about the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and that the protocol not only preserves the agreement but also prevents a hard border on the island of Ireland while safeguarding the integrity of the EU single market. I think the EU has shown maximum flexibility, he said, adding that the Netherlands and the other 26 members of the European Union fully support the work of European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic, who has been negotiating with the UK on how to tweak the protocol. We will keep on working with him and his team to make sure that we somehow find a way out of this, Mr Rutte said. But if this is not possible, we also have to take our next steps and think about those. I dont want to guess as to what they could be, because I dont think that is helpful, but I think Boris Johnson and the UK know very well what the next steps could be. Lets hope we dont come to that. Earlier on Monday, a delegation of politicians from the US Congress warned the British Government that unilaterally removing the protocol will not work. Democratic congressman Dan Kildee urged Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to hold face-to-face negotiations with Brussels to resolve outstanding issues. The bipartisan US delegation met Mr Martin on Monday afternoon in Dublin. The delegation, led by senior Democrat Richard Neal, is visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland this week amid tensions caused by the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Mr Kildee met Ms Truss over the weekend. Its important, and we stress this, that the (British Government) negotiate and that they not take unilateral action, Mr Kildee told RTE Morning Ireland. I think that was the very first point that was pressed by our delegation, most particularly Richie Neal. The only way we can come to agreement, the only way we protect the incredible progress thats represented with the Good Friday Agreement, is face-to-face negotiation. It is disappointing to see unilateral action being considered. We stressed that that was not the approach that we recommend, but again, difficult to determine their motivation. We dont believe that is the proper path. We think unilateral solutions will not work. Face-to-face negotiation to work out some of these technical questions can be achieved and thats what we currently recommend. He said there was no indication the British Government intends to change course. The purpose of the meeting was to make sure it was very clear to them what our position is and has been the position of Chairman Neal, (US House of Representatives Speaker) Nancy Pelosi and the American government in general supports that we dont believe that will lead to a positive outcome, he added. We think its best, whenever there is a difference, to sit down across the table and negotiate toward a common purpose. Its interesting that is the history that we celebrate when we think about the incredible benefits of the Good Friday Agreement, a very difficult, long-standing dispute resolved through negotiation. Thats a lesson that not only the rest of the world should learn, but we would hope that the parties involved now, the UK Government, would recognise thats the way to resolve these differences. The group repeated a warning that there will not be a US-UK trade agreement if the Good Friday Agreement is damaged by unilateral action. Thats been articulated by the speaker and now having had both Democratic and Republican members of Congress who dont agree on everything, there are many things we disagree on but we agree on that point and weve made it very clear to each and every person that weve met with on this delegation trip, Mr Kildee added. Earlier on Monday, Mr Martin said the only way to resolve the protocol challenges is through intensive negotiations between the EU and the British Government. Mr Martin met Northern Ireland political leaders and businesses last week to discuss the effects of the protocol. I met with all the political parties on Friday and crucially I also met with industry and with the Brexit business working group, Mr Martin said on Monday. They had some interesting research which shows that 65% of companies were now managing the protocol quite effectively. For many sectors like meat production and for the manufacturing sector in the North and for agriculture, like diary, the protocol is actually essential, is how they put it, and has been very advantageous. For other sectors, like consumer-facing areas and retail, there are difficulties and there are challenges that have been legitimately raised. The only way to resolve those challenges is through intensive discussions and negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom Government. The US group also met Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald in Dublin. The USA stands resolute in defence of the Good Friday Agreement and the protocol. It is imperative that the Executive is formed. No delay. The people have spoken. Very good meeting with the Congressional Delegation lead by @RepRichardNeal pic.twitter.com/JamV5rQSAB Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) May 23, 2022 Afterwards, she said: I thanked the members of the US Congress for their continued support of the Good Friday Agreement, for peace and for progress in Ireland. There would be no agreement without the US. The progress we have made since 1998 has been due to the diligence and commitment of US political leaders who have acted as guarantors of our agreements. These agreements face challenges from a British Government that plays fast and loose with international law and places narrow Tory party concerns above the needs of the people and economy of the North. We all agree the way forward is clear the DUP need to get back to work and stop blocking the formation of an executive. The British Government must abide by international law. The resolution to the implementation of the protocol will be found in negotiations between the EU and British Government free from threats of unilateral action. DUP Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said his party would be stressing the difficulties the protocol is causing, during meetings with the US delegation this week. Mr Lyons told the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme: Rather than protecting the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements, the protocol actually damages them. It is causing economic difficulty, it is causing societal problems and it is very clearly causing divergence of trade, and of course it is causing political instabilities. So we need to get that message across that the protocol is not protecting the Good Friday Agreement and that is why we need this issue dealt with quickly. By Kim Rahn Veteran entertainer Song Hae, who has emceed the "National Singing Contest" for 34 years, has been recognized as the "oldest TV music talent show host" by Guinness World Records, local broadcaster KBS said, Monday. Song received a certificate from Guinness which confirmed he was "94 years and 350 days old" at the time of verification on April 12. "I attribute this to Korean TV viewers who have loved 'National Singing Contest' for such a long time," Song was quoted as saying by KBS. Born in 1927, he began his career as an entertainer in 1955 by joining the Changgong musical troupe. While working as a comedian, actor and ratio presenter, he has since 1988 hosted the singing contest which is held at a different location every week, with thousands of residents at each location gathering at outdoor venues. While the show was planning to restart touring in June after more than two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, instead of airing special clips from previous recordings, Song expressed his intention recently to leave the show due to deteriorating health, according to KBS. The production team hasn't made a decision as he has been an icon of the show, and is still in discussions with him. Louth County Council spent 9,657.01 on sending a four person delegation to New York for St Patricks Day this year, the Dundalk Democrat can exclusively reveal. The 2022 delegation was made up of An Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Pio Smith as first citizen of Louth; Mr. Joe McGuinness, Director of Services for Corporate and Emergency Services; Cllr. Jim Tenanty, Cathaoirleach of Ardee Municipal District; and Mr. Thomas McEvoy, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office. The figures obtained under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, show that 3,434 was spent on four return tickets to New York while 2,919.79 was claimed back in travel and subsistence expenses by the four delegates. 1,801.70 was spent on a combination of accommodation state taxes and facility/resort fees at the Benjamin Hotel, where both councillors stayed for five nights and the two council representatives stayed for four nights. A total of 1,506.33 was charged to the Councils Debit card with 1,057.78 of this spent at a Smith and Wollensky steakhouse on Third Avenue, hosting a dinner with the Louth Society. Other charges included taxis to JFK airport, visa fees and airport parking. In a statement to the Dundalk Democrat, a council spokesperson said: As previously stated a delegation from Louth County Council visited New York on St. Patricks Day at the invitation of the Louth New York Society. The overall cost of the trip was 9,657.01. The visit, which was four days, encompassed a number of economic events which included meeting with overseas executives of Irelands state agencies to promote County Louth as a key Irish destination for both foreign direct investment and tourism. The agencies were IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, as well as the Irish Consulate in New York. Louth County Council welcomed the opportunity of the invitation to engage with the Louth diaspora and to promote the county, and potentially to key decision-makers around foreign direct investment from the United States. "The Council firmly regards the cost of the visit as an investment on behalf of people of County Louth." Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Coxs Demesne Youth & Community Project, known locally as The House, winners in the Community Wellbeing category of the IPB Pride of Place 2021 Competition, said they are delighted and honoured to receive this All Ireland Award, and that it is great recognition of all the work that has gone on and continues to go." In a statement following the award night, they added, "heartfelt thanks to Louth County Council for nominating us.. Clodagh OMahony and Norma Cooney received the award on behalf of the organisation at the event in Killarney. Clodagh stated that it was an immense honour to receive this on behalf of Coxs Demesne Youth & Community Project. She said she was acutely aware of all the dedicated staff, voluntary management committee, young people and community members who were unable to be present but are all the heartbeat of The House. Coxs Demesne Youth & Community Project was established in 1991 when two unused houses were donated from Dundalk Town Council. Having celebrated 30 years in existence in October 2021, they say it is important to remember and acknowledge their beginnings and all those who contributed to the growth over 30 years. "The vision", they said, "was to provide a place within the community where young people would be welcomes, learn new skills and be offered new opportunities. Our very essence is to reach out to youth and especially vulnerable youth. This vision and dream were spearheaded in 1991 by Brian Doyle, a local man who reared his children in Coxs Demesne. "The houses were renovated on a shoestring budget, led by Brian and young people from the community. Huge risks were taken at the time and in the early years to ensure the growth of the project. We have grown and developed over the years responding to new needs but endeavoured to remain true to the original vision. It is important to acknowledge all the dedicated and visionary people who contributed to the growth of the project down through the years i.e. young people, management committee members, like-minded people in funding agencies etc." Currently the project caters for approximately 200 children and young people on a weekly basis. The following are the main programmes & projects; After School Service (6-12 year olds) Youth Diversion Project (11-17 year olds) Diversion from crime & anti social behaviour Gaining Ground Probation Project (16-18 year olds) Training & activities for young people on probation The Second Chance Project (13-16 year olds) Alternative education project in partnership with OFiaich College Teen Parent Support Programme for north Louth Summer Youth Project North Dundalk Family Support Hub "A big thank you to our funders and all associated with the project", they added. An extension on the school year for special schools has been sought by the Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters. Members of the Committee have written to ministers Norma Foley and Josepha Madigan calling for the extension of the school year in special schools, the Irish Examiner reported earlier today. According to the Committee, this is being proposed in order to reduce the impact of the long summer break, and are also seeking confirmation from the Department of Education regarding the publication of the guidelines for the Summer Programme 2022 and any reasons for any delay. Committee chair Deputy Michael Moynihan said that feedback from parents reveals that 26 out of Ireland's 126 special schools have already advised parents they will not run any school-based summer programme this year, even prior to guidelines being issued on July provision. He said: "Parents have communicated to the committee that schools have told parents that the reasons for their school not participating in the Summer Programme this year include unavailability of staff due to family commitments and personal circumstances and lack of guidelines from the Dept of Education." The Committee also said that home-based programmes may not suit children with complex disabilities, who miss out on socialisation, adding that there is now the need to target past educational and behavioural regression due to school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, they are further concerned about the low uptake rate in 2021, claiming that parents highlighted that 80 per cent of children attending special schools did not participate in the Summer Programme in 2021. Staff at the Central Zoo conduct disinfection work to curb the current COVID-19 health crisis in Pyongyang in this undated photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), May 20. North Korea has reported that the number of people with COVID-19 symptoms has risen past 2 million since the country first disclosed an outbreak last week, according to the KCNA. EPA-Yonhap North Korea reported over 134,510 new suspected COVID-19 cases Tuesday, with the total number of cases of "fever" reaching nearly 3 million. More than 134,510 people showed indications of fever, with no additional deaths reported, over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. The daily number of fever cases has remained below 200,000 for the third consecutive day after reaching 219,030 cases Saturday. The death toll remains at 68, with the fatality rate standing at 0.002 percent, the KCNA said. The government will review the issue of whether to maintain economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2010 for a deadly naval attack, mindful of President Yoon Suk-yeol's stated practical approach, a unification ministry official said, Tuesday. The remark came as Seoul marked the 12th year since the sanctions were applied on the North after it sank the South Korean warship Cheonan in a torpedo attack, which killed 46 sailors. Under the sanctions, known as the May 24 Measures, almost all inter-Korean exchanges are banned except for the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and humanitarian aid projects. "The May 24 Measures can be reviewed in accordance with a principles-based and practical approach," the official said on condition of anonymity. He stressed, however, that the government's stance on maintaining sanctions on the North remains unchanged for now. Earlier in the day, a group of South Korean businessmen who used to be involved in inter-Korean economic projects called for the government to lift the sanctions. "Since the measure went into effect 12 years ago, over 1,000 businessmen are living miserably, with several having gone bankrupt or turned into delinquent borrowers," they said during a press conference held in front of the ministry building in Seoul. (Yonhap) Multiple Russian and Chinese warplanes entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notice on Tuesday, prompting the Air Force to scramble fighters to the scene, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The JCS said that two Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered the KADIZ, but did not violate South Korea's territorial air. "Prior to their entry into the KADIZ, our military deployed Air Force fighters to conduct tactical steps in preparation against potential accidental situations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters. At 7:56 a.m., two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the KADIZ from an area 126 kilometers northwest of Ieodo, a submerged rock south of the southern island of Jeju, according to the JCS. They moved toward the East Sea and exited the zone at around 9:33 a.m. Later, the two Chinese warplanes joined four Russian warplanes, including two TU-95 bombers, and entered the KADIZ together at 9:58 a.m. They then left the zone at 10:15 a.m. At around 3:40 p.m., four Chinese and two Russian military aircraft were spotted flying in an area some 267 km southeast of Ieodo outside the KADIZ the JCS said. The air defense zone is not territorial airspace, but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes. (Yonhap) SIS Natural is a market leader in Armenia, specialising in the production of quality juices and fruit and vegetable preserves. With support from the EBRD and the EU, the business revamped its branding and product packaging, and developed a new B2B website and portal to reach a wider audience and help it to grow. Founded by entrepreneur and CEO Armen Hakobyan, SIS Natural was the outcome of many years of hard work, arising through the culmination of Armens formative business ventures in the 1990s. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armen was involved in many different consumer goods companies before settling on SIS Natural in 1999, which he perceived as having the most potential. During that period, many Armenian producers were trying to copy European products, so we went against the tide and sought to stay true to our roots and create something truly Armenian in terms of branding and flavours, he says. The SIS in the companys name is a reference to Mount Sis, a volcano located on the eastern flank of its massive neighbour Mount Ararat, the region where most Armenian fruits and vegetables are grown, and the Natural reflects its focus on using natural ingredients to produce healthy products. The companys main product line is called Yan, which is the suffix of most Armenian surnames. Armen is committed to demonstrating that Armenian products can be attractive to international markets, and his business has proven that demand exists in spades across multiple geographic areas, vindicating his intuition. As it entered these new markets, the companys main objectives changed to attracting investment and advisory support in order to help it cope with this increased demand, diversify its product portfolio, and maintain competitiveness. A blueprint for growth The company received support from the EBRDs Advice for Small Businesses team in Armenia, before becoming a client of the Blue Ribbon programme and taking a new strategic approach. This relationship has been instrumental in successfully creating and launching the new Yan Sparkling brand and a B2B-oriented website, providing a better purchasing experience for customers and distributors around the world. Armen is grateful for the support from the Bank. Sustainable development requires consistent investment, so we are glad have a partner with the reputation of the EBRD, he says. Indeed, since becoming an EBRD Blue Ribbon beneficiary, the company has hired more employees, nearly doubled its turnover, and recently received equity financing to support its efforts to grow and continue to expand into new markets. Novel packaging The companys product designs have achieved international recognition and the branding on its Yan Sparkling range of bottles is particularly unique. The top of the packaging is spherical and depicts the rounded fruit contained inside, with a playful typeface and complementary colour scheme below. Yan is our premium brand of pure juices with extraordinary flavours and ingredient combinations, says Armen, whereas the SIS brand still produces quality juices, but at more affordable prices. Sustainable goals and economic challenges SIS Natural also invests in sustainable business practices. As a business, we dedicate a lot of resources to ensuring Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles are met, and have recently installed a large-scale solar power system to mark our commitment to the environment, says Armen. We also invest heavily in digital solutions to increase our operational efficiencies. The main challenges for the business are currently the price of international logistics, the lack of cultivated agricultural land in Armenia and a shortage of qualified labour. In response to recent currency crises, the company has implemented a hedging system with a partner bank, involving different currency credit lines to allow it to mitigate the risk of FX fluctuations. Despite some uncertainties in the international marketplace, the business continues to thrive, propelled by the EBRDs support and the receipt of equity investment. SIS Natural now employs 220 people. Our brands are already represented in more than 20 countries worldwide, says Armen. We would like to develop these markets and enter new ones in the future. Our main goal is to become a well-known, established international brand. A realistic ambition, given what he has already achieved. EBRD extends equity research programme to the Czech Republic Programme supported by TaiwanBusiness - EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund Listed-sme.com now covers 21 mid-sized companies in 10 countries The Czech Republic has joined a number of countries that are covered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)s innovative equity research programme for outstanding central European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The programme, known as the EBRD Research Coverage Programme, is supported by the TaiwanBusiness - EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and provides free equity analysis on a dedicated research hub: www.listed-sme.com. The first Czech company to participate in the programme is the beverage manufacturer Kofola CeskoSlovensko, which is listed on the Prague Stock Exchange. The newly-published analyst report was provided by WOOD & Company, an investment bank specialising in emerging markets.. Alex Pivovarsky, EBRDs Director of Capital and Financial Markets Development, said: When a medium-sized company lists its shares on a stock exchange, we would expect it to attract new capital to support its growth and development. At the same time, investors need independent analysis of the company to make more informed decisions about their investment. Many SMEs lack regular research coverage, even though it could bring very good returns. Thanks to the Listed SME Research Hub, potential investors around the world can read external opinions about the performance of a number of SMEs. We hope this platform will contribute to the development of the equity investment culture in the economies where we invest and encourage further initial public offerings over time. The EBRD Research Coverage Programme was launched in central Europe in 2019. Currently, it provides equity research coverage of 21 selected companies listed on the stock exchanges in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia, and now also the Czech Republic. Petr Koblic, CEO of the Prague Stock Exchange, said: It is great that we can involve our companies in the Research Coverage Programme. Transparency is crucial for liquidity and I firmly believe that offering a wider range of research to individual firms will have a positive impact on their liquidity. Another added value is the fact that the research is available completely free of charge to any investor or prospective investor in a particular company. The availability of quality information for informed investment decisions is therefore increased. The EBRD resumed investment in the Czech Republic after the Banks Board of Directors approved a request by its government to help with recovery from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. The re-engagement is temporary, and will be limited in scope and focus on the private sector. Supporting local SMEs to access finance through the development of local capital markets is a key priority area of that re-engagement. A CORK barrister specialising in medical negligence litigation has called for sweeping legislation to reform the Coroners Court, allowing for the establishment of an office of chief coroner and a clear set of coroner rules. Doireann OMahony BL, a barrister and award-winning author who has featured prominently in several high-profile cases concerning medical negligence, said there is a lack of consistency in standards of inquests across the country. You will not get the same inquest hearing in Cork as you will in Swinford (Co Mayo), and that is not fair, and that is not right, said Ms OMahony. Making her remarks at the launch in Mayo of Medical Inquests, a book she co-authored with solicitor and SC Roger Murray and solicitor David OMalley, Ms OMahony said Ireland needed a chief coroner, and also needed a clearly defined set of coroners rules. A lot of the time coroners have so much power, and theyre not really answerable to anybody, and they can make decisions as they go along, she added. Ms OMahony said it had been nearly a quarter of a century since the Department of Justice had appointed a working group to examine the operation of the coroner service, with a subsequent 2000 report recommending radical, root-and-branch reform of the service. She said that very little had been done since, with successive governments failing to implement changes required to make the process more humane for families, and she described the Coroners (Amendment) Act 2019 as tinkering around the edges. RTE courts reporter Vivienne Traynor with Doireann O'Mahony, at the launch of 'Medical Inquests', by Roger Murray SC and solicitor, Doireann OMahony BL, and David OMalley, solicitor. (Picture: Donal O'Keeffe) Ms OMahony said she believed there were few public services as little understood as the coroner service, and it was only when families came into contact that they realised how much room for improvement there was, and how many inconsistencies in standards there were around the country. I have come out of more than one inquest and heard families say, It seemed as if he/she had already made up their mind or, What was the point of that? What was it all for? where family members just feel retraumatised. She added that it was past time that Oireachtas members took seriously their duties as legislators, and legislated for meaningful and far-reaching reforms which would modernise and humanise the coroners court. Ms OMahony told The Echo she and her co-authors have been invited to address the Oireachtas Justice Committee on reform of the Coroner's Court next week. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said Minister Helen McEntee is committed to reform in this area, and her Justice Plan 2022 commits to bringing forward nationwide coroner review proposals later this year to address identified issues and drive innovative change. A healthcare sector recruitment initiative, which will create more than 300 support roles nationwide for committed and enthusiastic individuals with a passion for care, has recently launched. Nua Healthcare Services, a leading private-sector provider of intellectual disability and mental health services in Ireland, is inviting people to come and talk to them about the various types of jobs on offer. These range from assistant support workers and social care workers to occupational therapists, psychologists and psychiatric nurses. New roles are open to everyone from graduates in social care to those seeking a new chapter in their career path who would like to join a responsive and innovative team working diligently and collaboratively to deliver safe and quality led services for the people they are privileged to support. Nuas mission, vision and values relate not only to the people who use our services, but also to all of us who work within them, says chief operating officer Shane Kenny. New roles within frontline services are suited to those wishing to work in the community in truly rewarding positions, actively supporting individuals to pursue meaningful and fulfilling lives. Nua supports individuals to build positivity upon their sense of identity, to look beyond diagnosis and perceived disabilities and to focus instead on their unique abilities. Many of our new team members joined Nua because of the impact the pandemic had on their sectors Nua Healthcare Services already directly employs 2,000 highly dedicated and motivated people and indirectly supports the employment of another 500 subcontractors nationally within more than 80 individual services. We value and respect every staff member, regardless of their specific job, as we understand the importance of teamwork in the pursuit and delivery of service excellence, says Kenny. Many of our new team members joined Nua because of the impact the pandemic had on their sectors. For example, we have team members who originally worked in the hospitality, retail, construction, public sectors and other medical professions. Some of our current team members rejoined the workforce after a career break. If you are considering a career in Nua but feel you may not have relevant qualifications, please contact us as you may have the experience and passion for care. If so, Nuas innovative Educate to Employ programme could be the pathway for you. This in-house initiative provides additional training and education for new employees, especially to those with limited or, in some cases, no prior healthcare sector experience, and is popular with people changing career paths and those who already have relevant life experiences. Working with Nua is especially attractive to those interested in making a positive contribution to their communities and those who enjoy helping others. Healthcare and especially social and rehabilitative care is incredibly rewarding, says Kenny, and our team takes great pride in making true differences to the lives of the people we support. Not only do we listen, but we understand. Nua invests in its people and encourages career advancement within the service. Pay rates and salary packages are competitive and employee supports have long been a significant area of investment for the service. According to Nua, a core reason for success stems from continually training and developing staff teams. You dont have to know everything, Kenny adds, but being a caring and understanding person is a wonderful attribute and a great start. If you believe you have some of the skills required, are caring by nature and have a deep level of empathy for others, Educate to Employ is ideal and will ultimately enable your success in the healthcare sector. Nua Healthcare Services delivers a diverse range of care and support services for men, women and children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and/or mental health conditions. Services provided include residential, supported living, day and community outreach. Proud to offer its high standards of service and care, Nua is renowned for offering some of the best facilities in the country. Residential accommodation combines modern facilities with beautiful outdoor environments; its tailored day care programmes encompass a variety of stimulating and enjoyable activities. New Service Among the recent developments in Nua Healthcare is a new mental health service (approved centre), currently under construction in Co Meath. Tearmann House will employ more than 170 local and regional roles in areas such as psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, occupational therapy, pharmacology, social work, healthcare assistants and auxiliary staffing such as maintenance, security, and kitchen staff. This new service, expected to open in 2023, will be consultant-led and provide care and treatment (to include all associated multidisciplinary team inputs) for individuals with enduring mental health and neurodevelopment disorders. The Tearmann House approved centre forms part of Nuas overall plan to bring much-needed specialist service capacity to the Irish mental health sector. It also expands upon the existing care pathway common terminology used to what Nua Healthcare Services does and how. The first phase of this exciting new service will welcome visitors from across mental health and related services by the beginning of 2023, and the development will be completed shortly thereafter, in quarter two of 2023. Care and treatment within this new service will be provided by a core specialist multidisciplinary team with experience in intellectual disabilities and rehabilitation psychiatry. At a recent sod turning ceremony at Tearmann House, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said: This is a hugely welcome development, which will provide appropriate care and support for users of this facility when it opens in Gormanston, Co Meath. It will be a crucial piece of infrastructure in the overall State mental health treatment sector and will provide excellent specialist care for persons with mental health or neurodevelopment disorders. Says Noel Dunne, Nua Healthcare chief executive: We are committed to understanding and responding to what our customers want, to developing our facilities and our teams to better care for, treat and support the men and women who most need us in a truly person-centred, dignified and respectful way. It is our belief that these new services, which are ideally positioned from an accessibility perspective, will both support and complement the already established provision and will serve as a catalyst for new specialist capacity across the country for the many individuals in need. About Nua Founded in 2004, Nua Healthcare Services was first established in Co Kildare. It focuses on supporting clients with a range of intellectual disabilities (autism spectrum disorders) within a tranquil semi-rural setting that offers many therapeutic benefits. Most importantly, these include a low arousal setting where clients could, with minimal distraction, focus on understanding their disabilities and learn the necessary skills to enable them to ultimately take part in their communities and, in so doing, gain greater independence. Due to Nuas proven track record in supporting and improving the lives of thousands of people, services now operate nationally, caring for individuals within a full range of intellectual disabilities and/or mental health services, to include community outreach, day services and residential care facilities. Nua Healthcare Services is widely acknowledged within the healthcare sector as the expert/leading provider of residential care programmes for individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions and behavioural difficulties in Ireland. Residential care for persons with intellectual disabilities and/or mental health conditions is a highly regulated space in Ireland. Every disability residential care service is required to be registered with Hiqa and every mental health community residence, must be registered with and/or notified to the Mental Health Commission. All services are inspected regularly against the corresponding National Standards for Residential Services. These standards cover a vast array of areas, including leadership, governance and management, quality, health and safety policies, procedures, and practices, the suitability of facilities / environment. Nua Healthcare Services is a critical part of the Irish health service system. We provide our services directly to the HSE, Tusla and in some instances to private individuals. We have strong links with the judicial system and provide some services to vulnerable individuals under the direction of court services. For more information, see www.nuahealthcare.ie. The climate crisis made the heat wave that took lives and smashed records in India and Pakistan this spring around 30 times more likely. Thats the conclusion drawn by an international team of scientists from World Weather Attribution, who use a peer-reviewed method to determine the role of the climate crisis in extreme weather events. In a report released Monday, they found that the heat wave would have been around a full degree Celsius cooler before the industrial era. Climate change is a real game changer when it comes to heat waves, report co-author and Imperial College London climate scientist Friederike Otto told The New York Times. Its really a major factor. The period of prolonged heat gave India its hottest March since record-keeping began 122 years ago, according to the report. Pakistan, meanwhile, saw the worlds highest March temperature anomaly. The month was also unusually dry, with 62 percent less rainfall than normal in Pakistan and 71 percent less rainfall in India. The hot, dry weather continued into April, impacting 70 percent of India by the end of that month. And so far, May has brought no relief. High temperatures are common in India and Pakistan, but what made this unusual was that it started so early and lasted so long, study co-author Krishna AchutaRao of the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi told USA TODAY. Determining the likelihood of such a rare event was made difficult by the fact that in-depth temperature records for both countries only go back to 1979, the report authors said. They combined this data-set with one in India dating back to 1951 to determine that the heat wave was a one-in-100 year event. They then compared on-the-ground observations with 20 climate models to determine that the climate crisis made the event around 30 times more likely; however, they acknowledged this figure might be conservative. Indeed, the UKs Met Office calculated earlier this month that the climate crisis made the heat wave more than 100 times more likely. Otto told The Washington Post that this was within the range of uncertainty for the more recent study. The study also serves as a reminder of the human impacts of the climate crisis. While its full toll is yet unknown, the heat wave has already claimed at least 90 lives, triggered glacial flooding in Pakistan, fueled wildfires in India, forced India to go back on its plan to bolster global wheat supply in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine and deprived millions of power. There is an environmental justice component to these impacts, since the high heat is most felt by people like vendors and farmers who are forced by economic necessity to work outdoors. Thousands of people in this region, who, to begin with, contributed very little to global warming, are now bearing the brunt of it and will continue to do so if emissions are not significantly cut globally, study co-author Arpita Mondal of the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai told USA TODAY. This is a sign of things to come. Indeed, the study authors calculated that a heat wave like this would become two to 20 times more likely and 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter in a world two degrees warmer or more. While reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to protect people worldwide from worsening heat waves, the study authors also noted that adapting to temperature extremes can save lives. The main message to take away here [is] that adaptation to heat has been the absolute essential thing to do in life in every part of the world, really, but especially also in this part of the world, Otto told The Washington Post. In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a court of law has held a private company responsible for its contributions to the climate crisis. The court at The Hague in the Netherlands ruled Thursday that fossil-fuel giant Royal Dutch Shell must reduce its emissions by 45 percent by 2030. This is a turning point in history, Roger Cox, a lawyer for Friends of the Earth Netherlands, said in a press release. This case is unique because it is the first time a judge has ordered a large polluting company to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. This ruling may also have major consequences for other big polluters. https://twitter.com/foeeurope/statuses/1397551496586268672 The lawsuit was first announced in 2018 by Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie). The group was joined in the case by six other organizations and 17,000 Dutch citizens. The plaintiffs successfully argued that Shell must abide by the Paris agreement, an international accord with a goal of limiting emissions to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as BBC News pointed out. The ruling sends a message to companies that they may not only have to abide by national laws, but international policy as well. Shell, for its part, said it would appeal the decision and argued that it had already taken internal steps to lower its emissions. Urgent action is needed on climate change which is why we have accelerated our efforts to become a net-zero emissions energy company by 2050, in step with society, with short-term targets to track our progress, a Shell spokesperson said in a statement reported by The Guardian. We are investing billions of dollars in low-carbon energy, including electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, renewables and biofuels. We want to grow demand for these products and scale up our new energy businesses even more quickly. We will continue to focus on these efforts and fully expect to appeal todays disappointing court decision. While the court did acknowledge Shells climate commitments, it argued that they were not concrete and therefore ordered the Dutch-Anglo company to reduce its emissions to 45 percent of 2019 levels by 2030. It also said the company must move to do so immediately, and that it was responsible for the emissions of both its customers and suppliers, as Friends of the Earth pointed out. Specifically, the court ruled that climate inaction on Shells part violated the rights to life and family life as outlined by the European Convention on Human Rights, according to The Guardian. Shell was named the ninth greatest polluter in the world between 1988 and 2015 by the Carbon Majors database. It is currently responsible for around one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Advocates further produced documents in court showing that the company had known about climate change since the 1950s and about the severity of its consequences since 1986. This is not the first time that a Dutch court has made a historic climate ruling. In 2019, the countrys Supreme Court upheld a 2015 ruling that the country must reduce emissions by at least 25 percent of 1990 levels by 2020, according to The AP. However, activists say the precedent sent by todays ruling could extend beyond one country. Our hope is that this verdict will trigger a wave of climate litigation against big polluters, to force them to stop extracting and burning fossil fuels, Sara Shaw from Friends of the Earth International said in the press release. This result is a win for communities in the global South who face devastating climate impacts now. Climate protesters disrupted Shells annual general meeting in London Tuesday, interrupting it for around three hours. However, in the end a majority of shareholders backed the companys climate plan over the more ambitious plan proposed by activist shareholder group Follow This. Todays voting results are a loss in the fight against the climate crisis, Follow This founder Mark van Baal said in a statement. Today, everybody loses except the board of Shell, who will hang on to fossil fuels investments for another year and continue to fuel the climate crisis with their outdated business model. Shell evades climate targets as shareholders retreat from Paris-alignment Investor support for Paris-consistent targets (resolution 21, filed by Follow This) decreases to 20% (down from 30% in 2021) at Shells AGM. Read the full press release here: https://t.co/ubZze6WKlI pic.twitter.com/6qTyqLvoRj Follow This (@followthis2015) May 24, 2022 Shells shareholders were gathered at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, The Guardian reported. The shareholders assembled to choose between distinct climate change strategies, according to Reuters. Shell aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, including the emissions from its products once they are sold. However, it has appealed a Dutch court ruling mandating that it set an earlier target of cutting lifecycle emissions by 45 percent by 2030 in order to be in line with the Paris agreement. Shell maintains that its existing plan does conform to the landmark climate agreement, but Follow This disagrees, saying that it does not move quickly enough. Shells target to reduce the net carbon intensity of its products [Scope 3] by 20% by 2030 will not deliver absolute emission reductions to achieve the Paris goals, van Baal said in a statement. Moreover, Shell doesnt plan to shift investments substantially away from fossil fuels to renewables and plans to increase natural gas production. In the end, Shells plan passed with around 80 percent of the votes, nine percent fewer than in 2021, according to Reuters. The Follow This plan received 20 percent of votes, 10 percent fewer than the year before. However, Follow This also noted that votes against Shells plan rose from 11 percent last year to 20 percent this year. Votes against Shells own climate plan which remains wholly inconsistent with the goals of Paris (resolution 20) doubled to 20% (up from 11%). This also signals growing discontent with Shells current strategy. Follow This (@followthis2015) May 24, 2022 Shell faced external opposition as well, as around 40 protesters attended the meeting as shareholders, The Guardian reported. We will expose you. We know who you are. We know what you have done. We will remember, the protesters told the board, as The Guardian reported. HAPPENING NOW: Im at @Shell_UKLtd AGM where a choir has disrupted the chairmans speech singing a rendition of we will stop you #RallyAgainstShell pic.twitter.com/JlYDT3ChF6 Mia Watanabe | (@MiaHWatanabe) May 24, 2022 Protests were also held outside the meeting venue throughout the morning. The fossil fuel company said it supported the right to protest, but did not agree with the tactics of activists who disrupted the meeting and glued themselves to chairs. We respect the right of everyone to express their point of view and welcome any engagement on our strategy and the energy transition which is constructive. However, this kind of disruption at our AGM is the opposite of constructive engagement, the company said in a statement reported by The Guardian. We agree that society needs to take urgent action on climate change. Shell has a clear target to become a net zero emissions business by 2050. In the end, Shell chairman Sir Andrew Mackenzie asked all non-demonstrating shareholders to leave the main meeting room for lunch while the protesters were cleared. A total of three people were arrested. Climate groups bring Shells first UK AGM to a standstillhttps://t.co/Rm1VQfTEih Photos: from Nottingham rebel at the action #ShellAGM #ShellMustFall #FossilFuelsFundWar pic.twitter.com/nQMpZXio8n Extinction Rebellion Nottingham (@XRNottm) May 24, 2022 Demonstrator Aidan Knox explained the activists motives to Reuters. Were here to embarrass them and hold them to account, Knox said. Logo of Police / Korea Times file A woman in her 60s has been detained on the charge of killing her severely disabled daughter, whom she had allegedly taken care of for over 30 years, police said Tuesday. The suspect, whose identity was withheld, is accused of giving a lethal amount of sleeping pills to her daughter in her 30s at their home in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, at 4:30 p.m. Monday, police said. The suspect then attempted suicide, also by taking sleeping pills, but was discovered by her son, in his 30s, when he visited her apartment six hours later, before she was rushed to a hospital, police said. The woman, who was put under emergency arrest after regaining consciousness, reportedly told police that she had wanted to die after giving her daughter sleeping pills. The deceased daughter had reportedly suffered from a severe cerebral disorder since birth and was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. The suspect is said to have taken care of her daughter for more than 30 years while living apart from her husband, who travels to other regions to make a living. She had cared for her ailing daughter alone since her son got married, police said, adding she did not appear to have the financial means to send her daughter to a foster care facility. (Yonhap) European Commission approves Italy's scheme to support agriculture, aquaculture sectors The European Commission had approved a 1.2 billion (US$1.3 billion) scheme by Italy to support agricultural, forestry, fishery and aquaculture sectors in context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries will be entitled to receive limited amounts of aid in any of the following forms: direct grants, tax or payment advantages, repayable advances and reduction or exemption from the payment of social security and welfare contributions. The measure will be open to companies of all sizes active in the agricultural, forestry, fishery and aquaculture sectors affected by the price increases of electricity, animal feed and fuel caused by the current geopolitical crisis and the related sanctions. The aid will not exceed 35,000 (US$37,000) per beneficiary active in the primary production of agricultural products, fisheries and aquaculture sectors and 400,000 (US$427,000) per company active in all other sectors, and will be granted no later than December 31, 2022. - European Commission Indonesian poultry tech firm raises $14 million in Series A funding Indonesia's largest poultry tech startup, Pitik, announced on May 19 its $14 million Series A funding round led by Alpha JWC Ventures with participation from existing investors MDI Ventures and Wavemaker Partners. With this funding, Pitik will expand its ecosystem to empower more chicken farmers in Indonesia. Launched mid-2021 by serial entrepreneurs Arief Witjaksono and Rymax Joehana, Pitik aims to empower poultry farmers in Indonesia. The company said it is building the largest community of poultry farmers in the country and equipping them with end-to-end solutions on technology, financing and supply-chain. Through its services, Pitik solves inefficiencies in farm production and streamlines the supply chain to create a fair ecosystem for farmers to grow and improve their welfare. Such support is needed by local farms that have always been dealing with low efficiency, operational difficulties and late or even non-payment during harvest time. These problems resulted in a national mortality rate that is five to eight times higher than the global average. "This funding round will enable us to reach out to more farmers, but also to drive further innovation and unlock additional efficiency gains for farmers," said Pitik co-founder and chief executive officer Witjaksono. Pitik provides farmers with full-stack farm management technology to improve their productivity. Upon joining Pitik ecosystem, all farms are installed with internet-of-things systems and farmers are given access to Pitik smart farming application to facilitate real-time farm monitoring and instant issue identification through its farm algorithm. Beyond technology, Pitik also leverages on its ecosystem to supply quality farm input to farmers, provide financing services and offtake the harvest with best prices and guaranteed terms of payment. With these services, Pitik said it has become the most trusted partner for farmers throughout their business cycles. Pitik said its technology has proven to empower farm workers to independently achieve higher operations yield, with its farm partners achieving higher efficiency compared to average Indonesian farmers. Based on the company's latest data, Pitik said its farmers managed to push down its mortality rate by half and improve the feed conversion ratio by 12% compared to the national average, eventually increasing their income. In the past six months, Pitik has increased its farm network size by over 10 times through partnering with hundreds of farmers in 53 districts in West and Central Java. From this network of farmers, Pitik is currently selling over 16 million chickens annually making Pitik the largest poultry startup in terms of business size in Indonesia, despite being operational less than one year. Pitik targets to build presence in all areas of Java this year and expand to other Indonesia islands in 2023. The company will also expand its business to downstream services such as processing and distribution to end-users. "We have unlocked the upstream business opportunities in poultry farming. Expanding to downstream means we can help farmers extract higher margins from the value chain," said co-founder and chief operating officer Joehana. "This is aligned with our mission to be farmers' partner in all points of the farming journey. "This also means we can provide healthier and higher quality chicken for Indonesian consumers as products sold by Pitik are sourced fresh from our network of farmers with the most stringent standards of quality control and product traceability." - TechNode Global Brazilian grain and oilseed exporters adopt Covantis Covantis announced this month that over 310 million tonnes of agricultural commodities have been executed through the platform since March 2021. In 2022, Covantis captured in Brazil a market share of 70% for soybeans, corn and soybean meal. 80% of all volumes nominated by charterers have been passed through the string up to the shipper, enabling efficiency in post-trade execution processes, according to Covantis. Ranging over 30 agri firms across 100 legal entities, Covantis has been used for execution of over 1,600 vessels of Brazilian origin. The execution network is supported by dozens of global agri firms as well as Brazilian companies like Agraria, Agribrasil, Amaggi, ALZ, Caramuru, Coamo, Copacol, Fiagril and Nova Agri. "We are looking forward to further expand our network in order to digitalise the Brazilian agri market," said Sorin Albeanu, Covantis' head of commercial. - Covantis Malaysia stops chicken exports from June 1 Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Prime Minister of Malaysia, announced that the country will stop exports of up to 3.6 million chickens from June 1 until poultry prices and production stabilises, Bernama reported. The Prime Minister said this is a short-term measure to cope with a chicken shortage issue in the country. He said the government has also agreed to establish a national chicken buffer stock and optimise cold room storage facilities that are owned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) and its agencies. Permits to import chicken to Malaysia, called "Approved Permits (AP)" have also been abolished. The Prime Minister said this will allow chicken imports from new sources and make the claim process by poultry producers easier. The Malaysian Cabinet meeting also decided to add and recognise overseas slaughterhouses to boost poultry output. The Prime Minister said the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) is investigating news of cartels controlling chicken prices and production in the country, and expects the inquiry to be done next month. He also said the government will re-introduce a campaign rolled out in 2014 to cut out the middleman, with the National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS) to lead. Ismail Sabri said MAFI and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry have been asked to propose plans to grow corn domestically and use palm kernel cake as alternative chicken feed. He encouraged farmers' organisations, cooperatives, government agencies, and government-linked companies to enter the poultry industry, adding that the government is looking into possible assistance that can be offered. The current ceiling price of standard chicken in Malaysia is MR 8.90 per kg, with a MYR 729.43 million government subsidy allocated under the Keluarga Malaysia Price Control Scheme (SKHKM). The Prime Minister said the government discovered major firms that do not want to apply for subsidies and have called on the government to allow prices for chicken to be decided by the market. Only MYR 50 million in subsidies have been paid out to chicken breeders who own smaller companies. He said these companies can be charged under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122) if there were elements of hoarding, storing or sabotage on chicken supplies. The country has also abolished APs for wheat imports. - Bernama Cargill to purchase US$290 million stake in Chile salmon farmer Multiexport Foods Major US-based commodities trader Cargill Inc has agreed to purchase a 24.5% stake in the salmon farming subsidiary of Chile's Multiexport Foods for about US$290 million, Reuters reported. As part of the agreement, an additional 1.13% stake in Salmones Multiexport will also be sold to a local unit of Japan's Mitsui & Co, whose stake in the Chilean company will increase to 24.5%. After Norway, Chile is the second biggest salmon producer in the world. Cargill is a top salmon feed supplier. Multiexport Foods is expected to receive US$303.3 million from the sale. The conditions of the agreement must be fulfilled in up to six months and requires approval from US, Brazil, and Chile antitrust watchdogs. - Reuters Singapore Food Agency urges consumers to switch to other meats following Malaysia halting chicken exports The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has urged consumers to switch to other meats and buy only what they need following Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaacob's announcement that the country is halting chicken exports, Today Online reported. The SFA said they are monitoring the situation on chicken imports sourced from Malaysia and are in discussion with stakeholders to minimise the impact on Singapore's poultry supply. The agency said Singapore importers will increase imports from alternative countries for chilled and frozen chicken, or draw from existing poultry stocks. The SFA said frozen chicken options will remain available for Singaporean consumers to alleviate the supply shortage, but there may be a disruption in chilled chicken supply. The SFA has urged consumers to consider switching to frozen chicken and purchase other meat products. The agency also advised consumers to only buy what they need. The SFA said 34% of chicken imported into Singapore in 2021 is sourced from Singapore, with almost all being live chicken. - Today Online An employee of Woori Bank and his brother were indicted on Tuesday on charges of embezzling more than 60 billion won ($47.4 million) from one of the nation's largest commercial banks. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it indicted the brothers for embezzlement and violating the law on flight of domestic property. The employee, identified only by his surname Jeon, was also charged with forgery of documents. The employee was arrested on April 30 on charges of embezzling the funds from the nation's fourth-largest commercial bank between October 2012 and June 2018. His younger brother, who is not a bank employee, and a former employee of a Woori Bank affiliate have also been arrested as co-conspirators. Most of the stolen money was found to be from a 57.8-billion won contract deposit that Woori Bank has to return to Iran's largest consumer electronics maker, Entekhab Industrial Group, in connection with a failed acquisition deal. The prosecution added charges of flight of property after it learned that the brothers transferred 5 billion won to a shell company's account overseas. The prosecution also indicted a full-time personal investor on charges of concealing criminal proceeds, saying that the investor took 1.6 billion won in exchange for providing investment information to the brothers, while knowing that the money is criminal proceeds. (Yonhap) Dick Welsh MBE appointed to Northern Lighthouse Board Government House has today announced that Dick Welsh MBE, has been appointed as the Isle of Mans Commissioner on the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB). Mr Welsh, who received an MBE in the January 2020 Honours List for outstanding services to the maritime community on the Isle of Man, will serve for a three year term, from 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2025, following nomination for his appointment by His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer. Commenting on his appointment with NLB, Dick Welsh said: I am incredibly fortunate to be appointed as Commissioner, Isle of Man for the Northern Lighthouse Board. I am really looking forward to getting involved and becoming a valuable member of the Board.' Mr Welsh succeeds Captain Mike Brew who retires from the post at the end of May, after representing the Isle of Man as a Commissioner for nine years. The Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for the Isle of Man and Scotland and is responsible for the superintendence and management of all lights, buoys and beacons within those waters. The organisation has provided this vital safety service for mariners since 1786. Red Arrows to return to Isle of Man for air display The Red Arrows will be making a return to the Isle of Man next month to perform their iconic display over Douglas Bay. The RAF aerobatic team will put on an aerial show during TT fortnight from 7:30pm on Tuesday 7th June. The Red Arrows is the public face of the Royal Air Force and have thrilled thousands of fans and spectators with displays around the globe, including the Isle of Man. The team is a core part of the Royal Air Force and its pilots have previous combat experience in various theatres across the world. Each individual contributes to maintain the team's position and it's a world leader in its class. No monkeypox cases recorded on Island A rising number of monkeypox cases in the UK is prompting a warning to people in the Isle of Man. While no cases have been reported on the Island, and the risk remains low to the general public, people are being asked to be aware of the symptoms. Advice from Public Health Isle of Man is to be alert to any unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially their genitalia. The advice is to contact the Isle of Man Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) sexual health clinic if they have concerns. Those who may be at higher risk include anyone who changes sexual partners regularly, or has close contact with individuals that they don't know. Its important to stress that this is not an illness that affects one community more than any other and its not a sexually transmitted disease it is spread by close contact. Monkeypox is a viral infection usually associated with travel to West Africa, spread by very close contact with someone with monkeypox. It is usually a mild self-limiting illness meaning it most cases it resolves itself without treatment, with most people recovering within a few weeks. The main symptoms are: Unusual rashes or lesions on the body such as the face or genital area Fever Muscle aches Chills and exhaustion Headaches Swollen lymph nodes If you think you have monkeypox symptoms however mild, please: Contact your GP or call a sexual health clinic immediately. Your call will be treated sensitively and confidentially. Avoid close personal or sexual contact with others until you know that this is not monkeypox. Glenn Blacker, Head of Health Protection at Public Health Isle of Man said: We are monitoring the situation closely. Up to now there have been over fifty cases of monkeypox detected in the UK, and we are not aware of cases on the Isle of Man to date. Investigations are underway in the UK to establish links between cases. Although the risk to the Isle of Man public is currently low, monkeypox is known to spread through close contact, so we are urging people who think they may have symptoms to contact their GP and the sexual health clinic. You can contact the sexual health clinic by calling 650710. Xinjiang locals' life blooming with safflower Xinhua) 10:14, May 24, 2022 URUMQI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Rows of modern workshops stand neatly, while outside lies a small experimental field divided into more than a dozen different zones. Various varieties of safflower are planted here, as several workers weed the fields, observe the growth of safflower seedlings and make records. The workshops of Xinjiang Tianding Safflower Oil Co., Ltd. are located in Yumin County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The nutritional value of safflower seeds remains relatively unknown to the public. The oil extracted from safflower seeds has proven to be high in linoleic acid and vitamins. Linoleic acid is capable of reducing blood lipids, softening blood vessels, and stabilizing blood pressure. "Referencing the olive oil process, we developed the cold pressing and cold smelting production process of safflower seed oil to better preserve its natural and nutritional value," said Wang Laizhong, general manager of the company. In 2012, Wang set up a team to start the patent research and development for the cold pressing and cold smelting process of safflower seed oil. At the beginning, three team members took safflower seed samples to major scientific research institutions across the country to consult experts and learn about the cold pressing and cold refining process. After returning to Yumin County, they transformed a Chinese medicine extraction factory and started conducting experiments in their new factory. The team worked to lower the pressing temperature of safflower seed oil to below 60 degrees Celsius, which is ideal for minimizing the harmful substance benzopyrene. In 2013, the team invested 80 million yuan (about 12 million U.S. dollars) to build a factory in Yumin, and the safflower seed oil production line went operational. In 2016, they received two national invention patents related to the refining and cold pressing methods of safflower seed oil production. The oil processed by cold pressing and cold smelting is entirely edible. Wang's team believes that demand for a better life is increasingly diversified, and the middle and high-end edible oil market has broad prospects. "We hope to make quality health products, slowly influence consumers' views on eating edible oil and realize the value of safflower seed oil," Wang said. In 2021, the turnover of the company was 30 million yuan, compared to 4 million yuan four years ago, and Wang expects the turnover to exceed 100 million yuan this year. Innovation plays a significant role in their business. Wang said the company invests about 2 million yuan in research and development every year. Now, the company hosts more than 40 employees, mostly local residents. Ahat and his wife have been working in the company for nine years, and they have bid farewell to poverty. The couple earn 7,500 yuan together every month, and the company also provides them with accommodations. The farming fields are the material "workshops." The company pays more than the market value for materials, in a bid to help local farmers and herdsmen increase their income. A safflower science and technology industrial park is under construction beside the company. It is expected to receive the first batch of enterprises next summer. In the future, the park will include the whole industrial chain of safflower and develop tourism to bring more opportunities to locals. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Unionized workers stage a rally in front of Seoul Metropolitan Government office, Tuesday, in protest of the local government's plan to resume late-night subway operations. Yonhap Seoul plans to extend subway operations amid taxi shortage By Lee Hyo-jin Unionized workers of Seoul Metro are strongly protesting against the city government's plan to resume late-night subway operations, a measure proposed to tackle the worsening nighttime taxi shortage in the capital. The union that represents workers of a part of Seoul's subway system which runs lines 1 to 8, held a rally in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Government office, Tuesday, demanding the local government withdraw its plan to extend operating hours. "Late-night operations were suspended not only because of the coronavirus pandemic but also due to worsening operating losses, which nearly pushed the operator into bankruptcy. It is difficult to understand why the government has abruptly announced resumption of late-night operations, without any measures to resolve these issues," the union said in a statement. Earlier this month, the metropolitan government said it will extend subway operating hours on weekdays until 1 a.m., thereby increasing operations by one hour from the current midnight closing time, starting at some point in June. The plan was included in a set of measures to resolve a taxi shortage at nighttime in Seoul, which has been exacerbated after the government lifted almost all COVID-19 social distancing measures in April. The planned resumption of the late-night operation of the subway comes two years after the local authorities temporarily suspended its late night operations in April 2020, in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However, the Seoul Metro workers' union is strongly opposing the city government's "abrupt announcement of its unilateral decision," which it argues would only worsen the subway operator's continued losses. Seoul Metro, which was created after two city government-affiliated corporations, one running lines 1 to 4 and the other operating lines 5 to 8, merged in May 2017, has posted yearly deficits of around 500 billion won ($435 million) for three consecutive years. In 2020, it recorded a net loss of 1.11 trillion won as the passenger numbers plummeted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The union also insisted that the management has broken its promise to completely suspend late-night operations. In September of last year, a proposed restructuring plan of the subway's operator, which included employee layoffs and a wage freeze triggered a fierce backlash from the unionized workers, who threatened to stage a walkout, demanding the company come up with feasible measures to tackle the financial problems instead of firing employees. The planned walkout was averted after the two sides reached a last minute agreement, which included a withdrawal of the restructuring plan and a complete suspension of late-night operations. At Tuesday's rally, the union expressed fury over the city government overturning its decision and turning a blind eye to potential safety issues, which may arise due to the resumption of late-night operations without a thorough review. A dozen current and former Activision Blizzard employees have formed a committee aimed at protecting workers from discriminatory practices at the studio, outlining a list of demands for CEO Bobby Kotick, newly appointed diversity officer Kristen Hines and chief human resources officer Julie Hodges. As detailed by The Washington Post, the group's demands include ending mandatory arbitration in discrimination cases, improving on-site lactation rooms, protecting workers from retaliation, increasing support for trans employees and instituting independent investigations in cases of discrimination, including sexual harassment. The employee group, called the Worker Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination, submitted their demands to the studio's leadership team today. The committee specifically demands private lactation rooms and appropriate storage spaces for breastmilk and pumping equipment. Breastfeeding workers at Activision Blizzard have documented their issues with the studio's lactation rooms, describing them as filthy, uncomfortable and poorly secured. Employees said fridges for breast milk were also used to store beer, that people pumping often had to sit on the floor and that breast milk was sometimes stolen. In regards to trans rights, the group demands the creation of a trans network similar to the in-house women's resource network and for software tools to be wiped of employees' deadnames. In response to the formal call for change, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson provided Engadget the following statement: "We appreciate that these employees want to join with us to further build a better Activision Blizzard and continue the progress we have already made. We have, for example, already upgraded our lactation facilities, waived arbitration, hired new DEI and EEO leaders, and collaborated with employees to make our policies and processes more trans inclusive, just to name a few issues the letter raises. We thank these employees, and will continue to work with all of our employees on our journey to be a better company." In October 2021, Activision Blizzard changed its policies and waived mandatory arbitration for individual sexual harassment and discrimination claims. The company intends to extend this policy to class actions regarding sexual assault or harassment, in order to comply with a US law enacted in early March 2022 banning these types of arbitration agreements. The changes at Activision Blizzard follow a year of legal troubles, intense regulatory scrutiny and employee walkouts at the studio. Activision Blizzard executives have been accused of cultivating a sexist, discriminatory workplace in multiple lawsuits over the past year. California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing first sued Activision Blizzard in July 2021 after conducting a two-year investigation into allegations of unchecked sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination and a pervasive "frat boy culture" at the studio. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal group, followed up with a similar lawsuit against Activision Blizzard in September 2021. Activision Blizzard settled the federal EEOC lawsuit this March, agreeing to establish an $18 million fund to compensate employees who experienced discrimination at the studio. The workers demands include: -End of all mandatory arbitration -Independent Investigations for all claims of discrimination including sexual harassment - Lactation Protections - Trans Protections - Protection from retaliation and more CODE-CWA (@CODE_CWA) May 24, 2022 Backed by the Communications Workers of America, Activision Blizzard employees have been advocating for change and unionization to some degree of success since the lawsuits were filed. CWA called the $18 million settlement "woefully inadequate," arguing it would provide the maximum compensation to just 60 workers, when there were likely hundreds of claimants. Former Activision Blizzard employee and campaign organizer for the tech-industry group CODE-CWA, Jessica Gonzalez, appealed the $18 million settlement this week, seeking an increase in compensation. Gonzalez is one of the 12 employees in the Worker Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination. An additional lawsuit accusing Activision Blizzard of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation was filed this week by a current employee. And there's the wide-ranging investigation into the studio's workplace practices currently underway at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Update 5/25 11:55AM ET: Added comment from Activision Blizzard. Street View for Google Maps launched 15 years ago this week, and Google is taking advantage of the anniversary to drop some updates, including a major update to the Street View mapping hardware. The one most people can immediately enjoy, though, is the ability to go back in time on Street View using Google Maps for Android or iOS. This feature has been available on the web for a while now, but its being added to the Maps app for the first time. Accessing this historical data is pretty straightforward: just get into Street View and tap anywhere on the image to pull up details about the location. After that, youll find a see more dates option that pulls in all other Street View captures for the location. Obviously, this will only work for locations where Google has a lot of historical Street View data, so what youll be able to find will vary widely by location. Google says that how often it scans areas for Street View depends on factors like how frequently the area changes, how popular it is and how difficult it is to get to. Street View first launched in San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Denver, so those places will have the oldest historical data for the curious. For those interested in the hardware Google uses to get Street View data, the company is announcing a big update to its camera system. Google says that the new camera (pictured above) has all the resolution and processing capabilities that are in the full Street View car, but its a 15-pound device that is roughly the size of a house cat. The company hopes this will make it easier to get data from under-mapped areas of the world; one example of such a place Google gave was the Amazon jungle. A camera system this small, relatively speaking, will be a lot easier for Google to deploy in more areas it can be shipped anywhere and mounted to any type of vehicle. As long as it has a roof rack, Google says itll be good to go. Google says that historically, it had to create totally new camera systems to fit whatever area they wanted to capture, but the new camera is modular and customizable. Itll serve as the base system that can be added to should the circumstances require it. For example, Google notes that the new camera doesnt have the lidar scanners typically found on Street View cars that operate in cities, but they can be added on when theyre needed. Google says that the new camera system is being tested now and expects itll fully roll out in 2023. Finally, Google is adding four new collections of Street View imagery from some pretty noteworthy locales. The Pyramids of Meroe in Sudan, The Duomo in Milan, Les Invalides in Paris and the Sydney Ferries in Australia (the last one is coming later this year). The Duomo in particular shows off the inside of the largest cathedral in Italy as well as the exterior, while there's a virtual tour available of Les Invalides in Paris. To check these new sites out, visit Google's blog for direct links. New Jerseys Acting Attorney General has launched a probe into Twitch and Discord to see if the platforms broke laws on hateful and extremist content following a recent mass shooting in Buffalo. In an announcement published Monday, New Jersey's Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin wrote that the purpose of the investigation was to find out if policy or moderation failures allowed the platforms to become vectors for spreading extremist content, especially among young people. The investigation follows a similar one launched by New York Attorney General Letitia James last week. The 18-year-old who has been charged with shooting 13 people at a Tops supermarket, killing 10used Discord to spread his white supremacist ideology, and broadcast the attack live on Twitch. Across a swath of posts online, he credited racist memes and discussions on 4chan with inspiring him to specifically target Black people for deadly violence. Eleven of the Buffalo shooting victims were Black. The events of May 14 have been called a "hate crime" and "an act of racially motivated violent extremism," by Attorney General Merrick Garland, and are being investigated by the Department of Justice. The suspect, who Engadget is choosing not to name so as not to further add to the infamy he appeared to seek, has plead not guilty to first-degree murder. These social media platforms have enormous reach, especially with young people, and have shown themselves to be staging grounds for hateful and extremist content that may radicalize children and others, said Acting AG Platkin. New Jersey has a substantial interest in investigating how these companies moderate and prohibit content that may harm consumers. Under New Jersey law companies must deliver on their promises, and the persistence of violent extremism and hateful conduct on these platforms casts doubt on their purported content moderation and enforcement policies and practices. In a blog post, Discord revealed that the alleged shooter kept a diary of his plans on a private server on the platform. Roughly half an hour before the attack, he shared an invitation to the server "within a small number of other private servers and direct messages." In total, 15 users clicked on his invite, according to the company. The suspect also live-streamed the attack on Twitch with the assistance of a Go-Pro camera attached to a helmet. Twitch removed the original livestream two minutes after it was posted, and approximately 22 viewers were watching at the time of broadcasting. Copies of the footage, however, have continued to proliferate on a variety of social media platforms. A Discord spokesperson told that the company plans to cooperate with the New Jersey attorney generals investigation. Engadget has also reached out to Twitch for comment, which did not provide a response by the time of publication. Its unclear whether New York and New Jersey will coordinate their investigations. (Engadget reached out to the New Jersey attorney generals office, and will update if we receive a response.) While New York under state executive laws that allow for investigations into "matters concerning public peace, public safety, and public justice," New Jersey is instead leveraging the state's Consumer Fraud Act. Companies cannot advertise that they will do one thing, then do another," Cari Fais, New Jersey's Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, said. "If these platforms represent that they will proactively moderate or prohibit violent extremism and hate, and then let it flourish unchecked with potentially harmful or even deadly consequences, it is unlawful. Former PlayStation employee Emma Majo has filed a new lawsuit against the company after her previous complaint was dismissed by a federal judge in April. According to Axios , Majos new filing includes many of the same gender discrimination allegations found in her original one, but the scope of the lawsuit is more limited. Rather than seeking to represent all women employed by Sonys PlayStation unit in the US as was previously her intent, the complaint instead seeks damages for those women who worked for the company in California. When judge Laurel Beeler dismissed the original case, she said Majo could file again with additional details. The new complaint incorporates allegations from the nine women who came forward to support the first suit. Sony tolerates and cultivates a work environment that discriminates against female employees, including female employees and those who identify as female, the complaint reads. Weve reached out to Sony for comment. In the meantime, we'll note the company previously asserted Majos claims were based on unactionable allegations. A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia's invasion. Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies " (Nicholas Brealey) It is not unusual for companies to reduce their workforce in response to crises: Industry upheavals. Revenue shortfalls. Global pandemics. But if employers decide to fire people en masse on Zoomor use other impersonal approachesthey can create a second crisis that makes a bad situation much, much worse. Take what happened at Carvana, the online used car dealer which earlier this month laid off 2,500 people, many of them over Zoom. "An email to employees from CEO Ernie Garcia reportedly blamed slower-than-expected growth. Carvana, which has struggled to maintain its early-pandemic success, reported a net loss of $260 million in the first quarter and its stock price is down more than 84% since the start of the year," Protocol reported. In an email to CBS MoneyWatch, Carvana said it had "as many conversations as we could in person, and where in-person was not possible, we spoke to our team members over Zoom." The spokesperson added, "Not all of the conversations were through Zoom." Reaction on social media was swift and critical, with people expressing their anger on how they were let go and how the online session was conducted. This response on Twitter was typical: "Part of [Caarvana's] principles is 'we are all in this together' and I don't believe that at all. Carvana, next time you need to lay people off do it in a more organized way than what happened today because honestly, that was ridiculous." "They were doing mass layoffs in these Zoom calls,"Leigh Frantz,26, of North Liberty, Iowa, told CBS MoneyWatch. She said that a woman read from a prewritten script to inform them that they had lost their jobs. Workers weren't allowed to ask questions on the Zoom call. "It was so disrespectful." The mortgage company Better has used Zoom three times since December to lay off workers. In a statement to Fast Company, it cited "ongoing instability in the mortgage environment" as the reason. The remote firings have been seen as a cold, impersonal and detached way to lay off people. Challenges And Issues Using Zoom and similar services can create a second crisis for organizations. Because of how the workers were notified and what is said on the video calls, they can place businesses on the defensive and damage the credibility, image and reputation of CEOs and the organizations. The videos "... can be recorded and kept by the former employee," said Baruch Labunski, a reputation management expert and CEO of Rank Secure. "The former employee could then use it on social media, editing it to make the company or manager look bad. It could also be used in legal proceedings if the employee decided to sue the company," he added. Leaked copies of any video calls about the layoffs can add fuel to the fire and help lengthen the crisis or make it worse. "Leaked video from a second meeting that Better.com held minutes after the now-infamous Zoom call in December when it terminated 900 employees, provides stunning new insight into the level of mismanagement that went into perhaps the most bungled corporate downsizing in recent memory," Fast Company reported. A third crisis could be created by the videos because of the impact they can have on company morale and the ability to retain or recruit employees. An Added Layer Of Complexity Firing people online could also create legal-related crises. Employment attorney Omar Ochoa said " firing over video conferencing, like Zoom, adds a layer of complexity because the company has to be aware of the laws in the employee's specific location rather than just worrying about employment laws in the jurisdiction of the company's headquarters. "There may be specific laws regarding when termination can occur and whether any type of notice or process is required. Firing employees en masse over Zoom may seem more expedient to companies (even if it seems cold and impersonal to the public), but it can lead to lawsuits if the law is not followed," he warned. Advice For Business Leaders Beware Employees could immediately post copies of the video on social media platforms. Do not say anything on the call that you would not want to be reported by news organizations. Be Clear Take steps to ensure that the reasons for the layoffs are clearly understood by all those who are affected by the reduction of your workforce or who may learn about it later. This includes posting an official statement from the company on its website, and social media platforms and emails, distributing a press release and posting a video from a corporate spokesperson on YouTube. Be Prepared Be ready to immediately respond to any blowback about the video or why employees were fired. Prepare in advance key messages about the firings to use when responding to calls from the media, messages from remaining employees and criticism on social media. Conduct media training sessions before the video calls to ensure you are ready to respond to questions from reporters. Be Available Make yourself available to answer questions people and news organizations may have about the layoffs, and respond quickly to their inquiries. Immediately respond to any allegations or charges about the reasons for the layoffs. Advice Seek advice or counsel from your internal or external PR and legal teams about potential issues related to firing people via video that may be unique to your company, organization or industry. The more you know about potential problems that can cause or exacerbate a layoff-related crisis for your company, the more prepared you can be to help mitigate or deal with it if it happens. President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves the stage after delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Gas Conference in Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap President, ruling party see increase in approval ratings By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) are enjoying a boost in approval ratings after a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden last weekend, which is positively affecting the conservative ruling bloc's campaign for the June 1 local elections. Political watchers said the summit will likely motivate conservatives to unite for the elections, as the two leaders showcased amicable scenes recognizing South Korea's elevated status as well as sharing their commitment to a stronger deterrence against North Korea. According to a poll by RnSearch released Tuesday, Yoon's job approval rating stood at 53.2 percent, with 41.1 percent responding negatively. Compared to a week earlier, the new president saw a 3.2-percentage-point rise in his approval rating. In a separate survey by Realmeter released on Monday, 54.3 percent of respondents answered positively when they were asked about their outlook on Yoon's presidency, up from 51.2 percent a week earlier. The RnSearch poll surveyed 1,006 adults from May 21 to 23 on behalf of Newspim. The Realmeter poll surveyed 2,528 adults from May 16 to 20. Details of each poll are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website. Yoon's presidency got off to a shaky start, with less than 50 percent of the public having a positive outlook until last month, due to doubts over his selection of minister nominees and hasty relocation of the presidential office. However, the summit not only boosted Yoon's political momentum, but also gave the PPP an uplift in its campaign ahead of the local elections. The Realmeter poll showed that the PPP's support rate stood at 50.1 percent, up 2 percentage points from a week earlier, while the support rate for the rival Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) stood at 38.6 percent. "The summit gave a boost to the ruling side, as the U.S. showcased steadfast commitment to deter North Korea's missile and nuclear threats, as well as recognizing Seoul's elevated status in the global chip industry," an official from the ruling bloc said. An official at the National Election Commission walks past a sign board showing eight days remaining before the June 1 local elections at the election watchdog's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., predicts supply chain challenges for the foreseeable future. She also suggests that mitigating supply chain challenges will require leveraging the strength of direct and indirect global supply chains. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. "Supply chains are going to be volatile until our world order becomes more predictable. The war in Ukraine, the shutdowns throughout China and the threats to Taiwan are just a few of the supply chain problems facing manufacturers. And it's the trickle-down effect. For example, the war in Ukraine has had far-reaching effects from the obvious distraction of combat and people being displaced from their homes. The war is affecting everything from gas and energy to grain and other foodstuffs. While Europe is feeling it severely, the impact is being felt globally," Ms. Anderson commented. There is no easy answer. Certain regions are rich in natural resources. Others are abundant in land and their ability to grow and harvest crops. It's the coalescence of these strengths that provides for world demand. "No region or manufacturer is a silo any longer. Supply chains need to rely on the strengths of their partners to become resilient. We are seeing more collaboration. And, we are seeing our customers leveraging global supply chains whether their own or accessing through their partners. The most recent example of leveraging a global supply chain is the shipment of infant formula from Ireland. While not financially sustainable long-term because of freight costs and import requirements, it provides a much-needed temporary solution," she continued. Leveraging the global supply chain requires strategy, open-mindedness and creativity. LMA Consulting uses the S&OP process to help align sales, inventory and operations. LMA clients are also actively bringing operations closer to home. "Near-shoring, re-shoring and friendly-shoring are all part of the strategy and creativity being used in today's supply chains. Having operations closer to home allows for shorter lead times and more agile decision-making. Friendly-shoring is a fairly new term. We see this as the ability to collaborate and leverage the strengths of supply chains and partners willing to become part of the answer." Ms. Anderson recently released a Special Report: Thriving in 2022: Learning from Supply Chain Chaos Insights from 22 Trusted Advisors. This special report includes supply chain insights and perspectives from Ms. Anderson and 22 advisor experts who have supported clients through the supply chain upheavals of 2020 and 2021. The report is available at no charge from the LMA Consulting Website. The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. Its the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property, he said in a statement. _ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: After 3 months, Russia still bogged down in Ukraine war 200 bodies found in Mariupol as war rages in Ukraines east AP-NORC poll: US economy, not punishing Russia, is top priority Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks. Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths. Meanwhile Tuesday, Russian shelling continues around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv, even after Russian troops withdrew from its surroundings last week. Ukrainian regional officials say the city of Derhachi was hit and a 69-year-old woman died and another person was injured. Derhachi is southwest of the city of Kharkiv and has previously come under Russian shelling. _ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region. The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons. He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days. Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks. In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate. _ KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region said Tuesday that the area was facing the most difficult time since conflict with Russia-backed separatists began in 2014. Now, for the Luhansk region, is the most difficult time in the eight years of the war, Serhii Haidai wrote on Telegram. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time, they brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment. He also accused Moscows troops of deploying scorched-earth tactics across the region, one of two which make up Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Its only getting worse. What the Russians are doing is hard to describe in words. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. The situation is on the verge of being critical. The free Luhansk region is now like Mariupol, Haidai added, in a reference to the ruined port city captured by Moscow last week. _ KYIV, Ukraine The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. Earlier this month Russia announced its takeover of Mariupol with the surrender of the fighters holed up at the massive Azovstal steel mill. Prokopenko, who spoke to The Associated Press in Kyiv together with another wife of a soldier, Yuliia Fedosiuk, said that the Ukraine and Russia agreement guarantees proper burial of dead soldiers and certain conditions for the prisoners of war, including allowing them to hold telephone calls with family members a few times per week. The two women said several families had received calls in the past two days. They said they could not reveal more details of the agreement but they were hopeful that the soldiers will not be tortured and that they eventually will come back home. ___ BERLIN Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was very disappointed Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve misunderstandings. She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons at the press of a button as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was not as dynamic as hoped, but acknowledged that the devil lies in the detail on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the U.S. and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. ___ DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and weaponizing food supplies. Russias invasion of Ukraine has provoked disruptions of global food supplies, and the blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful. Ukraine accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war, according to the EU. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukraine. And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support, she said. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia. ___ LVIV, Ukraine An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. ___ BRUSSELS A European Union plan to suspend all tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year cleared the final political hurdle on Tuesday when EU finance ministers endorsed the move. Meant to help the Ukrainian economy battered by Russias invasion, the removal of the EU duties will apply to Ukrainian industrial products, including steel, and to farm goods such as fruits and vegetables. The EU has already scrapped most of its tariffs on Ukrainian products as a result of a 2016 free-trade agreement. Ukrainian exports to the EU were worth 24.1 billion euros ($25.8 billion) last year, with the main goods being metals, agricultural products and machinery. ___ Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the military operation in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form, he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors in order to avoid casualties among the civilians. APs reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. ___ PARIS A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. As politicians, we must find a way for Ukraine to truly become part of this family, both economically and politically, she told reporters. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. In the meantime France is proposing an interim arrangement that would allow more political cooperation with Ukraine and other potential EU members. - DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order. Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forums annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EUs executive arm said reconciliation is certainly a distant dream and hope. But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands. ANKARA, Turkey The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isn't without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland are expected to arrive in Turkey later on Tuesday to discuss Ankaras objection to their membership in NATO. Cavusoglu told a group of journalists traveling with him on a two-day visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto also confirmed the meeting. ___ A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. - LONDON British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The U.K. defense ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, says the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry says Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry says the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Russian shelling of a residential building in Sievierodonetsk killed four people, Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday. He didnt specify when the shelling took place. The Russian forces in recent weeks have been trying so far unsuccessfully to take control of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the region, subjecting both cities to intensive shelling. The most recent round of shelling, Haidai said, damaged six houses in each of the two cities. ___ Walmart's Juneteenth fanfare has quickly melted. The retail giant has pulled a Juneteenth special-edition ice cream after receiving social media backlash. Critics accuse the retail giant of trivializing and cashing in on an event that commemorates Black peoples emancipation from U.S. slavery. The ice cream comes in a red-velvet swirl with cheesecake flavor in a packaging with African colors and Black hands giving a high-five, with the messaging, "Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation and enduring hope." The ice cream is nearly identical to one sold at Walmart by a Black-owned brand, Creamalicious. It also comes in a red-velvet cheesecake flavor. WHAT IT MEANS: Juneteenth was just the beginning of freedom for Black Texans Another criticism has been the trademark logo on the Walmart ice cream, indicating that the retailer owns the trademark. According to Ad Age, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has no record of Walmart owning or applying for a Juneteenth trademark. Walmart offers a variety of Juneteenth merchandise, including apparel, party supplies and wine. Critics claim the company does little to support the Black community, yet is capitalizing on a Black American holiday. The ice cream, though, has been deemed more offensive than other products. Locally, H-E-B has an assortment of Juneteenth party goods, though the grocery chain is known for its community outreach and support of efforts in communities of color. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, to bring the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The day was made a federal holiday last year. The nationwide baby formula shortage is leaving San Antonio parents desperate and searching for help wherever they can find it. Internet forums, neighborhood chats and Facebook groups have popped up for parents and caregivers looking for baby formula around the Alamo City, which is among the hardest hit by the shortage. Related: Its just terrifying: San Antonio parents among hardest hit by baby formula shortage Among them is a Facebook group called Find formula San Antonio, a space dedicated to crowdsourcing available formula at stores across the city. Members of the group snap photos of store shelves or share screen shots of online stock. The group was created by Lauren Morris and her mother,Paula Shaver. A lot of us are feeling helpless during an unprecedented formula shortage, Morris, the mother of a 9-month-old, wrote on Facebook. My goal is to create a space that helps our San Antonio community find the formula they need. Related: How am I going to feed her?: Baby formula shortage peaks in San Antonio, leaving moms scrambling The U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you call your OBGYN or pediatrician to see if they have in-office samples or can suggest a similar formula that may be more readily available in stores and is nutritionally similar to your infants typical formula. The federal agency strongly urges parents not to water down formula, make the formula at home or use toddler formula to feed infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics also offers additional guidance on how to navigate the formula shortage. Below are other ways to find formula: Crowdsourcing map: Marcela Young, a Houston mom, created a crowdsourcing map called Fighting the Formula Shortage. The interactive map allows users to pin locations on the map to indicate a store where baby formula is in stock. It also allows users to indicate whether they are donating formula. Facebook groups: Baby diapers, formula, any stuff for baby San Antonio Tx is another social media community dedicated to helping identify resources. The group has been around for eight years and has a sizable number of followers at 3,500. Any Baby Can San Antonio: The area nonprofit provides no cost regardless of income to families who have a child birth through 17 years of age with any medical diagnosis, including a chronic illness, disability, developmental delay, or health risk. Call 211: The United Ways 2-1-1 connects you to a community resource specialist affiliated with the United Way who may be able to help you find food pantries and other charitable sources for local infant formula and baby food. Accredited milk bank: Through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, the Mothers Milk Bank in Austin distributes donated breast milk to mothers in need. Note that some milk banks require a prescription from a medical professional. MyGerber Baby Expert: Reach a certified nutritional or lactation consultant who can help you identify a similar formula that may be more readily available. timothy.fanning@express-news.net A gunman shot and killed 21 people, including 19 students, at a Texas elementary school Tuesday morning. Here is what we know so far: At 11:32 a.m., authorities responded to reports of a gunman shooting at Robb Elementary School, just two days before classes were to be released for the summer. Sgt. Erik Estrada with the Texas Department of Public Safety said the shooter, who was identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, crashed his car on school grounds before entering the building through a door on the south side of the school. Going down two small hallways, Ramos came to a door on his left that held the conjoined classrooms of 4th grade teachers Eva Mireles and Ramos encountered a school resource officer, but managed to barricade himself inside the 4th grade classroom, where he started shooting. Pete Arredondo, the police chief for the Uvalde school district, said law enforcement agencies arrived at a mass casualty event. During a news conference, Gov. Greg Abbott said responding authorities shot and killed the gunman after SWAT teams were able to breach the classroom. Thirty minutes before the shooting, Ramos posted Im going to shoot my grandma, followed shortly after by I shot my grandma." The last chilling post Ramos wrote on Facebook said, Im going to shoot an elementary school. Ramos' grandmother managed call 911 at a neighbor's house. She remains in critical condition. Authorities said Ramos acted alone. Who is Salvador Ramos? Abbott identified the suspected shooter as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos of Uvalde during a news conference on Tuesday. Authorities did not provide information about a possible motive. Friends did tell reporters that Ramos had been bullied growing up because of his childhood speech impediment and poor home life, the Washington Post reported. In recent years, he was known to lash out violently against strangers, friends and family. Less than 10 days before he was killed, Ramos celebrated his 18th birthday, buying himself the two weapons he would later use to commit the mass killing, according to the post. Santos Valdez Jr., 18, told the Washington Post that he and Ramos had been friends since elementary school, when they would play video games like "Fortnite" and "Call of Duty." However, things changed as Ramos became more and more violent, he told the paper. Valdez recalled one incident in which Ramos showed up at a park to play basketball with cuts all over his face and admitted he cut himself with knives for fun, the Post reported. Ramos eventually dropped out of high school and started working at a local Wendy's restaurant, according to the story. According to the Post, those who knew Ramos said he had a fascination with guns and killing, once making a remark that he wanted to go into the Marines just so he could kill people. Abbott said Ramos had no criminal history but a possible juvenile record. There were no known records of mental health problems. How many were killed? As of Monday morning, according to DPS officials, 19 students and two adults were killed in the shooting. Ramos was also killed by the authorities. Abbott said 17 others were injured. All patients from Uvalde Memorial Hospital have been discharged or transferred to other hospitals for higher levels of care, Chief Executive Offerice Thomas Nordwick said. In all, the hospital treated 15 patients. Four children and one adult were sent to San Antonio hospitals. The remainder were sent home. University Hospital in San Antonio said it was caring for a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, both in serious condition. A second 10-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl are also at the San Antonio hospital in good condition. Where is Uvalde? Uvalde is a small town with around 16,000 residents and is located about 85 miles west of San Antonio in South Texas. It is about an hour's drive from the U.S.-Mexico border. Children who go missing from foster care in the United States are typically gone for more than a month before being found, according to a new federal report highlighting the vulnerabilities of a group whose disappearances rarely make headlines. Those who disappeared while in foster care were unaccounted for on average 34 days, an analysis of data from 45 state agencies found. But the report released Monday from the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general noted that in nine states, missing foster children were gone for more than 50 days on average, raising their chances of substance use, HIV infection, sex trafficking or involvement with the justice system. "If they're not in a situation where they're being monitored and they have proper guidance, anything can literally happen," Dan Bittner, an assistant regional inspector general for HHS and one of the report's authors, said in an interview. "And it does happen." The Administration for Children and Families, an HHS department that oversees the nation's foster-care system, said in a statement Monday that insights from the report "will help inform our efforts to provide technical assistance to states and tribes to improve performance." But the report's findings come with significant caveats, largely due to the uneven quality of data across and within states, according to Mark E. Courtney, a University of Chicago social-work professor whose research includes studies of policies and services for youths transitioning to adulthood from foster care. The report shows that a significant number of young people in foster care who are reported missing are adolescents and young adults over 18 who live in states where they can remain in foster care until 21 - groups Courtney said are known to end up reported missing not because they were abducted but because they were "absent without leave." "The fact our data systems have not adapted to not being clear that they're missing because they're really refusing service" is a problem, he added. While most missing foster children's stories never become public, some attract attention after their cases end in tragedy. Rilya Wilson, then 4 years old, went missing in 2001 and was gone for 15 months before officials noticed. She was never found. In 2020, 16-year-old Anaiah Walker was found dead in the middle of an Arizona highway after officials say she ran away from her group homes and became a victim of sex trafficking. Many children who go missing from foster care do so several times, the report found. Between July 2018 and December 2020, state agencies recorded more than 110,000 episodes of missing youths, involving roughly 44,000 of the more than 1 million children in foster care during the course of the study. In five states - Nevada, Illinois, New York, Florida and Connecticut - children who went missing did so an average of five to seven times. But the lack of uniformity across states makes it impossible to make meaningful comparisons among states, Courtney said. In states such as Illinois, missing children are reported almost immediately, meaning the state tallies a missing-child case even if that child returns that day. Other states have waiting periods for filing reports, and states vary as to how long they keep missing cases open, Casey said. "Nobody should read this report and say, 'Ah, this state has more youths on the run than another state' and try to make meaning of that. That's the takeaway," he said. Teenagers are much more likely than younger children to go missing, according to the report. Nearly two-thirds of the recorded missing-children episodes involved youths ages 15 to 17, while just 2% of the incidents were for those 11 or younger. Those numbers track with what experts who study older children in foster care have long known, Casey said. But more important, the figure speaks to a shortcoming of the foster-care system that the numbers don't explicitly capture: Teenagers are "voting with their feet" and voluntarily leaving foster-care situations that don't meet their needs. "A teen girl who wants to spend time with her boyfriend, or has a family member in the hospital and needs to be gone for a couple days and the social worker or judge doesn't acknowledge or allow that? That child is going to be considered a 'runaway,'" Courtney said. In his own survey with teens and young adults in foster care, Courtney said most of them reject the label of "runaway" because it doesn't reflect their situation or motivation. The lack of evidence-based placement options and service options for adolescents frustrates many and leads them to leave a group home or foster family regardless of whether the departure has been approved. Most children included in the report were found, but about 6,600 were still missing at the end of the study. Of those, more than 2,700 were in California. But Bittner said that state relies on counties to run their own foster-care programs, which makes him question the communication among agencies and the accuracy of the number of children still missing in California. California is not the only jurisdiction to not fully administer its foster-care program at the state level. Ten other states fully or partly delegate their programs to individual counties, the report says. This kind of disjointed system, Bittner said, raises questions about the coordination among counties when a child goes missing and whether state agencies are appropriately allocating resources to find children. "Having decentralized information makes it hard to gauge how big the issue is," he said. Courtney said disparities in state policies and data collection at least partly explain California's outsize number of missing foster cases. Arizona dropped missing foster-child cases from its rolls after six months, and California keeps its missing-children cases active until a child is at least 18. In 12 states, children who went missing from foster care died. One 15-year-old who went missing in California in January 2019 was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in Texas three days later, the report says. California officials told the report's authors that they believed a man accompanying the child gave the youth lethal drugs. The inspector general's report does not include information about how the children went missing - for example, by abduction or by running away - or about race, ethnicity or type of placement setting. The authors wrote that some of the data provided by state agencies was incomplete, inaccurate or not comparable between states, making it impossible to do a full analysis. State agencies reported that their most common challenges in making sure children are reported missing promptly and then finding them include getting cooperation from the children's families and friends, obtaining help from police and finding a foster-care placement for children that will discourage them from running away. While the inspector general's report makes no recommendations, the authors said they would follow up with the Administration for Children and Families about any policy changes it makes in response. Bittner said he hopes the agency will evaluate why certain states appear to have worse outcomes for missing kids. "I don't think we want these children to get lost in the foster-care system," he said, "and literally lost in the eyes of the general public." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) They are mothers, they are daughters, they are comrades. Generations of women came together for a Manhattan protest against the U.S. Supreme Courts anticipated ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. There were women who have been fighting for nearly a half century to hold on to abortion rights; there were daughters who now face the prospect of a long battle to regain those rights. The abortion war would seem to be a forever war, one that spans generations. There was the fight before Roe v. Wade, the fight ever since and the fight to come. No one knows when or if abortion rights might be restored. And even then, it is almost unthinkable that the battle will end. So mothers who joined their daughters at the May 14 protest, marching to Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge, were not only raging against the court and its expected decision; they were entrusting their cause to another generation. ___ AMNET RAMOS AND INAIA HERNANDEZ Amid all the agitation of the rally, Amnet Ramos looked around her -- particularly at her 12-year-old daughter, Inaia -- and she was serene. The future is in good hands. If this is who Im going to pass my torch down to, I feel good, said Ramos, 44. You know, I have a fighter and I know. And a fighter for justice for everyone. So I know that theres a generation of kids that are way more aware at this age than I ever was at that age. And so I feel confident that we can pass that torch. Inaia seems up to the challenge. Im pretty much willing to do anything to, like, fight for our rights, they said. More than anything, they want a free world like it once was. But Inaia and her siblings do not have their mothers life story: The pregnancy she considered aborting when she was 21, but did not, giving birth to the first of her three kids, a son who saved my life. The tubal ligation that failed to prevent an ectopic pregnancy a couple of years ago; she would have had an abortion, but miscarried. Ramos wants other women to have those choices. She has protested since the Trump administration, and the threat to abortion rights has steeled her resolve to be heard -- and that of her daughter. On Inaias arm, in indelible ink, they had written Give our rights -- forgetting, in their haste and excitement, to include the word us. ___ LINDSAY WALT AND EVE THOMSON Growing up in the Midwest, Lindsay Walt remembers girls who were pregnant at 13 and dropped out of school. And friends who went to New York for abortions. And they were lucky. They had the money, they had the means to do it, said Walt, 66. She protested in favor abortion before 1973, when Roe came down. She would go to New York -- not for an abortion, but to live and raise a family, and eventually to protest against abortion restrictions again. I think its really tragic that were here all these years later, she said. Her 27-year-old daughter Eve Thomson was at her side. My moms been bringing me to protests for all different things, but since I was a little kid. So its kind of remarkable that this is something were still going through and still something we have to fight for. Still, she says she is more than willing to take up the cause. Its kind of a necessity, she said, to continue supporting and continue fighting for the same thing my mom fought for for so long." ___ RITA AND FAIRUZ NAKOUZI More than 20 years ago, Rita Nakouzi and her family came to the United States from Beirut with high expectations. But in recent years she has been disappointed -- what makes America what it is is being denigrated and broken down. Living in Brooklyn, she has joined many protests over the past 10 years. And now, abortion. I mean, I havent had a close call, but for all the friends that I know ... this has been something that has really helped their lives in many ways. And whether its from an assault to just not being financially able to get to, its not the right time for them, she said. And just to have that right, which is their body and their life, is very crucial. Her kids are being raised in America, they're half American. And I want those freedoms for them. Her daughter, Fairuz, held up a sign: Trust women, protect choice. She is, she said, ready to fight for other women. And at 13, she does not despair. Im hopeful for the future, she said. And Im hoping that in the future, women have a better future for their bodies. ___ CLAUDIA ORELLANA and ISABELLA ROSARIO Thirteen-year-old Isabella Rosario marches with her mother, Claudia Orellana. And her mothers story fuels her passion. I dont want that to happen to me or anything similar to happen to anyone, she said. Orellana said she was 12 -- younger than her daughter -- when she was raped by her uncle. She had no idea of what had happened; she was five months pregnant when her mother found out and arranged for her to have an abortion. Shes 46 now. When she hears abortion opponents propose new laws that lack exceptions, even for rape or incest, and when she looks at her three daughters, the Jersey City, New Jersey, woman is infuriated. Were strong, you know what I mean? And I will continue to fight. And no matter what condition, what age I am, you know, Im going to continue to fight for the rights of my daughters and my friends. Daughters and everybodys daughters, she said. Im just trying to lead by example, she said. You know, my dad is always like, `Oh, my God, youre always going out to these, you know, to these marches and all these things. ... I think you need to pay more attention to, you know, to your kids. And Im like, `This is me paying attention to my kids. This is for my kids. Those kids are the future. I hope that they will get the same enthusiasm that I do, she said. It took me years to get here. So Im trying to just be the change that I want to see in them. HONOLULU (AP) A high school prom in Hawaii where masked dancers weren't allowed to touch. A return to virtual city council meetings in one Colorado town after the mayor and others tested positive following an in-person session. A reinstated mask mandate at skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County after 22 new outbreaks in a single week. A COVID-19 surge is underway that is starting to cause disruptions as the school year wraps up and Americans prepare for summer vacations. Many people, though, have returned to their pre-pandemic routines and plans, which often involve travel. Case counts are as high as theyve been since mid-February and those figures are likely a major undercount because of unreported positive home test results and asymptomatic infections. Earlier this month, an influential modeling group at the University of Washington in Seattle estimated that only 13% of cases were being reported to U.S. health authorities. Hospitalizations are also up and more than one-third of the U.S. population lives in areas that are considered at high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Northeast has been hit the hardest. Yet vaccinations have stagnated and elected officials nationwide seem loath to impose new restrictions on a public that's ready to move on even as the U.S. death toll surpassed 1 million people less than 2 1/2 years into the outbreak. People probably are underestimating the prevalence of COVID, said Crystal Watson, public health lead in the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Securitys Coronavirus Resource Center. I think theres a lot more virus out there than we recognize, and so people are much, much more likely than they anticipate to be exposed and infected. A major metric for the pandemic the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. skyrocketed over the last two weeks, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The figure was about 76,000 on May 9 and jumped to nearly 109,000 on Monday. That was the highest it had been since mid-February, when the omicron-fueled surge was winding down. Deaths are still on the decline and hospital intensive care units arent swamped like they were at other times during the pandemic, likely because vaccinations and immunity from people who have already had the disease are keeping many cases less severe. The nature of the disease has changed. Two years ago I was seeing a steady flow of bad pneumonia cases. Now we are in a situation where people should be able to avoid that outcome by taking advantage of vaccines, pre-exposure prophylaxis (for high risk), and early anti-viral therapy, Dr. Jonathan Dworkin, a clinical infectious diseases physician in Hawaii, said by email. In Hawaii, which once had one of the nation's lowest rates of infection, hospitalization and death, new cases are surging among the states 1.4 million residents. The University of Hawaii will again require masks indoors across its 10-campus system beginning Wednesday. With cases climbing for eight straight weeks, Hawaii has the second highest infection rate of any state, trailing only Rhode Island. But because positive home test results aren't counted in official data, Hawaii's health department estimates that the case count is actually five or six times higher. Despite its surge, visitors have been flocking to Hawaii's beaches, especially in recent months. Yaling Fisher, owner of Hawaii Aloha Travel, said bookings to the islands haven't slowed during the surge. On the contrary, they've increased. Even now we are still busy, she said. We dont see any cancellations. Samantha Hanberg, who was in Hawaii this week with her newlywed husband, said the couple left their masks at home in California when they left for vacation. She said she contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic and subsequently got fully vaccinated, so she too feels safe. Nobody wants to get sick, but its definitely not at the forefront of my thought process anymore, she said, snacking on shave ice on Waikiki Beach. "Im to the point now where I just I want to go back to living and enjoying life, and not being so worried. Officials initially shut down Hawaiis tourism industry by requiring all incoming passengers to quarantine. They shifted to a testing requirement and then a vaccination exemption before dropping all restrictions in March. Hawaii was the last state in the nation to drop its mask mandate, though it remains the only state to require all public school students to wear masks while indoors a rule that will remain in effect throughout the summer and possibly into the next school year. Nearly two years after California Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide stay-home order, the state formally shifted to an endemic approach in February. Like Hawaii and many other states, its weekly infection rate has risen dramatically of late. The new surge led the school districts in Pacific Grove and Berkeley to reinstate their indoor mask mandates, while an outbreak at a Northern California long-term healthcare facility had sickened 26 residents and 10 staff members by Monday. Some Northeastern school districts have also revived their mask mandates, including those in Philadelphia and Providence, Rhode Island. However New York, which was once the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic, doesnt seem likely to follow suit. The city is dealing with another surge in cases, but Mayor Eric Adams has all but ruled out bringing back a citywide mask mandate unless hospitals get inundated again. The city's school district jettisoned its practice of closing classrooms if multiple students test positive, merely recommends that masks be worn and even abandoned its requirement that students need to be vaccinated to attend prom. ___ Dazio reported from Los Angeles. ___ Find more of the AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic National Weather Service The National Weather Service is warning that severe storms are expected to move through the San Antonio area and South Central Texas Tuesday night through the early morning hours of Wednesday. The weather service says it has high confidence in this system, with an enhanced risk for severe storms in the northern counties of the region. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate This story contains information from Tues. May 24 and Weds. May 25. See current live updates here. WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 Update 8:05 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom harshly criticized Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting and assailed two federal judges as extremists" for their rulings undermining California's gun control efforts. Shortly before Newsom held a news conference to tout his legislative efforts to strengthen gun laws in California, Abbott spoke about Tuesday's carnage in Uvalde and said the gunman has to have evil in his heart. Abbott talked about the mental health struggles of many in his state while calling out tough gun laws in California as ineffective. Newsom, joined by legislative leaders, urged the public to not give in to the cynicism and all the crap that you heard today at that press conference around evil and mental health. Billy Calzada / Staff photographer Update: 5:27 p.m.: President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the Second Amendment is not absolute as he called for new limitations on guns in the wake of this weeks massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde. When the amendment was approved, he said, You couldnt own a cannon. You couldnt own certain kinds of weapons. Theres always been limitations. Biden was speaking at the White House before signing an executive order on policing on the second anniversary of George Floyds death. He said that he would visit Texas with first lady Jill Biden in the coming days to hopefully bring some little comfort to the community. As a nation, I think we must all be there for them, he said. And we must ask, when it gods name will we do whats needed to be done. Update: 5:16 p.m.: The rifle used in the mass shooting is known as a DDM4 Rifle. Its modeled after the M4 carbine, the U.S. militarys go-to rifle, according to a blog post by the guns maker, Daniel Defense. The Daniel Defense rifle can be classified as an AR-15 type. A key difference between the Daniel Defense rifle and the M4 carbine is that the militarys version can switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst depending on the model. AR-15-type rifles can be purchased for as little as $400, but the Daniel Defense rifle is on the high-end of around $2,000 or more. These rifles can also be financed, with customers paying less than $100 a month. The Daniel Defense rifle is not sold with sights. According to pictures of the shooters guns posted on Instagram, he appears to have purchased a battery-powered holographic sight that typically sells for around $725. Update: 4:45 p.m.: Hours after the Uvalde mass shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott went to a political fundraiser in East Texas. Abbott's campaign confirmed he attended a private fundraiser in Walker County for his campaign on Tuesday night, where he had been monitoring wildfires earlier in the day. After holding a briefing and press conference on the current wildfires in Taylor County, where he also provided an update the situation in Uvalde, the Governor did stop by a previously scheduled event last night at a private home in Walker County, Abbott campaign spokesperson Mark Miner said in a statement. But Miner said Abbott is rescheduling another fundraiser that had been planned for tonight. Update: 4:38 p.m.: In the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde Tuesday, its likely that parents are being asked tough questions about the situation by their children. And its likely parents are struggling with how to answer. Heres a guide for talking with your children about the school shooting. Its also likely that San Antonians are wondering how to donate blood, contribute to fundraisers and provide legal services. Heres a guide for how to find those resources. Update: 4 p.m.: In an interview on Wednesday with Amy Robach on "Good Morning America," Uvalde Mayor Don McLoughlin called the shooter a sick individual and said that mental health, not gun control should be the focus moving forward. Everybody comes in and talks about this immediately: We want to do gun control. We want to sanction the gun lobbyists. We want to sanction this and want to sanction that, McLaughlin said. But you know what? Why dont you politicians get off your butts and lets talk about mental health and lets do something. McLaughlin, who has been mayor for nine years, told Robach that he was heartbroken for the victims and their families. He said Uvalde has been trying to get a mental health hospital built there for years. When we have kids that are suicidal or kids that have thoughts like this or even adults, we have no place to take them, he said. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday said there were no known mental health issues with the 18-year-old shooter. He also said there were no signs leading up to the shooting other than a handful of social media posts. Update: 3:35 p.m.: FBI Director Christopher Wray praised Texas law enforcement and that the FBI will continue to work with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Uvalde Police Department and other agencies to assist in the aftermath of the shooting. "On top of that, we've deployed national resources, including investigative and analytical support, evidence response and laboratory personnel, victim services professionals to assist families of the victims, and crisis management and behavioral analysis units," Wray said in a statement. Update: 3:25 p.m.: Two vigils are planned in Boerne on Wednesday night for the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting, according to the city of Boerne. A "night of prayer" event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at First Baptist Churchs Worship Center. Then, beginning at 9 p.m., there will be a community-led candlelight vigil in downtowns Main Plaza. Those attending the Main Plaza vigil are encouraged to bring battery-operated candles. Update: 2:55 p.m.: Andy Stone, a spokesman for Facebook, is disputing Gov. Greg Abbott's assertion that the shooter posted on Facebook. "The messages Gov. Abbott described were private one-to-one text messages that were discovered after the terrible tragedy occurred," Stone said on Twitter. "We are closely cooperating with law enforcement in their ongoing investigation." Update 1:45 p.m.: At a news conference Wednesday in Uvalde, Gov. Greg Abbott said that the gunman, Salvador Ramos, posted his plans to shoot up the school on Facebook 30 minutes before the mass shooting. In the post, Ramos wrote, "Im going to shoot my grandma" followed shortly after by, "I shot my grandma." In his last chilling post, Ramos said, "Im going to shoot an elementary school." According to Abbott, Ramos had no criminal history but a possible juvenile record. There were also no known records of mental health problems, the governor said. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety said tactical officers killed Ramos during a shootout in the classroom where 21 others died. Update: 12:45 p.m.: Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, was thrown out of an auditorium hosting a Gov. Greg Abbott news conference on Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. Abbott had just finished his remarks when O'Rourke began shouting and appeared to have blamed Abbott for the shooting. Politicians and officials on the stage with the governor began shouting back at O'Rourke before he was escorted out. As O'Rourke was walking out of the auditorium, he turned and pointed to Abbott and said, "This is on you." Police kicked out some members of the media after O'Rourke interrupted the governor. Update 12:36 p.m.: All patients from Uvalde Memorial Hospital have been discharged or transferred to other hospitals for higher levels of care, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Nordwick said. In all, the hospital treated 15 patients. Four children and one adult were sent to San Antonio hospitals. The rest were discharged homed. Update 11:46 a.m.: The National Rifle Association announced that attendees to its Friday conference in Houston will not be permitted to bring firearms to the speech but it's not because of Uvalde. The decision comes in deference to Secret Service rules that were in place before yesterday's school shooting. Per the U.S. Secret Service, firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items will not be permitted in the General Assembly Hall at the George R. Brown Convention Center during the former presidents speech, the NRA said in a statement on its website earlier this month. Attendees also will be required to pass through metal detectors upon entering the assembly, the group noted. Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Gov. Greg Abbott are all still set to speak at the convention. Update 10:30 a.m.: There are currently four patients in San Antonio hospitals who are in serious condition following Tuesday's shooting. Two adult patients are in serious condition at Brooke Army Medical Center, while one adult and a 10-year-old girl are in serious condition are at University Health, according to tweets from both hospitals. University Health also has another 10-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl in good condition following the shooting. Update 10 a.m.: Grief counselors have been staged at the Willie de Leon Civic Center on Uvalde's Main Street since 8 a.m. to help those who have been directly impacted by Tuesday's mass shooting. Groups of teachers could be seen wearing bright blue "Robb Elementary" T-shirts as they entered and exited the building. Starting at 10 a.m., the counselors were made available to the public. Update 9:15 a.m.: The following are the identifications from multiple news outlets of most of the victim's from Tuesday's mass school shooting in Uvalde. Eva Mireles, 4th grade teacher Irma Garcia, 4th grade teacher Amerie Jo Garza, 10 Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10 Xavier Lopez, 10 Uziya Garcia, 9 Navaeh Bravo, 10 Makenna Elrod, 10 Eliahana 'Elijah Cruz' Torres, 10 Ellie Garcia Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10 Tess Mata Rogelio Torres, 10 Alithia Ramirez, 10 Jose Flores, 10 Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10 Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11 Miranda Mathis, 11 Update 7:30 a.m.: A spokesman with the Texas Department of Public Safety told media outlets that all of the victims of Tuesday's mass shooting in Uvalde were in one classroom. In an interview with the "Today Show" on Wednesday morning, DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez said Salavador Ramos was "able to make entry into a classroom, barricaded himself inside that classroom and again, just began shooting numerous children and teachers who were in that classroom." Investigators also believe that Ramos was wearing a tactical body vest. "(It) shows the intent of this evil person going into this school and having complete disregard for human life, Olivarez said. Wednesday 4 a.m.: A gunman killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde on Tuesday morning. Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo said 18-year-old Salvador Ramos appears to have acted alone. Ramos was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. Now Playing: Overnight reporting from the scene. Video: San Antonio Express-News TUESDAY, MAY 24 Update 10:30 p.m.: The 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, reportedly legally bought an AR platform rifle last week, authorities said. He also had 375 rounds of 5.56 ammunition, according to state Sen. John Whitmire, who was briefed on the incident. Update 9:45 p.m.: The Associated Press reported that the 18-year-old gunman who opened fire at a Texas elementary school killed at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom. The assailant also killed two adults before he was killed by law enforcement. Now Playing: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says 15 people were killed in a shooting Tuesday at an elementary school. Abbott says the suspected shooter, an 18-year-old man, also died and was believed to be killed by responding officers. (May 24) Video: Associated Press Update 8:35 p.m.: The sports world reacted swiftly Tuesday to the news of an 18-year-old gunman opening fire at an elementary school in Uvalde and killing at least 18 children. In Dallas, Steve Kerr and Jason Kidd did not want to talk about basketball. LeBron James made no effort to hide his anger. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, a young father, called the news devastating." Im fed up. Ive had enough. Were going to play the game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today? asked Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, who urged Congress to mandate background checks for gun purchases before his team faced the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Update: 7:30 p.m.: President Joe Biden delivered an emotional call for new restrictions on firearms after a gunman opened fire at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday. When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? Biden said at the White House shortly after returning from a five-day trip to Asia that was bookended by tragedy. Just two days before Biden left on his trip, he met with victims' families after a hate-motivated shooter killed 10 Black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. He directed that American flags be flown at half-staff through sunset Saturday in honor of the victims in Texas. Update: 7:00 p.m.: The death toll in Tuesday's school shooting has climbed to 21. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez confirmed that a gunman killed at least 18 children and 3 adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, making the massacre one of the deadliest school shootings in modern U.S. history. Update: 4:30 p.m.: Uvalde CISD police chief Pete Arredondo said 18-year-old Salvador Ramos appears to have acted alone in the shooting death of 14 students and one teacher Tuesday at an elementary school. Ramos was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. Speaking at a news conference, Arredondo said police responded to reports of a shooting at Robb Elementary School at about 11:30 a.m. and described the scene as a "mass casualty incident." Arredondo said several were injured and killed but did specify a number, but said the students who were killed were in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. There are about 600 students enrolled at the school. The families of the individuals who were killed have been notified and services are being provided, he said. Update: 4 p.m.: Gov. Greg Abbott said a gunman killed 14 students and a teacher Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde before he was shot and killed by responding law enforcement officers. The shooting took place just two days before school was to be let out for summer break. Abbott also identified the shooter as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, who was a resident of Uvalde. Abbott said Ramos entered Robb Elementary School with a handgun and possibly a rifle and "shot and killed horrifically, incomprehensibly." According to media reports, Ramos also shot his grandmother prior to showing up at the school. In a statement, Abbott said he has instructed all local and state law enforcement to provide any necessary resources to Uvalde authorities. "Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde," the governor said in the statement. "Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering." Update: 3 p.m.: In a Facebook post, Uvalde Memorial Hospital confirmed that two people have died from a shooting at a local elementary school. The hospital did not say if they were children or adults, but said the two individuals were dead when they arrived. According to the social media post, 13 students were transported to the hospital via ambulance or buses for treatment, and two others have been transferred to San Antonio hospitals. Another is pending a transfer, officials said. A 66-year-old woman was also hospitalized in critical condition, the post said. Update: 2:30 p.m.: In an email, the San Antonio Police Department said it has sent its resources to assist Uvalde authorities. The department said it is sending its EAGLE helicopter, crime scene investigators, and SWAT team to Uvalde. The San Antonio Fire Department also said it was sending its incident command vehicles and additional resources on standby if needed. Update: 2:05 p.m.: Students have been transported to the Willie DeLeon Civic Center for reunification. Uvalde CISD said parents are encouraged to pick up their students at this time. Update: 1:45 p.m.: University Health in San Antonio tweeted that it has received two patients a child and an adult connected to the shooting in Uvalde. Officials did not provide their conditions. The Uvalde Memorial Hospital said it is caring for multiple students and is asking immediate family to report to the cafeteria on the second floor of the hospital. Original: UVALDE, Texas Police in Texas say a shooter who prompted a lockdown at an elementary school has been taken into custody. The Uvalde Police Department said the person was taken into custody shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District had said an active shooter was reported at Robb Elementary School, which has an enrollment of just under 600 students. Earlier, the district said that all schools in the district were locked down because of gunshots in the area. A Uvalde Police Department dispatcher said the scene was still active and that no other information was immediately available. School and city officials did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The district said that the city's civic center will be used as a reunification center and that parents will be able to pick up their children there once everyone is accounted for. Uvalde is about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio. This breaking news story will be updated as information becomes available. Staff writer Taylor Pettaway contributed to this report. President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday that in the process of appointing public officials, he will work to give "bold opportunities" to women, amid calls for his administration to enhance gender equality. Yoon made the remarks during his meeting with outgoing leaders of the National Assembly at his office in Seoul, according to presidential spokesperson Kang In-sun. "I will work hard to give bold opportunities to women when it comes to public personnel appointment," Yoon was quoted as saying. "Maybe I had a narrowed vision because I just started politics, but from now on, I will look more broadly." His remarks came after National Assembly Deputy Speaker Kim Sang-hee, the first woman to hold the position, expressed her regret over gender conflicts. She told Yoon that there were "unnecessary conflicts" during the presidential election, but the situation must be different after the election. During the campaign, Yoon's pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family created controversy, with some accusing him of pandering to young male voters. After the election, Yoon has been criticized for having few women in his Cabinet. Of the 19 Cabinet members, including the prime minister, only three are women. Of the 41 vice ministerial-level officials, only two are women. During a press conference on the South Korea-U.S. summit on Saturday, Yoon was asked by a Washington Post reporter about his government's efforts to improve gender equality. Yoon answered that his administration plans to actively ensure fair opportunities for women. (Yonhap) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The sisters of Giovanna Modesty Augusta Barrera cried and held on to each other as they faced their sisters killer, Daniel Calvillo, shortly before deputies led him away to begin a 40-year sentence. Calvillo killed the rollerskater because she would not give him her cellphone. You have no idea the emptiness you have caused. She was the reason we would smile and laugh. She will always be remembered as our hero, Gisselle Merlos, 21, told the defendant as she clung to her sister, Destiny Barrera, 24, whose own statements were barely audible through her sobs. The sisters, along with several family members, sat in the first row of Judge Frank J. Castros 399th District Court and wore T-shirts and held signs with Giovanna Barreras picture on them. The judge also spoke to Calvillo before he sentenced him, telling him his victim was only 24. You cost her her life and ruined her family, Castro said. Calvillo, who is from Piedras Negras in the Mexican state of Coahuila, was 28 when he was arrested and charged with capital murder. As part of a plea agreement reached between prosecutor Clayton Haden and defense attorney Javier F. Oliva, Calvillo admitted to the lesser offense of murder in exchange for 40 years in the murder case and a concurrent 10 years in an unrelated robbery case. Authorities said the shooting occurred shortly after 2 p.m. Dec. 9, 2020, in the 7600 block of Tarrasa, near Walzem Road. On ExpressNews.com: Man indicted on capital murder count, accused of killing woman over a cellphone Barrera had just finished rollerskating and was taking her skates off inside her car when Calvillo approached her and demanded that she hand over her cellphone. She refused, throwing the phone under the car seat, and was shot in cold blood at point-blank range, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at the time. Calvillo fled in a car driven by Keyana Jones, then 20. The pair were caught the next day in a traffic stop by Bexar County sheriffs deputies. Jones, now 22, is charged as a co-defendant in the case and has also agreed to take a plea on a murder charge, Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales said. She will be sentenced later by Castro. The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly It is an acceptable resolution, Gonzales said after Calvillos sentencing. It is not going to bring Giovanna back. This was a senseless killing and it has been hard on the family. They have waited for a long time for justice. Calvillo will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years. He also faces deportation upon his release from prison. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A couple is facing child endangerment charges after their four children as young as 2 and as old as 13 were found living in squalor Monday afternoon on the Northeast Side. Sheriff Javier Salazar said a concerned neighbor called 911 regarding a foul odor Monday at an apartment in the 3600 block of Montgomery Drive. Deputies arrived and were met with the smell of decomposition so distinctive that they were expecting to find a dead body, the sheriff said. When they entered the apartment, they found four children with two adults living in horrendous conditions, Salazar said. The investigators that are pretty seasoned investigators that are used to dealing with decomposing bodies said this is one of the worst they have ever seen, the sheriff said. The smell was just horrendous. One bedroom was devoted to piles of trash bags full of old food, Salazar described. There were feces, both animal and human, he said. Insects and rats crawled over the detectives feet as they searched the apartment. Bexar County Sheriff's Office We couldnt figure out how it is that kids were living in this condition for any amount of time at all, Salazar said, noting that the apartment has working trash service. He could not say how long the home had been in disarray. Salazar said the mother, 37, is the biological mother of the children, while the man, 33, is the biological father of the two youngest children and stepfather to the older two. The other two fathers are out of the picture, Salazar said. The Texas Department of Family Protective Services took the children, who were in relatively good health despite the conditions, the sheriff said. Bexar County Sheriff's Office The oldest child was in school when deputies searched the apartment. One of the children, an 8-year-old girl, told investigators that she misses school a lot because of headaches. Living in those conditions I would imagine that theres probably some health deterioration with that girl, the sheriff said. Each of the adults faces four charges of child endangerment. The father is also not a U.S. citizen, but of European nationality, Salazar said. The mother works as an assistant at an area hospital, which the sheriff was not immediately able to identify. If she is working in a hospital setting of any sort, she should certainly know better that these are not healthy conditions, Salazar said. jbeltran@express-news.net A San Antonio man is facing up to 40 years in prison after admitting he fatally stabbed his mother in her Northwest Side home in 2018. Ivan Rafael Castro was 29 when he was arrested on a murder charge for killing his mother, Leticia Castro Barnett, 54. Bexar County Sheriff's Office A Northeast Side couple accused of allowing four children to live in an apartment filled with trash, feces and insects has been identified by the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. Paul William Kinsey, 33, and Danielle Maria Kinsey, 37, were charged with child endangerment, according to court records. Paul Kinsey was booked on four counts with bail totaling $60,000, while Danielle Kinsey was booked on three counts with bail set at $45,000. Editor's Note: This report is from 2018. Follow us here for live updates on the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde. Two teenagers were arrested last week after authorities discovered their plan to commit a mass shooting at a junior high school in Uvalde, according to the Uvalde Leader-News. The teens, aged 13 and 14, are now facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder and have been booked into a juvenile detention center in Del Rio. RELATED: 'They were pretty mean': Teen accused of fatally stabbing neighbors gave interview before arrest According to the Leader-News, the teens had originally planned to carry out the shooting on April 20, 2022, which would coincide with the Columbine shooting anniversary during their senior year of high school, but one of the suspects persuaded the other to commit the shooting this year at Morales Junior High, where the 14-year-old was a student. Now Playing: Students protest gun violence across the country Video: San Antonio Express-News The teens allegedly created a list prioritizing which students they would kill and planned to steal their neighbors' weapons. They planned to detonate explosive devices at the beginning of the attack, hunt down and kill the students on their list and then indiscriminately kill as many students as they could before committing suicide. Police have not said the teens actually acquired any weapons. They appear to have been inspired by the Columbine shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, and often referred to each other using those names, the Leader-News reports. "One of the students had numerous writings and drawings which depicted weapons capable of causing mass destruction," according to a news release from the Uvalde Police Department obtained by the newspaper. "He wrote about being 'God-like' and killing police and other persons. He had an academic analysis of one of the Columbine shooter's journal." RELATED: Mugshot: Suspect in 10-hour S.A. standoff known as 'Asian Jade' A student at Morales Junior High learned of the plan and reported it to school officials, who then notified law enforcement authorities. With the assistance of the Texas Rangers, the Uvalde Police Department was able to identify the two suspected teens and arrest them. According to the Leader-News, authorities are still processing evidence, including messages regarding the attack that the two suspects sent each other through school-issued iPads. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns In so many ways, the League of United Latin American Citizens has been a model for the promotion of democracy. It has been at the forefront of civil rights for almost a century. LULAC was founded to advocate for Latino civic engagement and has fought hard for fair access to the ballot box. The membership organization has gone into courtrooms to fight injustice and remains a proponent of transparency. Now it needs to do all that from the inside out. Over the weekend, Texas LULAC held its state convention on South Padre Island. Its a great place to vacation, but it turned out not to be ideal for its convention and state elections. For starters, the hotel where its 347 delegates and about 100 other attendees, including alternates, gathered was inadequate for its needs. Its Wi-Fi capacity and air-conditioning system were faulty. One person described it as being in a petri dish. Laptops set up in a ballroom for the state elections crashed numerous times. The space held about 200 seats, observers said. That was not enough for its delegates, among them seniors. David Cruz, LULACs national communications director and spokesman for Texas LULAC, noted the criticisms. Its all good input to learn from, Cruz said. The convention exceeded attendance expectations, but thats a good problem to have, he said. Cruz added, Im not going to make light of problems with voting. Being at the farthest point in South Texas was a chance to commemorate LULACs origins so close to its Corpus Christi birthplace, Cruz said. The location was especially important given that 100 years ago LULAC was founded to combat lynching and other forms of racial violence used to intimate Mexicans and Mexican Americans to take their land by force. In particular, Cruz pointed to the King Ranch, founded by Richard King, a riverboat captain and Confederate, who amassed whats considered the largest ranch in the country at 825,000 acres. The issues that galvanized LULAC remain as valid now as they were then, Cruz said. The convention also gave members the opportunity to meet in person. In 2020, the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, the state convention was canceled. 2021s convention had a small turnout. This weekends event brought together a larger group, but it was criticized for lacking good COVID protocols. Critics pointed to a lack of organization and the lack of a host chapter, which ordinarily carries out the logistics required of such an event, said Maria Salazar, a San Antonio attorney and immediate past president of the LULAC Orgullo chapter. Orgullo is the Spanish word for pride. While conventions of all kinds face logistics hurdles, criticism of LULACs internal elections have been longstanding at the state and national levels. This time, T-shirts were the biggest problem. The incumbent state director Rodolfo Rosales Jr. handed them out. They bore his name. He won re-election with 63 percent of the vote. Hes believed to be the first openly gay state director, a sign of the advancement of rights LULAC has internalized. But he doesnt seem to recognize the problem with voters wearing his T-shirt at the polls. On Monday, Rosales proudly said this of his LULAC victory: If T-shirts voted. It was over before it started. A race for deputy director for the elderly went to a runoff, presenting yet another problem when its election judge fell back on an old tradition LULAC uses to count votes. By sight. Its called a divide the house count. Delegates for one candidate stand on one side of a room while delegates for the other candidate stand on the opposite side. If its obvious the majority is on one side, Rosales said, that individual is declared the winner by the election judge. In the runoff, his brother Gabriel Rosales was elected. The brothers come from a San Antonio family devoted to LULAC. Their mother Rosa Rosales served in various capacities, including national president. They arent alone in failing to comprehend how serious LULACs voting improprieties affect their personal standing and that of LULACs. In the end, Salazar waited two hours to vote in a crowded room with poor circulation, a struggling AC system and limited access to water. The hotel store had run out of bottled water, she said. Some LULAC members, accustomed to the process, brought their own chairs. Outside, a bus was covered with slogans and irony. The Power of the Latino Vote. The Future is in Your Hands, it said on one side. One word was capitalized at the bottom. NOVEMBER. Given that we live in a state that seeks to infringe on established rights and in a country whose Supreme Court is likely to carry that out, LULAC will be at the forefront of fighting voter suppression and Jim Crow 2.0. It needs to be a model for safe and fair elections. What happened in South Padre wasnt that. eayala@express-news.net Last Wednesday, when the South San ISD school board voted 3-2 to terminate superintendent Marc Puig, we werent surprised given ongoing issues. But that meeting also brought welcome news: the resignation of Connie Prado, a perennial, infamous trustee. Our optimism for this impoverished district of fewer than 9,000 students hasnt been this high in, well, ever. Thats not to say we have a ton of optimism past is prologue. But we wonder if Prados departure could signal the type of change the district has desperately needed for decades. Over the years, dysfunction at the district has fueled declining enrollment, financial shortfalls and infighting with board factions, and led to state investigations that found violations of board policies, state law and governance standards. To be clear, we see the boards vote to terminate Puig, who was hired in June 2020, as problematic. It comes almost five months after it placed Puig on paid leave pending an investigation about a hot mic incident as the board adjourned to closed session on Nov. 17 between Puig and board President Ernest Arrellano Jr. RELATED: Connie Prado longtime mover and shaker amid South San Antonio ISD chaos to leave post June 30 The transcript of the recorded conversation, included on the boards online agenda, covers Arrellano and Puig discussing a contract for a district consultant. Toward the end of the conversation, Arrellano laughed while he said: You know what, Im gonna step down, so that you can hire my brother. Later, Arrellano said it was a joke and Puig denied he suggested hiring Arrellanos brother. After reviewing the meeting video and the transcript, we believe them. So far, we dont believe there is sufficient evidence to terminate Puig, though its clear some on the board have been at odds with him since September when they voted 5-2 to reprimand him for dereliction of his employment duties to the board, stemming from a personnel matter. Board members shouldnt be involved with personnel matters. The overreach in the day-to-day operations, which is a superintendents responsibility, is why South San ISD cant keep a superintendent. Puig is the eighth superintendent in nine years, including interims, according to Texas Public Radio. The current interim superintendent, Henry Yzaguirre, is South Sans fourth leader in less than three years. Puig made a valid point at a special meeting Dec. 6, when he described the boards response to the hot mic incident as a quicksand of dysfunction that didnt start last week; it started more than 30 years ago. South San ISDs dysfunction, and Prados role in it, are undeniable. Prado joined the board in 1998, and her tenure has been plagued with controversy. On ExpressNews.com: South San board seeks to keep state monitors reports out of public meeting The dysfunction has cost the district on multiple fronts over the years, including funding. Consider that since December, the board has been paying two superintendents Puigs $225,000 per-year salary and Yzaguirres daily rate of $886 plus $6,195 for services rendered in December. Since October, the district has also paid $85 per hour plus travel expenses for state-appointed monitor Abelardo Abe Saavedra, who was superintendent from January 2014 to October 2018. Student achievement also suffers. While South Sans board and administrators bicker, teachers struggle to teach and students struggle to learn. During the Nov. 17 meeting, Arrellano described a crisis situation in its high schools, with 61 percent of students at West Campus and 68 percent at South San failing. Its easy to see why more than 1,000 students recently left the district. The last day for Prado will be June 30. It cant come soon enough. May every board member who puts politics over students also make their exit from the dais. It is unfortunate the Supreme Court has become a political lightning rod. Even in 2001 when Bush v. Gore gave the presidency to George W. Bush by a 5-4 vote, Americans settled back into their routines without much ado. But all Americans, even those who harshly criticized him, should thank President Joe Biden for nominating a judge, Ketanji Brown Jackson, who will represent a group that has been absent from the court for quite a while: Protestants. Laird Loomis Time to ban hate speech? Americans value freedom of expression, a civil right in our country the First Amendment of the Constitution. Yet not all expression is legal. Shouting Fire, fire! in a crowded theater when there is no fire is illegal. Germany legislated hate speech to be illegal after Hitler, who brought down a democracy with his hate, was defeated. Perhaps Americans should consider making hate speech illegal, banning the incitement to hatred, as well as insults that assault human dignity based on racial, national, religious or ethnic background. As evidenced in recent mass shootings, hate speech can lead to endangering persons of certain races and religious backgrounds. Hate speech endangers our democracy. Rebecca Baker Toxic tenure Re: South San ISDs president to resign, Metro, Friday: It has finally happened; Connie Prado is resigning and out at South San ISD. To me, the unfortunate part of her toxic tenure is that South San ISD voters did not vote her out. Steven Ochoa Gov. Greg Abbott paved the way for a legislative fight over public education in Texas when he pledged earlier this month to push for taxpayer funds to follow students to private schools. The state House has historically been the main barrier to Texas enacting school voucher programs, and advocates on both sides of the issue will be watching that chamber carefully. House Speaker Dade Phelan said in a recent radio interview that he had no problem with an up-or-down vote over school vouchers but that it had failed on previous attempts. A large coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans have historically batted down such legislation although Abbott did sign a law last year authorizing $1,500 educational grants for about 20,000 special needs students, which can be interpreted as a very limited voucher program. School choice supporters are banking that COVID-19 has kicked off a nationwide appetite for parents to exert more control over their childrens education, a movement that has electrified school board meetings for the past year and helped launch Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin into office. Abbott evidently hopes to tap into that energy with the Parental Bill of Rights policies that he vowed to push next year. Abbotts support for school vouchers is part of that package, although his comments about them have been vague enough to leave room for negotiation. Empowering parents means giving them the choice to send their children to any public school, charter school or private school with state funding following the student, he said. IN-DEPTH: Abbott brings new momentum to Texas school voucher campaign The governor said on a radio interview he would leave the details to the Legislature to hammer it out. Rep. Harold Dutton, a Houston Democrat who last session chaired the House Public Education Committee, said he is opposed to school vouchers and called Abbotts remarks supporting them more smoke than fire. Every time thats come up in the Legislature thats been defeated, and I just dont see a way clear for it now, Dutton said. Hes trying to out-Republican the other Republicans who see themselves running for higher office. And he wants to make sure the public knows he can out-Republican them. I think thats where it comes from. I dont think hes given a lot of thought to whats happening to public education in Texas in terms of trying to have it fixed. A foot in the door Voucher campaigns in other states have started with firm limits on eligibility to overcome opposition, followed by expansions in subsequent years to bring in more and more kids. The initial programs have typically been limited to special needs kids, lower-income students or other more vulnerable populations, which makes the policies more politically painful to oppose. Somebody with Spina bifida or Down Syndrome, its pretty obvious those families need a lot of flexibility to meet those childrens needs. Programs that serve children like that tend to be the first programs passed, said Doug Tuthill, president of Florida Step Up For Students, which administers the states school vouchers program. That tends to be the situation of how it works around the country. Start with the families that have the most obvious needs, and you build from there. There are school choice scholarship programs, known colloquially as school vouchers, in 14 states. The issue has been a conservative goal for at least 20 years, with the thinking being that it should be made easier for students to abandon failing public schools in favor of private schools, introducing more choice and allowing free market competition to take hold. TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday Florida is among the states with the most expansive school choice programs, and Texas school choice advocates suggested it could be a model for future Texas legislation. In Florida, there are several types of programs: scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools, transportation scholarships so kids can bus to district schools other than those closest to their homes; education savings account funds given directly to the parents of special needs students to pay for private school tuition, therapies, home school expenses or other things; and a reading program offering extra funding for elementary school kids for tutoring, after-school or summer programs. About 187,000 students are on the scholarships, Tuthill said, and the states Legislature expanded eligibility last session so tens of thousands more will start this fall. There are about 2.7 million K-12 students in Florida. Its a very diverse set of programs all focused on different kinds of needs, which is kind of where everything is going. The future of public education is customization. Were transitioning from one-size-fits all, which weve had since the mid 1800s, Tuthill said. Familiar messaging Voucher programs have been steadfastly opposed by teachers unions, public education advocates and Democrats, who say that the effect of vouchers is to defund already struggling public schools. These groups say theyll oppose any efforts to provide taxpayer funds to private schools, no matter what. Anytime the state leadership brings up a push for vouchers its a cause for concern, even if Texans have overwhelmingly well, the Legislature has overwhelmingly nixed the idea of vouchers for 25 years, said Rob DAmico, spokesman for the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. Conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz have branded school choice as the civil rights issue of the 21st century, maintaining that it provides more opportunities for lower-income children stuck at failing schools, who are predominantly children of color. This is backed by data in Florida, Tuthill said, where many of the students who receive private school scholarships are nonwhite, and they have tested better than they did at public schools. The push for school vouchers actually began with efforts to resist integration of public schools after the Supreme Court declared racial segregation unconstitutional in the 1950s, said Jon Hale, professor of educational history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This was framed as a resistance to government overreach in education, Hale said, similar to the discourse surrounding masking, Critical Race Theory or discussion of LGBTQ issues in classrooms today. Hale said he expected a Texas campaign for vouchers to feature those same arguments, Parents will determine whats right for their child. It wont be educators or teachers unions or leftists to say this is for the public good. Dutton, chair of the House education committee, said that if conservatives believe public schools are so broken that the state needs vouchers for a limited number of kids to flee for private schools, Abbott and the Legislature should instead focus on fixing the public school system. Its kind of like these children are in a house on fire, and what theyre saying is lets get them to a school across town, and somehow or another, the house stays on fire where most of the kids are still going to be, Dutton said. Why don't we put the fire out in the house where they are? edward.mckinley@chron.com By William R. Jones Kimchi is regarded as the national food and signature dish of Korea. There are at least 47 factories in Korea certified for the production of kimchi. Now more than 200 historic and current varieties are documented by the Kimchi Field Museum in Seoul and the Kimchi Museum in Gwangju's Kimchi Town and the World Institute of Kimchi next to it. One that originated with Koreans and that has spread to the four corners of the earth and even to outer space in 2008 via former astronaut Yi So-yeon is "baechu" kimchi spiced with garlic seasoned red chili pepper. The canned kimchi was labeled "Korean Space Food" and another freeze-dried kimchi came in a plastic package to which you add water and shake. During the Korean War, the South Korean government commissioned scientists to create "ration-kimchi" as the saying goes: An army marches on its stomach. This product, in tins, was the very first non-homemade kimchi in the entire history of kimchi in its native country. A little later, again, canned kimchi was shipped and supplied to Korean troops in Vietnam. "This was the first mass production of kimchi on a modern industrial scale that was based on scientific research." And, this ration-kimchi increased morale and had not merely added a savory flavor to bland battleground meals, but finally served to spark a commercial industry of a natural, healthy, spicy, and functional food for global consumption thereafter. As of 2016, the Korean military was provided MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) field rations with Type I having one packet of 100 grams of kimchi. Today some of the key drivers and top players in the global kimchi market are Daesang Corporation, Dongwon Group and Pulmuone Company. Also strong in the U.S. are Sinto Gourmet and King's Asian Gourmet of San Francisco, Cosmos Food Company and MIL Kimchi Incorporated in Southern California, Lucky Foods, Choi's Kimchi Company in Oregon and Sunja's Kimchi in Vermont. Of course, it was the diaspora of the Korean people that introduced kimchi to the world and rendered the greatest impression, as where people go their food goes, serving second only to language as a distinguishing feature of their culture. It is unthinkable for Koreans to have a meal without kimchi. "A man can live without his wife, but not without kimchi" is an old Korean saying. Travelers returning from Korea were struck by the uniqueness of kimchi and it swayed their appetites, thus, in the late 1890s, the cuisinic expression began to appear in North American print. And, shortly thereafter "kimchi" as a loanword appeared in Merriam-Webster's dictionary. And, we find today, due to trade efforts and promotional cultural exchanges (kimchi diplomacy), an arrayed relishing concoction of fusion foods such as hamburgers, pizzas, tacos and hotdogs, etc. topped efficaciously with kimchi staying power. Whether you are a gourmet or gourmand here or abroad, you may wish to tantalize your taste buds either with a kimchi entree or appetizer and become one of the millions of aficionados promoting culinary globalization. For the present, we eat what we wish, but the day may arrive when we eat what we must. For now, my kitchen is continuously redolent of kimchi. As a final note, after a serving, don't worry about your skin pores exuding scent or your breath's odorous emanation. To be sure, it's an aroma to millions upon millions. Just remember to "Smile and say 'kimchiii!'" The author (wrjones@vsu.edu) published the novella, "Beyond Harvard," and presently teaches English as a second language. TRIP REPORT Written by Matjaz Nose After more than two years it was time to fly somewhere far away again. This time my destination was the island of Mauritius. When I was checking possible destinations and flight options at the end of October last year for my May 1 vacation this year, I finally decided to book Air France flights to Mauritius. One of the reasons for such a decision was also the codeshare agreement between the two national carriers, Air France and Air Mauritius. This allowed me to select an Air Mauritius flight on the way back. Total cost of the ticket was 636 which is also not too bad. Before I focus on the return flights from Mauritius to Paris and on to Ljubljana, let me briefly give you some information on the outbound Ljubljana - Paris - Mauritius flights. First flight from Ljubljana to Paris was operated by Air France HOP (E190) while the second one from Paris to Mauritius was on board Air France B777-300ER in ''Caribbean'' seat configuration. As the name indicates, Air France utilizes this aircraft cabin type mostly on routes to the Caribbean and destinations in the Indian Ocean. It can accommodate highest number of passengers among different Air France B777-300ER cabin versions, 472 in total in business, premium economy and economy classes. Seats in economy class come in 3-4-3 configuration as with most carriers worldwide (for example Turkish Airlines does offer more comfortable 3-3-3 seat configuration on its B777-300ER jets). I have flown Air France widebody fleet many times in the past and I must say that on board service this time was a downgrade compared to my previous trips. For such a long flight I expected at least a basic amenity kit but no, there were no amenity kits. No dental care products, no eye masks, no socks or earplugs, nothing. At least we were given one face mask (wearing face masks was obligatory during the flight), disinfectant wipe and a small bag of hand sanitizer gel. And yes, headphones were also available. Taste of food was not good at all, but the IFE was excellent with wide and very responsive touch screens. Now let me finally focus on the flights I want to highlight in this trip report. The following two flights, first operated by Air Mauritius and the second one operated by Air France HOP will be on the menu of today's trip report: Mauritius (MRU) - Paris (CDG) Flight number: MK14 (AF codeshare flight AF7965) Flight date: May 1, 2022 Aircraft type: Airbus A350-900 Aircraft registration: 3B-NBP Departure time: 22:50 Arrival time: 08:35 +1 Flight duration: 11h 45 Seat: 32G (aisle) Paris (CDG) - Ljubljana (LJU) Flight number: AF1036 Flight date: May 2, 2022 Aircraft type: Embraer 190 Aircraft registration: F-HBLD Departure time: 12:40 Arrival time: 14:25 Flight duration: 1h45 Seat: 7F (window) Air Mauritius is the flag carrier of the Republic of Mauritius, an island nation with two main islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues) located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. This is a small nation with around 1.3 million inhabitants living on 2,040 km2. After being under French rule until 1810 and then under British rule till their independence in 1968, it is not a surprise that Paris and London are among the most important Air Mauritius destinations nowadays. The airline was set up in June 1967 by Air France, the BOAC enterprise, and the Government of Mauritius as the main stakeholders. Its current fleet consists of 2 A330-900neo, 4 A350-900 and 3 ATR72-500 airplanes. Widebody aircraft destinations include London, Paris, Mumbai, Antananarivo, Johannesburg while the nearby islands of Rodrigues and Reunion are mostly served by ATR72 planes, though widebody jets are also used on certain rotations to the island of Reunion. Did you know that the main airport in this French overseas territory, located near Saint-Denis is named after the famous French aviation pioneer Roland Garros who was born on the island? So, if you miss French Open in Paris, you can still head down to Reunion island and visit Roland Garros - this one is open 365 days a year! From October/November this year, the following cities will also be added to Air Mauritius destination map: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Perth (flight time to this Western Australian city from Mauritius will be 7 hours). I spent the last days of my Mauritius adventure on the southeast coast and was staying in Mahebourg town which is very close to the airport. Since my flight to Paris departed late, at almost 11pm, I took a taxi (500 Mauritian rupees which is around 11) for a short, 15-minute ride to the airport. Entrance to SSR International Airport I had already checked in a day before (online check-in was open 30 hours before departure time) but not without problems. When I first wanted to check in through the Air Mauritius website, I got a reply that my seat on the Mauritius - Paris flight was on standby and that I have to check in at the airport, it was not possible to complete the check in process online. This was a problem because one of the requested documents to enter France is the Locator Form and seat number is obligatory data in this form. Therefore, you cannot fill it in before you complete the check-in process, and your seat number is assigned. Luckily, I have managed to complete the check-in process (for both flights) when I tried to do it again an hour later. For MRU-CDG flight I was assigned an aisle 32G seat and it was not possible to change it, but this was not a problem as I prefer aisle seats on long-haul flights, especially during night trips. Knowing my seat number, I had proceeded to fill in the French Locator Form though nobody checked this form later during the trip. Anyway, I was still curious why I had not been able to check in when I first tried to do it. It seems the flight was overbooked. When I checked if it was possible to buy a ticket for the same flight, I saw the flight was not available on Air Mauritius website anymore. Only the earlier Air France flight on the same day was still on offer. Once airborne, I also walked to the rear of the cabin and saw that all seats, including last rows, were fully occupied. I saw no empty seats. As written before, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is located near Mahebourg while the capital city Port Louis is 50 km away on the other side of the island. I only had to drop my bag at the check-in counters. I was given printed boarding passes for both flights all the way to Ljubljana before I headed to passport control and security check. It was pretty straightforward, and I was quickly on the other side, near the boarding gate area. Check-in area Departure gate area Our A350 bound for Paris Boarding started some minutes after 10pm. Priority passengers were invited to board first followed by passengers seated in rows 30 and above. As my seat was 32G I was soon in a modern A350 aircraft ''Le Morne Brabant'' named after a peninsula at the southwestern tip of Mauritius with its famous basaltic monolith mountain. I liked the interior of the aircraft very much, seats in 3-3-3 configuration were more comfortable compared to my outbound Air France B777 flight. We were also given amenity kits which made our flight even more enjoyable. Soon after we were airborne, we were served dinner. I opted for chicken with mashed potatoes meal which was washed down by a local Phoenix beer. The food was ok, although nothing special. After dinner was finished, we were asked to pull down the window shades and the cabin crew dimmed the cabin lights. I was able to sleep during most of the flight and only woke up when we were somewhere above the northern Egypt. About two hours before landing, when we were flying along the Italian Adriatic coast, the lights were turned on again and cabin crew prepared to serve breakfast. It was a refreshing breakfast with cold pieces of different fruits, yogurt, chocolate cake, jam, butter and of course juice and coffee. It was very tasty. We landed some 20 minutes ahead of scheduled arrival time. Overall, it was a very pleasant night flight aboard Air Mauritius aircraft. Economy class cabin Amenity kit Map of our flight Dinner Breakfast Swiss mountains as filmed by the aircraft's downward camera Approaching CDG Airport Parking position at CDG Airport Since I had four hours to spend before my next flight to Ljubljana, I was not in a hurry although I had to transfer from terminal 2E to 2G. First, still at terminal 2E I had to go through security check and passport control. Then I just followed signs for 2G terminal. I took an inter-terminal bus that is operating inside the airport between different terminals. I do not like Charles de Gaulle airport very much, it can be quite stressful to transfer here especially if you have short connection times. When I arrived to terminal 2G I paid almost 8 for a sandwich and a bottle of water before I settled into a very comfortable seat close to a USB port. I was eating my sandwich, charging my mobile phone and browsing the internet to kill time before I finally headed towards the boarding gate for my flight back home. Flight was operated by Air France HOP, Embraer 190 was put on service as usual for thr Paris - Ljubljana service. We were served some food and drinks and I had chosen a vegetarian sandwich, coffee, and a glass of water. I do not have many details on this flight to report but since the airplane was small enough, I had decided to give you exact data on passenger load factor. Therefore, I walked through the cabin and counted empty seats. Since I was seated in the front of the cabin, I also had a good overview of the business class occupancy. Here is the report on my counting and calculating expedition. Starting with business class, there were 6 out of 8 seats occupied which means 75% LF. I counted 12 empty seats in economy class (out of 92), therefore economy class load factor was 87%. Transferring from Terminal 2E to 2G Terminal 2G waiting area Ready for take off Iran Air landed just before we took off from the same runway Approaching LJU We touched down on time. Since it was a Schengen flight there was no passport control, and I was free to go directly to the conveyor belt to collect my checked luggage. With all luggage in my hands, I was outside of the terminal soon looking for additional clothes to warm myself. Mauritius was much warmer compared to that Monday afternoon back home. At any moment, the radio clutched in Quinlan Roes hand could squawk, his cue to jump in one of the ambulances just a few feet away and speed out onto Missoulas streets. The call might take him a few dozen miles south up the Bitterroot Valley or 80 miles north to Condon, with who knows what medical emergency waiting for him on the other end. His laugh, his gestures, the cadence of his speech everything about Roe telegraphs anticipation, his energy level fixed somewhere between a simmer and a rolling boil. All the new people that are coming here, all the tourists, it gets really busy for sure, especially in summer, Roe says. Were about to get really, really busy, where youre not sleeping during your 24-hour shifts. Roe joined Missoula Emergency Services Inc. (MESI) as a paramedic at the start of 2022, fresh from the first cohort of students at Missoula Colleges new paramedic program. As a former volunteer EMT with Missoula Rural Fire and the son of a longtime local firefighter, Roe knew all about the responsibility and the rush that come with first responder work. Becoming a paramedic was the next logical step in building his career in health care. The pay may not be as good as when he worked construction, he says with a smile, but helping people who are sick or injured or experiencing a mental health crisis is what keeps me going as a paramedic. Theres a lot of sick people in these rural areas that we have to go grab, and you just get so much patient contact time, Roe says. Thats what really keeps us here. If you spend that much time in the back of an ambulance with sick people, youre going to get your stuff figured out. Roes entry into the ranks of certified paramedics comes at a time when Montana and the nation are clamoring for such professionals. Since hiring on at MESI, Roe has received calls and emails from Emergency Medical Service providers hed previously applied to offering him jobs and even promising signing bonuses. Last year, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services released the results of a survey of 61 in-state EMS agencies and 42 hospitals identifying staffing and recruitment issues as among the primary drivers of what it characterized as a crisis. That survey, titled Emergency Medical Services in Montana: Crisis on the Horizon, also noted that roughly three quarters of all EMS providers in the state rely heavily on volunteers to respond to medical emergencies a pool of first responders that are, demographically, getting older. Data published this spring by Kaiser Health News further illustrated just how dire the situation is, revealing that there are virtually no licensed paramedics in large swaths of the state. More urban corners of the state do boast higher concentrations of first responders, but proximity to a city is no guarantee of access to emergency services; KHNs analysis showed only two paramedics per 10,000 residents in Silver Bow County, where Butte is the county seat. According to DPHHS, there were 1,260 licensed paramedics in Montana as of March 2022. Of those, just over half were providing emergency care in pre-hospital settings. If the EMS shortage looked bleak before 2020, COVID-19 has made a tough situation tougher. Pandemic fatigue hit professionals in all corners of the health care industry, first responders included. And, according to Montana EMS Association President Jeremy Virts, some EMS providers also lost employees to lucrative job offers at health care facilities desperate for additional staff to relieve the COVID strain. Weve seen it here in Great Falls where the [emergency room] here has offered more money to come in and do some ER tech work or flight-team transfer type stuff, said Virts, a 24-year Montana paramedic who currently oversees EMS services at the Great Falls Fire Department. So that draws people right out of the workforce. The factors driving the shortage vary considerably between urban and rural swaths of Montana. But in both cases, in-state college programs like the one Roe graduated from are exploring innovative ways to inject new blood into the EMS system. Its a mission that Dave McEvoy, director of Missoula Colleges paramedic program, considers critical as he reaches the tail end of a 30-year career in the EMS field: tapping experienced veterans such as himself to train the next generation of Montana first responders. What is asked of a paramedic is pretty substantial, pretty staggering, McEvoy said. The expectations put on a paramedic any time of day, any time of night, and the range of things that you would see, from mental health through trauma through homelessness, is a lot. We all recognize this because we all work in this field and recognize the responsibility that our students are going to have. Roe was among Missoula Colleges first cohort of 10 graduates last December, all of whom are now employed as paramedics in western Montana more than half in the Missoula area. The program kicked off in 2020 as a public-private partnership between Missoula College and MESI, which has been training paramedics locally for three decades. McEvoy said the collaboration has given students access to high-end facilities on the college campus including a world-class cadaver lab, while at the same time tapping MESI as a venue for seasoned instructors and clinical rotations. Getting that inaugural class certified was anything but smooth, McEvoy said. The program puts students through a rigorous 16 months of classroom learning and hands-on field experience as a matter of course, and the COVID-19 pandemic piled on with heightened in-class safety precautions and the constant threat of having to halt in-person instruction. But McEvoy is confident that Roe and his classmates represent a strong start ideally strong enough for the program to make its temporary national accreditation permanent next year. Inspired in part by the recruitment challenges now facing EMS services, Missoula College is already planning to improve and enhance the new program. In 2020, the state health department began supporting a series of pilot projects statewide aimed at deploying local paramedics to deliver non-emergency preventative care outside of hospital settings an emerging health care approach called community integrated health. McEvoy said the paramedic program is gearing up to deliver a state-approved curriculum tailored to that approach, allowing students to obtain a community integrated health endorsement. If you get discharged from the hospital here with a high-acuity problem like diabetes or you just had open heart surgery at St. Pats, theres a decent chance that youre going to end up back in the hospital for that same problem if you dont have good follow-up care, McEvoy said. A community paramedics job in that role would be to provide some of that follow-up and have a relationship with the hospital and the patient to say, Well show up on Tuesday and we can do some basic things and we can tele-med in with a physician and make sure that you dont end up back in the hospital. McEvoy added that the program plans to offer similar tailored instruction for critical care paramedics, who are certified to administer advanced airway and cardiac support to patients being transported between health care facilities. Just as a paramedic certification enables a person to administer various life-saving interventions and medications that an EMT is not licensed to provide, such endorsements give individual paramedics additional options and skills to treat patients in specific situations. Flathead Valley Community College has also begun exploring ways to alleviate Montanas ongoing EMS struggles. James LaPierre is a graduate of the colleges paramedic program and this year stepped into the role of program director. The program took several years to get its footing, LaPierre said, but now boasts student retention and graduation rates of 100%, and the programs students have landed jobs at EMS services across western Montana, from Helena and Great Falls to Hot Springs and Plains. I keep kind of a mental map of this, and most of them are within the state still, including my class, LaPierre said. Im only aware of two or three that have traveled outside of the state to find paramedic work. Building on that success, FVCC launched a satellite paramedic program in Miles City this year in partnership with Miles City College and Miles City Fire and Rescue. LaPierre said two students are currently enrolled there, both of whom are already working as EMTs for the fire and rescue service. The satellite is designed to complement Miles City Colleges existing EMT program, making the transition to paramedic education and certification for those graduates more accessible. Its a model LaPierre hopes to replicate in other corners of the state. Having people that are interested is all fine and good, LaPierre said. Im positive, after speaking with people around the state, that there are people that want to become paramedics. But the reason we chose to go to a distance model with Miles City is because those people that want to become paramedics dont have the means to travel to the three programs that are currently in the state. So the best answer is to provide those smaller community colleges and things like that with the opportunity to teach under our accreditation. Sarah Lewin, battalion chief at Miles City Fire and Rescue and the satellite programs resident instructor, obtained her paramedic degree from Montana State University-Billings in 2016, and knows firsthand how big an academic barrier a 150-mile trip can be. While others with her fire and rescue outfit were able to do their paramedic training a little closer to home in Hardin, a change in national certification standards several years ago made it more difficult to find local training opportunities. Now, with FVCCs oversight, Miles City can recruit and train locally. An initial cohort of two paramedic students may not sound like much, Lewin said, but the impact of adding two more staff to a full-time EMS service of 15 with a coverage area of nearly 4,000 square miles is enormous. We dont have 100% coverage, but adding two more paramedics when we run four shifts puts a paramedic on every shift but one on a normal day, Lewin said. And then we can cover that other one with one of our chase vehicles. At Missoula College, the paramedic program has similarly set its sights on partnering with outlying hospitals, both to increase the opportunities for students to learn in the field and to alleviate the travel burden that prospective students in communities like Anaconda or Helena might face. That burden constitutes a huge bottleneck for the program right now, McEvoy said. People have lives, and many students are already working as EMTs a level of certification thats required of all applicants. Attending a paramedic program is almost a full-time gig, McEvoy added. MESI Manager Don Whalen, who also serves on the programs governing board, agrees that expanding the programs presence and helping bolster EMS services in rural areas is vital in addressing the broader challenges hes seen on the ground. Were getting dispatched over into Idaho, weve been sent to Philipsburg on 911 calls, Whalen said of MESI. EMS is in crisis when you get out into the rural areas because nobody wants to do it anymore. Whalens point speaks directly to the variety of factors driving the EMS shortage in urban and rural parts of Montana, and the limited ability of college programs to address the current crisis. For urban EMS providers, rampant community growth has generated an increased demand for services, while the allure of higher pay and new experiences elsewhere in the health care industry has in some cases made the role of paramedic a temporary career stepping-stone. Missoula Colleges paramedic program and programs at Flathead Valley Community College, Montana State University-Billings and Great Falls College MSU are actively rolling out a steady stream of trained professionals to fill those openings. Much of rural Montana, meanwhile, still relies heavily on volunteer EMS services. Smaller critical access hospitals are often unable to afford their own paid ambulance service. Montana Hospital Association President Rich Rasmussen attributes that lack to low hospital revenues and a federal policy prohibiting those hospitals from obtaining reimbursements for ambulance costs if another paid or volunteer ambulance service is operating within 35 miles. And as for volunteer providers, McEvoy and others said theyre suffering from a significant decline in volunteerism. That, McEvoy added, is a nut that his program cant crack. That is a conundrum, because those folks need paramedics, but theyre not going to be able to afford to have paramedics necessarily volunteering their time, and the paramedics themselves cant volunteer their time as much as the community might need, McEvoy said. Thats just a bigger regional and national issue. A major sheep sector event will return this year for its first face-to-face conference since the pandemic started, with this year's theme centred on genetics. Following two years of restrictions which led to 2021s online format, the Sheep Breeders Round Table (SBRT) will make a full return in November. SBRT is an industry initiative, with collaboration from levy boards AHDB Beef & Lamb, Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AgriSearch combined with support from the National Sheep Association (NSA). The conference is a platform for showcasing how the sector can become more resilient, making UK sheep producers the best in the world. The event usually attracts a large audience of farmers and breeders, combined with academic researchers and specialist vets sharing their thoughts and ideas. This years theme will be UK sheep genetics delivering for the nation, and the event takes place from Friday 11 - Sunday 13 November. Phil Bicknell, head of business development at the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL), which is sponsoring the event, said sheep genetics was important. Ideas and innovation happen best when people come together and CIEL is pleased to support SBRT's conference after the events enforced break. "Genetics is fundamental and we know that improved genetics deliver, whether that's around enhancing product quality, growing productivity or meeting net zero ambitions. "We also know it can be a long-term investment action now helps underpin continual improvement in the years and decades ahead. Who is speaking at the event? Key speakers and topics include: Phil Bicknell, CIEL, sharing the latest evidence and insight on net zero and livestock Tim Byrne, AbacusBio specialising in genetics to solve the climate crisis Daniel Brown, LambPlan, Australia specialising in meat eating quality Stuart Ashworth, former QMS provides a financial outlook for lamb markets Canadian Sheep Federation to provide an insight to genetic influences underlying meat quality Ian McDougall MRCVS and his insight to the promotion of breeding techniques to make genetic advances within breeding programmes Pen Rashbass FAnGR discussing benefits of traditional selection methods Janet Roden, geneticist discussing the impact of research projects and how they can be implemented for different benefits Ben Strugnell & Fiona Lovatt discussing the impact of disease amongst pedigree breeds Matt Harding Sheep Innovator of the Year 2021 shares his insight for the next ten years The conference takes place between Friday 11 - Sunday 13 November 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel at East Midlands Airport. Beekepers in Perthshire have been told to increase biosecurity after an outbreak of American Foulbrood (AFB) was found in a single hive near Blairgowrie. The infected hive was discovered by the Scottish government's bee inspectors during inspection duties, the government said. AFB is a notifiable disease that affects colonies of honeybees. The infected hive will be destroyed as there is no permitted treatment for the disease in the UK. The highly infectious disease was confirmed by authorities on Thursday 19 May, making it the first finding of AFB in Scotland this year. In 2021 there were 10 honey bee colonies confirmed positive for AFB in Scotland, in 10 different apiaries and belonging to three different beekeepers. Beekeepers within 3km of the affected hive have been alerted via BeeBase and encouraged to bolster biosecurity, the Scottish government said. Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, Sheila Voas said beekeepers should remain vigilant for signs of the disease at all times. There is no treatment permitted in the UK for AFB and therefore the bees, combs or bee products from the hive are required to be destroyed (by burning). "The hive, debris from the hive and any appliances or other things liable to spread the disease will be served with a notice requiring either treatment (sterilization) or destruction. The movement of bees and related equipment into, or out of, the affected apiary will be under specific controls supervised by Scottish government and will include enhanced biosecurity measures and increased vigilance in the area. I would reiterate that while this is disappointing, there are no risks to public health from AFB and no implications for the quality and safety of Scottish honey. Preemptive response system needed to cope with monkeypox Monkeypox, a new viral disease, is showing signs of spreading globally. Last Saturday, the World Health Organization said it expected to confirm more cases of contagion as the U.N. agency expanded its scope of infection tracking. According to media reports, 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox had been reported in 12 countries, causing concerns about the emergence of another infectious disease. Monkeypox is usually mild and endemic in parts of West and Central Africa. Therefore, many experts are perplexed by its simultaneous occurrences in various parts of the world. It is spread mainly through the respiratory tract, with some experts raising the possibility of transmission by sexual intercourse. Its major symptoms are fever, chills, headaches and blistering rashes. Korean health officials have yet to confirm a domestic infection case, but it may only be a matter of time, depending on the global spreading trend. Health authorities should raise further awareness, keeping in mind the possibility of domestic inflows. Many countries, including the U.K., the U.S. and Spain, are paying keen attention to the rare infectious disease's unusual prevalence. UNAIDS, a U.N. agency that leads global efforts to end AIDS, pointed out recently that monkeypox is a disease anyone can catch if they come into close contact with an infected person. It is difficult to predict the spread of monkeypox, forcing some countries to express concerns that it might already be spreading in local communities. Monkeypox was found in laboratory monkeys in 1958, and the first human infections were reported in Congo in 1970. Its fatality rate ranges between 1 percent and 10 percent, depending on variants. However, officials at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Sunday they have established a testing system to prepare for domestic occurrences. The KDCA also said it could diagnose monkeypox infections with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. However, the agency must first focus on blocking the disease's domestic inflows. It also needs to work out an efficient response system for the medical sector in advance. Now is the time for the nation to keep a close eye on the possibility of dual crises caused by COVID-19 and monkeypox. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Alia Bhatt had announced her first project as a producer a while ago. Titled Darlings, the film marks her second collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan after Dear Zindagi and this time around. SRK's Red Chillies are also producing the film along with Alia. It has now been revealed that the film will skip theatres and go straight to OTT this year. Darlings, which is billed as a dark comedy, features Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, and Roshan Matthew. Bhatt took to Instagram to share a hilarious video in which she announces (or almost announces) the streaming platform on which the film will arrive. "Darlings is coming on..." she can be heard saying before trailing off. Take a look: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alia Bhatt AAAAaAAAAiAA (@aliaabhatt) Opening up about the film, Alia Bhatt said, "Darlings holds a very special place in my heart, its my first film as a producer, that too with Red Chillies. We are very proud and happy how the film has shaped up and we hope it will entertain and engage audiences world over." Alia Bhatt's Darlings revolves around a mother-daughter duo. The film will see Shefali Shah play Alia's mother. The film's first teaser was released with the tagline, "Offending women can be very dangerous for your health." Deepika Padukone, expectedly, has a packed schedule at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. The actress is a member of the official competition jury that will present the Palme d'Or awards at the end of the festival. But that doesn't mean she isn't having fun. Not long ago, Padukone was joined by her husband, Ranveer Singh. The actor arrived at the festival to spend time with his wife, and it's needless to say he's making appearances by her side. In a recently surfaced picture, Ranveer Singh can be seen snapping a fun elevator selfie with some members of the jury, including British actress Rebecca Hall and Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. The Jayeshbhai Jordaar star was wearing a pastel pink suit while Deepika was snapped in a white shirt. Check out the picture here: This isnt the first glimpse of the stars enjoying their time in Cannes. Ranveer and Deepika were also snapped alongside Rebecca Hall at a party. The picture showed them sharing a hearty laugh. In case you missed it, check it out here: Ranveer Singh has reportedly taken time off from his very busy work schedule for his Cannes trip. The actor has been filming for Karan Johars next Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, in which he will be seen sharing screen space with Alia Bhatt. He is also attached to star in Rohit Shettys Cirkus. Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone will be back on the big screen with Shah Rukh Khans Pathaan. She will also appear alongside Amitabh Bachchan in the Indian adaptation of The Intern and also has a starring role alongside Hrithik Roshan in Fighter. Pragmatic diplomacy needed to protect national interests U.S. President Joe Biden has launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) during his visit to Japan on Monday. The framework is Biden's new economic initiative to step up cooperation in supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anti-corruption efforts among member nations in the region. The IPEF launch came a day after Biden wrapped up his three-day visit to South Korea, where he and President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to upgrade the Korea-U.S. security alliance to a "global comprehensive strategic alliance." The two leaders committed to strengthen extended deterrence against North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats and forge an economic and technology partnership. Thirteen countries, including the U.S., Korea, Japan, India and Australia, are founding members of the IPEF, which represents 2.5 billion people, or 32.3 percent of the world's total population. Their combined GDP accounts for 40.9 percent of the global total. Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, can benefit greatly from its membership in the new economic framework. Korea can also play a leading role in the process of setting wide-ranging rules for economics and trade in the Indo-Pacific region. However, Beijing is strongly against the establishment of the IPEF which is seen as a U.S.-initiated international coalition against an increasingly assertive China. The U.S. and its allies and partners said that the IPEF is being pursued on the principle of openness, transparency and inclusiveness. But the initiative is apparently aimed at excluding China from global supply chains to counter its growing influence in the region. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi denounced the U.S. move as a strategy of creating division, inciting confrontation and undermining peace. He added that the IPEF will inevitably fall in the end. The Taiwan issue has added fuel to the fire. In Tokyo on Monday, Biden said the U.S. military would intervene should China attack Taiwan. His remark seems to indicate a departure from the U.S. endorsement of the "One China" policy. Against this backdrop, there are growing concerns that South Korea could face retaliation from China for participating in the IPEF and moving closer toward the U.S. Korea had been increasingly torn between the U.S. and China amid the great power competition. But now Seoul appears to have chosen the U.S. to guarantee its security and develop the bilateral alliance further into a comprehensive partnership. Thus, experts point out that South Korea can no longer maintain a policy of relying on the U.S. for security and depending on China for economic growth. It is not a matter of choice. It is inevitable for Seoul to deepen its alliance and partnership with the U.S. at a time when the geopolitical situation is changing rapidly amid the mounting Sino-U.S. rivalry, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and heightening military threats from North Korea. The Yoon administration should work out measures to cope with China's possible retaliation, as seen in the U.S. deployment of a THAAD anti-missile battery on Korean soil. Seoul needs to demonstrate that its enhanced alliance with the U.S. and its membership in the IPEF are not aimed at hurting China's core interests. It also should make efforts to maintain close economic and trade ties with its largest trading partner. That's why the Yoon government needs pragmatic diplomacy to protect the national interests. After winning prestigious International Awards at BAFTA and Academy Qualifying Film Festivals - Sheer Qorma is all set to have a grand Mumbai Premier as the Centrepiece Spotlight Film at KASHISH International Queer Film Festival 2022. Faraz Arif Ansaris Sheer Qorma has won 55 Awards so far on various International levels and is now all set to give a peek into the master storytelling as it gets premiered in Mumbai. The film has a stellar cast with some of the most powerful performers - namely Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, and Swara Bhaskar and it has been produced by Marijke DeSouza. An elaborate plan for the screening in Mumbai is being put together. The film will be screened on June 4, 4:30 PM at Liberty Cinema, Marine Lines, Mumbai with the cast in attendance. It will be followed up by an extensive panel discussion where the conversations regarding queer storylines in mainstream cinema will be discussed. The director of the KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, Mr. Sridhar Rangayan was quoted saying, "We are thrilled to be screening the multiple awards winning film Sheer Qorma as Indian Narrative Centerpiece film at KASHISH 2022, a slot that is reserved for films that push boundaries in terms of queer narratives. And Sheer Qorma does so in an exemplary manner, combining issues of gender & sexuality, race & religion and rejection & acceptance. The film is a classic example of a heartwarming film that mainstreams queer narratives so beautifully." The producer of the film was ecstatic at the development as she added, We are thrilled to have Sheer Qorma as the Centrepiece Film at KASHISH International Queer Film Festival 2022. The audiences in Mumbai our home turf finally get to watch our film and that too, at one of Our oldest single screen theatres Liberty Cinema very excited about it! To be finally be able to watch it with members of our cast, crew and all the audiences in person, in a cinema is something that we as a team are really looking forward to. Heres hoping our journey of love and acceptance with Sheer Qorma wins many hearts at KASHISH 2022. The Filmmaker concluded by saying, From being one of the members of the audience at KASHISH, to being the director of the Centrepiece Film with Sheer Qorma this is going to be so truly special for me! Very grateful to Sridhar Rangayan and the entire team of KASHISH International Queer Film Festival for giving our film such a prestigious place at this years festival. I am super happy that audiences in Mumbai and around will finally get to watch the film. Ive been getting a lot of messages on social media about how folks from various parts of India are coming to watch the film at Kashish so very exciting! There is no greater joy than watching it on the big screen with a packed house. I will be there in person, along with the cast & crew of Sheer Qorma, to watch the film with the audiences, media and other dignitaries and interact with them after the screening. For a film that was born, conceived and filmed in Mumbai and to finally screen it at Liberty Cinema where I grew up watching films, I am so looking forward to it! As of now the passes to the festival are available online. On-Day passes are said to be available before the screening only at Liberty Cinemas. IntelliCentrics tech platform is uniquely positioned to transform how care is delivered, received and paid for through the company's network of stakeholders across 10,000 locations of care including North America, Taiwan and the United Kingdom on a single technology platform. IntelliCentrics (6819.HK) connects trusted stakeholders across the continuum of care by delivering valuable, technology-enabled services such as the SECURE Ethos, SECURE Passport, Link GO!, BioBytes and BioBytes Visitor creating the healthcare industry's largest, integrated, end-to-end technology platform. With operations currently in North America, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and other countries in the world, IntelliCentrics has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taiwan Life Insurance Company, among other things, to ensure Taiwanese citizens have remote access to trusted, high-quality healthcare when in Taiwan or traveling overseas. Under this MOU, the details of which will be further stipulated in subsequent service agreements, subscribers to this program will have access to physician consultations remotely through IntelliCentrics' online platform in emergency and other situations where necessary. The program will even offer subscribers remote access to physicians when they are traveling abroad. IntelliCentrics expects to work with local partners in Taiwan, including EU Care, in providing the services. IntelliCentrics and Taiwan Life currently expect to launch the program after exploring more mutual benefits and obtaining required approvals from the authorities concerned. According to Tourism Our World in Data, globally, there are 1.4 billion international arrivals annually. The reasons for travel vary from long-term assignments like university students, or short-term business trips. In all cases, international travelers represent a vast, underserved market where each individual requires access to trusted healthcare while abroad. Incorporating algorithms designed to identify trusted locations, physicians, integrated scheduling, guaranteed payment, and personal health records all on one platform, the alliance brings together all of the essential elements of high-quality care for Taiwanese citizens while overseas. Taiwan Life, a subsidiary of CTBC Financial Holding Co., Ltd, is a market leader with financial resources supporting millions of policy holders, many of whom have expressed the desire for Taiwan Life to support them in search of access to trusted, high-quality healthcare while overseas. About Taiwan Life Insurance Taiwan Life is the country's oldest insurer, established by the government in 1947 and privatized in 1998. Throughout its life, it has provided a full range of policies, closely monitored market changes, and adopted creative strategies in response. This has helped it ensure sound operational performance and the health and wealth of its policyholders. We think Taiwan Life's longevity is the best demonstration of the stable, long-term profitability it has enjoyed and the customer trust it has earned. About IntelliCentrics With a mission to use trust to make high-quality healthcare as accessible as a good cup of coffee, IntelliCentrics created the SECURE Ethos. Built on three core principles transparency, neutrality, and independence, the SECURE Ethos is relied on by more than 11,000 locations of care worldwide to ensure mutual trust between patients, doctors, vendor representatives and healthcare companies. To learn more about the world's largest trusted healthcare technology platform, visit www.intellicentrics.com. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine credential, visit our COVID-19 Solution Center. IntelliCentrics is publicly traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code 6819. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005274/en/ Contacts: Jennifer Xia 972-316-6523 media@intellicentrics.com New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - May 23, 2022) - Metro Films announced today that they will acquire worldwide exclusive rights to the series of books published by Chicago based author Clifford Ratza. The negotiations had started earlier this year and is expected to be finalize this coming August. Cliff Ratza considers himself a "simple scholar," having parlayed four degrees (math and physics, business and computer science) into a career spanning many jobs, companies, and industries. He grew up in Chicago, graduating from top Illinois universities, then launched his business career and later returned to Chicago where he teaches at three universities while working for his consulting business clients. Stated Mark Alvarez, Director at The Metro Films, "I'm over the moon that Cliff has found such a perfect home with Metro Films. I don't think there's a more fascinating author on the planet than Clifford Ratza. I can't wait for the world to fall In love with his books." Metro confirms The Lightning Brain Series as first on the list and is scheduled to roll before the end of the year. Status and more info are yet to be announced by the company. ABOUT THE METRO FILMS The Metro Films, founded in 1994, is a specialty film company that both finances and acquires motion pictures. It has its own marketing and distribution operations. The Metro Films titles have grossed over $5.3 billion worldwide and have amassed several awards since 2009. Visit www.themetrofilms.com. Contact: The Metro Films support@themetrofilms.com 800-929-3884 www.themetrofilms.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125008 Combining the power of the camera with data and AI DALLAS, TX, May 24, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501) today announced the launch of Lumada Inspection Insights, its end-to-end portfolio of digital solutions for the inspection, monitoring, and optimization of critical assets. Pioneered by Hitachi Energy and Hitachi Vantara, Lumada Inspection Insights enables customers to automate asset inspection, support sustainability goals, improve physical security, and reduce risks and impacts related to storms or fires by using powerful artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze photographs and video, including LiDAR, thermal and satellite imagery.The launch of the new portfolio is fully aligned with Hitachi's Mid-term Management Plan 2024 announced last month by Keiji Kojima, President & CEO, Hitachi, Ltd. In the Plan, Hitachi has set out its growth strategy and commitment to strengthening its digital and green portfolio, which is centered on the Lumada ecosystem. Central to Hitachi's commitment to social innovation, the Lumada ecosystem is accelerating the journey towards sustainable society through the data-driven cycle of value co-creation with customers. The company is also focused on growing its IT/OT/Products business through constant portfolio transformation.The new Lumada Inspection Insights portfolio addresses various root causes of failures and forced shutdowns by deploying AI and machine learning (ML) to analyze a wide spectrum of image types, assets and risks. Predictive analytics assesses the risks to operations or environment, and organizations can streamline remediation before outages occur. Available as a comprehensive solution or standalone, the portfolio's four core applications are Hitachi Image Based Inspections, Hitachi Intelligent Infrastructure Monitoring, Hitachi Vegetation Manager, and Hitachi Map. These represent the company's latest advancements in its growing Data Operations (DataOps) and Industrial IoT offerings. More information on each solution is below.Massimo Danieli, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy's Grid Automation business, said, "The energy transition is one of the most urgent issues of our times and together with customers, we are co-creating pioneering digital solutions to enable the carbon-neutral future." He added, "In collaboration with Hitachi Vantara, we are delighted to launch the Lumada Inspection Insights portfolio, which gives industrial organizations the tools they need to get the right information to the right teams when they need it most. The result is improved reliability, safety, and sustainability."Frank Antonysamy, Chief Digital Solutions Officer, Hitachi Vantara, said, "Becoming data driven is essential to accelerating digitalization and sustainability. This collaboration across Hitachi creates better outcomes for businesses, broader society and our environment by harnessing data and AI to solve multiple operational and business challenges. Together, we can improve industrial asset reliability, prevent wildfires and accelerate global sustainability efforts."Lumada Inspection Insights features comprehensive, microservices-based capabilities that allow visibility of assets and factors such as current state, asset health, and encroachment, in a "single pane of glass" actionable view, from a variety of sources. With these unified insights, organizations can improve safety, reliability, and agility. The use of high-resolution, autonomous, and accurate wide-area surveillance ensures that truck rolls and workforce deployments are optimized, reducing waste and furthering a sustainable approach to operations and maintenance.Utilities around the world are dealing with unprecedented climate-related challenges. In 2021, global wildfires generated an estimated total of 6,450 megatons of CO2 equivalent - approximately 148 percent more than the EU's total fossil fuel emissions in 2020.(1) These wildfires and other extreme weather events also take a significant toll on transmission lines and other utility assets, threatening worker safety and grid reliability."Inspection, planning and monitoring are among the most critical tasks utilities undertake to maintain grid reliability and resiliency," said John Villali, Research Director, IDC Energy Insights. He added, "Lumada Inspection Insights combines a variety of visual asset data types with advanced analytics and AI. This empowers utilities to improve decision making, optimize operations and as a result, achieve their reliability, safety, and sustainability goals."(1) Source: Wildfires wreaked havoc in 2021, CAMS tracked their impactAbout the four main solutions comprising Lumada Inspection InsightsHitachi Image Based Inspections (HIBI):Conventional asset inspection methods, such as climbing tall towers or hanging from helicopters, put technicians at risk. Hitachi Image Based Inspections replaces these dangerous, expensive, and time-consuming approaches by leveraging the industry's most sophisticated AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities in one fully automated and integrated platform. This solution provides scalable image inferencing and processing to help asset managers classify assets, detect defects and categorize defect severity. It automates defect assessment, instantly preprocessing and analyzing thousands of images. The solution's highly optimized human-in-the-loop capabilities enable continuous retraining of model-based subject matter expert input for a wide range of asset classes and image quality.Hitachi Intelligent Infrastructure Monitoring:Utilities and other asset intensive organizations are challenged with the need to ensure that their service territories are safe and the service they provide is reliable. To meet this goal, utilities need to have insights to prevent safety incidents, or respond effectively when they happen. Hitachi Intelligent Infrastructure Monitoring leverages video, a powerful data type that is generally utilized to a fraction of its potential. With it, organizations can gather new data though smart cameras, 3D LiDAR sensors and edge gateways, and integrate with CRM, ERP, and other sources of data as required. Operators can gain granular, continuous 3D intelligence for sensitive areas (such as substations), find correlations, causations and real-time incidents.Hitachi Vegetation Manager:Hitachi Vegetation Manager is the first of its kind, closed-loop vegetation resource planning solution that leverages artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of an organization's vegetation job activities and planning efforts.The solution utilizes images from a variety of visual sources, including photo, video, and imagery from industry-leading Maxar satellites. The incorporation of satellite technology allows utilities to cover and survey their entire territory to automatically confirm line clearances and maintain compliance with regulations. Satellite technology also provides organizations with more comprehensive insights at scale, allowing them to reduce cost and emissions by minimizing truck and helicopter trips. By combining the images with climate, ecosystem and cut plan data and machine learning algorithms, Hitachi Vegetation Manager enables instant grid-wide visibility and better insights so that organizations can optimize decision-making.Hitachi Map:Hitachi Map is designed to be the primary interaction point for users, from field technicians looking for work orders in a specific area to a control center team managing a city-wide outage. It's a "single pane of glass" from which users can access essential information, make informed decisions, and take immediate action. Hitachi Map combines information from numerous applications such as EAM, APM, FSM, ADMS, GIS, and more into a single, interactive and easy-to-use geospatial view. Users have intuitive access to key information at their fingertips without having to navigate multiple systems, interpret contextual variations. This approach eliminates extra and duplicative work and reduces carbon emissions from unnecessary travel to and from a site.About Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society with data and technology. We will solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, under the business structure of Digital Systems & Services, Green Energy & Mobility, Connective Industries and Automotive Systems. Driven by green, digital, and innovation, we aim for growth through collaboration with our customers. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2021 (ended March 31, 2022) totaled 10,264.6 billion yen ($84,136 million USD), with 853 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 370,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.About Hitachi Energy Ltd.Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world's energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD. https://www.hitachienergy.comAbout Hitachi VantaraHitachi Vantara, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., guides our customers from what's now to what's next by solving their digital challenges. Working alongside each customer, we apply our unmatched industrial and digital capabilities to their data and applications to benefit both business and society. More than 80% of the Fortune 100 trust Hitachi Vantara to help them develop new revenue streams, unlock competitive advantages, lower costs, enhance customer experiences, and deliver social and environmental value. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. THE HAGUE (dpa-AFX) - Aegon said that it plans to sell its 50% stake in the Spanish insurance joint venture with Liberbank to Unicaja Banco. The sale follows the change of control in Liberbank after its merger with Unicaja Banco in 2021. The gross proceeds of the transaction amount to 177 million euros, representing 22 times 2021 operating result after tax of Aegon's 50% stake in the joint venture. The sale is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to regulatory approval. Aegon Spain intends to upstream the net proceeds to the Group. Aegon's insurance joint venture with Liberbank dates back to 2008 when Aegon established a joint venture in Spain with Caja Cantabria, which was one of Liberbank's predecessors. Aegon noted that it will continue to grow its business in Spain and Portugal through its key life and non-life joint ventures with Banco Santander as well as through its own channels, which have generated significant profitable growth over the last years. 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. Orlando, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - May 23, 2022) - After its successful launch in March 2022, Med Rep Meeting is now working to boost the productivity of medical sales representatives by taking over the scheduling process and making any necessary calls. The company's goal, Founder/CEO Peter Skidmore says, is to help representatives to focus more on selling and preparing to meet doctors face-to-face. Since its inception, Med Rep Meeting has been rapidly building its leadership team, which now includes Leadership Executive Brandon Thompson, Chief of Sales Scott Leese, and Executive Assistant and Quality Control Expert Kyle Trojan. The company states that medical sales reps need about 75 meetings a month to be at their most productive, and since its launch, Med Rep Meeting has booked over 1000 meetings a month and averages about 100 meetings a day. In the past week alone, Med Rep Meeting has scheduled over 250 meetings for medical representatives across the nation. In 2021, the medical device market was worth an estimated $186.5 billion USD. Because of this, medical reps have flooded the space to accommodate the demand. Time management is an important asset to their work, and their already packed schedules can make it difficult to arrange and follow up on important meetings. Med Rep Meeting adds that as of May 2022, it has launched a new feature that allows medical reps to follow up on their meetings and give feedback on their experience. Launching the company was a leap of faith for Skidmore. He had been working in the medical device space for six years when he realized he needed a dramatic change in his own schedule. "I was working Sunday through Thursday and missing out on the important events in my life," says Peter. "When I came up with the idea, I already knew a few people in the field who were running wild just trying to set up meetings, so that was a good place to start. One day, I woke up and saw over fifty messages in my LinkedIn inbox asking for my help." Before long, he assembled a team to meet the unexpected yet rising demand. Soon, he was joined by his leadership team and as well as fifteen other representatives who helped make Med Rep Meeting an effective service. Thompson provides additional experience in the medical space and makes sure that the team is on track with the current needs of the market. Leese provides the team with focus and insight to drive success and manage clientele. Trojan has a dedicated team focusing on providing quality customer care and making sure that doctors and representatives are on the same page to prevent scheduling conflicts and gaps. Med Rep Meeting believes that it is cornering a very unique market and hopes to become a catalyst in driving revenue for all major companies in need of meeting doctors face-to-face. Med Rep Meeting has plans in mind for future growth as it keeps a trained eye on the widespread industry growth. Med Rep Meeting was founded in 2022 by Peter Skidmore, who wanted to make scheduling easier for medical reps and allow them to better utilize their time meeting with doctors and field professionals. Since its launch, the team has rapidly expanded, and the company has worked with clients from every category of the medical field across America. For more information on how Med Rep Meeting brings doctors and medical reps closer together, please visit http://medrepmeeting.com/ or contact: Peter Skidmore 443-852-4300 peter@medrepmeeting.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125003 TOKYO, May 24, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation is pleased to announce that it has signed a participation agreement with Sempra Infrastructure, TotalEnergies and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. for the development of the proposed Hackberry Carbon Sequestration (HCS) project at the site in Southwest Louisiana.The project aims to capture, transport and sequestrate carbon dioxide (CO2), primary sourced from Cameron LNG, and the participation agreement provides the basis for the parties to potentially enter into a joint venture with Sempra Infrastructure for the HCS project. Last summer, the Hackberry Carbon Sequestration, LLC, which is owned by Sempra Infrastructure, filed an application for a Class VI injection well permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for permanent storage of up to 2 million tonnes per annum of CO2.As underpinned in both Roadmap to a Carbon Neutral Society and Midterm Corporate Strategy 2024, announced in October 2021 and May 2022 respectively, MC is placing greater emphasis on energy transformations (EX). By lowering the carbon footprint throughout the LNG value chain through CCS and other EX initiatives, MC hopes to spearhead future transformations and help societies to decarbonize by providing a stable supply of clean energies."We are thrilled to participate in a business opportunity that could potentially lower the carbon intensity of LNG produced from the Cameron LNG Project, through which we will be able to provide additional value to our customers," said Masaru Saito, Senior Vice President and Division COO, North America Div., Mitsubishi Corporation. "CCS promises to play an important role in achieving net-zero emissions on a global scale, so we are excited about making this project happen and looking forward to expanding our CCS business portfolio."The development of the HCS project is subject to risks and uncertainties, including signing definitive agreements, securing all necessary permits, and reaching a final investment decision.Inquiry Recipient:Mitsubishi CorporationTelephone:+81-3-3210-2171Facsimile:+81-3-5252-7705Source: Mitsubishi CorporationCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Breakthrough processor design on new servers matches different data center needs Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT), a global data center solution provider, today announced new servers that will support the NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip. QCT is incorporating the NVIDIA Grace CPU, striving for the highest performance, memory bandwidth, energy efficiency and configurability that is ready for the modern data center and addresses the most demanding artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, digital twins, cloud gaming, and hyperscale computing applications. Breakthrough CPU for the Modern Data Center The NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip is a breakthrough processor designed for the modern data center, providing the highest performance and twice the memory bandwidth and energy-efficiency compared to today's leading server processors. The NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip can be used standalone or with NVIDIA's industry-leading GPU and BlueField data processing unit (DPU) building blocks. The Grace Hopper Superchip pairs an NVIDIA Grace CPU with an NVIDIA Hopper architecture-based GPU. The integrated module is designed to serve HPC and giant-scale AI applications. The NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchip will enable up to 10x higher performance in a variety of configurations for applications running terabytes of data, enabling scientists and researchers to reach unprecedented solutions to the world's most complex problems. "As a leading cloud enabler, QCT is committed to being a critical enabler for AI and HPC applications for the modern data center," said Mike Yang, President of QCT. "We are thrilled to broaden our compute portfolio with the NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip. As we are seeing a rise in the multitude of AI applications, QCT works closely with NVIDIA to ensure our clients can benefit from the latest and greatest CPU, GPU and networking technologies." QCT will add the new NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip and Grace Hopper Superchip to its extensive server portfolio to deliver unprecedented accelerated computing. Designed to interface with the latest PCIe Gen5 protocol, this will be the fastest communication to enable optimal connectivity with the highest-performing GPUs, and the fastest networking with up to 400 gigabits per second (Gb/s) Ethernet or NVIDIA Quantum-2 400Gb/s InfiniBand with NVIDIA ConnectX-7 smart network interface cards (SmartNICs) and BlueField-3 DPUs to provide best-in-class acceleration for secure HPC and AI workloads. These new QCT server systems will be released next year and will also support NVIDIA's computing software stacks, including NVIDIA HPC, NVIDIA AI, Omniverse and NVIDIA RTX. Follow QCT on Facebook and Twitter to receive the latest news and announcements. About QCT QCT is a global data center solution provider that combines the efficiency of hyperscale hardware with infrastructure software from a diversity of industry leaders to solve next-generation data center design and operational challenges. QCT serves cloud service providers, telecoms and enterprises running public, hybrid and private clouds. The parent of QCT is Quanta Computer, Inc., a Fortune Global 500 corporation. www.qct.io View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005375/en/ Contacts: Danny Chang danny_chang@quantatw.com IBS Intelligence, in partnership with CR2, has released its latest market insight, 'Transforming Customer Journeys', which looks at how banks will be compelled to strengthen their digital capabilities at every touchpoint, ensuring a seamless customer journey. The piece looks at (i) The importance of seamless customer journeys; (ii) Creating an accurate and an insightful customer map; (iii) Future-proofing customer journeys; and (iv) Outlook and way forward. Continuously evolving landscape, cutting-edge competition, and rising customer expectations have become a rule of thumb to adapt to in almost every industry, including banking and financial services. In an on-demand economy where social and mobile innovations have significantly expanded the range of crucial touch-points, winners and losers will be determined by their ability to diversify and personalise engagement methods across the entire banking customer journey. It is clear, that in today's ever-changing world that banks and financial institutions need to be digitally transformed to deliver a consistent banking experience, whether online or in retail. In a study by The Financial Brand, 51% of banks listed 'Improving Customer Experience' as their top priority for 2021, second only to 'Digital Banking Transformation', both of which go hand-in-hand. This opinion piece looks at how banks that aim to embrace a customer-centric mindset are mapping customer journeys. Mapping customer journeys can help financial institutions step into customers' shoes, identify potential problems, and work on novel solutions. In turn, banks also need to consider collaboration with specialist designers to achieve hyper-personalisation and reduced customer journey duration as vital components of their customer experience strategy for the future. Therefore for banks to future-proof their customer journeys it is important that they create well-researched and well-nuanced maps that are continually updated and improved to keep up with the dynamic evolution of digital banking and customer expectations. The opinion piece concludes that the future of banking will pivot on connected ecosystems to enable better customer journeys. Banks will be compelled to strengthen their digital capabilities to manage interactions and transactions at every touchpoint, ensuring a seamless customer journey all the way. 'Transforming Customer Journeys', is available on CR2's website: https://knowledge.cr2.com/transforming-customer-journeys View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005828/en/ Contacts: Nigel Sutton nige@seventeen59pr.com +353 873 92 92 90 By Kim Sang-woo The first summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and President Joe Biden went unbelievably well. For alliance managers, the first meeting is all about establishing personal rapport between the two leaders. Apart from their love of dogs and cats, they also are passionate believers in liberal democracy and everything it represents. In particular, Presidents Yoon and Biden place the core of the alliance on universal values, such as liberal democracy and human rights, calling for the solidarity of democracies against authoritarian dictatorships. President Biden said a vibrant democracy is the driver of global innovations, and President Yoon responded by saying that the high-tech industry can flourish only in a free democracy. South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to launch a dialogue channel between their presidential offices to coordinate policy on cutting-edge technologies and supply chains just hours before Biden's arrival. The launch of the new dialogue channel demonstrates the two sides' commitment to closely coordinate policy and jointly respond to key issues affecting their "technology alliance," including semiconductors, batteries, artificial intelligence and the establishment of a supply chain. The two leaders' message for a deeper engagement on economic and technological matters started upon Biden's arrival Friday. His three day trip to South Korea began with the tour, together with Yoon, of Samsung Electronics key semiconductor facility in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul. The main theme of the first summit between the two presidents was the expansion of the countries' military alliance to a "Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance: Beyond the Korean Peninsula," covering everything from semiconductors, batteries, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic to a united front against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. South Korean officials also hope that the summit will be the first step toward the country's emergence as a global pivotal state, a vision that sees South Korea playing an active role in addressing regional and global challenges. "We achieved a South Korea-U.S. alliance that contributes not only to the Indo-Pacific region but to global security and prosperity through universal values, such as freedom and human rights," Kim Sung-han, the presidential National Security Office director told reporters. The summit also addressed the two countries' push to strengthen cooperation on economic security with a focus on establishing stable supply chains in semiconductors, batteries and other critical materials. The announcement to join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) is expected to help South Korea lead global discussions on critical sectors, such as the digital economy, carbon neutrality and clean energy. South Korea will invite other countries to join the initiative and realize its national interest through the IPEF. The leaders announced agreements on nuclear energy cooperation at the summit. They agreed to pursue cooperation in joint developments of small modular reactors (SMRs) and resume meetings of their High Level Bilateral Commission (HLBC), a consultative body on strategic nuclear energy cooperation. The two sides announced an agreement to pursue joint nuclear reactor export projects in the global market. The joint statement also notes that Biden and Yoon recognized the "growing potential for South Korea-U.S. cooperation in the defense industry and agreed to "strengthen partnerships in areas such as the defense sector supply chain, joint development and manufacturing, including beginning discussions on a Reciprocal Defense Procurement agreement." "Things are changing so rapidly," Biden said. "I think you're seeing that what you're going to see more of is the competition between democracies and autocracies." Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese envoy for Korean affairs tweeted that the U.S. "should join efforts to foster an open and inclusive 'circle of friends' in Asia-Pacific instead of putting together a closed and exclusive 'clique'." He added, "It should do more to contribute to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific instead of creating turbulence and chaos in the region." "The Indo-Pacific region is crucial both for South Korea and the U.S.," President Yoon said in a joint press conference following his summit with Biden. "The two countries will work together to build a rules-based new order in the region, and the first step is for the two countries to work together to develop the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)." "There is a pandemic induced paradigm shift in the global trade environment, with the focus moving to resilience and away from effectiveness," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement, adding that the focus has expanded beyond market access and tariff cuts. South Korea's joining of the IPEF is expected to diversify its "trade partners and reduce trade and economic dependence on a few particular countries." Last year, South Korea's logistic industry almost came to a halt amid a chronic shortage of urea solution, used to cut diesel car emissions, following China's export curbs. The ongoing chip shortage, which has hurt the production of cars and consumer appliances around the world, seems to support the idea of Biden's new supply chain initiative. Washington has doubled down on its efforts to address the global supply crunch of key materials since last year and to counter China's growing influence on the global tech industry. Nevertheless, aligning with the U.S. for the regional supply chain network and security assurances could run the risk of provoking Beijing to mount retaliatory acts against South Korea and its companies. Seoul's participation in IPEF could mark a departure from its foreign policy of so-called "strategic ambiguity," balancing between security ally Washington and its biggest trade partner, Beijing. "We need to wake up from the wishful thinking that we can enjoy the benefits from both countries," said James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Seoul. Are we at a turning point in history? Or are we according to the historian A.J.P Taylor: "at a turning point in history where history failed to turn." Kim Sang-woo (swkim54@hotmail.com) is a former lawmaker and is currently chairman of the East Asia Cultural Project. He is also a member of the board of directors at the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation. QUEBEC and TEL AVIV, Israel, May 24, 2022, a global leader in providing the most flexible, robust and accurate ADAS and AD sensing technology, is pleased to announce the official grand opening of LeddarTech's Sensor Fusion and Perception Development Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 9 at 3:00 p.m. (IST). The event will be hosted by Charles Boulanger, CEO of LeddarTech and Ronny Cohen, Vice-President and General Manager of ADAS and AD Sensor Fusion and Perception. In addition to welcoming guests and dignitaries to the center, this event is also a celebration of our highly skilled and professional engineers and their contributions to our technology development. The event will be operated in a casual mixer style with food, drinks and giveaways. There will also be a guest speaker presentation from Dr. Ami Appelbaum, Chairman of the Innovation Authority and Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy and Industry in Israel, who will discuss "Smart Mobility - Israel's Potential, Opportunities and Risks." In addition, guests will have the opportunity to meet the team, network and view demonstrations of the LeddarVisionsensor fusion and perception platform. This platform enables Level 2-5 ADAS and AD on-road and off-road vehicles. LeddarVision combines AI and computer vision technologies and deep neural networks with computational efficiency to scale up the performance of ADAS/AD sensors and hardware essential for planning the driving path while providing safer autonomous driving with better detection. "I am very proud to host this event in Israel," stated Mr. Charles Boulanger, CEO of LeddarTech. "Our team in Israel, supported by our R&D facilities in Quebec and Ontario, has done an extraordinary job developing groundbreaking raw data fusion and perception technology." Mr. Boulanger continued: "The Sensor Fusion and Perception Development Center in Tel Aviv marks a real achievement for LeddarTech as we continue to expand and engage with some of the best talent in the world," Mr. Boulanger concluded. About LeddarTech Founded in 2007, LeddarTech is a comprehensive end-to-end environmental sensing company that enables customers to solve critical sensing, fusion and perception challenges across the entire value chain. LeddarTech provides cost-effective perception solutions scalable from Level 2 ADAS to Level 5 full autonomy with LeddarVision, a raw-data sensor fusion and perception platform that generates a comprehensive 3D environmental model from a variety of sensor types and configurations. LeddarTech also supports LiDAR manufacturers and Tier 1-2 automotive suppliers with key technology building blocks such as LeddarSteer digital beam steering and the LeddarEngine, which is built on LeddarTech's Leddar technology employing patented signal acquisition and processing techniques to generate a richer and cleaner return signal at a lower cost. The LeddarEngine comprises a highly integrated, scalable LiDAR SoC and software combination that enables LiDAR developers and Tier 1-2 automotive suppliers to design their LiDAR solutions. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge automotive and mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 120 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities. Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.comand on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebookand YouTube. Contact: Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications and Investor Relations, LeddarTech Inc. Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232 daniel.aitken@leddartech.com Investor relations contact:InvestorRelations@leddartech.com https://investors.leddartech.com/ Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarSteer, LeddarEngine, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, LeddarEcho, VAYADrive, VayaVision, XLRator and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners. Dufry International AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Dufry successfully extends Heathrow concession contract for three years until 2029 24-May-2022 / 07:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. AD HOC ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO ART. 53 LR Dufry has successfully extended its current Heathrow concession contract for three years until November 2029 to operate a total of 24 shops with a retail space of 13,000 m2 across all terminals of Heathrow Airport. The Heathrow concession is the largest single location fully operated by Dufry and serves the 80.9 million passengers (2019 level), who travel through this leading hub for European and international travel. The extension reinforces Dufry's strong position in the UK where it operates duty-free shops at 25 airports in total. Dufry's subsidiary World Duty Free has been operating the duty-free shops at Heathrow Airport since 1997/98 and the current contract's expiry date is November 2026. Through the extension until November 2029, Dufry will continue to operate the 24 stores, which include classic departure duty-free shops, and arrival shops servicing all terminals. World Duty Free at Heathrow is one of the leading travel retail operations, offering travellers a unique shopping experience and the latest digital technology and customer services. Passengers benefit from an extensive selection of world renowned brands and a curated assortment of local products covering all the main travel retail categories such as perfumes & cosmetics, food and confectionery, wine & spirits, tobacco and luxury goods. Julian Diaz, CEO of Dufry Group, commented: "At Dufry, we are all very proud of the renewed trust given to us by our longstanding partners at Heathrow and of being able to continue serving Heathrow's passengers with a high-class shopping experience. Over the years, the strong partnership and close collaboration between the Heathrow commercial department and our local team has created a high-performance operation generating mutual benefit and success for both partners. The Dufry team will continue contributing with its experience and dedication to further evolve this landmark operation." Fraser Brown, Retail and Property Director at Heathrow, commented: "I am pleased to renew Heathrow's longstanding partnership with Dufry. Our shared top priority is developing and delivering our world leading retail experience at Heathrow, as well as growing our joint online and digital offerings. I look forward to continuing to work together on delivering the best airport service in the world". For further information: CONTACT RENZO RADICE Global Head Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Phone: +41 61 266 44 19 renzo.radice@dufry.com DR. KRISTIN KOHLER Global Head Investor Relations Phone: +41 79 563 18 09 kristin.koehler@dufry.com DUFRY GROUP - A LEADING GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAILER Dufry AG (SIX: DUFN) is the leading global travel retailer operating over 2,300 duty-free and duty-paid shops in airports, cruise lines, seaports, railway stations and downtown tourist areas, in more than 420 locations in 66 countries across all six continents. The Company, founded in 1865 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is offering customers a first-class shopping experience, global brands, a unique market access and landlords a reliable, value-enhancing partnership. To learn more about Dufry, please visit www.dufry.com. Social Responsibility Dufry cares for children and supports social projects from SOS Kinderdorf in Brazil, Cambodia, Mexico, Morocco and Ivory Coast. SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-political and non-demonstrational organization established for orphaned and destitute children all over the world. Evolva Holding SA / Key word(s): Financing Evolva successfully placed shares from authorized capital, raising CHF 6.3 million 24-May-2022 / 07:01 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Ad Hoc Announcement (PDF) PRESS RELEASE | AD HOC ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO ART. 53 LR Successful private placement with several long-term oriented institutional investors, underlining trust in new leadership team Selected Board members and management personally participated with CHF 1.0 million, demonstrating both commitment and confidence in realizing Evolva's value potential Shares were placed at yesterday's closing price of CHF 0.101 (no discount) Raised proceeds of CHF 6.3 million strengthen capital base and allow Evolva to continue to boost its growth Reinach, May 24, 2022 - Evolva (SIX:EVE), a pioneer in the field of natural molecules and industrial biotech, has successfully placed 62.6 million shares from its authorized capital. The private placement with long-term oriented institutional investors, selected members of the Board of Directors and management was executed at a price of CHF 0.101 per share, equaling the last closing price of the shares on May 23, 2022. There was no discount. In the transaction, members of the Board of Directors and management participated with CHF 1.0 million, demonstrating their commitment to advance Evolva's differentiated product portfolio and their confidence in the value potential for all stakeholders. The funds raised from the private placement amount to CHF 6.3 million. They strengthen Evolva's capital base and allow management to continue to advance the growth initiatives which were launched to boost commercial performance. Beat In-Albon, Chairman of Evolva, remarks: "The Board of Directors and management appreciate the trust that shareholders have placed in us by participating in this successful private placement. The additional financing, together with the positive market momentum, will allow us to continue to boost Evolva's growth. The Evolva team is fully committed to unlock existing and future opportunities and to realize the full value potential for all stakeholders." Evolva will provide a detailed update on the company's strategy and mid-term targets on occasion of the half-year results on August 25, 2022. Important dates August 25, 2022 Half-year Results 2022 Contact Doris Rudischhauser c/o Dynamics Group +41 79 410 81 88 dru@dynamicsgroup.ch About Evolva Evolva is a Swiss biotech company focused on the research, development and commercialization of ingredients based on nature. We have leading businesses in Flavors and Fragrances, Health Ingredients and Health Protection. Evolva's employees, half of which are women, are dedicated to make the best products that can contribute to health, wellness and sustainability. Find out more at evolva.com and connect with us on LinkedIn . For Evolva multimedia content, please visit: evolva.com/multimedia-library . Disclaimer This announcement is not an offer of securities into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered, pledged, sold, delivered or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States. Further, the securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the applicable securities laws of Canada, Australia or Japan or under the applicable securities laws of any other jurisdiction where to do so might constitute a violation of such laws. This press release contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like believe, assume, expect or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments. WESTON, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ReloQuest continues to achieve global acclaim as the leader in cloud-based innovative software delivering a business solution and the largest global marketplace, serving corporations, their employees, travel management, and relocation companies, including corporate housing and serviced apartment suppliers. The Awards recognize excellence in the International Serviced Apartment, Extended Stay, and Short Term Rental industries. The ReloQuest team is honored to win the Best Use of Technology, validating ReloQuest's revolutionary development in software solutions. By pioneering technology firsts, ReloQuest has developed the Ultimate Traveler ExperienceSM, integrating Corporate Travel Policies and Patent-Pending RFP Cost Compliance features, including end-to-end communication features such as Direct ConnectSM and Service TrackerSM. ReloQuest has re-imagined the future for business travel by launching a new product offering called RQ ProSM. The exclusive technology of RQ ProSM further unifies human needs via a feature-rich compilation of leading-edge tools and architecture that businesses require to succeed worldwide. With RQ ProSM, all users engage in real-time communication using Service TrackerSM and Direct ConnectSM. These features track service issues and manage response times and resolutions with the traveler in real-time, keeping everyone up to date along the way. RQ ProSM helps manage all aspects of the travel program from booking accommodations, state-of-the-art Traveler experiences, centralizing payments, supply chain management, and end-to-end service. The ReloQuest flexible solution offers Travel Managers the ability to immediately start or customize their own program using a robust, intuitive set of configurations that adapts to any requirements. ReloQuest allows users to incorporate their own travel policies or use patent-pending technology to create travel policies, in real-time, in any market worldwide. More than ever before, data security is critical to safety and success. ReloQuest not only understands this but is the most trusted software and business solution in the industry with a reputation known for continuously raising the bar. In addition to data security, ReloQuest ensures efficiency, cost containment and substantial cost savings. ReloQuest takes pride in using their unparalleled industry experience to assist companies with improving their overall travel program by using KPIs, providing increasingly powerful analytics and unrivaled automation. Darin Karp, ReloQuest Founder, stated, "We are delighted to receive this recognition from the S.A. News, Recognised as Best Service provider in 2020 and 2021 for exceptional live 24-7/365 Client and Traveler support, and now winning Best Use of Technology in 2022 amongst industry leaders is an extraordinary validation. The ReloQuest team faces any challenge head-on because we realize it is our course to innovation." ReloQuest transformative technology continues to provide innovative integrations and configurable workflows, rolling out patent-pending technology at a fast pace, allowing corporations to scale their travel program without extra work. ReloQuest provides a global solution from the business traveler's hand to the cloud. ReloQuest provides over 1 million options, from professionally managed Suppliers in over 190 countries. Clients report up to 35% savings for temporary housing costs and up to 80% gains in efficiency. With ReloQuest, companies can view incoming options in a standard format that makes the comparison of multiple variables, including rate and distance, simple. Corporations and Suppliers have continuously rated ReloQuest as the #1 platform for its ease of use, transparency, efficiency, mindful innovation, and customer service, among many other reasons. ReloQuest is the only independent, genuinely transparent technology of its kind that brings a streamlined process to both clients and suppliers. Based in Weston, Florida, ReloQuest is online at http://www.ReloQuest.com. To request a demo, please email us at, demo@reloquest.com Contact: Jgiordano@reloquest.com Jeana Giordano, Director of Global Communications www.ReloQuest.com/ 855-735-6778 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824459/ReloQuest_Inc_Awards.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824460/ReloQuest_Logo.jpg BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Siemens Energy (SMEGF.PK SMNEY.PK) said the company plans to reorganize its structure and abolish numerous hierarchical levels. As part of the restructuring, the Gas and Power segment will be divided into three business areas. The company said the change will be effective from the next financial year, and will increase customer focus, transparency and accountability. Siemens Energy also noted that hierarchy layers would be reduced from 11 to 6, resulting in 30% less management positions. However, the affected employees will receive other tasks, the company noted. 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. Temenos unveils the new solution for sustainable investing at a time of record growth for Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives Temenos (SIX: TEMN) today launched ESG Investing-as-a-service, helping banks and wealth managers meet the growing demand for sustainable investing. The offering was unveiled to 1,500 banking and fintech executives at Temenos Community Forum in London. Running on Temenos Banking Cloud, on any cloud or on-premise, the service accelerates time-to-market for ESG compliant products and reporting while reducing the cost of development. The solution combines Temenos front office, market data management and digital capabilities, including powerful filtering, scoring and modeling techniques, with external data feeds from multiple providers to deliver a complete end-to-end service. ESG investing, also called sustainable, socially responsible, or impact investing, is a way of investing in companies based on their commitment to one or more ESG factors. It presents a huge opportunity for banks and wealth management firms to drive growth and differentiate to meet their clients' increasingly sophisticated ESG needs. According to analysis by Bloomberg, global ESG assets are on track to exceed $53 trillion by 2025, representing more than a third of the $140.5 trillion in projected total assets under management. Global initiatives supporting this trend are also gaining momentum, such as the UN Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, backed by 16,000 businesses in 162 countries. Using the Temenos ESG Investing service, banks can quickly create investment products and power sophisticated digital experiences that allow investors to choose meaningful investments and build a portfolio around their own values. The solution provides pre-integration to third-party data vendors with easy-to-understand ratings to evaluate hundreds of ESG factors. These include environmental factors such as carbon footprint and water usage, social factors such as diversity and gender equality, and governance factors such as executive compensation. Marc Vanvilthoven, Product Owner and Customer Journey Expert Investments, ING, said: "We have a long-lasting partnership with Temenos and its wealth management solution allows us to deliver to our private banking customers advisory and discretionary management services. At ING, we always want to deliver world-class services to our clients. Temenos ESG Investing can accelerate time-to-market for ESG compliant products while reducing the cost of development and adopting standard features." Alois Pirker, Director, Wealth Management Practice, Aite-Novarica Group, commented: "Wealth managers' demand for reliable, credible, and transparent ESG data has never been higher. Aite-Novarica Group expects sustainable investing AUM to increase from its current level of US$35.3 trillion by 7% per annum through 20251. Therefore, we safely expect heightened efforts for more data standardization, greater demand for insightful ESG data from reliable data sources, and deeper impact reporting platforms. Temenos' new offering, ESG Investing-as-a-Service, meets these needs and offers wealth managers a clear path to address growing customer demand for detailed data and transparency relating to their investment choices." Alexandre Duret, Product Director Wealth, Temenos, said: "At Temenos, our purpose is to power a world of banking that creates opportunities for everyone. With the new ESG Investing service, we will help private banks and wealth managers to become compliant, and their customers invest with a purpose. Available as a service on our open platform for composable banking, it provides a fast track for our banking clients to launch innovative ESG investment products underpinned by robust, compliant processes, including new MiFID rules applicable in the EU from August 2022." Temenos has embedded sustainability within its operations, value chain and product offering, with strong ESG governance, reporting and measurable targets. The company has endorsed the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to the FTSE4Good and S&P Sustainability Indices, Temenos has also been awarded an A- rating by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and obtained platinum recognition, placing Temenos among the top 1% performers assessed by EcoVadis. Ends About Temenos Temenos AG (SIX: TEMN) is the world's leader in banking software. Over 3,000 banks across the globe, including 41 of the top 50 banks, rely on Temenos to process both the daily transactions and client interactions of more than 1.2 billion banking customers. Temenos offers cloud-native, cloud-agnostic and AI-driven front office, core banking, payments and fund administration software enabling banks to deliver frictionless, omnichannel customer experiences and gain operational excellence. Temenos software is proven to enable its top-performing clients to achieve cost-income ratios of 26.8% half the industry average and returns on equity of 29%, three times the industry average. These clients also invest 51% of their IT budget on growth and innovation versus maintenance, which is double the industry average, proving the banks' IT investment is adding tangible value to their business. For more information, please visit www.temenos.com. 1 Data quoted from 'ESG Data Market Dynamics Within Wealth Management' Aite Novarica, December 2021 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005566/en/ Contacts: Jessica Wolfe Scott Rowe Temenos Global Public Relations Tel: +1 610 232 2793 +44 20 7423 3857 Email: press@temenos.com Alistair Kellie Newgate Communications on behalf of Temenos Tel: +44 20 7680 6550 Email: allnewgatetemenos@newgatecomms.com Post-stabilisation notice May 24, 2022 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Rentenbank USD fixed rate senior unsecured Notes due 2029 Post-Stabilisation Notice Commerzbank (contact: Daniela Olt-Farrelly; telephone: +49 69 13620) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities. Issuer: Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank Guarantor (if any): Federal Republic of Germany ISIN: XS2481608029 Aggregate nominal amount: USD 500,000,000 Description: 3 % Notes due 21 May 2029 Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilisation Managers: Commerzbank CIBC Capital Markets Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE Standard Chartered Bank AG This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQB:PMMCF) is pleased to provide a further update on exploration activities at its 6,800-hectare Block 4 project in northern Chile, and announces the start of an Induced Polarisation ("IP") geophysical program at the property including coverage of the Buenavista target. Block 4 is located along the principal porphyry copper belt of northern Chile, about 110 km south of the giant La Escondida copper mine. The principal target identified to date, called Buenavista, comprises a poorly exposed quartz-veinlet stockwork zone hosted within a dacite porphyry intrusion, which is spatially coincident with a magnetic high and anomalous molybdenum geochemistry. Copper oxide occurrences and anomalous gold values are zoned around the central stockwork zone. Key Takeaways: A ground magnetics survey and follow-up geological fieldwork led to the discovery of a porphyry-related quartz-veinlet stockwork zone spatially coincident with a magnetic anomaly (see news release date November 18, 2021), subsequently named the Buenavista target. A trenching program returned copper and gold values including 24 m @ 0.14% Cu and (separately) 24 m @ 0.25 g/t Au (see news released date March 15, 2022). The trenching program at Buenavista revealed relicts of coarse chalcopyrite dissemination from a skarn-type system on the eastern edge of the stockwork zone, as well as green and black copper oxide mineralization from in-situ oxidation of gold-bearing chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralisation in a quartz-sulfide breccia on the west flank of the stockwork. Other magnetic anomalies, with similar footprints to that at Buenavista, were also defined under post-mineral "pampa" cover to the north and east. These anomalies are located on NW and N-S faults and lineaments of the Domeyko Fault System, where past exploration has identified copper-gold mineralization in quartz structures. The IP survey is designed to investigate the presence of sulphide minerals, which may suggest additional targets for possible drill testing, related to the various post-mineral covered magnetic anomalies, as well as helping map out the sulphide progenitors to the oxide copper occurrences at the Buenavista target. Block 4 - Details of Geophysical Surveys A total of 37 line kilometers of pole-dipole IP surveying have been contracted with Quantec Geoscience Chile Ltda. ("Quantec"), a long-standing and reputable geophysical contractor. Survey work has already started in the field. The survey total will be distributed between five east-west lines with 200m dipoles that cross a series of magnetic anomalies detected under post mineral cover, as well as the Buenavista target area. One line over the Buenavista stockwork zone, quartz-sulfide breccia, and skarn-type mineralization observed in the trenching, will be surveyed twice with 200m dipoles and 100m dipoles, in order to obtain the best possible resolution with respect to deep and shallow sulphide mineral sources. Additionally, Quantec will be tasked with extending the existing ground magnetics coverage at Block 4 to the edges of the Block 4 property, which was extended after the original magnetics survey had been completed in 2021. This will require a further 165 line kilometers of ground magnetics surveying and is scheduled to start in late June. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB: PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective, wholly owned, 62,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively progressing four of its projects, including completed and planned drill tests, and has two additional projects optioned to Austral Gold Ltd., with Austral already drill testing its first target on Pampa Metals' ground. The Company has also signed an agreement with VerAI Discoveries Inc. giving Pampa Metals access to the latest in artificial intelligence technologies in relation to mineral exploration, as well as a further 18,700 hectares of highly prospective terrain in the core of the highly productive mineral belts of northern Chile. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper or gold discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G, Geologist and a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the Company. Note: The reader is cautioned that Pampa Metals' projects are early-stage exploration projects, and reference to existing mines and deposits, or mineralization hosted on adjacent or nearby properties, is not necessarily indicative of any mineralization on Pampa Metals' properties. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Paul Gill | CEO & Director www.pampametals.com INVESTOR CONTACT Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos | Director investors@pampametals.com The CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702401/Pampa-Metals-Starts-IP-Geophysical-Program-at-its-Block-4-Project-to-Refine-Drill-Hole-Locations-at-Buenavista-and-to-Explore-Post-Mineral-Cover-for-Further-Drill-Targets Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Oobit Technologies Pte. Ltd or "the Company", a financial services and blockchain technology provider, is pleased to announce its co-sponsorship of the Israel Crypto Conference (ICC) 2022 that is taking place in Tel Aviv from May 23rd-25th. The conference is the largest such conclave held in Israel since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, and will feature a line-up of over 700 entrepreneurs, thought leaders, investors, and policy-makers who are currently revolutionizing the global crypto landscape. The umbrella sponsor of this week's events is the Israeli Crypto Community, which is a consortium made up of over 80 business entities driving innovation in the crypto, blockchain, and web3.0 space. In recent years, Israel has emerged as a global hub for blockchain startups, venture capital inflows, and a new generation of web3.0 unicorns. The country also features one of the highest crypto-adoption rates worldwide, with recent Gemini polling reporting that 28% of Israelis owned crypto in 2022, 51% of whom were women thereby making Israel a world leader in crypto gender equality. Despite the absence of a robust national regulatory and taxation framework for cryptocurrencies, traditional financial service providers in Israel are beginning to warm up to the new world of crypto assets. In March 2022, Bank Leumi, one of Israel's two largest, announced plans to enable crypto trading in Bitcoin and Ethereum through its digital platform in what represents an important step towards public-sector crypto adoption. Following its lead are MAX and Isracard, two major Israeli credit card issuers, who announced last week their collaborative plan to provide bitcoin cashback solutions for cardholders. Oobit is a proud co-sponsor of the 2022 ICC, and its Israel-based thought leadership team will be in full attendance at the conference Alongside globally respected names like eTora and Celsius Networks, Oobit's recent launch of a mobile crypto payment app places it at the forefront of blockchain technology disruptors in Israel and beyond. Enabling fast, free, and seamless payments between individuals and businesses, Oobit's payment solution strives to accelerate crypto adoption at the grassroots level. The app's crossborder and micropayment capabilities work to promote broader democratization of access to basic financial services for both underserved and crypto-using consumer demographics. The Company is currently in negotiations with leading CEXs for the listing of its utility token, OBT, and is expecting an official listing in coming months. The Company looks forward to discussing these developments with its blockchain peers over the course of the 2022 ICC. About Oobit Oobit was established in 2017 with a simple aim: to increase cryptocurrency adoption in everyday life. To this end, Oobit stands at the forefront of financial services and blockchain innovation in its mission to provide an agile and user-friendly payment solution for anyone who needs to pay or get paid in crypto today. The Oobit mobile application is a core element of the broader Oobit ecosystem that includes built-in capabilities for purchasing crypto assets, cash management services, and access to a growing community of Oobit-paying individuals and businesses. For more information please visit: www.oobit.com Contact: Moran Signer moran@oobit.com +65 8819 1139 SOURCE: Oobit Technologies Pte. Ltd To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/124978 Akur8, the next generation insurance pricing solution powered by transparent AI, is excited to announce its Silver sponsorship of InsureTech Connect Asia (ITC) 2022, the region's largest gathering of insurance leaders and innovators, taking place from June 7 to June 9 in Singapore. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005001/en/ Specifically developed for insurers, Akur8's solution enhances their pricing processes by automating the rate-making process, using Transparent Artificial Intelligence proprietary technology. Core benefits for insurers include increased predictive performance and speed-to-accuracy for higher market reactivity and immediate business impact, while maintaining full transparency and control on the models created. 30,000 industry experts and more than 100 C-level speakers will gather at the ITC Asia event to discuss the latest trends and innovations in the insurance and insurtech ecosystem. On June 8, Akur8 will participate in a panel discussion with esteemed customers and partners AXA Direct Japan and Munich Re. SATO Kenichi (CTO at AXA Direct Japan), Thibault IMBERT (Senior Insurance Solutions Manager at Munich Re) and Samuel FALMAGNE (CEO at Akur8) will discuss the future of insurance pricing and the impacts of new technologies and regulations on the insurance industry. "As a fast-growing international insurtech, we are proud to sponsor the largest insurtech event in Asia. I am also particularly honored to discuss the future of insurance pricing with such outstanding customers and partners! Akur8 is honored to contribute to thought leadership initiatives for the insurance pricing expert community, and I look forward to sharing insights with the ITC Asia audience", stated Samuel Falmagne, CEO at Akur8. "APAC is a priority region for us. We have been actively expanding our local footprint in recent months. Sponsoring the most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors, and insurance industry incumbents in Asia is a natural next step for Akur8, signaling our commitment to the region. Our team is looking forward to meeting insurance pricing teams and innovation savvy professionals at our booth", added Brune de Linares, Chief Customer Officer at Akur8. About Akur8 Akur8 is revolutionizing insurance pricing with Transparent AI, boosting insurers' pricing capabilities with unprecedented speed and accuracy across the pricing process without compromising on auditability or control. Our modular pricing platform automates technical and commercial premium modeling. It empowers insurers to compute adjusted and accurate rates in line with their commercial strategy while materially impacting their business and maintaining absolute control of the models created, as required by regulators worldwide. With Akur8, time spent modeling is reduced by 10x, the models' predictive power is increased by 10% and loss ratio improvement potential is boosted by 2-4%. Akur8 already serves 45+ customers across 20+ countries, including AXA, Generali and Munich Re; specialty insurers Canopius and Tokio Marine Kiln; insurtechs Wakam and wefox; and mutual insurer Matmut. 700 actuaries use Akur8 daily to build their pricing models across all lines of business. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005001/en/ Contacts: Media contact Anne-Laure Klein +33 (0)6 63 79 44 74 anne-laure.klein@akur8.com U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, look around a Samsung Electronics chip plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, May 20, guided by Lee Jae-yong, center, the de facto leader of Samsung Group and Samsung Electronics vice chairman. Yonhap Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it will invest 450 trillion won ($355 billion) in semiconductors and biosciences over the next five years, as South Korea's largest company seeks to further expand its business in future growth areas. The company said it will spend 360 trillion won, or 80 percent of the investment, for research and development, and talent nurturing in South Korea, especially in advanced chipmaking. The planned investment is up 120 trillion won from the total 330 trillion won Samsung invested over the past five years. Samsung named semiconductors, biosciences, artificial intelligence and next-generation communication technologies as the tech giant's future growth drivers. Samsung said it will continue to aggressively invest in the semiconductor industry that has faced a chronic chip shortage over the past few years, and find new markets for further growth. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian and NZ dollars fell against their major counterparts in the Asian session on Tuesday, as risk sentiment dampened on growing fears that Covid crisis in China will deteriorate economic growth. China's announcement of stimulus measures to boost growth failed to lift investor sentiment. Investment banks UBS Group and JPMorgan Chase lowered their China economic growth forecasts for this year due to the impact of strict Covid policy. UBS downgraded its 2022 GDP growth forecast to 3.0 percent from 4.2 percent and JPMorgan slashed its outlook to 3.7 percent from 4.3 percent. Investors await PMI reports out of Europe and the U.S. for more signals about economic activity. The aussie edged down to 0.7066 against the greenback and 90.28 against the yen, pulling back from its early highs of 0.7108 and 90.91, respectively. The aussie may face support around 0.68 against the greenback and 87.00 against the yen. The aussie touched an 8-day low of 1.5092 against the euro, following a high of 1.5025 hit at 5 pm ET. On the downside, 1.53 is possibly seen as the next support level for the currency. In contrast, the aussie rebounded modestly against the loonie, with the pair trading at 0.9063. The aussie is likely to face resistance around the 0.92 region, if it gains again. Retreating from its early highs of 0.6468 against the greenback, 82.70 against the yen and 1.0978 against the aussie, the kiwi dropped to 0.6428, 82.04 and 1.1009, respectively. The kiwi is seen finding support around 0.62 versus the greenback, 80.00 versus the yen and 1.12 against the aussie. The kiwi depreciated to a 4-day low of 1.6589 against the euro, from a high of 1.6509 seen at 5 pm ET. Next key support for the kiwi is likely seen around the 1.69 level. Looking ahead, PMI reports from major European economies are due in the European session. U.S. new home sales and Canada manufacturing and wholesale sales for April will be featured in the New York session. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ExtraHop, the leader in cloud-native network detection and response, today announced a landmark pan-European distribution agreement with Exclusive Networks, a specialist IT security distributor. Building on an initial 2020 partnership agreement, the pan-EMEA deal will expand distribution of Extrahop's entire product portfolio to fourteen European territories. Exclusive Networks is a global trusted cybersecurity specialist distributor for digital infrastructure harnessing the innovation of cybersecurity solutions to drive the transition to a totally trusted digital world. This new agreement further leverages Exclusive's reach and worldwide expertise by introducing an appliance hub for shipments across EMEA to streamline distribution into European markets. "EMEA businesses fully recognise the need to raise visibility, improve threat detection, and carry out streamlined, guided investigations," said Sandra Hilt, Senior Director, Channel Sales EMEA at ExtraHop. "Exclusive Networks has been instrumental in delivering ExtraHop's world-class NDR solutions to European partners. Our new pan-EMEA agreement supercharges this ability to meet demand, removing any potential silos and barriers to seamless global distribution." Exclusive will continue to help onboard new partners into the ExtraHop Panorama Partner Program and support accreditation training that offers partner sales engineers a deeper technical view of the ExtraHop solution including demos, key use cases, and competitive differentiation. In addition to accreditation, the ExtraHop partner portal provides easy access to sales and training materials that help ExtraHop partners rapidly identify use cases and fast-track solutions for their customers. "Since partnering in 2020, our relationship with ExtraHop has gone from strength to strength. Our new agreement is testament to this, and puts us in pole position to meet the continuous uptick in demand for NDR," said Denis Ferrand-Ajchenbaum, SVP Global Business Development Ecosystems for Exclusive Networks. "Network intelligence is a key strategic focus for Exclusive, and incorporating Reveal(x)'s cyber defence NDR platform into our portfolio reflects our reputation as the go-to distributor for innovative cybersecurity solutions." The pan-EMEA agreement arrives in the midst of a push by Exclusive Networks for NDR and XDR awareness. The company is holding a series of European events in collaboration with other XDR Alliance vendors who are part of a group of best-in-class security providers helping IT teams design and implement threat detection, investigation, and response using the XDR approach. The five-country roadshow kicks off on the 24 of May in Sweden, and will visit the UK, France, Germany, and culminate in the Netherlands on 30 June. The events will feature live expert panel discussions including a session around ExtraHop's market-leading capabilities. About Exclusive Networks Exclusive Networks is a global trusted cybersecurity specialist for digital infrastructure helping to drive the transition to a totally trusted digital future for all people and organisations. Our distinctive approach to distribution gives partners more opportunity and more customer relevance. Our specialism is their strength-equipping them to capitalise on rapidly evolving technologies and transformative business models. The Exclusive Networks story is a global one with a services-first ideology at its core, harnessing innovation and disruption to deliver partner value. With offices in 43 countries and the ability to service customers in over 170 countries across five continents, Exclusive Networks has a unique 'local sale, global scale' model, combining the extreme focus and value of local independents with the scale and service delivery of a single worldwide distribution powerhouse. Exclusive Networks is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Ticker: EXN). For more information visit www.exclusive-networks.com. About ExtraHop Cyberattackers have the advantage. ExtraHop is on a mission to help you take it back with security that can't be undermined, outsmarted, or compromised. Our dynamic cyber defense platform, Reveal(x) 360, helps organisations detect and respond to advanced threats-before they compromise your business. We apply cloud-scale AI to petabytes of traffic per day, performing line-rate decryption and behavioural analysis across all infrastructure, workloads, and data-in-flight. With complete visibility from ExtraHop, enterprises can detect malicious behaviour, hunt advanced threats, and forensically investigate any incident with confidence. ExtraHop has been recognized as a market leader in network detection and response by IDC, Gartner, Forbes, SC Media, and numerous others. 2022 ExtraHop Networks, Inc., Reveal(x), Reveal(x) 360, Reveal(x) Enterprise, and ExtraHop are registered trademarks or marks of ExtraHop Networks, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005033/en/ Contacts: Ashley Stewart ExtraHop pr@extrahop.com Jake Galland Account Manager Positive Marketing jgalland@positivemarketing.com 07780866874 Bartz to spearhead marketing initiatives as the company enters rapid growth phase PARIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CybelAngel, the world-leading external digital risk protection platform welcomes Pamela B. Bartz as the Senior Vice President of Marketing. Pamela comes to CybelAngel as a global marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience driving growth at leading B2B global SaaS, technology and service organisations, sized from start-ups to Global 500 companies. Pamela has a track record of crafting and executing comprehensive, go-to-market growth strategies that transform brands, deliver market differentiation and category leadership. In her new role at CybelAngel, she will oversee demand generation, brand experience, internal and external communications as well as regional and channel marketing expansion. With in-depth experience in expanding companies internationally across all continents, Pamela is passionate about introducing new technology categories, growing brand value, creating customer-focused marketing organisations, and accelerating revenue, as she has done previously for large industry leaders such as ABB, ADP, Fleetcor, and Checkfree as well as the high growth scale-ups OPSWAT, PageUp People, PreVisor and SHL. Most recently, she has been focused on marketing technologies that facilitate industrial IOT operations, connectivity, and cybersecurity, protecting organisations from the inherent vulnerabilities brought on by digital transformation. Erwan Keraudy, CEO of CybelAngel said: "Pamela's expertise in B2B technology market expansion, coupled with proven experience scaling global marketing operations makes her a great asset for CybelAngel as we grow our brand awareness and help new global enterprise clients identify and eliminate cyber vulnerabilities, before they expose sensitive information or lead to a ransomware attack." Pamela added: "I'm looking forward to this exciting journey. CybelAngel's truly cutting-edge tool for proactive continuous monitoring of threat exposure is needed more than ever, particularly at a time when attack surfaces are expanding and threats are multiplying. I'm delighted to join a team that is wholeheartedly focused on innovation and making a real impact on how businesses can protect against cyber threats." Bartz also plays an active role for several technology marketing professional associations and is an advocate and fundraiser for JDRF and Camp Kudzu, a Georgia-based camp for children with Type 1 diabetes. About CybelAngel Since 2013, CybelAngel has protected top enterprises worldwide from the most critical external digital threats. Their unique machine learning-powered platform and expert analysts provide a powerful solution to proactively protect from cyber threats. Because more data is being shared, processed or stored outside the firewall on cloud services, open databases and connected devices, the digital risk to businesses has never been greater. Organisations worldwide rely on CybelAngel to discover, monitor and resolve external threats across all layers of the Internet, keeping their critical assets, brand and reputation secure. To learn more, visit CybelAngel.com Follow CybelAngel on social media Twitter: @CybelAngel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybelangel/ Media Contact: Code Red Security PR CybelAngel@CodeRedComms.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824411/Pamela_B_Bartz_CybelAngel.jpg With the founding of the joint venture Rheinmetall Dermalog SensorTec GmbH, the technology group Rheinmetall and the biometrics company DERMALOG are aiming to bring enhanced safety to road traffic. The objectives of the partnership include the development of a next-generation driver monitoring system. DUSSELDORF, Germany and HAMBURG, Germany, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Germany's largest biometrics company, DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH, and the technology group Rheinmetall AG have entered into a new joint venture together: Rheinmetall Dermalog SensorTec GmbH. In future, this new company will supply the most innovative biometric technologies to vehicle manufacturers. One of the aims of this new partnership is to develop a driver monitoring system that recognizes when drivers are distracted and then warns them accordingly. Distractions of any kind, such as those caused by smartphones, can have fatal consequences when driving a vehicle. 100,000 collisions a year, resulting in 500 deaths and 25,000 injured road users: this is Germany's dismal track record for accidents caused by mobile phones at the wheel, according to a recent study by the "besmart-mobile" initiative. Another study carried out by the insurance group "Allianz" found that distracted driving is now a more common cause of fatal accidents than drink driving. So-called "driver monitoring" involves the continuous, computer-assisted observation of the driver. Using various cameras and sensors, the system detects any causes of distraction such as the checking of a smartphone or fatigue and then warns the driver, or - when fitted in vehicles with autonomous control - intervenes independently in emergency situations. Within the framework of the joint venture, DERMALOG and Rheinmetall will be combining their expertise in biometrics, artificial intelligence and radar technology to develop a powerful driver monitoring system. As well as keeping an eye on the driver, the system will also monitor the entire cabin interior. The solution should therefore detect other risks too, for example in cases when a baby or small child is left behind in the vehicle. It is envisaged that object recognition will also be possible with driver monitoring by Rheinmetall Dermalog SensorTec. In future, users of car-sharing services will be informed quickly and conveniently via an app if they have forgotten any objects in the car. "The joint venture with Rheinmetall AG is now set to introduce biometrics into the field of automotive applications. The technology can offer real added value for vehicle safety and even has the potential to save lives when applied to effective driver monitoring," says Gunther Mull, Founder and CEO of DERMALOG. "This joint venture is an important step forward in our transformation strategy that will allow us, in future, to offer cutting-edge technology in the fields of monitoring, authentication and safety to customers in the automotive and industrial sectors," says Rene Gansauge, CEO Sensors and Actuators Division at Rheinmetall. About DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH DERMALOG, with head offices in Hamburg, is Germany's pioneer in the field of biometrics and the largest German manufacturer of biometric systems. Founded in 1995, the company offers a comprehensive range of biometric identification solutions including high-performance AFIS and ABIS software, as well as the latest generation of fingerprint and document scanners. DERMALOG technology is currently used in more than 250 installations around the globe, in sectors including public administration, border law enforcement, and banking. About Rheinmetall AG As an integrated technology group with around 25,000 employees worldwide, the publicly listed Rheinmetall AG stands for a strong, internationally successful company that operates in various markets with an innovative range of products and services. As a renowned development partner and direct supplier to the global automotive industry and a leading international systems provider for security technology, Rheinmetall draws on its high level of expertise in its basic technologies to address long-term megatrends, identify viable new markets with high growth potential and develop innovative solutions for a safe and liveable future. The focus on sustainability is an integral part of Rheinmetall's strategy. The company aims to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2035. - Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) - Press contact at DERMALOG: Sven Bockler Media Relations DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH info@dermalog.com Tel.: +49 (0)40 413 227 - 0 www.dermalog.com Press contact at Rheinmetall: Oliver Hoffmann Head of Press and PR Rheinmetall AG Tel.: +49-(0)211 473 4748 oliver.hoffmann@rheinmetall.com Dr. phil. Jan-Phillipp Weisswange Deputy Head of Press and PR Rheinmetall AG Tel.: +49-(0)211 473 4287 jan-phillipp.weisswange@rheinmetall.com AECI LIMITED (Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa) (Registration Number 1924/002590/06) Tax reference number: 9000008608 Share code: AFEP ISIN: ZAE000000238 Bond company code: AECI LEI: 3789008641F1D3D90E85 (AECI or the Company) DECLARATION OF CUMULATIVE 5,5 PER CENT PREFERENCE SHARE DIVIDEND NO. 168 Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, 24 May 2022, the Directors of AECI declared a gross cash dividend, at the rate of 5,5 per cent per annum (equivalent to 2,75 pence sterling), for the six months ending Wednesday, 15 June 2022. The dividend is payable on Wednesday, 15 June 2022 to holders of preference shares recorded in the register of the Company at the close of business on the record date, being Friday, 10 June 2022. The last day to trade 'cum' dividend will be Tuesday, 7 June 2022 and shares will commence trading 'ex-dividend as from the commencement of business on Wednesday, 8 June 2022. The dividend is declared in pound sterling and payment will be made from the offices of the Transfer Secretaries in South Africa and the United Kingdom on Wednesday, 15 June 2022. Dividends payable from South Africa will be paid in South African currency at the rate of 54,78935 ZAR cents per share (gross dividend) in accordance with the exchange rate ruling on Wednesday, 7 June 2022 (1 pound sterling = ZAR19,9234). A South African dividend withholding tax of 20% will be applicable to all shareholders who are not either exempt or entitled to a reduction of the withholding tax rate in terms of a relevant Double Taxation Agreement resulting in a net dividend of 43,83148 ZAR cents per share payable to those shareholders who are not eligible for exemption or reduction. Application forms for exemption or reduction may be obtained from the Transfer Secretaries on Tel. +27 11 370 5000 or by email ZACSJHBDividendTaxQ@Computershare.co.za and must be returned to them on or before Tuesday, 7 June 2022. Dividends payable from the United Kingdom office will be subject to such tax deductions as are prescribed by United Kingdom legislation unless a certificate exempting the shareholder concerned from such tax deduction is received before Tuesday, 7 June 2022. The issued share capital of the Company at the declaration date is 105 517 780 listed ordinary shares, 10 117 951 unlisted redeemable convertible B ordinary shares and 3 000 000 listed cumulative preference shares. The dividend has been declared from the income reserves of the Company. Any change of address or dividend instruction must be received on or before Tuesday, 7 June 2022. Share certificates may not be dematerialised or rematerialised between Wednesday, 8 June 2022 and Friday, 10 June 2022, both days inclusive. By order of the Board C Singh Group Company Secretary Woodmead, Sandton 24 May 2022 Transfer Secretaries Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited Rosebank Towers, 15 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, 2196 and Computershare Investor Services PLC PO Box 82 The Pavilions Bridgwater Road Bristol BS99 7NH England Registered office 1st Floor, AECI Place 24 The Woodlands Woodlands Drive Woodmead Sandton Equity and Debt Sponsor Rand Merchant Bank (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited) Investors are beginning to uncover the InsurTech industry potential and so Danish-founded Penni.io is finding itself in the hotspot, explains CEO and founder Jeppe Klausen in two interviews with leading Danish financial daily Brsen. Referencing third-party market research, InsurTech will have an annual turnover of EUR142billion in 2030 and growth rates of over 50 percent from 2022 to 2030, reports Brsen: "To the investors we talk to, it has gradually become a trend to have at least one InsurTech company in their portfolio - the potential is simply far too great to miss out on", tells Jeppe Klausen. STOCKHOLM, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- During May 2022, Penni.io's CEO and founder Jeppe Klausen was interviewed by Danish financial daily Brsen in two feature articles, explaining why investors are seeing huge potential in the growing InsurTech industry: Similar to the growth of the FinTech industry 6-8 years ago with the creation of unicorns like Pleo and Tradeshift, digital insurance companies are now starting to make big moves. Penni.io has developed a white label product where insurance companies can embed their insurance offerings directly with their partners. They call it embedded insurance and this is done through partnerships with established insurance companies, enabling Penni.io to advance sales of insurance products from the likes of Danish Tryg, French Axa and Italian Generali digitally, reports Brsen: "It brings the insurance companies' products out to the end-customers where they are, in the situation where they are most open to buying an insurance", Jeppe Klausen says in the first of the two articles with Brsen. Huge potential in the market It has been said for many years that the insurance industry has a product that is boring and uninteresting to end-customers, but the industry still has a turnover of three-digit billion at the European level, according to the article. Brsen writes that according to Irish-based Research and Markets, InsurTech will have an annual turnover of EUR142billion in 2030 and growth rates of over 50 percent from 2022 to 2030. The article also states that according to market participants, embedded insurance will reach a share of insurance sales in Europe of 24 percent of the total. Therefore, investors are beginning to see the potential in InsurTech, Jeppe Klausen says to Brsen: "To the investors we talk to, it has gradually become a trend to have at least one insurtech company in their portfolio - the potential is simply far too great to miss out on", Jeppe Klausen says in the second article. In the process of raising double-digit millions To Brsen, Klausen tells how he already saw the potential of the market a couple of years ago when he founded Penni.io. The company has since raised over EUR4million in the past two investment rounds. In the current round, the main goal is to raise another EUR6-11million through investments from both existing and new investors. The plan with the money is to focus on sales and internationalization as Penni.io will expand its business in France, Spain, Germany and Benelux over the next few years: "The more we invest now, the larger part of the market we can take", Jeppe Klausen says to Brsen in the first article. - Penni.io, 24/5/22 Contact: For more information or interview requests, please email winni@penni.io or call +4561716171. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: NQX has been certified by NCSA-FI for security level TL III SSH announced today that it has received a TL III-level security certification for its NQX quantum line encryption software version 2.2 from the Finnish National Cyber Security Center (NCSA). The certification enables the solution to be used to secure networks requiring TL III level encryption for the transmission of confidential and sensitive information. The certified NQX 2.2 includes central management functionality that enables convenient remote management of network nodes. NQX central manager simplifies and automates the management and maintenance of Public Key Infrastructures (PKI) and certifications of nodes and connections regardless of their location. Because of its intuitive user interface, NQX central manager is easy to use and administrators can perform critical management tasks with minimal human effort. NQX's capability to support various network deployment approaches is enhanced with an isolated management channel. Isolating the management channel from the payload allows applying managed TL III Level encryption to all sites regardless of their size. NQX 2.2 enables both centralized and decentralized management of network nodes. The new centrally managed NQX 2.2 is quantum resistant in terms of encryption, management, key exchange, as well as authentication. SSH is implementing Quantum Safe cryptography to into all of its products, while the global post quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithm standardization work is ongoing. This ensures that the customers can start to deploy quantum safe solutions at their convenience. "We have passed the stringent NSCA-FI certification requirements. This gives us the opportunity to sell our products in the market spaces in the public sector where certification is a mandatory requirement. We will expand our scope to other attractive market spaces. Our product portfolio is proven-in-use and future-proof covering our customers' needs now and in the future with Zero Trust and Quantum Safe technologies." says CEO of SSH, Dr. Teemu Tunkelo. You can find more information about NQX here . About SSH SSH helps organizations safeguard their mission-critical digital assets at rest, in transit and in use. We have 5,000+ customers worldwide, including 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies, and major organizations in Finance, Government, Retail, and Industries. We are committed to helping our customers secure their business in the age of hybrid cloud and distributed IT and OT solutions. Our Zero Trust solutions offer safe electronic communications, secure access to servers and between servers. Our teams in North America, Europe, Asia along with a global network of certified partners ensure customer success. The company's shares. Oslo, 24 May 2022. PCI Biotech Holding ASA ("PCI Biotech" or the "Company") issue this notification on behalf of its chairman, Hans Peter Bhn. Hans Peter Bhn is chairman of PCI Biotech and shall open the annual general meeting of the Company on 25 May 2022. Mr. Bhn holds 123,662 shares, representing 0.3 per cent of the share capital of PCI Biotech. Mr. Bhn has received powers of attorney to represent and vote for 7,234,249 additional shares. In total, Mr. Bhn will represent and vote for 19.7 per cent of the share capital. A major part of the powers of attorney are without voting instructions. The powers of attorney are only valid at the annual general meeting on 25 May 2022. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 4 -3, cf. section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Contact information: PCI Biotech Holding ASA, Ullernchausseen 64, N-0379 Oslo Ronny Skuggedal, CFO, rs@pcibiotech.no, Mobile: +47 9400 5757 LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Helical Plc. (HLCL.L), a property investment and development company, reported Tuesday that its fiscal 2022 IFRS profit after tax increased to 88.9 million pounds from last year's 17.9 million pounds. IFRS basic earnings per share were 72.8 pence, compared to 14.8 pence a year ago. EPRA earnings per share were 5.2 pence, compared to loss of 1.8 pence last year. Revenue climbed to 51.15 million pounds from last year's 38.60 million pounds. Further, the company said its the Board will be recommending to Shareholders a final dividend of 8.25p per share, an increase of 11.5 percent on last year. If approved by Shareholders at the 2022 AGM, the total dividend for the year will be 11.15p, up 10.4 percent on 2021. Looking ahead, the company said it is optimistic that successful track record of outperforming the market and delivering strong financial returns will continue. Separately, Helical announced that it has simultaneously exchanged and completed contracts on the sale of Trinity in Manchester, to clients of Mayfair Capital, for 34.55 million pounds. 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. Telematics track vehicles in real time and monitor their mileage, location, maintenance status, driver behavior, and claims costs, significantly minimizing expenses while maximizing customer satisfaction SAN ANTONIO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Frost & Sullivan assessed the European vehicle leasing and rental telematics industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Targa Telematics (Targa) with the 2022 Europe Technology Innovation Leadership Award. The company uniquely leverages its technology to meet its customers' needs. Telematics track vehicles in real time and monitor their mileage, location, maintenance status, driver behavior, and claims costs, significantly minimizing leasing and rental companies' expenses while maximizing customer satisfaction. Targa develops high-tech solutions, such as complete and customizable Internet of Things (IoT), smart mobility solutions, and advanced digital platforms for mobility operators. The company enables new business models to improve safety, ensure human capital and financial savings, and protect the environment. Targa understands the various client types' unique needs and has taken steps to equip them with the most up-to-date and cutting-edge solutions. The company's orderly and systematic product development journey begins with extensive research and development conducted by tenured industry professionals. Adopting an agile approach, the company leverages the acquired knowledge to build innovative solutions that address market needs. This process has resulted in a comprehensive portfolio that supports mobility operators in quickly developing new mobility products. Targa keeps an open channel between product management teams, customers, and partners in the mobility ecosystem, ensuring the data-driven roadmap aligns with new industry challenges. According to Ojaswi Rana, Frost & Sullivan Best Practices research analyst, "The open innovation approach involves co-creating with its customers, partners, and universities to discover new technologies. The company's open platform allows embedding third-party and internally developed technologies." Targa provides an open technology stack, operated services, and a partner ecosystem and delivers hardware, software, and operated services in end-to-end solutions while offering each component separately. The hardware solution allows standardized data access through application programming interfaces and data streams; thus, effectively managing the complexity of interacting with numerous vehicle models. Targa Plexer, one of the company's novel solutions, is compatible with more than 800 commercial vehicle models, such as cars, electric vehicles (EVs), three-wheelers, and motorbikes (with CAN bus). Targa's open approach accelerates solution development, and the global microservice-based architecture allows mobility ecosystem partner integration and critical operative process management. The scalable platform and operations can adapt to customers' changing needs. "Targa combines unique smart mobility features and fleet management solutions with IoT, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to make connectivity in the vehicle leasing and rental space a hassle-free experience. Targa's transformational technology reshapes market boundaries. Sustainable leadership, client testimonials, and commercialization success are testaments to its remarkable impact on the vehicle leasing and rental telematics industry," explained Rajesh Depores, an industry analyst for Frost & Sullivan. "As a company investing in technology and innovation, we are very proud to have received this special award", commented Nicola De Mattia, Ceo at Targa Telematics. "The hard work done by the whole team over the last years has been recognized by such a leading firm and this will be a further boost for keeping to try to make the difference in creating value for our partners, supporting them in the transformation of their business. Aiming that we will continue to develop co-creation projects with our customers, supporting them during their digital journey and developing best-of-breed connected car solutions to increase their market competitiveness". Targa delivers vehicle efficiency and safety, financial savings, and environmental protection through its technology. The company stands out from competitors based on its commitment to innovation and creativity while achieving commercial success. Expanding its global footprint, Targa is on the path to becoming a global leader in the vehicle leasing and rental telematics space. For its strong overall performance, Targa is recognized with Frost & Sullivan's 2022 Europe Technology Innovation Leadership Award in the vehicle leasing and rental telematics industry. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops a product with innovative features and functionality that is gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Claudia Toscano P: 1.956.533.5915 E: claudia.toscano@frost.com About Targa Telematics Targa Telematics is an IT company with 20 years of experience in connected vehicles. It offers telematics technology solutions, smart mobility and digital IoT platforms for mobility operators. It addresses short and long-term rental companies, finance companies and large fleets, ranging from insurance telematics to asset and fleet management, from remote diagnostics and telemetry of vehicles, professional and construction vehicles, to the management of airport vehicles. In 2021 Targa Telematics recorded a turnover of 49 million euros, has 140 employees and more than 950 customers. For more information: www.targatelematics.com TARGA TELEMATICS Elena Bellini, Head of Marketing, Mobile [+39] 335 135 1277 elena.bellini@targatelematics.com Susanne Furini, Communication Manager, Mobile [+39] 345 7274925 susanne.furini@targatelematics.com Barabino & Partners UK Giuliana Patrone, Tel.: 0044 (0)20 7152642 g.patrone@barabino.co.uk Camilla Giacomelli, Tel.: 0044 (0)7570 561 249 c.giacomelli@barabino.co.uk Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1823101/Targa_Telematics_Award.jpg From left are U.S. President Joe Biden, President Yoon Suk-yeol and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong at Samsung Electronics' manufacturing plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, May 20. Korea Times file Korea-US economic interests highlighted beyond joint security By Lee Kyung-min Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor have cemented themselves as Korea's strategic assets representing new key national security priorities, lifted by the nation's growing economic ties with the United States after U.S. President Joe Biden's recent visit to Seoul, business groups and market watchers said Tuesday. The alliance in the manufacturing of semiconductors, electric vehicles and other high-tech products has essentially surpassed the Korea-U.S. joint defense interests in value, they say, signaling the beginning of a new era of more profound cooperation propped up by global value chain issues amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged U.S.-China hegemony war. Trust-oriented long-term joint innovation and investments will be promoted. This, they expect, will result in accelerated structural and technological advancements in the industry, long in need of an expanded Korea-U.S. alliance to better encompass economic, environmental and digital issues on the global stage. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, right, and U.S. President Joe Biden walk to a podium for a speech at Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan, Seoul, May 22. Korea Times file CN Bio, a leading Organ-on-a-chip Company (OOC) that designs and manufactures single- and multi-organ microphysiological systems (MPS), today announced the appointment of Dr Paul Brooks as Chief Business Officer. Key to the next stage of the Company's growth, Paul will be responsible for shaping the company's commercial business strategy and leading the expansion of its global commercial organisation. Paul is an experienced C-suite level executive with over 25 years in the life science industry building businesses and leading high-performance research, product development, marketing, and sales teams to develop and commercialise new biotechnology technologies. He joins CN Bio from Horizon Discovery, a PerkinElmer Company, where he led the strategic and operational transformation of its business units as Head of Business Operations Managing Director, driving revenue growth across its service, product, and licensing businesses. Paul held various management roles at Sigma-Aldrich; acquired by Merck Group in 2015 to form MilliporeSigma, where he joined the leadership team as Head of Discovery Research Services General Manager and led the successful formation of its global-leading product and service portfolio for drug discovery research. In 2016, he relocated back to the UK as Chief Commercial Officer Executive Director and Board member at Oxford Genetics, driving the rapid scaling of the synthetic biology start-up company and commercialisation of its technology. Paul has a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Wales, a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and an MBA from University of Nottingham Business School. Dr David Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, CN Bio, said: "Paul not only has experience across a range of large, globally-recognised life sciences businesses, but also driving growth within smaller teams. He has a very strong track record and is well placed to help us grow commercially, moving us forward with our organisational strategy and goals. We are proud to have him joining the team and look forward to working together, enabling us to drive innovation in the sector by bringing more products to market." Dr Paul Brooks, Chief Business Officer, CN Bio, commented: "The potential within the Organ-on-a-Chip space to revolutionise drug discovery is remarkable. CN Bio is demonstrating these possibilities with its next-generation PhysioMimix microphysiological technology, not only to accelerate the accurate and reliable development of new therapeutics, but also critically reducing researchers' dependence on animal models. It's an exciting time to be joining CN Bio at an important inflection point in its history, and I'm eager to work alongside the team to help realise this potential." For more information on the PhysioMimix OOC range, please visit: https://cn-bio.com/physiomimixooc/ ENDS For a high-resolution image please contact Zyme Communications. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005602/en/ Contacts: For further information please contact: Zyme Communications Dr Ben Rutter Tel: +44 (0) 7920 770 935 Email: ben.rutter@zymecommunications.com Bright Initiative has joined the UK Government-backed Data Skills Taskforce to help tackle the UK's data skills challenges Initiative also set to begin work with members of the UK Parliament on an inquiry investigating issues around governance and ethics in data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) New collaborations complement ongoing support for UK Government officials delivering the country's National Data Strategy (NDS) and take the number of worldwide Bright Initiative partners past 500. The Bright Initiative, a global programme and organisation by Bright Data that uses public web data to drive positive change, is stepping up its support for the UK's National Data Strategy (NDS) with two new major partnerships. Already part of the NDS Forum, which the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) established to drive the Strategy forward, the Initiative is now set to provide industry-leading expertise, insight and data-collection capabilities in support of work looking at skills and ethics. Significantly, the Initiative has joined the Data Skills Taskforce. Backed by the UK Government, the Taskforce brings together figures from industry, the public sector, academia and others to share knowledge and develop innovative solutions to meeting the UK's data science and AI skills needs. As a member of the Taskforce the Bright Initiative will play a vital role in ensuring that action is taken to guarantee the skilled workforce needed to meet the NDS aim of establishing the UK as a pioneering data economy. The Initiative will also work with members of the UK Parliament on an Inquiry looking at issues around ethics and governance with data and AI. The Initiative is to join with cross-party members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Data Analytics to look in depth at how regulation and policy can keep up with the fast pace of technological change. The Inquiry will gather evidence and carry out research over the coming months towards publishing a report later this year, The Bright Initiative will help guide the process as a member of the Inquirey's steering group. These new partnerships build on the work that the Bright Initiative has done to support the NDS over the past year, which has included facilitating discussions among industry figures and education institutions and advising Government officials developing plans to implement the Strategy. The Initiative also recently published 'Unlocking net-zero' a white paper looking in detail at how data can be used to tackle the climate emergency, the focus of one the NDS Forum's workstreams. The news means that the Initiative has now passed the significant milestone of having 500 active partnerships with a wide range of organisations around the world, including NGOs, NPOs, academic institutions public bodies. All are now enjoying the benefits of pro-bono access to Bright Data's leading data technology and expertise, in line with the Initiative's mission to use the power of web data to improve the world. Or Lenchner, CEO of Bright Data the industry leading web data collection platform that powers the Bright Initiative, said: "I'm delighted to expand the Bright Initiative's support for the National Data Strategy with these exciting new partnerships. As a founding member of the NDS Forum we know that collaboration across multiple sectors and industries is key to unlocking the full power of data. Industry, policymakers and civil society organisations all have a role to play in shaping the right policies, developing the skills base and ensuring that data is effectively utilised in addressing society's most vital needs. That's why we're so pleased to welcome these new partners to our worldwide programme." ENDS Notes to editors: About the Bright Initiative The Bright Initiative was established as a place to make a real impact on our people's lives. We offer our innovative, data-driven technology and products, know-how, vast expertise, and finely attuned support, aimed at quite literally improving the world as we know it. We focus on three areas: Academic: Fueling academic research providing educational programs Environmental protection public wellbeing: Promoting environmental protection initiatives powering public well-being organizations Web transparency: Driving web transparency initiatives global regulations Public policy: Driving data-driven strategies to benefit our economy society To read more about the Bright Initiative, click here About Bright Data Bright Data is the industry-leading web data platform. Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, and small businesses rely on Bright Data's solutions to retrieve public web data in the most efficient, reliable, and flexible way so they can research, monitor, train their systems and analyze data to run better strategies and inform decision-making. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005198/en/ Contacts: Mark Fuller mark@showrunnercomms.com 07498 560 288 Keren Pakes kerenp@brightdata.com The "2022 European Power Rental Market with COVID-19 Impact" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This study focuses on the overall European power rental market with a detailed analysis of the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux, the Nordics, and the rest of Europe. For purposes of this research, power rental is defined as generator sets rental that run on either gas, diesel, or any other fuel. These generator sets can be set up as transactional power or power projects that utilize fuel for power generation. This study does not include other rental equipment used for compression, cooling, heating, or others. The base year for the study is 2021. The COVID-19 outbreak has had a negative impact on revenues for power rental companies in 2020 and 2021. Most companies have been affected by lower demand and supply chain constraints. However, some companies have offset their losses by catering to the demand from data centers, healthcare facilities, and weather-related emergencies. Moreover, companies have strategically focused on reducing capital expenditure and operating costs and increasing liquidity to strengthen their financial health during the pandemic. The United Kingdom (U.K.) emerged as the leading power rental market in Europe in 2021. The country will continue to lead the market until 2028. The power rental market in Benelux is expected to become the second largest power rental market in Western Europe by 2028, closely followed by Germany and France. The rest of Europe, Germany, and the U.K. are likely to increase their market share during the forecast period, while the Nordic region is projected to lose the most market share during the forecast period. This study aims to provide a detailed analysis of the European Power Rental Market along with qualitative trends for the year 2021. The market numbers included in this report represent revenues generated by companies operating in the generator power rental market in Europe. The base year for the study is 2021 and the forecast period is from 2021 until 2028. Several global and regional power rental companies have a significant presence in the market. This study captures the following information on the European power rental market: Market Size, Growth Rate, Revenue Forecasts (2021-2028) Growth Drivers Restraints Market Trends Market Landscape Supplier Landscape Strategic Recommendations Quotes by Industry Participants Companies Mentioned Aggreko plc Ashtead Plant Hire Co. Ltd. (Sunbelt Rentals) Atlas Copco Rental Europe Boels Rental Brendenoord B.V. Bruno SrL Caterpillar Inc. CGT Edilizia SpA Commercial De Maquinaria Morillo S.A. General De Alquiler De Maquinaria S.A Generator Power Ltd. HKL Baumaschinen GmbH HSS Hire Group plc Kiloutou S.A.S. LOXAM Group Medipower SrL MT Milantractor SpA Power Electrics Generators Ltd. Red-D-Arc Inc. Renta AS Speedy Hire plc United Rentals Inc. Visa SpA Key Topics Covered: I. Research Scope, Methodology, Definition. II. Segmentation by equipment output range, end user and application III. Executive Summary a. Revenues by end user b. Major data points c. Revenues d. Major trends e. Market drivers f. Market restraints g. Main market participants IV. Market Drivers V. Market Restraints VI. Market Trends a. Construction growth b. Data Centers: Power Limitations c. Decarbonization d. Fuel hybrid technology e. Alternative technologies f. Strategies: Distribution and depot restructuring g. Strategies: Partnerships and acquisitions h. Telematics VII. Market Data a. Total market revenue forecast b. Market share by business model c. Market share by end user d. Market share by fuel e. Market share by output VIII. Competitive Landscape a. Market share by company b. Competitive factors IX. United Kingdom a. United Kingdom market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company X. Germany a. Germany market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XI. France a. France market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XII. Benelux a. Benelux market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XIV. Nordics a. Nordics market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XV. Spain a. Spain market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XVI. Italy a. Italy market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company XVII. Rest of Europe a. Rest of Europe market revenue forecast b. Market share by end user c. Market share by fuel d. Market share by output e. Market share by application f. Market share by company For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ed9qj8 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005624/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wirex, a leading crypto payments company, is expanding the suite of top-up methods on their non-custodial wallet for Indian customers. The addition of this popular payment option to purchase crypto will make the digital economy more accessible for over 1 billion people in India. The Wirex Wallet is available globally and was created to make the benefits of DeFi available for everyday users. Considered one of the most accessible wallet products available, it offers an industry-leading user interface and high level of convenience, allowing users to manage over 100 different cryptocurrencies and NFTs from their mobile device. Wirex prioritises security, with resilient multi-computation (MPC) technology as well as a unique, keyless access system using biometrics. The company has now made it easier than ever for Wirex Wallet users in India to purchase crypto such as MATIC, BTC and DOGE, by adding another reliable, well-known payment method using mobile payment and bank transfer. This comes in addition to debit/credit and Apple/Google Pay options already available. With a direct on-ramp in place, it will save users large amounts of time, effort and gas fees without the need to exchange on other platforms. Wirex has rapidly expanded the blockchains offered on the Wirex Wallet to give users more choice, including Ethereum, Fantom, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, and recently, the Polygon blockchain. Combining the best of Ethereum and sovereign blockchains, Polygon has already proven hugely popular across the globe thanks to its low fees, fast transaction speeds and highly secure nature. Pavel Matveev, CEO and Co-Founder of Wirex, commented: "Having already gained a global reputation for innovation, we've released the Wirex Wallet to enable mainstream users to benefit from DeFi. Extending the features and functionality for customers in India is the next step in this. As the largest crypto market in the world, it's important that we provide a best in-class experience for users by offering the ultimate convenience, flexibility and security when using the app." Antoni Martin, Enterprise Lead at Polygon, commented: "Wirex continues to add new features and functionality to its user-focused platform and its expansion of payment methods will add to its work in onboarding new users as seamlessly as possible. Polygon is delighted to be a part of these efforts, and we hope we can do our part for the increased adoption of cryptocurrencies around the world." The launch of the Wallet develops the global Wirex ecosystem and bridges the gap between the traditional and digital economies. The award-winning Wirex app has already proven hugely popular with Indian customers, offering the ability to buy, hold, exchange and sell 50+ currencies from a single, intuitive app. In-app, users can benefit from their DeFi savings product, X-Accounts, to earn up to 20% APR interest on crypto funds. Today's announcement follows the release of a series of new alternative payment methods on the Wallet for those living in Malaysia, Indonesia and Portugal, and in the coming weeks, Wirex plans to add the Solana blockchain. App Store | Google Play Store The Wirex Wallet is a non-custodial wallet connecting users with defi services. The Wirex Wallet is not offered or developed by Wirex. See terms and conditions for more information. Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Notes to editors: About Wirex Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world's first crypto-enabled payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend crypto and traditional currencies in real life. Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life, Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for crypto and traditional currency transactions by incorporating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains With over 5 million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple crypto transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ traditional and cryptocurrencies in more than 68 million locations around the world using the Wirex card. Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licensing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex launched their own native utility token, WXT, and introduced the world's first crypto reward programme, Cryptoback, which earns cardholders up to 8% back in WXT for every transaction they make. To reflect the growth of the metaverse, throughout 2021, the company has expanded their product to enable mainstream access to DeFi. Starting with the launch of their popular X-Accounts feature, offering unprecedented levels of interest, Wirex has continued to add to their DeFi arsenal with the release of the non-custodial Wirex Wallet and a partnership with Nereus, a decentralised liquidity market. Wirex is based in London, with offices in Singapore, Kyiv, Dallas, Dublin and Atlanta. With over $5bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, including the US, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions. | wirexapp.com | Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1761027/Wirex_Logo.jpg LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Open Property Group research found that Northern Cities in England sell up to 2,200 detached houses annually, which is considerably more than detached property sales in the South. Using the latest 'House Price Statistics' data, it found that detached property sales in Leeds totalled 2,296 throughout the year of 2021, in comparison to Portsmouth which only sold 114 detached properties during the same time period. Currently, Wakefield is averaging annual detached property sales of 1,341 with Sheffield closely behind selling 1,107 detached houses during 2021. Stoke-on-Trent saw the biggest detached property sales increase over a 10-year period, of 181%. In 2021, detached house sales amounted to 1,028, in comparison to the 365 detached houses sold in Stoke-on-Trent in 2011. At the other end of scale, Cambridge and Oxford's 2021 detached property sales were 152 and 154 respectively. Interestingly, Oxford was the only city which experienced an annual decrease in detached property sales (of 0.6%) when comparing sales in 2021 to 2011. What does this mean for the North-South divide in terms of property stock and the growing desire to relocate further up north? Openpropertygroup.com Managing Director, Jason Harris-Cohen said: "The Government's Northern Powerhouse project - its vision for a super-connected, globally-competitive Northern economy - has allowed many Northern cities to evolve quickly and the advancements haven't gone unnoticed. Increased opportunities and a lower cost of living in the North has turned the heads of many home movers, especially Southerners, as prices have become unaffordable to upsize where they currently live and now have the flexibility to work remotely." "When it comes to moving home, much has been made of the 'race for space' over the last 2 years but our analysis clearly shows that the phenomenon is real. Increased buyer traffic is moving North. Purchasers are lapping up the ability to buy a detached property somewhere in Leeds or Birmingham, for example, for the same price as a one-bedroom flat in parts of London or the Home Counties," added Jason. "The sale of detached properties in Northern cities has also been bolstered by landlords chasing the best returns. Recent analysis found the UK's best yields were the North East (8.7%); Yorkshire and Humberside (both 7.5%) and the North West (6.7%). It's a no-brainer if landlords can sell a Southern-based investment, turn a profit, and reinvest in a detached buy-to-let in the North, with a better yield and money to spare," concluded Jason. 2021/2022 Cities in England: Detached Property Sales Cities 2011 Year-End Number of Detached Properties Sold 2021 Year-End Number of Detached Properties Sold 10-Year Annual Percentage Increase/Decrease Leeds 1,306 2,296 76% Wakefield 646 1,341 107% Birmingham 983 1,307 33% Sheffield 795 1,107 39% Stoke-on-Trent 365 1,028 181% Derby 740 959 30% Peterborough 692 935 35% York 601 708 18% St Albans 546 591 8% Newcastle Upon Tyne 287 578 101% Brighton 437 575 32% Nottingham 412 537 30% Sunderland 302 523 73% Carlisle 295 522 77% Wolverhampton 364 522 43% Lancaster 311 507 63% Coventry 334 492 47% Plymouth 365 482 32% Gloucester 348 427 22% Worcester 319 405 27% Liverpool 262 404 54% Salford 233 377 62% Leicester 346 360 4% Bristol 281 350 24% Exeter 239 318 33% Norwich 235 253 8% Manchester 205 229 12% Oxford 155 154 0.6% decrease Cambridge 181 152 16% Portsmouth 92 114 24% Sources: 2021/2022 House Price Statistics for Small Areas (HPSSAs) House prices and number of transactions have been calculated for property sales in England. For more information please visit www.openpropertygroup.com About Open Property Group Open Property Group are a professional house buying company who help people sell their properties quickly. They buy all types of properties, in any condition, throughout England and Wales. Homeowners benefit from selling their house fast, with a completion date fixed to the owners' requirements. By selling directly, you pay no agent fees, ?and can plan ahead with certainty. We also pay your agreed legal costs too. Media contact: David Donaldson +44 (0) 7427623617 david@openpropertygroup.com PDF - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1822892/Open_Property_Group_research.pdf Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Notification of Transaction 24 May 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") Notification and public disclosure of transaction As part of the Company's commitment to transparency, the Board intends to disclose details of transactions in the Company's shares by its Portfolio Manager, Nick Train. The Company has been notified that on 23 May 2022, Nick Train purchased 25,000 Ordinary Shares of 0.25 each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 782.4 pence per share. As a result of the transaction, Mr Train now holds interests in a total of 4,327,639 Ordinary Shares, representing an aggregate 1.9% of the Company's issued share capital. For further information: Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary 020 3170 8732 SAO PAULO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- J&T Express ("J&T"), an international express logistics company, announced today that it has officially launched its network in Brazil. This is another major step in J&T's expansion in the Latin American market, following the Company's launch of the network in Mexico. With the market entry in Brazil, J&T Express has successfully established its presence in two of the largest economies in Latin America and expanded its global delivery network to 12 countries in Asia and Latin America. Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by land area. It is also the largest economy in Latin America with the biggest and most developed e-commerce market in the region. According to The Brazilian Electronic Commerce Association (ABComm), in 2021, e-commerce sales in Brazil grew 74% compared to 2019. The rapidly growing e-commerce market presents significant opportunities for the express logistics industry. J&T Express has established its distribution network across Brazil, covering all 26 states and one federal district. Charles Hou, Group Vice President of J&T Express, said "Being part of a new generation of express logistics companies with an increased focus on internationalization, J&T Express is committed to providing users with more efficient and convenient services through our growing global operation network. J&T Express attaches great importance to expanding in the Latin American market and the launch in Brazil is an integral step in having a presence in the region. The success of the networks launched in Mexico and Brazil within a short time frame further demonstrates the benefits of the regional sponsorship model in our global expansion. It is also an important step for the company to continue to further cultivate emerging markets and expand its strategic global footprint." Andy Wang, Head of J&T Express Brazil, said "Compared to countries and regions with well-established e-commerce and logistics businesses, the Brazilian market is developing rapidly with a great potential for further growth. We believe J&T Express is well positioned to leverage its determination and capabilities in building local operations to establish a refined service network in Brazil and provide local customers with an efficient, convenient and quality logistics experience. Meanwhile, we also partnered with J&T International to provide one-stop cross-border services to our onshore e-commerce merchants, which primarily include custom clearance, overseas warehousing and last-mile delivery. " J&T Express' network now spans twelve countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Brazil, and serves over 2 billion people. About J&T Express J&T Express is a global logistics service provider with leading express delivery businesses in Southeast Asia and China, the largest and fastest-growing market in the world. Founded in 2015, J&T Express' network spans twelve countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Mexico and Brazil. Adhering to its "customer-oriented and efficiency-based" mission, J&T Express is committed to providing customers with integrated logistics solutions through intelligent infrastructure and digital logistics network, as part of its global strategy to connect the world with greater efficiency and bring logistical benefits to all. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1823740/J_T_Express_Brazil_launched_operation_officially.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721319/JT_Express_Logo.jpg BIRMINGHAM, Mich., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EOS Worldwide recently launched its entrepreneurship content on the World Economic Forum's Strategic Intelligence platform. As a global thought leader in the entrepreneurship space, EOS will feature its material in the Entrepreneurship Transformation Map. The World Economic Forum's dynamic knowledge tool - Transformation Maps - helps users explore and make sense of the complex and interlinked forces that are transforming economies, industries, and global issues. This allows users to visualise and understand more than 280 topics and the connections and interdependencies between them, helping, in turn, to support more informed decision-making by leaders. Transformation Maps are used by more than 30,000 global constituents, including leaders in business, government, international organisations, civil society, academia, the media, arts, and culture, as well as approximately 950,000 users from the general public. In addition to living on the World Economic Forum's site, Transformation Maps often serve as briefing materials and discussion aids for the participants and speakers during all World Economic Forum events, such as this week's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Kelly Knight, EOS Worldwide President and Integrator says, "This important partnership brings our help-first content to even more of the global entrepreneurship community and to those devoted to supporting women and all other minority entrepreneurs. As we chart our way to helping more than 100,000 businesses worldwide clarify their vision, gain traction and achieve team health through simple, proven and practical tools by 2030, we look forward to joining forces with world-class organisations like the World Economic Forum to support us in this mission." The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation and engages the foremost political, business, cultural, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation. It is independent, impartial, and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does. The World Economic Forum establishes content partnerships with experts to integrate content into its system of contextual intelligence. To access content, sign up for free at https://intelligence.weforum.org . From there, select your topics to explore your personalised news feed created from the Forum's latest articles, timely analyses and explainers. About EOS With over 500 EOS Implementers around the world, EOS Worldwide has helped thousands of entrepreneurs get everything they want from their businesses. The EOS Model offers a proven system of simple and practical tools used by entrepreneurial leaders of companies with 10-250 employees to clarify, simplify, and achieve their visions for business success. The 5 EOS Core Values are: Be Humbly Confident, Grow or Die, Help First, Do the Right Thing, and Do What We Say. For more information about EOS, visit www.eosworldwide.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1772610/EOS_Worldwide_Logo.jpg LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SourceFuse , a leading provider of bespoke cloud-native solutions for enterprises, today announced the appointment of Gautam Ghai, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, SourceFuse, to the Board of Directors at MadeBrave. MadeBrave is a creative agency that delivers informed, world-class content and impactful digital experiences. Gautam will play a key role in accelerating MadeBrave's creative deliverables, bringing the technological innovation behind its digital-ready solutions. This appointment followed SourceFuse's invitation to join the UK government's Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP), having successfully completed several significant implementations in the UK. Being recognized as a true digital transformation innovator by GEP has formed a significant milestone for SourceFuse on its mission to expand business in the UK & further strengthen its European presence. MadeBrave Founder & CEO, Andrew Dobbie , commented, "This is a hugely exciting and pivotal time for MadeBrave, as we continue to expand & grow internationally. As agency founder, I feel strongly that our board should reflect the diversity of our employees, as well as our global aspirations. Gautam brings this and much more, thanks to an impressive international career spanning 20 years." Andrew added, "Gautam's knowledge and understanding of how technological innovation can transform businesses, is inspiring and will be highly valued here at MadeBrave as we continue to leverage cutting-edge digital strategies - for both the agency & our clients." "Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a collective and through collaboration, which is why I am so thrilled to be joining the board at MadeBrave. My ambition is to help MadeBrave navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital transformation to positively impact, not just the agency's clients, but its team and operational structure too. At SourceFuse, our goal has always been to accelerate enterprises with a full spectrum of innovative, digital-first cloud-native solutions," said Gautam Ghai, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, SourceFuse . Gautam further added, "We will complement the capabilities of an established creative brand leader with our digital transformation capabilities and bring compelling value to the clients. Together, we will build one of the most impactful partnerships for clients ready to create the digital-first future." In the last year, SourceFuse achieved over 100% YOY revenue growth and employee growth, and over 95% renewal business compared with FY19-20. About SourceFuse About MadeBrave Media Contact: Mr. Vaidant Singh CMO, SourceFuse vaidant.singh@sourcefuse.com +1-800-578-3873. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1819528/SourceFuse_Logo.jpg Enhanced product to include significant operating enhancements and material design advances over the current offering ESCONDIDO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / CB Scientific. Inc. (OTCQB:CBSC) ("CBSC" or the "Company"), a designer, manufacturer, and distributor of non-invasive ambulatory cardiac monitoring products and services, today announced that it has entered the regulatory testing phase for its updated myCam cardiac event monitoring device. Regulatory testing not only demonstrates the myCam product's safety and efficacy but also represents an important milestone towards the company's efforts to obtain 510(k) "Clearance to Market" for the device from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "The enhanced design of our new myCam product provides improved power consumption, enhanced lead wire shielding, superior signal quality, and more cost-effective part sourcing," said Charles Martin, Chief Executive Officer of CB Scientific, Inc. "While this latest myCam product design maintains all of the core functionality our previous state-of-the-art auto-trigger device offers, it will most definitely better position the Company to compete effectively in the market going forward." The company anticipates the new myCam 510(k) submission will take place in the coming weeks, and once it receives regulatory clearance from the FDA the company expects to produce and deliver the product both domestically and internationally to markets such as Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, each of which requires FDA certification. As additional new developments occur, CB Scientific, Inc. plans to make timely announcements through press releases and regulatory filings to keep its shareholders, industry participants, and the public markets informed. About CB Scientific, Inc. CB Scientific, Inc., through its domestic and international subsidiaries, provides innovative products and services in the ambulatory non-invasive cardiac monitoring space. Our FDA and CE cleared EKG devices, interactive cloud-based acquisition software, and smartphone apps for both iOS and Android platforms provide improved compliance for patients at risk of abnormal heart rhythms, as well as more accurate information for physicians. Company Contact Information: Telephone: (888) 225-0870 Email: General Inquiries: info@cbscientificinc.com Investor Inquiries: Robert Hesse - dorchco.bh@gmail.com Follow CBSC: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Newsletter This information disclosure may contain forward-looking statements covered within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our services and products, statements about future market conditions, supply and demand conditions, and other expectations, intentions, and plans contained in this press release that are not historical fact and involve risks and uncertainties. Our expectations regarding future revenues depend upon our ability to develop and supply products and services that we may not produce today and that meet defined specifications. When used in this press release, the words "plan," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in technology and changes in pervasive markets. This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approval for anticipated actions. SOURCE: CB Scientific, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702462/CB-Scientific-Inc-Enters-Regulatory-Testing-Phase-for-Updated-myCam-Cardiac-Event-Monitoring-Device Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, fourth from left in front row, and Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, fifth from left in front row, and CEOs of leading Korean firms raise their fists during a ceremony to mark the declaration of the new entrepreneurial spirit at the KCCI building in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of KCCI By Lee Kyung-min Samsung Electronics will invest 450 trillion won ($355 billion) in the high-tech manufacturing of semiconductors, bio sectors and advanced telecommunications over the next five years, the company said Tuesday. This is the single largest domestic investment the chip giant has made so far. The amount is up 120 trillion won from 330 trillion won spent over the past five years. Eighty percent of the total will be locally invested, creating 80,000 jobs. "The funds will help the global leader in memory chip manufacturing cement itself as a semiconductor powerhouse," a Samsung official said. The investment decision by the tech giant coincided with similar announcements by other major conglomerates in addition to a collective move to strengthen their entrepreneurial pursuits. Hyundai Motor, Kia and Hyundai Mobis said they will invest a combined 63 trillion won in Korea over the next four years to strengthen electricity and eco-friendly technologies to bolster business competitiveness. HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Finland's jobless rate declined sharply and employment increased in April, figures from Statistics Finland showed on Tuesday. The unemployment rate trend for the 15 to 74 age group declined to 6.2 percent in April from 8.0 percent in the same month last year. In March, the unemployment rate was 6.4 percent. The jobless rate fell to 6.9 percent in April from 7.0 percent in the previous month. The number of unemployed persons decreased by 69,000 to 193,000 in April from 262,000 in the last year. The employment rate trend rose to 73.8 percent in April from 71.5 percent in the same month last year. The number of employed persons rose by 113,000 from a year ago to 2.589 million. 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, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Chakana Copper Corp. (TSXV: PERU) (OTCQB: CHKKF) (FSE: 1ZX) (the "Company" or "Chakana") is pleased to announce that it has completed the first tranche of its previously announced private placement (the "Private Placement") for 46,269,134 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of C$0.11 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$5,089,604. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of two years from closing of the Private Placement. The Company may accelerate the expiry of the Warrants in the event that for any ten consecutive trading days the closing price of the Shares is greater than $0.30. Pursuant to an agreement between the Company and Gold Fields Nazca Holdings Inc. ("Gold Fields"), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Gold Fields Limited, Gold Fields has exercised its participation right to purchase 8,140,909 Units in the first tranche of the Private Placement for total proceeds of C$895,500. In addition, directors and officers of the Company purchased an aggregate of 2,217,771 Units in the first tranche of the Private Placement for total proceeds of C$243,955. David Kelley, President and CEO commented, "We are very excited to see such strong support in this financing from Gold Fields and other investors that will allow us to continue our aggressive exploration program at Soledad. We will initiate a minimum 6,000m drill program in mid-June to test 12-15 new high-priority drill targets on the north half of the project where we are fully permitted. We currently have 122 targets defined across the entire prospective area of the project and will prioritize these in a targeting workshop with Gold Fields at the end of the month." The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement for exploration and development of the Company's high-grade copper-gold-silver discovery at the Soledad Project, located in the Ancash region of Peru, and for ESG programs, general working capital and administrative purposes. On January 11, 2022, the Company announced an initial inferred resource hosting 191,000 ounces of gold, 11.7 million ounces of silver, and 130 million pounds of copper in seven tourmaline breccia pipes. Chakana paid aggregate finder's fees of C$265,191 and issued 2,410,823 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") in connection with the first tranche of the Private Placement. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable to purchase one Share at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of two years from closing of the Private Placement. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on September 21, 2022 in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws in jurisdictions outside of Canada. Final closing of the Private Placement is subject to all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The common shares have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or sale would be unlawful. About Chakana Copper Corp Chakana Copper Corp is a Canadian-based minerals exploration company that is currently advancing the Soledad Project located in the Ancash region of Peru, a highly favorable mining jurisdiction with supportive communities. The Soledad Project is notable for the high-grade copper-gold-silver mineralization that is hosted in tourmaline breccia pipes. An initial inferred resource estimate for seven breccia pipes was announced in Q1 2022 (see news release dated February 23, 2022), with 6.73 Mt containing 191,000 ounces of gold, 11.7 million ounces of silver, and 130 million pounds of copper. In addition, extensive multidisciplinary exploration has defined 122 exploration targets, 18 of which have been tested to date (15%), confirming that Soledad is a large, well-endowed mineral system with strong exploration upside. Chakana's investors are uniquely positioned as the Soledad Project provides exposure to copper and precious metals. For more information on the Soledad project, please visit the website at www.chakanacopper.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD (signed) "David Kelley" David Kelley President and CEO For further information contact: Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer Phone: 647 964 0292 Email: jjobin@chakanacopper.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statement Advisory: This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the use of proceeds and completion of the Private Placement. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Chakana to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements or information relates to, among other things, the interpretation of the nature of the mineralization at the Soledad copper-gold-silver project (the "Project"), the potential to expand the mineralization, and to develop and grow a resource within the Project, the planning for further exploration work, the ability to de-risk the potential exploration targets, and our belief in the potential for mineralization within unexplored parts of the Project. 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. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125032 Manchester and London Investment Trust PLC (The Company) Result of AGM Update The Company notes that more than 20% of votes were cast against the resolution to re-elect David Harris, as a Director the Company at the last AGM, the results of which were released on 3 November 2021. The UK Corporate Governance Code requires companies to provide an update within six months of an AGM where more than 20% of votes were cast against a resolution. To better understand shareholders concerns with a view to identifying how such concerns can be addressed, the Board of the Company reached out to shareholders to gain an understanding of their concerns. No conclusive response was received from shareholders of the Company. The Company further notes that since the publication of the AGM results, David Harris retired as a non-executive Director and Chairman of the Company with effect from 26 November 2021. Daniel Wright, a non-executive Director of the Company, was appointed as Chairman in his place with effect from 26 November 2021. Berkeley, CA, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the first time in its decade-long history, the Breakthrough Journal has received a makeover and is now on US and global shelves, including in Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. The new issue, "Climate Geopolitics," focuses on how global climate action efforts often divorce geopolitical problems from their historical contexts in order to make them fit within the framework of climate change. The Breakthrough Journal is the Breakthrough Institute's quarterly magazine delivering pragmatic opinion and analysis, grounded in the belief that even our most wicked environmental problems have technological solutions. Now on shelves in the US, Canada, Europe, and Middle East. Look for it at Barnes & Noble and other magazine retailers. Click here for the online edition. The issue includes 7 essays, 3 responses, and one board game review. Authors include: Ted Nordhaus, Breakthrough's Founder, and Executive Director; Nils Gilman, VP of Programs at the Berggruen Institute; Vijaya Ramachandran, Director for Energy and Development at Breakthrough; Arthur Baker Associate Director at the University of Chicago's Development Innovation Lab; Yaqiu Wang, Senior China Researcher at Human Rights Watch; And more! Sneak peak at this issue's incisive commentary: Breakthrough executive director Ted Nordhaus opens the issue with "Am I the Mass Murderer?" a searing look at efforts to discredit all but the most apocalyptic visions of the planet's future. It is far better, he urges, to understand the possible consequences of climate change as a race between two trends: The planet is warming, yes, but greater societal wealth is also increasing our resilience against the very changes warming will bring. The choice, he concludes, is not between survival and extinction, but "rather between marginally better and worse futures-futures that will be shaped by a kaleidoscope of forces, most of them having not so much to do with climate change." In "The Guns of Warming," Berggruen Institute's Nils Gilman explores the genesis of the idea that climate change will have serious national security implications-an effort, he writes, led by security analysts looking to get the government to take warming seriously. "As time has gone by," though, "that strategy has become more and more dubious." Rather than "motivating a Great War on Climate Change," he argues, "the defense establishment's focus on climate-related security challenges has instead served as little more than a justification for enriching the military-industrial complex" in support of the same old goals it always had. In "Beijing's Green Fist," Human Rights Watch's Yaiqu Wang notes that because of the scale of Chinese emissions, many are desperate for China's cooperation and have applauded its bold commitments to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. Before people "get giddy about working with Chinese authorities on climate change," Wang warns, "they should have a better understanding of the work Chinese authorities actually intend to do, and the human rights abuses built into it." From recording devices in trash can lids to forced labor in Xinjiang, "it is increasingly clear that the Chinese government has been exploiting environmental causes to consolidate political control and expand its power at the expense of human rights." In "Let Them Eat Carbon," BTI's Vijaya Ramachandran and University of Chicago's Arthur Baker find that the World Bank and others are increasingly bowing to pressure to ban loans to the least developed countries for fossil fuels. That makes little sense, though, as either a development strategy or a way to combat climate change, they write in "Let Them Eat Carbon." "Pressuring low- and lower-middle-income countries to replace plans for gas power with solar or wind energy will have limited climate benefits," since "those countries' emissions are drops in the bucket." Meanwhile, "reducing poverty is not feasible without access to cheap and reliable energy," and that energy won't come without investment in existing energy infrastructure. From the executive editor, Kathryn Salam: Before I came on as editor of the Breakthrough Journal, I spent years in foreign policy journalism. From that perch, covering the climate always presented a challenge. It was clear that it was important to do, but how to do so both responsibly and in a way that would attract eyeballs was less straightforward. The stories that did the best were routinely the ones that flouted my sense of best practices. They catastrophized, they decontextualized, they treated climate change as divorced from the big international relations concepts-sovereignty, realpolitik, self-interest-that were more rigorously applied to other topics in global affairs. In turn, climate became less a subject to examine through existing frameworks and more a framework into which every other topic might be jammed. Coverage looked to the implications of global warming for conflict, democracy, development, international cooperation, and the like, rather than what geopolitics, for example, might mean for dealing with the climate. I think that's unhelpful-or at the very least, inadequate. And I hope the pieces collected in this issue offer a corrective. From security, to development, to human rights, and beyond, these essays show how a big issue in geopolitics came to be wrapped in a climate coating, why that's harmful to international progress and the climate, and what a more serious approach to both might look like. Attachment BIRMINGHAM, England, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonacus Ltd, leading provider of genetic testing products for precision medicine and liquid biopsy, is very pleased to announce the appointment of Johan Vanderhoeven as Director of Sales and Support. Johan's responsibilities will encompass sales and support team leadership, accelerating Nonacus's revenue through expanding its presence in new geographies, development of new channels and contributing to the company's business strategies. Johan brings over 16 years of sales and leadership experience in the life sciences and diagnostics area to Nonacus. Prior to joining Nonacus, Johan gained expertise growing and leading high-performance sales teams globally at Integrated DNA Technologies (Coralville, Iowa, USA) and Sophia Genetics (Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland). He holds a Master in Bioengineering and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the Free University of Brussels in Belgium. Commenting on this appointment, CEO of Nonacus, Chris Sale said, "We are happy to welcome Johan to Nonacus. His exceptional leadership skills and deep knowledge of our sector will enable us to scale our commercial footprint to accelerate our global growth and support Nonacus's vision and mission to enable widespread access to cutting edge, affordable genetic testing for cancer patients worldwide". "I am honored to join the Nonacus team and help to build on the solid foundation developed over the last years. Nonacus is perfectly positioned to help researchers and healthcare workers strive for better patient experience and enhanced diagnostic performance in order to fight cancer and other diseases. I'm thrilled to contribute to this extraordinary mission and look forward to expanding our efforts globally", stated Johan Vanderhoeven, Director of Sales & Support, Nonacus. About Nonacus Nonacus is focused on delivering innovative technologies to the genomic healthcare sector through the use of cell free circulating DNA as a non-invasive diagnostic tool. Nonacus was created by a team of highly motivated scientists and sector professionals with experience in translating research into routine diagnostic tools that benefit patients. Nonacus provides a complete workflow for liquid biopsy analysis with the goal of enabling better cancer care through earlier diagnosis, treatment stratification and monitoring. For further media information please contact Paula Miquel, Head of Marketing, Nonacus Ltd, +44 7956 988416, paula.miquel@nonacus.com. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824728/Johan_Vanderhoeven_Director_of_Sales.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824555/Nonacus_logo.jpg XIAMEN, China, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Milesight, a global AIoT solution provider, announced its upgrade of brand identity earlier this year, marking the embarking on a new journey to AIoT. State-of-the-art Technologies in the AIoT Industry 5G, LoRaWAN and AIoT Technologies are essential driving forces towards the trend of IoE (Internet of Everything). With the development and maturity of these advanced technologies, they combine with each other, become popular, and penetrate into all walks of life. To further announce the entry into AIoT industry, Milesigiht unveiled a new brand identity. Moreover, a new headquarters, itself a smart building empowered by Milesight AIoT solutions, has been established and fully operational. First-Rate Milesight Products As a fast-growing AIoT solution provider, Milesight manufactures products with exceptional flexibility and reliability for the global market. 5G AIoT Camera, a milestone of Milesight's initial success in combining 5G and AIoT, is a breakthrough in the field of video surveillance and IoT, which is beyond just data collection and drawing actionable insights. It can transmit and receive video data wirelessly through a SIM card, and ingest various sensor data, like temperature and water level information. For more information about Video Surveillance, please visit: https://www.milesight.com/ Furthermore, another successful example of converging IoT and LoRaWAN technologies is IAQ Sensor, which provides straightforward data directly shown on display and cloud platform to help people see and improve the indoor air quality, reinforce health, and maintain business continuity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 47,000 IAQ Sensors were deployed in Canadian Schools, helping increase ventilation and filtration, while building a healthier learning environment for students. For more information about IoT, please visit: https://www.milesight-iot.com/ Committed to Providing AIoT Products and Solutions By perfectly combining cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, LoRaWAN, AI and IoT, Milesight is heading for a new journey to AIoT, with a commitment to offering more and more advanced AIoT solutions such as smart city, smart building, smart agriculture etc., contributing to a more intelligent and connected world. Milesight is always passionate about connectivity of everything. With the new brand identity, Milesight will keep thriving in AIoT world with more connected and integrated products and solutions to come. Contact Us For Video Surveillance Telephone: +86-592-5922772 Sales Team: sales@milesight.com Marketing Team: marketing@milesight.com For IoT Telephone: +86-592-5085280 Sales Team: iot.sales@milesight.com Marketing Team: iot.marketing@milesight.com DZ BANK AG: Post-Stabilisation Notice Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. DZ BANK AG (contact: Nicole Zorn; telephone: +49 69 7447 6234) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities. The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Wuerth Finance International EUR Be Guarantor (if any): Adolf Wuerth GmbH & Co. KG ISIN: XS2480515662 Aggregate nominal amount:EUR 600 Mio. Description: Fixed rate, due 23th of August 2030 Offer price: 99.638 % Other offer terms: Payment 23 May 2022, Listing Luxembourg Stock Exchange Exchange, denominations:1k Maturity 23th of August 2030 Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilising Manager(s): DZ BANK AG UBS Unicredit Santander Stabilisation period commences 23th of May 2022 Stabilisation period expected to No later than 30 days after the proposed end on: issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and The Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot conditions of use of over-allotment the securities to the extent permitted in facility. Accordance with applicable law. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. TORONTO, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EV Technology Group Ltd. (the "Company" or "EVTechnology Group") (NEO: EVTG, DE: B96A) announces today that its wholly owned subsidiary MOKE France SAS ("MOKE France"), will collaborate with renowned French artist, Quentin Monge. To mark the collaboration, Quentin, who was born in the south of France, will be installing a series of digital and physical artworks, inspired by the heritage of the MOKE, bringing to life the charming, colourful and unique aesthetic of the brand. His work embodies the vibrant atmosphere of the Mediterranean, integrating nature, the coastline and the exclusive art-de-vivre of the region. Quentin has previously been commissioned to work with many leading brands on a series of designs, including Hermes, Airbnb, Vespa and L'Occitane. For MOKE France, his installations will adorn the walls of the flagship store 'Casa MOKE' in Saint-Tropez, to bring the spirit of the brand to life. Customers will be transported by images portraying a typical day on vacation in the South of France. They will be able to purchase limited edition MOKE merchandise, designed specially by Quentin. Willy Gruyelle (CEO of MOKE France), Quentin Monge (artist) and Wouter Witvoet (CEO and Founder of EV Technology Group) "We are delighted to work with Quentin Monge to help deepen the MOKE brand's relationship with an aspirational and international audience. Quentin is an incredibly well-respected artist and we're honoured to be unveiling his work this summer," said Willy Gruyelle, CEO of MOKE France. "In each flagship MOKE store we help open around the world, we will stay true to the authenticity of the MOKE brand - but invite in local cultural influences," said Wouter Witvoet, EVT Group CEO. "Quentin is renowned globally and his work has a special resonance in France; we are delighted to have his artistic vision inspiring our first customers in France this Summer." "Growing up under the sunny colours of Provence, I've spent my childhood seeing people driving MOKEs to go to the beach. As an artist, I love minimalist brands that became more than what they were created for. That's why it did not take me long to connect with the project: MOKE is more than a car, it's a way of life!" said Quentin Monge. EV Technology Group EV Technology Group was founded in 2021 with the vision to electrify iconic brands - and the mission to redefine the joy of motoring for the electric age. By acquiring iconic brands and bringing beloved motoring experiences to the electric age, EV Technology Group is driving the EV revolution forward. Backed by a diversified team of passionate entrepreneurs, engineers and driving enthusiasts, EV Technology Group creates value for its customers by owning the total customer experience - acquiring and partnering with iconic brands with significant growth potential in unique markets, and controlling end-to-end capabilities. To learn more visit: https://evtgroup.com/ MOKE MOKE and the MOKE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of MOKE International Limited in the European Union and other territories. MOKE International Limited Media Rachael D'Amore rachael@talkshopmedia.com +1519-564-9850 Investor Relations Dave Gentry dave@redchip.com +14074914498 EV Technology Group Wouter Witvoet CEO and Chairman of the Board wouter@evtgroup.com Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, MOKE France SAS and its collaboration with Quentin Monge, Casa MOKE and EV Technology Group operations, expectations, and future actions. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "planned", "reflecting", "will", "containing", "remaining", "to be", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements, including those factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the filing statement of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except where required by law. There can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. THE NEO STOCK EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9e440cd-b639-4f7c-8b1e-4918cbcaa3e0 Power Nickel Invites Individual and Institutional Investors As Well as Advisors and Analysts, To Attend Its Real-Time, Interactive Presentation at the Emerging Growth Conference TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Power Nickel Inc. (the "Company") (TSXV:PNPN)(OTCQB:CMETF)(FRA:IVVI) is pleased to announce that it has been invited to present at the Emerging Growth Conference on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 The next Emerging Growth Conference is presented on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. This live, interactive online event will give existing shareholders and the investment community the opportunity to interact with the Company's CEO Terry Lynch in real-time. Mr. Lynch will be talking about recent developments in Power Nickel's ongoing exploration of the High-Grade Nisk Nickel Project near James Bay Quebec. Power Nickel is expected to release an updated 43-101 on Nisk sometime in Q2. Mr. Lynch will be discussing this at the presentation and open the floor for questions. Please ask your questions during the event and Mr. Lynch will do his best to get through as many of them as possible. Power Nickel will be presenting at 10:45 AM Eastern time for 30 minutes. Please register here to ensure you are able to attend the conference and receive any updates that are released. https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1541770&tp_key=bb5f3aef5f&sti=cmetf If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available on EmergingGrowth.com and we will also release a link to that after the event. About the Emerging Growth Conference The Emerging Growth conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services, and other major announcements to the investment community from the convenience of their office, in a time-efficient manner. The Conference focus and coverage include companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and the overall potential for long-term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of Individual and Institutional investors, as well as Investment advisors and analysts. All sessions will be conducted through video webcasts and will take place in the Eastern time zone. About Power Nickel Inc. Power Nickel is a Canadian junior exploration company focusing on high-potential copper, gold, and battery metal prospects in Canada and Chile. On February 1, 2021, Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) completed the acquisition of its option to acquire up to 80% of the Nisk project from Critical Elements Lithium Corp. (CRE:TSXV) The NISK property comprises a large land position (20 kilometers of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts. Power Nickel, formerly Chilean Metals is focused on confirming and expanding its current high-grade nickel-copper PGE mineralization historical resource by preparing a new Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with NI 43-101, identifying additional high-grade mineralization, and developing a process to potentially produce nickel sulphates responsibly for batteries to be used in the electric vehicles industry. Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) announced on June 8th, 2021 that an agreement has been made to complete the 100% acquisition of its Golden Ivan project in the heart of the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle has reported mineral resources (past production and current resources) in a total of 67 million ounces of gold, 569 million ounces of silver, and 27 billion pounds of copper. This property hosts two known mineral showings (gold ore and magee), and a portion of the past-producing Silverado mine, which was reportedly exploited between 1921 and 1939. These mineral showings are described to be Polymetallic veins that contain quantities of silver, lead, zinc, plus/minus gold, and plus/minus copper. Power Nickel is the 100-per-cent owner of five properties comprising over 50,000 acres strategically located in the prolific iron-oxide-copper-gold belt of northern Chile. It also owns a 3-per-cent NSR royalty interest on any future production from the Copaquire copper-molybdenum deposit, recently sold to a subsidiary of Teck resources Inc. Under the terms of the sale agreement, Teck has the right to acquire one-third of the 3-per-cent NSR for $3-million at any time. The Copaquire property borders Teck's producing Quebrada Blanca copper mine in Chile's first region. For further information on Power Nickel Inc., please contact: Mr. Terry Lynch, CEO 647-448-8044 terry@powernickel.com For further information, readers are encouraged to contact: Power Nickel Inc. The Canadian Venture Building 82 Richmond St East, Suite 202 Toronto, ON ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terry Lynch & CEO Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement This news release may contain certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that PNPN expects to occur, including details related to the proposed spin-out transactions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding current and future exploration programs, activities, and results. Although PNPN believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration success, continued availability of capital and financing, inability to obtain required regulatory or governmental approvals, and general economic, market, or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Power Nickel View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702459/Power-Nickel-to-Present-at-the-Emerging-Growth-Conference-on-Wednesday-May-25-2022 Semperis experiencing hyper-growth attributed to its solutions' unique capability to defend and recover from directory-based attacks combined with the company's incident response expertise Semperis, a pioneer in identity-driven cyber resilience for enterprises, today announced it has raised over $200 million in Series C funding led by KKR, with participation from Ten Eleven Ventures, Paladin Capital Group, Atrium Health Strategic Fund, Tech Pioneers Fund, and existing investors including Insight Partners. Semperis is the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in America per the Financial Times 2022 ranking. The new funding will help enable Semperis to accelerate hiring across all functions globally to better support its expanding customer base, with an emphasis on its identity-focused incident response team. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220519006087/en/ Members of the Semperis leadership team photographed outside of the company's global headquarters in Hoboken, New Jersey. (Photo: Business Wire) Identity systems such as Microsoft Active Directory (AD) and Azure AD, used in over 90% of enterprises, are coming under sustained attack. With its multi-layered defense approach before, during, and after an attack, Semperis offers the industry's most comprehensive security technology for hybrid AD and other identity systems, combined with incident response expertise. "From day one, Semperis has been on a mission to be a force for good," said Semperis CEO Mickey Bresman, who co-founded Semperis along with Guy Teverovsky and Matan Liberman. "With Semperis' multi-layered identity protection, organizations can fend off cyber attacks without being forced to choose between two bad options: paying the criminals or getting shut down. With the combined experience that KKR, Ten Eleven Ventures, Insight Partners, and other esteemed investors in this round bring scaling high-growth cybersecurity companies, we have an elite group of strategic partners in our corner to help advance our mission." KKR is investing in Semperis through its Next Generation Technology Growth Fund II, a fund dedicated to growth equity investment opportunities in the technology space. Ben Pederson, Director on KKR's Tech Growth team, has joined Semperis' Board of Directors. "A very dedicated customer base, including a growing number of the largest organizations in the world, trust Semperis to defend their critical identity systems from cyberattacks," said Ben Pederson. "The vast majority of attacks today are identity-based, targeting credentials to infiltrate businesses. Semperis' leading identity protection technology and incident response expertise are delivering category-defining innovation, and KKR is proud to back their mission." In addition to scaling its staff, Semperis is dedicating a significant portion of the funding round to research and development to drive further innovation in the identity system defense market, focusing on its Directory Services Protector platform, which Gartner categorizes as an identity threat detection and response (ITDR) solution. Gartner included ITDR in its top cybersecurity trends for 2022, noting that credential misuse is a primary method attackers use to access systems and achieve their goals. "Semperis is driving innovation in one of the most historically overlooked but critical areas of cybersecurity: identity system defense," said Ten Eleven Ventures Founder and General Partner, Mark Hatfield. "This new funding round, among the largest cybersecurity raises so far in 2022, will enable Semperis to continue to grow its commanding position in this increasingly important market segment." "We're thrilled to participate in another funding round with Semperis and continue to offer support for our mutually successful strategic partnership," said Insight Partners Managing Director, Teddie Wardi. "We believe in Semperis' unique approach of securing the foundational identity infrastructure, which combines industry-leading technology and incident response support to offer customers a complete identity system defense." Frost Sullivan awarded Semperis the 2022 Competitive Strategy Leadership Award based on the company's innovation and customer impact in the global AD security and recovery market. "Semperis has unmatched experience in breach preparedness and incident response to Active Directory and other identity-based cyberattacks," said Frost Sullivan Industry Principal, Sarah Pavlak. "Semperis' solution-based approach focuses not only on their premier technology to meet customer challenges but also best practices and guidance for people and processes, setting them apart from their competitors." For more information about Semperis' directory protection technology and expertise or to learn about open career opportunities, visit Semperis.com. About Semperis For security teams charged with defending hybrid and multi-cloud environments, Semperis ensures the integrity and availability of critical enterprise directory services at every step in the cyber kill chain and cuts recovery time by 90%. Purpose-built for securing hybrid Active Directory environments, Semperis' patented technology protects over 50 million identities from cyberattacks, data breaches, and operational errors. The world's leading organizations trust Semperis to spot directory vulnerabilities, intercept cyberattacks in progress, and quickly recover from ransomware and other data integrity emergencies. Semperis is headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, and operates internationally, with its research and development team distributed throughout the United States, Canada, and Israel. Semperis hosts the award-winning Hybrid Identity Protection conference and podcast series (www.hipconf.com) and built the free Active Directory security assessment tool, Purple Knight (www.purple-knight.com). The company has received the highest level of industry accolades, recently named to Inc. Magazine's list of best workplaces for 2022 and ranked the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in America by the Financial Times. Semperis is a Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Alliance and Co-Sell partner. Twitter https://twitter.com/SemperisTech LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/semperis Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SemperisTech YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCycrWXhxOTaUQ0sidlyN9SA About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co. About Ten Eleven Ventures Ten Eleven Ventures is the original venture capital firm focused solely on investing in digital security. The firm invests globally and at all stages, from seed to growth (the latter via its Joint Investment Alliance with KKR). Since its founding in Silicon Valley in 2015, Ten Eleven Ventures has raised nearly $US 500 million and invested in 40 leading cybersecurity companies including Twistlock, Verodin, Cylance, KnowBe4, Darktrace, and Ping Identity. For more information, please visit www.1011vc.com or follow us on Twitter @1011vc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220519006087/en/ Contacts: Media: For Semperis: Ashley Crutchfield, fama PR 617-986-5025 semperis@famapr.com For KKR: Julia Kosygina and Miles Radcliffe-Trenner 212-750-8300 media@kkr.com For Ten Eleven Ventures: Megan Dubofsky 917-576-5590 mdubofsky@1011vc.com Chinas Zhejiang solidly pushes forward construction of common prosperity demonstration zone People's Daily Online) 11:17, May 24, 2022 East Chinas Zhejiang Province has taken vigorous measures to advance the high-quality development of 26 mountainous counties and narrow the development gaps between various areas in the province. The province is solidly pushing forward the construction of a common prosperity demonstration zone according to a plan issued by the State Council in May 2021 which says that New progress will be made each year and major breakthroughs should be made in five years, in advancing construction of the project, with the demonstration zone to be basically built in 15 years. Zhejiang has built 79 industrial parks which are dedicated to advancing common prosperity. Of these industrial parks, 37 have helped more than 3,000 villages increase their collective incomes by a total of more than 400 million yuan ($59.76 million). At a dried noodle workshop in Gouxi township, Quzhou city, Zhejiang, Chen Jiasheng, owner of the business, was drying noodles. The Yuhang district of Hangzhou city, the provincial capital, helped me build the workshop. I can earn about 400 to 500 yuan a day when I do a roaring trade, said Chen. Zhejiang Duma Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. is located in the Jiaojiang district of Taizhou city, Zhejiang. The production line of the company, which boasts various high-efficiency manufacturing equipment, is able to produce a cabinet in just one minute. Days ago, the company received a big order for sewing machines. Due to the problem of capital turnover, the company encountered difficulties in keeping up with the order. The taxation bureau of the Jiaojiang district, which used big data to monitor the operations of companies located in the district, found that Zhejiang Duma Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. was eligible to enjoy preferential tax and fee policies. In just half a day, the bureau granted a subsidy of more than 1 million yuan ($148,700) to enable the company to expand its production capacity. By the end of 2021, there were 8.68 million market entities in Zhejiang, an increase of 652,000 compared with the previous year. In the first quarter of 2022, the value added of private companies among all industrial companies above the designated size in the province rose 11 percent year-on-year, introduced an official with the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission. Photo shows raspberries on sale at a village in Linqi township, Chunan county, Hangzhou. (Photo/Xinhua) On May 13, a raspberry festival was held in Linqi township, Chunan county, Hangzhou. Credible sources say there are 21,000 mu (1,400 hectares) of raspberry plantations in the township, with the planting business being able to provide jobs for over 300 people and generate over 5,000 yuan of income a year for each person involved in the business. The raspberry is a cash cow for us, said a local villager. In 2021, the pace of growth of rural residents income was 1.2 percentage points faster than that of urban residents in Zhejiang, while the pace of growth of low-income villagers income was 4.4 percentage points faster than that of the average villager in the province. In addition, Zhejiang has taken measures to lift the minimum wage at a steady pace and has pushed for reasonable income growth for low-income workers, especially frontline workers. In February 2022, the Zhejiang Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department set the targets of creating over 5 million new urban jobs and raising the highest monthly minimum wage to about 3,000 yuan, by 2025. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) U.S. President Joe Biden, left, attends a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace, May 23, in Tokyo. AP-Yonhap The leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States met in Tokyo, Tuesday, seeking common ground on countering China's growing regional economic and military clout. The summit of the so-called Quad group takes place as Beijing beefs up its military and carries out exercises and maneuvers around disputed territory, including Taiwan. On Monday, US President Joe Biden warned China it was "flirting with danger" as it steps up military activity around the self-ruled island, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Biden said Washington would be ready to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan, prompting China to warn the United States it was "playing with fire" and not to underestimate the country's "firm resolve, staunch will and strong ability". Japan too has gradually upped its rhetoric on Beijing's military moves, cautioning China against attempts to "unilaterally change the status quo by force". Tokyo is partnering with Washington to monitor Chinese naval activity, and is particularly concerned about movement around the disputed territory that Japan calls the Senkaku Islands and Beijing the Diaoyu Islands. Against this backdrop, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed Biden, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Among some of the four, there are hopes that the loose alliance is being transformed into a more formidable bloc capable of presenting a unified front to Beijing. "The Quad is showing the world that cooperation among democracies can get big things done," Biden said Monday after talks with Kishida. But that unity is complicated by divisions with India the only Quad member that has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Biden and his allies have linked a strong response to Moscow's war to Beijing's regional ambitions, insisting sanctions on Russia are a deterrent to other powers considering unilateral military action. That has made India's pointed refusal to pick sides in the conflict all the more delicate a subject. And India is likely to push for a softer overall tone to any joint Quad statement, shying away from the more muscular language employed by Washington, Canberra and Tokyo in recent months. Past statements have focused on calling for a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and warnings against "unilateral" moves in the region without directly naming China. "The Quad gives the impression that it is focused on ways to counter China. "But India will likely take a neutral stance," Kazuhiro Maeshima, a professor of U.S. politics at Tokyo's Sophia University, told AFP. "In order not to pressure India, (Japan and the U.S.) might focus on things like the economy and climate change," he added. The meeting will be something of a diplomatic trial by fire for Australia's Albanese, who flew to Tokyo within hours of being officially inaugurated as prime minister. The 59-year-old centre-left Labor Party leader said the Tokyo talks would be "a good way to send a message to the world that there's a new government in Australia". Biden arrived in Japan, Sunday, after a three-day visit to Seoul as he tries to reassure Asian allies his administration has not been distracted by the war in Ukraine. Hanging over the regional tour has been the threat that North Korea could be planning fresh missile launches or even a nuclear weapons test. Speculation that a launch could happen when Biden was in Seoul did not materialize, but Washington has said it remains "prepared" and Pyongyang's missile program is also likely to be on the Quad agenda. (AFP) The "Italy Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Italian construction industry's growth momentum is expected to slow in 2022, with the publisher expecting the industry to expand by 2.3%, following the jump in activity last year, when output expanded by 21.3%. The growth for 2022 has been revised down from the previously estimated 3.2%, given the expectation that construction output will be impacted by the surge in energy prices and disruptions in the supply of construction materials, which has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The industry's growth over the forecast period is expected to be driven by the European Union (EU) Coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery fund, with increased government expenditure towards healthcare and infrastructure. The government is set to receive EUR191.5 billion ($233 billion) in total under Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) for the period of 2021-2026. In February 2022, the European Commission gave preliminarily approval for the first tranche of EUR21 billion under NRRP. In December 2021, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a finance agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Finance to create a 'Fund of Funds' for an initial amount of EUR772 million ($922.3 million) under the NRRP, in order to support private promoters and public-private partnership (PPP) projects under urban renewal projects, and to help the tourism sector recover from the damage caused by the pandemic. Support for projects will begin in the second quarter of 2022. The government approved the Budgetary Plan for 2022-2024 in December 2021, under which EUR21.4 billion ($26 billion) will be allocated in 2022. The draft budget also plans to allocate EUR2 billion ($2.4 billion) for the period of 2022-2024 to improve health and medical care facilities. A sum of EUR15.4 billion ($18.7 billion) is also planned to finance contracts from the State Railways and the National Motorway Agency. The publisher expects the construction industry to register annual average growth of 1.7% between 2023-2026, supported by investments in transport, energy, data center and manufacturing projects. Under the Infrastructure Operational Plan, the government plans to invest EUR5.3 billion ($6.2 billion) on the development of port, road, and rail infrastructure up to 2025. The government's focus on reducing carbon emissions and support for renovating buildings to make them more energy efficient will also support industry growth. Scope Historical (2017-2021) and forecast (2022-2026) valuations of the construction industry in Italy, featuring details of key growth drivers Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Reasons to Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using the publisher's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts Understand the latest industry and market trends Formulate and validate strategy using the publisher's critical and actionable insight Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures Evaluate competitive risk and success factors Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Construction Industry: At-a-Glance 3 Context 3.1 Economic Performance 3.2 Political Environment and Policy 3.3 Demographics 3.4 COVID-19 Status 3.5 Risk Profile 4 Construction Outlook 4.1 All Construction Outlook Latest news and developments Construction Projects Momentum Index 4.2 Commercial Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.3 Industrial Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.4 Infrastructure Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.5 Energy and Utilities Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.6 Institutional Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 4.7 Residential Construction Outlook Project analytics Latest news and developments 5 Key Industry Participants 5.1 Contractors 5.2 Consultants 6 Construction Market Data 7 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/71x4by View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005694/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 The "Lithuania Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The publisher expects the Lithuanian construction industry to expand by 3.2% in real terms in 2022, following a marginal annual decline of 0.2% in 2021. The industry's output in 2022 will be driven primarily by government spending on improving the country's transport infrastructure and the continuation of residential projects started in 2021. The industry's output in 2022 is also likely to spurred by falling Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, coupled with progress in the country's vaccination drive. This will help the government in relaxing COVID-19-related restrictions in the country and promoting the restart of economic activity in the commercial sector. However, rising materials prices caused by external factors threaten to drive up construction costs to record levels, which may deter investment into new projects throughout 2022. In addition, a ban on exporting products to Belarus a major trade partner of Lithuania as part of a package of sanctions against Russia and its allies, could further weigh on investments in the industry. Moreover, Lithuania's proximity to the Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to weaken investor confidence in the country over the short and medium term, as further escalation of the conflict could result in Russian forces targeting the Baltic states. The construction industry is expected to be supported by high levels of public investment in 2022. The government approved the 2022 Budget in December 2021, which includes an expenditure of EUR16.6 billion ($20.2 billion) in 2022, marking a 15.6% growth compared to an expenditure of EUR12.4 billion ($14.2 billion) in 2021. The budget includes an allocation of EUR193.9 million ($235.9 million) for the energy sector, EUR958.6 million ($1.2 billion) for the education sector and EUR3 billion ($3.6 billion) for the healthcare sector. Between 2023 and 2026, the industry is expected to register an annual average growth of 4.1%, buoyed by investments on infrastructure, renewable energy, and residential projects. According to the energy minister Dainius Kreivys, the country will receive EUR10 billion ($12.2 billion) in green energy investments by 2030, including EUR3.5 billion ($4.3 billion) from the private sector and significant financing from EU funds. In December 2021, the government announced the proposed Lithuanian National Road Development and Maintenance Strategy up to 2035; it includes a goal of modernizing the country's highways, improving the condition of roads and bridges, continuing gravel road pavement covering an area of over 1,900km, developing bicycle path infrastructure covering an area of over 1,300km and upgrading over 1,700 pedestrian crossings. Scope Historical (2017-2021) and forecast (2022-2026) valuations of the construction industry in Lithuania, featuring details of key growth drivers Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Reasons to Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using the publisher's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts Understand the latest industry and market trends Formulate and validate strategy using the publisher's critical and actionable insight Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures Evaluate competitive risk and success factors Key Topics Covered: 1. Construction Outlook 2. Construction Industry: At-a-Glance 3. Latest News and Developments 4. Project Analytics 5. Construction Market Data 6. Risk Profile For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/btya0j View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005706/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) announced Monday a new phase of their ongoing partnership with locally-based natural gas company CNX Resources Corp. (CNX) aimed at further reducing carbon emissions in the transportation industry and related sectors by using natural gas produced at the airport and converted into alternative fuel with CNX proprietary technology. The agreement comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this week from Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf about a statewide initiative to secure a hydrogen hub and large-scale carbon storage system in Pennsylvania, bringing further partnership opportunities to PIT. CNX has developed proprietary technology to cost-effectively convert on-site dry natural gas into liquified natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), and electricity for various uses including as a hydrogen feedstock. These technologies will reduce local emissions and further reduce operating costs at the airport. The strategy also envisions a sustainable fuel hub at PIT utilizing locally sourced, lower-cost, lower-carbon intensity LNG and CNG fueling depots. As part of the agreement, CNX will develop the Utica shale on airport property representing the first wells from this formation completed and brought into production in Allegheny County. The Utica shale yields a dry gas which is more easily converted into LNG and CNG alternative fuels and hydrogen. The airport will work with CNX to identify local, end-use opportunities that would benefit from using natural gas derivative products to reduce emissions. CNX began its natural gas development-related activities at the airport in 2014. 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. MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Samsung Electronics announced that Google Assistant will be available for Galaxy Watch4 starting Tuesday. The South Korean electronics major has entered into partnership with Google to build a unified Wear OS platform for a seamless connection across Android devices. Starting Tuesday, Google Assistant will be available in 10 markets, including USA, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and The UK. Galaxy Watch4 users will be able to download Google Assistant from the Google Play Store on their devices. They can gain access to fast, more natural voice interactions, quick answers to questions and on-the-go help. The users will have access to both Bixby, Samsung's default voice assistant, and Google Assistant. It will give them more advanced voice assistant functionality right from their wrists. Samsung has also confirmed that Google Assistant on Galaxy Watch 4 will support 12 languages. These include Danish, English (American, Canadian, United Kingdom, Australian, Irish), Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French (Canadian, France) and Taiwanese. The platform comes with Google Play, which gives users access to some of the most popular apps and services from Google, including Google Maps, Google Pay and YouTube Music. Samsung, which launched Galaxy Watch4 last August, had promised earlier that Google Assistant would be coming soon to the devices. 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, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Liard First Nation ("LFN") and Seabridge Gold (TSX: SEA) (NYSE: SA) ("Seabridge") have reached an agreement on the terms of a 'Contribution Agreement' for Seabridge's 3 Aces Project located in Yukon, Canada. The agreement provides a framework for Seabridge and the Liard First Nation to build positive working relationships and enable LFN's meaningful review and analysis of Seabridge's activities at the 3 Aces Project. In particular, the agreement will support LFN in preparing for and participating in assessment and regulatory processes and community engagement. It will also allow LFN to hire Kaska and other experts to provide advice and information to LFN and Seabridge on Kaska ways of knowing as well as scientific and technical matters, helping to ensure that Seabridge has the information it needs to design a project that protects the meaningful exercise of LFN citizens' Kaska Aboriginal rights into the future. The 3 Aces Project is in the southeast corner of Yukon situated between 133 km and 164 km of the Nahanni Range Road near the border with the Northwest Territories. Seabridge acquired the Project in June 2020 with the intent of continuing the mineral exploration already underway. The 3 Aces Project is in the early exploration phase and consists of 1,536 Yukon quartz mining claims covering approximately 314 km2. In 2021, Seabridge began its inaugural field season at the Project. LFN Chief Stephen Charlie stated, "We appreciate Seabridge Gold's commitment to ensuring that LFN has the capacity to participate in the 3 Aces project in a meaningful way. Nobody knows Kaska territory like the Kaska, and when it comes to protecting Kaska Aboriginal rights for current and future generations, our input into the project will be critical. Despite the tremendous pressure from other developers, we look forward to collaborating with the Seabridge team by sharing our experiences, knowledge and advice to improve the 3 Aces Project." Seabridge Chairman and CEO Rudi Fronk stated: "As a responsible exploration company, we are committed to building a meaningful and positive working relationship with our Indigenous partners. We are pleased that Liard First Nation has signed the Contribution Agreement, which establishes the framework in which both parties will work cooperatively with each other. The development of a common understanding of each other's interests is our first priority." Seabridge holds a 100% interest in several North American gold projects. Seabridge's assets include the KSM and Iskut projects located near Stewart, British Columbia, Canada, the Courageous Lake project located in Canada's Northwest Territories, the Snowstorm project in the Getchell Gold Belt of Northern Nevada, and the 3 Aces project set in the Yukon Territory. For a full breakdown of Seabridge's mineral reserves and mineral resources by category, please visit the Company's website at http://www.seabridgegold.com. None of the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, or their Regulation Services Providers accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Rudi Fronk" Chairman & C.E.O. For further information please contact: Rudi P. Fronk, Chairman and C.E.O. Tel: (416) 367-9292 Fax: (416) 367-2711 Email: info@seabridgegold.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/124837 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The American Rescue Plan Implementation Team and the Domestic Policy Council on Monday released their interim American Rescue Plan Equity Report. It details efforts to ensure equity in 32 Major American Rescue Plan Policies that represent nearly $900 billion or 60 percent of American Rescue Plan funds. The report, together with ongoing economic statistics, claims that the American Rescue Plan spurred the most equitable economic recovery in U.S. history. The report also outlines lessons learned and areas for continued work and collaboration with external partners to build on progress, including through the release of the ARP Equity Learning Agenda. Since its passage in the Congress, the American Rescue Plan helped power a historic recovery which led to the largest job growth ever in a calendar year, saw unemployment claims decline from nearly 20 million when President Joe Biden took office to close to 1 million, and unemployment rate easing to 3.6 percent, the report says. 2021 featured the fastest calendar year of decline in the number of unemployed Black workers on record and the largest calendar year drop in the unemployment rate (2.9 percentage points) since 1983 - down to 5.9 percent in April, below pre-pandemic levels. Black employment is 233,000 above pre-pandemic levels and Black Teen Unemployment is below its pre-pandemic rate. Youth Unemployment saw record calendar year drop while Women's Unemployment has fallen from a peak of 16.1 percent in April 2020 to 3.5 percent. Unemployment is down also in Hispanic Women, Hispanic Teen, and Asian American communities. The number of Americans who were long-term unemployed fell by 2.8 million in the 12 months after the American Rescue Plan passed - the largest 12-month drop on record. More jobs were created in rural communities in 2021 than in any other year in the last two decades, the report says. The American Rescue Plan Policies helped ensure stronger financial security for lower income families, according to the report. In 2021, a record number of Americans applied to start 5.4 million new businesses, reflecting a significant recovery for the Smallest Business sector. Under American Rescue Plan, $130 billion was provided to keep schools open safely and address students' academic and mental health needs. Thanks to the resources provided by the American Rescue Plan, nearly 100 percent of schools are now open safely for full-time, in-person instruction. The American Rescue Plan's expansion of insurance subsidies spurred record number of enrollments into health insurance coverage. $3 Billion in grants was distributed by the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to revitalize local economies. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Quartz Mountain" or " the Company") (TSXV:QZM, OTC PINK:QZMRF) is pleased to announce that further to its December 8, 2021 news release, the Company has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange for its acquisition of the Jake Property located approximately 160km northeast of Smithers, British Columbia from United Mineral Services Ltd. ("UMS"). The Jake Property is being targeted for its copper-gold porphyry potential. UMS is a private company owned by Robert Dickinson, the controlling shareholder of the Company and a non-arms-length vendor. Quartz Mountain has agreed to pay UMS out-of-pocket costs to assemble the property totaling $200,000, which is payable in four equal tranches over 18 months from the date of TSX Venture Exchange approval of the transaction. The purchase from UMS is comprised of a 100% undivided interest in four mineral claims it staked as well as the transfer of a valid option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in five adjacent mineral claims (the "Underlying Claims") from Electrum Resource Corporation, an arms-length third party. The Electrum option can be exercised with payment of $125,000 to July 2022 or alternatively an equal amount spread over two years with property work commitments of $360,000. The Underlying Claims are subject to a 2% NSR which is capped at $3 million. On behalf of the Board of Directors Leonie Tomlinson Director For further details, contact Investor Relations at: T: (604) 842-2690 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. E: info@quartzmountainresources.com W: www.quartzmountainresources.com This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking-statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking-statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Company's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of the Company's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings as www.sedar.com and its filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE: Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702298/Quartz-Mountain-Announces-Approval-for-Purchase-of-Second-BC-Mineral-Property Microcontroller Leader to Showcase Performance, High Integration and Security Advances at Embedded World 2022 Exhibition and Conference Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it will present the first live demonstration of a microcontroller (MCU) based on the recently announced Arm Cortex-M85 processor. The demonstration will take place in the Renesas booth Hall 1, Stand 234 (1-234) at the Embedded World 2022 Exhibition and Conference in Nuremburg Germany from June 21-24. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005515/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) Renesas introduced the RA (Renesas Advanced) Family of Arm Cortex-M based MCUs in October of 2019, entering the general-purpose Arm-Cortex-M market with a robust and feature rich family of flash-based MCUs. In roughly 30 months, Renesas has quickly taken a leadership position, introducing 17 MCU groups encompassing well over 200 individual parts. In addition, Renesas has developed a robust ecosystem of partners providing customers with comprehensive solutions for IoT, AI/ML, industrial automation, medical, building automation, home appliance and multiple other applications. "As a lead partner with Arm, we are proud to be the first to demonstrate an MCU based on the high-performance Cortex-M85 processor, a clear example of the momentum that we have built in the Arm ecosystem," said Roger Wendelken, Senior Vice President in Renesas' IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit. "The RA family has enjoyed tremendous success in a very short time, demonstrating the core strengths that make Renesas an MCU powerhouse, including design expertise, legendary quality, and close collaboration with customers and partners in all markets and all geographies." "To continue to scale and grow, the next generation of IoT solutions demand ever-improving levels of performance, security and simplified development, and we have delivered this with the new Arm Cortex-M85," said Dipti Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, Automotive and IoT Line of Business at Arm. "This demonstration of the first silicon based on our most secure and highest performance Cortex-M processor will showcase the new and exciting applications it will enable and further cements our ongoing close collaboration with Renesas." The Arm Cortex-M85 processor features Helium technology, Arm's M-Profile Vector Extension that enables advanced DSP/ML capabilities and helps accelerate compute intensive applications such as endpoint AI. Delivering over 6 CoreMark/MHz, Cortex-M85 enables demanding IoT use cases that require the highest compute performance and DSP or ML capability, realized on a single, simple-to-program, Cortex-M processor. Cortex-M hallmarks such as deterministic operation, short interrupt response time, and state-of-the-art low-power support are uncompromised on Cortex-M85. Renesas is developing a new series of RA MCUs based on the Cortex-M85 processor, planned for release in 2023. These new RA family MCUs will provide breakthrough performance and fully deterministic, low latency, real-time operation for demanding application needs across numerous markets. The new RA devices will bridge the gap between MCUs and MPUs, enabling complex and compute-intensive applications with the lower power consumption and ease of use of an MCU. This will help customers preserve their investment in software development and reduce costs of migration to an MPU based system. As with other RA MCUs, the new devices will offer best-in-class peripherals, memory and low power consumption. The new Cortex-M85 core based on Armv8-M architecture supports Arm TrustZone technology for protection of secure assets. Combined with TrustZone, Renesas' integrated cryptographic engine, immutable storage, key management, and tamper protection against DPA/SPA side-channel attacks will provide a comprehensive and fully integrated secure element functionality. The Armv8-M architecture also brings Pointer Authentication/Branch Target Identification (PAC/BTI) security extension, a new architectural feature that provides enhanced mitigation from software attack threats and helps achieve PSA Certified Level 2 certification. The new RA MCUs based on the Cortex-M85 core will be supported by Renesas' Flexible Software Package (FSP). The FSP enables faster application development by providing all the infrastructure software needed, including multiple RTOS, BSP, peripheral drivers, middleware, connectivity, networking and security stacks as well as reference software to build complex AI, motor control and graphics solutions. It allows customers to integrate their own legacy code and choice of RTOS with FSP, thus providing full flexibility in application development. Using the FSP will ease migration of existing designs to the new RA devices. More Information The demonstration of the new silicon will take place in the Renesas booth Hall 1, Stand 234 (1-234) at Embedded World. Requests to meet with Renesas at Embedded World can be emailed to events-eu@lm.renesas.com. More information on Renesas' RA MCUs is available at www.renesas.com/ra. About Renesas Electronics Corporation Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) empowers a safer, smarter and more sustainable future where technology helps make our lives easier. A leading global provider of microcontrollers, Renesas combines our expertise in embedded processing, analog, power and connectivity to deliver complete semiconductor solutions. These Winning Combinations accelerate time to market for automotive, industrial, infrastructure and IoT applications, enabling billions of connected, intelligent devices that enhance the way people work and live. Learn more at renesas.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. (Remarks). All names of products or services mentioned in this press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005515/en/ Contacts: Americas Don Parkman Renesas Electronics Corporation + 1-408-887-4308 don.parkman.xh@renesas.com TMR Sensor Reference Design with Digital Output Simplifies Implementation MILPITAS, Calif., May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crocus Technology Inc., developer of XtremeSense TMR sensors, today announced the release of a high accuracy energy metering solution with isolated current sensing and a digital output. The solution is capable of measuring power, voltage and current while providing 1,820 V PK isolation in AC or DC applications. The result is a smaller and more efficient design without the use of large current transformers. The solution is ideal for a range of smart devices such as power supply monitors, electric vehicle chargers, household appliances, motor control and smart lighting. The solution consists of the Crocus' CT430 TMR isolated current sensor, Microchip's ATtiny426 microcontroller, Printed Circuit Board (PCB), design files, microcontroller firmware, Bill of Materials (BoM) list, user guide and relevant support for designing a fully functional power monitoring solution. The design solution has been verified to accurately read and quantize the voltage and current values prior to calculating the instantaneous and Root Mean Square (RMS) power components, active and reactive power, as well as power factor. These power values are stored in registers which can be accessed by an external microcontroller via the SPI interface. By offloading the design effort of measuring and calculating power, the Crocus metering solution simplifies the addition of metering capabilities to any smart device. The key to precise power measurements is the CT430 current sensor which provides better than 1% current measurement accuracy over the -40C to +125C operating range. It is available in a small 16-lead SOIC-Wide package, eliminating the need for bulky current transformers and allowing for more compact designs. The CT430 solution can also be customized with different bus interfaces such as I2C, SENT and CAN. By leveraging the solution, manufacturers and designers can quickly develop accurate and compact power monitoring capabilities for their products. See the figure below for the system diagram of the Crocus reference design kit for power measurements. "Being able to accurately measure power and communicate this data within a system continues to be a challenge for designers," said Tim Kaske Crocus Vice President, Sales & Marketing. "The Crocus solution with the CT430 current sensor provides improved accuracy over existing magnetic sensor based designs. With a validated design solution and a 12-week lead-time, OEM design customers are able to quickly integrate the energy metering solution into their end products." Design files required for manufacturing or customizing this power meter PCB are available for download. https://crocus-technology.com/powermeter/. Also available for download is the AN136 CT430 Power Measurement Module user guide, https://www.crocus-technology.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AN136-CT430-Power-Measurement-Module-Rev0.0.pdf. About Crocus Technology Crocus Technology develops and manufactures state-of-the-art magnetic sensors based on its patented XtremeSense TMR sensor technology. Crocus' disruptive magnetic sensor technology brings significant advancements to IoT and smart devices, industrial, consumer, medical, and automotive electronics applications demanding high accuracy, high resolution, stable temperature performance, and low power consumption. Crocus is headquartered in Milpitas, California. To learn more about Crocus Technology and its leading-edge TMR technology, please visit www.crocus-technology.com. For more information, please contact: Crocus Technology Email: info@crocus-technology.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f66b8a85-82f7-4bd2-892b-6e901877f1d6 WESTCHESTER, Ill., May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ingredion (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com/news-releases) (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to the food manufacturing industry, today announced the release of its 2021 diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) report (https://www.ingredion.com/na/en-us/company/meet-ingredion/diversity-equity-inclusion.html). In the first quarter, the Company was included on Bloomberg's (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ingredion-included-2022-bloomberg-gender-equality-index-fifth) Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year and earned a near-perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the second consecutive year for its LGBTQ+ policies and practices. The Company is further advancing its journey and progress with the release of its second DEI report, titled "Beyond Belonging." "We are committed to creating a culture of inclusion that embraces diversity and enables growth where our employees can realize their full potential," said Jim Zallie (https://www.ingredion.com/na/en-us/company/meet-ingredion/executive-leadership-team/zallie.html), Ingredion's president and chief executive officer. "We continue to aspire to create an environment where we bring to life Ingredion's value -'Everyone Belongs' and ensure that diversity is celebrated, opportunities are equitable, and inclusion is embraced. Fostering an inclusive culture provides us with the best opportunity to attract and retain employees as we focus on delivering sustainable growth for our shareholders." "As we continue to advance our DEI strategy, we have invested considerable time and effort streamlining and elevating our commitment to DEI," said Sherri Dublin, Ingredion's vice president of DEI, Culture and Communications. "This report reflects the dedicated work of our teams, who have spearheaded initiatives across our global organization. We are inspired by the passion and commitment of our employees and we remain focused on embedding DEI into our business and talent strategies." The Company's 2021 DEI Report (https://www.ingredion.com/na/en-us/company/meet-ingredion/diversity-equity-inclusion.html) further underscores its commitment to employees, customers, and the communities in which it operates. In addition, the report includes the following diversity commitments: Improve global representation of women in management with a goal of achieving gender balance by 2030 Increase representation of women at the director level and above in Europe, by at least 5%, by 2024 Evolve the Company's pay parity approach and methodology Improve the representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) at the management level in the U.S., with the goal of reaching 38% by 2030 "As we move forward in 2022 and beyond, we are committed to driving change and making meaningful progress. We are determined to continue living our purpose of making life better for all as we execute our DEI strategy throughout our business," concluded Zallie. ABOUT THE COMPANY Ingredion Incorporated (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com/) (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2021 annual net sales of nearly $7 billion, the Company turns grains, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. With Ingredion's Idea Labs innovation centers around the world and approximately 12,000 employees, the Company co-creates with customers and fulfills its purpose of bringing the potential of people, nature, and technology together to make life better. Visit ingredion.com (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com/) for more information and the latest Company news. CONTACTS: Investors: Jason Payant, 708-551-2584 Media: Becca Hary, 708-551-2602 U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin participates in a news briefing at the Pentagon May 23, in Arlington, Virginia. AFP-Yonhap U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday that Washington's "one-China policy" toward Taiwan has not changed, after President Joe Biden said the United States was willing to defend the island militarily from a Chinese invasion. "Our policy has not changed," Austin told reporters, after being asked about the meaning of Biden's comments. Speaking in Japan earlier Monday, Biden answered "yes" when asked if Washington was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan. "That's the commitment we made," he added. "We agreed with the One China policy, we signed on to it... but the idea that it can be taken by force is just not appropriate, it would dislocate the entire region and would be another action similar to Ukraine," Biden said. China views the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan as part of its territory to be retaken one day, and tensions in the region have risen in recent months. Biden's remarks, the second time in his presidency that he appeared to pledge the U.S. military would protect Taiwan, moved sharply from the longstanding, deliberately ambiguous position that Washington has maintained on Taiwan to avoid angering Beijing. But Austin insisted that the policy of the past decades remained in place." As the president said, our One China policy has not changed. He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Austin said. "He also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. So again, our policy has not changed," he said. (AFP) NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Scandium International Mining Corp. (TSX:SCY) ("Scandium International" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the first tranche of the Company's private placement first announced on April 19, 2022 (the "Offering"). Within the first tranche, the Company raised aggregate gross proceeds of C$2,085,250 through the sale of 23,169,444 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of C$0.09 per Unit. The Company expects to close the second tranche of the Offering on or about June 3, 2022. Each Unit issued pursuant to the first tranche consists of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire a Common Share at C$0.1075 for sixty (60) months until May 20, 2027. In connection with the first tranche, the Company paid to an eligible finder C$10,350 in cash. Certain insiders of the Company including unanimous participation by all board members (two directly and two indirectly through Scandium Investments LLC, the company's largest shareholder) have subscribed for an aggregate of 7,377,222 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of C$663,950. Scandium Investments LLC invested US$500,000 in the first tranche. The participation by these insiders within the Offering will support advancement of the Company's renewed focus on the Nyngan Scandium Project and general working capital purposes. The issuance of the Units to the insiders are considered related party transactions within the meaning of TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, on the basis that the participation by the insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. The net proceeds from the sale of the Units will be used towards the development of the Company's scandium minerals properties and for general and administrative expenses. The Offering is conditional upon receipt of required regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX. The securities issued and issuable pursuant to the Offering, will be subject to a four month statutory hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The securities will also be subject to restrictions under U.S. securities laws, which generally restrict any resales for a period of six months. Scandium Investments LLC's Report on Ownership of Shares of the Company On May 20, 2022, Scandium Investments LLC ("SIL"), a limited liability company existing under the laws of Nevada, acquired 7,202,222 Units at a price of $0.09 per Unit for the aggregate purchase price of $648,199.98 pursuant to the Offering. Each Unit consists of one Common Share and one Warrant. Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional Common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.1075 per share until May 20, 2027. Immediately prior to the Offering, SIL owned 66,268,694 Common Shares, representing 20.84% of the then issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company. As a result of the foregoing Offering, SIL owns and/or has control over 73,470,916 Common Shares of the Company and SIL's ownership of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company increased from 20.84% to 21.53% on an undiluted basis. In addition, SIL acquired 7,202,222 Warrants pursuant to the Offering. If SIL were to exercise all of its Warrants, SIL would own 80,673,138 Common Shares of the Company, representing 23.15% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company on a partially diluted basis, assuming no further Common Shares of the Company have been issued. SIL acquired the securities for investment purposes. SIL may, depending on the market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership of the Company's securities, whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreements or otherwise, subject to a number of factors, including general market conditions and other available investment and business opportunities. The disclosure respecting SIL's shareholdings contained in this press release is made pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 62-103 and a report respecting the above acquisition will be filed with the applicable securities commissions using the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) and will be available for viewing at www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined in the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available. ABOUT SCANDIUM INTERNATIONAL MINING CORP. The Company is focused on developing its Nyngan Scandium Project, located in NSW, Australia, into the world's first scandium-only producing mine. The project is 100% owned by the Company, through our Australian subsidiary, EMC Metals Australia Pty Ltd. The Company filed a NI 43-101 technical report in May 2016, titled "Feasibility Study - Nyngan Scandium Project" . That feasibility study delivered an expanded scandium resource, a first reserve figure, and an estimated 33.1% IRR on the project, supported by extensive metallurgical test work and an independent, 10-year global marketing outlook for scandium demand. For inquiries to Scandium International Mining Corp, please contact: Peter Evensen (CEO) Tel: (702) 703-0178 Harry de Jonge (Comptroller) Tel: (702) 703-0178 Email: ir@scandiummining.com This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company and its business. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include but are not limited to statements regarding the Offering, the use of proceeds, closing of the second tranche of the Offering, and TSX approval. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation risks related to uncertainty in the demand for scandium. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances, should change. SOURCE: Scandium International Mining Corp View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702383/Scandium-International-Mining-Announces-Closing-of-First-Tranche-of-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement JACKSON CENTER, PA / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Halberd Corporation (OTC PINK:HALB) researchers have demonstrated a protocol which allows for the precise level of elimination of a specific targeted cytokine from a homogeneous mixture of two different cytokines in a fluid. Several adverse health conditions are caused by excess quantities of particular components in blood or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), such as proteins, cytokines, amino acids, etc. Elimination of excessive quantities of these elements is key to minimizing damage, curtailing progressive damage, and even restoring health. Halberd's researchers successfully reduced the level of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) in a mixture of IL-4 and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in vitro to a predetermined level without significantly reducing other non-targeted (collateral) cytokines. This was accomplished through determining the precise level of IL-4 desired and calculating the number of antibodies needed to be chemically bonded to plastic beads to remove the predetermined excess IL-4. The fluid mixture was then flowed through a chromatography column filled with these treated beads. A 75% reduction of IL-4 from the mixture was set as the target, with the actual results being an 80% reduction - within the margin of acceptability. This was accomplished in a total time of approximately five minutes using gravity flow through the column. If determined to be necessary, a more precise control and reduced treatment time in practice can be accomplished through the use of a pump to speed the flow through the column. Dr. Mitchell S. Felder, Halberd's Chief Technology Officer and a board-certified attending neurologist stated, "This is a spectacular accomplishment in that it allows for the fine-tuning of disease-causing proteins/target elements, which has never been accomplished previously. Using this technique, doctors will be able to precisely control the specific concentration of disease-causing target elements in blood or CSF. This could revolutionize not only medicine, but psychiatry as well, in that a psychiatrist would be able to exactly replicate the CSF picogram/ml levels of inflammatory cytokines to a desired level and quickly eliminate severe clinical depression and/or PTSD. Note that this was accomplished in minutes! Antidepressants take from weeks to months to achieve similar clinical results and often with harmful side-effects which are completely avoided with Halberd's methodology. "This also opens the door to a quantum leap forward in cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is like trying to fix a pocket watch with a hammer. This technique, in which the precise picogram/ml level of a multitude of cancer-causing and/or related molecules (VEGF, TNF-alpha, CTLA-4, etc.), are for the first time able to be precisely controlled in order to replicate the exact, precise concentration needed to cure a cancer patient." William A. Hartman, Chairman, President & CEO of Halberd Corporation, added, "Halberd's patented technology has been demonstrated to be effective in selectively eliminating target elements from a homogeneous mixture of elements. This tool can be universally applied to a variety of disease conditions from PTSD/CTE, suicide ideation, neurodegenerative maladies, to blood-borne illnesses. Halberd's on-going research program will focus on elimination of pathogens from blood serum, followed by animal testing on our path to obtain FDA certification." To get the latest news on Halberd's exciting developments, subscribe by submitting this form. (https://halberdcorporation.com/contact-us/) For more information please contact: William A. Hartman w.hartman@halberdcorporation.com support@halberdcorporation.com www.halberdcorporation.com Twitter:@HalberdC About Halberd Corporation. Halberd Corporation (OTC PINK:HALB), is a publicly traded company on the OTC Market, and is in full compliance with OTC Market reporting requirements. Since its restructuring in April of 2020, Halberd has obtained exclusive worldwide rights to three issued patents and has filed 20 related provisional, PCT, or utility patent applications to enhance its value to its stockholders and to attract the interests of potential development partners. Safe Harbor Notice Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). The Company' cautions our readers that statements, and assumptions made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties and associated estimates made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. Halberd Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. SOURCE: Halberd Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702442/Halberd-Successfully-Eliminates-Excess-Levels-of-Inflammatory-Cytokines TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Gratomic Inc. ("Gratomic", "GRAT," or the "Company") (TSX.V:GRAT) (OTCQX:CBULF) (FSE:CB82) is pleased to announce an update on the planned 1,250 m Diamond Drill (DD) campaign currently underway at Aukam. The drillholes are planned to intersect mineralization below the current mine adits. The first hole of 2022 (AKD001) is a twin hole of AKR026, which was drilled towards the end of 2021. Table 1. Hole AKD001 (current diamond drillhole). Hole_ID X_m Y_m Z_m AZ_True_deg Dip_deg EOH_m AKD001 679801 7016183 1273 200 -50 98.9 Table 2. Hole AKD001 has intercepted vein graphite mineralisation approx. 40 m below the main Adit. These are not true thicknesses, which will be calculated and verified during detailed core logging. Unit From_m To_m Length_m Lith. Vein_% COMMENTS GR, GN, SCH 0.00 73.35 73.35 Granite, Gneiss and schist n/a n/a GR 73.35 75.17 1.82 Granite 5 n/a GVEIN 75.17 76.50 1.33 Graphite 80 graphtie vein at acute angle GR 76.50 80.70 4.20 Granite n/a n/a GVEIN 80.70 83.47 2.77 Graphite 100 graphtie vein at acute angle, =45 GR 83.47 85.40 1.93 Granite n/a n/a GR 85.40 86.40 1.00 Granite 15 Hem. halo around graphite GVEIN 86.40 87.27 0.87 Graphite 80 Some granite within the vein GR 87.27 90.94 3.67 Granite 1 Hem. vein with graphtie GR 90.94 92.00 1.06 Granite 2 91.20-91.40m graphite veinlets GR 92.00 92.90 0.90 Granite 10 92.2-92.32 & 92.60 graphite veins (5 cm & 4 cm) with hem halo GR 92.90 94.00 1.10 Granite n/a n/a GR 94.00 94.83 0.83 Granite 10 94.32m graphite vein (8cm) GR 94.83 98.90 4.07 Granite n/a slight gneisstosity - EOH Above: image of graphite cores measuring 2.77 m in length from DD drilling campaign 2022 (left) and Nico Scholtz, QP (right) Above: Exploration Geologist Raimund Rentel (middle) and members of the drilling team (Left photo); Start of second DD hole (right) ALS Geochemistry analytical laboratory in Windhoek assay procedures include the C-IR18 method: Graphitic Carbon by LECO. Sample Decomposition is by Induction Furnace and the Analytical Method by Infrared Spectroscopy. A 0.1g sample is leached with dilute hydrochloric acid to remove Inorganic carbon. After filtering, washing, and drying, the remaining sample residue is roasted at 425 C to remove organic carbon. The roasted residue is analysed for Carbon. 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 National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. 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 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 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/702456/Gratomic-Discovers-Possible-Largest-Graphite-Vein-Ever-Recorded-at-its-Aukam-Project-in-Namibia TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / PJX Resources Inc. ("PJX") is pleased to announce that recent drilling results extend the David Gold Zone to the north and help support potential for additional high grade gold mineralization on strike on the Gold Shear Property and PJX's adjacent Eddy property in the Sullivan Mining District, Cranbrook, BC. Exploration suggests that changes in drill hole orientation along the David Shear may improve gold grades and help identify new gold zones. Drilling also identified gold mineralization in gabbroic rocks that may be a new target in addition to the David Gold Zone. David Gold Zone High grade gold mineralization appears to occur when base metals (lead, zinc, copper) or visible gold are present with quartz-carbonate mineralization along the David Shear. Recently received results for PJX drill hole GS21-25 included 76.36 g/t gold, 14.8 ppm (14.8 g/t) silver, 8870 ppm lead, 3975 ppm zinc, and 632 ppm copper over 0.3m (approximate true width) from 79.2m to 79.5m. This occurred within a 2.3 m interval with a weighted average of 11.66 g/t gold from 78.9 to 81.2 m (see Table 1 below). GS21-25 was drilled about 50 m on strike to the north of the David Gold Zone. GS21-25 had the best intersection in the 14 holes drilled to test the David Gold Zone on strike and at depth. The intersection occurs where computer modelling of structural measurements, from previous PJX drilling and surface mapping, predicted an inflection (a bend) in the David Shear that hosts the David Gold Zone. Inflections are known to increase gold grade in gold deposits. Historical drilling also intersected high grade gold mineralization with base metals. Hole 91-43 drilled by previous explorers in 1991 intersected 196.69 g/t (5.74 oz/t) gold, 17.9 ppm (17.9 g/t) silver, 24686 ppm (2.47%) lead, 17368 ppm (1.74%) zinc, 2511 ppm copper, over 0.8 metres (see Figure 1 below). High grade gold mineralization also occurs as nuggety visible gold in quartz veins. PJX grab sample in 2019 of a quartz vein from the David Shear Zone trench had 5 visible grains of gold with no base metals and analyzed 193.9 g/t gold. From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Copper (ppm) Lead (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Silver (ppm) Gold (ppb) Gold (g/t) 78.9 79.2 0.3 187.4 226.0 161 0.4 1686.8 1.68 79.2 79.5 0.3 632.5 8870.1 3975 14.8 76361.3 76.36 79.5 80.4 0.9 45.2 21.9 69 - 483.1 0.48 80.4 80.8 0.4 376.9 283.9 152 0.6 2584.5 2.58 80.8 81.2 0.4 494.8 4604.0 1455 2.9 4846.5 4.84 Table 1 - Drill Hole GS21-25 results on strike with David Gold Zone, weighted average gold is 11.66 g/t over 2.3m (78.9-81.2m interval), approximate true width. Drill Hole Orientation May Improve Gold Grades and Identify New Gold Zones Mapping the David Gold Zone at surface has identified the presence of tension gash veins containing base metals (lead, zinc, copper). Tension gash vein orientation is perpendicular to the David Shear orientation. Historical drilling and most of PJX's drilling have been oriented perpendicular to the David Shear. Therefore, most drilling to date is oriented approximately parallel to the tension gash veins and could have missed some high grade gold mineralization. Additional gold mineralization may thus be identified if future drill holes are oriented to test tension gash veins in areas along the David Shear and David Gold Zone. Computer modelling of anomalous gold mineralization (greater than 100 ppb gold) suggests there is significant potential within the David Gold Zone and on strike with possible additional zones at depth that could be tested (see Figure 2 below). Gold Mineralization in Gabbro Hole GS21-28 intersected 1.34 g/t gold over 5.2 m in a gabbro sill from 5.8 to 11 m, (see Table 2 below). This is the first intersection of gold with this grade in gabbro on the Gold Shear Property. The gold mineralization occurs where gabbro with disseminated magnetite is sheared and has been pervasively altered with carbonate, hematite, chlorite, disseminated pyrite and quartz veins. The true width and orientation of this new gold intersection is not known as only one hole has intersected the mineralization; additional drilling is required to evaluate the potential for gold veining in the gabbro sill. From To Interval Copper (ppm) Lead (ppm) Zinc (ppm) Silver (ppm) Gold (ppb) Gold (g/t) 5.8 6.8 1 79.6 632.6 93 5.6 2240.7 2.24 6.8 7.4 0.6 179.5 566.2 201 0.9 8.4 0.08 7.4 8.6 0.87* 129.6 156.5 152 1.6 1476.2 1.47 8.6 9.7 1.1 19.4 60.1 30 0.6 2207.4 2.20 9.7 10.3 0.6 98.3 60.0 137 0.5 1250.3 1.25 10.3 11 0.7 143.9 128.2 186 1.3 361.9 0.36 Table 2 - Drill Hole GS21-28 results for new Gabbro gold zone, weighted average gold is 1.34 g/t over 5.2m (5.8-11.0m interval), first hole to intersect this zone, true width of zone unknown. (* interval 7.4-8.6m had 0.33m lost core) John Keating, President of PJX commented: "The David Gold Zone is Orogenic style mineralization with a narrow high-grade gold core along the David Shear. Understanding new geological controls that influence gold concentration in the David Gold Zone will help us explore gold and base metal targets across all our properties. Our exploration work along the 65 km long Vulcan Gold Belt in the Sullivan Mining District has identified over 20 gold and/or base metal targets (see Figure 3 below). The Weaver Creek area has at least 3 targets that we believe are part of a large gold mineralizing system (see Figure 4 below). Exploration this field season will focus on a number of these targets along with the David Gold Zone." Qualified Persons The geological disclosure and content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael Seabrook, P.Geo., and John Keating P.Geo. (qualified persons for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Seabrook is the consulting geologist for PJX on the Gold Shear Property. Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX. Figure 1 - High-grade gold occurs with black fine-grained sulphides (lead, zinc, copper) in hole 91-43 that was drilled in 1991 by previous explorers. Figure 2 - PJX hole GS21-25 intersected 11.66 g/t gold over 2.3 m along the David Shear in sediments and extends David Gold Zone to the north. Hole GS21-28 intersected 1.34 g/t gold over 5.2 m in a new style of mineralization occurring in gabbro. Areas with anomalous gold (>100 ppb gold) may contain higher grades pf gold that have not been intersected because drill holes have been drilled parallel to tension gash type veins containing high grade gold with lead, zinc and copper. Figure 3 - PJX Properties (colour differentiated) with over 20 gold and/or base metal targets along the 65 km long Vulcan Gold Belt in the Sullivan mining District. Figure 4- Weaver Target Area - Potential large gold mineralizing system defined by 3 large gold targets (MC Zone, Hill Vein, Red Zone) over a 4 km by 2.5 km area centered on the Weaver Creek cross structure. About PJX Resources Inc. PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver and base metals (zinc, lead, copper, nickel). PJX's primary properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia. Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer (416) 799-9205 info@pjxresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. This press release may use the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: PJX Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702196/Sullivan-Mining-District--High-Grade-Gold-Mineralization-Intersected-on-Strike-of-PJX-Resources-David-Gold-Zone Tachyum today announced that it will be demonstrating Prodigy's Emulation System running complex applications at ISC High Performance 2022 in Booth No. A106 of Congress Center in Hamburg May 30-June 1. Additionally, Rob Reiner, Tachyum's Director of Product Marketing, will be a featured presenter as part of the conference's HPC Solutions Forum May 31 at 2:20 p.m. CET. Tachyum will showcase Prodigy's advanced AI features with a virtual product demonstration that highlights its ability to scale deep learning by utilizing low-precision data types and sparsity to optimize performance and memory utilizations. This showcase provides attendees the opportunity to glimpse into the future of universal computing centers empowered by Prodigy. The virtual presentation is scheduled as part of the conference program for May 30 at noon CET. Reiner presents "The Convergence of HPC and AI in a Software-Composable, Homogeneous Data Center," answering the question as to whether high performance computing and artificial intelligence can share the same data center. Highlights will be an in-depth look at how Prodigy, the world's first universal processor, allows cutting edge performance for both HPC and AI. "Prodigy delivers unprecedented performance for both HPC and AI workloads without costly accelerators, enabling a software-composable, homogeneous environment that allows servers to be full utilized without overprovisioning," said Reiner. "Prodigy's high performance, coupled with 24/7 server on time, provides unmatched TCO savings and solidifies the convergence between HPC and AI." Tachyum's Prodigy integrates 128 high-performance custom-designed 64-bit compute cores with the functionality of a CPU, a GPU, and a TPU in a single device, allowing it to deliver performance up to 4x that of the highest performing x86 processors (for cloud workloads) and up to 3x that of the highest performing GPU for HPC and 6x for AI applications. Prodigy's unique architecture delivers industry-leading performance in both data center and AI workloads. Therefore, during off peak hours, Prodigy-powered data center servers can be seamlessly and dynamically switched to AI workloads, eliminating the need for expensive dedicated AI hardware, and dramatically increasing server utilization. Prodigy delivers unprecedented data center performance, power, and economics, reducing CAPEX and OPEX significantly. ISC 2022is ISC Group's first in-person conference and exhibition since the pandemic with some digital elements. It will showcase the latest advancements in HPC, encompassing all the key developments happening in system design, applications, programming models, machine learning, and emerging technologies. ISC High Performance distinguishes itself as the world's oldest and Europe's most significant forum for the HPC, machine learning and high-performance data analytics communities. Additional information about the conference is available at https://www.isc-hpc.com/ Follow Tachyum https://twitter.com/tachyum https://www.linkedin.com/company/tachyum https://www.facebook.com/Tachyum/ About Tachyum Tachyum is transforming AI, HPC, public and private cloud data center markets with its recently launched flagship product. Prodigy, the world's first Universal Processor, unifies the functionality of a CPU, a GPU, and a TPU into a single processor that delivers industry-leading performance, cost, and power efficiency for both specialty and general-purpose computing. When Prodigy processors are provisioned in a hyperscale data center, they enable all AI, HPC, and general-purpose applications to run on one hardware infrastructure, saving companies billions of dollars per year. With data centers currently consuming over 4% of the planet's electricity, predicted to be 10% by 2030, the ultra-low power Prodigy Universal Processor is critical to continue doubling worldwide data center capacity every four years. Tachyum, co-founded by Dr. Radoslav Danilak is building the world's fastest AI supercomputer (128 AI exaflops) in the EU based on Prodigy processors. Tachyum has offices in the United States and Slovakia. For more information, visit https://www.tachyum.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005249/en/ Contacts: Mark Smith JPR Communications 818-398-1424 marks@jprcom.com Dr. Manuela Tripepi of Thomas Jefferson University publishes findings on immersive Labster interactive science laboratory simulations in both online and in-person curriculum Labster (www.labster.com), the world's leading platform for virtual labs and interactive science, has enhanced student learning outcomes and helped microbiology students at Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University (www.jefferson.edu) prepare for in-person laboratory experiments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005385/en/ Dr. Manuela Tripepi is an assistant professor of biology and course director for microbiology in the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Life Sciences of Thomas Jefferson University. Manuela Tripepi, PhD., has conducted a real-world study on how to incorporate Labster simulations into both remote and in-person microbiology semester course curriculum for undergraduate students. (Photo: Business Wire) For a full decade, Labster education technology (EdTech) has provided educators with the ability to digitally explore and enhance their science offerings. Manuela Tripepi, PhD., has conducted a real-world study on how to incorporate Labster simulations into both remote and in-person microbiology semester course curriculum for undergraduate students. Dr. Tripepi is an assistant professor of biology and course director for microbiology in the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Life Sciences of Thomas Jefferson University. The April 2022 issue of the Journal of Microbiology Biology Education (JMBE) has published Dr, Tripepi's findings as "Microbiology Laboratory Simulations: From a Last-Minute Resource during the Covid-19 Pandemic to a Valuable Learning Tool to Retain-A Semester Microbiology Laboratory Curriculum That Uses Labster as a Prelaboratory Activity," (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00269-21). Institutional commitment to innovation Dr. Tripepi first adopted Labster for her Fall 2020 microbiology course, which she delivered entirely online. The COVID-19 pandemic had led her to research the viability of remote simulation activities like Labster to advance experiential learning. Based upon positive feedback from 91 students surveyed across four online lab sections, she then incorporated the simulations into her in-person Fall 2021 curriculum as prelaboratory tools. "Labster overcame my original skepticism that online lab simulations could prove an acceptable substitute for the in-person experience. I found my students benefited from Labster's adaptive learning opportunities," said Dr. Tripepi. "The flexibility of online simulation can help level the playing field for non-traditional students. It allows students to practice their skills in a risk-free setting, providing instant feedback and encouraging them to develop their natural curiosity in conducting realistic experiments." Dr. Tripepi credited Thomas Jefferson University with the decision to fund cutting-edge learning technologies. "I would never have had the chance to use Labster if it hadn't been for the foresight of Gerald Grunwald, Dean of the College of Life Sciences, and Jeffrey Cepull, Vice President for Information Resources, who were willing to invest in a new technology that supports students' access to science. I'm happy to be part of an institution that experiments with new methods and supports faculty in quantifying learning outcomes. We're in a unique position to be able to do that here at Thomas Jefferson University." Gamification and murder mysteries Labster currently offers more than 270 STEM curriculum-aligned virtual lab simulations in biology, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, and more. Labster simulations use gamified techniques and are designed to be not only educational but to connect to entertaining real-world scenarios. For example, Dr. Tripepi included a PCR simulation set up as a murder mystery that students solved using DNA profiling. During the simulations, students controlled the hands of a scientist with their mouse and went from donning safety equipment to analyzing results. Dr. Tripepi described the flexibility of teaching with online simulations in this session video from the Labster SO: Connected Conference. "We are awed by forward-looking educators like Dr. Tripepi, whose passion for teaching and commitment to student success inspired her to seek out innovative instruction tools like Labster to conquer pandemic challenges," said Michael Bodekaer Jensen, co-founder and chief executive officer of Labster. "It's rewarding to create new and more engaging experiential learning techniques for in-person instruction that result in improved student outcomes." Immersive versus traditional learning In addition to the large study, Dr. Tripepi also compared a group of 12 undergraduate microbiology students who used Labster's immersive simulations to a control group of 16 students using only traditional reading materials. Although both groups were given the same test, the grades in the Labster group were 19% higher than those of the control group. When surveyed, the same student test group provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about their experience with Labster simulations in their curriculum. 100% preferred interactive simulations as pre-laboratory material over traditional textbooks and lab manuals. preferred interactive simulations as pre-laboratory material over traditional textbooks and lab manuals. 91.67% said they gained relevant knowledge from the simulations. said they gained relevant knowledge from the simulations. 91.67% found the simulations engaging. found the simulations engaging. 90.91% felt more confident about doing real, in-person labs after using the simulations. felt more confident about doing real, in-person labs after using the simulations. 91.67% liked having simulations available as part of their course For her work in improving students' learning experience and outcomes, Dr. Tripepi earned her place among the distinguished winners of the 2021 Labster STEM Excellence Teacher of the Year Award honoring educators who lead with innovative teaching approaches to help their students along their learning journeys. Educators may sign up for a free trial of Labster's virtual labs and interactive science solutions to see the benefits experienced by Dr. Tripepi and her students. About Labster Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual training simulations that are designed to enhance traditional learning outcomes by stimulating students' natural curiosity and reinforcing the connection between science and the real world. The simulations can be used in a variety of different ways, from a full lab replacement to a supplemental learning activity. Over 5 million students in high schools and universities have used Labster to perform realistic experiments, learn key science concepts, and practice their skills in a risk-free learning environment. Labster's 350-plus team members from over 30 countries are passionate about improving science learning, resulting in collaborations with over 3,000 leading educational institutions. Visit www.labster.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005385/en/ Contacts: Michelle Denny Sterling Communications for Labster +1 (408) 335-7331 labster@sterlingpr.com Select Apple Store locations across the globe will host all-new Creative Studios sessions open to the local community Apple has unveiled plans to bring its Today at Apple Creative Studios initiative to even more young creatives from underrepresented communities around the world. The expanded program offers career-building mentorship, training, and resources across a wide range of artistic disciplines, which now include all-new curricula in app design, podcasting, spatial audio production, and filmmaking. This year, Creative Studios will launch in seven new cities, including Nashville, Miami, Berlin, Milan, Taipei, Tokyo, and Sydney. It will also return for its second year in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; New York City; London; Paris; Bangkok; and Beijing. "Our stores have long provided a platform to showcase the great talent of local artists, and our retail teams are proud to play a role in supporting creativity within their communities and creating a place where everyone is welcome," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail People. "We're enormously grateful to our Apple Creative Pros, our Retail team members, and local partners, who together make it possible for us to expand access to free arts education and mentorship to even more communities." Designed to support young people who face barriers to receiving a quality creative education, Creative Studios connects participants with mentors from Apple and more than 30 nonprofit community partners who specialize in areas such as books and storytelling, app design, radio and podcasts, and photography, film, and TV. Participants will receive hands-on education, training, and feedback on their projects. In addition to nurturing participants' creative skills, mentors will encourage them to think about how their talents can encourage social change in their communities. Apple Store locations in select cities will also host public Today at Apple Creative Studios sessions. Led by the established artists mentoring young participants in Creative Studios and Apple Creative Pros, these free events will be open to the public, with registration available at apple.com/today. "It was an honor to share my passion for Apple technology and storytelling with these young people," said Rudy P., an Apple Creative Pro at Apple Carnegie Library in Washington. "Technology entered my life at a young age and completely changed my trajectory. My hope for these published authors is that they continue to tell the stories of their lives. The world needs their point of view." Last year, over 400 young people participated in Creative Studios programming. Communities celebrated the books, films, and music the participants developed, and showcased participants' art via Apple TV, Apple Books, and Apple Music. This year's program includes: App Design (New York) New for this year, Creative Studios New York will provide mentorship, insight, and resources to women and nonbinary creatives as they conceptualize apps to drive social impact. Books and Storytelling (Miami, Washington) Young creatives in Washington will hone their skills in creative writing and visual storytelling as they make their own board books, audiobooks, and storyboards. In Miami, Apple joins community partner O, Miami in a program for BIPOC+ emerging artists to explore storytelling through the creation of micro audiobooks. Music, Radio, and Podcasts (Berlin, Nashville, Chicago, Paris) Aspiring musicians in Berlin will learn about radio production while exploring themes of belonging with guidance from inspiring mentors, working closely with Refuge Worldwide and Open Music Lab. In Nashville, in collaboration with the National Museum of African American Music, the program will specialize in spatial audio recording by granting participants access to Apple Music studios. In Paris, participants will build skills in creative storytelling, audio engineering, and recording through new programming focused on podcasting. And in Chicago, young creatives from the Southwest Side will amplify their own narratives and stories around the theme of belonging and identity through an experience focused on radio production and audio/video experimentation. Art and Design (Taipei, Milan) Creative Studios in Taipei and Milan will connect mentors with aspiring young designers as they explore identity while designing, creating, and promoting content that represents themselves and their communities. In Milan, participants will have the opportunity to create an inclusive media landscape through a program that celebrates the diversity of fashion, art, and design led by Afro Fashion, while Taipei's program will create a safe space for young people to explore gender and identity through creativity. These programs will guide participants through production, provide mentorship and inspiration, and create access to resources and insights from the design industry. Photography, Film, and TV (London, Sydney, Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok) Participants in London and Sydney will explore identity, culture, and representation as they create short documentary films and build skills in cinematography, direction, and editing, with feedback and insight from established artists. In Beijing and Tokyo, participants will receive professional guidance to dive into photography and videography as a means to tell their own stories. In Bangkok, Apple joins community partner Saturday School Foundation for a second year, providing young creatives the opportunity to explore a wide range of Apple-led sessions taught by Apple's Creative Pro team. This six week in-store program will focus on photography and music creation. NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com/newsroom), or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042. 2022 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Today at Apple, Apple Store, Apple TV, Apple Books, and Apple Music are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005542/en/ Contacts: Monica Fernandez Apple monicaf@apple.com Josh Lipton Apple j_lipton@apple.com Configit's Industry-First Solution Enables System-Level Modeling with 2D and 3D Visualization, Dramatically Reducing Engineering Effort, Risk and Cost COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Configit, the global leader in Configuration Lifecycle Management (CLM), today announced new breakthrough capabilities in its market-leading solution Configit Ace, which takes CLM to the next level by introducing industry-first, system-level configuration. Organizations need the ability to not just configure individual products, but also complex systems of multiple, inter-dependent products or components, which has been an industry challenge. Configit Ace now addresses this challenge by providing a comprehensive, system-level CLM solution. With these enhancements, Configit Ace provides: System-level modeling: The capability to define complex rules and constraints with rich logical expressions that govern the modeling of solutions involving multiple interdependent products, sub-systems or components. This means that engineering assistance is significantly reduced and in some instances no longer necessary, allowing a Configure-to-Order (CTO) approach that can be used for both individual product configuration and system-level configuration across multiple products. This saves time and cost while minimizing configuration errors. The capability to define complex rules and constraints with rich logical expressions that govern the modeling of solutions involving multiple interdependent products, sub-systems or components. This means that engineering assistance is significantly reduced and in some instances no longer necessary, allowing a Configure-to-Order (CTO) approach that can be used for both individual product configuration and system-level configuration across multiple products. This saves time and cost while minimizing configuration errors. System-level visualization: Configit Ace can now integrate with the Unity 3D visualization tool and CAD systems like Solidworks and Autodesk Inventor. This allows new CAD drawings and 3D visualizations to be created quickly in response to dynamic changes. Configit Ace can now integrate with the Unity 3D visualization tool and CAD systems like Solidworks and Autodesk Inventor. This allows new CAD drawings and 3D visualizations to be created quickly in response to dynamic changes. System-level offline configuration: Configit Ace provides multiple tools enabling offline system-level configuration. Virtual Tabulation files are made available to the client application on portable devices allowing offline access. Synchronization is performed once internet connection is available and can be performed either via REST API interfaces for browser-based applications or via C Sharp client libraries for stand-alone applications. Configit Ace provides multiple tools enabling offline system-level configuration. Virtual Tabulation files are made available to the client application on portable devices allowing offline access. Synchronization is performed once internet connection is available and can be performed either via REST API interfaces for browser-based applications or via C Sharp client libraries for stand-alone applications. Rich Type-Safe integration: For system-level configuration to be successful, it must be able to reliably integrate with other IT systems, such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. Configit Ace Application Programming Interfaces (API) have been enriched with data type checking, leading to fewer errors in interface implementations as well as model change notifications. For system-level configuration to be successful, it must be able to reliably integrate with other IT systems, such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. Configit Ace Application Programming Interfaces (API) have been enriched with data type checking, leading to fewer errors in interface implementations as well as model change notifications. Confident quoting: For companies that need to quote large, complex system projects without all the necessary input, system-level configuration makes it easier. An initial system solution can be configured based on the available input and assumptions using the rules and constraints in the CLM solution. When required information is received, it can be immediately applied and validated using the system-level CLM rules without the need for engineering support. This enables companies to confidently quote projects with on-time, on-budget deliveries. Johan Salenstedt, CEO, Configit, said: "Until now, system-level configuration involving multiple inter-dependent products, sub-systems or components hasn't been possible for organizations using a CLM approach to model configurable systems. The enhanced Configit Ace solution is truly a game changer, enabling more organizations to benefit from Configuration Lifecycle Management - including faster time-to-market, lower cost, lesser risk in quoting processes and increased efficiency." About Configit Configit is the global leader in Configuration Lifecycle Management (CLM) solutions and a supplier of business-critical software for the configuration of complex products. All Configit products are based on the patented Virtual Tabulation (VT) technology, which has redefined product configuration by offering greater speed and better handling of complexity. Virtual Tabulation enables Configit to deliver powerful, easy to use configuration solutions to market-leading global enterprises. Website: https://configit.com/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824364/Configit_Logo_Logo.jpg On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the UAE-based private healthcare services platform commits 50 pediatric stem cell transplantations to refugees of the Ukraine conflict DAVOS, Switzerland, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The UAE-based VPS Healthcare has announced the launch of Burjeel Holdings on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos on Sunday to consolidate its healthcare offerings in the UAE, Oman, and across the GCC. As an intermediary holding company established under VPS Healthcare, Burjeel Holdings will build on the organization's legacy of providing an unparalleled continuum of compassionate care across its network of hospitals, specialized clinics, and allied services. "Burjeel Holdings enables us to consolidate our healthcare offerings under one platform to create an integrated ecosystem, which will continue our vision to offer end-to-end health solutions under a single window. As we embark on our expansion journey, the platform will provide the foundation to scale up operations in new geographies in the GCC and beyond. It will also enable us to take strategic corporate actions needed to drive our future growth," said Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director, VPS Healthcare. "We are proud to launch this exciting next phase of growth on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos as a representation of our vision to explore, expand, and grow our capabilities." Burjeel Holdings will operate nearly 60 assets catering to all socio-economic segments across a range of brands, including Burjeel Hospitals, Medeor Hospital, LLH Hospital, Lifecare Hospital, and Tajmeel. Its flagship facility, Burjeel Medical City, is the largest private hospital in the UAE and the only ESMO-accredited center. In addition to having renowned world-class centers of excellence, Burjeel Holdings consolidates the largest diagnostic network in the UAE and the largest comprehensive cancer center in the nation. Burjeel Holdings will be instrumental in continuing VPS Healthcare's mission of delivering quality and inclusive medical care to people around the world. Connecting care, scale, and community to benefit refugees from Ukraine Dr. Shamsheer began his entrepreneurial career with a vision to ensure healthcare equity. In his journey towards fulfilling this vision, he has also focused on outreach through humanitarian efforts. Alongside the launch of Burjeel Holdings, Dr. Shamsheer, a highly regarded philanthropist, announced a commitment of 50 pediatric stem cell transplantations to support Ukraine as well as additional support on behalf of those who join the pledge of support at Burjeel House in Davos. Dr. Shamsheer and VPS Healthcare have been at the forefront of many humanitarian initiatives over the last 15 years. In 2018, VPS Healthcare enabled the treatment of Yemeni war victims at its hospitals in India. The organization offered the '100 Free Heart Surgeries' initiative for those in need as a tribute to the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. "I am pleased to announce our commitment of support for those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. This contribution is being made toward the important task of rebuilding a strong community in the war-torn region. We have seen that children, especially those undergoing cancer treatment, are suffering the most in this very unfortunate conflict. Burjeel Holdings will look to provide them with the care they desperately need," said Dr. Shamsheer. VPS Healthcare announced the launch of Burjeel Holdings and its commitment to supporting the Ukrainian refugees at the Burjeel House on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. The Burjeel House will convene intentional, collaborative dialogues on topics like catalyzing equitable health training, and advancing medical innovation. Contact: M Unnikrishnan krish@vpshealth.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824815/Burjeel_Holdings.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824814/Burjeel_Holdings_Logo.jpg Presentation on Wednesday, June 8th at 10:30 AM PT - Track #1 Westlake Village, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Wishpond Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: WISH) (OTCQX: WPNDF), a provider of marketing-focused online business solutions, announced today that it will be presenting at the 12th annual Invitational on Wednesday, June 8th at 10:30 AM PT at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. Ali Tajskandar, Chief Executive Officer, will be giving the presentation. "We are proud to be hosting our 12th annual installment of the Invitational at a new and fantastic venue no less. I want to build on the incredible momentum generated from last October and can not wait to host the patrons and execs who have supported us through thick and thin. I can not wait to welcome Ali back to the Invitational, but this time on stage," stated Chris Lahiji, Founder of LD Micro. Event: LD Micro Invitational Date: Wednesday, June 8th Time: 10:30 AM PT - Track #1 Register to watch the virtual presentation here. "We are pleased to be back in person to present at the LD Micro Invitational and excited to share Wishpond's growth and progress to our expanding investor community," said Ali Tajskandar, Chairman and CEO of Wishpond. "We expect that the conference will serve as an amazing opportunity to connect with industry professionals and investors with whom we can share Wishpond's recent developments and success." LD Micro Invitational (XII) The 2022 LD Micro Invitational will be held at the Four Seasons Westlake Village from June 7th to the 9th. This three-day, investor conference is expected to feature around 200+ companies, presenting in half-hour increments, as well as private meetings. For more info, please contact Mr. Dean "The Dream" Summers at Dean@ldmicro.com . About Wishpond Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: WISH) (OTCQX: WPNDF) Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Wishpond is a provider of marketing-focused online business solutions. Wishpond's vision is to become the leading provider of digital marketing solutions that empower entrepreneurs to achieve success online. The Company offers an "all-in-one" marketing suite that provides companies with marketing, promotion, lead generation, and sales conversion capabilities on one integrated platform. Wishpond replaces disparate marketing solutions with an easy-to-use product, for a fraction of the cost. Wishpond serves over 3,700 customers who are primarily small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in a wide variety of industries. The Company has developed cutting-edge marketing technology solutions and continues to add new features and applications with great velocity. The Company employs a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model where substantially all the Company's revenue is subscription-based recurring revenue which provides excellent revenue predictability and cash flow visibility. Wishpond is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker "WISH", and on the OTCQX Best Market under the ticker "WPNDF". For further information, visit: www.wishpond.com. About LD Micro LD Micro aims to be the most crucial resource in the micro-cap world. Whether it is the index, comprehensive data, or hosting the most significant events on an annual basis, LD's sole mission is to serve as an invaluable asset for all those interested in finding the next generation of great companies. http://www.ldmicro.com For further information: Pardeep S. Sangha Investor Relations, Wishpond Technologies Ltd., investor@wishpond.com 604-572-6392 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/124977 Company Continues to Expand Territory Footprint with First Order from New Hampshire TOCCOA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. (OTCQB:GAXY) ("Galaxy" or the "Company"), a provider of interactive learning technology solutions, has been awarded a purchase order from Farmington School District in New Hampshire for G2 Interactive panels and accessories for 25 classrooms. "Our go-to-market strategy continues to be validated by our ability to execute on new business opportunities," said Gary LeCroy, Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy. "This is our first order from a New Hampshire school district, which reflects our continued success with our expansion efforts. As we previously mentioned earlier this year, we intend to increase our market penetration in the Northeast by working with our reseller partners, and we anticipate that this will be the first of many purchase orders in the region which presents a substantial revenue opportunity." About Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. Galaxy Next Generation ( OTCQB:GAXY ) is a provider of interactive learning technology solutions that allows the presenter and participant to engage in a fully collaborative instructional environment. Galaxy's products include Galaxy's own private-label interactive touch screen panel as well as numerous other national and international branded peripheral and communication devices. Galaxy's distribution channel consists of 22+ resellers across the U.S. who primarily sell the Company's products within the commercial and educational market. Galaxy does not control where resellers focus their resell efforts, although generally, the K-12 education market is the largest customer base for Galaxy products - comprising nearly 90% of Galaxy's sales. For additional information, please visit our website at: www.galaxynext.us Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains 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. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of management and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect the company's current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. A more extensive listing of risks and factors that may affect the company's business prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the reports and other documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact IR@GalaxyNext.us P: 888-859-1274 Investor Relations Brooks Hamilton MZ North America +1 949-546-6326 GAXY@mzgroup.us SOURCE: Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702445/Galaxy-Next-Generation-Awarded-Purchase-Order-from-New-Hampshire-School-District PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced that it has committed to setting near-term company-wide emission reductions in line with climate science through the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), which is an organization that helps companies define their decarbonization strategy and reduce the impacts of climate change. PPG has an existing goal to reduce GHG emissions intensity by 15% by 2025 from a 2017 baseline, achieving a 9.7% reduction in 2021. The company has long reported emissions intensity from its own operations (Scope 1 emissions) and purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling (Scope 2 emissions) and plans to unveil its new 2030 goals over the coming months. Moving forward, PPG is prioritizing evaluating indirect emissions that are from sources outside of the organization that PPG does not own or control, including raw materials, use of sold products, and product end-of-life (Scope 3 emissions). "In this critical moment for climate change, we are committed to further evaluating and reducing emissions throughout our value chain," said Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, Global Sustainability. "We are working across our organization to define additional actions we can take to help prevent the earth from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Following our validation work with SBTi and an emissions analysis, we intend to announce new, aggressive 2030 goals that will define our decarbonization strategy to help protect the planet for current and future generations." PPG also released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which details advancements in its sustainable innovations, board governance of ESG, efforts to reach its 2025 sustainability goals and further actions to support customers' sustainability goals. The full report is available at sustainability.ppg.com. "Sustainability is at the heart of our purpose to protect and beautify the world," said Kappas. "Our employees' hard work and dedication helped us meet and surpass several of our near-term 2025 goals, and we continue to look for additional ways to reduce our emissions and overall environmental impact. While we are proud of our achievements, we recognize that now is the time for further action. We look forward to unveiling science-based targets as we complete the validation process." The latest report highlights PPG's environmental actions and innovations globally. Key highlights include: Introduced PPG ERGOLUXE powder coatings, which offer first-pass transfer efficiency rates of up to 85% and the ability to reuse overspray. PPG ErgoLuxe Eco contains up to 13% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). Since 2017, PPG has used more than 6 million pounds of rPET to manufacture its coatings. Eco contains up to 13% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). Since 2017, PPG has used more than 6 million pounds of rPET to manufacture its coatings. Launched COMEX TOP paint by PPG, which contributes to the circular economy by incorporating recycled tires, saving more than 270,000 tires from landfills since the product was introduced in 2021. The product is intended for application on roofs and provides thermal insulation, resulting in emissions reduction through energy savings. Implemented the Zero Discharge Project at Architectural Coatings facilities in the U.S. and Canada, enabling PPG to recycle and reuse more than 1.7 million gallons of water in its manufacturing process over the past two years. Installed a combined heat and power (CHP) unit at the Caivano, Italy, facility, creating an efficiency improvement equating to an annual reduction of approximately 1,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Invested more than $8.7 million between 2015 and 2021 in PPG's global COLORFUL COMMUNITIES initiative. In 2021, PPG reduced process waste, increased renewable energy use in its facilities and increased sales from sustainably advantaged products. Highlights include: 38% of sales from sustainably advantaged products against the goal of 40% by 2025; 24% of electricity usage from renewable energy sources against the goal of 25% by 2025; 40% of manufacturing and research and development facilities with zero process waste to landfill, above the goal of 35% by 2025; and 37% reduction in waste disposal intensity from the 2017 baseline, above the goal of 25% by 2025. To create strong and equitable communities, PPG worked to engage employees and diversify its recruiting and talent pools. Efforts focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) include: Unveiled new DE&I commitments: Achieve 34% to 36% representation of non-frontline global female professionals by 2025. PPG achieved 30% as of December 31, 2021. Increase representation of Black, Latino and Asian employees by 45% to 55% across our non-frontline, U.S.-based employee population (using January 1, 2021, as our baseline). At the end of 2021, PPG increased non-frontline Black employees by 13%, Latino employees by 9% and Asian employees by 8%. Achieve total global employee resource network (ERN) and DE&I capability-building participation of 50% by 2025. As of the end of 2021, PPG achieved 33% of this goal. Published the first PPG DE&I Report. Grew eight global ERNs to include more than 7,000 employee members across more than 60 countries. Invested $7.4 million through 2021 to advance racial equity in the U.S. by funding educational pathways for Black communities and people of color. PPG's 2021 reporting disclosures align with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) chemical standard. The company also strengthened its reporting against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and reported qualitative climate-related risks according to the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). To learn more about ESG at PPG and explore the report, visit sustainability.ppg.com. PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for nearly 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers' biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $16.8 billion in 2021. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. We protect and beautify the world and ErgoLuxe aretrademarks and Colorful Communities and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. Comex is a registered trademark of Consorcio Comex, S.A. de C.V. CATEGORY Sustainability View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005016/en/ Contacts: PPG Media Contact: Greta Edgar Corporate Communications 724-316-7552 edgar@ppg.com sustainability.ppg.com www.ppg.com US$5.6 Million Private Placement LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Gabriel Resources Ltd. (TSXV trading symbol GBU - "Gabriel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into definitive subscription agreements with certain investors in connection with a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 33,105,117 common shares of the Company ("Common Share") at a price of $0.215 per Common Share ("Purchase Price") for gross proceeds of up to US$5.6 million (approximate $7.1 million), subject to stock exchange and other approvals as applicable. The Purchase Price has been fixed at the closing price of the Common Shares on the trading day immediately preceding this announcement. The number of Common Shares to be issued pursuant to the Private Placement represents approximately 3.4% of the Common Shares currently issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis. Insiders of the Company have subscribed for 24,069,424 Common Shares for gross proceeds of US$4.07 million under the Private Placement. The issuance of Common Shares to insiders pursuant to the Private Placement will constitute a 'related party transaction' within the meaning of TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company intends to rely on certain exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a), 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of related party participation in the Private Placement, as the Company is not listed on specified markets and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). The closing of the Private Placement is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") and the receipt of all other applicable approvals. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in completing the Private Placement. On receipt of approvals, it is anticipated that the Private Placement will close on or about June 20, 2022 or such earlier or later date as may be determined by the Company, subject to satisfaction or waiver by the relevant party of the conditions of closing. The Common Shares to be issued on closing of the Private Placement are subject to a statutory 4-month hold period. Subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Exchange, the Company may pay a cash finder's fee of up to US$5,600 in connection with the Private Placement in respect of the procurement of certain arm's length subscribers. The Company is progressing with its arbitration case against Romania before the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ("ICSID Arbitration") and intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement to finance the costs of the ongoing ICSID Arbitration and for general working capital requirements. The Company expects to file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction less than 21 days prior to the closing of the Private Placement, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances so as to be able to avail itself of the proceeds of the Private Placement in an expeditious manner. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States or to "U.S. persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons. For information on this press release, please contact: Dragos Tanase President & CEO Phone: +40 730 399 019 dt@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com 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. Further Information About Gabriel Gabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's principal business had been the exploration and development of the Ro?ia Montana gold and silver project in Romania. The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Ro?ia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Ro?ia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Company's fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has unlawfully blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Company's current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more information please visit the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" (also referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Company's ability to fund its operations (including but not limited to the completion of further funding noted above) or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such 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 "expects", "is expected", "is of the view", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential", "possible" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements. Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect the Company's operations and/or the anticipated timeline for the ICSID Arbitration; the geo-political situation and the resulting economic developments arising from the unfolding conflict and humanitarian crisis as a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict; the duration, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration; Romania's actions following the inscription of the "Rosia Montana Mining Landscape" as a UNESCO World Heritage site; changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and/or the group of companies of which it is directly or indirectly parent; access to funding to support the Group's continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future; equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of new or existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares; the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the TSX Venture Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities; the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: any allegations of historic acts of corruption, uncertain fiscal investigations; uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Group and political and social instability; regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes and interpretation of existing and future fiscal and other legislation; global economic and financial market conditions; volatility of currency exchange rates; and the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Group of certain key employees and consultants. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Company's affairs since the date of this press release that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Company's website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Company's disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: Gabriel Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702481/Gabriel-Resources-Ltd-Private-Placement Extends global customer reach for integrated digital transformation offerings to military and public safety customers Expands Canadian defence and public security market for latest generation of Persistent Systems' mobile solutions and KWESST applications Combined capability to be showcase at CANSEC 2022, June 1-2 Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - KWESST Micro Systems Inc. (TSXV: KWE) (OTCQB: KWEMF) (FSE: 62U) ("KWESST" or "the Company"), a developer of next-generation tactical systems for military, security, and personal defense markets, today announced that New York-based Persistent Systems, LLC ("Persistent"), an industry leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) solutions, has designated KWESST an Authorized Integrator of its products. For dismounted users, Persistent Systems produces the MPU5. This handheld device enables those at the tip of the spear to share voice, video, text, GPS, and sensor data in a true peer-to-peer fashion via the company's proprietary Wave Relay MANET-all without the need for external communications infrastructure or a vulnerable hub. It is a solution that's being used extensively by military, public safety, and commercial customers in the United States, Canada, and other countries for secure and scalable mobile networking. "As part of the agreement, KWESST will be able to develop all-new TAK-specific plug-ins for the MPU5, putting new advanced sensors and capabilities onto the MANET," said Rick Bowes, KWESST Vice-President of Digitization and Counter-Threat systems. He added, "This will be a major technological advantage both for military and for public safety agencies including police forces." "As an Authorized Integrator for Persistent Systems we can now offer digitization solutions, including ATAK and TAK integration, that operate on the latest generation of mobile tactical networks for any customer whether military or public safety," continued Bowes, "Military and public safety visitors at CANSEC will certainly understand these benefits." "The Canadian military is prioritizing increased digitization and interoperability for its tactical communications devices and sensors," said Ryan Kowalske, VP of Business Development for Persistent Systems, "and this new Authorized Integrator agreement with KWESST will help Canada meet those demands." KWESST's integrated digital applications for military and public safety customers - enabled by Persistent Systems networks- will be showcased at CANSEC, Canada's premier Defence and Security show in Ottawa, June 1-2, at booth 4035. According to Accenture, digital transformation presents one of the biggest challenges for public safety agencies. Globally, the public safety and security market was $435 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $868 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 10.4%, according to Fortune Business Insights. The global defense IT spending market size was approximately $81 billion in 2019 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% through 2027, reaching an estimated $111 billion. "We are very excited about our partnership with KWESST and look forward to growing it's full potential," said Kowalske. About Persistent Systems, LLC Headquartered in New York City since 2007, Persistent Systems, LLC is a global communications technology company that develops and manufactures a patented and secure Mobile Ad hoc Networking (MANET) system: Wave Relay. Wave Relay transmits and receives data, video, voice and other applications under the most difficult conditions. Their suite of products is utilized in Commercial, Military, Government, Industrial, Agriculture, Robotics, and Unmanned Systems markets. Please visit https://www.persistentsystems.com to learn more. Follow Persistent Systems on Twitter to get updates on the latest developments @pswaverelay. About KWESST KWESST (TSXV: KWE) (OTCQB: KWEMF) (FSE: 62U) commercializes breakthrough next-generation tactical systems for military and security forces and personal defense. The company's current portfolio of unique proprietary offerings includes non-lethal systems (PARA OPSTM and ARWENTM) with application across all segments of the non-lethal market, including law enforcement and personal defence. KWESST also facilitates digitization of tactical forces with its signature TASCS system for real-time awareness and targeting information from any source (including drones) streamed directly to users' smart devices and indirect fire weapons. Other KWESST products include counter-measures against threats such as drones, lasers and electronic detection. These include: the PhantomTM electronic battlefield deception system to mask the electromagnetic signature of friendly forces with decoy signatures at false locations that deceive and confuse adversaries; a Battlefield Laser Detection System to counter the emerging threat of laser targeting of personnel; and, a non-kinetic system to counter the threat of tactical drones. These systems can operate stand-alone or integrate seamlessly with third-party OEM products and networked battlefield management systems such as ATAK. The Company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with operations in Stafford, VA and representative offices in London, UK and Abu Dhabi, UAE. For more information, please visit https://kwesst.com/ Contact: Steve Archambault, CFO, archambault@kwesst.com or (613) 317-3941 Jason Frame, Investor Relations: frame@kwesst.com Investor Contact: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies 1-800 RED-CHIP (733-2447) 407-491-4499 KWEMF@redchip.com Press Contact: Angela Trostle Gorman angela@AMWPR.com 1-917-348-0083 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. KWESST 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. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125066 REPLY [EXM, STAR: REY] announces today that has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of FINCON Unternehmensberatung GmbH (www.fincon.eu) a German consulting company leader in digital transformation projects for the banking and the insurance industry. FINCON, headquartered in Hamburg, is a pure consulting company specialized on the core processes and systems for the financial services industry such as, mobile banking, payments, core banking, internal control system and regulatory compliance, BIPRO and insurance systems. Among the customers of FINCON there are the main German banking and insurance institutions and many of the German Sparkasse. The investment in FINCON is part of Reply's international growth strategy, particularly in Germany, where Reply is already a leading player in consulting, system integration and digital services. The managing directors of FINCON with the role of "Partner Reply" will focus on further developing and expanding the activities of FINCON within the Reply Group in Germany. "FINCON said Mario Rizzante, President of Reply mixes a great expertise on banking and insurance processes with a constant attention to technological innovation. With FINCON our goal is to expand Reply footprint into the German banking and insurance sector with a focus on digital transformation projects an area where all the main industry players are concentrating the majority of their investments." Frank Dunnleder, CEO of FINCON commented: "We are very excited to be joining Reply's network of companies as the leading consulting company for the financial services industry in Germany. The strong interest in people, culture and customer focus that characterize Reply fits perfectly with our corporate culture. As part of the Reply network, we benefit from the innovative power and creativity of the entire group, which enables us to support our customers even better and more comprehensive with cutting edge solutions and services." The completion of the transaction is subject to fulfilment of certain conditions, such as the clearance by the German Federal Cartel Office. Completion is expected to occur towards the end of June 2022. REPLY Reply [EXM, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] is specialized in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. Reply is a network of highly focused companies supporting key European industrial groups operating in the telecom and media, industry and services, banking, insurance and public administration sectors in the definition and development of business models enabled for the new paradigms of AI, cloud computing, digital media and the Internet of Things. Reply services include: Consulting, System Integration and Digital Services. www.reply.com FINCON With around 450 employees, FINCON Unternehmensberatung GmbH is the consulting and solutions company specializing in banks, the savings bank financial group and the insurance industry. In the banking segment, FINCON advises major banks, the cooperative financial group and selected foreign and specialist banks on specialist, technical, process-related and project methodological issues. www.fincon.eu This press release is a translation, the Italian version will prevail. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005727/en/ Contacts: REPLY Media Contacts Fabio Zappelli f.zappelli@reply.com Tel. +390117711594 Joerg Naruhn j.naruhn@reply.com Tel. +49524150090 Investor Relation Contacts Riccardo Lodigiani r.lodigiani@reply.com Tel. +390117711594 Michael Lueckenkoetter m.lueckenkoetter@reply.com Tel. +49524150091017 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) 596/2014. AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 EP Global Opportunities Trust plc (the "Company") Net Asset Value(s) and Valuation of Volunteer Park Capital Fund SCSp Based on a bid price valuation, the unaudited net asset value per Ordinary Share of the Company as at 23 May 2022 was 344.5p including estimated current period revenue and 341.5p excluding current period revenue. This is based on 29,222,180 Ordinary Shares, being the issued capital of 64,509,642 Ordinary Shares less 35,287,462 Ordinary Shares held in treasury. Following a revaluation of the Company's investment in Volunteer Park Capital Fund SCSp, the Company's valuation of the investment has increased by 4.4p per Ordinary share. The increased valuation has been reflected in the unaudited net asset values per Ordinary Share detailed above. This notice is made by the Directors of the Company and contains information that qualified or may have qualified as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the UK Market Abuse Regulation. Upon publication of this notice on the Regulatory Information Service this information is now considered to be in the public domain. 24 May 2022 Legal Entity Identifier: 2138005T5CT5ITZ7ZX58 Enquiries: Dr Sandy Nairn Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Limited Tel: 0131 270 3800 The Company's registered office address is: 27-31 Melville Street Edinburgh EH3 7JF PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / The internationally renowned brand, ELLE, is excited to announce its debut into the hospitality world with the launch of ELLE Hospitality, which comprises two new boutique concepts Maison ELLE and ELLE Hotel. The bold new venture marks an important step in the brand's lifestyle and experiences evolution, as it is the first of its kind from a global media group. Owned by French Lagardere Group, ELLE has its headquarters in Paris, where the first Maison ELLE is scheduled to open this fall. As a brand, ELLE has been constantly innovating since its inception in 1945 as a pioneering lifestyle women's magazine and today is considered the world's largest fashion media brand - now pioneering into different sectors of the lifestyle industry with its foray into hotels. At the heart of the brand's mission is to offer global experiences, translating ELLE's emphasis on style and women's empowerment values into desirable consumer products. While continuing to develop its traditional sector of activities focused on fashion, beauty and accessories, ELLE has already been expanding into the experiential and services that can be found on ELLE Boutique, which has unveiled the opening of ELLE branded Cafes, Beauty Salons and Spas in many countries. As the brand continues to look beyond its core publishing business and expands globally in the world of experiential services, the introduction of ELLE Hospitality aims to address their customers desires with lifestyle-focused destinations and stylish accommodations, through the two new concepts, Maison ELLE and ELLE Hotel - that are soon to be explored by today's savviest of travelers, who seek to be hyper-connected to the places and communities they visit. Another sector of ELLE that blends their icon brand in the scene of interior design is ELLE DECOR. Whitney Robinson, Founder of Whitney Robinson International says l "I have always had a deep appreciation and admiration for the iconic ELLE brand, and was honored to be the Editor in Chief of ELLE DECOR USA. Over the past two decades, I have been fortunate to work with the most coveted names in design, architecture, hospitality, and fashion, and am delighted to participate in this new adventure." Central to the brand's DNA and heritage, ELLE Hospitality celebrates women, design and craftsmanship, while conscientiously adapting to the environment and culture of each location where they are. ELLE's venture into the hospitality industry will become a revival of their existing magazine experience. These hotels will play a strong role in immersing the guests into everything ELLE demonstrates throughout their iconic magazines. ELLE Hospitality has carefully aligned itself with three real estate and hospitality group partners, who are leaders in their unique locations and also known for developing disruptive and innovative concepts in design, architecture and experiences. These include: ACTUR in Mexico - ACTUR is a real estate developer that also provides a platform for lifestyle hospitality and development investment in Mexico. STUDIO V in Europe - The newest hospitality group in partnership with esteemed Valotel group dedicated to brands' conception and unique experiences with a focus on design and development of meaningful living spaces. Whitney Robinson International in Middle East- it is the world's first 360 design-driven hospitality and real estate development company. The firm specializes in collaborations with the world's most prestigious names in architecture, art, interior design, and fashion. The first Maison ELLE - in partnership with Studio V, who will own and operate the hotel under the guidance of leading hotelier, Pascal Donat, President of French hospitality group, Valotel - is set to open in Paris, France in the fall of 2022 in the 17th district of Paris, near the Arc de Triomphe. It will have 25 guestrooms and suites and a spa. Future openings are planned in Paris, France and also across Europe and China. Maison ELLE, as a concept, aims to provide an accessible and convenient, home-from-home in the heart of its city, for the fashion-forward traveler who is eager to experience it authentically. It is positioned to be affordable for the consumer, who have the flexibility to enjoy anything from a weekend break, to live and work remotely for an extended stay. ELLE brand loyalists and new followers alike, will check into an urban hideaway, styled with chic decor and design influenced by the latest trends, and met with a highly personalized level of service. "Beyond the hotels themselves, our guests look for meaning and a sense of belonging. That's why today, bringing to life a brand's emotional connection with the consumer, through hospitality experiences and design, is central to our approach with Maison ELLE", says Pascal Donat, CEO of Valotel and Studio V. The first ELLE Hotel in partnership with ACTUR, will open in the summer of 2023 in Jalisco, Mexico, where the convergence of an eco-conscious, luxury lifestyle community is currently under development. This thrilling project is coming to a pristine stretch of Mexico's Pacific coast and is setting a new precedent for land development by making environmental protection and sustainability a top priority. The project's CEO, Ricardo Santa Cruz, believes we are all "land stewards" and states that "everyone involved in the project is part of a family that is committed to the same goals. We all have a social responsibility to improve the quality of life of our neighboring communities and to safeguard the environmental preservation of the land in which we are living". The innovative spirit of ELLE will be reflected through its high-end hospitality concept where artistic designs and craftsmanship come to life, centered around cultural immersion that allows for a regenerative retreat for all. Central to its design concept, ELLE Hotel is leveraging local talent from aspiring female designers and artisans to imagine its guestrooms, suites and communal spaces. Together with ACTUR, the ELLE Hotel is collaborating with the local community in Jalisco across Mexico on the intricacies of the design, which are soon-to-be unveiled. Beyond creating luxurious accommodation, it aims to bring a sense of balance, inspired by its natural surroundings and culture, in order to create a retreat that binds mind, body, and soul in a one-of-a kind paradise. The goal is also to establish curated connections: emotional ones with people, within the community, and meaningful ones with ELLE and its products that reflect the distinctive offerings of the brand. "We are thrilled to launch ELLE into the world of hospitality. Our brand's success to date has been thanks to our innovation, our special relationship with women and we are proud to continue to challenge the status quo, as we enter a new era of travel. Our two concepts, starting with the openings of Maison ELLE in Paris and ELLE Hotel in Mexico will present exciting gateways that will allow guests to see the destinations through a new lens and through ELLE's vision" says Constance Benque, Chairman of ELLE International and CEO of Lagardere News. For additional information or interview requests, contact: Solenne Vervisch V.I.P.R agency | 347.515.0655 Editor's notes: About ELLE Hospitality: ELLE Hospitality offers global experiences as a partner for a better life through its two branches of Maison ELLE and ELLE Hotel. The two branches both serve to provide an authentic stay in the lifestyle segment of the hotel industry. Maison ELLE features boutique hotels around city centers all over the world, with convenience and practicality at its heart that still provides personalized levels of service. ELLE Hotel provides a more high-end, experiential destination focused on being a regenerative retreat in a paradise place away from the urban life. ELLE Hotel will work with and involve local women across all levels from artisans to designers, empowering the female community further. Find out more about ELLE Hotel at http://www.ellehospitality.org About Lagardere Group: Lagardere Group, owner of the ELLE & ELLE Decoration brands, is a global leader in content publishing, production, broadcasting, and distribution. These powerful brands leverage its virtual and physical networks to attract and enjoy qualified audiences. Lagardere Active Enterprises is the dedicated business unit of the Lagardere Group in charge of the brands' extension programs inside the ELLE International company. Their scope is vast with 45 editions of ELLE and 29 editions of ELLE DECOR worldwide. In 80 countries, ELLE is a powerhouse brand with a non media presence that contains more than 150 licensees such as, three ELLE Cafe licenses, 2 ELLE Salon licenses and 1 ELLE Spa license. About ACTUR: ACTUR is a real estate developer that also provides a platform for lifestyle hospitality and development investment in Mexico. ACTUR focuses on low-density projects with a sustainable approach to land development. A developer completely dedicated to respecting nature within an exceptional ecosystem. ACTUR combines master development experience, a strong commitment to the community, extensive quality research, and integrative teamwork with each step. Redefining sustainable development in complete harmony with the local community intertwined with nature. About Studio V: Studio V. Hospitality is a subsidiary of the Valotel Group (French hotel group founded in 1973), dedicated to brands' conception and unique hospitality experiences. Studio V. Hospitality's concern is about brands' universes and hospitality experiences in order to design and develop meaningful living spaces, while also providing a real support and marketing input to the hoteliers. About Whitney Robinson International: Whitney Robinson International is a champion of the design world, continually endeavoring to support and advocate for individual creatives and the industry at large. The company is proud to be based in Manhattan, but is composed of a team of truly global citizens. SOURCE: ELLE Hospitality View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/701343/ELLE-Announces-the-Debut-of-ELLE-Hospitality-a-New-Global-Hotel-Venture-Set-To-Premiere-in-2022 Successful Global Customer Deployments and Increasing Demand Drive Tighter Integration and Expanded Availability of Theta Lake Security and Compliance Integration for All RingCentral MVP Applications RingCentral Message Video Phone (MVP) customers have access to FREE Advanced Archiving and eDiscovery capabilities included in RingCentral subscriptions FREE Advanced Archiving extends to RingCentral Global Service Providers Builds upon momentum from Theta Lake's $50 million Series B announcement, including RingCentral Venture's participation Theta Lake, a leader in modern collaboration security and compliance solutions, today announced its expanded integration with RingCentral to include a free version of Theta Lake's Security and Compliance Suite. The native integration provides advanced archiving and search capabilities to enable more efficient business preservation and supervision of all RingCentral MVP communications, including voice, RingCentral Video, team messaging, SMS, faxes, and more. This offering also extends to RingCentral's Global Service Providers platform, including AT&T Office Hand, Avaya Cloud Office, BT, Telus, Unify Office and more. Theta Lake is a RingCentral Premier Partner for over three years and more recently, RingCentral expanded their partnership by investing in Theta Lake's $50 million Series B Funding. Theta Lake provides RingCentral customers with efficient, effective, and affordable compliance review, supervision, and archiving on large volumes of RingCentral recordings. With this latest expansion, RingCentral MVP customers now have access to free, advanced security, and compliance across all RingCentral recorded content. Through Theta Lake's AI-based compliance and archiving, this free offering makes it easier for RingCentral customers to leverage Theta Lake's award-winning archive, purpose-built for modern communications. "Theta Lake has created an integrated solution that helps our customers adhere to communication retention and supervision policies while navigating and complying with external regulations," said Kira Makagon, Chief Innovation Officer, RingCentral. "Theta Lake continues to deliver best-in-class, industry-leading compliance solutions to RingCentral customers to support all digital communications. Theta Lake addresses our customers' need to detect regulatory and corporate risks within RingCentral communications and expands compliance supervision to all RingCentral content." As a RingCentral Premier Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Partner and winner of RingCentral's ISV of the Year award in 2020 for its collaboration security and compliance solutions, Theta Lake enables RingCentral customers to more easily comply with regulatory requirements, including SEC 17a-4, Freedom of Information Act, FERPA, and MiFID II. Theta Lake also provides RingCentral customers with customizable workflows to efficiently scale the compliance review and supervision process for organizations of any size, while its threat detection capabilities help teams prioritize remediation of data leakage and security risks. Additional paid offerings within Theta Lake's RingCentral integration modules include: Theta Lake for RingCentral App Archiving; Archive Connector; Supervision for RingCentral messaging, SMS, faxes, voice, and video. Rich eDiscovery and Search Capabilities Theta Lake offers robust eDiscovery capabilities across hundreds of search filters and metadata, as well as free-form text search across what is spoken (voice transcript), shown on screen (screen share, webcam), shared (files/documents), or written. Comprehensive Capture for RingCentral MVP Messaging, Voice and Audio Conferencing, RingCentral Video, SMS, and Fax AI-based surveillance of recordings to automate risk detection and data leakage, supervise agents' phone calls, and be alerted of HR violations. Seamless connection to legacy email archives and cloud storage systems, including AWS and Azure. "RingCentral has been an incredible partner and we are thrilled to continue advancing our strategic partnership with RingCentral. We have seen tremendous market success with RingCentral, experiencing over 1,700% growth in customer bookings from our joint customers since 2019 and this free offering creates an even more seamless way to access our integrated Security and Compliance Suite," said Anthony Cresci, SVP of Finance, Business Development, and Operations at Theta Lake. "We're looking forward to continuing our work with RingCentral to provide safe, secure, and compliance collaboration for all." To find out more about Theta Lake's Free, Advanced and Integrated Archiving and eDiscovery offerings for RingCentral, click here. ABOUT THETA LAKE Theta Lake's multi-award winning product suite provides patented compliance and security for modern collaboration platforms, utilizing over 45 frictionless partner integrations that include RingCentral, Webex by Cisco, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and more. Theta Lake can capture, compliantly archive, and act as an archive connector for existing archives of record for video, voice, and chat collaboration systems. In addition to comprehensive capture and archiving, Theta Lake uses patented AI to detect and surface regulatory, privacy, and security risks in an AI assisted review workflow across what is shared, shown, spoken, and typed. Theta Lake enables organizations to safely, compliantly, and cost-effectively expand their use of communication platforms. Visit us at ThetaLake.com; LinkedIn; or Twitter at @thetalake. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005481/en/ Contacts: Jenna Shikoff RH Strategic for Theta Lake thetalakepr@rhstrategic.com 267-300-7190 The Supreme Courts position on Roe v. Wade would ban abortion access for millions of people in the US. In this podcast episode, Laura Brown (editor of Socialist Revolution) and Joel Bergman (editor of Fightback) discuss the reasons and impact of a repeal of Roe v. Wade, and provide a Marxist perspective to fight back against this egregious attack on abortion rights. Episode republished from Fightback, the podcast of the Canadian section of the International Marxist Tendency. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Metals Corporation (TSXV:OSU) ("Orsu" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent dated as of May 23, 2022 (the "LOI") with Invenir Ltd. ("Invenir") and Skyfire Ltd. ("Skyfire", collectively with Invenir, the "Target Companies"), pursuant to which Orsu and the Target Companies will complete a business combination that will result in a reverse takeover and change of business of Orsu (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Target Companies are arm's length's parties to the Company. The entity resulting from the Proposed Transaction (the "Resulting Issuer") will be a global helium explorer and developer with exclusive rights to the Topaz helium project in the USA, which has been drilled and flowed 10.5% helium, and a 100% interest in the Tunu helium project in Greenland. Terms of the LOI Subject to satisfactory tax, corporate and securities law advice for both Orsu and the Target Companies, the Proposed Transaction will be structured as a share purchase or other form of transaction or a series of transactions that have a similar effect, and pursuant to which: Orsu shall complete a share consolidation (the "Consolidation"); Orsu will acquire all voting securities of the Target Companies from the shareholders of the Target Companies (the "Target Company Shareholders") in consideration for the issuance to the Target Company Shareholders of post-Consolidation common shares of Orsu ("Post-Consolidation Shares"); the existing shareholders of Orsu as of immediately prior to the completion of the Proposed Transaction will hold approximately 14% of the Post-Consolidation Shares of the Resulting Issuer; the former shareholders of the Target Companies will hold approximately 64.5% of the Post-Consolidation Shares of the Resulting Issuer; and Orsu will conduct a concurrent private placement offering (the "Concurrent Financing") of Subscription Receipts (described below) to raise proceeds of at least $5 million, at a price to be determined in the context of the market. The ratio of the Consolidation and the percentage holdings of the Post-Consolidation Shares set out above may be adjusted based on the final pricing of the Concurrent Financing. Certain of the Post-Consolidation Shares will be subject to escrow and resale restrictions pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The LOI also provides that effective on closing of the Proposed Transaction, the Company will, among other things: (i) change its name to a name requested by the Target Companies and acceptable to applicable regulatory authorities; (ii) reconstitute its board of directors with nominees of the Target Companies; (iii) replace certain officers of the Company on closing of the Proposed Transaction with nominees of the Target Companies; and (iv) immediately following closing of the Proposed Transaction complete the sale of the Company's existing assets (as described below). The proceeds of the Concurrent Financing will be placed in escrow until the Proposed Transaction closes, at which time the proceeds will be released to the Company and the subscription receipts will automatically be converted into Post-Consolidation Shares. If the Proposed Transaction does not close the escrow funds will be returned to the subscribers. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including shareholder approval if required, execution of related transaction documents, approval of the Exchange, disposition of the Company's existing assets, there being no adverse material change in the affairs of the parties and completion of satisfactory due diligence by each of the parties. Pursuant to the LOI, each of the Target Companies and Orsu agreed to (i) use commercially reasonable efforts to negotiate the terms of a definitive agreement reflecting the terms of the LOI and other representations and warranties, covenants and conditions that are customary for a transaction of this nature for execution as soon as practicable; (ii) conduct their respective businesses in the ordinary course; and (iii) not enter into negotiations or solicit any expressions of interest for any transaction competitive to the Proposed Transaction. The LOI shall terminate upon any party notifying the others that it is not satisfied with the results of its due diligence investigation by June 30, 2022. Further details of the Proposed Transaction will be included in subsequent news releases and disclosure documents (which will include business and financial information in respect of the Target Companies) to be filed by the Company in connection with the Proposed Transaction. Board and Management Invenir and Skyfire were created and are managed by the founders of Helium One Global Ltd. (LSE:HE1). As the first dedicated explorers for helium, their global database and knowledge led to the formation of Invenir and Skyfire. Description of the Target Companies Invenir Ltd. Invenir Ltd. is registered in England and Wales and is the indirect holder of an option to lease agreement of the Topaz helium project in Minnesota, USA. There is a royalty of 0.5% on production, which can be reduced to 0.25% upon payment of US$100,000. Invenir's Topaz Project Discovery In 2011, gas flow was encountered while drilling for base metals in Minnesota. The well was sealed, and samples of the gas sent for analysis. Gas analysis confirmed 10.5% helium Gas flowed for 4-5 days with no apparent reduction in pressure All casing removed and well cemented Gas analysis indicated CO2, N2 and helium as main constituents Figure 1 Location of the Topaz Project discovery well site in Minnesota. Discovery well in the exclusive option area A total of 3,065 acres Applications lodged for Federal (BLM) blocks A total of 1,748 acres Permitting in place for drilling in 2022 Skyfire Ltd. Skyfire Ltd is registered in England and Wales and is the direct 100% owner of exclusive Mineral Exploration License 2021/45 on the Tunu helium and hydrogen project in Greenland. Skyfire's Tunu Project Figure 2 Location map, showing existing seismic lines, for the Tunu Project in Greenland. First mover for helium and hydrogen in Greenland On track to be a top three licence holder in the country (7,447km2 combined granted + application) Government support as Greenland pivots away from hydrocarbon exploration Licences specify helium + hydrogen rights, plus all other minerals (excluding hydrocarbons and radioactive elements) Access to abundant existing data Incl. gas geochemistry, extensive 2D seismic & airborne geophysics Experience Management team with significant Greenland experience in place 1,799 line km onshore (shot in 1985-1989 by ARCO) (Plus airborne surveys) Historic (1925) measurements from these thermal springs indicated predominately nitrogen plus noble gases composition (no hydrocarbons) . Within the licence area are peridotites (ultramafic rock) which are excellent natural hydrogen source rocks - in proximity to thermal springs. Helium Helium is a rare and vital element in many critical applications in the medical, science, aerospace, and high-tech manufacturing sectors around the world. The dynamics of the helium market in North America and around the world are changing quickly as North American supplies are falling, demand is expected to increase, and the world is looking for new sources of helium. Helium is abundant in the universe however is extremely rare on earth. With numerous industrial and technological applications, helium combines a unique blend of characteristics which cannot be substituted by any other element making it a high-value commodity. The last auction of crude helium from the USA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) occurred in FY2019 with an average price of USD$280 per thousand cubic feet, an increase of 135% from the previous year's result. Since then, the BLM has ceased public auctions, instead limiting what helium remains to Federal use, due to the shortage. New applications for helium are expected to further intensify demand, further highlighting the strategic value of the resulting issuer's assets, which have demonstrated potential to host large volumes of helium, without being reliant on natural gas production. Planned Disposition of the Company's Existing Assets Since the Company's March 8, 2022, press release regarding the effects on the Company of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Company has been monitoring the evolving situation and assessing the risks associated with these sanctions and their impact on the Company's operations in Russia. After considering the anticipated risks and benefits of alternatives to the Proposed Transaction, including continuing maintaining the Company's existing interest in the Sergeevskoe gold project in Russia, it was determined by a special committee of independent directors of Orsu (the "Special Committee") that given the sanctions made against Russia and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, neither of which are expected to be resolved soon, and the Company's limited cash treasury and inability to raise additional equity financing as a result of the Russia sanctions, continuing with the development of the Sergeevskoe project is not an option. The Special Committee negotiated the sale (the "Disposition") of Orsu's 90% interest in the Sergeevskoe gold project (the "Majority Interest") to the holders of the other 10% interest in the project (the "Buyers") pursuant to a share purchase agreement (the "SPA"). The SPA provides that the Buyer's will acquire the Majority Interest from Orsu for nominal consideration on closing, but will pay contingent consideration of up to a maximum US$4.5 million to Orsu in the event that the Buyers sell the Russian Asset within five years from closing to a non-sanctioned third-party buyer. The Disposition will be completed immediately following the completion of the Proposed Transaction. The Buyers include Sergei Stefanovich and Vladimir Pakhomov, both of whom are directors of the Company, and therefore the Disposition will constitute a related party transaction pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Disposition and the SPA were reviewed and approved by the Special Committee, all of whom are independent of the Buyers. Because the Disposition will be a related party transaction pursuant to MI 61-101, certain shareholder approval and valuation requirements would apply to the Disposition pursuant to MI 61-101, unless an exemption is available therefrom under the terms of MI 61-101. The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in Sections 5.5(b) (Issuer Not Listed on Specified Markets) and 5.7(1)(e) (Financial Hardship) of MI 61-101. It is anticipated that the common shares of Orsu will remain halted until all necessary filings in respect of the Proposed Transaction have been accepted by applicable regulatory authorities. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Sergei Stefanovich Managing Director For further information, please contact: Doris Meyer, at 1-604-536-2711 ext 3 or email: doris@gocs.ca. 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. All information contained in this news release with respect to the Target Companies was supplied by the Target Companies for inclusion herein and the Company has relied on the accuracy of such information without independent verification. As noted above, completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance of the Proposed Transaction. The Proposed Transaction cannot close until the required regulatory approval is obtained in respect of the applicable matters. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement of the Company to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Orsu should be considered highly speculative. The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include "forward-looking information" (as that term is defined by Canadian securities legislation), concerning the Company's business. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Proposed Transaction, the Disposition, the description of the Target Companies and information regarding the management, business and operations of the Resulting Issuer. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company's management, including future plans for the exploration and development of its mineral properties. Although the Company believes that such expectations and assumptions are reasonable, investors should not rely unduly on such forward-looking information as the Company can give no assurance they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to publicly update any forward-looking information (whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise) other than as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Orsu Metals Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702433/Orsu-Metals-to-Complete-Transformative-Transaction-to-Become-a-Global-Helium-Explorer Transaction Network Services (TNS) has launched its popular Managed Hosting and Colocation offering in Madrid, which is set to benefit financial market participants looking to access Spain's principal stock exchange, Bolsas y Mercados Espanoles (BME). This is TNS' first deployment in Spain and joins Frankfurt, Germany and Bergamo, Italy as the organization's third Managed Hosting and Colocation venue in mainland Europe. It is the seventh site in Europe for TNS with Basildon, LD4, Interxion and LSE in the UK. The announcement underpins TNS' commitment to investing in its European infrastructure. "Working with TNS will enable capital markets participants to improve the way they incorporate BME into their trading infrastructure," said Jeff Mezger, TNS' Vice President of Product Management. "For those who have held back from accessing BME because they did not want to colocate themselves, we can now do it for them. With BME colocation joining TNS' low latency network in Europe, TNS can provide market data to virtually any of the major equities exchange data centers in Europe." Trade execution speed is extremely important for profit and loss, and competitive advantage comes from having the best communication links to hardware in the best location. The combination of colocation with BME and ultra-low latency Layer 1 connectivity inside the data center enables firms to access execution speeds that are up to 10 times faster than traditional Layer 3 architectures. Layer 1 technology remains the most advanced solution, eradicating the need for multiple switches by using a simple, single hop architecture to deliver connectivity in as little as 5 to 85 nanoseconds. The TNS offering provides lower overall costs compared to a DIY approach, due to TNS' mutualized exchange connections and status as a registered data vendor with BME. This allows trading firms to focus on their core business instead of diverting the attention of internal resources to maintain an extensive infrastructure. BME manages all Spanish stock markets, operating Bolsa de Madrid, Bolsa de Barcelona, Bolsa de Bilbao, Bolsa de Valencia, and the derivates exchange MEFF. Bolsa de Madrid is the listing exchange for multinational companies such as ArcelorMittal, America Movil, Banco Santander and Telefonica. These companies and others make up the IBEX 35, the leading stock index in Spain. MEFF offers stock index futures including IBEX 35 futures, energy derivatives and FX derivatives. TNS brings together over 2,800 financial community endpoints, supported by a global, 125-strong point-of-presence footprint. Specifically designed and engineered to address the needs of financial market participants worldwide, TNS offers a range of connectivity, colocation, cloud, market data and VPN solutions within its Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) portfolio. Its solutions are monitored 24x7x365 by TNS' Network Operations Centers in the US, UK, Australia and Malaysia. For further information visit tnsfinancial.com. About Transaction Network Services (TNS) Founded in 1990, and with offices across USA, Europe and Asia, TNS is a leading provider of mission-critical infrastructure, connectivity, market data and analytic services for the Financial Markets community. Delivered as a fully managed Infrastructure-as-a-Service offering, TNS provides an unrivalled global mission-critical footprint that significantly reduces the burdens, complexities and costs attributed to firms 'going direct'. Through its ultra-low latency connectivity, its global market data offerings and its dedicated 24x7x365 local support, TNS remains the trusted solution provider to more than 750 counterparties globally. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005207/en/ Contacts: Fiona Butler, TRG, +44 (0)7796 410557 Clare Cockroft, TNS, 44 (0)114 292 0163 pr@tnsi.com CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Radiation Hardened Electronics Market by Component (Mixed Signal ICs, Processors & Controllers, Memory, Power Management), Manufacturing Techniques (RHBD, RHBP), Product Type, Application and Geography - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, is expected to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2022 to USD 1.8 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% from 2022 to 2027. Increasing technology advancements in multicore processors for military and space-grade applications is driving the market for radiation hardened electronics. Moreover, increasing demand for electronic systems that can withstand a severe nuclear environment; and rising intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) activities across the globe plays a key role in driving the growth of the radiation hardened electronics market Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=44047967 "Power electronics component to hold the largest size of radiation hardened electronics market during the forecast period" The power electronics in component segment is expected to account for the larger size of the radiation hardened electronics market throughout the forecast period. The growth is majorly driven with the increasing use of MOSFET power electronic in space and high reliability applications owing to its high durability against high-energy-charged particles and ionizing radiation. Manufacturers are continuously focusing on accelerating the performance of MOSFET devices for space applications. For instance, IR HiRel (US), a private subsidiary of Infineon Technologies AG (US) offers the Si MOSFET device which helps improve the system's efficiency and reduce cost per bit in the high throughput of satellites. The R9 MOSFET also supports satellite designers with a wide range of gate drivers and improved current capabilities. "COTS in product type segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period" The radiation hardened electronics market for COTS segment holds for the majority of the share and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing development in low-cost nanosatellites has accelerated the growth opportunities for COTS product type. COTS also delivers attractive signal processing designs that further increase their adoption among military space missions. COTS offers an attractive option to decrease the cost in space applications as they can be replaced with pin out compatible ceramic packages, which offer the same functionality as the original device. This helps to achieve significant cost savings and reduces the risk and development time. Browse in-depth TOC on "Radiation Hardened Electronics Market" 152 - Tables 62 - Figures 250 - Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=44047967 "North America expected to dominate the radiation hardened market during the forecast period" The North America region accounted for the largest share of radiation hardened electronics market in the forecast period. This dominance and growth are driven by the increasing demand for radiation-hardened components in commercial and military satellite applications. The Department of Defense (DoD) and other commercial industries in the US require reliable radiation-hardened microelectronics to support programs such as nuclear modernization efforts and satellites. The US government is continuously taking efforts to maintain and expand domestic capabilities in the manufacture of radiation-hardened microelectronic components. For instance, in December 2021, the US government issued an authorization for the utilization of the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III to expand and strengthen the domestic industrial base for radiation-hardened microelectronics. Key players in the radiation hardened electronics market are Microchip Technology Inc. (US), BAE Systems (UK), Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), STMicroelectronics (Switzerland), Xilinx, Inc. (US), Texas Instruments Incorporated (US), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Teledyne Technologies Inc. (US), and TTM Technologies, Inc. (US). SMEs/startups covered in the study are Cobham Limited (UK), Analog Devices, Inc (US), Data Devices Corporation (US), 3D Plus (France), Mercury Systems, Inc. (US), PCB Piezotronics, Inc (US), Vorago (US), Micropac Industries, Inc (US), GSI technology, Inc (US), Everspin Technologies Inc (US), Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US), AiTech (US), Microelectronics Research Development Corporation (US), Space Micro, Inc (US), and Triad Semiconductor ( US). Related Reports: FPGA Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Configuration (Low-End FPGA, Mid-Range FPGA, High-End FPGA), Technology (SRAM, Flash, Antifuse), Node Size (=16 nm, 22/28-90 nm, and >90 nm), Vertical, and Region - Global - Forecast to 2026 Silicon on Insulator (SOI) Market by Wafer Size (200 mm and less than 200 mm, 300 mm), Wafer Type (RF-SOI, FD-SOI), Technology (Smart Cut), Product, Application (Consumer Electronics, Automotive) & Geography (2021-2026) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/radiation-hardened-electronics-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/radiation-hardened-electronics.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg DGAP-News: Polaris Infrastructure Inc. / Key word(s): AGM/EGM Polaris Infrastructure Inc.: Polaris Infrastructure Announces AGM & Proposed Re-Branding Strategy 24.05.2022 / 15:45 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. POLARIS INFRASTRUCTURE ANNOUNCES AGM & PROPOSED RE-BRANDING STRATEGY TORONTO, ON (May 24, 2022) - Polaris Infrastructure Inc. (TSX:PIF) ("Polaris" or the "Company"), announced today that it will be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually for all Shareholders on June 23, 2022 via Lumi. The Management Information Circular for the AGM has been mailed today to all Shareholders as of the record date of May 9, 2022 . For more information regarding the AGM and the matters to be voted on, Shareholders are encouraged to read the full Circular that is available on our Corporate Website and on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, the Company is also pleased to announce that, subject to receipt of Shareholder approval at the AGM, the Company is planning to change its name to Polaris Renewable Energy Inc. This is in response to recent and projected future growth resulting in a renewal of its corporate vision. Announcements revolving around such re-branding will be forthcoming after the AGM if shareholder approval has been received. "The proposed name change more accurately depicts what we do as a Company, both now and in the future" stated Marc Murnaghan, Chief Executive Officer of Polaris. Our recently announced acquisitions also present us with an opportunity to re-brand across all of our platforms and jurisdictions." About Polaris Infrastructure Inc. Polaris Infrastructure Inc. is a Toronto-based company engaged in the acquisition, development and operation of renewable energy projects in Latin America. The Company operates a 72 MW (net) geothermal facility in Nicaragua and three run-of-river hydroelectric facilities in Peru, with approximately 5 MW (net), 8 MW (net) and 20 MW (net) capacity, each. The Company also owns two solar projects in Panama with an expected total capacity of approximately 13 MWdc, currently under construction. Investor Relations Polaris Infrastructure Inc. Phone: +1 647-245-7199 Email: info@polarisinfrastructure.com This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, management's expectations regarding the ability to receive approval for the proposed corporate name change and its ability to integrate acquisitions and re-brand itself across different platforms and jurisdictions. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, shareholders not approving the proposed name change or related matters at the AGM, or the inability of the Company to integrate some or all of the recent acquisitions or to re-brand itself which may be affected by such factors as general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current geothermal and hydro energy production, development and/or exploration activities and the accuracy of probability simulations prepared to predict prospective geothermal resources; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; possible variations of production rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the geothermal and hydro power industries; political instability or insurrection or war; labor force availability and turnover; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities, or in the commencement of operations; the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern and general economic conditions, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form. These factors should be considered carefully and readers of this press release should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The information in this press release, including such forward-looking information, is made as of the date of this press release and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, Polaris assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances. 24.05.2022 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. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Deveron Corp. (TSXV: FARM) ("Deveron" or the "Company"), a leading agriculture data company in North America, is pleased to announce that Deveron has completed its previously-announced acquisition of a 67% equity interest (the "Acquisition") in A&L Canada Laboratories East, Inc. ("A&L"), a leading Canadian soil health and plant tissue testing laboratory. Pursuant to the terms of the share purchase agreement entered into in connection with the Acquisition, as amended on May 10, 2022, the Company has an option to purchase the remaining 33% of A&L following the three-year anniversary of the closing of the Acquisition. Under the terms of the Acquisition, the total consideration paid to the vendor shareholders was comprised of: (i) $37.8 million in cash; (b) $4.9 million in promissory notes; and (c) 13,688,182 common shares ("Common Shares") in the capital of the Company at a deemed issue price of $0.55 per Common Share. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the Acquisition are subject to a hold period of four months and one day, expiring on September 21, 2022. For additional information regarding the Acquisition, please refer to Deveron's news releases dated May 2, 2022 and May 10, 2022. As previously announced, Deveron financed the cash component of the purchase price of the Acquisition through: (i) a $28.3 million credit facility provided by Toronto-Dominion Bank; (ii) a non-brokered private placement of $10 million in unsecured convertible debentures (each, a "Debenture") at a price of $1,000 per Debenture, which closed on May 18, 2022; and (iii) the Company's treasury cash. "We are excited to have completed this transaction," commented Deveron's President and CEO, David MacMillan. "It gives our growing customer base access to some of the best unbiased information in the agriculture industry which we believe will only continue to become more relevant as farmers and agribusiness leaders focus more on independent scientific information to make the best decisions on their farms to improve yields, reduce costs and improve outcomes. From a shareholder perspective, this transaction accelerates our development and allows Deveron to focus not only on continued revenue growth, but also profitability and positive cash flow." The Company has obtained the necessary approvals to close the Acquisition, including receipt of final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange. About A&L A&L is one of the largest soil and tissue laboratories in Canada. Founded by Greg Patterson, and based in London, Ontario, A&L operates a 54,500 square foot laboratory with significant growth capacity and 106 employees, including a large R&D group that has produced patented, crop specific yield and disease solutions. A&L processes over 435,000 soil samples per year. Deveron and A&L have cooperated in Canadian soil testing and analysis since 2019 and jointly own and operate Wood's End Laboratory in the United States. During the 12 month period ended December 31, 2021, A&L had unaudited revenue of $26.7 million and EBITDA of $11.6 million.[1] As at December 31, 2021, A&L had total unaudited assets of $19,835,475 and total unaudited liabilities of $6,747,983. About Deveron Deveron is an agriculture technology company that uses data and insights to help farmers and large agriculture enterprises increase yields, reduce costs and improve farm outcomes. The company employs a digital process that leverages data collected on farms across North America to drive unbiased interpretation of production decisions, ultimately recommending how to optimize input use. Our team of agronomists and data scientists build products that recommend ways to better manage fertilizer, seed, fungicide, and other farm inputs. Additionally, we have a national network of data technicians that are deployed to collect various types of farm data, from soil to drone, that build a basis of our best-in-class data layers. Our focus is the US and Canada where 1 billion acres of farmland are actively farmed annually.[2] For more information and to join our community, please visit www.deveron.com. David MacMillan President & CEO, Deveron Corp. dmacmillan@deveron.com A&L Financial Statements and Information All A&L financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP principles applicable to private enterprises, which are Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises in Part II of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada Handbook. The recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements of Canadian GAAP applicable to private enterprises differ from those of Canadian GAAP applicable to publicly accountable enterprises, which are IFRS. A&L's EBITDA, as used herein, is defined by A&L as net earnings (as per Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises set out in Part II of the CPA Canada Handbook - Accounting, as issued by the Accounting Standards Board in Canada) less interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and income taxes. Presentation of Financial Information The financial information of Deveron referred to in this news release is reported in Canadian dollars and have been prepared in accordance with IFRS. All financial information of A&L referred to in this news release is reported in Canadian dollars and has been derived from audited and unaudited historical financial statements of A&L that were prepared in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises. The recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements of Canadian GAAP applicable to private enterprises differ from those of Canadian GAAP applicable to publicly accountable enterprises, which are IFRS. The financial information for A&L in this news release for the 12 months ended December 31, 2021 are unaudited and were calculated by management by adding figures for six months ended December 31, 2021 (unaudited) to figures for year ended June 30, 2021 (audited) and subtracting figures for six months ended December 31, 2020 (unaudited). Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that phrase under Canadian securities laws. Without limitation, statements regarding future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various degrees of risk. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current views with respect to possible future events and conditions and, by their nature, are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the Company. This forward-looking information in this news release includes, among other things, statements relating to the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition, including without limitation, potential synergies and the anticipated impacts that the Acquisition will have on the Company and its business, future goals, growth plans profitability and positive cash flow, growing customer base and relevance and value of Company's information to farmers. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: changes in the worldwide price of agricultural commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in agriculture, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. Additional information regarding the material factors and assumptions that were applied in making these forward-looking statements as well as the various risks and uncertainties we face are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis of our financial results and the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated November 30, 2021 and other continuous disclosure documents and financial statements filed by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. The Company relies on litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. [1] A&L figures for 12 months ended December 31, 2021 calculated by management by adding figures for six months ended December 31, 2021 (unaudited) to figures for year ended June 30, 2021 (audited) and subtracting figures for six months ended December 31, 2020 (unaudited). [2] Based on data collected through the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Statistics Service and Statistics Canada. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125096 Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Sixth Wave Innovations Inc. (CSE: SIXW) (OTCQB: SIXWF) (FSE: AHUH) ("Sixth Wave", "SIXW" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its patent pending Accelerated Molecularly Imprinted Polymer ("AMIPs") technology has successfully detected the SARS-CoV-2 virus at sensitivity levels two hundred and fifty times lower than commercially available rapid antigen tests. This makes AMIPs sensitive enough to detect both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons before they are contagious to others, an achievement that cannot be claimed by rapid antigen self-tests. Collaborating with researchers at the world-renowned Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology at the University of Alberta ("Institute"), saliva samples were spiked with live SARS-CoV-2 virus using a protocol like established ELISA clinical tests. The battery of tests resulted in detection levels down to 1,000 virus particles in 25 microliters of sample with the AMIPs prototype test. Sixth Wave continues to rely on the Li Ka Shing Institute for the preparation of viruses, implementation of testing methods, use of recognized analytic methods and equipment, and live virus testing under a funded Agreement between the parties. The ability to detect the virus in saliva samples is a critical diagnostic tool as the healthcare system transitions from a COVID-19 pandemic to an endemic state. The AMIPs tech's synthetic nature and robust design provide attributes for testing such as: Faster results non-invasive less expensive no special storage or handling requirements long shelf life inexpensive scalable manufacturing rapid development times for variants or new viral threats According to the company Research and Markets: (https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5390566/global-covid-19-antigen-test-market-size-share) The global COVID-19 antigen test market size is expected to reach USD 8.3 billion by 2027. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2021 to 2027. "Lack of sensitivity of current rapid antigen tests has been a significant reason for the lack of widespread acceptance and adoption of point-of-care and at-home testing. Sixth Wave has demonstrated that our AMIPs technology can alleviate that concern with sensitivity that approaches PCR levels of detection," states Dr. Garrett Kraft, Vice President of Innovations at Sixth Wave. "When directly comparing the main diagnostic technologies, rapid antigen tests have detection limits on the order of 10 million viruses in 1 milliliter of sample. Sixth Wave AMIPs are at 40,000 viruses/mL of sample, and PCR (the gold standard for diagnostics) is at about 10 viruses/mL of sample. We are achieving the technical targets established at the onset of this project by solidly positioning AMIPs in the gap between PCR and rapid antigen testing capabilities." "With people becoming contagious and actively shedding infections virus at viral loads of 100,000 viruses/mL, AMIPs performance can effectively diagnose symptomatic and asymptomatic patients before they are contagious, thus making it a fast and reliable tool for diagnosing patients before they can spread the virus," Explained Dr. Mike Joyce, Virologist at the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology. SIXW has advanced the AMIPs prototype through sensitivity and cross-reactivity (selectivity against other respiratory pathogens) testing using the ZeptoMetrix NATtrol Respiratory Verification Panel, an industry standard panel of 22 common respiratory pathogens used for development of diagnostics, with excellent results in specificity and sensitivity. Preparations are underway for independent clinical testing and compilation of required test data for regulatory approval in Canada and the United States. "With the achievement of these new technical milestones, AMIPs is perfectly positioned to fill a market need by introducing a product that will bridge the gap between PCR and rapid antigen tests," declared Dr. Jon Gluckman, CEO of Sixth Wave. "The AMIPs technology promises to offer fast and accurate results from a non-invasive test at an affordable price. We have rapidly advanced this new technology platform from an abstract concept to a pre-market prototype that promises to contend with the entrenched technologies of the in vitro diagnostic market for COVID-19. We continue to progress towards Sixth Wave's vision of personalized medicine. That vision is predicated on the expansion of the AMIPs diagnostic platform to not only detect COVID-19, but Influenza and other pathogens simultaneously in a single test." The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its current AMIPs product can eliminate, cure, contain, at a commercial level, COVID-19 (or SARS-2 coronavirus) at this time. 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 a commercial rollout of its Affinity cannabinoid purification system, as well as IXOS, a line of extraction polymers for the gold mining industry. The Company is in the development stages of a rapid diagnostic test for viruses under the Accelerated MIPs (AMIPs) label. 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 the 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 our web site at: www.sixthwave.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Jonathan Gluckman" Jonathan Gluckman, Ph.D., President & CEO For information, please contact the Company: Phone: (801) 582-0559 E-mail: info@sixthwave.com Cautionary Notes This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding the planned use of proceeds and performance of the AMIPs technologies. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual events or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In particular, successful development and commercialization of the AMIPs technology are subject to the risk that the AMIPs technology may not prove to be successful in detecting virus targets effectively or at all, the uncertainty of medical product development, the uncertainty of timing or availability of required regulatory approvals, lack of track record of developing products for medical applications and the need for additional capital to carry out product development activities. The value of any products ultimately developed could be negatively impacted if the patent is not granted. The Company has not yet completed the development of a prototype for the product that is subject of its patent application and has not yet applied for regulatory approval for the use of this product from any regulatory agency. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125108 Based on a positive pre-IND meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ceruvia Lifesciences has submitted an Investigation New Drug (IND) application to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder with psilocybin Preliminary results from the Ceruvia funded pilot Phase 2 study taking place at Yale School of Medicine demonstrate rapid and robust improvement in OCD symptoms with a sustained effect GREENWICH, Conn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ceruvia Lifesciences, a leading neurotransformational medicine biopharmaceutical company today announced the submission of an IND application to begin a Phase 2, multicenter, randomized, double blind, active placebo controlled clinical trial to to determine the efficacy and safety of a single oral dose of synthetic psilocybin (SYNP-101) in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms up to 12 weeks after dosing. The trial will be initiated in the second half of 2022, led by Principal Investigators Dr. Benjamin Kelmedi and Dr. Christopher Pittenger of Yale University School of Medicine. According to Carey Turnbull, CEO of Ceruvia Lifesciences, "This IND application represents an important milestone in our efforts to develop neurotransformational medicines for underserved patient populations. With few effective treatment options available, we believe that psilocybin has the potential to play a critical role in improving patient quality of life for those suffering from OCD." Almost 4 million Americans suffer from OCD, with over 79% of patients reporting severe role impairment based on the Sheehan Disability Scales. Yet, despite the significant scope of this problem, treatment options are largely limited to cognitive-behavioral therapy and anti-depressants. For many patients, these treatments, even in combination, are ineffective and the use of antidepressants results in unpleasant side-effects. The unique properties of the classic psychedelic psilocybin, may offer a significant improvement in safety and efficacy over currently available treatments for OCD. "Building on the positive preliminary results of the ongoing pilot Phase 2 study, our Phase 2 trial will provide critical data on the efficacy and safety of psilocybin in producing clinically meaningful and sustained reductions in OCD symptoms" says Judy Ashworth, acting Chief Medical Officer, Ceruvia Lifesciences. "With this IND application we are taking an important step in advancing our drug development pipeline and clinical research program." About Ceruvia Lifesciences Founded in 2017, Ceruvia Lifesciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a mission to improve the lives of underserved patients suffering from neurological and psychiatric disorders. Founded by Carey Turnbull, Ceruvia is relentlessly focused on the development and commercialization of neurotransformational medicines to deliver meaningful relief to patients suffering from hard-to-treat headache disorders, OCD and substance abuse disorder. For too long, these communities have been poorly understood and under-served. At Ceruvia, we believe they no longer have to live this way. In partnership with leading researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine and the Harvard University School of Medicine Ceruvia is undertaking clinical research in order to help them return to living their lives to the fullest. For more information, please visit www.ceruvialifesciences.com Companies Agree to New Leases for Two A330-300 P2F and One A320neo Aircraft CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited ("CDB Leasing"), announced today the signing of new lease agreements with Aerovias del Continente Americano S.A. Avianca ("Avianca") for two Airbus A330-300 Passenger to Freighter ("P2F") and one A320neo aircraft. The new agreements bring the total of CDB Aviation aircraft on lease to Colombia's flag carrier to 8. In addition to the newly leased aircraft, the carrier is expected to take delivery of an additional five A320neos from the lessor between 2022 and 2023. "We are very pleased to broaden our collaboration with the Avianca team through the addition of these aircraft to support their passenger and cargo businesses," commented Luis da Silva, CDB Aviation Head of Commercial, Americas. "Both the fuel-efficient neo and P2F freighters are high-in-demand aircraft, which will help advance the airline's strategy of equipping its fleet with environmentally sustainable, new technology aircraft, as well as supporting the growth of its cargo operations to capitalize on the booming demand for air freight within Latin America." Francisco Raddatz, Avianca's Vice President, Fleet, said: "We are happy to strengthen our partnership with CDB Aviation supporting our passenger and cargo fleet growth." Gabriel Oliva, CEO of Avianca Cargo, added: "We are pleased to announce the arrival of these aircraft to our cargo fleet. With their incorporation, we will not only offer greater capacity, but also an increasingly robust and flexible route network focused on the needs of our customers and facilitating trade between Latin America and the entire world. We reaffirm our commitment to continue boosting the economies of the region, serving as a strategic ally for our customers and the industries." "With an expected resurgence in demand across Latin American markets we believe the planned growth initiatives of Avianca Group are very exciting as airlines are gearing up for a recovery with more versatile fleets, which are aimed to maximize network flexibility and improve efficiency and sustainability," underscored Peter Goodman, CDB Aviation Chief Marketing Officer. "CDB Aviation's commercial team continues to expand outreach across key markets, pursuing aircraft transactions through placements from our order book as well as identifying opportunities in the sale and leaseback channel." Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions, including with respect to CDB Aviation's business, financial condition, results of operations or plans. CDB Aviation cautions readers that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results or other financial condition or performance measures could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as "may", "will", "seek", "continue", "aim", "anticipate", "target", "projected", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", "believe", "achieve" or other terminology or words of similar or analogous meaning. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of CDB Aviation's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to, and will not, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About CDB Aviation CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited ("CDB Leasing"), a 36-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. CDB Aviation is rated Investment Grade by Moody's (A2), S&P Global (A), and Fitch (A+). China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world's largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating. CDB Leasing is the only leasing arm of the China Development Bank and a leading company in China's leasing industry that has been engaged in aircraft, infrastructure, ship, commercial vehicle and construction machinery leasing and enjoys a Chinese sovereign credit rating. It took an important step in July 2016 to globalize and marketize its business listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX STOCK CODE: 1606). www.CDBAviation.aero View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005977/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Paul Thibeau Paul.THIBEAU@CDBAviation.aero; +1 612 594 9844 NOIDA, India, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A comprehensive overview of the global Polyamide Market is recently added by UnivDatos Market Insights to its humongous database. The report has been aggregated by collecting informative data from various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Polyamide market globally. This report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the global Polyamide market at regional and country levels. The global Polyamide market stood at around USD 30 billion in 2020 and is expected to showcase the growth of around 6% during the forecast period (2021-2027). Request Sample Copy of this Report @https://univdatos.com/get-a-free-sample-form-php/?product_id=18243 Market Overview Major factors driving the market of polyamide include a large base of end-use industry; growing automotive industry with the focus on reducing vehicle weight, autonomous and e-mobility; growing industrial production owing to rising population coupled with rising people per-capital income, thereby consumers have more spending power. In industries like automobiles, a large number of components are made up of polyamides in order to reduce the cost and weight, thereby more fuel efficiency. Further, the increasing focus of automobile manufacturers to build autonomous and electric vehicles is expected to increase the demand for polyamides. In addition, polyamides are widely used in the electrical & electronics industry, therefore with increasing investment in the industry, the dynamics of polyamides would also change. For instance, in the light of COVID-19, the demand for semiconductors has increased, resulting in supply-chain disruption, as a result, the industry has taken several initiatives to meet the growing demand, this, in turn, is expected to increase the demand for polyamides. For instance, in 2021, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced the plan to spend $100 billion over the next three years to expand its chip fabrication capacity and fund research and development (R&D) of advanced technologies. Ask for Price & Discounts @ https://univdatos.com/get-a-free-sample-form-php/?product_id=18243 Global Polyamide market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated. By type, the market is primarily divided into: PA 6 PA 66 Aramid Others Based on type, the market is categorized into PA 6, PA 66, Aramid, and Others. Among these, PA 6 and PA 66 are among the largest consumed polyamides owing to their usage in a wide range of industries due to their properties and cost. Automobile, textile, and electrical & electronics are among the largest end-user of PA 6 and PA 66. By application, the market is primarily divided into: Engineered Plastics Fibers Adhesives Based on application, the market is categorized into engineered plastics, fibers, and adhesives. Among these, engineered plastics held a significant share in the market owing to their vast usage in automobile, packaging, and electrical & electronics industries. The demand for polyamides has increased with the increasing focus of automobile companies on vehicle weight reduction. In engineered plastics applications, polyamides are commonly used as copolymers (for example co-polymers of 6 and 66) and compounded with other materials. These materials include glass beads, glass fibers, and carbon fibers. Further, in the case of fibers, it is used in the textile industry, however, in the industry polyester and cotton captured the major market, therefore, offering little room to polyamide fiber. Although, many countries like India are taking various initiatives to improve the textile industry such as the PLI scheme launched by the Government of India, which would increase the overall man-made fibers demands including polyamide. By end-user, the market is primarily divided into: Automotive Electrical & Electronics Consumer Goods & Appliances Packaging Textile Others Based on end-user, the market is categorized into automotive, electrical & electronics, consumer goods & appliances, packaging, textile, and others. Among these, automotive held the prominent share in the market owing to the vast application area of polyamide in vehicles including battery casings, brake hoses, oil sumps, and fenders. This in turn reduces the vehicle weight, thus improving the fuel efficiency. Further, using polyamides in place of metals in automobiles helps cut down the cost, thereby companies preferred polyamides over metals. Global Polyamide Market Geographical Segmentation Includes: North America ( United States , Canada , Rest of North America ) ( , , Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , UK, France , Italy , Spain , Rest of Europe ) ( , UK, , , , Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , Australia , Rest of APAC) ( , , , , Rest of APAC) Rest of World The Asia Pacific accounted for the prominent share in the global polyamide market and is expected to retain its position during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the large and growing manufacturing sector in the region, rising population, improving the standard of living, and increasing foreign investment in the regional countries. The demand for polyamides is mainly from the automotive, textile, electrical & electronics, and packaging industries. The region is the largest market for automotive both in terms of production and sales. Further, regional countries like China and Bangladesh are hubs for the global textile industry owing to their low labor cost and vast workforce. Further, to increase the local industrial production governments in many regional countries are taking various initiatives to lure the western companies in order to open facilities in the region. Owing to such factors, the demand for polyamides is expected to rise during the foreseeable future. Ask for Report Customization @ https://univdatos.com/report/polyamide-market/ BASF SE AdvanSix Inc. Ube Industries Ltd. Domo Chemicals NV Toray Industries Inc. DuPont de Nemours Inc. Royal DSM N.V. Arkema S.A. Kuraray Co. Ltd. Lanxess AG Competitive Landscape The degree of competition among prominent companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating globally. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the global Polyamide market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on market competition. Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include: What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the global Polyamide market? Which factors are influencing the global Polyamide market over the forecast period? What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the global Polyamide market? Which factors are propelling and restraining the global Polyamide market? What are the demanding global regions of the global Polyamide market? What will be the market size in the upcoming years? What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by the companies? We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature. Please let us know if you have any custom needs. For more informative information, please visit us @https://univdatos.com/report/polyamide-market/ Browse Other Related Research Reports from UnivDatos Market Insights Polyphenols Market: https://univdatos.com/report/polyphenols-market/ Greenhouse Film Market: https://univdatos.com/report/greenhouse-film-market/ Rosin Amine Market : https://univdatos.com/report/rosin-amine-market/ Hydrogen Compressor Market: https://univdatos.com/report/hydrogen-compressor-market/ Fatty Alcohol Market: https://univdatos.com/report/fatty-alcohol-market/ About UnivDatos Market Insights UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients. Contact UnivDatos Market Insights Ankita Gupta Director Operations Ph: +91-7838604911 Email: Ankita.gupta@univdatos.com Website: https://univdatos.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225049/UnivDatos_Logo.jpg MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - US President Joe Biden has accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of trying to extinguish the Ukrainian culture. Addressing the Quad Summit in Tokyo on Tuesday, Biden said, 'If you turn on the television and you'll see what Russia is doing now, it appears to me that Putin is just trying to extinguish a culture. He's not even aiming at military targets anymore; he's taking out every school, every church, every natural history museum as if to try to obliterate the Ukrainian culture. And the world has to deal with it, and we are'. The world is 'navigating a dark hour in our shared history,' according to Biden. 'The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. And innocent civilians have [been] killed in the streets, and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as exiled,' he told Washington's key Asian allies. He blamed Russia for worsening the global food crisis by blocking Ukraine from exporting its millions of tons of grain. 'As long as Russia continues the war, the United States will work with our partners to help be the global response, because it's going to affect all parts of the world,' he added. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his government is ready for a prisoner exchange with Russia. 'The exchange of people - this is a humanitarian matter today and a very political decision that depends on the support of many states,' Zelensky said while addressing the Economic Forum in Davos via videoconference. A Russian diplomat at the UN office in Geneva resigned in protest against over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. 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. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com SHANGHAI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 23, 2022, the Financial Times (FT) released the 2022 Global Executive Education ranking. Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) has ranked 24th in the world. In this ranking, the indicators related to the value enhancement brought by executive education programs of ACEM to the students are outstanding, and the quality and effect of the programs have been widely recognized. The follow-up of custom program of executive education has ranked 11th in the world, the value for money, program design, preparation and aims achieved have all ranked 19th in the world. Teaching methods and materials has ranked 20th in the world. Among the sub-indicators of executive education open program, the follow-up has ranked 13th in the world, the pre-class preparation has ranked 16th in the world, and teaching methods and materials has ranked 21st in the world. Founded in 1896, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is one of the three oldest Chinese universities and consistently ranked top five in the nation. ACEM has long been a leader in SJTU's overall development, and in Chinese business education overall. For decades, China's Ministry of Education has consistently evaluated the College as a top business school in China. As a core program of ACEM, the Executive Education Center upholds the rigorous and pragmatic style of school running and the pursuit of excellence in international education, by offering open courses, custom courses and international courses. Through the course, students and enterprises improve the structure of management knowledge, obtain the frontier dynamics of management theory, solve practical management problems, improve innovative thinking and leadership, and promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises, as well as innovative development. At the same time, it builds a platform for the government, universities, and enterprises to integrate resources and establish long-term and stable strategic alliances with key enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region to spread global successful management ideas and experience in order to help enterprises develop rapidly. After 30 years of training accumulation, the Executive Education Center has provided training for more than 1,300 companies and more than 100,000 trainees. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824590/WechatIMG19.jpg The first version of Tego Guardian integrates with Splunk SIEM platform LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Tego Cyber Inc. (OTCQB:TGCB), an emerging developer of proactive cyber threat intelligence applications and solutions, today provided an update on the Company's path-to-market strategy to monetize the first version of its cyber threat intelligence application. Tego Guardian is a proactive intelligent cyberthreat hunting tool that gives enterprises the ability to quickly track threats throughout their networks, mapping out exposures and expediting remediation. Tego Guardian integrates with the widely used Splunk Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform. Tego Guardian is a Splunk approved app and available for download through Splunk's marketplace. "Cyber threat intelligence is an afterthought for many of the Fortune 500 companies," stated Shannon Wilkinson, President and CEO of Tego Cyber Inc. "At Tego we are redefining what actionable threat intelligence is and how to integrate it into Security Operations to find bad actors faster and give companies advanced warning of pending attacks. Tego Guardian is the first commercialized solution that fully integrates into a customer's existing SIEM, cross-correlates threats in real time, and not only looks forward but back to see if the organization has been exposed to threats while a particular item was weaponized. Thanks to Tego Guardian, recently a large multinational Fortune 500 company stopped a large-scale ransomware from infecting their systems causing potential financial loss, data exfiltration, and brand reputation loss," continued Mrs. Wilkinson. Splunk is used by over 15,000 corporate enterprises in 110 countries including 89 of the top Fortune 100. The Company's inhouse sales team is contacting the cybersecurity team leaders of these companies to introduce Tego Guardian and the benefits it adds to their existing Splunk SIEM platform. "Due to the sensitivity of the environments our application integrates into, the initial sales process has to be tactful and very hands on," stated Brent Watkins, Director of Business Development. "A level of trust must be established through personal contact. It's imperative to develop trust and show that Tego understands the security challenges they face 24/7/365. We are confident that after an online demo, a cybersecurity executive will recognize the benefits Tego Guardian adds to their existing Splunk SIEM platform. We have already provided a number of potential clients full-function trial licenses so they can see the value of Tego Cyber first-hand," continued Mr. Watkins The Company is further expanding the executive sales team with the addition of Shamun Mahmud. Mr. Mahmud has been appointed Regional Sales Manager - Western United States. Mr. Mahmud is experienced in taking emerging technologies to market. He will be working closely with Brent Watkins in implementing the path-to-market for the Splunk integration of Tego Guardian as well as managing sales and marketing for the Western United States. "As Sheryl Sandberg said, 'If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat! Just get on,'" exclaimed Mr. Shamun Mahud. "I liken Tego Cyber's threat intelligence platform to a rocket ship set for immediate launch and I am thrilled with the opportunity to help Tego make its mark in the cyber threat intelligence space." Spunk has a user base of over 15,000 corporate enterprises. The Splunk version of the Tego Guardian will initially retail for $75,000 per license per year. This represents a represents a total addressable market of $1.125 billion for the initial Splunk version of the Tego Guardian. Management has set a conservative goal to achieve a 1% penetration rate within the first calendar year of commercialization which represents $11.5 million gross licensing revenue. "We feel that these estimates are conservative given the value that Tego Guardian adds to an existing Splunk SIEM platform," continued Mrs. Wilkinson. "We are confident that with the current marketing efforts now underway, Tego Guardian will gain traction within the cybersecurity threat intelligence marketplace. Ultimately, we want Tego Guardian to become a recognized standard add-on to any Splunk SIEM platform," Channel Partner Program The Company recently launched its channel partner program to supplement inhouse sales. Channel partners will offer Tego Guardian as an upsell to their existing clients using the Splunk SIEM platform as well as market to new clients. The channel partner program was developed in partnership with Vation Ventures to foster meaningful, profitable, and long-term relationships with reputable cybersecurity solution providers, and equip them with the resources to create a new revenue stream in the emerging cyber security threat intelligence market. Channel Partners are offered a competitive commission structure along with bonuses, joint marketing efforts, and ongoing product training. Since the launch of the channel partner program, the Company has signed three channel partner agreements and is currently in negotiations for an additional four. "Each channel partner brings with them their own sales infrastructure and established client base," stated Shannon Wilkinson, President and CEO of Tego Cyber Inc. "This is going to saves us a tremendous amount of time and money. Each channel partner will be selling to Splunk users with whom they already have any established relationship thereby dramatically reducing the sales cycle. Ultimately, we see the channel partner program generating a high proportion of our revenue," continued Mrs. Wilkinson. Trade Shows & Conferences As part of the overall sales strategy and to help build the Tego brand, management will be sending a delegation to the following upcoming cybersecurity and technology conferences: RSA Conference (San Francisco, June 6-9) RSAC annual cybersecurity conference is being held on June 6th to June 9th, 2022 at The Moscone Center in San Francisco. RSAC is where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and have access to the experts, unbiased content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies advance their cybersecurity posture and build stronger and smarter teams. For more information please visit: https://www.rsaconference.com/usa .conf22 (Las Vegas, June 13-16) .conf22 is Splunk's biggest annual customer and partner event. It is being held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 13th to June 16th. It is an opportunity for the Spunk user community to reconnect, explore new products, apps, and add-ons. For more information please visit: https://conf.splunk.com Blackhat USA 2022 (Las Vegas, August 6-11) Now in its 25th year, Black Hat USA 2022 will be a hybrid event offering both virtual and in person events. In-person event are being held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada from August 6th to August 11th. For more information please visit: https://www.blackhat.com/us-22 About Tego Cyber Inc. Tego Cyber Inc. (OTCQB:TGCB, "the Company") was created to capitalize on the emerging cyber threat intelligence market. The Company has developed a cyber threat intelligence application that integrates with top end security platforms to gather, analyze, then proactively identify threats to an enterprise network. The Tego Guardian Threat Intelligence Platform takes in vetted and curated threat data and after utilizing a proprietary process, the platform compiles, analyzes, and then delivers that data to an enterprise network in a format that is timely, informative, and relevant. The threat data provides additional context including specific details needed to identify and counteract threats so that security teams can spend less time searching for disparate information. The first version of the application will integrate with the widely accepted Splunk SIEM to provide real-time threat intelligence to macro enterprises using the Splunk architecture. The Company plans on developing future versions of the Tego Guardian app for integration with other established SIEM systems and platforms including: Elastic, Devo, IBM QRadar, AT&T Cybersecurity, Exabeam, and Google Chronical. For more information, please visit www.tegocyber.com. Forward-Looking Statements The statements contained in this press release, those which are not purely historical or which depend upon future events, may constitute 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. Statements regarding the Company's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future constitute forward-looking statements. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements because of various factors. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Prospective investors should also consult the risks factors described from time to time in the Company's Reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and Annual Reports to Shareholders. Tego Contact: Tego Cyber Inc. 8565 S Eastern Avenue, Suite 150 Las Vegas, Nevada 89123 USA Tel: 855-939-0100 (North America) Tel: 725-726-7840 (International) Email: info@tegocyber.com Web: tegocyber.com Facebook: facebook.com/tegocyber LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tegocyber Twitter: twitter.com/tegocyber Tego Investor Relations: Crescendo Communications, LLC Tel: 212-671-1020 Email: TGCB@crescendo-ir.com SOURCE: Tego Cyber Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702509/Tego-Cyber-Inc-Provides-Update-On-Commercialization-Of-First-Version-Of-Threat-Intelligence-Application Ananda Developments Plc - Exercise of Warrants 24 May 2022 ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC ("Ananda" or the "Company") EXERCISE OF WARRANTS Ananda announces that 1,474,697 ordinary shares of 0.2p each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") have been issued following the exercise of warrants at 0.45p per share. The proceeds received by the Company will be used for general working capital purposes. Application will be made for the new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on the Access segment of the AQSE Growth Market and admission is expected to become effective on Monday, 30 May 2022. Following this issue, the Company has 805,674,033 Ordinary Shares in issue, each share carrying the right to one vote. This figure of 805,674,033 Ordinary Shares may be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. -Ends- The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC Chief Executive Officer Melissa Sturgess Investor Relations Jeremy Sturgess-Smith +44 (0) 7463 686 497 ir@anandadevelopments.com PETERHOUSE CAPITAL LIMITED Corporate Finance Mark Anwyl Corporate Broking Lucy Williams Duncan Vasey +44 (0)20 7469 0930 Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. About Ananda Developments Ananda is an AQSE-listed medical cannabis company creating UK-based operations to grow and provide carbon zero, consistent, medical cannabis for the UK and international markets. The UK medical cannabis market is predicted to be worth 450m by 2025 and the European market is predicted to be worth USD4.2bn by 2027. Ananda, through its 50% owned subsidiary, DJT Plants Limited, was granted a Home Office licence in May 2021 to grow >0.2% THC cannabis in a new research facility to breed and stabilise 65 strains. For more information, please visit: https://anandadevelopments.com/ BEIJING, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "There are many noble characters I wish to inherit from my father," Xi Jinping, then governor of east China'sFujian Province, said in a letter of felicitation to his father Xi Zhongxun on his birthday in 2001. Xi Zhongxun was among the first generation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) central leaders. Xi Jinping often recalls the wisdom imparted to him by the elder Xi. The term "the people" is at the heart of all the treasures Xi Jinping got from his father. The man of the people "My grandfather was a farmer, my father joined the revolution as a farmer, and I myself worked as a farmer for seven years," Xi Jinping once said. During the period of the agrarian revolution, Xi Zhongxun, less than 20 years old, devoted himself to the establishment of Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary border area. He used to say that "without the support of the masses, there would be nothing for us." Xi Jinping visited Liangjiahe, a small village in northwest China'sShaanxi Province, in mid-February to celebrate the Spring Festival in 2015. It was a homecoming for the urban-born Chinese president. Fifty-three years back, Xi, just shy of turning 16, was sent to live in Liangjiahe as an "educated youth." He would spend the next seven of his most formative years living in that rural hamlet. That area, part of the Loess Plateau, was where the communist revolutionaries, including his father, rose to found New China. "At that time, I did all kinds of work - reclaiming wasteland, farming, hoeing, herding, hauling coal, mounding and carrying manure," Xi recalled. "As a servant of the people, I have my roots deep in the northern Shaanxi plateau because it cultivated my unchanging mission: to do practical things for the people," Xi wrote in an autobiographical work. "Wherever I go, I will always be a son of the loess lands," he wrote. The man for the people Xi Zhongxun once told his boy: "No matter what your job title is, serve the people diligently, consider the interests of the people with all your heart, maintain close ties with the people, and always stay approachable to the people." From his early years, Xi Jinping seemed uninterested in the trappings of offices. He would travel for days, sometimes into the mountains, to talk with people at the grassroots, learn about their difficulties, and help solve their problems. In the 1980s, when many of his contemporaries were going into business or leaving to study abroad, Xi gave up his comfortable office job in Beijing and chose to work as the deputy Party chief of a small county in north China'sHebei Province. Later, he became the Party chief of Ningde Prefecture, one of the poorest regions in east China'sFujian Province at the time. While in Ningde, Xi visited almost all its townships, including three of the four without access to paved roads. Xiadang, a township nestled deep in the mountainous area of Shouning County, was one of them. Back then, the average annual per capita net income of farmers in Xiadang was less than 200 yuan (about $40). It was one of the poorest townships in Fujian. In November 2013, during an inspection tour to the central province of Hunan, Xi visited Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village labeled "poor" at the time. "What should I call you?" asked villager Shi Basan as she welcomed Xi into her home. "I am a servant of the people," Xi introduced himself. During his about five decades in politics, Xi rose from a grassroots Party chief to the leader of the CPC, from an ordinary citizen to the country's president, from an average military officer to the Central Military Commission chairman, all the while remaining committed to a better life for Chinese citizens. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-05-24/The-key-Xi-Jinping-learned-from-his-father-1ai5sxTnqiA/index.html CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the report "VSaaS Market by Type (Hosted, Managed, and Hybrid), Vertical (Commercial, Infrastructure, Residential, Public Facilities, Military & Defense, and Industrial) and Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, Rest of the World) - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the VSaaS market is projected to grow from USD 3.3 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 7.6 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.0% from 2022 to 2027. The growth of this market is driven by factors such as the low cost of investment, the rise in demand for real-time surveillance data, and flexible scalability offered by VSaaS. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=773 Hybrid VSaaS is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2027. Hybrid VSaaS is expected to grow at high rates over the forecast period. The growth is driven by the combined benefits of on-premises video recording and managed video services, provided by hybrid VSaaS. In hybrid VSaaS, the recorded data is stored at both, the customer and service provider's end; the main reason for the popularity of this model is concerns regarding the security of data. This model offers the benefits of on-premises video recording, along with those of managed video services. All day-to-day management of NVRs and cameras is handled by the offsite provider, thus saving time and effort. Moreover, it reduces the need to purchase and maintain a server and, hence, upfront costs are reduced. These benefits provided by hybrid VSaaS is expected to fuel the segment growth over the forecast period. Infrastructure vertical is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. The market for infrastructure vertical is expected to grow at a high CAGR from 2022 to 2027. The increasing demand for VSaaS solutions across public places, transportation & city surveillance segments is expected to propel the growth of the market. Favorable government initiatives to develop smart city projects will add new opportunities for VSaaS providers. Various countries, such as China, India, and South Korea, are investing huge amounts in building smart cities. For instance, in November 2021, The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, South Korea, announced plans to invest USD 215 million to establish 64 small and medium-sized smart cities in the country by 2025. This will create opportunities for the VSaaS service providers in infrastructure and city surveillance applications. Browse in-depth TOC on "VSaaS Market" 297 - Tables 58 - Figures 272 - Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=773 North America held significant share of VSaaS market in 2021 and is expected to follow the trend by 2027. North America is expected to account for the high market share of the VSaaS market during the forecast period. In North America, particularly in the US, the government has taken several initiatives to implement advanced surveillance systems in public areas and government buildings. the focus of the government on boosting the penetration of VSaaS solutions across defense and infrastructure verticals is also high. Adoption in the military & defense sector to monitor security at the border and military bases has further driven VSaaS market growth in the region. Key players in the VSaaS market include ADT (US), Johnson Controls (Ireland), Axis Communications AB (Sweden), Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions Company (Canada), Alarm.com (US), Securitas AB (Sweden), Eagle Eye Networks Inc. (US), Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (China) and Honeywell International Inc. (US). Apart from these, Arcules, Inc. (US), Comcast Corporation (US), Duranc Inc (US), Genetec Inc. (Canada), Pacific Controls (UAE), Arlo Technologies, Inc. (US), Camcloud (Canada), MOBOTIX AG (Germany), Morphean SA (Switzerland), Solink (Canada), Verkada Inc. (US), Vivint (US), Camio (US), iVideon (US), IronYun (US), and 3dEYE Inc. (Canada) are among a few emerging companies in the VSaaS market. Related Reports: Access Control Market by Offering (Card-based Readers, Biometric Readers, Electronic Locks, Controllers, Software, Services), ACaaS (Hosted, Managed, Hybrid), Vertical, and Region (2021-2026) Video Surveillance Market by Offering (Hardware (Camera, Storage Device, Monitor), Software (Video Analytics, VMS), Service (VSaaS)), System (IP, Analog), Vertical, and Geography (2021-2026) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/video-surveillance-as-a-service-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/vsaas.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Cassiar Gold Corp. (TSXV: GLDC) (OTCQX: CGLCF) ("Cassiar Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, due to significant investor demand, the Company has amended the size of the amended bought deal public offering (the "Offering") from C$5,000,000 to C$8,000,000. Under the amended terms of the underwriting agreement, the Underwriters (as defined below) have agreed to purchase 8,000,000 flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") to be resold to charitable purchasers at a price of C$1.00 per FT Unit (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis by way of a short form prospectus for gross proceeds of C$8,000,000. Red Cloud Securities Inc. and Raymond James Ltd. are acting as co-lead underwriters and joint bookrunners for the Offering on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"). Each FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$1.05 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering. The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for a period of 30 days after and including the closing date of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 1,200,000 FT Units for resale to charitable purchasers at the Offering Price to raise additional gross proceeds of up to C$1,200,000 to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes. Proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act and "flow through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act. Such proceeds will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date not later than December 31, 2022, in the aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Shares. The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering for the exploration of the Company's Cassiar Gold property in British Columbia, Canada. The FT Units will be sold by way of a final short form prospectus to be filed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia, subject to regulatory approval. A preliminary prospectus dated March 8, 2022 was filed in respect of the original Offering and the final prospectus will be updated to reflect the terms of the amended underwriting agreement. The Offering is scheduled to close on or around June 8, 2022 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Cassiar Gold Corp. Cassiar Gold Corp. is a Canadian gold exploration company holding a 100% interest in its flagship Cassiar Gold Property located in British Columbia, Canada. The Cassiar Gold property spans 590 km2 and consists of two main project areas: Cassiar North, which hosts a NI 43-101-compliant inferred resource estimate of 1.4Moz at 1.14 g/t Au (cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t) known as the as the Taurus Deposit (see National Instrument 43-101 Technical report on the Cassiar Gold property, April 28, 2012, by S. Zelligan, J. Moors, C. Jolette, posted to SEDAR); and Cassiar South which hosts numerous gold showings, historical workings, and exploration prospects. Historical underground mines in the Cassiar South area have yielded over 315,000 oz of Au at average head grades of between 10 and 20 g/t Au (BC Minfile), underscoring the high potential for further discovery and expansion of bonanza-grade orogenic gold veins. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Sheep Creek gold camp located near Salmo, BC. The Sheep Creek gold district ranks as the third largest past-producing orogenic gold district in BC with historical gold production of 742,000 ounces gold at an average grade of 14.7 g/t gold from 1900 to 1951. Minimal exploration work has been conducted since the 1950s. Cassiar Gold acknowledges, respects, and supports the rights of Traditional First Nations in the lands and communities where we operate. CONTACT INFORMATION Cassiar Gold Corp. Shirley Anthony VP Investor Relations & Communications 1-778-999-2771 Shirley@cassiargold.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements including those describing Cassiar's future plans and the expectations of management that a stated result or condition will occur. Any statement addressing future events or conditions necessarily involves inherent risk and uncertainty. Actual results can differ materially from those anticipated by management at the time of writing due to many factors, the majority of which are beyond the control of Cassiar and its management. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining, directly or indirectly, to the following: Cassiar's expectations regarding timing of filing the final prospectus and closing the Offering in the amount anticipated or at all, the use of proceeds of the Offering and ability to renounce the flow through expenditures. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements speak only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the documents accompanying this release, as the case may be. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125122 The "Europe EV Charging Stations Market by Charging Type (Level 1, Level 2, DCFC), Connection Type (Pantograph, Connector, Wireless), Component, Mounting Type, Vehicle Type, End User, and Geography-Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This research report provides an in-depth analysis of the European electric vehicle charging stations market and emphasizes on the current market trends, market sizes, market shares, recent developments, and forecasts till 2029. The European electric vehicle charging stations market is expected to reach $61.73 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 34.7% during the forecast period, 2022-2029. By volume, this market is expected to reach 6,458.8 thousand units by 2029 at a CAGR of 37.8% during the forecast period. The growth of this market is mainly driven by increasing government initiatives to drive the adoption of EVs and develop the associated infrastructure, the rising demand for EV fast-charging infrastructure, and the increasing prevalence of range anxiety among EV users. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the U.K. are five front-runner countries in Europe in terms of EV adoption and the development of EV charging infrastructure. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of the European electric vehicle charging stations market by charging type (Level 1, Level 2, DCFC), connection type (pantograph, connector, wireless), component (hardware, software, services), mounting type (wall, pedestal, ceiling), vehicle type (passenger cars, LCVs, two-wheelers scooters, HCVs), end user (commercial EV charging stations, residential EV charging stations), and geography. The study also evaluates industry competitors and analyzes the market at the regional and country levels. Geographically, Germany is estimated to account for the largest share of the European electric vehicle charging stations market in 2022. However, Sweden is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Sweden is one of the leading European countries to ban diesel-powered vehicles and adopt electric mobility. The Swedish government has started investing in EV charging stations across the country. The Swedish Transport Administration is investing to support the expansion of public EV fast-charging stations. For instance, in June 2020, the Swedish Transport Administration announced state support to expand public charging stations on major roads for the fast charging of electric vehicles. Denmark is expected to record the second-highest CAGR during the forecast period. Increasing government initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and low taxation on the purchase of electric vehicles are key factors driving the EV charging stations market in the country. Denmark has installed charging spots in its 30 biggest cities. The Danish government has pledged to roll out 775,000 electric/hybrid cars on its roads by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70%. Also, Copenhagen is expected to become a carbon-neutral city by 2025. The growing use of electric vehicles has boosted the demand for EV charging stations across the country. Currently, Denmark also offers a tax exemption on the procurement and installation of commercial charging stations. Key questions answered in the report: Which are the high-growth market segments in terms of charging type, connection type, vehicle type, mounting type, component, end user, and geography? What is the historical market size for the European electric vehicle charging stations market? What are the market forecasts and estimates for the period 2022-2029? What are the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges in the European electric vehicle charging stations market? Who are the major players in this market, and what share of the market do they hold? Who are the major market players in the European countries? How is the competitive landscape of the European electric vehicle charging stations market? What are the recent developments in the European electric vehicle charging stations market? What are the various strategies adopted by the major players in this market? What are the key geographic trends, and which are the high-growth countries? Who are the local emerging players in the European electric vehicle charging stations market, and how do they compete with the existing players? Companies Mentioned Webasto Group (Germany) EVBox Group (Netherlands) BP p.l.c. (U.K.) Royal Dutch Shell PLC (Netherlands) Connected Kerb Limited (U.K.) Electricite de France (France) Fastned B.V. (Netherlands) Route220 S.r.l. (Italy) Compleo Charging Solutions AG (Germany) GreenWay Holding S.A (Slovakia). For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l07y1o View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005943/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Horizonte Minerals Plc (AIM:HZM, TSX:HZM) is pleased to announce that at the Company's Annual General Meeting held at Rex House, 4-12 Regent Street, London, SW1Y 4RG, all resolutions were voted on by way of a poll and were duly passed. The total number of votes received on each resolution is as follows: Resolution Votes for % Votes Against % Votes Withheld 1. To receive and consider the financial statements and reports 2,150,528,305 99.96 779,400 0.04 114,477 2. To re-elect Dr Owen Bavinton as a director 2,079,055,543 96.64 72,252,162 3.36 114,477 3. To elect Mr Vincent Benoit as a director 2,128,487,496 98.94 22,746,209 1.06 188,477 4. To elect Dr Gillian Davidson as a director 2,144,746,330 99.70 6,561,375 0.30 114,477 5. To re-elect Mr William Fisher as a director 2,028,567,063 98.10 39,196,537 1.90 83,658,582 6. To re-elect Mr Jeremy Martin as a director 2,128,455,543 98.94 22,852,162 1.06 114,477 7. To re-appoint BDO LLP as auditors and authorise the Directors to fix their remuneration 2,151,037,174 99.99 170,531 0.01 214,477 8. To approve the share consolidation of 1 new share of 0.20 for every 20 shares of 0.01 each 2,150,446,868 99.96 907,216 0.04 68,098 9. To amend clauses 2 and 8 of the 2006 Share Option Scheme and authorise consequential changes 2,150,720,835 99.98 446,162 0.02 225,185 10. To authorise the Directors to allot relevant securities 2,150,671,916 99.97 579,690 0.03 170,576 11. To authorise the Directors to allot relevant securities disapplying pre-emption rights 1,682,926,058 94.65 95,067,270 5.35 373,428,854 For further information, visit www.horizonteminerals.com or contact: Horizonte Minerals plc Jeremy Martin (CEO) 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 Tavistock (Financial PR) Jos Simson Cath Drummond +44 (0) 20 7920 3150 About Horizonte Minerals: Horizonte Minerals plc (AIM & 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 Vermelho 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/702511/Horizonte-Minerals-PLC-Announces-Results-of-Annual-General-Meeting R&D Day will take place virtually on June 7 th from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm (CEST)/ 3:00 pm-5:00 pm (GMT) 10:00 am-12:00 pm (EST) from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm (CEST)/ 3:00 pm-5:00 pm (GMT) 10:00 am-12:00 pm (EST) Event will feature expert-led discussions on the microbiome and its potential to improve cancer therapy in hemato-oncology and immuno-oncology MaaT Pharma's management to share latest clinical data on key assets, as well as research and manufacturing strategies aiming to establish the Company as a leader in the microbiome industry Regulatory News: MaaT Pharma (EURONEXT: MAAT the "Company"), a French clinical-stage biotech and a pioneer in the development of Microbiome Ecosystem Therapies dedicated to improving survival outcomes for patients with cancer today announced that it will host its first R&D Day for analysts and investors to be held virtually on Tuesday, June 7th, 2022 from 4:00 pm CEST (10:00 am EST) to 6:00 pm CEST (12:00 pm EST). MaaT Pharma's speakers will discuss the microbiome's potential in cancer therapy and the latest clinical results of MaaT013 and MaaT033. They will also present the Company's innovative proprietary drug discovery platform, the next generation of products MaaT03X and the construction of Europe's largest cGMP manufacturing facility for Microbiome Ecosystem Therapies. In addition to the presentations by MaaT Pharma's senior team, the R&D Day will feature talks from world renowned scientists and physicians including: Dr. Joel Dore Research Director, INRAE; Scientific Director, MetaGenoPolis and Scientific Advisor to MaaT Pharma, France Research Director, INRAE; Scientific Director, MetaGenoPolis and Scientific Advisor to MaaT Pharma, France Prof. Ernst Holler, M.D. Senior Professor on Clinical and Experimental Allo-HSCT, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Regensburg, Germany Senior Professor on Clinical and Experimental Allo-HSCT, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Regensburg, Germany Prof. Florent Malard, M.D. Professor of Hematology, Saint Antoine Hospital (AP-HP) and Sorbonne University Professor of Hematology, Saint Antoine Hospital (AP-HP) and Sorbonne University Prof. Mohamad Mohty, M.D. Professor, Sorbonne University and Head of the Clinical Hematology and Cellular Therapy Department, Saint-Antoine Hospital (AP-HP), France Professor, Sorbonne University and Head of the Clinical Hematology and Cellular Therapy Department, Saint-Antoine Hospital (AP-HP), France Prof. Hassane Zarour, M.D. Professor of Medicine, Immunology and Dermatology, University of Pittsburg, James and Frances McGlothlin Chair in Melanoma Immunotherapy Research "MaaT Pharma's inaugural R&D Day is an opportunity to bring together world-renowned scientists and our talented internal team to share MaaT Pharma's innovative research and highlight our unique positioning in the microbiome space," said Herve Affagard, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of MaaT Pharma. "Since our successful IPO in November 2021, we have delivered on the key milestones we had defined and we continue to progress, with the ambition to leverage the microbiome for the benefit of millions of patients fighting cancer." A question-and-answer session will follow the presentations. Please note that all the presentations are in English with French subtitles. The webcast will be made available on the Company's website after the event. To register for the event, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact us at invest@maat-pharma.com About MaaT Pharma MaaT Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company, has established a complete approach to restoring patient-microbiome symbiosis in oncology. Committed to treating cancer and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a serious complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, MaaT Pharma has launched, in March 2022, a Phase 3 clinical trial for patients with acute GvHD, following the achievement of its proof of concept in a Phase 2 trial. Its powerful discovery and analysis platform, gutPrint, supports the development and expansion of its pipeline by determining novel disease targets, evaluating drug candidates, and identifying biomarkers for microbiome-related conditions. The company's Microbiome Ecosystem Therapies are produced through a standardized cGMP manufacturing and quality control process to safely deliver the full diversity of the microbiome, in liquid and oral formulations. MaaT Pharma benefits from the commitment of world-leading scientists and established relationships with regulators to support the integration of the use of microbiome therapies in clinical practice. MaaT Pharma is the first company developing microbiome-based therapies listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: MAAT). Forward-looking Statements All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005862/en/ Contacts: MaaT Pharma Investor Relations Herve AFFAGARD Co-Founder and CEO Sian Crouzet, COO/ CFO +33 4 28 29 14 00 invest@maat-pharma.com MaaT Pharma Media Relations Pauline RICHAUD Senior PR Corporate Communications Manager +33 6 07 55 25 36 prichaud@maat-pharma.com Trophic Communications Corporate and Medical Communications Jacob VERGHESE or Gretchen SCHWEITZER +49 89 2070 89831 maat@trophic.eu Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 24 May 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 51,856 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 780.65p 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 2,825,340; 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 222,165,963. The figure of 222,165,963 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 The third day of the Africities was marked by the elective general assembly of United Cities of Local Government of Africa (UCLG Africa) (www.UCLGA.org). The general assembly elected the new office bearers of the organization, namely the 45 members of the UCLG Africa Pan African Council; the 15 members of the Executive Committee; the 5 members of the UCLG Africa Financial Management Committee; the 5 Vice Presidents, among which the Region of Nouakchott, Mauritania represented by its President, Mrs. Fatimetou Abdel Malick, was elected the new President of UCLG Africa. The mandate that is beginning will be the mandate of all challenges, which we can only take up together and each one separately in its segment. For my part, I will strive to carry our voice as far and as effectively as possible and to contribute to making our organization a key player at the continental level but also at the international level, she said. . The new leadership of UCLG Africa elected for a 3-year mandate is composed as follows: UCLG Africa Presidency (5 Vice Presidents) : Region of Nouakchott (Ms. Fatimetou Abdel Malick), County of Kisumu (Prof. Peter Anyang Nyongo), City of Libreville (Ms. Christine Mba Ndutume), Union of Cities and Communes of Cote dIvoire ( Hon Claude Paulin Danho), and Botswana Association of Local Authorities (Mr. Jeffrey Sibisibi); to which to add, ex officio, the City of Banjul, The Gambia, President of the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa, REFELA (Mrs. Malick Lowe). The Region of Nouakchott represented by Ms Fatimetou Abdel Malick, was elected the new President of UCLG Africa until the next general assembly due to take place in 2025. UCLG Africa Executive Committee (15 members) : Kisumu County Government (Kenya); Rwanda Association of Local Authorities. RALGA, (Rwanda); Victoria District (Seychelles); Botswana Local Authorities Association (BALA), South African Local Government Association (SALGA); City of Kwe Kwe, Zimbabwe; La Faitiere des Communes du Togo (FCT); Association of Local Authorities of Nigeria (ALGON); Union des Villes et Communes de Cote dIvoire (UVICOCI); Communes et Villes Unies du Cameroun (CVUC); Commune de Libreville, Gabon; Association des Maires de Congo (AMC); Region of Nouakchott; Moroccan Association of Presidents of Communal Councils (AMPCC, Morocco); and the Governorate of Cairo ( Egypt). The Local Government Association of South Africa, SALGA (Cllr. Bheke Stofile) was designated to be the candidate of Africa for the Co-Presidency of the world organization of UCLG. With women on the driving seat of our organization, UCLG Africa confirm its resolve to bring women centered. This is the winning Africa! This is what the world should know about Africa. said the Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi. Womens Day: Improving womens rights till we achieve gender equality Women were on the spotlight during The Womens Day at the Africities 9. Improving womens rights till we achieve gender equality is achieved, is one of the main ambitions of UCLG Africa. During the proceedings session by the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA), the participants agreed that ensuring land ownership to women across the continent is one of the ways to achieve this objective. This is a critical factor for the social and economic empowerment of African women, whether they live in urban or rural areas. Womens role as actors in the economic and sustainable development of territories has to be confirmed. And this approach is part of the REFELAs campaign, Womens Economic Empowerment Agriculture is the largest sector in most of our economies contributing over 20% to the GDP and it heavily relies on women for labour, trading and processing of agricultural products. Therefore, if you really want to emancipate women and be inclusive in development, it is important to address the fundamental right to land for women. When women know they own the land they can make long term impactful decisions about it. One of the ways to do this is to ensure that theres harmonization amongst laws like traditional laws, marital laws, land laws and the constitutions to avoid any conflict and ensure that the constitutions which guarantee land rights for women said Joan Kagwanja, Chief of the Land Policy Initiative, United Nations Economic Commission For Africa. During the Womens Day, the REFELA presented the Charter of Local Government on Gender Equality in Africa which is intended to be a political instrument in favor of strengthening womens rights at the sub national and local governments in Africa. This Charter commits the territories to fight all forms of discrimination against women to guarantee their inclusion in the development programs of the cities and territories of Africa. This response from African local governments deserves consideration beyond mere membership. Young people should not shy away to offer themselves for leadership African youth in its wide diversity is under-represented in the decision-making process. This first Youth Day of Africities addressed the way to improve the involvement of African youth to play a decisive role in local governance as well as at the national level. We are galvanizing the energy of young elected leaders of Africa to confront these issues of policies that are not conducive to the development of young people. Young people should not shy away to offer themselves for leadership. The young people of Africa should not chicken out to take up the tough route of fighting and ensuring their voices are heard because real decision makers are not just listeners and beneficiaries of the youth programs and pronouncements. Look, at the age of 27 I was able to go through the difficult route of going through an election, defeating old and rich people that are usually greedy and have no vision to transform lives and give us the Africa we want to see and that is why Im calling upon all youth to not fear because this is their continent and they are to blame if they do not carry the mantle of leadership said George Mwanza, Mayor Of Chipata in Zambia. Engaging larger and balanced territories During this day, the question of leveraging the right partnerships in intermediary cities was at the core of the debates. By putting secondary cities at the heart of national urban strategies, national and local leaders will give a second chance to Africa by engaging larger and balanced territories, leaving no one and no place behind. The City We Need Now! is a manifesto and a campaign towards the Africa we want. This campaign will not stop at summit in Kisumu. Campaigners will continue spreading the word and raising ambitions for African cities towards the 11th session of the World Urban Forum convened by UN-Habitat in Katowice, Poland, from 26 to 30 June 2022, as well as towards the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh from 7 to 18 November 2022. The campaign will engage the national and sub-national level, regional and local government organizations, civil society and grass roots organizations, urban professionals, researchers, youth and women groups and the media. On 20 May in the morning, the focus will be on the official opening ceremony of the political segment, marked by the dialogue between former heads of state and young elected officials aged 35 or below leading a local government as mayor or president of a subnational local government. In the afternoon will held in parallel, the meeting of ministers, the meeting of mayors and leaders of subnational governments, and the meeting of development partners. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires DGAP-News: Energy Capital & Power / Key word(s): Conference Energy Capital & Power: AU Chair and President of Senegal H.E. Macky Sall to Open MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference in September 2022 24.05.2022 / 18:15 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. AU Chair and President of Senegal H.E. Macky Sall to Open MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference in September 2022 This year's edition encompasses the theme, "The Future of Natural Gas: Growth Using Strategic Investment and Policymaking," a subject on which H.E Macky Sall has been fiercely outspoken throughout his term DAKAR, Senegal, May 24, 2022/APO Group/ - H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), will deliver the opening ceremony welcome address at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference, organized by Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (https://EnergyCapitalPower.com), on 1 to 2 September 2022. Representing Africa's official energy event and hosting the regional community, both Senegal and its MSGBC counterparts are formally inviting the international community to be there as the conference discusses investments in the region and Africa's position on oil, gas and renewables ahead of COP 27. Held at the Centre international de Conferences Abdou Diouf in Dakar, the conference will take place under the patronage of the Ministry of Petroleum & Energies and in partnership with the African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org), COS-Petrogaz, Petrosen and INPG. Hosted in Senegal, the destination of large-scale oil and gas developments, the conference is centered around the region's pipeline of sizeable hydrocarbon and renewable projects, emphasizing the role these developments will play in meeting domestic demand while addressing global energy needs. With gas top of the agenda in the region, this year's edition encompasses the theme, "The Future of Natural Gas: Growth Using Strategic Investment and Policymaking," a subject on which H.E Macky Sall has been fiercely outspoken throughout his term. In his inaugural speech as chair of the AU, H.E. President Macky Sall called for a just energy transition which opens up the exploitation of clean hydrocarbons such as gas for industrialization, along with improved access to development finance for the continent. Backed by developments such as the 15 trillion cubic feet (tcf) Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) (https://bit.ly/3PJ3yVE) project coming online in 2023, the 20 tcf Yakaar-Teranga field development, expected to reach a final investment decision in 2023, as well as the introduction of numerous licensing rounds expected to kickstart exploration and production, the MSGBC region's domestic gas play is both strong and highly attractive. As new abundant natural resource reserves are discovered across the region, there has never been a more prescient time to unite leaders, industry professionals and executives in discussions on investment and policy, decarbonization and technology. Senegal itself has a dozen offshore blocks open for lease, Mauritania has 19, The Gambia has two onshore and four offshore blocks under exploration, Guinea-Bissau has recently licensed 11 offshore blocks of its own, whilst Guinea-Conakry is only now entering the extractive energy field with reserves unknown. In this regard, the entire MSGBC region is ready and open for business, with regional leaders inviting international companies and governments to partner, invest and sign deals to reshape the MSGBC landscape on the back of gas. The MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference 2022 steps into this picture in response to increased interest by international stakeholders to invest, develop and succeed in Africa, focusing on enhancing regional partnerships and spurring investment. Already there has been some success in this area with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany meeting with H.E. President Macky Sall this week, discussing a potential gas deal between the two nations. As this agreement takes off, other MSGBC countries are calling for more European nations to follow suite, with MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2022 representing the best platform to cement such partnerships. Gathering together leading policymakers and with the Senegalese Energy Minister, H.E. Aissatou Sophie Gladima, in attendance, the event will be one of the first big opportunities to re-engage and connect with investors following COP26 and before COP27, where the African continent and its energy industry will stand in the spotlight. The conference represents the official meeting place of stakeholders from across the oil, gas and renewable sectors, making it the most suitable platform to discuss Africa's energy narrative ahead of COP27. Preparing for the COP27 conference, the region must show solidarity in its energy narrative, advocating for the need to balance the transition to renewables with the volume of power generation capacity held by oil and gas. H.E. Macky Sall's Emerging Senegal Plan seeks to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030, five years ahead of the SDG7 target, requiring a resilient, agile mix of renewables and gas-based power. Accordingly, the region is inviting African companies, energy leaders and policymakers, as well as international delegations, investors and energy majors, to come to MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2022, the premier platform for the discussion on MSGBC project pipelines and gas play, Europe-Africa gas deals, and the African narrative energy ahead of COP27. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power. About the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2022 conference: Under the patronage of H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power will once again take place in Dakar, Senegal, with the event serving as a catalyst for investment and multi-sector development in 2022. To find out more visit msgbcoilgasandpower.com or contact sales@energycapitalpower.com Download image: https://bit.ly/3wJ6Xeh 24.05.2022 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. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de New facility to double existing manufacturing capacity, adding new technologies & capability GALWAY, Ireland, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ICS Medical Devices, a leading catheter design & manufacturing services provider, today announced a significant expansion of its operations in Galway, Ireland. The company is moving into a new 16,000- square-foot manufacturing facility, more than doubling its current footprint to enable the company's continued growth and the creation of new job opportunities. "We are delighted to be making this announcement today, particularly for our customers and staff," said Seamus Fahey, CEO of ICS Medical Devices. "It is three years since ICS Medical Devices was established and, since then, we have rapidly grown to a team of 60+ people with an extensive customer base across Ireland, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the US. This expansion will accelerate that success as we extend our capacity and services to serve a growing international customer base." ICS Medical Devices works with innovative start-up medical device companies to develop niche and breakthrough catheter technologies for minimally invasive medicine. The company has built a global reputation as a responsive partner for the design, development, and commercialization of the catheters required to deliver ground-breaking medical interventions in structural heart, neurovascular and endovascular therapies. "The success of our customers is the priority for the team at ICS Medical Devices," notes Fahey. "Our commitment to serving those customers over the last three years, deepening relationships, and delivering impactful results has created enormous opportunities for ICS Medical Devices across the global MedTech industry. This success has been delivered by an incredible team of talented, experienced, and results-driven engineers. Combining our customer-first focus with the skills of our team has yielded the growth opportunities that led to this expansion announcement." As part of the expansion and move into its new facilities, ICS Medical Devices is adding extensive general manufacturing space and an additional 2,200-square-feet of Class 8 cleanroom capacity. ICS Medical also plans to add new technologies supporting its catheter capabilities and is building a customer innovation centre. The company plans for a formal opening of its new facilities in the Autumn. About ICS Medical Devices ICS Medical Devices works with international medical device companies in the design, development and commercialization of catheters, access sheaths, balloon catheters, valve delivery systems, and stent delivery systems. ICS Medical was founded and is headquartered in Ireland, a global MedTech hub. https://icsmedical.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824614/ICS_Medical_Devices.jpg Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824613/ICS_Medical_Devices_Logo.jpg TAIPEI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ICP DAS - BMP (Biomedical Polymers), a Taiwanese medical TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) supplier, will exhibit at Medical Taiwan 2022, an international medical, health, and care expo. The Medical Taiwan Expo 2022 will take place at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2 (TaiNEX 2) on June 16-18, 2022. ICP DAS - BMP will showcase three series of highly stable medical grade TPU, namely, Alithane (ALP series), Durathane (ALC series), and Arothane (ARP series). A new range of granules with 30% tungsten content (W30) will be presented at the exhibition for the first time. All TPU resins by ICP DAS - BMP are 100% produced in Taiwan. In order to provide customers with the best service, ICP DAS - BMP offers better lead times and accepts smaller quantity orders. The professional monitoring system implemented into the company's production line helps maximize the efficiency and capacity of the plant. TPUs made by ICP DAS - BMP have excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and radiodensity; they can also be color-matched. As most countries began to consider replacing PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) with medical TPU, the use of polymers has become a critical part of the global healthcare and emergency medical systems. Applications of thermoplastic polyurethane in healthcare extend to drug delivery, wound care, cardiology, urology, orthodontics, and many others. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have begun to establish domestic production of various goods. The medical industry is one of the main fields of development. Consequently, interest in purchasing safe and proven medical polymers has also increased significantly. ICP DAS - BMP is proud to mention that the company has already achieved impressive successes with domestic medical manufacturers that use polymers for injection molding method. The ICP DAS - BMP's team sincerely invites you to visit us at Medical Taiwan Expo from 16th - 18th June 2022, at TaiNEX 2, Booth P0328. Come and meet the experts to learn more about innovative medical materials. About ICP DAS - BMP In response to growing demand in the polymer industry, in 2018, ICP DAS established a new business unit for the development and production of medical grade polymers - ICP DAS - BMP. The company has achieved ISO 13485 certification for its raw material warehouses and production lines. ICP DAS - BMP has its own laboratories for polymerization, physical properties analysis, and cytotoxicity testing. All the TPUs supplied by ICP DAS - BMP are USP Class VI certified and compliant with the ISO 10993 international standard. Materials have passed skin sensitization and cytotoxicity tests according to ISO 10993-5 and ISO 10993-10. All this allows ICP DAS - BMP to guarantee biocompatibility for medical device manufacturers. For more details, please visit our website: https://bmp.icpdas.com/ For TPU products, solutions, and inquiries, contact us directly: sales_bmp@icpdas.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1823480/image.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Tudor Gold Corp. (TSXV: TUD) (FSE: TUC) (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") is pleased to announce that exploration efforts have doubled for Phase l of the 2022 exploration program (the "Program") at their flagship property, Treaty Creek, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle of Northwestern British Columbia. The fully funded Program consists of a 30,000 metre (m) diamond drilling campaign that has been developed to systematically test the extension of the Goldstorm Deposit well beyond the limits that were outlined in the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate (Tudor Gold press release dated March 9, 2021: reported a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 19.41 million ounces of AuEq grading 0.74 g/t AuEq and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 7.9 million ounces of AuEq grading 0.79 g/t AuEq). In addition, exploration diamond drilling will focus on the Calm Before the Storm (CBS) and the Eureka zones (EZ or Eureka). During the past two weeks, Tudor's crews have mobilized four more drill rigs to the site from the winter route via the Brucejack Access Road. Our drill contractors now have eight drill rigs working on three targets. Six drill rigs have commenced drilling the northern aspects of the Goldstorm Deposit as step-out exploration holes. One rig has been drilling at CBS as follow-up on last year's newly discovered gold-silver system, located 2.5 kilometres northeast of the Goldstorm Deposit. Additionally, crews have begun drilling the Eureka Zone located 800 meters southeast of the Goldstorm Deposit (Figure 1). Ken Konkin, President and CEO, comments, "The start-up of 2022 exploration campaign has been a huge success. We are well ahead of schedule starting the step-out exploration drill holes in the northern aspects to the Goldstorm Deposit as well as initiating drill programs at CBS and Eureka. Additionally, we plan to complete a high-resolution aeromagnetic survey over our Treaty Creek and Crown claims with Terraquest Geophysics. A total of 1,600-line kilometres are expected to be flown during the next few days. This will serve as a vital mapping tool to aid continued exploration efforts throughout both properties. In addition to exploration, Tudor plans to construct an exploration access road that will connect our Lower Camp to our weather station area located 3.5 kilometers east of that camp. This route will eventually tie into the permitted access road that Seabridge Gold (Seabridge) is currently constructing from the Highway 37 junction at Glacier Creek. This will provide an all-weather road access to our project once completed. Seabridge has already completed the bridge construction for the Bell Irving River crossing at Glacier Creek. "Our engagement efforts with local First Nations continue to develop. We have initiated contact with Nisga'a First Nations, and we have pledged follow-up meetings to ensure clear communication as the project evolves. Earlier in the year, Tudors' geologists and geotechicians held an informal Core Processing Workshop as an Open-Invite for the Tahltan community members in Dease Lake. It was a successful three-day session that included geotechnical procedures, QA/QC protocols as well core sampling and shipping procedures. We plan to continue to host these workshops in communities interested in gaining employment in the exploration sector. For many of those who attended, this was an excellent introduction to one small aspect of exploration. We are committed to include all First Nations including Tahltan, Skii Km Lax Ha and Nisga'a as part of our engagement process and we will continue to encourage participation with our future workshops to provide employment opportunities and public awareness to our industry sector." Qualified Person The Qualified Person for this news release for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 is the Company's President and CEO, Ken Konkin, P.Geo. He has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this news release. About Tudor Gold TUDOR GOLD Corp. is a precious and base metals exploration and development company with properties in British Columbia's Golden Triangle (Canada), an area that hosts producing and past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The 17,913 hectare Treaty Creek project (in which TUDOR GOLD has a 60% interest) borders Seabridge Gold Inc.'s KSM property to the southwest and borders Newcrest Mining Limited's Brucejack property to the southeast. In April 2021 Tudor published their 43-101 technical report, "Technical Report and Initial Mineral Resource Estimate of the Treaty Creek Gold Property, Skeena Mining Division, British Columbia Canada" dated March 1, 2021, on the Company's Sedar profile. The Company also has a 100% interest in the Crown project and a 100% interest in the Eskay North project, all located in the Golden Triangle area. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TUDOR GOLD CORP. "Ken Konkin" Ken Konkin President and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.tudor-gold.com or contact: Chris Curran Head of Corporate Development and Communications Phone: (604) 559 8092 E-Mail: chris.curran@tudor-gold.com or Carsten Ringler Head of Investor Relations and Communications Phone: +49 151 55362000 E-Mail: carsten.ringler@tudor-gold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the completion and anticipated results of planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company's planned exploration activities will be completed in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company 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 otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Treaty Creak Drill Plan To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4494/125143_tudor.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125143 Presidency of the Republic Central African Republic Unit of Cabinet Unit-Dignity-Work No. 010 PR/DIRCAB/22 Central African Republic, Central Africa--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Just 31 days ago, the Central African Republic was the first African country to adopt Bitcoin as a reference/payment coin and the first in the world to unanimously adopt the law governing cryptocurrencies. After the National Assembly wrote a new page in the history books, the President of the Republic, the Head of State, His Excellency Professor Faustin-Archange Touadera promulgated Law no. 22.004 of April 22, 2022, which regulates cryptocurrency in the Central African Republic, making Bitcoin the official digital currency in the Central African Republic. This is a first step on to possibly open up incredible development opportunities for our country. Representation of Central African Republic acceptance of Bitcoin as a payment coin To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8800/125119_cfc1d850f4f539a3_001full.jpg. Soon, the President of the Republic, the Head of State, His Excellency Professor Faustin-Archange Touadera, will launch SANGO - the first Crypto Initiative, a national project designed to set a new visionary landmark on the world map and may provide a possible opportunity for all who believe in crypto investments. "For us, a formal economy is no longer an option. An impenetrable bureaucracy keeps us stuck in systems that do not give us a chance to perform. The solution was to rethink our economic philosophy. We will move toward a new stage with the launch of the Sango project, an ambitious, innovative and surprising initiative, designed to possibly transform our country," said the President of the Republic, Head of State, His Excellency Professor Faustin-Archange Touadera. The SANGO project goes beyond politics and administration, asserting itself as a possible new way of economic governance and a strategic alternative digital investment vehicle, with adaptability, specific to the new digital age. Bitcoin and blockchain technologies have the potential to reshape the world of finance. SANGO LOGO To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8800/125119_cfc1d850f4f539a3_002full.jpg. SANGO is not just a project; it is a complex concept that will give a new dimension to the way technology is used to create modern, attractive and sustainable communities. The fact that this initiative - a pioneer in the field - was born in the heart of Africa, is a surprise to many, but not to Central Africans or to those who know the potential of this land and its untapped riches, those who understand the need for change, who look to the future. The objectives of "SANGO" are building the first legal Crypto Hub in the heart of Africa and enhancing the crypto experience with a move to take Bitcoin to the next level is complemented by what could become the most unconventional space in the world - a Crypto Island. "The process by which we began to transform our country opens up possible opportunities for visionary people. The Crypto Hub, the next generation Bitcoin and the Crypto Island become the tools with which we will possibly reshape the future of our country. My great wish is for this project to be accessible to all, to open new avenues, to be an example to the world, and for the possible benefits to become vectors of economic performance for our country," said the President of the Republic, Head of State, Excellency His Professor Faustin-Archange Touadera. For a better understanding of the project, we invite you to access SANGO.ORG, the platform that presents all of the details pertaining to the vision for the Central African Republic's future. The project is presented for the first time, with all relevant information, stating its objectives, structure and the legal framework that applies to it. Written in Bangui, 23 May 2022 Minister of State, Cabinet Director at the Presidency of the Republic Obed NAMSIO Contact Details- Full Name- Flavia Covaciu(Superuniverse) Contact Email- office@isucces.ro Submitted by- Full Name- Raghav Gupta Contact Email- gupta.raghav2012@gmail.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125119 DGAP-News: African Energy Chamber / Key word(s): Miscellaneous African Energy Chamber: German Chancellor Scholz's Africa Tour Represents Critical Step Towards Achieving Energy Security, Says AEC 24.05.2022 / 20:45 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. German Chancellor Scholz's Africa Tour Represents Critical Step Towards Achieving Energy Security, Says AEC As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber strongly advocates for German-Africa partnerships, recognizing the role Germany will play in advancing energy security across the continent. With over 620 trillion cubic of natural gas reserves, 125.3 billion barrels of oil reserves, 16.4 billion short tons of coal and some of the best potential for renewable energy globally, Africa's energy landscape is diverse, holding the potential to transform the continent's socioeconomic landscape. Yet over 600 million people lack access to electricity and 900 million lack access to clean cooking solutions, creating an ironic state of affairs. Largely attributed to lack of adequate investment as well as energy transition trends calling for the end of fossil fuels, urgent action is required if any progress in making energy poverty history by 2030 is to be made. This is the very reason the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org), as the voice of the African energy sector, strongly advocates for an integrated approach to energy security in Africa, one in which every resource is used. Stepping into this picture, Germany's newly elected Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is conducting a three-day Africa tour. With a mandate to explore new energy agreements as the European country looks at breaking ties with Russia, Chancellor Scholz is focused on forging new gas and hydrogen deals with emerging markets across the continent. The first destination in his three-country tour was Senegal, where the Chancellor met with H.E. President Macky Sall to discuss future gas deals and the possibility of an MSGBC-Europe gas pipeline. Recognized as a "matter worth pursuing intensively" by Chancellor Scholz, the likely gas deal is driven by large-scale MSGBC developments including the 15 trillion cubic feet (tcf) Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project and 20 tcf Yakaar-Teranga development. MSGBC gas might just be the solution to meeting both Europe and Africa's energy needs, a key feature of the visit. On the second leg of the trip, Chancellor Scholz traveled to Niger to discuss military and financial cooperation renewals. However, the trip has also opened dialogue around energy partnerships. Germany already has a presence in the country with the German-based Emerging Energy Corporation signing an agreement with the government for the exploration and development of commercial green hydrogen. Now, new partnerships and deals are likely, with Germany playing a critical role in driving energy security and hydrogen development in Niger. "Germany represents the ideal partner for countries such as South Africa and Niger who are actively seeking the expansion and development of their hydrogen industries. Already there has been significant progress to drive hydrogen development on the back of German partnerships but more can and must be done. Africa needs innovative and integrated solutions if it is to make energy poverty history by 2030. By leveraging each and every natural resource at the continent's disposal, Africa will have the chance to fully develop. It is important to have a balanced energy mix and that is what the Chamber has and will continue to advocate for," states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. Chancellor Scholz is currently in South Africa - where energy security represents a central point of concern - and is meeting with H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa,. Currently, the southern African nation is struggling with crippling power shortages owing to aging power stations, lack of maintenance and infrastructure sabotage. Despite holding significant natural gas and hydrogen potential, loadshedding has become a daily occurrence and is only expected to worsen unless proactive measures are taken to scale-up generation capacity. With a 4,000 MW power shortfall, South Africa represents the perfect example as to why African countries need to utilize each and every energy resource in their reach. "You cannot simply state 'no more coal.' In the same way Europe has turned to coal with the onset of gas supply disruptions, Africa should be utilizing its significant coal deposits to drive energy security. South Africa needs coal, natural gas, nuclear power and hydrogen to drive industrialization and socioeconomic growth. The country is being crippled by power deficiencies and if coal can help mitigate these challenges and lift millions out of energy poverty, then coal should be used. Chancellor Scholz' trip to Africa marks a significant step towards improving African energy dialogue, driving investment and development in key sectors such as hydrogen and natural gas while forging new Africa-Europe energy partnerships. South Africa, Niger and Senegal must capitalize on this opportunity and make a strong case for European investment in 2022," states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. Download image (1): https://bit.ly/38k4FKw Download image (2): https://bit.ly/3LKrAMH Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. 24.05.2022 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. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Tony G Co-Investment Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TONY) (the "Company"), announces the resignation of Douglas Harris as Chief Financial Officer, effective May 20, 2022. Mr. Gediminas Klepackas, the Company's CEO, will act as interim CFO until the position can be filled. Media Contact: Tony G Co-Investment Holdings Ltd. Gediminas Klepackas Chief Executive Officer 370-677-73470 gk@tony.holdings Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Generally, any statements that are not historical facts may contain forward-looking information, and 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 indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to the Company's goal of making investments in the blockchain and other sectors and enhancing value. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is 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. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward- looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125156 Copyleaks, a Stamford, Conn.-based artificial intelligence (AI)-based platform known for identifying the authenticity of text, raised $6m in Series A funding. The round was led by JAL Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand its presence across industries, safeguard its intellectual property, and continue to provide AI solutions that offer comprehensive content authentication. Led by Alon Yamin, CEO and founding partner, Copyleaks is an artificial intelligence-powered plagiarism detection solution that identifies and tracks plagiarized content online. Through advanced algorithms, the plagiarism detection platform searches content on billions of web pages, websites, and online databases, and provides comprehensive, accurate results of similar content, including paraphrased content, in 100+ languages, as well as source code. Copyleaks provides a full solution for education and publishers including an AI-based grading tool for large volumes of essays and the ability to detect if source code has been copied with the Codeleaks tool. Copyleaks is available for educational institutes of all sizes, from private and public K-12 schools, universities, and other academic institutions. The company also aims to assist enterprise clients in a variety of markets like legal, media and cybersecurity. FinSMEs 24/05/2022 Lunar Outpost, a Golden, CO-based commercial planetary mobility company, raised $12M in Seed funding. The round was led by Explorer 1 Fund with participation from Promus Ventures, Space Capital, and Type One Ventures, and Cathexis Ventures. Explorer 1 Funds Daniel Kleinman and Promus Ventures Partner Gareth Keane also joined Lunar Outposts Board of Directors. The company intends to use the funds to launch a new class of autonomous lunar rovers, deploy its robotics in additional environments, and invest in new technologies to improve its existing platforms. Led by CEO Justin Cyrus, Lunar Outpost is developing and implementing technology that enables a sustainable presence in cislunar space, including commercial space robotics, lunar surface mobility, and in-situ resource utilization solutions. Its technologies have both Earth and space applications, providing mobility as a service on the Moon to companies, researchers, governments, and universities. Its modular autonomous rovers and service-based business model aim to lower the cost to explore space, build interplanetary infrastructure, and harvest the vast resources of space. Current offerings include: Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP): a commercial lunar prospector, a robotic vehicle designed to explore and investigate key resources and characteristics on lunar surfaces. In 2023, the MAPP rover will provide mobility too Nokias LTE/4G with Intuitive Machines to build, integrate and test the LTE/4G network on the surface of the Moon. Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), which contributed to the first demonstration of space resource utilization on another planet by creating oxygen from the atmosphere of Mars. Canary Industrial-Grade Environmental Monitors, continuous smart IoT devices customizable for PM 2.5, tVOC, O3, NO2, CH4, CO, meteorological data and much more. FinSMEs 24/05/2022 Zowie, a NYC-based AI-powered chatbot technology built specifically for eCommerce teams who want to drive sales through customer support, raised $14m in Series A funding. The round, which brings Zowies total funding to $20M, was led by Tiger Global Management with participation from Gradient Ventures (Googles AI-focused fund), 10xFounders (investor in Revolut, Robinhood, Adyen), and Inovo, and strategic investor Jack Altman (CEO at Lattice). The company intends to use the funds to extend its automation capabilities to new channels, including email, and expand internationally by hiring more sales for its go-to-market team in the United States. Founded in 2019 by Maja Schaefer (Forbes 30 Under 30) and Matt Ciolek, Zowie provides an AI-powered chatbot built specifically for eCommerce teams who want to drive sales through customer support. Powered by AI technology, Zowie automates 70% of inquiries eCommerce brands typically receive (such as wheres my package? or how can I change my shipping address?). It combines its automation capabilities with a suite of tools that allows agents to provide personalized care and product recommendations. Zowie integrates with all eCommerce tools like Shopify, Recharge, Klaviyo, and more. The automation supported by an open API enables customers to quickly set up automation like order status, subscription management, parcel tracking, and more. The company operates between its commercial office in New York with development offices across Poland. FinSMEs 24/05/2022 The Ministry of Health and Wellness inform the public that vaccination sessions for the administration of Paediatric Pfizer Vaccine (1st dose) will be carried out ONLY for children aged 5 to 11 years who do not attend any educational institution as from Monday 23 May 2022 from 09 00 hours to 14 30 hours on weekdays and from 09 00 hours to noon on Saturdays at the Paul Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Reduit in alphabetical order . Monday and Thursday: A F Tuesday and Friday: G N Wednesday and Saturday: O Z NOTE: as from Monday 23 May 2022, vaccination for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years and adults will not be carried out at the Paul Octave Wiehe Auditorium, Reduit. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires On May 18, 2022, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Dutch King Willem-Alexander to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands. Xi Jinping pointed out, since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral relations have been developing continuously with cooperation in various fields yielding fruitful results. In 2014, I worked with King Willem-Alexander to elevate China-Netherlands relations to an open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation. The Netherlands has played a more prominent role as a gateway to China-European Union cooperation. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and the Netherlands have supported each other, demonstrating the profound friendship between the two peoples. I attach great importance to the development of China-Netherlands relations and am ready to make joint efforts with King Willem-Alexander to promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-Netherlands relations for the benefit of the two countries and two peoples. Willem-Alexander said, over the past 50 years, bilateral relations have developed vigorously with active exchanges in fields such as economy and trade, and people-to-people and cultural affairs. The Netherlands believes that with the joint efforts of both sides, the outstanding and fruitful relations between the Netherlands and China will be further consolidated and developed. On the same day, Premier Li Keqiang and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte exchanged congratulatory messages. Li Keqiang said, the Chinese side is ready to work with the Dutch side to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries to further strengthen exchanges in various fields, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and constantly elevate China-Netherlands relations to new heights. Rutte said, since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Netherlands and China, bilateral relations have made great progress. He hopes that the two sides will deepen cooperation, and join hands to promote economic recovery and tackle climate change. Quote: Ltngdrvr Originally Posted by Sounds to me like a way for the dealer to get you to cancel the order, then they can leave the truck on order and put it out on their lot for 10K over sticker. Dealers are not penalized when delivery does not name match if they can document the customer refused to purchase the vehicle once delivered to the dealer. People are saying Ford are calling them asking if they still want the ordered vehicle, but none to date have been able to provide evidence it was Ford doing the asking. Most likely unscrupulous dealers calling to get customers on record because they are close to triggering the cutoff threshold of being penalized from order customers not taking delivery because of the wait or not honoring price protection. Canceling an order is more myth than reality. There is a procedure for a customer to cancel, but few dealers actually cancel the order, they receive the vehicle and transfer into dealer stock. Love your truck Wayne, and quite a dandy little car show as well. Good luck to you. Nice Truck Wayne! Parades are Great!who is that handsome fellor in the back? I'd vote for him any day! Thanks, Guys. After many, many years of community service I felt called to run for election. I've found the snowball effect of service is amazing. The more you give and serve, the more you want to serve. Jim, I'll PM you about the election, and anyone else who wants to chat about it off forum, feel free to reach out. Thanks. Good luck in the election! Are you the incumbent or a first time office seeker? Thanks for your willingness to put yourself out there and serve. We can't maintain our Representative Republic without willing qualified office holders. Your truck is nice too. Jim Pics from the Waitsburg Celebration Days car show and parade, May 21, 2022. It was my first time being in a parade and it was a blast! The truck is my 87 F-250 I resurrected from an engine fire awhile back. I heard there was about 180 cars in the show. Great attendance for a small town car show event. Enjoy!__________________ Posting Quick Reply - Please Wait Quick Reply: Waitsburg, WA Celebration days Parade and Car Show May 21, 2022 The following errors occurred with your submission Okay Quote message in reply? The Linn County Sheriffs Office has arrested a Lebanon man for allegedly assaulting a woman with a piece of glass in an act of domestic violence. Deputies arrested Jerrod Slade Schooley, 47, on Saturday, May 21 on suspicion of second-degree assault. Court documents allege on Dec. 23, 2021, Schooley intentionally or knowingly caused physical injury to the victim using a dangerous weapon: a piece of glass. Schooley was arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court Monday, May 23 on a second-degree assault charge. The court filed a warrant for Schooleys arrest in March regarding the alleged assault. An incident report from the Sweet Home Police Department shows the victim reported the assault the night it allegedly happened, and told officers Schooley repeatedly punched her in the face. According to the report, the victim had blood dripping from her face when police contacted her. There was allegedly a laceration above her left eyebrow, and there was blood on her shirt, skirt and legs. By the time officers got to the residence, Schooley had reportedly fled. The victim told police she was going to turn herself in for a warrant she had, and she had asked Schooley to take her. Schooley allegedly was rushing her to leave and then began punching her in the face. She told police, according to the report, that Schooley may have used a piece of glass while punching her. Medics arrived at the scene, according to police, and bandaged the victims head and hand. Before being transported to the hospital, officers took photos of the injuries although the victim was reportedly hesitant in permitting them to do so. The victim was taken to Lebanon Community Hospital. In a follow-up interview with SHPD weeks later, the victim told police Schooley had hit her with a broken marijuana bong. She alleged Schooley may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the incident report. At the time of the incident, Schooley had three prior assault convictions on his record, according to the SHPD incident report. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The votes are still trickling in from last Tuesday's primary, but the local and national prognostication for the general election in November is in full swing. The votes keep coming in from mailed ballots that must arrive by the end of business Tuesday, May 24 and from the backlog of botched ballots that have to be duplicated because of an error in printing. As of 3.p.m. on Monday, May 23, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan reports 1,074,251 ballots have been returned out of the 2,948,373 sent to voters. That's 36.44% turnout. McLeod-Skinner lead holds The insurgent candidacy of Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner against U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, has held on to its victory margin as more voting totals have come in. She's doing best at the far ends of the House district that crosses the Cascades. Overall, McLeod-Skinner is winning 59% of the vote in the 5th District, less than a percentage point below where she was running when the first votes were released on election night. Currently, Schrader is winning in three of the five counties in the district: Marion, Linn and in the few votes that have come in from Clackamas County. But McLeod-Skinner has been able to offset those county counts by winning 70% of the vote in Deschutes and 60% in Multnomah. The apparent win by progressive Terrebonne attorney McLeod-Skinner over moderate Schrader in the Democratic primary could cause more turmoil, some top political forecasters said after the primary election day. The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia moved the race from "Likely Democratic" to "Leans Democrat" because of the loss of an incumbent. "As we wait for the race to be called, were moving the race from Likely Democratic to Leans Democratic it may be a Toss-up before long," wrote J. Miles Coleman, an analyst for the center. "It is among the kinds of seats we could see flipping in a good Republican environment." Emptying political pockets on purpose The rule in tight primary races is to spend all the money you have. If you win, your supporters will refill your coffers. If you lose, any money left in the bank can't change the outcome. The top finishers in Tuesday's primary stuck to that mantra. Since January 2021, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tina Kotek raised $2.64 million and had $118,401 left by the election. Treasurer Tobias Read came in second in the Democratic primary, but not without putting all his chips on the table. He raised just under $2.15 million and had $24,153.18 left by election night. Republican primary winner Christine Drazan surged with the help of major donations while other opponents were seeing their wallets empty out early. She raised just under $2.65 million since January 2021 and hit the finish line with $45,125. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. Former GOP chair Bob Tiernan finished second to Drazan. He raised just under $1.66 million and hit May 17 with just under $5,900 in the bank. Independent candidate for governor Betsy Johnson is just cranking up her campaign and has over $5.3 million in the bank, including $1.75 million from Nike co-founder Phil Knight. But if the past is any indication, the major party candidates will soon see a firehose of funds. U.S. capital cash is coming In 2018, the GOP candidate for governor, former Rep. Knute Buehler of Bend, dipped under $100,000 in his campaign account to win a surprisingly close three-way Republican primary. National Republican Party and business groups soon were writing big checks (including Knight, who was backing Buehler in that race) before summer had even started. They pulled the challenger's campaign finances off the mat and sustained a spending tempo to compete with Brown's own conveyor belt of cash. Buehler and Brown together set a new record, spending just under $40 million in direct contributions to their campaigns. Johnson last week was betting that the trio of candidates will blow past that amount, with as much as $75 million in spending before all the votes are in and counted in mid-November. Analysts: Drazan gives GOP best shot at upset It's been 40 years since a Republican won Oregon's governorship and winning in 2022 remains a historical longshot. But some top national political forecasters see an opportunity in the surprise outcome of the Republican primary. Drazan, the former house minority leader, has a conservative track record in the Legislature, but has distanced herself from the strident rhetoric of former President Donald Trump and his most fervent allies. Democrats picked the most liberal leading candidate, Kotek, Oregon's longest serving speaker of the house. That isn't unusual in a state with a liberal-left tilt in the strongly Democratic urban areas. Johnson, a former Democratic state senator from Scappoose, is launching a well-funded campaign running without party affiliation, and has the deep-pockets support of Knight. She's trying to stake out a middle between the left and right to pull off the first successful independent campaign for governor in 92 years. FiveThirtyEight.com, a top political handicapping website, said the victory of Drazan in the GOP race narrows the width of the political spectrum Johnson had hoped to see. Drazan is a relatively moderate suburbanite woman in a Republican party that has had trouble making inroads with moderates, suburbanites and women in general. The GOP candidate "will have a decent shot at winning the general election given the unpopularity of the outgoing governor and the presence of a strong independent candidate," the FiveThirtyEight analysis projected. Still unknown will be the effect on state races of the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision. Kotek and Johnson are pro-choice, while Drazan is endorsed by Oregon Right to Life. A cratering economy would also add turmoil to a three-way race. Oregonian: Hall should resign The Oregon Secretary of State and other state and local officials have been angry over the long delay in waiting for the final result of the voting in Clackamas County. The Oregonian newspaper came out Sunday calling for Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall to resign, saying the current gridlock in county voting adds to previous mistakes in erroneously printed ballots in 2010 and the arrest and conviction of a temporary poll worker under Hall's supervision who filled in votes on ballots sent in blank by voters. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Fundraiser for the Corvallis Sister Cities Association's Uzhhorod (Ukraine) Refugee Fund. Earl Newman, an artist and screen printer who lives in Summit, has created and donated a screen-printed poster illustrating support for Ukraine. Two hundred numbered posters will be printed; several framed posters will be available. The prints will sell for $100 each to be donated to the refugee fund; framed prints will cost extra. Information: 541-760-8081 or caroltrueba@gmail.com. Rally to support Ukraine, noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Benton County Courthouse, 120 NW Fourth St., Corvallis. All are invited to come show solidarity with Ukraine in an event that is not antiwar or anti-Russia but pro-Ukraine. Those attending can bring Ukrainian flags, sunflowers and signs showing support. Updates on the humanitarian aspect of the war will be given. Information: 7442117@gmail.com. Fundraiser to support refugee fund: Four-notecard packs and 8 x 10 prints featuring paintings by Corvallis sisters Allessandra Bakker, 16, and Isabella Bakker, 13, are available for purchase at Visit Corvallis and Benton County Historical Societys Corvallis and Philomath museums for $25 and $30, respectively. Proceeds go toward the Corvallis Sister Cities Associations Uzhhorod Refugee Fund. Fundraiser to help children of Ukraine: Monique Arnold of Corvallis and her teenage daughters are "making quilts to cover the world." The project has raised a total of $4,275 that has been donated directly to USA for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Corvallis Sister Cities organization for Uzhhorod, Ukraine. The quilts are sold every week via Facebook auction, continuing for the next month at https://www.facebook.com/groups/391673602349315/permalink/555540949295912/?sale_post_id=555540949295912. Fundraiser for Uzhhorod Sister City program: Best Cellar presents "Beatlesfest," 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, sanctuary, First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. An evening of mostly acoustic arrangements of Beatles songs. The lineup includes Absolute, Compass Rose, RiverRocks, Sharon and Dave Thormahlen, the Wallop Sisters, Fred Towne, Evelyn Idzerda, and Pete Kozak and Mark Weiss. Funds raised will go to Ukraine through the sister city program. Information: mjweiss@cmug.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Shockone Koven Lee Mvtthews Jess Rhodes Pirapus ShockOne is taking his highly successful Dark Machine Warehouse project interstate and overseas this year expanding its base operations in Perth throughout Australia and across the Tasman to New Zealand. Stopping off in Auckland, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane & Sydney this October and November this will be the first drum & bass touring event of its kind. Touring with SHOCKONE will be U.K. royalty KOVEN & New Zealand heavyweights LEE MVTTHEWS confirmed exclusively for the Warehouse tour across Australasia. Local supports in every city and a touring production rig that will put all previous Dark Machine Warehouse events to shame. Register now for tickets. Xiplomacy: Xi offers China's proposal to tackle global security challenges Xinhua) 13:11, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Global peace and development is faced with challenges posed by the Ukraine crisis at a time when the world has yet to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. To tackle the peace deficit, Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward China's proposal. In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, Xi proposed for the first time the Global Security Initiative (GSI). Built on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security Xi laid out eight years ago, the initiative seeks to promote the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. Over the years, Xi has enriched his security vision and elaborated on it on various international occasions. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard. May 21, 2014 In his keynote speech delivered at the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia Summit held in Shanghai, Xi said: "We need to keep pace with the changing circumstances and evolving times. One cannot live in the 21st century with the outdated thinking from the age of Cold War and zero-sum game." "We believe that it is necessary to advocate common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia. We need to innovate our security concept, establish a new regional security cooperation architecture, and jointly build a road for security of Asia that is shared by and win-win to all," he said. Sept. 26, 2017 While addressing the opening ceremony of the 86th Interpol General Assembly, Xi said that "countries should adopt a concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and jointly respond to security challenges." He called for promoting global security governance in a more fair, reasonable and effective way, saying: "Countries, while maintaining their own security, should take into account other countries' security." July 25, 2018 At a business forum at the 10th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Xi called on BRICS countries to promote common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. He also stressed that BRICS members should address issues that matter to all through consultation and oppose hegemony and power politics. March 26, 2019 At the closing ceremony of the China-France Global Governance Forum held in Paris, the Chinese president called for joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit. It is advisable to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard Cold-War and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle, and settle conflicts by peaceful means, Xi said. Nov. 10, 2020 While addressing the 20th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Beijing, Xi said: "We need to safeguard security and stability and build a community of security for us all." "Security and stability are the number one precondition for a country's development, and thus concern the core interests of all countries," he said, adding: "We need to act on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, address all forms of threats and challenges effectively, and foster a sound security environment in our region." Sept. 3, 2021 Addressing the opening ceremony of the plenary session of the sixth Eastern Economic Forum, Xi called on all parties to form synergy to safeguard regional peace and stability. All parties need to narrow differences and build consensus through dialogue and exchanges, embrace the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work for a harmonious and tranquil homeland for us all, Xi said. April 21, 2022 In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, Xi proposed the GSI to promote security for all in the world. "It is important that we stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to maintain world peace and security," Xi said. He also called for "taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the pursuit of one's own security at the cost of others' security." May 19, 2022 When delivering a video address at the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Xi called for building a global community of security for all. Both history and reality tell us that seeking one's own security at the expense of others' will only create new tensions and risks, the Chinese president stressed. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) said there was no law prohibiting the elections management body from being run by the military. You talk about the militarisation of the commission, I will ask a very simple question: Do we have a legal and provisional framework on recruitment of former serving officers? Zec spokesperson Jasper Mangwana said in response to a question on the militarisation of Zec posed by Gweru legislator Brian Dube at a Twitter Spaces event organised by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network on Monday evening. He claimed that calls by the opposition and other critics for the demilitarisation of Zec were informed by ignorance. Can you make it into law that if someone applies at Zec and wants a job and is a former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) employee, even if he has the qualifications to be a driver or maybe a clerk in the commission, the commission must not consider them because for us to act without the law it means we are going to be infringing other peoples rights, Mangwana said. Zec has been under the spotlight over the recruitment of former and serving officers, with critics, saying this was denting the electoral bodys credibility. In 2018, Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba disclosed that at least 15% of the elections administrators staff, then over 380, were ex-service personnel. Its chief elections officer Utoile Silaigwana is a retired army officer and has a long history of running disputed elections since the era of the late former President Robert Mugabe. I do not think its going to be fair simply to say you once worked at ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police), you have the qualifications, but you cannot work at the commission. But what you should take us to account about is to say there is an officer in the commission who did not follow procedure and here is the procedure was not followed, Mangwana added. Opposition parties, however, insisted that military personnel must not be part of Zec. As the opposition, we question the neutrality of these members who come from the military. The military code is you do not resign. If a crisis arises you are always called for duty despite resigning. Hence this can only mean they are there to serve a purpose, Citizens Coalition for Change interim deputy secretary for elections Ellen Shiriyedenga said. MDC Alliance director of information Chengeto Guta said: Military personnel are not necessarily supposed to be disallowed to participate in government. If you look at what is happening in Zec right now, there are constitutional breaches, countless of them. But again, it is not only happening at Zec, but at every other State enterprise. Newsday MOTORISTS are crying foul after the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) hiked toll fees by 73%, which will result in long-distance transporters hiking fares. In a statement, Zinara announced that with effect from Monday (May 23), toll fees for light motor vehicles would increase to $520 from $300, minibuses $780 from $450, buses $1 040 and heavy vehicles $1 300. The new toll fee increases will result in motorists driving light vehicles from Bulawayo to Harare forking out $2 600 at five tollgates. Zinara said there would be a residential discount for motorists who live near a tollgate, who frequently pass through such facilities. Reacting to the toll fee increases, motorists yesterday told NewsDay that the fees were unjustified, given the poor state of the countrys roads and the current liquidity crunch. Some said they would be forced to use alternative routes to dodge tollgates. Using illegal alternative routes will save money, especially along the Bulawayo-Harare route where transporters have to pass through five tollgates. Passengers often negotiate fees and the only way to save money is to evade tollgates, one long-distance driver said. Motorist Lyod Moyo said: Fuel is already very expensive, and now Zinara has hiked tollgate fees, for some passenger transporters trying to make a living, that is not fair. This will force a lot of motorists to find alternative routes. Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliath said: Motorists are already facing high fuel costs and now they have another burden added by Zinara. Using alternative routes to avoid paying toll fees will cause more road accidents on the countrys highways because of the poor road network. Why dont we have a fixed USD price that wont change, because charging in Zimdollars is not stable? Imagine the amount of money that one has to pay for travelling from Harare to Bulawayo passing through five tollgates. In 2009, government introduced tollgates as part of measures to raise funds to construct and rehabilitate roads. Newsday VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blender Bites Ltd. (the Company, Blender Bites or Blender), (CSE: BITE, FWB: JL40, WKN: A3DWAM), an award winning Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium, organic and plant-based pre-portioned frozen functional foods, is pleased to announce that it has received its first purchase commitment for its popular Power Berry and Green D-tox variety pack from Canadas Western Division of the worlds largest club store chain (the club chain). The Company has witnessed tremendous success since launching in 42 locations of the club chains Eastern Canada locations and is optimistic and looking forward to building out its new relationship with the chains Western Canada division. The SKU will be available in early June 2022 to the thirty-eight (38) locations across the four (4) provinces that comprise the Western Division, namely British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Once available in the Western Division, Blender Bites Power Berry and Green D-tox 1-step smoothie innovation will have almost doubled its footprint in club chain locations, increasing its presence from the original 42 stores in the East, to 80 stores, inclusive of the new Western Canada locations, which represents an impressive 91% increase in club chain locations, and a significant opportunity for even greater revenue generation. Blenders award-winning 1-step smoothie pucks, which have just been named Product of the Year Canada for 2022 in the organic beverage category, are made with a variety of delicious organic fruits, greens and functional ingredients, including immune supporting plant-based vitamins and minerals, to provide consumers with a convenient solution for their daily smoothie routine. Through our expansion in Western Canada, we have been given the opportunity to double our Canadian distribution channels to the largest warehouse club store chain in the world. We look to achieve a greater level of success than we are currently witnessing in Eastern Canada due to the buying trends in Western Canada, and will aim to double revenue through this expansion, stated Chelsie Hodge, the Companys CEO and Founder. ABOUT BLENDER BITES Blender Bites is a Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium frozen food products with a focus on functionality. Blender Bites was founded in 2016 and was first to market in Western Canada with a pre-portioned easy smoothie product that is free of any unnecessary inner plastic packaging. Blender Bites products are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and soy free. They contain no added sugars and are made in Canada. Blender Bites products are distributed internationally across Canada and the US, and are currently sold in over 900 stores, including Sobeys, Safeway, Save on Foods, Whole Foods Market, Buy-Low/Nesters, IGA and Fresh Street. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Blender Bites Limited Chelsie Hodge, Chief Executive Officer For further information, contact Blender IR Team at: Email investors@blenderbites.com Telephone 1-888-997-2055 CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties, and uncertain capital markets. Readers are cautioned that actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. TERRE HAUTE, Ind., May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hallador Energy Company will host an investor conference call and webcast on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. ET to discuss the 1st quarter 2022 financial results. The call will be webcast live on our website at www.halladorenergy.com under events and available for a limited time. To participate in the conference call, please dial: US dial-in number (Toll Free): 1 844 200 6205 US dial-in number: (Local): 1 646 904 5544 International: +1 929 526 1599 Access Code: 643811 A recording of the conference call will be available until Tuesday, May 31, 2022. To listen to a replay of the conference call, please dial: US Toll Free: 1 866 813 9403 US (Local): 1 929 458 6194 All other locations: +44 204 525 0658 Access Code: 074829 Hallador is headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana, and through its wholly owned subsidiary, Sunrise Coal, LLC, produces coal in the Illinois Basin for the electric power generation industry. To learn more about Hallador, visit our website at www.halladorenergy.com. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per Future Market Insights, the test and measurement equipment market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.6 per cent, from USD 30.9 billion in 2021 to USD 54.9 billion in 2032. Stringent government requirements and the rising need for quality maintenance encourage the demand for test and measurement equipment. The emergence of COVID-19 prompted a rise in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and other medical equipment. This has resulted in increasing demand for test and measurement equipment in the healthcare and pharmaceutical end-use industries, resulting in higher demand for test and measurement equipment products and solutions and test and measurement equipment adoption trends. The primary reasons driving the growth of the test and measurement equipment market include an increase in end-user demand for test and measurement equipment solutions, technological innovation, and an increase in demand for electronic gadgets. This is regarded as a fantastic test and measurement equipment strategy. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14739 List of Key Players Covered in Test and Measurement Equipment Market are: Fortive Corporation Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG Anritsu Corporation Keysight Technologies Yokogawa Electric Corporation National Instruments Corporation EXFO Inc. Advantest Corporation VIAVI Solutions Inc. Texas Instruments Incorporated The price sensitivity of test and measurement equipment, on the other hand, is projected to limit test and measurement equipment market growth. During the forecast period, each of these factors is expected to have a significant influence on the test and measurement equipment market. The introduction of 5G technology and the implementation of LTE & LTE-Advanced (4G) Networks, as well as the rapid penetration of IoT Devices, are expected to give potential possibilities for test and measurement equipment market expansion. North America has the greatest test and measurement equipment market share due to the presence of multiple significant companies. Asia-Pacific is predicted to develop at the quickest rate, as governments in these areas implement numerous measures to support innovation and R&D in their respective countries. Given current advancements in connected and driverless vehicles, the automotive industry is likely to capture the test and measurement equipment market share. The healthcare sector is likely to drive the test and measurement equipment market due to the development of new healthcare equipment, patient-monitoring systems, and personal emergency reporting systems, which are some of the other factors expected to positively influence the test and measurement equipment market trends. KEY TAKEAWAYS: In the United States, the test and measurement equipment market is estimated to reach US$ 1.3 Billion by 2032, increasing at a CAGR of 10.7% through 2032. The test and measurement equipment market in the United Kingdom is expected to be worth US$ 154.2 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 9.8% through 2032. The test and measurement equipment market's services segment form the component category is predicted to develop at a CAGR of 10.4% through 2032. Through 2032, Threat Intelligence in the test and measurement equipment market's application sector will grow at a CAGR of 10.1% through 2032. China's test and measurement equipment market is expected to reach US$ 275.2 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 10.2% through 2032. The market for test and measurement equipment in Japan is expected to be valued at US$ 221.9 million by 2032, expanding at a 9.2% annual rate through 2032. South Korea is expected to reach a market size of US$ 136.7 million in test and measurement equipment by 2032, with a CAGR of 8.6% through 2032. Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/test-and-measurement-equipment-market COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Fortive Corporation, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG, Anritsu Corporation, Keysight Technologies, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, National Instruments Corporation, EXFO, Inc., Advantest Corporation, VIAVI Solutions Inc., and Texas Instruments Incorporated are among the major companies profiled in the test and measurement equipment market. These companies provide test and measurement equipment solutions to meet test and measurement equipment market demands and needs. To extend their influence in the test and measurement equipment market trends, these vendors have used a variety of organic and inorganic growth tactics. RECENT DEVELOPMENT: A couple of recent developments in test and measurement equipment market are as follows: VIAVI Solutions released new fibre test and measurement equipment solutions in March 2021, enhancing the industry's most comprehensive offering for fiber-optic testing. The company's new optical power metres, fibre characterization modules, and an enhanced optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) solution enable service providers, colocation and hyperscale data centres, enterprises, and contractors to reduce manufacturing costs, improve service quality, minimise downtime, and generate more revenue. Anritsu introduced the TRX Test module, MU887002A, in March 2021, to increase the efficiency of production-line inspections of 5G wireless communication equipment, as well as its space-saving universal wireless test set, MT8872A. As part of its OpreX analyzer lineup for use in water treatment facilities, Yogokawa launched TB820D right-angle scattered light turbidity detectors, FC800D non-reagent type free available chlorine sensor units, RC800D reagent type residual chlorine sensor units, FLXA402T liquid analyzers for turbidity and chlorine, and PG400 pulse generators for clean units in February 2021. Order a Complete Research Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/14739 Detailed Table of Content: Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Summary of Statistics 1.3. Key Market Characteristics & Attributes 1.4. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Risks and Trends Assessment 3.1. Risk Assessment 3.1.1. COVID-19 Crisis and Impact on Test and Measurement Equipment 3.1.2. COVID-19 Impact Benchmark with Previous Crisis 3.1.3. Impact on Market Value (US$ Mn) 3.1.4. Assessment by Key Countries 3.1.5. Assessment by Key Market Segments 3.1.6. Action Points and Recommendation for Suppliers 3.2. Key Trends Impacting the Market 3.3. Formulation and Product Development Trends TOC Continued! Speak to our Research Expert @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-14739 Have a Look at Related Research Reports: Industrial Dust Collector Market Growth Opportunities and Forecast 2032 Dispensing Robots Market Analysis, Opportunities and Industry Segments Poised for Rapid Growth by 2032 Tubular Heater Market Key Growth Drivers Trends, Segments, Opportunity and Forecast 2032 About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (ESOMAR certified market research organization and a member of Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) provides in-depth insights into governing factors elevating the demand in the market. It discloses opportunities that will favor the market growth in various segments on the basis of Source, Application, Sales Channel and End Use over the next 10-years. Contact: Future Market Insights, 1602-6 Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower, Plot No: JLT-PH2-X2A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/test-and-measurement-equipment-market LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, reminds investors that class actions have been commenced on behalf of stockholders of Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (NYSE: LICY), Bakkt Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BKKT), IronNet, Inc. (NYSE: IRNT), and Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR). Stockholders have until the deadlines below to petition the court to serve as lead plaintiff. Additional information about each case can be found at the link provided. Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (NYSE: LICY) Class Period: February 16, 2021 March 23, 2022 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 20, 2022 On March 24, 2022, Blue Orca Capital published a report (the "Report") characterizing the Company as "a near fatal combination of stock promotion, laughable governance, a broken business hemorrhaging cash, and highly questionable Enron-like accounting." According to the Report, Li-Cycle recognizes revenues using an Enron-like mark-to-model accounting gimmick Li-Cycle recognizes revenues months prior to the actual sales of its recycled black mass, based on its own provisional estimate of the future value of the product. This accounting treatment is plainly vulnerable to abuse, giving Li-Cycle discretion over its reported revenues. We suspect that under this framework, Li-Cycle marks up the value of its receivables on unsold products and runs the gains through its revenue line. According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (1) Li-Cycles largest customer, Traxys North America LLC, is not actually a customer, but merely a broker providing working capital financial to the Company while Traxys tries to sell Li-Cycles product to end customers; (2) the Company engaged in highly questionable related party transactions; (3) the Companys mark-to-model accounting is vulnerable to abuse and gave a false impression of growth; (4) a significant portion of the Companys reported revenues were derived from simply marking up receivables on products that had not been sold; (5) the Companys gross margins have likely been negative since inception; (6) the Company will require an additional $1 billion of funding to support its planned growth (which is a figure greater than the Company raised via the merger); and (7) as a result, defendants public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. On this news, Li-Cycles stock price fell $0.47 cents per share, or 5.60% to close at $7.93 per share on March 24, 2022. For more information on the Li-Cycle class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/LICY Bakkt Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BKKT) Class Period: October 15, 2021 IPO or March 31, 2021 November 19, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 20, 2022 Bakkt was formerly known as VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings and operated as a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), also called a blank-check company, which is a development stage company that has no specific business plan or purpose or has indicated its business plan is to engage in a merger or acquisition with an unidentified company or companies, other entity, or person. On January 11, 2021, the Company and Legacy Bakkt announced entry into a definitive agreement for the Business Combination that would result in Legacy Bakkt becoming a publicly traded company with an enterprise value of approximately $2.1 billion. On March 31, 2021, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the Business Combination, which, after several amendments, was declared effective by the SEC on September 17, 2021 (the Registration Statement). Also on September 17, 2021, the Company filed a proxy statement and prospectus on Form 424B3 with the SEC in connection with the Business Combination, which formed part of the Registration Statement (the Proxy and, together with the Registration Statement, the Offering Documents). On or about October 15, 2021, the Company and Legacy Bakkt completed the Business Combination pursuant to the Offering Documents. Thereafter, the Company changed its name to Bakkt Holdings, Inc. and began operating a digital asset platform that enables consumers to buy, sell, convert, and spend digital assets. The complaint alleges that the Offering Documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading and were not prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing their preparation, and that throughout the Class Period Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, the Offering Documents and Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company had defective financial controls; (ii) as a result, there were errors in the Companys financial statements related to the misclassification of certain shares issued prior to the Business Combination; (iii) accordingly, the Company would need to restate certain of its financial statements; (iv) the Company downplayed the true scope and severity of these issues; (v) the Company overstated its remediation of its defective financial controls; and (vi) as a result, the Offering Documents and Defendants public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein. On May 17, 2021, Bakktthen still operating as VIHnotified the SEC of its inability to timely file its quarterly report for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Specifically, the Company advised that, as a result of a statement issued by the SEC, the Company reevaluated the accounting treatment of its public warrants and private placement warrants and is currently determining the extent of the SEC Statements impact on its financial statements[.] On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.13 per share, or 1.26%, to close at $10.18 per share on May 18, 2021. Then, on October 13, 2021, the Company disclosed in an SEC filing that it had also previously failed to properly account for the classification of its Class A ordinary shares and adjust[ed] . . . the initial carrying value of the Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption with the offset recorded to additional paid-in capital (to the extent available), accumulated deficit and Class A ordinary shares. Notably, the Company revised its balance sheet as of December 31, 2020, including, among other changes, additional paid-in capital that was reduced from $9,860,338 to nil, an accumulated deficit that ballooned from $4,861,190 to $29,250,419, and total shareholders equity of $5,000,009 that swung to a total shareholders deficit of $29,249,901. Following these additional disclosures, the Companys share price fell $0.47 per share, or 4.73%, to close at $9.46 per share on October 14, 2021. Finally, on November 22, 2021, Bakkt disclosed in another SEC filing that the Companys management has re-evaluated . . . the accounting classification of the Class A ordinary shares . . . of [VIH] . . . and has identified errors in the historical financial statements of VIH . . . related to the misclassification . . . of the Class A Ordinary Shares prior to the [Business Combination]. Specifically, the Company found that, as a result of errors in its condensed consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021, Bakkt should restate certain of VIHs condensed consolidated financial statements from those periods. On this news, Bakkts stock price fell $2.70 per share, or 13.69%, to close at $17.02 per share on November 22, 2021. As of the time the complaint was filed, Bakkts Class A common stock was trading between $4 to $5 per share and continues to trade below its initial value from the Business Combination, damaging investors. For more information on the Bakkt class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/BKKT IronNet, Inc. (NYSE: IRNT) Class Period: September 15, 2021 December 15, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 21, 2022 On August 27, 2021, IronNet became a publicly traded company via a merger with LGL Systems Acquisition Corp. (LGL), a blank check company otherwise known as a special purpose acquisition vehicle (SPAC). Like other SPACs, LGL did not initially have any operations or business of its own. Rather, it raised money from investors in an initial public offering and then later used the proceeds from the offering to acquire IronNet, which had been a private company. The complaint charges IronNet, its Co-Chief Executive Officers, and its Chief Financial Officer with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. According to the complaint, the defendants made materially false and misleading statements and failed to disclose known adverse facts about IronNet's business, operations, and prospects, including that: (i) the Company had materially overstated its business and financial prospects; (ii) the Company was unable to predict the timing of significant customer opportunities which constituted a substantial portion of its publicly-issued FY 2022 financial guidance; (iii) the Company had not established effective disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably ensure its public disclosures were timely, accurate, complete, and not otherwise misleading; and (iv) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false, misleading, and/or lacked any reasonable basis in fact at all relevant times. For more information on the IronNet class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/IRNT Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR) Class Period: May 7, 2020 April 13, 2022 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 24, 2022 On April 14, 2022, market researcher Blue Orca Capital released a report describing the Company as a marijuana bank masquerading as a REIT. IIPRs model is to conduct sale-leaseback transactions with cannabis producers who are otherwise prohibited from borrowing money because of federal regulations. The report further noted that [u]nlike with other REITs, IIPR cannot expect to recover the lost income from defaulting tenants because it appears that the actual value of its properties are substantially below their carrying value on the IIPRs balance sheet. On this news, the Companys share price fell $13.76 per share, or 7.5%, to close at $169.68 per share on April 14, 2022. According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants touted its rigorous underwriting standards and extensive experience in the cannabis industry. They also stated that the Companys organization and operations qualify it to be taxed as a REIT for U.S federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding, defendants failed to disclose that the value of the Companys properties are significantly lower than represented and that the Companys focus is to be a cannabis company lender rather than a REIT. Further, Innovative Industrial Properties top customers may not be able to continue making payments and the Company would face significant issues replacing those customers. For more information on the IIPR class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/IIPR About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Information: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Melissa Fortunato, Esq. (212) 355-4648 investigations@bespc.com www.bespc.com English Romanian MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amid critical work planning for the refurbishment of reactors at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, members of the Society of Professional Engineers and Associates (SPEA) face a rapidly approaching strike/lockout deadline at 7:01 am Eastern European Summer Time on May 29, 2022. Contracts expired at the end of 2021. As Romania plans for this important upgrade and life extension to its nuclear power plant, SPEA members want to remain laser-focused on the work we need to do to deliver stable, affordable and low-carbon electricity, said Corey Martin, Vice President of SPEA. Additionally, Cernavoda Unit 1 is in the middle of a planned maintenance outage. SPEA members are currently on-site performing critical maintenance activities that could be stopped if there were a strike or lockout. A stoppage of any kind during maintenance would delay the unit from being brought back online for vital power production. The work of SPEA, representing scientific, technical, engineering, and professional workers at SNC-Lavalins Candu Energy, is integral to the refurbishment and servicing of Romanias nuclear energy fleet primarily responsible for 15 to 20 percent of Romanias energy supply. The two current reactors at Cernavoda will need to be powered down for multi-year refurbishments, while work on building two additional units takes place. Candu Energy requires highly specialized scientific and engineering staff. We need to make sure we can keep and attract the top-tier talent we need to deliver critical refurbishment and construction work for Romanias nuclear power plant, said Martin. We are determined to do whatever it takes to reach fair, competitive agreements, and swiftly. But we need Candu Energy to bring the same focus to the bargaining table. Romania will need to deploy more expensive, higher-emitting hydrocarbon sources of energy while refurbishments are underway. The country receives an estimated 42 percent of energy production from coal (25 percent) and oil and gas (17 percent). To meet its climate change commitments, Romania has recognized that nuclear is a safe, reliable, and clean energy solution. SPEA members are concerned that new management at Candu Energy threatens a return to the fractious bargaining relationship of the past, marked by a 12+ week strike shortly after SNC-Lavalin took over AECLs nuclear reactor business in 2011. After 2012, SNC-Lavalin took great pains to set out on a new direction, renewing its board and its senior executives including a collaborative approach to labour relations, said Reza Ziaei, Specialist Resident Engineer and Vice President of SPEA. We cannot afford a return to the mistakes of the past nor can the businesses and residents in Romania who depend on our work. About SPEA The Society of Professional Engineers and Associates is an independent union representing engineers, scientists, technical and administrative staff, who work for Candu Energy Inc- Nuclear division of SNC-Lavalin (formerly Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Candu division) in Mississauga, Ontario and abroad (excluding AECL Chalk River Laboratories). Formed in 1974, SPEA is one of the oldest professional unions in Canada. For further information contact: Melbourne, Australia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In order to fulfill its mission, HyperEarn intends to use blockchain technology. The HYPERN token IDO has just opened on the market. Key Facts about HyperEarn IDO By participating in the HYPERN IDO, you can be one of the first to use this new token. This doxxed team promised several advantages to the early investors who put their hands on HYPERN. Specifically, we can mention that the token price will be 1.5 times lower compared to its initial listing quote. The IDO will close on June 20th or earlier if the operation sells out on the market. The funding round enables investors to contribute at least 0.1 BNB to the project, with a cap of 20 BNB per wallet. Additionally, anyone who purchases HYPERN before the DEX/CEX listings will have the opportunity to participate in the project's staking mechanism. The HyperEarn team has promised that early stakers would receive complimentary HyperEarn NFTs. A reward increase is available to users of HYPERN smart-staking during the IDO phase. There will be a 24-hour period when this incentive is available following the app's launch on the market. Another exciting aspect of the IDO is that early investors will not need to lock and vest their tokens. The HYPERN amount they buy will be available right away after their purchases. How Does HyperEarn Work? In the HYPERN app, there are three basic categories of actions: Watch-to-Earn: Ads implemented by HYPERN can also serve as a way to collect rewards. All users need to do is watch these ads. Advertising on HyperEarn's platform will fund token buyback and reward distribution mechanisms. Move-to-Earn: A variety of exercises, including walking, running, and jumping, are available for users. GPS technology will help the system calculate distance, calories, heart rate, etc. Of course, this mechanism will co-operate with devices such as smartwatches to collect data. Sleep-to-Earn: People can be rewarded for sleeping well if they follow their sleep schedule. Enjoying a good night's sleep with no disruption will trigger rewards. All You Need to Know about the HYPERN Token The HYPERN token is verified on BscScan, and it will have a total supply of 1 billion samples. The team mainly wishes to allocate the token between its IDO (40%) and staking rewards (20%). The remaining part of the funds will go to other types of operations. Specifically, we can mention development costs (10%), DEX liquidity (10%), CEX airdrop campaigns (10%), and CEX liquidity (5%). The remaining 5% will go to the teams wallet. HYPERN will have a broad token utility when it goes live. For example, token holders will be able to use it to exchange HyperEarn NFTs. Staking and receiving a yield on tokens is also an essential aspect we need to mention. The team wishes to reward investors who lead a healthy lifestyle and encourage them to follow a daily schedule. About HyperEarn HyperEarn (HYPERN) is a cryptocurrency token that serves as the foundation for the HyperEarn App. The teams intuition is to provide a slew of advantages to all the token holders. As soon as the IDO period is through, you may purchase and sell the token on the DEX and CEX. It will be possible for app users to earn HYPERN tokens by participating in the HyperEarn supplied activities. The projects team boasts the presence of veteran developers coming from several successful start-up initiatives in the past. Connect to the HyperEarn website and social media accounts if you are interested in the project's revolutionary offer. Twitter | Telegram New York, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "CAR-T Therapy Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280922/?utm_source=GNW The global CAR-T therapy market is expected to grow from $1.40 billion in 2021 to $1.80 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.6%. The market is expected to grow to $3.55 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. The chimeric antigen receptor -T therapy market consists of sales of CAR-T therapy products and related services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that develop chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies to treat blood cancers.CAR-T therapy is the type of immunotherapy in which T-cells are taken from the patients blood are modified in a laboratory with the addition of a special protein receptor that grants T-cells the power to recognize as well as kill cancer cells easily, along with infusing the same back into that patient. This special protein receptor, known as the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), attaches to a specific protein on a patients cancer cells. The infused cells multiply and prevail in the patients body as living drugs. The main types of chimeric antigen receptor -T therapy is monotherapy and combination therapy.Monotherapy is used in the treatment of any disease with a single drug. The target antigens involved are CD19, CD22, and others that are used in various applications such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, diffuse large b-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and others. North America was the largest region in the global CAR-t therapy market in 2021.Western Europe was the second-largest region in the CAR-T therapy market. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. The CAR-T therapy market is driven by the increasing financial support provided by different organizations to promote the development and consumption of CAR-T therapy.The government and non-government organizations provide financial support to the companies in the CAR-T therapy market for research and development and the patients for their treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). For instance, in 2019, the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment of New Zealand announced its contribution of $4.9 million over 5 years to its partnership scheme with Malaghan Institute (MI), to support the development of CAR T-cell manufacturing in New Zealand. Further, governments in some countries provide subsidies to patients undergoing CAR-T therapy owing to the high cost of the treatment. For example, in 2019, the government of Australia included CAR-T therapy on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). The inclusion of (Kymriah) CAR-T therapy in MBS reduces the cost of the treatment for almost 30 pediatric and young adult (ALL) patients per year in Australia. The financial support provided by different organizations towards CAR-T therapy positively drives the growth of the CAR-T therapy market. The limitations on the application of CAR-T therapy limit the growth of the market.The limitations of CAR-T therapy include its failure to treat other types of cancer, side effects, and the high cost of treatment. CAR-T therapy is widely used as a treatment for a particular type of blood cancer and fails to treat other types of cancers such as lung cancer or breast cancer.Further, in many cases, the application of CAR-T therapy results in cytokine release syndrome (CRS). CRS is a severe flu-like condition causing high fever, nausea, chills, headache, rash, and troubled breathing.Further, the high cost limits the growth of the market. According to an article in HealthLeaders in 2019, the cost of one CAR-T therapy session can be up to $375,000 excluding the overhead charges such as hospital bills. Thus, the growth of CAR-T therapy is restricted by the various limitations on the application of CAR-T therapy. The companies in the CAR-T therapy market are conducting clinical trials to assess the ability of CAR-T therapy to treat multiple myeloma.Multiple myeloma is a type of white blood cell cancer where the cancer cells accumulate in the bone marrow and surrounds the healthy blood cells. CAR-T therapy is being tested as a treatment for multiple myeloma.CAR-T cells are modified to target the multiple myeloma causing cells to treat the relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). For instance, Sorrento Therapeutics, a USA-based developer of therapeutic approaches to treat different types of cancer, developed CAR2 anti-CD38 CAR-T cell therapy to treat RRMM.The CAR2 anti-CD38 CAR-T cell therapy is in phase 1 of its clinical trial with 72 participant recruitments made by the end of 2019. The clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficiency and safety of CAR2 anti-CD38 CAR-T cell therapy. The trial is expected to be completed in 2020. In 2019, Novartis, a Switzerland-based global medicines company, acquired CellforCure for an undisclosed amount.The acquisition is aimed to increase Novartis internal production capacity for cell and gene therapies. CellforCure is a French-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that provides a manufacturing facility for cell and gene therapy. The countries covered in the chimeric antigen receptor -T therapy market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280922/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Dublin, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "U.S. Remote Patient Monitoring Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report considers the present scenario of the U.S. remote patient monitoring market and its market dynamics for 2022-2027. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The study covers both the demand and supply sides of the market. It also profiles and analyses leading companies and several other prominent companies operating in the market. The US remote patient monitoring market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.63%. Market Growth Enablers Increasing Innovations in Wearable Medical Devices Growing Use of Mobile Technologies & Smart Devices for Remote Patient Monitoring Aging Population Vulnerable to Chronic Diseases Market Segmentation The Devices and Software segment accounts for the largest share than that of the Services segment in the U.S. remote patient monitoring market. The increasing adoption of wearable medical devices, technological advancements in IoT, the rise in the adoption of home healthcare systems are expected to boost the adoption of device & software segment in the remote patient monitoring market. The hospitals and specialty clinics accounted for the largest share in the U.S. remote patient monitoring market and the Homecare setting is anticipated to be the fastest-growing end-user. With the increased demand for hospital beds and the challenge of delivering care with staff shortages, some health care centers prefer remote patient monitoring solutions. Moreover, technological advancements have made it viable to monitor patients remotely while at home or in skilled nursing facilities. Segmentation by Component Devices & Software Services Segmentation by Devices Cardiac Monitoring Devices Respiratory Monitoring Devices Blood Glucose Monitors (Includes CGM) Fetal & Neonatal Monitoring Devices Other Rpm Devices Segmentation by Application Cardiology Remote Patient Monitoring Pulmonology Remote Patient Monitoring Endocrinology Remote Patient Monitoring? Others Segmentation by End-User Hospitals & Specialty Clinics Homecare Settings Ambulatory Surgical Centers Long Term & Acute Care Centers Other End Users Competitive Landscape Manufacturers and providers are rapidly approaching the RPM technology to limit costs, improve patient outcomes, and cut down on using more expensive services for a share of this growing market. The major competitors in the industry are focusing their efforts on reducing the size of remote patient monitoring devices. These companies are also attempting to increase their market share by launching new goods and forming collaborations with other industry participants. As a result, these factors are expected to increase the remote patient monitoring market size. Key Vendors Medtronic Philips Healthcare ResMed Other Prominent Vendors 100-Plus A&D Company Abbott AltumView Syste BIOTRONIK Boston Scientific Bardy Diagnostics Cardiomo Care Cardiologs Dragerwerk Hoffmann-La Roche GE Healthcare GrandCare Systems Honeywell International iHealthUnifiedcare Qardio MedM Masimo Corporation Medopad Nihon Kohden Omron Healthcare OSPLabs Resideo Technologies Smiths Medical Spacelabs Healthcare Senseonics TeleMedCare VitalConnect Vitls Modivcare Hill-Rom Vivify Health ACL Digital Dexcom iRhythm Technologies Vivalink Biobeat CareValidate Biofourmis CAREMINDr Datos Health Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.1.1 Inclusions 4.1.2 Exclusions 4.1.3 Market Estimation Caveats 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of the Study 4.3.1 Market Segmentation by Component 4.3.2 Market Segmentation by Application 4.3.3 Market Segmentation by End-User 4.3.4 Market Segmentation by Geography 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 8 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.1 Technological Advancements, Improved Connectivity, & Remote Monitoring 8.2 Telemedicine Ushering New Opportunities for Remote Monitoring 8.3 Increasing Role of Internet of Things (Iot) in Remote Monitoring & Healthcare 9 Market Growth Enablers 9.1 Increasing Innovations in Wearable Medical Devices 9.2 Growing Use of Mobile Technologies & Smart Devices for Remote Patient Monitoring 9.3 Aging Population Vulnerable to Chronic Diseases 9.4 Growing Use of Rpm to Monitor & Improve Patient Engagement 10 Market Growth Restraints 10.1 Regulatory Variations Across Country 10.2 Lack of Data Accuracy 11 Market Landscape 11.1 Market Overview 11.2 Market Size & Forecast 11.2.1 Market Share by Component 11.2.2 Market Share by Devices & Software 11.2.3 Market Share by Application 11.2.4 Market Share by End-User 11.3 Five Forces Analysis 11.3.1 Threat of New Entrants 11.3.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 11.3.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers 11.3.4 Threat of Substitutes 11.3.5 Competitive Rivalry 12 Component 12.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 13 Devices & Software 13.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 13.2 Market Overview 13.2.1 Market Size & Forecast 13.3 Cardiac Monitoring Devices 13.3.1 Market Overview 13.3.2 Market Size & Forecast 13.3.3 Electrocardiographs (Ecgs): Market Overview 13.3.4 Market Size & Forecast 13.3.5 Cardiac Monitors: Market Overview 13.3.6 Market Size & Forecast 13.3.7 Blood Pressure Monitors: Market Overview 13.3.8 Market Size & Forecast 13.3.9 Others: Market Overview 13.3.10 Market Size & Forecast 13.4 Respiratory Monitoring Devices 13.4.1 Market Overview 13.4.2 Market Size & Forecast 13.4.3 Apnea Monitors: Market Overview 13.4.4 Market Size & Forecast 13.4.5 Pulse Oximeters: Market Overview 13.4.6 Market Size & Forecast 13.4.7 Other Respiratory Monitoring Devices: Market Overview 13.4.8 Market Size & Forecast 13.5 Blood Glucose Monitors 13.5.1 Market Overview 13.5.2 Market Size & Forecast 13.6 Fetal & Neonatal Monitoring Devices 13.6.1 Market Overview 13.6.2 Market Size & Forecast 13.7 Other Rpm Devices 13.7.1 Market Overview 13.7.2 Market Size & Forecast 14 Services 14.1 Market Overview 14.2 Market Size & Forecast 15 Application 15.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 15.2 Market Overview 15.3 Cardiology 15.3.1 Market Overview 15.3.2 Market Size & Forecast 15.4 Pulmonology 15.4.1 Market Overview 15.4.2 Market Size & Forecast 15.5 Endocrinology 15.5.1 Market Overview 15.5.2 Market Size & Forecast 15.6 Others 15.6.1 Market Overview 15.6.2 Market Size & Forecast 16 End-User 16.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 16.2 Market Overview 16.3 Hospitals & Specialty Clinics 16.3.1 Market Overview 16.3.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.4 Homecare Settings 16.4.1 Market Overview 16.4.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.5 Ambulatory Surgical Centers 16.5.1 Market Overview 16.5.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.6 Long-Term & Acute Care Centers 16.6.1 Market Overview 16.6.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.7 Others 16.7.1 Market Overview 16.7.2 Market Size & Forecast 17 Competitive Landscape 17.1 Competition Overview by Devices & Software 17.1.1 Medtronic 17.1.2 Philips Healthcare 17.1.3 Resmed 17.2 Competition Overview by Services 17.2.1 Medm 17.2.2 Ihealthunifiedcare 17.2.3 Qardio 18 Key Vendors 19 Other Prominent Vendors 20 Report Summary 21 Quantitative Summary 22 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bbu1kc Pune, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Electric Scooters Market Outlook To 2027: Global Electric Scooters Market Research Report 2022-2027 is a historical overview and in-depth study on the current & future market of the Electric Scooters industry. The report represents a basic overview of the Electric Scooters market share, competitor segment with a basic introduction of key vendors, top regions, product types, and end industries. This report gives a historical overview of the Electric Scooters market trends, growth, revenue, capacity, cost structure, and key drivers analysis. The report further investigates and assesses the current landscape of the ever-evolving business sector and the present and future effects of COVID-19 on the Electric Scooters market. Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/18673031 Scope of the Electric Scooters Market Report: Electric two-wheelers, as indicates itself, is electricity-powered two-wheelers. A battery pack and a motor are installed to store and transform the electricity. A user control is usually attached to the handle bar to brake and adjust the speed. Global electric scooter main manufactuers include Segway-Ninebot, Xiaomi, Kixin, Okai and Hiboy, totally accounting for about 80% of the market. North America is the largest market of electric scooter, holding a share more than 50%. As for the types of products, it can be divided into without seat and with seat. The most common type is without seat, with a share about 90%. As for the applications of products, it is widely used in personal use and shared. The most common application is in personal use, with a share about 65%. Market Analysis and Insights: Global and United States Electric Scooters Market This report focuses on global and United States Electric Scooters market. In 2020, the global Electric Scooters market size was US$ 1215 million and it is expected to reach US$ 3338.3 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 15.0% during 2021-2027. TO UNDERSTAND HOW COVID-19 IMPACT IS COVERED IN THIS REPORT The Major Players in the Electric Scooters Market include: The research covers the current Electric Scooters market size and its growth rates based on 5-year records with company outline of key players/manufacturers: Segway-Ninebot Inmotion Razor E-TWOW EcoReco Airwheel Glion Dolly Jetson Xiaomi Taotao Kugoo JOYOR Joybold Okai Kixin HL Corp Hiboy On the basis of product type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, primarily split into: Without Seat With Seat On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share, and growth rate for each application, including: Personal Use Shared Enquire before purchasing this report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/18673031 Some of the key questions answered in this report: What is the global ( North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa ) sales value, production value, consumption value, import and export of Electric Scooters? ) sales value, production value, consumption value, import and export of Electric Scooters? Who are the global key manufacturers of the Electric Scooters Industry? How is their operating situation (capacity, production, sales, price, cost, gross, and revenue)? What are the Electric Scooters market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Electric Scooters Industry? Which application/end-user or product type may seek incremental growth prospects? What is the market share of each type and application? What focused approach and constraints are holding the Electric Scooters market? What are the different sales, marketing, and distribution channels in the global industry? Purchase this report (Price 3900 USD for a single-user license) - https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/18673031 With tables and figures helping analyse worldwide Global Electric Scooters market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Some Points from TOC: 1 Study Coverage 1.1 Electric Scooters Product Introduction 1.2 Market by Type 1.2.1 Global Electric Scooters Market Size Growth Rate by Type 1.3 Market by Application 1.3.1 Global Electric Scooters Market Size Growth Rate by Application 1.4 Study Objectives 1.5 Years Considered 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Global Electric Scooters Market Size, Estimates and Forecasts 2.1.1 Global Electric Scooters Revenue 2016-2027 2.1.2 Global Electric Scooters Sales 2016-2027 2.2 Global Electric Scooters, Market Size by Region: 2016 VS 2021 VS 2027 2.3 Electric Scooters Historical Market Size by Region (2016-2021) 2.3.1 Global Electric Scooters Retrospective Market Scenario in Sales by Region: 2016-2021 2.3.2 Global Electric Scooters Retrospective Market Scenario in Revenue by Region: 2016-2021 2.4 Electric Scooters Market Estimates and Projections by Region (2022-2027) 2.4.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales Forecast by Region (2022-2027) 2.4.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue Forecast by Region (2022-2027) 3 Global Electric Scooters Competitor Landscape by Players 3.1 Global Top Electric Scooters Manufacturers by Sales 3.1.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales by Manufacturer (2016-2021) 3.1.2 Global Electric Scooters Sales Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2021) 3.2 Global Top Electric Scooters Manufacturers by Revenue 3.2.1 Key Electric Scooters Manufacturers Covered: Ranking by Revenue 3.2.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2021) 3.2.3 Global Electric Scooters Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2016-2021) 3.2.4 Global Electric Scooters Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) (2016-2021) 3.2.5 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Electric Scooters Revenue in 2020 3.2.6 Global Electric Scooters Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) 3.3 Global Electric Scooters Price by Manufacturers 3.4 Global Electric Scooters Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Types 3.4.1 Electric Scooters Manufacturers Manufacturing Base Distribution, Headquarters 3.4.2 Manufacturers Electric Scooters Product Type 3.4.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Electric Scooters Market 3.5 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4 Breakdown Data by Type (2016-2027) 4.1 Global Electric Scooters Market Size by Type (2016-2021) 4.1.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales by Type (2016-2021) 4.1.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue by Type (2016-2021) 4.1.3 Electric Scooters Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2016-2021) 4.2 Global Electric Scooters Market Size Forecast by Type (2022-2027) 4.2.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales Forecast by Type (2022-2027) 4.2.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue Forecast by Type (2022-2027) 4.2.3 Electric Scooters Average Selling Price (ASP) Forecast by Type (2022-2027) 5 Breakdown Data by Application (2016-2027) 5.1 Global Electric Scooters Market Size by Application (2016-2021) 5.1.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales by Application (2016-2021) 5.1.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue by Application (2016-2021) 5.1.3 Electric Scooters Price by Application (2016-2021) 5.2 Electric Scooters Market Size Forecast by Application (2022-2027) 5.2.1 Global Electric Scooters Sales Forecast by Application (2022-2027) 5.2.2 Global Electric Scooters Revenue Forecast by Application (2022-2027) 5.2.3 Global Electric Scooters Price Forecast by Application (2022-2027) 7 North America 8 Asia Pacific 9 Europe 10 Latin America 11 Middle East and Africa 12 Company Profiles 13 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis 14 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis 15 Research Findings and Conclusion 16 Appendix Detailed TOC of Global Electric Scooters Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/18673031 Section II: Global Electric Mobility Scooter Market Outlook To 2027: An electric mobility scooter is a mobility aid equivalent to a wheelchair but configured like a motorscooter, mostly occupied by single person. These electric mobility scooters are operated on battery and are varies from 3 wheels to 5 wheels. Europe is the largest Electric Mobility Scooter market with about 41% market share. North America is follower, accounting for about 31% market share. The key players are Drive medical, Pride Mobility, Electric Mobility, Invacare, Amigo Mobility International, Hoveround, Golden Technologies, Quingo, Van Os Medical, Afikim Electric Vehicles etc. Top 3 companies occupied about 9% market share. Market Analysis and Insights: This report focuses on global and United States Electric Mobility Scooter market. In 2020, the global Electric Mobility Scooter market size was US$ 1214.5 million and it is expected to reach US$ 3340.2 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 15.0% during 2021-2027. Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/18683565 On the basis of product type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, primarily split into: Without Seat, With Seat On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share, and growth rate for each application, including: Personal Use, Shared The Major Players in the Electric Mobility Scooter Market include: The research covers the current Electric Mobility Scooter market size and its growth rates based on 5-year records with company outline of key players/manufacturers: Segway-Ninebot, INMOTION, Razor, E-TWOW, EcoReco, Airwheel, Glion Dolly, Jetson, MI, Taotao Vehicles, Kugoo, JOYOR, Joybold, Okai, Kixin Electronics, HL CORP, Hiboy Enquire before purchasing this report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/18683565 The Electric Mobility Scooter Market competitive landscape provides details and data information by players. The report offers a comprehensive analysis and accurate statistics on revenue by the player for the period 2016-2021. It also offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on revenue (global and regional level) by players for the period 2016-2021. Details included are company description, major business, company total revenue and the sales, revenue generated in Electric Mobility Scooter business, the date to enter into the Electric Mobility Scooter market, Electric Mobility Scooter product introduction, recent developments, etc. With tables and figures helping analyse worldwide Global Electric Mobility Scooter market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Purchase this report (Price 3900 USD for a single-user license) - https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/18683565 Major Points from TOC: 1 Study Coverage 2 Executive Summary 3 Global Electric Mobility Scooter Competitor Landscape by Players 4 Breakdown Data by Type (2016-2027) 5 Breakdown Data by Application (2016-2027) Detailed TOC of Global Electric Mobility Scooter Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/18683565 About Us: Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Industry Research is a credible source for gaining market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs. OXFORD, United Kingdom, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sophos, a global leader in next-generation cybersecurity, today announced it has been named a leader in the 2022 KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Endpoint Protection, Detection and Response. It is commended as an Overall Leader, sweeping all product, innovation and market leadership ratings. An increasing number of organizations are being hit with ransomware, and the average ransom payment rose nearly fivefold to more than $800,000 last year, according to the State of Ransomware 2022, said Raja Patel, senior vice president of products at Sophos. Theres a lot at stake, and no organization is off limits. This KuppingerCole recognition is validation that Sophos is delivering industry-best protection against ransomware and other advanced cyberthreats. Sophos Intercept X provides multiple layers of security, combining anti-ransomware technology, deep learning artificial intelligence, exploit prevention, and active adversary mitigations. Intercept X with XDR extends protection to include detection, investigation and response capabilities beyond endpoints and servers, integrating additional context to create the industrys richest data set. Customers can easily manage these capabilities in the cloud-native Sophos Central platform, or can choose to have them managed by Sophos MTR, a threat hunting, detection, investigation, and response service that provides a dedicated 24/7 security team to rapidly identify and neutralize sophisticated and complex threats. Sophos solutions and managed services are part of the Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, where they share real-time threat intelligence for faster and more contextual and synchronized detection, protection and response. Working together, the solutions can better identify and quickly response to active threats. https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/sophos-central.aspxhttps://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/managed-threat-response According to the report, Sophos Intercept X is a feature-rich solution that should be on the short-list for any organization. It ranks among the highest as an Overall Leader based on security, functionality, deployment, interoperability, and usability. A complimentary copy of the 2022 KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Endpoint Protection, Detection and Response is available at https://www.sophos.com/en-us/content/kuppingercole-leadership-compass-for-endpoint-protection. About Sophos Sophos is a worldwide leader in next-generation cybersecurity, protecting more than 500,000 organizations and millions of consumers in more than 150 countries from todays most advanced cyberthreats. Powered by threat intelligence, AI and machine learning from SophosLabs and SophosAI, Sophos delivers a broad portfolio of advanced products and services to secure users, networks and endpoints against ransomware, malware, exploits, phishing and the wide range of other cyberattacks. Sophos provides a single integrated cloud-based management console, Sophos Central the centerpiece of an adaptive cybersecurity ecosystem that features a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity vendors. Sophos sells its products and services through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com. NEW YORK , May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first-ever Pitch Slam in New York for the natural and specialty products industry will take place from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on June 13 at the Javits Center (Hall D) during the Summer Fancy Food Show . Hosted by Naturally New York (NNY), in partnership with the Specialty Food Association (SFA), Pitch Slam provides a platform for entrepreneurs in the natural and specialty products industry to present their consumer packaged goods (CPG) product or service to a panel of industry judges and audience members for a chance to win prize packages with a total value of more than $70,000. Were so pleased to be working with Naturally New York to put a spotlight on some of the outstanding, creative food and beverage brands that both of our organizations represent at the Summer Fancy Food Show, said Denise Purcell, vice president of content and education for the Specialty Food Association. Were looking forward to a fun, informative competition and a rewarding collaboration. To qualify for the competition, startup companies must have been in the market for at least one year, having generated $100,000 - $2,000,000 in gross revenues during 2021, across all sales channels. Applications were received from entrepreneurs around the country, but only these five finalists will advance to the live show to present their pitch: The New York Pitch Slam event, named A Fancy New York Pitch Slam, is open to all, and tickets can be purchased for $35 (or $25 for NNY members ); Fancy Food Show attendees may attend as part of their show registration . Light refreshments will be served and attendees will receive new product samples from local, emerging natural and specialty brands. They will also have the opportunity to vote for the Peoples Choice winner. The grand prize winner of the Pitch Slam competition will be selected by a panel of esteemed judges, based on a 3-minute pitch presentation, storytelling abilities, innovative offering, social impact plan, branding and packaging, and market viability. Judges include: Scott Crawford, CMO, Fresh Direct; Neda Daneshzadeh, co-founder and managing partner, Prelude Growth Partners; Kate Harper, chief brand curator, Hive Brands; and Michael Meyer, partner, L Catterton and CEO, I and love and you. Heather Terry, co-founder and CEO of GoodSam Foods, and executive board member and founding partner of Naturally New York will serve as master of ceremonies. On behalf of our entire board at Naturally New York, we are thrilled to host the first Pitch Slam in New York City at Summer Fancy Food Show, said Eric Schnell, co-founder, BeyondBrands and co-chair, Naturally New York. The five finalists who made the cut are a diverse group of emerging CPG brands; each standouts in their respective categories. It will certainly be a highlight of the show, and an event you will not want to miss. A Fancy New York Pitch Slam is sponsored by Ampla , BeyondBrands , BeyondSKU , Brandjectory , FounderMade , Havens Kitchen , Natural Marketing Institute , New Hope Network , Pitch Publicity , Specialty Food Association , SPINS and SRW Agency . To attend, register at: https://www.naturallynewyork.org/2022-pitch-slam-info . Naturally New York is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation that was formed in 2021 to connect Metro New York entrepreneurs, investors and service providers in the natural products community. NNY is the first East Coast regional affiliate of the Naturally Network , which debuted with Naturally Boulder nearly two decades ago and has since grown to more than 5,000 members and 20,000 champions throughout the natural products community. To become part of the Naturally New York community, visit: https://www.naturallynewyork.org/joinus . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e68c89a7-8f65-4a9b-b6d7-0bbf2da63324 Vancouver, BC, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. (TSX-V: REVO), (Frankfurt: IJA2) (the "Company") is pleased to announce a corporate update. Top Tier Card Issuer Approval DFSA 4 th Financial License Cryptocurrency Trading Registration DA - Prominent Canadian Online Foreign Exchange MD&A Clarification Top Tier Card Issuer Approval Shareholders were informed on the 1st April 2022 that the Company expected the granting of affiliate membership status to occur quickly. Subsequent to said news release the Company and card issuer have concluded all pending matters and can today advise that affiliate membership status is expected to be granted in the coming days. Shareholders will remain closely informed as to when the final status is granted via an upcoming news release. The partner is one of the top 4 worldwide card issuers boasting 50% of all credit cards in circulation in the U.S. and over 50% in Europe. Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Financial License In pursuit of the Company's 4th international financial license, shareholders were informed on 1st April 2022 that the petition to the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) was nearing fruition. On the 30th of March 2022 the UAE authorities received replies to two minor queries. The Company received a further recommendation from DFSA resulting in the rectified final license petition having been filed on the 23rd May 2022. The Company awaits expedited final granting of the UAE Payment Service Provider ("PSP") license. The underlying benefits of the said license granting will allow the Company to launch its Consumer Finance subsidiary RevoluFIN Inc. Other notable aspects include a geographically favorable hub in the MEASA region at the Dubai International Financial Centre ("DIFC") as outlined to shareholders on the 4th of December 2020. Central Bank Cryptocurrency Trading Registration As per the news releases dated the 1st April 2022, the Company replied concisely to the Central Banks supplementary petition on the 25th of March concerning two (2) additional points. External legal counsel reached out to the Central Bank on the 18th of May 2022 for a progress report. As a result of this call, based upon legal statutory response times, legal counsel has informed management that a final response from the Central Bank should be received on or before the 25th June 2022. Upon granting of said Central Bank approval, the Company expects to rapidly launch its white-label enhanced RevoluEX powered platform for DCE ("Digital Currency Exchanges") partners as per the news release dated the 14th December 2020. DA - Prominent Canadian Online Foreign Exchange Following the news release dated 1st April 2022, the Company has agreed on the 23rd May 2022 to two final matters concerning real-time transaction screening and expects to sign the underlying DA forthwith. Upon eventual signing of the DA, planned synergies include cross-use of financial licenses and technology linked to an eventual easing of banking regulations in North America through the adoption of Open Banking legislation. The Company expects to sign the final DA imminently, which should incur the rapid launch of RevoluTRANSFER and other notable functionality benefits for RevoluPAY App users in North America and favor external transactions entering this region. MD&A Clarification The Company informs shareholders that it has clarified two (2) words in the Apr 29th, 2022, published MD&A and republished the same. Page 5, Paragraph Title - Uninterrupted Operations of RevoluVIP Apr 29, 2022, wording: During the current quarter May 24, 2022, wording: During the Q2 quarter ended November 30, 2021 Links Used in this News Release. About DIFC https://www.difc.ae/about/ 3D License Dubai https://shortly.cc/O7Ztt About RevoluPAY The Company's flagship Neobanking technology is RevoluPAY, the Apple and Android multinational payment app. Conceived entirely in-house, RevoluPAY features proprietary, sector-specific technology of which the resulting source code is the Company's intellectual property. RevoluPAY's built-in features include Remittance Payments, Forex, Crypto-to-fiat exchange, Retail and Hospitality payments, Real Estate Payments, pay-as-you-go phone top-ups, Gift Cards & Online Credits, Utility Bill payments, Leisure payments, Travel Payments, etc. RevoluPAY employs blockchain protocols and is squarely aimed at the worldwide multi-billion dollar Open Banking sector and + $595 billion family remittance market. RevoluPAY is operated by the European wholly-owned subsidiary RevoluPAY EP S.L situated in Barcelona. RevoluPAY is a licensed United States MSB, Canadian FINTRAC, and European PSD2 payment institution 6900 under the auspices of E.U. Directive 2015/2366 with EU Passporting. RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. controls five wholly-owned subsidiaries on four continents. About RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.: RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. is a multi-asset, multidivisional publicly traded Canadian Company deploying advanced technologies in; Banking, Mobile Apps, Money Remittance, Mobile Phone Top-Ups, EGaming, Healthcare Payments, Esports, Invoice factoring, Online Travel, Vacation Resort, Blockchain Systems, and Fintech app sectors. Click here to read more. For further information on RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. (TSX-V: REVO), visit the Company's website at www.RevoluGROUP.com. The Company has approximately 186,969,692 shares issued and outstanding. RevoluGROUP Canada, Inc. "Steve Marshall" ______________________ STEVE MARSHALL CEO For further information, contact: RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. Telephone: (604) 332 5355 Email: info@revolugroup.com 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. Montreal, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montreal, Quebec - Canadian sustainable fashion brand Frank And Oak has introduced its collection of high-quality mens underwear for sale online. The collection comprises several different styles of underwear and designs such as classic trunks, boxer briefs, striped trunks, and classic briefs. It is available in navy, grey, black, brown, and dark red, and in sizes S, M, L, and XL. Readers can browse the entire collection by heading over to: https://ca.frankandoak.com/collections/men-underwear?. A spokesperson for the company said: All of our products are built using materials sourced with techniques that care for the environment. For some of our outerwear products, we use polyester fabric composed of yarns made from discarded plastic, mainly bottles. The hard plastic is shredded down into miniature chips, which are spun into new polyester yarn, and woven into fabrics. That process cleans large quantities of plastic waste from the local ecological systems where we source from. We consider this a feather in our cap as we are making a real difference in the lives of everyone on this beautiful planet. This trend to care for nature continues when it comes to our innerwear as it is either made from organic cotton or recycled nylon combined with a small percentage of Spandex. The organic cotton used in our products is responsibly grown and harvested with sustainable methods. The recycled nylon used for some of the underwear in our mens collection is composed of nylon fibres made from discarded nylon textiles re-spun into new yarns, reducing the use of resources. So, when you buy any product from us, you can be confident that you are investing in a company that not only provides you with comfortable and stylish clothes but also does a lot of good when it comes to caring for biodiversity and the wellness of the ecosystem. Head over to our website and browse all our collections of innerwear and outerwear today. As previously announced, the items in the mens underwear collection have a lot of features that enhance their comfort and wearability. One such example, that is present on all the products in its collection, is an elastic waistband that is engineered to fit snugly and to keep the experience of wearing them throughout the day as comfortable as possible. All the products are machine washable to make them easy to maintain. Frank And Oak is a certified B Corp since 2019. This certification officially recognizes the companys pledge to meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. It was founded in Montreal in 2012 with a mission to create an apparel brand that would speak to a new generation of creatives and entrepreneurs. In 2022, the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has said that it has several new projects and initiatives in the pipeline that aim to live up to the promise it made during its inception. The companys spokesperson said: In today's world, clothing reflects how we live our lives. As a human-centric brand, our product is put into action to enable our community to enjoy daily life experiences without the moral dilemma of weighing down the planet. We prioritize quality and purpose over quantity by bringing back iconic pieces that withstand the test of time and trends. Each item is crafted with innovative materials and details to provide lasting service to the wearer. To celebrate our anniversary and our pledge to durability, we are entering a new era in Frank and Oak's history with revisited pieces from our iconic Smart-Layer collection. Stay updated about these radical reinventions by following us on our website or our social media pages. Customers can look up the complete collection of sustainable underwear for men on the Canadian brands' official website: 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 MONTREAL, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GHGSat, the world leader in high-resolution sensing of greenhouse gas emissions from space, today announced that it had officially joined the European Space Agency's (ESA) prestigious Earthnet Third Party Mission (TPM) programme. As a result, data from the company's commercial satellites will be provided, free of charge, to researchers working in the fields of Earth sciences and climate change. Launched in 2018, ESA's Earthnet TPM programme rigorously evaluates independent Earth Observation (EO) datasets, assessing their quality and validation protocols. If accepted, ESA then flags the information to the wider scientific community. The programme aims to make high-quality data more accessible and interoperable in order to promote the creation of new science and applications. The new deal expands on an existing arrangement with ESA and the Canadian Space Agency that saw GHGSat provide 5% of the data from its first commercial satellite free for use by researchers. TPM users will be able to access state-of-the-art greenhouse gas measurements, with a resolution down to just 25m on the ground, from sites around the world. Announcing GHGSat's Third Party Mission Status, ESA's Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, "We are delighted to announce that our Member States have approved GHGSat's membership to the Third Party Mission programme. It is fitting that we do this today, at our Living Planet Symposium: an event that sees scientists and researchers from around the world come together to discuss how space can help us monitor - and safeguard - the health of our planet. GHGSat's unique high-resolution imagery is a valuable addition to our portfolio and will be a great asset to all those studying human-made greenhouse gas emissions." Methane is now recognised as a major factor in global warming. Identifying - and rectifying - the source of man-made leaks has become a climate action priority. GHGSat operates the only satellite constellation able to measure industrial emissions down to the level of individual oil or gas wells. It currently has three satellites in orbit, with three more due to launch this week. Stephane Germain, CEO, GHGSat, said: "We greatly value our relationship with ESA and are thrilled at becoming an official Third Party Mission member. It is a tribute to the hard work of our teams and scientists in Canada and around the world that have helped create - and prove - the high-resolution technology that makes our data unique. From the moment we had our first demonstration satellite in orbit, GHGSat has looked for ways to support climate science research, working with distinguished organisations such as Harvard and SRON. Now, as part of ESA's TPM family, we're glad our data will be available to an even wider community." For further information, contact Sevana Jinbachian by email at sjinbach@ghgsat.com. About GHGSat GHGSat uses its own satellites and aircraft sensors to measure greenhouse gas emissions directly from industrial sites, providing actionable insights to businesses, governments, and regulators. With proprietary remote-sensing and patented technology, GHGSat enables strategic decision-making through monitoring and analytics services, with better accuracy, more frequently, and at a fraction of the cost of other technologies. www.ghgsat.com. Related Images Image 1: GHGSat Approved as ESA Earthnet Third Party Mission Photo credit: ESA/JurgenMai This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Los Angeles, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apartment Income REIT Corp., known as AIR Communities, presented the annual AIR Communities Housing Impact Award to California State Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio during the Mayoral Housing, Transportation, and Jobs Summit hosted by the Los Angeles Business Council (LABC). AIR Communities honored Assemblywoman Rubio for her influential role in helping build the political will needed to pass major housing legislation and tempering initiatives that would have inhibited investment in housing. Assemblywoman Rubio is a strong and reasonable voice of moderation and consensus at a time when many choose confrontation over cooperation, said Patti Shwayder, AIRs Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer. We applaud her dedication to interfacing with a variety of stakeholders on the potential impacts of housing policy, and we celebrate her commitment to finding pragmatic solutions to complex problems. Established in 2010, the Housing Impact Award celebrates individuals who have made a positive impact on finding creative solutions to improve housing in Los Angeles and California. Previous recipients include California State Senator Anna Caballero, Los Angeles Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti, and former LA City Council President Herb Wesson. We are grateful for AIRs support of this award which honors those who are dedicated to finding solutions to our housing crisis, said Mary Leslie, President of LABC. For more than a decade, AIR has made clear its commitment to working with local leaders to make Los Angeles a better place to live. ### About Apartment Income REIT Corp. (AIR Communities) AIR is a real estate investment trust focused on the ownership and management of quality apartment communities located in the largest markets in the United States. AIR is one of the countrys largest owners and operators of apartments, with 76 communities in 11 states and the District of Columbia. AIR common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIRC and are included in the S&P 400. For more information about AIR, please visit our website at www.aircommunities.com . Attachment London, UK, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HopingClub, a global asset management and investment institution, recently announced that it will provide a discretionary portfolio management service for Singapore investment clients, build and manage asset portfolios for HopingClub's high net worth clients, and focus on risk adjusted returns. Portfolio investment is an important way of asset allocation. It makes full use of the income, risk characteristics and mutual correlation characteristics of various assets to build an investment portfolio consistent with its own investment objectives. HopingClubwill launch portfolio management services. The portfolio includes one or more financial instruments, which has many advantages and characteristics: 1. Customize exclusive asset investment solutions for customers; 2. Detailed and diversified portfolio management; 3. Low rates; 4. Focus on risk adjusted returns. HopingClub has obtained regulatory authorization and qualification to carry out such services. Clear Objectives of Strategic Development Koby.Sadan, founder and co-chairman of HopingClub, is also the CEO of Viking LongFundMasterLtd. With nearly 10 billiondollars in assets, Viking LongFundMasterLtd. is a successful hedge fund operator in the United States. In order to try out investment fields other than fund stocks. In 2012, Koby.Sadan invited Roberto Giuffrida, an expert in quantitative investment strategy, to establish HopingClub. The Globalization Strategy of Hoping Club The real globalization of HopingClub began in Singapore. From the beginning of its establishment, the members of HopingClub have always had a consensus: to develop Goldman Sachs into an international company. In 2014, with the recovery of the U.S. real estate industry, it attracted the attention of global investors. HopingClubwill take this opportunity to establish a real estate investment department, part of which is to provide customers with financing, loans and other investment services as a shadow bank. It has attracted many members from various countries, which has laid the foundation of the globalization strategy of HopingClub. From 2014 to 2016, Singapore's economy contracted and its economic growth continued to slow down. At this time, HopingClub is expanding its business in the Asia Pacific region. Some members also have the experience of large companies such as Temasek and DBS Bank. Under a series of operations, HopingClub has established its Singapore branch and communicated closely with the Singapore government. In 2017, the future economic commission of Singapore issued seven strategies to promote economic development. With the help of policies, HopingClub has made huge profits. Therefore, HopingClub has consolidated its basic business in the Asia Pacific region and gained a reputation. The comprehensive and global nature of the business enables HopingClub to develop other businesses rapidly even when some businesses decline, so as to ensure the rapid growth of the company as a whole and successfully withstand successive economic recessions. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voters at Philadelphias polling places cast their paper ballots with extra reassurance during Tuesdays primary election, where ExpressVote XL universal voting machines were used city-wide. Voters really love that they can see and verify their paper ballot before its cast, said Nick Custodio, Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner. They get that extra reassurance that their vote is going to count in the way they intended. Here in the election office, its nice to know that the paper ballot is there as a verifiable back-up should we need it. That paper is a powerful thing. More than 160,000 voters quickly moved through Philadelphias polling places. We didnt hear of any lines out there today, Custodio said. Voting with the ExpressVote XL is quick and easy, so voters really didnt take long in the booth. Fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ExpressVote XL enables all voters to make their selections privately and independently. The technology also eliminates the potential for mismarked ballots by alerting voters if they make too few selections and prevents overvoting making too many selections in a contest. The ExpressVote XL continues to be a valuable tool for all of Philadelphias voters, Custodio said. The machine is easy for all voters to use, and our voters really have a diverse set of needs. Philadelphia purchased the new voting system from Election Systems & Software (ES&S) in 2019, providing the citys more than 1 million voters with the latest in election technology. The ExpressVote XL includes updated standards for security, accessibility and auditability. The machines allow voters to make their selection using a 32-inch interactive screen and produces an independent, voter-verifiable and fully auditable paper record. The ExpressVote XL improves the Election Day experience for voters by allowing them to mark and tabulate their vote in one stop. Paper ballots are essential, and the ExpressVote XL is a remarkable tool in the way it allows all voters to generate a paper ballot, providing them the ability and confidence to cast their choices independently, said Tom Burt, CEO of ES&S. Were extremely proud of this technology and the partnership we have with Philadelphia election officials as they provide their voters a great experience on Election Day. ABOUT ES&S: Election Systems & Software (ES&S) is the nations leading voting systems manufacturer. For more than 40 years, ES&S has been supporting elections by creating and providing secure, accurate and accessible voting equipment to jurisdictions across the country. Learn more about ES&S at www.essvote.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/essvote. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY | OTCQB: SHCMF) (Search or the Company) is pleased to acknowledge receipt of a grant of $90,000 from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador towards exploration work completed in 2021 on the Companys Critical Rare Earth Element (CREE) claims located near the communities of St. Lewis and Port Hope Simpson in Southeastern Labrador. Greg Andrews, President and CEO of Search Minerals states, Search is very appreciative of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program (JEA) funds granted by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources. These funds allowed us to hire local personnel and continue to explore and advance the delineation of resources in Labradors Critical Rare Earth Element District (the District) in 2021. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and there are still 20 showings within this belt to be assessed and maintained. Andrews added: The results from the 2021 exploration program has allowed Search to significantly increase our resource base and will form part of the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment report which will be released in Q2, 2022. We are in the process of mobilizing for our upcoming 2022 drill and exploration program, which will include approximately 14000m of drilling at Deep Fox to commence in June. The drill program is fully funded with our recent flow-through funding completed in December 2021. We will also continue our exploration work along the District at Silver Fox and Fox Meadow prospects. Fox Meadow is Drill Ready and we look forward to commencing a 6000m drill program in the Fall 2022. For further information, please contact: Search Minerals Inc. Investor Relations Greg Andrews Pretium Capital Group President and CEO Sherman Dahl Tel: 604-998-3432 Tel: 250-558-8340 E-mail: info@searchminerals.ca Email: info@pretiumgroup.ca About Search Minerals Inc. Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson St. Lewis CREE District of southeast Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX. Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the support from the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining. We also recognize the continued support by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for its Junior Exploration Program. Search Minerals was selected to participate in the Government of Canada Accelerated Growth Service (AGS) initiative, which supports high growth companies. AGS, as a one-stop shop model, provides Search with coordinated access to Government of Canada resources as Search continues to move quickly to production and contribute to the establishment of a stable and secure rare earth element North American and European supply chain. 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. Hampstead, Maryland, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Boards of Directors of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the Company), and Farmers and Merchants Bank (the Bank) announce that Gary A. Harris has been selected as the next President and CEO. Mr. Harris will replace James R. Bosley, Jr. who announced in January that he would be retiring at the end of 2022. The Board conducted an exhaustive search with the help of Kaplan Partners, a Philadelphia based Executive Recruitment firm. The search spanned the entire East Coast as bankers from Atlanta to Boston were interviewed. Mr. Harris will be only the fifth President in the 102 year history of the Bank. Mr. Harriss banking career began in 1990. He joined the Bank in 2008 as Vice President Commercial Banking. He was promoted to Senior Vice President Commercial Banking in 2016. In 2021 he was promoted to Executive Vice President Chief Lending Officer. During his 14 year career with the Bank Mr. Harris has been one of the Banks top producers each year. He currently serves on the Executive Committee, Strategic Growth Committee, Asset-Liability Committee and the Officers Loan Committee. He holds a B.S. Degree in Economics from Towson State University. Mr. Harris will become President of the Company and the Bank effective July 1, 2022. Mr. Bosley will remain the CEO of the Company and the Bank until he retires on December 31, 2022. On January 1, 2023, Mr. Harris will become President and CEO of the Company and the Bank. Bruce Schindler, Chairman of the Companys and the Banks Boards of Directors, commented After a thorough search, the Board is very confident in its selection of Gary Harris as our next President. Mr. Harris has demonstrated strong leadership qualities along with being a top producer for the Bank for many years. The Board looks forward to working with him. About the Company The Company is a financial holding company and the parent of the Bank. The Bank was chartered in Maryland in 1919 and has over 102 years of service to the community. The Bank serves the deposit and financing needs of both consumers and businesses in Carroll and Baltimore Counties along the Route 30, Route 795, Route 140, and Route 26 corridors. The main office is located in Upperco, Maryland, with seven additional branches in Owings Mills, Hampstead, Greenmount, Reisterstown, Westminster, and Eldersburg. Certain broker-dealers make a market in the common stock of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., and trades are reported through the OTC Markets Groups Pink Market under the symbol FMFG. Charles Leclerc stepped into his Ferrari earlier this month for an unannounced film day at Monza. It was soon rumoured that Ferrari used the film day, on which a maximum of one hundred kilometres may be driven, to test new updates. Ferrari now admits that this is where the upgrades introduced in Spain were tested for the first time. Film day very useful for Ferrari Twice a season a team is allowed to hold a film day during which a maximum of one hundred kilometres can be driven each time. Ferrari used such a film day to test the upgrades that were taken to Spain. Besides Ferrari, Mercedes also used a film day during which George Russell drove on the French circuit of Paul Ricard. For Ferrari at least, the upgrades worked out well, with pole position for Leclerc in Barcelona. In the race, the Monegasque seemed to be driving sovereignly to victory until engine problems threw a spanner in the works. Carlos Sainz eventually finished fourth. Claudio Albertini, responsible for the chassis at Ferrari, says at Motorsport-Total.com that the film day was very useful to see if the team was in the right direction with the new updates. Different packages Leclerc and Sainz Once in Barcelona, testing of the upgrades continued. There, Sainz and Leclerc were sent out with different packages during the first free practice session in order to compare the cars as best as possible. The updates proved to work and so both cars received the full package of updates for the rest of the weekend. Nidec Corporation will build a flagship factory to produce its E-Axle traction motor system in the city of Pinghu, Zhejiang Province in China. The new factory to be built will be Nidecs fifth traction motor-related production site, and the fourth E-Axle assembly plant, in China. Construction is planned to start in October 2022, and production is planned to start in October 2023. As Nidecs flagship factory for its E-Axle business, not only will the facility assemble and produce E-Axle units, but it will also operate as an EV-dedicated plant that consolidates the Nidec Groups component businesses (e.g., inverters and gears), with a maximum annual production capacity of one million units. Rendering of the plant As Nidec aims to achieve its 2030 sales target of 10 trillion (US$78 billion), its automotive business, the traction motor business in particular, plays a pivotal role. Nidec has so far sold more than 370,000 units of E-Axle, the traction motor system that Nidec started producing in April 2019. In addition, based on the forecast that the fiscal year of 2025 will be the critical turning point to see a surge in the demand for traction motors, Nidec plans to sell 3.6 million units of E-Axle with a planned production capacity of 7 million units for the same fiscal year. NEW YORK (AP) Margaret Atwood has imagined apocalyptic disaster, Dystopian government and an author faking her own death. But until recently she had spared herself the nightmare of trying to burn one of her own books. With a flamethrower, no less. She failed, and that was the point. On Monday night, timed for PEN America's annual gala, Atwood and Penguin Random House announced that a one-off, unburnable edition of The Handmaids Tale would be auctioned through Sothebys New York. They launched the initiative with a brief video that shows Atwood attempting in vain to incinerate her classic novel about a totalitarian patriarchy, the Republic of Gilead. Proceeds will be donated to PEN, which advocates for free expression around the world. In the category of things you never expected, this is one of them, she said in a telephone interview. "To see her classic novel about the dangers of oppression reborn in this innovative, unburnable edition is a timely reminder of whats at stake in the battle against censorship," Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said in a statement. The fireproof narrative is a joint project among PEN, Atwood, Penguin Random House and two companies based in Toronto, where Atwood is a longtime resident: the Rethink creative agency and The Gas Company Inc., a graphic arts and bookbinding specialty studio. Rethink's Robbie Percy said that he and fellow creative director Caroline Friesen came up with the idea. Late last year, they had heard about a Texas legislator who listed hundreds of works for potential banning from school libraries: Percy and Friesen wondered if it were possible to make a book protected from the most harrowing censorship. They soon agreed on The Handmaids Tale, which came out in the 1980s and has had renewed attention over the past few years, beginning with the political rise and unexpected presidency of Donald Trump and continuing with the current surge of book bannings. We thought an unburnable copy of Handmaids Tale could serve as a symbol, he said. Percy and Friesen spoke with Atwoods publishers in Canada and the U.S. both divisions of Penguin Random House and got in touch with the author. They then contacted Gaslight, which has worked on numerous commissioned texts, including some for PEN. The Gas Companys principal owner, Doug Laxdal, told the AP that instead of paper, he and his colleagues used Cinefoil, a specially treated aluminum product. The 384-page text, which can be read like an ordinary novel, took more than two months to complete. The Gas Company needed days just to print out the manuscript; the Cinefoil sheets were so thin that some would fall through cracks in the printer and become damaged beyond repair. The manuscript was then sewed together by hand, using nickel copper wire. The only way you could destroy that book is with a shredder, Laxdal says. Otherwise, it will last for a very long time. Atwood told the AP that she was was immediately interested in the special edition, and in making the video. She was a teenager in the 1950s, when Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 was published, and holds vivid memories of the novels futuristic setting, in which books are reduced to ashes. The Handmaids Tale has never been burned, as far as Atwood knows, but has often been subjected to bans or attempted bans. Atwood remembers a 2006 effort in one Texas high school district, when the superintendent called her book sexually explicit and offensive to Christians, that ended when students successfully fought back. In 2021, The Handmaid's Tale was pulled by schools in Texas and Kansas. The novel has sold millions of copies and its impact is not just through words, but images, amplified by the award-winning Hulu adaptation starring Elisabeth Moss. Advocates worldwide for women's rights have dressed in the puritanical caped robes Atwood devised for her story. Most recently, some women in handmaid outfits marched to protest the Supreme Court's expected overturning this year of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It's an unforgettable visual metaphor, Atwood said. That's why people in the middle ages put coats of arms on their armor, and had recognizable flags. That way you can visualize them and know who's standing for what. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. Its the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property, he said in a statement. _ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: After 3 months, Russia still bogged down in Ukraine war 200 bodies found in Mariupol as war rages in Ukraines east AP-NORC poll: US economy, not punishing Russia, is top priority Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks. Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths. Meanwhile Tuesday, Russian shelling continues around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv, even after Russian troops withdrew from its surroundings last week. Ukrainian regional officials say the city of Derhachi was hit and a 69-year-old woman died and another person was injured. Derhachi is southwest of the city of Kharkiv and has previously come under Russian shelling. _ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region. The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons. He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days. Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks. In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate. _ KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region said Tuesday that the area was facing the most difficult time since conflict with Russia-backed separatists began in 2014. Now, for the Luhansk region, is the most difficult time in the eight years of the war, Serhii Haidai wrote on Telegram. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time, they brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment. He also accused Moscows troops of deploying scorched-earth tactics across the region, one of two which make up Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Its only getting worse. What the Russians are doing is hard to describe in words. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. The situation is on the verge of being critical. The free Luhansk region is now like Mariupol, Haidai added, in a reference to the ruined port city captured by Moscow last week. _ KYIV, Ukraine The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. Earlier this month Russia announced its takeover of Mariupol with the surrender of the fighters holed up at the massive Azovstal steel mill. Prokopenko, who spoke to The Associated Press in Kyiv together with another wife of a soldier, Yuliia Fedosiuk, said that the Ukraine and Russia agreement guarantees proper burial of dead soldiers and certain conditions for the prisoners of war, including allowing them to hold telephone calls with family members a few times per week. The two women said several families had received calls in the past two days. They said they could not reveal more details of the agreement but they were hopeful that the soldiers will not be tortured and that they eventually will come back home. ___ BERLIN Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was very disappointed Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve misunderstandings. She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons at the press of a button as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was not as dynamic as hoped, but acknowledged that the devil lies in the detail on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the U.S. and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. ___ DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and weaponizing food supplies. Russias invasion of Ukraine has provoked disruptions of global food supplies, and the blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful. Ukraine accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war, according to the EU. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukraine. And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support, she said. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia. ___ LVIV, Ukraine An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. ___ BRUSSELS A European Union plan to suspend all tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year cleared the final political hurdle on Tuesday when EU finance ministers endorsed the move. Meant to help the Ukrainian economy battered by Russias invasion, the removal of the EU duties will apply to Ukrainian industrial products, including steel, and to farm goods such as fruits and vegetables. The EU has already scrapped most of its tariffs on Ukrainian products as a result of a 2016 free-trade agreement. Ukrainian exports to the EU were worth 24.1 billion euros ($25.8 billion) last year, with the main goods being metals, agricultural products and machinery. ___ Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the military operation in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form, he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors in order to avoid casualties among the civilians. APs reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. ___ PARIS A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. As politicians, we must find a way for Ukraine to truly become part of this family, both economically and politically, she told reporters. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. In the meantime France is proposing an interim arrangement that would allow more political cooperation with Ukraine and other potential EU members. - DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order. Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forums annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EUs executive arm said reconciliation is certainly a distant dream and hope. But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands. ANKARA, Turkey The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isn't without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland are expected to arrive in Turkey later on Tuesday to discuss Ankaras objection to their membership in NATO. Cavusoglu told a group of journalists traveling with him on a two-day visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto also confirmed the meeting. ___ A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. - LONDON British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The U.K. defense ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, says the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry says Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry says the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Russian shelling of a residential building in Sievierodonetsk killed four people, Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday. He didnt specify when the shelling took place. The Russian forces in recent weeks have been trying so far unsuccessfully to take control of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the region, subjecting both cities to intensive shelling. The most recent round of shelling, Haidai said, damaged six houses in each of the two cities. ___ NEW YORK (AP) A U.S. history and government exam for New York high school students has been canceled in the wake of the racist shooting at a Buffalo supermarket over concerns that material on the test could compound student trauma," education officials said Tuesday. The state's Regents exam had been scheduled for June 1, but a review of the content following the May 14 shooting found the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment," said Emily DeSantis, a spokesperson for the state Education Department, in a statement. As a result, she said, it is not appropriate to administer the exam with a question that could compound the grief and hardship faced by our school communities." Ten people, all of them Black, were killed in the Tops Friendly Market when a white 18-year-old opened fire. Three others were injured. Funerals for the victims have been taking place this week. The department refused to say what the content was, or give any additional information on the question of concern. In a memo sent to school administrators, Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa said it wouldn't be possible to make a different test or modify the one that had been scheduled. High school students in New York are required to pass Regents exams in certain subjects in order to get their diplomas. Rosa said in her memo that the department would be asking the Board of Regents to approve a graduation exemption for students who would have been scheduled to take the exam in June and August of this year and January 2023. Officials said the questions on the exam had been put together more than two years ago, and this version of the test had been expected to first be administered in 2020 but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Construction of two new bumpouts on Greenwich Avenue the most hotly debated item in the town budget even though their cost is covered by a state grant is slated to begin next year. The bumpouts will be installed at the intersections with Havemeyer Place/Arch Street and Fawcett Place/Grigg Street. When appoving the towns $465 million budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Representative Town Meeting earlier this month saved the $2.8 million allocation, voting 111-95 against a proposed cut of the bumpouts. Next up, the project needs the Planning & Zoning Commission to grant it municipal improvement status and final site plan approval. Also, the Connecticut Department of Transportation must give authorization for bidding to begin on the project. We anticipate all of those approvals to be in place by fall 2022, said Renee Wallace, communication specialist for the Department of Public Works. We also anticipate to publicly bid the project during the fall and winter and award a contractor in (early) 2023. Currently, construction is projected to commence in the spring 2023. According to the town, the projects goal is to improve sightlines and visibility for drivers and pedestrians; add more accessible parking spaces with unobstructed paths to sidewalks; slow drivers on Greenwich Avenue; and improve the appearance while increasing greenspace and reducing impervious surfaces. It is too early in the process to predict what portions of the project will be constructed first and the duration of construction, according to Wallace. First Selectman Fred Camillo advocated for the project as a public safety and accessibility improvement while pushing back strongly against opposition, including from fellow Republicans. Residents with disabilities say the bumpouts will make it easier for pedestrians by reducing the time it takes to cross the street. The bumpouts will be similar to the one that was completed last year at Greenwich Avenues intersection with Elm Street. Parking debate The backlash to building two more bumpouts on the Avenue grew in the weeks leading up to the budget vote. Many residents said they were worried about losing parking, but under the plan, 10 spaces will be added at the Havemeyer/Arch bumpout and two at the Fawcett/Grigg intersection, Camillo and DPW said. Our current conceptual design has new parking spaces at the very north end of Arch Street and on Fawcett Place, Wallace said. In addition, we will be making significant improvements to the accessible parking stalls to make them more useful for persons with disabilities. The designs could change slightly as we move through the approval process. During the RTM meeting, some raised concerns about the area near the Havemeyer Building, where there are several trees and a war memorial to members of the armed forces from Greenwich who died in combat. That area has been the site of previous ceremonies. But Camillo said there will be no changes in the monument and called the site an important one for the town. Not only is it not going to affect it in a negative way, I want this to enhance it if possible, Camillo told Greenwich Time. On Greenwich Avenue, were going to increase the greenspace. And where we do have to add in impervious surface, were going to make sure it does not impact the memorial. Camillo called it a beautiful spot with huge significance for Greenwich. He said he would like to see the area become more of a place of reverence for residents to pay their respects to the towns veterans. That will never change, Camillo said. Wallace agreed, saying the memorial will not be affected and that the town will install a new walkway leading to it for better viewing. Tree questions As for the trees, the town said it has no plans to remove them. When the first bumpout was built at Elm Street, there was a lengthy dispute over a tree scheduled to come down in front of 235 Greenwich Ave. to make way for a curb cut and allow for better accessibility to the sidewalk for people with disabilities. An appeal was filed to save the tree, but Tree Warden Gregory Kramer ruled that it could be cut down if new trees were planted nearby. But in an attempt to save the tree, residents and business owners challenged that decision in court. Ultimately, the accessible parking space was moved and the tree was preserved at greater expense to the town. JoAnn Messina, executive director of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy, indicated that her group has no complaints about the current plan. DPW continues to assure us that no trees will be lost, Messina said. I have expressed my concern that the large beech tree needs to be protected ... and we will be vigilant in watching the construction proceed. After the dispute over the Elm Street bumpouts, the Board of Selectmen approved language in the town code that would ensure coordination between the Department of Public Works, the towns tree warden, the towns ADA coordinator and, when appropriate, the First Selectmans Committee for People with Disabilities on any future projects that involve accessibility issues and trees. For more information on the projects, visit www.greenwichct.gov/2056/Greenwich-Avenue-Arch-Street-and-Havemey and www.greenwichct.gov/2057/Greenwich-Avenue-Fawcett-Place-and-Grigg. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH A surge in COVID-19 cases continues in the Greenwich Public Schools as the district reported another 74 new cases on Tuesday among students and staff, according to the districts online tracker. That is an increase from the 65 cases reported last Friday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 595 for May in the district, according to the tracker. The twice-a-week updates in the school district have fluctuated in recent weeks, but each report has been above 50 cases since April 8. The spread of the BA.2 subvariant, which is considered highly contagious, corresponds with the spike in cases seen in Connecticut this spring, experts say. The total number of COVID-19 cases reported since students returned to classrooms on April 24 after a weeklong Spring Recess totals 702, according to the tracker. That means that the Greenwich Public Schools has reported as many COVID-19 cases since Spring Recess as it reported in the entire 2020-21 school year, when it reported 700 cases. Since the Spring Recess last month, the breakdown has been 63 cases on April 26; 44 cases on April 29; 55 cases on May 3; 81 cases on May 6; 113 cases on May 10; 112 cases on May 13; 95 cases on May 17; 65 cases on May 20; and 74 cases on May 24. May falls second only to January in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in the district. In the first month of 2022, the omicron variant hit the state hard and the district reported 1,422 cases of COVID-19 for the whole month. A total of 3,204 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the school district since classes began Sept. 1. That is more than quadruple the 700 cases reported in the 2020-21 school year. Active cases As of Tuesday, the Greenwich Public Schools was reporting 67 active cases of COVID-19, down from 68 active cases last Friday, 93 active cases on May 17 and from 119 active cases on May 13, according to the tracker. Active cases were reported in 14 of the school buildings, with the most 16 cases each reported at Cos Cob School and Greenwich High. The rest of the schools reported COVID-19 numbers in single digits, with eight active cases at New Lebanon; six active cases at Eastern Middle; five active cases at the International School at Dundee; three active cases at Glenville; two active cases each at Central Middle, North Mianus, North Street, Old Greenwich and Riverside; and one active case each at Hamilton Avenue, Julian Curtiss and Parkway. Of the 67 active cases, 54 were reported among students; six among teachers; four among nonteaching staff members; two among administrators; and one with a service provider, according to the district. A number of families in the Greenwich Public Schools have been hit hard by COVID-19 this school year, with 501 families reporting 1,079 cases. More numbers Since March 1, when the Greenwich school district moved to a mask-optional policy, a total of 1,213 cases of COVID-19 have been reported among students and staff, nearly twice the number of cases that were reported in the entire 2020-21 school year. The monthly totals for new cases of COVID-19 reported in the Greenwich school district have varied widely, with 702 cases so far in May, 339 cases in April, 167 cases in March, 137 cases in February, 1,422 cases in January, 392 cases in December, 65 cases in November, 29 cases in October and 58 cases in September, according to the tracker. The school district updates its online tracker twice each week to keep the community informed on the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, this is a highly speculative story but an interesting one, nonetheless. It appears that Xiaomiui dug up a total of four IMEIs from a Chinese database assigned to four model numbers. It's believed that these model numbers represent the Chinese and global variants of the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro. The model numbers in question are 221113C and 2210132C - those are for the Chinese market while their global counterparts are 2211133G and 2210132G, hence the letter "G" at the end. It seems as if Xiaomi has already started developing the Xiaomi 13 series even though the Xiaomi 12 Ultra hasn't been released yet. This is why Xiaomiui speculates that the next-generation Xiaomi flagship phones will arrive sooner than anticipated, supposedly sometime in November. The usual release schedule of Xiaomi's flagship numeric series is in December, as the company tries to be one of the first to adopt the latest and greatest from Qualcomm. This, in turn, means that Qualcomm could be looking for an earlier release of its Snapdragon Gen 2 chip sooner as well. Source The Redmi Note 11 series from Xiaomi welcomed three new members earlier today. Redmi Note 11T Pro and Pro+ share the same core specs and appearance with 6.6-inch variable refresh rate displays, MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipsets and 64MP main cams around the back. The Pro+ gets faster 120W charging and a smaller 4,400 mAh battery as well as up to 512GB storage. Redmi Note 11SE is a midrange option with a 90Hz and Dimenisty 700 chipset. Redmi Note 11T Pro/Pro+ Both 11T Pro phones pack flat 6.6-inch IPS LCD panels with FHD+ resolution (2460x1080px) and a variable 144Hz refresh rate that can toggle down to as low as 30Hz to save up battery. Redmi Note 11T Pro/Pro+ Theres a 16MP selfie cam tucked in the centered punch hole cutout up top while the back houses a 64MP Samsung ISOCELL GW1 sensor (1/1.72" size and 1.6, pixels) alongside an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro cam. Both Note 11T Pro phones get MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipsets with up to 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage. Both phones boot MIUI 13 on top of Android 12. The major difference between the two phones comes down to the battery capacity and charging speeds. Note 11T Pro gets a larger 5,080 mAh dual-cell battery with 67W fast charging while the Pro+ packs a 4,400 mAh duel cell and 120W fast charging. Xiaomi promises a full 0 to 100% charge in 19 minutes on the Pro+ and it also gets Xiaomis Surge P1 chip that monitors charging temperatures. Both phones are IP53 rated and come with side-mounted fingerprint scanners. Redmi Note 11T Pro and Pro+ come in Atomic Silver, Time Blue and Midnight Black colors. Xiaomi is also offering a limited edition Astro Boy model based on the Note 11T Pro+ that has the manga character engraved into the back of the phone Redmi Note 11T Pro+ Astro Boy edition Redmi Note 11T Pro starts at CNY 1,799 ($270) for the base 6/128GB trim and tops out at CNY 2,199 ($330) for the 8/256GB model. Note 11T Pro+ will retail for CNY 2,099 ($315) in its base 8/128GB trim while the top of the line 8/512GB model will go for CNY 2,499 ($375). The Astro Boy edition with 8/512GB will sell for CNY 2,499 ($375). Open sales in China start on May 31. Redmi Note 11 SE Redmi Note 11SE gets a 6.5-inch FHD+ LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate. The device packs a 48MP main cam around the back next to a 2MP depth of field sensor while the selfie cam comes in at 8MP. MediaTeks Dimensity 700 SoC is paired with 4/8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The software side is covered by MIUI 12 based on Android 11 while the 5,000 mAh battery charges at 18W speeds. Redmi Note 11 SE Redmi Note 11 SE comes in Shadow Black and Space Blue colors. The baseline 4/128GB trim will sell for CNY 1,099 ($165) while the 8/128GB trim will go for CNY 1,399 ($210). Open sales in China start on May 31. South Africa: KZN municipalities to allocate community halls for displaced people The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has instructed all municipalities to identify and allocate community halls to be used as shelters for the homeless. This follows the storms over weekend, which resulted in the flooding of roads, human settlements and damage to properties. According to the South Africa Weather Service (SAWS), the rains affected mostly coastal areas with those around eThekwini impacted. The weather service issued an early warning last week, alerting the province about disruptive rainfall in Hluhluwe, eThekwini, Jozini, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Maphumulo, Mkhambathini, Mthonjaneni, Mtubatuba, Ndwedwe, Nongoma, Ulundi, Umdoni, Umhlabuyalingana, uMhlathuze, uMlalazi and uPhongolo municipal areas. Giving an update on the latest storms and floods, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and eThekwini Municipality said that some areas are currently inaccessible and have become islands. A number of roads and bridges, especially in uMdloti and La Mercy, have been affected and road users are urged to be on the alert and to stay at home if possible. Almost 250 people evacuated The provincial government reported that approximately 250 people have been evacuated in Tongaat and Tehuise care centres. Currently, 82 care centres with 3 186 people counted around the city can be used to accommodate people. So far, 40 people in St Catherine, Waterways in Tongaat 44 units, Plain Street, retirement village in Tongaat, were evacuated. The Westbrook retirement village was evacuated. A total of 190 people have been evacuated and the fire brigade unit has assisted with pumping the water in the hall. The Ilembe district was hugely affected with a number of households being left homeless and the road network infrastructure being affected, a joint statement said. In King Cetshwayo, severe damage was reported to the Ngobese house, which fell due to heavy rains and wind. A family of nine members living in a one-room house had to be moved following damage to their house. The Zululand District also experienced heavy rainfall and is being closely monitored. We can assure the people of KwaZulu-Natal of the preparedness of all our disaster teams in all districts, including being alert to all the areas that are prone to flooding. Relief interventions continuing The provincial government also reported that relief interventions are ongoing to ensure that all community halls with displaced people are receiving adequate relief assistance, social support services and medical assistance. In the event flood-prone areas need to evacuate people due to rising water levels, the open halls will be able to accommodate them. So far, social partners such as Red Cross, Al-Imdaad Foundation and many others have been activated to support municipalities with humanitarian aid and hot meals. Provincial and Municipal Emergency Services have been activated and they are on standby to respond swiftly. The Yellow Plant activation by municipal technical services have been done for snow prone areas. Sector departments and other stakeholders, including the NGOs have also been advised to activate their respective contingency plans to ensure that the damaged public infrastructure is repaired immediately. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Interview: East African Community calls for closer cooperation with China Xinhua) 14:11, May 24, 2022 ARUSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) welcomes investors from China to implement various projects in the region with a population of about 300 million, said Peter Mathuki, EAC secretary general, in a recent interview with Xinhua. "We welcome investors from China to come and work with us in East Africa so that we can now develop this part of Africa for the good and prosperity of people but also for the prosperity of China," said Mathuki, adding that China and East Africa have a lot to work together to make sure their economies prosper from the cooperation. China is one of the most progressive countries that have tried to partner East African countries in so many sectors, and largely supports infrastructure programs in East African countries by grants, financing mechanisms or technical assistance, he said. "The Belt and Road Initiative aims to ensure that as you develop infrastructure you also increase trade and secure trade routes in a more advanced way, and make countries very interdependent," said Mathuki, adding that the initiative is not only improving infrastructure in East Africa but also increasing trade volume. Mathuki has also pledged full support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China at the UN General Assembly last year, saying the GDI will foster global economic partnerships. "The proposal is very important because it addresses poverty alleviation, food security and COVID-19 response, the issues that touch the hearts of the people of East Africa," he told Xinhua. "We are willing to work with China, and we encourage more countries and international partners to take advantage by joining this Global Development Initiative," said Mathuki. On the Chinese government's move to set up a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs, Mathuki said, "we welcome that proposal because where there is peace then there is promise of development," adding that once the Horn of Africa remains peaceful it potentially becomes an economic hub for this continent. Mathuki has also urged Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa to prepare for and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will create a market of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of about 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars. "In terms of the economies, East Africa stands very strong and the EAC is going to play a very big role in strengthening the AfCFTA," he said. East African countries should approach AfCFTA as a team, urging investors from China to invest in Africa and capture the huge AfCFTA market, said Mathuki. The EAC groups Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Thirteen new second lieutenants were commissioned as officers through the University of Guams ROTC program at the Guam Army National Guards Assembly Hall in Barrigada on May 21, 2022. The Department of Public Health and Social Services reported 65 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday from 1,144 specimens analyzed. The results included 22 cases identified by the Department of Defense. There have been a total of 48,827 officially reported cases of COVID-19 on Guam with 361 deaths. There are 214 active cases. There were four people hospitalized with the virus on Tuesday, including one person in intensive care. Three of the people hospitalized were vaccinated, and one was not. Clinics for seniors Public Health and the Mayors Council of Guam are partnering to offer second booster doses to people age 50 and above, or to people 12 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. Clinics will be held: 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Wednesday: Inalahan Senior Citizens Center. Walk-ins are welcome. Bring vaccination card and picture ID. Curbside shots available for people with disabilities. 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Thursday: Mangilao Senior Citizens Center. Walk-ins are welcome. Bring vaccination card and picture ID. Curbside shots available for people with disabilities. 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Thursday: Santa Rita-Sumai Senior Citizens Center. Walk-ins are welcome. Bring vaccination card and picture ID. Curbside shots available for people with disabilities. Public Health encourages people who are eligible to get their second booster shots. A second booster of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is available at least four months after the first booster dose. Adults between the ages of 18 and 49 who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised and who received the Janssen shot as both their primary and booster doses may get a second booster dose using Pfizer or Moderna at least four months after the Janssen booster. As of Monday, 136,639 eligible residents were fully vaccinated, 59,323 residents received their first booster shots and 4,889 residents received their second booster shots. Shot clinics, testing available Vaccines and first and second booster shots are available from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the second floor of Agana Shopping Center. Register at tinyurl.com/vaxguam. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments will be expedited. Bring appointment confirmation and proof of identity. Last appointment is 30 minutes before closing. Free COVID-19 testing is available from 8-11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the old carnival grounds in Tiyan. Make an appointment at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme. With the price of gas hitting a high of $6.19 for a gallon of regular grade last week, lawmakers are proposing more legislation to cut the price at the pump. Sen. Joe San Agustins Bill 295 would put a pause of about six months on the excise tax, automotive surcharge, and mass transit automotive surcharge that are placed on liquid fuel. Together, the charges account for $0.23 per gallon of regular gas. A public hearing on the measure is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Guam Congress Building. San Agustins Gas Tax Relief Act is similar in nature to Speaker Therese Terlajes Bill 261, which senators could address and pass as soon as the upcoming session that begins this Friday. Terlajes bill would eliminate liquid fuel taxes, instead of just putting them on hold. But according to a release from San Agustins office, eliminating the fuel taxes, which are used to fund road repair and other operations, would reduce Guams ability to fix village roads. The moratorium will ensure that the people are given some reprieve and, while not guaranteed, it is a way for the government to extend support while ensuring we do not repeal a law that will affect the governments ability to maintain and repair secondary roads for years to come, San Agustin said in a statement. San Agustins Bill 295 would inject $5 million in funding to the Department of Public Works to offset the loss of revenue it usually receives from gas taxes. The six-month hold would cost DPW about $4.5 million, and also cost the Guam Regional Transit Authority $157,000, according to the Department of Public Works. Our work is not just for today, but for the long run that will ultimately affect future generations, San Agustin added. San Agustins office also noted that, despite local gas companies testifying that a cut to gas taxes would result in lower prices for consumers, there was no guarantee. Local gas companies operating 76 Gas Stations and Shell Gas Stations handed in written testimony during a public hearing for Bill 261 last month that said that the cut would translate into savings at the pump. Bill 295 is supported by Sens. Amanda Shelton, Jose Pedo Terlaje, Tony Ada, Frank Blas Jr. and Vices Speaker Tina Muna Barnes. Donovan Ornellas trial in connection with the 2021 beheading of a man in Santa Rita-Sumai has been postponed. Ornellas was scheduled to begin trial on July 14 on murder charges connected to the beheading of 61-year-old Andrew Castro in January 2021. However, the trial date was vacated to allow his newly appointed attorney to get up to speed with the case. Ornellas new attorney, William Pole, asked Superior Court of Guam Judge Alberto Tolentino for a postponement because he hadnt had a chance to speak with his client and the seriousness of the case. Pole was appointed last week after Ornellas previous attorney, Gloria Rudolph, withdrew because her office at the Public Defender Service Corporation had a conflict of interest. The office had previously represented the victim in the case, Castro. Tolentino allowed the trial to be postponed and said a new trial schedule will be released in the future. Ornellas was charged with murder and aggravated assault after Castros body was found in Santa Rita-Sumai, according to PDN files. Ornellas told police he used crystal methamphetamine at the apartment and felt compelled to kill Castro, removing his head with a knife and discarding it in a burned car in the jungle in Dededo, charging documents state. Employment opportunities within the Department of Agricultures Law Enforcement Section are now available, according to a news release from the governors office. Applicants are being recruited for the agencys Civilian Volunteer Conservation Officer Reserve Program and those who complete the training will then serve the agency as reservists. Successful reservists will be required to fulfill a minimum of 42 hours of service per month to receive a stipend currently set at $500, the news release states. Our Administration launched this program to accelerate land, water, and wildlife conservation efforts across our island, and to empower our community through increasing awareness of our local conservation laws, Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio said in a news release. The work of civilian volunteers in these initiatives helps us advance conservation and restoration projects islandwide, and are aligned with our mission to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Civilian Volunteer Conservation Officer Reserve Program is part of the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administrations job creation initiatives, the governors offices news release explained. Through this comprehensive training opportunity, we will build the conservation workforce of the future, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero stated in the news release. We will cultivate the protectors of our prosperity, and we will grow the resilience of our food security, natural resources, and pristine environment. The news release provided the following basic applicant requirements: Requirements: Ability to swim, conduct foot patrols on rugged terrain and administer first aid. Ability to operate marine vessels, jet skis, and Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV). Certification of training. Applicants must submit the following with application: Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission certification or equivalent. High School diploma or equivalent GED credentials. Valid Guam Drivers License. Valid Guam Firearms ID. Police and court clearances, provided upon selection. Completed applications and required documents may be submitted via email to richard.ragadio@doag.guam.gov, or delivered to the agriculture departments Law Enforcement Section or directors office at 163 Dairy Road, Mangilao, located near the Price Elementary School campus. Capt. John Frye, incoming commanding officer of the USS Frank Cable, speaks to the crew during a change of command ceremony held aboard the ship, May 23, 2022. A man told police officers he is not a woman beater after being accused of choking a woman known to him. Eric Dave Camacho Aguon was charged in the Superior Court of Guam in connection to an incident at an Agana Heights residence Monday morning, according to court documents. Officers responding to the residence met with a woman who accused Aguon of choking her after an argument earlier in the day. She said Aguon walked towards her and said Dont let me slap you! Dont let me punch you, before choking her for two to three seconds. Aguon then allegedly threw the woman onto a bed, grabbed his belongings and left, according to court documents. Police could not see any visible injuries, but the woman had complaints of minor pain in her neck area. Aguon told police he only pushed the womans shoulder to move her out of the way. When an officer asked if Aguon had done anything to prevent her from breathing, Aguon became upset and said, No, Im not a woman beater. I only shoved her to the side to get my keys, documents state. Aguon was charged with family violence-strangulation as a third-degree felony. Guams public schools celebrated the start of summer vacation as outgoing Guam Department of Education Superintendent Jon Fernandez made his final round of campus tours during the last weeks of classes. His last stop was on the official last day of school Tuesday at Tamuning Elementary. Ive been on these tours to thank our teachers and staff for all of the hard work that theyve done, and to thank the kids for continuing to show up every day, Fernandez said. Were ready to move them up to the next level and continue to work with them over the summer and the next school year, and also to say farewell. The student body of Tamuning Elementary welcomed the superintendent and presented him with a superhero-like cape and crown during a lively assembly filled with faculty, staff, dancing and music. U.S. DOE Fernandez was accompanied by Chris Sotto, senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, who also was visiting public school campuses to evaluate Guam DOEs request to remove the high risk status that has prevented the agency from receiving more federal funds. The first thing that I want to say is theres amazing stuff happening in the schools, Sotto said. I saw a middle school where theres CHamoru language instruction and theyre using technology to improve literacy. At the high school, theyre focusing on the arts and college and career readiness pathways. Thats all the stuff that we want to see in our schools. Although hes only been on Guam visiting the schools for a few days, Sotto said he noticed during his visits how much Fernandez meant to the school community. Us at the U.S. Department of Education are super proud of Superintendent Fernandez. I mean, hes had a 10-year run thats longer than most state chiefs anywhere across the country, Sotto said. You can feel the energy from the students who know the impact that theyve had on his life and that hes had on their lives. Memories Though feelings of leaving Guam DOE had yet to sink in for Fernandez, he is confident to know that after he leaves, the schools and their families will be in good hands. I have lots of memories. Conversations with kids, employees and parents, but more importantly, its what they remember saying how they might have been helped, how they see the schools improving and changing and really, thats what matters to me, Fernandez said. I am a customer, I am a parent, I have two children in our public schools and Im proud and confident of the work the schools have done to prepare my kids. But what matters to me is hearing from other parents and other stakeholders that theyre confident as well to continue to support our schools and to put their children in public schools for them to get ready in the future. Fernandezs official resignation takes effect July 15. An attorney for a man accused of shooting a 61-year-old man in the back with a bow and arrow asked for his clients mental health to be re-evaluated. Joaquin Guile, charged with attempted murder, is set to go to trial on June 8. His attorney, David Highsmith, asked Superior Court of Guam Judge Alberto Tolentino to postpone the case. Wed like to get him re-evaluated for his mental condition... and also the new information is something we need to build the defense around, Highsmith said. Guile was previously deemed competent to stand trial by court-appointed psychologist Juan Rapadas. Highsmith also said Guile, who has been confined at the Department of Corrections since his arrest, has not been treated by a doctor, despite Rapadas recommendation. Theres more at stake here and we need to do something for his mental health, your honor. As the court can see, he suffers from persecutions, delusions and many other related problems, Highsmith added. Instead of postponing the trial date, Tolentino decided to allow Highsmith more time to meet with Guile before meeting in court again this week on Thursday. Guile was charged with attempted murder in October 2021 after a man was shot with a bow and arrow while cutting grass, court documents state. The man was found by police and was sent to the intensive care unit at Naval Hospital. Guile said he shot an intruder who was trespassing on his property before realizing the man was a relative who was in disguise, stalking him and had tried killing him on previous occasions, documents state. Guile was also charged with aggravated assault as a second- and third-degree felony, with special allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. His attempted murder charge also has a special allegation of a vulnerable victim. The trial for a man charged in connection with the rape of a woman at Ypao Beach was postponed. Ago Pius was scheduled to go to trial June 22 in connection to a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge, but his attorney on Tuesday morning asked if the trial could be pushed back. We havent received an offer from the government yet so could we just continue the process maybe 30 days and figure out whos going to handle the case, Public Defender Service Corporation Executive Director Stephen Hattori said to Judge Alberto Tolentino, who eventually agreed to the postponement. Thats going to give your lawyer and the government lawyer opportunity to discuss your case further, Tolentino told Pius. Tolentino did not issue a new trial date at the hearing. Pius was charged in October 2021 after police responded to reports of an unconscious woman at Ypao Beach. When officers arrived, Pius was found sitting on a bench under a pavilion, holding the woman with his fingers inside her mouth, court documents state. A witness later said Pius had his fingers in the womans mouth so she wouldnt swallow her tongue because she passed out, documents state. After the woman was taken to the hospital and regained consciousness, she said Pius had taken her to the beach and raped her. Pius then admitted to having sex with the woman, according to court documents. Members of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee hold a demonstration against abortion in front of the Guam Congress Building in Hagatna May 3, 2021. Tim Rohr writes about the pro-life movement and its supporters on Guam. iciHaiti - Contest game : The 7th edition of Interschool genius enters the semi-finals Launched on April 29, the 7th Edition of the "Inter-school genius 2022" contest game, organized jointly by the Ministry of National Education (MENFP), and the National Police of Haiti (PNH) via the Educational Community Police (EDUPOL), enters the semi-final phase this Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Let's recall that the quarter-finals took place on Tuesday May 17 and Friday May 20, 2022 at the Gymnasium Vincent in Port-au-Prince. During the first day, the Alexandre Petion high school triumphed over the Jean Marie Vincent high school with a score of 296 to 225 points. Subsequently, the Institution Lydie Lariviere Noel (240 points) would obtain its ticket for the semi-finals at the expense of the Antenor Firmin high school (216 points). During the second day, the national high school of Petion-Ville (274 points) got the better over the high school Marie-Jeanne (225 points), then the national high school of Carrefour-Feuilles (194 points) stood out from the high school Georges and Antoine Izmery (141 points). The four teams qualified for the semi-finals are: Alexandre Petion high school, Lydie Lariviere Noel institution, Petion-Ville national high school and Carrefour-Feuilles national high school. According to Nesmy Manigat, Minister of National Education, School Genius is a framework for healthy intellectual competition, a meeting place between young people from different schools, from different neighborhoods. He also sees in it a pedagogy of competition "to win with modesty, to lose with elegance" underlines the Minister. For Divisional Inspector Jimmy Francois, Head of the Educational Community Police (EduPol), behind this activity, there is the intention to fight against juvenile delinquency, alcohol and drug consumption, among other harmful facts. Divisional Inspector Francoi would like to see this competition spread across the country. 16 teams are taking part in this 7th edition of "Genie inter scolaire": Alexandre Petion High School; Horatius Laventure High School; Jean-Marie Vincent high school Georges and Antoine Izmery High School; La Saline National High School; Marie-Jeanne High School; National High School of Petion-Ville; Carrefour-Leaves High School; Antenor Firmin High School; Guy Francois Malary High School; Fritz Pierre-Louis High School; College of Essential Pedagogical Sciences Max Weber College; Maranatha Mixed College; Silo Village College; Institution Lydie Lariviere Noel. S/ iciHaiti Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Page Content The Hawaii State Department of Education dedicated its first research-grade space observatory Monday evening at Waipahu High School through the generous support of the McInerny Foundation. The foundation donated over $200,000 to purchase and install a 17-inch telescope and 12.5-foot dome housing on the Waipahu campus that will help encourage student interest in STEM-related careers. "With the rapidly changing world, we know that the sky is the limit now with the learning and the opportunities that our students aspire to being lifted higher and higher each and every day. Tonight we are making history," Gov. David Ige said. The observatory will support students enrolled in the schools college-level Astronomy (ASTR) 295 course through Waipahus Early College program with Leeward Community College. The dual credit program allows students to take classes that satisfy requirements for both a high school diploma and a University of Hawaii degree. The McInerny Foundation is credited for supporting Waipahu High Schools Early College initiative with $2.65 million in funding over the past decade. Since the programs inception in 2012, Waipahu students in ASTR 295 have made outstanding contributions to the science and astronomy community, including three student-written publications in the peer-reviewed Journal of Double Star Observations. More recently, four ASTR 295 students were commended for their research and granted access to some of Hawaiis leading technology at the Maunakea Observatories. The newly installed telescope is designed to be operated remotely, allowing Waipahus Early College astronomy students to collaborate on joint research projects with teams throughout the state, country and globe. Using controls that can be administered from any device with internet access, students are able to observe and capture photographs of outer space in color and infrared through cameras used by weather stations. This observatory is just one of the many things happening here at Waipahu High School. I think there's going to be a lot more energy moving forward as we leverage this learning to extend beyond our wildest dreams in helping to connect our students through STEM and astronomical learning," Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. Building this observatory is very monumental not only to Waipahu but to giving students an opportunity to explore astronomy like I did, said Zachary Tamboa, one of Waipahus ASTR 295 students who was published in a peer-reviewed journal. I got to explore astronomy through the class and the creation of this observatory will allow us to further our research and provide outreach to new people, new astronomers. For precautionary safety measures, the observatory was strategically installed on a building rooftop that does not overhang any classrooms and is controlled remotely. The selected location experiences the least amount of light pollution on campus. The Early College initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer. Throughout the last decade, Introduction to Astronomy (ASTR 110) remains one of the most popular science courses the program offers. A SCHOOL has installed a memorial for a pupil who died of cancer. Highdown School in Emmer Green now has an oak bench and two cherry trees to remember 13-year-old Charlie Ilsley, who passed away in 2020. More than 900 was raised for the memorial by Charlies friends, who went around the school asking for donations. Charlies parents Mark and Toni, of Buckingham Drive, Emmer Green, visited the school in Surley Row for the first time since his death to see the bench, which is inscribed with his name, and talk to his former teachers. Mrs Ilsley was brought to tears by the occasion and said Charlie would have have been touched to see the memorial. She said: Its lovely that they are remembering Charlie but it is sad as well. Thats why Im crying. Its hard because Ive not been here since and it brings it all back. I used to pull up every day and hed be waiting there outside reception. When I pulled up today and he wasnt there, that was hard. The trees will keep growing and the bench will remain here for a long time. It will really be Charlies area. Charlie was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015 and underwent various forms of treatment. His fight against the disease attracted thousands of supporters who donated towards the cost of his treatment and the familys travel overseas. In the months before his death, he travelled to Mexico City several times for treatment and scans as well as making several trips to Turkey in 2018 and 2019. Although Charlie was enrolled at Highdown School for more than two years, he had missed a lot of this time due to treatment. Ms Ilsley said: Honestly, he hated school. He didnt mind it before the cancer but it changed him a lot. He was partially deaf, partially sighted and he missed a lot of school. He felt like there was a gap between him and his friends. He loved the school nurse because if he could get into her office then he could get away without doing any lessons. He always had a tummy ache or something. The school were brilliant, though. When we were flying all over the world for Charlies treatment, they helped us raise the money and were great about giving him the time off. They were behind him the whole way. I see his best friend Toby, who raised the money. Hes lovely but has been a bit affected by it. We know how it feels to lose a son but not how it feels to lose a friend. Its a hard thing to understand at quite a young age. I think Charlie would be touched to see what his friends did. Hed probably be killing himself laughing at all his mates sitting on his bench. He was here for two years but was constantly flittering in and out. Thats why its great having something so permanent. Headteacher Rachel Cave said: It is lovely for us as a school to have a memorial for Charlie. The grass around the base of the bench is already worn away because so many students have been hanging around it. It is very near to the dining hall so those who knew Charlie, and even those he didnt, can remember him by having lunch on his bench. Brazil's VP sees "extraordinary future" in ties with China Xinhua) 14:23, May 24, 2022 BRASILIA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao on Monday called China the "main and most strategic trade partner" of Brazil as bilateral ties are "very good" and have an "extraordinary future." "I can affirm for the second time that Brazil and China converse regularly, fluidly and in a constructive spirit on the main issues of our bilateral agenda," Mourao said, following the 6th Plenary Meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN). "The 6th COSBAN Plenary Meeting showed the harmony between Brazil and China, and demonstrated the willingness of both sides to work together to overcome challenges, identify pending issues and improve our ties," Mourao said. China has been Brazil's main trade partner since 2009, with two-way trade growing every year, he noted. "We are certain that today China plays the role of the engine of the world economy," due to its production capacity and its market of 1.4 billion people, he said. Meanwhile, as the potential "granary of the world," the vice president said, Brazil is willing to become a reliable partner of China in addressing food safety. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) The Quin, a Hilton Club debuts following $50 million renovation and as urban tourism resumes ahead of summer travel season. Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE:HGV), the industry-leading global vacation ownership company, celebrates the grand opening of its flagship New York City property, The Quin, a Hilton Club, following a $50 million renovation. With its commanding location on "Billionaire's Row," at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 57th Street, The Quin defines modern opulence with 212 spacious suites, thoughtfully designed amenities and sweeping views of Central Park. The grand opening comes as HGV is seeing industry-leading occupancy rates across its New York City portfolio and officials anticipate more than 56 million tourists will visit the city this year. Following the $50 million, top to bottom renovation, the luxury resort features 212 studios and one- and two-bedroom spacious suites, a private owners' lounge, fitness center and restaurant. In addition, the newly expanded 18th and 19th floors include dramatic penthouse suites with outdoor terraces overlooking Central Park. Located steps from Carnegie Hall, the resort highlights New York's vibrant culture with interactive artist salons and a 15-foot video wall. HGV pioneered the urban timeshare concept in New York and now boasts one of the most extensive portfolios in the city. The company recently announced a new experiential events platform and membership offering. More than 4,000 events are planned for this year at HGV properties worldwide as part of the HGV Ultimate Access program. Events will include exclusive concerts with top artists including Lee Brice, Carly Pearce, Joey Fatone and Boyz II Men as well as chef dinners, meet-and-greets with celebrities and more. HGV's acquisition of Diamond Resorts in 2021 created the largest upper upscale and luxury timeshare operator with the broadest variety of global destinations in the vacation ownership industry. As the summer tourism season commences, HGV is elevating Diamond's leisure resorts across the country under a new Hilton Vacation Club brand. The first group of properties to rebrand are in popular vacation destinations, including: Orlando, Scottsdale, Williamsburg and Sedona. Hotel website Slated to Open End of 2022, Munich Marriott Hotel City West will Offer a New Standard for Conferences and Events in Germany. Marriott International, Inc. today announced plans for the new-build Munich Marriott Hotel City West. Located in Munich's lively Westend district, the hotel is expected to feature 402 guest rooms and suites and almost 5,000 square meters of public space, including a state-of-the art conference center designed to accommodate large-scale meetings and events. Destined to become one of the most sought-after conference hotels in Germany, planned facilities include 21 flexible meeting rooms, all equipped with the latest audio-visual technology, as well as a 1,000 square meter ballroom filled with natural daylight offering various configurations to suit all types of meetings and events. Offering the latest flexible event technology, the ballroom will feature hydraulic lifting platforms for high-profile product presentations while the brand's signature 'Greatroom' lobby will be a stylish hub, serving as a social gathering place for day and night. Guests can expect an open layout featuring contemporary decor with spaces to relax, collaborate with colleagues in innovative work facilities or grab a night cap and some delicious gastronomy, all delivered with the welcoming Bavarian hospitality. In addition, the hotel is expected to include a spectacular roof terrace with panoramic views over the city and the Bavarian Alps, perfect for outdoor events or post-meeting drinks. A landmark hotel for the city, the hotel's design plans call for a spacious and modern interior, created by Studio Lux Berlin, and inspired by the Bavarian lifestyle. Designed with smart, innovative technology for today's modern traveler, the hotel will offer tailored solutions for meetings and events that are as inventive as its guests. The Munich Marriott Hotel City West will be ideally located in the lively district of Westend, where historical sites, such as the Nymphenburg Castle, meet leading global technology companies and a wide range of restaurants, cafes, and bars. The main train station and the world-famous Theresienwiese are only a short distance away and the hotel will be well connected with the city's public transport system. The Munich Marriott Hotel City West is expected to complement Marriott Bonvoy's existing portfolio of almost 100 hotels in Germany across six extraordinary hotel brands. The Munich Marriott Hotel City West will be managed by Marriott International, and the property is owned by investment funds managed by EuroAtlantic Group. Hotel website Supporting its growth strategy, Choice Hotels EMEA today welcomed a new hotel to its portfolio, The Hardiman, Ascend Hotel Collection in Galway, Ireland, in collaboration with its master franchisee in Ireland, Choice Hotel Group, Ireland. Located in the heart of Galway City, The Hardiman, an Ascend Hotel Collection is a historic 105-bedroom hotel that first opened its doors in 1852 to cater to well-heeled Victorian travellers. The Hardiman, celebrating 170 years, has overlooked the famous Eyre Square since 1852 and for over a century and a half, has played host to many notable guests and special occasions. Its history is evident in its grand features and sumptuous furnishings that evoke memories of an era of elegance and romance. The hotel is at the heart of Galway's social scene and its unparalleled location sees it perfectly positioned within walking distance of the best amenities Galway has to offer. It is just a minute walk from both the train and bus stations and within walking distance of shopping areas, theatres, pubs and restaurants. It is also the ideal base to explore iconic tourist destinations including the Wild Atlantic Way, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, the Aran Islands and the wild beauty of Connemara. Choice Hotel Group, Ireland have a long-standing master franchise partnership with Choice Hotels. For more than 20 years in Ireland the group have been operating several Choice brands since 2000, including Clarion Hotels. Most recently their properties have become members of an Ascend Hotel Collection, when they opened the first European Ascend Hotel in Dublin just over 10 years ago. The group, led by CEO Andy O'Neill, continue to grow their Ascend Collection, with the addition of The Hardiman. This portfolio addition comes shortly after Choice Hotels EMEA announced it has commenced a refresh of its regional brand portfolio, starting with its Comfort brand. Alongside the refresh of its Comfort, Clarion and Quality brands, Sleep which is a popular Choice Hotels brand in other regions, will also be introduced to EMEA. The brand refresh follows analysis of research into post pandemic travel requirements in key markets and comes as Choice Hotels EMEA celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first hotel opening in Europe. About Choice Hotels EMEA Choice Hotels EMEA is represented under the Ascend Hotel Collection, Clarion, Quality and Comfort brands, in France, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Turkey. Choice Hotels International, Inc., the parent company of Choice Hotels EMEA, with more than 7,000 hotels representing over 600,000 rooms, in 35 countries and territories, is one of the largest hotel groups in the world (as of March 31, 2022). Hotel website W Milan - Duomo will bring the brand's magnetic energy and distinctive design to the heart of Milan's Fashion District. Situated in a prime location, W Milan - Duomo will be within walking distance of the city's cultural landmarks including Piazza del Duomo, Teatro alla Scala and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Milan's vibrant and iconic shopping street, Via Montenapoleone, is just a three-minute walk from the hotel. First built as a bank in the 1920s, W Milan - Duomo will blend Milan's classic grandeur with W's bold branding and innovative programming. Led by Milan-based architects Stefano Boeri Architetti and international design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel is expected to feature 166 guestrooms and 36 suites, including an Extreme WOW Suite. Design plans for the hotel's rooftop include the brand's signature WET deck, offering spectacular views of the Duomo di Milano. The vistas continue with plans for an exclusive rooftop bar, W Lounge, and a signature restaurant; all complete with outdoor terraces and positioned to offer panoramic views of the city and the perfect aperitivo. Inspiring workout spaces are expected to include a 380-square-metre AWAY Spa, complete with an indoor pool and FIT fitness centre. Guests will also have access to the W brand's iconic Whatever/Whenever service. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita today announces the appointment of Denis Espina as resort manager at the newly revitalized oceanfront resort, which revealed elements of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation this year. A true Four Seasons success story, Espina has spent more than two decades working in various roles for the brand's global portfolio and began his management career at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita overseeing the property's pool and beach experiences. Espina rejoins the resort family at an exciting time as it debuts three newly renovated beach homes, plunge pool suites with dramatic ocean views, a sleek mezcal bar, and a fully transformed adults-only pool just in time for summer. Espina started his Four Seasons journey as a restaurant server at Four Seasons Caracas, where he earned the coveted title of Employee of the Year in 2001. He then brought his charismatic service to Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas where he became a service trainee before stepping into a managerial role at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita. Espina spent over three years as the resort's Pool and Beach Assistant Manager, helping to make the property's most popular spaces a focal point for new and returning guests. After a successful tenure in Punta Mita, Espina returned to Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas as a department head, this time serving as the restaurant manager. Under his leadership, the resort's fine dining restaurant earned the AAA Four Diamond Award. This experience led Espina to ascending roles at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler in Canada, where he worked his way up to Director of Restaurants, before earning a promotion as Food and Beverage Division Head at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. After his time in Philadelphia, Espina accepted the role of Director of Food and Beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Most recently, Espina served as resort manager at the new Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, overseeing its 2019 grand opening and implementing the brand's Lead With Care program in the years that followed. A lifelong music enthusiast, Espina spends his free time playing the drums and attending concerts - he has seen Dave Matthews Band perform more than 30 times. He is also a certified Sommelier and an avid traveler, following his palate to diverse destinations to discover new wines. Espina returns to Punta Mita with his wife, Heather, his six-year-old daughter, Stella, and their two dogs, Cindy Loo Hoo and Duke. Punta Mita holds a special place in their personal story, as the couple married in Puerto Vallarta and spent the first night of their honeymoon at Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita. As Area General Manager, Brock Hochhalter will be responsible for the premium and luxury Marriott International hotels in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Hochhalter will additionally liaise with select Marriott International hotels and franchise partners in the market and serve a key player in the substantial growth and development occurring in the luxury and All-Inclusive segments within the Dominican Republic. Hochhalter will be based out of the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel & Casino, where he worked previously from 1998 through 1999. He covered these hotels as the Operations Partner for the Caribbean and All-Inclusive, in addition to having been on the opening team for the JW Marriott Santo Domingo in 2014 and Marriott Port-au-Prince in 2015. Hochhalter is a seasoned hospitality professional with 25 years of global leadership experience. Originally joining Marriott in 1996, he most recently served as Vice President of Operations for Caribbean and Latin America's (CALA) luxury portfolio. He led pre-opening efforts to ensure 'on-strategy' openings, post-opening stabilization and ongoing operations excellence. He has participated in or led 21 openings throughout his career, 20 of which were in CALA. As Senior Area Director of Operations for the Caribbean, Hochhalter provided operational leadership and was a champion of Brand Standards, Loyalty, and Guest Satisfaction. In this role, he also served as the managing director in Cuba, overseeing the operation of the Four Points Havana and the development of two additional hotels until Marriott ceased operations in the country in 2019. Prior to taking on this role in 2014, Hochhalter served as Hotel Manager of The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes where he led all operational efforts for the 582-room resort hotel in Central Florida. During this time, he served as Interim General Manager at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in 2013. Hochhalter earned his bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Wilmington, NC. He is a US Army veteran having served as a Cavalry Scout from 1990-1996. Derek Douglass Drew has been named as the area hotel manager for the soon to debut Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis and the neighboring Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis, bringing more than 22 years of progressive hospitality experience to the position. The appointment comes as Hyatt prepares to debut its new Caption by Hyatt brand with this opening on June 22nd. Derek's hospitality career began in Arizona, where after graduating from the University of Illinois, he moved and took on various assistant managerial positions at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. He then joined the Hyatt Regency Reston, where he was awarded Manager of the Quarter for two consecutive years while managing the newly renovated events and convention spaces. He moved on to become the property's assistant director of operations, earning the Manager of the Year award in 2018. In 2020, he headed to the west coast, where he demonstrated exemplary leadership while directing operations and leading the team through the pandemic at the 1,628-room Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego. In 2020, he also helped open the first North America-based Alila Hotels & Resorts property in Big Sur before returning to his roots at Virginia's Hyatt Regency Reston. As the new area hotel manager for the two properties, Derek will oversee daily operations to create seamless guest experiences. Tasked with leading the hospitality and operations teams, Derek will help in curating a purpose-driven and immersive community for the modern traveler. Montage Kapalua Bay has appointed Nicholas Kuhns as resort manager of the 24-acre cliffside resort. Bringing with him 21 years of hospitality experience at luxury hotels and resorts, Kuhns is responsible for day-to-day operations, including oversight of rooms, food and beverage, spa, and security, as well as directing and implementing the resort's service and management philosophy. Kuhns joined Montage Kapalua Bay from Hilton, where he spent over a decade in key leadership roles. Most recently, Kuhns was general manager of Embassy Suites Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, a flagship Hilton address in one of the city's most charming, historic neighborhoods. The property earned recognition under Kuhns' management, including the #2 ranked hotel in Seattle on TripAdvisor and the 2018 Hotel Opening of the Year from Hilton Worldwide. Other Hilton management positions included assistant general manager at Hilton Salt Lake City Center and Director of Food and Beverage in Clearwater, Florida. Kuhns food and beverage expertise includes director of restaurants at the Wit in downtown Chicago for two and a half years and restaurant general manager at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for four years in Las Vegas, Nevada. Born and raised in Orlando, Fla., Kuhns earned an Associate of Arts degree in business administration from Valencia Community College in Orlando and a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Fairmont Jaipur, a pioneer of showcasing immaculate guest experience in the past 10 years, has elevated Sukhpreet Singh Bath as the Rooms Division Manager. Sukhpreet will be responsible for handling the Front Office, Housekeeping, Fairmont Butler service, Ruhab Spa, ensuring an exceeding guest experience. Sukhpreet's' visionary focus and zeal to drive a comfortable and pleasant experiential stay at Fairmont Jaipur stands as an exemplary inspiration to his team. Sukhpreet joined Fairmont Jaipur in 2019 to spearhead operations as the Front Office manager. His role included supervision of all Front office personnel and make certain that guests' requests are heard in a time bound and efficient manner. In his career, Sukhpreet has worked at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Aerocity, Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts Gurgaon, Trident Gurgaon and the Hyatt Global Contact Center outsourced to Genpact LLC, giving him substantial knowledge within the luxury segment. Ted Turner Reserves, the groundbreaking conservation focused hospitality brand, has appointed destination resort and hospitality veteran Lindsay Curry as its Vice President of Sales and Marketing. She will lead a dynamic group of hospitality professionals to include sales, marketing, revenue, and reservations, for Ted Turner Reserves four distinctive properties in New Mexico: Vermejo in Raton, NM, Ladder in Caballo, NM, Armendaris in Engle, NM and Sierra Grande in Truth or Consequences, NM. Lindsay brings over 20 years of hospitality sales and marketing experience to Ted Turner Reserves, most recently serving as Vice President of Sales for Enchantment Group in Scottsdale, AZ. Prior to her 13-year tenure with Enchantment Group, Lindsay was involved in the sales success of numerous independent destination and lifestyle resorts in the western U.S., providing hands-on sales oversight and strategic leadership in all business segments. Lindsay is past President of the Southwest Chapter of Society of Incentive Travel Executives (SITE), and currently holds an Advisory Board position with University of California Irvine's Division of Continuing Education's Customer Experience Program. She is also an active volunteer, serving as the current Director of social media for the National Cervical Cancer Coalition's Southwest Regional Chapter, as well as working with the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group. Key Takeaways To date, Airbnb.org has helped provide temporary housing to more than 25,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine. Source: Airbnb Earlier this year Airbnb.org announced a commitment to offer free, temporary housing to up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine. Since then, Hosts on Airbnb and people around the world have offered their support by opening their homes and donating to Airbnb.org. In less than three months, Airbnb.org has helped connect more than 25,000 people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine to free places to stay. The power of partnership Last week, Airbnb.org announced it is working with UkraineFriends.org an organization that provides direct humanitarian support to Ukrainian civilians to evacuate and house evacuees fleeing Ukraine. Through its collaboration with Airbnb.org, UkraineFriends.org has connected more than 10,000 individuals with housing vouchers, with plans to help thousands more. This builds on Airbnb.orgs work with a number of other organizations worldwide, including collaborations with Global Empowerment Mission, Planting Peace, EUROSID-Rare Disease Europe, Refugees Welcome Italia, Bienvenida, a project of the NGO PxP Embassy e.V, and Rescate, Red Acoge and Diaconia Madrid. Airbnb.org also continues to support the International Organization for Migration, HIAS, Nova Ukraine and Save the Children Sweden to connect people fleeing from Ukraine to free, short-term housing across Europe. Working with governments Airbnb.org is also coordinating directly with government stakeholders in various countries for this response, including the US federal government. As part of its support for Airbnb.orgs commitment, Airbnb joined the US Global Leadership Coalition for a private sector roundtable with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The discussion focused on ways the private sector is providing humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people, and the potential public-private partnerships to address a range of global challenges. Source: US Global Leadership Coalition Alinas story Airbnb.org partner, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), recently shared the story of Alina who fled Odessa together with her sister, brother-in-law, and niece. She found her way to Romania where she soon was running out of money with no place to stay. She searched online for free housing for people fleeing the war and came across Airbnb.org. IOM worked with Alina to find a place that matched her needs and helped connect her to Airbnb.org Hosts Nikoleta and Andrei. Just like countless other Romanians who have mobilized to support their neighbors, Nikoleta and Andrei were eager to help. In addition to providing a temporary place to stay, they have helped their guests book doctor appointments and bought them groceries. Alina is enjoying her time in Romania while she waits for a visa to Canada and says she will forever be grateful for the kindness of IOM staff and the people who have hosted her along the way. Airbnb.org is grateful to the more than 48,000 people who have signed up to offer their homes to refugees around the world and the 83,600 individual donors across 95 countries who have helped raise $8.2 million in small-donor, direct donations to Airbnb.org. Airbnb and Airbnb.org will continue to leverage a decade of experience in housing displaced people and partnerships with humanitarian organizations around the world to identify where to best serve people in need. About UkraineFriends.org UkraineFriends.org maintains established partnerships with Operation White Stork, KOACORE, WeShield, Chabad, Jesuit University, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and Friends of Rockaway, among others, and was established as a collective humanitarian response to the invasion of Ukraine. Leveraging the expertise and extensive networks of the groups founders, the organization is a collective of people from varied backgrounds who have chosen to stand together to ensure the rapid response of humanitarian aid to many of the most vulnerable people of this country. About IOM Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. IOM is part of the United Nations system, as a related organization. The organization works in emergency situations, developing the resilience of all people on the move, and particularly those in situations of vulnerability, as well as building capacity within governments to manage all forms and impacts of mobility. About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and one-of-a-kind activities that make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way. Providing hosted travel and the ability to live anywhere on a global scale, Airbnb has become a noun and a verb and most traffic to our platform remains organic. We will continue to invest in innovations that expand the travel market and lead the way in turning travel into a way of life. About Airbnb.org Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc."s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org"s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform. Airbnb Press Airbnb Press Office Airbnb COVINGTON, Ky. - Commonwealth Hotels announced today the acquisition of Hotel Indigo Atlanta Vinings by Baraka Capital Management. The Indigo, an IHG hotel, is the first Indigo for Commonwealth Hotels in the state of Georgia. Located at 2857 Paces Ferry just 20 minutes from Downtown Atlanta. We are delighted to be working with Blessed Hospitality and Baraka Capital Management, said Jennifer Porter, chief operations officer for Commonwealth Hotels. It is because of partnerships like these that our managed portfolio continues to expand in diverse regions and markets across the US. Commonwealth Hotels and Baraka Capital Management plan to continue partnering on future hotel acquisitions and management. We are very excited to acquire Hotel Indigo Vinings said Rahim Asani, Cofounder and Chairman for Baraka Group of Companies. The location and history of Vinings make this asset unique. With Barakas experience in real estate development and Commonwealths experiences in hotel management, we are looking forward to maximizing the potential of this hotel. Hotel Indigo Vinings is a unique upscale boutique-style hotel with unexpected touches that reflect the distinct charm and character of the historic-Vinings neighborhood. From the artwork on the walls to the modern furniture and decor, guests are welcomed with a refreshing and inviting experience. With convenient access to I-285, I-75, and US 41 the hotel is near top attractions, including Truist Ballpark- home of the Atlanta Braves, the Georgia Aquarium, Six Flags, and the Mercedes Benz Stadium- home of the Atlanta Falcons. Business travelers will benefit from the close proximity of the hotel to many nearby companies including Home Depot HQ, Nissan, Sanvik, Lockheed Martin, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, IBM, and the Cobb Galleria Centre. Guests at Commonwealth-managed hotels can expect best-in-class service, said Bobby Clark, general manager. We look forward to providing that quality and level of service to the Atlanta Vinings community. Guestrooms feature plush bedding, spa-inspired bathrooms, hard surface flooring, and complimentary wireless internet. Flexible event space is available with full-service catering for meetings, weddings, and special events. The hotel also has an onsite restaurant- The Public House restaurant featuring locally sourced culinary inspirations. For more information and to book your stay, please visit Hotel Indigo Atlanta Vinings. About Baraka Group Baraka Group with its multiple companies is engaged in real estate and other investments, acquisitions, development, ownership, operation, financing sales, and management. Baraka has extensive background and experience in both ground-up and value add real estate projects. In the last decade, Baraka Group has grown from a small startup up to having over $60 million in assets. Additional information, contact us [email protected] About Commonwealth Hotels, LLC Commonwealth Hotels, LLC was founded in 1986 and is a proven partner in providing hotel management services with superior financial results. The company has extensive experience managing premium branded full service and select service hotels. Commonwealth Hotels currently manages 61 properties with nearly 7,600 rooms. Additional information may be found at www.commonwealthhotels.com. Barbara E. Willen Commonwealth Hotels, LLC Chevy Chase, Md. - Modus Hotels by PM Hotel Group, the award-winning lifestyle division of PM Hotel Group, has been selected to manage the Normandy Hotel. Located in Washington, D.C.s sophisticated Kalorama neighborhood, the hotel is situated in an architecturally wondrous area, home to international embassies, diverse dining, and tree-lined streets. This latest addition further expands Modus Mid-Atlantic portfolio of boutique lifestyle properties. We are delighted to welcome the Normandy Hotel into our portfolio and provide guests with a unique upscale travel experience in a luxe neighborhood that blends the best of residential charm with a sophisticated sense of community, Adam Gollance, CEO of Modus Hotels by PM Hotel Group. We look forward to weaving our people-first culture and passion for experiential hospitality into this unique hotel. The Normandy features 75 chic and intimately appointed rooms that mix elegance with contemporary style and modern amenities. In the coming months under Modus management, the propertys street level patio will be activated and new programming including an evening wine hour ritual will launch. ABOUT PM HOTEL GROUP A Top-15 hotel management company, PM Hotel Group has over two decades of experience building relationships with brands, partners, and third-party hotel owners. We have participated in the development and acquisition of more than $3 billion in premium-branded and independent hotel properties across the United States. As an operator, PM Hotel Group is committed to its core values of respect- for one another, our guests, and the planet. We manage with a dedication to sustainability, a tradition of teamwork and a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. At PM Hotel Group we know that our people are our greatest resource. By focusing on our associates and the communities in which we work, we deliver strong performance for our owners. Learn more at pmhotelgroup.com About Modus by PM Hotel Group Modus Hotels is a Washington, D.C. lifestyle hotel group that develops and operates a portfolio of hotels and restaurants in various cities. Designed for the independent-minded traveler, each hotel offers a unique experience for those seeking an alternative to the predictability of an ordinary hotel. Located in diverse cities and neighborhoods, Modus Hotels are designed to fit today's traveler's individual taste and lifestyle. Modus' portfolio includes Motto DC, Hotel Hive, The River Inn, One Washington Circle Hotel (all in D.C.) and The Windsor Suites Philadelphia and Motto Philly in Philadelphia. In addition, Modus has two projects under development, Maison Kesh in Washington DC, and the Hyatt House Orlando Hotel. Learn more at www.modushotels.com. We recently shared the top traveler trends during the first quarter of the year in our latest Travel Trend Report, as well as the top trends for travelers in North America (NORAM), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Latin America (LATAM). In this post, we take a close look at the key takeaways for Asia Pacific (APAC) travelers based on our Expedia Group data and research from Q1 2022. 1. APAC travelers remained cautiously optimistic In the past few months, several countries in the APAC region have eased or even lifted travel restrictions for incoming visitors. While not all countries have reopened, our Expedia Group first-party data shows that travelers there are eager to venture out now that the public perception of the pandemic has shifted, with many positive signs that travel is returning in the region, slowly and steadily. First, search volumes remained consistent overall. Like other regions, APAC did experience some dips in the first few weeks of the yearno doubt in part because of the Omicron variantbut week-over-week global search volumes leveled off. Looking at prior-year data, we saw even more promising signs, with a lift of 30% year-over-year. Reviewing search windows, we see that shorter search window share in APAC remained relatively stable from Q4, though there was a slight increase in domestic searches for the 180+ day window a signal that travel shoppers in the region are growing a bit more confident booking further out. 2. Working adults plan to take more time off The optimism is also apparent when drilling down into international search windows: All four regions experienced strong quarter-over-quarter growth in the 91- to 180day international search window, but APAC saw the second-largest surge (behind EMEA), with 40% growth. Returning to search volume data, we see that APAC had a 20% lift week-over-week in international searches during the weeks of February 7 and March 14. Perhaps this was the result of announcements from several Southeast Asian countries that borders would be reopen to foreigners in the spring. Indeed, Thailand relaunched its quarantine-free travel scheme in early February, while both Malaysia and Vietnam announced quarantine-free entry plans in mid-March. Another positive sign is that, as a whole, APAC travelers plan to take more time off in 2022 compared to last year. In fact, travelers in APAC plan to take more vacation days than any other region, with Taiwan topping the list at 36 days in 2022 (up from 34 in 2021) well above the global average of 21 days. This is positive news for the leisure travel industry, and an opportunity for travel marketers to promote extended travel to an eager and engaged audience. Source: Expedia Group Media Solutions 3. APAC travelers plan to venture farther away Major cities within the region, such as Tokyo, Seoul, and Sydney, all remained popular with APAC travelers in Q1. Looking farther away, however, we see cities elsewhere increasing in popularity. In fact, Honolulu and Londonboth outside APACmoved up in rankingsfrom the 9th and 10th spots to the 7th and 6th spots, respectively. This suggests APAC travelers are growing more confident booking long-haul travel. Source: Expedia Group Media Solutions 4. Sustainable tourism is increasingly important to APAC travelers As weve seen in other regions, APAC travelers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious in their travel decisions. But the challenge is providing information about sustainable tourismand the impacts of their choicesto travel shoppers. Of consumers surveyed in Australia, China, India, and Japan for our recent Sustainable Travel Study, 84% said they wish to see more information online about how to be a more sustainable traveler. If sustainable options were more readily accessible, 99% of APAC consumers said they would be willing to pay more for their travel. In fact, 46% said they would even be willing to spend more than 50% more on travel to ensure it was more sustainable. This is more than any other region surveyed. As broad consumer interest in sustainable travel grows, our partners have an opportunity to highlight the actions theyre taking to meet this demand. Our team had the opportunity to present all of these findings in person during our Sydney Insights Summit this past week. Michael Brennan at the Sydney Insights Summit Photo by Expedia Group Media Solutions For those who were not able to join us this past week, register for our upcoming virtual Insights Summit on June 23. Or to find out more about the trends covered here on a global scale, download the full Q1 2022 Travel Trend Report, based on 70 petabytes of first-party Expedia Group data and custom research. Download the Report. About Expedia Group Media Solutions Expedia Group Media Solutions, the advertising organization of Expedia Group, offers industry expertise and digital marketing solutions that allow brands to reach, engage and influence its qualified audience of travelers around the world. Through its vast network of leading travel brands and global points of sale, Expedia Group Media Solutions provides marketing partners with proprietary data-driven insights about traveler behaviors during every stage of the purchase journey, along with dynamic advertising solutions, to deliver strategic campaigns and measurable results. For more information, visit www.advertising.expedia.com. 2022 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. CST: 2029030-50 View source Lisa Krantz, staff / San Antonio Express-News More than a year ago, Jolene Guerra, a single mother of three toddlers, developed a link to help moms struggling to find baby formula. Guerras free app is Breastaurant, an option now available to worried mothers and parents in need of baby formula amid shortages across the nation. The breast milk bank offers a site where people can buy and donate milk. Users can enter specifics, filters and desired type of breast milk that can be used as a substitute for formula. Downtown Houston's economy is the midst of a paradigm shift. More than two years after lockdowns turned downtown into an apocalyptic landscape of darkened towers and deserted streets, downtown Houston is coming back to life. While it hasnt completely recovered yet, people are once again crowding into Astros games, catching concerts at Jones Hall, cruising through Discovery Green Park and converging at large events and conferences. Their return has boosted sales for hotels, venues and some restaurants. But as discussed in a recent article, theres a critical element missing: the 168,600 office workers that used to flow into the central business district every weekday. With hybrid work here to stay, the downtown economy is undergoing a fundamental shift. "When people are choosing to go out ... the way they did pre pandemic, they're coming back downtown, in numbers that are comparable to what we saw before the pandemic, but the advent of hybrid work schedules and where people are choosing to work that continues to evolve," said Kris Larson, CEO and president of Central Houston and its affiliate Downtown District. Larson, who took the helm at Central Houston in October 2021, is considered the new Bob Eury of economic development downtown. Having come most recently from economic development in Hollywood with stints in Raleigh and Grand Rapids, Larson has a unique perspective on what it takes to build a thriving mixed-use urban district. In this Looped In podcast, co-hosts Marissa Luck and R.A. Schuetz sit down with Kris Larson and Angie Bertinot of Central Houston, a nonprofit focused on economic development in downtown, to discuss where the downtown is going post pandemic. Below are related articles about changes in downtown Houston: In downtown Houston, a recovery is underway, but where are the full-time office workers? Houstonians are out to play, fueling a revival for venues, hotels downtown Trebly Park: Bringing greenspace to downtown Houston First look at plans to build a 43-story residential tower by Discovery Green Prominent developer is breaking ground on carbon emissions in downtown Houston Central Houston names new leader as Bob Eury readies to retire This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A planned Katy bridge project could threaten the endangered species that live nearby, but steps are already being taken to keep the imperiled animals safe. City council unanimously approved a nearly $8,000 environmental contract Monday to assess the impact a bridge replacement project could have on local wildlife. The project consists of replacing the Tenth Street bridge at Cane Island Branch and adding a detention basin to mitigate flooding in the area. Nearly 60 threatened or endangered species live in Katy, according to TPWD, and many may reside in the wetlands near the intersection of Pitts Road and Morton Road, where the 15-acre basin would be built. Animals like the Texas horned lizard, Louisiana black bear and even bald eagles are indigenous to Katy and classified as threatened or endangered, TPWD data shows. To ensure none of these species will be jeopardized by the project, city council has hired Cypress Environmental Consulting LLC to determine the environmental impact to the area. Cypress Environmental Consulting is a small, woman-owned business that specializes with environmental services like planning, permitting and monitoring. In essence, biologists, scientists, anthropologists, geologists and wetland specialists will evaluate the area for protected species and then report their findings so that engineers with the city and construction companies can plan accordingly, explained Melissa Fontenot, president of Cypress Environmental Consulting. If a design can be adjusted in a way to minimize impacts to wetlands or to avoid known cultural resources sites, that's always an important step in the design of the project, she said. If there are unavoidable impacts, the city will have to appeal to state or federal environmental entities, depending on whether the species is protected under state or federal guidelines. In this case, since theres already an existing bridge in place, its unlikely that local wildlife will be adversely affected by the repairs. Still, she noted, theres a chance that the construction itself will disrupt a delicate ecosystem. In Harris County, there are certain freshwater mussel species that could be present in perennial or intermittent stream systems, Fontenot explained. So we look actually within the stream itself as well to see if there are any freshwater mussels that occur in that particular location that construction could harm. Fontenot noted that her firm assesses more than just environmental data. Consultants also heavily weigh public input on the project Because of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, any public infrastructure improvements funded by federal money must be subject to public engagement, she said. By law, residents with an opinion on the project can speak up and express their opinions at public meetings, and that feedback will be included in the environmental report. With any city project, the city must hear input from stakeholders, or residents in this case, Fontenot said. So if you have any opinions on these wetlands, these species or this project, speak up in city council meetings. Well include what you have to say in our report. FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) A former Florida state prison guard has been sentenced two years and six months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to smuggle drugs into a facility. Leslie Samuel Spencer, 49, of Port Charlotte, was sentenced Friday in Fort Myers federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty last September to attempted distribution of methamphetamine and MDMA. DETROIT (AP) A class action lawsuit is accusing three automakers and a parts manufacturer of knowingly selling vehicles containing air bag inflators that are at risk of exploding. Two deaths and at least four injuries have been linked to such explosions. The federal lawsuit, filed Tuesday in San Francisco, names ARC Automotive Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee, which made the inflators and sold them to air bag manufacturers. The air bag makers, in turn, sold them to General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen, which are named in the lawsuit, too. The five plaintiffs are the owners of vehicles with ARC inflators who contend the defective air bag parts were not disclosed when they made their purchases. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has been investigating ARC inflators for nearly seven years without a resolution, estimates that there are 51 million on U.S. roads. That's somewhere between 10% and 20% of all passenger vehicles. Yet most drivers have no conclusive way to determine whether their vehicle contains an ARC inflator. Even if they were to tear apart the steering wheel assembly, the internal parts might bear the markings only of the automaker or the air bag manufacturer, not the inflator maker. You could have a ticking time bomb in your lap and youve got no way of knowing, said Frank Melton, a Florida lawyer who is among those filing the new lawsuit. One of the deaths was a mother of 10 who was killed in what appeared to be an otherwise minor crash in Michigans Upper Peninsula last summer. Police reports show that a metal inflator fragment hit her neck in a crash involving a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse SUV. In a statement Tuesday, GM said it hadnt had a chance to review the lawsuit. It said it is dedicated to the safety of its products and customers and is cooperating with NHTSA in its investigation. Messages were left seeking comment from ARC and Ford. Volkswagen declined comment. The plaintiffs allege that ARCs inflators use ammonium nitrate as a secondary propellant to inflate the air bags. The propellant is pressed into tablets that can expand and develop microscopic holes if exposed to moisture. Degraded tablets have a larger surface area, causing them to burn too fast and ignite too big of an explosion, according to the lawsuit. The explosion can blow apart a metal canister housing the chemical, sending metal shards into the cabin. Ammonium nitrate, used in fertilizer and as a cheap explosive, is so dangerous that it can burn too fast even without moisture present, the lawsuit says. The plaintiffs allege that ARC inflators have blown apart seven times on U.S. roads and two other times in testing by ARC. There have so far been five limited recalls of the inflators that totaled about 5,000 vehicles, including three recalls by GM. Auto safety advocates say the case seems to mirror the Takata air bag saga that began in the early 2000s, which also involved exploding air bag inflators and resulted in 28 deaths worldwide, hundreds of injuries and the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. So far NHTSA has gathered information but hasnt forced any wider recalls from its investigation that began in July of 2015. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies Inc., which conducts research for lawyers that sue automakers as well as for other groups, noted that just as in the early stages of the Takata ordeal, many ARC ammonium nitrate inflators remain in use. Its almost like Groundhog Day here, said Kane, who asserts that NHTSA should have acted already. Its not a question of whether it can kill or injure people. It already has. ARC, the lawsuit alleges, knew about the danger of ammonium nitrate in patent applications it filed in 1995 and 1998. In 2019, after several ARC inflators blew apart, ARC acknowledged that its use was not acceptable for automotive air bags, according to the lawsuit. The suit asserts that General Motors, which began recalling Takata ammonium nitrate inflators in 2013, should have known that ARCs inflators were also unstable. GM recalled only a small number of vehicles that contained a particular lot of inflators, despite its knowledge that ARC driver- and passenger-side inflators in various models and model years from 2002 through at least 2015 also had experienced ruptures, the lawsuit said. In its statement Tuesday, GM said it makes recall decisions based on data and facts. It declined to comment further. The lawsuit alleges that ARCs inflators are marred by a systemic problem rather than just a limited manufacturing defect. In 2014, an ARC inflator in a 2004 Kia Optima blew apart in a crash in New Mexico, injuring the driver. Two years later, the driver of a car made by Kias sister automaker Hyundai was killed in Canada when an ARC inflator exploded in a crash. The lawsuit also names Volkswagen and Ford as defendants, alleging that they represented the air bag inflators as safe while knowing they were dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating ARC inflators in 2015 after an Ohio woman was injured when an inflator exploded in a Chrysler minivan. At the time the agency estimated that there were 490,000 ARC inflators on the nations roads. The review was elevated to an engineering analysis a step closer to a product recall in 2016 after the death in Canada. Though a seven-year investigation is longer than most NHTSA reviews, inflators are particularly complex, said David Friedman, a former NHTSA acting administrator who is now a vice president at Consumer Reports. Automakers appear to be balking at recalls for cost reasons, Friedman said. And NHTSA, he suggested, needs a slam dunk case before seeking recalls because of threats and lawsuits that automakers have filed in the past. Thats one of the things thats broken in the system, he said. Friedman described NHTSA as a chronically underfunded agency that has had to prioritize safety issues after four years of the Trump administration, which demanded far less federal regulation. The fact that its stretched on seven years, the companies should have blinked, or NHTSA should have made them, or if they truly dont have a case, then say so, Friedman said. A NHTSA official who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely about an ongoing inquiry, said the investigation has persisted because of the complexity of air bag inflators and because ARCs design is different from Takatas. We want to make sure what we do is thorough. he said. He noted that NHTSAs investigation of ARC has had to examine issues different from the Takata case. Ammonium nitrate in Takatas inflators, for example, would deteriorate when airborne moisture entered the canister. But ARC pressurizes its inflator canisters to keep moisture out. Its not similar to Takata, the official said. Whether the ammonium nitrate tablets can deteriorate without moisture is still being investigated, he said. The agency, he said, has retrieved ARC inflators from vehicles to learn how they work. It also has gathered production and other data from ARC and automakers and issued an order making automakers report any problems with ARC inflators. He noted that several years went by without any incidents, before there were three in the past two years and that each of those cases is informing the investigation. WELLS, Maine (AP) A Maine man who fatally shot his toddler niece did so after getting into a fight with the child's father over a shirt, police said. The girl, Octavia Huber-Young, died Saturday after the shooting in Wells. Police said the 19-year-old who shot Octavia got into a fight with his brother over the shirt, the Portland Press Herald reported. BOISE, Idaho (AP) U.S. officials have released an environmental study for a proposed nuclear test reactor to be built in eastern Idaho that backers say is needed to revamp the nations fading nuclear power industry by developing safer fuel and power plants. The U.S. Department of Energy earlier this month released the environmental impact statement for the Versatile Test Reactor that would be the first new test reactor built in the U.S. in decades. Scientists have said it could help lead to new nuclear reactors and reduce the use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming. The environmental impact statement noted that the reactor would produce spent nuclear fuel beyond 2035, going past a deadline the Energy Department has with Idaho concerning spent nuclear fuel at the site. The document states that the Energy Department would explore possible approaches with Idaho regarding that issue. The document also said that new structures would cover about 25 acres (10 hectares) and produce spent fuel that would be treated and packaged at the site and placed on a spent fuel pad pending shipment off the site. Energy Department officials have praised the project. VTR will provide U.S. researchers from industry, academia, and our national laboratories with a critical tool for developing transformational technologies that will expand nuclear energys contribution to abundant, carbon-free energy, Kathryn Huff, assistant secretary for the Energy Department's Office of Nuclear Energy, said in a statement. She added: VTRs contribution to the fight against climate change begins with our commitment to designing, constructing, and operating the VTR in a way that protects the environment and nearby communities. Federal officials have said the proposed test reactor would help create new and safer fuels, materials and reactors being developed by civilian companies in the U.S. About 20% of the nation's energy comes from about 100 nuclear power plants. The reactor would give the nation a dedicated fast-neutron-spectrum testing capability. Such reactors are called fast reactors. The advantage of such a test reactor, scientists say, is that fast neutrons have a higher energy level and speed the testing of materials, fuels and instruments needed in a new wave of planned commercial nuclear reactors. The disadvantage of such reactors, other scientists have said, is that they are cooled with harder to control liquid sodium and fueled by plutonium, increasing potential nuclear terrorism risks because plutonium can be used to make nuclear weapons. Critics also say they produce waste even more hazardous and difficult to dispose of than conventional reactors. U.S. officials have said Russia, China and India already have such test reactors. Plans call for building the reactor at the Energy Departments 890-square-mile (2,300-square-kilometer) site that includes the Idaho National Laboratory by the end of 2026. Construction of the proposed reactor depends on funding from Congress. Scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory earlier this year completed a rare overhaul of the Energy Department's Advanced Test Reactor, one of the worlds most powerful nuclear test reactors. And in 2018, the Energy Department restarted the Transient Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory to test new nuclear fuels. That facility had been on standby since 1994. A man was fatally shot Monday night at a west Houston homeless encampment, according to police. Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 9:33 p.m at Fondren Road and Westpark Drive but initially did not find anyone there, the Houston Police Department said. A short time later, Houston firefighters found a man dead from a single gunshot wound at a homeless encampment on the 8900 block of Glenmont Drive, a block south of the site police searched, according to authorities. More on HoustonChronicle.com: What to know for today's runoff election in Houston Homicide investigators were at the scene late Monday reviewing local video surveillance footage, HPD added. There is currently no suspect and no weapon has been found at the scene. No other information is available at this time. Joel.Umanzor@chron.com OnScene.Tv A Houston police cruiser was involved in a collision early Tuesday while responding to a burglary report, according to police. The officers collided with a vehicle about 1:16 a.m. at Emancipation Avenue and Jefferson Street while en route to a burglary, police said. No injuries were reported. Ten protesters announced a federal lawsuit against Houston and former police chief Art Acevedo on Tuesday, two years after George Floyds murder by Minneapolis police, for being falsely arrested during the 2020 protests against police brutality and institutional racism. Among the plaintiffs, represented by civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen, is Janie Torres. She is the sister of Joe Campos Torres, a 23-year-old Latino Vietnam War veteran who was murdered by six Houston police officers in 1977 and dumped in Buffalo Bayou. Torres was jailed for two days after being kettled corralled into an enclosed area with other protesters on May 29, 2020, on Milam in downtown, according to the lawsuit. After she was released, she lived out of her car for more than two weeks due to her fears of COVID-19 because of pandemic conditions at the time and the kettling and enclosed spaces of the jail and the Houston police gymnasium and lack of proper masking requirements, the lawsuit states. I went out that day to support George Floyd and all the other cases in the past ... and future as well, Torres said. People dont remember the family members that are left behind grieving, such as myself, after so many decades nobody goes to see how theyre doing ... and this is why we do these things. The lawsuit, filed Friday in the United States District Court of the Southern Division of Texas, alleges that Houston police officers infringed on plaintiffs right to protest by shooting rubber bullets at them, kettling them and arresting them along with hundreds of others on bogus charges of obstructing a roadway, if they were charged with anything at all. It also alleges that the protesters who were arrested will be discouraged from exercising their constitutional right to assembly in the future, for fear of reliving their trauma and risking legal retaliation. The charges against Torres and other plaintiffs accused of obstructing a roadway were eventually dismissed. While the Citys top executive officer Mayor Sylvester Turner embraced Janie Torres ... Turners officers stomped on Janie and hundreds of others rights to peacefully protest the same type of police misconduct in the same downtown where Jose Campos Torres breathed his last (breath), the lawsuit states. In another instance, 27-year-old Victoria Garcia, who was in a wheelchair, was kettled and tear gassed while protesting on March 30 in downtown, according to the lawsuit. Police allegedly took her and her husbands masks, placed zip ties around their wrists and lifted Garcia out of her chair, rupturing her Achilles tendon and causing her a $1,200 emergency room visit. Nicholas Nabors, 33, was acting as a citizen medic on June 2, 2020, when he was arrested, stripped of his face mask and jailed for about a day, the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit also states that Nabors saw former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo at the protest directing officers to arrest citizens. We were marching with Acevedo one minute and then getting arrested by him the next while were looking for our cars, and as a citizen, thats not the city I pictured or wanted, Nabors said. Acevedo, whom the lawsuit alleges was the architect of the police response, said he had not been made aware of the lawsuit but that he was proud of the men and women of the Houston Police Department and of the community. I dont know what the contents and allegations are, but I can say that Houston was the envy of the country in terms of how well we fared and how well the police and the community worked together to balance First Amendment rights and public safety, Acevedo said. The Houston Police Department deferred comment to the city of Houston, which said it had not had an opportunity to review the suit. The city has not had an opportunity to review the lawsuit. Now that the plaintiffs have filed the petition, it will work its way through the court system, said Mary Benton, spokeswoman for Mayor Sylvester Turner. The lawsuit requests a trial by jury and an unspecified amount of damages. The announcement comes on the same day that President Joe Biden announced he would be issuing an order directing all federal police agencies to revise their use-of-force policies and create a national database of officers fired for misconduct. sam.kelly@chron.com Houston Police Department Officer Shane Privette had not finished shouting a command for 29-year-old Jalen Randle to show his hands when he fired one gunshot. The narcotics officer, accused years prior of on-duty misconduct, can be heard in body-worn camera footage instantly reacting to the gunshot which struck Randle in the neck and killed him as he fled an April 27 traffic stop with a backpack. Oh shit, Privette said. Randle collapsed to the ground, dropping the bag and a shoe as he was shot. Body-worn footage shared Tuesday showed an officer examining the bag, which appeared to be zipped shut. That same officer opened the bag minutes later and noted to a sergeant that there was a handgun inside. The weapon did not appear to be visible as Privette opened fire. Privette was part of a tactical team with the Houston Police Department that had been searching for Randle since that morning to apprehend him on the following charges: aggravated assault of a family member and evading arrest both felonies. The tactical team spotted Randle get into the passenger seat of an SUV and followed that vehicle until the 32-year-old driver, Elvin Robertson, made an alleged traffic violation. An officer tried pulling Robertson over but he refused to stop for about half a mile, until the 8700 block of Josie Street where the officer pinned his vehicle with the so-called PIT maneuver. Robertson was charged with a misdemeanor evading charge and is scheduled in July to return to court. Robertsons attorney, Sam Milledge II, said Randle and his client were friends. Robertson did not know that authorities had been seeking Randle and when police tried pulling him over he flipped on his hazard lights and intended to drive to a nearby relatives house for safety, the lawyer said. My client had made the decision, Im not about to run Im going to get somewhere safe where there can be witnesses, Milledge II said. Executive Chief Matt Slinkard said after the shooting that Randle got out of the car with a bag in his hand and that an officer opened fire. No explanation was provided then for why Privette fired his weapon and officials pointed to the original statement Tuesday when asked. Police slowed a portion of Privettes video to show that Randle appeared to face the officer as he fired the weapon. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Randles family, said earlier in May that Randle was running away from police with no visible weapon as he was shot. The shooting in the Pleasantville area prompted Randles family to seek an independent autopsy, which Crump contends showed that he was shot in the back of the neck. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined Randle died of a gunshot wound to the neck, without specifying where the fatal round entered. Following the release of the body-worn footage, Crump tweeted that Randle had NO time to comply. A compilation of body-worn footage from multiple officers shows that Randle collapsed barefoot with his face to the ground. His sandal could be seen on the sidewalk nearby. An officer asked if Randle had a gun and there was no apparent answer. The officer handcuffed Randle, as he remained motionless. Privette dragged him over to the sidewalk, revealing a patch of blood on the grass and sidewalk, and called for paramedics to be brought in. Privette asked, Where is he hit? In the neck or something, another responds. As of Tuesday, nearly a month following the shooting, Privette remains on administrative duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation. A grand jury indicted Privette in June 2019 with aggravated assault for injuries he inflicted on a man during a 2017 undercover drug operation. A second grand jury absolved him of wrongdoing three months later because of new, but unspecified evidence, officials then said. The dismissed charge was expunged from the Harris County District Clerks Website, said Aaron Suder, a Houston Police Officers Union lawyer who represented Privette in that case. Then-police Chief Art Acevedo said an internal probe cleared Privette of the excessive force allegation. Houston police, also on Tuesday, released video from a May 4 shooting in which an officer was shot near Interstate 45 during a narcotics investigation. The man charged in the shooting, Jimmy Bryan, 23, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant. nicole.hensley@chron.com Changes at Texas A&M Universitys libraries department this spring led 28 librarians to lose their tenure or tenure-track status, outraging some faculty and raising questions about the administrations intent. The reorganization of A&Ms University Libraries became one of the most heavily contested pieces of a wider structural overhaul at the College Station flagship campus particularly as the changes coincided with Texas legislators attacks on faculty tenure and politicians attempts across the country to control the books and resources that librarians carry. And it is one of many decisions that leaders at the traditionally conservative university made this past year which some students, faculty and staff contend were regressive and unaligned with their desires. Aggie administrators have denied accusations of censorship. President M. Katherine Banks told a working group that the shuffling of personnel was intended to make the libraries a place exclusively for servicing students and faculty, not for conducting librarians own research, said Julie Mosbo Ballestro, interim dean of University Libraries. Texas A&M University officials met with members of the libraries several times between January and April, according to Kelly Brown, associate vice president in the division of marketing and communications. Our libraries need to evolve with the needs, technology and advancements being realized at other top universities, Brown said Monday. This effort is meant to streamline and merge the libraries to update and simplify operations, while creating a new academic resource program that is in keeping with best practices across the United States. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas A&M students, donors are fighting over the universitys soul. One conflict? A campus drag show. Several librarians said the administration only explained its reasoning recently, after months of them worrying and asking for clarification. And certain promises werent entirely fulfilled, they said. Sierra Laddusaw, a tenure-track librarian, said she decided to leave A&M for another librarianship. She noted that many people in academia are beginning to support the A&M librarians who opposed the changes, but she said it is coming too late. It felt like it was an entire uphill battle, she said. Now that people have really, finally started to pay attention Its already over. Yall didnt pay attention when we were sounding our death knell. The changes stemmed from the wider attempt to alter the universitys structure, prompted by an October report assessing the schools organizational efficiency. Administrators received feedback on the study, issued by MGT Consulting, and President M. Katherine Banks in December released her own report called The Path Forward, announcing what recommendations she would heed and which she would modify or nix. MGT suggested the university fold the libraries into a newly formed College of Arts and Sciences, which Banks did not follow. She said she planned to make University Libraries a service unit, keeping it as a separate entity but stripping it as a tenure home for faculty. Tenured and tenure-track faculty would be accommodated in a new departmental home with a full-time appointment in the University Libraries, or they would remain in the libraries and convert to a staff status, she said in her report. While some people did find new departmental homes and some stayed in the libraries as staff, the end result was still slightly different than first announced. People who wanted to maintain their faculty status had to find new departments to go to, and be accepted by them, said Julie Mosbo Ballestro, interim dean of University Libraries. People with established relationships in other departments had an easier time, and some faculty were not accepted into new departments. And no one has a full-time appointment to the libraries an appointment meaning designated working time in another department. The faculty librarians who found new departmental homes will spend a maximum of 70 percent of their time with University Libraries this coming year, Mosbo Ballestro said. Academics tend to value their faculty and tenured statuses for a number of reasons. Faculty, who are usually instructors, get the benefits of being involved in a network of people across campus who are similarly committed to research. And faculty can receive tenure, which provides a level of job security and safeguards the freedom to teach and conduct the research they choose. Many but not all universities provide academic librarians faculty status or the option of pursuing tenure, according to the Association of College & Research Libraries. Texas A&M does not have a library sciences program to train future librarians, where faculty librarians might most naturally teach. In total, 24 faculty found new academic departments, and 53 moved to staff status. Those former faculty in the libraries were made up of tenured, tenure-track or nontenured employees at the flagship, which technically includes the satellite campuses located in Galveston and Qatar, A&M officials said. Of the 53 who converted to staff, 19 people waived their tenure and nine people waived their tenure-track status, the interim dean said. Mosbo Ballestro added that the librarians movements came down to personal choices, including whether they prioritized keeping their faculty statuses or whether they felt personal commitments to remaining fully in a traditional university library space. They have a lot of heart, she said. This was a really hard decision. One librarian, who remained anonymous to protect her position , said it is hard to know how the changes will affect the type of work the staff librarians will do, the services they provide, or their accessibility to students and other faculty and staff. I have fears, I dont know if theyre founded or not, she said. Definitely some people, including me, are concerned, if not about censorship, about change in direction. Texas A&M has already faced a number of questions about censorship during the 2021-2022 academic year. Many Aggies told the Houston Chronicle in April that A&M administration has made multiple decisions last year without listening to the input of students, faculty or staff including a now-reversed decision to stop print publication of the student newspaper The Battalion. Mosbo Ballestro said the libraries are investigating whether it is possible to maintain academic freedom for staff members, and she said she is creating a new task force for the evolution of the library and its future on campus. She denied rumors that the libraries will entirely digitize or convert to office space. University Libraries has a strong reputation, being ranked 8th nationally among public universities in 2020 by the Association of Research Libraries. At the time, Texas A&M Libraries had 5.9 million volumes, 1,700 databases, 121,000 e-journals, and 1.8 million e-books, according to the university. Several librarians said they feared for the recruitment and retention of staff, which Mosbo Ballestro seconded. But she said she sees areas that should still attract potential employees. We work at a great university, we have a lot of people who have ... lots of expertise in the libraries, she said. I think we can build on that. samantha.ketterer@houstonchronicle.com Doctors first warned the mother of Melanie Mendoza in 2014 that she and her twin sister were below the normal growth for children their age, according to authorities. The twins, who lived in San Antonio at the time, were flagged then for failing to thrive a concern repeatedly relayed to the childs mother, Soledad Mendoza, as the twins got older. When Melanie died in Houston four days before Christmas in 2020, she and her 8-year-old twin weighed less than 30 pounds, records show. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences concluded that she died of complications from blunt force trauma and malnutrition and deemed her death a homicide. Court records outline horrifying accounts from the surviving twin, who said she and her sister were forced into trash bags and locked in a closet. Both, forced to wear diapers, were often denied food and scavenged for food scraps in their garbage can, she said. Police have since arrested Mendoza and her boyfriend, Ruben Moreno, both 29, in the beating and starvation of the twins. Both face charges of capital murder of a child and two counts of injury to a child, causing serious bodily injury to the surviving twin. At the time of Melanies death, her mother had been dating Moreno for about a year. Three other siblings, ages 12, 10 and a newborn, did not show signs of abuse, prosecutors said. (The twins) appear to be the scapegoats of the family, prosecutor Gilbert Sawtelle said. Houston Chronicle Investigation: Abandoned: The story of a struggling mom, her violent boyfriend and 3 kids deserted with their brothers body Prosecutors said they believe the abuse started years earlier, when Mendoza and her children lived in San Antonio. Child Protective Services in 2018 began looking into the family. The girls were failing to gain a healthy weight. The child and her sibling were being denied access to breakfast and lunch by the school per the mother's request, CPS officials detailed in a death report, adding that the mother said the twins were eating breakfast at home. CPS referred the twins to the Center for Miracles an outpatient clinic with UT Health in San Antonio that evaluates children with suspected child abuse or neglect, Sawtelle said. The girls started gaining weight at the facility and officials told Mendoza she needed to be more involved in their lives, he continued. But once the girls left the program, Mendoza moved her children to Houston. Sawtelle, who prosecutes criminal cases involving child abuse, said he believes that Mendoza was fleeing a CPS investigation and possibly an abusive ex-husband. A black eye Police were dispatched to Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center in Dec. 21 to investigate a suspicious death. That day, Melanie had a choking event and had been unable to keep food down because of her emaciated state, according to CPS and court records. She became unconscious and Moreno called for EMS and tried giving her CPR. She did not survive. The officers looked at Melanies body in a hospital exam room. She had bruising on her legs, swollen ankles and looked to be extremely underweight and small for her age. A autopsy revealed brown fat in her adrenal gland, which is indicative of starvation. But she lacked a metabolic disorder, according to medical records. There was not an underlying issue or an innocent explanation for why the twins couldnt gain weight, Sawtelle said. Also troubling was that a teacher at Housman Elementary, a Spring Branch ISD school, noticed that Melanie looked unwell during a virtual class. She had a black eye. When she asked Melanie about the black eye, a sibling bumped into her. It seemed like a subtle way of requesting the child not to speak. The child lowered her head in shame and refused to speak, according to a CPS report. A counselor was sent to the familys apartment in the 1300 block of Afton Street and Mendoza turned the counselor away, claiming that Melanie had a fever and was isolating. Five days later, she died. Its sad to say that this falls into a disturbing trend of when kids arent going to school, Sawtelle continued. If they were in a normal school environment, this would have been caught earlier. Melanies death prompted CPS officials to remove the remaining children from the couples care at their Spring Branch apartment. Other siblings, despite being younger, were physically bigger than the twin girls. On HoustonChronicle.com: Derion Vence pleads guilty in 2019 death of 4-year-old Maleah Davis The twins were born prematurely with the microcephaly birth defect, where a baby's head is much smaller than normal, officials said. Both twin girls had signs of multiple rib fractures, some recent, suggesting that the two had repeatedly been beaten. The surviving twin weighed 26 pounds at the time of her hospitalization. Doctors were worried that she would be unable to take in the nutrients needed to survive. She could barely walk. She gained 11 pounds in two weeks while at the hospital and away from her mothers care, court records show. The neglect is believed to have contributed to their stunted growth, records show. At the time of her hospitalization, the surviving twin was 41 inches tall 6 inches below the lowest most common height for a girl of that age. A foster family caring for the girl, and who first took her in after her sisters death, is expected to adopt her, Sawtelle added. Shes doing really well and has a good relationship with her new foster mom, he said. I dont love you During a February 2021 interview, the surviving twin disclosed to authorities the extent of her mothers abuse. Can I tell you something, the girl asked a forensic interviewer, according to court documents. My mom is being mean to me. On HoustonChronicle.com:Mother of 9-year-old girl 'panicked' after finding her unresponsive Mendoza would force her and Melanie into a trash bag and keep them in a closet, she revealed. When they were not kept locked up, they were forced to scavenge for food from a trash can. Their older siblings were instructed not to feed them, police said. The girl once asked her mother why she treated them this way. Its because youre ugly and I dont love you, she recalled her mother as saying. One time, the starving twins found some bread and ate it. The girl said Moreno hit both of them with a belt and shoe when he found out. Police confronted Mendoza about the allegations and she denied any involvement and blamed the twins for their own condition, she said. They didnt want to eat and that they would get sick, investigators wrote Mendoza as saying. Investigators told Mendoza that the starvation the children suffered stemmed from years of mistreatment. I guess I should have done more, she replied. Police arrested Mendoza on Friday morning and her boyfriend surrendered hours. Both are being held on a $1 million bail. nicole.hensley@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Citing an uptick in violent crime, Houston businessman Jim McIngvale said Tuesday that he is working with Crime Stoppers to help keep kids safe this summer. We are going to be very involved, and we think its life or death for Harris County to lower the rampant crime increases weve had and reverse the tide, McIngvale said at a news conference at his Gallery Furniture location in north Houston. McIngvale, who is known to Houstonians as Mattress Mack, said after the news conference that he had reached out to the agency to offer his help. He and Crime Stoppers of Houston Executive Director Rania Mankarious outlined their safety campaign targeting families and children heading into summer break. Summer is a time we look forward to, which provides a break from routine and lazy days for kids, Mankarious said. But within those lazy days we are seeing crime escalate, some of which is turning deadly. Houston police said Tuesday that murders are starting to trend downward, compared with last year. In April, police officials said violent crime has diminished since the worst of the pandemic increases. Mankarious stood alongside the family of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez, who was fatally shot in the aftermath of an ATM robbery on the night of Valentines Day. She said families need to be aware of issues including firearm access, drug prevention, road rage and child online safety. Mankarious also encouraged parents to have frank conversations with their children about risks they encounter outside the home. For the parents who say, Thats too scary, we dont want to talk about that, in this current day and age, we have to have honest conversations in an age-appropriate manner with our children, she said. We have got to raise our kids to know whats going on, to be prepared to protect themselves and especially online, where they have access to everything, everyone and any time. Thanking both McIngvale and Crime Stoppers of Houston for their support in the aftermath of her daughters death, Gwen Alvarez Arlenes mother encouraged other victims to raise their voice against gun violence in their community and lawmakers to put aside partisan politics. I feel like its not my job to change the system. I feel like its everyones, Alvarez said. Everyone coming together to make a difference together, whether you are a Republican or Democrat. Weve got to get to work. Alvarez also announced that her family would be starting a toy donation campaign in honor of her daughter. We want to donate to those children who are in need of love. McIngvale said he hopes to amplify the voices of victims in Harris County in an attempt to counter the increase in violent crime. He said Crime Stoppers literature would be available at Gallery Furniture stores all summer and that the furniture store would be launching a media campaign. Were going to be fully involved going forward, he said. joel.umanzor@chron.com Houstonians who cast their ballots at the Galleria area La Quinta Inn in Tuesday's primary runoff election probably had no idea the woman running the place once brought Apollo 13 astronauts safely back to Earth. As a pioneering woman engineer in NASA's Mission Control Center, Northcutt won a presidential medal of freedom for her role in saving Apollo 13. For the past 10 years, Poppy Northcutt has been a Harris County election judge, the person who presides over a polling location. Northcutt was at the La Quinta Inn before dawn, working with her team to open the polling location by 7 am. When the polls close at 7 pm, her mission is far from over. There's a whole process to get ballots ready to deliver to the county's central counting station at NRG Arena. At a time when voters are inundated with election legal challenges and partisan talking points, Northcutt - and thousands of election workers across the state - are getting the ballots counted. Here's a look at her day running a Houston polling site: Election central I woke up at 20 after 4 a.m. It's always very stressful. I was on the phone with Election Central trying to get some tech aid. One of the problems that sort of drives me crazy. I mean, you know what my background is. I used to work in the space program. And so, checklists and having things work, zero defects, is really important. The instructions that they give you to set up the polls, you have all these checklists. And they're never right. They're always telling you something that's either incomplete, or it's confusing or whatever, which sort of drives me crazy. For example, we were trying to set up the booths. You will never know that it's confirmed until after you do the open polls button. But they don't tell you that. So I call Election Central, because I'm saying I can't confirm on my controller. What's the problem? Where do I see this confirmation? So I get passed between three people. And finally I talked to somebody who says, "Well, you know, the polls have to be open." I said, "This instruction never told me that. Your instructions are ---." But that's nothing new. They have always been like that, where there's stuff that's left out or ambiguous, or something like that. You know, suddenly I see a new form, and I go, "Well, this is really interesting. What the hell do I do with it?" Beta testing I've been doing this 10, 12 years. Off and on. And it's really all the same. Part of the problem from our point of view, and I don't mean to be hypercritical, and of course I come from an environment where, who else has that kind of standard of absolutely zero defects? But sometimes I feel like they do beta testing on Election Day. I mean, you should be doing your beta testing before Election Day. And of course, they're always changing. Their job is impossible too. Emergency rations We're in the lap of luxury here [at the La Quinta]. Compared to some of the places I've worked. Because they said we can help ourselves to breakfast. Ordinarily, I would bring some croissants or bagels and some juice just to have for people. And then in terms of lunch, John, are you treating us to lunch? Your mama said that you might be treating us to lunch. Usually we don't get dinner until we get home. You always have to have some emergency rations. The clerks and all, they'll be gone by 8 o'clock probably. Hopefully it won't be as terrible as it was the last election where I got stuck and had to wait for 11 o'clock. But you know, sometimes you can be over at Reliant waiting till 11 o'clock in your car burning gas, so at least it didn't cost me. Cooperation We're right next door to the Republicans. We cooperate. Confidence in your electoral process is absolutely essential, because otherwise people will not bother to vote. I am concerned that we've seen that Putin has been involved in trying to influence our elections and disinformation. Campaigns are basically his stock-in-trade. And I think a lot of that is rooted in his activity. It's like he's gone out and planted the seeds. Curbside voting One time I had five cars lined up for curbside voting. A long ballot like that? 30 minutes per car. And one of those cars had three voters in it. And that's why I have a lot of comments to make about trying to do something to improve curbside voting, because that was just crazy. It was freezing cold and damp. They need to come up with some better mechanisms for that, not for the voters, but also for your personnel. Because what I was thinking was, if it's 90 degrees in Houston with the sun, and you don't have any cover, you're going to kill your election workers, right? They're going to have heatstroke. November I'm very worried about the [November] general election in particular. Poll watchers are going to be a problem, and that's just going to be a total unknown. You've just got a line of people. And then you've also got all these poll watchers that you're supposed to be monitoring? Well, you've only got one set of eyes. And if they do something awful, the way that legislation is written, the election judge has to have personally seen it. Well, how am I supposed to personally see this if I'm trying to cancel this mail ballot for this person? I can't be watching everything, everywhere. If legislators had actually ever worked these polls, they would know that. And if they're not going to know it personally, then they should be paying attention to the people who do. Asking "how is this actually going to work? Is this going to be manageable or not?" We've always had a poll watcher or two, but that was a nothing kind of event. But they're calling for hordes of poll watchers. They're probably not going to be at my polling place. They may be in minority polling places and that's going to be a problem. If you have a bunch of racial tension going on, as well, just will exacerbate it tremendously. And Harris County is going to be the focal point, because Harris County can turn this whole state. Closing the polls It's sort of maddening. You're so tired already because you've worked such a long day, and then you have all of these ducks you have to get in a row. You're trying to get out of there, and you're trying to get your people out of there because the county's not going to pay them for more than 14 hours. It's all of those things coming together at one time. ...There's always this vagueness in the instructions that you come into contact with. And you call Election Central and they say, "Oh, that's a good question." "Well, thank you very much. I'm really good at asking good questions, but I would like to get better answers." But they're working very hard, too. I don't envy them their job. ... When you're working on space stuff you've got a mindset that you've just got to follow procedure and you've got to make sure you do it right, because too much is on the line. And our democracy is on the line. That's a very big deal. But it's not just me. I think almost all of the judges take it really seriously. Getting home I'm tired, I'm hungry. I'm dehydrated. My go-to comfort food is breakfast, whatever time of day it is. When I'm too tired to think or cook or whatever, I eat breakfast. So the first thing I did was make bacon and eggs. Because I can literally do that in my sleep. The main thing is, I looked at Twitter and the thing in Uvalde is even worse than I imagined. Because we're in a bubble when we're down there [at the polling location], we really don't see anything. ...So, it's hard for me to think too much about the election. I'm looking at that tragedy that's going on there. Seeing the typical response of thoughts and prayers. It's just not enough. Not again. Wasn't it bad enough to have Parkland? Now we have these little kids being murdered. It's just terrible. Working the next election Its an act of faith in the sense that you've got to believe that elections matter. And you've got to believe that the right to vote is really important. Every time I work in an election or even go to a polling place, I think about the women that were jailed and force fed and beaten in order for women to have the right to vote. And then I think about all the other civil rights leaders that have gone through so much to have the right to vote. It's a privilege to be able to work in an election. I'll do the big sleep [tonight]. I may actually wake up at some inappropriate hour.... It'll be two or three days probably before I have recovered back to normal from that. But I'm ready to do it again. On Tuesday, the U.S. is watching, devastated, as another horrific mass shooting unfolds. The reported death toll from the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde has risen to 21 total, 19 children and 2 adults, as of Tuesday evening. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the suspected shooter, an 18-year-old man, also died and was believed to be killed by responding officers. The shooter had a handgun and possibly a rifle. The West Texas shooting, which is already drawing comparisons to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14, 2012, will likely join the list of the worst shootings in Texas history. Here are the state's five worst to date: Edward A. Ornelas/San Antonio Express-News Sutherland Springs, Nov. 5, 2017: Devin Kelley, a former airman from New Braunfels, opened fire on worshippers during a Sunday morning service at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, 28 miles east of San Antonio. Using an assault-style rifle, he killed 26 people and injured 20 in the congregation before killing himself in a car chase afterward. AFP PHOTO / Courtesy of KTSM 9 News Channel El Paso Walmart, Aug. 3, 2019: Twenty-three people were killed and 26 more were injured when Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old from Allen, Texas, allegedly opened fire with an AK-47-style assault weapon at the Walmart located near the Cielo Vista Mall on the east side of El Paso, according to news reports. He later surrendered to authorities. Authorities believed Crusius may have written an anti-immigrant document posted to the site 8chan just before the shooting, which expressed white nationalist views on ethnic displacement, expresses displeasure at race-mixing, and refers to the attack as a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The author of the anti-immigrant manifesto also mentioned the suspect who shot and killed 51 people in the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, which occurred in March 2019. The El Paso shooting has been described as the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern American history. Rick McFarland/Associated Press Lubys Cafeteria, Killeen, Oct. 16, 1991: A busy lunchtime crowd of approximately 80 people was inside the Lubys Cafeteria when 35-year-old George Hennard drove his pickup truck through the glass window. He then started firing as patrons and staff screamed and dived for cover, according to Britannica. Hennard killed 23 and wounded 20 before being cornered by police. He then shot himself. AP University of Texas Tower shooting, Aug. 1, 1966: Charles Whitman, a Marine veteran and student, went up on the observation deck of the UT Tower and starting before noon, fired various weapons onto people on campus and the surrounding business district, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Whitman killed a total of 17 victims that day, including his mother and wife, both of whom he had killed in the early morning hours before going up to the UT Tower. An additional 31 were injured. He arrived on the UT campus about 11:30 a.m. Whitman wore overalls to disguise himself as a janitor and entered the Tower on the ground floor, boarded an elevator and wheeled a footlocker on a dolly to the twenty-seventh floor of the Tower. He then hauled his gear up three flights of stairs to the twenty-eighth floor reception area and observation deck. Whitman killed a receptionist at the Tower on the twenty-eighth floor and minutes later shot a family of tourists in the stairwell as they attempted to enter the reception area. Two of the family members died immediately, the two other family members were severely wounded. Whitman fired 150 rounds of ammunition during the 96-minute shooting spree before he was ambushed and killed by two Austin Police Department officers at 1:24 p.m. David Morris/AP Fort Hood, Nov. 5, 2009: Using a semi-automatic pistol, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, killed 13 people, including 12 service members and one Department of Defense employee, and injured more than 30 others inside a Fort Hood processing center, making it the worst mass shooting at a U.S. military installation, according to History.com. The massacre lasted for 10 minutes before Hasan was shot by civilian police and taken into custody. In 2013, Hasan, who was left paralyzed from the waist down as a result of shots fired at him by police attempting to stop his rampage, was tried in military court, where a jury found him guilty of 45 counts of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder. He later was sentenced to death. After the shooting, reviews by the Pentagon and a U.S. Senate panel found Hasan, 39, had continued to be promoted by his superiors despite concerns over his behavior, which suggested he had become a radical and potentially violent Islamic extremist. As he went on his killing rampage, Hasan had shouted, Allahu Akbar, Arabic for God is great. DDeKunder@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The nation is still reeling in the wake of a horrific massacre in Uvalde that left 21 dead, including 19 children. Follow along below for the latest news and analysis on the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. Update: 10:20 p.m. The reality of a horrific massacre is sinking in for the grieving, small community. Uvalde, a quaint city with roosters in yards, is now swarmed with law enforcement officers, reporters and high-ranking public officials. Everyone in Uvalde seems to know someone affected, maybe from their days as a student, or time spent at the gym, or Sunday mornings in church. Community businesses became part of the healing: A florist filled orders at rapid-pace. Funeral homes offered services free of cost. Nine-year-old Adalynn Madrigal delivered a Teddy bear to a memorial outside of Robb Elementary School, sobbing into her mothers body as she explained her sadness. How do you comfort a child thats broken? asked her father, Mark Madrigal. All you can do is hold them. --Anna Bauman and Emily Foxhall Update: 9:45 p.m. Uvalde, some of those who live here say, is the kind of place where everyone is united. They describe a community where mostly everyone knows everyone, if nothing else because they have kids who go to the same schools. The city came together Wednesday night to mourn the 19 children and two teachers killed the day prior. Hundreds gathered for a vigil at the county fairplex, filling the bleachers, to pray for healing, unity and answers they may never get. Its very hard to understand, said Julio Garcia, a 44-year-old who attended with his wife and two of their kids. It affects us all. Many wore maroon shirts representing the citys schools. Some spent the evening in each others arms. A few babies cried while other older children sought their parents comfort in the middle of a big crowd. Among those in attendance were Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz. Pastor Tony Gruben of Baptist Temple Church a day ago prayed all over, eventually making his way to a center where parents who were not reunited with their children were later notified they had died. That was beyond difficult, he said. I dont even know how to say. By 7 p.m. Wednesday, he stood in front of a microphone and the hundreds of neighbors grieving at the vigil. I dont know that any of us will ever have the answer why, he said afterward. Im proud of our community and love them, and pray that Gods blessings be upon them and carry them through. -- Alejandro Serrano Update: 8:31 p.m. A spokesman for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is suggesting that Gov. Greg Abbott erred when Abbott said the 18-year-old gunman who shot up a classroom at Robb Elementary School had been posting about shooting his grandmother on Facebook some 30 minutes before the crime. The spokesman said on Twitter that messages the gunman sent before entering the school were "private one-to-one text messages." Abbott had previously said the gunman used Facebook to post: "I'm going to shoot my grandmother," "I shot my grandmother," and "I'm going to shoot an elementary school." According to the New York Times, private messages similar to this were exchanged between the gunman and a 15-year-old girl in Germany. The gunman had met the girl on Yubo, an app that lets people livestream themselves to strangers, The Times reported. Update 7:58 p.m.: There was a moment of silence for Uvalde victims ahead of the Celtics-Heat playoff game. Then there was an announcement to call local government officials and request common sense gun laws, according to multiple people on Twitter. Update 7:24 p.m.: Read here what Hearst writers St. John Barned-Smith and Guillermo Contreras found about the assault-style rifle model that the gunman used. The Chronicle previously reported that the Uvalde gunman purchased two weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the days immediately after his 18th birthday, which was on May 16. One weapon was the Daniel Defense rifle; the other was a Smith & Wesson MP 15, which retails for about $1,300. According to law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, the shooter left the Smith & Wesson in his car, but headed to the school with at least seven 30-round magazines and the Daniel Defense rifle -- which experts said tends to leave victims unrecognizable. Update 6:09 p.m.: A juvenile suspect has been arrested after he was seen walking toward a north Texas high school with what appeared to be a rifle. A business owner reported the sighting around 10:55 a.m. Wednesday to the Richardson Police Department. Authorities found the suspect, a student, inside Berkner High School without any weapons. Police located his vehicle in the parking lot and identified an AK-47 and a replica AR-15 style Orbeez rifle, according to the department. He was arrested and charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon in a weapon-free school zone. Update 5:57 p.m.: President Joe Biden plans to visit Texas in the wake of the Uvalde elementary school massacre, reports Cayla Harris. Jill and I will be traveling to Texas in the coming days to meet with the families and let them know we have a sense of their pain, and hopefully bring some little comfort to a community in shock, in grief and in trauma, Biden said at an unrelated press conference Wednesday. Update 5:43 p.m.: An organization aimed at helping others in El Paso, where 23 died in a mass shooting nearly three years ago, plans to donate caskets for the victims of the Uvalde shooting. Operation H.O.P.E., which stands for Helping Other People Endure, was waiting to hear back from two funeral homes in Uvalde about the number of caskets they will need, said Angel Gomez, the organizations co-founder. He expected to send 10 to 12. When we heard about this happening with children, we were just like everybody devastated, Gomez said. We want to help them out. As the 3-year anniversary of a mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart nears, Gomez said watching developments over the last day about the latest mass shooting in the state had been ugly. He remembered, however, the efforts to help El Paso following the shooting there, and how much it can help a community. Its something, he said, we feel we should do. - Alejandro Serrano Update 5:31 p.m.: The National Rifle Association will move forward with its annual meeting this weekend in downtown Houston, three days after a gunman opened fire on a South Texas classroom, killing 21 people, including 19 children. Here's what you need to know, including when Trump is speaking, what hell say, and who else is expected at the convention. Along with the former president, Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz are still slated to speak Friday afternoon. As of Wednesday afternoon, Sen. John Cornyn was still listed on the NRA website as a speaker, but his office said that he would be unable to attend due to an unexpected change in his schedule that occurred prior to the Uvalde shooting. U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw also backed out following the shooting and said he instead intended to travel to Ukraine. The Houston First Corporation, which oversees the George R. Brown Convention Center where the NRA's annual meeting is set to take place, offered few specifics Wednesday and deferred questions to the NRA, Nora Mishanec reports. "We cannot simply cancel contractual agreements of clients scheduled to utilize city-owned venues under our care," a Houston First spokesperson said in an email, echoing Mayor Sylvester Turner's earlier remarks. "We continue to cooperate with all appropriate federal, state, and local authorities to ensure the safety of visitors and residents. Update 5:08 p.m.: At The Flower Patch in Uvalde, the phones keep ringing and ringing. Anna Bauman reports on one florists response to the tragedy. The shop must fill a cascade of orders from grieving friends and family members, coordinate with people offering help from across the country and create floral arrangements for the impending funerals and memorials for scores of small children. These babies, their lives are gone and its tragic, Baker said. And then having to put flowers on babies caskets - thats just something no one should ever have to do. Update 4:37 p.m.: H-E-B is committing $500,000 to support the victims and families of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, reports Andrea Leinfelder. The grocer will also provide meals and enable shoppers at its various stores -- H-E-B, Central Market, Joe Vs Smart Shop and Mi Tienda -- to make donations at the cash register or at checkout for curbside and home delivery orders. Donated money will go into the Spirit of Giving Fund, a nonprofit that H-E-B created after Hurricane Harvey and the Sutherland Springs tragedy. Additional donations for the victims and their families can be made at heb.com/donate. HEB stores in the Uvalde area and the company's H-E-B Mobile Kitchens will provide meals, supplies and other resources to community support centers, first responders and the local school district. And the company will provide crisis counselors to support H-E-B Partners and neighbors grieving throughout the community. Update 3:54 p.m.: Hours after the Uvalde mass shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott went to a political fundraiser in East Texas, Jeremy Wallace reports. Abbott's campaign confirmed he attended a private fundraiser in Walker County for his campaign on Tuesday night, where he had been monitoring wildfires earlier in the day. After holding a briefing and press conference on the current wildfires in Taylor County, where he also provided an update the situation in Uvalde, the Governor did stop by a previously scheduled event last night at a private home in Walker County, Abbott campaign spokesperson Mark Miner said in a statement. But Miner said Abbott is rescheduling another fundraiser that had been planned for night. Update 3:45 p.m.: Several Houston organizers plan to protest the NRA's upcoming convention. The protest will be held at noon on Friday at Discovery Green, across from the George R. Brown Convention Center where the convention will be held. The protests are being organized by Black Lives Matter Houston, Indivisible Houston, Moms Demand Action and the Harris County Democratic Party. On Thursday, a protest led by the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest group is planned for 3:30 p.m. at City Hall to demand that Mayor Sylvester Turner cancel the NRA Convention. Theres some audacity to be having that convention in the City of Houston, and its a slap in the face to Texans not just because of what happened (Monday) but because once upon a time, Harris County was deeply conservative, and thats not the case anymore, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Houston Ashton Woods said. Update 2:15 p.m.: FBI Director Christopher Wray praised Texas law enforcement and that the FBI will continue to work with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Uvalde Police Department and other agencies to assist in the aftermath of the shooting. "On top of that, we've deployed national resources, including investigative and analytical support, evidence response and laboratory personnel, victim services professionals to assist families of the victims, and crisis management and behavioral analysis units," Wray said in a statement. Update 2:00 p.m.: Mayor Turner resisted calls to cancel the NRA's meeting in Houston in light of the Uvalde shooting, saying that the city has a contractual obligation to move forward with the event and it has been booked for more than two years. The city could also face lawsuits if it backs out, Turner said during Wednesday's city council meeting. Turner did question why Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz agreed to speak the conference so soon after the Uvalde shooting. "You can't pray and send condolences on one day and go and champion guns on the next," Turner said. Update 1:40 p.m.: Gov. Greg Abbott said "there was no meaningful forewarning of this crime" during a press conference about the Uvalde shooting. Abbott added that the gunman made Facebook posts 30 minutes before he reached the school. Abbott also added that the gunman shot his grandmother in the face. The gunman posted, "I'm going to shoot my grandmother," "I shot my grandmother," and "I'm going to shoot an elementary school," on Facebook. Anyone who shoots his grandmother in the face has to have evil in his heart But it is far more evil for someone to gun down little kids. It is intolerable and it is unacceptable," Abbott said. Abbott also said that 17 people were injured in the shooting outside of those that were killed. Update 12:52 p.m.: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke approached Gov. Greg Abbott at his press briefing and got into a verbal altercation with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and others on stage. O'Rourke appeared to have blamed the Uvalde shooting on Abbott and after the altercation, O'Rourke was escorted out of the building by security. Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke confronted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott during a news conference on May 25, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. (Getty Images) Update 12:42 p.m.: Two women from San Antonio spotted a state trooper on the other side of a road barrier in Uvalde. They passed him a homemade concha. Lydia Leos and Grace Hernandez had driven here to offer what support they could, be it a hug or a cookie. Leos runs Caballero Bakery. They couldnt sit around and do nothing, said Hernandez, a minister and activist. The tragedy resonated with both as mothers and grandmothers. Its a united community, Hernandez said. We are so close. Theyre our neighbors. - Anna Bauman Update 12:29 p.m.: Gov. Abbott will hold a press briefing at 12:30 p.m. at Uvalde High School, just 2 miles from Robb Elementary where the shooting took place. Abbott will be appearing with both U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, among others. You can watch it live below: Update 12:22 p.m.: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee released a statement on the Uvalde shooting: "My heart breaks for the 19 children and 2 teachers who were killed at Robb Elementary. I am praying for the families of those who have lost loved ones, and for the recovery of those who were injured. No parent should have to worry that their child might not come home from school, and none of our children should have to face the trauma of gun violence. It is past time for meaningful gun reform in Texas and across this country. We need nationwide gun controls that substantially decrease the supply of guns and access to guns. A patchwork of gun laws in a small number of states is not enough. And Texas state leaders continuously relaxing gun laws and expanding access to firearms puts our teachers, our law enforcement, our students, and all Texans at even greater risk. We cannot continue to bury our children because our leaders refuse to stand up to the gun lobby. We must take action." Update 12:19 p.m.: All patients from Uvalde Memorial Hospital have been discharged or transferred to other hospitals for higher levels of care, Chief Executive Offerice Thomas Nordwick said. In all, the hospital treated 15 patients. Four children and one adult were sent to San Antonio hospitals. The rest were discharged home. -Emily Foxhall Update 11:46 a.m.: The National Rifle Association announced that attendees to its Friday conference in Houston will not be permitted to bring firearms to the speech but it's not because of Uvalde. The decision comes in deference to Secret Service rules that were in place before yesterday's school shooting. Per the U.S. Secret Service, firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items will not be permitted in the General Assembly Hall at the George R. Brown Convention Center during the former presidents speech, the NRA said in a statement on its website earlier this month. Attendees also will be required to pass through metal detectors upon entering the assembly, the group noted. Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Gov. Greg Abbott are all still set to speak at the convention. Update 11:06 a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zlenskyy and other Ukrainian leaders offered their condolences to the community of Uvalde on Wednesday. Zelenskyy also referenced the shooting while speaking by video link at a conference on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, in which he drew a direct parallel between the shooting and the war in Ukraine, according to NPR. "I feel it is my personal tragedy when children are killed in Texas, and now in my country Russian military is killing our children," he said. Update 11 a.m.: Katy ISD's superintendent Ken Gregorski addressed the Uvalde school shooting this morning in an email to parents and staff that discussed the shooting and what the district is doing to protect its students. I know that so many in our school community are devastated by the senseless act of violence and loss of life that occurred as a result of an active shooter event at Robb Elementary in Uvalde CISD today, the statement said. More police officers have been distributed to campuses for the last few days of school, the email said. While local law enforcement has informed that there is no existing threat to Katy ISD schools or facilities, because we are at the end of the school year with a number of highly attended events taking place, our police and safety teams will have a greater presence across our community the next few days." -Claire Goodman Update 10:30 a.m.: There are currently four patients in San Antonio hospitals who are in serious condition following Tuesday's shooting. Two adult patients are in serious condition at Brooke Army Medical Center, while one adult and a 10-year-old girl are in serious condition are at University Health, according to tweets from both hospitals. University Health also has another 10-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl in good condition following the shooting. University Health has established a fund for the four patients being treated at its hospital. Click here for more information. Update 10:15 a.m.: Pat Martinez woke up crying Wednesday and had a headache. The day before, she had rushed to Robb Elementary to look for her 8-year-old grandson. She didnt know what kids were harmed, what class was targeted. When she found him at an evacuation area, her grandson ran to her and started crying. She cried with him. The 60-year-old hadnt talked with him yet about the shooting and what he saw, she said. On Wednesday morning, she was getting breakfast at La Reina with a friend before heading to her job in the medical field. Martinez knew three people who lost their kids. I want to wake up and just think, Its a dream. It didnt happen, she said. Across the small city on Wednesday, many grappled with the trauma of what occurred. At the Willie de Leon Civic Center, where counselors planned to be available that day, someone walked inside with two bags full of tissue boxes. Others arrived in their Robb t-shirts and sweatshirts; some embraced in the parking lot. The flags were at half-mast. -Anna Bauman Update 9:49 a.m.: Actor Matthew McConaughey responded to the Uvalde shooting, which is in his hometown, calling such mass shootings as "an epidemic we can control." "Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us," the actor said. He referred to such mass shootings as "an epidemic we can control" and called for those of all political affiliations "to do better." Update 9:36 a.m.: The Uvalde shooting was not a false flag, Politifact reported this morning. Amid the grief and anger online as people responded to the slaying, there were baseless claims that the shooting was a false flag operation. Politifact found that there is no evidence to support those claims. Update 9:08 a.m.: According to The Associated Press, the Uvalde gunman barricaded himself inside a single fourth-grade classroom and "began shooting anyone that was in his way," authorities said. Law enforcement officers eventually broke into the classroom and killed the gunman. Update 7:57 a.m.: According to The Associated Press, police and others responding to Tuesdays shooting broke windows at the Texas elementary school in an effort to allow students and teachers inside to escape, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety said Wednesday on NBCs Today. Olivarez told CNN that all victims were in the same fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School. Eventually, the shooter was killed by law enforcement. Update 6:30 a.m. A father has identified his 10-year-old daughter, Amerie Jo Garza, as one of the children who died in Tuesday's shooting, according to CNN. "Thank you everyone for the prayers and help trying to find my baby. Shes been found," Angel Garza wrote in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning. "My little love is now flying high with the angels above." Update 12:50 a.m. Another victim of the Uvalde school shooting has been identified. The Associated Press reported late Tuesday night that 8-year-old Uziyah Garcia was among the 19 children who lost their lives in the shooting. The sweetest little boy that Ive ever known, Manny Renfro, the boy's grandfather, said. Im not just saying that because he was my grandkid. Update 12:39 a.m. Ten-year-old Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez is among the children who died in Tuesday's shooting, according to a KHOU reporter. She was in the third grade. Tuesday, May 24 Update 10:53 p.m. In addition to those killed, Uvalde Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer Thomas Nordwick said they treated 14 patients who either remained, went home or were transferred to other hospitals for higher levels of care. Eleven were children. Four patients including a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl in critical condition were being treated as of Tuesday night at University Hospital in San Antonio. Brooke Army Medical Center, located on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, said it also admitted two patients in critical condition. The shooter's grandmother, who worked for the school as recently as 2020, survived the shooting at her home, authorities said. Read more on how the Uvalde massacre now stands as the deadliest school shooting in state history here. Update 10:35 p.m.: Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, delivered an emotional speech on the Uvalde shooting from the site of the NBAs Western Conference finals on Tuesday. Kerr, whose father Malcolm was assassinated when Steve Kerr was in college, is an outspoken critic of gun violence and of the politicians who abet it. In his words pregame he spoke directly to the camera and pounded his fist on the table. In the last 10 days, weve had elderly Black people killed in Buffalo. Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California. And now we have children murdered at school. When are we going to do something? Kerr shouted, trembling with anger. Im so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. Im sorry Im tired of the moments of silence. Enough! Read more on Kerr's response here. -- Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle Update 10:30 p.m.: Ten-year-old Xavier Lopez is among the children who died in Tuesday's shooting, according to a reporter from KSAT 12, a San Antonio news station. He was in fourth grade. He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today, the boy's cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, Texas, told the Associated Press. He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us. Update 9:55 p.m.: President Joe Biden has posted a video statement online: "Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God's name is our backbone to have the courage to deal with it and stand up to the lobbies? It's time to turn this pain into action." Update 9:45 p.m. Those killed in the elementary school shooting were 19 kids and two adults, according to the Associated Press. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez previously said 18 kids and three adults had died. Update 9:34 p.m.: Officials said they recovered a long gun and pistol from the scene of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Its not clear if both weapons belonged to the shooter. So among the first tasks investigators are facing is identifying the source of the weapons and whether the teen gunman, who authorities say is now deceased, used one or both of them. In Texas, people who are 18 or older are legally allowed to buy long guns, such as rifles or shotguns. With few exceptions, they must be 21 to purchase a handgun from a federal firearm licensee (a gun store). -- St. John Barned-Smith Update 9:30 p.m.: Among those killed in Uvalde was fourth grade teacher Eva Mireles. She died while trying to protect her students, her aunt Lydia Martinez Delgado told the New York Times. Mireles was married and had a child of her own. She was in her early 40s and proud of teaching students who were of Latino heritage. Here's everything we know about the victims so far. Update 9:25 p.m.: Conroe ISD said the district "will have a highly visible police presence for the next 2 days," in order to be proactive, according to a Facebook post. Spring ISD Superintendent Lupita Hinojosa also said on Facebook that it would increase its patrol presence and not allow any backpacks for the remaining three days of the school year. "We will remain steadfast in our commitment in this dark hour and in the days to come," Hinojosa wrote. Update 9:20 p.m.: Four people are being treated at University Hospital in San Antonio, according to a tweet from the hospital system. They include a 66-year-old woman and 10-year-old girl in critical condition. Update 8:40 p.m.: About 40 people, mostly elected officials, gun control advocates and individuals who have been affected by gun violence, gathered Tuesday night in Houston for a candlelight vigil for those killed in Uvalde. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said she was en route to Washington, D.C. when reports emerged about the shooting. I could not leave, she said, tearing up during a press conference before the group lit candles. Im broken tonight. Im stunned. Im speechless. Now Playing: Houston students, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee hold prayer vigil for victims of Uvalde school shooting (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Staff Photographer) Video: Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Staff Photographer She called on the National Rifle Association to cancel its convention scheduled to occur in days in Houston, joining others who said its not the time. Also urging the group to reconsider its event was Carlos Espinosa, executive director of FIEL. We shouldnt have to live in this constant fear, he said. we need thoughts and prayers. but more than thoughts and prayers, we need action Other speakers included a representative from Moms Demand Action, a grassroots group that advocates for measures that would protect people from gun violence; Gene Wu, D-Houston; and Houston ISD Trustee Kathy Blueford-Daniels, whose son was shot to death by a man who mistook him for another young man. Most speakers demanded gun legislation to stop mass shootings. A few asked questions of a nation that is affected by gun violence every day, including the congresswoman who asked, "Where is our courage?" -- Alejandro Serrano Update 8:00 p.m.: The gunman has been identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, Gov. Greg Abbott said. Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo said 18-year-old Salvador Ramos appears to have acted alone. Ramos was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. -- Emilie Eaton, Jacob Beltran and Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News Update 7:50 p.m.: Houston resident Linda Morales, 66, attended Robb Elementary School. Earlier today, her younger brother called to say that he saw police swarming the school. Morales turned on CNN and has been glued to the TV ever since, shocked by the events rocking her hometown. I just kind of stopped when all this happened because Im very sad by it all, she said. When is it going to stop? Uvalde is a small, close-knit community where mothers typically walk their children to school. The local hospital had limited resources when she was growing up, Morales said. Theyre humble people but theyre hard working people, she said. And this is traumatic for them. -- Anna Bauman Update 7:30 p.m.: Houston Police Chief Troy Finner wrote on Twitter that he was heartbroken and praying for the victims injured and killed in Uvalde. "To their families, police officers, first responders & the community: we @houstonpolice are here to offer comfort & support in any way," Finner wrote. Update 7:10 p.m.: Uvalde, where the deadly school shooting occurred Tuesday, is home to 16,000 people, according to the 2020 census. Nearly 80 percent of its population is Hispanic. Picturesque old west buildings line its main drag. Its surrounded by diverse terrain: hill country and river canyons, with brushland to the south and Chihuahuan desert to the west. Located 90 minutes from San Antonio and an hour from the Mexican border, the city bills itself as the iconic Texas of western movies, which long ago had a Native American encampment on a hill south of town and was a strategic lookout site for the U.S. Army. Ken Ellis/Houston Chronicle It is the hometown of actor Matthew McConaughey, Hollywood cowgirl Dale Evans and astronaut Pete Conrad, who walked on the moon. The city has one school district with 10 schools that serve three counties. -- Gabrielle Banks Update 6:55 p.m.: The school year is now over for Robb Elementary, Uvalde CISD Superintendent Hal Harrell said at a Tuesday evening news conference. School is cancelled through the rest of the week, and all activities are cancelled for the entire district. Grief counselors will be on site starting Wednesday at the Uvalde Civic Center for students, staff and anyone else who needs support. "My heart is broken today," Harrell said. "We are a small community. We will need your prayers to get us through this." -- Rebecca Hennes Update 6:50 p.m.: Shock and devastation spread Tuesday among educators across the Houston region and state in the immediate wake of a mass shooting at an Uvalde elementary school. Zeph Capo, the president of Texas AFT and a former board member of Houston schools, called for "legislation that addresses some of the most basic requirements for ensuring that unstable people dont take the lives of our children and teachers." Friendswood ISD posted a picture on Twitter that read, "Our hearts are with Uvalde." -- Alejandro Serrano Update 6:40 p.m.: Fourteen patients from the elementary school shooting were taken to Uvalde Memorial Hospital, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Nordwick said. Two more patients, who were children, were pronounced dead upon arrival. Of those who were treated, 11 were children, Nordwick said. Five were transferred to get a higher level of care in San Antonio, as was one adult. One more kid may also soon be transferred. Four children were discharged, and one child and two adults are still being treated at the facility. Update 6:30 p.m.: The death toll from the shooting at Robb Elementary has risen to 18 children and 3 adults, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said on CNN. Gutierrez's district includes Uvalde. "It's a very tragic event, as you could imagine," said Gutierrez, a Democrat. The 18-year-old shooter first shot his grandmother, Gutierrez said. He fled, got into a car wreck near the elementary school and then ran into the school. Gutierrez said the grandmother was "still holding on" and had been airlifted to San Antonio for treatment. Update 6:25 p.m.: Attorney General Ken Paxton asked for prayers for those impacted by the Uvalde shooting. "Lord, our refuge and strength, we pray for the souls of those lost, those who were wounded, their families, and our brave first responders," Paxton wrote on Twitter. In a TV interview shared online, he said it didn't make sense that guns should be banned from law-abiding citizens. "I'd much rather have law-abiding citizens, armed, trained so that they can respond when something like this happens, because it's not going to be the last time," he said. Update 6:01 p.m. Tuesday's massacre of 15 people in a shooting at a Texas elementary school comes as The National Rifle Association is hosting its annual meeting this weekend at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The event is expected to draw 55,000 people, according to Houston First, the corporation that oversees the convention center. On Tuesday afternoon, the convention center was plastered with signs for the NRAs 150th anniversary, with banners promoting gun sponsors and gun giveaways during the 4-day event. Organizers put up red and white-curtained booths inside the arena, where cranes delivered freight loads of gun company gear. -- Nora Mishanec Update 5:50 p.m.: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday accused Democrats and the media of "politicizing" mass shootings and said gun restrictions are not effective. When there's a murder of this kind, you see politicians try to politicize it, Cruz said in response to questions from reporters about the Uvalde shooting, according to videos posted on Twitter. You see Democrats and a lot of folks in the media, whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, Cruz said. That doesn't work. It's not effective, it doesn't prevent crime. Cruz said policy should instead focus on going after felons and fugitives and those with serious mental illness, arresting them, prosecuting them when they try to illegally buy firearms. If you look to the past, we know what is effective and it is targeting the felons and the fugitives and the bad guys, Cruz said. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, another Texas Republican, issued a statement calling the shooting every parent and teachers worst nightmare. Cornyn said he was in touch with local officials and monitoring the situation. Cruz is among Texas Republicans set to address a National Rifle Association convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston this weekend. Cornyn had previously told the NRA he would not be able to speak to "due to an unexpected change in his schedule" because of personal reasons, his spokesperson said. -- Ben Wermund Update 5:20 p.m.: President Joe Biden has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff out of "respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on May 24, 2022, by a gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas," according to a White House proclamation. Update 5:15 p.m.: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has released a statement on Twitter: "In the coming hours, we will begin to see the faces of more children whose lives have been stolen by yet another senseless act of gun violence in Texas. How much longer will we be willing to put the interests of the gun lobby over the lives of innocent people?" Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has released a statement on Twitter: "Thank you to all First Responders for their heroic actions. School always felt like a safe place while I was growing up." Houston ISD Superintendent Millard House II has released a statement, saying the district shared "the grief and pain of the Uvalde community." Houston ISD police were evaluating safety measures and would adjust as needed, he said. "Robb Elementary children, teachers, staff, and families experienced what no one should, let alone at a place we trust is safe for our children," the statement said, continuing, "I will hold my children a little tighter when I see them as I'm sure many of you will as well. Let us hold the families of those who have lost loved ones just as tightly in our thoughts and send them the strength to get through this unimaginable pain." Update 5:00 p.m.: Mayor Sylvester Turner has released a statement, saying he is heartbroken and troubled" to learn of the shooting. He said his "deepest condolences go to the families, teachers, and classmates enduring this unspeakable tragedy." Continued the statement: In the last two weeks, at least 23 people have lost their lives in mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and now Uvalde, Texas. Congress must act, and governors and state legislators must pass reasonable gun control legislation. The voters must demand it from their representatives. How many more children must lose their lives from senseless gun violence? Update 4:32 p.m.: Gov. Greg Abbott has released a statement on Twitter: "Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde. Cecelia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering. We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School." Update: 4 p.m.: AP - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said 15 people were killed in a shooting Tuesday at an elementary school. Abbott said the suspected shooter, an 18-year-old man, also died and was believed to be killed by responding officers. He said 14 children and one teacher were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 85 miles west of San Antonio and 275 miles west of Houston. The shooter had a handgun and possibly a rifle. The Southern Baptist apocalypse. A criminal conspiracy. Thats how a former, longtime Southern Baptist Convention leader described the findings of a historic 400-page investigation that detailed two decades of attempts by other denominational officials to silence sexual abuse survivors and prioritize the SBCs bottom line over policies to stop predators. My hands were shaking with rage, said Russell Moore, a prominent Christian figure who left the faith group last year over other leaders attempts to silence and intimidate him for his work with abuse survivors. As dark a view as I had of (SBC leaders), the investigation uncovers a reality far more evil and systemic than I imagined it could be. The conclusions of the report are so massive as to almost defy summation. UPDATES: Southern Baptist leaders expected to respond to bombshell investigation on sexual abuse Released Sunday, the scathing report by Guidepost Solutions exhaustively details the failure or refusal of the SBCs top governing committee to confront widespread sexual abuses that experts, survivors and activists had warned of for decades. The SBC initiated the report last year after four years of abuse-related scandals. Guidepost found that, rather than adopt prevention policies, a handful of leaders of the SBCs executive committee sought to shield the denomination and the hundreds of millions of dollars it collects in annual, untaxed donations from lawsuits. Legal protection was a defining characteristic of top leaders response to sex abuse since 2000, which Guidepost said stood in stark contrast to their treatment of those abused in SBC churches. Prominent leaders often belittled, intimidated or silenced those who spoke out or who sought reforms in response to a 2019 Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News investigation that detailed the crisis. While SBC leaders publicly claimed it wasnt feasible to publish a database of offenders to help churches conduct background checks, Guidepost revealed that an SBC employee was compiling an internal database with more than 700 names of accused abusers since 2007, most of whom served at Southern Baptist churches. Over 20 years, SBC leaders perpetuated a culture of indifference toward abuse that had a chilling effect and deterred survivors from coming forward about abuse, the report found. Leaders actions also kept the SBCs 47,000 churches mostly unaware that sexual predators were targeting their churches because they were soft targets where they could abuse, repent and repeat. The revelations sparked widespread soul-searching from many in the SBC, the nations second largest-faith group. Do we choose bad leaders, or do we make good leaders bad? Bart Barber, a Texas pastor and candidate for SBC presidency this June, said on Twitter. Others including high-profile figures who recently left the denomination because of its treatment of women and abuse said the report confirmed their decisions to depart. You have betrayed your women, Beth Moore, a popular Christian leader and abuse survivor in Houston who left the SBC last year, wrote on Twitter. Its too late to make it right with me. It is not too late to make it right with them. Among other responses to the investigation, leaders of Southern Baptist entities and seminaries said they will review institutional ties to former SBC President Johnny Hunt, who was accused in the report of sexually assaulting the wife of a pastor in 2010. Hunt has denied the accusations, but stepped down from the SBCs North American evangelism entity ahead of the report. We sharply disagree A former longtime SBC official and one of the conventions lawyers, who were both named in the report, defended their actions Monday. We disagree sharply with many of the characterizations in the report and its assignment of ill will and bad motives to men and women of the Executive Committee who struggled year after year with complex issues, Jim Guenther, the SBCs lawyer since 1966, said in a statement to the Chronicle. Guenther declined to answer further questions over Guideposts investigation, which found he played a central role in creating the culture of silence that was described in the report. In a Monday interview, Roger Sing Oldham, a former vice president for SBC relations, said he had no idea that an SBC employee had compiled an internal list of more than 700 ministers accused of sexual abuse even though Oldham had supplied much of the material for the roster. Oldham, who resigned in 2019, said he had set up a Google Alert to find new webpages that included the terms Baptist and arrested. Over the years, Google automatically emailed Oldham links to news stories about cases of sexual abuse, which he forwarded to August Augie Boto, the executive committees top legal counsel. I would just sort of send them as a matter of course, Oldham said. Id get a Google alert, Id open it up. Id read it. My heart would be sad. I would pray for the victims. Id look to see if the church was SBC connected. Oldham said he wanted to keep Boto apprised of incidents at Southern Baptist churches, and SBC officials occasionally debated whether they should publish links to the stories on the conventions website. They decided to link to a public registry of sex offenders. Guidepost investigators learned that an SBC employee, at Botos behest, was compiling a table of sexual abuse reports using public sources, including the abusers name, year reported, relevant news articles, state and denomination. The latest iteration of the table contained the name of 703 offenders, the report found, with 409 believed to be SBC-affiliated. I dont know if it was ever used, Oldham said of the list. If it was used, I dont know what it was used for. Efforts to reach Boto were unsuccessful. When Chronicle reporters told Boto and Oldham in a 2019 interview that the Chronicle had compiled a database of hundreds of pastors, employees and volunteers at Southern Baptist churches, Boto said he was angry at the sheer number of cases. But he didnt say he was surprised. The Guidepost investigation found there is no indication that Dr. Oldham, Mr. Boto, or anyone else, took any action to ensure that the accused ministers were no longer in positions of power at SBC churches. The firms investigators determined that nine of the accused abusers were still in ministry. Oldham said he never checked the status of the ministers because the news articles made it clear that law enforcement officials had intervened and the accused abuser had resigned or been fired. Waiving privilege Requested last summer by church delegates, the Guidepost report is the culmination of four years of SBC debates over how to address abuse issues. Those conversations began in 2018, when three longtime leaders Paige Patterson, Paul Pressler and Frank Page were accused of concealing abuse reports, or of sexual misconduct themselves. Those scandals prompted the Chronicles 2019 investigation, Abuse of Faith, which found that hundreds of SBC pastors had sexually abused at least 700 people, most of them children, since 1998. The findings prompted the SBC to adopt changes that allow for the removal of churches employing sexual predators or that conceal or mishandle abuse reports. Some leaders continued to push back against reforms in the wake of the Chronicles report, however. After the SBCs public policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, held a three-day conference on abuse in 2019, then-ERLC President Russell Moore said other executive committee members launched a phony investigation into him as retaliation. Executive committee members allegedly tried to censure then-President J.D. Greear for an interview with the Chronicle, in which Greear said SBC churches should exercise caution before hosting Patterson, a former SBC president. Patterson was ousted as president of the SBCs Fort Worth seminary in 2018 for his handling of numerous rape reports. In a letter that was leaked last year, Moore outlined those and other attempts to stymie abuse reforms, allegations that led to Moores departure from the SBC after decades of service. That and other scandals eventually prompted more than 15,000 SBC church representatives to demand the Guidepost investigation into their top leadership body last summer. After heated debates last year, the SBCs executive committee agreed to waive attorney-client privilege and grant Guidepost access to confidential emails and memos written by SBC lawyers. Some of Guideposts most concerning findings were based on those records. Investigators uncovered messages from lawyers stating that no action should be taken when concerned members of the public contacted the conventions national office about suspected cases of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches. Oldham told the Chronicle that he was instructed to forward such messages from the public to Boto. Oldham said he believed Boto or someone else at the SBC was telling the tipsters to contact law enforcement officials. Any sexual abuse allegation is a criminal complaint and needs to be reported to law enforcement because law enforcement has the full weight of the government behind it, Oldham said. According to the Guidepost report, some abuse survivors and concerned church members who contacted the SBC received no response at all. Emails between Boto and Guenther showed they sometimes agreed that silence was the best course of action to protect the SBC from any legal liability. Asked if he was concerned by their decision, Oldham replied: Obviously, yes. Top leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention are meeting Tuesday to discuss a historic report into their handling of sexual abuses dating back to 2000. 11:25 a.m. Leaders have closed the meeting with a prayer for survivors, who they thank for "their willingness to continue to stay in the fight." "May we treat them with the honor they deserve." 11:10 a.m. SBC President Ed Litton said the committee needs to act swiftly in response to the Guidepost report, saying that the "world is watching." "They dont need to see business as usual," Litton added. Were not going to get another oppotrunity to do this right. 11 a.m. "If we can substantiate them, we will share them," one SBC leader said of the plan to share Boto's list, which leaders said primarily includes cases that ended in criminal conviction. "We don't have a ton of work ahead of us." 10:50 a.m. "We are in a time and season where we're going to have to navigate tough waters," one leader said, adding that the SBC has asked survivors to do as much for years - and at great cost. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer 10:30 a.m. In a non-binding vote, nearly all executive committee members said they would support a statement hat repudiates statements that denigrated survivors, among other things. Private SBC database to go public 10:20 a.m. Executive Committee leaders say they will make public a private database of offenders that was maintained by Boto. Leaders say they will do so after redacting sensitive information on survivors. They are also looking to revoke Boto's retirement benefits as well as others named in the report. 10:15 a.m. SBC leaders opened the meeting with calls for deep reflection on Sunday's report, and for members to recognize that "the pain that survivors carry trauma with them daily. Members were asked to limit discussion to things that will directly affect sexual abuse moving forward. Original story: Released Sunday, the report by Guidepost Solutions found that leaders of the SBC executive committee routinely silenced abuse survivors, ignored their warnings about a burgeoning abuse crisis and opposed prevention policies that they thought could protect children, but would open the SBC to liability in lawsuits. The nearly 400-page report corroborates what survivors have said for years: The denominational officials ignored or downplayed decades of documentation that showed predators were targeting SBC churches. SOUTHERN BAPTIST SEXUAL ABUSE: 5 explosive takeaways from the new 400-page report Many of the executive committee members named in the report have retired or resigned last year amid contentious debates over whether to allow Guidepost full access to legally protected documents, as was demanded by SBC churches when they commissioned the inquiry. The Tuesday meeting is likely to include discussions about policies proposed by Guidepost and the SBC task force that assisted them with the investigation. Among them: A database of abusive ministers that churches could consult when hiring, and which survivors have said for years is crucial to stopping predators in the SBC, a collective of 47,000 churches with no uniform ordination standards that shares almost no information between churches. A CONSPIRACY?: As ex-Southern Baptist figure alleges criminal conspiracy, prominent leader defends abuse response The database idea was dismissed in 2008 by executive committee members. The Guidepost report found that, at the same time they were pushing back against that oversight mechanism, committee members namely longtime legal counsel August "Augie" Boto had been collecting their own, internal list of accused abusers. The Southern Baptist Convention continues to reel from a historic, third-party report that detailed two decades of attempts by leaders to silence sexual abuse survivors and oppose prevention policies to protect the denomination from lawsuits. Released Sunday, the report by Guidepost Solutions details how a handful of SBC officials disparaged abuse survivors, ignored their warnings about a burgeoning abuse crisis and opposed prevention policies that they thought could protect children, but would open the SBC to liability in lawsuits. The nearly 400-page report corroborates what survivors have said for years: That denominational officials ignored or downplayed decades of documentation that showed predators were targeting SBC churches. Many of the executive committee members named in the report have retired or resigned last year amid contentious debates over whether to allow Guidepost full access to legally protected documents, as was demanded by SBC churches when they commissioned the inquiry. The report is the culmination of years of efforts to combat abuse in the SBC, the nations second-largest faith group. In 2019, the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News published Abuse of Faith, a series of investigations that detailed the widespread abuses occurring in the SBCs 47,000 churches. Southern Baptist leaders are expected to respond to the report on Tuesday. Here is a brief timeline of major events that led up to the Guidepost report on Sunday: Spring 2018 The Southern Baptist Convention faced a litany of sex-abuse scandals involving three of its most important and influential figures. Frank Page, head of the SBCs executive committee, resigned his position after it was uncovered that he had an affair with a member of his church. And Paul Pressler, a former Texas Appeals Court judge and co-leader of the SBCs 20-year civil war over Biblical truth, was accused of decades of rapes by a former youth group member who sued. Three other men eventually alleged similar misconduct in court affidavits, and the Chronicle revealed a 2004 lawsuit settlement for assault in which Pressler agreed to pay $450,000. Meanwhile, controversy began to swirl over Paige Patterson, one of the most influential evangelicals of the last half-century. Criticism began after the resurfacing of sermons in which Patterson, a two-time SBC president, bragged about counseling a woman whose husband beat her. Patterson bragged that the woman once showed up to church with two black eyes, but that her husband had also come to church a sign of restoration, in Pattersons view. In another sermon, Patterson referred to a 16-year-old churchgoer as built, language he justified as Biblical. As outcries over Pattersons earlier sermons grew, two women came forward saying he concealed or mishandled their rape reports while Patterson was president of various SBC seminaries. Ahead of the SBCs annual meeting in June 2018, Patterson was removed as the president of the SBCs Fort Worth seminary by the schools trustees. February 2019 The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News publish the first three stories in Abuse of Faith. Prompted by the scandals against Pressler, Patterson and others, the investigation found roughly 400 SBC church leaders had been criminally charged with sex crimes since 2000. Many of those abuses occurred after 2008, when SBC leaders declined to even consider a handful of modest reforms that were suggested by survivors and experts. June 2019 At their annual meeting, Southern Baptists took their first steps toward reform in response to the Chronicles reporting. They advanced a constitutional amendment on abuse and empowered a committee to intake abuse reports and, after making voluntary inquiries into churches handling of abuse, refer those congregations to the executive committee to decide if the church should be booted from the SBC October 2019 The SBCs public policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, hosted the Caring Well Conference, a three-day event focused solely on abuse issues. At the conference, well-known abuse advocate, attorney and survivor Rachael Denhollander noted a report by Baptist Press, the denominations news service, that mischaracterized a high-ranking SBC employees rape report as a consensual affair. The woman was hit with a wave of online harassment, and routinely pleaded with SBC leaders to correct the error. They didnt, prompting Denhollander to raise the issue. Baptist Press quickly issued a statement and clarification, but the speech enraged some on the SBCs executive committee, the group's highest governing body. February 2020 At a meeting of the SBCs executive committee, some members allegedly sought to censure then-President J.D. Greear for comments he made to the Chronicle. Greear advised SBC churches to exercise caution before hosting Patterson. Meanwhile, other members allegedly launched an investigation into the work of then-SBC leader Russell Moore, which he later said was tantamount to a mafia-style shakedown. June 2021 Moore eventually resigned, but weeks before the SBCs annual meeting in 2021, a letter he wrote in 2019 was leaked to the press. It detailed his allegations of intimidation by SBC leaders, and prompted SBC church messengers to demand the third-party investigation into allegations that their top leaders had mishandled abuses dating back to 2000. October 2021 Executive Committee members met for what was expected to be a routine meeting at which theyd approve the details of the investigation, including fulfilling SBC churches demands that they hand over two decades of internal communications to investigators. A handful of SBC leaders resisted that idea, and ultimately forced three, nine-hour meetings in which they campaigned against full transparency. Eventually, a majority of the executive committee opted to waive attorney-client privilege. May 2022 The findings of the third-party report sent shock waves through the SBC. The report uncovered a pattern in which SBC leaders routinely silenced survivors, ignored warnings from experts and publicly opposed prevention policies that they privately thought might help protect children. WFO AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 501 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of south central Texas, including the following counties, Dimmit and Maverick. * WHEN...Until 815 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 501 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts up to 2 inches are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Gilson Groves. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Hudspeth County through 430 PM MDT... At 402 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles north of Indian Hot Springs, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Frenchman Canyon and Big Box. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 3083 10534 3084 10534 3084 10535 3085 10536 3085 10539 3102 10540 3110 10510 3081 10508 TIME...MOT...LOC 2202Z 265DEG 11KT 3094 10531 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northern Parmer County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 630 PM CDT. * At 528 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Clovis, moving northeast at 25 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... Friona, Bovina, Farwell, Black and Rhea. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a Northwestern Webb County in south central Texas... * Until 615 PM CDT. * At 529 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles southeast of Chupadera Ranch Airport, or 29 miles south of Carrizo Springs, moving east at 20 mph. * This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of northwestern Webb County. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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 As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Lee Bank Foundation Distributes Grants in First Funding Round of 2022 LEE, Mass. Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $83,750 to twelve Berkshire area organizations and an additional grant to Pittsfield Public Schools in its first-round of 2022 community funding. Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $16,000 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences. The following organizations received funding from Lee Bank Foundation: Berkshire Center for Justice Berkshire Community Diaper Project Berkshire Concert Choir Berkshire County Arc Berkshire Historical Society Berkshire Family YMCA Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Community Access to the Arts Great Barrington Public Theater Greenagers Roots Rising The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Historical Society, and Great Barrington Public Theater. Additionally, Lee Bank Foundation announced a $16,000 grant to the Pittsfield Public Schools -- $1,000 for each school serving children and adults in Pittsfield, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the new Lee Bank branch on South Street. The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is June 1. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank's website ( https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation's primary focus areas: Education and literacy Food security and nutrition Economic growth and development Health and human services Mentorship, internship and "school to work" initiatives Arts and culture Applicants are only eligible for funding once in a 12-month period. Adams Selectmen, Finance Committee OK 2022 Town Meeting Warrant ADAMS, Mass. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee have approved the 26 warrant articles to be put forward at the June 21 annual town meeting. Two articles are related to the development of the Greylock Glen and another would update the town's cannabis bylaws. Article 22 would appropriate $80,000 from the Economic Development Fund to hire a consultant for the Greylock Glen Foundation. This consultant will establish the foundation, fundraise from the private sector and work on other projects. Article 24 would authorize the Board of Selectmen to purchase property along Gould Road for $100,000. The 1.2-acre plot of land, according to Town Administrator Jay Green, will benefit the town's future development plans if voters approve the purchase. "We just realized that that's a parcel that's a key entryway to the area that we're spending a lot of time, resources and energy on, and it's something that we should probably take control of," he said. The Greylock Glen Outdoor Center, for which the town just received another $2.9 million in state aid, is expected to begin construction in late June. Articles 5, 6 and 7 cover sections of the town's $17 million budget, including operational, capital and free-cash expenses. Articles 8 and 9 are the budgets for the Hoosac Valley and Northern Berkshire Vocational school regional school districts. Article 25 would authorize the sale of 20 East St., the former Community Center, to Robert Hinton of CMV Construction for $25,000. CMV, the lone bidder on a request for proposals for the property, plans to turn the building into apartments. Article 21, if approved, would appropriate $5,000 from the Quaker Meeting House fund to perform repairs and inspection. The current balance of the fund is $10,602.70 Article 23, if approved by a majority vote, will establish an enterprise fund for the town's sewer system. "This is not a sewer user fee. I just want to make that very clear," Green said. "It is simply accepting the provisions to use an enterprise fund, it'd still be funded via tax levy. Over the next year, I think we as a community will be having a conversation about how we fund the enterprise fund," Article 10 proposes the town put $250,000 of free cash toward lowering the tax rate. Green said this is part of the town's internal fiscal policy but is something he hopes to change in the future, noting this money could instead go toward road and building maintenance. "So all the work that we've talked about: roads and buildings and every other thing that seems to fall apart around here; that would have been another 250,000. That would have been half a million dollars worth of capital programming that could have been done," he said. Article 11, if approved, will add $62,000 to the town's stabilization fund. Article 20 would update the town's marijuana bylaw to allow cannabis businesses to offer courier services. Selectwoman Christine Hoyt thanked the Planning Board and others involved with updating the bylaw. Articles 1 through 4 are annual articles that handle filling town officer vacancies, hearing reports from town officers and fixing compensation. Article 19 would amend the town compensation plan, giving town employees a 2 percent increase over fiscal 2022. Selectman Joseph Nowak said he would like to see compensation for the Board of Selectmen and other town boards to be raised. "I think people who are willing to serve should get something worth their time. Perhaps that's maybe a small reason why we don't see people running for elected positions in this community and in other places," he said. Hoyt said the town lowered the stipends during the 2020 budget cycle to save money. Board Chair John Duval said he would be willing to discuss changing compensation. Article 16, if approved, will allow the town to accept $7,200 in perpetual care funds received in 2021 for the care and maintenance of cemetery lots. The town treasurer will manage these funds. Article 12, another annual article, will establish a $175,000 reserve fund if approved. This fund, which only the Finance Committee can access, would be used in emergencies for unforeseen expenses. Article 14 would allow the Board of Selectmen to apply for Community Development Block Grants. Similarly, Article 15 authorizes the board to apply for Community Facilities Grants. Article 17 authorizes the town treasurer to borrow with Board of Selectmen approval if there is a revenue shortfall; Article 18 establishes the spending limits for the town's revolving fund accounts and Article 13 would allow the town to pay any unpaid bills from the current or prior fiscal years. Adams currently has no outstanding bills. Article 26 will allow the town to conduct any business that may legally come before the meeting. The former Portsmitt's Lakeway is being reopened as a barbecue joint. Pittsfield Licensing Board OKs Liquor Licenses for Two New Eateries The former Papa Gino's on Merrill Road closed after nearly a half-century in business. The location will reopen as a Mexican restaurant. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Two new restaurants are on the horizon for the city. The Licensing Board on Monday approved the transfer of a seven-day all-alcohol license from Portsmitt's Lakeway Restaurant to Old Man Jeff's, which will be run by Jeffrey Yeager, the former assistant vice president of planning and reporting at Guardian Life Insurance Co. The board also approved a seasonal all-alcohol restaurant license application for El Habanero Mexican Grill, which plans to open in the former Papa Gino's on Merrill Road. In his retirement, Yeager has dedicated himself to becoming a pitmaster and plans to open a barbecue establishment at the shuttered eatery on Peck's Road. Portsmitt's closed in November 2020, citing financial pressures from the pandemic. "I was responsible for operations at Guardian Life for 30 years, retired, hit the road, the BBQ trail, did competition barbecue for two years studying to some of the top pitmasters in the country, kind of did that for a little while and I can't cook so much food for myself," he said, adding that he is excited because he has always wanted to run a barbecue restaurant. Yeager said he would like to initially focus on "power hours," or lunches and early dinners. The board approved the eatery's operating hours from noon to 11 p.m., though he doesn't plan to be open that late. "I just want to say we've been through this pandemic, and there's been several businesses that have come before us and we tried to work with them to come to an opportunity like this, so I'm sure that there's a lot of people involved in this that are pleased that this is moving forward," board member Kathy Amuso said. "So it is nice to see this because we've been talking about this business and a couple of others and pandemic hit it hard and it's gonna be nice to see this open and moving forward." Attorney William Martin explained that Portsmitt's liquor license was the subject of a lien with Pittsfield Cooperative Bank and taken into possession by the bank. A negotiation was made so that the license can be transferred from its original entity to Yeager because it is the cleaner way to do it, Martin said. MCLA Gallery 51 to Host Artist Talk and Book Signing with Photographer NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Arts and Culture (MAC) will host an artist talk and book signing with photographer Lydia Panas from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 3, at MCLA Gallery 51 on Main Street. A screening of Panas' work will follow at MASS MoCA from 9-10 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. Panas' recent work, "Sleeping Beauty" a series of photographs and video installations, has been exhibited across the country. According to a press release, this series of color portraits of reclining women and girls reverses roles, with the artist's and models' gazes intertwined, incorporating the viewer as participant in an often uncomfortable connection. After an artist talk at 5:30 p.m., Panas will sign copies of "Sleeping Beauty," which was named one of the best photography books of 2021 by PopPhoto. Lydia Panas is a visual artist working with photography and video. A first-generation American, she was raised between Greece and the United States. All her work is made in the fields, the forests, and the studio of her seventy-acre farm in Pennsylvania. Panas' work has been exhibited widely in the U.S. and internationally. Her photographs are represented in public and private collections including the Brooklyn Museum, Bronx Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Palm Springs Art Museum, Allentown Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Photography Chicago, Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, and the Sheldon Museum among others. Her work has appeared in many periodicals such as The New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, The Village Voice, French Photo, and Hyperallergic. Panas has degrees from Boston College, School of Visual Arts, and New York University/International Center of Photography. She is the recipient of a Whitney Museum Independent Study Fellowship and a CFEVA Fellowship. She has three monographs, "The Mark of Abel" (Kehrer Verlag 2012), "Falling from Grace" (Conveyor Arts 2016) and, "Sleeping Beauty" (MW Editions 2021). Liana Toscanini, the founder of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires, welcomes attendees to a virtual version of the 5th annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards on Tuesday. Berkshire Nonprofit Awards Recognize Work of Seven Individuals Jerry Burke of Hillcrest Educational Centers responds to his Lifetime Achievement Award in this screenshot. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Seven individuals were recognized for their outstanding work in the nonprofit community on Tuesday morning, including presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Gerard E. Burke of Hillcrest Educational Centers. Fifth annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards was held virtually from the Berkshire Innovation Center with hosts state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli and Liana Toscanini, the founder of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires . About 100 people logged in. The recipients were selected from 86 nominations by a panel of 21 judges and also included Dr. Marie Rudden of Berkshire Community Diaper Project, Ananda Timpane of Railroad Street Youth Project, Katie Clarke of Community Access to the Arts, Jade Schnauber of Lever Inc., Courtney Kimball of Construct Inc., and Charles Bonenti of Berkshire Immigrant Center. Burke's career in working with children with special needs spans 40 years. He started at Hillcrest in 1985 and became chief executive officer in 1992. He is retiring this June and will be replaced by the center's Executive Director Shaun Cusson. "He has been a part of a team who transformed a bankrupt company into a joint commission-accredited organization employing over 500 professionals," said presenter Casey Rothstein-Fitzpatrick of the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Trust. "In every case, he leaves the organization stronger than when he joined. A respected business leader who successfully brought attention to the nonprofit sector, Jerry's commitment to the local community is unmatched." Burke has been involved or served on the boards of numerous institutions over the past 40 years, including 1Berkshire, Berkshire County Business Roundtable, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, MassHire, Massachusetts Workforce Investment and Greylock Federal Credit Union, and was president of the Massachusetts Association of Private Schools. He also served on the board of Berkshire United Way and the nonprofit's former leader, Kristine Hazzard, said Burke was committed to the nonprofit sector as a vital part of the Berkshire economy and had started several nonprofit support groups. "He's not competitive in that sense. And whenever there's a new nonprofit leader in the community, new and/or elevated, he's taken him out to lunch, he's reaching out to them and saying, 'What can I do?' Hazzard said. "He was a phenomenal board member he challenged me. I always like to be challenged and so he did that really well. And I appreciated his sage advice and we stayed very close after he went off the board. ... "Now he's going to have to let all of us start taking him to lunch because he's been buying lunch for a lot of people for over 30 years." Burke said he was appreciative of the honor considering the caliber of the nominees. "As part of Hillcrest, we've always believed that the Berkshire County community is a very important part for us. And we want to reach back into that community and support it as well," he said. "So on behalf of all of our employees and our board of directors and students that we have here, we want to we want to thank you for this recognition given to me, as I represent that group as a whole." Ananda Timpane, executive director of RSYP, was presented with the Nonprofit Center's Executive Leadership Award. "She steadily and intentionally has built the organization over the past decade, quadrupling the budget. Ananda inspires staff, constituents, board members and donors with her authenticity," said presenter Thomas Bernard, Berkshire United Way president. "She is always available to help young people and especially marginalized youth in the community, find connection and advocate for themselves." Austen Dupont, of Greenagers, said RSYP was "a safe haven in my adolescent years" and he was wary of Timpane when took over a decade ago because of her business background. But he felt she listened to him, a 15-year-old, and treated him like an equal. "It does not matter what's going on in her life. She's there for me, and it feels that way," he said. "It's deeply deeply touching and meaningful to be recognized by young people that I've worked with like Austen and the staff I work with and members of my board who got together to nominate me behind my back because that's the very people that I have learned to lead from and to have them say, 'I think you're doing a good job,'" Timpane said. "But not just a good job, but the kind of good job that other people should know about is deeply meaningful and touching." Dr. Marie Rudden, West Stockbridge psychiatrist, was the recipient of the NPC Board Leadership Award. She founded Berkshire Community Diaper Project in 2014 and is now delivering 1,000 diapers a month to 19 sites. "We have now given out 1,330,000 diapers throughout the county with the help of generous private donations and grants including from the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, which helped us distribute diapers in the North Adams/North County area," said Rudden. "Our board consists entirely of committed and dedicated volunteers. Some are social workers, some our parents and grandparents and it's some of our nurses. It's been an amazing opportunity for me to work with the people that have joined up to be in this project." Charles Bonenti, a retired Berkshire Eagle features editor, was presented with the Volunteer Award for his work with the Berkshire Immigrant Center, including taking the lead in supporting 60 Afghan refugees. Gabriela Sheehan, a resettlement specialist with Jewish Family Service, said Bonenti was assigned to help an Afghan family acclimate to the Berkshires last December. "Immediately he took off running and did all aspects of resettlement for this particular family," Sheehan said. "[He] really have embraced the Afghan family like his own family, making sure that they have felt supported and cared for." Bonenti said he could see himself in what she said but also the teams and volunteers he's working with. "I came of age in the Civil Rights era and Vietnam so activism has been part of my life for many years," he said, pointing to his local advocacy on affordable housing. "The work at the immigrant center was a natural outcome of that. My own family were immigrants. And I have their stories and I feel this is very personal." The Samya Rose Stumo Youth Leadership Award, honoring the 24-year-old Sheffield native who was killed in a plane crash en route to nonprofit work in Kenya, was presented to Jade Schnauber for her efforts to create more inclusive workforce programs at through Lever. "That lens that she has on diversity, equity and inclusion within the Berkshire community, it's something that a lot of us should model," said Michael Obasohan, chief diversity officer for the city of Pittsfield. "We should continue to support our students even after they graduate from from college because it it does really impact their lives." Schnauber said it was important to her when she joined Lever two years ago to bring in young people from more diverse backgrounds -- more people of color, more queer people and others who weren't well represented. Jade Schnauber of Lever was the recipient of the Samya Rose Stumo Youth Leadership Award for her efforts to build a young, diverse workforce in the Berkshires. "We've already been able to serve almost 40 students from a lot of local colleges including MCLA, BCC and Williams," she said. "And we've involved 15 mentors. They've shown students that representation does matter and that they are represented in our workforce, and that there are people interested in hiring them and keeping them here in the local community." The Rock Star Award is given to nonprofit staff members whose work has a significant impact on their organiztion. Clark, as CATA's administrative director, "is a force of nature at the center of CATA's smooth-running organization," said presenter Robin McGraw of Black Rock Foundation. "She is deeply honest and ethical, with an eagle eye and an unwavering work ethic. One of those rare people who can simultaneously be detail oriented and see the big picture," he said, adding, "she's created a business facilities plan so thorough and compelling, that is now being used as a model by one of CATA's major grant funders." CATA's Executive Director Margaret Keller said Clark had created the organization's facility business plan to keep everything on track and then, three days after it opened, COVID-19 struck and that her dedication and drive helped the nonprofit reinvent its business model. Clark thanked NPC for "recognizing the admin side and the importance of what it takes to make the all the nonprofit's here in the Berkshires thrive and survive." Construct program manager Courtney Kimball received the Unsung Hero Award for her work with individuals who have been unhouse. "She personifies the trauma informed approach, believing in participants until they can believe in themselves," said presenter Jennifer Connor Shumsky of Greylock Federal Credit Union. "A few things about Courtney, she's thorough. She's tenacious. She's an advocate for all she's kind, reliable and very resourceful. ... "Courtney really has one of the hardest hardest jobs imaginable. She's an ally to the immigrant community. She really is the face of construct through the pandemic resources." A client, Danielle Hollum, said Kimball has been a friend and that "she doesn't discriminate or anything like that, like she's just an all around great person." Kimball said they all do it because they care but it's nice to be recognized. "One of the things I love most about my job is that I can actually make a difference in people's lives. And there are times where it's really difficult," she said. "When you know you're working with a lot of clients and you're not able to make miracles happen. But when you're able to actually help somebody, it makes it all worth it at the end." The awards are the idea of Toscanini, who wanted to "celebrate the good work of the people behind the missions." "She had this vision six years ago to corral and solidify the nonprofit sector of the Berkshires and she's done an amazing job pulling this all together," Pignatelli said. The event also featured a musical interlude by Music in Common, a thank you from Berkshire Eagle Publisher Fredric D. Rutberg for their work, and greetings from Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. A $3,000 cash prize was won by Kripalu Center. Toscanini said there are more than 1,000 nonprofits in Berkshire County that employing one out every in four workers in the county, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "We will continue to support you, pulling together programs to address your needs, gathering critical data such as the Berkshire nonprofit salary survey and making the public aware of the value of the nonprofit sector, to our economy, to those less fortunate and to our way of life here in Berkshire County," said Toscanini. The Berkshire Eagle was the media sponsor and funders that partnered to make the event possible included Berkshire Bank, Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Berkshire United Way, Black Rock Foundation/Donald C. McGraw Foundation, Feigenbaum Foundation, Fitzpatrick Trust, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lamar Advertising Co., Salisbury Bank, Warrior Trading and Williamstown Community Chest. A few weeks ago, Boris Johnson posted an extraordinary video on social media. He addressed himself to the people of Russia in their own language. Look at what is being done in your name, he demanded. Images from Ukraine followed: civilians left dead in the street, women raped in front of their children, and mass graves filled with burned corpses. All were horrific. The Russian people deserve the truth, you deserve the facts, Johnson continued. He said of the images from Bucha and Irpin they were so shocking, so sickening, its no wonder your government is seeking to hide them from you. Our Governments hope, of course, is that people in Russia will be encouraged to look beyond intense Kremlin information management. Little or no independent media now exists in Russia. Journalists there can be sent to prison for 15 years for spreading fake information 14 have been jailed since Februarys invasion. Specialist software is required to access non-approved websites. Johnsons efforts should be applauded, save that Putin will unpick his hypocrisy with such devastating ease that British efforts risk doing more harm than good. If our Prime Minister really believes that people have a right to know the details of war carried out in their name, why is Julian Assange facing 175 years in prison? At a court hearing in April, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring passed Assanges case to Home Secretary Pritti Patel. Lawyers for the Wikileaks founder were granted four weeks to present a legal case for dismissing the application. Patel now has a similar period to deliberate. There are abundant arguments for ending the grotesque side-show of Assanges detention. Extradition on political grounds is explicitly excluded from the treaty between the UK and the US. The US bugging of Assanges meetings with his lawyers make a fair trial impossible. And, the assurances provided by the US since the extradition hearings concluded have not been tested in court. More than anything else, however, Patel should turn down the application as a first step in repairing the UKs reputation as a bastion of media freedom. The offences for which Assange is pursued mostly relate to the release in 2010 of the Afghan and Iraqi war logs. These were allegedly leaked to the Australian by young American soldier, Chelsea Manning. The Collateral Murder video is their emblematic revelation. In this, in 2007, two US soldiers in an Apache helicopter, gun down a group of unarmed civilians on a hillside near Baghdad. Between 12 and 18 died, including two Reuters journalists. The soldiers gleefully whoop and cheer like sugar-crazed teenagers playing a computer shoot-em-up as their 30mm shells cut their victims to shreds. For so long as Boris Johnson allows the persecution of Assange to proceed, his demand that Russians should be allowed to see what is being done in their name, rings hollow. Given our Prime Ministers relaxed attitude to the truth, and his distracting bluster when exposed, fresh hypocrisy might be seem par for the course. In this instance, however, he is damaging the case of those who support Ukraines right to self determination. A point will come when Russians start to turn against Putin. Handing Russias president fig leaves behind which to hide repression and war crimes delays this process. Patel and Johnson should will spend a few minutes looking again at those images from Bucha and Irpin and then ask themselves if it is ever defensible to persecute those who expose war crimes? There can be only one conclusion: to effectively call out Putin, they have to free Assange. Text by Tim Dawson Journalist Subhash Kumar Mahto was shot dead near his home in Sakho village in the Begusarai district of Bihar on the evening of May 20, allegedly for his reporting on local gangs in the area. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the murder and urges the Indian authorities to expedite investigation on the case and bring the perpetrators to swift justice. Four unidentified assailants shot Mahato from close range at around 9 pm as he returned to his home with his father and other relatives from a community wedding dinner. The gunmen fled once Mahato fell and the journalist was rushed to a local government health centre for treatment, But he was declared deceased on arrival. Mahato, associated with a Public App platform and Begusarais local cable channel City News, was known for his investigative news reports into issues relating to liquor and sand mafia in the region. He was also an active supporter a ward member candidate in the Panchayat elections. Saurabh Kumar, a local journalist and general secretary of Begusarai District Journalists Association argued that his reporting on various mafia organisations and his political affiliation may be a reason for his murder. Kumar said he also suspects that a group angered with his reporting hired professional assassins to kill the journalist. Local police stated that investigation into the case has begun and they are close to identifying the alleged culprits. According to polices initial investigation, the immediate reason for Mahatos murder is a heated exchange during the wedding ceremony he attended the same evening. However, police also suspect his reporting to be a factor in the case. In 2018, Mahato was arrested under Indias Information Technology (IT) Act for a video report but was granted bail by a local court. He is the second journalists to be killed in India in 2022. Journalist Rohit Biswal, of Dharitri, was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED), allegedly planted by Maoist insurgents, in February 2022. The IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: The IFJ strongly condemns the coldblooded murder of journalist Subhash Kumar Mahto and urges the Indian authorities to immediately investigate the crime and bring justice to the perpetrators. India must not allow impunity for crimes against journalists to continue. On Friday 27 May, at 10am, the International Federation of Journalists will join the ICJP's international press conference at Doughty Street Chambers, London, to provide a crucial update on a complaint lodged with the International Criminal Court in April 2022 regarding the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists by Israeli security forces. Leading lawyers from Bindmans LLP and Doughty Street Chambers were instructed by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) to submit the complaint which asked the ICC prosecutor to launch in investigation into the targeted killing and maiming of journalists and the destruction of the media infrastructure in Palestine. The complaint details the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists on behalf of four named victims Ahmed Abu Hussein, Yaser Murtaja, Muath Amarneh and Nedal Eshtayeh who were killed or maimed by Israeli snipers while covering demonstrations in Gaza. All were wearing clearly marked PRESS vests at the time they were shot. The complaint also details the targeting of media and bombing of the Al-Shorouk and Al-Jawhara Towers in Gaza City in May 2021. On 11 May 2022, just days after the ICC prosecutor acknowledged receipt of the complaint, Palestinian American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, was shot in the occupied West Bank. A long-time TV correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, Shireen was killed while covering Israeli army raids in the city of Jenin. There are strong grounds to believe that Shireen was shot by Israeli armed forces. Her case joins a long list of journalists targeted by the Israeli armed forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Exclusively, Al Jazeeras Jerusalem Bureau Chief, Walid Al-Omari, will join key speakers from Doughty Street Chambers and Bindmans LLP along with speakers from the International Federation of Journalists, the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, and the ICJP to present key parts of the complaint lodged in April and to provide an important update on the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh. Tayab Ali, Director of the ICJP comments: "A free press is the cornerstone of a democracy. The targeting of journalists in conflict zones anywhere in the world is unacceptable and must bring severe consequences for those that try to hide their crimes and violations by killing or maiming journalists. On 5 February 2021, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber accepted that it has jurisdiction over the situation in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem. We are confident that the ICC will investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of the crimes alleged in our complaint. There could not be a more important time than now for the ICC and international community to send a clear signal to states that further their own interests through war crimes, that they will not have impunity, but will instead be swiftly held to account for their violations." IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "Once again, journalists wearing press waistcoats and clearly identified as media workers were targeted by snipers. The systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists cannot go unpunished. The journalists and their families deserve justice and the IFJ working with the PJS, ICJP, Bindmans and Doughty Street Chambers is determined to ensure those responsible for crimes against journalists are held accountable". Artificial intelligence might not play an important role in your company yet, but A.I. and machine learning are rapidly transforming our modern-day business environment. According to a year-end 2021 survey by McKinsey, 56 percent of respondents said they had implemented A.I. technology in at least one function, up from 50 percent the previous year. Still, it can be difficult to determine if implementing A.I. in your business is a smart investment or an unnecessary expense. Here are three questions every business owner should ask before diving headfirst into the world of A.I. 1. How can A.I. improve my business? The first question to ask yourself when considering A.I. is what problems might be solved with the technology. An e-commerce company might use A.I. to market and recommend specific products to consumers based on their data, while a financial services company could use A.I. to better predict shifts in the market and get their clients out of risky investments before it's too late. According to the McKinsey survey, the most commonly adopted use for A.I. by businesses in 2021 was in service operations, such as chatbots and virtual assistants. Other widely adopted uses of the technology include risk modeling, A.I.-based product enhancement, and customer service analytics. Ask yourself if automating part of your business has an easily identifiable benefit, or whether you have routine tasks that could easily be automated. 2. Do I have the relevant data? After you've determined how A.I. technology could improve your business, it's time to take a hard look at your data. According to IBM, about 80 percent of work on an A.I. project revolves around collecting and preparing data, with just the remaining 20 percent dedicated to analysis and testing. Any kind of artificial intelligence is only as good as the data it learns from, so make sure you have access to quality data, and a lot of it. According to a February 2022 article by Dataversity, firms can use the following six factors to determine the quality of their data: Completeness Accuracy Consistency Timeliness Validity Uniqueness 3: How much will it cost to implement A.I.? Once you've determined the problem you want to use A.I. technology to solve, and you've confirmed that you have access to enough quality data, you'll need to hire some artificial intelligence talent to help in creating the algorithms that will run your A.I. programs. Convincing A.I. talent to join your company may be easier said than done, as giants in the space like Google and Meta are able to offer large budgets for projects along with cushy benefits. To compete, employers might consider contracting A.I. consultants who can be hired on a per-project basis or researching what A.I. software applications can be purchased. You should also be sure that you have the budget to implement what could be a costly and lengthy process. Starbucks sold its first venti cappuccino in Russia almost 15 years ago in a shopping mall just south of Moscow. "This is an important step for the company, and we are looking forward to being a part of everyday life for Russians," said Cliff Burrows, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East, and Africa, at the time. For the past 15 years, Starbucks was a part of everyday life for millions of Russians. Eventually, the company opened 130 stores in the country. Those stores have been closed since March when the company "paused" operations when Russia invaded Ukraine. On Monday, Starbucks said it won't reopen any of its stores in Russia. "We have suspended all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products," the company said in a statement on its blog. "Starbucks has made the decision to exit and no longer have a brand presence in the market." Starbucks isn't the only--or even the first--company to make the decision to no longer sell its products in Russia. Last week, McDonald's said it would also permanently cease operations in response to the country's invasion. The fast-food giant said it will sell its restaurants to its local licensee, which will operate them under a new name. Starbucks, however, is shutting its doors completely. It was, no doubt, a difficult decision. I'm sure, in many ways, it was bittersweet. It's bitter because I imagine Starbucks's executives would much prefer to continue selling coffee and pumpkin spice lattes and cake pops to Russian customers. Not because it makes a particularly large amount of money in Russia. The 130 stores that are closing represent less than 1 percent of the company's revenue. It didn't even raise the issue on its recent earnings call, meaning that shutting down the stores will have a negligible impact on its earnings. I don't think it's about the money. I think it's about the mission. The company's mission statement is to "inspire and nurture the human spirit--one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time." They have neighborhoods in Russia, and I'm sure that the human spirit there could use a little nurturing right now. If it could, I imagine Starbucks would want to continue serving those cups of coffee. At the same time, there's the obvious risk involved with doing business in a country at war, especially one as unpredictable as Russia. There's also the complicated moral argument about companies doing business where it benefits oppressive governments. It's a tricky balance. Starbucks isn't alone in trying to navigate that balance. More than 1,000 Western companies have said they will no longer do business in Russia, including Netflix, Apple, and Microsoft. Certainly, there's something symbolic about some of the world's most recognized brands deciding to no longer do business in Russia. Mostly, however, I think it's about doing the right thing. Nothing about war is nurturing to the human spirit, and Starbucks doesn't want its brand to be associated with a country working to destroy another. Even if the cost of doing the right thing is small, we should all encourage companies every time they get it right. After months of shouldering increased costs, customers are pulling back. That's according to small businesses surveyed in May by The Wall Street Journal. Some say that sales have decreased over the past few weeks--and the majority aren't optimistic about things getting better anytime soon. More than half (56 percent) of the 600 small businesses surveyed say that they expect economic conditions to worsen over the next year--up from 42 percent in April. Businesses across industries have raised prices to accommodate increasing costs, which have been ticking up for months thanks to supply chain snags and wage increases. To this point, customers have mostly been willing to pay those increased prices because they had no other alternative. As New York University economics professor Lawrence White told Inc.com in November, "If everybody's prices are going up, customer retention is less than an issue." But there is a limit to how long customers are willing and able to pay elevated prices--and WSJ's latest survey may indicate that consumers are reaching that limit. Especially with the possibility for a recession on the horizon, small businesses need to prepare for a drop in demand as consumers make cuts or look for cheaper alternatives. BLS International, a trusted global tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, announced today that it has signed a 7-year contract to process short-term and long-term visas for Germany in North America and Mexico regions. BLS will be starting operations with two centres in Mexico and eight centres in North America in cities including Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C within six months. The company will be providing visa outsourcing services along with several value-added services like photocopy, translation, courier, insurance for the convenience of applicants, the company said. Commenting on this, Mr. Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director, BLS International said, We are delighted to initiate this new partnership with the Federal Foreign Office, Germany and committed to provide faster and convenient German visa services to the applicants in North America and Mexico regions. This contract strengthens our visa portfolio with yet another addition of Schengen government. I am confident of a seamless rollout and hope to strengthen this relationship with more such opportunities. These centers will provide additional facilities including Premium Lounge (wherein applicant can opt for personalized service) and Prime Time Submission (wherein applicant can submit their application before & after working hours of the centre). The company will also be launching the Mobile Biometric service wherein applicants can choose to submit applications at their convenient place (home or office) at an additional fee. South star Mahesh Babu, who made headlines for his 'Bollywood cannot afford me' comment got candid during an interaction about his personal life. The actor, who was criticised for his remarks on Bollywood has expressed that his superstar father Krishan has high expectations from him when it comes to acting in films. The Spyder actor said that his father asks him why he does only one film every year. "My father asks me often why I do only one film a year. He asks me to do 4-5 movies per year as he did," the Sarileru Neekevvaru actor revealed. Twitter During a recent interaction with the media, Mahesh Babu on not working in Bollywood had stated, " I may sound arrogant, but I did get a lot of offers in Hindi. But I think they cant afford me. I dont want to waste my time. With the stardom and love I have here in Telugu cinema, I never thought of going to another industry. I always thought I will do films here and they will become bigger, and my belief is turning into a reality now. I cant be happier." Indiatimes His remarks on Bollywood started an endless controversy and the actor was strongly criticised on social media. " I always wanted to do Telugu films and wished people across India would watch it. And now when that is happening I'm very happy. I always had this strong opinion that my strength is Telugu films and the emotion I understand is the Telugu film emotion," the actor later said in clarification to his controversial remarks. Mahesh Babu Had Rejected These Bollywood Films In The Past Moreover, some reports suggest tht Mahesh Babu had earlier rejected many Bollywood films some of which include - Aamir Khan's Ghajini, Animal and one Karan Johar's untitled movie. After creating a huge controversy with his 'Bollywood Can't Afford Me' remarks, south actor Mahesh Babu was trolled for promoting a panmasala brand too. Many on social media shared memes of Mahesh Babu and criticised him with liked the advertisement to his controversial comment. I assume only TFI stars like #MaheshBabu are allowed to sell Pan Masala products, while the rest are abused for doing the same. Nice double standards @Its_CineHub #SarkaruVaariPaata #SVP #PrithvirajChauhan pic.twitter.com/ymuv2Vw1oi J.P.S (@TheJ_P_S) May 12, 2022 Mahesh Babu's Upcoming Film According to reports, on the work front, Mahesh Babu will next star in SS Rajamouli's larger than life magnum opus, which is yet to be announced. However, the ace director had recently said that he has two scripts in mind for the south superstar. (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) At a time when there's not much of happy news coming in from across the world, it is good to know that there are still kinds souls serving humanity. One such example is of these two women health workers who along with their teams trekked 10 km through steep terrain and hilly forests to conduct health checkups of people in tribal-dominated Jhalwasa village in Balrampur district. The district administration is running health camps in the tribal-dominated inaccessible villages located in dense forests in Balrampur. The camps are being run by the joint team of Health Department and Women and Child Development Department. Chhattisgarh: Women health workers trek 10 km to conduct check-ups of people in inaccessible tribal village Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/fGK5NiuynI#ChhattisgarhHealthcare #ChhattisgarhTribals pic.twitter.com/X1DmCfjupe ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 23, 2022 How did they reach? To reach Jhalwasa which falls under Sabag Gram Panchayat, one has to cross through a hilly and inaccessible forest path of about 10 kilometres. There are about 28 households of which about 20 are from special backward tribes. ANI The team included two women health workers Halmi Tirkey and Suchita Singh. I am ANM from Sabag health centre. We reached here by passing through hills and forests. We walked for around 10 km. We are running health camp here. We come here to conduct health check-ups of villagers, ANM Halmi Tirkey told ANI. Auxiliary nurse midwife, commonly known as ANM, is a village-level female health worker in India who is known as the first contact person between the community and the health services. ANI Halmi & Suchita Singh Balrampur district collector Kundan Kumar appreciated the work of both the women health workers Halmi and Suchita Singh. There is a Jhalwasa village which is extremely remote. It is a 10-kilometre trek. Our teams went there yesterday. Two ANMs Halmi and Suchita Singh did very good work to reach there and conduct check up on people. We are organising many such camps, Kumar told ANI. ANI Healthcare camps are being set up in several villages. Aanganwadi workers are going into dense forests to treat people. Blood pressure, blood sugar level, overall health conditions were checked and found mostly well, said the official. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. Telecom hardware giant Ericsson and Deutsche Telekom are working on using wind and solar energy to power the energy-hungry 5G mobile site in Germany, to balance against rising electric costs. Unsplash Also read: Internet's Fooling Us Into Thinking We're Smarter Than We Are, Finds Study Reported first by Reuters, energy-intensive European companies are already looking to innovate to get reliable low-carbon energy as high electric bills touch the skies. Telecom operators especially have another motivation to slash costs as theyll require the necessary funds -- as much as $872 billion globally -- to rollout next-gen 5G networks until 2030. Ericssons head of sustainability, Mats Pellback Scharp, in an interview stated that energy costs in the telecom sector are around $25-30 billion per year, and thus its as important as investment in radio equipment and other things. He claims that a 5-kilowatt wind turbine and solar modules are theoretically capable of powering the entire site of Dittenheim, around 120 miles north of Munich in Bavaria. As of now, 12 square meters of solar panels have already been functioning for a year, offering around 10 percent of the necessary energy. When the sun goes down or theres no wind, backup power is provided via conventional fossil-fuel-based power plants. Unsplash Also read: Indias First Rural 5G Trial Starts In Gujarat's Ajol Village With Over 100 Mbps Speed According to Scharp, local renewable energy can be used by operators when market prices are higher -- around mornings and evenings and only rely on the grid when lower demand reduces costs. This technique could also be rolled out to other mobile sites in the future and could be a boon to the telecom sector where energy costs account for five percent of telecom operators operating expenditure on average, (according to McKinsey) and is only expected to rise with global 5G deployment. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. Climate change is set to cause some massive changes in lives on Earth and one of them would be a drop in the hours of sleep taken by a human. Unsplash Also Read: Masturbation May Actually Give You A Good Night's Sleep, According To This German Company This is according to a new study conducted by University of Copenhagen researchers that states by the year 2099, suboptimal temperatures could shave out 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person each year. To get to this conclusion, in the study, researchers used anonymised global sleep data collected from accelerometer-based sleep-tracking wristbands. The data included 7 million nightly sleep records from over 47,000 adults across 68 nations. Researchers saw that on very warm nights -- above 30 degrees Celsius -- sleep drops at an average of just over 14 minutes. There was also an increase in the likelihood of getting less than seven hours of sleep as the temperatures rose. Controlled studies conducted earlier in sleep labs saw that both humans and animals slept worse when the room temperature was either too hot or too cold. This study however was limited by how people went about their lives in the real world -- they modified their environmental temperature -- either using fans or air conditioning -- in order to get more comfortable. The novel research however highlights that people are far better at adapting to colder temperatures than hotter ones. They saw that across seasons, demographics and different climates, warmer temperatures outside managed to erode sleep with the amount progressively increasing with warmer temperatures. This was seen more in people from developing nations probably because most households in developed countries have air conditioning. But researchers didnt fixate on this being the reason since they didnt really have any data on AC access among subjects. Unsplash Also Read: Sleeping Less Impacts Your Metabolism And Makes You Fat, Claims A New Health Study First author Kelton Minor of the University of Copenhagen, explains, "Our results indicate that sleep -- an essential restorative process integral for human health and productivity -- may be degraded by warmer temperatures. In order to make informed climate policy decisions moving forward, we need to better account for the full spectrum of plausible future climate impacts extending from today's societal greenhouse gas emissions choices." In future studies, the researchers wish to collaborate with global climate scientists, sleep researchers and tech providers to extend the scope of global sleep and behavioural analyses to other populations as well as contents. They also aim to study the impact of rising outdoor temperatures on the sleep outcomes of incarcerated populations that live in hot climates who may have very little access to air conditioning. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. Recently, the government of Cambodia requested its citizens to not pluck the rare plant Nepenthes holdenii after a series of images went viral with women plucking and posing with the plant, due to its shape looking awfully similar to the phallic shape of the male genitalia when glanced upon from a certain angle. Earthly Mission Also Read: Australia Has A Giant Penis You Can See From Space, And No One Knows Who's Responsible For It Reported first by Khmer Times, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment has shared the images of these women on its Facebook page, stating, "What they are doing is wrong and please dont do it again in the future! Thank you for loving natural resources, but dont harvest so it goes to waste!" They've previously too asked tourists and individuals to refrain from plucking the flowers as it could very well drive the plants to extinction. The Nepenthes species Found originally in the tropical parts of Western Cambodia, these plants thrive in low-nutrient soil areas and they are known to adjust their nutritional requirements via insects, making use of their sweet nectar and scent to lure their prey. Shutterstock Also Read: Millions Of Penis-Like Fishes Get Stranded On Beach, And It's The Craziest Thing You Will See The insects get tempted to feed the nectar from the pitcher plants. When the insect falls inside it, the insect isnt able to fly as their body gets coated in the digestive fluids of the plants. In this process the plant absorbs the nutrients. Agricultural expansion, as well as growth of tourism has led to the decline of this rare plant species. A rare species While many might find it funny, based on its aesthetic, the pitcher plant is on the verge of extinction. The plant is actually closely related to a species dubbed Nepenthes bokorensis, according to Jeremy Holden, a freelance wildlife photographer who first discovered the former species as well as Francois Mey, a botanical illustrator who described both the species, in a conversation with LiveScience. While both Holdeni and bokorensis look alike and occur in the same region, Holden is actually rarer of the two species with only a few researchers actually capable of telling where to find the species. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. A man who punched a woman in the face while trying to steal her purse offered cops $1 million (Rs 7.75 crore) so they wouldn't arrest him. The incident took place in Iowa, US, on May 17, when Ricardo Esparza was following the woman in an alley. When the woman turned around to face him, he grabbed the straps of her purse and punched her in the face, The Globe Gazette reported. Scott County Jail The woman then called the police, who found Esparza a short distance away from the alley, the report said. After being arrested, officers escorted him to the backseat of their squad car and read him his Miranda rights. Esparza told officers he could provide the money in cash or transfer the money directly to their bank accounts, something to the tune of $1 million. When officers asked if he was trying to bribe them Esparza said that he was. Representational Image/Dreamstime As per The Globe Gazette, he was booked into the Scott County Jail. Esparza was charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony that carries a prison sentence of 10 years, and bribery, a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years. He is due to appear in court on May 27. Meanwhile, a thief in the UK was left with his tail between his legs after he inadvertently recorded himself boasting about burglaries he had carried out. After being arrested while riding a stolen Segway scooter, police seized Wayne Axtell's phone. The police found a recording of calls in which he bragged about burglaries that he "got away with. They even included details of crimes where he was not a suspect, a court heard. The thief had not altered the phones default settings, which meant he was recording himself when making calls to his accomplices, The Sun citing SWNS reported. SWNS Axtell's lawyer, Peter du Feu, told the Oxford Crown Court that his client did not know that his phones default setting was to record its calls. On the other hand, prosecutor Alex Radley said the calls led police to link thefts in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 2021. It is an extraordinary piece of evidence and a real own goal for him," du Feu told the court, as per SWNS. Axtell admitted to conspiracy to steal, burglary, handling stolen goods and having a blade. He also asked for 13 other thefts to be taken into consideration. He was sentenced to four years in jail. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. A simmering proposal to address Java pain points, including slow startup, slow time to peak performance, and large footprint, is now moving forward. Project Leyden, under discussion for more than two years, will address these pain points by introducing static images to the JDK and the Java platform. In an OpenJDK post on May 20, Mark Reinhold, chief architect of the Java platform group at Oracle, decreed it was time for the project to begin. A static image is a standalone program, derived from an application, that runs that application and no other. The static image serves as a closed world with respect to classes it can load. At runtime, it cannot load classes from outside the image, nor can it create classes dynamically. The closed-world constraint strictly limits Javas natural dynamism, particularly on runtime reflection and class-loading features, on which many existing Java frameworks and libraries depend. Not all applications are well-suited to this constraint and not all developers are willing to live with it, Reinhold said. Rather than adopt the closed-world constraint from the start, Reinhold proposed a gradual, incremental approach, exploring a spectrum of constraints. The resulting optimizations will likely be weaker than the closed-world constraint. But the optimizations should be applicable to a broader range of existing code. In the long run, developers on the project will likely embrace the full closed-world constraint in order to produce fully static images. The effort will lean heavily on existing components of the JDK, including the HotSpot JVM, C2 compiler, application class-data sharing, and the jlink code tool. Continued growth and customer momentum Today, Inmarsat reported robust financial results for the first quarter of 2022, which underscores our status as a world-leader in global mobility communications. In the first quarter, our revenues rose by 8% year-on-year, while our EBITDA climbed 10% and free cash flow increased by 44%. Despite geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain risks, we are confident that we will grow both revenue and EBITDA[1] for full year 2022 compared to last year. In the first three months of 2022, we delivered strong growth in our Aviation and Government business units, including excellent performance with government customers outside the United States. Rising demand in our Aviation and Government units, coupled with continued stabilisation in Maritime, more than offset the impact of global supply chain pressures on our Enterprise unit. At a time when resilient satellite connectivity has never been more important, Inmarsat has reinforced its position as a trusted provider of critical global mobility services, reflected by our solid order book and new business wins. Highlights of our business unit performance include: Aviation had a terrific quarter, increasing its revenues by 45% year-on-year as the recovery in the commercial and business aviation industry continued. We enjoyed a sharp increase in IFC revenue, which climbed 34% and increased our installed base of aircraft to 836, up by 2% compared to last year. Business aviation had an excellent quarter, with revenues up 53% and 1,150 aircraft installations, up 23% year-on-year. Communication services to the cockpit grew by 35%. had a terrific quarter, increasing its revenues by 45% year-on-year as the recovery in the commercial and business aviation industry continued. We enjoyed a sharp increase in IFC revenue, which climbed 34% and increased our installed base of aircraft to 836, up by 2% compared to last year. Business aviation had an excellent quarter, with revenues up 53% and 1,150 aircraft installations, up 23% year-on-year. Communication services to the cockpit grew by 35%. Maritime continues to stabilise with its second quarter of sequential growth. Excluding a one-off impact last year related to the Speedcast acquisition, underlying revenues in the quarter were up by 2% year-on-year. Fleet Xpress (FX) installed vessels increased by 20% to 12,200, and we have a record backlog for future installations. continues to stabilise with its second quarter of sequential growth. Excluding a one-off impact last year related to the Speedcast acquisition, underlying revenues in the quarter were up by 2% year-on-year. Fleet Xpress (FX) installed vessels increased by 20% to 12,200, and we have a record backlog for future installations. Government revenues grew 10% in the quarter. Non-US revenues rose 31% on the back of strong terminal sales, continued growth in Global Xpress connections and improved leasing revenues. US revenues rose 1% in the first quarter, with higher leasing and one-off project sales partially offset by lower SwiftBroadband streaming and BGAN revenues. Despite the slow start to the year, we currently expect to deliver revenue growth in the mid-single digits in our US Government business for full-year 2022. revenues grew 10% in the quarter. Non-US revenues rose 31% on the back of strong terminal sales, continued growth in Global Xpress connections and improved leasing revenues. US revenues rose 1% in the first quarter, with higher leasing and one-off project sales partially offset by lower SwiftBroadband streaming and BGAN revenues. Despite the slow start to the year, we currently expect to deliver revenue growth in the mid-single digits in our US Government business for full-year 2022. Enterprise saw revenues decline 15%, largely driven by continued disruption to global supply chains, which we do not expect to abate significantly over the next few quarters. We are moving forward with a pivot to the growing IoT market, but that transition will take time to have a material impact. As we make this change, we are well positioned to leverage our L-band spectrum, global GEO network, existing portfolio and partner ecosystem. During the quarter we made progress towards securing regulatory approval for our proposed combination with Viasat. Clearance has now been secured from foreign direct investment and competition authorities in several markets. In addition, Viasat received SEC approval of its proxy statement, meaning a shareholder vote on the transaction will be held June 21, 2022. We expect further regulatory approvals by the end of the summer and for the transaction to close in 9-18 months from signing, with a goal of closing by the end of this calendar year. I remain convinced of the business logic of this exciting combination, which will build on our product strengths, customer relationships and technology leadership. With thanks and warm regards, Rajeev Suri CEO [1] Excluding Viasat transaction costs China ensures healthcare access for all 510 mln rural residents Xinhua) 14:25, May 24, 2022 BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China has expanded medical facilities in rural areas in the past decade to ensure its 509.8 million rural residents have access to basic medical services. By the end of 2021, China had set up 23,000 county-level medical and healthcare institutions, 35,000 township health facilities and 599,000 village clinics across the country, the National Health Commission told a press conference Tuesday. The establishment of health agencies has remedied the shortfall in medical resources in rural regions and enabled rural residents, or 36.1 percent of the total population, to enjoy medical services on their doorsteps, the commission said. Programs have also been initiated to help patients from nearly 10 million families with financial difficulty, the commission added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) NJM Insurance Group is now writing commercial package policies in New Jersey with policy effective dates beginning July 1, 2022. The NJM ProPack Commercial Package Policy protects mid-to-large-sized businesses against property and liability risks, including crime, inland marine, and industry-specific coverages. Highlights of the policy include: Property extension endorsements to better protect Real Estate, Business Personal Property, and Business Income General liability enhancement endorsements for construction, manufacturing, and all other industries Optional coverages for equipment breakdown, employment practices liability insurance, professional liability, contractors errors & omissions, and cyber insurance ProPack policyholders who need higher limits of liability protection are eligible to apply for NJMs Commercial Excess and Umbrella insurance. The product launch is the culmination of NJMs multi-year strategic plan to meet all of the insurance needs of businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, said Mitch Livingston, NJM president and CEO. NJM sells workers compensation insurance in New Jersey and also offers commercial auto, businessowners and general liability insurance. The company works with independent agents to offer its business insurance in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. NJMs personal insurance products are available direct to consumers in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance New Jersey The Loudoun County School Board has asked for a temporary injunction that would halt the work of a grand jury convened as part of an ongoing state investigation into the district. The board filed a civil complaint Thursday arguing that the grand jury is being used unlawfully and is causing consternation and expense to subpoenaed families and the school system, WTOP-FM reported Friday. Loudoun County Public Schools remains ready and willing to cooperate with any lawful inquiry by the Virginia Attorney General. However, we believe that the scope of the Attorney Generals investigation is overly broad and holds significant potential to invade the privacy of our students, staff, and families. LCPS also believes the investigation violates our locally elected School Boards constitutional authority to govern, the district said in a statement provided Friday to The Associated Press. GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order on his first day in office authorizing an investigation of the school district by Attorney General Jason Miyares. Both men campaigned on a promise to investigate the districts handling of the case of a student found guilty of sexually assaulting classmates at two separate schools. A school district spokesman acknowledged to local news outlets in April that the grand jury had been convened and said the system would cooperate with lawful requests. The complaint argues that Youngkins executive order was unlawful and that the authority to empanel a special grand jury is limited to the local commonwealths attorney and her designees. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Jason Miyares said the districts filing was a waste of taxpayer money and the investigation will continue. Asking for an injunction is just the latest in a series of efforts to prevent the citizens of Loudoun from learning the truth about conditions existing in Loudoun County public schools that promote criminal activity, proving this investigation is warranted and necessary, Victoria LaCivita said. Macaulay Porter, a spokeswoman for Youngkin, said the school board had failed to address sexual assault incidents and continuously let down students and parents. It comes as no surprise that they now want to end the very mechanism designed to investigate and expose their misconduct, she said. According to the filing, records and testimony have been subpoenaed regarding the districts transgender policy, Title IX, Facebook posts, and educational accommodations for students with exceptional needs, the station reported. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits K-12 Virginia Credit Agricole Italy is interested in investing in the insurance activities of Banco BPM, the French banking groups Italy head said on Monday. Banco BPM has exercised a call option to gain full ownership of its insurance joint-venture with Frances Covea, in line with a strategy to bring insurance operations in house. However, Italys third-largest bank has said it will also consider offers from potential new partners in light of the interest its insurance assets have drawn. Credit Agricole is the single biggest investor in Banco BPM having recently acquired a 9.2% stake with a view to expanding strategic partnerships that are currently focused on consumer credit. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference, CEO Giampiero Maioli said Credit Agricole Italy would strive to offer the best terms for the insurance assets. Weve expressed an interest and well see what Banco BPM decides to do, whether theyll pick a partner or just bring the business in house, Maioli said. That will be up to the bank well try to offer, if circumstances allow it, the best conditions. Asked about whether Credit Agricole Italy could also consider closer asset management ties with Banco BPM, Maioli ruled out any interest for Anima, the asset manager which is one fifth owned by Banco BPM. There is nothing that concerns us in relation to Anima. Right now, were focused on the bancassurance issue, he said. (Reporting by Andrea Mandala; writing by Valentina Za; editing by Cristina Carlevaro and Mark Potter) Alliant Insurance Services Hires Hunter Johnson Alliant Insurance Services hired Hunter Johnson as vice president, growing its presence in the Midwest region. Based in Springfield, Missouri, Johnson will deploy his broad expertise in workers compensation, alternative risk financing, and complex risk placement to design and deploy cutting-edge insurance products and solutions to clients across the region. Previously, Johnson was a commercial insurance consultant with a mid-sized insurance brokerage firm offering employee benefits, human resources, workers compensation, and property and casualty solutions. He also has extensive experience working on the carrier side of the business. Gregory & Appel Names Heath Kennedy as Chief Operating Officer Indianapolis-based Gregory & Appel Insurance (G&A) named Heather Kennedy as chief operating officer. As a member of the executive team, Kennedy will lead strategic priorities for the companys service operations. Her responsibilities will include overseeing day-to-day operations, improving processes to support client experience, enhancing staff professional development and advancing the companys IT infrastructure initiatives. Kennedy is joining the company from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), where she served on the executive team as chief legal counsel for the past three years. Her experience at INDOT spanned several leadership roles managing teams of 20-650 employees, varying from engineers to project managers and attorneys to field staff. Topics Missouri Alliant The personal information of more than half a million Chicago Public Schools students and staff was compromised in a ransomware attack last December, but the vendor didnt report it to the district until last month, officials said. The data breach occurred Dec. 1 and technology vendor Battelle for Kids notified CPS April on 26, the district said Friday. A server used to store student and staff information was breached and four years worth of records were accessed, CPS said. In total, 495,448 student and 56,138 employee records were accessed from 2015-16 through 2018-2019 school years, CPS said. The data included students names, schools, dates of birth, gender, CPS identification numbers, state student identification numbers, class schedule information and scores on course-specific assessments used for teacher evaluations. Employee data accessed for those years included names, employee identification numbers, school and course information and emails and usernames. CPS said the breached server did not store any other records. There were no Social Security numbers, no financial information, no health data, no current course or schedule information, no home addresses and no course grades, standardized test scores, or teacher evaluation scores exposed in this incident, the district said in a statement. CPS said there is no evidence the data has been misused, posted or distributed, but offered affected families a year of credit monitoring and identity theft protection. CPS representatives said the district has been informing affected families and staff and would also notify those whose records werent accessed to provide them with peace of mind. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security both investigated the breach and the vendor is monitoring and will continue to monitor the internet in case the data is posted or distributed, CPS said. Battelle for Kids was hired to help district leaders conduct CPS REACH teacher evaluation program. Those evaluations take into account the growth in students academic performance each year. CPS said it was notified of the breach by Battelle for Kids via a mailed letter on April 26, but it did not have specific information as to which students were affected, nor did CPS know that staff information was also compromised until May 11. CPS said that because its contract with the vendor states that it should immediately notify the district of any data breach, it is addressing the delayed notification and other issues in the handling of data with Battelle for Kids. Battelle for Kids said Friday in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times that the company immediately engaged a national cybersecurity firm to assess the scope of the incident and took steps to mitigate the potential impact. The company said it has since put in place stronger security protocols but did not answer why it did not inform CPS of the breach while the assessment was underway. CPS has had a relationship with Battelle for Kids since 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The most recent contract was signed in January _ a month after the breach _ and is supposed to top out at about $90,000 for a year ending Jan. 31, 2023. Between 2012 and 2020, the Board of Education paid $1.4 million to the Ohio-based company, the Sun-Times reported, citing an online database of CPS vendor payments. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cyber The District of Columbia said it sued Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg for his alleged role in the data breach that allowed political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica to target Facebook users during the 2016 presidential election. A sweeping investigation revealed that Zuckerberg contributed to lax oversight of user data and the creation of misleading privacy agreements that resulted in Cambridge Analytica and other third parties getting their hands on the personal information of 87 million Americans, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine said in a statement on Monday. Cambridge Analytica was hired by then-candidate Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton. Racine called it the largest consumer privacy scandal in the nations history. The lawsuit mirrors an earlier suit Racine filed against Facebook in 2018, though the judge overseeing that case rejected as almost bad faith the Democratic attorney generals attempt to add Zuckerberg as a defendant earlier this year. You want to change this from a case about Facebook to a case about Mr. Zuckerberg, D.C. Superior Court Judge Maurice Ross said at a March hearing. What value does it add to name him? Theres no more relief for the consumers of the District. Zuckerberg Deposition Blocked by Judge in D.C. Privacy Case Racine on Monday said it was important for his office to go after Zuckerberg. We continue to persist and have followed the evidence right to Mr. Zuckerberg, Racine said in the statement. The evidence shows Mr. Zuckerberg was personally involved in Facebooks failure to protect the privacy and data of its users leading directly to the Cambridge Analytica incident. Meta declined comment. The company has previously derided Racines claims as little more than a broadside against Facebooks business model. Cambridge Analytica worked in support of the 2016 campaigns of Trump, Ted Cruz and Ben Carson, all Republicans. It was founded in 2013 by former Renaissance Technologies co-CEO Robert Mercer, a major supporter of Trump in 2016. Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist, was one of the campaigns liaisons to Cambridge Analytica, which collapsed after revelations about its harvesting and use of personal data. Photo: Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Facebook Inc., speaks during the virtual Facebook Connect event, where the company announced its rebranding as Meta, in New York, on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits Cyber Sovereign immunity does not protect a federal contractor against a lawsuit filed by some 60 former employees seeking $3 billion in punitive damages for illnesses suffered after exposure to toxic coal ash during a clean-up project, a federal appellate court ruled. The decision released Wednesday by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeal clears the way for a jury trial to determine the amount of damages owed to workers who fell ill after removing tons of sludge that had spilled out of a storage pond outside of a coal-fired power plant owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority. A federal jury ruled in 2018 that Jacobs Engineering Group failed to exercise proper care and may be responsible for the cancers, lung disease and other ailments suffered by the plaintiffs. Lawyers for Jacobs Engineering had argued that the lawsuit is barred by sovereign immunity, a doctrine that holds government cannot be sued without its consent. While Jacobs is a private business, the company argued that it is protected by derivative immunity because it was doing the governments work. US District Court Judge Thomas Varlan dismissed Jacobs motion for summary judgment, finding there was ample evidence that the contractor did not comply with the terms of its contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority. A panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision. The panel said it did not consider whether workers compensation exclusive remedy barred the suit because Jacobs did not raise that issue in its appeal. The Tennessee Valley Authority hired Jacobs to remove slurry that spread across 300 acres and covered 12 homes after a containment dike surrounding a pond that stored ash produced by its Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant ruptured on Dec. 22, 2008. The Pasadena, California-based company was paid $60 million for the work, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. Workers and their family members filed 10 lawsuits against Jacobs, which were consolidated in the US District Court for Eastern Tennessee. They alleged the company failed to warn its workers about the damage that can be caused by the toxic chemicals in coal ash. Managers refused to allow workers to wear protective equipment because they were afraid the general public seeing these items being worn would stimulate more property-related lawsuits, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit asks for $50 million in compensatory damages, $25 million in punitive damages and $3 billion in punitive damages. Initially, Varlan ruled that the court had no jurisdiction, but the 6th Circuit reversed. On a second go-around, Varlan bifurcated the case and asked a jury to decide if Jacobs should be held generally liable in the case. A second trial, which has not been held, will determine if Jacobs caused specific injuries to specific plaintiffs and assess damages for each. Jacobs appealed the jury verdict, arguing that the damages would amount to a grave interference with the performance of a governmental function. The company said the TVA will struggle to find contractors in the future if the court does not consider Jacobs immune because those contractors could be liable for significant tort damages, according to the opinion. The appellate panel said that Jacobs argument is based on speculation and there is no caselaw to support it. The US Supreme Court had held that the TVA is a hybrid organization that performs both commercial and governmental functions, and that it can be sued for its commercial activities. No private power company could be designated as the lead agency of a cleanup, the opinion says. But a private power company can be required to clean up environmental damage of its own making. Moreover, the panel said that Jacobs would not have to contend with a lawsuit if it had complied with the terms of its contract with the TVA. The TVA argued in a separate amicus brief that the a finding for the plaintiffs would be inconsistent with the Tennessees workers compensation law. The 6th Circuit panel decided not to consider that argument. Plaintiffs never had an opportunity to respond to the workers compensation argument because Jacobs forfeited the affirmative defense, the opinion says. Rendering a decision based on the workers compensation argument would therefore be unfair to plaintiffs. The civil complaint states the plaintiffs were independent contractors or worked for subcontractors, which may explain why the exclusive remedy argument wasnt raised. Photo: Ansol and Janie Clark pose at a memorial Ansol constructed near the Kingston Fossil Plant in Kingston, Tenn. The couple says the memorial is for the workers who have come down with illnesses, some fatal, including cancers of the lung, brain, blood and skin and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ansol Clark drove a fuel truck for four years at the cleanup site, and now suffers from a rare blood cancer. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Topics Lawsuits Tennessee A Florida Senate committee overwhelmingly approved two measures Monday that supporters believe will go a long way toward trimming roof claims, litigation expenses and reinsurance costs for beleagured property insurers but not before some Democratic senators warned it would do little to reduce premiums in the short term. People are really hurting and were being tone deaf, said Sen. Randolph Bracy, D-Orlando. Theres a lot more we could be doing for the consumers. Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to adopt an amendment to Senate Bill 2D. Her plan would have frozen insurance rates for more than a year while claims litigation deterrents have time to make a difference. The amendment was voted down, but the committee voted 19-2 in favor of the bill itself, which would provide a wide range of fixes to Floridas problem-plagued insurance market. The two nay votes were both Democrats, but six other Democrats voted in favor. It has bipartisan support now. Its a bipartisan bill. Thats good, said Michael Carlson, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, which represents a number of property insurers. The Senate committee spent five hours debating SB 2D and a second bill, SB 4D, which would loosen part of the Florida building code that now requires full roof replacement in most cases when only 25% or more of a roof is damaged. The debate was lively at times, with full-throated opposition from trial lawyers, restoration companies and a few consumer-minded advocates. But the fact that the bill was approved with only minor changes, just three days after it was drafted, is testament to the level of cooperation between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature. After the regular 2022 session of the Florida Legislature failed to enact significant reforms aimed at the insurance crisis, the governor last month called the five-day special session for this week. Sen. Jim Boyd, chair of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, said he had worked closely with the governors office and with House of Representatives leadership to draft the bills. I have full confidence the House will pass these bills, Boyd said after the meeting. The House Appropriations Committee takes up similar House measures on Tuesday. The fact that a key element of SB 2D the creation of a new, lower-level catastrophe reinsurance fund would be backed by $2 billion from the Florida general fund is also testament to the fact that Florida state government is flush with cash and can spare the money in the event of a disastrous hurricane season. Florida is in a very good financial position now, Boyd explained. He doubted that losses for participating insurers would ever wipe out the fund, resulting in a sales tax increase. Instead of insurers paying premiums into the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders fund, or RAP fund, participating insurers would be required to provide rate relief to their policyholders. The program would be for hurricane losses for one year only, to help some carriers who may not be able to otherwise afford reinsurance in the private market. For those carriers who already have secured reinsurance this year, they could access the RAP fund next year, Boyd explained. One actuary has calculated that the plan could produce average premium reductions of as much as 4% for policyholders of participating insurers in the next several months. But the debate Monday only lightly touched on the RAP fund savings, and some senators and speakers at the hearing worried that homeowners covered by other insurers wont see lower premiums for 18 months. State Sen. Jeff Brandes warned that without greater assistance on reinsurance, several carriers will remain in dire straits and lawmakers could be forced to return to another special session in less than a month. Some of the sharpest exchanges came between Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami, and Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier. Pizzo, an attorney, said that much blame has been heaped on plaintiffs lawyers and their fees, which SB 2D aims to limit. But despite a bill passed last year that requires insurers to track claims litigation information and report it to the Office of Insurance Regulation, the office has yet to finalize a regulation detailing the data call. Pizzo argued that 2021s Senate Bill 76 required the data by January of this year. But Altmaier said he read the law to mean that insurers should start collecting the data then and to report it to OIR in 2023. Boyd said it wasnt clear but he would work with Altmaier to speed up the process. The data could be helpful in determining the true costs of insurance claims litigation, on the claimants side and the insurance side, attorneys at the hearing said. Reggie Garcia, of the Florida Justice Association, a group of trial lawyers, said that insurance defense costs may be just as high as plaintiffs attorney fees and should be examined before more limits are placed on policyholders legal rights. Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-created property insurer of last resort, for example, is one of the few sources of information on that, Garcia said. Citizens spent $257 million on defense fees in the last three years, he said. A Citizens official confirmed the spending. Since 2017, the defense spending has topped $405 million, or an average of about $79 million per year. This year could be one of the highest if an early trend continues: Citizens spent $9 million in January alone. Garcia also questioned the often-cited statistic that Florida has produced just about 8% of the homeowner claims in the U.S. but has seen as much as 79% of the claims litigation in the country. The data comes from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, but Garcia said his research shows that the data did not include New York, North Dakota, 2021 Texas windstorm claims, and information from a number of carriers who have considered it to be a trade secret. Boyd responded that if all that data were included in the NAIC report, Florida would likely still have more than 60% of the claims litigation in the country. The hearing also brought up other sobering information. Jerry Theodorou, director of the finance, insurance and trade policy program at R Street, a think tank that has studied Floridas insurance troubles, said that his research shows that the national average for insurer defense and defense costs is about 1.2%. In Florida, its 6%, Theodorou said. Thats extremely high. The average combined ratio, a measure of profitability, in the country is 103%. In Florida, its 120%, and many Florida insurers have been unable to make up underwriting losses through investment income, he said. Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, who has beaten the drum the loudest for insurance reform legislation, took issue with one part of Boyds SB 2D. The bill would forbid insurers from refusing to write policies for homes with roofs that are younger than 15 years. Several carriers in the last two years have already stopped writing for roofs of 10 years old or less. No other state, not even California, has the 15-year requirement, Brandes said. Youre forcing insurers to write older roofs, and thats really all they have to limit underwriting losses. He urged colleagues to remove the restriction, but his amendment failed. Carlson said his association members also have had some heartburn over the 15-year restriction. The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies also said after the hearing that its members are concerned about the provisions in the bill that restrict insurers ability to set appropriate rates that reflect risk, particularly in deciding which properties and roofs to insure. Otherwise, the package, while not perfect, makes much-needed progress in substantially reforming the litigation environment that has allowed rampant lawsuit abuse in Florida in recent years and has sent the marketplace into a slow-motion collapse, Caitlin Murray, NAMIC regional vice president for the Southeast, said in a statement. The Consumer Protection Coalition, led by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, praised the legislation but noted that, if signed into law, may face legal challenges in court and will probably need further tweaks next year. A statement from the coalition noted that the special session already stands in sharp contrast to the states last special session on property insurance in 2007, which led to massive expansions of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and did not address the root causes of a dysfunctional marketplace. Brandes also raised a question about the interplay of the two bills, which no one could answer. If more roofs are repaired instead of replaced in coming years, per the building-code legislation, and part of a homes roof is repaired at year one, and another part at year five, how old is the roof, Brandes asked. I think that is something well probably need to clarify, Boyd said. Topics Trends Florida Market Politics Most of a Florida law that sought to stop social media companies from restricting users political speech violates the companies free speech rights and cannot be enforced, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday, agreeing with a lower court. However, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived a part of the law requiring companies like Meta Platforms Facebook, Alphabet Inc.s Google and Twitter Inc. to disclose the standards they use to moderate content on their platforms. The unanimous decision was authored by Circuit Judge Kevin Newsom, who was appointed by Republican former President Donald Trump. The 11th Circuit ruled that the parts of the law concerning political speech violated social media companies First Amendment right to decide what to publish. However, it said requiring them to disclose their standards likely did not, ordering the lower court to reconsider that issue. Bryan Griffin, a spokesperson for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, called the decision stupefying and said the governors office was considering appeal. DeSantis signed the law in May 2021. NetChoice, an industry group including Facebook, Google and Twitter that had sued to challenge the law, noted the U.S. Constitutions protections when asked for comment. The First Amendment protects platforms and their right to moderate content as they see fit and the government cant force them to host content they dont want, NetChoice Vice President Carl Szabo said in a statement. DeSantis, a Republican, previously said the law was needed to prevent censorship by Big Tech, pointing to Trumps removal by Twitter and Facebook in January 2021. The companies cited Trumps praise for his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol after he lost the 2020 presidential election as a reason for the bans. The Florida law would fine social media companies that ban political candidates. A federal judge last June blocked the law from taking effect. Another federal appeals court earlier this month upheld a Texas law prohibiting social media companies from banning users for their political views. NetChoice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block that law. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates) Topics Florida A teen in Mississippi shot and killed another teen who approached his home with a toy gun that looked like an assault rifle while wearing a ski mask, authorities said. The teen killed was one of thee people who approached a home in Jackson on Saturday with the water guns that looked like real weapons and masks, Jackson Deputy Police Chief Deric Hearn told media outlets. A 17-year-old shot a 15-year-old in the chest with his real gun and the teen died, Hearn said. All the teens were friends, police said. Police are currently calling the case a justified homicide, but the investigation continues and they are questioning all the teens to determine exactly what happened and whether the real gun was leally owned, Hearn said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mississippi Gun Liability Anytime a cannabis lounge opens in some U.S. city it tends to garner a lot of media attention, and the headlines have been buzzing lately with lounge news. In California, Woody Harrelson recently opened a lounge in West Hollywood, and a now-stalled lounge proposed in Sacramento is getting a lot of media attention. New Mexico has them, and Michigan is about to get them. Some insurance professionals said they are called more often about servicing lounges. Charles Pyfrom of CannGen Insurance Services, and Keith Distel, the team leader in underwriting for Admiral Insurance Services, talked with us for our latest podcast about the uptick in interest in lounges and the risks of insuring them. Following are takeaways from that conversation. The newest entrant to the space, is How do we involve a cannabis consumption lounge with a dispensary, or some other component? And were getting hit up multiple times a week from our biggest training partners, and from friends who are looking to start a cannabis consumption lounge in their given state, Pyfrom said. More predominantly in the Southwest, but we are seeing significant asks from our broad distribution community about how we can help them insure these risks. He sees a huge upside for those choosing to get into the niche of insuring cannabis lounges. As theyre looking at opportunities, cannabis consumption lounges are going to be very much a competitor with the local bar in my mind, based on the volume and frequency of people who are inquiring about this level of coverage on an insurance transfer basis, he said. Distels team gets more than a dozen calls a week from people who want to insure stand-alone lounges, dispensaries converted to lounges, events, and a range of lounge operations. Weve kind of run the gamut in terms of submissions or in terms of inquiries from our wholesale partners in terms of what is out there in the marketplace and what different entrepreneurs that have a creative mind really want them to be, Distel said. Its such a novel concept. His top cannabis lounge risk is possibly the most obvious one. First and foremost, I think over serving, Distel said. Are you going to walk into a dispensary and then all of a sudden, the owner says, Hey, I got something for you. Just take it over there. And its a thousand milligram star of death. Distel said the best way to deal with this risk is to only deal with well-run operations and experienced people. Serving underage people, and people getting into an automobile accident after leaving a lounge are among the top concerns, he added. Pyfrom said CannGen is picky about what type of operations the firm will work with such as shunning a business that allows customers to bring their own product and they look closely at the kinds of controls an operation has in place. Are you allowing only buy-it downstairs, consume it upstairs, as an example? If the answer is yes, we can do that. But what are the controls around how much can they buy? he said. We want to make sure they do it in a way that makes sense a way thats not only thoughtful, but also allows the environment to foster the growth that the buyers are looking for in an environment where they can consume in an accepting culture, open environment, without there being ramifications thereafter. Related: Topics Cannabis Drought is expected to impact much of the Pacific Northwest this summer, including areas in eastern Washington, southern Oregon and southern Idaho, according to climatology and water officials. A recent map from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that about 54% of Washington is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions, with about 25% of the state in severe or extreme drought, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported. Washington and Oregon recorded above-normal precipitation levels and below-normal temperatures in April, which brought gains to snowpack in some areas. But state climatology experts predict it will be warmer and drier than normal in summer months. Washington Climatologist Nick Bond said Wednesday that precipitation over the last 90 days has been at or above normal across much of the state. Exceptions can be seen in Okanogan, Douglas and Grant counties in the north-central part of the state, where conditions remained on the dry side, he said. Bond said there are early indications that the summer will be on the warm side, but he said the chance of a severe heat wave is unlikely. The Northwest recorded record high temperatures in late June and early July 2021. It would be quite surprising to have anything of that magnitude come up this year, he said. There was a tremendous toll on human life in the Pacific Northwest with last years heat wave, and I trust that weve learned some from that about what kind of actions can be taken to help people when those sorts of events come along, Bond said. Recent precipitation in the Northwest has staved off the start of the fire season, but fire potential remains above-normal, according to Eric Wise with the Northwest Area Coordination Center. He said the potential is driven by drought conditions and projections of warmer and drier weather in coming months. The area of most immediate concern is central Oregon, he said. As we head into the summer months, that concern starts to spread up into central Washington and southwestern Oregon, Wise said. Washington State Department of Agricultures Jaclyn Hancock said full water deliveries are expected for irrigation in the Yakima River Basin. Jeff Marti with the Washington state Department of Ecology said some areas could see water restrictions in coming months, including irrigation areas in Okanogan, Spokane and Walla Walla. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Production is set to begin on a new Irish-made slurry tanker designed to help farmers access some of the island's toughest hills and softer, wetter ground more safely. Equipped with a ground-driven axel, the six-wheel-drive tanker by Slurry-TEK is expected to come to the market locally by the end of September. The extra axle and tyres will reduce the pressure on the ground, meaning slurry can be spread in wetter conditions. Based in Banbridge, Co Down, Slurry-TEK specialises in rain gun technology, with its range focusing on designs which make spreading on treacherous ground safer. The firms innovations include a tank designed with an axel running through the chamber lowering the tanks position and therefore reducing its centre of gravity. The liquid nature of slurry means it can slosh around the tank, as the tractor and implement navigate bends, hills or other obstacles. However, the concept behind the design is that by placing the axle through the tank, the slurry is in a more stable position. The result is a machine which is much less likely to lose its balance on steep hills. The concept was established by Mayo firm Agrispread before it was bought by Slurry-TEK and brought on to the current models. Darryl Hylands, the firms managing director, explained that customers had put his designs to the test on areas of Northern Irelands Glens of Antrim. The position of the axle means that there is always slurry below the centreline of the axle, better pinning the machine to the road and the field, he said. Some of our customers have even been able to spread slurry on land which had never been accessible to tankers before. Its very dangerous to spread slurry on sloped ground so we have come up with a concept that lowers the centre of gravity. Because the tanker sits 16 inches lower, the visibility for the operator is also better. This means there are fewer blind spots, which is safer, particularly in yards where there are other operators working or children are nearby. Another unique factor is that the third axle is driven. Its going to make steeper ground even more accessible and will improve access onto softer ground, Mr Hyland said. Because it's driven rather than being dragged, it means that the tractor isnt doing all the work to move the tank forward so, in theory, it should cause less damage to the ground. Slurry-TEK's beginning start 20 years ago, making fallen stock incinerators and various styles of trailers for agricultural use. However, the firm ventured into manufacturing slurry tankers in 2014 following requests from local equipment dealers. Today, the firm exports its wares to 28 countries, with customers including a goldmine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as farms and agribusinesses in New Zealand, Australia, and Iceland. However, cross-border trade remains the firms largest market. Our largest market for the tankers is the Republic of Ireland, Mr Hyland said. "Our core product is the LCG [low centre of gravity] tanker; its particularly popular in Cork, and the South-West, especially in the steeper, more mountainous areas." Neutrality is not respected by Russia and China in the way Ireland would like to think it is, the French ambassador to Ireland has warned. Vincent Guerend said Russia has carried out so many breaches of international law that something like neutrality will not stop Russia if it intends to harm a neutral country. The ambassador said that while France fully respects Irelands long tradition of neutrality, this does not mean the policy cannot evolve and should not be adapted to a changed security environment. He said Russias war on Ukraine represents an existential threat to the EU, particularly for those member states bordering Russia, but also beyond that. So, this is something that was looming, but its now a reality, Mr Guerend said, in an interview at his Dublin residence. Commenting on whether states such as Russia or China respect Irelands neutrality in the way Ireland expects it to be, he said: No. The answer is no. He said this was true in the First World War and again in the Second World War, when the neutrality of some states was ignored by aggressors. Mr Guerend said: "Theres so many breaches of international law by Russia that something like neutrality would not withstand one second if the intention is to harm a neutral country." Does that mean Ireland should follow other neutral or non-aligned countries such as Finland and Sweden, and join Nato? Well, we believe that thats really for each and every member state to decide based on a sovereign decision, like now Sweden and Finland are doing, he said. Thats not at all for any of us and certainly not for France to decide or encourage or discourage. On the back of deepening cooperation within the EU, seen in the agreement last March of the EU Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, the ambassador stressed the document places no additional obligations on Ireland. "This document doesnt corner member states in the EU that are neutral. It does, and agreed by all, oblige them to cooperate and raise their guard." He said France respects Irelands foreign policy and its neutrality: But it doesnt mean that this policy cannot evolve [or] this policy cannot or should not be adapted to a new environment. He said his understanding is that Irish neutrality has evolved between independence and today. We completely respect Irish neutrality, he said. At the same time, we consider that it has also to be adapted to the new environment and that it is for the Irish people and the Irish Government to see how this adaptation is to take place, at what pace, and with which objective and goal but, like everything, it has to adapt. The second of two men arrested in connection with the death in Tralee of former construction worker Joe Brosnan has been released from custody. It is understood the man was released without charge and a file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Brosnan was found around 7pm by gardai on Sunday evening in a critical condition on the ground outside his rented apartment in Tralee town centre. He had suffered at least one stab wound and was pronounced dead at the scene, despite attempts by emergency crews to save his life. Shortly after, one man was arrested in the town and another was arrested in Killarney. The man arrested in Killarney was released without charge at midnight last night and the second man was released from Tralee Garda Station at around 12.30pm this lunch time. It is understood that Mr Brosnan had attended a party in the Abbey Court apartment complex, off Denny Street, when a row broke out and he was stabbed. The 53-year-old was also a former bar worker in the north Kerry town, up to around eight years ago. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers-Harnett carried out a preliminary examination of his body at the scene before he was removed and taken away for a full post mortem. Sinn Fein councillor Cathal Foley said Mr Brosnan was from a good family, who have had their share of tragedies in recent years but are well regarded and respected in the town. An incident room has been established at Tralee Garda Station and Gardai are appealing for witnesses and are particularly appealing to those who were in the vicinity of Abbey Court Apartments and Denny Lane / Street areas between 6:30pm and 7:00pm Sunday evening to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tralee Garda Station (066) 710 2300 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Cork City Council is set to spend millions buying the Port of Corks city-centre quays to help facilitate one of the largest docklands regeneration schemes in Europe. The local authority and the commercial semi-State company have reached an agreement in principle that will see the council acquiring around 1.5km of quayside along the city's north and south docks following the relocation of the port companys city centre operations to its expanded facilities downstream at Ringaskiddy. Neither side has commented on the purchase price but it is understood that the figure will run to several million euro significantly below the estimated 26m that was offered by the city at the height of the property boom when the port was planning its relocation downstream. The agreement, which it is understood was signed off last Friday, now paves the way for detailed negotiations between both sides on the heads of the agreement. Both parties have agreed to establish working groups to hammer out the detail. It is understood the deal will only be triggered when the port company relocates all of its city centre operations to Ringaskiddy. The timeline for the completion of that relocation is unclear. The south docks became a go-to destination during lockdown, with hundreds of people regularly socialising on Kennedy Quay. The gatherings highlighted the area's public amenity potential but the company had to fence the area off on safety grounds. UCC students Lauren Moloney and Mairead Lehane pose for a photo with a superyacht on Kennedy Quay. Picture: Larry Cummins Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who last year announced 353m in urban regeneration funding for the Cork docklands project, some of which will help acquire the quays, welcomed the agreement. The purchase of this crucial strip of land will enable the development of a walkway from Passage West effectively, right into the city along the quays so that you will be able to cycle or walk the entire way from the harbour to the city centre without ever having to go near a road, Mr Martin said. Council chief executive Ann Doherty said securing the quays in public ownership has been a long-term strategic goal. The future of the docklands is linked to the reimagining of assets like this held by the Port of Cork and this agreement will help the city council to realise the long-term ambition of the docklands, she said. The port company stressed that all it has done at this stage is agree to enter into talks with the council to develop a heads of agreement to eventually relocate port activity downriver from the city quays. "A key point of this agreement will be to ensure that Port of Cork Company continues to facilitate trade within the city quays, and we wish to reassure our clients, our staff and stakeholders that there will be no handover of the quays until proper infrastructure, including the construction of the M28, is in place," it said. Port of Cork Company chief commercial officer Conor Mowlds said the company continues to support realising the redevelopment potential of the citys docklands. The company is working with Cork City Council towards an agreement to relocate port activity downriver from the city quays, to which senior management from our respective organisations have been put in place to a develop heads of agreement, he said. The sale of the city quays is an important step in the Ports strategic development, the careful management of which will not only support the displacement of cargo activity downriver in a manner that continues to support regional trade, but will also help us realise the value of a port asset disposal, as is incumbent upon us as a commercial semi-State. The Port of Cork has recently completed the near 100m expansion of its facilities in Ringaskiddy and is in the process of transferring container handling out of Tivoli and the bulk goods handling from Tivoli and the city quays. Tivoli, Cork, Ireland. Picture: David Creedon In 2017, it sold its iconic Custom House Quay building its headquarters for over a century and its 200-year-old bonded warehouses for 5m to Tower Development Properties Ltd. The site has planning for a 34-storey hotel and retail development. On the south docks at Kennedy Quay, the council has sought further information on OCallaghan Propertiess planning application for a 350m scheme, which includes a private hospital, office blocks and residential units, the repurposing of the famous Odlums building and the proposed demolition of the landmark R&H Hall silos. The former Odlums building and R&H Hall building on Kennedy Quay, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan The Cork docklands is Irelands largest regeneration project, with over 146 hectares set to be developed over the next 20 years. The blueprint for the area envisages a population of 25,000, a workforce of around 30,000, and a student population of 3,700. An Taoiseach, I watched you on the Six One News on RTE the other night. Youd had a pretty gruelling day, meeting the political parties in the North and dealing with the continuing fall-out from Brexit and the complete stalemate that has resulted. I thought you showed admirable restraint in dealing with the monstrous bad faith of Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, and his cronies. Then Caitriona Perry asked you about Ryan and Kyle Milne, two young Irish citizens who have been deprived of what you correctly described as their constitutional right to education. You reiterated an apology youd already made to them in the Dail and went on to talk about how frustrated you were with the States continuing failure to be proactive, as you put it, when it came to special needs education. Look, Taoiseach, I dont doubt your sincerity for a minute, nor your determination to make the system work better for young people. However, theres one small problem and I think you know what it is. Laws never acted upon When you said, as you did, that you believed that Kyle and Ryan deserved to have their needs met as a matter of right, you forgot to mention that their rights have been written into Irish law for 17 years but never acted on. Theres a little bit of convoluted history around this. You have been there all the time, so Im guessing you remember it well. However, maybe some of your younger colleagues could do with a reminder. Jamie Sinnott: 'the Supreme Court sided with the State in deciding that Jamie no longer had any right to an education because he had reached the age of 18.' There was a famous case about a boy called Jamie Sinnott, who had autism. The High Court had decided that the State, through neglect, had deprived Jamie of education and it awarded extensive damages to him and his mother because of the loss of a profound constitutional right. The State appealed that judgment and, in the fullness of time, the State succeeded in beating Jamie and his mother. That was because the Supreme Court sided with the State in deciding that Jamie no longer had any right to an education because he had reached the age of 18. In fact in that judgment, the Supreme Court placed harsh limits around the constitutional right to an education. It said the right didnt kick in until a child reached the age of three years old and it ended abruptly on the childs 18th birthday. That has been the constitutional position ever since and the basis of all policy. Dismay and anger You were actually the education minister when that case started in the Supreme Court. However, it was another colleague of yours, Michael Woods, who had to deal with the dismay and anger the judgment caused and he promised massive reform. In fact, in a famous pronouncement at the time, he said he had virtually an open cheque book to ensure the State made full and appropriate provision for both the education and care of people with disabilities. The law that contained all those things was brought into the Dail by your colleague at the time Noel Dempsey (you were health minister by then and he was in education). The law was called the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. It has been known ever since as the Epsen Act. When Mr Dempsey was introducing it to the Dail, he said it had been some time in the making and is the culmination of a carefully considered policy process. It was a fine piece of legislation one to be proud of. When a good piece of law is accompanied by an open cheque book, you can expect a lot of reform and change to happen. That law conferred on Kyle and Ryan the right to be admitted to school. It gave them the right to ask for an education plan around their specific needs. It placed a responsibility on the State and the school to ensure that the necessary resources were applied to that plan in their school. It was all there in that carefully prepared and extensively debated piece of legislation. Except none of it ever happened. And why not? It is all because of a tiny section right at the end of the act, section 53, called commencement. It says: This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions. That sounds like gobbledegook but it is standard in most pieces of legislation. It is there to enable systems to get ready for legal change. However, in this case it served a different purpose entirely. It demonstrated that people with disabilities dont really matter. It showed only too clearly that the system at every level didnt mean a word when it talked about reform and full and appropriate provision. Mr Dempsey never commenced most of the act nor did Mary Hanafin, Batt OKeeffe, or Mary Coughlan. Neither did Labour ministers Ruairi Quinn or Jan OSullivan, nor Richard Bruton, Joe McHugh or Norma Foley. There have been eight education ministers since that act was passed and none of them commenced it. Not once in all that time did any official of the Department of Education prepare a bit of paper reminding their minister of their responsibility to commence legislation that was passed by the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President almost 17 years ago Thats pretty unique in Irish law making. Im pretty sure there is no other example where a section 53 act debated six times in the Dail and another six in the Seanad over the course of a year has sat on a shelf without any of its most important provisions being commenced. (Yes, I know some of the structural bits were put in place, but the rights promised to be put into law have never happened.) Taoiseach Micheal Martin. 'So, its going to take some anonymous group over a year to review the non-existent operation of a 17-year-old piece of legislation, none of whose central rights and responsibilities have ever been commenced. Really?' However, it gets worse Taoiseach. Last Wednesday, when you were dealing with this issue in the Dail and the travesty of the treatment of Kyle and Ryan, you referred to the act. You said: The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, Epsen, Act needs to be reviewed. Reviewed, Taoiseach? You must know, surely, that your minister, Josepha Madigan, announced just before Christmas that she was going to review the act. She said shed be setting up an advisory group in January, together with a steering group. I presume she has done this its May after all but if so she has kept the identity of both bodies a closely guarded secret. She has also announced that there will be buckets of consultation and loads of collaboration. Its envisaged that the full review will be completed by early 2023, she said. So, its going to take some anonymous group over a year to review the non-existent operation of a 17-year-old piece of legislation, none of whose central rights and responsibilities have ever been commenced. Really? You know what needs to be done, Taoiseach. Im sure youre sincere about this. You can prove it by deciding, quite simply, that the act is commenced in full. No more delay, no more PR, no more waste of lives and potential. Do it now. You know what needs to be done, Taoiseach... decide to commence the act in full... and do it now If Eamon Ryan hadn't got himself so bogged down in turf, his party could have taken advantage of a unique opportunity. As Europe turns its back on dirty Russian oil and gas, Ireland has the potential to become a leader in the production of green energy, but it appears that level of will or ambition simply isn't there. Having seen a gap in the energy market, the Greens could have seized the moment to create hundreds of jobs, bring in more money for the exchequer, drastically reduce household costs, and on the environmental side of things fast-track Europe's move away from fossil fuels. Yes, this country is moving to significantly ramp up renewable energy to meet the 80% target by 2030, but this was a goal that was set before the invasion of Ukraine and before the potential for a massive new energy market opened up to us. Ireland has the potential to produce enough renewable electricity to power 64.4m homes across the EU if the Government developed the offshore energy sector in a strategic manner, Independent TD Denis Naughten recently told the Dail. 'Politically lazy' But leading experts say the Government remains "politically lazy" when it comes to the potential of renewable energy such as offshore wind which could reinvigorate regional economies. Despite the abundance of opportunity and willingness of businesses and communities to engage, DCU assistant professor of sustainable energy Dr James Carton said for many years there was "nothing happening". Dr Carton said: "The problem isnt that someone doesnt have the money, the problem is that the risk for investing in Ireland today is too high, and they prefer to go to Scotland. The example in Scotland is that they opened up an auction with 5GW of offshore wind, and 25GW, five times more, actually won the auction. "Ireland is effectively aiming for 5GW on the east coast, and potentially 1Gw on the west coast by 2030," he said. I would suggest with Ukraine, with energy security, with opportunity, investment banks, pensions from all over the world would flood into the west coast of Ireland to put in 10s of GW." Ireland has one of the largest maritime areas in the EU, seven times larger than our land mass, this asset has up to now remained largely untapped. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has stressed our reliance on fossil fuels must end. Picture: Conor Healy But the problem with climate change is it just seems like a headache for tomorrow, the level of action required always appears more akin to the attention you might give a leaky tap rather than a collapsed roof with water spilling in. Asked about it last week, Mr Ryan stressed our reliance on fossil fuels must end. "We are spending money out of the country to import fossil fuels when we have our own energy supplies here," he said. "We will be at the centre of a new offshore energy revolution because we have a huge resource capability there, in the next-two-and-a-half years, the lifetime of this Government, we will launch the first auction of those offshore projects. We will get them through planning and into contract and starting to be built and that's a dramatic acceleration of ambition," he said. Delivery of projects is still spoken about in years rather than months. If the country could temporarily take over private hospitals, close pubs, schools and shops overnight, why can't it act with the same urgency when it comes to our environment? Call for emergency climate response team For some time now, Wind Energy Ireland has been calling for an Nphet-style emergency climate response team. "There is an absolute lack of coordination, and I don't think the same level of energy and drive to decarbonise the energy system is there," Justin Moran, director of external affairs with Wind Energy Ireland said. I think climate change has now become an issue like, you know, like housing or education, it's a serious issue, people take it seriously, but it still hasn't crossed into that crisis mode." He said climate activists were hesitant of calling for an increase in the targets as they know there are still significant roadblocks preventing this. "Until we fix the planning system achieving that target is very, very difficult," he said, adding it can take three or four years to get planning permission for an individual wind farm. 'If we're struggling now today to process planning applications for onshore wind farms, how are we going to deal with offshore wind farms which are much, much bigger, much more technically complicated projects?' "An Bord Pleanala is supposed to make a decision on a planning application for an onshore wind farm in 18 weeks, but our research shows that since the start of 2020 they haven't hit that target for any wind farm and in fact, their average is between 50 and 60 weeks and some of them are over 100 weeks. "So, if we're struggling now today to process planning applications for onshore wind farms, how are we going to deal with offshore wind farms which are much, much bigger, much more technically complicated projects?" The job creation and economic element to developing green energy has been somewhat downplayed, as Mr Moran pointed out every off-shore wind farm will employ between 70 and 90 people at on-shore maintenance bases. With global warming predicted to exceed 1.5C within the coming decades, experts are now calling for a more radical approach. Pascal Lamy, president of the Paris Peace Forum and former director-general of the World Trade Organization, last week wrote that in order to reduce global CO2 levels, we must now go as far as examining sunlight reflection methods, an intervention designed to reflect a small portion of incoming solar radiation back into space. The days of a cautious approach to climate change are behind us and we cannot now put a limit on our ambitions. If the Greens could only be a little less green (in the other sense of the word) and more politically astute, they might see that renewable energy could be easily framed as being about cold hard cash, job creation and economics. Saving the planet in the process would be a mere positive side-effect. Did you know? Article 8 of the Irish Constitution states the Irish language, as the national language, is the first official language. English is recognised as a second official language. However, the 2016 census found 73,803 people speak Irish daily. This equates to 1.7% of the population. Just over 1.7m people, representing 39.8% of the population, said they could speak Irish. Galway county had the highest percentage of Irish speakers, with 49% of the population indicating they could speak Irish. The week in years gone by 1921 May 25: The Custom House in Dublin was set on fire. The Cork Examiner reported that "very sensational events occurred" when "armed men entered the precinct of the Custom House between 1pm and 2pm, and held up officials". They then sprinkled petrol through sections of the building before setting it alight. 1964 May 29: President Eamon de Valera addressed a joint session of the US Senate and House of Representatives stating he looked forward to the day when he could announce a United Ireland. The Cork Examiner reported: "His address was punctuated by outbursts of applause and, at one point his voice became choked with emotion when he referred to the occasion as 'my outstanding day'." 1981 May 30: Under the headline 'Charlie who?' it was reported that a journalist had been mistaken for then taoiseach Charles Haughey during an election campaign event in Belturbet, Co Cavan. "It happened when the Bell Jet Ranger helicopter carrying pressmen touched down in the local GAA pitch. A woman ran forward and when the pressmen stepped out she grabbed one by the hand and asked: 'Are you the Taoiseach?'." 1993 May 27: President Mary Robinson signalled a new era in Anglo-Irish relations when she became the first Irish head of state to meet with a British monarch. The mechanics of the historic meeting with Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace were well planned, with the president and her husband Nick arriving at 4.55pm sharp before leaving again at 5.29pm. 2018 May 28: A special edition of the Irish Examiner marked the historic vote which repealed the Eighth Amendment, paving the way for the provision of abortion services in this country. What to look out for this week Tuesday The political week begins with Cabinet, before the Taoiseach takes Leaders' Questions in the Dail at 2pm. The Government business slot will see statements on the 'Role of Journalists in Conflicts across the World', before the Dail debates a Sinn Fein bill which would crack down on estate agents and platforms such as Airbnb if they advertise short-term rentals which don't have the necessary planning permission. In the evening, Justice Minister Helen McEntee will answer questions. Congressman Richard Neal will address the Seanad on Tuesday. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire In the Seanad at 4.45pm, Richard Neal, a member of the US House of Representatives, chairman of it ways and means committee, and co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Ireland will address the chamber, after an invitation by Cathaoirleach Mark Daly, who said Mr Neal "is the embodiment of the strong links between Ireland and the United States of America". A busy committee slate will see Higher Education Minister Simon Harris discuss the future of funding in his sector with the Joint Committee on Education and his Justice colleague Helen McEntee in front of the Justice Committee to discuss the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, while the Housing Committee will launch a report on urban regeneration. The Joint Committee on Children will have two sessions discussing the General Scheme of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payments Scheme Bill. Wednesday Wednesday in the Dail will kick off with Topical Issues before People Before Profit-Solidarity put down a motion regarding strike action by the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association. Leaders' Questions will follow at midday before statements on the Northern Protocol and discussion of four pieces of legislation the Civil Law Act 2021, Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022. The Seanad will meanwhile debate a Labour bill aimed at ensuring interns are entitled to the minimum wage. Ukrainian ambassador Larysa Gerasko will appear at the Joint EU Affairs Committee. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos Ukrainian ambassador Larysa Gerasko will appear at the Joint EU Affairs Committee, while publican representative bodies will discuss skills shortages with the Joint Committee on Tourism. Thursday Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and his Agriculture colleague Charlie McConalogue will answer oral questions in the Dail early on Thursday before the third Leaders' Questions of the week. In the afternoon, there will be statements on an issue vexing most TDs passports. The Seanad will resume discussion of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill and the Public Petitions Committee will discuss a petition calling for a ban on herbicides in public areas. As an ambassador of a country on the western fringe of Europe, Vincent Guerend says distance from the war in Ukraine does not protect France or any other Western European country, such as Ireland from threats in Eastern Europe or elsewhere in the world. I would say that now, in this globalised world with so much interdependencies, distance is no longer relevant," he said. "We've seen this there's now shortage on microchips, and they're produced in Taiwan or in China, and it has a direct effect on the availability of cars or materials using microchips in Western Europe. He pointed to the huge imbalances in commodity and food markets, creating major price rises on items such as sunflower oil, because of the war in Ukraine. We have all this massive influx of refugees coming from Ukraine, which is 3,000km away, coming as far as to Ireland," he said. So, distance is no longer either an obstacle or protection against threats. The French ambassador to Ireland said rogue states such as North Korea are developing rockets which could travel as far as 6,000km. I am not saying it will reach Ireland the next day, but I mean distance is shrinking massively. And so, the geographic location of Ireland is certainly no longer a protection. In an interview at his plush residence, he laid out the main threats that Europe, including Ireland, now faces. He said the actions of Russia in Ukraine posed a major threat to the EU as there are no limits to its breaches of international law. Thats an existential threat to the EU and certainly for some EU member states who are directly neighbouring Russia, but even beyond," he said. "This is something that was looming and is now a reality. Added to Russia are threats from China, climate change, migrant crises, cyber threats, as well as disinformation. These were outlined in detail in the latest security blueprint agreed by EU states last March in the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. Greater co-operation It mapped out far greater co-operation between member states in defence and security strategy, major increases in defence spending and stronger EU military task forces. However, Mr Guerend stressed the document places no additional obligations on Ireland and that Irelands legal position on not joining an EU defence alliance remains unchanged. But the EU, and Ireland, are seeing how far the boundaries of cooperation can be explored, even pushed. This document doesnt corner member states in the EU that are neutral," the ambassador said. "It does, and agreed by all, oblige them to cooperate and raise their guard." He said France respects Irelands foreign policy and its neutrality. But it doesnt mean that this policy cannot evolve [or] this policy cannot or should not be adapted to a new environment, he said. Ireland's foreign policy has to be adapted to a new environment in which Russia or China may not respect neutrality, said the French ambassador. Picture: Emilio Morenatti/AP He said his understanding is that the policy has evolved between independence and today. We completely respect Irish neutrality, he said. At the same time, we consider that it has also to be adapted to the new environment and that it is for the Irish people and the Irish Government to see how this adaptation is to take place, at what pace, and with which objective and goal, but, like everything, it has adapt. Commenting on Irelands agreement with the British military to allow the RAF to operate over Irish airspace in the event of a hostile plane entering it, he said: It means that co-operation is always better than non-co-operation and neutrality doesnt mean you dont cooperate with neighbours. On the back of the recent Russian State TV simulation of a nuclear attack obliterating its target, Britain, and Ireland along with it, the ambassador was asked whether Russia, or China, respect neutrality in the way Ireland would hope and expect it would be? No. The answer is no, Mr Guerend said. He said this was true in the First World War and again in the Second World War, when the neutrality of some states was ignored by aggressors. It was not the case 100 years ago and it will certainly not be the case this time, he said. "Theres so many breaches of international law by Russia, that something like neutrality would not withstand one second if the intention is to harm a neutral country. Did that mean Ireland should follow other neutral or non-aligned countries, such as Finland and Sweden, and join Nato? We believe that thats really for each and every member state to decide based on a sovereign decision, like now Sweden and Finland are doing. Thats not at all for any of us and certainly not for France to decide or encourage or discourage. He said that, within the EU, the focus is on the Strategic Compass. What [the compass says] is that Europe member states should raise standards and raise their level of awareness and a level of capacity to defend [EU] values and interest, but it's for each and every country to decide which way is the best to achieve this," he said. Transatlantic cables On the threat to Europe posed by any interference with undersea transatlantic cables, many of which pass through or near Irish-controlled waters, Mr Guerend said there were countries and actors able to cut or damage, or indeed tap, the cables. Its critical for us on this side of the Atlantic and certainly on the other side of the Atlantic to make sure the integrity of these cables are maintained its absolutely crucial," he said. A leading adviser to the World Health Organisation has described the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox in developed countries as a random event that might be explained by sexual behaviour at two recent raves in Europe. Dr David Heymann, who formerly headed the WHOs emergencies department, told the Associated Press that the leading theory to explain the spread of the disease was sexual transmission at raves in Spain and Belgium. Monkeypox has not previously triggered widespread outbreaks beyond Africa, where it is endemic in animals. By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a persons sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission We know monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with the lesions of someone who is infected, and it looks like sexual contact has now amplified that transmission, said Dr Heymann. That marks a significant departure from the diseases typical pattern of spread in central and western Africa, where people are mainly infected by animals like wild rodents and primates and outbreaks have not spilled across borders. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Scientists say it will be difficult to establish whether the spread is being driven by sex or merely close contact. By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a persons sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission, said Mike Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London. On Monday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Controls director, Andrea Ammon, said the likelihood of further spread of the virus through close contact, for example during sexual activities among persons with multiple sexual partners, is considered to be high. #JustPublished! Rapid Risk Assesment on the #monkeypox multi-country outbreak. Full details in the thread below and the report:https://t.co/fIRfGdraMP https://t.co/RIsTRgVgRQ ECDC (@ECDC_EU) May 23, 2022 The WHO has recorded more than 90 cases of monkeypox in a dozen countries including Canada, Spain, Israel, France, Switzerland, the US and Australia. On Monday, Denmark announced its first case, Portugal revised its total up to 37, Italy reported one further infection and Britain added 37 more cases. Germany has four confirmed cases linked to exposure at party events where sexual activity took place in Spains Canary Islands and in Berlin, according to a government report obtained by the AP. Madrids senior health official said on Monday that the Spanish capital had 30 confirmed cases. Enrique Ruiz Escudero said authorities are investigating possible links between a recent Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands, which drew 80,000 people, and cases at a Madrid sauna. The monkeypox cases so far have been mild, with no deaths reported. Typically, the virus causes fever, chills, rash and lesions on the face or genitals. Most people recover within several weeks without requiring hospital treatment. Vaccines against smallpox, a related disease, are effective in preventing monkeypox and some antiviral drugs are being developed. In recent years, the illness has been fatal in up to 6% of infections. What is #monkeypox? What are the symptoms? How does it spread from person to person? Where in the world is there currently a risk of monkeypox? Who is at risk of catching monkeypox? WHO Q&A on monkeypox https://t.co/tMKv3FHw4g pic.twitter.com/XN9e49yBNG World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 20, 2022 Dr Heymann chaired an urgent meeting of the WHOs advisory group on infectious disease threats on Friday to assess the outbreak and said there was no evidence to suggest monkeypox had mutated into a more infectious form. The UN agency said the outbreak is a highly unusual event and said the fact that cases are being seen in so many countries suggests the virus may have been silently spreading for some time. The agencys Europe director warned that festivals and parties could accelerate spread. At a public session on Monday, WHO officials described the outbreak as containable and cautioned against stigmatising affected groups, saying the disease can infect anyone. The agency said the cases appeared to be linked to a monkeypox virus first detected in cases exported from Nigeria to Britain, Israel and Singapore in 2018 and 2019. Authorities in Britain, Spain and Portugal have said most of the cases identified so far were in young men whose infections were picked up when they sought help for lesions at sexual health clinics. Dr Heymann, who is also a professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the monkeypox outbreak was likely to be a random event that might be traceable to a single infection. Its very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close physical contact, he said. And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the US and other European countries. He emphasised that the disease is unlikely to trigger widespread transmission. This is not Covid, he said. We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it. Dr Heymann said studies should be conducted rapidly to determine if monkeypox could be spread by people without symptoms and that populations at risk of the disease should take precautions to protect themselves. Pakistan has banned ousted prime minister Imran Khan from holding a rally in the capital of Islamabad and cracked down on his supporters in overnight raids across the country, arresting hundreds. The ban came hours after a policeman was killed during one of the raids, when a supporter of the former premier opened fire after officers entered his home in the city of Lahore. Interior minister Rana Sanaullah warned Mr Khan that he would not be allowed to disrupt peace in Islamabad and would be arrested if necessary, should the rally go ahead. Mr Sanaullah earlier in the day accused Mr Khan of seeking to create a civil war-like situation. Shipping containers placed by authorities block a road leading to government buildings in a bid to foil the rally (AP) A former cricket star turned Islamist politician, Mr Khan served as prime minister for over three and half years until he was ousted by a no-confidence vote in parliament in April. Mr Khan has remained defiant, demanding early elections and claiming his removal was the result of a US-organised plot in collusion with his successor, Pakistans new Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Washington has denied any role in Pakistans internal politics. Earlier this week, Mr Khan urged supporters to converge on Islamabad on Wednesday for a massive rally to pressurise Mr Sharifs government. The demonstration, he said, would continue until a date for snap elections was announced. Mr Sanaullah, the interior minister, said the decision to ban the rally was taken after Mr Khans Tehreek-e-Insaf party failed to assure the administration in writing that the rally would be peaceful. Mr Khan has been banned from holding a massive rally in the capital and authorities have cracked down on his supporters (AP) Earlier on Tuesday, authorities stepped up security in Islamabad, deploying additional officers and paramilitary rangers. Large shipping containers were placed on a key road leading to the parliament building, to prevent Mr Khans supporters from getting close and possibly staging a sit-in there. According to Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Insaf party, police raids against their supporters started shortly after midnight on Monday. Homes were still being raided on Tuesday morning and at least 400 supporters of the party were arrested across the country, Chaudhry said. Khan condemned the arrests on Twitter. Authorities confirmed the raids but refused to share details about any arrests. At a news conference in the north-western city of Peshawar on Tuesday, Mr Khan vowed to carry on with the rally in the Pakistani capital as planned. I tell my supporters to reach Islamabad and I will also be there, he said, insisting he was not afraid of death and urging his followers to get ready for sacrifices for the sake of Pakistans sovereignty. Several other prominent figures from Mr Khans party warned police they could face violent resistance if raids on their homes continued. Burma More Than 9,000 Civilians Flee Myanmar Junta Raids Displaced people from Shwebo. / CJ More than 9,000 civilians displaced by junta raids in Shwebo and Wetlet townships in Sagaing Region need relief aid, according to residents. Around 100 junta troops started raiding villages on May 16 and 27 villages have been abandoned. Junta troops torched houses in around 25 villages in eastern Shwebo and Wetlet, starting with Ma Kauk. Those displaced by raids and arson attacks need food and clothes, said a Sagaing resident, who is helping displaced people. A Magyi Thone Pin villager said: We are hiding in the forest and have to feed ourselves from what we can find. We fled in fear and could only bring some rice and oil. It has been a week and we dare not go back to our village. It is difficult. A Thit Seint Gyi villager said: Junta troops entered our village on May 16 and residents from five surrounding villages also fled. It has been a week. We have never faced this before and we could not bring anything. Around 20 villages were subjected to junta arson attacks and around 1,200 houses were feared torched. Pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias also joined junta soldiers in torching houses. Resistance groups claimed that junta troops doused houses with petrol to make sure they burned. When they entered villages, they threatened to torch the entire village if we resisted them. Our weapons are inferior and we are outnumbered. So we avoid confronting them and can only help civilians escape, said Bo Mar Yar of a resistance group. Bo Sane from a resistance group in Shwebo said: We can only help civilians escape. As we cant go back to villages to take food, we have to share what we have. Villagers dare not return as junta troops have been repeatedly torching houses in villages. The regime has been raiding villages even though there have barely been clashes between junta troops and resistance forces along the Ayeyarwady River in Shwebo and Wetlet townships, said residents. Farmers have not been able to plant during the growing season, which started with the monsoon. A Let Kaung Kya villager said: We are facing many difficulties in the forest as it is the rainy season. We havent been able to grow crops. We have left our cattle and they might be starving and suffering from the weather. Bo Sane claimed that junta troops stole valuables from the villages and carried them away by boat. People are sad and angry that they have lost their ancestral homes. Even the children hate them now. All the people are filled with deep resentment, said Bo Mar Yar. Junta troops are deployed in Thit Seint and have detained numerous villagers. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Expands its Intelligence Operation Military Junta Administrators Quit After Armed Groups Death Threats Cambodia Forced to Put Off ASEAN Meeting as Foreign Ministers Pull Out Burma Myanmar Junta Weakening: Karen Rebels Junta soldiers in Yangon after the 2021 military coup. / The Irrawaddy The Karen National Union (KNU) says Myanmars military has been seriously depleted, saying the regime has not tried to retake a strategic camp seized on the Thai border last week. The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied resistance forces seized the strategic camp in Karen State on May 18, despite facing heavy airstrikes. The battle for Thay Baw Boe camp in Myawaddy Township lasted eight hours and a junta battalion in Falu, about 25km away, did not send reinforcements. In the past, they would send reinforcements but on May 18 fighting, junta soldiers sat on a pagoda and did nothing, as if they had nothing to do with their colleagues being attacked, said an official from the KNU, the political wing of the KNLA. Thay Baw Boe had been held by the military since the early 1990s and used as a staging area to reinforce combat troops fighting rebels near the Thai border. The strategically important camp was normally led by a battalion commander and held around 30 to 50 soldiers. The KNU said five junta soldiers, including a deputy battalion commander, were killed and seven captured along with weapons. KNLA commanders said there have been no reinforcements in the area since early March. If only 30 to 40 soldiers are available, they cannot be sent because of the risk of an ambush, said a KNLA Brigade 6 member. Frontline junta battalions have slumped to just 60 to 70 soldiers or less than a full-strength company, according to defectors. Though the numbers are low, they still have to carry the standard amount of weapons and ammunition so they are prone to ambushes, said a private who defected to KNLA Brigade 6 in April. A KNLA Brigade 6 commander claimed that many junta soldiers have been killed in regime airstrikes. In some cases, junta aircraft bombed regime camps and there were many casualties, he said. The Irrawaddy could not independently confirm his claims. The occupation of Thay Baw Boe means the KNLA now controls the Myawaddy-Falu-Waw Lay road. Around 1,000 troops from Karen State Border Guard Force, which is fighting alongside the regime in Karen State, have recently retreated from KNLA territory. BGF leader Colonel Saw Chit Thu claimed his troops have been withdrawn to take a rest but analysts say the BGF troops were called back to guard Myawaddy amid fears the KNLA may seize the border town. Burma Myanmar Regime Cuts Phone, Internet Access in Resistance Stronghold Sagaing A village in Sagaing after a regime attack in May The regime has cut phone and internet services in nearly a dozen townships in resistance stronghold areas in Sagaing Region, prompting fears that a military offensive is imminent in the region. The Irrawaddy has not been able to reach out to sources in Monywa, Ye U, Khin U, Kani and Yinmarbin townships since Tuesday morning. The information page of the Kanbalu Peoples Defense Force, one of the local resistance forces in Kanbalu Township, announced the communication blackouts on Facebook, citing sources on the ground. The phone lines in Kanbalu and Kyun Hla have been shut down since 6:55 a.m., it said. The junta has blocked internet access in the region outside of major towns Monywa, Shwebo, Sgaging and Kale since early March. However, some areas still had access to 2G internet service. But on Tuesday, both phone and 2G services were down. Sources close to residents in the area said regime troops launched attacks in some villages this morning, but The Irrawaddy was unable to verify the reports. However, cutting phone lines and internet access is a common regime tactic whenever it launches offensives, especially against civilians. Since last year, the junta has been trying to crush resistance to its rule in Sagaing, the largest region in northwestern Myanmar. So far, it has failed to bring the region under its control, as local anti-regime forces are scattered across it. The same is true in neighboring Magwe Region and Chin State. In response to the resistance, the junta has used airstrikes and artillery attacks against villages, accusing them of harboring resistance fighters. It also raids villages nearly every day in the name of clearance operations, committing extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, looting and arson, causing many people to flee their homes. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its latest report that as of early May, Sagaing had the highest displacement figures with 240,600 internally displaced persons since the coup, followed by 50,500 in Magwe Region and 36,300 in Chin State, with very limited humanitarian access in these areas. You may also like these stories: Thirty Junta Soldiers Reportedly Killed in Upper Myanmar Myanmar Junta Expands its Intelligence Operation Military Junta Administrators Quit After Armed Groups Death Threats Burma Myanmar Regime Sends Striking Doctor Couple to Interrogation Camp The 500-bed Sao San Tun Hospital in Taunggyi. / DMS The fate of a striking doctor couple in Shan State is still unknown after they were detained and sent to a Myanmar military interrogation camp for refusing to work under the junta. Anesthetist Dr. Mya San from Taunggyis Sao San Tun Hospital and his wife radiologist Dr. Aye Khaing Oo from Taunggyis Maternal and Child Hospital were detained in the Shan State capital Taunggyi on May 18, and sent to an interrogation camp run by the Myanmar militarys Eastern Command. They have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). He [Dr. Mya San] was asked by Myat Taw Win Hospital to anaesthetize a patient who needed an emergency operation on the morning of May 18. He was detained when he came to the hospital. The couple are big-hearted persons. We learned that they were sent to an interrogation camp and that their family members arent allowed to see them yet, a source close to the doctor couple told The Irrawaddy. A large number of junta troops forcibly detained Dr. Mya San. They also beat hospital staff and swore at patients, according to witnesses. Regime soldiers also took CCTV records and a list of employees of Myat Taw Win Hospital. One striking doctor from Mandalay said: They joined the CDM because they cant accept the coup. We dont know yet why they were detained. It is quite an inhumane act to send them to an interrogation camp. We can only pray for them. A Mandalay resident who has been helping striking civil servants said: The reason why striking civil servants are arrested is clear. Because the regime wants to extort money and put pressure on them. The regime is getting shaky and thus has been putting greater pressure on striking civil servants. So it is important that striking civil servants who have endured so far be cautious and continue their strike. Junta officials have frequently carried out surprise checks on private hospitals in Taunggyi to see if they are employing striking health workers, as well as asking for lists of hospital staff., On May 18-19, junta police conducted checks on at least five private hospitals in Taunggyi, as well as private clinics, according to residents. You may also like these stories: Defections and Victories Over Myanmar Junta This Year: NUG Defense Minister Juntas Coup Was Declaration of War Against the Myanmar People Myanmar Civilian Govt Minister Dismisses Death Threat Claim as Misinformation Burma We Need Guns, Myanmar Resistance Forces Tell Shadow Govt Resistance fighters from the Khin U Local Guerrilla Force With popular armed resistance against Myanmars military regime having raged for more than one year now, the need for weapons and other support is becoming a pressing issue for some resistance groups on the ground. Faced with near-daily offensives by junta forces in their areas, in a bid to tackle the supply shortages some resistance groups in the anti-regime strongholds of Sagaing and Magwe regions are pushing Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) to provide them with arms and cash. Other resistance groups have gotten creative, making the most of their local resources to generate funds and equip themselves. On Sunday, at least four local Peoples Defense Force groups (PDFs) based in Khin U and Yinmarbin in Sagaing and Yay Lae Kyaun in Magwe publicly issued statements saying they were struggling with insufficient arms and other logistics issues. Our human resources are more than adequate. But not enough guns, the Khin U Local Guerrilla Force said in a statement, going on to ask the NUG if it had any plan to support them. PDFs in Sagaing and Magwe regions have been fighting regime troops since last year. Their resistance has inflicted casualties on the junta and prevented it from taking full control of the regions. In response, regime forces have raided villages and torched them, and launched air and artillery strikes. Their year-long resistance has been kept up despite the fact that a large number of PDF fighters are still making do with homemade hunting rifles as weapons. The Khin-U Peoples Defense Force, founded in April 2021, has nearly 70 members but cant provide guns to all of them. It equipped its first 30 to 40 members with hunting rifles known as Tumi, but as its ranks have swelled, it is no longer able to arm them all. Making matters worse, PDFs in Sagaing and Magwe are not based along Myanmars border. Unlike their counterparts in the countrys north and south, it is very difficult for resistance fighters there to smuggle in the weapons they need, even when they receive cash donations from people to buy arms. The regimes tight security along any possible smuggling routes adds to the problem. So, they mostly rely on guerrilla warfare and improvised land mines to attack the regime troops, and this has proved to be a successful strategy to some extent. The Khin-U Peoples Defense Force and allied groups have killed more than 150 soldiers over the past year. Challenges persist, however. Bo Thanmani, the head of the Khin-U Peoples Defense Force, admitted that even though they can conduct mine attacks, his fighters, armed only with homemade guns, are helpless when regime troops fight back with automatic rifles. How can we fight the military in the coming rainy season with these Tumi? he said, pointing out that the guns are unusable when they are drenched. The NUGs Ministry of Defense should provide support to local resistance groups. If not, their long-term mission will remain difficult to achieve, he added. Meanwhile, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the PDFs to ask the hard-hit civilian population for material support. Like other PDFs in Myanmar, resistance groups in Sagaing and Magwe have so far relied on donations from local people. But civilians are being increasingly persecuted, with military troops torching their homes and uprooting their lives by destroying everything they need to make a living in these farming communities. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its latest report that as of early May, Sagaing had the countrys highest displacement figures with 240,600 internally displaced persons since the coup, followed by 50,500 in Magwe Region. We are arranging it. Formed in April last year by lawmakers from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) and its ethnic allies, the National Unity Government (NUG) has challenged the regimes legitimacy at home and abroad. It is regarded as the leading organization of the anti-regime movement and many Myanmar people take it as their legitimate government. Its Defense Minister U Yee Mon said in March that the minimum demand for ammunition will soon be filled for PDFs. He recently called on the international community to provide arms to them, saying that the NUG has between 80,000 and 100,000 PDF troops under its command and spends 80 percent of its budget on supporting them but cant fully cover them all. Bothanmani from the Khin-U PDF said that two weeks before the group issued its statement he attended a meeting with the NUGs Ministry of Defense (MOD) to request its support. We will have to wait and see as the MOD said there are lots of PDFs in Sagaing. So, they will check carefully and then they will provide them [with arms], said the PDF leader. U Naing Htoo Aung, the MODs permanent secretary, recently told The Irrawaddy that the NUG fully intends to support the resistance fighters on the ground but logistics issues and other obstacles were delaying its efforts. It doesnt mean that we dont want to give them [the assistance]. We are arranging it now, he said. Rather than waiting for the NUG to respond to their requests, some other PDFs have taken it upon themselves to find financing by raising their own funds. Loikaw PDF in scenicbut now war-tornKayah State recently launched a campaign to sell Mountain and Music travel tickets for those wishing to visit the Karenni (or Kayah) State after the revolution, with prices ranging from US$100 to $300. The plan is that visitors will be guided by former resistance fighters and other locals through the beautiful landscapes leading to the camps, to see where the PDFs lived during the anti-regime resistance movement. Opportunities to chat with the (by that time) ex-PDF fighters about their experiences, including photo and video sessions with them, will be provided. We would like to urge you to buy tickets to help fund the Loikaw PDF and Karenni State, so that the fighting can end soonerand to prepare to travel in future, the resistance group said. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Expands its Intelligence Operation Military Junta Administrators Quit After Armed Groups Death Threats Cambodia Forced to Put Off ASEAN Meeting as Foreign Ministers Pull Out After 20 years of teaching preschool students at Key Biscayne Presbyterian School, Liliana Skiadas is calling it a career. To celebrate her retirement, the school staff and faculty, along with her students and former students, are throwing her a retirement party. The event will be at 4 p.m. May 24, at the school's playground, 160 Harbor Drive. Anne Rothe, director at Key Biscayne Presbyterian School, said the gathering is an opportunity for people to wish Skiadas well in future endeavors. Its an opportunity for alumni students to come in and say hi and thank you, she said. There will be surprise gifts for Skiadas for her many years of service at the school and in the community. She has been working with little ones for 20 years, said Rothe, adding that Skiadas taught her two children in preschool; the kids are now 22 and 26 years old. Skiadas, 61, said shes retiring to spend more time with her three grandchildren, who live in Orlando. She will also work part time as a translator for her son-in-law's business. She admitted it was a hard decision to walk away from the classroom, where she had such an impact on young minds. It's going to be tough, very difficult, she said. I love to be part of the students lives. My former students went on to college and became successful in their professional careers. Born and raised in Ecuador, Skiadas said she and her husband often vacationed in Key Biscayne before ultimately deciding to make the island their permanent home. She said her son was born in Ecuador, while her two daughters were born in Florida. The Skiadas have done exceedingly well at Key Biscayne Presbyterian School. One daughter once earned Student of the Year honors, and Skiadas herself was once named Teacher of the Year. Automated cybersecurity specialist Forescout Technologies has introduced Forescout Frontline, a threat hunting service for organisations that lack the internal resources and visibility to defend themselves from cybersecurity attacks. "Cybersecurity attacks are on the rise. Simultaneously, cybersecurity teams are perennially understaffed and under resourced. This has created a perfect storm," said Forescout vice president of threat defence Shawn Taylor. "Organisations are under immense pressure to cope with the scale and speed of attacks and the havoc caused by the adversaries. Forescout is launching this new service to help organisations defend against attacks by providing a complete and holistic view of their assets." Part of the problem is that organisations may use multiple security tools across multiple teams, resulting in siloed views of the state of IT, IoT, IoMT (internet of medical things) or OT assets even though such assets may be interconnected. The threat hunting and risk identification service is delivered by Forescout Frontline analysts to help discover, validate and prioritise cyber threats and vulnerabilities across all assets; to analyse the context and risk associated with all findings; and then develop effective risk mitigation and remediation strategies. An agency of the US state of Florida engaged Forescout Frontline to understand each instance of Log4j across its 220 sites after a zero-day vulnerability in the popular Java logging framework was revealed. Forescout Frontline took a day and a half to delivered insights into thousands of assets, revealing exposure to Log4j and PrintNightmare, plus hundreds of critical vulnerabilities in switches and routers were found. It also delivered actionable intelligence concerning critical risks in embedded IoT devices. "When Log4J broke, we knew it was a critical issue, but we lacked a full picture of the risk within our extended enterprise. The [Forescout threat hunting] report was way more thorough than I expected, with in-depth information and actionable intelligence. Not just on Log4j but on other critical vulnerabilities as well, and not just in general terms but exactly where they exist in our environment," said the agency's information security manager. QR codes and chat and messaging platform WhatsApp are increasingly being used for phishing and other scams, warns security awareness training and simulated phishing platform KnowBe4. Weve seen a spike in smishing (phishing via SMS) attacks over the last 12 months with scammers really leveraging fake delivery SMS, in particular, while we struggled through extended lockdowns last year. Now were seeing these attacks move onto the WhatsApp platform so were urging everyone to be extra vigilant, comments KnowBe4 security awareness advocate APAC Jacqueline Jayne. As pandemic lockdowns saw a surge in use of QR codes to check in venues and to access paperless menus, criminals saw an opportunity how to manipulate the situation to their advantage. Recently, we have seen fake QR codes stuck to parking metres enticing unwitting drivers to scan the code, and hand over their payment details believing they were paying for parking, whereas they were actually handing over their payment information to criminals, Jayne says. We saw scams in Europe last year (which means theyll be here soon) where the bad guys were using malicious WhatsApp ads, which offer a $250 coupon for a well-known retailer, in exchange for a short survey. The invite looks like it comes from a friend on WhatsApp, warns Jayne. A similar strain installs a malware on the phone, which looks like a software update, but steals all the contacts, phone numbers and email addresses - and if they can find any, passwords and banking credentials. The downside is users are likely to view the messages as trustworthy since they appear to be coming from an acquaintance. As a result, users are more inclined to trust messages and weblinks they receive because they come from someone they know. You should be suspicious of unsolicited or strange messages from contacts, especially if the messages sound urgent or try to get you to click on a link. Never trust messages simply because they come from a friends account, Jayne adds. Just as importantly, if a weird message from a friends account makes you think theyve been hacked, dont message them back via the same service to warn them. If youre right, your real friend will never see the warning, and you will have tipped off the crooks that you are onto them. Contact your friend some other way instead. Staying safe If users receive a suspicious message, they should follow these steps to stay safe. KnowBe4 recommends: 1. Double check the sender. Just because someone claims to be a family member or friend it doesn't mean they are who they say they are. 2. Consider the request. Is this a common request or one which the person would actually make of you? 3. Is it urgent? Criminals will use different tactics to create a sense of urgency, such as claiming they need money for a medical procedure, to bail them out, or to travel safely home. 4. As a general rule of thumb, if a message or phone call is received that asks you to take urgent action, particularly over the computer to send money or gift cards - do not comply. Nothing bad will come from taking a few minutes to contact a trustworthy person directly and double-checking. Fortunately, in relation to QR codes, in order for these scams to be successful, criminals have to physically tamper with or place their own QR code, which is a risk to them. Also, none of these will automatically trigger an action on a phone, rather it will display a notification as to what the intended action is. So just like email phishing, always be mindful and vigilant whenever payments, credentials or personal details are involved online, KnowBe4 warns. Canada has implemented a ban against Chinas two biggest telecom equipment providersHuawei and ZTEto protect national security, joining the so-called Five Eyes intelligence sharing-network. According to a Reuters report, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told reporters in Ottawa that providers who have Huawei and ZTEs equipment installed will be required to cease its use and remove it in line with the announcement. Companies will be required to dismantle and remove their 5G gear by 2024 and would not be reimbursed. Companies using 4G equipment must be removed by 2027, Champagne ordered. The Canadian Governments decision to ban the Chinese providers was already expected following diplomatic tensions. The Five Eyes networkconsisting of Canada, US, Britain, Australia, and New Zealandhas already banned the equipment. According to Reuters, it was in September 2018 that Canada first announced it will review possible threats to national security in adopting Huawei equipment. In December 2018, Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada on a US warrant alleging that she violated US trade sanctions against Iran, according to iTWire, but was freed last September 2021. Following Mengs arrest, two Canadians in Beijing were arrested and accused of espionage. The two were released the same day as Meng. Huawei Canada said it was disappointed with the governments decision, which it described as political. "This is an unfortunate political decision that has nothing to do with cyber security or any of the technologies in question," it said in a statement. GlobalData associate analyst in thematic team Rory Gopsill commented on the ban, warning the expulsion may have consequences: Western/allied countries are contributing to splinternet, an internet fragmented into competing technospheres. Before this, Huawei had been expelled from the 5G networks of the US and numerous allies, including the UK, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan. Increasingly unwelcome in Western countries, Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese tech companies such as Hikvision will have to export their technological products elsewhere, Gopsill said. Gopsill also provided context that China is already having success exporting safe cities, referring to packages of broadband and facial surveillance technologies for smart cities to countries in Southeast Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Supplying infrastructure to these regions, according to Gopsill, is how competing technospheres form. As for Canada, its 5G rollout will certainly be slowed by this decision. Providers that have already installed equipment from Huawei and ZTE will need to remove and replace it and current disruptions to global supply chains will not make this any cheaper or any easier, he said According to GlobalDatas Patent Analytics, Chinas granting authority has filed more 5G patents than any other country since January 2019 more than double the US publications and roughly quadruple the European Patent Offices. Shunning Chinese 5G providers means the US and its allies need to invest more in 5G technologies to maintain competitive network quality, Gopsill concluded. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 23 May 2022. 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. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inspects a military honour guard during a ceremony marking the docking of a submarine, in Kocaeli, Turkey, Monday, May 23, 2022. Erdogan, whose country has objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, called on Stockholm on Monday to take "concrete steps" that would alleviate Turkey's security concerns. Johnson City, TN (37604) Today A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by increasing clouds with showers developing this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 74F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 56F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Johnson City, TN (37604) Today A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 73F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 56F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Russian forces on Tuesday stepped up their offensive on the last pocket of resistance around Lugansk in Ukraines eastern Donbas region, as the conflict entered its fourth month. Since Moscows invasion in late February, Western support has helped Ukraine hold off its neighbours advances in many areas, including the capital Kyiv. Russia is now focused on securing and expanding its gains in Donbas and the southern coast. The coming weeks of the war will be difficult, and we must be aware of that, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address Monday after regional leaders and residents reported heavy bombardments. The most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas, Zelensky said, singling out the worst-hit towns of Bakhmut, Popasna and Severodonetsk. Ukraines armed forces said Russian troops were conducting non-stop offensive operations in the region. Too late to leave The governor of Lugansk said Russia had sent thousands of troops to capture his entire region and that Severodonetsk was under massive attack. He warned an estimated 15,000 civilians still in the city that it was too late to leave. At this point I will not say: get out, evacuate, Sergiy Gaidai said on Telegram. Now I will say: stay in a shelter, because such a density of shelling will not allow us to calmly gather people and come for them. The Ukrainian presidency said Tuesday that four people in one house had been killed and four others wounded in the shelling of Severodonetsk, while another three people were killed and six hurt in Donetsk region. Residents of Bakhmut, a crucial junction that serves as a command centre for much of the Ukrainian war effort, told AFP of the aerial onslaught they had suffered. I looked up from my prayers and heard a frightening sound, 82-year-old Maria Mayashlapak said next to the splintered remains of her home. Ruthless battle More than six million people have fled Ukraine and eight million have been internally displaced since the war broke out, according to the United Nations. Zelensky said in his address that Russia had carried out nearly 1,500 missile strikes and more than 3,000 airstrikes against Ukraine in the first three months of the war. He claimed most were aimed at civilian targets. Ukraines prosecutor general said 234 children had been killed since the war began, and 433 injured. Western countries have sent huge amounts of weapons and cash to Ukraine to help it repel Russias assault, and punished Moscow with unprecedented economic sanctions. But Ukraine is demanding swifter delivery of arms and tougher action against Russia. Ukrainians were paying dearly for freedom and independence, Zelensky said in a video address Monday to world business and political leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He called for an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all its banks and the shunning of its IT sector. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba echoed his comments Tuesday, saying the Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS (multiple launch rocket system), long-range artillery, APCs (armoured personnel carriers), he said on Twitter. Mariupol mayor denounces conditions Russias army said it had begun an operation to de-mine Mariupol, the strategic southern port city that had finally fallen under its control after a devastating siege. To date, more than 50 kilometres of the coast along the Sea of Azov has been examined and more than 300 various munitions have been neutralised, it said. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko spoke Tuesday at Davos, where he said 90 percent of infrastructure including schools and hospitals in his city was in ruins. He accused Russia of behaving like a state terrorist in his address via videolink. They keep 100,000 people without water, without food, without electricity. And disease risked further loss of life, he warned. Referring to Ukraines estimated death toll from the siege of Mariupol, he said: We see that war already took lives of 20,000 people, and epidemics could take the lives of thousands more. The siege of Mariupol has become emblematic of the horror of the conflict, along with towns such as Bucha, where the discovery of civilian casualties after Russian troops withdrew has prompted claims of war crimes. A Kyiv court on Monday found a 21-year-old Russian soldier guilty of war crimes for killing an unarmed civilian in northeast Ukraine, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began. Vadim Shishimarin was handed a life sentence in a trial followed around the world, as international institutions and Ukrainian authorities investigate thousands of other alleged war crimes. The sergeant from Siberia had admitted killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, as he was riding his bike in the village of Chupakhivka in northeast Ukraine. In Geneva, a counsellor at Moscows mission to the United Nations on Monday announced he was leaving his job after 20 years of diplomatic service in protest at Russias invasion. In the letter circulated to a number of diplomatic missions in Geneva and seen by AFP, Boris Bondarev condemned the war as not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia. Never have I been so ashamed of my country, he said. burs-ar/jj Dutch police arrested a Syrian-born man suspected of committing war crimes in 2013 while fighting as a member of pro-Damascus militia forces in Syrias ongoing civil war, prosecutors said Tuesday. The 34-year-old man was taken into custody in the southern town of Kerkrade after applying for asylum in the Netherlands in 2020. He is suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Brechtje van de Moosdijk, spokeswoman for the public prosecution service said. He is also accused of participating in an organisation whose aim is to commit international crimes, she said in a statement. The suspect will go before a judge in a first closed-door appearance on Friday. The suspect, who was not identified, is said to have been a member of the Liwa al-Quds militia who are loyal to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In January 2013, he and militia members, as well as Syrian intelligence forces allegedly arrested a civilian man at his home in the al-Nayrab Palestinian refugee camp near the northwestern city of Aleppo. The civilian was mistreated during the arrest and later taken to a Syrian Air Force intelligence prison, where he is said to have been tortured, Van de Moosdijk said. Syrias war is estimated to have killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions since it began with a brutal crackdown of anti-government protests in 2011. It escalated to pull in foreign powers and global jihadists. Militia forces were an important link in a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population, Van de Moosdijk said. They were used, for example, in the crackdown on demonstrations of civilians, and to arrest civilians. Dutch prosecutors regard Liwa al-Quds as a criminal organisation, similar to the Islamic State group, she said. A German court in January sentenced a former Syrian colonel to life in jail for crimes against humanity in the first global trial over state-sponsored torture in Syria. Anwar Raslan, 58, was found guilty of overseeing the murder of 27 people and the torture of 4,000 others at the Al-Khatib detention centre in Damascus, also known as Branch 251, in 2011 and 2012. He had sought refuge in Germany after deserting the Syrian regime in 2012. The last time Fatoumatta Sandeng saw her father, he was leaving the house for a peaceful protest ahead of The Gambias 2016 presidential election that ousted former dictator Yahya Jammeh. He told me, Whatever happens, make sure you take care of the family,' said Sandeng, who was then 22. That was the last time I spoke to him. Her father, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, a member of an opposition party, was arrested at the demonstration and tortured. He died two days later, just one of hundreds of alleged victims of human rights abuses under Jammehs rule. More than five years after fleeing into exile, Jammeh whose regime was notorious for crushing dissent through murder, disappearances, sexual violence and torture has not yet been investigated by authorities or prosecuted. That could soon change. On Wednesday, the government will respond to recommendations from a commission that probed alleged crimes committed by the state under Jammeh from July 1994 to January 2017. My expectation is to see prosecutions for people who bear a responsibility for the crimes that were committed, including Jammeh himself, said Sandeng, now the spokesperson for a coalition of victims groups. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) found that 240 to 250 people were killed by the state during the eccentric leaders rule, including AFP journalist Deyda Hydara. In a report released late last year, the TRRC made more than 200 recommendations, including investigating and prosecuting Jammeh and 69 other alleged perpetrators. Jammeh is exiled in Equatorial Guinea, which has no extradition treaty with The Gambia. The commission recommended using a hybrid tribunal or trying him in a neighbouring country. He denies allegations of wrongdoing and still has significant support. President Adama Barrow, who won the vote in 2016 and was re-elected in December, last year formed a political alliance with Jammehs former party. Though the ex-dictator himself rejected the deal, Barrow then nominated two known Jammeh supporters as speaker and deputy speaker of parliament. A continuing violation Victims hope Barrow will accept TRRC recommendations to overhaul the security sector, reform prison, media and public order laws and forensically probe forced disappearances. Enforced disappearances are still a continuing violation so long as the body hasnt been found, said Isatou Jammeh, a victims advocate. Her father Haruna, a first cousin of the former president, disappeared in 2005 after criticising a witch hunt in their village. My dad was an active parent who came to my class whenever we had school events I was my daddys daughter, said Jammeh, who was 14 at the time. Growing up, we were made to believe that my father had travelled for work, and we kept on telling people that in our school. It was not until 2019, during the TRRC process, that her family received formal confirmation of her fathers death. They have still not been able to locate his body. The laws dont recognise the death, so there is no death certificate, and women are not considered widows so they do not feel they can remarry, said Nana-Jo Ndow, a campaigner whose own father disappeared in 2013. In most cases the missing person was the family breadwinner, she said. They cant say he is dead, but they also dont want their children to go to school and say he is disappeared, so they say he travelled to Europe, took the back way. Essa Faal, who was the TRRCs lead counsel until he resigned to run for president as an independent in last years election, said reforming the state intelligence agency, the main institution of oppression under the Jammeh regime, must be a top priority. A lot is at stake A lot is at stake, he said. We will see whether our government is serious about the transitional justice arrangements it put in place or if it was just playing politics. The current head of state intelligence services, Ousman Sowe, is one of the highest officials the commission targeted. Its report accuses him of destroying and concealing evidence and recommends banning him from public office for 10 years. Meanwhile, several members of Jammehs former hit-squad, known as the Junglers, have returned to the country from exile and remain at large. One group whose voices were under-represented in the TRRC process is women. Many survivors of sexual violence chose not to participate for fear of stigmatisation, said Fatou Baldeh, a grassroots campaigner. Other women were victims of abuses such as witch hunts alongside their husbands, but their stories were lost when only the men in their households spoke to investigators. Baldeh urged the government to take these victims into consideration and include them in reparations payments too. Justice needs to be done to make sure that we achieve never again and set an example to other African leaders, said Isatou Jammeh. This is a conversation not just for The Gambia but all of Africa. Russia signalled on Tuesday it was bedding in for a long war in Ukraine as the conflict entered its fourth month with heavy fighting in the east but signs of some normality returning elsewhere. We will continue the special military operation until all the objectives have been achieved, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said, using Moscows name for the war. Three months after Moscows invasion, Western funds and weapons have helped Ukraine hold off its neighbours advances in many areas, including the capital Kyiv. Russia is now focused on securing and expanding its gains in the eastern Donbas region, near the border and home to pro-Russian separatists, as well as the southern coast. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that the Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. The coming weeks of the war will be difficult, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday after regional leaders and residents reported heavy bombardments. The most difficult fighting situation was in Donbas, he said, singling out the worst-hit towns of Bakhmut, Popasna and Severodonetsk. Ukraines armed forces said Russian troops were conducting non-stop offensive operations in the region. In the village of Yakovlivka, on a major stretch of the eastern front, 55-year-old Ukrainian soldier Andriy hid in a ditch as shells fired by encroaching Russians whistled past. Too late to leave Our guys have stopped firing back, he whispered after glancing up and down the road. We do not want to provoke them because then the Russians will start shooting at us even harder. The governor of Lugansk said Russia had sent thousands of troops to capture his region and that Severodonetsk was under massive attack. Sergiy Gaidai warned an estimated 15,000 civilians still in the city that it was too late to leave. Stay in a shelter, because such a density of shelling will not allow us to calmly gather people and come for them, he said on Telegram. More than six million people have fled Ukraine and eight million have been internally displaced since the war broke out, according to the United Nations. Speaking to regional counterparts from the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, Russias Shoigu blamed his countrys slow advance on a deliberate attempt to avoid civilian casualties. Kharkiv metro reopens We are not rushing to meet deadlines, added the secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, in an interview. Kyiv has pleaded with Western allies to send more weapons faster and take tougher action against Moscow. The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said delays in getting to the frontline had left Kyiv catastrophically short of heavy weapons. He said, however, that he expected a turning point by August as they come through, in an interview to news outlet Ukrainska Pravda. Speaking to political and business elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday, Zelensky urged an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all its banks and the shunning of its IT sector. The EU has proposed a ban on Russian oil imports, although Hungary which imposed a new state of emergency Tuesday, citing challenges from the war in Ukraine is blocking the measure. Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Brussels in a letter seen by AFP that Hungary has yet to be convinced to back an oil embargo, and that bringing it up at next weeks European summit would be pointless. The United States, meanwhile, announced that an exemption allowing Moscow to pay foreign debts with dollars in Russia will end as of 0401 GMT Wednesday, two days before the countrys next debt service payment is due. Some semblance of normality returned to Ukraines second city of Kharkiv, where the metro was reopened Tuesday after months of use as a bomb shelter. We decided to relaunch services because we have to relaunch the economy, Mayor Igor Terekhov told journalists, adding that train rides would be free for the next two weeks. State terrorist The Kharkiv metro, with 30 stations, has sheltered thousands of residents seeking to escape indiscriminate shelling on the city, which is adjacent to the Russian border. Three stations in areas that are occasionally shelled remain shuttered. Russias Defence Ministry said the waters of the port in Mariupol a strategic southern city that fell after a devastating siege had been demined and that operations were underway to restore the port infrastructure. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said 100,000 people were without water, food and electricity. Speaking to Davos via video-link, he accused Russia of behaving like a state terrorist, and warned disease risked further fatalities. Referring to Ukraines estimated death toll from the siege of Mariupol, he said: We see that war already took lives of 20,000 people, and epidemics could take the lives of thousands more. The siege has become emblematic of the horror of the conflict, along with towns such as Bucha, where the discovery of bodies dressed in civilian clothes after Russian troops withdrew prompted claims of war crimes. A Kyiv court on Monday found a 21-year-old Russian soldier guilty of killing an unarmed civilian in northeast Ukraine, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began. Vadim Shishimarin was handed a life sentence in a trial, as international institutions and Ukrainian authorities investigate thousands of other alleged war crimes. burs-ar/wd/sw The United States voiced horror Tuesday at new files on the incarceration of Chinas Uyghur minority and said they showed that abuse was likely approved at the highest levels in Beijing. We are appalled by the reports and the jarring images, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. It would be very difficult to imagine that a systemic effort to suppress, to detain, to conduct a campaign of genocide and crimes against humanity would not have the blessing would not have the approval of the highest levels of the PRC government, he said, referring to the Peoples Republic of China. The United States accuses Beijing of carrying out genocide against the Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim, Turkic-speaking people in the western region of Xinjiang, where rights groups say more than one million people have been rounded up. We have and we continue to call on the PRC to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained people, to abolish the internment camps, to end mass detention, torture, forced sterilization, and the use of forced labor, Price said. Adrian Zenz, an academic who has probed the treatment of the Uyghurs, published a leak of thousands of photos and official documents that shed new light on violent methods to enforce mass internment. The files, parts of which have been verified by multiple news organizations including the BBC and Le Monde, also provide a window into life in detention facilities. Photos appear to show officers restraining hooded and shackled inmates with batons, while other guards wearing camouflage stand by with firearms. The release comes just as UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet started a visit to China that was criticized by the United States, which says that she had not secured sufficient access. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said in a tweet that Bachelet must take a hard look at these faces and press Chinese officials for full, unfettered access and answers. Son Seok Koo and Kim Ji Won prove that absence makes the heart grow fonder in "My Liberation Notes" episode 13 and 14. However, not every day is a happy moment. Here's what went down in the latest episodes of the highly loved melodrama! 'My Liberation Notes' Episode 13: A Glimpse To Yeom Mi Jeong and Mr. Gu's Life After Separation "My Liberation Notes" episode 13 shows a glimpse of Yeom Mi Jeong (Kim Ji Woo) and Mr. Gu's (Son Seok Koo) lives after their heart-wrecking separation. Mr. Gu is back to business, taking care of the club and other matters he once abandoned in Seoul. Despite his bustling life, his heart is in Sanpo, which changed his life and perspective. Unlike before, he's not used to the busy setting of Seoul anymore. Meanwhile, Mi Jeong still finds difficulties at work. She has always been a great designer but because her boss doesn't like her, she couldn't be a permanent employee. With her work's toxicity and immense pain, she often goes up the hill alone at night where she kissed Mr. Gu, reminiscing happy memories to appease her mind. Missing Mi Jeong, Mr. Gu returned to Sanpo and was welcomed by Mi Jeong's father's new wife. Not long after he left the village, Mi Jeong's mother passed away, which brought the family into ruins. 'My Liberation Notes' Episode 14: Mr. Gu Returns To Sanpo Episode 14 shows how the Yeom siblings cope with their beloved mother's death. Gi Jeong (Lee El) finally plays the role as the eldest sibling, taking care of meals for the family. But because of their loss, she cries every day. Chang Hee (Lee Min Ki) previously experienced seeing someone pass away but he still couldn't accept the situation. Meanwhile, Mi Jeong poured her heart out on the funeral day but became silent afterwards. On the other hand, Gi Jeong desperately asks Tae Hun (Lee Ki Woo) to marry her due to her heightened emotions. Fortunately, her lover says yes. Chang Hee also asks Hyun Ah (Jeon Hye Jin) to marry him. However, Hyun Ah's sick boyfriend wants them to get married and live happily. As for Mi Jeong, her heart is divided on whether to tell on her boss who's having an affair with one of the employees behind his wife's back, especially that the affair was named after her. When she receives a call from his wife, she exposes her boss, resulting in a huge commotion. Two years later, Mr. Gu returns to Sanpo and hears the story of what happened from Mi Jeong's father. Mr. Gu asks for Mi Jeong's new phone number and he doesn't hesitate to call her. As they talk for the first time in two years, nothing changed between them. No awkwardness or discomfort, showing how much they missed each other so much, and how long they've waited for this moment to happen. KDramastars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Jung Kyung Ho and longtime girlfriend Choi Sooyoung (Girls' Generation) were spotted enjoying their date. SNSD Sooyoung & Jung Kyung Ho Enjoy Their Date in the United States Fans were happy to see celebrity couple Jung Kyung Ho and SNSD's Sooyoung spending and enjoying their date abroad. Others believe that the two had gone on a trip to America. On May 22, the "Hospital Playlist" actor posted snippets of their date on his Instagram. In the photos, the actor is happily walking down the streets of LA and playfully looking at the camera by shyly covering his face. Before Jung Kyung Ho's update, idol-actress Sooyoung was the first to drop photos of their vacation. She captioned her post with "Surrounded by art," and the images she shared were taken in one of the art museums in Los Angeles. The South Korean celebrity couple are having quality time overseas before they start filming again with their solo dramas coming this 2022. SNSD Sooyoung's Drama 'Tell Me Your Wish' To Premiere in August Gearing up for her small-screen return is SNSD member and actress Choi Sooyoung. Following her series "Run On," "So I Married an Anti-Fan," and "Move To Heaven," she is ready to lead another drama, "Tell Me Your Wish," also known as "If You Say Wish." Sooyoung will take a new challenging role as a nurse named Seo Yeon Joo at the hospice center. The "New Year Blues" star will work with veteran actor Sung Dong Il and Korean heartthrob Ji Chang Wook. In the latest update of KBS, the upcoming drama is expected to meet the viewers starting this August every Wednesday and Thursday. Jung Kyung Ho Booked for New K-Drama 'One Shot Scandal' Meanwhile, Jung Kyung Ho is also preparing for his upcoming series "One Shot Scandal," alongside actress Jeon Do Yeon. The drama tells the story of what happens between Korea's best teachers and parents whose goal are to give best to their students and children. As they are two of the most well-known actors and actresses, viewers are already looking forward to their first project collaboration. In addition, sponsorship from different companies is already flooding for the production of the "One Shot Scandal." Jung Kyung Ho and Jeon Do Yeon are expected to work with "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" director Yoo Je Won in this K-drama. The production aims to air the series in the second half of 2022. What are your thoughts about Sooyoung and Jung Kyung Ho's moments in LA? Tell us in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity updates, follow and subscribe to KDramastars. KDramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Heo Sung Tae is making a comeback as the antagonist in Kang Ha Neul's new drama "Insider." From the debt-ridden participant in "Squid Game," the 44-year-old actor returns as the vicious prosecutor in JTBC's action thriller series. Heo Sung Tae Transforms Into Corrupt Prosecutor in 'Insider' The versatile actor returns to his villain image as JTBC teases fans with still cuts featuring Heo Sung Tae's new character. In the upcoming K-drama, he portrays Yoon Byung Wook, a corrupt prosecutor involved with fraud and covering up financial crimes by influential businessmen. In return, he gets his fair share of benefits. Before becoming a crooked public servant, Yoon Byung Wook was known for being the youngest applicant to pass the bar exam. This advantage exposed him to success in an early stage of his career. However, he encounters the judicial trainee named Kim Yo Han, played by Kang Ha Neul, who is about to expose the wrongdoings in the prosecution. To prevent this, Yoon Byung Wook's mission is to get rid of the rookie. Based on the still cuts released by JTBC, Heo Sung Tae exudes an aura of a powerful figure. The elite prosecutor hints at possible chaos against those who wanted him to get dismissed and expose his vicious acts. The 44-year-old actor is best known for his role as gangster boss Jang Deok Soo and player number 101 in "Squid Game." Despite his villain role, he gained the love and support from fans for perfectly portraying the character. Aside from the Netflix series, he also appeared in "The Silent Sea" with Gong Yoo and Bae Doona and took the role of Space & Aeronautics Admin section chief Kim Jae Sun. 'Insider' Release Date, Cast and More Helmed by "Touch" and "Missing: The Other Side" director Min Yeon Hong alongside Moon Man Se, who penned the 2018 horror-thriller K-drama "Priest," "Insider" follows the story of Kim Yo Han, who goes undercover to investigate corrupt prosecutors with a goal of outing their evil activities. The JTBC series is the actor's comeback to the small screen after the award-winning K-drama "When the Camellia Blooms" opposite Gong Hyo Jin. According to Osen, Kang Ha Neul chose to join the cast of "Insider" because of the unique and thrilling storyline. "It felt like I was reading a scenario. It was a story that made me anticipate the ending," he said, adding, "I was also curious about the charisma of director Min Yeon Hong who is said to lead the set enjoyably and smoothly. I was very happy to be able to feel this on set." Joining Kang Ha Neul and Heo Sung Tae are Lee Yoo Young, Kim Sang Ho, Han Bo Reum and more. While the broadcast network entices fans with intriguing teasers, the "Insider" release date is set on June 8, airing every Wednesday and Thursday via JTBC. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Here's What 'Squid Game' Villain Heo Sung Tae Told Fans Asking Him About the Bathroom Scene KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Sri Lanka chooses 2 int'l firms to advise on debt restructuring Xinhua) 16:55, May 24, 2022 COLOMBO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has hired two international financial and legal advisors to help restructure the external debt of the Sri Lankan government, cabinet spokesperson Bandula Gunawardena told the media on Tuesday. He said that the cabinet of ministers on Monday approved hiring an international financial advisory service provider and an international legal advisory service provider to restructure the external debt of the country. Gunawardena said that they have received 28 proposals from international financial advisory service providers and 23 proposals from international legal advisory service providers. The two institutions were recommended by a steering committee appointed by the cabinet, and they have handled debt talks for crisis-strained countries in recent years. Sri Lanka in April suspended the servicing of its external debt. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Popular Irish comedian Mike Rice has launched a new off-shoot of his popular podcast The Mike Rice Show, by switching his focus to the Kilkenny arts scene. The Mike Rice Show: the Kilkenny files, sees Mike interviewing talented and influential Kilkenny artists, authors and musicians about their careers, their connection to Kilkenny and how it shaped (or didnt shape for that matter!) their outlook on life and decisions theyve made both professionally and personally. The series will be an initial three episode run. Mike's first guests include RTE DJ Cormac Battle of Kerbdog & Wilt fame (Listen here), award-winning author and journalist Tim MacGabhann whose debut novel Call Him Mine was a Daily Telegraph Thriller of the Year in 2019 & four-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Tomm Moore whose company Cartoon Saloon has produced the brilliant Secret of Kells and Wolfwalkers. Mike Rice is a popular comedian and podcaster who has headlined in Chicago, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Zurich, Dublin, Cork, Barcelona, Berlin and is currently in London where he has secured a regular slot at the UK's highest rated comedy club, TOP SECRET. Michael has featured on The Ray DArcy Show on RTE as a finalist in Stand Up and Be Funny. He also won the prestigious King Gong at the Comedy Store in London in 2019. He's originally from Greenridge in Kilkenny where he grew up on his family's dairy farm. In episode one, Cormac Battle speaks to Mike about his journey from growing up in his parents pub in Kilkenny to recording Kerbdog's much-loved second album On The Turn in LA in the mid 90s. Creative expression, artist anxiety and growing up 'different' are just some of the themes touched on during this one hour conversation. The aim of this series is to shine a light on Kilkenny's creative and artistic tradition in an entertaining, funny and often emotional way. The UK Prime Minister and Northern Ireland Secretary must meet families of Troubles victims, according to a campaigner opposed to the UK Governments introduction of controversial legacy legislation. Raymond McCord, whose son was killed by loyalists, accused Boris Johnson of hypocrisy in his treatment of the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill. The UK Government said the Bill aims to provide better outcomes for victims, survivors and veterans. But Mr McCord, of The Truth And Justice Movement, said the only people who benefit from the proposed legacy legislation are the murderers and terrorists. The losers all round are the victims and their families, he said. Mr McCord is in London for the debating of the legislation. He said Mr Johnson, Brandon Lewis and many other MPs treat families of Troubles victims as daft Paddies. Mr McCord said: If they were at school and they were doing an O-level for Northern Ireland they would all fail. Its as simple as that. And for people who went to university, theyre very uneducated people relating to part of the UK. He added: They treat us as if were all daft Paddies. Were anything but it. Mr McCord said he was referring to Mr Johnson and Mr Lewis, as well as many other MPs. He added: They really need to sit down and listen to victims stories, victims telling their stories. Not being told by the police, not being told by an MP for Northern Ireland or an MLA. Introduced to the House of Commons last week, the draft laws offer immunity to those deemed to have co-operated with an information retrieval body. The Bill would also stop future inquests and civil actions related to the Troubles, although it does not fully close the door to criminal prosecutions. The proposed legislation has been widely criticised by Northern Irelands political parties, as well as victims campaigners, the Irish Government and Amnesty International. The Bill is due to go through its second reading today (Tuesday May 24), in which the main principles of the Bill are debated by MPs. Three stages are due after that before the Bill can be voted into law. Mr McCord said Mr Johnson speaks about the Northern Ireland Protocol having to change because there is not consent from both communities. He suggests this is hypocritical due to the lack of consent over the legacy legislation. Well, relating to these proposals theres consent from no community, from no politician, no victims group, no individual victim, he said. What Im saying is its hypocrisy in relation to Northern Ireland, he said, adding: Hes making the protocol a bigger issue than the deaths of thousands of innocent children, women and men. Asked what he would say to Mr Johnson, Mr McCord said: Id tell him to resign because hes not fit to serve his office because of what hes doing to victims. Meanwhile, a delegation from the Relatives For Justice group will gather in Parliament Square at 1pm, and walk to 10 Downing Street to deliver a letter setting out opposition to the Bill at 2.30pm. Co-ordinated opposition to the #BillOfShame1pm Guildhall Square Derry1pm Chichester St Belfast1pm Parliament Sq London#NeverGivingUp All Welcome bring photos of your loved ones pic.twitter.com/4jeZWAwh2R Relatives 4 Justice (@RelsForJustice) May 23, 2022 Mark Thompson, chief executive of Relatives For Justice, said the Bill undermines fundamental human rights enshrined within the Good Friday Agreement and the very institutions that flow from the agreement. Boris Johnson and Brandon Lewis are usurping the powers of the Norths attorney general, the Lord Chief Justice and judiciary in an unprecedented political overreach by a western government into the criminal justice system, he said. They are locking down the courts and administration of justice. Mark Kelly, whose 12-year-old sister Carol Ann was killed by the British Army in 1981, said the Bill would deny all families who had loved ones killed truth, justice and accountability, irrelevant of who the perpetrators were. It will close down investigations, inquests, police ombudsman inquiries and civil cases, he said. These investigative processes are working perfectly well, and to good effect, on behalf of families save for interference by the British Government. That is precisely why the British Government has unilaterally tabled this amnesty Bill despite being fully aware of universal opposition to their amnesty plans. There is no support for this Bill whatsoever. The Irish government, all the political parties here and the opposition parties in Britain oppose this Bill but most importantly, victims from across the community oppose the Bill. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Areas of dense morning fog. Partly cloudy skies. High 79F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 60F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Here's what you need to know: Tuesday, May 24 President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace, Monday, May 23, in Tokyo. Satellite images appear to show Russian ships loading up with Ukrainian grain in Crimea Suspect in fatal shooting of 48-year-old man on NYC subway in custody, police say MANILA-In a rare rebuke by an ally, outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has slammed Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine by his forces. Known as the Punisher in part due to his bloody anti-drugs crackdown, Duterte who openly calls Putin an idol and a friend said that while the two of them have been dubbed killers, I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly. The Philippines leader voiced his rebuke for the first time over Russias invasion of Ukraine in a televised weekly meeting with key cabinet officials aired on Tuesday where he blamed the three-month-old war for the spike in global oil prices that has battered many countries, including his own. Duterte said he was concerned about the stability of his countrys oil supply as the war in Ukraine continues to rage and spark global instability. Im on the way out and I dont know how to solve the problem, Duterte said. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before we can talk of even returning to normalcy. Moreover, Duterte called the invasion of Ukraine a full-scale war waged against a sovereign nation and not a special military operation as Putin has been labelling it since March. Many say that Putin and I are both killers. Ive long told you Filipinos that I really kill. But I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly, Duterte said. Were in two different worlds. Duterte, who has been president for six years and steps down on June 30, has presided over a brutal anti-drugs crackdown that has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Human rights groups have cited a much higher casualty rate and say innocent people, including children, have been killed in the campaign that Duterte pledges to continue up to his last day in office. The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into the drug campaign as a possible crime against humanity a probe that was temporarily suspended after the Philippines made a deferral request in 2021. Duterte and his police officials have denied sanctioning extrajudicial killings in the campaign against illegal drugs but the president has openly threatened drug suspects with death. He also made an unsuccessful attempt to reimpose the death penalty in the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia to deter drug dealers and other criminals. When he took office in 2016, he reached out to Russia and China for trade and investment and to expand military cooperation while often criticising the security policies of Washington, Manilas longtime treaty ally. He visited Russia in 2017 and 2019 to meet Putin but cut short his first visit after ISIL (ISIS)-aligned fighters laid siege to the southern Philippine city of Marawi while he was away with his defence secretary and military chief of staff. More than a week after Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Philippines voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion. South Korea will expeditiously push for the "normalization" of a U.S. THAAD missile defense unit here, Seoul's defense minister said Monday, as it has been in a state of "temporary installation" due to an environmental assessment and other reasons. Lee Jong-sup made the remarks as Seoul and Washington are striving to sharpen their joint deterrence against Pyongyang amid growing concerns about the possibility of the regime committing additional provocations, such as a long-range ballistic missile or nuclear weapons test. "The normalization of the THAAD unit should have been done (earlier)," Lee said in a meeting with reporters. "We will push for it (to materialize) at an early date." Deployed in the southern county of Seongju in 2017, the THAAD battery has not been running at full capacity, with access restricted to the unit due to protesters and a pending environmental impact assessment. North Korea's series of ballistic missile launches since January have underscored the need to ensure the full operation of the missile defense unit. During a session of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense earlier this month, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera called for "unfettered access" to the unit, saying its absence would undermine the alliance's ability to defend South Korea. Earlier in the day, the defense minister also visited an Army boot camp in Nonsan, 213 kilometers south of Seoul, to encourage new recruits and other military personnel there. "I will cultivate a military with high morale by creating a safe environment and enhancing troops' welfare, and create a culture where troops' service is respected," Lee was quoted by his office as saying. "Let's work together to remove the military's wrong and bad practices." (Yonhap) South Korea plans to send a one-star Navy officer to lead a multinational maritime training as part of a U.S.-led military exercise set to kick off in waters off Hawaii next month, Seoul officials said Tuesday. The rear admiral lower half will command the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) training during the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) slated to run from late June to August, according to the Navy. The ESG training involves amphibious landing operations and other joint security maneuvers. It marks South Korea's first dispatch of such a high-level Navy officer to the biennial RIMPAC. Previously, the country sent a captain to represent it at the exercise. For this year's RIMPAC, the Navy plans to send a 14,500-ton amphibious assault ship and a 1,800-ton submarine. Launched in 1971, the RIMPAC is designed to enhance cooperation among participating countries in securing sea lines of communication and countering potential security challenges at sea. South Korea's participation in this year's edition marks its 17th. The country first joined the exercise in 1990. (Yonhap) Butler, IN (46721) Today Increasing clouds with showers arriving this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High 67F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 52F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Garrett, IN (46738) Today Mostly cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low 53F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Angola, IN (46703) Today Mostly cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 68F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain showers early then thundershowers for the afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 71F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Construction and installation of some lake piers and docks will be delayed this year after an explosion at a marine construction company on Thursday, May 19 just outside Walworth County in Eagle. The company Summerset Marine Construction makes piers and docks, with a 24,000-square-foot facility in Eagle that includes a showroom, office, factory and warehouse, according to its website. Six people were hurt, including three firefighters, when the explosion and fire rocked the marine construction company. The fire at Summerset Marine Construction in the small Waukesha County community of Eagle was still burning Thursday afternoon, but the thick black smoke that poured from the building earlier in the day and could be seen for miles was no longer visible. Eagle is about 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee. About 100 firefighters responded after the explosion and fire was reported about 7:30 a.m., said Western Lakes Fire District Assistant Chief Matt Haerter. Help came from as far away as Washington, Kenosha and Milwaukee counties. Firefighters were expected to be on scene another eight hours, officials said. About 30 tanker trucks were bringing water to the scene because of a lack of fire hydrants in the area. Two of the injured, including a firefighter, were taken to a hospital for treatment, although none were considered critical. Two other people and two firefighters were treated at the scene, Haerter said. Twenty-four people were in the building when the fire broke out and all, including the injured, were outside by the time firefighters arrived, Haerter said. With diesel and liquid petroleum inside the burning building, multiple explosions continued for about 30 minutes after firefighters arrived, officials said. Because the metal building on fire was in danger of collapsing, firefighters attacked the flames from the exterior. Although the plant is in an industrial area, it isnt far from Eagle Elementary School, where students were evacuated and sent to the middle-high school in Palmyra. Palmyra-Eagle Area School District Superintendent Todd Gray said the principal told him there was some shaking at the elementary school when the explosion occurred. Officials advised those living within a mile of the factory to keep their windows closed due to smoke on Thursday. Summerset Marine Construction has been providing a full range of lakefront services to its customers in Southeastern Wisconsin since 1990, according to the companys website. On its website it says its the largest pier and lift dealer in Wisconsin, servicing hundreds of clients from Madison to Milwaukee. Company officials were not immediately able to comment after the fire to talk about the extent of the damage. Stephanie Jones of the Lake Geneva Regional News contributed to this report. Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): Cycle Pure Agarbathi, from the world's largest incense stick manufacturer N Ranga Rao and Sons. (NRRS), launched its unique Pushkarini range of agarbattis made of flowers offered at places of worship, here today. To expand its product portfolio, the brand also simultaneously launched Om Shanthi Dhuno, a one-of-its-kind product that is handcrafted to help purify the air physically and spiritually. Time-tested resins and essential oils have been blended to form Om Shanthi Pure Dhuno for use on auspicious occasions and at festivals. Also Read | Japan | PM Modi Has Just Concluded His Official Visit to Japan for the 3rd Quad Leaders Latest Tweet by ANI. The launch took place in the presence of their brand ambassador and the current President of the BCCI, Sourav Ganguly, and Arjun Ranga, Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathi. Commenting on the launch, Ranga said, "The life lived during Pandemic has taught us the valuable meaning of hope, and as a brand, we aim to inspire people to hope and connect with aspirations while praying. Our Pushkarini range is made of sacred temple flowers with the intention to further awaken spirituality among the people." Also Read | Russia To Deepen Economic Ties With China; Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Says Will Decide How To Deal With the West. "We identified a great sustainability potential in the flowers offered at places of worship, beyond withering after use, and wanted to lend them a new divine life as incense sticks, thereby creating wealth from waste and value for our consumers," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Brand Ambassador, Sourav Ganguly said, "The brand has always taken pride in delivering quality products and enhancing the puja experience, and I am thankful to be associated with a brand that spreads the message of hope and faith. I am elated to be a part of this legacy and to represent this exceptional brand in West Bengal once more." The ingredients in the Puskarini range are ethically and sustainably sourced. The entire Carbon footprint during the manufacture of the products is offset as Cycle Pure Agarbathi is a certified Zero Carbon Manufacturer and is known for going beyond the obvious to come up with innovative products. Known for its variety of fragrances, the brand has expanded its product line with an extensive Home Worship category that includes premium quality products for worship. Cycle Pure Agarbathi, the leading manufacturer and exporter of incense sticks, has always nurtured an eco-friendly approach in all its endeavors. Cycle Pure Agarbathi is the only agarbathti company in India certified as the Carbon Neutral Manufacturer by the UK-based The Carbon Neutral Company-the leading provider of carbon reduction solutions in the World. A champion of environment-friendly practices, the company has created re-cycle corrugated boxes at relevant units and ensures the usage of natural ingredients that are IFRA-certified aroma materials and are not harmful to the environment or health. Cycle Pure Agarbathi has an array of agarbathis in the premium category: Rhythm, Woods, Flute, and Three-in-One are the marquee brands. Heritage Agarbathi is its latest offering. For more information on the Group, please visit www.nrgroup.co.in. The Mysuru-based NR Group was founded by N. Ranga Rao in 1948. A true visionary and a philanthropist, Ranga Rao created the ubiquitous Cycle Pure Agarbathi which has today become the largest selling incense stick brand in the world. From a home-grown enterprise, NR Group has evolved into a successfully run business conglomerate with established presence in India and abroad. The group has diversified into various businesses like functional air care products (Lia brand of room fresheners and car fresheners), wellness home fragrance products (IRIS) under Ripple Fragrances, floral extracts (NESSO) and Rangsons Technologies. Today, it is truly an Agarbathi to Aerospace conglomerate as it is also involved in making parts for defense helicopters. The organization has largely committed itself towards social responsibilities and fulfills them, through its CSR arm NR Foundation. NR Group today is managed by the third generation of the Ranga family. For more information on NR Group, please visit www.nrgroup.co.in. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Davos [Switzerland], May 24 (ANI): India's exports rose to a record high of USD 421.8 billion during the financial year ended March 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain disruption and the shipment may surge to USD 1 trillion by 2030, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Addressing the "Breakfast session Discussion on Trade 4.0" at the World Economic Forum in Davos Goyal said, India could achieve a target of USD 1 trillion worth of merchandise and services export each by 2030. Also Read | Vat Savitri Vrat 2022 Date, Shubh Muhurat & Vrat Katha: From Significance to Puja Vidhi, Everything About the Auspicious Festival of Savitri Brata. Noting that in the last 8 years, the government had focussed extensively on structural reforms the minister said that each one of those movements has been holding India in good stead during times of crisis. Observing that the India story had been receiving a lot of enthusiasm across the world, the minister said that in spite of constraints like COVID-19, chip shortages, conflict, rising commodity prices, container shortages and significant shipping and logistics issues it has been facing in the last two years, which caused massive supply chain disruptions that threw the global economy off-balance, Indian businesses had displayed great resilience, overshooting export targets and achieving USD 421.8 billion worth of exports. Also Read | Farhan Serajuddin, Delhi Engineer Who Went Missing on May 20, Found Dead in Lonavala Forest. He urged Indian industry to look at boosting value-added exports and ensure that new jobs came into India instead of raw materials going out of India. Highlighting the serious efforts being made in that direction, the Minister said that the government was striving to ensure orderly behaviour of prices and ensure that businesses add value and jobs, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Stressing upon the government's bid to bring down logistics costs through measures such as PM GatiShakti, the Minister said that the National Master Plan would help improve infrastructure planning and ensure the implementation of projects within time and budget. Assuring that the government would wholeheartedly support businesses, the Minister urged the industry to bring scale into all economic activities. Expressing concern over the excessive dependence on international supply chains, Goyal urged businesses to procure locally wherever there is an opportunity. He asked businesses to support each other and help fortify domestic supply chains. Referring to Trade Agreements recently inked with UAE and Australia, the Minister said that these agreements were opening new frontiers in international trade. He added that agreements with Canada, EU, UK, Israel and GCC were in the pipeline. The Minister said that the world had great confidence in India and wanted to engage with it enthusiastically. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hubli, May 24: As many as seven people were killed and 26 were injured in a collision between a passenger bus and a lorry on the outskirts of Hubli city in Karnataka, said police on Tuesday. The injured and being treated in KIMS hospital in Hubli. The drivers of both the vehicles died on the spot. According to the police, the passenger bus was going from Kolhapur to Bangalore when it collided with a lorry going towards Dharwad at midnight between 12:30 am to 1 am when the bus driver was trying to overtake a tractor. Bihar Road Accident: 8 Labourers Killed, Several Injured After Truck Overturns in Purnea District. FIR has been registered in the incident. Further investigation is underway. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, May 24 (PTI) The protest by Kashmiri Pandit employees over the killing of their colleague Rahul Bhat entered 13th day on Tuesday as the protestors did not resume duties even after assurances given by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during his visit to Sheikhpura migrant camp. The employees continued their protest saying they won't resume duties till their demand for relocation outside Kashmir is met. Also Read | Realme C30 India Launch Expected Next Month, Specifications Leaked Online. Shouting slogans against district administration, the protestors raised slogans like "we want justice". Sinha on Monday visited the Sheikhpora migrant camp where Kashmiri Pandit employees have been protesting the killing of Rahul Bhat, and assured them that their problems will be addressed honestly. Also Read | Indian Data Centres May Get Up to Rs 1.2 Lakh Crore Investment in 5 Years: Report. Bhat (35), who had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11, was shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists at his office in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir's Budgam district on May 12. Sinha, during his interaction with protesting employees, admitted he was late in visiting the camp. Referring to the demand for providing a government job to Bhat's wife, the LG said her qualifications will be checked and whatever is feasible will be provided. Sinha told the protesting employees that the pain he felt over Bhat's killing was no less than what they felt. There is nothing more unfortunate for the head of an administration than the killing of a government employee, he added. Sinha expressed hope that the employees "will soon feel that many things have been done". "I want to assure you that I will honestly try that there is a redressal of your issues and that you live with your families at ease," he LG said. "This administration is committed to the welfare of its employees. There is a need to see our intention. There is no need to have any ill-feelings... I want to assure you that your problems will be addressed honestly and judiciously," Sinha said. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir had last week directed deputy commissioners to accommodate Kashmiri Pandit employees close to their places of residence or at district headquarters, whichever is feasible for them. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Photo taken on May 23 shows a staff member explaining the distribution of wetland plants to primary school students in Guanwan National Wetland Park of Feidong County, east China's Anhui Province. With the theme "Get close to wetlands, protect the nature", this extracurricular activity aims at raising children's awareness of environmental protection. [Photo by Xu Qingyong] New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): After Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sacked the state minister Vijay Singla over corruption allegations, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said he is 'looting accolades' and upon removal of a corrupt minister. This statement comes after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor lauded Mann's move, and said that it "brought tears" to his eyes. Also Read | Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi's Meeting With UK Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn Anti-National Act, Plot Against Country, Says BJP. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said that he is proud of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for sacking Punjab Minister Vijay Singla over corruption allegations. "Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes. The whole nation today feels proud of AAP," Kejriwal tweeted. Also Read | Rajya Sabha Elections 2022: Nomination Process for Upcoming Polls Begins in Rajasthan. Taking a jibe at Kejriwal, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said he (Kejriwal) is looting accolades for sacking a corrupt minister. "It has been 68 days since your sinful government came into power and during this period we can conclude that AAP is not able to handle Punjab. People of the state are saying that wherever AAP goes corruption reaches there," Bhatia said. He said in your government, the minister indulges in corruption and extorts commission on the medicine which was used for the benefit of the public and you say that "I am proud of you (Mann) and action has brought tears to eyes." "When your own minister involves in corruption and caught for his sin what is so proud of this? these are crocodile tears and the country is ashamed of it," he added. Bhatia further asked Kejriwal to answer his statement which he made in April saying that corruption ended in Punjab in 20 days, now will you accept that the corruption has re-grown in the AAP government again? He alleged that AAP is a mega corrupt party and said Kejriwal only makes rosy promises during elections and gives only thorns to the people. Punjab's Anti-Corruption Branch arrested Punjab Minister Vijay Singla following corruption allegations against him. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): Congress is set to stake a claim for a Rajya Sabha berth from Jharkhand as Chief Minister Hemant Soren is likely to meet party interim president Sonia Gandhi and hold a discussion over upper house elections. Addressing the media persons here, State Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey informed that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had also got the Rajya Sabha seat last time, so now the party would want to get this opportunity but the final decision will be taken after setting up coordination amongst all. Also Read | MPBOSE HSSLC Result 2022: Meghalaya Board of School Education To Release Class 12 Result on May 26; Check Details Here. "CM Hemant Soren is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi to hold a discussion over Rajya Sabha elections," he said. "Whatever decision will be taken after the discussion with our alliance it will be taken. We have given an invitation to CM Hemant Soren for the meeting. I have also discussed the political situation of Jharkhand and the organisation with Sonia Gandhi and submitted a report regarding the same," Pandey said. Also Read | Fuel Price Cut: Petrol Pumps in Madhya Pradesh To Remain Shut for Two Hours Tomorrow To Protest Against Excise Duty Cut on Petrol, Diesel. "BJP is trying to destabilise the alliance government of Jharkhand. All the issues will be discussed in the meeting. Recently, I also met CM Hemant Soren," he added. According to sources, Jharkhand Congress leaders will hold a meeting on May 26 in Delhi. PCC chief, working presidents, incharge and CLP leader will be present in this meeting. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 (PTI): The Kerala Health Department is gearing up to conduct a three-day COVID-19 vaccination drive exclusively for children from May 25. Also Read | Indian Data Centres May Get Up to Rs 1.2 Lakh Crore Investment in 5 Years: Report. The objective of the drive was to vaccinate as many children as possible in view of the reopening of the schools next month after summer vacation, state health minister Veena George said on Tuesday. Also Read | IBPS Recruitment 2022: Vacancies Notified For Research Associate Posts At ibps.in; Check Details Here. It is being organised in collaboration with schools, residents' associations and volunteer groups, she said adding that children can receive the shots in all major hospitals by registering in the COWIN portal or through spot registration at the respective centres. School ID cards or Aadhaar cards are mandatory for children to get vaccinated, the minister said and directed the officials concerned to ensure that all children of this age group are vaccinated in the state. George gave a direction in this regard in a meeting of the state rapid response team held here, an official statement said. As many as 81 per cent of the total children, belonging to the age group of 15-17 years of age, were given the first dose of vaccine so far, while 52 per cent of the same age category received the second dose also. A total of 40 per cent of children, aged between 12-14 years, were given the first dose while 11 per cent of the same age group accepted the second dose as well, the statement added. Senior officials including Health department Principal Secretary, health director, additional and deputy directors, district medical officials and others took part in the meeting convened by the minister. (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 24: Concerned over passenger safety, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday warned airlines of selling unserviceable seats to passengers. In a communication to all domestic airlines, the regulator stated that it has come to its notice that some of the scheduled carriers are offering unserviceable seats on their scheduled international/ domestic operations, causing not only inconvenience to the travellers but also inviting a serious safety concern as well. "It may please be noted that as per Sub Rule (2) of Rule 53 of The Aircraft Rule 1937, all materials including aircraft seat shall conform to approved design specifications," DGCA said. DGCA Warns of Strict Action, Penalty Against Airlines Wrongly Denying Boarding to Passengers. It further added that the installation of any part failing to meet the intended design requirements degrades the requirements of airworthiness. A senior DGCA official said that they were conducting surprise inspections to check aircraft cabin interiors for the past few months and the shortcomings were raised with the concerned airlines. "It is hereby advised to ensure that the airline shall not book passengers beyond the serviceable seats meeting the approved design specification available in the aircraft, released for scheduled services. Any non-compliance in this regard shall be viewed seriously," said DGCA. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 24 (ANI): The lawyer of the suspect arrested on Tuesday in a terror funding case said that the accused, Junaid has been brainwashed and has no connections at all to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as alleged by Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The suspect who was produced before a court in Pune today was sent to ATS custody till June 3. Also Read | Rajya Sabha Elections 2022: Nomination Process for Upcoming Polls Begins in Rajasthan. Junaid's lawyer Yashpal Purohit told ANI: "He was a resident of Pune and was switching places... if the investigation requires, he'll be taken to Jammu and Kashmir. The whereabouts of recces will be investigated. He has been brainwashed and is not connected to LeT in any way." The advocate also claimed that Junaid was not "that educated" to understand what he's doing, and has therefore been "falsely implicated". Also Read | MPBOSE HSSLC Result 2022: Meghalaya Board of School Education To Release Class 12 Result on May 26; Check Details Here. "As far as the defence is concerned, he has been falsely implicated; he's not that educated to understand what he's doing. He had visited Kashmir and was brainwashed; thereafter he got active on social media, as per ATS's report," Purohit said. As per the defence lawyer, the main reasons for which ATS sought custody were Junaid's terror funding, recce, and his different locations and phone calls. The 28-year-old accused Mohammad Junaid, as per the Maharashtra ATS is an Indian national, residing in Pune and was connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) terror network. According to an ATS official, Junaid was in touch with active members of LeT Kashmir and was trying to recruit youth for the banned organisation from various parts of the state. "Later these recruits were taken to Jammu and Kashmir for training, to conduct terrorist activities." The official informed of a transaction between Junaid and the LeT. "Prima facie investigation revealed that Junaid was also trying to disturb the National security and communal harmony and trying to create a religious rift among communities by posting various comments etc through various social media like Facebook and WhatsApp etc," the ATS said. Junaid has been booked under sections 153A (attacks upon the religion, race, etc), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the State), 116 (bribing public servant) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. As per the ATS, Junaid was using 10 SIM cards. "All these SIM cards were used to interact and coordinate with whom the top bosses for training in J-K and how to proceed further." He destroyed all the SIM cards after using them. Junaid's suspicious role had emerged during the operation in Jammu and Kashmir for three months, for which he had shifted from Akola to Pune. So far, the ATS has identified three handlers of LeT during the investigation, an official said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) A national resource centre for oral health and tobacco cessation was on Tuesday opened by the Delhi government here with the objective of spreading awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco and drugs, provide better training to dentists and to conduct research on dental healthcare, officials said. The city government claimed that it was "first" such facility in the country. Also Read | Realme C30 India Launch Expected Next Month, Specifications Leaked Online. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurated the National Resource Centre for Oral Health and Tobacco Cessation (NRC-OH-TC), the government said in a statement. The centre has been "established with the objective of spreading awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco and drugs, to provide better training to the dentists of the country and to conduct research on dental health". Also Read | Indian Data Centres May Get Up to Rs 1.2 Lakh Crore Investment in 5 Years: Report. "It is the first national resource centre among the total 315 dental colleges in the country," the statement said. Furthermore, the minister also launched the official logo of the NRC-OH-TC. Jain said most of the people are still not aware about their oral health and dental hygiene, and this is the reason why the cases of oral cancer are increasing rapidly, even among the youth. "Every year more than seven million deaths occur due to tobacco use alone across the world. This is an alarming signal for the people. Nicotine found in tobacco is very harmful to health and well-being. "Due to its consumption, there is a possibility of dangerous diseases like cancer, depression, impotence, but people are still finding it difficult to stay away from consuming tobacco. Tobacco use weakens the brain and nervous system," the statement quoting Jain said. Jain said if one wants to avoid these diseases, then it is better to give up addiction of consuming tobacco from today itself. It is important for everyone to understand that oral health is as important as the health of the body. In such a situation, it is important that one takes special care of dental health, he said. Dentists of the country, including in Delhi, will be given better training at this centre. Different types of training programmes and sessions will be conducted. Also, this centre will play an important role in conducting research, developing and supporting government policies, it said. Due to this, the policies of the government will be formulated by keeping the population in mind and those who are addicted to consuming tobacco avoiding their oral health and dental hygiene. Various awareness programmes about health-related issues would also be organized at the centre, it said. Jain said for the last 10 years, 10,000 patients have been treated at the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS) for tobacco prevention and cessation. It has always played a leading role in delivering quality dental care, research and dental education to serve the needy. Due to this today, it has got the status of having the country's first national resource centre, it said. Dr. Sangeeta Talwar, Director, MAIDS, said the centre will now play a key role in developing a range of dental healthcare professionals in patient care, research and tobacco cessation. Tobacco cessation will help many helpless and needy people who are unaware of the ill-effects of tobacco consumption. "I appeal to all the health institutions and the people of the country to spread maximum awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco. Comprehensive efforts are needed to completely stop the use of tobacco in the country or to eliminate the pathology of the drug," she said. Other goals of the centre would be contribution to policy-making. The centre will play an important role in developing and supporting the policies of the government because these should be made keeping in mind all the people, officials said. (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 24 (PTI) St Stephen's College will give 85 per cent weightage on Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and 15 per cent on interviews for admission across categories, according to its prospectus. This comes even as Delhi University has asked the college to conduct admission to unreserved seats using CUET. Also Read | #SpaceX Has Defended Allegations of Sexual Assault Against Its CEO #ElonMusk Latest Tweet by IANS India. "St Stephen's College will adopt the CUET as the eligibility criteria with 85 per cent weightage for CUET and the college's interview for shortlisted candidates with a weightage of 15 per cent," the prospectus for undergraduate course 2022-23 stated. College principal John Varghese did not respond to calls and texts from PTI. Also Read | Weather Forecast: No Heatwave in Delhi For A Week; Rain and Thunderstorms to Ravage Odisha, Himachal, West Bengal And Bihar. The college and the university have been locked in a tussle with the former insisting that it will give 85per cent weightage to CUET scores and 15 per cent on interviews across categories. It had stated the same thing in its admission notice posted on its website last month. The Delhi University, however, has said that interviews should only be conducted for reserved category students. It had written to the college stated they will have to follow the Executive Council resolution of conducting admissions to general seats based on the CUET scores. St Stephen's College also said that it reserves the right to proceed with admissions according to its own policy guaranteed to it as a minority institution. The Delhi University has sought legal opinion in the matter. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Salem (TN), May 24 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Union government of imposing a kind of economic crisis on all state governments by taking away the states' rights. Also Read | Fuel Price Cut: Devendra Fadnavis Slams Maharashtra Govt for Failing To Reduce Excise Duty on Fuel. The Centre has taken away all rights related to finances and taxation of state governments and has thrust a kind of economic crisis on all state governments, Stalin alleged addressing a party meeting here to explain the achievements of his government in the past one year. Also Read | Indian Bank Recruitment 2022: Apply for 312 Specialist Officer Posts at ibps.in; Check Details Here. In what appears to be a veiled reference to the Gyanvapi matter and the related claims and counter-claims of rival parties, Stalin said the "Dravidian Model will not demolish anything but only build." He went on to add that the model would not divide anyone and shall only unite everyone. Without naming the BJP, he said some were deliberately making false accusations against the government based on 'spiritualism' as they could not find any fault with the DMK regime. Never, the DMK regime has been an obstacle to anyone's faith and devotion and this stand would continue, Stalin said and underscored that it was his government that has retrieved about Rs 2,500 crore worth of properties belonging to temples in the state. Recently, the Tamil Nadu BJP had locked horns with the DMK government for banning a palanquin ritual of a Shaivite math. Later, the ban was revoked and the event was held. The Chief Minister alleged that the Central government usurped all the fiscal rights of the state governments to prevent the states from serving the people. The Tamil Nadu government has not yet received the Rs 21,761 crore due from the union government, he said. Stalin demanded that the Centre reduce its tax on fuel to the extent it was increased after assuming power in 2014. While the increase was manifold, the tax cut was proportionately quite less, he alleged. He reiterated that last year his government had reduced the state tax on petrol by Rs 3 per litre which has led to a revenue loss of Rs 1,160 crore, which is the concession of the government to the people. Fare-free travel in government run buses for women, waiver of jewel loan (less than 5 sovereigns) availed from cooperative banks, a cut of Rs 3 in milk prices and 1-lakh free power connections to farmers were among the several achievements Stalin listed. The AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami despite being the Chief Minister for 4 years between 2017 and 2021 did nothing even for his own Edappadi Assembly constituency and there were a string of grievances, Stalin alleged. The Dravidian model ideology, according to the ruling DMK is social justice driven and ensures holistic, all inclusive growth. "This is not the government of a political party. This is the government of a race (Tamil)", he said, adding he would never forget his 2021 Assembly poll promises and fulfill all such assurances. Stalin said this is the first time the Mettur Dam has been opened for Kuruvai (Short term paddy crop) cultivation in the month of May ever since the nation's independence. He accused the previous AIADMK regime of opening the dam according to their whims and fancies without any concern for the welfare of farmers. The CM opened the sluice gates of the dam near here earlier in the day. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, May 24 (PTI) Export of engineering goods to CIS countries including Russia and Ukraine fell the most year-on-year during April 2022, while that to North America registered the highest growth during this period, according to an EEPC India analysis. As per the region-wise data, exports to CIS countries slumped to USD 25.1 million in April 2022 from USD 90 million in the same month last year. Also Read | Meta Launches Updated 3D Avatars on Facebook, Messenger & Instagram. On the other hand, exports to North America surged 52.9 per cent year-on-year to USD 2.26 billion in April compared to USD 1.48 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. The region remained the top market ahead of the European Union (EU) for Indian engineering goods during the period under review. Also Read | Realme C30 India Launch Expected Next Month, Specifications Leaked Online. Engineering export to the EU was USD two billion last month as compared to USD 1.42 billion in the same month of the previous year, the EEPC said in a statement. The United State of America (USA) recorded a 59 per cent jump in imports of engineering goods from India in April this year with the value of total shipments aggregating to USD 1.87 billion as against USD 1.17 billion in April last year. Notably, engineering exports to China declined 47.5 per cent year-on-year in April 2022 to USD 216.8 million as compared to USD 413.2 million in April 2021. India's engineering exports recorded 21.97 per cent growth in April 2022 over the same month last fiscal by registering USD9.73 billion of shipments last month as against USD 7.97 billion in April 2021. The share of engineering exports in total merchandise exports was recorded at 24.20 per cent during this period. The target for India's engineering exports for 2022-23 has been set at USD 127 billion by the government. In line with the target for the entire fiscal, that for April 2022 on a pro-rata basis was USD 10.58 billion while actual export during the month was USD 9.73 billion. "Following the remarkable performance in FY 2021-22, India's merchandise, as well as engineering exports, recorded impressive numbers in the first month of the new FY 2022-23. "During this time while India's merchandise exports grew by 30.7 per cent to reach USD 40.19 billion, engineering exports grew by nearly 22 per cent to reach USD 9.73 billion," EEPC India chairman Mahesh Desai said. PTI dc (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 24 (PTI) JM Financial on Tuesday reported a marginal decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 229 crore for the quarter ended March 2022. It had posted a net profit of Rs 233 crore in the same period a year ago and Rs 261 crore in the preceding quarter ended December 2021. Also Read | Fuel Price Cut: Devendra Fadnavis Slams Maharashtra Govt for Failing To Reduce Excise Duty on Fuel. Total income during January-March period of 2021-22 was also down at Rs 839 crore as against Rs 841 crore in the same quarter of 2020-21, JM Financial said in a regulatory filing. Compared sequentially, the income was down by 13 per cent from Rs 964 crore in the December quarter of FY22. Also Read | Meta Launches Updated 3D Avatars on Facebook, Messenger & Instagram. The interest income of the non-banking financial company (NBFC) fell to Rs 422 crore during the quarter as against Rs 478 crore in year-ago period. However, for the full year ended March 2022, the company's net profit rose by 23 per cent to Rs 992 crore from Rs 906 crore in the previous fiscal. Total income was up by 16.6 per cent to Rs 3,763 crore from Rs 3,227 crore. The board of directors of the company has recommended a final dividend of Rs 1.15 per share of Re 1 each, it said. The dividend, if approved at the 37th annual general meeting, will result in cash outflow of Rs 109.75 crore, JM Financial said. The company had paid an interim dividend of Rs 0.50 per share in March 2022. With the final dividend, the total dividend for the financial year 2021-22 would be Rs 1.65 per share, aggregating to Rs 157.45 crore, it added. Stock of JM Financial ended at Rs 64.65 apiece on BSE, down 1.97 per cent from the previous close. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Davos, May 24: Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Union's response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the bloc's migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said on Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than six million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. WEF Davos 2022: Maharashtra Joins World Economic Forum in Fight Against Plastic Pollution. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says she's proud of her small country's reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Columbia (US), May 25: An Iraqi man who came to the United States two years ago and applied for asylum hatched a plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush in retaliation for casualties against his compatriots during the Iraq war, the government announced Tuesday. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, also schemed to smuggle other Iraqis into the U.S. from Mexico to aid in the plot, after which they'd be smuggled out back through Mexico, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Columbus. Also Read | Monkeypox Outbreak: US CDC Issues New Warning As More Potential Cases Found. Shihab insinuated he had contacts with the Islamic State group, but it did not appear the plot came close to materializing, with confidential informants briefing the FBI from April 2021 through this month, the complaint said. Shihab was ordered held without bond by federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers during a short hearing in court Tuesday. Deavers scheduled a detention hearing for Friday. Also Read | Chinese, Russian Fighter Jets Hold Joint Aerial Patrols in Sea of Japan, East China Sea, West Pacific Amid QUAD Conclave. Shihab was not required to enter a plea. Soumyajit Dutta, a federal public defender representing Shihab at the hearing, declined to comment. If convicted, Shihab could face up to 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. A message was left with the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum seeking comment. Shihab worked at restaurants in and around Columbus and also at a market in Indianapolis where he had an apartment, the government said. Shihab told a confidential informant that he assisted in the killing of American soldiers during the Iraq War, and said he and others wished to kill former president Bush because they felt that he was responsible for killing many Iraqis and breaking apart the entire country of Iraq, the complaint said. Shihab traveled in February to Dallas, where he took video of the entrance gate to the neighborhood where Bush lives, and also traveled to Detroit in November to investigate smuggling Iraqi nationals into the U.S., the government said. Shihab met a confidential informant a Columbus hotel room in March to examine weapons and U.S. border patrol uniforms, according to the complaint. Shihab allegedly planned to use a Columbus car dealership to help transfer money from an Islamic State official into the U.S. Last fall, Shihab accepted thousands of dollars for what he thought was payment for him to smuggle another Iraqi citizen into the U.S., according to the complaint, but the transaction was entirely coordinated by the FBI. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York, May 24 (AP) A former London and Miami art dealer who pleaded guilty to defrauding art buyers and others of over $86 million was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison. Inigo Philbrick, 34, a U.S. citizen who previously lived in London, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Sidney H. Stein. He also was ordered to forfeit $86 million. Also Read | China Reports First Case of 'More Contagious' Omicron Subtype BA.4, Zero COVID-19 Policy Miserably Fails. Philbrick pleaded guilty last November to a single count of wire fraud for conducting a multiyear scheme to defraud individuals and entities in order to finance his art business. Prosecutors said he carried out the scheme by misrepresenting the ownership of certain artworks and by sometimes selling more than 100% ownership to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release that Philbrick's success as an art dealer came only after he collateralized and resold fractional shares in high-value contemporary art. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Warns Imran Khan, Says 'Nation Will Hold Him by Collar for His Sins'. Unfortunately, his success was built on brazen lies, including concealed ownership interests, fake documents, and even an invented art collector," Williams said. When the house of cards fell apart, Philbrick fled for a remote island in the Pacific, leaving many of his victims without recourse. For his extensive fraud, Philbrick is now sentenced to a substantial prison term. Artworks used in the scheme included, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled Humidity, a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso, authorities said. The scheme unraveled as jilted art buyers filed civil lawsuits, a lender notified him that he was in default of a $14 million loan and he stopped responding to legal processes, prosecutors said. In 2019, his art galleries in Miami and London closed and Philbrick fled the U.S. before being arrested in June 2020 in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, where he'd been living since October 2019, prosecutors said. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York, May 24 (AP) Funeral services are planned Tuesday for Celestine Chaney, whose shooting death in a racist attack inside a Buffalo supermarket was recorded and shared across the internet. Chaney, 65, was among 10 Black people killed May 14 when a white gunman wearing body armour and a helmet-mounted camera targeted shoppers and workers at a Tops Friendly Market. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Gifts Sanjhi Art Panel to US President Joe Biden During Meeting in Tokyo. Three others were injured in the attack, which federal authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The alleged gunman, 18-year-old Payton Gendron, of Conklin, has been charged with murder and is being held without bail. Also Read | US FDA Lifts Hold on Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 Vaccine Covaxin's Clinical Trials in America. Chaney's son, Wayne Jones, said his mother's death was confirmed for him when he first saw a photo and then video of the shooting, that took place as Chaney and her 74-year-old sister shopped for strawberry shortcakes and other groceries on a warm Saturday afternoon. Chaney had survived breast cancer and three surgeries for aneurysms. More funerals are scheduled throughout the week. On Monday, mourners said goodbye to 72-year-old Katherine Kat Massey, who was remembered as a community activist and education advocate dedicated to improving her city. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo, May 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gifted a Sanjhi Art panel to US President Joe Biden during his meeting with him in Tokyo. Sanjhi Painting is a tradition of art that originated out of the cult of Krishna and flourished in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is in Vraja, or Vrindavan, the homeland of Lord Sri Krishna, that this art of Sanjhi painting reached its pinnacle. Sanjhi is the art of hand-cutting designs on paper. Traditionally motifs from Lord Krishna's stories are created in stencils. These stencils are cut freehand using a scissor or a blade. The delicate Sanjhi is often held together by thin sheets of paper. PM Narendra Modi in Tokyo to Attend US President Joe Biden's Indo Pacific Economic Framework Launch, Meet Top Business Leaders. This intricate Sanjhi Panel is famously based on the theme of Thakurani Ghat from Mathura by a National Awardee. This art painting is rooted in the folk culture of the region. It was taken to its glory by the Vaishnava temples in the 15th and 16th centuries. Sanjhi came to be regarded as a highly refined art form practised by the Brahmin priests. Presently, the art of Sanjhi painting is practised by only a select few and remains a living tradition only in some of the temples of India. One of these temples where Sanjhi painting still survives is the Radharamana temple of Vrindavan. PM Modi and Biden had a warm and productive meeting. The meeting resulted in substantive outcomes which will add depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership. The meeting marks a continuation of the regular high-level dialogue between the two Leaders who met in-person in September 2021 in Washington D.C and interacted at the G20 and COP26 Summits thereafter. Most recently they had a virtual interaction on 11 April 2022. The two leaders welcomed the signing of the Investment Incentive Agreement which enables the US Development Finance Corporation to continue providing investment support in India in sectors of shared priority such as healthcare, renewable energy, SMEs, infrastructure etc. Both sides launched an India-U.S. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation. Co-led by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the U.S. National Security Council, iCET would forge closer linkages between government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. Noting that defence and security cooperation is a crucial pillar of the India-US bilateral agenda, both sides discussed how they can further strengthen collaboration. In this context, PM Modi invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India programmes which can be of mutual benefit to both countries. Taking forward their growing collaboration in the health sector, India and USA extended the longstanding Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) until 2027 to continue joint biomedical research which had resulted in the development of vaccines and related technologies. To bolster the strong people to people linkages between the two countries, PM Modi called for strengthening higher education collaborations which can be of mutual benefit. The leaders exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest including South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, reaffirming their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi welcomed the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and stated that India is ready to work closely with all partner countries to shape a flexible, and inclusive IPEF taking into consideration the respective national circumstances. The leaders agreed to continue their useful dialogue and pursue their shared vision of taking the India-US partnership to a higher level. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): Conveying a "powerful message of commitment" to the whole world, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said Quad member nations stand against the unilateral change of status quo by force. "Russian invasion of Ukraine, an incident that shook the very foundation of international order - with the participation of Pres Biden, PM Modi and PM Albanese, we have been able to send off a powerful message of commitment by the four leaders from Tokyo to the whole world," Japanese PM said after the conclusion of the Quad Leaders Summit. Also Read | Poland Formally Cancels Gas Contract With Russia Ahead of Schedule. "The four of us committed that unilateral change of status quo by force will never be allowed in any region, especially in the Indo Pacific and that a free and open Indo Pacific is ever more relevant today," he added. The Japanese PM also said that the four nations will be investing more energy in realizing the concept of a free and stable Indo-Pacific. Also Read | Monkeypox Cases Rise to 6 in Netherlands. Kishida stated that newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has offered to host next year's (Quad) Summit in Australia. The leaders of the Quad nations--Australia, India, Japan, and the United States--met today in Tokyo for the fourth time and the second time in person. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that the Quad's scope has become extensive despite COVID-19 challenges. The Prime Minister noted that the mutual trust and determination of the member countries including the US, Australia, and Japan is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers. "Quad has made an important place for itself before the world in such a short span of time. Today, Quad's scope has become extensive, its form effective. Our mutual trust, and our determination is giving new energy and enthusiasm to democratic powers," he said. PM Modi noted that despite the difficult circumstance of COVID-19, the member countries have increased mutual coordination in several areas like vaccine delivery and climate action. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo[Japan], May 24 (ANI): Quad leaders on Tuesday appreciated India's position with respect to Russia's conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said on Tuesday, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of addressing the problems of food, energy security and humanitarian issues that have been emerging due to the developments in Kyiv. "There was a general and good appreciation on the position that India has taken with regard to Ukraine which has been an immediate cessation of hostilities, and path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the situation. It was very clear, that there was no element of doubt in terms of each country's perspective," Kwatra said at a special media briefing on Tuesday here. Also Read | Chinese, Russian Fighter Jets Hold Joint Aerial Patrols in Sea of Japan, East China Sea, West Pacific Amid QUAD Conclave. The Quad leaders also focused considerably on the questions of the derivative problems which emerged out of developments in Ukraine including shortages of food, fertilizers energy to disruption of supply chains partly. "PM Modi clearly emphasised that it's important to look at the situation of Ukraine but it is equally important to look at the problems of food security, energy security and humanitarian issues that have been emerging because of it. He also emphasised the extensive aid and assistance that India has provided to Ukraine," he said. Also Read | Azadi March: Imran Khan To Lead Biggest Procession in Pakistans History Tomorrow. Russia launched its special operation on Ukraine on February 24 following which the US and Europe have imposed sanctions on Moscow condemning its war on the East European country. Separately, in the joint statement on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, India, Australia, Japan, the US and the nine other countries emphasised commitment to a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that has the potential to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The meeting of Quadrilateral Dialogue (Quad) kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday to review the progress made by the four-member countries and the cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for an inclusive Indo-Pacific. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo [Japan], May 24 (ANI): The progress on Quad initiatives aimed at fostering peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region will be discussed during the Leaders' Summit here on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of the US, Japan and Australia also exchanging views about developments in the region and global issues of mutual interest. The Quad cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Also Read | China Reports First Case of 'More Contagious' Omicron Subtype BA.4, Zero COVID-19 Policy Miserably Fails. Quad's cooperation efforts have included working together on climate action. Quad's Infrastructure Coordination Group has been deliberating on supporting sustainable and demand-driven infrastructure in the region in a manner that doesn't burden countries of the region with unsustainable debt. Cooperation on critical and security of critical cyber infrastructure are other key priority areas of cooperative measures in the Quad. The four countries have also been discussing continued cooperation on COVID response, and post COVID management of economy and health infrastructure. This will be the second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit. It will be followed by the Quad Fellowship Event. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Warns Imran Khan, Says 'Nation Will Hold Him by Collar for His Sins'. After the Quad summit- the Prime Minister will have bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden and new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He will also have a bilateral meeting with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the day. Former Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will also call on PM Modi. The Prime Minister will also have a meeting with the Chairman of Japan India Association. On the first day of his visit to Japan on Monday, the Prime Minister had a series of engagements. He participated in the event to launch the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity and chaired a business roundtable in Tokyo. He also interacted with members of the Indian community. (ANI) (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 24 (ANI): Amid the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed new budgets and future economic plans during a meeting with the representatives from the Chambers of Commerce, the Treasury and Economic Advisers at his office on Monday. During the meeting with the representatives, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister highlighted that a new budget would be introduced in the country which would help in the reduction of the capital significantly, reported Colombo Page. Also Read | Monkeypox Cases Rise to 6 in Netherlands. According to Wickremesinghe, the saved money would be used for welfare programs. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister gave emphasis on the fact that an economic policy framework would be included in the Constitution, that enshrines the economic rights of the country. Further, Wickremesinghe expressed concerns that the food shortage will not only affect Sri Lanka but will also have a negative impact on the global market as well. However, he added that the Sri Lankan government was trying to minimize the impact of the shortages, reported Colombo Page. Also Read | Quad Summit 2022: US President Joe Biden Calls Russia-Ukraine War Global Issue, Says Indo-Pacific Powers Will Lead Response. The Sri Lankan PM even proposed the Treasury plan to undertake structural reforms based on a competitive social market economy. In addition, Wickremesinghe gave his nod to the recommendation of digitalizing the process of distributing relief to the people. He stated that he would be reviewing the criteria for those who would be eligible for welfare. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is struggling to cope with its dire economic scarcity, with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of people. The country has seen weeks of public protests amid ongoing political and economic instability. Recently, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the next couple of months will be the most difficult ones in the lives of all citizens and the country must prepare to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, May 24 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing fresh allegations around the partygate scandal of illegal gatherings at Downing Street in breach of coronavirus lockdown rules after new images surfaced of him with a drink in hand. The pictures, released by ITV News channel, reportedly show Johnson at a farewell drinks party on November 13, 2020, for which at least one person is believed to have been fined by Scotland Yard. Also Read | India-US Relations a Partnership of Trust, Says PM Narendra Modi in Meeting with President Joe Biden. London Mayor Sadiq Khan is among Opposition Labour leaders calling for an explanation from the Metropolitan Police why the UK Prime Minister was not handed a second fine for that particular party and only for a previous birthday party in June 2020. There clearly was a party he was raising his glass, there were empty wine bottles there... I think the police should be explaining how they reached their conclusions, that's the right thing for them to do, said Khan, who is in charge of policing in the UK capital. Also Read | Poland Formally Cancels Gas Contract With Russia Ahead of Schedule. "Those that broke the rules were fined and here we have a photograph which looks like the prime minister caught red-handed breaking the rules some would call it a smoking gun. So the police should explain how it is more fines weren't issued," he said. The government has jumped to the Prime Minister's defence, with UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps saying Boris Johnson was not partying in the photographs but was there in a work capacity. But the Labour Party says the latest leaked images will make it difficult for Boris Johnson to reconcile his statement to Parliament that no party had taken place on that day and called on Conservative Party MPs to remove him from office. Meanwhile, the BBC quoted a government source as saying that senior civil servant Sue Gray is likely to hand her report on parties to Downing Street on Wednesday, followed by a statement in Parliament and a press conference by the Prime Minister. A 10 Downing Street spokesperson said Johnson would address Parliament "in full" after Gray published her report into the gatherings "in the coming days". In the latest images, Johnson is pictured toasting colleagues while standing by a table full of wine bottles, wine glasses, food and other drinks. A second coronavirus lockdown was in place in England at the time in November 2020 when the photographs were taken, with indoor gatherings of two or more people banned, except if "reasonably necessary" for work purposes. Allegations about gatherings held in Downing Street and Whitehall government offices throughout the pandemic led to a Met Police investigation into 12 events under Operation Hillman. The inquiry concluded last week, with a total of 126 fixed penalty notices, or fines, being issued to 83 individuals for parties held over eight separate dates. Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak all received one fine each for attending a birthday party for the Prime Minister at the Cabinet Room in Downing Street in June 2020. Johnson already faces a probe by the House of Commons' Privileges Committee about whether he misled members of Parliament over the issue. Under government guidelines, ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to resign. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Davos [Switzerland], May 24 (ANI): The World Economic Forum on Monday launched Indian CEO's Alliance to supercharge India's climate action and decarbonization efforts which will further aid in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious five-part 'Panchamrit' pledge. "The World Economic Forum today launched the India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders to supercharge India's climate action and decarbonization efforts," the WEF stated in a media statement. Also Read | Monkeypox Cases Rise to 6 in Netherlands. Part of the World Economic Forum's Climate Action Platform, the Alliance will continue efforts to achieve the vision outlined in the white paper released last year, "Mission 2070: A Green New Deal for a Net Zero India", on India's low-carbon transition by 2070. It will bring together the government, businesses, and other key stakeholders to achieve the Indian Prime Minister's ambitious five-part 'Panchamrit' pledge, which includes the country's net-zero carbon emission target by 2070. Also Read | Monkeypox in Canary Islands: Spain Tally Reaches to 35 After New Case Confirmed in Gran Canaria. Last year, in the midst of global brainstorming on climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented five nectar elements 'Panchamrit'. The elements include India reaching its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, meeting 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030, reducing the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030, reducing the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45 per cent by 2030, achieve the target of net zero emission by 2070. These "Panchamrits" will be an unprecedented contribution of India to climate action. "As a major global economy, India's role in mitigating climate change is critical and India Inc. must add its full weight to the country's efforts, as well to the global endeavour, against global warming," said Sumant Sinha, Co-Chair, Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ReNew Power. A collaboration between the management consultancy Kearney and the Indian think-tank Observer Research Foundation, the Alliance will serve as a high-level platform to support business leaders in planning and implementing plans and programmes to achieve climate targets, including net-zero economic growth. It will leverage learnings and experiences from global projects such as the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and the First Movers Coalition. Borge Brende, President, World Economic Forum said, "The Alliance becomes part of our comprehensive nature and climate action agenda in India which includes collaborative initiatives such as Trillion Trees, Moving India for rapid electric vehicle deployment, clean energy financing, Food Innovation Hubs, Stakeholder Capitalism metrices and Clean Skies for Tomorrow." "The signs of climate change with varying temperature and weather patterns impacting human lives are clearly visible to all of us. Hence, the global initiative and commitment towards climate change, is indeed a positive sign of hope. We believe that it is absolutely possible for us to achieve 1.5 target from the Paris agreement. We at Mahindra, have launched a number of major initiatives - Greening ourselves, decarbonising our industry, and Rejuvenating our planet - and believe that we are making strong progress to be Carbon neutral by 2040. WEF's Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India is a decisive, collaborative step to scale up our efforts this decade in the race to net-zero. Every step we take together, matters to Mother Earth", said Anish Shah, Co-Chair, Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Group. A just transition could generate annual business opportunities worth over USD 10 trillion and create 395 million jobs by 2030 worldwide. India alone could create more than 50 million net new jobs and generate over USD 15 trillion in economic value. For over 50 years, the World Economic Forum has been the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Annual Meeting is the focal point for leaders to accelerate the partnerships needed to tackle global challenges and shape a more sustainable and inclusive future. Convening under the theme "History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies", the Annual Meeting 2022 and its 200 sessions bring together global leaders from business, government, and civil society. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune, May 24: A search team on Tuesday found the body of a 24-year-old man from Delhi who was missing since the last four days from a popular tourist viewpoint in Lonavala hill station of Pune district, police said. The body was found several feet deep in a gorge here, they said. The man, Farhan Serajjuddin, had been on a sightseeing trip of Lonavala, located around 65 km from Maharashtra's Pune city, and when he went to the Duke's Nose, a viewpoint popular with trekkers, he lost his way, they said. He had initially managed to contact his friend though mobile phone to inform that he had lost his way back, but later his phone was not reachable, the police earlier said. Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), INS Shivaji naval station in Lonavala, Pune rural police and some local groups were searching for the man since the last three days and had tried to trace his phone location. The police had also used drones to trace the man, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Patil said. Delhi Engineer Who Went Missing on May 20, Found Dead in Lonavala Forest. "On Tuesday, we found the body at a depth of 500 ft in a gorge near the Duke's Nose point. Efforts are underway to retrieve the body," the official said. The man's relatives had earlier announced a cash reward of Rs one lakh for finding him. Left parties will also join in the protest march with the VCK against the Prime Minister. VCK leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement on Monday said that the VCK would be part of the nationwide protest being carried out by the Left parties against the Central government's "anti- people" policies. #Fiji's economy is rebounding strongly this year, and this is encouraging for a developing island nation, an International Monetary Fund (@IMFNews) official said. pic.twitter.com/GVadrCgm9F IANS (@ians_india) May 23, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) #JammuandKashmir police (@JmuKmrPolice) along with security forces have busted a terror module of proscribed terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir by arresting eight terrorist associates. pic.twitter.com/naG0Y8jOQD IANS (@ians_india) May 24, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) J&K | LG Manoj Sinha visited the residence & met the family of Rahul Bhat, an employee of Chadoora Tehsil Office, who was shot dead by terrorists on May 12 in his office. pic.twitter.com/hMkzcsnUpW ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) New Delhi: Meta on Tuesday rolled out updated 3D Avatars on Facebook, Messenger and for the first time on Instagram stories and direct messages in India. Meta, earlier known as Facebook, is also adding new facial shapes and assistive devices for people with disabilities. Meta Donates $15 Million for Humanitarian Efforts in Ukraine & Neighbouring Countries Amid Russian Invasion. "Representations in the metaverse should reflect the diversity of the real world. Avatars are just the first step toward enabling everyone to express themselves in their unique ways," said Manish Chopra, Director and Head Partnerships, Meta India in a statement. "When you create your avatar you can choose the right facial features, body types, clothing styles, and more to create your virtual self," he added. The update adds Cochlear implants and over-the-ear hearing aids (for one or both ears) in a variety of colours, and on all platforms including Virtual Reality. It also includes wheelchairs, which will appear in stickers on Facebook, in Messenger chats and in DMs on Instagram. The company said it is also improving the look of Avatars, subtle adjustments have been made to certain facial shapes and skin shaders to make avatars more authentic. It will continue to add more options over time based on feedback from the community, the company noted. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2022 05:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). A baby formula scam, including other items, caused a Miami man and his cronies to be in jail for over 18 years. The Miami man, identified as Johnny Grobman, was reportedly involved in a massive commercial fraud that involved several products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including baby formulas and eye care products, according to Miami Herald. Judge Roy Altman sentenced Grobman to 18 years and four months after he was convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The Miami man was also convicted on charges of conspiring to obtain pre-retail medical products and smuggling goods from the United States. Grobman's cronies, Raoul Doekhie and Sherida Nabi, were also vested with the same sentence after their conviction on the same charges as the Miami man. Dookie and Nabi were reportedly from Suriname. During the trial, prosecutors proved that between 2013 and 2018, the trio received discounted prices for the baby formulas from the U.S. manufacturers, according to Market Watch. The group reportedly claimed that they were purchasing the products for the government of Suriname. However, it was revealed in the trial that the trio had no such contract with the South American nation's government and was simply selling the said supply of baby formulas and other products in the U.S. at full price. The Miami man and his cronies were reported to fake shipments to create export documentation and then immediately ship them back to the U.S. even though the products have not yet reached the land. Prosecutors noted that the trio defrauded baby formula manufacturers out of $100 million. READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Says Monkeypox Virus Outbreaks Should 'Concern' Americans Consequences of Baby Formula Scam Judge Altman also vested other consequences to the Miami man and his cronies aside from their imprisonment. Judge Altman ordered the trio to forfeit over $200 million in illicit gains. Among these items include a $9 million mansion in Golden Beach, Florida. The said property is 7,700 square feet big with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Three units of the Aventura building were also on the list of losses, as well as a 48-foot yacht. In April, Judge Altman also ordered that Grobman forfeit over $87 million in illicit proceeds and Doekhie and Nabi hand over $115 in fraudulently obtained profits. "This exorbitant wealth was not earned, it was swindled," federal prosecutors argued in the court documents. The Suriname natives will also have to give up everything in their joint account, as well as their property in Fort Lauderdale. Baby Formula Shortage The sentences against the Miami man and his cronies involved in the baby formula scam were vested as the United States experiences a baby formula shortage. According to NPR, the closure of Abbott's plant in Michigan, as well as the pandemic-related supply chain, contributed to the ongoing crisis of the said product. It can be recalled that the said plant was closed after four babies who consumed several of the products became sick over bacterial infection. Abbott CEO Robert Ford on Saturday apologized for the disruption of the supply after they issued the recalls on several of their products. "We're sorry to every family we've let down since our voluntary recall exacerbated our nation's baby formula shortage," Ford said in an op-ed published in Washington Post. Ford added that the recall they issued is the right thing to do, contending that they will not take risks when it comes to the health of the children. Ford then announced that Abbott would establish $5 million in funds to help families with medical and living expenses until the baby formula shortage is alleviated. READ NEXT: Mike Tyson Opens Up About Jet Blue Punching Incident With a Passenger This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: How to Recognize Baby Formula Scams | 5NEWS Community Spotlight - From 5NEWS Supermodel Kate Moss is set to take the stand in the Johnny Depp and Amber Herd's bombshell defamation trial. A source close to Depp told Fox News that Moss will appear in the court on Wednesday and give clarity to the staircase rumor involving her and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor. The insider added that Moss is expected to appear and testify through a video link. Depp and Moss became a couple in the 90s. The source noted that the two remained good friends ever since. READ NEXT: Johnny Depp's Lawyer Goes Viral for Grilling Amber Heard: Who Is Camille Vasquez? Amber Heard Mentions Kate Moss Stairs Incident The supermodel was dragged into the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard when the actress discussed an alleged altercation between her sister, Whitney Henriquez, and the actor, according to People. "[Whitney's] back was to the staircase, and Johnny swings at her... I don't hesitate, I don't wait - I just, in my head, instantly think of Kate Moss and stairs," Heard said during her testimony. Heard then added that Depp did not push her sister down the stairs. However, Henriquez claimed that the actor once hit her and then "repeated" struck Heard. Heard was reportedly defending her sister in the incident. Depp's attorney, Ben Chew, reportedly opened his mouth widely and turned to his team for a fist bump when Heard mentioned Moss. Johnny Depp's Hand Injury May Not Be From a Thrown Bottle - Surgeon Dr. Richard Moore, a hand surgeon, testified on Monday, claiming that Johnny Depp could not have lost the tip of his middle finger like the way he told jurors when he was on the stand, CBS News reported. According to Moore, who did not treat the actor, the description of Depp with his palm down on the bar would make the fingernail exposed when the bottle was thrown at him. The surgeon furthered that the nail would have been damaged in the aftermath of the incident, and there would have been other cuts in his hand from the glass that shattered upon impact. It can be recalled that the finger injury Depp sustained in March 2015 in Australia became one of the key points of dispute in the lawsuit. A psychiatrist also testified on Monday, claiming that Depp's behavior fits the pattern of a person whose drug and alcohol abuse contributes to domestic violence. However, the claims of the psychiatrist were questioned by Depp's camp, claiming that the expert never conducted an examination on the actor. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp are battling over a 2018 op-ed the actress penned, claiming that she was a victim of domestic violence. Depp claimed the article booted him to some of his movies even though he was not mentioned in the piece. Johnny Depp is asking for $50 million in damages. Meanwhile, Amber Heard filed a countersuit amounting to $100 million for nuisance and for calling her abuse allegations a hoax. READ NEXT: Dave Chappelle's Attacker Isaiah Lee Reveals the Real Reason Why He Tackled the Comedian on Stage at Hollywood Bowl This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Kate Moss Expected To Testify In Johnny Depp & Amber Heard Trial - From Access The cause behind the Bahamas Sandals deaths of three Americans was determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a new report. New York Post reported that autopsy and toxicology reports have been completed after the deaths of Tennessee couple Michael Phillips, 68, and Robbie Phillips, 65, as well as Vincent Chiarella, 64, of Florida. Before the autopsy, the three Americans were reported to have died under mysterious circumstances at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort on the island of Exuma on May 6 while staying in separate villas. The three American victims were found unresponsive in their rooms after allegedly seeking medical help for feeling sick before the night they were found dead. Chiarella's wife, Donnis, was shortly hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning but recovered. Prior to the released autopsy report, there has been speculations about the cause of their deaths, prompting an investigation into the food that was served. Many guests have also complained that there was a strong odor of insecticides. READ NEXT: Corpse of Migrant With 'No Feet' Found Hanging From Tree Near U.S.-Mexico Border Bahamas Sandals Deaths The victims' families reportedly asked investigators last week to allow a pathologist from abroad to do a second autopsy, according to a Fox News report. Bahamas Minister of Health and Wellness Michael Darville told reporters that toxicology reports are still "outstanding," announcing the want of the victims' families bring another pathologist from abroad. Darville said he wants to "get to the bottom" of the investigation, with reports that the government will facilitate the request. Possible leaks from the air conditioning and the water heater on the property are also being investigated. Meanwhile, the commissioner was unable to say whether the victims' relatives were granted permission to bring in a U.S. pathologist to conduct another autopsy. Darville said that it was outside his authority. Bahamas Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle said that they are actively engaging a lab in Philadelphia to assist them with expediting the toxicological examinations of all the samples, as reported by The Tribune. Rolle added that their forensic experts have also collected samples from both of the rooms and the properties of the Sandals hotel in Exuma, whether or not there are contaminants present. The Three Americans' Death in Bahamas Rolle said in a USA Today report that the three Americans were all treated at different times and ate at different places. The police commissioner earlier noted that they are checking what all of the victims ate and, hopefully, they will be able to determine whether it was food or something else that caused it. Rolle said that the victims went to a doctor after complaining of feeling ill the night before their bodies were discovered. Samples were collected from the body. The police commissioner previously said that they would not speculate on the cause of their deaths as police and health officials continue their investigation. Meanwhile, authorities noted that they do not suspect foul play in the deaths or in Donnis' hospitalization. The U.S. State Department said it was "closely monitoring" the investigation. READ MORE: Immigrant Children at Border Have High Chance of Staying in the U.S. This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Police name 3 US tourists found dead at Bahamas Sandals resort; woman remains hospitalized - from 6abc Philadelphia An indigenous Guatemalan woman has returned to her homeland after she spent more than seven years in prison in Mexico without trial. According to Al Jazeera, the foreign ministry of Guatemala confirmed that Juana Alonzo Santizo, 35, had arrived in the country after being accused of kidnapping and jailed in the northern Mexican border city. Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro welcomed Alonzo at the Guatemala City airport on Sunday, as shown in a video posted on Twitter. The indigenous Guatemalan woman then joined her family and collapsed into her father's and uncle's arms. Alonzo said in Spanish, which she learned while in prison, that she is now free and very happy to be with her family. Her relatives helped her change from jeans into traditional indigenous regional clothes. Before breaking into tears, Alonzo noted that it had been eight years since she last saw her family while also expressing gratitude to those who had supported her release. READ NEXT: Amazon Rainforest Nearing Dangerous Environmental' Tipping Point'; Trees May Die Off en Masse - Researchers Indigenous Guatemalan Woman Freed Juana Alonzo Santizo was never convicted and never been tried. She was being held all that time in "pre-trial detention." NBC News reported a Mexican court ordered her immediate release on Saturday. The head of Mexico's federal public defenders' office, Netzai Sandoval, said the court had ruled that there was no consistent evidence against Alonzo. National and international groups backed an advocacy campaign for her freedom. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador also supported the call for her release, while the Tamaulipas prosecutor's office withdrew the charges against her. Sandoval noted that it was a "totally aberrant case." She said "all" of Alonzo's rights were violated because she was a woman, an Indigenous person, a migrant, poor, and "didn't speak Spanish." Pedro Alonzo, the indigenous Guatemalan woman's uncle, said his niece had migrated in hopes of helping her family. Pedro noted that Alonzo's crime was "being unable to speak Spanish" and asked who was "going to pay for that scar?" Indigenous Guatemalan Woman Juana Alonzo Santizo The Mayan Chuj woman from Guatemala left her hometown in August 2014, hoping to reach the United States. The United Nations Human Rights Office noted that a migrant smuggler had laid out a plan for Juana Alonzo Santizo, wherein she would cross the Mexican border and get to the northern Mexican city of Reynosa. Alonzo could not communicate with others in her group as she did not speak Spanish and could not tell where she was. Upon reaching Reynosa, the migrant smuggler and other groups of unknown men sequestered Alonzo with two other migrant women in a private house. The women were then forced to work for their captors. One victim found a way to call and exposed her kidnappers to the local police. Two other victims accused Alonzo of being connected to the kidnappers upon their rescue. The indigenous Guatemalan woman was detained by police officers and moved to the local police station in Reynosa, facing a language barrier, which led to her not being able to answer the questions asked. Alonzo recalled that neither lawyer nor interpreter was present during the interrogation, adding that she also did not receive medical attention. READ MORE: Brazil: Mining Firms Eyeing to Expand to Protected Indigenous Lands in Amazon Rainforest This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Juana Alonzo Santizo Fue Liberada Este Domingo - From TN23 Texas Governor Greg Abbott pledged to implement new border security strategies, even though the Title 42 expulsion policy remains in effect as of Monday. According to NBC DFW, the Texas governor cited several strategies to thwart Mexican drug cartels from smuggling migrants in a meeting with local and state agencies in Eagle Pass on Monday. Abbott noted that one of the strategies he would implement was to deploy additional barriers like razor wire to make it more challenging to cross Texas. The Texas governor said the wire would cover every inch of the border, except for federal or private property. Abbott added that local law enforcement would also be posted behind the barricades to continue the arrest and send the message that individuals crossing between ports of entry will be subjected to arrest and trespassing. The Texas governor was asked whether he thinks using razor wires as deterrence for migrants is cruel. But DPS Director Steve McGraw, who volunteered to respond, said using wire was not cruel, emphasizing that the cartels are cruel for what they are doing to women and children. Abbott has also vowed to increase the number of bus trips with migrants processed at the border to Washington D.C. He noted that at least 45 buses have already transported migrants to the country's capital as a symbol of the Biden administration's "Open Border Policies." READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Says Monkeypox Virus Outbreaks Should 'Concern' Americans Over 400 Migrants Posed as Minors in El Paso, Texas Greg Abbott's announcement came as the arrests of adult migrants who illegally crossed the border and posed as unaccompanied children are nearing to surpass the previous fiscal year's total. According to the U.S. Border Patrol's El Paso Sector in Texas, there have been 416 adult migrants who have been found to have posed as minors, the Daily Mail reported. The said number was recorded since October 1, 2021, or the start of the fiscal year 2022. In comparison, 559 imposters tried to slip through the system in the fiscal year 2021, which spanned from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021. Reports claimed that on one occasion, the El Paso Sector Central processing uncovered a 24-year-old Guatemalan who intentionally used his 15-year-old birth certificate to enter the United States. In another incident, agents discovered a 20-year-old Honduran who presented a fake birth certificate so he could be released into the country. According to U.S. law, both men would face charges for providing false statements to federal agents and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. The two can also be fined and sent to prison. Title 42 Expulsion in the U.S. The incidents occurred as the Title 42 expulsion in the U.S. borders remained effective as of Monday. Supposedly, the Trump-era program would be lifted on Monday. But U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays issued a nationwide injunction last week barring the administration of President Joe Biden from lifting the policy. The ruling came after two dozen states sued the Biden administration over its plan, arguing that Title 42 should remain in place as proper consideration was not given to a likely surge in border crossings and other issues. Since the restriction was put in place, more than 1.9 million Title 42 expulsions have reportedly been carried out. READ MORE: Baby Formula Scam: Miami Man, 2 Others Get 18-Year Jail Time Over $115 Million Fraud This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Judge Prevents CDC From Ending Title 42 Rule That Allows for Quick Expulsion of Migrants - From CBS Mornings Peru is one of the countries in the Latin American region that boasts stunning natural landscapes and offers different activities for its tourists. The South American country is well-known for Machu Picchu, a site that offers a historical background of Peru. But aside from different landmarks and areas that house the culture and roots of Peru, it is also home to some notable festivals that will make travelers experience the country's authentic culture. READ NEXT: Top Ecuador Traditional Festivals You Won't Want to Miss While in the South American Country Top Peru Festivals That Travelers Should Not Miss Just like other Latin American countries, Peru offers a multitude of festivals. These festivals vary in date. So to help you decide which festivals you should check on your first visit, here are some events in Peru that you should never miss. Paucartambo Festival Paucartambo festival is a celebration to honor and commemorate the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who is known to be the mother of all citizens in Peru. Usually celebrated from July 15th to 18th, the festival features different attractions, such as fireworks, acrobats, and troupe dances, according to Travel Triangle. Locals also dress up in vibrant traditional costumes and wear masks to participate in their forefather's dances. This festival was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Peruvian National Institute of Culture in 2016. Mistura Festival You must attend the Mistura festival if you love to try the country's authentic cuisine. According to GVI, this annual event usually happens in early September. During this festivity in Lima, different chefs, culinary experts, and street vendors from all over Peru bring their specialties. You can try the country's famous cuy or guinea pig, saucy boiled potatoes, and the country's traditional stir fry. You will not miss any cuisine from different parts of Peru as this festival represents every geographical area in the country. Of course, lively music and dances accompany your culinary experience. La Candelaria Celebrated in February, La Candelaria is known to be Peru's most colorful festival, according to Flight Centre. Held in Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, this festival celebrated Puno's patron saint, the Virgin of Candlemas, and Puno's Quechua and Aymara legacies. La Candelaria is considered to be the most important cultural event in Peru. La Candelaria was reportedly added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Santuranticuy If you love to travel before Christmas, why not celebrate the occasion with art. Santuranticuy is a December festival typically held days before Christmas. This festival translates to saints for sale, which is true to its name because sculptors from all over Peru come to Cusco and sell a variety of figurines. La Vendimia What is a celebration without wine? If you plan your trip next year, you might as well consider the month of March so you can drink an authentic wine from Peru. The La Vendimia wine festival in Ica, the main wine region in Peru, started in 1958. During this festival, people can enjoy different samples of delicious wines and pisco from various brewers. READ MORE: Peru Targets to Become 2022's Sustainable Destination | 5 Top Eco-Friendly Attractions to Visit This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Inti Raymi, The Inca Festival Of The Sun (Mini-Documentary) - From Peru For Less At least 11 people were killed, and five others were wounded in a "massacre" in Mexico's Guanajuato state plagued by Mexican drug cartels. According to El Universal, several shooting incidents happened in the neighborhood of Lindavista in Celaya, Guanajuato on Monday night. Reports said the shooting started at around 10 p.m. when a group of 15 armed men arrived in two trucks and attacked a bar in Azalea Street on the corner of Fresno. The gunmen then entered the "Gala" hotel and the bar next to it, where they fired multiple times. Before fleeing the scene, the suspects reportedly set the venues on fire using Molotov cocktails. Cops and emergency personnel reportedly rushed to the scene after locals said more than 30 gunshots were heard. According to a preliminary report, at least four of these fatalities were men, and the rest were women. Police said at least five people were being treated with gunshot wounds and burns. Witnesses who managed to escape by hiding in the hotel noted that the attack only lasted a minute. The massacre was being attributed to an organized crime group operating in Guanajuato. According to The Sun, authorities found plastic bags containing three dismembered bodies with a threatening note from an organized crime group early Monday morning. The state is reportedly the territory of some Mexican drug cartels. However, it was still unclear who was behind the attack. READ NEXT: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Vows to Implement New Border Security Strategies Despite Title 42 Remaining Active Killings in Guanajuato, Mexico Rose Icela Rodriguez, the secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, said homicide figures in Mexico's state of Guanajuato in April dropped to 21.45 percent compared to the previous month, according to Periodico Correo. Rodriguez noted that April was the lowest month for homicide cases in the state for five years. From March to April, Guanajuato reportedly went from 289 homicides to 227, which was 21.45 percent less. The report also showed an average of eight attacks a day in Guanajuato. But despite the dropped in the numbers, Mexico News Daily reported that Guanajuato was still the second most violent state in the first four months of the year, with 993 murders. Michoacan was the first with 1,000 homicides. Mexico state came third with 830 homicides, followed by Baja California with 805, Jalisco with 642, and Sonora with 580. Nationwide, Icela Rodriguez noted that there were 9,895 homicides in Mexico between January and April, which is 1,392 fewer or 12.3 percent less than in the same period of 2021. Mexican Drug Cartels in Mexico's Guanajuato State The number of violent crimes in Guanajuato state continues to rise as Mexican drug cartels fight over territory. The Jalisco cartel has reportedly been fighting to take over territory in Guanajuato from local drug gangs. According to Border Report, the state is the scene of a bloody turf war between the Jalisco cartel and the home-grown Santa Rosa de Lima gang. The bloodbath in the state reportedly started in 2018 when the Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) moved into Guanajuato. The Jalisco cartel is infamous for its public displays of violence and military power. According to the U.S. State Department, the Jalisco cartel is considered "to be the most violent drug trafficking organization currently operating in Mexico, with the highest cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking capacity." Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera is currently leading the Jalisco cartel. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest as he continues to evade capture. READ MORE: Joe Biden Gushes Over High Gas Prices as Part of 'Incredible Transition' Away From Fossil Fuels; Republicans Slam the President This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Mexico - The State and the Drug Cartels | Journal - From DW News Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A total of 500 illegal migrants were rescued by a Libyan coast guard and port security during nine successful operations off the Libyan coast, a statement issued on Tuesday by the Libyan Naval Forces Headquarters said here RTE is to broadcast allegations that a doctor who has since been suspended by Naas Hospital visited a teenage patient during the night to sexually assault him. Naas Hospital, which is in the same HSE group as Portlaoise hospital, said that once it was informed of the allegations in April 2011, the doctor was immediately suspended and he has never returned to work. The complaints were also reported to the Irish Medical Council, HSE Child Protection Services and An Garda Siochana. In October 2010, 19-year-old Ryan (not his real name) was referred by his GP to Naas General Hospital suffering from severe anaemia. Ryan was placed under the care of a medical team one of whom was Dr Pathmadevan Rathnam. From Malaysia, Dr Rathnam qualified in medicine from the National University of Ireland in 2008. 'Ryan' said: "It was late, I was asleep, he came in and woke me up, turned on the light above the bed and he said I need to just do an examination and I need you to slide your trousers and underwear down, I need to examine you below and I thought well yeah okay because I was complaining of stomach pains and pain in my groin so I thought this is all normal, it is just routine." He continued to visit Ryan during the following three nights, inappropriately touching him on each occasion. Four months later, in February 2011, Ryan was again severely anaemic and went to the Emergency Dept at Naas Hospital. This time Dr Rathnam was not part of the medical team assigned to care for Ryan. Despite this, Ryan says Dr Rathnam visited him at night a further two times assaulting him on each occasion. Documents seen by RTE Investigates also show that on several nights when Ryan says he was assaulted, Dr Rathnam was not scheduled to be working. 'Ryan found the courage to tell his mother what had happened, and she persuaded him to report his concerns. 'Ryan' said: "I spoke to one of the nurses in the ward and I said to her is there any reason why I should be having examinations below? And she said no why, and I said a doctor has been coming around during the night and performing these checks on me and she just said Ill be right back and the next thing the Head of Nursing was there. They asked me for a description, and I began to give a description and they finished my description and it shocked me because they were so accurate and straight away me and my mam looked at each other and we were like this has happened before." RTE Investigates can reveal Ryans complaint was not the first allegation made against Dr Rathnam. The nurses were able to recognise Ryans description because just three days earlier they had heard something similar. Sources have confirmed to RTE Investigates that at least one other male, a minor, alleged Dr Rathnam had also inappropriately touched him while at Naas Hospital. In a statement Naas General Hospital said: On the day the first complaint was received [28th February 2011], the Hospital convened a serious incident review meeting and "decided to suspend the doctor from duty with immediate effect pending the outcome of a Trust in Care process The doctor has never returned to work since his suspension The Hospital notified the allegations to the Irish Medical Council, HSE Child Protection Services and An Garda Siochana in April 2011. This was more than a month after it received the first complaint. But before Gardai questioned Dr Rathnam, he left Ireland. However, Ryan was not told by Naas Hospital or the Gardai that Dr Rathnam had left the country. 'Ryan': "For a whole year I lived in fear of what if I bump into him in the supermarket, what if I see him in the street" Naas General Hospital told RTE Investigates: The lack of ongoing communication and follow up is not in line with the standard of practice nowadays we acknowledge this was not adequate [and] The Hospital would like to sincerely apologise to those involved Last year RTE Investigates revealed three separate investigations were underway into a series of complaints of suspected sexual abuse of unconscious patients by another doctor at Naas General Hospital. The investigations by the HSE, the Irish Medical Council and An Garda Siochana related to the alleged conduct of Dr Aamir Zuberi, an anaesthetist who formerly worked at the hospital. The allegations related to four patients with each of the suspected incidents alleged to have occurred during 2016 and 2017 just a year after Dr Pathmadevan Rathnam was struck off the medical register in relation to complaints of alleged sexual assault. Over 11 years after his sexual assaults by Dr Rathnam, Ryan is still looking for answers. Having thought he was starting to come to terms with what happened, Ryan says learning of the Dr Aamir Zuberi story has brought everything back. 'Ryan' said: "For many, many years Ive suffered extreme depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, it affects your sexual life, it affects your everyday life, but I knew I had to get to the end because I knew that was the only way I could feel any relief from this and I did until it all happened again to someone else and now I feel like it is me all over again". RTE Investigates Abuse of Trust is broadcast on Prime Time on Tuesday, May 24 at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player. A Laois secondary school has a new principal, announced by its patron, the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB). Dunamase College Colaiste Dhun Masc, was led since its foundation in 2017 by principal Aoife Elster, who departed her position at the end of the school year in 2021. Teacher Clar Nic Ghearailt has been serving as acting principal. This Wednesday May 24, the LOETB announced a permanent replacement. "We are delighted to announce this morning, the appointment of Dympna Kelly as the new principal of Dunamase College." "Dympna is currently deputy principal in Ardscoil na Trionoide, Athy, Co Kildare having taken up that position in 2017. Prior to that Dympna held a number of middle leadership positions in the school as well as teaching Irish and Geography for many years. "She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her new role in Dunamase College - Colaiste Dhun Masc, including the promotion of effective teaching and learning strategies, student support, progressive school projects and technology enhanced learning. LOETBs Director of Schools is Linda Tynan. I look forward to supporting Dympna in her new role. She joins an excellent school with a committed and dynamic staff, placing the students at the centre of their learning to realise their fullest potential, she said. Joe Cunningham, Chief Executive at LOETB, congratulated Dympna on her new appointment. Dympna joins the school at an exciting stage in its development. The school has experienced significant growth since it first opened to students in 2017 and has consistently delivered quality learning experiences for all students. It also offers increased choice for parents and students at post-primary level, he said. Dunamase College Colaiste Dhun Masc is one of nine Post-Primary Schools under the patronage of LOETB. It is an English-medium, coeducational, multidenominational school which includes an Aonad Lan-Gaeilge, where students can study all subjects through Irish. The school is currently based in Portlaoise town centre, and work has commenced on the new 24.5million 1,000 pupil school which will be located on the Timahoe Road. A management team has been set up in Ireland for the anticipation and "eventuality" of Monkeypox arriving in Ireland. Public Health Specialist and Interim Director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, Dr Derval Igoe, told RTE radio's Morning Ireland that "It is always better to be prepared". Dr Igoe explained that Monkeypox is a viral disease that usually causes mild flu-like symptoms and a rash that eventually crusts over and heals. Monkeypox is a rare disease and was first discovered in the late 50's when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys that were being kept in labs for research. The first case of a human presenting with monkeypox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Dr Igoe said that cases that have arisen in Europe recently have no link to Africa, where the virus usually occurs, and people with the rare virus are presenting without the classic symptoms. She also said that it's extremely important for anyone with symptoms to isolate and identify their contacts. Cases can be detected with PCR tests and the virus is spread through close skin-to-skin contact or through droplets when someone is symptomatic, but anyone with concerns should contact their GP or sexual health clinic. Dr Igoe said with the current increase in cases seen across Europe, there have been no deaths and just two hospitalisations due to the virus. RTE is to broadcast allegations that a doctor who has since been suspended by Naas Hospital visited a teenage patient during the night to sexually assault him. Naas Hospital said that once it was informed of the allegations in April 2011, the doctor was immediately suspended and he has never returned to work. The complaints were also reported to the Irish Medical Council, HSE Child Protection Services and An Garda Siochana. In October 2010, 19-year-old Ryan (not his real name) was referred by his GP to Naas General Hospital suffering from severe anaemia. Ryan was placed under the care of a medical team one of whom was Dr Pathmadevan Rathnam. From Malaysia, Dr Rathnam qualified in medicine from the National University of Ireland in 2008. 'Ryan' said: "It was late, I was asleep, he came in and woke me up, turned on the light above the bed and he said I need to just do an examination and I need you to slide your trousers and underwear down, I need to examine you below and I thought well yeah okay because I was complaining of stomach pains and pain in my groin so I thought this is all normal, it is just routine." He continued to visit Ryan during the following three nights, inappropriately touching him on each occasion. Four months later, in February 2011, Ryan was again severely anaemic and went to the Emergency Dept at Naas Hospital. This time Dr Rathnam was not part of the medical team assigned to care for Ryan. Despite this, Ryan says Dr Rathnam visited him at night a further two times assaulting him on each occasion. Documents seen by RTE Investigates also show that on several nights when Ryan says he was assaulted, Dr Rathnam was not scheduled to be working. 'Ryan found the courage to tell his mother what had happened, and she persuaded him to report his concerns. 'Ryan' said: "I spoke to one of the nurses in the ward and I said to her is there any reason why I should be having examinations below? And she said no why, and I said a doctor has been coming around during the night and performing these checks on me and she just said Ill be right back and the next thing the Head of Nursing was there. They asked me for a description, and I began to give a description and they finished my description and it shocked me because they were so accurate and straight away me and my mam looked at each other and we were like this has happened before." RTE Investigates can reveal Ryans complaint was not the first allegation made against Dr Rathnam. The nurses were able to recognise Ryans description because just three days earlier they had heard something similar. Sources have confirmed to RTE Investigates that at least one other male, a minor, alleged Dr Rathnam had also inappropriately touched him while at Naas Hospital. In a statement Naas General Hospital said: On the day the first complaint was received [28th February 2011], the Hospital convened a serious incident review meeting and "decided to suspend the doctor from duty with immediate effect pending the outcome of a Trust in Care process The doctor has never returned to work since his suspension The Hospital notified the allegations to the Irish Medical Council, HSE Child Protection Services and An Garda Siochana in April 2011. This was more than a month after it received the first complaint. But before Gardai questioned Dr Rathnam, he left Ireland. However, Ryan was not told by Naas Hospital or the Gardai that Dr Rathnam had left the country. 'Ryan': "For a whole year I lived in fear of what if I bump into him in the supermarket, what if I see him in the street" Naas General Hospital told RTE Investigates: The lack of ongoing communication and follow up is not in line with the standard of practice nowadays we acknowledge this was not adequate [and] The Hospital would like to sincerely apologise to those involved Last year RTE Investigates revealed three separate investigations were underway into a series of complaints of suspected sexual abuse of unconscious patients by another doctor at Naas General Hospital. The investigations by the HSE, the Irish Medical Council and An Garda Siochana related to the alleged conduct of Dr Aamir Zuberi, an anaesthetist who formerly worked at the hospital. The allegations related to four patients with each of the suspected incidents alleged to have occurred during 2016 and 2017 just a year after Dr Pathmadevan Rathnam was struck off the medical register in relation to complaints of alleged sexual assault. Over 11 years after his sexual assaults by Dr Rathnam, Ryan is still looking for answers. Having thought he was starting to come to terms with what happened, Ryan says learning of the Dr Aamir Zuberi story has brought everything back. 'Ryan' said: "For many, many years Ive suffered extreme depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, it affects your sexual life, it affects your everyday life, but I knew I had to get to the end because I knew that was the only way I could feel any relief from this and I did until it all happened again to someone else and now I feel like it is me all over again". RTE Investigates Abuse of Trust is broadcast on Prime Time tonight at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player. A woman who was denied a protection order from Naas District Court on Thursday, May 12, has claimed that she was raped by her partner. The allegations were made by the woman when she appeared at the courthouse on Thursday, May 19. On the first date, Judge Desmond Zaidan instead opted to appoint a solicitor for the woman to help her explore other legal avenues. It was heard that the womans solicitor advised her to go to the gardai if anything happened to her. The following week, she told Judge Desmond Zaidan that her partner had raped her twice since she last appeared to the court, and was now seeking an interim protection order against him. She added that she has since made a formal statement to gardai regarding the alleged incident. Describing the alleged incident, she claimed that her partner told her that they 'couldnt stay together without sex.' Becoming emotional, she repeatedly told him that she did not consent to having sexual intercourse with him, but he ignored her and raped her twice. She added that while he has temporarily left the home, he warned that he would return soon. Judge Zaidan agreed to grant the order for the woman. He also directed gardai to provide her with a 24 hour service phone number in the event of an emergency. A victim of a former Naas General Hospital (NGH) doctor, who has been accused of making inappropriate advances on patients, has claimed that he was repeatedly molested during examination. It follows after a Prime Time investigation, which aired back in November last year, detailed alleged sexual abuse from one Dr Aamir Zuberi at NGH, who has since returned to his native Pakistan. Dr Pathmadevan Rathnam, who graduated from medical school in 2008, is the subject of another RTE Prime Time Investigates programme this evening, concerning a case of sexual assault on a young patient, given the pseudonym Ryan by the broadcaster. Speaking to the Leinster Leader, Ryan claimed that Dr Rathnam repeatedly molested him during inappropriate examinations on dates in 2010 and 2011. The alleged abuse first happened when Ryan, then 20, was first admitted to NGH for a number of days in October 2010, and continued when he was admitted again for a number of days between February and March 2011. Ryan alleges that Dr Rathnam did not speak to him or seek his consent during any of the examinations, which is a contradiction of section 15.2 of the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners. This section states that, where an intimate examination is necessary, you should explain to the patient why it is needed and what it will entail. It also states a patient can have a chaperone present if they wish during the procedure, but Ryan claimed that Dr Rathnam did not mention this part to him either. Ryan also said that Dr Rathnam often had no name badge on him and no chart with him during these alleged incidents, and that two of the incidents occurred after lights-out time. During one of the alleged incidents, Ryan claimed that when he tried to talk to Dr Rathnam about another medical issue of his, Dr Rathnam screwed up his nose in disgust and left; he never pulled my trousers or boxers up, or indicated that the exam was over. He added that he knew the examinations were inappropriate, as when another doctor examined his private regions, they did so in a normal, above-board manner. When Ryan disclosed the alleged abuse to a social worker and a patient services manager at NGH, he was disappointed with their response: When I spoke with them and told them what happened, I felt like they were not surprised by what I was saying. It was almost as if they knew who I was talking about, despite the fact that I did not know the doctor's name at this time. Ryan continued: (At the time) NGH assured me that they were always at the end of the phone any time I needed them. However, as soon as I was discharged, the doors were essentially locked behind me. Ryan later lodged a personal injuries claim against the doctor and Naas General Hospital. His solicitor informed him that Dr Rathnam had moved to his native Malaysia, not long after he came forward to both gardai and NGH with his story. The solicitor confirmed to the Leinster Leader that the case was officially settled in 2019, when legal fees were paid. In addition, he confirmed that Ryan received a sum of money from the HSE. Ryans solicitor said that he has suffered a most disabling psychiatric personal injury due to the alleged incidents, and added that while he has struggled with depression for most of his life, the trauma of the alleged abuse exacerbated his turmoil. Ryan explained: I lost my job as a result of the mental anguish: I lived in constant fear of running into Dr Rathnam when I worked in Naas. I fell into a deep depression, to the point where I was on three different anti-depressants, sleeping tablets and anxiety medication. I avoided all family occasions... I began to become reclusive, bitter and angry, and I found myself not wanting to live anymore. I found myself not wanting to live anymore, and in the end, it cost me my 13 year relationship with my partner, and a vast number of years that I will never get back. In addition, Ryan detailed one experience where he was admitted to Waterford General Hospital for a collapsed lung, but was so on-edge from his time at NGH that he discharged himself: even when told he was at risk of dying from his injury. Ryan has criticised the garda handling of his case. To this day, the investigation is still ongoing, despite the fact that he is in Malaysia and cannot be extradited. The Irish Medical Council confirmed that, following an enquiry into Dr Rathnam's alleged behaviour that took place in June of 2015, he was struck off as a medical practitioner, after being found guilty of professional misconduct. However, Ryan described Dr Rathnam's return to Malaysia as another failure of the system. Ryan concluded by saying that he hopes that by telling his story, it would encourage other people in similar circumstances to come forward and to not feel ashamed. If it helps just one person, it will be worth it to tell my story. This should not be happening in what should be a safe place; a place in which you place your trust and are at your most vulnerable... they need to be named and shamed. In a statement to RTE, Naas General Hospital said: On the day the first complaint was received [February 28, 2011], the Hospital convened a serious incident review meeting and "decided to suspend the doctor from duty with immediate effect pending the outcome of a Trust in Care process The doctor has never returned to work since his suspension The Hospital notified the allegations to the Irish Medical Council, HSE Child Protection Services and An Garda Siochana in April 2011. This was more than a month after it received the first complaint. Before Gardai questioned Dr Rathnam, he left Ireland. However, Ryan was not told by Naas Hospital or the Gardai that Dr Rathnam had left the country, and said that for a year he lived in fear of bumping into him in the supermarket or on a street." Naas General Hospital told RTE Investigates: The lack of ongoing communication and follow up is not in line with the standard of practice nowadays we acknowledge this was not adequate [and] The Hospital would like to sincerely apologise to those involved Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and Organisations of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Omar Ketti, has stressed the need to establish a comprehensive national plan for reintegration, demobilisation of combatants and weapons collection US President Joe Biden at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, May 23, 2022. NICOLAS DATICHE / AFP Joe Biden's first official visit to Asia as president has two objectives: showing the strength of relations between the United States and its allies in the region, as well as Washington's determination to stand up to Chinese ambitions, including military ones. It's from this perspective that remarks made by the American president in Tokyo on Monday, May 23, must be understood. Arriving in Japan on Sunday after a first stop in South Korea, Mr. Biden was asked about Taiwan during a press conference with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He expressed the US's willingness to defend the island in the event of Chinese aggression. That's the commitment we made," he said. In reaction, Chinese diplomatic spokesman Wang Wenbin said that "on issues concerning Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity and other core interests, China has no room for compromise or concession." His remarks were not a blunder or an excess of language, but rather a desire on the part of the administration to express its intentions more clearly, for two reasons. It's partly to do with China's unabashed and aggressive ambitions in the Indo-Pacific, behind the facade of its narrative on a multipolar world and the virtues of cooperation. On the other hand, there's the question of the US's capacity for dealing with several simultaneous crises, given its political and military investment in support of Ukraine against Russia. On this point, Joe Biden made a link between the crises, stressing the need for long and firm sanctions against Russia. Without these, he said, "what signal does that send to China about the cost of attempting to take Taiwan by force?" More on this topic Subscribers only United States-China: Lessons From the War in Ukraine 'Similar action' to Ukraine However, a White House adviser had to quickly clarify the president's remarks, providing assurance that this was not an abandonment of the strategic ambiguity practiced by the US in this matter. Washington, therefore, continues to position its arms deliveries to the island within the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. Identical choreography was seen in October 2021, when Joe Biden participated in a CNN public broadcast. Then too, he mentioned the "commitment" to defend Taiwan in case of Chinese aggression. The White House spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, had followed up with assurances that the American policy remained unchanged. President Biden himself reiterated in principle the traditional US line of accepting the idea of one, single China. But the idea of taking Taiwan by force "is just not appropriate," he said. "It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. And so, its a burden that is even stronger." He felt that China was already "flirting with danger" through military maneuvers in the vicinity of the island, which it considers to be merely an unruly province. You have 35.41% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. The Irish airline Ryanair has just suffered a new setback in the legal battle that has pitted it against French social protection agencies and trade unions for a decade. The Paris Court of Appeal has confirmed the sentence on the low-cost carrier for concealing the status of workers. The decision was handed down on May 13, but the parties only received a copy of the ruling a week later. The decision is severe, with the judges finding that the company "deliberately evaded French social legislation" through what it describes as a "fraud." The proceedings against Ryanair were started at the end of 2009, following a report from the Central Office for the Fight against Illegal Employment and complaints from several employee organizations and the Caisse de retraite du personnel navigant (aircrew retirement fund CRPN). The facts relate to the company's hub at Marseille-Marignane airport, which it opened without registering with the commercial register or declaring the 130 or so employees, who had Irish employment contracts and were covered by Irish social security, to URSSAF (a private French network responsible for collecting employer and employee social protection contributions). Ryanair had also failed to establish trade union representation for its employees in France. Ryanair justified these practices by arguing that its crews based in Marignane were working on aircraft registered in Ireland and that its head office was located there, so that the employees concerned were subject to Irish law. At the end of the investigations, the company was referred to the correctional court of Aix-en-Provence and ordered in October 2013 to pay some 8.67 million euros in damages. A little over 80% of this amount was awarded to URSSAF and CRPN, to compensate for the losses caused by the fact that the carrier had not paid its contributions in France, but in Ireland, where the level of deductions is lower. According to the judges, Ryanair "organized de facto social dumping" and "created a situation of unfair competition with respect to other airlines which complied with national legislation." More on this topic Subscribers only Low-cost airlines put the pandemic behind them, but staff unrest looms Regulations knowingly circumvented The sentence was upheld on appeal, but in 2018 the Cour de Cassation (the highest French appeals court, which only rules on points of law) partly struck down the penalty imposed on Ryanair and requested that the case be retried, in the light of decisions a few months earlier by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). This is how the case ended up before the Paris Court of Appeal. You have 57.14% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. A GALWAY man who was caught driving at 156km/h while overtaking cars on a busy Limerick road is sailing close to the wind, his solicitor has said. Brian Mannion, aged 30, of Drumscar, Ballyshrule, Portumna, Galway pleaded guilty, at Newcastle West Court, to driving without reasonable consideration. Sergeant Noel Barry said Mr Mannion was detected driving at that speed in a 100km zone on the N20 at Ballybronogue South, Patrickswell on August 29, 2021. He was overtaking cars at the time. When gardai spoke to him he was unable to give a valid reason for speeding, said Sgt Barry, who added that Mr Mannion has one previous conviction for drink driving. Enda OConnor, solicitor for the defendant, said the detection was made near where the M20 motorway ends and funnels into Adare. He momentarily accelerated to overtake traffic before it goes to a single lane. He accepts the speed was extremely high. The weather conditions were good and there was no accident," he said. Mr O'Connor added that his client, a 30-year-old engineer, had pleaded at the first opportunity. "He does have a previous conviction. He is sailing close to the wind." Judge Carol Anne Coolican said Mr Mannion was fortunate he was not facing a more serious charge. The judge referred to the good weather conditions and the fact there was no accident before fining Mr Mannion 300. GARDAI are appealing for information after two women were robbed on a busy Limerick street in broad daylight. The shocking incident happened at New Street, close to the city centre, shortly after 7pm, last Friday. "Both were walking in the direction of Punchs Cross at 7.10pm when a blue Toyota corolla pulled up beside them. The passenger jumped out and threatened both females with a small silver knife that was approximately 7cm long," said Garda John Finnerty. "The thief attempted to cut the strap of the handbag from the first female. This female then relented and handed over her handbag to the thief. The thief then attempted to take another handbag from the second female by force. She refused to hand over her handbag," he added. As the woman resisted, the culprit fell to the ground - at which point a passerby intervened after he was alerted to the incident. The man managed to retrieved the first woman's handbag and the thief left empty handed. According to gardai, the culprit managed to get back into the car which then drove off. He is described as being approximately 5ft 5 inches in height and he was wearing a grey 11degrees puff jacket with the hood up. "The only description that we have of the second male is that he had a spider web tattoo on his right elbow," said Garda Finnerty who added that neither of the women were physically injured. Gardai at Roxboro Road are investigating. A VICTIM impact statement has been sought from a woman who was attacked by a loose dog in County Limerick last year. Patrick Aherne, aged 28, of Stoney Nook, Ballyann, Askeaton was prosecuted before Newcastle West Court for having an uncontrolled dog at at Newbridge, Askeaton on January 18, 2021. The court heard there was no collar on the dog, no chain or leash and the canine was not muzzled - all offences under the Control of Dogs Act. At 1.50pm on the day the injured party was out walking the family pet. A staffordshire bull terrier was roaming the area. He attacked the dog and the woman. She suffered injuries to her right and left arm, said Sergeant Noel Barry. The court heard there was 182 in veterinary bills in relation to the injuries sustained by the family's pet. Sgt Barry said Mr Aherne, who was not present in court for the hearing, has no previous convictions. Having noted the facts, Judge Carol Anne Coolican adjourned the case until July to allow time for gardai to canvass a victim impact statement from the woman. A medical report outlining the seriousness and nature of the injuries she sustained was also requested. COLAISTE Mhichil CBS, Sexton Street has students from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Prior to Covid, they hosted an international day every year and now it is back on the calendar. The city school has students from 43 countries. This year's event saw students from each country host a stand, make posters, play music, wear national dress, prepare and cook national dishes for all to taste. Previous chief organiser and now retired teacher Gina OKeeffe was invited back to be part of the judging panel, along with Elizabeth Quinn, previous deputy principal. And the winner was Afghanistan. Denis OConnor, principal, said international day is a fantastic event and is delighted to see it back. As a school community, it gives us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the heritage of our student body. A massive effort is put in by staff, students and their parents to make this celebration possible, and I would like to thank them for all their significant efforts. Its a proud moment for everybody and a very positive experience, said Mr OConnor. Event co-ordinator Henry Long said it has become their most important celebration of diversity. This would not be possible without the outstanding commitment and dedication shown by our staff, students, and the parents who provide and cook most of the national dishes on display. It's the one day of the year when no one brings lunch! he said. THE Bishop of Limerick has praised the contribution of the Mercy Sisters in Moyross over the past four decades. Brendan Leahy was speaking following a special celebration at Corpus Christi Church mark the conclusion of their work in the estate on the northside of Limerick city. They offered a listening ear and a supportive presence. In the words of Catherine McAuley, people received from the Sisters, a kind word, a gentle, compassionate look, and a patient hearing of sorrows. People knew they could turn to them for prayers in their times of need as they knew they were women of prayer, he said. On May 28, 1977 - 45 years ago this week - the first four Sisters moved into Cosgrave Park, Moyross while 17 Sisters have lived and ministered in the parish since. Two of the initial group, Sisters. Lilian O Kelly and Frances Minahan, were present at the weekend celebration, which include a tree-planting ceremony. In October 2020, the last of the Sisters, Anne McCarthy, moved out of her home in Cosgrave Park but has continued to maintain a significant presence in the parish, attending daily Mass, followed by a cup of tea and a chat, Bishop Leahy said. Addressing the celebration, Sr Frances Minahan, one of the original sisters to move into the parish, said Moyross would always have a special place in their hearts. We are here today with grateful hearts for all that has brought us to this day. On behalf of all of us Sisters of Mercy who lived here at various times during the past 45 years, thank you to the people of Moyross. Thank you for making such a difference in our lives, for friendships formed and for all the valuable learnings about what matters most in life. Sr Frances said that these learnings included the importance of really listening to each other, planning together and being surprised by the outcome, having that sense of belonging and being a neighbour. These are precious learnings that have to be experienced and there isnt any book that can give them. On behalf of all of us, I just want to thank everyone for your kindness. Special thanks to everyone involved today and all the days that have led to this celebration. Moyross will always have a very special place in our hearts. Following their arrival in 1977, the Sisters were joined by the Sisters of the Assumption, the Christian Brothers, the Sacred Heart Sisters and the Friars of the Renewal. Over the years, the Congregations, Bishop Leahy noted, worked together with the priests and local leaders in the parish supporting the development of many services to build up peoples lives in a vibrant Corpus Christi parish. The Mercy Sisters, Bishop Leahy continued, contributed enormously to building up this community of Moyross with its many talents in good times and in difficult times. From the outset, the Sisters, in keeping with their tradition, went about the parish working in collaboration with the local leaders responding to various needs in the locality. They got involved with local groups where they reached out to people who needed support in life, he said. The Sisters were part of many programmes for young people supporting them outside of the traditional educational structures. Some sisters taught in the primary school and in collaboration with lay staff; they ensured that an early start would stand to the children in later life. A range of support services developed over time, such as home-work clubs, FAS schemes, cookery classes and budgeting skills and a club for older people. They were involved in the Youth and Family support project in The Bungalows for many years, reaching so many young people and parents over three generations in Youth clubs in Corpus Christi School and subsequently in the Community Centre when it was built. LIMERICK City and County Council says nearly 800 Ukrainian nationals are now living in temporary accommodation across Limerick having arrived here since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February. At their May meeting, members of the local authority received an update on the response locally to the influx of refugees from Ukraine. A Ukrainian Community Response Forum, made up of all stakeholders, has been meeting weekly since mid-March to co-ordinate the activities of statutory agencies and voluntary groups and organisations. Seamus O'Connor, chief officer with the Limerick Local Community Development Committee, said the council aware of 759 Ukrainian nationals who have travelled to Limerick over the last number of months. Of those receiving assistance from the State, 472 are currently living in hotel accommodation while 35 people are living in B&Bs or other tourist accommodation in Kildimo and Kilfinane. Mr O'Connor said a further 217 Ukrainian nationals are living in Collective Accommodation Centres in Ardagh, Castleconnell, Foynes and Pallaskenry. The meeting was told the designated rest centre for Limerick is located at the former St Lelia's school in Kileely and that 35 Ukrainians are currently being housed there. The figures circulated on Monday do not include Ukrainian nationals who have sourced accommodation privately or who are staying with friends or family. The meeting was told those arriving in Limerick from Ukraine are not being placed in social housing units and that the council is in constant contact with the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), which is the lead agency nationally. Council CEO Dr Pat Daly, who chairs the Ukrainian Community Response Forum, told councillors it is the only forum in the country to have created a dedicated WhatsApp group and that it has been a big success. "Everyone has their mobile number on there and it pings morning, noon and night and it gets real-time answers to real-time problems and that has been spectacular," he explained. Mr Daly thanked the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler, and all of the other members of the Forum for their support since it was established. Sonja Reidy, Ukrainian Response Accommodation Lead, said efforts are continuing to identify suitable buildings such as former convents, schools or retreats which could be used to house more Ukrainians, if required. She added that 46 serviced sites have been identified across Limerick which have the potential to accommodate modular units while a number of former pubs and hotels have also been identified for use - subject to activation funding being allocated. Several councillors suggested vacant buildings in their own areas and Ms Reidy said she would engage with them over the coming weeks and months. The Charities Regulator is reminding the public and registered charities across Ireland to consider carefully how they support the people of Ukraine, to ensure the significant funds and volunteering efforts being donated achieve their intended purpose. Registered charities, in particular, are being urged to plan fully before undertaking any initiatives. Helen Martin, Chief Executive, Charities Regulator says: Charities have a serious and significant duty of care. They must have all required safety and safeguarding procedures in place, along with the necessary resources and capacity. The Charities Regulator Chief Executive adds: People across the country continue to be moved by the plight of the people of Ukraine and understandably want to help in whatever way they can. Donating time or money to an established registered charity is a much more effective way of assisting people at a time of crisis than seeking to set up a charity from scratch. We urge the public to support registered charities with a track record of providing the kinds of practical supports and assistance that the Ukrainian people need at this time. They can check simply and quickly whether a specific charity is on the Register of Charities at Charitiesregulator.ie. Ms Martin also reminds registered charities that they must think and plan carefully before they undertake any new initiatives including those relating to the conflict in Ukraine. Any new activities must align with the charitys stated charitable purpose and should be well thought through so that charity assets and volunteer efforts are targeted properly and effectively. Where a charity is considering providing aid directly to Ukraine or neighbouring countries, for example, they should link in first with other registered charities already on the ground. Additionally they should check with the relevant government departments/agencies prior to undertaking any action so they fully understand all the procedures that the charity must follow. Risk assessments are another fundamental step in the planning process, to ensure the safety and welfare of the charitys personnel and volunteers, as well as the Ukrainian people they are seeking to help, she said. Ms Martin said that anyone who has a concern that an organisation or group may be in breach of charity law, can raise their concern with the Charities Regulator, or with other relevant bodies where there may be potential breaches of other legislation. The Charities Regulator does not regulate the specific services offered by registered charities, which are often regulated by other State agencies. However, any failure by a registered charity to adhere to the required standards of governance with regard to how the charity is run does fall within our remit. Where standards fall below what is expected, we will follow up with the charity concerned and, where necessary, will take appropriate regulatory steps to resolve any issues that have arisen. Good governance in a crisis is vital. Charities depend significantly on their relationship with the public who support their work, and trust is the key to that relationship. The Charities Governance Code, which is available on our website, is there to assist registered charities to ensure that all governance requirements are met. As always, we would urge charity trustees, who are the people responsible for the operation and administration of charities in Ireland, to carefully assess any proposed activities against the principles and standards set out in the Code, she said. Senior US Democrat Richard Neal said the issue over the Northern Ireland Protocol seems to be manufactured and that there is a vagueness from the UK over why legislation is being introduced to unilaterally override parts of it. Mr Neal is leading a bipartisan US delegation made up of four Democrats and four Republicans that has met with political leaders in Belgium, the UK and Ireland in recent days. As part of the diplomatic trip, the delegation is visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland this week amid tensions caused by the post-Brexit trading arrangements, and the UK Governments threat to introduce legislation that would unilaterally override parts of the protocol. We began in Brussels with purpose and moved to London, Mr Neal told reporters in Dublin today (Tuesday May 24). So, we quickly heard divergent views, but we, as always, are going to meet with everybody who has an interest here. But the protocol dispute seems to me to be a manufactured issue. I have on this delegation people who are experts at trade and they also would confirm that they think these issues on the trade front, if thats really the dispute, could be ironed out quickly. So, what weve heard so far, clearly from (the) European Union, is they want to find a solution. What weve heard from the Minister (Simon Coveney), the Taoiseach and the President, they want to find a solution. We, the congressional delegation, want to find a solution. So, I think now its up to London to help us all find a solution. Of the groups meeting with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss at the weekend, when asked what concerns the UK Government has with the protocol that would require legislation to change unilaterally, Mr Neal said: Safe to say there was a certain vagueness in the conversation. When asked about unionists concerns about the protocol, Mr Neal said: I keep hearing this number that 80% of the people in the North would like to see changes in the protocol. You could say that about any piece of legislation Ive ever had my hands on in my life. However, the more salient point is the unyielding one and that suggests the following: 7% of the people in the North cast a vote two weeks ago based on the protocol. Irelands Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the EU, and the vice-president of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic, are willing to give in on the biggest ask from the unionist community. The biggest ask of me and of vice-president Sefcovic from the unionist community in Northern Ireland is that they want a distinction to be made on goods that are being traded from Great Britain into Northern Ireland if those goods are staying in Northern Ireland. And vice-president Sefcovic wants to address that issue and can remove the vast majority of checks on goods that we can show are staying in Northern Ireland through better labelling, through sharing of supply-chain information between the British Government and the EU. But we need a partner to do that. Created to avoid the return of checkpoints along the Irish border, after years of negotiation it was agreed that new Brexit regulatory and customs processes would be placed along the Irish Sea. Both London and Brussels agreed to this as part of the final Brexit negotiations. Since its implementation in early 2021, the EU and UK agree that the protocol does not work as smoothly as it should, and both sides have engaged in further negotiations. Most of the trade issues relate to additional checks and costs on goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, leading unionists to argue that it weakens Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom. Mr Coveney said the visit by the US delegation is a reminder of how important the Northern Ireland peace process is to US politicians. This is a very high-powered group of Congressmen from the United States. This is a very serious engagement on the detail of the issues that were grappling with at the moment. But its also a reminder of just how important the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement on this island is to many people in Washington, and in many ways they see ourselves as guarantors of that process in times of difficulty and tension, which is what were going through right now. Mr Neal is due to address Seanad Eireann this afternoon (Tuesday May 24). The US delegation is due to travel to Belfast on Wednesday morning. The All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) has called for a Bharat Bandh on 25 May. The federation is demanding the action in protest against the central government not conducting a caste-based census for the Other Backward Classes (OBC). In addition to this, they are also protesting against the use of EVMs during elections and the issue of reservations for the SC/ST/OBC in private sectors. The bandh has attracted support from Waman Meshram, the National convener of Bahujan Kranti Morcha, along with the National Parivartan Morcha, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Bahujan Kranti Morcha and all its affiliated organisations. The demands of the protesters include: No use of EVMs in elections. Caste-based census. SC/ST/OBC reservations in the private sector. Guaranteed MSP for farmers. No implementation of NRC/CAA/NPR. Resumption of the old pension scheme. Separate electorates in OBC reservation in Panchayat elections in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. No displacement of tribal people under the garb of environmental protection. Making vaccination optional. Protection against labour laws that were secretly made against workers during the Covid-19 lockdown. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today flaged off 150 electric buses. Please take care of them, don't make them dirty," PTI quoted CM Arvind Kejriwal. We launched 150 buses today, 150 more would be added next month. We aim to launch over 2000 such buses within a year. Over the next 10 years, 1862 crore is being spent by Delhi govt, Centre is giving 150 crores for this," said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi: Free e-bus ride for 3 days starting today The people of Delhi will be able to travel free of cost for three days -- from May 24 to May 26 -- in the electric buses plying on the roads of Delhi. 150 New AC Electric Buses starts plying on the roads of Delhi | CM @ArvindKejriwal | Shri @kgahlot | LIVE https://t.co/4UfsoQuJXb AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 24, 2022 The transport department in an official communication on Monday said, "All the officers and the operational crew of DTC may be informed accordingly and not to insist commuters for purchase of tickets, during the aforesaid period of 03 days in all pure electric buses of DTC." Delhi electric buses routes The major routes on which these buses will run include Route No. 502 between Mori Gate and Mehrauli Terminal and the IP Depot -Connaught Place - Safdarjung - South Extension -Ashram - Jangpura -India Gate route. The government also urged people to ride its e-buses, take a selfie, post it with the hashtag #IrideEbus on their Instagram, Twitter and Facebook handles. The top three entries will have a chance to win an iPad. These buses emit zero smoke, have CCTV cameras, GPS, 10 panic buttons, ramps for differently abled, etc. Click here to read the full article. As expected, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will return to the road in early 2023, launching a series of to-be-announced U.S. arena dates in February, followed by European stadium shows kicking off on April 28 in Barcelona, with a second North American tour leg starting in August. Said Springsteen: After six years, Im looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year. And Im looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year and beyond. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Announce 2023 International Tour! More info on tickets at https://t.co/YahXTJXE7l pic.twitter.com/wUax9aiZ8V Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) May 24, 2022 The planned European stops are Barcelona, Dublin, Paris, Ferrara, Rome, Amsterdam, Landgraaf, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Vienna, Munich and Monza. Additional cities and shows in the U.K. and Belgium will be announced at a later date. The 2023 dates will mark the first live shows for Springsteen and the E Street Band since the conclusion of their 14-month, worldwide The River tour in Australia in February of 2017. The group last played publicly on Saturday Night Live in December of 2020, where they performed two songs from their most recent studio album, Letter to You. Last year, Springsteen, who will be 73 when the tour launches, released the groups The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts film, collaborated with President Barack Obama on the book Renegades: Born in the USA and reprised his Springsteen on Broadway show to help reopen New York Citys theaters last summer. The E Street Bands members are: Roy Bittan piano, synthesizer; Nils Lofgren guitar, vocals; Patti Scialfa guitar, vocals; Garry Tallent bass guitar; Stevie Van Zandt guitar, vocals; and Max Weinberg drums; with Soozie Tyrell violin, guitar, vocals; Jake Clemons saxophone; and Charlie Giordano keyboards. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Miami-based sales and distribution company FiGa Films has snagged world sales rights to Bolivian filmmaker Martin Boulocqs fourth pic, The Visitor. Described as a somber meditation on family relations, class, and the increasing power of evangelism in Latin America, The Visitor world premieres in June at the 2022 Tribeca Festival where it competes in the festivals international narrative section. One of the prominent talents in Bolivias burgeoning filmmaking industry, Martin Boulocq is best known for his feature debut The Most Beautiful and My Best Years, hailed by Bolivian critics as one of the twelve most notable films in Bolivian film history. Set in the city of Cochabamba in central Bolivia, The Visitor follows Humberto (newcomer Enrique Araoz), an ex-convict who earns a decent living by singing at wakes. Hes anxious to repair his relationship with his estranged daughter but his in-laws, powerful Evangelical pastors, refuse to give up custody of their sole granddaughter. He is forced to face his own demons as he struggles against a powerful institution to which he once belonged. The trailer, bowing exclusively in Variety, opens at a wake where Humbertos plaintive baritone plays against a series of images that hint at the family drama that unfolds. In his directors statement, Boulocq explained: A common thread through my previous films is an exploration of filial and parental relationships through characters that face adverse situations such as abandonment, forced exile or family exclusion. This has been an endeavor built from my long-standing interests in understanding how social conditions affect emotional bonds. New deal marks the third time that FiGa Films takes on the sales rights to a Boulocq film, after The Parents (Los Viejos) in 2011 and Eugenia in 2017. Such a pleasure to be collaborating with Martin and Andrea [Camponovo] for the third time. We are floored by their new film and cant wait to share it at Tribeca; Bolivian cinema is finally getting the recognition it deserves, said Sandro Fiorin, CEO of FiGa Films, who negotiated the deal with Camponovo. The drama is produced by Camponovo, Alvaro Olmos, Argentinas Hernan Musaluppi, Santiago Lopez, and Diego Robino and lensed by cinematographer German Nocella (The Sharks). Tribeca runs June 8-19. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. There are no more potential-killing words of creative advice than write what you know. Certainly its a shame that when donning her screenwriter chapeau, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi a fine actress and a director with a deft, light touch, especially with breezy character comedy seems to have taken them so to heart. Once again she goes back to the autobiographical well for her latest directorial trifle, Forever Young, which she co-writes alongside Agnes De Sacy and regular collaborator Noemie Lvovsky. Once again the result is set in a rarefied world of which Bruni Tedeschi has intimate knowledge: this time the 1980s acting school run by the late French theater, opera and film director Patrice Chereau. And once again she fails to make much of a case for why any of it should resonate with anyone outside this tiny, hermetically enclosed community. Staying in your lane is hardly a virtue when your lane is more of a gated gravel driveway leading to a faraway secluded villa, possibly surrounded by a moat. The film opens in the tousled, flushed, keyed-up register in which it will continue for more than two long hours, abetted by Julien Poupards pretty but soapily saturated, insistently close-up camerawork. Bruni Tedeschis presumed avatar Stella (Nadia Tereszkiewicz, limpid of eye, luscious of pout) is writhing around on the floor in the throes of simulated passion. She is auditioning for a coveted spot in Chereaus Theatre des Amandiers, though the volatile director, here played by the volatile Louis Garrel, is not present. Instead Stella is ripping her figurative heart and literal breasts out in front of a largely stonefaced panel led by Chereaus right-hand-man Pierre Romans (Micha Lescot). Convinced the audition was, in more ways than one, a bust, Stella barrels into the bathroom as tears begin to carve mascara channels down her cheeks, and meets fellow applicant Adele (a welcome but underused Clara Bretheau), an earthy redhead with Natasha Lyonne hair and no underwear. They bond instantly, and so it is with much rejoicing and youthful exuberance so very, very much youthful exuberance they greet the news that both have been selected. Among the others joining this little thespian elite are: pregnant but determined Camille (Alexia Chardard); Franck (Noham Edje), whos expecting a child with his young wife, though that doesnt stop him sleeping around; Juliette (Liv Henneguier), who develops an unhealthy fixation on Pierre; and moody, broody Etienne (Sofiane Bennacer), a drug addicted Brando-alike from a troubled background. (He even gets to holler Stella! at one point.) Etienne threatens to throw himself off a balcony if Stella does not sleep with him. She does. They get involved with each other, which is no mean feat for people as self-involved as they. There are genuinely dramatic interludes here that could have contributed to a much better film. An AIDS scare rips through the class, who have all been youthfully, exuberantly sleeping with one another. Pierre is introduced to heroin by Etienne; Chereau is shown snorting fat lines of cocaine. Suzanne Lindon plays one of the years rejects, whose wheedling, obsessive background presence when she takes a job in the schools cafe just to be near the action is a squandered opportunity for actual conflict. Most strangely of all, for a film that states and restates the bone-deep vocational importance of the acting process, there is little real sense of the euphoria of performance, or the irresistible lure that the stage exerts on these kids. Even the potential to have the play-within-the-film (here Chekhovs little-known Platanov) somehow comment on the characters lives, as in last years Drive My Car, goes largely unmined. Instead, especially in the final stretch, as Etienne slides deeper into addiction and Stella becomes more anxious for him and fearful of his jealousy, the film starts most to resemble another 80s-set work of fictionalized autobiography by a female filmmaker examining her own creative coming of age: Joanna Hoggs The Souvenir. Its a comparison that does Bruni Tedeschis movie no favors, especially in one key regard. Where Hogg gives a clear-eyed, sometimes painfully self-critical perspective on her background of privilege and comfort, Forever Young seems to exist partially to remind us that enjoying elite social status is nobodys fault, as if wealth is a helpless condition that its futile, and rather gauche, to mention. In marked contrast to hard-up classmates dependent on the schools sponsorship, Stella lives in a large house and is waited on by a butler. But when Etienne makes a glancing allusion to her familys money, she immediately looks stricken. Why would you ask me a thing like that? she reproaches. The exchange is proffered as an example of Etiennes cruelty toward her, and the issue is simply dropped. Suppressing a smirk as Stella rips open her blouse at that first audition, Pierre asks her, Do you think an actress has to be an exhibitionist? A trembling, teary silence ensues. But while getting physically naked is obviously not a prerequisite for becoming a great actress, the ability to metaphorically bare yourself (and subsequently bear yourself) is maybe the key requirement for anyone wishing to create profound art from lived experience. Here, just as Bruni Tedeschis last Cannes competition title, A Castle in Italy, pivoted on the highly relatable plight of being forced to sell the family Bruegel, there is a strange, self-pitying myopia around the wealth and privilege to which Stella has access, as though she is to be excused any interrogation of those advantages because of how well-meaning and guileless she is. Long before the end of this indulgent, histrionic personal history, weve lost patience with this exposed-nerve character, for whom every feeling is deeper, rawer and more passionate than normal except the feeling that she might ever be in the wrong. Reviewed in Cannes Film Festival (Competition), May 17, 2022. Running time: 126 MIN. (Original Title: Les Amandiers) Running Time: Running Time: 126 MIN. Production (France) An Ad Vitam, Agat Films production, in co-production with Bibi Film, Arte France Cinema, in association with Canal+, Cine+, Arte, Sofitvcine 9, Cineaxe 3, Indefilms 10, Cinemage 16, La Banque Postale Image 15, Rai Cinema, Lucky Red. (World sales: Charades, Paris.) Producers: Alexandra Henochsberg, Patrick Sobelman. Co-producer: Angelo Barbagallo. Crew Director: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. Screenplay: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Noemie Lvovsky, Agnes De Sacy. Camera: Julien Poupard. Editor: Anne Weil. With Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Sofiane Bennacer, Louis Garrel, Micha Lescot, Clara Bretheau, Alexia Chardard, Noham Edje, Liv Henneguier. (French dialogue) Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Paris-based Les Films DIci (Waltz with Bashir) has boarded Chilean doc El Porvenir de la Mirada, produced by Santiago-based Storyboard Media and associate produced by Academy Award winner Sebastian Lelio (A Fantastic Woman). The feature-length doc chronicles the trauma of young protesters shot in the eyes by Chilean riot police during the massive demonstrations that roiled Chile in October 2019. Said producer Charlotte Uzu of Les Films Dici: Its an important film that will portray peoples brave and necessary fight against the blindness of conscience. Were delighted at how our project has been received at Cannes Marche du Film and even more so now that we can count on the vast experience of the prestigious Les Films DIci as our producing partner, said Storyboard Medias Carlos Nunez, who founded the production company with Gabriela Sandoval. Were certain that their participation will give the project a global dimension, he added. El Porvenir de la Mirada (roughly translated to The Gaze of the Future) is written and directed by Cristian Leighton who began filming at the Ocular Trauma Unit of the Hospital del Salvador as hundreds of protestors were brought in, shot in the eyes with rubber bullets and pellets by Chiles security forces. In all, more than 400 protestors suffered eye injuries or were blinded permanently, marking the worse collective case of eye injuries in international medical history. The injured protestors share their devastating experience, including their post-traumatic recovery process, and serve as evidence on how the State of Chile violated human rights in a systematic way. The civil demonstrations, initially sparked by the rise of subway fares in the capital of Santiago, quickly grew to encompass a variety of grievances, including the rising cost of living, privatization and rampant inequality across the country. Doc participated in the Co-Production Forum of the 2021 San Sebastian Film Festival and now the Producers Network in the Marche Du Film. Les Films DIci also co-produces Directors Fortnight title Pamfir, a Ukrainian drama from Polands Madants and Chiles Quijote Films. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Indian documentary From the Shadows, by Miriam Chandy Menacherry (Lyari Notes), has been selected for the Breaking Through the Lens initiative at the Cannes Film Market. The initiative connects female and non-binary directors to finance at top-tier film markets. In the documentary, artist Leena Kejriwal relentlessly sprays silhouettes on public walls tagged #missing, activist Hasina Kharbhih accompanies girls rescued from child sex trafficking across international borders, and survivor Samina fights a long and arduous legal battle against her traffickers. Parallel narratives intersect to reveal a sliver of hope when women challenge a powerful trafficking nexus operating in a country where every eight minutes a child goes missing. Menacherry and her co-producer Aliya Furniturewala began the journey six years ago. From the Shadows is different from films on trafficking because it shuns sensationalism for a quiet dignified approach. After most of the filming, Samina realized she still did not have a court verdict. She told me she would like her face to be concealed until she gets the judgment. I had to grapple with her wanting to share her story and yet her face that reflects every emotion and nuance to be hidden, says Menacherry. As a woman I understood her but as a filmmaker I went into the edit room with much conflict. This is not the film I had shot but one I would have to discover how to craft respecting the wishes of a survivor. This was my moment of realizing how life resembles art and art resembles life, much like the silent brooding shadow whose story one must dig deep to discover. Saminas vulnerable face is edited out, sticking to only the long shots over which her voice spills, Menacherry adds. Furniturewala says: In a society where women need constant approval for acceptance, there appears a girl brave enough to speak up and challenge the very thread of our existence. And why should her voice not be heard? Daphne Schmon of Breaking Through the Lens adds: Our team is greatly inspired by the six-year journey the filmmakers have been on with this film, and the powerful yet delicate way in which they tell the story. Huge congratulations for what theyve accomplished. From the Shadows is bound for the festival circuit once it completes post production. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to the riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs and linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing the accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has increased attention on how oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. But the oligarchs are not naive, Browder told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Theyve hired the best lawyers, best asset protection specialists, and there are shell companies and trust companies and offshore companies and nominees and proxies and the whole thing is extremely well thought-through. The founder of Hermitage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser, Sergei Magnitsky, died in a Russian prison in 2009. He has become arguably one of the worlds biggest critics of Putin ever since. Speaking to the AP in Davos, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda a sharp critic of Moscows campaign in Ukraine acknowledged its not easy to follow the dark and dirty money of Russian oligarchs. But we have to do this: To investigate and of course to freeze the assets as much as possible, and then afterward to find a legal framework to use them for restructuring or recovery or just rebuilding of Ukraine after the war, he said. Nauseda also called for more action to exclude Russia from the SWIFT international banking payment system. We did some partial steps, but this is not sufficient enough, and we have to exclude or de-SWIFT more Russian banks. Then probably we could expect that Russian society will start to feel the pain, he said, alluding to reports of support in Russia for Putins war in Ukraine. Browder credited Biden administration efforts to put a squeeze on Putin and his government since the war began by putting a freeze on assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, were only scratching the surface, Browder said. Theres only 35 oligarchs out of 118 who are on the Forbes (richest people) list who have been sanctioned by either the U.S., EU, U.K., Canada or Australia. We need to get 118, he said. Browder says their money is held in top banks in places like London, New York and Zurich as well as in real estate, hedge funds and private equity funds:. Its right in front of our eyes and the amounts are unbelievably big," he said. I estimate that since Vladimir Putin took power, he and the 1,000 people around him have stolen $1 trillion from the Russian state. And that money is stored in our financial capitals. He acknowledged that what he sees as the solution is quite radical forcing "the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. In other words, put an amendment into all money laundering and all sanctions law to say that people who are involved in setting up structures for sanctioned individuals have to come forward with the information to the government or face a punishment of fines and imprisonment, Browder said. Jacques Attali, a former top French government official and past president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, expressed hesitation about Browders idea. To begin with, it must be said that a lawyer shouldnt do anything illegal and that would be enough, said Attali, an eminence grise at Davos. A lawyer is necessarily at the service of his or her client. You can strengthen legislation. You cant ask a lawyer to turn in his or her client, he said. Vitaly Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, supported the idea of further cracking down on Russian oligarchs' money, saying, I think we have to use every leverage to stop the aggression, and its not a secret that the Russians use the money for (Putins) army. Right now, sanctions work pretty well. Why? Because sanctions stop the financing of the Russian army, Klitschko said. Click here to read the full article. That 90s Show, the spinoff of That 70s Show at Netflix, is bringing back Tommy Chong as Leo. Chong made the announcement during an interview with The Dark Mark Show, saying They gave me a call and I did my partThey never gave me any instructions, so I dont know if Im supposed to be talking about it or not. I really dont give a s to tell you the truth. Ive got a big mouth. Thats what Im known forIm back as Leo. Chong is the latest original series cast member to return for the new show. It was previously announced that Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp would star in the new series as Red and Kitty Forman. Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Wilmer Valderrama are all set to make guest appearances. They will be joined by new cast members Ashley Aufderheide, Callie Haverda, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Acee Donovan, Reyn Doi, and Sam Morelos. Chong played Leo in 65 episodes of That 70s Show. Leo was a hippy and stoner who originally ran the Foto Hut where Hyde worked. It was revealed over the course of the series that Leo was a war hero who started smoking weed when he accepted a ride home from some musicians after leaving the Army. In the new show, its 1995 and Leia Forman (Haverda), daughter of Eric (Grace) and Donna (Prepon), is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where she bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitty and the stern glare of Red. The multi-cam comedy has received a 10-episode order at Netflix. Original series creators Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner and their daughter Lindsey Turner are onboard as writers and executive producers, with That 70s Show alum Gregg Mettler also writing in addition to serving as executive producer and showrunner. Smith and Rupp will executive produce in addition to starring. Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner of The Carsey-Werner Company, who executive produced the original show, will also executive produce the followup. That 70s Show debuted on Fox in 1998, running for eight seasons and 200 episodes. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Courtesy/U.S. Border Patrol A former U.S. Border Patrol agent has been sentenced to prison after he got paid to allow migrants through the Interstate 35 checkpoint, according to court documents. Rodney Tolson Jr., 36, had pleaded guilty on July 15. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana sentenced him to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. BANGKOK (AP) At least 16 people from Myanmars Rohingya minority have died after a storm capsized the boat they were traveling on to seek refuge in another country, officials and a recovery team member said Tuesday. There were 35 survivors of Saturday's accident that took place Saturday off Myanmars southwestern coast and four people were missing, the officials said. UNHCR, the U.N.s refugee agency, expressed shock and sadness about the accident in a statement and said at least 17 Rohingya, including children, had died. The boat left the western state of Rakhine last Thursday and encountered bad weather two days later off Ayeyarwaddy Region on Myanmars southwestern coast, causing it to capsize, the statement said. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority, have long been persecuted in Myanmar. More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled the country to neighboring Bangladesh since August 2017 to escape the brutal counterinsurgency campaign of Myanmars military following an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group in Rakhine State. Myanmars government has denied accusations that security forces committed mass rapes and killings and burned thousands of homes, but the U.S. government recently labeled actions by the country's military as genocide. There are more than 100,000 Rohingya left in Myanmar, confined in squalid displacement camps, along with those living in crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh. Groups of Rohingya from camps in both countries embark on hazardous voyages to the Muslim-majority countries of Malaysia and Indonesia to seek a better living. Some 630 Rohingya have attempted sea journeys across the Bay of Bengal from January to May 2022, the UNHCR statement said, with women and children making up 60% of those trying to flee. The statement added: "The risk of abuse at the hands of smugglers and the peril of the sea journey itself are both exacerbated during prolonged journeys, when a safe harbor for disembarkation cannot be found. An Ayeyarwaddy Region resident said the 16 bodies, including those of two young boys, were recovered near Pathein township, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) west of Yangon, Myanmars largest city. He spoke on condition of anonymity because Myanmars military government seeks to tightly control the flow of information. A local official, who also requested anonymity for the same reason, said most of the 50 people on board the boat were men under 30 years old. He said the bodies were buried and that the 35 survivors were taken away by the security forces. Maung Maung Than, a spokesperson for the Ayeyarwaddy Region government, confirmed that the accident happened but did not give further details. The latest tragedy shows once again the sense of desperation being felt by Rohingya in Myanmar and in the region, Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCRs director for Asia and the Pacific said in the agencys statement. It is shocking to see increasing numbers of children, women and men embarking on these dangerous journeys and eventually losing their lives. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MANILA, Philippines (AP) Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sharply criticized Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine, saying while the two of them have been tagged as killers, I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly. Duterte, who openly calls Putin an idol and a friend, voiced his rebuke for the first time over Russias invasion of Ukraine in remarks aired Tuesday where he blamed the three-month old war for the spike in global oil prices that has battered many countries, including the Philippines. While stressing he was not condemning the Russian president, Duterte disagreed with Putins labeling of the invasion as a special military operation, and said it was really a full-scale war waged against a sovereign nation. Many say that Putin and I are both killers. Ive long told you Filipinos that I really kill. But I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly, Duterte said in a televised weekly meeting with key Cabinet officials. Were in two different worlds. Duterte, who steps down on June 30 when his turbulent six-year term ends, has presided over a brutal anti-drugs crackdown that has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Human rights groups have cited a much higher casualty and say innocent people, including children, have been killed in the campaign that Duterte vows to continue up to his last day in office. The unprecedentedly massive drug campaign killings have sparked an investigation by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte has said he expects to face more lawsuits arising from the drug deaths when his presidency ends. Duterte and his police officials have denied sanctioning extrajudicial killings in the campaign against illegal drugs but has openly threatened drug suspects with death and made an unsuccessful attempt to reimpose the death penalty in the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia to deter drug dealers and other criminals. When he took office in 2016, he reached out to Russia and China for trade and investment and to expand military cooperation while often criticizing the security policies of Washington, Manilas longtime treaty ally. He visited Russia twice in 2017 and 2019 to meet Putin but cut short his first visit after Islamic State group-aligned militants laid siege on the southern Philippine city of Marawi while he was away with his defense secretary and military chief of staff. More than a week after Russian forces laid siege on Ukraine, the Philippines voted in favor of a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion. The Philippines appealed for the protection of civilians and public infrastructure in Ukraine, although Duterte held back from strongly criticizing Putin and said he would remain neutral in a conflict that could potentially lead to the use of nuclear weapons and spark WWIII. Addressing Putin as a friend and the Russian Embassy in Manila, Duterte urged them to stop bombing and firing artillery rounds on residential areas and allow innocent civilians to safely evacuate before launching a bombardment. You are in control of everything. Anyway, you really started the ruckus there so control your soldiers strictly. They are on a rampage, Duterte said. Duterte said he was concerned about the stability of his countrys oil supply as the war in Ukraine continues to rage and spark global instability. Im on the way out and I dont know how to solve the problem, Duterte said. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before we can talk of even returning to normalcy. WASHINGTON (AP) Fort Bragg would become Fort Liberty. Fort Gordon would be Fort Eisenhower. And, for the first time, Army bases would be named after Black soldiers and women. An independent commission on Tuesday recommended new names for nine Army posts that now commemorate Confederate officers. The recommendations are the latest step in a broader effort by the military to confront racial injustice, most recently in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, is the only base that wouldnt be named after a person. Two others would be named after Black soldiers, and three would include women's names. Fort Gordon in Georgia would get the most well-known name commemorating President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led allied forces in Europe in World War II. Other proposed renamings would honor lesser-known heroes, including several who received the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award. Fort Polk, in Louisiana, would be renamed Fort Johnson, after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army in World War I. Fort Pickett in Virginia, would be named after Tech Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II, and And Fort Rucker in Alabama, would be named Fort Novosel, after Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II and Vietnam. Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia would be renamed Fort Walker, after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Fort Hood, Texas, would be renamed Fort Cavazos, in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, who served in the Korean War, received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military award, and became the Armys first Hispanic four-star general. Fort Benning, Georgia, would be named after a married couple: Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who served in Vietnam and received the Distinguished Service Cross, and his wife Julia, who prompted the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. And Fort Lee, Virginia, would get a hyphenated name Fort Gregg-Adams and is the only one that would commemorate someone who remains alive today: Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, known as a logistics leader. Lt. Col. Charity Adams - the other half of the name led the first female Black unit of the Army deployed in World War II. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. The renaming process was laid out in a law passed by Congress in late 2020 The secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. The proposal to change the names triggered widespread discussion and debate within the bases' communities around the country. Panel members visited the bases, met with local leaders and residents, and relied heavily on their recommendations when choosing the final names, said the vice chairman, Ty Seidule. For years, U.S. military officials had defended the naming of bases after Confederate officers. As recently as 2015 the Army argued that the names did not honor the rebel cause but were a gesture of reconciliation with the South. But in the aftermath of the Floyd killing, and the months of racial unrest that followed, Congress ordered a comprehensive plan to rename the military posts and hundreds of other federal assets such as roads, buildings, memorials, signs and landmarks that honored rebel leaders. The change in the militarys thinking was reflected in congressional testimony by Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a month after Floyds death. He said that the current base names could be reminders to Black soldiers that rebel officers fought for an institution that may have enslaved their ancestors. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the nations first Black Pentagon chief has spoken bluntly of his own personal brushes with racism. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he told of serving as a lieutenant colonel with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg when three white soldiers, described as self-styled skinheads, were arrested in the murder of a Black couple who were walking down a street. Investigators concluded the two were targeted because of their race, and all told, 22 soldiers were linked to skinhead and other similar groups or found to hold extremist views. The current chief of the Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, posted an emotional video last June in which he discussed the difficulties he experienced as a young Black pilot. Brown, the first Black Air Force chief, said he had to prove to white supervisors that their expectations and perceptions of African-Americans were invalid. Created in 2020, the Naming Commission first met in March 2021 and began taking name recommendations from the public in September. Overall, the commission received more than 34,000 potential names, which it said included about 3,670 unique ones that could possibly be used. That list was later narrowed to about 100 before the final nine were chosen to be recommended to Congress. U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md., who learned to fly helicopters at Fort Rucker and also spent time at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, called the new names a significant step forward. All these bases honored men who wouldnt want me or other Black Americans serving in uniform, let alone in Congress," he said. We cannot ask todays servicemen and women to defend our country, while housing and training them and their families on installations celebrating those who betrayed our country in order to enslave others and preserve white supremacy. Panel members said Tuesday that the decisions were difficult because they had so many heroes to choose from. But in all cases, they said they had widespread agreement from the local communities. In at least one case, however, the panel members said that local residents were adamant that they wanted a name that wasn't on the final list: Fort Liberty. During the panel's final visit to Fort Bragg, people at the meeting "were very, very adamant about the name Fort Liberty, said Lawrence Romo, a commission member. We gave a lot of deference to what the Fort Bragg community wanted. Seidule said that the panel wanted names that will inspire soldiers to achieve the highest standards demanded by their nation in peace and in war. The panel also is considering new names for two Navy ships: the USS Chancellorsville and USNS Maury. Those and the new names for hundreds of streets, buildings and other assets, will be in the final report. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. Under the law, the secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. UPDATE: 1:50 PM CT At a Thursday press conference DPS Regional Safety Director Victor Escalon Jr. said that the team that entered the school and killed the gunman who murdered 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary on Tuesday didn't arrive on the campus until "approximately an hour" after first responding officers made their way into the school. Escalon said the first officers on the scene entered the building, came under fire and backed to a safe location where they requested backup and ushered staff and students into other rooms. The Border Patrol Tactical team that ultimately killed the shooter arrived an hour after this initial engagement, the director said. "Officers were calling for additional resources. Tactical teams. We needed specialty equipment, we need body armor. We need sharpshooters. We need negotiators," Escalon said. "It's a complex situation." "I wanted to clear up that a school district police officer confronted the suspect," Escalon said. "Thats not accurate. He walked in unobstructed. He was not confronted by anybody." UPDATE: 11:30 AM CT Authorities are investigating the police response to Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School by suspected gunman Salvador Ramos. The Austin American-Statesman's Tony Plohetski reported Thursday morning that officials are now reviewing police radio traffic at the time of the shooting. "Authorities now confirm they are examining the response of police in Uvalde in the shooting of 19 children amid conflicting witness statements, including what steps they took to stop the gunman," Plohetski wrote. "Part of the review will include a timeline based on radio traffic." Investigators are also examining the timing and points of origin regarding firearm discharges by police at the school. "Officials also are analyzing ballistics to learn who fired and when," Plohetski tweeted. "Sources say these types of reviews are standard after major incidents but are intensified in this case because of discrepancies in statements and gravity of the matter. Uvaldes chief could not be reached." Officials on Wednesday night appeared to retract previous claims that officers engaged Ramos immediately upon his arrival at Robb Elementary, stating they could no longer confirm initial reports of the encounter. "Officials first said a school officer and the gunman exchanged fire," Plohetski tweeted. "On Wednesday night, they said they could no longer confirm that initial report. We will stay with this to fully understand what happened." --- End of Update --- UPDATE: May 26, 7:20 AM CT Concerned and frustrated parents of students at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas urged police to charge into the school and take down the gunman, according to an AP report released Thursday. Instead, the police waited outside for 'roughly an hour' prior to entering the school. During that time the alleged gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, murdered 19 students and two teachers in a single classroom, while injuring an additional 17 people Tuesday, before the shooter was killed by a member of Border Patrol. One woman repeatedly shouted Go in there! Go in there! according to Juan Carranza, 24, a bystander who watched the events unfold from his house across the street from the school. Carranza said he first witnessed the shooter crash his truck, grab his semi-automatic weapon, and fire indiscriminately toward two people standing outside a nearby funeral home who ran away uninjured. The shooter then made his way to the school. Despite this threat, the officers continued to wait outside, Carranza said. After running inside the school, the AP reports that the gunman fired on two Uvalde police who were arriving outside the building, according to Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. Both officers were injured by the spray of bullets. At one point during the attacks, Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed by the gunman, suggested that he and the other parents take matters into their own hands. While police looked on Cazares said, Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to, he told the AP. More could have been done. Gov. Greg Abbott praised and thanked police officers for their courage at a press conference held in Uvalde Wednesday afternoon. "The reality is, as horrible as what happened is, it couldve been worse," Abbot said. "The reason it wasnt worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do: they showed amazing courage. They ran toward gunfire for the sole purpose of saving lives. They were able to save lives. Unfortunately, not enough." UPDATE: May 25, 4:19 PM CT A New York Times report published Wednesday afternoon outlines new details from Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, including preliminary documents stating the shooter was inside the building for "roughly an hour" before being shot and killed by responding authorities. "The gunman was inside the school for roughly one hour before a tactical unit from the border patrol shot him several times, killing him," the report states, citing documents described by a state police official. The alleged gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was a Uvalde resident. Ramos allegedly shot his grandmother in the face inside her home Tuesday morning before driving to the elementary school and engaging in a shooting spree that left 19 students and two teachers dead inside a single classroom. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: 2:52 PM CT A Wednesday press conference led by Governor Greg Abbott regarding the Robb Elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas turned into a tense affair following an interruption from his political opponent Beto O'Rourke. The governor had finished his initial remarks and was turning over the proceedings to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick when O'Rourke, a former congressman from El Paso, Texas and 2022 Texas gubernatorial candidate, approached the stage and pointed a finger at Abbott. "This is predictable," O'Rourke said. "You're doing nothing...You said this was unpredictable, it's not. It's totally predictable." O'Rourke was shouted down by men on the stage, which included Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Uvalde Mayor Donald McLaughlin, among others. "Sit down," Cruz said to O'Rourke. "Sir, you're out of line," McLaughlin shouted, gesticulating as officers escorted O'Rourke from the building. "You're a sick son of a b-tch to do this to make a political point." Prior to the interruption, Abbott offered condolences to the families of the victims of Tuesday's mass shooting and outlined further details on the events that cut short the lives of 19 elementary school students, two teachers and the gunman himself. The governor began his remarks by lamenting the "intolerable" circumstances of a shooting targeting such young individuals. "For someone to gun down little kids. Its intolerable for us to have in the state of Texas, anyone who would kill little kids in our schools," Abbott said. "Children are a blessing. God teaches that. They are filled with innocence." Abbott spoke about the urgent need for Texans and Americans to come together and thanked police officers, claiming that the situation "could've been worse." "The reality is, as horrible as what happened is, it couldve been worse," Abbot said. "The reason it wasnt worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do: they showed amazing courage. They ran toward gunfire for the sole purpose of saving lives. "They were able to save lives. Unfortunately, not enough." The governor detailed the chronological events of Tuesday's mass shooting, saying it was preceded by the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, shooting his grandmother in the face at her home and driving her truck to Robb Elementary, where he crashed the vehicle into a ditch before making his way inside the school armed with an assault rifle. Abbott said Ramos' grandmother is alive as of Wednesday and contacted police after being shot. Officers at the school engaged Ramos, according to Abbott, and the suspected gunman fled down a hallway and into a classroom. From there Ramos ran into another classroom through an adjoining door and proceeded to shoot students and teachers in the second room. Responding officers formed a tactical stack, according to the governor, and were eventually able to overwhelm the shooter, who was killed by a Border Patrol agent responding to the scene. Abbott finished his remarks by putting the blame for the shooting on a mental health crisis in the Uvalde community, and promised to provide state resources for counseling to police and citizens in the area. "Everybody in this communitythe victims, the families, the friends, the law enforcement involved, the entire community is in shock by this," the governor said. "The physical wounds sustained by the officers are going to heal in the coming days. The lasting wounds are harder to see, and are going to be around much longer." "I cannot emphasize the importance of law enforcement officers seeking out and obtaining mental health services," Abbott said. The governor is scheduled to attend an NRA meeting in Houston this Saturday. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: May 25, 10:31 AM CT Officials told the Associated Press that the suspected gunman who killed 19 students and two adults at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent working in the area at the time of the shooting. The unnamed agent entered the school without waiting for backup and engaged the suspected shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, shooting and killing him, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to ongoing investigations. Ramos, a Uvalde resident, had legally purchased two assault rifle-style weapons the previous week shortly after turning 18, reports indicate. One of these weapons was discovered by investigators near a truck Ramos crashed into a ditch close to the school prior to the attack. The other weapon was on his person following his death, per officials. The responding Border Patrol agent sustained wounds while engaging Ramos but was able to walk out of the school, the anonymous official told AP. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: May 25, 7:36 AM CT Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Christopher Olivarez told CNN on Wednesday morning that all of those murdered in Tuesday's tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas were in the same room, according to an AP report. The victims, according to Olivarez, were gathered in the same fourth-grade classroom when they were killed by alleged shooter Salvador Ramos. The death toll in the shooting rose to 19 students overnight. Two school staff members and the shooter are also among those dead, for a total of 22 fatalities as of Wednesday morning. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: May 25, 6:49 AM CT Authorities are now confirming a 19th child has died as a result of Tuesday's school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, per ABC News. The suspect, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, is deceased, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. ABC News reported Tuesday night that Ramos also shot his grandmother before the shooting at Robb Elementary. This shooting occurred at a different location. Ramos' grandmother was initially reported dead by some outlets but was reportedly alive as of 11 p.m. CT Tuesday night, according to ABC News. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: 6:47 PM CT The death toll of Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas has increased to 21 individuals, according to a statement made Tuesday evening by Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez. CNN's Manu Raju reported that Gutierrez appeared on MSNBC and stated that Texas Rangers, in a briefing, confirmed to him that 18 students, two school staff members and the shooter are dead as a result of the attack. --- End of Update --- UPDATE: 3:57 PM CT Multiple people are dead, including 14 children and one teacher, following an active shooter situation at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The governor gave a press conference detailing the aftermath of the deadly attack, stating that the shooter and a teacher are also among those dead. "The shooter was Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old male that resided in Uvalde," Abbott said. "It is believed that he abandoned his vehicle and entered into the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde with a handgun, and he may have also had a rifle, but that is not yet confirmed." "He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher," Abbott stated. "Mr. Romas, the shooter, he himself is deceased." Abbott stated that it is believed responding officers shot and killed the shooter at the scene. Uvalde Memorial Hospital confirmed that two individuals from Robb Elementary School arrived at the hospital dead on Tuesday afternoon, and 13 other children were transported to the hospital with injuries. "UMH received 13 children via ambulance or buses for treatment," the hospital wrote in a Facebook post. "Two children have been transferred to San Antonio and one child is pending transfer. Two individuals that arrived at UMH were deceased. No details are available. Please refrain from coming to the hospital at this time." --- End of Update --- A suspect is in custody and a number of students are being treated at Uvalde Memorial Hospital on Tuesday afternoon following an active shooter situation that unfolded at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, about 90 minutes outside San Antonio. According to Uvalde Memorial Hospital, "several" students are being treated in the emergency room following the incident. The hospital posted a status Tuesday afternoon updating followers and asking immediate family of students in their care to meet in the cafeteria. "Information at this time is that the active shooter at Robb Elementary is in custody," the hospital wrote in a Facebook post. "UMH is currently caring for several students in the ER. Immediate family of those students are to report to the cafeteria on the second floor. UMH staff will be in constant communication with the family members. If you are not an immediate family member, we are asking you to refrain from coming to the hospital at this time." Uvalde police confirmed that an active shooter situation did occur at Robb Elementary Tuesday afternoon and noted that a suspect has been taken into custody, according to ABC 8. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District informed the public at 12:17 p.m. CT that an active shooter was on the campus and that local law enforcement had arrived on the scene. UCISD stated all of its campuses were on lockdown until further notice and asked families of students not to approach the school. "There is an active shooter at Robb Elementary," the district wrote in a Facebook post. "Law enforcement is on site. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as more information is gathered it will be shared. The rest of the district is under a Secure Status." UCISD followed this with a message informing parents of a reunification site at Willie DeLeon Civic Center. "Reunification Site for Robb Students: Robb Elementary students are being transported to the Willie DeLeon Civic Center for reunification," the district wrote. "The Civic Center will be under a Secure Status until all students are account for. Parents please do not pick up students at this time. You will be notified to pick up students once all are accounted for." The district has since confirmed parents can pick up their children at the reunification site. "Update: Robb Parents. Robb Elementary students have been transported to the CIVIC CENTER for reunification. Parents are encouraged to pick up their children at this time. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Update at 7 a.m., Wednesday, May 25: At least 19 children and two teachers were killed after a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, west of San Antonio, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The alleged gunman identified by officials as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School is dead, authorities said. In a press conference Tuesday evening, Uvalde CISD Chief of Police Pete Arredondo said the investigation is ongoing, and once more information is available, police will release it to the public and hold a press conference. University Health tweeted it's treating a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl who are both in critical condition, as well as a 10-year-old girl who's in good condition and a 9-year-old girl who's in fair condition. Update at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24: University Health San Antonio received four patients from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. A 66-year-old woman remains in critical condition. Health officials are also treating two 10-year-old girls. One of them is in critical condition while the other girl is in good condition. Health officials sent an update that it is also treating a 9-year-old girl who's in good condition. Update at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 24: The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to The Texas Tribune that 18 children and three adults were killed during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde County on Tuesday, May 24. In a press conference, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District said schools are closed and done for the year. The district said it will have grief counselors available for support. The district also confirmed the 18-year-old shooter is dead. If families are looking for their loved ones, officials are asking them to head to the reunification centers at 300 East Main Street and 1025 Garner Field Road in Uvalde. Update at 3:45 p.m., Tuesday, May 24: Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed 14 students and one teacher were killed in the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde on Tuesday, May 24. Abbott confirmed the 18-year-old male shooter is dead, and police officers are believed to have killed him. The shooter was a resident of Uvalde. "He shot and killed horrifically and incomprehensively," Abbott said of the shooter, who he said is believed to be Salvador Ramos. Abbott said Ramos abandoned his vehicle and then entered the school with a handgun and possibly a rifle. University Health tweeted it has received two patients from the shooting, a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old child. Both are in critical condition. Below is Abbott's statement: "Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde. Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering. We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School. I have instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is charged with providing local officials all resources necessary to respond to this tragedy as the State of Texas works to ensure the community has what it needs to heal." Check back for updates Update at 3 p.m., Tuesday, May 24: The Uvalde Memorial Hospital confirmed on its Facebook page that two individuals arrived at the hospital dead after the active shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde on Tuesday, May 24. The hospital also stated that 13 children were received via ambulance and buses for treatment. Uvalde Memorial Hospital confirmed to ABC News that two children had died from presumed gunshot injuries in the incident. Two individuals were transferred to University Health. University Health tweeted that it has received two patients from the shooting, one child and an adult. The two are being evaluated. University Health tweeted that it has received two patients from the shooting, a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl. Both are in critical condition. "Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde," Abbott wrote in a statement. "Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering."We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School. I have instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is charged with providing local officials all resources necessary to respond to this tragedy as the State of Texas works to ensure the community has what it needs to heal. Update at 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 24: The active shooter suspect at Robb Elementary in Uvalde is in police custody as of 1 p.m., according to a Facebook post from the Uvalde Police Department. The Uvalde County Sheriff's Office told CBS News that a teacher at the school has been shot. University Health tweeted that it has received two patients from the shooting, one child and an adult. The two are being evaluated. The Uvalde Memorial Hospital also wrote on its Facebook page that it is caring for several students in the emergency room. The hospital is asking immediate family members to report to those students on the second floor in the cafeteria. It's also asking anyone who isn't a family member to refrain from coming to the hospital at this time. The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District tweeted at 2:16 p.m. that parents are encouraged to pick up their children at the civic center. The district has canceled all campus activities, events, and after-school programs. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus tweeted that SAPD has sent resources, including an EAGLE, SWAT and crime scene investigators, to the active shooter incident in Uvalde. SAPD stated the scene remains active and its resources are on standby if they are needed. "Our hearts and prayers are with the Uvalde community," SAPD tweeted. Original story: An active shooter alert was sent out on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 24, for Robb Elementary with a heavy law enforcement presence. Uvalde CISD officials said in a tweet at 12:17 p.m. that there is an active shooter situation at Robb Elementary. They are asking parents and families for cooperation by not visiting the campus. School officials have set up an area for parents to reunite with their children. Students are being transported to the Willie DeLeon Civic Center. Parents can be reunited with their kids at that location. The scene remains active. Officials say more information will be shared as soon as possible. The rest of the district has also been placed under a Secure Status. Robb Elementary is located at 715 Old Carrizo St. in Uvalde, which is 85 miles west of San Antonio. This is a developing story. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Check out our latest E-Edition Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more. Check out our latest E-edition! Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Longford publicans have been urged to sign up to the first ever apprenticeship to train a new generation of bar managers, launched to tackle the crippling shortage of hospitality staff. The three-year degree course, backed by State and employer funding, has been officially unveiled. The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) and Griffith College, with the support of Solas, the state agency for further education, have joined forces to reverse the pub sectors post-Covid struggle to retain staff. A Failte Ireland survey released in February indicated that as many as nine out of ten hospitality businesses have problems recruiting staff, with many employers linking the shortage to a lack of training. VFI Chief Executive, Paul Clancy, says the Apprenticeship, available nationwide through Griffith College, will be critical to addressing the issue. At a time when staff recruitment is cited as the number one issue for the hospitality business, this degree will play a vital role in retaining key personnel, he said. The Bar Manager Apprenticeship Degree is a work-based learning programme in which apprentices will be able to work, earn and learn to become fully-qualified bar managers. Students already working in the bar trade are sponsored by their employer to develop the broad range of skills necessary to operate at the highest level in the industry, spending one day a week in lectures over three years. School leavers with experience in the bar trade and career changers are also eligible. JJ Mulcahy, owner of The Old Quarter in Limerick, which has three apprentices, hosted the launch of the programme by Minister of State for Further and Higher Education, Niall Collins, and he said the apprenticeship is a wonderful way to retain and develop staff. The work and study elements of the Vintners Federation of Ireland Bar Manager Apprenticeship Degree gives a great advantage in terms of career options, he said. Experience is critical in this trade, but so is knowledge of the ever-changing legal and regulatory framework. The concept is wonderful. This is an industry which can give you a good career, but you have to put the time and effort into learning it. Griffith College President, Professor Diarmuid Hegarty, said the qualification would assist in the bar trade in the post-pandemic environment. We have worked closely with the Vintner's Federation of Ireland to develop a practical and applied qualification which will enhance the skills and competencies of staff as the pub industry re-ignites after the challenges of Covid, he said. Employers are eligible for a grant, per registered apprentice, and applications are now open for the September intake. Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD, is urging Irish based retail businesses in Longford to enhance their online capability and presence in order to exploit new opportunities to increase turnover, to expand and to sell internationally. The Minister has launched a new round of the Online Retail Scheme which supports ambitious Irish based retailers looking to grow and improve sales online and to strengthen their ecommerce capabilities. The Scheme provides direct financial support to retail companies to develop a more competitive online business offering to complement their in-store offering. It is administered by Enterprise Ireland and there is 9.3m available in this round of funding. Minister English outlined the potential of online trading, saying: I want Irish based retailers to have every chance of competing for online sales that are currently going outside the country. There is no reason why Irish businesses cannot successfully compete for home sales as well as international sales. The Government is also determined to support more business owners to enhance their online capabilities and presence to exploit opportunities in existing and new markets. The transition to online shopping was accelerated over the last two years and consumers retail habits have changed significantly. Many now make purchases anytime, anywhere, anyplace at the tip of their fingers or with the click of a mouse. It makes sound business sense to have an omnichannel approach to selling in order to cater for these new demands and to be competitive in the market. Almost all previous recipients of funding in this Scheme noted an increase in online sales, many in international markets and the vast majority have hired additional employees to manage their increase in online sales. In order to be eligible for this funding, applicant companies must have 10 or more full-time employees and an existing online presence. Salary costs of an internal project champion can be partially covered by this support. This person can be any employee who has the support of the management to take on this responsibility, and will work with an external service provider on the project. Previous applicants of the Online Retail Scheme who were unsuccessful will be eligible to reapply under this call with a modified proposal. Applicants who were successful in previous calls are also eligible to re-apply under this round of the scheme, once they propose a project that is clearly different from their previous applications. The Online Retail Scheme is open for applications now and closes on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at 12pm (noon). Find further information and how to apply at www.enterprise-ireland.com/retail A man who attacked an elderly man in a pub after the victim asked him to leave his daughter alone has been remanded on bail pending sentence. Nigel McEvoy (46) of Marian Square, Clara, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Paddy Keogh (then 74) at Mercantile Bar, Dame Street, Dublin on November 24, 2018. McEvoy has 14 previous convictions, nine of which are for public order offences. A victim impact statement from Mr Keogh, prepared by his son, stated that the man was an avid GAA fan, having played for Dublin in the 1950s and 1960s. Prior to the assault he was independent and regularly attended matches but following the assault he became a recluse and was treated a number of times in hospital for panic attacks. He has not attended a GAA match since the attack. Mr Keogh, now has early onset dementia and is a resident in a nursing home. The court heard that Mr Keogh was standing at the bar when he noticed McEvoy approach his daughter, niece and his nieces friend. He believed the women didnt want the drinks McEvoy was offering to buy them and asked the man to leave them alone. Garda Eamonn Moylan told Edward Doocey BL, prosecuting, that McEvoy then grabbed the man from behind before he punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. He then put his foot on Mr Keoghs neck area and put the whole weight of his body on him. He was pulled off the man and the gardai were called. Judge Melanie Greally, who viewed CCTV footage of the assault, described the attack as shocking. She accepted that McEvoy had mental health difficulties, including a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia but said the assault had an extremely severe impact on Mr Keogh. Longford councillors debate calls to cut VAT on defibrillator devices The issue of VAT was tackled more than once at last weeks meeting of Longford County Council. Judge Greally remanded McEvoy on continuing bail for sentence to October 5 next for sentence. Gda Moylan told Mr Doocey that gardai called to Mr Keoghs home to take a statement in the days after the assault. He told them he had attended hospital in the immediate aftermath of the assault but was not kept in. He went to his GP two days later where he was treated for swelling and cuts to his lips and nose. He had also had a tooth knocked out. Gda Moylan agreed with Amy Heffron BL, defending, that her client had a drink problem at the time and was suffering from mental health issues. The home he was living in at the time was in very bad condition. Ms Heffron said her client has been engaging with a psychiatrist following a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia. She said he has since got married, the couple are expecting their first child and McEvoy is staying off alcohol. He is a very different man to that on the CCTV footage, Ms Heffron submitted before she requested an adjournment to allow for the preparation of various reports. Incidents of TDs and Senators sleeping in their cars because they cannot get a hotel room is not a widespread phenomenon, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said. Mr Martin, speaking in Co Cork yesterday (Monday May 23), said he was not familiar with the report in the Irish Daily Mail that an Oireachtas member based in the west of Ireland had to sleep in his car for two nights after failing to find a hotel room in Dublin. I dont think its a widespread phenomenon, to be frank about it. But clearly tourism has rebounded, as we saw from figures this morning that were announced. So a very significant recovery in terms of the tourism sector. So there is always pressure in a city like Dublin in terms of accommodation. But again, I dont think there are too many TDs sleeping in cars, but there are pressures in terms of accommodation, of that there is no doubt. Great news from @merckgroup today a 440m investment in the Cork region with 370 new jobs. Huge vote of confidence in their workforce here, as well as Ireland as a destination for investment and growth.@Merck_lifesci pic.twitter.com/JLBMaM5sAo Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 23, 2022 Housing Minister Darragh OBrien told RTE Radio: Obviously, for TDs coming up from the west, many will stay in hotels or apartments, or theyll share, so Im not familiar with the specifics of the case. Obviously, a lot of our accommodation right now has been taken up, understandably, by the initial response to the war in Ukraine, and many hotels are contracted in the short term to take our friends from Ukraine and to look after them and to provide them shelter. I havent had instances like this brought to me before in relation to a TD or otherwise actually seeking hotel accommodation, which is obviously to stay for a night or two. Obviously that situation is a serious one, but we have a number of serious challenges across the board in housing. Mr OBrien said that he will introduce additional legislation in the coming weeks that will further restrict the short-term letting of houses and apartments. He added: We very clearly set out in the Housing For All Plan that we will bring forward a vacant-property tax based on the data collection from Revenue. That has been worked through right now. When asked about a vacant-property tax, Mr Martin said were going to have to examine that. Were going to deal with the zoned land issue that zoned land needs to be brought into use if land is zoned for residential purposes. Theres been a major piece of work undertaken by the Department of Finance in respect of the vacant-property tax, in respect of how much vacancy is out there, and with the local property tax (the LPT) there was work undertaken. We havent seen the full results of that. But the indications are that the vacancy is not as high as some are saying it is, in real terms. For example, if you look at Dublin, there was recent reports again indicating that vacancy levels were very low in Dublin. Occupancy was as high as 96%. So that issue needs to be subject to detailed, professional analysis before decisions are taken. Arts & Culture By Ls Cohen Published: May 24 2022 Fact: The hamlet of Kings Park got its name from the hospital, not the other way around. Back in the late 1800s officials in Brooklyn needed to ease the overcrowding at its mental health facilities so they traveled east on Long Island, stopping at a place called Indian Head and set up their newest asylum on the idyllic grounds. The Kings County Asylum was built as a farm colony, where therapy was administered by having patients work the grounds, growing food and tending livestock. For over 100 years, the asylum treated patients until it was shuttered in 1996. No stranger to controversy, the psychiatric center continued to garner attention even after it closed as development of the site was debated and trespassers explored the ruins of the former hospital buildings. Below we assembled some historical facts about the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Beginnings Kings Park Psychiatric Center was built in 1885 It was conceived and constructed by Kings County (Brooklyn) to ease overcrowded at hospitals there It was an extension of the Kings County Lunatic Asylum in Flatbush, Brooklyn The hospital was built on an 800-acre site on the shores of the Long Island Sound It was originally called Kings County Asylum In 1895, New York State took control of the asylum It was renamed Kings Park State Hospital The area used to be known as Indian Head but took on the name Kings Park from the hospital So the hamlet of Kings Park was named for a Brooklyn asylum At first, the hospital was a farm colony and patients worked the fields Farming was used as therapy at the time to treat psychiatric patients Eventually it became known as Kings Park Psychiatric Center (KPPC) According to Atlas Obscura , by 1900 the facility housed 2,697 patients and 454 staff members making the population larger than the entire population of the town of Smithtown at the time The hospital employed many people on Long Island and NYC and helped grow the community surrounding it Growth By the 1930s, more buildings were constructed at the hospital as the patient population rose The hospital had its own farmland, cow barn, piggery, butcher shop, tailor, morgue, and power plant In 1954, the patient census at Kings Park topped 9,303 The sprawling campus eventually contained over 150 buildings for various purposes KPPC became like a self-contained city with power plants, maintenances buildings, and nurses dormitories KPPC even had its own railroad spur There were two marinas on the grounds, one private and the other exclusively for the use of hospital employees and their families Building 93 The iconic structure on the Kings Park grounds is known as Building 93 It was constructed in 1939 in the neoclassical style Building 93 was a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression It was 13 stories tall It was used as an infirmary for geriatric patients, as well as for patients with chronic physical ailments It housed over 1,200 patients Boaters on the Long Island Sound use the building as a landmark Controversy Early on in 1893, a state report said that the buildings were unsuitable and unhygienic, facilities inadequate, clothing insufficient and of poor quality, food often unfit for human consumption In the 1950s prefrontal lobotomies and electroshock therapy were performed there as treatment The rise of the use of Thorazine helped to end these brutal medical practices In 1981, the hospital briefly lost its accreditation due to staff shortages, kept inadequate records of its patients, and did not have enough fire escapes At the time it had 2,400 patients Media Lucy Winer, a former patient at Kings Park made a documentary about her experiences at the facility Winer was committed to KPPC in 1967 after she tried to commit suicide The filmmaker sought out other former patients, family members, and staff, to share their accounts of KPPC A YouTube video explores the inside of KPPC after it closed: Another video shows drone footage of two young men on top of Building 93 Still another documentary on YouTube called "Kings Park: The Abandoned City" explores the inside of the facilitys buildings Decline, Closing, & Redevelopment Plans WHO File photo:AFP The World Health Assembly (WHA) has officially made a decision to explicitly reject the proposal raised by a few countries to invite the island of Taiwan to the WHA as an observer. It is the sixth consecutive year that Taiwan couldn't get the invitation to attend the WHA because the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) refuses to recognize the "1992 Consensus." Before the opening of the WHA, nearly 90 countries sent letters to WHO to express their adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the assembly. This fully shows that the one-China principle is the common consensus of the international community, which is a general trend and cannot be challenged. What is ridiculous is that the irritated Taiwan's regional diplomatic authorities expressed their "contempt" toward the mainland. But doesn't the DPP authorities know that actually they are the clown spurned by people? The DPP authorities got "a slap in the face" every year at the WHA, although it is definitely clear that they are not obsessed with being abused. Without the instigation and support from the US to use the Taiwan island to contain China, and without the DPP's ill-intention to "seek independence using the epidemic" and "rely on the US to seek independence", it will not shamelessly humiliate itself in front of the world. However, the US representative at the WHA only mentioned that "the US deeply regrets Taiwan being excluded from the WHA", which is in ironic contrast to Washington's high profile before the meeting. First of all, this is a disgraceful thing, but more importantly, the US should be clear that there is no justification to plan this scheme with the DPP authorities. The UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1 provide the legal basis for the WHO to follow the one-China principle. The participation of the island of Taiwan in the WHA must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle and through cross-Straits consultations. The Chinese side has pointed out that recent US deeds and words on the Taiwan question are quite different. In the three China-US joint communiques, the US made solemn commitments on the Taiwan question and the one-China principle. US President Joe Biden has also made a clear commitment that the US does not seek a new Cold War with China or aim to change China's system, and the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China. The US does not support "Taiwan independence" and it has no intention to seek conflict with China. But what people have seen is a two-faced United States. It has greatly relaxed the restrictions on official exchanges between the US and the island of Taiwan, continuously upgraded the scale and performance of arms sales to Taiwan, and even jumped to the front to help the island "consolidate diplomatic allies." Washington's promotion of the so-called "Taiwan's participation in the WHA" is the latest "fancy provocation." "Taiwan being excluded from the WHA" is in fact a pseudo-proposition created by the DPP authorities who were manipulated by the US as a puppet. It is a Trojan horse under the disguise of "human rights" and "public health" but actually intends to impact the one-China principle. No matter how much they want to "seek independence using the pandemic," they cannot hide the basic fact that, under the premise of the one-China principle, the Chinese central government has made proper arrangements for the island's participation in global health affairs. There is an International Health Regulations Contact Point in the Taiwan region to allow prompt access and report information related to health emergencies. In other words, the channels for Taiwan to obtain various information and support for epidemic prevention and control are completely smooth and effective. The DPP's so-called "gap in the international epidemic prevention system" is a complete fabrication. Both the US and Taiwan island are well aware that if the DPP authorities want to attend the WHA, they only need to recognize the "1992 Consensus." When Lee Teng-hui came to power in 1997, he engaged 20 countries with "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan to raise the proposal, but each time, they were rejected with an overwhelming vote. However, from 2009 to 2016, the island of Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer without spending a penny from the people or kowtowing to the US. The facts are in front of us: It is not the so-called "suppression" by the Chinese mainland that blocks Taiwan's participation in the WHA as an observer, but the political manipulation of the DPP's refusal to recognize the "1992 Consensus." The US-Taiwan collusion ended in failure again but it cannot be ruled out that similar "fancy provocations" will be staged. But such a move is indecent and dangerous. The US broke commitment and has inconsistent words and deeds on the Taiwan question, which is really detrimental to the dignity of a "big country." Taking the adventurist line and constantly supporting "Taiwan secessionist" forces will inevitably result in the US drawing fire against itself and the DPP's self-annihilation. Food, Wine, & Dining By Ls Cohen Published: May 24 2022 Halal bakery cooks up cupcakes that are lighter and fluffier than the typical American version. Serving up what they call a product that is lighter and fluffier than the typical American cupcakes, Layers Bakeshop opened this spring, importing the concept from a Pakistani shop. According to a Newsday article, owner Asad Mayan secured the rights to open up this halal bakery in America. By not using typical ingredients in their baking like butter and cream, the results are softer and lighter. But these are not Pakistani sweets. They are European and English style goods all baked on premises. And they have been getting rave reviews online. Rome N, a reviewer from Old Bethpage, has even started a running list, ranking his favorite flavors on Yelp. I think we came here every other day to pick up cupcakes, he said. We even got our friends hooked on to this spot. Diana M, said its her new favorite bake shop. This place is so cute and perfect for a quick easy way to grab some delicious treats, she said. The cupcakes are out of this world amazing and the brownies literally melted in my mouth... Absolutely outstanding! They also have beautiful cakes for any occasion! Definitely check them out!!! Sally N, from New Hyde Park, called the cu[pcakes mind blowing delicious. So perfect, she wrote. Frosting is not overly sweet, but still velvety smooth. The cake part is divine too. Location: 621 Old Country Road, Westbury, (516) 809-9800. Music, Movies & Entertainment, Travel & Local Attractions By Long Island Published: May 24 2022 Jazz Age Lawn Party, Woodstock, and Montauk among New York attractions scoring spots on Travel Lemmings list of 150 best things to do in the USA this summer. 12 attractions in the state of New York have been named among the 150 best things to do in the United States this summer by Travel Lemming. The list highlights the online travel guide teams picks for exciting and unexpected summer attractions and destinations around the country. In total, 12 New York attractions made the list of 150 things to do: #13 - Jazz Age Lawn Party #36 - Smorgasburg #47 - Woodstock #54 - The High Line #61 - Broken Shaker #63 - Governors Ball Music Festival #81 - Please Dont Tell #85 - Montauk #96 - Rockaway Beach #102 - McSorleys #141 - Brooklyn Steel #145 - Hudson Topping the list is the historic Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Colorados Million Dollar Highway, and Seattles Fremont Solstice Parade. The eclectic summer bucket list also includes a floating taco bar in the U.S. Virgin Islands (#10), a car-free island in Michigan (#76), and the worlds largest outdoor rodeo in Wyoming (#114). Describing the Jazz Age Lawn Party (#13), the article tells readers to [d]on your best Gatsby attire to attend the June 11-12th festival on Governors Island. Placing Woodstock in the #47 spot, the article calls the town a hippie paradise that lives up to its iconic namesake. In the #85 slot, the Long Island community of Montauk is touted for its abundance of outdoor activities, restaurants, beachside bluffs, and iconic lighthouse. Travel Lemming writer and Long Island native Victoria Folz commented: At Montauk, everywhere you look, theres a view from the ocean crashing against the rocks at the lighthouse to the lineup of colorful fishing boats tied up at the docks. Its the perfect place to slow down and enjoy beach life and a cup of hot clam chowder at Salivars! The inaugural edition of the publications signature summer list was selected by Travel Lemmings team of two dozen writers and editors. Nate Hake, CEO of Travel Lemming, said: This summer is shaping up to be a pivotal one for the tourism and hospitality industry. With so much on the line for the future of travel, we decided to put a special spotlight on the 150 things our team feels are especially worth attention from travelers this summer. Power Metal Resources PLC - metals exploration company focused in North America, Africa and Australia - Says joint-venture subsidiary New Ballarat Gold Corp, which is focused in the Victorian Goldfields of Australia, have been awarded three further exploration licences. These are EL007330, EL007294 and EL007507, bringing NBGC's combined footprint in the Victoria Goldfields to 1,832 kilometres. Licence also covers Ajax mine which historically produced 312,789 ounces of gold at an average grade of 14.8 grams per tonne in the 1920s. NBGC is a joint-venture held between Power Metal - at 49.9% - and its partner, London-listed Red Rock Resources PLC. Chief Executive Officer Paul Johnson says: "The grant of EL007330 is a considerable step forward bringing the historical Ajax gold mine into the RRAL portfolio. This mine produced 312,789 ounces of gold at an average grade of nearly half an ounce per tonne. Whilst the RRAL land footprint is considerable, with over 1,800km squared of now granted exploration licences, without question the grant of EL007330 including Ajax is highly significant. "In our view the RRAL business holds great potential, however, what is important is what we do to maximise that value through further exploration and corporate activities. I expect it will be an interesting few months ahead for this project package within the Power Metal business." Power Metal also exercises warrants over 2.5 million new shares at an exercise price of 0.75p per warrant share and raising an additional GBP18,750. Current stock price: 1.33 pence 12-month change: down 44% By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. 24 May 2022 African Pioneer Plc("African Pioneer" or "the Company") Drilling Programme at Ongombo Project in Namibia African Pioneer plc ("APP" or the "Company"), the exploration and resource development company with projects located in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, is pleased to inform shareholders that, further to the announcement 9 February 2022, a shallow diamond drilling programme has commenced on the Ongombo Project, Namibia. Highlights: 25 to 30-hole shallow diamond drill programme has commenced on the Ongombo Project 6 holes completed to date with all holes intersecting encouraging sulphide mineralisation with chalcopyrite at shallow depths Visual estimates of chalcopyrite content in the mineralised zones indicate notable quantities of copper sulphide to date Drill programme designed to test near-surface oxide and sulphide copper-gold mineralisation Work also underway to resample historic drill core to test for elevated gold values in and around copper mineralisation Colin Bird, Chairman of African Pioneer, said: "I am delighted with these early results from our drilling programme, particularly since the core appears to be sulphides close to surface. The programme has the intend to identify a small open pit and thereafter proceed ex highwall to commence underground mining. The programme continues and we look forward to the results to finalise mine planning. We are pleased that we have gained access to more drill core, and we intend to specifically test for gold, both in quantum and process characteristics. I am very pleased with the progress in fast tracking the Ongombo Project." Ongombo Project Near-surface Drill Programme Six holes have been completed to date. Assessment of the potential of the mineralised zone at this stage in the evaluation process is based on visual estimates of copper sulphide content, occurring as chalcopyrite and relies on the experience of the geologist managing the drilling programme and logging core to assess the proportion of visible chalcopyrite relative to pyrite and other minerals making up the mineralised horizon. Visual estimates of copper content do not reflect the expected assay grade of the mineralised horizon but do indicate the extent of chalcopyrite mineralisation. Table 1: Mineralised Widths of First Six Drillholes Completed on Near-Surface Drill Programme on the Ongombo Project Hole ID From (m) To (m) Mineralised* Width (m) End Of Hole (m) APD001 11.81 14.81 3.0 17.45 APD002 21.27 22.27 1.0 29.78 APD003 7.30 11.86 4.56 17.86 APD004 20.59 21.50 0.91 26.83 APD005 11.4 13.05 1.65 17.81 APD006 36.5 38.1 1.60 56.99 The following link is to a picture of drill core from APD002, APD003, APD004 and APD005 showing visible chalcopyritehttp://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/5207M_1-2022-5-23.pdf The gossanous outcrop at Ongombo has been assumed to be the surface expression of the mineralisation drilled at depth to generate the current Ongombo Mineral Resource Estimate. African Pioneer has projected this same mineralisation to extend to surface through to the gossan outcrop. It has been assumed that previous exploration drilling ignored the near-surface potential on the basis that copper oxide mineralisation, at the time that Gold Fields Namibia Limited was exploring, was not conducive to good metal recover. Today however, flotation processing has the capacity to recover economic quantities of oxide and sulphide copper in parallel in the same flotation processing plant making any shallow mineralisation a valid target for development. African Pioneer will test the shallow mineralisation potential over a strike length of approximately 1 kilometre and down dip of the gossan outcrop to the point where historic drilling occurs. Assessment of Gold Grades in Historic Drill Core Approximately 80 drillholes have been found that were completed by previous explorers including Gold Fields Namibia Limited. The Company intends to resample the drill core in and around the mineralised horizon in each case in order to assess the distribution of gold attributable to the existing Mineral Resource Estimate. Historically limited gold assaying was undertaken, so only low-grade gold values have been reported as any grade less than 1g/t Au was considered insignificant, particularly when exploration was being undertaken by South African companies more used to significantly higher gold grades on their deep level gold mines and as a consequence, only. At the current gold price, and in conjunction with known copper grades, there is scope for an important by-product addition of gold in the Mineral Resource. A greater density of gold assay data covering the existing Mineral Resource generated by resampling of available core has the scope to add to the value of each tonne of ore defined to date. For further information, please contact: African Pioneer Plc Colin Bird Executive Chairman +44 (0) 20 7581 4477 Beaumont Cornish (Financial Adviser) Roland Cornish +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Novum Securities Limited (Broker) Jon Belliss +44 (0) 20 7399 9400 or visit https://africanpioneerplc.com/ Qualified Person: The technical information contained in this announcement has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Colin Bird, CC.ENG, FIMMM, South African and UK Certified Mine Manager and Director of African Pioneer plc, with more than 40 years' experience mainly in hard rock mining. The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR"). Glossary A 'Mineral Resource' is a concentration or occurrence of solid material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such form, grade (or quality), and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade (or quality), continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge, including sampling. Mineral Resources are sub-divided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured categories. An 'Indicated Mineral Resource' is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of Modifying Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. An 'Inferred Mineral Resource' is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade (or quality) are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade (or quality) continuity. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. "Ag" Silver "Au" Gold "Cu" Copper "g/t" grammes per tonne "Kt" thousand tonnes "Mt" million tonnes A total of 386 extra members of the Guardia Civil are being deployed to the Balearics this summer to increase public safety. This summer a high-impact operational plan will be implemented from June with 76 Guardia Civil to work in areas where public safety issues or crimes against sexual freedom are occurring in a notorious way or are increasing, Guardia Civil sources said today. These 76 agents will form part of the Reserve and Security Group (GRS) which will deployed in Calvia, home to the resorts of Magalluf and Santa Ponsa, and the Rapid Action Group (GAR) to Ibiza. A new Alert Cops application will be promoted and special controls will be carried out in ports, airports and popular leisure areas. Mixed patrols, made up of Spanish agents with eleven German, French and Italian police officers, will be in Mallorca and Ibiza from June. The Guardia Civil will continue to provide services at the foreign tourist information offices, which last year attended 2,860 people of 29 nationalities. Manchester, VT (05254) Today Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers during the evening giving way to periods of light rain overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. MANISTEE COUNTY The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and District Health Department #10 have announced that the COVID-19 vaccine booster is now authorized for everyone 5 years of age or older. Expanding eligibility for COVID-19 boosters will allow for those who really need it to get a booster dose, said DHD#10 Medical Director Dr. Jennifer Morse in a news release from DHD#10. Talk to your health care provider or local health department to determine the appropriate booster dose type for you. The new guidance on COVID-19 vaccine boosters is as follows: A single mRNA booster dose should be given to individuals aged 5 and older at least five months after their second shot (Pfizer for ages 5 and older, Moderna for ages 18 and older). A second mRNA booster dose should be given to individuals 50 and older, or individuals 12 and older that are moderately to severely immunocompromised, at least four months after their first booster dose (Pfizer for ages 12 and older, Moderna for ages 18 and older). For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they are encouraged to speak to their local health department or healthcare provider to see which booster dose is right for them. Information about moderate and severe immunocompromising conditions can be found on the CDC website, the news release said. The CDC has a new tool to help people find out which booster is right for them and at what time. To find out more information, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html. DHD#10 also wants to highlight the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Make a COVID-19 Plan information about planning for vaccination and boosters, keeping a supply of tests and masks, and learning about eligibility for COVID-19 therapeutics. Learn more at the MDHHS website. The CDC updates its COVID-19 County Check tool regularly. This tool allows individuals to enter their state and county to determine whether their COVID-19 Community Level is kow (green), medium (yellow) or high (red). Prevention guidance is provided based on each level for individuals to consider following. MDHHS also maintains a data dashboard of state and county-level data on COVID-19 cases, trends, demographics, and testing, as well as vaccine data and other relevant information by topic. KN95 masks are currently available in all 10 DHD#10 offices. Masks are given out three per person on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. To find the nearest DHD#10 office, visit dhd10.org/clinic-locations. For those wanting to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine, booster dose and/or flu shot, visit dhd10.org/schedule or call 888-217-3904. For those interested in hosting a COVID-19 vaccine or testing clinic at their location, complete this registration form: https://bit.ly/3j52rSj. For those needing a COVID-19 test, DHD#10 is hosting testing clinics at various locations throughout their jurisdiction. Find a testing site locally at dhd10.org/covid19-testing-clinics. A person doesn't need to be a resident to get tested at any of these clinics. COVID-19 testing also takes place at most pharmacies, urgent cares and a person's primary health care providers office. People can also find testing in neighboring counties on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) site at michigan.gov/coronavirus/resources/k-12-school-opening-guidance/resources/2-row-resources/community-based-pop-up-rapid-antigen-testing-events DHD#10 does not supply COVID-19 at-home tests; however, test kits are available at most pharmacies. Be sure to call the local pharmacy ahead of time, as demand is high. People can also get at-home tests through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Postal Service by visiting covidtests.gov. If a person has a positive COVID-19 at-home test kit, it should be reported at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6715540/Home-Test-Report. Employers are critical to health departments' understanding of outbreaks. If a person is an employer and would like to report a positive test result from their organization, do so at: covidreporting@dhd10.org. For more information on COVID-19, visit dhd10.org/coronavirus. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MANISTEE An incident that occurred in downtown Manistee more than three years ago that prompted a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court has been settled, according to court documents obtained by the News Advocate through a Freedom of Information Act request. The case alleged that a former Manistee County Sheriffs Office deputy, who was also a court bailiff, arrested a protester in Manistee for not showing identification. Shaun Carpenter was the plaintiff in the case. Carpenter was a Manistee resident on Aug. 8, 2017 when he was arrested and later charged with three misdemeanor counts in Manistee County's 85th District Court that were later dismissed by the Manistee County Prosecutor's Office. The counts were disturbing the peace, assaulting/resisting/obstructing and possession of marijuana. The U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan Southern Division case's defendants were former Manistee County Sheriffs Office deputy Blake Fitch and Manistee County. According to U.S. District Court documents filed in January, the court had been notified of the parties' agreement to settle this matter in its entirety. Attorneys for Carpenter and Manistee County did not respond to the News Advocates requests for information on the matter. The county settlement was listed as costing $375,000 and be paid to Carpenter, according to the release and settlement agreement document the News Advocate obtained. Lisa Sagala, Manistee County controller and administrator, said in an emailed inquiry that Manistee County pays for settlements through its Property and Liability Insurance. Sagala noted that depending on a settlements amount, a certain portion may need to come from the countys general fund and then if the cost reached a certain point, the remainder is covered by insurance. Part of the settlement details note that It is understood and agreed that this settlement is a compromise of a claim, and that the payment made is not to be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the party or parties hereby released, and that said release denies liability therefor and intends merely to avoid further litigation, trial, the uncertainty of verdict and the costs associated therewith. Background on the case Previous News Advocate reporting based on the complaint document showed the complaint had been filed on Nov. 21, 2018 and that Carpenter was seeking damages for a fractured tibia, pain and suffering, mental anguish, mental distress and loss of the enjoyment of life and social activities; fear, anxiety, depression; and special damages including medical expenses. He was also seeking "to recover reasonable costs and attorney's fees." Court transcripts of Fitch's body camera and supplemental information state that Carpenter was protesting in front of the Vogue Theatre on River Street. He was asked to relocate his protesting and then Fitch responded to the situation. More documents available More court documents and the full details of the settlement from this case can be found with this story online at manisteenews.com. See More Collapse Fitch first tried to identify Carpenter by asking for identification. Carpenter refused and at one point stated that, I dont have a name for you. Am I violating law? In the transcripts, Fitch said, Believe it or not, there is a Michigan law that you are required to identify yourself upon demand of a peace officer, OK? Im a peace officer, Im asking you to identify yourself. I gotta make sure youre not wanted for anything and stuff like that. So I need your name. There is no state law compelling a person who is not driving a vehicle to present identification to law enforcement. The case also alleged that Manistee County played a part in the incident saying that it had a policy, practice and/or custom of arresting citizens who refused to provide identification to deputy sheriffs even when the arrested citizens were not being lawfully detained. The case was overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney, and on Oct. 8 the court gave an order that it had both granted and denied part of the cases claims. The order showed that the court had granted count II and denied count I's in the case. Count I alleged Carpenter was unlawfully arrested, that his first amendment right to peacefully protest against government action in a public place was violated and there was excessive force used during the arrest. Count II alleged what is called a Monell violation by Manistee County. According to the court documents in part, a municipality can be held liable for an officers actions when the officer violated the plaintiffs constitutional rights, and that violation resulted from an official municipal policy or custom. In a previous interview with the News Advocate, Sheriff Brian Gutowski said that when he took office in 2020, he started publishing an annual use of force review document that details each use of force incident by the Manistee County Sheriffs Office. Those are available at the sheriff's office for public review. Also, any use of force incident by the sheriff's office is reported, then it is reviewed by a use of force instructor. The U.S. District Court documents stated that dismissal papers, prepared for entry by Maloney, were ordered to be filed by March 1. The settlement document signatures are dated as of Feb. 23, 2022. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Benzema: "Now is not the time to talk about Mbappe" Benzema: "Now is not the time to talk about Mbappe" Karim Benzema has refused to comment on Kylian Mbappe's decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain and stressed that he is fully focused on Real Madrid's Champions League final against Liverpool on Saturday. When asked what he would tell his compatriot about the fact that he turned down Real Madrid's offer to sign a new contract with PSG, Benzema indicated that this is not the moment to discuss Mbappe's future. "I would say that [Real Madrid] are going to play the Champions League final and this is not the moment to talk about these little things," Benzema told Movistar +. "No, [I prefer not to talk]. I am not angry. I am focused on the Champions League final. It's more important do this than listen to other things." Kate Moss is set to give her testimony regarding what Amber Heard has said when she took the stand in the defamation case versus Johnny Depp. She reminisced a situation that allegedly happened As you may be following, during Amber Heard's testimony she mentioned that she punched Johnny Depp while they were in Australia because she was reminded of the time that allegedly Depp threw his then-girlfriend Kate Moss down a flight of stairs. Johnny Depp denies such accusations Johnny Depp has categorically denied these accusations from Heard and he even doubled down on his truth by asking his ex to testify on the stand about that particular event. Moss & Depp in the 90s Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were together in the 90s and had a passionate romance that eventually ended their relationship. It was reported that during their time together they got in some trouble when they bashed a hotel room that Depp had to reimburse the company with over $10,000 in damages, however, Moss never reported that Depp was violent against her. Big Mistake "That's one mistake that [Heard] made, was bringing up Kate Moss, which potentially opened the door to [Depp's team] bringing [Moss] on as an impeachment witness" - and Moss "saying 'This never happened,'" said a show business lawyer Mitra Ahouraian. In court, Amber Heard recounts alleged strangulation by Johnny Depp It is possible that Amber is not happy with this A person that is close to Depp told the NY Post that "Amber mentioned an ex of Johnny's that clearly she felt was not supportive of him, which couldn't be further from the truth." Tom Bass Park in Houston, Texas will be unveiling a George Floyd statue on Wednesday, on the second anniversary of his death. Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, by former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, who was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. The statute, called "Conversation with George," was created by sculptor Adrienne Rison-Isom. The statue will depict Floyd seated on a table, welcoming people of all ethnic backgrounds to have a seat and join him in conversation. Several Houston leaders, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, are expected to attend the unveiling at Tom Bass Regional Park III Community Center, located at 15118 Cullen Boulevard, on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. local time, along with Floyd's family. Houston Mayor on George Floyd "I hope that it serves as a gathering spot for reflection and action today and always," Mayor Turner said. "The name George Floyd will forever resonate in Houston and worldwide. "The senseless murder in Minneapolis of this son of the Cuney Homes in Third Ward served as the catalyst for policing reform and started conversations from the classroom to corporate America about race and social justice." Floyd's statue was donated to Harris County by Dannette Davis of Kay Davis Associates. The Floyd Family Foundation was also involved in the creation of the sculpture, which is worth $110,000. "We all witnessed the impact that George Floyd made on the world, but at the end of the day, he was a regular guy with a few extraordinary talents. He was an athlete and artist, but he was also a father, a son, and a brother," Davis said. "Just like all of us, he was a multi-dimensional human trying to find his way in this world." National Police Week in Minnesota Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, came under fire on Saturday when she announced on Twitter a Senate resolution designation this week as National Police Week. Detractors called Klobuchar "tone-deaf" for doing so on the week of Floyd's death's two-year anniversary. "576 officers lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021," Klobuchar wrote. "We passed a Senate resolution designating this week as National Police Week to honor the officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. One small way to recognize their courage." A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The 'Bad Axe' documentary continues to earn awards as it makes the rounds at film festivals around the country. Filmmaker David Siev's chronicle of his hometown during the COVID-19 pandemic made its debut in March at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, where it won special jury and audience awards. Making its Michigan debut at the Freep Film Festival in late April, Bad Axe won the festival's Audience Choice Award. It also earned the Grand Jury Prize at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival earlier this month, and last week Siev took home the Special Jury Honorable Mention Award at the Center for Asian American Media CAAMFest in San Francisco. The film was also recently screened at the Martha's Vineyard Film Festival and the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado. Siev's film is described in promotional materials as a "real-time portrait of 2020 (that) unfolds as an Asian-American family in Trump's rural America fights to keep their restaurant and American dream alive in the face of a pandemic, Neo-Nazis, and generational scars from the Cambodian Killing Fields." In early April, IFC Films acquired worldwide rights to "Bad Axe." IFC Films distributes mainly independent films under its name, select foreign films and documentaries under its Sundance Selects label and genre films under its IFC Midnight label. Its an offshoot of the Independent Film Channel, owned by AMC Networks. The film is expected to debut in theaters and on video-on-demand services later this year. One of the film's executive producers is Jeff Tremaine, a director, screenwriter and producer best known for co-creating the MTV reality stunt show "Jackass" with Spike Jonze and Johnny Knoxville. According to the film's website, Siev, a graduate of the University of Michigan, left Bad Axe for Los Angeles and landed a home at Tremaine's production company, Gorilla Flicks, where he spent several years "finessing the art of guerrilla filmmaking." "Bad Axe" made its hometown debut on May 1 before a packed house at the Bad Axe Theatre, where it was met with an overwhelmingly positive response. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Billionaire investor turned philanthropist George Soros has blamed new technology for helping repressive regimes like Russia and China exert greater control. Speaking Tuesday at a dinner for journalists on the sidelines of the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Soros said China and Russia were the greatest threats to open democratic societies today, thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, especially artificial intelligence. AI is particularly good at producing instruments of control that help repressive regimes and endanger open societies, he said. COVID-19 also helped legitimize instruments of control because theyre really useful in dealing with the virus. Soros also held forth on Russian President Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine and Chinese leader Xi Jinpings decision to double down on his zero covid policy, which he said was a big mistake because it pushed Chinas economy into freefall. On climate change, Soros said it was on the verge of becoming irreversible and that could be the end of our civilization. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says the U.S. and China are making progress on putting together a group to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kerry told The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the the worlds two largest emitters of greenhouse gases are close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. He says we are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions. Kerry noted that maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crack down on methane leaks. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central focus for the group. Kerry says he was hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There's no sign of progress, or even movement. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated with Congress stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said nobody is going to be in one job forever" but he wasn't planning to move on. He says he's working toward the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November. ___ A top adviser to new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea hasnt responded to a proposal to send COVID-19 vaccines to the reclusive country. Na Kyung Won told reporters that she was meeting with officials from the Red Cross and the international vaccine group Gavi in Davos, Switzerland, about ways to help send coronavirus vaccines and other medicines but Pyongyang has been silent. Na told The Associated Press Tuesday at the World Economic Forum meeting that we worry because North Korea doesnt open, frankly." Before acknowledging an outbreak of the omicron variant on May 12, North Korea had insisted it was virus-free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It snubbed millions of vaccines offered by the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program and has not responded to offers of medicine and other aid from South Korea and the U.S. Gavi, which runs COVAX with partners, said it hasn't received any requests for COVID-19 vaccines from North Korea, but it has allocated doses for the country. The World Health Organization has pleaded for more information on the outbreak but not gotten a response. ___ Leaders from some European nations and the head of NATO agreed that bolstering weapons systems and arming Ukraine is critical as Russia attacks its neighbor. Speaking on a securing Europe panel Tuesday at the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren says the European Union can join forces to provide complex systems that Ukraine needs. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says there needs to be more coordination on deciding what weapons systems the 27-nation bloc needs as a long-term security goal. Ollongren agreed. North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski says joint weapons procurement is important long term but that it's critically important to help Ukraine now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the strongest way to support Ukraine is providing weapons, which allies are doing at unprecedented levels as Ukraine has requested. He reiterated that we support Ukraine, but NATO will not be part of the conflict." Opening the session by video link, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, said, You dont need to wage this war, just help us to do it. He proposed an international advisory working group that would offer security guarantees for Ukraine, including providing weapons, funding for rebuilding and defense, maintaining sanctions against Russia and joining the EU as soon as possible. ___ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and using food supplies as a weapon. Russias invasion of Ukraine has created disruptions of global food supplies, with both countries two of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, barley and sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful, with the EU saying sea shipments accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are struck in Ukraine. Von der Leyen says exports typically amount to 5 million tons of wheat per month, and it's down to 200,000 to 1 million tons. She says by getting it out, we can provide Ukrainians with much needed revenues, and the World Food Program with supplies it badly needs. The European Commission has proposed helping Ukraine export its wheat and other grains by rail, road and river to get around the Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most, with bread prices in Lebanon having increased by 70% and food shipments from Odesa prevented from reaching Somalia. Plus, she says Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support. This is using hunger and grain to wield power." Von der Leyen added that the EU is stepping up its production to ease pressure on the global food market while supporting Africa to become less dependent on imports. ___ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine is providing proof that doing business with authoritarians in Russia or China poses risks for Western security. Stoltenberg says free trade has brought a lot of prosperity and wealth but that it comes with a price because some of this trade, some of this economic interaction with authoritarian regimes is undermining our security. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stoltenberg said the idea that Europe can buy as much gas from Russia as you want, thats wrong. Its dangerous. It provides Russia with a tool to intimidate and to use against us and that has been clearly demonstrated now. He warns against any overreliance on commodities or advanced technologies or by allowing foreign control over national infrastructure like 5G networks. Stoltenberg says, This is about Russia. But also about China. Another authoritarian regime that does not share our values. And that undermines the rules-based international order. ___ Polish President Andrzej Duda says he sees no possibility for neighboring Ukraine to accept any peace terms dictated by Russia or to consent to give any of its territory to Russia. Duda spoke Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He says the mere drive to take revenge and regain whats theirs is so powerful that I dont believe that they (Ukrainians) could agree to peace terms that would boil down to the Russians taking again kilometers of Ukrainian land." He says the Russians have destroyed so much of Ukraine and the Ukrainians have spilled so much blood defending their country that any politician in Ukraine who would suggest bending to Russias demands would simply be finished. Duda says any politician in the West who believes he can persuade Kyiv to accept any of Moscows terms is deeply mistaken. Poland has been supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia through political and defense means, and has accepted more than 3 million refugees fleeing the war. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos that Russia's war in Ukraine shouldn't deter climate goals. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday about speeding up the road to net zero," Kerry says we should not allow a false narrative to be created" that the war somehow obviates the need to move forward and address the climate crisis. He says it's possible to both meet the need of increased energy from fossil fuels in the short term, particularly in Europe, and stay on course to reduce emissions over the coming years. Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the next climate change summit in Egypt in November will be a pivotal moment for the planet. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano says negotiations are over and implementation is starting as an investment in a better future for all. She says governments now need to assess how they can attract the right investments for energy transition. ___ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he believes Sweden and Finland will succeed in joining NATO despite Turkeys objections to their membership. In an address Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sanchez says that the political will of the allies is to welcome these two countries. He said Spain will accelerate all the parliamentary processes" to the two Nordic nations important for NATO and European Union stability. Turkey has objected over what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists and their block on arms sales. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Sanchez said it was imperative that we make every effort to restore food productions, trade systems and achieve food security for the most vulnerable. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently accused Russia of weaponizing food and holding hostage the grain the Ukraine produces for millions of people around the world. U.N. food chief David Beasley has warned that the war has created an unprecedented crisis of escalating food prices that are already sparking protests and riots and growing hunger. ___ Finland's foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations' application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns" regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns." He says he's confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance." ___ Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Unions response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the blocs migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than 6 million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says shes proud of her small country's reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. ___ Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has raised the focus on how the oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that oligarchs are not naive. He says they have lawyers, asset protection specialists and shell companies. The founder of Heritage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder credited U.S. efforts to put a squeeze on the Kremlin since the war began, by putting a freeze on the assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, Browder says were only scratching the surface. Citing a quite radical solution, Browder says what would solve the problem is to force the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. He says such an amendment to money laundering and sanctions laws should come with fines and imprisonment. ___ The European Unions top official said the 27-nation bloc should avoid becoming dependent to untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy with the need to find crucial raw materials. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal. She says the green and digital transitions will increase the need for materials like lithium and silicon metal required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. The head of the EUs executive arm says we rely on a handful of producers in the world. So, we must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas. Von der Leyen said the EU has secured materials partnerships with countries like Canada. She added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to quickly get rid of Russian fossil fuels. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal from Russia but has yet to find a deal on sanctions targeting oil. ___ The head of the European Unions executive arm says Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. She said the World Economic Forums annual gathering that the EU is mobilizing our full economic power" and we will, hand in hand, help Ukraine rise from the ashes. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She says the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of (Ukraines) judiciary and help tackle corruption. ___ The World Economic Forums annual gathering is resuming for a second day, with business leaders, government officials, representatives from global institutions and journalists gearing up for more panel talks and networking at the exclusive meeting in the Swiss Alps. Tuesdays agenda in Davos is packed with sessions on one of the meetings key themes climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is due to make an appearance. There also will be addresses by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Meanwhile, outside the conference venue, a Ukrainian activist was planning a street performance to urge foreign energy companies to stop doing business with Russia. Later, billionaire financier George Soros is hosting a dinner for media a non-official forum event but a fixture outside the Davos meeting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 File photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Photo provided by Midland County Jail Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A 53-year-old former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services foster care worker was recently arrested by Michigan State Police and charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct in connection with an adult. Ladd Perreault, of Midland, is lodged in the Midland County Jail on a $500,000 cash/surety non-10% bond. He is charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct third-degree - penetration object, and three counts of criminal sexual conduct fourth-degree - forcible, according to 75th District Court records. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) A man suspected of abruptly pulling a gun and killing a stranger on a New York City subway train was arrested Tuesday, with police saying his motive for the unprovoked attack was a big mystery. Andrew Abdullah, 25, was expected to face a murder charge in the death of 48-year-old Daniel Enriquez, who was shot to death while heading to Sunday brunch. Abdullah "targeted this poor individual for reasons we dont know, Chief of Detectives James Essig said at a news conference. The arrest came hours after police posted Abdullah's name and photo on social media and implored the public to help find him. But after the arrest, police disclosed that officers briefly stopped him after the shooting but let him go because his clothes didn't match the description they were given. The Legal Aid Society, which is representing Abdullah, said it was just beginning to review evidence and urged the public not to make assumptions about the case. Mr. Abdullah deserves vigorous representation from his defense counsel, and that is what The Legal Aid Society will provide, the organization said in a statement. About six weeks after another subway shooting wounded 10 people, witnesses Sunday saw a man pacing the last car of a Q line train heading from Brooklyn to Manhattan, muttering to himself, Essig said. The only words witnesses could make out: No phones. Then the man pulled out a gun and fired at Enriquez at close range, hitting him once in the chest, police said. The shooter fled after the train arrived at Manhattans Canal Street and ditched his gun by handing it to a stranger on the subway stairs, Essig said. Police eventually found the recipient and the gun, which had been reported stolen in Virginia in 2019. About a block and a half away, officers stopped Abdullah and asked him what he was doing, Essig said. But he wasn't wearing the black hoodie mentioned in the initial suspect description, and he had a backpack that hadn't been mentioned. Officers let him leave but took down his name. Only later, when viewing surveillance video, did police realize that the gunman had removed the sweatshirt after the shooting, Essig said. The Legal Aid Society said it had tried since Monday night to arrange for Abdullah to surrender in the subway shooting, but authorities instead made a completely unwarranted and inappropriate decision to apprehend him outside the organization's office. An inquiry was sent to police. Abdullah was on parole until last June after serving 2 1/2 years behind bars on a conviction on conspiracy and attempted weapon possession charges in a gang case, according to parole records and police. Court records show he has open criminal cases stemming from an April 24 vehicle theft and an alleged assault in 2020. He hasn't entered a plea in either of those cases; messages seeking comment were left with his lawyers. This horrific crime should never have happened, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news briefing Tuesday, calling Abdullah a repeat offender who was given every leeway by the criminal justice system. Before his arrest, Enriquezs sister Griselda Vile implored the city Tuesday to tackle crime more effectively. Im pleading that this not happen to another New Yorker, she told Fox News. I dont want my brother just to be a passing name in the media, a passing name in our normalcy post-pandemic. Enriquez worked for the global investment research division at Goldman Sachs, where CEO David Solomon called him a dedicated and beloved employee who epitomized our culture of collaboration and excellence. A child of Mexican American parents, Enriquez spent his early childhood in Brooklyn before his family moved to California and then to Seattle, his partner, Adam Pollack, told the New YorkPost. Enriquez returned to New York City in the mid-1990s to pursue a master's degree in Latin American studies at New York University. His yen for learning didn't stop there during the coronavirus pandemic, he learned to play the guitar and to speak Portuguese and Italian, his family and partner said. He was constantly in self-improvement mode, brother-in-law Glenn Vile told Fox News. The eldest of five children, Enriquez texted his siblings about an hour before he was killed to advise them to check on their parents, who have health problems, she said. The seemingly random shooting further shook a city already on edge about public safety. Many types of crime have rebounded after dipping dramatically earlier in the pandemic when people were staying home. In the first five months of 2022, the number of shootings in the city dropped slightly over the same period a year earlier, and the number of murders is down 12% so far over last year. But New York is still on pace to have its second-highest number of homicides since 2011, after nearly a decade of record lows. In terms of violent crime, the city remains substantially safer now than it was during the 1970s, '80s, '90s and early 2000s. But crime is now city voters top concern by far, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this month. It surveyed 1,249 registered city voters and has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who campaigned on promises to make the city safer, said his administration will evaluate how it is deploying officers across the sprawling subway system. ___ Associated Press journalists Mary Altaffer and Tom Hays contributed. BEULAH The Benzie County Prosecutor's Office has offered a plea agreement to an Interlochen woman facing an open murder charge in the shooting death of her 5-year-old daughter. A pretrial conference took place on May 24 in Benzie County's Circuit Court for Suzanne Kay Jacobson, 33. During the court hearing, Judge David Thompson asked Benzie County Prosecutor Sara Swanson if there was an offer available to the defendant. Yes, Swanson said. It has been recently conveyed when we got the results of the criminal responsibility evaluation. The expiration of the offer is July 5. Swanson said a psychiatric criminal responsibility evaluation had also been conducted; the results were given to the defense. Defense attorney Anthony Cicchelli acknowledged receiving the results, but had not gone over them or presented them to Jacobson. Miss Swansons office did convey an offer settlement just yesterday and I havent had time to talk over that with the defendant, Cicchelli said. The results of the forensic criminal responsibility examination has been recently received, and I imagine the court might want to address that. Thompson said it was not an issue for him at this stage, and said if the case proceeded to trial and the defense pursued a claim of insanity, that would be when the report would be relevant to the court. Cicchelli said he might be considering an independent evaluation. Thompson said if the defense planned on entering a motion to use an insanity defense or seeking an independent evaluation, that those motions must be filed no later than June 10. There were no further details on the offer or the criminal responsibility evaluation available as of May 24. The final pretrial status conference for Jacobson is scheduled for July 5. Background of the case The charges stem from an incident on Aug. 12 that resulted in the death of Jacobsons 5-year-old daughter at their Inland Township residence. Initial reports indicated the defendants boyfriend, Micah Dalzell, called 911 and reported Jacobson had shot the girl. According to police reports, a struggle for the weapon ensued, and Jacobson fled the scene. She was arrested later nearby at Beechrafts Sawmill when officers were searching for her arrived at the business and found her sitting in the employee's truck. Jacobson was arrested without incident. According to police reports, she seemed confused and told the arresting officers there had been an accident. An unfired .9mm round was found in her pocket. Other .9 mm casings were found at the residence. Dalzell told investigators that Jacobson had come out of the house between 8-9 a.m. the day of the incident with a small, semi-automatic handgun and told him there had been an accident. Dalzell said he found the girl bleeding from the head and unresponsive on the mattress and three other children asleep, two in the same room as the victim and one in their own room. Dalzell said he Jacobson was attempting to take her own life and he wrestled the gun away from her. In a pretrial hearing, he stated he did not know exactly when he called 911. Police report getting the call around 2 p.m. Officers also reported Jacobson said the gun had fallen out of her pocket and discharged. A forensic investigator in a pretrial hearing said the girl was killed by a bullet fired straight down. James Leynse/Getty Images Starbucks has announced it will leave Russia after 15 years in the country due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, following a suspension of operations of its 130 locations in March. Starbucks joins other corporations like McDonald's, Exxon Mobil and British American Tobacco in leaving Russia completely. Starbucks' 130 locations in Russia are licensed locations, meaning Starbucks does not operate them. Those 130 locations account for less than 1% of the corporation's annual revenue. Starbucks announced it will no longer have a "brand presence" in Russia on Monday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. envoy for Somalia urged the country Monday to build on last week's election of a new president and work on national reconciliation, improve relations between the central government and states, and confront the growing threat from the al-Shabab extremist group. James Swan called last weeks conclusion of Somalias unduly protracted and contentious electoral process a major milestone for the country, and told the U.N. Security Council it is past time for leaders to address those and other pressing issues. The envoy said he met with Somalias new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, three days after his May 15 election to hear about his goals. They include finishing a constitutional review and judicial reforms, completing electoral laws, ensuring compliance with conditions for debt relief, and giving urgent attention to the dire drought," he said. Calling this a moment of opportunity, Swan said the entire U.N. system in Somalia is ready to work with the new government to support these goals. The election of Mohamud, who served as Somalias president in 2012-2017, ended a long-delayed electoral process. Political tensions and insecurity concerns had increased after President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohameds mandate expired in February 2021 without a successor in place. Mohamud defeated Abdullahi Mohamed in secret balloting by members of both chambers of parliament. No sitting president has ever been elected to two consecutive terms in the Horn of Africa nation, where rival clans fight intensely over political power. And no former Somali president had ever staged a successful return to the office until Mohamud's election. Only in the past few years has Somalia begun to find its footing after three decades of chaos from fighting among warlords and violence brought by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group and the emergence of Islamic State-linked extremist groups. Swan called the current security situation in the country highly volatile, saying al-Shabab had been emboldened by domestic political tensions and staged attacks in recent months in the capital Mogadishu, South-West State and Hirshabelle. U.S. President Joe Biden signed an order the day after Mohamuds election to redeploy hundreds of U.S. troops to Somalia to counter al-Shabab, which is considered the largest and wealthiest affiliate of the al-Qaida extremist organization. U.S. military leaders said this effort had been hampered by President Donald Trumps decision late in his term to withdraw forces from the country. African Union special representative, Francisco Madeira, told the council that in his electoral manifesto, Somalia's new president placed emphasis on liberating the country from al-Shabab, opening up the main supply routes, and ensuring that the security forces do not interfere in politics. The peaceful transfer of power creates conditions for advancing a national political dialogue and deepening reconciliation, Madeira said in a video briefing. He added that he was pleased the new administration is already engaging regional leaders on critical national issues. With a newly elected parliament and president, Madeira said, the doors are now open for a new chapter in the history of Somalia to be written. He said the Somali people have the opportunity to reconcile among themselves, end war and bring peace to the country, promote its economic development and restore Somalia to its former glory and beyond. Swan warned, however, that Somalia faces a worsening humanitarian situation following the failure of the fourth consecutive rainy season, another key issue. He said 6.1 million people are now affected by drought and six communities face a risk of famine if food prices continue to rise and humanitarian aid falters. He called for urgent contributions, saying almost halfway through the year the U.N. humanitarian appeal for $1.45 billion for Somalia is only 15% funded. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that after more than four years of political infighting, reconciliation between the new government and states is vital to tackle serious challenges. She said that includes facing the menacing threat of al-Shabab, which means alleviating the horrific humanitarian conditions that inspire extremism. She also urged the new government and international community to ensure that Somalis dont go hungry or thirsty, warning that the the country could be pushed over the brink of famine if Russias war on Ukraine continues to prevent wheat and other food from reaching Somalia. Cornstarch is a low-cost, readily available, humble miracle found in the baking aisle of just about every supermarket and grocery store in the country, and online. Extracted from corn and then processed into a very soft, white powder, cornstarch is sold in boxes and canisters. Usually, we think of cornstarch as a pantry ingredient used to thicken gravy. That's true, but there are so many other household uses for cornstarch. Used around the house, cornstarch can be so useful, with the ability to absorb up to about 10 times its weight in grease and liquids up to 203 F while still remaining a powder. REMOVE STAINS Dry or mixed into a thick paste with water, cornstarch can remove many kinds of stains on rugs, furniture, clothing and other fabric items. Leave it there and allow to dry because, as it does, it will also absorb the stain. Once dry, brush or vacuum. A cornstarch paste even works to remove blood and grease stains. Repeat as necessary if a single application doesn't completely remove the stain. SOOTHE BITES AND STINGS If you or your kids find yourselves on the receiving end of an insect bite or sting, make a thick paste of cornstarch and water and apply it to the bite. Allow it to dry and then brush or wash it away. TACKLE GREASE AND OIL Oil stains are some of the worst, and if you don't get the oil out before washing and drying, they become nearly impossible to get rid of later. If you get oil splatters on your clothes, sprinkle some cornstarch over the oil as soon as you can. It lifts and absorbs the oil from the fibers of that shirt, towel or apron. UNTANGLE, LOOSEN Got stubborn knotted shoelaces, a messy old kite string or fine gold chain? Sprinkle some cornstarch on the problem to reduce friction and make it easier to wiggle the knots out. REFRESH STUFFIES AND MORE Do this to freshen grubby fleece hats, mittens and stuffed animals: Pour a cup of cornstarch into a large paper bag; add dirty items; shake well. Leave for a few hours if the items are stained. Remove items from the bag and brush, vacuum or shake off excess cornstarch. CREAMY SCRAMBLED EGGS To make extra creamy scrambled eggs, whisk a teaspoon of cornstarch and milk together before adding the mixture into your eggs. MUSTY BOOKS Books that smell musty can be revived with a sprinkle of cornstarch. POLISH SILVER If you've ever pulled out the silver only to find it has lost its shine and luster, make a paste of cornstarch and water, spread it over your silver and let it dry. Wipe it off with a damp towel and then buff the pieces to bring out the natural shine. SCORCH MARKS If you ironed a bit too long and scorched the fabric, hope is not lost. Try wetting the stain with cold water and sprinkling with cornstarch. Once it's dry, brush it off. GLASS CLEANER Make an exceptional glass cleaner known as Alvin Corn (cornstarch is the secret ingredient), the best DIY glass and mirror cleaner ever. Here's the recipe: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 cups warm water. Pour items into a standard size spray bottle and shake well. Spray as you would any glass cleaner, making sure to shake before each use. DRY SHAMPOO Don't feel like washing your hair? A sprinkle of cornstarch absorbs grease and will help you look presentable at that next meeting. Sprinkle it on, work it into the roots with your fingers, allow to sit for a few minutes and then brush it out. See what I mean? DEODORIZE Because it is such an amazing absorbent, you can use cornstarch to remove some odors. Dust the insides of smelly shoes or boots or liberally sprinkle cornstarch over a dog's coat (avoiding the face) and leave for a few minutes or longer before shaking to remove or brushing it out. EASE SUNBURN While it's better to focus on preventing sunburns in the first place, you can soothe the pain of one by applying a paste of cornstarch and water to the burned areas. Give it time to dry. WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southwestern Sherman County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southeastern Dallam County in the Panhandle of Texas... Northwestern Moore County in the Panhandle of Texas... Eastern Hartley County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 530 PM CDT. * At 441 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles southwest of Hartley, or 15 miles south of Dalhart, moving northeast at 45 mph. HAZARD...Quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected. * Locations impacted include... Dalhart, Hartley, Cactus and Conlen. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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. ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Dimmit County through 530 PM CDT... At 444 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 7 miles northeast of Chupadera Ranch Airport to 17 miles southwest of Asherton to 6 miles south of Gilson Groves. Movement was northeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Carrizo Springs, Asherton, Light, Carrizo Hill, Gilson Groves, Catarina, Chaparral Wildlife Management Area and Brundage. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 2821 10011 2863 10009 2851 9940 2835 9939 2820 9957 2820 9989 TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 221DEG 28KT 2828 10002 2823 9992 2818 9975 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Fallout from last week's primary election has been playing out in the Pennsylvania General Assembly in recent days, including punishment for two lawmakers who worked to unseat fellow incumbents. In the Senate, GOP gubernatorial nominee Sen. Doug Mastriano was allowed back inside the Republican caucus closed-door meetings Monday. Mastriano, R-Franklin, had been kicked out last year after leaders concluded he had shared information that was supposed to be confidential. It was a leadership decision, said Jason Thompson, spokesperson for President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, who had sought the nomination against Mastriano. There are members of the caucus that requested that he be added back to caucus discussions. We evaluated that, our leadership team evaluated that, and made the decision to add him back. Thompson said Mastriano was made aware of the decision several weeks ago, but Monday was the first caucus to be held since then. A message seeking comment from Mastriano was left Tuesday with his Capitol staff. House Republican leaders stripped state Rep. Mike Jones of several committee assignments after his primary campaign work in York County helped beat Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor and longtime Rep. Keith Gillespie. Republican Rep. Dave Zimmerman also lost committee spots over similar efforts in Lancaster County. Saylor's loss to Wendy Jo Fink creates an opening for an ambitious colleague, as the majority chair of Appropriations holds considerable sway over state budget spending decisions. So far there's no sign House Republicans will move to replace Saylor before his term ends later this year. Senate Republicans could face a similar issue because Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, is locked in a tight primary race for the nomination and may lose reelection. The state budget, due July 1, will be the main focus of state lawmakers over the coming five weeks. Appropriations chairs control much larger staffs and spending than do rank-and-file members. Dozens of incumbents chose not to seek another term this year after the once-a-decade redistricting process made changes to district maps across the state. Last week, voters sent addititional sitting lawmakers home, with primary losses by Democratic Reps. Martell Covington in Allegheny County, Pam DeLissio in Phialdelphia and Brian Kirkland in Delaware County; and Republican Reps. Mike Puskaric south of Pittsburgh and Jason Silvis in Westmoreland County. In three districts, lawmakers were put in primary races together: Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie beat Rep. Gary Day in Lehigh County; Republican Rep. Perry Stambaugh beat Rep. Johnathan Hershey northwest of Harrisburg; and Democratic Rep. Chris Rabb defeated Rep. Isabella Fitzgerland in Philadelphia. In the Philadelphia suburbs, the Pocono Mountains, the Pittsburgh area and Reading, campaign strategists are poring over primary results to see what they suggest about the fall campaign. Republicans hold solid majority margins in both chambers, but legislative redistricting is generally expected to give Democrats a boost in what otherwise is shaping up to be a national political environment favorable to the GOP. COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) Just hours after graduating high school, a Mississippi teenager was arrested in what has been described as a domestic dispute that left one person dead. Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said Justin Robert Coggins, 18, of Caledonia, was arrested Saturday after he allegedly shot and killed Dustin Hoffpauir, 33, at a home in Caledonia, news outlets reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Fort Bragg would become Fort Liberty. Fort Gordon would be Fort Eisenhower. And, for the first time, Army bases would be named after Black soldiers and women. An independent commission on Tuesday recommended new names for nine Army posts that now commemorate Confederate officers. The recommendations are the latest step in a broader effort by the military to confront racial injustice, most recently in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, is the only base that wouldnt be named after a person. Two others would be named after Black soldiers, and three would include women's names. Fort Gordon in Georgia would get the most well-known name commemorating President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led allied forces in Europe in World War II. Other proposed renamings would honor lesser-known heroes, including several who received the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award. Fort Polk, in Louisiana, would be renamed Fort Johnson, after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army in World War I. Fort Pickett in Virginia, would be named after Tech Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II, and And Fort Rucker in Alabama, would be named Fort Novosel, after Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II and Vietnam. Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia would be renamed Fort Walker, after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Fort Hood, Texas, would be renamed Fort Cavazos, in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, who served in the Korean War, received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military award, and became the Armys first Hispanic four-star general. Fort Benning, Georgia, would be named after a married couple: Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who served in Vietnam and received the Distinguished Service Cross, and his wife Julia, who prompted the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. And Fort Lee, Virginia, would get a hyphenated name Fort Gregg-Adams and is the only one that would commemorate someone who remains alive today: Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, known as a logistics leader. Lt. Col. Charity Adams - the other half of the name led the first female Black unit of the Army deployed in World War II. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. The renaming process was laid out in a law passed by Congress in late 2020 The secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. The proposal to change the names triggered widespread discussion and debate within the bases' communities around the country. Panel members visited the bases, met with local leaders and residents, and relied heavily on their recommendations when choosing the final names, said the vice chairman, Ty Seidule. For years, U.S. military officials had defended the naming of bases after Confederate officers. As recently as 2015 the Army argued that the names did not honor the rebel cause but were a gesture of reconciliation with the South. But in the aftermath of the Floyd killing, and the months of racial unrest that followed, Congress ordered a comprehensive plan to rename the military posts and hundreds of other federal assets such as roads, buildings, memorials, signs and landmarks that honored rebel leaders. The change in the militarys thinking was reflected in congressional testimony by Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a month after Floyds death. He said that the current base names could be reminders to Black soldiers that rebel officers fought for an institution that may have enslaved their ancestors. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the nations first Black Pentagon chief has spoken bluntly of his own personal brushes with racism. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he told of serving as a lieutenant colonel with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg when three white soldiers, described as self-styled skinheads, were arrested in the murder of a Black couple who were walking down a street. Investigators concluded the two were targeted because of their race, and all told, 22 soldiers were linked to skinhead and other similar groups or found to hold extremist views. The current chief of the Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, posted an emotional video last June in which he discussed the difficulties he experienced as a young Black pilot. Brown, the first Black Air Force chief, said he had to prove to white supervisors that their expectations and perceptions of African-Americans were invalid. Created in 2020, the Naming Commission first met in March 2021 and began taking name recommendations from the public in September. Overall, the commission received more than 34,000 potential names, which it said included about 3,670 unique ones that could possibly be used. That list was later narrowed to about 100 before the final nine were chosen to be recommended to Congress. U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md., who learned to fly helicopters at Fort Rucker and also spent time at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, called the new names a significant step forward. All these bases honored men who wouldnt want me or other Black Americans serving in uniform, let alone in Congress," he said. We cannot ask todays servicemen and women to defend our country, while housing and training them and their families on installations celebrating those who betrayed our country in order to enslave others and preserve white supremacy. Panel members said Tuesday that the decisions were difficult because they had so many heroes to choose from. But in all cases, they said they had widespread agreement from the local communities. In at least one case, however, the panel members said that local residents were adamant that they wanted a name that wasn't on the final list: Fort Liberty. During the panel's final visit to Fort Bragg, people at the meeting "were very, very adamant about the name Fort Liberty, said Lawrence Romo, a commission member. We gave a lot of deference to what the Fort Bragg community wanted. Seidule said that the panel wanted names that will inspire soldiers to achieve the highest standards demanded by their nation in peace and in war. The panel also is considering new names for two Navy ships: the USS Chancellorsville and USNS Maury. Those and the new names for hundreds of streets, buildings and other assets, will be in the final report. A final report is due to Congress by Oct. 1, and will include the costs of removing and changing the names. Under the law, the secretary of defense is expected to implement the commissions plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024. BRIDGEPORT - Eleven years after he walked out of prison after serving a sentence for a crime that rocked the Stratford community, Lonnie Mebane is heading back there after a jury found him guilty of fatally shooting a local man during a 2017 drug deal. After a day and a half of deliberations, a 12-member, Superior Court jury found the 58-year-old Mebane guilty of murder with a firearm, criminal use of a firearm and carrying a pistol without a permit for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Eric Diaz. He faces more than 100 years in prison when he is sentenced July 19 by Judge Alex Hernandez. Its been a long time coming, said an emotional Eric Diaz following the verdict for his sons death. Sure, there is some closure but it wont bring my son back. Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Colleen Zingaro, who prosecuted the case with Edward Lee Miller, praised the work of the Bridgeport police and her staff for maintaining the integrity of the investigation. The jury were obviously very thoughtful in reaching the appropriate verdict, she said. Mebane was convicted of shooting Diaz on Sept. 14, 2017 during a drug transaction in Mebanes car at Newfield Avenue and Beardsley Street. Police said Mebane arranged to buy heroin from Diaz. Shortly after 10 p.m., he drove up to the intersection in his fathers Nissan sedan and waited. Diaz approached the car and got into the front passenger seat. Police said witnesses heard a single gunshot and saw Diaz roll out of the car and struggle to walk away before collapsing onto the sidewalk. Mebane previously served a 25-year prison term before being released in 2011. In that crime, a mother and her two young sons had been asleep in their McPadden Drive, Stratford, home on Oct. 20, 1985, when police said Mebane burst into the home carrying a knife in each hand. He repeatedly stabbed the 6-year-old boy. When the mother tried to intervene, police said Mebane grabbed her, threw her onto a bed, ripped her pajamas and bit her breast. When the 11-year-old boy tried to protect his mother, Mebane stabbed him before fleeing the home, police said. Mebane was convicted of numerous charges. Following his release from prison, police said Mebane moved in with his 90-year-old father in Stratford. In August 2017, Mebane took his father to a local store where the elder man purchased two handguns. Police said acquaintances of Mebane told detectives that Mebane was intent on robbing someone. Russian President Vladimir Putin is suffering from 'several serious illnesses' including cancer, but 'will not die tomorrow', a Ukrainian intelligence chief has claimed, Daily Mail reported. Kiev military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said he fears the Russian leader still has a 'few more years' left in him. The major-general claimed Putin was the target of an assassination attempt shortly after launching his invasion of Ukraine. He said the abortive bid was by representatives of the Caucasus, but gave no further details, Daily Mail reported. In an much-heralded interview with Ukrayinska Pravda, Budanov, 36, confirmed that the Ukrainians believe Putin is suffering from cancer, but did not add to an advance excerpt from the interview which revealed an apparent assassination bid on him. "He has several serious illnesses, one of which is cancer. But it is not worth hoping that Putin will die tomorrow. He has at least a few more years. Like it or not, but it's true," he said. Budanov claimed Putin was in a 'confused' state mentally. "Here we can argue a lot about the state of the dictator, who thought he would capture the whole country [Ukraine] in three days and raise the Russian flag on the administration building in Kiev," he said, Daily Mail reported. "And for the third month in a row, declaring that he has the second and sometimes the first army in the world, he cannot cope, in his words, with backward non-state Ukraine," Budanov said. Putin has 'significantly reduced people's access to people'. He allows in 'quite a small number of people' and 'keeps everyone else at a distance', he added. An Iraqi man living in the U.S. accused of being an Islamic State operative plotted to smuggle assassins into the country to kill former President George W. Bush, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, a 51-year-old Iraqi national living in Columbus, Ohio, has been charged with an immigration crime and aiding and abetting a plot to kill Bush, according to the Justice Department. He is accused of meeting with others in a hotel room in Columbus to look at sample firearms and law enforcement uniforms in March and traveling to Dallas in February to scout locations associated with Bush in preparation for the would-be assassination attempt. According to an FBI search warrant application obtained by Forbes, he said he wanted to assassinate Bush because he held the former president responsible for deaths in Iraq and the breaking up of the country after the U.S. military invasion in 2003, Forbes reported. The Justice Department specified in its news release that the assassination was plotted as retaliation for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The warrant application was filed by the FBI on March 23 and unsealed this week, according to Forbes. The FBI said the plot was uncovered through surveillance of Shihabs WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging app owned by Facebook and Instagram parent organization Meta, and the work of two confidential informants. Forbes said the case shows that federal investigators have continued to monitor actions by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, even as the group has been severely weakened by American intelligence and military operations in recent years. Shihab entered the U.S. in September 2020 on a visitor visa and filed a claim for asylum with U.S. citizenship in March 2021, according to the Justice Department. He has lived in Columbus and Indianapolis, where he worked at markets and restaurants. Shihab is also accused of arranging to smuggle someone he thought to be an Iraqi national into the United States for a fee of $40,000, according to the Justice Department. He accepted tens of thousands of dollars in October and December of 2021 as payment for the smuggling. Shihab could spend up to 10 years in prison if he is found guilty of attempting to illegally bring an individual into the United States, a federal crime. Also a federal crime, aiding and abetting the attempted murder of a former United States official has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, if convicted, according to the Justice Department. 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Visit star-telegram.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The name Fort Bragg and the North Carolina base's commemoration of a Confederate officer could soon be a thing of the past after a long-expected recommendation to rename it Fort Liberty was unveiled Tuesday. Fort Hood, Texas, would also become Fort Cavazos, after an Army hero in the Korean and Vietnam wars,and Fort Benning, Georgia, would be Fort Moore. Six other bases across the country would get new names under the proposal by an independent commission created by Congress to scrap those chosen to honor troops who fought for the South and slavery during the Civil War. The Naming Commission's recommendations come after a year of work and visits to base communities, but the proposed names must now go to Congress and be approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The changes aren't expected to be finalized until 2024, and a report on the renaming of other property, such as ships, and the total cost will be turned over to lawmakers in October. Read Next: Marine Corps Considers Abandoning Parris Island Amid Rising Extreme Weather Threats Bragg was the only facility to get a proposed name that is abstract and not connected to a figure in military history. Other new names would honor military figures such as Dwight Eisenhower, the Army general and president; Mary Edwards Walker, who served as a medic during the Civil War; and Van T. Barfoot, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Italy during World War II as a technical sergeant. "We got our input from all the communities on all these names, to include Fort Bragg," said Lawrence Romo, a member of the Naming Commission, who briefed the press on the proposals. "They had their military, the civilians and the committee leaders there, and the invited guests at Fort Bragg for our second listening session were very, very adamant about the name Fort Liberty." The concept of liberty is deeply tied to the American military and the base, including a mention in the 82nd Airborne song, said retired Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, the commission's vice chairman. "In the 21st century, Fort Liberty symbolizes the U.S. Army's defense of that which we hold most dear," Seidule said, describing the reason for the choice. The choice for Fort Hood honors Gen. Richard Cavazos, a sixth-generation Texas native who led a company of Puerto Rican soldiers in the Korean War and who later led an infantry battalion during the Vietnam War. Benning gets its proposed name from Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who led men in the Ia Drang valley during the Vietnam War, and his wife Julia, who prompted the Pentagon to create casualty notification teams who handle notifications when family members are killed in service. Congress created the commission in the annual defense authorization bill passed in January 2021 amid a simmering national debate on Confederate monuments and history. It reached out to the public for suggested names and received 34,000 submissions, then pared that down to 87 before the final selection for bases. Names that didn't make the cut: Secretary of State Colin Powell, Gen. Omar Bradley, Audie Murphy, and Harriet Tubman, among others. Here is the complete list of base recommendations the commission released Tuesday: Fort Benning, Georgia -- Fort Moore -- Fort Moore Fort Bragg, North Carolina -- Fort Liberty -- Fort Liberty Fort Gordon, Georgia -- Fort Eisenhower -- Fort Eisenhower Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia -- Fort Walker -- Fort Walker Fort Hood, Texas -- Fort Cavazos -- Fort Cavazos Fort Lee, Virginia -- Fort Gregg-Adams after two Black service members, Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, a supply logistician who helped desegregate the Army, and Lt. Col. Charity Adams, who oversaw mail distribution in Europe during World War II -- Fort Gregg-Adams after two Black service members, Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, a supply logistician who helped desegregate the Army, and Lt. Col. Charity Adams, who oversaw mail distribution in Europe during World War II Fort Pickett, Virginia -- Fort Barfoot -- Fort Barfoot Fort Polk, Louisiana -- Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black soldier in World War I who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2015 -- Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black soldier in World War I who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2015 Fort Rucker, Alabama -- Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel Sr., an Army aviator during the Vietnam War who flew 2,543 extraction missions and rescued more than 5,500 wounded soldiers The commission said it had also considered renaming Fort Belvoir, Virginia, which in 1935 was named after a plantation that was once there, but decided it did not meet the criteria. Austin, the first Black defense secretary, will make the final call and issued a statement recognizing the "commission's efforts to propose nine new installation names that reflect the courage, values, sacrifices, and diversity of our military men and women." About 750 pieces of military property were also flagged by the commission in March for links to Confederate history and could soon get recommendations for new names. They include ships, roads and historical items at Army, Navy and Air Force bases in a dozen states. The Navy ships being considered are the USS Shiloh and Chancellorsville, as well as the USNS Maury, a survey ship. Army landing craft utility ships Mechanicsville, Malvern Hill, Harpers Ferry, Aldie and Chickahominy are also under consideration. The many new names are likely to have a wide impact where bases such as Bragg are key fixtures in local heritage and the local economy, where the cost of rebranding could fall on civilian citizens. The commission said it plans to raise the issue with lawmakers, but they will be limited. "We heard from every community that they were concerned about the cost associated [with] this. Unfortunately, we're only allowed to take up the costs of what will be affected by the Department of Defense," Seidule said. "However, we will ensure that in our report that we give the feedback to Congress about the costs associated with this outside the gates." -- Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the war in which Johnson served. -- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten. Related: 10 Much Better Names for the Army Bases Honoring Confederate Generals Covered in a mixture of sweat, water and vegetable shortening, Nick McGowan tossed a cap on top of the Herndon Monument just after noon on Monday. McGowan's lob meant one simple thing: members of the Class of 2025 are plebes no more. After 3 hours, 36 minutes and 58 seconds, the 1,100 first-year midshipmen had worked together by hooking arms, standing on shoulders and cheering each other on to successfully scale the 21-foot Naval Academy obelisk. The climb is part of a tradition for first-year Naval Academy students. Together, they mount a monument covered in about 200 lbs. of vegetable shortening while they are sprayed with water. This year's time wasn't particularly fast, however. The climb came in as the third-slowest on record, according to an academy spokesperson. "My first thought was, 'How am I getting down?'" McGowan said after the climb ended. The Sioux City, Iowa native was surprised to be the one whose cap toss landed on top of the monument. "I was thinking I was more of a midsection guy. [Then] some kid looked at me and said, 'Are you going up?' I was like, 'I was going to support.' He said 'Go on up' and I'm going up," he said. But McGowan made sure to stress he was just the one who happened to climb on top of his classmates at the very end. In his celebratory speech he thanked his classmates at the base. Spectators come from all around the country to watch the plebes climb the tower and replace a hat known as a Dixie cup with a cap, a symbol of the end of the plebe year and progression into their second year at the academy. Maureen Weaverling, from Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, was emotional watching her daughter Catherina work with the team to climb the Herndon Monument. "This is awesome to watch them bonding together," Weaverling said. "In the beginning [the academy] was tough, but she loves it now. She's definitely excited not to be called a plebe anymore." The climb itself was not without challenges. Plebes near the top slipped off the shoulders of their peers, falling to the bottom of the monument. And the carefully crafted human pyramid tipped from side to side as students lost strength. Kindergarten teacher Liz Lese, who is the grandmother of Midshipman Owen Wise, from River Falls, Wisconsin, said the climb reminded her of a teambuilding practice she might do with her students. "It's terribly exciting," Lese said. "It's no different than kindergarten." She said Wise had wanted to go to the Naval Academy since he saw the Blue Angels in Pensacola, Florida, at 6 years old. She was thrilled to see his dream coming to life. Families in town for the week came to watch as well. In the case of Michelle Phillips and Kim Durfee, the pair quietly hoped the class of 2025 wouldn't beat the time of their kids' class of 2022 record, which was a little over an hour, they said. Durfee said watching the plebes climb the monument made her yearn for a simpler time when her son was still in school. He will soon head to Quantico as he trains for the Marines, she said. "I'm happy to see his dream come true. I'm nervous as a mother," Durfee said. "You think military and you think danger." But as the families watched the plebes rising and falling from the monument, the midshipmen didn't quit. "We're a family," McGowan said. Naval Academy Superintendent, Vice Admiral Sean Buck, reminded families and students what the climb is all about: honoring the spirit of Commander William Herndon who drowned with his ship off the coast of North Carolina in 1857 after trying to save as many on board as possible from a hurricane. "It's one of the truest, richest traditions we have at the Naval Academy that binds all alumni together," Buck said. "It epitomized what Bill Herndon stood for. It epitomizes a saying many of us have heard: "Ship, Shipmates, Self." Monday's climb was the start of a busy Commission Week at the academy. A Blue Angels flyover rehearsal is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday. The academy Glee Clubs and Gospel Choir Concert is set for 8 p.m. Tuesday, On Wednesday, the Blue Angels flight demonstration is scheduled for 2 p.m. The Color Parade is Thursday at 11 a.m. The week culminates with graduation and the commissioning ceremony starting at 10 a.m. Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with keynote speaker President Joe Biden. ___ (c)2022 The Capital (Annapolis, Md.) Visit The Capital (Annapolis, Md.) at www.hometownannapolis.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Marine Corps is considering moving some of its bases to other locations, including the iconic Parris Island Training Depot, in response to the growing effects of climate change, Navy officials said. "I'm aware that there are conversations in the Marine Corps about the possibility of moving bases right now," Meredith Berger, the assistant secretary of the Navy for Environment, Installations and Energy, told reporters on a call Monday when asked about moving the Parris Island facility. "We are seeing some real impacts there in terms of its geography, in terms of ... impacts that we've seen in storms, water impacts," Berger explained, speaking specifically about Parris Island, before adding that "they're usually in the path of a storm there." Read Next: Marine Corps' Twentynine Palms Base Put on Lockdown A string of recent reports has predicted that Parris Island will face increasingly frequent and ferocious hurricanes, floods and extreme heat. Those escalating temperatures are already a growing risk to trainees on the island. Between 2016 and 2020, Parris Island reported 576 cases of heat-related illnesses, according to a study released last year by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. Berger's comments, made as part of the Navy's rollout of its "Climate Action 2030" plan, come as the Pentagon worries about the effects of climate change on the force as a whole. When contacted by Military.com, Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Kevin Stephensen said that "both Marine Corps recruit depots face significant infrastructure challenges that negatively impact the long-term training of our future force." "In order to address these challenges, it is only prudent to explore all options to find a solution, to include understanding the cost-benefit of a consolidated Recruit Training site," Stephensen added. Stephensen noted that a new, consolidated base "is only one of several modernization efforts we are exploring," before adding that it is "too early to discuss or speculate further." Established in 1915, Parris Island has trained Marine recruits for more than 100 years. As a result, the base, whose iconic motto is "We Make Marines," holds a special place in the already lore-centered Corps. "What happens on the parade decks of Parris Island ... is what makes Marines," Gen. Carl Mundy wrote in a guide on leadership when he was commandant of the Corps in the 1990s. This isn't the first time the future of Parris Island has been debated by Pentagon and service officials. Commandant Gen. David Berger told Military.com in 2020 that replacing the training center was possible because the South Carolina base hadn't fully integrated gender-neutral training, stoking speculation the historic training camp could close. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, as well as nearby town and city officials, sounded the alarm on how economically devastating base closure in the area would be. Parris Island and nearby Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort provide $1.5 billion in economic activity for the state, as well as 12,000 jobs, according to a report by South Carolina's Lowcountry Council of Governments, an organization that advocates for the state's coastal communities. But Parris Island is far from the only military installation that might need to be abandoned, or modified, because of climate change. Last year, the Department of Defense announced a bold Climate Adaptation Plan focused on managing and navigating the costly effects of rising natural disasters and extreme weather hurting the force in recent years. Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska was hit with disastrous flooding in 2019, Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida was hit with $3 billion worth of hurricane damage in 2018, and California military bases continue to face growing issues from repeated wildfires. More recently, the environmental threats facing Parris Island and Beaufort were laid out in a Department of Defense-funded report published last month by the Lowcountry Council of Governments. The findings show that increased natural disasters, high levels of rainfall and coastal erosion are serious factors facing the Marine Corps' largest training facility on the East Coast. While military officials at Parris Island and Beaufort have been focused on small fixes such as raising roads to mitigate damage, scientists are raising the alarm about long-term issues the bases may face. "By 2050, the currently flood-prone areas within both bases could experience tidal flooding more than 300 times annually and be underwater nearly 30 percent of the year given the highest scenario," according to a 2016 case study from the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit science advocacy organization. South Carolina's hurricane-prone areas will continue to experience more dramatic rainfall and flooding and, by the end of the century, the Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that nearly three-quarters of the Parris Island base could be underwater from the daily tides. The Lowcountry Council of Governmentss report states that continual projects will be necessary around Parris Island, MCAS Beaufort and the surrounding community to mitigate damage and impact from more extreme weather events and climate change. Many of those projects will come with hefty price tags. Base leaders told the State newspaper in South Carolina last year that they have $200 million worth of improvements planned in future years. It's hard to overstate just how central a role the facility plays to the identity of the Marine Corps. It was Parris Island that came up with the now-infamous yellow footprints on which recruits first stand after getting off the bus. They appeared in January 1965, according to the Marine Corps history of the base. The base was also featured in Stanley Kubrick's 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket" with R. Lee Ermey playing the memorable drill instructor. "Parris Island has the designation of being the second oldest post in the Marine Corps," a Marine history of the base boasted. "Over the past 100 years, Parris Island has made over one million new Marines and will remain steadfast in its commitment to the lowcountry and nation for the next 100 years." Will Grimsley, secretary of South Carolina's Department of Veterans' Affairs, which also lobbies for military bases in the state, said Parris Island's famous "We Make Marines" sign should continue to ring true in the state despite the increased climate threats. "There is a local impact, but it's broader," Grimsley said. "It's national and international. Parris Island is an iconic training facility for the Marines. ... I believe it's here for the long haul to stay, and South Carolina is proud to host them." Editor's Note: This story and headline have been updated after a Marine Corps spokesperson provided comment following publication. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. -- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly. Related: Marines Weigh Closing Parris Island and San Diego to Open New Coed Boot Camp Senators from four states have introduced legislation to dismantle a commission tasked with studying the Department of Veterans Affairs' hospital system and making recommendations on consolidation and closures of facilities. West Virginia Sens. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, and Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, joined senators from New Mexico, South Dakota and New Hampshire to support a bill that would eliminate the VA Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission, saying the process favors suburban and urban areas over rural sections of the country. According to a report released in March, the department recommends closing 17 medical centers and dozens of aging or underused clinics and rebuilding or constructing 30 new hospitals and 225 clinics, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes. Read Next: Marine Corps Considers Abandoning Parris Island Amid Rising Extreme Weather Threats The medical centers slated for closure include areas where the veteran population is expected to decline, while new facilities would be built in regions where veterans are relocating, largely in the South and West. The $2 trillion proposal calls for the VA to reduce services in West Virginia, close two VA hospitals in South Dakota, and shutter three outpatient clinics and two additional facilities in New Mexico. "The VA MISSION Act and its BRAC-style process called the AIR Commission were bad public policy when I voted against them in 2018, and they have not improved with age," said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., in a press release Tuesday, referring to the Defense Department's commissions that closed or consolidated military installations between 1988 and 2005. "The AIR Commission should be called the ERROR Commission." "Our veterans have put their lives on the line to protect our nation and deserve easy access to the healthcare they have earned," Manchin said in a statement. "The VA's recommendations to the AIR Commission are skewed against rural states like West Virginia." The commission was created in 2018 as part of the VA Mission Act, an audit to determine which of the VA's facilities and programs are underutilized or inefficient and which ones need expansion or other improvements. A nine-member commission is due to hold public hearings on the proposal and review the VA's plans as part of the process. An updated set of recommendations from the commission including acceptance or rejection of the VA's plans as they stand are due in February 2023. The process has been delayed, however, with the Biden administration in March nominating eight people to serve on the commission, at least three months later than originally planned. The ninth member, who is supposed to be nominated by Senate Republican leaders, has not yet been named. All must be confirmed by the Senate. VA Secretary Denis McDonough has said the reforms are needed to provide top-of-the-line health care to veterans in updated, state-of-the-art facilities to "meet the needs of 21st century veterans, not the needs and challenges of veterans in a health care system built years ago." He also has expressed concern, however, that much of the review was conducted before the pandemic and does not take into account the past two years of VA health care utilization. "I have no pride of authorship here. If the data has moved in an appreciable way, I think the commission should update the recommendations to reflect it," McDonough said during a hearing before a Senate Appropriations Committee panel May 4. Once the commission makes its recommendations to the White House, President Joe Biden has until Feb. 15, 2023, to approve or reject them. If they are not approved, the commission may revise them and submit them back to the president by mid-March 2023. If the president approves the recommendations, Congress has 45 days to block them. Rounds and Manchin introduced a similar bill to eliminate the Asset and Infrastructure Commission in 2019, but it never was considered by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire joined the senators in supporting the bill to eliminate the commission. Hassan, whose state does not have a full-service Veterans Affairs medical center, sent a letter to McDonough in March asking the VA to refrain from altering its health services in New Hampshire and Vermont. "When we spoke a few months ago in this committee, you supported VA facility upgrades in New Hampshire," Hassan told McDonough during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing March 29. "But the VA's recommendations to the AIR Commission risk moving in the opposite direction." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime Related: Congress Passes Sweeping New Rule Allowing VA to Vaccinate All Veterans, Spouses KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of waging total war, seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible as in three months of conflict, as fighting raged Tuesday in the eastern Donbas region. Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Donbas' Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control, British military authorities said. That battle is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the Donbas, which is now the Kremlin's focus after its forces failed to overrun Kyiv in the early weeks of the war and were forced to withdraw and pursue more a limited objective. But its troops have become bogged down again in the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, the U.K. Defense Ministry said, but the fall of Sievierodonetsk and the area around it may cause logistical problems for the Russians. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. On the eve of the three-month anniversary of the start of the war, Zelensky told Ukrainians that Russia is waging total war, when the enemy tries to destroy as many people and infrastructure as possible. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, he said in his address Thursday night. He pointed to a missile attack that killed 87 people last week in the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (35 miles) north of Kyiv, one of the deadliest single strikes in the war. And it was only four missiles," he said, noting the many hundreds of such strikes since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24. In its effort to secure a victory in the Donbas, Moscow has withdrawn some forces from around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv. There, residents lined up for rations of tea, sugar, pasta and cereal, holding out plastic bags to receive cups of flour and other supplies. Meanwhile, a Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region said the pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents," said Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the administration. Ukrainian officials have speculated Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to ones held years ago in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of the Donbas. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine, using that as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Instead, Stremousov said the region would ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. Meeting in Tokyo with fellow leaders in the Indo-Pacific security coalition known as the Quad, President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Russia's war in Ukraine had brought a dark hour in our shared history. Global defense leaders on Monday agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a Harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. Gary Anderson was the director of Marine Corps Wargaming and is the author of "Beyond Mahan: A Proposal for a U.S. Naval Strategy in the Twenty-First Century." The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. China wants the United States out of the Western Pacific and particularly the South China Sea in any potential regional conflict. To do this, it has steadily built up an anti-navy capability. The United States doctrinally calls it Anti-Access/Access Denial (A2/AD) because it really aims to keep all joint U.S. forces at arm's length in a regional conflict. In theory, China intends to use long-range missiles to nullify U.S. bases in the region -- particularly in Japan and Guam -- to negate American airpower. At sea, the Chinese would use loitering manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as space-based assets, to target major U.S. warships and attack them with a combination of cruise missiles, manned aircraft, submarines, and small surface attack craft using swarm tactics. On paper, that is a splendid operational concept for denying U.S. capability to project power against both the Chinese mainland and any offensive military operations it may be conducting in the region. The problem is that it would also deny China the use of those waters. The anti-navy concept is as old as warfare at sea when land-based powers attempted to negate the fleets of maritime rivals. Lacking the resources to build a navy capable of defeating the Persian fleet when he invaded Asia Minor, Alexander the Great marched his army overland and systematically captured Persian naval bases from dry land, negating its navy. During the early years of its existence, the United States depended on a series of fortifications to deter naval powers -- especially the British -- from seaward invasion. The parsimonious U.S. Congress figured that the one-time investment of building fixed fortifications was much cheaper than building and maintaining a fleet dedicated to sea control. Although the fortifications had some success in the War of 1812, notably the defense of Fort McHenry that inspired the national anthem, the British were successful in disrupting American overseas trade. That's precisely the same problem China would face in adopting an anti-navy approach. China is an export-driven economy, and a war at sea would hurt the country badly. The current Russo-Ukraine war is a miniature example. Using its limited supply of precision anti-ship missiles, Ukraine has stopped Russia from conducting further amphibious operations along its coast, but the sea war has essentially halted maritime commerce in the Black Sea. Ukraine has a limited supply of anti-ship missiles, but the Russians do not know how many. The result is a standoff. It is a war where no one profits. A Sino-American conflict would see the United States attempt to degrade the Chinese recon-strike complex, allowing its carriers and amphibious strike forces to regain access to the region. The war games that this writer has participated in would suggest that the process of degrading the Chinese recon-strike system would be a long and laborious process. During that time, neither nation would be able to use the regional sea lanes. This would be disruptive for the U.S. economy, but disastrous for China's. Despite building two aircraft carriers, China has not undertaken serious efforts to build a blue water, sea control navy. The country appears to count on the cheaper anti-navy approach. Although President Joe Biden has issued contradictory statements about the U.S. intent to defend Taiwan, it is obvious that we are heading in that direction in response to Chinese rhetoric and provocations. To invade Taiwan successfully, Beijing must win quickly and present America with a fait accompli before it can peel back China's A2/AD complex to resupply Taipei's forces. This means that China needs a short war. Russia's current situation shows the dangers implicit in short war assumptions. Convincing China that the use of an anti-navy strategy would constitute a death knell for its export trade would seem to be a sound deterrent argument, but much of deterrence is based on credibility. Unfortunately, America's credibility as a blue water sea control force is diminishing at a time when it is most needed. The Heritage Foundation rates the U.S. Navy as "weak" in its ability to accomplish vital strategic missions, and it is beginning to decommission its littoral combat ships with no clear plan for near-term replacements. To withstand the pounding it would take in the early days of a fight at sea with the Chinese anti-navy, the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific region would need to be robust enough to sustain heavy losses and go on to degrade the Chinese recon-strike complex. Today's U.S. Navy is the smallest since the onset of World War II and getting smaller. Unless the United States Navy is beefed up in both size and decoy platforms, there is a very real threat that we will run out of ships before China runs out of smart weapons. The threat of a long war is our best deterrent to Chinese adventurism in the region. If Beijing thinks it is facing a hollow fleet, things could become very dangerous. Products Frontrunner Vaccine Will Affact the Price of Strontium Nitride powder Sr3N2 cas 12033-82-8 - Market Trend 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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Inquery us Products Global AlN powder market trend 2024-2029 UV LED substrate material comparison: Sapphire, Silicon, Aluminum Nitride, Silicon Carbide, Gallium by Newsmis-asia OPEC+, an oil producers' alliance led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, stuck to its original plan to increase output by just 432,000 b/d in June, continuing to defy calls from major consumers led by the United States to pump more oil to keep prices down. The meeting to decide on AlN powder are still very uncertain. The selection of substrate material plays an important role in the epitaxial quality of UV LED. Considering the similar crystal structure, lattice mismatch, and small difference in thermal expansion coefficient, UV LED substrates usually use sapphire (Al2O3) substrate, silicon (Si) substrate, aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate, silicon carbide (6H-sic) substrate, and gallium nitride (GaN) substrate. Sapphire substrate Sapphire substrate is the mainstream UV LED substrate, with good light transmittance, high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, product commercialization maturity (2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches), and other characteristics. Although both the sapphire substrate and AlGaN exist certain lattice mismatch and thermal mismatch, which will produce certain defects in the epitaxial layer, and affect the uniformity of crystal growth, they are the six-party symmetric structure, especially for UV transmittance of the sapphire substrate is very high and the price is low, and its electrical and thermal conductivity difference problem can be overcome by flip-chip technology. Graphical sapphire substrate surface, especially nano graphical sapphire substrate (NPSS), due to the effect by lateral epitaxial reduce its AlGaN epitaxial layer of dislocation density, release the extensional stress and improves the quality of the crystal, and modulation chip internal optical transmission path, the light extraction efficiency, and the process difficulty and the cost is moderate, It is one of the potential technology routes for the future development of high-efficiency UVC LED. Driven by the process cost and the requirements of high yield and high uniformity, the substrate specifications of AlGaN-based UV LED chips in the future will give priority to sapphire substrates with larger thickness, larger size, and appropriate bevel Angle. The thicker substrate can effectively alleviate the abnormal warping of epitaxial wafers caused by stress concentration in the process of epitaxial wafers, thus improving the uniformity of epitaxial wafers. The larger size of the substrate can greatly reduce the edge effect and reduce the overall cost of the chip. An appropriate chamfering Angle can improve the surface morphology of the epitaxial layer, or it can be combined with epitaxial technology to form the localization effect of ga-rich carriers in the active region of quantum well, so as to improve the luminescence efficiency. To sum up, UV LED put forward new requirements for sapphire substrate size, thickness, and bevel Angle, and it will be necessary to improve the existing substrate production process. Silicon substrate Silicon substrate has the advantages of low cost, large area, high quality, good conductivity, thermal conductivity, and easy integration, and its preparation process is relatively mature. As the thermal conductivity of silicon is five times that of sapphire, good heat dissipation enables silicon-backed LEDs to have high performance and long life. At the same time, the silicon substrate can achieve non-destructive peeling, and it is easy to prepare UV LED with vertical structure and thin-film structure. However, there is a larger lattice mismatch and thermal stress mismatch between AlGaN material and silicon substrate, resulting in a large number of defects in the epitaxial layer, serious warping, and easy to cause surface cracking. Therefore, AlGaN epitaxial technology has higher requirements. Aluminum nitride substrate Aluminum nitride single crystal substrate has good thermal conductivity, a small lattice mismatch between it and AlGaN material with high Al component, and low defect density during epitaxial growth. It is an ideal substrate material for preparing HIGH current, high power, and long life UVC LED chips and deep ULTRAVIOLET lasers. Physical gas-phase transport (PVT) is one of the most effective methods to prepare AlN single-crystal substrates. Research on PVT began in the 1960s, but there are still many technical problems, such as cost, size, transmittance, and so on, and the supply is very limited. Internationally, Crystal IS and Nitride Crystals have mastered the core technology of PVT and can mass-produce 2-inch AlN single Crystal substrates. It is expected that the application of aluminum nitride single crystal growth technology will be limited to high-end fields such as industrial-grade high-power UVC LED, UVC LED below 250 nm, and deep ULTRAVIOLET laser before a breakthrough is made. Silicon carbide substrate Silicon carbide and AlGaN lattice mismatch and thermal mismatch are small, and it has excellent conductive and heat conduction characteristics, although after the epitaxial micro-cracks may still happen, the defect density decreased significantly, improving the efficiency and prolonging the service life of LED, and preparation into the vertical or thin-film devices, preparation of AlGaN denotation material and devices is a better candidate substrate. However, silicon carbide substrate has strong absorption of UV light, relatively high material, manufacturing costs, and patent process that requires licensing fees, which are important factors limiting its development in UV LED devices. Commercial silicon carbide substrates are currently priced at a high cost with a maximum size of 6 inches. Gallium nitride substrate Gallium nitride single crystal substrate has good conductivity and thermal conductivity, and the lattice mismatch between it and low Al component AlGaN material is small, which can effectively reduce the high defect density caused by the heterogeneous substrate, thus improving the epitaxial crystal quality and improving the device performance and service life of LED and laser diode in near-ultraviolet band. At present, domestic enterprises have been able to produce 2-inch gallium nitride substrates in small batches, with 4-inch substrate production capacity, and developed 6-inch substrate samples, with a typical dislocation density of 106cm-2 magnitude. However, the price of gallium nitride substrate is still high, and its application potential in near-ultraviolet UV LED is limited. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials, including silicon powder, nitride powder, graphite powder, zinc sulfide, calcium nitride, 3D printing powder, etc. If you are looking for high-quality aluminum nitride AlN powder, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. ([email protected]) Recently, the Turkish government announced that the Turkish President has signed a presidential decree to provide incentives for its Black Sea gas field development projects, including tax exemptions and other preferential measures. With a fixed investment of 145.1 billion Turkish lira ($10 billion), the project will employ 1,018 people and produce 14 billion standard cubic meters of gas per year, the decree reads. The incentives involved include tariff and VAT exemptions, as well as a range of tax cuts. In June 2021, Turkish drill ships discovered 135 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Sakaria field in the Black Sea, bringing Turkey's total gas discoveries in the region to 540 billion cubic meters. Turkey imports almost all of its annual gas consumption of about 50 billion cubic meters. Except for natural gas, the supply and prices of many other AlN powder will continue to be influenced by international situations. Inquery us The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, plans to carry on with the party's "Azadi March" despite the Pakistan government's decision earlier on Tuesday to stop the long march towards Islamabad, Geo News reported. The PTI chairman's speech comes after a countrywide police crackdown against members and leaders of the PTI. A policeman also lost his life in one of the raids after which the government said it would not allow the PTI to go ahead with its long march scheduled for Wednesday. Criticising the PML-N-led government, Khan said that he has been seeing the Sharif family adopting the same tactics that military dictators did since 1985. "They only remember democracy as soon as they leave power," he said, asking how many times these parties have taken to the streets throughout the PTI government's term. The former Prime Minister then asked if the PTI government made any arrests when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JUI-F Cheif Maulana Fazlur Rehman marched towards Islamabad, Geo News reported. Calling out to the judiciary of Pakistan, the PTI leader said that the courts' reputation would be tarnished if it permitted what was happening in the country and its silence would "prove that there is no democracy in the country". "We are noting the names of each and every official and bureaucrat. Our message to the bureaucracy is that action will be taken against them if they follow illegal orders," he said, Geo News reported. The PTI chairman asked his supporters to "break the chains of fear" while citing the example of how the Afghans fought foreign powers. Imran Khan said that the government could not put a sea of people, who are willing to march to Islamabad in his support, in jail. A woman who aged 12 survived the 2009 Yemenia Airways crash in the Comoros islands that killed all 152 others onboard described Monday the terrifying moments leading up to her plunge into the ocean and subsequent miraculous rescue, in the French trial against the airline. Bahia Bakari, now 25, has sat through several hearings with her father but had not testified or spoken to journalists attending the trial that opened this month. "I didn't see how I was going to get through this," Bakari told the court of her hours spent in the water holding on to a piece of debris, with "the taste of jet fuel" in her mouth. Bakari and her mother left Paris on June 29, 2009, for a vacation in the Comoros, changing planes in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa for the final leg of the trip. "It was a smaller plane, there were flies inside and it smelled strongly like a bathroom," she said, but "the flight went normally" -- until the beginning of the landing descent. During the night-time approach of Flight Yemenia 626 to Moroni, the capital of the Comoros islands that lie between Mozambique and Madagascar, the Airbus A310 jet plunged into the Indian Ocean with its engines running at full throttle. "I started to feel the turbulence, but nobody was reacting much, so I told myself it must be normal," Bakari said as over 100 family members or friends of the victims listened in silence. Suddenly "I felt something like an electric shock go through my body." 'Couldn't see anyone' "There's a black hole between the moment when I was seated in the plane and the moment I found myself in the water." France's overseas territory of Mayotte is part of the Comoros archipelago, and 66 French citizens were among the 142 passengers and 11 crew members aboard. Investigators and experts found there was nothing wrong with the aircraft, blaming instead "inappropriate actions by the crew during the approach to Moroni airport, leading to them losing control." No one from Yemenia Airlines has appeared at the trial, where prosecutors have accused the company of pilot training programmes "riddled with gaps" and of continuing to fly to Moroni at night despite its non-functioning landing lights. The company's lawyers have denied any wrongdoing. Yemenia is charged with involuntary homicide and injuries. Bakari, regaining consciousness in choppy waters, recalled waiting for hours in the water, trying to climb atop the largest piece of debris she could reach, but without the strength to succeed. "I realised that voices were calling for help in Comorian, and I cried out a bit but without much hope, because there's was nothing but water around me and I couldn't see anyone," she said. "I ended up falling asleep while holding onto the plane debris," and while she could see the coast when she woke up, "the water was really choppy." 'Hardest thing' It was by thinking of her "incredibly protective" mother that allowed her to hold on until she was rescued by a boat after a dozen hours in the water. Initially she was convinced "that I was the only one who fell" and that the other passengers had arrived safely, before a psychologist at the hospital told her she was the only survivor. "The hardest thing for me has been dealing with the grief for my mother, I was very close to her," Bakari said, her voice breaking and tears flowing for the first time during her testimony. The Yemeni national airline, whose representatives say they will not be in the dock due to the country's still-raging civil war, faces a maximum fine of 225,000 euros ($240,000) for involuntary homicide and injuries. Although the plane's black boxes were found weeks after the crash, France accused the Comoros government of dragging its feet in the investigation, while victims' families accused Yemen of lobbying to hinder a trial. Around 560 people have joined the suit as plaintiffs, many of them from the region around Marseille in southern France, home to many of the victims. A video feed to the southern port city has been set up for their benefit, allowing them to follow part of the proceedings. The government of French Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, meeting for the first time on Monday, has promised to table a bill containing measures to increase the spending power of consumers, immediately after the parliamentary elections in June. Two topics dominated Monday's inaugural council meeting of the Elisabeth Borne government. Apart from the promise of legislative action to boost spending power in the immediate wake of June elections, the government has had to face a major problem as the Solidarity Minister, Damien Abad, faces accusations of rape from two women. "The government is fully supportive of those women who have the enormous courage to speak out, if they are victims of sexual harassment," said government spokesperson, Olivia Gregoire. "But the establishment of the facts in all such cases must be left to the courts." Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne had a long discussion with Damien Abad on Sunday night. Full employment possible In handing over the Employment Ministry to her successor, Olivier Dussopt, Borne said she was certain that the end of unemployment was in sight. "Unemployment is at its lowest level for 15 years," the prime minister said, "youth unemployment is at a 40-year low. We have never seen so many French people with jobs," the prime minister said. The technical level at which full employment is achieved is when the unemplyment statistics fall below 5.5 percent. The figure for the first three months of this year is 7.3 percent. The prime minister is due to meet employer organisations and the trade unions later this week. 'You face unprecedented challenges' President Emmanuel Macron told the new government that he wants them to act to "reunite" the nation, in the face of "unprecedented challenges". The French leader went on to identify the war in Ukraine, the slow recovery from the Covid epidemic, and the social and political divisions in French society as the chief of those challenges. "You are part of a government of continuity and of change," the president told his ministers. "Your principal job will be to consolidate what has been achieved over the past five years, and launch completely new efforts, innovate both in the form and the content of the laws you propose." The priorities of the new ministers are to be education, health and the environment. Fifteen of the 28 members of the new team have now to ensure their election to parliament in the June Assembly elections. The National Organiser of the NDC, Joshua Hamidu Akamba has appealed to members of the opposition party to come together and form a formidable front that could win political power in 2024. According to him, the need for the NDC to win the 2024 general elections to rescue Ghanaians from what he termed as severe hardship has become imperative in view of the current happenings in the country. Speaking on the Gumbe show, comrade Akamba stated that Ghanaians will not forgive us as a party if we fail to rescue the country from the current hardship Akufo Addo has put around our necks. He added, As a party, we have a rescue mission to accomplish and this mission is to be able to win political power in the next election to salvage the ordinary Ghanaians from the unprecedented hardship. Comrade Akamba alleged that Ghanaians were being murdered by the Akufo Addos administration through unbearable hardship as a result of poor economic management He said, Aside the hardship, Akufo Addo and his cronies are doing everything possible to take control of every mineral resources we have in this country under the Agyapa deal." He indicated that Ghanaians have clearly understood that the NPP used subterfuge and propaganda to win it way to power. What is happening before our eyes under Akufo Addo is clear that the NPP does not have men who have the country at heart but those whose main mission is to loot the countrys resources," he intimated. He, therefore, encouraged members of the NDC and Ghanaians in general to have a renewed trust in the NDC as a beacon of hope to rescue the country from the hands of Akufo Addos mismanagement. New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates in the Tano North constituency of the Ahafo Region are upset about the cancellation of the constituency elections for the second time. They therefore called on the national leadership of the NPP to be proactive enough, intervene and ensure the right thing was done for the conduct of the constituency elections as well as address the emerging factionalism in the party. Failure to do so, according to the delegates, would not augur well for the party in election 2024, and consequently narrowed the chances of the NPP to break the eight. About 691 delegates, including polling station executives, council of elders, electoral area coordinators and council of patrons of the party are drawn from the 128 polling stations in the constituency. On Sunday May 22, 2022, the delegates gathered at the Sheikinah Lodge at Tanoso for the conduct of the constituency elections, but they were shocked when the announcement came that the elections had been cancelled. All was already set for the conduct of the polls with police and military presence to maintain law and order. The environment was however calm. Tempers were however flared up over the cancellation of the polls to elect new executives to lead the party in the constituency for Election 2024. In an interview with Journalists, the aggrieved delegates expressed disappointment in the NPP over the current situation in the party and asked the leadership of the party to be proactive enough and address emerging challenges in the party. I think the NPP is not ready to break the eight. In fact, the party in general, is not serious and the leadership is also playing chances with the Election 2024. If we continue with this attitude we would all be shocked about the outcome of the next general election, Mr Janamah Biiyien, an Aspirant vying for the Second Vice Chairman position of the party in the constituency stated. Nobody is praying for doom, but it is glaring that our party structures are not working and this is going to affect us negatively and narrow our fortunes in 2024. We have suffered for the party and we would not sit unconcerned for the few supporters in the constituency to frustrate us. So the leadership must intervene until the unexpected happened, he added. If we are serious as a party we cant allow our honourable delegates to come and sit here since morning and only to inform them that the election had been cancelled without any tangible or apparent reasons, Mr Gabriel Ankomah, the incumbent constituency secretary indicated. He explained that the partys Constituency Elections Committee held an emergency meeting with the security agencies and the Ahafo Regional Electoral Commission (EC) on the previous day where it was agreed the election was to be conducted Sunday May 22. We have already set the venue, and the majority of the delegates who have arrived for the elections only receive information from the EC that Mr Ernest Kwarteng, the Tano North Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has call-off the elections on the grounds of security reasons. This is disgusting. We must do things right because we cant allow some few people to disintegrate our front and frustrate the election process for their selfish reasons and interest because if we allow that to happen then the NPP is going to bear the brunt, Mr Ankomah stated. Mr Charles Gyamfi Prempeh, the NPP Chairman of the Council of Elders in the constituency said the council of elders was unhappy about the unfortunate events unfolding in the party in recent times. He regretted that few elements within were bent on destroying the party in the constituency, saying we have all concluded to hold the elections, but look at what these few people are doing. Have you witnessed any chaos or misunderstanding since you arrived here? This is an indication that some people have adopted calculated attempts to frustrate the election process. The same thing happened the last time we intended to conduct the elections and the delegates cant continue to forbear, Mr Prempeh stated. later, in addressing the disappointed delegates, Dr Freda Prempeh, the MP for Tano North called on them to remain calm, saying they would not be denied their voting right. She asked them to exercise restraint and avoid tendencies that could make the party and the government unpopular in the constituency, and assuring that she would personally ensure the party did the right thing for the elections to be conducted. Dr Prempeh, also the Minister of State in charge of Works and Housing said the government had achieved a lot, and asked the delegates to sell such achievements to the masses to enable the NPP to break the eight in election 2024. "I am aware that some people in the party want to disintegrate us for their parochial interest, but I assure you that would not work. We must come together and ensure that the NPP retain political power for our own interest and the general interest of majority of Ghanaians who looked on us to turn their fortunes around, the outspoken MP stated. Meanwhile, a letter signed by Mr Ernest Kwarteng, the MCE, addressed to the Ahafo EC and sighted by newsmen indicates the situation is not conducive for the conduct of the elections. The Municipal Security Council has gathered intelligence that the EC has declined invitation to supervise the elections. There is a very strong opposition to the conduct of the election from within the party, it stated. On the basis of the above the security council strongly recommends that the election should be suspended until further notice, to avoid any disturbances in the constituency, the letter which was copied to Mr Yaw Boakye, the Ahafo Regional Minister stated. By Zhao Minghao Bidens first Asian visit as US president brought him to the ROK and Japan, and he participated in the second in-person Quad summit in Tokyo. An important part of the US efforts to push its Indo-Pacific Strategy, the trip reflects Americas resolve to continue moving its strategic gravity eastward against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which witnesses profound changes in its relationship with allies like Japan and the ROK. Implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy is a vital part of Americas strategic competition against China. Clearly, while Washingtons execution of the strategy has been affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, its determination to focus on the Indo-Pacific region and suppress China is not. Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), held that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine may hinder Americas shift of focus in the short term but is helpful in the long run, primarily because the relationship between America and its regional allies will be closer. Both Japan and ROK adjusted their diplomatic and security policies considerably amid the ongoing conflict, which creates the opportunity and space for America to bring them further to its side and make deployments in the Indo-Pacific to suppress China. The US-Japan alliance has been continuously strengthened in recent years, especially as the two countries keep reinforcing military coordination around the Taiwan question. After the Russian-Ukraine conflict broke out, the Japanese government joined the sanctions against Russia at Americas heels and lost no time in hyping up the tension in Asia Pacific. Its Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) already proposed to increase Japans military spending to 2% of GDP, and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other politicians argued that the US should apply the nuclear sharing policy to the alliance with Japan and deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the country. In preparation for a so-called conflict at the Taiwan Strait, Japan is ramping up military deployments on its southwestern islands and trying hard to possess the enemy base attack capabilities. The US, on the other hand, seeks to deploy land-based short-range and medium-range missiles in Japan and build a US-Japan Joint Command like with ROK, thus further cementing their military interoperability. Moreover, the militaries of the two countries enhanced the intensity of their exercises around such new combat concepts as Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The first joint airborne landing exercise took place in March 2022. At the same time, Japan, being a key member of the Quad and the US-Japan-Australia and US-Japan-India trilateral mechanisms, is a pivot somewhat like a deputy sheriff in Americas Indo-Pacific strategy. It has kept upgrading its military and security relations with Australia, India, and the Philippines in recent years. Regarding the alliance with ROK, the Biden administration took the election of ROKs new President Yoon Suk-Yeol as a great opportunity to tighten the ties, and Yoon, quite cooperatively, announced his plan to buy and deploy the THAAD system, expand nuclear deterrence, strengthen the trilateral relations with US and Japan, and join the Quad. Previously the US decided to end the US ROK Missile Guidelines and lift the limits on the range and payload of Seouls missile development, allowing it to develop missiles of intermediate and long range, a move obviously targeted at China. Moreover, Americas tendency to include the Taiwan question in the agenda for the US-ROK alliance calls for a high alert. The joint statement by Biden and Moon Jae-in released in May 2021 stated that their partnership should serve as a linchpin for the regional and global order, and emphasized the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. General Paul J. LaCamera, Commander of US Forces Korea, once said that US Forces stationed in ROK have assumed more duties than their traditional role of defending the host country, and may demonstrate strategic flexibility at times of crisis in other countries or regions. Its worth noting that there are voices within the ROK calling for adjusting the nuclear policy and supporting Americas deployment of nuclear weapons in the country. Seoul was also jealous of Australia, who got Americas promise to help it develop nuclear-powered submarines through the establishment of AUKUS in September 2021, and wished for similar support from Washington. Japan and the ROKs adjustment of military policies will add more complexities to the security situation in Northeast Asia even the entire Asian-Pacific region. They will also participate in the NATO Summit to be held in Spains Madrid next month, as the US wants them to be its hatchet men to push NATOs expansion to Asia-Pacific. In sum, there are too many complexities and considerations behind Bidens visit to Japan and ROK. The US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy isnt stalled by the Russian-Ukraine conflict, and China is facing new and grave diplomatic challenges in its surrounding environment. (The author is a research fellow at the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University) Editor's Note: This article is originally published on cn.chinausfocus.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. The Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Vish Govindasamy, has written to Wijedasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs and Prison Reform, Here is the full text; Proposed 21st Amendment to the Constitution We appreciate the efforts taken by you to expedite the process of gaining approval from Cabinet to place before the Parliament, the 21st amendment bringing back salient provisions of the since repealed 19th amendment to the Constitution. The Chamber has considered the draft that was presented to the Cabinet and believes that the proposed amendments contain many positive features that will help to improve the governance framework in the country, meeting the expectations of the public to some extent. However, we feel that it can be strengthened further with a few more amendments necessitated by past learnings and current context to meet the aspirations of the people, including the business community, who are seeking a system change to the manner in which this country is governed. It welcomes, in particular, the proposal to re-establish the Constitutional Council and to re-activate the independent commissions previously introduced through the 19th amendment. The proposed amendments to curtail the excessive powers granted to the President under the 20th amendment are also seen as a step in the right direction towards transforming the role of the President to a non-executive position. We endorse, in particular, provisions that have been introduced to ensure that the President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister not only in the appointments of officers that are contemplated by the amendment but also in the removal of those officers. We also endorse the importance of having only Sri Lankan citizens (and not dual citizens of Sri Lanka) to sit and vote in Parliament. The Ceylon Chamber notes a few areas in which further amendments can be made to make the governance process even stronger. Set out below are the same for consideration by the Cabinet. a. Increase the number of independent members chosen to represent civil society on the Constitutional Council to five (5) increasing it from the proposed three (3) members to achieve a better balance. Further, we recommend that wording on the lines of Article 41B(3) is adopted to ensure that the composition reflects the pluralistic character of the society, including gender. b. It should be an obligation of the Constitutional Council to formulate a set of rules to govern their internal workings as this would lend to a due process being followed and transparency achieved. It is also suggested that where "subject to the approval of the Constitutional Council" appears it should be amended to read as "subject to the prior approval of the Constitutional Council" in order to avoid any doubt. c. Article 44(2) of the constitution that allows the President to assign any subject or portfolio to himself should also be removed to ensure that the stability and certainty we all desire is entrenched. d. All Secretaries to Ministries should also be appointed only on the advice of the Prime Minister to minimize conflicts and avoid uncertainty. e. The ambit of the powers of the Constitutional Council should include the Monetary Board and the Right to Information Commission. f. Article 156C(1) should be strengthened to state that the core function of the National Procurement Commission envisages legally binding guidelines on procurement to be published in a timely fashion. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce urges you to consider this important piece of legislation as a highest priority in the best interest of the people of this country and ensure it is passed within a short period of time, subject to the inclusion of the above enhancements, meeting the aspirations of the public. 23.05.2022 LISTEN The Bono Regional NPP Election Committee has disqualified two out of 29 applicants who filed to contest in the upcoming regional elections. According to the Elections Committee, 23 men and 3 women are contesting for various positions in the upcoming elections. A total of 246 delegates are expected to vote in the election, which is slated for May 29, 2022, in Sunyani. Chairman of the Bono Regional NPP Election Committee, Kwabena Oppong, who has been addressing the media in Sunyani says the party is ready for the elections to be held. The committee received a total of 29 nominations. Out of this, two aspirant hopefuls were disqualified, amongst other things. When we disqualified them, they didnt raise any issue, but they still have the right to go ahead and follow the process if they wish. Mr. Oppong also spoke on security measures the party has put in place for the elections. To safeguard peace, property, personnel and all our members, both the police and military will provide security on the day of voting. Security personnel will check the premises so no one should come with weapons because it would be found out and they would be dealt with. The NPP has commenced internal processes for its annual delegates conference for the election of regional executives. Elections will be held from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29, 2022. ---citinewsroom Charles Owusu, a former personal assistant to one-time Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, the late John Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, is cautioning critics to be measured in their commentary over the purported will suggesting the politician has bequeathed portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to his children and relatives. According to the aide, Ghanaians should respect the dead and not make comments that give the late politician a bad name. I will not talk much, but I dont think matters would have been handled this way if he was still alive. The public will also not be making these disrespectful comments. Dead men tell no tales. Sir John cant clarify issues, no wonder people are speaking without basis, Charles Owusu mentioned. Ghanaians are outraged and have taken to social media to express dissatisfaction after a purported will of Sir John emerged from the Fourth Estate with portions of the Achimota forest lands allegedly belonging to him at a time the government is giving portions of the Achimota Forest land. Sir John also disclosed in the will that he also owned land at the Ramsar area in Sakumono in Accra. But speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM, Charles Owusu, who was allegedly named in the will as one of the beneficiaries of his properly, expressed disgust at the public outburst, saying Ghanaians should allow the Land and Natural Resources Ministrys investigations to take its course. He served the country and party while he was alive. But the truth will certainly prevail. So the investigations should be allowed to go through. Its two years since his passing and its really worrying that he is being dragged. I am awaiting the findings to be presented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Ghanaians should be patient for the findings to be made public. How can the dead defend himself? Only time will tell, he stressed. When asked if he is the Charles Owusu named as one of the beneficiaries of part of the parcels of land to be inherited, the aide said, it was premature to make such a disclosure in the public domain, explaining that the findings of the Ministrys probe will bring matters to rest. There are a lot of Charles Owusus in the country. I cannot tell whether I am the one in the will as a beneficiary. I do not want to rush and disclose contents of the will so lets all wait for the outcome of the Land Ministrys investigations. So I dont want to talk about the will in public. ---citinewsroom The District Court, Community Centre at Tema has fined Elizabeth Quartey GH600 or in default three months imprisonment with hard labour for preparing food under insanitary conditions. The court presided over by Mr. Festus Fovi Nukunu found her guilty of preparing food under insanitary conditions and for lacking a valid medical health certificate as a license for handling food for public consumption. Prosecutor Saudata Issaka, the Environmental Health Analyst said the accused Elizabeth Quartey is a resident of Abonkor in Tema Newtown and operates a mini chop bar in the area. According to the prosecution, a health officer inspected her food premises and found that there was an accumulation of rubbish on the bare ground, which had attracted insects to the place. There was also an accumulation of disused containers likely to harbour and breed cockroaches and other insects. It was also found out that her medical certificate had expired. The prosecutor told the court that the accused was given brief health education and notice was served on her to abate the nuisance and contact the Tema Metropolitan Assembly Environmental Health Department for the renewal of the medical certificate. On December 14, 2021, a re-inspection was done but the nuisance was not abated. She was, therefore, charged with the offense to appear before the court. GNA 24.05.2022 LISTEN The MTN Group CEO, Ralph Mupita remains optimistic about the digital ecosystem in Ghana despite the implementation of the controversial E-levy. While he acknowledged the budgetary constraints the government is faced with, Mr. Mupita said he was in favour of a more balanced approach to the matter. He also stressed that it was early days yet as far as assessing the impact of the e-levy is concerned. There is a balancing here that needs to be carefully thought of around the investment in the digital ecosystem, he said. With a focus on the long term, Mr. Mupita noted that, the reason you see digital payments rising is that actually, we are solving the problem of financial inclusion. He has observed that traditional banking systems do not have the depth to drive financial inclusion. Thus, he expects the economy to shift towards more services, with the digital ecosystem playing a bigger role. We [MTN[ are going to continue to invest in driving an expansion of the digital ecosystem to enable eCommerce, Mr. Mupita said. He said e-commerce is heading towards a stage where it will sustain small and medium scale enterprises that need specific solutions to make their businesses successful. The government commenced the implementation of the controversial levy on May 1, 2022 after its initial announcement in the 2022 budget. The levy was reduced from 1.75% to 1.5% after protests from various stakeholders. The reduction was considered insufficient by the groups that were calling for the levy to be scrapped. The government had hoped to rake in about GH7 billion from the collection of the 1.5% levy on mobile money and other electronic transactions, but the figure was revised downwards to about GH4 billion recently. citinewsroom Pressure group OccupyGhana has written to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, in relation to the reclassification of the Achimota Forest reserve in specific and the general phenomenon of returning government lands to their former owners, saying there is evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent, a statement issued by the group on Monday, 23 May 2022 stated, adding: We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith, the group insisted. Instead, it noted, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. The government has been explaining that it is returning 361 acres of peripheral lands bordering the forest reserve to the custodial owners, being the Owoo family. It recently emerged that some of those lands were captured as inheritance in the will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kojo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John). Read OccupyGhanas full statement below: 23 May 2022 Abu Jinapor, MP The Honourable Minister Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Accra Dear Sir: RE: OCCUPYGHANA LBG DISAGREES WITH ANY FURTHER RELEASE OF ACHIMOTA LANDS In our letter to you dated 18 May 2022 on the above-entitled matter, we conveyed our vehement disagreement with the alleged plans to return substantial portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to its former owners. Regarding the general matter of returning government lands to former owners, we stated as follows: There is also evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent. We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith. Instead, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. While the Achimota Forest Reserve issue requires immediate attention, we further demand a similar inquiry into all alleged return of government lands to former owners that have occurred under the Fourth Republic. The purpose of the inquiries would be to reverse any illegal acts perpetrated, and improper gains made, by government officials under the guise of returning lands. Yours in the Service of God and Country OccupyGhana LBG Source: Classfmonline.com 24.05.2022 LISTEN Police in the Western Region have commenced investigations into a case in which some heavily-built men backed by supposed police officers, besieged the premises of B-BOVID, and allegedly attacked security guards on duty. B-BOVID is a company that is into agribusiness, and it is located near Wassa Mpohor in the Western Region. The incident happened on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at about 7:30 pm. Mr. Issa Ouedraogo, founder and Board Chairman of B-BOVID, addressed a press conference and said the macho men were supposedly hired by an entity called Moringa Mauritius Africa. He explained that Moringa Mauritius Africa, which has invested in B-BOVID is in a legal tussle with him (Issa Ouedraogo) over the assets of the company claiming to own 90.1 per cent of B-BOVID. He said on Tuesday evening the assailants overpowered and arrested three of the company's security men who resisted forcible encroachment of the company's premises by officials of Moringa Mauritius Africa. He accused Moringa Mauritius of misrepresentation and fraud, and also trying to take his company away from him adding that the matter is awaiting resolution in an Accra High Court. He said in December last year, the High Court restrained one Antoine Turpin who was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B-BOVID unilaterally by Moringa Mauritius, from holding himself as the company's CEO. The same restriction was placed on me. So the company was shut down last year due to operational difficulties and the workers were sent home. While the case is still pending in court, officials of Moringa Mauritius have attempted several times to breach the company's security and enter the premises. Each time they tried to enter, they were restrained by the company's security, he revealed. He said he gathered that last Tuesday evening the machomen and the alleged police personnel stormed the premises of the company, overpowered the company's security, and took them to the police station. He disclosed that the Accra High Court is expected to appoint a Receiver to manage the company until the ownership dispute between himself and Moringa Mauritius Africa is settled. Source: Daily Guide A Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, on Monday, May 23 led the arrest of 26 sand winners and chainsaw operators on illegal mining sites in the Western Region. George Mireku Duker made the arrest through a helicopter patrol of galamsey sites with journalists and military personnel at Wassa Dunkwa, Patasi and Asankragwa in the Western Region. The Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister in a Citi News interview after touring the devastated galamsey sites, said government will not give up on the fight against illegal mining. We are moving around the river bodies making sure that people dont mine in the river bodies. Unfortunately, we saw people mining, and some people were also caught winning sand, the reason being that they are using it for other purposes. Obviously, they were not having any documents, but because they were not mining and also winning sand not at the bank of the river but elsewhere, we have to let them put the sand back because we will be using that for the reclamation assignment. For the miners, interestingly, the moment they saw the military some run away and we couldnt get anybody arrested, but obviously their mining equipment have been duly destroyed and I am happy with the method the military is using now. We need to get them out of the river bodies. Let's protect our river bodies and together we must resolve as Ghanaians to protect our river bodies he said. While emphasizing on the need for miners to mine within the environmentally acceptable standard, George Mireku Duker reiterated government's commitment to clampdown on illegal small scale mining to protect river bodies. We are not saying dont mine, but mine responsibly. If you come and they give you a kind of permit you will be allowed to mine. You cannot also mine where we are having a river body diverted so its very unfortunate that we experience these things and we will not relent on our efforts to clampdown these illegal miners. We must resolve the matter now. What the Ministry is going ahead to do is to have River wardens where people would be permanently placed along the river banks to be patrolling. The military will intermittently move around to see if people are mining and they will be arrested. So its not something that we are going to stop, he added. The Deputy Lands Minister ensured that trucks caught with loads of sand from the galamsey sites were emptied at the site for future site reclamation, whiles the military destroyed makeshift structures erected by illegal miners who had taken to their heels. citinewsroom French health authorities said Monday that three cases of monkeypox have been identified in the country as part of an alarming outbreak of the virus outside of Africa. However, the World Health Organisation said there is no reason for now to offer mass inoculations, but instead, urges hygiene measures to stop the spread. France confirmed a first case of monkeypox in the Paris region on 20 May, and on Monday the Sante Publique health authority said three cases have been identified. The virus is a milder version of smallpox, which was eradicated decades ago. Until now, it was mostly seen around tropical rainforest areas of western and central Africa. An unusual propagation in European countries, as well as in the United States, Canada and Australia, has alarmed public health authorities, who are investigating more than 100 suspected and confirmed cases. Spreads easily, relatively mild The monkeypox virus spreads easily through sexual activity and the contact of droplets from a contaminated person with skin lesions, as well as through shared items like bedding and towels. The virus typically causes a strong fever with chills and muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face, and lesions on the face or genitals, though most people recover within two to four weeks without requiring hospitalisation. Cases so far have been mild, with no reported deaths. The illness has been fatal in up to six percent of infections. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warns that pregnant women and immunocompromised people should be particularly vigilant. The ECDC recommends isolation of all cases until the lesions are completely gone. The incubation period for the virus lasts five to 21 days. Identifying the spread The World Health Organisation says the current outbreak is a highly unusual event and said the fact that cases are being seen in so many different countries suggests the virus may have been silently spreading for some time. Most of the confirmed cases have not been linked to travel to Africa. They could have been caused by sexual activity at two recent raves held in Spain and Belgium. Many of the people who have been diagnosed have been men who have sex with men, but that may be because they are more likely to seek medical advice or access sexual health screening. No need for mass vaccinations The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was in the process of releasing some vaccine doses for use in monkeypox cases, though the WHO does not believe the outbreak requires mass vaccinations, especially as immediate supplies of vaccines and antivirals are relatively limited. In its first evaluation of the outbreak, the ECDC said the risk of contamination in the general population is very low, though high in people with multiple sexual partners. Health authorities worry that large events and parties this summer could accelerate the spread of the virus. The WHO encourages safe sexual behaviour, good hygiene and regular hand washing to limit transmission. (with wires) The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of one of the robbery suspects that carried out a daylight robbery attack on a citizen on Monday. The daylight robbery incident happened at the Dansoman exhibition where a woman was attacked by two robbers on a motorbike. Following an operation by a special anti-robbery squad of the Ghana Police Service, one of the robbers have been arrested. In a short statement from the Police, it notes that officers in charge of the case have mounted a search to bring the other robbery suspect to book to face the full force of the land. A special anti-robbery squad has carried out an intelligence-led operation, in which a robbery suspect was arrested while one other is currently being pursued for a daylight street robbery at Dansoman, parts of the Police statement said. It adds, We want to assure the public that we shall get the other suspect to face justice. 24.05.2022 LISTEN The Tolon District Assembly, District Education Directorate, and some stakeholders have partnered to provide temporary classrooms and accommodation to displaced students of Tolon Senior High School. The management of Tolon Senior High School last week directed over 600 students of the institution to return home following a fire that gutted one of their dormitories. The District Chief Executive of Tolon, Fuseini Salifu Issifu says the move will facilitate the return of academic activities to the school. Mr. Issifu appealed to the general public to come to the aid of the school. We are calling on all benevolent individuals to come to our aid so that these girls can get a place to continue their academic work. Meanwhile, a 5-member committee has been set up by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Northern Region to find the cause of last the fire outbreak. ---citinewsroom The installation of a new, and experienced, Government in the island nation is a harbinger of good change, and India must lend a helping hand by Prafull Goradia Now that a responsible and experienced replacement for the unpopular and forcibly ousted Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been appointed, it is time for Sri Lanka to decide how it wants to recoup the current economic depression. On the television, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the new Prime Minister, has stated that he has a revival plan. He has some credibility because of his track record, as well as his having served as the PM five times. What role India wishes to play is for South Block to decide; I personally do feel that India should try and play a significant role in Sri Lanka, especially because of its geopolitical situation. Both New Delhi and Colombo are aware that India has a 7,500-km coastline in the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is strategically at the southern end of the Indian praayadweep (peninsula). Coming to the current situation in our southern island neighbour, there is an unalienable law and order scenario with Sri Lankas citizens in open conflict with security forces. I have visited Sri Lanka four times in my lifetime and am somewhat familiar with the political and ethnic issues there, but I must admit that the torching of recently deposed PM Mahinda Rajapaksas ancestral home in Hambantota by a mob has come as a bit of a shock as people there are generally an amiable and easygoing lot. However, keeping cordiality is difficult when one has to wage a daily struggle merely to survive; in Sri Lankas case, the country has been suffering prolonged power cuts (up to eight hours a day in several parts of the country, according to several reports), lack of food and inflated cost of all essential items. Most international agencies have severely downgraded the countrys sovereign ratings and its foreign exchange has fallen, too. Sri Lanka, even in happier times, lived mainly on tea, rubber, coconut and tourism as the main revenue earners. Moreover, the ruling Rajapaksa dynastys profligate ways and allegations of corruption against the family have only served to light a torch to an already explosive situation. The discovery of a fleet of some of the worlds most expensive automobiles, including Ferraris and Lamborghinis, hasnt exactly been a positive advertisement for responsible behaviour, let alone good governance. If one talks to a Sinhala scholar or journalist, he may well begin by blaming the cost of Lankas civil war with its Tamils. He would not admit that the Tamils have been in eastern Sri Lanka since the beginning of civilisation. I first visited the country in 1964, and could soon thereafter sense that the Sinhala jealousy towards the Tamils was noticeably intense. For example, my father-in-law predicted that the next chief executive of the British Ceylon Corporation (like the British Indian Corporation at Kanpur) would be Pereira and not Swamidasan, who was more competent. The former was a Sinhala. The latter subsequently migrated to Australia. This was less than even the tip of the iceberg. The other bias that the majority Sinhalas have harboured has been towards Hindus. Indians, therefore, would be well advised to generally field a north Indian and certainly avoid a Tamil or even a Malayali when it comes to official dealings with Lanka. Some thinking Sinhalas apprehend that it is not ruled out that, sooner or later, Tamil Nadu could pressure New Delhi to act against Sinhala interests. The dark clouds hovering over Sri Lanka were visible as early as 2020 when the global pandemic struck. International rating agencies like Standard & Poors and later Moodys downgraded Sri Lankas long-term sovereign credit ratings. These global agencies had raised the issue of the Sri Lankan Governments fiscal health and its ability to service the debt it had incurred from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Ukraine war has worsened things for the Emerald Isle. The crisis there needs urgent succour and India must decide how far it wants to go in order to help. For the record, the new Prime Minister has already voiced his Governments priority of furthering relations with India. Secondly, Colombo must persuade its creditors to wait patiently, so that what India sends would be of help to Lankas future rather than applying balm to its past. India could then offer that proportion of Sri Lankas future needs which the island country can earn and utilise to pay back. We have mentioned the mutual stake in the Indian Ocean. Both countries must protect each others interest in this vast pond. This ought to include a Sri Lanka administration being more sympathetic to the people of Jaffna. Any Indian loan(s) should ideally be for use to procure all or any goods/items from India. We are capable of supplying anything from butter to guns. The Sinhalas are a frank, friendly and pleasure-loving people and not very money-minded. As was revealed by a scholar in Kolkata, while Karl Marx had said that religion is the opium of the masses, a loan is the opium of the classes. It is in this innocent sprit that the Sri Lankas have borrowed money. Any new lender should be conscious of this. (The writer is a well-known columnist, an author and a former member of the Rajya Sabha. The views expressed are personal.) 24.05.2022 LISTEN A joint team of military and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has gone on a rescue mission after torrential rains hit the capital around 10:30 pm on Monday through to the early hours of Tuesday causing severe floods. The Public Relations Officer for the National Disaster Management Organisation, George Ayisi in an interview on the CitiBreakfast Show, said his officers, together with others from the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces have been deployed to some areas to manage the situation. We have deployed a team to Alajo, Tetegu STC junction, and Cantonments. At Cantonments, for instance, 48 Engineers team have also joined in. Some people had been trapped in their homes, and so our men had to go and rescue them. He urged all individuals who find themselves in such situations to reach out to the organisations toll-free on 112 or call 0302964884. We work in partnership with stakeholder agencies such as GMet (Ghana Meteorological Agency) which gives us the updates, 48 Engineers, and the Ambulance service amongst others. We have had preparatory works, and simulation exercises towards some of these happenings. When anyone reaches out to us, we will contact and deploy our men to come to their aid. For now, we are focusing on rescuing victims. When we are through with that, we will assess the situation and determine how we will go about providing relief items. Heavy rains, which started late Monday evening through to Tuesday morning, submerged parts of the capital city of Ghana, Accra. This comes a few days after most parts of Accra got flooded after close to a 10-hour downpour on Saturday. Monday's torrential rains started at different time intervals in different places in Accra. It began around 10:30 pm around Lapaz and neighbouring towns. Residents in hard-hit areas such as Adabraka Sahara, had to abandon their homes to seek shelter elsewhere because the floodwaters entered their rooms. ---citinewsroom The Malawi government is investigating some of its former diplomats who served the country's embassies in Namibia, South Africa and the United Kingdom for allegedly selling state assets ,including houses, and failing to account for the proceeds of the sales. The country's Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda said some of the transactions date back to the years when the United Democratic Front (UDF) was in office. Houses sold UDF was led by president Bakili Muluzi who ruled the landlocked southern central African country from 1994-2004. The investigation follows audits, including the most recent one, which revealed that properties that belong to the Malawi government at the Johannesburg Consulate in South Africa have no ownership papers, according to The Nation Newspaper which first reported of the investigation. These assets that were disposed of include houses and I know these properties. Embassy houses were sold without following laid-down disposal of public assets procedures. Worse still, the money cannot be accounted for, Nyirenda is quoted as having said. In an interview with RFI, the attorney Nyirenda estimated that over 20 state houses were sold. I am also trying to find out how this happened. But what I know is that those assets were sold without following proper procedures, he said, adding that he has also received 'new information' about the same situation in Kenya and Canada embassies. When you're making such decisions, it has to be in the best interest of the country. I am not an economist but they can tell you that certain things don't make economic sense. It means you don't have a house and you're renting and that means you're spending on forex. It's something that doesn't make any economic sense at all. And then you find that these were sold for selfish interests, he said. Stolen assets Nyirenda said the move is part of the move by the government to recover stolen assets both in Malawi and abroad and that he is working with the director of public prosecutions on the matter. The cases are big if you judge by the economic value and in terms of complexity, Nyirenda said when asked about the extent of assets to be recovered. On the timelines, we've had so many files but it will also depend on the courts, how they give us dates and the like. But [from our side] it's a matter of months, maybe like December. Political scientist Victor Chipofya Jr described the revelation as unfortunate not least because the property belongs to the Malawians and ought to be protected by the constitution and laws that govern Malawi. The unfortunate part is that most of our leaders take the law into their own hands whereby once they are in power they no longer look at these properties as Malawians' but their own. It's lawlessness and is anarchism. As long as this is going to continue, the country cannot move forward. The reason why is continuing is because none has been brought to book. Even the leaders we have now continue this practice of lawlessness, he said. Chipofya would not commit as to whether the investigation is likely to be successful or not saying the office of the attorney general, which is appointed by the president, is not independent This is something that we have always talked about. The office needs to be independent. What happens if the people practicing this malpractice are connected to the presidency. Is the attorney general going to pin it down on them as well? "For me, I trust the office of the but the way the bearer is appointed, I will quickly question his autonomous mindset and how independent he will be, he said. The Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has hinted at efforts by the leadership of the Muslim community in Ghana to go round and monitor messages preached in mosques. He said it is out of these messages that some young followers of the religion are radicalised. Speaking in an interview with TV3s Laud Adu-Asare on Monday, May 23, Sheikh Shaibu said Muslim scholars who are found to be putting a wild spin on the Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad will be advised. There are interpretations or branches of Islamic interpretations that usually encourage or give certain extremist tendencies to the young people who may open their arms and welcome terrorists when they come to our communities, he observed. Such scholars if there are, we should be able to find out and monitor what people are preaching so that if the preaching is the hot type that urges the young people to be radicalized then we target them and advise them to tone down the approach of their preaching and the type of interpretation they put on the Quranic text and the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad. This comes on the back of a warning issued by the National Security Ministry about the presence of terrorists in the country. The warning said terrorists appear to have entered Ghana and are targetting places of worship like churches and mosques. Government officials fear some Ghanaians may have even been recruited by these terrorists as the threats heighten. The Muslim leadership notes that it will make sure that radical teachings are not welcomed in the mosques. It can radicalise and from radicalism, we get to the extremists and once we get to the extremist, we can open the door for external extremists. -3news.com Some residents of Koforidua Old Estates and Zongo are reporting coloured water running through their taps. I entered my bathroom to take my bath this morning and saw it, Kweku Solomon narrated. Another resident fumed on social media: This is the kind of dirty water coming from my tap this morning so if theres a rep from Ghana water please they should cease the supply of water to old estate with immediate effect. Thank you. Water flowing from the taps looks brownish in colour. The management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Eastern Region says investigations have begun on the complaints, giving assurances. The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kwadwo Daase, issued out a statement to that effect. Investigations and corrective actions are being taken to handle the situation. Consumers are assured of our resolve to ensure that we always serve the public with quality water. The inconvenience caused is deeply much regretted. ---3news.com Land and Natural Resources Minister Samuel Jinapor has said no relative of the late Kojo Owusu Afriyie is getting any parcel of land either at the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site, both in the Greater Accra Region. An alleged will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission bequeathed some acres of land to his beneficiaries in the two areas. However, the minister has ordered the Lands Commission as well as the Forestry Commission against giving those properties out. A statement signed by Mr Jinapor dated Tuesday, 24 May 2022, said: For the avoidance of doubt, the bequeathing of the aforesaid lands, if established, will not pass any interest/title to the named beneficiaries in the alleged will. These lands, the subject matter of the alleged Will, shall remain public lands, whether or not it falls within the de-gazetted lands pursuant to E.I. 144, the Damongo MP said. He noted: Further checks at the Lands and the Forestry Commissions the repositories of the records of the lands in question show no record of ownership of lands at the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie. The minister warned: Government will act on any improper acquisition of any public lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest lands will not be an exception. Meanwhile, pressure group OccupyGhana has written to Mr Jinapor, in relation to the recent reclassification of the Achimota Forest reserve in specific, and the general phenomenon of returning government lands to their former owners, saying there is evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent, a statement issued by the group on Monday, 23 May 2022 stated, adding: We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith, the group insisted. Instead, the group noted, We demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. The government has been explaining that it is returning 361 acres of peripheral lands bordering the forest reserve to the custodial owners, being the Owoo family. It recently emerged that some of those lands were captured as an inheritance in the will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kojo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John). Read OccupyGhanas full statement below: 23 May 2022 Abu Jinapor, MP The Honourable Minister Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Accra Dear Sir: RE: OCCUPYGHANA LBG DISAGREES WITH ANY FURTHER RELEASE OF ACHIMOTA LANDS In our letter to you dated 18 May 2022 on the above-entitled matter, we conveyed our vehement disagreement with the alleged plans to return substantial portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to its former owners. Regarding the general matter of returning government lands to former owners, we stated as follows: There is also evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent. We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith. Instead, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. While the Achimota Forest Reserve issue requires immediate attention, we further demand a similar inquiry into all alleged return of government lands to former owners that have occurred under the Fourth Republic. The purpose of the inquiries would be to reverse any illegal acts perpetrated, and improper gains made, by government officials under the guise of returning lands. Yours in the Service of God and Country OccupyGhana LBG -Classfmonline.com 24.05.2022 LISTEN Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions to stop any land allocation in the name of the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie aka Sir John at the Achimota Forest area. Government according to Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has revoked any ownership of lands at Achimota Forest and Sakumono Ramsar Site by the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Forestry Commission, late Kwadwo Owusu Afryie commonly called Sir John. According to the minister, bequeathing of the aforementioned lands will not pass interest or will to the named beneficiaries in the alleged Will. Subsequently, the government said the lands will remain public lands whether or not it falls within the de-gazzetted lands pursuant to E.I 144. In a statement signed by Samuel Jinapor on Tuesday May 24, 2022 said preliminary checks at the Land Commission and Forestry Commission show no records of land at Achimota Forest and Ramsar Site at Sakumono in Tema for the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie. Nevertheless, the government said it has declared any land in those areas which might belong to the former Forestry Commission boss as void. The government has served notice that it will act on any improper acquisition of any public lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past as the Achimota Forest land will not be exception. A purported copy of the Will of the late Sir John has been widely shared on social media which sees him bequeathing portions of lands he has in the Achimota Forest to children and nephews. The development has sparked anger among many Ghanaians with many taking to social media to express their disappointment over the fact that the former Forestry Commission head appropriated to himself part of the forest. Sir John also disclosed in the Will that he also owned land at the Ramsar area in Sakumono in Tema where he had bequeathed to his sisters. The revelations in his will come at a time the government is giving portions of the Achimota Forest land supposedly to its original owners, the Owoo family. Amidst the public outrage about Sir John's supposed will, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources says it has requested all documents related to the land in question as part of an inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims. Portions of the will that saw Sir John lands he possessed in the Achimota forest and willed to relatives showed that was a beneficial owner for some of the properties. Parts of his will which has been circulating on social media reads: I give my land situate at the Achimota Forest in the name of Jakaypro Limited and measuring 5.541 acres to the following persons forever. Yaw Amoateng Afriyie One (1) acre Eva Akua Afriyie One (1) acre Ivy Akua Afriyie One (1) acre Elizabeth Asare Boateng (aka Mother) One (1) acre Michael Owusu 1.541 acres It continued: I give my land also situate at the Achimota Forest in the name of Fasoh Limited and measuring 0.987acres to my nephews Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng forever. The will further states: I jointly own a piece of land at Achimota Forest with Charles Owusu. Upon my demise, my portion of the said land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor. I give my portion of land that jointly own at the Achimota Forest in the name of DML Limited to Elizabeth Asare Boateng who at the time of making this will is domiciled in the USA forever. Read the full government statement below ---DGN online Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, a Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said all documents and digital records of the Lands Commission are safe and intact. The Deputy Minister said the Commission had soft-copy back-ups of all documents destroyed by floodwaters at the Records Department and other offices at the Commission's Head Office on Saturday night. Everything is safe, everything is intact. Not a single document of Lands Commission's records is lost, as well as all digital records are intact, Mr Owusu-Bio told journalists when he visited the Commission on Monday, May 23, 2022. The Ghana News Agency on Monday morning reported that hundreds of documents, computers, and scanners at the Head Office of the Lands Commission in Accra had been destroyed by floodwaters. The basement of the new building was submerged in water after Saturday night's downpour, leading to the flooding of the Records Room, Files Room, and I.T. Unit -all situated at the basement. The affected documents included indentures, land maps, and land documents, sources at the Commission told the GNA. Mr Owusu-Bio said the flooding was as a result of ongoing construction works at the Head Office of the Commission. I have been briefed that the intensity of the rain and the volumes of the rains is because this is a construction site, floodwater from the construction site moved into this place, he said. The Deputy Minister assured the public that records at the Commission would not be lost and emphasised that a core of the Commission's documents were kept in shelves and were not destroyed by the rainwater. All documentation is not on the ground. They are all up and as such although water went in there, nothing there got wet except what the staff were working on Friday afternoon and evening, those ones were in boxes, he said. The Lands Commission has been trying to digitise all its records and such all these documents that got wet have some soft copy back-ups so what it means is that the records are intact, the Minister added. GNA I am by this publication conveying to the urgent attention of the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited, or the parent electricity provider and or, distributor of electricity in Ghana, the many years-old pending electrical fault on the compound of JULIKART, a popular and well-patronised pub/hotel in Mallam, a suburb of Accra metropolis. Whilst in Ghana on holiday in February/March 2022, I used to visit the pub with my senior brother who had come from the United States of America (USA). On one such evening occasions, we paid a visit to one of his friends who lives not more than one hundred and fifty metres away from the pub. He was invited over to join us at the pub. While seated around a table and teetotallers Rockson Adofo and his brother Kwaku Duah were sipping their bottled mineral water, the unnamed friend was enjoying his chilled bottles of beer. The friend in question, unknown to me, and for the first time that both of us had met, did compliment me on my published articles. He told me he reads all my articles and does enjoy them. He then pointed to me two electric poles on the compound of Julikart, barely ten metres away from our table and under which are two stalls from where kebab (kyinkyinka) is prepared for sale to the visitors come to the pub. Again, he asked me to look up at the top of the poles from where three transformer connectors were in place. Barely had I raised my head to look as requested when I saw sporadic electric sparks but lasting for several minutes. He told me the problem has been ongoing for over three years and at times the sparks are so huge and last longer that customers have to run away from the compound, thus, the open space where tables and chairs are set with people queuing to buy kebab and or, waiting to be served, or are served, drinks. When I asked to find out if the problem had been reported to the ECG, he answered in the affirmative. However, it has never been attended by them, he said. The problem has the potential to cause death to people. If it escalates into electrical fire outbreak, it can kill any unfortunate soul to be around who may not be quick enough to run out of the place; or those running away may be run over by moving vehicles. There are two busy roads, one in front of the pub/hotel and the other beside it. If by the time this publication comes out and the problem has still not been resolved, I will kindly request the leaders of ECG to dispatch their engineers to attend as a stitch in time saves nine. Hopefully, as there is only one Julikart pub/hotel in Mallam, not far from Mallam Junction, it will not be very difficult for the operatives of ECG to locate it. Rockson Adofo Tuesday, 24 May 2022 24.05.2022 LISTEN Civil Engineer, Abdulai Mahama, has blamed technocrats at the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies for perennial flooding in Accra. He said technocrats shirk their responsibility by authorizing construction on waterways. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Mahama called for stricter measures that will ensure technocrats discharge their roles effectively. This is where I feel that technocrats who are employed at the Local Government Ministry or sent to the local assemblies are failing the country, and the earlier we start to sit up and find officers who append their signatures to buildings on waterways or areas of interest the better for all of us. We will not save the situation by the way officers are left off the hook when they are shirking their roles at the various assemblies or departments. Parts of Accra were flooded on Tuesday after close to a 10-hour downpour which started on Monday night through to Tuesday. This comes barely three days after most parts of Accra got flooded after close to a 10-hour downpour. There have been efforts to address flooding in the major drains at Circle and Alajo permanently, but the drains get chocked again after they are dredged. The Greater Accra Resilience and Integrated Development project (GARID), an initiative aimed at tackling flooding, is expected to offer some solutions to the challenge. ---citinewsroom 24.05.2022 LISTEN The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has released further details on the Achimota Forest Reserve brouhaha. This time, the statement mentions Former President John Dramani Mahama and former sector Minister Inusah Fuseini. On 20th March 2013 the family again petitioned the then President of the Republic HE John Dramani Mahama for the release of the portions of the land, it said. It added, On February 20214, the Forestry Commission and the Owu Family Executed a Deed of Variation to the 2013 leases as a result of what was described as an omission of the root of title and the actual size of the end land. By the said 2014 deed of variation the Forestry Commission granted one Owoo Family another fifty point zero nine acres (bringing the total acreage grated to the family to One Hundred and Ninety Eight point Fine Zero acres By a letter dated 4th April 2014, the then Minister for Lands and Natural Resources , Hon Alhaji Innusah Fuseini , MP wrote to the Lands Commission to amend its records to reflect the grants made to the Owoo Family. The Ministry intends to initiate a process of an independent audit on the specific issues of acreage de-gazetted and will act accordingly in the public interest , should that become necessary. The Ministry assured that the government was going to act on all improper acquisition of lands in the country. A statement issued by Mr Jinapor said all past and present wrong acquisition of lands would be dealt with accordingly. Government will act on any improper acquisition of any public lands regardless of how it was procured , whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest lands will not be an exception, the Ministry said while indicating that the alleged will of the late former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John) is a subject matter for litigation in court. Preliminary inquiries reveal that the alleged will in question is a subject matter for litigation / Contestation in court. Further checks at the Lands and Forestry Commission, the repositories of the records of the land in question show no record of ownership of lands at the Achimota Forest of Sarkumono Ramsar Site, by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie. The documents list some individual relatives of Mr Owusu Afriyie's to be allocated some portions of the Achimota Forest, which has become a topical issue the past days as a result of an Executive Instrument signed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declassify portions. I give my portion of land that I jointly own at the Achimota Forest in the name of DML Limited to Elizabeth Asare Boateng who at the time of making this will is domiciled in the USA forever, point g. of the will of the late public official, popularly known as Sir John, stated as captured on social media. The Ministry takes a very serious view of the allegations, and has requested for all documents relating to the lands in question, as part of an initial inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims, a statement issued on Sunday, May 22 by the Ministry said. Considering that the issues that form the basis of the allegations predate the tenure of the current Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, it is important that he is seized with the full facts to enable him take appropriate action, if, indeed, there is any merit in the claims. The Ministry assures the general public and the good people of Ghana that it will ensure that the national interest is protected at all times, especially in matters pertaining to the Achimota Forest. ---3news.com|Ghan Space Telecoms Two military satellites recently exchanged more than 200 gigabits of data over a distance of about 100 kilometers using laser communication in space. Satellites generally do not communicate directly with each other. Instead, they use radio signals to transfer data down to a ground station on Earth, which then relays this data to another satellite. Optical terminals between satellites are considered to be faster and more secure. The two satellites, named Able and Baker, were launched last summer by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency as part of its Blackjack project. A much slower data transfer takes place under more challenging conditions when communicating with humanity's outpost beyond our solar system. NASA engineers are investigating anomalous telemetry data produced by the venerable space probe Voyager 1. They are now trying to debug the probe, a formidable task as data flows from Voyager at 160 bits per second, and signals take 20 hours and 33 minutes to reach the probe. A Wednesday announcment states that the probe is operating normally, receiving and executing commands from Earth, and still doing science and phoning home with data. But Voyager 1s attitude articulation and control system (AACS), that helps point the probes antenna towards Earth, does not currently reflect whats actually happening onboard. NASA says the AACS data may appear to be randomly generated, or does not reflect any possible state the AACS could be in. The good news is that the craft is still doing fine. Its not needed to enter safe mode and its signal is still strong, so it appears the main antenna is properly aligned even if system data suggests otherwise. In their latest weekly news bulletin AMSAT announced the publication of a detailed paper which describes the reception of the Tianwen-1 Chinese Mars mission carried out by AMSAT-DL using the 20 meter dish at Bochum Observatory in Germany. A real-time GNU Radio decoder has been used to receive and store telemetry almost every day over the course of 10 months. Some of the telemetry variables, such as the trajectory information, have been successfully interpreted and used to track the progress of the mission. A PDF of the report is available for download at www.amsat.org . Source: Irish Radio Transmitters Society In an interview with DW in South Africa today, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: Africa is the continent next to Europe and so it is of essence that we work intensely to have very good relations with all the states in Africa, and it is important that we develop our relations with all the democratic states around the globe. The chancellor stressed the importance to create a multilateral world. South Africa is a democracy, Senegal, Niger and this is why I visited [these countries] and why I think it is important that we continue to work together. The world has a good future if we cooperate, if we understand that there will be a lot of very relevant states in the future. All countries with a colonial past have to be very honest and admit that they have a responsibility [to build] better relations with the [former colonies], for instance in Africa. My view is that the world will have a lot of very influential countries in the next decades that are not just Russia, China, United States and Europe, for instance. This is one of the reasons why I invited Indonesia and India, Senegal and South Africa or Argentina to participate in our G7 meeting in Germany this summer, because its a starting point for understanding that the world is something we [share] responsibility for. In regard to energy talks taking place at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, Scholz said: We will have a very difficult situation if we look at fuel prices. Obviously it will be not feasible to subsidize them down, especially on a global level. But it is necessary that we start to increase the supply with gas, with fuel, and to make it feasible for the countries to pay their bills.He added that negotiations were underway with all countries exporting oil and gas in order to convince them to increase their capacities. This would help the world market. Russia started a brutal war against a neighboring country. It is important that we stick together to give Ukraine the chance to defend itself, its integrity, its sovereignty. This is also important for peace around the globe. We should agree that there should never again be a successful attempt to change borders by force, and this is what Russia is trying to do, and we cannot accept this. And this is why so many countries are supporting Ukraine with financial means, with weapons, and we developed a sanctions regime against Russia to convince the Russian leadership that they should start negotiations with Ukraine and withdraw their troops from Ukraine territory. On the multiple effects of the war in Ukraine on African countries, the chancellor said: It is obvious that a lot of countries are suffering from this war and from the Russian aggression, and we are very determined to help these countries. Scholz spoke about multilateral efforts to fight war-related food emergencies and economic consequences: We are working on supporting the World Food Programme and starting an initiative against the shortages that are coming up now. We will work together on a global level, with the United Nations, and we are trying to convince all other countries that have the means to do so, to do it together with us. Scholz: But the best thing to do is end the war, and if Russia stopped its aggression and was ready for peace. He said the federal government was talking directly with Putin to tell the war will never have a good outcome for his own country [Russia] will go back in their opportunities of economic development for decades, they will suffer and they are suffering. The chancellor said that we have a global responsibility to support refugees wherever they are, in the Western countries as well as in their regions of origin. He mentioned the need for legal ways of migration as well as answers to fight illegal migration. On Mali Scholz said: We are supporting the United Nations with this so-called MINUSMA mandate and this is something that is good for stabilization in the region. But we also state very clearly that we will never accept a situation where there will be a fight with the support of Russian soldiers in Mali against the people. Scholz said that his meetings in Africa had been positive: It was very good to discuss with the leaders and understanding that they have a very similar view of the world and that they are also sharing the willingness to cooperate. The subject of terrorism has never been so heightened in our public discourse. In previous times, it sounded too distant to be of any concern to us locally. Today, with our next-door neighbor losing eight soldiers and scared to their marrow, we ignore the subject at our peril. Boko Haram and ISIS belonged to places outside our geopolitical location, no longer so now. Today, the subject has progressed to the front burner and a media engagement on it organised jointly by the Information and National Security Ministries. It is time to get water near us as the beards of our neighbours are on fire. We are excited about the novelties entailed in the package of responses to the threat by the National Security Ministry. Placing the country on red alert as announced by the Deputy National Security Minister during the media encounter, has a security value of unquantifiable proportions. The National Security Ministry deserves plaudits for the prompt response in reaching out to the public with awareness creation templates. Segmenting the various communities for the purpose of reaching out to their members is an approach which should not be ignored. Churches, mosques, communities along our frontiers and others should be constantly engaged with a view to educating them about the insecurity confronting the world of which we are a part. Documentaries, discussion programmes and media advertisements should all be considered in the dissemination process. All of us, from students to security officials, should be more conscious about the terrorists next-door as we stated in one of the many commentaries we have composed on the subject. We can defeat terrorists only when all Ghanaians understand the subject and know what to do when suspected terrorists are noticed. The contribution of the French Resistance in the victory against the Nazis during WWII comes to mind. The support of the citizens in supporting the war effort with information helped immensely in the outcome of the war. With effective coordination between our security agencies such as the Ghana Immigration Service, the police, the military, the National Investigation Bureau and the public, the terrorists would fail in their bid to spread their war of attribution and choice in our part of the sub-region. Periodic interactions through roundtables with the leadership of the various segments of the population such as churches, mosques and markets would enhance the red alertness. Identifiable radio stations which broadcast in our local languages such as Hausa, Dagbani, Twi, Ga and Ewe are highly recommended. We can stop the terrorists through appropriate awareness creation and effective coordination among the various sectors of the population. Parliament resumes today May 24 for the second meeting of the second session of the Eighth Parliament after taking an adjournment sine die [without a fixed date for resumption] in early April ahead of the Easter festivity. In pursuance of Standing Order 37 of the Parliament of Ghana, I, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, hereby give notice that the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic shall commence on Tuesday, the 24th day of May, 2022 at ten o'clock in the forenoon at Parliament House, Accra, public notice issued on May 9 said. The resumption is coming under the shadow of the fallout of the passage of the E-Levy and the expected report of the parliamentary Privileges Committee on three of its own, who were asked by Speaker Alban Bagbin to appear before it to answer questions on their absence from the House for more than 15 sitting days without permission. Committee Report With the Committee of Privileges expected to give its report on Sarah Adwoa Safo of Dome Kwabenya, Henry Quartey of Ayawaso Central, and Kennedy Ohene Agyapong of the Assin Central, it is a very big week in Parliament, which could set the political tone for the coming months. There will doubtless be some theatre around the committee's report, which will see the MPs belonging to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) clashing. There were signals that attempts to depose all the three NPP MPs over delinquency would not be an easy parliamentary chore as both the Majority and Minority caucuses questioned the action of the Speaker. The opening disagreement shows a bigger action is yet to come on the report of the Privileges Committee, which was tasked to sit while the House was in recess. What Bagbin Said Speaker Bagbin, who made the referral, said evidence made available to him by the table office indicates that three the Hon. Members have so far absented themselves in this meeting for more than 15 sitting days without permission as recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. Consequently, as it's my understanding of the provisions of Article 97(1) (c) and Order 16(1) of the Standing Orders of Parliament and the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Prof. Stephen Kawaka Asare vs Attorney General and three others, I hereby refer the said Honourable Members to the Committee of Privileges for consideration and report to the House. He continued, Since today (Tuesday) is the last sitting day of the meeting, I refer it to the committee and I expect that the committee will submit its report two weeks after the House reconvenes. I trust that the Committee of Privileges will consider this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves, as the public interest in this matter is amazed. More importantly, we make the law and we must be seen to be obeying and complying with the laws we make, he added. The Speaker said the legislature has to set leadership by example and I strongly believe this is one of the cases we must show commitment to what the people have elected us to do. He indicated that a search on the attendance of members from the commencement of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic conducted by the table office on the First Session was interesting and revealing, and said MPs needed to take the attendance to Parliament more seriously. The First Session of the House has already expired and unfortunately this issue of absenteeism was not addressed in any of the three meetings of that session. I consider that it will be improper, he noted. ---DGN online 24.05.2022 LISTEN Mr. Emmanuel Wilson Jnr., the Chief Crusader of Crusaders Against Corruption, a civil society organization has said the imbalances in salary structures between public and civil servants and article 71 holders breed corruption among citizens. Mr. Wilson Jnr. said having article 71 holders and government appointees get a lot of benefits and end of service benefits while a public servant such as police personnel might retire after decades of service without a good accommodation to boast of. He said this speaking at the Ghana News Agency Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues on the topic; Is the fight against corruption a reality or mirage? Which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema The engagement also serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub. Mr. Wilson emphasized that we must not build an imbalanced society to force people to engage in corrupt practices, the government must make sure that our salary structure must be fair and rewarding enough. The corruption campaigner said in their quest to also make ends meet and secure their future, some public and civil servants ended up engaging in corrupt practices all due to the imbalance in the salaries being paid to them. He, therefore, urged workers unions to prioritize their fight for an increase in their base salaries instead of taking labour actions because of allowances adding that allowances could be scraped as against that salaries. He observed that when allowances when they push for the payment and increase in allowances, it would not benefit them when they retire, but when their salaries receive an upward adjustment, it would benefit them currently and in the future as it determined the amount to be paid as their social security and pension contributions. Mr. Wilson Jnr said they must redefine their fights and demands from the government, saying they need to ask for a salary balance to be akin to that of the article 71 holders and politicians. He noted that the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) had worsened the disparity in salaries, saying it did not achieve the intended purpose. He said there was therefore the need to look at the salary structure to make it fair to all categories of workers, we need to relook at our salary structure, the current disparity is too much. Touching on other factors contributing to corruption he said, the nature of the 1992 Constitution which he described as a political constitution, and nepotism were affecting the fight against corruption in Ghana. The Chief Campaigner said the problem Ghana has with the fight against corruption was the failure of successive governments to review the 1992 Constitution which he said was the biggest promoter of corrupt practices. The 1992 Constitution gives state institutions powers to fight against corruption with the left hand and uses the right hand to away those powers, he said. It said it happened so because the Constitution consolidates too much power in the President is expected to appoint every head of state-owned institutions including the ones mandated to fight corruption. Touching on nepotism, Mr. Wilson indicated that it kills more than any of the factors, as those with the power to appoint gives preferential positions to only their family and friends making it a dangerous form of corruption. He said, when you pay a bribe, the amount involve is not the same as the effect of nepotism on the country and its citizens. UN Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Thursday, 26 May 2022. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the nearly 4,200 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and will preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjold Medal will be awarded posthumously to 117 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their life serving under the UN flag last year. Among the peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously are four from Ghana: SGT Mansfield Sekyere who served with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); Messrs. Francis Assuah Kwajan and Alphonsus Bieturu who served in civilian capacities with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); and Mr Victor Akwasi Osei-Akyempong servied in a civilian capacity in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). Ghana is the 9th largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys nearly 2,600 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon, Mali, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara. During a special ceremony, the Secretary-General will award the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage posthumously to Captain Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar of Chad, who served with the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The medal is named for a Senegalese peacekeeper who was killed in Rwanda in 1994 after saving countless civilian lives. This is the second time the medal has been awarded since the inaugural medal was presented to Captain Diagne's family in his honour in 2016. The Secretary-General will also award the 2021 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award to Major Winnet Zharare, a Zimbabwean military observer, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan. Created in 2016, the Award recognises the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. In his message, the Secretary-General said: Today, we honour the more than one million women and men who have served as UN peacekeepers since 1948. We pay tribute to the nearly 4,200 heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace. And we are reminded an age-old truth: peace can never be taken for granted. Peace is the prize. We are deeply grateful to the 87,000 civilian, police and military personnel now serving under the UN flag who are helping to realize the prize of peace worldwide. The theme for this years observance is People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships. According to the Secretary-General, Around the globe, UN peacekeepers work with Member States, civil society, humanitarians, the media, the communities they serve and many others, to foster peace, protect civilians, promote human rights and the rule of law and improve the lives of millions of people. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said: Every day, UN peacekeepers work to protect vulnerable people in the worlds most fragile political and security situations. The dangers they face are greater than ever, with increasing global tensions, ever-more complex threats from terrorist attacks to organized crime and the use of Improvised Explosive Devices as well as a surge in mis and disinformation targeting our missions and the communities we serve. Despite these challenges, peacekeepers persevere alongside our many partners in the collective pursuit of peace. Today, we thank them for their tremendous contribution and remember with great sorrow our colleagues who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the cause of peace. The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UNs first peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine. Since then, more than 1 million women and men have served in 72 UN peacekeeping operations. An Early Childhood Development Centre with its auxiliary facilities has been commissioned and handed over to the chiefs and people of Nyangania under the management of Nyangnia L/A Primary School in the Kassena Nankana West of the Upper East Region. It was constructed at a total cost of GHC330,000. The facility was a result of the Builsa-Kassena Area Child Development Programme, with sponsorship from Children Believe (CB) and implemented by Participatory Action for Rural Development Alternatives (PARDA). It is the second of its kind in the Kassena Nankana West District in two years. The facility has adequate furniture and teaching and learning materials to accommodate 109 children to enhance and facilitate learning between the ages of 4 to 6. The facility comes with a 4-seater KVIP and urinal meant to improve the sanitation and personal hygiene of the pupils. This project learns credence to PARDAs vision and commitment, working in partnership with CB to complement government efforts at providing quality education for all, regardless of where one is located in the country. Speaking to ModernGhana News in Nyangnia, the Director of PARDA, Dr Micheal Wombeogo stated that, the quest of PARDA and CB Ghana is to provide quality education as their contribution to the advancement of Ghanas economy. He underscored the relevance of good education for nation building adding that, without strong foundation from early childhood, the building blocks for enlightened Ghana may be a mirage. Dr Wombeogo urged the community members to see the facility as their own and ensure that it is well handled and patronized. The Country Manager of the Children Believe (CB) Esenam Kavi De Souza indicated that, as an organization, CBs current strategic plan focuses on early childhood development, promoting early childhood education, health and nutrition for children and promoting responsive caregiving in the community. She said operating for 26 years in Ghana and over 60 years globally, CB realized that the foundation of a child is crucial to the overall development of the child. Madam Kavi De Souza entreated the community and the Ghana Education Service to engage qualified teachers to man the facility for it to serve generation yet unborn. A representative of the Regional Director of Education GES, Madam Alice Ayinne, thanked PARDA and CB for putting up the facility and urged parents to do their possible best to support their childrens education to become good citizens tomorrow. New York, May 23, 2022 In response to news reports and statements from local rights groups that the Hargeisa Regional Court in the breakaway region of Somaliland sentenced journalists Mohamed Abdi Ilig and Abdijabar Mohamed Hussein to 16 months imprisonment for subversion and false news on Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statemet condemning the verdict: Mohamed Abdi Ilig and Abdijabar Mohamed Hussein should never have been arrested for simply covering a breaking news story in real time, and we are deeply disappointed by the convictions and harsh sentences handed down to them, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. Appealing these spurious convictions through Somalilands flawed justice system would be unjust, lengthy, and uncertain. Time is of the essence for these two innocent journalists, one of whom is seriously ill. Authorities must not further undermine Somalilands already precarious press freedom environment and should ensure the release of the journalists immediately, without condition. Mohamed, a reporter and chairperson of MM Somali TV, Abdirahman Ali Khalif, a reporter for Gobonimo TV, and Abdijabar, a reporter for Horn Cable TV, were among 18 journalists arrested on April 13 in connection to their coverage of a fight between inmates and guards at the Hargeisa Central Prison in the regions capital, as CPJ documented at the time. The majority of the journalists were eventually released, according to a statement by the Mogadishu-based press rights organization, the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS). Mohamed is seriously ill and his condition worsened while in jail, according to Yasmin Omar Mohamoud, chair of the local advocacy group Human Rights Centre Somaliland, CPJ was not able to obtain details of his medical condition. Mohamed, Abdijabar, and Abdirahman were charged under Articles 215 and 328 of the penal code relating to subversive or anti-national propaganda or publishing false news, according to Human Rights Centre Somaliland and a joint statement by SJS and the Somali Media Association (SOMA). The pair were sentenced in a hasty hearing that took place without the knowledge of the defense lawyers and family members of the defendants, according to the joint SJS and SOMA statement. The court acquitted Abdirahman. 24.05.2022 LISTEN The Sempe Muslim Akwashongtse, Nii Adotey Odaawulu I, on Sunday joined the people of Nungua to mark the annual Abele (sacred corn), a pre-Homowo rite to usher in the celebrations of the Homowo festival celebrated across the entire Ga state. The journey of Adeayebii Abele sacred corn saw the Sempe Muslim Akwashongtse moving to Oyibi for Sacred corn and walked back to Nungua for the start of the celebration of the annual festival. The performance of the Abele sacred corn rite clears the way for other rites to be performed to mark the Homowo festival. The Adeayebii is wrapped in a special white calico and placed on the head of a young man who has been purified and prepared for the journey. Once the Adaeyebi is placed on the head of the carrier, no one dare touch it, not even the carrier, except the Gborbu Wulomo Shitse who receives it when the carrier finally gets to Nungua. Upon the arrival of the pilgrims, the Gborbu Wulomo welcomed the Sempe Muslim Akwashongtse with water as a sign of good work done. The Sempe Muslim Akwashongtse called on the public not to see the festivities as fetish but tradition, something that existed before the arrival of other religious groups. His participation in the annual rituals of the people of Nungua, he said is as a result of the relationship that existed between the Ga Mashie and the people of Nungua which dates back to the days of Nuumo Larkote Aduwawushie and Nuumo Borketey Lawerh who were the first Gas to land on that part of the land. According to him, as a proud son of the GaDangme land, he believes there is future for the youth if only the leaders take education seriously. Nii Adotey Odaawulu I, in brief History about the Abele (Sacred Corn) revealed that the people of Ga (Nungua) embarked on pilgrimage annually from Antrayie (Oyibi) to Nungua to bring home the Adaeyebi, which is the first harvested sacred corn, to the Gborbu Wulomo, Shitse. The historic journey he said formed part of the annual Nungua Kplejoo Homowo festival rites adding that without it there would be no successful Kplejoo festival. According to him, the sacred corn is a generational variety which was procured from ancient Egypt. He stated that the pilgrimage commemorates the period of famine in the surrounding lands of Egypt which necessitated the mass exodus of families, tribes and groups from far and near to the land of Egypt in search of grains. He further revealed that the people of Ga also went to ancient Egypt in the search of grains to feed their families adding that the journey from Oyibi to Nungua is by foot since trekking was one of the commonest means of transport at the time. Friends of NAPO, a social group in the Manhyia South constituency in the Ashanti region, have presented educational materials to cluster of schools in the Manhyia South constituency in the Ashanti region. The items included boxes of exercise books, pens, pencils, sewing machines and assorted drinks. Schools that benefited from the donation include St Louis Demonstration JHS, Roman Girls JHS and K.O. Methodist JHS A and B. Others were St Joseph Primary and JHS and St Annes Anglican Primary A and B, St Annes Anglican JHS. The presentation, according to the group, was to celebrate and honour the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Hon Matthew Opoku Prempeh, on his 54th birthday. The short, impressive and entertaining birthday celebration was held on Monday, May 23, 2022, at the compound of St Louis Demonstration JHS, at Mbrom in Kumasi. Presenting the items, a member of the group, Nana Temah Boakye, said the presentation was also to fulfill the vision of the MP who is committed to promoting quality education in the constituency. Today is the birthday of NAPO, the Manhyia South MP, so we are here to celebrate the day with the children on his behalf, to eat, drink and socialize, after giving them few educational materials, she added. Everybody who has encountered him (NAPO) knows that he loves children and his dedication to education in the country, so by doing this fulfils his dream of ensuring effective and efficient teaching and learning in the constituency, Nana Temah Boakye stated. She advised the children to see the presentation as a motivation and urge them to learn hard to reach greater heights like the MP, who started his education at Ashtown M/A School. Nana Temah Boakye hinted at commissioning more projects in the constituency by the MP, which includes a library and astro turfs. The Headteacher of St Louis Demonstration JHS, Michelle Acquaye, on behalf of the other headteachers, thanked the Friends of NAPO for the kind gesture and promised to use the materials to the advantage of the children. 24.05.2022 LISTEN A group of disgruntled NDC members of the North Ayawaso Constituency allegedly stormed the Constituencys Executive meeting last Friday to demand the reinstatement of their suspended constituency chairman, Mr. Ahmed Tahiru. The group on Friday 20th May 2022 stormed an ongoing Constituency Executive meeting at Mamobi-Adansiman, in the Ayawaso North constituency to register their displeasure at the manner in which the party leadership handled an incident that occurred between the suspended chairman and the first national vice chairman, Alhaji Said Sinare. They bemoaned the astonishing lack of urgency in resolving the problem. During the protest, the leader of the group, Mr Mohammed Sani stated; We concede that our former chairman exercised indiscretion in handling the matter which almost invariably brought the partys name into disrepute, particularly giving the positions both occupy within the NDC party. We therefore condemned his actions while accepting the decision of the party to invoke the powers contained in the constitution to suspend him as part of our disciplinary measures with the anticipation of seeing appropriate workable solution". Mr Sani continued; Fast forward, its almost two years now, yet no outcome had been obtained from the party leadership. Meanwhile, in the course of keenly following this case, we understood a Committee of Enquiry was set up last year to investigate the case at the NDC Greater Accra Regional office, of which the conflicting parties were invited to present their perspectives in the consideration of the matter. We are therefore becoming increasingly anxious as we are almost approaching the middle of the year 2022 without receiving any outcome on the determination of our suspended chairmans state, especially as we had information that the committee had completed its hearing and had submitted its findings to the regional executive committee in December, 2021, and subsequently to the NDC National Office. These and many other concerns necessitated the Friday protest, which resulted in chaos among some of the members present at the meeting. Tension rose at the scene. Fortunately, volunteer arbitrators stepped up to calm nerves and calm was restored. Immediately, after majority of the protesters had left, a joint police team from the Greater Accra Regional command and the Kotobabi District Police station arrived at the scene. However, the police obviously did not find much work to do as calm had already been restored before their arrival and no violent scene was observed. It was later discovered that the Police were allegedly invited by some executives close to Hon. Yussif Jajah, the current NDC MP for the constituency. Some disgruntled members present at the scene expressed disappointment at the MPs team for hastily reporting the incident to the Regional Police Command. They have again accused him of causing division in the constituency. Some members are harbouring the suspicion that the MP is trying to impose Alhaji Manaf, the vice chairman who doubles as the acting chairman on the constituency. They threatened to boycott key party activities going forward, while some of them threatened to defect from the NDC if the case is not resolved urgently. The ring leader of the protesters, Mr Mohammed Sani, appealed to the party to resolve the impasse between their suspended chairman and Alhaji Said Sinare as soon as possible. When the suspended chairman was contacted for his views, he declined to comment on the matter. Indias foreign policy will continue to permit it to attract cooperation from all other major powers. by John P. Ruehl The United States approach to India since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis has reignited Indias historical grievances toward Washington. But outreach by other major powerssuch as Russia and Chinato New Delhi illustrates Indias growing clout in international affairs. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, the White House has attempted to rally support for sanctions against Russia and isolate it diplomatically. While the Biden administration had little hope that India would adhere to imposing these sanctions, New Delhi has openly explored ways to circumvent them and has also refrained from condemning Russia at the United Nations. Modi's Way But India has trodden carefully, refusing to show any support for the Russian invasion and, instead, has been calling for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict. In addition to not wanting to offend Ukraine, a country that India also has good relations with, New Delhi does not want to be seen as endorsing Russias actions or straying from Indias traditional foreign policy of nonalignment. Nonetheless, Indias balanced approach has provoked the ire of Washington. The United States has attempted to frame the Ukraine conflict as one between a united front of democratic states against an isolated authoritarian Russia. New Delhis cautious, sustained cooperation with Moscow has undermined this portrayal, alongside Chinas diplomatic assistance to Russia and Russias broader support across the Global South. On April 11, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized India over human rights violations by government functionaries in a joint press briefing with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The comments drew immediate criticism in Indian political and social circles, particularly as there was no warning from U.S. officials that the issue would be discussed. Blinkens remarks follow increasing criticism in the West in the last few years over Indias perceived democratic backsliding under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to power in 2014. Doing so has accentuated animosity among many of Modis supporters toward the historical role of the West in India over the last few centuries. Sensing friction, other major powers have sought to capitalize on the divisions between the United States and India. Russia has been particularly receptive to Indias neutrality over Ukraine and has rapidly expanded its oil exports to India in recent months at heavily discounted prices. This has further complemented years of growing energy ties between India and Russia through oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear power cooperation, as well as increasing commodity imports between the two nations outside the energy sector. India has also been Russias largest destination for weapons exports for years, spurring further military cooperation. Russias traditional support for India at the UN will also no doubt continue thanks to the Indian governments adherence to maintaining trade. The EU, like the United States, has attempted to persuade India to take a harsher stance against Russia, and it noted on March 28 that it was not pleased with Indias refusal to condemn Russia for invading Ukraine. But the EU has largely limited its criticism, and has instead been focusing on a strategy of pursuing more constructive ties with India. In 2020, the EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025 was adopted to upgrade relations, while in April 2021, the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was revealed, with a major focus on increasing engagement with India. A month later, India and the EU held a virtual meeting to rekindle efforts to forge a free trade deal and boost economic relations. And in early May of this year, Modi conducted a three-nation tour of Europe. On May 2, the Sixth German-Indian intergovernmental consultations were held in Berlin, where global security and expanding bilateral relations were discussed. On May 4, the second India-Nordic summit took place in Copenhagen, featuring leaders from Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Later that day, Modi flew to Paris to meet with newly reelected French President Emmanuel Macron. Forging ties with European states through bilateral and plurilateral forums, as well as wider initiatives with the EU, has helped India balance against the heightened pressure it is currently facing from the United States, and it also shows Europes willingness to engage with India despite disagreements over Russia. Arguably, the most significant opportunity for India will be how the conflict in Ukraine changes its relationship with China. The United States criticism of India in recent weeks was not missed in Beijing, which has had various border clashes with India for more than 80 years. Since 2020, the Chinese and Indian militaries have engaged in a tense and deadly standoff across parts of their disputed border. Additionally, Chinas support for Pakistan, which has its own territorial disputes with India, as well as Indias safe harbor to Tibets spiritual leader, the Dalai LamaChina annexed Tibet in 1951 and has since retained control over the regionhas traditionally caused friction between Beijing and New Delhi. As China and India have grown in power since the turn of the century, their overlapping spheres of interests in Asia have also become more pronounced. But both countries have kept the option for diplomacy open, and the ongoing flare-up on their border has done little but cement the status quo. India has proven it will not be budged by the Chinese military, even if Chinas rise in power and influence in recent decades has been more substantial on a global scale. Tensions have somewhat abated since the most violent period in the Chinese-Indian border standoff from 2020 to 2021. This has led to the perception that Chinas neighborhood diplomacy, which seeks to entice India through economic initiatives, has taken precedence over the competing major power diplomacy strategy, which seeks to use more forceful measures to make India accept Chinas regional hegemony. Any Chinese policy seeking to defuse tensions with India stems from Beijings fear of India entering a formal security alliance with the United States, which would severely undermine Chinese ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad for short), which also includes Japan and Australia, besides India and the U.S., has so far not amounted to that. But the relatively sudden creation of the AUKUS security alliance in 2021 between the United States, the UK, and Australia showed that a challenge to Chinas plans in the region is still possible. The shock of the AUKUS announcement clearly helped instigate China into seeking a more cordial relationship with India. Pakistan remains Indias primary concern, while Chinas greater focus remains to contend with the United States in the Asia-Pacific. A truce between New Delhi and Beijing would allow them to reorient their foreign policies to deal with their most important concerns, as the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion ushers in a new world order. Though it will be difficult for India and China to work out their differences, several avenues exist that could facilitate an improvement in their relations. Encouraging India to play a larger role in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will help create constructive economic incentives to cement more positive relations between the two countries. Both India and China are also part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) (alongside Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), an international political, economic, and security bloc. Russia, which enjoys positive relations with both India and China, would relish the opportunity to showcase its diplomatic power by mediating disputes between New Delhi and Beijing in an international institution without Western involvement. Clearly, major powers are increasingly willing to court India thanks to the countrys growing profile in international affairs. For the second straight year, India is projected to become the worlds fastest-growing major economy. But pressure from Washington over New Delhis response to the Ukraine crisis has also shown the limits of the United States hot and cold approach to India. U.S. military forces threatened India during the 1971 India-Pakistan war and sanctioned both India and Pakistan following their nuclear tests in 1998. Furthermore, U.S. support and aid to Pakistan during its war in Afghanistan and the wider war on terror caused significant concern in India. However, India and the United States have also increased bilateral cooperation over the last 30 years, driven by their support for the democratic process, wariness over Chinas strategy in Asia, and efforts to combat Islamic extremism in the region. Indias growling partnership with Russia over security, diplomatic assistance, energy, and wider trade cooperation explains why New Delhi will not budge from its commitment toward nonalignment. Instead of recognizing these realities, Washington has doubled down on critiquing the policies adopted by India. Indias foreign policy will continue to permit it to attract cooperation from all other major powers. While that includes maintaining a budding relationship with the United States, the absence of any additional incentives to India means that the Biden administrations efforts to alter Indias foreign policy will continue to be in vain. This article was produced by Globetrotter. John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, D.C. He is a contributing editor to Strategic Policy and a contributor to several other foreign affairs publications. He is currently finishing a book on Russia to be published in 2022. The African Union Department of Health, Humanitarian and Social Affairs and The Office of the African Union Youth Envoy, in collaboration with partners, hosted an AU humanitarian youth forum. In here, the youth are also pledging conference ahead of the scheduled African Union Extraordinary Summit to be held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from the 25th to the 28th of May 2022. Chido Mpemba, the African Union Chairpersons Youth Envoy commented: It is my sincere hope as the Youth Envoy, that at the end of this summit, we have deliberated a youth-centric humanitarian architecture, a protocol on the free movement of persons and come up with a definitive, sustainable political resolution. This resolution statement will incorporate our ideas and solutions and become a plan of action to integrate the youths in the overall summit outcomes. Organisers explain that the key objective of this forum aligns with Aspiration 6 of the African Union Agenda 2063 and article 11 of the African Youth Charter, by providing young people with the opportunity to have their voices heard by key decision makers on key issues that are to be deliberated at the summit. Young people from all over Africa came to discuss the road that is to be taken towards inclusivity, integration and the advancement of Africa as a whole. To achieve the Agenda 2063 and the Africa we want; we must collectively seek solutions that will drive concrete political action from all duty bearers, said The Youth Envoy. On the sidelines of the event in Nairobi, the Youth Envoy held a consultation with the young refugees policy group as part of her 60 days listening tour campaign to gain insights that will further contribute to the development of youth-led, meaningful programs and plans of the African Union towards achieving Agenda 2063. Amb. King Adekunle, who is the Chair of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees and IDPs had the following to say: On developing the sensitization strategy to the protocol on Free Movement of Persons, there is a need to look at the benefits and challenges of the free movement of people, especially as it relates to crime and security. And that Africa faces more humanitarian crises than any other continent with over 282 million people experiencing food related shortages while a further 32 million are displaced. These crises have been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the logistical challenges it presented. Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyetei, Ag Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate, AUC said: It is worrying that humanitarian crises in Africa are increasing, millions of people require humanitarian assistance. There is a need for collective action and response, greater integration and multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance focused on root causes and prevention. Also stated is that this event is a key milestone towards the realization of the Agenda 2063 and empowering young people to take part in the deliberation of key issues to that effect. We need member states to involve the youth to co-lead, co-develop and co-create tangible solutions to solve the humanitarian crises and threats, The Youth Envoy said in closing. The recommendations set forward in this forum will inform the heads of states meeting in the upcoming summit in Malabo. Chido Mpemba is the youngest diplomat at the African Union Commission. The Envoy is mandated to serve as a representative of and advocate for the voices and interests of African youth to the relevant African Union decision-making bodies. The Youth Envoys office also engages African Youth on the continent and in the diaspora to draw them towards supporting and promoting positive social change, intergenerational dialogue and concrete action for Africas development as underscored in Agenda 2063. A full 40 percent of the drugs behind the pharmacist's counter in the Western world are derived from plants that people have used for centuries, including the top 20 best-selling prescription drugs in the United States today. Vickers et al., (2001) note that many conventional drugs originate from plant sources. About a century ago, most of the few effective drugs were plant-based. Examples include aspirin (from willow bark), digoxin (from foxglove), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from the opium poppy). The development of drugs from plants continues, with pharmaceutical companies engaging in large-scale pharmacological screening of herbs. Today, we hail India, China, and many other countries for their large investments and immense development in their Traditional Medicine sector, yet we as a nation are trying to destroy ours. One interesting study by Andel et al.(2012) report that estimated 951tons of crude herbal medicine were sold at Ghana's herbal markets in 2010, with a total value of around US$ 7.8 million. This is larger as compared to 50% of the total medicinal flora in Benin commercialized in its markets. In Benin, Quiroz et al.(2014) report that a volume of approximately 655 metric tons worth 2.7 million USD is offered for sale annually. Herbal Market Opportunity Analysis. In South Africa, according to Mander et al.(nd), traditional medicine is estimated to be worth R2.9 billion per year, representing 5.6% of the National Health budget. There are at least 133 000 people employed in the trade, with a large percentage of rural women. Today, India is promoting Ayush visas for tourists who want to visit their country to seek Traditional Medicines. As a way to improve Ayush products, India will soon introduce the AYUSH mark, which will give authenticity to quality AYUSH products in the country. The mark will be given to products vetted using the latest technology. This will give confidence to people around the world that they are purchasing quality AYUSH products. According to aihms.in (2021), India has over 3000 hospitals and 500 colleges committed to the spread of AYUSH practices, India has arisen as a world leader in this branch of medicine. Numerous wellness parks have also been established around the country that emphasize the significance of AYUSH practices. AYUSH includes Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and homeopathy. The objective of AYUSH is to promote medical pluralism and to introduce strategies for mainstreaming the indigenous systems of medicine. In India, at the Union Government level, AYUSH activities are coordinated by the Department of AYUSH, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A report by Mordor Intelligence (2022) found that AYUSH and the alternative medicine industry in India are expected to register a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period. According to a report published in August 2020, beginning March 2020, the demand for honey went up 45%, chyawanprash by 85%, and turmeric by 40% in ayurvedic stores. The interest in these products was mostly fueled by the recommendations from the Ministry of AYUSH to fight COVID-19. The Hindu (2022) also reported that the global market for herbal medicine was valued at $657.5 billion in 2020. It is expected to grow to $746.9 billion by the end of 2022. In China, the traditional medicine industry had total revenue of $37.41 billion in 2018, according to an IBISWorld report. The Indian Business Today (2021) also reported that the market size of the AYUSH sector grew by 17 percent between 2014 and 2020 to reach $18.1 billion. Despite a slump in economic activity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry was projected to reach $20.6 billion in 2021 and $23.3 billion in 2022. In terms of the global share, India has grown faster in the AYUSH market as compared to the world and accounts for about 2.8 percent of the market, which it is likely to hold. Different product segments have grown at a much higher rate than the overall industry during the same time frame i.e., 2014 to 2020. Plant derivatives experienced 21 percent growth in the period 2014-2020 followed by nutraceuticals (20.5 percent), pharmaceuticals (15.8 percent), plant extracts 14.7 percent, and herbal plants (14.3 percent). PharmaBiz.com (2022) also reported that the Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited (IMPCL), the public sector manufacturing unit of the Ministry of Ayush recorded a turnover of Rs. 164.33 crore (tentative figure) for the financial year 2020 to 2021. This is the highest number achieved in the companys history and an all-time high profit of approximately Rs 12 crore is reported for the year. In the previous year, 2019 to 2020, the best revenue figure of the company was Rs. 97 crores. This growth is reflective of the fast-growing adoption of Ayush products and services by the public in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the case of China, in 1982, the Constitution of China gave full recognition to TCM. In November 2020, the AYUSH Ministry approved the manufacture of Astha-15, an Ayurvedic COVID-19 drug by Dalmia Healthcare. In May 2020, The AYUSH Ministry, in collaboration with the Health Ministry, launched the clinical trials of Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi Pippali, and a polyherbal formulation (Ayush-64) Ayurvedic medicines for novel COVID-19 infection. Regional Analysis of Herbal Market In 1990, expenditure associated with alternative therapies in the United States was estimated to be US$13.7 billion. This had doubled by the year 1997, with herbal medicines growing faster than any other alternative therapy (Eisenberg et al. 1998). In Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, annual expenditure on traditional medicine is estimated to be US$80 million, US$1 billion, and US$2.3 billion, respectively. In 1995, the total turnover of nonprescription-bound herbal medicines in pharmacies was equal to almost 30% of the total turnover of nonprescription-bound medicines in Germany, and in the United States, the annual retail sales of herbal products were estimated to be US$5.1 billion. In China, the total value of herbal medicine manufactured in 1995 reached 17.6 billion Chinese yuan (approximately US$2.5 billion; Eisenberg et al., 1998; WHO, 2001). This trend has continued, and annual revenues in Western Europe reached US$5 billion in 2003-2004 (De Smet, 2005). In China, sales of herbal products totaled US$14 billion in 2005, and revenue from herbal medicines in Brazil was US$160 million in 2007 (World Health Organization; http://www.who.int/topics/traditional_medicine/en/). It is estimated that the annual worldwide market for these products approached US$60 billion (Tilburt and Kaptchuk 2008). I believe, Natural Medicines in Ghana could be another e-levy to generate funds for the government if we pay attention to developing the herbal industry. Burkina Faso president Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was overthrown in an army putsch, has been "totally locked up", his People's Movement for Progress (MPP) party complained on Tuesday. He had been moved from house arrest to his own home in the capital Ouagadougou in early April following the January coup. But since then he has been "free neither to move nor to receive certain people and communicate", party chairman Alassane Bala Sakande told a press conference. "It's the same as being totally locked up," he added. "The MPP denounces in no uncertain terms the deprivation of liberty that president Kabore continues to face, four months to the day after the coup of January 24," the chairman said. "Nothing justifies this denial of justice," he said, calling for Kabore's release "without delay or any condition". The African Union, West African bloc ECOWAS and the United Nations have all called for him to be set free. Kabore was toppled by officers disgruntled at his handling of a nearly seven-year-old jihadist insurgency that has claimed some 2,000 lives and forced 1.8 million people to flee their homes. The junta, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, says he has made the security crisis his priority, but after a relative lull in violence, a surge in attacks has claimed more than 200 lives. 24.05.2022 LISTEN The upcoming branch and constituency elections are as crucial as the election in 2024. What will transpire in the upcoming constituency election has a great influence on the NDC's chances in 2024. We are all yearning for John Dramani Mahama to come back to power and rescue Ghana from this vision less government. It is the same way the good people of Ejura-Sekyedumasi wish to have Hon. Mohammed Bawa Braimah elected again as MP in 2024. All the above hopes will not come on a silver platter if we fail to follow due process and allow an open contest for all deserving aspirants. Let's be guided by history: Exactly 10 years ago, (2012) we lost the Ejura seat for the first time since 1992 to the NPP simply because of our internal cracks at the time. We reunited and restored it in 2016 and further cemented it in the 2020 elections. We cannot afford to 'gift' Ejura seat to NPP any longer and this will mean that we must do our homework perfectly. The upcoming constituency election must be a concern to all members of our great party, but the ultimate decision should be made by delegates. I, therefore, urge our party leadership to ensure neutrality, fairness, and an open contest without interference or protecting any candidate. Our delegates are indeed very watchful, and they have a better assessment of who becomes our next constituency leaders. There are allegations of other aspirants being discouraged not to contest while other candidates are being 'pushed in' and protected. This is already building tension and creating division within the party. We must not allow it to explode after the constituency election. We must defuse the anxiety by not imposing candidates on delegates. No position is reserved for any individual. ! I believe that a candidate must lose or win happily without suspecting any sabotage. This is how we can reunite after the election and move together into a bigger battle in 2024. Our party's constitution is very clear, and we must not deviate from it. I wish all constituency executive hopefuls the best of luck. Be courageous and bold. Go for Gold! Amadu Hadi( Ejura-Sekyedumasi Constituency Secretary Hopeful) A bid by Ukraine to join the European Union (EU) would not be finalised for "15 or 20 years," France's Europe minister has said pouring cold water on Kyiv's hopes for quick entry in the wake of Russia's invasion. "We have to be honest. If you say Ukraine is going to join the EU in six months, or a year or two, you're lying," Clement Beaune told Radio J. "It's probably in 15 or 20 years, it takes a long time." "I don't want to offer Ukrainians any illusions or lies," he said, reiterating an offer by President Emmanuel Macron to create a looser "European political community" that could help integrate Ukraine with the bloc sooner. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday denounced "such compromises" and insisted on an immediate start of the process towards full EU membership. But Beaune said Macron's proposal is not "an alternative to joining the European political community. It doesn't prevent membership later on." Under Macron's plan, "there could be free circulation in Europe, and it could benefit from the European budget for reconstruction and the revival of its country, society and economy," he said. Some EU leaders share France's scepticism about a rapid acceptance of Ukraine's membership bid, concerned that it will take time to rebuild a war-shattered economy, reduce corruption and adopt far-reaching economic and legal reforms. On Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said there were "no shortcuts" to joining and the accession process "is not a matter of a few months or years". Many Western leaders believe Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion on 24 February in response to Ukraine's pro-Western aspirations, but Beaune rejected any blame on Kyiv. "The person who sought this war, the aggressor, is Mr Putin," he told Europe 1 radio in an interview earlier Sunday, while insisting "Ukraine is Europe". The EU's goal is to "avoid any Russian victory", he said, adding: "Our support is legitimate. If Europe said, 'Go ahead, Mr Putin's Russia can do what it wants,' it would be dangerous for our security." Macron's 'European political community' initiative will be debated at an EU summit in late June. (with AFP) The purported will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission which has been widely circulated on social media in the past few days, is being contested in court, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has found. The will became a public discussion after it was revealed that Mr Kojo Owusu Afriyie had bequeathed parcels of lands in the Achimota Forest reserve and the Sakumono Ramsar Site, to some of his relatives. In a statement dated Tuesday, 24 May 2022 and signed by Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, however, Mr Samuel Jinapor said: Preliminary inquiries reveal that the alleged Will in question is a subject matter of litigation or contestation in the courts. Further checks at the Lands and the Forestry Commissions, the repositories of the records of thelands in question, show no record of ownership of Lands at, the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site, by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, the statement added. It continued: That said, given the totality of the circumstances of the said allegations, I, as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, have directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions to deem any ownership of lands, both, in the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as void and are to take the appropriate actions accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, the bequeathing of the aforesaid lands, if established, will not pass any interest/title to the named beneficiaries in the alleged Will. These lands, the subject matter of the alleged Will, shall remain Public Lands, whether or not it falls within the de-gazetted lands pursuant to E.I 144. Government will act on any improper acquisition of any Public Lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest Lands will not be an exception, the statement noted. Meanwhile, pressure group OccupyGhana has written to Mr Jinapor, in relation to the recent reclassification of the Achimota Forest reserve in specific and the general phenomenon of returning government lands to their former owners, saying there is evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent, a statement issued by the group on Monday, 23 May 2022 stated, adding: We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith, the group insisted. Instead, it noted, We demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. The government has been explaining that it is returning 361 acres of peripheral lands bordering the forest reserve to the custodial owners, being the Owoo family. It recently emerged that some of those lands were captured as an inheritance in the will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kojo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John). Read OccupyGhanas full statement below: 23 May 2022 Abu Jinapor, MP The Honourable Minister Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Accra Dear Sir: RE: OCCUPYGHANA LBG DISAGREES WITH ANY FURTHER RELEASE OF ACHIMOTA LANDS In our letter to you dated 18 May 2022 on the above-entitled matter, we conveyed our vehement disagreement with the alleged plans to return substantial portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to its former owners. Regarding the general matter of returning government lands to former owners, we stated as follows: There is also evidence of how some of these lands have been quietly sold to government and party officials. Since sending that letter to you, we have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent. We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. We, therefore, write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith. Instead, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. While the Achimota Forest Reserve issue requires immediate attention, we further demand a similar inquiry into all alleged return of government lands to former owners that have occurred under the Fourth Republic. The purpose of the inquiries would be to reverse any illegal acts perpetrated, and improper gains made, by government officials under the guise of returning lands. Yours in the Service of God and Country OccupyGhana LBG ---Classfmonline.com A 36-year-old ICT teacher at the E.P Primary School in Kpetoe in the Agortime Ziope district of the Volta Region, Emmanuel Ansah, has been beaten by some persons in the community. The teacher was attacked on Sunday, 22 May 2022 when he went to the schools premises to prepare for the weeks activities. The ICT teacher sustained injuries on his head and fingers. Narrating the incident to Torgbui Ahorgo I, on Ho FMs Adanu Morning Show, Tuesday, 24 May 2022, the teacher said: I was on campus, at the Computer Laboratory, as the IT instructor, I was typing some things for this weeks activities. So I was there, and I heard some sounds outside, I went out to check whats going on. I saw some three guys at the block opposite to the block that I was. They were smoking over there and I went back into the laboratory. So I was there, doing my work again, so like some thirty minutes time, I came out again. That one I just sat at the verandah over there, pressing my phone. He noted that while outside, he saw one of his students passing by on the schools compound with her mother and they spoke briefly. A few seconds, after they left, he saw the three guys standing in front of him demanding his phone. I should bring the phone and I said why should I give my phone to them and they said I should bring the phone, what am I doing here. I said as they can see, the lab is open, so Im a teacher over here. Im doing some work for the next weeks activities. So they said no, I should bring the phone first before they caution me. I said who are they before theyll caution me and they said theyre residing at the Catechists residence, and I know her also very well. So I said lets go to the catechist so the catechist can confirm whether Im a teacher or not. We were going, they were in front I was behind, one of them was making a call, I dont know whether it was an intentional call or he just faked it, I dont know. So he drew back and before I realised a stick just hit me from behind. So the stick hit me, I run before I fell down on the ground and two of them rushed on me. The first one threw the stick and I was able to block it, the teacher recounted. He was however unable to block the stick from hitting him again, leading to injuries on his head and fingers. The teacher, was rescued by some residents and sent to the hospital. Two of his attackers were also arrested and made to pay for his medical bills. Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service (GES) Circuit Supervisor for Agortime Ziope Anthony Agbokpa has said the teacher will be taken for thorough medical examination at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Emmanuels cuts are very big and deep, we are grateful he survived it, therefore they are sending Emmanuel to the Ho Teaching Hospital for further and proper treatment and check up especially on his head, Mr Agbokpa stated. ---classfmonline.com The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has held a days sensitization workshop for commercial drivers aimed at equipping them with the requisite knowledge on petroleum pricing and quality. The days event comes on the back of the recent continuous hike in petroleum prices on the global market due to the rippling effect of the Russia-Ukraine war. Opening the forum, the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said the government has instituted a number of measures to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products on the market. "I have seen video of mates actually in fisticuffs with passengers, you are upset about petroleum price increases and so on, all of those things came to our attention, and it is as result of a lack of knowledge on how we arrive at these petroleum prices. "So that you understand that, petroleum prices don't go up and down depending on the mood of the President Akufo-Addo or they don't go up and down depending on the mood of the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority. "It is important for us all as Ghanaians to understand how all these comes about, because now we all listen to radio and we can see that there is a worldwide crisis, there is crisis in Britain, there is crisis in America of all proportion, I am sure most of you are shocked that America is now airlifting baby food from Germany, " he stated. Head, Economic Regulation at the National Petroleum Authority, Abass Tasunti took the participants through the dynamics and what goes into petroleum pricing in Ghana. He emphasised that government has put in place a number of measures to ensure the country does not experience shortage of petroleum products which is being experienced in oil producing countries like Nigeria. Tasunti mentioned the recent reduction of fuel margins, collaboration with the Oil marketing Companys (OMCs) and intervention of the Bank of Ghana in the forex market has helped in a great deal to cushion Ghanaians. Some participants described the forum as beneficial and enlightening. "This meeting is an eye opener to us, we will go back and share the knowledge with our colleagues and return to further dialogue with the NPA," one of the participants summarised. They however called on the NPA to step up efforts in dealing with adulterated fuel from some filling stations in the country. On his part the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, COPEC Duncan Amoah described the workshop as timely. A Berlin museum will on Friday send 23 ancient pieces of jewellery, tools and objects back to Namibia, a former German colony, on indefinite loan as part of a project to encourage rapprochement between the two nations. The artefacts will be handed over to the National Museum of Namibia and made available to local artists and academics for research, Berlin's Ethnological Museum said. Chosen by Namibian experts, they include an ancient three-headed drinking vessel, a doll wearing traditional dress and various spears, hair pieces and other fashion accessories. This is a step towards reassessing "the long, complex history that Namibia and Germans have", Esther Moombolah, director of the National Museum of Namibia, told journalists in Berlin. "We urge all future partners to follow suit like this institution," she said, stressing that Namibians should not "have to get on a plane to see our cultural treasures which are kept in boxes in foreign institutions". The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), which runs the Berlin museum, did not say why the objects were not simply restituted to Namibia rather than put on long-term loan. Hermann Parzinger, president of the SPK, said only that it was "a process of rapprochement and that's the way that was decided for the objects to go back" to Namibia. Nevertheless, he added that he "can say clearly that the objects that should stay in Namibia will also stay in Namibia". Berlin's Ethnological Museum has been working together with the National Museum of Namibia since 2019 to discuss the future of the hundreds of objects from the southern African country in its collections. 'Joint reappraisal' The move is one of a series of recent steps by Germany towards atoning for colonial-era crimes, including the official recognition last year that it committed genocide in Namibia, then known as German South West Africa. German colonial settlers killed tens of thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people in 1904-1908 massacres -- labelled by historians as the first genocide of the 20th century. The atrocities have poisoned relations between Namibia and Germany for decades. Though smaller than those of France and Britain, Germany's colonial empire encompassed parts of several African countries, including present-day Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Namibia and Cameroon. Over the last years, Germany has returned skulls and other human remains to Namibia that it had sent to Berlin during the period for "scientific" experiments. The Ethnological Museum also reached an agreement last year to begin returning its collection of Benin Bronzes, ancient sculptures from the Kingdom of Benin, to Nigeria. The 16th-18th century metal plaques and sculptures, among the most highly regarded works of African art, are now scattered around European museums after being looted by the British at the end of the 19th century. Parzinger said the aim of the partnership with Namibia was a "joint reappraisal" of history. "The project is of great importance for the SPK, as it combines various aspects that are of great relevance for a contemporary handling of collections from colonial contexts," he said. The Paramount Chief of the Ziavi Traditional Area in the Ho Municipality, Togbui Korku Ayim III has called for the effective retooling of the Information Services Department to make it more effective and relevant in the discharge of its mandate. He said the government should pay more attention to the Department to equip it with resources and logistics so that the Department becomes the preferred choice for all communication-related activities on national development issues. Togbui Ayim added that the ISD has been there before as the most effective means and channel of government Communication and if properly resourced, the Department can once again rise up to the occasion since it has already carved a nitch for itself and successfully established a brand identity. The Paramount Chief made these remarks when the Volta Regional Information Service Director, Deputy Chief Information Officer Mr. Stephen Adjah, and the Deputy Chief Information Officer in charge of Public Education of ISD Mr. Nelson Akatey paid a courtesy call on him as part of the ISD and GRA collaboration to educate and sensitise the citizenry on the Electronic Transfer Levy (E Levy) in the Ziavi Traditional Area. Togbui Ayim commended the Regional Information Service in Ho for the good work the Department has been doing and hoped it will strive to do more. The ISD publicity team was in the community to provide Public Education on the E Levy and respond to the concerns of the people. All the Districts in the region are embarking on a similar exercise as part of the National campaign on the E Levy jointly being undertaken by the Information Services Department and the Ghana Revenue Authority. 24.05.2022 LISTEN The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Organizer in Ellembelle Constituency of the Western Region, Mr. Stephen Donkor has descended heavily on the Ellembelle District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh for launching a vile attack on the personality of Dr. Ben Asante, Ghana National Gas Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO). On Monday, May 23, 2022, the DCE of Ellembelle District, Kwasi Bonzoh issued a press statement to claim that the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company, Dr. Ben Asante has denied some qualified Ellembelle youth job opportunities at the company. According to the DCE, the Ghana National Gas Company CEO, Dr. Ben Asante has refused to employ a single youth of Ellembelle at the company on his (Ellembelle DCE) behalf. "... not a single person has been employed in Ghana Gas on my recommendation since I became a DCE in July 2017. This is notwithstanding the fact that I have recommended not less than fifteen (15) people with various qualifications for employment in the Company Limited over the last 4 years. Out of the over fifteen (15) natives of Ellembelle whose CVs and certificates I have personally submitted to the CEO of Ghana Gas in his Accra office on numerous occasions not even a single one has been invited for job interview much more to be considered for employment. "This is a matter I have raised on several official platforms as well as with the CEO Dr. Ben Asante himself," the Ellembelle DCE claimed in his press statement. But, in a sharp rebuttal, the Ellembelle NPP Constituency Organizer who is a Senior Manager at Ghana National Gas Company, Mr. Stephen Donkor rebuked Ellembelle DCE for attacking his CEO, Dr. Ben Asante. "Surprisingly, Mr Bonzoh on his maligning spree, launched a vile attack on the personality of Dr Ben Asante by drawing him into his trivialities. A man whose pedigree and calibre he (Mr Bonzoh) can never come close", Mr. Stephen Donkor stated in a press statement on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Mr. Stephen Donkor took the opportunity to disclose that the Ghana National Gas Company CEO, Dr. Ben Asante has been providing financial support to the Ellembelle DCE as a person and also the Ellembelle District Assembly. "I am privy to the support and assistance that Dr Ben Asante has been giving to him Hon Bonzoh as a person and the Ellembelle District Assembly at large. "It is disturbing for Hon Bonzoh to take Dr Ben Asante (CEO) to the cleaners to create an impression that Dr Ben is intentionally starving the people of Ellembelle of opportunities and Nzema in general", he emphasized. He challenged the Ellembelle DCE to come out and deny benefitting directly from the Ghana National Gas Company CEO. He said if the DCE comes out to deny, he would release the facts and figures out for public judgement. "If the DCE wants facts and figures on benefits he has derived from Ghana Gas he should bring it on and I will release them one after other", he stated. He added that "The era of lies, deceit and vile propaganda against personalities to cover one inadequacy is over." Mr. Stephen Donkor who became the Constituency Organizer for Ellembelle NPP in 2011, is therefore, urging the youth of Ellembelle District to stay focused and strive for job opportunities to better their lives. Find below the full rebuttal of the Ellembelle NPP's Constituency Organizer: RE- ELLEMBELLE DCE DENIES GHANA GAS PROTOCOL EMPLOYMENT SLOT ALLEGATION I have painstakingly gone through a press release purported to have been authored by Mr. Francis Wilmont Kwasi Bonzoh, the District Chief Executive of ELLEMBELLE and I find the content more disturbing Ordinarily I would not have spent an iota of seconds on such frivolous, myopic, hate ridden and maligning piece to glorify the author. However, I am constrained to respond because it has become one too many from Hon. Bonzoh and his surrogates. To begin with, It has been reported to me (Stephen Donkor) on several occasions that Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh has been touting at very little opportunity that he recommended me to be engaged by Ghana Gas and that without his recommendation there was not going be the slightest opportunity for me to be engaged by the company. I find this assertion strange and mind boggling to say the least, the question is, in what capacity did he (Hon. Bonzoh) recommend me for the appointment? as a failed parliamentary candidate or as what?, that he was clothed with the powers to recommend people for appointment. It will interest you to know that I went through rigorous interview and was issued an appointment letter as any other person in Ghana Gas, hence my position as Senior Manager is not by an appointment of a so called recommendation from Hon. Bonzoh. I (Stephen Donkor) will therefore urge the people of Ellembelle and Ghanaians in general to take it with a pinch of salt, if Hon. Bonzoh claims to be the architect of my engagement with Ghana Gas. My gratitude rather goes to Hon. Freddie Blay and Dr. Ben Asante for the confidence reposed in me and their continuous guidance to me. The DCE (Hon. Bonzoh) referred to a meeting held in 2017 but cleverly decided to be economical with what actually transpired at the meeting, at the appropriate time the truth will be out since he has decided to open the Pandora box of his incapacitation and limitation. Again, the Honourable DCE accused people of peddling falsehood against his person to create disaffection for him but went on the same route to accuse me (Stephen Donkor) and Samuel Erzuah of conspiring to deny people he seemingly recommended for Ghana Gas appointment. This is a clear indication that the Hon. Bonzoh is ignorant of how things work in the corporate environment. I am conscious of the fact that such vicious attacks on my person did not start today. The people of Ellembelle will recall that when I was nominated as a prospective DCE of the District in 2017, the same Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh and his cohorts tagged me with all sorts of vituperations which eventually led to my rejection by the Assembly Members. As if that was not enough, after 2020 general elections Mr. Bonzoh and his surrogates accused me of inciting party members against the three(3) NPP parliamentary candidates in Jomoro, Ellembelle and Evalue Ajomoro-Gwira to lose the elections. As a result, BNI officers commissioned by a committee were at my office to take my statement in their investigation. An assertion his own aide-de-camp Stephen Omane has openly apologised to me that they were misled by Hon. DCE to work against me. I am over convinced that one of the topmost priority of Hon. DCE, Bonzoh is to hunt me out of Ghana Gas, hence his constant attacks on me and my associates. I want to assure Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh, that I am not perturbed by such antics but rather resolved in contributing my quota to the betterment of Ghana Gas and assist my CEO to create more opportunities for the good people of Ellembelle, Nzema and the nation at large. Surprisingly, Mr Bonzoh on his maligning spree, launched a vile attack on the personality of Dr. Ben Asante by drawing him into his trivialities. A man whose pedigree and calibre he ( Mr. Bonzoh) can never come close. I am privy to the support and assistance that Dr. Ben Asante has been giving to him Hon Bonzo as a person and the Ellembelle District Assembly at large. It is disturbing for Hon Bonzoh to take Dr. Ben Asante (CEO) to the cleaners to create an impression that Dr. Ben is intentionally starving the people of Ellembelle of opportunities and Nzema in general. If the DCE wants facts and figures on benefits he has derived from Ghana Gas he should bring it on and I will release them one after other. I urge all, especially the youth of Ellembelle to stay focused and strive for job opportunities to better their lives. The era of lies, deceit and vile propaganda against personalities to cover ones inadequacy is over. Ellembelle remains supreme. STEPHEN DONKOR A NATIVE OF ELLEMBELLE Geneva More than eight million people are internally displaced in Ukraine due to the war, and a further 6.5 million have fled to safety across international borders. In response, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is scaling up the use of its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) tool to better understand mobility dynamics in the region and strengthen the Organizations crisis response. DTM, IOMs flagship data collection tool in crises, gathers and analyses data on the mobility and vulnerabilities of displaced persons to ensure that assistance provided to affected populations is responsive to their needs. Since the start of the war, IOM has expanded DTM data collection across 54 transit and border crossing points in Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia with a network of 40 enumerators. In addition to collecting data on internally displaced persons, DTM has conducted over 18,000 individual surveys on the profiles, mobility intentions, needs and vulnerabilities of the refugees, including third-country nationals, fleeing Ukraine. In Poland, IOM has conducted 5,710 surveys in eight locations (as of 18 May). Among roughly 1,500 respondents in registration centres and collective shelters, 42 per cent were children and 10 per cent were elderly. Eighty-two per cent said they intended to stay in their current location in Poland. By contrast, among over 3,000 respondents at entry points, only 43 per cent expressed the intention to remain in Poland, and 79 per cent indicated the desire to return to Ukraine when safe to do so. Moldovas third DTM report jointly produced with UN Women, surveyed over 10,000 respondents, 97 per cent of whom were Ukrainian and three per cent were third-country nationals (TCNs). Moldova was identified as the top intended destination (29 per cent), followed by Germany (15 per cent), Romania (11 per cent) and Slovakia (eight per cent). Additionally, IOM Moldova published its first report on Ukrainians and TCNs crossing to Ukraine: almost half of the 250 respondents were originally from the region of Odessa, and around 93 per cent reported they intended to go back to their habitual place of origin. In Romania, IOMs first DTM report surveyed 2,028 people in eight locations, of which 97 per cent were Ukrainian and three per cent TCNs. The survey identified Odessa as the top region of origin (39 per cent of respondents) and over half expressed the intention to travel onwards from Romania, primarily to Germany, Bulgaria and Poland. Eighty-one per cent reported that they intend to return to Ukraine once it is safe to do so. In Slovakia, IOM analysed a second round of surveys. Among 481 respondents, the top regions of origin were Kharkiv (22 per cent), Kyiv (20 per cent) and Donetsk (15 per cent). More than half (57 per cent) reported Slovakia as their intended destination. Among respondents travelling with family, food, information, transportation, accommodation and financial support were identified as the top five needs. The Organization is mobilizing to conduct further rapid needs assessments of TCNs who have travelled beyond the countries neighbouring Ukraine. The second report published in Belgium highlighted discrimination and xenophobia as the primary issue respondents face on their journey (55 per cent), while temporary accommodation was ranked highest as the most pressing need (67 per cent). Thirty-one per cent of those surveyed expressed the desire to return to Ukraine. The expansion of IOMs DTM activities in the region was made possible with financial support from the Council of Europe Development Bank, German Federal Foreign Office, Government of Japan, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and United States Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The Displacement Tracking Matrix is now operational under the newly launched Global Data Institute (GDI) in Berlin. The President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the Senior Presidential Advisor, Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo has fulfilled a promise he made to the E.P Amedzofe College of Education in the Volta Region. Senior Presidential Advisor, who represented the President during the 75th anniversary celebration of the E.P College of Education (AMECO) promised to provide the school with a bus as their 'birthday gift.' In fulfilment of that promise, Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo yesterday presented a 65-seater bus to the management of the College. The bus which was procured through the GeTFund, according to the Senior Presidential Advisor, was in fulfilment of a promise made to management and students of the school during their 75th anniversary celebration. He said the gesture was to help address transportation challenges facing the school for years. Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo disclosed that the presentation of the bus was part of governments efforts of promoting quality education across the country since according to him, Ghana cannot develop without giving priority to education. Education, he said, is the weapon for national development adding that If we want to develop, we must pay attention to education with the teacher at the center of the whole system. He gave the assurance that the Akufo-Addo led administration will continue to promote teacher training education in the country to make it more relevant, effective and efficient. He stressed that he has taken notice of the numerous challenges confronting the colleges of education and that government will work at solving them to enable the colleges operate effectively. Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo also averred that education plays significant role in nation building and disclosed government's readiness in ensuring that quality education hits every corner of the country. He urges the school authorities to take proper care of the bus to help serve its purpose. The Deputy Minister of Education, Mr. Ntim Fordjuor also mentioned that government, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has a track record of fulfilling promises which the presentation to the E.P College of Education is an example. According to him, seventy-five (75) buses and five (5) pick-ups would be presented to some selected schools in the coming week, as part of government's effort of enhancing good, quality education across the length and breadth of the country. The Principal of the School, Dr. Dickson Tsey, who received the bus on behalf of the College thanked the government, the President and the Senior Presidential Advisor for the gesture. He was optimistic that the presence of the bus would go a long way to solved their transportation challenges. Mr. Dickson Tsey who was accompanied by some staff of the college assured proper care would be given the bus to last long. We are very happy. This is indeed, a big dream come through for us. This is going to help solve our transportation challenges and we promise to take good care of the bus, he said. Giving a few words at the short presentation ceremony, the Vola Regional Minister expressed gratitude to the President for the donation. The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) has implored all including faith-based organisations, event organisers, Management of Shopping Malls and other public event managers to adhere rigorously to the advise of the Ministry of National Security on terrorism threat on Ghana. After making it clear that Ghana is a target of terrorist groups, the National Security Ministry and other security agencies in the country have charged the citizenry to be on alert and report any suspicious persons or activities. In addition, organisations and managers of public places of gathering as well as faith-based organisations have been urged to increase security to help safeguard the safety of all. Commenting on the advise from the National Security Ministry, FOSDA has stressed that it is important they are taken very seriously. FOSDA wishes to caution all to take the security directives seriously to address the related security needs and reduce their vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks. It will be important for managers of Public spaces to go the extra mile to provide security for all users of their premises. We urge all including community leaders, faith actors and private-sector actors to cooperate to identify ways to mitigate the related risks and threats and, ultimately, to prevent such attacks from occurring, parts of the FOSDA release signed by Ag. Executive Director Theodora W. Anti has said. It concludes, FOSDA is also calling on individuals to take their security seriously, be alert, observant and report all suspicious personalities and events to the security agencies. Read the full FOSDA press release below: Adhere to Ministry of National Security Directives on Terrorism - FOSDA The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) is urging all, especially faith-based organisations, event organisers, Management of Shopping Malls and other public event managers to adhere rigorously to the directives of the Ministry of National Security and other National Security Agencies to safeguard lives in light of the current wave of terrorist attacks in West Africa. Ghana is currently surrounded by states that have suffered various degrees of terrorist and violent extremist attacks. It is therefore important that Ghanaians do everything possible to preserve their security. A visit to some places of public interest and some major churches over the weekend showed a gross lack of adherence to the directive issued by the Ministry. Some churches reported that they were yet to procure some security logistics such as CCTV. Other churches reported having formed security committees that are yet to start working. FOSDA wishes to caution all to take the security directives seriously to address the related security needs and reduce their vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks. It will be important for managers of Public spaces to go the extra mile to provide security for all users of their premises. We urge all including community leaders, faith actors and private-sector actors to cooperate to identify ways to mitigate the related risks and threats and, ultimately, to prevent such attacks from occurring. FOSDA is also calling on individuals to take their security seriously, be alert, observant and report all suspicious personalities and events to the security agencies. Theodora W. Anti Ag. Executive Director Contact No. 0205336268 Email: [email protected] 24.05.2022 LISTEN Most bilateral relations in the region, including those between Kathmandu and Islamabad, are dominated by concerns about India's massive influence in the region. Both countries have a long history of diplomatic and political ties, and India has played an important role in both countries' considerations. After India's independence in 1947, Nepal maintained diplomatic relations with India, but not with Pakistan. Nepal and India signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1950, establishing a broad economic, strategic, and defense partnership. As a result, Nepal stayed apart from Pakistan, which was at odds with India. Nepal's criticism of what it saw as excessive Indian influence encouraged the government to pursue ties with the People's Republic of China and Pakistan. Nepal and Pakistan established diplomatic ties on March 20, 1960. Following the establishing of diplomatic relations, the friendship and cordiality between these two countries has grown stronger, spurred by understanding and cooperation. The current status of bilateral ties is one of friendliness and mutual benefit. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Nepal took place on March 20, 1962, following a lengthy period of indifference from Pakistan towards Nepal. Various factors increased Nepal's strategic importance in Pakistan's calculations. In 1960, as Indo-US ties grew stronger, Pakistan began engaging more with South Asia's smaller neighbors. During this time, both Nepal and Sri Lanka saw growing involvement with Pakistan. Another key aspect was geography; East Pakistan was surrounded on three sides by Indian territory and shared a tiny portion of its border with Nepal, thus good relations with Nepal were critical for Pakistan. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Z.A. Bhutto put it this way: "Nepal is to Pakistan what Afghanistan is to India; Nepal's proximity to East Pakistan and the crucial states of Sikkim and Bhutan, as well as the province of Assam with its Naga and Mizo freedom fighters, places Nepal high on Pakistan's foreign policy calculations." Pakistan was concerned about its internal and domestic difficulties after independence. Furthermore, because to Nepal's King Tribhuvan's devotion to India, Pakistan's previous attempts to engage with Nepal were unsuccessful. King Mahendra, Nepal's successor to King Tribhuvan, was likewise determined to establish ties with neighboring neighbors in order to minimize Nepal's reliance on India. As a result, under his leadership, Pakistan-Nepal diplomatic ties improved significantly. Although Nepal remained neutral throughout the Indo-Pak war of 1971, it soon recognized the newly independent Bangladesh, prompting Pakistan to break diplomatic ties with Kathmandu, which were later re-established. Political talks between the two countries are largely held at SAARC summits; bilateral trips are uncommon. The most recent visit was on March 5, 2018, when Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaquan Abbasi paid a bilateral visit to Nepal after a two-decade hiatus. During this visit, Pakistan's Prime Minister spoke extensively about China's BRI and CPEC projects, as well as Nepal and Pakistan's relations. The most recent Foreign Secretary-level Nepal-Pakistan bilateral political consultation took place in Islamabad on February 25, 2020. The conference was originally set for 2019, but Nepal cancelled it due to escalating India-Pakistan tensions. Along with plans for collaboration in numerous industries, the nations also exchanged opinions on how to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations with various programs. As tensions between India and Nepal grow over a variety of issues, Pakistan and China are using the opportunity to strengthen their connections with Nepal. India must tread carefully in engaging Nepal, whose growing ties with China and Pakistan do not auger well for India's interests in the region. Anti-Indian sentiment has long been used by Nepal to boost its domestic position. It was utilized to strengthen Nepal's identity under King Birendra's reign, and a similar connection may be drawn under the current system, when India's influence on smaller neighboring countries is seen with distrust and concern, drawing on the Gujral Doctrine. K.P Oli, Nepal's current Prime Minister, is noted for his pro-China stance. As the China-Pakistan connection grows, India must earn the trust and cooperation of its smaller neighbors in order to dissuade China in its traditional region of influence. In 1962, the countries struck a trade deal. In 1983, the Nepal-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission was formed to improve commercial and economic cooperation between the two nations. There is a lot of room to improve trade and commerce partnerships. Pakistan has made significant investments in Nepal's textile, hotel, and banking industries through joint ventures. In 1996, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry formed a joint business council. In 2009, a tourism cooperation agreement was struck. In both countries, information is shared and tourism is pushed. Inter-university collaboration is also being used to improve cultural linkages between the two countries. After the MFN trade protocol was signed in 1962, both nations inked Trade Agreements in 1982. Both countries support SAFTA and the South Asian Economic Union. The two countries' total trade volume is estimated to be around US$ 4.8 million. Pakistan exports $1.631 million worth of commodities to Nepal, whereas Nepal exports $3.166 million worth of goods to Pakistan. Pakistan and Nepal can work together to revive SAARC as SAARC is now inactive due to Indias dubious role. This is an open secret that the detrimental effects of the Indo-Pak conflicts have threatened the effectiveness of SAARC. Pakistan also provides financial aid to Nepalese students seeking higher study at Pakistani institutions. Both countries' economic collaboration is extensive, including a wide range of industries. Both countries have begun to deepen military ties in recent years, with Nepal acquiring guns from Pakistan. Between 2004 and 2006, the Nepalese monarchy was condemned and isolated by India, the United Kingdom, and the United States for repressing democracy. In order to stay in power and fight the Maoist insurgency, the monarchy developed military cooperation with China and Pakistan, which provided extensive military support, arms, and military equipment to Nepal. Nepal has received medium-tech weapons from both Pakistan and China. However, Cementing Pakistan-Nepals ties has immense potential for both parties. Dr. Malika-e-Abida Khattak from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, is an educator (Professor), and researcher. Her areas of interest are foreign relations of Afghanistan-Pakistan-India-Bangladesh-Nepal-Bhutan and Sri Lanka. She can be contacted at [email protected] com The Minority in Parliament is demanding a probe into the declassification of parts of the Achimota Forest Land to know who bought what and how much. As has been reported in the past week, government has decided to declassify parts of the Achimota Forest Land to be given to the original owners, the Owoo Family. Unhappy with the brouhaha, the Minority in Parliament did not waste time expressing its displeasure on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, when Parliament resumed sitting. Delivering a welcome address, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu questioned the decision by the government to declassify the forest reserve through E.I 144. He argued that the President does not have the legal backing to undertake such an exercise. He said the Minority wants a probe into the declassification to determine who bought what and how much was bought. Mr. Speaker, there is the news of declassification of Achimota forest and public officers and politicians grabbing lands in the name of the republic. Without any hesitation this must be treated as an urgent matter the President should open public inquiry into the declassification of the Achimota and let the public know who bought what and how much, Haruna Iddrisu said. The Minority Leader added, We need to appreciate and based on the reliance on the Executive Instrument 144 the Forest Act of 1927 must remind the President and his leadership that they should go and look at the land use and special planning of land ACT 926 retooling and reclassification the mandate was not given to the President. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S. K Bagbin has charged leaders across Africa to create special parliamentary constituencies for the youth to fully participate in governance. He said the move would help young people get involved in the governance architecture of their countries. There is the need for a change in paradigm from the creation of geographical constituencies to a more inclusive social structure which mirrors the society parliament represents, he said. The Speaker made the remarks when the Speaker of the Zambian National Assembly, Ms. Nelly Mutti led a delegation to call on him in parliament today. The Zambian Speaker was in as part of a week-long Bench-marking visit of the Standing Orders Committee of the Zambian Parliament. The bench-marking visit forms part of efforts to deepen relations between Ghana and the Zambian National Assembly as well as exchange notes on best practices within the legislative framework. Speaker Bagbin further stressed the importance of inclusive, accountable and participatory governance in parliamentary work and called for more opportunities to be created for the aged, disabled and other marginalized groups in society to also contribute their best to the growth of society. For her part, the Speaker of the Zambian National Assembly, Nelly Mutti expressed gratitude to Speaker Bagbin and the Ghanaian parliament for the reception accorded her and her delegation. She said Zambia and Ghana have a long history of cordial relations which have manifested in the various sectors and pledged her commitment to improve further the relations for greater mutual benefits. She commended Speaker Bagbin for bringing to bear his many years experience which she said has kept both sides of the house together despite the political and ideological differences existing between them. The Ultra-Modern Multi-Purpose Library constructed by the MTN Ghana Foundation at the Ebenezer SHS to Serve Dansoman and its surrounding communities is already making a massive impact two years after it was commissioned. The library facility costing GHS770,000 was commissioned on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, to boost education in the area. The ultra-modern library facility boasts of a reception area, a storeroom, a 100-seater conventional library area, a 20-seater ICT center, a world-class Robotics lab that can serve as a training center, and two Offices plus washrooms. Today, officials of MTN Ghana visited the facility to have first-hand knowledge of how the place is being maintained and the kind of impact it is making. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the visit, Head of the Dansoman Multipurpose Library Rejoice Akosua Adjei disclosed that the facility is making a massive impact. She revealed that since it was opened to the public, it has seen over 20,000 patronages with 11,000 patronages in 2021 alone. While stressing that the library is serving its intended purpose, Madam Rejoice Akosua Adjei expressed appreciation to MTN Ghana as she urged the telecommunications company to frequent the facility for regular checks. MTN has helped us a lot. I think in all they should just be checking up on us as they already care they should continue coming around to check on us so that in case of any challenge they can also assist us, she shared. Rejoice Akosua Adjei Madam Rejoice Akosua Adjei in an appeal called on capable institutions to help in the supply of more books to make up for the demand for books. We are appealing for more books. In fact, we have written to some institutions for books because day in and day out the number keeps going up and the need for books always comes in although the National Library Authority provides us with books, the head of the Dansoman Multipurpose Library added. She further urged school children and anyone within the Dansoman community and its environs to frequent the multipurpose library to benefit from the facility. After engaging with workers and touring the facility, Robert Kuzoe who is senior manager for sustainability and social impact at MTN Ghana said he is satisfied with how the place has been kept. Im impressed with how the facility has been taken care of. Maintenance culture is an issue in Ghana and in other facilities when you go and visit sometimes they are not in good shape and MTN will have to invest another money to actually put it in a good place. As you can see this facility looks as if it was handed over today but this was handed over in 2020, he shared. Robert Kuzoe Opening up on plans after the success story of the ultra-modern library facility at the Ebenezer SHS, Robert Kuzoe disclosed that there are plans to put up similar facilities in other communities. We are moving to other communities now. We have at least started in the Dansoman community with this. There are so many needs in other communities and so we are moving to those communities as well, Robert Kuzoe added. Some 14 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the degazetting and purported sale of portions of the Achimota forest. The CSOs are; Civic Response, A Rocha Ghana, Nature and Development Foundation, EcoCare Ghana, Viridis Environmental Consult, Kasa Initiative Ghana, Ghana Wildlife Society, Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation, Forest Watch Ghana, 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon, United Force for Development, Rights Advocacy Initiative Network (RAIN), Tropenbos Ghana and KCODEC. They also want CHRAJ to expose any situation of conflict of interest and reveal any procedural flaw in the alleged allocation of lands in the forest as well as the Sakumono Ramsar site. The news of the degazetting of portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve through the Executive Instrument 144, which took effect on 1st May, 2022, has generated a lot of controversy in the Ghanaian media with varied comments being expressed about the propriety of the action amidst the countrys state commitments to environmental protection. Although the government says the degazetted portion, about 361 acres is being ceded to the custodial owners of the forest land, the Owoo family, environmentalists insist that the government ought to protect and preserve it due to its importance. Days after that, the Achimota forest is back in the news after a purported will of former Forestry Commission head, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John became public. In the purported will, Sir John willed acres of lands he owned in his name and others he owned in the name of his companies in the Achimota forest to some relatives. He also willed acres of land at the Sakumono Ramsar site to relatives. Many have spoken against the development and accused the late Sir John of taking advantage of his office to amass for himself lands that ought to be protected for the state. The Lands Commission has already said that it has no records to show that Sir John owns lands in the Achimota Forest, but the Ministry for Lands and Natural Resources has said while the purported will is a subject of litigation in court, it is revoking any authority of the said Achimota forest and Sakumono Ramsar site lands to any private individual. The 14 CSOs believe CHRAJ is in a better position to investigate the entire issue and make definite pronouncements on the propriety of different actions surrounding the controversial matter. Ghana's Forest Reserves should be protected in perpetuity for the purposes for which they were gazetted. Loss of any amount of Forest Reserve or other protected area, no matter how small, should never be allowed. The de-gazetting of some of the Achimota Forest sets a very bad precedent for Ghana's other protected areas. The reversal of these transactions on the bases of conflict of interest will send a strong message to other public officers who might be tempted in future to use their position to grab state property, the CSO said. ---citinewsroom CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote to congratulate Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his election victory, which some Australian media reported on Tuesday was a thawing of bilateral relations that Beijing put into deep freeze more than two years ago. Chinese ministers had refused to return phone calls of their Australian counterparts under former Prime Minister Scott Morrisons conservative administration. Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were sworn in Monday, then immediately flew to Tokyo for a summit with U.S., Japanese and Indian leaders after Australias center-left Labor Party narrowly won an election Saturday. Li told Albanese: The sound and stable development of the Sino-Australian relationship conforms to the fundamental interests and common aspirations of the two peoples and is also conducive to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, China Daily reported. China stands ready to work with Australia to learn from the past, look to the future and push forward the sound and stable development of a bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership by adhering to the principles of mutual respect and win-win results, Li added. Abanese confirmed that he had received a letter of congratulation from Li and other world leaders. I welcome that, Albanese said in Tokyo. We will respond appropriately in time. Albanese has said he expected bilateral relations to remain difficult despite Australias government change. Albanese has promised greater Australian engagement with South Pacific island neighbors to counter growing Chinese influence in the region. Labor described the recently announced security pact between China and the Solomon Islands as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the Solomon Islands on Thursday and Friday to mark the new cooperation, the Solomons' government said Tuesday. Morrison argued that China wanted Labor to win because a Labor administration would be less likely to stand up to Beijings economic coercion. Albanese told his Quad partners on Tuesday that while Australias government had changed, the nations commitment to their security alliance had not. The new Australian governments priorities align with the Quad agenda taking action on climate change and building a stronger and more resilient Indo-Pacific region, through better economic security, better cybersecurity, better energy security and better environmental and health security, Albanese said. Asked whether Sino-Australian relations were thawing from their deep freeze, Treasurer Jim Chalmers told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday: We want to work with countries in our region to make sure it is stable and prosperous. Bilateral relations peaked in 2014 when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Parliament House a year after conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbotts administration was first elected. But relations went into freefall under conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who angered China by outlawing covert foreign interference in domestic politics, which continued under conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Although the two countries are free trade partners, China has created a series of official and unofficial trade barriers to a range of Australian exports worth billions of dollars. After conservative lawmakers replaced Turnbull with Morrison as prime minister in 2018, Premier Li had credited Morrisons positive attitude with helping to restore relations that Turnbull had put in the diplomatic freezer. John Blaxland, Australian National Universitys Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies, described Lis message to Albanese as a positive step. Its now up to Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese on their return to Australia to capitalize on that and explore opportunities for opening up the freezer door, Blaxland said. Because the bilateral relationship had deteriorated since Labor was last in office in 2013, China could be expected to give the new administration the benefit of the doubt. This is a key inflection point. We know that substantively, policy differences are hard to discern, but in this kind of domain, words matter and a shift in tone is really consequential, Blaxland said. A Chinese expert said he expects Labor to be less confrontational toward China, though he doesn't foresee any immediate shift in Australias position. We dont expect to see a rapid change in the Australian governments tough stance against China because the Labor Party believes the ideological differences between China and Australia are huge, said Su Hao, an international relations professor at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. But at least bilateral relations should not deteriorate through more provocations that lead to new problems. Therefore, the sending of a congratulatory message by Li Keqiang is a kind of gesture, indicating Chinas hope that China-Australia relations could remain relatively stable, Su added. _____ Associated Press researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Rescuers dug through debris Tuesday of a building collapse in southwestern Iran that killed at least 14 people, fearful that many more could still be trapped beneath the rubble as authorities arrested the city's mayor in a widening probe of the disaster. The collapse Monday of an under-construction 10-story tower at the Metropol Building exposed its cement blocks and steel beams while also underscoring an ongoing crisis in Iranian construction projects that has seen other disasters in this earthquake-prone nation. Video from the initial collapse Monday showed thick dust rise over Abadan, a crucial oil-producing city in Khuzestan province, near Iran's border with Iraq. The Metropol Building included two towers, one already built and the other under construction, though its bottom commercial floors had been finished and already had tenants. On Tuesday, an emergency official interviewed on state television suggested that some 50 people may have been inside of the building at the time of the collapse, including people moving into its basement floors. However, it wasn't clear if that figure included those already pulled from the rubble. At least 39 people were injured, most of them lightly, officials earlier said. Aerial drone footage aired Tuesday showed the floors had pancaked on top of each other, leaving a pile of dusty, gray debris. A construction crane stood still nearby as a single backhoe dug. State TV, quoting Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi late Tuesday night, said at least 14 people had been killed. An angry crowd at the site chased and beat Abadan Mayor Hossein Hamidpour immediately after the collapse, according to the semiofficial ILNA news agency and online videos. Police later arrested Hamidpour and nine others, Iranian media reported Tuesday. Initially, authorities said the building's owner and its general contractor had been arrested as well, though a later report from the judiciary's Mizan news agency said Tuesday that the two men had been killed in the collapse. The conflicting reports could not be immediately reconciled. Authorities offered no immediate word on whether those detained faced charges and it wasn't immediately clear if lawyers represented them. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi offered his condolences and appealed to the local authorities to get to the bottom of the case. Irans vice president in charge of economic affairs, Mohsen Razaei, and Vahidi visited the site. Lawmakers opened a separate parliament inquiry into the case Tuesday, trying to determine why the building on Amir Kabir Street collapsed during a sandstorm. However, there was no major earthquake recorded Monday near Abadan, some 660 kilometers (410 miles) southwest of Tehran. A local journalist in Abadan had repeatedly raised concerns about the building's construction, beginning from last year, publishing images that he said showed sagging floors at the first tower. He also alleged corruption in the building permits process. Later Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted Faramarz Zoghi, a construction expert and adviser to Iran's construction engineers league, as saying that definitely national construction measures were not observed at the site. Authorities also declared a one-day mourning period Wednesday over the disaster. Abadan became the focus of development by the British beginning in 1909 as they built what became the world's largest oil refinery at the time. Iran later nationalized its oil industry in the decades before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iraq's long war on Iran in the 1980s saw Abadan and the surrounding region destroyed in the fighting. In the years since, fast private and state-linked construction projects rebuilt the area, amid complaints of shoddy construction practices. The collapse reminded many of the 2017 fire and collapse of the iconic Plasco building in Tehran that killed 26 people. Abadan previously has suffered through historic disasters as well. In 1978, an intentionally set fire at Cinema Rex in the city killed hundreds. Anger over the blaze triggered unrest across Irans oil-rich regions and helped lead to the Islamic Revolution that toppled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. ___ Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. WARSAW, Ind. (AP) An Indiana pastor who confessed to adultery years ago with a teenager publicly informed his congregation last weekend after church leaders confronted him, the church said Tuesday. John Lowe II has resigned, New Life Christian Church and World Outreach in Warsaw said in a statement on its website. Lowe, 65, told church members Sunday that he had committed adultery and wanted their forgiveness. Moments later, a woman stepped to the microphone and said the pastor had a sexual relationship with her when she was 16, according to video. It was 27 years ago, not 20. ... I was just 16 when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that? I know you do, she said as Lowe stood nearby. She said the lies and the manipulation have to stop. The church said leaders confronted Lowe recently after the woman told others about a long-held secret. The church said the sexual conduct continued into her 20s. We are hurting and broken for a woman who has lovingly attended and served in the church for many years, as well as for her husband and family, the church's statement said. It is our deepest prayer and commitment to love, support, encourage and help her through a process of healing in any way in which we are able. The church said none of this was previously known by staff. No one answered the phone at the church Tuesday. TV stations reported that the Kosciusko County prosecutor is investigating. Daniel Hamptons office declined to comment Tuesday. I will not use the Bible to defend, protect, deflect my past sin, Lowe told his congregation. I have no defense. I committed the adultery. To say it plainly, I didnt make a mistake. ... I sinned. Church members stood and applauded Lowe. After the womans extraordinary remarks, a few dozen people walked up to encircle and support the pastor while another man led a prayer. Lowes family is deeply involved in the church. His wife, Debra Lowe, is co-pastor, son Bryan Lowe is associate pastor and daughter Brightie Lowe is community pastor, according to the website. NEW YORK (AP) From an imprisoned Ukranian journalist to a high school activist in Florida, PEN America paid tribute Monday night to democracy and free expression and warned about the dangers faced in the U.S. and abroad. "Instead of being able focus on menial responsibilities such as school work, my generation has been forced to rapidly mobilize and fight for our future, Florida teenager Jack Petocz, a prominent opponent of the states so-called Dont Say Gay bill, said Monday. If our collective voice couldn't make a difference, then they wouldn't be trying so hard to silence it." Marking its 100th year, the literary and human rights organization held its annual fundraising dinner gala, as some 650 authors, publishers, editors and others gathered at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Petocz was given the PEN/Benenson Courage Award, author Zadie Smith the literary service award and Audible.com founder Donald Katz the award for being a business visionary. Actorcomedian-commentator Faith Salie hosted. Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, currently serving a six-year sentence in a Russian labor camp for his reporting in Russian-occupied Crimea, was presented in absentia the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, given to political prisoners. Yesypenko's wife Kateryna, introduced by actor Michael Douglas, spoke on his behalf. He believes people deserve to know what's going, to know what the truth is, she said, speaking in Ukrainian, her words translated by a PEN official. My husband believes this so deeply he is prepared to risk his life. I share his commitment. Some presenters cited personal affinities with the honorees. Douglas noted that he had ancestors from Eastern Europe. Katz was introduced by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who recalled that when he was mayor of Newark a decade ago Katz made the city his base for his audio book producer and distributor. Audible was the first major company that moved to Newark when I was mayor," Booker said. People had given up on Newark. People ignored our city. People had declared our city dead. Smith, the British author known for such novels as White Teeth and On Beauty, wondered why she was receiving an award for literary service. As she acknowledged Monday night, she has largely confined her service to writing books, having headed no committees, avoided literally every board I could, ducked out of the way of open letters and literary petitions as if they were lobbed hand grenades. She contrasted herself with such author-activists as Simone Weil and Albert Camus and James Baldwin, expressing her awe and respect for them, while calling her work its own kind of contribution, stating that thought, too, is a form of action. I know what I am. I am a novelist. I sit in my room. I write. I read. Sometimes when my children come in to ask me to do something, they will say, Youre literally doing nothing!" she said. To you I want to confess I consider it my vocation to put whatever linguistic gifts I have at the service of language itself. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) The 18-year-old gunman who slaughtered 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school barricaded himself inside a single classroom and began shooting anyone that was in his way, authorities said Wednesday in detailing the latest mass killing to rock the U.S. Law enforcement officers eventually broke into the classroom and killed the gunman, who used an AR-style rifle. Police and others responding to Tuesdays attack also went around breaking windows at the school to enable students and teachers to escape, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Texas Department of Public Safety said on NBCs Today show. Olivarez told CNN that all of the victims were in the same fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary. The killer "barricaded himself by locking the door and just started shooting children and teachers that were inside that classroom, he said. "It just shows you the complete evil of the shooter. Dillon Silva, whose nephew was in a nearby classroom, said students were watching a movie when a bullet shattered a window. Moments later, their teacher saw the armed assailant walk past the door. Oh, my God, he has a gun! the teacher shouted twice, according to Silva. The teacher didn't even have time to lock the door, he said. Investigators did not immediately disclose a motive but identified the assailant as Salvador Ramos, a resident of the community about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio. Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming, suggesting that kids should watch out, according to state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who said he had been briefed by state police. Ramos legally brought two AR-style rifles just days before the attack, soon after his 18th birthday, state senators briefed by law enforcement said. One of the guns was purchased at a federally licensed dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17, according to Sen. John Whitmire. Ramos bought 375 rounds of ammunition the next day, then purchased the second rifle on May 20. On that day, an Instagram account appearing to belong to the gunman shared a photo of two AR-style rifles. Officers found one of the rifles in Ramos truck, the other in the school, according to the briefing. Ramos was wearing a tactical vest, but it had no hardened body-armor plates inside, lawmakers were told. He also dropped a backpack containing several magazines full of ammunition near the school entrance. The attack in the heavily Latino town of Uvalde was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. Families in Uvalde waited hours for word on their children. At the town civic center where some gathered Tuesday night, the silence was broken repeatedly by screams and wails. No! Please, no! one man yelled as he embraced another man. On Wednesday morning, volunteers were seen arriving with Bibles and therapy dogs. The attack was the latest in a seemingly unending string of mass killings at churches, schools, stores and other sites in the United States. Just 10 days earlier, 10 Black people were shot to death in a racist rampage at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. In a somber address to the nation hours after the bloodshed in Uvalde, President Joe Biden pleaded for new gun restrictions. As a nation we have to ask: When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in Gods name are we going to do what has to be done? he asked. Why are we willing to live with this carnage?" But the prospects for any reform of the nations gun regulations appeared dim. Repeated attempts over the years to expand background checks and enact other curbs have run into Republican resistance in Congress. Before the attack, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother, then fled the scene, crashing his truck near the school and entering the building, authorities said. Inside the barricaded classroom, he "just began shooting anyone that was in his way," Olivarez said. A tactical team forced its way into the classroom and was met with gunfire from Ramos but shot and killed him, according to Olivarez. Earlier, a law enforcement official said one Border Patrol agent who was working nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot and killed the gunman. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about it. The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the law enforcement official said. Jason Owens, a top regional official with the Border Patrol, said some area agents have children at Robb Elementary. It hit home for everybody, he said. Staff members in scrubs and devastated victims relatives could be seen weeping as they left Uvalde Memorial Hospital, which many of the children were taken. Three children and an adult were being treated at a San Antonio hospital, where two of them a 66-year-old woman and 10-year-old girl were reported in serious condition. Uvalde, home to about 16,000 people, is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. Robb Elementary, which has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades, is a single-story brick structure in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. The attack came as the school was counting down to the last days of the school year with a series of themed days. Tuesday was to be Footloose and Fancy, with students wearing nice outfits. Law enforcement officers investigating the bloodshed began serving search warrants and gathering telephone and other records. They also sought to contact Ramos' relatives and trace the guns. Condolences poured in from leaders around the world. Pope Francis pleaded that it was time say "'enough to the indiscriminate trade of weapons! Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his nation also knows the pain of losing innocent young lives. Texas, which has some of the most gun-friendly laws in the nation, has been the site of some of the deadliest shootings in the U.S. over the past five years. In 2018, a gunman killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. A year before that, a gunman shot more than two dozen people to death during a Sunday service in the small town of Sutherland Springs. In 2019, a gunman at a Walmart in El Paso killed 23 people in a racist attack targeting Hispanics. The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston. Gov. Greg. Abbott and both of Texas U.S. senators, all of them Republicans, were among the scheduled speakers at a forum Friday. ___ This story was first published on May 24, 2022. It was corrected to reflect that state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said the gunman shot his grandmother before going to the school; he did not say the gunman killed his grandmother. It was also updated to correct the spelling of the name of the 10-year-old great-granddaughter. ___ Eugene Garcia and Dario Lopez-Mills in Uvalde, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Ben Fox, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington, Paul J. Weber in Austin, Juan Lozano in Houston, Gene Johnson in Seattle and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings The Midland County Sheriff's Office and Midland Crime Stoppers are seeking the public's help in solving a theft. MCSO deputies were dispatched on April 11 to Main Street Market located at 10400 West Interstate 20 East in Midland County in reference to a theft. On April 7 at about 10:57 p.m., the two suspects entered the store. Once inside the male suspect distracted the two cashiers while the female suspect stole several cartons of cigarettes. The suspects returned to the store on April 8 with a third person and again stole several cartons of cigarettes totaling over $8,000. If a person has any information on the suspects and it leads to an arrest, they will be eligible for a $1,000 cash reward. Call Midland Crime Stoppers at 694-TIPS or download our crime stoppers app P3 Tips and submit an anonymous mobile tip. No caller ID is ever used and you will remain anonymous. State Rep. Tom Craddick has received first Texas Lawmaker of the Year Award from IDEA Advocacy Action Team. In 2019, Craddick passed legislation which allowed the option for a charter school to begin operations in an otherwise underperforming campus. That legislation helped make IDEA Travis in Midland possible. "Our IDEA Advocacy Action Team is honored to present our first ever Texas Lawmaker of the Year Award to Speaker Tom Craddick. Speaker Craddick has been a champion for IDEA and public education options for families in his community, and embodies our IDEA core values. Particularly, we want to thank Speaker Craddick for his role in supporting our partnership with Midland ISD which allowed for IDEA Travis to open its doors in 2020," Ruben De Los Santos, IDEA family organizer. "I am honored to receive this award. IDEA has been a tremendous partner in offering another educational option for families in Midland. The success of the IDEA Travis campus is evidence of how we can all work together to educate our children," Craddick said. "I look forward to a continued partnership and growing these successful educational settings in West Texas in the future." Mayra Silva, a parent of a kindergarten student at IDEA Travis said, "I chose to send my daughter to IDEA Travis because of the academic rigor. My daughter is in kindergarten and can read fluently at a first-grade level. It has been an incredible effort by teachers, parents, and the staff of our school." The IDEA Advocacy Action Team is made of IDEA parents, teachers and families who advocate for high-quality public education in their communities. XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, employee volunteers welcomed middle-school girls from the Young Womens Leadership Academy for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, a program designed to inspire female students to consider careers in engineering. We are thrilled to continue to be a part of this annual event, said XTO Energy production manager Enrique Garcia, It is more important than ever for our students to build on their problem-solving skills, as we will continue to have a need for engineers and scientists, and it is crucial that more female voices share their perspectives and experiences in these fields. A participant holds rainbow flags at the international Rainbow Memorial Run during the inauguration of the Gay Games village at the Hotel de Ville city hall in Paris, France, Aug. 4, 2018. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Dutch authorities on Tuesday arrested a 34-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker accused of war crimes, marking the first arrest of a person in the Netherlands suspected of committing crimes in support of Syria's government. The man, whose name has not been released by the police, has been charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes for allegedly violently detaining a civilian in 2013 and turning the person over to Syrian officials, who then tortured that person. According to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, the man was a member of the Liwa al-Quds, or Jerusalem Brigade, a faction made up mostly of Palestinian fighters. The suspect moved to the Netherlands in 2020, applied for asylum, and settled in the small southern city of Kerkrade. The Dutch police received a series of tips about his involvement with Liwa al-Quds, which they consider to be a criminal organization. The suspect will have his first court appearance Friday. Liwa al-Quds played a big role in the Syrian government's offensive in the northern city of Aleppo, which ended in 2016 with the capture of rebel-held neighborhoods. The four years of fighting in Aleppo left many members of the group dead or wounded, and ended in a major victory for Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. This is the fifth war crimes case in the Netherlands to stem from the conflict in Syria. Under universal jurisdiction, the Netherlands can prosecute certain crimes even if they were committed abroad. A court in The Hague convicted another Syrian asylum-seeker, Ahmad al-K., last year for war crimes for executing a Syrian Army soldier, an event that was captured on video. Germany was the first country to convict an official from Assad's regime. In 2021, a court in Koblenz sentenced Eyad al-Gharib, a former member of Assads secret police, to four and a half years in prison for being an accessory to crimes against humanity. ___ Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) U.S. President Joe Biden met Monday with families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago to show his support for their efforts to win the return of their loved ones. The families said Biden talked to each of them and listened to their stories, encouraging them as their hopes were fading because of North Korea's escalating development of missiles and nuclear devices. WHO ARE THE JAPANESE ABDUCTED BY NORTH KOREA? Japan says North Korea abducted at least 17 Japanese citizens, possibly many more, during the 1970s and 1980s. Twelve remain missing. They include school children and others living along Japan's coast. Many were bundled into small boats and taken across the sea to North Korea. WHY WERE THEY ABDUCTED? North Korea apparently wanted them to train spies in Japanese language and culture, or to steal their identities so agents could masquerade as Japanese for espionage aimed mainly at South Korea. After admitting in 2002 that it had abducted 13 Japanese, North Korea apologized and allowed five to return home. It said eight others had died and denied that the other four entered its territory. It has promised a reinvestigation, but has never announced the results. Japan says North Korea has refused to send the others home because of concern that they might reveal inconvenient information about the country. HOW WAS BIDEN'S MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES? Koichiro Iizuka, 45, whose mother was abducted in 1978 and was raised by his uncle, said he was grateful that President Biden sincerely listened to each of our stories" and promised his support. Sakie Yokota, 86, whose 13-year-old daughter, Megumi, was abducted in 1977 from Japan's northern coast on her way home from school, said Biden kneeled down to listen to her and told her that as a parent who has lost two children he understands her pain. That really cheered me up, said Yokota, whose husband died two years ago. I asked the president for his support so that all of us can have our loved ones back." Her son, Takuya Yokota, who heads the group of abductees' families, said Biden's show of solidarity gave courage to the families and also highlighted North Korea's human rights violations. WHERE DOES THE ISSUE STAND? Japan's government has made the issue a political priority and has demanded that North Korea immediately return all the remaining abductees. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said he is willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions, but there has been no progress. Many elderly relatives say theyre running out of time to see their loved ones. Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic ties, and eforts to resolve the issue have largely stalled for nearly a decade due to the North Koreas nuclear and missile development and Japan's imposition of sanctions in response. World War II compensation issues between the two sides also remain unresolved. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree/Journal-Courier Jacksonville and South Jacksonville firefighters tackle a residential fire Monday at 607 N. East St. The Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office and Jacksonville Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire at the vacant duplex, according to fire Chief Doug Sills. It was the second suspicious fire at a vacant building this month. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lanka received a first consignment of a $16 million humanitarian aid package from neighboring India to help mitigate severe shortages caused by the countrys worst economic crisis in recent memory. Gopal Baglay, the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, delivered the donation from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris late Sunday. The goods, worth $5.6 million, include rice, milk powder and essential medicines. They will be distributed among vulnerable families in different parts of the country, the Indian Embassy said in a statement. Sri Lanka is near bankruptcy and has severe shortages of essentials from food, fuel, medicines and cooking gas to toilet paper and matchsticks. For months, people have been forced to stay in long lines to buy the limited stocks. The country's new prime minister said last week that petrol stocks ran down to a final day, worsening commuting problems and lengthening lines. But shipments of gasoline paid through an Indian credit line started arriving over the weekend. Sri Lanka has suspended repayment of about $7 billion in foreign loans due this year out of $25 billion to be repaid by 2026. The countrys total foreign debt is $51 billion. Separately, India has provided a $3.5 billion economic assistance in the form of loans and buyers' credit for food, medicine and fuel. Sri Lanka's economic crisis has created political unrest with a protest occupying the entrance to the president's office demanding his resignation continuing past 40 days. Government supporters earlier this month attacked the peaceful protesters, sparking countrywide riots during which nine people, including a lawmaker who was beaten to death, were killed. Many homes and properties of sitting ministers and ruling party politicians were burned. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency, giving police and the military wide powers to search, arrest and detain suspects. The emergency lapsed last Friday because the government did not seek Parliament's approval within 10 days as required by the constitution. The protests calling for the president and his family to leave politics led to a near-dismantling of the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty with the president's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigning as prime minister. Before that, two of president's siblings and a nephew resigned as Cabinet ministers. The president himself is facing the prospect of having his powers significantly curtailed to strengthen Parliament under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is directing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a rescue package. A constitutional amendment to curtail the president's powers was being considered. Tamil Nadu, which shares language and culture with Sri Lankas minority Tamils, is separated by a narrow strait from the island's Tamil-majority north. The donation was prompted after dozens of families fled to Tamil Nadu because of the economic crisis. House Bill 2775 and Senate Bill 180 were signed into law on Monday, expanding protections for Illinois residents with disabilities in state government and housing, the state wrote in a press release. HB 2775 amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to ban discrimination in housing selection based on the source of income, including non-employment income such as Section 8 vouchers or disability payments. SB 180 expands accommodations for people with disabilities seeking to attend legislative meetings, hearings and other government events at the Illinois Capitol Complex through the formation of an Accessibility Task Force. "Our disabled residents must have access to safe and affordable housing and it is past time that the law reflects our states values of accessibility and inclusion," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. "Thats why we are banning source of income discrimination in housing selection and assembling the Accessibility Task Force. "When disabled Illinoisans come to our Capitol, they will be welcomed, accommodated, and heard," Pritzker continued. Source of income is now defined by HB 2775 as the lawful manner by which an individual supports themselves and their dependents and classifies discrimination in housing selections based on that income is now classified as a civil rights violation. People with disabilities, those qualifying for housing vouchers and senior citizens with retirement income have previously cited their source of income as a reason for denial of housing, the state wrote. As a result, those populations have struggled to find safe and affordable housing. "Refusing to rent to a housing applicant because of their source of income disproportionately affects renters of color, women, and persons with disabilities," Illinois Department of Human Rights Director Jim Bennett said in a statement. "Through the hard work of dedicated housing rights advocates along with our housing team at the Illinois Department of Human Rights, HB2775 ensures that a single parent in Quincy, a veteran in Murphysboro, or a retiree in East Peoria can now seek affordable housing without fear that their lawful source of income will be rejected." In addition, SB 180 forms the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force, which must include people who self-identify as having a disability, the state wrote, to provide recommendations to support accommodations so people with disabilities can fully participate in government events at the Illinois State Capitol. Through the Illinois General Assembly website, those attending government events will be able to request accessibility measures. "We are thrilled with the State's support for the Legislative Accessibility Act," Amber Smock, director of Advocacy for Access Living, said in a statement. "With one in four Illinoisans living with at least one disability, accessible engagement with our state legislators has become more critical than ever. In our experience, ensuring full accessibility tends to benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities. This new law will provide for much-needed structure and support so that our legislators can truly hear from all who live in Illinois." By Fang Xiaozhi Finnish troops participate in NATO military drills. Sweden and Finland officially applied to join NATO on May 18, local time and received a positive response from NATO. As countries that have long pursued a policy of neutrality, the application of the two countries this time is not only an important step for NATO's expansion in northern Europe but also a reshuffle in the context of the great geopolitical turmoil in Europe. It makes the situation in Europe more complex and volatile, and further aggravates security risks. Sweden and Finland step up application process Two Nordic countries, Sweden and Finland, have long pursued a military non-alignment policy. During the Cold War, the two countries did not form an alliance with the US or the Soviet Union, which ensured their own security in the bipolar confrontation pattern. After the end of the Cold War, the two countries began to draw closer ties with NATO and the EU but did not break through the boundaries of neutrality. In 1994, the two countries joined NATO's Partnership for Peace and became NATO's enhanced partner countries. In 1995, the two countries joined the EU and began to participate in the European integration process. In 2009, the two countries joined the Nordic Defense Cooperation. In general, the two countries have adopted a military non-alignment policy, maintained a specific balance in the complex game of European powers, and played an important role in maintaining the European security architecture, especially the security and stability of Northern Europe. The direct reason for the NATO membership applications of the two countries is that their perception of the future security environment and security threats has undergone major changes due to the deteriorating security situation in Europe. The two countries began to test the possibility of joining NATO in mid-April. Only one month later, the two countries formally applied to join NATO. Their purpose is self-evident, to obtain collective defense protection by becoming NATO member states. In addition, the attitude of NATO is also an important factor in promoting the two countries to join NATO. Major NATO member states such as the US, UK and Germany have publicly expressed their welcome to the two countries. On May 11, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reached a new security agreement with Sweden and Finland during his visit to the two countries. On May 12, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the US backs Sweden and Finland in applying for NATO memberships and will provide necessary support for the transition period for both countries. On May 15, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that the German government has prepared for the two countries to join NATO. In addition, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark and other countries have all expressed their willingness to promote and support the NATO memberships of Sweden and Finland quickly, which gave the two countries a "reassuring pill". Europe is facing more NATO memberships After the end of the Cold War, NATO carried out five eastward expansions and advanced more than 1,000 kilometers eastward under the leadership of the US, which greatly squeezed Russia's strategic buffer space. In recent years, NATO has turned its attention to Sweden and Finland to contain Russia on a larger scale and to make Europe a continent with more NATO memberships. From the geographical location of the two countries, Finland and Russia have a borderline of about 1,300 kilometers, which is the longest borderline between Russia and EU member states. If Finland joins NATO, the land border between NATO and Russia will be doubled, and Russia's door will be open to the organization. Although Sweden shares no land border with Russia, it guards the entrance and exit from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. Among Russia's three existing European outlets to the sea, St. Petersburg and Murmansk are both located in Northern Europe. Russian ships sailing from these two ports must pass through the Swedish or Finnish coastlines and will be closely monitored throughout the entire process. As a result, it poses great constraints for Russia's actions in the Baltic Sea. After the two countries join NATO, the organization can set up a long military blockade from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Black Sea in the south and put Russia in a state of complete siege. In addition, the joining of the two countries will enhance the overall strength of NATO. Finland has a well-trained and well-equipped standing army of more than 20,000 and is one of only a few countries in Europe with a conscription system. It is capable of enlisting more than 200,000 reservists in the event of war. It is worth noting that both countries have conducted joint training with NATO forces and participated in NATO-led operations in Afghanistan and the international coalition against the extremist group Islamic State. In general, the two countries will become "net contributors" to NATO. If the two countries give up their neutral status to join NATO, a demonstration effect may also take place, turning Europe's diversified security demands into a unified one and making the European security structure completely under the NATO system. Regional security at risk The northward expansion of NATO's strategic space will pose a threat to Russia's security space and strategic depth, and even directly threaten Russia's interests in the polar regions, the North Sea and the Barents Sea. St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, is only 170 kilometers from the Russian-Finnish border and has little strategic depth. This means that Russia's important economic center will be completely exposed to the threat of NATO. NATO's above-mentioned actions have made Russia highly vigilant. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that if NATO continues to expand along the Russian border and pose a military threat to Russia on the northern flank, Russia will take retaliatory measures, including nuclear deterrence. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko pointed out that by becoming NATO members Finland and Sweden would actually give up on their non-nuclear status. Russia may change the target setting of its strategic nuclear forces and even deploy nuclear weapons in the exclave of Kaliningrad. Amid the current tense international security situation, Europe's geostrategic landscape has been more fragile. The joining of Sweden and Finland will further deteriorate the security situation in Europe, plunge European countries into more serious geopolitical turmoil and risks, and even lead to unpredictable consequences. This is not conducive to the long-term development of the European continent and deserves close attention from the international community. (The author is an associate professor at the College of International Relations, National University of Defense Technology) Employees at six west-central Illinois residential nursing care facilities owned by a Peoria company will share in almost $3 million to resolve a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into overtime wages. The settlement involves more than 3,000 employees across the Midwest at 84 Petersen Health Care facilities. In west-central Illinois, Petersen Health Care operates Riverview Estates and Havana Health Care Center in Havana, Eastside Health & Rehab Center in Pittsfield, Courtyard Estates of Girard, Willow Rose Rehab & Health Care in Jerseyville and Robings Manor Rehabilitation & Health Care in Brighton, according to a company directory of properties. The labor department's Wage and Hour Division determined Petersen Health Care failed to give correct overtime pay because it "wrongly assumed the affected workers were not entitled." The department's investigation also determined the company failed to pay wages for meal periods of less than 20 minutes, did not add bonuses and other incentive pay to workers hourly rate when calculating overtime pay, and failed to maintain accurate records of work hours. The actions violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to a U.S. Department of Labor spokesman. While residential healthcare workers at Petersen Health Care provided around-the-clock, daily living assistance and delivered essential care to people in need, they were subject to pay practices that underreported their hours of work and denied them the pay they were legally due, Wage and Hour Division acting Administrator Jessica Looman said. The U.S. Department of Labor will ensure that workers who commit themselves to caring for others will receive the wages they earned so they can also take care of themselves and their families. In addition to agreeing to pay more than $2.9 million in back wages for overtime, Petersen Health Care CEO Mark Petersen has signed an agreement with the labor department to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act in the future. Petersen Health Care manages skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and rehabilitation facilities across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Andrew J. White, 29, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of intoxication after being accused of causing an altercation about 1:25 a.m. Monday in the 300 block of Marion Street. ACCIDENTS Georgia A. Ratliff, 61, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of following too closely after her foot slipped off the brake and the car she was driving hit the rear of one being driven by Cheryl L. Willhite, 62, of South Jacksonville at 4:32 p.m. Sunday in the 500 block of Morton Avenue. THEFTS, BURGLARIES A laptop computer was stolen between 10 p.m. May 15 and 9 a.m. May 16 from a residence in the 400 block of East Lafayette Avenue, according to a report filed at 8:39 p.m. Sunday. VANDALISM Someone drew symbols and wrote profanities on an air-conditioning unit and patio bricks at a residence in the 300 block of West Dunlap Street, according to a report filed at 7:16 p.m. Sunday. OTHER REPORTS Police are investigating a man's report that he was assaulted about 11:50 p.m. Sunday by a number of people in the 1000 block of East Morton Avenue. Brown County Sheriff ACCIDENTS A juvenile was cited on charges of failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident and having no valid driver's license after the car they were driving hit a guardrail at 2:13 p.m. Wednesday on Illinois Route 99 at County Road 75 North. Pike County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Rachelle R. Gress, 25, of Griggsville was booked into Pike County Jail at 2:27 p.m. Sunday on a charge of threatening a public official. Lendyl A. Richey, 28, of Meredosia was booked into Pike County Jail at 3:10 p.m. May 16 on charges of fleeing and evading, driving while license is suspended and driving without insurance. Brian K. Fox, 41, of Pekin was booked into Pike County Jail at 8:42 a.m. May 16 on a charge of driving under the influence. Margaret L. Barker, 47, of Perry was booked into Pike County Jail at 7:29 p.m. Wednesday on a domestic battery charge. Danielle M. King, 50, of Pittsfield was booked into Pike County Jail at 9:12 a.m. Friday on a charge of possession of methamphetamine. Stephen E, Mullins, 51, of Sewell, New Jersey, was booked into Pike County Jail at 11:43 p.m. Friday on a warrant accusing him of armed robbery, aggravated robbery and theft. State police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Kevin W. Melton, 43, of Great Bend, Kansas, was booked into Pike County Jail at 8:33 p.m. May 16 on charges of driving under the influence of drugs, unsafe backing on a roadway, possession of a controlled substance and possession of unsealed cannabis by a driver. Juan J. Torres Andrade, 29, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was booked into Pike County Jail at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of possession of methamphetamine. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Police in Rio de Janeiro raided the Vila Cruzeiro favela before dawn Tuesday. setting off a fierce firefight that authorities said killed more than 20 people. The operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, some from other states, police said in an early statement. The statement, issued Tuesday morning, said that officers were fired on while preparing their incursion and that one resident had been shot and killed on site. Local press reported that person was a 41-year-old woman hit by a stray bullet. The police statement said 11 people also were found wounded after the shootout and taken to a nearby state hospital. But as the day wore on, residents used cars to carry more gunshot victims to that same hospital most of whom were already dead. By late Tuesday, 21 corpses had arrived at the hospital and seven people were receiving treatment for injuries, the states health secretariat said in an emailed statement. That makes the incident one of Rios deadliest police operations in recent history. It comes one year after a raid of the Jacarezinho favela that left 28 people dead, prompting claims of abuse and summary executions. The episode sparked protests and also reignited debate over the proper use of police force in Rio, where a common local saying is, A good criminal is a dead criminal. Just weeks after the Jacarezinho raid, a stray bullet hit a young pregnant woman during a shootout between police and alleged criminals in another favela, and her death caused further outrage. Earlier this year, Brazils Supreme Court established a series of conditions for police to conduct raids in Rios favelas as a means to reduce police killings and violations of human rights. The court ruled that lethal force should only be used only in situations in which all other means have been exhausted and when necessary to protect life, and gave police 180 days to install devices to record audio and video on their uniforms and vehicles. Authorities on Tuesday had sought to intercept the gangs members outside the neighborhood, which wasnt possible after police began taking fire, Uira do Nascimento Ferreira, leader of the military polices tactical unit, told reporters at a news conference in Rio. Outside the hospital, residents of Vila Cruzeiro mourned the loss of family and friends while some protested. Rio state public prosecutors said in a statement they had opened a criminal investigation. They gave the military police 10 days to provide details about the operation, indicating which officials were responsible for each death and the justification for use of lethal force, the statement said. The operation was conducted jointly by the military police and federal highway police. Police seized 16 vehicles, 13 automatic rifles as well as pistols and grenades, the police statement said. ___ Associated Press writer Diane Jeantet contributed to this report. The state says it is looking into reports a nursing home resident was forgotten after being brought to Jacksonville for dialysis last week. The unidentified man was a resident of White Hall Nursing and Rehab Center. He was brought to DaVita Jacksonville Dialysis, 1515 W. Walnut St., on May 17 for treatment. But when a driver did not return to take him back to White Hall, police were called. Sgt. Doug Klendworth said Jacksonville Police were called at 6:07 p.m. and contacted White Hall Nursing and Rehab. Transportation arrived shortly after that, he said. It could not be determined how long the man had waited, although there was no indication he was in danger. A DaVita representative declined to comment because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act restrictions. White Hall is about 30 miles from Jacksonville. Peggy Turke, executive director of White Hall Nursing and Rehab Center, said she was unable to comment because of the same restrictions. The nursing home contracts with independent companies to assist with transportation of residents, but Turke was not able to discuss which company provided the service to that appointment. Illinois Department of Public Health spokesman Mike Claffey said the state will review the situation, but did not know if a formal investigation would be launched. He said the department, which oversees nursing home-related concerns, said a complaint had not been filed as of Monday, "but that doesn't mean something isn't in the works." Jacksonville and South Jacksonville firefighters tackle a residential fire at 617 N. East St. The Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office and Jacksonville Police are investigating the cause of the fire Monday at the vacant duplex, according to Chief Doug Sills. It was the second suspicious fire at a vacant building this month. Replacement theory has allegedly been used as a motive for killing Hispanics at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, Jewish worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, and African-American shoppers, store workers and a police officer at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, along with many other similar acts of terrorism. Critics have battled with supporters over how evil the theory is. What weve missed is exactly how replacement theory targets capitalism, our republic, our churches, and even most whites in America as well as non-whites. No wonder Nazis love it. Replacement theorists contend that the percentage of non-whites is growing in America and in Europe, and massive deportations of immigrants wont change that. So? Hows that so bad? Replacement theorists then move into conjecture. The Jewish publication The Forward reported that Tucker Carlson claimed, This is a voting rights question. I have less political power because theyre importing a brand-new electorate. Why should I sit back and take that? The power that I have as an American guaranteed at birth is one man, one vote and theyre diluting it. No, they are not allowed to do that. Why are we putting up with this? Unless Carlsons family was on the Mayflower or Independence Hall in Philadelphia in September 1787, those who have come from other countries have been diluting the Carlson vote for decades. These include Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, German-Americans, East Europeans who came to America my ancestors. So unless youre the right sort of white, youre diluting Tuckers vote. And our Constitution, which has been amended several times to dilute Tuckers vote, must also an enemy of Replacement Theory. Maybe it is a racial question. A brand-new electorate could be a code word for non-white. But this repulsive racist rant is actually countered by even conservatives who are arguing that Republicans are making inroads with African-Americans and Hispanics. One of my students who is conservative had her paper make the finals of a statewide conference, showing evidence that non-whites moved closer to Trump between the 2016 and 2020 elections. Ive written about plenty of evidence showing that non-whites are on average as socially conservative, if not more socially conservative, than the white population. Is having this country populated with more conservative Christians really so bad? Or is it really about the skin-color thing? At a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, marchers allegedly chanted Jews will not replace us. Why would Jewish people want to dilute their numbers in America? RTers dont say. Replacement theorists arent done, though its ironic that the theory was imported from abroad. The Buffalo suspect posted a manifesto that allegedly claimed Millions of people pouring across our borders, legally. Invited by the state and corporate entities to replace the White people who have failed to reproduce, failed to create the cheap labor, failed to create new consumers and tax base that the corporations and states need to have to thrive. So now replacement theory opposes free markets and capitalism? Now I see why National Socialists (Nazis) like the theory so much. CNN also notes that such immigration also creates enough of a base to fund pensions for the older (ironically, whiter) retirement population. Is there where I show that they Biden administration has been running ads in Latin America, encouraging people not to migrate to the USA? Replacement theory has that wrong, too. Replacement theory is about replacing our Constitution, our capitalism, our churches, non-whites, and most whites in America. But this theory is the only thing in need of replacement. To the editor: Week after week, month after month, and Memorial Day after Memorial Day, the Morgan County Vietnam Memorial in Jacksonville diligently stands its post. It is seven years older than the Vietnam Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and In its lifetime the memorial has silently witnessed the passing of Morgan Countys Vietnam generation from youthful adolescence to veritable senior citizens. Unlike the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, which is surrounded by the Washington Monument and the World War II, Korean and Lincoln memorials, our Vietnam Memorial is encircled by Nichols Park. For many years, Morgan County residents young and old have enjoyed all the trappings that the park has to offer. That surely includes the 13 boys of our community who aged out of childhood, served our country, and to whom the memorial is dedicated. Citizenship is not always easy, and patriotism can be very expensive emotionally, as evidenced by the fact that it has been 29 years since the last formal commemoration was held at the Vietnam Memorial. In recognition of the legal holiday, government offices, banks, and select other businesses close on Memorial Day. Veterans and Gold Star families may very well have the day off work, but they dont really get the day off. Were grateful that our respective families did not lose loved ones in the conflict, but 13 from our homeplace did. Down through the years, weve poignantly left it to others to memorialize the fallen, but perhaps this year will be different. Planning is under way to offer programs of remembrance on both Sunday, May 29, and Monday, May 30. And then, at 2 p.m. on Memorial Day afternoon, the Vietnam Memorial in Nichols Park will be rededicated. Special invitations have been extended to Vietnam Gold Star families and we hope that not only veterans, but the entire communities of Waverly, Franklin, Jacksonville and Morgan County join us in paying tribute to those who gave their all on our behalf. Their names are etched on the modest, gray tablet attached to the monument. And by practicing patriotism thusly, well not only embolden each other, but well be supporting Gold Star families as they must continue to endure the unendurable, that which none of us would ever care to do. Chuck Murphy Springfield NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Ethiopian security officials are conducting a massive operation across the country that has led to the arrests of more than 4,500 people in one region alone. The crackdown on journalists, activists and others, dubbed a law enforcement operation, came into effect after the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on May 20 cited the need to protect citizens and ensure the survival of the nation. On Monday morning, security officials in the northwestern Amhara region announced the arrests of more than 4,500 people. Desalegn Tassew, head of peace and security in the region, told state media outlets the arrests were made to uphold law and order, deal with criminal activities and get rid of outside enemies. Rights groups are expressing alarm. Tigist Shumye, a sister of prominent Ethiopian journalist Solomon Shumye, told The Associated Press he was arrested at his home by people in civilian clothing on May 20. They were not willing to tell us who they were. They even detained me for two hours, just because I am a sister to a journalist, she said. Some political parties and media outlets in the country have been accusing Ethiopias government of conducting abductions, a practice that some activists call a new tactic. Some Amhara activists claim that the Fano armed group that has been implicated in atrocities in the countrys Tigray war is also targeted. Some journalists are leaving the country amid threats and intimidation by the government and non-state actors, both online and offline. Recently, Ethiopian officials revoked the license of a journalist accredited to work for The Economist. Earlier in May, the Ethiopian Mass Media Professionals Association called on the government to end the imprisonment of journalists, citing an increasing trend in arbitrary arrests. Government security forces endless assault against the media might traumatize the industry for the time being, but eventually such practice will cost the government itself, it said in a statement. Ethiopias deadly war has subsided in recent months after the government announced a humanitarian truce and Tigray forces accepted it. But killings, rights violations and mass arrests are being reported in several parts of the country, notably in the Oromia and Amhara regions. On May 20, the U.S. State Department announced that its delegation on Atrocity Prevention and Response will travel to The Hague from May 22 to 25 to hold high-level talks with allies and partners regarding our responses to atrocities committed in Ukraine, Burma, Ethiopia and other locations experiencing violence. German chancellor discusses Ukraine war in South Africa View Photo JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africas neutral stance on Russias war in Ukraine was a major topic of conversation as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Tuesday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to end his three-nation tour of Africa. Speaking to the press in South Africas capital, Pretoria, ahead of their private meeting, the two leaders said they will also consider developments on the African continent. Scholzs visit comes as the war in Ukraine has been raging for three months and is causing oil and food prices to rise around the world, including in Africa. South Africa has taken a neutral stance on the conflict, refusing to condemn Russias actions and calling for dialogue between the two countries. Scholz said Russias invasion of Ukraine was an important issue to discuss with his South African counterpart. Obviously one of the questions that is of big concern for all of us, is the war that Russia imposed on Ukraine, the brutal war, we have to say it like this, Scholz said. And it is necessary for peace in the world that this war stops, as soon as possible and that there is a chance to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, he said. Another topic discussed was South Africas intention to reduce its dependence on coal-fired power plants. Germany is among the countries that pledged up to $8.5 billion at the COP26 climate change conference last year to help South Africa reduce its reliance upon coal to generate electricity. So far there have been no announcements of actual payments of those funds to South Africa. South Africa is currently suffering nationwide rolling power cuts because its coal-fired power stations are unable to generate adequate amounts of electricity. The promised funds will help the country, which has Africas most developed economy, to shift to more environmentally friendly energy, Ramaphosa said. We anticipate constructive discussions around the green economy, clean energy and building climate resilience as we embark on new technologies such as hydrogen, and various other renewable energy technologies, Ramaphosa told the press. Later in the day, the two leaders announced a partnership between Germany and South African chemical firm Sasol to research and develop an environmentally friendly jet fuel. The Catalyst Research for Sustainable Kerosene project focuses on the development of catalysts for green jet fuel, Ramaphosa said when he and Scholz visited the Sasol headquarters in Johannesburg. This is one of several areas of cooperation between companies, universities and government agencies on the technology that will reshape our economies, Ramaphosa said. He announced that Sasol was involved in a project to use the countrys solar and wind resources to export green hydrogen to the European Union, with a potential to export 10 million tons a year by 2030. Scholz arrived in South Africa after visiting Senegal and Niger, where he expressed Germanys interest in gas exploration opportunities in Senegal and his countrys long-term military and financial assistance to Niger. By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Associated Press Chinas bet on homegrown mRNA vaccines holds back nation View Photo TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) China is trying to navigate its biggest coronavirus outbreak without a tool it could have adopted many months ago, the kind of vaccines that have proven to offer the best protection against the worst outcomes from COVID-19. As early as the spring of 2020 a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Fosun Pharma, reached an agreement to distribute and eventually manufacture the mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. It still has not been cleared in mainland China, despite being authorized for use by separate authorities in Hong Kong and Macao. Now health experts say that delay a result of putting politics and national pride above public health could lead to avoidable coronavirus deaths and deeper economic losses because whole cities would be locked down to insulate the countrys unprotected population. The biggest issue is about the delay of the reopening, said Xi Chen, a health economist at Yale Universitys School of Public Health. The consequences will be huge, the supply chain disruption, the disruption to all kinds of service sectors. Studies have consistently shown that vaccination with mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna offer the best protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Chinese vaccines made with older technology proved fairly effective against the original strain of the virus, but much less so against more recent variants. As this evidence became clearer, even countries that initially used Chinese vaccines and some other less effective Western-made vaccines have turned to mRNA vaccines for booster shots and new vaccinations. Not China. Regulators have not publicly said why they have not acted the mRNA vaccines are authorized in much of the world and have proven safe and effective in hundreds of millions of people. But a Chinese health official and another person directly involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press that authorities have held back because they want to master the technology in China and not depend on foreign suppliers. Both spoke on condition of anonymity, given the sensitive nature of the issue. For more than a year, the approach seemed defensible. The country was able to keep the virus at bay better than any other large nation with its strict zero COVID approach that isolates infected people and locks down communities when infections pop up. But now, the highly transmissible omicron variant is testing that strategy, requiring ever wider and longer lockdowns that are taking a greater economic and human toll. While other countries are able to operate close to normal because their people are protected by vaccination or previous infection, China is left with only its lockdown strategy to avoid huge numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. China may be changing its mind. The Communist Party-owned Global Times newspaper reported last month that Fosun Pharma is still working with health authorities on its approval and Shanghai authorities recently issued new policies that could allow the import of COVID-19 vaccines. Fosun, based in Shanghai, did not respond to questions about the announcement. Chinas National Health Commission directed questions to the countrys drug regulator, the National Medical Products Administration. That agency did not respond to a faxed request for comment. In the meantime, hopes for a Chinese-developed mRNA vaccine center on Abogen Biosciences, a startup founded in 2019 by Bo Ying, an American-trained scientist who once worked for Moderna. The company has partnered with more established companies in the country such as Walvax, a private company founded in 2001, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, the militarys medical research facility. Abogen has raised more than $1.7 billion since 2020. The companys vaccine candidate succeeded in eliciting an immune response in a small, preliminary test in humans designed to evaluate safety, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Microbe. The results were promising, said Dr. Vineeta Bal, who studies immune systems at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune, India, although she said that a direct comparison of the immune response the shot triggered with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would have helped scientists better evaluate its performance. But large studies that are needed to show whether the shot works to prevent infections or symptoms have not been completed. Abogen did not respond to requests for an interview. Even if the studies can be completed and the vaccine proves effective, manufacturing the millions of doses required will be a challenge, experts say. Abogen built a manufacturing facility in December 2020 with a projected capacity of up to 120 million doses a year. Manufacturing that vaccine and ensuring quality at scale will be a difficult hurdle to clear because mRNA is still a new technology, said Scott Wheelwright, chief operating officer at BioInno Bioscience, a Chinese biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer who has held conversations with Abogen. In the meantime, Chen, the Yale health policy expert, said the Chinese government should better protect its elderly population by both approving the Pfizer vaccine and encouraging booster shots. Using a Chinese phrase that means giving up completely, Chen said the change from zero COVID does not have to be all or nothing. It doesnt have to be tang ping or sticking to zero COVID, Chen said. I dont think there are only two solutions, and we can stick to a middle ground. ___ Ghosal reported from New Delhi. Associated Press journalist Dake Kang in Beijing contributed to this report. ___ 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. By HUIZHONG WU and ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Associated Press Chinese FM to visit Solomon Islands amid security pact worry View Photo BANGKOK (AP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Solomon Islands this week in what the South Pacific nations leader said was a milestone in his countrys relationship with China, amid concerns that their new security pact could allow Chinese military personnel on the islands. But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare insisted in a statement posted on his governments website Tuesday that the partnership with Beijing does not come at the expense of ties with Australia, the United States and others. The visit of Wang at the head of a 20-person delegation on Thursday and Friday comes amid growing concerns about Chinas influence in the strategically important Solomon Islands. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese representative to visit the country since the two nations formalized diplomatic relations 32 months ago, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry said, after Sogavare switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said later that Wang would also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor in a 10-day trip. While in Fiji he will host a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pacific Island nations, it said. It is believed that the meeting will play an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries and in advancing the development of our relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security agreement, signed in April, would allow Beijing to send police and military personnel to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order and let Chinese warships make port calls for logistical replenishment. That has raised fears of a possible Chinese naval base on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand. Sogavare, who defends the pact as entirely about internal security, said Wangs visit would include the signing of a number of key bilateral agreements. Prime Minister Sogavare looks forward to a productive engagement with PRC (the Peoples Republic of China) as an important development partner at a very critical time in our history, another statement released Monday said. Sogavare noted that a New Zealand delegation was also due in coming months and that he had hosted high-level visits from Australia, Japan and the U.S. in April. My government welcomes all high-level visits from our key development partners, Sogavare said in a statement posted Tuesday. We will always stand true to our policy of Friends to All and Enemies to None as we look forward to continuing productive relations with all our development partners. The news of the visit came as U.S. President Joe Biden met in Tokyo with members of the Quad group of nations the U.S., Japan, Australia and India which has become increasingly relevant as the U.S. emphasizes security in the Indo-Pacific to counter Chinas rising influence. The meetings included newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose center-left Labor Party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to Chinas potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a one-on-one meeting, expressed concern about Chinas security pact with Solomon Islands and agreed to strengthen their cooperation and engagement with Pacific Island countries. Labor has condemned the security pact as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. Following Albaneses victory, Sogavare congratulated him, assuring the new prime minister that Solomon Islands remains Australias steadfast friend and development partner of choice. The U.S., Australia and others had urged the Solomon Islands not to sign the pact with China over concerns it could destabilize the country and set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific region. Wang, the Chinese spokesperson, said China hopes the U.S. will refrain from interfering with the sovereign decisions of the South Pacific island nations on normal cooperation with other countries. China pushed back last week at accusations the pact was being used to pressure countries in the Pacific, with another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, saying it was based on mutual respect, and is conducive to stability and peace, in line with shared interests in the South Pacific. Australia claims the Solomon Islands as its backyard and wants to set a red line, Zhao said. Isnt this coercion? ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing and writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. By DAVID RISING Associated Press Davos updates | Soros: New tech, AI help repressive regimes View Photo DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Billionaire investor turned philanthropist George Soros has blamed new technology for helping repressive regimes like Russia and China exert greater control. Speaking Tuesday at a dinner for journalists on the sidelines of the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Soros said China and Russia were the greatest threats to open democratic societies today, thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, especially artificial intelligence. AI is particularly good at producing instruments of control that help repressive regimes and endanger open societies, he said. COVID-19 also helped legitimize instruments of control because theyre really useful in dealing with the virus. Soros also held forth on Russian President Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine and Chinese leader Xi Jinpings decision to double down on his zero covid policy, which he said was a big mistake because it pushed Chinas economy into freefall. On climate change, Soros said it was on the verge of becoming irreversible and that could be the end of our civilization. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says the U.S. and China are making progress on putting together a group to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kerry told The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the the worlds two largest emitters of greenhouse gases are close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. He says we are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions. Kerry noted that maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crack down on methane leaks. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central focus for the group. Kerry says he was hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. Theres no sign of progress, or even movement. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated with Congress stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said nobody is going to be in one job forever but he wasnt planning to move on. He says hes working toward the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November. ___ A top adviser to new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea hasnt responded to a proposal to send COVID-19 vaccines to the reclusive country. Na Kyung Won told reporters that she was meeting with officials from the Red Cross and the international vaccine group Gavi in Davos, Switzerland, about ways to help send coronavirus vaccines and other medicines but Pyongyang has been silent. Na told The Associated Press Tuesday at the World Economic Forum meeting that we worry because North Korea doesnt open, frankly. Before acknowledging an outbreak of the omicron variant on May 12, North Korea had insisted it was virus-free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It snubbed millions of vaccines offered by the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program and has not responded to offers of medicine and other aid from South Korea and the U.S. Gavi, which runs COVAX with partners, said it hasnt received any requests for COVID-19 vaccines from North Korea, but it has allocated doses for the country. The World Health Organization has pleaded for more information on the outbreak but not gotten a response. ___ Leaders from some European nations and the head of NATO agreed that bolstering weapons systems and arming Ukraine is critical as Russia attacks its neighbor. Speaking on a securing Europe panel Tuesday at the World Economic Forums meeting in Davos, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren says the European Union can join forces to provide complex systems that Ukraine needs. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says there needs to be more coordination on deciding what weapons systems the 27-nation bloc needs as a long-term security goal. Ollongren agreed. North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski says joint weapons procurement is important long term but that its critically important to help Ukraine now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the strongest way to support Ukraine is providing weapons, which allies are doing at unprecedented levels as Ukraine has requested. He reiterated that we support Ukraine, but NATO will not be part of the conflict. Opening the session by video link, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, said, You dont need to wage this war, just help us to do it. He proposed an international advisory working group that would offer security guarantees for Ukraine, including providing weapons, funding for rebuilding and defense, maintaining sanctions against Russia and joining the EU as soon as possible. ___ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and using food supplies as a weapon. Russias invasion of Ukraine has created disruptions of global food supplies, with both countries two of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, barley and sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful, with the EU saying sea shipments accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are struck in Ukraine. Von der Leyen says exports typically amount to 5 million tons of wheat per month, and its down to 200,000 to 1 million tons. She says by getting it out, we can provide Ukrainians with much needed revenues, and the World Food Program with supplies it badly needs. The European Commission has proposed helping Ukraine export its wheat and other grains by rail, road and river to get around the Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most, with bread prices in Lebanon having increased by 70% and food shipments from Odesa prevented from reaching Somalia. Plus, she says Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen added that the EU is stepping up its production to ease pressure on the global food market while supporting Africa to become less dependent on imports. ___ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine is providing proof that doing business with authoritarians in Russia or China poses risks for Western security. Stoltenberg says free trade has brought a lot of prosperity and wealth but that it comes with a price because some of this trade, some of this economic interaction with authoritarian regimes is undermining our security. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stoltenberg said the idea that Europe can buy as much gas from Russia as you want, thats wrong. Its dangerous. It provides Russia with a tool to intimidate and to use against us and that has been clearly demonstrated now. He warns against any overreliance on commodities or advanced technologies or by allowing foreign control over national infrastructure like 5G networks. Stoltenberg says, This is about Russia. But also about China. Another authoritarian regime that does not share our values. And that undermines the rules-based international order. ___ Polish President Andrzej Duda says he sees no possibility for neighboring Ukraine to accept any peace terms dictated by Russia or to consent to give any of its territory to Russia. Duda spoke Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He says the mere drive to take revenge and regain whats theirs is so powerful that I dont believe that they (Ukrainians) could agree to peace terms that would boil down to the Russians taking again kilometers of Ukrainian land. He says the Russians have destroyed so much of Ukraine and the Ukrainians have spilled so much blood defending their country that any politician in Ukraine who would suggest bending to Russias demands would simply be finished. Duda says any politician in the West who believes he can persuade Kyiv to accept any of Moscows terms is deeply mistaken. Poland has been supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia through political and defense means, and has accepted more than 3 million refugees fleeing the war. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos that Russias war in Ukraine shouldnt deter climate goals. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday about speeding up the road to net zero, Kerry says we should not allow a false narrative to be created that the war somehow obviates the need to move forward and address the climate crisis. He says its possible to both meet the need of increased energy from fossil fuels in the short term, particularly in Europe, and stay on course to reduce emissions over the coming years. Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the next climate change summit in Egypt in November will be a pivotal moment for the planet. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano says negotiations are over and implementation is starting as an investment in a better future for all. She says governments now need to assess how they can attract the right investments for energy transition. ___ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he believes Sweden and Finland will succeed in joining NATO despite Turkeys objections to their membership. In an address Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sanchez says that the political will of the allies is to welcome these two countries. He said Spain will accelerate all the parliamentary processes to the two Nordic nations important for NATO and European Union stability. Turkey has objected over what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists and their block on arms sales. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Sanchez said it was imperative that we make every effort to restore food productions, trade systems and achieve food security for the most vulnerable. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently accused Russia of weaponizing food and holding hostage the grain the Ukraine produces for millions of people around the world. U.N. food chief David Beasley has warned that the war has created an unprecedented crisis of escalating food prices that are already sparking protests and riots and growing hunger. ___ Finlands foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Swedens and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns. He says hes confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance. ___ Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Unions response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the blocs migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than 6 million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says shes proud of her small countrys reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. ___ Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has raised the focus on how the oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that oligarchs are not naive. He says they have lawyers, asset protection specialists and shell companies. The founder of Heritage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder credited U.S. efforts to put a squeeze on the Kremlin since the war began, by putting a freeze on the assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, Browder says were only scratching the surface. Citing a quite radical solution, Browder says what would solve the problem is to force the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. He says such an amendment to money laundering and sanctions laws should come with fines and imprisonment. ___ The European Unions top official said the 27-nation bloc should avoid becoming dependent to untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy with the need to find crucial raw materials. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal. She says the green and digital transitions will increase the need for materials like lithium and silicon metal required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. The head of the EUs executive arm says we rely on a handful of producers in the world. So, we must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas. Von der Leyen said the EU has secured materials partnerships with countries like Canada. She added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to quickly get rid of Russian fossil fuels. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal from Russia but has yet to find a deal on sanctions targeting oil. ___ The head of the European Unions executive arm says Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. She said the World Economic Forums annual gathering that the EU is mobilizing our full economic power and we will, hand in hand, help Ukraine rise from the ashes. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She says the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of (Ukraines) judiciary and help tackle corruption. ___ The World Economic Forums annual gathering is resuming for a second day, with business leaders, government officials, representatives from global institutions and journalists gearing up for more panel talks and networking at the exclusive meeting in the Swiss Alps. Tuesdays agenda in Davos is packed with sessions on one of the meetings key themes climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is due to make an appearance. There also will be addresses by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Meanwhile, outside the conference venue, a Ukrainian activist was planning a street performance to urge foreign energy companies to stop doing business with Russia. Later, billionaire financier George Soros is hosting a dinner for media a non-official forum event but a fixture outside the Davos meeting. Myanmar court gives go-ahead for Suu Kyi corruption trial View Photo BANGKOK (AP) A court in Myanmar ruled Tuesday that a corruption trial for ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and three political colleagues will continue after finding that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence for their indictment. Suu Kyi, who was forced from office when the military seized power from her elected government last year, has been charged with 11 counts under the Anti-Corruption Act, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine. The corruption cases are among a large number of charges under which the military is prosecuting her. If found guilty of all the charges, she could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison. Suu Kyis supporters and independent analysts say the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power while keeping her from returning to politics. The armys takeover was met with widespread non-violent protests. After the peaceful demonstrations were quashed by lethal force, they turned to armed resistance in many areas. A legal official who is familiar with Suu Kyis cases said she and her co-defendants were formally indicted Tuesday on four corruption counts on charges of allegedly building a residence with money from charitable donations and granting permits to rent land at lower-than-market prices for a foundation named after her mother. The court will now hear the defense arguments, including cross-examination of the prosecutions witnesses. According to Myanmar law, a judge can order an end to a trial after the prosecution has presented its case if it doesnt have merit. This first phase is roughly similar to a grand jury process in Anglo-American law. If the judge finds the prosecution case credible, the trial continues into a second phase in which the defense presents its case and a verdict is delivered. Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after being convicted on charges of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and another corruption charge. All of Suu Kyis trials in the capital, Naypyitaw, are closed to the media and the public, the prosecutors do not comment on them and the state-controlled media have not reported directly on the proceedings. Suu Kyis lawyers have been barred since last year from providing details of the trials under a gag order. The courts decision on Tuesday was confirmed by a legal official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. In the cases under consideration Tuesday, the state Anti-Corruption Commission has declared that several of Suu Kyis alleged actions deprived the state of revenue it would otherwise have earned. The former mayor of Naypyitaw, Myo Aung, is a co-defendant in the two cases relating to granting permits to rent lands in Naypyitaw. Ye Min Oo, Naypyitaws vice mayor, is a co-defendant in one and Min Thu, a former Cabinet minister and member of the Naypyitaw Development Committee, in the other. The seven other cases currently being tried under the Anti-Corruption Act include several related to the purchase and rental of a helicopter by another of Suu Kyis former Cabinet ministers. Suu Kyi is also charged with two counts of bribery that allege she took $550,000 from a construction magnate. She is also being tried on a charge of violating the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, and a charge of election fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of three years. By GRANT PECK Associated Press Duterte hits Putin: I kill criminals, not children, elders View Photo MANILA, Philippines (AP) Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sharply criticized Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the killings of innocent civilians in Ukraine, saying while the two of them have been tagged as killers, I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly. Duterte, who openly calls Putin an idol and a friend, voiced his rebuke for the first time over Russias invasion of Ukraine in remarks aired Tuesday where he blamed the three-month old war for the spike in global oil prices that has battered many countries, including the Philippines. While stressing he was not condemning the Russian president, Duterte disagreed with Putins labeling of the invasion as a special military operation, and said it was really a full-scale war waged against a sovereign nation. Many say that Putin and I are both killers. Ive long told you Filipinos that I really kill. But I kill criminals, I dont kill children and the elderly, Duterte said in a televised weekly meeting with key Cabinet officials. Were in two different worlds. Duterte, who steps down on June 30 when his turbulent six-year term ends, has presided over a brutal anti-drugs crackdown that has left more than 6,000 mostly petty suspects dead. Human rights groups have cited a much higher casualty and say innocent people, including children, have been killed in the campaign that Duterte vows to continue up to his last day in office. The unprecedentedly massive drug campaign killings have sparked an investigation by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity. Duterte has said he expects to face more lawsuits arising from the drug deaths when his presidency ends. Duterte and his police officials have denied sanctioning extrajudicial killings in the campaign against illegal drugs but has openly threatened drug suspects with death and made an unsuccessful attempt to reimpose the death penalty in the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia to deter drug dealers and other criminals. When he took office in 2016, he reached out to Russia and China for trade and investment and to expand military cooperation while often criticizing the security policies of Washington, Manilas longtime treaty ally. He visited Russia twice in 2017 and 2019 to meet Putin but cut short his first visit after Islamic State group-aligned militants laid siege on the southern Philippine city of Marawi while he was away with his defense secretary and military chief of staff. More than a week after Russian forces laid siege on Ukraine, the Philippines voted in favor of a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning the Russian invasion. The Philippines appealed for the protection of civilians and public infrastructure in Ukraine, although Duterte held back from strongly criticizing Putin and said he would remain neutral in a conflict that could potentially lead to the use of nuclear weapons and spark WWIII. Addressing Putin as a friend and the Russian Embassy in Manila, Duterte urged them to stop bombing and firing artillery rounds on residential areas and allow innocent civilians to safely evacuate before launching a bombardment. You are in control of everything. Anyway, you really started the ruckus there so control your soldiers strictly. They are on a rampage, Duterte said. Duterte said he was concerned about the stability of his countrys oil supply as the war in Ukraine continues to rage and spark global instability. Im on the way out and I dont know how to solve the problem, Duterte said. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before we can talk of even returning to normalcy. By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press At Davos, Kerry cites progress on China-US climate group View Photo DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) John Kerry, Americas top official on climate change, said Tuesday that the U.S. and China were making progress on putting together a group from both countries to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the worlds largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions, said Kerry. Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crackdown on methane leaks, a highly potent greenhouse gas. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central area of focus for the group. The progress report came as government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grappled with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects. A central question was: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels? In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world. But today, the question is both practical and urgent, as Russias invasion of Ukraine has forced many countries that depended on Russian oil and gas to make swift changes to energy supplies. The debate comes as examples of acutely felt impacts of climate change multiply, including recent heat waves in Southeast Asia to flooding in parts of South America. Meanwhile, the worlds top climate scientists have repeatedly warned that increased investment in fossil fuels are hurting chances to keep warming to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), and thus avoid even more devastating effects. Kerry, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, and several European officials argued Tuesday that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to lose focus on renewable energy goals. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the 27-nation bloc should never again become dependent on untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy. She said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal, but rather the green and digital transitions will rely on other materials like lithium, silicon metal or rare earth permanent magnets which are required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. We must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas, she said. We should not replace old dependencies with new ones. Von der Leyen added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to get rid of Russian fossil fuels rapidly. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal imports from Russia but member countries have yet to find a deal on sanctions on Russias oil and gas. Attendees in Davos this week were also discussing several other high-priority issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of rising hunger worldwide, inequality and persistent health crises. That included Turkeys pushback to Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital Wednesday for talks. Both Haavisto and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in separate comments at the gathering that they believe they can overcome Turkeys concerns about what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists. We have to do what we always do in NATO, and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns, Stoltenberg said. But even in discussions of those issues, climate change was often ever present, as was the tension over what role oil and gas companies may play in a transition to green energy. Davos represented one of the biggest platforms to discuss climate change ahead of the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November. Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum a major oil company, said that oil and gas industries had a central role to play in the transition to renewable energy. Instead of talk about moving away from fossil fuels, Hollub said the focus should be on making fossil fuels cleaner by reducing emissions. She said Occidental had invested heavily in wind and solar energy and planned to build the largest direct air capture facility in the world in the Permian Basin. Direct air capture is a process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it deep in the ground. The U.S. can provide ample resources to the rest of the world. However, its becoming more and more difficult to do that because of the fact that we are getting a lot of headwinds, she said on Monday. One is the belief that we can end the use of oil and gas sooner rather than later. Joe Manchin, a U.S. senator from West Virginia who has opposed a major bill on climate change proposed by President Joe Biden, said Monday that fossil fuels were key to ensure energy security, and America had the resources to help ensure such security for the world. We cant do it by abandoning the fossil fuel industry, said Manchin, a Democrat, adding that no transition could take place until alternatives were fully in place. Many energy experts argue that viable alternatives are already in place. For example, the cost of wind and solar have come down considerably in recent decades while efficiencies of both have dramatically increased. At the same time, other more nascent technologies have promise but need massive investment to develop. Kerry, in the interview, said he was still hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There is no sign of progress, or even any movement, by the Biden administration. When you are a legislator, hope springs eternal, said Kerry. You always are working to try to get the votes to make something happen. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated because Congress is clearly stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said no. Nobody is going to be in one job forever, are they? Kerry asked. But Im not planning to move on. Im working toward the COP (in Egypt) and well see what happens. ___ Associated Press journalists Kelvin Chan and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Dana Beltaji in London and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. ___ Peter Prengaman is The Associated Press global climate and environment news director and can be followed at: twitter.com/peterprengaman ____ 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. By PETER PRENGAMAN Associated Press Kremlin critic Browder urges squeeze on oligarchs enablers View Photo DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to the riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs and linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing the accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has increased attention on how oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. But the oligarchs are not naive, Browder told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Theyve hired the best lawyers, best asset protection specialists, and there are shell companies and trust companies and offshore companies and nominees and proxies and the whole thing is extremely well thought-through. The founder of Hermitage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser, Sergei Magnitsky, died in a Russian prison in 2009. He has become arguably one of the worlds biggest critics of Putin ever since. Speaking to the AP in Davos, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda a sharp critic of Moscows campaign in Ukraine acknowledged its not easy to follow the dark and dirty money of Russian oligarchs. But we have to do this: To investigate and of course to freeze the assets as much as possible, and then afterward to find a legal framework to use them for restructuring or recovery or just rebuilding of Ukraine after the war, he said. Nauseda also called for more action to exclude Russia from the SWIFT international banking payment system. We did some partial steps, but this is not sufficient enough, and we have to exclude or de-SWIFT more Russian banks. Then probably we could expect that Russian society will start to feel the pain, he said, alluding to reports of support in Russia for Putins war in Ukraine. Browder credited Biden administration efforts to put a squeeze on Putin and his government since the war began by putting a freeze on assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, were only scratching the surface, Browder said. Theres only 35 oligarchs out of 118 who are on the Forbes (richest people) list who have been sanctioned by either the U.S., EU, U.K., Canada or Australia. We need to get 118, he said. Browder says their money is held in top banks in places like London, New York and Zurich as well as in real estate, hedge funds and private equity funds:. Its right in front of our eyes and the amounts are unbelievably big, he said. I estimate that since Vladimir Putin took power, he and the 1,000 people around him have stolen $1 trillion from the Russian state. And that money is stored in our financial capitals. He acknowledged that what he sees as the solution is quite radical forcing the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. In other words, put an amendment into all money laundering and all sanctions law to say that people who are involved in setting up structures for sanctioned individuals have to come forward with the information to the government or face a punishment of fines and imprisonment, Browder said. Jacques Attali, a former top French government official and past president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, expressed hesitation about Browders idea. To begin with, it must be said that a lawyer shouldnt do anything illegal and that would be enough, said Attali, an eminence grise at Davos. A lawyer is necessarily at the service of his or her client. You can strengthen legislation. You cant ask a lawyer to turn in his or her client, he said. Vitaly Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, supported the idea of further cracking down on Russian oligarchs money, saying, I think we have to use every leverage to stop the aggression, and its not a secret that the Russians use the money for (Putins) army. Right now, sanctions work pretty well. Why? Because sanctions stop the financing of the Russian army, Klitschko said. By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press Moldovan ex-president detained in treason, corruption probe View Photo BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) A former Moldovan president was ordered detained following a series of police raids Tuesday as part of a judicial investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment and illegal party financing, prosecutors said. Photographs showed members of Moldovas Information and Security Service escorting former president Igor Dodon to a van after he was detained at his house in the capital, Chisinau. Dodon leads the Eastern European countrys pro-Russian main opposition bloc. Senior anti-corruption prosecutor Elena Cazacov did not identify the detainee. She told a press conference that he and a second person were ordered held in custody for 72 hours after authorities deemed that otherwise there was a risk of destruction of evidence. Earlier Tuesday, Moldovan media reported Dodons detention but authorities didnt officially confirm it. Moldovan website Protv.md broadcast a live feed of several police officers standing guard at the gate of a house described as belonging to Dodon, who was president from 2016 to 2020. Cazacov said the investigation focused on suspected acts of illicit enrichment, passive corruption, illegal party financing and (treason), which have taken place since 2014. She did not provide details. The subjects of the investigation are mainly one of the former Presidents of the Republic of Moldova and those close to him, but also other persons who have a connection to the commission of the alleged acts, she said. During the police search, numerous supporters of Dodon as well as other protesters congregated on the street. Dozens of Dodon supporters also gathered outside Moldovas parliament in the capital Chisinau demanding the governments resignation. The former presidents party controls 22 of the parliaments 101 seats and is the main opposition force, acting in a coalition with Moldovas communist party. Cazacov said a total of ten locations were searched, and sums of money in Moldovan lei and foreign currency seized. During the searches, one of the persons tried to destroy, by swallowing, documents which confirmed real estate transactions worth about 700,000 euros, she said. The searches revealed that only at the beginning of 2022 the persons under investigation benefited from leisure services, contracted through tourism companies in the Russian Federation, worth about 4 million rubles ($70,000), the prosecutor added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow was alarmed at the persecution of Dodon, but noted that it was an internal affair of Moldovas. We are, of course, alarmed that again such a practice and persecution is being used against those who are supporters of the development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation, Peskov told reporters during a conference call. One of Europes poorest countries, Moldova is an ex-Soviet republic that gained independence in 1991. Russia maintains troops nominally peacekeepers in the separatist Moldovan region of Transnistria, a disputed, Russian-backed breakaway state that borders southwestern Ukraine. Police shootout at Rio de Janeiro favela kills more than 20 View Photo RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Police in Rio de Janeiro raided the Vila Cruzeiro favela before dawn Tuesday. setting off a fierce firefight that authorities said killed more than 20 people. The operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, some from other states, police said in an early statement. The statement, issued Tuesday morning, said that officers were fired on while preparing their incursion and that one resident had been shot and killed on site. Local press reported that person was a 41-year-old woman hit by a stray bullet. The police statement said 11 people also were found wounded after the shootout and taken to a nearby state hospital. But as the day wore on, residents used cars to carry more gunshot victims to that same hospital most of whom were already dead. By late Tuesday, 21 corpses had arrived at the hospital and seven people were receiving treatment for injuries, the states health secretariat said in an emailed statement. That makes the incident one of Rios deadliest police operations in recent history. It comes one year after a raid of the Jacarezinho favela that left 28 people dead, prompting claims of abuse and summary executions. The episode sparked protests and also reignited debate over the proper use of police force in Rio, where a common local saying is, A good criminal is a dead criminal. Just weeks after the Jacarezinho raid, a stray bullet hit a young pregnant woman during a shootout between police and alleged criminals in another favela, and her death caused further outrage. Earlier this year, Brazils Supreme Court established a series of conditions for police to conduct raids in Rios favelas as a means to reduce police killings and violations of human rights. The court ruled that lethal force should only be used only in situations in which all other means have been exhausted and when necessary to protect life, and gave police 180 days to install devices to record audio and video on their uniforms and vehicles. Authorities on Tuesday had sought to intercept the gangs members outside the neighborhood, which wasnt possible after police began taking fire, Uira do Nascimento Ferreira, leader of the military polices tactical unit, told reporters at a news conference in Rio. Outside the hospital, residents of Vila Cruzeiro mourned the loss of family and friends while some protested. Rio state public prosecutors said in a statement they had opened a criminal investigation. They gave the military police 10 days to provide details about the operation, indicating which officials were responsible for each death and the justification for use of lethal force, the statement said. The operation was conducted jointly by the military police and federal highway police. Police seized 16 vehicles, 13 automatic rifles as well as pistols and grenades, the police statement said. ___ Associated Press writer Diane Jeantet contributed to this report. By DAVID BILLER and DIARLEI RODRIGUES Associated Press Angels Camp, Ca On May 22nd close to noon, Deputies arrived at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds to provide security at the County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee. Calaveras County Bike Team Deputies were advised of an altercation that took place involving a vehicle accident at the South Entrance to the fairgrounds and the deputies rushed to the location to provide assistance and start an investigation. The deputies arrived and began to collect witness statements and were pointed to the direction of a suspect, identified as Bryan Keith Cognetti, age 48, a resident of Sonora. According to witnesses on the scene, the suspect was responsible for causing the accident due to reckless driving. The South Entrance of the fairgrounds has two lanes that lead to parking attendants. The suspect was upset that his lane was not moving as fast as the other and began to yell at a vehicle that passed in the lane next to him. While continuing to yell at the vehicle, he allowed his own vehicle to collide with a vehicle directly in front of him. The suspect then exited his vehicle and ran to the vehicle that passed him in the other lane. He went on to punch the vehicle before returning to his own where the owner of the vehicle he hit was attempting to gather information. The suspect refused and initiated a verbal argument As the argument continued, the suspect retrieved a canister of bear spray and a knife from his own vehicle and sprayed a group of people that had gathered near him while brandishing his knife. Three children and four adults were affected by the spray and had to be transported via an ambulance to an emergency room for treatment. Bran Keith Cognetti was placed under arrest and taken to Calaveras County Jail. He was charged with 4 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 3 counts of child abuse with significant injury, assault using bear spray, 7 counts of exhibiting a deadly weapon in a threatening manner, and vandalism. He is being held with a bail of 1,375,000.00. Michigan GOP governor candidates short signatures View Photo LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigans elections bureau said late Monday that five Republican candidates for governor, including two leading contenders, failed to file enough valid nominating signatures and should not qualify for the August primary. The stunning recommendations immediately transformed the race in the battleground state and dealt a major blow to former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who has led in primary polling despite campaign problems, and businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his own money to run. Democrats had challenged their petitions, alleging mass forgery and other issues. Another GOP candidate, Tudor Dixon, had also contested Craigs voter signatures as fake. The bipartisan, four-member Board of State Canvassers will meet Thursday to consider the elections bureaus findings of fraud across five gubernatorial campaigns. The Republican candidates, who are vying to face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November, could end up going to court if they do not make the ballot. Bureau staff also determined that three other lesser-known GOP candidates Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey did not turn in enough valid signatures. If the canvassers agree with the recommendations, the 10-person field of political newcomers would be cut in half to five. Those qualifying for the ballot would be Dixon, a former conservative TV news host who netted the DeVos family endorsement earlier Monday; chiropractor and grassroots activist Garrett Soldano; wealthy self-funding businessman Kevin Rinke; real estate broker and anti-coronavirus lockdown activist Ryan Kelley; and pastor Ralph Rebandt. The bureau said Craig submitted 10,192 valid signatures well short of the 15,000 needed. It tossed 11,113 signatures, including 9,879 that were allegedly fraudulently collected by 18 paid circulators. The agency found evidence of consistent handwriting across all signatures on individual petition sheets and of round-tabling, where circulators took turns signing a line on each sheet in an effort to vary handwriting and make signatures appear authentic. Johnson turned in 13,800 valid signatures, according to staff. They tossed 9,393, including 6,983 that they said are fraudulent and were gathered by many of the same people who also forged signatures that Craig submitted. The bureau said it discovered the fraud on its own review and did not process the challenges filed by the Michigan Democratic Party and Dixon. It also uncovered more than 42,000 bogus signatures that were collected for Brandenburg, Brown and Markey. The agency dismissed a challenge to Dixon brought by Democrats, who said the heading on her petition wrongly listed the end of the next gubernatorial term as 2026, when it is Jan. 1, 2027. A message seeking comment was left with Craigs campaign late Monday. Johnson, a self-proclaimed quality guru, vowed to fight the recommendation from the bureau, which is part of Secretary of State Jocelyn Bensons department. The staff of the Democrat secretary of state does not have the right to unilaterally void every single signature obtained by the alleged forgers who victimized five campaigns, campaign consultant John Yob said in a statement. We strongly believe they are refusing to count thousands of signatures from legitimate voters who signed the petitions and look forward to winning this fight before the board, and if necessary, in the courts. The bureau said it was working to refer the fraud to law enforcement for criminal investigation. At this point, the Bureau does not have reason to believe that any specific candidates or campaigns were aware of the activities of fraudulent-petition circulators, staff wrote. The bureau identified 36 circulators who submitted sheets consisting entirely of invalid signatures across at least 10 campaigns, including for governor and local judgeships. Staff did not flag a reason for the fraud but noted the difficulty securing circulators and signatures for campaigns and ballot initiatives nationwide during the pandemic. Circulators often are paid per signature. Staff identified an unusually large number of sheets with every signature line completed or that showed no normal wear such as folds, scuffing or minor damage from rain. They flagged sheets on which handwriting of certain letters across different signatures and information was near identical. Staff also reported an unusually high number of signatures corresponding to dead voters and to addresses where living voters no longer live. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 By DAVID EGGERT Associated Press Rep. Cuellar, Cisneros locked in tight race in Texas runoff View Photo AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, one of the only anti-abortion Democrats remaining in Congress, faced the toughest reelection fight of his career in a primary runoff against progressive Jessica Cisneros that could offer clues over how much abortion rights could animate voters in the 2022 midterms. Early Wednesday, the race was too early to call. Cuellar was leading Cisneros by 175 votes, or 0.38 percentage points, out of 45,209 ballots counted as of 2 a.m. ET Wednesday. There likely remain a small number of absentee, provisional and late-arriving mail ballots left to count. The winner will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat. Cuellar has come under increased attacks from abortion rights groups over his position in the weeks since a leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft showed the justices are poised to overturn a constitutional right to abortion, which has been in place for 50 years. It would then be up to the states to regulate abortion, unless Congress codifies into law the right to abortion access. In March, Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration attorney, forced the runoff after she came within 1,000 votes of Cuellar, a nine-term incumbent, in the primarily Hispanic district with a large Catholic population. Cuellar has received support from fellow Democrats in Congress, including U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It is our fundamental freedoms on the line, Cisneros told reporters last week. I am more than happy to do what we can to make sure we are delivering on the promises Democrats successfully ran on in 2020. In the closing weeks, abortion rights groups poured money and resources on the ground and across TV in South Texas, where Cuellar has been in office for 17 years and beat Cisneros in the primary two years ago. Progressive leaders including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, have also come to Texas to campaign with Cisneros. That has made the runoff another test of whether progressives can topple other moderate, establishment-oriented candidates. Cuellars unapologetic defense of gun rights and support of the oil and gas industry, which is a major employer in his district that runs from San Antonio to the border with Mexico, are also out of step with many Democrats. The runoff came the same day that an 18-year-old gunman killed at least 19 children at an elementary school in a district neighboring Cuellars. Cuellar came under scrutiny in January after FBI agents searched his house in the border city of Laredo as part of an investigation related to the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. His lawyer said last month that federal authorities informed him that Cuellar was not the target of the investigation. The FBI and a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office in Washington had declined to comment. Ocasio-Cortez slammed the House Democratic leadership for supporting Cuellar in the race. On the day of a mass shooting and weeks after news of Roe, Democratic Party leadership rallied for a pro-NRA, anti-choice incumbent under investigation in a close primary. Robocalls, fundraisers, all of it, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted late Tuesday. Accountability isnt partisan. This was an utter failure of leadership. But Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn said Cuellar has a better pulse on South Texas, where the GOP is taking a bigger swing in 2022 after decades of writing off the region as a Democratic stronghold. The new optimism by Republicans along Texas border with Mexico comes after several counties showed a dramatic increase in support for GOP candidates in 2020. What the progressives in Washington, D.C., dont understand is that much of our Hispanic population in South Texas is pretty conservative, sort of from a cultural standpoint, Cornyn said last week. And I think Henry fits that district and that temperament and that attitude very well. ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics By ACACIA CORONADO Report for America/Associated Press Sir, We have a serious problem as females in this country. Young and old are victims of sexual abuse and harassment and too many people have come to accept it because they believe they are powerless. They live with the trauma and shame. Sadly, poverty and deprivation continue and enable more men to take advantage of women because they seemingly acquiescence their actions as mutual exchange. Unfortunately, far too many women are disadvantaged from the onset due to lack of basic needs and as a result they are exploited by opportunistic men who initiate younger girls to sexual activities. Deny Of course, many men will deny that they ever participated in such predatory crimes, but statistics say otherwise. Some of these men claim to be family men of good standing and are religious. This is all a ruse, as you scratch the surface. Girls who experience these atrocities become damaged as adults and are unable to make connections between normal and exploitative relationships; so they become properties to be used and discarded. Of course, there are many men who do not see any harm in this but none of them would wish this to happen to their own children. Weak sanctions against perpetrators have been identified as being contributing factors. Two thirds of girls in Eswatini have encountered sexual harassment or violence many times over. So the less privileged the woman is, the more likelihood of sexual harassment. They say the number is far higher than reported because this crime is mostly under reported simply because it has become commonplace and no one takes it seriously. In most cases the woman is blamed as the instigator. Issues Seemingly, the police are ill-equipped to deal with such sensitive issues and to make matters worse, such cases fail to make it to the courts. But if by some fluke they do, a lenient sentence that does not fit the crime is pronounced. Our society and government have not taken this pandemic seriously, yet this crime rests heavily on society. It affects people mentally, physically and financially. It is no exaggeration but a fact. Eswatini women dearly deserve a shift and a reduction of the damming and high rate statistics of sexual violence and assaults. Government should provide opportunities for women and girls. A compulsory education or training for women to break the cycle of poverty and dependence, in particular to help and support women gain independence and confidence, is needed. Men who harass women should be investigated and removed from society if found guilty. Survive If a woman experiences any form of sexual harassment, it is not your fault, speak to somebody you know and trust about your experience. Do not keep it a secret to protect perpetrators. Your life matters and you are stronger than you think and you will survive this. No one deserves your silence to deal with your pain, while they continue to commit the same crime over and over again. Being polite does not mean you have to be subservient and no one should make you feel uncomfortable. If you dont give consent, then the person is abusing or harassing you. That is not acceptable. Be aware of your surroundings and trust your guts. If you feel uncomfortable, make an excuse and leave. Be emotionally strong and know yourself. Proper men stand up for women; not what we see lately in this country. US safety, savings rules set stage for baby formula shortage View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) A massive recall is getting most of the blame for the U.S. baby formula shortage, but experts say the products have long been vulnerable to this type of crisis due to decades-old policies that have allowed a handful of companies to corner the market. Those government rules aimed at assuring safe, affordable formula are getting renewed scrutiny as President Joe Bidens administration rushes to import formula from Europe. Theres perfectly good and safe baby formula available around the world. We just dont have access to it, said Bindiya Vakil, CEO of Resilinc, a supply chain analytics firm. Weve created this problem by not setting up an infrastructure for imports. Abbott Nutrition said Tuesday it expects to restart its shuttered Michigan plant June 4 and begin shipping new formula to stores about three weeks later. The factory is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and has been closed since February, hobbling supplies of popular formulas and specialty formulas for children with rare medical conditions. The company also said it received permission from regulators to release 300,000 cans of its EleCare specialty formula for babies with allergic and digestive disorders. The product was not part of a February recall. Lawmakers will hold three hearings on the issue this week, calling on company executives, government regulators and outside experts to testify. The attention could spur changes to government safety and contracting rules that have been in place since the 1980s and favor big U.S. manufacturers that are capable of navigating the complex requirements. Baby formula is one of the few American products essentially unaffected by globalization, with 98% of the supply manufactured domestically. Four companies account for roughly 90% of the market: Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo, according to industry figures. That consolidation mirrors similar trends across the food industry. But infant formula wasnt part of a Biden administration initiative last year spotlighting dangerously concentrated industries, including prescription drugs, airlines, hearing aids and internet services. The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday that it has launched an inquiry into the formula shortage, seeking information on any deceptive or fraudulent business practices related to it. The agency said it also aims to shed light on what led to the concentration in the baby formula market and the weak supply chains. Food experts say strict formula regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration have long limited competition. Beginning in 1980, Congress gave the FDA authority to rigorously enforce the nutritional content of all formula sold in the U.S., imposing extra research and manufacturing standards that have few equivalents worldwide. The changes came after some babies were sickened by deficient formulas in the 1970s. They are pretty much the strictest food safety guidelines in the U.S. and America has some of the strictest guidelines in the world, said Wendy White, a food safety expert at Georgia Tech. Companies must consult with the FDA before selling a new formula, altering ingredients in an existing one or making major manufacturing changes. The result is only the biggest manufacturers have plants and procedures that comply with federal rules. And would-be competitors have little incentive to enter the field, given the declining U.S. birth rate. You have to have a lot of expertise, a lot of resources and a lot of research dollars, White said. There are other hurdles for foreign manufacturers looking to compete. The U.S. has long imposed tariffs and quotas on dairy imports from abroad, including Canada, in order to shield American milk producers from competition. Responding to political pressure, the Biden administration has begun airlifting shipments of formula from Europe. In a related move, the FDA said Tuesday it would allow the importation of 2 million cans of Kendal Nutricare formula from the U.K to boost supplies. The products are expected to begin arriving in U.S. stores early next month. The biggest driver of the U.S. market, by far, is a massive federal nutrition program that provides formula and other foods to lower-income women and children. The WIC program accounts for more than 50% of the U.S. market, providing formula for more than 1.2 million babies, according to the National WIC Association, which represents state and local administrators who run the benefit. Beginning in 1989, federal law has required states to award contracts to a single formula company, based on whichever one can offer the biggest discounts. The effect is that contract winners quickly squeeze out much of the competition on store shelves. Today, all 50 WIC contracts are held by three companies: Abbott, Reckitt and Nestle, according to the association. Abbott is the leader, with 34 state contracts. The competitive effects of these sole-source contracts have been researched for years. A 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that whichever company wins a states WIC contract typically sees their market share grow by 74%, on average, as WIC recipients switch to their brand. But not everyone supports overhauling the system. Brian Dittmeier of the National WIC Association says doing away with sole-source contracts would jeopardize the savings that allow the plan to serve so many Americans. Instead he says manufacturers should be held accountable for not investing in their own capacity. This is a manufacturing failure, Dittmeier said. The fact is there just is not enough product to fulfill the demand that manufacturers have drummed up over the years. His group supports calls by some lawmakers for a federal antitrust investigation into the industry. WIC contracts are generally rebid every four years and market share swings back and forth between the handful of players who compete. Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas at Austin, says Congress should revisit the WIC program. We need to take a comprehensive look at where the failures happened and where we can fix them said Abrams. We need to consider whether we really want to have a situation where theres that much dominance in the program. ___ AP Business Writer Marcy Gordon contributed to this story. Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter. ___ 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. By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) A Southern California man who tossed a pair of Molotov cocktails into a home with three children inside over grudge with one of their parents was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Sylvester Andrews Jr. was convicted of charges including possession of an unregistered destructive device, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement. Police and firefighters responded May 20, 2018 to reports of a vehicle on fire outside a home in National City. They found that someone had doused beach towels with a liquid possibly gasoline placed them on the vehicle and set them on fire, the statement said. Police also determined someone had tossed two Molotov cocktails containing gasoline through a window into the home. Neither device fully ignited. An investigation led by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents found that Andrews had an unspecified dispute with an adult who lived at the home in San Diego County. Andrews, 39, was linked to the crimes with surveillance camera footage, text messages and DNA evidence from the scene, authorities said. This defendants actions put three children at great risk because of a grown-up grudge, and the price for that is prison, said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. This is a fitting sentence for an offender who used an explosive device to settle a score. TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden told fellow Indo-Pacific leaders assembled for a four-country summit Tuesday that they were navigating "a dark hour in our shared history due to Russia's brutal war on Ukraine and he urged the group to make a greater effort to stop Vladimir Putin's aggression. This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue, Biden said as the Quad summit with Japan, Australia and India got under way. While the president did not directly call out any countries, his message appeared to be pointed, at least in part, at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russian invasion. Unlike other Quad countries and nearly every other U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware. With Modi sitting nearby, Biden made the case that the world has a shared responsibility to do something to assist Ukrainian resistance against Russias aggression. Were navigating a dark hour in our shared history," he said. The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as in exile. The world has to deal with it, and we are, he added. For several of the bigger Asian powers, the invasion has been seen as a crucial moment for the world to demonstrate by a strong response to Russia that China should not try to seize contested territory through military action. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taking note of Russias aggression in Ukraine, told the other leaders: We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region. A reminder of tensions in the region came during Bidens trip. Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights around Japan on Tuesday. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi described the exercise as a threat and an increased level of provocation, and said the cooperation between China and Russia was concerning and unacceptable. The White House has been effusive in its praise of several Pacific countries, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, for stepping up to hit Russia with tough sanctions and export bans while offering humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv. However, the White House has been disappointed with the relative silence of India, the worlds biggest democracy. After a one-on-one meeting with Modi in Japan, Biden said they discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine "and the effect it has on the entire global world order." Biden added that the U.S. and India will continue to consult "on how to mitigate these negative effects." But in a reflection of India's relationship with Moscow, the Quad leaders' post-summit joint statement made no mention of Russia. In his comments, Modi did not refer to the war in Ukraine, instead ticking off several trade and investment programs that he discussed with the president. Biden has asked Modi not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other allies look to squeeze Moscows energy income. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to get off from Russian oil, and Biden has publicly referred to India as somewhat shaky in its response to the invasion. Facing Western pressure, India has condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet it also has compounded fallout from a war that has caused a global food shortage by banning wheat exports at a time when starvation is a growing risk in parts of the world. The Indian prime minister did not address Russia's war against Ukraine in his public remarks at the summit. Biden has been making his case to Modi for weeks. The two spoke about the Russian invasion during a virtual Quad leaders meeting in March, and last month they had a short video conversation when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Indian counterparts in Washington. So it wont be a new conversation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said ahead of the summit. It will be a continuation of the conversation theyve already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world. While Biden and Modi may avoid public confrontation over how to respond to Russias aggression, the issue remains a major one as the U.S. and allies are looking to tighten the pressure on Putin., said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. It appears pretty clear the Biden administration is not looking for trouble with India and that most of these difficult conversations will be in private, said Green, who was a senior National Security Council aide during the George W. Bush administration. The summit came on the final day of Biden's five-day visit to Japan and South Korea, Biden's first trip to Asia as president. It also marked new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first moment on the global stage. The new premier flew to Tokyo on Monday right after being sworn into office. The center-left Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the weekend, ending the conservative leader's nine-year rule Biden, Modi and Kishida welcomed Albanese to the club and expressed awe at his determination to join the informal security coalition so quickly after assuming office. I dont know how youre doing it," Biden, who looked a bit worn from his own travel, told Albanese. The U.S. president joked that it would be OK if the new prime minister happened to fall sleep during the meeting. Biden was to meet separately with Albanes later Tuesday. The four-way partnership has become increasingly relevant as Biden has moved to adjust U.S. foreign policy to put greater focus on the region and to counter China's rise as an economic and security power. He held bilateral talks with summit host Kishida on Monday. Albanese told his fellow Quad leaders he was dedicated to the group's mission to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change, Albanese said. Looming over the Quad leaders' talks was Biden's blunt statement on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is even stronger after Russias invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Bidens unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. Asked by the reporters at the summit on Tuesday if his comments on Taiwan a day earlier were meant to mark a policy change, Biden simply replied, No. Some modest initiatives were announced by the Quad leaders, including a new effort to provide pediatric COVID-19 vaccines to countries most in need and a program to help nations improve security and environmental awareness of their territorial waters. The Quad last year pledged to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. So far, the group has provided about 257 million doses, according to the Biden administration. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed reporting BANGKOK (AP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Solomon Islands this week in what the South Pacific nations leader said was a milestone in his countrys relationship with China, amid concerns that their new security pact could allow Chinese military personnel on the islands. But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare insisted in a statement posted on his government's website Tuesday that the partnership with Beijing does not come at the expense of ties with Australia, the United States and others. The visit of Wang at the head of a 20-person delegation on Thursday and Friday comes amid growing concerns about Chinas influence in the strategically important Solomon Islands. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese representative to visit the country since the two nations formalized diplomatic relations 32 months ago, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry said, after Sogavare switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said later that Wang would also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor in a 10-day trip. While in Fiji he will host a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pacific Island nations, it said. It is believed that the meeting will play an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries and in advancing the development of our relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security agreement, signed in April, would allow Beijing to send police and military personnel to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order" and let Chinese warships make port calls for logistical replenishment." That has raised fears of a possible Chinese naval base on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand. Sogavare, who defends the pact as entirely about internal security, said Wangs visit would include the signing of a number of key bilateral agreements. Prime Minister Sogavare looks forward to a productive engagement with PRC (the Peoples Republic of China) as an important development partner at a very critical time in our history, another statement released Monday said. Sogavare noted that a New Zealand delegation was also due in coming months and that he had hosted high-level visits from Australia, Japan and the U.S. in April. My government welcomes all high-level visits from our key development partners," Sogavare said in a statement posted Tuesday. "We will always stand true to our policy of Friends to All and Enemies to None as we look forward to continuing productive relations with all our development partners. The news of the visit came as U.S. President Joe Biden met in Tokyo with members of the Quad group of nations the U.S., Japan, Australia and India which has become increasingly relevant as the U.S. emphasizes security in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's rising influence. The meetings included newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose center-left Labor Party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to Chinas potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a one-on-one meeting, expressed concern about Chinas security pact with Solomon Islands and agreed to strengthen their cooperation and engagement with Pacific Island countries. Labor has condemned the security pact as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. Following Albanese's victory, Sogavare congratulated him, assuring the new prime minister that Solomon Islands remains Australia's steadfast friend and development partner of choice. The U.S., Australia and others had urged the Solomon Islands not to sign the pact with China over concerns it could destabilize the country and set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific region. Wang, the Chinese spokesperson, said China hopes the U.S. will refrain from interfering with the sovereign decisions of the South Pacific island nations on normal cooperation with other countries. China pushed back last week at accusations the pact was being used to pressure countries in the Pacific, with another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, saying it was based on mutual respect, and is conducive to stability and peace, in line with shared interests in the South Pacific. Australia claims the Solomon Islands as its backyard and wants to set a red line, Zhao said. Isn't this coercion? ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing and writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Billionaire investor turned philanthropist George Soros has blamed new technology for helping repressive regimes like Russia and China exert greater control. Speaking Tuesday at a dinner for journalists on the sidelines of the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Soros said China and Russia were the greatest threats to open democratic societies today, thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, especially artificial intelligence. AI is particularly good at producing instruments of control that help repressive regimes and endanger open societies, he said. COVID-19 also helped legitimize instruments of control because theyre really useful in dealing with the virus. Soros also held forth on Russian President Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine and Chinese leader Xi Jinpings decision to double down on his zero covid policy, which he said was a big mistake because it pushed Chinas economy into freefall. On climate change, Soros said it was on the verge of becoming irreversible and that could be the end of our civilization. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says the U.S. and China are making progress on putting together a group to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kerry told The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the the worlds two largest emitters of greenhouse gases are close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. He says we are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions. Kerry noted that maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crack down on methane leaks. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central focus for the group. Kerry says he was hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There's no sign of progress, or even movement. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated with Congress stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said nobody is going to be in one job forever" but he wasn't planning to move on. He says he's working toward the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November. ___ A top adviser to new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea hasnt responded to a proposal to send COVID-19 vaccines to the reclusive country. Na Kyung Won told reporters that she was meeting with officials from the Red Cross and the international vaccine group Gavi in Davos, Switzerland, about ways to help send coronavirus vaccines and other medicines but Pyongyang has been silent. Na told The Associated Press Tuesday at the World Economic Forum meeting that we worry because North Korea doesnt open, frankly." Before acknowledging an outbreak of the omicron variant on May 12, North Korea had insisted it was virus-free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It snubbed millions of vaccines offered by the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program and has not responded to offers of medicine and other aid from South Korea and the U.S. Gavi, which runs COVAX with partners, said it hasn't received any requests for COVID-19 vaccines from North Korea, but it has allocated doses for the country. The World Health Organization has pleaded for more information on the outbreak but not gotten a response. ___ Leaders from some European nations and the head of NATO agreed that bolstering weapons systems and arming Ukraine is critical as Russia attacks its neighbor. Speaking on a securing Europe panel Tuesday at the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren says the European Union can join forces to provide complex systems that Ukraine needs. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says there needs to be more coordination on deciding what weapons systems the 27-nation bloc needs as a long-term security goal. Ollongren agreed. North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski says joint weapons procurement is important long term but that it's critically important to help Ukraine now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the strongest way to support Ukraine is providing weapons, which allies are doing at unprecedented levels as Ukraine has requested. He reiterated that we support Ukraine, but NATO will not be part of the conflict." Opening the session by video link, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, said, You dont need to wage this war, just help us to do it. He proposed an international advisory working group that would offer security guarantees for Ukraine, including providing weapons, funding for rebuilding and defense, maintaining sanctions against Russia and joining the EU as soon as possible. ___ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and using food supplies as a weapon. Russias invasion of Ukraine has created disruptions of global food supplies, with both countries two of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, barley and sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful, with the EU saying sea shipments accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are struck in Ukraine. Von der Leyen says exports typically amount to 5 million tons of wheat per month, and it's down to 200,000 to 1 million tons. She says by getting it out, we can provide Ukrainians with much needed revenues, and the World Food Program with supplies it badly needs. The European Commission has proposed helping Ukraine export its wheat and other grains by rail, road and river to get around the Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most, with bread prices in Lebanon having increased by 70% and food shipments from Odesa prevented from reaching Somalia. Plus, she says Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support. This is using hunger and grain to wield power." Von der Leyen added that the EU is stepping up its production to ease pressure on the global food market while supporting Africa to become less dependent on imports. ___ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine is providing proof that doing business with authoritarians in Russia or China poses risks for Western security. Stoltenberg says free trade has brought a lot of prosperity and wealth but that it comes with a price because some of this trade, some of this economic interaction with authoritarian regimes is undermining our security. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stoltenberg said the idea that Europe can buy as much gas from Russia as you want, thats wrong. Its dangerous. It provides Russia with a tool to intimidate and to use against us and that has been clearly demonstrated now. He warns against any overreliance on commodities or advanced technologies or by allowing foreign control over national infrastructure like 5G networks. Stoltenberg says, This is about Russia. But also about China. Another authoritarian regime that does not share our values. And that undermines the rules-based international order. ___ Polish President Andrzej Duda says he sees no possibility for neighboring Ukraine to accept any peace terms dictated by Russia or to consent to give any of its territory to Russia. Duda spoke Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He says the mere drive to take revenge and regain whats theirs is so powerful that I dont believe that they (Ukrainians) could agree to peace terms that would boil down to the Russians taking again kilometers of Ukrainian land." He says the Russians have destroyed so much of Ukraine and the Ukrainians have spilled so much blood defending their country that any politician in Ukraine who would suggest bending to Russias demands would simply be finished. Duda says any politician in the West who believes he can persuade Kyiv to accept any of Moscows terms is deeply mistaken. Poland has been supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia through political and defense means, and has accepted more than 3 million refugees fleeing the war. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos that Russia's war in Ukraine shouldn't deter climate goals. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday about speeding up the road to net zero," Kerry says we should not allow a false narrative to be created" that the war somehow obviates the need to move forward and address the climate crisis. He says it's possible to both meet the need of increased energy from fossil fuels in the short term, particularly in Europe, and stay on course to reduce emissions over the coming years. Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the next climate change summit in Egypt in November will be a pivotal moment for the planet. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano says negotiations are over and implementation is starting as an investment in a better future for all. She says governments now need to assess how they can attract the right investments for energy transition. ___ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he believes Sweden and Finland will succeed in joining NATO despite Turkeys objections to their membership. In an address Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sanchez says that the political will of the allies is to welcome these two countries. He said Spain will accelerate all the parliamentary processes" to the two Nordic nations important for NATO and European Union stability. Turkey has objected over what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists and their block on arms sales. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Sanchez said it was imperative that we make every effort to restore food productions, trade systems and achieve food security for the most vulnerable. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently accused Russia of weaponizing food and holding hostage the grain the Ukraine produces for millions of people around the world. U.N. food chief David Beasley has warned that the war has created an unprecedented crisis of escalating food prices that are already sparking protests and riots and growing hunger. ___ Finland's foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations' application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns" regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns." He says he's confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance." ___ Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Unions response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the blocs migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than 6 million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says shes proud of her small country's reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. ___ Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has raised the focus on how the oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that oligarchs are not naive. He says they have lawyers, asset protection specialists and shell companies. The founder of Heritage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder credited U.S. efforts to put a squeeze on the Kremlin since the war began, by putting a freeze on the assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, Browder says were only scratching the surface. Citing a quite radical solution, Browder says what would solve the problem is to force the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. He says such an amendment to money laundering and sanctions laws should come with fines and imprisonment. ___ The European Unions top official said the 27-nation bloc should avoid becoming dependent to untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy with the need to find crucial raw materials. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal. She says the green and digital transitions will increase the need for materials like lithium and silicon metal required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. The head of the EUs executive arm says we rely on a handful of producers in the world. So, we must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas. Von der Leyen said the EU has secured materials partnerships with countries like Canada. She added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to quickly get rid of Russian fossil fuels. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal from Russia but has yet to find a deal on sanctions targeting oil. ___ The head of the European Unions executive arm says Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. She said the World Economic Forums annual gathering that the EU is mobilizing our full economic power" and we will, hand in hand, help Ukraine rise from the ashes. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She says the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of (Ukraines) judiciary and help tackle corruption. ___ The World Economic Forums annual gathering is resuming for a second day, with business leaders, government officials, representatives from global institutions and journalists gearing up for more panel talks and networking at the exclusive meeting in the Swiss Alps. Tuesdays agenda in Davos is packed with sessions on one of the meetings key themes climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is due to make an appearance. There also will be addresses by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Meanwhile, outside the conference venue, a Ukrainian activist was planning a street performance to urge foreign energy companies to stop doing business with Russia. Later, billionaire financier George Soros is hosting a dinner for media a non-official forum event but a fixture outside the Davos meeting. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won his Republican runoff election against Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush on Tuesday despite facing a slew of legal problems, including an FBI investigation and a trial on securities fraud charges. Bush is the only member of his famous family still in office, but the loss means he will now exit in January. That will leave the Bush dynasty out of elected office for one of the few times in the last 40 years. The coming end of the Bush era at least for now came at the hands of a two-term incumbent still dogged by a 2015 felony indictment and a separate FBI investigation into accusation of corruption. But importantly in Texas, Paxton had the backing of former President Donald Trump, who has mocked and antagonized the Bush family on his way to taking their mantle as the GOPs standard-bearer. Paxton, who has denied wrongdoing, is now within reach of a third term in Texas, where a Democrat hasnt won statewide office in nearly 30 years. More recently, the State Bar of Texas is weighing possible reprimands against Paxton over his baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election. It was one of two closely watched primary runoffs in Texas: On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress, was in the fight of his political career against Jessica Cisneros, who supports abortion rights. Despite finishing second in Marchs four-way primary, Bush trailed Paxton by 20 points. The wide gap underscored Paxtons continued political durability and showed how much ground the 46-year-old scion of the Bush political dynasty needed to make up with GOP voters in Texas, where his uncle, former President George W. Bush, was once governor and his late grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, was a congressman and longtime Houston resident. But the Bushes influence in the GOP is not what it once was. Two years ago, Pierce Bush, a cousin of George P. Bush, became the first member of his family to lose a race in Texas in 40 years in a failed run for Congress in Houston. When U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas last week became a rare top Republican to publicly criticize Paxton, calling his long-running and unresolved criminal case an embarrassment, Paxton shot back by aligning him with the Bushes. Im not shocked by the Senators comments. He represents the Bush wing of the GOP, Paxton tweeted. Greg Pinn, 41, of Dallas, decided to vote in the Republican primary solely to vote against Paxton. He said that while he wasnt fond of George P. Bush, no one is worse than Ken Paxton. The attorney general of Texas at least shouldnt be an actual criminal, hes got to be somewhat better than that, Pinn said. In the final weeks of the campaign, Bush has ratcheted up his attacks on Paxtons legal troubles, running ads that highlighted the unresolved indictments and FBI investigation and called him unfit for office. This race isnt about my last name, Bush says in one ad. Its about Ken Paxtons crimes. Voter Suzanne Grishman, 54, wasnt deterred by the attorney generals indictment or the ongoing FBI investigation. I believe people are innocent until proven guilty, she said. Grishman said she cast a ballot for Paxton in Dallas because she appreciates his very bold stances and because he has a proven track-record of following the Constitution and the laws of the land and individual rights and freedoms for Americans and Texans. ___ Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg and Jamie Stengle in Dallas 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 On Monday evening, NWS Lubbock posted numerous updates related to thunderstorms and a tornadic system in the region. This includes sharing a photo of a "wedge" tornado on the ground near Morton and a video of a thunderstorm with heavy lighting "generally tracking along and north of Highway 114." On Monday morning, NWS shared a forecast for the day, making note of possible rain across the region later that evening and into Tuesday morning, with severe thunderstorms possible Monday afternoon and evening, explaining that these systems could possibly produce up to 60 mph winds and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter. At 4:50 p.m., the NWS Lubbock Twitter account stated that a severe thunderstorm watch had been issued for portions of New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas until 11 p.m., including Lubbock, Plainview and Amarillo. Over the next several hours, the account would post a series of updates regarding thunderstorms and tornado warnings across the region. This includes a tornado warning for Morton listed as an "observed" threat with two-inch hail possible with the system. NWS Lubbock posted an update at 8:23 p.m. stating that a "dangerous supercell thunderstorm continues near Morton," adding that a "tornado warning remains in effect." "This storm is moving very slowly with dangerous flash flooding possible," the post continues. AT 7:16 p.m., the NWS Lubbock Twitter account stated that a "very dangerous large tornado is on the ground north of Morton," and included a retweeted post from Kholby Martin who is described as a meteorologist and storm chaser in their account bio. Martin's photo stated that a "huge wedge" was in progress north of Morton. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, a "'wedge' is informal storm observers' slang for a tornado which looks wider than the distance from [the] ground to ambient cloud base." At 9:00 p.m., NWS Lubbock stated that a tornado warning was in effect for the City of Levelland and advised people in the "vicinity" to immediately take cover. At 9:30 p.m., NWS Lubbock shared a view of a storm system near Levelland, noting that the system was continuing to move east at a speed of 15 mph "generally tracking along and north of Highway 114." The post includes a retweeted video from Lauren Thompson described as a landscape photographer and storm chaser in their Twitter bio. On Tuesday morning, NWS Lubbock sent out a tweet thanking everyone who sent the agency pictures and videos of Monday's "tornadic supercell," adding that the "information was and is always extremely helpful for our warning operations and decisions!" Commenting on this post, the agency stated that there remains a "chance for severe thunderstorms once again this afternoon across the South Plains," adding that it was "assessing the potential as the airmass is overworked from the storms this morning." Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News UVALDE, Texas (AP) The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about a shooting at a Texas elementary school. AP has published a corrected version of the story to reflect that state Sen. Roland Gutierrez said the gunman shot his grandmother before going to the school; he did not say the gunman killed his grandmother. Read the corrected version here. MBABANE A five-day-old baby died tragically when her mother covered her nose, mouth and ears with duct tape and dumped her in a pit-latrine. The mother of the newborn, Lindelwa Zethu Dlamini (29) of KaMkhweli under Chief Mkweli, was charged with murder for the death of her daughter. Lindelwa is alleged to have told one Mhlonipheni Dlamini of Nyetane in Big Bend that she had a miscarriage. She is alleged to have also told him that she had left the baby at her (babys) parental home. Mhlonipheni, who is one of 13 witnesses to testify in Lindelwas trial, is alleged to have ordered her to go and fetch the baby because she was too young to be separated from her mother. He alleged that he later learnt that Lindelwa had disappeared from home. According to the summary of evidence, Mhlonipheni is alleged to have called Lindelwa and she informed him that she would not reveal the whereabouts of the baby because she was afraid to do so. Admitted While at his homestead, the witness was approached by the accused (Lindelwa) in the company of police officers. The accused admitted to this witness to have delivered and murdered the baby. The accused voluntarily led the witness and police officers to a pit-latrine where she had dumped the baby, reads part of the summary of evidence. According to Mhlonipheni, the baby was covered in duct tape on the mouth, nose and ears. One of Lindelwas uncles is expected to tell the court that she disappeared from home and when they looked for her, concerns were raised about her having delivered but had not been seen with a baby. The uncle is expected to tell the court that when the babys body was retrieved, it was covered with duct tape on the face. Lindelwa allegedly admitted to her uncle that she had killed the baby after she was abandoned by the father and dumped the body in a pit-latrine. Evidence A witness of Hluti is expected to tell the court that Lindelwa once came to her homestead looking for one Peter, who was allegedly the father of the baby. The witness, according to the summary of evidence, is expected to submit that Peter allegedly failed to support the baby. The accused further informed the witness that she did not know where to keep the child as she wanted to go to work. The witness urged the accused to keep the child as she was still of a tender age and that she would assist support her, reads the summary of evidence. The father of the baby, Peter, is among the witnesses to testify in the matter. According to his summary of evidence, he had a relationship with Lindelwa and she fell pregnant. He alleged to have supported her throughout the pregnancy until she informed him that she was due to deliver. He is alleged to have given her E500 when she went to give birth at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital. Discharged He alleged that when Lindelwa was discharged from hospital, she allegedly demanded more money to settle her hospital bill. Lindelwa allegedly arrived at their rented flat at Eteni in Matsapha, angry that Peter had failed to give her money to settle the hospital bill. She is alleged to have wanted to leave the baby with him and he gave her E200. He is said to have ordered her to proceed to Hluti so that his mother would assist her with the baby. The matter is pending in the High Court. In September 2020, a two-year-old girl was found dead and her body wrapped in duct tape and stuffed in a plastic bag near Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre in Manzini. Witnesses who were found at the scene at the time informed this publication that a woman had been seen carrying a child on her back. This was according to some men who had been working near Mavuso around 4:30pm. A source said the child was crying hysterically. Men being men, they shouted at the woman to mind the child. She reacted by scolding the crying minor to be quiet. She also threatened to beat up the child if she continued crying, the source alleged. Abandoned The informer said the woman walked towards an abandoned house near Mavuso. She is said to have first hesitated to enter the house. The source said the men took little notice of the woman, but noted that she had entered the structure. After a couple of minutes, the men saw the woman emerging from the house without the child, the source narrated. Out of curiosity, the source said some of the men rushed to the abandoned structure. Inside the incomplete structure, the source said the men found a huge plastic bag. When they opened it, the source said, the men made the gruesome discovery. The little body had masking tape wrapped around both legs and her whole face. Their immediate reaction was to look for the woman. Unfortunately, she had disappeared, the source said. They said they called the police and the childs body was transported to hospital where she was certified dead on arrival. The mother of the child was arrested at Fairview a day later after police received a tip-off. Around the same period, a 28-year-old woman was alleged to have poisoned her one-year-old twins. SEATTLE (AP) The Washington State Patrol says the body of a man who fell from the Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle following a Tuesday morning collision was recovered from the water. The Seattle Times reports the collision occurred around 5 a.m. after a vehicle broke down in the right lane of southbound Interstate 5. The driver exited the car and was standing on the roadway when a second driver ran into the stalled vehicle, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Rich Allen. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) Leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a summit of the Quad. What is the group, where did it come from and why do diplomats keep coming up with strange names for various partnerships? WHAT IS THE QUAD? Formally the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Quad began as a loose partnership after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, when the four countries joined together to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance to the affected region. It was formalized by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, but then fell dormant for nearly a decade, particularly amid Australian concerns that its participation in the group would irritate China. The group was resurrected in 2017, reflecting changing attitudes in the region toward Chinas growing influence. Both the Trump and Biden administrations saw the Quad as key to a pivot toward placing more focus on the Indo-Pacific region, particularly as a counterweight to Chinas assertive actions. The Quad leaders held their first formal summit in 2021 and met again virtually in March. IS IT AN ASIAN NATO? China has complained that the group represents an attempt at forming an Asian NATO, though unlike the European alliance there is no mutual-defense pact in effect. Quad members say the group is meant to deepen economic, diplomatic and military ties among the four countries. And while they dont often explicitly say it, those partnerships are meant to be a bulwark against Chinese aggression. In a March 2021 declaration laying out the Spirit of the Quad, the leaders said, We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. WHO ARE THE NEW FACES? Tuesdays meeting marks the first in-person gathering of the group for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office last October, as well as for Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese. He was sworn-in on Monday, just two days after Australias parliamentary election and one day before the summit. WHAT ABOUT INDIA? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending as he faces increasing global scrutiny over his governments crackdown on minorities and some authoritarian tendencies. In addition, while the other members of the Quad have been united in standing up against Russias invasion of Ukraine, especially with sanctions, India increased its purchases of Russian energy supplies after the invasion. Moreover, the invasion has led to food shortages that are causing price spikes, yet India banned wheat exports following a heat wave that could make this global challenge much tougher to resolve. WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED? South Korea has expressed interest in joining the Quad, though U.S. officials have said they are not contemplating adjusting the groups membership. The group has held Quad-plus meetings that have included South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam, which could form the basis for future expansion or partnership in the region. WHY THE ODD NAME? Diplomats can't help themselves. Once they start up different pairings or partnerships, they can't resist assigning shorthand names like the Quad or baffling acronyms like AUKUS ( the new Australia- U.K.-U.S. alliance ). Another acronym that got attention this week while President Joe Biden was in Asia: IPEF, short for the U.S.-proposed new trade pact called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. ___ Miller reported from Washington. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Wisconsin Supreme Court wrestled Tuesday with whether to block a Madison school district policy that prohibits staff from informing parents that their children have changed genders, with opponents arguing the policy amounts to a secret experiment on children and supporters countering that the guidance protects student privacy. The school district adopted a policy in 2018 that allows students to change their gender identity at school. Teachers and other school staff are required to use names and pronouns of the students' choosing without parental notice or consent. School staff is also prohibited from disclosing information about students' gender identity to anyone, including their parents. A group of parents represented by the conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit in February 2020 alleging the policy violated parents' constitutional rights to direct their children's upbringing. They've asked the court to issue a temporary injunction blocking the policy's enforcement while lower courts weigh the case. What we're talking about here is a grand social experiment, WILL attorney Luke Berg told the justices during oral arguments Tuesday. Never before on such a large scale have (schools) treated little girls as little boys. ... Parents have the right to decide if they want their children to be part of this experiment." Adam Prinson, an attorney representing gender equity associations at three Madison high schools, maintained that the policy doesn't prevent parents from talking with their children or seeking therapy for them. We're talking about respecting a child's privacy, not intervening in the home, he said. Conservatives hold a 4-3 majority on the court, although conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn sometimes acts as a swing vote. Justice Rebecca Bradley signaled she supports the parents, saying the policy allows schools to facilitate a gender transition and completely hide this from the parents. The liberal-leaning justices tried to focus on technicalities in the case rather than larger ramifications for the policy. They questioned Berg's request to allow the parents to sue anonymously, noting that while judges can seal cases state law generally requires case files to be open to the public and include the parties' names and addresses. Berg maintained that the parents need to maintain anonymity to protect themselves and their children from retaliation. The school district's attorney, Sarah Zylstra, complained to the justices that without the parents' names she can't mount a viable defense. She doesn't know whether the plaintiffs are Madison parents or if they might have conflicts of interest. Berg told the justices that the parents' names aren't relevant because the case is about constitutional rights, not damages. He pledged to tell Zylstra anything that she needs to know about the plaintiffs but he doesn't want their names released because they could face harassment. Justice Rebecca Dallet was flabbergasted. (The schools' attorneys) have to accept your statement that they're parents? Dallet said. How is the other side supposed to (counter) if they don't even know who they are? Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, a member of the conservative majority, pointed out the court has handled multiple cases with plaintiffs using John Doe pseudonyms in the past. Bradley said the threat of retaliation is real, pointing to a firebomb attack on an anti-abortion organization's Madison office earlier this month after a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court was on course to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked. It's unclear when the state Supreme Court might rule on the Madison policy. The justices often take months to render their opinions following oral arguments. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A nursing home owner in Louisiana who lost the state licenses for his seven facilities after moving hundreds of residents to a poorly equipped warehouse as Hurricane Ida approached has now been barred from federal health care programs. State officials found residents from Bob Dean's homes in inhumane and squalid contitions, the Department of Health and Human Services noted in a news release Monday. As a result, the department's Office of Inspector General has excluded Dean's nursing homes from federal health programs, which include Medicaid and Medicare. CHARDON, Ohio (AP) An Ohio woman who dumped the body of her newborn son in woods after giving birth in 1993 was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years. A jury convicted Gail Eastwood Ritchey, 51, of murder in early April in northeast Ohio's Geauga County. Ritchey's attorney argued at trial the baby was stillborn while a prosecutor said an autopsy showed the child had drawn breaths. Ritchey, 51, appeared at Tuesday's hearing via a remote link from the Geauga County Jail at defense attorney Steven Bradley's request because of COVID-19 concerns. Bradley said Ritchey would not speak before sentencing because of a planned appeal of her conviction. She has lived an exemplary life in the last 30 years, Bradley told Judge David Ondrey, noting the numerous letters of support from friends and family submitted to the court. Ondrey told Ritchey before sentencing that her newborn didn't deserve what happened to him and that she took the easy way out by putting the boy in a garbage bag and tossing it into a wooded area where his body was mutilated by animals and dragged onto a rural road. Newspaper carriers found the corpse in March 1993. County residents paid for the burial of the boy they named Geauga's Child. Ondrey said he struggled with Ritchey's explanation that she was young, afraid and fearful of telling her strict father she was pregnant. He noted that Ritchey told detectives at the time of her arrest in July 2019 that she had disposed the body of another newborn in a field in Cuyahoga County in 1990 or 1991. I think you knew what to do because you had done it before, Ondrey said. Calling you a monster who deserves life imprisonment is not an exaggeration. Jurors did not hear her confession about the first newborn death because Ondrey said it would prejudice the jury, WJW-TV previously reported. Ritchey was identified as the childs mother after a Geauga County sheriffs detective submitted DNA to a public genealogical website, created a family tree of 1,400 relatives and finally narrowed the search to Ritchey, who told investigators it was her baby. She was arrested in June 2019. Bradley said at trial that Ritchey put the newborn in a garbage bag after delivering the child at a home where she worked as a nanny. She put the bag in the trunk of her car. Days later, she drove a group of girls from the church where she was a youth leader to a weekend retreat, snuck away, and left the bag in a wooded area. Ritchey never told anyone she was pregnant, Bradley said, and did not realize when she sat down on a toilet at her employers home that she was about to give birth. Ritchey later married the newborns father. They have three adult children. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was reappointed to a second five-year term on Tuesday by the U.N. health agencys member countries. No other candidate challenged Tedros for the post amid the ongoing difficulties of responding to the devastating coronavirus pandemic. This is overwhelming, Tedros said, after another World Health Organization official asked everyone in the room to stand and applaud him. Fighting back tears, Tedros described himself as a child of war after signing the contract for his extension. He said that after witnessing his younger brother's death at an early age, it was luck (that) brought me all the way here." Tedros, a former government minister from Ethiopia, has directed WHO throughout its management of the global response to COVID-19 and withstood occasionally withering criticism over its multiple missteps. He is the first African to lead the agency and the only director-general not qualified as a medical doctor. He is also the first WHO leader not to be supported by their home country; Ethiopia has previously accused Tedros of misconduct after his sharp criticism of the war and humanitarian crisis there and raised concerns about his leadership on Tuesday. Under Tedros, the U.N. health agency failed to call out countries including China for blunders that WHO officials grumbled about privately, advised against mask-wearing for months, and said initially that the coronavirus wasn't likely to mutate rapidly. Scientists drafted by WHO to investigate the coronavirus origins in China said the critical probe was stalled last year, after issuing a report that even Tedros acknowledged had prematurely ruled out the possibility of a laboratory leak. There have been some mishaps, but Tedros has also been a steady voice throughout the pandemic, advocating for an equitable response, said Javier Guzman, director of global health policy at the Center for Global Development in Washington. He said despite reservations about Tedros leadership, some countries weren't willing to push for change. We are in the middle of the pandemic and there is some pressure for consistent leadership to take us through this difficult moment, Guzman said. Tedros has frequently railed against rich countries for hoarding the worlds limited supply of vaccines and insisted that pharmaceuticals arent doing enough to make their medicines available to the poor. Amid the near-universal focus on Ukraine after the Russian invasion, Tedros slammed the global community for not doing enough to solve crises elsewhere, including Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan, arguing that it was possibly because those suffering weren't white. Still, critics say Tedros has failed on some fundamental issues, like holding staff accountable after allegations that dozens of outbreak workers managed by WHO sexually abused young women in Congo during an Ebola outbreak that began in 2018, in one of the biggest sex scandals in U.N. history. None of the senior WHO managers alerted to the abuse allegations and who did little to stop the exploitation, have been fired. In January, The Associated Press reported that staffers in WHOs Western Pacific office filed an internal complaint accusing regional director Dr. Takeshi Kasai of abusive, racist and other misconduct, undermining efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19. In response, Tedros said an investigation into the allegations had been launched and promised to act with urgency. But last week, several WHO staffers wrote to the agency's Executive Board complaining that Kasai has been able to continue his unethical, abusive and racist conduct without any form of restriction. In an email to staff, Kasai disputed the charges. Public health expert Guzman said the apparent culture of impunity at WHO was problematic. We do need to see a stronger (WHO) director-general going forward, where misconduct is not tolerated, he said, calling for extensive reforms to make the agency accountable. As Tedros begins his second term, some experts have also raised concerns that WHO isn't fulfilling its primary role as a technical agency providing science-based guidance to countries. Dr. David Tomlinson, a cardiologist who has campaigned for better protective equipment for health workers in Britains health system, says he has been appalled by WHO advice, most notably their reluctance to acknowledge that COVID-19 is widely spread in the air. In July 2020, more than 230 scientists published a paper appealing to WHO to recognize the coronavirus was airborne; that later prompted the organization to alter some of its recommendations. Tomlinson and others say Tedros should ensure WHOs top priority during future health emergencies is evaluating the science. They have perpetuated untruths that have ultimately led to the deaths of millions of people, he said, citing the estimated 15 million people who have died during the pandemic. We need an agency thats unafraid to tell the truth, but thats unfortunately not what we have. ___ Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic Warren Faidley/Getty Images Storms rolled into San Antonio and most of Texas on Monday, May 23, as a cold front blew its way into the Lone Star State. The severe storms also brought what weather officials are calling a super tornado to Morton, a small town west of Lubbock, and one storm chaser caught it on camera. The storm chaser, Chad Casey, tweeted video of an "absolute monster" of a tornado touching down in Morton. The video shows the massive tornado from Casey's dashcam roll across the North Texas off of N. State Highway 214. Courtesy of BCSO Bexar County deputies discovered four children living in "horrendous" conditions at an apartment complex on the Northeast Side after getting a call about a terrible smell. Sheriff Javier Salazar said on Monday, May 23, that the smell coming out of a unit at the Palm Tree Apartments at 6733 Montgomery Drive was so bad, investigators thought they might find a decomposing body. Instead, they found four children, ages 2 to 13, living with their parents in "horrendous" conditions. He said the apartment was filled with trash and old food, as well as human and animal feces. San Antonio school officials are responding to a mass shooting that killed at least 14 people at an elementary school in Uvalde, a town about an hour outside of city limits. Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed 14 students and one teacher were killed in the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde on Tuesday, May 24. Abbott confirmed the 18-year-old male shooter is dead, and police officers are believed to have killed him. The shooter was a resident of Uvalde. Here's how local districts are responding. South San ISD The Southside district sent a letter to parents saying protecting the community is a "top priority" and listed new protocols for the remainder of the school year: no backpacks allowed at any campus for the next two days, access to campus limited to parents/guardians with proper ID, more "safety support" at each campus, and Thursday, May 26 will be a half day. The district is also encouraging families to speak with their students and encourage them to report any suspicious activity. Seguin ISD The San Antonio-area district also announced that backpacks are no longer allowed on campus for the remainder of the year "in an abundance of caution." A clear bag policy is also in effect for visitors. Small lunch boxes and bags are allowed. Edgewood ISD Superintendent Eduardo Hernandez also sent a letter to parents saying he is "devastated." He shared updates on safety enhancements as well. "I want to reassure the EISD community that student safety in Edgewood ISD is top priority. As preventive measures taken prior to today's devastating events, the EISD Police Department patrols the 16 square miles of our district all day and night. They will also be present at our campuses with increased frequency and will be highly visible. EISD does not condone any acts of violence." Northside ISD "The safety of students and staff is always our priority. We have safety measures and protocols in place at each of our campuses and we will continue to adhere to these for the remainder of the school year. We stand ready to provide any support we can to the staff and students of Uvalde Consolidated ISD." Judson ISD "Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Uvalde community during this tragic time. We stand in support of all the students, families, and staff of Uvalde CISD." Harlandale ISD In a note sent to parents, Harlandale Superintendent Gerardo Soto says the community is "devastated." "We want to reassure our Harlandale ISD community that our police presence at our schools will be on high alert during the last few weeks of school. We will not tolerate any behavior that may lead us to believe that there is a threat to our students and staff. We want to reiterate that the safety and well being of the entire Harlandale ISD family is our top priority and we will do everything to protect that." Northeast ISD "Any time a tragedy like this occurs, District officers are reminded to stay vigilant and make sure they are visible at schools and within the community. North East ISD will continue to follow our daily safety protocols." San Antonio ISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino told families in his district that the community is "shattered." He addressed the Uvalde community, saying the district is ready to offer support and guidance counselors are "on alert and ready" to help. Aquino also assured parents that SAISD is committed to the safety of students, staff, and visitors. "Its only natural that our reactions of the heart are accompanied by an instinctual reaction of heightened awareness, to guard and protect our own students and campus employees. Please know that SAISD is committed to the safety and security of our students, employees and visitors at all of our campuses. Our police and school administration remain vigilant," his statement says. "The pain is immense. Lets bring our minds and hearts together to send strength and comfort to everyone affected by todays horrific events." Southwest ISD Superintendent Lloyd Verstuyft told parents that he recognizes the stress can cause families. He said SWISD is increasing police presence and adult supervision at all campuses. He's also asking the community to report any suspicious behavior by calling the district tipline at 210-622-3333 or here. MBABANE The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Sizakele Dlamini, says there is a need for central agencies to question whether the hiring freeze is still serving its intended purpose. This, she said, during the ministrys appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday, when the Treasury Department, through Acting Accountant General Nomsa Simelane, disclosed that most of the reconciliation in ministries had not been done due to a shortage of staff at the department. The Auditor General, Timothy Matsebula, concurred with the acting accountant general, stating that his office was also stretched and lacking in human resource. Reconciliations were not done properly in almost all ministries, the staff shortage issue needs to be addressed accordingly and the situation on the ground should be assessed with the urgency it needs. Lena yimali yesive, this is not the time to generalise the situation. Danger The Ministry of Public Service needs to see the situation beyond face value as there is imminent danger in not addressing this efficiently. Government funds need to be accounted for in order for people to be satisfied with the use of their money. The frequent submissions of unaccounted for funds are not painting the country in a good light, he said. He requested for a reallocation of staff where officers were more than enough to ministries or departments which needed the human resource so that work could be done. The PAC Chairperson, Gege Member of Parliament (MP) Musa Kunene, said it was disheartening to see the offices which ought to assist in the prevention of funds misappropriation in government being unable to do their jobs efficiently due to shortages in staff and funding. It is now at a point where money is not being reconciled. The auditor general is doing 10 peoples jobs and this poses a risk of fatigue creeping in and him not being able to do his job efficiently. There is a clear overload and overtime in terms of work in the two departments, such that the Accountant Generals Office cannot reconcile, said Kunene. He said the issuance of Circular No.3, which initiated the hiring freeze, was resulting in an abuse of human power as people were being hired on contract, which you find that did not come with any benefits. The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Dlamini, said the hiring freeze affected everyone, including the Finance Ministry as work was increasing daily. Unfortunately, every ministry is feeling the pinch now. The work is getting too much and resources are decreasing. There is a need for us as central agencies to go back to the drawing board to answer the question of whether we confidently say that this hiring freeze is achieving its intended purpose, she said. Auditor She said the way the hiring freeze was structured, if there was a position which was vacant, the law said the PS responsible or auditor general or accountant general should write to the Public Service Ministry and justify the need for an officer and Finance should then be engaged by Public Service on whether the budget for this was available. Once confirmed, Public Service forwarded an application to Cabinet. It is only when we have that Cabinet waiver that we can proceed with hiring, said Dlamini. Mntfongwaneni MP Roy Fanourakis asked whether Public Service had indeed made the effort to forward these ministries requests for a waiver and if so, how many of the ministries had requested so far. He said this was essential so as to know how to approach moving a motion in Parliament on this. The Finance PS Sizakele Dlamini, said they needed to review the way of implementing the hiring freeze because it affected service delivery. Manzini Region Member of Parliament (MP) Busisiwe Mavimbela said it was the committees responsibility to ensure the Auditor Generals Office was independent so as to work accordingly. We have a responsibility to push that the AGs Office becomes independent from the Finance Ministry, so that they can work freely, said Mavimbela. The auditor general further said the Finance Ministry had assisted in adding onto the offices annual budget, although the addition was barely enough. Rats are eating and feasting on funds and government is losing money due to the shortage of staff in the AGs Office. The Accountant Generals Office and the Auditor Generals Office are essential services and should be treated as such, and therefore, need to be considered for a waiver in the hiring freeze, he said. Dvokodvweni MP Mduduzi Magagula said if the one ministry which was responsible for the governments funds and money was complaining about a shortage in staff then the nation would not be immune from rats which would feast on government money. WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Lubbock TX 646 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of the Panhandle of Texas, including the following county, Parmer. * WHEN...Until 900 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Some low-water crossings through playa lakes may become impassable. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 646 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Bovina. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR BAILEY...NORTH CENTRAL COCHRAN AND WESTERN LAMB COUNTIES... At 648 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Muleshoe to 6 miles northeast of Needmore to near Morton, moving northeast at 25 mph. THESE ARE DESTRUCTIVE STORMS FOR MAPLE AND ENOCHS. HAZARD...Three inch hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be severely injured. Expect shattered windows, extensive damage to roofs, siding, and vehicles. Locations impacted include... Muleshoe, Earth, Sudan, Amherst, Needmore, Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge, Bula, Enochs, and Maple. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Prepare immediately for large hail and damaging winds. People outside should move to a shelter, inside a strong building and away from windows. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western Pecos County in southwestern Texas... South central Reeves County in southwestern Texas... * Until 745 PM CDT. * At 649 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Balmorhea, or 20 miles south of Toyah, moving east at 5 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... Balmorhea, Balmorhea Lake, Balmorhea State Park, Saragosa, Verhalen and Toyahvale. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 203 and 226. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR SOUTHWESTERN CIMARRON AND WESTERN DALLAM COUNTIES... At 650 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 4 miles northeast of Texline, or 12 miles east of Clayton, moving east at 25 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Accumulating hail is occurring and covering the roads which will lead to dangerous driving conditions. Texline and Felt. Continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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. The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Tornado Warning for... Southeastern Bailey County in northwestern Texas... Northeastern Cochran County in northwestern Texas... * Until 715 PM CDT. * At 650 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 4 miles southeast of Maple, or 7 miles northwest of Morton, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Tornado and hail up to three inches in diameter. SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. Morton, Enochs, and Bula. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING Flash Flood Statement National Weather Service San Angelo TX 607 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL SAN SABA COUNTY... At 605 PM CDT, LCRA gages have reported 2 to 3 inches of rain in the warned area. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... San Saba and Us-190 Near The San Saba-Lampasas County Line. This includes the following Low Water Crossings... CR 424 crossing Rough Creek. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... West central Duval County in south central Texas... East central Webb County in south central Texas... * Until 700 PM CDT. * At 608 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 14 miles north of Oilton, or 23 miles southwest of Freer, moving northeast at 20 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. * This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central Duval and east central Webb Counties. This includes US Highway 59 between mile markers 776 and 788. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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 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. * * * Have you seen or herd about the goats roaming the UC Santa Cruz campus? Lookout (David L) Democratic jackdaws use noise to make decisions BBC (David L) A hero dog beats back a mountain lion that attacked her owner NPR (David L) Hundreds of endangered baby giant turtles released into Cambodian river Bangkok Post (furzy) Chimpanzees have their own language and scientists just learned how they put words together Salon (David L) Watch out for comet SW3, Monday May 30 & Tuesday 31 which might cause a meteor shower in late May New Scientist (Dr. Kevin) Man who designed X-wing and other iconic Star Wars ships has died NPR (David L) Colombian farmers offer rare view into the dangerous, lucrative world of coca production France24 (resilc) Neuroscientists Have Discovered a Phenomenon That They Cant Explain The Atlantic (David L) A history of punctuation aeon #COVID-19 Science/Medicine How Rapid Reinfection Has Changed the Covid Fight New Republic One of the first targets of SARS Cov 2 is nerves Here, it infects peripheral nerves and "establishes productive infection" Yes, it is neurotropic. https://t.co/6vbbGEtGGs Anthony J Leonardi, PhD, MS (@fitterhappierAJ) May 22, 2022 Monkeypox Climate/Environment China? SIPRI: From climate to war, world entering a critical era DW (resilc). Gee, ya think? AUKUS fallout: double-dealing and deception came at a diplomatic cost Sydney Morning Herald India Sri Lanka New Not-So-Cold War Syraqistan settlers just attacked Palestinian civilian cars and injured an infant. THEY PEPPER SPRAYED A FREAKING NEW BORN. pic.twitter.com/3PTIflXSR3 #UncensorPalestine (@MariamBarghouti) May 23, 2022 Imperial Collapse Watch Biden New York City mayor declares state of emergency over nationwide infant formula shortage CNN Pete Buttigieg: Hungry Babies, Regrettably, Are Just the Price of the Free Market Jacobin (furzy) Progressive Jessica Cisneros is trying to oust Henry Cuellar, the last anti-abortion House Democrat Vox (furzy) Police State Watch Do Algorithms Help to Reduce Crime? Project Syndicate (David L) Our No Longer Free Press SEC prepares to crack down on misleading ESG investment claims Financial Times New York City removes the last payphone from service CNBC (Kevin W) Terra Collapse Triggers $83 Billion Decentralized Finance Slump Bloomberg Crypto links with banks pose threat to financial stability, says ECB Financial Times. This never should have been allowed to happen. Class Warfare Antidote du jour (furzy): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. KateLynn White graduated from Tennessee State University, where she was an editor of the student newspaper. She interned for The Tennessean and The Tennessee Tribune before joining the Nashville Post in 2022. She also contributes to the Nashville Scene. Follow KateLynn White 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 (Natural News) A nationwide pilot shortage largely caused by Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine mandates has many airline carriers considering a decrease in training standards as the solution. Because many seasoned pilots became injured or are now dead because of the injections or retired early in order to avoid being forced to take them the airline industry is now short on employees to fly planes. As a result, the transportation sector wants to make it easier for new pilots to get licensed more quickly with fewer training hours. This threatens the safety of passengers, of course, but it is the price that the general public may need to pay in order for airline carriers to stay in business otherwise the industry could collapse. According to reports, the number of flying hours required to become a commercial airline pilot would be halved. This is known as cutting corners, and it could be coming to an airline near you. The pilot shortage for the industry is real, and most airlines are simply not going to be able to realize their capacity plans because there simply arent enough pilots, at least not for the next five-plus years, said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby during the companys recent quarterly earnings call. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said much the same in a recent YouTube video, apologizing to the public for having to cancel many flights in recent months due to the pilot shortage. We had 63 fewer pilots than what we planned for when we built our schedule, Minicucci said, adding that this has caused a ripple effect throughout the company that requires more extreme response measures. By the time we caught this error, April and May schedules were bid on by our pilots and flight attendants, making it impossible to sufficiently adjust schedules to avoid cancellations. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wants to increase pilot retirement age from 65 to 67 In addition to making it easier for any random Joe to get a pilot license with fewer hours, some in the airline industry are also dropping the longtime requirement that pilots have a college degree in order to fly airplanes. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also wants to increase the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, which would keep older pilots up in the air for several more years than is currently allowed. Delta Airlines announced back in January that it is increasing pilot pay and offering large sign-on bonuses to new pilots. The company is also axing the requirement that pilots hold a four-year college degree. While we feel as strongly as ever about the importance of education, there are highly qualified candidates people who we would want to welcome to our Delta family who have gained more than the equivalent of a college education through years of life and leadership experience, the company announced. Making the four-year degree requirement preferred removes unintentional barriers to our Delta flight decks. Meanwhile, some of the families of passengers who have died in air crashes are speaking out against the changes, warning that they could lead to more accidents in the air that cost more lives. The 2009 crash of Colgan Air 3407, for instance, is the reason why the number of flight hour requirements to become a pilot increased to 1,500 hours in the first place. Now, several carriers including Delta, American, United, and regional carrier Republic Airways want to halve that number to just 750 hours. While anyone can request an exemption, it does not mean it will be granted, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a statement following a request from Republic to halve the existing flight hour requirement. To keep up with the latest news about the implosion of the global economy, be sure to visit Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: DailyWire.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) If you wondered where the Biden administration is getting its left-wing lunacy from, a new report published this week helps shine a lot of light on that issue. According to documents reviewed by Fox News, the regime is colluding with a secretive organization funded by anti-West Marxist George Soros to undermine our country with a leftist counterrevolutionary agenda aimed at sapping American strength and productivity. The group, Governing for Impact (GFI), brags in internal memos that it has helped to implement more than 20 regulatory agenda items while working to reverse deregulatory actions by then-President Donald Trump by honing in specifically on the environment, health care, housing, labor issues and education. Open Society is proud to support Governing for Impacts efforts to protect American workers, consumers, patients, students, and the environment through policy reform, Tom Perriello, executive director of Soros Open Society Foundations, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Their work gives voice to people often overlooked in a regulatory environment too often dominated by corporate interests, he claimed, in what was an obvious lie. Our support for Governing for Impacts work is publicly available on our website and we are transparent about our enthusiasm for their victories for American workers and families. Fox News notes further: GFI, however, works to remain secretive. It is invisible to internet search engines like Google (an unrelated Govern for Impact is the only group that appears in a search). No news reports or press releases appear on its existence outside of a mention of its related action fund in a previous Fox News article on the $1.6 billion Arabella Advisors-managed dark money network, to which it is attached. But as the group attempted to conceal its operations, it sought talent on Harvard Law Schools website, which was discoverable. The posting, which no longer appears on the site, was for legal policy internships. The Harvard advertisement noted that GFI was set up to prepare the Biden regime for a transformative governance left-wing code for changing everything about the country that was first used by Barack Obama ahead of his 2008 victory and that the group produced more than 60 in-depth, shovel-ready regulatory recommendations for a wide range of federal agencies. In addition, the advert listed an email address ending in @governingforimpact.org which is linked to the organizations website and can only be accessed by people who know the specific URL. According to its website, Rachael Klarman, a Harvard Law School grad, steers the group. Her father, Michael Klarman, is a professor at Harvard Law and also has ties to progressive advocacy groups, Fox News Digital reported. He is an advisory board member of the left-wing dark money judicial group Take Back the Court. Last year, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, invited him to testify before Congress on dark moneys assault on the judiciary system, the outlet added. Capital Research Centers Parker Thayer, who discovered the secretive organization, noted to Fox News Digital: Governing for Impact is the perfect example of the Lefts fake outrage over dark money in politics. As a fiscally sponsored dark money project that writes and pushes regulations from the shadows, hidden from the public and funded by one billionaire foundation, GFI embodies everything the Left pretends to abhor, Thayer continued. A spokeswoman for the group, Rachael Klarman, defended its actions. Governing for Impact conducts and shares research designed to help ensure that the federal government works more effectively for everyday working Americans, not just for members of industry groups that have long devoted vast resources to pursuing their own policy agendas, she told Fox News Digital. We were founded in 2019 and have developed detailed regulatory recommendations for multiple federal agencies, which are published on our website, she added. George Soros and the Marxist globalist left are running America, that much is obvious. Sources include: FoxNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Following the confirmation that the United States has one positive case of monkeypox, the federal government immediately buys 13 million monkeypox vaccines from a Danish biotech company with strong ties to Dr. Anthony Fauci and his National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed one case of monkeypox in a Massachusetts man who had recently traveled to Canada. Another patient in New York City has tested positive for orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses to which monkeypox belongs, and is currently being monitored and treated as a presumptive positive case until the CDC itself confirms the patient has monkeypox. Another six people are being monitored for possible signs of monkeypox after they sat near an asymptomatic traveler while on a flight from Nigeria to the United Kingdom in early May. Immediately following the confirmation of Americas first positive case, the federal government, through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services, reached out to Danish biotech company Bavarian Nordic to procure smallpox vaccines. Smallpox vaccines are supposedly around 85 percent effective in dealing with monkeypox. The governments contract with Bavarian Nordic is for $119 million worth of modified smallpox vaccines. The vaccines will be freeze-dried to extend their shelf lives. Manufacturing will begin in 2023 and 2024. The contract also includes the government option to purchase more smallpox vaccines valued at $180 million. If this second option is exercised, that will amount to approximately 13 million freeze-dried doses of the smallpox vaccines. Faucis NIAID gave Bavarian Nordic $100 million It should be noted that Faucis NIAID gave about $100 million to Bavarian Nordic for research on smallpox vaccines in the early 2000s. This is around the same time the federal government first worked with Bavarian Nordic on the development, manufacturing and supply of smallpox vaccines for the United States. To date, Bavarian Nordic has supplied the government with nearly 30 million doses of the liquid-frozen version of the smallpox vaccines, with the vast majority being delivered to the U.S. even before the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for the vaccine in 2019. Bavarian Nordics modified smallpox vaccine was given emergency use authorization for use against monkeypox in September 2019, several months before the start of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (Related: US developing lethal, new genetically engineered viruses, including MOUSEPOX and MONKEYPOX will these be used to demand MORE JABS in the name of public safety?) Bavarian Nordic stock surges following vaccine orders Fauci-backed Bavarian Nordics stock, BVNRY, surged after it won large contracts for vaccines against monkeypox not just from the U.S. government but also from at least one other country in Europe. Following Bavarian Nordics press release that it has won these massive orders, BVNRY surged by more than 68 percent. Samuel OBrient, a financial news writer for InvestorPlace, noted this is likely just the beginning of the companys new growth trajectory. Bavarian Nordic is in the unique position of being able to provide a product that the entire world may soon need. Countries are still dealing with rising COVID-19 cases, and another infectious disease is the last thing anyone needs. A rare virus vaccine from a little-known drug maker may be about to prevent the next public health crisis, OBrient wrote. The COVID-19 vaccine rase ushered in a new biotech boom as investor focus shifted to the pharmaceutical sector. Wall Street may be about to see the same phenomenon play out as other biotech stocks rise on the momentum generated by a new vaccine champion. For more news about Big Pharma profiting off disease outbreaks, head over to BigPharmaNews.com. Watch this clip from The American Journal of InfoWars as host Harrison Hill Smith discusses the governments decision to purchase 13 million monkeypox vaccine doses. This video can be found in the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: FDA denies generic drug fluvoxamine emergency use authorization as COVID treatment. What else is new? Fauci claims US is out of pandemic phase then backtracks just hours later. Big pharmas siege of America. Sources include: Brighteon.com Edition.CNN.com PrecisionVaccinations.com NPR.org Bavarian-Nordic.com KHN.org InvestorPlace.com (Natural News) A report from the Bureau of Indian Affairs confirmed that the United States government has been using tools like erasing culture, pulling children away from parents and disregarding their emotional needs to force the assimilation of Native Americans and acquire their territorial lands. These tried-and-true education policies have been in use for 150 years. The 106-page report detailed how the U.S. federal government applied systematic militarized and identity-alteration methodologies in the Federal Indian boarding school system to assimilate American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children through education. The BIA also said the government used the education of children to replace the Indians culture with their own. According to the report, this was considered to be the cheapest and safest way to subdue Indians, provide a safe habitat for the countrys white inhabitants, help the whites acquire desirable land and change the Indians economy so that they would be content with less land. This information came to light when Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico and the first Native American to serve as cabinet secretary, requested an investigation into the loss of lives and lasting consequences of the Federal Indian boarding school system. (Related: Chemical genocide: Native American tribes were poisoned with mercury by mill industry.) Bryan Newland, assistant secretary of Indian Affairs, wrote in a letter introducing the report that between 1819 and 1969, the United States operated or supported 408 boarding schools across 37 states or then-territories, including schools in Alaska and Hawaii. Newland also said the Federal Indian boarding school policy intentionally targeted children to assimilate them and take their territories. Congress ended treaties with Indian tribes in 1871 and started using statutes, executive orders and agreements to regulate Indian affairs. Around that time, Congress also enacted laws to compel Indian parents to send their children to school and to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations to secure the enrollment and regular attendance of eligible Indian children, whom the government considered their wards. A 1969 Kennedy Report, which was cited in the current report, stated that many Indian families resisted the assault of the federal government on their lives by refusing to send their children to school. Indian families coerced into sending their children to federal schools However, under the Act of March 3, 1983, Congress authorized the secretary of the Interior to withhold rations, including those guaranteed by the treaties, to Indian families who refused to send their children to schools: No school meant no money or food for their families. The report went on to say that there is ample evidence in federal records demonstrating that the United States coerced, induced, or compelled Indian children to enter the Federal Indian boarding school system. The Department of the Interior then moved the children to off-reservation boarding schools without parental consent, and often in distant areas where they endured rampant physical, sexual and emotional abuse; disease; malnourishment; overcrowding; and lack of health care. Once at boarding school, these children were given English names and clothing. Their hair was cut, and they were prevented from using their native language, religion and cultural practices. They were sorted into units to perform military drills and labor and were subjected to corporal punishment. All these were intended to break family ties and prevent students from returning to reservations, producing intergenerational trauma. In 1886, a boarding school in Kansas intentionally mixed Indian children from 31 tribes to disrupt tribal relations and prevent Indian language use. The Interior Department intended for graduates from different tribes to intermarry so they would use English as their childrens mother tongue. The 2022 report also stated that Indian children died while under the care of the federal government or federally-supported institutions, which led to the breakup of Indian families and the erosion of tribes. A recent investigation found over 500 deaths at 19 schools, although this number could be in the thousands or even tens of thousands. (Related: Massive child sacrifice gravesite shows that indigenous Native Americans were mass murderers.) Many of those children were buried in unmarked or poorly maintained burial sites far from their Indian Tribes and families, often hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away, the report said. With the information that was uncovered, the report called for the promotion of Indian health research by funding scientific studies on its lasting health impacts. It also suggested recognizing the generations of children who experienced the Federal Indian boarding school system with a federal memorial. Another report expanding the investigation is being planned to make recommendations for new funding and revitalization of tribal languages and cultural practices. Watch the video below to learn more about the history of Native American boarding schools. This video is from the high impact Flix and more!!! channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Corrupt Bureau of Land Management successfully kicked out of the sacred Blackfoot Native American Nation. Cultural appropriation? Democrats bribed Native Americans to vote for Biden. Facebook discriminates against Native Americans with traditional cultural names. DISGUSTING: Elizabeth Warren tries to buy off Native American tribes with taxpayer money to cover for her woman of color deception. Native American tribes kept human SLAVES, which means People of Color were slave masters even BEFORE the founding of America. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com BIA.gov NPR.org Brighteon.com (Natural News) In response to one confirmed case of monkeypox in the United States, the federal government has ordered $119 million worth of the vaccine from a Danish company. The current monkeypox outbreak began in the United Kingdom in early May and slowly spread from there to other Western European nations and eventually to Canada. The outbreak is still small, with about 80 suspected cases, including one confirmed and one suspected case and another six people being monitored for symptoms in the United States. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Wednesday, May 18, that a man who had recently traveled to Canada was infected with the monkeypox virus. The state agency said it was working with the CDC and local health boards to carry out contact tracing to try and get a hold of the outbreak, adding that the case poses no risk to the public and the individual is hospitalized and in good condition. (Related: US developing lethal, new genetically engineered viruses, including MOUSEPOX and MONKEYPOX will these be used to demand MORE JABS in the name of public safety?) Monkeypox has an incubation period of about two weeks. It can cause fever, body aches, enlarged lymph nodes and eventually the pox, or painful and fluid-filled blisters all over the hands, feet and face. Some versions of monkeypox can be exceptionally deadly and kill up to 10 percent of the people it infects. But the current strain circulating around Western Europe and North America is considerably milder, with a fatality rate of less than one percent. Cases usually resolve within two to four weeks. America could be flooded with over 13 million new vaccines Following confirmation of the one case of monkeypox in the U.S., the government has ordered millions of doses of the smallpox vaccine, which is supposedly around 85 percent effective against monkeypox. But scientists have warned that relying on smallpox to inoculate people against monkeypox can raise safety concerns. Its a live virus, said Jay Hooper of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infection Diseases, referring to the smallpox vaccine. It can cause a deadly infection in people with severely compromised immune systems. Bavarian Nordic, a Danish biotech company that produces smallpox vaccines, recently announced that it won the $119 million contract from the federal government for the vaccines. This contract includes an option to buy $180 million worth of vaccines more. Should this second option be exercised, the government would be purchasing approximately 13 million doses of the smallpox vaccines. The order calls for Bavarian Nordic to convert the smallpox vaccines into monkeypox vaccines by freeze drying them, giving them longer shelf lives. The converted vaccines will be manufactured in 2023 and 2024. Bavarian Nordic is the governments main supplier of smallpox vaccines, having worked with the federal government since 2003 to develop and manufacture them. To date, Bavarian Nordic has supplied the Department of Health and Human Services with nearly 30 million doses, not counting the recent order placed by the government. The biotech company has also been contracted by another European country for smallpox vaccines. While the full circumstances around the current monkeypox cases in Europe remain to be elucidated, the speed of which these have evolved, combined with the potential for infections, beyond the initial case going undetected, calls for a rapid and coordinated approach by the health authorities, and we are pleased to assist in this emergency situation, said Bavarian Nordic President and CEO Paul Chaplin in a statement. Learn more about disease outbreaks in the U.S. at Outbreak.news. Watch this clip from the Stew Peters Show as host Stew Peters and guest Dr. Jane Ruby talk about how the monkeypox outbreak is Dr. Anthony Faucis new gold mine. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: WHO Pandemic Treaty will take away government oversight in the event of another pandemic, German MEP says. PLANDEMIC: Decades of research show how TYRANNY thrives during global pandemics. What else is new? Fauci claims US is out of the pandemic phase then backtracks just hours later. Vaccine programs TRUE goal: Weaken the population. Sources include: SHTFPlan.com NPR.org Reuters.com Fortune.com Brighteon.com MBABANE Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) has instituted internal investigations, following the theft of close to E1 million from the institution. It is suspected that the money was stolen over the past years without anyone detecting it until recently, which resulted in the corporation launching a full-scale investigation into the matter. Though the actual amount that has been stolen could not be verified at the time of compiling this report, sources confirmed that it amounted to close to a million and was stolen in small amounts. Division Those who are said to have information regarding the matter claim that some employees of EswatiniPost, which is the postal division of EPTC, were the ones who were helping management get to the bottom of the matter as it was alleged that the money disappeared from these outlets. The money, which was meant for operations, was reportedly stolen from some of the 34 EswatiniPost outlets. According to a source close to the matter, the theft of the money started a long time ago. The source said investigations started after the management discovered that money which was meant for operations in some of the outlets was not accounted for. He disclosed that each outlet had money for operations, but it transpired that over the years, the money was stolen or unaccounted for. This has been going on for a long time, the investigations will surely reveal more rot and many employees might find themselves suspended or even arrested, depending on what will be unearthed by the investigations, said the insider. According to the insider, the theft of the money had been going unnoticed for a number of years. The investigations were instituted recently. The source alleged that there was laxity in the monitoring of the funds that were being kept by the outlets, hence some of the workers took advantage of this and stole the money. The insider further mentioned that last Friday, an employee who allegedly stole a sum of E20 000 from the company, was placed on precautionary suspension while investigations were ongoing. When sought for comment, EPTC Manager-Corporate Affairs, Nqobile Magagula, declined to comment on the matter. This reporter also wanted to establish if the company had or would solicit the assistance of the police in the matter, as it boarded on theft. The posts division offers modern mail service for letters, packages or other postal documents including post boxes, customs clearance, transport insurance or worldwide from person-to-person, through all domestic post offices and also to neighbouring countries like South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana. It also provides agency services on behalf of other companies. Agency services are provided throughout the postal network. Contracts The post offices sell contracts and receive payments for companies such as Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC), Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC), Eswatini Television Authority (ETVA) and EswatiniTelecom. There are also internet cafes with access to high-speed internet in all communication centres and selected post offices. Meanwhile, in 2020, five men, including an employee of EPTC, were arrested in connection with the theft of E16 million from the company. Romeo Mark Fernandez (20) of Mahwalala under Chief Zembe and Sinethemba Mkhosiwenkhosi Simelane (21) of Checkers under Chief Mabonya, both told the court that they were not involved in the theft of the money. They were arrested with EPTC IT Technician Sanele Bongi Sibandze (43) of Lavumisa under Chief GasawaNgwane and Majuba Sylvester Stewart (46) of Mbutfu under Chief Siphike. The quartet was arrested following an investigation into the theft of the money at EPTC, which took about seven months. They were charged with four counts of theft and the offences are alleged to have been committed in August 2019. Arrested When Sibandze was arrested, investigators reportedly found many routers and electronic gadgets which were seized as exhibits. A router is a hardware device designed to receive, analyse and move incoming packets to another network. It may also be used to convert packets to another network interface, drop them, and perform other actions relating to a network. According to the charge sheet, the largest amount, E14 870 000, was allegedly transferred by Sibandze alone. Other amounts which were stolen from EPTC in August 2019 were E875 000, E850 000 and E185 000. The money was allegedly stolen from the companys bank account. The stolen amounts were allegedly unlawfully transferred from the bank account held at Nedbank Eswatini. (Natural News) Senatorial candidate Dr. Cordie Williams believes a high voter turnout can overcome cheating in elections. Governor Youngkin in Virginia showed us that when you get mama bears out, you get people concerned about their kids future and whats going to happen to them youre going to get a high voter turnout. That high voter turnout can overcome the cheating, Williams told host Dr. Alan Keyes during the May 17 episode of Lets Talk America on Brighteon.TV. Williams is vying for a Senate seat in California in this years midterm election. The former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, who operates a successful chiropractic practice in Southern California with his wife Tania, said America will become like Venezuela if Americans dont come out and vote to fix the cheating. He also called on his fellow Californians to fill out the ballot and submit it in person. Williams, who is on the Republican ticket, said that he is a grassroots candidate who puts issues over interests and that he is worried about the future of Americas children. The Marine veteran and doctor added that he will always put the Constitution first before any party because he will only bow to the flag, the Lord Jesus and the Constitution. Democratic Party is tearing America apart Keyes pointed out that America needs good people who are running for office that can get the country back on the solid foundations of its founding premises and principles. The former ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council added that America needs to be taken out of the hands of totalitarian communists who now dominate the Democrat Party and are doing everything they can to tear the country apart by pitting people against one another and undermining the nations moral foundations. (Related: The Democrats pedophilia problem is being exposed.) So this is not something that we as Americans can take even the least little bit lightly. This is not a normal election because these are not normal Americans in any sense of the term. I cant think of a single thing that Bidens people have done that doesnt harm America, every word out of their mouth, warned Keyes about the Democrats who no longer believe in America and are talking about their communist or left-wing ideology. And then you add the fact that many things like the so-called riot on January 6, and so forth. You have the hand of a Deep State that is cooperating now with producing impressions that are just false in order to distract the American people from our peril. According to Keyes, former President Donald Trump was committed to restoring and maintaining the strength, character and self-government of the American people. But hes seeing the opposite out of the Democrats who are all about tearing down everything in America, the premises of the Constitution, the moral understanding of American families and the common ground that people are supposed to share in respect for life and the ability of human beings to choose rightly according to the endowment of God. The Lets Talk America host and former Republican presidential candidate said the Democrats have also falsely promised the LGBTQ community that they are going to be free to choose and form their own sexual identity. He explained that this is in direct contrast to the Democratic Partys ideological premise. Williams said this is a divisive psychological operation by the Democrats to create division and a smokescreen that would enable them to push their agenda. The former Marine added that the biggest question in this election cycle is whether or not Americans have become numbed with stimulation, cell phones, news media, Facebook, Instagram and other stuff to independently and objectively think and ask critical questions. Watch the full May 17 episode of Lets Talk America below. Lets Talk America with Dr. Alan Keyes airs Monday to Friday at 1-3 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Voter integrity groups investigation shows RICO crimes were committed during 2020 election. We now have proof the 2020 election was stolen The MSM, social media, big tech And Democrats publicly exposed for conspiratorial coverup to install Joe Biden into the White House. Keep Texas Red founder tells Alex Newman: Democrats are exploiting human emotions to make people vote for them. Sources include: Brighteon.com Cordie4Senate.com IAMtv.us (Natural News) While the stock market continues to tank under the regime of Joe Biden, other more modern forms of currency arent doing very well, either, proving once again that the global power elite really do control things. In early February, the city of Miami, for the first time, cashed out its own cryptocurrency, MiamiCoin, adding roughly $5.25 million to the citys coffers. At the time, Mayor Francis Suarez praised it as a historic moment and went on to predict that the crypto would likely replace municipal taxes someday as the city governments primary source of income. CityCoins, the creator of MiamiCoins, was equally ebullient, describing the crypto as a financial experiment that could empower citizens with a community-driven revenue stream while also leading to a host of new digitized city services, according to a report by Quartz. The report continues: Miami is not the only city with big cryptocurrency dreams. CityCoins announced a similar cryptocurrency for New York in November 2021, and plans to release a coin for Austin, Texas, soon. Other cities have launched their own crypto ventures: Fort Worth, Texas, for example, will soon be running bitcoin mining rigs in city hall. But only Miamis mayor has thrown his full endorsement behind a CityCoin-branded cryptocurrency so far. After promoting MiamiCoin to residents and investors since its launch in August, the city of Miami received millions of dollars through its agreement with CityCoins. However, over a span of nine months, MiamiCoin has nearly lost all of its value, falling around 95 percent from its peak high in September to just 0.0032 as of mid-May. The fast decline has cost investors big time and has quieted the visionary dreams of Miami leaders. In addition, the rapid descent may also be raising new red flags for regulators who are now taking a look at cryptocurrency transactions, Quartz noted. MiamiCoin is the first in what CityCoins, a Delaware-based company with a mailing address in a Los Angeles strip mall, has promised will be a series of US city-branded cryptocurrencies, the report noted. New York City mayor Eric Adams tweeted his approval of NYCCoin on Nov. 8, shortly after his election, welcoming CityCoins to the global home of Web3 (Web3 is a crypto-optimist idea of a decentralized internet built on blockchains and cryptocurrencies). But Adams hasnt spoken of NYCCoin since taking office on Jan. 1 of this year, and the coin has fallen 68% since then. Meanwhile, Philadelphias government has explored the CityCoins idea, but announced in April it would not proceed, Quartz added. Were glad to welcome you to the global home of Web3! Were counting on tech and innovation to help drive our city forward. https://t.co/SY9pv1Ebct Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) November 8, 2021 Nevertheless, however, Miami is proceeding with crypto. In October, the city forged a gift agreement with CityCoins that allowed Miami to draw proceeds from its crypto. But the city doesnt own or manage it, with Suarez noting in public statements only that Miami is just a legal beneficiary. In the beginning, the arrangement was beneficial to Suarez and CityCoins, the latter needing the support of big-city mayors as it promotes additional cryptocurrencies. As for Suarez, a rising GOP star who has national electoral ambitions, he has stated clearly he believes that MiamiCoin can help promote his image as a pro-big-tech political leader. By pursuing this political lane, he has managed to bolster his appeal to wealthy Silicon Valley libertarian tech entrepreneurs and cryptocurrency backers he managed to convince to relocate to the South Florida metropolis over the past two years. In 2020, for instance, Miami attracted 15 percent more tech workers than prior to the pandemic, while a record $4.6 billion in new venture capital funding hit the tech sector last year. But as for whether MiamiCoin will ever become viable again, the jury is still out. It has its fans, but it also now has a track record. Sources include: QZ.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Monkeypox, a very mild contagious disease that deserves no panic whatsoever, is reportedly spreading across the world among attendees of a gay pride gathering of 80,000 people in Gran Canaria. As The Sun (UK) reports, The Canaria Pride festival, held in the town of Maspalomas between May 5 and 15, has become a hotspot for the monkeypox outbreak, reports El Pais. It turns out that engaging in gay sex activities with thousands of strangers spreads disease. (Who knew?) Even the WHO now says monkeypox is spreading mainly through sexual contact among gay men. Note that there isnt a single corporate media outlet in the world that will admit such a fact. They cover up the filthy sexual habits and pretend that anal intercourse among multiple sex partners is perfectly normal, perhaps even preferred. Many known patients are gay men who were tested after going to STI clinics, the WHO said. Health chiefs warned gay and bisexual men to be on the lookout for new unexplained rashes, adds The Sun. Cases have now been detected in Israel, Norway, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and Canada. But monkeypox presents virtually zero risk to the world. The media hysteria surrounding the topic is just the latest effort to try to spread fear and panic in order to push you guessed it the inevitable monkeypox vaccine that will be forced onto everyone if they can conjure up enough panic. Anyone dumb enough to fall for this latest outbreak hysteria is dumber than a monkey, of course. Among primates on planet Earth, human beings are the only species dumb enough to poison their food supply with pesticides, mass murder their own offspring with widespread abortions, and inject themselves with genetically altering experimental vaccines that cause infertility and death. Even rats arent stupid enough to engage in those practices it takes an obedient human progressive to be that stupid. Only 10 weeks of wheat supply left in the world As Insider.com reports, a food expert named Sara Menker, testifying before the United Nations, warned that there are only 10 weeks of wheat supply remaining in the world. Importantly, she also recognizes that its not merely Putins fault. From that story: Sara Menker, the CEO of agriculture analytics firm Gro Intelligence, told the UN Security Council that the Russia-Ukraine war was not the cause of a food security crisis but simply added fuel to a fire that was long burning. It is important to note that the lowest grain inventory levels the world has ever seen are now occurring while access to fertilizers is highly constrained, she said. And drought in wheat growing regions around the world is the most extreme its been in over 20 years. Similar inventory concerns also apply to corn and other grains. So what happens after the wheat wars hit a critical point of collapse? Food riots, of course. Upheaval, civil unrest and revolution around the world. Lack of affordable food will push every nation across the world toward the boiling point. Some of those nations will see violent revolts. Others will see their governments fall (as is happening right now in Sri Lanka). Understand that the oblivious masses still have no clue the food supply is collapsing. They think that grocery stores in November and December will be fully stocked. Oblivious Europeans think heating energy will be widely available, too. (They are wrong.) The expectations of supply currently held by the oblivious masses are catastrophically inaccurate and subject to radical, painful corrections as reality kicks in. The situation isnt going to be pretty. Listen to more details on all this including my Shock the Monkey Pox song intro in todays Situation Update podcast: Brighteon.com/6b8e4e30-f2bf-4de6-855f-0642d27f4f35 Discover more information-packaged podcasts each day, along with special reports, interviews and emergency updates, at: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HRreport Also follow me on: Brighteon.social: Brighteon.social/@HealthRanger Telegram: t.me/RealHealthRanger Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@healthranger Gettr: GETTR.com/user/healthranger Parler: Parler.com/user/HealthRanger Rumble: Rumble.com/c/HealthRangerReport BitChute: Bitchute.com/channel/9EB8glubb0Ns/ Clouthub: app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/naturalnews/posts Join the free NaturalNews.com email newsletter to stay alerted about new, upcoming audiobooks that you can download for free. Download my current audiobooks including Ghost World, Survival Nutrition, The Global Reset Survival Guide and The Contagious Mind at: https://Audiobooks.NaturalNews.com/ Download my new audiobook, Resilient Prepping at ResilientPrepping.com (Natural News) Billionaire Elon Musk used to be a center-left Democrat but because the party has gone insane with wokeness and intolerance, he now finds himself more center-right and prepared to vote Republican for the first time in his adult life. He said as much on Twitter, the platform he seeks to purchase, just last week and in doing so, also made a prediction that the personal attacks on him would begin in earnest. Musk was right (because he knows the lefts playbook). In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold, he wrote, adding a bag of popcorn emoji. And right on queue, the attack began. His electric vehicle company, Tesla, was removed from S&P 500 ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Index because of issues including claims of racial discrimination and crashes linked to its autopilot vehicles Reuters reported. That led Musk to respond: Exxon is rated top ten best in world for environment, social & governance (ESG) by S&P 500, while Tesla didnt make the list! ESG is a scam. It has been weaponized by phony social justice warriors, Musk said in one tweet after the announcement. [email protected] has lost their integrity. .@SPGlobalRatings has lost their integrity Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022 Next, a flight attendant who was hired as a contractor for the corporate jet fleet of Space X said that Musk exposed himself to her years ago, touched her, and offered to purchase a horse for her in exchange for an erotic massage, according to left-wing establishment site Business Insider. Where were these wild accusations against @elonmusk before he took a stand against the establishment? one twitter user said, which caught the attention of Musk and garnered a response. Exactly, he said. And, for the record, those wild accusations are utterly untrue. And, for the record, those wild accusations are utterly untrue Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022 The billionaire wasnt done. But I have a challenge to this liar who claims their friend saw me exposed describe just one thing, anything at all (scars, tattoos, ) that isnt known by the public. She wont be able to do so, because it never happened, he said. But I have a challenge to this liar who claims their friend saw me exposed describe just one thing, anything at all (scars, tattoos, ) that isnt known by the public. She wont be able to do so, because it never happened. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022 Moreover, the friend in question who gave the interview to BI, is a far left activist/actress in LA with a major political axe to grind, he added. Exactly. Moreover, the friend in question who gave the interview to BI, is a far left activist/actress in LA with a major political axe to grind. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022 He also noted that he did not respond to the request for comment from Business Insider because it was clear that their only goal was a hit price to interfere with the Twitter acquisition. The story was written before they even talked to me. No, it was clear that their only goal was a hit price to interfere with the Twitter acquisition. The story was written before they even talked to me. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2022 The report said that he paid the accuser $250,000 and had her sign a nondisclosure agreement, but Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire, himself an attorney, said That amount of money for a settlement of this sort is absolutely de minimis, and everyone who understands corporate law knows this. In other words, when you sue one of the most valuable people on earth and get a settlement of $250,000, thats nearly always just the guy getting rid of something he considers a nuisance, not an admission of guilt, he said. In other words, when you sue one of the most valuable people on earth and get a settlement of $250,000, thats nearly always just the guy getting rid of something he considers a nuisance, not an admission of guilt. Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) May 20, 2022 If all of this does not prove yet again that the left, not the right, is the faction hell-bent on the destruction of our constitutional system and our society in general, nothing will. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com ConservativeBrief.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco banned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) from receiving Holy Communion for supporting abortion. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced Pelosis prohibition on May 20. After numerous attempts to speak with Pelosi to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing and the danger to her own soul she is risking I have determined that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion, he tweeted that day. The tweet followed an earlier letter the archbishop sent to the No. 3 politician in the land in April. The April 7 letter sternly admonished Pelosi, informing her that she should not present herself for Holy Communion at Masses. It added that priests in the diocese will not distribute communion to her in case she presents herself. A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion, after knowing the teaching of the [Catholic] Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.' Should you not publicly repudiate your advocacy for abortion rights or else refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion, I would have no choice but to make a declaration, in keeping with Canon 915, that you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. According to Cordileone, Pelosi has not repudiated her support of abortion leading him to ban the House Speaker from receiving Holy Communion. (Related: PLANNED ABORTION-HOOD? First order of business for the Democrat-led House of Representatives was funding the mass murder of unborn babies using taxpayers money.) Pelosi claiming to be a devout Catholic while espousing abortion is utter hypocrisy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, has presented herself as a devout Catholic despite supporting abortion. However, her espousal of abortion has triggered several brushes with the Catholic Church over the years as the latter condemns it as a moral evil. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. That teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. It added that direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: [As such,] abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes. Remarking on the San Francisco archbishops admonishments, Pelosi said: This really gets me burned up in case you didnt notice, because again Im very Catholic. Devout, practicing, all of that. They would like to throw me out. But Im not going because I dont want to make their day. Fr. Thomas Rausch SJ, professor emeritus at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, pointed that Cordileones edict only applies to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Pelosi would still be able to receive Holy Communion in other dioceses, he added. The Jesuit Rausch, however, remarked that the archbishops actions reflect the division in the American Catholic hierarchy. He explained: We have some bishops who insist on making abortion the preeminent moral issue faced by the church, and we have others who are personally against abortion but do not want to politicize the Eucharist. Brian Burch, president of advocacy group CatholicVote, said following Cordileones announcement: For too long, Catholic public officials have created confusion and disunity by advocating for policies that destroy innocent human life in direct contradiction of the teachings of the Catholic faith. The persistent disobedience of these public officials is a source of enormous sadness and scandal that begged for a response. Even though the San Francisco archbishop prohibited Pelosi from receiving Holy Communion, he still exhorted the faithful to pray and fast for her. Watch Gabor Gabe Zolna talking about Cordileone barring the House speaker from Holy Communion below. This video is from the zolnareport.com channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories:. Same Leftists who say vaccines promote the greater good now insist that ABORTION is a moral good for society. FULL LIST: Pro-abortion vandalism, church storming over possibility Roe v. Wade will fall. Op-ed: Abortion activists reveal their EVIL nature through threats and vandalism. Sources include: FoxNews.com News.Yahoo.com CatholicNewsAgency.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The Washington Post revealed Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys highly controversial Disinformation Governance Board, launched with much fanfare just three weeks earlier, was to close, and that its director, Nina Jankowicz former fellow at the quasi-state Wilson Center think tank, and Ukrainian foreign ministry communications adviser had resigned. (Article by Kit KLARENBERG republished from Strategic-Culture.org) The exclusive report, authored by Taylor Lorenz, went to enormous efforts to frame the Boards dissolution as resulting from egregious sabotage by right-wing activists, who engaged in coordinated online attacks on its well-known, well-regarded chief, subjecting her to an unrelenting barrage of harassment, which served to derail the Biden administrations benevolent efforts to tackle the urgent and important issue of disinformation. In reality, public backlash against the Board, which erupted immediately following its official launch on April 27, was wide-ranging, and anything but partisan or personal. Prominent rights groups and lawmakers expressed grave concerns about its constitutionality and the obvious risk of its serving as a state censorship mechanism, with many comparisons drawn to the infamous Ministry of Truth conjured by George Orwell in 1984. Many legitimate, vital criticisms of Jankowicz were also raised, including her history of slandering independent news outlets, such as The Grayzone, as Russian disinformation; frenzied attacks on WikiLeaks and its imprisoned founder, Julian Assange; and enthusiastic advocacy on behalf of former MI6 spy Christopher Steele, author of the utterly discredited Trump-Russia dossier that produced countless wholly fictitious stories in the mainstream media, many of which have since been significantly rowed back or retracted outright. While in Kiev, Jankowicz hosted the YouTube channel of U.K. and U.S. government-funded fact checker StopFake, which has endlessly whitewashed the issue of widespread fascism in Ukraine. Jankowicz herself is directly implicated in this shameful, misleading output. In January 2017, she presented an on-camera report extolling the virtues of four national paramilitary units, including the openly neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, linked to serious human rights abuses and brutal war crimes. Lorenzs friendship with Jankowicz notwithstanding, its rather extraordinary that one of Americas leading newspapers which in 2017 adopted the slogan democracy dies in darkness, inspired by famous quotes in defense of the First Amendment, and condemning official secrecy is lamenting the demise of a shadowy government unit concerned with determining what constitutes fake news, let alone was so enthusiastically supportive of such an entitys existence in the first place. INTENTIONALLY FALSE AND DEFAMATORY Despite Jankowiczs professional activities and public statements providing such ample fodder to critics, even her most vocal detractors overlooked her resumes most troubling aspect namely, that she serves on the advisory board of Open Information Partnership (OIP), a British Foreign Office psychological warfare operation. Details on when this role began, what it entails, and the remuneration she receives, if any, arent clear. Its also a position that has been barely promoted, the only public reference to it online today being contained in Jankowiczs Pulitzer Center biography. Then again, rather ironically given the organizations name, OIP is itself markedly opaque. OIPs spartan official website sparingly styles the endeavor as a diverse network of investigative journalists, charities, think tanks, academics, NGOs, activists, and fact checkers, active in over 20 countries, which since February 2019 has been standing firm against the rising tide of disinformation in the news, on social media and across our public discourse which we believe to be an existential threat to democracy. Little further elucidation of OIPs activities and objectives is offered, but its founding Partners provide cause for concern. They include NATO propaganda offshoot The Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab; and Zinc Network, a British communications agency managing covert psyops campaigns many explicitly targeting Muslims the world over for a variety of clients, including the U.K. Home Office, U.S. intelligence cutout USAID, and the Pentagon. Controversial U.S. and U.K. government-funded investigative website Bellingcat a prominent disseminator, amplifier and validator of Western national security propaganda, which counts numerous individuals with military and intelligence backgrounds among its contributors was also one of OIPs founders, training journalists overseas under its auspices for two years from launch. If those names arent sufficient to raise significant suspicions about OIP, the efforts sinister true nature is amply underlined by a trove of leaked Foreign Office documents reviewed by MintPress News. These incriminating papers reveal that OIP is the flagship component of a wider cloak-and-dagger effort to weaken the Russian states influence in Moscows near abroad the constellation of countries comprising the former Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact, and Yugoslavia bankrolled to the tune of over $100 million by London from 2017 onwards. OIP alone received a tenth of that total in its first two years of operation to use audience-centric communications to undermine the credibility of disinformation sources for specific target audiences in the region and construct the diverse network referred to on the organizations website. Members of this nexus are provided training in best practice in exposing and countering disinformation across a range of disciplines, from open source research through to viral video production and digital targeting as well as cyber security, libel and data compliance. Participating entities then increase the pace, scale and quality of their output and more optimally target audiences vulnerable to Russian propaganda in tandem via campaign co-creation[linking] the organisations across borders. Which would be all well and good, except the leaked files make abundantly clear that OIP isnt actually concerned with countering fake news at all but is, in reality, energized by a desire to conceal facts and bothersome perspectives the British state doesnt want in the public domain, via manipulation, distortion, and lies. Take, for instance, the following passage in one document, which laments without irony that one of the key barriers to combating Russian disinformation is that certain Kremlin-backed narratives are factually true [emphasis added]. Responding to inconvenient truths, as opposed to pure propaganda, is naturally more problematic, the file explained. Consider too the footsoldiers deployed by OIP to respond to such inconvenient truths. One leaked file offers appraisals of 56 organizations identified by the Foreign Office as potential network members, including OIP founder Bellingcat. Eliot Higgins much-venerated crack squad of laptop jockeys was judged to be somewhat discredited, both by spreading disinformation and by being willing to produce reports for anyone willing to pay. Even harsher words were reserved for Tallinn-based fact-checker Propastop, which was found to have ties to both the Estonian government and neo-fascist groups. Propastop has been involved in inciting violence against Estonias Russian minority, the appraisal damningly ruled. Its reporting is widely considered to lack credibility and they have published a number of intentionally false and defamatory articles about Russian media outlets. Meanwhile, prospective network member International Centre for Defence and Security was found to be funded by and politically linked to the Estonian state, specifically the Ministry of Defence, giving the appearance of independence without being so. It is more respectable than Propastop, and is not linked to the far right, though it reflects the hawkish nationalism of the Estonian government, its appraisal concluded. Despite these condemnations, both organizations among many other mooted members about which significant reservations were privately raised became part of OIPs network, granting them Foreign Office financing, support and promotion and ostensibly placing their output and operations under the guidance of Jankowicz. RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE Given this composition, it was perhaps unsurprisingly well-understood internally that OIP [being] interpreted as a UK-sponsored disinformation or troll factory was a significant risk. To mitigate this hazard, Zinc Network pledged to position the project externally as being within the established and accepted sector of media development and pluralism and fact checking [emphasis added]. Which no doubt accounts for all the lofty references to defending democracy on OIPs website today. The leaked documents contain numerous troubling examples of OIP at work. For example, in Ukraine, it trained 12 online influencers to counter Kremlin-backed messaging through innovative editorial strategies, audience segmentation, and production models, helping their compelling content reach millions of people. In Russia and Central Asia, a network of YouTubers was secretly paid to create videos promoting democratic values; project communications were carefully concealed to ensure the networks existence, and Londons role in managing it was kept confidential. Meanwhile, in the Baltic states, online personalities received unadvertised personal brand strategy informed by individual target audience analysis, growth strategies for their chosen social media platform, and digital marketing and campaign training. Quite clearly, far from fostering independent citizen journalism, these initiatives were pure astroturfing, the creation of a hand-picked clandestine nexus of effective British agents helped by OIP to generate slick propaganda reading scripts effectively prepared by the Foreign Office which was then amplified globally by the organizations network members. There are obvious echoes in this of the U.S. National Security Council giving direct briefings to Tik Tok stars on Washingtons strategic goals in the Ukraine conflict. Underlining this interpretation further, Zinc Network boasts of maintaining its influencer networks over extended periods of time, enabling us to deliver both long-term strategic messaging to audiences, but also to conduct multi-layered rapid response communications following key events. One such key event cited was an April 2018 protest in Moscow against restrictions on the use of messaging app Telegram. Zinc was able to activate a range of content within 12 hours of the demonstration beginning. Its almost inconceivable that at least some of this output didnt worm its way into the Western media, which gave the upheaval almost blanket coverage. If so, domestic audiences would have been totally unaware that it was in fact funded and co-produced by London. Still, thats an open question as is the extent to which OIP has influenced the outcome of elections taking place in countries of particular interest [emphasis added] to the Foreign Office, one of the organizations key objectives. Network members are trained in identifying key trends and flashpoints in activity or narratives during campaigns and to intensify their propaganda output as polling day nears. In the May 2019 North Macedonian presidential vote which pitted pro-European Union, pro-NATO candidate Stevo Pendarovski against Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a more pro-Russian figure OIPs founding members, including Bellingcat, were flown into the country, providing two weeks intensive training to a local media outlet. Pendarovski prevailed, although only after the first round of voting produced a virtual tie. Did OIP help push him over the line? Whatever the truth of the matter, it can only be considered a perverse irony that in July 2020, Bellingcat published a report on alleged Russian interference in North Macedonia ahead of the countrys parliamentary election. In November of that year, Moldova had a presidential vote of its own, which saw similar candidates square off the pro-Russian incumbent Igor Dodon and pro-Western upstart Maia Sandu. The latter prevailed, an upset that the mainstream media acknowledged came as a surprise. OIP member MEMO 98, a Slovakia-based election monitor, released an in-depth study of the election thereafter, attributing Sandus shock win to her social media skills. OIP ranks Moldova as inhabiting the most vital space in its network, owing to the region being purportedly subsumed almost entirely within Russias sphere of influence. Accordingly, two Chisinau-based organizations, the Association of Independent Press and Newsmaker, are OIP members. MEMO 98 could have been instrumental in identifying key trends and flashpoints in activity or narratives over the election campaign, its findings informing compelling content to be broadcast via the pair and a more comprehensive OIP network locally and internationally, in support of Sandus candidacy. TO BE CONTINUED? Keeping the internal workings of OIP as closely guarded from the outside world as possible was of paramount importance to the Foreign Office. A section on risk management strategies for the project in one document deemed it vital that OIPs head office have a dedicated security team, resourced with qualified personnel, including former military and security services operatives. All employees and network members are subject to national security vetting, with the operation based in a nondescript building that avoids attention, precise coordinates unknown. The location of its headquarters is not advertised or known; all windows are tinted from external view; strict access controls including reinforced airlocked doors, CCTV, and a segregated meeting room for sensitive briefings are also in place. A similarly intense veil of secrecy shrouded the DHS Disinformation Governance Board. Having launched the DGB without any clarity whatsoever regarding its functions, responsibilities, and how and whether it would be regulated or subject to democratic oversight, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded to the initial wave of censure by offering reassurances that the unit would have no operational capabilities, and absolutely would not monitor or police U.S. citizens statements on- or off-line, instead simply accumulating best practices for counter-disinformation. Such promises inevitably did little to inspire confidence there quite obviously seems little purpose or sense in creating a new division of a federal executive department that has no operational powers, or at least wont at a later date. And indeed the CIA and NSA are similarly prohibited by law from domestic activities yet both routinely flout this crucial restriction without compunction or consequence. Subsequently, the DHS issued a factsheet promising that the Board would merely keep track of black propaganda spread by foreign states such as Russia, China, and Iran, adding that the Department was deeply committed to doing all of its work in a way that protects Americans freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy. Of course, numerous other Western state and quasi-state anti-disinformation efforts which serve as establishment censorship mechanisms, validating establishment news organizations while blacklisting and maligning alternative U.S.-based media, including MintPress claim to be similarly committed to those principles. Such as Open Information Partnership, for example, a particularly blatant example of the emergent, aggressive trend toward direct state diktat over whats true and false, and what citizens are allowed to know. The Washington Post and As such, its incumbent to ask whether the organization represented a blueprint for the Disinformation Governance Board; whether Jankowiczs role in it was a factor in her recruitment by the DHS; and whether apologetic obituaries published byt and The New York Times which falsely claimed the Boards cessation was influenced by disinformation are a reflection of how both outlets stood to materially benefit from its operation. The bodys rapid, unceremonious termination represents a not insignificant victory for people power: concerned citizens, independent journalists and researchers led the charge in sounding the alarm. However, there is little reason to believe the threat has been permanently vanquished. In fact, that the public was able to successfully challenge the warm welcome extended to Jankowicz by the majority of mainstream pundits and pressure officials to scuttle the venture has no doubt reinforced the necessity of the Boards mission. Read more at: Strategic-Culture.org (Natural News) In March 2021, the National Threat Initiative (NTI) partnered with the Munich Security Conference to conduct a tabletop exercise on reducing high-consequence biological threats. The report focused specifically on a Monkeypox outbreak. (Article by ThreadIrish republished from ThreadIrish.Substack.com) This tabletop exercise can be added to a long list of other pandemic table top exercises. In a previous thread that I wrote back in November 2021 (before my twitter account was banned) I wrote a thread entitled Who Are The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security And Why Did They Publish A Document Called The SPARS Pandemic 2025-2028. In that thread I spoke of 4 pandemic tabletop exercises that have taken place over the last twenty years such as Operation Dark Winter, Atlantic Storm, Clade X & most famously Event 201. We now have another one that we can add to the list called Strengthening Global Systems to Prevent and Respond to High-Consequence Biological Threats. Open Philanthropy funded the report. One of its main funders is Dustin Moscovitz who founded Facebook along with Mark Zuckerberg. Before I jump into a brief summary of the document it is important to go down the rabbit hole to see how the dots are connected. The report was a partnership between The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Munich Security Conference. The Munich Security Conference has received funding of $1.2 mil from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has also received $3.5 mil from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the name of Vaccine Development. On September 20, 2017, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) hosted a roundtable discussion on the current landscape of biological risks presented by technology advancement in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. https://www.nti.org/news/nti-and-world-economic-forum-partner-discuss-biological-risks-posed-advances-technology/ Fast forward 3 years and in January 2020, NTI and the World Economic Forum released a report called Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction: A Global Framework for Accessible, Safe and Secure DNA Synthesis https://www.nti.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Biosecurity_Innovation_and_Risk_Reduction.pdf From the World Economic Forum press release they speak of: Rapid advancements in commercially available DNA synthesis technologies used for example to artificially create gene sequences for clinical diagnosis and treatment pose growing risks, with the potential to cause a catastrophic biological security threat if accidentally or deliberately misused https://www.nti.org/news/nti-and-world-economic-forum-release-new-report-dna-synthesis-technologies/ Now that weve established who is funding these reports lets have a closer look at the 2021 report itself which predicted the Monkeypox outbreak (and yes the exact date is predicted in the document) https://www.nti.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NTI_Paper_BIO-TTX_Final.pdf On Page 6 of the 36 page report in the Executive Summary it says: The exercise scenario portrayed a deadly, global pandemic involving an unusual strain of monkeypox virus that emerged in the fictional nation of Brinia and spread globally over 18 months. Ultimately, the exercise scenario revealed that the initial outbreak was caused by a terrorist attack using a pathogen engineered in a laboratory with inadequate biosafety and biosecurity provisions and weak oversight. By the end of the exercise, the fictional pandemic resulted in more than three billion cases and 270 million fatalities worldwide Discussion among exercise participants led to the following key findings: Weak global detection, assessment, and warning of pandemic risks Gaps in national-level preparedness Gaps in biological research governance Insufficient financing of international preparedness for pandemics To address these findings, the authors developed the following 5 recommendations. Bolster international systems for pandemic risk assessment, warning, and investigating outbreak origins Develop and institute national-level triggers for early, proactive pandemic response Establish an international entity dedicated to reducing emerging biological risks associated with rapid technology advances Develop a catalytic global health security fund to accelerate pandemic preparedness capacity building in countries around the world Establish a robust international process to tackle the challenge of supply chain resilience What is especially interesting about these recommendations is the role the UN, WHO and Banks will have to play (all are mentioned in the report). This seems like a direct nod to the WHO Pandemic treaty which is being discussed at the World Health Assembly May 22-28. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2022/05/18/the-who-to-discuss-global-pandemic-treaty-at-world-health-assembly-may-22-28/ Isnt it interesting as well that the World Economic Forum 2022 meeting is also taking place from May 22-26. I mentioned earlier the exercise participants in the tabletop exercise but who are they. It will come as no surprise that it was the usual runners and riders which coincidentally were involved in Event 201. Here are just a few from Page 9.. Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme Dr. Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Global Head, Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health R&D Janssen Research & Development Dr. Chris Elias, President, Global Development Division Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director Wellcome Trust Most fascinating of all though was the predicted date from the document of the Monkeypox outbreak (Page 9). Funny how unerringly accurate they are with their predictions. Just a coincidence of course. The report also speaks of future triggers. Page 17 In national pandemic response plans, specific readiness measures would be triggered based on factors related to the potential severity of the outbreak, expected delays in situational awareness, and the time it would take to implement response measures and see results As was evident in Covid yet again they speak of flattening the curve, using mask mandates and ceasing mass gatherings as well as health screening measures for travel (vaccine passports). Although triggered actions would vary depending upon the particular needs of the country, in most cases the goals are the same: slow the spread of disease to buy time and flatten the epidemiological curve, while using that time to scale up public health and medical systems to keep up with growing caseloads and save lives. NPIs such as mask mandates and ceasing mass gatherings were deemed to be critical for blocking chains of disease transmission. Participants generally did not endorse travel restrictions such as border closures, but travel health screening measures were viewed as valuable One other coincidence I noticed in the document is the address of the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington. 1776 Eye Street. Wasnt 1776 the date of the American Declaration Of Independence. The document is also 33 pages long but maybe thats another coincidence and a discussion for another day. Make of it what you will. If anybody thinks these pandemic tabletop exercises are a coincidence they need their head examined. This is far from over. Read more at: ThreadIrish.Substack.com (Natural News) Most of the vaccine deaths recorded by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in more than three decades happened last year following the rollout of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. There had been various reports of healthy people, including athletes, dying after getting vaccinated but mainstream media and social media platforms are intent on censoring them. There had been talks about nanotechnology, the use of spike protein, graphene oxide and graphene hydroxide and all sorts of things. About a year ago, glyphosate a weed killer was found in the vaccines. This led many to suspect that big pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer are introducing something into the vaccines that are designed to cause detrimental effects to the body. Its almost like theres a sleeper cell in the body that can be triggered based on the chemical ingredient in the vaccine. (Related: Multiple vaccine corporations are working on a coronavirus jab as Big Pharma gets ready to cash in on a bioweapon built by genetic engineers.) In his podcast, Dr. Rashid Buttar warned his viewers that there are things being introduced to the human body by the COVID-19 vaccines that should never be introduced in the first place. If your immune system is intact, you should be confident that you dont have anything to worry about because you dont have that massive payload thats being introduced into your body, he said. Unfortunately, billions of vaccinated people around the world can no longer say that their immune system is intact. According to Buttar, theres something within the vaccines that are considered a bioweapon as it can create a signal that will release the payload within its hydrogel component. One of the payloads could be the Marburg virus, which mimics hemorrhagic fever. The Marburg virus has a 22 to 90 percent mortality rate, although Google suggests it has an 88 percent mortality on average. This means that for every 100 people in the population, 88 will die. This will result in millions of people dying worldwide. In other words, COVID-19 vaccines contain a virus that is far deadlier than SARS-CoV-2. Were talking not hundreds of thousands, but millions and millions of people worldwide, Buttar said. When youve talked as much as I have about this issue and tried to warn as many people as Ive tried to warn and they still do it, at a certain point, you say, theres only so much I can do.' WHO set to take global control in case of health emergency Once the Marburg epidemic begins, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization will assume control leading to even more danger. As millions of people are set to die, the WHO and the CDC will take over and control the narrative. This is especially concerning considering that the WHO is set to vote on amendments to the international health regulations (IHR). When passed, the WHO director-general will become an effective dictator in case of a health emergency. The amendments state that the WHO director-general no longer has to consult with anyone, including the Emergency Committee, in declaring a health emergency when it occurs. And countries deemed to be in a public health crisis will have to be in lockstep with the WHO regulations. Government policies will be minimal under these new laws, which can be enacted upon the approval of a simple majority of 194-member countries. There are also worries that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will act in the interest of the Great Reset. (Related: TrustWHO documentary exposes widespread corruption at World Health Organization, driven by Bill Gates.) World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab has said that the COVID-19 pandemic is a rare but a narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine and reset our world. In early 2022, the U.S. submitted a number of amendments to the IHR. The amendments serve to give away the sovereignty of the states and empower the WHO to restrict health-related rights and freedoms. The amendments also show that the WHO wants to do more than advise member countries. It wants complete control as it seeks to enforce an authoritarian, one-size-fits-all approach to world health. Watch the video below for more about the dangers of getting injected with COVID-19 vaccines. This video is from the FreedomNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: EU politician condemns World Health Organization treaty for bypassing the rule of the people. UN whistleblower says World Health Organization is tip of the spear for global tyranny. MEP Christine Anderson warns: WHO trying to seize governmental power through PANDEMIC TREATY. Be warned: The World Health Organizations Pandemic Treaty will destroy all remaining freedoms and unleash a global MEDICAL DICTATORSHIP. Sources include: MedRXIV.org Brighteon.com TheParadise.ng (Natural News) Something is very wrong, and it is because of the Covid-19 injections. (Article republished from Expose-News.com) All around the world, Governments are publishing official data that all show the same thing. Those same Governments however are not willing to explain why. Instead, they are quietly publishing data in the hope that it will get swept under the carpet whilst they have you distracted by war in Ukraine and worrying about the cost of living; a crisis created by Government policy. But with the publication of confidential Pfizer documents, Governments around the world are running out of places to hide, and if these worrying trends continue, they will be forced to admit the Covid-19 injections are either causing Antibody-Dependent Enhancement or something much worse. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Whilst rare, it is perfectly possible for a medication or drug to cause Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, and data published by Public Health Scotland, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the Government of Canada, the UK Health Security Agency, the Office for National Statistics, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control strongly suggests the Covid-19 injections should be added to the list. How else can Governments around the world explain the fact the fully vaccinated are more likely to be infected with Covid-19, more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19, and more likely to die of Covid-19 than the unvaccinated? How else can Governments around the world explain the huge rise in all-cause mortality rates among the fully vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated? How else can Governments around the world explain the 1,145% to 33,715% increase in AIDS-related diseases, cancers and infections reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in 2021? Scotland Public Health Scotland announced in January that from the 6th Feb 22, they would no longer report Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths by vaccination status on a weekly basis. Heres why The charts above have been created using the figures published by Public Health Scotland in their COVID-19 & Winter Statistical Report published 16th Feb 22, and they show that Covid-19 infection, hospitalisation and death rates per 100,000 individuals were consistently higher among the fully vaccinated population. This is what Covid-19 vaccination has done to the people of Scotland. New Zealand The following chart shows the true number of Covid-19 cases by vaccination status between 6th Jan and 11th Feb, and between 12th Feb and 24th Feb in New Zealand. The data has been extracted from the following official New Zealand Ministry of Health Covid-19: Case Demographics reports As you can see in both periods the fully vaccinated population accounted for the majority of Covid-19 cases, but the difference in the number of cases by vaccination status between 12th Feb and 24th Feb is shocking. The following chart shows the Covid-19 case rate per 100k population by vaccination status between 6th Jan and 11th Feb, and between 12th Feb and 24th Feb 22 in New Zealand base on the cases above These case rates, just like the Public Health Scotland case rates, certainly pour water on the bonfire of anyone who says vaccination reduces the chances of being infected with Covid-19, dont they? This means the Covid-19 injections have a real-world negative effectiveness, and were able to use Pfizers vaccine effectiveness formula to calculate it. Unvaccinated case rate Vaccinated case rate / Unvaccinated case rate = Vaccine Effectiveness The following chart shows the real-world two-dose Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness between 6th Jan and 11th Feb, and between 12th Feb and 24th Feb 22 Between 6th Jan and 11th Feb the real-world Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness proved to be minus-94.4%, but by the 24th Feb, the real-world vaccine effectiveness fell to minus-281.35%. This means the fully vaccinated were 3.8 times more likely to be infected with Covid-19 than the unvaccinated/one dose vaccinated population. This is what double vaccination has done to the people of New Zealand. Canada Despite the Government enforcing Draconian restrictions which have in turn coerced millions into getting the Covid-19 injections, since the turn of the year the country of Canada has experienced its largest wave of Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths to date. Why? Official Government of Canada data shows that the vaccinated population as a whole has accounted for 4 in every 5 Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths from 21st February 2022, up to 17th April. But it also shows the case/hospitalisation/death-rates per 100,000 population have been highest among the triple vaccinated during the same time frame. So high that the data shows the triple vaccinated are on average 4 times more likely to be infected with Covid-19, 2 times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19, and 3 times more likely to die of Covid-19 than the unvaccinated. The following chart shows the vaccinated case-rates per 100,000 by vaccination status across Canada between 21st Feb and 17th April 2022 The following chart shows the vaccinated hospitalisation-rates per 100,000 by vaccination status across Canada between 21st Feb and 17th April 2022 The following chart shows the vaccinated death-rates per 100,000 by vaccination status across Canada between 21st Feb and 17th April 2022 This is what Covid-19 vaccination has done to the people of Canada. England The UK Health Security Agency is also playing the same game as Public Health Scotland, and since the 1st April 2022 has refused to publish any further data on Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths by vaccination status. Heres why The above three charts have been created using the figures contained in the Week 5, Week 9 and Week 13 UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Vaccine Surveillance reports. The figures show that the case rates between week 5 and week 13 of 2022 were highest among the triple vaccinated in all age groups in England. Not just by a little bit either, and the gap between the unvaccinated and triple vaccinated has been getting worse by the month. All age groups also suffered a higher Covid-19 death rate per 100,000 among the double vaccinated except for 18-29-year olds between week 5 and week 9. But this age group only suffered a higher death rate among the unvaccinated in week 5, with week 9 and week 13 seeing an identical death rate among the unvaccinated and double-vaccinated. The only other age group to break the trend was 30-39-year-olds, who flip-flopped back to a slightly higher death rate among the unvaccinated in week 13. But apart from this, all other age groups had suffered a higher death rate among the double vaccinated since the beginning of the year. These arent the kind of figures we should be seeing if a vaccine is effective. These arent even the kind of figures we should be seeing if a vaccine is ineffective. What were seeing here is a vaccine that is having the opposite of its intended effect. The following two charts shows the real-world Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness against death among the double vaccinated population in England by age group and week, based on the death rates provided above (Pfizers vaccine formula: Unvaccinated Rate per 100k Vaccinated Rate per 100k / Unvaccinated Rate per 100k x 100 = Vaccine Effectiveness) A vaccine effectiveness against death of minus-111% was recorded among 60-69-year-olds, minus-138% among 70-79-year-olds, and minus-166% among people over the age of 80 in week 9 of 2022. But just look at the figures for the 40-49-year-olds. In week 5 a vaccine effectiveness against death of +16% was recorded. Then in week 9 this fell to minus-32%. But then in week 13 this fell to a shocking minus-121%. These figures show that most double vaccinated individuals are twice as likely to die of Covid-19 than unvaccinated individuals. The following chart shows the real-world Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness among the triple vaccinated population by age-group and week in England between 3rd January and 27th March 2022, based on the case-rate figures provided previously above This is nowhere near the claimed 95% effectiveness by Pfizer, is it? Vaccine effectiveness was as low as minus-391.43% among 60-69-year-olds in Week 13, falling from minus 114.8% in week 5. The most concerning declines here seem to be among the 60-69-year-olds and 70-79-year-olds because it looks like they have fallen off a cliff between week 9 and week 13. Thankfully the fall among 18-29-year-olds seems to have slowed between week 9 and week 13 but still sits at minus-231.22% after being minus-29.8% in week 5. These figures show that 60-69-year-olds are nearly 5 times more likely to be infected with Covid-19 than unvaccinated 60-69-year-olds, and show that 40-59 and 70-79-year-olds are over 4 times more likely to be infected with Covid-19 than their unvaccinated counterparts. The UKHSA claims that vaccine effectiveness wanes substantially over time and this is why its important to get a booster dose. But this is a lie. Vaccine effectiveness doesnt wane. Immune system performance does. Vaccine effectiveness isnt really a measure of a vaccine, it is a measure of a vaccine recipients immune system performance compared to the immune system performance of an unvaccinated person. A vaccine effectiveness of -50% would mean that the immune system of the vaccinated is now performing at a worse rate than the natural immune system of the unvaccinated. It would mean the Covid-19 vaccines have damaged the immune system, and thats precisely what these figures are showing. The following chart shows the immune system performance of the triple vaccinated population in England by age group in per week compared to the natural immune system of the unvaccinated population based on the case-rate figures provided above Positive Immune System Performance = Unvaccinated Case Rate Vaccinated Case Rate / Unvaccinated Case Rate x 100 Negative Immune System Performance = Unvaccinated Case Rate Vaccinated Case Rate / Vaccinated Case Rate x 100 The lowest immune system performance was among 60-69-year-olds at a shocking minus-80%, but all triple vaccinated people aged 30 to 59 were not far behind, with an immune system performance ranging from minus-75% to minus-76%. Even the 18 to 29-year-olds were within this region at minus-70%, falling from an immune system performance of +11.35% between week 51 and week 2, meaning they suffered the fastest decline in immune system performance. Anyone over the age of 60 who has had three jabs should be extremely concerned based on the figures above because they reveal an extremely rapid decline in immune system performance since the beginning of 2022. But thats not to say anyone under the age of 60 shouldnt be concerned, they are already all suffering from an immune system that has degraded on average between 70 and 76%. This is what Covid-19 Vaccination has done to the people of England and Scotland, and New Zealand, and Canada, and most likely the rest of the world. The question is, why? Antibody-Dependent Enhancement? Intensive research conducted by health experts throughout the years has brought to light increasing concerns about Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE), a phenomenon where vaccines make the disease far worse by priming the immune system for a potentially deadly overreaction. ADE can arise in several different ways but the best-known is dubbed the Trojan Horse Pathway. This occurs when non-neutralizing antibodies generated by past infection or vaccination fail to shut down the pathogen upon re-exposure. Instead, they act as a gateway by allowing the virus to gain entry and replicate in cells that are usually off limits (typically immune cells, like macrophages). That, in turn, can lead to wider dissemination of illness, and over-reactive immune responses that cause more severe illness. In previous clinical trials of vaccine candidates to combat SARS and MERS, the studies each failed during the animal phase due to ADE also known as pathogenic priming or a cytokine storm. Phase three clinical trials are designed to uncover frequent or severe side effects before a vaccine is approved for use, including ADE. But herein lies the problem, none of the Covid-19 vaccines have completed phase three clinical trials. The Pfizer phase three trial is not due to complete until February 8th 2024, after previously being estimated to complete in April 2023. However, of the information collated by Pfizer so far in the ongoing study they have conducted, it is clear to see that they were fully aware in February 2021 that antibody-dependent enhancement was a possible consequence of their Covid-19 injection, and it appears they also knew by April 2021 that the phenomenon was killing people. Vaccine-associated enhanced diseases (VAED) are modified presentations of clinical infections affecting individuals exposed to a wild-type pathogen after having received a prior vaccination for the same pathogen. Enhanced responses are triggered by failed attempts to control the infecting virus, and VAED typically presents with symptoms related to the target organ of the infection pathogen. According to scientists, VAED occurs as two different immunopathologies, antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and vaccine-associated hypersensitivity (VAH). Antibody-Dependent Enhancement would certainly explain why the vaccinated population are twice as likely to be hospitalised with and die of Covid-19 than the unvaccinated population, but were not sure it would explain why the vaccinated are up to five times more likely to be infected with Covid-19. Another extremely serious condition that would explain the higher case rate as well as the higher hospitalisation/death rate is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome? Its a common misconception that Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is only caused by the HIV virus. This simply isnt true. Acquired (or secondary) immunodeficiency is one of the major causes of infections in adults. These immunodeficiency disorders affect your immune system partially or as a whole, making your body an easy target for several diseases and infections. (Source) When immunodeficiency disorders affect your immune system, your body can no longer fight bacteria and diseases. (Source) Several factors in the environment can cause secondary immunodeficiency disorders. ?(Source) Some common ones are: Radiation or chemotherapy, which can lead to a secondary immunodeficiency disorder known as neutropenia Infections due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can result in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) Leukaemia, a cancer that begins in the cells of the bone marrow that can lead to hypogammaglobulinemiaa type of secondary immunodeficiency Malnutrition, which affects up to 50% of populations in underdeveloped countries and leaves people vulnerable to respiratory infections and diarrhoea But some of the less common causes include Drugs or medications. (Source) So its perfectly possible for a medication or drug to cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and data published by Public Health Scotland, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the Government of Canada, the UK Health Security Agency, the UKs Office for National Statistics, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control strongly suggests the Covid-19 injections should be added to the list. Read more at: Expose-News.com (Natural News) Indonesia recently lifted its ban on palm oil exports as it caused a nosedive in domestic cooking oil prices. Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced the bans lifting in a May 19 video statement. First announced on April 28, the ban saw Jakarta halting shipments of crude palm oil and several products derived from it. The decision by the Indonesian government sought to tame rising prices of domestic cooking oil before it was rescinded three weeks later. According to Widodo, the supply of bulk cooking oil had now reached a level greater than necessary. Sahat Sinaga, executive director of the Indonesia Vegetable Oil Industry Association, concurred with the president adding that domestic stocks had reached around 5.8 million tons by early May. In several regions, I know prices of cooking oil were still relatively high. But I believe [that] in the coming weeks, they will be more affordable, said Widodo. Although exports are being reopened, the government will continue to closely supervise and monitor [the market] to ensure demand is being met with affordable prices. Palm oil comprises a third of the worlds vegetable oil market, with Indonesia accounting for about 60 percent of the worlds supply. The country also has around six million tons of storage capacity for its palm oil, including those in its ports. Peter Meyer, head of grains and oilseeds at S&P Global Commodity Insights, remarked that Indonesias export ban on palm oil an attempt to lower domestic prices has apparently failed. The reality is that Indonesia is now oversupplied domestically, causing palm oil prices to fall there while world vegetable oil tightness has left other prices elevated. While expected, the reversal does offer some relief to global vegetable oil prices, he explained. (Related: Shortage of cooking oil now on horizon as Indonesia sees panic buying, hoarding of valued commodity.) A long-term ban could severely damage Indonesias economy, given its reliance on palm oil exports. Additionally, this is not the first time Indonesia has announced this type of action since the war started in Ukraine only to reverse course quickly. Indonesian farmers welcome lifting of the ban Indonesian farmers welcomed Widodos lifting of the ban, given that demand for their palm fruits shrank with the prohibition in place. Earlier, palm farmers held a rally that called for a repeal of the ban as palm fruit prices around the archipelago plummeted. SPKS, an Indonesian union of palm oil farmers, hoped that plantation activities would return to normal and farmers economic condition will improve following the bans lifting. Hopefully with the export reopening, palm oil production can resume, said Indonesia Palm Oil Association Secretary General Eddy Martono. The real conditions in the field have been very difficult, because tanks were starting to fill up. According to Meyer, Indonesias ban on palm oil exports also exacerbated concerns regarding vegetable oil supply amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Kyiv has been facing uncertainty when it comes to sunflower oil supply ever since Russian forces attacked in late February. The Black Sea region, where Ukraine is located, accounts for 60 percent of global sunflower oil. It also accounts for 76 percent of sunflower oil exports. Kyiv restricted the export of certain essential food items during the early days of the Russian invasion via a March 5 edict, citing an expected increase in demand. Food items mentioned in the decree included several grains, sugar, salt, eggs, meat and sunflower oil. The Ukrainian government expanded this decree four days later on March 9 to include other grains and fertilizers. Later, Kyiv removed corn and sunflower oil from the list of products banned from exports as per official documents. Ukrainian companies expressed support over the decision to remove corn and sunflower oil from the products under an export ban. For more related stories, head over to SupplyChainWarning.com. Watch this video that talks about the dangers of palm oil in different chocolate candies. This video is from the Truth Matters channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Europe faces sunflower oil shortage as Russian attacks on Ukraine continue to disrupt food supply. Tesco, the UKs largest supermarket, begins cooking oil rationing amid supply disruption. Indonesia bans edible oil exports (i.e., palm oil), sparking global mayhem. Cooking oils price surge signals worsening global food inflation. Sources include: AgWeb.com Reuters.com Agricensus.com Brighteon.com Drydocks World has signed a contract with Malaysia-based Yinson Production to upgrade, refurbish, and convert a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for Enauta independent oil and gas company in Brazil. The contract with Yinson Production, which designs, constructs, and operates industry-leading production assets for the offshore oil and gas industry covers conversion and life extension services, as well as refurbishment for the FPSO Atlanta at Drydocks World-Dubai. The upgraded FPSO will be completed in 18 months and delivered in the third quarter of 2023 to Enauta at the offshore Atlanta Field in the Santos Basin. Technical scope The technical scope of work for the project at the Drydocks World-Dubai shipyard includes production engineering, procurement of bulk material, construction as well as support for onshore commissioning. Additionally, the redeployment scope of the project includes steel renewal, piping refurbishment, tank coating, refurbishment of equipment, and the upgrade of an FPSO for operation at the Atlanta field in the Santos basin, Brazil. This includes life extension and installation of new equipment in order to utilise 100% of produced gas and minimising greenhouse gas emissions. FPSO vessels vital FPSO vessels are vital to offshore oil operations, receiving crude oil and other liquids from subsea reservoirs and separating it into natural gas and oil with processing facilities onboard. The FPSO project with Drydocks World will be fully operational by 2024 and support Yinson Productions goal of producing up to 50,000 barrels of oil per day from the field. It also reinforces the long-term viability of the of Made in the UAE solutions. Proven capabilities Capt Rado Antolovic PhD, CEO of Drydocks World said: Signing a contract for this prestigious project reflects our proven technical capabilities and track record. Our expertise in refurbishment, conversion and upgrading FPSO vessels allows us to support Yinson Production in its commitment to improving global access to stable energy sources. We are pleased to enter a new partnership with Yinson and pave the way for a long-term business relationship. David Hamilton, Project Manager, Yinson Production said: The competitive bidding process for this project was rigorous. Selecting Drydocks World outlines the importance of finding a partner with capabilities in upgrading and enhancing FPSO vessels. We look forward to delivering the Atlanta FPSO to Enauta in 2023 and reaffirming our commitment to making energy stable and affordable across the world.-- TradeArabia News Service (Natural News) In our interconnected world, it is becoming more and more clear that very few things, if any, actually happen by chance, and apparently, that includes the current monkeypox outbreak were seeing. On the heels of COVID-19, a nightmarish pandemic in terms of policy that stretched from two weeks to slow the spread to two years worth of financially crippling lockdowns that continue to this day in China, comes this new contagion event and it was all predicted. According to the ThreadsIrish Substack, [t]he March 2021, the National Threat Initiative (NTI) partnered with the Munich Security Conference to conduct a tabletop exercise on reducing high-consequence biological threats. The report focused specifically on a Monkeypox outbreak. Continuing, the Substack report noted that the tabletop exercise can be added to a long list of other such exercises, before going on to point out that in November of that same year before the users Twitter account was taken down, I wrote a threat entitled Who Are The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security And Why Did They Publish A Document Called The SPARS Pandemic 2025-2028. In that thread I spoke of 4 pandemic tabletop exercises that have taken place over the last twenty years such as Operation Dark Winter, Atlantic Storm, Clade X [and] most famously Event 201. Now there is a new one Strengthening Global Systems to Prevent and Respond to High-Consequence Biological Threats which was funded by a group know as Open Philanthropy, which itself is funded, in part, by Dustin Moscovitz, a Facebook co-founder along with Mark Zuckerberg. The report was a partnership between The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Munich Security Conference. The Munich Security Conference has received funding of $1.2 mil from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ThreadsIrish continued. The NTI and World Economic Forum, which is based in Switzerland, put on a roundtable discussion on Sept. 20, 2017, regarding the then-current most credible biological risks that were likely to present themselves through technological advancements in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Roughly two-and-a-half years later, in January 2020, NTI and WEF released a joint report called Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction: A Global Framework for Accessible, Safe and Secure DNA Synthesis. Rapid advancements in commercially available DNA synthesis technologies used for example to artificially create gene sequences for clinical diagnosis and treatment pose growing risks, with the potential to cause a catastrophic biological security threat if accidentally or deliberately misused, a separate WEF press release states. After establishing who is funding these platforms and forums, ThreadsIrish moved to have a closer look at the 2021 report itself which accurately, to the month, predicted the current monkeypox outbreak. On page 6 of the 36-page report in the Executive Summary it states: The exercise scenario portrayed a deadly, global pandemic involving an unusual strain of monkeypox virus that emerged in the fictional nation of Brinia and spread globally over 18 months. Ultimately, the exercise scenario revealed that the initial outbreak was caused by a terrorist attack using a pathogen engineered in a laboratory with inadequate biosafety and biosecurity provisions and weak oversight. By the end of the exercise, the fictional pandemic resulted in more than three billion cases and 270 million fatalities worldwide. After listing a number of recommendations again, this report is from May 2021 ThreadsIrish writes: What is especially interesting about these recommendations is the role the UN, WHO and Banks will have to play (all are mentioned in the report). This seems like a direct nod to the WHO Pandemic treaty which is being discussed at the World Health Assembly May 22-28. Also, Isnt it interesting as well that the World Economic Forum 2022 meeting is also taking place from May 22-26, the Substack author continues. Nothing happens by chance, as the world is being managed by a small number of global elite who have appointed themselves our masters. Sources include: ThreadsIrish.Substack.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Following the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020, another infectious disease known as monkeypox has emerged. However, the monkeypox scare appears to be just another plandemic as governments managed to secure vaccines for it in record time. Doctors in at least eight nations, including the U.S., are now treating patients infected with the disease which is related to smallpox. The first confirmed case of monkeypox in the U.S. was found in a man from Massachusetts, and doctors in New York also began looking into another possible case there. Community transmission is likely, doctors say, as some cases involve patients with no travel history to a country where monkeypox is endemic. Most sites [of monkeypox] outbreaks have been in Central and West Africa like Nigeria for example and sporadic cases in travelers in the U.S., Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of the University of California San Francisco said. Monkeypox cases have also been identified in the United Kingdom, with the U.K. Health Security Agency identifying 11 infected patients. The countrys health authorities urged Britons with unusual rashes or lesions on any part of their body, especially genitalia to get in touch with the National Health Service at the soonest. According to Dr. Michael Head of the University of Southampton, those infected with monkeypox typically have fever, headache, some nausea and prominent skin wounds the boils and the scabs that appear. Both the U.S. and U.K. announced that they have obtained vaccines to use against monkeypox in the same manner as how they addressed COVID-19. The U.S. government has ordered monkeypox vaccines worth $119 million for 13 million Americans, while the U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced the procurement of safe and effective vaccines against the new infectious disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox was first found in 1958 in monkeys kept for research. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid an effort to eliminate smallpox in the country. Monkeypox another plandemic to subdue the population The monkeypox scare seems like another plandemic designed to instill fear and subdue the population two years after COVID-19 reared its head. It also appeared to line up with predictions from Microsoft co-founder and vaccine advocate Bill Gates. (Related: Monkeypox just the latest engineered distraction as controlled demolition of human civilization accelerates.) During an interview, Gates reiterated the need to be prepared for future pandemics that may break out. We have to make sure that were ready, because there will be another pandemic. Theres so many lessons about how we werent prepared [and] how we should have handled things differently. You know, when [those are] clearly in our mind, those investments need to be made, he said. We [also] have to bring this [COVID-19 pandemic] to end, primarily by getting the vaccine out in large numbers to the entire world. The 2021 annual letter from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, run by the technocrat and his former wife, pointed out that the pandemic served as a defining moment for this generation. Just as WWII led to greater cooperation between countries to protect the peace and prioritize the common good, we think that the world has an important opportunity to turn the hard-won lessons of this pandemic into a healthier, more equal future for all, the letter added. Ultimately, Gates had been predicting the emergence of a pandemic since 2015. If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, its most likely to be a highly infectious virus. If we start now, we can be ready for the next epidemic, he said at the time. Watch the video below that touches on monkeypox and how it lines up with Gates prediction. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Bill Gates global agenda and how we can stop the machine and defend our humanity. Gates Foundation leading the way in eugenics depopulation plan to rid the world of humans. RIGGED: Government spends $119 million for monkeypox vaccines following ONE confirmed case in US. New engineered pandemic: US buys millions of vaccines as monkeypox outbreak hits Europe and North America. Here we go again: MONKEYPOX is the next scariant being unleashed on the world to demand vaccine compliance. Sources include: Brighteon.com CDC.gov GatesNotes.com [PDF] (Natural News) The media is pinning the spread of monkeypox in Europe on a massive LGBT festival attended by 80,000 revelers. The Sun (UK) reported that the island event, which featured a pride parade and other debauchery, is linked to 92 confirmed and dozens of suspected cases of monkeypox across the pond. Imagery of the homosexual extravaganza featured marchers donning rainbows, drag costumes, sex shows and other perversions. In the United Kingdom alone, monkeypox cases doubled in a matter of a week, we are told, increasing from about 20 to 40 cases. Doctors are also supposedly warning that the United States, Canada and Australia are next. Spain now has the highest number of infections, outside places in Africa where the virus is endemic, with more than 50 known cases, wrote Aliki Kraterou of the Sun. Now authorities are investigating a festival in Gran Canaria after it was linked with a number of cases in Madrid, Tenerife and Italy. After scaring you about other peoples breath (COVID), now the Deep State wants you fearful of other peoples skin (monkeypox) According to El Pais, a Spanish newspaper, the Canaria Pride festival, which was held in Maspalomas between May 5 and May 15, was a hotspot for the monkeypox. At least three Italian men reportedly tested positive for the virus using the same fraudulent PCR tests that were used throughout the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic to perpetuate fear and hysteria. Among the 30 or so diagnosed in Madrid, there are several who attended the event, although it is not yet possible to know if one of them is patient zero of this outbreak or if they all got infected there, a so-called health source told the paper. There is another suspected case in Tenerife, and public health services are investigating whether or not there are even more than that. The three Italian men were reportedly admitted to the Spallanzani Institute of Infectious Diseases in Rome for treatment and monitoring. These are three young men who say they have not had contact with each other, although two of them do explain that they have recently travelled to the Canary Islands, said Francesco Vaia, the facilitys director. Monkeypox is supposedly not transmissible via sex, but it can be passed (or so we are told) through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during sex. After more than two years of fearmongering about diseased breath supposedly spreading COVID through droplets, the powers that be are now spreading new fear about skin touching skin. Their apparent goal is to make people scared of touching other people. The latest narrative is that any outbreak of skin rashes that cannot be explained by anything else might be monkeypox. Authorities say homosexual and bisexual men are among the transmitters of this alleged disease. Authorities are also claiming that another infection hotspot is the Sauna Paraiso in the Malasana neighborhood of Madrid. The countrys Ministry of Health shut down the facility on May 20. Israel, Norway, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S., and Canada are all now reporting cases of monkeypox as well. In New York, health officials say they are investigating suspected cases of the disease. One unidentified patient is said to be in isolation undergoing treatment while awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Norway is also probing the capital city of Oslo in search of new cases of monkeypox, said the countrys Institute of Public Health. A foreigner who visited Oslo from May 6-10 has, after returning home, been confirmed to have been infected, the agency announced. To keep up with the latest news about the monkey disease, visit Outbreak.news. Sources for this article include: TheSun.co.uk NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A newly discovered variant of a virus that affects bees is now threatening to wipe out apian populations around the globe. A variant of the deformed wing virus (DWV), dubbed DWV-B by scientists, appears to affect bees at a faster rate. The virus causes severe damage to the wings of bees before eventually killing them. Varroa mites known to be traditional pests in bee colonies serve as vectors for the pathogen. Not only do the mites carry the more lethal DWV-B, they also eat bee pupae and lay their eggs in them. This, in turn, threatens the reproduction of bee populations. Zoologist Robert Paxton of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in Germany warned of the dangers of DWV-B if left unchecked. The DWV is arguably the biggest threat to honey bees right now. Our lab research has shown that the new, highly contagious variant is killing bees faster, the expert in apian diseases remarked. An international group of scientists monitoring DVW variants for the past two decades discovered the deadlier bee pathogen. In turn, MLU scientists examined 3,000 different datasets to find out where DWV-B has spread. The researchers at the German university found that DWV-B has already replaced earlier strains circulating in Europe and is quickly spreading to neighboring regions. It was first detected in Europe and Africa in the early 2000s. The virus started spreading in North and South America in 2010, and reached Asia five years later. Our analysis confirms that the new variant is already the dominating force in Europe. We fear that its just a matter of time before it will have forced its way all over the world, explained Paxton. Only Australia remains unaffected by the DWV-B pathogen, which Paxton attributed to the varroa mites failure to establish itself to a wider extent in the Land Down Under. Honey bees face an assortment of threats According to Paxton, basic general hygiene measures for the hive are paramount for beekeepers when it comes to protecting their colonies from the varroa mite. Discovering the mites during the early stages of infestation will also help save the rest of the hive from decimation. Bees are the most important creature for mankind and the environment, he said. Bees are responsible for 80 percent of global pollination. Of the roughly known 20,000 species of bees, only two have been domesticated for honey production and pollination: The western honeybee (Apis mellifera) and the eastern honeybee (A. cerana). Aside from the varroa mite and the DWV-B it carries, apian populations are threatened by anthropogenic factors. These factors include mono-cropping, construction projects that destroy bee habitats and pesticides that inadvertently kill bees. (Related: Bee-killing pesticides threaten the global food supply.) One such pesticide promoted as safe for bees appears to harm them after all. Researchers at the University of California San Diego found after a year-long probe that flupyradifurone, sold under the brand name Sivanto, was detrimental to bee populations. They noted that the pesticide manufactured by German chemical company Bayer can synergistically harm bee behavior and survival, depending upon season and bee age when used alongside a common fungicide. Bees suffered greater mortality and exhibited abnormal behavior, including poor coordination, hyperactivity and apathy, the researchers added. A piece by Childrens Health Defense stated: In the case of Sivanto, the harmful effects were four times greater on foragers than in-hive bees. Needless to say, this still threatens the health of the entire colony. The harm was also greater on both types of worker bees during the summer, compared to spring. Watch this video below discussing how 5G towers in California are killing bees. This video is from the Teslas channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Researchers examine how pesticides contribute to the rapid decline in bee populations. For the first time, bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides are now being found in drinking water. Monsantos weedkiller BOMBSHELL: It murders honey bees, too, contributing to global collapse of the food supply. Conventional agriculture strikes again: Analysis finds that fungicides are causing the decline in endangered bumblebee populations. Its not just pesticides that are wiping out bee pollinators scientists now find that ANTIBIOTICS have a 50% kill rate of honey bees. Sources include: SputnikNews.com Newsweek.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org Brighteon.com (Natural News) A prominent globalist on the world stage, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourlas Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine push is hardly his first medical fascism rodeo. Back in 2018, Bourla appeared at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos where he openly fantasized about feeding people below him on the economic food chain microchip-laced pharmaceutical pills capable of communicating with the government. Bourla explained that each tablet would contain a biological chip for tracking and surveillance purposes. Once consumed, dissolved and digested, the chip would tell the authorities that the drug was taken, ensuring compliance. So imagine the applications of that, the compliance, Bourla said with a maniacal grin. The insurance companies know that the medicines patients should take, they take them. You can watch Bourla giving his 2018 speech in the video below: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla explains Pfizers new tech to Davos crowd: ingestible pills a pill with a tiny chip that send a wireless signal to relevant authorities when the pharmaceutical has been digested. Imagine the compliance, he says pic.twitter.com/uYapKJGDJx Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) May 20, 2022 Bourla did not exactly receive positive feedback for these statements from anyone other than his fellow one-percenters. To this, Bourla responded that microchip-laced drugs are for the benefit of humanity, and could be used to treat specific conditions such as schizophrenia and cancers. Compliance he says consumers are clearly not his customers; government bodies are, tweeted someone in response to the video clip. And Pfizer is fully aligned with compliance because it means more and more sales volume to their government customers. Israeli professor wants total biometric surveillance of the human herd in order to monitor whats happening under their skin It turns out that Bourla is hardly the only WEF globalist pushing for biometric tracking and surveillance. Yuval Noah Harari, a professor from The Hebrew University of Jerusalems Department of History had this to say about the topic: COVID is critical because this is what convinces people to accept and legitimize total biometric surveillance. We need to not just monitor people; we need to monitor whats happening under their skin. A video clip of Harari can be viewed below: World Economic Forum shill, Yuval Noah Harari: Covid is critical because this is what convinces people to accept to legitimize total biometric surveillance. We need to not just monitor people, we need to monitor whats happening under their skin pic.twitter.com/qoPKVGxR7d Maajid ??? ????? (@MaajidNawaz) May 21, 2022 In other words, the human cattle of the world need to be monitored, tracked, surveilled and controlled at all times by people like Bourla and Harari who believe that they exist above and beyond everyone else in the world who is not part of their little club. This is their plan for the future, by the way: to control the human herd with ingestible and injectable tracking chips. It will probably start with the former and morph into the latter once the herd gets used to the idea of technocratic elitists monitoring whats happening under their skin at all times. Amazingly, the Hills Kim Iverson, a former disbeliever in conspiracy theories, is now convinced that there might just be a secret cabal of evil ones who want to enslave the entire world under a bio-surveillance matrix of total slavery. I shall never scoff at so called conspiracy theorists again, Iverson tweeted. I will listen and remain open minded that perhaps what theyre saying is actually happening. In the comment section at Zero Hedge, many stated that they will never, ever comply with such schemes, no matter what the authorities demand of them. I wouldnt be surprised if Pfizer first tested its tablet chip in its Ukraine biolabs on the Ukrainian people, one of them added. More related news stories about Albert Bourla and others like him can be found at Evil.news. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) Dr. Eric Nepute believes the Pfizer documents released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are indisputable proof the Big Pharma and federal agencies are lying to the public. The Pfizer trial data raised many suspicions of fraud. Were seeing so much data that contradicts everything they told us before, said Nepute during the May 17 episode of Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute on Brighteon.TV. They lied. And the FDA knew about it. So did Tony Fauci and the NIH [National Institutes of Health]. Thats why it didnt come as a surprise to Nepute that Pfizer got the greenlight from the FDA to rollout its booster shots for children aged 12 to 15. Nepute said that age group has a survivability rate of 99.99 percent against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). The well-known health and wellness speaker also pointed out that it has been proven that the COVID-19 shots have zero effect after five months as shown by the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nepute asked his viewers why they would let their children have a higher risk for myocarditis, antibody-dependent enhancement and other diseases. Nepute stressed that the people who got Americans into this mess cannot be the people who can get them out of it. They dont have the skill set, the mindset, or really, quite honestly the care because if they cared about you, they would understand what it takes to care for you. And they just dont, said the owner of the Nepute Wellness Centers in St. Louis, Missouri. He also slammed the FDAs plan to intentionally lower the base acceptable bottom for the vaccines efficacy in children to get the shots for children below five years old approved. The FDAs gold standard efficacy rate of at least 50 percent is an absolutely ridiculous number. It should be way higher than that because the risk should not outweigh the benefit, Nepute said. Over two million adverse events in the US prove that COVID vaccines are not safe and effective According to Nepute, the over two million plus adverse events recorded on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) are solid evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines are not safe and effective. Nepute talked about whistleblower Brook Jackson, who worked on Pfizers phase three COVID trials in the fall of 2020 and saw evidence of fraud during the trial. (Related: Whistleblower: Pfizer FORGED signatures of trial participants, falsified and fabricated trial data.) Jackson, who served as regional director at Ventavia Research Group, has told the BMJ that the research organization falsified data, unblinded patients, employed inadequately trained vaccinators and was slow to follow up on adverse events reported in Pfizers pivotal phase III trial. Staff who conducted quality control checks were overwhelmed by the volume of problems they were finding, Jackson said. The health and wellness speaker also mentioned that people are now seeing reports from the U.K. and Israel showing that over 40 percent of those who died from COVID-19 in hospitals were fully vaccinated and boosted. Again, Nepute wasnt surprised. The first batch of Pfizer documents released by the FDA showed that there were 1,223 deaths and over 42,000 reports of adverse events in the first three months of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine rollout alone. Follow Vaccines.news for more news related to COVID-19 vaccines. Watch the full May 17 episode of Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute below. Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute airs every Tuesday at 4-5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Dr. Eric Nepute: Biden, Fauci, CDC are lying to Americans again. Truth shall prevail: FDA begins (reluctantly) releasing Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine documents. Attorney Tom Renz slams Pfizers coverup of serious vaccine reactions Brighteon.TV. Pfizer, government regulators hid smoking gun data showing that covid jabs cause birth defects and infertility. Sources include: Brighteon.com BMJ.com (Natural News) Will the so-called monkeypox virus end up being yet another engineered bioweapon that we discover mysteriously escaped from a laboratory? It sure appears so. Right before the new outbreak, the infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) was supposedly manipulating monkeypox strains using techniques that are linked to creating contagious pathogens. The WIV assembled an entire monkeypox genome, which we are told makes it possible to identify the virus using the same PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing protocols used throughout the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) plandemic. Back in February around the time that Russia invaded Ukraine, a study was published in the journal Virologica Sinica this is the WIVs quarterly scientific journal about monkeypox. It was authored by nine WIV researchers who claim to have identified a portion of the monkeypox virus genome, enabling PCR tests to identify it. Entitled Efficient Assembly of a Large Fragment of Monkeypox Virus Genome as a qPCR Template Using Dual-Selection Based Transformation-Associated Recombination, the papers contents read eerily similar to what was known about covid just before that manufactured scare was released and turned into a global plandemic. Referred to throughout the paper as MPXVs, monkeypox viruses have strains that are more pathogenic and [have] been reported to infect humans in various parts of the world, the paper alleges. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the gold standard for the detection of orthopoxvirus (including MPXV), the paper goes on to explain. For pan-orthopoxviruses detection, the E9L (DNA polymerase) gene has been shown to be an excellent target for qPCR assays. For MPXV detection, Li et al. reported that the C3L (complement-binding protein) gene could be used as the qPCR target for the MPXV Congo Basin strain. Are they really so bold as to just openly admit in science journals now that they are creating and unleashing deadly bioweapons? Since there has never been a monkeypox outbreak in China, the authors added that the viral genomic material required for qPCR detection is unavailable. Thus, they employed what is known as a dual-selective TAR to assemble a 55-kb MPXV genomic fragment that encompasses E9L and C3L, two valuable qPCR targets for detecting MPXC and other orthopoxviruses. The purpose behind assembling this fragment was supposedly to provide a proper nucleotide template for detecting monkeypox using the same PCR methods used throughout the covid plandemic. This is ominous for many reasons, one of them being that this paper was published just before the new outbreak. Could it be that this is another plandemic in the making? Will the world accept another round of lockdowns, mask mandates and monkeypox vaccine mandates, should this all be in the works? It would seem as though the WIV has once again been caught creating a bioweapon under the guise of trying to develop a new detection method for monkeypox. And the development process for coming up with this detection method just so happens to be dangerous in that it could unleash an outbreak. TAR assembly, when applied in virological research, the paper explains, could also raise potential security concerns, especially when the assembled product contains a full set of genetic material that can be recovered into a contagious pathogen. In this study, although a full-length viral genome would be the ideal reference template for detecting MPXV by qPCR, we only sought to assemble a 55-kb viral fragment, less than one-third of the MPXV genome, the researchers go on to explain. This assembly product is fail-safe by virtually eliminating any risk of recovering into an infectious virus while providing multiple qPCR targets for detecting MPXV or other Orthopoxviruses. More of the latest news about monkeypox can be found at Outbreak.news. Sources for this article include: TheNationalPulse.com NaturalNews.com ScienceDirect.com (Natural News) Most people do not believe that their government, especially the US government, is interested in drastically reducing the population of their country or nation using insidious methodologies, including medical interventions. Why in the world would the government want fewer people to be healthy, and more people dying, and what goals would be accomplished in that process? Most consumers live their shortened lives in the dark because they dont understand whats happening to them, how, or why. Nearly everything from medicine to vaccines, from food to personal care products, and from cleaning products to food packaging, is manufactured with toxins that lead to chronic, expensive health issues, diseases and disorders. Nicotine is like a deadly undertow, dragging its victims into deep water as they slowly drown in an oxygen-and-nutrient-deprived existence We start this off with nicotine, the worlds third-most addictive drug, used by every sixth person in the world, daily. Most people begin using nicotine in their early teen years (25 percent of teens try it), thinking its cool and they can quit whenever they want to, only to find out they cant. Big Tobacco and the US government (think regulatory agencies) have colluded and conspired to get as many people addicted to nicotine as possible, dating all the way back to the 1930s. Doctors literally recommended their favorite brand of cancer sticks for good digestion, good health and great flavor! Doctors even recommended cigarettes for pregnant women, even though the science had already proven the smoke caused lung cancer. This went on until the 1960s, when the public caught wind of the science and the FDA and CDC had to start pretending to help people quit. Nicotine use constricts blood vessels, limiting oxygen and nutrient supply to vital organs, including the brain, liver, pancreas, lungs and kidneys. Nearly all nicotine users shorten their lifespan by at least a decade if they dont quit before age fifty, including people who smoke, vape, dip or chew. If you shop in the dark, the odds are your life will be shortened by several decades and your journey to that end may be very miserable Did you know that shopping in the dark includes going to the medical doctors and hospitals and taking any medications and vaccines they recommend? Without doing your own research, consulting nutritionists or naturopath physicians, youll never find out what most prescription medications and vaccinations do to the human systems that cause MORE disease and disorder than you initially were having addressed. People who take prescription medications become and remain the sickest people on the planet. Some overdose on those meds, even when taken as directed, as weve all witnessed with the opioid epidemic. Same goes for blood thinners (rat poison), deadly statin drugs, and other cholesterol medications that feature side effects that are worse than the condition being treated. Toxic food packaging, inside and out, is a leading cause of disease and disorder in America Wait, you thought cancer, diabetes and heart disease are mainly genetic problems with no cure or possible prevention, didnt you? Have you been listening to those drug dealers (MDs) and disease spreaders (Centers for Disease Continuation CDC) again? Most processed foods are packaged in plastic, paper, cardboard, bags, wrappers and cans using additives and preservatives that cause disease and disorder, and also packaging that leaches toxins into the food. Dangerous PFAS (per-and-poly-fluoroalkyl substances), also known as forever chemicals, are in many food packages manufactured by large corporations who are more concerned about prolonging the shelf life of the food, all while compromising and shortening the life expectancy of the consumers of those food products. These chronic, serious health issues include immune system suppression and increased risk for cancers. Many foods are bleached white to look clean, even though the food manufacturers know good and well that bleach causes cancer of the pancreas, bladder and prostate. Most white foods are bleached, including fish, rice, pasta, flour, bread and sugar. Even tap water contains deadly fluoride that leaches calcium from the bone marrow and leads to bone cancer and dementia. Now the COVID-19 vaccines are designed using nano-parasites to deliver (J&J) or create (mRNA) billions of toxic spike proteins that travel THROUGHOUT the entire vascular system, polluting your cleansing organs, the brain, and the heart, while causing deadly blood clots, myocarditis, nervous system disorders and severe allergies. They havent even been proven to help fight Wuhan Coronavirus at all, so why even risk getting them? Get smart, and do lots of research before engaging deadly delivery devices that insert toxins into the human body. Top 10 delivery devices used for population reduction and genocide #1. Cigarettes, patches, gum, and vape gadgets deliver nicotine and chemicals. #2. Vaccines deliver spike protein toxins, heavy metal toxins, and genetically modified viruses and bacteria. #3. Pain pills deliver diluted heroin (opioids). #4. Genetically modified foods and processed foods deliver GMOs, pesticides, insecticides and chemical-herbicides. #5. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments spread and create new cancers. #6. Pharmaceutical prescription medications deliver deadly venoms from snakes, frogs, snails and other deadly animals. #7. Water is used to deliver deadly fluoride, lead and other toxins. #8. Food packaging and plastics used as hormone (endocrine) disrupters (PFA and BPA). #9. Food additives and preservatives that cause cancer (bleach, sodium benzoate, MSG, artificial sweeteners, petroleum-based food dyes). #10. Cosmetics, personal care items, and cleaning products that contain deadly chemicals. Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on experimental Covid vaccines that can cause permanent disorders and end your life decades earlier than expected. Sources for this article include: Pandemic.news NaturalNews.com MedBroadcast.com ConsumerReports.org (Natural News) The Congress has so far approved at least $54 billion to aid Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. Various reports also put the amount of European Union (EU) aid at over 10 billion ($10.67 billion), although the amount is likely to be higher. But in reality, the prospect of Ukraine getting the promised aid is grim. When put together, the publicly acknowledged figure amounts to nearly $65 billion around the same amount as Russias annual military spending. The Congress is trying to fast-track the deal, prompting concerns that corrupt officials would gain from it. And while the amount may give an impression that Ukraine will defeat the Russian forces, the situation on the ground says otherwise. The political Wests postindustrial economy and its ability to mass-produce affordable and easily replaceable military hardware has been put into question, with some believing that the aid from the U.S. and EU are essentially at half measure. More importantly, throwing money at a problem is unlikely to resolve it. The hardware that Ukraine lost so far is difficult to determine as both sides provide different data. War footage taken by civilians and alternative media show that Ukraines losses in manpower and equipment have been massive. To replace the lost hardware, the Kyiv regime will require more resources and will need to acquire additional military hardware. (Related: Berlin agrees to send tanks to Ukraine but theyre not going to be much help.) Debts masquerading as aid Paul Antonopoulos, a geopolitical expert, said corruption is the least of Ukraines problems in this situation. The aid will likely stay in the donor countries. The companies that will be producing these weapons will likely be the U.S. military-industrial complex, and household names such as Lockheed Martine, Boeing and General Dynamics will be getting the vast majority of the funds. Weapons manufactured by these companies are not changing the strategic balance between Russia and Kyiv, but are instead prolonging the fight, leading to more military and civilian casualties. Logistics-wise, having many types of weapons could create problems for the Ukrainian military whose training and doctrinal incompatibility could lead to issues with their use. (Related: US weapons package for Ukraine includes 100 KILLER DRONES.) Moreover, the aid provided by the U.S. and NATO countries is essentially a long-term loan that will have to be repaid over decades. The World War II-era Lend-Lease program for the then-USSR estimated at $160 billion in present-day dollars was repaid in full only in 2006. This could mean that Ukraine will be paying off the current aid, provided that there will be a viable Ukrainian state that can do so after the war ends. Moodys, one of the top credit rating agencies in the world, has already downgraded Ukraines credit rating to poor or a very high credit risk. The agency also changed its outlook from under review to negative, indicating that things could get even worse for the country. Some of the issues that led the agency to give this rating include the risks of a severe debt burden which was prompted by the Wests massive financial lending. This could see Kyivs debt jumping from 49 percent of its GDP in 2021 to 90 percent in 2022. According to the agency, these loans may allow Ukraine to pay back the huge military bills that are already currently accumulating and cover up other financial holes created by the conflict in the short term. However, in the long run, this could lead to debt restructuring or even default. Watch the video to know more about the governments Ukrainian aid package. This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Putin lays out his demands for peace with Ukraine in call with Turkish president, but agreement is far from being reached. Biden approves billions for defending Ukraines borders but refuses to finish building border wall for America. Assessment forecasts nightmare scenario of nuclear World War III over rising potential for operational miscalculation regarding Ukraine. Sources include: GlobalResearch.ca TeleSurEnglish.net Brighteon.com South Africa - two snake catchers found two highly venomous Black Mamba snakes on the same property, looking for a mate. Nick Evans, a reptile trainer and snake rescuer from KwaZulu Natal in South Africa recounted how he came across two black mamba snakes, the world's most venomous snakes, on a property in the Durban suburb of Reservoir Hills. Evans received reports that two black mamba snakes had previously been seen on the property. The black mamba is a deadly African snake known for its size, speed, and highly poisonous venom. An adult black mamba can grow to over 4 meters in length. Nick Evans - Snake Rescuer Evans is regularly called out on missions to capture black mamba snakes. However, he was frustrated that he had not rescued one in the last 10 days. When Evans and his team arrived at the property, they began searching for the snakes. When they found the snakes, they used their equipment to safely capture the black mamba. Evans said he saw the first black mamba coiled up and as a result, he and his team secured the reptile using tongs and containers. While the team secured the first snake in a container, the second snake was spotted just a few feet away on a branch. Thanks to the team's expertise they were able to safely capture both black mambas. Evans initially assumed the two snakes were mates, but it was later determined that the two reptiles were males. Evans Found Her First Evan said he had captured a female black mamba at the same location on May 4. He suspects that the scent of the female still lingered at the site and attracted the two male reptiles. Evans' other theory is that another female may be at the site. However, there are no reports of any sighting at this location or nearby properties yet. The mating season of the black mamba happens in the spring and summer. The males of the black mamba species fight over the females. Read also: Heroic Snake That Saved Critters from Queensland Flash Floods Goes Viral on Tiktok The South African National Institute for Biological Diversity (SANBI) described the black mamba as a shy but aggressive snake that can strike repeatedly. SANBI pointed out that the venom of the black mamba snake is highly toxic and attacks both the nervous system and the heart. South Africa's Kruger National Park indicated that black mamba bite symptoms include swelling, loss of tongue and jaw control, slurred speech, visual disturbances, drowsiness, confusion, and paralysis. The bite is fatal and can cause death even within a few hours. Experts emphasize that the mortality rate from a black mamba bite is 100% if left untreated. The Kruger National Park adds that professional medical attention is needed as soon as possible after a bite. SANBI points out that black mambas are nervous animals that tend to avoid humans. However, habitat destruction and human encroachment into their normal breeding grounds and habitats can unnerve the reptiles, sometimes leading to attacks on humans. The institute also stresses that people who encounter them are urged to move away slowly and call a professional snake handler if the snake is indoors. Read also: Bizarre Tourist Spot: How Canadian Province Manitoba Became Popular for Thousands of Mating Snakes The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have launched a landmark Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Initiative to boost global foreign direct investment in the digital economy. The agreement, at the WEF annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, will see the DCO and WEF work together to identify methods to increase digital adoption, investment in new digital activities, and investment in digital infrastructure. In addition, the DCO and WEF will undertake research to contribute to an increased global understanding of the regulatory challenges currently preventing countries from realising the full potential of digital FDI. Digital FDI Enabling Projects Under the Initiative, the DCO and WEF will launch Digital FDI Enabling Projects in countries around the world, helping them identify and support implementation of policies and measures to increase investment in the digital economy, in additional to facilitating knowledge-sharing of successful reforms among countries. The launch was announced by Brge Brende, President, World Economic Forum, Deemah AlYahya Secretary-General, Digital Cooperation Organisation, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Nigeria and Peter Herweck CEO, Aveva Group. The DCO, which focuses on digital economy initiatives supporting youth, startup entrepreneurs and women, has nine member states with a combined GDP of nearly $2 trillion and a population of nearly 600 million. With 70% of future economic growth set to be digital, according to the WEF, DCO member states provide a valuable market opportunity to investors and entrepreneurs alike. Global FDI rebounding The WEF is the International Organisation for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Brende said: Global FDI is rebounding, following the Covid-19 pandemic, and investment in the digital economy could not come at a better time. These country projects will help grow FDI into the digital economy, which is key for long-term growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development. AlYahya commented: As the first and only global multilateral focused on enabling digital prosperity for all, the DCO is partnering with the WEF on a Digital Foreign Direct Investment Initiative to help countries develop digital FDI-friendly investment climates. We invite digital innovators with a commitment to economic development and inclusion to join us. Collaboration and partnership Pantami of Nigeria, a DCO member state and one of the countries where Digital FDI Enabling Projects will be implemented, commented: The digital economy cannot be developed in silos. There is a need for partnership, collaboration and support, and this what the DCO aims to do, by supporting regulation to support development. Through the Digital FDI initiative, we are continuing our mission to encourage collaboration and partnership not just between governments, but also investors, policymakers, academics, and everyone involved in the digital economy. The DCOs launch of the Digital FDI Initiative with the WEF is one of the organisations many initiatives to support the digital economy. Others include the Startup Passport that reduces red tape for startups wishing to scale across member state markets, the Elevate50 partnership with e-commerce platform MakanE to enable 50,000 startups to migrate their businesses successfully online, and the STEM Apprenticeship Programme with Jordans Al Hussein Technical University (HTU).-- TradeArabia News Service For more than a week, Texas cities like Dallas and Austin have been experiencing temperatures around 90F. The temperature rise has been felt throughout the region, and in some parts, the hot streak has become even longer. Some residents who have been longing for relief from the heat are looking forward to a change in weather patterns. However, the new forecast for the week predicts several thunderstorms and possible flooding. In addition to the heat, the ongoing drought in the south-central United States is worsening the situation in drought-stricken areas. In May, less than 2 inches of rain has fallen in areas across Texas, such as cities from Dallas to Houston and San Antonio. Cities, such as Austin and Lubbock, have been even drier with less than half an inch of rain this month. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these are the extreme and exceptional levels. According to a forecast, the jet stream will move south across the center of the country later this week, bringing cooler conditions to the region. In addition, temperatures during the first half of the new week will likely drop below normal and be in the 70F range, in contrast to previous highs that reached 80F to 90F early in the weekend. The change in weather patterns will also give way to wet weather. Forecasts for the Week Alex DaSilva, a meteorologist from AccuWeather, reported that several storms will approach the Southern Plains every week. DaSilva added that this will be the case with showers and thunderstorms from Texas to Missouri Monday through Wednesday. Experts said the confluence of hot, steamy air before the storm and cooler conditions afterward will help prepare the atmosphere for severe thunderstorms on Monday. Intense rain, hail, and thunderstorms are possible late Monday in areas including eastern New Mexico, the western half of Oklahoma, and western and central Texas to the Mexico border. Forecasts also noted that gusty winds are expected during severe thunderstorms. Furthermore, DaSilva explained that due to the dry ground, the winds could pick up just before the rain begins. This will reduce visibility and make driving in the region dangerous. The meteorologist added that the rain could be a relief for people west of Dallas and San Antonio, as the areas continue to suffer from extreme and exceptional drought. Also Read: Cloudy With Mixed Rain Showers Has Come to Hawaii This Weekend Too Much Rain After the Drought DaSilva also warned that if too much rain fell on the dry soil, it would not be able to keep up. She explained that rainwater could potentially run over the ground instead of being absorbed. This would lead to flooding. Areas at risk of flooding later this week include areas extending east to the Mississippi Valley. Several storms are also expected to follow the same path across the southern Plains. AccuWeather meteorologists warned that flooding could occur if the recent dry spell is followed by several days of rain. This includes areas like Waco - Texas, Tulsa - Oklahoma, Springfield, and Kansas City - Missouri. DaSilva also pointed out that rainfall totals of up to four to eight inches are possible in those areas. The meteorologist explained that moisture is not only being brought up from the storm, but also the Gulf of Mexico. Early indications are that communities from Dallas and Houston to Shreveport, Louisiana, and Little Rock, Arkansas, could experience the heaviest rainfall. Nicole LoBiondo, another AccuWeather meteorologist, reported that severe storms are expected to move east on Tuesday and Wednesday. This includes the risk of flooding, downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts, and even isolated tornadoes. LoBiondo added that the threat of severe thunderstorms will move from eastern portions of the Lone Star State through Louisiana and into western Mississippi by Wednesday evening. The meteorologist explained that the weather pattern will likely change again by the end of the week. This will allow for drenched areas to dry out before Memorial Day weekend. This should also allow any remaining rainwater to be absorbed by the ground and eventually relieve some of the drought. Related Article: Violent Thunderstorms Kill Three People in Canada as Torrential Rain and Strong Winds Struck the National Capital Region Tornadoes killed at least one person and injured 43 others as they swept through western and northern Germany, making some roads impassable and putting public transport at a standstill in several locations nationwide. Emerging reports in recent days suggested severe storms unleashed multiple tornadoes in different parts of the European country late last week in a rare incident of such magnitude concerning extreme weather in the continent. While thunderstorms do occur in Germany and its surrounding countries, Europe is not free from the dangers of tornadoes, where several hundred occur each year. Unlike in the United States, where the frequency of tornadoes is greater, the impact of tornadoes is also significant in Germany, especially in rural and structurally-fragile areas. Germany Deadly Tornadoes A total of seven tornadoes wreaked havoc across several cities and towns across Germany on Friday, May 20, according to the European Severe Weather Database. The most affected areas by the severe storms are the city of Paderborn and the town of Lippstadt in North Rhine-Westphalia. The severe weather brought not only tornadoes but a combination of intense rainfall and flooding rallying behind the path of destruction of the wind storm. This has led to the high number of reported casualties mentioned earlier. In the town of Wittgert, Rhineland-Palatinate, a 38-year-old man died of electrocution after finding himself stuck in a flooded cellar. In Paderborn, 43 people were injured when a twister tore through the city's downtown area on Friday afternoon, according to Paderborn Mayor Michael Dreier, as cited by AccuWeather. Related weather events were reported in Hellinghausen are of Lippstadt where a tornado ripped off a church tower roof. Local authorities have advised the public to stay in their home to allow recovery efforts to progress. Also Read: [VIDEO] Tourists Capture Terrifying Moment Tornado Wiped Down Trees in Belarus Germany Storm Warnings Last week, meteorologists issued a warning for heavy rain and hail in central and western Germany. The weather forecast was also accompanied by the risks of storms producing wind gusts that can reach up to 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour). Prior to the devastation witnessed in Germany last Friday, the severe weather passed through Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands on Thursday, May 19. In the storm's early stage, it already disrupted road traffic movement, halted train services, and flooded basements in western Germany due to torrential rain. Germany Tornado Climatology While the intensity of tornadoes is not like in the US, approximately 300 tornadoes hit Europe each year, according to the European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL), as cited by the European Commission, the European Union's executive body. The ESSL highlights that Europe also endures severe weather events like thunderstorms and the spawn of tornadoes. However, the impact of these natural phenomena can be devastating like Windstorm Kyrill in January 2007, which resulted in the loss of life and damage in Germany and the UK. Following the recent tornadoes, the BBC Weather presenter Chris Fawkes stated that several tornadoes occur across Germany every year but most are short-lived and do not lead to significant damage. Fawkes also added climate change is also a factor but is still a subject of debate. Related Article: Southern Communities Works Hard to Rebuild After Suffering from Strong Tornado Max, a former Russian special forces dog, has switched sides to make the Ukrainian military forces his new comrades in the ongoing war between the two countries. The Belgian Malinois breed is now serving as a dog sniffer of unexploded mines along with Ukrainian soldiers, who saved Max's life after being found left on the battlefield. Max the Dog Max swapped his allegiance when Russian troops abandoned and left him starving under a line of fire. The dog was part of Moscow's infantry that which captured a village in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine, near the Black Sea. During an operation by Kyiv to retake Mykolaiv, Ukrainian troops noticed that the young dog was wearing a camouflage collar used by the Russians for their military hounds. The soldiers then nursed Max back to health and trained him in new commands for him to understand. According to a member of the National Guard of Ukraine named "Dimitry," Max will serve Ukraine from now on to defend the country against Russia, as cited by the Daily Star UK. Another member of the National Guard claimed Max has become a favorite of the guards. Some of the Ukrainian security forces are reportedly wondering why such a "lovely animal" is left behind by the Russians. Also Read: Mountain Lion Attacks Northern California Woman; Pet Dog Defends Owner Military Dog: Belgian Malinois Belgian Malinois dogs are known as military dogs and had a military track record as far as World War 1 when they served as assistants and messengers for the Red Cross, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Being one of four breeds of Belgian sheepdogs, bred for herding, the Malinois have proven themselves to be intelligent and versatile dogs. Based on an AKC Gazette issued in January 1908, the introduction of the Belgian Malinois dogs in the United States started when a small notice indicates that about five Belgian Sheepdogs were added to the New York City police force. Since then, the Belgian Malinois has been one of the top breeds preferred by police departments across the US, the AKC noted. In addition, the breed have been important members of the U.S. military, including the NAVY SEALS, and the UK and Australian special military units. Dog Loyalty and Switching Sides The popular phrase "dogs are man's best friend" have be used extensively to depict the evident loyalty of dogs toward their human owners worldwide, regardless of the dog breed. However, the famous phrase is not absolute as various anecdotal accounts and research suggest that certain factors come into play that determines a dog's loyalty, including how the animal is treated and the environment. In the case of Max, the dog reportedly switched sides from Russia to Ukraine to the care shown by the latter. This is also the case in a domestic setting, where a dog can still be tamed after having previously abusive or neglectful owner. According to a 2015 study by Hungary's Department of Ethology of the Eotvos Lorand University, pet dogs have the tendency to switch their loyalty to their owner, especially in circumstances where it involves an invitation for food and other related stimuli from strangers, as cited by The Sydney Morning Herald. Related Article: Dogs' Secret Tool to Save Wildlife Global warming has been perceived to be responsible for changing weather patterns and climate events, such as prolonged droughts, deadly storms, and extreme heatwaves over the past century, which has seen a gradual change in the global weather compared to pre-industrial levels. Activists, scientists, and various organizations worldwide have also called for the reduction of human-induced greenhouse gas and anthropogenic aerosol emissions since these hazardous particles contribute to air pollution and the warming of the planet. However, a new study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggested that the situation is like a double-edged sword, claiming that such air pollution cuts in North America and Europe may eventually strengthen hurricanes and storms that form over the Atlantic Ocean. Global Weather is at Stake In the NOAA study published in the journal Science Advances on May 11, scientists stated that anthropogenic aerosols over the United States and Europe have decreased over the past 40 years due to pollution control measures. It is also during these decades that aerosols have influenced tropical cyclone activity. These air pollutants have also increased in South and East Asia during the said period, mainly due to reported economic and industrial growth in the regions. However, the NOAA indicated that such changes in the number of aerosols in the air have altered the global weather, notably the formation of storms over various oceans of the world. In summary, the US government organization provided the following rationale in line with its new paper relating to aerosols and tropical cyclones: Aerosol reduction in the US and Europe has made significant contributions to decreasing tropical cyclones over the Southern Hemisphere while increasing tropical cyclones or hurricanes over the North Atlantic Ocean. Aerosol increase in South Asia and East Asia have decreased tropical cyclones over the Western Pacific Ocean. Also Read: Aerosols in the Atmosphere May Affect Cloud Formation in the Arctic What are Anthropogenic Aerosols? Aerosols are tiny solid or liquid particles, where millions of these specks of matter can be inhaled by individuals in the air over oceans, deserts, forests, ice, mountains, and other ecosystems worldwide, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In spite of the small size of aerosols, they can be detrimental to the climate and health. NASA classifies two types of aerosols: natural and anthropogenic. Anthropogenic aerosols are produced from human activities like the burning of fossil fuels and biomass burning. Mass amounts of these particles are mostly found in urban and industrial areas, according to the US space agency. Aerosols and the Climate Crisis Various measures against the climate crisis have been conceptualized and implemented in recent years, including those stipulated in the Paris Agreement headed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Still, the effects of aerosol emissions reductions are less studied. According to the new study's author Hiroyuki Murakami, a tropical storm researcher at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, the unprecedented data shown by the research should be of interest to policymakers, according to Inside Climate News, a non-profit news organization. Related Article: How Aerosols Affect Our Climate Demonstrators hold a banner to protest against Swedish membership bid to join NATO reading No to a Swedish membership in NATO outside the Swedish parliment in Stockholm on May 16. Agence France-Presse/TT News Agency/Lars Schroder NEUTRALITY was once an attractive option in Europe. Switzerland made non-alignment look almost sexy, with its ski resorts, excellent chocolates, and secure banking system. Then there was Sweden, which refused to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or subordinate its military policy to Moscow, offering instead to broker peaceful compromises between east and west as well as north and south. Austria, divided into four occupation zones after World War II just like Germany, embraced neutrality as the last foreign troops exited the country in 1955. It has sent peacekeepers around the world and offered Vienna as a neutral place for negotiations, like the ones that produced the Iran nuclear deal. During the Cold War, non-alignment emerged as a third path between Soviet-style communism and American-style capitalism, between two nuclear superpowers, between a poorly delineated east and west. So many countries were eager to go down this path that they formed a new bloc, the Non-Aligned Movement, at the Bandung Conference in 1955, with Yugoslav leader Tito as one of its prime movers. The end of the Cold War rendered non-alignment moot. Even France, which had left NATO in 1966 because it refused to relinquish control of its military strategy and nuclear weapons, returned to the fold in 2009. And yet some form of neutrality limped along in Europe. A number of countries still rejected formal NATO membership even if, like Sweden and Finland, they were increasingly coordinating their security policy with the alliance. Russias invasion of Ukraine has ended even this attenuated sense of non-alignment. Both Finland and Sweden have formally requested NATO membership. The leaders of these countries are not right-wing, male chauvinist militarists who have been just waiting for an opportunity to reverse their countries longstanding policies. Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin and Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson are both dynamic social democrats who are not making these decisions lightly. These new additions to NATO wont mean a great deal on a practical level. The 30 current members of the alliance dont really need what few weapons and personnel these countries possess, though Finland, because of its conscription policies, can count on a rather large number of reservists. Sweden has pledged not to host any nuclear weapons or NATO bases. Finland wont attach such conditions to the membership but will likely follow suit in practice. Russia has offered a rather muted reaction to the announcement. Russian president Vladimir Putin was careful to say that the Kremlin has no beef with either country and that its not worried about their accession to NATO. He did point out that Russia would respond if NATO sent any significant infrastructure to the countries, which explains why Sweden took pains to disavow both bases and nuclear weapons. But this northern expansion of NATO, even if it doesnt add much to the alliance or trigger a dangerous retaliation from the Kremlin, is still a profound change for Europe. After all, it basically drives a final stake through European non-alignment. Jolt of war WHENEVER NATO faces an existential crisis, war comes along like a dose of smelling salts to revive the alliance. At the end of the Cold War, NATO seemed like a relic well worth mothballing. The Warsaw Pact was gone, the Soviet Union was on its way out, and there seemed no good reason for NATO to exist. A perfectly good inclusive security arrangement had been in place since the mid-1970s the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe so NATO should have bowed out gracefully with a lavish retirement party. Instead, NATO strategists started talking about out-of-area operations that would involve dispatching troops to the Middle East and North Africa to engage in various missions. The first Gulf War might have served that purpose nicely, but the George HW Bush administration instead opted for an ad hoc coalition including several NATO members to push Iraq out of Kuwait. The war in Yugoslavia that was meanwhile gathering force put paid to the notion that Europe was an entirely peaceful region. NATO became increasingly involved as the conflict spread to Bosnia, ultimately engaging in its first-ever combat mission in 1994 when it shot down four Serbian jets while enforcing a no-fly zone. Later that year, at the request of the United Nations, it launched its first air strikes against Serb targets. In 1999, NATO engaged in a three-month bombing campaign against Serbia to stop its intervention in Kosovo. The war in Yugoslavia and the debate over out-of-area operations provided NATO with a patina of relevance that distracted from its quite obvious obsolescence. Indeed, the Clinton administration relied on this patina to push through its proposal to expand the alliance eastward, which required overcoming concerns from the left that expansion would antagonise Russia and criticism from the right that the president was bending over backwards to build cooperation between NATO and the Kremlin. Eastern European countries showed various levels of enthusiasm for joining NATO. They no longer feared Russia, at least not the version presided over by Boris Yeltsin. But they saw NATO membership as a first step towards what they really wanted: accession to the European Union. And the military upgrades that NATO promised were seductive as well. For half a century, the alliance was in a constant state of preparedness to defend against an attack that never came. During the Cold War and in the immediate post-Cold War era, no country invoked the collective defence mechanism of the charters Article 5. Nor was it easy to forge consensus on NATO missions beyond collective defence. In general, NATO has proven to be an extraordinarily unwieldy institution, composed of very diverse members, for example, Turkey and Iceland. For most of its existence, the alliance met, talked, conducted studies, spent money, engaged in military exercises, but didnt actually fight. The war in Yugoslavia changed all that, and so, of course, did September 11, 2001. In the wake of the attacks of September 11, NATO invoked Article 5 and came to the defence of the United States by joining the attack against Afghanistan as part of Operation Resolute Support. Even here, though, there was not unified opinion. Several NATO countries contributed troops outside of NATO structures. Even in the United States, Donald Rumsfeld was worried that NATO involvement would somehow diminish US control over the operation. By the time of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, NATO would play no overt role, with some NATO members, like Germany, vocally against the war. The Gulf War, the Yugoslav wars, the attacks of September 11, 2001: these all revivified NATO by adding out-of-area operations, actual combat missions, and participation in the war on terrorism to its repertoire. Along the way, NATO wandered quite far from its original focus on collective defence. Even with these new capabilities, however, NATO struggled. Over the last decade, Turkey began buying weapons from Russia. Hungarys Viktor Orban was more aligned with Putins illiberal philosophy than with the prevailing orthodoxy in Brussels. And Donald Trump, irritated by the apparent reluctance of NATO allies to share the burden of collective defence, was threatening to pull the United States out of the alliance. But once again, war has given NATO new purpose. Russias invasion of Ukraine was a stark reminder of why these countries created a trans-atlantic bond. Ukraine, not being a member of the alliance, had no recourse to the mechanism of collective defence. The tiny Baltic countries, on the other hand, remained inviolate despite their modest militaries. With a storm raging on the European frontier, its no wonder that Sweden and Finland have decided to huddle under the canopy of NATO rather than trying to keep dry under their relatively small umbrellas. Future of neutrality PRIOR to his invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin did whatever he could do to promote non-alignment in Europe. He cultivated political friends who challenged NATO, like Frances Marine Le Pen, who railed against Eurocrats in Brussels, like Viktor Orban in Hungary, and who could play a disruptive role in existing institutions, like the Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in NATO and the Council of Europe. But as soon as Russian troops crossed into Ukraine, Putin hath murdered non-alignment. Regardless of the success or failure of the operation, the Russian president must have known that even his closest European friends would have to choose sides and they werent likely to choose his. Which suggests that Putin had already written off Europe prior to the invasion. All of his investments into the politically heterodox mostly on the far right but some on the left such as Syriza in Greece had come to nearly naught. The Western European far right had not marched to power in the wake of Donald Trumps surprise victory in the United States in 2016. And Trump himself went down to defeat in 2020. For years, Putin criticised liberalism but maintained political and commercial ties with the west. But especially after Trumps defeat and the emergence of serious anti-government protests in Belarus, Putins rhetoric began to shift towards castigating the west in general. In the lead-up to the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian leader began to associate Kyivs deviations with its supposed western puppet masters. Putin subsequently framed the invasion not as a small skirmish on the frontiers of Russian influence but a civilisational clash with a unified ideological foe. In other words, Putin anticipated that NATO would draw together and even enlarge in the wake of the invasion. He no longer saw much merit in exploiting the fault lines in the western camp. Its why he hasnt raised much of a fuss about Finland and Sweden joining the alliance. Their accession only strengthens his argument that the west is, without exception, unified against him. Now firmly in the anti-western camp, Putin hopes to create a united front with China, with India, with all the countries that have rebelled against the hegemonic pretensions of the west. He is aided in this effort by the fact that much of the world has refused to send support to Ukraine or sanction Russia. But joining an anti-western alliance anchored by the Kremlin? Thats a step too far for all but the likes of Bashar al-Assad, Kim Jong Un, and Daniel Ortega. Unlike in Europe, non-alignment remains an attractive option for much of the global south. That kind of neutrality, however, will not in the end favour Russia. Neither the formerly non-aligned of Europe nor the currently non-aligned of the global south are interested in furthering Vladimir Putins imperial ambitions. CounterPunch.org, May 23. John Feffer is the director of Foreign Policy In Focus. BEIJING, May 24 -- The air forces of China and Russia conducted a routine joint aerial strategic patrol in the airspace over the waters of the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean on May 24, said an announcement released by the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday. The militaries of China and Russia staged the routine joint aerial strategic patrol in accordance with their annual military cooperation plan, said the announcement. Gilgit-Baltistan CM Khalid Khurshid booked for rioting during Azadi March 27 May 2022 | 2:44 PM Islamabad, May 27 (UNI) The Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshidhas was on Friday booked for rioting and disturbing public order in the federal capital during the PTI Azadi March, The News reported. see more.. Sri Lanka: Public transport to be restructured to minimise impact of fuel crisis 27 May 2022 | 2:35 PM Colombo, May 27 (UNI) The Sri Lankan government announced on Friday that it has decided to resrtucture the country's public transportation system in an effort to minimize the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis on the common people, The Khaleej Times reported. see more.. Texas shooting: 4th grader smeared friends blood to escape death 27 May 2022 | 2:29 PM Washington, May 27 (UNI) Family of an 11-year-old girl, who survived the Texas school shooting, said the fourth grader smeared other girls blood on her body to convince the gunman that she, too, was dead. see more.. IMF blames mismanagement for SL crisis 27 May 2022 | 2:04 PM Colombo, May 27 (UNI) Sri Lanka's crisis is due to mismanagement, and the most important thing to be done is to put the country back on a sound micro-economic footing, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said. see more.. Haryana Guv congratulates Anvitha Reddy for climbing Mount Everest 27 May 2022 | 3:17 PM Hyderabad, May 27 (UNI) Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Friday greeted Anvitha Reddy Padamati from Telangana for achieving a magnificent feat by climbing the Mount Everest on May 16. see more.. Will revive all Muslim destroyed 36,000 temples legally: Eshwarappa 27 May 2022 | 3:14 PM "Why has been a mosque built at Srirangapatna on a temple? As many as 36,000 temples were destroyed by the Mughals. We will revive all of them without any clashes, but through courts," he said while addressing a public rally on Friday. see more.. Thousands in Hyderabad join Yoga Utsav to mark 25 days countdown to Intl day of yoga 27 May 2022 | 2:41 PM Hyderabad, May 27 (UNI) Thousands of people from all walks of life joined the Yoga Utsav held at Lal Bahadur Stadium here on Friday to mark the 25 days countdown to International Day of Yoga (IDY-2022). see more.. Fishing Ban : Pondy CM begins financial assistance disbursement 27 May 2022 | 2:26 PM Puducherry, May 27 (UNI) Chief Minister N Rangaswamy on Friday began the disbursement of financial assistance to the fishermen families for the fishing ban period. see more.. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Champaign, IL (61820) Today Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Washington, May 24 (UNI/Sputnik) US President Joe Biden said in a memorandum that he officially designated Colombia to be considered a major non-NATO ally to the United States. "By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America... I hereby designate Colombia as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for the purposes of the Act and the Arms Export Control Act," Biden said in the memorandum on Monday. The designation will provide Colombia the opportunity to benefit from special access to US military and economic programs, but it does not provide security guarantees like those given to NATO members. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Colombian counterpart last week about US plans to designate Colombia as a major non-NATO ally. The two defense leaders discussed the importance of maintaining a strong US-Colombia defense relationship and strengthening cooperation on strategic issues of mutual concern in Latin America, according to the Defense Department. UNI/SPUTNIK RNJ In a recent study posted to the NPJ Digital Medicine journal, researchers illustrated a framework for constructing digital twins of the human immune system. Perspective: Building digital twins of the human immune system: toward a roadmap. Image Credit: metamorworks / Shutterstock Background Digital twins, personalized simulation models established in the industry, are now being used in healthcare and medicine, with several notable results, such as insulin pump control and cardiovascular diagnostics. Customized computational models may help with everything from medication research to therapy optimization. Additional sophisticated medical digital twins will be required to make precision medicine an actuality. Digital twins of the immune system could be a significant influence since the immune system is involved in many illnesses and health issues, from tackling pathogens to autoimmune diseases. Nonetheless, because of the intrinsic diversity of the immune system and the complexity of evaluating many components of the immunological status of a patient in vivo, their development poses significant challenges. About the study In the present perspective article, the authors described a high-level sketch of a pathway for addressing the problems and developing an immune digital twin (IDT) prototype. The framework was designed as a four-stage approach that included a description of a concrete application case, construction of a model, customization, and constant improvement. At each relevant physiological scale, known biology and relevant mechanisms are characterized through data collection that informs one or more computational models. The models at the individual scales are then integrated into a comprehensive multiscale base model. In the second step, this base model is personalized by parameterizing it with data collected from an individual patient. The resulting digital twin can then be used for clinical decision-making for this patient. (The images are public domain images from Servier Medical Art (https://smart.servier.com/smart_image/tendon-anatomy/), https://all-free-download.com/free-vector/flat-screen-computer-monitor.html, and https://pixabay.com/vectors/man-male-boy-human-people-persons-2099114/). All other images were produced by the authors). Image Credit: npj Digital Medicine (npj Digit. Med.) ISSN 2398-6352 (online) The current IDT prototype promotes collaboration between the global non-profit scientific community, government funding organizations, and the private industry. Such an approach would require a collaborative platform and widespread consensus on the final outcome's characteristics. For example, the newly established European-led DigiTwin consortium, which encompasses clinical, industrial, and academic collaborators from 32 nations, intends to generate digital twins for every European citizen for multiple ailments and could serve as a model for several elements of an international consortium for IDTs. The four-phase paradigm for industrial digital twin creation will be followed in the development of an IDT and was: 1) establishing a specific application and building a suitable generic template model, 2) customizing the template model to a specific patient, 3) final IDT assessment and uncertainty quantification, and 4) collecting individual patient data for continuous IDT improvement. Findings, discussions, and conclusions The current perspective research provided a high-level framework for advancing the IDT technique in clinical and biomedical settings. While IDTs face substantial scientific and technical difficulties, even elementary instantiations for a specific application would help concentrate continued data collecting and other enhancements, leading to increasingly better-customized simulation models with time. The authors recommend forming a Consortium for Predictive Immunology to bring together the currently disparate transdisciplinary scientists needed to make IDTs an actuality. This integrated human infrastructure, which tightly merges modeling and clinical implementation, might help alter the characteristic of biomedical research by substantially speeding up the bench-to-bedside pathway and achieving presently unattainable medical goals. It would also open up a slew of new training models for computational and biological researchers. The team envisions a seven-year project with two stages. The first planning process will take two years. During this period, the application, a theoretical map of the IDT, infrastructure, and the make-up of the cohort of partners will be defined. The initial step was to gather stakeholders, such as modelers, clinicians, immunologists, commercial entities, funders, and software engineers, to identify goals and techniques. The goal was to create (1) a small number of potential IDT technology applications; (2) a steering cohort that could begin and organize the next steps; and (3) a list of funding sources, starting with resources for a planning stage. Over the next three years, the consortium will build and test a prototype model of the IDTs and the computing infrastructure that supports them. The last two years will validate the IDTs among patient studies. Further, the consortium must be supported financially as a single, cohesive project with many execution locations, having resources for modeling, software development, experimental and clinical assessments, and validation. Notably, the investigators underline the enormous hurdles that such a project posed. Its intricacy and expense were equivalent to the Cancer Moonshot Program, financed by the United States (US) National Institutes of Health for $1.8 billion for seven years. IDT may need innovative measuring technologies, depending on the initial applications. Besides, important novel scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs will be required to obtain IDTs that are precise and robust enough to reach industrial standards. On the whole, the current work depicts that the IDT technique was within the human grasp. The authors mentioned that because the immune system was involved in almost all major diseases that humans confront, such as cardiac, infectious, autoimmune, and respiratory disorders, the impact of IDT might be enormous. In addition, they stated that the moment has come to get started for developing IDT techniques. The Department of Emergency Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis played a key role in investigating the accuracy of many different types of COVID-19 diagnostic tests administered in real-life conditions. Jamie Mills, a clinical research supervisor who helped coordinate the clinical trials, runs a COVID-19 diagnostic test in the Emergency Department at the School of Medicine. More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, most Americans likely share the experience of anxiously awaiting the results of a COVID test, whether a lab-based PCR test administered at a hospital, a "point-of-care" rapid test given at an urgent care clinic, or an over-the-counter test taken at home. Starting in spring 2020, as emergency rooms across the country began filling with patients with symptoms of COVID-19, many agreed to participate in clinical trials investigating the accuracy of COVID-19 diagnostic tests. The aim of such trials was to allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to quickly approve effective tests, which were in short supply yet necessary to help slow the virus' spread. The Department of Emergency Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis played a key role in investigating the accuracy of such tests administered in real-life conditions. Because the department has a strong infrastructure for conducting clinical trials, Washington University researchers, led by principal investigator Stacey L. House, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of emergency medicine, were in an ideal position to enroll large numbers of participants more than 6,500 in these trials, compared with other emergency departments across the country. Many patients seen at the Charles F. Knight Emergency and Trauma Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital had the opportunity to participate in these trials. "Our Emergency Care Research Center has a long history of conducting diagnostic and interventional clinical studies in the emergency setting," said Opeolu M. Adeoye, MD, the BJC HealthCare Distinguished Professor of Emergency Medicine and head of the university's Department of Emergency Medicine. "It is truly a unique resource that allows us to leverage our infrastructure to conduct scientific inquiries in a challenging clinical environment. Our experience and particular focus on emergency care research allowed us to play a pivotal role in the diagnostic studies of COVID-19. We were ready and believe we played an important part in tackling this pandemic. We're especially thankful to all the participants who enrolled to help us evaluate the various tests, ensuring that only those deemed reliable would receive FDA approval." To date, Washington University's emergency department has enrolled participants in 24 clinical trials evaluating COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Just over half of the trials were funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through its Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program and the rest were funded by the companies that manufacture the tests. "We are pleased that we were in a position to make important contributions to national diagnostic testing efforts during the pandemic," said House, who is also director of research in the Department of Emergency Medicine. "Quite a few of the tests that we evaluated have gone on to be FDA-approved and are now on the market. And some of these were purchased by the federal government as part of the program to provide free tests to all Americans by mail." To be considered for approval, the point-of-care tests and over-the-counter tests being evaluated needed to show at least 80% agreement with the results of a lab-based PCR test, which is considered the gold standard for accurate COVID-19 diagnosis. As such, each study participant provided two samples at the same time one for the investigational test, whether a point-of-care test conducted by a health-care worker or an over-the-counter test self-administered by the patient; and one for the gold-standard PCR test sent to a central lab. In addition to investigating accuracy, House also led clinical trials seeking to determine the best methods of collecting patient samples for example, comparing the use of nasal swabs versus nasopharyngeal swabs, the latter of which are capable of reaching deeper into a person's nasal cavity; and the use of throat swabs versus saliva samples. There were a few studies comparing different types of nasal swabs including the deep nasopharyngeal swabs that most people find uncomfortable and the shallow nasal swabs that only go into the tip of the nose on both sides and the good news is that, if collected properly, the shallow nasal swabs work just as well. That's why all the home tests now use the shallow nasal swabs." Stacey L. House, MD, PhD, assistant professor of emergency medicine For the approval of over-the-counter tests, patients must test themselves while a clinical researcher observes and makes notes on the process. To model the conditions of the average person testing oneself at home, the researcher is not allowed to help the patient in any way. "Before we even began some of these trials, I sometimes had to tell the manufacturer that their test instructions were too complicated," said House, also director of the Emergency Care Research Core. "They needed to simplify them before we could even get started add pictures and diagrams, for example. We want these tests to be accessible to everyone, including people who don't have any experience running these types of tests at home." During some of the trials, the researchers occasionally advised companies to redesign some of the equipment that came with test kits, House said. For example, patients couldn't properly seal the sample in one type of test and ended up spilling the sample before it could be tested. "We worked with companies to help them improve their tests, and we also had to be nimble and adjust to the rapidly changing course of the pandemic throughout these trials," House said. "We have done these types of studies before, but never on this scale, never this quickly and never in situations where we had to change course because, for example, we couldn't get the right type of swab for the test because of supply chain shortages." As the country continues to deal with surges of COVID-19 and determines how best to address future fall and winter seasons with multiple respiratory diseases circulating, House and her team are continuing their evaluations of new diagnostic tests. One recent trial is investigating a combination test administered by health-care workers that detects the presence of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and influenza B. Hormones are crucial to prevent, treat, and manage many of the world's most common diseases. They are important to good human health and wellbeing. The role of hormonal health and disease in European Health Policies has so far been insufficiently recognized. This is why The European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), together with the European Hormone and Metabolism Foundation Foundation of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE Foundation) and its partner societies are therefore launching the first European Hormone Day, on 23 May. European Hormone Day aims to raise awareness and educate decision-makers about the important role of hormones in diseases such as obesity, diabetes, thyroid disorders, infertility, osteoporosis and more than 400 rare diseases. All these diseases combined make that more than three-quarters of the population will need a hormone specialist an endocrinologist - at some point in their life. The day will be an important activity in ensuring that policymakers across Europe recognize the importance of endocrine health to society and the different policy measures that are needed to achieve this. Hormones are essential for good human health. On a daily basis, hormones impact our development and growth, the way our metabolism processes food, our sexual function and fertility, and our cognitive processes. But good hormonal health is the result of a healthy lifestyle, preventive measures to avoid hormone deficiencies and a healthy environment free of toxic substances that can negatively impact the hormone system. This is why the European Hormone Day was established and is only the beginning of our efforts to bring hormones to the forefront of the public debate." Prof. Dr. Martin Reincke, ESE President European Hormone Day follows the successful launch of ESE's policy White Paper in 2021 titled "Hormones in European Health Policies: How endocrinologists can contribute towards a healthier Europe" Dealing with lower covid-19 levels will require improved understanding of what diagnostic tests are best used for. It will also need more accurate tests, but as testing demand will fall, delivering that needs incentive-based support. As future covid-19 prevalence varies across time, health authorities must revolutionize testing to see if people are infected. Covid-19 testing technologies and understanding of their capabilities must both improve argues Gerald Kost, founding director of the Point-of-Care Testing Center for Teaching and Research at University of California, Davis, US. "A huge knowledge gap needs to be filled," said Kost. In a January 2022 paper Kost explores how changing prevalence affects the covid-19 rapid antigen tests, also known as lateral flow tests (LFTs). False negatives from low sensitivity, the probability that a positive test result truly reflects an infection, are problematic with some such tests. In approved tests, this sensitivity can sometimes be 75% or lower. And such low sensitivity may enable covid-19 to spread during outbreaks with a prevalence above 10% of the population being infected, Kost said. False negatives often happen when infected people are pre-symptomatic, said Yuka Manabe, associate director of global health research and innovation at Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, Maryland, US. The probability that a negative test result truly indicates that a person is not infected, known as specificity, is another key measure. Even though approved tests exceed 93% specificity, during periods when SARS-CoV-2 levels are low the likelihood of LFT false positives relative to true positives increases, Manabe explained. LFTs are valuable, however, in confirming infection when people have symptoms, she added, especially as they cost just $1 or less. But she stressed that "if it's negative, it doesn't guarantee that you don't have covid". Lab-based molecular real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests offer higher sensitivity thresholds above 90%, and specificity exceeding 99%. RT-PCR specificity is better suited to screening many people without symptoms, but Manabe stressed that "they are not economical". An intermediate option between LFTs and RT-PCR is isothermal amplification, Manabe explained. It amplifies amounts of genetic molecules, copying and multiplying strands, like PCR. But whereas PCR cycles between high and low temperatures, isothermal loop amplified polymerase (LAMP) testing, "can be used at one temperature", said Manabe. "They tend to be less expensive but slightly less sensitive than RT-PCR.". LFTs' benefits are context-dependent, said Marta Garcia-Finana, professor of biostatistics at the University of Liverpool, UK. She based that on the world's first evaluation of large-scale voluntary rapid antigen testing for people without covid-19 symptoms, in Liverpool from 6 November 2020 to 30 April 2021. She and her colleagues found that LFTs pick up most cases where people have high viral loads in their bodies and are infectious but can miss some. "This meant that LFT needed to be considered with caution in high-risk settings, like for example in care homes," Garcia-Finana said, especially before vaccinations were available. Garcia-Finana stressed that it's important for everyone to understand such aspects of how tests perform, and how they add value despite some weaknesses. She noted that reporting single sensitivity values for LFTs has caused avoidable confusion. Different attempts to measure sensitivity have given contradictory values because it strongly depends on a person's viral load, Garcia-Finana said. "Estimation of the overall sensitivity can be very different depending on the phase of the epidemic curve at the time the study takes place," she explained. "Differences in viral load distributions can explain much of the difference in overall sensitivity reported across different empirical studies." Yet for Iain Buchan, professor of public health and clinical informatics at the University of Liverpool, UK, who led the evaluation, discussions of diagnostic accuracy are not enough. "Testing is more than a test," he said. "End-to-end testing in a pandemic is a complex public health intervention and not a clinical diagnostic test." He highlighted LFTs' speed and self-testing capability. "Rapid tests provide rapid risk mitigation," said Buchan. Buchan revealed the pilot's soon-to-be-published findings that rapid LFT community testing raised case detection by around a fifth, and reduced case rates by around a fifth and hospitalization by around a third compared to other areas. Some hospitals in the UK's National Health Service offered LAMP tests twice weekly, but it has not been popular. LAMP uptake is only around 25% in Liverpool's main hospital. Even with full uptake it may not have been frequent enough to arrest the spread of the omicron variant, Buchan revealed. Meanwhile, staff preferred the convenience of doing LFTs at home. As such the LAMP experiment is being wound down in favor of an LFT-based process. Yet Buchan asserted that "RT-LAMP and other emerging rapid nucleic acid tests" are "vital technologies for rapid screening for infections, particularly early phases of infection, in clinical settings". Anders Wolff, professor at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen, agrees with Buchan that rapid testing is important. So, the ideal test must combine sensitivity, specificity, speed, and price. Wolff leads CORONADX, a European research project that has developed a LAMP-based rapid covid-19 testing instrument called PATHPOD. It's very specific and has a sensitivity comparable to that of PCR. You're going to have the answer in one hour. People prefer this, rather than having to wait one or two days." Anders Wolff, Professor, Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen CORONADX is now seeking to commercialize PATHPOD, perhaps by partnering with a large company. Wolff highlighted Denmark's unique mass covid-19 testing program, in spring 2021, in which every citizen could get a free RT-PCR test. It screened more than 8% of the population per day. As the covid-19 pandemic eases, it would take a "real breakthrough" to see governments fund anything similar, Wolff said. Instead, approaches like LAMP will enable regular focused testing of vulnerable groups, such as nursing homes, he added. For Kost, a reasonable minimum performance level for future monitoring is 95% sensitivity and 97.5% specificity. LAMP is a potential solution but vaccinations will blunt the demand needed to support its development in a market-led model, he added. "However, need for focused testing will create niche markets where shrewd entrepreneurs can leap in to continue development," Kost predicted. "We need to prepare for the next pandemic. That will require comprehensive retooling of public health and incentive-based development of affordable point-of-care molecular diagnostics." Breakthrough COVID-19 cases resulting in infections, hospitalizations and deaths are significantly more likely in cancer and Alzheimer's patients, according to two new studies from researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. People within these diseases are often more susceptible to infection in general, the researchers explained, and are among the population's most vulnerable to severe health outcomes from COVID-19 infections as well. The studies come as the U.S. total of COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began surpassed 1 million. Examining breakthrough infection rates in cancer patients The first study, published recently in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology, analyzed electronic health records to track the number of breakthrough COVID infections, hospitalizations and mortality rates among vaccinated patients with cancer. A "breakthrough infection" is when a fully vaccinated person contracts COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The research team counted people diagnosed with the 12 most common types of cancer: lung, breast, colorectal, bladder, liver, endometrial, skin, prostate, thyroid and blood cancers. These participants received COVID-19 vaccinations between December 2020 and November 2021 and had not previously been infected. The control group consisted of vaccinated participants without cancer. The researchers compared breakthrough COVID-19 infections between cancer and non-cancer participants, matching for comorbidities, social determinants of health, age and gender, and other demographics. The team analyzed the records of more than 636,000 vaccinated patients, including more than 45,000 vaccinated people with cancer. This study showed significantly increased risks for COVID-19 breakthrough infection in vaccinated patients with cancer, especially those undergoing active cancer care, with marked variations among specific cancer types." Rong Xu, professor of biomedical informatics at the School of Medicine and coauthor of the study Study coauthors include David Kaelber, professor at the School of Medicine and chief medical informatics officer at The MetroHealth System. The team found: The overall risk of breakthrough COVID infections in vaccinated people with cancer was 13.6%, compared to 4.9% for vaccinated people without cancer. The highest risk of breakthrough infections was in people with pancreatic cancer at 24.7%, liver cancer 22.8%, lung cancer 20.4% and colorectal cancer 17.5%. Cancers with lower risk of breakthrough infections included thyroid 10.3%, endometrial 11.9%, and breast 11.9%. The overall risk for hospitalization following a breakthrough infection, in study participants with cancer, was 31.6%, compared to a rate of with 3.9% in those without cancer. The risk of death was 6.7% following a breakthrough infection, compared to 1.3% in patients without cancer. "Breakthrough infections in patients with cancer were associated with significant and substantial risks for hospitalizations and mortality. These results emphasize the need for patients with cancer to maintain mitigation practice, especially with the emergence of different virus variants and the waning immunity of vaccines," said Xu and study coauthor, Nathan Berger, the Hanna-Payne Professor of Experimental Medicine at the School of Medicine. Health outcomes in patients with Alzheimer's disease following COVID infection In a second, separate School of Medicine study, researchers analyzed electronic health data to examine the incidence rate of breakthrough COVID-19 infections in those diagnosed with some subtypes of dementia. The study was recently published in the journal, Alzheimer's & Dementia. The researchers chose to examine data on breakthough COVID-19 cases in those with dementia because, while vaccines are effective, breakthrough infections are possible, and older adults with dementia were underrepresented in vaccine clinical trials. For example, in the clinical trial for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the median age for the 37,706 participants was 52 years and included only 18 people with dementia, or just 0.05%, according to the study. The researchers examined anonymous electronic health data from more than 262,847 adults 65 or older vaccinated between December 2020 and August 2021, and who didn't have the infection before being vaccinated. Of that number, 2,764 people were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease; 1,244 with vascular dementia, 259 with Lewy body dementia, 229 with frontotemporal dementia and 4,385 with mild cognitive impairment. The researchers compared the overall risks of breakthrough infections in vaccinated patients with dementia to those without any congitive impairment. Vaccinated patients with dementia had an overall risk for breakthrough infections ranging from 10.3% for Alzheimer's disease to 14.3% for Lewy body dementia, significantly higher than the 5.6% in the vaccinated older adults without dementia. "Patients with dementia have a significantly higher rate of breakthrough COVID infections after vaccination than patients of the same age and risk factors other than dementia," said Pamela Davis, the Arline H. and Curtis F. Garvin Research Professor at the School of Medicine. "Therefore, continued vigilance is needed, even after vaccination, to protect this vulnerable population. Caregivers should consider ongoing masking and social distancing, as well as booster vaccines to protect these individuals." Tokyo, May 24 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for Delhi after his two-day visit to Japan where he attended the Quad leaders' summit, and held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from US, Japan and Australia. "Leaving Japan after a fruitful visit in which I attended various bilateral and multilateral programmes. Glad to see the Quad emerge as a vibrant forum to further global good. Also had excellent bilateral meetings with all the Quad leaders," PM Modi said in a tweet. "I had excellent discussions with the business leaders of Japan, and an engaging interaction with the vibrant Indian community in Japan. I thank the Government and the people of Japan for the warm hospitality." As headlines focus on COVID-19 and, now, monkeypox, tuberculosis remains one of the great scourges of infectious disease around the world. Approximately 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis in 2020, the World Health Organization reports. Alarmingly, that year marked the first increase in TB deaths in more than a decade. But doctors and scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine are making important progress in their longstanding efforts to better understand, prevent and treat tuberculosis, and they've received a $1.25 million boost for a partnership with colleagues in Tanzania to train the next generation of front-line soldiers in the war against the disease. Malnutrition's role in tuberculosis New discoveries from the researchers highlight the crucial role of malnutrition in global tuberculosis. In a new paper in the scientific journal The Lancet Microbe, the UVA researchers and their collaborators in Tanzania reveal how malnutrition and gut infections impair tuberculosis treatments for young children. The scientists found that children with these common gut infections have lower concentrations of the critical TB drugs in their bodies and the more infections they have, the lower the concentration of the drugs. Based on these first-of-kind findings, the researchers say that doctors may be able to target the gut pathogens to improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes. Blame for failure of tuberculosis treatment historically was placed on the patient and a lack of adherence to medicines. Instead, the other germs in the gut of children from impoverished areas are leading to suboptimal levels of key medicines even if taken as directed. Some of the same pathogens in the gut that lead to malnutrition and predispose to malnutrition-related tuberculosis make tuberculosis even harder to treat." Scott Heysell, MD, MPH, Researcher, UVA's Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health Malnutrition is a vastly underappreciated contributor to tuberculosis, the researchers say. In a paper in the scientific journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the authors call malnutrition a "leading risk factor" for contracting the disease. There is an urgent need, they say, to better understand how nutritional deficiencies compromise the body's immune system. This understanding would shed important light on how malnutrition and "undernutrition" affect the effectiveness of both tuberculosis vaccines and treatments. In the paper, Heysell and his co-authors urge dramatic action against malnutrition and undernutrition: "It is time for governments, non-governmental organizations, philanthropic foundations and researchers to be invigorated by the challenge and not daunted by it. A rapid scale-up in funding and research is needed," they write. "The payoff could be monumental. Investments in eradicating undernutrition will probably have long-reaching benefits, far beyond their impact on tuberculosis, and can be transformative, especially for low-income regions. We should consider a Haitian saying: 'Giving people medicine for tuberculosis and not giving them food is like washing your hands and drying them in the dirt.'" Training the next generation Based, in part, on the new tuberculosis findings, the National Institutes of Health's Fogarty International Center has awarded the UVA scientists a $1.25 million grant that will bolster a longstanding training partnership with their collaborators in Tanzania. The crucial funding will allow the partnership to train Tanzanian postdoctoral researchers to work specifically on the intersection malnutrition and tuberculosis. Similar collaborative models through UVA's Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Global Health Equity have already trained 177 international students of varying academic stages over the last decade. Of those, almost 90% remain in research careers. "Prioritizing the education of international trainees in global health benefits us all," Heysell said. "We can do more to follow the lead of young scientists in settings bearing disproportionate poverty." One of the strengths of the program is its diversity. Eleven of the faculty members are from UVA, and seven are Tanzanian. Eight are women. That allows the program to connect the postdocs with Tanzanian mentors and with secondary mentors from UVA, providing the trainees access to a broad breadth of experience and expertise. The program will be led by Heysell and Stellah Mpagama, MD, PhD, director of research and innovation at Tanzania's Kibong'oto Infectious Diseases Hospital, adjunct faculty at UVA, and the recipient of the Dr. Maria Kamm Best Female Scientist in Tanzania for 2022. "This program will enable Tanzanians to develop research leaders that will take forward the agenda of 'End TB' in the country," Mpagama said. "In the past decade, the collaborative research we conducted enlightened us a lot on the various challenges that impede TB control. The next steps are to develop solutions simultaneously with development of research leaders to ensure continuity of the scientific efforts to curb this long-standing epidemic." The researchers are excited about the potential of the training partnership to not only help prevent and treat tuberculosis in Tanzania but to generate new discoveries that will help battle diseases of poverty around the world. "As ancient human conditions, malnutrition and tuberculosis do not often grab headlines," Heysell said. "Yet our collective progress in improving these conditions is a bellwether in how well we are doing to reduce other socioeconomic inequities." About the Tanzania tuberculosis effort UVA faculty and staff participating in the training partnership include Rebecca Dillingham, Tania Thomas, Eric Houpt, James Platts-Mills, Marcel Durieux, Amber Steen, Mark DeBoer, Richard Guerrant, Rebecca Scharf, Margaret Kosek, Christopher Moore and Megan Null Toerien. The effort is supported by UVA's Office of the Provost and the School of Medicine. The Lancet Microbe paper was authored by Daniel Van Aartsen, Museveni Justine, Estomih Mduma, Stellah G. Mpagama, Mohammad H. Alshaer, Charles A. Peloquin, Buliga Mujaga, Athanasia Maro, Jean Gratz, Margaret Kosek, Jie Liu, Elizabeth T. Rogawski McQuade, Eric R. Houpt, Tania A. Thomas and Scott K. Heysell. The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, grants U01AI115594 and T32AI007046. The Lancet Infectious Diseases paper was authored by Pranay Sinha, Knut Lonnroth, Anurag Bhargava, Scott K. Heysell, Sonali Sarkar, Padmini Salgame, William Rudgard, Delia Boccia, Daniel Van Aartsen and Natasha S Hochberg. The NIH Fogarty grant is project No. 1D43TW012247-01. There are many factors to consider when making decisions regarding children's health. In the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccines against the causative agent, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), have been the target of much suspicion and hesitancy. A new preprint research paper examines the various contributions to parental attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccination of their children in the UK. Study: Parents intention to vaccinate their child for COVID-19: a cross-sectional survey (CoVAccS wave 3). Image Credit: Tatevosian Yana / Shutterstock Introduction In prior research, it has been demonstrated that the perception of the risk of becoming sick and the perceived safety of vaccines drive parents' attitudes toward childhood vaccinations. This is compounded by the pressure imposed by social norms, i.e., the perception that most other children have taken the vaccine in question. Several papers have come out analyzing COVID-19 vaccination intentions on the part of parents concerning their children. Two extensive UK studies suffer from the fact that they were completed before COVID-19 vaccines for children were available. However, their findings show that perceptions of a high risk of becoming infected, acceptance of vaccination benefits in general, and trust in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in particular, drove parental acceptance of these vaccines for their children. Conversely, the novelty of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and adenovirus vector vaccines decreased their appeal for parents concerned with the child's long-term safety. Factors that increased the odds of pediatric vaccine acceptance among parents included parental COVID-19 vaccination. In spite of initial hesitation, the vaccine gradually moved from being recommended for high-risk children to being made available to all children above 12 years old, and offered to everyone over 5 years old. In the current preprint posted to the medRxiv* server, the researchers looked at UK parental intention to vaccinate their children during a time of selective pediatric vaccination. The vaccine was being offered to all 16- and 17-year-olds by the time data collection for this study ended, while 12- to 15-year-olds could also get it. Almost 1.5 million doses had been administered to those below 18 by then. About a tenth of under-18s had received one or more doses, though, in the current sample, it was about 17%. What Did the Study Show? Vaccine uptake among children was low in this study, at about 17% for one dose or more. Among those who had not yet vaccinated their children, about 40% claimed to be willing to, while just over a third were uncertain. In 27% of cases, the parents indicated their unwillingness. Perceived likelihood of a child having a vaccination (0=extremely unlikely to 10=extremely likely) by child age, with cut-off points used to categorize participants vaccination intention. Interestingly, the percentage of willing parents dropped to less than half, compared to the ~50-65% of some prior studies. This could be because much of the controversy and vaccine hesitancy arose after the emergency use authorization of the nucleic acid vaccines, a novel platform that was used for the first time during the pandemic. Over 70% of the unwillingness was traceable to parental beliefs and attitudes in three areas. These comprised the level of threat perception regarding COVID-19; the degree to which the vaccine was felt to be necessary for or widely used among children; and fears about vaccine safety or misgivings about the novel vaccine platform. Approximately 30% of the difference in parental intentions regarding child vaccination could be attributed to social and demographic characteristics of the parents, with these factors playing an important role. Children of Chinese and Indian origin, those in better-off living areas, and those with English as their first language were more likely to get the vaccine, as were those who did not get free school meals. The chances were also higher among those with special needs. Another 30% was explained by parental beliefs and attitudes regarding the vaccine. Those who felt that vaccination was necessary, and those who felt that the majority of children would get the vaccine, had greater willingness rates. This was also the case with those who felt that COVID-19 was dangerous to their child, and those who thought the vaccine was safe. This agrees with earlier results, showing the importance of parental attitudes to routine childhood vaccines, and supporting what is known about the adoption of health behaviors. Moreover, it is possible that the high incidence of infection among children of primary and secondary school age, as occurred from September to November 2021 and January 2022, could make parents more willing to vaccinate their children and prevent the disease. The single biggest reason parents chose to vaccinate their children was to protect both the child and others from infection. Some also said the child had chosen to be vaccinated. This was found among parents of older children as well, those aged 12 to 18 years, who also cited the vaccination of the rest of the family. Parents continued to express reluctance over giving the vaccine to their children, but those who had received it intended to give it to their children, and for much the same reasons. This echoes the findings in other pandemics. Conversely, those who were unwilling to vaccinate their children had safety concerns about the experimental vaccine platform and adverse effects, as well as not thinking that COVID-19 was a serious harm to children in general. Again, other data available with the Office for National Statistics show that fully one-quarter of parents whose children were aged 5-11 years did not intend to vaccinate the child, mainly because they were worried about the adverse effects and wanted more evidence of efficacy. What Are the Implications? The UK government has begun to think about a "living with COVID-19" paradigm, as opposed to a zero-COVID-19 approach. This involves vaccinating adults to prevent serious infection, while allowing social mixing, reducing testing requirements, and removing other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as mask-wearing in public. It has been challenging to demonstrate similar benefits for vaccinated children, in part because of the low incidence of symptomatic disease and serious illness, which has contributed largely to the debate on pediatric vaccination. At this time, the vaccine is being offered and is recommended for all individuals aged 5 years and above. While many factors interact to affect the parental choice as to vaccination of their children against COVID-19, time may encourage many parents to go ahead with vaccination as more and more children get the vaccine and the vaccine technology becomes less alarmingly new. However, simultaneous shifts may happen with the virus and with patterns of infection, as new variants arise and restrictions intended to control viral transmission are relaxed. Conclusion This prospective cohort study was representative of UK residents on a broad scale, but participants included only those with children aged 17 years or less, and those who completed both the first and the follow-up surveys. This might limit the generalizability of the study. However, the findings clearly indicate the mixed response among UK parents to the idea of giving the COVID-19 vaccine to their children during a period when the vaccine was available as opposed to being a possibility. Intention to vaccinate was related to having taken the vaccine oneself, seeing it as necessary and commonplace, as well as seeing COVID-19 as a greater risk. Such parents also saw the vaccine as safe for their children. Those who said they would not vaccinate were mostly concerned about adverse side effects, while those who were planning to vaccinate mostly said they were concerned about preventing the virus from spreading to others. *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. In a recent study posted to bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers assessed the neutralization efficacy of a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein against reinfection among hamsters with prior vaccination or infection. Background The second and third years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been marked by the repeated emergence and replacement of SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as the emergence of the Omicron variant, which replaced the Delta variant. The authors of the present study previously showed that two doses of saRNA-S protein vaccine conferred protection against the Wuhan-hu-1/D614G and Alpha strains among vaccinated hamsters. About the study In the present study, researchers extended their previous analysis by assessing the protection conferred by double saRNA vaccination and prior Omicron BA.1 infection against Delta or Omicron BA.2 reinfections in hamsters. Groups of hamsters (n=16 per group) were vaccinated with prime and boost doses of the saRNA S vaccine or a control vaccine which encoded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) glycoprotein (gp) 120 (saRNA-HIV). Two weeks post-boost, hamster sera were obtained, following which the hamsters were challenged via direct contact exposure. Hamsters were intranasally infected with 100 plaque-forming units (PFU) of Omicron BA.1 or Delta. The animals shed SARS-CoV-2 in their nasal wash after the first day post-infection (dpi). The vaccinated hamsters were co-housed with infected donor hamsters at one dpi. Therefore, every cage housed a donor, a saRNA-S vaccinee, and a control saRNA-HIV vaccinee animal. Pseudovirus neutralization assays were performed with sera obtained at 14 dpi to assess neutralizing activity against the SARS-CoV-2 variants. Subsequently, groups of hamsters (n=4 per group) were infected with 100 PFU viral isolates of D614G strain and the Alpha, Delta, Omicron BA.1, BA.2 variants or were mock-infected (controls). The potential for airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission by the infected hamsters was assessed. Plaque assays were also performed to assess plaque formation by SARS-CoV-2 variants on cultured cells. Further, the in vivo findings among hamsters were compared to human antibody titers of antisera obtained from hospitalized individuals infected by D614G (n=9), Alpha (n=9), Delta (n=12), or BA.1 (n=16). The neutralizing antibody titers among individuals who developed SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections after double saRNA S vaccination were assessed. Results Double saRNA vaccination based on the D614G S ameliorated weight loss and reduced viral loads following Delta infection but had a minimal effect against BA.1. Prior D614G or Alpha infection was partially protective against Omicron BA.1. All Delta-infected hamsters exposed to Omicron developed reinfections, although SARS-CoV-2 shedding among them was lower. Hamsters vaccinated with saRNA-S demonstrated robust D614G neutralization but a two-fold decrease and 13-fold decrease in neutralizing titers against Delta and BA.1, respectively. Sera of saRNA-S vaccinated hamsters infected by BA.1, and BA.2 demonstrated marginally lower neutralizing titers than against D614G and Delta, lowest against BA.1. SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) gene analysis showed SARS-CoV-2 infection in all sentinel hamsters; however, the viral load and viral RNA in the nasal wash of saRNA-S vaccinated and Delta-infected hamsters were substantially lower than controls. Contrastingly, SARS-CoV-2 load in the nasal wash of Omicron-infected animals was minimally affected by vaccination and only lower than controls at five dpi. Among all infected hamsters, BA.1 neutralization titers in the nasal washes were the lowest. All naive sentinel hamsters acquired BA.1 infection from co-housed donors, and their nasal wash demonstrated high BA.1 shedding. Plaque assays showed that the plaque counts did not significantly differ between naive sentinel hamsters and Delta-infected hamsters. This was indicative of their potential to support the onward SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission. In contrast, after BA.2 exposure, the directly infected donor hamsters, immunonaive sentinel hamsters, and the BA.1-infected sentinel hamsters emitted detectible SARS-CoV-2 particles in the air. This indicates that prior Omicron BA.1 infection conferred partial protection against BA.2 reinfections but not Delta reinfections. Pseudovirus neutralization assays showed paralleled in vivo and human antisera findings. Individuals who recovered following infection by earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants did not demonstrate cross-neutralization between Delta and Omicron, indicative of a large antigenic distance between Delta and Omicron. A 120-fold-decrease and a 60-fold decrease in neutralizing antibodies against BA.1 were observed among Delta-infected and Alpha-infected individual antisera, respectively. D614G-infected individuals demonstrated a 129-fold decrease in BA.1 neutralization, which was 23-fold and 15-fold lower than those against Delta and Omicron BA.2, respectively. The findings indicate a considerable antigen distance between earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants and Omicron and between BA.1 and BA.2 in immunonaive individuals. Delta and Omicron breakthrough infections yielded higher and broader antibody titers than after only vaccination. In comparison to homologous strain titers. a 3.5-fold drop in antibody titers was observed against Omicron BA.1 among vaccinated and Delta-infected individuals. Conclusion Overall, the study findings showed that double saRNA vaccination conferred substantially low immune protection against Omicron BA.1, and hamsters previously infected with pre-Omicron variants could develop Omicron reinfections via airborne transmission. Further, Delta and Omicron infections did not confer cross-protective immunity in hamsters. *Important notice bioRxiv 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. For the first time, Flow Robotics will join the 2022 SLAS Europe Conference & Exhibition in Dublin on the 24th-27th of May. We believe that automation should be accessible to labs of all shapes and sizes, and that is on the top of our agenda when we develop our flexible and user-friendly robot, flowbot ONE. Stop by stand B3 to see flowbot ONE in action. Dan and Britta will be welcoming you and feel free to pre-book a meeting with one of them for an on-site demonstration. Dan is our area manager in Northern Europe. He is based in UK and together with our partners he takes care of UK and Ireland. Dan has more than 15 years of robotics experience within Life-Science. We are excited to be attending in-person events once again. The opportunity to speak with scientists and technicians is great, a chance to exchange ideas and inspiration. Come say hi and we will help you find the right solution for your pipetting needs, show you the simplicity of flowbot ONE or just have a chat about the future of lab automation and your lab routine."- Dan Lord, Area Manager, Northern Europe Britta takes care of sales in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Britta has many years of application experience within robotics and Life-Science. A summer program for undergraduate students who plan to pursue a graduate or medical degree related to diabetes research will be launched at Ohio University in 2023 thanks to support from a prestigious National Institutes of Health Research Education Program (R25) grant. The funding is the result of a collaborative effort by Ohio University researchers at the Diabetes Institute who want to encourage more students to consider a career in diabetes research. The grant, titled Diabetes Institute Summer Interprofessional Research Experience (DISIRE) for Undergraduates, is a five-year award funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The summer program will last 10 weeks, beginning in 2023, and will accept eight to 10 undergraduate students from all over the country. The students will learn valuable research skills, be mentored by OHIO faculty who work in diabetes research, hear from clinicians, take part in online courses, and create a capstone project which they can bring back to their respective universities and implement on those campuses. The students will go through a rigorous program resulting in their gaining insight into the history and pathophysiology of the disease as well as epidemiological, social, and molecular/cellular research efforts directed at uncovering new therapeutic targets and treatments for the variety of problems associated with diabetes." John Kopchick, Ph.D., Goll-Ohio Eminent Scholar, distinguished professor of molecular biology and principal investigator on the grant Although Kopchick is leading the program, Elizabeth Beverly, Ph.D., Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Ralph S. Licklider, D.O., Endowed Professor in Behavioral Diabetes, Kevin Lee, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular biology, and Craig Nunemaker, Ph.D., associate professor with a focus in diabetes, are also assisting in various ways as co-investigators. The goal of the program is to train undergraduate students in diabetes research and encourage them to apply to graduate and/or medical school and ultimately earn a degree in which diabetes research is a significant segment of their career. Beverly said the investigators are interested in recruiting first-generation, Appalachian students. "There is a high rate of diabetes and related complications in Appalachia, so the more research that can be done in this area and the more information that comes from researchers located in and originally from the region will only benefit the community here," Beverly said. Kopchick, who is originally from Appalachian Pennsylvania, will oversee the program and research. Lee will oversee the biomedical portion of the program, work with schools from the region to help recruit students and ensure the students' projects can be applied at their respective university. Nunemaker will oversee the mentoring portion of the program and match OHIO faculty in the biomedical sciences, engineering, and other disciplines with students in the program. Beverly will evaluate the grant and program, assure that the students are receiving the educational outcomes that were planned, as well as oversee the capstone projects. The grant provides funding for five years. However, with positive outcomes, NIH support for the program could continue. The program is open to all undergraduate students in the country who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree that would help those with diabetes, whether that is in basic sciences, social science, medical science, or engineering. Ohio University students, first generation students, students from Appalachia and students from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply. Applications will be due this fall. The NIH R25 grant is only awarded to one institution every year and was created to support research education activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation's biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. Additionally, the award will hopefully increase the diversity of this workforce and help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds that will evolve into research careers in this field. Thought Leaders Takayuki Baba Human Enhancement Project Fujitsu Research In this interview, we talk to Takayuki Baba from Fujitsu Research about ongoing research using artificial intelligence to achieve earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Please could you introduce yourself and tell us about how you came to research artificial intelligence in the context of pancreatic cancer? I am Takayuki Baba, and I am researching medical image diagnosis support technology as a converging technology that combines image analysis technology and medical science at Fujitsu Research. Converging technologies combine two or more different social sciences and technology areas to achieve a specific goal and represent a major focus of Fujitsus R & D. Fujitsu Research has a track record in the research and development of technologies for the detection of multiple types of lesions on computed tomography (CT) images with AI and the retrieval of past CT images with a similar distribution of lesions, which are used in medical diagnostic imaging support technologies to help physicians make diagnoses. Fujitsu and the Southern Tohoku General Hospital have started joint research with Fujitsu Japan Limited and FCOM CORPORATION on AI technology for detecting pancreatic cancer from non-contrast CT images through FCOM, which has been supporting the medical system of Southern Tohoku General Hospital. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock.com Why is the survival rate for pancreatic cancer lower than other cancers? The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is said to be low, as it is often found when it has already progressed to a state that is difficult to treat. Why is the early detection of pancreatic cancer a difficult task? One of the reasons that makes the early detection of pancreatic cancer difficult is that there are few noticeable symptoms, and it is difficult to conduct voluntary examinations until the cancer progresses. Further, as the pancreas is at the deepest part of the body, a relatively simple imaging test, such as abdominal ultrasonography, cannot show the entire pancreas. It can be said that it is difficult to distinguish the area where cancer is suspected because the contrast between the lesion and the surrounding area is low in various image diagnoses such as CT, MRI, and PET. What research has been carried out by Fujitsu and the Southern Tohoku General Hospital, and what is the goal of this research? In April 2022, Fujitsu and Southern Tohoku General Hospital embarked on a joint research project to develop an AI technology that can detect areas of suspected pancreatic cancer from CT images without contrast agents (non-contrast CT scans) with the aim of detecting pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage. This project aims to develop a technology for detecting suspected areas affected by pancreatic cancer by training an AI with approx. 300 anonymized CT scans of pancreatic cancer patients held by the Southern Tohoku General Hospital and offer an optimal image analysis method based on the shape of organs and cancer tumors. With this technology, we anticipate that non-contrast CT scans, which have not been the subject of AI research until now but are widely used for medical checkups, can also be used to detect areas of suspected pancreatic cancer and enable doctors to refer patients to the gastroenterology department for detailed examination promptly. Our goal is to apply this technology to many CT scans worldwide. How will this AI technology work and achieve earlier diagnoses of pancreatic cancer? Pancreatic cancer is very difficult to detect. The low contrast of non-contrast CT scans makes it difficult to locate the pancreas itself, as boundaries between the pancreas and other organs are unclear. Fujitsu and Southern Tohoku General Hospital aim to develop an AI technology that can identify the region corresponding to the pancreas (part marked yellow in the image below) and detect the suspected parts affected by cancer (part marked red in the image below) by estimating the continuity between the anterior and posterior cross-sectional images in consideration of the anatomical tissue connection and automatically performs three-dimensional analysis including the anterior and posterior cross-sectional images in areas with strong continuity and planar analysis in areas with weak continuity. In this way, slight visual discrepancies between a normal (healthy) pancreas and suspected parts affected by pancreatic cancer can be visualized on CT scans to detect patients with a high risk of pancreatic cancer. The technology thus aims to support doctors in providing more efficient and reliable visual diagnostic imaging and help them refer patients with a suspected risk of pancreatic cancer to the gastroenterology department for a detailed examination to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage. Figure: Detection of suspected pancreatic cancer using the newly developed technology How will this technology improve the quality of life of pancreatic cancer patients? By using this technology to support the early detection of pancreatic cancer, we expect to see a dramatic increase in the number of patients with pancreatic cancer who can be saved through treatment and surgery through early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. How could this research be applied across medical and health services to improve healthcare? In the future, we will verify the effectiveness of the technology developed in this joint research and apply it to a wide range of clinical settings with the aim of saving lives and improving the quality of life of patients with pancreatic cancer. What stage is this research currently at, and what is the next step? Fujitsu and Southern Tohoku General Hospital are currently developing a technology to detect suspected parts affected by pancreatic cancer by training an AI with approx. 300 anonymized enhanced CT scans and non-enhanced CT scans held by the Southern Tohoku Hospital. As a next step, we will apply this AI technology in clinical practice, first to detect tumors and pancreatic duct dilatation, which are typical findings of early pancreatic cancer but are difficult to detect, and then to test the effectiveness of the technology by detecting findings that require clinical follow-ups, such as cysts and local atrophy of the pancreas. How do you believe artificial intelligence will influence medical research in the future, and what impacts will this have on healthcare? At present, AI technology has made remarkable progress in the field of medical care, particularly in the area of diagnostic imaging support, and we believe that AI will be indispensable in various aspects of medical care in the future. In this joint research, we are conducting cutting-edge research on AI technology that detects pancreatic cancer from CT scans in order to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage. In the future, we believe that we can contribute to the creation of a society in which people can live healthily by widely applying the results of our research to medical care and health promotion services. Image Credit: elenabsl/Shutterstock.com Where can readers find more information? Currently, readers can refer to our following press release: https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2022/0425-01.html About Takayuki Baba Takayuki Baba, Human Enhancement Project, Converging Technologies Laboratories, Research Unit, Fujitsu Research, Fujitsu Limited. Current position: as a project manager at Fujitsu Research, I oversee the research and development group for cancer early detection technologies. I joined Fujitsu in 1999 and have been engaged in research and development of machine learning, multimedia retrieval, and medical image diagnosis support technologies at Fujitsu Research. From 2009 to 2010, I was a Visiting Scientist at Cornell University in the United States where I studied image recognition technology using AI. From 2014 to 2018, I served as Visiting Associate Professor at the National Institute of Natural Sciences. In 2018, I became a part-time lecturer at Tokyo Institute of Technology. My specialty is medical image analysis (doctoral degree in engineering). A widely used and inexpensive Type 2 diabetes drug, once hoped to hold enormous promise in treating breast cancer, does not prevent or stop the spread of the most common forms of the disease, according to new findings. The landmark trial, led by Dr. Pamela Goodwin at Sinai Health and run by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) under the umbrella of the Breast International Group (BIG) network, is the largest of its kind to date, tracking more than 3,600 breast cancer patients from across Canada, the U.S., Switzerland and the U.K. The randomized, double-blind trial enrolled patients who were treated with two pills a day of either placebo or the diabetes drug metformin. Overall, researchers found the addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatments did not improve outcomes in the two most common types of breast cancer, hormone receptor-positive or negative. The findings were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The results tell us that metformin is not effective against the most common types of breast cancer and any off-label use for this drug for the treatment of these common types of breast cancer should be stopped." Dr. Pamela Goodwin, medical oncologist at Sinai Health and clinician scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto While metformin was found not to be effective in treating the most common forms of breast cancer, Dr. Goodwin said the trial found a potentially important result for individuals with a less common but aggressive form of the disease, called HER2-positive breast cancer. For this subtype of breast cancer, researchers found there was evidence that use of metformin for five years might lead to a reduction in deaths. HER2-positive cancer makes up about 20 per cent of all breast cancers. "Metformin is not beneficial for use in most common breast cancers, but in the cases of HER2-positive breast cancer, our findings suggest it may be beneficial," Dr. Goodwin said. "These results need to be replicated in future research before metformin is used as a breast cancer treatment, however, it could provide an additional treatment option for HER2-positive breast cancer." Metformin belongs to a class of drugs called biguanides, which are used to treat high blood sugar or diabetes. Previous observational and pre-clinical studies suggested metformin may also reduce the risk of development and increase survival of some cancers, including breast cancer. It was theorized the drug may slow breast cancer growth by improving patient metabolism, notably insulin levels, leading to reduced growth of cancer cells, or that it might impact cancer cells directly. The results have been submitted for publication. A potential next step will be to prospectively test the impact of metformin in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer in a randomized clinical trial. The multinational trial was run by CCTG, with support from multiple granting agencies, alongside a large team of scientists, including Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Vuk Stambolic at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, and Drs. Wendy Parulekar and Bingshu Chen at CCTG. "The CCTG MA.32 trial illustrates the importance of international academic group collaboration to test new treatment approaches with a goal to advance clinical care," said CCTG Senior Investigator Dr. Wendy Parulekar. "The results of all Phase III trials inform current treatment standards and generate hypotheses to be tested in future studies. CCTG is grateful to the all the patients and families, health care teams, granting agencies and collaborators who enabled the successful conduct of the trial." This research was funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute (US), the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Hold'Em for Life Charity Challenge and Apotex (Canada). Tokyo/ New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) The leaders of the Quad countries during their Summit in Tokyo on Tuesday welcomed India's gift of 525,000 doses of Made in India vaccines to Thailand and Cambodia in April this year under the Quad Vaccine Partnership. "We celebrate the donation by the Quad to Cambodia and Thailand of WHO approved the Made in India vaccines, together with Quad members' other vaccine related support, as an example of tangible achievement of our collaboration," a joint statement issued after the summit read. "We will continue to address both the Covid-19 response and preparedness against future health threats," the statement added. (Newser) Update: A man has been found guilty of fatally shooting a University of Wisconsin physician and her husband, who were the parents of his girlfriend, and leaving their bodies at the school's arboretum. Jurors in Dane County on Monday convicted 20-year-old Khari Sanford of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the March 2020 shooting deaths of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre, per the AP. Testimony pointed to friction among the couple, their daughter Miriam Carre, and Sanford over coronavirus restrictions Potter wanted them to follow in their home, as well as Sanford's feelings that his girlfriend's parents didn't respect him. Miriam Carre wasn't charged. Our original story from April 7 follows: Prosecutors have charged a teenager with fatally shooting a University of Wisconsin physician and her husband, who were the parents of his girlfriend, and leaving their bodies at the schools arboretum. Khari Sanford, 18, was charged with two counts of party to the crime of first-degree intentional homicide, use of a dangerous weapon, the AP reports. A friend of Sanfords, 18-year-old Alijah Larrue, was charged as an accomplice and faces two counts of party to the crime of first-degree intentional homicide. Bail for each was set at $1 million. According to the criminal complaint, Sanfords girlfriend was the daughter of the victims, Dr. Beth Potter, 52, and her husband, 57-year-old Robin Carre. Joggers found the victims at the arboretum near the Madison campus on March 31. Autopsies found both victims were shot in the back of the head, apparently the night before their bodies were discovered. A friend of Potter's told investigators that the couple had moved their daughter and Sanford out of their house and into a rental home because they were not following social distancing rules amid the coronavirus outbreak. Potter's supervisor at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics said Potter's medication put her at greater risk of infection and that she needed social distancing. A classmate at Madison West High School told investigators that he overheard a discussion between the victims' daughter and Sanford in a class shortly before school was canceled last month, in which she told Sanford her parents had "bands" of money and that they were rich. (Read more Wisconsin stories.) (Newser) Those who use Uber and its rivals should prepare to open their wallets even wider, writes Henry Grabar in an assessment for Slate. The headline pretty much sums things up: "The Decade of Cheap Rides Is Over." Uber has been content to lose a lot of money since it came along in 2009 in its quest to hook riders on its service. Lyft has done much the same, and "this has amounted to an enormous, investor-fueled subsidy of Americas ride-hailing habit," writes Grabar. But as a company memo from Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi last week makes clear, Uber is shifting strategy to make sure its "economics work" going forward. Meaning, the days of burning money via that "subsidy" are over. "How Uber rights the ship is not for me to figure out, but one obvious answer is that rides have been gettingand will continue to getmore expensive," writes Grabar. He cites one study showing a 92% spike in Uber prices between 2018 and 2021, and notes that Uber and Lyft have been asking people to shell out an extra surcharge because of high gas prices. "And all that was before last weeks ultimatum." The piece looks at the broader effect the "subsidy" strategy has had on the economy, including how it made the landscape inhospitable to car-sharing (as opposed to ride-hailing) companies such as Zipcar. It also may have discouraged cities from investing in public transportation, which might prove unwise if higher fares send people back to buses. (Read the full piece.) (Newser) The House Ethics Committee said Monday it's beginning an investigation of Rep. Madison Cawthorn, the Republican freshman whose reelection bid was derailed last week when he lost his North Carolina primary. The panel is looking into whether Cawthorn broke any rules by promoting a cryptocurrency in which he might have invested, and whether he was involved in an improper relationship with a member of his staff, NPR reports. The committee said its vote earlier this month to investigate was unanimous, per CNN. Cawthorn didn't address the substance of the investigation on Monday but tweeted: "WowI must still be a problem for the swamp! They're still coming after me!" His chief of staff, Blake Harp, said Cawthorn looks forward to proving that he "committed no wrongdoing and that he was falsely accused by partisan adversaries for political gain." The committee is half Democrats, half Republicans, per Axios. Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar will chair the subcommittee. The panel's statement said its decision to investigate does not mean Cawthorn broke any House rules, per the AP. The insider trading issue involves an anti-President Biden cryptocurrency. The Washington Examiner reported last month that Cawthorn knew a day before it was announced that the "Let's Go Brandon" crypto coin was going to sponsor NASCAR driver Brandon Brown. Cawthorn has said he owns the currency. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from his home state, called for the Ethics Committee to investigate the issue, per NPR. (Politico produced an unsettling profile of Cawthorn this month.) (Newser) Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that "low-level" discussion is underway on how the US may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some American troops should be based in Ukraine. The US withdrew its few troops in Ukraine before the war and said it has no plans to send in combat forces, the AP reports. Milley's comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another noncombat role. The US embassy in Kyiv has partially reopened and is staffing up again, and there have been questions about whether a Marine security force will be sent to help protect the embassy. Asked if US special operations forces may go into Ukraine, which officials have insisted they are not doing yet, Milley said that "any reintroduction of US forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we're a ways away from anything like that." Speaking to reporters, Austin declined to say if the US will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But he said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark. In particular, Austin said that Denmark has agreed to send a harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help with the defense of its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports. "Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems and tanks and other armored vehicles," Austin said after the virtual meeting of defense officials ended. " Others came forward with new commitments for training." He added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks, and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway, and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) So has US policy toward Taiwan changed or not? "No," President Biden declared Tuesday when asked that specific question, reports the AP. But Biden's comments the previous day still seem to have muddied the water on what the US would do if China were to invade the self-governing island. The comments: In his prepared remarks on Monday, Biden was sufficiently vague on how the US would react to a Chinese takeover of Taiwan, in sync with the decades-long policy that has come to be known as "strategic ambiguity." But when asked by a reporter if the US was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that," Biden replied, "Yes." In his prepared remarks on Monday, Biden was sufficiently vague on how the US would react to a Chinese takeover of Taiwan, in sync with the decades-long policy that has come to be known as "strategic ambiguity." But when asked by a reporter if the US was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that," Biden replied, "Yes." A pattern: His comments had White House officials scrambling to clarify that US policy has not changed, and Peter Baker at the New York Times notes this appears to be a regular feature of the current White Houseas when Biden ad-libbed that Vladimir Putin should not remain in power. "Each time he says what he really thinks, there is the ritual cleanup brigade dispatched by the White House to pretend that he did not really say what he clearly articulatedor that even if he did, it did not really amount to a change in policy," writes Baker. "But then Mr. Biden, unperturbed and unapologetic, goes out and does it all over again." This is, in fact, the third time Biden has made such remarks on Taiwan. Dead or no? Views are split on what Biden's comments mean. "Strategic ambiguity is over," writes Georgetown professor Matthew Kroenig. "Strategic clarity is here. This is the third time Biden has said this. Good. China should welcome this. Washington is helping Beijing to not miscalculate." On the other hand, Harvard's Lev Nachman doesn't see a reversal. Strategic ambiguity is about under what conditions the US would intervene in a war over Taiwan, not a flat out refusal to answer if it would intervene," he writes. Biden's language, however, was "sloppy," he adds. Views are split on what Biden's comments mean. "Strategic ambiguity is over," writes Georgetown professor Matthew Kroenig. "Strategic clarity is here. This is the third time Biden has said this. Good. China should welcome this. Washington is helping Beijing to not miscalculate." On the other hand, Harvard's Lev Nachman doesn't see a reversal. Strategic ambiguity is about under what conditions the US would intervene in a war over Taiwan, not a flat out refusal to answer if it would intervene," he writes. Biden's language, however, was "sloppy," he adds. In the middle? An analysis at the Washington Post by Adam Taylor looks at whether this might simply be a gaffe by a president long known for making them or a deliberate shift in policy, but also floats the idea of a something in between those two things: "Perhaps the most persuasive idea about Bidens comments is that this is still 'strategic ambiguity,' just with a new, harder spin." An analysis at the Washington Post by Adam Taylor looks at whether this might simply be a gaffe by a president long known for making them or a deliberate shift in policy, but also floats the idea of a something in between those two things: "Perhaps the most persuasive idea about Bidens comments is that this is still 'strategic ambiguity,' just with a new, harder spin." One fear: An assessment by Phelim Kine at Politico notes that some fear Biden's seemingly more aggressive stance might provoke China into making a preemptive move on Taiwan. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned that Beijing will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. The analysis also notes that nothing currently on the books, including the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 Six Assurances, "specifically obligate" the US to intervene militarily. An assessment by Phelim Kine at Politico notes that some fear Biden's seemingly more aggressive stance might provoke China into making a preemptive move on Taiwan. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned that Beijing will take firm actions to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. The analysis also notes that nothing currently on the books, including the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and the 1982 Six Assurances, "specifically obligate" the US to intervene militarily. A gripe: "Does anyone at the #WhiteHouse actually respect the words of @POTUS?" tweeted GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger after staffers clarified Biden's Monday comments. "Biden said we would defend #Taiwan, and the staff AGAIN walks back the Presidents own words! He needs to fire everyone who does this." (Read more President Biden stories.) (Newser) Four friends went to the cliffs of southern California's Palos Verdes on Sunday night to hike and hang out, and only three made it back home. When one woman had to go to the bathroom in the dark and was trying to find a place to do so outside, she ended up slipping and falling down the cliff, according to the mother of one of the survivors. Her three friends sat at the edge of the cliff looking for her, she tells NBC Los Angelesand then the rest of them fell, too. ABC 7 puts the length of the fall at 300 feet. The mother says her son noticed his male friend had lost consciousness in the fall, and ran to get help, but didn't realize until later that the man had been killed. It took hours for the friend, who had to climb a steep embankment, to find helpthe incident was reported to police at 4:30am Mondayand ultimately an airlift rescue had to be carried out for the group, Fox 11 reports. Officials on Monday identified the man killed as Jerardo Huitzil, 25. His three friends were all hospitalized with injuries, but were in stable condition. Locals say the cliffs are dangerous due to their lack of guardrails, loose and slippery rocks and dirt, and tree roots that can easily trip a person, especially in the dark. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) The American tourists who died at a Bahamas resort were reportedly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. The pathologist is expected to soon release the official autopsy results and toxicology findings, the Nassau Guardian reports; that paper and the Tribune published stories in advance of the official release. The health minister says officials believe the deaths were isolated events and there is no concern for public health; the two couples who were affected were staying in villas that were next to each other at Sandals Emerald Bay resort on Exuma. Only one woman survived the tragedy earlier this month. (Read more Bahamas stories.) (Newser) The senior class president at Pine View School in Florida's Sarasota County, who also happens to be the youngest public plaintiff suing over the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law, was told that if he referenced the law in his commencement speech, he'd be cut off. So, in order to "not say gay," Zander Moricz used his hair as a stand-in for the word. "I must discuss a very public part of my identity. This characteristic has probably become the first thing you think of when you think of me as a human being, he said at the school's graduation ceremony Sunday, per the Hill. As you know, I have curly hair." "I used to hate my curls, he said. I spent mornings and nights embarrassed of them, trying desperately to straighten this part of who I am, but the daily damage of trying to fix myself became too much to endure. And while he didn't want his graduation speech to be about this particular topic, he said it had to be, because he needed to speak up for the thousands of other kids living under the state's law. "There are going to be so many kids with curly hair who need a community like Pine View, and they wont have one, Moricz, the first openly gay class president in his school's history, said. Instead, theyll try to fix themselves so that they can exist in Floridas humid climate." Following the speech, Moricz appeared on Good Morning America and in Teen Vogue. (Read more Don't Say Gay bill stories.) (Newser) Updated: The man wanted in a seemingly unprovoked fatal shooting on a New York City subway turned himself in to police on Tuesday. WABC reports Andrew Abdullah, 25, surrendered to police at a Manhattan precinct after his Brooklyn-based pastor first went to the Fifth Precinct and "worked out the details." Daniel Enriquez, 48, was killed on his way to brunch on Sunday. The AP reports that after an early childhood spent in Brooklyn, Enriquez's family moved to California and then to Seattle due to violence in their New York and Southern California neighborhoods. He returned to the city in the mid-1990s to get his master's degree from New York University. Our original story follows: A manhunt is underway for a 25-year-old suspected by police of fatally shooting a man on a New York City subway. NBC New York reports that the NYPD is seeking Andrew Abdullah in connection with the killing of Daniel Enriquez, a 48-year-old Goldman Sachs employee headed to brunch Sunday who instead became the victim of what police are calling an unprovoked attack on the Q train from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Sources tell the New York Daily News that a surveillance camera caught the suspect in Sunday's shooting with his face mask down, allowing investigators to ID him. That same video also appeared to show the suspect handing over his gun to a homeless man, who in turn sold it to another homeless person, the sources note, adding that police have since recovered the firearm. Authorities say Abdullah has nearly a dozen other arrests. Court records show that he pleaded guilty in 2018 to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, plus additional charges, and was sentenced in 2019 to prison, per the New York Times. Records from the state's Department of Corrections note he got out from behind bars later that same year. Pending cases against Abdullah include one on gun charges from January 2020, one from March 2021 involving charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a child, and one from last month in which he was charged with stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Meanwhile, Adam Pollack, Enriquez's longtime partner, tells the paper that Enriquez almost never rode the subway due to pandemic and safety concerns, but that he'd recently started to after Uber prices jumped. Pollack said his partner was an uncle of five who was multilingual and fascinated with exploring his family's roots in Mexico. "He was a special, jovial guy," Enriquez's sister says. Police aren't sure where Abdullah may now be, but they say he was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, and white sneakers. Authorities are asking anyone with info on Abdullah or the shooting to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. (Read more New York City stories.) (Newser) Tom Cruise's Top Gun sequel wowed the crowd at Cannes. Woody Harrelson's latest movie appears to have one-upped it there, reports Variety. The outlet describes an "uproarious eight-minute standing ovation" after the screening of Triangle of Sadness. The film from Sweden's Ruben Ostlund is described as a dark comedy in which Harrelson plays the alcoholicand Marxistcaptain of a yacht who takes uber-rich passengers for a cruise, per the New York Post. Things apparently get graphic in a seasickness kind of wayVariety reports that people were covering their eyes and roaring with laughterprompting the BBC to wonder if it's "the most disgusting film" of the year. The movie currently has a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though with only 25 reviews. (Read more Woody Harrelson stories.) Tokyo/ New Delhi, May 24, (UNI) United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday came down heavily upon Russia at the start of the Quad Leaders' Summit saying the Russia's Ukraine war is not mere a European but "a global issue and Russia is trying to extinguish a culture hitting schools and museums." "This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue. The fact is that when you turn on the television and see what Russias doing now, it appears to me that Putin is trying to extinguish a culture. Hes not trying to hit military targets any more, hes taking out every school, every culture, every natural history museum," he said in his opening remarks at the Summit. Biden also termed Russia's invasion on Ukraine "a dark hour in our shared history." "At the same we are navigating a dark hour in our shared history. Russia's brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. And innocent civilians are put into the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as exiled," he said. Biden went on to say that "as long as Russia continues this war we are going to be partners and lead a global response." The US President spoke about the importance of the Quad in responding to Covid-19, partnering on 5G supply chains and launching the Quad fellowship program. However, much of his remarks focused on the war in Ukraine. Biden said the participants were gathering at "this transformative moment in the world - we are at a transformative moment." He thanked Japan Prime Minister Kishida for hosting the summit and said it was good to see Prime Minister Modi in person and thanked him "for your continued commitment to making sure democracies deliver." He also joked with Prime Minister Albanese saying "If you fall asleep while you're here, that's okay," noting that he had just been elected. The US President has been joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Ambassador Kurt Campbell. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida opened the meeting by welcoming the participants and thanking new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for coming to the meeting so soon after his election. Kishida said it was important for the leaders to get together to make a "firm commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific" and spoke about some of the topics of the meeting, including climate change countermeasures, maritime issues and technology. Australian Prime Minister Albanese said it was an honor that one of his first act as prime minister was to attend the Quad meeting. "We are committed to the Quad," he said, adding that Australia would be taking ambitious action on climate change, including a new target to reduce emissions by 43 percent by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi then spoke congratulating Albanese on his victory and described his country's work on Covid-19 and other issues and praised the work of the Quad. "This is ensuring peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," said Modi adding the group was a "force for good." UNI ASU ACL (Newser) The topic of honor killing is again in the headlines, and this time it's killingsplural. Police in Pakistan have arrested six men and charged them with murdering two sisters in their 20s, reports the Guardian. Based on accounts in the AP and Express Tribune, authorities laid out the chain of events: Sisters Aneesa Abbas, 24, and Arooj Abbas, 21, were forced to marry cousins last year. The sisters, however, were unhappy in their marriages and had apparently taken advantage of their Spanish citizenship to move to Spain. Police say they were seeking legal separations and were "lured back" to Pakistan on May 19, per the Express Tribune. They were strangled and shot in a home in the Gujrat district of Punjab province, and those charged include their husbands, their brother, both fathers-in-law, and a paternal uncle. Others are reportedly being sought. Authorities say the women were killed because they didn't want to help their husbands get visas to move to Spain. (Read more honor killings stories.) (Newser) A development in the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp trial that all sides might be happy with: It took a big step toward being over on Tuesday. Heard's legal team rested her case without calling Depp to the stand, reports the AP. Now Depp's team will present its rebuttal in the civil suit taking place in Virginia. He has sued her for $50 million, and she has countersued him for $100 million in regard to allegations that he abused her during their marriage. On Tuesday, the judge rejected Depp's request to toss Heard's countersuit. One nugget sure to generate headlines this week: CNN reports that Depp's team is expected to call supermodel Kate Moss, an ex-girlfriend, to testify on his behalf. People notes that Depp's lawyers were seen fist-pumping in court when Heard mentioned Moss in testimony, apparently because it gave them the opportunity to have her testify. Moss is expected to do so via video link on Wednesday, per the New York Post. (No matter what happens, don't expect Depp to look directly at Heard during the trial.) (Newser) Forbes and NBC News are out with stories asserting that the FBI foiled a recent ISIS plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush. The accounts are based on FBI search warrants and court documents unsealed in federal court in Ohio that include informants' details about the alleged scheme. NBC identifies the suspect as Shihab Ahmed Shihab, an Iraqi citizen believed to have entered the country legally. The outlet says he is in custody, but no charges have yet been filed. Forbes describes him as "an alleged ISIS operative" in Columbus, Ohio, who has been in the US for two years. Maybe the most disturbing detail is that he allegedly took video of Bush's residence in Dallas in November as well as the George W. Bush Institute in the same city. The alleged motive? Revenge for the Iraq war. At some point, two undercover FBI informants began working with the man, who allegedly sought their help in trying to smuggle in accomplices and with other parts of the plot. Just how legit were the plans? "It's clear this was a sophisticated counterterrorism operation with a lot of moving parts," Seamus Hughes of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University tells Forbes. "It was both far reaching and unique in its targeting." Bush's reps didn't sound especially worried, however: The former president "has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities," says one. (Bush recently made a headline-generating slip when referring to the Ukraine war.) (Newser) It sounds believable enough: Two women had an issue with their tab at a restaurant in Maryland's Prince Georges County. A law enforcement officer with a patrol dog who was working there as a security guard stepped in; they ignored him and left, so he called county police for backup. Except prosecutors say the manwho identified himself as a Deputy US Marshalwasn't a law enforcement officer at all. In fact, they allege Antione Tuckson has a history of impersonating law enforcement dating to 2006. The Washington Post and New York Daily News detail some of the lengths Tuckson, 38, allegedly went to in order to seem legitimate: During the March 6 restaurant encounter, he had a Glock 9mm pistol, Taser, and handcuffs on him, and the dog was clad in a police-style vest, per a court filing. Per the filing, he also had a "fake US Marshals identification card [that] had an embedded computer chip to resemble" a genuine one. His home was searched, and flashing blue-and-red lights were allegedly found. But there were slip-ups, say prosecutors, starting with the fact that Tuckson allegedly separated from his dog while pursuing the women. "An on-duty canine never leaves the assigned officers side," prosecutors wrote, which tipped the responding officers off. He then allegedly called a friend, Nijea Nicole Rich, who prosecutors claim played the role of his supervisor. Per court documents, she arrived at the scene "wearing tan tactical pants, was armed with a handgun, and carried two sets of handcuffs, a radio, and what appeared to be an expandable baton." The officers claim she admonished them, "You locked up a US Marshal?" Tuckson has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of impersonating a US government officer and possessing a firearm illegally; he also faces state charges. Rich has been charged with impersonating a federal officer and conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer. (Read more impersonating an officer stories.) (Newser) Update: This file has been updated with the most up-to-date death toll and the shooter's identity. Nineteen children and two adults were killed when a gunman walked up to an elementary school in the Texas town of Uvalde and started shooting on Tuesday, officials said. Gov. Greg Abbott identified the killer as an 18-year-old student at Uvalde High School, KTRK reports. "He shot and killed horrifically and incomprehensibly," Abbott said. Fifteen Robb Elementary School students were being treated at a Uvalde hospital, and others, including adults, were taken to hospitals in San Antonio. The gunman died after being shot by law enforcement officers, Abbott said. State police raised the death toll Tuesday evening after four more children died, per the New York Times; later Tuesday, it was raised to 19 children, one teacher, and another school employee, per ABC 13. It was unclear how many victims remained in critical condition. The gunman drove up to the school and walked in with a handgun and possibly a rifle, Abbott said. The governor said he reportedly had shot his grandmother before going to the school; it's not clear whether she survived. Robb Elementary has almost 600 students in second through fourth grades, per USA Today. Nearly half of Uvalde, which is about 80 miles west of San Antonio, is non-English speaking, census data show. Students were being taken to the high school to be reunited with their parents, but the parents were being asked to wait until they're notified to go there, so the staff can try to account for all the children. Thursday was scheduled to be the last day of school in the district, per CNBC. This was the 27th school shooting this year, per NPR. For a time, the school was keeping parents outside Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home on Tuesday afternoon while teachers and staff members tried to calm the traumatized survivors, per the Washington Post. Marcela Cabralez, a pastor, said she arrived to find the children rocking and holding each other, with some holding their hands over their ears and screaming. Others stared ahead in silence. A boy who has epilepsy appeared to be in and out of consciousness, she said. When some of them began to speak, they described shots coming through the windows, breaking glass, and classmates bleeding. The shooter has been identified as Salvador Ramos. (Read more school shooting stories.) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. We LOVE living in our small community of North Pole Alaska! Do you live in a small community, or one that feels like family? Let us know! TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com No cases of monkeypox have so far been detected in Bahrain, the Cabinet confirmed yesterday. At the weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, yesterday at Gudaibiya Palace, a report submitted by the Minister of Health, regarding the recent global emergence of monkeypox cases was reviewed. The Ministry of Health has been instructed to monitor the outbreak and take all necessary precautionary measures to protect public health. The disease is known to be endemic to parts of Africa, but a growing outbreak in several European and North American countries has raised concerns that the virus may be spreading around the world. More than 100 suspected or confirmed cases have recently been detected in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and US. The Cabinet was briefed by the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications on phase two of the Bahrain International Airports new passenger terminal project, and on the Ministrys future air and land transportation plans. Additional briefing was provided on the latest developments in relation to the King Hamad Causeway and the Bahrain Metro project. To mark the 41st anniversary of the establishment of the GCC, the Cabinet stressed the importance of consolidating efforts to achieve the shared aspirations of GCC leaders and countries, to benefit their peoples, and to support regional security and stability. Kathmandu, May 24 (UNI) Charged Affaires, Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Namgya C Khampa, on Tuesday inaugurated the new School Building in Nepals Kaski District built under the grant assistance from Government of India. The Embassy in a press release said that the new School Building Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School, Pokhara Metropolitan City-13, Dhand Bensi, Kaski was undertaken with the grant assistance from Government of India at the cost of NRs.36.30 million. The grant was under India-Nepal Development Cooperation in Education Sector as a High Impact Community Development Project, the release stated. This is one of the 75 projects being inaugurated this year in Nepal as part of "India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" which celebrates 75 years of Indias independence, the release said. Since 2003, India has taken up over 527 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal and has completed 470 projects in the areas of health, education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation and creation of other public utilities across all 7 provinces of Nepal at the grassroots level. The implementation of this school project reflects the continued support of the Government of India in complementing the efforts of the Government of Nepal to create infrastructure in priority sectors like education, the statement concluded. UNI XC MYK GNK TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The need to adopt sustainable farming methods was highlighted by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf yesterday. This came as the minister visited Islands Farm yesterday along with Undersecretary of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hassan Al Hawaj, Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa and a number of officials in the ministry. The minister affirmed that the ministry, represented by the Agency for Agriculture and Marine Resources, supports the adoption of sustainable farming methods to address environmental concerns and to achieve sustainable development. Minister Khalaf said: The Agency for Agriculture and Marine Resources is working to encourage food production projects that adopt systems to preserve natural resources by adopting modern agricultural systems such as soilless agriculture, and is also working to encourage the use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy in operating these systems to reduce climate pollutant emissions. The minister and the accompanying delegation listened to an explanation of the progress of the production process in the farm and the development plans implemented by the company to enhance its contribution to supplying the market with local products of vegetables and milk derivatives. Minister Khalaf praised the project, which supports the official efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in vegetables and milk products. He also praised the efforts of those in charge of this distinguished Bahraini venture by introducing solar energy into the project. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain is keen to provide the best health services and achieve comprehensive health coverage, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and continuous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This was emphasised by Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) as he paid an inspection visit to the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) Health Centre in Hidd, in Muharraq. The location was chosen alongside Halat Bumaher health Centre in Muharraq to provide services around the clock. Lt Gen Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah got informed about the BK Centre departments, in the presence of SCH Secretary General Ebrahim Ali Al Nawakhdha and a number of officials. He praised the centres distinguished standard and its advanced equipment and capabilities. He also reviewed progress in the self-management project of the primary healthcare centres which is currently undergoing a trial phase in Muharraq before it is generalised in all the governorates. The SCH President praised keenness of all to inform the citizens in Muharraq about Choose Your Doctor programme, which falls under the umbrella of the project. He stressed that the self-management project is in concordance with the governments programme and embodies the goals emanating from Bahrain Economic Vision 2030. He added it is also part of the national initiatives to continuously optimise health services and ensure their sustainability. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The High Criminal Court sentenced an Asian man to three years behind bars for human trafficking after forcing two Asian women into prostitution. The two victims came to the Kingdom of Bahrain to work in a local restaurant, and they met the defendant upon their arrival. He informed them that they will be prostitutes, or they have to pay BD3,000 to release them. They were locked up in a hotel, and were forced to have paid sex with strangers. He denied them from leaving the apartment. I initially refused to be a prostitute, and I was insulted. He also physically attacked me to force me to do it. We were denied to leave the apartment. However, I managed to run away after seeing him busy and I contacted police officers. I told them about what happened to me, the first victim told prosecutors. The defendant was charged with human trafficking. He will be deported once he completes his jail term. Biden says US military would step in if China attacked Taiwan This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) China is trying to navigate its biggest coronavirus outbreak without a tool it could have adopted many months ago, the kind of vaccines that have proven to offer the best protection against the worst outcomes from COVID-19. As early as the spring of 2020 a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Fosun Pharma, reached an agreement to distribute and eventually manufacture the mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. It still has not been cleared in mainland China, despite being authorized for use by separate authorities in Hong Kong and Macao. Now health experts say that delay a result of putting politics and national pride above public health could lead to avoidable coronavirus deaths and deeper economic losses because whole cities would be locked down to insulate the country's unprotected population. The biggest issue is about the delay of the reopening, said Xi Chen, a health economist at Yale University's School of Public Health. The consequences will be huge, the supply chain disruption, the disruption to all kinds of service sectors. Studies have consistently shown that vaccination with mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna offer the best protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Chinese vaccines made with older technology proved fairly effective against the original strain of the virus, but much less so against more recent variants. As this evidence became clearer, even countries that initially used Chinese vaccines and some other less effective Western-made vaccines have turned to mRNA vaccines for booster shots and new vaccinations. Not China. Regulators have not publicly said why they have not acted the mRNA vaccines are authorized in much of the world and have proven safe and effective in hundreds of millions of people. But a Chinese health official and another person directly involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press that authorities have held back because they want to master the technology in China and not depend on foreign suppliers. Both spoke on condition of anonymity, given the sensitive nature of the issue. For more than a year, the approach seemed defensible. The country was able to keep the virus at bay better than any other large nation with its strict "zero COVID approach that isolates infected people and locks down communities when infections pop up. But now, the highly transmissible omicron variant is testing that strategy, requiring ever wider and longer lockdowns that are taking a greater economic and human toll. While other countries are able to operate close to normal because their people are protected by vaccination or previous infection, China is left with only its lockdown strategy to avoid huge numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. China may be changing its mind. The Communist Party-owned Global Times newspaper reported last month that Fosun Pharma is still working with health authorities on its approval and Shanghai authorities recently issued new policies that could allow the import of COVID-19 vaccines. Fosun, based in Shanghai, did not respond to questions about the announcement. Chinas National Health Commission directed questions to the countrys drug regulator, the National Medical Products Administration. That agency did not respond to a faxed request for comment. In the meantime, hopes for a Chinese-developed mRNA vaccine center on Abogen Biosciences, a startup founded in 2019 by Bo Ying, an American-trained scientist who once worked for Moderna. The company has partnered with more established companies in the country such as Walvax, a private company founded in 2001, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, the militarys medical research facility. Abogen has raised more than $1.7 billion since 2020. The company's vaccine candidate succeeded in eliciting an immune response in a small, preliminary test in humans designed to evaluate safety, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Microbe. The results were promising, said Dr. Vineeta Bal, who studies immune systems at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune, India, although she said that a direct comparison of the immune response the shot triggered with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would have helped scientists better evaluate its performance. But large studies that are needed to show whether the shot works to prevent infections or symptoms have not been completed. Abogen did not respond to requests for an interview. Even if the studies can be completed and the vaccine proves effective, manufacturing the millions of doses required will be a challenge, experts say. Abogen built a manufacturing facility in December 2020 with a projected capacity of up to 120 million doses a year. Manufacturing that vaccine and ensuring quality at scale will be a difficult hurdle to clear because mRNA is still a new technology, said Scott Wheelwright, chief operating officer at BioInno Bioscience, a Chinese biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer who has held conversations with Abogen. In the meantime, Chen, the Yale health policy expert, said the Chinese government should better protect its elderly population by both approving the Pfizer vaccine and encouraging booster shots. Using a Chinese phrase that means giving up completely, Chen said the change from zero COVID does not have to be all or nothing. "It doesnt have to be tang ping or sticking to zero COVID, Chen said. I dont think there are only two solutions, and we can stick to a middle ground. ___ Ghosal reported from New Delhi. Associated Press journalist Dake Kang in Beijing contributed to this report. ___ 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY The attorney of Patrick Griffin, the New Fairfield resident charged in the stabbing death of a Newtown man earlier this month, says his client is distraught over what happened. Patrick Griffin, 59, is facing a first-degree manslaughter charge after police say he fatally stabbed James Edward Knapp Jr. during an altercation at Griffins New Fairfield residence the night of May 7. According to Knapps son, the 65-year-old had gone out to watch the Kentucky Derby with Griffin that evening. Knapp is remembered by loved ones as a kind, caring and compassionate person. Police responded to Hillview Drive East in New Fairfield around 9:30 p.m. May 7, and found Knapp in Griffins kitchen with a large stab wound in his stomach. According to police, the two men got into a fight at Griffins house after returning from a bar in Patterson, N.Y., and Griffin claimed to have stabbed Knapp after he said Knapp dragged him into his own house and stomped on him. Knapp and Griffin were both transported to Danbury Hospital, where Knapp died from his injuries. Griffin has pleaded not guilty to the class B felony charge of first-degree manslaughter, according to court records, and had a pre-trial hearing Monday at state Superior Court in Danbury. His attorney, Alexander Schwartz, says hes awaiting discovery from the state in the case. Once we have that, well decide what the next steps are, he told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday. Griffin remains held on a $750,000 bond at the Bridgeport Correctional Center and has a remote pre-trial hearing scheduled for July 11. Its probably going to take that long for the state to produce some of the information, Schwartz said, noting that chemical analyses of blood samples are part of the discovery request and those can take some time. H John Voorhees III / H John Voorhees III NEWTOWN A home and outbuilding were both burned early Tuesday after a vehicle fire on Main Street spread to both buildings, according to fire officials. Around 5:21 a.m., all five of the towns fire companies were dispatched to the structure fire, the Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company said in a post on Facebook. The Intersectoral Action Fund addresses complex public health challenges MONTREAL, May 24, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada is one of the healthiest countries in the world, and everyone in Canada deserves opportunities to thrive and lead a healthy life. Our government recognizes that every individual should have the resources and opportunities for health and wellbeing and is taking action to address systemic health challenges and barriers. Health inequities are the systematic, unfair, and avoidable differences in health outcomes. Health inequities have long existed in Canada, but have been even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic disproportionately affected the mental and physical wellbeing of many groups in society, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, as well as people from lower income households, children, youth, and seniors. Today Emmanuel Dubourg, Member of Parliament for Bourassa, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced an investment of $220,621 from the new Intersectoral Action Fund for a project on access to healthy food in the Cote-Nord region of Quebec. The funding will support a research project by the Institut national de sante publique du Quebec to study the implementation of food cooperatives in rural communities with little or no local access to fresh, healthy food. The research team will document efforts made by citizens and organizations to develop these cooperative projects. It will also assess the effect of cooperatives on food quality and participant health, and the impacts on community vitality and well-being. The results of the project will be used to equip organizations and individuals who would like to set up a food cooperative elsewhere in Quebec and thereby improve access to healthy food and contribute to community food security. The Public Health Agency of Canada, through the ISAF, is funding projects across the country to improve the conditions for health and the systems and structures that shape them, and to help everyone in Canada reach their full health potential. Quotes "Healthy eating is important for ones wellbeing and our government is committed to ensure everyone has access to fresh, healthy food. The research done by Institut national de la sante publique will help fill the gaps in supporting healthy eating in local rural communities. Together, with community organizations, we will continue to tackle health inequities across Canada." The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Health "The Institut national de sante publique du Quebec plays an important role in helping the Government of Canada strengthen its efforts to address our country's complex public health challenges. This project will help build a healthier future for communities in Quebec. Today's announcement will ensure the success of our generation's battle to feed ourselves well and rebuild our food sovereignty." Emmanuel Dubourg Member of Parliament for Bourassa "This grant gives the EffICAS research team the means to study the real outcomes of food cooperatives on individuals and communities with poor food access. We believe that the arrival of a food retailer in an underserved community can have positive impacts on the quality of residents' nutrition and health, as well as on the community's social life and the local economy." EffICAS research team Quick Facts The ISAF launched in May 2021 to support action on social determinants of health. The Fund helps build capacity in communities to advance intersectoral action on social determinants of health, particularly as they move towards the difficult work of recovering from the pandemic. to support action on social determinants of health. The Fund helps build capacity in communities to advance intersectoral action on social determinants of health, particularly as they move towards the difficult work of recovering from the pandemic. Social determinants of health refer to the broad range of social, economic and environmental factors that relate to an individual's place in society (such as gender, race, income, education, or employment) and that determine individual and population health. These determinants are shaped by the distribution of wealth, power, and opportunities within and between populations. Intersectoral action refers to the ways that different groups and sectors of society work together to enhance the health of our communities. The ISAF supports communities to build capacity for such action, and helps ensure that the social determinants of health and health inequities are understood and addressed. Fourteen projects were selected for funding through the ISAF. These projects will address the root causes of long-standing community health challenges or those heightened by COVID-19, or proposed activities that build on or advance intersectoral initiatives to expand their reach or impact. Associated Links SOURCE Health Canada For further information: Marie-France Proulx, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Public Inquiries:613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709; Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; COVID-19 public enquiries: 1-833-784-4397 Together the organizations will work to provide professional visibility and advancement opportunities to female leaders in business across Canada MARKHAM, ON, May 24, 2022 /CNW/ -- Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the largest IT infrastructure services provider in Canada and the world, and Women in Leadership (WIL), a professional advancement organization for women, today announced an agreement that names Kyndryl in Canada as WIL's first national exclusive partner. Through this unique partnership, Kyndryl will work with WIL to convene women across professions and industries for programs, events and speaking sessions that promote professional development and gender diversity in the workplace. To kick off the partnership, Kyndryl and WIL will host the annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Forum, a full day virtual event on June 1, 2022, that brings together thousands of women, including CEOs, C suite executives, public sector leaders, diversity experts, and thought leaders, to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Kyndryl will also join WIL as an exclusive Presenting Partner at its inaugural, signature series called "Women Powering Progress." The series will launch this September and offer a personal look into the journey of the C-suite women leaders who are customers of Kyndryl in Canada, and the knowledge they've gained throughout their careers. Together, Kyndryl and WIL are committed to supporting ongoing programming and events that advance women's professional development and networks and encourage their advancement in the workforce. "I'm thrilled to work with Maya Kanigan and the WIL team," says Xerxes Cooper, President of Kyndryl Canada. "At Kyndryl it is a top priority to build a diverse workforce and inclusive, equitable culture, and WIL's commitment to advancing women in leadership is why this partnership is a perfect fit. Working with WIL gives us the opportunity to make a difference for professional women of all levels, across Canada, and to showcase just a few of the incredible female leaders we partner with as customers. I can't wait to get started." As a purpose-driven company, Kyndryl is committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity as an integral part of its culture and corporate social responsibility position. WIL brings together the largest community of female professionals across Canada and offers deep expertise in creating impactful programs and content to raise awareness and drive tangible results for their members. About Women in Leadership Founded in 2001, WIL delivers inspirational programs that bring women together to collaborate in the development of their leadership skills and create positive change in the future of women's leadership. WIL has chapters in Vancouver, Victoria, Okanagan, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Toronto-US, and Ottawa. www.womeninleadership.ca About Kyndryl Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. Kyndryl's nearly 90,000 employees serve over 4,000 customers in more than 60 countries around the world, including 75 percent of the Fortune 100. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com. Kyndryl media contact: [email protected] SOURCE Kyndryl After his Delhi visit, KCR is expected to head to Bengaluru to meet HD Devegowda and his Kumaraswami. Ahead of the 2024 polls, opposition parties have upped the ante to put up a united front against the Bhartiya Janata Party. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao returned to Hyderabad on Monday after his 4-day visit to the national capital. After his Delhi visit, KCR is expected to head to Bengaluru to meet HD Devegowda and his Kumaraswami. Speculations are also rife that KCR would be traveling to West Bengal to meet Mamata Banerjee. Followed by West Bengal, he is expected to head to Bihar, where he would meet Nitish Kumar. When asked about his visits to these different places in the country, KCR told media that when political leaders meet, it has to be about politics and one can expect some sensational political development soon. During his visit to Delhi, the political leader met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy and agricultural scientist Ashok Gulati. Explaining India's stand on Russia, India's permanent representative at the United Nations TS Tirumuri had earlier said that India abstained on the resolution since what we require now is to focus on the cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance. As countries rushed to impose sanctions on Russia after it launched a war against Ukraine, India chose to maintain a neutral stand. India abstained on two resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) related to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the Russian invasion. Today, when Japan PM Fumio Kishida was asked about Indias stand on Russia and its impact on the relevance of Quad, he responded that each country has its own historical development and geographical situation in the international situation. Stating that even among like-minded, positions may not agree fully, he emphasised that deepened mutual understanding and cooperation is crucial among Quad members. He added that the four Quad leaders were able to reaffirm the importance of various principles like rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity and unilateral change of status quo or force should not be allowed in any region, as far as the Ukrainian situation is concerned. Explaining Indias stand on Russia, Indias permanent representative at the United Nations TS Tirumuri had earlier said that India abstained on the resolution since what we require now is to focus on the cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance. Highlighting that the draft resolution did not fully reflect our expected focus on these challenges, he emphasised the need to respect the UN charter, international law and the sovereignty & territorial integrity of states, calling for an immediate ceasefire. Soon after Albanese's claimed victory in the Australian elections, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell tweeted that the incoming prime minister is no stranger to India as he had traveled to New Delhi as a backpacker in 1991 and led a parliamentary delegation in 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese held a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, Japan. The two leaders met in the backdrop of the Quad leaders summit 2022, which was held earlier in the day. Earlier during the Quad leaders summit, PM Modi congratulated Antony Albanese and extended his best wishes for winning the elections. PM Modi stressed that Albaneses presence among Quad leaders 24 hours after taking oath reflects the strength of Quad friendship and his commitment towards it. Soon after Albaneses claimed victory in the Australian elections, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry OFarrell tweeted that the incoming prime minister is no stranger to India as he had traveled to New Delhi as a backpacker in 1991 and led a parliamentary delegation in 2018. Farrell added that during the campaign, Albanese committed to deepen India-Australia economic, strategic and people-to-people links. Before meeting PM Modi, Anthony Albanese held bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden and reaffirmed the friendship between the two nations. The two leaders discussed AUKUS, working together with regional partners and making comprehensive action on climate change a new pillar of their alliance. Reaffirming their commitment towards US-India partnership, Joe Biden said that there is so much that the two countries can and will do together. In a display of growing friendship and friendly diplomatic relations between India and USA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden held bilateral talks in Tokyo today. The bilateral meeting came in the backdrop of Quad leaders summit 2022, which took place earlier in the day. Speaking at the bilateral meeting with PM Modi, Joe Biden said he is pleased that India and US have reached agreement for US Development Finance Corporation to continue this important work in India, supporting vaccine production, clean energy initiatives. He expressed that he is glad that the two countries are renewing the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program. Reaffirming their commitment towards US-India partnership, Joe Biden said that there is so much that the two countries can and will do together. He also expressed his commitment to make US-India partnership among the closest relations on earth. Joe Biden further shared that the two leaders discussed the Russia-Ukraine war as well and US-India are going to continue to consult closely on how to mitigate these negative effects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, expressed that the common interests and values between the two countries have strengthened their bond, adding that their discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum. PM Modi exuded confidence that with the conclusion of the US Investment Incentive Agreement, we will see concrete progress in investment between our two countries. The Quad leaders summit has kickstarted in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday. Since the inception of Quad grouping in 2019, this is the second in-person meeting of member countries heads. The summit was held virtually in the last two years due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The leaders in attendance include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and the newly elected Australian PM Antony Albanese. As per PMs itinerary, the Quad summit is scheduled from 6:55 AM-8:55 AM IST, which will be followed by launch of Quad fellowship at 9 AM IST, lunch hosted by Japan PM at 9:15 AM IST, meeting with Joe Biden at 11 AM IST, meeting with Antony Albanese at 12:30 AM IST, meeting with former Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga at 1:30 PM IST, meeting with Japan-India Association chairman at 2 PM IST, meeting with Japan PM at 2:40 PM IST and banquet dinner hosted by Japan PM at 3:30 PM IST. On day 1 of his visit in Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Tokyo. He then met Japanese business leaders, including NEC Chairman Nobuhiro Endo, UNIQLO Chairman/President & CEO Tadashi Yanai, Suzuki Motor Corporation Adviser Osamu Suzuki and President/CEO of Softbank Group Corp Masayoshi Son to discuss investment opportunities. PM Modi concluded the first day of his Tokyo trip by participating in the launch of Indo-Pacific Economic Partnership, followed by roundtable with Japanese business leaders. The White House has issued a statement, stating that the partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-pacific technology. The crucial Quad summit in Tokyo kickstarted with the leaders of member countries underlying the importance of Quad grouping and commitment to encourage a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Quad summit, PM Modi said mutual trust and determination are giving new hope to democratic principles, adding that Quad has gained world prominence. In line with this commitment, the Quad has announced the Indo-Pacific partnership for maritime domain awareness (IMPDA). The initiative has been launched to provide a near-real time-integrated and cost-effective maritime domain awareness picture. The White House has issued a statement, stating that the partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-pacific technology. Some of the characteristics of the partnership include building a faster, wider and more accurate maritime picture, harnessing commercially available data mining existing technologies and extending support for information-sharing across existing regional fusion centres. The Quad will also be cooperating on disaster risk reduction due to climate change including through Indias Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). NewsX organises a special telecast with top foreign policy analysts from Japan to decode the geo-strategic developments and how they impact India-Japan ties. The 2nd in-person Quad summit, which was held in Tokyo today, set the stage for a free & open Indo-Pacific, boosting vaccine production and more. PM Modi also held separate bilateral meetings with PM Kishida on the sidelines of the summit. As the momentum around the Indo-Charter builds, NewsX organised a special telecast with top foreign policy analysts from Japan to decode the geo-strategic developments and how they impact India-Japan ties. Prof. Takenori Horimoto, India-Japan politics expert, said, Looking at the joint statement, it is very interesting to note mention about Russia and even China. Sharing his takeaways from the joint statement, he expressed, Speaking as a whole, one of the most interesting points was Covid-19 was mentioned 11 times, followed by climate and science and technology, adding they tried to avoid controversial things from the joint statement Dr Satoru Nagao, Fellow at Hudson Institute, on the other hand, expressed, Quad not only focused on the economy but also security. Masatoshi Murakami, Associate professor at Kogakkan university, expressed, We are short of some strategic materials, including semi-conductors and vaccines, so we have to make our supply chains more resilient and incorporate it with like-minded countries like India and Japan. Meanwhile, Brad Glosserman, Senior advisor for Pacific forum, added, The United States is working with other countries to develop a coalition of the like-minded, which suggests that what we are doing now is really continuous. While we might have new names, the ideas are pretty much the same. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick went to Pennsylvania's highest court Tuesday in an eleventh-hour bid to help him close the gap in votes with celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania's neck-and-neck Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate. McCormicks request for the state Supreme Courts intervention came less than four hours before Tuesdays 5 p.m. deadline for counties to report their unofficial results to the state elections office. A separate court battle could go to the U.S. Supreme Court, with the candidates separated by fewer than 1,000 votes. Even so, counties will continue counting hundreds of ballots after the deadline including provisional, military and overseas absentee ballots and the contest is almost certainly headed for a recount that will drag into June. In the filing with the state Supreme Court, McCormick asked justices to order counties to obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision and promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope. There are hundreds if not thousands of such ballots sitting in county offices across the state, as McCormick scrapes for enough votes to overtake Oz. The justices ordered counties to respond by 4 p.m. Thursday. The state and national Republican parties have signaled that they like Oz oppose counting the ballots in question. In a statement, the Republican National Committee's chief counsel, Matt Raymer, said election laws are meant to be followed, and changing the rules when ballots are already being counted harms the integrity of our elections. McCormick is doing better than Oz in mail-in ballots and has insisted that every Republican vote should count. McCormick's campaign chair, James Schultz, lashed out at the state party chairman, Lawrence Tabas, saying Tabas cares so little about Republicans who voted for McCormick. Tabas is supposed to "grow GOP voters and bring the party together, not to cast them aside and drive wedges, Schultz said. Meanwhile, Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration issued guidance to counties saying that any ballots without dates must be counted, citing the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision from Friday. But it also said counties should keep those ballots separate an acknowledgment that lawyers for defendants in the federal appeals court case said they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. McCormicks lawsuit is the first but likely not the last court battle in the contest between Oz and McCormick. Oz led McCormick by 987 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, out of 1,341,395 ballots reported by the state as of Tuesday afternoon. The race is close enough to trigger Pennsylvanias automatic recount law, with the separation between the candidates inside the laws 0.5% margin. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the likely recount is complete. That could take until June 8. Oz and McCormick are vying for the nomination to take on Democratic nominee John Fetterman in a presidential battleground contest that is expected to be among the nation's most competitive races this fall. The seat is open because two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is retiring, creating the Democrats' best opportunity to pick up a seat in the closely divided Senate. Its not clear precisely how many mail-in ballots that lack a handwritten date have been received by counties. Ruling in a separate case late Friday, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state election laws requirement of a date next to the voters signature on the outside of return envelopes was immaterial. The lawsuit emerged from a county judicial election last year, and the three-judge panel said it found no reason to refuse counting the ballots in that race. The ruling went against the position that Republicans in Pennsylvania have taken in courts repeatedly in the past to try to disqualify legal ballots cast on time by eligible voters for technicalities, such as lacking a handwritten date. The state law requires someone to write a date on the envelope in which they mail in their ballots. However, the envelope is postmarked by the post office and timestamped by counties when they receive it. In the filing Tuesday urging the state Supreme Court to act, McCormick's lawyers wrote that county election boards have not been forthcoming about the actual number of ballots that lacked handwritten dates on envelopes. But that said they believe the number is likely in the thousands. In previous court filings, they have said that the date the voter filled out the ballot envelope has nothing to do with whether they are qualified to vote or whether the ballot was cast on time. The law does not even require the voter to write down the precise date they filled out the envelope or help prevent any hypothetical act of fraud, McCormick's lawyers wrote. "In short, enforcing the dating requirement serves only one purposeto gratuitously disenfranchise qualified Pennsylvania voters who have cast otherwise valid ballots on a timely basis," they wrote. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter. ___ 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. NEW HAVEN Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey likened the school districts constant stream of new hires and staffing shifts this spring to putting together a puzzle. But what Tracey calls moves aimed at making the school district stronger, some parents and faculty call harsh and unfair. We understand that change has to happen, said Alberto Tabra, a parent decrying the transfer of an assistant principal from the John C. Daniels School of International Communication whom he called an integral part of the community. This is not a change for the better. The decision to move Daniels Assistant Principal Yesenia Perez to Fair Haven School was one of 10 assistant principal shifts announced to the Board of Education this week. All the changes will come in fall. The school board also acted on the appointment of John Tarka as the new principal of Wilbur Cross High School and Stephanie Skiba, currently a Lincoln-Bassett School assistant principal, as principal of Barnard Environment Studies Interdistrict Magnet School. In all there were a dozen moves on the agenda. We have to make decisions about where people fit in, Tracey said. This year saw an unprecedented number of administrators leave or retire, according to Tracey, something expected to continue into next year. That people love their administrators and dont want to see them leave is a good thing, Tracey said. We dont take it lightly, she added. The goal, however, is to allow assistant principals to gain experience working in different environments so they will become candidates for promotion, Tracey told the board. Among the changes, Perez is being swapped with Fair Haven Assistant Principal Robert Manghnani. East Rock Community Magnet School Assistant Principal Leslie White DePriest is moving to Edgewood Creative Thinking Through STEAM Magnet School while Edgewoods Assistant Principal Andrea Rizzo will head to to Nathan Hale School. Nathan Hale Assistant Principal Scott Voisine is going to East Rock Magnet. Brennan Rogers School of Communication and Media Assistant Principal Karissa Stolzman is going to Benjamin Jepson Magnet School. Anita Singh Lamar, an East Rock parent, said the transfers seem very disempowering to parents, some who sit on a School Planning and Management Team an advisory panel at each school. The teams were not consulted about the transfers. It feels very sudden, Lamar said. Tracey told the board that the transfers are actually coming earlier than in the past, being announced now rather than in the middle of the summer. That will give the schools and affected personnel a chance to plan, Tracey said. School personnel, the superintendent added, are not hired to work at specific schools but to serve the district as a whole. Anna Picket, an East Rock parent disappointed to see DePriest leave her school, called DePriest the glue that helps holds the school together. To take Ms. DePriest from us feels particularly harsh, Picket said. Pickett asked the board to reconsider. Viviana Ortiz, a staff member at Daniels, said losing Perez will be detrimental to the school community. It makes no sense to me when things are going well. It seems like we are being punished, Ortiz said, urging the board not to approve the transfer. While the school board acts on district hires and promotions, its bylaws do not allow it to overrule transfers. I encourage you to do better, said Kristen Rodriguez, a parent and educator who said the Brennan Rogers community was blindsided by learning Stolzman would be leaving for Jepson. I know the sentiment of downtown. Its our right and we dont have to share our decisions with you, Rodriguez said. If you want to continue to lose (staff) please continue on this current trajectory. But losing staff, Tracey said, is what she is attempting to avoid by giving administrators a broader experience. We want to build from within, to grow our own, Tracey said, adding that she was subject to multiple transfers during her career in the district. And here I am today. Tracey said as the administrator who hired many of the staff members being discussed, she was glad their school communities love them. Thats a good thing, Tracey said. I have to look at the much broader picture. Board member Ed Joyner said the transfers dont mean the emotions and feelings of school communities are being ignored. It means we are in a large school system that needs to make hundreds of decisions, sometimes based on information known only to (the superintendent), Joyner said. He did not elaborate. Mayor Justin Elicker, a member of the school board, acknowledged it is hard for families to lose someone they feel is good for their school in exchange for an unknown. We should not override the decision, anyhow, he said. I am sure it is very complicated. Board Vice Chair Matt Wilcox called change a painful process. I am sorry for the affected community, he said. They are losing much-loved people. Tracey told the board that Tarka, to be the new principal of Wilbur Cross, is someone the district lost only to reclaim. He worked as assistant principal at James Hillhouse High School before becoming administrator in the districts Adult Education Center, then going on to become principal at ACES Whitney Academy in January 2021. As Cross principal, he will earn an annual salary of $167,095. Dressed in Cross red colors as he addressed the board during its Zoom meeting, he said was happy to be back. Although he said he was unsure of the challenges the high school faces, he is ready to face them with the school community. It has been a surreal couple of days, Tarka said. I promise to be the leader Wilbur Cross High School deserves. Skiba was assistant principal at Lincoln-Bassett before being tapped as Barnard Magnets new principal. Tracey said she saw Skiba in action during summer school, managing staffing and budget, and was impressed. Skiba called it a bittersweet few days. She said she was at Lincoln eight years but started teaching middle school at Barnard. I am excited to go back. ... Get the ball rolling and start the new (school) year with greatness. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEWTOWN The rescue of two orphaned black bear cubs has provided relief to community members, as questions remain about the events that led to the fatal shooting of their mother by an off-duty Ridgefield police officer last week. The 4 1/2-month-old cubs were sent on Tuesday night to Kilham Bear Center, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility in Lyme, N.H. They will eventually be returned to the wild. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection wildlife biologists want to let everyone know the cubs arrived safely at the rehabilitation facility and seem to be settling in, the department said on its Facebook page on Tuesday night. Wildlife groups and community members concerned about the cubs seemed pleased by the news. I think theyre in the right place, Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said. Im sorry that they were orphaned in the first place, but Im glad one tragedy didnt turn into two or three more. The two cubs left DEEP Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area on Tuesday for the New Hampshire facility. DEEP captured the cubs on Monday following concerns for their safety after their mother, a bear known in the area as Bobbi, was shot last Thursday on private property in Newtown. Officials tight-lipped Authorities have released little information about the incident, other than to say an off-duty Ridgefield officer was involved. Ridgefield police have put the officer on administrative leave. The police chief did not return requests for additional comment on Tuesday and Wednesday. DEEP is still investigating the incident and plans to release a report once its complete, officials have said. Newtown Police Chief David Kullgren said hes been told DEEP is working with the Danbury States Attorneys Office to ensure the investigation is thorough. We are all looking forward to the findings of the investigation, we are being patient as the investigation is ongoing and look forward to hearing the facts, he said in an email. The agency will provide its findings to the Danbury states attorneys office, which will determine where they go from there, whether or not it was lawful what happened or whether it was criminal we dont know, said Senior Assistant State's Attorney Deborah Mabbett. It's typical for us to get involved when theres issues of legality, she added. Were the ones that look at it and provide the law and they provide the facts to us. DEEP, not the states attorneys office, would release the report, Mabbett said. I don't know when theyll have their investigation complete, she said. As soon as its complete, then they'll present it to the states attorney's office and then the public will know. Bear hunting is illegal in Connecticut, and first offenders may face a $500 fine or up to 30 days in prison. A property owner may take lethal means against a wild animal if they pose a safety threat or are actively killing livestock, DEEP spokesman Will Healey said in an email. DEEP would investigate the circumstances to determine if the killing was justified. Hearst Connecticut Media has filed Freedom of Information Act requests with Newtown police and DEEP for the police report, body-camera footage, 911 tapes and any audio tapes from DEEPs emergency response line for the incident. DEEP said it could take two weeks or more to provide the information, while Newtown police said it will work to fulfill the request. However, these items have become part of the DEEP investigation, therefore can not be released until the case is closed, Newtown Chief David Kullgren said. Once the case is closed, we can give you a better timeline of when we can supply the documents. Tom Hennick, the public education officer with the Freedom of Information Commission, noted that section of Connecticut law allows law enforcement agencies to withhold information when theres a possibility of a criminal charge. In other cases, such as when a person is shot, police may opt to release information because it could help them catch the suspect, he said. Its unclear whether public disclosure laws related to body-camera footage of officer-involved shootings would apply in this case. Those laws were designed for incidents where an officer shoots a person, not an animal. I have no idea, Hennick said. Rosenthal said he learned the bear was shot on Thursday from the Newtown police chief. He said he didnt know if DEEP or another homeowner notified police about the shooting. The first selectman declined to comment on the investigation because he hasnt been involved in it. Its not like Ive sat down and taken statements and things like that, he said. DEEP, I think, did that. The report will lay out what happened and that, of course, will be a public document when that happens. He said he doesnt know when the report will be released, but said the investigation appears to be moving at the usual speed. I dont think this is atypical, Rosenthal said. But I also understand why there would be a lot of public speculation around it too. The bear was much loved ... I share concerns too about what happened, and Id like to know as well. Rosenthal said he talked twice to the governor about the incident. The governor reached out initially after he heard about the shooting while traveling out of state, the first selectman said. Rosenthal talked to the governor again to advocate for DEEP capture the cubs and send them to a rehabilator. He said the governor was receptive to the idea. DEEP had been reluctant to do so at first because the agency wanted to see how the cubs would fare on their own. The agency said it changed its mind because officials were concerned that the bears could be unintentionally harmed by the publics attempts to help them. How are the cubs? Connecticut has no licensed bear rehabilitation facilities, so the bears were sent to New Hampshire, Healey said. If its an out-of-state facility, we must have permission to import the bears from the receiving state, he said in an email. Kilham Bear Center is a licensed facility with space available to take the cubs. At the Kilham Bear Center on Wednesday morning, the bears were still sleepy but doing well, said Ben Kilham, who has been studying bear behavior for 30 years and is one of two primary caregivers at the center. Within about a week, the 11- and 13-pound cubs will join other cubs their size in the centers enclosures, he said. The center has 11 other cubs this year. Theyll be put in with them, make friends, socialize, which they do pretty quickly, he said. Since 1993, the center has rehabilitated and released injured, orphaned and abandoned black bear cubs from New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, according to its website. Cubs brought in early spring of one year will be released by New Hampshire Fish and Game the following spring, the website states. They begin their stay in our indoor enclosure and graduate to one of the outside forested enclosures. Being in the forested enclosure provides the cubs with the opportunity to learn and to improve their climbing and foraging skills as they would in their natural environment. The center has natural and man-made dens where the cubs hibernate in the winter. In the spring, the staff supplement their natural foods so that when the time comes for them to leave, they will be healthy and strong and ready to return to the wild, according to the website. UVALDE, Texas Nineteen children and two adults were shot to death during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbot confirmed. This is the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since Sandy Hook in December 2012. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT A federal judge cleared the way for Sandy Hook families to have the defamation lawsuit they won against Alex Jones released from bankruptcy protection and returned to state court, where a trial to determine the damages Jones must pay had been set for August. After a brief status conference on Tuesday, federal bankruptcy Judge Julie Manning got commitments from both sides to submit an agreement for the families to drop three Jones-controlled entities currently in bankruptcy protection from the defamation lawsuit the families won last year. Once Manning sanctions the agreement, it will allow the families to prepare for trial to determine how much money Jones will pay for calling the worst crime in Connecticut history staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors. The Sandy Hook families will be free to pursue their damages because they will no longer be party to the three Jones-controlled businesses in bankruptcy. The families target will be Jones himself and his parent company Free Speech Systems, which technically were not part of the bankruptcy filing, but which benefited from the automatic stay that federal bankruptcy cases have over state courts. The agreement reached in bankruptcy court Tuesday will also end a month-long saga for an FBI agent and eight families who lost loved ones in 2012, when a gunman killed 26 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The saga began when Jones sought bankruptcy protection for three of his business entities just one week before the first of two jury award trials were set to begin in Texas, where the parents of two slain Sandy Hook boys also won separate defamation cases against Jones last year. The Sandy Hook families here and in Texas accused Jones of bad-faith bankruptcy filings, since the three businesses in question had a combined monthly income of $38,000. Jones himself made at least $76 million in 2019 through his conspiracy-based internet merchandise and broadcast platform, Infowars, his representatives said in court. Last week, a federal bankruptcy judge in Texas released Jones from Chapter 11 protection and sent his defamation cases back to state court in Texas. The first jury trial to award damages was expected to begin as soon as June. On Tuesday in Connecticut, Manning expressed frustration that the case had persisted before her for weeks without a resolution. She proposed a solution to Alinor Sterling, a Bridgeport attorney representing the Sandy Hook families, and Cameron Atkinson, a New Haven attorney representing Jones. I have wasted too much time with this back-and-forth on these cases, Manning said. If attorney Sterling drafts an order and attorney Atkinson agrees to a stipulated dismissal where everybody signs it removing the defendant debtors, is that going to suffice? I can certainly make it happen, your honor, Sterling said. What happens for Jones with three defamation damages trials pending is unclear. Bankruptcy was Jones good faith effort to pay creditors and pay them in an equal fashion, his representatives said in court. Jones has already spent $10 million on attorney fees and has lost at least $20 million because of the defamation lawsuits, according to his representatives. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 WASHINGTON (AP) When Gail Curley began her job as Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court less than a year ago, she would have expected to work mostly behind the scenes: overseeing the court's police force and the operations of the marble-columned building where the justices work. Her most public role was supposed to be in the courtroom, where the Marshal bangs a gavel and announces the entrance of the court's nine justices. Her brief script includes Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! meaning hear ye and concludes, "God save the United States and this Honorable Court. Earlier this month, however, Curley was handed a bombshell of an assignment, overseeing an unprecedented breach of Supreme Court secrecy, the leak of a draft opinion and apparent votes in a major abortion case. Leaks to Politico suggest that the court seems ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that women have a constitutional right to abortion. That has sparked protests and round-the-clock security at justices' homes,demonstrations at the court and concerns about violence following the court's ultimate decision. People who know Curley, 53, described the former Army colonel and military lawyer as possessing the right temperament for a highly charged leak investigation: smart, private, apolitical and unlikely to be intimidated. Im confident that if the truth can be found out here, shell find it out and present it in an unbiased manner, said retired Army Brig. Gen. Patrick Huston, her direct supervisor at the Pentagon in her last military job before the Supreme Court. Huston said he was incredibly impressed by Curley and that she had a tremendous reputation as a leader, but even as her boss of two years he didn't know if she had a spouse or children. Through a court spokeswoman, Curley declined an interview request. She is the court's 11th Marshal and the second woman to hold the post. She is also in some ways constrained in her investigation by her position, which was created just after the Civil War, in 1867. Experts say leaking the draft opinion likely wasnt a crime, and Curleys investigative tools are limited. She could theoretically hire an outside law firm to assist, and in other judicial records cases the FBI has been called in. But it isnt clear if she or others have the power to issue subpoenas to get material from journalists or the fewer than 100 people in the court including justices with access to a draft opinion. The investigation doesnt appear to have any real precedent. In 1973 the outcome in the Roe case leaked several hours ahead of its announcement. The chief justice at the time was furious and threatened lie detector tests, but the leaker quickly came forward and explained it had been an accident. Even if the circumstances are different, overseeing an investigation isn't new to Curley. In her military career she routinely oversaw a dozen or more criminal and administrative investigations and supervised large numbers of attorneys and paralegals, Huston said. She was an authority on international law and laws surrounding armed conflict, but the investigations she oversaw throughout her career could range broadly, from criminal matters involving service members to contract issues. Huston described her as not the sort of person who would ever be intimidated by anything." Curley began her military career at West Point, where just under 10% of her 1991 graduating class was women. Lisa Freidel, a member of the same 25-member company as Curley, remembered her as kind and studious but also a pretty serious person. She didn't like the tomfoolery of some of the boys, some of the guys, in our company. They were young men. They do stupid stuff. She did not like that, Freidel remembered, adding Curley wanted to be surrounded with intellectuals, people that were smart to challenge her. Curley was dubbed Swirlin Curl in West Points yearbook, which listed her hometown as Baltimore. She was something of an introvert, Freidel said, adding that she never met Curley's parents, just an aunt and uncle, and couldnt remember her talking about siblings. In school, Curley was interested in American politics and government, an interest that coincided with one West Point requirement: being knowledgeable about current affairs. The New York Times was delivered every morning and cadets were supposed to be able to talk about four articles in the paper every day, Freidel remembered. You had to make sure your shoes were shined, your belt buckles were all shined and everything before formation and try to memorize the paper, she said. Still, Curley found time for extracurricular activities. A domestic affairs club she was a member of took a trip her senior year to Washington that included a meeting with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. See you in the White House someday! her yearbook entry reads. After graduating, she joined the Army's Signal Corps, which is responsible for setting up communication systems in the field. Ive been very fortunate in my career, Curley said of that time according to a 2017 news article. As a young Army signal officer I was able to lead a large platoon in Europe during my first assignment ... that was at a time when women were not allowed to serve as platoon leaders in certain jobs. She eventually went on to earn a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and become an Army lawyer. Her career took her around the United States but also to Afghanistan for a year. Later, she spent three years in Germany as the chief legal adviser to the commander of U.S. Army Europe. Lt. Gen. Charles Pede, the now-retired judge advocate general of the Army who chose her for that assignment, called it a big deal. In Germany, Curley was the senior Army attorney overseeing some 300 legal officials throughout Europe, a position Pede compared to running the European office of a large law firm. Pede called Curley a powerhouse intellect but also a practical problem solver and somebody who could quickly establish a good rapport with just about anybody. She also plays a good round of golf, he said. In Europe, Curley's first boss was Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who is now retired, and then Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli. Cavoli, now a four-star general, who was nominated earlier this month to serve as the Supreme Allied Commander for NATO. Hodges described Curley's job as providing legal review and advice on the millions of things we were doing." I dont know if Ive ever met anybody with more integrity, Hodges said, adding that Curley also had a sense of humor and "a real dose of humility. The three-star general said because he liked and respected her so much, he would sometimes tease her. She had no problem holding her own, he said. She had the confidence of knowing that her IQ was about 40 points higher than mine," he said. "And so she could afford to be self-confident. ___ AP reporter Ben Fox in Washington and AP researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report. WEST HAVEN A rule of a gallery is that visitors cannot touch the art. On Thursday, however, they at least can talk to the artists. City resident Samantha Violante, organizer of the West Haven Art Crawl set for Thursday, said she for years has envisioned holding an event where residents meet with local artists in a casual atmosphere, but she had been thwarted by bureaucracy and the pandemic. Just being an artist and wanting to have things to do that were creative made me think, if its not here, we have to make it happen, Violante said. Beginning shortly before 5 p.m., residents can pay $10 for special access to discounted drinks at several bars on Campbell Avenue starting at JRs Place and ending at Scoreboards Cafe. Participants will get a special tote bag, cup and map detailing the bar crawl down the avenue. At each bar will be two local artists showcasing some of their work for sale and availing themselves for conversation with patrons and crawlers. Nick Martin, co-owner of Billie Martins Neighborhood Pub, will be pulling double duty hosting a stop on the crawl and displaying his own photography and paintings. At heart Im an artist, thats what I do for my other part of my life, he said. People need art in their lives. Violante said she believes this year is one of the most opportune times to launch arts programming, in part because shes heard from others that the pandemic has led some people to reflect inward. Art can be many forms: it doesnt have to just be painting, it could be drawing, writing, beading or sewing. I think people are rediscovering that and theres a lot more interest, she said. Violante was born and raised in West Haven, but left to study art and fashion design after graduating high school. She said she worked for seven years in that industry and spent time in cosmopolitan cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver. When I came back to West Haven I realized theres really no arts here at all, she said. I wanted an outlet and to be around other creative people. The art crawl program comes as both local arts supporters and city officials are looking to bring more attention to and establish a local arts scene. Mayor Nancy Rossi has made the completion of a Center Street community arts center into a key component of downtown revitalization efforts. The city received $1.5 million in state bonding last year to continue the development of an arts center in a former masonic lodge. Rossi also proposed allocating $3.5 million of the citys $29 million in federal pandemic recovery funding toward completing things such as plumbing and wiring in the center. Local arts advocate Elinor Slomba also has worked to create a digital map of West Havens arts scene in the hopes of encouraging collaboration and visibility. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WALLINGFORD A woman is suing Griffin Hospital in Derby, claiming she suffered severe sepsis after a routine surgery, resulting in the loss of her hands, one foot and part of the other. According to a complaint filed Friday in Superior Court in New Haven, Carol Proto was admitted April 2, 2021, for a routine and elective diverticulitis surgery, for which she was scheduled to be discharged home just two days later. However Proto developed a urinary tract infection, one of the most common and most treatable causes of sepsis, according to the lawsuit, but contracted severe sepsis and septic shock. Proto left Griffin Hospital strapped to a stretcher, tethered to an oxygen tank, with black gangrene covering all of her extremities, the complaint states. Proto, who formerly owned a gas station in West Haven, lost both hands, her right foot was amputated to the metatarsal bones in the middle of the foot and her left leg was amputated below the knee, according to the suit. The lawsuit alleges medical malpractice against the hospital and negligence on the part of its parent corporation, Griffin Health Services Corp. Proto also is suing other entities. The lawsuit also individually named Dr. John Aversa Jr. and Dr. Daniel Sylvan Lavy, both specialists in colon and rectal surgery. A third physician and three physician associates also were named in the lawsuit as employees of the medical practices, but were not named as defendants. Asked for a comment, Christian Meagher, spokesman for Griffin Hospital, wrote in an email, In accordance with hospital policy, we respectfully decline to comment on any pending or ongoing litigation. Neither Lavy nor Aversa could be reached for comment. In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, Maria DeMattie said she and her sister Alicia Richitelli spent every day of their mothers recuperation with her. She said Proto was healthy, a young 77 when she went to Griffin on April 2. The suit states that Protos sepsis was was not treated properly not by a longshot. Proto spent the next 294 days, missing the rest of the years holidays, family gatherings and her granddaughters graduation from Sacred Heart Academy because she was transformed into a faint remnant of her former self, according to the complaint. The lawsuit goes on to state that in terms of receiving inadequate care at Griffin Hospital for severe sepsis and septic shock, [Proto] was the norm and not the exception and that the hospital has an abysmal record on sepsis management. The complaint describes three pillars of early sepsis management: (1) identification of suspected sepsis, (2) initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and (3) initiation of aggressive fluid resuscitation. Because sepsis can spread rapidly to the blood and then to the rest of the body, the suit states tools have been developed to diagnose and treat it early, including the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Criteria, in which medical staff look for abnormalities in at least two of four areas: heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature and white blood cell count. Signs and symptoms of sepsis include elevations in body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate; reductions in blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, body temperature, and urine production; and confusion, according to the lawsuit. The complaint also claims that after being admitted to the ICU, Protos risk of death from sepsis increased 8 percent for every hour that treatment was delayed, but claims Proto had gone untreated for days. While the complaint states that the criteria were used on every patient at Griffin Hospital in April 2021, it says defendants repeatedly failed to properly perform all three pillars of sepsis management in their treatment of [Proto] and failed to identify the early signs and symptoms of sepsis on April 2, 3 and 4. Both daughters said they are nurses. DeMattie said her mother first showed signs of confusion the morning after her surgery, which was very out of character. Richitelli said when she arrived at lunchtime, Proto was extremely confused and didnt want to eat or drink. The lawsuit claims that, after her surgery, Proto showed multiple signs of sepsis including reductions in urine production, laboratory results indicating a 50% loss of kidney function, reductions in blood oxygen saturation despite supplemental oxygen administration, and a sharp rise in white blood cells. Further, on April 3, the lawsuit states, Protos blood pressure readings were so low that they could not sustain tissue survival and that she had prolonged confusion coinciding with a urinalysis packed with white blood cells and bacteria, among other symptoms. The next day, the lawsuit claims, the defendants failed to identify sepsis warranting immediate broad-spectrum antibiotics or aggressive fluid resuscitation. It states she was screened on April 3 and 4 using the SIRS Criteria, but that the screening was not done accurately or at appropriate intervals. Richitelli said when she and DeMattie arrived about noon April 4, Easter Sunday, we walked in and we took one look at her, her face was red. She couldnt open her eyes; she couldnt speak. You know, her breathing was somewhat labored. The sisters said the ICU staff told them their mother had septic shock and multiple organ failure. DeMattie said, They told us her condition was grave, and that we should prepare ourselves ... which is just so horrible, horrible to have to witness that. According to the lawsuit, Defendants, in fact, made [Proto] sicker by administering an antihypertensive medication and ordering that antibiotics not be administered to [Proto]. Predictably, by the time that [Proto] finally began to receive appropriate treatment, she was nearly dead. However, the lawsuit states, Proto miraculously survived, to the surprise of everyone, except her daughters, who never left their mothers side. It says Proto suffered shock liver, kidney failure, respiratory failure, heart failure, acquired cardiomyopathy, an acquired clotting disorder, and ischemia to her extremities. The suit claims Griffin Hospitals medical staff failed to evaluate, diagnose, monitor or treat these and numerous other signs and symptoms of diseases and disorders. Because of the loss of her hands and feet, Proto has lost her independence, cannot drive, bathe or use the toilet herself, suffers from depression, anxiety and other psychological issue, the suit says. Her daughters, who said they stayed by Protos side throughout her months of hospitalization and rehabilitation and now care for her at home, have hired live-in nursing care for their mother. My whole lifes changed, Proto said. I was very active, drove, very independent. I lost my husband three years ago, so I was on my own, and I have my own home. And now I cant walk. I stay in bed. I cant feed myself. I have somebody feed me. I have someone wash me. I cant get in the shower; they have to wash me. Im in a wheelchair. I have a walker, but its hard for me to walk. My whole life just changed. I cried most of the time because I cant believe it. Proto said she should have died. Its very degrading. So I think that Im living for a purpose now, and to help someone else that this will never, never happen to anyone else. I think its for a purpose. If I could help someone, Ill be happy to. Jeffrey Wisner of Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, the familys attorney, said he also is a physician and that sepsis treatment is a continual problem in hospitals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Connecticut, there were 552 deaths from sepsis in 2020 and its death rate of 10.9 per 100,000 population ranked 35th in the country. Our goal is, Maria and I want to stress the importance of asking questions, trust your instinct, Richitelli said. When you feel that something doesnt look right? Its just your gut feeling? Speak up and advocate for your loved one. Because most likely youre correct. What you feel is correct. And if Maria and I didnt advocate for my mom, I truly believe the outcome would be very different. The defendants named in the suit have not yet filed their answer to the complaint, and there has been no ruling on Protos complaint. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 People release rare giant softshell turtle babies into a natural habitat in Kratie province, Cambodia on May 23, 2022. (WCS/Handout via Xinhua) The release of endangered Cantor's giant softshell turtle hatchlings will help save the giant freshwater species from extinction. PHNOM PENH, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Some 580 endangered Cantor's giant softshell turtle hatchlings were freed into the wild along the Mekong River in northeast Cambodia's Kratie province on Monday, a conservationist group said in a press statement. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia and Cambodia's Fisheries Administration jointly released them in order to celebrate World Turtle Day, the WCS said. In the 2022 nesting season, the community nest protection team found 63 nests with 2,155 eggs, it said, adding that from March to date, 982 baby turtles hatched from 40 nests, of which 402 hatchlings were released into the wild, while the rest were released today, said Ken Sereyrotha, country program director for WCS Cambodia. The conservation team awaits the fate of the remaining eggs, and they are hopeful that these remaining nests will show positive results, he said, adding that in the 2021 nesting season, the team found 66 nests with 2,528 eggs and released 1,300 hatchlings into the wild. Photo taken on May 23, 2022, shows rare giant softshell turtle babies to be released in Kratie province, Cambodia. (WCS/Handout via Xinhua) "With continuous support from our donors and good cooperation from the Fisheries Administration (FiA), plus strong commitments of our field staff and community nest protection team, the WCS has made significant progress in conserving this critically endangered turtle species over the past years," he said. However, this species is being threatened by illegal hunting and trafficking. In 2021, at least nine individuals were seen trading online and two were found dead by illegal fishing, he added. Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle, Pelochelys cantorii, is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered, said the statement. Only a few records of the species exist in Laos and other countries, and it has disappeared across much of its former range in Vietnam and Thailand owing to poaching and trade of adult turtles and illegal collection of their eggs for food, according to WCS Cambodia. The turtle species was thought to be extinct in the Cambodian portion of the Mekong River until it was re-discovered in 2007 in a 48-km stretch of the river between Kratie and Stung Treng provinces. Ouk Vibol, director of the Department of Fisheries Conservation of Fisheries Administration, highly appreciated the participation of local authorities, the community and the WCS in the conservation of critically endangered turtles so that they can persist in the natural water bodies. "All stakeholders should continue their efforts to conserve the threatened species, and those who still trade protected species will face legal action," he said. "Cambodia has an incredible wealth of species and habitats. The Giant Softshell Turtles are one of the species that need protection urgently. Joint conservation efforts of communities, authorities and the WCS should continue to help the wild population recover," said Clemens Beckers, representative of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Cambodia, which funded the turtle conservation project. "We all have a common goal of saving this species from extinction, and the EU remains committed to working with our partners to achieve this," he said. Sharing the same deep pools along the Mekong River with Irrawaddy Dolphin and Mekong Giant Stingray, Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle is truly an iconic species in the Mekong River, the statement said. It added that the release of this flagship species will play a significant role in marking the return of one of the giant freshwater species from the brink of extinction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRANFORD How many people do you know who print out their email and text messages and save them in a box under their beds? That was a question posed, in so many words, by Bill Savastano of Branford VFW Post 12106, at a lively meeting between a group of military veterans and sixth graders as part of this years Pen Pal Project sponsored by the Agency for Aging of South Central Connecticut. Savastano was attending the morning get-together along with VFW Post 12106 members Robert Russell and Frank Stanowski. It was their fifth year participating in the event. One thing about writing letters is that youre left with something tangible, Savastano told his pen pal, Kai Haughton, among the pairs of students and veterans at a lunch table in the West Woods School cafeteria in Hamden. If you have people in your life you dont see a lot, write a letter, and theyll have something to keep, he said. Kai agreed. It was exciting to get letters in the mail, he said. It was the first time the sets of pen pals met after exchanging hand-written letters since January. According to Agency on Agings program manager Cherie Larson-Strucaly, the purpose of the project is as much to revive the lost art of letter writing as to encourage intergenerational relationships. With veterans in particular, its also a way to learn history through someone who lived it, and not from a book, and to understand the sacrifices they made, she said. The hope, she said, is that "the act of writing letters would be a bridge where they could meet in the middle and see each other as human beings and even enrich each other's lives." By all accounts, those hopes were realized on a sunny May morning. After asking her pen pal, Tony Annunziata, about his service as an Army military police officer in Vietnam, Camille Domingo, who shared pen pal duties with classmate Will Rosenberg, mentioned that her grandfather served in the Philippines. I remember landing in the Philippines from Hawaii on my way to Vietnam, Annunziata told her. Will asked if he had any fond memories of his service. The country was beautiful, and I enjoyed the people, said Annunziata, who guarded hotels where military people slept at night. Im not going to give you kids any wild stories, he said. I was lucky. I didnt need to shoot my rifle. A few tables away, Savastano was showing Kai a copy of a letter from President Obama acknowledging the 50th reunion of his companys tour of duty in Vietnam from a scrapbook of letters, photos, and commendations. The important thing to remember is a person like you and me can get in touch with the White House, he said. You just have to write a letter. Kai asked him about his fondest memories about being in the military. The other guys I served with, Savastano said. And knowing I was doing my duty by serving our country. Frank Stanowski, a Navy veteran, said he sees his participation in the Pen Pal project as giving kids a different perspective on serving our country. Unlike a history book, they can ask questions and we can tell them stories, he said. Jara, my pen pal, had a family member that served, but she didnt know the specifics, he said. She just kept saying how much she loved the experience of writing letters and receiving letters. That was true for Stanowski, too. It was a joy to receive letters back and forth with her, he said. Savastano had a similar take. When Im in something like this, and meet these bright and engaged young people, it makes me feel good about the future, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BARKHAMSTED Blood and platelet donations bought Lindsey Sablosky time. When she was nine, Sablosky was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow disease called Fanconi anemia. Throughout her life, she needed constant transfusions. Those transfusions gave Lynn and Richard Sablosky - longtime Barkhamsted residents who now live in New Hartford - more time with their daughter, who died at the age of 36 in 2020. It bought us time, Lynn Sablosky said. A lot of time. Thats why the family is now advocating for more blood and platelet donations. Theyll be at a blood drive being held in her honor at the Praise Christian Fellowship church in Bakhamsted on May 25 to donate blood and thank others for doing so. The shortages are becoming more apparent, Lynn Sablosky said. Platelets dont last as long, so those donors are really needed. Those donations gave Lindsey more time, too. Described by her mother as determined young woman with a witty sense of humor, she achieved her goal of attending and graduating college despite the mounting obstacles she faced. She graduated from Wheelock College in Boston with a degree in human development. We had said - maybe you should go to community college, Lynn Sablosky said. By senior year of high school she was getting transfusions every two months. We trekked up to Boston and looked at the college. It turned out well. It was challenging for her, but she did it. She said watching her daughter work her way through college despite her medical challenges was inspiring to her. By the time she was graduating, she had lost her full ability to eat, Lynn Sablosky said. She could eat a little bit but she was on a feeding tube. Whenever she would get a virus...we had to bring her home. She was getting on the [subway] with a tube on her nose - a feeding tube through your nose and through your gut. She was managing to do all that. Lindsey always had aspirations of becoming a child life specialist and helping children in hopsitals the same way shed been helped while growing up. She had a fondness for children and had special relationships with her nieces and nephews. She wanted to be a child life specialist because she had been in the hospital so much, her mom said. She knew that career would be working in a hospital and explaining procedures to kids and comforting them. Unfortunately, Lindsey was too sick to fulfill the amount of field work it takes to become a child life specialist, though she did get to help out at Boston Children's Hospital in a special way by creating a booklet recommending movies that would be appropriate for children staying in the hospital to watch. She succeeded at something, Lynn Sablosky said. She was disappointed she wasnt going to be able to complete what she wanted to do. She loved children. One of my friends runs a daycare and for some of her field work she worked there during the summer. The Sablosky family also struck a special relationship with West Hartford resident Ed Freeman - though they have never met. Freeman was one of Lindseys direct donors - a donor who gives directly to a specific patient, which helps to keep antigen exposures low. Apparently I was a perfect match, said Freeman, who first gave blood in high school and estimates he has donated about 200 times. For about 10 years or so, I was donating four times a year for Lindsey. The timing never worked out to allow Freeman and the Sablosky family to meet, but they will for the first time at the May 25 blood drive. Im going to cry, Lynn Sablosky said. Were going to spend some time together. I think it will be very emotional, Freeman said. She sent me a picture of Lindsey once. She seemed like a very sweet, kind girl. Im sure there will be a lot of hugging around. Im anxious to meet her and her other daughters. Freeman too advocates for giving blood, saying that lives do depend on it. It needs to be done, Freeman said. Theres not much beyond that. Someones got to do it. While blood and platelet donations extended Lindseys life, Lynn Sablosky credits her daughters independence and determination to withstand each obstacle she faced with the time she spent at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford. It was her life saver, Lynn Sablosky said. At this camp you were not your disease. You were just a kid going to camp. She really developed independence there. When we dropped her off when she was 10 or 11 she was clinging to my leg. When youd go to pick her up, she didnt want to leave. Lindsey tried to make the most of the life she was given, her mom said. She flew across the country to visit a friend, loved to cook for her family even if she couldnt actually eat the food and became an expert at surprising her family members with just the right item to fix whatever problem they were having. It seemed like nothing could get in her way, her mom said. She took a lot of bullying in high school, Lynn Sablosky said. But she weathered it and she was never depressed. She had a great sense of humor. Her last seven years were really tough. She was never saying poor me. Her attitude was that someone always has it worse than me. Those are her words. The biggest struggle, her mom said, was watching others in her peer group ascend to new parts of their lives, realizing she may not achieve the same thing. The most difficult thing for her was after she graduated from college and she became more housebound after a couple of years, was seeing her peer group moving on with their lives with jobs, marriage and families, her mom said. She wasnt going to have that future. Lynn and Richard Sablosky - along with their other daughters Andrea Billig and Leah Drouin - cherished the time they had with Lindsey. And they know they had more of it because of generous blood and platelet donors. She was my go-to person, her mom said. She called me her best friend. Because of [her sisters] and their support, it made a big difference in the quality of her life. This is about the blood donations and encouraging people to realize theres such a need. The blood donation at the Praise Christian Fellowship, located at 52 New Hartford Road in Barkhamsted, is set for May 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donors can pre-register online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 800-REDCROSS. May is also Fanconi anemia awareness month, and the Sablosky family said donations can be made to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund. A member of the National Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin has said that he is still in the gubernatorial race on the platform of All Progres... A member of the National Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin has said that he is still in the gubernatorial race on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 elections. Folarin who represents Oyo Central senatorial district made this disclosure on Tuesday. Our correspondent reports that Folarin is one of the gubernatorial aspirants of APC in the state. The lawmaker said the need to voice out became necessary due to a rumour that he has been asked to shelve his ambition. Our correspondent gathered that some online media had reported that the lawmaker has been told by the APC leaders in Abuja to back out of the gubernatorial race. Folarin in his reaction said he was still very active in the race to secure the governorship ticket of APC on Thursday. Folarin while describing the rumour as the handiwork of his political enemies, enjoined members of the party to disregard the news he called fake news. He said, The news is a sponsored fake news aimed at misleading the people of Oyo State, teeming members of our great party (APC) and my teeming supporters across the length and breadth of our state. I want to disclaim that there was no instruction handed down to me by any person, group of persons or the highest hierarchy of our great party. I am actively in the race and will undoubtedly get the majority votes of our party delegates on Thursday, 26th May 2022 to become 2023 Oyo APC governorship flag-bearer. To this end, I enjoin members of our great party and supporters to disregard the fake news and entertain no fear. With God on our side, Ill not only win the 2023 governorship ticket of our great party but also defeat the ruling PDP in the 2023 general elections. The chief whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor-Kalu, will emerge as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Abia North Sena... The chief whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor-Kalu, will emerge as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Abia North Senatorial District on Fridays primary election unopposed. Kalu has been cleared to contest the party primary election in the district, while his single opponent, Mr Fabian Okonkwo, has withdrawn from the race. Kalu has received overwhelming applause and commendation for projects he attracted to the Abia North district in the three years he represented the zo The former Governor who dropped his presidential ambition for the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, will now contest the primary unopposed and his candidature would only be affirmed at the end of voting on Friday. His earlier withdrawal from the presidential race and support for Lawan headlined major political discussion in the country for some days. Kalus support for his former roommate transcends oral declaration as he has been in the frontline of the consultation and appeals to delegates to vote Lawan for fairness, equity, and justice in the country. Kalu has also extended all his political machinery to Lawan, with an uncommon hope and confidence that the Senate President will emerge the winner at the presidential convention slated for Sunday. An All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha, has said a fellow aspirant, Bola Tinubu is in distress. O... An All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha, has said a fellow aspirant, Bola Tinubu is in distress. Okorocha said Tinubu feels the APC should compensate him with the Presidency for his contribution to the party. Appearing on Arise TV, the Imo West Senator said, I think its just natural, and that everybody should know, and I dont know whats behind the mind of Tinubu but I respect him a lot, but I think Tinubu is in distress because he feels that its a time to compensate him on the basis of the role he played in the formation of APC which some of us were part of it. So, everybody has a reason why hes coming out, and these things define power and strength. He [Tinubu] believed that he has made people and this is the time people should allow him or make him or something. More like a reward system. The former Imo State Governor stressed that the ruling party should zone the presidency to the South-East in 2023. Boko Haram terrorists of the Jamaat Ahl as Sunnah lid-Dawah wal-Jihad, (JAS) have reportedly eliminated six fighters loyal to Islamic Sta... Boko Haram terrorists of the Jamaat Ahl as Sunnah lid-Dawah wal-Jihad, (JAS) have reportedly eliminated six fighters loyal to Islamic State of the West African Province, (ISWAP) in a rival clash around the fringes of Sambisa forest. It was learnt that the Boko Haram faction attacked a convoy of ISWAP terrorists in the night of Sunday, May 22, between Kaffa and Litawa axis in Damboa Local government area of Borno State, Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad reported. Intelligence sources told the security analyst that six of the terrorists were confirmed killed, while one of their vehicles was damaged. The sources said, at about 0700 hours the ISWAP insurgents on 6 Gun trucks and 3 motorcycles arrived the axis of Kaffa to evacuate the dead bodies, then proceeded to the axis of Wajiroko. The infighting and bitter rivalry between the two terrorists factions had intensified with both groups hunting to kill each other at any given opportunity, the source said. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dissolved the State Executive Council. The dissolution takes effect from today, Tuesday, May ... Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dissolved the State Executive Council. The dissolution takes effect from today, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, the Chief of Staff to the Governor and Senior Special Assistants have also been relieved of their offices. The Governor commended the members of Rivers State Executive Council for their service and contribution to the development of the State and wished them the best in all their future endeavours. He also directed the former cabinet members to hand over to the most senior officers in their respective offices. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared the Rivers State Accountant-General, Fubara Siminayi, and 58 others wanted for N... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared the Rivers State Accountant-General, Fubara Siminayi, and 58 others wanted for N435 billion fraud. Siminayi, and four other Rivers State government officials, among others, are wanted for suspected N117 billion fraud, alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office. The EFCC stated in a statement. The Commissions Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, called on the general public to assist in apprehending the Accountant-General and other suspects. Uwujaren said, We call on anyone with useful information as to the whereabouts of the Account-General to contact any of the Agencys offices or the nearest police station or other security agencies. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Rochas Okorocha, former Imo governor. He was whisked... Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Rochas Okorocha, former Imo governor. He was whisked away at 6:48pm on Tuesday. The senator representing Imo west had earlier declined to be taken away by the operatives, insisting that he will not submit himself to the anti-graft agency without a warrant. But security operatives had broken the entrance doors to get into the home of the former governor. In a statement on Tuesday, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCCs spokesperson, said they were at the house in order to bring the former governor to stand trial before a federal high court in Abuja. At the residence, things took a different turn after supporters of the Imo west senator thronged the premises, singing and chanting Okorochas praises. The security operatives then fired into the air after the supporters refused to leave when they were asked to. The operatives also chased everyone away, including staff of the senator and journalists. The EFCC had, on January 31, filed a 17-count charge against the former Imo governor before a federal high court in Abuja. According to the EFCC, the former Imo governor who is seeking to contest the presidency, allegedly conspired with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and five companies to steal N2.9 billion in public funds. Aside from Okorocha, other defendants listed are Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited. Arsenal has held discussions with Victor Osimhens agent over a potential summer switch, according to Goal. The meeting which had the Gu... Arsenal has held discussions with Victor Osimhens agent over a potential summer switch, according to Goal. The meeting which had the Gunners Technical Director Edu in attendance, is believed to have taken place in London. Osimhen scored 14 goals and 5 assists in 27 Serie A games in the just-concluded season. The Super Eagles striker is on top of Arsenals wishlist, as Mikel Arteta prepares his team for a return to Europe in the next campaign. Napoli is believed to be reluctant to part with the player and has slammed a 110m price tag on Osimhen. Partenopei paid Lille 68m to secure Osimhen two seasons ago. Anambra State government has said funding for the N170 billion 2022 revised budget for the state is not a problem for the state governor, Pr... Anambra State government has said funding for the N170 billion 2022 revised budget for the state is not a problem for the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo. The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ms Chiamaka Nnake stated this during a press conference on a budget breakdown at the government house, Awka. Soludo had last week presented a revised budget for 2022 to the Anambra State House of Assembly, with a size of N170 billion as against the existing appropriation of N142billion, which was presented last year by former governor, Chief Willie Obiano. The Budget and Economic Planning Commissioner who addressed journalists said the budget would be financed through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), loans and federal allocations. Nnake said, The Budget will be funded 24% by Anambras IGR, 36% Federal allocation and 40% from loan. The revised budget size is about N170 billion versus the existing appropriation of N142 billion (with the capital expenditure accounting for 64% compared to 57% previously). Capital expenditure increased by 33% from N81 billion to N108 billion while Recurrent expenditure increased marginally by 0.79% from N60.9 billion to N61.4 billion. Budget allocation across our priorities include; works, transport, water and power, agriculture and healthcare, youths, security, ICT, security, Law and order. In the breakdown, Nnake said about N54 billion or about 50% of the Capital budget is for the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the government intends to simultaneously invest in roads, in most of the local governments, paying special attention to the urban regeneration agenda. The Commissioner also gave details of how the budget would be spent on other priority areas. A woman and her four children have been killed by gunmen in Anambra state. The incident was said to have taken place in a community in... A woman and her four children have been killed by gunmen in Anambra state. The incident was said to have taken place in a community in Orumba north LGA of the state over the weekend. Confirming the development on Tuesday, Tochukwu Ikenga, Anambra police spokesperson, said investigation into the incident has commenced. Investigation has since commenced and our deployment is very strategic and intelligent-driven aimed at unraveling the identities of these perpetrators, he said . The killing of the woman, who is said to be a resident of Hausa extraction, has elicited criticism in the light of recent attacks across the state by gunmen. Echeng Echeng, Anambra police commissioner, on Tuesday, paid a visit to the Hausa community in the LGA. In his remarks during the visit, Echeng said the police will ensure adequate security for the community. Also reacting to the development in a statement issued on Tuesday, Christian Aburime, spokesman to Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, condemned the killing, but said it had no religious or ethnic undertones. While it is true that there is general insecurity across the country, there is no targeted religious or ethnic killings in Anambra State. As a matter of fact, Anambra indigenes have suffered more casualties as a result of the unfortunate killings, the statement reads. He also said the state is stepping up efforts to tackle insecurity. It is on record that Ndi Anambra and people of the North and other parts of the country who live and do business in the state, not only share common values, but have always lived at peace with each other in the state, he said. Governor Soludos administration has not only demonstrated commitment in tackling insecurity but has continuously reassured both indigenes and non-indigenes in the State of their protection and safety. Security operatives are currently shooting to disperse the crowd at the residence of Rochas Okorocha, senator representing Imo west. ... Security operatives are currently shooting to disperse the crowd at the residence of Rochas Okorocha, senator representing Imo west. Earlier on Tuesday, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had besieged the residence of the senator to arrest him. Okorocha, former governor of Imo, had, however, declined to go with the EFCC operatives. Some of his supporters had later arrived his residence and protested the presence of the security operatives. But while this was on, the protesters were asked to leave but they refused, after which the security operatives fired into the air. Aside from the protesters, journalists and workers at the lawmakers house were sent away from the premises. More to follow Controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh has finally revealed why she was arrested in Dubai. Recall that the mother of one was a... Controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh has finally revealed why she was arrested in Dubai. Recall that the mother of one was arrested sometime in 2019 in Dubai, which went viral on social media. In her renewed fight with Bobrisky, the cross dresser claimed that the actress was arrested in Dubai for smoking weed. However, Tonto took to her Instagram story, reiterating that she was not arrested for smoking weed in Dubai. According to her, she was arrested for illegal filming and abusing a security officer in Dubai. Taking a swipe at Bobrisky, Tonto wrote; Education is very important in life; if Bobrisky had known that weed smoking in Dubai is liable to 4/6 years in jail, if you like be the Presidents daughter. As a matter of fact, the ruler of Dubai has his own daughter in jail for a lesser crime going years now! My altercation with the authorities in Dubai was recorded and posted on every blog in the country, lucky enough Dubai has public records accessible to the public on my case, which was illegal filming and abusive words to a security officer. Bobrisky get a life. An All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha has allegedly been held hostage. Okorocha made the remark ... An All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha has allegedly been held hostage. Okorocha made the remark in reaction to the presence of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in his Abuja residence. On Tuesday, EFCC operatives besieged the Imo West Senators residence in the Maitama area of Abuja. Okorocha in reaction to their presence claimed the men of the anti-graft agency invaded his residence without a warrant of arrest. Speaking with Channels Television, Okorocha said: I am under hostage I would say, the EFCC is at my house both the back and the front. I would say, I have enquired if they have an arrest warrant nothing, and I am supposed to be getting ready for screening. I dont know what is really happening, It is unfortunate that this is happening here. Okorocha vowed to hold a press conference on the matter, adding that EFCC banned journalists from gaining access into his house. I am trying to address a press conference, Of course, the EFCC cannot stop the press from coming into my premises. They are inside my compound but the press is coming inside my house to interview me, they cant stop them, he insisted, he said. When asked if he would be submitting himself to the anti-graft agency, the presidential aspirant said, Ill be here until I know what it is, because this is something serious, I want to see an arrest warrant or a court order, he added. Operatives of the anti-graft agency stormed Okorochas residence on Tuesday, barricading it, and ensuring that none of the members of Okorochas family would be allowed to leave the compound until they produce the former governor. Ongoing Battle With EFCC The EFCC had filed a 17-count charge to the tune of N2.9 billion against Senator Okorocha. in late January. Okorocha, in the charges filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, was accused of conspiring with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies to steal from the public coffers. Others listed as respondents to the suit were Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited. The charges were filed about the same time Senator Okorocha was declaring his intention to run for the office of the president in 2023. The accused persons were alleged to have stolen the said amount belonging to Imo State and local government areas in the state in contravention of the Money Laundering Act 2011. The charges claimed that the stolen funds were diverted between October 2014 and February 2016 from the Imo State Government Houses account and Imo State Joint Local Government Projects account. Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State would ask the EFCC to stop further action against Senator Okorocha until the determination of the case before it. Senator Okorocha had through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun (SAN) approached the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Stephen Pam to seek the enforcement of some orders, earlier made in his favour in a case between him and the anti-graft agency. The court also prohibited the EFCC from investigating or carrying out any other action against the former governor, while asking the anti-graft agency to release his international passport and travel documents. The first case of a Covid patient infected with the BA.5 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant in Gujarat was confirmed on Monday. This is the second case of BA.5 in India after the first one was confirmed in Telangana on Sunday. Sources said the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) is likely to make an official announcement on Tuesday. Initially, the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of the nasopharyngeal sample of the patient from Vadodara was carried out at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar. On May 23, the sample was sent to the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) in Haryana for verification and confirmation of the Omicron sub-variant BA.5. Both Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, have been characterised as Variants of Concern (VoC) by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Sources said late on Monday night, the IBDC had confirmed that the patient was infected by the BA.5 sub-variant of Omicron. The Covid patient, a 29-year-old resident of South Africa, came to Gujarat on April 28 to visit his parents. He tested Covid positive at a private lab in Vadodara on May 1. Sources said his samples were sent to GBRC as part of the routine Covid surveillance. Sequencing was completed by May 12 and by May 23 analysis conclusively confirmed that the international traveller was infected by the BA.5 variant. Confirming the same, Manoj Aggarwal, Additional Chief Secretary of Health said they have found a case of BA.5 variant in Vadodara. As per the GOI rules, we have sent the results for verification. However, irrespective of the variant, we have taken ample care to quarantine the patient and conduct contact tracing at the local level, said Aggarwal. Dr Devesh Patel, Medical Officer of Health (MoH) for the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) told Mirror that the patient tested positive for Covid on May 1 and was in isolation till May 9, when he tested negative. He then returned to South Africa, said Dr Patel On contact tracing, Dr Patel said the patients parents and other close contacts were tested but none were positive for Covid. INSACOG on May 22 confirmed the first cases of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 in India. An 80-year-old man from Telangana was the first confirmed Covid patient infected by BA.5 while a 19-year-old girl from Tamil Nadu was the first Indian patient of the BA.4 sub-variant. The El Tri of Mexico arrived in Dallas, United States of America on Tuesday morning ahead of their international friendly against the Super ... The El Tri of Mexico arrived in Dallas, United States of America on Tuesday morning ahead of their international friendly against the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Gerardo Martinos men will take on the West Africans at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday. The players and their officials were received on arrival by their supporters based in the USA. The team will train later in the day as they intensify preparations ahead of the highly anticipated friendly. The North Americans have also lined up friendlies against Uruguay and Ecuador as part of their tour of the USA. Mexico and Nigeria have met seven times in the past, four of which have ended in draws. The most recent game was a resounding 4-0 mauling of Nigeria by El Tri at the Memorial Coliseum Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in July 2021. The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has bemoaned what it noted as hate campaigns and propaganda being conducted by certain interest g... The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has bemoaned what it noted as hate campaigns and propaganda being conducted by certain interest groups in the South-East to carry out unprovoked evictions, attacks, killings, destructions of properties and other forms of violations against northerners in various parts of the region. The CNG said it is particularly disturbed by the reports of the brutal murder of a mother and her four children for the only sin of being northerners, adding that other reports that some trucks conveying goods to the south were also set ablaze in Anambra at the weekend and the drivers and other occupants were killed, injured or disappeared without a trace. The group, speaking through its spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman in a statement, said, The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has taken stock of events unfolding in South-East Nigeria, noting especially, the unrelenting attacks and killings of northerners passing through or residing among Igbo communities as minorities. It said that there is a manifestation of a dangerous conspiracy of silence days after Sundays killing of the northerners without any provocation, saying that the story has not been told by any of the national print and broadcast media despite wide coverage by the social media with graphic photos of the mayhem and condemnation by security operatives, groups and individuals. According to the statement, We have watched and studied these events carefully and with considerable restraint and maturity, to the point of condoning and accommodating several unreasonable and unacceptable actions that have been perpetrated against Nigerians collectively, and northerners in particular. The intrinsic bias of the media and the double standards, hypocrisy and cowardice of regional, traditional, cultural, political and religious leaders from both the South and the North have become more glaring when they condemned the Deborah incident in Sokoto but conspiratorially and deliberately decline comments on the murderous activities of IPOB/ESN terrorists including the slaughter of a legislator. CNG explained that it also noted the deliberate attempt by the media and southern leaders to conceal the true identity of the murderous IPOB/ESN terrorists by concealing them as unknown gunmen while in actual sense they are known. It claimed that it is aware that the activities of the IPOB/ESN terror groups are supported morally and politically by the vast majority of Igbo elites, politicians, traditional rulers, business persons, and the larger population of this ethnic group, alleging that it is also a situation that feeds on the docility of the affrighted section of those who pose as Northern leaders today. It stated that the Norths reticence in speaking out or taking action is not born of fear or ignorance of how to respond in kind, saying that those who tempt them should know that the North is no longer going to turn the other cheek. We, therefore, invite the attention of southern leaders, their Northern collaborators and the bankrupt section of the northern political elite and other authors of mindless violence and separatism who see it as their duty to actualise what their fathers started in 1966, to remember that people from other regions are residing and doing businesses all over the North and to warn them that we shall no longer be expected to turn the other cheek if northerners would not be protected wherever they live as minorities in particularly Nigeria, the group said. CNG warned media operators of an imminent boycott of patronage all over the North unless they change to being more restrained and balanced in their reporting of all situations in the country, particularly when matters coming from or affecting northerners are reported or commented on. We caution them to desist from and to eschew the slanted reporting of events with greater bias against a particular religious and ethnic group as is witnessed in the reporting of security situations recently, the statement stated. file photo Several residents in Borno have been reportedly killed after insurgents invaded farms in Rann, Kala-Balge LGA of the state. ... file photo Several residents in Borno have been reportedly killed after insurgents invaded farms in Rann, Kala-Balge LGA of the state. The insurgents were said to have arrived the community on motorcycles and attacked the residents with guns and machetes. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, insurgents loyal to a Boko Haram faction were responsible for the attack. A source in the community was reported to have said some of the farmers were tied up before they were killed. The victims are also said to have been buried on Monday, while several persons are reported to still be missing. Meanwhile, efforts to reach Sani Mohammed, Borno police spokesman, were not successful as he didnt respond to calls or messages when contacted. The attack comes days after insurgents invaded the Chibok community in Borno state. On May 3, Kautukari, a community in Chibok LGA of Borno state, was attacked by suspected fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). A resident had disclosed that the insurgents invaded the community around 6pm and started shooting randomly, resulting in the death of eight persons. Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was, on Tuesday, elected as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flagbearer for Enugu North ... Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was, on Tuesday, elected as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flagbearer for Enugu North Senatorial District. The Governor emerged during a primary election held at the Nsukka Township stadium. The exercise was conducted by the PDP National Election Committee led by Mr. Attahiru Ochie and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. At the end of the election, which had 316 delegates, Governor Ugwuanyi polled 299 votes. Mr. Godwin Eze came a distant second with 16 votes, while another aspirant, Mr. Celestine Okanya got zero vote, same as Godsmack Ugwu. The incumbent Senator from the zone, Chukwuka Utazi did not purchase form for the primary election. Utazi had earlier announced that he wont seek re-election as a mark of honour for Governor Ugwuanyi. A former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, said his decision to reconcile with Governor Bello Matawalle was in the interest of th... A former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, said his decision to reconcile with Governor Bello Matawalle was in the interest of the people. Speaking with Journalists in his residence in Talata-Mafara on Monday, Yari said he did not reconcile with Matawalle because of any political position. He said, I didnt reconcile with Governor Matawalle simply because I want to attain a certain political position. But having thought of the implications of our sour relationship with the people of the state, I realise that, reconciliation is the best option. It is often said that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that will suffer, as such, we have decided to close our ranks and come together to move our state forward. He, therefore, called on his supporters to embrace the reconciliation process and work together with Matawalles loyalists in order to move the state forward. Yari stressed that he would soon organise a town hall meeting with his supporters in order to enlighten them on the importance of the reconciliation. Meanwhile, thousands of APC stakeholders have been trouping to the former governors residence to express their support for the reconciliation process. Among those who visited Yari were the state and the federal lawmakers, the Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service and Commissioners. Others were the Permanent Secretaries, Directors General and Heads of parastatals. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Thunder possible. High near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Overcast with showers at times. Low 57F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Less than a year old. Less than 5 years old. Less than 10 years old. Less than 15 years old. More than 15 years old. Vote View Results Zanu PF supporters celebrate after the annoucement that ruling party candidate Zalerah Hazvineyi Makari won the Epworth contituency seat in Harare on March 27, 2022. analysis There are new contenders, but the political playing field is as unbalanced as under Robert Mugabe. With 14 months to go before Zimbabweans elect a president, members of parliament and local government representatives, the country is in full election mode. The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has ramped up its campaign while a new opposition party has sparked hope of a meaningful democratic contest. But the political and electoral playing field remains deeply uneven and stacked in favour of the ruling party. ZANU-PF's campaign is a mix of state events and party activities, with the national broadcaster doing the party's bidding. Meanwhile, Nelson Chamisa's political opposition, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) - which put up a spirited performance during the recent by-elections - is trying to establish itself while simultaneously preparing for the 2023 polls. The CCC, unveiled on 22 January, was greeted with excitement, and the new political outfit was emboldened by its performance in the March by-elections. Yet nuanced analysis of the political terrain after the by-elections shows that ZANU-PF's position as the ruling party is safe so far. The CCC's performance was impressive. With less than a month to mobilise and gain traction, the party posted significant wins. It showed political prowess to turn the tide in the by-elections, winning 19 of the 28 seats up for grabs. However, its candidates were previous holders of 21 of 28 seats. In effect, the party managed to return 19 seats and lost two. ZANU-PF on the other hand retained all the seats it previously held in both Parliament and local government, and took two more from the opposition. As the country stumbles towards the 2023 polls, ZANU-PF's dominance and the half-hearted implementation of the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) election guidelines mean the journey will be arduous for opposition parties. The political and electoral playing field remains as in the days of Robert Mugabe. The ruling party has all but perfected its messaging, its use of the law and security institutions against opponents, and the conflation of party and state resources to boost its position. Zimbabwe's electoral management body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), remains one of the country's least-trusted institutions. The body is populated by former military officials who aren't known for their impartiality. Some analysts have noted that the military has positioned itself as the final arbiter in the country's political power configuration. Recent efforts by activist groups like Team Pachedu revealed attempts at gerrymandering by the ZEC. The revelations cast doubts over the commission's credibility and the integrity of any electoral process it presides over. What's more, traditional leaders - who are custodians of decisive rural constituencies - are still brazenly partisan. The few who have accommodated different views were stripped of their chieftainship and replaced, enabling ZANU-PF to maintain its hold over the rural vote. The public broadcaster continues to be partial to the ruling party, which enjoys unlimited coverage in the public print, radio and television stations. This matters because internet penetration and mobile data coverage are low in Zimbabwe, making the public broadcaster the main source of information with the widest audience. However, there are some things the opposition parties can do to tilt conditions in their favour. And SADC can encourage fair elections by pressuring Zimbabwe to implement the letter and spirit of its guidelines. Sound internal party structures and institutional capacity are key to robust election campaigns. Experienced technocrats are needed to manage the campaign, rather than party cadres, as is the trend in Zimbabwean politics. Deploying people whose only skill set is courage and charisma won't be enough to beat ZANU-PF at the polls. Rather than relying on emotive approaches, political parties need to examine data and voter behaviour to craft targeted communication strategies in place of rhetorical messaging. The hackneyed 'ZANU-PF must go' slogan won't cut it. The by-election results show a dip in support for the opposition even in the areas they won. And while ZANU-PF's figures also dropped, it had significantly higher margins in its strongholds. Opposition parties cannot afford to base their electoral position on political posturing - they need solid groundwork. A comprehensive strategy should look at the overall political environment and honestly assess the opposition's chances of unseating the ruling party. Carefully articulated messages and localised campaigns are needed to make inroads in ZANU-PF power bases. Given the level of investment ZANU-PF puts into the rural electorate, the opposition needs real, sustained engagement with these voters beyond the electoral cycle. The mammoth task of winning over people fed and sustained by ZANU-PF cannot be a once-off event as polls approach. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Zimbabwe Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Opposition parties need water-tight systems that track the political environment and the integrity of the electoral management body. This can be done by including a robust parallel voter tabulation system, well-trained and equipped polling station party agents, targeted voter mobilisation and using domestic laws to enforce fairness. SADC also needs to be persuaded to apply pressure to level the playing field, as occurred in 2008. The regional bloc has a stake in the election as it strives to enhance democracy and good governance. It must ensure its election guidelines are implemented and outline exactly how Zimbabwe's electoral management body can address the concerns raised in SADC's reports from the 2013 polls. Without freedom of association, access to information, fair coverage of all parties by the state media and transparency and impartiality by the electoral management body, Zimbabwe's 2023 elections won't be free and fair. The credibility of the ZEC is central to this goal, and to date, the body has fallen short. Development partners The ISS is grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union, the Open Society Foundations and the governments of Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The World Bank has announced plans to invest over $30 billion to address the ongoing global food security crisis in the next 15 months. The World Bank made this known on its website over the weekend, explaining that the move is part of a comprehensive, global response to the ongoing food security crisis. It maintained that the $30 billion would be deployed for existing and new projects in areas such as agriculture, nutrition, social protection, water and irrigation. According to the World Bank Group President, David Malpass, the financing will include efforts to encourage food and fertilizer production, enhance food systems, facilitate greater trade, and support vulnerable households and producers. "Food price increases are having devastating effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. To inform and stabilise markets, it is critical that countries make clear statements now of future output increases in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Countries should make concerted efforts to increase the supply of energy and fertilizer, help farmers increase plantings and crop yields, and remove policies that block exports and imports, divert food to biofuel, or encourage unnecessary storage," he said. The World Bank boss added that Bank is working with countries on the preparation of $12 billion of new projects for the next 15 months to respond to the food security crisis. In his words: "These projects are expected to support agriculture, social protection to cushion the effects of higher food prices, and water and irrigation projects, with the majority of resources going to Africa and the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and South Asia." "In addition, the World Bank's existing portfolio includes undisbursed balances of $18.7 billion in projects with direct links to food and nutrition security issues, covering agriculture and natural resources, nutrition, social protection, and other sectors. Altogether, this would amount to over $30 billion available for implementation to address food insecurity over the next 15 months. This response will draw on the full range of Bank financing instruments and be complemented by analytical work," he stressed. Explaining further, he said the Bank's global response will address four priorities which include supporting productionand producers. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. If you close your eyes and try to visualize Marie Laveau, theres a pretty good chance youll summon up frontier artist George Catlins 1837 portrait of New Orleans legendary voodoo queen. Or a copy of it, anyway. The vision of a well-dressed 19th-century woman with a self-assured stare, wearing an elaborate tignon head wrap, is an indelible icon. On Saturday, the 185-year-old artwork sold at auction for $984,000 in Asheville, North Carolina. It could be a record price for a Louisiana portrait. But heres the thing: Scholars say theres no proof the painting depicts Laveau at all, and theres a very good chance Catlin didnt paint it. The backstory goes something like this. According to Lisa N. Peters, an art historian hired by the Brunk Acution house to study the artwork, the painting first popped up in 1911, when someone named Gaspar Cusachs lent it to the Louisiana State Museum. The canvas was signed by George Catlin, a buckskin-wearing artist and adventurer famous for painting hundreds of portraits of Native Americans in traditional dress in the 1830s. Its not hard to imagine that Catlin detoured to New Orleans somewhere along the line, where he captured the image of the elegant, steely woman. But Peters points out that Catlins records dont mention the painting. Not only that, Peters said, the style of the painting was inconsistent with Catlins portraiture and the signature isnt characteristic of the artist either. Asked how Catlins John Hancock might have ended up on the canvas, Peters said, I wish I knew. Copycat Catlin Anyway, the Marie Laveau painting remained on display at the Cabildo on Jackson Square until a century ago. Louisiana State Museum collection specialist Claudia Kheel said that during that period, the museum employed a multitalented individual named Frank Schneider, who designed displays, built models, and most famously painted a copy of the Catlin, apparently to document the painting in anticipation of the time Cusachs' loan expired. It was a pretty faithful imitation although, as Peters points out, some details got flattened and generalized. After 1922, the original left the State Museum, passed into the hands of a series of private collectors, and was mostly out of the public view. That allowed the copy to step into the limelight. To this day, Schneiders painting is one of the most requested images in the State Museum archive. And, get this, according to Peters, Schneiders copy is the image you see when you look up Marie Laveau on Wikipedia. Peters said Schneiders copy of the painting was damaged during the Cabildo fire in 1988 and has been restored, though it is not currently on display at the State Museum. Four times the predicted price Peters said theres no historical evidence whatever to link the painting with Laveau. Truth is, there have been several portraits of Creole women who have been fancifully identified as Marie Laveau over the years, she said. When the auction began on Saturday, the folks at Brunk expected the painting to fetch between $200,000 and $300,000. But the bidding blew the roof off. Brunks American painting expert Nan Zander said part of the reason is Laveaus mystique. Shes well-loved, and shrouded in lore and mystery and adoration, Zander said. Plus, whoever the woman is, she represents a unique aspect of 19th-century American society. She is a free women of color from New Orleans from before the Civil War, Zander said. In the New Orleans of that time, most people of African descent were enslaved. But there was a social strata of free people of color who, while still subject to institutional racism, were able to own property, hold paying jobs and enjoy other relative legal rights. Considering the Creole womans gold earring and apparently luxurious clothing, the subject of the painting was probably of that status. Whether free or enslaved, Black women were required to wear the tignon hair wrap. But as Samantha Callender wrote in Essence magazine, Black women turned travesty into triumph. Soon, the tignons became a major fashion statement. Laveau's aura Laveaus immortality rests with her role as citys premier 19th-century practitioner of voodoo, a spiritual system brought to the Caribbean and New Orleans by enslaved Africans. She may have been a hairdresser as well as a healer and counselor. In pop culture, shes fondly mythologized as a sort of sinister superhero with occult powers. After a century, the painting once thought to depict Laveau is heading back to a museum. The Creole woman may not be coming home to New Orleans, but shell soon be on view at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Associate curator Susan Rawles said the institution paid handsomely for the portrait for a good reason: It's a missing piece of American art history. Most of the story of the 19th-century nation, she said, is told from an Anglo-American perspective. The newly acquired portrait illustrates the Spanish and French colonial influence on the country. Its difficult to tell the story of America without it, she said. Back in the public eye Rawles said that Catlin had visited New Orleans in 1835, but she doesnt think its even remotely possible that he painted the portrait. Based on the style, she thinks its much more likely that it was produced by one of several Paris-trained neoclassical artists working in the riverside metropolis in the 1800s. It demonstrates the French academic tradition, she said. Specifically, Rawles believes the painting is the work of the great New Orleans antebellum artist Jacques Amans. Rawles said she formulated her opinion based on Amans specific technique for rendering faces. Also, she said, the antique wooden framework of the canvas is similar to the type Amans used. Marie Laveaus aura may still accompany the painting, but her name is absent from the new title, which is Portrait of a Creole Woman Waering a Madras Tignon. +8 Mysterious enslaved teen appeared in a 1837 painting, was blotted out, then rediscovered Whats wrong with this picture? In an 1837 painting, a Black teenager stands beside a trio of White children. A recent historical discovery te When I met Alzina Toups in 2006, she was 77. She was making culinary magic in a Galliano welding shed her son gave her, cooking the Cajun dishes of her parents for one group a night. Most dishes featured impeccably fresh seafood, right out of nearby Bayou Lafourche. Some groups booked meals a year in advance. In the following years, we visited several more times. I have a photo of my husband washing dishes after the communal meal. Her fame spread; other reporters couldnt resist her unique story. The last time we went, her granddaughters were helping her cook. After the recent news of her passing at age 94, I looked back at all the recipes and articles about Alzinas unique establishment. I will never forget her low, French-accented voice, how she admired the ingredients as she cooked. Isnt that pretty? she said several times as we talked, as she stirred. Alzina layered flavors in a way Ive never seen elsewhere, putting a couple of sprigs of fresh herbs into a tomato sauce; removing them after they simmered; then adding the same herbs in dried form. She would add half a pound of shrimp to a dish, cook it a while, then add another 1-1/2 pounds. One thing stood out to me as I went over her recipes: Their utter simplicity. She said she cooked like her father, a Cajun fisherman, and her mother, a Portuguese immigrant. As in the previous generation, salt and pepper were the main seasoning, but only added at the end after tasting. She used garlic, yes, and the occasional jalapeno, sometimes a few red pepper flakes instead of cayenne. Not all at once. She coaxed incredible meals into being with layered flavors, attention to detail and the freshest of ingredients. I made her shrimp and pasta casserole for a recent quilt retreat. Its a great dish for a group. Alzinas chicken and shrimp fricassee has much less oil than most roux recipes. Nevertheless, the clumpy stuff eventually browned to a chocolate color, and after the addition of chicken broth became the most beautifully smooth gravy. Leftovers went to friends who said they enjoyed it. Her recipe for spicy smothered shrimp was shared with Louisiana Cookin magazine in 2014, and Im so happy I made this. The (barely) spicy comes from Ro-Tel and garlic. After you process the Ro-Tel tomatoes in a food processor until smooth, you add it to the trinity, cooked well in equal parts oil and butter. After 25 minutes, add shrimp with copious amounts of parsley and green onion. This may be a new favorite meal. Alzina published two cookbooks in the 1980s, long out of print, and she left many notebooks. She was so devoted to her Catholic faith that Ive no doubt shes cooking for the angels today. Its my hope that someone in her large, close family can get the cookbooks or some of her other recipes republished, so the rest of us can recreate her heavenly dishes. In the meantime, you can remember her legacy with these. Alzina Toups Shrimp and Pasta Casserole After my first visit in 2006, we requested this dish every time thereafter. Use all shrimp, or half crab and half shrimp. Serve with a mixed green salad, Alzina directed. Makes 10-12 servings. 6 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3-1/2 cups half and half 1 cup grated baby Swiss cheese 1-1/2 pounds blanched shrimp (blanch in hot water 1 minute (OR pound blanched shrimp and pound crab meat, picked over) Salt and red pepper to taste 16 ounces penne pasta 1-1/2 cups grated mozzarella (for topping) 1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft. Stir in flour, combining well. 2. Slowly add half and half, stirring until smooth. Discard crushed garlic. Add Swiss cheese and seafood. 3. Season to taste and cook over low heat until cheese melts. 4. Cook pasta until tender; drain thoroughly. 5. Butter a large casserole and add half the pasta. Cover with half the cheese sauce. Repeat, ending with cheese sauce. Cover with foil. 6. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbly. Uncover and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and top is very lightly browned. Spicy Smothered Shrimp This fresh-tasting dish is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or for royalty. Alzina Toups shared this recipe with Louisiana Cookin magazine in 2014. Makes 4 or 5 servings. 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with green chiles, such as Ro-Tel Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 bell pepper, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1-1/2 pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined 2/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley cup chopped green onion Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Hot cooked rice for serving 1. In the work bowl of a food processor, process tomatoes with green chiles with their liquid until smooth. 2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat butter and oil. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with green chiles. Simmer 25-30 minutes. 3. Stir in shrimp, parsley and green onion. Cook until shrimp are pink and just firm, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice. Alzina Toups Chicken and Shrimp Fricassee If youre used to making roux, the ratio of oil to flour here seems wacky. Its correct. Keep stirring it until well-browned. The original recipe called for three chicken bouillon cubes; I used three teaspoons of chicken base. Makes 6-plus servings. cup plus 2 tablespoons oil cup all-purpose flour 1 large onion, chopped 4 boneless chicken thighs, fat removed, cut in pieces Dash sugar 3 cups hot water 3 chicken bouillon cubes (or 3 teaspoons chicken base) 1 jalapeno, halved, seeded 1 medium potato, peeled, cubed (optional) 2 cups (1 pound) shrimp, peeled 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 3 tablespoons green onions, or chives, sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1. In a heavy pot, mix oil and flour thoroughly. Over medium heat, stir constantly, until mixture reaches the color of chocolate candy. 2. Stir in onion, chicken pieces and sugar. Smother/fry for 10 to 12 minutes. 3. Add hot water, bouillon cubes (or chicken base) and jalapeno. Skim off excess fat, if any. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. 4. Add potato, cook 15 more minutes, until potato can be pierced easily with a fork. Stir in shrimp, parsley and green onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, until shrimp are pink throughout. 5. Remove jalapeno halves and serve. It was less than a week before the gates opened at the New Orleans Greek Festival, and the grounds were abuzz as tents slowly appeared along Bayou St. John near the lake. The breeze was warm and smelled like cinnamon because inside, while Greek Orthodox chants flowed through the cathedral halls, there were volunteers busy baking thousands of triangles of baklava. For nearly five decades, this has been the scene at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on the weekend before Memorial Day as volunteers hurry to prepare ahead of the festival's opening. But like all other New Orleans festivals, Greek Fest was forced into hiatus for the past two years because of the coronavirus pandemic, which makes the event one of many enjoying a happy return this year. NEW ORLEANS GREEK FESTIVAL 2022 WHEN: 5-10 p.m. Friday Noon-10 p.m. Saturday Noon-7 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1200 Allen Toussaint Blvd. Free, handicap-accessible shuttles from the former John F. Kennedy School location on Wisner Boulevard TICKETS: $10 at the gate INFO: gfno.com "This is our largest fundraiser, so it's been very missed," said Gail Psilos, who co-chairs the festival this year with Vivian Demarinis-Haik. "As a community, we come together beginning in January of each year of the festival. We cook our own foods, bake our own pastries. It's cultural, it's gathering, it's social. ... We've missed that. I think the entire city has missed getting together." The festival's 2022 theme, "Year of Tradition," honors and celebrates that return. With it comes all the community favorites: Hellenic dancing, music, a Greek grocery and tours of the cathedral, giving visitors a chance to admire the gold and ocean-blue interior. There's also a 5K run, kids' activities and lots and lots of food. The menu includes Greek salad, souvlaki, gyro, dinner plates and more than 15 types of pastries. The pastry options alone require months of kitchen preparation, but for the volunteers who make it happen, returning was an easy choice. "It's part of our DNA," said Sandy Bouzon, who has co-chaired the pastry booth since the festival's inception 47 years ago. While Bouzon calculates the amount of nuts that go into making all those pastries at least 360 pounds, by her count Psilos works busily nearby peeling aluminum foil from trays and trays of baklava. The trays, stacked on rolling racks two deep and 20 high, have been coming together for months, lying in wait in one of three walk-in freezers on the property. The baklava must come to room temperature before baking. In total, about 300 volunteers make the festival possible. "It takes a village to really prepare for the festival," Psilos said, and many volunteers have returned year after year for decades. One of them, Ilya Malachias, flies in from New York to make sure he can be here to volunteer. "These are my best friends," said Malachias, whose mother, Helen, co-chairs the pastry booth with Bouzon. In his youth, he was one of the Hellenic dancers, but as an adult, he works as a private chef, so his transition to the Greek Fest kitchen was a natural one. "Because I grew up here, so many of my best friends from childhood are here." Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up It's a reunion, he said, with many members of the community gravitating to the festival for the weekend. They'll find little has changed, save for a few beverage options. This year's drink lineup replaces Abita with Urban South's Paradise Park, and the choices have grown to include a Greek beer and Greek wine flights. The continuity elsewhere, however, is exactly the point, especially after a couple years of so much change and unexpected pivots. "We are a New Orleans tradition," said Psilos, who added that organizers typically expect about 21,000 people to attend every year. "I'm just looking forward to seeing all the people out there having a wonderful time enjoying themselves, eating, drinking and bringing their families to have a wonderful weekend celebrating our Greek traditions and New Orleans traditions." BESIDES THE FOOD ... Greek dining isnt the only draw at the festival. Other attractions include: Live Greek music by Kosta and his Bouzouki and space for Greek dancing outdoors. The Agora marketplace offering Greek paintings, souvenirs, clothing and jewelry. The Greek grocery, with cheeses, spices, breads, halva and olives, among other items. The Holy Trinity Museum store, with prints of icons and devotional items. Children's area with hot dogs for young "picky eaters," plus face painting. Tours of the cathedral, with the opportunity to learn about the faith and the community's history, and to hear Orthodox chanting. "Little Museum of the Little Greek Church": A special exhibition space housing historical and religious artifacts preserved by the local Orthodox community since its founding in 1864, with a collection of more than 50 icons. Nigerians, already traumatised by the current harsh economy, have been warned against hoping for better days ahead by the time the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would elapse in 2023 unless the right leaders emerge. A strategic management/organisation development consultant and change agent, Agu Ojukwu gave the warning in Umuahia while addressing journalists on his advocacy for the emergence of good leaders in 2023. He stated that post-Buhari economic recovery would be a mirage unless the incoming administration has the wisdom and political will to bring on board experts with the full knowledge of how the economy can be resuscitated. Ojukwu, who is an advocate for rapid economic development, faulted the claims by presidential and governorship aspirants that they would put Nigeria's economy in the rebound within four to eight years if elected into office next year. He argued that past administrations since after the civil war had made similar claims and even put in place economic programmes with different titles but all of them failed to fix the economy because they used "fail-safe approach" in the implementations. "This resulted in a steady emasculation of the economy and culminated in the negative synergy that Nigeria is experiencing and suffering today," he said. The economic expert noted that as things stand presently, there is no guarantee that any of the aspirants or candidates, "can turn the tide using his solo knowledge or that voters can elect the more capable of the lot with their present mindset, orientation and gullibility. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Business Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "The only thing that will guarantee the changing of the status quo( bad economic management) is to advocate the election of aspirants and candidates that are likely to use the collective wisdom of the people to lead them." According to him, "this collective wisdom refers to the best idea (approach, method, process, knowledge, skill, and tool) that emerges from a competition of ideas conducted for the purpose". Ojukwu, who is a former chief economic adviser in Abia State, insisted that both during the party primaries, and the general election Nigerians should ensure that the right people were elected to pilot the affairs of the country if there is sincere desire to get things right. "The reason," he explained, "is because it is the responsibility of the incoming president or governor to tackle and correct the common problems of the level of the economy he will lead". He argued that the incoming president and governors "cannot afford to make avoidable mistakes at the level of their offices (because) 80 percent of the factors of success of their level economy can be influenced by them while only 20 percent can be influenced by other stakeholders". "They are expected to be excellent and this is why they are addressed as 'your excellency'. They are expected to take actions based on organised knowledge necessary for the improvement of success," Ojukwu said. He stated that there would be hope for sustainable economic recovery if the intellectual process is activated, assuring that within three to six months the national economic can be rapidly emancipated to start working effectively." A Chinese restaurant that has been part of the local dining landscape for decades through different incarnations may be down to its last few days. Jungs Golden Dragon II, at 3009 Magazine St., could close as early as next week, said proprietor Jung Tan. The kitchen is still pumping out orders of dumplings, shrimp toast and sesame beef, but Tan is already packing boxes of mementos that once decorated the walls. It is sad for me, but after all these years it is time for me to retire, said Tan, now 71. She said possible new owners are considering buying the restaurant, which could mean the name would continue. However these prospective buyers are considering a dual Chinese and Japanese menu with a sushi bar, which would mark a big change. The restaurant is equipped with a sushi bar, a hold-over from an earlier business here, but Tan never used it for sushi. Coming soon: Stay up to date on business news with the NOLA Business Insider newsletter. Tan immigrated from China to the U.S. in the 1970s and came to New Orleans to study hospitality and tourism management at the University of New Orleans. A year after graduating, she opened Jungs Golden Dragon with her parents in 1977. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up For many years the restaurant was located in Metairie, near the Clearview Mall, serving a menu of familiar American Chinese restaurant dishes (lemon chicken, egg rolls, broccoli with beef) and more traditional Chinese fare. Eventually, Tan began introducing more and more of the traditional dishes, many based on the recipes her mother brought from China. By the time she moved to Magazine Street in 2010, she had significantly expanded the menu with a wide range of mostly Szechuan style dishes, for a restaurant she dubbed Jungs Golden Dragon II, like a movie sequel. The small restaurant along a stretch of Magazine Street filled with shops and other restaurants developed a regular local clientele. Many have been visiting Tan in recent days asking her to stay open. But after 45 years in the business and through the difficulties of the pandemic and ensuing higher costs and staffing issues she said she was ready to retire. I am proud of the reputation I built up over the years, she said. I introduced Chinese culture to my customers through food, thats what Ill miss. And I learned a lot too, from my customers. Jungs Golden Dragon II 3009 Magazine St., (504) 891-8280 Fourteen children and one teacher were killed in a shooting at a Texas elementary school Tuesday, and the 18-year-old gunman was dead, Gov. Greg Abbott said. Abbott said a local man opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 85 miles west of San Antonio. It was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history and occurred four years after a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher," said the governor, adding that two officers were shot and wounded but were expected to survive. The gunman was a resident of the community and entered the school with a handgun, and possibly a rifle, and opened fire, Abbott said. He said the shooter was likely killed by responding officers but that the events were still being investigated. It was not immediately clear how many people, in addition to the dead, were injured in the shooting. Earlier, Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition. Robb Elementary School has an enrollment of just under 600 students. A heavy police presence surrounded the school Tuesday afternoon, with officers in heavy vests diverting traffic and FBI agents coming and going from the building. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the school shooting on Air Force One as he returns from a five-day trip to Asia and would continue to receive updates. Jean-Pierre said Biden will deliver remarks Tuesday evening at the White House. The shooting in Texas came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 Black shoppers and workers in what officials have described as a hate crime. Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people and is the seat of government for Uvalde County. The town is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the border with Mexico. Robb Elementary is in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. There is a funeral home across the street from the school. Can't see the video below? Click here. Joe Cooper, a fixture on the New Orleans music scene, was shot Monday by an armed assailant at his Gentilly Terrace home, according to his family. Cooper, 60, was protecting his wife, WWOZ DJ Leslie Cooper, family members said. As of late Monday he remained hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police have offered few details about the incident, other than to say a man was found suffering from a bullet wound in the 4400 block of St. Roch Avenue at around 3:51 p.m. Monday. They have not publicly identified the suspect, who they say escaped in a white vehicle. The shooting happened at the front door of Joe and Leslie Cooper's home. The family characterized the attack as a break-in, but police do not believe the incident was a home invasion. "I never thought something like this would hit so close to home," said Cooper's son, Doyle, at a news conference on Tuesday. "You never think it would actually happen to you or the ones you love." Help for Joe S Cooper. Joe Cooper, husband of fellow WWOZ show host Leslie Cooper, was shot multiple times protecting Leslie from a home invasion yesterday. Gofundme for med. expenses if anyone wants to help out!! https://t.co/LqnEf1wcZB Murf Reeves (@murf132613) May 24, 2022 Stacey Morigeau, a community health worker at The New Orleans Musicians Clinic and longtime friend of the Coopers, said they "do everything for everybody. They will never say no to helping anybody." Neighbor Scott Myers describes the couple as sweet, well-known residents of the Gentilly Terrace neighborhood. Myers frequently tunes in to Leslie Cooper's traditional jazz show on WWOZ while he works in his garage, and that's where he was when he heard shots ring out Monday. "I heard seven or eight very loud gunshots and called 911," Myers said. "I couldn't get through to 911, so they called me back." Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Police said they recovered three spent casings at the scene. A witness reported seeing a man looking for a package at the victim's house. About 20 minutes later, two men pulled up and shot Cooper, the witness said. Police, however, did not confirm that version of events Tuesday, saying only that they were receiving conflicting stories. Joe Cooper is the patriarch of a musical family. His wife, the radio host, is also a singer, event and music coordinator at Buffa's Bar and Grill, and co-founder of New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp. Doyle Cooper is an accomplished trumpet player. The 60-year-old is also known for selling his tie-dyed wares at The Maple Leaf Bar and outside the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. He was king of MoMs ball in 2019, according to friend Shane Norris, and is a member of Tucks and the Krewe of OAK. "Joe has a huge heart," Norris said. "He's honest to a fault, passionate, unbelievably reliable almost every quality you would want in a human being." Leslie Cooper said she now has 13 bullet holes marring the front of her home. "My husband had splinters in his face from where a bullet went right by his head," she said. First responders took Joe Cooper to University Medical Center, giving him a blood transfusion on the way, according to Paul Adams with The Blood Center. Blood drives are being held at the following locations. Donors for Joe Cooper must specify he is the intended recipient. Children's Hospital (Conference Center, 210 State St., 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday) (Conference Center, 210 State St., 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday) St. Vincent's Community Center (Meeting Room, 3500 Canal St., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday) (Meeting Room, 3500 Canal St., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday) Metairie Donor Center (2617 Edenborn Ave., daily through Sunday) Family members are organizing a GoFundMe to help with expenses. Anyone with information about the shooting may contact NOPD at (504) 821-2222 or Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. A previous version incorrectly stated that Joe Cooper co-produced a streaming concert series that raised $675,000 for musicians during the pandemic. Leslie Cooper produced some of the shows. We regret the error. Seven people and a dog were rescued by the Coast Guard last weekend after their boat caught fire near Gulfport, Mississippi, officials said. The Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a mayday call from a 45-foot Hatteras shortly before 9:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a press release. Video from the Coast Guard shows the vessel in flames while boaters float in rough waters with life jackets on. A ferry ship, originally headed toward Ship Island with 114 passengers onboard, also responded to the scene, Ship Island Excursions said in a Facebook post. "Captain Doug Cook immediately turned the Capt. Pete around to the northeast toward the vessel in distress," the company said. The stranded boat was located south of the Courthouse Road Pier, according to the ferry company. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up By the time the ferry had arrived, Coast Guard aircrew had deployed a life raft for the stranded boaters. Shortly after, Coast Guard boat crew arrived to retrieve the seven people and their dog. All seven people are in stable condition. Can't see the video below? Click here. As two parties prepared to negotiate a drug deal inside the living room of an Emile Avenue home near Westwego on the night of Feb. 13, the only light illuminating the room was a single-bulb fixture that had been "secured" to a counter and precariously plugged into a wall via an extension cord, Jefferson Parish She riff's Office investigators said. There were five people in the room when the lightbulb suddenly went dark. Then, gunfire rang out. When the light returned moments later, Charles McGehee Sr., 50, was dead, and a 27-year-old man had been shot in the arm, authorities said. On Thursday, a Jefferson Parish grand jury indicted Curtis Thomas III, 30, with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, Jefferson Parish court records show. Sheriff's Office detectives say it was Thomas who fired the shots that killed McGehee and wounded the other man, though they have not released any details about a suspected motive. Lights out, then gunfire The shooting occurred about 9 p.m. at a home in the 800 block of Emile. It's not clear who lived at the residence. But the surviving victim was allegedly the person involved in the drug transaction along with another, unidentified person who was in the house, authorities said. Sheriff's Office investigators aren't sure how the light went out. The slightest touch to the extension cord powering the lightbulb would shut it off, an investigators said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up So it's not clear whether Thomas allegedly exploited an unforeseen opportunity during a moment of darkness or he purposely caused the blackout to open fire, according to the Sheriff's Office. Witnesses identify gunman Despite the dark, witnesses identified Thomas as the gunman. It was Thomas who called 911 to report the shooting, according to authorities. He was still on scene when deputies arrived and was found in possession of a gun later linked to the shootings through ballistic testing, authorities said. Thomas is barred from possessing a gun because he had pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder in 2011, according to Orleans Parish court records. No details were immediately available about that case, but Thomas was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He had been out prison for just over a year before his arrest in the west bank shooting, Sheriff's Office officials said. After the indictment, the court increased Thomas' bond to $1.32 million. He was being held Monday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna Rochelle Ford, a dean at Elon University in North Carolina and longtime advocate for historically Black colleges and universities, has been selected as the eighth president of Dillard University in New Orleans. Ford will begin her job on July 1, succeeding Walter Kimbrough who headed the 1,200-student historically black private college for 10 years. Ford, 50, is currently dean of Elon's School of Communications, and following a career in public relations had teaching stops at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Syracuse University in New York. She obtained a masters degree in public relations and journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park, and a doctorate in journalism from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, as well as a graduate certificate in higher education administration from Harvard University. Ford, who grew up in Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, said she is a second generation HBCU graduate. Both of her parents attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, where her father studied physics and her mother nursing. Ford's undergraduate degree is from Howard University, where she studied journalism and public relations. It was there that she realized the "magic" of HBCUs. Sacred places I knew then what a sacred place being at an HBCU was, she said. And I wanted to make sure in my career I was able to ... to create environments where young people had a safe place to fully experience their past and their present and their future because thats what I was given going to an HBCU. Dillard chairperson Michael Jones said students, faculties and trustees have been "blown away by [Ford's] insight, passion and drive." "As impressive as Dillard has been over the past 150 years in producing history makers and change agents, there is no question that, under Dr. Fords leadership, the best is yet to come, Jones said. At Dillard, Ford hopes to create a place for students to build upward mobility and grow in community-mindedness by offering more internship opportunities and service learning, she said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "I want to make sure that the faculty can really investigate the complexities that were facing in the Black community and the wider diaspora, but particularly New Orleans, because New Orleans is resilient and is facing so many challenges," Ford said. "How can we show that Dillard is a courageous place for faculty or staff or students and that we really can represent our communities with fearless action .. speak truth to power. Return to education After graduating from Howard, Ford worked in public relations for a few years, but always knew she would return to education, she said. After earning her doctorate she returned to Howard, where she taught communications, helped establish the Academic Center for Excellence and served as the associate dean of research and academic affairs in Howards School of Communications. I returned back to my roots because I knew I wanted to give back to the African American community in a direct way, she said. After 16 years there she became a provost faculty fellow at Syracuse, led the university's regional reaccreditation and implementation of its strategic plan and chaired the public relations department at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. At Elon, she grew enrollment in the School of Communications, created an industry advisory task force to help communications faculty develop curriculum and began raising funds for a new health communications program focused on internships and undergraduate research. While at Elon she was a 2021 fellow in Clark Atlanta Universitys HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, where she stood out as an outstanding fellow, said Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, executive director of the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute. The way she grasped what we were doing in terms of competencies, let us know that Dr. Ford would become a president," Dawkins said. Kimbrough announced in August that he would step down in 2022. During his tenure, he was credited with growing the university's endowment and raising its national profile. A country of many paradoxes, Nigeria does not refine a drop of all the products it consumes. But the Nigerian National Petroleum Company says it has devised a different strategy to get the country's ailing refineries back to function. Will they work this time? Maybe, maybe not, writes Emmanuel Addeh. It's almost like a basket case. The more money that is pumped into fixing Nigeria's ailing refineries, the less results it yields. Like is wont to happen with many public institutions in Nigeria, there is hardly any official figure as to the total amount that has been spent on what is now seen as a national drainpipe. But if anything, what even the drivers and overseers of the unending refineries repair processes, past and present, have come to agree is that it's all been a wild goose chase over the years. To be sure, the problem is not new. Over the years, Nigeria had literally succeeded in grounding all its three refineries and is today a net importer of all refined products consumed in the country. There has rarely been any administration in recent times that did not sink billions of dollars into the facilities to turn them around. But they have all met a dead end. While the recent announcement by the NNPC gave Nigerians a feeling of deja vu, having walked this path many times, the cynicism that has followed the decision has been resounding. Will the national oil firm prove its critics wrong? Nigeria is borrowing massively to fix the facilities, before it will, according to the new plan, be handed over to private companies to manage. Will this be another exercise in futility? A NEW $3BN DEAL? The NNPC's new deal to revamp the non-functional assets, particularly the Port Harcourt refinery, with an Italian Firm, Maire Tecnimont SPA for a full overhaul is expected to cost $1.5 billion. Recall that in March, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sum for the modernisation of the oil refinery, which is expected to be completed in three phases. The first phase is scheduled to be rounded off within 18 months from the point of agreement, taking the refinery to 90 per cent production capacity, with the second and final phases to be carried out within 24 months and 44 months respectively, according to the schedule of activities. Funding for the project will come from the state-oil company's cash flow, budget provisions and Afreximbank, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, stated last year. Although it could not be independently verified whether the local content expectation was met, NNPC had said that less than 2.5 per cent or about 70 of the entire workforce on the project would be Nigerians. NNPC's Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, at the signing ceremony reiterated that unlike in the past, the current exercise wasn't a turnaround maintenance, but a complete overhaul and rehabilitation of the plant. "I have said it over and over that we have not taken care of these refineries over the years, that we have mismanaged the turnaround maintenance work over time in the last 20+ years, these plants have degenerated to a level that today, we are not turning around but resuscitating them, which is different from TAM," he stated. The complex is composed of two refineries totalling an overall capacity of approximately 210,000 bpd (barrels per day). In August last year, the federal government further approved the contract sum of $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries. The extent of work in those facilities are not public yet. While the sum of $897, 678, 800 was sanctioned for the rehabilitation of the Warri Refinery, $586, 902,256 was approved for the Kaduna Refinery. The contracts were awarded to Saipem SPA and Saipem Contracting Ltd. For the Kaduna and Warri assets, the first phase is within 21 months; in 23 months, Phase 2 will be completed and in 33 months, the full rehabilitation will be completed, according to the plan. THE CONCERNS Even the NNPC boss admits that those who have expressed concerns over the ability of the NNPC to see through the new deal are justified, given the not so enviable antecedents of the national oil firm. With the first refining from the Port Harcourt refinery initially set for 18 months, which would have been December this year, counting from June 2021 when the deal was signed, now deferred, the timelines are already being missed. During the last inspection, Sylva shifted the completion of the first phase which would have been latest seven months from now, to the first quarter of 2023. The minister said the Port Harcourt plant would refine 60,000 barrels of crude per stream day (bpd) in the first instance, when it resumes operations. "This project kicked off second quarter last year, and where they are now is quite impressive. It is on schedule," Sylva said. But it's not. It has already overshot the December deadline set by the NNPC. "The commitment is to deliver 60,000 barrels per day from this refinery by the first quarter of next year, and, of course, we are quite happy," he said A HISTORY OF WASTE In 2020, the NNPC published an audited financial report for the first time in its 43 years of operation. In 2018 alone, the report revealed that the refineries incurred a total loss of N154 billion, with the Port Harcourt refinery losing N45.59 billion, the Warri refinery about N44.44 billion, and the Kaduna refinery losing N64.34 billion. But those are not monies for turnaround or rehabilitation. They are simply for maintaining what the NNPC calls line items as well as paying workers in the non-functional refineries. Although actual figures are rarely available as many of the turnaround maintenance exercises were shrouded in secrecy, at least before now, it is estimated that about $25 billion may have gone down the drain fixing the intractable problem in the last 25 years. Indeed, many Nigerians have suggested that instead of sinking another $3 billion, about N1.8 trillion in the parallel market, the refineries should be sold off to private investors. Not a few believe that it is absurd to keep spending money without results and yet dig further into debt, even when it's obvious that the country is falling into a debt trap. Furthermore, at the time the contracts were awarded, several questions were raised as to how transparent the "open competitive bidding" for the project was, how many companies submitted bids and when the technical evaluation was done. A number of Nigerians at the time thought it was senseless to continue to literally do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. While an oil and gas expert and former Chair of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Joe Nwakwue, described it as a wrong step, he argued that if the country has not been able to run any commercial venture profitably, there's no hope it will be different this time. He called for privatisation of the refineries, using the most appropriate models, maintaining that private sector capital and operational control is the most promising option for the country. In a separate forum, renowned economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, said the rehabilitation amounted to a waste of resources, arguing that there are other areas begging for government attention but certainly not the rehabilitation of an asset already earmarked for sale. "The decision of federal government to invest $1.5 billion in the repair of Port Harcourt refinery is unwise, unreasonable and has no basis," he stated In the same vein, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr Muda Yusuf, argued that the government has no business putting more money into the Port Harcourt refinery, while Dr Olanrewaju Aladeitan, a lecturer at the University of Abuja faulted government's action, saying it is one step forward and three steps backwards. In the same vein, economist and founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Atedo Peterside, who said the NNPC would only "enmesh Nigeria into a deeper financial mess by throwing $1.5 billion (including debt) at a problem it created," recommended an end to the 'nightmare' through a Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) core investor sale. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had also asked government to urgently "privatise our refineries and the NNPC through the time-tested Nigeria LNG model in which the federal government owns 49 per cent equity and the private sector controls 51 per cent." WILL INCOMING GOVT RETAIN SAME MODEL? One of the biggest fears being expressed is that if the next administration which will take over from May 29, 2023, is not well disposed to the model adopted by the NNPC, it may decide to jettison the entire process. If the next government resolves to throw the current arrangement in the waste bin, it wouldn't be the first time. The Olusegun Obasanjo administration in the last days of the government had actually sold off two of the country's refineries before it was reversed by his successor, the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. Years after, a pained Obasanjo recalled that Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, leading a consortium of investors had paid $750 million for the two refineries as the federal government was unable to manage them at the time. He accused Yar'Adua of failing to consolidate on the sale of the refineries so the investors could revamp them, but fell to pressure and cancelled the sale. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Petroleum By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "The refineries are old and Dangote and some investors paid $750 million for two of the refineries. My successor came to office and reversed the sale. He even refunded the money they paid. "So, I went to him and said 'why did you do this?' He said it was because of pressure. So, I said 'so the pressure of some people was more important than the interest of the whole nation?' "Right now, you will hardly be able to sell the refineries for more than $250m because they are very old," said Obasanjo, years after the reversal. Bluestar, where Dangote an interest had bought controlling stakes in the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries in the last days of the administration of Obasanjo, prompting accusations of cronyism. It was later refunded $561 million it paid for the Port Harcourt refinery and the $160 million it paid for Kaduna. Will the next administration follow suit and reverse the current deal? The next few months will tell! BUILDING NEW ONES Although some Nigerians have maintained that the funds being sunk into revamping the refineries would be enough to build new ones, the NNPC argues that the country does not have the financial muscle now to build new ones. It further noted that petroleum refining as a business is too important to be left in private hands entirely because of its security implications. NNPC Group Managing Director, Kyari, said building a new refinery now would cost the country about $10 billion which is far beyond the $1.5 billion earmarked for the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery. He also said the country would have to live with importation of petroleum product, especially petrol, for another four years if the country ventures into building a new refinery. "We have people saying why not build a new one; why will you repair an old refinery with $1.5 billion? The fact is available even by Google search, what it takes to build a refinery of this status today. "It will be difficult for the country to build a new refinery as it will take four years for it to commence production. It is around $7 billion and $12 billion to construct a refinery of this nature (Port Harcourt refinery)," he argued. But while questions remain over the new contracts, the real test would be from May, 2023 when a new administration takes over and what it decides to do with the current arrangement. According to the details of the case already assigned to a U.S. District Judge, Paul Gritty, Mr Anuebunwa would be tried alongside two other Nigerians. The U.S. government has announced the extradition of a Nigerian, Chibundu Anuebunwa, a suspect accused of a multi-million dollar business email compromise scam. Mr Anuebunwa was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges in the United States before U.S. Magistrate Katharine Parker, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on Friday. According to the details of the case already assigned to a U.S. District Judge, Paul Gritty, Mr Anuebunwa would be tried alongside two other Nigerians, David Adindu who was already sentenced to 41 months in jail and co-defendant, Onyekachi Opara, who was previously extradited from South Africa and sentenced to 60 months in prison. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Mr Anuebunwa's extradition would serve a message to anyone who believes they can swindle people in the United States from halfway around the world. He said the U.S. government would continue to work with partners in finding culprits no "matter how long it takes" "As alleged in the indictment, Chibundu Joseph Anuebunwa tried to steal money from thousands of businesses around the world by impersonating corporate executives and sending phony emails to company employees," Mr Williams said. "Today's (Friday) extradition should serve as a warning to those who think they can defraud victims in the United States from halfway around the world: the United States and its international partners will find you and hold you accountable no matter how long it takes." Charges In the indictment unsealed before the Manhattan federal court, the U.S. government accused the trio of Messrs Anuebunwa, Adindu and Opara of committing the crime between 2014 and 2016; by allegedly participating in Business Email Compromise Scams ("BEC scams") that targeted thousands of victims around the world, including in the United States. "As part of the BEC scams, emails were sent to employees of various companies directing that funds be transferred to specified bank accounts. The emails purported to be from supervisors at those companies or third-party vendors that did business with those companies. "The emails, however, were not legitimate. Rather, they were either from email accounts with a domain name that was very similar to a legitimate domain name, or the metadata in the emails had been modified so that the emails appeared as if they were from legitimate email addresses. After victims complied with the fraudulent wiring instructions, the transferred funds were quickly withdrawn or moved into different bank accounts. In total, the BEC scams attempted to defraud millions of dollars from victims. "ANUEBUNWA and others carried out BEC scams by exchanging information regarding: (1) bank accounts used for receiving funds from victims; (2) email accounts used for communicating with victims; (3) scripts for requesting wire transfers from victims; and (4) lists of names and email addresses for contacting and impersonating potential victims," the indictment states. Accused to face 40 years in prison According to the statement, if found guilty of the charge, Mr Anuebunwa, 39, is faced with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and could be convicted and sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. "The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge." In his remarks, Mr Williams complimented the investigative work of the Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom, the FBI, and the Yahoo E-Crime Investigations Team for their contributions to ensuring the defendant's extradition was completed quickly. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. He said that the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division was also instrumental in gaining the defendant's extradition from the United Kingdom. He added that the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the Office would be in charge of this case. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Chan and Daniel Loss. According to the U.S. government, the charges in the indictment are only accusations, and the defendants are deemed innocent until proven guilty. U.S. agencies, including the FBI, have been working with their counterparts across the world to check the menace of internet fraud, popularly called Yahoo-Yahoo in Nigeria. Nigeria's EFCC has in the past announced several arrests and convictions of suspects based on the partnership with the U.S. agencies. Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize Selects Climate Justice Changemakers 18 Organizations Prioritizing Climate Solutions for Underrepresented Communities Win $200,000 Each The Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize fosters grassroots innovation, community-centric networks, and ground-up solutions to accelerate climate and clean energy technology advancement within disadvantaged communities. Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced the prizes Phase One winners, who are paving the way to an inclusive, equitable, and just energy future. Launched by DOEs Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, the prize centers on climate and environmental justice as part of the transition to a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050. DOEs community-centric competition awards organizations that advance the Justice40 Initiative by identifying activities related to climate and clean energy that support, build trust, and strengthen relationships and partnerships with disadvantaged communities. As part of the American-Made Challenges prize portfolio, the $5.1 million, two-phase competition seeks to enable and enhance business and technology incubation, acceleration, and other community- and university-based entrepreneurship and innovation in climate and clean energy technologies. With over 200 applications, this prize has attracted more applicants and followers than any prize to date. Of those submissions, 85% were first-time applicants, and 54% of applications were submitted by a women-, minority-, or disadvantaged-person-owned business. During Phase One, teams submitted impact plans that detailed their experiences in engaging and supporting disadvantaged communities. These plans also included activities they would like to implement during Phase Two, resources and capabilities needed to successfully execute prize goals, and finally, their vision and the anticipated long-term impacts of their project. From tribal nations to urban centers, rural towns to suburban America, and high schoolers to college students, teams focused on communities from every corner of the nation, demonstrating their commitment to building an inclusive innovation ecosystem and putting people at the center of clean energy and climate justice. The following Phase One winners will each receive $200,000 to carry out the activities described in their impact plans: Accelerating the Impact of Diverse Entrepreneurs, Washington, D.C. : The American Council on Renewable Energy will expand and grow their Accelerate Program, focused on emerging Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders in the cleantech/renewable energy space, manage the C-suite mentorship program, and release a series of case studies to amplify and promote the best practices and lessons learned in building up diverse founders in the cleantech field. : The American Council on Renewable Energy will expand and grow their Accelerate Program, focused on emerging Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders in the cleantech/renewable energy space, manage the C-suite mentorship program, and release a series of case studies to amplify and promote the best practices and lessons learned in building up diverse founders in the cleantech field. Alabama Energy Transformation Initiative, Tuscaloosa, Alabama : The University of Alabama and Energy Alabama will work together to provide education and empowerment programs to expose, train, and recruit minority students into clean energy and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. : The University of Alabama and Energy Alabama will work together to provide education and empowerment programs to expose, train, and recruit minority students into clean energy and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Clean Energy Restoration for Rural Alaska Villages, Anchorage, Alaska : The Tebughna Foundation aims to return Alaskan Indigenous communities to clean and affordable resources to help improve the daily lives of rural community members. : The Tebughna Foundation aims to return Alaskan Indigenous communities to clean and affordable resources to help improve the daily lives of rural community members. Central Valley Innovation Ecosystem, Fresno, California : The Water, Energy and Technology Center at California State University, Fresno, will create and manage a regionwide college-level program that matches students with climate- and energy-focused startups and provides technical assistance and advisory services to entrepreneurs and startups in underserved communities. : The Water, Energy and Technology Center at California State University, Fresno, will create and manage a regionwide college-level program that matches students with climate- and energy-focused startups and provides technical assistance and advisory services to entrepreneurs and startups in underserved communities. Community Engagement for a Clean Energy Economy, Bethesda, Maryland : Two organizations, One Montgomery Green and Bethesda Green, will work with local businesses to expand entrepreneurship training and mentoring, support Montgomery County businesses in becoming green-certified and/or B Corporations, and promote financing availability. : Two organizations, One Montgomery Green and Bethesda Green, will work with local businesses to expand entrepreneurship training and mentoring, support Montgomery County businesses in becoming green-certified and/or B Corporations, and promote financing availability. Creative Collaborations Build Thriving Communities, New York, New York : Soulful Synergy will expand its existing Clean Energy Academy workforce training program to recruit and train participants from disadvantaged communities at no cost and ultimately build a more diverse workforce that is equipped to meet the challenges of the Justice40 Initiative. : Soulful Synergy will expand its existing Clean Energy Academy workforce training program to recruit and train participants from disadvantaged communities at no cost and ultimately build a more diverse workforce that is equipped to meet the challenges of the Justice40 Initiative. Empowering the Future Energy Workforce, Richland, Washington : Washington State University Tri-Cities will develop new academic programs, research collaborations, and entrepreneurial activities in clean energy and climate innovation, including a research-based course with industry mentors and incubator integration aimed at engaging, retaining, and empowering Hispanic/LatinX students. : Washington State University Tri-Cities will develop new academic programs, research collaborations, and entrepreneurial activities in clean energy and climate innovation, including a research-based course with industry mentors and incubator integration aimed at engaging, retaining, and empowering Hispanic/LatinX students. Energy Profiles Build Community Energy Resilience, Utuado, Puerto Rico : Data Miners for the Mountains will develop a heat map of regions in Puerto Rico to show where energy resiliency projects can make the most impact; identify locations to collect high-resolution energy consumption data; empower rural, mountain villages in Puerto Rico to take control of a clean energy future by installing rooftop solar and storage systems, starting with businesses and community service centers. : Data Miners for the Mountains will develop a heat map of regions in Puerto Rico to show where energy resiliency projects can make the most impact; identify locations to collect high-resolution energy consumption data; empower rural, mountain villages in Puerto Rico to take control of a clean energy future by installing rooftop solar and storage systems, starting with businesses and community service centers. Feed the Second Line: Get Lit, Stay Lit!, New Orleans, Louisiana : Feed the Second Line will assess interest among local restaurants in a solar-powered-plus-storage microgrid, which would provide power for disaster relief scenarios; conduct feasibility analyses and work with restaurants on installation financing and logistics; and work with solar-panel installers to start apprenticeships for community members. : Feed the Second Line will assess interest among local restaurants in a solar-powered-plus-storage microgrid, which would provide power for disaster relief scenarios; conduct feasibility analyses and work with restaurants on installation financing and logistics; and work with solar-panel installers to start apprenticeships for community members. Green Door Initiative, Detroit, Michigan : The Green Door Initiative will mitigate energy insecurity, increase access to climate-smart job training and job placement/hiring for underrepresented residents (including returning citizens), and establish an environmental justice model that can be replicated in other communities and states. : The Green Door Initiative will mitigate energy insecurity, increase access to climate-smart job training and job placement/hiring for underrepresented residents (including returning citizens), and establish an environmental justice model that can be replicated in other communities and states. Increase Battery Work Force Development, Atlanta, Georgia : NanoResearch will increase participation of disadvantaged groups in battery research, workforce development, and entrepreneurship for job and wealth creation; and increase access for marginalized communities to secure more state and federal funding for battery storage growth and electric vehicles. : NanoResearch will increase participation of disadvantaged groups in battery research, workforce development, and entrepreneurship for job and wealth creation; and increase access for marginalized communities to secure more state and federal funding for battery storage growth and electric vehicles. Native Sun REZ Network, Minneapolis, Minnesota : Native Sun will create the Reservation Energy Zone (REZ) Network: a network of tribes seeking to share information, support, and opportunities; promote community electric vehicle charging, workforce training, and weatherization and rooftop solar panels; and connect communities to investors and the federal government. : Native Sun will create the Reservation Energy Zone (REZ) Network: a network of tribes seeking to share information, support, and opportunities; promote community electric vehicle charging, workforce training, and weatherization and rooftop solar panels; and connect communities to investors and the federal government. New Haven Eco-Entrepreneurship Creative Lab, New Haven, Connecticut : Gather New Haven will recruit young people to participate in the New Haven Eco-Entrepreneurship Creative Lab and help students pitch climate-related technology projects to increase community engagement and acceptance. : Gather New Haven will recruit young people to participate in the New Haven Eco-Entrepreneurship Creative Lab and help students pitch climate-related technology projects to increase community engagement and acceptance. Solar Utilization and Commercialization Coalition for Energy Efficiency Devices, Edinburg, Texas : A coalition of professionals, organizations, and academic institutions that support startups and entrepreneurs will work to bolster the solar manufacturing industry in Texas and build economic potential in the Rio Grande Valley. : A coalition of professionals, organizations, and academic institutions that support startups and entrepreneurs will work to bolster the solar manufacturing industry in Texas and build economic potential in the Rio Grande Valley. "Xcelerating" Black Climate Startups in Portland, Portland, Oregon: NWX Launch will carry out climate-justice-related community building activities, work on STEM workforce development, run an entrepreneur accelerator program consisting of startup development and incubation, design and develop facilities for hands-on workforce training, and provide incubator and maker spaces. To help further meet their communities unique needs, the 18 winning teams will also receive in-kind mentorship and other support services during Phase Two. During the second phase of the prize, which is now open, these teams will spend 12 months implementing their proposed programs and related activities. Phase Two of the Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize is anticipated to close in May 2023. Up to six teams will receive awards from a prize pool of $1.5 million based on their performance in this second phase. Stay up to date with the prize and winner activities. One factor that ultimately got Nigeria to its polio free status is the aggressive vaccination of children under the age of five with the oral polio vaccine. Blog Her priest's announcement was enough reason for Cecelia Yohane, a resident of Nchalo Chikwawa, to have her 2-year-old grandchild vaccinated against polio. "All my children are not educated, not many people in my village are educated either. But I want to change our story through my grandchildren. I want this particular one to become a teacher hence my interest to have her protected from any life-threatening diseases," she said. 30 years after the last case of wild poliovirus, the Malawian government announced its re-emergence in February 2022. This was the first case in Africa since the region was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus in August 2020. The confirmed case of wild poliovirus was a 3-year-old girl in the country's capital, Lilongwe, who became paralysed as a result of the infection. Yohane was devastated by this news as it threatened her plans for her granddaughter. She decided to go ahead and vaccinate her granddaughter against the disease, even though she had already received the same vaccines through her routine immunisations. "Our priest encouraged all congregants with children under five years to have them vaccinated against the deadly disease. This was my first time to hear him talk about a mass vaccination campaign, enough confirmation that this is a deadly and distressing disease," Yohane recalled. Poliomyelitis is a viral disease which invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis within hours, particularly among children under 5 years. While there is no cure for the disease, it can be prevented through the administration of a safe, simple and effective vaccine. For decades, African governments fought to eradicate the virus and in August 2020, the continent was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus. The Malawian case is the first on the continent since then. The World Health Organization (WHO) says "the region's certification as wild poliovirus-free remains unchanged" because "laboratory analysis linked the strain detected in Malawi to the one circulating in Pakistan's Sindh Province". In March 2022, Malawi launched the first round of door to door mass polio vaccination campaign targeting 2.9 million under five children. According to the WHO, more than 80 million doses will be administered to more than 23 million children under 5 years in the four-round vaccination drive in five southern African countries, after Malawi reported the case. A WHO statement stated that the first phase of the campaign targeted 9.4 million children in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, "Three subsequent rounds -- in which Zimbabwe will also take part -- are set for April, June and July." Swift intervention Ministry of Health (MoH) Spokesperson, Adrian Chikumbe said, even though the country achieved eradication, the ministry continued with surveillance as neighbouring countries still registered some cases. Through routine surveillance, a suspected case was identified in Lilongwe. Since Malawi doesn't have laboratories for this type of investigation, a specimen was sent to South Africa for testing. The results came out positive. The MoH activated mass vaccination campaigns, ensuring that all children received the required dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV). Chikumbe acknowledged that the campaigns have been successful due to collaboration between the ministry and various other stakeholders, "most importantly, religious leaders, considering that there is a history of children missing out on vaccinations due to their religious beliefs." He added that surveillance on acute placid symptoms of wild poliovirus was still ongoing alongside the vaccination campaign. Specimens were sent to South Africa, but all tested negative. "We have two more polio mass vaccination campaigns in May and June. After we complete the mass vaccination campaigns, we will continue with the routine vaccination campaign at under-five clinics. Even during this campaign, we have continued to provide routine immunisation," he said. The mass vaccination campaigns are courtesy of the MoH and its partners -- Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and the United Nations International Emergency Children's Fund (UNICEF). Foot soldiers The two rounds of door to door vaccination campaigns have been made possible through the dedicated efforts of Community Health Workers (HSAs). Carrying the polio vaccines in portable coolers, the HSAs go from door to door in every community, to ensure that they reach all eligible children. The HSAs brave all kinds of weather to achieve maximum coverage. Chikwawa (located in southern Malawi) is a generally hot district and they sometimes walk five kilometers a day, moving from village to village. When they run out of supplies, they have to walk back to the nearest facility to collect more vaccines. HSAs are paid MK6, 000 ($7.4) as lunch allowance every day but they usually receive this months later when funding becomes available. Despite these challenges, they display a remarkable dedication to their work. "The first round was the toughest as rivers were still flooded following Cyclone Ana and Gombe. In the second round, it was better but very hot" said Sydney Labeka the Senior HSA for Chikwawa Nchalo area. "In both rounds, we missed Chikuse Island which is on Shire River (Malawi's biggest river) because it had high water levels. There are certain places we used to cross the river but after the floods, these areas have a lot of crocodiles. The area's traditional leaders advised that we should wait," he added. Chikwawa District Hospital spokesperson, Settie Piriminta said the second vaccination campaign round achieved 82 percent coverage. This was somewhat lower than the initial campaign and he attributed it to some system challenges like "insufficient fuel for supervision and our HSAs complained of walking long distances to administer the vaccines". Collaborative effort According to UNICEF Malawi Child Health Specialist, Lokesh Sharma, UNICEF is impressed with the campaign as, in both rounds, Malawi was able to achieve the desired vaccination coverage. As partners, UNICEF has provided technical support, creating an emergency operation centre at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) within the MoH to coordinate the Wild Poliovirus Outbreak Response (WPV1 OBR). They also provided 6.9 million doses of bOPV and ensured that all levels of the cold chain had capacity to keep vaccines in the proper temperature range and to maintain their efficacy. "In response to the bOPV campaign, UNICEF made sure there were no myths or misconceptions in the community. We assisted in the planning and development of the many pieces of communication. These include radio jingles, press release statements and more. UNICEF also helped with district official training," said Sharma. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Health Malawi Polio By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Father John Chitsul, Parish Priest at Saint Pius Catholic Church in Blantyre, makes it a practice to call on fellow religious leaders to take an interest in health issues and jump on campaigns such as this. "God doesn't want a person to suffer but to live a healthy and peaceful life. Hence my encouragement to parents to have their children vaccinated against the disease. We need to work together to fight these pandemics," he said. Non-stop effort Head of Community and Environmental Health at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi, Professor Adamson Muula said the Ministry of Health has done well in mobilising and ensuring that under five children receive bOPV, "Many districts have exceeded their targets while some, especially Chikwawa have not. Programmatically there have been challenges but the MoH and its partners are continuously addressing these challenges. At the end of the day, it appears to me that the country will be proud of its campaign." In April 2022, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) launched the 2022-2026 strategy: 'Delivering on a Promise', which aims to vaccinate 370 million children annually for the next five years. It promises to ensure continued global surveillance activities for polio and other diseases in 50 countries. Thanks to the MoH's swift action, Malawi is once more polio free. But because the world is in constant danger of emerging and reemerging infectious disease outbreaks, there is a need for continuous surveillance and innovations to ensure that eradicated diseases like polio remain eradicated. The implementation of GPEI's strategy is an ideal way of preventing such future outbreaks. Two of Northwest Indiana's biggest steel companies ranked back-to-back on the newly released Fortune 500 list for 2022. Cleveland-Cliffs placed 171st on the list of the biggest publicly traded companies, while U.S. Steel is 172nd, according to Fortune magazine. Cleveland-based Cleveland-Cliffs was named to the Fortune 500 for the first time after transforming from a longtime mining company to the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America after acquiring AK Steel and ArcelorMittal USA in the most recent consolidation of the domestic steel industry. The company, now the largest supplier of steel to the North American automotive industry, pulled in $20.4 billion in revenue last year. Its ranking surpassed its previous high of 366th back in 2012. Our inclusion on this years Fortune list of companies particularly our position well within the 200 largest ones is another demonstration of our remarkable transformation," Chairman, President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said. "Despite all the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-lasting consequences to supply chains still affecting our clients as of today, we grew tenfold in just two years, from $2 billion in revenues in 2019 to over $20 billion in revenues in 2021. Fortune has published the Fortune 500 for 68 years, basing the ranking on revenue in the last fiscal year. Fortune 500 companies generated a record $16.1 trillion in revenue and $1.8 trillion in profit last year. Cleveland-Cliffs, which employs more than 7,500 workers in Northwest Indiana, broke several financial records such as EBITDA after swelling in size through acquisitions. We have an incredible workforce of 26,000 employees, with almost 20,000 of them represented by Unions," Goncalves said. "We thank each one of our employees and the support from our Union partners for making our vision a reality in a such short period of time. U.S. Steel also delivered record earnings and free cash flow last year, turning an annual profit of more than $4.1 billion. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Hobart woman was inducted into the White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame after serving the fast-food joint's famous sliders to her family after her grandmother's funeral. Hobart resident Tressia Stokes was inducted into the Cravers Hall of Fame this year after her grandmother passed away and instructed the family in her last will and testament to enjoy a White Castle meal on her. "Tressia wasnt particularly surprised at her grandmothers request, as four generations of her family had been sharing White Castle meals at family gatherings, both the happy and the sad," White Castle said in the induction. "After Tressias mothers passing, for example, a couple of family members each showed up at her house with White Castle because 'everyone knew when we gathered together, we had White Castle.' For Tressias family, including a White Castle meal in a legal document like a last will and testament will ensure that its served at events and gatherings of future generations, both in times of celebration and of sorrow." Columbus, Ohio-based White Castle, the tiny square burger restaurant that has a cult following, many late-night patrons and a large footprint in Northwest Indiana, inducted 10 new fans into its Hall of Fame. It's reserved the honor for just 262 of its "most loyal, ardent devotees" since the Cravers Hall of Fame was originally created in 2001. (It) was a very special day for White Castle, with 10 more incredible fans joining our Cravers Hall of Fame, said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. They all have such unique and interesting stories about the ways in which White Castle has played a significant role in their lives. As a family-owned business, were really touched to hear about their personal connection with White Castle. This year's inductees included a man who visited 165 White Castles in 21 days, a woman who met her husband in a White Castle drive-through and a news anchor from Ohio who wears White Castle-themed costumes every Halloween. Previous inductees also include high-profile celebrity White Castle fans like Stan Lee, Alice Cooper, "Man Vs. Food" host Adam Richman and "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" stars Kal Penn and John Cho. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. United State Rep. Frank Mrvan testified last week before the International Trade Commission on imports of corrosion-resistant steel products from China, India, Italy, Korea and Taiwan. Mrvan represented the Region's steel mills and the Congressional Steel Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers who advance the industry of steelworkers and the steel industry in the United States. "On May 26, 2016, my mentor and predecessor, Congressman Pete Visclosky, testified before you during the initial proceedings for this case," he said. "Today, after your affirmative action in that initial case, I am honored to carry the mantle to urge you to continue these duties that are essential to the strength and well-being of the United Steelworkers, and all of the workers and producers in the American steel industry. Northwest Indiana is home to an incredible manufacturing and steel workforce, and the livelihoods of these individuals and their families is dependent upon the full and fair enforcement of our U.S. trade laws." The International Trade Commission, which provides judicial review when domestic steelmakers claim imports are violating trade laws and causing economic harm, is weighing whether to maintain anti-dumping and countervailing duties on select imports from China, India, Italy, Korea and Taiwan. Mrvan said it was important the tariffs remain in place to ensure a level playing field for American steelmakers. Foreign steel imports rose 43% last year, Mrvan said. "There is no indication that they are going to slow down in 2022. In the first quarter of 2022, steel imports are up 28 percent compared to the first quarter of 2021. Steel is the key material for so many critical supply chains necessary for our national and economic security, and we cannot afford to lose good-paying jobs that would be impacted by the loss of these orders," he said. "I am grateful for the efforts that you and the staff perform every day to enforce our trade laws in a deliberate and thorough manner, and again urge a continuation of these duties on corrosion-resistant steel products." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CROWN POINT The teachers, employee and administrator of the year for the Crown Point Community School Corp. were honored at Monday's school board meeting. The elementary teacher of the year is Kathleen Lucht, who teaches first grade at Eisenhower Elementary and has 34 years of service in Crown Point schools. "Her positive attitude, student-centered approach and collaborative nature have resulted in a plethora of student successes throughout our school and school district. Kathleen builds long lasting and trusting relationships with parents and families. She provides meaningful opportunities for them to take part in and be a voice in their child's education, Calli Dado, Eisenhower principal, said in a news release. Finalists for elementary teacher of the year included Shannon Carroll, Christina Curtis, Elizabeth Ewen, Maryann Howarth, Beth Morey, Reena Foster and Andrea Avila. Jill Vagner was the secondary teacher of the year. She is a seventh grade teacher at Colonel Wheeler Middle School with 17 years of service in Crown Point schools. She is involved with the School Improvement Team, Builders Club and several other activities within the corporation. Mrs. Vagner is a tireless worker who always puts students first. She is a team player who collaborates with colleagues, administrators, and extracurricular staff on a regular basis. She is an active instructional-leader from our seventh grade science team who has pioneered many initiatives over her tenure, principal Jacob Rodriguez said in the news release. Finalists for secondary teacher of the year included Rachele Raloff and Mary Jones. The employee of the year is Chantel Pierce, benefits coordinator for Crown Point Community School Cop. Chantel has continued year after year to help support CPCSC in the growth and expansion of the corporation. She has supported the staff with her ongoing commitment to her new roles, Shaun Dunn, a secretary in the school corporation, said in a news release. Finalists for employee of the year included Laura Renicker and Art Samano. Finally, Annie Lorek was selected as administrator of the year. She is an assistant principal at Crown Point High School and has 17 years of experience at Crown Point schools. She is a former teacher of the year recipient. Annie goes above and beyond to help students and teachers succeed. It's clear by every action, every day that she cares so much about making our school a better place, Crown Point High School teacher Lisa Keene said in the news release. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. VALPARAISO An intellectually disabled woman is not competent to testify in court against the 58-year-old Porter man accused of raping her nearly three years ago, Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer has ruled. But because the accused, Elon Howe, has a right to cross examine his accuser, the judge denied a further request by prosecutors to play a videotaped statement by the woman during trial. Defense attorney Mark Chargualaf intends to cross-examine the woman out of court, after which time DeBoer said she will consider a request by prosecutors to allow earlier statements the woman made about the alleged rape to her mother and an acquaintance. The ruling came in the wake of a unique request for protected persons status for the alleged victim in the case. Howe is charged with felony rape and incest after a female family member told police he played sex games with her called "bounce on the bed." The rape charge was filed under the claim the alleged victim was unable to consent to sex due to her mental disability, Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan wrote in the motion for the special status. Chargualaf attempted to question the alleged victim, but found she was unable to comprehend the meaning of an oath, Ryan wrote. Prosecutors also found her unable to understand, despite using various phrases. The woman has an IQ of 48, which places her in the severely intellectually disabled range, Ryan said. "In addition, the victim has suffered from epilepsy since she was approximately eighteen (18) years of age, and her seizures result in memory loss," according to the motion. DeBoer said in her ruling, "The court finds that the alleged victim in this matter is incapable of understanding the nature and obligation of the oath for purposes of cross examination. Therefore, she is not competent to testify in court." The judge further found that an earlier taped statement from the woman is "testimonial in nature" and thus inadmissible at trial. Porter police were alerted to the accusations in the case July 10, 2019 and went to the local Fairhaven Baptist Church where the pastor told them a church member had been told of the abuse by the alleged victim, according to charging documents. The church member told police the alleged victim was helping out with day care at the church on July 7, 2019 when she mentioned she was Howe's "belated birthday present," court documents state. It was at that point that she described the sex games and the pain it causes her. Police spoke with Howe's wife, who said she confronted him after the alleged victim told her about the abuse, according to the charges. "He stated that she (his wife) has not been giving him attention," police said. "Howe did not deny the allegations and said that he would try to be a better (family member)." Police described the alleged victim as being severely intellectually disabled and thus without the capacity to consent to a sexual relationship. A status hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday morning. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. "Nothing stops the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the ICPC and other investigatory agencies from opening the books of the judiciary to expose the corruption in the management of their budgetary resources." A retired justice of the Supreme Court, Ejembi Eko, on Monday, lamented the corruption in the Nigerian judiciary, especially in the handling of its finances. He, therefore, called on anti-graft agencies to probe the financial records of the judiciary. Mr Eko spoke during a valedictory session held in his honour in Abuja. "Nothing stops the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the ICPC and other investigatory agencies from opening the books of the judiciary to expose the corruption in the management of their budgetary resources," Mr Eko said. "That does not compromise the independence of the judiciary. Rather, it promotes accountability," he said in apparent response to people who may claim that such a probe compromises the independence of the judiciary. Budgetary allocations to the Nigerian judiciary are shrouded in secrecy despite public outcry. Not only are Nigerians denied access to the judiciary's budget, its income and expenditure are also kept secret. This led to the recent call by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, for the judiciary to make its budget public. Mr Malami also said the federal government could not determine if the judiciary's allocation was sufficient or not because its budget is shrouded in secrecy. PREMIUM TIMES reported how calls for more allocations to the judiciary are not being complemented with financial transparency and probity. The National Judicial Council and the National Assembly do not reveal the breakdowns of their budgets to the public. Journalists and members of the public are also prevented from witnessing legislative proceedings on the judiciary's budget, a situation Ben Akabueze, the director-general of the Budget Office, lamented recently. Valedictory speech In his valedictory speech on Monday, Mr Eko, who clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70, said chief registrars of courts surrender themselves "to be directed willy-nilly in the vandalization of the judiciary budget." "My Lords, the heads of court in the federation have enormous budgetary resources from which they can improve the welfare of serving judges," the retired jurist said. Expressing the lack of financial transparency in the judiciary, Mr Eko said, "As it is, presently, and as the Director of Budget in the Federal Ministry of Finance disclosed recently at the memorial lecture in honour of the late Abdullahi Ibrahim, SAN, it is baffling that the welfare of judges remains in abject state in spite of the increase of the budgetary allocation to the Judiciary under this regime. Why? "The said director of budget suggested that the panacea to the often touted underfunding of the judiciary would be for 'the judiciary to allow its books to be opened' by the relevant authorities." Double standards in disciplining erring judges Similarly, Mr Eko criticised the National Judicial Council (NJC), which he accused of applying double standards in the discipline of erring judicial officers. The NJC is the statutory body with the mandate of recruiting judges and disciplining those found guilty of misconduct. Mr Eko said that while some judges found culpable of misconduct were barred from getting promotions, others that committed similar breaches, had their promotion stalled for some years. "With all deference to the NJC; the punishment fell short of the expectation of the public that these bad eggs should have been broken or smashed and/or exterminated, to serve as deterrence. "When the punishment for an outstandingly bad and outrageous conduct is far too lenient, it encourages impunity and/or repeat by others of errant or atrocious misconduct," Mr Eko said. Malami extolls retiring justice, restates calls for open budget In his eulogy, the AGF, Mr Malami, said Mr Eko set himself apart through sound judgements. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs Corruption By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Mr Malami said there is a need for the judiciary to open its financial books to public scrutiny. He urged the judiciary to embrace the open government initiative of the federal government "by showing transparency in its budgetary matters." Eko, a 'thoroughbred personality' At the event, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, praised Mr Eko for offering 45 years of his life in the service of Nigeria. Mr Muhammad described Mr Eko as "a personality whose name has become a recurring decimal in the annals of the Nigerian judiciary, ostensible for his robust scholarly disposition and astounding erudition". "By virtue of the lofty successes he (Mr Eko) has achieved, his name has, as a matter of necessity, been etched in gold and now deservedly occupies an enviable place in the hall of fame of the Nigerian judiciary", Mr Muhammad said. CROWN POINT A Whiting man's trial on charges linked to a triple homicide in Hammond was scheduled to begin Tuesday, one day after a judge denied his motion to dismiss the case because prosecutors waited 23 years to file it. James H. Higgason III, 52, has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder in the bludgeoning deaths of Jerod "Buddy" Hodge, 18, of Chicago; Elva Tamez, 36; and Timothy W. "Midnight" Ross, 16, of Calumet City, on Jan. 18, 1998, inside a home in the 4600 block of Torrence Avenue in Hammond. Higgason's co-defendant, David L. Copley Jr., 47, of Franklin, Indiana, pleaded guilty in October to one count of murder and was expected to testify against Higgason during this week's trial. Copley agreed to a 45-year sentence for his role in the killings. Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez previously granted Higgason's motion to review Copley's medical, psychiatric and jail records. The judge told defense attorneys Matthew Fech and Mark Gruenhagen last week he found nothing in the records to indicate Copley's ability to recall events from 1998 could be impaired. Copley admitted in his plea agreement he and Higgason were at the home using crack cocaine when Hodge and Ross fell asleep and Tamez went outside to search for cigarettes. Copley told police Higgason handed him a board and said something like, "We're going to kill these guys." Copley said he and Higgason each hit Hodge, and Higgason began "whacking away" at Ross, who was on a couch, court records state. Tamez was hit in the head after she began knocking at the door to be let back inside, records allege. Vasquez denied Higgason's motion to dismiss Monday, finding Higgason's attorneys had not met their burden of showing by a preponderance of the evidence that his case was prejudiced as a result of the state's delay in filing charges. "I don't think you've met your burden of proof," Vasquez said. "It's a significant burden." Copley first spoke to detectives about the homicides in February 1998, according to charging documents. The Lake County prosecutor's office declined to file charges after Copley was interviewed and again after detectives conducted two recorded phone calls in May 1998 between Copley and "a person the state claims" was Higgason, Fech said. In fall 1998, Copley told a man in South Bend about the homicides but didn't identify Higgason by name, he said. Instead, Copley told the man about "his buddy," a person the man believed was a bartender or someone Copley knew from hanging out at a bar, Fech said. Higgason's former attorneys at Stracci Law Group looked into the man's whereabouts and passed along information to Fech and Gruenhagen, who entered the case in December, that the man might be dead, Fech said. A Hammond detective prepared a report after a 1998 interview with the man, which indicated Copley said "he beat them to death, not that we beat them to death," Fech said. "This is exactly the type of evidence that could exonerate Mr. Higgason from these crimes," Fech said. If the man is dead, the delay by prosecutors in filing the case caused actual prejudice to Higgason's defense, he said. "They want him to fight with one arm behind his back while they're able to present all this evidence," Fech said. Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Keith Anderson said the defense provided no proof that the man Copley talked to in South Bend was dead. The prosecutor's office gave the defense information about the man's last known address, which the man provided to police in 1998, he said. "They didn't do anything to find (the witness)," Anderson said. Anderson said he conducted an online search while listening to Fech and learned the man might be incarcerated in Michigan. Vasquez said the defense, in arguing its motion to dismiss, carried the burden of proving the man died. Anderson also rejected the defense's position that evidence he and Deputy Prosecutor Jovanni Miramontes plan to present this week is not substantially different than what the state had 23 years ago. DNA evidence was submitted to an Indiana State Police lab in 2008, 2020 and 2021, he said. Results in 2008 were inconclusive, but new technology led to a finding in 2020 that included Higgason as a possible contributor to DNA found under Tamez's fingernail, he said. Within months after learning of the results, prosecutors charged Higgason, Anderson said. Vasquez said the state had gathered new evidence. "Things are different, and it's hard for me to reach where you want me to reach," he said. "Your motion is denied." Opening arguments were expected to begin Tuesday morning. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Maybe Indiana won't be the last state to legalize marijuana after all. Leaders of the Indiana General Assembly agreed Tuesday to study the potential health benefits and decriminalization of THC products, including marijuana, Delta 8 and Delta 9, as a prelude to possible legislative action during the 2023 session that begins in January. The Legislative Council voted unanimously to task the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health and human services with consulting experts and taking public testimony on THC issues during one or more meetings expected to be held this summer or fall. "It's a way to look at it comprehensively and what should be the policy of the state of Indiana," said House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, chairman of the Legislative Council. "There definitely is more study needed around Delta 8 and Delta 9." Any recommendation ultimately made by the study committee is strictly advisory in nature. It still will be up to the full General Assembly to decide whether Indiana joins the more than three dozen states that already have legalized marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes. Senate Democratic Leader Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, said he will fight to ensure any state policy changes relating to marijuana and THC products during the 2023 General Assembly favor broader access to the products or outright legalization. "I am not open to Delta 8 and Delta 9 becoming a crime," Taylor said. Altogether, the Legislative Council authorized 32 study committee topics out of more than 100 suggested by state lawmakers over the past five months. Other notable study topics include the potential issuance of "driver record cards" to insured individuals qualified to drive a vehicle who otherwise are ineligible to obtain an Indiana driver's license due to an inability to prove their identity or lawful status in the United States. Two committees are tasked with assessing market concentration in the health insurance, hospital and pharmaceutical industries, and the corresponding impact of diminished competition on the prices paid by Hoosiers for health care services. In addition, lawmakers will review the assets of the Indiana Public Retirement System that are invested in foreign countries and the impact to Indiana of potential divestment of Russia-linked investments following Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine. Also up for study are mental health services, education mandates, utility costs, tax incentives, the calculation of the complexity index in the school funding formula, maternal mortality, child support, housing shortages for low- and middle-income households, and administrative rules, among other topics. "These committees are a critical part of the legislative process as they give us an opportunity to fully vet complex topics and identify potential solutions," Huston said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CROWN POINT The Lake County Commissioners and the city of Crown Point appear to have reached a tentative agreement in principle to extend sanitary sewer service to 359 homes in seven unincorporated subdivisions located near the Hub City. The preliminary plan calls for the county to spend approximately $25 million of its $94 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to construct the sewer improvements and connect the homes to the Crown Point water treatment system. The subdivisions due to be connected, at the recommendation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, are: Oakwood Hills, West Long, Oak Heights, Lawndale, Sleepy Hollow, Greenhill Ranches Annex 2 and West Point Acres, according to the plan. Letters exchanged between the county commissioners and Crown Point Mayor David Uran, and obtained by The Times, show agreement on the county's goal of improving water quality, reducing pollution and preventing potential illness by extending sewer service to homes currently served by septic tanks. Under the plan, Lake County not only would pay to construct the sewer collection system, a lift station and force mains to connect the subdivisions to Crown Point's water treatment system, but the county additionally will pay the city a one-time connection fee of $2,434,000. The county also has pledged to pay another $2,782,000 for its share of the city's costs to construct a west side sewer interceptor, records show. In addition, the county tentatively has agreed to accept the city's proposed 25% surcharge for nonresident sewer connections. The sewer project is far from a done deal, however. An interlocal agreement between the county and the city still must be negotiated and accepted by both parties before any work can begin. That agreement is likely to be complicated by Uran's pending resignation to become CEO of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. Crown Point also appears to be seeking an additional $5 million from the county, in an effort to secure a $5 million match from the state of Indiana, to help fund a $99 million south side water treatment plant. In his letter to the commissioners, Uran says the construction of a new water treatment plant "is paramount to Crown Point's ability to allow for the connection to the current treatment plant by the users in unincorporated Lake County/Center Township." "Without the capacity relief to the current treatment plant by way of the construction of the south side water treatment plant it would not be feasible for Crown Point to receive flows from the additional connections provided from unincorporated Lake County/Center Township," Uran said. The commissioners generally are skeptical of that claim. They believe Crown Point currently has sufficient water treatment capacity to absorb the 359 additional residences included in the county's septic to sewer project, and any consideration of a new Crown Point water treatment plant ought to be separate from getting the seven subdivisions promptly onto sewer service. Uran has proposed scheduling a meeting with Commissioners Kyle Allen Sr., D-Gary; Mike Repay, D-Hammond; and Jerry Tippy, R-Schererville, to resolve the issue. Separately, the commissioners plan to spend the county's remaining ARPA funds to begin the process of similarly extending sewer service to homes and businesses in unincorporated Calumet Township, between Griffith and Gary. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EAST CHICAGO The Indiana Department of Environmental Management said Tuesday it is investigating a slag pit explosion Sunday at Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor West that sent up a cloud of smoke visible from more than 20 miles away. The explosion in a raw materials section of the sprawling steel mill on the Lake Michigan shoreline "was caused by rainwater meeting the hot slag," IDEM said. "IDEM has not observed any materials or debris falling from the sky," the department said. "The content of the plume would be predominately particulate matter associated with the slag." No one was injured in the explosion at the facility operated by contractor Lafarge North America, which turns slag into cement, Cleveland-Cliffs spokeswoman Patricia Persico said. Several small fires at the mill were put out, she said. Cleveland-Cliffs also said recent rains caused the explosion at the facility at 3210 Watling St. Slag is a highly volatile byproduct of steelmaking prone to exploding when mixed with water. "With slag, it looks and sounds worse than it is," Persico said. United Steelworkers Union District 7 Director Mike Millsap said the industrial accident was under investigation. IDEM said, "Cleveland-Cliffs' contractor is responsible for taking precautions to prevent these types of explosions from occurring, and they are currently investigating the incident." IDEM said it was communicating with Cleveland-Cliffs' environmental contractor as it conducts its own investigation. Times staff writer Joseph Pete contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. JOHN The Shrine of Christs Passion has a new tenant, one who hails from south of the border but who is revered as patroness of all the Americas. May the Virgin of Guadalupe inspire us always, said Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Catholic Diocese of Gary, participating in the dedication ceremony for the Our Lady of Guadalupe Plaza at the shrine. Joining McClory were the Rev. Sammie Maletta, pastor of nearby St. John the Evangelist Parish, the Rev. Francis J. Father Rocky Hoffman, executive director and CEO of Relevant Radio, a Catholic radio station, and the Rev. Diego Florez, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in East Chicago. If you love Jesus, you love his mother, McClory said in his homily. When you draw close to Mary, you draw close to Jesus. Maletta, who has witnessed the growth of the shrine, commented, This is another glorious day in the history of the Shrine of Christs Passion. The St. John pastor cited Frank and Shirley Schilling, founders and developers of the shrine, for their dedication to what the priest called truly a legacy. Hoffman called Sunday a day of great happiness, noting that people will come to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Plaza for a myriad of reasons, from baptisms to weddings. Florez came with members of the namesake parish from East Chicago to the dedication. Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Florez said. Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe. The priest added, When you see the face of Mary, you see the face of Jesus. God lives in here. She lives with us. On the morning of Dec. 9, 1531, according to Catholic Online, Juan Diego, a 57-year-old native peasant farmer born under Aztec rule but converted to Catholicism, was walking to Mass when he heard something that sounded like birds. Approaching Tepeyac Hill, the site of an Aztec temple, he had an apparition of the Virgin Mary, appearing as a native princess. The lady insisted that Juan Diego see his bishop about building a church on the site of the apparition. Twice he approached the bishop, who was skeptical about the request. The bishop finally asked for a sign, upon which the lady told Juan Diego to go to the top of Tepeyac Hill to find fresh flowers, an unusual request for December. Juan Diego obeyed and gathered roses in his tilma, or cloak. Upon returning to the bishop, Juan Diego opened the tilma, only to find no roses but an image of the lady. The image on the cloak shows a pregnant, brown-skinned woman, her head bowed and her hands in prayer. She is standing on a crescent moon, an Aztec symbol, and on her blue cloak are stars arranged as they were the morning of that first apparition. A church was built on Tepeyac Hill, today a suburb of Mexico City. The tilma, made from cactus fiber, remains preserved. Veneration to Our Lady of Guadalupe dates back to the 18th century when Pope Benedict XIV declared her patroness of what was then New Spain. Her feast day on the Catholic calendar is Dec. 12. As an expectant mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe is also revered as the patroness of the unborn. Pope John Paul II, who visited the shrine in Mexico, canonized Juan Diego in 2002 as the first Catholic saint indigenous to the Americas. His feast day is Dec. 9. Among the hundreds of people at the dedication was Karina Balderas, of Lansing, who commented that Our Lady of Guadalupe represents us as Latinos. She brings us to God. She is the picture God created, the one He gave to us. Balderas added, She is the messenger to God. Shes the one who takes us to God. She is the way. The Guadalupe Plaza also features a tunnel and a meditation chapel. Committee members traveled to Mexico City to see the actual shrine. The plaza is the latest addition to the Shrine of Christs Passion, a half-mile-long walking path depicting the passion and death of Jesus. Work on the shrine began in 2001. The multimedia interaction prayer trail features 40 bronze statues of figures from the time of Christ. Operated by a private foundation, the shrine also features a sanctity of life shrine, Moses carrying the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai and the 33-foot-high Our Lady of the New Millennium statue of Mary. Following the blessing, people placed roses at the foot of the bronze likeness of the lady, while others prayed in the chapel. Among those receiving a blessing from the bishop following the dedication ceremony were Carnelo and Daniela Martinez, of Berwyn, whose ministry includes making rose-petal rosaries. Daniela Martinez commented, Our Lady of Guadalupe brings us closer to Jesus. Through her, we can grow in faith. She brought Jesus to the Americas. Eve Figueroa, of Chicago, also met McClory. For Figueroa, Our Lady of Guadalupe is significant because, historically, She brought everyone together. [The government] was trying to make drastic changes. Martinez added, We love her as a mother. Shes our queen. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WHITING Calumet College of St. Joseph graduates crossed the threshold into the next stages of their lives recently. Students, family and faculty gathered at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Whiting, where the ceremony was moved from Wolf Lake Memorial Park due to rainy weather. Juan Andrade Jr., the 2022 honorary degree recipient, gave the commencement address to the graduating class. As someone who has pursued social justice and educating others throughout his career, Andrade encouraged the group to have faith to pursue their dreams. "It's your time now. The future is yours, and you own what happens next. And if you don't know yet, discover why you were born. Live out your dreams. Follow the dreams and happiness will follow. Take it like Oprah Winfrey said, 'The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.' Don't be afraid just because you can't see the top of the staircase," Andrade said. "Just take that first step." Valedictorian Julia Fugger, a first-generation college graduate, thanked her family and the faculty for their unwavering support. "So, what next? I am sure everyone has been asked that question now," Fugger said. "Maybe some of you know exactly what you are going to do. Others may not have a clue. Regardless of your career, every member of the CCSJ class in 2022 has the capacity for greatness. Let me say that one more time. You have the capacity for greatness." As the new graduates exited the church, cheers erupted from loved ones and faculty. Shaquilla Jackson, of Chicago, celebrated the moment with her 1-year-old daughter, Zayah. Jackson learned she was pregnant a month after enrolling in the college. "I feel amazing, like a weight lifted off me," Jackson said. "I'm thankful. I was pregnant with her when I started, and I am grateful I didn't give up." Jackson earned her degree in public safety administration and will continue her career as an officer with the Chicago Police Department. Brittany Shelton, of Valparaiso, earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology to fulfill her dream of helping others. "I want to be a licensed mental health counselor," Shelton said. "I feel there is a need, especially after COVID, with people having mental issues." Shelton will return to the college to get her master's degree. Chicago dad Phillip Mackey celebrated the day with his wife and four children. Mackey graduated from the public safety management program and currently is a sergeant for the Cook County Sheriff's Office. "It was awesome, a great accomplishment," Mackey said. "I am one of the first people from my family to graduate college. I have my four kids here, and they made me finish school." Calumet College of St. Joseph was established in 1951 and offered the Calumet region's first bachelor's degree. The college moved to its current campus in Whiting in 1973 as it expanded, and today, both graduate and undergraduate degrees in a variety of subjects are offered, with a focus on social justice. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A London art dealer who duped investors and then fled to an island in the Pacific was sentenced on Monday to seven years in prison by a federal judge in Manhattan. The dealer, Inigo Philbrick, has been in custody for nearly two years, since his arrest in 2020 on the island of Vanuatu. That time in custody will be counted toward his sentence, officials said. Mr. Philbrick pleaded guilty to wire fraud in November, agreeing to forfeit $86 million. He was a brash fixture within the world of postwar and contemporary art, traveling on private jets, renting villas in Ibiza and wearing handmade Italian suits. An American citizen who had attended Goldsmiths, University of London, which has a prestigious art program, Mr. Philbrick opened a gallery and consultancy when he was in his 20s. His father, Harry Philbrick, is the former director of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Conn. And what happens to Kim? If she survives, does she wind up with Jimmy? It was easier to root for an Omaha reunion before Operation Frame Howard ended with the words Theres really no need to and a corpse on the floor. But that might be the ultimate point of this suddenly grim chapter of Better Call Saul. It gave Kim a chance to demonstrate moral complexity. Shes come a long way from the strait-laced attorney we met early in this show. Nor is she any match for the guy whos about to interrogate her and Jimmy in their home. Like many of the best characters to emerge from the mind of the creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, shes a mix of compassion and malignancy, sympathy and cunning. If her destiny is tied to Jimmys, its safe to assume that it will be determined by how the couple handle the realization that their larky stratagems have ended in blood. Which doesnt mean that Jimmy and Kim will cope with whatever comes next the same way. The first episode of this season is called Wine and Roses, a reference to the 1962 film, Days of Wine and Roses, about a couple, played by Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon, who are alcoholics. Lemmons character gets sober. Remicks character remains in love with Lemmons but refuses to stop drinking, and they part. This is either foreshadowing or a fake out, but it raises the possibility that Kim will continue trending toward the wicked and Jimmy will not. Although, who knows? The reverse could be true. Regardless, R.I.P. Howard. You were much derided, mostly because of your smooth manners, good looks and old-timey shirt collars. They made you seem haughty and foppish. You were far more thoughtful than your enemies realized. If its any comfort, Patrick Fabian played you with an impeccable mix of confidence and vulnerability. The plot against you will not be missed. It was a ridiculous endeavor and never more so than in the middle of this episode, when Jimmy and Lenny, the aspiring actor/shopping cart wrangler, played by John Ennis, are photographed in a park, pantomiming a bribe. The point is that Lenny looks a lot like the Sandpiper mediator, Rand Casimiro (John Posey). The effort to settle the Sandpiper case and humiliate Howard had a few twists for viewers, like the realization that Howards private detective was a mole. But it was ultimately a Rube Goldberg contraption, fanciful to the point of absurdity and somehow effective nonetheless. About the best that can be said for this scheme is that its over. Plus, it seemed to have a profoundly aphrodisiacal effect on its perpetrators. A federal judge on Monday blocked Catholic University from auctioning off a memorable white-and-blue dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz after a Wisconsin woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was the rightful owner of the gingham pinafore garment donned by Dorothy. Judge Paul G. Gardephe of U.S. District Court in Manhattan granted a preliminary injunction a day before the dress was scheduled to be auctioned in Los Angeles, where it had been expected to sell for more than $1 million. Catholic University had planned to use that money to endow a new faculty position in the Rome School of Music, Drama and Art. Judge Gardephe ruled that the dress could not be sold by Catholic University until the lawsuit was resolved. Both sides are set to meet in court on June 9. In her lawsuit, filed earlier this month, Barbara Ann Hartke claims the dress belonged to the estate of her uncle, the Rev. Gilbert Hartke, who was once chairman of the universitys drama department and received the dress as a gift in 1973 from the Academy Award-winning actress Mercedes McCambridge, who was also an artist in residency at the university. There are a few precautions you can take to improve your odds of success. First, slice the shallots evenly, as thinner slices will brown before thicker slices are able to crisp. A mandoline-style slicer or food processor with a thin-slicing blade is essential. Then, once the shallot rings start to sizzle in earnest, reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle fry. Doing so will increase the cook time and the window you have before they burn. At this stage, they must also be constantly stirred to ensure even cooking. To improve their consistency, Yenvy Pham of the Pho Bac restaurants in Seattle suggests partly dehydrating the sliced shallots in a 140-degree oven for 30 minutes to an hour before frying them. Mr. McGee suggested the opposite approach: starting them in hot oil, then draining and toasting them in the oven to finish them more gently. Personally, I stick to an all-stovetop method. My guess is youll quickly see the benefit of keeping some store-bought jars in your pantry. Once cooked, drained and completely cooled, homemade fried shallots will maintain their flavor and crispness for around two weeks, though whether they last that long will depend on your own willpower (and how good your hiding place is). Recipes: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio e Fried Shallot | Watermelon Salad With Fried Shallots and Fish Sauce | Fried Shallot Caesar Salad | Fried Shallots And to Drink The classic combination of pasta with rich olive oil and sharp garlic calls for a very specific sort of incisive white wine, with lively acidity and no distracting oaky flavors. Adding the sweetness of shallots or even the brininess of anchovies or the heat of red pepper flakes does not change this equation. Many Italian white wines fit the bill, whether Etna Bianco from Sicily, verdicchio from the Marche, vermentino from Liguria, vernaccia from Tuscany, gavi from the Piedmont region or a straightforward Soave from the Veneto. But you neednt confine yourself to Italy. My secret match with this dish is aligote from Burgundy. You could also try a restrained Sancerre or other Loire sauvignon blanc, a Cassis from Provence or a Muscadet. ERIC ASIMOV RTHK: China-Russian show of force amid Quad summit Russian and Chinese military planes conducted joint exercises to patrol the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday in a pointed farewell to US President Joe Biden as he concluded an Asia trip that rankled Beijing. Japan scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace while Tokyo was hosting the leaders of the Quad group of countries, which includes the United States, said Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, who called the move a provocation. It was the first joint military exercise by China and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24, according to a US official, and it came at the tail end of Biden's four-day trip. "We think it shows that China continues to be willing to closely align themselves with Russia, including through military cooperation," a senior administration official said, adding that such actions must be planned well in advance. "China is not walking away from Russia. Instead, the exercise shows that China is ready to help Russia defend its east while Russia fights in its west," the official said. Biden stressed during the trip, intended in part to counter China's growing influence in the region, that the United States will stand with its allies and partners to push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Beijing and Moscow declared a "no-limits" partnership just weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the attack on Ukraine. The joint patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas and involved Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers and Chinese Xian H-6 jets, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement. Planes from the Japanese and South Korean air forces shadowed the Russian and Chinese jets for part of the exercise, it said. Tokyo conveyed "grave concerns" to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, Kishi said at a news conference. He characterized the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia's newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo. "We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past," he said, adding it was the fourth such incident since November. Chinese naval vessels likely participated in the joint exercise, a US official said. China's defense ministry confirmed the joint aerial patrol over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and the Western Pacific and called it part of an annual military exercise. On Monday, Biden angered China by saying he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, but he said later US policy toward the self-ruled island had not changed. Beijing considers Taiwan an inalienable part of China that should be reunited with the mainland. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2022-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Africa continues to be positioned as one of the fastest-growing leader in financial inclusion initiatives, with several markets at the forefront of establishing use cases for the adoption of digital finance to promote access to much-needed services like health, education, and agriculture. In Mozambique, financial inclusion has been identified to provide an opportunity for digital services, particularly as policy and regulation in the country continue to evolve and seek to promote fintech innovation and development. The Seventh Annual Mondato Summit Africa is the region's premier digital finance thought leadership event, showcasing financial technology across sectors. It also provides an opportunity for different sectors to address the opportunities for innovation and collaboration needed to drive the next wave of digital services to respond to the changing needs of a pandemic-altered Africa. This year, the summit pulled together executives, entrepreneurs, experts and public sector leaders in Maputo, Mozambique, on May 17 and 18 under the theme "Beyond Access: Generating Value through Digital Inclusion & Transformation in a Pandemic-Altered Africa". The theme speaks to the ongoing global discussions of equity and inclusion and proves a particularly pertinent topic that has guided our transition to a "new normal." The Graca Machel Trusts' New Faces New Voices (NFNV) Women in Finance Mozambique Chapter was selected to partner with Financial Sector Deepening Mozambique and Instituto Nacional das Comunicacoes de Mocambique (INCM) to host the market during the event. Mondato selected Mozambique as the host market for this year's event, considering the rapidly growing opportunities for digital services targeting the country's low financial inclusion, which follows the evolution of Mozambican policy and regulation seeking to promote fintech innovation and development. The two-day conference created the space to discuss these trends and opportunities in the context of Africa's COVID-19 recovery. Bridging the Gender Gap: A Focus on Transformation Opportunities on Innovation and Entrepreneurship During the summit, the NFNV Mozambique chapter hosted a side event attended by 50 Women Leaders across the financial sector ecosystem, themed "Female Leadership Across the Financial Sector in Mozambique." The main objective of this convening was to grow the number and visibility of African women in leadership and decision-making in the financial sector. NFNV Mozambique Country Director Ms. Henriqueta Huaguana provided a context of Mozambique based on the representation of women in the Boards of Directors and Commercials Bank. She said, "Across thirteen institutions of which an undisclosed institution had 43% women in a decision-making role in the country versus two unknown institutions reporting 0% women representation at a senior level; compared to former years where they were 4 financial institutions without women representation." Tambu Ndoro, Programme Manager of the Women's Economic and Social Advancement Programme at the Trust, moderated the session. In a popcorn-style discussion posing a question on what action as women we can implement to change the current landscape. Participants' discussion included early-stage innovative approaches to grow and nurture the role of women in finance across Africa. These possibilities range from local language radio dramatisations aimed at teaching rural women financial literacy to mentorship programs that foster confidence in young professional women in banking innovations. "Innovation must strive to reach women and girls wherever they are. It is not enough to appoint women to the top corridors of power in financial institutions. Women should not only represent but must also be impactful in their role in accelerating and bringing more women up into C-Suite roles." A Call to Bold Action Gender Policy, Bank recruitment policy & understanding the barriers that women in finance face and gendered impacts of workplace promotions, and be informed by the Voices of Women Women and women's organisations should be at the heart of promoting female leadership in the financial sector and across decision-making bodies by designing mentorship and peer-to-peer learning programs that continue to support women professionals. A system for collecting and qualitative data needs to be implemented to ensure it informs the redesign of mentorship & leadership programs to increase women's capacity to lead. In addition, integrate gender policy within HR policies to prioritise mentoring and provide training in gender analysis to foster intentionality of gender-inclusive practices. Sensitisation and early intervention in Financial Education An intentional focus on the lives and futures of women and girls is an essential part of breaking structural practices in the workplace which have been marginalising them. Financial education must start earlier at a family and community level; start with the girls and build their confidence and capacity to take the course. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Women Business Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Develop and establish innovative solutions that are gender transformative to ensure rural women gain access and usage to financial services and products Remove structural barriers to access finance by improving existing Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements and support enabling environment private sector so rural and urban women can participate and contribute impactfully to the digital economy and financial inclusion. The session concluded with Henriqueta sharing the MYWIL program (Mozambique, Young Women in Leadership) run by NFNV. For further engagement The Trust, alongside the FSD Network and FinEquity convened by CGAP is working on launching a community of practice focused on women's financial inclusion in Africa. This community of practice aims to deepen connections, collaborations, and action on advancing women's financial inclusion and economic empowerment in the region. The community will be launched in August 2022. If you would like to be the first to know more about what we have planned and how to engage, please fill out this short interest form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FQKJ3PN It takes about a day to fly between Australia and France. Miller, who turned 77 in March, will be making the trip twice in less than a week, but if he was tired, he didnt look it. To escape the din of the crowds, we met on the terrace at the office of FilmNation, which is handling the new movies international distribution and sales. A colleague had described Miller as professorial and alerted me that he was prone to digressions, a trait that the filmmaker cheerfully volunteered as he issued forth on movies, Einstein, the forces of the universe, Joseph Campbell and how cellphones use relativity to work. Einstein makes a special appearance in Three Thousand Years, which is as nearly unclassifiable as its director. As the title suggests, the movie spans millenniums to tell the sweeping story of an ancient djinn (Idris Elba) and a modern-day scholar, Alithea (Tilda Swinton). Shes traveled to Turkey for a conference Alithea studies narratives, puzzling through them just like Miller does but her plans take an unforeseen turn when she opens a peculiar blue-and-white-striped bottle that shes bought, inadvertently releasing the djinn from a long captivity. What follows is a fantastical fable of love and suffering, imprisonment and release, mythology and the material world. The djinn tries to grant her three wishes, but it gets complicated. Instead, he starts recounting episodes from his long life, all involving women and intrigues that led to his repeat captivity. He tells stories, but so does Alithea, who also narrates. As the movie continues, it shifts between the C.G.I.-heavy past and the present, always returning to the djinn and Alithea, who grow progressively close. Three Thousand Years is essentially about storytelling, which means its about desire: The yearning expressed in the djinns tales, the longing awakened in Alithea and the craving the viewer has to find out what happens next. Three Thousand Years is based on The Djinn in the Nightingales Eye, a story in a collection from the British writer A.S. Byatt. Miller doesnt read fiction (he did as a kid), but someone rightly sussed that he might like the book. He was especially taken with Nightingale it kept playing in my mind as stories do and secured the rights. Miller said that Byatt was surprised he had singled out this story, which shed written quickly. But it was also grounded in her own life history. She too had once gone to a conference in Istanbul. Everything in the story is true, she told him, except for the djinn. The Child Victims Act, which passed in 2019, created a similar look-back window for people who were under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged abuse. It resulted in more than 10,000 lawsuits being filed, according to the Office of Court Administration, which operates the state court system. Advocates fought for 13 years to pass that legislation, battling institutional opposition from the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic Church, among others, who feared legal exposure. They were right to worry: Both sought bankruptcy protections, in part because of the financial burden of lawsuits. The bills sponsor in the Assembly, Linda B. Rosenthal of the Upper West Side, said that the current laws were a remnant of a time when sexual abuse laws were written to protect abusers. It is no secret why many survivors do not come forward, said Ms. Rosenthal. They fear retaliation. They harbor shame. They worry about the consequences to them and their loved ones. Or they feel that no one will believe them. Some, like Ms. Dixon, may have felt they were forced to choose between coming forward and building a career. There was no way that I could have survived in my career if I called out the king of hip-hop, Ms. Dixon, a music producer, said of Mr. Simmons, who has denied the allegations. It would have been over. And I wanted to do the thing that I loved because I was good at it. Ms. Dixon has not decided if she will pursue a lawsuit. But she welcomed the prospect that other survivors would find in civil court a measure of the justice she had found in the court of public opinion. She added: All survivors deserve the opportunity to be heard and scrutinized with the rigor that this would make available, so that its not just he said, she said. Vanessa Friedman Not only an ad campaign, but even better: an ad campaign created by other people! Together, the Kardashian-Jenners invited (and dressed) by Dolce have many hundreds of millions of followers, all eagerly consuming their every Instagram post: Kris (47.9 million followers) wearing leopard chiffon (presumably available now at the Dolce boutique) as well as Dolce makeup (ditto) lounging on leopard-spotted cushions (presumably part of Dolce Home) on a leopard sofa. According to Launchmetrics, which collects data on brand performance, the wedding weekend has already earned $25.4 million in Media Impact Value for Dolce, thanks in large part to Instagram posts from the Kardashian-Jenners. It was the ultimate in sponsored social media, except the designers told the Business of Fashion that they were simply hosting the event, the way friends do for one another. And it is true, there is a long history of designers and celebrities scratching each others backs on special occasions (especially weddings), to the benefit of both. Its just not usually this all-encompassing. Or unabashed. JT I did appreciate that many of the outfits were archival. It was a smart marketing move: The family gets style points for wearing vintage (like Kourtneys pre-wedding sheer red gown from 1998), and Dolce scores some for proving it was one of the originators of the Y2K look dominating fashion right now. And yet! The whole thing still felt like a brand-sponsored wedding, even if it technically (very technically) wasnt. It was a little cynical and a lot gaudy. Perhaps that gaudiness was the point, but from what we saw on social media, it lacked any kind of self-awareness that would make that point clear. VF I agree, though I guess we really shouldnt be surprised, given the way the Kardashian-Jenners have managed to monetize their mere existence and kudos to Kris for figuring this out long before anyone else, and effectively launching not just her family but an entire industry. (We can debate later what this has meant for the culture.) And certainly, it was foreshadowed by Kims marriage to Kanye West in 2014, which began with a Valentino Garavani-hosted brunch, to which Kim wore (natch) Valentino. It was followed by a ceremony in Italy to which she wore Givenchy couture designed by her good friend (to quote Harpers Bazaar) Riccardo Tisci. A top executive at the rocket maker SpaceX said she personally believed that sexual harassment accusations against Elon Musk, the companys founder and chief executive, were false, according to a companywide email, which was obtained by The New York Times. In the email, which was sent Friday, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceXs president and chief operating officer, said she had worked closely with Mr. Musk for 20 years and had never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations. She added, Anyone who knows Elon like I do, knows he would never conduct or condone this alleged inappropriate behavior. Ms. Shotwell was addressing an article by Insider last week that said a flight attendant said Mr. Musk propositioned her for a sexual massage during a flight to London in 2016. The flight attendant said he also exposed himself to her and offered her a horse, according to the article, the details of which were not independently verified by The New York Times. The unidentified woman hired an employment lawyer in 2018 and sent a complaint to SpaceXs human resources department, according to Insider. SpaceX settled later that year, paying the woman $250,000 in exchange for a promise not to sue over the claims. Mr. Perdue also injected race into a 2018 remark Ms. Abrams made about her pledge to create jobs in the renewable energy sector. People shouldnt have to go into agriculture or hospitality to make a living in Georgia, she said in the closing weeks of her 2018 campaign. Why not create renewable energy jobs? Because, Im going to tell yall a secret: Climate change is real. On Monday, Mr. Perdue said: When she told Black farmers, You dont need to be on the farm, and she told Black workers in hospitality and all this, You dont need to be, she is demeaning her own race when it comes to that. I am really over this. She should never be considered material for governor of any state, much less our state where she hates to live. Mr. Perdues remarks came in response to comments Ms. Abrams made Saturday in which she dismissed Mr. Kemps regular line that under his stewardship, Georgia has become the best state in the nation to do business. I am tired of hearing about being the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live, Ms. Abrams said. She added: When youre No. 48 for mental health, when youre No. 1 for maternal mortality, when you have an incarceration rate thats on the rise and wages that are on the decline, then you are not the No. 1 place to live. WASHINGTON Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has revised rules governing the use of force by law enforcement agencies overseen by the Justice Department, requiring federal agents to intervene when they see officials using excessive force or mistreating people in custody. The rule change was circulated on Friday and posted on the departments website on Monday two days before the second anniversary of the death of George Floyd, who died beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer as other officers looked on. It is the policy of the Department of Justice to value and preserve human life, Mr. Garland wrote in the four-page memo. Officers may use only the force that is objectively reasonable to effectively gain control of an incident, while protecting the safety of the officer and others. The changes represent the first revision of the departments use-of-force policy in 18 years. It now requires officers to recognize and act upon the affirmative duty to intervene to prevent or stop, as appropriate, any officer from engaging in excessive force or any other use of force that violates the Constitution, other federal laws or department policies on the reasonable use of force. KENNESAW, Ga. Former Vice President Mike Pence brought a closing message to Gov. Brian Kemps campaign for the Republican nomination for governor on Monday, headlining a rally for Mr. Kemp that was just as much about Tuesdays primary as it was about his November matchup against Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for governor. Mr. Pence praised both Mr. Kemps record and his own, saying there was no greater champion of the conservative agenda advanced during the Trump administration than Mr. Kemp. He called out the hyper-conservative legislation passed in Georgias Statehouse this year and drew a stark contrast between Mr. Kemp and Ms. Abrams. Elections are about choices. Tomorrows primary election comes down to this: Who is best positioned to defeat Stacey Abrams, Mr. Pence said to the crowd. You know the answer. Both Mr. Kemp and Mr. Pence peppered their speeches with repeated jabs at Ms. Abrams, including her most recent remarks that Georgia was the worst place in the country to live. Mr. Pence did not mention Mr. Trump in his speech, though he did make an oblique reference to candidates who dont concede, highlighting Mr. Kemps victory against Stacey Abrams in 2018. Mr. Kemp, he said, has already defeated Stacey Abrams whether she knows it or not. In a lawsuit filed on Monday in Pennsylvania, the Republican Senate candidate David McCormick demanded that undated mail-in ballots should be counted in his primary race against the celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz, whom he trailed by less than 1,000 votes. Mr. McCormick, a former hedge fund chief, asked the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to allow election officials in the states 67 counties to accept mail-in ballots from voters who turned them in by the May 17 deadline but did not write the date on the outer return envelopes. That step is required by a state law, one that Republicans have fought to preserve. The legal action could be a prelude to a cascade of lawsuits and challenges in one of the nations most intensely watched primaries, one that could ultimately determine control of the divided Senate. The seat will be open after Senator Patrick J. Toomey, a Republican, steps down this year. The filing preceded a May 26 deadline for Pennsylvanias secretary of state to determine whether a recount is triggered in the race, an automatic step when the top two candidates are within half a percentage point. About two-tenths of a percentage point separated Mr. McCormick on Monday from Dr. Oz, whom former President Donald J. Trump has been nudging to declare victory. The McCormick campaign was said to have invested heavily in its absentee-voting efforts. More than 24 hours after the report was published online, leaders of the ultraconservative wing of the denomination remained relatively muted. The Conservative Baptist Network, an influential group founded in 2020, said in a brief statement on Monday evening that it joins other Southern Baptists in grieving, and that while it disagreed with certain aspects of the report, Southern Baptists should study its recommendations. Mr. Littons successor, to be chosen at the denominations annual meeting in June, will determine the conventions direction. Bart Barber, a Texas pastor who is a candidate favored by many of Mr. Littons supporters, said in a statement that the convention needed leadership that breaks decisively from the patterns described in the report. Discovery is no substitute for action, he said. Another candidate, Tom Ascol, a Florida pastor who has said the denomination needs a change of direction from what he describes as a leftward drift, said in a statement late Monday that the reports revelations should prompt Southern Baptists to uphold Gods standards of holiness and purity in all things, especially in caring for those who are most vulnerable among us. He urged prayer and study of the task forces recommendations. Leaders of the conventions executive committee said they would meet on Tuesday to discuss the report. In pews across the country, the reports impact was just beginning to be felt. The denomination includes almost 14 million members in more than 47,000 congregations. In small towns and cities, pastors and churchgoers grappled with what the report said about their denomination, and what should happen next. Our people, I dont think they have the bandwidth to get into all the details, said Griffin Gulledge, the pastor of Madison Baptist Church in Georgia. But what all my pastor friends are hearing is we better get this right, and we better fix this. He is planning to discuss the report with attendees at the churchs weekly Bible study on Wednesday night. When asked how the American response might differ in the event of an attack on Taiwan, Mr. Biden prefaced his answer by saying that Mr. Putin must pay a dear price for his barbarism in Ukraine. NATO and European Union countries have so far demonstrated remarkable agreement in imposing tough economic sanctions on Russia and supporting Ukraine, but some fractures have appeared. Hungary has held up an E.U. embargo on Russian oil imports, though Robert Habeck, Germanys vice chancellor and energy minister, said Monday that he was positive that Europe will find a solution within the next days. And while some European countries, including Poland, have insisted that any peace agreement must include complete Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, others have been pressing for a less ambitious cease-fire, leaving open the question of whether the West might acquiesce to some of Russias territorial gains. Italys government has put forward a cease-fire proposal that the Russian government said Monday it had received and was reviewing. But it is unclear where the combatants stand on a deal. Russia has kept its position murky, alternately embracing and spurning negotiation, sometimes in the span of a few hours. A map showing the location of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (orange) and Rwanda (green). Rwanda has said the Congolese military shelled Musanze district in the north of the country, wounding several civilians. Rwanda said on Monday that several civilians were injured in cross-border shelling of its territory by the military of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, known as Congo. Rwanda has called for an "urgent investigation" into the incident. Rocket shells landed in the northern Musanze district, which borders Congo, "injuring several civilians and damaging property," the Rwandan army said in a statement. The shelling occurred on Monday morning and lasted 21 minutes, it said, without giving further details. The alleged incident could further inflame relations between the two countries, which have long traded accusations about support for militant groups. In a statement, Rwanda's Defense Ministry said it had asked the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism, a team of military experts from the region that monitors and investigates security incidents, to investigate. "Those injured are receiving treatment and officials are assessing the extent of the damage. The RDF (Rwanda Defence Forces) has requested for urgent investigation by the regional EJVM, and Rwandan authorities are also engaging DRC counterparts over the incident," it added in the statement. There was no immediate response to the allegations from the Congolese army. Fighting in the region resumes The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have had a fractious relationship since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Some of those accused of involvement in the killings of an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda have since set up militias in eastern Congo. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda East Africa Congo-Kinshasa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Rwanda has been accused of backing the M23, a mainly ethnic Tutsi rebel group that emerged during that period, but Kigali has denied the accusations. Tensions have been heightened in the region since March, when M23 militia attacked two Congolese army positions near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda and advanced on nearby towns. The group seized swaths of territory in eastern Congo during an insurrection in 2012 and 2013, before its fighters were driven out by Congolese and United Nations forces. They have since returned from neighboring countries to stage attacks. M23 resumed fighting earlier this year, accusing the Congolese government of having failed to respect a 2009 agreement under which their fighters were to be incorporated into the army. UN says M23 attacked peacekeepers in Congo A top UN official on Sunday accused the M23 militia of attacking peacekeepers in the troubled east of the country. The statement from Bintou Keita, the special representative for Congo, came after renewed clashes between the army and the group on Thursday. Keita's statement condemned attacks by the militia on both the government forces and the UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping force. (AFP, Reuters) Starter episode: What Did You Take? Begun during the early days of quarantine in March 2020, this affable show feels like eavesdropping on a conversation between two internet-savvy friends. One of the hosts, Ryan Broderick, used to co-host the beloved Buzzfeed podcast Internet Explorer, and brings the same inquisitive, informative energy to this series about online content in all its forms. Brodericks rapport with his co-host, the British journalist Luke Bailey, keeps the tone light and accessible even when the subject matter is complex. Recent episodes have focused on mainstream tech stories the crypto crash, the Netflix bubble bursting but others go down truly weird rabbit holes, like the mysterious world of Katie Couric CBD scams on Facebook. Starter episode: The Facebookification of Netflix A vigilante hacker and a dogged reporter team up to take down a vast child pornography website. This extraordinary and horrifying true story, which is just as gripping as the summary suggests, is a coproduction from CBC Podcasts and the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang. Delving into the deepest recesses of the dark web, Hunting Warhead follows a monthslong investigation by Einar Stangvik, the hacker, and Hakon Hoydal, the journalist, that ultimately led to the downfall of a local politician. The shows unflinching approach makes for tough listening: In addition to talking to the investigators, the host, Daemon Fairless, interviews the websites unrepentant owner, Ben Faulkner, whos currently serving a 35-year prison sentence. Starter episode: Hacker vs. Hacker In late 2014, the film industry was roiled by a wildly embarrassing hack. After Sony Pictures employees showed up to work one morning to find their computers unusable, reams of confidential company data began leaking online, including salaries, contracts and unflattering email exchanges among executives. In a bizarre twist, the hack turned out to be motivated by the impending release of a movie named The Interview, (starring Seth Rogen and James Franco), which depicted a fictional plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un of North Korea. This wry, richly reported podcast from the BBC World Service chronicles every twist and turn of the saga and its implications far beyond Hollywood. Starter episode: Hacking Hollywood When this WBUR series started, in 2017, it was a partnership with Reddit. Back then, the hosts, Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson, told stories inspired specifically by the quixotic virtual communities Reddit creates and the everyday mysteries it spotlights. (One classic episode focuses on a Reddit thread about a man who stumbled on a huge, inexplicable pile of plates in rural Pennsylvania.) The partnership with Reddit has ended, and Endless Thread has expanded to explore internet culture more generally last year, it debuted a delightful mini-series digging into the back stories behind various memes like the rickroll. Though the tone is generally lighthearted, the shows topics are as unpredictable and chaotic as the internet itself. Starter episode: We Want Plates! Cybercrime has snowballed so rapidly that the world has been caught off guard; last years ransomware attack on a major U.S. pipeline highlighted just how vulnerable many of our institutions are, not to mention our individual data. Hacking Humans doesnt shy away from that disturbing reality, but its also never alarmist. Instead, it takes a lighthearted and calm approach to what are, essentially, true crime stories about the internet. The hosts, Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan, are cybersecurity experts who emphasize solutions as they unfurl tales of social engineering, phishing scams and online con artists of every stripe. Alarmed as you may feel by many episodes, youll leave with a better sense of how to protect yourself. PUEBLA, Mexico At 52 years old and with nearly three decades of exhibitions behind him, Cisco Jimenez is far from new to art making or the gallery scene, and in Mexico, where he lives, he is something of a living legend, breaking into the fine art world during the graffiti movement in the 1990s and sustaining a career ever since. Yet, here he is, set to show this month at Art Basel Hong Kong in the Discoveries section, an area of the fair where galleries pitch the up-and-comers they hope will break through with collectors. It is a funny thing, Mr. Jimenez acknowledged, and one of the quirks of the international art business, which has handed him both highs and lows. His exhibitor, Mexico Citys MAIA Contemporary, understands that his fame does not fully extend to the Asian markets. So the setup introduces him to a new audience, but with the urgency of being one of the next big things it should know about. I always want to use my body to express my ideas, and through repeating and stacking, my ambition is to identify how far I can push myself and the material, Mr. Hsu said through an interpreter in a phone conversation from his studio in Tainan City, in southern Taiwan. Im creating holes in the structure over and over again with my bare hands. This work documents my relationship with the clay and my devotion to creating a visual wow moment for the viewer. It is a daring approach in a 40-year career that has entailed taking more than one risk. Born in 1955 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Mr. Hsu graduated from a teachers college in the 1970s and worked as a schoolteacher and a professional musician, becoming a master of the guzheng, the classical Chinese zither. After 22 years of teaching elementary school and just short of qualifying for retirement, he left teaching in 1998, and in 2003 began studying ceramics at the Tainan National University of the Arts. Since changing professions, Mr. Hsu has had artistic residencies in Taiwan, South Korea, China, Japan and the United States, and his works have been exhibited internationally. He has earned accolades, including the grand prix at the 2008 International Ceramics Competition in Mino, Japan, where his work triumphed over more than 3,200 pieces by artists from more than 50 countries and territories. Last year, he was also a major winner at the Taiwan Ceramic Awards, which honor the nations artists. What makes Hsu different from other artists is how he uses his body, and the repeating and stacking shows his willpower and the sheer physicality it takes to create his works, but also there is a lightness to all of it, said Weng Shu-Ying, an independent curator who will organize Ingenuity in Minimalism, a year-end exhibition at Liang Gallery that will include Mr. Hsus sculptures. Anyone who stands in front of any of Hsus works will be overwhelmed by the size and detail of what ceramic art can be. This is why he has been awarded inside and outside of Taiwan. This time its seven days rather than three weeks, Ms. Ooi said in an email, referring to her hotel quarantine upon returning to Hong Kong after traveling earlier this month. Its certainly not for everyone, but Ive also come to appreciate this experience of self-isolation. She said that organizers had improved the experience for people who cannot attend, particularly related to the virtual version of the fair. Weve expanded and refreshed our virtual tours, Ms. Ooi said, and will this year offer nine live walk-throughs that cover both the show floor and Online Viewing Rooms, and are led by specialists in five different languages. The noted collector Jens Faurschou, whose Faurschou Foundation has private museums in New York, Copenhagen and Beijing, has been an active patron at Art Basel Hong Kong in years past. I got an absolute masterpiece there, he recalled of Liu Weis large installation Dont Touch (2011), which he purchased from Beijings Long March Space. Made of ox hide, it is modeled on the Potala Palace in Tibet, once the residence of the Dalai Lama. He expressed a typical collector view when he said that he was not thrilled with a virtual fair but that he would check it out in any case. Its almost impossible to travel to China, he said, noting that he has not been to his own Beijing museum in more than two years. An Andy Warhol show inaugurated the Daegu headquarters, establishing Mrs. Ahn, 64, as a source in South Korea for work of artists from abroad. American giants like David Salle, Alex Katz and Elizabeth Peyton have had their first solo outings in the country with her. Now, as galleries from outside South Korea quickly enter the nation Pace Gallery, Tang Contemporary Art, Lehmann Maupin and Gladstone Gallery have opened branches, or relocated to far larger venues, over the past year in Seoul Mrs. Ahn is building big in Daegu. The city, which is about two hours away from Seoul by high-speed rail and home to 2.5 million, has far fewer exhibition spaces than the capital. Leeahn plans to unveil an expansion there in the summer of 2023, with 15,000 square feet across five floors designed by the architect Pil Joon Jeon, and a show by the German artist Imi Knoebel. Along with new exhibition space, it will feature an auditorium for lectures about art and collecting. A proud booster of her adopted city, Mrs. Ahn is also chairman of the Galleries Association of Daegu, which runs an annual art fair. She has advised many of the citys collectors, and said, speaking via an interpreter, Rather than follow the market, they go toward their own sense of what truly is art. Mrs. Ahn has also made her own way into art. Growing up, she said, her parents dissuaded her from becoming an artist. Instead, she studied mathematics and taught the subject at a high school. She began collecting after marrying, encouraged by her husband, Sung Doo Lee, a doctor of traditional Korean medicine. Because he supported me when I first started collecting, I was nice enough to put his name first in Leeahn, she said. (His work led the couple to settle in Daegu; Mrs. Ahn is from Masan, on the southern coast, and had been living in Seoul.) Her move into dealing came in 2006. After the death of Lee Tae, the owner of an important Daegu gallery called Ci-Gong, she acquired it, and it became Leeahn. For Shiffman, our inability to conceptualize relative risk is both an ecological and aesthetic tragedy, undermining conservation efforts while preventing us from exulting in the glory of sharks with their dermal denticles, their total lack of bones and their ability to hear an injured fish from a mile away. The syllogism he implies is comforting: Only idiots are afraid of sharks; you are not an idiot; therefore you are not afraid of sharks. The plain talk stands in contrast to a best-selling book from 2005, Susan Caseys The Devils Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among Americas Great White Sharks. That one is engineered for goose bumps. When two researchers in Caseys book hop on a boat to observe shark activity, it isnt long before the dorsal fin of myth and nightmare rose from below and came tunneling toward them like a German U-boat, creating a sizable wake. The books title plays on our fears too, with a piece of light misdirection; the devils teeth refers not to sharks but to the craggy Farallon Islands in California where they cluster. The dominant shark iconography of my youth (18 miles from the Farallon Islands, incidentally) took the form of a bumper sticker from a nearby surf shop. The sticker was everywhere. It looked like a no-smoking sign, with a red circle bisected by a slash but instead of a cigarette, the circle contained an image of a shark. Like any respectable piece of lore, this was not what it appeared to be. The idea of banning sharks the way youd ban cigarettes or double parking was a cosmic joke. The surfers who bore the sticker were on the same page: Disguising yourself as prey and paddling into a shark habitat was equivalent to signing a release of liability waiver. I visit Marconi less often now, but more from inaptitude than fear. The writer and naturalist Henry Beston described the area in 1928: The peninsula stands farther out to sea than any other portion of the Atlantic coast of the United States; it is the outermost of outer shores. Beston, who retreated to the dunes after his experiences in World War I, likened the sound of an incoming tide to the fury of battle. The sandbars along the coast shift on what seems like an hourly basis, resulting in waves that repel attempts at coercion. Calculating the coordinates where swell, wind, current and tide harmonize requires a granular knowledge that is reserved, as it should be, for locals. An app called Sharktivity tracks sightings in the area, with the idea to reduce encounters and promote safety. Whenever a white shark sighting is confirmed near a public beach, app users receive a red alert. Some of the tagged sharks have been named. (Agnes, Big Papi, Turbo, Sean.) Occasionally I monitor the app to see where the gang is convening, though Sharktivity warns that THE ONLY WAY TO COMPLETELY RULE OUT A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK IS TO STAY ON SHORE. From Shiffmans book Ive learned that death by Carcharodon carcharias and friends is far less likely than most shark media would have us believe. The haunting powers of the bar graph at Marconi have diminished. But maybe this is because death by shark no longer strikes me as the worst way to perish, compared with the alternatives. Many times since reading Why Sharks Matter, Ive played out the scenario in my head. Floating in salty bliss, I sense an aberrant shift in water molecules. Along comes a statistically anomalous great white. Possibly it is Agnes. I am hit, I go into shock and I bleed out beneath a vast and uncaring sky, dying exactly as I lived: unsuspecting and engulfed. Leaders accuse Russia of weaponizing hunger World leaders called for international involvement to free up 20 million tons of grain currently trapped in Ukraine, as fears of a global food crisis rise. Some Western officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, have accused Russia of weaponizing the crisis by confiscating Ukraines grain stocks and agricultural machinery, bombarding grain warehouses and trapping Ukrainian cargo vessels carrying wheat and sunflower seeds in the Black Sea. The E.U. is now considering alternate routes and methods, such as one in which a flotilla escorted by vessels from non-NATO countries would try to break the Russian blockade off Odesa. But doing so would risk a wider confrontation with Russia. On the ground: Russias military pounded civilian areas in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk, killing four civilians. A riverside city, Sievierodonetsk is critical for control of the wider Donbas region. Four years ago, many young Chinese liked to use the hashtag #Amazing China. Two years ago, they said that China was the A student in pandemic control and urged the rest of the world, especially the United States, to copy Chinas homework. Now many believe that theyre the most unlucky generation since the 1980s as Beijings persistent pursuit of the zero Covid policy is wreaking havoc. Jobs are hard to find. Frequent Covid testing dictates their lives. The government is imposing more and more restrictions on their individual liberty while pushing them to get married and have more children. I cant stand the thought that I will have to die in this place, said Cheng Xinyu, a 19-year-old writer in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, who is thinking of migrating to foreign countries before the governments iron fist falls on her. She cant imagine having children in China, either. I like children, but I dont dare to have them here because I wont be able to protect them, she said, citing concerns like pandemic control workers breaking into apartments to spray disinfectant, killing pets and requiring residents to leave the keys in their apartment door locks. WASHINGTON Glencore, the mining and commodity-trading giant, has agreed to pay $1.1 billion to settle charges that two of its units bribed officials in several countries and manipulated oil prices. The settlement, announced Tuesday by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, followed months of negotiations between the company and prosecutors in the United States, Britain and Brazil over Glencores operations in the U.S., the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela and Nigeria dating back to 2018. The announcement comes as gas prices have soared, in large part because of Russias invasion of Ukraine and as the Biden administration, concerned with how high prices might affect Democrats during the midterm elections in November, has struggled to find effective ways to bring Americans relief at the pump. The rule of law requires that there not be one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless, one rule for the rich and another for the poor, Mr. Garland, flanked by federal prosecutors and regulators from New York and Connecticut, told reporters during a news conference at the departments headquarters. When former President Donald J. Trumps fledgling social media company and its merger partner announced in December that they had secured $1 billion in additional private funds for the deal, it set off speculation about the identities of the investors. Who were the roughly three dozen investors betting on the success of the former presidents new company? Were they big Wall Street names? Political supporters of Mr. Trump? Technology and media funds sold on the promise of a right-wing alternative to Twitter? A draft document that was shared with The New York Times about the $1 billion investment called a private investment in public equity or PIPE sheds some light. In such a deal, an investor exchanges cash for shares that are later registered by the company for sale in the open market. The investors are mostly a mix of small to midsize hedge funds based in the United States and Canada, according to the document. The draft was circulated among investors on Tuesday, and two people briefed on the matter said a final version was expected to be filed with regulators Thursday, although the timing could change. On a visit to Niger, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the Bundeswehr's training mission in the West African nation as a success. He also called for a follow-up project. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Bundeswehr soldiers stationed in Niger on Monday, the second day of his Africa trip. During a visit to the training camp at Tillia, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the border with Mali, Scholz thanked German soldiers for their commitment to democracy and freedom in Niger. The training of Nigerien special forces at a military base in Tillia is scheduled to finish at the end of the year because it has fulfilled its task, Scholz said. But he did recognize the success of the Bundeswehr's training mission there, and said "a follow-up project" would be examined. Niger keen for extension In an interview with DW, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum welcomed the prospect of an extension or an alternative project. "Germany has provided high quality training that is very much appreciated by our Armed Forces," he said. "That training ends in December, but I've asked the German chancellor that we look together at how we can extend that mission to get the maximum benefit from it." Approximately 200 German soldiers are currently involved in the mission, which has been operational since 2018 and is part of the EU training mission EUTM. According to the deputy camp commander, around 500 special forces of the Nigerien army have been trained to fight Islamist militants in the region. This year alone, 15 instructors were also trained. Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum welcomed a possible extension of the mission. Military cooperation with Germany has "achieved good results and is a model," Bazoum said after speaking with Scholz in the capital, Niamey. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Niger Arms and Armies Europe and Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. 'Anchor of stability' in Sahel On Friday, the Bundestag decided to end the Bundeswehr's participation in the EUTM mission in the neighboring country of Mali, which is run by a military government. However, the Bundeswehr is to continue to participate in the UN peacekeeping force in Mali, MINUSMA, and the upper limit for troop strength has even been raised to 1,400 soldiers by the Bundestag. The German government has described Niger as the "anchor of stability" in the Sahel region, which stretches south of the Sahara Desert from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. Several armed groups are active there, and some have sworn allegiance to "Islamic State" or al-Qaeda. The instability in the Sahel is one reason why thousands of people from the region are making their way to Europe. Scholz kicked off his first official trip to Africa over the weekend with a visit to Senegal, which currently chairs the African Union. (dpa, Reuters) Date 23.05.2022 All videos in Media Center Is it OK to accept money from fossil fuel companies? At Stanford University, the question is ringing loud. This month, hundreds of students, faculty members and alumni, in an open letter, called on the universitys new climate school to decline funding from fossil fuel companies. The letter was partly a response to an interview the schools inaugural dean, Arun Majumdar, gave to my Times colleague David Gelles, in which he said the school was open to donations from oil companies. Majumdar said the school, known as the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, would be willing to work with companies that want to diversify and be part of the solution. But the students and faculty members argue that fossil fuel companies just want to deflect attention from their role in a climate crisis that they continue to perpetuate. Accepting money from an industry with a proven record of actively obscuring the scientific consensus on climate change, the letter said, presents a conflict of interest. Its an issue that many institutions around the world, not only universities, are struggling with. Two environmental nonprofit groups, Stand.earth and 350.org, started a website to keep track of divestment pledges from universities, banks, companies and even Queen Elizabeth II. So far, the list includes more than 1,500 institutions and businesses worth some $40 trillion. (The New York Times accepts advertising from fossil fuel companies.) Colin Cantwell, an animator, conceptual artist and computer expert who played significant production roles in seminal science fiction films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and WarGames, died on May 21 at his home in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was 90. His partner, Sierra Dall, said the cause was dementia. Mr. Cantwells work on several influential movies reached its peak with Star Wars, George Lucass hugely successful space opera. To impress Mr. Lucas, Mr. Cantwell built two elaborate steampunk-like spacecraft models from parts he had culled from dozens of hobbyists kits. He got the job before Mr. Lucas had found a studio. Mr. Cantwell produced the original designs for spacecraft familiar to fans of Star Wars (later retitled Star Wars, Episode IV A New Hope): the X-wing, the Rebel Alliances starfighter; the TIE fighter, part of the Galactic Empires imperial fleet; the wedge-shaped Imperial Star Destroyer; the cockpit for the Millennium Falcon; and the Death Star, the Empires enormous battle station, with a weapon capable of destroying a planet. Colins imagination and creativity were apparent from the get-go, Mr. Lucas said in a tribute on a Lucasfilm Star Wars website, adding, His artistry helped me build out the visual foundation for so many ships that are instantly recognizable today. Over the decades, Carter has expressed remorse, but it is his role as a beneficiary of and leader in the inmate-led initiatives the Black Prisoners Caucus and T.E.A.C.H., or Taking Education and Changing History, that suggests transformation. Other inmates here share insights, as do two former detectives, some ex-gang members, and the mothers of victims and perpetrators. One former inmate, Tonya Wilson, who served 17 years, is especially astute about the personal as well as societal forces that led to her incarceration. Another inmate says, We say a lot of the answers that people in society are seeking will be found in prison. Weve caused pain, that inmate says, primarily cause we were in pain. Far from seeming like an excuse, in Since I Been Down, this observation sounds like a way toward reckoning and change. Since I Been Down Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Rent or buy on Amazon, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators. I am almost embarrassed to say how we did this: We took a soldier whose name sounded Jewish, Mr. Lamm said. We said Hey, Benjamin Garadetsky is buried under a cross, maybe he is Jewish. And lo and behold, it turned out he was Jewish. Mr. Lamm tracked down and contacted Mr. Garadetskys descendants. He learned that Mr. Garadetsky had been a Russian immigrant who lived in the Bronx before his military service, and whose parents were buried in a Jewish cemetery not far from Mr. Lamms home on Long Island. Mr. Garadetskys grave was rededicated in 2018. After that, Mr. Lamm started Operation Benjamin, naming the project after this first soldier whose background he had researched. Since then, some two dozen ceremonies have been held at cemeteries around the world run by the American Battle Monuments Commission, which operates 26 burial grounds and 32 memorials in 20 countries and territories. Alison Bettencourt, a spokeswoman for the commission, said 123,000 people were buried in its cemeteries, with tens of thousands more honored in memorials for the missing. Of those graves, more than 121,000 are marked by a cross and over 2,200 are marked by a Star of David, which are the only two headstone options, she said. The burial of a soldier under the wrong religious symbol may have stemmed, in part, from the fog of war, Ms. Bettencourt said. Fallen soldiers would have typically been buried and reburied at least three times: once close to the site of their death; a second time after the war, when the military consolidated those thousands of grave sites into temporary cemeteries; and again after 1948 when the official cemeteries were founded. I know it feels like I have been the mayor for five years, but Ive been here for five months, Mr. Adams said at a news conference last Friday. Ive inherited a broken city, with broken systems. We can either put a Band-Aid on top of these broken systems, or go to the core and fix them. But he added, Theres no rush to doing this. Weve got to get it right. In New York City, roughly one-third of renters are severely rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 50 percent of their income on rent, according to a survey of the citys housing stock issued last week. More than 48,000 people slept in New York City shelters each night in March, according to the Coalition for the Homeless, with the number of single adults in shelters increasing steadily over the last several years. The pandemic accentuated many of those problems, as tens of thousands of people struggled to afford rent or mortgage payments and sought government assistance. Many places across the nation are grappling with housing affordability, and there is a growing recognition that a root cause is the shortage of available homes. This week, President Biden announced a new plan to address the housing crisis that would incentivize reforming zoning laws to allow for more density, among other provisions. The citys affordability crisis has been underscored more than once in recent weeks. A report released this month by the brokerage firm Douglas Elliman showed that rents in some parts of the city are continuing to surge: In Manhattan, for example, the median effective rent in April 2022 was $3,870, more than 38 percent higher than a year before and the highest level ever recorded. Even as she acknowledged that people are dying in New York Citys troubled jails, a federal judge on Tuesday refrained from stripping control of Rikers Island from local officials, instead ordering the city to revise its plan for addressing violence and disorder at the compound. The judge, Laura T. Swain, made the decision at a hearing on Tuesday after listening to arguments from the United States Attorneys Office in Manhattan and others who had raised the possibility of appointing an independent official to run New York Citys jails, something that has never happened in the jail systems history. Judge Swain had given the city Department of Correction three weeks beginning last month to come up with a plan to remedy the crisis in the jail complex, where city staffing practices have left gang members in charge of some jail areas, and detainees to languish without food or medical care. But as jail officials were formulating their plan, two detainees died, the city was held in contempt in state court over its failure to provide timely medical care and questions emerged about whether the jail system properly documented a serious head injury suffered by a detainee in April. Mr. Abdullah stunned and terrified passengers when he pulled out a 9-millimeter handgun and fired a single shot into Mr. Enriquezs chest as the train crossed the Manhattan Bridge, the police have said. There had been no interaction between the two men before the gunshot. Mr. Abdullah slipped out of the car in the ensuing chaos as the train pulled into Canal Street, and he disappeared onto the street, handing the gun off to a homeless man, two law enforcement officials said. Mr. Enriquez was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he died. Minutes after the shooting, Mr. Abdullah was stopped by transit officers who were searching for a gunman described as wearing gray sweatpants and a black hoodie. But by the time officers encountered him, Mr. Abdullah had removed his hoodie and no longer matched the description, said James Essig, the chief of detectives. The transit officers let him go. Police officers realized only later that their suspect had slipped the dragnet when they saw the orange-red T-shirt he had worn peeking out from his hoodie in security camera images, said John Miller, deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism. Lamor Miller-Whitehead, the bishop of Leaders of Tomorrow International Churches, said Tuesday at the Fifth Precinct that he had spoken with Mr. Abdullahs relatives as the suspect contemplated surrendering. I spoke to the family, who said that he suffered from mental illness, mental health challenges, Mr. Miller-Whitehead said. I said, Lets get together. And lets turn him in. And they all agree, even the young man said, Im going to turn myself in. A surrender had been brokered by Tuesday afternoon, but before it could happen, officers with guns drawn arrested Mr. Abdullah at the Legal Aid Societys offices, said Mr. Miller-Whitehead. I dont want anyone by any stretch of no ones imagination to believe that this young man ran. He did not run at all, Mr. Miller-Whitehead said. Now that the Oklahoma State Legislature has voted to ban abortion from the moment of conception, I have a few questions for Justice Samuel Alito and any others who would join him in overturning Roe v. Wade: What is your reaction to the news from Oklahoma? The State Legislature gave final approval last Thursday to a bill that would prohibit nearly all abortions, starting at fertilization. It now awaits the signature of the governor, who has pledged to make Oklahoma the most pro-life state in the country. Does it thrill you to see the project of your judicial lifetime about to come to fruition? Or does it trouble you, even just a bit, to see what your judicial activism has unleashed? I suppose well be able to infer the answers to my questions once Justice Alitos leaked draft opinion in the Mississippi abortion case is tidied up and properly released. The opinion will, no doubt, contain some language about abortion restrictions requiring at least a rational basis. While such language might appear to offer an opening to attack an irrational law like Oklahomas, remember that the court refused to meaningfully intervene when it came to the only slightly less categorical heartbeat law in Texas that is driving women to flee the state in search of reproductive health care. And thats the future that Oklahoma shows us no longer an abstraction but an actual fact, on the ground of 21st-century America. Sure, the Oklahoma law provides exceptions for abortions needed to save a pregnant womans life or to terminate pregnancies resulting from rape or incest if the crimes were previously reported to the police; good luck to the 13-year-old raped by a male relative. Over the past several years, as the rhetoric of environmental alarm has gotten more and more public visibility, so has the language of climate justice: the collection of principles holding that it is the poor and marginalized who suffer today the most environmental harms despite having done the least to cause them, that continued degradation will almost certainly intensify those divides and that any program to address the climate crisis should be targeted at reducing those inequities as well as overall impacts. Consider responsibility first. The United States has alone produced 20 percent of historical emissions, almost twice as much as the second-largest contributor, China; all of sub-Saharan Africa, today home to about a billion people, is responsible for under 1 percent. Today 80 percent of the worlds emissions are produced by the nations of the Group of 20 and nearly half by the richest 10 percent of people, not all of whom, the economic historian Adam Tooze pointed out, live in the rich countries of the world suggesting a carbon accounting based not on citizenship but on simple wealth. The average round-trip trans-Atlantic airline ticket melts several square meters of Arctic ice; the average Australian produces 40 times as much carbon dioxide just from the burning of coal as the average person from Congo, Somalia or Niger; each year, the average Ugandan produces less carbon than the average American refrigerator. When it comes to climate impacts, the contrasts are just as stark. Many in the Global North have awakened just in the past few years to the imminence, if not yet omnipresence, of warming the European floods, deadly hurricanes in New York City, wildfires across Australia and the American West unprecedented in modern times. But already, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests, nearly every country in sub-Saharan Africa is more than 10 percent poorer today than it would be without the effects of warming, with a handful more than 20 percent poorer. According to one paper cited in the panels most recent report, India is 31 percent poorer, thanks to climate change, which already has made global inequality 25 percent worse. And it is perhaps not surprising that if recent optimistic revisions to the climate outlook bear out that peg likely warming this century at about 2.5 degrees Celsius from preindustrial temperatures, wealthy nations of the world would suffer but could endure, probably, and the Global South would be much more thoroughly devastated. For decades now, small, climate-vulnerable and developing nations have looked at this pattern of facts and rallied around a discomforting message for the worlds rich: Pay. In 2009 the first promise of $100 billion each year in climate aid for mitigation and adaptation was made to the worlds poor. In 2015 in the Paris climate accord, the promise was made again. At COP26 in Glasgow last fall, it was made a third time, though by then, climate advocates from the Global South had raised their request significantly. Some diplomats called for $700 billion, others for $1 trillion or more. Meanwhile, the $100 billion promise still hasnt been fulfilled, and the commitments get close only if you count profit-making loans from the private sector, which, of course, the rich countries do. A report published by the U.N. in 2020 found that in the most recent year studied, 2018, grant finance amounted to only $12 billion. Onstage in Glasgow, a parade of world leaders went much further than ever before in describing the climate crisis in urgent existential language. (The COP president, Alok Sharma, called it our last best hope, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain said it was a minute to midnight on that Doomsday Clock.) But thats not to say that everyone sounded the same. Leaders from rich countries described the challenge mostly in universal terms; leaders from poor countries invoked differential impacts and differential responsibilities, often borrowing from the language of discrimination, reparations or colonialism. (Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, for instance, described two degrees Celsius of warming as a death sentence, then feebly pleaded for the rich countries of the world to try harder.) To the Editor: In DeSantis Is the New Republican Party (Opinion guest essay, Sunday Review, May 15), Rich Lowry states that Ron DeSantis points to the Republican future. If so, its a future of publicly bullying children, punishing the press and whistle-blowers, ignoring medical science and trash-talking world-renowned scientists in epidemiology, big government intruding on womens health, big government intruding on corporate freedom, big government handcuffing teachers about what they can say in the classroom and what books they can use, and the 24/7 politics of anger, resentment, hate, cynicism and demagogy. Whatever this dystopian political future may hold, it isnt conservative. Its radical right, and has more in common with the politics of totalitarian states than it does with democracies. Stuart Rojstaczer Palo Alto, Calif. To the Editor: Rich Lowry praises Gov. Ron DeSantis as a Republican hero for his response to Covid-19. By doing so, he perpetuates a dangerous myth that Governor DeSantiss approach to Covid was the right path. This is tragically untrue. Many Africans who fled Ukraine now live in refugee camps across various European cities. After suffering racism while fleeing the war in Ukraine, many Africans say they are now experiencing further discrimination in Germany. "It is a very, very difficult situation but for my friend," according to Chizzy, a 23 year-old Nigerian who not not long ago was studying economics in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. He spoke to DW on May 18 -- very frustrated and not wanting us to use his real name for saftey reasons. Chizzy's new friend is a German woman he met on the streets of Berlin when he was homeless after fleeing Ukraine following Russia's bombing of his university in March. She took him in to help him. "She's a mother to me; she cares about me and harbors me. I don't know how to thank her enough," he told DW a week later, this time with a face full of smiles. Equal in suffering, unequal in pain No fewer than 80,000 students who are enrolled in Ukrainian universities are from the Global South and many of those are from African countries. They had a life in Ukraine until February 24 when Russia invaded and hundreds of thousands of people -- Ukrainians and foreigners -- fled to other countries for safety. Though everyone who fled the war suffered equally, unequal treatments were doled out at border crossings. Some said that Ukrainian border guards prioritized Ukrainians and sent others, such as people from African countries, to the back of the queues, some of which stretched for kilometers. Others reported discrimination in the countries to which they fled. One of these countries is Germany. Good times never last Life in Ukraine was okay for Chizzy before the war. He lived in university accommodations and had integrated well -- until the early hours of February 24 when he and his fellow students were woken by the unmistakable sound of bombs exploding. "Before we could come down from our rooms, we discovered many people had left and others were finding a way to enter bunkers to be safe," Chizzy remembered. "That's how we joined them and thought that in a week's time, everything will calm down." But nothing changed for the better. Rather, Chizzy recalled a chilling incident that happened when he went to collect a document from his university authority. "In my school, I witnessed a live bomb explosion," he told DW. "When the bomb exploded, the school management took some of us that were at the office to the underground bunkers for us to be safe. After that day, I left Ukraine. I needed to find my way before this people will block the entrance I'm supposed to follow to leave." Chizzy spent five very difficult days fleeing Ukraine, traveling through Slovakia and to Germany. Border authorities made it difficult for foreigners to leave the country. "Because of the way we struggled and told them we can't stay; nobody knows what will happen because it's not only government apartment that Russians are attacking, they are also attacking private buildings, nobody knows the next it may be," Chizzy explained. "So, after some consideration, they now allowed us to pass." Inhumanity The only way a traveler can cross the Slovakia border seamlessly and reasonably stress-free is on board a nonstop train. But the Ukrainians on the train noticed that Chizzy and other students -- fleeing the war just like them -- were not Ukrainians. When the train arrived at the Slovakian border, Chizzy and the non-Ukrainian students were told that it was the final destination and the train was not going any further. "When we came down, they continued the journey which is the easiest way to pass the border without any disturbance. If you come down, you will spend some days before the immigration can listen to you before you can pass," he told DW. Chizzy and many others students stayed at the Slovakian train station for three days eating only biscuits and water because they had no money to buy food. "We discuss for so long; before we know it, it would be another day. If you are tired, you sleep on top of your bag," he told DW. No one had taken a shower or bath during the three days spent at the train station. The Slovakian immigration authorities then allowed them to begin an 8-hour journey to Hungary where they spent another night at a train station before leaving for Germany the next day. Reality hits "I don't have anybody here in Germany or any family members. I just came to Germany so that the German government will help me to be safe and for me to continue my education here," Chizzy told DW. But the reality was the opposite of that he had expected. He and others who fled Ukraine reported to a Berlin reception center for people seeking protection. They were kept in a hall for a month. Only Ukrainians were selected for onward sorting and integration. "We stayed like a month in that camp. No communication, nothing. No further registration. So, some of us started complaining that we don't know our fate here; nobody to attend to us, just that we were being given food to eat. Once it's time to eat, you go and take your food. But other process, nobody was attending to us," Chizzy said. After a month, an announcement was made strictly for Ukrainians: They were placed in a bus and transferred to other cities. Chizzy and other non-Ukrainians were later moved to Munich where he spent a month doing nothing. "After some weeks after registering in the community, they brought us a letter that we should go back to our countries that we are not Ukrainians," he said. "We contacted the German family we were living with, so they went through the letter and said it is not proper; that it is a threat letter, that we shouldn't panic about the letter." But more such letters arrived. "They brought us another letter that [there would be] no more social benefits [because] we are not Ukrainians," Chizzy told DW, sounding really upset. "The people I was staying with were tired of it -- they got angry that the government is very stressful and it's very tough for them. So, they advised me that if I can go to other states that their government is different. That is why I left Munich to Berlin." Chizzy told DW there were never any benefits because the people who assisted him in Munich were a German family who provided him with a room and fed him. Berlin protest Groups of refugees, along with representatives from Berlin's refugee council and other NGOs held a protest on May 17 in the German capital in front of the Bundesrat, demanding equal rights for third-country nationals fleeing Ukraine, as well as other refugees. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Europe and Africa Refugees By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The refugee council's website states that fleeing Ukrainians receive quick and unbureaucratic access to residence permits, work permits and social benefits in Germany. But many third-country nationals without Ukrainian citizenship -- who may have lived for years in Ukraine -- are excluded from the right to temporary protection as war displaced persons. The protesters said they want equal treatment for everybody fleeing Ukraine, including those who do not hold Ukrainian citizenship. Claims of racism "This protest was to raise again awareness for these issues. In this particular struggle, you can see again the discrimination and different treatments of different refugees depending on passport," Julianne Gebel, co-founder of NGO Internationals from Ukraine and Friends, told DW. "This war has shown that the treatment of refugees can be different and be better than what they have faced in the recent years in Germany," Gebel continued. "Easy access to work, to schooling, to housing, universities and all of that is certainly possible for Ukrainian citizens and this is the kind of treatment that refugees should always receive but unfortunately, not all of them are," Gebel said "So, we were demanding that these treatments [are] expanded to other refugees from other backgrounds, other countries as well." Tobore Ovuorie -- a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and storyteller -- is the 2021 Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award recipient. Edited by Keith Walker That shared goal of suppressing wokeness is why Tucker Carlson, one of the most prominent conservatives in the United States, hosted his show from Hungary for a week last year. If you care about Western civilization and democracy and families and the ferocious assault on all three of those things by the leaders of our global institutions, Carlson told his audience at the time, you should know what is happening here right now. Its also why Rod Dreher, a popular conservative blogger and author, wrote that his readers ought to be beating a path to Hungary. And its why Donald Trump endorsed Orbans re-election campaign not once but twice. Which is to say that this CPAC session may have been held in Hungary so that conservatives can learn a little more about how they might unravel American democracy in order to impose their cultural and ideological vision on the country. They even got a little encouragement from Orban himself. We need to take back the institutions in Washington and Brussels, he said in opening remarks on Thursday. We need to find friends, and we need to find allies. We need to coordinate the movement of our troops, because we have a big challenge ahead of us. Attendees heard from Trump, his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and Carlson himself, whom Orban singled out for praise: His program is the most watched. What does it mean? It means programs like his should be broadcast day and night. Or as you say, 24/7. Whats striking about this display of longing and affection for Orbans regime beyond the obvious spectacle of people who are ostensibly American nationalists working in concert with a foreign autocrat is how it underscores a defining trait of conservative populists, if not conservative populism itself. For all the talk of America First, there is a deep disdain among members of this group for both Americans and the American political tradition. This disdain is evident in how they talk about their political opponents. They routinely place entire groups of citizens outside of the political community. Carlson, for example, said on a recent episode of his show that pro-choice Democrats are totalitarians who hope to destroy religious belief in the United States. As president, Trump routinely held out his opposition as a threat to the very integrity of the United States. Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children, he said in a speech on July 4, 2020. The culprits? Angry mobs and radicals he identified with liberal Democrats. Less high-profile but still telling was the assertion from a writer at the Claremont Institute, an influential pro-Trump think tank in Southern California, that most people living in the United States today certainly more than half are not Americans in any meaningful sense of the term. Merchants based in the U.S. are capturing a bigger chunk of sales instead. Domestic Amazon merchants have also been selling more relative to Chinese merchants in Britain and Germany. (An Amazon spokesman declined to comment on the changing mix of Chinese and domestic merchants.) I asked Juozas Kaziukenas, the founder of Marketplace Pulse, whether this shift away from Chinese merchants was caused by temporary closures of factories in China related to the pandemic and the increased costs and complexity of shipping products from Asia. He said probably not. Most merchants based in the U.S. buy and ship from manufacturers in China or elsewhere in Asia, too. Kaziukenas said that its difficult to know exactly what caused the change, but some merchants have been frustrated with the increasing costs and Byzantine rules on Amazon. There have been news reports from China of product sellers hoping to find websites other than Amazon to sell their goods to the world. Those gripes about the downsides of selling on Amazon are definitely not new, however, and are commonly expressed by merchants outside China, too. Yaniv Sarig, the chief executive of Aterian, a U.S.-based merchant that sells products on Amazon, is among the e-commerce experts who believe that some Chinese businesses may have gravitated away from Amazon because they were spooked by the companys crackdown last year on some merchants based in China, apparently for manipulating customer reviews. The shake-up of Amazons marketplace could be an opportunity for merchants based in the U.S., including those like Molson Hart, the Texas toy seller I wrote about last year, who believes that U.S. laws and policies give an unfair advantage to online product sellers from China. Finding out that the sales mix of Chinese and domestic merchants has been shifting for a year left me with burning questions: If the flourishing of product sellers from China was a profound change in online shopping, why has it seemingly not affected shoppers when the trend reversed? I wondered if we overstated the benefits of opening Amazon to millions of product sellers. Maybe having 20,000 choices of blenders on one site doesnt really help anyone. Do you think that generosity is what draws Americans to scammers? It goes back to this sense of individualism, and the ultimate expression of that is the con man, who goes against everything and flips the rules of hierarchy. Australia has got a little bit of that, but we saw during the pandemic that Australians follow the rules. Theres a collective, We should really be doing this, and people fall in line. And as we saw here, theres no falling in line. So is your draw to these characters pure escapism? What I love about acting is exploring the sides of people who choose to live in a way opposite to how we were brought up, and cant believe everyone around them is still following the rules. So its not escapism; its just fun to play something I wouldnt allow or want myself to do in life. Im glad everyone is not Harold Hill, but its great fun to play as arrogant as you possibly can for two and a half hours. Self-deprecating kind of gets boring after a while. How does the role feel six months into the shows run? For me, this big show with a cast of 47 keeps growing. Im in a lead role, but it doesnt feel as exhausting as Ive experienced [in other shows] in the past. I think its the way they built these old shows. Im onstage a lot, and driving a lot of it, but its different: I go on at the beginning, sing the first number, and go off to have a costume change. Im not a smoker, but it feels like a cigarette break, which Im pretty sure is what a lot of them were doing back then. There are some days when I go in tired, but by the third scene: Wow. Im back. Theres something about this show that buoys me up with an energy that I didnt think I had. And when youre working with Sutton Has she taught you about stamina? Shes a star who puts in the work of a swing. Shes a marvel. I certainly have to bring my triple-A game. Asking me to tap dance alongside Sutton Foster is like asking me to play Novak Djokovic on the court. Rehearsals with her were fun, but it was kind of dispiriting to spend a year and a half working on that and then watch these kids come in and learn it in three hours. This is really the moment when it is decided whether brute force will rule the world. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, the president of Ukraine, in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos. He urged global political and business leaders to go further in punishing Russia. Dear Tripped Up, My question is about airlines switching itineraries, a huge frustration for me since returning to travel after a pandemic pause. I will book a direct flight at a good time and then get an email days or weeks later with an inconvenient time change or an added layover or both. The worst was when I was planning a trip with my daughter to Tampa, Fla. In January, I booked a direct flight on Southwest Airlines that left Hartford, Conn., at 12:30 p.m. on April 17 and arrived in Tampa three hours later. Perfect. But on Feb. 15, Southwest emailed that they had moved me onto a 6:15 p.m. flight with a nearly three-hour layover in Nashville, getting me to Tampa at 1:10 a.m.! Why is this OK? Its like I bought a nice Subaru Forester and they delivered a dilapidated and rusty Trans Am and told me it was the only option. Phoebe, Massachusetts Dear Phoebe, Leave it to airlines to make car dealerships seem transparent by comparison. While you could certainly sue your fictional dealer for breach of contract, the real Southwest was within their contractual rights to cancel your original flight and put you on that midnight plane from Nashville. Theres no law against an airline unilaterally changing your itinerary, and in such cases, the main rule the U.S. government requires the airlines to follow is a flimsy one. If a carrier imposes a new itinerary on a customer that would result in a significant delay, the company must offer you a refund, in your case $264 each for two Wanna Get Away fares, Southwests equivalent of economy class. They did, but as you told me over Zoom, canceling the trip wouldnt do: You wanted to go to Florida, and had already arranged lodging. The airline gave you another option, saying you could search for an alternative Southwest itinerary, then make the change online or through customer service (which you did, painfully, as well get to later). Arguably, the most competitive race on Californias June ballot is for attorney general, the states top prosecutor. The incumbent, Rob Bonta, a Democrat, is trying to hold onto his job amid a national wave of backlash against progressive reformers like him. Challenging Bonta, who was appointed to the position last spring by Gov. Gavin Newsom, are two Republicans, an independent and a Green Party candidate. With just two weeks until Election Day, pro-Bonta groups have been running advertisements supporting, of course, Bonta. But theyve also been buying radio slots encouraging Californians to vote for Eric Early, the most conservative candidate in the race, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. It may seem like an odd move, but its strategic and provides a lesson in Californias unique primary system. Under the panels recommendations, Fort Lee in Virginia, named after Robert E. Lee, would be renamed Fort Gregg-Adams, after retired Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, a logistics officer who rose to become one of the highest ranking African Americans in the Army, and Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley, the highest-ranking African American woman serving in the Army during World War II; she deployed to Birmingham, England, in 1945 and commanded a battalion responsible for delivering mail to American soldiers. The Army has long come under fire for honoring treasonous Confederate generals who fought to secede from the United States and who led the rebellion during the Civil War, which killed more American troops than any other military conflict. That criticism became particularly sharp after Mr. Floyds death, as President Donald J. Trump threatened to wield the military against protesters who said they were pushing for change. Mr. Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to send active-duty troops into the cities to take on looters and rioters, but ran into heated and eventually public resistance from the defense secretary at the time, Mark T. Esper, and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mr. Esper and General Milley sought to convey an understanding of the public anger at the time, which had also manifested itself among those in uniform. They also sought to address a gap in the military between its mostly white officer corps and its diverse enlisted ranks, where 43 percent are people of color. Mr. Trump vehemently opposed the idea of stripping Confederate names from Army bases. My Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations, he said on Twitter at the time. Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military! And in Arkansas, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mr. Trumps former press secretary, is expected to win the Republican primary for governor. Here are a few of the themes well be following on Tuesday: In Georgia, Trumps big lie will be tested. Mr. Trump put Georgia at the center of his crusade against what he has falsely claimed was a stolen election. But his influence on the states politics has appeared to wane. Mr. Perdue, a former Kemp ally, has made challenging the results of the 2020 election the focal point of his campaign. He opened all three debates against Mr. Kemp by falsely arguing that he and Mr. Trump were victims of fraud in Georgias presidential election and its Senate runoff races in early 2021. Yet Georgia Republicans have gravitated toward issues beyond the last election, focusing on the states economy, education and rising crime rates in Georgia cities. Partly as a result, Mr. Kemp has outpaced Mr. Perdue by more than 30 percentage points in recent polling and has surpassed the former senator in fund-raising by nearly $10 million. The only other race in which the 2020 election and Mr. Trumps influence is as prominent is the contest for secretary of state. The Republican incumbent, Brad Raffensperger, is fending off a primary challenge from Representative Jody Hice, who has Mr. Trumps backing. Polls indicate that neither candidate has garnered more than 30 percent of support from voters, which suggests that the race is likely to go to a runoff. SAN BENITO, Texas When seven newly arrived migrants were released from government custody on a recent afternoon with nowhere to stay the night, an emergency shelter in this small border city answered the call, sending a volunteer to make his fifth such pickup of the day from nearby Brownsville. The shelter, La Posada Providencia, had hot food waiting, and ramen noodles for later if the migrants were still hungry. Several of the men, who had come from Cuba and Nicaragua, quickly collapsed on cots fitted with clean sheets and pillows. The volunteer would drive them to the airport early the next morning, and they would then continue their journey northward. As the United States experiences the largest wave of migration at the southwestern border in decades, it is increasingly relying on an informal pipeline of shelters and other way stations to house and feed migrants who are allowed to stay on a temporary basis, many of whom are seeking asylum, and to help them arrange travel from border communities to wherever they plan to wait a wait that could potentially last for years for their immigration court proceedings. From the time President Biden took office last year through April, the government has admitted about a quarter of the undocumented migrants apprehended at the southwestern border, or about 700,000 out of 2.7 million, according to an analysis of federal data. The rest have been swiftly expelled under an emergency public health order related to the pandemic, or sent back under another legal authority. On Friday, a federal judge ordered that the rule, which was supposed to be lifted on Monday, remain in place; the administration said it would appeal. Mr. Biden plans to sign the new executive order alongside relatives of Mr. Floyd and police officials when he returns from a diplomatic trip to South Korea and Japan this week. Police groups had been particularly upset by several items in the earlier 18-page draft order, and they said the White House had given them only a perfunctory chance at input. They threatened to pull their support, leading to a major reset in the process by the White Houses domestic policy council, led by Susan Rice. The White House did significant outreach with us and tried to listen to our concerns, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a bipartisan think tank that focuses on police practices. This final executive order is substantively different from the original version, and thats made a big difference to many of us in law enforcement. Mr. Biden has repeatedly emphasized a message of investing in, rather than defunding, the police wading into a national debate about whether the government should give police departments more resources or spend the money on mental health care and other social services instead. One of the changes reflected in the executive order, according to the people familiar with the final version, centered on what it would say about standards for using force. The draft order had allowed law enforcement to use deadly force as a last resort when there is no reasonable alternative, in other words only when necessary to prevent imminent and serious bodily injury or death, the people familiar with the document said. That wording, however, was removed after law enforcement officials complained that the standard would allow second-guessing in hindsight of decisions by officers in exigent circumstances. Wife of Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Hajiya Maryam Abacha has dragged the Kaduna State Government to Court over the revocation of her husband's title to a property in the Ungwar Rimi area of Kaduna metropolis. Also, joined as the plaintiff in the Writ of Summons is Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha, the eldest surviving son of late Abacha. Aside from the Kaduna State government, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaduna State is also joined in the suit as defendants. Also Read Abacha may have looted funds to keep them away from thieving hands - 2Baba In a writ of Summons by the Counsel to the Abacha family, Dr Reuben Atabo (SAN) in suit No.KDH/KAD/509/2022 at Kaduna State High Court 4, commanded the defendants to appear before the Court after 21 days of receiving the writ, adding that when defaulted, the plaintiff may proceed and judgment may be given in the defendants' absence. The Summons was received and acknowledged by the Court on May 16, 2022. The Abacha family wanted the Court to set aside the, "purported notice of revocation of the plaintiffs' property situate and lying at No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwar Rimi G.R.A, Kaduna, Kaduna State, measuring about 3,705Sqr meters, which is covered by Kaduna State Certificate of Occupancy No. NC 11458. The family is also seeking, "An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, servants and whomsoever from acting on the purported Notice of revocation assigned by the Director-General of Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) to revoke the plaintiffs' right over the property situate and lying at No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwar Rimi G.R.A, Kaduna, Kaduna, measuring about 3,705Sqr meters. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The plaintiffs are asking for a settlement of, "General damages in the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One hundred million naira) only for the embarrassment caused the plaintiffs' family by the publication of late General Sani Abacha's name in a National Daily without any justification. The writ of Summons equally seeks, "Any other consequential order and /or orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this suit, and the cost of filing and prosecuting this suit". Also, in a statement of claim, "The plaintiffs aver that sometimes in the 1980s, Late General Sani Abacha (then Brigadier Sani Abacha) applied to the 1st Defendant for a parcel of land for residential purpose. "The plaintiffs state that the 1st Defendant requested Late General Sani Abacha to pay relevant fees for the registration of the Statutory Right of Occupancy as well as the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy. "The plaintiffs aver that upon the grant of Certificate of Occupancy over the said land, Late General Sani Abacha applied to the relevant authorities, inclusive of the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority to develop the land. The plaintiffs shall find and rely on the approval at the hearing of this suit". Most of the candidates former President Donald J. Trump endorsed in contested Republican primaries have won in this early phase of the 2022 midterms. Many of those he backed were running unopposed or faced little-known, poorly funded opponents. There have been some noteworthy losses, however. Here is a look at Mr. Trumps endorsement record in some of the most closely watched races. Can Democrats find hope in todays outcomes? The mood on the left is grim, with reports that some Democrats are searching for a replacement for President Biden atop the ticket in 2024. Inflation is at a 40-year high, with the average price of gasoline creeping toward $5 a gallon. To the alarm of party leaders, youth turnout typically a Democratic strength has been low in recent elections. All that aside, Democratic donors are still pouring money into party committees and candidates at a fast clip and the marquee campaigns in Georgia should be well financed, at least. Senator Raphael Warnock raised more than $13.5 million in the first three months of 2022, and has at least $23 million in the bank now. Those sums put him well ahead of Herschel Walker, the likely Republican nominee. Donors gave Stacey Abrams, who is running for governor for the second time, about $11.7 million in the first quarter. Abrams ran unopposed in the primary, but her campaign has been spending most of that money as it comes in; she entered January with $7.2 million in cash on hand and exited March with just $8 million. Shell need far more than that if she is to knock off Kemp in November, assuming he defeats Perdue. More than $100 million was spent on the 2018 governors race, which Kemp won narrowly. Democratic super PACs have already spent at least $2 million to attack Kemp this campaign, and the Georgia arm of the Democratic Governors Association has donated $1 million to One Georgia, a leadership PAC set up to help Abramss campaign. Follow the latest news on Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting. UVALDE, Texas A gunman killed at least 19 children and two adults on Tuesday in a rural Texas elementary school, a state police official said, in the deadliest American school shooting since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago. The slayings took place just before noon at Robb Elementary School, where second through fourth graders in Uvalde, a small city west of San Antonio, were preparing to start summer break this week. At least one teacher was among the adults killed, and several other children were wounded. The gunman, whom the authorities identified as an 18-year-old man who had attended a nearby high school, was armed with several weapons, officials said. He also died at the scene, they said. He shot and killed horrifically, incomprehensibly, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news conference. As terrified parents in Uvalde waited for word of their childrens safety and law enforcement officials raced to piece together how the attack had transpired, the mass shooting was deepening a national political debate over gun laws and the prevalence of weapons. Ten days earlier, a gunman fatally shot 10 people inside a Buffalo grocery store. This is just evil, Rey Chapa, an Uvalde resident, said of Tuesdays killings while using an expletive. Mr. Chapa said his nephew was in the school when the shooting took place but was safe. He was waiting to hear back from relatives and friends on the conditions of other children, scrolling through Facebook for updates. Im afraid Im going to know a lot of these kids that were killed. Across the street from the school, state troopers were scattered across the school lawn and an ambulance idled with its lights flashing. Adolfo Hernandez, a longtime Uvalde resident, said his nephew had been in a classroom near where the shooting took place. He actually witnessed his little friend get shot in the face, Mr. Hernandez said. The friend, he said, got shot in the nose and he just went down, and my nephew was devastated. In a brief address from the White House on Tuesday night, President Biden grew emotional as he reflected on the attack and called for action, but did not advocate for a particular policy or vote. Its just sick, he said of the sorts of weapons that are easily available in the United States and used in mass shootings. Where in Gods name is our backbone, the courage to do more and then stand up to the lobbies? Its time to turn this pain into action. Mr. Biden later added, May the Lord be near to the brokenhearted and save those crushed in spirit, because theyre going to need a lot. The shooting took place on Election Day in Texas, as voters across the state headed to the polls for primary runoffs that would set the stage for the November election at a time when the state and the nation have been riven by political disagreements over race, immigration and abortion. As the deadly toll became known, the events at Robb Elementary School immediately brought forth wrenching memories of the devastating 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., that left six staff members and 20 children dead, some as young as 6 years old. Six years later, a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Image Emergency workers gathered near the shooting scene. Credit... Dario Lopez-Mills/Associated Press Lydia Martinez Delgado said that her niece Eva Mireles, a teacher of fourth graders at the school, was among those who had died in the rampage. Ms. Mireles had been a teacher for 17 years, her aunt said, and was very loved, an avid hiker and took pride in teaching mostly students of Latino heritage. She was the fun of the party, Ms. Martinez Delgado said. For many, the weight of the tragedy appeared to be compounded by its arrival so soon after a deadly mass killing of Black shoppers in a grocery store in Buffalo, in what was one of the deadliest racist massacres in recent American history. It had been the deadliest shooting in the United States this year until Tuesdays killings in Uvalde. Mr. Abbott said that the shooter was a resident of the same county where the shooting took place, that he attended high school there and that he had acted alone. He entered the elementary school with a handgun and possibly a rifle, the governor said. It was not immediately clear whether the shooting took place in one classroom or several and officials did not release the names or ages of the students killed or of the teacher. At least three children a 9-year-old and two 10-year-olds, one in critical condition were taken to University Health, a hospital in San Antonio, for treatment. Officials were looking into whether the gunman, whom they identified as Salvador Ramos, had been targeting the school or whether he ended up there by chance, according to a law enforcement official, who requested anonymity to describe the investigation that he cautioned was still unfolding. The gunman appeared to have crashed a pickup truck through a barrier at the school before heading inside, the official said. At least two law enforcement officials who had tried to engage the gunman were injured in the shooting, neither seriously, the official said. Marsha Espinosa, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, said at least one agent with the U.S. Border Patrol was wounded after responding to the shooting at Robb Elementary School. Upon entering the building, Agents & other law enforcement officers faced gun fire from the subject, who was barricaded inside, she wrote on Twitter. Shortly before the massacre, a 66-year-old woman was shot in her home in Uvalde, the official said, and later airlifted to a San Antonio hospital with gunshot wounds. The official said the woman appeared to have been the gunmans grandmother and had been shot before the shooting at the school; both shootings, and the connection between them, remained under investigation. The shooting took place just after 11:30 a.m. For much of the afternoon, as word spread, anguished parents were instructed by the district to stay away from the school. Please do not pick up students at this time, the school district instructed parents, directing them to a local civic center. Students need to be accounted for before they are released to your care. Parents and relatives scrambled for any information as news of a shooter at the school turned into the realization that so many children had been killed. Ryan Ramirez told KSAT in San Antonio that he could not find his daughter, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary, when he showed up at the school or at a reunification point at a civic center. Nobodys telling me anything, he said, adding, Im trying to find out where my babys at. Even before much was known about the gunman, his motives or details about the weapons he used, the killings thrust the debate over gun control and Second Amendment rights back into the forefront of national attention. Image A municipal court employee lowered the Texas flag to half-staff. Credit... Christopher Lee for The New York Times Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut and an advocate for gun control legislation, said, I think everybody here is going to be shaken to the core by this. He added: I have no idea how a community deals with this. Theres no way to do this well. Your community is never ever the same after this. The National Rifle Association is set to hold its annual meeting in Houston starting on Friday. Mr. Abbott is among the list of prominent Republicans slated to appear, along with former President Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz. Today is a dark day, Mr. Cruz said in a statement. In messages posted to Twitter he said the nation had seen too many of these shootings, but he did not immediately call for any specific policy proposals to help prevent mass killings. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat whose effort at legislation on background checks for gun purchases was blocked in 2013, said, It makes no sense at all why we cant do common-sense things and try to prevent some of this from happening. Joaquin Castro, a U.S. representative for Texas, described Uvalde, which has about 15,000 residents, as a wonderful, tight-knit community. In the neighborhood around the school, more than 40 percent of residents have lived in the same house for at least 30 years, census data shows. Robb Elementary serves more than 500 students, mostly between the ages of 7 and 10. Roughly 90 percent of the students are Hispanic, according to district records, and almost all of the rest are white. A sign hanging from the brick school building near the edge of the city center reads Welcome! and Bienvenidos! next to the schools logo, a heart. Reporting was contributed by Mike Baker , Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs , Emily Cochrane , Jacey Fortin , Robert Gebeloff , Jesus Jimenez , Alyssa Lukpat , Eduardo Medina , Sarah Mervosh and Michael D. Shear . TOKYO Even before President Biden traveled to Tokyo this week to strengthen a partnership with Australia, India and Japan, the alliance was struggling to present a united front, as India refrained from condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine. Now, with remarks that President Biden made about Taiwan on Monday, the Indo-Pacific bloc is facing another, unexpected complication. On the eve of a summit of the four nations, Mr. Biden said he would defend the democratic island militarily if it were invaded by China, sending shock waves around the globe and placing the allies in a tricky position as they seek to avoid further antagonizing Beijing. On Tuesday in Tokyo, Mr. Biden sought to temper his comments. Standing alongside the three other leaders of the grouping known as the Quad, he said his administration had not abandoned the strategic ambiguity over Taiwan long embraced by the United States. Asked if he would send in troops if China attacked Taiwan, Mr. Biden said, The policy has not changed at all. The missile launches on Wednesday were a strong signal that North Korea was embarking on a new cycle of tensions in the Korean Peninsula despite the countrys first reported outbreak of the coronavirus. It also constituted North Koreas public reaction to Mr. Bidens trip to the region, where he met with the leaders of South Korea and Japan and vowed to step up measures, including joint military exercises, to help deter the growing nuclear and missile threat from the North. The country has also been conducting high-explosive tests in recent weeks, indicating that a nuclear test may be imminent, Mr. Kim, the South Korean presidential aide, said on Wednesday. High explosives are used to help trigger fission in a nuclear device, and North Korea has conducted dozens of high-explosive tests over the years. In a meeting with Mr. Yoon in Seoul last Saturday, Mr. Biden said that the United States would bolster the alliance and increase deterrence in the face of the North Korean threat. Mr. Biden and Mr. Yoon announced that they would explore ways to expand joint military exercises that had been canceled or scaled down under President Donald J. Trump. While in South Korea, Mr. Biden voiced a deep skepticism about the chances of meeting North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, whom Mr. Trump met three times. Asked by reporters if he had a message for Mr. Kim, Mr. Biden said simply: Hello. Period. Mr. Yoon has been highly skeptical of North Korea, as well, saying that the efforts by his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, to engage with the North in dialogue and reconciliation have failed to roll back its nuclear weapons program. When Mr. Yoon was sworn into office on May 10, he dangled an audacious plan to vastly improve the Norths economy and its peoples quality of life. But like his conservative predecessors, he attached an important caveat: Such economic largess would be possible only if North Korea genuinely embarks on a process to complete denuclearization. The missile tests on Wednesday indicated that North Korea was not interested in nuclear disarmament talks anytime soon. In a speech delivered during a nighttime military parade in April, North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, reiterated that his people should prepare for a standoff with the United States for a long period of time. He also vowed to expand his arsenal of nuclear warheads, intercontinental ballistic missiles and other delivery vehicles at the fastest possible speed. Follow the latest news on Russias war in Ukraine. DAVOS, Switzerland Fears of a global food crisis are swelling as Russian attacks on Ukraines ability to produce and export grain have choked off one of the worlds breadbaskets, fueling charges that President Vladimir V. Putin is using food as a powerful new weapon in his three-month-old war. World leaders called on Tuesday for international action to deliver 20 million tons of grain now trapped in Ukraine, predicting that the alternative could be hunger in some countries and political unrest in others, in what could be the gravest global repercussion yet of Russias assault on its neighbor. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where worries about the wars consequences have eclipsed almost every other issue, speakers reached for apocalyptic language to describe the threat. Its a perfect storm within a perfect storm, said David Beasley, the executive director of the World Food Program, a United Nations agency. Calling the situation absolutely critical, he warned, We will have famines around the world. The worlds food distribution network was already strained by pandemic-related disruptions, and exports from Ukraine, ordinarily among the worlds biggest suppliers, have plummeted because of the war. Russia has seized some the countrys Black Sea ports and blockaded the rest, trapping cargo vessels laden with corn, wheat, sunflower seeds, barley and oats. Eight Russian soldiers and mercenaries were charged on Tuesday with the murder of the mayor of a small Kyiv suburb and her family, Ukraines prosecutor general said. The mayor, Olha Sukhenko, was found in a shallow grave in her village, Motyzhyn, about 30 miles west of Kyiv, on April 2, after Russians withdrew from their positions around the capital. Her husband and son were buried with her. The prosecutor general, Irina Venediktova, said five of the accused men were soldiers in the Russian Army and three were part of the private military group Wagner, which is run by a businessman close to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The soldiers included two lieutenants and three sergeants from one unit, the 37th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade. They kidnapped Olga Sukhenko, her husband and son from the home of the village of Motizhyn, Ms. Venediktova wrote on Facebook, publishing the names and photographs of all eight men. LONDON At a church in East London this month, Imogen Moore-Shelley balanced her 6-month-old on her hip as she scrawled an important message on a poster: Useful information for sponsors. She then handed her marker to Natalia, a Ukrainian woman who had moved into Ms. Moore-Shelleys home a week earlier. Natalia then wrote the message in Ukrainian as people filtered into the church for a luncheon bringing together refugees and the Londoners opening their homes to them. Natalia and Ms. Moore-Shelleys story of a woman fleeing war and finding shelter with a stranger 1,300 miles away served as a hopeful example of a smooth transition to safety in Britain. But not every experience with a British visa program meant for Ukrainians fleeing war has been so easy, and many of the sponsors gathered at the church, unable to get clear answers from the government, were looking to one another for advice. Weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, and amid widespread criticism that it was not doing enough to help, the British government began Homes for Ukraine, a program meant to offer Ukrainians a quick path to safety. But despite tens of thousands of Britons having expressed interest in playing host, the rollout has been painfully slow. Gov. Kay Ivey is seeking a second full term in the governors office. Shes facing a primary challenge from Lynda Blanchard, who was the U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia during the Trump administration but has been unable to secure the former presidents endorsement. Alabama Gov. Sen. House 22 weeks Prohibited Weeks or months A judge blocked a total ban on abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest, but abortion opponents would most likely seek its enforcement if Roe were overturned. Arkansas 22 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect within days. Idaho Viability Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would take effect 30 days after the Supreme Courts decision. Kentucky 22 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect immediately. Louisiana 22 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect immediately. Mississippi 20 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would take effect within days. Missouri Viability Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect within days. North Dakota 22 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would take effect 30 days after the Supreme Courts decision. Oklahoma At fertilization Prohibited Immediately The state enacted the most restrictive ban in the country in May, prohibiting nearly all abortions. To sidestep Roe, the law relies on civilian enforcement, which has been hard to challenge in court. The state also has a trigger ban. South Dakota 22 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect immediately. Tennessee 20 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect about 30 days after the court overturned Roe. Texas 6 weeks Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest, would take effect 30 days after the Supreme Courts decision. Utah Viability Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would take effect within days. West Virginia 22 weeks Prohibited Weeks or months Voters approved an amendment to the states Constitution that denies any right to abortion. Lawmakers could use the amendment to enact a total ban. Wyoming Viability Prohibited Immediately A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would take effect within 30 days of the Supreme Courts decision. Arizona Viability Prohibited or restricted Weeks or months The state enacted an abortion ban after 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest, which should take effect in September. It has an inactive ban from before 1973, but the governor has said the 15-week ban would take precedence. Florida 24 weeks Prohibited or restricted Weeks or months The state enacted an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, which will go into effect in July. The states high court recognized the right to abortion in its Constitution three decades ago, but the court has become more conservative, with three of the seven judges appointed by the Republican governor. Georgia 22 weeks Prohibited or restricted Weeks or months The state enacted a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, but a court blocked it. The state filed an appeal and a court stayed the case pending a Supreme Court decision on Dobbs. Ohio 22 weeks Prohibited or restricted Weeks or months The state enacted a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest, but it is temporarily blocked in court. Abortion opponents are likely to seek its enforcement. Detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has demanded immediate stoppage of the senseless killings going on in the South East. The IPOB Leader who spoke from the Department of State Services, DSS, detention in Abuja where he is currently detained expressed rage over the spate of bloodletting and insecurity in the South East. Kanu's younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu who spoke with Vanguard Monday evening, after visiting the IPOB Leader in detention said he was saddened by the reports of Killings across South East. He said that his brother "does not believe in bloodshed" and felt too bad that blood suckers had been on the prowl in the South East almost unchallenged. Kanu was quoted as saying that all those behind the current killings in South East must be held accountable for their atrocities, saying that Ndigbo are not known for cannibalism. The IPOB Leader also demanded the immediate release of Mrs Ukamaka Ejezie popularly known as ' Mama Biafra'. According to him the septuagenarian was arrested during Kanu's last court appearance in Abuja on May 18. Kanu said that the woman had been acting as his mother since his parents died in 2020. He said that the old woman commited no crime for coming to Abuja to solidarise with him at the court when she was arrested. " I saw her at the DSS detention cell after her clothes were washed and spread on the wall.. I demand that she be released because she commited no crime. " She is an old woman and since my mother died I have taken her as my mother. The DSS should release her", Kanu was quoted as saying The IPOB Leader also cleared the air over whether he was the one that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Abambra State met when he visited the DSS headquarters last week. He said that there was no basiis for people to doubt whether he was the person that Soludo met, explaining that the Barcelona club attire he wore when the Governor visited was his night wear. Kanu urged all to ensure there is peace in South East which is known for peace, adding that those behind the insecurity in the zone do not mean well for the people. Former House Speaker-designate Bob Livingston has signed on to represent the Shetland Space Centre, which is part of the UKs bid to grab a share of the European small satellite launch business. Lockheed Martin plans to develop UK launch operations from the Shetland Space Center on the island of Unst. The British government identified Unst as the best location for the launch of small vertical rockets transporting satellites into low earth orbits. Its northern location also makes it ideal for tracking satellites already in orbit. When fully operational in 2024, the launch facility is expected to support more than 600 jobs in Scotland. The initial launch is slated for later this year. The Livingston Group has a five-member team working on the Shetland Space Centre. Viktor Orban In 1956, courageous Hungarians revolted against the Soviet Unions occupation. The Kremlin brutally crushed the uprising, leaving thousands dead and the Hungarian prime minister executed. But the free world celebrated Hungarys resolve to throw off the chains of Soviet authoritarianism. Its shocking to me, then, that Hungary has embraced authoritarianism by electing President Viktor Orban to a fourth term. Orban has clamped down on independent media, dissent, and his political opposition in a style modeled after every previous fascist dictator. Maybe I shouldnt be so surprised. This isnt Hungarys first fascist fandango. It allied itself with the Axis powers during World War II only to see the beautiful city of Budapest bombed into rubble. Youd think that lesson would still be fresh in the minds of Hungarians, yet heres the new fascist replacing the old fascists. So, guess which U.S. political organization held its annual meeting in Budapest last week with dictator Orban as its keynote speaker? CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Committee. There was a time these radical right zealots at least paid lip service to Americas constitutional democracy. But by making Orban its paragon of superior leadership, CPAC has unabashedly revealed its own fascist aspirations. The dictionary definition of fascism: A political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. Orban checks all those boxes. Heres a taste of the red meat he tossed to his adoring CPAC audience: Progressive liberal, neo-Marxists dazed by the woke dream, people financed by George Soros and promoters of open societies want to annihilate the Western way of life you and us (sic) love so much, proclaimed Orban. Soros was born in Hungary and as a child escaped extermination at the hands of the Nazis and the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross. He is a frequent radical right target because he supports progressive causes. That the billionaire is also Jewish plays into the rights anti-Semitic puppet master trope. One of the featured speakers last week, incidentally, was a Hungarian talk show host who calls Jews stinking excrement. We must coordinate the movement of our troops as we face a big test, 2024 will be a decisive year, Orban said. (We must also) reconquer the institutions in Washington D.C. and Brussels (home of NATO and the European Union). More fascist fantasizing about taking through force that which they cant democratically winas in the infamous 1/6 MAGA insurrection. Viktor Orban is a joke. Hes a puny man running a small country. Hungary has a population of about 10 million, roughly the same as Georgia. Its GDP of $180 billion ranks 58th in the world. Its people are mostly homogenous, descended from, yes, Huns. For CPAC to pretend Orban is anything but a tin pot tyrant is also a joke. Nothing he has to say is in any way applicable to our multicultural, multi-racial, multi-religious, democratic country of 330 million with a GDP of $21 trillion. Were a nation of immigrants and it is Americas diversity that helps make us the richest, most powerful country in the world. The usual American radical right demagogues were in Budapest last week smoking their own exhaust and applauding Orban. But the star of the Hungarians show was Fox News Tucker Carlson, who put in a video appearance to praise Orban. In return the fascist said Carlson and his ilk should spew their incendiary garbage 24/7. Monday is Memorial Day when we honor our fallen servicemen and women, including those who died in World War II defending democracy from a fascist onslaught in Europe and Asia. Hitler espoused the same albeit less sanitized rhetoric were hearing from todays neo-fascistsracial and religious purity, demonizing minorities, Jews and immigrants, persecuting LGBTQ people, suppressing independent media, seizing power, and punishing political opponents. As I remember my visit to the American Cemetery in Luxembourg where I saw row upon row of crosses and Stars of David, I wonder what our heroes who fought and died at the Battle of the Bulge would think of Americas radical right in 2022. *** Kevin Foley is CEO of KEF Media in Atlanta. Stop nannying Joe President Bidens communications team does him a grave disservice every time it clumsily attempts to walk back a statement that it views as contrary to US policy or a verbal blunder. That only reinforces the perception that Biden is a human gaffe machine or has lost a mental step or two. Did it occur to any members of the White Houses crackerjack PR team that he really meant it when he committed the US to militarily defend Taiwan against an invasion by China? Duh! It's only the fourth time that he's made such a statement. The communications people went into overdrive after Bidens May 23 remark, saying there was no official change in American policy and that strategic ambivalence remains in place. That same fuzzy strategic ambivalence, though, encourages China to crank up the pressure on Taiwan, testing the islands defenses 24/7. Bidens Taiwan statement won strong praise from Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. President Biden is right. Credible deterrence requires both courage and clarityand Taiwans vibrant democracy deserves our full support, tweeted Jerseys Bob Menendez, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. South Carolinas Lindsay Graham chimed in: "President Bidens statement that if push came to shove the U.S. would defend Taiwan against communist China was the right thing to say and the right thing to do. The Wall Street Journal's editorial page, not a friend of Joe, chided the White House PR staff: The constant White House walk-backs of the presidents statements undermine his personal credibility with allies and adversaries. It called the president a master of the verbal muddle, but perhaps he is doing this intentionally. Knowing the US will intervene could draw in allies such as the UK, Australia and Japan to defend Taiwan, which may give Chinese president Xi Jinping some pause about the costs of an invasion, continued the WSJ. Keep on talking, Joe and tell your PR busy buddies to chill. After all, youve been doing this international affairs stuff long before many of them were even born. The trust gap widens between the haves and have-nots. The special geopolitical report of the Edelman Trust Barometer finds trust has surged in the US, UK and Germany due to their robust response to the Ukraine crisis. The bulk of that surge was in the top quartile of income while the lowest quartile remained stagnant. The UK shows the biggest gap (34 points) followed by Germany (28 points), US (23 points) and France (23 points). Richard Edelman calls the divide between the rich and poor a watch out. Off with their corporate heads. Egon Zehnder advisory firm released a CEO survey at the World Economic Forum, predicting that many of the corporate swells at Davos may not be around for next years extravaganza in the Alps. The survey found that CEO departures are becoming increasingly frequent, just about setting a new record every year since 2011. EZ found an alarming proportion of the CEOs who leave the role do so unexpectedly. Almost four-in-ten (39 percent) CEOs "suddenly resigned or were fired, or caught off guard when the boards decided not to renew their contract. A significant number of CEO exits were due to serious illness or death. Half of the 214 large publicly traded companies surveyed by EZ appointed three or more chiefs from 2011 to 2020. Thats great news for EZ, which is a top executive recruiter. Offaly actor Tadhg Devery has just won his second award for his role as The Chi in Follow the Dead, a feature film shot in the county. The film has won 15 awards and earned eight nominations from festivals all over the globe, including Sunscreen Film Festival in Florida, Fright Night Film Festival in Kentucky, Wales International Film Festival and the Kerry International Film Festival. Tadhg won his first award for Best Supporting Actor at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival earlier this year, but his second comes from the Achill Island Film Festival which had its inaugural event over the weekend. Tadhg walked away with the Standout Performance award at the ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Tadhg's performance was the talk of the evening at the opening night feature screening of Follow the Dead. Fellow actor Emily Swain, who flew over from England to be at the festival, said, "I loved the authentic relationships, and that the zombie narrative builds around that unit, rather than the zombies defining the heart of the film. This worked so well and is guaranteed to win you over, zombie fan or not!" The festival itself took place on Achill, and director Adam William Cahill said "it was incredible to take in the awe-inspiring views of the hills, the cliffs, and the ocean, while getting to meet some like-minded filmmakers and enthusiasts, and seeing some of the wonderful films that were on display." You can find out more about the film at www.followthedead.com The members of Offaly County Council have called on the government to show some commonsense and abandon its cliff-edge turf ban plan. All the councillors bar one supported a motion put forward by Councillor Ken Smollen during the May monthly meeting of Offaly County Council which called on the government to row back back on its plan. Cllr Smollen told the meeting that he wanted the government to abandon for the time being its aim to stop the commercial sale of turf, until an affordable alternative should become available. The government must take into consideration, he said, that many thousands of families depend on the use of commercially purchased turf for heating and cooking in their homes. Cllr Smollen's motion was seconded by Cllr Sean O'Brien. Thousands of families, commented Cllr Smollen, many of them in Offaly, are facing fuel poverty. The government's plan to stop the commercial sale of turf from September onwards is causing huge concern to many people that we represent as councillors. They are facing fuel poverty. We all want cleaner forms of energy but that costs a lot of money, money which these people simply don't have. Cllr O'Brien said it is unintelligent and insensitive to expect people who have been using turf for many years to simply abandon it. He said it was like a guillotine was being brutally and harshly applied to the issue. Cllr O'Brien said he feels the plan smacks of a D4 thought process, whereby people with no regard or understanding of rural areas are making harsh and incorrect decisions. It is obvious that the people who are making these decisions are not really cognisant of what rural Ireland is all about. Cllr O'Brien strongly criticised the government's retrofitting and insulation programme. It is ridiculously slow, he remarked. It is a failure thus far, simply because an awful lot of people can't afford it. Cllr O'Brien pointed out that turf-cutting is in many people's DNA. They have cut at small banks of turf for years, and it is painful for them to think of giving that up. Seeing briquettes from foreign countries in our shops and forecourts makes them very angry; they see it as being farcical. Cllr Mark Hackett opposed the motion. Cllr Hackett said the government is backing a clean air policy because smoky fuel like coal and turf has been linked to cancer and to death, causing about 1300 deaths in Ireland per year. This is about human health. It is about saving lives,' commented the councillor. We must protect the citizens of this country. I am putting forward a counter-motion stating that the government supply extra funding to help people transition to wood pellet stoves. Cllr Hackett added that the government's policy will mean we won't see lignite briquettes from abroad being sold in our shops anymore. Therefore Cllr O'Brien is throwing up something of a red herring in this regard. The government is conscious of foreign imports of fuel and will stop it happening. The government is also saying that it will support people on low incomes. This means that no one will suffer on account of this clean air strategy. All of us in this Council chamber know and accept that turf is on the way out. Cllr John Foley said he one hundred percent supported Cllr Smollen's motion. Cllr Leahy said he understood where Cllr Hackett was coming from but he had to go with Cllr Smollen. I think Ken wins the argument on this occasion, remarked Cllr Leahy. We all want cleaner air, but this is being rushed. We need more time to bring about an affordable alternative for peat. A lot of people are coming to me and are asking me to look into the SEAI grants. The SEAI grants are too expensive. You are spending two thirds to get a third. The SEAI grants are not fit for purpose. Turf is a lifeline for people and it should remain so until we find a decent alternative. We all know turf is on the way out but it's not being done right. Cllr Smollen pointed out that 43% of people in Offaly depend on solid fuel for heating and cooking. Most of these people don't have turbary rights, nor will they get gifts of turf from relatives or friends. Most people buy their peat in shops or from local vendors. The match funding for the retrofitting grants can be 30,000 to 40,000, a sum which many people don't have. The government's plan is dreamland stuff. He said the transition period away from turf was supposed to be over the 2020s until 2030, but the fast forward button has been applied to it. Cllr Smollen was sceptical about the health claims. While 1300 die each year on a nationwide basis I would hazard a guess that very few, if any of them are from Offaly. A lot of elderly people have sat beside turf fires for decades and it didn't do them any harm because they reached ripe old ages. He added that there should be grants to encourage people to transition from turf burning to wood pellet stoves. It costs 7,000 to install a wood pellet stove, money which a lot of people don't have. The government badly needs to revisit its retrofitting programme, reiterated Cllr O'Brien. Our county needs a longer time to transition away from turf. Cllr Eamon Dooley pointed out that during the May meeting of Birr Municipal District the Senior Engineer in the Housing Section of the Council told the councillors that tenants in new Council houses won't be allowed to have wood pellet stoves. The houses will be heated by heat pumps. No naked flames, in heating formats, will be permissible. The Council is talking about air to water heat pumps in the new houses, remarked Cllr Dooley, which is sometimes underfloor heating, sometimes via radiators in the rooms. Unfortunately installing heat pumps with underfloor heating can cost up to 80,000. You know, we had to support the banks during the financial crash; now I think the government should support the lads with the turf banks. Cllr Tony McCormack agreed with Cllr Smollen's motion. The plan to stop the commercial sale of turf from September onwards has been ill thought out, he remarked. We are in the throes of a cost of living crisis. To ask people to stop burning turf during this crisis will cause huge problems. I can't support this outright ban. The government talks about neighbours and relatives gifting turf to others. What about all those who are not in the way of receiving these gifts? I'd be sceptical as well about the government providing extra funding to those who wish to transition to pellet stoves. We all know how slow, if not non-existent, such funding streams can be. Besides, it's possible that because of the war in Ukraine we may see rationing in oil and gas. This might mean that turf will be the only source of heating for people. I hear the arguments about air safety. I understand them. I have sympathy for them. But this is all being done too quickly and with not enough consideration for people. Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick said working on the bog is very hard work. I don't know anyone who likes working on the bog. You know, even people with air to water heat pumps are being hit with higher costs. Wood pellet costs are going up. It is very unfair to suddenly stop everything in September. There is merit in what Mark is saying, commented Cllr Danny Owens, and I agree with him to a certain extent; but the timescale is all wrong. It is badly thought out, where you are just cutting it off at the stump and people are left in a difficult position. Cllr Declan Harvey, Cathaoirleach, said he will continue to burn turf for as long as I can get it. If they tell me to stop burning it in September I will continue to fill my shed with turf. They will have to clear out my shed, because I won't do it. The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, travelled to Mucklagh, Co Offaly, on Monday, May 16, to perform a site visit of a Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) social housing scheme. The development in Castle View, Mucklagh was constructed by Hanney Properties Limited, with funding provided by Home Building Finance Ireland. Hanney Properties Limited secured a contract for the sale of the entire scheme to Offaly County Council. The development, which comprises eight two/three bedroomed homes, has recently completed and is now ready for handover to Offaly County Council, which is expected in the coming weeks. The eight-unit development falls within Home Building Finance Irelands core product offering for the finance of residential development. Housing for All outlines the key priorities to ensure delivery of 33,000 homes per year between now and the end of 2030. One of these priorities is to ensure that adequate finance is available to housebuilders across Ireland. Home Building Finance Irelands role is to provide loans directly to housebuilders to build new homes for owner-occupiers, renters, and social housing. To March 2022, Home Building Finance Ireland has approved funding of 1,129m across 81 projects in 20 counties. This funding will support the building of 4,920 new homes. TWO Offaly community groups have separately been awarded a combined total of over 16,000 for activities to assist with peatlands conservation. Cloghan Development Association has been awarded 14,030 to create a 10km track allowing the local community to enjoy the areas boglands. Clara Heritage Society has been awarded 2,280 in Government funding to host a Summer Solstice Event on the Tonys Hill area of Clara Bog. The aim of the event is to bring residents from the town and surrounding areas closer to their heritage while informing them of the historical, environmental and social importance of peatlands. Total grant funding of 160,000 has been announced by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD under the Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme. The scheme encourages local peatland communities, local groups, local schools and individuals to conserve and revitalise fens, raised and blanket bog in Special Areas of Conservation, Natural Heritage Areas and other peatland areas. It also promotes public engagement with and awareness of our natural heritage. The focus of the scheme is on community-led projects and volunteer group, who play a vital role in helping to promote and implement peatland conservation and restoration in Ireland. The scheme is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, a division of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Funding from the 2022 Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme will support peatland conversation projects in many ways including: Conducting surveys to inform peatland restoration management plans, Developing visitor amenities, including the installation of information and anti-littering signage The development and maintenance on bog trails, Public outreach, such as the production of information booklets, brochures and training manuals, awareness and education days, education programmes and hosting of seminars with expert speakers. Projects that will benefit from this funding span across Ireland including Galway, Westmeath, Kildare, Offaly, Mayo, Kerry, Cavan, Monaghan and Dublin. AFTER a few short years beached in Offaly, the 60-foot whale in Boora is on the move. The fake sea creature was rescued from almost certain destruction by Bord na Mona after being created for the hit TV series Vikings. The scene involving the whale (see a still below was filmed in a bog in Co Kildare and the episode was first aired in Ireland in late 2020 and in Canada in early 2021. Once the producers were finished with the massive prop, they decided to offer it to Bord na Mona instead of sinking it for ever, hence its surprise appearance just inside the entrance to Lough Boora Parklands. Now, however, it looks like the whale's current residency is coming to a close. When the whale initially washed up in Boora some thought it must be a reference to the bog's prehistoric heritage, like the nearby uprooted ancient trees. But no, it seems whales never swam in the Boora area. At the time of the whale's move from Kildare to Offaly, the episode had not been broadcast and a confidentiality clause was in place. He appeared here a year-and-a-half before the programme actually came out and we couldn't talk about him, said Lisa Healy, a guide at Lough Boora. It needed a home or it was going to be destroyed, she added. So we took it but people were thinking 'Game of Thrones' or whatever so it didn't fit with what we are doing here. The whale was nonetheless a hit with Lough Boora visitors and many posed for pictures with him, so many that Bord na Mona had to put up signs discouraging people from climbing up on his back. WATCH: A bloody fight scene in Vikings ends with actor Adam Copeland, playing the deranged madman Kjetill, mounts the whale which is now in Lough Boora. Julie McLoughlin, manager of Lough Boora Discovery Park, said Bord na Mona had yet to decide exactly what to do with the whale. The whale has no significance so we're hoping to put [alternative] plans in place. I've been trying to see if I could find someone who would like a whale but it's not that easy. Ms McLoughlin was speaking on the day Bord na Mona marked National Biodiversity Week with a guided tour at Lough Boora by one of the company's ecologists, David McNicholas. We got our ecologists out on the ground to give people an idea of what's actually in the parklands. We hope to do more and more of that, she said. The bike hire service resumed in April and is currently open five days a week but will expand to seven days for the summer. There was controversy when the original bike rental operator Pat Barrett failed to win the contract to continue and a Dublin-based company run by GAA star Conal Keaney was instead chosen. Ms McLoughlin said Bord na Mona is delighted with the service Orla and Sean Clancy are providing in place with the Organic Kitchen. Guided 90-minute tours are available at Boora as are 5k and 10k walk options, plus the cycle tours around Lough Boora as far as Turraun. In the longer term, a cycle route linking Lough Boora with the site of a proposed Bord na Mona wind farm in Derrinlough is being considered. Lough Boora was also used recently for a Darkness Into Light fundraiser for Pieta House. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said he would pay attention to insecurity if elected president. The presidential aspirant said this when he met with the party's delegates on Monday. "On arriving here, we flew over large expanses of land, land with agricultural potential. It made me happy as I know we can and will transform Yobe. We will make it a productive state, employ mechanised irrigation, and process sorghum and cotton for local consumption and export." "We must utilise our potential as a country to train and employ our youths, deploy modern technology, lower consumer prices, feed our growing population and export finished products. We must also establish commodity exchange boards and consider credit reforms so as to better support our agricultural value chain," he said. Speaking on insecurity in the North-East, he said: "I view the issue of insecurity with utmost seriousness and will give it the highest priority in my administration. Our military, police force and security agencies are committed and capable. They have sacrificed much and lost many colleagues in the noble and necessary battle to protect this nation from threats. We must help their brave efforts by further equipping them with high-grade, advanced military/law enforcement assets and by fashioning strategies appropriate for the challenges we face." Governor Mai Mala Buni welcomed the APC leader to the state, saying Nigeria's history is incomplete without him. Buni said, "The history of democratic struggle in Nigeria cannot be complete without a mention of your tremendous work, from NADECO days to being the last man standing and preventing our nation from being a one-party state. "For us in Yobe, this is a homecoming. You are here to interface with your brothers and sisters our delegates. Yobe is your home and you are home." From Damaturu, Yobe State capital, Tinubu proceeded to Maiduguri, Borno State, to address the APC delegates. Earlier, Governor Babagana Zulum welcomed him to the Multi-purpose Hall of the Government House, Maiduguri. Speaking to the delegates, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to overhauling major sectors of the country towards stabilizing the economy, creating job opportunities, ensuring security and upgrading infrastructure among others. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "We will implement structural, economic and social reforms to lay the foundation for long-term sustainable growth. Industrialisation policies will no longer be confined to the pages of government reports. They will be put into action. My administration will put them into action." he said. Former Governor of the state, Senator Kashim Shettima, described Tinubu as a king who has made many kings and as the candidate who is best suited to govern Nigeria at such a pivotal time. Speaking on Tinubu's record as an unpaired statesman, Governor Zulum talked about Asiwaju's long-standing devotion to uniting Nigeria. On the sidelines of his meeting with delegates in the two states, the APC leader had paid courtesy calls on both the Emir of Damaturu, Alhaji Hashimi 11 El-Kanemi, and Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, who cut short his visit out of Maiduguri to receive Tinubu. Marie Dyer lived in Bondi when the Japanese launched an aerial attack on Sydneys eastern suburbs. After the war she visited Japan and bumped into the pilot who flew reconnaissance missions over the city. The move ends a diplomatic freeze of more than two years in which Beijing refused to engage with Canberra at the ministerial or prime ministerial level. The White House is again walking back the presidents gung-ho remarks about defending Taiwan from China. Is Biden confused or just indiscrete? Queensland Labor MPs have lined up to sing the praises of new prime minister Anthony Albanese, amid jeers from the LNP opposition about the success of the Greens. Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden have enjoyed a warm start to the beginning of their relationship. Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja, has struck out a suit by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, against the Attorney-general of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over his rumoured presidential ambition. The order striking out the suit followed a notice of withdrawal filed by Emefiele. The court held that Emefiele had the right to file the notice of withdrawal, adding that the notice of discontinuance was valid. At a resumed sitting on Monday, Emefiele, through his counsel, S. Maliki, informed Justice Mohammed of the notice of discontinuance, which he said had been filed and served on the defendants in the matter. Maliki, holding the brief of Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said they had Emefiele's instruction to withdraw the suit. "Pursuant to the instruction of the plaintiff (Emefiele), we filed a notice of discontinuance dated and filed May 16, 2022. "The said notice of discontinuance was served on all the defendants on May 16, 2022, which proof of service is before your lordship," Maliki said. The lawyer said all the defendants except the 4th and 5th defendants filed a counter affidavit in response to the plaintiff's amended originating summons, after the notice of withdrawal had been served on them. He prayed the court to discontinue the suit and make an order striking it out, since parties did not join issues, citing Order 50 of the rules of the Federal High Court. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Lawyer to the 4th defendant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, however, opposed Emefiele's withdrawal notice, and urged the court to dismiss the suit with N1.5 million cost. But counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Chris Nevo and T. J. Adi respectively did not object to the withdrawal notice. Nevo asked the court to award a N1million cost against Emefiele. In the originating summon marked FHC/ABJ/CS/610/2022, the CBN Governor among other reliefs, prayed the court for, "A declaration that the provisions of secticn 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), which are inconsistent with the provisions of section 137(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which and have been declared so by a court of competent jurisdiction cannot be relied upon by the Defendants to disqualify the plaintiff from contesting an election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or from contesting or participating in the parties' primaries, or other convention or congress for election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, scheduled for 25th February, 2023. "A declaration that by the provisions of section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, a political party cannot by its constitution, guidelines or rules impose any criteria, measures or conditions, nomination, qualification or disqualification criteria, for any aspirant or candidate including the plaintiff herein in its primaries during its convention or congress for nomination of its candidates for election besides those criteria as prescribed under sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 187 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)." 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Australias top-ranked player is out of Roland Garros, accusing the boisterous home crowd of going over the line with their impassioned support for his French opponent. Watch VideoPresident Joe Biden departs on a six-day trip to South Korea and Japan aiming to build rapport with the two nations'.. Newsy 19 May 2022 The Russia House in Davos has always sold the Russia story to global investors, but now it's having to tell a rather bitter truth. In the absence of Russians, Ukraine is making sure Moscow's excesses are not forgotten. Meghan Markle's father might have suffered a stroke Monday night ... as he was rushed to a hospital by ambulance. Paramedics loaded Thomas Markle into the ambulance in Tijuana, strapped an oxygen mask to his face and transported him around 9:30 PM Germany's health minister has given "urgent recommendation" of 21 day isolation period for infected people, despite the disease not being considered the start of a new pandemic. Biden said he'd be willing to defend Taiwan from China. His aides worked to clarify his remark. Gaffe or strategy? Zee News 23 May 2022 "We are writing new rules for the 21st-century economy. We are going to have all our country's economies grow faster and fair," US.. President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Kano said Nigeria would definitely overcome all the security challenges evident in the country within the shortest possible time. The president also applauded the role of Minister of Defence, the chief of the defence staff, and all the service chiefs as well as the leadership of the security agencies for a job well done. President Buhari charged them to "remain steadfast as we forge ahead to achieving a secure, peaceful and more prosperous Nigeria." Speaking at the ceremonial parade to commemorate its 58th anniversary, the President said the Air Force had transformed into a formidable entity, ready to confront immediate and future challenges. He hailed the Nigerian Air Force for living up to its constitutional responsibilities of securing the nation, and in the process, justifying the investments of the government of the day in the force. "This adaptability has thus enabled the service to respond effectively to our dynamic national security challenges. The Nigerian Air Force has been able to meet its constitutional responsibilities thereby justifying the government's enormous support in the last seven years. "I, therefore, congratulate the chief of the air staff, officers and airmen/airwomen as well as civilian staff of the Nigerian Air Force on this occasion of the 58th anniversary," the President added. He noted that on assumption of office in 2005, he "promised to equip and re-professionalise our armed forces to perform their constitutional duties effectively. "We have therefore demonstrated the required political will and leadership as well as committed resources towards capacity building and re-professionalizing of the armed forces. "Today, I can say confidently that the armed forces have indeed witnessed tremendous improvement in the past seven years. In particular, the provision of modern equipment and personnel motivation through enhanced welfare are also ongoing. "The provision of modern equipment and personnel motivation" like the Super Tucanos and the Augusta helicopter gunships among others, had greatly helped turn the tide in the fight against terrorists and other non-state actors, and sustained the Nigerian Air Force." He said the administration would continue to provide more platforms such as the Beechcraft, some modern helicopter gunships and UAV for the Nigerian Air Force to enable it to man the nations airspace more effectively. Today marks the three-month anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night accusing Russia of inflicting as many casualties and as much infrastructure destruction as possible. London mayor Sadiq Khan has asked police for an explanation after "smoking gun" pictures emerged of Boris Johnson drinking at an event during lockdown - for which he was not fined. The latest pictures from inside Downing Street appear to show the prime minister raising a glass at a party on a date he told parliament there had been none. Mateusz Morawiecki also warned that only the Russian leader would be happy with a UK-EU trade war. One of Asia's largest computer trade shows, Computex, kicks off in Taiwan's capital city Taipei after a 3-year hiatus due to COVID-19, as the island looks to solidify its position in the high tech industry. Following the retreat of Russian forces from near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Euronews' Valerie Gauriat travels to the region to look into the alleged war crimes by Russian troops against the civilian population. The federal government announced today that it has assembled almost $100 million in military aid for Ukraine Canada's biggest single donation of military equipment to the country since the start of Russia's invasion. A hospital in the small city of Uvalde said two people were killed and several were injured during a shooting at an elementary school. The attack at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in which 14 children and a teacher were killed, was the countrys deadliest shooting this year. Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku, a former Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, and a former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, yesterday won Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial tickets at the primary elections in their states. Also, while former minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi won the party's senatorial ticket in Kwara State, chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has lost the PDP primary election. The PDP, in continuation of its primary elections for various elective positions ahead of the 2023 general election held its senatorial primary election nationwide. It however shifted the exercise in the South East to today following the sit-at-home order in states of the region yesterday. Ishaku dedicates victory to 7 years achievements In Taraba Governor Ishaku dedicated his unopposed candidature for the Southern Senatorial zone to the seven years achievements of his administration. The governor who was returned as the senatorial candidate by the team of the PDP electoral committee at Wukari Stadium, said his ability to change the narrative in the state earned him the senatorial ticket without competing with anyone. Announcing the result of the election, which was observed by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, PDP electoral committee chairman for Taraba South senatorial primary election, Prof. Mato Dogola, said delegates from five local government areas participated in the election. "Delegates from five local government areas including Takum, Ussa, Donga, Wukari and Ibi participated in the primary election. "During the election, 158 delegates were accredited, four were invalides, having fulfill the necessary requirements by Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, I hereby declare him elected and return as the PDP flag bearer," he said. Taraba State deputy governor, Engr. Haruna Manu, also won the PDP senatorial ticket for Taraba Central, while David Ishaya won ticket for the Northern senatorial district. Similarly, former Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, emerged unopposed as PDP senatorial candidate for Gombe North. He became the party's flag bearer after other aspirants, namely Bayero Nafada, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and Hamma Saleh, stepped down for him. The returning officer for the election in the senatorial zone, Habu Zarma, made this known after the exercise. Turaki, Namadi, Zanna Emerge PDP Senatorial Candidates In Jigawa Former Jigawa State governor Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki also emerged the PDP flag bearer for the Jigawa North West Senatorial Zone after the primary election which held in Gumel. Other party candidates who won the party primary election included Alhaji Mustapha Habib (Zannan Dutse)/for Jigawa Central and Hon Hussaini Namadi for Jigawa North East zone. All the candidates emerged unopposed. Commenting on the conduct of the primary election, the PDP state chairman, Hon Babandi Ibrahim Gumel, described the exercise as successful and encouraging. Hon Babandi said PDP's preparation to take over Jigawa State in the forthcoming 2023 general election is going smoothly as the National and State Assemblies' primary election were hitch free. He called on PDP members and delegates to sustain the tempo in the next coming gubernatorial primary election. Ned Nwoko, Amori, Others Secure Senate Tickets In Delta In Delta North, the contest was between Mr Paul Osaji and Hon Ned Nwoko. While Ned Nwoko, a former House Representatives member scored 242, Osaji scored 67. There were 312 delegates, 310 accredited by the Nosa Omogbon, Johbull Edema and Kelly Penawou three men committee. Also, Senator Ighoyota Amori won PDP ticket for Delta Central Senatorial District. Amori defeated his closest rival, Chief John Nani, a former commissioner. Amori polled 142 votes against the 123 votes scored by Nani. In Delta South, Michael Diden won after polling 176 votes. Meanwhile, the party has fixed the run-off primary election for Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie and Ethiope Federal Constituency, for today. According to a statement signed by the publicity secretary of PDP in the state, Dr. Ifeanyi M. Osuoza, the exercise will commence by 9am. Ex-minister, Abdullahi, Ibrahim Win In Kwara Central, South Former minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi was elected as PDP candidate for Kwara Central senatorial district. Abdullahi was elected through affirmation by delegates at PDP's senatorial primary that was held at Mariam Event Centre, Ilorin yesterday. The national officer that conducted the primary, Hashim Jimoh announced Abdullahi as the winner, having been returned unopposed. Similarly, a former lawmaker, Rafiu Ibrahim was elected as the PDP's flag bearer for Kwara South senatorial district. Ibrahim also emerged through affirmation at the primary that was held in Omu- Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state. PDP chairman in Kwara South, Comrade Bisi Fakayode, raised Ibrahim's hand after the delegates affirmed his election. As of the time of this report, the result for Kwara North senatorial district was not ready as the election was still in progress. Prince Adamu Bawa from Batonu axis and Hajia Aisha Ahman-Pategi from Nupe axis were slugging it out in the senatorial primary. Speaking with newsmen after his emergence, Abdullahi thanked the PDP stakeholders and the delegates for confirming him as Kwara Central's candidate. He also thanked journalists for their support, adding that :" I don't take your support and that of the PDP's stakeholders for granted. Abdullahi assured the people of his constituency of quality representation at the Senate. Senator, Ex- Reps Leader Lose In Niger Contrary to expectations, the PDP primaries in Niger State was concluded peacefully with winners emerging amid an upset in Niger South and East. There was contest in Niger East and South while the candidate of Niger North emerged unopposed in an affirmation that took place in Kontagora. In Niger North, referred to as Zone C, Abdullahi Shehu, a seasoned administrator, emerged unopposed. In Niger East (zone B) PDP senatorial primary Ibrahim Isyaku (SAN), a senior lawyer, got 277 votes to emerge winner. He defeated a former House of Representatives member, Engr Muktar Ahmed who got 25 votes. In Niger South, referred to as zone A, Hon. Peter Ndalikali got 125 votes defeating a former majority leader in the House Representatives, Hon. Baba Shehu, who got 78 votes and Senator Mustapha Wadada who got 61 votes. The outcome of the primaries indicated that the group of former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu have lost in most of the constituencies. The result also indicated that the group of former Information minister, Prof Jerry Gana, Zaynab Kure, Dr Shem Nuhu Zagbayi, and Abubakar Tanko, are in firm control of the party. Meanwhile, son of the former minister of Information's Joshua Gana has emerged PDP House of Representatives candidate for Lavun, Edati and Mokwa Federal Constituency in Niger. Gana polled 46 votes to defeat his closet rival Abubakar Suleiman who polled 25 votes in the primary which took place at Kutigi, headquarters of Lavun local government. The exercises which started on Sunday stretched into the early morning of yesterday. 2 Senators Beaten In Ondo The chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, lost the PDP primary election. At the primary election held in Akure, Ondo State capital yesterday, Akintelure, who currently represents Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, was defeated by Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN). Akinyelure polled 82 votes, while the winner of the primary election, Adedipe scored 82 votes. In Ondo North, Akogun Adetokunbo Modupe emerged as the PDP candidate for the district. Modupe won the party's primary held in Owo where delegates from six local governments namely Akoko Northeast, Akoko Northwest, Akoko Southwest, Akoko Southeast, Ose and Owo, participated. Akogun Modupe scored 124 votes to beat his main rival, Prince Adefemi who scored 93 votes. One vote was voided. Reacting to his loss at the primaries, Akinyelure, blamed former Ondo state governor Olusegun Mimiko for being the brain behind his inability to win the senatorial ticket. Akinyelure expressed regret that despite all he did to help the people of Ondo Central Senatorial District, the delegates paid him back with instruction from Mimiko that he should be voted out. Akinyelure said, "As a ranking senator and with all I have done for them in Ondo Central Senatorial District, the three ad-hoc delegates that favoured Olusegun Mimiko, they gave instructions for them to vote me out. I am happy about this but I know my God will never fail. "I know what I am talking about. We have six local governments in the central district, by the grace of God I am still a sitting senator. "The election was so transparent but I know that with the volume of what I have done for Ondo Central Senatorial District, I did not expect to be paid this way. But I have a destiny that nobody can stop," he said. Another serving senator of the PDP representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Nicholas Tofowomo lost his return ticket to the former Ondo State deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi. Wike's Deputy Wins In Rivers Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, was elected as PDP senatorial candidate Rivers West senatorial district. Also, elected as PDP senatorial candidates for Rivers South-East and Rivers East senatorial districts, were Senator Barry Mpigi and Chief Alwell Onyesoh, respectively. While Mpigi is the current Senator representing the Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Onyesoh was Rivers State commissioner for Education, during the administration of former Governor Peter Odili. The trio emerged unopposed as all others who picked the PDP senatorial forms from the three senatorial districts were disqualified by the party's Senatorial Screening Committee. LEADERSHIP observed that the senatorial primaries, which held simultaneously in Ahoada Town, Bori and Port Harcourt, was amidst tight security. It was further observed that at the Port Harcourt City local government secretariat, venue of the PDP primaries, there were more than 1,000 policemen and other security operatives as well as over 28 patrol vehicles. Goje's Name Appears In Gombe PDP Ballot The name of the incumbent senator representing Gombe central Danjuma Goje appeared on the PDP ballot papers during the conduct of the party's senatorial primary election for the zone. There were insinuations in recent time that Senator Goje would defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and recontest for his seat on the PDP platform due to the endemic political feud between him and the state Governor Inuwa Yahaya. The national headquarters of the APC led by Abdullahi Adamu brokered truce between the two party bigwigs making Goje to purchase the APC senatorial nomination form for Gombe central. But during the primaries, his name appeared as one of the aspirants contesting for senator under the umbrella of the PDP. However, he scored zero votes out of the 66 votes cast with the winner Abubakar Aliyu who polled 59 votes. The PDP in Gombe South elected a former director of Fidelity Bank, Mr Anthony Siyako, as its senatorial candidate for the 2023 election. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. He scored 59 votes to beat his closest rival Binta Bello, a senatorial aspirant in the party in the last 2019 election who polled 57 votes. LEADERSHIP reports that the primary election was held at Billiri local government. Our correspondent also reports that 10 aspirants contested for the seat under the party all of whom were present at the polling centre. It was gathered that 124 delegates out of 125 cast votes at the election. Gombe south consists of Billiri, Kaltungo, Balanga and Shongom local government areas. 2 Reps Lose Return Bid In Benue Two incumbent PDP House of Representatives members in Benue State lost their primary elections. They included Kpam Sokpo, who represents Buruku federal constituency, and Francis Ottah who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency. Sokpo was defeated by Terkaa Agba Terkaa while a lady, Aida Ogwuche who polled 71 votes defeated Ottah who scored 35 votes. However, Ojotu Ojema who polled 27 votes, defeated his closest rival, Hon. Melvin Ejeh who scored 24 is the PDP candidate for Apa/ Agatu Federal constituency. This is just as Benue State commissioner for Finance, David Olofu applauded the leadership of PDP for conducting a peaceful primaries for State House of Assembly and House of Representatives across the state on Sunday. Olofu acknowledged the efforts of the electoral officers, various security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for making the process transparent and credible. Olofu who monitored the primary in Apa and Agatu local government told Journalists that the process was very transparent and peaceful, attributing it to the wisdom of Governor Samuel Ortom and the party leadership at the state in ensuring due process and diligence. "From the distribution of materials, to deployment of electoral officers and the eventual conduct of the primaries across the state, we must give credit to the Governor and the party leadership in the state. "What I have seen so far today in Apa and from what I gathered from my colleagues across the state, the exercise is already a huge success because there are no crises, no loss of lives. "The process is peaceful, transparent and credible too. We must not fail to acknowledge the role of the security agencies, INEC and the electoral panel, especially those who conducted the primaries in Apa. "Let me also use this opportunity to congratulate the House of Assembly candidate for Apa State Constituency, Hon. Abu Umoru, the House of Representatives candidate for Apa/Agatu, Hon. Ojotu Ojema and all other candidates that emerged across the state," he said. The primaries for the House of Assembly in Apa saw the emergence of Abu Umoru who polled 25 votes against Matthew Adobunu who came a distant second with nine votes. TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden is winding up his visit to Asia on Tuesday by holding talks with a quartet of Indo-Pacific.. SeattlePI.com 24 May 2022 Prime Minister Modi extended the invitation to the US industries during the productive talks he had with US President Joe Biden President Biden said that the U.S. is committed to defend Taiwan in case of an attack by mainland China. China claims the island as its own, and has threatened to invade if it declares independence. Sky News 23 May 2022 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has said she was forced to sign a "false confession" in front of a UK government witness before she was.. Geneva (AFP) May 23, 2022 The World Health Organization's annual assembly refused Monday to discuss admitting Taiwan to the meeting, under pressure from China and despite impassioned pleas from several countries. Taiwan has been blocked from attending the assembly in recent years by China, which considers the island a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland. There have been growing calls to allow Taiw Here's the latest for Tuesday May 24th: Primary voting underway in Georgis; Russia and China say they are conducting joint military drills; European Commission says Russia blocking grain exports from Ukraine; Giant anti-war mural unveiled in Kyiv. NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer talks with Marc Duvoison, the editor in chief of the San Antonio Express-News, about the shooting that left 15 dead at a Texas elementary school and is known about the shooter. Biden was named one of Time Magazine's Top 100 influential people of 2022, which is his fifth time appearing on the list. A member of the German delegation accompanying German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on an official visit to South Africa has suffered a medical emergency and had to be whisked away from proceedings at the Union Buildings. BEIRUT, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh on Monday called for unconditional support to help Lebanon restore its public transportation facilities. "Our goal is to activate our public transportation facilities; we call on all countries to assist Lebanon in this regard without imposing any conditions or restrictions," the Elnashra news website quoted Hamieh as saying during a celebration marking the arrival of 50 buses donated by France at the Beirut port. According to the official, one-third of the buses will operate in Beirut, while the rest will be used to carry passengers between Beirut and Bekaa. The donation is part of a larger plan to improve Lebanon's transportation sector. According to the plan, Lebanese authorities will also create a fund to subsidize passengers by collecting donations from other countries. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN's) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday withdrew his suit seeking the determination of his right to participate in the 2023 presidential election. Emefiele had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to the Federal High Court in Abuja, over fears that the two defendants were likely going to prevent him from participating in the processes leading to the 2023 presidential poll based on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which barred political appointees except they resigned from office 30 days to the congresses and conventions of political parties. The withdrawal may not be unconnected with his withdrawal last week from the race after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. Three interest groups had picked the presidential nomination form of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Emefiele. Representatives of a coalition of three groups -- rice farmers, Emefiele Support Group and Friends of Godwin Emefiele -- had picked the form for the CBN governor at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja. Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court had on May 12, adjourned to Monday 23, 2022, for all parties to adopt their written addresses as their argument in the matter. Before the adjournment, the court had joined the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and others who had sought permission from the court to be joined as interested parties in the matter. The court had similarly ordered an accelerated hearing in the suit because of time constraints, since time tables released by various political parties had shown that the presidential primaries for the selection of their standard bearers had been fixed for between May 28 and 31. However, when the matter came up yesterday, Emefiele's lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, announced that his client had directed him to withdraw the sought and accordingly applied for the same. Responding, the lawyers of the defendants urged the court to dismiss the suit with huge cost against the plaintiff. However, in a short ruling, Justice Mohammed struck out the suit and ordered that the parties bear their cost. Before last Thursday's proceeding, the court had summoned INEC and AGF to appear before it to explain why the court should not restrain them from preventing the CBN Governor from realising his political ambition by participating in all the processes leading to the 2023 presidential election. The summoning of INEC and AGF was sequel to a motion exparte argued by Ozekhome, seeking to restrain the two defendants from taking any step that would jeopardise the interest of his client. But in his ruling, Justice Mohammed had ordered the CBN Governor to serve all court processes in relation to the suit on 1st and 2nd defendants respectively. Then, when the matter came up for INEC and AGF to show cause, two lawyers stood up to announce appearances for their clients. First was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Sebastiane Hon, who informed the court of the intention of his client, the PDP to join as an interested party, which was immediately followed by one John Martins and Olukunle Ebun, who told the court that they were suing for themselves and on behalf of the 'Save Nigeria our Fatherland'. Emefiele had, amongst others, approached the Federal High Court for an order restraining the defendants from preventing or hindering his participation in the process of the presidential election slated for February next year. He had expressed fear that any political party he chooses to affiliate with in pursuit of his political ambition may disqualify him based on the provisions of Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which had barred political appointees from participating in the congresses and conventions of political parties unless the resigned 30 days to such conventions and congresses. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Specifically, he had argued that by virtue of being a public servant, he cannot be barred from participating in the political primaries of political parties by Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022. He had also submitted that Constitutional provisions stipulated that he could only resign his appointment as Governor of CBN 30 days before the presidential election which he is interested in contesting. Amongst the processes, he had filed before the court was an application for the maintenance of status, which he predicated on the fact that he would be prejudiced against or hurt if the court does not restrain the defendants from taking any step that would jeopardize his desire to contest the presidential election. News24 27 May 2022 Meghan Markle on Thursday made an unannounced visit to the Texas town of Uvalde to pay her respects to the victims of an elementary.. Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Global alternative asset manager Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has held the final close of its Asia Pacific Fund IV at $1.1 billion, exceeding its target of $1 billion. Fund V, which is 60 percent larger than its predecessor fund, received support from a broad and international group of investors looking for exposure to Asia and is currently 32% deployed, with four deals completed to date. "The Fund represents ICG's flagship strategy for Asia, with 20 years of track record in the region, focusing on locally sourced and directly originated mid-market companies in developed Asia," said a press release from the private equity investment firm headquartered in London. ICG has a strong presence in the Asia Pacific region, providing flexible capital solutions to mid-market businesses across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and SE Asia, with a focus on supporting entrepreneurial founders and management teams, it said. Benoit Durteste, CIO and CEO of ICG said: "It is a significant achievement to exceed our target for Asia Pacific Fund IV and reach $1.1 billion. The caliber and industry knowledge of the team means that we are better positioned than ever to tap into attractive investment opportunities across the region." Most recently, ICG announced an investment in Canopy Healthcare Group, a leading healthcare provider in the region, building on ICG's significant healthcare experience in the region, following i...................... To view our full article Click here The cost of importing petroleum products of all kinds into Nigeria has soared to over $28 billion on an annual basis, Blackgold Energy Authorities, an oil and gas consulting and advisory firm, has revealed. The Principal Consultant, Blackgold, Dr. Oladunni Owo, disclosed this yesterday in Lagos at the ongoing two-day Nigerian Content Midstream/Downstream Oil and Gas Summit, with the theme: "Towards Maximising Potential in the Midstream and Downstream Oil & Gas Sector - A Local Content Perspective." This was just as the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, also disclosed at the event that Nigerian firm, Temile Development Company Limited, would this week sign an agreement with a South Korean shipbuilder, Hyundai Heavy Industries, for the construction of the second Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel under the $120 million contract earlier signed in 2018. In her presentation at the summit, on the topic, "Challenges and opportunities in the Nigerian petroleum refining sector", Owo put Nigeria's per capita refining at 0.002 barrels per day, describing the situation as embarrassing. "Nigeria's total import for petroleum products is about $28 billion per annum. Nigeria is the largest producer of crude in Africa and third largest importer of refined products in Africa. "Nigeria's per capita refining is about 0.002 barrels per day, that's very embarrassing," she stated. Owo stated that the country had not done enough in building refining capacity, saying in 2015, about 65 modular refinery licenses were approved by the federal government. According to her, of those 65, only few including Waltersmith Refinery and Niger Delta Refinery have commenced production. She said the refining sector had been tainted with, "uncertainty due to adverse effect of regulator, subsidy, poor maintenance, general operational failure, inconsistencies, supply of feedstock, vandalisation, piracy, all sorts and all kinds. "The objective of this is just to bring out the fact that our consumption is high and our import is also very high." Meanwhile, after the delivery of the first Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel in 2020, out of a two-vessel-building contract valued at over $120, signed in July 2018 between Nigerian oil and gas company, Temile Development Company Limited and South Korean shipbuilder, Hyundai Heavy Industries, will this week sign agreement for the construction of the second vessel. Wabote, who disclosed this in his welcome address at the summit, said the agreement signing for the vessel construction between the two companies would be one of the key highlights of the World Gas Conference holding this week in South Korea. Wabote said that the vessel owned by a local indigenous company would further enhance the supply capability of the LPG across the country. He explained that the agreement for the first vessel was signed in 2018, and that the vessel was delivered in 2020, noting that agreement for the second vessel was a sign of self-propelled growth for Nigerian indigenous companies in the midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. "As you may be aware, the World Gas Conference is holding this week in South Korea. One of the key highlights at the event is the signing of the agreement construct the 2nd LPG Vessel owned by a local indigenous company to further enhance the supply capability of the LPG across the country. "Agreement for the first vessel was signed in 2018 and the vessel was delivered in 2020. I am pleased to note that agreement for the second vessel is being executed which is a sign of self-propelled growth for our indigenous companies in the midstream and downstream sectors of the industry", Wabote stated. He, however, said the initiatives put in place by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in line with the Decade of Gas declaration of the federal government was the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) with three key elements namely Domestic LPG Expansion, Autogas, and Power Generation. He said the Domestic LPG Expansion element of the programme targeted 20 million homes to increase the country's LPG penetration currently estimated at national average of 13 per cent. He said a glimpse of the LPG value chain in the country presented another plethora of opportunities for which the board had also gone into partnership with some investors to develop different areas of the value chain. Wabote maintained that the NCDMB's touchpoints in the LPG value chain covered inland LPG production, LPG jetties/terminals, storage facilities, inland transportation, cylinders manufacturing, bottling, and retail. He added that their partnership investments in the gas value-chain included Partnership with NEDO Gas Processing Company in Kwale, Delta State, for the establishment of 80 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas processing plant and a 30mmscfd Kwale Gas Gathering hub. Others, according to him included "partnership with Triansel Gas Limited in Koko, Delta State, for the 5,000MT LPG Storage and Loading Terminal Facility; Partnership with Brass Fertiliser for the development of a 10,000MT/day Methanol Plant at Odiama in Brass "Partnership with Butane Energy to roll out LPG Bottling Plants and Depots in Abuja and 10 Northern States of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Zamfara, Niger, Plateau, Gombe, and Jigawa states; Partnership with Southfield Petroleum for the establishment of 200MMscfd gas processing plant at Utorogu, Delta State to produce 123,000MTPA of LPG. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Energy Nigeria Petroleum By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "This represents about 10 percent of current LPG demand nationwide which will be produced in-country instead of being imported; Partnership with MOB Integrated Services for the construction of the 500MT Inland LPG terminal which is currently in operation at Dikko, Niger State. "The partnership includes the construction of a Cylinder Refurbishment plant, procurement of 80,000bottles of LPG Cylinders and acquisition of distribution assets consisting of Bridgers, bobtails and cylinder distribution trucks to enhance LPG penetration across the target catchment areas." The executive secretary said the board also had partnership with Amal Technologies to set up plant in Abuja for the production of Smart Gas/Smoke Detector Alarm devices that monitors and detects smoke and all types of gas leakages thereby enhance the safe usage of LPG in our homes. He expressed delighted that the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) to set the ball rolling in addressing the funding challenge in the continent's oil and gas sector Wabote said based the board's 10-year Strategic Roadmap to achieve 70 per cent Nigerian Content target in the Nigerian oil and gas industry by the year 2027, the midstream and downstream sectors of the industry represented key areas to derive and extract value to meet their set target. NEW YORK (AP) Stocks fell in morning trading on Wall Street Tuesday, weighed down by a big decline in tech heavyweights over concerns about persistently rising inflation's impact to their bottom lines. The S&P 500 index fell 2.1% as of 10:14 a.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 351 points, or 1.1%, to 31,524 and the Nasdaq fell 3.6%. A stark profit warning from Snapchats parent company spooked investors into dumping the stocks of major social media companies. Snap plummeted 39%, while Facebook's parent, Meta, slumped 10%. Google's parent fell 8%. Technology and communications stocks, with their lofty values, tend to have an outsize influence on the market. The sectors have been responsible for much of the volatility the market has seen recenlty as well as a the broad decline the market's major indexes have seen since early April as investors worry about the impact of rising inflation on businesses and consumers. Retailers and companies that rely on direct consumer spending also fell sharply. Amazon shed 4.3% and Target fell 3.9%. Bond yields fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 2.75% from 2.86% late Monday. Falling bond yields weighed on banks, which rely on higher yields to charge more lucrative interest on loans. Citigroup fell 1.9%. Household goods companies and utilities, which are considered less risky than other sectors, made gains. The pile of concerns weighing on the market has pushed the benchmark S&P 500 to the brink of a bear market, which is when an index falls 20% from its most recent record high. It is down roughly 19% from its record high set earlier this year. Inflation has been weighing on a wide range of industries in the form of higher raw materials costs and more costly labor. Many businesses have been raising prices on everything from food to clothing to offset the impact of higher costs, but the pressure has been increasing. Key retailers, including Target and Walmart have said that higher costs are squeezing operations. They also raised concerns that consumers are tempering spending on a wide range of goods. Consumers were already getting squeezed by a supply and demand disconnect when Russia invaded Ukraine and prompted another jump in energy prices, including gasoline. The pain at the pump has cut into spending for many. Supply chain problems were worsened by China's recent lockdown in several major cities as it deals with rising COVID-19 cases. Wall Street is also worried about the Federal Reserve's plan to fight inflation. The central bank is raising interest rates aggressively from historic lows, but investors are concerned that it could go too far in raising rates or move too quickly. That could slow down businesses and potentially bring on a recession. On Wednesday, investors will get a more detailed glimpse into the Feds decision-making process with the release of minutes from the latest policy meeting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Solomon Islands this week in what the South Pacific nations leader said was a milestone in his countrys relationship with China, amid concerns that their new security pact could allow Chinese military personnel on the islands. But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare insisted in a statement posted on his government's website Tuesday that the partnership with Beijing does not come at the expense of ties with Australia, the United States and others. The visit of Wang at the head of a 20-person delegation on Thursday and Friday comes amid growing concerns about Chinas influence in the strategically important Solomon Islands. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese representative to visit the country since the two nations formalized diplomatic relations 32 months ago, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry said, after Sogavare switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said later that Wang would also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor in a 10-day trip. While in Fiji he will host a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pacific Island nations, it said. It is believed that the meeting will play an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries and in advancing the development of our relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security agreement, signed in April, would allow Beijing to send police and military personnel to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order" and let Chinese warships make port calls for logistical replenishment." That has raised fears of a possible Chinese naval base on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand. Sogavare, who defends the pact as entirely about internal security, said Wangs visit would include the signing of a number of key bilateral agreements. Prime Minister Sogavare looks forward to a productive engagement with PRC (the Peoples Republic of China) as an important development partner at a very critical time in our history, another statement released Monday said. Sogavare noted that a New Zealand delegation was also due in coming months and that he had hosted high-level visits from Australia, Japan and the U.S. in April. My government welcomes all high-level visits from our key development partners," Sogavare said in a statement posted Tuesday. "We will always stand true to our policy of Friends to All and Enemies to None as we look forward to continuing productive relations with all our development partners. The news of the visit came as U.S. President Joe Biden met in Tokyo with members of the Quad group of nations the U.S., Japan, Australia and India which has become increasingly relevant as the U.S. emphasizes security in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's rising influence. The meetings included newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose center-left Labor Party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to Chinas potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a one-on-one meeting, expressed concern about Chinas security pact with Solomon Islands and agreed to strengthen their cooperation and engagement with Pacific Island countries. Labor has condemned the security pact as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. Following Albanese's victory, Sogavare congratulated him, assuring the new prime minister that Solomon Islands remains Australia's steadfast friend and development partner of choice. The U.S., Australia and others had urged the Solomon Islands not to sign the pact with China over concerns it could destabilize the country and set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific region. Wang, the Chinese spokesperson, said China hopes the U.S. will refrain from interfering with the sovereign decisions of the South Pacific island nations on normal cooperation with other countries. China pushed back last week at accusations the pact was being used to pressure countries in the Pacific, with another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, saying it was based on mutual respect, and is conducive to stability and peace, in line with shared interests in the South Pacific. Australia claims the Solomon Islands as its backyard and wants to set a red line, Zhao said. Isn't this coercion? ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing and writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tereasa Nims. Monday, May 23 11:34 p.m. - Deputies were sent to a Lee Township home for a report of a verbal argument between a boyfriend and girlfriend. Contact was made with both parties who stated there was no assault only a verbal argument. The woman's father arrived on scene and drove the woman away for the night. 9:22 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to a Jasper Township residence in reference to a 25-year-old man reporting a vehicle missing from a deceased family member's property. Deputies spoke with the 25-year-old man and found no signs of the vehicle being stolen or foul play being involved. No further assistance was requested from the Sheriff's Office at this time. 7:43 p.m. - A Deputy was sent to M-20 in Midland County for a be on the lookout of a possible drunk driver. The suspect vehicle was located and stopped. The driver was a diabetic who needed candy. The drivers information will be sent to the Secretary of State for a driver re-evaluation. 7:40 p.m. - Deputies responded to a Lincoln Township location for the report of two loose dogs near the roadway. Deputies secured one of the dogs and later transported it to the Humane Society of Midland County. Deputies were unable to secure the other dog. Deputies attempted to locate an owner but were unsuccessful. 7:59 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township residence to complete a Vin Inspection for a 58-year-old woman. The woman didn't have all the necessary equipment to complete the vin Inspection. She was informed to call back when everything was ready to be completed. 6:41 p.m. Police responded to the 1300 block of Springfield for a verbal domestic. 6:05 p.m. - A deputy spoke with a 30-year-old Porter Township woman reference issues she has been having with her roommates. No further assistance needed. 7:24 p.m. - Deputies spoke with a 20-year-old man reference his sunroof missing after his truck was towed. Deputies informed the man that this was a civil matter and referred him to speak to the tow company or the civil courts. 3:45 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to a Larkin Township residence for a wellbeing check of a 39-year-old Larkin Township man. Through further investigation it was determined the Michigan State Police were investigating a CSC complaint that occurred at the residence. This incident was turned over to the Michigan State Police. 12:49 p.m. Police were called to East Haley and Carolina streets for an injury crash. 10:23 a.m. Police responded to the area of W. Sugnet and N. Saginaw roads for a warrant arrest. 8:21 a.m. - A 63-year-old Hope Township man found a Debit card on the side of a Hope Township roadway. Attempts are being made to locate the owner. 8:27 a.m. - A Deputy dispatched to an unknown crash. Deputy located the vehicle which was not involved in a crash and was simply parked off the road on an access to private property. Contact was made with an 84-year-old Freeland woman regarding the vehicle. The deputy was advised that her 88-year-old husband had permission to turkey hunt the property where his vehicle was parked. 3:39 a.m. - Deputies conducted a warrant attempt at a Lee Township residence. Deputies contacted the 30-year-old man with an outstanding warrant out of Clare County. The man was arrested and turned over to Clare County without incident. 1:24 a.m. - A 20-year-old woman was arrested on an outstanding Isabella County warrant after a traffic stop in Lee Township The woman was given a citation. A friend took possession of the car. The woman was transported and turned over to Isabella County. 12:10 a.m. - A Deputy contacted a Gladwin County resident asking for assistance with recovering a lost phone. A womans son lost his phone, and it was tracked to a house in Greendale Township. Contact was made with the resident and the phone was turned over. The Greendale Township resident found the phone in the roadway and was trying to contact someone to return the phone. It's Tuesday and the holiday weekend is coming fast. The unofficial start to summer begins after Memorial Day, but the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding Michiganders of safe habits and laws that they should be aware of when out on the water. MDHHS recognized May 23-29 as Healthy and Safe Swimming Week in a press release on Monday, explaining what you can do to keep your family safe and healthy this swimming season. "Everyone plays a role in preventing pool-related illnesses, injuries and deaths," Natasha Bagdasarian, the chief medical executive for MDHHS said in the release. "Use proper hygiene when maintaining and using pools, make sure you and loved ones have basic swimming and water safety skills when partaking in water sports, and prevent access to backyard pools when not supervised." To keep germs out of the water and your body, MDHHS suggested: Don't swallow the water, stay out of the water if you have diarrhea, shower before you get in the water, don't pee or poop in the water, take children on bathroom breaks or check diapers every hour and change diapers away from the water. Between 2012 and 2021, 19 outbreaks reported in Michigan were linked to swimming in treated and untreated water locations including pools, hot tubs and freshwater lakes. More than 713 estimated recreational water illnesses including illnesses due to E. coli and Legionella were reported likely an underestimate, according to MDHHS. Its also important to prevent pool-related injuries, such as drowning or those caused by mishandling pool chemicals. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages one to four years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the Great Lakes, over 1,000 drownings occurred between 2010 and 2021, according to MDHHS. To keep swimmers and boaters safe in the water, MDHHS suggested: Make sure everyone has basic swimming skills, use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, choose a responsible adult to provide continuous supervision close to swimmers, know how to respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR and prevent access to backyard pools when not supervised. MDHHS also recommended people get their boating safety certificate, which is required for boaters born after June 30, 1996, and most personal watercraft operators. Click on Boating Safety Certificate at Michigan.gov/Boating. David Kenyon/MI Dept. of Natural Resources Additionally, President Joe Biden declared this week, May 21-27, National Safe Boating Week. In 2020, three-quarters of boating deaths were drownings, and nearly 7 out of every 8 drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket, according to the White House. Officials for the U.S. Coast Guard discussed the importance of life jackets, local boating hazards, essential and recommended boating equipment and other aspects of boating safety at an event Monday afternoon. Check out the Coast Guard Boating Safety app. You can file a float plan, request assistance, request a vessel safety check and report pollution and hazards to navigation. More information and safety tips on preventing swimming illness and injury are available at Cdc.gov/HealthyWater/Swimming. Pastor Carmen Cook has been assigned as the lead pastor to Auburn United Methodist Church beginning July 1. Pastor Carmen has a passion for leading people to Christ and then helping to equip them for the journey of faith to which the Lord has called them. She believes that the Lord has a plan and purpose for each individual and that each person is of great worth. She strives to faithfully teach the Word of God, to love people, and to celebrate the goodness of the Lord in all of life. Pastor Carmen has a heartbeat for missions on the local, state, national, and international level and she is looking forward to becoming part of the community upon her arrival. Joining her in ministry is her husband and their yellow Lab named Caesar. Photo Provided Coleman Lions Club Lions Clubs International sponsors an annual Peace Poster contest for students ages 11 to 13. The 2021 theme was We Are All Connected. In November, Coleman seventh grader McKayla Stillwell was awarded a certificate and check for $50 from Coleman Lions Club as this years local winner. Her poster was then entered in the District contest with 42 clubs. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) A series of complex challenges, including a lack of funding and political will as well as rising insecurity linked to extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Burkina Faso, are obstructing progress on Africa's Great Green Wall, according to experts involved in the initiative. There have been some modest gains for the project, which plans to build an 8000-kilometer (4970-mile) long forest through 11 nations across the width of Africa to hold back the ever-growing Sahara Desert and fend off climate change impacts, but many involved with the plan are calling for renewed momentum to combat both insecurity and environmental decline. Just 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) of land has been afforested since work on the Green Wall began 15 years ago a mere 4% of the program's ultimate goal. Adama Doulkom, the coordinator for the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative in Burkina Faso, said political instability and security issues are significantly stalling progress in nearly 4,000 villages across the country. Terrorist attacks in the affected regions have forced populations to disperse. This limits peoples movements, making it hard for us to directly monitor field actions which could lead to difficulty in creating improvements in certain areas, Doulkom said. In the last three years Burkinabes Sahel, north and east regions have become inaccessible. Much of the Sahelian region designated for the Green Wall is rife with security issues, with efforts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Mali, Chad, Niger and Nigeria all impacted. The United Nation's desertification agency said the plan has several additional challenges to overcome, such as lukewarm high-level political support, weak organizational structures, insufficient coordination and financing, and not enough consideration in national environmental priorities. The Great Green Wall featured prominently at the U.N. agencys two-week summit in Abidjan in Ivory Coast, which wrapped up Friday. Desertification, which has severe impacts on food production and security, is exacerbated by climate change and agricultural activity. First proposed in 2005, the program aims to plant a forest all the way from Senegal on the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti in the east. It's hoped the initiative will create millions of green jobs in rural Africa, reduce levels of climate-related migration in the region and capture hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Several countries have struggled to keep up with the demands of the project, with Mali, Nigeria, Djibouti and Mauritania in particular lagging behind. The U.N. desertification agency says up to 45% of Africas land is impacted by desertification, making it more vulnerable than any other continent. The agency's director, Ibrahim Thiaw, believes that can have multiple negative effects on surrounding communities, including security concerns. A report released Sunday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute also noted the link between environmental degradation and conflict. In the Sahel, social tensions combined with inadequate governance and environmental decline to produce a bigger security risk, it said. By restoring land, you reduce conflicts and irregular migration. There is a link between land restoration and irregular migration, said Ibrahim Thiaw. Land restoration is a no-regrets option in that any effort to recover soil health, replenish natural capital and restore land health will deliver benefits that far exceed the costs. What we are calling for now is action to accelerate the implementation of such a program to make sure that farmers, pastoralists, local communities and women are all associated with it," he added. Despite a multitude of setbacks, those involved in the project remain optimistic. The coordinator of the Great Green Wall, Elvis Tangem, told the Associated Press that while conflict has slowed down the progress of the project, it has also opened up newer opportunities. It started as an environmental project but the dynamics of the region have made us look beyond the ecological aspects of the project and to embrace direct community concerns such as conflict resolution, peace building, youth development, women empowerment and rural development especially among pastoralists and farming communities, he said. Some progress has been made in recent years in the east of the continent, according the the programs coordination office in Addis Ababa. Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan have all expanded their efforts, with Ethiopia producing 5.5 billion seedlings leading to thousands of hectares of restored land as well as an uptick in job creation. Efforts in Eritrea and Sudan have also resulted in nearly 140,000 hectares (346,000 acres) of afforestation. Niger is also hailed for making considerable progress. In terms of measurable restoration milestones on the ground, Niger can be said to be far ahead of most of the countries with significant citizen awareness and contributing reforestation activities at all levels, said Tabi Joda, a Great Green Wall ambassador. More communities are embracing the initiative and taking the lead through their own community led solutions. Joda, who heads up youth mobilization for the project, noted that the scheme has seen strong governmental support in Senegal and Nigeria. Between $36 and $43 billion are needed to realize the Green Wall by 2030, according to estimates by the World Resources Institute. The African Development Bank pledged approximately $6.5 billion for the wall by 2025 during the U.N.'s climate conference in November last year following an effort led by France in early 2021 which committed $14.5 billion towards the project, falling significantly short of the WRI's estimate. The U.N. desertification agency says the current land restoration pace must be ramped up to an average of 8.2 million hectares (20 million acres) per year if the project is to achieve its self-imposed goal of 100 million hectares (247 million acres) restored by 2030. Investments must be intentional to deliver opportunities that create the right dose of green jobs needed by the critical mass of youths and communities vulnerable to irregular migration and violence due to competition over scarce resources caused by land degradation, Tabi Joda said. ___ Wanjohi Kabukuru reported from Mombasa, Kenya. ___ 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. A new degree program at Saginaw Valley State University will prepare students for the growing field of computer engineering. The SVSU Board of Control approved adding a new Bachelor of Science in computer engineering degree. Students may begin enrolling in the program, offered through SVSUs College of Science, Engineering & Technology, for the fall 2022 semester. The computer engineering field continues to be stable, and qualified employees are consistently in high demand, said Rajani Muraleedharan, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates an average of roughly 4,500 job openings each year over the next 10 years. Computer engineers work in a variety of fields, including analysis, design, manufacturing, testing and research and development. Muraleedharan said employers in Michigans Great Lakes Bay Region support the creation of a computer engineering major. Our electrical and computer engineering advisory board unanimously supported the program initiative and provided valuable feedback on its design, she said. The advisory board includes professionals from a number of regional companies, including Consumers Energy, General Motors, Halla Mechatronics, Hemlock Semiconductor, Magna International, Means Industries, Nexteer Automotive, Savant Group and Wineman Technology Inc. Muraleedharan added that community need also factored into the decision to offer the new major. By adding the new program, we can offer a computer engineering degree to students who prefer the size, proximity and cost of SVSU, she said. Increasing demand for computer engineers is driven, in part, by growth in the automotive, electric aviation, Industry 4.0 (the industrial internet of things) and health care sectors, which are well-represented in the region. National accreditors also encouraged SVSU to develop the new program. During the 2017 accreditation visit by ABET, the chair of the committee recommended that SVSU consider a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering degree program, said Andrew Chubb, dean of the College of Science, Engineering & Technology. The ABET committee recognized that SVSU already had the courses and faculty in place including faculty who perform research in emerging technologies making this degree program a natural fit. This new program will open up a whole new sector of industry for SVSU graduates. The computer engineering curriculum is supported by the departments of chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, physics and philosophy. Nearly all of the courses required for a major in computer engineering are already offered at SVSU through the electrical engineering and computer science departments. One new course a modification of a course previously offered in the electrical engineering program is being added to SVSUs course offering. For more information about the computer engineering program at SVSU, visit www.svsu.edu/ computerengineeringbs/. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, said Nigeria was at a critical stage in history, which required continuity in government to complete ongoing infrastructure projects being executed by the President Buhari administration. At the same time, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai described Osinbajo as a detribalised Nigerian and close confidant of the President. This is as the Borno State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has formally endorsed Osinbajo as the presidential aspirant, saying it would repay him for his good deeds with its votes at the party's forthcoming primary election. Osinbajo, according to a statement issued Monday by his Media Assistant, Laolu Akande, made the disclosure while addressing delegates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi and Kaduna States ahead of the presidential primaries of the party billed for this weekend in Abuja. Meetings with delegates in the two states, Osinbajo noted that Nigeria was at a crucial stage in her history, where continuity in government was needful to ensure the completion of many ongoing development projects started by the Buhari administration, and also further progress for the country. Speaking during a courtesy call on the Emir of Gwandu and Chairman, Kebbi State Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar, Osinbajo said, "I've served as vice-president for the past seven years under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. During that seven-year period, I have had the unique opportunity to work with an open and transparent president. "My experience is crucial, especially, in governing a country of our size. This is why I decided to put myself forward to serve as president. There are other people vying for that position (of the president); several competent Nigerians and competent members of our party, the APC. We all know that all power belongs to the Almighty God. He is the one, who determines, who rules; we can only hope and pray and put ourselves forward. "I believe strongly that the stage that our country is at, is one that requires continuity of the sort that will enable us achieve great results." While thanking the Emir for his kindness, generosity, and counsel, the vice-president said, "the result of your counsel has given us the successes that our government has had over the years." He noted several ongoing infrastructure projects, such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway, Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri rail project, among many others, adding that, "it makes perfect sense if I am given the opportunity of concluding those projects and doing so many other things. I will do so." At his meetings with delegates in Kebbi, Osinbajo restated that, "It is God who gives power, only God can put a man or woman in position, and if God puts you in a position, nobody can change it." According to him, "I offered myself as presidential aspirant of our party, because I know that by the grace of God, if God helps me to be elected, we will change our country for the common man, for the politician, for the rich, poor, young, women, children, and the old. Let us work together, your votes will determine the future of our country. "This is a complex country, but it is a country that must remain united, that must remain secure, and we must improve the economy for the benefit of millions of young people and all Nigerians." While stating that there was room for improvement in the areas of security, economy, and technology, he noted that, "The right infrastructure for technology is broadband connectivity, and we are putting that together; we intend to have that broadband connectivity for all in coming years, so that we can expand opportunity for business, especially, for young people." Commenting on country's security architecture, the vice-president noted that, "at the end of the day, we will be able to tackle our present challenges, but we must be prepared to deal with future security challenges also." On the Social Investment Programmes, the vice-president said, "We are going to expand the social investment programmes to become a full-scale social welfare programme. We must also ensure that our young people are employed, engaged and we must have a plan for them." Osinbajo was, however, commended for his efforts in improving governance and dedication to the progress of the country, while stakeholders also canvassed for continuity in government. El-Rufai, and Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Samaila Yombe, spoke glowingly about the VP's qualities, with a call for continuity. According to the Kaduna governor, Osinbajo was the number one confidante of the President (Muhammadu Buhari), and "has the respect of all the governors of Nigeria, across party lines, because of the way and manner he steers the affairs of the National Economic Council." While noting that the vice-president had visited the state on several occasions, El-Rufai said Osinbajo "is not just here, because he is running for president, he is here because he has close affinity to the government and people of Kaduna State. I want those that don't know, our party leaders and delegates, to know that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has always shown uncommon love for the people of Kaduna State." Still Osinbajo's leadership qualities, El-Rufai said, "I have worked very closely with the vice-president in the last seven years. Before then, we worked as senior officials of the party to craft the party's strategy, as well as manifesto. We jointly wrote the manifesto of the party together as members of the strategy committee of the party. He is a man of intellect, brilliance; a unifier, a detribalised Nigerian, who has shown us leadership as Chairman of the National Economic Council. "It was under Vice President Osinbajo's leadership that our Paris Cub refund, that was deducted in 2005, was finally paid to all the states, and we are all beneficiaries. It was under his leadership that recommendations were made to bail out 27 states, that, in 2015 were unable to pay salaries. I can go on and on to list the qualifications and virtues of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo." He, therefore, urged the delegates to "vote for the best person that will take Nigeria to that promise land," adding: "In Kaduna State, we are people of honour. So, please remember that the future of Nigeria is at stake. "Nigeria is at a critical crossroads and the choices we make in 2023 will, to large extent, determine whether this country progresses rapidly to achieve its manifest destiny or not. We must put all our sentiments and personal interests aside, and vote for the best person that will take Nigeria to that promise land." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Samaila Yombe, also stressed the "need for continuity in government," saying, "President Muhammadu Buhari is our president and will be for 8 years (by May, 2023). He has an able backbone in the person of the vice-president. "We will now stand on both feet to make sure of that continuity, and the pledge that all of us have given here is an assurance, Mr. Vice President, that we will see you there by God's grace." Chairman of APC in the state, Hon Ali Bukar Balori, who earlier joined Governor Babagana Zulum to receive the vice-president at the Government House Maiduguri, gave the assurances, and declared that Osinbajo had no need coming to the state to seek for support because Borno was already in the kitty for him. "If not for politics, you need not come to Borno to look for votes. We know you very well. You have done a lot for us. Everybody here knows what you have done for us. The delegates know. "We shall pay you back. One good turn deserves another. Your excellency the delegates of Borno are for you. We are declaring here that you are our candidate," he promised Zulum, in his address, described him as a true friend of the state, whose leadership would be beneficial to Nigeria. Zulum said, "The Vice President is always in contact with me, not for selfish interest but the interest of the people of Borno. He has been good not only to me but to my predecessor. "Prof Osinbajo, we consider you a friend and part of the family. We wish you all the best as we strongly believe your leadership will be beneficial to Nigeria." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The We Hear You Coalition is looking back on racial inequalities in Midland County to support the development of a more inclusive community. Midland-area leaders joined forces two years ago, following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. A police officer knelt on his Floyd's neck for approximately nine minutes on a street in Minneapolis as Floyd repeatedly said he couldnt breathe. The killing, captured on widely-viewed bystander video, sparked protests around the globe including Midland. Looking back, co-organizer Diane Brown Wilhelm said the coalition is honoring the moments of progress along the way by connecting foundational work "that everybody is taking on to make a difference." The coalition organizers have presented findings from a large data collection effort to key local partners in an effort to increase the collective understanding. However, Brown Wilhelm recognizes that there are community members do not understand the initiatives of We Hear You. Despite that, Brown Wilhelm and co-organizer Sharon Mortensen said there are many community partners who have taken interest. One of them is Chief Nicole Ford of the Midland Police Department, who is working to implement tangible actions plans into the department's effort to address racial injustice. Ford said she is exploring "different areas" to hit by 2024 in order to "move us forward in a positive direction," as a police department. "I'm extremely happy that I get to participate in a group like this because I really liked that we use the data to drive our decisions," she said. "I love the cohesive group that we've become. Now it's an open dialogue. That's where we really start to make some positive changes." Mortensen and Brown Wilhelm said the coalition would like to build a three-year roadmap to implement actions aligned with the efforts to address inequalities found in the survey based on policing, business, government structure (elected and appointed officials), health care, housing, income and poverty. "We can't do this work alone," Brown Wilhelm said. "We need to make sure that we're positioning this so that the work continues for the long-term." For example, the Midland County Community Health Improvement Plan is being examined to incorporate addressing some of the health disparities to address the inequalities, according to Mortensen. The We Hear You organizers began addressing the needs of marginalized communities by conducting a survey to get a better understanding of what issues need to be addressed in the city related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Over the last year, the group has been presenting its findings to critical stakeholders across the coalition's focus areas. The We Hear You initiative comprises three components: a summary report; Community Survey; and Community DEI Dashboards. Saginaw Valley State University worked with the coalition on the Midland Racial and Ethnic Equity and Inclusion Survey that was sent out in February 2021. Listen: The Visibility Project Podcast Along with helping fund the We Hear You survey, the Midland Area Community Foundation reported an increase in residents' interest of its Cultural Awareness Coalition. Community Foundation President/CEO Sharon Mortensen said the group is developing a community voice, in part by organizing a Juneteenth event. The Juneteenth Block Party will be held from 2-6 p.m. on June 19 at Creative 360, which is located at 1517 Bayliss Street. It's sponsored by the Midland Area Youth Action Council. "Encouraging voice through some of the activities of coalitions, like Cultural Awareness, that are bringing people together is really a critical way to get folks involved in our community," she said. "Their voices can be heard and ideas that they have can be implemented." One project under the Cultural Awareness Coalition created was the Visibility Project Podcast, which launched in 2021, to give a voice to marginalized groups in the City of Midland. Topics discussed include domestic violence, overcoming stereotypes and fighting through physical disabilities. The Visibility Project Podcast 016 - Supporting indigenous people w/Sierra Clark See More Collapse The first component of the recent findings consists of an analysis of Midland County data in comparison to secondary data sources such as the U.S. Census, the CDC, and the FBI. For example, the coalition found a great variation within the general perception of police based on WHY respondents race/ethnicity. A greater percentage of African American and Hispanic respondents (42.5 and 42.7 percent, respectively) perceived their neighborhoods to be crime-free in comparison to non-Hispanic white respondents (only 34.8 percent). The full report repeatedly emphasizes collection and analysis of data as a first step to help develop intentional, strategic, assessed, accountable, and sustained actions to end inequity, injustice, and bias in our community. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net) Brief look back at what led to the formation of We Hear You Brown Wilhelm, Ford and Mayor Maureen Donker issued a public statement on June 4, 2020 to condemn the murder of Floyd. "Hollow words, followed by inaction, will only serve to deepen the pain being shown across the country and which exists right here in our community, too," reads a line of a June 2020 statement, signed by Ford, Donker and Brown Wilhelm. "We can and must do better, and we will." During summer protests of 2020, an estimated 1,200 people demonstrated at the Ashman Circle in Midland to protest George Floyds murder in addition to the murder of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police March 13, 2020, and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an African-American man, while he was jogging in Glynn County, Georgia, February 23, 2020. Speakers at the Midland rally shared their own experiences with racism, condemned institutional oppression, and demanded justice. On July 13, 2020, the Midland City Council voted unanimously to support this initiative, and on October 20, 2020 the Midland County Board of Commissioners similarly passed a resolution supporting this work. New York, US (PANA) - The recent conclusion of the electoral process in Somalia offers a long-awaited opportunity to make progress on other urgent national priorities, the UN Special Representative for the county told the Security Council on Monday Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, has instructed the Ministry of Local Government to assess the damage caused by Tuesday's fire at a petrol station in the Al-Malti area of the eastern city of Benghazi to enable payment of compensation to those victims Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Eleven people, including three fighters of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), were killed on Sunday in a double attack on two localities in the Seno province, in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso Former Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, said he worked against all odds to ensure the victory of President Muhammudu Buhari in 2015 and 2019 and that it was time Nigerians reciprocated his gesture by electing him Buhari's successor. For context, however, Amaechi said, he stood for Nigeria and Buhari despite discrimination from some southerners to avert what he termed disintegration of the country and civil war. This is as a special adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Dr. Umar Ardo, yesterday said President Buhari was morally bound to ensure that a former Lagos State governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, became the next president of the country. Speaking at a consultative meeting with the All Progressives (APC) delegates ahead of the party's primaries, Amaechi said in spite of intimidations from leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the height of Boko Haram, he fought not for a Katsina son to become president but for the country's unity and progress. He, therefore, contended that it was time for Nigerians to stand for him too and ensure the actualisation of his presidential aspiration. "They will not allow my flight, because we were strongly to make a Katsina son president, so why will your governor tell you not to vote for me or why will anybody ask you to vote for me? "As Governor of Rivers State, they seized my plane in Akure. I drove from Akure to Lagos. I got to Lagos at 9pm and somebody will tell you not to vote for me? That person is not being fair. "They seized my plane in Kano. I drove from Kano to Abuja. I got to Abuja at 2am at the height of Boko Haram all because we were fighting not for a Katsina son but Nigeria. "We saw Nigeria at a break out of a possible civil war. If I had moved over to PDP, there would have been north vs south and that would have been bad politics. "So, I stood for Nigeria, it is time for Nigerians to stand for me. We were working at that time to make sure that Nigeria didn't disintegrate. President Muhammudu Buhari was our candidate to serve Nigeria." He, however, added that if given the opportunity to serve as president, he would tackle insecurity and economic challenges besetting the nation as soon as he assumed office. But Ardo, who is now a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa State,said in a statement, that it was because of the political influence of Tinubu that the APC as a political party was registered in the first place. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Ardo explained that it was for the intervention of Tinubu that the merger between Buhari's party, the Congress of the Progressives Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other parties was consummated in the first place. "As the initiator of the merger that ultimately produced the APC, I know the foundational agreement of the merger ab initio between President Muhammad Buhari and Senator Bola Tinubu - i.e. Buhari President and Tinubu Vice President in a merger between CPC and ACN. "It was Buhari, who after the Supreme Court, dismissed the CPC presidential election petition, approached Tinubu with the idea and offer, and it was upon the latter's acceptance of both that APC was born. "Tinubu thus drove the process from March, 2012 to the final emergence of the APC as a registered political party on 31st July, 2013, to establishing the new party structures from Wards, LGAs, States, Zonal and National levels; and, against formidable new opponents that joined the party for their own ends, stood to ensure Buhari's emergence as APC's presidential flag bearer. "Consequently, without Tinubu APC would never have come into being. So, it is only honourable that President Buhari also stands by the foundational agreement and support Tinubu now above anyone else, or APC falls into a deep moral pit that it cannot pull out of forever," Ardo stated. Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) Singaporean father Sadayan Ahmed Maideen Jabbar became so violent and abusive to his wife and kids that they filed for a divorce. A year later, the doctors discovered why he suddenly became violent-he had glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain cancer. His recovery made him a changed man and gave him a second chance at marriage. Sadayan, 48, was happily married for 15 years when he suddenly became verbally and physically abusive to his wife and four children in 2020. He said that in two years, things changed, and he thought it was on him, Channel News Asia reported. The usually even-tempered and mild-manner product manager thought it was just stress. He assumed that it was just a behavioral change as it was also the time when he started working at home. The violence escalated to a point where the family had to call the police, prompting the couple to file for a divorce approved in 2020. Brain Cancer Glioblastoma A year after the divorce, Sadayan was suddenly having seizures. It would last for 20 seconds, but he could not remember anything. However, he recalls getting a metallic taste after the episodes. Doctors from the National University Hospital (NUH) scanned his brain and found a 3cm cancerous tumor in his temporal lobe. Sadayan's doctors told The Strait Times that the brain cancer, glioblastoma, was found in the amygdala, the part of the brain linked to emotions such as anger, fear, and aggression control. Amygdala is also the emotional part of the brain responsible for rage, anger, or the fight or flight response. Glioblastoma is an aggressive and incurable brain cancer that leaves patients with a median life expectancy of 18 to 24 months. It occurs in three cases per 100,000 people. Dr. Yeo Tseng Tsai, the head of NUH's neurosurgery department, said the tumor was insignificant, measuring only 2.5 cm in diameter. However, Yeo thinks that the tumor caused Sadayan to behave violently. It destroyed pathways that inhibit violent response hence freeing him of any inhibition. Sadayan turned online to learn more about the condition, but he got grim results. He decided to leave everything to his doctor. He underwent surgery a day before his birthday in July last year. The operation took four hours, and it was successful. He had another operation to remove more tumors three weeks later. When he recovered, he found that he was "not the angry man like before." Read Also: Parents Sue Apple After Child's Airpods Allegedly Ruptured His Eardrums A second chance at love He realized that he missed his family. There were days that he wondered why he divorced his wife and the violence that led to the divorce. Although he was hesitant to reach out to them, he eventually shared his condition. To his surprise, the former wife took him to his chemotherapy and cared for him. Things improved, and they decided to remarry in April this year. The family is now living under one roof again. As per Mothership, Sadayan remains grateful to Dr. Yeo and the doctors for giving him a "second chance" to live and helping him return to his family's loving arms. Related Article: Cervical Cancer Still Possible Despite Mother Having Kids and Living Healthy Lifestyle Photo: (Photo : Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) The newest addition to Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt's family has finally arrived. The couple announced on Sunday that they welcomed their second baby together on Saturday, with the pair revealing the news on their respective Instagram accounts, according to the Daily Mail. They posted the happy news on the social media platform, writing, "We are so excited to announce the birth of our second daughter, Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt. We feel beyond blessed and grateful." They posted a picture of the baby's name and her birthday, May 21. Chris and Katherine are also proud parents to 21-month-old daughter Lyla Maria, while Pratt is a father to nine-year-old son Jack with ex-wife Anna Faris. He was married to the Hollywood actress from 2009 until their divorce in 2018. Lyla is now a big sister to baby Eloise Christina Sources confirmed to People magazine back in December that Pratt and Schwarzenegger Pratt, who married each other in June 2019, had another child on the way. They welcomed their first baby, daughter Lyla, in August 2020. Pratt paid tribute to his wife on her birthday in a lengthy Instagram post back in December. The "Jurassic World" star wrote: "Happy birthday, honey! You are such a wonderful wife, mother, step-mother, and life partner. I simply can't imagine how lost I'd be without you." The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star showered Katherine with praises in the post, writing that she is beautiful, tough as nails, reasonable, deeply thoughtful, extraordinarily smart, a complete boss, eternally driven, and a person who communicates like no other. Chris thanked Katherine for everything and for being instrumental in his growth over the past few years. Pratt added that they fit so perfectly into each other's lives that their union is a daily reminder that God is looking out for them. Pratt concluded his post by writing, "Navigating the odd circumstances of our world is a task I cannot handle alone." Read Also: Drew Scott and Linda Phan, Who Battled Fertility Issues, Share Baby Shower Photos Pratt's "healthy daughter" comment irks fans Pratt grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons back in November, facing intense backlash from netizens after he thanked Katherine for giving him a healthy daughter. That comment irked some of his followers as they took it as an attack on his son with Faris. Pratt's eldest child was born two months prematurely and weighed just three pounds and 12 ounces at birth. Jack spent the first month in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Doctors feared Jack would have severe health issues in his life because of the premature birth, but fortunately, he only needs to wear glasses and has slight leg muscle problems now. Some angry fans did not like Pratt's comments, slamming the Hollywood actor for his seemingly insensitive remarks towards Anna and their son. Pratt said in a Mirror report that Jack's time in the NICU redefined his faith in God. Related Article: Gordon Ramsay Meets His Match: Shares Video of Mom Reviewing His Food, And She's Not Impressed Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) A mom from Australia is now warning mothers about using vaporizers or steam inhalation on babies. The mom said her seven-year-old son suffered from third-degree burns after using the vaporizer to relieve his son from colds. In 2016, doctors also made a similar warning after a study found that one child each month in Australia suffered burns from vaporizer burns. Read Also: How to Spot if Your Child Has Depression His whole hand was just white When Emily Tooth heard her child scream, she dropped her plate and raced towards his seven-month-old baby. She found her son writhing in pain, and his whole hand was just white. She saw her baby with his hand was held over the steam on the vaporizer. Emily immediately picked up her son and ran his hand under cold water. However, the damage has been done. His tiny hand was white, and the skin was peeling off, 7News reports. Earlier that day, Heather, her son, had a terrible cold, so she turned to a known vaporizer to relieve her son. Emily has been using a vaporizer to help her family ease cold and flu symptoms. The product is sold in department stores and pharmacies. It has internal heating technology that boils water and essential oils before releasing them into the air as steam. Emily used eucalyptus oil to help clear his clogged nose. She put the vaporizer on a low-to-the-floor ledge behind the baby's cradle before putting his son down, leaving the room to do her other chores. Emergency dash to Sydney When she saw her baby's hand, the mom wrapped her baby and dashed to the nearest hospital. However, the doctors sent Heath and Emily to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital via ambulance. Still, doctors sent him to the burn unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney. The baby's third-degree burns damaged multiple layers of skin and tissue that exposed his bones. Doctors in Sydney immediately performed a seven-hour operation on Heath, taking tissues from his hip and transplanting it to his injured hand. The wait was excruciating for the mom, but the operation was successful. After the operation, mom and Heath had to travel a seven-hour one-way trip to Sydney hospital once or twice a week. The mom says Heath is much better now, but he still needs more surgery for his hand when he grows older. Emily said she would never use vaporizers at home again. Healthline suggests that if one has children or pets, it may be better to use a cool-mist humidifier instead to avoid burn injuries. Warning on vaporizers Six years ago, doctors warned parents to take extra care in using steam vaporizers after a study revealed that one child gets burns from popular devices each month. Half of these kids require surgery. The study found that in 2014, Royal Children's Hospital's outpatient burn clinic treated ten children in ten months for steam burns due to vaporizers. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that most of these are hand burns, with babies aged 18 months on average. Dr. Sarah Lonie, a plastic surgery registrar at Royal Hobart Hospital, calls on authorities to increase public awareness of the dangers of vaporizers. She also advises that if children suffer burns from vaporizers, parents should take them to the nearest hospital or medical center for urgent treatment. Related Article: 4 Reasons Why Women Don't Produce Milk and Ways to Improve it Photo: (Photo : Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID vaccine for the youngest kids were 80 percent effective against the omicron variant of the coronavirus, according to early data the company released on Monday, May 23. The long-awaited results bring Pfizer's vaccine one step closer to a reality for parents of children ages six months to four years, the only age group in the United States that remains ineligible for vaccination. BusinessWire reported that results from Pfizer's Phase 2/3 clinical trial also found that the COVID-19 vaccine, which uses a dosage one-tenth the level used for adults, generated a robust immune response in young children and that it was safe. Efficacy figure may still change as Pfizer gathers more data Dr. Ugur Sahin, the CEO and a co-founder of BioNTech, issued a statement about the new data, saying, "The findings suggest that the low-dose vaccine provides young children with a high level of protection against the recent Covid-19 strains. We are preparing the relevant documents and expect completing the submission process to the FDA this week." The 80 percent efficacy figure may change as Pfizer-BioNTech gathers more data. The findings are based on ten symptomatic cases of COVID that transpired seven days after the third dose of the vaccine was administered on April 29. A formal analysis will be performed by the company once at least 21 positive cases are recorded in the clinical trial. The company said that the safety and immune response data are finalized. The first two doses of the COVID vaccine are given three weeks apart, followed by a third dose that is provided at least two months later. The company's findings were announced in a news release, and the complete data have not been made available for outside experts to review. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, told NBC News that while the findings are helpful, more vaccine data in young children is still needed. Read Also: Mom Gives Birth in Elevator on Mother's Day; Medical City Security Guard Comes to Her Rescue COVID cases on the rise across the U.S., including among children Bogoch said that in the omicron era, it does not appear that vaccine protection against infection is long-lasting. He added that it would be helpful to power studies to see the protective benefit from two versus three COVID vaccine doses against severe infection, which Bogoch said is less common in this age cohort but can still happen. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said that the trial data of Pfizer may be too small to detect myocarditis, although he does not expect the inflammatory heart condition to be a problem for this particular age group. The mRNA Covid vaccines, from both Moderna and Pfizer, have been linked to a small but increased risk of the side effect in young adults and older teens. COVID cases are again on the rise across the United States, including among kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported 93,000 new cases in children during the week that ended on May 12, a 76 percent increase from two weeks before. Related Article: Mom Gives Birth to Baby in the Middle of Frontier Airlines Flight to Orlando; Names Her Daughter Sky Photo: (Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) Tracing one's family background is challenging enough and the latest installment of the long-running series, "Long List Family," highlights these emotional journeys with both a hint of sadness and relief. "Long Lost Family" presenter Davina McCall told Yahoo! Life that they have had some guests upset and angry during their filming because of the secrets they have discovered about their biological roots. As the host, McCall said that she does not attempt to pacify these feelings at all as the guests are entitled to react the way they should while going through the process. It is McCall who breaks the news to the guests about their family background. In the new season, "Born Without a Trace," McCall helps adults who have been abandoned as babies. She said that her "news" is so enormous to the guests that she makes sure to take at least three minutes to let them process what they have learned from her. Read Also: Arkansas Judge Joseph Wood Discovers Biological Parents Who Left Him in Shoebox in 1965 UK: Long Lost Family: Born Without A Trace. Monday - Wednesday, 9pm, ITV. Nicky Campbell and @ThisisDavina return with a set of three new episodes of the series that attempts to help people who were abandoned by parents when babies. pic.twitter.com/nv6i5s8kcs On TV Tonight (@OnTVTonightHQ) May 23, 2022 Abandoned Dad Finds Out His Biological Parents Remain Married Andy Hallsworth, one of the guests, knew he was adopted since he was a little boy. Now 56 years old, the father told Daily Mirror that he had always assumed that his parents gave him up because they were struggling to raise a baby or they were not going to work out their marriage as they were still too young. He eventually learned from his adoptive father that he was actually an abandoned baby. He was 37 years old at that time and only had a newspaper clipping of that baby left in the church. In 2021, he worked with McCall for "Long Lost Family" to find out more about his biological parents. They found a match on a genealogy website, who was his biological sister. Hallsworth then learned that his parents never separated and went on to have more children whom they never gave up for adoption. He also learned that they had to abandon him because his mother's family was very religious and he was borne out of wedlock. However, Hallsworth also found out that his parents searched for him for six weeks after leaving him on the steps of the church. He realized his real parents loved him but their circumstances forced them to make painful choices. While his real parents have died, Hallsworth was still able to reunite with his biological grandmother who apologized to him. If not for her beliefs, his mom and dad would have not abandoned him. "I said that I didn't need an apology and that there was nothing to forgive," Hallsworth said because he ended up with a loving adoptive family who gave him a happy childhood. Abandoned Sisters Discover Each Other Sisters Natasha and Leanne were just days old when they were abandoned at two different hospitals. They had no idea about each other's existence until "Long Lost Family." Natasha got in touch with the show because she wanted to learn about her biological mom but McCall told her they did not have any DNA match. They did, however, find her full biological sibling, Leanne. Apparently, 18 months before Natasha's abandonment, their mother also left Leanne at another hospital bathroom. Both grew up with the knowledge that they were adopted but that was all they knew from their childhood. Natasha and Leanne said that they feel no resentment towards their biological mom because she likely did what she had to do. Both sisters also kept the baby blankets that covered and protected them, as the only piece that attaches them to their mother. According to Daily Mail, the sisters are still hopeful they will find their mom someday. For now, they are reconnecting and looking for more answers about their family. Related Article: Grandfather of Baby Left in Dumpster by Teen Mom To Seek Custody Photo: (Photo : Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Four teenagers in a small city in South Carolina were killed over the weekend in what a local official described on Monday as a "tragic 24 hours," according to a report by NBC News. Newberry Police Chief Kevin Goodman told reporters in a press conference that the teens, ages 15 to 19, were found with gunshot wounds on Sunday, May 22, at two locations within a block of each other in the city with a population of about 10,000. Goodman said that authorities were still trying to determine whether the shootings were connected. The police chief revealed in the press briefing that the teens were at least associates and operating within the same social circle. Police Chief Goodman emotional about the teen shootings Goodman said that as someone who loves the community and the youth, he is in disbelief and hurt to the core. Goodman was emotional as he voiced his concerns, saying they were losing their young people at an alarming rate. A motive was not yet known for the murders, and no suspects have been identified in connection with the killings, according to WIS-TV. Goodman said that 16-year-old MyKain Davis was found just after midnight on Sunday west of downtown Newberry. Davis later died at a local hospital. Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece identified the other victims as Sonterrious Davis, 19; Jahquindon Toland, 18; and Jhisere Robinson, 15. Goodman said all three of them had also been shot. The local school superintendent issued a statement on Monday, saying two of the victims were currently enrolled and two were former students. Superintendent Alvin Pressley said that the Newberry community had been deeply impacted by this weekend's events, which had led to the loss of four young lives. Pressley added that no parent, friend, or teacher is ever prepared to face a tragedy like this. Read Also: Babysitters Commanding Higher Rates in the Middle of Labor Shortage Police investigating if retaliation was a motive in the teen shootings According to Goodman, one of the people questioned about the first fatal shooting was killed in the second shooting. Goodman said it is too early to determine if retaliation was involved in the shootings. He told WYFF that it is always a concern when you don't know all the players, and the incident stems from what. Newberry County Sheriff's Office has decided to tighten security in the area while the shootings remain unsolved, posting a message on social media that Newberry High School will be on e-learning on Monday because of the recent shooting incidents in the city. They said extra law enforcement personnel would be stationed at area schools out of precaution. They made it clear in the statement that there has been no direct threat to a school. They asked for prayers for the families and the community affected by the shootings while the Newberry City Police Department is leading an intensive investigation. Related Article: New York Mom Prepares to Bring Home Miracle Baby After 12 Years of Heartbreak With 6 Miscarriages This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions (Click on image to Greatly Enlarge) According to the Irish Times, Apple plans to expand its Cork campus with a new building that could house up to 1,300 employees in a significant investment for the tech giant. The company has applied for planning permission for the expansion at Hollyhill, which will be in addition to the city centre location that Apple currently occupies, and will house a mixture of new and existing staff. It is not yet clear how many new roles will be created as a result of the expansion. If permission is granted, Apple hopes to start work towards the end of the year, completing it in 2025. The four-storey building, which will be built on an existing car park, will connect to other buildings on the campus through a cantilevered link corridor. The development will include employee transport services and green communal spaces for staff. The extension will run on 100 per cent renewable energy, with a mixture of solar panels and heat pumps. Apples corporate operations have been carbon neutral since 2020 and it is targeting that level for its entire supply chain by 2030." For more, read the full report by The Irish Times. Cathy Kearney, Apple's Vice President of European operations "We've called Cork home for more than 40 years, and are thrilled to accelerate our investments here as we grow our team and expand our campus. We are proud to be part of the community here, and with this new project, we will continue to create new jobs, support local organisations, and drive innovation on behalf of our customers." For more, read Ireland's RTE report. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Limited and its Joint Venture (JV) partner, Sahara Group, yesterday took delivery of two 23,000 CBM Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessels at the Hyundai MIPO Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The new vessels, MT BARUMK and MT SAPET, THISDAY learnt, have increased NNPC and Sahara Group's investment to over $300 million, approaching the JV's $1 billion gas infrastructure commitment by 2026. The fleet previously comprised MT Sahara Gas and MT Africa Gas and all the four vessels were built by Hyundai MIPO Dockyard, a foremost global manufacturer of mid-sized carriers. Sahara announced the latest development in a statement issued yesterday, quoting the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, to have said the two companies have plans to add another 10 vessels in the next 10 years to enhance Africa's transition to cleaner fuels. According to the statement, WAGL Energy Limited, the JV company between NNPC and Oceanbed, a Sahara Group company, were driving NNPC's five-year $1 billion investment plan announced in 2021 to accelerate the decade of gas and energy transition agenda over the period. Kyari, who stated that three additional new vessels were being finalised, added, "we have a target of delivering 10 vessels over the next 10 years. The NNPC and our partners stand out with integrity in our energy transition quest and our commitment environmental sustainability is unwavering." The statement explained that MT BARUMK and MT SAPET are WAGL and Sahara Group's injection into the JV and that WAGL was shoring up its gas fleet and terminal infrastructure, while Sahara Group continues to make remarkable progress in the construction of over 120,000 metric tonnes of storage facilities in 11 African countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Zambia, among others. Kyari, according to the statement, said the vessels were critical to driving the federal government's commitment to the domestication of gas in Nigeria through several initiatives and increasing seamless supply in compliance with the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari. The initiatives including the LPG Penetration Framework and LPG Expansion Plan were geared towards encouraging the use of gas in households, power generation, auto-gas and industrial applications in order to attain five million metric tonnes of LPG consumption by 2025. "This is another epoch-making achievement for the NNPC and Sahara Group, and we remain firmly committed to delivering more formidable gas projects for the benefit of Nigeria and the entire sub-region," Kyari stated. The Executive Director Sahara Group, Mr. Temitope Shonubi, said with the new vessels, NNPC and Sahara were set to promote and lead Africa's march towards energy transition. "WAGL has successfully operated two mid-sized LPG Carriers MT Africa Gas and MT Sahara Gas in the region in keeping with global standards, delivering over six million CBM of LPG across West Africa. With the new vessels we are set to promote and lead Africa's march towards energy transition," Shonubi said. Nigeria's Ambassador to South Korea, Ali Magashi, who represented the federal government, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari deserved commendation for the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which he said, would reposition the NNPC to explore more projects with partners like Sahara Group. The statement explained that the name of one the vessels, 'BARUMK', was derived from the combination of the name and initials of the late NNPC GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, in fond memory of his immense support towards the Gas development in Nigeria. It also explained that the other vessel, 'SAPET', was named after the Sahara - Petroci -the Ivorian National Oil Company's JV LPG Company, SAPET Energy SA, which is currently constructing the phase one of a 12,000MT LPG storage facility in Abidjan, with expansion plans to achieve 30,000MT in phase two. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Petroleum By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The JV, the statement further explained, emerged from WAGL's trading relationship with PETROCI, dating back to 2014. In Cote D'Ivoire, Sahara said it had invested over $405 million since 2014, into facilitating the supply of LPG to give over 26 million Ivorians access to safe and reliable access to the product. LPG is the fastest growing petroleum product in sub-Sahara African over the last decade, with forecasts indicating that LPG will grow at seven per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the next 15 years. It has been projected that increased uptake of LPG will reduce net Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and pressure on forest reserves, thereby increasing environmental sustainability. At a glance Experts Rating Pros Very accurate color Great out-of-box image quality Good range of image adjustments Smooth, clear motion performance Cons Expensive for a 1080p monitor Bland, basic design Modest SDR brightness Our Verdict Acers Nitro XV272 costs more than a lot of 1080p monitors, but the IPS, 165Hz screen provides above-average image quality and motion performance, and a full range of monitor-stand adjustments and a generous array of ports make it worth the cost. Best Prices Today: Acer Nitro XV272 Retailer Price Delivery $279.99 Free View Acer $399.99 View 1080p resolution isnt cutting-edge, but it remains the most popular resolution among modern PC displays. This is often because of budget: There are dozens of cheap 1080p monitors. But what happens when a 1080p monitor makes image quality a priority? Acer XV272: The specs The Acer Nitro XV272 (LVbmiiprx) is a 27-inch, 1080p monitor with an IPS panel and a 165Hz refresh rate. This puts it smack-dab in the most crowded segment of the monitor market. Here are the XV272s most noteworthy specs. Display size: 27-inch Native resolution: 19201080 Panel type: IPS Refresh rate: Up to 165Hz Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort, 4x USB 3 Stand adjustment: Height, tilt, swivel, pivot VESA mount: Yes, 100x100mm Speakers: Yes Price: $349 MSRP, around $279 typical A few features help the Nitro XV272 stand out. It has a 165Hz refresh and is compatible with both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. It also has three video inputs, four USB ports, and a stand with numerous ergonomic adjustments. These features signal that the Nitro XV272, though not expensive, is a cut above entry-level 1080p monitors. Acer Nitro XV272: Design The Nitro name might sound exciting, but the XV272, like all such monitors from Acer, looks pretty plain. Acers Nitro sub-brand focuses on performance over design. Essentially all Nitro monitors use a simple, matte black housing paired with a skinny stand with round base. Its dull but inoffensive. Cable management could be betteryou get just a clip on the base for routing cables. Matt Smith / Foundry The stand feels cheap when handled but offers plenty of ergonomic adjustment. This includes height, tilt, swivel, and even pivot. Swivel and pivot arent guaranteed at this price point, so its good to see them here. Theres also a 100x100mm VESA mount for attaching a third-party monitor arm or stand. There is one problem with the stand: cable management. You wont find a hole in the stand for routing cables. Instead, Acer uses a tiny clip on the base that does a terrible job of keeping cables bundled. Acer XV272: Features and menu Connectivity includes two HDMI 2.0 ports, plus one DisplayPort, and a total of four USB-A 3.0 ports for connecting wired peripherals. This makes the monitor a moderately useful USB hub, though it lacks more advanced features like USB-C with Power Delivery. Still, the Acer Nitro XV272 has more ports than most 1080p gaming monitors. A nice selection of ports are located in the depression on the Nitro XV272s backside. Matt Smith / Foundry The Nitro XV272s menu system could be better. It looks basic, with simple icons and unattractive fonts, and doesnt feel responsive while using the joystick to scroll through options. The joystick and select buttons are easy to use, but the power button is a bit too close to the select buttons. I accidentally turned off the monitor several times. These issues hide a surprisingly robust slate of image-quality options. This includes precise gamma presets, several color temperature modes, and six-way adjustment of color saturation and hue. Theres also a few gaming-centric features such as a frames-per-second counter and built-in aim points. The monitor lacks a black equalizer setting for brightening dark areas, however, which might disappoint fans of competitive shooters. The monitor includes a pair of two-watt speakers. Theyre not great but well suited for podcasts, YouTube, or games with less impressive audio. Youll want to put on a headset when sound quality matters. Acer XV272: SDR image quality The Acer Nitro XV272 is towards the high end of pricing for a 27-inch 1080p display. Gamers can snag a 1440p or 4K monitor for about the same price. Acer combats this with a vivid, accurate image. SDR brightness comes in at about 250 nits. This is low but, as youll see when I discuss HDR, its not the monitors true maximum brightness. Acer appears to be limiting the monitors maximum potential in SDR mode. That said, the monitor is still bright enough for use in nearly all situations. It will only appear dim if used opposite a sunlit window. Matt Smith / Foundry The Nitro XV272s modest contrast ratio is typical for a modern IPS gaming monitor without Mini-LED technology. Like its peers, the XV272 suffers from IPS glowa hazy and blotchy appearance noticeable in dark scenes. That said, the monitors contrast ratio is good for the price. Aside from LGs new IPS Black panel technology, which is currently available in just a couple displays from Dell, no IPS monitor without Mini-LED performs significantly better. Matt Smith / Foundry Color gamut is solid, covering the entire sRGB color space plus 88 percent of DCI-P3. The range of colors it can display is great for a mid-range gaming monitor and does provide an advantage over alternatives with a more narrow color space. The added color provides a vivid, saturated look thats attractive in games. As for color accuracy, the Nitro XV272 knocks it out of the park, with a default color accuracy more typical of a high-end professional monitor than a mid-range gaming monitor. Acer doesnt sell the XV272 as a professional display, and its meager 1080p resolution will take it out of contention for many, but creators who stick to 1080p resolution will find this monitor surprisingly capable when editing photos, video, and digital art. Matt Smith / Foundry The monitor had an ideal gamma curve of 2.2, which means content looks about as bright as was intended. Default color temperature came in at 6200K, which is slightly warmer and more reddish than the typical temperature of 6500K. As mentioned earlier, the monitor offers multiple gamma and color temperature settings, so theres a lot of room to tweak the image if you want. But you dont need toand that is the monitors greatest strength. The XV272s decent contrast, accurate color, and lack of noticeable flaws makes for a fantastic out-of-box experience. The SDR image is lively and inviting. Matt Smith / Foundry Theres one obvious limitation: resolution. This is a 27-inch 1080p monitor, which translates to a meager pixel density of 81 pixels per inch. Fonts are poorly defined, videos lack sharpness, and games show distracting shimmering and pixelation. This isnt a dealbreaker for me, but you should know what youre getting into. A 1440p alternative will look much sharper. Acer XV272: HDR performance The Acer Nitro XV272 supports HDR and is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified. HDR support is becoming common among gaming displays, but it still feels special at this price point. I measured a maximum HDR brightness of 450 nits, which is solid. Though it supports HDR, the Nitro XV272 failed to automatically detect an HDR signal and turn on HDR mode. I had to select it manually. This is a minor annoyance but disappointing, as nearly all monitors I test have no problem detecting HDR automatically. The Nitro XV272s HDR performance is better than expected. It delivered performance that was superior to more expensive monitors, such as the Gigabyte M27Q X and Asus ProArt PA279CV, with better color gamut and accuracy in HDR. Still, ultimately, this is a budget monitor that cant do HDR justice. HDR content can deliver a bit more detail in bright areas but otherwise isnt necessarily more colorful or rich than in SDRit just looks slightly different. Acer XV272: Motion performance Acers Nitro XV272 has a maximum refresh rate of up to 165Hz. This delivers smooth, fluid motion in games and a quicker, more responsive feel when using the desktop. The monitor officially supports AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, so you dont need to worry about whether the monitor will work with your particular video card. Shoppers should remember this is a 1080p display, which is less demanding than 1440p or 4K resolution. Achieving a frame rate that fully uses the 165Hz refresh rate is possible in a wide range of titles. This is good news for gamers on a budget. Motion clarity is good at the monitors default response-time setting. The monitor has an OverDrive mode, which can be activated when using several gaming-oriented image-quality presets. This can improve clarity but also causes overshoot, an issue where a pixel moves beyond the intended color, resulting in artifacts around high-contrast objects. Most owners should just leave OverDrive at the default setting of Normal. Final thoughts The Acer Nitro XV272 LVbmiiprx is a good monitor for gamers who want attractive image quality at a mid-range price. Resolution will be an obstacle for some, as its possible to buy a 1440p monitor on the same budget, but the XV272s accurate image and great motion clarity makes up for the lack of sharpness. The XV272 is also a good choice for content creators who want accurate color for less than $300, making it a well-rounded, budget-friendly choice for those who work from home and want one display for both productivity and gaming. The Microsoft Store app suffers from two major flaws: it doesnt have as many apps as users would like, and what apps there are suffer from a plague of infrequently updated lookalikes. Microsoft seems intent on solving the first problem by making the second potentially worse. Microsoft said Tuesday at its Microsoft Build 2022 conference that the Microsoft Store is open to all, meaning that it has removed a waitlist program for Win32 apps. The store is now open to all app developers. Microsoft also announced an ad program, Microsoft Store Ads, which will allow developers to create ad campaigns to promote their apps within the Store app. Microsoft will also begin testing a restore feature that will automatically load apps that Windows users own when setting up a new device. Its true that the Microsoft Store on Windows represents one of the improvements Windows 11 offers versus Windows 10. Its detailed and well-organized, with comprehensive features that range from ratings to a recommendation for whether the app will run on your PC. Developers have apparently responded. In the first three months of 2022, Microsoft says, there was a more than 50 percent increase in new desktop apps and games added to the Store, versus the same period last year. Unfortunately, Microsoft hasnt said exactly how many apps those numbers represent. (Its slightly less hazy on the total userbase of Windows 10 and 11: A combined 1.4 billion people.) We have a better idea of how many apps Microsofts competitors offer. AppBrain estimates that there are 2.66 million apps on Google Play, with 36 percent of those rated as low quality. Apples App Store has more: just under 5 million as estimated by Statista. We can assume that Microsoft probably has significantly less than either of its two competitors, and a small fraction of the available Windows apps. In 2018, Microsoft corporate vice president Michael Forton characterized the Windows ecosystem (not the Store) as totaling 35 million applications. Thats all to say that Microsoft is probably feeling a little insecure about its app count, as well as the potential for revenue for selling through the Store. (Developers can use their own payment mechanisms and keep all of the revenue; otherwise, Microsoft charges just 12 percent for games and between 5 to 15 percent for apps.) Adding more apps will also potentially lessen the clout of Valves Steam and the Epic Games Store. The Store has several other issues, such as the way in handles game downloads, but adding more apps would be a start. Any app that runs on Windows, including C++, WinForms, WPF, MAUI, React, Rust, Flutter and Java, is welcome in the Microsoft Store, Microsoft wrote. The Microsoft Store is well organized, with descriptive pages that clearly communicate what each app does. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsoft is not saying that just any app will be approved, however. The company will still adhere to the principles for its app store that the company laid out in February. But those principles also focus on how apps are marketed and sold on the app store, and how Microsoft will not promote its own apps over those developed by a third party. The principles include reasonable and transparent standards for quality and safety, but dont specify what they are. Microsofts Store Policies, specifically its quality guidelines, do offer more detail. But they seem to be more advisory than anything else. Can Microsoft control the crapware? But adding more apps doesnt necessarily eliminate the other major problem the Microsoft Store has: crapware. Duplicates. A well-curated Microsoft Store would promote the best Windows apps available, and not clutter its shelves with deceptive knockoffs. But thats exactly whats happened, to the point that the developer of popular audio editor Audacity uploaded the proper version to the Microsoft Store in an attempt to rid it of paid knockoffs of the free Audacity app. Due to the ludicrous number of fake Audacitys on the Microsoft store, which charge users for non-functional or very limited applications, Ive now (finally) taken the name back and have published the proper, free version for the first time, developer Martin Keary tweeted. That doesnt seem consistent with the quality guidelines mentioned above, which include advice on not to ride the coattails of other apps. Be original and distinctive, they say. For example, a title thats a variation on the spelling of another app can cause confusion and a unique title can help your app stand out. To be fair, a search for Audacity on the Microsoft Store today doesnt turn up any of those Audacity knockoffs, which means, in part, that Keary succeeded. We cant say for certain that the existing waitlist held back even more knockoffs that would otherwise have cluttered the Microsoft Store. It does feel like ending the waitlist will simply usher in more low-quality applications alongside the real versions. We asked Microsoft for comment on the matter, and company representatives declined to comment on the record. At least it doesnt appear thar Microsofts new Store ads will be particularly obnoxious, based upon an example Microsoft provided to the press. But the suggested apps also take up space that could otherwise be dedicated to search results. The suggested apps look less like ads and more like Microsoft is trying to be helpful. But shouldnt Fabrikam Workspace be at the top, as part of the search results? Microsoft Microsofts attempts to surface relevant ads also have a few twists that we arent sure how theyll play out. For one, Microsoft appears to be interested in letting app developers who store data in the cloud to inject their own content into what was previously neutral ground within Windows: File Explorer, for example, and file dialogues. It isnt clear what content would appear here, and whether or not it would be unsolicited. This would enable Windows to show your app and app content to users in the right context, providing a seamless app installation and content discovery experience across devices, Microsoft said, in a blog post authored by chief product officer Panos Panay. Stay tuned for more on this front. Some, though, we know already. According to a blog post by Microsoft Store general manager Giorgio Sardo, Microsoft will begin embedding badges for Store downloads on other websites, essentially allowing one-click downloads of Store apps. Store apps will also begin appearing in Windows Search results from your own PC as suggested downloads. This is what App Restore could look like on Windows, according to Microsoft. Microsoft Microsoft will also begin allowing Windows users to automatically download, or restore apps that theyve previously installed from the Microsoft Store. Its not clear how that will differ from existing options to set up new PCs like other devices Microsoft knows are tied to your account. Microsoft, however, has succeeded on one issue: de-coupling parts of Windows and pushing them to the Store, allowing them to be released with their own feature roadmaps on their own schedule. The latest addition has been the Windows Subsystem for Linux, Microsoft said. The Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has said President Museveni is the least qualified person to preach frugality because he employs 1,500 employees at his residence (State House) including 139 presidential advisors. Ssemujju's remarks followed President Museveni's statements on the escalating prices of commodities in the country where he ruled out provision of subsidies or tax waivers as a way of cushioning Ugandans against the rising prices of most goods. ADVERTISEMENT For over three months, the prices of almost all goods have gone up, leaving a number of people helpless and crying foul, making the situation worse by the skyrocketing fuel prices. In his address to the nation regarding the matter on Sunday, Museveni said the only way to solve the problem at hand is using the imported items frugally or doing away with them by getting alternatives which are available. ADVERTISEMENT At a news conference at the party headquarters in Kampala, Ssemujju said President Museveni should first preach frugality to himself before telling Ugandans He said the head of state preached frugality because subsidies and tax exemptions would interfere with the country's development agenda. "This is preaching water and for you, you drink wine. Mr. Museveni continues to live a life of ostentation as if the country is not in distress. He employs 1500 employees at his residence (State House) including 139 presidential advisors. He has even included Shs 8.3 billion in the budget to pay rent for these advisors," he said. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Uganda Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Ssemujju said the total budget for President Museveni's residence is now Shs 677 billion translating into Shs 1.8 billion per day and the budget for his office is Shs 147 billion translating into Shs 400 million per day. "Frugality means you cut expenditure on avoidable items. Museveni has given himself Shs 140 billion in the budget passed for donations. He has money for workshops and seminars at his residence. Really. Who attends seminars at the State House? The wife is busy because she is minister for education," he said. On the issue regarding the budget for next year (financial year's budget) totalling Shs 48 trillion, Ssemujju expressed concern that it does not offer immediate solutions to the rising cost of living in the country. "Taxes on essential goods such as fuel and raw materials were maintained. It announced no subsidy on critical items such soap, paraffin, cooking oil and fuel. This means, fuel prices will continue going up until the Almighty Allah brings them down," he said. Of importance to note, he said, is the reckless borrowing by president Museveni to finance his government's "luxurious spending". "Of the Shs 48 trillion budget, Shs 16.3 trillion has been reserved for debt repayment. The Shs 16.3 debt repayment amount includes over Shs 5 trillion which is interest on money borrowed," he said. Weve become used to sharing files between the cloud and our local PCs, so much that we often dont think about where a file physically resides. It sounds like Microsoft wants us to start thinking about our computing resources in the same way and start considering AI when buying a new PC or processor, too. In the future, an app you use will make a decision between whether to use the power of your local CPU; a local neural processing unit, or NPU; or the cloud to get your task done fast. Were entering a world where every Windows computer will draw on the combined power of CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, and even a new coprocessor, Azure Compute, in this hybrid cloud-to-edge world, said Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella during his keynote address at the Microsoft Build conference, held virtually. You will be able to do large scale training in the cloud and do inference at the edge and have the fabric work as one. What does this mean? Today, we buy beefy X86 processors to run games, Microsoft Excel, and other intensive applications on our PCs. What Microsoft is trying to accomplish is to bring new classes of applications to the PC, magical experiences that increasingly depend on artificial intelligence. These apps will use the CPUs and GPUs that are already in your PC, but also tap into the resources like the cloud and an AI processor like an NPU to help out, too. What Nadella is proposing is that developers Nadella mentioned Adobe by name build in more intelligent capabilities into their own apps. (Think Photoshops Magic Select tool, which can, well, magically select an object by guessing thats what youre highlighting.) Those apps would be trained and improved in the cloud, teaching the apps through machine learning how to get smarter. They would then be tested inferencing, in AI-speak on your PC. In other words, Microsoft sees the evolution of apps as one where the cloud will interact with the local PC in two ways. Youll save files on your PC (or on a backup drive or USB key) and on OneDrive; and youll run apps on your local CPU and GPU, as well as Azure. The wild card will be the NPU, an AI coprocessor that has been somewhat ignored by X86 chipmakers like AMD and Intel, but prioritized by Arm. Deciding between what to use CPU, GPU, NPU, or the cloud is what Microsoft calls the hybrid loop, and it will be an important decision your Windows PC will have to make. From your perspective, however, it should just work. More to come at Microsoft Build At its Build developer conference, executive vice president and chief product officer Panos Panay will talk about a vision for a world of intelligent hybrid compute, bringing together local compute on the CPU, GPU, and NPU [neural processing unit] and cloud compute with Azure, the companys cloud technology. In the future, moving compute workloads between client and cloud will be as dynamic and seamless as moving between Wi-Fi and cellular on your phone today, Panay wrote in a blog post titled Create Next Generation Experiences at Scale with Windows, that accompanied the opening of the Build conference. Were building on the GPU, the CPU, the MPU, and in essence, and in essence, were introducing a fourth processor to Windows with Azure Compute using Azure, one of the worlds most powerful computers, to enable rich local experiences on Windows. Panay said at the Build conference. We dont know exactly what AI-powered apps these will be, but Microsoft itself has provided a few past examples, such as: In 2018, Microsoft began showing off how Microsoft PowerPoint could read your presentation and suggest appropriate slide styles. Microsoft So far, all of these applications depend on your local PCs processor, such as automatic captioning of local video. Others, such as automatic scheduling of meetings in Outlook, can certainly use your own local processing power, but they could also use the Azure cloud that powers Outlook.com. The point is: you dont know, and you dont care. It just gets done. As to what those applications might be? We dont know, though Microsoft is clearly trying to rally developers to build those applications using Build as inspiration. We know Microsoft would really love for you to start incorporating its Azure cloud into your computing experiences, even if you dont think of Azure as something youd sign up for. Microsofts Xbox cloud gaming? The Windows in a cloud, or Windows 365? Outlook on the Web? All of these heavily depend on Microsoft Azure, and they simply cant be replicated without a cloud subscription backing them up. A strong endorsement for Arm Whats somewhat surprising, however, is that how strongly Microsoft seems to believe that Arm PCs will be necessary to enable this future. Increasingly, magical experiences powered by AI will require enormous levels of processing power beyond the capabilities of traditional CPU and GPU alone. But new silicon like neural processing units (NPUs) will add expanded capacity for key AI workloads, Panay wrote. Put another way, in the future, the speed of your computer will be measured by the power of its neural processor, said Microsoft technical fellow Steven Bathiche, at Build. Both AMD and Intel have made noises about AI capabilities within their processors, beginning with Intels 10th-gen Ice Lake chip. There, Intel showed off how AI could be used to filter out background noises in conference calls, accelerate photo-editing tools, and more. But AI hasnt really been a focus in subsequent presentations. For their part, AMD executives mentioned that Ryzen 7000 would have specific AI instructions that they would talk about later, and that was that. Arm and its licensee Qualcomm, however, have made AI an enormous priority, and its recent Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip contains what Qualcomm calls its 7th-gen AI engine, with a 3rd-gen Sensing Hub that works on a low level to filter out audible noise along with other features. In smartphones, the impact of AI is more immediately felt, with portrait images and video using AI to set off the subject from the background, and apply filters. Qualcomm may refer to it as an AI engine, but its an NPU by any other name. And Microsoft seems to want them on the PC. In a demonstration, Bathiche showed off how a face tracker algorithm would require more than 20 watts on a traditional X86 CPU, while on an NPU it took only 137 milliwatts. And how is it going to do all this? Its not exactly clear. Surprisingly, one name that we havent heard anything about is Windows ML, an AI API that we first heard about in 2018 to bring to AI to Windowsthen sort of disappeared. AI-powered tools are much more common on smartphones, where algorithms are used to pull out the subject of a photo in portrait mode, like in this shot in a Qualcomm-powered Samsung Galaxy S20 phone. Mark Hachman / IDG On one hand, Microsoft hasnt called out Arm specifically as a preferred NPU provider. But weve seen a continued push to support Arm over the past few years, dating from the first Windows on Arm implementations to 64-bit app support. Unfortunately, in a world where Microsoft (and customers) didnt care so much about AI, Qualcomms Snapdragon chips were forced to try and differentiate themselves on battery life, an advantage that X86 chips cut into. AMD claimed that the longest-lasting laptop, as measured by MobileMark, now runs on a Ryzen for example. Microsoft hasnt given up. At Build, the company announced Project Volterra, a new device powered by Snapdragon chips. (Microsoft representatives declined to comment on the exact specifications.) Volterra, pictured in the image at the top of this story, will be used as a way for developers to create these magical apps that use NPUs on Arm. With Project Volterra you will be able to explore many AI scenarios, Panay wrote. And because we expect to see NPUs being built into most, if not all future computing devices, were going to make it easy for developers to leverage these new capabilities, by baking support for NPUs into the end-to-end Windows platform. Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops, including this one that uses a Snapdragon 8cx, have underperformed X86 PCs for some time. Qualcomms Nuvia chips may overcome that, though theyre first due in late 2023. Mark Hachman / IDG Right now, youre probably working on a PC that uses an X86 processor of some type, either from AMD or Intel. And you probably rely on the power of that PC to accomplish whatever task you wish to complete. Microsoft certainly doesnt dictate the future of the personal computer, as weve learned from the failures of Windows 10X, the Surface Neo, and so on. But it does have significant influence, and the power of the cloud has already touched your life in subtle but meaningful ways. Microsoft appears to be trying to tug the PC into a direction that puts cloud connectivity plus local AI at the head of the table, with Azure as the main dish. Will the PC industry follow suit? PC makers have generally been willing to experiment with Cortana buttons and Surface-like tablets and Windows 10 in S Mode and the like. But theyre quick to steer back towards what makes them money, too, ruthlessly cutting experiments that dont pan out. Still, theres no denying that Microsoft has staked a claim with a fresh vision for the future of the PC, and thats worth watching. This story was updated at 3:08 PM with comments from Microsoft executives Panos Panay and Steven Bathiche. Forty-four year-old Charles Owusu, a former aide to the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who until his death on July 1, 2020 was the Chief Executive Officer of the Lands Commission, has expressed disgust that the private will of his late boss is being discussed in public. Owusu who is named in Owusu Afriyie, aka Sir Johns will as an executor and beneficiary of his estate, said the circulation of Sir Johns will on social media, a private testament, is not only a sad development but also contrary to established Ghanaian customs and traditions. He suspects the whole exercise of leaking and circulating the will on social media aims to disgrace his former boss, who was once the general secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party. In the meantime, he has nothing more than best wishes for whoever is behind it. Charles Owusu was commenting on the development on Asempa FM on Monday after it emerged that the late Lands Commission boss had allegedly willed several acres of the Achimota Forest to his family members and others. But while he said he would restrain from commenting on the issue until promised investigations by government into the will and claims therein concerning the Achimota Forest are concluded, Charles Owusu said if the will is anything to go by, what he had seen names the lands in the will to be situated at the Achimota Forest and not the Achimota Forest Reserve, the subject of a recent controversy. He described the discussion of the will of the late Sir John as disgraceful, and insisted he was not one to turn his back on his former boss, saying Sir John took him in as a younger brother, a son, and a nephew, and for which he would forever love him. Asked if he was the Charles Owusu named in Sir Johns will as the beneficiary of a piece of land in the Achimota Forest, he said it was not until after his boss died that he came to know that he is an executor of his estate. The Achimota Forest has been in the news in recent weeks following what government describes as the declassification of the peripherals in order to return it to its original owners. Many civil society organisations and individuals have spoken again governments actions, with some alleging the steps would affect the ecological integrity of the forest while the lands would also be distributed among government functionaries, claims the government has denied. Following the circulation of the said will of Sir John, the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry says it is investigating the will and its claims to ascertain its veracity. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Senior Psychologist, Prof. Joseph Osafo, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) George Akuffo Dampare to whip up public confidence in the Ghana Police Service. Prof. Osafo noted that lack of public confidence in the security agencies can incite people to engage in terrorism and other acts that disturb public peace. His comment comes on the heels of recent shootings at Nkoranza in the Bono East Region. The youth of Nkoranza, on Tuesday, May 17, clashed with the Police in the community over the death of an alleged robbery suspect, Albert Donkor. The youth burnt car tyres on the streets of Nkoranza to register their displeasure over the mysterious death of the suspect who they believe is an innocent 27-year-old businessman. The angry protesters' action was met a response from the Police who fired gunshots to disperse them, reportedly resulting in the death of a member of the protesters and several others sustaining gunshot wounds. Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Prof. Joseph Osafo advised the IGP and his officers to behave in a manner that the public can approach them without it resulting in a violent confrontation. "When people lose faith in security apparatus, in jurisprudence, in governance; we are dead because then we have entered a place of no law," he said. He believed one way to prevent people from engaging in terrorism or causing chaos is for the security agencies to be friends with the populace and present themselves in a way that the people can report suspicious persons and activities. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South, Emmanuel Kojo Agyekum, has hinted of a planned street protest on Friday, May 27, against what he describes as an unfair presentation of happenings in Nkoranza by the security agencies in the last two weeks. Consequently, he says he will Monday [May 23, 2022] serve notice to the police on the planned protest. According to the MP, the street protest has become necessary following the death of Albert Donkor who was in police custody and another person last Tuesday [May 17, 2022] after the youth of the town attacked the Nkoranza Police Station. Speaking in a radio interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr Agyekum noted that the statements issued by the police about the developments in the area appear to unfairly castigate them. We know we have to give the police five days notice, so we are giving them the notice [on Monday] and well start the demonstration on Friday. On Tuesday, we will have a press conference to tell the police that we are not happy, especially with the statements they issue. They issue statements to insult us and that is unprofessional, he said. The MP had earlier expressed his disquiet over the polices handling of the recent incidents. According to him, the sentiments of people in the town is anger and total distrust in the polices ability to impartially investigate the alleged killing of Donkor by an officer after the deceased was picked up from his home around midnight earlier this month. He said it is appalling that the police leadership is seeking to arrest the young people who protested the alleged killing of Donkor instead of investigating to unravel the circumstances under which Albert Donkor was shot and how the police in the area killed one other person and injured several others during the protest over Donkors killing. The concern of the police is not about those who are dead but their concern, for which reason theyve brought people from Accra, is to gather evidence of people who destroyed a flat-screen TV and a pickup truck at the police station when they [youth] were demonstrating the last time I was in court with the young men who were arrested over the demonstration and the polices interest is to arrest the people who are in hospital now, even those undergoing surgery, he said. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana is positioning itself to become the mining hub of Africa, where all mining and related activities, as well as various linkages, will be centred and take place. In furtherance of this, the country is already implementing a policy and legislative framework towards a mining industry which substantially retains the full value chain of the industry from exploration, to mining, refinery, smelting and downstream production to support and financial services. This came to light in an interview with the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, at the just-ended global conference in Cape Town, South Africa, dubbed: "Mining Indaba". Expatiating further on the ambitious African agenda, the minister said the 2014 mining policy was undergoing a major review for a clear legislative framework that would assure the state, its citizens and the investor community of a win-win situation. To firm up the move, Mr Jinapor said, Ghana had also embarked on a series of major bilateral discussions with mining giants across the globe, including Rand Refinery, AngloGold Ashanti, Australia, American and Nigerian partners, towards achieving the set objective. Presidents vision We want Ghana to become a launch pad, so we can provide expertise and services. Essentially that is the Presidents vision; that is, what we are working to achieve what he is in the process of transforming Ghana into, Mr Jinapor disclosed. According to him, within the framework of linkages, the Lands Ministry was placing a lot of emphasis on enhancing local content in mining operations. In that regard, he said, maximising human resource in the mines and encouraging Ghanaian ownership were critical. All that, he noted, were happening to some extent and mentioned Cardinal Resources, which is operating in the northern part of the country, Asante Gold, Adamus, Rocksure and Ghana Bauxite at Awaso as some of the mining companies. The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, is also training mining experts and localising the training, which has already seen many of our neighbours coming to Ghana to study, he stated. Collaborative approach Mr Jinapor said his ministry was adopting a collaborative approach with the Ghana Chamber of Mines to develop the mining sector, as well as optimise operations to maximise the contribution of mining to national development. As you know, Ghana is the number one producer of gold in Africa and the sixth in the world, and today, several countries, including Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, which historically were not gold-producing countries have suddenly discovered gold and are all becoming gold-producing countries, he indicated. So what does the President mean when he says we should make Ghana the mining hub of Africa? What it means is that we should be able to develop an indigenous mine support industry which can support, lets say, the mining industry of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. If we talk about exploration, we should develop an exploratory sector in Ghana which can venture into the space of Burkina, Mali and Niger. When we talk about financing for mining activities, we should be able to engage our financial sector in a way that mobilisation for mining will take place in Ghana, he added. Regulatory framework As you know, Ghana prides itself as one of the countries with a very advanced regulatory, legal and policy framework for mining and several countries have visited our country since I became minister to learn from us, Mr Jinapor further stated. He said a number of countries, including The Sudan, Guinea and Niger, had sought audience with Ghana, asking for technical assistance and to explore the opportunity of learning how the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation was set up and how Ghana was developing its bauxite industry. Democratic culture The whole issue, Mr Jinapor argued, also bordered on the countrys democratic culture, where the rule of law was the norm and not the exception, and where there was respect for contract sanctity. This is where the ministry works in partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Mines and various stakeholders in the industry to ensure that the country becomes a conducive environment and attractive environment for investors, he said. He indicated that his sole aim and preoccupation was to engage with all the key actors in the industry to make them confident that the country was the place to spend their money. Ghana is the place to invest, Mr Jinapor concluded. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Pressure group, OccupyGhana is calling for the suspension of Executive Instrument (E.I) 144 by the government. According to the group, there should a full public inquiry into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. The group in a letter dated May 23, 2022, said, We write to demand that you revoke or suspend the operation of the Forests (Cessation of Forest Reserve) Instrument, 2022 (EI 144) and the Forests (Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve) (Amendment) Instrument, 2022 (EI 154) forthwith. OccupyGhana added that, Instead, we demand a full public inquiry under Chapter 23 of the Constitution into the matter of the Achimota Forest Reserve. The purpose of the inquiries would be to reverse any illegal acts perpetrated, and improper gains made, by government officials under the guise of returning lands. The Civil Society Organisation (CSO) also referenced a letter addressed to Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, dated May 18, 2022, where they expressed, vehement disagreement with the alleged plans to return substantial portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve to its former owners. We have had further cause to believe that this state of affairs is worse and much wider than is apparent. We are also concerned that there might have been serious instances of conflict of interest and conflict of duty involving government officials and other government actors, concerning those lands. Background Page 5 of Sir John's Last Will available to GhanaWeb states that the late CEO of the Forestry Commission together with one Charles Owusu, have already secured parts of the Achimota Forest lands. The will stated that Sir John is, therefore, giving his 0.987 acres of the Achimota Forest land and he gives his portion to his nephews, Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng, forever. "I give my land also situate at Achimota Forest in the name of Fasoh Limited and measuring 0.987 acres to my nephews Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng, forever. "I jointly own a piece of land at Achimota Forest with Charles Owusu, upon my demise, my portion of the said land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor. "I give my portion of the land that I jointly own at the Achimota Forest in the name of DML Limited to Elizabeth Asare Boateng who at the time of making this Will is domiciled in the USA, forever," portions of Sir John's will read. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has indicated it will investigate the alleged inclusion of Achimota Forest lands in Sir Johns Last Will and Testament. A statement issued on Sunday, May 22, 2022, the ministry, said the ministry took a very serious view of the allegations. The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to a document making the rounds on social media, which alleges that the late former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, had included portions of the Achimota Forest in his Will, and given out same to individuals who are said to be related to him. The Ministry takes a very serious view of the allegations and has requested for all documents relating to the lands in question, as part of an initial inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims. Considering that the issues that form the basis of the allegations predate the tenure of the current Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, it is important that he is seized with the full facts to enable him to take appropriate action, if, indeed, there is any merit in the claims. The Ministry assures the general public and the good people of Ghana that it will ensure that the national interest is protected at all times, especially in matters pertaining to the Achimota Forest. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Young African Women Congress has kickstarted in the Kenya capital, Nairobi, on Monday, 23rd May 2022. The conference under the theme: "Network for Empowerment: Refuelling A Continent On The Rise" seeks to enlighten delegates on the many possibilities that women networks could engineer. The conference also seeks to build a special connection that will help women, especially young African women, realize their full potential in contributing to the transformational journey of the continent. In a speech delivered at the conference by the Executive Director of Exla Group And Council Chair of YAWC, Mr. Daniel Osei Tuffour, he noted that YAWC embodies the ideas and aspirations of women from different backgrounds. He believed an empowerment conversation that does not consider "network to empower" may not succeed, adding "that's why we acknowledge that empowerment is not a destination but a journey, with detours that depend on each woman's circumstances and opportunities. "Through networking, we are able to identify the right tools and framework that would secure a friendlier environment for women to thrive based on their individual circumstances," he further said. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Tarkwa-Nsuaem Member of Parliament, Hon. George Mireku Duker has met with the CHARGE DAFFAIRES of the Australian High Commission, Ms. Leann Johnston, to build a longstanding relationship between his constituency and Australia. Ms. Leann Johnston, in the company of Hon. Mireku Duker, paid a courtesy call on the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) during the visit to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality. In a speech delivered by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Richard Amankwah, he expressed his full support for the initiative of building a strong sister-city relationship with the Australian nation. Addressing the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, Hon. Mireku Duker also indicated that sister-city relations between Tarkwa and an Australian City will "help boost mutual relations in the areas of; 1. Bilateral Business and Trade (Mining); 2. Educational Exchange programmes; 3. Cultural Exchanges and 4. Developmental Projects". "The Ghana-Australian Business Week shall be established and held annually at Tarkwa which shall serve as a springboard for mutual benefits especially in the area of Australia business interests in Mining", he added. Read statement below: HON. DUKER ENGAGES AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION, SISTER-CITY RELATION KICKSTARTS Hon. Duker writes, On Friday, May 20, 2022, I led Ms. Leann Johnston, CHARGE DAFFAIRES of the Australian High Commission representing the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, to the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality. The visit initiated by my office, is purposely to build a long-lasting sister-city relationship between Tarkwa-Nsuaem and another city in Australia. We paid a courtesy call on the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), where the Vice Chancellor Prof. Richard Amankwah, in his speech, expressed his full support for the initiative and indicated that, the University is ready to associate with the vision of the sister city activities. Addressing the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly, I touched briefly on the history of mining within the Municipality which dates back to the 1620s, establishing the striking similarity between Ghana and Australia as Mineral endowed Countries. Further, projections indicates that, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem enclave accounts for about 40% of total gold produced in Ghana as of 2020, hosting the country's only Manganese Mine, hence a significant backbone of Ghanas Economy. I acknowledged the already relationship that exists between Ghana and Australia and impact made by the High Commission and Australian Companies in Ghana through supporting lot of social projects, interventions (such as scholarships) and accompanied benefits to the nation through employment generation, revenue, royalties payment and other levies respectively. I indicated that, establishIing a sister-city relations between Tarkwa and an Australian City will help boost mutual relations in the areas of; 1. Bilateral Business and Trade (Mining); 2. Educational Exchange programmes; 3. Cultural Exchanges and 4. Developmental Projects. The Ghana-Australian Business Week shall be established and held annually at Tarkwa which shall serve as a springboard for mutual benefits especially in the area of Australia business interests in Mining. Addressing the Assembly, the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Benjamin Kessie, indicated the Assembly's readiness to welcome the sister-city initiative, which is rooted in the Assembly's mandate and believes that, it will help improve on socioeconomic development between parties if established. Ms. Leann Johnston in her speech, indicated the readiness of the Australian High Commission to prioritize this engagement and make it a success. Together we shall make Tarkwa-Nsuaem great. Thank you. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video School Feeding Caterers decision to suspend their services until their demands were met by the government has revealed absenteeism and low attendance in some basic Schools in the Kadjebi township. The Caterers refused to feed pupils with one hot meal a day since schools reopened on May 9, 2022 for their second term academic works. The withdrawal of service is over the delay in the payment of feeding grants for two terms and called for increment of the grant from 0.97 % to three Ghana Cedis (GH3.00) per child. A teacher at Kadjebi E.P Primary School, who wanted to be anonymous, said the school attendance had reduced from 689 pupils to 455pupils as at Friday, May 20 due to the strike, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA). He appealed to the government to heed the demands of the Caterers for payment of their feeding arrears and increase feeding grant to at least GH3.00 per child. Another teacher at Kadjebi D /A A Primary school, who granted an interview to GNA, said the Caterers demand for increment in grant was legitimate since food prices had increased. He said the strike had affected attendance as the enrollment of 524 pupils has dropped to 450. He said the School Feeding Programme was good, but they should be involved. At Kadjebi R.C Primary School with enrollment of 532 pupils, a teacher who spoke to GNA on condition of anonymity said the strike had affected attendance and academic work seriously, so the government should respond to their demands with urgency. He said the School Feeding Programme although good, he had a challenge with its implementation in the school as they were not involved in the menu to be prepared and served, thus, Cooks prepared any food and served anytime and anyhow. He said sharing of food was erratic, not regular and many excuses in relation to food quality. Mr. Emmanuel Adamu Bilbe, a Desk Officer-in-charge of Ghana School Feeding Programme at the Kadjebi District Assembly told GNA that the Caterers were on strike due to non-payment of their feeding grants for two terms and demand that the grant be increased because of economic conditions and increased cost of foodstuff in the market. Mr. Bilbe said all documentation on the payment of the arrears were collated and forwarded to the appropriate office, so payment would soon be affected. The School Feeding Programme which started in 2005, aimed at increasing school enrolment and encouraged punctuality among pupils as well as enabling them to concentrate in class. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George has warned the Spanish Embassy to stay away from things that undermine the Ghanaian culture. In a Facebook post on Monday May 23, 2022, the Lawmaker indicated that Ghanaians will go at any length to resist attempts to change the tradition and cultural identity of the nation. Dear Spanish Embassy in Ghana, I am currently on an official assignment outside the jurisdiction. I would be addressing your letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration, Ghana indicating your intent to bless same sex marriages in Ghana. Be minded that you are simply guests of our Country. I am well informed that the position of the Ministry is in line with our culture, traditions and current position of our laws. I wonder why you are not pushing your perverse agenda in Togo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, the Ningo Prampram MP stated. He continued: Ghana would NOT succumb to this atrocious attempt to change our cultural identity. This should be a wakeup call to all who say the Bill currently before Parliament is not necessary and that the intent of our antagonists are harmless. I want to personally urge the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to rise up to the task before his committee and allow the process to proceed with any further hindrance. It is the least service he can render to his Constituents and Nation, Sam George added. Background Parliament on Thursday, 11th November, 2021 began sitting on the Anti-LGBTQI Bill also known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, which was laid in the House on Monday, August 2, 2021, and read for the first time. The Bill among other things is seeking to criminalize some activities of members of the LGBTQI Community in Ghana. Private Legal Practitioner, Akoto Ampaw who appealed before Parliaments Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs on behalf of a group of Concerned Ghanaian Citizens against the passing of the Bill has called on Parliament to reject the Anti-LGBTQI Bill, which he claims does not meet legal requirements as stipulated in the 1992 Constitution. According to him, the Bill in its current form violates Article 1(1) (2): which upholds the sovereignty of the people of Ghana in whose name and whose welfare the powers of Government shall be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in the Constitution. Irrespective of the number of people who support the Bill, the legislation must meet the first provision of the constitution. If it does not by Clause (2) of Article 1 of that bill or legislation is void. Apostle Ofori Kuruagu of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council in his argument to the Committee stated that Parliament as the representative of the people at all material times was expected to mirror the broad opinions of its constituents and where appropriate serve as a vehicle to satisfy the interest of the people whose mandate it represented through the vehicle of legislation. He said the passage of the Anti-LGBTQI Bill would give eloquent expression to the sovereign will of the majority of the people which Parliament represented and a bold attempt from the dangerous notion that anything foreign is good for the nation. This nation is being inundated with all forms of foreign valueswe see this bill as a bold attempt to disassociate Ghana from such a menace, he added. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Mayor of New York, Mr. Eric Adams, has expressed his determination to support Ghanas tourism drive aimed at making the country the tourism hub of Africa. In this regard, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Office of the New York Mayor will work out joint strategies to achieve the desired results. Mr. Adams was speaking after the conferment of the title of tourism ambassador bestowed on him by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, in New York at the weekend on the sideline of a Global Citizen Prize and Summit. Mr. Adams expressed his readiness to help increase the number of tourists from New York in particular, and the United States in general to Ghana, adding that Ghana has all the attractions to enhance international tourism. Dr. Awal, on his part, stated that America is the biggest source of international arrivals to Ghana, accounting for about 30% of all tourists over the years. He said his ministrys goal is to attract two million international tourists to Ghana annually from 2024, and added that the support from the New York Mayor would help achieve this objective. He also congratulated Mr. Adams for being the second black mayor of New York. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged beneficiaries of the free senior high school (SHS) policy to concentrate on their studies and come out to be globally competitive citizens. He advised them to leave the debate about its implementation to the politicians. Leave to the politicians the debate of Free SHS and dont be distracted. Whether we should have Free SHS or we are spending too much money, or whether Akufo-Addo is handling it well, those are not your problems, they are my problem; the problem of those engaged in politics, he added. President Akufo-Addo gave the advice when he presented awards to the winners of the Junior Graphic 2021 Essay competition at the Jubilee House in Accra last Friday. The Junior Graphic National Essay Competition is held in partnership with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advisory Unit at the Office of the President, with support from BiC, IPMC, and the Ghana Library Authority. This competition is organised to improve the reading and writing skills of children in both basic and junior high schools. Out of more than 2,970 entries, 11 contestants won the award. President Akufo-Addo, however, told the students that they should not allow the nature of political debate to scare them when they grow up, because it was a worthwhile endeavour which offered the opportunity to serve their people, bring progress and bridge the knowledge and development gap. He expressed the confidence that with the brilliance exhibited by the winners, one of them could in future become President of the country, but advised that but for the time being, your emphasis has to be on your learning. Pay attention to what your teachers and parents tell you and work hard. Play The President said finding the time for leisure and play was also good as expressed by the English expression that All work and no play no play, makes Jack or Jill that dull boy or girl, pointing out that they should also be mindful that We want you to grow up as well-rounded patriotic citizens of the future and Ghana. President Akufo-Addo indicated that with the manner they had started successfully what laid in prospect for them was only good things, saying I am happy that you have been able to come here with your parents. Akufo-Addo/Nkrumah Picture The President stated that he never had the opportunity to meet the President during his childhood and school days and explained that he had seen a picture gone viral showing him saying hello to Kwame Nkrumah and stated emphatically that It wasnt me. I hope it's a memorable occasion for you; you go away from here inspired, the President said, adding that he would monitor their progress along the ladder. Source: Graphiconline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Media Personality and Tour Operator, Mr. Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey popularly known as 'Abeiku Santana' has been unveiled as a brand ambassador for the Adom Group of Companies, one of Ghana's leading Real Estate Developers. The partnership would see the 2021 Radio and Television Personality award winner become the new advertising face for the Adom Group, whose subsidiaries include Adom City Estates, Adom Heights, Ace Heights, Adom Charity, Blessed Adom Trading, and Orel City. Dr. Bright Adom, the Chief Executive Officer of Adom Group of Companies, during the signing of the partnership, said bringing Abeiku Santana on board was targeted to inform low-income earners about the affordable housing units available to them. "We know the housing deficit is in excess of two million and it has been prevalent for a very long time, so we at Adom City are poised to bridge the housing deficit gap and plan to build about 5000 homes in the next five years. "To be able to achieve this target, we thought about the need to bring on board Abeiku Santana to spearhead this campaign about providing affordable homes to low-income earners," he said. In his speech, Abeiku Santana expressed gratitude to Adom Group of Companies for the opportunity to be a part of the well-established brand and expressed his desire to add more value in the coming years. "For it is a great opportunity for me and a privilege to bring onboard my expertise in the area of marketing to inform Ghanaians, especially the middle-class group, as to the affordable packages being offered by Adom City. "We all know the stress that goes with building a house in Accra, but with Adom City, you have a dependable and trustworthy partner where you can get affordable homes," he said. Mr Kofi Adabor Ofori-Amanfo, Managing Director for Orel City and Heights, said Abeiku Santa joining Adom Group was vital for the company's progress especially for its new subsidiary Ace Heights. "At Ace Heights we bring affordable luxury in the home of Ghanaians and I believe Santana will help disseminate this message to Ghanaians living home and abroad," he said. Rev. Opoku Adjei, Managing Director for Adom City said his outfit had over the years carved a niche as one of the affordable bracket estate developers, adding that it looked to reach more low-income earners with this partnership. "Our dream is to move with speed and also to have an exceptional customer service approach. We believe everybody should have a decent place to put their heads and that remains our vision," he said. Adom City Estate has won the Best Real Estate Developers in Ghana five consecutive times having also won the Best Residential Developer for Lower-Income at the 2021 Ghana Property Awards. In 2021, it was adjudged the Best Social Housing Development Real Estate Company at the Africa & Arabia Property Awards organised by the International Property Awards Body. Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form On Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m., Pittsburg State University, home to the PSU Veterans Memorial, will honor veterans and their families during a virtual Memorial Day Ceremony. The ceremony will feature recorded remarks by Kirby Brown, current dean of Park Universitys College of Management and a 40-year veteran of military and federal service. The ceremony also will feature traditional elements of Memorial Day ceremonies including recordings of a color guard comprised of cadets from PSUs ROTC program, and recordings of the playing of Taps and singing of the National Anthem by PSU music students. The video may be viewed at pittstate.tv. It will remain available through the archive for future viewing at any time. Brown is a two-time graduate of PSU, having earned a bachelors degree in manufacturing technology in 1975 and a masters degree in education in 1977. He earned a masters degree in logistics management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1991. He completed his federal career as a member of the Senior Executive Service with the Department of Defense. Prior to joining Park University, he served as the deputy to the commanding general for the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Brown was the chief operation officer for the Centers global operations, which is composed of four major subordinate organizations, eight Centers of Excellence, 17 schools, and 33,000 employees. During his tenure, Brown orchestrated the transition of the disparate schools into a university construct and served as the lead for the professional education of the Armys 275,000 civilian employees. His other military assignments have included leading Army research and development of space-based technology units, along with 22 years of uniformed service in the Army. He has served as a senior military analyst with the Institute for Defense Analyses and in various C-level leadership positions with medium-sized defense companies. He has received the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award at both the distinguished and meritorious levels, the highest and second-highest awards given to career SES members, as well as honors including the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Superior Civilian Service Award, Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal. He also was recognized by Pittsburg State with the Meritorious Achievement Award in 2015. About the PSU Veterans Memorial The public is welcome to visit the PSU Veterans Memorial at any time, any day of the year. A permanent tribute to all who have served in one of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Services at any time, it is one of the most often-visited sites in Southeast Kansas. It features a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., more than 3,400 engraved granite pavers honoring persons living and deceased who have served in the military, an online and print directory to assist with locating names, 50 state flags, a reflecting pool, and an eternal flame. The 250-seat amphitheater is a venue for special events including Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances and a variety of events in collaboration with the PSU Military Science Department and ROTC. At each entrance to the amphitheater is a large bronze sculpture one representing military strength and a counterpoint representing world peace. The site is located at 1909 S. Rouse Ave. in Pittsburg, Kansas. Additional details may be found at psuvetmemorial.org and on Facebook and Instagram at @PSUVeteransMemorial. "It F***ing Hurts": Can Phil Hellmuth Win the 2022 WSOP Player of the Year? May 23, 2022 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S. While hes won a record 16 World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets, Poker Hall of Famer Phil Hellmuth has never won WSOP Player of the Year, though hes come close on several occasions. Just last year he set a 52-year WSOP record with seven final table appearances, but his stellar performance wasnt enough to win POY as Josh Arieh claimed it with 4,194.59 points. Hellmuth took second place with 3,720.01 while Daniel Negreanu ended up in third place at 3,531.03 points. In total, Hellmuth entered 34 events, bought in for $448,379, and cashed out for $1,248,860, for a net profit of $800,481. With the 2022 WSOP on the horizon, PokerNews asks Can Phil Hellmuth with the 2022 WSOP Player of the Year? 2022 World Series of Poker Hub Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2022 WSOP is here. Click here Hellmuth is Going to Try According to the man himself, hes going to give it a go. I would love to win it. I have finished second four times in the WSOP POY race but have not won it yet, he told PokerNews. Last year, I had two second-place finishes, I had chip lead in both. If I win one, I win 2021 WSOP POY instead of getting second again. He continued: One year, Greg Merson had to finish first in the Main Event to take it away from me, which he did. Another year, Ben Lamb had to finish eighth or better in the Main to take it away he finished third. In 2006, I passed Jeff Madsen to win it by rules they had posted in the last event, but they had a meeting to determine who won it. They gave it to him! So yes, it fucking hurts! WSOP Player of the Year Winners Year Winner Runner-Up 2004 Daniel Negreanu Ted Forrest 2005 Allen Cunningham Mark Seif 2006 Jeff Madsen Phil Hellmuth 2007 Tom Schneider Jeff Lisandro 2008 Erick Lindgren Barry Greenstein 2009 Jeff Lisandro Ville Wahlbeck 2010 Frank Kassela Michael Mizrachi 2011 Ben Lamb Phil Hellmuth 2012 Greg Merson Phil Hellmuth 2013 Daniel Negreanu Matthew Ashton 2014 George Danzer Brandon Shack-Harris 2015 Mike Gorodinsky Jonathan Duhamel 2016 Jason Mercier Paul Volpe 2017 Chris Ferguson John Racener 2018 Shaun Deeb Ben Yu 2019 Robert Campbell Shaun Deeb 2020 N/A (pandemic) N/A 2021 Josh Arieh Phil Hellmuth Best Free to Play Slots Plan for 2022 Phil Hellmuth Winning two dozen gold bracelets has been a longtime goal of the Poker Brat, but it wasnt until about six years ago that he set the goal of winning WSOP POY. Last year he was the early favorite but faded down the stretch, a mistake he doesnt intend to make this summer. I will take 7-8 days off during WSOP, just like last year, Hellmuth shared. I can win more by playing less. Last year I made five final tables in three weeks and was completely spent. After a first-place on Sunday, and a second-place on Wednesday, my adrenaline was completely gone. I didnt cash for three weeks after that! Fortunately, the past six months have given Hellmuth the opportunity to recharge for the WSOP, which will be at a new location. It would be nice to win the Omaha 8/B, as I think Im the second-best player in the world at that game." Excited for it. A new challenge where we all face the same conditions, Hellmuth replied when asked about the venue change. When asked about what events hes most excited about Hellmuth said: It would be nice to win the Omaha 8/B, as I think Im the second-best player in the world at that game. Ari Engel is number one. Mike Matusow has the knowledge, but he has a bad 15 minutes here-or-there. Im the best Razz player in the world, would be nice to win that for a third time or any mix game. So what expectations does Hellmuth have for himself this WSOP? If I can make seven final tables, have two seconds and a first last year then I think its possible to win four WSOP bracelets, he said. Thats all I need: to know something is possible. One thing is for sure, if hes actually able to win four bracelets in a single year, something thats never been done in the history of the WSOP, he will no doubt win 2022 WSOP Player of the Year! Sharelines Can @phil_hellmuth with the 2022 @WSOP Player of the Year? PokerNews spoke to him about it. Sandro Hauser Wins 2022 888poker LIVE Barcelona 1,100 Main Event (56,800) May 24, 2022 Christian Zetzsche Contributor The 2022 888poker LIVE Barcelona 1,100 Main Event has come to a conclusion and Italy's Sandro Hauser came out on top of a tense heads-up duel against Alexandre Ventura Bolet. In the fourth edition of the popular mid-stakes tour at Casino Barcelona, a field of 334 entries produced a prize pool of 320,640 and the biggest portion was shared among the final three players. Besides Hauser and former Catalan chess title winner Ventura Bolet, 2013 EPT Barcelona runner-up Kimmo Kurko was also part of a three-way deal which left 13,800 and the trophy to up for grabs to the eventual champion. Kurko was the first to bow out thereafter and had to settle for 39,800 while Ventura Bolet earned 41,400 for his efforts. For cash game player Hauser, the victory not only came with a top prize of 56,800 and the 888poker LIVE Main Event trophy but also a package for the next stop of the series in Bucharest in June 2022. Kurko was one of the most notable contenders on the final table alongside the 2017 WSOP Europe Main Event champion Marti Roca de Torres and popular Spanish streamer Gerard "Gforcall" Carbo. Final Table Result 2022 888poker Barcelona 1,100 Main Event Place Winner Country Prize (in EUR) 1 Sandro Hauser Italy 56,800* 2 Alexandre Ventura Bolet Spain 41,400* 3 Kimmo Kurko Finland 39,800* 4 Stefan Wesson United Kingdom 24,000 5 Bernat Carreras Spain 20,000 6 Gerard Carbo Spain 16,500 7 Ewen Trevidy France 13,000 8 Marti Roca de Torres Spain 10,000 9 Alex Baena Spain 7,500 * includes deal of the final three players, which continued to play for 13,800 and the trophy to the winner Win the ULTIMATE Las Vegas Package for Just One Cent on 888poker Final Day Recap Sandro Hauser wins the 2022 888poker LIVE Barcelona 1,100 Main Event The final day recommenced with 13 players still in contention and Hauser dominated the early stages on the outer table. As a matter of fact, he was responsible for three of the first four eliminations to enter the unofficial final table of the last nine with a very solid lead. Antonio Sanchez Torregrosa and Adan Soler Fernandez were the first two victims of Hauser's hot run while Gerard Carbo knocked out the always dangerous Jose Manuel Gonzalez on the feature table. Ashley Timms started the final day with the lead but never got anything going. When he made his stand with ace-deuce via three-bet shove, Hauser looked him up with the superior ace-jack and the Brit found no help. The final table kicked off with a clash between Day 1a chip leader Alex Baena and the aforementioned Kurko as three-way action triggered the shove by Baena with the nut flush draw. Kurko tank-called with jacks and held up thanks to blanks on turn and river. The Finn was also responsible for the elimination of Marti Roca de Torres thanks to a successful flip with ace-king versus pocket tens. Hauser got back in the mix by felting Ewen Trevidy but it was Kurko who continued a hot run in all-in showdowns, sending Carbo and Bernat Carreras to the rail next. The streak vaulted the Finn to two-thirds of the chips in play but as quick as the chips came, they vanished in a spell of 20 minutes as he dashed out three double-ups. Kimmo Kurko Eliminated in Third Place Stefan Wesson was one of several short stacks to watch as it all unfolded while taking part in his first major live poker event. He was in Barcelona on a business trip as the manager of 888poker brand ambassador Chris Eubank Jr and made it all the way to fourth place. After the departure of Wesson, the final three players struck a deal and left 13,800 to play for. Hauser prevailed with the top two pair against Kurko's gutshot and flush draw to take a near three to one lead into heads-up play with Ventura Bolet. But a fierce duel unfolded from there on with several double ups taking place. Ultimately, the blinds made the action shallow and Hauser had the best of it to earn his first tournament victory on the live poker circuit. Read More: 888poker Qualifier Marti Roca De Torres Wins the 2017 WSOPE Main Event Third Italian champion in four editions of 888poker LIVE in Barcelona The 888poker LIVE tour headed to Barcelona for the first time in 2017 and Luigi Shehadeh came out on top of an 609 entry strong field to claim the top prize of 110,000. In 2018, Adrian Constantin and Joel Isla Gonzalo cut a heads-up deal to secure 114,025 each and Constantin won the following duel for the trophy. Gabriele Rossi then followed in the footsteps of fellow countryman Shehadeh in 2019 to claim 110,000 after topping a field of 551 entries to make it two victories out of the first three editions in Catalunya. The Italian domination in Barcelona has now continued with yet another triumph albeit in the smallest edition so far. Year Entries Prize Pool Winner Country Top Prize 2017 609 584,640 Luigi Shehadeh Italy 110,000 2018 709 709,000 Adrian Constantin Romania 114,025 2019 551 551,000 Gabriele Rossi Italy 110,000 2022 334 320,640 Sandro Hauser Italy 56,800 Read More: "Streaming Was My Girlfriend's Idea!" says 888poker Stream Team's Josh Manley Sign Up to 888poker and Get a Welcome Bonus Now is the perfect time to join 888poker if you have not already done so. Download 888poker via PokerNews, create your free account, and 888poker will give you a free $88 worth of cash game and tournament tickets this is a free 20 for residents of the United Kingdom just for reaching this stage. Your first deposit is matched 100% up to $400 in the form or a releasable bonus. You have 90 days to release as much bonus as you can. Contact 888poker support for more details. Sharelines Sandro Hauser added his name to the growing list of Italian players who have found success on the 888poker LIVE circuit This summer, Golden Nugget Las Vegas will play host to the 14th Annual Grand Poker Series, which features 81 events and offers over $3 million in guaranteed prize money from May 31-July 3. One of those events is the $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 Guaranteed PokerNews Cup that will run from June 24-28. The tournament will feature three starting flights beginning with Day 1a at 11 a.m. PT on Friday, June 24. Days 1b and 1c will take place at the same time on Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26 respectively. The surviving players from each flight will return at Noon on Monday, June 27 to play down to the final table, which will play out at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28. PokerNews will be on-site throughout the duration to offer live updates, videos, social media content, and more. Were very excited to partner with our friends at Golden Nugget this summer to offer the PokerNews Cup in Las Vegas for the first time, said Head of PokerNews Mark Powell-Bevan. Not only will players have the opportunity at a seven-figure prize pool for an affordable buy-in, but theyll also get to experience everything PokerNews has to offer including live updates, giveaways, videos, a live podcast, and more. Its going to be one of the premier tournaments of the summer. Were especially excited about taking our partnership with PokerNews to the next level, said Andy Rich, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Director of Poker Operations. This is huge news for poker players, and we couldnt be happier that all the action is right here at Golden Nugget during Grand Poker Series. For those looking to get into the PokerNews Cup event cheaper, there will be a $200 buy-in Mega Satellite guaranteeing 10 seats at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 23. PokerNews Cup History of the PokerNews Cup The first-ever PokerNews Cup took place in 2007 at Australias Crown Casino and saw Dory Zayner become the inaugural champion. The following year, Nali Kaselias won the same event while Darren Kramer claimed the title in the 2008 PokerNews Cup South African Poker Open. In 2009, it was Con Tsapkounis winning the third edition of PokerNews Cup Australia while Marc Naalden was victorious in the PokerNews Cup Alpine (Austria). In his speech to the Rotary Club of Aiken on Monday, Dr. Paul Newsom offered his audience some encouraging words about investing in digital currency. He said the main point he wanted to make was to reassure everybody that if youre going to get into this cryptocurrency, especially bitcoin, its a lot safer today when the bitcoin network first started. Newsom, who is an associate professor of finance at USC Aiken, also discussed blockchain technology. A critical element of blockchain technology is the security, he said. According to merriam-webster.com, blockchain is a digital database containing information (such as records of financial transactions) that can be simultaneously used and shared within a large decentralized, publicly accessible network. Newsom also mentioned how digital technology is affecting the real estate business, allowing transactions to take place without the use of attorneys. This has already happened (in this country earlier this year), he said. They created a non-fungible token in the United States. They placed that non-fungible token in an LLC, and now in the state of Florida, you can buy and sell real estate using the Ethereum network. Interestingly enough, the first one of these transactions happened in Ukraine, Newsom added. So Ukraine was the first one to ever do this. Newsweek reported in 2017 that an apartment in that country had been sold for $60,000 via smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain. Newsom also is cofounder and managing director of VentureSouth Aiken. The Rotary Club of Aikens meeting was held at Newberry Hall. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Thunderstorms in the morning, then skies turning partly cloudy late. High around 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Mainly clear skies after midnight. Low 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. The company behind Charleston's Dewberry Hotel has been ordered to pay a northern Virginia firm $43 million in a trademark dispute that doesn't include its posh downtown property. Dewberry Group has been blocked from using certain business monikers after a federal judge sided with Dewberry Engineers. Atlanta-based Dewberry Group said May 23 that its flagship hotel, which is in the midst of its own legal battle over its rooftop bar, won't be affected. "The ruling has no impact on The Dewberry Hotel brand, a five-star internationally recognized hotel in Charleston, South Carolina," it said in a written statement. The company, led by CEO John Dewberry, said it "respectfully disagrees with the Virginia court's recent ruling" and plans to appeal. The ruling directs Dewberry Group to "abandon certain court ruled infringing marks," which the company said it is working to do to comply while the appeals process gets underway. Those infringing marks are "Dewberry Group," "Studio Dewberry," "Dewberry Office" and "Dewberry Living," according to an order from Judge Liam O'Grady of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Dewberry Hospitality, the arm of the company that includes the Dewberry Hotel in Charleston, was not cited as an infringing trademark. But another Charleston-area Dewberry holding, the Oyster Park development in Mount Pleasant, falls under one of the businesses determined to have an infringing name, Dewberry Living. The mixed-use project features multi-family residences above retail spaces. Two other holdings, one in Jacksonville, Fla. and the other in Charlottesville, Va., are listed on Dewberry Group's website under "Dewberry Living." Dewberry Office lists two holdings, both in Atlanta the Peachtree Pointe mixed-use development and the high-rise Campanile building. Studio Dewberry is a design firm which, according to the company's website, was founded in 2014. Dewberry Group has been ordered to stop using the infringing marks and to pay Fairfax, Va.-based Dewberry Engineers the eight-figure sum in damages. The Washington, D.C., area firm filed its lawsuit alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition in May 2020. It also said the Dewberry Group had breached a confidential settlement the two companies had reached in 2007. A three-day bench trial held last October "showed that Dewberry Group encountered but ignored a succession of multiple 'red flags' facts and circumstances alerting it to the illegality of its conduct, and had ample financial motivation for doing so," the judge said in his order. The ruling also stated that Dewberry Group breached its settlement with Dewberry Engineers "multiple times." Under that deal, according to the judge, only the name "Dewberry Capital" could be used for services that have overlap with Dewberry Engineers architectural services and real estate development and the name could only be used outside Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C. The court found that a "likelihood of confusion" about the two companies exists, and that Dewberry Engineers' reputation and goodwill has been harmed. The court cited evidence of "a number of negative articles, in both local and national publications" about Dewberry Group and "instances of actual confusion among the public and both parties' clients and customers." While the Dewberry Group's downtown Charleston hotel isn't affected by the ruling, the high-end lodging has been in a legal dispute of its own for years. Before its opening in 2016, the city told the high-end lodging that it couldn't operate a bar on its rooftop as it had advertised because it wasn't approved in advance by local zoning officials. The company requested to amend its official design plans to include the bar but was rejected, and the case ended up in court. The first decision favored the hotel. The city appealed and prevailed last October. It appears the bar dispute could be resolved soon. Charleston City Council was told in a closed-door session on April 26 about the terms of a proposed settlement and then voted to authorize its attorneys to continue to negotiate. Comments made during the public portion of that meeting suggested that the hotel was offering to settle by helping to fix a failing brick containment wall at the nearby historic Second Presbyterian Church. No deal has been announced. TD Bank has given another donation of $250,000 to the International African American Museum in Charleston. The latest grant will sponsor the TD Bank Program Series, which will include nine large events that will be held in person at the IAAM and online, from 2022 to 2024. It will feature "major national speaker and panel programs" and "Lowcountry arts and foodways events," according to a May 24 announcement. Tonya Matthews, president and CEO of the museum, said the bank's grant allows the museum to expand its programs. "Our ability to convene community through programs and dialogue is critical to activating the museums mission and Im delighted that this second grant from TD Bank makes this possible in a significant way, Matthews said in a statement, adding that she's "particularly excited" to create and host programs that showcase "authentic African American cultural arts and storytelling here in Charleston," alongside "national figures." The TD Charitable Foundation previously gave $250,000 in 2016, during the waterfront museum's main capital campaign that raised more than $100 million before construction began in mid-2019 just south of the S.C Aquarium on Concord Street. In a statement, Hugh Allen, a regional president for TD Bank, said the new grant builds on a "longstanding commitment" to the IAAM. The event series "will help to elevate the amazing works and untold stories of artists and individuals and drive important conversations around social justice, diversity and more," said Shelley Sylva, head of U.S. corporate citizenship at TD. While the museum isn't physically open yet, its events programming has been ongoing, with both virtual and in-person gatherings. The IAAM most recently held an online "fireside chat" with Clint Smith, author of "How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America," winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction in 2021. Next month, the museum is partnering with the Gaillard Center and Emanuel AME Church for the Denmark Vesey Bicentenary, a three-day public commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Vesey's planned liberation of enslaved people in Charleston. Museum officials have said the IAAM could would be completed later this year. Tuesday's announcement said the expected opening is early 2023. Exhibit installation at the museum began in March. TD operates about 60 branches around South Carolina and seven in the local area, including a full-service office it unveiled Saturday on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. It is based in New Jersey and is the U.S. arm of Canada's Toronto Dominion Bank. In addition to the new TD grant, the IAAM has announced a few other major donations this year. The latest was a gift of $500,000 that will be spread over four years from North Charleston-based global chemical maker Ingevity Corp. The Ford Foundation also announced a third donation, bringing its total contribution close to $1 million, and the Yawkey Foundation of Massachusetts, named for Jean and Tom Yawkey, the late longtime owner of the Boston Red Sox, donated $1 million. The last big gift from a major banking institution was disclosed in November, when Bank of America gave the project $500,000, doubling its previous gift announced in 2018. Columbia, SC (29201) Today Locally heavy thunderstorms in the morning will give way to lots of sunshine late. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. COLUMBIA Vista residents have objected to the size and mass of the proposed seven-story hotel planned for Gervais and Williams streets. In comments made to the citys Design Development Review Commission on May 19, they said that the building at 95 feet would dwarf nearby homes and businesses in the lower part of the Vista. The 249-room hotel would be built on an L-shaped lot that surrounds the McDonalds restaurant at Gervais and Huger streets. The committee voted 4-0 to defer approval of the project, asking the developer to bring renderings that better show the building and the adjoining parking garage that the company is planning to build. The hotel would bear two brands: the upper-end Homewood Suites and Tru by Hilton, a mid-range brand. Charles Leedecker said that residents of his townhome complex, City Club, overwhelmingly opposed the project, principally because of its size. The hotel would tower over the townhomes across the street, if built according to the current plans, Leedecker said. This is going to dominate us, he said. That perception is made worse by the buildings long, unbroken facade, Leedecker said. Other neighbors objected to the possible challenges of the added traffic, especially as Dominion Energy has begun work to remove coal tar from the bed of the Congaree River, and will be moving trucks through the neighborhood. Neighbors also said they were unaware of the potential project before last week and had not heard from the developer, Naman Hotels, until days before the hearing. Naman also operates the Staybridge Suites at 1913 Huger St. and two hotels in Lexington County. Overall, the company operates 27 hotels in North and South Carolina. Architect Craig Otto of Lexington represented Naman, saying that the design had met with approval of the committee staff with some recommended changes. The buildings size and mass are compliant with the special rules of the district, Otto said. The project will need approval from the design panel, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Columbia Planning Commission before it can move forward. COLUMBIA After a spate of gun incidents, Richland One School District quickly installed metal detectors and started searching students' bags right after spring break without considering whether they were the right steps or consulting police, a school board member said. Robert Lominack said that while security and safety are major concerns in the state's ninth-largest district, schools have "gone really overboard." Lominack said he has heard about a high school student who had a nail clipper taken away and that hair picks with metal teeth, primarily used by Black students, were confiscated, while White students were able to keep their combs. "It's kind of the over-confiscation of stuff," Lominack said, "which seems to me just really bizarre and pointless." Lominack questioned why district officials had not consulted with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, which provides resource officers to aid with security in Columbia schools, before taking the new security measures. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the district's decision, independent of his department, did not cause any problems for his deputies. District officials would normally talk with his agency about major security changes like adding metal detectors beforehand, he said, but it's not required. "I think, in view of what was going on in our schools, (Richland One) made that decision. That was the direction they wanted to take," Lott said. "In normal operations, we do coordinate, but I don't think we're in very normal times right now." The slew of violent incidents leading up to the the district's security measures included a shooting in December in the Eau Claire High School parking lot involving a student. In April, a Columbia High School student and a Lower Richland High School student were killed in separate shootings. Issues have continued even after the new measures. Eau Claire High School senior Troy Ganaway was shot and killed on May 21, and a Lower Richland High School student was arrested for bringing a gun to school on May 23. Before the new security measures, Richland One students' bags could be searched "under reasonable suspicion," and only by a school administrator. But since the introduction of metal detectors in late April, almost every student walking through them has their bag searched by a security guard. Every school in the district does not have metal detectors and searches every day. Since April, metal detectors have appeared in schools at random. One school in the 22,000-student Columbia-based district may have them one day, and another has them the next. The districts security and emergency services department hired staff for the metal detectors through Sizemore Inc., a private security firm. The district wants to add 16 new, full-time staff positions to man metal detectors for the next school year, Lominack said. "I don't know how this pilot program is being funded," Lominack said. "I do know that for next year, in the budget, (security and emergency services) requested 16 full-time positions just for the metal detector program, and then two more full-time positions in the department, all of which is insane." Richland One board Chairwoman Cheryl Harris said during a meeting earlier in May that students in the Lower Richland area wanted something like metal detectors to make them feel safer. Lott said he respects the district's decision but added that metal detectors are just one of many measures for the district. The sheriff said he doesn't want the detectors giving students, parents and faculty "a false sense of security." Brown gave an update on the security measures during a closed-door executive session at a May 24 board meeting. He declined to comment, saying his report cannot be released to the public yet. Efforts to reach Harris were unsuccessful. GEORGETOWN James Sanderson, president of the United Steelworkers Local 7898, called once again for Georgetown Board of Zoning Appeals Chairwoman Ede Graves to recuse herself from the board's consideration on the future of Liberty Steel, saying she has clearly expressed prejudice against the mill. An ongoing dispute between the mill and the city centers around whether Libertys prolonged closing during the COVID outbreak triggered a zoning change that would shut down the plant for good. The issue of a potential conflict of interest by Graves was raised during public comments at the April 6 board meeting where many speakers said they supported Liberty Steel in a zoning dispute with the city. By a 4-3 vote, with Graves among those dissenting, the Zoning Board of Appeals delayed a vote on a zoning change that could force the downtown mill to close. The board is scheduled to meet again on June 1, with the mill's appeal as the only item on the agenda. The city contends the mill cannot stay open because it no longer meets local zoning regulations despite reopening in January. Sanderson said the union is "very wary" of Graves, who is married to Georgetown City Councilman Jim Clements, in a May 23 news conference at USW Local 7898's union hall. Clements has previously said there has been interest from developers looking to turn the property into something other than a steel mill. Graves sought an opinion from the S.C. Ethics Commission in March to make sure she was acting within state law when making zoning decisions regarding Liberty Steel. S.C. Ethics Commission general counsel Courtney Laster responded that while Clements was obviously a family member of Graves, Clements did not have an economic interest in the determination that Liberty Steel stay in Georgetown or not. South Carolina law forbids a public official to use their office to obtain an economic interest for himself, a family member, an individual with whom he is associated, or a business with which he is associated. Sanderson brought up a comment made from Graves' Facebook account on an Aug. 17, 2020, post by Georgetown resident Tom Rubillo on the Facebook page That Damn Steel Mill. The comment read that Liberty Steel will "NEVER again be a major employer" in Georgetown and concluded with "#SHUT IT DOWN!" On the back of the Facebook comment, Sanderson filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission on April 14 alleging that Graves is biased in the matter of the citys Liberty Steel mill. He withdrew the complaint just days later. "A person told me a long time ago, 'James, it's always better to have the person do what's right instead of being forced to do what's right because they don't really support it,'" Sanderson said. Graves told Georgetown Times she does not intend to recuse herself from the June 1 hearing. In addition to his comments on the zoning appeals board, Sanderson teased "positive news" regarding the mill at the news conference but said he could not go into detail. "If I was to tell you something right now, they'd have to kill me," Sanderson joked. "And I ain't right ready to die yet." Liberty Steels British parent company GFG Alliance announced April 18 that Liberty refinanced a $125 million asset-based loan, but a GFG spokesman declined comment when asked what the refinancing meant for hiring and operations in Georgetown. The plant, once one of the city's largest employers, reopened with 65 workers after closing during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. GREENVILLE Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate received a one-time donation of $500,000 by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Scott donated a total of $122.6 million to the national mentoring nonprofit that will go to both its main office and 38 local agencies, with the Upstate group being one of the recipients. This single donation more than doubles the current $420,000 annual budget of the local organization. This historic donation will create new opportunities to transform childrens lives across the country, including here in the Upstate," CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate Charlene Cheeks said in a statement. The national organization, based in Tampa, Fla., is one of the oldest nonprofits in the United States. It aims to create one-on-one mentoring relationships between children ages 6 to 18 and volunteers. This donation could not have come at a better time, program director of the Upstate branch Kris Alongi told The Post and Courier. The local organization is still recovering from a number of pandemic-induced struggles, including attracting mentors. About 70 kids 38 in Greenville County and 32 in Spartanburg County are in need of mentors. While there has been a steady interest in Greenville County, Spartanburg County has struggled to attract almost any volunteers. Some kids have been waiting for over a year. The agency intends to use Scott's donation to hire more staff, make activities between mentors and children stronger and more available, and potentially pay for some form of advertising to recruit volunteers. "We've got all this money, but we, at the bottom line, need more volunteers to make it happen," Alongi said. There is only one other South Carolina branch of the national organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry, which is based in North Charleston. The Columbia agency merged with another local mentoring organization during the pandemic. In 2018, the Pee Dee area agency changed its name to Youth Mentors of the Pee Dee. The Upstate agency was the only location in the state to receive part of Scott's donation. Since 2020, Scott has given almost $12.5 billion to at least 1,253 nonprofits, The Associated Press reported. Scott, who divorced from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019, has pledged to give away her wealth "until the safe is empty." Anyone interested in learning more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate or becoming a volunteer mentor may call 864-242-0676 or visit www.bbbsupstate.com. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate has offices at 161 E. Kennedy St. in Spartanburg and at 620 N. Main St. in Greenville. With its donors increasing their output recently amid the formula shortage, the Mother's Milk Bank in South Carolina is offering to sell needy families human breast milk to help tide them over. The bank, housed at the Medical University of South Carolina but with donors statewide, has seen a 20 to 25 percent increase lately in donations and is offering to share that, said manager Lindsay Millonzi. "With so many parents struggling during this formula shortage, we hope this will help alleviate some stress and give families another safe option in their search," she said. Infant and baby formula were already in short supply before a major manufacturer closed a plant in Michigan in February amid questions about bacterial contamination of some formula. The crisis has worsened in recent weeks, prompting the Biden administration to take extreme measures to try and increase supply. The effort includes flying in 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of hypoallergenic formula from overseas using Department of Defense aircraft over the weekend for distribution in the U.S, the White House announced May 22. The administration also invoked the Defense Production Act to give two manufacturers priority on raw materials needed to increase formula production in the U.S., the White House said. The MUSC milk bank had already received calls and emails from families "just desperate for a safe alternative," Millonzi said, and had already done limited sales. "We're just starting to do this." A family picked up milk May 23 "and were in tears we were able to offer this option," she said. The cost is $20 for a 4-ounce bottle. The trend is happening across the country, said Lindsay Groff, executive director of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, which accredits all 28 nonprofit banks in the United States. "We are all hearing a major increase in demand for donor milk," she said. Groff applauded the move by the MUSC bank to make its resources more widely available to the community. "We are so happy that you are getting milk out to those babies who need it," she said. "Hopefully relief is coming soon." Donors go through a "pretty rigorous" vetting process before they are allowed to provide milk, including lab testing. Donations are processed, pasteurized and then tested again "to make sure that product is safe," said Dr. Alison Chapman, medical director of the milk bank. Since January, the bank has collected more than 55,000 ounces of donor milk, which usually goes to babies in hospitals, Millonzi said. While she could not say how much would be available to the community, the milk bank will continue to provide it as long as the supply allows, Millonzi said. Families will need a prescription from their pediatrician to purchase from the bank. The cost is $20 for a 4-ounce bottle. For more information, go to scmilkbank.org or call 843-792-5415 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. CONWAY The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced May 24 that it has resolved its compliance review of restraint or seclusion of students with disabilities in Horry County Schools. The compliance review was opened in 2019 to examine whether South Carolina's third-largest school district was preventing students with disabilities from receiving a fair and appropriate public education through its restraint and seclusion policies. Horry County Schools agreed to seven action items as part of the resolution, including training staff, designating an administrator to monitor the district's use of restraint and seclusion, and improving record keeping for restraint and seclusion incidents. S.C. Department of Education guidelines state that seclusion involuntary confinement alone in an area the student cannot leave should only be used to "control behavior when less restrictive measures have not effectively de-escalated the risk of injury." Department guidelines state that restraining a student's movement of their arms, legs or head should only be used when they pose a "clear, present, and imminent physical danger" to themselves or others. Mechanical restraints are prohibited in South Carolina public schools, and Horry County Schools did not report any use of mechanical restraints only physical in 2017-18 and 2018-19, the two academic years preceding the Office of Civil Rights review. I thank Horry County Schools for its commitment to revise its practices and procedures regarding the use of restraint and seclusion to ensure that students with disabilities receive the education to which they are entitled, said Catherine Lhamon, U.S. Department of Education assistant secretary for civil rights. Horry County Schools spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier told The Post and Courier that the district "has been and will continue to ensure that students with disabilities receive the education to which they are entitled. Since 2019, Horry County Schools has made modifications as recommended, and we will continue to follow any additional recommendations provided by the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights." As part of the review, officials from the Office for Civil Rights surveyed parents, toured seclusion rooms and interviewed staff at Forestbrook Elementary School, St. James Intermediate School, Whittemore Park Middle School and the Therapeutic Learning Center. The seclusion rooms at the four schools were described generally as small spaces with a window and door with observation panel but no furniture, many of them located next to special-needs classrooms. Officials noted several such spaces at the Therapeutic Learning Center, which serves Horry County students with "severe emotional and social challenges." The district submitted "incorrect" restraint or seclusion data for the 2017-18 school year to the Office for Civil Rights, according to the resolution agreement. Horry County Schools recorded 675 restraint incidents involving 76 students and 362 seclusion incidents involving 44 students in 2017-18. However, data for that year submitted to the Office of Civil Rights indicated that 56 students were restrained and 29 were secluded. "(D)uring the 2017-2018 school year, staff restrained or secluded one student 131 times, totaling 12 hours and 43 minutes, another student 143 times, totaling 27 hours and 38 minutes, and another student 86 times, totaling 10 hours and 18 minutes," according to a May 24 letter announcing the resolution. The Office of Civil Rights' "review of each students file indicated that the (individualized education plan) team did not record any discussion about the frequent use of restraint or seclusion. There was also no indication that these students were reevaluated at any time during the 2017-2018 school year." Responses to the parent survey indicated that some students subjected to restraint or seclusion missed work that was not made up. "In response, all the parents who indicated their child was restrained or secluded responded that their child missed instructional time, and only about half of those responses indicated that the missed instructional time was made up," the May 24 letter read. COLUMBIA A South Carolina state lawmaker whose sister was killed by a white supremacist in the 2015 Charleston church shooting will travel to Western New York to visit the site of a racist attack at a Buffalo supermarket that left 10 dead. Charleston-area state Rep. JA Moore will travel to the city May 25 to meet with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and visit the site of the shooting where a white 18-year-old man from a rural area several hours away is accused of murdering 10 mostly Black victims. The premeditated attack on the grocery store in a largely working-class Black neighborhood quickly drew parallels to the Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston in which white supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine Black congregants. Moore's sister, Myra Thompson, was among those killed in that shooting. "This was like a relived trauma," Moore said in a May 24 interview. "The pain that I feel, the loss of my sister, is with me daily. But the trauma I felt the next morning and the week after, with Buffalo now, it feels the same. The concept of helplessness, how to respond, all of those feelings I had seven years ago are exacerbated right now. It feels new again." In addition to attending a Bible study at Buffalo's Grace United Church, Moore plans to work with Charleston nonprofit The Medi Community Resource Center to raise $25,000 to address food insecurity in the Buffalo neighborhood. He called the visit an opportunity to revive dialogues about race not only in South Carolina, but across the country. The Binghamton area, where the shooter resided, once served as the state headquarters for the Ku Klux Klan, and the shooter's manifesto was dominated by white supremacist rhetoric. Coming to grips with that history, Moore said, is the only way to begin to effect change. "We have to recognize that, unfortunately, this country was built on the concept of race," Moore said. "We have these conversations so often in the presence of tragedy but then nothing changes. Because once the tragedy is over, we move on." Moore, who was elected in 2018, has been a leading proponent for a hate crimes bill in the S.C. Statehouse, and played a key role in its passage in the House last year. But nearly a dozen lawmakers in the Senate placed objections to the bill, preventing it from coming to the floor. The measure died with adjournment this month. Members of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus, including Moore, held numerous rallies throughout the spring and winter urging their colleagues to take up the bill in the 2022 session, including a last-ditch rally on the Statehouse steps April 28. Groups like Stamp Out Hate SC have announced plans to hold door-knocking campaigns in the districts of those who oppose the bill. The measure lacks the support of former prosecutor and current Gov. Henry McMaster, who told reporters at the end of the 2022 session he had doubts about the efficacy of a hate crimes law, saying he believed "every crime is a hate crime." While Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, told reporters after the session he didnt expect the issue to go away, the sheer number of lawmakers who had placed objections on the bill made it unlikely the upper chamber would attempt to pursue a hate crimes law again in 2023, leaving the Palmetto State as one of just two states in the country without such a law on the books. Wyoming is the other. A Moncks Corner man was arraigned in federal court on allegations he supplied the fentanyl that killed a man last year in Berkeley County. Nathan Ott appeared May 24 in U.S. District Court in Charleston, where he was indicted on four counts of fentanyl distribution and two gun possession charges. Ott, 26, is accused of providing fentanyl on May 26, 2021, to another 26-year-old man. The victim, who is identified in the indictment only by the initials M.H., was found dead the following day from an overdose, Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Shoemake said. Victoria Racioppa was also arraigned on a conspiracy charge in the case. The 26-year-old Summerville woman faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the offense. Ott, who has a prior felony conviction for distributing marijuana in 2013, faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted in the man's overdose death. The other drug charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Ott began crying at his May 24 arraignment when told the penalties he faces if convicted. Racioppa sobbed throughout the proceedings. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid traditionally used to treat cancer patients or those with extreme pain. Lethal in small doses, the narcotic has increasingly found its way onto the streets, becoming the leading cause of the nation's drug overdose deaths in 2016. Opioids, a category of drug that includes heroin, prescription pain pills and synthetics like fentanyl, caused more than 68,000 overdose deaths nationally in 2020, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It was a sharp increase from 2019, when the narcotic killed just shy of 49,000 people. Synthetics were to blame in more than 56,000 of the opioid overdose deaths reported in 2020, or 82 percent. Health and law enforcement officials have warned that fentanyl, cheaply produced in foreign drug labs and imported to the United States, is increasingly being mixed into other drugs to boost their potency, increasing the likelihood of overdoses. Ott is the second defendant in as many months to be federally indicted in a fentanyl overdose case. Hasib Muqsit-Rivers was indicted April 12 on one count of distributing fentanyl resulting in death on allegations a 24-year-old woman died from fentanyl he provided to her after a Halloween party in 2020. Ott and Racioppa are scheduled for bond hearings May 27. Both defendants are booked at the Charleston County jail. Ott has pending weapon-and-drug charges in Berkeley County. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. The COVID-19 has hit South Carolina particularly hard, and despite what some might think, it's not over yet. Over the last two years, South Carolina had a worse record of deaths above normal than all but six other American states. We had the worst record on the eastern seaboard, between Maine and Florida, including a number of states with similar demographics of the most vulnerable populations, minorities and the elderly. Our next-door neighbors, North Carolina and Georgia, both did better at protecting their citizens lives, data show. South Carolina now faces a predictable summer spike in infections from the latest mutations of COVID-19 that already have caused New York City officials to urge a return to indoor masking. Such a step might not be popular but could be vitally important to minimize further serious cases and deaths. In March, The Lancet, a British magazine of medical science, published world-wide estimates of excess deaths for 2020-2021 down to the level of U.S. states. The data was compiled by the Institute for Health Measurement and Evaluation at the University of Washington, and it provides a more complete overview of the pandemic's toll beyond the tally of deaths specifically attributed to COVID-19. The United States as a whole, had 179 excess deaths per 100,000 residents, worse than Western Europe at 140. South Carolina had 248 more deaths per 100,000 residents than otherwise would be expected; ranking 37% above the national average. At the other extreme North Dakota has only 11 excess deaths per 100,000. Part of the reason for South Carolina's dismal excess deaths rate is the sad fact that we regularly rank as one of the 10 states with the least healthy population. When the disease started circulating here, a larger share of our population was vulnerable and risked serious illness or even death. Medical observers give the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) generally good grades for its handling of the pandemic, but COVID-19 exposed problems with deeper causes than the agency could quickly fix. Addressing those problems will take time and more public health money. Meanwhile, South Carolinians need to take the steps that will give us the best chance of protecting ourselves and others in the months to come. These include sensible precautions, such as masking and social distancing in crowded venues, particularly indoor venues, and particularly when some involved are seniors and those with compromised immune systems. One additional possible cause of South Carolinas high COVID death rate could be a general rebellion against such measures following the widespread shutdowns in the spring of 2020. Those closures might have helped hospitals becoming overwhelmed with COVID cases, but they also may have increased fatalities from non-COVID diseases because patients were more reluctant to seek out medical care. Of all the steps South Carolinians can take to reduce their risk of infection and death from COVID, vaccination tops the list. The rate of adult vaccination in South Carolina, at about 60%, is below that of its neighboring states. About two of every five adults have still not received two doses of the anti-COVID vaccines widely available. Among those who have, only about 40% of them have also received the recommended booster. For Charleston County, the latest data from the New York Times says 66% of the adult population have two shots, but only 29% have added the booster. According to Dr. Michael Sweat, Director of the Medical University of South Carolinas Center for Global Health, getting the 3rd dose brings the protection against mechanical ventilation and death up to 94% (higher than the original 2 shots after 2-weeks) and is likely sustained for a very long period of time. Dr. Sweat urged everyone eligible to get the booster. The 3rd dose is critically important in keeping people from getting serious infections, being hospitalized, and dying from COVID-19, he said. None other than Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg offered proof of that; he caught COVID recently but was fully vaccinated and boosted and experienced only mild symptoms for a few days. We wish COVID would go away for good, but it seems to have other plans. As long as that's the case, everyone's best way to fight back is to get fully vaccinated and boosted. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Three women facing long odds will compete in next month's Democratic primary with hopes of unseating U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, one of the most popular Republicans in the country. Angela Geter of Spartanburg said her campaign has been focused on voter engagement and registration since the very beginning. State Rep. Krystle Matthews of Ladson said South Carolina needs a senator more reflective of the population where more than 50 percent of the state's residents are women, 40 percent are single parents and the majority are part of working families, like her. Catherine Fleming Bruce of Columbia is promoting her international governance experience, such as participation in United Nations summits, and her role in the state's delegation to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The winner of their June 14 Democratic primary contest will face Scott in November, a prolific fundraiser and national figure who has already raised more than $41 million in campaign contributions, according to the Federal Election Commission, dwarfing any of his potential challengers. Matthews, for example, has raised only about $95,000 since entering the race, which is still much more than her opponents, per the FEC. Fundraising targets aren't whats motivating the candidates. Instead, it's the chance to help create a better South Carolina, they say. And while each comes to the race with some form of public service experience, only one has won an election and served in office Matthews. Angela Geter The Air Force veteran is the immediate past chair of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party and first ran for state office in 2017 to fill the vacant seat of state Rep. Harold Mitchell. Geter, 50, owns and operates The Budget Imperative, an accounting firm based in the Upstate. The Jan. 6, 2021, riot played a role in Geter's decision to run for a Senate seat. As a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, she didn't accept people trying to overthrow an election because they did not like the outcome. That was her "aha moment," she said. "Something is required of me," Geter said. "It meant really, literally, making that decision to run for office." On the campaign trail, Geter is focusing on economic development, infrastructure and education but said infrastructure is a key driver for inclusive economic growth and inequality reduction. She also advocates a continued emphasis on expanding broadband. When schools closed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were students across the state who couldn't complete assignments without driving to select parking lots to gain internet access, she noted. "So we realized right then and there how we thought about it (infrastructure) isn't getting it done," Geter said. Her public service started with serving her country in the military, and she doesn't plan to stop there. "It's (the Air Force) where I started to defend our democracy," Geter said. "And I'm just asking for an opportunity to continue that service in a public manner, specifically for the state of South Carolina." Krystle Matthews Matthews this year is both seeking a third term in the Statehouse and also a chance to join the state's delegation in Washington. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "When you're already doing the work, it's not a challenge," Matthews said of her run for two seats. "I don't have to start doing anything. I'm just continuing on." Born and raised in Ohio, Matthews is an engineering planner who has worked at Boeing since 2008. She represents House District 117, which includes parts of Berkeley and Charleston counties. At the Statehouse, she's served on committees devoted to medical affairs, operations and management. She was a prime sponsor of a bill to enact the Female Health and Wellness Act, which would exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax. The act didn't make it out of committee this session. Matthews has also sponsored bills that would require health insurance companies to cover preventive care exams for women and allow adopted people access to their original birth certificates in certain circumstances. The latter bill was signed by Gov. Henry McMaster on May 16 and will take effect next year. A woman has never held a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina. Matthews said women bring balance to situations, and that's what the nation needs right now. Matthews, 41, has also publicly advocated for lowering the cost of college for students in their first two years and making technical college free. "If we stop incentivizing businesses to go overseas, we can use some of that revenue to cover some of the things that we need here at home to keep us competitive," Matthews said. Catherine Fleming Bruce Bruce is a Columbia author and preservationist. Her book "The Sustainers" details the work of preserving historic civil and human rights sites, like the Modjeska Simkins House in Columbia. Simkins, South Carolina's civil rights matriarch, lived in the house and used it as a lodging and meeting place for other civil rights activists like Thurgood Marshall. Bruce helped restore and preserve the property. The Center for Historic Preservation awarded her the Historic Preservation Book Prize in 2017. Bruce, 60, ran for a Columbia City Council seat in 2019 after two men died from gas leaks that forced the closure of a public housing complex. Along the way, she pushed for more affordable housing and easing income inequality, and last year led a news conference with Lower Richland community leaders opposing the county's proposal to cut money for a conservation commission. Bruce said violence seems to be intensifying, including in South Carolina. She would support legislation requiring background checks for guns but also said leaders need to address issues like poverty and radicalization that result from racism and white supremacy. "We have to look at all those things and look at dismantling them," Bruce said. Tim Scott The incumbent faces no GOP primary opposition. For November, Sam Oh, a consultant for Scott's campaign, said the senator has been working hard to earn the vote of every South Carolinian. "He looks forward to a spirited campaign that's focused on the issues at the forefront of every voter's mind combating inflation, fixing our economy, and addressing affordability issues that threaten our quality of life," Oh said. COLUMBIA A new law requires police agencies across South Carolina to abide by minimum standards on tactics such as chokeholds and bans putting an untrained officer on duty alone. The law signed May 23 by Gov. Henry McMaster threatens hefty penalties for agencies that don't follow the rules, escalating from fines of $1,000 a day to being shut down until they comply. It comes two years after video of a Black man dying while pinned to the ground by a white officer in Minneapolis ignited protests and rioting nationwide. The fact other officers at the scene did nothing to lift the knee from George Floyd's neck added to the collective outrage. The South Carolina law written in response says officers are guilty of misconduct if they willfully fail to intervene when they see a colleague physically abusing someone in custody or if they intentionally fail to report abuse. And it aims to do a better job of weeding out officers who shouldn't be in the profession by requiring their employers to prosecute misconduct. Agencies already were supposed to report problem officers to the state, but the law newly sets penalties for not doing so. "It makes sure bad apples can't bounce from department to department," said Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington, a former highway trooper and presidential security detail officer who helped write the compromise passed by the House overwhelmingly last year. "From an accountability standpoint, it wasnt just the public crying out saying, 'We need something.' It was officers crying out saying 'These are things were doing but some people arent, and we want everybody to live up to the standards of professionalism were trying to provide,'" he said, adding that effort began several years ago. "Unfortunately, it takes a George Floyd incident for it to get hot enough to where the Democrats and Republicans are fighting together for something to happen," Wooten continued. The Senate unanimously passed its version May 4. The House gave final approval by 103-4 a week later, wrapping it up on the last day of the regular session. The legislation started as a ban against putting officers on the street without training. Minimum standard requirements and penalties were added during last year's House debate. State law gives agencies a year after hiring recruits to send them through the Criminal Justice Academy. The leeway was deemed necessary when the academy was badly backed up. But there is no more backlog in training, which includes eight weeks on the Columbia campus. While a one-year delay is still allowed as agencies struggle to fill seats, any untrained recruit must partner with a certified officer while on duty. Sen. Sandy Senn, who oversaw Senate hearings on the bill, considers that required pairing the new law's biggest plus. "I'm always dumbfounded by an agency that puts officers on the street completely not trained," said the Charleston Republican. "A lot of them are plopped right into a patrol car. In my view, putting someone out without training with only a gun is reckless and going to cause problems for both citizens and officers." Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! That's an issue mostly for South Carolina's small agencies, she said, and there are lots of them. South Carolina's more than 300 police agencies include officers working for colleges, airports and tiny towns. Nearly half of all agencies consist of 10 or fewer officers, according to the South Carolina Sheriffs' Association. And with officer vacancies hovering around 30 percent statewide, small agencies, especially, are having a tough time covering shifts. "While I understand the desire to have somebody working," putting a recruit on duty alone is not a good idea, said Jarrod Bruder, director of the state Sheriffs' Association. Senn said it's also often the small agencies that lack written standards and procedures. What is allowed can vary from agency to agency, according to the department chief, she said. That will change under the law, which tasks the Law Enforcement Training Council with writing the minimum standards each agency must abide by. The council will periodically inspect agencies at least once every three years to ensure they're in compliance. The council has until Jan. 1 to issue the standards. They must include prohibiting chokeholds unless lethal force is necessary, setting clear vehicle pursuit protocols, and specifying when a 'no-knock' arrant is allowed. Such warrants have been banned in South Carolina since July 2020. "This requires policies and procedures on simple things every modern-day agency should have," Bruder said. "It will force professionalism to go up. Weve had minimum standards for officers. Now we have them for agencies." Would-be hires also must sign a form committing to "ethical policing" while on duty, and agency heads must consider applicants' overall character when hiring. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said it was important to put that intent into state law. "You can do all the training in the world but if a police officer has no ethical core, Im not sure training will matter," she said. Bruder said nobody dislikes bad officers more than the good ones. "Even the best policies and procedures and best leadership at agencies won't prevent people from making mistakes or poor choices but the public expects law enforcement to hold themselves to a high standard and thats exactly what were doing," he said. "I hope the public understands that the actions, whether in Minnesota or Kentucky or somewhere else, South Carolina law enforcement does not approve of those unlawful actions, but we do take it very seriously. We want to have that public trust, and we hope they see that by the fact were willing to hold ourselves accountable." Federal authorities seized a total of 12 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $80,000 in cash, and guns between December 2020 and April 2021. The information was made public in search warrants that were unsealed in the District Court of Guam on Tuesday. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. In addition, a search warrant that was not sealed and executed on May 10 on a package sent from Ceres, California to an address in Tamuning resulted in federal authorities finding 216 grams of marijuana. No defendants have been charged in connection with the multiple search warrants. The Guam Daily Post awaits a response from the U.S. Attorneys Office regarding the recent uptick of federal warrants being unsealed over the past week. The following is a list of the cases unsealed on May 24, 2022: On Dec. 17, 2020: 1,828 grams of meth, gift bag, tissue paper, scented dough, blue ribbon, tape, a white box, coffee pack, and vacuum seal bags were found in a package sent from St. George, Utah to a Tamuning post office box. On Dec. 17, 2020: 910 grams meth, brown paper, white box, tape, gift bag, tissue paper, and vacuum seal bags were found in a package sent from St. George, Utah to a residence along Lemai Drive in Santa Rita. On Dec. 22, 2020: 1,830 grams were found in a package sent from St. George, Utah to a post office box in Tamuning. On Feb. 17, 2021: A Whatsapp digital file linked to a Guam phone number was seized. Court documents state authorities were searching for messaging applications or forums regarding the sale and distribution of illegal substances. On Feb. 21, 2021: A Whatsapp digital file linked to a separate Guam phone number was seized. Court documents state authorities were also searching for messaging applications or forums regarding the sale and distribution of illegal substances. On March 22, 2021: A residence on Jeje Court, Judge Sablan Street in Ordot was searched and the feds found a Beretta 9mm pistol, a Ruger .223 rifle, four magazines with rounds, a glass pipe, straws and baggies, a black metal pipe/ firearm accessory, plastic baggies with an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine, a plastic baggie with 14 pills, miscellaneous documents, a plastic baggie with meth residue, containers with drug paraphernalia (grinders), 14 assorted pills, a digital scale, two cellphones, and $985 in cash. On April 5, 2021: 867 grams of meth, lollipops, a motorcycle cover, Ziplock bags, and carbon paper were found in a package sent from Stockton, California to a residence on Chalan Balako in Dededo. On April 9, 2021: A 2012 Dodge Charger was seized from a location on Dairy Road in Mangilao along with $71,010 in cash, 9.8 grams of meth, 0.6 grams of marijuana, a money counter, and plastic bags found inside the vehicle. On April 12, 2021: $9,990 in cash was found in a package sent from Aiea, Hawaii to an address in Studio City, California. A District Court of Guam judge signed off on the warrant On April 19, 2021: 390 pieces of undisclosed pills, t-shirts, shorts, and a towel were found in a package sent from El Paso, Texas to an address along West Marine Corps Drive in Dededo. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds a video meeting with Constantine Tassoulas, president of the Greek parliament, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, on Tuesday said China and Greece should enhance parliamentary exchanges to provide support for cooperation between the two countries in various fields. During a video meeting with Constantine Tassoulas, president of the Greek parliament, Li said that China will work with Greece to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and promote the development of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. He said the NPC will strengthen exchanges with the Greek parliament among their high-level committees, special committees, friendship groups and parliamentarians, share legislative and supervisory work experience, and provide legal support for cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Li called on the two countries to view political mutual trust as the foundation for cooperation, firmly support and cooperate with each other, and jointly promote the construction of a more just and reasonable global governance system. China appreciates Greece's long-term adherence to the one-China principle and supports Greece in safeguarding its core interests and legitimate rights and interests, Li said. Greece has long played an active role in promoting the development of China-EU relations, and China is willing to make joint efforts with relevant countries, including Greece, to promote the further development of China-EU cooperation, Li said. He called for the synergy of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with the Recovery and Resilience Plan of Greece, and expand cooperation in fields such as shipping, energy, infrastructure, green economy and digital economy. Tassoulas reiterated Greece's firm commitment to the one-China policy. He said the Greek parliament will make positive contributions to the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and tourism. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds a video meeting with Constantine Tassoulas, president of the Greek parliament, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Guam's beaches, cultural attractions and shopping malls have gotten a bit busier with the recent return of mostly Korean travelers, albeit in far fewer numbers than what the tourism industry was accustomed to prior to the pandemic. But while some businesses are now seeing an uptick, others remain on a wait-and-see footing. "It's been a slow growth" in retail but Guam Premier Outlets in Tamuning and Tumon Sands Plaza have seen an "uptick" as Korean travelers started arriving in the past two weeks, GPO and Tumon Sands Plaza General Manager Monte Mesa said during Tuesday's launch of the new Guam Travel and Tourism Association. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Mesa said if tourists don't come back in higher numbers this year, then more retailers may not be able to survive. Even major names such as Red Lobster had to shut down because the volume was "just not there," he said. Red Lobster Guam closed permanently in July 2021, two years after opening its doors, as the pandemic tightened its grip on the tourism industry. Bradley Kloppenburg of Turtle Tours and Kloppenburg Enterprises said the transportation business "has not really seen any uptick" in business from the recent arrivals from Korea but is hoping the level could change soon. "We're not fully staffed to where we were prior to the pandemic," he said, adding that staffing remains about three-quarters of pre-pandemic numbers. Turtle Tours has been getting its business mostly from the military over the past two years, Kloppenburg said. "Things would have been a lot worse had they not been here," he added. Ann Marie Muna, president and general manager of AM Insurance, said the insurance industry has been negatively impacted as mostly tourism-related businesses reduced their insurance coverage. "For example, the workers' compensation," she said. "They don't have as many workers. So the payroll is going down, which directly affected the insurance premiums. They also had less sales so, (on the) liability side, the premiums have gone down, because they don't need as much cover." Muna, who's also part-owner of a restaurant, said federal funds have helped the restaurant business stay open, but the volume of patrons is not back to pre-pandemic levels. Military exercises, she said, "have kept us going" but there's a long way to go. Fish Eye Marine Park reopened its underwater observatory, the only one of its kind in Micronesia, and other tourist activities, but it has yet to see more visitors. Prior to the pandemic, Fish Eye used to welcome 500 visitors a day, on average. Now it's averaging 70, according to General Manager Akihiro Tani. He's hopeful that things will get much better soon, however, with more airlines resuming flights. Tani, at the news briefing for the launch of the Guam Travel & Tourism Association, said the island remains a "paradise" because of its beaches, attractions and hospitality. Tourism officials said Guam's close proximity to Japan and South Korea is among its main advantages over other destinations, such as Hawaii. "Three-and-a-half hours from Japan, this is our great strength," said Nautech Guam Corp. President William Nault. "No matter what Hawaii does, they cannot beat that. Four hours from Korea, no matter what Hawaii does, they cannot beat that." Guam also is the closest U.S. destination, he said, and travelers feel it is "one of the safest destinations in the Pacific." Guam's price point Steven Kasperbauer, president of Alupang Beach Club, which operates parasailing, personal watercraft and other tourist activities, said Guam's pricing is going to be much higher than what tourists have seen before. If it gets to a point where it's close to Hawaii's prices, he said, then Guam may have to evaluate its recovery plans. "We do not know what the price has to be, to make even a break-even now," he said. That's because in the two years since the pandemic hit, the federal minimum wage on base has gone up to $15 an hour, Kasperbauer said. So even those who used to earn $10 to $13 an hour working in tourism, which is above the $9.25 an hour minimum wage, could find or have found higher-paying jobs on base. GPO's Mesa, meanwhile, said Guam absolutely can recover from the pandemic, but it will take awhile. "We believe that we will be recovering," he said. "I hope sooner than later." First it was Bill Maher, as noted here, thumbing his nose at the wokerati on the issue of transgenderism in his most recent HBO show. Now it is Ricky Gervaiss turn. He has a new comedy special coming out soon on Netflix, and move over Dave Chappelle! Take in this one-minute excerpt (STRONG language warning, but this has news value): Notice that the audience loves it. Interesting that the show is called SuperNature. Probably just a coincidence. Recently Netflix sent out a memo to employees whose subtext was clear: if youre a wokester, you should consider finding employment elsewhere. I wonder if this was sent out anticipating an internal backlash from Netflix employees, as happened with the last Chappelle special. I wonder if there will be a Netflix employee protest outside company HQ? Keep in mind that Gervais is in every other way a leftist. So when youre losing Gervais, Maher, etc. . . UPDATEWell this didnt take long (from Variety): Ricky Gervais Netflix comedy special SuperNature has only been released on the streamer for a few hours, but it has already drawn criticism for a string of graphic and hurtful transphobic jokes. Four minutes into the special, Gervais dives into material about the trans community, seemingly calculated to draw controversy. . . Lets see if Netflix holds firm on this. Zasiek chorobowy w 2022 roku na nowych zasadach 1 stycznia 2022 roku weszy w zycie nowe przepisy dotyczace zasiku chorobowego. Zakad Ubezpieczen Spoecznych przypomina, ze zmieniy sie zasady liczenia dugosci "chorobowego". GUS: srednia krajowa w sierpniu 2021 wyzsza o 9,5% Najnowsze dane na temat przecietnego wynagrodzenia w sektorze przedsiebiorstw dostarczone przez Gowny Urzad Statystyczny mowia, ze w sierpniu 2021 roku srednia krajowa wzrosa o 9,5% i wyniosa 5843,75 z brutto. GUS o sredniej krajowej w IV 2022: wzrost o 14,1% r/r Gowny Urzad Statystyczny poinformowa, ze w kwietniu 2022 roku przecietne miesieczne wynagrodzenie byo wyzsze o 14,1% r/r i wynioso 6626,95 zotych brutto. W porownaniu do marca wynagrodzenie byo wyzsze o 0,6%. Wynagrodzenia w wojewodztwie slaskim w 2020 roku Mediana pac w wojewodztwie slaskim wyniosa 5 000 PLN, czyli o 100 PLN mniej niz mediana w caym kraju. Slask razem z Wielkopolska byy wsrod wojewodztw piate w kraju pod wzgledem zarobkow. The Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, says Bida has become one of the best-selected cities in the world by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). It has also been designated as the city of crafts and folk arts. Mr Abubakar said this in Abuja on Monday at a two-day National Workshop on the Implementation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) 1954 Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflicts. Created in 2004, The UNESCO Creative Cities Network seeks to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The traditional ruler, who is also the Chairman Council of Traditional Rulers in Niger State, said: Bida city became the first city in the country to be accepted as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and designated as the city of crafts and fork arts. This was due to protecting the Bida citys cultural property, which had survived several armed conflicts dating back from the 11th century to date. The citys traditional institution was able to maintain its respect of cultural property by not exposing it to destruction or damage in the event of armed conflicts and hostility, Etsu Nupe said. According to him, the institution also safeguarded it from theft and vandalism. He explained further: `This was made possible by deploying traditional measures such as protection by a traditional security system, community networking, knowledge and skills transfer, local practices and learning, storage, festivals and creativity. The traditional ruler said that universities that offer archaeology recently discovered that seeming-less glass bracelets technology developed thousands of years ago is still in practice in Bida. Recommendations A resource person, Nath Adediran, called on the Federal Government to allocate the statutory budget for the preservation, protection and security of cultural property in armed conflicts. Mr Adediran, who called for the domestication of the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts, stressed the need for relevant authorities in the education sector to incorporate it into the school curriculum. Cultural property defines peoples behavioural pattern in societys ideals, traditions, arts, morals and beliefs, which gives humanity a national identity. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve our culture, history and heritage, he said. Also speaking, Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the national workshop was to produce a strategic plan to protect cultural property in armed conflicts. She recalled that the convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts was adopted at the Hague, Netherlands, in 1954 in the wake of the massive destruction of cultural heritage during the second world war. Nigeria ratified the first Protocol of the 1954 Hague Convention on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflicts on June 5, 1961, and the second Protocol on Oct. 21, 2015, and has since committed to implementing the instrument, she said. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The government of Jersey has indicated willingness to repatriate nearly 2 million forfeited by ex-general and politician Jeremiah Useni to Nigeria based on an existing agreement decided in 2020 in connection with recovered funds linked to the Abacha regime. On Thursday, the Royal Court in Jersey, a British crown dependency, ordered the forfeiture of the funds totalling 1.9 million. The money was transferred into the islands Standard Chartered Bank accounts between the 1980s and 1990s by Mr Useni, though in a false identity, when he was in Nigerias military service. I will explore with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria how to return these forfeited assets to the people of Nigeria, said Jerseys Attorney General Mark Temple in a statement on the governments website. However, there is an existing framework for the return of funds to Nigeria linked to the Abacha regime which was successfully established with the Governments of Nigeria and the United States in relation to the return of over US$300 million of the assets of Doraville Properties Corporation. The said tripartite assets recovery deal was agreed upon in February 2020 to facilitate the process of the return and use of recovered Abacha loots, more than $300 million in the particular instance, hidden in Jersey to Nigeria. Nigeria then committed to using the money to expedite the construction of three major infrastructure projects, namely the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kano Road, and the Second Niger Bridge. Earlier in 2003, more than $160 million in Abacha-linked stolen assets, recovered from Atiku Bagudu, now governor of Nigerias northwestern Kebbi State and ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, was returned to Nigeria. False identity Mr Useni, 79, an ally of late kleptocrat Sani Abacha and former Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, opened the Jersey accounts under the false name Tim Shani. That bears similarity with two of the nine assets linked to him and targeted for seizure by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, namely Tim Tali Motels, Langtang, and Tim Tali Farms Gwagwalada. The Obasanjo administration was unable to realise the seizure of the targeted assets, which investigators said were derived from illicit sources after Mr Useni went to court despite having already agreed to forfeit five of the assets. In Jersey, he only disclosed his true identity and ownership of the funds in 2007 after a certified copy of his passport was requested in line with new anti-money laundering rules and his failure to move the funds to Nigeria. Through his Jersey-based lawyer, Mr Useni reportedly said he used non-existent Tim Shani to open the accounts for security reasons due to the instability in Nigeria and that he derived his wealth and funds from gifts and multiple businesses, including real estate, farming, hospitality, and personal savings. However, Jerseys Attorney General, Mr Temple, argued that the accounts were created to hold and conceal bribes, or other proceeds of corruption, received by Lieutenant General Useni during the period he held high political office in the Abacha regime. The payments into the accounts were received by Lieutenant General Useni for the purposes or on account of, exercising political influence over the award of lucrative contracts to foreign and Nigerian companies for the supply of industrial or commercial services in Nigeria and therefore represented tainted property liable to be forfeited under the 2018 Forfeiture Law. The Jersey court agreed with Mr Temple and ordered the dirty funds brought to the island be seized. The judgment is open to appeal. Mr Useni did not answer calls by PREMIUM TIMES and has not replied to a text seeking his comment. After attaining the distinguished rank of lieutenant-general in the army, Mr Useni, also known as Jerry Boy, joined politics soon after democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999. He represented Plateau South in the Senate in 2015 and lost a bid to become governor of Plateau State in 2019 as the candidate of the opposition PDP. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Several politicians in Sokoto State have indicated interest to succeed Governor Aminu Tambuwal under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but none of the aspirants is at ease as the governor has not indicated his preference. The top six aspirants include loyalists of the governor, a renowned party loyalist and others banking on their godfathers status in the state and the party. Unlike in Kano and Kaduna states where Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Nasir El Rufai have revealed their preferred candidates and asked other governorship aspirants loyal to the governors to contest for other elective offices, Mr Tambuwal has not revealed his preference. While some supporters of the governor like Sani Dahiru said Mr Tambuwal is being a true democrat that would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants, political pundits said the governor is applying delay as tactics. The candidates The deputy governor, Manir Dan Iya, is the leading aspirant in the PDP. The son of the district head of Kware has been loyal to Mr Tambuwal though the governor was not originally his godfather. The role Mr Dan Iya played in standing in for Mr Tambuwal when he went to contest for the presidency in 2019 endeared him to the governor. He was made the deputy governor and allowed to hold his position as the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs from (2015 to 2022). He is from the central zone. Sagir Bafarawa, the immediate former environment commissioner, is the son of the former governor, Attahiru Bafarawa. He is believed to be banking on his fathers legacy and political status in the state. He lost the House of Representatives election at Isa/Sabon Birni federal constituency in 2019 but is now gunning for the top post in the state largely because the zone he comes from (Sokoto East) believes it is its turn to produce the governor. Mr Bafarawa is also banking on the fact that his father is one of the governors godfathers. His young age and inexperience may count against him but he has an extensive network of young supporters from his closeness to youth organisations and participation in higher institution politics. Bello Aliyu (Goronyo), who is the current chairman of the PDP in the state, surprised stakeholders when he joined the contest. Mr Goronyo, who is also from the eastern part of the state, was a commissioner before Mr Tambuwal asked him to go and hold the party, because of what his supporters said was his ability to clear the mess in the party. He is no doubt one of Mr Tambuwals core loyalists with his supporters even saying he was ordered by the governor to buy the nomination form after almost all the other aspirants had bought theirs. He may not have a political structure like Messrs Dan Iya and Bafarawa to reach all the delegates but the fact that he still leads the party (though there is an acting chairman) counts in his favour. Mukhtar Shagari, a nephew of the late former President Shehu Shagari, is known as a one-man army in Sokoto politics because he does not follow any godfather. He has been in the PDP since 1999 when he was a minister under the Obasanjo administration. He was, for eight years, deputy governor to Aliyu Wamakko, but didnt decamp to APC with Mr Wamakko in 2014. He has contested serially for governor since and remains the face of the partys old guard in the state. Based on education, capacity and experience, Mr Shagari stands tall among the aspirants. But there is that doubt of whether he will be loyal to Mr Tambuwal, who is even considered a political junior to Mr Shagari by some residents. His style of progressive politics of not doling out money is considered a shortcoming among politicians but his fans like Almustapha Wadata believe he is the type of politician the state needs. Another issue is that he is from the southern zone, same as Mr Tambuwal. Saidu Umar, the immediate former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), is another loyalist of the governor running for the top post. He is a reserved person and is seen as the intellectual bank of the Tambuwal administration. He is considered by many as the aspirant of the metropolitan areas especially because none of the three governors from 1999 to date were from metropolitan areas. He was a commissioner before his appointment as SSG. Mr Umar is also seen as a bridge between career politicians, public servants, and religious scholars. His traditional title of Malam Ubadoman Sokoto, given to him by the Sultanate, is a testimony to his endearment to the elites. However, his lack of political structures in the other local areas is a challenge. The issues Observers of the states politics said it would be hard for the governor to declare his preferred candidate because he has everything to lose by doing so, being a presidential aspirant himself. As it is now, Mr Dan Iya, his deputy, has been one of the frontline campaigners for Mr Tambuwal in his presidential bid. Aside from spending money for his own campaign, Mr Dan Iya has been reaching out to delegates in other states, especially in Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina, to speak for his principal. Like him, Messrs Goronyo and Bature are also using their positions (as PDP state chairman and National Organising Secretary respectively) to woo delegates for Mr Tambuwal. Mr Shagari, according to his supporter Mr Wadata, postponed his declaration for the governors seat and followed Mr Tambuwal to Jigawa State for consultation, saying he would fight for his governor before he focuses on his own campaign. In this respect, he is seen in the same light as the senior Bafarawa (former governor) who is seen as one of the financers of the Tambuwal campaign. Mr Bafarawa, a businessman, is said to be using his wealth to woo delegates, especially from the South-south states where he has business and political friends in his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) days. Observers believe it is hard for the governor to throw his weight behind any of the aspirants because that will unsettle the others and dampen their support for him. Zoning Another issue is of contention for the Sokoto governorship race is zoning. Mr Tambuwal is said to be in confusion over the unofficial zoning agreement between the three senatorial zones that make up the state. In 1999, Mr Bafarawa, from the eastern zone, won the seat under the defunct All Peoples Party, (APP) and was governor for eight years. He was followed by Aliyu Wamakko from the central zone who was also in power for eight years. The incumbent Mr Tambuwal from the southern part of the state is about to conclude his second term in office. Three of the aspirants, Messrs Dan Iya, Bature and Umar, are from the central zone while Mr Shagari is from the southern zone alongside two other aspirants, Junior Bafarawa and Mr Goronyo. If the past is any guide, those from the east will have a go at the slot while a deputy will be picked from either the central or southern zones. The eastern and central zones have eight local government areas each while the south has seven. Already, the southern zone, where Mr Tambuwal comes from, has been removed from the contest, though unofficially. That is the reason Abdulsamad Dasuki, the immediate former finance commissioner, a close friend of the governor and son of former Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki, dropped the governorship form he had bought to pick the House of Representatives form. It is understood that zoning is one of the reasons Mr Tambuwal is yet to make up his mind on his preferred aspirant. Another reason could be the APC factor. It is possible Mr Tambuwal will wait to see where the APC, which is enmeshed in crisis in the state, will pick its candidate from before he announces his preferred choice. If Mr Wamakko, who is the de facto leader of the APC in Sokoto, decides to go for a former deputy to Mr Tambuwal, Ahmad Aliyu, who is from the metropolitan areas, the PDP may have no option but to also pick from the central zone to neutralise Mr Wamakko and his lieutenants. And if the APC decides to field Faruk Malami from Mr Tambuwals zone (south), the governor may have to give the deputy seat to his zone for fear of Mr Wamakkos influence. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 People living With Disabilities (PWDs) have have said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have failed to provide materials for their inclusion in the electoral process as it concerns the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State. In that regard they have threatened to take INEC to Court for the breach of a provision of the law protecting citizens with disabilities. The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens Living With Disabilities, David Anyaele, told journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday that the National Disability Law has mandated INEC to provide materials for inclusion of PWDs in all elections. Mr Anyaele said every attempt to prevent members of the group from voting due to INECs laxity will be challenged in court, adding that such would amount to a breach of the law signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. On the issue of security, Mr Anyaele said the PWDs are deeply worried due to persistent cases of thuggery during election, urging INEC to partner police and other security agencies to checkmate this. Up to now, we learnt the INEC has not made some materials ready to sensitise the PWDs, particularly the form EC40H, he said. It is also the duty of INEC to allow the deaf to bring sign specialists to polling units for proper voting. To resolve this, there must be disability desk officers across all the polling units. The reason why we are here is to hold INEC into account. It is no longer a charity for INEC to provide enabling environment for PWDs to vote. Before, it was INEC may provide materials for PWDs to participate, but the law has changed it to INEC shall. We are here to observe INEC compliance and any failure, we are going to use every legal instrument to compel INEC to comply. It is not about Ekiti alone, but we are also impressing that in Osun. While condemning vote buying, he urged his members not to engage in the act, describing it as economic deprivation. People cant be mortgaging their future or trivialise the electoral system by selling their votes. Bad governance affects everybody, including the PWDs, so it is necessary that we stay away from such evil, he said. A report presented by the Centers Research Officer, Humphrey Ukeaja, revealed that 95 perncent of people living with disabilities in Ekiti were are prepared to vote, saying 80 pe cent of them already had their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The report showed that 44.2 per cent of them found some of the polling units inaccessible, they are complaining about topography, Mr Ukeaja said. Reports by some of the leaders of PWDs in Ekiti confirmed that INEC has not been taking steps to carry them along in the process of electioneering. There is need for interactions between the INEC and the PWDs for them to be fully part of the electoral process. The Chairman, Joint National Association of People Living With Disabilities, Ekiti chapter, Kayode Owolabi, also noted that INEC had not been carrying his members along as expected . Mr Owolabi threatened that his group would sue the commission if such continued to manifest. The way INEC treated us was bad in the past, but we are seeing improvement. We appeal to them to provide disability desk officers and braille ballot papers that can enable those with visual impairment to vote for the candidates of their choices. INEC had recently assured that it had made adequate preparations to improve the participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the upcoming gubernatorial elections of Osun and Ekiti. Abdulganiy Raji, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, made this known at the 7th Access Nigeria Campaign Stakeholder Roundtable on Inclusive Elections in Nigeria. Mr Raji said equipment was provided to ensure the electoral framework and environmental barriers were fixed. He said that the INEC wanted more inclusive elections and had taken some steps to ensure that PWDs were included in the electoral processes. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dissolved the state executive council. Mr Wike also sacked his Chief of Staff, Emeka Woke and his Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, Harold Koko. This was contained in a statement by the special assistant to the governor on media, Kelvin Ebiri, Tuesday morning. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has dissolved the State Executive Council with effect from Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The chief of staff to the governor and senior special assistant (Protocol), have also been relieved of their office, the statement read in part. Although no reason was given for the dissolution of the cabinet and sacking of the two senior government officials, there are feelings that it may be connected with governorship ambitions of some of the executive members. The governor commended the cabinet members for their services and contributions to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours. Mr Wike, according to the statement, instructed all the former members of the council to hand over to the most senior officers in their respective ministries. The governor will complete his tenure as governor of the state in 2023. He has indicated his interest to run for President of Nigeria in 2023 under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr Wike has also purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms ahead of the PDPs presidential primaries. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 From all indications, the governorship primaries in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, promise to be intriguing and interesting. Virtually all the political parties will hold their primaries this week to pick their governorship candidates for the March 11, 2023, main election. But the primaries of the countrys two major parties the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state appear to be drawing more attention. This is not divorced also from the number and calibre of aspirants jostling to pick their tickets. While the PDP will hold its primary on May 25, the APC will conduct its primary the next day, May 26. In the PDP, the party in power in the state since 1999, 12 aspirants are contesting for the governorship ticket. They were cleared to participate in the primary by the screening committee chaired by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State earlier in the month. Those cleared are the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori; former Chief of Staff to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, David Edebvie; a former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi; the serving Delta South senator, James Manager; Deputy Governor of the state, Kingsley Otuaro; a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor; and a former Commissioner for Land, Survey and Urban Development, Fred Majemite. Others are a former state lawmaker, Ejaife Odebala; a former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Onajite Gift-Edejewhro; Lucky Idike; Chris Iyowaye; and Abel Esievo. Except for Messrs Manager and Otuaro, who are Ijaws from the Delta South Senatorial District, the other contenders are of the Urhobo ethnic nationality in the Delta Central Senatorial District, which is favoured to produce the next governor in keeping with a gentlemans agreement to rotate the seat among the three senatorial districts. But what is most captivating about Wednesdays contest in the PDP is that it is going to be a remote but straight fight between Mr Okowa, who is rounding off his second term as governor in May 2023, and one of his predecessors, James Ibori. While Mr Ibori is backing Mr Edebvie, who served under him as commissioner for finance and economic planning, Mr Okowa is backing Mr Oborevwori. For Mr Ibori, this is a battle he would not want to lose. Should Mr Edevbie fail to clinch the ticket, the former governor might lose political relevance in the state he once bestrode like a colossus. On the other hand, if Mr Oborevwori loses the primary, Mr Okowa, a former senator, may lose the opportunity to build his own political structure and may lose relevance in Delta politics by the time he concludes his second term in May 2023. Moves to bring Messrs Ibori and Okowa to agree on a single aspirant have so far failed. Interestingly, all three Okowa, Edevbie and Oborevwori belong to the Ibori political family. The family produced former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Mr Okowa. It is claimed in some quarters that despite being in prison in London where he was serving a jail term for corruption, Mr Ibori, popularly called the Odidigborigbo of Africa, played a key role in the emergence and victory of Mr Okowa as PDP candidate in 2015. Although many Nigerians may see the former governor as a criminal because of his conviction in the UK and the jail term he served, some people see him as the godfather of Delta politics. This is not only because of his enduring political structure but also because of the perception in the state that none of his successors has measured up in terms of performance. Apart from Mr Iboris backing, Mr Edebvie is also getting the support of the Urhobo Progressives Union (UPU), the apex socio-cultural organisation of the ethnic group. Besides, Mr Edebvie, who also served as principal secretary to the late President Umaru YarAdua, is perceived to have more public service experience than most of the contestants. Unfortunately, he does not have the support of Mr Okowa who, until recently, he served as chief of staff before resigning to join the governorship race. Mr Edebvies pain has become Mr Oborevworis gain. Mr Okowa is pulling all strings to see him as his successor, come 2023. Mr Oborevwori is also well-entrenched in Delta politics. He has been a councillor, special adviser to the governor and now speaker of the state House of Assembly. He currently serves as the National Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria. But Mr Oborevwori is currently enmeshed in a scandal. The Douye Diri screening panel of the party, which sat in Port Harcourt, reportedly discovered some discrepancies in the credentials he submitted to it. Although details of the alleged discrepancies have not been made public, it has thrown up a litany of court cases against him. One of the cases was filed by Kanabe Ovie Duke and Osigidi Amos at the Federal High Court Abuja, asking the court to determine if, in view of the provisions of Section 177 (d) of the Constitution and the educational certificates and other documents attached to the PDP nomination submitted by Mr Oborevwori, he is qualified to be nominated as gubernatorial candidate of the party. Another case was filed by Victor Obianuju and Maize and Associate Farmers at the Federal High Court, Asaba, seeking clarification if PDP and INEC are in order to clear Mr Oborevwori to participate in the primary because of the alleged discrepancies. The Speaker is believed to be doing everything possible to ward off the allegation. He has allegedly asked his supporters to file a case in court aimed at rescuing him from the mess. It is not clear if these cases will hamper Mr Oborevworis chances in the primary. What is certain is that should he emerge as the PDP candidate, the alleged discrepancies will be a ground for other parties to contest his election in court if he wins the general election. Perhaps, for this reason, some have claimed Mr Okowa may switch support to another aspirant, and that may be Mr Edebvie. Another aspirant who is also creating waves is Mr Gbagi. One of the things that stand in favour of the former minister is that he started his consultations early enough. Although he does not have the backing of either Mr Ibori or Mr Okowa, Mr Gbagi has received huge support from notable individuals and groups in the state. Yet Mr Manager and Mr Otuaro are no pushovers too. They are arguing that the rotation of the governorship seat should no longer be on a senatorial district basis but ethnic. But this is hardly flying in a state with many ethnic groups. The Ijaws are in the southern senatorial district with the Isokos and Itsekiris, which produced Mr Uduaghan as governor between 2007 and 2015. Regardless, the fate of any of the 12 aspirants is in the hands of the elected ad hoc delegates who will be voting in the primary. The national leadership of the PDP confirmed on Saturday that only democratically-elected delegates are qualified to vote at its primaries and convention by virtue of Section 84 (8) of the Electoral Act. This is in spite of amendments being pushed by the National Assembly to amend the Act to allow statutory delegates to vote. The APC lone runner Unlike the PDP where there is an array of aspirants, it is a lone race in the APC. The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, is the only governorship aspirant in the party. Interestingly, Mr Omo-Agege, also an Urhobo, was a member of the Ibori political family. He had served as executive assistant to the former governor and later commissioner for special duties and secretary to the state government. He ran for governor but lost in the primaries to former Governor Uduaghan then. Although he has no challenger, the deputy senate president, who got into the Senate on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), is challenged by the deep division and crisis in the state chapter of the party. Some of the prominent APC members in the state such as Great Ogboru, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, former House of Representatives member, Cairo Ojougbo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and others, feel he has hijacked the party. To ensure a smooth primary on Thursday, Mr Omo-Agege is already reaching out to the aggrieved members of the party. Recently, at a function, the deputy senate president appealed for unity. He has also named former President Goodluck Jonathans spokesperson, Ima Niboro, as the spokesperson of his campaign council. No action in minority parties Although there are other minority parties in Delta State, not much is heard from them. This has made analysts conclude that the oil-rich state is sliding into a two-party state. Interestingly, some of them participated in the last local government elections. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Political parties this week started their primaries for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 General Election, but there is tension in the two major parties in Ogun State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the processes. The political parties must file the lists of their candidates with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by June 3 to be eligible to participate in the various elections. As a result, they have only this week left to conduct their shadow elections to elect candidates for each position. PDP In Ogun, three governorship aspirants bought the nomination forms of the opposition PDP. They are Ladi Adebutu, Segun Sowunmi and Jimi Lawal. Mr Adebutu is a former member of the House of Representatives for Remo, Sagamu and Ikenne Federal Constituency, Mr Sowunmi was the spokesperson of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2019 election while Mr Lawal recently resigned as the Special Adviser on Economic and Investment Promotion to the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, before leaving the APC to join the race for the governorship ticket of the PDP. Aspirant heads to court But the race has not been smooth-sailing in the party in the state, as one of the governorship aspirants wants the party to delay the primaries. Mr Sowunmi recently approached the Court of Appeal after the state high court in Abeokuta struck out his suit seeking the dissolution of the state working committee of the PDP ahead of the partys governorship primaries slated for Thursday, May 26. Mr Sowunmi claimed that the party officials have been pocketed by Mr Adebutu and can therefore not be expected to organise free and fair primaries. Speaking to journalists in Abeokuta, Mr Sowunmi said the high court judge erred in law when he held that his suit was a pre-election matter and dismissed it for want of jurisdiction at the interlocutory stage, a decision he argued is contrary to the provisions of section 285 (8) of Nigerias1999 Constitution. The aspirant, however, expressed hope that the party would direct the Ogun chapter to wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal before conducting the primaries. However, the PDP National Working Committee has yet to interfere in the matter as of the time of this report. The leadership of the party in the state is currently in the control of a faction loyal to Mr Adebutu, while the other faction is made up of old loyalists of the late controversial senator, Buruji Kashamu. After Mr Burujis demise, both groups had agreed to work together, which led to the incorporation of some members of the Buruji camp into the executive committees. The party seemed set as of Tuesday to conduct the governorship primary as scheduled, despite Mr Sowunmis appeal. APC Five aspirants purchased the APC governorship nomination forms to challenge Governor Dapo at the partys primary election. The challengers are a former ace broadcaster, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf; Mr Amosuns anointed candidate in 2019, Adekunle Akinlade; as well as Owodunni Opayemi and Biyi Otegbeye. The ruling party in Ogun has been divided since 2018 when it had messy primaries, sparked by the anointment of one of the governorship aspirants by the then governor, Ibikunle Amosun. Eventually, the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC handed the flag to the current governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was nominated at a parallel congress. Mr Akinlade and other supporters of Mr Amosun who were denied the nomination in the APC, eventually moved to the APM to contest the 2019 elections but lost. Messrs Amosun and Abiodun have since maintained their different lanes in the party in Ogun State. Recently, a group accused the governor of perjury and declared that he is not qualified to contest for a second term. The group, which called itself the Coalition of Ogun state Students and Youths (COSSY), alleged that Mr Abiodun had been arrested and jailed in the United State of America over fraud-related cases. At a press briefing in Abeokuta, the group asked the party to disqualify the governor from the primary for allegedly concealing his alleged criminal records. It alleged that Mr Abiodun committed several crimes, including credit card fraud, forgery and petty theft, in the US between 1986 and 1987. Also, a member of the party in the state, Ayodele Oludiran, had in an April 12 petition alleged that the governor was concealing criminal offences he allegedly committed in the USA in the 1980s. The governors supporters said Mr Amosun was behind the allegations, which the governor denied. A statement by the Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organisation (DACO) accused Mr Amosun of sponsoring a smear campaign to malign the governor. But in a swift response, Mr Amosun, through his media aide, Bola Adeyemi, challenged the governor to go to court if he has evidence that he was behind the allegations, stressing, however, that he had no hand in the petition. The APC governorship primary is scheduled for Thursday, May 26. Our correspondent reliably gathered that Governor Abiodun has been making frantic efforts to save himself from disqualification, especially as the party threatened to disqualify aspirants with criminal records and those having issues with their certificates. The tension in the camp of the governor heightened with the news that the APC screening committee had disqualified Bassey Otu, the anointed candidate of the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, from contesting the 2023 governorship race. Mr Otu was allegedly disqualified over his failure to present his secondary school leaving certificate. The APC NWC is yet to speak on the fate of the Ogun governor, with respect to the allegations against him. Adding to the anxiety is the politics relating to the presidential race in the party. Mr Abiodun, who is believed to have secured the APC governorship ticket in 2019 with the help of the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, has declared his support for the presidential bid of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is from Ogun, over that of Mr Tinubu. Four aspirants seek direct primaries The four challenges of the governor have jointly sent a petition to the national secretariat of the party, calling for direct primaries. The aspirants alleged that their supporters were not issued forms to contest for nomination as delegates, despite the presentation of payment tellers for the contest. The petition was also signed by 34 aspirants for the House of Representatives and State Assembly seats. Party sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the APC was yet to carry out some activities and preparations that usually precede primary elections in the state, fuelling fears that the exercise may not hold as scheduled. There are also speculations that the state government is working on a consensus list for all the 40 elective positions in the state to ensure they all go to the supporters of Mr Abiodun. The outcome of the primaries in the two parties will shape the general election in which the APC and PDP are expected to continue their rivalry in the state. The PDP has governed the state for only eight years through the two terms of Gbenga Daniel, who has now defected to the APC. The APC, or parties that have now merged into it, has held control for the rest of the 23 years of the Fourth Republic with Mr Amosun serving two terms between 2011 and 2019. Segun Osoba was the first governor, he was elected in 1999 but lost his reelection bid to Mr Daniel in 2003. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have besieged the Abuja residence of a former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the operatives arrived at Mr Okorochas Abuja residence in Maitama at about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Although most of the operatives seen at the residence were dressed in unmarked clothes and arrived in unbranded vehicles, a source at the EFCC confirmed that they were officials of the commission and were there to arrest Mr Okorocha. When contacted, an aide to Mr Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, confirmed the situation to PREMIUM TIMES. He claimed that the EFCCs action was politically motivated. Why today they (EFCC) are coming to prevent his excellence from coming out from his house, Mr Onwuemeodo said in a phone interview with our reporter They are aware that the APC is having their screening in Abuja. The EFCC spokesperson could not be reached at the time of this report but a source at the commission said the agency would release an official statement on the matter later today. Mr Okorocha, who had been questioned by the EFCC in the past, is a presidential aspirant of Nigerias ruling party, APC. He was earlier arrested by the EFCC in April this year at his Abuja residence but was later released on bail. The EFCC is investigating the former governor for allegedly mismanaging state funds while in office. Earlier on February 21, the former governor was arrested by the police for unsealing a hotel owned by his wife but which had been shut by the Imo State Government. He was later released. As of 2:55 p.m., the armed security operatives were still present at Mr Okorochas residence at 3 Nyasa Close, off Ontario Crescent, Off Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES will provide updates in subsequent stories on the matter. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 With a few hours to the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, an internal crisis and a controversy over the selection of its three-member ad-hoc delegates for each ward is yet to be buried. The delegates will vote at the primaries to nominate the partys candidates for the 2023 general election. The PDP ward congresses were scheduled to hold in the state on April 30 until they were cancelled due to a court order. Although they were re-scheduled for May 4 after the order was vacated, they failed to hold because of a public holiday on the day. However, while some party members waited for a new date for the congresses, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and others allegedly wrote a list of ad-hoc delegates across the 184 wards of the state and sent it to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. The governor is reportedly putting pressure on the NWC to use the list for the partys primaries on Wednesday, May 25. Mr Ikpeazu and others said ward congresses were held on May 6, where the delegates were elected. But seven of the party governorship aspirants have denied that congresses held across wards in the state. On May 22, the aspirants, led by Enyinnaya Abaribe, the minority leader of the Senate, at a press conference at the partys secretariat in Abuja, asked the NWC to take immediate action to prevent an impending implosion of the party in Abia State. The incumbent deputy governor of the state, Ude Chukwu, who is also a governorship aspirant, was part of the seven aspirants revolting against the delegate list. Describing the controversial delegate list as a nullity, the aspirants said the action of those who compiled and submitted it to the partys national secretariat was against the law. Only the National Chairman and National Secretary of a Political Party can communicate with INEC at their National Headquarters in respect of Congresses, Primaries and Conventions. Neither the State Chairman of a Party nor the REC of INEC have (sic) any role in the matter and so the said Congresses of the 6th day of May 2022 are dead on arrival, Mr Abaribe said in the conference, on behalf of six others. It is preposterous that what is being bandied as a list emanated from an imaginary congress conducted via a letter of notice to the Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner signed by the Abia State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Allwell Asiforo Okere. The implication being that the functions of NEC and NWC were performed by a State Chairman of the party and NOT the National Chairman and Secretary of PDP, he added. The aspirants urged the partys NWC to avoid untoward consequences by using only statutory delegates for the primaries since it was now obvious that that it can no longer give the statutory seven days notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold a congress in the state to elect the three-member ad-hoc delegates. Mr Ikpeazus claim that the delegates had been elected was also refuted by the partys state secretary, David Iro, who insisted that there has never been any delegates conference in the PDP anywhere in Abia. The State Working Committee of the party, hours later suspended Mr Iroh for one month, claiming his comment was unguarded and brought embarrassment to the party. INEC position INEC too has maintained that Abia State PDP is yet to conduct its ad-hoc delegate election. Please, refer to your letter dated May 11, 2022 requesting confirmation if the commission is in receipt of a letter from the PDP national chairman and national secretary that rescheduled the partys Abia State ward congresses that failed to hold on May 4, 2022. This is to confirm that the last notice received from the PDP national headquarters was the one that scheduled the Abia State ward congress May 4, 2022, INEC said in a letter, adding that it was still expecting a new date after the congress failed to hold on the scheduled date. The letter, signed by the commissions Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and dated May 13, was written in response to an enquiry by an Abuja-based legal practitioner. The faction of the party in the state loyal to Mr Ikpeazu, however, has continued to insist that it conducted the three-member delegate elections. Implication On Sunday, the party conducted primary elections to nominate candidates for the House of Representatives and state assembly despite the raging controversy over the delegates. The Sun newspaper reported, on Monday, that the majority of aspirants withdrew at the last minute due to the partys insistence to conduct the primaries with what the aspirants termed strange three-man delegates list. If the party should continue the exercise and elect other candidates including governorship candidates slated for Wednesday, May 25, in violation of relevant electoral laws, the party may jeopardise its chances of participation in the coming general election, an event that played out in Zamfara State, some years back. The Zamfara Scenario Two factions of the All Progressive Congress in Zamfara State, led by Kabiru Marafa and then Governor Abdulaziz Yari, had engaged in a battle of supremacy over who controlled the soul of the party in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. The disagreement denied the party the opportunity to hold (valid) primary elections for sponsorship of candidates within the stipulated time, as required by law. Although the INEC went ahead to allow their participation in the poll, where the party won all the offices including governorship, the Supreme Court later voided all votes cast for the party and consequently sacked its candidates who were declared winners in the February 23 and March 16 general elections in the state by INEC. The court ruled that the party had no candidates in the elections, as it failed to conduct primaries in accordance with its own rules and as required by law. It consequently ordered candidates of the political party that came second, which happened to be the PDP, to take over as the duly elected contestants. The key aspirants, chances and zoning debate As of Tuesday, about 10 aspirants were jostling to land the partys ticket for the governorship election in the state. However, there are only three key contenders for the ticket. They include: the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University, Eleazar Ikonne; the Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Mr Abaribe; and the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Chukwu. Mr Ikonne, said to be a candidate of the state governor, is more likely to land the ticket, especially given the reported withdrawal of other candidates from the contest and the governors firm control of the alleged fake delegates. This is in addition to the fact that power of incumbency would play a huge role even without the withdrawal of other aspirants. But for the power of incumbency and allegation of imposed delegates, Mr Abaribe stands a good chance of landing the ticket. His alleged support for pro-Biafra groups and their agitations in Nigerias South-east appeared to have endeared the senator to many South-easterners, including residents of Abia State. For Mr Chukwu, observers say the deputy governor is likely to cause an upset given that he may have been in the know of his principals strategies and political secrets in winning primaries and elections. Zoning debate Like in many states in Nigeria, a lingering issue in the countrys political landscape has been the debate about which zone or region should produce candidates for different political offices. In Abia State, the issue of zoning has been raging. The party in the state had, a few months ago, announced that it had zoned the governorship position to Abia Central and Abia North Senatorial Districts in the state. Mr Abaribe was zoned out in the new party arrangement. The senator swiftly condemned the decision, describing it as an attempt to engage in imposition of a candidate in the state. The lawmaker is from Abia South, the senatorial district ignored by the party. An unwritten zoning agreement, called Abia Charter of Equity, was said to have been reached, long ago, to balance power rotation among the three senatorial districts in the state Abia Central, Abia South and Abia North. The arrangement, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, began with Orji Kalu in 1999, who is from Abia North, ruling the state for eight years. He handed over to his former chief of staff, Theodore Orji from Abia Central District who also ruled for eight years, before handing over to the current governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, from Abia South District, where Mr Abaribe hails from. While a group insists that power should return to Abia North, where it started, others argue that the power sharing is between two political blocs Old Aba Division and Old Bende Division not senatorial districts. Two former governors, Merssrs Kalu and Orji, who governed the state for eight years each belong to the Old Bende Division which has nine local government areas. The supporters of power rotation among the political blocs contend that the Old Aba Division, where Okezie Ikpeazus senatorial district belongs, should be given the opportunity to retain power for eight more years in 2023 to make up for the 16 years that power resided with the Old Bende Division. But Mr Ikpeazu appeared to have heeded the calls by picking Mr Ikonne, a 66-year-old professor of optometry, as his successor, from the Old Aba Division, although not the same senatorial district as the governor. Mr Ikonne, a former Rector of Abia State Polytechnic, hails from Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area in Abia Central District. Mr Ikpeazu is from the same Obingwa Local Government Area and Abia South District as Mr Abaribe. Although Mr Abaribe belongs to the same Old Aba Division as Mr Ikonne, his local government of origin (Obingwa) is located outside the two senatorial districts where the governorship ticket had earlier been zoned to by the PDP. Mr Abaribes plan B On Sunday, hours after the withdrawal of Mr Abaribe and others went public, officials of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), visited the senator in what appears to be negotiation over a possible switch to APGA from PDP in the state. A source within the senators camp told PREMIUM TIMES, Monday night, that although the APGA officials agreed to give the former Abia State deputy governor automatic ticket to run for Senate, Mr Abaribe was yet to make a decision. He is monitoring events in the PDP. If nothing positive happens, he could defect to APGA, the source said of Mr Abaribe. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has said he was not invited for questioning by the anti-corruption agency, EFCC, before its officials besieged his Abuja residence. He also said the siege was to prevent him from attending the screening of APC presidential aspirants scheduled to hold Tuesday. Mr Okorocha stated this while addressing reporters inside the besieged residence in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday. PREMIUM TIMES was not at the press briefing but a reporter who was present shared the audio of the interview with this reporter. I am not an unknown person in the country. I have an address and people know me in the country. All that it takes for the EFCC is to send me an invitation and I will gladly oblige, Mr Okorocha said. The ex-governor spoke in response to Tuesdays invasion of his residence located at 3 Nyasa Close, off Ontario Crescent, off Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how security operatives besieged the Abuja home of the former governor. This medium gathered that the operatives arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Although most of the operatives seen at the residence were dressed in unmarked clothes and arrived in unbranded vehicles, a source at the EFCC confirmed that they were officials of the commission and were there to arrest Mr Okorocha. The former governor is being investigated by the anti-graft corruption for allegedly stealing state funds while in office. An aide to Mr Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, had confirmed the situation to PREMIUM TIMES. He claimed that the EFCCs action was politically motivated. Why today they (EFCC) are coming to prevent his excellence from coming out from his house, Mr Onwuemeodo said in a phone interview with our reporter The EFCC spokesperson could not be reached at the time of this report but a source at the commission said the agency would release an official statement on the matter later today. Mr Okorocha, who had been questioned by the EFCC in the past, is a presidential aspirant of Nigerias ruling party, APC. I am held hostage in my home Mr Okorocha, who represents Imo West in the Senate, claimed that he is being held captive in order to prevent him from participating in Tuesdays screening of APC presidential aspirants. Frankly speaking, the situation I find myself in a situation of what I call hostage. Policemen and EFCC operatives are currently in my compound and possibly whisking me away and my gate is blocked. All I am asking for now is to allow me to go for my screening because I am a presidential aspirant and our election comes up on Sunday. If I am not allowed to go for this screening, I might miss it, he said. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its operatives invaded the Abuja residence of Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, because he jumped bail and refused to accept court processes from the commission. The EFCC said this in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday. The anti-graft agency said Mr Okorocha jumped an administrative bail he was granted and has also evaded his corruption trial. In the circumstances, the Commission is left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial, the EFCC said. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how operatives of the EFCC stormed the residence of Mr Okorocha in the Maitama area of Abuja to arrest him on Tuesday. This medium was gathered from sources at the location that the operatives arrived at Mr Okorochas home at about 11:30 a.m. The former governor is being investigated by the anti-graft agency for allegedly stealing state funds while in office. Now a senator, Mr Okorocha is also a presidential aspirant of the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC). Mr Okorocha had alleged that the siege at his residence was to prevent him from attending the APC screening exercise for its presidential aspirants. He said this while briefing journalists during the siege on his house. The siege was still on at the time of this report. Read the Press release below Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today May 24, 2022, arrived at the Maitama, Abuja home of a former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, to effect his arrest. The move followed the refusal of the former governor to honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission. EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha. The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes. At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter. In the circumstances, the Commission is left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Gunmen, locally called bandits, on Tuesday, killed 12 farmers in Gakurdi village of Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina state Three people sustained injuries during the attack. Gakurdi is in Daddara ward and a few kilometres away from Daddara on the highway that links Katsina to Maradi in the Niger Republic. A resident of Daddara, Bashir Salihu, said all the slain farmers were from Gakurdi and they were preparing their farm ahead of the rainy season. What I learnt is that the residents went to clear and prepare their farms for the start of the planting season, which is usually during the outset of the rainy season. The bandits went to the village on motorcycles and upon sighting the farmers, started shooting indiscriminately. I dont know if they had planned to attack the farmers or the village, he said. He said some houses were also burnt down by the bandits after villagers fled. Those killed have been buried this afternoon in the village. Police react When contacted, the police spokesman in the state, Gambo Isa, confirmed the attack. He said eight gunmen on four motorcycles carried out the bloody attack. We were there with the CP (police commissioner) and attended the burial. What happened was that the bandits stormed the village this morning (Tuesday) and started shooting sporadically. The villages started running for their lives and all the 12 people killed were all shot in farms outside the community, he said. Mr Isa said some of the residents have guns but only a young boy stood his ground and shot back at the bandits. Katsina is one of the states in Nigerias North-west region that have come under heavy attacks by gunmen. The bandits attack communities, rustle cattle and abduct travellers and students for ransom. They also impose taxes and levies on communities before allowing them to farm or harvest the produce of their farms. These bandits have been blamed for killing thousands of people. They have also abducted many more in what is shaping to become one of the worst kidnap-for-ransom syndicates in the history of the country. The state governor, Aminu Masari, Monday afternoon, confessed that the people of the state have suffered immensely due to incessant bandits activities. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Operatives of the EFCC have arrested the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, after over six hours of a siege at his house. He was arrested on Tuesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. at his residence in the Maitama area of Abuja. He was arrested minutes after security operatives fired teargas to disperse protesters who did not want the ex-governor arrested. PREMIUM TIMES observed that Mr Okorocha was whisked into a white Hilux vehicle by armed security operatives. Dozens of protesters had stormed Rochas Okorochas Abuja home to protest the security siege of the former governors house. The Siege The siege on Mr Okorochas house started at about 11:30 a.m. when dozens of security operatives arrived at the Abuja residence. During the siege, Mr Okorocha addressed some journalists inside the house and alleged that the EFCC was trying to frustrate his presidential ambition. He specifically accused the anti-graft agency of preventing him from attending the screening of APC presidential aspirants in Abuja. The screening had been scheduled to hold on Tuesday but was later postponed indefinitely. Mr Okorocha is one of 25 APC presidential aspirants seeking the partys ticket. EFCCs Position The EFCC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that the siege was to arrest Mr Okorocha. It said Mr Okorocha had jumped an administrative bail and resisted being served court papers for his corruption trial. Mr Okorocha, a serving senator, is being tried for allegedly stealing public funds while he was Imo governor. EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha, Mr Uwujaren wrote in the statement. The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes. At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter. In the circumstances, the Commission is left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will collaborate with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to prosecute candidates of political parties that submit forged academic credentials. The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at a meeting on the Collaboration for Effective Tax Compliance of Political Office Holders, convened at the instance of the Joint Tax Board (JTB). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other agencies were represented at the meeting, including the Chief Executive Officers of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Code of Conduct Bureau. Mr Yakubu said beyond the nullification of elections of candidates that submitted fake or forged credentials, he believed that such individuals should be prosecuted. We are already collaborating with the ICPC which is prosecuting candidates who submitted fake or forged academic credentials to INEC, as a result of which elections were nullified by the Election Petition Tribunals. Beyond the nullification of elections, such persons should be prosecuted. And I am happy that the ICPC is handling that responsibility. Let me assure you that INEC is in collaboration with ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau in our efforts to make Nigeria a better place and to ensure that persons who are elected comply with the laws of the land and are suitably qualified to hold public trust. Nigeria must be a democratic nation for all and not just a plutocracy for a few people, who end up evading taxes. So I want to thank you and be rest assured of our willingness to collaborate with you, Mr Yakubu said. Mr Yakubu said there was no specific law that made it mandatory for candidates for election, to present evidence of tax payment, before they could contest an election. He, however, pledged INECs commitment to relevant agencies, to ensure that public office holders complied with the countrys constitution and relevant laws, including tax. But we understand the importance of this collaboration and we will collaborate with you. All candidates for elected offices are required to complete the INEC nomination forms and to swear to an affidavit that they have fully and faithfully provided the requisite information to the commission. We will collaborate with sister agencies to provide whatever information you require to facilitate your constitutional roles. Leadership comes with enormous responsibilities, at both the executive and legislative levels and persons entrusted with that responsibility must respect the constitution and laws of this country. Thats why agencies responsible for ensuring compliance with the constitution and laws of this government just like INEC, have fully supported us, the INEC boss noted. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ad-hoc delegates for Lagos East Senatorial District primary election, on Monday, waited from morning till night for the election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at least 128 delegates from five local government areas that made up the senatorial district are to participate in the election. The council areas are Somolu, Kosofe, Ikorodu, Epe, and Ibeju-Lekki. PDP leaders and delegates from the council areas waited at the partys secretariat at Somolu, the venue of the primary election. Some of the delegates became tired and unhappy and left the venue. However, some defied the rain and kept waiting in the hope that the election would still take place. Speaking with NAN at the venue, Wasiu Aderounmu, PDP Chairman in Somolu, said that some delegates became anxious and dissatisfied, after waiting for a long time. He expressed hope that the senatorial primary election would still hold in spite of the delay and other challenges. Mr Aderounmu said the PDP electoral committee members sent from the partys headquarters to conduct the election were still on their way. The primary election will hold, that is the reason we are still waiting. Delegates are here with their candidates. Once the state returning officer comes in, the election will start, he said. He said that delegates had been told to wait. As of the time of filing this report at 8:30 p.m., the exercise had yet to start but many delegates were still waiting at the venue to vote for the candidates of their choice. NAN reports that four aspirants are contesting the partys ticket for the Lagos East senatorial election in 2023. The aspirants are Obadiaru Adebayo, Nicholas Akobada, Saidat Odofin-Fafore, and Agnes Adenike-Shobajo. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Nicholas Akobada has clinched the Peoples Democratic Partys ticket to contest for the Lagos East Senatorial District seat in 2023, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. According to Daniel Ochu-Baiye, Chairman of the PDP Electoral Committee/ Returning Officer for the senatorial primary election, Mr Akobada scored 74 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agnes Adenike-Shobajo, who polled 63 votes. Announcing the result Tuesday morning at the PDP Secretariat in Somolu, he said that Obadiaru Adebayo, another contestant, scored 16 votes while Saidat Odofin-Fafore polled two votes. NAN reports that the exercise witnessed some hitches and protests over allegation of fake delegates list, especially when ad hoc delegates from Ikorodu, with about 58 ad hoc delegates, were voting. The development came after delegates from four out of the five local government areas that made up the senatorial distinct had voted. Delegates from Somolu, Kosofe, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki had voted before the disruption. The issues resulted into several protests by delegates from Ikorodu who insisted that names of delegates on the list brought by the electoral committee were not authentic. After a huge noise and drama, the electoral committee declared the election inconclusive, citing security risk, and left the venue, but later came back to announce the result and declared a winner. The ad hoc delegates had waited since Monday morning for the exercise, but the electoral committee only showed up at 11:50 p.m. The accreditation and voting started simultaneously at 12:03 a.m. on Tuesday, and ended at 1:40 a.m. The exercise was conducted under heavy security presence and was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Akanbi Abidakun, who led the INEC team to observe the primary, told NAN that it was orderly and the electoral committee followed due process. Mr Abidakun, however, advised the party to ensure better logistics in future primary elections, saying that a single electoral committee should not be tasked with conducting primaries in more than one senatorial district. The party should look into this and expand the electoral committee for each senatorial district rather than keeping people waiting endlessly. They should improve on this. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Controversy on Monday trailed the PDP Lagos Central senatorial primary election and the reported emergence of Wale Gomez as the partys candidate. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many ad hoc delegates, leaders and party faithful had gathered at No 67, Adelabu Str. Surulere, the earlier announced venue for the primary all day before they were hinted that the venue had shifted to Obele Odan Community Hall, Fujah Street in Surulere. NAN reports that before many of the delegates at the earlier venue would converge at the new venue, the exercise had been conducted and a winner allegedly emerged in person of Mr Gomez. Also, before NAN correspondent, who monitored the exercise could get to the new venue, the exercise had been concluded while officials and delegates had dispersed. Speaking to NAN at the new venue, Adegboyega Openiyi, an ad hoc delegate, told NAN that only Mr Gomez showed up at the venue and he was declared the winner by the returning officer. Only one aspirant turned up and was declared the winner through voice votes after accreditation of delegates from each local government area, Mr Openiyi, a delegate from Lagos Island, said. He said the exercise was monitored by security agents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, Sherrif Adepote, an ad hoc delegate from Lagos Mainland local government area, who rushed in from the earlier venue, decried the development, saying it would further narrow the chances of PDP in the 2023 general elections. Mr Adepote said: This kind of game cannot lead us anywhere in PDP, we will remain where we are. Initially, we heard that the primary will hold at NAPTIP building and we were waiting there until we heard of the change of venue this evening and before we got here, they said the exercise had been conducted. It is shoddy and it is not acceptable. At the end of the day, we must sit down and resolve things, he said. Speaking to journalists, one of the aspirants, Victoria Oniru, expressed shock, describing the exercise as kangaroo primary. I am not in contact with members of the committee. They gave us a venue for the primaries, we were there only to be told they will no longer use that venue, and when we got here, we were told the primaries had held. There was no election and the people at the new venue said somebody has won the primaries. This is a culture of impunity and ineptitude. Those that conducted the election, where did they come from?. She, however, called for cancellation of the exercise, saying that the party leadership should fix another date for a free, fair and credible primaries. Also speaking, Pearse Adetokunbo, another aspirant in the contest, said the alleged primary would not stand. NAN reports that 140 aspirants are contesting for the P,DP tickets for the 40 seats in the state house of assembly, 85 for the 24 house of representatives seats, 13 aspirants for the three senatorial districts and six for governorship. Six aspirants are contesting for the partys ticket in the Lagos Central Senatorial District. The five local government areas that make up the Lagos Central Senatorial District are; Apapa, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Mohammed Abba-Bello, son of former National Chairman of PDP, Bello Mohammed-Haliru, has been declared the partys flag-bearer for Birnin Kebbi/Kalgo/Bunza federal constituency of Kebbi State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Bello defeated the incumbent member representing the area at the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bello-Yakubu, who defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) recently. Declaring the result at Royal Events Centre Birnin-Kebbi on Tuesday, the Returning Officer, Bello Shehu-Kwasara said Mr Abba-Bello scored 64 votes to defeat Mr Bello-Yakubu who got 41 votes. He said 108 delegates were accreditated by the electoral officers, led by Bello Makama. Having scored the highest number of votes and as required by the provision of partys constitution, I hereby declare Barrister Muhammed Abba Bello as the winner of this election and the flag bearer of our great party, PDP for Birnin Kebbi/Kalgo/Bunza federal constituency, he said. Mr Bello-Yakubu lost after defecting from APC in March. Mr Bello-Yakubu, fondly known as Rilisco, pitched his tent with PDP after falling out with the stakeholders of APC in the state, a party he represented as a member, state House of Assembly before moving to House of Representatives. NAN also reports that the costest was very keen, leading to a charged atmosphere from both sides. It was, however, conducted peacefully and orderly. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A former member of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Ekong Sampson, has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate primary for the Akwa Ibom South the district where Governor Udom Emmanuel hails from. Mr Sampson, a former commissioner for Environment in the state, scored 368 votes to defeat his closest rival and a serving federal lawmaker, Francis Uduyok, who had 11 votes. Mr Uduyok represents Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He is currently in his second term. Six aspirants, including Ephraim Inyangeyen, who was recently sacked as chief of staff to Governor Emmanuel, were cleared to take part in the primary held on Monday at the Police Special Protection Unit (SPU) in Onna Local Government Area. Mr Inyangeyen had announced he would not take part in the exercise because of a court order against the Akwa Ibom PDP, but zero vote was entered for him in the primary. Mr Inyangeyens senatorial aspiration and his support for a senator, Bassey Alberts governorship campaign, soured his longtime relationship with Governor Emmanuel, leading to his removal from office. Mr Emmanuel had declined to contest the Akwa Ibom South Senate seat. He instead struck a deal with the PDP leaders in the district that they should choose a candidate from the constituency that is favoured by zoning Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency. Mr Inyangeyen, who reportedly attended the meeting where the party leaders reached the agreement, declared for the seat in defiance of the governor. More winners Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Aniekan Bassey, has won the party primary in the Akwa Ibom North-East District. Mr Bassey, currently serving his second term, represents Uruan State Constituency. One of the Senate aspirants in the district, Usenobong Akpabio, a former state lawmaker, refused to take part in the primary because of the court order against the Akwa Ibom PDP. Emmanuel Enoidem, a former national legal adviser of the PDP, won the PDP primary in the Akwa Ibom North-West. The PDP in Akwa Ibom conducted its primaries in violation of a Federal High Court order which directed parties in the suit challenging the PDP ad-hoc delegates election in the state to maintain status quo antebellum pending the hearing and determination of the case. If the PDP scales the legal hurdles in the court case which comes up on Wednesday, the trio of Sampson, Bassey and Enoidem would likely win at the general elections in 2023. It would be the first time in over 12 years that the state would send three new senators at once to the National Assembly. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The police in Ondo State on Tuesday confirmed the release of a cleric, Olu Obanla, and his son, who were kidnapped along the Ifon-Okeluse Road in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State on Saturday. Funmilayo Odunlami, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Command in Ondo State, confirmed the release of the cleric and his son to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). She said they were released on Monday around 12.30 p.m. somewhere in Edo. As I am speaking with you, I am in Abuja. But I can confirm to you that the victims had been released since yesterday (Monday) around 12.30 p.m. somewhere in Edo, and they have been reunited with their families. But I cannot confirm to you if the family paid any ransom or not before they were released, she said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Obanla and his son were travelling along the road on Saturday when the hoodlums accosted and dragged them to an unknown destination inside the bush. The kidnappers had earlier demanded a N10 million ransom for the release of the victims, but the family was unable to raise the amount. They could only raise N1 million which was rejected by the abductors. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Nigeria, on Tuesday, at the 75th World Health Assembly, sought the addition of Noma disease, otherwise known as cancrum-oris, to the World Health Organisations list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD). Noma is a disease that destroys mucous membranes of the mouth and other tissues. It is said to be rampant among malnourished children in an environment with poor sanitation. Speaking at the fourth plenary session, Nigerias minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, said Noma is an infectious disease of the poor and malnourished that eats away soft and hard tissue of the mouth and face. He said the disease results in severe facial disfigurement known as the face of poverty, adding that the victims go into hiding due to discrimination and stigma. The inclusion of Noma to the NTDs register, where it rightfully belongs, will bring global support to the request for its elimination, starting with preventive and curative measures for afflicted persons, he said. NTDs in Nigeria According to WHO, NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they mostly affect more than 1 billion people who live mostly in impoverished communities. They are caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins. These diseases cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to more than one billion people. In August 2021, Nigerias national coordinator of NTDs, Nse Akpan, disclosed that the country is still confronted by the challenges posed by 14 out of the 20 NTDs listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Mr Akpan linked the development to the poor culture of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) that is practised among many communities across the country. He also identified 15 of these diseases in Nigeria including Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), Onchocerciasis (River blindness), Trachoma (Granular Conjunctivitis) and Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia). Others are Rabbies, Leprosy, Yaws, Snakebites, Leishmaniasis, Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Mycetoma and Fascioliasis. Mr Akpan said all states in Nigeria are endemic to one or more NTDs and that 122 million people, which is equivalent to 2 out of every 3 Nigerians are at risk of the disease. Improved health system Speaking further at the plenary session, Mr Ehanire spoke on the Nigerian governments effort to build a better health care system for its citizens. He said: Universal Health Coverage, anchored on a robust primary health care system is an equitable, inclusive, and cost-effective path to population health and is a cornerstone of Nigerias health reforms. Relevant infrastructure and adequate human resources for health are critical to our journey. He added that the government has revitalised about 4000 of nearly 10,000 planned primary health care centres based on a new design that enables service around the clock by adding staff quarters, sources of safe water and reliable electricity for primary health care centres. Emergency service and other progress On emergency medical service, Mr Ehanire said the critical gap in Nigerias healthcare architecture will be bridged with the establishment of a national emergency medical service and ambulance system. The service will render medical emergency help to those who need it, where they need it and at no cost, out of pocket at the point of service, he said. Speaking on eradication of polio, he said Nigeria achieved poliovirus free status, which was so declared in April in August 2020, adding that Nigeria became the first country to introduce the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in response to Circulating Variant Polio Virus type 2 (cVPV2) outbreaks. On Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), he said: We have made progress in the UN AIDS targets with 93 per cent of HIV positive people knowing their status, 96 of those on antiretroviral therapy, and 89 achieving viral suppression. Viral hepatitis and STI are integrated into HIV control activities, he added. For non-communicable diseases, he noted: Nigeria is currently conducting an NCD survey to advise optimal prevention or control strategies and addressing policy issues and interventions on maternal neonatal child and adolescent health plus nutrition, as well as promoting mental health. About World Health Assembly The WHA is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The main function of the assembly is to determine the policies of the organisation, appoint the director-general, supervise financial policies and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The ongoing weeklong WHA is themed: Health for Peace, Peace for Health. At this years assembly, the first five-year tenure of the incumbent director-general will end, and he has been nominated for reelection by an appropriate organ of the global body. Other vice-presidents from various countries and chairmen for various relevant committees, will also be elected at the forum, which ends on Saturday. Ahmed Abdilleh, minister of health of Djibouti, was on Sunday elected the President of this years assembly.to primary health care. child survival has improved dramatically over the past 20 years. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, publishers, and leading journalists, today announced that Executive Director Barbara Trionfi has informed the Executive Board of her intention to step down from her position by the end of 2022. Ms Trionfi joined IPI in 2000 as coordinator of the organizations Asia advocacy programme and has served as its executive director for the past seven years. A committee to appoint a successor to Trionfi will be led by Ken MacQuarrie, a longtime IPI member and former director at BBC Scotland, alongside IPI Executive Board Chair Khadija Patel. Barbara has been an exceptional leader, Patel said. Her work has not been just for the good of IPI, but for the good of press freedom worldwide. Under Trionfis leadership, IPI has expanded its activities, both geographically and thematically, to address the increasingly complex challenges and threats to independent journalism around the world. As the oldest global network dedicated exclusively to supporting independent journalism, IPIs unique strength in promoting press freedom is the result of the profound respect that its members enjoy in their countries and across the globe. Furthermore, IPI has been able to draw upon its members experiences and expertise in building truly independent news outlets to identify and share best practices and create opportunities for global exchange and partnership. The organizations advocacy efforts have been greatly strengthened over the past decade as IPI has been able to build solidarity among its members in the face of growing authoritarianism. IPI has expanded its advocacy efforts in Central and Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Africa in particular. Furthermore, IPI has launched a new independent journalism programme, which includes successful collaborative journalism and skills-exchange initiatives for investigative journalists, local media, and media operating in highly restrictive environments (here and here). Since 2014, IPI has also played a pioneering role in analysing and defining strategies to counter online harassment and disinformation campaigns against journalists. Over the past eight years, IPI has more than doubled its operational budget, while the budget specifically dedicated to activities on the ground directly supporting editors, journalists, and news organizations has increased 15-fold. Serving an organization with such an impressive mandate and history as IPI has been an immense honour and privilege for me, Trionfi said. For the past two decades, I have worked alongside a deeply committed and knowledgeable staff to understand and assess the many attacks that our global community of editors, publishers, and journalists faces every day and identify strategies to ensure that the IPI global network can offer support and strength to those who operate on the frontlines of press freedom. The battle for press freedom is a global one and the IPI global network has always promoted the idea that independent journalism is a pillar of true liberal democracy, of global peace, of anti-corruption efforts, of the fight for equality and inclusion, and of fact-based policymaking that serves the interests of the public. Without free and independent journalism, the ideals that we as a community share cannot be achieved. IPIs battles are also often fought at the individual level: for the journalists imprisoned in retaliation for their work, for those killed as an easy way to silence them, for the news outlets forced to shut down for exposing government wrongdoing, and for those brought to bankruptcy through unfair lawsuits. Leading IPI for me has meant making sure that the organization could take advantage of the immense power of our global network to be there in support of each journalist and editor that is attacked because of their work. Before joining IPI, Trionfi worked and studied in China, where she carried out research into censorship mechanisms under the government of President Deng Xiaoping. She has held a range of positions at IPI, first leading press freedom advocacy for Asia and Europe. Later, as press freedom manager, she oversaw the organizations global advocacy efforts. She was appointed executive director in 2015 at the IPI World Congress in Myanmar. Trionfi has also taught courses in media literacy, media ethics and diversity in the media at Webster University, Vienna. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Lagos State chapter of the PDP has, again, held primaries to elect its flag bearer for the 2023 House of Representatives election in Badagry Constituency. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the party on Sunday held a primary election where Olayemi Toviho was declared the winner of its ticket for the Badagry Federal Constituency. However, in fresh primaries on Tuesday, the PDP declared Adekunle Lebile as its candidate for the Badagry Federal Constituency. Declaring the result, the Returning Officer, Jamiu Ibrahim said Mr Lebile scored 30 out of 32 votes cast to defeat Mr Toviho who did not get a single vote. The remaining two delegates did not vote for any aspirant. I hereby pronounce Adekunle Lebile, winner of the primary held on May 24 in Badagry federal constituency by the power vested on me. Hence, he is now the candidate for the Badagry federal constituency for the PDP, having scored the highest number of votes, he said. Reacting to the development, Bidemi Akojenu, the chairman of PDP in Badagry, said after the meeting held by the executive of the party on Sunday, she had been mandated to conduct another primary election. Also speaking, Mr Lebile said the party had decided to conduct fresh primaries to nullify the previous one. As you can see, there is presence of security agencies and INEC officials from both state and federal levels. The party has agreed to share the posts and thats why we have been permitted to use the PDP LGA secretariat in Badagry for the election. This is the stand of the party executive and we have complied with it, he said. Johnson Avoseh, the PDP electoral officer, who declared the result of the primary election held on Sunday, said Mr Toviho scored 31 out of 32 votes cast to defeat Mr Lebile, who scored one vote. Recall that the Lagos State chapter of the PDP had urged the partys National Working Committee (NWC) to cancel the House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries slated for Sunday in Lagos. The PDP Chairman in Lagos State, Philips Aivoji, made the call at a news conference he addressed alongside other state executives of the party, governorship aspirants and party leaders in Ikeja. He alleged the ad-hoc delegates list brought by the electoral committees for both primaries had been compromised. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, has been re-elected for another five-year term of office. Mr Ghebreyesus was re-elected at the ongoing 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) which is holding in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr Ghebreyesus, who was first elected in 2017, will officially commence his new mandate on August 16, 2022. The president of the 75th assembly, Ahmed Abdilleh, said the Health Assembly adopted in a private session the resolution approving the contract of the director-general. He said: According to the article 31 of the constitution and rule 109 of the rules of procedure of the World Health Assembly, the assembly approves the contract establishing the terms and conditions of appointment, salary and other emoluments for the post of director-general as amended. Pursuant to rule 112 of the rules of procedure of the World Health Assembly, the assembly authorises the president of the 75th World Health Assembly to sign the contract in the name of the organisation. He then invited Mr Ghebreyesus to take the oath, quoting staff regulations 1.10 and 1.11 in pursuance of article 37 of the Constitution. Appreciation After signing the contract, the WHO director-general expressed his appreciation for the re-election and highlighted three priorities for the next tenure. He said: Very difficult to express my words. Thank you so much indeed. This is overwhelming. Im grateful and very humbled for your confidence and trust. We have already presented this, its to promote health and keeping people healthy should be at the centre. Managing diseases should not be the centre. Of course, people will be seeking how that has to be managed but we have to focus on promoting health. Thats number one. Number two, we have to focus on primary health care. This centre of universal health coverage, its foundation should be primary health care. The third priority on emergency preparedness is dependent on the first to focus on health promotion, disease prevention, And then I hope we will be able to prevent the next pandemic or manage it as efficiently as possible. About Tedros Ghebreyesus According to the information provided on the WHO official website, Mr Ghebreyesus was elected WHO Director-General for a five-year term by the WHO Member States at the Seventieth World Health Assembly in May 2017. He is the first WHO Director-General elected from among multiple candidates by the World Health Assembly and the first person from the WHO African Region to head the worlds leading public health agency. Born in the Eritrean city of Asmara, Mr Tedros graduated from the University of Asmara with a Bachelor of Biology, before earning a Master of Science (MSc) in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London, a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Health from the University of Nottingham and an Honorary Fellowship from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Following his studies, Mr Tedros returned to Ethiopia to support the delivery of health services, first working as a field-level malariologist, before heading a regional health service and later serving in Ethiopias federal government for over a decade as Minister of Health and Minister of Foreign Affairs. About World Health Assembly The WHA is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The main function of the assembly is to determine the policies of the organisation, appoint the director-general, supervise financial policies and review and approve the proposed programme budget. At this years assembly, the first five-year tenure of the incumbent director-general will end, and he has been re-elected for another five-year term. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A case has been made for a sustainable lifestyle to stem the looming food and energy crises that may arise from the current climate change occasioned by the environmental pollution and general mismanagement. This is the submission at a one-day Conference in Lagos on the Preservation of the Environment, themed Journeying and Listening Together: Energy Crisis and Sustainable Lifestyle for Church and State which was organised by the Ecology Work Group of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. Speakers decried the abuse of the environment by man and the inherent danger to the mans wellbeing and the society. Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Martins, kicked off the discussion when he lamented that many activities of man have given rise to climate change the consequences of which are now staring the society in the face. He stated that the climate change has manifested itself in varied and unprecedented ways such as heat waves that have led to the uncontrolled forest fires devastating huge swathes of land; progressing desertification; rising sea level leading to the destructive floods and landslides; chemical and technological pollution leading to depletion of biodiversity and destruction of the ecosystem. We are faced with the results of our collective and individual lifestyles and habits that lead to depletion of species of animals and plants and the pollution of the earth, turning it to what the Pope calls pile of filth, the clergy noted. According to him, the conference was the churchs response to the call by Pope Francis some seven years ago when he released his encyclical LAUDATO SI translated to Care for our home. The document centered on the care for the earth, our common home, environmental pollution challenges and the persistent poverty facing the world. Mr Martins said as the COVID-19 pandemic begin to alleviate, the world is faced with other crises which have local and global dimensions, i.e the energy crisis and the looming food crisis, the impact of which would be huge and unimaginable, if necessary steps are not taken and quickly too. Should we as church not be concerned? Should we as a people not worry? We should all be and that is why I hope this conference will provide the platform for strategizing together on what must be done in order to heed the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, he said. In his paper titled Global Energy and Environmental Crisis, Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner of Health, who was the Guest Speaker said the energy crisis around the world has led to a concern that the worlds demands on the limited natural resources that are used to power industrial society are diminishing as the demand rises. The environmental and economic effects of the situation, he highlighted are the increase in the energy and electricity cost with gas prices rising by about 47%; increase in cost of doing business; unemployment; global warming etc. Mr Abayomi then listed as mitigating equity and global stability, factors such as overpopulation; war and attacks; wastage; ageing energy infrastructure; inequitable over consumption and unexplored renewable energy. While calling for joint action in Africa, he disclosed that Africa contributes 4% of the global carbon dioxide yet most affected by the climate change as half of every 10 countries affected by extreme weather in 2019 are from Africa. He said the rising cost of energy is driving the use of alternative energy and that Africa is in a terrible situation as 90 per cent of the West African forest cover has been lost in the last 100 years and Nigeria alone loses 350,000 hectares to destruction yearly. Buttressing the need for urgent lifestyle change as environment is concerned, Mr Abayomi said Lagos is one of the six world cities that are heavily polluted through air pollution, water pollution and exposure to lead. He mentioned other cities as Los Angeles, New Delhi, Beijing, London and Santiago. To address the environmental challenges, he disclosed that Lagos is committed to improving air quality and that should Lagos achieve the target set by the World Heath Organisation (WHO), it could prevent 2,800 deaths and 155,000 hospitalisations, reduce 2,300 asthma incidences and save up to $2.3 billion annually. Prescribing solutions to the environmental challenges, he urged the church to be actively involved and use the pulpit to drive advocacy on the need foor sustainable lifestyle. The church, he advised, should go practical and preach sustainable lifestyle; going green, reforestation and preservation of life. ALSO READ: Catholic diocese of Sokoto speaks on protests Contributing to the discuss, Dean, Lagos Island Deanery, Julius Olaitan, pointed out that there was the need for a dialogue with nature and dialogue with man to resolve the crisis in the environment. He said there is the need to bring the entire human family together for enlightenment and to see sustainable lifestyle. Drawing from his experience as parish priest, Mr Olaitan enumerated steps they had taken as a church to reconcile with the environment. Such steps he listed as Conserving the energy; Use of energy saving equipment; good maintenance culture; control of scavengers who litter the environment; reducing reuse and recycle because concern for the environment is also a concern for life. In her remarks earlier, Marie Fatayi-Wlliams, the Coordinator of the Ecology Work Group, gave the rationale behind the conference as parts of the efforts of the group to encourage and promote environmental friendly lifestyle. She said the conference would also help aggregate steps that will promote healthy living with the environment which apart from human needs is also an instruction from God who is the creator of the earth and the man that lives on the earth. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Ahead of the primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha Buhari, has called on the party to extend support to women. Mrs Buhari made the call on Monday after a meeting with the members of the NWC of the APC at the partys national secretariat in Abuja. The first lady was accompanied on the visit by the wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo, and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen. Speaking to journalists, Mrs Buhari said she paid the visit to Mr Adamu and the executive committe of the party, to congratulate them and to solicit support for women. We are here to congratulate the party chairman and the whole party stewards for the work they are doing and to also seek their support on women. Women should not be forgotten, please, she said. Some women are contesting for various positions in the 2023 elections. A woman, Uju Kennedy-Ohnenye, is the only female presidential aspirant. The party had reduced the cost of the nomination forms for women. In April, Mrs Buhari had organised a dinner for the presidential aspirants of the APC. Also, she has been very vocal about women inclusion in politics and governance. She was at the National Assembly during the presentation of the reports of the Constitution Amendment Committees. However, the struggle for the inclusion of women in politics suffered a major blow earlier this year, as all the five bills on gender were rejected by the two chambers of the National Assembly. One of the bills sought to amend section 26 (2a) of the 1999 constitution by opening citizenship registration to males and females. This means that if the bill is passed, foreigners married to Nigerian women can apply for Nigerian citizenship. Similarly, the other bill sought to alter Sections 31 and 318(1) (the Interpretation Section) of the 1999 Constitution to allow a woman to become an indigene of her husbands state after at least six years of marriage Furthermore, Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution to provide 35 per cent affirmative action to ensure women occupy at least 35 per cent in political party and appointive positions at the federal and state levels. There is the bill for creation of extra seats for women and 20 per cent affirmative action in all appointive positions. The rejection of the bills prompted protests by women groups at the entrance of the National Assembly. The House of Representatives had consequently rescinded its decision on three of the bills. However, parliamentary activities have been suspended by lawmakers as they battle for return tickets. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Nigerias Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, believes he has what it takes to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023. This was the message he took to delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State on Monday. Details of Mr Lawans meeting in Niger State was contained in a statement by his media aide, Ola Awoniyi. Mr Lawan, who is one of the 25 presidential aspirants under the APC, has been on a tour of the country in a bid to garner the support and votes of delegates at the partys primary. In Niger State, the Senate President met with the state governor, Abubakar Bello, and other delegates. Besides his experience of about two decades in the National Assembly, Mr Lawan mentioned the stability he brought to the parliament as part of his qualifications. It is that type of stability, that type of peace, that kind of unity that I want to bring into the Villa next year, he said. The 63-year-old, who described himself as young, said the young is the centre piece of his policy. While he acknowledged that Niger State has been ravaged with insecurity, the lawmaker promised to continue the work that Mr Buhari has been doing to fight insecurity in every part of Nigeria. I believe that we need to consider the architecture of our security system. I believe in citizens participation in security. You and I, report what you see to the relevant authourities. They say if you see something, say something. If you see bandits, inform the appropriate authourities. In his response, Mr Bello urged the delegates to consider Mr Lawans plans so they can give him their mandate. NASS determined to support judiciary Earlier, in a meeting with some judges and justices in Abuja, Mr Lawan assured that the legislature is determined to support the judiciary. This, he said, is despite the short time that the ninth assembly has left. He made the statement at a capacity building workshop for judges and justices organised by Nigerias anti-graft agency, EFCC, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute. While he called for collaboration among the judiciary and other arms of government, he noted that the National Assembly has been at the forefront in the fight against corruption in the country because the laws have to be made before they are implemented or actualised by the anti-corruption agencies. He admonished the Attorney General of the Federation to make the 2023 appropriation, a year for the judiciary in Nigeria to always remember. I want to make this promise here that we are going to make your budget better than 2022 and probably better than at any other time in 2023, Mr Lawan said. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 At least five political parties have denied having an agreement with the Third Force Movement or any other group to present a joint presidential candidate in the 2023 General Elections. According to a report on Monday, six political parties were said to have joined forces with the Labour Party (LP) in a bid to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power in the coming elections. The resolutions were reportedly facilitated by the National Consultative Front (NCFront), an umbrella body of the Third Force, in collaboration with Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Quadri Olaleye-led Trade Union Congress (TUC). Femi Falana-led Political Alternative Movement (TPAM) was also part of the deliberations which was said to have been going on for over 15 months. After about fifteen months of painstaking engagements with Like-minded Allied political parties, the National Consultative Front, NCFront, the umbrella body of the 3rd Force Movement and Political Alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Nigeria, wish to announce that its has finally adopted the Labour Party as the mega party for 3rd Force Stakeholders and Allies for the 2023 elections, NCFront communication executive, Bello Bilikis, announced in a statement issued on Monday. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) are among political parties said to have been in discussion with the NCFront. Contrary to the report, five of the political parties told PREMIUM TIMES that none of the parties agreed to partake in any alliance talks with the movement. Not in agreement with any third force movement Parties While the spokesperson of the NCFront claimed the third force has been in touch with the NNPP on possible alliance, the national chairman of the party, Rufai Alkali, denied ever participating in any meeting or talks with anyone on building a Mega Electoral Alliance. He told this newspaper that to give him till evening to consult with others in the party for a reaction on the development. The chairman of NRM, Isaac Udeh, thundered when PREMIUM TIMES told him about the claimed involvement of his party in an alliance. It is not true, God forbid! he shouted on the phone. Nothing like alliance with any party or movement. If there is anything like that, we would have called a press conference, he said, adding that the NRM is youth friendly and not in talks with anyone. A leader of the PRP, who is also a strong pillar of the NCFront, Attahiru Jega, said he was not part of the adoption of the LP. Earlier calls to the PRP national chairman, Falalu Bello, were not answered but Bello Ishaq, a spokesperson to the chairman, later confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that there is no agreement to form an alliance with any party now or after its primaries. Mr Ishaq, however, admitted that NCFront reached out to the party weeks back and they were unable to meet the rigid conditions given to them. According to him, to be adopted by the third force group, the PRP was mandated to change its logo and name. They (NCFront) started talks with PRP months back but we opted out because of the conditions given to us. To adopt us, the NCF demanded that we change our name and logo but we refused. As it is, PRP is not in any alliance or merger talk with any political party or group, the PRP chairmans spokesperson explained to this newspaper. Kola Abiola, son of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, Moshood Abiola, will slug out with three other aspirants for the presidential ticket on May 31. The APM national chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the NCFront indeed established contact to form an alliance with the party a few weeks back but we have not agreed to form an alliance with anyone. I have records of all our discussions with them. There is no record of agreement, there is no alliance, it is pure fake news, he said. Both the chairman and national secretary of the ZLP, Dan Nwanyanwu and Yahaya Makama, in separate interviews with PREMIUM TIMES, said they have never been invited to discuss possible alliance by any of the leaders of the NCFront. Why we opt for alliance instead of merger NCFront Breaking down its earlier released statement, the NCFront spokesperson, Mr Yinusa, said the third force opted for alliance instead of merger due to time factor. He explained the inability of political parties to merge under an umbrella due to the INEC activities but they can work together as one under alliance. And that is what we are pursuing. When asked about the feasibility of the plan, Mr Yinusa said the movement is forming the alliance because they have realised that their best bet is working together to stand a chance against the long rule of the APC and PDP. He added that they are constrained by timing but hope for a merger if they gain control of government at the central in 2023 through the alliance. Im happy that PRP confirmed to you that there are discussions. The discussion is based on alliance not merger. It was when we got to the issue of merger that PRP opted out, he corroborated the PRPs claim. Against the report that the SDP was part of the discussion for alliance, Mr Yinusa said NCFront has not been in touch with the former but it is open to interested parties. SDP said they are interested in an alliance but we are not in talks with them at the moment but our door is open if they agree to join the alliance. We are not closing our doors to any political parties that are interested in joining the alliance in rescuing Nigerians, he said. In 2013, some opposition parties merged into the All Progressives Congress (APC), The parties, now defunct, were the Action Congress, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. The APC went ahead to win the 2015 presidential election. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Hoodlums attacked vehicles conveying journalists as they exited from the campaign venue of Osuns Governor Gboyega Oyetola in Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state on Monday. Mr Oyetola had just finished addressing his supporters at Arapajo Area of Gbongan when the journalists came under attack. The hoodlums wielded clubs, charms, stones, and axes with which they smashed the windows of the vehicles conveying the journalists injuring four of them. Mr Oyetola had kicked off his campaign at Orileowu in the local government area, where he addressed party supporters before moving to Gbongan. He told his supporters in Gbongan that his performance in the last three-and-a-half years is proof of his depth in progressive ideology. The governor reiterated that he was in government to serve and called on Osun citizens to support his drive and aspiration to fix the state. You handed me the mandate as your governor four years ago, and through the help of God, I did not disappoint you. I trust that you are not going to deviate this time around. Our works have shown that we are not neophytes in politics. We are not in government to struggle for relevance; we came to serve, we came to fix Osun. We have taken note of other concerns, and we will attend to all in due time. We must also remind you that this is an effort that requires collaboration. That is why we are appealing for your support, before, during, and after the election, to enable us to fix the state, he said. The governor also appealed to his supporters to realise that the state is at a very delicate phase in history. Let us entrust its leadership to hands that have been tested, not the hands of gamblers or jesters, or those who think Osun is for sale. The governorship election holds in Osun on July 16. Meanwhile, Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, took two of the journalists that were injured by the hoodlums to the hospital for treatment. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday former President Olusegun Obasanjo behind closed doors in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Mr Wike, a PDP presidential aspirant, visited the former president alongside two other PDP governors, Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) as well as former Cross River governor, Donald Duke. They all arrived at Mr Obasanjos residence at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) around 7:01 p.m. and went straight into a meeting. Mr Wike led the PDP leaders to inform and seek Mr Obasanjos support for his presidential ambition. Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Mr Obasanjo said Mr Wike informed him of his presidential bid, and he wished him well. The former president described Nigeria as complex country but not difficult to manage if a courageous leader is elected. Of course, Governor Nyesom Wike as a presidential aspirant with Governor of Oyo, Governor of Benue, former Governor of Cross River and former Deputy Senate President and former Minister came to express to me the desire and of course I made the point that I have always made that, I have ceased to be a partisan politician, said Mr Obasanjo. I dont belong to any political party, but if politics is the welfare of the people, I cannot cease to be a politician because I must always seek the welfare of the people. And of course, you all know what the situation of Nigeria is and anybody who doesnt know that, is either not a Nigerian or is not being truthful to himself or herself. Mr Obasanjo said Nigerias problems cannot be solved by one individual, adding that we need all Nigerian hands on deck to restore Nigeria and that is what Governor Wike is saying to me. Courage, he doesnt lack it, and if you have courage and you have conviction to speak your mind, well you will have a saying in this part of the world. Of course, we cannot get unity if there is no justice, if there is no fairness, if there is no equity. And when you have the basic ingredients that will bring unity and inclusiveness, then all other things will take their position. Mr Obasanjo also said the issues Mr Wike raised are issues that are dear to his heart, for the unity and stability of Nigeria. Nigeria is a complex country, but Nigeria is not a difficult country, if we are sincere and fair to ourselves, it is not a difficult country to manage and I wish him well. Also responding, Mr Wike said he has the courage and capacity to tame the nations insecurity if elected president. On the zoning of PDPs presidential ticket, Mr Wike said Its not as if I am championing zoning, its provided in the constitution of PDP, section 7 (3c) provides clearly, in clear terms, unambiguous that there shall be zoning of political and elective offices. Thats what we are talking about in Nigeria. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A toxic triple combination of conflict, weather extremes and the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic risks decades of progress in health and development, a summit has warned. The world is seeing unprecedented levels of humanitarian crises. Conflict, weather extremes and the economic impact of COVID-19 are a toxic triple combination that threaten to undo decades of progress in health and social development for the worlds poorest and most vulnerable women, children and adolescents. Delegates attending Lives in the Balance summit: Delivering on Commitments in Humanitarian and Fragile Settings on 19th May, 2022 called for urgent multi-sectoral investment to ensure continuity of health services and supplies during the pandemic response and recovery, with additional support for those caught up in humanitarian and fragile settings. The war in Ukraine is just the latest in a succession of devastating conflicts and crises affecting the world. More than two billion people, including half the worlds poorest populations, currently live in humanitarian and fragile settings. These crises are being driven by multiple factors. Conflict, political fragility, COVID-19, food insecurity, a recessionary global economy and climate change are affecting the health and opportunities of the worlds poorest and most vulnerable citizens, including many in the Sahel region of Africa. Such crises particularly exacerbate existing inequalities and vulnerabilities for women, children and adolescents and broaden the rift between the worlds richest and poorest communities. Unfortunately, Africa today has 80% of the global humanitarian burden. And situation such as those in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa in Eastern and Southern Africa make this situation worst, said Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyete, Acting director, Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the African Union. Of course, external situation like what is happening in Ukraine also contribute to undermining progress which has been made around nutrition and indeed on sexual and reproductive health. Also, the fact that the continent broadly is unprepared and has weak preparedness systems in place to deal with many of these issues which result in humanitarian situations. And of course, we cannot forget the issue of climate change and climate driven humanitarian situations. The Lives in the Balance virtual summit was co-hosted by PMNCH, the largest global alliance for womens, childrens and adolescents health and CORE Group, bringing almost 900 participants from more than 90 countries together to discuss the challenges to protecting the health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19 and increasing instability across the world, and the policies and financial investments required to provide continuity in vital services. The question we need to ask ourselves and our political leaders is what kind of a world order are we building for our children? said Rt Hon Helen Clark, PMNCH Board Chair, and Former Prime Minister of New Zealand. Is it a world marred by global health emergencies, climate disasters, famine, war, gender inequality and increasing poverty? Or a world as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals where universal health coverage, and a better and more sustainable future is the reality for not some, but all. Our meeting today sends a powerful message: Lives are in the balance. We do not accept that women and children must bear the burden. We bear witness and we are resolved to resist to speak out with one voice for a more equitable and peaceful world. This is what the fourth Lives of the Balance is about. The Lives in the Balance series of e-summits has served as an innovative and inclusive platform for partner-led dialogue and action on COVID-19 and womens, childrens and adolescents health (WCAH). The first Summit in 2020 saw the launch of the PMNCH Call to Action on COVID-19, which outlined seven asks to protect and promote WCAH and serves as basis for PMNCHs ongoing advocacy. To date, 21 commitments have been made pledging USD 32,1 billion. This fourth summit in the series focused on delivering on commitments in the context of COVID-19 and the growing number of crises in humanitarian and fragile settings. Approximately one-fifth of the worlds population of women and children live in countries experiencing armed conflict, with a record 56 active conflicts documented in 2020. According to the Global Humanitarian Overview for 2022, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance globally has increased to 274 million people this year, breaking the record high of 235 million people set in 2021. Maternal mortality increases by 11% on average and 28% in relatively more intense conflicts, relative to conflict-free periods. Fragile regions with already high poverty rates and precarious economic structures have been hit much harder than others by the COVID-19 pandemic. About 97 million more people are living on less than $1.90 because of the pandemic, increasing the global poverty rate from 7.8 to 9.1 percent. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated child hunger and malnutrition. In 2022, COVID-19 disruptions and supply chain challenges may push an additional 9.3 13.6 million children into acute malnutrition. Climate change and natural disasters place immense stress and pressure on governments and societies, especially in fragile settings that are already struggling to cope with other socio-economic and political pressures. The last 10 years were the hottest on record and the number of climate-related disasters has tripled in the last 30 years. Today, over 400 million children live in areas of high or extremely high-water vulnerability. If the global community is serious about leaving no one behind, it must implement a rights-based approach and equity enhancing strategies that fully address the needs of the most marginalized, who too often live in humanitarian settings. They should be properly funded, preferably with multi-year, unmarked and diversified funds. Programmes should enable and equip local actors in decision-making to ensure that necessary and appropriate services are being delivered to women, children and adolescents in humanitarian settings. The full spectrum of essential health services (in particular, sexual and reproductive health services) for women, children and adolescents should be provided in humanitarian and fragile settings, with designated funds for such programming and services to continue, or even expand. In addition, we need to improve the quality and quantity of data collected around womens, childrens and adolescents health, which has historically been poor, and hinders efforts to respond quickly and effectively. Health workers are key to ensuring continuous essential health care provision for women, children and adolescents both during the pandemic, and in times of conflict. Any preparedness and response mechanisms for dealing with future pandemics should specifically address humanitarian settings and prioritise the protection of humanitarian health-care workers, including nurses and midwives. Lives in the Balance provided an opportunity for all of us to learn, to listen, to jointly reflect and to share and identify ways to collaborate for a fairer and a more equitable world, where all are able to realise their human rights, said Lisa Hilmi, Executive Director, CORE Group. Our aim and effort with each of these Lives in the Balance summits have been to listen to what others in the community have to say, so that our collective response is targeted and fit for purpose, especially in crisis situations where the stakes are so high. To view a full recording of the summit, visit: www.livesinthebalancesummit.org Download clips from the event here =========================== ============================== About PMNCH Established in 2005, PMNCH is the worlds largest alliance for womens, childrens and adolescents health and well-being, with 1,250 partner organizations working together through 10 constituency groups: partner governments, donors and foundations, NGOs, adolescent and youth groups, private sector organizations, health professional associations, academic and research institutions, global financing mechanisms, inter-governmental organizations, and UN agencies. PMNCH is hosted by the World Health Organization, based in Geneva. About CORE Group CORE Group has worked since 1997 to advance the field of community health by developing case studies and analyzing research data from the field, creating training curricula and conducting workshops, developing monitoring and evaluation trainings and tools, fostering in-country collaboration, diffusing Innovations, and advocating for Community Approaches to Health. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leonce GAMAI, PMNCH media lead for West Africa Email: leonce.gamai@gmail.com Tel/ WhatsApp: +229 96 25 12 44 WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Born in Houston, United States but raised the Nigerian way by her immigrant parents who held their Nigerianess close to their hearts, Linda Anukwuem, the publisher of Who is Who Diaspora, in this interview with PREMIUM TIMES speaks about her journey and the publication which is spotlighting Nigerians doing great things abroad. Ms Anukwuems roots are in Ihitte-Uboma of Imo State. She recalls growing up as a young girl with an African background facing racism at school because of her accent. Now it is cool to be African, Nigerian; it is cool to listen to Afrobeats. During that time, it was not. Even just going into school with the accent, we were called several derogatory names. Ms Anukwuem, even though she was born and raised in Houston, insists she grew up in a Nigerian home. I grew up in a Nigerian home, only ate pounded yam, jollof rice, rice and stew. My mum did not make those American dishes that we would see at school or friends homes if we were allowed to visit them. She recalls her father being the one who kept the culture. I appreciate my dad because he kept the culture as well, my mum would call me Linda and my dad would call me Adamma, so for me he kept the culture. Ms Anukwuem is today seen as a facilitator, organiser and an advocate for the community in the diaspora. Excerpts: PT: How did Who is Who Diaspora come about? Ms Anukwuem: I would say it started around 2011 when I decided to come home on my own. I went back to the East to really get to know where I was from. At that time, I think I was more mesmerised by the youth and how everyone, including me, should partake in pushing the country forward as far as development and even the physical infrastructure that should be on ground. Sometimes, it takes more than a village like we always say, and I do think the diaspora is in a special place where it can lend some of those talents that have been acquired, especially those who have left the country, gained a couple of skills, enhanced what they learnt here (Nigeria) and take care of home basically. PT: You came back to Nigeria for the first time in 2011? Ms Anukwuem: Yes, I came to Nigeria for the first time in October 2011 as an adult and I went straight to Owerri. The people who hosted me wanted to give me full experience and when I landed in Lagos, we drove from Lagos to Owerri. Of course, I cannot do that now but I appreciated that because I was able to understand the good and the bad. Although, I am still trying to understand all the checkpoints. PT: Where exactly in Imo State are you from? Ms Anukwuem: Ihitte-Uboma PT: Who is Who Diaspora was more about doing something for home? Ms Anukwuem: As a book, I think with any project you should be able to expand more and in more ways, it should have different branches and those branches, no matter what, should be able to lead to a working relationship with the country itself. The book is a resource for the community, both in the diaspora and to the home country. Even in the book when I had to do research into the diaspora, some people do not understand how powerful that group is; the type of money, the remittance that the diaspora sends to the country and how that money takes a spot in the economy. To me that is very important. I feel that as we continue to move forward, there is a way that that channel alone should now turn into something formal and organised. PT: How many editions of Who is Who Diaspora have you done so far? Walk us through that journey? Ms Anukwuem: There are two editions. The first edition was conceived during Covid; the work really began early 2021 and having to be home made it easier where I had to email, do Zoom calls. The first edition allowed me to understand the project and how it can work. Now, we are opening back up. Although it is a bit more difficult, I feel like the foundation of how it can work has gotten stronger. One thing I will say is, it is not done alone. It is all done through networks; either I know the person or I do not and I will say that the first was built of half and half. The second edition is no longer half and half, it is getting more to people I do not know. They see the vision versus lets just support them. PT: The idea of Who is Who Diaspora was birthed in 2011 when you came to Nigeria? Ms Anukwuem: I think it was just over time. From 2011 coming here to trying to figure out what I can do on my own all the way to 2016 when we did Africa iExchange, you know, still trying to think of creating those networks and how to immerse myself in the continent. 2011 was quite difficult because you are trying to work with the government and I feel like in any country or continent, that is (working with the government) a good way to enter as far as building some type of relationship. Where you want to create an initiative, you want their backing even if it is the U.S., you want their backing. I think at that time, it became difficult where I had to work in other areas, which became Africa iExchange, for the women I know once you have gone through that hurdle and are still watching the dynamics of how our communities interact in the diaspora. I think it was a number of things: contributing to the movement of changing the narrative; you know there is a stigma on Nigerians in the diaspora, especially when it comes to court cases of fraud, scam, it also hurts in the diaspora the same way it hurts here. Also, trying to connect this network indirectly and also trying to push the initiative to connect with the country on how we can utilise the diaspora. Well, I know that Nigeria is on its way with that, thats why we have NiDCOM. PT: What is your take on diaspora voting? Ms Anukwuem: I was just discussing this with someone and the person said the diaspora is not doing what they should do, they should have really rallied behind that bill to push. And immediately he said that, I asked how we can do that and of course he gave me suggestions which were takeaways for me to understand what the diaspora should do versus what they are currently doing. You have different segments of the diaspora who still think negatively about the country in the worst way. But you do have those who think they can contribute but they do not know how to go about that. PT: Do you think Nigerians in the diaspora should get a chance to vote and decide what happens in Nigeria? Ms Anukwuem: I am probably 50:50 on it and that is only because some diasporans have not been in the country for like 30 years or more. Some of them who may not have hit 30 years, they probably still do not frequent the country enough to vote on what policies impact people on ground. I am all about being fair. But I would probably like to vote based on what I am reading, because I have been here and seen some of it. Another thing is, would it be fair? Based on the different groups that are represented in the diaspora? PT: The diasporans often speak about how much they contribute to Nigerias economy- remittances Ms Anukwuem: They are just talking about money because they look at the common saying, money is power. It is almost like saying in the U.S., I pay my taxes and I should have a say. The remittances are not done in an organised, formal effort, so I do not think it is enough justification for diasporans to vote. PT: Lets talk about what you do in Houston Ms Anukwuem: I was introduced a few years back to the Mayors International Trading Developmental Council for Africa (MITDC-Africa) and mainly, what that council will do was host inbound delegations that come in from Africa. One of the last ones I remember incoming from Nigeria was Obasanjo. The thing is when most of these inbound delegations come in, its always the question of what are they looking for? Because most delegations, when they come in at least through another government, they are looking to be connected to either education, healthcare or to push their initiative. But being in Houston, a lot does have to do with energy and the oil and gas sector as well. For me, I think it has really opened my eyes to international relations, it has actually helped me to become an entrepreneur for myself. I currently play that role with the Soyo refinery project that will be based in Angola. Dialoguing, conversations between the governments is basically what I am doing for the project. I like those projects that are trying to contribute to not only economic development but really pour into the local continent. So that project is set up to really empower the local community there versus the government. It is a very special situation where the government actually wants profit by cash with that project. The profit that would technically go to the Angola government, the refinery will build a healthcare hub, a tech innovation centre and something to do with entrepreneurs and small businesses, helping to provide them with early training. These major hubs are going to be built and developed by the refinery which takes the place of giving the cash. PT: Being a woman doing all you do, I will imagine there are hurdles? Ms Anukwuem: Serious hurdles! One thing I will say, to me with all the rules and accommodation, that stigma will always be in the room. I just want to make sure I say that because sometimes I am always smiling and laughing but in those environments, I have to put on a different Linda, just because, to me, it is more acceptable where I am able to get more done without smiling more. It has always been a hurdle. From the moment I landed in Nigeria, it was crystal clear and visible that this was going to be a tough road for me; all the way to 2019 when I came to Nigeria on behalf of a client, went into an NNPC meeting and still the same thing. They thought I was there to be the secretary, recording minutes. That trip for me was a rude awakening because I remember going to my hotel room, ordering fries literally almost in tears. Especially in oil and gas too. As women, we try to enter some of these rooms to be at the table, one as an African woman. But then, going into an industry that has always been dominated by men is also quite tough. Currently with the refinery project, I will say I am in the position where I am being more empowered and my talents are being seen. So it is definitely a big turnaround. But no matter what, there are still some rooms when I go in that that is still the perception. And it is quite tough even with the trade, just going into a networking event and you are probably perceived as the company to other men; it has always been the case for me where I am seen as the PA. It is rough out there, that is what made me lose my smile. PT: Is there an experience you will not forget trying to get on the table? Ms Anukwuem: The NNPC one really stuck out for me, because I was actually flown from Houston to join that meeting and that was how I was perceived. I felt it, going into the room feeling sad, immersed in my own depression. Other rooms, I still experience it but not to that level. I experience it always, whether it is dealing with an African delegation coming to Houston or just a simple corporate conference room; sometimes in conversation and then I say, Oh! Is it because I am a woman? That always makes some men feel uncomfortable. Then they start to explain sometimes now, I say it just to get their reaction. But what I do know is that some have learnt to accommodate the situation where no one wants to be perceived as racist or sexist. So I have found a way to navigate around it. I just try not to smile a lot because, in some of those rooms, they do not smile at all. PT: As a young person doing this, how does it make you feel, does it come with some sense of fulfilment? Ms Anukwuem: One thing about me personally, there is not too much that I allow to get to my head. But I will say over the years I think I have garnered some of the respect from executives and elders in the community, especially in Houston. I do get a sense of okay they finally welcomed me into the club. But I do not allow it to get to my head because I still feel there is still a lot of work to do. Basically, we just got over one hurdle and now they can take me seriously. PT: What is your educational background, what did you specialise in? Ms Anukwuem: I think it is befitting now because I always thought about what I will do with my sociology degree. But I think its befitting now, how I look at the different communities and societies. WhenI think about what I do now and how I try to organise and connect how different facets of whatever project that is, how they will react or what the impact will be, that to me is my studies in sociology. Even when I pay attention to those who are currently doing what I am doing, especially when it comes to this book and their background, it fits in that area. I also did accounting but that was just to appease the Nigerian parents ideology. When I was doing my undergraduate, initially I had a minor in business but I completed the minor in African-American studies. So I had a few business classes. PT: What do your parents think of what you do now? Ms Anukwuem: My dad has not seen the book because I have not shown him yet. My siblings and aunt have seen it. I feel like it is still something that needs to keep moving. PT: There are a lot of profiles about Nigerians doing good stuff out there and it is great there is someone like you out there doing what you are doing with Who is Who Diaspora. Ms Anukwuem: With this book, some were reaching out, but you know that is doing a lot of keeping up, with everything being shared on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Those were the easier ones. Then you have a lot of quiet ones out there. Some of those are being connected by someone as well but on the website, anyone can see me. The goal is for over time for people to just go to the website and submit their profile. But the first edition definitely was built on research, paying attention to different industries, who was putting the Nigerian out there and the culture. Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Security operatives Tuesday evening fired teargas to disperse protesters at the residence of the embattled ex-Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha. The protesters, mainly women, arrived at the besieged Abuja residence of the politician at about 5:20 p.m. to protest the siege on the house by security operatives. The operatives were acting on the behest of the anti-graft agency, EFCC, which has said it is there to arrest Mr Okorocha because he jumped bail and has avoided court summons. Before the security operatives dispersed the protesters, one of them carried a bell and chanted slogans in support of the former governor. We no go gree. Rochas is a father of the fatherless. He has built schools in Jos and across the nation. He is our incoming president, she said. Although the protest was peaceful, the security officers fired teargas to disperse them. Back story PREMIUM TIMES reported how the security operatives stormed Mr Okorochas residence in the Maitama area of Abuja to arrest him. They arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Mr Okorocha, a serving senator, is being investigated by the anti-graft agency for allegedly stealing public funds while in office. He is currently a presidential hopeful on the platform of Nigerias ruling party, APC. In reaction to the siege, Mr Okorocha stated that the invasion of his residence was to prevent him from attending the APC presidential screening on Tuesday. The EFCC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, however, said the siege was because Mr Okorocha jumped bail and was evading court summons. Read Mr Uwujarens full statement below. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today May 24, 2022, arrived at the Maitama, Abuja home of a former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, to effect his arrest. The move followed the refusal of the former governor to honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission. EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha. The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes. At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter. In the circumstances, the Commission is left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the Taraba State Government to pay Jolly Nyame his pension arrears. Mr Nyame and three other judgement creditors Uba Ahmadu, Abubakar Armayau and Bilkisu Danboyi had filed a garnishee proceeding, which is a judicial process of enforcement of a monetary judgement by confiscation of assets belonging to the judgement debtor. Judgement On Tuesday, the National Industrial Court ordered the Taraba government to pay Mr Nyame and other judgement creditors in the suit. The judge, Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, ruled that the judgement debtor Taraba State Government did not challenge the judgement creditors claims, having signed an undertaking to pay their pension arrears. The court held that the undertaking was an attempt to stop the expected execution of the judgment. Preliminary objection dismissed Earlier, Mrs Obaseki-Osaghae dismissed the Central Bank of Nigerias preliminary objection. The central bank (CBN) had challenged the courts jurisdiction to entertain the case, In its objection, the CBN contended that as an agency of the federal government, only a High Court could carry out a garnishee proceeding against it, as provided by Section 251, 1(d) of the 1999 Constitution, and Section 84 of the Sheriff & Civil Process Act, which rule 2 & 3 of the Judgement Enforcement Rule, is attached to. But the judge said the CBNs objection lacked merit. The judge stated that the CBN was not a public officer in the context of Section 84 of the Sheriff & Civil Process Act. The court further held that it had the power to enforce the monetary judgement through a garnishee proceeding. Mrs Obaseki-Osaghae also said the industrial court is of coordinate jurisdiction with the High Court, and its judgement could be enforced in a garnishee proceeding. The judge said the judgement creditors in their court filings disclosed that the judgement debtor had its funds with the CBN. The court declared the order of garnishee of December 2021, absolute. Tuesdays judgement is another success for Mr Nyame, who stole public funds while he was Taraba governor. Mr Nyame, who was governor of Taraba State from 1999 to 2007, was jailed for 14 years for fraud in May 2018 by an Abuja High Court. But President Muhammadu Buhari recently pardoned him and dozens of other convicts, an action that drew the anger of many Nigerians. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Being a best friend, confidant, trusted ally, family friend and many more, I owe Segun Sango loads of gratitude for whatever contributions I have made to humanity in my career as a students unionist; pro-democracy, working class and left wing activist. Which was why I dedicated my book, Fela: Yesterdays Message as Todays Reality, to him five years ago. SS Segun Sango (born Segun Aderemi) wrote his own epitaph. He dreamt of the working class socialist revolution; he spoke and worked for it; and he lived an exemplanary life of a true revolutionist. Both in theory and praxis, he was a Nigerian version of truly dedicated world-class revolutionaries who built cadres across generations. A man of steel, he was strong in illness, such that he lived for years with a debilitating ailment. But the unquantifiable love and care of his wife, a good and kind hearted comrade in her own special regard, was also a most significant factor. Thank you Tinu. Yes, Segun Sango, our founding general secretary of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM); chief inspirer and foundational leader of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN); former leader and chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Conscience Party (NCP); erstwhile students movement fighter and strong anti-military and anti-capitalist pro-democracy activist a real hero of Nigerias democracy, has passed on. Yes, Segun Sango, former national mobilisation officer of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) and a regular at the front lines of protests and demonstrations against fuel price hike and subsidy removal, against the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, against military rule, against the commercialisation of education, etc, etc, has taken a final bow. His was from May to May he came to the world 64 years ago from the Modakeke warrior nationality on May 7, 1958 and took a bow in the evening of Monday, May 23. Our paths were inseparable since we met at Great Ife the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, in our first year in the 1980/81 session; the University from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Law degree before proceeding to the Law School. He was a pro-people lawyer. We mourn. We say GOOD NIGHT SANGO. And arent you a real Sango? You exited as it rained and thundered! We celebrate an ultimate revolutionary. We say: THANK YOU SANGO; you never betrayed your individual and collective principles. Being a best friend, confidant, trusted ally, family friend and many more, I owe Segun Sango loads of gratitude for whatever contributions I have made to humanity in my career as a students unionist; pro-democracy, working class and left wing activist. Which was why I dedicated my book, Fela: Yesterdays Message as Todays Reality, to him five years ago. Sango was, of course, a foremost fan and authority on Fela. Other comrades and the radical and revolutionary movement owe him lots of gratitude too. The Segun Sango tribute will be in volumes. If he had gotten the chance to say a last word before taking the last breath, it would have been by way of social commentary on the trending news of the accountant generals theft of N80 billion. He would have possibly said: Nigeria ni irue tile sele; ki eeyan kan ji N80 billion..ani e lee make e under capitalism (Only in Nigeria would that happen, one person stealing N80billion. You people cant make it under capitalism). A chapter of mourning but also of celebration of an impactful life, whose shining example will glow for long, has opened. I penned this after I and two other DSM comrades Taiwo Hassan (Soweto) and Peluola Adewale (Pelad) -departed the TOS funeral homes at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where the remains of Sango were deposited very early this morning, and now lie in wait for a heroic burial. We mourn. We say GOOD NIGHT SANGO. And arent you a real Sango? You exited as it rained and thundered! We celebrate an ultimate revolutionary. We say: THANK YOU SANGO; you never betrayed your individual and collective principles. You were a working class, socialist and masses General who never deserted the battle front. In death, you will continue to inspire us. Lanre Arogundade, journalist, media trainer and member of the Editorial Board of Premium Times is the Executive Director of International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The implementation of PAPSS will help Africa become a market open to the movement of goods and people, through improved financial transactions. As the continent forges ahead on the AfCFTA, a critical economic integration project, resolving payment and settlement bottlenecks will help African currencies retain value. Finally, PAPSS will also serve as a verifiable platform for supporting business-to-business eCommerce within Africa. The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the potential to revolutionise the continents economy and spur innovation. The primary goals of the AfCFTA, which has been signed by 54 African states, is to increase the amount of intra-African trade, grow the continents economic output, and improve the continents trading position in the global market. Fortunately, other positive innovations that could help Africas economy are emerging too. Although the AfCFTA may be a recent development, free trade is not new in Africa. Africans have a long history of exchanging goods across all regions of the continent. However, intra-African trade currently accounts for only 16 per cent of the continents total trade, compared to almost 70 per cent in Europe. Such little regional integration has occurred primarily due to artificial economic barriers constructed during the colonial era and the pursuit by African leaders of protectionism after independence. These barriers to trade continue to haunt the continent today and many challenges, such as high tariffs, border delays, and high transaction costs for cross-border payments, remain. Clearly, every policy that infringes upon the African peoples economic freedom must be addressed, and thankfully some are being looked into. In the area of cross-border payments, progress is being made. In January, the African Export-Import Bank (AfreximBank) introduced the novel Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which is a centralised cross-border financial system created to enable payment transactions across the continent. By reducing costs, making transactions quicker, and decreasing liquidity requirements of commercial and central banks, PAPSS has enormous potentials to boost the efficiency of cross-border trade across Africa. How Has Africa Been Making Cross-Border Payments Before Now? Before introducing PAPSS, cross-border payments in Africa were mainly coordinated on the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) network. SWIFT is a system overseen by the central banks of G-10 countries that allows banks across the globe to send messages and complete transactions. According to the African Development Bank, 48 per cent of settlement processes which is the transfer of funds through a central system from a payer to a receiver within Africa involve banks outside the continent. This makes transaction costs high and negatively impacts the productivity of African businesses. For example, if an entrepreneur in Ethiopia wants to order a good from a supplier in Ghana, that entrepreneur would have to acquire U.S. dollars and use a system that would direct the payment to the United States, before routing it back to the client bank in Ghana. According to Ben Oramah, president of the Afreximbank, using the SWIFT system in Africa costs the continent nearly $5 billion annually, while taking 2 to 14 days to process transactions. PAPSS enables instant payments across African borders in local currency. Its three core processes are instant payment, pre-funding, and net settlement. With this new system, businesses will no longer need to convert local currencies to foreign currencies before they can make purchases across the continent, significantly reducing the amount of time it will take to complete a transaction. Over 80 per cent of the transactions sent from Africa are processed in the United States but have their recipients in other regions. The Asia-Pacific and Europe (non-Eurozone) regions account for a combined 52 per cent of where the payments are eventually transferred, compared to only 17 per cent for Africa. This shows the intermediation role of U.S. dollar clearing banks. And, according to Godwin Emefiele of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the reliance on these third-party currencies, like the U.S. dollar, pounds, and euro, destabilises Africas foreign exchange market and causes problems for the manufacturing sector. Without an efficient and functioning payment system, Africa cannot effectively facilitate international or regional trade. This makes PAPSS an important tool to resolve payment bottlenecks. PAPSS: How Does It Work? PAPSS enables instant payments across African borders in local currency. Its three core processes are instant payment, pre-funding, and net settlement. With this new system, businesses will no longer need to convert local currencies to foreign currencies before they can make purchases across the continent, significantly reducing the amount of time it will take to complete a transaction. PAPSS will make and process payments within two minutes. The system also allows users to pre-fund their accounts before transactions are initiated. This pre-funding arrangement is available to direct participants (mainly banks) who are required to have a real-time gross settlement (RTGS) account with their central banks. To initiate transactions, indirect participants without an RTGS account would need a direct participant to help fund or defund their clearing accounts on PAPSS. the PAPSS system processes settlements within 24 hours across all participating central banks at the same time. In simple terms, throughout the day a bank accumulates credits and debits, meaning that it will simultaneously owe and be owed money. The PAPSS system makes sure that at the end of the day, the payments are settled, and banks have enough cash to operate. In addition, the PAPSS system processes settlements within 24 hours across all participating central banks at the same time. In simple terms, throughout the day a bank accumulates credits and debits, meaning that it will simultaneously owe and be owed money. The PAPSS system makes sure that at the end of the day, the payments are settled, and banks have enough cash to operate. What Does This Mean For Africa? Since piloting the system through six central banks from the WAMZ (West African Monetary Zone) in August 2021, the payment system has been sending live transactions. Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigerias governor, said PAPSS would simplify cross-border transactions, reduce the dependency on third-party currencies, and amplify intra-African trade significantly from 15 per cent to 35 per cent over the period of five [AH1] years. He added that it would strengthen the foundation for the potential monetary union within the region and enable businesses to expand and create value. The implementation of PAPSS will help Africa become a market open to the movement of goods and people, through improved financial transactions. As the continent forges ahead on the AfCFTA, a critical economic integration project, resolving payment and settlement bottlenecks will help African currencies retain value. Finally, PAPSS will also serve as a verifiable platform for supporting business-to-business eCommerce within Africa. In short, PAPSS could drastically improve the efficiency of cross-border trade across Africa and in doing so, it will likely make millions of Africans richer in the process. Lanre-Peter Elufisan is the executive director of Ominira Initiative for Economic Advancement, anl organisation advancing solutions to Africas socioeconomic issues through research and advocacy. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Its gratifying to note that the transformation in journalism practise has witnessed increased collaboration between whistleblowers and journalists working across continents to expose corruption. While the civil society must work to have a robust protection law for whistleblowers, they should not ignore the fact that journalists also deserve full protection to enable them to do their jobs effectively. Working in the sticky terrain of whistleblowing in the last five years of the introduction of the whistleblowing policy by the Nigerian government has been expectedly daunting for no less a reason than the fact that it is an engagement that seeks a complete turnaround in the way the people are used to behaving. A mission to invert an inbred tradition that celebrates silence and consent in the face of wrongdoing is bound to be met with some narrow-minded resistance, no matter how feeble. In weak states like Nigeria where corruption thrives mostly through wanton abetment, such resistance is sometimes shown brazenly, either through open rebuffs in the process of promoting whistleblowing as a viable anti-corruption tool, or frequently manifesting in the daring perpetuation of harsh retaliation against gutsy workers who blow the whistle. Much of the opposition are often issuing from government offices where a good number of workers seem not interested in engaging accountability mechanisms such as the Freedom of information (FOI) and public procurement laws, not to mention whistleblowing, which many people are yet to appreciate as a right and a natural extension of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience. Despite these drawbacks, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), the only civil society outfit operating on the whistleblowing policy turf, with the collaboration of the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), the unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning managing the policy, has been making inroads in its advocacy for the cultural acceptance of whistleblowing as a vital mechanism for reducing corruption and checking wrongdoing. A programme of institutionalisation of this mechanism across all sectors of the economy, through a slew of activities, is at the core of the advocacy. However, for meaningful success in the fight against corruption through the whistleblowing system, protection is important not only for whistleblowers but also for journalists. Both groups are dedicated to holding power to account and working towards the same goal of public good by bringing up the facts. To that extent they are inseparable! Therefore, at no time should the partnership between whistleblowers and journalists be more formidable than in this era of intense state repression, a time when dark forces have launched a systematic winding down of the civic space and there is the deliberate suffocation of a fully functional independent media. At this critical time when information is proving much harder to get, only whistleblowers can manoeuvre comfortably and supply the information journalists need. But for the collaboration to yield the desired result, journalists must appreciate the dangers that whistleblowers face before and after releasing information. That is why journalists should be concerned about the security of whistleblowers. Journalists have a bounden duty to see that whistleblowers are protected. But unfortunately, its common to find some victimised whistleblowers lamenting the failure of the media to help push their stories. They always complain of having a hard time getting journalists to be interested in the wrongdoing they disclose. In the end, they are often caught saying they regret blowing the whistle and vowing never to encourage anyone to report fraud or any wrongdoing. According to Wim Vandkerckhove, a professor of business ethics at the University of Greenwich, findings from the World Online Whistleblowing Survey conducted by Professor A. J. Brown, one of Australias foremost scholars in transparency and governance, showed that those who had been whistleblowers were the least likely group to believe whistleblowing to the media is a good idea. Of the whistleblowers who took part in the study, 13 per cent (more than double that of the other groups and the general populations) considered that the whistle should never have been blown to the media, suggesting that many whistleblowers have had bad experiences when going to the media, or found the route to be ineffective. This is one of the setbacks in whistleblowing activism. For carrying out a lawful act that ordinarily ought to be rewarded, whistleblowers are losing livelihoods, facing threats in varying forms or being denied promotion and salary, while those responsible for their plights are never punished for their conducts. All the big men and women who unleashed punishment on whistleblowers that AFRICMIL has worked with were never punished. They are either still in office or have served out their terms and retired gracefully. Its gratifying to note that the transformation in journalism practise has witnessed increased collaboration between whistleblowers and journalists working across continents to expose corruption. While the civil society must work to have a robust protection law for whistleblowers, they should not ignore the fact that journalists also deserve full protection to enable them to do their jobs effectively. On its part, AFRICMIL is keen on working with journalists for better protection for whistleblowers, while also very much available to join hands with relevant stakeholders to ensure a safe working environment for journalists, in the firm belief that an enhanced partnership between the two is one of the surest ways of cracking the solid edifice of corruption that has made Nigeria a cauldron of misery. Godwin Onyeacholem works with the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL). WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Most of the points are self-explanatory, and of course, I adopted some of the metrics of the World Banks Ease of Doing Business (EODB), which I believe is only partially correct. Businesses do need energy to stay alive, anyhow you slice and dice it. Right now, the tariffs have gone through the roof and the DisCos are threatening more hikes. Diesel cost is also killing companies. But that is not the whole story about businesses. Neither is access to credit another valid metric that I adopted in my own EODB for Nigerian businesses. In June 2016, I finally summoned courage to challenge the World Banks Ease-of-Doing-Business Index. I mean, who was I, a motor park economist as Governor Fayemi (perhaps fondly), and those guys who responded to me from the Osinbajo camp (disdainfully) called me. I will write about motor parkism in economics someday down the line but suffice to say, I must have inherited the moniker from Peter Alexander Adione-Egom, the fiery Guardian columnist of blessed memory. I forge ahead, despite my defective education. I keep learning daily to cover for my defects anyway. So, I felt there was something wrong about the index. It just wasnt ministering to me. I looked a little closer and didnt like what I saw. I realised the index is great if a foreign company wanted to come to Nigeria, but almost useless when a Nigerian company is trying to survive and scale up here. I suggested to government that perhaps we should develop an alternate index. Nothing happened. I know though, that it is impossible for government to show that they have alternate ideas from what the multilateral agencies propose. These donors breathe down their necks and they dare not step out of line. Still, it is what it is and we who are outside their loop and privileges must continue to think and fight for our country. The index contains ten subindices by which a country is judged, whether it is doing better in encouraging businesses. These are: 1. Ease of starting a business 2. Ease of dealing with construction permits 3. Ease of getting electricity procedure, time, cost 4. Ease of registering property 5. Ease of obtaining credit 6. Protecting minority investors 7. Ease of paying taxes 8. Ease of trading across borders 9. Enforcement of contracts 10. Resolving insolvency. Upon closer scrutiny, I believed, right off the bat, that numbers 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10 are rather tangential. But it was index number 6 (protecting minority investors) that gave the whole index away as something coined largely for foreign companies. Whereas it is great to encourage foreign investors and the index could be maintained for that purpose, I believe that at least part of our focus should be on making the lives of local investors a little easier too. Imagine number 10! I cannot imagine opening a business as a local and be thinking about the ease of declaring bankruptcy or insolvency. Not also, that if this index, as it is, is meant to help foreign investors, why include ease of obtaining credit? The case of Etisalats challenges in Nigeria revealed that oftentimes, these foreign investors that we bring in, end up putting so much pressure on our financial system, rather than bringing in their own money. What we want is capital inflow, and a bit of expertise for our people. Isnt that right? Anyhow, I decided to develop my own index around what really matters for Nigerian businesses. I think we should encourage our own people to begin to fill in the space. For now, very few Nigerians are in the space where value is being added to any product. Yet, our dependency on foreigners must be reversed. I dont believe that there is any big deal in beginning to strive to do what foreigners have always done for us. I think that to save ourselves from this long-dreaded cataclysm, we need to start to move into some spaces. I have included transparency in procurement. By this I mean that opening a company at the Corporate Affairs Commission is no big deal but getting jobs and businesses is the gbogah!! However, whether in the private or public sector, procurement is a very opaque system, as procurement officers have their preferred choices (some even own companies that get the contracts). In almost every situation, businesses encounter situations where they have to pay huge bribes. If I am to think of what issues disturb, delay, and destroy businesses in Nigeria today (owned by anyone indeed), and which has to be tackled urgently, they are: 1. Energy availability and cost. 2. Infrastructure 3. Security 4. Finding and retaining good staff 5. Transparency in procurement. Including corruption of all sorts 6. Sticking to the rules. Better and proper regulation. 7. High rentals and cost of properties 8. Influence of oligopolies/monopolies 9. Crony capitalism 10. Bad reputation of the country and her people 11. Low purchasing power and per capita income. Most of the points are self-explanatory, and of course, I adopted some of the metrics of the World Banks Ease of Doing Business (EODB), which I believe is only partially correct. Businesses do need energy to stay alive, anyhow you slice and dice it. Right now, the tariffs have gone through the roof and the DisCos are threatening more hikes. Diesel cost is also killing companies. But that is not the whole story about businesses. Neither is access to credit another valid metric that I adopted in my own EODB for Nigerian businesses. Infrastructure availability beyond energy is a problem. Many businesses crumble because of the difficulty in accessing them, and the general malaise around infrastructure is a major factor for success or failure. What about insecurity? Without this, nothing moves. In fact, with insecurity, many people prefer to stay at home, and even purchasing power, as well as eagerness by consumers to spend. One thing that most analysts dont talk about as often as they should, is the ease of finding good staff and retaining them. Every Nigerian wants to blow and no one is willing to put in fairly good time learning and helping to grow a small business. These days, only women stay for a while. Boys/men are restless. And many even look for how to defraud organisations. I have included transparency in procurement. By this I mean that opening a company at the Corporate Affairs Commission is no big deal but getting jobs and businesses is the gbogah!! However, whether in the private or public sector, procurement is a very opaque system, as procurement officers have their preferred choices (some even own companies that get the contracts). In almost every situation, businesses encounter situations where they have to pay huge bribes. This corruption metric is one thing that our government must try to wrestle down. It will be a good thing to measure how such incidences reduce, even if we know we cannot eradicate them. The private sector is also equally as corrupt and almost as inefficent as the public sector. Nothing goes for nothing in Nigeria. I added better regulation because this is one thing that precludes our companies from attaining very high standards to compete internationally. Nigerians have a very wrong understanding of regulation, as regulators just turn their platform into opportunities to milk small companies dead. Local businesses now do everything to avoid regulation, including forging certificates, faking things like NAFDAC numbers etc; actions that later come to bite their businesses. What is more? Many of our large businesses whom many look up to are fond of owing contractors for years, until those small businesses collapse. Should I mention names? Low purchasing power among the populace is one factor I added to my own EODB index for local businesses. Add to this the increasingly prohibitive rental and property acquisition costs. Landlords are wont to exploit businesses, especially if they believe such businesses are doing well. On the flip side, however, generally low purchasing power means that eventually, most businesses will struggle as Nigerians have less and less disposable income. There are other real issues that hold Nigerian businesses down, as I have captured above, such as our generally bad reputation as a people and a country. This means that unlike the foreign companies for which the World Banks EODB report was designed, our indigenous businesses could never access foreign countries easily, thus limiting their growth. Also, our bad reputation (solidified by some of the terrible things some of our people do abroad) excludes Nigeria from legit capital inflows from foreigners and our diasporans alike, thereby limiting opportunities for business growth. Many countries around the world are hostile to Nigerians and dont give our young ones visas. This limits the number of ideas that can be imported from abroad via exposure to innovations through travel. I added crony capitalism and the influence of oligopolies, because here in Nigeria, most large markets are dominated by oligopolies (such as cement, sugar, salt, wheat, and even crude oil, petrol, diesel and aviation oil). These are guys who will ensure they run out new entrants, and have been alleged to have connived to increase prices to the detriment of the polity. Crony capitalism is a situation where those in government often give undue advantage to their cronies, thus unbalancing the playing field and making life difficult for unconnected businesses. Low purchasing power among the populace is one factor I added to my own EODB index for local businesses. Add to this the increasingly prohibitive rental and property acquisition costs. Landlords are wont to exploit businesses, especially if they believe such businesses are doing well. On the flip side, however, generally low purchasing power means that eventually, most businesses will struggle as Nigerians have less and less disposable income. A prosperous citizenry translates to healthy and profitable companies. I believe that these factors that I have listed may be easier to measure and relate directly to the vast majority of the businesses in Nigeria. I wish some of the points may be adopted and the general idea refined. Lastly, I just want to say that the best place for anyone to do business based on my own experiences and empirical evidence is in ones own country. Connections and networks are essential to business anywhere in the world. No one should be deceived that a Nigerian will do better in business in the U.K. or U.S.A just because the processes for opening businesses there may be less cumbersome than what obtains here. I have realised that the schools you attended and where you worked and who you know, has a lot to do with business success because you need doors to be opened for those wonderful ideas of yours. So, in our analysis we need not scare our younger ones away from doing business in their country. Indeed, here in Nigeria is where the vast opportunities are, and we had better position our growing youths to take full advantage of these opportunities rather than remain vuvuzelas for foreign capital and foreign firms, most of whom are now thumbing their noses at us. Tope Fasua, an economist, author, blogger, entrepreneur, and recent presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), can be reached through topsyfash@yahoo.com. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The news of the victorious emergence of our very own Temidayo Adenike Oladiji, FAS, renowned professor of biochemistry, as the first female, new vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure stirred up an uncommon, ecstatic excitement in many of us. As a friend and colleague we now reckon with as a family member, we were more than proud. But almost immediately, I remembered Ile-Ife. I remembered the ancient community in relation to a similar announcement for the great citadel of learning, OAU Ife, beclouded by strange decibels of confusion. Some folks who claimed to be Ife people wanted an indigene, by all means, to be VC. It didnt matter to them if their preferred candidate who did not make it this time could emerge next time around. They staged marches in their community going as far as the university campus to flaunt their fetish fangs, but the deed had been done and could not be undone. The university councils decision was final! Beyond resounding condemnations that the unpopular protesters in Ile-Ife attracted to themselves, the historical reality of FUTA countered the ethnic jingoists. The sitting VC then, Prof Joseph Fuwape, hailed from Ile-Ife, but no one ever bothered about that. FUTA had been on the path of greatness and all everyone wanted was for the leadership to sustain this and possibly boost it. Unfortunately, the Ife violence merchants seemed to have infected some pseudo-scholars, ironically in FUTA. In the same spirit with the minority Ife locals or so it seemed, Professor Oladiji stood condemned as the winner of the just concluded appointment process. Most distastefully, they found sheer illiterate collaborators in some media with passive or absent-minded editing. Otherwise how do you describe such media lapping up same headline with same story far from aligning with the headline? More disturbing really was the fact that even a particular title that had some of its journalists punished for a similar recklessness in the past got caught up with this! You will wonder for eternity why a news organization supposedly run by trained professionals will deliberately position itself in the path of progress of an ambitious university like FUTA. Who is not in awe of the excellent job of public image management by our good friend and colleague, Adegbenro Adebanjo? What about the indomitability of FUTAs academics, by all means, active researchers combined with the alumni who have been relentless in upscaling the profile of their university globally? Expectedly, the informed voice of ASUU FUTA called out to controvert the earlier rancorous intervention smacking of unmistakable ignorance by folks not familiar with university tradition. How capacity deficient? How else could the council have told the story of how Temidayo Oladiji triumphed over her rivals in the contest for the VCs seat? How much more can we say FUTA needs Oladiji now more than any other time? From accomplishing groundbreaking researches and winning internationally competitive grants across assorted disciplines of Agricultural Science to trendy engineering feats, FUTA has been recurrent. As a mentor and father to some engineering budding stars including a doctoral student in environmental engineering in England with a Commonwealth Scholarship up his sleeves, I have more than a passing interest in engineering and allied researches in which FUTA has come to distinguish itself. Time, again, has come for the ambitious university to move higher up on the scale of global ranking. And I make this valid claim based on my evaluation of the profile of the energetic, young VC just clocking 54. Lets do this again together: Born Adenike Temidayo Folayan, the Biochemistry scholar belongs in the category of first generation of what has come to be known as Better by Far University. It was the same generation that produced the incumbent, high performing Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Kogi State, Prof Olayemi Akinwumi. Young Adenike bagged a Second Class Upper Honours degree in Biochemistry in 1988. Notwithstanding the hard-hitting economic policy of the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, Kwara Breweries in Offa could not resist the brilliance exhibited by the young graduate in the course of examining their potential recruits. She was hired immediately. More than 25 years after leaving the brewery for the academia, Prof Oladiji keeps researching about food, gloriously sustaining the good memory of her humble beginning at Offa. Check out the list of research products developed from herbs by the new FUTA boss: AHRI Sweet Basilspices(listing with NAFDAC); Pangas Anti-anaemic supplement (being processed for regulatory approval); Blosorg Supplement (awaiting regulatory approval); Iron-fortified tomato and pepper paste(awaiting regulatory approval) Since joining her alma mater, the University of Ilorin, as a lecturer, diligent Oladiji, in addition to being faithful to her primary responsibilities of teaching and researching, has served in several other capacities most meritoriously earning her multiple distinctions and research grants. How else could anyone have been sufficiently prepared for VCship? Take a glance at this: I Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences 2021 Date Dean, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kwara State University, Malete (Sabbatical) 2018- 2019 iii. Director, Central Research Laboratories 2016 2018 Director, Centre for Research Development & In-House Training 2013-2016 Coordinator, Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office 2012-2015 Deputy Director, Centre for International Education 2012 vii. Board Chairman, National Water Resources Capacity Building Network, University of Ilorin Centre 2013-2016 viii. Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Unilorin STEP-B 2013- 2015 Acting Head of Biochemistry Department 2008 2010 Assistant Hall Mistress (Female Hostel) 2002- 2004 Hall Mistress (Female Hostel) 2014 2018 xii. Member, Senate, University of Ilorin 2004-2007; 2011 to Date xiii. Sub Dean, Faculty of Science. A guest professor at the University of Gambia since 2012, she was at different times a Plenary Lecturer, Uka Tarsadia University in India and a Fellow of the Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation in addition to being 1989 Federal Government of Nigeria Scholar as well as being a winner of the 1995-97 winner of the University of Ilorin Staff Development Award. It was therefore no wonder she emerged the lead researcher for the over N17 million Naira NNPC Renewable Energy Research Project in 2019. That was even after leading multiple research projects supported by TETFUND. Though a scientist, Prof Oladiji is as much a public intellectual in a society notorious for partriarchy. In 2019 alone within a very short space of time, she delivered two highly celebrated public lectures. She was the guest speaker at that years valedictory ceremony of the popular Adeola College Offa. Soon afterwards, she did another major address at the Hooding Ceremony of the College of Pure and Applied Sciences of Landmark University, Omun Aran, Kwara State, to mention only two. Perhaps most interesting about Oladiji is her clean triumph over typical Nigerian pettiness bothering on religion and ethnicity. Farouk, a professor of telecommunications based in Dutse once confessed to me how motherly, Oladiji was, to her wife when she was supervising her for a postgraduate programme. She was a mother to our daughter as well as the mother of the baby, my darling wife. A most cosmopolitan Professor Oladiji also effortlessly deploys basic Islamic greetings to the admiration of many Muslims on account of her sociability and her vast educational exposure across all the continents. My personal interaction with her frankly betrays a personality without airs in spite of being so heavily credentialed at her age. Its FUTAs turn to benefit from the thoroughness, speed and vigour of the Midas touch of the world class scholar they never had its like before having been brought in from outside FUTA and especially from a university that has remained the envy of others for several years netting awards from local and international quarters. For instance, Unilorin, Oladijis cradle and base till date, remains about the most internationalized university in Nigeria. I can only enjoin FUTA to harvest the best from one of the best of nations best in the university system. Tunde Akanni, PhD, former Distinguished British Chevening Scholar, Associate Professor and Acting Head of Journalism Dept, LASU doubles as the Director of Digital Media Research Centre, LASU. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A former Kaduna lawmaker, Datti Ahmed, Tuesday, announced his withdrawal from Kaduna State governorship contest. Mr Ahmed, in a letter dated 24th May sent to the chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, complained that the partys primary has been manipulated. Credible first-hand reports have apparently proved that anticipated changes in our politics are yet hold and lessons yet unlearnt as evidenced by ongoing primaries, needless to give specifics. These are inconsistent with my purpose of being in politics. I consequently hereby respectfully withdraw from the 2023 Governorship contest of Kaduna State under our great party, the PDP. I, however, remain loyal and supportive. I pray for the day we get our politics right for the sake of Nigeria, Mr Ahmed said. Meanwhile, another aspirant, Shehu Sani, said he is forging ahead with his bid to emerge as the partys governorship candidate. Mr Sani, a former senator, also vowed that he would not bribe delegates to vote for him. No one should pay any delegate on my behalf, he said. I dont believe in the political ritual of paying to be elected. That is inconsistent with my ideological and moral beliefs. ALSO READ: Shehu Sani joins Kaduna governorship race I welcome the votes of delegates who will vote for me based on the principles I stand for and my agenda for the good people of Kaduna State. We cant build and develop our country and free our people from the bondage of slavery through a corrupt political process and system we have unconscionably embraced. An opposition party should be a dependable alternative and an exemplar for transparency, justice and equity. Those expecting or calling me for millions in order to vote for me shouldnt waste their time. And disregard any of my coordinators who may try to make false promises against my position. I believe in either winning or losing with dignity, Mr Sani posted on his Facebook. The PDP governorship primary election comes up on Wednesday. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The police in Anambra State have accused residents of unwillingness to provide information on gunmen terrorising the state. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Echeng Echeng, disclosed this on Monday while addressing journalists in Awka. A lawmaker in the state was beheaded a few days ago after gunmen abducted him. Mr Echeng said the gunmen who carry out the attacks in the state are not unknown. There is nothing unknown about the gunmen terrorising Anambra State. We have been trying to mystify something that is not just there, Mr Echeng said. These people are not spirits. They live with us. They are our nephews, our cousins, our brothers, and they live in our communities. We know who they are, he said. According to him, the narrative that the gunmen are Fulani herders is not true. The people operating as gunmen are Igbos. The commissioner described the claim that the gunmen live in the forest as false. He said the gunmen usually return to their communities after they were done with the attacks. He stressed that the terror group only has shrines in the forest, adding that some shrines had been destroyed by police operatives. These criminals live among the people. The major challenge police are having in the fight against the gunmen in Anambra State is that residents, especially community leaders in the affected communities, are not giving information about the identities of these killer men to us. We should be able to come up with information of what is happening in our communities, not glorifying them and tagging them as unknown gunmen, Mr Echeng added. Increased attacks Security in Nigerias South-east has deteriorated in recent times, with attacks by armed persons reported almost daily across the region. Anambra State has witnessed some of the worst attacks in the region. The attacks often target security agencies, government officials, and facilities. Mr Soludo recently visited Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in detention. The governor said the visit to the IPOB leader was part of his wider consultations with critical stakeholders to ensure lasting peace and security in the South-east. During his inauguration as the state governor, Mr Soludo had called for a dialogue with IPOB and similar groups in the state and region. The governor, thereafter, announced an amnesty programme for the gunmen and declared an end to the sit-at-home order in the state. But residents have continued to obey the Monday sit-at-home order in the state and across the region, mostly out of fear. The attacks by the gunmen increased in the state shortly after Mr Soludos inauguration and announcement of an end to the sit-at-home order in the state. The Nigerian government has accused IPOB of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks. The separatist group is leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south. Leader of the secessionist group, Mr Kanu, is currently being detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for treason. Mr Kanu appeared in court on May 18, in continuation of his trial. He is to appear in court again on May 26. Seyi. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated a 62-member campaign committee for the Ekiti State Governorship election scheduled for June 18. The National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, in a speech at the inauguration of the Committee at the partys National Secretariat in Abuja, on Monday, said the committee, chaired by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, cannot afford to come back crying. He said the crying should be left to the opponents. I have one thing in the marching order of this party and that is dont come home crying, dont come home crying. If theres a cry, let them go and cry for their principals, not us, he said. Mr Adamu acknowledged that this will be the first election conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) under his stewardship. He added that the APC will be guided by the rules of engagement for elections. We will observe every rule, every guideline and we do hope that those who will be responsible for overseeing the compliance will be fair arbiters, will be fair referees and will be fair umpires. The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, will serve as deputy chairman of the committee and while Smart Iheasor is the Secretary. Other governors in the committee include the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. The committee was charged with the mandate to ensure the victory of Biodun Oyebanji against Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Also speaking at the event, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Suleiman Argungu, said the NWC included six additional women in the committee and some youth. Aside from the general membership of the Council, six more women have been added to the membership of the Council to specially represent the womens wing, he said. In his speech, Mr Bagudu, who served as the Chairman of the Ekiti State Governorship election in 2018, said the June 18 election will be easier compared to 2018 when the party was in opposition. He said that the party had to defeat the stomach infrastructure slogan of former Governor Ayodele Fayose back in 2018. Mr Bagudu assured the leaders of the party that the work done by the incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi, will speak for the party. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PA Consulting (PA), the global innovation and transformation consultancy that's bringing ingenuity to life, announced today that the team from Design Partners, an award-winning product design and innovation agency, has joined PA. At a time when the speed and quality of innovation is critical to business success, Design Partners will complement and enhance PA's strategy and design capabilities as part of its market leading end-to-end innovation offering. Inspired design and designers are at the heart of PA's business. With over 75 years of design heritage encompassing world-firsts and iconic products, PA's teams have shaped the world of today and are creating the world of tomorrow. PA has designed innovations including the UK's first nationwide electric vehicle chargepoint for UK government, a revolutionary medical device to improve patient end-of-life comfort for Bearpac Medical and an inclusive line of beauty tools for Guide Beauty to make it easier for anyone to create any beauty look, regardless of their physical condition. For over 35 years, Design Partners has served an international client base across the consumer, technology and healthcare sectors. Its unique blend of strategic consulting and product design capabilities enable it to provide a full suite offering, from Advanced Thinking to Innovation Delivered . Design Partners brings specialist expertise in product strategy, design for sustainability, wearable technology, human interaction devices, and medical device design. It has designed landmark products for some of the world's most respected brands including Logitech, Cosmed, Cricut, Beyerdynamic, Jameson and Honeywell. Design Partners' work has been recognised by over 100 industry awards in the last five years, including Good Design, RedDot Best of the Best, IF award and IDSA Gold. Their Viscero ECG Vest design was also named on Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Awards 2022. Ken Toombs, CEO at PA Consulting, said: "We are so pleased to welcome Design Partners' multidisciplinary team of designers and engineers to PA Consulting. Their focus on integrity, exceptional people, excellence, and innovation complements PA's own values. Design Partners' ethos of being able to create the future, as opposed to simply imagining it, directly aligns to our mission of building a positive human future. This partnership will extend our design capabilities, further enhancing our ability to deliver the most ingenious products, solutions and experiences for our clients." Trevor O'Reilly, CEO of Design Partners added: "We are delighted that PA and Design Partners are coming together. PA's experience in amplifying design with science and engineering, conceiving, and delivering ingenious new products and services will magnify our capabilities. Together we can provide our clients with an exceptional full suite design and innovation offering." Brian Stephens, Founder and Non-Executive Chairman of Design Partners added: "As one of two original founders of Design Partners over 35 years ago, I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved to date. Now is the time for the team to look to the decades ahead and write their own future. I am delighted that in PA we have found a partner that is so clearly aligned with what we care about and worked hard to achieve. I am really excited for the opportunities this will bring for the team and for our clients." Ahead of welcoming Design Partners, PA has welcomed other award-winning, globally recognised teams to grow its design capabilities. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About PA. We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. As strategies, technologies and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough use of technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. An innovation and transformation consultancy, we are over 4000 specialists in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport. Our people are strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers and technologists. We operate globally from offices across the UK, US, Netherlands and Nordics. Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and Twitter . PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life. About Design Partners Design Partners is a product design and innovation agency. Our mission is to elevate human potential. We collaborate with the world's most innovative brands to create future product experiences that empower and inspire people. From first responders, video gamers, specialist surgeons, to craft makers; our research, design, UX and engineering experts bring ideas to life enable people to achieve incredible things. Headquartered in Ireland, in our state-of-the-art R&D facility, we offer a unique balance of Advanced Thinking to Innovation Delivered. A hybrid model of uncovering exciting new possibilities for our clients then bringing them to life. Discover more at designpartners.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram . SOURCE PA Consulting Company welcomes new European leadership, additional staff, new London office to scale service delivery LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global climate solutions provider 3Degrees is expanding its footprint to better serve increased demand from organizations responding to the need to take urgent action on climate change around the world. The company is increasing capacity in Europe, a focal point for leading-edge climate work, by adding new local leadership, increasing staffing, and opening a new office in London. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. and operating as a market leader for nearly 20 years, 3Degrees has further expanded its United Kingdom and European climate consulting practice to serve a growing customer base. As organizations seek additional advisory services to develop and execute global climate and decarbonization strategies, 3Degrees is strengthening its teams across Europe to scale its delivery of full-spectrum solutions to meet these critical needs. The company's new London office joins its existing office in Oslo. "This expansion is in direct response to rising demand from companies that are accelerating their global decarbonization efforts and setting more aggressive climate targets, such as net zero," said Steve McDougal, CEO. "This investment in our teams and expanded physical presence in Europe and the U.K. will further solidify 3Degrees' ability to deliver a full suite of tailored climate solutions to companies with headquarters, operations, and supply chains in Europe and beyond, helping them take immediate action to address their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions." New leadership and expanded Europe teams for 3Degrees' Energy and Climate Practice 3Degrees is pleased to welcome Maureen Bray as Senior Director for its climate consulting group, the Energy and Climate Practice , where she will head up the Climate Strategy team in EMEA. In this role, Maureen leads a group of seasoned advisors who help organizations set and meet their global climate goals, including net zero, carbon neutrality, and science-based targets. Maureen brings more than a decade of sustainability management and consultancy leadership to 3Degrees, most recently serving as International Consultancy Director at Schneider Electric. "I'm thrilled for this opportunity to support the advancement of 3Degrees' climate consultancy services in EMEA to help our customers set and implement meaningful decarbonization plans," Maureen said. "The company's ambition to further expand capabilities in new geographies is exciting and in line with the growth that we're seeing in the European market, where change is happening at a great pace." In addition, longtime 3Degrees veteran and Senior Director Tyler Espinoza is relocating to Europe where he will continue to lead the Power Markets side of the consulting practice across all geographies while building out the team in Europe. Tyler will oversee the company's expanded global capabilities to offer a full range of tailored renewable energy solutions, including the sourcing of corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), renewables in supply chains, and 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy. With the quickly evolving energy landscape in Europe, Tyler's presence locally will help 3Degrees deliver expanded advisory support to its customers as they navigate opportunities to maximize the impact of their renewable energy purchases in a way that makes good business sense. "3Degrees is uniquely positioned to offer our clients a full suite of climate and renewable energy solutions, including PPA implementation and support for their international Energy Attributes Certificate and carbon credit needs," Tyler said. "Not many organizations can do that and I'm excited to deliver these solutions to our European clients." About 3Degrees 3Degrees, a Certified B Corporation, makes it possible for businesses and their customers to take urgent action on climate change. We help organizations around the world achieve renewable energy and decarbonization goals through our work with global Fortune 500 companies, utilities, and other organizations that want to join the fight against climate change. The 3Degrees team has deep expertise in sustainability consulting, environmental markets, renewable energy and carbon project development, transportation decarbonization solutions, and utility renewable energy programs. Together with our customers, 3Degrees helps develop and implement creative solutions that ensure environmental integrity and make good business sense. Learn more at 3Degrees.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE 3Degrees 66degrees, a Google Cloud Premier Partner, announces the promotion of Ben Kessler to Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer. CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 66degrees, a Google Cloud Premier Partner, has announced that Ben Kessler has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the company. Today 66degrees is a Premier Google Cloud Partner focused on guiding clients along their journey of adopting and implementing Google Cloud. 66degrees supports this journey by leading clients through the modernization of their infrastructure, applications, data, and day-to-day collaboration using Google Cloud while making sure everything is done securely. Ben Kessler, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of 66degrees The appointment of a COO demonstrates 66degrees' commitment to client, partner, and employee satisfaction. In his new role, Kessler is responsible for leading the development of innovations to increase efficiency across the Firm's operations, helping to shape and guide the future strategy and development of the organization, and ensuring 66degrees exceeds the expectations of our clients, partners and employees. "Ben is an experienced and trusted leader who has consistently delivered results as CFO while also leading our general operations and talent management teams. He is uniquely qualified to drive strategic prioritization and accountability within 66degrees, with a focus on operational excellence," says Matt Kestian, CEO of 66degrees. "I have tremendous confidence in Ben's ability to drive industry-leading operational practices as COO, while continuing to oversee the financial operations of 66degrees as CFO." Kessler began his career with 66degrees in 2021 as the company's Chief Financial Officer. As both COO and CFO, Kessler will also oversee strategic planning and implementation, accounting and finance, sales and delivery operations, human resources, information technology and systems, legal, and facilities management. "Ben is an outstanding executive and is well prepared to help lead 66degrees," says Jeff Rich, Chairman of the Board at 66degrees. "His operational acumen is superb and he always focuses on the customer experience first." "I am so inspired by 66degrees' dedication to serving clients and employees through the adoption of Google Cloud, and I am grateful for the opportunity to ensure that we, as a company, are exceeding those expectations," says Kessler. "Google Cloud has tremendous momentum right now, and 66degrees' commitment to engineering and operational excellence will allow us to continue building the leading partner in this ecosystem." For more information about 66degrees, please visit https://66degrees.com About 66degrees 66degrees helps organizations modernize their infrastructure, applications, data, and day-to-day collaboration using Google Cloud while making sure everything's done securely. In the current environment, so many companies are looking to modernize that it's hard to find the Google-specific skills or experience needed. To achieve their business objectives, it takes a consulting partner who brings a "build stronger, innovate faster, optimize together" approach. This is why companies ranging from born-in-the-cloud disruptors to world-class enterprise brands all rely on 66degrees an award-winning Google Cloud Premier Partner. 66degrees. Let's get you there. MEDIA CONTACTS: Stephanie Talarico Interdependence Public Relations [email protected] (845) 269-8868 SOURCE 66degrees A5G Networks is expanding the team, engage with global customers for mobile network transformation and accelerate growth Tweet this A5G Networks recently made a private network pilot announcement with Vodafone Idea Ltd. (VIL) in Feb 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vi-and-a5g-networks-partner-to-enable-industry-4-0--smart-cities-and-smart-mobile-edge-network-301487959.html A5G Networks has a strong partner ecosystem and is a member of Nephio and Intel Network Builders, running on Intel Smart Edge Open. "We are excited to partner with A5G Networks in building the next generation core for both private and public networks. The networks of tomorrow require a pivotal shift to realize the full promise and potential of 5G and beyond. We were impressed with the vision and experience of the A5G founders, having pioneered the OpenRAN space as founders of Parallel Wireless and having built the 2G/3G/4G mobile core stack at Starent Networks," said Som Pal Choudhury, Investor and Board Member of A5G Networks and Partner at Bharat Innovation Fund. "We are excited to be a part of this important journey to transform the mobile packet core infrastructure with Bharat Innovation Fund," said Kaitki Agarwal, Founder, President and CTO of A5G Networks, Inc. "Bharat Innovation Fund is driving deep tech innovation in India and taking the lead role in enabling global innovation". We are building a world class team to modernize global telecom infrastructure. We value our team more than anything. If you want to be a part of the team who is always ready to take on new challenges, please come and join us." About Bharat Innovation Fund Bharat Innovation Fund is a Pre-Series-A/Series-A, fund led by seasoned investment and technology professionals with a focus on IP-driven deep tech solutions. It is part of CIIE.CO's innovation continuum that provides early-stage support to startups building companies of consequence. About A5G Networks Inc. A5G Networks Inc. is a leader and innovator in autonomous mobile network infrastructure. The company is headquartered in Nashua, NH, USA with offices in Pune MH, India. A5G Networks is pioneering secure and scalable 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi software to enable distributed network of networks.To learn more about A5G Networks, visit www.a5gnet.com SOURCE A5G Networks Abbott to release limited quantities of EleCare branded specialty formulas branded specialty formulas Product will be released immediately free of charge to children in need Parents and caregivers in urgent need should contact their healthcare professionals or Abbott at +1-800-881-0876 for additional information Abbott plans to restart production at the Sturgis facility on June 4 and will prioritize EleCare production, with initial EleCare product release to consumers beginning on or about June 20 ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan has amended the recent consent decree allowing Abbott to release limited quantities of its EleCare specialty amino acid-based formulas that were previously on hold following the Feb. 17 recall of some powder infant formulas from its Sturgis, Mich., facility. The consent decree was amended at the request of Abbott and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enable the company to get EleCare to children in urgent medical need. These EleCare product batches were on hold pursuant to an agreement with the FDA. All products have been tested and meet all product release requirements. In addition, Abbott has concluded additional, enhanced testing to provide assurance the product is safe to distribute. Abbott plans to restart production at the Sturgis facility on June 4 and will prioritize EleCare production, with initial EleCare product release to consumers beginning on or about June 20. EleCare formulas are hypoallergenic and are used by infants and children who have severe food allergies or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders that require amino acid-based formulas. While Abbott has limited inventory of these products, there should be enough to fulfill current patient needs until new product is available in the coming months. The products being released are EleCare (for infants 0-12 months) and EleCare Jr (for ages one year and up). Similac and Alimentum powder formulas that were voluntarily recalled in February are not included in this product release. What Parents, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals Should Do EleCare products are used under the care of a healthcare professional. Parents and caregivers in urgent need should contact their healthcare professionals or Abbott at +1-800-881-0876 for additional information. Abbott will fulfill requests to the best of its ability and as quickly as possible. Abbott expects to begin shipping product within the next several days. Product will be shipped directly to healthcare professionals, hospitals or consumers. Once production resumes in the Sturgis facility, Abbott will prioritize manufacturing of EleCare and other specialty and metabolic formulas to restock supplies as quickly as possible. "Releasing this product immediately will help families impacted by the lack of availability of EleCare," said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "When we restart our Sturgis facility the first week in June, we will produce EleCare first and make enough so that several months of supply will be available." About Abbott Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews. SOURCE Abbott Govtech leader selected for San Joaquin County's digital transformation across multiple departments, including planning, building, fire and public safety, and environmental health SAN RAMON, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Accela , the trusted provider of cloud solutions for government, today announced that San Joaquin County, California has selected Accela to lead the county's cloud migration and support its efforts to move vital community services online. The county signed a 15-year contract that includes more than $10M in Accela solutions and professional services. By leveraging Accela and its partners OpenCities and Velosimo , San Joaquin County has one unified platform to enhance how it serves residents and businesses now and into the future. "Government agencies realize that there is a distinct demand for seamless, digital services in their communities," said Dennis Michalis, chief revenue officer at Accela. "We're excited to help San Joaquin County modernize their services with our powerful platform and suite of Civic Applications. These unified solutions will empower the county to unlock more insights, increase resident engagement and build a stronger community." Accela was selected out of 24 competing solution providers to help San Joaquin County with its cloud migration and digital transformation. The county will utilize Accela across five departments to support critical services, including business licensing, cannabis regulation, short term rentals, environmental health, public safety, and community planning, building and management. Accela's platform delivers a single user experience, shared data and processes across departments, endless configurations for unique regulatory and workflow needs, and world-class security. "Our residents want an easy-to-use, consistent and full-service experience from the county, and with Accela's platform, we'll be able to meet these expectations, while also streamlining workflows for staff," said Mark Thomas, CIO at San Joaquin County. "San Joaquin is ready to take the next big step to truly digitizing our government. With Accela we can improve our delivery of critical services now, while also having the flexibility to address future community needs." San Joaquin County joins dozens of clients on Accela's cloud-based platform, powered by Microsoft Azure. Accela offers both the low-code speed and agility of purpose-built cloud solutions and the power of a unified platform. Additionally, Accela's flexible platform will empower the county to add new solutions and use cases to meet whatever challenges may come next. San Joaquin County is also tapping into Accela's broad partner network to maximize the extensibility of its platform. The county will rely on OpenCities to enhance local government digital services, optimizing websites and supporting interactions to map out customer journeys. For back-end communication and intersystem use, Velosimo will provide seamless connection management integrations. "We are thrilled San Joaquin County has selected two of Velosimo's revolutionary no-code integration connectors for the Accela Civic Platform," said Ken Sawtelle, Velosimo chief revenue officer. "The County leads the way in modernizing their services to ensure a connected, uninterrupted experience during electronic plan review and document management activities by staff and citizens." Accela empowers the world's most forward-thinking agencies, leveraging data to maximize the resident experience. Accela's solutions and expertise are trusted by 80 percent of America's largest cities and more than 275 million residents across the globe. To learn more about Accela's solutions, please visit https://www.accela.com/solutions/ . About Accela Accela provides a unified suite of cloud solutions trusted by governments across the globe to accelerate their digital transformation, deliver vital services, and build stronger communities. More than 275 million citizens worldwide benefit from Accela's government software solutions. The company offers agile, purpose-built solutions and the power of a platform that provides users with a consumer-like experience, shares data across departments, and ensures world-class security. With Accela, government agencies experience rapid and effective digital transformation. Accela's government software meets agencies wherever they are on their modernization journey, while also helping them prepare for whatever comes next. The company is a 2021 Microsoft US Partner Award winner for its innovative SaaS solutions to help governments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and was named as one of the Largest East Bay Tech Employers by San Francisco Business Times. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices around the world. For more information, visit www.accela.com . Contact: Holly Langbein, (916) 769-2199, [email protected] SOURCE Accela Hayward was a founding and long-serving member of the Board of Trustees at the college INDIANAPOLIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American College of Education (ACE) is proud to announce a memorial scholarship and posthumous honorary degree honoring Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, a founding and long-serving member of the Board of Trustees at the college. The Admiral Thomas B. Hayward Memorial Scholarship recipient will be known as an "Admiral Hayward Scholar" and will be announced by ACE upon selection. Hayward was a decorated naval aviator and leader, with 40 years of military service. After retiring from the Navy in 1983, he joined the ACE board in 2005 and served until 2013. His last military position was Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the Carter and Reagan administrations. During his tenure as CNO, he was credited with invigorating the mission, capabilities and morale of the Navy while playing a pivotal role in winning the Cold War. He was a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Hayward dedicated countless time and resources to improving K-12 and higher education throughout his career. He was particularly committed to supporting the preparation of educators with a mission to improve classroom effectiveness in areas of academic quality, accessibility and affordability. Even after he was no longer serving on the Board of Trustees, Hayward maintained active interest and engagement in promoting ACE's mission of serving educators. He passed away in March 2022 just shy of his 98th birthday, and his legacy continues through the educator preparation programs that ACE offers. "It's truly special to all of us at ACE to honor Admiral Hayward," ACE President, Dr. Shawntel Landry, said. "His dedication to the roots of ACE and its continued mission will always be valued and remembered as a meaningful legacy. We are honored to celebrate his memory through the scholarship and posthumous degree." "Admiral Hayward's passion for ACE's mission, academic quality, and student satisfaction was infectious and permeates the institution to this day," ACE Board of Trustees Chair, Jeri Nowakowski, added. "Honoring the Admiral and his legacy as a national hero and leader with this annual scholarship is an excellent way to recognize and continue his contribution to ACE, its mission and its students." In addition to the scholarship, the ACE Board of Trustees has approved Hayward to be awarded a posthumous honorary doctoral degree to be given to his family at a special memorial service. About American College of Education American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, 100% online college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 70 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master's or bachelor's degree, along with micro-credentials and graduate-level certificate programs. In addition to being a leader in online education, ACE is a Certified B Corporation. Certified B Corporations are leaders of a global movement to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Media Inquiries: Claire Deneen [email protected] 312-255-3134 SOURCE American College of Education ARLINGTON, Va., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- America's Frontier Fund ("AFF"), a non-profit deep-tech investment fund, announced today that it will lead the Quad Investor Network (QIN), a new initiative that aims to bring together leading technology investors, executives and founders from four democratic nations to strengthen cooperation and joint investment into emerging technologies and supply chain infrastructure. Governments participating in the May 24 Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a strategic endeavor between Japan, India, Australia, and the United States, jointly welcomed opportunities to expand capital for critical and emerging technology investments across the Quad. "To ensure that emerging technologies and supply chains advance democratic values and economic prosperity around the world, the United States must deepen its engagement with allies and partners," said Gilman Louie, CEO and co-founder of America's Frontier Fund. "We can still determine how these technologies impact our futurebut only if we act now. The QIN is one critical pathway for jointly developing the emerging technologies that will drive the next wave of global innovation." The Quad Investor Network will be an independent private consortium of trusted technology leaders from the Quad nations with the aim of identifying and developing bold initiatives to strengthen joint research, development, and investment for foundational technologies, including microelectronics, 5G/6G, quantum, advanced energy and materials, and biotechnology. "We have an opportunity to harness the talent, capital, and markets of the world's largest democracies to accelerate the path to commercial scale for the technologies of tomorrow," said Jordan Blashek, President and co-founder of America's Frontier Fund. "We look forward to working with many of the Quad nations' most skilled technologists and investors to advance strategic cooperation across India, Japan, Australia, and the United States." The QIN will be managed by AFF as a critical initiative to develop deep technology capabilities with allies and partners. Led by venture capitalist, and former Commissioner of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, Gilman Louie, AFF is an independent non-profit organization with a bipartisan board of technologists, investors, and national security leaders. About America's Frontier Fund: America's Frontier Fund ("AFF") is the United States' first deep-tech investment fund focused on securing America's technology leadership for a new era. AFF's team of scientists, investors, and national security experts has a proven track record over four decades of delivering both strategic advantage and outsized investment returns. As a mission-focused non-profit, AFF partners with startups, industry, universities, labs, and governments to invest in the next wave of deep-tech companies and platforms for U.S. and allied advantage. SOURCE Americas Frontier Fund Over 90 financial center locations will offer electric vehicle (EV) charging by the end of 2023 CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America and Electrify America today announced plans to more than double the number of financial centers equipped with electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations by the end of 2023. As of the beginning of this year, 172 Electrify America individual EV chargers have been installed at 46 financial centers totals the companies intend to grow to more than 350 chargers at over 90 financial centers by the end of 2023. Electric vehicle charging station at Bank of America financial center "Electrify America is expediting the electric future by providing ultra-fast charging to customers in convenient locations," said Anthony Lambkin, senior director of operations at Electrify America. "Collaborating with companies such as Bank of America who share our goals for a more sustainable future helps to accelerate the transition to electric transportation and meet customers' needs." Through Bank of America's collaboration with Electrify America, which began in 2019: In the first five months of 2022, the totals have expanded to 192 EV chargers across 51 centers in California , Florida , Georgia , Illinois , Maryland , Massachusetts , New Jersey , Oregon , Virginia and Washington . , , , , , , , , and . The companies plan to expand the number of EV charging stations in existing states, as well as add charging stations in several new states including Colorado , Connecticut , Indiana , North Carolina , New York , Oklahoma and Texas . "At Bank of America, our commitment to a more sustainable future is woven into our culture and the many ways we serve our clients and communities," said Aron Levine, President of Preferred Banking at Bank of America. "Through our collaboration with Electrify America, we're making life easier for the communities we serve and are helping lead toward a more sustainable future." In addition to adding EV chargers to financial center locations, Bank of America is an EV100 member and also has EV charging stations available at employee offices. Currently, the company has EV chargers installed at more than 100 locations for employee use, as part of its workplace charging initiative that launched in 2017. The acceleration of financial centers equipped with EV chargers is the latest demonstration of Bank of America's commitment to supporting low-carbon solutions and accelerating the path to net zero. Most recently, the bank announced a grant to fund electric vehicles for the Wayne Health Mobile Unit in Detroit and announced 2030 financing activity targets as part of its net zero commitment. Electrify America Electrify America LLC, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., is investing $2 billion over 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. Electrify America expects to have more than 1,800 total charging stations with over 10,000 chargers in the United States and Canada by 2026. During this period, the company will be expanding to 49 states and the District of Columbia, delivering on its commitment to support increased ZEV adoption with a network that is comprehensive, technologically advanced and customer friendly. Electrify America earned the 2020 and 2021 "EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test" award from umlaut , an infrastructure and benchmarking specialist, now part of Accenture, as published in Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine . Electrify America's Electrify Home offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs. For more information, visit www.electrifyamerica.com and media.electrifyamerica.com . Bank of America At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we're guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It's demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts. Reporters May Contact: Mike Moran, Electrify America, 703-872-7936 [email protected] Tara Geiger, Electrify America, 571-352-6194 [email protected] Andy Aldridge, Bank of America, 980.387.0514 [email protected] Kelly Sapp, Bank of America, 980.214.3070 [email protected] SOURCE Bank of America Corporation NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Bansk Group ("Bansk"), a consumer-focused private investment firm dedicated to building distinctive consumer brands, today announced that it has received Plastic Negative Workplace and Carbon Neutral certifications from industry-leading third-party accreditors, further demonstrating the firm's commitment to sustainability. As part of its Plastic Negative Workplace certification, received from rePurpose Global, the world's leading Plastic Action Platform, Bansk is committed to offsetting twice as much plastic waste as the firm generated in 2021 across its employees and corporate office in New York. The certification will support rePurpose Global's Project Neela Sapana in Chennai, India. This project, the first-of-its-kind, ethically collects and recovers energy and minerals from low-value, single-use plastic waste for use in the creation of cement, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and environmental contamination. Additionally, the employees have taken pledges to reduce their individual plastic footprints. As part of its Carbon Neutral certification, designated by Moss.earth, a Sao Paulo-based climate technology company, Bansk is committed to fully offsetting its carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon credits. These credits, in turn, will provide essential funding for carbon abatement and conservation activities, including native forest preservation, deforestation prevention, reforestation, and natural regeneration as well as carbon sequestration through sustainable agriculture practices. In partnering with Moss.earth, Bansk will support the organization's activities across four of its projects in Agrocortex, Fazenda Fortaleza Ituxi, and Santa Maria in Brazil and Madre de Dios in Peru. "These certifications mark another important step forward in our ESG journey, underscoring the depth of our commitment to sustainability," said Bart Becht, Senior Partner and Chairman of Bansk. "As part of our efforts, we will continue to work closely with our partner brands and management teams to set and achieve ambitious ESG goals that have a positive impact on both people and the planet." "Sustainability is integral to everything we do at Bansk, and we are proud to partner with and support the incredible initiatives rePuporse Global and Moss.earth are executing around the world," said Mastak Pal Kaur, ESG Director of Bansk. "As investors and operators in the consumer products space, we are acutely aware of our environmental and social impact at both the portfolio company and corporate level, and we are committed to supporting impactful sustainability initiatives worldwide while continuing to work closely with our partners to innovate and build brands that share these values." Through its investments across the consumer landscape, the Bansk team has prioritized partnering with exceptional brands that prioritize ESG and sustainability initiatives. Most recently, the firm announced it will acquire haircare brands amika and Eva NYC, which intend to achieve a B Corporation ("B-Corp") certification in 2022. While in 2020, Bansk acquired Ethique, a mission-driven, B-Corp-certified beauty and personal care brand known for formulating its products with the highest quality, sustainably-sourced ingredients and for its longstanding commitment to the environment through its waterless, plastic-free formats and compostable packaging. About Bansk Group Founded in 2019, Bansk Group is a New York-based private investment firm focused on investing in and building distinctive consumer brands. With over $2.0 billion in assets under management, the firm partners with differentiated brands across four primary consumer categories: beauty & personal care, consumer health, food & beverage, and household products. Bansk's tenured group of investors and operators have invested more than $30 billion of equity capital across more than 40 transactions with some of the most innovative and well-known consumer companies in the world. With more than three decades of investment experience in the consumer products industry, a global network of relationships, and a tested value creation playbook, Bansk seeks to partner with exceptional founders and management teams to drive outsized organic and acquisitive growth and to position brands for enduring long-term success in the evolving consumer landscape. www.banskgroup.com Contacts Woomi Yun / Erik Carlson Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE Bansk Group CEO and Founder Robbie Cabral to Provide Product Demonstrations and Explore Potential Partnerships LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fingerprint padlock innovator BenjiLock will join more than 200 other exhibitors this week at the 2022 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. After gaining acclaim on ABC's Shark Tank, BenjiLock has grown rapidly, changing the way consumers think about and use personal locks. CEO and Founder Robbie Cabral will travel to the event to network and explore ways to expand the brand into new categories through strategic partnerships. The original and iconic BenjiLock 43mm Fingerprint Padlock unlocks the 2022 Licensing Expo. The BenjiLock products were among the 2022 Smart Home Mark of Excellence Awards Finalists. Taking place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the 2022 Licensing Expo is back this year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The show brings together the world's largest brands, including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Mattel, Amazon and many more. As a startup, BenjiLock will join these companies to show how the brand has transcended personal security and become an innovative lifestyle brand. With products ranging from a fingerprint padlock for school, the gym and more, to its new fingerprint door lock, BenjiLock is breaking the mold and taking locks to a new level. BenjiLock appeals to younger generationsparticularly Millennials, Gen Z and Alphaswith its emphasis on accessible, easy to use locks for the on-the-go lifestyle. As an energetic, authentic company, BenjiLock is ready for continued growth, looking to expand into other categories. Demonstrating at the 2022 Licensing Expo will allow Cabral to begin conversations with like minded brands for potential product and brand partnerships. "We're honored to be at this year's Licensing Expo to showcase BenjiLock's innovative brand through our award-winning product lineup," said Cabral. "Our goal is to change the way that consumers look at locks, and I'm proud of how we've been able to do so already. I'm confident we'll continue to expand the brand in the years ahead." BenjiLock's full product lineup will be on display at the Licensing Expo from May 24-26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center Booth D108. To learn more about Robbie Cabral and BenjiLock, please visit https://BenjiLock.com/ . About BenjiLock Based in Los Angeles, California, and founded in 2014 by inventor and entrepreneur Robbie Cabral, BenjiLock has redefined the personal security experience through hybrid technology with the consumer in mind. Featured on ABC's hit show Shark Tank, Robbie Cabral landed Kevin O'Leary as an investor with a 15% equity stake in the company, catapulting BenjiLock's potential and success by securing a licensing partnership with Hampton Products International, the leader in security and hardware innovations and makers of BRINKS locks. Through this strategic partnership, BenjiLock was able to utilize the 30+ years of experience of Hampton Products International to further its production and manufacturing, escalating the brand to unprecedented levels. Today, BenjiLock's fingerprint technology is expanding into a portfolio of products, including an upcoming line of bike locks, next-generation of padlocks, drawer closets, and cabinet locks, as well as a brand new line of smart home door locks. For more information, visit BenjiLock.com and follow BenjiLock on Instagram , Twitter , YouTube , Facebook , and LinkedIn . SOURCE BenjiLock Increase in incidence of chronic diseases, rise in healthcare expenditure in emerging economies, and high demand for proactive monitoring drive the growth of the global blood pressure monitoring devices market. PORTLAND, Ore., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market By Product Type (Aneroid BP Monitors, Digital BP Monitors, Blood Pressure Instrument Accessories, Ambulatory BP Monitors), By End User (Hospitals, Home Health Care, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030." According to the report, the global blood pressure monitoring devices industry generated $2.2 billion in 2020, and is expected to generate $3.8 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 5.7% from 2021 to 2030. Download Sample PDF at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2166 Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities Increase in incidence of chronic diseases, rise in healthcare expenditure in emerging economies, and high demand for proactive monitoring drive the growth of the global blood pressure monitoring devices market. However, lack of awareness in developing countries hampers the market growth. On the other hand, technological advancements and increase in adoption due to surge in incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, risk of high BP, and expanding base of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes & obesity present opportunities in the coming years. Covid-19 Scenario There has been a decline in demand for blood pressure monitoring devices during the pandemic, which, in turn, negatively impacted the market. Hospitals postponed non-elective surgeries to take care of due to rise in number of patients infected with Covid-19. The production activities were hampered due to lockdown restrictions, disruptions in supply chain, and lack of availability of skilled workforce. The digital BP monitors segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period Based on product type, the digital BP monitors segment held the highest market share in 2020, contributing to more than two-fifths of the global blood pressure monitoring devices market, and is projected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. This is due to surge in the global incidence of hypertension. However, the ambulatory BP monitors segment is estimated to witness the largest CAGR of 7.1% from 2021 to 2030, owing to increase in incidence of chronic diseases and rapid rise in geriatric population. Specific Requirement on COVID-19? Ask to Our Industry Expert: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2166 The hospitals segment to maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period Based on end user, the hospitals segment contributed the highest market share in 2020, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global blood pressure monitoring devices market, and is expected to maintain its lead position throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to adoption of early diagnosis by patients with deteriorating health conditions and increase in incidence of chronic diseases. However, the home health care segment is expected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 7.1% from 2021 to 2030, owing to rise in demand of blood pressure monitoring devices for personal use such as monitoring the health status remotely. North America to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue by 2030 Based on region, North America accounted for the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2020, accounting for around two-fifths of the global blood pressure monitoring devices market, and is expected to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue by 2030. This is due to increase in incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, new product launches and development by various players, and favorable reimbursement scenario. However, Asia-Pacific is estimated to register the fastest CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period. This is attributed to high population base and improvement in patient awareness about advanced blood pressure monitoring devices. Leading Market Players A&D Company, Limited Contec Medical Systems Co., Ltd. General Electric Company Halma Plc Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. Koninklijke Philips N.V. Masimo Corporation Nihon Kohden Corporation Omron Corporation Smiths Group Plc. Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Request for 14 days free trial: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter "We have also published few syndicated market studies in the similar area that might be of your interest. Below are the report title for your reference, considering Impact of Covid-19 Over This Market which will help you to assess aftereffects of pandemic on short-term and long-term growth trends of this market." 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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 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): 1-800-792-5285, 1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/reports-store/life-sciences Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/life-sciences-industry-research/ SOURCE Allied Market Research ATHENS, Ga. and LOS GATOS, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines using a proprietary transformational parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5)-based vector, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for BLB-201, an intranasal vaccine for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) associated disease in adults over 60 and children under 2 years of age. BLB-201 is based on an attenuated strain of PIV5 (also known as canine parainfluenza virus) and expresses the RSV-F protein. In preclinical studies, BLB-201, delivered intranasally as a single dose, induces serum antibody and mucosal antibody responses as well as cell-mediated immune responses, and is protective in RSV challenge studies conducted in various animal models. Delivered through the nose without injections, the company's intranasal vaccines have the potential to facilitate delivery of vaccines to broad populations, including pediatric and needle-hesitant groups. BLB-201 is one of the few RSV vaccines to have received Fast Track designation for development for use in children under 2 years old. "FDA's granting of Fast Track designation for BLB-201 reflects the urgent need for an RSV vaccine," said Dr. Biao He, founder and CEO of Blue Lake Biotechnology and its parent company, CyanVac LLC. "It is encouraging that FDA recognizes the potential of our vaccine to address this need for children under 2 years old as well as for older adults." Dr. He added, "This RSV vaccine candidate expands our intranasal vaccine pipeline, and builds on our experience in developing a clinical stage intranasal COVID-19 vaccine." Blue Lake is preparing to initiate a Phase 1 trial to assess the safety and immunogenicity of BLB-201 in healthy volunteers. The trial is led by principal investigator Paul Spearman, MD, Albert B. Sabin Professor and Director of Infectious Diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. About BLB-201 BLB-201 is an RSV vaccine candidate based on CyanVac's proprietary PIV5 vector that encodes the RSV-F protein. The PIV5 vector itself is a respiratory virus that is not known to cause disease in humans, although it has been commonly administered to dogs as part of combination distemper / kennel cough vaccines for decades. CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology are developing BLB-201 as a single dose, intranasal vaccine to prevent diseases associated with RSV infection. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that BLB-201 is immunogenic and prevents RSV infection in animal challenge studies. The Phase 1 trial will be an open-label trial to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of BLB-201 administered intranasally as a single dose to adults in two sequential age cohorts (age 18-59 years and age 60-75 years). Both cohorts will receive a single dose of vaccine by intranasal spray. Safety data will be collected and analyzed, as will serum and mucosal antibody responses and cellular immune responses to the RSV-F protein. Learn more about the trial at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05281263 About RSV Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious and common respiratory virus which is one of the leading causes of acute respiratory illness, infecting more than 64 million people worldwide per year. For most people it causes symptoms similar to the common cold, but for infants, the immunocompromised, people with chronic heart or lung disease, and older adults, it can cause severe illness and even be life-threatening. Repeat infections with RSV are believed to be common, so even people who contracted RSV when they are younger adults and healthy can be at risk from RSV infection later in life. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 58,000 children under 5 years old and 177,000 adults 65 years and older are hospitalized because of RSV infection in the US with, over 14,000 deaths each year. At present there is no preventive vaccine or antiviral treatment approved for RSV, so there is a need for a vaccine that can reduce the substantial health and economic burdens of RSV infection in the US and worldwide. About CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology CyanVac LLC and its subsidiary, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., are technology-driven companies developing lifesaving vaccines based on a proprietary PIV5 vaccine platform licensed from the University of Georgia. Our lead COVID-19 vaccine program is in Phase 1 clinical trials. Our second program targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will soon initiate a first-in-man Phase 1 study. In addition, the companies have early-stage proof of concept vaccine programs targeting norovirus and Lyme disease. CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology are headquartered in Athens, Georgia, with a second site in Los Gatos, California. Learn more at https://www.cyanvacllc.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including with respect to the clinical development of BLB-201, a prophylactic vaccine to prevent RSV-associated disease, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to the timing and success of clinical trials and potential complications thereof; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval; the labeling for any approved product; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing a product candidate; the size and growth of the market(s) and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-a-vis alternative therapies; the establishment and maintenance of any applicable collaborations; and the ability to achieve business development transactions on favorable terms to the Company, if at all. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements or which are other made by or on behalf of CyanVac and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology may not occur, and CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Factors which may affect CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's results include, but are not limited to, uncertainties and/or unexpected results related to research and development and clinical testing, the timing, costs and uncertainty of obtaining any required regulatory approvals, changes in the regulatory landscape, uncertainties related to obtaining additional capital as needed to meet CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's needs on acceptable terms, or at all, the absence of any guarantee of product demand, market acceptance or competitive advantage for any of CyanVac's and/or Blue Lake Biotechnology's product candidates, if approved, and certain trade, legal, social and economic risks. Any forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to CyanVac as of the date of this release, and neither CyanVac nor Blue Lake Biotechnology has any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statement. CONTACTS: CyanVac LLC and Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc. Gary Titus Chief Financial Officer [email protected] (650) 862-9757 SOURCE Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc. MNA Brigham nurses negotiated significant investments in their nursing workforce and remain actively involved in addressing serious ED staffing, equipment, and patient boarding issues amid a COVID-19 surge BOSTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurses from Brigham and Women's Hospital, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the hospital, securing a strong compensation and benefits package aimed at valuing the dedication of nurses who faced enormous challenges through the pandemic and helping recruit and retain the nurses necessary to provide high-quality patient care. "Brigham nurses fight hard every day for our patients and it's no different when we're at the bargaining table," said Trish Powers, OR nurse and MNA Chair at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Our contract is about protecting and investing in Brigham nurses so we can give our patients the very best care they deserve. I am incredibly proud to be a Brigham nurse and to represent the nearly 4,000 nurses who keep our hospital running." Brigham nurses voted to ratify their new contract by mail after a tentative agreement was reached on April 18, following nine months of negotiations. The vote was counted on May 24 and was overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the agreement. As the nurses' tentative agreement was being ratified, long simmering problems in the Brigham's emergency department worsened into a crisis. Nurses are regularly faced with trying to care for 50 or more patients boarding in ED hallways without basic equipment such as monitors and electrical outlets. More than 50 experienced nurses have left the ED in the past nine months. The hospital has not back filled these positions with experienced nurses and there are multiple holes on nurse schedules every day. "There were 50+ boarders," Amanda Haimaidi, a Brigham ED nurse wrote to the hospital administration about a May 11 shift. "As you know, we have 65 rooms in the ED, 20 of those for observation. This leaves boarder patients, who belong in rooms, in hallways of the ED. It also leaves no space to care for ED patients. By afternoon we end up with 30-40 patients in the waiting room, sick patients, septic patients, oncology patients, patients with abnormal vital signs, all waiting for hours on end with no end in sight." "It is unsafe because there are 50+ boarders EVERY DAY, without any type of emergency plan in place," ED nurse Kelly Greenwood wrote to the administration about the conditions. "It is unsafe because I have to care for critically ill patients (I.e STEMI, STROKE, patients on PCA pumps) IN THE HALLWAY WITHOUT ANY MONITORS." Emergency department boarding of patients in hallways, and in particular long waits for those experiencing mental health issues, is a recognized crisis in Massachusetts. At the Brigham, nurses flagged the ED boarding issue in December 2021 when they called for a Department of Public Health investigation into whether the hospital was violating an emergency pandemic order restricting non-emergent surgeries. Recently, nurses have seen the problem worsen and held a meeting with hospital administrators on May 17 urging them to act quickly. Brigham Contract Ratification Information "The dedication of our nurses and the tremendous need to recruit and retain nurses to care for our patients motivated us to stand strong together," said Kelly Morgan, labor & delivery nurse and MNA Vice Chair at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "It is important that the hospital recognized that we have gone through some of the most difficult days of our nursing lives. Our contract is an investment in Brigham nurses and our ability to provide quality patient care." Wages Effective 10/3/21 retroactive pay add a new Step 20 that is 5% above the current top Step 19. retroactive pay add a new Step 20 that is 5% above the current top Step 19. Effective 10/3/21 retroactive pay increase the salary scale for all nurses by 5%. retroactive pay increase the salary scale for all nurses by 5%. Effective 10/2/22 increase the salary scale for all nurses by 5%. increase the salary scale for all nurses by 5%. Nurses at the top of the scale receive a total 15% increase or an approximately $12 per hour increase by 10/2/22. per hour increase by 10/2/22. Over the course of the two-year contract, nurses still advancing on the existing wage step scale receive a 20% overall increase. PACU Staffing To address PACU staffing issues, the hospital agreed to conduct an HR assessment in the PACU and that PACU nurses will rotate through all five areas (PACU, Pre-Op, Day Surgery, ERU and Boarders) on a fair and equitable basis. Nurses newly hired or transferred into the PACU will be added to the rotation for Pre-Op, Day Surgery, ERU and Boarders no later than six months after orientation is complete. OR Staffing/AORN Guidelines To address OR staffing issues, management agreed to meet with up to four MNA-selected nurses from the Operating Room to address the policies and procedures which guide staffing practices consistent with the AORN guidelines. Meetings will continue regularly until the staffing in all service areas has been addressed. Both sides will upon request meet to discuss on-call as well, but no changes will be made without the agreement of the MNA. Pandemic Committee Participation Pandemic preparedness will be a standing agenda item for the Advisory Committee once per quarter and the hospital will meet weekly in the event of a pandemic or surge event upon request of the MNA. Holidays Add Juneteenth as an additional holiday without giving up any other holidays. Ratification Bonus $2,000 bonus on ratification to full- and part-time nurses, and per diem nurses who worked at least 1,040 hours. bonus on ratification to full- and part-time nurses, and per diem nurses who worked at least 1,040 hours. Per diem nurses who worked less than 1,040 hours but at least 208 hours receive $1,000 . Shift Differentials Evening rotator increase to $2.50 Permanent evening to $4.00 Night rotator to $4.00 Permanent night to $6.00 Established a $2.00 differential for time spent precepting for any nurse precepting a newly hired nurse, a nurse transferred to a new unit or an agency nurse during the preceptees' orientation period. Shift Incentive Bonus To address ongoing staffing shortages, a shift incentive bonus program nurses originally negotiated last fall was extended through 9/17/2022. Bereavement Add great grandparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, stepparents, and step in laws to the existing bereavement list. Brigham RN Settlement Highlights Issues to Be Addressed for All Nurses in the Commonwealth The need for better staffing, wages and benefits for nurses in the wake of the pandemic expressed by the nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital is an issue shared by all nurses in the state who are feeling devalued and disrespected by an industry more focused on profit margins and the bottom line as opposed to worker safety and patient care, according to the annual "State of Nurses in Massachusetts" survey conducted by Boston-based Beacon Research and commissioned by the MNA. More than 8 in 10 registered nurses in Massachusetts say the quality of patient care in hospitals has gotten significantly worse over the last two years as the COVID-19 pandemic careened into a fragile healthcare system already burdened by profit-driven staffing shortages and high-risk conditions for patients and nurses. 55% of nurses said understaffing is the biggest obstacle to providing quality care. The number of RNs who said they do not feel that they have enough time to provide patients with the care and attention each one needs jumped to a record high of 71%, up from 60% last year. Almost two-thirds (64%) of nurses said inadequate pay or benefits is a major challenge. This response is up from 48% reporting lack of pay or benefits in 2021 and 27% in 2019 a 37-point increase in nurses having a concern about pay and benefits over just three years. Over the last two-years, most nurses have seen RN positions being left vacant (84%). In 2019, just 50% of RNs saw positions left vacant. The failure to address nurses' concerns over these issues have dire consequences for the system, as more nurses consider leaving not only their positions, but the profession altogether. Fully 33% of RNs reported planning to leave nursing sooner than originally planned. Among newer nurses with 0 to 5 years of experience, 37% are planning to leave sooner the highest percentage of any experience group. Another 25% of nurses said they plan to reduce their hours because of their experience with the COVID pandemic and 25% of nurses think they will leave the field of nursing in two years or less. Read more about the survey at www.massnurses.org/StateofNursing. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bug Bite Thing , a business specializing in chemical-free insect bite relief, is proud to announce national certification as a Women's Business Enterprise by the WBEC Florida, a regional certifying partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Bug Bite Thing President Ellen McAlister and Founder & CEO Kelley Higney (Left to right) "As a third-generation female entrepreneur, it is an honor to have Bug Bite Thing recognized as a woman-owned business. My mother, the company's president, Ellen McAlister, and I are thrilled to receive this certification and contribute to South Florida's thriving community of female-owned businesses," says Bug Bite Thing Founder & CEO Kelley Higney. "It has been incredible to watch Bug Bite Thing's growth first-hand following Shark Tank. I'm thrilled to be alongside this mother/daughter team and be part of their journey. Having the company recognized as a women-owned business is another amazing milestone and I can't wait to see what is next!" says inventor/entrepreneur Lori Greiner. The WBENC standard of certification implemented by the WBEC Florida is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women. By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs. To learn more about Bug Bite Thing, please visit www.BugBiteThing.com . About Bug Bite Thing: As Seen on Shark Tank, Bug Bite Thing is a chemical-free solution that instantly alleviates the stinging, itching and swelling caused by insect bites and stings. The reusable tool solely uses suction to remove insect saliva or venom from underneath the skin, making it safe for all ages. Bug Bite Thing is Amazon's #1 selling product for insect bite relief with over 45,000 reviews. The company gained national recognition in October 2019 when Kelley and her mother, Ellen McAlister, appeared on ABC's hit show, 'Shark Tank.' All the Sharks were biting with offers to invest in the business, but it was Lori Greiner's 'Golden Ticket' offer that secured the partnership. Bug Bite Thing is the recipient of 23 prestigious awards including the 2021 BIG Innovation Award, the 2021 Mom's Choice Award and 2021 National Parenting Product Award. Based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Bug Bite Thing is active in community organizations, including St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce, Treasure Coast Food Bank (a member of Feeding America), and Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. The company is also a member of Cancer Free Economy Network. Bug Bite Thing is available on Amazon.com, BugBiteThing.com and at over 25,000 retailer locations nationwide. Learn more at Bug Bite Thing , and follow along on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok and Twitter . About WBENC: Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation's leader in women's business development and the leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, with more than 17,000 certified Women's Business Enterprises, 14 national Regional Partner Organizations, and more than 350 Corporate Members. More than 1,000 corporations representing America's most prestigious brands as well as many states, cities, and other entities accept WBENC Certification. For more information, visit www.wbenc.org . Media Contact: Lauren Bartel 714-400-1033 [email protected] SOURCE Bug Bite Thing Recipient School City Jesse Adame Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine Huntington Park Genesis Argueta Century High School Santa Ana Ilsi A. Cruz Public Service Community School at Diego Rivera Learning Complex Los Angeles Ellen Kang Yorba Linda High School Yorba Linda Parishi Kanuga Cleveland High School Reseda Legend Lee City of Angels School Los Angeles Jakob Lukus Lopez Santa Ana Valley High School Santa Ana Ramon Quevedo Millikan High School Long Beach Rachel Hasmik Tomasek Burbank High School Burbank Teresa Xiao Abraham Lincoln Senior High School Los Angeles "We were excited to see so many promising students participate in our program this year and hope these scholarships will make the road to a college education just a little bit easier," said California Credit Union CEO Steve O'Connell. "We are proud to recognize these students not just for their hard work in school, but also for their commitment to supporting their local communities. We wish all these inspiring students the very best of luck in their future education and careers." College-bound high school seniors and community college students transferring to a four-year university who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the coming year were eligible to participate. This year, the credit union's Scholarship Program received 800 applications, which were reviewed by a Scholarship Committee consisting of credit union staff who selected the award recipients. The California Credit Union Annual College Scholarship program was created in 2005 to recognize outstanding students within its local communities. Since the creation of the program, the credit union has awarded more than $375,000 in scholarships to students across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties. Photos of all recipients can be found here. About California Credit Union California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of over $4 billion, California Credit Union has 24 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. Visit ccu.com for more information or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @CaliforniaCreditUnion. SOURCE California Credit Union "Our mission is to allow all seniors to stay healthy, happy and at home, and the Aid and Attendance benefit is in keeping with that mission," said Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter. "We owe a debt of gratitude to our nation's veterans and are honored that we can repay their service by raising awareness about this benefit. Caring is an organization dedicated to assisting veterans and their surviving spouses, and we are looking forward to providing them with the home care services they need." The Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit provides an increased pension for home care or other medical expenses for Veterans and surviving spouses who meet eligibility requirements. Conditions of eligibility include active duty during wartime, honorable discharge, non-service-related medical conditions, as well as income and asset limits. The partnership will allow Caring Senior Service to connect eligible veterans and surviving spouses with VCC's experienced team, who can assist with the application process and with monitoring and maintaining eligibility requirements once approved. VCC also assists in connecting veterans who are not eligible for Pension with Aid and Attendance with resources and care options which provides Caring Senior Service with opportunities to serve more veterans through this partnership. "This partnership with Caring provides an opportunity for veterans who may not otherwise receive home care to benefit from home care services," said VCC President Jeff Schweikert. "We appreciate the commitment of Caring Senior Service to helping veterans and their families." VCC was founded in 2011 by CEO Kyle Laramie after he discovered a little-known benefit called the Pension with Aid and Attendance. VCC's mission is driven by the memory of Laramie's late grandfather, Norbert Laramie, a World War II Veteran who unnecessarily missed out on essential VA benefits simply because his family wasn't aware of the opportunities that were available to assist him in his golden years. For more information, visit https://vcchc.com/. Caring Senior Service provides home care services which can include companionship, meal preparation, personal care, medication reminders, assistance with errands and appointments, light housekeeping, and respite care. For more information, visit www.caringseniorservice.com/. About Caring Senior Service Caring Senior Service is a non-medical home care services company based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by CEO Jeff Salter in 1991, the company provides assistance to seniors, the disabled population and any adult who may need help with the tasks of everyday living such as bathing, running errands and preparing food. After adding locations throughout Texas in the 1990s, the company extended its reach through franchising in 2002. It now boasts nearly 50 locations in the United States. Its non-profit "Close the Gap in Senior Care" program started in 2021 to raise awareness of the overlooked and underserved aspects of senior care. This program was launched when Salter rode an electric bike more than 9,000 miles to each Caring Senior Service location nationwide to raise awareness of home modifications needed to avoid fall risks among the senior population. For more information on Caring Senior Service, please visit their website at https://www.caringseniorservice.com/. About VCC Veterans Care Coordination, LLC., is a healthcare-based organization, not associated with any government agency, that assists eligible veterans and surviving spouses in application, monitoring and maintenance of the Pension with Aid & Attendance benefit to help cover medical expenses and home care services. VCC partners with home care agencies and referral sources nationwide to serve veterans and surviving spouses. For more information, visit https://vcchc.com/ . MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR (865) 977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE Caring Senior Service FLANDERS, N.J., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Medical Supply Group ("Central Medical" or "CMSG"), a portfolio company of Osceola Capital, announced that it has acquired three hospice and homecare equipment management companies: Helping Hands Medical Equipment, the hospice assets of Consolidated Medical Surgical Supply, and PPD Homecare Inc. Helping Hands Medical Equipment ("Helping Hands"), founded by Marty Falk and headquartered in Allentown, PA, is a provider of durable medical equipment management solutions to hospice agencies. The acquisition further expands Central Medical into eastern and central Pennsylvania. Consolidated Medical Surgical Supply ("Consolidated Medical"), founded by Doug Crana and headquartered in New Windsor, NY, is a provider of durable medical equipment management solutions to hospice agencies. The acquisition further expands Central Medical into upstate New York and Connecticut. PPD Homecare Inc ("PPD Homecare"), founded by Guy Prasalowicz and headquartered in Mantua, NJ, is a provider of respiratory equipment and services. The acquisition expands Central Medical's service offering and strengthens its footprint in New Jersey. Joe Sacco, founder and CEO of Central Medical, said, "We have known the founders and teams at Helping Hands, Consolidated Medical and PPD Homecare for a long time, and are thrilled to welcome them to the Central Medical family. We care deeply about our hospice partners and their patients, and these three businesses fit perfectly with our culture and vision for growth. These acquisitions further position Central Medical as the premier provider of hospice equipment management solutions in the Northeast, and we look forward to expanding our footprint organically and through acquisitions." Patrick Watkins, Principal at Osceola Capital, said, "We continue to partner with the best hospice equipment management companies in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are excited about the continued organic and acquisition growth of the Central Medical platform." About Central Medical Supply Group Central Medical is a leading provider of outsourced equipment management solutions to the hospice industry. The company contracts directly with hospice agencies and services their patients at the care location, which includes patients' homes, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted-living facilities. CMSG enables its hospice agency customers to predict and reduce costs, manage utilization, enhance operational efficiency, collect critical data, and improve quality of care through the company's tech-enabled service offering. The company's product offerings include hospital beds, wheelchairs, mobility equipment, respiratory equipment, oxygen supplies, bariatric products, orthotics, and advanced wound care products. Visit www.centralmedsupply.com. About Osceola Capital Osceola Capital is a Tampa-based private equity firm that invests in lower middle-market services companies, typically with EBITDA of $2 million to $10 million. Osceola has extensive experience partnering with management teams to execute buy-and-build strategies and drive long-term value creation. Visit www.osceola.com to learn more. For additional information about Central Medical, please contact Ben Moe or Patrick Watkins at Osceola Capital. Contact: Chris Tofalli Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC 914-834-4334 SOURCE Central Medical Group BEIJING, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "There are many noble characters I wish to inherit from my father," Xi Jinping, then governor of east China's Fujian Province, said in a letter of felicitation to his father Xi Zhongxun on his birthday in 2001. Xi Zhongxun was among the first generation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) central leaders. Xi Jinping often recalls the wisdom imparted to him by the elder Xi. The term "the people" is at the heart of all the treasures Xi Jinping got from his father. The man of the people "My grandfather was a farmer, my father joined the revolution as a farmer, and I myself worked as a farmer for seven years," Xi Jinping once said. During the period of the agrarian revolution, Xi Zhongxun, less than 20 years old, devoted himself to the establishment of Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary border area. He used to say that "without the support of the masses, there would be nothing for us." Xi Jinping visited Liangjiahe, a small village in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in mid-February to celebrate the Spring Festival in 2015. It was a homecoming for the urban-born Chinese president. Fifty-three years back, Xi, just shy of turning 16, was sent to live in Liangjiahe as an "educated youth." He would spend the next seven of his most formative years living in that rural hamlet. That area, part of the Loess Plateau, was where the communist revolutionaries, including his father, rose to found New China. "At that time, I did all kinds of work reclaiming wasteland, farming, hoeing, herding, hauling coal, mounding and carrying manure," Xi recalled. "As a servant of the people, I have my roots deep in the northern Shaanxi plateau because it cultivated my unchanging mission: to do practical things for the people," Xi wrote in an autobiographical work. "Wherever I go, I will always be a son of the loess lands," he wrote. The man for the people Xi Zhongxun once told his boy: "No matter what your job title is, serve the people diligently, consider the interests of the people with all your heart, maintain close ties with the people, and always stay approachable to the people." From his early years, Xi Jinping seemed uninterested in the trappings of offices. He would travel for days, sometimes into the mountains, to talk with people at the grassroots, learn about their difficulties, and help solve their problems. In the 1980s, when many of his contemporaries were going into business or leaving to study abroad, Xi gave up his comfortable office job in Beijing and chose to work as the deputy Party chief of a small county in north China's Hebei Province. Later, he became the Party chief of Ningde Prefecture, one of the poorest regions in east China's Fujian Province at the time. While in Ningde, Xi visited almost all its townships, including three of the four without access to paved roads. Xiadang, a township nestled deep in the mountainous area of Shouning County, was one of them. Back then, the average annual per capita net income of farmers in Xiadang was less than 200 yuan (about $40). It was one of the poorest townships in Fujian. In November 2013, during an inspection tour to the central province of Hunan, Xi visited Shibadong, an ethnic Miao village labeled "poor" at the time. "What should I call you?" asked villager Shi Basan as she welcomed Xi into her home. "I am a servant of the people," Xi introduced himself. During his about five decades in politics, Xi rose from a grassroots Party chief to the leader of the CPC, from an ordinary citizen to the country's president, from an average military officer to the Central Military Commission chairman, all the while remaining committed to a better life for Chinese citizens. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-05-24/The-key-Xi-Jinping-learned-from-his-father-1ai5sxTnqiA/index.html SOURCE CGTN FORT MYERS, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Women's specialty retailer Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS) (the "Company") will host a conference call with security analysts on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET to review the operating results for the first quarter ended April 30, 2022. The conference call is being webcast live over the Internet, which you may access in the Investors section of the Company's corporate website, www.chicosfas.com. A replay of the webcast will remain available online for one year at http://chicosfas.com/investors/events-and-presentations. The phone number for the call is 1-877-883-0383. International callers should use 1-412-902-6506. The Elite Entry number, 3849690, is required to join the conference call. Interested participants should call 10-15 minutes prior to the 8:00 a.m. start to be placed in queue. ABOUT CHICO'S FAS, INC . Chico's FAS is a Florida-based fashion company founded in 1983 on Sanibel Island, Fla. The Company reinvented the fashion retail experience by creating fashion communities anchored by service, which put the customer at the center of everything we do. As one of the leading fashion retailers in North America, Chico's FAS is a company of three unique brands - Chico's, White House Black Market and Soma - each thriving in their own white space, founded by women, led by women, providing solutions that millions of women say give them confidence and joy. Our Company has a passion for fashion, and each day, we provide clothing, shoes and accessories, intimate apparel and expert styling in our brick-and-mortar boutiques, digital online boutiques and through StyleConnectTM, the Company's proprietary digital styling tool that enables customers to conveniently shop wherever, whenever and however they prefer. As of April 30, 2022, the Company operated 1,264 stores in the U.S. and sold merchandise through 59 international franchise locations in Mexico and 2 domestic franchise airport locations. The Company's merchandise is also available at www.chicos.com, www.chicosofftherack.com, www.whbm.com and www.soma.com as well as through third-party channels. To learn more about Chico's FAS, please visit our corporate website at www.chicosfas.com. The information on our corporate website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this press release or incorporated into our federal securities law filings. Investor Relations Contact: Tom Filandro ICR, Inc. (646) 2771235 [email protected] Chico's FAS, Inc. 11215 Metro Parkway Fort Myers, Florida 33966 (239) 277-6200 SOURCE Chico's FAS, Inc. Mandel Brings More than 15 Years of Confectionery Industry Experience to the Role DELTA, BC, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chocxo, the chocolate brand made with simple organic ingredients, high in cacao, and low in sugar, and Chewters Chocolates, a leading supplier of turndown chocolates, branded chocolate gifts, amenities, and in-suite boutique items, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Kristen Mandel as Vice President of Marketing, effective at this year's Sweets & Snacks Expo. In this role, Mandel will be responsible for marketing strategy, brand campaign development, and leading future innovation for Chocxo. Kristen Mandel, VP of Marketing at Chocxo and Chewters "I'm thrilled to step into this new role at Chocxo to drive the brand's growth, and couldn't be more excited to start at the height of confectionery at the Sweets & Snacks Expo. Chocxo has incredible tasting, high-quality organic chocolates that are meeting a growing consumer need. The brand delivers delicious, low in sugar chocolates that allow consumers to feel carefree about indulging," says Kristen Mandel, VP of Marketing at Chocxo and Chewters Chocolates. "Chocxo has an incredible opportunity to expand availability and awareness nationwide to allow American chocolate lovers to experience its portfolio of delicious, organic, simple ingredient, naturally low in sugar treats." Mandel joins the Chocxo executive team with more than 17 years of experience in marketing in consumer packaged goods. Prior to joining Chocxo, Mandel held marketing leadership positions at Ferrero North America, Ferrara Candy Company and Nestle USA, leading marketing on such brands as Butterfinger, Crunch, and Baby Ruth, among others. "We are excited to expand our executive team to meet the brand's growth goals," said Peter Higgins, President at Chocxo and Chewters Chocolates. "Known for leading and inspiring teams, Kristen comes into this new leadership role positioned to do great things and to help us achieve exceptional results. Her strengths in marketing strategy, new product innovation, brand communications, building customer relationships, and passion for chocolate make her an excellent addition to the team." Chocxo's mission is to manufacture artisanal style, high cacao, organic, low in natural sugar dark chocolate creations that exceed the quality and purity expectations of both chocolate enthusiasts and health-conscious consumers. The brand currently has five core SKUs: Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Organic Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Sea Salt Snaps, Organic Dark Chocolate Raspberry Quinoa Snaps, and Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds. Those attending the National Confectioners Association Sweets & Snacks Expo taking place today until May 26, at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois can experience Chocxo now at booth #20415 in the West Hall Skyline Ballroom. For more details on the trade show, please visit www.sweetsandsnacks.com, and for more information about Chocxo please visit www.Chocxo.com or check out @ChocxoChocolatier on Instagram, and @ChocxoChocolatiers on Facebook. About Chocxo Chocxo, which was founded in 2014 as a bean-to-bar chocolate company in Irvine, CA recently scaled production by adding capacity in its Canadian chocolate molding plant. Chocxo's seasoned chocolatiers span multiple generations, and they use only fine flavor cocoa beans that are naturally nutty, fruity, and less bitter than traditional "bulk" cocoa beans. Less bitterness means less need for additional sugar. Only a small amount of organic sugar is needed to underscore their chocolate's already delightful taste, without any substitute sweeteners or "natural flavor enhancers". Great chocolate should never come with guilt, and healthier chocolate should never come with ingredients you cannot pronounce. MEDIA CONTACT: Cassie Yanogacio, Konnect Agency 213-225-4436 [email protected] SOURCE Chocxo Every year on May 25th, World Thyroid Day highlights one of the body's most important glands which causes widespread disease across the globe. As America's highest volume thyroid surgery center, and the leading destination for surgery for thyroid cancer world-wide, the Clayman Thyroid Center joins endocrinologists around the globe in educating the public on the role of the thyroid in their overall health. Surgeon Experience is Related to Cure Rates The Center's primary teaching point this year is that cure rates for thyroid cancer are directly related to the experience of the surgeon. Surgeons who perform hundreds of thyroid cancer operations annually have dramatically higher cure rates than surgeons who do not. Case in point Corina. Corina is a young woman from Cyprus who recently traveled across the world to have a second surgery for her papillary thyroid cancer after experiencing complications. Her original operation by a surgeon who only performs thyroid cancer surgery several times per month left her with an incomplete cancer removal and residual cancer in her neck. "I learned about Dr. Gary Clayman by searching online for the best doctor that could handle a second/revision operation for thyroid cancer," said Corina. "At this point, I did not trust any surgeon. I watched videos online, read all the testimonials, read through his career achievements and experience and I was really impressed. Traveling overseas in order to be treated by the best doctors is a very easy decision for someone who had a traumatic surgical experience like myself. It was worth all the temporary inconvenience for having a cancer-free future with no more complications." Unfortunately, this is all too common with one in ten early-stage thyroid cancer patients suffering from an incomplete removal of their cancer. It is of critical importance that the initial surgery for any thyroid cancer must be the most complete surgery as possible. An "incomplete" surgery compromises the ability to control disease, causes the need for additional surgery, increases the risks of further surgery and potentially compromises survival. Only the world's most experienced thyroid surgeons should operate on patients with recurrent or persistent thyroid cancer. These types of cases make up about 10% of the Clayman Thyroid Center's business. The Clayman Thyroid Center performs a full evaluation of every patient prior to surgery, presenting a personalized treatment plan built on a foundation of the right operation, for the right tumor, for the right patient. This thorough evaluation includes neck lymph node mapping by dedicated thyroid ultrasound techs with case experience exceeding 40,000, dedicated endocrine pathologists onsite, one hour pathology turn around on thyroid and lymph node biopsies, biopsy lesions as small as 1mm and more. Same-day evaluation and surgery is available for patients who are traveling or on a tight timeline. When asked what advice she had for others in the same situation, Corina suggested "choose a surgical team wisely so you can solve your health issues and avoid any physical and psychological burden of surgical errors and persistence of disease." She continued, "I advise people to choose a surgeon based on testimonials of treated patients that had a follow up a year after their first surgery. Do not choose a surgeon based on any doctor's recommendation because most probably doctors will recommend someone they know based on their preference/friendship regardless of if they are a good surgeon or not. If you do not know any patient with a similar diagnosis that was treated or you cannot find any testimonials, it is better to choose a doctor that specializes solely on thyroid related issues (not a general surgeon). I strongly recommend that other folks with thyroid disease, no matter their location, seek care at the Clayman Thyroid Center." Global Travel for Expert Treatment of Thyroid Cancer Since World Thyroid Day last year, the Clayman Thyroid Center has seen patients from 49 countries, six continents, and all 50 states. Since moving into its new home at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in Tampa, Florida just 4 months ago, their surgeons have seen patients from 35 countries. In just one day, its surgeons consulted with patients from Sweden, England, Qatar, Bangladesh, India and Egypt. The Clayman Thyroid Center's caseload offers insight into the return of medical tourism on a global scale following the pandemic's shuttering of international travel. Medical tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the US annually, with patients from all over the world traveling to the US to have specialty surgery at centers of medical excellence. Finding the best surgeon is a patient's most difficult task, but the brand-new Hospital for Endocrine Surgery hopes to ease the burden. The state-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind and is solely dedicated to the surgical treatment of thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal tumors and cancer. Now calling the hospital home are the world-renowned surgeons of the Clayman Thyroid Center, Norman Parathyroid Center, Carling Adrenal Center and Scarless Thyroid Surgery Center, uniting to become the world's highest volume endocrine surgery practice. The Clayman Thyroid Center is a full-service thyroid surgery center, offering the most advanced forms of thyroid surgery for all types of thyroid tumors, from small thyroid nodules to large goiters and complex thyroid cancer. Founded by Dr Gary Clayman, former Chief of Endocrine Surgery at MD Anderson, the Clayman Thyroid Center is widely known as America's leading thyroid surgery center performing nearly 2,000 thyroid operations annually. About the Clayman Thyroid Center: Founded by one of the nation's best-known thyroid surgeons, the Clayman Thyroid Center is the highest volume thyroid cancer referral center in the United States. The Center boasts the most experienced thyroid surgeons in the US who provide personalized care allowing the greatest opportunity for cancer cure, wellness, and cosmetic and functional outcomes via all types of thyroid surgery from minimal incision to scarless thyroid surgery to advanced cancer care. www.thyroidcancer.com | (813) 940-3130 Contact: Julie Canan, Director of Marketing (941) 468 3002 [email protected] SOURCE Clayman Thyroid Center CloudFabrix ropes in Industry AI thought leader and opens Center of Excellence for AI/ML, gearing up for next SaaS growth phase PLEASANTON, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CloudFabrixa, the inventor of Robotic Data Automation Fabric, unifying Observability, AIOps and Automation on cfxCloud SaaS platform, today announced the appointment of Shailesh Manjrekar, as Vice President of AI and Marketing to the leadership team. CloudFabrix Robotic Data Automation Fabric Shailesh Manjrekar, Vice President AI and SaaS Marketing Shailesh Manjrekar will be responsible for CloudFabrix's AI and SaaS Product thought leadership, Marketing, and Go To Market strategy for Data Observability and AIOps market. Manjrekar comes to CloudFabrix from WEKA, a leading provider of data storage and management solutions for data-driven customers. During his tenure at WEKA, he was Head of AI and Strategic Alliances, responsible for AI vision and WekaAI ecosystem partnerships. Prior to WEKA, he had several successful roles as Head of AI at SwiftStack (acquired by NVIDIA), Sandisk (acquired by Western Digital), EMC and Force10 Networks (acquired by Dell), Brocade, NetApp and HPE. Manjrekar is a seasoned IT professional who has over two decades of experience in building and managing emerging global businesses. He brings an established background in providing effective product and solutions marketing, product management, and strategic alliances spanning AI and Deep Learning, FinTech, Lifesciences SaaS solutions. Manjrekar is an avid speaker at AI conferences like NVIDIA GTC and Storage Developer Conference and is also a Forbes Technology Council contributor since 2020, an invitation only organization of leading CxO's and Technology Executives. "We are delighted to welcome Shailesh to the CloudFabrix team. With Observability, AIOps and Automation markets maturing and COVID-19 inflection point, we are looking to the next growth phase in our SaaS journey. We also announced the opening of our first Center of Excellence for AI/ML in Bangalore, India, hosting a strong team of 30+ AI/ML engineers and Data scientists. Shailesh's deep expertise in AI, Data and SaaS will be invaluable to our growth phase. We welcome him to the team and look forward to his playing an important role in the future growth and development of the company," said Raju Datla, CEO, CloudFabrix. "I came from the world of distributed applications using GPU's and AI accelerators, DPU's and fast storage for Autonomous Vehicles, FinTech and Lifesciences pipelines. Though significant progress has been made with these technology blocks, what struck me most, was how little attention was paid to data quality and operationalizing these pipelines at scale. CloudFabrix's Robotic Data Automation Fabric unifying Data Observability, AIOps and Data automation is the industry's best kept secret to counter these challenges and democratize AI. I am absolutely thrilled to be joining CloudFabrix," said Shailesh Manjrekar. Manjrekar holds an MBA from San Jose State, College of Business, post graduate certification from Haas School of Business, UC Berkley, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Mumbai. Resources: Join us at Cisco Live Booth # 3465 June 12th-16th Join us at AWS Summit - Milan June 21st-22nd On-demand RDAF and AIOps Conference ZDNet article:The autonomous enterprise Venturebeat: How CloudFabrix uses robotic data automation fabric to unify observability and AIOps ZDNet Article: Data quality can make or break efforts to bring artificial intelligence to IT operations Forbes Article: How Robotic Data Automation Could Automate Data Pipelines Robotic Data Automation Platform - RDAF RDA Bot Library About CloudFabrixa CloudFabrix is the inventor of Robotic Data Automation Fabric and an AIOps vendor. Robotic Data Automation Fabric unifies Observability, AIOps and Automation and is the transformative platform that scales and accelerates digital IT lifecycle planning and autonomous IT operations. CloudFabrix empowers IT leaders and operations personnel with AI-powered actionable intelligence to make faster and better decisions. CloudFabrix is changing the AIOps game and accelerating IT organization's Autonomous journey. For more information, visit https://cloudfabrix.com/ Press Enquiry [email protected] 4084214214 SOURCE CloudFabrix Software MINNEAPOLIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After a government-mandated, competitive review, Colle McVoy remains agency of record (AOR) for the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Joint Powers Board (JHTTB), the government board integral to building a resilient tourism economy for the Jackson Hole, Wyoming community. The agency will continue to lead brand strategy, creative, design, media planning/buying and influencer marketing. The partnership moving forward will prioritize communication centered on destination stewardship with a renewed focus on enhancing the quality of life of the community. "Colle McVoy has been an incredible partner and we look forward to launching new efforts that evolve our work, communication and sustainability commitments with a focus on the future of tourism management," said Cory Carlson, JHTTB Board Chair. While Jackson Hole is a leader in the modern conservation movement and has long promoted related messages in its marketing, it is embarking on a new destination management plan and campaign in 2022 focused on sustainability and protecting its natural resources. The new plan expands efforts by establishing a strategic roadmap to identify, amplify and align the community's shared values in ecosystem stewardship, economic vibrancy and growth management to enhance the quality of life for residents. This comes at a time when Jackson Hole and its surrounding parks continue to experience record-breaking crowds. "It has been a privilege to partner with Jackson Hole to not only celebrate and promote its incredible and awe-inspiring beauty but to also help protect and preserve its natural wonders for generations to come," said Christine Fruechte, CEO, Colle McVoy. "We share in the board's and community's efforts to have a positive impact through ecosystem stewardship, economic vibrancy and growth management and through enhancing the quality of life for residents." Colle McVoy has been AOR for JHTTB since winning the business in 2017 and has partnered with numerous Teton County-based companies for creative production. Together, they have produced high-profile and lauded work such as the Effie-winning Stay Wild campaign and movement that uniquely showcased the wild and authentic spirit of Jackson Hole, the two-time Jay Chiat Award-winning Tag Responsibly program that innovatively deterred geotagging on social media to protect the area's precious lands, the Cannes-recognized Wild Women video that captured the untamed spirit of Jackson Hole by highlighting its trailblazing women of past and present, and the groundbreaking VRnoculars that promoted the natural beauty and exciting experiences of Jackson Hole to 2018 Super Bowl travelers. More recently, the agency has been helping Jackson Hole emphasize protection of its natural resources for generations to come with efforts like the Leave It As It Is video. As Colle McVoy continues to support Jackson Hole's efforts, it is simultaneously fortifying and growing its sustainability practice. Retaining the account is the latest competitive win for Colle McVoy, which has been on a new biz streak including adding Goodyear, Perdue, Northern Tool + Equipment and Blu Dot to its roster. As a result, the agency is projecting double-digit growth for 2022. About JHTTB The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Joint Powers Board (JHTTB) is dedicated to developing a healthy economy that preserves Jackson Hole's natural capital, provides a quality visitor experience and enhances the well-being of the community. The JHTTB is a seven-member volunteer board appointed by elected officials from the Town of Jackson and Teton County. In the State of Wyoming a 5% lodging tax is collected on every visitor's hotel, motel and rental property stay; 3% is managed by the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and 2% stays in Teton County. 60% of these local funds are managed by the JHTTB for destination marketing, tourist education, events and other tourism-related initiatives as outlined in the Wyoming State Statutes. The balance (40%) is managed by the Town of Jackson and Teton County, primarily to mitigate the impacts of tourism on infrastructure and services. About Colle McVoy Colle McVoy is a full-service creative agency that leads brands to their next. We combine purpose, innovation and experience in new ways to give businesses a competitive advantage. We bring this approach to a diverse collection of client partners, including 3M, AccuWeather, AGCO, Anytime Fitness, Associated Bank, Blu Dot, Burnett Dairy, Children's Health, CHS, Cub Cadet, Deluxe Corporation, Elanco, Florida's Natural, Goodyear, Houston White, Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism, Land O'Lakes, Medtronic, Northern Tool + Equipment, Perdue, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, Target, UnitedHealth Group, U.S. Bank, Vermont Creamery, Yelloh (formerly Schwan's Home Delivery) and Zoetis, among others. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Colle McVoy has been named a Best Place to Work by Ad Age, Outside magazine and the Star Tribune. For more information, visit collemcvoy.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SOURCE Colle McVoy CT RDAC aims to better address the unique needs of rare disease community HARTFORD, Conn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 5500 (HB 5500) into law which includes provisions to establish a permanent Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut established a temporary rare disease task force in 2017 that concluded its work in 2019, but the Rare Disease Advisory Council created as part of HB 5500 will be permanent. The RDAC will include a diverse group of stakeholders who will work together to address the needs of the rare disease community in Connecticut. "This is a great day for the Connecticut rare disease community! The Connecticut RDAC coalition would like to thank Governor Lamont, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, the Connecticut General Assembly Public Health Committee, especially Committee Chair Representative Jonathan Steinberg and Ranking Member William Petit for all their support and hard work on this legislation," said Lesley Bennett, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Connecticut Rare Action Network Volunteer Ambassador. "This RDAC will give patients, families, caregivers, health care providers, advocates, researchers, and other stakeholders an opportunity to make formal recommendations to state agencies and our legislature on ways to develop public policy and health care legislation that will improve the lives of those impacted by a rare disease in Connecticut." NORD established Project RDAC in 2020 to increase the number of RDACs across the country and help optimize existing RDACs. Including Connecticut, a total of 23 states have signed legislation into law creating a Rare Disease Advisory Council, with RDAC legislation being signed into law in nine states since the start of 2021 alone. "Sincerest appreciation to the coalition of lawmakers, patients, caregivers, and other members of the rare disease community who worked together to establish a permanent Rare Disease Advisory Council here in Connecticut," said Peter Saltonstall, NORD President and CEO. "NORD has its roots in this state through our founder, Abbey Meyers, and our founding nearly four decades ago. It's incredibly empowering that Connecticut will have a permanent RDAC to help give its residents a stronger voice in their government and provide further partnership opportunities." Any condition that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans is considered rare. There are more than 7,000 known rare diseases, affecting 25-30 million Americans across a broad spectrum of medical conditions. People living with rare diseases face many challenges, including delays in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, finding a health care provider with expertise in their condition, and a lack of affordable access to therapies and medications used to treat rare diseases. For more information on NORD's Project RDAC, visit https://rarediseases.org/projectrdac/. To learn more about NORD's policy work, visit: http://bit.ly/Policy-Issues. About the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is the leading independent advocacy organization representing all patients and families affected by rare diseases in the United States. NORD began as a small group of patient advocates that formed a coalition to unify and mobilize support to pass the Orphan Drug Act of 1983. Since then, the organization has led the way in voicing the needs of the rare disease community, driving supportive policies, furthering education, advancing medical research, and providing patient and family services for those who need them most. Together with over 300 disease-specific member organizations, more than 17,000 Rare Action Network advocates across all 50 states, and national and global partners, NORD delivers on its mission to improve the lives of those impacted by rare diseases. Visit rarediseases.org. SOURCE National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Bautista joins Dawn from Utz Brands Inc. and will be responsible for building Dawn's long-term manufacturing capabilities in North America around safety, cost, quality, and service, while also helping Dawn achieve its current business objectives. She will report to John Schmitz, president, North America. "Melissa brings deep manufacturing experience to this role, having worked both at the plant management level and at the leadership level overseeing multiple facilities," said John Schmitz, president of Dawn Foods North America. "Her approach to leadership and industry knowledge is a strong addition to our plant management teams across our five Dawn North America manufacturing locations." In her most recent role, Melissa served as vice president of manufacturing for Utz Brands Inc., overseeing three manufacturing locations and four distribution centers for the snack food company. During her time at Utz, she also served as area vice president of operations and as plant manager for the business' Algona, Washington, location. Prior to Utz, Bautista spent 11 years in a variety of supply chain roles at Frito Lay. Gittins, who has been with Dawn for 15 years, will become the company's new vice president, global corporate controller in July. She will replace Jean Rauchholz, who will retire this summer. Gittins takes this next step in her career after serving as senior director of financial reporting, accounting standards, and policies, reporting to Rauchholz. Prior to joining Dawn in 2007 as an internal auditor, Gittins worked at the department of defense as an inspector general auditor. Gittins, who is based at the company's global headquarters in Jackson, Michigan, is also a member of the Dawn Women's Leadership Development Program, which launched in 2021. "Emily has consistently taken on new responsibilities throughout her career at Dawn and has been an integral part of the team's efforts in enhancing our control efforts across the organization," said Karl Brown, Chief Financial Officer. "I am confident that Emily will continue to strengthen our global finance team, modernize our processes, and be an incredible leader for Dawn." About Dawn Food Products, Inc. Dawn Foods is a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. As the partner of choice for inspiring bakery success every day, Dawn Foods is committed to delighting its customers around the world with the partnership, insights, innovations, bakery products and expertise that empowers them to achieve their aspirations. Headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, Dawn Foods has more than 4,000 Team Members globally and provides high-quality bakery products to more than 50,000 customers located in more than 100 countries. For more information about the company, its products, and its culture, please visit www.dawnfoods.com. CONTACT: Lisa Kenny Alexis Gilbert Zeno Group for Dawn Foods Senior Director, Global Brand and Communications (312) 292-6005 (517) 414-1348 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Dawn Food Products, Inc. More Americans plan to travel this summer, even as financial concerns replace health concerns for the first time since pandemic began NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Key takeaways Travel intent takes off as 6 in 10 Americans plan to travel this summer, up from 5 in 10 last year. as 6 in 10 Americans plan to travel this summer, up from 5 in 10 last year. Overall travel spend will increase . Among travelers, 28% plan to spend more than in 2019, up 6% compared to 2021, even as consumers grow wary of higher airfares and lodging rates. . Among travelers, 28% plan to spend more than in 2019, up 6% compared to 2021, even as consumers grow wary of higher airfares and lodging rates. COVID-related concerns continue to influence travel decisions, although f inancial concerns are now the top reason among Americans planning to stay home . . Although international travel has become significantly more convenient over the past year, only 1 in 8 Americans plan to go abroad this summer as COVID-19 requirements remain unpredictable. over the past year, only 1 in 8 Americans plan to go abroad this summer as COVID-19 requirements remain unpredictable. Private rental adoption continues to grow. Among the 20% of travelers planning to stay in private rentals, 1 in 7 will use this lodging type for the first time this summer. Among the 20% of travelers planning to stay in private rentals, 1 in 7 will use this lodging type for the first time this summer. Spurred by flexible work arrangements, 1 in 5 travelers plan to work during their longest summer trip. "Laptop luggers" plan to take more trips and spend more and exhibit distinctive preferences across travel decisions. Why this matters Safety perceptions related to travel and social activities are at their highest point since the pandemic began, prompting many Americans to plan summer trips. However, amid renewed optimism for leisure travel, financial concerns and higher prices weigh on travelers. Deloitte's new report, "Getting Back to Getaways: 2022 Deloitte Summer Travel Survey," examines the trends and preferences that will guide leisure trips this season. The report is based on a survey of 4,233 Americans fielded March 23-30, 2022. Among those, 2,536 qualified as travelers, and a smaller subset of 1,960 travelers said they would stay in paid lodging rather than only with family or friends. Summer travel makes a comeback, for many Americans While leisure travel appeared to be on the rebound last summer, the Delta and Omicron variants slowed its comeback. Now, with traveler confidence on the rise, summer 2022 travel will likely surpass both 2021 and pre-pandemic levels, with a desire to spend time with family and friends the main driver for travel. However, financial and health concerns will continue to impact where and how Americans travel. Six in 10 Americans will travel this summer, an increase from last year when 5 in 10 Americans planned the same. Travelers will take an average of two trips this summer with most (83%) planning to stay in hotels and/or rentals. Half (51%) plan to fly, while slightly more plan to take road trips (57%). Only 7% plan to take a cruise. More than one-quarter (28%) of travelers plan to spend significantly more this summer over their 2019 travel budgets for marquee trips, due to higher prices as well as accumulated savings. Meanwhile, 15% plan to spend significantly less; half of those travelers cite financial concerns. Spending time with family and friends is the top motivator for summer travel at 47%, up 13% from 2021. Beaches continue to lead all destinations (32%), followed by cities (29%) and the great outdoors (16%). About two-thirds of travelers (65%) are planning their longest trips for June and July, but roads and skies should be busy all summer with 45% of all trips slated for August or September. Further, trip durations will shrink compared to 2021; for one-third of travelers (32%), the longest trip will last less than one week, up from 22% in 2021. Travelers spread their spend across a variety of travel products Travelers have a variety of options for their summer trips. As trust in the safety of lodging and air travel rises, they are willing to pay for comfort and space, signaling further optimism for travel providers. Nearly half (46%) of Americans will travel and stay in paid lodging, up from 41% in 2021. While hotels remain more popular (79%), private rental demand is strong (20%). More than one-third (34%) of summer rental travelers booked a private rental or plan to for the first time, up from 28% in 2021. Further, 7 in 10 of these new rental guests expect to continue staying in rentals for at least half of their trips going forward. Younger travelers (18-34 years old) are almost twice as likely to stay in private lodging (26%) as travelers 55 and older (14%). Safety perceptions for air travel are at their highest since the pandemic began. More than half (54%) of Americans feel safe taking a flight this summer, compared to 31% in 2021. Nearly half (47%) of travelers will fly for their marquee trip, and 54% are willing to pay for a more comfortable flight experience including first or business class (17%) or other upgrades (37%). One-quarter (27%) of air travelers will fly overseas, with Europe being the most popular destination (49%); followed by Mexico and the Caribbean (28%); Asia (8%); Central/ South America (7%); EMEA (6%); and Australia /Oceania (2%). Among international travelers age 55 and older, 6 in 10 plan to visit Europe , versus 4 in 10 younger travelers. Geopolitical developments factor into travel decisions for 6 in 10 travelers. being the most popular destination (49%); followed by and the (28%); (8%); Central/ (7%); EMEA (6%); and /Oceania (2%). Among international travelers age 55 and older, 6 in 10 plan to visit , versus 4 in 10 younger travelers. Geopolitical developments factor into travel decisions for 6 in 10 travelers. With the rise in air travel, fewer Americans will hit the road this summer: 62% will drive for at least one part of their trip, down from 76% in 2021. Nearly half (48%) are driving shorter distances (four hours or less), up from 33% in 2021. Further, 8 in 10 of these trips will last for a week or less, which could contribute to the rise in shorter-distance road trips. Key quote "This summer, Americans are more ready to travel than they have been since the pandemic began. As they take to the roads and skies, this pent-up demand is driving spending across a variety of travel products. Air travel is set to soar, and demand for both hotels and private rentals is strong. While COVID-19 transmission and financial concerns still factor into travel decisions, travel providers who remain flexible to consumers' shifting preferences will find new opportunities for their businesses to take off and thrive." Eileen Crowley, vice chair, Deloitte & Touche LLP and US transportation, hospitality and services attest leader Health concerns decrease as financial worries rise COVID-19 transmission remains an important factor in travel decisions, although its influence is waning. However, financial concerns are high with nearly half of those not traveling citing money as the reason why they will stay home. This summer, finances (44%, up 13% from 2021) replace health as travelers' main concern (33%, down 10% from 2021). Travelers with a household income under $50K are twice as likely to say they significantly cut travel budgets from 2019, compared to those at higher income levels. are twice as likely to say they significantly cut travel budgets from 2019, compared to those at higher income levels. Although still a consideration, health factors that play a role in destination selection are all down in influence compared to last year, including crowd avoidance (68%, down 7%), CDC guidelines (65%, down 9%), and social distancing norms (61%, down 13%). Travelers this year are more likely to participate in activities involving sharing space with others, such as dining (up 6%) and visiting attractions (up 2%). Summer travel climbs higher due to workplace flexibility Work-from-home and location-flexible work arrangements are contributing to a new type of leisure traveler"laptop luggers." Those who plan to work at least partially when they travel this summer attribute at least one trip to the ability to work remotely. Further, laptop luggers tend to spend more, take longer trips, and travel with larger groups. One in 5 travelers are "laptop luggers" who plan to bring some work along on their vacation, spurring more frequent and longer trips. Among laptop luggers, 3 in 4 say their longest trip will last one to three weeks. In addition, 4 in 5 are extending their trip due to the ability to work remotely, with one-third extending their trip by three to six days. The majority of laptop luggers are younger and wealthier: 18-to-34-year-olds are five times more likely to work on vacation, and those reporting income of more than $100K per year are twice as likely to do so. Four in 10 laptop luggers say their trip budget exceeds pre-pandemic levels, compared to 25% of disconnectors. per year are twice as likely to do so. Four in 10 laptop luggers say their trip budget exceeds pre-pandemic levels, compared to 25% of disconnectors. Laptop luggers will travel in larger groups: 3 in 10 will travel with three to five people, often including children. Laptop luggers, who are twice as likely to stay at private rentals for the first time during the pandemic, are nearly 1.5 times as likely to continue using them in half or more future trips. Overall, the remote work experience surged as a factor in lodging choice. For hotels, the remote working experience increased 12% in influence from 2021, while the space to work inherent in private rentals increased 19% in influence since last year. Key quote "With traveler confidence increasing and health concerns declining, Americans are packing their bags and upgrading their summer trips. However, a rise in financial concerns for some will keep them grounded. At the same time, flexible work arrangements are creating a whole new world of opportunities for travel suppliers to build loyalty among laptop luggers. These travelers are willing to take a meeting and a stroll on the beach during the same tripand extend their time away in the process." Mike Daher, vice chair, Deloitte LLP and US transportation, hospitality and services non-attest leader Connect with us on Twitter at @DeloitteCB or on LinkedIn: @EileenCrowley and @MikeDaher. About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplacedelivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 345,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. SOURCE Deloitte CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) today announced that it has been invited to present at the following investor conferences in June 2022: Cowen Technology, Media & Telecom Conference Thursday, June 2 nd at 11:25AM ET at The Evolving State of Talent Acquisition Technology Panel One-on-one meetings with investors Lotte New York Palace, New York City LD Micro Invitational by SRAX Tuesday, June 7 th at 4:30PM PT at Formal Presentation One-on-one meetings with investors Four Seasons, Westlake Village, California East Coast IDEAS Conference Wednesday, June 22 nd at 6:00AM ET at Pre-recorded formal presentation One-on-one meetings with investors Virtual event Art Zeile, Chief Executive Officer, will present as part of a panel discussing during Cowen's Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, and Kevin Bostick, Chief Financial Officer will join Mr. Zeile to host hold one-on-one meetings with investors. Both Mr. Zeile and Mr. Bostick will present at the LD Micro Conference and East Coast IDEAS Conference and hold one-on-one and small group meetings with institutional investors at both. The presentations will be webcast live and available for replay via the investor relations section of the company's website at www.dhigroupinc.com . To schedule a one-on-one meeting with management, please contact the firm hosting each conference or MKR Investor Relations, DHI's investor relations firm, at [email protected] . 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] 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 . SOURCE DHI Group, Inc. Joining strategic Danish-Swedish life science cluster supports overall Eagle Genomics mission to accelerate the generative economy through the digital reinvention of science CAMBRIDGE, England, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Genomics, the software business pioneering the application of network science to biology, has announced that it has joined Medicon Valley Alliance (MVA), a non-profit membership organization in the Danish-Swedish life science cluster in Medicon Valley. Located across the intersection of Danish and Swedish innovation, MVA has a vibrant ecosystem, with an array of high-impact businesses supported by world-class universities and research institutions features that help make it one of the Nordics' strongest life science clusters. Greater Copenhagen is a recognized global center for microbiome research. Its Microbiome Signature Project MVA is committed to providing investment as well as international research facilities and activities, and to nurturing the talent needed to support the fast growth of this sector. Fermentation research, for example, is a core competence for both organisations and universities in the MVA ecosystem. From food production and food security, climate change, as well as the effects of the microbiome in health and disease, MVA and its members have a market-leading reputation. Dr Christian Roghi, Director, Microbiome Solutions, Eagle Genomics, said: "With our focus on the bio-economy the biological science-inspired circular economy that is addressing challenges in areas such as food and nutrition, health as well as the environment it's been an important strategic decision for Eagle Genomics to join MVA. Ultimately, being part of this cluster is helping us to fulfill our purpose: accelerating the growth of a new global 'generative economy' through the digital reinvention of science." Anthony Finbow, CEO, Eagle Genomics, said: "We're pleased to be to join MVA, as we continue to grow and engage in pivotal multi-national partnerships and relationships. By supporting research and development in critical areas like the microbiome with our AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform e[datascientist], we are supporting organizations to build a more generative, sustainable future for our food, water, soil, and health. Working with this important European science hub provides another exciting opportunity to meet our goal of becoming the world's global life sciences knowledge discovery hub." Notes to Editor About Eagle Genomics Eagle Genomics is innovating at the intersection of biology, data sciences and bioinformatics, accelerating the generative economy through the digital reinvention of science. Its award-winning AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist], empowers scientists to exploit multi-dimensional data in minutes rather than months, to help companies conduct science-led innovation for next-generation products. It supports the entire innovation workflow - from hypothesis through insight to product claims helping bring novel, safer and sustainable products to market, faster, across the Food and Nutrition, Beauty and Personal Care, AgBio and BioPharma industries. Eagle Genomics is forging strategic relationships with leading scientific establishments focused on the microbiome and in the UK has helped shape the Microbiome Strategic Roadmap. A Cambridge, UK-headquartered business with a global presence, it has sites in London's Knowledge Quarter, Hyderabad, India, New York's Genome Center as well as Paris' Station F, Potsdam Science Park, Germany and Kyiv, Ukraine. Find out more at www.eaglegenomics.com. Contacts Eagle Genomics Dr Priya Kalia, Global Communications [email protected] Media Enquiries Eagle Genomics Carina Birt, Sarum PR +44 7970 006624 [email protected] SOURCE Eagle Genomics NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ATSG, a leading tech-enabled managed services and solutions company, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Elizabeth Kubycheck, Chief People and Brand Officer, to its 2022 Power 70 Solution Providers list. This esteemed list honors the incredible accomplishments of female leaders in the IT channel. Those named on this annual list come from all corners of the IT channel including vendors, distributors, and solution providers whose vision, expertise, and contributions make an impact on the industry every day. The elite women honored on this year's Power 70 Solution Providers list brought innovative concepts, strategic business planning, and comprehensive channel initiatives to life, driving professional success through leadership, advocacy, and dedication to their organizations and the entire IT channel. As a 20+ year veteran of the technology industry and ATSG's executive leadership team, Mrs. Kubycheck has been instrumental in leading ATSG's human resource and people functions, cross-functional communications, employee engagement, and overseeing the execution of corporate initiatives to drive profitable growth. Mrs. Kubycheck has been transformational in unifying ATSG's teams across all brands, providing employees with opportunities to gain the knowledge, tools, and abilities they need to advance in the workplace. Throughout ATSG's expansive growth, Mrs. Kubycheck has worked strategically to integrate acquired teams into the ATSG family and unify the organization as a true tech-enabled managed services provider. "Elizabeth has been instrumental in ATSG's global growth and success," said Anthony J. D'Ambrosi, CEO at ATSG. "Her comprehensive and inclusive approach to executive leadership, employee engagement, and strategic partner management, have enabled our overall mission and vision. She is the true ambassador of our ONEATSG culture; continually innovating and adapting programs and initiatives to meet the challenges in this dynamic environment. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and honored to have her contributions recognized in our industry and the channel." "We are proud to once again recognize the remarkable leaders on this year's Women of the Channel list. Their influence, confidence, and diligence continue to accelerate channel success significantly," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. "Their accomplishments will inspire others, and we look forward to witnessing their future contributions to the channel." CRN's 2022 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. About ATSG ATSG is a global leader in transformational technology solutions as a service for today's digital enterprise. Through ATSG's service portfolio of secure Digital Infrastructure, Digital Workplace, Collaboration, and Customer Experience offerings, ATSG provides Intelligent IT leveraging its comprehensive Ai2 automation platform. Headquartered in Manhattan, New York, ATSG is a portfolio company of RunTide Capital, a private equity firm focused on building tech-enabled growth companies. More information on ATSG is available at www.atsg.net . Like us on LinkedIn , follow us on Twitter , or become a fan on our Facebook page. #AboutATSG About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com 2022. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Press Contact: Elizabeth Kubycheck [email protected] SOURCE ATSG, Inc. Owing to the high adoption of cloud-based software systems and advancements in AI technology in the healthcare sector, the Europe dental imaging equipment market recorded a value of US$ 705.1 Mn in 2021. It is expected that this market will expand at a CAGR of 6% over the forecast period (2022-2032). Convolutional neural networks, which can conduct image detection, segmentation, classification, registration, generation, and enhancement, have been used extensively in recent artificial intelligence studies in oral and maxillofacial radiology. Artificial intelligence systems for radiographic diagnosis, image analysis, forensic dentistry, and image quality improvement have all been created in this discipline. With a surge in the volumes of dental diseases within the European region, owing to several factors such as rising prevalence of old age groups, high occurrence of problems associated with dental hygiene, increasing adoption of unhealthy lifestyle practices such as consumption of tobacco and sugary foods, and presence of established independent dental practices, the Europe dental imaging equipment market is rapidly evolving. Owing to the presence of major manufacturers in the region and rising academic inclination toward the development of imaging technologies that are cost-efficient and reliable, the market is set to project a lucrative growth stance in terms of product adoption and market value. Request for the sample copy of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/33077 The market is subject to medical device regulations governed by the European Union. With fast-track approvals of novel imaging technologies for the clinical assessment of applications of integrated AI devices, the market is set to gain traction through the course of the forecasted years. Key Takeaways from Market Study Intraoral products held over 54% market share in 2021 in Europe . . 2D resolution contributed nearly two-thirds revenue share in 2021 in the European market By end user, independent dental clinics held a market share of around 53.6% in 2021. Around 27% of the overall market share, by country, was accounted for by Germany in 2021. "Increasing research of integrated digital and AI systems for concise image resolution is expected to promote sales of dental imaging equipment in Europe" says an analyst of Persistence Market Research. Know the methodology of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/33077 Market Competition Rising number of acquisitions by key market competitors is one of the major factors boosting market growth. Additionally, leading market players are concentrating on organic growth tactics such as new product launches, which are projected to propel the Europe imaging equipment market forward. Moreover, integration of digital and AI systems into the existing technological base has surfaced as one of the key approaches to gain market traction. In March 2022 , Envista (KaVo Imaging) stated that its Assisted Intelligence (AI) mandibular nerve tracing capability of its purchased diagnostic software from STX studio Clinic received FDA certification. , Envista (KaVo Imaging) stated that its Assisted Intelligence (AI) mandibular nerve tracing capability of its purchased diagnostic software from STX studio Clinic received FDA certification. CareStream Health Inc., in September 2021 , announced a collaboration with the Health First's Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne to supply them with advanced medical imaging systems. Get full access of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/33077 What Does the Report Cover? Persistence Market Research offers a unique perspective and actionable insights on the Europe dental imaging equipment market in its latest study, presenting historical demand assessment of 2017 2021 and projections for 2022 2032. The research study is based on product (intraoral [intraoral X-ray systems {wall/floor-mounted intraoral X-ray systems, and handheld intraoral X-ray systems}, intraoral plate scanners, intraoral sensors, intraoral phosphor storage plates, and intraoral cameras], extra-oral [extra-oral X-ray systems {panoramic X-ray systems, and cephalometric projection systems}, and extraoral scanners], and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging), dimension (2D and 3D), and end user (hospitals, independent dental clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and forensic laboratories), across eight key countries within the European region. Related Reports: About Persistence Market Research: Persistence Market Research (PMR), as a 3rd-party research organization, does operate through an exclusive amalgamation of market research and data analytics for helping businesses ride high, irrespective of the turbulence faced on the account of financial/natural crunches. Overview: Persistence Market Research is always way ahead of its time. In other words, it tables market solutions by stepping into the companies'/clients' shoes much before they themselves have a sneak pick into the market. The pro-active approach followed by experts at Persistence Market Research helps companies/clients lay their hands on techno-commercial insights beforehand, so that the subsequent course of action could be simplified on their part. Contact: Rajendra Singh Persistence Market Research U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 +1-646-568-7751 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd. NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on " EV Test Equipment Market Forecast to 2028 COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Commercial Vehicle, and Low Speed Electric Vehicles), Equipment Type (Battery Test Equipment, Motor Test Equipment, Engine Dynamometer, Chassis Dynamometer, Transmission Dynamometer, Fuel Injection Pump Tester, Inverter Tester, EV Drivetrain Test, On-Board Charger, and AC/DC EVSE), Application (EV Component and Drivetrain System, EV charging, and Powertrain), and End-Users (OEMs, Tier 1 Suppliers, Research and Academics, and Others)", the global EV test equipment market is expected to grow from $35.07 billion in 2021 to $118.67 billion by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 20.0% from 2022 to 2028. The Sample Pages Showcases Content Structure and Nature of Information Included in This Research Study Which Presents A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00020871/ Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 35.07 Billion in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 118.67 Billion by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 20.0% from 2022 to 2028. Forecast Period 2022-2028 Base Year 2022 No. of Pages 180 No. Tables 116 No. of Charts & Figures 99 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Vehicle Type, Equipment Type, Application, and End-Users 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 EV Test Equipment Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments National Instruments Corporation; Horiba Ltd.; Arbin Instruments; Maccor Inc.; KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; Froude, Inc; Dynomerk Controls; Comemso electronics GmbH; Durr Group; TUV RHEINLAND; INTERTEK GROUP PLC; TOYO SYSTEM CO., LTD; and WONIK PNE CO., LTD are among the key players profiled during the study of the global EV test equipment market. Several essential market players were analyzed to get a holistic view of the EV test equipment market and its ecosystem. Schedule A Pre-Sale Discussion with The Author Team in A Slot That You Prefer to Address Queries on Scope of The Study, Customization, Introduction to Research Methodology, Assistance on Technologies and Market Definitions: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPRE00020871/ In November 2021, NI announced a new Inverter Test System (ITS) and a partnership agreement with D&V Electronics for power-level inverter tests to improve testing environments and workflows for electric vehicle (EV) traction inverter validation. In July 2021, HORIBA Europe GmbH completed the acquisition of BeXema GmbH. HORIBA integrates electric power technology within its internal supply chain through this purchase. EV test equipment is used to inspect various EV components such as batteries and motors to keep automotive parts ahead of the competition, provide guaranteed performance, and ensure customer safety and satisfaction. The EV test equipment is used in EVs to assess the total vehicle performance, EV battery and charger testing, power electronics testing, and motor and dynamometer testing. Motor testing equipment is used to verify torque or electric signal and the high speed of an electric car, using sensors, voltage probes, and other software. EV Test Equipment Market: Vehicle Type Segment Overview Based on vehicle type, the EV test equipment market is segmented into passenger car, commercial vehicle, and low speed electric vehicles. In 2021, the passenger car segment led the market, accounting for the largest share of the EV test equipment market. Click Here to Avail Lucrative DISCOUNTS on Our Latest Research Reports. We Offer Student, Enterprise, and Special Periodic Discounts to Our Clientele. Please Fill the Form to Know DISCOUNTED PRICE APAC is one of the most important regions for the EV test equipment market, and it is predicted to develop at the highest rate in the coming years. During the forecast period, from 2022 to 2028, it is expected that this region will register the highest CAGR. The huge population of nations such as China and India, which account for more than 38% of the world population, is a crucial element contributing to the region's growth. Furthermore, several beneficial government measures conducted in these regions to revive the automobile sector, which was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, are expected to promote EV test equipment market expansion. Furthermore, growing urbanization and the development of smart cities will fuel the expansion of electric vehicles, accelerating the EV test equipment market's development. Due to the presence of large vehicle manufacturers, Europe is a competitive marketplace for EV test equipment makers, with Germany ranking first in this regional market. Furthermore, the government's stringent road safety requirements and growing support for electrification in the automotive industry will boost the EV test equipment market growth. Furthermore, due to the growing demand for EVs, North America is expected to be the third-largest market globally. The growing popularity of linked EVs is expected to support the regional market growth during the forecast period. The EV test equipment market's rapid expansion can also be linked to technologically advanced infrastructure and the presence of technical behemoths. The Middle East is witnessing early adoption and government initiatives to support the development of superior EV test equipment. For example, Dubai has successfully persuaded its people and businesses to utilize electric and hybrid vehicles as part of the Dubai Green Mobility Initiative, which is at the forefront of the UAE's clean mobility. Further, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy mandated that 10% of all cars be green by 2030 to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. All of these variables eventually contribute to the EV test equipment market growth. Have A 15-Minute-Long Discussion with The Lead Research Analyst and Author of The Report in A Time Slot Decided by You. You Will Be Briefed About the Contents of The Report and Queries Regarding the Scope of The Document Will Be Addressed as Well: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/speak-to-analyst/TIPRE00020871 Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on SAM EV Test Equipment Market: In response to the drastic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation systems, various reports by the World Bank, ITU, GSMA, and World Economic Forum suggested that major countries in South America need to support the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy in the transportation sector. This created a huge demand for essential EV test equipment across the region. Major EV test equipment players in South America are actively taking initiatives to promote the sales of high-performance EVs, thereby expanding their presence across Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Further, government initiatives play a major role in accelerating the EV test equipment market growth in South America. The existing regulations and incentives to introduce new technologies and electrification have increased Brazil's demand for EV testing and the EV test equipment market. In Brazil, ~15,000 EV units are expected to be commercialized by 2025. The government of Argentina is trying to boost EV sales with additional tax incentives and investments in infrastructural improvements, which is anticipated to generate considerable demand for EV test equipment. These developments, accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are creating positive growth prospects for the EV test equipment market in the region. Immediate Delivery of Our Off-The-Shelf Reports and Latest Research Studies, Through Flexible and Convenient Payment Methods: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00020871/ Browse Adjoining Reports: Electric Vehicle Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Battery Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Electric Vehicles); Vehicle Category (Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Two Wheelers) and Geography EV Charging Cables Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Private Charging, Public Charging); Power Supply Type (Alternate Charging, Direct Charging); Cable Length (2 Meters to 5 Meters, 6 Meters to 10 Meters, Above 10 Meters); Charging Level (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3); Jacket Material (All-Rubber Jacket, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) Jacket, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Jacket) and Geography Electric Vehicle Chargers Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Vehicle Type (Battery Electric Vehicles, Plug-In Electric Vehicles, and Hybrid Electric Vehicles), Charging Type (On-Board Chargers and Off-Board Chargers), and End-users (Residential, and Non-residential) Automotive Test Equipment Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, LCV, and HCV), Product Type (Engine Dynamometer, Chassis Dynamometer, Vehicle Emission Test System, Wheel Alignment Tester, and Others), Equipment Type (Handheld Tool, Mobile Tool, and System Based Tool) Low Emission Vehicle Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Hybridization (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV), Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FHEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), Pure Electric Vehicle (EV or BEV)); Batteries (Lead Acid Battery, Nickel Cadmium Battery, Metal Hydride Battery, Lithium Ion Battery) and Geography Military Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type (Manned HEV and EV, Unmanned HEV and EV); EV Charging Point Type (AC Charging, DC Charging); Vehicle Drive Type (Front-Wheel Drive, Rear Wheel Drive, All Wheel Drive) and Geography EV On-Board Chargers Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Current Type (AC, DC); Propulsion Type (BEV, HEV, PHEV); Vehicle Type (Passenger Cars, LCV, HCV) and Geography EV Charging Infrastructure Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Platform (Hardware and Services), Hardware (AC Charger and DC Charger), Charger Type (Public Chargers and Private Chargers), and IEC Mode (2, 3, and 4) About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Sameer Joshi E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/ev-test-equipment-market SOURCE The Insight Partners "To say I'm honored to be an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist is an understatement," said Jodi Scott of Sierra Sage Herbs. "I've always valued the spirit of entrepreneurship and I'm constantly looking for ways for our company to improve, adapt, and innovate. However, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the incredible team that surrounds me, because it's the collective whole that ultimately brings our ideas to life. Looking over the list of my co-finalists, I'm truly humbled to be included amongst such an esteemed group of visionary individuals." Regional award winners will be announced on June 17. The regional winners will then be considered by the National independent judging panel, and National awards will be presented in November at the Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nation's most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2023. For over 35 years, EY US has celebrated the unstoppable entrepreneurs who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all. The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has recognized more than 10,000 US executives since its inception in 1986. Entrepreneur Of The Year Award winners have exclusive, ongoing access to the experience, insight and wisdom of fellow alumni and other members of the entrepreneurial community in over 60 countries all supported by vast EY resources. Sponsors Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are presented by PNCBank. In the Mountain West region, sponsors also include Colliers International, Cresa, Diversified Insurance, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Realth LLP, Silicon Slopes, Strong & Hanni Law Firm, Truss and Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. About Entrepreneur Of The Year Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year title. ey.com/us/eoy About EY Private As Advisors to the ambitious, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs. Visit ey.com/us/private About EY EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com . Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. About Sierra Sage Herbs: Committed to making the best all-natural, plant-based skincare products, Sierra Sage Herbs, now part of Creso Pharma , is on a mission to spread goodness, empower change, and redefine natural body care. Founded in 2008 by sisters Jodi and Jen Scott and their mother, Kathy Scott, the company's natural products brands, which are cruelty free and made in the USA, include Green Goo , Good Goo , and Southern Butter . These brands are sold across more than 100,000 points of distribution around the US, including Whole Foods, Walmart, Amazon, Target.com, CVS, Walgreen's, Rite Aid, Albertsons, and Kroger, among many others. A certified B Corp, Sierra Sage Herbs aligns and partners with charities, aid organizations, and causes both in the United States and around the world. To learn more, visit: www.sierrasageherbs.com . SOURCE Sierra Sage Herbs HOUSTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flotek Industries, Inc. ("Flotek" or the "Company") (NYSE: FTK), a leader in technology-driven specialty green chemistry solutions will participate in a Fireside Chat hosted by Water Tower Research on Wednesday, May 25th at 10:00am central time. Those interested are welcome to join us at the link below. https://globalmeet.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1548519&tp_key=09c329c199 About Flotek Industries, Inc. Flotek Industries, Inc. creates solutions to reduce the environmental impact of energy on air, water, land and people. A technology-driven, specialty green chemistry and data company, Flotek helps customers across industrial, commercial, and consumer markets improve their Environmental, Social, and Governance performance. Flotek's Chemistry Technologies segment develops, manufactures, packages, distributes, delivers, and markets high-quality cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing products for commercial, governmental and personal consumer use. Additionally, Flotek empowers the energy industry to maximize the value of their hydrocarbon streams and improve return on invested capital through its real-time data platforms and green chemistry technologies. Flotek serves downstream, midstream, and upstream customers, both domestic and international. Flotek is a publicly traded company headquartered in Houston, Texas, and its common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "FTK." For additional information, please visit www.flotekind.com. Forward -Looking Statements Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute 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) regarding Flotek Industries, Inc.'s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words such as will, continue, expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this press release. Although forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the good faith judgment of management, such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known to management. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in the forward-looking statements. Further information about the risks and uncertainties that may impact the company are set forth in the Company's most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K (including, without limitation, in the "Risk Factors" section thereof), and in the Company's other SEC filings and publicly available documents. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect, any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this press release. SOURCE Flotek Industries, Inc. Client Feedback Drives Coalition Greenwich Recognition PITTSBURGH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) announced that it has been named to Coalition Greenwich's inaugural list of Standout Commercial Banks for Demonstrating Commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles and Values. FNB was one of only nine banks in the country to receive the recognition. To identify the standout banks, Coalition Greenwich, formerly Greenwich Associates, asked more than 20,000 small business and middle market executives to assess their banks' commitment to ESG. The banks that received the most consistently excellent ratings were named to the list. "Corporate responsibility, including ESG, is a vital cultural and strategic priority for FNB," said Vincent J. Delie, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of F.N.B. Corporation and First National Bank. "It is an honor to be recognized for our commitment, which is evident in the wide range of investments and initiatives we have implemented to foster sustainable, responsible business practices and champion economic and social equality in our communities." The recent Coalition Greenwich recognition adds to the extensive list of third-party accolades FNB has received for its work to benefit stakeholders and communities throughout its footprint. Among other distinctions, FNB repeatedly has appeared on JUST Capital's list of America's Most Just Companies, earned multiple awards for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, and achieved the highest possible Community Reinvestment Act rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. To learn more, visit FNB's Awards & Recognition webpage. For a comprehensive overview of FNB's community commitment and ESG practices, please review its Corporate Responsibility Report. About F.N.B. Corporation F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB's market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas, including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. The Company has total assets of $42 billion and more than 340 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network, which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB's wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance. The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FNB" and is included in Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks Sub-Industry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com. SOURCE F.N.B. Corporation Get a free sample of this data, download our sample report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/edible-oils-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Who are the Top Suppliers in the Edible Oils Market? The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several top suppliers. Some of the leading Edible Oils suppliers profiled extensively in this report include: Cargill Inc. Bunge Ltd. Wilmar International Ltd These are a few of the key suppliers in Edible Oils market. Discover more about these vendors, including the detailed analysis of procurement strategies deployed by major category end-users across several industries while sourcing for Edible Oils requirements. Download a free sample of this report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/edible-oils-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report What are the Most Adopted Procurement Strategies for the Edible Oils Market? The research includes a complete analysis of the most commonly used procurement strategies by buyers across sectors, as well as an insight into these strategies' innovation, regulatory compliance, quality, supply, and cost. Adopting these procurement tactics would enable buyers to minimize category TCO and achieve cost savings while sourcing Edible Oils. What Are the Most Effective Price Strategy That a Vendor Can Adopt and What is The Forecasted Incremental Spend? It is critical to monitor current and future pricing changes in order to maximize the value of the purchase. Price forecasts can assist in purchase planning, especially when combined with constant monitoring of price-influencing factors. The market expects an incremental spend of USD 24.36 billion over the forecast period as a result of several market drivers prevalent across multiple geographies. In addition, the sourcing and procurement report discusses different cost-cutting factors by analyzing the following criteria: Identify favorable opportunities in Edible Oils TCO (total cost of ownership) Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities Download the free sample report to get detailed insights into few more pricing strategies. Which are the Key Regions for Edible Oils Market? The Edible Oils market will register an incremental spend of about USD 24.36 billion during the forecast period. However, only a few regions will drive the majority of this growth. Moreover, on the supply side, North America, Europe, and APAC will have the maximum influence owing to the supplier base. The growth is expected to be primarily driven by increasing demand and adoption of the category across those few regions. To get more information on the volume drivers that are driving the adoption of the category across regions, download our free sample report. Smart Procurement Starts Here: SpendEdge's procurement intelligence platform is the go-to tool for companies looking to access latest procurement research insights and supplier data on an easy to use platform: Subscribe now for free, to get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment. Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Spoolable Pipes Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global spoolable pipes market reached a value of US$ 1.62 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 2.1 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.10% 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 sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Spoolable pipes are flexible pipes manufactured using polymeric materials reinforced with carbon and glass fibers. They can be wound on a reel and provide ease in installation and transportation. They are commonly available in composite and reinforced thermoplastic variants. Spoolable pipes are widely used in the production of gathering lines, jumpers, subsea flowlines, directional drilling, well intervention, and injection lines. They are also used for the transportation of refined and crude petroleum fuels, such as natural gas and oil, and other fuels, including slurry, sewage, and water. These pipes maintain structural integrity under extreme temperatures and exhibit excellent resistance to corrosion, erosion, pressure, and chemicals. Spoolable pipes also possess other beneficial properties, such as high fatigue resistance, enhanced flow rates, reduced maintenance costs, and fast commissioning. Spoolable Pipes Market Trends The significant growth in the oil and gas industry across the globe is the key factor driving the market growth. Spoolable pipes are widely used for the transportation of crude oil and natural gas due to their low maintenance and installation properties. In line with this, the widespread product adoption in gas gathering lines is favoring the market growth. Moreover, various technological advancements, such as the development of complementary spoolable composite pipe technology for enhancing performance at high loads, are providing a considerable boost to the market growth. In addition to this, the increasing utilization of spoolable pipes in water distribution, mining, and water treatment on account of resistance to contamination and the minimized risks of microbial contamination is positively impacting the market growth. Apart from this, the increasing demand for fiber-reinforced spoolable pipes and the widespread product adoption for the renovation and repair of traditional piping systems are anticipated to create 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 Baker Hughes Company, FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies Inc., Future Pipe Industries, Hebei Heng An Tai Pipeline Co. Ltd, Magma Global Ltd. (TechnipFMC plc), NOV Inc., Pipelife International Gmbh (Wienerberger AG), Shawcor Ltd., Smartpipe Technologies and Strohm B.V. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global spoolable pipes market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global spoolable pipes market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the matrix type? What is the breakup of the market based on the reinforcement type? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What is the breakup of the market based on the sales 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 spoolable pipes 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 Spoolable Pipes Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Matrix Type 6.1 Thermoplastics 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Thermosets 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Reinforcement Type 7.1 Glass Fiber-Reinforced Spoolable Pipe 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Spoolable Pipe 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Steel-Reinforced Spoolable Pipe 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Others 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Onshore 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Offshore 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Downhole 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Others 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Sales Channel 9.1 Direct Sales 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Distributors 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 Baker Hughes 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 FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies Inc. 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3 Future Pipe Industries 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.4 Hebei Heng An Tai Pipeline Co. Ltd 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5 Magma Global Ltd. (TechnipFMC plc) 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.6 NOV Inc. 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 Pipelife International Gmbh (Wienerberger AG) 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.8 Shawcor Ltd. 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 Smartpipe Technologies 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.10 Strohm B.V. 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l3b8b3 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 Top mobile app development companies in the United States specializing in developing travel applications. Tweet this "Travel apps stand out as the potential winner in the market with a more linear upward performance. More players are in this business, and only the top mobile app developers succeed in bringing out the best travel apps," says GoodFirms. Top Mobile App Development Companies in the USA for Travel Agencies : OpenXcell, Cubix, Zco Corporation, Zealous System, Rocketech, Alphonic Network Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Blue Label Labs, TechGropse Pvt. Ltd., AppsChopper, Octal IT Solutions. Travel companies are improving their visibility and presence in the competitive travel industry through promising travel apps. Travel agencies can connect with the users and analyze and optimize the user's behavior, interests, needs, and expectations to better understand their customers. The growing demand for travel apps has pushed travel agencies to develop the best iOS and Android mobile apps. The travel sector owners can associate with the top iOS and Android companies with years of experience developing custom mobile apps for the travel industry that includes advanced features and security. Top iphone & iOS App Development Companies in the USA : Utility, A3logics, Classic Informatics, SPEC INDIA, Zco Corporation, Zealous System, GeekyAnts, Rocketech, NMG Technologies, 3 SIDED CUBE. GoodFirms assists the service seekers in choosing the right mobile app development company with its advanced filter options such as hourly rates, employees, location, number of reviews, ratings, company certifications, platform, and much more. GoodFirms assures that the list has been thoroughly assessed based on several qualitative and quantitative metrics. Furthermore, the listed companies are measured considering their unique work methodology, the background of each company, years of experience in the domain areas, online market penetration, client feedback, and much more. If you are running a mobile app company and wish to get listed , do not hesitate to contact GoodFirms. Gaining the top position among the best service providers will attract the attention of potential prospects, increase productivity, help you generate more sales, and earn more profit. About GoodFirms: GoodFirms is a Washington, D.C.-based research firm specializing in identifying the most prominent and efficient IT companies and software providers that can automate the tasks of various industries. GoodFirms' industry-wide research, review & rankings help service seekers leap further and multiply their industry-wide value and credibility. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE GoodFirms Kevin Hutchinson and Dan Rieber named among newest members DENVER, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Denver-based healthtech leader Eon announced today the appointment of Kevin Hutchinson and Dan Rieber to the Eon Board of Directors. Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. Rieber join current board members founder and co-CEO, Dr. Aki Alzubaidi, co-CEO Christine Spraker, and investment growth partner Ryan Anderson. Kevin Hutchinson and Dan Rieber join Eon Board of Directors "We are thrilled to welcome Kevin and Dan to Eon's Board of Directors," said Dr. Alzubaidi. "The depth of knowledge and experience that both bring to Eon will be invaluable as we work to make patients healthier and healthcare affordable. We are fortunate to add such high caliber industry leaders to help us achieve our goals." Eon, founded in 2015, uses symbolic artificial intelligence to change the outcome for patients with findings that could potentially be catastrophic. "Eon is causing a fundamental shift in the way hospitals and care teams track patients with incidental findings that usually go unfollowed," commented Mr. Hutchinson. "By combining computational linguistics with machine learning, Eon extracts highly pertinent clinical findings from unstructured text in radiology reports with extreme accuracy. I'm excited to join Eon at a time when they have demonstrated exponential customer and financial growth. With recent new funding, Eon can support and expand on that growth significantly." Mr. Rieber further commented, "Eon is a chosen vendor of UCHealth and we invested in Eon because we are excited about the possibility of what Eon's innovative technology may provide for our patients." And regarding the new board appointment, Mr. Rieber stated, "I look forward to working with the board to strengthen Eon's position and to bring my experience and expertise as the CFO of a large health system to the Eon team." About Kevin Hutchinson Best known as the Founding CEO of Surescripts, Kevin built and grew one of the nation's most trusted health intelligence sharing networks, which is now the backbone for the nation's ability to electronically prescribe medications. Kevin has served as the COO of MedicaLogic/Medscape (now Centricity), one of the first electronic medical record solutions; the CEO of Prematics, an early mobile app for providers to close gaps in care; and most recently, as the restructuring CEO of Apervita. Kevin has served on several software technology boards and held either strategic or leadership roles in seven acquisitions and four company sales transactions. Kevin was appointed by two US Presidential administrations to advise on national health IT strategies, as well as a member of the inaugural Health Information Technologies Standards federal advisory committee. Kevin holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and is currently an Executive in Residence with Abundant Venture Partners based in Chicago, IL. There, he is working with a team of industry experts to incubate a new technology company focused on reducing the nation's health inequities and improving health outcomes for patients across the U.S. About Dan Rieber Dan Rieber serves as Chief Financial Officer of UCHealth, a nationally recognized, nonprofit health care system with operating revenue of $6 billion and a workforce of more than 28,000 people. Mr. Rieber was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2018. Mr. Rieber joined UCHealth in 2007 as Director of Finance and Controller at University of Colorado Hospital. He took on the role of UCHealth Memorial CFO in 2014, overseeing finances for Memorial Hospital Central, Memorial Hospital North and outpatient clinic locations in Colorado Springs. Rieber also managed the finances for several of UCHealth's community hospitals and expansion projects. UCHealth includes 12 Colorado hospitals with over 2,000 inpatient beds and more than 150 clinic locations in Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska. UCHealth is one of the nation's strongest and most financially efficient health care systems with a consistent record of bond rating improvements. Mr. Rieber has focused on health care finance for almost two decades, and his career includes tenures at both Centura Health and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He earned a Masters of Business Administration from Regis University, a Bachelors of Business Administration from Iowa State University, and is a certified public accountant. About Eon Eon is a data science company that reduces variation in care and ensures adherence through patient capture, engagement, management, and tracking. We are on a mission to ensure the right data reaches the right people at the right time to make patients healthier and healthcare affordable. We believe together we can defy disease. Contacts: Eon Christine Spraker 303.870.4042 SOURCE Eon VANCOUVER, BC, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HPIL Holding (OTC: HPIL) announces that as of May 20, 2022 the Company reached an amicable settlement with POWER UP LENDING GROUP., LTD, ASHER ENTERPRISES, INC, GENEVA ROTH REMARK HOLDINGS, INC, HOPE CAPITAL, INC, KBM WORLDWIDE, INC, REDSTART HOLDINGS CORP, SIXTH STREET LENDING, LLC, VIS VIRES GROUP, INC, CURT KRAMER and SETH KRAMER, Pursuant to the Settlement, the Complaint filed in the United States District Court Eastern District of New York, Case Number 2:22-cv-02287 will be voluntarily dismissed. The settlement was both a cash settlement to the Company along with the cancellation of any outstanding warrants that were held by the defendants. "We feel the settlement is in the best interest of HPIL Holding and its Shareholders and will allow the company to focus on other possible settlements and its core business of moving the Company forward," stated Stephen Brown, CEO of HPIL. About HPIL Holding: HPIL is a worldwide diversified company developing projects with cutting edge technology that strongly believes in its slogan: WHERE THE HUMAN ELEMENT MEETS THE FUTURISTIC MIND. Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filing. For more information: [email protected] www.hpilholding.ca Contact: Stephen Brown CEO +1 778-819-1956 SOURCE HPIL Holding DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Flexible Pipe Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global flexible pipe market reached a value of US$ 1.15 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 1.5 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.20% 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. A flexible pipe has a composite construction of layers of various materials that enable large amplitude deflections without causing damage to the pipe. It comprises leakproof thermoplastic barriers and corrosion-resistant steel wires, which gives the pipe high-pressure resistance, flexibility, and superior dynamic behavior. It eases spooling on reels for quick transportation, reduces time and technical ease of installation, and offers seabed accommodation and capacity for reuse. As a result, it finds extensive applications in the oil and gas, chemical, power generation, and water treatment industries across the globe. Flexible Pipe Market Trends At present, there is a rise in exploration activities around the world due to the increasing demand for energy and improved metals. This, along with the growing use of non-corrosive pipes in the oil and gas industry, represents one of the key factors driving the market. Moreover, the increasing utilization of flexible pipes in horizontal drilling and lateral drilling for boring new reservoirs, is stimulating the growth of the market. In addition, technological advances in different drilling process that enable access to remote locations, unconventional formations, and deep-water regions are positively influencing the market. Besides this, the escalating demand for petroleum in the transport sector due to the rising number of passenger cars worldwide is offering lucrative growth opportunities to key market players. Additionally, as it offers high-durability and heat resistant properties, there is an increase in the employment of flexible pipes in transferring gases or hot liquids. Apart from this, the rising adoption of engineering-grade flexible materials in offshore and onshore activities due to their low weight and high tensile strength is propelling the market growth. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Baker Hughes Company, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, Continental AG, DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies Inc., General Electric Company, NOV Inc., Pipelife Nederland B.V. (Wienerberger AG), Prysmian S.p.A., Shell plc, Solvay S.A., Strohm B.V. and TechnipFMC plc Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global flexible pipe market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global flexible pipe market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the raw material? 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 flexible pipe 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 Flexible Pipe Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Raw Material 6.1 High-density Polyethylene 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Polyamide 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Polyvinylidene Fluoride 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 Application 7.1 Onshore 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Offshore 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by End Use Industry 8.1 Oil and Gas 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Water Treatment Plants 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Chemical and Petrochemicals 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Mining 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Pharmaceuticals 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 8.6 Food and Beverages 8.6.1 Market Trends 8.6.2 Market Forecast 8.7 Others 8.7.1 Market Trends 8.7.2 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 Baker Hughes Company 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.1.3 Financials 14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.2 Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Continental AG 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 DuPont de Nemours Inc. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.5 Evonik Industries AG 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5.3 Financials 14.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies Inc. 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 General Electric Company 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7.3 Financials 14.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.8 NOV Inc. 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 Pipelife Nederland B.V. (Wienerberger AG) 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 Prysmian S.p.A. 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10.3 Financials 14.3.10.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.11 Shell plc 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials 14.3.12 Solvay S.A. 14.3.12.1 Company Overview 14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.12.3 Financials 14.3.12.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.13 Strohm B.V. 14.3.13.1 Company Overview 14.3.13.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.14 TechnipFMC plc 14.3.14.1 Company Overview 14.3.14.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.14.3 Financials 14.3.14.4 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/undjo9 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 LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GreenGrowth CPAs to host inaugural Cannabis Investor Roundtable next month on Wednesday, June 15th at 12 pm pacific. The one-hour virtual event will feature 4 panelists, 3 hot topics, and 1 live Q&A session. "We have an excellent presentation planned and trust it will provide a ton of value for investors interested in dipping their toe in or diving into this booming market," said Marketing Manager Danielle Gomez. Save the Date Reminder To sign up for the event, be sure to register at the link below. Interested parties are encouraged to grab their FREE ticket ahead of time. This is a tremendous opportunity to hear how investors view the current and future conditions of the marketplace, their due diligence process, and how to structure deals to protect portfolios in a high-risk industry. "We all know cannabis is recession proof - but in this virtual event, we explore the green rush and how recession proof legal cannabis really is!" said Gomez. As a leading national cannabis accounting and advisory firm, GreenGrowth CPAs is creating a space for this discussion and bringing the top experts to the table to educate investors on this industry's dos and don'ts. This boutique firm, founded in 2016, has made it its mission to help cannabis companies identify and apply tax and business strategies to increase cash flow while ensuring they are in full compliance with all rules and regulations. They're known for their extensive knowledge base of blog articles and YouTube videos educating cannabis operators at every stage of the business cycle. Form (hsforms.com) For more information: Please contact GreenGrowthCPAs.com 10250 Constellation Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067 1-800-674-9050 [email protected] Media Contact: GreenGrowth CPAs Danielle Gomez Marketing Manager 1-800-674-9050 [email protected] SOURCE GreenGrowth CPAs LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A bill requiring oil refiners to disclose their per gallon profits month passed out of the California Senate by a vote of 22 to 4 and will now be heard in the California Assembly. SB 1322 (Allen) requires the oil refiners to disclose monthly their refining profits -- the difference between average cost they pay for a barrel crude oil and the average price they charge for the finished barrel of gasoline, minus their expenses. With 42 gallons in a barrel, we will know exactly how much oil refiners make per gallon of gas in California. As of today, Californians are paying $1.30 more gallon for their gasoline than the average US driver. Environmental costs add about 60 cents per gallon. "Consumers deserve to know how much oil refiners are making off their pain at the pump," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. "Recent quarterly profit reports suggest California oil refiners are pocketing $1 per gallon or more off the recent price spikes at the pump. That's unconscionable." The senators who voted in support were Senators Allen, Atkins, Becker, Cortese, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Gonzalez, Hueso, Kamlager, Laird, Leyva, Limon, McGuire, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Skinner, Stern, Umberg, Wieckowski, and Wiener Opposed to the disclosure were Senators Dahle, Jones, Nielsen, Wilk. Refining margins are typical industry measures. In fact, California refining margins are already published quarterly by two of California's five oil refiners so this is information that is already public. PBF publishes refining profits from its San Francisco and LA refineries, which show that it made 78 cents per gallon on the gasoline it sold in the first quarter of 2022. That's double its profits last year and significantly more than it makes in other parts of the country. Valero also publishes its margins for its West Coast refineries, which are exclusively in California. The other refiners publish Western regional margins. You can read about the refining profits reported by all California refiners in our review of the latest investor report here: https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/energy/profit-reports-show-oil-refiners-are-gouging-californians-profits-gallon-double Since prices only tipped $5 per gallon in March, significantly into the first quarter reporting period, this means that PBF likely made $1 per gallon profits on the gasoline sold in Southern California from March through May. "Requiring oil refiners to post their profits per gallon month will allow the public, regulators, and legislators to pinpoint periods of gouging and have the opportunity to respond," said Court. "When people have to choose between gas and food because pump prices are $6 per gallon there ought to be a law that no oil refiner can make $1 per gallon in profits. Oil refiners are gouging Californians because they have the leverage to do it and it's unconscionable." SOURCE Consumer Watchdog Existing Multi-Unit Franchisees See Opportune Time to Grow 25-plus Store Marco's Portfolio in New Market LUBBOCK, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Pizza, one of the nation's fastest-growing pizza brands, announces a multi-unit signed agreement that will bring six new stores to Lubbock by the end of 2023. Multi-unit expansion with existing franchisees continues to play a key role in Marco's overall growth strategy inching closer toward its goal of becoming the No. 4 brand in pizza based on systemwide sales including the brand's recent announcement of a 46-store development agreement. Franchisees Mike Rogers and Justin Tarrant, who have a 12-year history with Marco's, plan to build out the Lubbock, Texas area. They are currently Area Representatives responsible for franchise development in the Dallas-Fort Worth communities which boasts 47 stores in total, with an additional eight locations in development. Mike Rogers is also an Area Representative for the 22-store Oklahoma City market, which is looking to jumpstart similar store expansion in the coming years. Looking to expand their reach in the state of Texas, the duo sees immense opportunity in the Lubbock market, which currently does not have a Marco's presence. With vast real estate potential, a good labor market, and home to Texas Tech University, the area holds a prime opportunity for development. Rogers and Tarrant have a strong real estate background and have already secured two leases at 6006 W Fourth Street and 6415 34th Street. These first two Marco's locations are slated to open Q3 2022, another is due to open Q4 2022, and the remaining three stores will open by the end of 2023. "We knew timing was right to further grow our Marco's portfolio we both have a natural growth mentality and this, paired with the performance we've been seeing with our existing stores and the whitespace potential to scale in Lubbock, made our investment decision an easy one," said Rogers. "Over the years, we've learned to take advantage of growth potential and build while you can. Not only are we seeing strong performance in our stores, but as a brand, Marco's is experiencing record-breaking growth. If you were ever looking to invest and grow with this brand, now is that time," added Tarrant. Marco's continues to pilot new programs investing millions of dollars into technology and innovation to sustain its performance. On track to reach $1B in annual systemwide sales in 2022, eager and sophisticated entrepreneurs and multi-unit operators are flocking to the franchise opportunity, as now nearly half of Marco's franchise network is made up of multi-unit owners. "With the right team in place, we've been able to maintain aggressive growth and actualize our development goals as we expand with multi-unit franchisees like Mike and Justin who believe in our brand and growth potential," said Keith Sizemore, Vice President of Development for Marco's Pizza. "We continue to invest in and produce the best-in-class support tools to fuel and accelerate our growth strategy. With more than 200 stores in development, we're on the fast-track for explosive nationwide expansion." The brand has set an aggressive expansion goal of 1,500 units by the end of 2023 as it seeks multi-unit operators throughout the United States and internationally. Marco's experienced an 12.8% increase in year-over-year Average Unit Volume (AUV), and the Top 50% of Marco's franchised stores generated $1,198,201 AUV for 2021*. According to FRANdata, a leading research and advisory firm that analyzes the franchise market, Marco's 2021 FUND Score is in the top 1% of all evaluated franchise systems and is among the top three scores for all QSR brands. For more information on Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or call 866-731-8209. ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA Marco's Pizza is America's Most Loved and Most Trusted Pizza Brand, according to the 2019 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,000 stores in 33 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Most recently, Marco's Pizza was ranked No. 2 in the Pizza category on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2022 "Franchise 500" ranking, and No. 4 in the Fastest Growing category on Restaurant Business' 2021 "Top 10 Fastest Growing Chains" ranking. Other recent accolades include a first-time presence on Newsweek's 2022 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, ranked No. 42 on QSR's Top 50 and has been featured five consecutive years on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking. *Based on the Average Unit Volume of the top 50% of our Franchised Stores for fiscal year 2021. Based on fiscal year 2021, 146 of 389 Franchised Stores in the category (38%) met or exceeded this average. This information appears in Item 19 of our 2022 FDD please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well. SOURCE Marco's Pizza Aimed at rising glaucoma rates in U.S. military service members ALEXANDRIA, Va. and RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MellingMedical, a CVE-Verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and New World Medical, a global medical device company focused on glaucoma treatment, today announced an agreement that will help address a rise in glaucoma diagnoses among military service members. "It is an honor to work with a company whose product line is exceeded in quality only by their history of helping others," said Chris Melling, founder and CEO of MellingMedical. "Teaming up with a company that has pursued excellence in technology while caring for the world's disadvantaged is a reflection of the best in medicine." This partnership will provide better access to New World Medical's products to veterans suffering from glaucoma. Tweet this The agreement is a natural outgrowth of a shared commitment to delivering best-in-class ophthalmic products and supplies. MellingMedical serves federal health facilities through its Medical Equipment and Surgical Federal Supply Schedule and New World Medical offers an array of devices and implants related to the treatment of glaucoma. "As our company continues to grow we are constantly looking for opportunities to expand our reach and ultimately serve more patients. MellingMedical has established a strong presence and reputation within the field of ophthalmology serving government facilities. This partnership will allow us to provide better access to our world class portfolio of Glaucoma products to these veterans suffering from Glaucoma," said Raymond Kong, Chief Commercial Officer at New World Medical. About MellingMedical MellingMedical, a CVE-Verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), holds a Medical Equipment and Surgical Federal Supply Schedule (Med/Surg), as well as a Pharmaceutical Schedule, and currently serves more than 165 VA Medical Centers and 300 VA Outpatient clinics, all seven (7) VA CMOPs, 95 DoD Medical Facilities and Health and Human Services (HHS), including Indian Health Services (IHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). MellingMedical provides access to innovative and cost-effective healthcare solutions in ophthalmology, optometry. To learn more, visit MellingMedical.com. About New World Medical New World Medical was founded by Dr. A. Mateen Ahmed, who was determined to develop, manufacture, and market cutting-edge medical devices to alleviate ophthalmic ailments globally. New World Medical's mission is to preserve and enhance vision by delivering innovations to benefit humanity and achieves this through partnerships with surgeons and eye care professionals who are dedicated to alleviating the burden of blindness around the globe. The company's product portfolio includes its flagship devices, the market-leading glaucoma drainage device, the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve; the newest valveless glaucoma drainage device, the Ahmed ClearPath, the Kahook Dual Blade and KDB GLIDE, which are used for goniotomy procedures to excise trabecular meshwork via an ab interno approach; and now the newest member of their innovative portfolio, the STREAMLINE Surgical System. To learn more about the unique mission of New World Medical or their innovative product line, please visit https://www.newworldmedical.com SOURCE MellingMedical WASHINGTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has awarded a sole-source contract to the National Academy of Science of Washington to conduct studies on questions of national importance within the domain of NASA science and technology programs relating to space science, Earth science, and biological and physical science in space. The Strategic Advice Supporting NASA Science and Technology Programs in Space Science, Earth Science, Biological and Physical Science in Space (SASNSTP) contract is a cost reimbursement, no-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with a maximum ordering value of $32 million. The five-year period of performance begins June 1. With this contract, NASA can obtain access to an independent, authoritative forum for information, dialogue and advice on all aspects of space science and applications, and serve as the focal point within the academies for activities on space research. The scope includes scientific, technical, and programmatic aspects of investigations to include decadal surveys. The work will be performed at the contractor's facility in Washington. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov SOURCE NASA The analysis begins with an exploration of the inadequacies of traditional risk parity benchmarking and proceeds to look at two alternative benchmarking methodologies based on extracting information directly from manager return data. The analysis shows there is no solid evidence of alpha for the cohort of managers examined with both approaches. In fact, the average manager under-performs the empirically estimated benchmarks, even after adjusting for the impact of manager fees. According to David G. Eichhorn, CFA, NISA's CEO and Head of Investment Strategies: "Risk parity, as a strategy, has helped many investors achieve higher risk adjusted returns in no small part because of the adoption of leverage. But it is important not to confuse this outcome with manager skill/alpha." "Our results indicate that investors would have done as well or better by holding the quintessential risk parity asset classes in proportions similar to that of the average risk parity manager's holdings." "Because these weights can be readily ascertained from manager time series either statically or dynamically, we believe that a passive approach exists that investors can utilize to seek better risk-adjusted performance and undoubtedly lower manager fees." To view previous NISA Perspectives posts, please visit our website by clicking here. About NISA Investment Advisors, LLC NISA Investment Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser, and manages assets for some of the largest institutional investors in the U.S. The firm is 100% employee-owned and based in St. Louis, Missouri. Client portfolios include investment-grade fixed income, derivative overlay and equity investments. As of March 31, 2022, NISA managed $306 billion in physical assets and $178 billion in derivative notional value in separate account overlay portfolios. In December of 2021, NISA was named a Best Place to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments, based upon anonymous surveys of employees by the publication1. As a thought leader, NISA is known for its Pension Surplus Risk Index (PSRX), a forward-looking estimate of the funded status volatility of U.S. corporate defined benefit plans, published monthly. In March of 2022, NISA was named a Greenwich Quality Leader for U.S. Institutional Investment Management Services for the eighth straight year, based upon client interviews by a third party.2 For more information, visit www.nisa.com and see us on LinkedIn. Source: 2021 Rankings announced by Pensions & Investments on December 13 , 2021. Pensions & Investments worked with Best Companies Group to conduct a two-step process for ranking participating firms from June, 2021 through August, 2021. No compensation was paid by NISA in connection with obtaining or using this ranking. NISA was one of 34 recipients in 2021 for the 100-499 Employee category. To participate, a firm had to have at least 20 employees in the U.S., have at least $100 million of discretionary, institutional assets under management or advisement and be in business for at least one year. Participating firms completed a questionnaire on firm's policies, practice, benefits and demographics. Additionally, employees at participating firms were emailed an engagement and satisfaction survey. Visit pionline.com for more details, including past rankings and methodology. Source: 2021 Rankings announced by Coalition Greenwich on March 2, 2022 . Between July and October 2021 , Coalition Greenwich conducted interviews with 811 individuals from 661 of the largest tax-exempt funds in the United States . These U.S.-based institutional investors are corporate and union funds, public funds, and endowment and foundation funds, with either pension or investment pool assets greater than $150 million . Thought piece participants were asked to provide quantitative and qualitative evaluations of their asset management and investment consulting providers, including qualitative assessments of those firms soliciting their business and detailed information on important market trends. No compensation was paid by NISA in connection with obtaining or using this ranking. NISA was one of four 2021 recipients. Rankings do not represent any one client's experience because they reflect an average of experiences of clients who chose to participate. Visit www.greenwich.com for more details, including past rankings and methodology. All investments entail risk including loss of principal; derivatives investments could lose more than the amount invested. Contact: Michael Herley for NISA Investment Advisors, LLC [email protected] or 203-308-1409 SOURCE NISA Investment Advisors, LLC In addition to a versatile lineup of single-family homes, Eastwood at Sonterra boasts abundant community amenities, including a swimming pool, clubhouse and trails, along with future planned amenities. An attractive location with small-town charm offers additional appeal, along with easy access to shopping, dining and more in nearby Georgetown. Learn more at www.CenturyCommunities.com/Eastwood. "We're thrilled to invite homebuyers out to tour our newest model homes at this exceptional planned community," said Brian Bekker, Austin Division President. "We're also excited to offer additional homes for purchase at Eastwood at Sonterra, providing homebuyers with a greater range of opportunities in a fast-moving market." ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS: 220 new homes Single- and two-story floor plans 3 to 5 bedrooms, 2 to 3.5 baths, up to 2,399 square feet 2-bay garages 42" kitchen cabinets, the Century Home Connect smart home package, appliances, and more included Quick access to I-35 and Highway 130 Community address: 483 Josey Wales Drive, Jarrell, TX 76537 For more information, call 512.884.5788. DISCOVER THE FREEDOM OF ONLINE HOMEBUYING: Century Communities is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in the greater Austin area. How it works: Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com Click "Buy Now" on any available home Fill out a quick Buy Online form Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying. About Century Communities Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is a top 10 national homebuilder, offering new homes under the Century Communities and Century Complete brands. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Colorado-based company operates in 17 states and over 45 markets across the U.S., and also offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loans subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com. SOURCE Century Communities, Inc. NAIROBI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Uganda will begin to conduct joint marketing efforts to attract foreign tourists, officials said on Monday. Fred Kaigua, CEO of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators said in Nairobi, Kenya's capital that the partnership by the Kenya and Uganda tourism stakeholders will help the sector recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our tourism sectors have a symbiotic relationship because we have diverse attractions that will boost overall foreign arrivals into the region," Kaigua said during the launch of a roadshow by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) to reposition Uganda as a leading tourism destination in Africa. Kaigua noted that the two east African nations are already leading source markets for each other's tourism sectors. Claire Mugabi, marketing manager, UTB said that the growth of the tourism sector in Kenya will also have a positive effect on Uganda's travel sector due to their close proximity. "Foreign tourists who come to Kenya and then proceed to Uganda will have a better overall travel experience through experiencing Africa's rich cultural heritage," she added. Mugabi noted that Kenya's developed travel trade sector, coupled with its connectivity to the rest of the world, could attract more tourists to Uganda from Kenya. Fred Odek, chair of Kenya Association of Tour Operators said that Uganda will benefit significantly by partnering with Kenya owing to its geographical proximity and long history of good relations with Kenya. Evans Aryabaha, Uganda's deputy high commissioner to Kenya, hailed the tourism industry as a powerful catalyst that will enhance the bilateral and cultural relations between the two countries. DES MOINES, Iowa, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenLoop, a leader in whitelabel telehealth support services powering virtual care across the country, has officially exceeded 90% coverage by nationwide insurance payers with OpenLoop's network of credentialed clinicians. This further promotes client success by expanding access to in-network patient coverage through OpenLoop's NCQA certified network of top quality providers. "OpenLoop's in-network clinicians can now serve patients covered by over 600 payers including Medicare, Medicaid and every major private insurer. In addition to being able to offer our clients clinical services in all 50 states, our Revenue Cycle Management service allows providers even more space to focus on delivering impactful care seamlessly," said Jon Lensing, Co-founder and CEO of OpenLoop. OpenLoop continues to set itself apart from other players in the industry through the level of quality, compliance, flexibility, and care they dedicate to each of their five core offerings. OpenLoop's expert services save their clients the years of work and resources required to assemble and curate such an expansive roster of covered clinicians. This in turn gives partner companies the opportunity to prioritize expanding patient access to life changing care. "The OpenLoop team is committed to supporting and providing resources that will launch our clients forward, faster. This milestone of achieving over 90% insurance coverage is years in the making, and goes back to our founding vision of making healing anywhere an affordable reality," said Christian Williams, Co-founder and COO of OpenLoop. "It's exciting to see the results of our team's challenging work in building a solution that offers this level of coverage." OpenLoop is committed to continuing to raise the bar on telehealth delivery for the digital health clients they serve by offering a full clinical stack of virtual care support services including Regulatory & Legal, Provider Staffing, Whitelabel Technology, Practice Management, and Revenue Cycle Management. The company looks forward to the opportunities its nationwide in-network coverage will continue to bring to clients and patients. About OpenLoop OpenLoop was co-founded by CEO, Dr. Jon Lensing, and COO, Christian Williams, with the vision to bring healing anywhere. Their solutions are thoughtfully designed to streamline and simplify go-to-market care delivery for companies offering virtual support to patients across an expansive array of specialties in all 50 states, with in-network insurance coverage. OpenLoop's deep investment in compliant, easy-to-use telehealth technology and top-tier providers is what sets them apart in the industry. For more information on OpenLoop, visit OpenLoopHealth.com. Jess Greiner OpenLoop Health [email protected] 319-316-3085 SOURCE OpenLoop The Amistad Project: ruling sets key precedent for election oversight AMHERST, Va., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Litigation supported by The Amistad Project won a significant ruling by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upholding the right of Pennsylvania counties to exercise the authority granted to them by the state legislature to inspect electronic voting equipment. The court sided with a brief filed by The Amistad Project on behalf of Fulton County, Pennsylvania. "The court not only overturned the Secretary of the Commonwealth's unlawful decertification of Fulton County's voting machines, but also affirmed that the Secretary cannot prevent counties from exercising their statutory authority to inspect voting machines as part of their duty to ensure 'safe and honest conduct of elections,'" explained Phill Kline, director of The Amistad Project. The case began after Fulton County conducted an inspection of one of its two Dominion voting machines to determine whether they functioned properly during the 2020 election. The Secretary of the Commonwealth then issued an order retroactively banning the practice, while also decertifying both of the county's voting machines and denying the county state funding to replace them. "The Secretary's actions were clearly intended as political retribution against Fulton County, and to intimidate other counties from cooperating with the state legislature's investigation into irregularities in the management of the 2020 election," Kline said. "This ruling affirms what the U.S. Constitution says, which is that the state legislature has authority over federal elections, and has the right to take appropriate measures to ensure that elections are conducted lawfully in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." Reference: No. 277 M.D. 2021 SOURCE Amistad Project Technology Will Enable Safe And Efficacious Delivery Of Pancryos' Stem Cell Derived Therapy For Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pancryos today announced that it has executed a global exclusive license with Brigham and Women's Hospital for the first in class convection-enhanced macroencapsulation device (ceMED), developed in conjunction with the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), which will be the delivery mechanism for the Company's stem cell derived, natural insulin production therapy, PanINSULATM, for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. Developed by a team of researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital led by principal investigator Jeff Karp, PhD, in collaboration with colleagues at Harvard University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, ceMED is designed to improve cell loading capacity, while increasing cell survival, glucose sensitivity and timely insulin secretion. In preclinical models, the ceMED enhanced the survival and insulin secretion of cells and began to decrease blood glucose level as early as two days post-transplantation. Primary funding and support were provided by JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization. "There are significant advantages of ceMED over existing diffusion-based devices including improved cell survival, reduced fibrous encapsulation that can compromise functionality over time, and quicker on and off rates for insulin secretion," said Jeff Karp, PhD , principal investigator and Distinguished Chair in Clinical Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Principal Faculty at HSCI. "The Pancryos team is excited to be taking this critical next step towards advancing the promise of our innovation and technology," said Jacqueline Ameri, Co-Founder and CEO. "The ceMED device solves a critical delivery challenge for stem cell therapies and brings us closer to delivering a cure for the millions who suffer from Type 1 Diabetes." Type 1 Diabetes affects more than 50 million worldwide these patients have a lifelong reliance on insulin injections to stay alive. There is no known cure for this disease where the immune system destroys the insulin producing beta cells. "Great progress has been made advancing stem cell derived treatments for diabetes, now the challenge is how best to deliver the cells," said Brock Reeve, Executive Director, HSCI. "With ceMED we are one step closer to achieving the goal of protecting the implanted cells to enhance survival and function post transplantation." "The early results obtained with the ceMED device indicate that this unique design may overcome the mass transport limitations encountered with traditional macroencapsulation devices and could enable delivery of larger doses of cells without compromising their viability or function," said Jaime Giraldo, Associate Director, Research at JDRF International. "We look forward to seeing this technology progresses into clinical studies over the coming years." "Our goal is to offer all patients with type 1 diabetes a safe and sustainable source of enriched immune-protected functional stem cell-derived beta cells. This exclusive license puts Pancryos in a unique position to deliver our high-quality beta cells with the innovative ceMED device that will protect the cells from immune-attack. This is a very exciting development for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes and the millions who suffer without a cure," said Henrik Semb, PhD, Co-Founder of Pancryos. Contact: Jacqueline Ameri, [email protected], +46 70 415 17 46 About PanCryos PanCryos ApS is a Danish pre-clinical stage biotech company developing a best-in-class stem cell based allogeneic beta cell therapy - PanINSULA to treat millions of patients suffering from insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes. PanINSULA will replace the damaged cells in patients and provide the same glucose control as the pancreatic islet: sensing changes in blood glucose and producing insulin naturally, thus removing the need for outside intervention. Pancryos was spun out from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology at the University of Copenhagen. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/21635/3573288/1583884.pdf Press release (PDF) SOURCE PanCryos ApS New, Innovative RF and Microwave Products to Be Showcased IRVINE, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pasternack, an Infinite Electronics brand and a leading provider of RF, microwave, and millimeter wave products, announced today it will exhibit at the annual IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2022) June 19-24 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Pasternack will showcase its new lines of innovative products including: Waveguide rotary joints Waveguide pressure windows Waveguide frequency multipliers Temperature compensated amplifiers Waveguide failsafe electromechanical relay switches Low-PIM 5G indoor and outdoor antennas Waveguide gain horn antennas 1.85 mm connectors and adapters NMD and low-PIM connectors and much more. Pasternack's engineers and product management team will be available in booth #9014 to answer questions about the company's products and services and to discuss what customers require to help them accomplish their RF/microwave applications. At the booth, attendees will be able to experience the innovative Pasternack Cable Creator, which allows customers to quickly design and order over 250,000 possible cable assembly configurations, all from an easy-to-use online interface. This state-of-the-art, web-based tool provides instant pricing, detailed datasheets and online ordering with same-day shipping for any cable assembly built from an inventory of 1,300 connectors and 120 cable types. Booth attendees will also have access to the company's latest product literature covering the industry's largest offerings of in-stock PIN diode and electromechanical switches, amplifiers, antennas, 60 GHz products, mixers, multipliers, dividers, oscillators, synthesizers and waveguide components. "Exhibiting at IMS has always been an exciting time of year for our company, as it allows us to meet face-to-face with customers to learn more about the products and solutions they are using to address the latest developments in RF and Microwave technologies," said Peter Winkle, VP of Brand Marketing at Pasternack. "IMS is also a great gathering place for us to show attendees the next wave of innovative products we plan to release over the next year." To learn more about Pasternack and its trade show participation at IMS 2022, please view this link. For inquiries, contact Pasternack at +1-949-261-1920. About Pasternack: A leader in RF products since 1972, Pasternack is an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer and supplier offering the industry's largest selection of active and passive RF, microwave and millimeter wave products available for same-day shipping. Pasternack is an Infinite Electronics brand. About Infinite Electronics: Based in Irvine, Calif., Infinite Electronics is a global electronics supplier, offering a broad range of components, assemblies and wired/wireless connectivity solutions serving the aerospace/defense, industrial, government, consumer electronics, instrumentation, medical and telecommunications markets. Infinite's brands include Pasternack, Fairview Microwave, L-com, MilesTek, ShowMeCables, NavePoint, INC Installs, Integra Optics, PolyPhaser, Transtector, KP Performance Antennas, RadioWaves and Aiconics. Infinite Electronics serves its customer base with deep technical expertise and support, with one of the broadest inventories of products available for immediate shipment, fulfilling unplanned demand for engineers and technical buyers. Infinite Electronics is a Warburg Pincus portfolio company. Press Contact: Peter McNeil Pasternack 17792 Fitch Irvine, CA 92614 (978) 682-6936 SOURCE Pasternack Rising demand for efficient, precise, highly sensitive & specific rapid influenza diagnostic tests will spur business potential. The adoption rate of innovative rapid influenza diagnostic tests is rising at a significant pace owing to several benefits such as easy to perform, requiring minimal training, clear & simple illustration, and can be run immediately as needed. The surging prevalence of influenza and associated complications are expected to augment the demand for advanced rapid influenza diagnostic tests across the globe. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/4329 Rapid influenza diagnostic tests market from research laboratories segment was valued at more than USD 214 million in 2021. This is attributable to the growing adoption of rapid influenza diagnostic tests in research laboratories and increasing research volume. The rapid influenza diagnostic tests play an anchoring role in research laboratories owing to aid in screening a specific population for the evidence of influenza and confirming a tentative diagnosis in an individual patient. These tests are used in a host of critical tasks in research laboratories comprising the discovery & development of influenza antiviral drugs. The significant contribution of influenza research activities at these facilities is further set to surge the product acceptance rate. Some major findings of the rapid influenza diagnostic tests market report include: Growing prevalence of influenza and related co-morbidities is likely to drive the adoption of rapid influenza diagnostic tests. Increasing awareness regarding rapid influenza diagnostic tests will propel the market revenue. Competitors are focusing on strategic product launches, partnerships, and geographical expansion to gain significant revenue share and cater to larger customer base. Browse key industry insights spread across 80 pages with 69 market data tables & 12 figures & charts from the report, "Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests Market Analysis By End-use (Hospitals, Diagnostics Centers, Research Laboratories), Industry Analysis Report, Regional, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2022 2030" in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/rapid-influenza-diagnostic-tests-ridt-market China rapid influenza diagnostic tests market held a revenue share of around 32% in 2021 and is expected to reach around USD 160 million by 2030. This is owing to the rising prevalence of influenza, increasing awareness pertaining to precise influenza diagnosis, rapidly aging population. The elderly population is associated with an increasing target disease burden, due to high susceptibility to respiratory diseases comprising influenza that require precise diagnosis & treatment. The high-unmet needs related to influenza coupled with constantly improving healthcare services in the country are some of the prime variables propelling the market growth. Some of the major players operating in the RIDT industry are Quidel Corporation, Abbott, DiaSorin SpA, Thermo Fischer Scientific Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Meridian Bioscience Inc., and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. These players are involved in adopting several strategic initiatives such as vertical integration, market diversification, and product launches to expand their product portfolio and market presence. Request for customization of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/roc/4329 About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Global Market Insights Inc. DENVER, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Mountain Industrials, Inc. (RMI), Colorado's next generation infrastructure company, announced today that it has closed a $23,000,000 commercial bank financing for the continued construction of its 620-acre Rocky Mountain Rail Park located in Adams County. The closing of this commercial transaction, coupled with the tax-exempt municipal bond raise of $65,209,784 in 2021, solidifies RMI's ability to activate large land parcels with heavy industrial zoning and direct availability to high-capacity rail access in the eastern Denver Metro market. "This commercial bank financing continues our accelerated development of the project. Our rail-based infrastructure solution in Denver and the Rocky Mountain Region is progressing rapidly," said Brian Fallin, CEO of RMI. "We are pleased to start infrastructure and rail construction on the northern parcels." RMI began construction on the properties south parcel in March 2021 and continues a phased construction approach to the rail-served northern parcels. Both rail and non-rail served sites are available for sale or lease throughout construction in 2022. About RMI Rocky Mountain Industrials Inc. is a materials infrastructure and distribution organization strategically positioned to serve the Mountain West. Media Contact: The Rose Group [email protected] SOURCE Rocky Mountain Industrials Inc. Top-Notch Well Drinks by and for the People Who Sell Them, Pour Them & Drink Them NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Misguided Spirits is a collection of lifelong industry veterans and creative soulsmisguided or otherwiseworking together to provide a more equitable approach to the service industry, while providing a locally-owned alternative to global spirits companies. Focusing on well drinks the staples of all bars Misguided Spirits combines an owner-operated sales team and gypsy distilling to create a nontraditional approach that prioritizes their customers and putting the finest bottles in their well. Created first and foremost for bartenders, Misguided Spirits offers five high-quality well spirits that do right by the people who sell them as well as by the folks who pour and drink them. As an employee-owned company, half the profits from every case of Misguided Spirits' Hinky Dink's Workingman's Whiskey (SRP $29.99), Howe & Hummel's Crooked Vodka (SRP $19.99), Bathhouse John's Well-Dressed Gin (SRP $24.99), Black Dove's Sacred Heart Tequila (SRP $29.99), and Caribbean Queen's Red Sky Rum (SRP $29.99) goes to the rep who works on that account, in the form of his or her take-home pay. And every case sold by a rep counts toward an ownership share in the company itself. But Misguided Spirits is not just committed to supporting their employees, they are committed to the betterment of the service industry in general. Since the early days of the pandemicwhich also happened to be the early days of their businessthey have been involved with Save NYC Bars and other local programs helping to support each other through what continues to be difficult times for many. That commitment is also why each Misguided Spirits route is repped by someone who lives in the neighborhood and has a direct connection to the local community. "We are committed to our customers because they also serve as our own beloved local hangouts, without which we would be lost," says James Zinkand, company founder, and a working Misguided Spirits rep himself. "Supporting people who live in your neighborhood means you have a vested interest in the success of those local businesses and the people who run them. So, our customers know too, when they buy from us, they are investing in us and our ability to service them." While their spirits may be somewhat misguided by the characters that grace their labels, Misguided Spirits is every bit committed to providing both owners and patrons fairness, transparency, and a good stiff drink they can depend on. Misguided Spirits are available through Union Beer Distributors in New York State and the New York City Metropolitan Area. They are also available for purchase on Drizly.com and the Misguided Spirits website: www.Misguided-Spirits.com. SOURCE Misguided Spirits Stellantis N.V. and Samsung SDI today announced that they have executed binding, definitive agreements to establish an electric-vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana. Targeted to start in 2025, the plant aims to have an initial annual production capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours (GWh), with an aim to increase to 33 GWh in the next few years. The total capacity would increase further as demand for Stellantis electric vehicles is expected to rise. The joint venture company will invest more than $2.5 billion (2.3 billion) and create 1,400 new jobs in Kokomo and the surrounding areas. The investment could gradually increase up to $3.1 billion (2.9 billion). The new facility will supply battery modules for a range of vehicles produced at Stellantis' North America assembly plants. Plant construction activities are scheduled to begin later this year with production operations planned to launch in the first quarter of 2025. "Just under one year ago, we committed to an aggressive electrification strategy anchored by five gigafactories between Europe and North America," said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. "Today's announcement further solidifies our global battery production footprint and demonstrates Stellantis' drive toward a decarbonized future as outlined in Dare Forward 2030. I am grateful to Governor Holcomb and Secretary Chambers along with Mayor Moore and their teams, as well as to all my colleagues for their support and dedication to bring this operation to Kokomo, a city that holds a rich and long history for our company." "We express our gratitude toward officials from the state of Indiana and Stellantis for supporting the final selection of the plant site in Indiana," said Yoon-Ho Choi, chief executive officer of Samsung SDI. "We have secured a solid foothold in a rapidly growing North America EV market through the joint venture with Stellantis. We will make sincere efforts to bring satisfaction to the market with top-class quality products in the future, and we will contribute toward meeting the climate change target." "It's another incredibly exciting day to be back in Kokomo celebrating such a transformational investment from Stellantis and our new partners at Samsung," said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. "Today's announcement is another step toward positioning Indiana as a leader in the future of mobility, battery technology and clean energy." "Our goals for the growth of Indiana's economy are ambitious," said Brad Chambers, secretary of commerce for Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). "This significant venture with Stellantis and Samsung SDI is squarely in line with our 5E focus on the energy transition and building an economy of the future. Large-scale investments like this are a testament to Indiana's business-friendly climate, its strong workforce, a growing population and our continued investment in quality of life. The economic growth and momentum in our state this year is unprecedented." "We would like to thank our partner, Stellantis, for its continued investment, support and faith in this community for over 85 years," said Tyler Moore, mayor of Kokomo. "We would also like to thank Samsung SDI for its confidence in us and look forward to working together for the decades to come. This multibillion-dollar investment will help solidify Kokomo as a global leader in automotive manufacturing." At the Indiana factory, Samsung SDI will be apply its cutting-edge technology PRiMX to produce EV battery cells and modules for the North America market. Last year, Samsung launched its premium battery technology brand PRiMX as an industry first and unveiled the brand at CES 2022 in January. As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced plans to have global annual battery-electric vehicle sales of 5 million vehicles by 2030, reaching 100% of passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in North America. Stellantis also increased planned battery capacity by 140 GWh to approximately 400 GWh, to be supported by five battery manufacturing plants together with additional supply contracts. This announcement is part of the long-term electrification strategy to invest $35 billion USD (30 billion) through 2025 in electrification and software globally. The closing is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Stellantis Stellantis N.V. (NYSE / MTA / Euronext Paris: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider. Its storied and iconic brands embody the passion of their visionary founders and today's customers in their innovative products and services, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Powered by our diversity, we lead the way the world moves aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com. Samsung SDI Samsung SDI is a manufacturer of rechargeable batteries for the IT industry, automobiles and energy storage systems (ESS), as well as cutting-edge materials used to produce semiconductors and displays. Our executive managers and staff members focus efforts to develop the next generation's growth drivers in order to secure Samsung SDI's place as a creative leader in the energy and cutting-edge materials industry. IEDC The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is charged with growing the state economy, driving economic development, and helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Led by Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers, @SecChambersIN, and governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, @GovHolcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit iedc.in.gov. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains forward-looking statements. In particular, statements regarding future events and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, future financial and operating results, the anticipated closing date for the proposed transaction and other anticipated aspects of our operations or operating results are forward-looking statements. These statements may include terms such as "may", "will", "expect", "could", "should", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "remain", "on track", "design", "target", "objective", "goal", "forecast", "projection", "outlook", "prospects", "plan", or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Rather, they are based on Stellantis' current state of knowledge, future expectations and projections about future events and are by their nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. They relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur or exist in the future and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on them. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of Stellantis to launch new products successfully and to maintain vehicle shipment volumes; changes in the global financial markets, general economic environment and changes in demand for automotive products, which is subject to cyclicality; changes in local economic and political conditions, changes in trade policy and the imposition of global and regional tariffs or tariffs targeted to the automotive industry, the enactment of tax reforms or other changes in tax laws and regulations; Stellantis' ability to expand certain of their brands globally; its ability to offer innovative, attractive products; its ability to develop, manufacture and sell vehicles with advanced features including enhanced electrification, connectivity and autonomous-driving characteristics; various types of claims, lawsuits, governmental investigations and other contingencies, including product liability and warranty claims and environmental claims, investigations and lawsuits; material operating expenditures in relation to compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations; the intense level of competition in the automotive industry, which may increase due to consolidation; exposure to shortfalls in the funding of Stellantis' defined benefit pension plans; the ability to provide or arrange for access to adequate financing for dealers and retail customers and associated risks related to the establishment and operations of financial services companies; the ability to access funding to execute Stellantis' business plans and improve its businesses, financial condition and results of operations; a significant malfunction, disruption or security breach compromising information technology systems or the electronic control systems contained in Stellantis' vehicles; Stellantis' ability to realize anticipated benefits from joint venture arrangements; disruptions arising from political, social and economic instability; risks associated with our relationships with employees, dealers and suppliers; increases in costs, disruptions of supply or shortages of raw materials, parts, components and systems used in Stellantis' vehicles; developments in labor and industrial relations and developments in applicable labor laws; exchange rate fluctuations, interest rate changes, credit risk and other market risks; political and civil unrest; earthquakes or other disasters; and other risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements contained in this communication speak only as of the date of this document and Stellantis disclaims any obligation to update or revise publicly forward-looking statements. Further information concerning Stellantis and its businesses, including factors that could materially affect Stellantis' financial results, is included in Stellantis' reports and filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and AFM. SOURCE Stellantis Cision's 2022 State of the Media Report outlines need for effective and efficient relationships between media and public relations A vast majority of journalists (91%) say only about half the pitches they receive are relevant CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- While access to high-quality journalism and credible reporting have never been more prevalent, the media's role has never been more challenging as they face mounting pressure to increase output, produce compelling content that stands out in a 24-hour news cycle, and drive engagement. Cision's asked more than 3,800 journalists about the biggest challenges they face, among other data. Cision's 2022 Global State of the Media Report Cision , a comprehensive communications platform helping public relations and marketing professionals around the world understand, influence and amplify their stories, released its annual State of the Media report with responses from more than 3,800 journalists from 17 global markets to understand key challenges faced in a marketplace that is rapidly evolving, and how public relations can support first-rate and trustworthy reporting. According to the report, journalists' biggest challenge is maintaining credibility as a trusted news source (32%) and combating accusations of "fake news." A close second, journalists cite the impact that smaller staffs and fewer resources are having on their workloads. In fact, three in ten journalists (29%) are filing 10 or more stories per week. "It's no longer a journalist's job to just deliver the news, and that opens the door for professional communicators to successfully partner with the media to ensure stories are being told in a fast, effective and relevant manner," said Nicole Guillot, Cision COO and President of PR Newswire. What Journalists Want from PR Pros: When it comes to the sources journalists find most useful for generating stories or story ideas, more than a third of journalists (37%) cited press releases, making it the top answer. More than three quarters (76%) want to receive press releases from brands and PR pros over any other type of content. Trends and market data rank second (63%) and nearly half (49%) want event invitations. "Press releases still reign supreme and are the preferred method of delivering news to the media in a legitimate, thoughtful and urgent way," said Guillot. In order to create stronger relationships with reporters, PR pros must be aware of the following: Accurate and sourced information : Nearly two-thirds (60%) find it inexcusable to provide anything less, given the heightened criticism for credibility and audience trust. : Nearly two-thirds (60%) find it inexcusable to provide anything less, given the heightened criticism for credibility and audience trust. Stay on deadline : If they don't feel like PR pros are respecting their time, a significant number of journalists (22%) say they won't make time for those PR pros. : If they don't feel like PR pros are respecting their time, a significant number of journalists (22%) say they won't make time for those PR pros. Stop the spam : The vast majority of journalists (74%) won't tolerate "being spammed with irrelevant pitches," which is all the more reason to make sure pitches are targeting the right media. In fact, only 9% of journalists say the majority of the pitches they receive are relevant. : The vast majority of journalists (74%) won't tolerate "being spammed with irrelevant pitches," which is all the more reason to make sure pitches are targeting the right media. In fact, only 9% of journalists say the majority of the pitches they receive are relevant. Include multimedia: images, videos and infographics: 22% of journalists say publicists can make their jobs easier by providing such content in their pitches and press releases. More than half (54%) say they are more likely to cover a story if the pitch includes multimedia up front. "When it comes to the relationship between communications industry professionals and journalists, it's all about easing the burden for the media," said Guillot. "It starts with knowing the right journalists to speak to, building a partnership based on trust, and understanding the audience you are both trying to reach together." Download the 2022 State of the Media report at https://cision.link/2022-sotm Report Methodology Cision conducted its 2022 State of the Media survey throughout January and February 2022. Surveys were emailed to Cision Media Database members, who are vetted by the company's media research team to verify their positions as media professionals, influencers and bloggers. We also surveyed members of our HARO (Help a Reporter Out) database and made the survey available to media professionals in the PR Newswire for Journalists database. This year's survey collected responses from 3,890 respondents in 17 markets across the globe: U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Portugal, China, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The survey language was translated and localized for each market and then the results were tallied together to form this global report. About Cision Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including PR Newswire, MultiVu, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.com and follow @Cision on Twitter. Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Cision Public Relations [email protected] SOURCE Cision Ltd. Earnings Call Scheduled for 7:30 a.m. ET on May 31, 2022 BEIJING, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunlands Technology Group (NYSE: STG) ("Sunlands" or the "Company"), a leader in China's online post-secondary and professional education, today announced that it will report its first quarter 2022 unaudited financial results on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, before the open of U.S. markets. Sunlands' management team will host a conference call at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time, (7:30 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time) on May 31, 2022, following the quarterly results announcement. Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: International: +1-412-902-4272 US toll free: +1-888-346-8982 Mainland China toll free: 400-120-1203 Hong Kong local-toll: +852-3018-4992 Hong Kong toll free: 800-905-945 Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. When prompted, ask to be connected to the call for "Sunlands Technology Group". Participants will be required to state their name and company upon entering the call. A live webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Sunlands' website at http://www.sunlands.investorroom.com/. A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live call until June 07, 2022, by dialing the following telephone numbers: International: +1-412-317-0088 US Toll Free: +1-877-344-7529 Replay Access Code: 7410658 About Sunlands Sunlands Technology Group (NYSE: STG) ("Sunlands" or the "Company"), formerly known as Sunlands Online Education Group, is the leader in China's online post-secondary and professional education. With a one to many, live streaming platform, Sunlands offers various degree and diploma-oriented post-secondary courses as well as online professional courses and educational content, to help students prepare for professional certification exams and attain professional skills. Students can access its services either through PC or mobile applications. The Company's online platform cultivates a personalized, interactive learning environment by featuring a virtual learning community and a vast library of educational content offerings that adapt to the learning habits of its students. Sunlands offers a unique approach to education research and development that organizes subject content into Learning Outcome Trees, the Company's proprietary knowledge management system. Sunlands has a deep understanding of the educational needs of its prospective students and offers solutions that help them achieve their goals. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: Sunlands Technology Group Investor Relations Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Phone: +1 (212) 481-2050 Email: [email protected] Yang Song Phone: +86-10-6508-0677 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Sunlands Technology Group Global workforce divided as skilled workers assert their power One in five say they are likely to switch to a new employer in the next 12 months More than a third plan to ask for a raise, but finding fulfilment at work is just as important Skilled employees most likely to ask for promotions and pay raises and to feel listened to by their manager, while those lacking skills lack power in the workplace By a margin of more than 30 points, respondents felt discussing social issues at work has had positive rather than negative impacts on them But, only 30% state their companies provide support to work effectively with people who share different views LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Great Resignation will continue apace in the year ahead as one in five workers say they are likely to switch to a new employer in the next 12 months. That was a key finding from PwC's Global Workforce Hopes and Fears survey of 52,195 workers in 44 countries and territories - one of the largest ever surveys of the global workforce. The survey finds that 35% are planning to ask their employer for more money in the next 12 months. Pressure on pay is highest in the tech sector where 44% of workers surveyed plan to ask for a raise and is lowest in the public sector (25%). While an increase in pay is a main motivator for making a job change (71%), wanting a fulfilling job (69%) and wanting to truly be themselves at work (66%) round out the top 3 things workers are looking for. Nearly half (47%) prioritised being able to choose where they work. Workers who are likely to look for a new employer in the next 12 months are less likely to feel satisfied with their current employer. Compared to those who have no intention of changing jobs, they are: 14 percentage points less likely to find their job fulfilling 11 percentage points less likely to feel they can truly be their self at work 9 percentage points less likely to feel fairly rewarded financially Bob Moritz, Global Chairman of PwC, said: "There is a tremendous need for business to do more to improve the skills of workers, while being conscious of the risk of polarisation if opportunities to develop aren't provided right across society. At the same time, workers are not just looking for decent pay, they want more control over how they work and they want to derive greater meaning from what they do. These are linked: by acquiring skills, workers can gain the control over the work they are looking for. Leaders have to adapt to build the teams needed to successfully deal with the challenges and opportunities of today and those yet to come." Discussions about social issues are an everyday feature of the workplace. Employees are benefiting, despite a lack of support from employers. The survey found that 65% of workers discuss social and political issues with colleagues frequently or sometimes, with the number higher for younger workers (69%) and ethnic minorities (73%). While business leaders are sometimes nervous about people bringing these potentially polarising issues to work, the impact is net positive. 79% of those who talk about social and political issues at work reported at least one positive consequence from that. With political and social issues alive in the workplace, the job for employers is to create a context which secures the benefits of open conversation while minimising the negative impacts - 41% reported a negative consequence of discussions about social issues. Both numbers were significantly higher for people who consider themselves part of an ethnic minority (84% positive and 59% negative). These discussions are happening despite little active effort on the part of organisations to help secure positive outcomes. Only 30% of employees say that their company provides support to help them work effectively with people who share different views. The survey showed that workers have a particular interest in their employer's impact on the economy, climate and society. Half of workers (53%) felt it was important that their employer is transparent about their impact on the environment, two-thirds (65%) felt transparency about health and safety was critical, with transparency about economic impact not far behind at 60%, followed by diversity and inclusion efforts at 54%. Bhushan Sethi, Co-Leader of PwC's Global People and Organisation services said: "Diverse workforces will inevitably bring differences of opinion about major societal issues into their workplaces. Leaders need to ensure these discussions can benefit teams rather than dividing them.The role of employers isn't to tell workers what to think, but to give them a voice, choice and safe environment to share feelings, listen and learn about how these issues are impacting their colleagues. Workers, especially younger and ethnic minorities feel the benefits of engaging in respectful and tolerant conversations." Skilled employees feel most empowered, increasing workplace inequalities The survey paints a picture of a workforce polarised on a number of dimensions. Women were 7 points less likely than men to say they are fairly rewarded financially, but still 7 points less likely to ask for a raise. Women were also 8 points less likely to ask for a promotion, and that request is more likely to fall on deaf ears as women are 8 points less likely than men to feel their manager listens to them. Pete Brown, Co-Leader of PwC's Global People and Organisation services said: "It is bad for society and bad for business when there is a failure to ensure women have the same opportunities as men to develop their skills and careers. One of the quickest ways to strengthen the workforce is to ensure women are not overlooked - which means addressing the culture, systems and structures that can lead to women losing out." There were also significant differences between generations, with Gen Z workers less satisfied with their job and twice as likely as Baby Boomers to be concerned that technology will replace their role in the next three years. One of the most important drivers of polarisation is skills - with large differences between workers who have highly valued skills and those who do not. The data shows that those with in-demand skills (29% of the sample feel they have skills that are in short supply in their country) are more likely to feel satisfied with their job (70% v 52%), feel listened to by their managers (63% v 38%) and have money left over after they pay their bills (56% v 44%). To close the skills gap, workers say companies are investing in the current workforce through upskilling and increasing wages. By contrast, workers are less likely to report a focus on automating, outsourcing, and recruiting. Carol Stubbings, PwC's Global Tax and Legal Services Leader said: "In a tight labour market, it is even more important that organisations take a human-led, tech powered approach. That means investing in both digital transformation and in skills. Investment should be guided by a principle of equity, with a focus on strengthening the capabilities of skilled employees, providing access routes for those who lack skills and automation that frees up people to do what only people can do. It is as much about apprenticeships as graduate recruitment, and requires a commitment to constant upskilling. Targeted investment across the skills mix is good for companies, good for individuals and - because it avoids entrenching disempowerment - good for society." Other key findings from the survey include: 45% of respondents said their job could not be done remotely Of those who say their job can be done remotely: be done remotely: 63% say they prefer some mix of in-person and remote working - the same proportion who said they expect their employer to offer that mix for at least the next 12 months 26% of employees would prefer full-time remote work, but only 18% say their employers are likely to adopt that model. Another 18% say that their employers are likely to require full-time in-person work, which just 11% of employees prefer. NOTES TO EDITORS In March 2022 , PwC surveyed 52,195 individuals who are in work or active in the labour market. The sample was designed to reflect a range of industries, demographic characteristics and working patterns. The sample was structured across 44 countries and territories and sample sizes were scaled to reflect each territory or region's share of global GDP. They range from 5,000 to 250 with an average sample size per territory of around 1,200. The age groups in the survey are categorised as Gen Z (ages 18-25), Millennials (ages 26-41), Gen X (ages 42-57), and Baby Boomers (ages 58-76). The report can be found here . About PwC At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 156 countries with over 295,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com . PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. 2022 PwC. All rights reserved. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1121790/PWC_Logo.jpg SOURCE PwC Members of Locals 135 and 142 Stand Together to Win Huge Wage Increases, Reduced Health Care Costs INDIANAPOLIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of Teamsters Local 135 and Teamsters Local 142 at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits ratified a new contract this week. The joint contract covers 120 drivers and warehouse workers at the company's warehouse in Indianapolis and at its satellite facilities across Indiana. "The improvements in this contract are the best we've ever had," said Jeff Combs, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 135. "I'm incredibly proud of these members for standing strong and achieving what they did." The five-year agreement provides wage increases of $9.50 to $11/hour over the life of the contract. It also lowers workers' share of healthcare premium costs to $0 for the first two years of the contract and significantly increases the employer's pension contributions. "This bargaining unit used to be two separate units, but were merged together when Southern Wine and Glazer's merged to form one company five years ago," Combs explained. "It wasn't an easy process - this group was not unified five years ago and the company knew it. "Over the past five years, though, these workers came together to form a united and solid group. They understood that standing together in solidarity was the only thing that would win them a better contract and they were 100 percent right." Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Chief Steward Kevin Clark agreed. "The company came to us with a low-ball offer back in February, and we voted it down," said Clark. "We stuck together at the bargaining table and kept all our co-workers updated on how negotiations were going. We stayed united and fought for what we deserve the company realized they couldn't divide us and that we weren't going to back down. That's how we won." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877 [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters BALTIMORE, Md., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Urology Care Foundation, the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation and official foundation of the American Urological Association, is pleased to announce the creation of The Boston Scientific Medical Student Innovation Fellowship Award. This new award will support the education of medical students from racial and ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in urologic research who would like to invest one year during medical school to engage in innovative research training to learn under a mentor urologist and gain exposure to research in the field of urology. The Urology Care Foundation announces Medical Student Innovation Fellowship in collaboration with Boston Scientific Corporation. Boston Scientific will provide funding to establish a lasting endowment intended to support ongoing management and operations of the Medical Student Innovation Fellowship Award. "We are proud of this new fellowship, which was developed to increase opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds so that they may engage in urologic research," said Harris M. Nagler, MD, FACS, president of the Urology Care Foundation. "Through the generous support of Boston Scientific, the Urology Care Foundation will be able to provide medical students an opportunity to learn from leaders in urology and to build a career in research." Each program year, one medical student will be selected as a fellow. Applicants must be either a current or matriculating medical student. They may not hold an advanced degree in a biomedical research-related field and must be entering or returning to medical school following the completion of the research period. With an emphasis on increasing the diversity of the urologic community, the fellowship will seek to advance students from underrepresented backgrounds who demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in urology and a passion for research. Applications will open in October 2022 and the first fellow's program will begin in July 2023. "We are honored to collaborate with the Urology Care Foundation to support the creation of this fellowship and help increase diversity and inclusive representation in the field of urology and in clinical research," said Meghan Scanlon, senior vice president and president, Urology and Pelvic Health, Boston Scientific. "This fellowship is particularly needed now as urologists have told us they are concerned about the unsustainably low number of new urologists entering the field compared to the growing patient demand. It is more critical now than ever to support medical students from all backgrounds who are interested in pursuing urology specialties and research that may lead to innovative technologies to improve patient care." More information about The Boston Scientific Medical Student Innovation Fellowship Award will be available this fall on www.AUAnet.org. About the Urology Care Foundation: The Urology Care Foundation is the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation, and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. Collaborating with physicians, researchers, patients and the public, the Foundation supports and improves urologic clinical care by funding research, developing patient education and pursuing philanthropic support. To learn more about the Urology Care Foundation and its programs visit: www.UrologyHealth.org. About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 23,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health care policy. Contact: Caitlin Lukacs 410-689-4081 [email protected] SOURCE Urology Care Foundation From New Apartments to First Homes, Gen Z and Millennial Shoppers Seek Accessible Style for Exceptional Spaces NORTH BERGEN, N.J., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VCNY Home, a top-ten U.S.-based home goods manufacturer, announced the launch of jade + oake, a game-changing home goods brand designed for young adults. The sweeping collection includes soft and hard goods and features everything needed to decorate a complete home from kitchen and living room to bed, bath, and floor. The launch follows a successful soft launch of select items last summer. VCNY HOME INTRODUCES jade + oake BRAND TO BRING ON-TREND DECOR HOME FOR YOUNG ADULTS The jade + oake brand will thrill young adults who seek to create unique spaces at accessible prices. Featuring trend-forward designs, textures, patterns, and hues, the remarkably comprehensive collection will wow aspirational designers with endless possibilities for self-expression through home decor. From ultra-soft bed sets to statement-making decorative accents, jade + oake provides affordably forward home decor for the modern millennial. "We know that young adults are busy juggling life and work responsibilities and that they cherish home as a place to reflect, reenergize and express themselves," said Toby Cohen, co-founder and CEO of VCNY Home. "We believe young adults shouldn't have to miss out on getting the decor they want or sacrifice style when decorating on a budget. Our incredible team at VCNY Home knows how to bring incredible quality and design home for everyone and we've done that with jade + oake. We take great care to offer impeccable home goods that are affordable, relevant, and versatile enough to reflect individual style, making it simple and fun to create a unique space you love." VCNY Home developed jade + oake to address a white space in home decor, offering young adults on-trend and quality designs at affordable prices. Leveraging deep expertise, impressive scale, and a team with global sourcing, manufacturing, design, and merchandising capabilities, VCNY Home designed the entire collection in less than a year and ensured every item will retail for under $40. Inspired by today's eye-catching colors and patterns, the collection features soft textures like woven jacquard, knits, matelasse, and waffle fabrics as well as typically high-end touches like embroidery, quilting, contrasting, raw edges, and faux leather. Pops of print and reversible accents allow for patterns and styles to be mixed and matched and integrated seamlessly into any space. "By creating the jade + oake brand, we're offering retailers a full destination and complete suite of products one-stop shopping for living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and beyond," Cohen added. The jade + oake collection includes options for every room, including items for the: Bedroom Textured technique quilt and comforter sets Reversible bedding for versatile styling Solid and printed sheet sets Decorative throws Area rugs and scatter rugs Pet beds Living Room Decorative pillows Decorative throws Window curtains Area rugs and scatter rugs Wall decor Decorative Storage Clocks Lamps Bathroom Shower curtains and liners Rugs and mats Towels Vanity accessories Shower caddies and storage Coordinated bath bundles Kitchen Tablecloths and runners Decorative towels Rugs and kitchen mats Placemats Napkin rings Storage baskets For more information on jade + oake, visit the brand passport here. You can learn more about all VCNY Home has to offer at vcnyhome.com. Media contact: Ilya Welfeld [email protected] 917-848-2083 SOURCE VCNY Home GOTEBORG, Sweden, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world's first truck manufacturer to do so, Volvo is now introducing fossil-free steel in its trucks. The steel is produced by the Swedish steel company SSAB and the heavy-duty electric Volvo trucks will be the first to include it. The steel from SSAB is produced using a completely new technology, based on hydrogen. The result is a much lower climate impact than conventionally produced steel. Small scale introduction of the steel in Volvo's heavy electric trucks will begin in the third quarter of 2022. "We will increase the use of fossil-free materials in all our trucks to make them net-zero not only in operation but also when it comes to the materials they are built of," says Jessica Sandstrom, Senior Vice President Product Management, Volvo Trucks. The first steel produced with hydrogen will be used in the truck's frame rails, the backbone of the truck upon which all other main components are mounted. As the availability of fossil-free steel increases, it will also be introduced in other parts of the truck. 90% of a Volvo truck can be recycled Today, around 30% of the materials in a new Volvo truck come from recycled materials. And up to 90% of the truck can be recycled at the end of its life. "We are continuously striving to further minimize our climate footprint. We are also moving towards greater circularity in both our operations and our trucks," says Jessica Sandstrom. Volvo Group is collaborating with SSAB on fossil-free steel since 2021. The first machine, a load carrier made of fossil-free steel, was showcased in October 2021. Fossil-free steel will be an important complement to the traditional and recycled steel used in Volvo's trucks. Volvo Trucks is committed to the Paris agreement and to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the value-chain by 2040, at the latest. May 24, 2022 For further information, please contact: Jan Strandhede Media Relations Director, Volvo Trucks [email protected] +46 31 3233715, +46 765 533715 Link to high resolution images Link to film Press images and films are available in the Volvo Trucks image and film gallery at http://images.volvotrucks.com. Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 13 countries across the globe. In 2021 approximately 123,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks' work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/ab-volvo/r/volvo-trucks--first-in-the-world-to-use-fossil-free-steel-in-its-trucks,c3572982 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/39/3572982/1583561.pdf 220524-volvo-trucks-fossil-free-steel-eng https://news.cision.com/ab-volvo/i/electric-truck-fossil-free-steel,c3052566 electric truck fossil-free steel SOURCE AB Volvo New Look Will Broaden Brand Appeal for Consumers and Prospective Franchisees DENVER, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WellBiz Brands Inc. , the pre-eminent beauty and wellness franchise platform with nearly 900 franchised locations globally, today unveiled Radiant Waxing as the new name and brand identity for LunchboxWax, the premier, full-service speed-waxing salon. The rebrand is the result of extensive consumer research, which showed that 40% more consumers would be attracted to new, more premium branding. Radiant Waxing was chosen to align the luxury waxing concept with a more approachable and aspirational brand identity that appeals to a broader audience. In addition to Radiant Waxing, the WellBiz Brands portfolio features other category leaders, including Drybar, Amazing Lash Studio, Elements Massage and Fitness Together. "We chose the name Radiant Waxing because guests leave the salons feeling flawless, with a radiant beauty that can be seen and felt. The new name evokes a sense of confidence and empowerment because there's nothing more radiant than a person in love with their skin. To reinforce this evolution, we moved past a clever name and a one-dimensional logo, into a brand identity that is both premium and approachable," said WellBiz Brands Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Morgan. "Radiant Waxing will continue to represent the unparalleled guest experience and with a strong, inclusive culture that attracted guests to LunchboxWax. There is so much untapped potential in the waxing category and I'm excited to unleash the power of this brand and grow Radiant Waxing to 500 salons over the next five years." With a sole focus on waxing, Radiant Waxing salons offer guests services through a three-step speed-waxing process that uses proprietary, all-natural TRUWAX soft wax. The brand provides custom curated services for all skin types, all body parts and for all people in a boutique, one-of-a-kind setting. With a guest-centric approach to waxing, guests leave feeling smooth and confident in only a matter of minutes. All of these factors have helped the brand outperform its competitors, culminating in an 85 Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures customer experience and predicts business growth. With over 60 locations in 17 states, the Radiant Waxing brand is part of a global market projected to grow to more than $12 billion by 2025. The brand offers passionate entrepreneurs dedicated to exceptional customer service an opportunity to become part of a proven business model. Here are just a few of the benefits of owning a Radiant Waxing salon: Memberships and Packages: Radiant Waxing makes it convenient for guests to wax the way they want. Radiant Waxing makes it convenient for guests to wax the way they want. Ease of Training: Estheticians and cosmetologists graduate knowing how to wax; the Support Center helps teach them the Radiant Waxing way. Estheticians and cosmetologists graduate knowing how to wax; the Support Center helps teach them the Radiant Waxing way. Speed of Service: High guest throughput is possible with most services taking 20 minutes or less. High guest throughput is possible with most services taking 20 minutes or less. Salon Footprint: Salons are chic and modern with a small footprint. With a portfolio of beauty and wellness brands, WellBiz Brands offers opportunities to experienced and prospective entrepreneurs that fit their passions and goals. For more information about Radiant Waxing, please visit Radiantwaxing.com. About Radiant Waxing Radiant Waxing is a leading waxing concept that brings the speed-waxing experience to women and men in a luxury environment, with private waxing rooms and refined techniques from professionally trained and licensed estheticians. A proven, three-step speed-waxing process using all-natural TRUWAX soft wax combines refined, effective waxing techniques with premium-quality products crafted for physical and emotional comfort. The brand currently has over 60 salons in 17 states. Each Radiant Waxing salon is independently owned and operated. Radiant Waxing is a trademark owned by Radiant Waxing Franchise, LLC. For additional information, visit Radiantwaxing.com. About WellBiz Brands Inc.: WellBiz Brands Inc. is the pre-eminent beauty and wellness franchise platform catering to the needs of the affluent female consumer. The WellBiz Brands' portfolio features category leaders including Drybar, Amazing Lash Studio , Radiant Waxing, Elements Massage and Fitness Together. With an expertise in digital marketing, the company developed a cross-brand digital marketing program that drives effective member acquisition strategies, creating a world-class membership ecosystem. WellBiz One, a proprietary technology platform, enhances studio operations for franchise owners driving member engagement and retention. With in-house expertise in supply chain management, e-commerce and product innovation, WellBiz Brands provides franchisees with a leading edge in their industries. Backed by a management team with nearly a century of combined leadership experience, WellBiz Brands is the future of customer-centric, membership-based brands. The company has received national recognition on lists such as the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies, Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and Franchise Times Fast & Serious, among others. For more information, visit WellBizbrands.com. Media Contact: Jody Ryan [email protected] Senior Director of Communications 602.614.0744 SOURCE WellBiz Brands TSX | NYSE | LSE: WPM VANCOUVER, BC, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. ("Wheaton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the publication of its 2021 Sustainability Report, a comprehensive review of Wheaton's environmental, social and governance ("ESG") performance metrics. An electronic version of the report is available here. "At Wheaton, we have a strong belief in being an agent of change which means leading with our values and working to commit to the highest standards in all facets of ESG," said Randy Smallwood, Wheaton's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The 2021 Sustainability Report highlights Wheaton's enhanced commitments to ensuring our people, our partnerships and our communities thrive as our business continues to evolve and grow. While we are proud of the progress and efforts we have made in the past year, we recognize that there is always more to be done." "Our latest report details Wheaton's formal ESG strategy developed this past year that includes several new initiatives, particularly a commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, alongside other long-standing, established goals," said Patrick Drouin, Wheaton's Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Investor Relations. "Our commitment to promoting responsible mining practices starts with us, which is why beginning with our 2021 Sustainability Report, we are increasing our disclosures and reporting around our Scope 3 financed emissions. 2021 was an inflection point for many including for us at Wheaton, and we hope that our deliberate approach to ESG continues to serve as a catalyst throughout our industry." Highlights outlined in the report include the following: Establishment of a formal ESG strategy with targets and commitments across several material ESG topics Set formal commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 1 . This includes the establishment of targets across both Scope 2 and Scope 3 attributable emissions to support a 1.5 C trajectory. . This includes the establishment of targets across both Scope 2 and Scope 3 attributable emissions to support a 1.5 C trajectory. Conducted climate scenario analysis of both a business-as-usual and net zero scenario to identify physical and transitional climate risks and opportunities. Inaugural reporting of our Scope 3 financed emissions associated with our mining partners, including disclosing the detailed methodology developed to calculate these emissions. Made an initial $4M commitment to support our mining partners' efforts to move to renewable energy sources and reduce emissions at the mines in which we have an interest (becoming the first metals streaming company to do so). commitment to support our mining partners' efforts to move to renewable energy sources and reduce emissions at the mines in which we have an interest (becoming the first metals streaming company to do so). Distributed over $6.2 million in 2021 in support of over 100 charitable causes and initiatives around the world. in 2021 in support of over 100 charitable causes and initiatives around the world. Surpassed the $32 million mark in contributions to local charities and mining communities since inception of the Community Investment Program in 2009. mark in contributions to local charities and mining communities since inception of the Community Investment Program in 2009. As announced at our recent Annual General Meeting, Wheaton now has 30% female Board members, achieving our 2024 target two years early. Wheaton is rated #1 for Precious Metals (out of 123 companies) and ESG Global 50 Top Rated Company by Sustainalytics. Wheaton is also "AA" rated by MSCI ESG Ratings, rated "Prime" by ISS ESG and included in the Euronext Vigeo World 120 Indices. Information and data in Wheaton's 2021 Sustainability Report was informed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). __________________________________________ 1 Net zero includes emissions reductions in line with a 1.5 trajectory across Scopes 1, 2 and 3. Achievement of net zero may include the use of offsets for residual emissions in 2050. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance of Wheaton and, in some instances, the business, mining operations and performance of Wheaton's precious metals purchase agreement ("PMPA") counterparties. Forward-looking statements, which are all statements other than statements of historical fact, include, but are not limited to Wheaton's climate change and environmental commitments, the future price of commodities, the estimation of future production from mineral stream interests owned by Wheaton (the "Mining Operations") (including in the estimation of production, mill throughput, grades, recoveries and exploration potential), the estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources (including the estimation of reserve conversion rates) and the realization of such estimations and the commencement, timing and achievement of construction, expansion or improvement projects by Wheaton's PMPA counterparties at Mining Operations. Generally, these 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", "projects", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", "potential", 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 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 Wheaton to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to risks associated with the ability to achieve climate change and environmental commitments at Wheaton and at the Mining Operations, fluctuations in the price of commodities (including Wheaton's ability to sell its precious metals or cobalt production at acceptable prices or at all), the Mining Operations (including fluctuations in the price of the primary or other commodities mined at such operations, regulatory, political and other risks of the jurisdictions in which the Mining Operations are located, actual results of mining, risks associated with the exploration, development, operating, expansion and improvement of the Mining Operations, environmental and economic risks of the Mining Operations, and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined), and other risks discussed in the section entitled "Description of the Business Risk Factors" in Wheaton's Annual Information Form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , and in Wheaton's Form 40-F for the year ended December 31, 2021 and Form 6-K filed March 5, 2022 both available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov, as well as the risks set out in Wheaton's management's discussions and analysis for the period ended December 31, 2021 available on SEDAR and EDGAR (together, the "Disclosure"). Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management currently believes to be reasonable, including (without limitation): that Wheaton will be able to achieve climate change and environmental commitments, there will be no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, that the Mining Operations will continue to operate and the mining projects will be completed in accordance with public statements and achieve their stated production estimates, that the mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates from Mining Operations (including reserve conversion rates) are accurate, and such other assumptions and factors as set out in the Disclosure. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Wheaton. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary. The forward-looking statements included herein are for the purpose of providing readers with information to assist them in understanding Wheaton's expected financial and operational performance and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, reflects Wheaton's management's current beliefs based on current information and will not be updated except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Although Wheaton has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forwardlooking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. SOURCE Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. A chain of attack vectors (vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, user privileges, human errors, etc.) that enables lateral movement through an organization's network is called an attack path. Once an attacker is inside the network, they can move laterally, escalating their privileges and targeting systems to gain access to sensitive data and business-critical resources, and even gain access to the cloud environment by moving from a compromised enterprise AD user to the associated Azure AD user. AD is widely used by enterprises around the world (including approximately 90% of Global Fortune 1000 companies) to connect and manage endpoints inside corporate networks. This makes it an attractive target for hackers seeking to obtain domain admin-level access. An attacker that has compromised an AD user can elevate privileges, conceal malicious activity in the network, execute malicious code, and gain access to the cloud environment to compromise assets. The XM Cyber Research team recently reported that 73% of the top attack techniques used to compromise critical assets in 2021 involved mismanaged or stolen credentials; and according to EMA research , at least 50% of organizational attacks are due to AD compromise. "It is critical to make concentrated efforts to comprehensively secure and monitor AD, proactively look for threats and misconfigurations, and remediate to prevent dangerous actions from taking place," according to Gartner . [1] The XM Cyber Attack Path Management platform demonstrates how AD abuse comes into play across the entire attack path, bringing together multiple attack techniques to pinpoint the riskiest credentials and permissions across users, endpoints and services managed in AD. This enables organizations to direct resources to remediate the most impactful risks first, with step-by-step guidance. The platform's comprehensive security posture analysis surfaces AD weaknesses in real time, correlating the likelihood of attacks that can compromise critical assets. In the following illustration, we see how an attacker leverages a vulnerability to compromise an AD user and exploit a legitimate set of configurations to escalate privileges and compromise the enterprise domain. "Existing solutions provide security teams with limited visibility into which users can expose critical assets," said Boaz Gorodissky, CTO, XM Cyber. "Our unique ability to chain together AD attack techniques gives organizations the edge against attackers, enabling them to reduce their risk before the attack ever happens. We are committed to providing proactive security so CISOs can focus on maximizing resources to protect their most business-critical applications and data." XM Cyber will debut its AD capabilities at the 2022 RSA Conference, taking place June 6-9 in San Francisco. Interested parties can book a personal demo here or visit us at booth #4328 at the Moscone North Expo. Learn more about XM Cyber Active Directory security here. [1] Gartner, "Emerging Technologies and Trends Impact Radar: Security", Ruggero Contu, Mark Driver, et al, 12 October 2021. 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 XM Cyber XM Cyber is a leading hybrid cloud security company that is changing the way innovative organizations approach cyber risk. Its attack path management platform continuously uncovers hidden attack paths to businesses' critical assets across cloud and on-prem environments, enabling security teams to cut them off at key junctures and eradicate risk with a fraction of the effort. Many of the world's largest, most complex organizations choose XM Cyber to help eradicate risk. Founded by top executives from the Israeli cyber intelligence community, XM Cyber has offices in North America, Europe, and Israel. Media Contact: Mark Prindle Fusion PR [email protected] 917-517-4091 SOURCE XM Cyber Leaders prove critical to brand's aggressive growth and guest experience strategies ATHENS, Ga., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaxby's , the premium quick-service restaurant brand founded in Athens, announced today that industry franchising veteran Mike Mettler has been named chief development officer, while former interim Chief Digital & Technology Officer Mike Nettles has been elevated to the position long-term. Franchising growth requires four things. A strong business model, a solid culture, passionate franchise owners and strategic areas to developZaxby's has them all, said Zaxby's new Chief Development Officer Mike Mettler. We are working to remove all the friction between our guests and their cravings to the point where the tech is totally transparent and entirely under their control, said Zaxby's Chief Digital & Technology Officer Mike Nettles. Zaxbys has had a great ride thus far, but digital accessibility will be our secret sauce for the next phase of our fantastic growth story. "These are seasoned executives who have achieved great success within some of the most recognizable brands in our industry," said Bernard Acoca, CEO. "With development and digital strategies central to our growth, I am confident that both are the right people to move our brand into the next phase." Mike Mettler brings with him significant experience and expertise in the areas of franchise recruitment and development. He joins Zaxby's from Orangetheory Fitness where he has spent the past four years leading franchise development, serving as chief development officer for the last three. Prior roles include seven years in senior franchise development for Dairy Queen and four years for Domino's Pizza. "Zaxby's is focused on DMA prioritization, developing a more robust recruitment platform and delivering options that provide flexibility while maximizing profitability," Acoca said. "Mike Mettler will guide these targets, cultivate relationships and collaborate with our franchisees to continue scaling the brand." "Franchising growth requires four things," said Mettler. "A strong business model, a solid culture, passionate franchise owners and strategic areas to developZaxby's has them all." In addition, former interim Chief Digital and Technology Officer Mike Nettles will move into the position long term. Nettles joined the brand in 2021 with a focus on developing a strong digital infrastructure that improves guest experience. He is leading the development and design of the new mobile app, loyalty program and ecommerce platform that are set to launch in summer 2022. "Mike Nettles has made incredible strides in advancing our efforts to provide guests with a personalized digital experience," Acoca said. "We are thrilled to welcome him as a long-term addition to our executive leadership team and look forward to fully transforming the Zaxby's guest experience under his leadership." Prior to Zaxby's, Nettles spent thirty years in the retail and hospitality sectors, holding leadership positions at Papa John's and Panera Bread where he was responsible for leading the technical design, development and implementation of digital and in-store assets. "We are working to remove all the friction between our guests and their cravings to the point where the tech is totally transparent and entirely under their control," said Nettles. "Zaxby's has had a great ride thus far, but digital accessibility will be our 'secret sauce' for the next phase of our fantastic growth story." About Zaxby's Founded in 1990, Zaxby's is committed to serving delicious chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads in a fun, offbeat atmosphere where customers are considered friends. For the second year in a row, Zaxby's iconic Signature Sandwich won Thrillist's 2022 Fasties Award for Best Fried Chicken Sandwich. Zaxby's has grown to more than 900 locations in 18 states and is headquartered in Athens, Georgia. For more information, visit zaxbys.com or zaxbysfranchising.com . Media Contact: Jacob Teetzmann Tombras 1.423.494.3673 [email protected] SOURCE Zaxby's SHANGHAI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zhangmen Education Inc. ("Zhangmen" or the "Company") (NYSE: ZME), a leading online education company in China, today announced the debut of its Zhangmen Scan Study Pen S6, another masterpiece in the Company's growing smart hardware lineup. With total cumulative sales of over ten thousand, the Scan Study Pen S6 will complement Zhangmen's customized Smart Tablet Learning Machine and Xiaoli Smart Learning Machine, taking the Company's foray into smart hardware a step further and making advanced, efficient learning tools available to more consumers of all ages. Industry-Leading Features to Enhance Learning Zhangmen's Scan Study Pen S6 has prominent advantages compared with similar products in the market. Leveraging its expertise in education research and teacher resources, Zhangmen embedded its high-quality master class videos into the Scan Study Pen S6 to provide learners with premium, exclusive learning content. Class videos from renowned teachers deliver detailed explanations of objectives and specific knowledge points, coupled with questions to improve understanding. The pen answers questions promptly to help learners solve problems while they study on their own, encouraging more efficient and independent learning. The Scan Study Pen S6 is an essential learning tool for foreign language learners of all levels. In addition to integrated Zhangmen-exclusive master classes, the pen boasts multiple language learning functions, including character identification, word search, translation and scanning, meeting the needs of students of all ages. With these tools, the pen removes many obstacles to independent learning of multiple languages including English and Chinese, and provides a comprehensive, systematic solution for independent study. Currently, the pen supports translation via scan as well as offline Chinese/English word search via both scan and voice, boasting high scanning identification accuracy and fast translation speed. Users only need to point the tip of the Scan Study Pen S6 at a word, and with a quick sweep, its meaning appears. The voice search function is equally fast and convenient users simply press the voice button, speak the English word or phrase in question, and release the button to view the search results. In addition to its translation and word search functions, the Scan Study Pen S6 features smart questions-and-answers, textbook scanning, oral tests, natural spelling training, vocabulary books, graded word study, and a smart voice-enabled encyclopedia. Zhangmen's graded word study, which supports offline use, is incredibly effective, covering a massive amount of vocabulary from primary school, middle school, high school, College English Test Band 4 and 6 (CET-4 and CET-6), IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, and postgraduate entrance exams. Following the rules of scientific learning, users can take a quiz after studying and add their mistakes to the vocabulary book with one click, making review more convenient and greatly improving learning efficiency. In terms of hardware, the Scan Study Pen S6 is equipped with a large 3.5-inch high-definition screen with vision protection, which also supports wireless projection. The screen can display words, phonetic symbols, parts of speech, pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences on one screen without turning pages, allowing users to search words easily, enhancing the learning experience. The Future of Smart Learning Hardware Zhangmen's approach to smart education hardware sets the Company apart from the other players in the field, relying on its own resources and strengths in product research and development to launch hardware products that better meet users' demands and usage scenarios. This year, Zhangmen accelerated its smart hardware expansion and unveiled a series of smart education hardware products in quick succession. Sales of Zhangmen's smart hardware products have increased rapidly after their launch. The Zhangmen Customized Smart Tablet Learning Machine and Xiaoli Smart Learning Machine retail for RMB3,999 and RMB1,999 respectively, while the Scan Study Pen was reportedly sold through Zhangmen's online channels at a price of RMB999. Zhangmen's strategically-timed launch of its series of smart hardware products will help the Company capture this unprecedented market opportunity. Gaining a foothold in the education smart hardware industry will also accelerate the Company's growth with a new growth curve, and enhance the Company's brand positioning with coverage of more learning scenarios. As the digital transformation and development of the education industry enters a new stage, Zhangmen will continue to lead with innovative, effective products and outstanding performance. About Zhangmen Education Inc. Zhangmen Education Inc. (NYSE: ZME) is a leading online education company in China providing quality-oriented education to students and on-campus education services to educational institutions. Over the years, the Company has successfully garnered wide recognition in the industry and established "Zhangmen" as a trusted online education brand. For more information, please visit ir.zhangmenedu.com. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Zhangmen Education Inc. Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Emilie Wu Tel: +86-21-6039-8363 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Zhangmen Education Inc. RALEIGH, N.C., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After backing NASCAR driver Timmy Hill at the Charlotte ROVAL from 2018 to 2020, including an appearance in the 2019 Memorial Day Weekend Xfinity Series race, LeithCars.com is excited to be back onboard with Hill as he prepares for Friday night's North Carolina Education Lottery 200. Hill Motorsports no. 56 Toyota Tundra paint scheme for NASCAR Truck Series race at Charlotte on May 27th, 2022. Friday night's race, however, will be the first time that Leith has partnered with Hill's own race team, Hill Motorsports, having previously sponsored the number 66 Toyota Camry and Supra NASCAR Xfinity cars, driven by Timmy Hill for MBM (Motorsports Business Management). Hill co-founded his own racing team in 2019 to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with his brother, Tyler Hill, fielding a pair of Chevrolet race trucks. "We made the switch over to Toyota this season, we've been very pleased with it," said Hill, in a recent interview for Leith's Zero to 60TV series. "Our Toyota Tundra Pro's, they've come out beautifully. I always love working with Leith Cars and enjoy having them on our cars, or in this case, our truck. For this race, we love Memorial Day Weekend and what it represents. We'll have a patriotic scheme on the truck, and we look forward to incorporating Leith Cars into that scheme and really having a great race in Charlotte." "We're really happy to be back onboard with Timmy, especially at Charlotte Motor Speedway," said Mark Arsen with Leith. "Timmy's been having some top-20 finishes in the new Tundra, so we're looking forward to what the team can do Friday night." The green flag will drop on Friday night's truck race at 8:30 pm ET and will be broadcast on FS1, The Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM. LeithCars.com is one of the largest automotive groups in North Carolina. A family business created in Raleigh, Leith Cars has been serving the Triangle community for over 50 years, incorporating over 1,900 North Carolinians into its family. The number one place to buy vehicles in the Raleigh metro area for five years running, according to a Marshall Marketing Survey, the auto dealer has 39 franchise locations throughout the state. For more information, visit www.leithcars.com. Media Contact: Mark Arsen 919-832-3232 [email protected] SOURCE LeithCars.com ITAHCA, N.Y., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that the application window is now open for the 2022 Grow-NY food and agriculture competition. Grow-NY, a unique initiative which connects innovators and investors in the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors locally and around the globe, has already resulted in economic growth and entrepreneurial opportunity in Upstate New York. The Grow-NY region, a 22-county area spanning Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier, has seen hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars of follow-on investment as a result of the competition. Grow-NY attracts high-growth food and agriculture startups to compete for $3 million in total prize money each year and supports 20 finalists through a business development phase that connects them with the region's resources. Governor Kathy Hochul included funding for three additional rounds of this impactful competition in her FY 2023 budget. Year 3 Grow-NY winner, Trish Thomas of Every Body Eat pitches her business at the 2021 summit Cornfield in upstate New York Winners are required to commit to operating in at least one of the 22 Grow-NY counties for at least 12 months and must agree to "pay-it-forward" provision in the form of an equity agreement. One finalist will receive a top prize of $1 million; two others will be awarded $500,000 prizes, and four more will be given $250,000 prizes. Winners will also receive tax incentives and publicity support to announce their achievements across the Grow-NY region and in their home regions. Funding for the program comes from Empire State Development through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative's three regional entities, CNY Rising, Finger Lakes Forward, and Southern Tier Soaring, and is administered by Cornell's Center for Regional Economic Advancement. The startup competition begins its fourth year with impressive momentum, having garnered applications and interest from over a thousand businesses in 32 unique states and 37 other countries over the last three years. In all, 59 finalists have been selected to date, with 21 winners sharing $9 million in startup funding as well as the invaluable mentorship and networking benefits which the program delivers to finalists. In addition to emphasizing innovation and scalability, the Grow-NY program is focused on drawing more diverse leaders to the region by reaching communities that have historically been left out of the innovation economy. In 2021, 51% of the 330 applicants included a founder from an underrepresented minority group, and 44% included a female founder. Applications must be submitted by Friday, July 1. In August, up to 20 finalists will be assigned mentors and enter the business development phase. All finalists will receive bespoke entrepreneurial support and valuable regional introductions, additional training to hone their live pitches, and an expenses-paid, three-day business development trip to the region for up to two team members. The selected finalists will present their business plans during the Grow-NY Summit, Tuesday and Wednesday November 15 - 16, alongside a symposium of panel conversations and keynotes, a showcase of organizations that serve startups working in food and ag, and a student stage where middle- and high school aged New Yorkers will pitch their ag- and food tech ideas. Leigh Martino Cornell University Center for Regional Economic Advancement (607) 427-0971 [email protected] SOURCE Grow-NY Food and Ag Business Competition Rising inflation (79%) is employees' top financial concern, followed by adequate retirement planning (59%), with employees currently contributing significantly more to retirement. In addition, market volatility (56%), having sufficient emergency savings (55%), and paying off debt (44%) rank high. With an 11% increase over the past year, employee financial stress is at an all-time high. Deteriorating financial health is impacting both mental health (77%) and physical well-being (52%). Those reporting financial stress state they lose, on average, 11.4 hours in productivity every weekthis translates into over $4 billion in lost productivity weekly for U.S. employers.* "As the pandemic's impact on the workplace lessens and economic uncertainty increases, financial wellness is top of mind," said Marthin De Beer, BrightPlan founder and CEO. "Employees are more concerned and stressed about their finances than ever before. Fortunately, companies have gained trust among their workforce. By offering innovative wellness benefits, employers can leverage that trust to attract, retain and engage their best workers." Increased financial stress is shifting employee priorities. Financial wellness-related benefits are now the most desired innovative benefit, rising from No. 3 (29%) in 2021 to No. 1 (54%) this year. The desire for financial wellness benefits is followed by mental health benefits (33%) and flexible time off (30%). Nearly 9 out of 10 employees (88%) expect their employers to provide tools and resources to help them with their finances. The effect of offering enhanced benefits is strong, with 95% of workers saying they have a positive impact: 60% say they would work harder 59% would feel more financially secure 58% would be more engaged and productive 34% would be more committed and stay longer The waning of the global pandemic has presented a new set of priorities and challenges for employers. 86% of HR leaders say their biggest challenge is attracting or retaining talent; engaging employees is also high on the list (65%). The continuing Great Resignation is causing employees to reassess their priorities: 78% seek better work/life balance 38% are seeking greater mission and purpose (52% among Black respondents) 1 in 4 wish to take a break from work altogether (40% among ages 18-25) In terms of trust, safety and belonging, 89% of employees feel their company is doing a good job with diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. Yet one-third feel only somewhat safe and accepted. Groups most likely to feel only somewhat safe include Asian-Americans (49%), those working in healthcare (42%), LGBTQIA workers (42%) and females (36%, versus 28% of males). "Two years of COVID-19 upheaval have caused employees to reexamine the influence that work is having on their life, and whether that influence is a positive or negative one," said Danielle Posa, founder of Workplace Wellbeing Advisors. "As a result, it is understandable that well-being, in all its forms, has emerged as a C-suite priority. Companies can lessen the negative impact of the Great Resignation by putting well-being front and center and making it a part of the entire employee experience. In fact, when well-being is strategically ingrained into the fabric of the culture, it can be a real competitive advantage in today's market." Access the full 2022 BrightPlan Wellness Barometer Survey report and infographic with additional data here. Register for this May 25 webinar hosted by HR Daily Advisor for a live walk through of the findings. About BrightPlan BrightPlan is a leader in Total Financial Wellness. BrightPlan provides a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of employees' financial health at every stage of life, and empowers HR teams to enhance the employee experience and better attract, retain and engage talent. Its unique combination of digital platform and financial planners enables employers to deploy at scale while delivering personalization for employees. The company is the first financial wellness solution certified for fiduciary excellence by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX). For more, visit brightplan.com . Media Contact: [email protected] CITE Research on behalf of BrightPlan surveyed 1,500 knowledge workers at companies with 1,000+ employees in the U.S. between April-May, 2022. This included a mix of HR decision-makers and employees in various industries including technology, healthcare, financial services, education, manufacturing and energy. *Disclosure: Assumes there are 97,983,000 knowledge workers in the U.S. with an hourly wage of $36.68. Source: Federal Reserve Economic Dataset. For more information, see the full report. BrightPlan LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training nor does it imply endorsement by the SEC. SOURCE BrightPlan In this ranking, the indicators related to the value enhancement brought by executive education programs of ACEM to the students are outstanding, and the quality and effect of the programs have been widely recognized. The follow-up of custom program of executive education has ranked 11th in the world, the value for money, program design, preparation and aims achieved have all ranked 19th in the world. Teaching methods and materials has ranked 20th in the world. Among the sub-indicators of executive education open program, the follow-up has ranked 13th in the world, the pre-class preparation has ranked 16th in the world, and teaching methods and materials has ranked 21st in the world. Founded in 1896, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is one of the three oldest Chinese universities and consistently ranked top five in the nation. ACEM has long been a leader in SJTU's overall development, and in Chinese business education overall. For decades, China's Ministry of Education has consistently evaluated the College as a top business school in China. As a core program of ACEM, the Executive Education Center upholds the rigorous and pragmatic style of school running and the pursuit of excellence in international education, by offering open courses, custom courses and international courses. Through the course, students and enterprises improve the structure of management knowledge, obtain the frontier dynamics of management theory, solve practical management problems, improve innovative thinking and leadership, and promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises, as well as innovative development. At the same time, it builds a platform for the government, universities, and enterprises to integrate resources and establish long-term and stable strategic alliances with key enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region to spread global successful management ideas and experience in order to help enterprises develop rapidly. After 30 years of training accumulation, the Executive Education Center has provided training for more than 1,300 companies and more than 100,000 trainees. SOURCE Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Grant will fund job placement initiatives for 290 high-barrier veterans; investment banking relationships with State of California, Los Angeles County made donation possible MELVILLE, N.Y., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Veterans Group (AVG), through its investment banking relationship with the State of California and Los Angeles County, has provided a grant to JVS SoCal, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that offers programs to support, train and place high-barrier veterans in thriving wage jobs. AVG's grant will provide support for the JVS Veterans First Program which will allow the organization to bring 290 Los Angeles County, high-barrier veterans through its job readiness and job placement program. The grant was made possible by the State of California and Los Angeles County choosing AVG as a co-manager on a number of bond issues during the past year. AVG, a social impact investment bank and Wall Street's first and only public benefit corporation, dedicates 25% of its profits to support veterans' causes. The firm directs its philanthropy to the communities where it does business. "Our support for JVS SoCal demonstrates how the state's and county's decisions to partner with us translates into meaningful support for veterans living in the Los Angeles area," said Ben Biles, co-founder and chief executive officer of American Veterans Group. "JVS SoCal's career-readiness and training program for veterans aligns with our mission at AVG to help post-9/11 veterans transition successfully to civilian life and find rewarding careers after their military service." Including the grant to JVS SoCal, AVG, since its inception, has donated more than $412,000 to 31 non-profit organizations that support veteran job training, internships and apprenticeships. The donations have directly supported transitioning veterans in 36 communities across the U.S. "Veterans face multiple obstacles to employment success, and grants like this one from American Veterans Group enable JVS SoCal to continue to help them maximize their earning potential," said Alan Levey, chief executive officer of JVS SoCal. "This grant will have a positive impact on our work and every dollar contributed will be allocated to helping veterans find employment." About American Veterans Group American Veterans Group, PBC, is a military veteran-owned, social impact-focused broker dealer that delivers value to institutional clients while providing meaningful philanthropic support to the military veteran community. The company reinvests 25% of its earnings in national and local military veteran nonprofit organizations that provide worthy services and support to one of America's most vulnerable, at-risk populations. As Wall Street's only public benefit corporation, American Veterans Group empowers institutional clients to partner in its social mission while enabling them to remain focused on key business objectives and goals. To learn more about American Veterans Group, visit their website at www.americanvetsgroup.com. About JVS SoCal Founded in 1931, JVS SoCal is a nonprofit, non-sectarian social service agency, providing job training, career services, mentoring and placement assistance to diverse and multicultural populations, transforming lives and empowering individuals to achieve dignity and economic independence through sustainable employment. With over 20 locations throughout Southern California JVS SoCal currently serves 40,000 to 50,000 clients annually in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino and Orange Counties. Media Contacts: For American Veterans Group Mark Kroeger The Boldsquare Group (513) 236-3109 [email protected] www.boldsquare.com JVS SoCal Fabiola Prieto (323) 306-4135 [email protected] SOURCE American Veterans Group Leading proxy advisors, asset managers and institutions are backing a shareholder proposal filed by SHARE and the Catherine Donnelly Foundation TORONTO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Leading independent proxy advisors Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis recommend votes for the first shareholder proposal on freedom of association and collective bargaining to be heard at Amazon.com, Inc.'s annual meeting Wednesday. Leading proxy advisors & institutions are backing a shareholder proposal filed by SHARE at the Amazon AGM May 25. The shareholder proposal filed by SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research and Education), representing the Toronto-based Catherine Donnelly Foundation, urges Amazon's board of directors to review how the Company's actions in the face of union organizing efforts align with its stated commitment to freedom of association and collective bargaining and core International Labour Organization Conventions. The vote comes as Amazon is navigating a storm of controversy over reports of recent attempts to undermine workers' rights to form or join a union. Major institutional investors including the US$1.2 trillion Norges Bank, the US$1 trillion asset manager Schroders, the $263 billion New York City Pension Plans, the $250 billion Florida SBA and the $312 billion pension fund CalSTRS have also indicated they will vote for the proposal. In its report, ISS recognized that "the company is facing ongoing controversy with respect to its warehouse operations and suppliers, and agreed that "[s]hareholders would benefit from increased disclosure and transparency, in order to comprehensively assess how the company is managing human rights-related risks, especially regarding freedom of association issues in its warehouse operations in the U.S. and abroad." "You can't tell shareholders one thing and then do exactly the opposite," said Kevin Thomas, SHARE CEO. "When Amazon tells us they respect freedom of association but we see public reports of repeated anti-union behavior by management, the integrity of this company's management and the integrity of its statements to shareholders are called into question. As Amazon shareholders we have a historic chance to show management that fundamental rights are not to be messed with." Over the past years, Amazon has been subject to negative high profile and overwhelming media coverage in the U.S and internationally accusing the Company of limiting these fundamental rights through the use of several anti-union tactics, including intimidation strategies, retaliation actions and surveillance systems. Such practices directly contradict Amazon's own commitment "to non-discrimination and non-retaliation that ensures equal treatment for union and non-union employees." A report published by the Center for Law and Work (CLAW) at Berkeley Law on May 16, 2022, indicates that "that Amazon's freedom of association policy, on its face, is non-compliant with international labor standards, and Amazon management's conduct before and after issuing the policy continues to violate international standards." "Amazon's track record of aggressive suppression of freedom of association deprives its workers of the fundamental rights to organise together and bargain collectively for fair wages and working conditions, and vital health and safety protections. Shareholders, by voting to support the people who make Amazon's business work, can help change this" said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation. Amazon must respect the freedom of working people to come together in a union and negotiate for a fair return on our work," said AFL-CIO President Elizabeth Shuler. "By voting for this proposal, shareholders can uphold workers' rights and help make Amazon a better company for its employees, customers, communities, and investors." she added. About SHARE SHARE is a leader in responsible investment services, research and education for institutional investors, providing shareholder engagement, consulting services, education and timely research that help investors integrate environmental, social and governance issues into the investment management process. SOURCE SHARE (The Shareholder Association for Research and Education) PHOENIX, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- anthym , a leading human-centered new hire onboarding & team connection platform for a remote-first workforce, today announced a key addition to its Social Science Advisory Council in Dr. Matthew Lieberman. Dr. Lieberman will advise the company as it continues to innovate around its new connection & culture measurement methodology called Connection Quotient (CQ) . anthym anthym "I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Matthew Lieberman to the anthym Social Science Advisory Council," said Brian Mohr, Co-founder & CEO of anthym. After reading Dr. Lieberman's book, 'Social - Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect', I knew we had to connect with him and do everything we could to bring him into the anthym universe. To say I'm thrilled to have him as part of our extended team is a massive understatement." Dr. Lieberman is equally excited to be involved with anthym given his view that "What anthym is doing is really essential. People don't have the level of meaningful connections in the workplace that they would like to. Frankly, there is a loneliness epidemic that occurs both outside and inside of work. anthym has created a great way to help people really get to know and deepen the connections they have with the people they work with." While earning his Ph.D. in Psychology at Harvard University, Dr. Lieberman and his colleague Dr. Kevin Ochsner coined the term Social Cognitive Neuroscience, which has become a thriving area of research over the past two decades and describes nearly all of his work as Director of UCLA's Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab . His lab uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the neural bases of social cognition and social experience. He is also the co-founder of Resonance , an early stage startup pioneering the use of AI to assess the distinctive ways individuals see the world and then matches you with people in with others in their community (college, workplace, neighborhood) they are likely to get along with. In 2013, Dr. Lieberman published his bestselling book, Social: Why Our Brains are Wired to Connect , which examines how our brains evolved to ensure we are drawn to the social world and have the mental resources to navigate it. The book was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His research has been published in top scientific journals including Science, Nature Neuroscience, American Psychologist, and Psychological Science. This work has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Science Foundation, Guggenheim Foundation, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. His findings have received coverage in the New York Times, Time magazine, Scientific American, Discover Magazine, and was the subject of a recent segment for ABC's Nightline. Dr. Lieberman is also the founding editor of the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. In 2007, he won the APA Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology. In 2011, he won the UCLA Gold Shield Faculty Prize. About anthym anthym is pioneering the Connection category in the workplace and beyond, helping organizations inspire their people to bring their whole selves to work. To learn more, connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn . Contact: Jules Galindo [email protected] SOURCE anthym Hilco Streambank to Sell Frames Through Article 9 Foreclosure Sale Offers Are Due June 27, 2022; Auction to Be Held June 29, 2022 NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank (www.HilcoStreambank.com) announced that it is seeking offers to acquire approximately 2,500 antique and replica period picture frames from the collection of leading frame restorer Eli Wilner. Offers are due on Monday, June 27, 2022, and a public auction will be conducted pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 by Hilco Streambank as agent for Iron Horse Credit LLC, a secured lender. The vast collection includes antique 19th and 20th Century European and American frames, along with highly precise and esteemed period frame replications. The collection previously included frames adorning 28 paintings on the walls of the White House, as well as the hand-carved and gilded eagle-crested frame for Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, which is currently featured as the focal point of the American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Buyers may acquire the entire collection of frames or select a portion of the collection to purchase. "The frames in this collection are pieces of history that allow the viewer to see period art in a period frame," commented Gabe Fried, Hilco Streambank CEO. "They enhance and complement any work of art they surround. The opportunity to acquire this esteemed collection and pieces from it is a unique opportunity not to be missed." Parties interested in learning more about these unique assets or who would like to arrange an appointment for inspection should visit https://www.hilcostreambank.com/acquisition-opportunities/periodframes or contact the below Hilco Streambank representatives directly. About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions including sales in publicly reported Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate and strategic capital equity investments. SOURCE Hilco Streambank This appointment is strategic for Atento Bhalla brings extensive CX experience to support Atentos growth in the US and EMEA markets NEW YORK and MIAMI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atento S.A. (NYSE: ATTO, "Atento" or the "Company"), one of the largest providers worldwide and the leading company in customer relationship services and business process outsourcing (CRM / BPO) in Latin America, has appointed Anil Bhalla as independent board director. Mr. Bhalla replaces David Garner, who is stepping down as a member of the Company's board. Carlos Lopez-Abadia, Atento's Chief Executive Officer, said, "As new independent board director Anil will undoubtedly bring great value to the company thanks to his international experience in the BPO sector. His knowledge of optimization and digitization of operations and his experience in M&A and business integration, will complement the capabilities of the board to finish developing our strategic plan and value contribution to customers and shareholders. Our expansion in the US and EMEA markets is one of the main pillars of our growth, and Anil will contribute significantly to driving this development. I also want to take the opportunity to thank David for his contribution over the last few years as a member of our board." Mr. Bhalla, recognized for being an important business leader in the customer experience industry, has demonstrated, throughout his professional career, his ability to generate value thanks to a strategy focused on innovation that is also results-oriented. During over 20 years of experience in this sector, he has worked for companies all over the world, including: India, US, Canada and Europe. Before his arrival at Atento as a board director, Mr. Bhalla held the position of CEO at the Minacs Group, a company that was later acquired by Concentrix (an American customer experience firm based in California) where he held the position of Senior Vice President Emerging Business. Previously, he held the position of COO in companies such as RSM McGladrey FPO and iCall India, in his native country. In recent years, prior to joining Atento, Mr. Bhalla has worked as investor and board director at companies such as Support Ninja, Voicegain and Venture X, where, thanks to his contribution in improving business models, he has brought about a notable improvement in results. With this appointment, Mr. Bhalla becomes an independent board director in accordance with the corporate governance of the New York Stock Exchange, where Atento is listed. He will form part of its audit committee and will replace David Garner, who held the position since 2016. In this regard, Atento sincerely appreciates David's valuable contribution over the past six years. About Atento Atento is the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing ("CRM BPO") services in Latin America, and among the top providers globally. Atento is also a leading provider of nearshoring CRM BPO services to companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 14 countries where it employs approximately 150,000 people. Atento has over 400 clients to whom it offers a wide range of CRM BPO services through multiple channels. Atento's clients are mostly leading multinational corporations in industries such as telecommunications, banking and financial services, health, retail and public administrations, among others. Atento's shares trade under the symbol ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2019, Atento was named one of the World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces and one of the Best Multinationals to Work for in Latin America by Great Place to Work. Also, in 2021 Everest named Atento as a star performer. Gartner named the company as a leader for two years in a row, since 2021 in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. For more information visit www.atento.com Media Relations [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. In particular, these forward-looking statements include those about the effects on Atento and its growth of changes in the composition of the Board. These statements reflect only Atento's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition in Atento's highly competitive industries; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; Atento's ability to keep pace with its clients' needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of Atento's clients; the non-exclusive nature of Atento's client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; security and privacy breaches of the systems Atento uses to protect personal data; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending Atento against intellectual property infringement claims; extensive regulation affecting many of Atento's businesses; Atento's ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to Atento's data and operation centers; Atento's ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where Atento operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; Atento's ability to complete future acquisitions and integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; future impairments of our substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets; Atento's ability to recover consumer receivables on behalf of its clients; and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Atento is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by the company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. Atento undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Atento S.A. BEIJING, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) ("Autohome" or the "Company"), the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. First Quarter 2022 Highlights [1] Net Revenues in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,471.3 million ( US$232.1 million ), compared to RMB1,841.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2021. Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB318.2 million ( US$50.2 million ), compared to RMB704.3 million in the corresponding period of 2021 and net income attributable to ordinary shareholders in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB307.5 million ( US$48.5 million ), compared to RMB633.8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2021. Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. (Non-GAAP) [2] in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB437.5 million ( US$69.0 million ), compared to RMB735.1 million in the corresponding period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2021. Share Repurchase: As of May 20, 2022 , the Company has repurchased 1,574,674 American depositary shares ("ADSs") for a total cost of approximately US$43.9 million . As of , the Company has repurchased 1,574,674 American depositary shares ("ADSs") for a total cost of approximately . New CFO Appointment: On May 6, 2022 , the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Craig Yan Zeng as Chief Financial Officer of Autohome, effective on the same day. [1] The reporting currency of the Company is Renminbi ("RMB"). For the convenience of readers, certain amounts throughout the release are presented in US dollars ("US$"). Unless otherwise noted, all conversions from RMB to US$ are translated at the noon buying rate of US$1.00 to RMB6.3393 on March 31, 2022 in the City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at such rate. [2] For more information on this and other non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section captioned "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables captioned "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP and GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this release. Mr. Quan Long, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Autohome, stated, "Since the beginning of this year, the resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic in multiple cities of China has impacted most industries including the automobile industry. Despite the challenging macro environment, Autohome reported a solid first quarter with revenues totaling RMB1.47 billion, which exceeded the market expectation, and maintained good profitability and high margin level. We believe our steady financial performance and strong cash flow could support Autohome to navigate through market uncertainties and focus on long-term development. Meanwhile, a healthy balance sheet and ample cash reserves allow us to continue to implement our share repurchase program and dividend policy. During this quarter, we significantly enhanced our content offerings with a greater variety of video and live streaming content and upgraded our new energy vehicle ("NEV") platform with a refreshed layout and user-friendly functionalities. These initiatives have successfully strengthened Autohome's content ecosystem while delivering a better user experience and have already gained substantial traction. In March 2022, our aggregated average daily active users grew by 7.5% year-over-year to 45.21 million, according to QuestMobile, further solidifying our leadership position in the auto media sector. In addition, revenues from NEV brands soared by 156.1% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year. We are also encouraged by the sustained growth momentum in the number of our dealer customers who have adopt an increasingly variety of our data products. Supported by our strong network effect, innovation capabilities and visionary management team, we believe these advancements will further strengthen our eco-platform and empower us to capture new opportunities in the years to come." "Furthermore, we are thrilled to welcome Mr. Craig Yan Zeng to Autohome as our Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Zeng has over 20 years' experience in the capital markets and has held various senior management positions at both US-listed and HK-listed companies, including LexinFintech, Hop Hing Group Holdings, VanceInfo Technologies, as well as General Electric in the U.S. We believe his extensive experience, skills and leadership will be valuable asset to the Company and help Autohome achieve the next stage of growth." concluded Mr. Long. Mr. Zeng, Chief Financial Officer of Autohome, added, "I am pleased to join Autohome's senior management team and look forward to contributing to the Company's long-term development. For the first quarter of 2022, we delivered better-than-expected results. The year-over-year revenue growth rate for our NEV brands and used car business both outperformed the market, demonstrating our value proposition and industry demand for our innovative products. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on long-term business development and invest strategically to remain at the forefront of innovation while maintaining a high-quality growth standard. With the solid foundation we have built, our strong balance sheet and ample cash reserves, we believe we are well-positioned to achieve sustainable growth and deliver long-term value to our shareholders." Unaudited First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Net Revenue Net revenues in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,471.3 million (US$232.1 million), compared to RMB1,841.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Media services revenues were RMB266.8 million ( US$42.1 million ), compared to RMB604 .8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. The decline was attributable to the decrease in average revenue per automaker advertiser, which was primarily due to the ongoing chip shortage as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain cities in China in 2022. revenues were ( ), compared to .8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. The decline was attributable to the decrease in average revenue per automaker advertiser, which was primarily due to the ongoing chip shortage as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain cities in China in 2022. Leads generation services revenues were RMB708.2 million ( US$111 .7 million), compared to RMB697 .6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. revenues were ( .7 million), compared to .6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Online marketplace and others revenues were RMB496.3 million ( US$78.3 million ), compared to RMB539 .1 million in the corresponding period of 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain cities in China in 2022. Cost of Revenues Cost of revenues was RMB255.0 million (US$40.2 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB243.1 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Share-based compensation expense included in cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB3.5 million (US$0.5 million), compared to RMB6.8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Operating Expenses Operating expenses were RMB1,084.1 million (US$171.0 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB1,115.8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Sales and marketing expenses were RMB592.3 million ( US$93.4 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB682.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021, primarily due to the decrease in promotional spending. Share-based compensation expense included in sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB8.4 million ( US$1 .3 million), compared to RMB11.1 million in the corresponding period of 2021. expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to in the corresponding period of 2021, primarily due to the decrease in promotional spending. Share-based compensation expense included in sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2022 was ( .3 million), compared to in the corresponding period of 2021. General and administrative expenses were RMB136.6 million ( US$21.5 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB128.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Share-based compensation expense included in general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB16.1 million ( US$2.5 million ), compared to RMB7 .6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to in the corresponding period of 2021. Share-based compensation expense included in general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB16.1 million ( ), compared to .6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Product development expenses were RMB355.2 million ( US$56 .0 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB304.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to higher investment in research and development activities for digital products. Share-based compensation expense included in product development expenses in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB12.9 million ( US$2 .0 million), compared to RMB28.3 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Operating Profit Operating profit was RMB241.2 million (US$38.1 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB566.6 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Income Tax Expense There was an income tax expense of RMB8.0 million (US$1.3 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to income tax expense of RMB65.0 million in the corresponding period of 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to a preferential rate of 5% for withholding tax on cash dividends which was obtained in 2022. Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. was RMB318.2 million (US$50.2 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB704.3 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Net Income attributable to Ordinary Shareholders and Earnings per Share/ADS Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB307.5 million (US$48.5 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB633.8 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") were RMB0.61 (US$0.10) and RMB0.61 (US$0.10), respectively, in the first quarter of 2022, as compared to basic and diluted EPS of RMB1.31 and RMB1.31, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2021. Basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB2.44 (US$0.38) and RMB2.44 (US$0.38), respectively, in the first quarter of 2022 as compared to basic and diluted earnings per ADS of RMB5.24 and RMB5.22, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2021. Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. (Non-GAAP) and Non-GAAP Earnings per Share/ADS Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome Inc. (Non-GAAP) was RMB437.5 million (US$69.0 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB735.1 million in the corresponding period of 2021. Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS were RMB0.87 (US$0.14) and RMB0.87 (US$0.14), respectively, in the first quarter of 2022 as compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS of RMB1.52 and RMB1.51, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2021. Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB3.47 (US$0.55) and RMB3.47 (US$0.55), respectively, in the first quarter of 2022, compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS of RMB6.08 and RMB6.06, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2021. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB20.27 billion (US$3,197.3 million). Net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB496.2 million (US$78.3 million). Employees The Company had 5,715 employees as of March 31, 2022, including 2,179 employees from TTP Car, Inc. ("TTP"). Conference Call Information The Company will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 (8:00 PM Beijing Time on the same day). Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: United States: +1-855-824-5644 Hong Kong, China: +852-3027-6500 Mainland China: 8009-880-563/ 400-821-0637 United Kingdom: 0800-026-1542 International: +1-646-722-4977 Passcode: 49039262# Please dial in ten minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the passcode to join the call. A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until May 31, 2022: United States: +1-646-982-0473 International: +61-2-8325-2405 Passcode: 520001867# Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at http://ir.autohome.com.cn. About Autohome Inc. Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) is the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Its mission is to engage, educate and inform consumers about everything auto. Autohome provides original generated content, professionally generated content, user-generated content, and AI-generated content, a comprehensive automobile library, and extensive automobile listing information to automobile consumers, covering the entire car purchase and ownership cycle. The ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made Autohome a preferred platform for automakers and dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. Further, the Company's dealer subscription and advertising services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through Autohome's platform, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. The Company offers sales leads, data analysis, and marketing services to assist automakers and dealers with improving their efficiency and facilitating transactions. Autohome operates its "Autohome Mall," a full-service online transaction platform, to facilitate transactions for automakers and dealers. Further, through its websites and mobile applications, it also provides other value-added services, including auto financing, auto insurance, used car transactions, and aftermarket services. For further information, please visit www.autohome.com.cn. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "future", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, Autohome's business outlook, Autohome's strategic and operational plans and quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Autohome may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Autohome's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Autohome's goals and strategies; Autohome's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the online automobile advertising market in China; Autohome's ability to attract and retain users and advertisers and further enhance its brand recognition; Autohome's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; competition in the online automobile advertising industry; relevant government policies and regulatory environment of China; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Autohome's filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Autohome does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement net income presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc., Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS and earnings per ADS, Adjusted net margin and Adjusted EBITDA as non-GAAP financial measures. We define Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. as net income attributable to Autohome Inc. excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisition, certain noncontrolling interests adjustments for TTP (starting in the first quarter of 2021 for the first time, which included interest income related to convertible bond investment to TTP and is eliminated in consolidation), investment loss relating to non-operating impact of a write-down of the initial investment in a financial product, and (gain)/loss pickup of equity method investments, with all the reconciliation items adjusted for related income tax effects. We define Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. divided by the basic and diluted weighted average number of ordinary shares. We define Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. divided by the basic and diluted weighted average number of ADSs. We define Adjusted net margin as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. divided by total net revenues. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income attributable to Autohome Inc. before income tax expense, depreciation expenses of property and equipment, amortization expenses of intangible assets and share-based compensation expenses. We present these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by our management to evaluate our operating performance, in addition to net income prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are important to help investors understand our operating and financial performance, compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and assess our core operating results, as they exclude certain non-cash charges or items that are non-operating in nature. The use of the above non-GAAP financial measures has certain limitations as they excluded certain items that have been and will continue to be incurred in the future, but such items should be considered in the overall evaluation of our results. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliation of non-GAAP and GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this press release. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Autohome Inc. Investor Relations Tel: +86-10-5985-7483 E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Jenny Cai Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] AUTOHOME INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS DATA (Amount in thousands, except per share / per ADS data) For three months ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net revenues: Media services 604,824 266,802 42,087 Leads generation services 697,634 708,204 111,716 Online marketplace and others 539,123 496,286 78,287 Total net revenues 1,841,581 1,471,292 232,090 Cost of revenues (243,123) (255,017) (40,228) Gross profit 1,598,458 1,216,275 191,862 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing expenses (682,633) (592,254) (93,426) General and administrative expenses (128,625) (136,562) (21,542) Product development expenses (304,551) (355,247) (56,039) Total operating expenses (1,115,809) (1,084,063) (171,007) Other operating income, net 83,985 109,024 17,199 Operating profit 566,634 241,236 38,054 Interest and investment income, net 129,703 90,768 14,318 Loss from equity method investments, net (197) (26,229) (4,138) Income before income taxes 696,140 305,775 48,234 Income tax expense (65,033) (8,040) (1,268) Net income 631,107 297,735 46,966 Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 73,182 20,513 3,236 Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 704,289 318,248 50,202 Accretion of mezzanine equity (327,073) (30,876) (4,871) Accretion attributable to noncontrolling interests 256,583 20,118 3,174 Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders 633,799 307,490 48,505 Earnings per share for ordinary shares Basic 1.31 0.61 0.10 Diluted 1.31 0.61 0.10 Earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders (one ADS equals for four ordinary shares) Basic 5.24 2.44 0.38 Diluted 5.22 2.44 0.38 Weighted average shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic 483,498,580 504,448,800 504,448,800 Diluted 485,207,380 504,709,220 504,709,220 AUTOHOME INC. RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP AND GAAP RESULTS (Amount in thousands, except per share / per ADS data) For three months ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 704,289 318,248 50,202 Plus: income tax expense 65,033 9,381 1,480 Plus: depreciation of property and equipment 50,694 57,228 9,027 Plus: amortization of intangible assets 2,969 10,837 1,709 EBITDA 822,985 395,694 62,418 Plus: share-based compensation expenses 53,837 40,861 6,446 Adjusted EBITDA 876,822 436,555 68,864 Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 704,289 318,248 50,202 Plus: amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisition 1,139 10,722 1,691 Plus: share-based compensation expenses 53,837 40,861 6,446 Plus: investment loss arising from one of financial products[3] - 54,420 8,585 Plus: loss on equity method investments, net 197 26,229 4,138 Plus: certain noncontrolling interests adjustments for TTP (24,370) - - Plus: tax effects of the adjustments (36) (12,947) (2,042) Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 735,056 437,533 69,020 Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 704,289 318,248 50,202 Net margin 38.2% 21.6% 21.6% Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 735,056 437,533 69,020 Adjusted net margin 39.9% 29.7% 29.7% Non-GAAP earnings per share Basic 1.52 0.87 0.14 Diluted 1.51 0.87 0.14 Non-GAAP earnings per ADS (one ADS equals for four ordinary shares) Basic 6.08 3.47 0.55 Diluted 6.06 3.47 0.55 Weighted average shares used to compute non-GAAP earnings per share: Basic 483,498,580 504,448,800 504,448,800 Diluted 485,207,380 504,709,220 504,709,220 [3] It represented the loss of an overdue financial product with fair value below its initial investment in the first quarter of 2022, which was recognized at "interest and investment income, net". The impact was considered to be not directly related to the Company's operating activities. AUTOHOME INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (Amount in thousands, except as noted) As of December 31, As of March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Audited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 4,236,501 2,786,456 439,553 Restricted Cash 89,855 87,740 13,841 Short-term investments 16,496,267 17,482,251 2,757,757 Accounts receivable, net 2,139,471 1,570,959 247,813 Amounts due from related parties, current 83,376 53,882 8,500 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 280,248 434,998 68,619 Total current assets 23,325,718 22,416,286 3,536,083 Non-current assets Restricted cash, non-current 5,200 5,200 820 Property and equipment, net 381,496 342,241 53,987 Goodwill and intangible assets, net 4,428,822 4,409,042 695,509 Long-term investments 70,720 444,491 70,117 Deferred tax assets 176,138 176,083 27,776 Amounts due from related parties, non-current 7,529 11,319 1,786 Other non-current assets 133,383 147,434 23,257 Total non-current assets 5,203,288 5,535,810 873,252 Total assets 28,529,006 27,952,096 4,409,335 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Accrued expenses and other payables 2,044,597 1,740,108 274,496 Advance from customers 123,370 108,913 17,181 Deferred revenue 1,553,013 1,692,177 266,934 Income tax payable 233,342 150,396 23,724 Amounts due to related parties 31,897 19,697 3,107 Total current liabilities 3,986,219 3,711,291 585,442 Non-current liabilities Other liabilities 28,619 46,428 7,326 Deferred tax liabilities 576,798 517,389 81,616 Total non-current liabilities 605,417 563,817 88,942 Total liabilities 4,591,636 4,275,108 674,384 MEZZANINE EQUITY Convertible redeemable noncontrolling interests 1,468,029 1,498,904 236,446 EQUITY Total Autohome Inc. shareholders' equity 22,754,419 22,503,791 3,549,886 Noncontrolling interests (285,078) (325,707) (51,381) Total equity 22,469,341 22,178,084 3,498,505 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and equity 28,529,006 27,952,096 4,409,335 SOURCE Autohome Inc. Bain & Company is partnering with Jupiter, the leader in climate risk analytics for resilience, to help its clients build a deep understanding of their exposure to physical climate risks BOSTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company announced today a strategic partnership with Jupiter, the leading provider of predictive data and analytics for climate risk management and resilience. Jupiter's best-in-science solutions deliver climate risk analysis of multiple perils, in spatial resolutions from portfolio to asset level, globally. With an initial focus on Bain's global Financial Services practice, this partnership will help Bain's clients in banking and insurance to build a rich understanding of their exposure to physical risks, much beyond regulatory requirements. It will support them in developing sophisticated approaches, methodologies and processes that embed physical risks in business decisions and overall forward-looking strategies. "This partnership delivers unprecedented solutions to Bain's clients on their ESG journeys, pairing our team's expertise in ESG strategy and transformationas well as our deep understanding of ESG value creation potential and prioritieswith Jupiter's cutting-edge climate risk analytics," said Camille Goossens , senior partner and global head of Bain & Company's ESG work in Financial Services. "This partnership builds on an ecosystem of best-in-breed sustainability tools, technologies and services that complement our consulting expertise to help our clients achieve breakthrough results." Bain & Company recently announced a partnership with Persefoni, an intelligent carbon footprint management and reporting platform; and a minority investment in EcoVadis, the world's most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings for global supply chains. "Jupiter views Bain & Company as one of the world's most strategic and impactful firms," said Rich Sorkin, Jupiter's CEO and co-founder. "We are excited to help their roster of Global 2,000 and other clients apply Jupiter's best-in-class climate risk analytics and enterprise-grade solutions to strategic reporting and operating needs, and most importantly collaborate to build a more resilient planet." Editor's Note: To arrange an interview, contact Katie Ware at [email protected] or +1 646 562 8102 or Hugh Moore at [email protected] or +1 202-471-0661. About Jupiter Jupiter is the global market, science, and technology leader in physical climate analytics for risk management and resiliency planning. Its solutions are used across the private and public sectors: customers include at least one of the world's five largest firms in asset management, banking, chemicals, insurance, minerals and mining, oil and gas, pension funds, pharmaceuticals, power, and reinsuranceas well as critical departments and agencies within both the United States government and climate-change-vulnerable geographies around the world. Jupiter's ClimateScore Intelligence Platform provides sophisticated, dynamic, hyper-local, current hour-to-50-plus-year probabilistic risk analysis for weather in a changing climate. The company's FloodScore, HeatScore, WindScore, FireScore, and ClimateScore Global services are used for climate-related risk assessment and management worldwide. Jupiter's models are based on the latest science, as developed by the global Earth and Ocean Systems science community. Jupiter offers enterprise solutions to asset owners in critical infrastructure, financial services including insurance, banking, and asset management, energy, and real estate, and the public sector. These customers use Jupiter services for a broad range of applications, including capital planning, risk management, site selection, design requirements, supply chain management, investment and asset valuations, and shareholder disclosures. For more information, please visit http://jupiterintel.com/. About Bain & Company Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 62 cities in 37 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry. SOURCE Bain & Company BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. , May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the conflict in Ukraine continues to rage on, and with no end in sight, many people are looking to social media for ways to provide life-saving aid to those in need. Beverly Hills Real Estate financier Jon Sodeif is one of these special humanitarians leading the way. Sodeif's Instagram @444mortgage is actively engaging support for Ukraine thru its impressive social media audience, helping to raise over 1 Million Dollars for non-profit charities such as @SavetheChildren and @CareOrg . Real Estate Financier Jon Sodeif at Office Real Estate Financier Jon Sodeif at Office "Although I have never been to Ukraine, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to help by using my social media platforms, both personal and professional, to bring awareness to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. And most importantly, help raise funds for its most vulnerable victims, the women, children, and elderly. Being in an industry that provides housing options for families, the thought of this many people suddenly being without a home, food, or safety is heartbreaking," states Sodeif. "I am very grateful to my family, friends, clients, and colleagues for the outpouring of care and concern for this crisis. While I cannot be there on the ground to deliver help personally, I can utilize my voice @444mortgage to help spread the word and raise funds for charities like @savethechidren , delivering aid to children and families directly impacted by this devastating conflict," adds Jon. @444mortgage plans to continue to promote its fundraising efforts for Ukraine to its loyal followers of over 200K across all social media platforms. About Jon Sodeif With over 20 years of experience in the Real Estate industry, Jon Sodeif has worked as a successful agent, developer, and consultant on numerous projects. With Sodeif's expansive knowledge of the different Real Estate Market sectors, he can navigate any obstacles that may arise through the acquisition to the lending procedure. "I have seen many people waiting on the sidelines for the perfect investment opportunity, and many different market trends come and go. However, my experience has been that buying Real Estate is not only the best, quickest, and safest way, but the only way to become wealthy if done correctly," says Sodeif. Sodeif's professional credo assures that his past, present, and future clients always have the best financing possible. "I always want to leave my clients in a better financial state at the end of each transaction than when we started together," says Jon. Jon Sodeif is originally from San Francisco and now resides in Beverly Hills, Ca. His first-hand knowledge of the multi-faceted landscape of California Real Estate makes him a true expert in his field. His passion for the business drives him to excellence as he makes his clients' Real Estate dreams become a Real Estate reality. About Save the Children: Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've changed the lives of more than 1 billion children. In the United States and worldwide, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children every day and in times of crisis transforming their lives and the future we share. https://www.savethechildren.org/ About CARE.ORG : CARE works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. We seek a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome, and all people live with dignity and security. https://www.care.org/ For more information, additional comments, and interview requests, please email [email protected] Media contact: Jessica Stanley [email protected] 424-777-5232 SOURCE Jon Sodeif CEO of Bitt, Brian Popelka, stated, "We are pleased to welcome Baker to Bitt's executive management. Baker's leadership, knowledge, and experience from a decorated career at McAfee, Symantec, and GoDaddy, will be of immediate benefit to the entire Bitt team and the company's strategic growth." As Chief Product Officer, Baker will lead Bitt's product design, product management, product marketing, and customer success teams in partnership with engineering, marketing, and sales teams to drive massive adoption digital currency products and services. Baker said, "I am super excited about Bitt's mission to provide low-cost, accessible digital currency solutions to the world. I am thrilled to join a market leader and look forward to leveraging my expertise to solidify and expand our leadership position in the global digital currency market category." Bitt has been on a steady growth path since early 2021 when it partnered with different central banks and stakeholders to deploy the world's first CBDC pilot in a multinational currency union. This was closely followed by the deployment of the first live retail CBDC on the continent of Africa, and a stablecoin in Central America. "Bitt continues to develop, refine, and roll out additional features, for existing clients, even as we deploy our technology in new markets. Soon, we will announce the launch of the e-hryvnia pilot in Ukraine and we look forward to how that will positively impact the citizens of that country." Bitt continues to expand its globally dispersed and diverse team and is actively recruiting across the world. About Bitt Bitt is a financial technology company that provides digital currency solutions to central banks, financial institutions, and ecosystem participants worldwide. With a team of over 80 globally dispersed professionals, Bitt is a leader in the CBDC industry with subject matter experts at the intersection of technology and policy. Bitt specializes in the development, customization, and integration of secure financial technology solutions, including digital currency infrastructure and management applications For more information about Bitt, please visit www.bitt.com and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/bittglobal/ Media contact: Chris Burnett Marketing Manager Phone: (246) 232-8508| E-mail: [email protected] | Website:www.bitt.com SOURCE Bitt Inc High gas prices lead more shoppers to consider traditional sedans and hybrids in the first quarter of 2022, likely benefiting Toyota. BMW and Mercedes stand out in the luxury report; Tesla drops in shopping consideration, but still delivers strong sales in Q1. Ford, Tesla and Toyota strongest brands among electrified-vehicle shoppers. ATLANTA, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BMW and Toyota returned to their long-held spots as America's most-shopped vehicle brands in their respective segments, after being upended late last year, according to the Q1 2022 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch reports. Toyota regained the top spot as the most-shopped non-luxury brand, a position it had held for four years until Ford's brief occupation as No. 1 in the final quarter of 2021. Likewise, BMW retook its spot as the most-shopped luxury brand in the first quarter of 2022, a position it occupied for three years until the end of 2021 when Lexus nosed past and into the top spot. Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch is a consumer perception survey that also weaves in shopping behavior to determine how vehicle brands and models stack up with segment competitors when it comes to consumer shopping. Kelley Blue Book produces separate Brand Watch reports for non-luxury and luxury brands each quarter. A special look at electrified vehicle shopping is also included. The latest Brand Watch work included surveying both mobile and desktop users to provide an even broader view of vehicle shopping; the survey previously included results only from desktop users. "High fuel prices and a few high-profile product launches really shuffled the order in the Q1 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch," said Vanessa Ton, senior research and market intelligence manager at Cox Automotive. "Shopping for traditional sedans, which are often more affordable and efficient than SUVs and trucks, jumped up in Q1 after years of declining. Fuel prices clearly influenced shopping behavior." High Gas Prices Influence Shopping Behavior With gas prices setting new records in March and vehicle affordability worsening, many shoppers in Q1 looked for more efficient, more affordable sedans. Of non-luxury shoppers, 37% considered cars in the first quarter, up from 31% in Q4 2021 and the highest level in a long time. In the final quarter of 2021, no traditional cars were among the top-ten most-shopped vehicles, but that changed in the first quarter of this year when three cars Honda Accord and Civic and Toyota Camry returned to the most-shopped list. Even on the luxury side, fuel efficiency climbed from No. 10 to No. 7 in the factors most important to shoppers. High fuel prices likely helped drive interest in electrified vehicles as well. In Q1, one-in-four shoppers considered an electrified vehicle, particularly EVs and hybrids, a trend likely to accelerate as new models hit showrooms. The top 10 most-shopped electrified vehicles were split evenly between hybrids and EVs. Ford, Tesla and Toyota dominated the list with three models each. The Honda CR-V Hybrid rounded out the top 10. Still, even with high gas prices and rising costs, SUVs remained king of new-vehicle shopping consideration. Of all non-luxury vehicle shoppers, 66% considered an SUV, a level that has held steady for some time, while 35% shopped pickup trucks, the same as the end of 2021. In Q1, 5% of vehicle shoppers considered minivans, up from 4% at the end of 2021. Chevrolet and Dodge Consideration Jumps in Q1 Consideration for the Silverado soared, and, for the first time, the Silverado surpassed the Ford F-150 as the most-shopped pickup truck in the quarterly Kelley Blue Book survey. The Silverado was buoyed by GM's announcement in January with a high-profile Super Bowl ad of an electric model arriving next year, which stimulated shopping interest and significant media buzz during the quarter. Dodge was another winner in the quarter. The brand's shopping consideration doubled, driven largely by a notable increase in shopping for the Durango SUV. The Charger and Challenger muscle cars also saw higher shopping consideration in the first quarter. In the dozen factors most important to non-luxury shoppers, another Stellantis brand Ram took the most honors, ranking in 10 of the 12 categories, including Safety, Driving Comfort, and Interior Layout. Honda was second, scoring in 7 of the 12 categories, with top billing in Affordability and Fuel Efficiency. Toyota was third, ranking in 6 of the 12 categories, including placing No. 1 in Durability/Reliability, the single most important factor to new-vehicle shoppers. BMW Returns as Luxury Brand Leader On the luxury side, BMW returned to its long-held spot as the most-shopped luxury brand in the first quarter on the strength of its popular and iconic 5 Series and 3 Series sedans. Lexus, which had nosed past BMW in the final quarter of 2021, fell to third place in the first quarter of 2022. The big surprise was the surge by Cadillac to the No. 2 most-shopped luxury brand. The General Motors luxury brand showed the biggest gain in shopping activity on the strength of the Escalade SUV, which was the most-shopped luxury vehicle in the quarter for the first time. The other surprise was the fall in shopping for Tesla, which dropped to the fifth most-shopped luxury brand from No. 3 at the end of last year. Still, even with shopping and consideration down, Tesla managed to post record U.S. sales in the quarter and gain market share. Mercedes-Benz took the most honors in factors most important to luxury vehicle shoppers, ranking No. 1 in Driving Comfort, Interior Layout and Prestige/Sophistication. Scoring in 7 of the 12 categories, Mercedes-Benz placed in Safety, Technology, Durability/Reliability and Exterior Styling as well. Tesla was close behind, scoring in 6 of the 12 categories. In the last quarter of 2021, Acura overtook Lexus to claim the top spot in the most important factor to shoppers: Durability/Reliability. Acura held onto that coveted top spot in Q1 2022 and scored in Affordability, Reputation, Fuel Efficiency, and Interior Layout. Learn More About Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Watch a video of the topline results of the Q1 2022 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch in the Cox Automotive Newsroom. Q1 2022 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: Non-Luxury Q1 2022 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: Luxury Q1 2022 Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Report: Electrified About Kelley Blue Book Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides market-reflective values on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book Trade-In Values and Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor tool, which provides a range for what consumers can reasonably expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. Car owners looking to sell immediately can also get a redeemable, transaction-ready offer with Kelley Blue BookSM Instant Cash Offer. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand. About Cox Automotive Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using vehicles easier for everyone. The global company's more than 27,000 team members and family of brands, including Autotrader, Dealer.com, Dealertrack, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim, NextGear Capital, VinSolutions, vAuto and Xtime, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with annual revenues of nearly $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com SOURCE Kelley Blue Book "We are excited that BOX Pure Air was included in this vendor selection. We have been primarily focused on addressing air quality concerns within schools, and BOX Pure Air brings a safe and reliable solution to these classrooms. The BOX team performs a building evaluation and is able to provide a custom solution for each specific space within these schools. The impact of air quality is key for children because kids are far more susceptible to long-term health damage from seasonal allergies, pollutants, or wildfire smoke in the air. Seeing the various layers of government get involved to address this concern puts more confidence on the long-term stability of this market. Indoor Air Quality is quickly becoming a global health crisis as continued research driven by the COVID pandemic continues to come to light, and we have a simple effective solution that addresses indoor air quality (IAQ) issues immediately. Market analysts report that the indoor air purification sector hit a record high of $12.26 billion in 2021, and they expect to see a growth rate of 8.1% until 2030 . This expansion is supported by the increasing concerns of airborne disease and the increase in general pollution as the population continues to grow at staggering rates," commented Wil Ralston, CEO of SinglePoint. The robust product catalog BOX Pure Air offers is prominently positioned in the vendor list and gives schools access to a wide variety of solutions that fit the bill to solve the indoor air quality concerns. As part of the American Rescue Plan, the Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools program (EANS), the government made funding of approximately $2.75 billion available for schools to address business and educational disruptions caused by the pandemic. These solutions include inspecting and improving ventilation systems in addition to purchasing and deploying portable or fixed air purification units to address the indoor air quality within schools and mitigate exposure to airborne pollutants. Addressing the quality of air students are breathing reaches far beyond the risk of viral or bacterial exposure. A study conducted by Harvard University highlights the improved cognitive performance in clean air environments versus environments with non-filtered air and high CO2 levels. These individuals experienced delayed response times and a reduction in accuracy and focus. While the discussion around clean air in schools may appear to be a new topic within households, this health concern has been studied by scientists long before the pandemic brought it to light. Air pollution, whether from a viral threat, wildfire smoke or general smog, has been shown to have an impact on absenteeism within the nation's schools. The cost of a child missing school impacts more than just a disruption in the student's learning. Often, school funding is calculated by the number of children physically attending school. If a child misses school, this can negatively impact the funding allocated, which can have repercussions over time as districts experience budgeting constraints. "Air pollution is harmful for not only the health but also the education and well-being of children in our communities. Even at relatively low levels that many people would not think to be harmful, air pollution is associated with increased school absences," reported Cheryl Pirozzi , assistant professor in the Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, and co-author of a study researching correlation between air quality and school attendance trends . Over the past two years, students have spent an unprecedented amount of time outside of the classroom. Beyond the impact this had on educational development, many families reported a stop gap in their child's emotional and social development. Harvard Studies noted a rise in anxiety and poor ability to manage emotions, especially in elementary-aged children. Keeping students in the classroom, engaging with their peers and fostering their educational and social development should be a high priority for all levels of school leadership. Implementing a certified HEPA, plug-and-play air purification system is one component of a layered approach to getting these kids back to the routines and activities they so desperately need for positive growth and development. About BOX Pure Air Box Pure Air strives to provide the best products to help clean air through the deployment of high efficiency air purification technologies. Contact Information: [email protected] | 843.936.6649 | www.boxpureair.com About SinglePoint Inc (OTCQB:SING) SinglePoint Inc. is a renewable energy and sustainable lifestyle company focused on providing environmentally friendly energy efficiencies and healthy living solutions. SinglePoint is initially focused on building the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional solar and energy storage model. The Company is also actively exploring future growth opportunities in air purification, electric vehicle charging, solar as a subscription service, and additional energy efficiencies and appliances that enhance sustainability and a healthier life. For more information, visit the Company's website (www.singlepoint.com) and connect on social media for the latest updates. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential plans and objectives of the Company, the use of proceeds, anticipated growth and future expansion, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. Investor Contact: Tra-Digital IR [email protected] (212) 389 - 9782 ext. 107 SOURCE SinglePoint Inc. SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bubbleology Research International (BRI) cutting-edge work on leak detection from abandoned and idled oil wells was featured in a Business Insider video, released 23 May. The video featured a unique BRI mobile air quality laboratory, SISTER2, surveying in the Bakersfield area. BRI announces a new advanced gas leak detection and assessment featuring SISTER2 and BRI air quality analysis expertise to assist a range of industries, including the oil and gas sector, agriculture, government, and academia, for research collaborations to protect our communities and the environment. BRI's CEO and Chief Scientist, Ira Leifer, alongside SISTER2 during the Business Insider shoot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EjkgPzVWjE During the Business Insider shoot, BRI demonstrated SISTER2 detection capabilities north of Bakersfield, CA. The survey focus was abandoned and active oil wells, which can leak oil well gases unnoticed for years - potentially impacting human health and the environment. When left unnoticed, leaking wells are a legacy that may emit unknown quantities of methane and other gasses in perpetuity. "Although we wish for more funds, resources to address abandoned and orphaned wells are limited, so accurate and speedy assessment is critical to focus on the greatest need. SISTER2's extreme sensitivity well below a part per billion on most gases is a powerful tool to safeguard the environment," said Dr. Leifer, BRI CEO and chief scientist. Emissions from abandoned oil wells are challenging because most escaping gases are odorless and colorless. SISTER2's ultra-high sensitivity allows detecting even distant gas emissions in some cases from miles away. SISTER2 measures 13 gases and meteorology at up to highway speed to fingerprint and locate the source(s) and assess strength(s). By measuring multiple gases, SISTER2 can identify "false positive" oil well sources for example, SISTER2 carbon monoxide can identify combustion (like from a furnace) sources, while ammonia can identify dairy methane sources. By measuring so many gases, SISTER2 can address a wide range of sources and assess impacts, from ports to landfills to dairies to natural geology (volcanic gases). SISTER2 supports targeted sample collection to profile the chemical composition (over 60 gases) of the emissions many with health implications. SISTER2 technology is well represented in 12 peer-reviewed publications. "SISTER2 is a unique air quality research platform that measures a wide range of gases, aerosols, and meteorology. This diverse information allows us to really drill down on the scienceand to study many atmospheric problems, from volcanic gas emissions from Death Valley to emissions from Los Angeles/Long Beach ports in downwind communities," said Leifer. In many surveys, SISTER2 is joined by the Aerospace Corporation's airborne remote sensing instrument, Mako. In a soon-to-be-published study in the SPE journal, Production & Operations, maps of methane plumes from the oil fields near Bakersfield were related to the geology, including faults. Faults stress infrastructure, showing how BRI technologies can improve field maintenance schedules, help reduce emissions, and improve our understanding of petroleum reservoirs. A recent SISTER2/Mako survey of the Port of Long Beach looked at how air pollution emissions have changed since Covid. This 18 May survey found only partial emissions recovery in the post-Covid period. Bubbleology Research International (BRI) is a small, flexible greentech company dedicated to environmental consulting, instrumentation development, satellite analysis and validation, and environmental assessment. At BRI, we continuously adapt to change to meet the demands of our clients. Established in 2003, BRI has handled a variety of complex projects involving Fortune 500 companies, universities, the Navy, NASA, and other state and federal agencies. Follow SISTER2 science adventures, SISTER2 updates, BRI news and science at https://twitter.com/BubbleologyRes and www.bubbleology.com. Contact: [email protected], 805-683-3333 SOURCE Bubbleology Research International During the Agrarian Revolutionary War (1927-1937), Xi Zhongxun joined the construction of the Shaanxi-Gansu Revolutionary Base Area. During six years' work at the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province, Xi Zhongxun insisted on working for the people and was awarded as an honorable leader of the people in 1942 by the Party. In 1943, Xi Zhongxun became the Party chief of Suide. When China began its reform and opening up in 1978, Xi Zhongxun served as the Party chief of the southern province of Guangdong. During one summer, Xi Zhongxun visited 23 counties in the scorching heat to familiarize himself with the local situation. Inheriting his father's down-to-earth approach, Xi Jinping went to Liangjiahe Village of Shaanxi Province in 1969. Xi spent 2,400 days in the small village. In 1975, Xi was admitted to the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. After graduation, he first worked at the general office of the Central Military Commission before moving to Zhengding, a county in northern Hebei Province, in 1982. Xi visited all the villages in Zhengding during his tenure of Party committee chief in the county in the 1980s. After Zhengding, Xi's political career took him to the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang and the metropolis of Shanghai. In Ningde of Fujian, he visited nine counties within the first three months as secretary of the CPC Ningde Prefectural Committee, and traveled to most townships later on. In 2007, Xi returned to Beijing to sit on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and later became China's vice president. At the age of 59, Xi was elevated to the Party's most senior post in November 2012. Xi Jinping visited China's 14 contiguous areas of extreme poverty and made more than 50 inspections over the poverty alleviation work after becoming general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November 2012. Link: https://youtu.be/YRsp8WBad2A SOURCE CCTV+ NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the US emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic's global, transformative disruption, one of the nation's most important missions is to assess the lessons learned to date and identify the solutions. Specifically, we must build on what worked and what didn't to better prepare for the next such emergency, whether it is a virulent new variant form of COVID or a future novel pandemic. Today, the Committee for Economic Development, the public policy center of The Conference Board (CED), issued a new Solutions Brief, Preparing for the Next Public Health Crisis: Lessons From the Pandemic. The reportthe latest in a series on Sustaining Capitalismanalyzes the US pandemic response's successes and shortcomings, and includes a set of 15 key recommendations for better preparing to handle the next inevitable situations. The overriding theme of the study is the importance of close public-private collaboration at all levels for dealing with public health crises. Such partnerships are critical to avoid future severe disruptions to the economy and additional trillions of dollars of spending to avoid even sharper damage. They are necessary not only to minimize economic disruptions but also for making workplaces safe, and, ultimately, responding innovatively and rapidly to mitigate the pandemic's spread, including by developing and distributing vaccines and other therapeutics. "The COVID-19 pandemic has touched the life of every American, one way or another. We must start working together now to ensure that we are better able to meet the challenges of the next crisis, whether it's a COVID variant or a completely new threat to public health," said Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, President of CED. "Hard experience has taught us how inextricably linked the public and private sectors are during a national health emergency. Critical response areas such as wastewater screening and a global biosurveillance network for tracking future variants and new pathogens require close cooperation." Key insights from the Solutions Brief include: Preparedness is the best way to avoid economic shutdowns and costly responses Employment fell by 14 percent during the pandemic's early stages. Job losses hit workers without a high school education the hardest. Counting the six laws Congress enacted specifically as relief and stimulus response, as well as the increase in the public debt from changed Congressional Budget Office projections, the pandemic cost roughly $6.5 trillion . The pandemic's impact revealed significant shortfalls in our healthcare system, which needs reform Black, Hispanic, and AIAN (American Indian and Alaska Native) people experienced higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death compared to white people. The elderly were more than eight times more likely than those aged 55-64 to die from COVID-19. Rural residents have had much higher COVID-19 mortality rates than their urban counterparts. The pandemic also disproportionately affected those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking. Moving towards a healthcare system that reimburses providers for maintaining health rather than maneuvering a fee-for-service, administrative price list will help address broader societal determinants of public health. Cost-responsible consumer choice among competing private health care plans will drive the system toward quality, affordable health care for all. America's response had several bright spots The vaccines were developed, tested, authorized, and distributed in record time. Federal regulatory relief touching on an exceptionally broad number of areasfrom hospitals to the healthcare workforce to telehealthafforded the flexibility necessary to tackle the crisis. Expanded wastewater sampling became a critical, reliable predictor of future COVID cases. Genomic sequencing permitted scientists to track the virus's evolution, address emerging variants, and rapidly develop vaccines and therapeutics. Key recommendations from the Solutions Brief include: In its Solutions Brief, CED provides 15 recommendations for better preparing for the next public health crisis: 1. Determine essential businesses Private sector leaders should coordinate with public sector leaders on the federal, regional, and state levels to use the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to determine and prioritize essential businesses that would need to operate in a public health emergency and the requirements that the workforce would need to operate in person and remotely. 2. Determine business plans for future disruptions Companies should update their business plans/playbooks now with lessons learned for future disruptions. They should also coordinate with state and local officials to ensure that essential business infrastructure that requires public sector support to continue operating in a future public health crisis is addressed. 3. Expand monitoring for future variants Continue robust testing and build a structure now for rapid scale-up of testing for a future public health emergency. Expand genomic sequencing of positive tests and build a public-private global biosurveillance network using genomic sequencing to track future variants and new pathogens of concern. Expand wastewater screening as an important early warning signal. To work effectively, the system needs strong commitment from public health agencies and privately run utilities. 4. Rebuild the Strategic National Stockpile Organize a national task force with public and private representation to determine essential requirements for the National Stockpile and resilient supply chains: what needs to be physically stockpiled with a planned cycle of disposal and restocking involving FEMA and USAID; and what needs standby surge production capacity. Review and address continually potential disruptions in order to promote resiliency in manufacturing supply chains for vaccines and other public health requirements during the crisis. That includes, most importantly, PPE and IV fluids and medicine delivery equipment, so that they are intact for the next crisis, and where applicable, a digitally-enabled stock rotation system should be created. 5. Reform CDC by finding better ways to implement scientific guidance in real-world contexts. Government should consult more closely with business through an advisory committee to minimize disruptions to the economy, using the model of DHS for critical infrastructure, to advise the agency on economic impacts of public health regulations both in planning for and during public health emergencies. 6. Build a national network of precise, uniform accurate data Build uniform reporting standards and a new HHS requirement that all states in collaboration with the private sector report certain important data, including hospital data, within a set time to enable the fastest possible analysis. Bringing uniformity to data reporting systems will transform public health. 7. Expand further the use of private sector distribution and dispensing systems for vaccines and therapeutics to use their robust existing channels of patient contact to increase accessibility and decrease hesitancy. 8. R&D investment in life science Continue private/public support for advanced research on vaccines and therapeutics and their required thermal storage box distribution systems, which successfully and rapidly have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. 9. Regulatory reform The Federal government should undertake a review, likely through the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), of the use and effectiveness of regulatory waivers and Emergency Use Authorizations. Second, states should review their own plans to ensure they wish to incorporate these or similar waivers during the next public health emergency. The reviews should include consultation with private sector leaders. With these tasks done, both HHS and the states will be able to renew a broad package of waivers quickly in the event of a future public health emergency. Looking forward, the FDA should prioritize review of new and upgraded manufacturing facilities being considered for reshoring. 10. Regional hospital coordination/post-acute care Hospitals faced exceptional challenges at the start of the pandemic. They were overwhelmed by a surge of patients when infections spread rapidly. The system could have collapsed but did not. Lessons learned include: 1) Regulatory relief helped, as did coordination among and between hospitals and public health and emergency response agencies, including sharing of critical equipment; and 2) Systems should be in place to rapidly organize and deploy these regional efforts in the early stages of future pandemics. Regarding the post-acute care sector, which also faced many very serious challenges at the outset of the pandemic: A panel of post-acute care experts should be convened to determine how best to respond to future public health emergencies in this sector. 11. Rebuild and revitalize the health care workforce Work closely with the private sector and educational institutions to address the critical shortages in health care providers. Recruit new and retired health care personnel. Ready the National Guard for emergency health care deployment. Implement accelerated graduation tracks and specialized learning in community colleges that offer new pathways to address health care workforce shortages. Regulatory reform, greater use of interdisciplinary teams, and increased use of telehealth will all help address the health care workforce shortage in rural America. Registered apprenticeships offer a chance for participants to embark on a new career while earning funds to pay for learning that career. 12. Develop a national clinical trial structure to speed approval of promising therapies and vaccines. 13. Restore trust in public health Review and reform public communications procedures for federal government announcements and dissemination of information in a crisis to make sure guidelines are clear when issued, consistent throughout the federal government, and, if they need to be changed, are explained fully as to why. On a local level, review health education in schools as well as consider expanding the role schools and other trusted institutions can play in disseminating public health information to students and families. Business should embrace its role as a trusted source of information for employees during a public health crisis. 14. Increase international cooperation on distribution of vaccine and other therapeutics around the world, while protecting intellectual property Coordinated US leadership from the public and private sector is needed. 15. Establish an independent commission including business leaders and public health experts to focus on forward-looking solutions. The new Solutions Brief, Preparing for the Next Public Health Crisis: Lessons From the Pandemic, can be accessed here. About CED The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is the public policy center of The Conference Board. The nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led organization delivers well-researched analysis and reasoned solutions in the nation's interest. CED Trustees are chief executive officers and key executives of leading US companies who bring their unique experience to address today's pressing policy issues. Collectively they represent 30+ industries, over a trillion dollars in revenue, and over 4 million employees. www.ced.org 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 SOURCE Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED) Current projections indicate that the aviation industry will inject up to 148 billion in funding the booming demand for new aircraft by 2023 and even more in the succeeding years. The need to acquire new aircraft to meet the requirements for increased aircraft capacity will likely push airlines to consider alternative ways to avoid the financial burden and other challenges of purchasing them. As a result, aircraft leasing may emerge as the most attractive option even for airlines seeking to increase their capacity, albeit temporarily. Today, many airlines are less concerned about when demand will return. Indeed, the pressing question is how they will respond to the challenge of the increasing aviation demand. For many, passenger recovery would mean more aircraft departures and increased utilization which may have a net negative impact on pilot supply. Regarding magnitude, the expected decline in global pilot supply will hit 34,000 pilots between now and 2025. However, the figure may clock at 50,000 in the worst-case scenario, signaling real challenges for small and big carries. The outright reasons explaining the pilot deficit problem include the increasing numbers of pilots going into retirement, defections, change of careers, furloughs, and fleet growth. The pilot shortage problem may compel some airlines to enter into short-term dry lease agreements, where they hand over some of their aircraft to other companies with a bigger supply of in-service pilots rather than cancelling hundreds of flights due to flight shortages. However, an increase in demand for dry leasing by major airlines will ultimately cause a leasing deficit, as the number of carriers pursuing ACMI solutions exceeds that of airlines providing such services. Even with such big players like Lufthansa, which in their latest strategy is reactivating temporarily parked aircraft and the use of seasonal wet-lease capacities, might not be enough to meet the demand. Conceivably, some airlines may experience aircraft shortages, given that part of their existing fleet cannot return to service because they require maintenance. As a result, this will push the demand for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. Current forecasts indicate that the value of the aircraft MRO market will increase from 57.96 billion in 2021 to 79.47 billion by 2028 due to the growing demand for MRO services. MRO market drivers point to a possibility that the market may experience problems providing extra capacity, meeting the operational demands, and maintaining the expected functional conditions for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul as the demand surpasses available capacity. A shortage in supply for MRO services from existing providers would translate to more airlines pursuing other options, such as ACMI solutions to have their aircraft serviced. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) data indicate that the demand for global cargo aviation has continued to soar despite the challenging operating and financial backdrop. During the pandemic, the aviation industry noted a 54% decline in belly freight in the reported figures in 2019. It is expected that more than 800 wide-body aircraft operating in cargo aviation will retire from services, meaning that the available belly capacity will go below pre-COVID levels. For many airlines, the only feasible way to get themselves out of the situation is by initiating dry lease agreements with other carriers to increase their cargo capacity. However, this may not provide a sustainable solution to the surging cargo aviation demand. The available ACMI operators may start to experience challenges in servicing many airlines seeking to enter into leasing agreements. If the current trends are anything to go by, the rundown is that low-cost carriers (LCCs) will become the next big thing in commercial aviation. LCCs such as Wizz Air and Ryanair have emerged as some of the biggest winners since the pandemic, with their monthly passenger traffic increasing by 10% and 5% of their 2019 figures. Along with this trend, more LCCs have started to emerge, with companies like Akasa Air of India, Arajet of the Dominican Republic, and Bonza Air of Australia making their headway into the low-cost segment. Given the huge potential presented by the ACMI market, the management of Avia Solutions Group and its AOC companies are preparing to operate 137 ACMI aircraft for passenger and cargo aviation markets, starting in August 2022. ACMI leasing has offered a flexible solution to current and future operational challenges and strategic capacity requirements experienced in commercial aviation. Aircraft leasing provides an urgent short-term cover for airlines to minimize service disruption from unexpected issues such as crew shortages or limited access to aircraft maintenance services. However, an increase in leasing demand may result in ACMI deficits, leading to order backlogs and other risks associated with aircraft leasing. For media inquiries: Vilma Vaitiekunaite +370 686 16336 [email protected] About Gediminas Ziemelis: Throughout a business development career spanning more than 24 years, Gediminas Ziemelis has established over 50 start-ups and green-field investments in various industries such as IT, media, luxury furniture, pharma, clinics, agriculture, and across other industry sectors. At present, these companies are either owned by PE "Vertas Management", or have previously been sold and are now components of other sizeable organisations. Gediminas Ziemelis is the founder and chairman of Avia Solutions Group - a leading global aerospace services group with almost 100 offices and production stations providing aviation services and solutions worldwide. Spanning his career to date, G. Ziemelis has received many prestigious awards and industry recognitions. In 2016, G. Ziemelis received a prestigious European Business Award in recognition of his visionary business management and development skills. The same year, under his leadership, Avia Solutions Group was named a national public champion in the category of Entrepreneurship, earning a spot in the top 110 European businesses. Twice in 2012 and again in 2014 Ziemelis was acknowledged as one of the top 40 most talented young leaders in the global aerospace industry by the leading USA aerospace magazine 'Aviation Week'. Over his career, Gediminas Ziemelis has taken part in many impressive business ventures. Between 2014 2017, he personally supported and consulted Chinese Banks (including ICBCL, CMBL, and Skyco Leasing) concerning financing aircraft sale-leaseback transactions where the total value was more than US$ 4 bn. Between 2006 2019, Avia Solutions Group Chairman executed successful IPOs of 4 companies at OMX and WSE, oversaw many public bonds issues, along with the raising of public capital worth more than US$ 400 M. His total net worth is US$ 1.38 bn, according to local business media. More info: www.gediminasziemelis.com SOURCE Avia Solutions Group Food industry report released today by the Research Center at World Business Chicago, details Chicago's dominance in food innovation and commoditization CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the 19th century, Chicago has been a dominant U.S. hub for food and beverage manufacturing. Today this industry is accelerated by innovation and pandemic related shifts, from global supply chain and demand, to venture capital investment. According to a report released today by World Business Chicago, Chicago Business Bulletin, Innovation in Chicago's Food Sector, the city's food innovation ecosystem is one of the fastest growing in Chicago. The industry is seeing more venture capital investment than in Boston and Seattle, spurred by a clustering of food companies in Chicago from major corporate to early-stage and start-ups. Among the report's other key takeaways: Chicago's traditional food and beverage manufacturing industry is the largest in the U.S., generating $9.4 annual in output, employing over 65K people. Chicago outperforms in employment growth, growing 9.4 percent versus 4.2 percent since 2019. traditional food and beverage manufacturing industry is the largest in the U.S., generating annual in output, employing over people. outperforms in employment growth, growing 9.4 percent versus 4.2 percent since 2019. Building on Chicago's legacy food manufacturing industry, its food innovation ecosystem is sizeable and growing: legacy food manufacturing industry, its food innovation ecosystem is sizeable and growing: There are over 2,800 locally headquartered food innovation related companies. In 2021, Chicago's food innovation companies raised $723 million in venture capital, an increase of 508 percent from 2019. Investments in Chicago's food innovation companies with active patents are at an all-time high, while investments in similar companies in other top tech ecosystems have declined. food innovation companies raised in venture capital, an increase of 508 percent from 2019. Investments in food innovation companies with active patents are at an all-time high, while investments in similar companies in other top tech ecosystems have declined. More investors are taking notice, e.g., in 2021, there were 21% more investors involved in Chicago's food innovation deals than in 2020. A quarter of investors are locally based. food innovation deals than in 2020. A quarter of investors are locally based. Innovation in Chicago's food industry looks different than in other industries, i.e., large companies may acquire innovation rather than creating it, while small businesses spend more on R&D than larger corporations. World Business Chicago (WBC) timed the release of this report to precede the Chicago Venture Summit, Future of Food (www.chicagoventuresummit.com) being held May 25 and May 26, 2022, when over 500 startups, venture capital and private equity investors and others in food and beverage verticals will convene to discover why Chicago is a strong destination for food and agriculture founders, innovators and investors from around the world. "We compete around the world not only for our core strengths, but our values, our culture, our commitment to diversity and equity," said Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago, Chief Marketing Officer, city of Chicago. "I congratulate our team for a job well done on this report. I look forward to sharing this widely throughout Chicago's business community." "When the team reviewed the data and trends, it was clear to us that Chicago's dominance is deeply rooted but also a result of consistent innovation; not something you typically see in stalwart, legacy industries," said Robin Ficke, Vice President, Research, World Business Chicago. The WBC Research Center team members who co-authored the report include Justine Ingram, Research Coordinator, Himashi Jayasundera, Research Analyst, Hannah Loftus, Research Director, and Robin Ficke. About World Business Chicago World Business Chicago serves a critical role in driving inclusive and equitable recovery throughout the city's 77-neighborhoods. As the city's economic development agency, World Business Chicago leads business acquisition, workforce and talent, community impact and equity, support of our business community and promotion of Chicago as a leading global city. For business related news, announcements, and original research-based content, follow World Business Chicago on Linkedin and Twitter. SOURCE World Business Chicago ZURICH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) today announced that John Thompson has been appointed Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President of International Personal Lines. The company also named Daniela Hernandez Division President of International Accident & Health (A&H). Both divisions are part of Overseas General Insurance, the company's international general insurance business that operates in 51 countries and territories. Mr. Thompson and Ms. Hernandez's new roles are effective June 1 and both will report to Juan Luis Ortega, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group and President, Overseas General Insurance. John Thompson Daniela Hernandez Currently, Mr. Thompson serves as Division President, International A&H. In his new role, he will be responsible for leading Chubb's division that provides a broad range of traditional and specialty personal lines insurance products to targeted customer segments. Mr. Thompson will succeed Darryl Page, Vice President, Chubb Group, who is retiring following a 10-year career with the company. Mr. Page will remain with Chubb through July 1 and will work with Mr. Thompson to ensure a smooth transition. Ms. Hernandez, who is succeeding Mr. Thompson, currently leads Chubb's Life and A&H business in Chile, including the company's strategic partnership with Banco de Chile. In her new role, she will be responsible for the company's international personal accident, supplemental health and travel insurance businesses. "John is taking on the leadership of our international personal lines business after five years leading our international A&H business, contributing to the establishment of several strategic partnerships around the world and evolving our digital strategies. He successfully navigated the complexities brought on by the pandemic, ultimately providing Chubb with a stronger A&H franchise," said Mr. Ortega. "I'm delighted to welcome Daniela to her new international A&H leadership role," continued Mr. Ortega. "Daniela brings tremendous experience from managing some of the company's largest distribution relationships in Latin America, as well as serving in key roles that contributed to the growth of Chubb's A&H business in the region." "Under Darryl's leadership over the past 10 years, our personal lines business has grown significantly and become a meaningful component of our international consumer business," added Mr. Ortega. "On behalf of the team, I want to thank Darryl for all of his contributions and wish him the best in this new stage of his life." Mr. Thompson joined the company, then named ACE, in 2012 as Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer for International Personal Lines, playing a leading role in advancing the company's global consumer product and geographic diversification strategy with a focus on auto, residential and high net worth portfolios. He started his career as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Mr. Thompson holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics from Utah State University and an MBA degree from the Yale School of Management. Ms. Hernandez joined ACE as a financial lines underwriter in 2014. Prior to her current role, she has held leadership positions in Latin America as chief of staff for the region and head of A&H distribution in Mexico. Ms. Hernandez holds a double Bachelor's degree in Finance and International Trade and International Business Administration from Universidad del Rosario in Colombia and has completed post graduate work in Risk and Information Economics at La Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. 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 a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. 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, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com SOURCE Chubb Limited Yancy Weinrich, a 17+ year veteran at RX (formerly Reed Exhibitions), served as the Chief Growth Officer since 2019 where she led the organization in growth strategy, marketing, content, digital and activations for 25+ B2B events across a multitude of sectors. Prior to 2019, Weinrich had been in senior leadership roles, being recognized for growth with the Rock Star award for Fastest Growing Show in 2018, by Trade Show Executive, amongst many other industry honors. Gareth Bowhill, CEO of CloserStill Media, states, "Yancy Weinrich is not only an experienced, forward-thinking leader in the exhibition industry, she also has an incredible track record of driving growth and innovation through organic business development, launching new events, and acquisition. CloserStill Media is looking forward to expanding our global business by twice its pre-Covid size in the next 24 months. Under Yancy's leadership and vision in the U.S. market, we will continue our customer-centric approach in leading and dynamically growing market sectors." CloserStill Media has built an exemplary reputation with a focused portfolio operating best-in-class events throughout the United States (U.S.), Europe and Asia. The group, which has over 400 employees, delivers events across a range of dynamically growing industry verticals including corporate learning and HR, enterprise technologies, eCommerce, healthcare and veterinary. CloserStill Media has experienced substantial growth since entering the U.S. market in 2017 through the launch of New York Vet (+ 3 regional shows), as well as the acquisition of FocusZone in 2018 which established the group as the biggest provider of corporate learning and learning technology events in the US. Most recently, in December 2021, CloserStill Media acquired a majority investment in the Influence Group, which provides hosted leadership retreats for C-level executives. CloserStill Media is seeking individuals to join the team in growing market sectors. Professionals are encouraged to apply at https://careers.closerstillmedia.com. SOURCE CloserStill Media 92% of employees in America and 82% of employees in Canada agreed that ComForCare/At Your Side Home Care is a great place to work TROY, Mich., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ComForCare , a franchised provider of in-home caregiving services, has recently received the honor of being named one of the 2022 Best Workplaces by Great Place To Work in both the United States and Canada . This marks the second consecutive year ComForCare has earned this prestigious certification. This award confirms the positive workplace culture ComForCare/At Your Side franchisees have cultivated, as well as the brand's emphasis on helping others live their best lives. "It's an immense honor to be certified on the 2022 Best Workplaces in both the U.S. and Canada," said J.J. Sorrenti, CEO of Best Life Brands, parent company to ComForCare/At Your Side Home Care. "Our franchisees put a great deal of effort toward caregiver satisfaction, which leads to increased loyalty and client peace of mind. Caregivers are the heart of everything we do and it's important that they feel valued and truly enjoy the crucial work they do. This recognition validates our franchisees' efforts." Great Place To Work, the global authority on workplace culture, certifies employers based on how fairly employees are treated. In addition, companies are assessed on how well they create an exceptional employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, or any other aspect of an employee's character or role. Earning Great Place to Work Certification proves that a company has an excellent employee experience, validated by their own staff. Certification is entirely based on what employees say, especially how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Being Certified provides a company with a literal badge of excellence. It denotes to current employees, jobseekers and other companies within their industry that their organization is the best of the best. Learn more about careers at ComForCare and At Your Side Home Care today, or refer someone to join this vital field. About ComForCare Home Care: ComForCare is a premier franchised provider of in-home caregiving services with more than 215 independently-owned and operated locations in the U.S. and Canada helping older adults live independently in their own homes. ComForCare is committed to helping people live their best lives possible and offers special programs for people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Founded in 1996, ComForCare was acquired by private equity firm The Riverside Company in 2017 and now is part of Best Life Brands, which has plans for continued expansion of service brands across the continuum of care for aging adults. ComForCare operates as At Your Side Home Care in Houston. ComForCare has earned a ranking of 291 on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list. For more information, visit http://www.comforcare.com . About Great Place To Work Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place To Work for all. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . SOURCE ComForCare Home Care Donations are desperately needed at milk banks and, even after this crisis eases, these essential organizations will need to replenish their supplies. Nazca Fontes, founder and CEO of ConceiveAbilities, is providing assistance to encourage able women to donate to a milk bank. All eligible women who answer that call and meet donation requirements will receive a one-time $250 gift card to help with the costs of pumping and donating. "In our work to help build families for the last twenty-five years, we know that many women find purpose in helping other families at a time of great need." Fontes says. "Like surrogacy, milk banks play a vital role in assisting families. We stand ready to assist all women who are able to help lift up other women and families in their time of need and help provide much needed nutrition to the babies who are in need. While there is much work to be done to address the infant formula shortage, we hope an increase of breast milk donations will be the lifeline these families need at this critical time." We hope an increase of breast milk donations will be the lifeline these families need at this critical time. If you aren't able to donate milk, you can still make a difference. ConceiveAbilities will also match any financial donation up to $250 to your local nonprofit milk bank with proof of donation. Gina-Marie Madow, Director of Legal Services, adds, "Our surrogates are incredibly giving and often donate their breast milk after their surrogacy journey. By inspiring more women to donate, we hope those who are facing this uncertainty can rest easy at night knowing they can provide critical nutrition for their babies." Get the full details at ConceiveAbilities.com on how to join the #MilkBankChallenge. ConceiveAbilities Surrogacy and Egg Donation Agency is a woman-owned full-service surrogacy agency founded in 1996. Founder Nazca Fontes is a sought-out thought leader as a pioneering force in modern family building for twenty-five years. As part of its innovative All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation Package, ConceiveAbilities provides support for surrogates throughout their "fourth trimester" including lactation support. www.conceiveabilities.com Media Contact: Marci Hughes, [email protected] SOURCE ConceiveAbilities NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the market research and consulting firm P&S Intelligence, by 2030, the construction adhesives market is set to reach $14,541.9 million from $9,101.5 million in 2021, propelling at a 5.3% CAGR from 2021 to 2030. Due to the massive infrastructure funding, countries such as India, China, and the U.S. are the key contributors to the global GDP. The growing infrastructure investments will increase the global GDP by 0.5% in the near future. The acrylic category generated around $3,862.3 million revenue in 2021, and it will grow at a significant rate. This will be because of the expansion of the construction industry in the MEA and APAC regions, where acrylic adhesives are popular owing to their high water resistance, strength, and strong bonding. Request for sample pages of this report: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/construction-adhesives-market/report-sample Key Findings of Construction Adhesives Market Report The North American construction adhesives market is predicted to have the second-highest CAGR in the coming years, due to the increasing usage of these adhesives in insulation, roofing, and cladding applications. In sustainable projects, the majority of builders choose OSBs over plywood for walls and floors. OSBs are less expensive and can be easily fixed with polyurethane and wax adhesives, without bolts or cement. The market for polyurethane adhesives is predicted to be the second fastest-growing, due to their ability to bind almost any kind of substrate, including wood, plastic, concrete, and glass. The residential category holds over 60% revenue share in the construction adhesives market, because of the government initiatives worldwide to boost residential construction. Water-based adhesives are predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. This is due to the higher moisture resistance offered by these adhesives compared to other options. There are numerous airport expansion projects underway in China , including Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. Moreover, the government of China has announced the relocation of 250 million people to new megacities. To gain a substantial position in the market, companies have been active in product launches and mergers. For example, Toyochem Co. Ltd. introduced the Oribain EXK 21-046 acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive for use in building interiors in March 2022. PPG Industries Inc., Huntsman Corporation, Dow Inc., Sika Services AG, DAP Products Inc., Bostik SA, 3M, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, and H.B. Fuller Company are other key companies in the industry. Browse detailed report on Global Construction Adhesives Market Trends, Business Strategies, Regional Outlook and Analysis Through 2030 In 2021, the APAC construction adhesives market accounted for 45% of the global revenue. This is primarily due to the rising disposable income, increasing construction activity, and growing economy. Furthermore, the growing demand for low-VOC adhesives and rising government infrastructure funding are driving the market. China, for example, plans to invest over $13 trillion in the construction sector by 2030. Construction Adhesives Market Segmentation Analysis By Type Acrylic Polyurethane Polyvinyl acetate Epoxy Others By Application Residential Non-Residential By Technology Water-based Solvent-based Hot-melt Reactive Regional Outlook North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Asia-Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa and South Africa Saudi Arabia U.A.E Browse More Related Reports Global Low VOC Adhesives Market Growth Forecast Report, 2030 Global Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Market Growth Forecast Report, 2030 Global Water-Based Adhesive Specialty Tapes Market Growth Forecast Report, 2030 About P&S Intelligence P&S Intelligence provides market research and consulting services to a vast array of industries across the world. As an enterprising research and consulting company, P&S believes in providing thorough insights on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. P&S keeps the interest of its clients at heart, which is why the insights we provide are both honest and accurate. Our long list of satisfied clients includes entry-level firms as well as multi-million-dollar businesses and government agencies. Contact: Prajneesh Kumar P&S Intelligence Phone: +1-347-960-6455 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE P&S Intelligence Total Pages: 120 120 Companies: 10+ Including Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., BrewDog Plc, Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd., Cloudwater Brew Co., Diageo Plc, Duvel Moortgat NV, Heineken NV, Stone Brewing Co., and The Boston Beer Co. Inc. among others 10+ Including Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., BrewDog Plc, Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd., Cloudwater Brew Co., Diageo Plc, Duvel Moortgat NV, Heineken NV, Stone Brewing Co., and The Boston Beer Co. Inc. among others Coverage: Key drivers, trends, and challenges; Product insights & news; Value chain analysis; Parent market analysis; Vendor landscape; COVID impact & recovery analysis Key drivers, trends, and challenges; Product insights & news; Value chain analysis; Parent market analysis; Vendor landscape; COVID impact & recovery analysis Segments: Product (IPA-based craft beer, seasonal-based craft beer, pale ale-based craft beer, amber ale-based craft beer, and others) and Distribution Channel (off-trade and on-trade) Product (IPA-based craft beer, seasonal-based craft beer, pale ale-based craft beer, amber ale-based craft beer, and others) and Distribution Channel (off-trade and on-trade) Geographies: Germany, UK, Poland , Russian Federation , and Rest of Europe Download Sample : for more additional information about the Craft Beer Market in Europe Vendor Insights- The craft beer market in Europe is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions to compete in the market. Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV- The company offers craft beer through its brands Goose Island, Golden Road and Elysian Brewing. The company offers craft beer through its brands Goose Island, Golden Road and Elysian Brewing. BrewDog Plc- The company produces and offers a wide range of craft beers under the product name, PUNK IPA X 48, LOST LAGER X 48, HEADLINERS X 48, CRAFT BEER X 48, HAZY JANE X 24, BBQ BUNDLE X 48, and others. The company produces and offers a wide range of craft beers under the product name, PUNK IPA X 48, LOST LAGER X 48, HEADLINERS X 48, CRAFT BEER X 48, HAZY JANE X 24, BBQ BUNDLE X 48, and others. Cloudwater Brew Co.- The company offers different types of craft beer under the brand CLOUDWATER. Download Sample Report to find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Regional Market Outlook 65% of the market's growth will originate from Rest of Europe during the forecast period. Germany and UK are the key markets for craft beer in Europe in the Rest of Europe. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The wide range of craft beer offerings by European craft beer manufacturers will facilitate the craft beer market growth in the Rest of Europe over the forecast period. Download our sample report for more key highlights on the regional market share of most of the above-mentioned countries Latest Drivers & Trends of the Market- Craft Beer Market in Europe Driver: Growing number of microbreweries and craft breweries: The increasing demand for different varieties of craft beer has resulted in the rise in the number of microbreweries and craft breweries in the European region in the last few years. European consumers are increasingly experimenting with new and exciting varieties of craft beer, such as IPA and other types of pale ales. They are willing to spend more on such different varieties of craft beer. This has encouraged the growth in the number of microbreweries and craft breweries in Europe and consequently fueled the growth of the craft beer market in this region. Craft Beer Market in Europe Trend: Increasing number of mergers and acquisition activities: Successful M&A activities help vendors increase their market shares and gain access to new products and technologies, thereby expanding their product portfolios and improving their supply chain efficiency. The high popularity of craft beer has encouraged major vendors to opt for M&A and acquire relatively smaller players that specialize in this category. In addition, various key players that operate in the market are focusing on the acquisition of regional macro breweries and distributors to enter new regional markets. The increasing number of acquisitions among vendors is expected to strengthen their market presence by enabling them to offer a diverse portfolio of products in the craft beer category. Download sample report to find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends Didn't Find What You Were Looking For? Customize 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. Speak to our Analyst now! to take full advantage of every opportunity using competitive analysis created just for you Here are Some Similar Topics- Gluten-free Beer Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The gluten-free beer market share is expected to increase by USD 9.36 billion from 2021 to 2026, at a CAGR of 13.78%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Sample Report Alcoholic Beverages Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The alcoholic beverages market share is expected to increase by USD 393.26 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.23%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Sample Report Craft Beer Market in Europe Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6% Market growth 2021-2025 666.34 mn L Market structure Fragmented Performing market contribution Rest of Europe at 65% Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., BrewDog Plc, Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd., Cloudwater Brew Co., Diageo Plc, Duvel Moortgat NV, Heineken NV, Stone Brewing Co., and The Boston Beer Co. 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 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. 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 Impact of COVID-19 on consumer staples industry Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product IPA-based craft beer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Seasonal-based craft beer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Pale ale-based craft beer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Amber ale-based craft beer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Lager-based craft beer - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Market opportunity by Product Market Segmentation by Distribution channel Market segments Comparison by Distribution channel Off-trade - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 On-trade - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Customer landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison Germany - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 UK - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Poland - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Russian Federation - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Rest of Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Market opportunity by geography Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Overview Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Anheuser Busch InBev SA/NV Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. BrewDog Plc Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd. Cloudwater Brew Co. Diageo Plc Duvel Moortgat NV Heineken NV Stone Brewing Co. The Boston Beer Co. Inc. 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 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 "We continue to expand our capacity and investment in Puerto Rico with the opening of this special facility, which enhances Crowley's LNG capabilities across diverse industries," said Tom Crowley. "Our LNG solutions allow industrial and commercial clients to plan, monitor and produce their own energy while protecting their business from potential threats such as power outages or natural disasters." Over the course of several years, Crowley has fostered strong, transparent relationships with government and business leaders of Puerto Rico allowing the company to play a pivotal role in supplying cost-efficient, sustainable fuel sources to the island's leading sectors. "As Puerto Rico moves forward on its quest to transform its dated and fragile electric generation system into a first-class energy network, the use of alternative and transitional fuels like LNG will be critically important in helping build resiliency and reliability into the system," said Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico. "Crowley's new LNG Loading Terminal in Penuelas will foster much needed new economic activity for municipalities in the island, and it will also position Puerto Rico's industrial and commercial sector on a fast-track path toward economic growth by providing reliable and environmentally friendlier energy solutions. My administration is pleased to join in today's milestone celebration, which further solidifies Crowley's long history of serving the Puerto Rico market." The facility will significantly grow Crowley's service capabilities in Puerto Rico, delivering more than 94 million gallons of LNG annually. When operating at full distribution capacity, it will help power an aggregate of 120MW in cleaner energy while helping to reduce carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions. "The inauguration of Crowley's new LNG Loading Terminal marks an important step toward the diversification of Puerto Rico's energy industry, allowing us to maximize the use of alternative fuels like LNG to usher the island into a new era of cleaner energy," said Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner. "The investment in these state-of-the-art facilities will also afford Puerto Rico the opportunity to play a strategic role in LNG national security efforts while leveraging new LNG technologies and economic development opportunities." Functionally, from Penuelas, operators will load natural gas in its liquid form onto 10,000-gallon ISO containers for over-the-road transport to customer facilities around the island. Upon arrival at the customer's site, the LNG will be re-gasified and used for power generation and energy consumption. About Crowley Crowley is a privately held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company serving commercial and government sectors with more than $2.5 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet and approximately 7,000 employees around the world employing more U.S. mariners than any other company. The Crowley enterprise has invested more than $3 billion in maritime transport, which is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. As a global ship owner-operator and services provider with more than 130 years of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, the company serves customers in 36 nations and island territories through four business units: Crowley Logistics, Crowley Shipping, Crowley Solutions and Crowley Fuels. Additional information about Crowley, its business units and subsidiaries can be found at http://www.crowley.com. About LNG LNG facts from the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas (CLNG): Functionality LNG, or liquefied natural gas, is natural gas that is cooled to -260 Fahrenheit until it becomes a liquid and then stored at essentially atmospheric pressure. Converting natural gas to LNG, a process that reduces its volume by about 600 times allows it to be transported. Once delivered to its destination, the LNG is warmed back into its original gaseous state so that it can be used just like existing natural gas supplies. When returned to its gaseous state, LNG is used across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors for purposes as diverse as heating and cooling homes, cooking, generating electricity and manufacturing paper, metal, glass and other materials. LNG is not stored under pressure and it is not explosive. LNG vapors (methane) mixed with air are not explosive in an unconfined environment. When exposed to the environment, LNG rapidly evaporates, leaving no residue on water or soil. Reduced Emissions Science Because of its environmental characteristics, increased use of natural gas has driven billions of tons in carbon dioxide (CO2) savings in the United States. As nations seek to reduce their emissions and provide cleaner air, many will turn to LNG as a natural gas source. The U.S. Energy Information Administration attributes 25-year lows in CO2 emissions to greater use of natural gas along with renewables. Because of natural gas, the United States has led the world in CO2 reductions. SOURCE Crowley Maritime Corporation Key points include Mark Hamm as new COO and new crowdfunding launch on StartEngine INDIANAPOLIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dronedek, known for its "smart mailbox of the future," announced at its first shareholder meeting that it has appointed Mark Hamm as its Chief Operating Officer. They also announced the upcoming launch a new crowdfunding round on the Kevin O'Leary-advised platform, StartEngine.com. Hamm, formerly Vice President of Innovation at FedEx, will begin working with the Dronedek team June 1. The new crowdfunding campaign is expected to launch mid-June, with details announced soon. Dan O'Toole, DroneDek CEO "We're very pleased that Mark was interested in joining our team and know that he brings an incredible knowledge base that will enhance our product and operations," said Dronedek CEO and Founder Dan O'Toole. "Our fundraising plans are in accordance with our strategic plan and will support continued company growth and production." On the Sunday, May 15 call, shareholders approved the following additions to the company's board of directors: Mark Hamm, Laurie Tucker, Kevin McAdams, and Bill Stafford. Parties interested in learning more about the company and its upcoming StartEngine campaign can register interest here to receive further information. Dronedek has already raised $7.1 million through past crowdfunding and other investments. "The momentum is really building," O'Toole said, outlining plans to launch a demonstration project in Lawrence, Ind., in the coming weeks. O'Toole recently established a new market which he calls MaaS, or mailbox as a service, in part to address package theft, which has affected 64 percent of Americans. More than $9 billion in goods and services is lost through theft or inaccurate deliveries annually. Fortune Business Insights estimates the overall drone package delivery space will be worth $51 billion by 2028. Last year, Dronedek partnered with Oracle for its cloud and data management services. O'Toole later announced Indian defense contractor Bharat Electronics Limited would develop, design and produce a portion of its smart mailboxes. Other collaborative partners include Alpine 4 Holdings subsidiary Vayu Aerospace, HUSH Aerospace and Nova Labs, formerly Helium Inc. Dronedek has filed for or been awarded 111 patent claims. About Dronedek: Dronedek smart mailboxes focus on package security for all traditional and autonomous delivery methods. Each multi-functional unit works with any delivery method or content type, features a climate-controlled interior cabin to protect medical and food deliveries, alerts users to package arrivals, can act as recharge stations for drones, and even serve as an emergency services alert. Units and features are controlled with a simple app. Media contact: Cheryl Reed at 317-446-5240 SOURCE DroneDek SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsHub NewsWire -- Electromedical Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: EMED) ("Electromedical" or the "Company"), a pioneer in the development and production of bioelectronic devices designed to relieve chronic, intractable, and acute pain by using frequencies and electro-modulation, is pleased to provide its Financial and Operational Highlights for the three months ended March 31, 2022. "We continue to drive strong growth on the topline, which is critical given the inherent scalability of our model and our capacity to expand with strong margins," noted Matthew Wolfson, Founder and CEO of Electromedical. "Our flagship device, the WellnessPro plus, has helped thousands upon thousands of people over the past 15 years get their lives back and enjoy a pain free life without the use of opioids. These trends are picking up in our core business and our focus on investing in marketing and sales personnel and initiatives continues to pay off and provide a strong outlook ahead as we move closer toward the commercial launch of our next generation product line." Financial Performance Highlights for the Three Months Ended Mar 31, 2022 Net Sales increased 33% year over year to $221,894 Gross Profit increased 24% year over year Gross Margin decreased from 75% to 70%, impacted by additional freight costs to expedite inventory delivery Overall Net Loss dropped 55% year over year to $1.1 million Operational Highlights for the Three Months Ended Mar 31, 2022 Continued investments in Marketing and Sales initiatives. Hired Director of Business and Sales Development with deep industry track record and experience. Made strong R&D gains in development of new product line targeting October 2022 full commercial launch. Management sees the Company's continued strides in topline growth as further reinforcement for its strategic decision to invest heavily in sales and marketing, both in terms of personnel and other key strategies. In particular, the Company's decision to hire a top industry veteran with a long track record of success, David Orn, as its new Director of Business and Sales Development has been important in driving further topline expansion. Orn added, "My goal for this year is to onboard 100 active independent medical sales reps, selling the Wellness Pro plus every month." Wolfson added, "Q1 was a strong start to an exciting year with bold steps ahead. I'm proud of our team and grateful for the new talent we have been adding as we scale our operations, and I look forward to sharing more with our stakeholders as we push past new milestones in the months ahead." About Electromedical Technologies Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Electromedical Technologies, Inc. is a commercial stage, FDA cleared, bioelectronic medical device manufacturing company initially focused on the treatment of various chronic, acute, intractable, and post-operative pain conditions. Through University collaboration agreements, the Company is working to develop a comprehensive research program in defining the effects of electro-modulation on the human body. By studying the impacts of electrical fields in cell signaling and effects on virus assembly and immune responses, the Company's goal is to reduce pain and improve overall human wellbeing. The Company's current FDA cleared product indications are for chronic acute post-traumatic and post-operative, intractable pain relief. For more information, please visit www.electromedtech.com . Note: Nonhuman preliminary studies that we are planning to start in the near future and their applications are not related to our current product in any way and are currently not cleared in the US. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Corporate Contact: Electromedical Technologies, Inc. Tel: 1.888.880.7888 Email: [email protected] https://electromedtech.com ELECTROMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 170,048 $ 383,170 Accounts receivable 31,790 35,085 Inventories 196,924 218,510 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 24,930 38,002 Total current assets 423,692 674,767 Property and equipment, net 721,875 727,344 Total assets $ 1,145,567 $ 1,402,111 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 274,251 $ 214,785 Credit cards payable 14,686 11,283 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 539,237 317,037 Customer deposits 21,850 Convertible promissory notes, net of discount of $492,877 and $723,166, respectively 1,289,476 811,687 Related party notes payable 57,875 Long term debt, current portion 30,490 29,502 Total current liabilities 2,169,990 1,442,169 Long-term liabilities: Bank debt, net of current portion 511,613 518,849 Government debt, net of current portion 153,789 154,429 Other liabilities 9,204 9,167 Total liabilities 2,844,596 2,124,614 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders' deficit Series A Preferred Stock, $.00001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized and 500,000 outstanding 355,000 355,000 Series B Preferred Stock, $.00001 par value, 1 share authorized and 0 outstanding Common stock, $.00001 par value, 500,000,000 and 250,000,000 shares authorized; 104,955,567 and 87,725,842 shares outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively 1,048 876 Additional paid-in-capital 20,401,493 20,804,333 Accumulated deficit (22,456,570) (21,882,712) Total stockholders' deficit (1,699,029) (722,503) Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit $ 1,145,567 $ 1,402,111 ELECTROMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (UNAUDITED) 2022 2021 Net sales $ 221,894 $ 166,440 Cost of sales 67,641 41,951 Gross profit 154,253 124,849 Selling, general and administrative expenses 879,810 1,689,383 Loss from operations (725,557) (1,564,534) Other income (expense) Interest expense (213,379) (1,060,302) Change in fair market value of derivative liabilities 14,798 Other income (expense) (428) Loss on extinguishment of debt (205,600) Forgiveness of debt 50,082 Total other expense (418,979) (995,850) Net loss $ (1,144,536) $ (2,560,384) Deemed dividend related to warrant resets (63,381) (510,222) Net loss attributable to common stockholders (1,207,917) (3,070,606) Weighted average shares outstanding - basic and diluted 97,260,915 28,558,027 Weighted average loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.01) $ (0.11) ELECTROMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, (UNAUDITED) 2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (1,144,536) $ (2,560,384) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Stock-based compensation expense 361,603 1,298,727 Depreciation and amortization 5,469 5,469 Forgiveness of debt (49,783) Loss on extinguishment of debt 205,600 Amortization of debt discount and day one derivative loss and warrant expense 164,710 1,010,601 Change in fair value of derivative liabilities- convertible promissory notes (14,798) Change in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 3,295 (4,178) Inventories 21,586 (129,791) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 13,072 161,990 Other assets 7,000 Accounts payable 59,466 (42,284) Credit cards payable 3,403 (1,057) Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (33,400) 9,817 Customer deposits 21,850 (18,301) Other liabilities 37 (265) Net cash used in operating activities (317,845) (327,237) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments on bank debt (6,888) (6,556) Related party notes payable-net (57,875) (50,000) Issuance of convertible promissory notes 494,220 712,500 Repayments on convertible promissory notes (367,500) Repayments on notes payable (12,846) Issuance of common stock for cash - net 42,766 Net cash provided by financing activities 104,723 643,098 Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (213,122) 315,861 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 383,170 264,913 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 170,048 $ 580,774 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: Cash paid during the period for: Interest $ 72,308 $ 16,356 Income taxes $ $ Non-cash investing and financing activities: January 1,2022 adoption of ASU2020-06 $ 379,355 $ Warrants, common stock and beneficial conversion feature issued in conjunction with convertible promissory notes $ 192,996 $ 420,096 Derivative liabilities issued in conjunction with convertible promissory notes $ $ 974,931 Conversion of convertible promissory notes, derivative liabilities and accrued interest into shares of common stock $ $ 380,103 SOURCE Electromedical Technologies, Inc. LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Electrosurgery Market Size is expected to record a valuation of USD 9.39 Billion by 2028, Registering to Accelerate at a 5.10% CAGR, According to the most recent study by Brandessence Market Research & Consulting Pvt ltd. The Global Electrosurgery Market size was Valued at USD 6.63 Billion in 2021. Electrosurgery Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis By Product Type (Electrosurgical Generators, Electrosurgical Instruments, Bipolar Electrosurgical Instruments, Advanced Vessel Sealing Instruments, Bipolar Forceps, Monopolar Electrosurgical Instruments, Electrosurgical Pencils, Other), By Surgery Type (General Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology Surgery, Urological Surgery, Other) Based On Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2028 Get Sample of [email protected] https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestSample/PostId/883 The major electrosurgery market players are the companies such as Smith & Nephew Plc., Olympus Corporation, Bovie Medical Corporation, BOWA-electronic GmbH & Co, Boston Scientific Corporation and Medtronic Plc . , B. Braun Melsungen AG, Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH, CONMED Corporation, Medtronic Plc., Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon US, LLC.). The players are going to come up with innovative strategies to reduce the cost price of the product. The global electrosurgery market will be needing skilled people who can operate the equipment. Electrosurgery market: Market Scope The global electrosurgery market all over the world has seen a surge in the last few years and Is expected to maintain its momentum in the coming years too as It is finding great amount of usage in different sectors particularly in the surgical procedures like the cardiovascular surgeries, general surgeries, gynecology surgery among others. These are devices which apply the electric current for the targeted tissues to be destroyed thermally. The electrosurgery devices have been employed in may surgical procedures for cutting, desiccating, coagulating and fulgurating these tissues. Healthcare Information System Market report covers prominent players like Electrosurgery market: Key Drivers The global electrosurgery market has been driven by the rising number of procedures done all over the world. There is a huge pool of geriatric population which is growing every day and the increased prevalence of the chronic diseases and the advancements in technology. Although, it is the stringent government regulations that exist for getting products approved that restrain the market growth. There is however a great amount of potential which is untapped in the emerging economies that is going to prove really lucrative in terms of growth opportunities in the global electrosurgery market. Furthermore, the global electrosurgery market has been expected to grow as the geriatric population has risen in the world. The increase in demand for the procedures which are minimally invasive and the advancements in terms of technology in the market is going to grow the market significantly. The population as per many studies have showed that there are significant population estimates that are living with the heart diseases currently. The rising numbers have been seeing a death. In many countries, it is estimated that the countries are struggling with heart diseases and are seeing deaths with one in three people dying due to heart diseases. Many countries as per the world health indices are estimated to see more deaths due to cardiovascular diseases and that is disconcerting for the governments. The governments have been putting their focus deeply into the development of the surgical procedures and with the geriatric population struggling with the chronic diseases it is expected that the market is going to grow in the coming years. A big roadblock here is the lack of professionals who are skilled enough to operate the electrosurgery devices. Further, there are some really strict regulations when it comes to the regulatory frameworks which the market players have to comply with. This is one of the biggest issues as the market players are continuously looking to come up with the ways to combat these regulations. This involves extensive testing of the electrosurgery equipment and increases the expenses which are incurred by the global electrosurgery market players. Get Methodology @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestMethodology/PostId/883 Electrosurgery market: Segmentation Analysis In terms of segmentation, the global electrosurgery market has been segmented on the basis of application and product. On the basis of product, the market has been segmented into the electrosurgery generators, electrosurgery instruments and other accessories. The electrosurgery instruments and accessories segment is going to dominate the market the reason for this growth is the varied demand particularly in the cardio vascular surgeries which are needed with the cardio-vascular diseases increasing at a rapid rate in the last few years. On the basis of product, the global electrosurgery market has been segmented into the instruments, generators, accessories along with the smoke evacuation systems. The electrosurgical instruments has been seeing the largest share in the last few years. The reason for that is the higher volumes of the disposable and the reusable electrosurgical instruments. Further, the technological advancements in the electrosurgical instruments along with the increase in the number of plastic and cosmetic surgeries are dominating the market. Segmented on the basis of the type of surgery, the global electrosurgery market has been segmented into the gynecology surgery, general surgery, urological surgery, cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery and the other surgeries. The biggest growth is in the general surgery market as the geriatric population and the increase in the diseases and conditions has been growing the volume of the surgical procedures performed and the growth in the prevalence of obesity with the population becoming more urbanized. Reginal Analysis: In terms of the region, the global electrosurgery market size is going to be highest in the region of Asia Pacific. The market will be showing a great amount of growth particularly with the Asia Pacific region being a revenue spinner for the market. This is a region which will be showing the greatest amount of growth particularly due to the increase in the population of the patients. The growth in the demand for the surgeries which are minimally invasive will be improving the market and growing the activities of research. There will be a further development of the global electrosurgery market due to the increase patient load. On Special Requirement Healthcare Information System Market Report is also available for below region: North America U.S, Canada Europe Germany , France , U.K., Italy, Spain, Sweden, Netherland, Turkey, Switzerland, Belgium, Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific South_Korea, Japan, China, India, Australia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Rest Of APAC Latin America Mexico , Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Peru , Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa Saudi Arabia , UAE, Egypt, South Africa, Rest Of MEA Get Full Access of all Report: https://brandessenceresearch.com/medical-device/electrosurgery-market-size Related Reports: i-Factor: Live Market intelligence platform I-Factor is our guaranteed seal to keep our clients ahead of the competition, always. This knowledge platform delivers real-time updates on key economic indicators, competitive landscape, chang ing demand, trends, customized regional insights, and more. The platform visualizes key data points to help make decision making agile, trustworthy, and holistic. Register for free trail here @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/i-factor/login/userRegister Brandessence Market Research & Consulting Pvt ltd. Brandessence market research publishes market research reports & business insights produced by highly qualified and experienced industry analysts. Our research reports are available in a wide range of industry verticals including aviation, food & beverage, healthcare, ICT, Construction, Chemicals and lot more. Brand Essence Market Research report will be best fit for senior executives, business development managers, marketing managers, consultants, CEOs, CIOs, COOs, and Directors, governments, agencies, organizations and Ph.D. Students. We have a delivery center in Pune, India and our sales office is in London. Website: https://brandessenceresearch.com Blog: Metaverse Gaming Companies Follow Us: Linkedin Mr. Vishal Sawant Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Corporate Sales: +44-2038074155 Asia Office: +917447409162 SOURCE Brandessence Market Research And Consulting Private Limited Everspring will perform market research for Millsaps College's Else School of Management. CHICAGO and JACKSON, Miss., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Everspring, a leading provider of higher education technology and services, announces a new partnership with Millsaps College. Everspring will provide Millsaps with market research to identify growth opportunities for the college's Else School of Management. Everspring's robust market research and portfolio planning services support universities in assessing current offerings, determining the viability of potential new programs, and identifying qualified groups of prospects for those programs. As a result of Everspring's analyses, universities receive an overview of their place in the market and actionable insights and recommendations based on a range of collected data, labor market forecasts for in-demand skills, and Everspring's industry knowledge. "We're excited for the fresh perspective Everspring can bring to Millsaps and the Else School to help us identify new opportunities and achieve our goals," said Harvey Fiser, interim dean of the Else School of Management, the Selby & Richard D. McRae Chair of Business Administration and professor of business law. "A big part of the Millsaps mission is to bring innovation and economic progress to our region. Our graduate business programs already play a central role in educating students who go on to become business leaders in the South, and we want to expand that impact." Currently, the Else School of Management offers three on-ground graduate degrees: an MBA, a Master of Accountancy, and an Executive MBA. With Everspring's market research insights and recommendations, the school is seeking to innovate with alternative program modalities or offerings that will increase enrollments with a diversity of students in Mississippi and beyond, as well as contribute to economic growth in their region. "Millsaps is a highly respected institution that consistently has been ranked as one of the best values in higher education. Our market research will help them leverage their existing strengths and establish a plan for innovation," said Beth Hollenberg, president and co-founder of Everspring. "Many regional private institutions are facing enrollment challenges, and we can help them navigate those challenges to achieve sustainable growth, enabling them to thrive now and into the future." About the Else School of Management at Millsaps College Located in Jackson, Mississippi, Millsaps College is a privately supported national liberal arts college founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1890. The Else School of Management at Millsaps College offers undergraduate and graduate degrees that provide students the knowledge and skills necessary to make the most of their careers. Through experiential learning, professional development, and individualized attention, the Else School of Management transforms students into leaders who positively impact their communities. For more information, visit millsaps.edu/graduate-school . About Everspring Everspring is a leading provider of education technology and service solutions for higher education. Our advanced technology, proven marketing approach, and robust faculty support and instructional design services deliver outstanding outcomes for our university partners, powering their success online. Everspring offers a range of full-service turnkey solutions, as well as standalone fee-for-service offerings, and innovative self-service products that enable universities to establish themselves as leaders in the digital delivery of higher education. Based in Chicago, Everspring serves a growing number of colleges and universities, nationwide. Visit www.everspringpartners.com for more information. Don't just go digital. BE DIGITAL. SOURCE Everspring WINDSOR, Va., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Bankshares, Inc. (OTC-PINK: FBVA) today announced results of its annual meeting of shareholders held on May 12, 2022. Approximately 76.6% of outstanding shares were represented in-person or by proxy at the meeting. Each of the nine Directors nominated in the Farmers Bankshares' proxy statement were reelected for the relevant terms. "We will continue to have open dialogue with our shareholders as we work to drive value and strong results," said William A. Gwaltney, Chairman of Farmers Bankshares' Board of Directors. "Our Board is proud of Farmers Bankshares' operating results, and we are confident that the management team has the right strategy going forward. We are well-positioned to drive shareholder value as we serve customers and our community." "We appreciate hearing directly from shareholders at our annual meeting," said Vernon Towler, President and CEO of Farmers Bank. "Our Board, management team and employees will continue to serve customers and drive strong performance." The election of each of Farmers Bankshares' director nominees requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of shares voted at the meeting. Directors nominated for reelection received a range of 37.56% to 40.08% of votes for reelection, and 59.92% to 62.44% of votes were withheld. Approximately 38.15% of shares voted were in favor of the advisory vote to ratify Farmers Bankshares' independent auditor, and 61.85% were against. About Farmers Bankshares, Inc. Headquartered in Windsor, Virginia, Farmers Bankshares, Inc. is the holding company for Farmers Bank, Windsor, Virginia. Farmers Bank was founded in 1919, and is a community bank which operates eight branches and services areas throughout Tidewater Virginia. Additional information is available at the company's website, www.farmersbankva.com. The common stock of Farmers Bankshares, Inc. trades on the OTC Pink Marketplace under the symbol FBVA. Any stockbroker can assist with purchase of the company's stock, as well as with sales of holdings. SOURCE Farmers Bankshares, Inc. JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First Coast Service Options, Inc., has been awarded the Jurisdiction N (JN) contract by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The contract covers Florida, and the U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. First Coast has held the JN contract and its predecessor J9 contract since 2009. "I am extremely pleased that CMS has awarded this contract to First Coast. We have held this contract for many years and serving its providers and beneficiaries is part of our rich history. This win demonstrates the commitment and dedication of our team to provide exceptional service to the provider communities and beneficiaries, in the JN jurisdiction, who rely on these critical services each and every day. As we look toward the future, we are excited to continue to offer the excellent service our customers have come to expect and continue our strategic partnership with CMS. At the end of the day, everything we do and how we do it is for our ultimate customer. We are proud to be able to continue our work in performing administrative services on behalf of the federal government," CEO Harvey Dikter said. After a competitive process, CMS awarded First Coast the contract with a one-year base period and six one-year option periods. According to CMS, JN includes more than two million Medicare beneficiaries, more than 74,000 physicians and 247 hospitals that serve Medicare patients. As the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), First Coast will continue to perform administrative services processing and pay claims for both Parts A and B of the Medicare program. About First Coast Service Options, Inc. (www.fcso.com) First Coast Service Options, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Diversified Service Options, Inc., doing business as GuideWell Source, a subsidiary of GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation. First Coast provides administrative services processing for government-sponsored health care programs on behalf of the federal government and currently administers the MAC contracts for Jurisdiction N. About GuideWell Source (www.guidewellsource.com) GuideWell Source is the corporate services and parent company for First Coast Service Options, Inc., Novitas Solutions, Inc. and GuideWell Allegiance, which provide administrative services for government-sponsored healthcare programs. Through the efforts of its nearly 3,000 employees, GuideWell Source provides quality Medicare administrative services throughout the United States as well as Puerto Rico to nearly 12 million beneficiaries and the 600,000 healthcare providers who care for them. Contact: Laura Flood, [email protected] SOURCE First Coast Service Options TEL AVIV, Israel, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First International Bank of Israel (TASE: FIBI) one of Israel's major banking groups, today announced its results for the first quarter of 2022, ended March 31, 2022. Financial Highlights for the First Quarter of 2022 Net profit of NIS 322 million - Growth of 5.9% compared to the corresponding quarter last year; - Growth of 5.9% compared to the corresponding quarter last year; Return on equity of 13%; Growth of 5% in credit to the public and growth of 14.7% in the past year; Ratio of tier I equity capital to risk components of 10.79%, 1.54% higher than the required regulatory ratio - the highest gap among the banks in Israel ; the excess capital enables growth in credit and for ongoing business development; ; the excess capital enables growth in credit and for ongoing business development; The Board of Directors approved a dividend distribution amounting to 50% of net income. Profitability Net profit of the First International Bank Group in the first quarter of 2022, amounted to NIS 322 million, as compared to NIS 304 million in the corresponding first quarter of 2021, an increase of 5.9%. Return on equity reached 13%. Growth and Efficiency The First International Bank continues its consistent trend of growth, which is demonstrated across all core areas of the Bank's operations. Revenue in the first quarter increased by 5.3%, compared to the first quarter of last year. Net interest income increased by 11% and commission income increased by 6.4%. Credit to the public increased by 14.7% compared with that of the first quarter of last year, amounting to a total of NIS 107,342 million. In the first quarter of 2022, credit to the public grew by 5%. The growth in credit was across all fields of operation: compared with that of the first quarter of last year, the middle market business segment grew by 22.5%, the small business segment grew by 16.7%, the large business segment grew by 20.5%, credit to households grew by 6%, and the residential loan segment grew by 14.7%. The customer's assets portfolio (average) increase by NIS 47 billion, representing growth of 8.5% compared with that of the first quarter of last year and amounted to NIS 596 billion. No credit loss expense was recorded in the first quarter of 2022. This compares to an credit loss income of NIS 9 million, in the first quarter of last year. The total value of problematic credit declined by 22% compared with that of the first quarter of last year and it declined by 12.4% as compared to that of year-end 2021. The efficiency ratio amounted to 58.5% in the first quarter of 2022. This demonstrates an improvement compared with 59.0% as of the corresponding period last year. Operating and other expenses in the first quarter of 2022 amounted to NIS 684 million, a growth of 4.3% as compared to first quarter of last year. This growth is due to the rise in payroll expenses due to timing differences in the components payroll which are of a fluctuating nature, among others impacts. Maintenance and depreciation of building and equipment expenses decreased by 4.7% compared with the first quarter of last year, mainly due to the decrease in the overall scope of real estate assets of the Group, due to efficiency measures taken. Financial stability The equity attributed to the shareholders of the Bank grew by 3.7% year-over-year, (representing an absolute growth of NIS 356 million) and amounted to NIS 9,851 million as of March 31, 2022. The Tier I equity capital ratio reached 10.79% with a positive excess of 1.54% over the required regulatory ratio - the highest gap among the banks in Israel. This capital surplus allows for growth in credit and for the continuation of business development activities. The Bank continued its dividend policy, by which it distributes dividends of up to 50% of net income. Accordingly, the Board of Directors today approved a dividend distribution of NIS 160 million, which comprises 50% of net income for the first quarter of 2022 - the highest among the banks in Israel. This is in addition to dividends of NIS 380 million distributed during the first quarter of the year. The annual divided return as of May 5, 2022, amounted to 7.33%, which is the highest among the banks in Israel. Innovation The First International Bank continues to strengthen its connection with its customers, offering unique and competition generating products, such as its Multibank system which shows the customer the details of all their accounts at the different banks, thus encouraging competition. The First International Bank was the first of all banks to introduce a system of this kind. Additional innovations are: the loyalty program, Beyond, providing for a customer experience in the world of aviation and tourism, the launch of an academic school for capital markets education, which is a professional digital course for the Bank's customers, the Life Plan program which is a holistic digital tool for investment management, and more. The Bank continues to invest in digital and innovation across all fields of its operations, and recently, the innovation and digital group at the Bank was expanded to a full department, which also includes strategy. digital and innovation Management Comment Ms. Smadar Barber-Tsadik, CEO of the First International Bank Group, stated: "The results for the first quarter of 2022, are due to continued growth in the current core operations of the Bank across the various fields of activity. We achieved all this while maintaining a high level of capital adequacy enabling growth, as well as financial stability and asset quality. The Bank continues to continuously innovate and develop investment and savings products which are tailored to current market conditions and economic trends." CONDENSED PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND PRINCIPAL EXECUTION INDICES Principal financial ratios For the three months ended March 31 For the year ended December 31 2022 2021 2021 in % Execution indices Return on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(1) 13.0% *13.1% 14.7% Return on average assets(1) 0.71% *0.72% 0.82% Ratio of equity capital tier 1 10.79% 11.57% 11.46% Leverage ratio 5.26% *5.32% 5.34% Liquidity coverage ratio(2) 126% 140% 128% Net stable funding ratio(3) 137% **139% Ratio of total income to average assets(1) 2.6% 2.6% 2.6% Ratio of interest income, net to average assets (1) 1.6% 1.6% 1.6% Ratio of fees to average assets (1) 0.8% 0.9% 0.8% Efficiency ratio 58.5% *59.0% 58.3% Credit quality indices Ratio of provision for credit losses to credit to the public 1.01% 1.35% 1.05% Ratio of non-accruing debts or in arrears of 90 days or more to credit to the public 0.59% 0.73% 0.62% Ratio of provision for credit losses to total non-accruing credit to the public 175% 259% 244% Ratio of net write-offs to average total credit to the public (1) (0.02%) 0.03% (0.01%) Ratio of income for credit losses to average total credit to the public (1) - (0.04%) (0.23%) Principal data from the statement of income For the three months ended March 31 2022 2021 NIS million Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank 322 *304 Interest Income, net 744 670 Income from credit losses - 9 Total non-Interest income 426 *441 Of which: Fees 384 361 Total operating and other expenses 684 656 Of which: Salaries and related expenses 414 398 Dismissal expenses 2 3 Primary net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value (NIS) 3.21 *3.03 Principal data from the balance sheet 31.3.22 31.3.21 31.12.21 NIS million Total assets 182,013 *172,500 180,470 of which: Cash and deposits with banks 53,979 59,471 57,370 Securities 14,850 *14,730 15,091 Credit to the public, net 106,254 92,321 101,164 Total liabilities 171,725 *162,598 170,033 of which: Deposits from the public 154,038 146,600 153,447 Deposits from banks 6,504 3,326 5,144 Bonds and subordinated capital notes 3,675 3,716 3,356 Capital attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 9,851 *9,495 10,003 Additional data 31.3.22 31.3.21 31.12.21 Share price (0.01 NIS) 13,810 9,313 12,950 Dividend per share (0.01 NIS) 379 - 543 * Immaterial adjustment of comparative data. ** Reclassified. (1) Annualized. (2) The ratio is computed in respect of the three months ended at the end of the reporting period. (3) According to instructions of the Bank of Israel the Net stable funding ratio was calculated since 2021, Therefor no comparative data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 is stated. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (NIS million) For the three months ended March 31 For the year ended December 31 2022 2021 2021 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Interest Income 871 729 3,150 Interest Expenses 127 59 356 Interest Income, net 744 670 2,794 Income from credit losses - (9) (216) Net Interest Income after expenses from credit losses 744 679 3,010 Non- Interest Income Non-Interest Financing income 34 *76 303 Fees 384 361 1,444 Other income 8 4 9 Total non- Interest income 426 441 1,756 Operating and other expenses Salaries and related expenses 414 398 1,601 Maintenance and depreciation of premises and equipment 81 85 340 Amortizations and impairment of intangible assets 27 26 105 Other expenses 162 147 606 Total operating and other expenses 684 656 2,652 Profit before taxes 486 464 2,114 Provision for taxes on profit 169 *161 728 Profit after taxes 317 303 1,386 The bank's share in profit (loss) of equity-basis investee, after taxes 17 13 69 Net profit: Before attribution to noncontrolling interests 334 316 1,455 Attributed to noncontrolling interests (12) (12) (50) Attributed to shareholders of the Bank 322 304 1,405 NIS Primary profit per share attributed to the shareholders of the Bank Net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value 3.21 3.03 14.00 * Immaterial adjustment of comparative data. STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (NIS million) For the three months ended March 31 For the year ended December 31 2022 2021 2021 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Net profit before attribution to noncontrolling interests 334 *316 1,455 Net profit attributed to noncontrolling interests (12) (12) (50) Net profit attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 322 304 1,405 Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes: Adjustments of available for sale bonds to fair value, net (216) 11 27 Adjustments of liabilities in respect of employee benefits(1) 131 66 (24) Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes (85) 77 3 Related tax effect 30 (26) (1) Other comprehensive income (loss) before attribution to noncontrolling interests, after taxes (55) 51 2 Less other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to noncontrolling interests (5) 1 - Other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to the shareholders of the Bank, after taxes (50) 50 2 Comprehensive income before attribution to noncontrolling interests 279 367 1,457 Comprehensive income attributed to noncontrolling interests (7) (13) (50) Comprehensive income attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 272 354 1,407 * Immaterial adjustment of comparative data. (1) Mostly reflects adjustments in respect of actuarial assessments as of the end of the period regarding defined benefits pension plans, of amounts recorded in the past in other comprehensive income. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (NIS million) 31.3.22 31.3.21 31.12.21 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Assets Cash and deposits with banks 53,979 59,471 57,370 Securities 14,850 *14,730 15,091 Securities which were borrowed 322 244 845 Credit to the public 107,342 93,581 102,240 Provision for Credit losses (1,088) (1,260) (1,076) Credit to the public, net 106,254 92,321 101,164 Credit to the government 843 659 811 Investments in investee company 740 648 713 Premises and equipment 912 954 931 Intangible assets 297 265 300 Assets in respect of derivative instruments 2,332 1,603 1,709 Other assets(2) 1,484 1,605 1,536 Total assets 182,013 172,500 180,470 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Deposits from the public 154,038 146,600 153,447 Deposits from banks 6,504 3,326 5,144 Deposits from the Government 476 694 960 Bonds and subordinated capital notes 3,675 3,716 3,356 Liabilities in respect of derivative instruments 2,360 1,554 2,038 Other liabilities(1)(3) 4,672 *6,708 5,088 Total liabilities 171,725 162,598 170,033 Capital attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 9,851 *9,495 10,003 Noncontrolling interests 437 407 434 Total equity 10,288 9,902 10,437 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 182,013 172,500 180,470 * Immaterial adjustment of comparative data. (1) Of which: provision for credit losses in respect of off-balance sheet credit instruments in the amount of NIS 134 million and NIS 88 million and NIS 79 million at 31.3.22, 31.3.21 and 31.12.21, respectively. (2) Of which: other assets measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 261 million and NIS 375 million and NIS 333 million at 31.3.22, 31.3.21 and 31.12.21, respectively. (3) Of which: other liabilities measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 435 million and NIS 375 million and NIS 641 million at 31.3.22, 31.3.21 and 31.12.21, respectively. STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (NIS million) For the three months ended March 31, 2022 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive loss Retained earnings (2) Total Non- controlling interests Total equity Balance as at December 31, 2021 (audited) 927 (181) 9,257 10,003 434 10,437 Adjustment of the opening balance, net of tax, due to the effect of initial implementation* - - (44) (44) (4) (48) Adjusted balance at January 1, 2022, following initial implementation 927 (181) 9,213 9,959 430 10,389 Net profit for the period - - 322 322 12 334 Dividend - - (380) (380) - (380) Other comprehensive loss, net after tax effect - (50) - (50) (5) (55) Balance as at March 31, 2022 927 (231) 9,155 9,851 437 10,288 For the three months ended March 31, 2021 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained earnings (2) Total Non- controlling interests Total equity Balance as at December 31, 2020 (audited) 927 (183) 8,397 9,141 394 9,535 Net profit for the period - - **304 304 12 316 Other comprehensive income, net after tax effect - 50 - 50 1 51 Balance as at March 31, 2021 927 (133) 8,701 9,495 407 9,902 For the year ended December 31, 2021 (audited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained earnings (2) Total Non- controlling interests Total equity Balance as at December 31, 2020 (audited) 927 (183) 8,397 9,141 394 9,535 Net profit for the year - - 1,405 1,405 50 1,455 Dividend - - (545) (545) (10) (555) Other comprehensive income, after tax effect - 2 - 2 - 2 Balance as at December 31, 2021 927 (181) 9,257 10,003 434 10,437 * Cumulative effect of the initial implementation of US accounting principles in the matter of financial instruments credit losses (ASC-326). ** Immaterial adjustment of comparative data. (1) Including share premium of NIS 313 million (as from 1992 onwards). (2) Including an amount of NIS 2,391 million which cannot be distributed as dividend. Contact: Dafna Zucker First International Bank of Israel E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +972-3-519-6224 Ehud Helft GK Investor & Public Relations E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +1-646-201-924 SOURCE First International Bank of Israel Florida CFO Declares May 23 27 As "Contractor Fraud Awareness Week" DES PLAINES, Ill., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the insurance industry's association dedicated to predicting, preventing, and prosecuting insurance crime, is excited to announce that Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has signed a proclamation declaring May 23-27, 2022 as Contractor Fraud Awareness Week in the state. "Receiving this Proclamation from CFO Patronis is a tremendous honor as it recognizes the seriousness of contractor fraud that requires all of us, from homeowners to state and local leaders, to work together to combat," said David J. Glawe, president and CEO of the NICB. "Contractor fraud costs homeowners and insurance companies billions of dollars each year as deceitful contractors follow well-rehearsed scams. By signing this Proclamation, we can bring greater awareness to insurance fraud and what Floridians can do to not be victimized by these schemes." The Proclamation, encourages Florida residents to get at least three written estimates from potential contractors, check contractor credentials, and work closely with insurance companies during any rebuilding process. "Since day one, I've made it my priority to combat fraud and protect Florida consumers. As we've seen time and time again, disasters bring out the best in some but the worst in others. Unscrupulous contractors flock to Florida to prey on homeowners and their insurance policies, ultimately driving up insurance rates for every single one of us. They are stealing from us all and my fraud detectives are working every day to track down these bad actors and hold them accountable," said Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. "Insurance fraud can have devastating consequences for you and your family and stifle your recovery following a storm. Always remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Never sign anything regarding your insurance without talking to your agent or calling my office first. If you or someone you know is suspicious of fraudulent activity, please contact my office at FraudFreeFlorida.com. Thank you to the NICB for their partnership in educating Floridians on the pitfalls of contractor fraud and their support in working to hold fraudsters accountable in Florida." NICB created Contractor Fraud Awareness Week in 2021 to highlight the growing problem of contractors and vendors that take advantage of homeowners. Throughout the week, NICB, along with its partners, will distribute materials via social media using the hashtag #CFAW2022. Additionally, NICB will engage with television outlets across the U.S. on a national media tour, participate in a Facebook Live event with AARP, and distribute new public service announcements informing the public about fraudulent contractors and how to identify them following hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, and wildfires. "On behalf of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, I would like to thank CFO Patronis for his unwavering support and understanding of insurance fraud. Increasing awareness of fraud will help us reduce this problem," added Glawe. For more information about Contractor Fraud Awareness Week, visit www.nicb.org/ContractorFraudWeek. REPORT FRAUD: Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800.TEL.NICB (800.835.6422)or submitting a form on our website. ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU: Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combatting and preventing insurance crime through Intelligence, Analytics, and Operations; Education and Crime Prevention; and Strategy, Policy, and Advocacy. The NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $530 billion in insurance premiums in 2020, or more than 82% of the nation's property-casualty insurance. That includes more than 95% ($236 billion) of the nation's personal auto insurance. To learn more, visit www.nicb.org. SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau Mr. Alavi, Mr. Anaipakos, and the other attorneys at Alavi Anaipakos have represented clients throughout the nation and across the planet in high-stakes complex commercial disputes and intellectual property cases. As a result, they have established their reputations as some of the top trial lawyers in the country. True trial lawyers, both Mr. Alavi and Mr. Anaipakos are Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Alavi's courtroom experience includes numerous victories against some of the world's leading companies. He also provides valuable insights for in-house legal departments based on his prior work as general counsel for a 5,000-employee company. Mr. Anaipakos has tried cases for both plaintiffs and defendants in all types of patent matters and complex business cases for nearly three decades. Chambers USA has called him "one of the leading commercial litigators in the country," while IAM Patent 1000 described him as "a compelling courtroom personality; he is a master of cross-examination . . ." The new offices for Alavi Anaipakos are located at 3417 Mercer St., Suite C, Houston, TX 77027. You can reach the firm at 713-751-2362 or [email protected]. Houston-based Alavi Anaipakos is home to high-stakes trial lawyers known for solving complex problems. The firm's attorneys have handled some of the world's largest patent infringement disputes and significant commercial cases across a wide variety of industries, from oil and gas, energy, software, high-tech, financial services, and beyond. Our team members have been in the trenches in marquee legal battles across the nation and the world for nearly 30 years. For more information, visit www.aatriallaw.com. SOURCE Alavi Anaipakos RALEIGH, N.C., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its ongoing efforts to curb the debilitating effects of mental illness, the Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness (FOH) will award over $478,000 in research grants to nine investigators in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The recipients are Dr. Alana Campbell, Dr. Sara Faccidomo, Dr. Hiroyuki Kato, Dr. Samuel McLean, Dr. A. Leslie Morrow, Dr. Juan Carlos Prieto, Dr. Danielle Swales, Dr. Mengsen Zhang, and Dr. Tobias Schwippel. Their projects encompass a wide range of mental and behavioral conditions, including alcoholism and addiction, anxiety, autism and developmental disabilities, depression, PTSD, and women's mood disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), mood disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD affect 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children each year. Even minor manifestations of a mental illness can cripple a person's ability to function and have lasting consequences; the damage is often compounded by rampant social stigma and isolation. With the growing tsunami of mental health care needs emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations around treatment modalities, clinical services, and care access have become more urgent. The innovative research funded by the FOH could lead to breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, improving the lives and livelihoods of those who suffer. "Since the pandemic, it has become crystal clear that more people than ever are suffering with mental illness," says Shelley Belk, Executive Director of the FOH. "So, we are determined to continue funding critical mental illness research projects that have the potential to change the trajectory of people's lives. We firmly believe that research is hope." For grant details: https://walkforhope.com/what-we-fund/#news The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina. SOURCE The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Calibration Services Markets Strategies and Trends With Forecasts by Type of Calibration, By Industry and By Country" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report doesn't just look at market size. It examines key operational principles and industry best practices provided by industry veterans. Look at acquisition and divestiture opportunities. Revise pricing and service terms. Develop new service packaging and offerings. Consider integrated marketing programs. A growing market. Key growth drivers. An industry protected from economic cycles. An industry-driven forward by increasing global regulations and security. The future of the calibration services industry is explored with detailed market forecasts and strategic analysis. Recent Market Activity Trescal Launches Its Single Source Calibration Solution Pipette.com Adds New Capability Calibration Technology Ltd Expands Operations Transcat Expands Reach with Acquisition of Tangent Labs NMI acquires Young Calibration Summit Testing and Calibration Laboratory receives BAB certifications Kaye Earns Accreditation in China Lab Autel US Expands ADAS Calibration Coverage New Chairman of the Board at Transcat, Inc. Vision Engineering's Cal Lab Attains ISO 17025:2017 NMI Metrology is Expanding Calibration Services across Nigeria Mitutoyo America Corporation Introduces New Processor Package with Profile Projector Transcat Acquires TTE Laboratories, Inc. Michigan State Police launch investigation of breathalyzer calibration State Police launch investigation of breathalyzer calibration Transcat, Inc. Acquires Calibration Software Company Endress+Hauser builds new Calibration Laboratory Transcat acquires Infinite Integral Solutions Inc. Keysight opens new calibration facility Transcat Acquires Gauge Repair Service Trescal Announces 3 Aquisitions Newbow Aerospace Expands Calibration Laboratory Trescal Acquires Diamond Technical and Acteam Boonton Electronics and Noisecom Receive ISO 17025:2017 Accreditation Transcat Acquires Angel's Instrumentation Inc. Trescal and Stahlwille UK sign partnership agreement Laboratory Testing Inc. Acquires TAC Technical Instrument Trescal Acquires Metriccontrol Keysight Technologies Acquires Thales Calibration Services Transcat Acquires NBS Calibrations Market Trends Factors Driving Growth Impact of Climate Change Factors Inhibiting Growth Laboratory Automation Quality Movement Maturity Measurement Technology Economic Uncertainty Equipment Lifecycles Reliability/Disposability Recalibrate Versus Replace The Changing Role of the Manufacturer The Position of Trust Customers Have an Equipment Management Need Effect on Repair Demand Manufacturer's Rethink Service and Support Services Packaging Services Packaging Today and Tomorrow Reduced Services Play a Role Basic Calibration Changes The Role of Online Value Added Services Change in Demand for Accreditation Pricing for On-Site to Change Contract Agreements to Change Technology Development Three Important Technology Developments Calibration Services Look to Installed Base Calibration Intervals Change Impact of Self Calibration Pricing and Business Development Calibration Service Pricing and Plans Variable Factors in a Calibration Service Fee-Based Pricing Approaches to Pricing Pricing and Geography Surcharges Limited Calibration Volume Discounts Mobile Pricing Service Plans Asset Management Customer Commitment Personnel Rental Promotion Sales Promotion Practice A Calibration Services Marketing System Services Marketing Program Tools Company Website and Marketing Strategy Customer Service Customer Service Measurement Teamwork in Customer Service The Role of Leadership Merger and Acquisition Economies of Scale Caveats and Factors Unfavourable to Merger Activity Competition Key Players ABB Ametek Beamex Bruel & Kjaer Consumers Energy e2b calibration Emerson Endress & Hauser ESSCO Calibration Laboratory Fluke GE Kaye Innocal ( Cole Parmer ) ) Instron J. A. King Keysight Technologies Lockheed Martin Mettler-Toledo/Troemner Micro Precision Calibration Optical Test and Calibration Rhode & Schwarz SGS Siemens Simco Technical Maintenance Inc. Tektronix Teseq Tradinco Instruments Transcat Trescal Market Overview Manufacturer Practices Difference Between Manufacturer and other Vendors Difference Between Electronic and Mechanical Segments Accreditation Accreditation Recognition Two-Tiered Accreditation Standard Segments and Capability An Overview of Segmentation Practice Segmentation by Company Size On-site Service as a Segment Industry Structure and Participants The International System of Measurement - A Primer Current Industry Participants Industry Structure Geographic Influences Geographic Preference Implications for Laboratory Management Growing Demand for On-Site Service Industry Segmentation Analysis Aerospace/Defense Agriculture and Food Production Automotive Biomedical/Pharmaceutical Communication General Manufacturing High Technology Material Production For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/oa003h 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 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Growth Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This research focuses on assessing the market potential and future growth prospects of the EMS industry, while considering the risks involved, short-term and long-term challenges, micro- and macro-level trends, vertical specific trends, the current and future impact of Digital Transformation, technology advancements, the evolving role of EMS companies in design and innovation building technology platforms, and components in the value chain, to arrive at estimates. The global electronics manufacturing services market traditionally comprised of companies that manufacture electronic products, predominantly assembling components on Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and box builds for OEMs. The market was established more than five decades ago to execute manufacturing designs from government, defense, and research institutions. As the years progressed, the market grew to support the overflowing demands that exceeded volume capacity in OEMs. Today OEMs and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) are seeing more value from EMS companies, leading to involvement beyond just manufacturing services to product design and developments, testing, aftersales services, such as repair, remanufacturing, marketing, and product lifecycle management. Thus, the EMS market has grown into a multi-billion dollar business over the years. Conventionally, 3C products have been the majority revenue contributor to the EMS market. However, with the start of the digital age driven by the ever-growing dependence on data, automation, and artificial intelligence, the need to embed electronics into products across all verticals has increased drastically. Some emerging verticals that introduce innovative products by adopting IoT include medical and smart-home devices. The automotive vertical will be one of the growth opportunities in the next decade. The development of self-driving cars and Electric Vehicles (EVs) necessitates advanced electronics-based products such as Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and infotainment that require the expertise of EMS companies. While growth opportunities remain strong, there are several significant challenges that EMS companies face. One among them is the stiff competition leading to pricing issues, another being shortening product life cycles, leading to planning and profitability challenges due to low-volume manufacturing. EMS companies are trying to overcome these challenges in a myriad ways combining the traditional and emerging tools and methodologies. However, it would be worth mentioning that the adoption of digital technologies, combining software, connectivity, automation, AI and ML to optimize every aspect of operations to improve time-to-market, time-to-volume, planning and scheduling, and profitability to ultimately improve the customer experience and create a win-win situation. KEY ISSUES ADDRESSED How big is the EMS market in terms of the revenue? Did the market grow in 2020? Will the market grow in the next 5 years, and to what extent? Where is the major growth coming from? What will be the impact of convergence of AI/ML, IoT, 5G, and automation on EMS companies and end-user products? How can EMS companies defy competition, improve profitability, and expand the customer base? How can EMS companies defy challenges coming from new technology advancements and shorter product life cycles? Key Topics Covered: 1. Strategic Imperatives Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow? The Strategic Imperative The Impact of Top Three Strategic Imperative on the Electronics Manufacturing Services Industry Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine 2. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Scope of Analysis Market Definitions Market Segmentation Key Competitors for Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Key Growth Metrics for Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Growth Drivers for Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Growth Restraints for Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Forecast Assumptions - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast Analysis - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast by Service Type - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast Analysis by Service Type - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast by Region - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast Analysis by Region - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Key Findings by Region - North America Key Findings by Region - Europe Key Findings by Region - Asia-Pacific Key Findings by Region - RoW Revenue Forecast by Industry Vertical - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Forecast Analysis by Industry Vertical - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Factors Influencing Operational Efficiency and Business Risks Competitive Environment - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Share - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Revenue Share Analysis - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Company Overview - Foxconn Segment Overview - Foxconn R&D Focus - Foxconn Electric Vehicle Initiative - Foxconn Key Activities - Foxconn SWOT Analysis - Foxconn Company Overview - PEGATRON Corporation Segment Overview - PEGATRON Corporation Portfolio and Technology Development - PEGATRON Corporation SWOT Analysis - PEGATRON Corporation Company Overview - Flex Segment Overview - Flex Strategic Focus - Flex Key Highlights in the Automotive Industry - Flex SWOT Analysis - Flex Company Overview - Jabil Segment Overview - Jabil SWOT Analysis - Jabil Company Overview - Sanmina Corporation Segment Overview - Sanmina Corporation SWOT Analysis - Sanmina Corporation 3. Key Trends - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Key Trends - Digital Transformation in Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Key Trends - Industry 4.0 in the Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Key Trends - Emerging Technologies to Improve Operational Efficiency 4. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Automotive Vertical Key Growth Metrics - Automotive Vertical Value Chain and Scope of EMS in Automotive Vertical Revenue Forecast - Automotive Vertical Revenue Forecast Analysis - Automotive Vertical Revenue Forecast Analysis - Pandemic's Impact on the Automotive Vertical Electric Vehicle Sales EV Strategy for EMS Market Participants AV and EV Collaborations in the EMS Market Autonomous Vehicles Sales Outlook by Level of Autonomy Autonomous Driving Definitions Key Trends in Autonomous Driving Key Factors EMS Companies Should Consider for Long-term Growth Revenue Share - Automotive Vertical 5. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Aerospace and Defense Vertical Key Growth Metrics - Aerospace and Defense Vertical Introduction to EMS in the A&D Vertical Revenue Forecast - Aerospace and Defense Vertical Revenue Forecast Analysis - Aerospace and Defense Vertical Key Trends in Aerospace and Defense that Affect the EMS Market Aircraft Revenue Prospects for EMS Opportunity Analysis from Drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) Role of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in Aerospace and Defense EMS Market Revenue Share Analysis - Aerospace and Defense Vertical 6. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Consumer Electronics Vertical Key Growth Metrics - Consumer Electronics Vertical Revenue Forecast - Consumer Electronics Vertical Revenue Forecast Analysis - Consumer Electronics Vertical IoT will Be a Key Driver in the Consumer Electronics EMS Market Competitive Strategies to Consider Revenue Share - Consumer Electronics Vertical 7. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Communications Vertical Key Growth Metrics for Communications Vertical Revenue Forecast - Communications Vertical Revenue Forecast Analysis - Communications Vertical 5G Opportunity Analysis for EMS in Communications COVID-19 Impact and Key Challenge Analysis in 5G for EMS Urbanization and Smart Cities Mega Trend Data Center Growth Regional Insights Revenue Share - Communications Vertical 8. Growth Opportunity Analysis - Other Industry Verticals Key Growth Metrics - Other Industry Verticals Revenue Forecast - Other Industry Verticals Revenue Forecast Analysis - Others Industry Verticals Energy Market Opportunities Medical Device Manufacturing Market Medical Device Vertical Key Trends Medical Device Market - Pandemic Impact Assessment Regional Insights 9. Growth Opportunity Universe - Electronics Manufacturing Services Market Growth Opportunity 1: Industrial Digital Transformation, Led by IoT Implementation, is a High Growth Opportunity for the Next Five Years Growth Opportunity 2: Solutions to Improve Productivity and Margins for Enhancing the Organic Growth Opportunity Growth Opportunity 3: Energy Infrastructure will Propel the Future of EMS Growth 10. Next Steps Companies Mentioned Foxconn PEGATRON Corporation Flex Jabil Sanmina Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lh3vn4 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 Key Points Covered in the Forging Market Report: Am I engaging with the right suppliers? Which KPIs should I use to evaluate my incumbent suppliers? Which supplier selection criteria are relevant for ERP Software? What are the ERP Software category essentials in terms of SLAs and RFx? Key Global Suppliers in the Forging Market: Thyssenkrupp AG Nippon Steel Corp Bharat Forge Ltd. Get Quick Access to the Key Global Suppliers Profiled Extensively in This Report The Forging Market report evaluates suppliers based on provision for applicable insurance policy, real-time analysis, pipeline software solutions, and conduct pipeline surveys. In addition, suppliers are also shortlisted based on business needs, technical specifications, operational requirements, security compliance, regulatory mandates, legal requirements, quality control, change management procedures, pricing models, penalty clauses, SLA nuances, acceptance criteria, and evaluation criteria. 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Contact SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "In-Dash Navigation System Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global in-dash navigation system market reached a value of US$ 13.55 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 26.54 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.60% 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 on different End-use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. An in-dash navigation system relies on combined head units, including satellite radio, amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), compact disk (CD) players, digital video disc (DVD) player inputs, and hands-free cellphones. It is fully embedded into the steering wheel controls of a vehicle and generally connected to the cloud that offers online and offline location search to enhance the driving experience. As it also provides weather forecasts and real-time traffic status, in-dash navigation system finds extensive applications in passenger cars, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) across the globe. In-Dash Navigation System Market Trends The increasing integration of in-dash navigation systems in car models as a standard feature represents one of the key factors driving the market. Moreover, these systems use global positioning system (GPS) units that help reduce the fuel consumption of vehicles as they provide the shortest route to the driver for reaching the intended destination. Besides this, governing authorities of numerous countries are imposing stringent regulations to reduce carbon emissions from automobiles. This, along with the rising adoption of connected car devices, is positively influencing the market. Apart from this, there is a considerable increase in the number of road traffic injuries and fatalities around the world. As a result, manufacturers operating in the automotive industry are incorporating advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and lane departure warning systems (LDWS) to provide better services. This, coupled with rising technological advancements, is offering lucrative growth opportunities to market players. Furthermore, factors like increasing sales of passenger vehicles, rising safety concerns among individuals, and the thriving automotive industry, are anticipated to stimulate the growth of the market. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Alpine Electronics Inc. (Alps Electric Co. Ltd.), Clarion (Faurecia), Continental Aktiengesellschaft, DENSO Corporation, Garmin Ltd., Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd), JVCKENWOOD Corporation, Luxoft Holding Inc. (DXC Technology Company), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH and TomTom International BV. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global in-dash navigation system market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global in-dash navigation system 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 technology? What is the breakup of the market based on the screen size? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What is the breakup of the market based on the sales 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 in-dash navigation system 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 In-Dash Navigation System 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 Display Unit 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Control Module 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Antenna Module 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 6.4 Wiring Harness 6.4.1 Market Trends 6.4.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Technology 7.1 2D Maps 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 3D Maps 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Screen Size 8.1 Less Than 6 Inches 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 6 Inches to 11 Inches 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Greater Than 11 Inches 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Vehicle Type 9.1 Passenger Cars 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Light Commercial Vehicles 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Heavy Commercial Vehicles 9.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.2 Market Forecast 10 Market Breakup by Sales Channel 10.1 Original Equipment Manufacturer 10.1.1 Market Trends 10.1.2 Market Forecast 10.2 Aftermarket 10.2.1 Market Trends 10.2.2 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 Alpine Electronics Inc. (Alps Electric Co. Ltd.) 16.3.1.1 Company Overview 16.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.2 Clarion (Faurecia) 16.3.2.1 Company Overview 16.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.2.3 SWOT Analysis 16.3.3 Continental Aktiengesellschaft 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 DENSO Corporation 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 Garmin Ltd. 16.3.5.1 Company Overview 16.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.5.3 Financials 16.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 16.3.6 Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd) 16.3.6.1 Company Overview 16.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.6.3 SWOT Analysis 16.3.7 JVCKENWOOD Corporation 16.3.7.1 Company Overview 16.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.7.3 Financials 16.3.8 Luxoft Holding Inc. (DXC Technology Company) 16.3.8.1 Company Overview 16.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.9 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation 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 Pioneer Corporation 16.3.10.1 Company Overview 16.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.11 Robert Bosch GmbH 16.3.11.1 Company Overview 16.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.11.3 SWOT Analysis 16.3.12 TomTom International BV 16.3.12.1 Company Overview 16.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 16.3.12.3 Financials 16.3.12.4 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xu2bgn 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 VANCOUVER, BC, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - GoldMining Inc. (the "Company" or "GoldMining") (TSX: GOLD) (NYSE American: GLDG) is pleased to announce appointments to the Board of Directors (the "Board") of U.S. GoldMining Inc., ("U.S. GoldMining"), a subsidiary of the Company created to advance the Whistler Gold-Copper Project, located in Alaska, USA on a standalone basis (see news release February 28, 2022). The U.S. GoldMining Board will initially be comprised of six individuals, who are each highly experienced in their respective disciplines. The U.S. GoldMining Board consists of: Two members of GoldMining's current executive management team and board of directors: Alastair Still , an experienced mining industry professional with over 25 years of experience and the CEO of GoldMining. Mr. Still will act as Chairman of U.S. GoldMining Inc. , an experienced mining industry professional with over 25 years of experience and the CEO of GoldMining. Mr. Still will act as of U.S. GoldMining Inc. Garnet Dawson , a professional geologist with 40 years of global experience. Mr. Dawson recently retired as CEO of GoldMining and remains an active serving Director of GoldMining. , a professional geologist with 40 years of global experience. Mr. Dawson recently retired as CEO of GoldMining and remains an active serving Director of GoldMining. Four independent directors: Aleksandra Bukacheva , a capital markets and finance professional focused on the metals and mining industry. Ms. Bukacheva brings a wealth of experience as a former top-ranked equity research analyst for BMO Capital Markets and spent seven years in investment research (2010-2016) with coverage of more than 50 mining companies. She has also served in executive and director roles for several private and public resource companies throughout her career. , a capital markets and finance professional focused on the metals and mining industry. Ms. Bukacheva brings a wealth of experience as a former top-ranked equity research analyst for BMO Capital Markets and spent seven years in investment research (2010-2016) with coverage of more than 50 mining companies. She has also served in executive and director roles for several private and public resource companies throughout her career. Laura (Laurie) Schmidt , whose primary home is in Alaska , is a global executive with over 30 years of experience in the resource industry. Ms. Schmidt has held numerous senior positions with Shell, including as V.P. Alaska . , whose primary home is in , is a global executive with over 30 years of experience in the resource industry. Ms. Schmidt has held numerous senior positions with Shell, including as V.P. . Dr. Ross Sherlock , a professional geologist with more than 30 years' experience, including senior positions with Kinross and Gold Fields. Dr. Sherlock is currently Professor and Director of the Mineral Exploration Research Centre at Laurentian University , in Sudbury, Ontario . , a professional geologist with more than 30 years' experience, including senior positions with and Gold Fields. Dr. Sherlock is currently Professor and Director of the Mineral Exploration Research Centre at , in . Lisa Wade , an environmental engineer with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry including as former Vice President, Environmental, Reclamation and Closure for Goldcorp. Ms. Wade is currently a director of Gold Standard Ventures and on the Montana Tech Alumni Industrial Advisory Board. Amir Adnani, Chairman of GoldMining commented: "We are pleased to have such a strong and diverse Board of Directors leading our newest entity, U.S. GoldMining Inc. The U.S. GoldMining Board of Director's bring immense knowledge and experience in their respective disciplines, encompassing the critical technical, social, operating and capital market experience required to successfully steer the growth of our Whistler Project and build value for all stakeholders. " Alastair Still, Chairman of U.S. GoldMining and CEO of GoldMining, commented: "With these Board appointments and recent key additions to the executive management team, U.S. GoldMining is working towards becoming a standalone entity, through a potential initial public offering. The U.S. GoldMining team is excited to progress its strategy of unlocking value from the Whistler Project, an expansive 170 square kilometer land package with Indicated Resources of 3.0 million gold equivalent ounces and Inferred Resources of 6.5 million gold equivalent ounces. We look forward to providing further updates on U.S. GoldMining's progress in the coming months." U.S. GoldMining Board of Director's Profiles: Alastair Still, P.Geo., Chairman Mr. Still is an experienced mining industry professional with over 25 years of experience including working for major gold miners such as Newmont Corporation, Goldcorp Inc., Placer Dome Inc., and Kinross Gold Corporation and is currently Chief Executive Officer of GoldMining Inc. and Director of Technical Services for Gold Royalty Corp. He has worked within Canada and internationally in a variety of leadership roles in mine operations and project development including as Project Director leading the acquisition, permitting and construction of the Cerro Negro gold mine in Argentina which produced over half a million ounces of gold in its first full year of production. Mr. Still has extensive experience in corporate development having previously served as Director, Corporate Development with Newmont Corporation (formerly Goldcorp), and most recently as Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer for GoldMining. Mr. Still graduated with a Bachelor of Science (First Class, Honours) from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Science (Structural Geology) from Queen's University. Mr. Still serves on the Technical Advisory Committee of Geoscience BC and is a member of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and Professional Geoscientists Ontario. Aleksandra Bukacheva, C.F.A. Ms. Bukacheva is a capital markets and finance professional focused on the metals and mining industry. Ms. Bukacheva is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Montage Gold Corp. and Probe Metals Inc. and was an independent director at Battle North Gold Corporation prior to its acquisition by Evolution Mining Limited in 2021. Ms. Bukacheva was Executive Vice President, Corporate Development of Element 29 Resources Inc., a junior explorer focused on copper resource development in Peru from September 2018 until November 2020. She was also a director of Gippsland Prospecting Pty. Ltd., a private Australian company, which was sold to Battery Minerals Limited in October 2020. Ms. Bukacheva brings with her a wealth of capital markets and finance experience. Ms. Bukacheva was previously a top-ranked Equity Research Analyst for BMO Capital Markets and spent seven years in investment research (20102016) with coverage of more than 40 mining companies. Ms. Bukacheva received her Master of Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005. She also achieved a Certificate in Mining Studies at the University of British Columbia in 2016 and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Garnet Dawson, P.Geo. Mr. Dawson is a geologist with 40 years of experience in the exploration and mining business working with senior and junior mining companies in the Americas, Europe, Africa and China. He has held executive roles with several Canadian mining companies including Chief Executive Officer of GoldMining, Vice President, Exploration of Brazilian Gold Corporation and Vice President, Exploration of EuroZinc Mining Corporation. He has led teams that have added significant resources and reserves at the Neves Corvo and Aljustrel copper and zinc mines in Portugal (Lundin/EuroZinc), Sao Jorge project (Brazilian Gold) and more recently through acquisition of resource stage gold projects at GoldMining. Prior to joining EuroZinc, he consulted internationally and held a number of positions with Battle Mountain Canada Inc., British Columbia Geological Survey and Esso Minerals Canada Ltd. He currently serves as a Director of GoldMining and Freegold Ventures Limited which is actively exploring on the Golden Summit project in Alaska. Mr. Dawson is a registered Professional Geologist with Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Science degree in Economic Geology from the University of British Columbia. Laura (Laurie) Schmidt P.E. Ms. Schmidt is a global executive with over 30 years of worldwide experience in the oil/gas/new energy industry in Shell. She currently works in Supply Chain in Shell's Upstream Directorate. Ms. Schmidt has held numerous senior positions including V.P. Shell Alaska, V.P. Safety & Environment for Shell's Integrated Gas & New Energies Directorate, Head of Audit for Shell's Upstream and Projects & Technology Directorates, as well as engineering and operations positions. Ms. Schmidt holds a Bachelor of Science (cum laude) in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence (magna cum laude) from the University of Houston. She is a licensed Professional Engineer, licensed US Patent Attorney, and a licensed attorney in Colorado and Texas. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. After attending INSEAD's International Directors Program, she obtained a Certificate in Corporate Governance. She is also an alumnus of Stanford's Directors College and Harvard Business School's Women on Boards Program. She has lived and worked in numerous countries and has maintained her primary home in Alaska since 2015. Ross Sherlock, P.Geo. Dr. Sherlock is a professional geologist with over 30 years of experience in the mining industry and academic research. He has held senior positions with major mining companies including Vice President, Geoscience at Kinross Gold Corp., Exploration Manager, North America at Gold Fields Ltd., and Project Manager & Senior Geologist at Miramar Mining Corporation/Newmont Mining Corporation. Prior to this, he was a Research Geoscientist at the Geological Survey of Canada and Senior Geologist at SRK Consulting Engineers. He has led teams that are responsible for a number of new discoveries and significant reserve and resource addition while working with Kinross Gold Corp., Gold Fields and Miramar Mining Corporation. He has extensive experience in greenfield and brownfield exploration, including the Fort Knox Mine, Alaska. Dr. Sherlock completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of British Columbias Mineral Deposits Research Unit, PhD at the University of Waterloo, MSc at Lakehead University, and BSc (Honours) at McMaster University, Canada. He is a member of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and Professional Geoscientists Ontario. Lisa Wade Ms. Wade is an environmental engineer with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry. Ms. Wade has held environmental engineering, community relations, permitting, managerial and executive positions with a number of mining companies. From 2005 to 2019, Ms. Wade held increasingly senior positions at Goldcorp Inc., in Central America and then as Vice President, Environmental, Reclamation and Closure. Earlier in her career, Ms. Wade was with Newmont managing environmental and social matters in northern Nevada, California and at the Yanacocha Mine in Peru. Ms. Wade holds both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Montana Tech in Butte, Montana. Ms. Wade received the Alumni Recognition Award in 2014 from Montana Tech in recognition of her professional accomplishments. About GoldMining Inc. and U.S. GoldMining Inc. GoldMining is a public mineral exploration company focused on acquiring and developing gold assets in the Americas. GoldMining now controls a diversified portfolio of resource-stage gold and gold-copper projects in Canada, the U.S.A., Brazil, Colombia, and Peru through its disciplined acquisition strategy. The Company also owns over 20 million Gold Royalty Corp. shares (NYSE American: GROY). U.S. GoldMining is a wholly owned subsidiary of GoldMining Inc., created in February 2022 to focus on the Whistler Project, a gold-copper exploration project consisting of at least three known deposits located in the Yentna Mining District of Alaska, approximately 150 km northwest of Anchorage. Whistler contains Indicated Mineral Resources of 1.94 million ounces gold, 8.33 million ounces of silver and 422.0 million pounds of copper (118.2 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t gold, 2.19 g/t silver and 0.16% copper) and Inferred Mineral Resources of 4.67 million ounces gold, 16.06 million ounces silver and 711.4 million pounds of copper (317.0 million tonnes grading 0.46 g/t gold, 1.58 g/t silver and 0.10% copper) (see technical report titled, "NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Whistler Project" dated effective June 11, 2021). Qualified Person Paulo Pereira, P. Geo., President of GoldMining, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Pereira is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Forward-looking Statements This document contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and expectations of GoldMining concerning its expectations regarding its strategy concerning U.S. GoldMining, its pursuit of an initial public offering, and the advancement of the Whistler Project. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates, and forecasts about the business and the markets in which GoldMining operates. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including any volatility in capital markets and the resource sector generally; delays to plans caused by restrictions and other future impacts of COVID-19 or any other inability of the Company to meet expected timelines; the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, fluctuating metal prices, unanticipated costs and expenses, risks related to government and environmental regulation, social, permitting and licensing matters, and uncertainties relating to the availability and prices of financing needed in the future. These risks and others, including those outlined in GoldMinings Annual Information Form for the year ended November 30, 2021, and other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. SOURCE GoldMining Inc. VENTURA COUNTY, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael J. Chaloupka of Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. recovers $2 million for clients Adilene Ayala and her two minor children during litigation. On a spring afternoon, Ms. Ayala's husband, Eduardo Sampayo was performing tree trimming services for his employer, Master Tree Service in the backyard of a private residence. Sampayo had climbed a palm tree and was trimming palm fronds with a chainsaw when he made indirect contact with an energized high voltage power line and was fatally electrocuted. Sampayo is survived by his wife, Adilene Ayala, and two minor children. In one moment, Ayala became a widow and a single mother. Their children were just 5 and 2 years old at the time of Sampayo's death. The loss of a parent and spouse is incalculable. Ayala became solely responsible for the care and upbringing of their children who will now grow up without their father. Throughout highly contested litigation, Harris Personal Injury Lawyers discovered that Defendants Southern California Edison Company and their vegetation management contractor, Utility Tree Service were responsible for the maintenance of the palm tree due to its dangerous proximity to a high voltage power line. This palm tree which had previously been routinely trimmed twice a year had not been trimmed in over a year due to the Defendants' negligence. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. tirelessly put pressure on the defense to secure a $2 million settlement for their client. SOURCE Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. Notably, the findings are encouraging, as historical stream sediment sample results within the Artic Fox Project enabled Megawatt's technical team to delineate six anomalous target areas for REEs that materially enhance the property's exploration potential. The most significant sample values recorded comprise: 9 samples had anomalous Ce > 1,000 ppm with a peak of 3,730 ppm in 1 sample 8 samples had anomalous La > 500 ppm with a peak of 1,870 ppm in 1 sample 6 samples had anomalous Nd > 500 ppm with a peak of 1,450 ppm in 1 sample 12 samples had anomalous Pr > 100 ppm with a peak of 424 ppm in 1 sample 13 samples had anomalous Hf > 100 ppm with a peak of 445 ppm in 1 sample David Thornley-Hall, Chief Executive Officer commented: "Securing new REE availability is becoming an increasing strategic priority of many governments in order to reduce reliance on any single country's dominance of the global market. Currently China controls 70-80% of global production. We are pleased that our technical team in Australia has uncovered compelling evidence across six target areas highlighting the exploration potential of the Artic Fox property. To maintain exploration momentum, our technical team will be visiting both properties this month to reconcile field observations with legacy data to facilitate identifying targets for drill-testing." Historical stream sediment sampling program The historical stream sediment sample results were derived from two campaigns undertaken by Crossland Uranium (CLU) during 2014-161. After analysing CLU's data, Megawatt's technical team identified six distinct target areas with anomalous REE assay results for follow up fieldwork. (refer white elliptical shapes in Figure 1). In total, 256 samples were taken and analysed from CLU's surveys, with 138 in the western part of the Artic Fox Project. Of the 17 REEs, 15 were analysed by both surveys including: Ce, Dy, Er, EU, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sm. Tb, Tm, Y and Yb. Megawatt's technical team will make an initial reconnaissance trip to the Arctic Fox and Isbjorn Projects from 19-22 May 2022 to evaluate site accessibility, sample suspected mineralized outcrop and devise the next phase of the exploration program. Note: Lithium was not analysed for in the historical data. To recap, the Arctic Fox Project is located circa 185 km by road north-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory (refer Figure 2). It is 35 km north-west of Arafura Resources (ASX: ARU) world-class Nolan's Bore REE deposit which contains a Total Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 56Mt at an average grade of 2.6% TREO and 11% phosphate (P2O5) that extends to 215 m below surface. In addition, the MRE has an estimated 26.4% Nd Pr enrichment2. The technical team believes the style of mineralization being targeted within the Artic Fox Project is comparable to that apparent at Nolan's Bore. In geological terms Nolan's Bore is a phosphate-uranium-thorium deposit comprised of a series of ENE trending and steeply NW to NE dipping fluorapatite veins, with notable variation in brecciation throughout the area. The data disclosed in this news release related to sampling results is historical in nature. Megawatt has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. Megawatt considers these historical sample results relevant as the Company will use this data as a guide to plan future exploration programs. The Company's future exploration work will include verification of the data through further sampling. Qualified Person Mr. Geoffrey Reed (MAusMM (CP)) (MAIG), Consultant for the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure or Mineral Projects and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this press release. References 1) Crossland Nickel Pty Ltd Report Number CR2016-0105. Available at: https://geoscience.nt.gov.au/gemis/ntgsjspui/simple-search?location=1%2F3&query=%22CR2016-0105%22&rpp=10&sort_by=score&order=desc 2) Arafura Resources Limited 2015 & 2017 Annual Reports. Available at: https://www.arultd.com/investor/asx-announcements-2021/asx-archive.html Technical Information All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Geoffrey Reed, (MAusMM (CP)) (MAIG), Consultant for the Company. Mr. Reed is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Reed has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than the Arctic Fox and Isbjorn Properties. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Arctic Fox and Isbjorn Properties. About MegaWatt Lithium and Battery Metals Corp. MegaWatt is a British Columbia based company involved in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Canada. The Company holds a 100% undivided interest, subject to a 1.5% NSR on all base, rare earth elements and precious metals, in the Cobalt Hill Property, consisting of eight mineral claims covering an area of approximately 1,727.43 hectares located in the Trail Creek Mining Division in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. Additionally, the Company has acquired an 80% interest in a company that indirectly holds a 100% interest (subject to a 2% NSR) in two prospective silver-zinc projects in Australia, being the Tyr Silver Project and the Century South Silver-Zinc Project (see press release dated August 13, 2020), an indirect 100% interest (subject to a 1% NSR) in and to certain mining tenements in Northern Territory and New South Wales, Australia prospective for nickel-cobalt-scandium and rare earth elements. The Company holds a 100% interest (subject to a 2% NSR) in and to the Route 381 Lithium Property, comprised of 40 mineral claims located in James Bay Territory, north of Matagami in the Province of Quebec, covering 2,126 hectares (see press release dated February 3, 2021) and a 100% interest in 229 additional mineral exploration claims prospective for lithium, also in the James Bay area of Quebec covering an area of 12,116 hectares or 121 square kms. Investors can learn more about the Company and team at https://megawattmetals.com. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements relating to the trading of the Company's common shares on the Exchange and the Company's use of proceeds and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward- looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. SOURCE MegaWatt Lithium and Battery Metals Corp. One of the leading global email cloud security and backup providers adds IT security awareness-building training to its portfolio PITTSBURGH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hornetsecurity, a global email cloud security and backup provider, today announced the acquisition of IT-Seal, a security awareness training company. Daniel Hofmann CEO This is the latest in a spate of growth-boosting acquisitions by Hornetsecurity since 2019, where the company purchased Spamina, the Spanish market leader for cloud email security solutions; followed by its British market partner EveryCloud in 2020; Altaro, a global provider of backup solutions and Zerospam, a Canadian email security leader, both in 2021. Backed by Verdane, the specialist Northern European growth equity investor, and PSG Equity, a leading growth equity firm, the company grew to 400 employees and a strong international network of 5,000+ channel partners in recent years. Helping companies establish a sustainable security culture Located in Darmstadt, Germany, IT-Seal specializes in establishing a sustainable security culture. It employs innovative technologies to train employees at businesses and organizations worldwide. The company uses a scientific, patented security awareness indicator (Employee Security Index - ESI) to make security awareness measurable and comparable. IT-Seal's activities stem from the fact that every person makes an important contribution to everyone's IT security. As a result, the company focuses on the human factor, with the vision to help secure both the digital society and the economy. The three co-founders, David Kelm, Alex Wyllie and Yannic Ambach, will remain on board and will continue to develop the product and its range of services. Boosting the cybersecurity awareness-prevention-detection cycle Each of Hornetsecurity's strategic acquisitions serve to enhance and extend the company's position as a leading provider of security, data loss prevention and compliance solutions, with a particular focus on the Microsoft 365 environment, according to Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity. "We believe IT-Seal is a perfect addition to our portfolio. We always stress the importance of cybersecurity awareness to our partners and customers, and we provide this via informative and educational blog posts, ebooks, webinars and reports. With IT-Seal on board, we will now provide IT security training as part of our package. This enables us to cover all aspects of the awareness-prevention-detection cycle, alongside our established email security and backup and recovery solutions," said Hofmann. Patented methodology to measure and compare security levels The selection of IT-Seal is the result of a thorough exploration of the field. "We have searched long and hard for the right addition to our team, and with IT-Seal we have found a second-generation approach to security awareness. Other solutions in this space are too complex and too maintenance-intensive for customers. Through its automated approach, IT-Seal can measure and compare the human security level across industries by their patented technology," said Hofmann. Easy-to-use IT training workflow "We are proud to be considered one of the most successful German cybersecurity start-ups. This acquisition is the perfect next step in our journey. Forming part of the Hornetsecurity Group will extend our services' reach in the global B2B community, introducing our security training services to companies and organizations of all sizes and in all industries. This is in line with our mission to enable IT security managers to train their employees individually and reliably through our award-winning automation engine and easy-to-use workflow so that they can protect their company," said David Kelm, idea generator and co-founder at IT-Seal. About Hornetsecurity Group Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It's an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users' endpoints. Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by approximately 50,000 customers including Swisscom, Telefonica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung and CLAAS. More info: www.hornetsecurity.com Follow Hornetsecurity on LinkedIn About IT-Seal Founded in 2016, the technology company analyzes human security awareness and trains on a KPI-based and demand-driven strategy with intelligent, automated learning paths. Over 800 customers trust in the award-winning technology including the German Federal Bank, BMW and FC Bayern Munich. More info: www.it-seal.de Follow IT Seal on LinkedIn About PSG Equity PSG is a growth equity firm that partners with software and technology-enabled services companies to help them navigate transformational growth, capitalize on strategic opportunities and build strong teams. Having backed more than 100 companies and facilitated over 400 add-on acquisitions, PSG brings extensive investment experience, deep expertise in software and technology and a firm commitment to collaborating with management teams. Founded in 2014, PSG operates out of offices in Boston, Kansas City, London, Paris, Madrid and Tel-Aviv. More info: www.psgequity.com Follow PSG on LinkedIn About Verdane Verdane is a specialist growth equity investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses to help them reach the next stage of international growth. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy behind three core themes; the Digital Consumer, Software Everywhere and Sustainable Society. Verdane funds hold close to 4bn in total commitments and have made over 135 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane's team of over 100 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe. More info: www.verdane.com Follow Verdane on LinkedIn Media enquiries Please contact us on [email protected] . Media Contact Len Fernandes Firecracker PR [email protected] 888-317-4687 ext. 707 SOURCE Hornetsecurity Receive FREE Sample Report in Minutes! Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments. Some of the Top Hydraulic Cylinder suppliers listed in this report: This Hydraulic Cylinder procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Caterpillar Parker Hannifin Eaton Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments: www.spendedge.com/report/hydraulic-cylinder-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Top Selling Report: 1. 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To access the definite purchasing guide on the Hydraulic Cylinder that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Hydraulic Cylinder TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 1,200+ market research reports. SpendEdge's SUBSCRIPTION platform Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Klein Law Firm announces that a class action complaint has been filed on behalf of shareholders of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) alleging that the Company violated federal securities laws. Class Period: April 4, 2017 to October 20, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: June 6, 2022 No obligation or cost to you. Learn more about your recoverable losses in IBM: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/international-business-machines-corporation-loss-submission-form?id=27558&from=4 International Business Machines Corporation NEWS - IBM NEWS CLASS ACTION CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that International Business Machines Corporation made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Strategic Imperatives Revenue and growth, CAMSS and CAMSS Components' revenue and growth, and the Company's Segments' revenue and growth were artificially inflated as a result of the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperatives Revenue; (ii) the Company's present success and positive future growth prospects concerning its Strategic Imperative business strategy were being fueled by the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperative Revenue and, as a result (iii) the Company misled the market by portraying the Company's Strategic Imperative's financial performance and future prospects more favorable than they actually were as a result of the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperatives. WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS A SHAREHOLDER: If you have suffered a loss in IBM you have until June 6, 2022 to petition the court for lead plaintiff status. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. NO COST TO YOU: If you purchased IBM securities during the relevant period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket fees. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS: For additional information about the IBM lawsuit, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or click this link: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/international-business-machines-corporation-loss-submission-form?id=27558&from=4. ABOUT KLEIN LAW FIRM J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. The Klein Law Firm is a boutique litigation firm with experience in a wide range of areas including securities law, corporate finance and commercial litigation. Since 2011, our experienced attorneys have achieved superior results for our clients with a personalized focus. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: J. Klein, Esq. Empire State Building 350 Fifth Avenue 59th Floor New York, NY 10118 [email protected] Telephone: (212) 616-4899 www.kleinstocklaw.com SOURCE The Klein Law Firm LOS ANGELES and YANTAI, China, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ImaginAb, Inc., a market leading global biotechnology company focused on developing next generation immuno-oncology imaging agents and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals (RPT), is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive license with [Yantai] DongCheng Pharmaceutical Group to commercialize ImaginAb's CD8 ImmunoPET agent (zirconium Zr 89 crefmirlimab berdoxam) in the Greater China market. Zirconium Zr 89 crefmirlimab berdoxam will be initially used in third party sponsored clinical trials with the intention of achieving market authorization. Ian Wilson, CEO of ImaginAb, said: "ImaginAb's objective is to be a leading global imaging and radiotherapy company and, as such, China is an important market for our products. We are pleased to sign this exclusive license agreement and are looking forward to working with DongCheng to deliver our diagnostic imaging agent to cancer patients in China. DongCheng's extensive experience in molecular imaging, combined with its technical experience and execution infrastructure make it an ideal development and commercial partner for ImaginAb in China. The addition of DongCheng to our customer portfolio provides additional support as we progress our business strategy and third-party validation of crefmirlimab berdoxam." Grant Luo, CEO of [Yantai] DongCheng Pharmaceutical Group, commented: "By partnering with ImaginAb, we will be introducing to Greater China an ImmunoPET tracer to visualize cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment, which has the potential to accurately select and monitor the appropriate population receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment and further promote the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments. In addition, we hope to collaborate with clinical experts and pharmaceutical companies through our nationwide Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) nuclear pharmacies network, to help accelerate the clinical development and commercial launch of novel therapeutics with high clinical benefits and to address patients' needs." ImaginAb will receive license and milestone payments and up to double digit royalties for the CD8 ImmunoPET license and commercial partnership in the Greater China market. No other terms have been disclosed. About ImaginAb ImaginAb Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy agents. ImaginAb engineer antibody fragments called Minibodies that maintain the exquisite specificity of full-length antibodies while remaining biologically inert in the body. Used with widely available PET Imaging technology and therapeutic isotopes, these novel Minibodies bind specifically to cell surface targets, providing physicians with a whole-body picture of immune activity and the potential to treat cancer. ImaginAb is advancing a diagnostic and therapeutic pipeline of Minibodies against both oncology and immunology targets. The Company is backed by top tier venture capital firms and strategic corporate firms including, Adage Capital, The Cycad Group, Norgine Ventures, TRC, Jim Pallotta of the Raptor Group, The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Merck (MSD) Pharma. For more information, please visit www.imaginab.com About CD8 ImmunoPET The Zr 89 CD8 ImmunoPET agent (zirconium Zr 89 crefmirlimab berdoxam) is a Zr 89 -labelled Minibody that binds the CD8 receptor on human T cells and is used for quantitative, non-invasive PET imaging of CD8 T cells in patients. CD8 T cells are the main effector cells involved in the immune response against tumor cells induced by immunotherapies and they also play a key role in multiple autoimmune diseases. As such, quantitative imaging of CD8 T cells can be used to diagnose the immune status of a patient, to measure the efficacy of immunotherapies and predict patient outcomes. About [Yantai] DongCheng Pharmaceutical Group Founded in 1998 and listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2012, [Yantai] DongCheng Pharmaceutical Group specializes in the production, supply, and commercialization of radioactive tracers through the company's nation-wide PET and SPECT imaging radio-pharmacies. Sales network accounts for about 50% market share of PET tracers in China with penetration into 800+ hospitals / nuclear medicine departments. DongCheng is committed to the nuclear medicine industry, with a wide range of radiopharmaceutical products in its portfolio, strong R&D capabilities with a robust pipeline, and radiopharmaceutical local supply and commercialization with multinational companies and leading institutions such as GE Healthcare, Nihon Medi-Physics (NMP), DCB, and Beijing Cancer Hospital. For more information, please visit www.dcb-group.com SOURCE ImaginAb Innoviz has appointed Tali Chen as Chief Business Officer (CBO), effective immediately. Chen will oversee the Company's business development activities, establish sales targets and KPIs, and implement, report and review strategic sales and marketing plans. Chen replaces Oren Rosenzweig, who is stepping down from his CBO and Board roles, effective immediately, to pursue new opportunities. Rosenzweig will continue in an active advisory role through summer 2022 to ensure a smooth transition. Chen most recently served as CBO for DSP Group, a global leader in wireless communications for smart-enabled devices. In this role, she managed global sales, marketing, investor relations and business growth operations. Chen also spearheaded strategic relations and partnerships with Fortune 100 & 500 corporations and led complex, multi-million-dollar sales cycles encompassing preliminary discussions, contract negotiations, deal closing, and partnership roadmap development. Prior to her tenure at DSP Group, Chen served in corporate development roles for RADA Electronics, a global corporation that develops, manufactures and markets advanced military systems. The Company also announced that it has appointed Scott Craig and Brijesh Shukla as country managers of the U.S. and Japan, respectively. Craig brings decades of experience in the semiconductor and automotive industries, previously serving as the Executive Director of Automotive Strategy and OEM Business Development at onsemi where he was responsible for OEM business development at Ford Motor Company worldwide, Stellantis and Argo worldwide. Craig will be responsible for sales and business development of Innoviz LiDAR products and associated software in all industry verticals in North America. Shukla, who has twenty years of experience in direct customer-facing roles for companies such as Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Mitsubishi, will represent and manage Innoviz's growing business in Japan. Innoviz CEO and Co-Founder Omer Keilaf said, "We are excited about our newest appointments as we continue to expand our automotive business and begin penetrating the non-automotive industry in parallel. Tali brings a breadth of expertise critical to our growth strategy, including an impressive track record of pipeline and revenue creation through market share expansion. She will be a great asset to our Company as we seek to monetize our best-in-class products and drive sales. Similarly, appointing Scott and Brijesh is the logical next step to capitalize on our growth opportunities following Innoviz's multi-year, multi-billion-dollar nomination with a global vehicle manufacturer. We look forward to benefitting from their vast sales and business generation experience as we aim to break more new ground." Chen commented, "I'm thrilled to be joining Innoviz. The Company is, in my opinion, a significant player in the LiDAR field, and its recent milestone nomination is yet another testament to its leadership. With Innoviz's cutting-edge technology and breadth of partnerships, the Company has many potential avenues to drive revenue. I look forward to building on this foundation and reaching even greater heights." Keilaf continued, "We are grateful for Oren's major contribution in co-founding Innoviz and helping lead it to where it is today. Oren had an important role in Innoviz's commercial success and in shaping our position in the market. I wish Oren continued success in his future endeavors." Oren Rosenzweig commented, "Co-founding Innoviz over six years ago and leading the Business Development, Sales and Product activities in the time since have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this journey. We took Innoviz from an idea, to one of the leading players in the emerging Autonomous Driving industry. At this point in the life of the company, and in mine, it is the right time to hand over responsibilities to an extremely talented group of people. I will support Tali and the leadership team to ensure a successful transition and I wish the incredible Innoviz team continued success." About Tali Chen Tali Chen previously served as Chief Business Officer at DSP Group. Prior to this role, she served as Chief Marketing Officer, where she managed the IoT business line, European business development, sales and marketing, US operations and corporate management, and before that, served as CVP of Corporate Development. Before joining DSP Group, Tali was Director of Corporate Development at RADA Electronic Industries, a Major in the Israeli Defense Forces, and the founding manager of the "Atidim for Industry" program. Tali holds an LLB in Law and Government with honors from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) of Herzliya and an MBA from Technion Israel Institute of Technology. About Scott Craig Scott Craig previously served as the Executive Director of Automotive Strategy & OEM Business Development at onsemi, where he was responsible for the Company's automotive strategy and OEM business development. During his tenure, he has led the regional and global teams, contributing to double digit growth within the Americas. Prior to joining onsemi, he served as the Global Account Executive at Infineon, where he was responsible for business development at Ford Motor Company worldwide, leading the promotion of innovation and collaboration between the two organizations. Craig holds a BA degree in physics from Kalamazoo College, a BS degree in electrical engineering from Wayne State University, and is working on a MA of Divinity from Fuller Seminary. About Brijesh Shukla Brijesh Shukla previously served as Project & Program Manager at Valeo Automotive (Comfort and Driving Assistant System). He has a background in engineering and business, with most of his career involved in the techno-commercial side, working with Japanese automotive OEM accounts. Over the past two decades, he has been actively involved in the tech-enabled industry. He has a deep understanding of various ADAS products, including LiDAR. Before joining Valeo Japan, he worked in Continental Japan, and in Denso Japan. Brijesh holds a BS degree in Mathematics & Physics, a Master's in Computer application and MBA in operation management. About Innoviz Technologies Innoviz is a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world's roads. Innoviz's LiDAR and perception software "see" better than a human driver and reduce the possibility of error, meeting the automotive industry's strictest expectations for performance and safety. Operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Innoviz has been selected by internationally-recognized premium car brands for use in consumer vehicles as well as by other commercial and industrial leaders for a wide range of use cases. For more information, visit innoviz-tech.com. Join the discussion: Facebook , LinkedIn , YouTube , Twitter Media Contact [email protected] Investor Contact Maya Lustig Innoviz Technologies +972 54 677 8100 [email protected] Forward Looking Statements This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the services offered by Innoviz, the anticipated technological capability of Innoviz's products, the markets in which Innoviz operates, Innoviz's forward-looking order book, and Innoviz's projected future results. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. "Forward-looking order book" is the cumulative projected future sales of hardware and perception software based on current estimates of volumes and pricing relating to a project. Many factors could cause actual future events, and, in the case of our forward-looking order book, actual orders, to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this announcement, including but not limited to, the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, the ability to convert design wins into definitive orders and the magnitude of such orders, the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and potential changes and developments in the highly competitive LiDAR technology and related industries. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in Innoviz's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 30, 2022 and other documents filed by Innoviz from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Innoviz assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Innoviz gives no assurance that it will achieve its expectations. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1825234/Innoviz_Technologies_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1825235/Innoviz_Technologies_2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1825236/Innoviz_Technologies_3.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1496323/Innoviz_Technologies_Logo.jpg SOURCE Innoviz Technologies The power of automation by Inorsa to accelerate network delivery will be featured prominently at the premier Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) event in Denver, Colorado AUSTIN, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inorsa, a fast-growing SaaS company automating network delivery, today announced product milestones and their plans to attend Connect(X) 2022, the premier networking event in telecom. Founded in 2020, Inorsa's software platform automates the process for construction drawings, close-out packages, and structural analysis. The result is a smoother process for A&E and construction teams since this technology turns task time from hours and, sometimes, days to minutes. Prior to this, engineers struggled with finding errors in their tasks leading to extra time needed for each project, however robust quality control of Inorsa's portal validates all data and legacy information for infrastructure documents. This ensures the final outputs are error free. Recent updates include a user-friendly mobile app with easy upload and download of field pictures / files, a field data validation to process high quality drawings / analysis, and a seamless integration into the Inorsa portal or any other platform used by our customers. "We are on a mission to accelerate 5G and other networks by automating tasks that can benefit from standardization, speed, scale, and quality improvements," said Inorsa CEO and co-founder Sean Shahini. "Our team is obsessed with presenting quality without sacrificing speed. We're proud of what we've created and are constantly working on new changes and improvements. We are on a mission to change the lives of everyone in the industry, making processes faster and more accurate. With our AI, customers experience over 70% error reduction and cost savings of at least 30%. Introducing software automation to the world of telecom has proven to be a win-win for all, including A&E and construction firms, mobile network operators (MNOs), neutral-host operators, and tower owners." Inorsa will be well represented at Connect(X), the premier North America technology networking event. Sean Shahini will be providing thought leadership at the panel titled "The Neutral Host Opportunity" on Wednesday, May 25 from 8:30 9:10 am in meeting room 401. Moderated by John Celentano, Business Editor at Inside Towers, the panel will provide insights into the future of neutral hosts in the world of 5G. Sean will share his point of view on how automation will serve as the catalyst for change. Inorsa team members will be available at booths 732, 733, 734, and 735 where they can demonstrate Inorsa's AutoEngine. About Inorsa Inc. Founded in 2020, Inorsa offers a software platform to site acquisition, A&E, and construction groups that automates drawings, structural analysis, reports, and close-out packages. Inorsa's automation engine dramatically decreases turnaround time and cost for these tasks, while increasing accuracy of drawings. Our platform also allows clients to store documents, cross check and validate accuracy of data and arrange files, making it simple to stay organized always. Inorsa is on a mission to accelerate 5G deployment at lightning speed, at a fraction of the cost. Media & Analyst Contact Manish Matta [email protected] (630) 210-5119 SOURCE Inorsa TBRC's insurance industry research includes detailed analysis on the insurance brokers and agents market and its development in the coming years. LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The insurance brokers and agents market consist of sales of insurance policies by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) and individuals that act as intermediaries (agents and brokers) in selling annuities and insurance policies. They represent consumers or insurance providers or both in insurance premium collection. Insurance brokers and agents can be contracted with single or multiple insurance companies as they try to meet different client needs with available insurance products. The global insurance brokers and agents market size is expected to grow from $374.2 billion in 2021 to $409.15 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. The global insurance broker and agent market size is expected to grow to $551.88 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.8%. Request a free sample of the Insurance Brokers and Agents Market Report Market Segments The insurance brokers and agents market is segmented by type into insurance agencies, insurance brokers, bancassurance and other intermediaries. The insurance agencies market was the largest segment of the insurance brokers and agents market by type, accounting for 39.5% of the total market in 2021. The bancassurance market is expected to be the fastest-growing segment by type, going forward at a CAGR of 9.1% during 2021-2026 period. The insurance brokers and agents market is also segmented by end-user into corporate, individual, by mode into online, offline, and by insurance into life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health and medical insurance. Global Outlook North America has the largest insurance brokers and agents market value, accounting for 42.6% of the global market in 2021. It was followed by Western Europe, Asia Pacific and the other regions. Going forward, the fastest growing regions in the insurance brokers and agents market will be South America and the Africa, where growth will be at CAGRs of 12.2% and 9.3% respectively from 2021-2026. Competitive Landscape Merger and acquisition activity in the insurance brokers and agents market remained at a high level in the last four years. Some of the notable deals include those completed by Alliance Group, Acrisure, Arthur J Gallagher, Coverys European Holdings (CEH), Howden, Huron Capital Partners and others. Major companies with an insurance brokers and agents market share include Marsh & McLennan, Chubb Limited, Toyota Motor Corp, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Bank of China, Hub international, Willis Towers Watson, Brown & Brown, BB&T Insurance Holdings Inc, and Jardine Matheson. See more on the Insurance Brokers and Agents Market Report Check out similar market reports: Insurance, Reinsurance And Insurance Brokerage Global Market Report 2022 By Type (Insurance, Insurance Brokers And Agents, Reinsurance), By Mode (Online, Offline), By End User (Corporate, Individual) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Insurance Agencies Market Report 2022 By Insurance (Life Insurance, Property And Casualty Insurance, Health And Medical Insurance), By Mode (Online, Offline), By End User (Corporate, Individual) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Insurance (Providers, Brokers and Re-Insurers) Market Report 2022 By Type (Insurance Providers, Insurance Brokers And Agents, Reinsurance Providers), By Mode (Online, Offline), By End User (Corporate, Individual) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology. The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 8897263534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/ SOURCE The Business Research Company Food Intolerances Are Common. Enzyme Supplements Just Might Be the Solution. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Intoleran is a Dutch health brand based out of the Netherlands, where it's operated for nearly a decade and a half. In that time, the innovative company has created a groundbreaking line of digestive enzyme supplements with one goal in mind: to help people enjoy food again. "We want to help people destress their social lives," explains company owner Harmen Treep, "Everything about Intoleran is designed to restore a sense of peace in daily life. We want people to enjoy their food again no matter what it is they're eating or what the setting may be." In pursuit of this end, Treep's company has created its various enzyme supplements. Each one is targeted toward certain needs, such as Lactase for breaking down lactose or Fibractase , which helps with digesting things like wheat products, beans, and lentils. "Intolerances aren't life threatening," says Treep, "but that doesn't mean they're easy to live with. They can lead to bloating, gas, heartburn, and other unpleasant symptoms." The founder adds that intolerances are also very common a point likely resonates with many consumers. In fact, it's estimated that as much as 20% of the world's population struggles with an intolerance of some sort or another and the number appears to be growing. When an intolerance is present, it just means the body cannot create enough of a certain enzyme to break down food quickly. Intoleran's job is simple. It gives the digestive system an extra dose of an enzyme so that the digestive system can process a food without trouble. While Intoleran doesn't solve every digestive issue, it can play a key role in restoring a much-needed sense of peace and comfort to those struggling with an intolerance on a daily basis. By using the harmless and simple enzyme supplement when eating a troublesome food, consumers can erase their digestive issues and truly enjoy their food again. About Intoleran: Intoleran was founded in the Netherlands in 2008. The Dutch health brand specializes in creating enzyme-based supplements which are produced in its own production facility right in the Netherlands. These address a variety of food intolerances, including lactose, fructose, fructans, galactans, and sucrose. Intoleran products assist the digestive system by helping to properly digest food and, consequently, avoiding many of the unpleasant side effects that come from food intolerances. In order to preserve quality and effectiveness, Intoleran only uses ingredients necessary for the effect of the supplements and no unnecessary additives. This allows as many people as possible to use the products without unwanted side effects. Learn more at intoleran.com . Please direct inquiries to: Anderson Spaur (954) 613-7822 [email protected] SOURCE Intoleran Leading the division is VP of Sales, Rebecca Powelson, an industry veteran with over a decade of experience working in Sales and Marketing for Importers, and more recently over a year with Riboli Family Wines. Powelson will focus on growing this portfolio of unique, luxury wines in the US (price range: $15-$100), including a Grower Champagne from Nomine-Renard, the organic and biodynamic estate of Urlar from New Zealand, as well as Santo, from Piedmont, Italy. Paul Roberts, SVP of Sales for Riboli Family Wines says, "We felt there was an opportunity to define and grow this part of our portfolio. The AVANTI division provides one destination for our customers to shop a vast selection of high-quality imported wine brands." The AVANTI Division of Brands consist of: Champagne Nomine-Renard a Grower Champagne portfolio of Brut, Brut Rose, Blanc de Blancs, and Vintage Loire Collection representing Chinon and Sancerre Urlar a Wholefoods exclusive (organic, vegan, biodynamic) imported from New Zealand The Champion Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand Santo a collection of Moscato d'Asti and Rose from Piedmont, Italy ABOUT RIBOLI FAMILY WINES Riboli Family Wines, family-owned since 1917, celebrates over a century crafting award-winning wines. Wine Enthusiasts' 2018 American Winery of the Year, Riboli Family Wines includes Riboli Estates Group a portfolio of estate-based brands sourced from the family's 1,800 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey, and Napa Valley as well as Stella Rosa, the #1 Import Brand and the largest selling brand over $10 in the US*. With a natural affinity for creativity and innovation, the third and fourth generations of the Riboli family continue to lead the industry and push the boundaries of winemaking and the wine drinking experience. For more information, please visit www.riboliwines.com. Downloads: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d3mviw86qbyw3be/AABFvL7Vay3893a88niAuEoKa?dl=0 Press Contacts Marie Christina Batich Benson Marketing Group [email protected] 917.633.6002 Ext 15 Natasha Hayes Riboli Family Wines [email protected] 415.608.8050 SOURCE Riboli Family Wines PITTSBURGH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create an accessory for skateboarders that helps propel the rider further with less effort, while increasing stability and balance," said an inventor, from Dallas, Texas, "so I invented the PUSH ROD. Using the PUSH ROD will reduce the stress and strain of normal skateboarding activities, while working out the upper body for a more complete workout." The patent-pending PUSH ROD provides an effective way to propel a skateboarder while eliminating the need to constantly push with the feet and legs. As a benefit, it saves effort and it reduces the risk of injury. The PUSH ROD has a unique design for easy storage. Additionally, the PUSH ROD can be produced in a variety of designs with prototypes available. The original design was submitted to the Dallas sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-DAL-141, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com SOURCE InventHelp Expands reach to the Metaverse NEW YORK , May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- J.P. Morgan today announced its 23rd Annual Summer Reading List, inviting readers worldwide to explore the adventures, discoveries and new ideas that connect us. Spanning both terrain and time, the books introduce readers to modern-day culture pioneers like Hayao Miyazaki, mythic Ancient Greek heroes and global business and civic leaders, as well as new frontiers of art, self-reflection, climate and currency. A summer tradition for two-plus decades, 2022 marks the list's first foray into the metaverse in the Onyx by J.P. Morgan lounge in Decentraland. For a limited time, visitors can explore a curated virtual library exhibit on the lounge's first floor, created in partnership with metaverse real estate company Everyrealm. Visitors can create an avatar, learn about the books and view exclusive interviews with select authors, with a scholarly owl perched nearby ready to celebrate correctly answered trivia questions about the books. "Summer and reading are inextricably linkeda time to explore, escape and dive into new ideas. This year's selections are a reminder of how core human principles like courage, creativity, curiosity and caregiving bond us, transcending borders and time," said Darin Oduyoye, Chief Communications Officer of J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management. To curate the list, J.P. Morgan client advisors worldwide submitted hundreds of non-fiction titles. That list was then culled and reviewed based on timeliness, quality and global appeal to the firm's global client base. The 2022 Summer Reading list line-up includes: CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller and Vikram Malhotra McKinsey & Company senior partners offer an insight-packed, revelatory look at how some of the most well-respected CEOs do their jobs. Drawing from 25 years of research and interviews with top corporate leadersincluding chiefs at Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, General Motors and SonyDewar, Keller and Malhotra show that while the role of CEO is unique to each organization, the best CEOs think and adapt in surprisingly similar ways across industries. Through its examination of world-class leadership, CEO Excellence shows how the best leaders establish game-changing visions for their companiesand how you too can model yourself on the very best. Race for Tomorrow: Survival, Innovation and Profit on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis by Simon Mundy In this remarkable journey through 26 countries and six continents, Financial Times reporter Simon Mundy travels to the frontlines of the climate crisis, showing how the struggle to respond is already deeply altering our world. By telling the stories of those he meetsfrom a scientist building a home for engineered mammoths in northeast Siberia to the entrepreneurs chasing breakthroughs in electric and fusion powerMundy demonstrates how climate change is displacing communities, disrupting global businesses and inspiring a new wave of trailblazing innovation. Being Present: Commanding Attention at Work (and at Home) by Managing Your Social Presence by Jeanine W. Turner Our ability to pay attention in a world of distractions becomes more difficult every day. So how can we break free from the digital devices that prevent us from being present? Synthesizing 15 years of research, interviews and experience from teaching students and executives, Georgetown professor Jeanine W. Turner offers a framework to navigate our social presencethe feeling of being connected within a conversation or interactionand to communicate more effectively and intentionally with our family, friends and colleagues. The Comprehensive Guide to NFTs, Digital Artwork, Blockchain Technology by Marc Beckman Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are one of the most significant digital innovations since the development of blockchain and cryptocurrency. But what exactly are they, and what will their impact be on our world? Marc Beckman, founder of the NFT digital artwork platform Truesy, delves into the foundations of NFT technology, making the subject clear and comprehensible. Applying his deep advertising and branding experience, Beckman explores how NFTs are poised to change fashion, sports, fine art, social justice and more, and how entrepreneurs can position themselves for success in tomorrow's NFT-driven world. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink "No regrets" is a popular and well-worn life philosophy, but author Daniel H. Pink rejects this idea in his latest book. Instead, Pink challenges us to accept regrets as fundamental, and to reckon with them in creative ways to help us live more fulfilling lives. Drawing on research in psychology, neuroscience, economics and biology, Pink argues that we can transform regrets into positive forces by reframing our thinking, allowing us to make smarter decisions, achieve more at work and deepen our sense of purpose. Fixed.: How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem Solving by Amy E. Herman While heading education at The Frick Collection in New York City, lawyer and art historian Amy E. Herman developed her Art of Perception seminar to improve the observational and communication skills of medical students solving intractable problems. Since then, she has led sessions internationally for leaders and professionals at the FBI, French National Police, Interpol and many more organizations for which failure is catastrophic. Using art to challenge our default thinking, Herman encourages us to open our minds to see possibilities we may otherwise overlook. No matter the problem's scale or complexity, Herman's lens offers a powerful new perspective to approach any issue, and to craft an effective solution. Hayao Miyazaki by Jessica Niebel, Daniel Kothenschulte and Pete Docter A richly illustrated journey through the cinematic worlds of the renowned Japanese filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki celebrates the artistic vision, craftmanship and humanistic themes of Miyazaki's beloved animated films. Published by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles in collaboration with Studio Ghibli in Tokyo, Hayao Miyazaki offers insight into the animator's creative process and masterful storytelling techniques. His evocative natural settings and strong characters, many of them young women and girls, transcend cultural boundaries, and offer universal explorations of youth and humanity. As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic by the Wedge Collection (Preface by Teju Cole/Introduction by Dr. Mark Sealy/Interviewed by Liz Ikiriko) Selected from Dr. Kenneth Montague's Wedge Collection in Torontoa Black-owned collection dedicated to artists of African descentAs We Rise provides a timely exploration of Black identity. Through a compilation of over 100 photographs by Black artists from Canada, the Caribbean, Great Britain, the United States, South America and throughout the African continent, the volume examines the multilayered aspects of Black life through themes of community, identity and power, all while exploring ideas of agency, beauty, self-representation and more. Between the Mountain and the Sky: A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, Healing, and Hope by Maggie Doyne Maggie Doyne, American philanthropist and founder of the BlinkNow Foundation, tells an intimate and inspiring tale of her journey from carefree New Jersey teen to caretaker of more than 50 Nepalese children. Inspired on a trip to the country during a gap year before college, Doyne invests her life savings to buy land and open a children's home. Between the Mountain and the Sky shares all the love, loss, healing and hope she experiences opening the home, and eventually a women's center and school, and is a reminder of how goodness and change are possible when a single person takes action. Greek Myths by Gustav Schwab A collection of 47 tales from German writer Gustav Schwab's seminal anthology, Taschen's Greek Myths reimagines the fascinating world of Greek mythology for modern times. Through these legendary tales of gods and all-too-human heroes, Schwab's updated stories reveal all the feats, furies and foibles of the human conditionfrom the courage of Perseus and ambition of Icarus to Midas's greed. Accompanied by rich illustrations, these ancient and timeless truths about humanity remain as relevant today as ever, promising to captivate readers of all ages. For more information, visit jpmorgan.com/readinglist About JPMorgan Chase JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America ("U.S."), with operations worldwide. JPMorgan Chase had $4.0 trillion in assets and $285.9 billion in stockholders' equity as of March 31, 2022. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com. SOURCE J.P. Morgan KANAZAWA, Japan, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Biophysics and Physicobiology how to optimize high-speed atomic force microscopy experiments on live cell membranes, so that moving objects like molecules can be properly followed from frame to frame. In video microscopy techniques, a practical issue is how to properly assign moving features. Indeed, any video recording setup has a finite frame rate, and if several identical (or similar) moving features appear in the frame, it is not trivial to understand which feature went where when comparing images recorded at successive time-points. For high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM), the assignment problem for highly dynamic samples such as live cell membranes has not been thoroughly investigated. Now, Damien Hall and Adam Foster from the NanoLSI at Kanazawa University have looked at feature assignment in HS-AFM from a theoretical point of view. They provide practical considerations for planning experiments on live cell membranes, in particular on how to find the optimal combination of frame size, image pixilation and sampling rate. In AFM, an image is formed by scanning a surface with a very small tip with lateral dimension attached to a small cantilever. Horizontal (xy) scanning motion of the tip is controlled via piezoelectric elements; the vertical position of the tip changes as it follows the sample's height profile, generating a force on the cantilever that can be measured and back-converted into a measure of the height, resulting in a height map of the sample's surface. In HS-AFM, the surface is scanned repeatedly, resulting in a video. The researchers first identified a set of key parameters that characterize HS-AFM experiments. Continuous spatial 'sampling' corresponds to the situation when the distance d between measured points (pixels) is smaller than the tip size, , whereas discontinuous sampling corresponds to d being larger than . Continuous sampling gives a better spatial resolution, but requires a larger scanning time the time it takes to do a complete xy scan of the sample. For mobile cell membranes, Hall and Foster distinguished between three confidence regimes for feature assignment, depending on how the scanning time compares with gross morphological changes in the membrane's shape (typically of the order of minutes) and small-scale, rapid changes in the local composition of the membrane (of the order of milliseconds). If lies well above those two time scales, confidence is low. If it lies below both, confidence is high. If it lies in between, assignment confidence is intermediate. The idea is that for faster scanning (smaller ), objects won't have moved that much between frames and it is easier to recognize where objects have moved to. The scientists considered the situation with no gross morphological changes the intermediate- and high-confidence scenarios. Analytical and numerical descriptions of membrane diffusion, the xy scanning process and image pixilation made it possible, by invoking concepts from probability theory, to attribute 'assignability' properties to an image. Hall and Foster then developed criteria for confidently assigning single particles in an HS-AFM video, and also for the situation when multiple copies of one particles are present. An important result of their analysis is that how an image is pixilated plays a key role in feature assignability. The work of Hall and Foster provides researchers with a checklist that should help them set up their HS-AFM experiment, taking into account basic setup parameters like scanning speed, minimum pixilation dimensions and scanned image size. Quoting the researchers: "We hope that the theoretical considerations developed here may prove useful to scientists using AFM in both the design and the interpretation of their experiments." A software package called HS-AFM UGOKU is also available to download alongside the paper. Background High-speed atomic force microscopy The general principle of atomic force microscopy (AFM) is to make a very small tip scan the surface of a sample. During this horizontal (xy) scan, the tip, which is attached to a small cantilever, follows the sample's vertical (z) profile, inducing a force on the cantilever that can be measured. The magnitude of the force at the xy position can be related to the z value; the xyz data generated during a scan then result in a height map providing structural information about the investigated sample. In high-speed-AFM (HS-AFM), the working principle is slightly more involved: the cantilever is made to oscillate near its resonance frequency. When the tip is moved around a surface, the variations in the amplitude (or the frequency) of the cantilever's oscillation resulting from the tip's interaction with the sample's surface are recorded, as these provide a measure for the local 'z' value. AFM does not involve lenses, so its resolution is not restricted by the so-called diffraction limit as in X-ray diffraction, for example. HS-AFM results in a video, where the time interval between frames depends on the speed with which a single image can be generated (by xy-scanning the sample). Following moving objects from one frame to another is not trivial. Damien Hall and Adam Foster from Kanazawa University have now studied the 'feature assignment problem' for HS-AFM in detail, resulting in practical considerations for the optimization of HS-AFM experiments of live cell membranes. Related figure https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Figure-1.png Caption: Feature assignment: procedures for determining how objects have moved between two successive video frames (red and blue) are not trivial. CC BY-NC-SA Reference Damien Hall, Adam S. Foster. Practical considerations for feature assignment in high-speed AFM of live cell membranes, Biophysics and Physicobiology 19, e190016, 1-21 (2022). DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v19.0016 URL: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/biophysico/advpub/0/advpub_e190016/_article Software: https://jstagedata.jst.go.jp/articles/software/HS-AFM_UGOKU_User_Agreement/19609470 Contact Hiroe Yoneda Vice Director of Public Affairs WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) Kanazawa University Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan Email: [email protected] Tel: +81 (76) 234-4550 About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/ Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases. About Kanazawa University http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/ As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities. The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas. SOURCE Kanazawa University CLEVELAND, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LAND, the electric vehicle manufacturer, has closed their A1 investment round with Fenix Equity Partners. This investment round is allowing LAND to scale US production, bring in top talent in the EV space, expand their IOT platform and manufacturing footprint in Cleveland, Ohio. Scott Colosimo, founder and CEO of LAND, states, "We have been working with Andrew Sloop and his team at Fenix over the last several months to lay out a solid growth plan for LAND. Fenix took the lead in this current round and has committed to following us in our A2 round, which shows their commitment to scaling with our company." LAND's focus is product first, scaling while producing vehicles and batteries. This A1 round will help LAND produce its connected battery platform and push production quicker as they scale. LAND is in the process of outfitting 12,000 sq ft in their existing Cleveland factory to meet growing demand for both their batteries and electric vehicles. LAND has also entered into a contract to expand their US headquarters in Cleveland's Tech District, with an additional +40,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, a new tech and experience center in the heart of Cleveland, Ohio. About Fenix Equity Partners: The combined Fenix management team has executed domestic and international transactions and acquisitions totaling more than $2.7 billion USD with senior executive experience within public and private companies. The Fenix operating team has a proven track record of driving integration and synergies across acquisitions to increase operating profit post-transaction. About LAND Energy: LAND is an electric vehicle manufacturer based in Cleveland, OH. Founded in 2020 by Scott Colosimo and his team, LAND is based on the principle that energy continuity and mobility are essential to modern life. LAND offers a transitional E Moto ecosystem with a hot-swap power platform (CORE), a revolution in the electric vehicle industry. With products proudly manufactured in the United States, LAND is unwavering in its faithfulness to American innovation and world-class craftsmanship. As a design-forward company, LAND is dedicated to constantly evolving to meet the needs of their customers and the ever-changing industry. For more information, visit: https://landenergy.io/ CONTACT: Scott Colosimo, LAND, 216-712-2613, [email protected] SOURCE LAND Energy Entreda's Platform To Provide Third-Party Vendor Risk Management and Monitoring Services At Midwestern Broker Dealer/Investment Advisory Firm SANTA CLARA, Calif. and ANTIOCH, Ill. , May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Entreda, an award-winning developer of integrated cybersecurity compliance software and solutions for the wealth management and insurance industries, today announced that Illinois-based Landolt Securities, Inc. has elected Entreda to provide their 50 advisors and employees with network protection under Entreda's industry-leading cybersecurity platform, Unify. Landolt Securities' decision to partner with Entreda is the latest confirmation that the acclaimed vendor of cybersecurity solutions is increasingly being sought after by investment advisory firms and independent broker-dealers for services that include auto-remediations for end-point devices, data leakage monitoring, and critical security updates. Entreda has agreed to supply Landolt Securities with continuous, 24x7 network monitoring through its Unify Concierge 360 Service, which provides advisors and firms assistance on the spectrum of their automated cybersecurity feature, and has received the highest ratings from other wealth management firms. Sid Yenamandra, CEO and founder of Entreda, a Smarsh company, said, "Financial advisors cannot map out the best investment strategies for their clients or help them plan for retirement without a cybersecurity solution that addresses and remediates common threats. Network security basics are critical to guaranteeing safe access to advisor-facing and client-facing technology, and Entreda's services that include weekly reports and simulated phishing exercises ensure that firms are following SEC and FINRA guidelines, while ensuring no user is left at the mercy of cyberattacks." Landolt Securities, founded 32 years ago, oversees a network of independent brokers across the country. Landolt Securities chose Entreda because the solutions provider already works with large networks of broker-dealers, including Advisor Group and LPL Financial. Entreda's third-party vendor risk management capabilities that can be used to monitor independent contractors, including sales representatives, also was a key selection criterion for the firm. Tyler Reinhard, Chief Operating Officer at Landolt Securities, said, "For our clients across the network, having a trusted financial advisor in their corner means a relationship that is shielded from all-too common problems such as spear phishing, ransomware, malware or DDoS attacks. Landolt Securities is confident that Entreda's cyber platform Unify, with its industry-leading auto-remediation and real-time network vulnerability scanning, will give our advisors and brokers the peace of mind they need as they grow their practice and build trust with the clients they serve." About Entreda, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smarsh Entreda is the leading provider of comprehensive cybersecurity software, systems and training to the independent financial advice industry. Its Unify platform monitors endpoints on client networks, offers advanced network vulnerability scanning and automatically remediates vulnerabilities. Entreda's proprietary Cyber Risk Number safeguards clients' data and its Third-Party Risk Management program helps firms easily implement their own vendor risk assessment process. Entreda acquired cloud-based platform Privva in October 2021, further consolidating its position as a provider of vendor risk management services for wealth management. Entreda won the Wealth Management Industry Award for Top Cybersecurity vendor in 2019 and 2020 and was named in the 2021 T3 Inside Information Advisor Software Survey as the market leader for cybersecurity resources. For more information, visit www.entreda.com. Entreda was acquired by Smarsh, the recognized global leader in electronic communications archiving solutions for regulated organizations, in May 2020. For more information, visit www.smarsh.com. About Landolt Securities Landolt Securities, Inc. is a full-service investment advisory firm and broker-dealer based in Antioch, Illinois, with a network of independent brokers across the country. Founded 32 years ago, the firm offers investment advice and services in areas including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement plans, insurance products and alternative investments. Landolt Securities is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Media Contacts: Entreda and Smarsh Joseph Kuo/Elizabeth Shim Haven Tower Group 424 317 4851 or 424 317 4861 [email protected] or [email protected] Landolt Securities, Inc. 847 838 5151 www.landoltsecurities.com SOURCE Entreda "We are deeply honored to have this opportunity to work with the Japan Ministry of Defense," said Dan Ceperley, CEO and LeoLabs Co-Founder. "Within the commercial SSA world for low Earth orbit (LEO), LeoLabs is the sole end-to-end supplier of radar infrastructure and scalable services that address the changing threat landscape and challenges to sustainability. Our radar network already generates the most LEO observations in the world and, in fact, produces more than any of the government SSA networks. As our sensor network continues to proliferate around the world, we are rapidly investing in analytics and tools that will scale to deliver timely updates on critical events in LEO. These events include collisions, breakups, maneuvers, new launches, and re-entries. We will bring all these capabilities to JASDF." The contract award defines a specific set of state-of-the-art tools and data from LeoLabs that will serve JASDF operational requirements in LEO and will be delivered as a subscription service. Examples of the scope of the services include: LeoLabs Tracking and Monitoring service LeoLabs Collision Avoidance service LeoLabs will provide access to these services and associated training to immediately augment the space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities at the Japan Ministry of Defense. Japan's Ministry of Defense has awarded LeoLabs this contract through ITOCHU Aviation Co., Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Corporation - LeoLabs' established trading partner. LeoLabs and ITOCHU are mutually committed to growing their partnership in the future and ensuring the success of the JASDF. Background on LeoLabs Industry-Leading Commercial SSA Platform: Solving the "Data Deficit" for Japan and the World Low Earth Orbit is emerging as the commercial and national security focus in space. Rapid deployment of new satellite constellations, the demand for innovative services from imaging to broadband to IoT (internet of things), and the billions of dollars of new investment in space-based infrastructure are redefining a domain shared by governments, space agencies, regulators, commercial operators, and space insurance. Against this backdrop of unprecedented opportunity are two challenges critical to investment and the long-term viability of LEO. The first is the need to develop LEO sustainably by addressing the threat posed by space debris. Approximately 250,000 dangerous pieces of orbital debris have gone untracked by government legacy systems that can no longer keep pace with increasing risks to satellite constellations. Sustainability is not just an arena for operators to address, but also for defense and regulators to establish international best practices, set standards, and define rules of behavior. A second challenge critical to the long-term viability of LEO is keeping it open and secure. As the number of private space enterprises and space-faring nations continue to grow, so does the need to track and make transparent the full range of events that threaten an open space environment. "The single greatest challenge to addressing both the sustainability and security threats in LEO is solving the "data deficit", said Dan Ceperley, LeoLabs CEO. "This is true for Japan, and for all space-faring nations. The number of assets in LEO doubled last year, will double again this year, and is expected to grow 25x in the next five years. LeoLabs is already the largest provider of data for LEO today, and we're uniquely positioned to expand this lead as we execute on our constellation of radars. Our current network includes six radars located at sites in Alaska, Texas, New Zealand and Costa Rica. By the end of this year, we will add four more radars at additional sites in Australia and the Azores in the Atlantic. Our network will grow from there." Ceperley continued, "The legacy, government-built SSA infrastructures and sensors of the past simply cannot scale to track the new levels of LEO activity, and they have no path to get there, economically or in a timely manner. Single radars cannot keep pace with the requirements for fast revisit times, or highly accurate tracking. The only way to provide adequate coverage and responsive defense is with a large, distributed network of radar sensors that provide an "always-on" stream of data. Our LeoLabs commercially driven infrastructure is the only viable and scalable way to address this "data deficit", and that's what the JASDF will be able to leverage under our new contract." About LeoLabs (www.leolabs.space) Founded in 2016 as a venture-funded spinout of Silicon Valley research pioneer, SRI International, LeoLabs provides access to critical mapping and SSA data for low Earth orbit. LeoLabs' services include collision prevention, risk assessment, constellation monitoring, and commercial SSA. LeoLabs today serves regulatory and space agencies, commercial satellite operators, defense, and scientific/academic organizations that are driving generational change in LEO. LeoLabs' core technology includes a patent- pending global phased-array radar network which tracks debris and satellites in LEO. Observations generated from this network are the foundation of the LeoLabs mapping and SSA software platform, providing timely and accurate orbital and situational data. About Itochu Corporation The history of ITOCHU Corporation dates to 1858 when the Company's founder Chubei Itoh commenced linen trading operations. Since then, ITOCHU has evolved and grown over 160 years. With approximately 100 bases in 62 countries, ITOCHU, one of the leading "sogo shosha", is engaging in domestic trading, import/export, and overseas trading of various products such as textile, machinery, metals, energy, chemicals, food, general products, realty, information and communications technology, and finance, as well as business investment in Japan and overseas. ITOCHU has established that the contribution to SDGs and reinforcement of measures is a basic policy in its medium-term management plan "Brand New Deal 2023". Through the partnership with the industry leading SSA solution provider, ITOCHU will contribute to the space sustainability. SOURCE LeoLabs, Inc. CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cinespace Studios, a global studio platform, announced today that Michael Scott Jr. will join the company in the newly created position of Director, Industry and Community Relations. Scott will report to Ashley Rice, President and Co-Managing Partner, and start with the company in June. He will be based in Chicago. Michael Scott Jr., Director of industry & Community Relations In this new role, Scott will provide strategic management for industry and community relations and develop local philanthropic and early education programs for Chicago. He will oversee the job training program that has been providing residents from underserved communities on the west and south sides with hands-on experience on productions filming at Cinespace Studios in below-the-line departments including Electric, Prop, Costumes, Locations, and Sound. The program is part of CineCares, a division of Cinespace dedicated to building initiatives that promote equity and inclusion in the Film and TV industry in communities where the platform operates. "Michael has a proven track record for building programs and bringing resources to underserved communities. His wealth of experience and drive to make a positive impact will advance Cinespace's commitment to creating visible pathways for job opportunities and ensuring equal access in the film and TV industry," said President and Co-Managing Partner Ashley Rice. "Cinespace Studios is an important part of the local film and television infrastructure. I am excited to join the organization and help lead efforts with our partners that will bring meaningful impact to our community," said Scott. For the past seven years, Scott has served on the Chicago City Council as the 24th Ward Alderman. During his tenure, he beautified the ward, created an economic engine, dedicated more than 300 million dollars to capital and human infrastructure, and developed job training for residents. Over the course of his career, Scott has served at Chicago Public Schools, the Public Building Commission, After School Matter, and the Chicago Park District. The son of prominent leaders in the city of Chicago, he was raised into a legacy of service and is a graduate of Morehouse College. About Cinespace Studios Cinespace Studios is a best-in-class global platform of production facilities that supports content providers and their creatives. The platform is one of the largest sound stage operators globally with locations in Chicago, Toronto, and Studio Babelsberg in Germany. Cinespace Studios delivers the highest level of service while increasing the quality of the overall production experience and nurtures its local communities to support workforce development and crew diversity. Media Contact: Catherine Shin [email protected] / 818.827.7128 SOURCE Cinespace Studios XIAMEN, China, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Milesight, a global AIoT solution provider, announced its upgrade of brand identity earlier this year, marking the embarking on a new journey to AIoT. State-of-the-art Technologies in the AIoT Industry 5G, LoRaWAN and AIoT Technologies are essential driving forces towards the trend of IoE (Internet of Everything). With the development and maturity of these advanced technologies, they combine with each other, become popular, and penetrate into all walks of life. To further announce the entry into AIoT industry, Milesigiht unveiled a new brand identity. Moreover, a new headquarters, itself a smart building empowered by Milesight AIoT solutions, has been established and fully operational. First-Rate Milesight Products As a fast-growing AIoT solution provider, Milesight manufactures products with exceptional flexibility and reliability for the global market. 5G AIoT Camera, a milestone of Milesight's initial success in combining 5G and AIoT, is a breakthrough in the field of video surveillance and IoT, which is beyond just data collection and drawing actionable insights. It can transmit and receive video data wirelessly through a SIM card, and ingest various sensor data, like temperature and water level information. For more information about Video Surveillance, please visit: https://www.milesight.com/ Furthermore, another successful example of converging IoT and LoRaWAN technologies is IAQ Sensor, which provides straightforward data directly shown on display and cloud platform to help people see and improve the indoor air quality, reinforce health, and maintain business continuity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 47,000 IAQ Sensors were deployed in Canadian Schools, helping increase ventilation and filtration, while building a healthier learning environment for students. For more information about IoT, please visit: https://www.milesight-iot.com/ Committed to Providing AIoT Products and Solutions By perfectly combining cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, LoRaWAN, AI and IoT, Milesight is heading for a new journey to AIoT, with a commitment to offering more and more advanced AIoT solutions such as smart city, smart building, smart agriculture etc., contributing to a more intelligent and connected world. Milesight is always passionate about connectivity of everything. With the new brand identity, Milesight will keep thriving in AIoT world with more connected and integrated products and solutions to come. Contact Us For Video Surveillance Telephone: +86-592-5922772 Sales Team: [email protected] Marketing Team: [email protected] For IoT Telephone: +86-592-5085280 Sales Team: [email protected] Marketing Team: [email protected] SOURCE Milesight "We are thrilled to open the doors of Top Gun House and share this beloved historic icon with the city of Oceanside," said Michael Stephens, Area Managing Director, Mission Pacific Hotel and The Seabird Resort. "Adapting, preserving and relocating a nineteenth century bungalow was a significant undertaking, but the work has been well worth it. We are proud to introduce Top Gun House and celebrate the grand opening of Mission Pacific Hotel and The Seabird Resort." Top Gun House is home to the famous HIGH-pie, conceived by chef and restaurateur Tara Lazar of F10 Hospitality after a year of research and development. The namesake of the brick-and-mortar concept comes from its signature hand pie, filled with compote made from seasonal, locally picked fruits like apple, cherry and strawberry rhubarb. The menu also features a mini pie a-la-mode, filled with house made mascarpone ice cream and fried to order on a popsicle stick. All pies are served with a choice of dipping sauce, including Charlie's Chocolate, Government Cheese, Lemon Curd and Sea Salt Caramel. To-go offerings are bundled into creatively designed house-shaped collectible boxes, evoking 1950's military design, with vintage composition and red, white, and blue Americana color palettes. Top Gun House is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The new Top Gun House is a Queen Anne Cottage, which was widely known as The Graves House. After falling into disrepair, the house was painstakingly rehabilitated to historic standards by ownership group S.D. Malkin Properties, Inc., under the guidance of the Oceanside Historical Society and Save Our Heritage Organization. Frank Ternasky, Partner-in-Charge at San Diego-based Delawie Architecture and David Marshall, President of Heritage Architecture & Planning oversaw the historical restoration and Nicolo G. Bini at LINE architecture was responsible for the interior design. Renamed in honor of its claim to fame, Top Gun House was relocated from its original address at Pacific Street and Seagaze Drive to the beachfront courtyard of Mission Pacific Hotel, where its structure, design details, and finishes were returned to their original glory and is easily accessible to the public, overlooking the Oceanside Pier. In keeping with its namesake, Top Gun House was repainted to match its 1986 color palette and filled with Top Gun memorabilia for visitors to enjoy, including a refurbished Kawasaki Ninja ZX900 Motorcycle, identical to the one Tom Cruise rode in the film. The design team embraced a nostalgic Americana feel, with interiors featuring bold, retro signage, Victorian era panels, an upholstered fireplace, vintage furniture, one-of-a-kind needlepoint installations from artist Mary Lou Marks and more. At its new address, Top Gun House will be widely enjoyed as an architectural jewel and historic treasure of Oceanside. To celebrate the grand opening, Mission Pacific Hotel invites aspiring mavericks to grab their wingman for an adventurous Top Gun themed Oceanside getaway with "The Need for Speed" experience. To ensure guests look the part, Mission Pacific will provide two matching bomber jackets and RayBan sunglasses for an action-packed weekend, including skydiviing with former Naval aviators onto Oceanside beach followed by a Dom Perignon rooftop celebration, as well as private surf lessons with a professional surfer and a custom commemorative David Barr Surfboard. The over-the-top package includes round trip luxury car service from San Diego or Orange County airports, and a two night stay in Mission Pacific's Ethereal Suite for $16,000. The experience is available for booking by phone at 855-365-5078. For more information, please visit missionpacifichotel.com , theseabirdresort.com and famoushighpie.com . About Mission Pacific Hotel Situated on 700 feet of pristine beachfront near the historic pier in Oceanside, CA, Mission Pacific Hotel is a beachfront sanctuary with a laid-back spirit. Relaxed and undeniably Southern Californian, the dreamscape hotel exudes serenity by the ocean in a way that puts guests into a dreamlike state. The hotel has 161 guest rooms, including 38 suites, along with immersive biking, skating, and surfing experiences, bold culinary moments from renowned Chef Roberto Alcocer; Oceanside's only rooftop pool/bar; Top Gun House, home of the famous HIGH-pie; and 13,000 square feet of ocean view function space. For more information visit, missionpacifichotel.com . Follow Mission Pacific Hotel at facebook.com/missionpacifichotel , on Instagram @missionpacifichotel and Twitter @missionpacific_ . About The Seabird Resort Boasting beautiful ocean estate architecture, The Seabird Resort is a grand beachside resort, reimagined. Every aspect of The Seabird experience embodies the quintessential Southern California estate lifestyle. Along with iconic ocean views, this classic seaside resort is beautifully refined, wonderfully indulgent, and picture perfect. The resort has 226 guest rooms, including 56 suites, an expansive pool with an indoor/outdoor living room, a contemplative library, Chef Kurtis Habecker's inventive seasonal cuisine with ingredients sourced from San Diego's many small farms, nearly 20,000 square feet of spectacular ocean view meeting and celebration spaces, and a world-class spa offering authentic, farm-to-sea treatments. For more information visit, theseabirdresort.com . Follow The Seabird Resort at facebook.com/theseabirdresort , on Instagram @theseabird and Twitter @seabirdresort . SOURCE Mission Pacific Hotel UK headquartered payments fintech, posts strong growth at home and abroad Strong results reflect Moneycorp's unique ability to deliver specialist, international currency payments LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Moneycorp, one of the world's leading payments fintechs, today publishes its results for the full year 2021 and a trading update for the three months ended 31st March 2022. "We are delighted to announce a very strong set of 2021 results. The investments we have made to refocus the business as an international, digitally enabled payments provider, have resulted in significant growth and market share gains, with 84% of income now derived from B2B payments and banking services. "We remain focused on our strategy to grow our position as a world-leading digital payments platform by capitalising on the strength of our technology, high-quality service, transparent pricing and cost-efficient operating model. Our purpose has always been to reduce friction for our clients, providing them with high quality, competitively priced products that help them navigate complex currency markets. "The new financial year has started well, with Q1 results substantially ahead year-on-year across all business units. Whilst we remain alert to geopolitical and macro-economic conditions, the momentum we have demonstrated gives us confidence in the outlook for Moneycorp in 2022 and beyond." Mark Horgan, Chief Executive Group FY financial metrics* FY 2021 FY 2020 Change (000's) (US$000's) (000's) (US$000's) % Gross Revenue 141,222 194,279 108,966 139,847 30% EBITDA 36,740 50,543 26,611 34,153 38% EBITDA Margin (%) 26% 24% Trading Volumes ** 37.7 bil 51.9 bil 31.8 bil 40.9 bil 18% * Continuing operations only, excluding retail ** Trading volumes represents flow measured as single leg transaction volume Full year 2021 highlights Significant growth in EBITDA, excluding retail, up 38% to 36.74m, with the most significant EBITDA growth derived from Financial Institutions Group (FIG) operations in EMEA (up 77%) and International Payment Services in North America (up 35%). (up 35%). The Group continues to digitalise its client solutions, with approximately 61% of international payment transactions completed via either the Group's online payments platform or mobile app. During the year, the Group completed a significant data centre migration, now employing Microsoft Azure, to improve scalability and security. Following the strategic decision taken in 2020 to exit retail operations, the Group has now closed all bureau de change operations with the closure of the last remaining retail branch at Gatwick Airport in April 2022 . Group Q1 2022 financial metrics* Q1 2022 Q1 2021 Change (000's) (US$000's) (000's) (US$000's) % Gross Revenue 48,558 65,141 31,361 43,247 55% EBITDA 14,843 19,912 8,742 12,055 70% EBITDA Margin (%) 31% 28% Trading Volumes ** 11.4 bil 15.3 bil 8.4 bil 11.6 bil 35% * Continuing operations only, excluding retail ** Trading volumes represents flow measured as single leg transaction volume Q1 2022 highlights Strong quarterly result, with momentum demonstrated in 2021 carrying into 2022. Q1 Group EBITDA up 70% year-on-year to 14.84m reflecting client demand for specialist international payment services at a time of significant currency volatility and supply chain disruption. An improving year-on-year EBITDA margin of 31% as a result of an increase in trading income, prudent cost management with continued investment in the Group's core capabilities, technology and support function. Strong performance across all business areas, with significant market share gains supported by on-going investment in product innovation and proposition development to provide a best-in-class offer to clients. 2.9k new clients onboarded in the quarter onboarded 84% of income now derived from B2B clients, with 65% from international revenue streams Revenue repeat rate of 100% of International Payments Corporate clients in Q1 2021 trading with us in 2022 83% of payments to International Payment Services clients went via straight-through processing Increased volumes in international payments driven by growth in both new and established underlying business, particularly in North America , the UK and EU. The significant increase in volume has outpaced deal count, leading to a 25% increase in average transaction values. , the UK and EU. The significant increase in volume has outpaced deal count, leading to a 25% increase in average transaction values. The Group continues to build its banking capabilities through Moneycorp Bank, offering a one-stop international payments solution for clients trading foreign exchange, holding cash on deposit or spending on prepaid cards, and is underpinned by a multi-currency single IBAN account. The contribution of Moneycorp Banco de Cambio has also increased as a result of strong spot transaction volumes and increasing market share in Brazil , albeit from a small base, with strong year-on-year growth in this market. , albeit from a small base, with strong year-on-year growth in this market. The Group's FIG division, which utilises Moneycorp Bank's membership of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's (FRBNY's) Foreign Bank International Cash Services (FBICS) programme, continues to see strong demand for US dollars, amongst other low-volatility currencies, as investors and market participants reduce their risk appetite in response to global geopolitical tensions. (FRBNY's) Foreign Bank International Cash Services (FBICS) programme, continues to see strong demand for US dollars, amongst other low-volatility currencies, as investors and market participants reduce their risk appetite in response to global geopolitical tensions. The Board has reviewed all clients and transactions and can confirm full compliance with all applicable international sanctions with regards to the war in Ukraine . The Group is no longer offering trades for currency pairs with Russian Ruble (RUB) or Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) and there are no remaining exposures to these currencies. All payments and transactions to any parties on sanction lists, in any currency, have been suspended indefinitely. Outlook Moneycorp continues to perform well against its key metrics, with revenue and EBITDA growth underpinned by its strong and resilient business model. We continue to see significant increase in demand from SME clients and financial institutions that require a trusted, scale partner to provide sophisticated currency solutions for their businesses around the world. Notwithstanding the uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine and macro-economic headwinds, the Group expects growth to continue for the remainder of the year as it further enhances its existing offer to clients and expands into new products and markets. For further details: Brunswick Group Eilis Murphy +44 207 404 5959 Sofie Brewis [email protected] Gabi Lapedus About Moneycorp: Moneycorp is one of the world's leading payments fintechs, recognized for its personalized service, smart technology, regulatory excellence, and its all-in-one payments ecosystem, that helps clients navigate the complex global payments market. Moneycorp operates in the United Kingdom, North America, Europe, Brazil, Hong Kong, and UAE offering a full suite of payment solutions in over 120 currencies. Its payment experts provide the unique know-how and tools necessary to create customized client solutions. Moneycorp has a relentless focus on security through its sophisticated financial crime monitoring systems, bank-grade compliance, and proper segregation of client funds, and is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulatory standards across the world. In November 2019, Moneycorp became the first of only two non-U.S. bank members of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's (FRBNY's) FBICS programme, providing Moneycorp direct access to Federal Reserve U.S. dollar currency services. It holds two banking licenses, Moneycorp Bank (Gibraltar) and Moneycorp Banco de Cambio (Brazil), as well as payments licenses in the UK, EU, Brazil and 48 states across the US. Visit www.moneycorp.com. SOURCE Moneycorp Hosting Call at 5:00 pm ET on Tuesday, May 31st AGM Scheduled for June 22nd at 11:00 am ET CALGARY, AB, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Nanalysis Scientific Corp. ("the Company", (TSXV: NSCI) (OTCQX: NSCIF) (FRA: 1N1) a leader in portable NMR machines and MRI technology for healthcare and industrial applications announces that on Tuesday May 31, 2022 Chief Executive Officer Sean Krakiwsky and Chief Financial Officer Luke Caplette will host a conference call at 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time to discuss the results for the quarter ending March 31, 2022. The Company will file with SEDAR the day before and put out a release the day of the call. Investors interested in participating on the live first quarter call can dial 1-888-664-6392 or 416-764-8659 from abroad. Investors can also access the call online through a listen-only webcast here: https://app.webinar.net/NMnWA6QxEr9, or on the investor relations section of the Company's website HERE. The webcast will be archived on the Company's investor relations webpage for at least 90 days and a telephonic playback will be available for seven days after the conference call by calling 1-888-390-0541 or 416-764-8677, conference ID #991626. In light of the public health emergency associated with the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Company is requesting all shareholders refrain from attending the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in person and, instead, to vote by proxy or by voting instruction form. Those investors wishing to attend the AGM virtually can dial in using the following numbers: 1-888-664-6392 or 416-764-8659 from abroad. Additionally, the meeting will be webcast using the following link: https://app.webinar.net/8A5lnVP0vQB. Nanalysis trades on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) in Canada with ticker symbol 'NSCI', OTC and the Frankfurt exchange under the ticker symbol '1N1'. The company's business is what we term "MRI and NMR for industry". The company develops and manufactures portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers or analyzers for laboratory and industrial markets. The NMReady-60 was the first full-feature portable NMR spectrometer in a single compact enclosure requiring no liquid helium or any other cryogens. The company has followed-up that initial offering with new products and continues to have a strong innovation pipeline. Nanalysis recently announced that it has begun selling a 100MHz device in 2020. The Company's new device will be the most powerful and most advanced compact NMR device ever brought to market. Nanalysis devices are used in many industries (oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharma, biotech, flavor and fragrances, agrochemicals, law enforcement, and more) as well as numerous government and university research labs around the world. The Company continues to exploit new global market opportunities independently and with partners. With the recent acquisition of K'(Prime) Technologies Inc. (KPrime), the company maintains a North American sales and service company of over 40 individuals who cover scientific instrumentation for pharma, food, chemical and oil & gas customers, as well as imaging systems for security applications. Additionally, the Company has a 43% ownership in Quad Systems AG ("Quad Systems"), with an option to purchase the remaining shares. Quad Systems is a Zurich-based Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) company focused on high-field NMR for pharmaceutical and other vertical markets. Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements and Legal Disclaimer This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, 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 expressly required by applicable law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Nanalysis Scientific Corp. NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Inc. (NYSE American: NHS) (the "Fund") announced today the final results of its transferable rights offering (the "Offer"), which expired at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on May 17, 2022 (the "Expiration Date"). The final subscription price per share of common stock ("Common Stock") was $8.60, which was equal to 87% of the Fund's net asset value per share of Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE American on the Expiration Date. The Offer will result in the issuance of 4,763,981 shares of Common Stock. The gross proceeds of the Offer are expected to be approximately $40.9 million. The shares of Common Stock subscribed for are expected to be issued on or about May 25, 2022. The Fund will return to subscribing investors the full amount of any excess payments. This document is not an offer to sell any securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. This document is not an offering, which can only be made by a prospectus. Investors should consider the Fund's investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The Fund's prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus contain this and additional information about the Fund and additional information about the Offer, and should be read carefully before investing. Inquiries regarding the Offer should be directed to the Fund's Information Agent, Georgeson LLC, at 1-866-647-8872. About Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Inc. The Fund's investment objective is to seek high total return (income plus capital appreciation). Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in high yield debt (below investment grade) securities of U.S. and foreign issuers, and up to 20% of its total assets in other securities and financial instruments. About Neuberger Berman Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategiesincluding equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge fundson behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 25 countries, Neuberger Berman's diverse team has over 2,500 professionals. For eight consecutive years, the company has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). In 2020, the PRI named Neuberger Berman a Leader, a designation awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The PRI also awarded Neuberger Berman an A+ in every eligible category for our approach to ESG integration across asset classes. The firm manages $447 billion in client assets as of March 31, 2022. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com. Statements made in this release that look forward in time involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets or a decline in the Fund's performance, a general downturn in the economy, competition from other closed end investment companies, changes in government policy or regulation, inability of the Fund's investment adviser to attract or retain key employees, inability of the Fund to implement its investment strategy, inability of the Fund to manage rapid expansion and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory organizations. Contact: Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC Investor Information (877) 461-1899 SOURCE Neuberger Berman Manufacturing Industry Thought Leader and MAGNET VP of Strategy & Innovation Brandon Cornuke Releases The Value Proposition Matrix CLEVELAND, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, is excited to support Vice President of Strategy & Innovation Brandon Cornuke as he releases his first book, The Value Proposition Matrix. In this book, Cornuke, also an Adjunct Professor of Design & Innovation at Case Western Reserve University, shares his practical approach to helping entrepreneurs and established businesses build and launch products consumers want. This book was developed at MAGNET where Cornuke helps manufacturers and entrepreneurs sharpen their strategies, build innovation systems and develop new products. Referencing examples from his experience at MAGNET, Cornuke's book explains how to clarify any business idea and spend time on the most important aspects of product development. "I've worked with innovators of all types, from established companies to fledgling startups," Cornuke, formerly with Target and American Greetings, says. "The challenges they face are always unique but the core questions they need to answer are the same. The practical tools laid out in the book illuminate those questions, get innovators working on their assumptions and encourage rapid adjustments to keep projects moving forward." The book explains four elements that create winning businesses: customer, problem, solution and team. "Like the four sides of a strong foundation, every aspect of a new business idea rests on these key building blocks," Cornuke says. President of University Hospitals (UH) Ventures David Sylvan has worked with Cornuke supporting innovators at UH and as a fellow adjunct professor. He says, "The Value Proposition Matrix is now my go-to recommendation for all aspiring start-up founders." Cornuke will join the judging panel at MAGNET's seventh annual Mspire, a pitch competition for entrepreneurs and innovators whose products or ideas require manufacturing, which takes place July 26, 2022. The Value Proposition Matrix is now available through www.valuepropmatrix.com and on Amazon in both hard and digital formats. About MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network The mission of MAGNET is to play a vital role in growing the manufacturing sector in Northeast Ohio, thereby creating more vibrant communities, increasing economic inclusion, and building a stronger middle class in our region. Since 1984, MAGNET has offered a wide range of hands-on consulting services to manufacturers as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and Ohio MEP. These services, which include product and process development, workforce initiatives, start-up support, technology implementation, and lean/operations consulting, help companies grow locally and compete globally. As manufacturers grow, they need to hire, train, and retain diverse employees; build relationships with other companies and organizations to address systemic issues; pioneer new products and services; and maximize use of smart technologies. MAGNET is uniquely positioned to help manufacturers address these challenges as Northeast Ohio becomes a global leader in smart manufacturing with the workforce to power it. SOURCE MAGNET CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Short-term rental investors now have a new tool for searching available properties already equipped for hosting guests and generating rental income immediately. Unofficially launched by Chicago-based Real Estate Web Creation back in early 2021, Rentlodex (www.rentlodex.com) not only aims to be the premier marketplace for short-term rental-ready properties but also a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in learning the business and connecting with professionals who can help with marketing, consulting, and even financing. Today's home buyers and investors are already conditioned to search for exactly what they want in a new home or investment property and Rentlodex provides those who are specifically interested in owning and managing a short-term rental with a better way to see what's currently on the market, according to real estate SEO expert Joe Heath of Real Estate Web Creation. "What also makes Rentlodex unique is that we really try to highlight properties that are either already being used as a short-term rental, have a separate space like an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that is being used as a short-term rental, or are already zoned and approved for short-term rental use," says Heath. "Our goal is to eliminate the confusion that often comes with viewing properties that have the potential to be a short-term rental but may face any number of hurdles related to local ordinances or association regulations and rules, and we try to make that clear to anyone who wants to list a property on the website." In addition to the website's search tools, Heath also has plans to eventually feature in-depth stories from existing short-term rental owners that detail how they got started, mistakes they've made along the way, and what continues to make them successful in an increasingly competitive space. Furthermore, real estate agents and brokers who specialize in working with investors also have a new opportunity to take advantage of a unique and affordable partnership lead generation program that is already being tested in a number of markets, helping provide top-producing teams like The Seventy7 Group with additional sales leads each month that are specifically looking to invest in short-term rentals. Whether you are a real estate agent or broker representing a seller or a short-term rental owner just looking to test the market as a FSBO, featuring a property on Rentlodex is completely free, or you can get in touch with Real Estate Web Creation directly about becoming a partner agent in your local market. Media Contact Real Estate Web Creation Joe Heath 312-890-6090 [email protected] SOURCE Real Estate Web Creation Survey indicates that consumers living on low to moderate incomes are seeking savings solutions within their contactless payment apps and digital wallets BOSTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Research shows that making saving easy increases the likelihood that people will save. A new study from the national nonprofit Commonwealth is uncovering the potential of digital wallets to address this need and have a positive impact on the financial security of consumers living on low to moderate incomes particularly through creating options for savings within the apps. While digital wallet and contactless payment adoption accelerated, the pandemic had a disproportionate financial impact on the financial wellness of people who live on low and moderate incomes (LMI). Digital Payments and the New Opportunity to Increase Savings examined how households with LMI are using digital wallets and payment apps, and explored opportunities to introduce savings solutions that enhance the financial security of consumers with LMI. 44% of consumers surveyed are extremely likely to use a savings product tied to a contactless payment app. A majority of payment app users surveyed (77%) consider at least some of the money in their wallet/payment apps to be savings. Commonwealth surveyed nearly 650 people living on low and moderate incomes, oversampling for Black, Latinx and women participants, to understand the current usage of contactless payment apps and digital wallets and to explore opportunities to offer high-quality savings solutions. This research, which was made possible by MetLife Foundation, highlights a largely untapped business opportunity for contactless payment apps and digital wallet providers to offer new products that will build customer engagement by better meeting and supporting their needs. Key Findings from the Survey Included: Americans with LMI have integrated these apps into their daily financial lives, using them to pay friends and family, pay recurring bills, and store money. The apps addressed in this research were: PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, Apple Pay/Apple Cash, Google Pay and Amazon Pay. 79% of respondents with LMI said they'd likely use a savings solution if it were integrated into their contactless payment app, with emergency savings and saving for short-term expenses as the top savings goals. Black and Latinx respondents were more likely than white respondents to be using these apps for recurring payments, and are also more likely to be interested in a potential savings product. This presents a unique opportunity to provide a savings product and increase savings for these groups, who disproportionately experience financial insecurity due in large part to longstanding, systemic racism. Consumers with LMI were largely comfortable using these apps indicating convenience and trust in the products and suggesting a higher likelihood of adopting additional services that meet their needs. Users leave more money in the app when they think of it as savings, providing a strong business opportunity for providers to increase share of wallet and active engagement. Customers with LMI prioritize trust and convenience, including fee transparency, reliability, ease of use, privacy and security. Respondents were interested in creative savings interventions, such as Round up savings, saving cash-back rewards, and saving money through discounts. Respondents prefer automated savings with control. "The accelerated adoption of contactless payment apps and digital wallets, and the integral part they play in the financial lives of consumers living on low and moderate incomes, opens a tremendous social and business opportunity for the companies developing the technology," said Commonwealth Co-Founder and Executive Director, Timothy Flacke. "Considering the trust that consumers have in these apps, and their high level of interest in using them to save, product providers have an opportunity to build inclusive and innovative savings opportunities that support the financial security of LMI people while building a loyal and engaged customer base." To read the full study, visit: https://buildcommonwealth.org/research/digital-payments-and-the-new-opportunity-to-increase-savings/ About Commonwealth Commonwealth is a national nonprofit building financial security and opportunity for financially vulnerable people through innovation and partnerships. Black, Latinx, and female-led households disproportionately experience financial insecurity due in large part to longstanding, systemic racism and gender discrimination. Addressing these issues is critical to Commonwealth's work of making wealth possible for all. For nearly two decades, Commonwealth has designed effective innovations, products, and policies enabling over 1.5 million people to accumulate more than $6 billion in savings. Commonwealth understands that broad changes require market players to act. That's why we collaborate with consumers, the financial services industry, employers, policymakers, and mission-driven organizations. The solutions we build are grounded in real life, based on our deep understanding of people who are financially vulnerable and how businesses can best serve them. To learn more, visit us at www.buildcommonwealth.org . About MetLife Foundation At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to expanding opportunities for low- and moderate-income people around the world. We partner with nonprofit organizations and social enterprises to create financial health solutions and build stronger communities, while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. Since 1976, MetLife Foundation has contributed nearly $1 billion to build stronger communities. Our financial health work has reached more than 17.3 million low- and moderate-income individuals in 42 markets. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit metlife.com . CONTACT: Kristen Elworthy 978 590 0442 [email protected] SOURCE Commonwealth A study at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs reports that the SNOO Smart Sleeper shows promise in improving maternal mental health LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at The University of Colorado partnered with Happiest Baby , makers of SNOO , to study the link between sleep and rates of postpartum depression (PPD). Findings suggest that the smart bassinet's ability to soothe infant crying and fussiness holds substantial potential to support new parents and significantly reduce rates of postpartum depression. The study, led by Dr. Michele L. Okun, Associate Professor of Research and Director of the Sleep and Biobehavioral Health Research Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, reported on sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression among 93 new mothers at high risk for PPD because of a prior history of depression. All were provided with a SNOO and monitored over the first six months of the infant's life. The researchers reported that: Rates of depression were estimated to be 20-50% lower than expected. Compared to the 22% to 41% rates of depression reported among a lower risk sample of new mothers during COVID, just 17.7% of high risk mothers using SNOO screened positive for PPD. Compared to the to rates of depression reported among a lower risk sample of new mothers during COVID, just 17.7% of high risk mothers using SNOO screened positive for PPD. The number of new mothers suffering from insomnia was less than half of the expected number . While 18.2% using SNOO met the clinical criteria for insomnia, this was lower than the expected incidence of approximately 46% . . While 18.2% using SNOO met the clinical criteria for insomnia, this was lower than the expected incidence of approximately . Rates of anxiety were lower than expected. The average rate for high-risk mothers using SNOO was 31.8% as compared to 42.8% reported in a study of lower risk women during COVID. SNOO is a responsive "smart" bassinet. Its womb-like sound and motion calms fussing, improves sleep, and reduces night waking all factors that raise the risk of PPD. SNOO also prevents accidental rolling to an unsafe position, a common cause of parental anxiety. A study from Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital reported that the stress of the pandemic triggered a jump in reported perinatal depression from 15% to an all-time high of 36% of new moms. Further, having a prior depression increases a woman's risk of PPD even more, raising it by at least 2.7 times with future pregnancies. Yet, in this study, mothers with prior depression who used SNOO had less PPD than those at low risk. "It's well documented that women often have disturbed sleep in the postpartum phase, and that exhaustion is significantly associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms," said Dr. Okun. "As we continue to seek ways to prevent PPD, we're hopeful that devices like SNOO may help new mothers be more rested and protected from mental stress." "Beyond COVID-19, Americans are facing an epidemic of PPD," adds Dr. Okun. "While we still have work to do when it comes to eradicating PPD, it is promising to observe there are tangible solutions and interventions that can help these women." In addition to its sleep benefit, SNOO may also reduce stress by acting as a 24/7 assistant or extra set of hands, helping soothe the baby while parents are busy working, cooking, caring for their other kids, or catching up on sleep. The University of Colorado researchers received feedback from many moms that the bed was like having a "babysitter" ready to help when they were busy with other tasks. "Many of today's families have little family support, so most of the work falls on the shoulders of two parentsand sometimes only one," said SNOO inventor and pediatrician, Dr. Harvey Karp. "Far too many women find the first months of motherhood a hard and lonely experience. I hope this study is a small step towards parents getting the support they need and deserve." SNOO has supported the mental health of hundreds of thousands of new parents. Happiest Baby has also developed dedicated partnership programs with dozens of employers to provide free SNOO rentals to thousands of their employees. In addition, the company is helping more than 140 hospitals across the country as a robotic nurse's assistant improving infant and maternal care, and helping overburdened health workers. In a survey of 44 hospitals, 204 NICU and postpartum nurses reported that each SNOO reduced their labor an average of 2.2 hours per shift. SNOO is not cleared or approved for the prevention or treatment of anxiety, insomnia, depression, or postpartum depression (PPD). For more information: [email protected] ABOUT HAPPIEST BABY Happiest Baby is a mission-driven company dedicated to helping parents raise healthy, happy children. The company develops science-based products and content to solve everyday parenting challenges and enhance child well-being. Based in Los Angeles, Happiest Baby Inc. was founded by Dr. Karp with his wife, Nina Montee Karp. They launched SNOO Smart Sleeper in 2016. The company also makes numerous other infant products (like, Sleepeathe doctor-designed, award-winning, "5-second" swaddle). Dr. Karp's celebrated books/videos, The Happiest Baby on the Block, The Happiest Toddler on the Block and The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep: Birth to 5 have helped millions of parents and have been translated into over twenty languages. ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT COLORADO SPRINGS The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a public research university in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and one of four campuses that make up the University of Colorado system. SOURCE Happiest Baby, Inc. Site is one of Mid-Atlantic's first with a microgrid and uninterruptable power MIDDLETOWN, Va., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Middletown Data Center (MDC) is now fully commissioned and offers a true turnkey solution for business and government clients with over 33,000 square feet of white space and 6.7 MW of IT available immediately. MDC is one of North America's first and only data centers utilizing its own micro grid and uninterruptable power supplied by natural gas generators alongside traditional diesel backup and is strategically located in Middletown, Va., 60 miles west of Washington, D.C. The Data Center finished in 2021 and owned by Cardinal Energy has been completely renovated with the ability to provide truly redundant power that is more environmentally friendly. Carter Machinery the local Caterpillar Dealer assisted with the site's micro-grid transformation using a Cat natural gas generator solution that allows MDC and its clients to have an uninterruptable fuel source for extended run hours in case of emergencies. In addition, this solution enables the Data Center to actively participate in Virginia's power infrastructure by delivering surplus power back to the grid, and paves the way to potentially use hydrogen as a fuel source in the future. "Our team was excited to support MDC's vision of redundant, cleaner power solutions in this mission-critical environment," said John Waterman, Energy as a Service Manager at Carter Machinery. "Furthermore, we see this solution's true scalability potential to larger sites throughout the region where energy reliability, grid independence, and a reduced carbon footprint converge." Middletown is both attractive and unique to potential tenants because it offers a diverse, redundant IT structure utilizing natural gas on a scale that hasn't been done before regionally that MDC representatives are aware of for data center infrastructure. Natural gas provides the site with energy independence in the event of a catastrophe affecting the electric grid, and is fast becoming an increasingly popular fuel choice for powering generators because it's virtually uninterruptable and sustainable. MDC is staffed around the clock year-round, has state-of-the-art security, building management (BMS), and communications systems, an on-site wireless tower, and a closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling system providing free cooling. The center is also ANSI TIA 942-B Level 3 and ISO 27001 certified, and holds additional certifications. The Data Center is accepting tenants, with additional information available at www.middletowndatacenter.com. Contact: [email protected] 833-212-3282 8209 Valley Pike, Middletown, Virginia 22645 SOURCE Middletown Data Center Assistant Public Defenders and State Court Personnel Demand Special Session to Fully Fund Minnesota Judicial Branch and Constitutionally Mandated Services SAINT PAUL, Minn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 320 represents Minnesota's Assistant Public Defenders, State Court Reporters, and other public defense and court personnel who are demanding Governor Tim Walz call a special session to address Sunday's budget impasse over Constitutionally mandated services. Assistant Public Defenders from the Third and Ninth Judicial Districts will discuss the chronic underfunding for the Minnesota Board of Public Defense and the ongoing caseload crisis. State Court Reporters and court operations employees will discuss the COVID-19 case backlog and its effect on Minnesota's justice system. Constitutionally mandated services in Minnesota are severely understaffed and are at a breaking point threatening our justice system. It is critically important the State Legislature reconvenes to address these monumental issues immediately. What: News Conference. Who: Assistant Public Defenders, State Court Reporters, and personnel Where: Zoom Meeting: https://bit.ly/38d439g When: Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 12:00 PM CDT Media Contact: Gus Froemke Email: [email protected] Phone: 612-378-8732 SOURCE Teamsters Local 320 Total Company sales increase 19 percent Both Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack banners post double-digit sales growth Board of directors authorizes new $500 million share repurchase program SEATTLE, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported first quarter net earnings of $20 million and earnings per diluted share ("EPS") of $0.13 for the quarter ended April 30, 2022. Excluding a gain on the sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building and an impairment charge related to a Trunk Club property, the Company posted an adjusted loss per share of $0.06.1 Additionally, first quarter EPS was negatively impacted by $0.05 as a result of discrete tax expenses, primarily related to stock-based compensation, which increased the quarterly effective tax rate by 19.3 percent of pretax earnings. The Company continues to expect a full-year income tax rate of approximately 27 percent. For the first quarter, net sales increased 18.7 percent versus the same period in fiscal 2021, exceeding pre-pandemic sales levels, and gross merchandise value ("GMV") increased 19.6 percent. During the quarter, Nordstrom banner net sales increased 23.5 percent and GMV increased 24.8 percent. Net sales for Nordstrom Rack increased 10.3 percent and continued to show sequential improvement towards pre-pandemic sales levels. "Our focus on serving the customer through our interconnected model with Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack, a scaled digital platform and a strong store fleet positioned us to capitalize on demand from customers who shopped for long-awaited occasions and refreshed their closets," said Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer of Nordstrom, Inc. "In the first quarter, we drove strong topline growth with broad-based improvement across core categories and geographies. Importantly, we made progress on our strategic initiatives and continue to focus on increasing profitability on the path to achieving our financial targets." In the first quarter, core categories including men's and women's apparel, shoes and designer had the strongest growth against 2021 as customers refreshed their wardrobes for occasions such as social events, travel and return to office. Improvements were broad-based across regions, with urban stores having the strongest growth. Merchandise margins improved as a result of favorable pricing impacts and lower markdown rates. "Customers remain at the center of everything we do and we continue to provide them with expanded and relevant choices and the differentiated service they expect from us, delivering on our commitment to get 'closer to you'," said Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer of Nordstrom, Inc. "We're pleased with the momentum we're seeing in the business and excited about our plans for the upcoming Anniversary Sale. Looking ahead, we are committed to driving additional merchandise margin improvement and increasing supply chain productivity, to deliver incremental profitability while continuing to elevate the customer experience." As previously announced on May 18, 2022, the board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share to be paid to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 31, 2022, payable on June 15, 2022. The board of directors also authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program on May 18, 2022. FIRST QUARTER 2022 SUMMARY Total Company net sales increased 18.7 percent and GMV increased 19.6 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021. For the Nordstrom banner, net sales increased 23.5 percent, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, and GMV increased 24.8 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021. For the Nordstrom Rack banner, net sales increased 10.3 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021, and continued to show sequential improvement towards pre-pandemic sales levels. Digital sales were flat compared with the same period in fiscal 2021 as customers increasingly chose to shop in-store. Digital sales represented 39 percent of total sales during the quarter. Gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, of 32.8 percent increased 190 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2021 due to leverage on buying and occupancy costs and improved merchandise margins from favorable pricing impacts and lower markdown rates. Ending inventory increased 23.7 percent compared with the same period in fiscal 2021, versus an 18.7 percent increase in sales. Approximately one-quarter of the change in inventory levels versus 2021 is due to pull-forward of Anniversary Sale receipts. Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, of 33.6 percent decreased 320 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2021 primarily due to leverage on higher sales. Earnings before interest and tax ("EBIT") was $73 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared with loss before interest and taxes of $85 million during the same period in fiscal 2021, primarily due to higher sales volume and improved merchandise margins. Adjusted EBIT of $32 million for the first quarter of 2022 excluded a $51 million gain on the sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building and a $10 million impairment charge related to a Trunk Club property. 2 in the first quarter of 2022, compared with loss before interest and taxes of during the same period in fiscal 2021, primarily due to higher sales volume and improved merchandise margins. Adjusted EBIT of for the first quarter of 2022 excluded a gain on the sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building and a impairment charge related to a Trunk Club property. Interest expense, net, of $35 million decreased from $137 million during the same period in fiscal 2021 primarily as a result of a pretax debt refinancing charge of $88 million in the first quarter of 2021. decreased from during the same period in fiscal 2021 primarily as a result of a pretax debt refinancing charge of in the first quarter of 2021. Income tax expense was $18 million , or 46.8 percent of pretax earnings, compared with an income tax benefit of $56 million , or 25.4 percent of pretax loss, in the same period in fiscal 2021. Income tax expense in the first quarter of 2022 included discrete tax expense, primarily related to stock-based compensation, which increased the quarterly effective tax rate by 19.3 percent of pretax earnings. The Company continues to expect a full-year income tax rate of approximately 27 percent. , or 46.8 percent of pretax earnings, compared with an income tax benefit of , or 25.4 percent of pretax loss, in the same period in fiscal 2021. Income tax expense in the first quarter of 2022 included discrete tax expense, primarily related to stock-based compensation, which increased the quarterly effective tax rate by 19.3 percent of pretax earnings. The Company continues to expect a full-year income tax rate of approximately 27 percent. The Company ended the first quarter with $1.3 billion in available liquidity, including $484 million in cash and the full $800 million available on its revolving line of credit. In May 2022 , the Company entered into a new $800 million revolving credit agreement expiring in May 2027 , replacing its previous revolving credit agreement that was scheduled to expire in September 2023 . STORES UPDATE During and subsequent to the first quarter of 2022, the Company opened and announced plans to open and relocate the following stores: City Location Square Footage (000s) Timing of Opening ASOS | Nordstrom Los Angeles, CA The Grove 20 May 20, 2022 Nordstrom Rack Phoenix, AZ Desert Ridge Marketplace 23.5 Fall 2022 Riverside, CA Canyon Springs Marketplace 30 Fall 2022 Birmingham, AL The Summit (relocation from River Ridge) 27 Spring 2023 Los Angeles, CA NOHO West 26 Spring 2023 The Company had the following store counts as of quarter-end: April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Nordstrom Nordstrom U.S. 94 94 Nordstrom Canada 6 6 Nordstrom Local service hubs 7 7 Nordstrom Rack Nordstrom Rack U.S. 240 241 Nordstrom Rack Canada 7 7 Last Chance clearance stores 2 2 Total 356 357 Gross store square footage 27,555,000 27,605,000 FISCAL YEAR 2022 OUTLOOK The Company is updating its outlook to reflect first quarter performance, including a gain on the sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building and an impairment charge related to a Trunk Club property, resulting in the following financial expectations for fiscal 2022: Revenue growth, including retail sales and credit card revenues, of 6 to 8 percent versus fiscal 2021 EBIT margin of 5.8 to 6.2 percent of sales Adjusted EBIT margin of 5.6 to 6.0 percent of sales 3 Income tax rate of approximately 27 percent EPS of $3.38 to $3.68 , excluding the impact of share repurchase activity, if any to , excluding the impact of share repurchase activity, if any Adjusted EPS of $3.20 to $3.50 , excluding the impact of share repurchase activity, if any 3 to , excluding the impact of share repurchase activity, if any Leverage ratio of approximately 2.5 times by year-end CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION The Company's senior management will host a conference call to provide a business update and to discuss first quarter 2022 financial results and fiscal 2022 outlook at 4:45 p.m. EDT today. To listen to the live call online and view the speakers' prepared remarks and the conference call slides, visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's corporate website at investor.nordstrom.com . An archived webcast with the speakers' prepared remarks and the conference call slides will be available in the Quarterly Results section for one year. Interested parties may also dial 201-689-8354. A telephone replay will be available beginning approximately three hours after the conclusion of the call by dialing 877-660-6853 or 201-612-7415 and entering Conference ID 13729631, until the close of business on May 31, 2022. ABOUT NORDSTROM At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it . Certain statements in this press release contain or may suggest "forward-looking" information (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involves risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different from expectations. The words "will," "may," "designed to," "outlook," "believes," "should," "targets," "anticipates," "assumptions," "plans," "expects" or "expectations," "intends," "estimates," "forecasts," "guidance" and similar expressions identify certain of these forward-looking statements. The Company also may provide forward-looking statements in oral statements or other written materials released to the public. All statements contained or incorporated in this press release or in any other public statements that address such future events or expectations are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2022. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date made, and, except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events, new information or future circumstances. ___________________________________ 1Adjusted loss per share is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the "Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS" section of this release for additional information as well as reconciliations between the Company's GAAP and non-GAAP financial results. 2Adjusted EBIT is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the "Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS" section of this release for additional information as well as reconciliations between the Company's GAAP and non-GAAP financial results. 3Adjusted EBIT margin and adjusted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures. Refer to the "Forward-Looking Non-GAAP Measures" section of this release for additional information as well as reconciliations between the Company's GAAP and non-GAAP financial expectations. NORDSTROM, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (unaudited; amounts in millions, except per share amounts) Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Net sales $ 3,467 $ 2,921 Credit card revenues, net 102 88 Total revenues 3,569 3,009 Cost of sales and related buying and occupancy costs (2,331) (2,019) Selling, general and administrative expenses (1,165) (1,075) Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes 73 (85) Interest expense, net (35) (137) Earnings (loss) before income taxes 38 (222) Income tax (expense) benefit (18) 56 Net earnings (loss) $ 20 $ (166) Earnings (loss) per share: Basic $ 0.13 $ (1.05) Diluted $ 0.13 $ (1.05) Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 160.1 158.5 Diluted 162.9 158.5 Percent of net sales: Gross profit 32.8% 30.9% Selling, general and administrative expenses 33.6% 36.8% Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes 2.1% (2.9%) NORDSTROM, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited; amounts in millions) April 30, 2022 January 29, 2022 May 1, 2021 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 484 $ 322 $ 377 Accounts receivable, net 297 255 238 Merchandise inventories 2,426 2,289 1,961 Prepaid expenses and other 332 306 923 Total current assets 3,539 3,172 3,499 Land, property and equipment (net of accumulated depreciation of $7,834, $7,737 and $7,322) 3,505 3,562 3,642 Operating lease right-of-use assets 1,497 1,496 1,560 Goodwill 249 249 249 Other assets 384 390 383 Total assets $ 9,174 $ 8,869 $ 9,333 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Borrowings under revolving line of credit $ $ $ 200 Accounts payable 1,898 1,529 1,676 Accrued salaries, wages and related benefits 241 383 330 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 250 242 246 Other current liabilities 1,198 1,160 1,056 Current portion of long-term debt 500 Total current liabilities 3,587 3,314 4,008 Long-term debt, net 2,854 2,853 2,847 Non-current operating lease liabilities 1,566 1,556 1,662 Other liabilities 578 565 650 Commitments and contingencies Shareholders' equity: Common stock, no par value: 1,000 shares authorized; 160.5, 159.4 and 158.9 shares issued and outstanding 3,301 3,283 3,221 Accumulated deficit (2,662) (2,652) (2,996) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (50) (50) (59) Total shareholders' equity 589 581 166 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 9,174 $ 8,869 $ 9,333 NORDSTROM, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited; amounts in millions) Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Operating Activities Net earnings (loss) $ 20 $ (166) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Depreciation and amortization expenses 152 162 Right-of-use asset amortization 47 43 Deferred income taxes, net (13) 8 Stock-based compensation expense 19 22 Other, net (45) 86 Change in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable (18) 7 Merchandise inventories (19) (16) Prepaid expenses and other assets (24) (126) Accounts payable 233 (296) Accrued salaries, wages and related benefits (143) (22) Other current liabilities 40 7 Lease liabilities (65) (81) Other liabilities 3 8 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 187 (364) Investing Activities Capital expenditures (96) (126) Proceeds from the sale of assets and other, net 85 16 Net cash used in investing activities (11) (110) Financing Activities Proceeds from revolving line of credit 200 Proceeds from long-term borrowings 675 Principal payments on long-term borrowings (600) Increase (decrease) in cash book overdrafts 16 (17) Cash dividends paid (30) Proceeds from issuances under stock compensation plans 8 7 Tax withholding on share-based awards (8) (13) Make-whole premium payment and other, net (85) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (14) 167 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 3 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 162 (304) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 322 681 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 484 $ 377 NORDSTROM, INC. SUMMARY OF NET SALES (unaudited; amounts in millions) Our Nordstrom brand includes Nordstrom.com, TrunkClub.com, Nordstrom-branded U.S. stores, Canada, which includes Nordstrom.ca, Nordstrom Canadian stores and Nordstrom Rack Canadian stores, and Nordstrom Local. Our Nordstrom Rack brand includes NordstromRack.com, Nordstrom Rack-branded U.S. stores and Last Chance clearance stores. The following table summarizes net sales for the first quarter of 2022, compared with the first quarter of 2021: Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Net sales: Nordstrom $ 2,289 $ 1,854 Nordstrom Rack 1,178 1,067 Total net sales $ 3,467 $ 2,921 Net sales increase: Nordstrom 23.5% 36.7% Nordstrom Rack 10.3% 59.5% Total Company 18.7% 44.2% Digital sales as % of total net sales1 39% 46% 1 Sales conducted through a digital platform such as our websites or mobile apps. Digital sales may be self-guided by the customer, as in a traditional online order, or facilitated by a salesperson using a virtual styling or selling tool. Digital sales may be delivered to the customer or picked up in our Nordstrom stores, Nordstrom Rack stores or Nordstrom Local service hubs. Digital sales also includes a reserve for estimated returns. NORDSTROM, INC. ADJUSTED EBIT, ADJUSTED EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EPS (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES) (unaudited; amounts in millions except per share amounts) Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted earnings (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") and Adjusted EPS are key financial metrics and, when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, we believe they provide useful information for evaluating our core business performance, enable comparison of financial results across periods and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management for financial and operational decision-making. Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS exclude certain items that we do not consider representative of our core operating performance. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA is net earnings. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted EPS is earnings (loss) per diluted share. Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, net earnings, overall change in cash, earnings (loss) per share, earnings (loss) per diluted share or other financial measures performed in accordance with GAAP. Our method of determining non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies' financial measures and therefore may not be comparable to methods used by other companies. The following is a reconciliation of net earnings (loss) to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBITDA: Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Net earnings (loss) $ 20 $ (166) Add (Less): income tax expense (benefit) 18 (56) Add: interest expense, net 35 137 Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes 73 (85) Less: gain on sale of interest in a corporate office building (51) Add: Trunk Club property impairment 10 Adjusted EBIT 32 (85) Add: depreciation and amortization expenses 152 162 Less: amortization of developer reimbursements (18) (20) Adjusted EBITDA $ 166 $ 57 The following is a reconciliation of earnings (loss) per diluted share to Adjusted EPS: Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Earnings (loss) per diluted share1 $ 0.13 $ (1.05) Add: debt refinancing charges included within interest expense, net 0.56 Less: gain on sale of interest in a corporate office building (0.32) Add: Trunk Club property impairment 0.06 Add (Less): income tax impact on adjustments2 0.07 (0.15) Adjusted EPS $ (0.06) $ (0.64) 1 Due to the anti-dilutive effect resulting from the adjusted net loss, the impact of potentially dilutive shares on the adjusted per share amounts has been omitted from the calculation of weighted-average shares for earnings (loss) per share for the quarters ended April 30, 2022 and May 1, 2021. 2 The income tax impact of non-GAAP adjustments is calculated using the estimated tax rate for the respective non-GAAP adjustment. NORDSTROM, INC. FISCAL YEAR 2022 FORWARD-LOOKING NON-GAAP MEASURES (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES) (unaudited) The Company's adjusted EBIT as a percent of net sales ("adjusted EBIT margin") and adjusted EPS outlook for fiscal year 2022 excludes the impacts from certain items that we do not consider representative of our core operating performance. These items include the expected full fiscal year 2022 impact associated with a gain on the sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building and an impairment charge related to a Trunk Club property recognized in the first quarter of 2022. The following is a reconciliation of net earnings as a percent of net sales to adjusted EBIT margin included within our Fiscal Year 2022 Outlook: 52 Weeks Ending January 28, 2023 Low High Expected net earnings as a % of net sales 3.6 % 3.9 % Add: income tax expense 1.3 % 1.4 % Add: interest expense, net 0.9 % 0.9 % Expected earnings before interest and income taxes as a % of net sales 5.8 % 6.2 % Less: gain on sale of interest in a corporate office building (0.3%) (0.3%) Add: Trunk Club property impairment 0.1 % 0.1 % Expected adjusted EBIT margin 5.6 % 6.0 % The following is a reconciliation of earnings per diluted share to adjusted EPS included within our Fiscal Year 2022 Outlook: 52 Weeks Ending January 28, 2023 Low High Expected earnings per diluted share $ 3.38 $ 3.68 Less: gain on sale of interest in a corporate office building (0.31) (0.31) Add: Trunk Club property impairment 0.06 0.06 Add: income tax impact on adjustments 0.07 0.07 Expected adjusted EPS $ 3.20 $ 3.50 NORDSTROM, INC. ADJUSTED RETURN ON INVESTED CAPITAL ("ADJUSTED ROIC") (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE) (unaudited; amounts in millions) We believe that Adjusted ROIC is a useful financial measure for investors in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of the capital we have invested in our business to generate returns over time. In addition, we have incorporated it in our executive incentive measures and we believe it is an important indicator of shareholders' return over the long term. Adjusted ROIC is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, return on assets, net earnings, total assets or other GAAP financial measures. Our method of calculating non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted ROIC is return on assets. The following is a reconciliation of return on assets to Adjusted ROIC: Four Quarters Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Net earnings (loss) $ 364 $ (334) Add (Less): income tax expense (benefit) 142 (269) Add: interest expense 145 285 Earnings (loss) before interest and income tax expense 651 (318) Add: operating lease interest1 86 93 Adjusted net operating profit (loss) 737 (225) (Less) Add: estimated income tax (expense) benefit2 (206) 100 Adjusted net operating profit (loss) after tax $ 531 $ (125) Average total assets $ 9,228 $ 9,637 Less: average deferred property incentives in excess of operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets3 (223) (265) Less: average non-interest bearing current liabilities (3,347) (3,095) Average invested capital $ 5,658 $ 6,277 Return on assets 3.9% (3.5%) Adjusted ROIC 9.4% (2.0%) 1 Operating lease interest is a component of operating lease cost recorded in occupancy costs. We add back operating lease interest for purposes of calculating adjusted net operating profit for consistency with the treatment of interest expense on our debt. 2 Estimated income tax (expense) benefit is calculated by multiplying the adjusted net operating profit (loss) by the effective tax rate for the trailing twelve month periods ended April 30, 2022 and May 1, 2021. The effective tax rate is calculated by dividing income tax expense (benefit) by earnings (loss) before income taxes for the same trailing twelve month periods. 3 For leases with property incentives that exceed the ROU assets, we reclassify the amount from assets to other current liabilities and other liabilities and reduce average total assets, as this better reflects how we manage our business. NORDSTROM, INC. ADJUSTED DEBT TO EBITDAR (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE) (unaudited; dollar amounts in millions) Adjusted Debt to earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent ("EBITDAR") is one of our key financial metrics and we believe that our debt levels are best analyzed using this measure, as it provides a reflection of our creditworthiness which could impact our credit rating and borrowing costs. This metric is calculated in accordance with the updates in our new Revolver covenant and is a key component in assessing whether our revolving credit facility is secured or unsecured, as well as our ability to make dividend payments and share repurchases. Our goal is to manage debt levels to achieve and maintain investment-grade credit ratings while operating with an efficient capital structure. Subsequent to April 30, 2022, we replaced our Revolver which was set to expire in September 2023 with a new Revolver dated May 6, 2022. Under the new Revolver, the covenant calculation was updated to reflect the current lease standard (ASC 842). This change in our Revolver covenant did not have a material impact on our Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR. Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, debt to net earnings, net earnings, debt or other GAAP financial measures. Our method of calculating a non-GAAP financial measure may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The following is a reconciliation of debt to net earnings to Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR: April 30, 2022 Debt $ 2,854 Add: operating lease liabilities 1,816 Adjusted Debt $ 4,670 Four Quarters Ended April 30, 2022 Net earnings $ 364 Add: income tax expense 142 Add: interest expense, net 144 Adjusted earnings before interest and income taxes 650 Add: depreciation and amortization expenses 604 Add: operating lease cost 269 Add: amortization of developer reimbursements1 76 Less: other Revolver covenant adjustments2 (32) Adjusted EBITDAR $ 1,567 Debt to Net Earnings 7.8 Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR 3.0 1 Amortization of developer reimbursements is a non-cash reduction of Operating Lease Cost and is therefore added back to Operating Lease Cost for purposes of our Revolver covenant calculation. 2 Other adjusting items to reconcile net earnings to Adjusted EBITDAR as defined by our Revolver covenant include interest income and certain non-cash charges and other gains and losses where relevant. For the four quarters ended April 30, 2022, other Revolver covenant adjustments included a $51 gain on sale of the Company's interest in a corporate office building. NORDSTROM, INC. FREE CASH FLOW (NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE) (unaudited; amounts in millions) Free Cash Flow is one of our key liquidity measures and, when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, we believe it provides investors with a meaningful analysis of our ability to generate cash from our business. Free Cash Flow is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, operating cash flows or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our method of calculating a non-GAAP financial measure may differ from other companies' methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Free Cash Flow is net cash provided by (used in) operating activities. The following is a reconciliation of net cash provided by (used in) operating activities to Free Cash Flow: Quarter Ended April 30, 2022 May 1, 2021 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 187 $ (364) Less: capital expenditures (96) (126) Add (Less): change in cash book overdrafts 16 (17) Free Cash Flow $ 107 $ (507) SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc. Recipient School City Joy Adel Abdelmalak Escondido High School Escondido Baymar Bongolan Granite Hills High School El Cajon Madeline Engblom Rancho Bernardo High School San Diego Laurinne J. Eugenio Bonita Vista High School Chula Vista Armando Gutierrez San Ysidro High School San Diego Romyn Johnson Chaparral High School Temecula Natasha Landini Chula Vista High School Chula Vista Sara Landsberg High Tech High Media Arts San Diego Lily Ann Slakoff Point Loma High School San Diego Emerson Utgaard Patrick Henry High School San Diego "We were excited to see so many promising students participate in our program this year and hope these scholarships will make the road to a college education just a little bit easier," said North Island Credit Union CEO Steve O'Connell. "We are proud to recognize these students not just for their hard work in school, but also for their commitment to supporting their local communities. We wish all these inspiring students the very best of luck in their future education and careers." College-bound high school seniors and community college students transferring to a four-year university who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the coming year were eligible to participate. This year, the credit union's Scholarship Program received 800 applications, which were reviewed by a Scholarship Committee consisting of credit union staff who selected the award recipients. The credit union's Annual College Scholarship program was created in 2005 to recognize outstanding students within its local communities. Since the creation of the program, the credit union has awarded more than $375,000 in scholarships to students across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties. Photos of all recipients can be found here. About North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of over $4 billion, California Credit Union has 24 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. Please visit northisland.ccu.com for more information or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @northislandcu. SOURCE North Island Credit Union Data privacy, governance, & security leader teams up with technology communities at AIRSIDE to support Kyiv School of Economics Charitable Foundation and their efforts in Ukraine SAN FRANCISCO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Okera, the Universal Data Authorization company, today announced that it has joined forces with Data and Tech Aid (D.A.T.A.), a volunteer community formed by individuals and businesses with roots in data & analytics and technology, to support the organization's goal of providing medical relief to the people in Ukraine. Together, their goal is to support the Kyiv School of Economics Charitable Foundation (KSE CF) by purchasing 10,000 medical kits, worth $1 million in 6 weeks. To hear from founding committee member of D.A.T.A., Dmytro Lugovyi who shares the story of his family still in Ukraine visit or click here to learn more about the effort and to donate to the cause. The primary danger for civilians at war in Ukraine is death from blood loss caused by shrapnel wounds after the shelling. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has confirmed to KSE the need for up to 300,000 kits specifically to stop blood loss, as thousands of lives could be saved if catastrophic bleeding is stopped quickly. The cost of one delivered medical kit is $100 which includes the price of the first aid kit from the supplier, transportation costs to Ukraine, unexpected expenses including customs, and price fluctuations. "If a bomb dropping in Ukraine doesn't kill you and your family, the largest threat to life of civilians is blood loss," said Rob Howes, Founder at D.A.T.A. "We are mobilizing the data & analytics and technology communities to come together and raise money to help Ukrainian citizens because, together, we can achieve more. One kit can save one life so by uniting behind this single cause we will buy 10,000 blood loss medical kits worth $1 million in 6 weeks." At the hybrid AIRSIDE Live 2022 event, representatives from D.A.T.A. will present a keynote titled D.A.T.A. Fundraising Initiative: Help Save Lives in Ukraine by Raising $1M for 10,000 Medical Kits and join Okera in a fundraising challenge to meet their charitable donation goals. To register for the live or virtual event or to contribute the cause visit: https://dataandtechaid.com The Kyiv School of Economics Charitable Foundation (KSE CF) was established in 2007 as a subsidiary of its non-profit corporation in the United States. Originally, focused on providing scholarships for its students. Working directly with the Government of Ukraine, other funds, and multiple volunteer organizations, KSE CF has established itself as one of the largest humanitarian aid foundations providing vital medicines and food, to those in Ukraine. Kyiv School of Economics is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation registered in Washington DC, EIN 52-2264611. Please Tweet: @Okerinc joins forces with @DATA_Aid_ at #AIRSIDELIVE to supply Ukraine Citizen's with desperately needed lifesaving first aid kits #FirstAidForUkraine About Data and Tech Aid (D.A.T.A.) Founded by Rob Howes in response to the Ukraine crisis, the Data and Tech Aid (D.A.T.A.) is a volunteer community formed of individuals and businesses with roots in data & analytics and technology. It was formed to unite tech professionals and to pool resources to make a bigger difference together. With the backing of a number of high-profile business leaders and organizations including Peter Jackson, Peter Grindrod CBE, Barry Panayi and the EDM Council, their mission is to conduct fundraising via individual and corporate donations. To learn more, donate or join the effort visit https://dataandtechaid.com/ or follow on Twitter or LinkedIn About Okera Okera, the Universal Data Authorization company, helps modern, data-driven enterprises accelerate innovation, minimize data security risks, and demonstrate regulatory compliance. The Okera Dynamic Access Platform automatically enforces universal fine-grained access control policies. This allows employees, customers, and partners to use data responsibly, while protecting them from inappropriately accessing data that is confidential, personally identifiable, or regulated. Okera's robust audit capabilities and data usage intelligence deliver the real-time and historical information that data security, compliance, and data delivery teams need to respond quickly to incidents, optimize processes, and analyze the performance of enterprise data initiatives. Okera began development in 2016 and now dynamically authorizes access to hundreds of petabytes of sensitive data for the world's most demanding F100 companies and regulatory agencies. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, ClearSky Security, and Felicis Ventures. For more information, visit www.okera.com or contact [email protected], or connect with the team on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. SOURCE Okera Inc PASADENA, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenX Technologies, Inc., a pioneer and leader in advertising technology, today announced that it is the first ad exchange to be independently certified as carbon neutral as part of the company's ambitious path to a more sustainable future. The "OpenX Path to Net-Zero" is a comprehensive and ongoing initiative that confirms OpenX's place at the forefront of the digital advertising industry. Achieving CarbonNeutral company certification by Natural Capital Partners, specialists in carbon market solutions for climate action, is one part of a long-term sustainability strategy OpenX launched when it became the first and only independent cloud-native ad exchange in 2019. That move was followed by two years of intensive optimization efforts in partnership with the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and through additional OpenX efficiency innovations. OpenX is first ad exchange to be certified carbon neutral and announces ambitious path to Net-Zero status. Tweet this Joining other leading international companies, OpenX recently became a signatory of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and has already met the key criteria of the SBTi Net-Zero standard, far ahead of the 2030 and 2050 targets most companies have set. While companies can achieve carbon neutral status simply by offsetting their existing emissions, the SBTi Net-Zero Standard requires them to reduce emissions by more than 90 percent and only then offset the residual emissions through verified carbon removal offsets. A critical part of the SBTi Net-Zero Standard is to include significant emissions across a company's value chain. In the case of digital ad exchanges, the greatest energy expenditure occurs through the use of an ad marketplace; therefore it is important that the associated emissions are also inventoried, verified, reduced, and offset as OpenX has done. With this achievement, OpenX possesses a distinctly differentiated and more strategically compelling offer to web publishers and advertisers than other exchanges. "Business must play a lead role in addressing climate change and creating a more sustainable future for all stakeholders, including people and the planet," said John Gentry, chief executive officer of OpenX. "Creating this future requires innovation, which is how OpenX has been built and which has characterized our approach to this critical and necessary goal." "In becoming the first independent ad exchange to migrate its entire tech infrastructure to the cloud, OpenX acted with foresight and urgency," said Janet Kennedy, vice president, North America Regions, for the Google Cloud. "We've worked closely with the company during the last two years to maximize both the business and sustainability benefits of the Google Cloud Platform, and we will continue supporting OpenX's leadership in this critical endeavor." Following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's upcoming ruling requiring public companies to make specific climate-related disclosures, OpenX is in a unique position to help these companies meet their sustainability goals through the decarbonization of the OpenX Exchange for their digital ad campaigns and by facilitating the reporting of their emissions. OpenX will continue to innovate by developing new products for programmatic ad buys that will further reduce the energy intensity of ad auctions. The company expects to introduce the first of these "carbon-light" products later this year. "We are fully aligned with the climate goals and commitments of our customers and partners, while making it easy for them to report how they are improving every aspect of their value chain," notes Mr. Gentry. "At the same time, we'll urge other exchanges and platforms to follow our lead. Being carbon neutral by simply purchasing cheap carbon credits and continuing business as usual is not enough. That is why OpenX has set the bar high in becoming a Net-Zero company." OpenX's own path to Net-Zero is framed by its commitment to the SBTi, organized by the United Nations Global Compact to help leading companies align their actions with the Paris Climate Accords of 2015. Through this pledge, OpenX is also recognized as a Business Ambition for 1.5C campaign member, joining nearly 1,500 leading companies that have committed to achieving emissions reductions in line with the most recent scientific calls to reduce global warming levels to less than 1.5C. "In this journey, we're moving at the speed of OpenX and with full transparency," says Mr. Gentry. "Marketers need to know that they now have certified carbon neutral options due to OpenX innovation and leadership. We will maintain our position on the cutting-edge of sustainable business practices in the digital advertising market by being recognized as a true Net-Zero company." Summary of Today's Announcement OpenX has achieved CarbonNeutral company certification by Natural Capital Partners and has committed to complying with the SBTi Net-Zero standard. OpenX has already met the key criteria to be a Net-Zero company many years ahead of targets set by most companies. Migrating all of its technology infrastructure to the Google Cloud Platform has allowed OpenX to operate its ad exchange with far more computing and energy efficiency. Since its cloud migration three years ago, the company has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 90 percent. The SBTi Net-Zero Standard requires companies to reduce their emissions by more than 90 percent and then use high-quality offsets for the remainder. As a signatory of the SBTi pledge, OpenX has reduced its emissions beyond this level and has chosen to offset the remainder with projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere. OpenX has gone beyond the minimum requirements for CarbonNeutral company certification to include the use of its products and services in the company's carbon accounting. The company believes all adtech enterprises a number of which are themselves subject to the new, upcoming SEC carbon disclosure requirements should include energy consumed and carbon emitted in the use of their exchanges because it is where the greatest use of energy occurs. Additionally, OpenX's "carbon-light" products now in development will consume less energy than standard programmatic ad buys and offer marketers a viable option for a more environmentally friendly ad exchange. About OpenX OpenX is a pioneering leader in advertising technology, helping create a world where the open web thrives. The company powers advertising on web, mobile and connected TV formats, enabling marketers to reach their target audience across OpenX's global network of publishers. OpenX works with more than 30,000 advertisers across every connected screen and device, reaching nearly one billion consumers including a quarter-billion unique consumers in the U.S. and processing more than one trillion transactions globally every day. OpenX has been certified as a CarbonNeutral company and is on a path to becoming one of the first companies in the world to achieve Net-Zero status. CONTACT: Vanessa Waite [email protected] SOURCE OpenX Technologies, Inc. New capabilities fortify defenses across Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and the Oracle applications stack to help customers protect their applications and data AUSTIN, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle is expanding the built-in security services and capabilities of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to help customers protect their cloud applications and data against emerging threats. Five new capabilities round out OCI's already comprehensive security offering, including a new built-in and cloud-native firewall service and enhancements to Oracle Cloud Guard and Oracle Security Zones. These innovations will further help ensure that organizations can easily secure their cloud deployments and applications with simple, prescriptive, and integrated services that in most cases, do not require additional investment. As organizations across industries, from financial services to retail, move mission-critical workloads to the cloud, they must defend against security vulnerabilities from inside and outside the firewall that are resulting in more breaches and exposed data. For example, highlighting threats that originate from inside a company, Gartner estimates that "through 2023, at least 99 percent of cloud security failures will be the customer's fault."1 To overcome this challenge, cloud users and administrators are now expected to know how cloud security services work, configure them correctly, and maintain their cloud deployments. "Organizations are just as confident critical applications and data can be safely hosted in a cloud environment as they are on-premises. So, the question becomes one of best fit; OCI's cloud infrastructure design and new security services are very purposeful and prescriptive based on the hindsight of other cloud options in the market and complexities and lack of automation other providers' customers encounter. Oracle has now made cloud security easy to consume and affordable for its customers," said Jay Bretzmann, Security Program director, IDC. New OCI Security Innovations Oracle has made security foundational and built-in for OCI customers to help them address regulatory compliance requirements, stay on top of security threats and concerns, and prevent security-related outages. Oracle is expanding its cloud security capabilities to provide multiple layers of defense to help identify and defeat emerging threats and security violations quickly. New capabilities include: OCI Network Firewall : Provides centralized protection against cyberattacks across OCI with a new cloud-native, managed firewall service that is powered by industry-leading Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Next-Generation Firewall technology (NGFW). The firewall provides security controls, threat prevention, and mitigation features, including custom URL filtering, intrusion prevention and detection (IDS/IPS), and TLS inspection for inbound, outbound, and lateral traffic to customer workloads hosted on OCI. With OCI Network Firewall, customers can quickly turn on and secure their applications and cloud environment with firewall features and scale their security across their cloud deployment. OCI Network Firewall is available as a turn-key offering to enable customers to immediately take advantage of the firewall without the need to configure and manage additional security infrastructure. : Provides centralized protection against cyberattacks across OCI with a new cloud-native, managed firewall service that is powered by industry-leading Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Next-Generation Firewall technology (NGFW). The firewall provides security controls, threat prevention, and mitigation features, including custom URL filtering, intrusion prevention and detection (IDS/IPS), and TLS inspection for inbound, outbound, and lateral traffic to customer workloads hosted on OCI. With OCI Network Firewall, customers can quickly turn on and secure their applications and cloud environment with firewall features and scale their security across their cloud deployment. OCI Network Firewall is available as a turn-key offering to enable customers to immediately take advantage of the firewall without the need to configure and manage additional security infrastructure. Oracle Threat Intelligence Service : Aggregates threat intelligence data across different sources and manages this data to provide actionable guidance for threat detection and prevention in Oracle Cloud Guard and other OCI services. This service provides insights from Oracle's own unique telemetry, open-source feeds such as abuse.ch and Tor exit relays, and third-party partners, such as CrowdStrike. : Aggregates threat intelligence data across different sources and manages this data to provide actionable guidance for threat detection and prevention in Oracle Cloud Guard and other OCI services. This service provides insights from Oracle's own unique telemetry, open-source feeds such as abuse.ch and Tor exit relays, and third-party partners, such as CrowdStrike. Oracle Cloud Guard Threat Detector : Identifies misconfigured resources, insecure activity across customer environments, and potential malicious threat activities. It provides security administrators with the visibility to triage and resolve cloud security issues. Security inconsistencies can be remediated automatically with out-of-the-box Cloud Guard security recipes to effectively scale the security operations center. : Identifies misconfigured resources, insecure activity across customer environments, and potential malicious threat activities. It provides security administrators with the visibility to triage and resolve cloud security issues. Security inconsistencies can be remediated automatically with out-of-the-box Cloud Guard security recipes to effectively scale the security operations center. Oracle Security Zones : Expands Oracle Security Zones with support for customer-defined policy sets and integrated security posture monitoring with Cloud Guard. Now customers can create custom security zone policy sets to prevent actions that could weaken a customer's security posture. Security Zone policies can be applied to various cloud infrastructure types (e.g., network, compute, storage, database, etc.) to ensure cloud resources stay secure and prevent security misconfigurations. Users determine which policies are appropriate for their needs by defining custom security zone policy sets. OCI enforces Security Zone policies as an integrated platform feature that supports a growing number of adjacent OCI Security services. In contrast to IAM permissions, which are associated with people, Security Zone policies act as security guardrails for resources and define allowable configurations. : Expands Oracle Security Zones with support for customer-defined policy sets and integrated security posture monitoring with Cloud Guard. Now customers can create custom security zone policy sets to prevent actions that could weaken a customer's security posture. Security Zone policies can be applied to various cloud infrastructure types (e.g., network, compute, storage, database, etc.) to ensure cloud resources stay secure and prevent security misconfigurations. Users determine which policies are appropriate for their needs by defining custom security zone policy sets. OCI enforces Security Zone policies as an integrated platform feature that supports a growing number of adjacent OCI Security services. In contrast to IAM permissions, which are associated with people, Security Zone policies act as security guardrails for resources and define allowable configurations. Oracle Cloud Guard Fusion Applications Detector: Extends Oracle Cloud Guard beyond cloud security posture management for OCI to also monitor Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications and provide customers with a consolidated view of security policies. Available first for Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management and Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning, Oracle Cloud Guard Fusion Applications Detector provides pre-configured and customized configurations or "recipes" to monitor potential security violations in the applications. Detectors trigger alerts on sensitive configuration changes related to user privileges that impact important data access, including adding, deleting, or modifying data and function privileges for roles and users, as well as changes to sensitive objects. "Oracle continues to pave the way in building cloud services that have natively integrated and feature rich security capabilities. By choosing to integrate the industry-leading technology in Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Next Generation Firewall, Oracle is giving its customers incredible security as a native service," said Anand Oswal, senior vice president, Network Security, Palo Alto Networks. "Oracle customers can have the peace of mind that they have access to many of Palo Alto Networks network security tools." "Oracle has decades of experience guiding customers to secure their valuable data and applications in the cloud and on-premises," said Mahesh Thiagarajan, senior vice president, Security and Developer Services, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. "With OCI Network Firewall, powered by industry-leading Palo Alto Networks, we are bringing the ecosystem closer to the platform. These latest innovations, combined with our existing offerings, provide organizations with a comprehensive set of cloud security services that lower the barrier to secure customer cloud environments and help them more easily identify potential vulnerabilities." Customers Across Industries Rely on OCI Security Ferguson Enterprises is the largest U.S distributor of plumbing supplies, PVF, waterworks and fire and fabrication products. "As we venture into the public cloud, Ferguson Enterprises is focused on cloud security," said Karen Cake, Cloud Architect, Ferguson Enterprises. "Oracle Security Zones integrated with Oracle Cloud Guard, helps Ferguson build safe environments and maintain security with true, 'trust and verify' security posture management." Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health, and law. "We are looking to Oracle Cloud Guard to easily monitor and remediate security violations," said Ruperto Herrera, director, ERP Architecture, Northern Illinois University. "Oracle Cloud Guard can enable us to centrally monitor the security posture, providing strong governance and control over what is being built within OCI by our team." About Oracle Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com. Additional Resources Trademarks Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. GARTNER and HYPE CYCLE are registered trademarks and service marks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved 1 Gartner, Hype Cycle for Cloud Security, 2021, Tom Croll, Jay Heiser, Published 27 July 2021. SOURCE Oracle Integration allows more agents to access competitive homeowner's product MELBOURNE, Fla., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Orion180, a homeowners insurance provider leveraging advanced proprietary technology to serve independent insurance agents in the Southeastern U.S., announced today its new integration with EZLynx Rating Engine. The venture is part of Orion180's ongoing efforts to make it easier and faster for agency broker partners to compare and underwrite homeowner's policies. The integration will also help increase the visibility of Orion180 to a wider broker audience. The new integration will allow agents to input insurance application information to get dozens of comparative pricing options from different insurance companies in seconds, instead of spending hours going through individual platforms. This will help create a competitive advantage to help agents close business faster. The integration of Orion180 and EZLynx will first rollout in NC, followed by AL, GA, SC, MS and TN. "Our goal has always been to provide our agents and brokers with a more streamlined workflow through our tech-first mindset," said Ken Gregg, Founder and CEO of Orion180. "Partnering with EZLynx is a win-win for Orion180 and brokers. It allows us to present our product to a larger network of retail brokers and it allows more agents to get access to our competitively priced coverage options." Earlier this year, Orion180 also announced it had integrated with IVANS Download. Both integrations show a demand for and need to prioritize digital capabilities and provide independent agents with better tools and ultimately more opportunities. The organization plans to continue expanding on the technology front by integrating Vetafore's PL Rater before the summer. Headquartered in Florida, Orion180 operates in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia with plans to continue expanding in 2022. About Orion180: Orion180 is a homeowners insurance provider leveraging advanced proprietary technology to serve independent insurance agents in the Southeastern United States. Providing a combination of human interaction and unsurpassed technology, Orion180 enables real time quoting, binding, and issue functions in a matter of minutes. The company simplifies the homeowners insurance process, providing products that are innovative, fast, and secure. Its product has an A- A.M. Best rating, which means consumers are protected even for the most severe losses. The company prides itself on its strong community support program named Star Outreach Program, for more information visit https://www.orion180.com/community-involvement/. Learn more at https://www.orion180.com/. SOURCE Orion180 BOSTON and CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Overjet , a leader in dental artificial intelligence solutions for providers and payers, today announced a partnership with Great Lakes Dental Partners , the Midwest's Premier Dental Support Organization. "We chose to partner with Overjet because they share our commitment to clinical excellence," said Dr. Charles Zasso, Chief Clinical Officer at Great Lakes Dental Partners. "Overjet supports our providers in achieving more consistent and improved patient outcomes while improving patient understanding and communication. Overjet has an unmatched reputation in pioneering dental innovations that advance patient care, and we are pleased to partner with them." "GLDP's affiliations are well-known in the Midwest for providing exceptional dental care, and GLDP has a great reputation for providing best-in-class support in operations, recruiting, technology, and marketing to its affiliations," said Chris Thompson, VP of Sales at Overjet. "We are thrilled to partner with Great Lakes Dental Partners as their preferred dental AI platform to enable exceptional patient care." To learn more about Great Lakes Dental Partners or to view its list of best-in-class clinical locations, please visit greatlakesdentalpartners.com . To learn more about Overjet's cutting-edge dental AI platform to improve overall practice performance and improve diagnostic decision-making, please visit overjet.com . About Overjet Overjet is the global leader in dental artificial intelligence, helping both payers and providers improve patient care. By combining deep expertise in dentistry and advanced engineering, Overjet develops accurate and quantified ways to detect pathologies, and integrates actionable insights into systems and workflows to operationalize a feedback loop between payers, providers, and patients. The company was founded by experts from the MIT and Harvard School of Dental Medicine and has assembled the largest and most seasoned team of technologists and domain experts with deep AI, dental, and insurance experience. Every day, some of the largest DSOs and insurance companies rely on accurate information provided by Overjet to deliver care and service to patients. Learn more at www.overjet.com . About Great Lakes Dental Partners Great Lakes Dental Partners is a dental support organization (DSO) committed to offering dentists and dental specialists the opportunity to focus on the clinical aspects of dentistry, providing exceptional care for every patient. With a centrally located support center, operational best practices, access to the latest dental technology, and a best-in-class continuing education program, GLDP is dedicated to advancing dental healthcare in the Midwest. For more information and a list of clinic locations, visit www.greatlakesdentalpartners.com . SOURCE Overjet Aspen Institute donates Wye River Conference Center, which will be renovated to provide free year-round camp programming for children with serious illnesses and their families in the Mid-Atlantic NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp prepares to welcome campers for its 35th summer in Ashford, Conn., CEO James Canton and Board Member Bradley Cooper announced today that the organization will open a second location on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 2023, providing "a different kind of healing" to more children with serious illnesses and their families in the Mid-Atlantic. Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp announces plans to open a second location in Maryland. "For 35 years, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been guided by Founder Paul Newman's creative spirit, expanding programming to bring joy and hope to more children with serious illnesses while also increasing opportunities for their families to experience the healing power of Camp all year long," said Canton, who was a cabin counselor during the Camp's first summer in 1988. "This same commitment that expanded our reach from 288 campers in 1988 to now more than 20,000 children and family members annually also inspired us to pursue this opportunity to bring Camp magic to more children and family members in the Mid-Atlantic a region that Hole in the Wall has served to some extent since its earliest days. We are thrilled for this next chapter and humbled by the Aspen Institute's incredibly kind and generous donation it's a gift that will keep on giving." According to Canton, Camp's multi-year exploration of adding a Mid-Atlantic location took an exciting, unexpected turn when it learned that the Aspen Institute's 166-acre Wye River Conference Center in Queenstown, Md. was for sale and that the board was willing to donate a majority of the historic property to Hole in the Wall. In 1979, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., gifted the property to the Institute, which inspired the board to pay it forward. The historic property, which boasts scenic water views, tree-lined pathways and majestic meadows, contains several residential buildings and other conference facilities that will be renovated to provide a helpful starting point for Camp to begin programming. "Since 1979, the Wye River campus has played an important role in the Aspen Institute's history. This beautiful and protected site has hosted countless seminars and convenings, including some of international significance," said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. "We are now proud to make available a significant part of this land to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp to become their second location. Their mission to provide joy to children with serious illnesses and their families is inspiring, and secures a wonderful future for the Wye River campus." Maryland's Eastern Shore represents an ideal Hole in the Wall location for many reasons. The Connecticut location's on-site programming primarily serves those traveling from within a three-hour radius in the Northeast. The Maryland location will create an adjacent three-hour radius in the Mid-Atlantic, which contains some of the nation's most prominent pediatric hospitals treating many of the populations that Camp hopes to serve at the Maryland location. Hole in the Wall's plans for the new site are guided by Camp's many years of experience serving children with serious illnesses while also answering the diverse needs of their families. The facilities and all programming will be designed to be family inclusive so that those most devastated and isolated by serious illnesses, including the rare disease community, will be able to find a caring community of support that understands their unique challenges. Actor, producer and director Bradley Cooper is honorary chair of the committee leading the launch of the new location. Cooper, who volunteered as a cabin counselor at the Camp in 2006 and later joined the Board of Directors in 2014, has a deep, personal connection to the Mid-Atlantic having grown up near Philadelphia and graduated from Georgetown University. "I've seen firsthand the life-changing impact of Hole in the Wall's programs, which is why I'm honored and excited to see that Camp is bringing a much-needed escape, a support network and empowering experiences to the lives of some incredibly brave kids and families in the Mid-Atlantic," said Cooper. "Just like when Paul Newman first started the Camp, this expansion into Maryland will rely on the generosity of many new friends who want to see these kids become campers and their family members experience all the magic Hole in the Wall has to offer." Following what is expected to be a one-year renovation, Hole in the Wall plans to open the Maryland location in summer 2023 by offering multiple sessions of Family Camp programming to serve those populations in the region who are most in need of Camp's healing impact. In the meantime, Hole in the Wall's Hospital Outreach program continues to bring Camp-style games and activities to several Mid-Atlantic hospitals daily with plans to establish a DC metro area regional office and expand to more medical facilities in the coming months. About The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp provides "a different kind of healing" to more than 20,000 seriously ill children and family members annually all completely free of charge. For many of these children and families, Hole in the Wall provides multiple Camp experiences throughout the year at the facility in Ashford, Conn., in more than 40 hospitals and clinics, directly in camper homes and communities, and through other outreach activities across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Learn more at www.holeinthewallgang.org. Contact: Jamie Watt Arnold Profiles PR [email protected] / 215-284-5789 SOURCE The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SullivanCotter, the nation's leading independent consulting firm in the assessment and development of total rewards programs, workforce solutions, and technology and data products for the health care industry and not-for-profit sector, is pleased to announce the addition of prominent social psychologist and research-driven consultant Mike O'Malley as a Principal in the firm's Employee Workforce Practice. As a leader in his field, Mike has spent more than 30 years consulting and educating boards and senior executives on a myriad of human capital matters such as leadership development, compensation, succession planning, change management and more. He is also a widely published author specializing in leadership excellence and organizational design and leverages years of experience in his research-based approach with clients. In his role at SullivanCotter, Mike partners with health care and other not-for-profit organizations to develop data-driven solutions that enhance performance and help achieve strategic goals. He assists in overseeing the firm's pay equity analyses and advisory services. With a focus on both performance and equity, he leads critical compensation and benefits redesign initiatives to provide a more holistic and integrated approach to total rewards. "As a fundamental element of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, pay equity is an important prerequisite for fostering a fully engaged workforce. These services are a pivotal component of our commitment to helping clients build stronger organizations that are diverse, inclusive and fair and Mike's longstanding expertise in this area will help to support these goals", said Ted Chien, President and Chief Executive Officer, SullivanCotter. Previously, Mike held leadership positions in a number of prominent global consulting firms. He currently serves as a Lecturer at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he conducts research and consults on statistics and a broad range of human resources topics. In addition to having his expertise recognized by major media outlets such as CNBC, CBS and Fox, Mike has also been the keynote speaker at national and international events hosted by the United States Department of the Interior, the Financial Times, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Henry Jackson Society. About SullivanCotter SullivanCotter partners with health care and other not-for-profit organizations to understand what drives performance and improve outcomes through the development and implementation of integrated workforce strategies. Using our time-tested methodologies and industry-leading research and information, we provide data-driven insights, expertise, data and technology to help organizations align business strategy and performance objectives enabling our clients to deliver on their mission, vision and values. Contact: Becky Lorentz SullivanCotter [email protected] 314.414.3719 SOURCE SullivanCotter "The PenFed Foundation is proud to celebrate over 20 years of serving the brave men and women who defend our nation and the generosity and patriotism of our donors for supporting our military community," said PenFed Credit Union President/CEO and PenFed Foundation CEO James Schenck. "We are thrilled to announce Shashi Vohra as president of the PenFed Foundation. Shashi has played an important role in PenFed Credit Union's success for over 42 years and brings his outstanding talents and passion for serving others to the PenFed Foundation." Celebrity Chef Andre Rush, a retired decorated combat veteran who does 2,222 push-ups a day for suicide awareness and prevention, emceed the Washington Region's premier fundraising event for our nation's defenders. This is the seventh consecutive year the event raised over $1 million. The PenFed Foundation honored: Retired Four-Star General John W. Nicholson, Jr. with the Lifetime of Service Award for his 36 years of service in the U.S. Army. He was the longest serving commander of the Afghan war and led the PenFed Foundation as President following his retirement from the military. Under Nicholson's leadership the Foundation became the first national Veterans Service Organization (VSO) to launch a COVID-19 relief program for emergency financial assistance. Nicholson also led the Foundation in its partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to bring an even sharper focus and compassion to the mental health crisis in our nation's military. for his 36 years of service in the U.S. Army. He was the longest serving commander of the Afghan war and led the PenFed Foundation as President following his retirement from the military. Under Nicholson's leadership the Foundation became the first national Veterans Service Organization (VSO) to launch a COVID-19 relief program for emergency financial assistance. Nicholson also led the Foundation in its partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to bring an even sharper focus and compassion to the mental health crisis in our nation's military. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass with the Military Hero Award. Bass is the first woman and first Asian American to hold the highest-ranking position within the non-commissioned officer corps. She is bringing a new focus on inclusivity, morale and mental health challenges to the Pentagon to make sure the necessary tools are provided at every military installation across the country. Bass is the first woman and first Asian American to hold the highest-ranking position within the non-commissioned officer corps. She is bringing a new focus on inclusivity, morale and mental health challenges to the Pentagon to make sure the necessary tools are provided at every military installation across the country. Mary Boies and the Sisters of Service with the American Hero Award. Boies and a sisterhood of American female veterans are helping to resettle and empower the Afghan women who fought alongside U.S. troops in combat. The group works to provide the brave Afghan women with supportive communities and helps them gain educational and professional opportunities to unleash their unlimited potential in the United States . "The PenFed Foundation is grateful to our supporters for sharing our commitment to our nation's veterans, their caregivers, and their families," said PenFed Foundation Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and former Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah James. "Over the past decades, we've created 40,000 free bed nights a year at the Defenders Lodge in Palo Alto to prevent veterans from sleeping in their cars while receiving treatment at the VA Center, helped almost a thousand military families cover their bills with emergency financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic and assisted in relocating 48 Afghan families to the United States with help for rent, cars, and citizenship applications." The PenFed Foundation, a national 501(c)3 founded by PenFed Credit Union, was created in 2001 and, since then, has provided more than $40 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, families, and caregivers. Those interested in supporting the PenFed Foundation's mission to help the military community and their support network are encouraged to visit penfedfoundation.org. A photo gallery from the event can be viewed here. About PenFed Foundation Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. Equal Housing Opportunity. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org . SOURCE PenFed Foundation Year-long project aims to leverage recent developments in the Near East to strengthen and protect indigenous Eastern Christians WASHINGTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Philos Project officially announced its Abraham's Missing Child Initiative, a groundbreaking project that aims to leverage recent developments in the Near East to strengthen and protect indigenous Christians by promoting religious pluralism. "Though the Near East is the cradle of Christianity, its indigenous Christian communities have dwindled dramatically, increasingly so over the last few decades," said Robert Nicholson, President of The Philos Project. "But recent events in the Near Eastthe Abraham Accords, the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and internal reformsare nudging the region toward a more pluralistic future. With the Abraham's Missing Child Initiative, we aspire to capitalize on this moment to develop practical recommendations to protect and strengthen indigenous Christian communities." Nicholson announced the initiative at an event in Washington, D.C., along with several Philos scholars, including Amb Alberto Fernandez, Khalil Sayegh, and Hadeel Oueis. They were joined by Omar Al Busaidy and Endy Zemenides. Nicholson later joined a panel discussion with noted religious freedom scholars on the underlying issues that necessitated the initiative, as well as challenges that have plagued previous approaches. The panel included Jonathan Schanzer (FDD), Elizabeth H. Prodromou (Atlantic Council), and Sam Tadros, (Hudson Institute). Visit our Youtube page to see the full video. The Abraham's Missing Child Initiative will feature three summits for Near Eastern Christian leaders to meet and dialogue with regional counterparts. At the summits, leaders will discuss ways to build on positive developments in the region to secure both safety and a seat at the table for Near Eastern Christians. Leaders from the region are already weighing in to express their support: "This is a profound step towards furthering peace and coexistence. Christianity along with Islam and Judaism are the monotheistic pillars that have dominated this region since their inception. The Christian community has and continues to be an integral part of this region for over two thousand years, and the Abrahamic table seats Christians, Jews and Muslims on equal footing, working towards the betterment of our shared humanity." - Noura Bint Mohammad Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture & Youth of the United Arab Emirates "It's encouraging to see an innovative new approach to promoting pluralism in the Mediterranean and the Near East. All of us in Greece understand well the word philos; Greece supports any effort to strengthen ties of friendship between Christians, Muslims, and Jews." -Alexandra Papadopoulou, Greek Ambassador to the U.S. "The Philos Project's resolve shown in building regional alliances to strengthen the resilience of indigenous Christian communities is in line with Kingdom of Bahrain's long-standing commitment to nurture peaceful coexistence between all religions and people, at home and abroad." - H.E. Shaikh Abdulla Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Bahraini Ambassador to the U.S. To learn more, visit philosproject.org SOURCE Philos Project Redesigned this year for a better user experience, MGMA DataDive Provider Compensation features new physician subspecialties, including anesthesiology: cardiology, hospital medicine: nocturnist, and neurology: neurocritical care, additional benchmarks, such as starting bonus amounts, and innovative filters and reports to allow for even more customization. Compensation Trends By Specialty Primary care, surgical specialist and nonsurgical specialist physician, and advanced practice provider compensation all increased over the last year. Compensation for most physician specialties saw slight increases between 2019 and 2021 with productivity numbers staying relatively flat over the two-year period. Additionally, post-residency providers newly hired to a practice in 2021 report earning 7% to 10% more in guaranteed compensation than their counterparts in 2020. "As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, I'm pleased to announce that data trends are more than stable, despite the countless challenges the industry has experienced over the past two years," said Halee Fischer-Wright, MD, MMM, FAAP, FACMPE, president and chief executive officer at MGMA. "Providing a more holistic view of the industry, the insightful and actionable data in this report is invaluable for healthcare practices both today and for ongoing future planning." Regional Trends Compensation for providers varies dramatically by state. Primary care physicians in southern and western regions saw a 7.29% increase and 6.28% increase respectively, compared to their counterparts in eastern and midwest regions, who saw a 2.24% and 3.9% increase respectively. Primary care physicians earn the most in Mississippi, receiving $100,000 more in total compensation than their counterparts in Arizona. While a large discrepancy, the difference in surgical and nonsurgical specialist pay is even greater. Surgical specialty physicians earn more than $600,000 more in Nevada than their counterparts in Idaho, and nonsurgical specialty physicians report earning $370,000 more in Mississippi than their counterparts in Idaho. 2021 Productivity Trends For additional analysis into DataDive Provider Compensation, MGMA created the summary data report, "Provider Pay and the Pandemic: Realizing Recovery," to provide a holistic view of 2021 trends. While data revealed COVID-19 wasn't quite over at the end of the year, widespread vaccination of healthcare providers and staff have contributed to an increase in stability. The most recent MGMA Stat poll hints at a good sign for the rest of the year currently reporting that a majority of practices are at or above 2021 visit volumes. The summary data report also delves into the impact of burnout and staffing shortages on physicians' day-to-day. While COVID-19 has subsided, physician burnout and disruptive patients have not. An MGMA Stat poll revealed that 42% of healthcare leaders said their organization's top priority this year is operations and human resources. As the healthcare industry continues to achieve a new "normal," practices are searching for ways to keep productivity and revenue high. Comprehensive data is key for practices as they look to understand how to consistently optimize daily operations. To download a summary of the latest data, visit here . About MGMA Founded in 1926, the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) is the nation's largest association focused on the business of medical practice management. MGMA consists of 15,000 group medical practices ranging from small private medical practices to large national health systems representing more than 350,000 physicians. MGMA helps nearly 60,000 medical practice leaders and the healthcare community solve the business challenges of running practices so that they can focus on providing outstanding patient care. Specifically, MGMA helps its members innovate and improve profitability and financial sustainability, and it provides the gold standard on industry benchmarks such as physician compensation. The association also advocates extensively on its members' behalf on national regulatory and policy issues. To learn more, go to mgma.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook . CONTACT: Brad Krebs, 314-973-8090, [email protected] SOURCE Medical Group Management Association SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas, a Spanish scheduled carrier serving a network of long-haul routes from Madrid's Barajas airport, has appointed Discover the World as its representative for the United Kingdom market. As part of the agreement, Discover the World will develop trade, corporate and VFR revenue opportunities alongside offering sales and marketing Support. Aiden Walsh, head of Airline Development at Discover the World stated, "We are delighted Plus Ultra has put its confidence in Discover the World for the UK market. As part of our remit, we will work with our trade partners to promote sales for the airlines' routes to Lima (Peru), Caracas, (Venezuela), Bogota and Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), Santo Domingo and Samana (Dominican Republic) via Plus Ultra's hubs in Madrid and Tenerife. Foreign travel is experiencing a strong upturn following the lifting of Covid restrictions and we look forward to working with the diaspora communities, leisure operators and corporate travel partners as they seek the best deals for travelling to these amazing destinations". Fernando Garcia Manso, President of Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas stated, "The UK is an important source of visitors to Latin America, both in terms of tourism and of citizens visiting their countries of origin. Likewise, visitor numbers are expected to surge now that the worst part of the Covid pandemic is behind us. Madrid is Europe's leading hub for flights to Latin America with providers like Plus Ultra offering strong competition both in terms of the variety of routes and pricing. We are confident that Discover the World has the knowledge and capability to support us as we make bigger inroads into the UK market". After a period marked by global halt to international tourism during the pandemic, Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas has taken to the skies once again thanks to the initiatives taken by the management to relaunch new routes and services in record time. The airline recently launched an innovative service allowing passengers to pay for their flight tickets in practical instalments, facilitating travel for those who cannot afford to do it in a single payment. Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas is on course to increase passenger numbers by 47% in 2022 as compared to before the pandemic, which will also lead to an increase in turnover in comparison to previous years. About Discover the World Discover the World has earned a reputation as an innovative global sales representation leader in the travel industry through a worldwide network of 85 offices in more than 60 countries. With a portfolio of over 100 clients utilizing its sales, marketing and business process outsourcing services, the work of Discover the World has a direct positive impact on the growth of our clients and trade industry partners every day. www.discovertheworld.com About Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas Plus Ultra operates several long-haul routes with a modern fleet of A340 aircraft, serving main airports and with an excellent on-time record. Plus Ultra seeks to provide passengers with a true sense of pleasure when flying, where lower fares do not mean lower service standards nor comfort. To achieve this, Plus Ultra has gathered a team of highly skilled professionals with broad experience in the airline industry, as well as flight staff who aim to exceed all expectations The airline offers competitive prices and a different approach to management, consisting of a team of warm-hearted staff with a service vocation and using the best technology available. The airline is direct, trustworthy, and easy to work with. Plus Utra has established itself on a solid foundation of values and principles both in terms of the way in which it treats its staff and in the service it provides for its customers, always displaying outstanding respect, promoting collaboration and team work to achieve excellence. More information on Plus Ultra is available on the airline's website www.plusultra.com SOURCE Discover the World The "Power Score Index" for Countries Shows 18 Measures of Strength & Provides an Aggregate Power Reading for 24 Countries Based on the Research Shown in Dalio's Latest Bestseller, the Changing World Order NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on the research described in his recently released and latest New York Times Bestseller Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail (Changing World Order) famed investor and author Ray Dalio today announced the release of the inaugural edition of his new Country Power Score Index ("Power Score"). The index shows levels of 18 different types of strengths and combines them into an aggregate measure of power for the top 24 countries. Besides being able to compare countries' strengths and watch them evolve over time, one can use the Power Score as a good leading indicator of future conditions. Due to the scores being an objective measure of health that are leading indicators of future well-being, they also provide a guide for producing improved outcomes for policy makers and can serve as a tool for individuals for anticipating conditions. The index was crafted in a way that only Dalio can do because of his experience as a global-macro investor and student of history for more than 50 years. To do his job well, Dalio has spent decades studying what makes countries and their markets rise and decline. He and his Bridgewater research team converted his learnings into the 18 different determinants of power including education, innovation and technology development, civility of people, economic output, incomes and balance sheets, reserve currency status, military, etc. to generate readings that measure countries' strength in these areas and serve as indicators. Weighing different quantitative indicators and drawing from hundreds of data series, the indices convey pictures for 24 countries that are helpful in decision making. The whole process, including writing the text descriptions of what is happening, has been computerized so that the index will continue independently and beyond Dalio. "As a global-macro investor, I discovered early on that I needed to understand the cause-effect relationships that drive conditions and market movements, and that I needed to study many cases through history in order to gain that understanding. That's because many circumstances that I encountered never happened in my lifetime but happened many times before," said Dalio. "Over many years, I studied the drivers that cause countries, empires and world orders to rise and fall to help me deal with what was coming at me. That created a roadmap that actual events have by and large followed and are still following. When I started doing this and put out the research, the changing conditions painted by this process were highly controversial, but since then, events that have transpired have been consistent with this template, so these changes are now fairly obvious to most. However, the pictures they paint still remain non-conventional. My reason for putting out this index is to show these things for others, so they can evaluate them for themselves and to help policy makers and average people have better understandings, which they can use to make better decisions that can produce better outcomes." The index is available at www.economicprinciples.org and will be updated annually. The readings shown in the indices paint very rich pictures of each country's various styles of strengths and weaknesses and whether they are improving or deteriorating. A very superficial summary of the key findings at this time shows: The United States ranks at the top in terms of overall power due to its relatively high level of education, military strength and technology capability, but it is in relative decline predominately due to relative weakening in these areas, unfavorable financial and economic conditions, and high levels of domestic and external conflicts; ranks at the top in terms of overall power due to its relatively high level of education, military strength and technology capability, but it is in relative decline predominately due to relative weakening in these areas, unfavorable financial and economic conditions, and high levels of domestic and external conflicts; The aggregate power rating for China shows it to be the second most powerful country and rising due to improving financial and economic conditions; rapid improvements in infrastructure, investment, innovation and technology; and its rising share of global trade. Notably, there has been a sharp rise in the U.S. conflict gauge that has tracked the archetypical cycle of great power conflicts when two leading world powers become comparable. These last three conditions together combined with rises in military expenditures have been leading indicators of wars; shows it to be the second most powerful country and rising due to improving financial and economic conditions; rapid improvements in infrastructure, investment, innovation and technology; and its rising share of global trade. Notably, there has been a sharp rise in the U.S. conflict gauge that has tracked the archetypical cycle of great power conflicts when two leading world powers become comparable. These last three conditions together combined with rises in military expenditures have been leading indicators of wars; Europe ranks third and has been in relative decline due to low productivity gains in its labor markets and inefficient allocation of labor and capital; ranks third and has been in relative decline due to low productivity gains in its labor markets and inefficient allocation of labor and capital; Several countries follow for various reasons that are shown and explained in the body of the report; and follow for various reasons that are shown and explained in the body of the report; and At the bottom of the list are Argentina (lowest), South Africa (second lowest) and Mexico (third lowest) for reasons explained in the sections devoted to them. The full analyses and Power Score Index can be viewed at: www.economicprinciples.org. To watch the animated video of Principles for Dealing with The Changing World Order, which distills the key concepts of the book by the same name and which the index is based on, please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xguam0TKMw8. About Ray Dalio Dalio is the founder, Co-Chief Investment Officer and board member of Bridgewater Associates, a global leader in institutional portfolio management, and the largest and most successful hedge fund in the world with approximately $150 billion in assets under management. Dalio started Bridgewater out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York in 1975 and over the course of its 45+ year history grew it into the 5th most important company in the U.S. according to Fortune Magazine. For his innovative work, Ray has been called the "Steve Jobs of Investing" by Wired Magazine and named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME Magazine. Dalio is also a long-running New York Times bestselling author, with notable work including Principles: Life and Work and Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order. Due to its success, the first has been distilled into an easy-to-read, illustrated book, Principles for Success. He is also the author of Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises. Additionally, Dalio has published several studies on his economic views, including "Why and How Capitalism Needs to be Reformed." Media Contact Ryan FitzGibbon Prosek Partners [email protected] SOURCE Ray Dalio VANCOUVER, BC, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - ReVolve Renewable Power Corp, ("ReVolve") or the "Company") (TSXV: REVV) is pleased to announce that the Bureau of Land Management (the "BLM") has notified the Company that its right of way / variance land application for the 1GWac Bouse Solar and Storage project (the "Bouse Project"), located in La Paz County, Arizona has been approved for further processing. The Bouse Project is a 1GWac solar and battery storage project, located on approximately 6,155 acres of land wholly managed by the BLM in La Paz County 27 miles east of Quartzsite, Arizona. The entire project site is located in a solar variance area as identified in BLM's Solar PEIS and Record of Decision (ROD) (BLM/DOE 2012, BLM 2012a). ReVolve Renewable Power AZ LLC, a 90% owned subsidiary of the Company submitted a right of way (SF299) application to the BLM in May 2021 including a Plan of Development and Variance Factor Analysis for the Bouse Project. Following the submission of the SF299 application, the Company has worked with the BLM in accordance with the right of way regulations (43 CFR 2800) published by the BLM on December 19, 2016 to advance approval of the Bouse Project. This process included various preliminary meetings with relevant federal and state agencies, tribal consultation and a public consultation meeting, held on February 2nd, 2022. Following completion of this process the Company has been officially notified of the BLM decision to approve the Bouse Project for further processing. The Company will now continue through the BLM approval process, which will consist of completion of an environmental review of the Bouse Project in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") of 1969 and all other applicable laws, regulations and policies. Development activities for the Bouse Project over the course of 2022 are expected to consist of the following: Completion of field studies including biological, aquatic and cultural resource assessments. Completion of the Phase One interconnection study by the California Independent System Operator (" CAISO ") expected in early Q4 2022. ") expected in early Q4 2022. Review and amendment of the plan of development for the project. Publication by the BLM of the notice of intent to commence the NEPA process. The Company can also confirm that it has appointed Ecosphere Environmental Services ("Ecosphere"), a specialist environmental consultancy firm with extensive experience across the western United States. Ecosphere have been appointed to lead the field studies required as part of the NEPA process. Both the biological and aquatic field studies have already commenced and will be completed in the coming weeks. The cultural resource assessments will be completed during Q3 2022. Steve Dalton, CEO of ReVolve commented: "Completion of the variance approval process is a major milestone for the development of the Bouse Project and is the result of some excellent work by the ReVolve development team working closely with the BLM over the last 12 months. We now look forward to continuing this work with the BLM and our external consultants as the project moves into the NEPA process. Once fully permitted the Bouse Project will be one of the largest solar & storage projects in Arizona and is expected to play a significant role in meeting the rapidly growing renewable energy needs across both Arizona and California." About ReVolve Renewable Power ReVolve Renewable Power Corp. (www.revolve-renewablepower.com) is in the business of developing utility scale renewable energy generation projects in North America with a particular focus on wind, solar and battery storage technologies. The Company has also recently establish ReVolve Renewable Business Solutions, a division dedicated to the development and operation of distribution generation and sub 20MW renewable energy projects in the US and Mexico. The Company was established in 2012 and since then has successfully built a diversified portfolio of projects across the different renewable energy technologies in both the US and Mexican markets. It currently has a portfolio of 3.3 gigawatts ("GW") of projects under active development and a further 1GW of greenfield opportunities, which it is in the process of converting to its pipeline in the near term. ReVolve is in the process of rapidly expanding its pipeline and development activities in the US and is targeting an active portfolio of up to 3GWs under development by the end of 2022 in addition to a 2GW target for Mexico. Forward Looking Information Although ReVolve believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because ReVolve can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the business plans of ReVolve and ReVolve's management's expectation on the future development of the Bouse Project, including the completion of the BLM approval process, publication by the BLM of the notice of intent to commence the NEPA process, completion of field studies including biological, aquatic and cultural resource assessments, completion of the Phase One interconnection study by CAISO, the review and amendment of the plan of development for the project, the Bouse Project becoming one of the largest solar & storage projects in Arizona, the growth and performance of the Company's business in the United States and Mexico, including the planned MW capacity of its projects and its expansion into the distributed generation market. Such statements and information reflect the current view of ReVolve and/or ReVolve, respectively. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions, having regard to the Company's experience and its perception of historical trends, and includes, but is not limited to, expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions relating to the extent of regulations pertaining to the Company's projects and ReVolve's ability to continue as going concern. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information, including but not limited to: the effects of weather, catastrophes and public health crises, including COVID-19; labour availability; disruptions to the Company's supply chains; changes to regulatory environment, including interpretation of production tax credits; armed hostilities and geopolitical conflicts; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals in a timely fashion, or at all; risks related to the development and potential development of the Company's projects; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the availability of tax incentives in connection with the development of renewable energy projects and the sale of electrical energy; as well as those factors discussed in the sections relating to risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings on SEDAR. Such statements and information reflect the current view of ReVolve. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of ReVolve as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. ReVolve does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE ReVolve Renewable Power Corp In-Scope: Synthetic Rubber: The rubber bonded abrasive market share growth by the synthetic rubber segment will be significant during the forecast period. The largest application of synthetic rubber bonded abrasives is in wheels for grinding carbides and ceramics. Rubber-bonded abrasive wheels are formed by selecting the abrasive grain, then sieving it, and kneading the grain into synthetic rubber. A vulcanizing agent such as sulfur is added, and then the mix is rolled between steel calendar rolls to form a sheet of the required thickness. These characteristics of synthetic rubber bonded abrasive is a major factor that drives its widespread use in several industries such as transport, oil and gas, steel and metal, electrical and electronics due to its high tensile strength, longevity, and high resistance to temperature. Out-of-Scope: Natural Rubber Download sample to gain further insights on the market contribution of various segments Highlights- Segmentation- The report extensively covers market segmentation by Material (synthetic rubber and natural rubber) and Geography (APAC, Europe , North America , South America , and Middle East and Africa ) The report extensively covers market segmentation by Material (synthetic rubber and natural rubber) and Geography (APAC, , , , and and ) Key Companies- 3M Corp., Abrasives Manhattan SA, ARTIFEX Dr. Lohmann GmbH and Co. KG, atto Abrasives Ltd., Carborundum Universal Ltd., Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA, CRATEX Manufacturing Co., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Lowton Abrasive Ltd., Marrose Abrasives, MISUMI Group Inc., PACER Industries Inc., PFERD Inc., SAK ABRASIVES Ltd., Schwarzhaupt GmbH and Co. KG, Super Abrasives, and Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG among others 3M Corp., Abrasives Manhattan SA, ARTIFEX Dr. Lohmann GmbH and Co. KG, atto Abrasives Ltd., Carborundum Universal Ltd., Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA, CRATEX Manufacturing Co., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Lowton Abrasive Ltd., Marrose Abrasives, MISUMI Group Inc., PACER Industries Inc., PFERD Inc., SAK ABRASIVES Ltd., Schwarzhaupt GmbH and Co. KG, Super Abrasives, and Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG among others Driver- Increasing demand for rubber bonded abrasives in heavy industries to drive the market Increasing demand for rubber bonded abrasives in heavy industries to drive the market Challenge- Machine parameter constraints to hamper the market growth Download Sample: for more additional information about the Rubber Bonded Abrasive Market Vendor Insights- The rubber bonded abrasive market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as joining dominant and strong competitors through investments in R and D and continuous efforts to improve their product visibility to compete in the market. 3M Corp. - The company offers rubber bonded abrasives that are used for all applications and materials including quick change discs, flap wheels, cartridge rolls, fibre discs and non-woven wheels, brushes, flap discs, hand pads, belts and more to fit needs, under the brand name of 3M . Moreover, it is a public company headquartered in US. It is a global company generating $35,355 million in revenues and has around 95,000 employees. Its revenue from the global rubber bonded abrasive market contributes to its overall revenues along with its other offerings, but it is not a key revenue stream for the company. Download Sample Report to find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Learn More about Key Drivers & Challenges of the Market- Rubber Bonded Abrasive Market Driver: Increasing demand for rubber bonded abrasives in heavy industries: Rubber bonded abrasives are utilized in heavy industry applications for unique needs that range from initial metal processing to finished product manufacturing. Rubber bonded abrasives are most commonly used in heavy industries. The global rubber bonded abrasive market is expanding with the emergence of new applications and technologies such as the abrasive belt grinding technique which is useful in shipbuilding, aerospace, mining, steel production industries. Several governments introduced schemes to promote the growth of heavy industries in their region. For instance, the "Make in India" scheme aims to attract huge investments in the manufacturing sector in India. Furthermore, according to the National Steel Policy 2017, the government of India has set a target to ramp up the crude steel production output to 300 million tons by 2030. Therefore, the introduction of such policies has the potential to drive the growth of the global rubber bonded abrasive market is driven by their expanding applications in heavy industries. Rubber Bonded Abrasive Market Challenge: Machine parameter constraints: A wide range of industrial grinding operations and requirements need the use of different types of abrasive tools with accurately adjusted parameters. The appropriate selection of abrasive tool features is essential to meet the requirements and is a prerequisite for their smooth operation. The major parameters of loose abrasive machining, including lapping and polishing, are systematically viewed so that no error occurs during the operation. Every machine has different its own dimensions, and hence, it is difficult to design abrasives exclusively for each machine. Different loose abrasive processes require diverse treatment, such as the honing process, the lapping process, and the application of lubricants, to obtain the desired results. The obtained parameters are used to generate a basic data and information structure to achieve a knowledge warehouse system in finishing processes. Therefore, it is a restraining factor for the growth of the global rubber bonded abrasive market. Download sample report to find additional information about various other market Drivers & Challenges Didn't Find What You Were Looking For? Customize 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. Speak to our Analyst now! to take full advantage of every opportunity using competitive analysis created just for you. Here are Some Similar Topics- Liquid Polybutadiene Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The liquid polybutadiene market share is expected to increase by USD 964.95 million from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.35%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Sample Report Insoluble Sulfur Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The insoluble sulfur market size is expected to grow by USD 100.33 million and record a CAGR of 2.26% during 2021-2025. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Sample Report Rubber Bonded Abrasive Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 6.93% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 345.92 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 9.41 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 77% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, India, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled 3M Corp., Abrasives Manhattan SA, ARTIFEX Dr. Lohmann GmbH and Co. KG, atto Abrasives Ltd., Carborundum Universal Ltd., Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA, CRATEX Manufacturing Co., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Lowton Abrasive Ltd., Marrose Abrasives, MISUMI Group Inc., PACER Industries Inc., PFERD Inc., SAK ABRASIVES Ltd., Schwarzhaupt GmbH and Co. KG, Super Abrasives, and Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG 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. 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 Material Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Material 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Material - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Material - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Material Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Material Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Material 5.3 Synthetic rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Synthetic rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Synthetic rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Synthetic rubber - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Synthetic rubber - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Natural rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Natural rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Natural rubber - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Natural rubber - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Natural rubber - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Material Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Material ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 87: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 3M Corp. Corp. Exhibit 89: 3M Corp. - Overview Corp. - Overview Exhibit 90: 3M Corp. - Business segments Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 91: 3M Corp. - Key news Corp. - Key news Exhibit 92: 3M Corp. - Key offerings Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 93: 3M Corp. - Segment focus 10.4 Abrasives Manhattan SA Exhibit 94: Abrasives Manhattan SA - Overview Exhibit 95: Abrasives Manhattan SA - Product / Service Exhibit 96: Abrasives Manhattan SA - Key offerings 10.5 atto Abrasives Ltd. Exhibit 97: atto Abrasives Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 98: atto Abrasives Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 99: atto Abrasives Ltd. - Key offerings 10.6 Carborundum Universal Ltd. Exhibit 100: Carborundum Universal Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 101: Carborundum Universal Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 102: Carborundum Universal Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 103: Carborundum Universal Ltd. - Segment focus 10.7 Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA Exhibit 104: Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA - Overview Exhibit 105: Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA - Business segments Exhibit 106: Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA - Key news Exhibit 107: Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA - Key offerings Exhibit 108: Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA - Segment focus 10.8 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Exhibit 109: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Overview Exhibit 110: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 111: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 112: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Segment focus 10.9 Marrose Abrasives Exhibit 113: Marrose Abrasives - Overview Exhibit 114: Marrose Abrasives - Product / Service Exhibit 115: Marrose Abrasives - Key offerings 10.10 PACER Industries Inc. Exhibit 116: PACER Industries Inc. - Overview Exhibit 117: PACER Industries Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 118: PACER Industries Inc. - Key offerings 10.11 PFERD Inc. Exhibit 119: PFERD Inc. - Overview Exhibit 120: PFERD Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 121: PFERD Inc. - Key offerings 10.12 Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG Exhibit 122: Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG - Overview Exhibit 123: Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG - Product / Service Exhibit 124: Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 125: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 126: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 127: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 128: Research methodology Exhibit 129: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 130: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 131: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis 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 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 TEMPE, Ariz., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SANTE Realty Investments is pleased to welcome Mark Schouten to its Advisory Board called the Founders Circle. Mr. Schouten is the President, CEO and owner of Diversified Roofing, an industry leader and one of the largest roofing specialists in the southwestern and southern United States. Mr. Schouten holds several directorship positions and focuses on socially responsible associations, which fits with SANTE's pursuit of investing in properties fulfilling its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. The purpose of the Founders Circle is to bring top-quality, senior-level experience and advice to the management of SANTE Realty. By adding Mr. Schouten to the Founders Circle, SANTE Realty benefits from Mr. Schouten's guidance in the growth and development of its ground lease fund. The SANTE ground lease fund has experienced significant growth as developers begin to see ground leases as a source of sale-leaseback financing for their projects. Mr. Schouten shared, "By participating with SANTE, I feel I can bring an outside perspective to further facilitate proper governance for the group. I have a strong desire to continuously learn about new innovations in the real estate industry and SANTE is certainly a leader from that standpoint." Jim Small, CEO of SANTE Realty Investments says "Our Ground Lease fund, used as a source of financing, is opening new opportunities for developers. Mark's advice will be very helpful to achieving the long-term vision of a high yield growth of SANTE Realty Investments. He is an ideal addition to our Advisory Board." ABOUT SANTE REALTY INVESTMENTS SANTE Realty Investments is a purpose driven organization delivering private equity in the real estate sector where the firm has high conviction of being able to deliver superior returns to its institutional investors. The firm was founded in 2009 and has grown to be an industry leader in commercial real estate both in the US and Europe by leveraging its proprietary methodology including the SANTE Acquisition Advantage, SANTE Due Diligence Discovery, SANTE Asset Management Method, & SANTE Investor Cash Flow Maximizer programs. Further information please contact Dave Shaw, Managing Director of Capital Markets for SANTE Realty Investments at 602-753-3538 or via email at [email protected] Additional background information is available at www.SANTErealty.com. SOURCE SANTE Realty Investments NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner of the class action firm Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Rattler Midstream LP (RTLR), relating to its proposed merger with Diamondback Energy, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, RTLR unitholders will receive 0.113 units of Diamondback per unit they own. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/rattler-midstream-lp. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. About Monteverde & Associates PC We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2021 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, in 2019 we recovered or secured six cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases. If you own common stock in RTLR and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341. Contact: Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405 New York, NY 10118 United States of America [email protected] Tel: (212) 971-1341 Attorney Advertising. (C) 2022 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC ( www.monteverdelaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Credit Suisse Group AG ("Credit Suisse" or the "Company") (NYSE: CS) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and docketed under 22-cv-02477, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Credit Suisse securities between March 19, 2021 and March 25, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Credit Suisse securities during the Class Period, you have until June 28, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Credit Suisse, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial services in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. The Company offers private banking and wealth management solutions, including advisory, investment, financial planning, succession planning, and trust services, and financing and lending, and multi-shore platform solutions. Credit Suisse has a history of business dealings with Russian oligarchs, or ultra-high net worth business leaders possessing significant political influence. For example, an article published by Financial Times on February 7, 2022, entitled "Credit Suisse securitizes yacht loans to oligarchs and tycoons", cited a recent investor presentation for a synthetic securitization deal, in which Credit Suisse sold off $80 million worth of risk related to a $2 billion portfolio of loans backed by assets owned by certain of the bank's ultra-high net worth clients (the "Securitization Deal"), which disclosed that, in 2017 and 2018, Credit Suisse experienced 12 defaults on yacht and aircraft loans, a third of which were related to U.S. sanctions against Russian oligarchs. Press reports at the time indicated that Russian billionaires Oleg Deripaska, Arkady Rotenberg, and Boris Rotenberg had to terminate private jet leases with Credit Suisse in those years. Beginning in or around October 2021, Russia commenced a major military build-up near the Russo-Ukrainian border, in apparent preparation for an invasion of Ukraine. Although the Russian government repeatedly denied it had plans to invade or attack Ukraine, the U.S. later released intelligence of Russian invasion plans, including satellite photographs showing Russian troops and equipment near the Russo-Ukrainian border. In November 2021, as Russia's military buildup on the Russo-Ukrainian border continued, the Company entered the Securitization Deal. Just months later, on February 24, 2022, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine. In the immediate aftermath of the invasion, Western governments including, among others, the U.S., Canada, and the European Union, imposed significant sanctions on Russia. The sanctions included, inter alia, measures targeting Russia's ultrawealthy oligarchs by denying them access to the global financial system and by, in some cases, authorizing the seizure of certain of their high-value assets located outside of Russia. Barely a week after the commencement of the Russian invasion and the retaliatory sanctions imposed by Western nations, news outlets reported that Credit Suisse had requested non-participating investors who received information about the Company's loan portfolio to destroy and permanently erase any confidential information that Credit Suisse provided to them regarding the Securitization Deal. The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Credit Suisse had deficient disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting; (ii) Credit Suisse's practice of lending money to Russian oligarchs subject to U.S. and international sanctions created a significant risk of violating rules pertaining to those sanctions and future sanctions; (iii) the foregoing conduct subjected the Company to an increased risk of heightened regulatory scrutiny and/or enforcement actions; (iv) the Securitization Deal concerned loans that Credit Suisse made to Russian oligarchs previously sanctioned by the U.S.; (v) the purpose of the Securitization Deal was to offload the risks associated with these loans and mitigate the impact on Credit Suisse of sanctions likely to be implemented by Western nations in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine; (vi) Credit Suisse's request that non-participating investors destroy documents related to the Securitization Deal was intended to conceal the Company's noncompliance with U.S. and international sanctions in its lending practices; (vii) the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to subject the Company to enhanced regulatory scrutiny and significant reputational harm; and (viii) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On March 28, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform sent Credit Suisse a letter asking the Company to turn over information and documents about a portfolio of loans backed by yachts and private jets owned by clients, potentially including sanctioned Russian individuals. In the letter, House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Stephen Lynch, chair of the Subcommittee on National Security, questioned Credit Suisse's request that hedge funds and other non-participating investors "destroy documents" related to yachts and private jets owned by the bank's clients. "Given the timing of this request and its subject matter," the House Democrats wrote, "Credit Suisse's action raises significant concerns that it may be concealing information" about whether participants in the deal may be "evading sanctions" imposed by the West after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On this news, Credit Suisse's stock price fell $0.21 per share, or 2.58%, to close at $7.94 per share on March 28, 2022. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Oscar Health, Inc. ("Oscar" or the "Company") (NYSE: OSCR) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and docketed under 22-cv-04103, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Oscar Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with the Company's March 2021 initial public offering ("IPO" or the "Offering"). Plaintiff pursues claims against under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"). If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Oscar Class A common stock, pursuant and/or traceable to the company's IPO, you have until July 11, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Oscar is a health insurance company that claims to be the first such company "built around a full stack technology platform" which will "allow [Oscar] to continue to innovate like a technology company and not a traditional insurer." On March 4, 2021, the Company filed its prospectus on Form 424B4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which forms part of the Registration Statement. In the IPO, the Company sold 36,391,946 shares of Class A common stock at a price of $39.00 per share. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $1.3 billion from the Offering. The proceeds from the IPO were purportedly to be used to repay in full outstanding borrowings, including fees and expenses, under Oscar's Term Loan Facility ($167 million), and the remainder proceeds were to be used for general corporate purposes. The complaint alleges that, the Registration Statement was materially false and misleading and omitted to state: (1) that Oscar was experiencing growing COVID-19 testing and treatment costs; (2) that Oscar was experiencing growing net COVID costs; (3) that Oscar would be negatively impacted by an unfavorable prior year Risk Adjustment Data Validation ("RADV") result relating to 2019 and 2020; (4) that Oscar was on track to be negatively impacted by significant Special Enrollment Period ("SEP") membership growth; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. On August 12, 2021, Oscar disclosed that the Company's Medical Loss Ratio ("MLR") for the second quarter of 2021 was 82.4%, an increase of 2170 basis points year-over year. The Company claimed that "[t]he MLR increased to 82.4% in 2Q21 from 60.7% in 2Q20, primarily driven by meaningfully lower utilization in 2Q20 as a result of COVID-19, as well as higher COVID-19 testing and treatment costs and a return to more normalized utilization in 2Q21." The Company also disclosed that its net loss for the quarter was $73.1 million, an increase of $32.1 million year-over-year. On November 10, 2021, Oscar disclosed that its third quarter 2021 MLR increased 920 basis points year-over-year, to 99.7%. The Company claimed that the MLR increase was "primarily driven by higher net COVID costs as compared to the net benefit in 3Q20, an unfavorable prior year Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) result, and the impact of significant SEP membership growth." The Company also disclosed that its net loss for the quarter was $212.7 million, an increase of $133.6 million year-over-year. During a conference call held the same day, Scott Blackley, the Company's Chief Financial Officer, stated: "We recognized approximately $20 million of risk adjustment expense this quarter related to our risk adjustment data validation audit or RADV results. The RADV exercise is atypical this year due to COVID. It spans two years, 2019 and 2020. The majority of the RADV headwinds relate to the 2019 audit results, which were recently completed." On this news, Oscar's share price fell $4.05 per share, or 24.5%, to close at 12.47 per share on November 11, 2021. By the commencement of this action, Oscar stock has traded as low as $5.47 per share, a nearly 86% decline from the $39.00 per share IPO price. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. (""or the "Company") (NYSE: FHS). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether FHS and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On or around March 11, 2021, FHS conducted its initial public offering ("IPO") of 7.5 million American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") priced at $10.00 per share. Soon after the IPO, media reports stated that Chinese policymakers had proposed stricter regulations to rein in the for-profit education industry, such as regulations aimed at enhancing teacher quality, limiting fee scams, reducing market abuse, and reducing the stress that for-profit educational companies had placed on students in the Chinese educational system. On May 12, 2021, news reports revealed that the impending government crackdown on for-profit educational companies in China would be much more drastic and far reaching than previously publicly known. Sources stated that anticipated rules would include measures such as banning on-campus tutoring classes, prohibiting tutoring services during weekend hours, and the imposition of industry-wide fee limitations. On May 14, 2021, China's state council announced that it would further tighten regulations on compulsory education and training institutions with new rules set to take effect on September 1, 2021. On July 23, 2021, China unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its education sector, banning companies that teach the school curriculum from making profits, raising capital or going public. These drastic measures effectively ended any potential growth in the for-profit tutoring sector in China. On July 26, 2021, FHS issued a press release announcing that the Company "will follow the spirit of the Opinion and comply with all relevant rules and regulations in providing high school education services." In a series of disclosures beginning on September 28, 2021, FHS reported, among other things, disappointing financial and operating results due to the impact of the regulatory crackdown on China's for-profit education sector; the resignation of the Company's Chief Financial Officer; the dismissal of the Company's auditor, KPMG Huazhen LLP; the receipt of a letter from the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") stating that the Company was in non-compliance with the NYSE's listing requirements because its total market capitalization and stockholders' equity had fallen below compliance standards; and that the Company would be unable to timely filed its annual report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By May 10, 2022, FHS ADSs closed below $1.00 per share, representing a decline of more than 90% from the offering price. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. ("IIPR" or the "Company") (NYSE: IIPR). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether IIPR and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On April 14, 2022, Blue Orca Capital ("Blue Orca") published a short report on IIPR, which it described as "a marijuana bank masquerading as a REIT." The Blue Orca reported asserted, among other things, that "[i]n the last 17 months . . . IIPR's loan book appears to have degraded significantly as the sector has become more competitive and IIPR stretched for lower quality tenants in search of continuing growth", that "IIPR's largest tenant is a failed SPAC that appears to be in severe financial distress and was recently sued by investors", and that "[u]nlike with other REITs, IIPR cannot expect to recover the lost income from defaulting tenants because it appears that the actual values of its properties are substantially below their carrying value on IIPR's balance sheet." On this news, IIPR's stock price fell $13.76, or 7.50% to close at $169.68 per share on April 15, 2022. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 9980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Twitter, Inc. ("Twitter" or the "Company") (NYSE: TWTR). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Twitter and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On April 4, 2022, Elon Musk ("Musk") disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filing that he owned 9.2% of Twitter stock. On this news, Twitter's stock price rose $10.66 per share, or 27.12%, to close at $49.97 per share on April 4, 2022. Then, on April 5, 2022, in another SEC filing, Musk disclosed that he had purchased more than 5% of Twitter stock on March 14, 2022, which, per applicable SEC rules, should have been disclosed by March 24, 2022. The same April 5, 2022 filing also indicated that Musk had acquired approximately 13.1 million Twitter shares at an average price of $39.06 per share after March 24, 2022, and before Twitter's stock price rose to $49.97 per share on April 4, 2022, thereby potentially saving him millions of dollars at the expense of other investors that could have sold their Twitter stock at a higher price, had they been similarly and timely informed of Musk's large stake in the Company. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Youdao, Inc. ("Yaoudao" or the "Company") (NYSE: DAO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Youdao and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On May 5, 2022, Youdao issued a press release "provid[ing] an update on its status under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the 'HFCAA')." The press release stated, in relevant part, that "[o]n May 4, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC') provisionally named the Company as a Commission-Identified Issuer after the Company filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 with the SEC on April 28, 2022, which included an audit report issued by a public accounting firm that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the 'PCAOB') has determined that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely." The press release advised investors that "[i]n accordance with the HFCAA, if the SEC determines that a company has filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that cannot be inspected or investigated completely by the PCAOB for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit its shares or American depositary shares (the 'ADSs') from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States." On this news, Youdao's ADS price fell $0.67 per share, or 9.24%, to close at $6.58 per share on May 5, 2022. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP WASHINGTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SIMPLi , a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Business-to-Business (B2B) food company, announced today it has expanded its Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) Quinoa product line and launched their second product category of single-origin oils with Whole Foods Market. SIMPLi is the first food brand to achieve ROC in South America for its quinoa and beans, which means its products meet the highest standards in the world for soil health, animal welfare, and farmworker and social fairness. SIMPLi olive oil. SIMPLi Co-founders Sarela Herrada and Matt Cohen. SIMPLi expanded its ROC quinoa line to include three new Whole Foods Market regions: South Pacific (Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada), South (the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi), and Florida. This expansion increases the Baltimore-headquartered brand's footprint by over 140 additional stores, growing their placement into approximately 200 WFM locations across the nation and accelerating access to SIMPLi's ROC products. According to Matt Cohen, co-founder, SIMPLi, "We're excited to broaden our relationship with Whole Foods Market given our strong alignment on Regenerative Organic Certified products. This expansion will allow new consumers to discover our brand, to access authentic single-origin ingredients, and to learn about the importance of transparency in global supply chains, ethical sourcing, and combating climate change through regenerative practices." In addition to the expansion of its ROC quinoa line, SIMPLi is also launching a new product line at Whole Foods: single-origin extra virgin olive oils. SIMPLi strategically targeted oils as its second product category launch since Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the most fraudulent food item in the marketplace. SIMPLi's single-origin Greek 100% EVOO & EVOO Blend products will be available in more than 125 WFM stores across the nation (Mid-Atlantic, South, and Florida regions). SIMPLi 100% EVOO is directly sourced from Sparta, Greece and is made for dipping or drizzling. SIMPLi EVOO Blend (a combination of SIMPLi EVOO & SIMPLi Sunflower Oil) is directly sourced from Sparta, Greece, and Poltava, Ukraine, respectively, blended in-house in the USA, and is made for cooking, baking, or pan-frying. This new launch gives SIMPLi the platform to advance its mission of fighting food fraudulency by leveraging its fully vertical supply chains to provide consumers with authentic, single-origin oils. "We're thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Whole Foods Market," said Sarela Herrada, SIMPLi's cofounder. "As two brands focused on promoting regenerative agriculture and informing consumers about where their food comes from and how it's grown, there is a strong orientation between us and enormous potential for making an impact together." About SIMPLi: SIMPLi was launched in 2020 by co-founders Sarela Herrada and Matt Cohen with a mission to fix our broken food system and transform it into one that is good for you, for the planet, and for producers. and with a mission to fix our broken food system and transform it into one that is good for you, for the planet, and for producers. Based in Baltimore, MD , the company works directly with farming communities around the world to source sustainably grown, high-quality ingredients and bring them directly to consumers through foodservice brands such as sweetgreen , Daily Harvest , &pizza , and PLNT Burger , and through retailers like Whole Foods Market , Faire , Patagonia Provisions , and HIVE . , the company works directly with farming communities around the world to source sustainably grown, high-quality ingredients and bring them directly to consumers through foodservice brands such as , , , and , and through retailers like , , , and . By working directly with farming communities, SIMPLi's vertical supply chain eliminates the middleman, shifting value back to farmers and ensuring consumers and businesses receive nutrient-dense products of integrity. SIMPLi is a Fair For Life Certified company and Regenerative Organic Certified, meaning its production sites support sustainable livelihoods for farmers and workers by providing lasting, positive change in income sustainability, community and individual well-being, empowerment, and environmental stewardship. For press inquiries, please contact: MBO Media Mary Beth Olson 240-507-9152 [email protected] SOURCE SIMPLi Fentanyl is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. Just a few inhaled grains of fentanyl can cause a dog to overdose. A police handler may not see a fentanyl threat to a K9 dog until it is too late. The AVMA, American Veterinary Medical Association, reported, "Sporadic reports indicate police dogs and some pet dogs have been victims of overdoses or suspected overdoses. Those include three police dogs that showed clinical signs but survived after fentanyl exposure in a Florida home."3 Police officers are now wearing respirators, dust masks, latex gloves and long-sleeve shirts when testing any powder at a crime scene that is potentially fentanyl. But what can a K9 police dog do to protect itself? Fully trained police dogs are worth around $30,000 each, and police departments are looking for ways to protect these canine officers. K9 Mask dog air filters are a new way working dogs can be protected from opioid inhalation. Using an effective air filter on a K9 police dog provides protection from harmful opioids during field operations. K9 Mask has an N95 air filter option which significantly minimizes the danger of a dog inhaling opioids. Colorado is equipping all its police canine teams with Narcan, the overdose-reversal drug. Police in Canada are training dogs on liquid, rather than powder, fentanyl to minimize the risk of exposure during training. Maryland state police are carrying Narcan for their dogs and are trained to look for "excessive drooling and severe limping" as symptoms of overdose. As police departments look for solutions to protect their investment in K9 units, new solutions like the K9 Mask air filter for dogs and over-dose reversal drugs like Narcan will help these important animals stay safe while working near dangerous opioids. K9 Mask by Good Air Team K9Mask.com 1 https://thebark.com/content/opioid-epidemic-affects-police-dogs-too 2 https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2018-02-01/synthetic-opioids-put-police-dogs-risk 3 https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2018-02-01/synthetic-opioids-put-police-dogs-risk SOURCE Good Air Team LLC Award-winning PR and marketing firm to raise brand awareness for leading dental technology company through a multi-channel communications and media relations program SAN DIEGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowe PR, a national public relations and marketing agency, today announced leading dental technology company Sonendo, Inc. (NYSE: SONX) has named the award-winning firm its agency of record. Crowe PR's integrated healthcare and technology teams will handle strategic communications, messaging refinement, media relations and thought leadership on behalf of Sonendo, raising awareness for the brand, its GentleWave System and executive team. Founded in 2006, Sonendo developed the revolutionary GentleWave System to offer a less invasive and less painful alternative to conventional root canal therapy. Led by CEO Bjarne Bergheim, the company went public in October 2021 and has been expanding ever since, recently hitting a new milestone of 800,000 GentleWave patient procedures. "We are thrilled to welcome Sonendo, a true innovator in the dental technology space, to Crowe," said Crowe PR CEO Anna Crowe. "As the company continues its impressive growth trajectory, we look forward to supporting both the brand and its executives through communications, media relations and thought leadership initiatives." "Sonendo is dedicated to saving teeth and stopping the progression of tooth decay. With millions of root canals performed in the U.S. each year, the GentleWave Procedure is a much-needed improvement," said Alma Salazar, associate vice president of consumer and professional marketing at Sonendo. "As we continue expanding our reach, one of our primary goals is to increase brand recognition amongst endodontists and consumers and drive continued adoption of the GentleWave System. To help us accomplish this, we are thrilled to partner with the Crowe PR team and excited to see what's in store for the future." An integrated public relations and marketing agency, Crowe PR specializes in amplifying brand awareness and visibility for healthcare and technology, consumer goods and hospitality brands. The company's core services include public relations, thought leadership, social media and influencer marketing. For more information, please visit www.crowepr.com and follow along on LinkedIn and Instagram at @crowepr. About Crowe PR Crowe PR is an integrated public relations and marketing agency specializing in mid to large-sized consumer goods, hospitality, healthcare and technology brands, with a focus on health and wellness, outdoor and sustainable brands. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., with a second location in New York City and staff around the country, Crowe PR focuses on reputation management and delivering results that generate strong ROI for its clients. Services include media relations, thought leadership, crisis communications, social media management, influencer marketing and content creation. Crowe PR has won five PRSA Bernays awards, receiving recognition for marketing, media relations, consumer products, executive communications, and Public Relations Team of the Year. For more information visit https://www.crowepr.com. About Sonendo Sonendo is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on saving teeth from tooth decay, the most prevalent chronic disease globally. Sonendo develops and manufactures the GentleWave System, an innovative technology platform designed to treat tooth decay by cleaning and disinfecting the microscopic spaces within teeth without the need to remove tooth structure. The system utilizes a proprietary mechanism of action, which combines procedure fluid optimization, broad-spectrum acoustic energy, and advanced fluid dynamics, to debride and disinfect deep regions of the complex root canal system in a less invasive procedure that preserves tooth structure. The clinical benefits of the GentleWave System when compared to conventional methods of root canal therapy include improved clinical outcomes, such as superior cleaning that is independent of root canal complexity and tooth anatomy, high and rapid rates of healing and minimal to no post-operative pain. In addition, the GentleWave System can improve the workflow and economics of dental practices and offers patients an effective, less invasive, and less painful alternative to traditional root canal therapy. Sonendo is also the parent company of TDO Software, the developer of widely used endodontic practice management software solutions, designed to simplify practice workflow. TDO Software integrates practice management, imaging, referral reporting and CBCT imaging, and offers built-in communication with the GentleWave System. For more information about Sonendo and the GentleWave System, please visit www.sonendo.com. To find a GentleWave doctor in your area, please visit www.gentlewave.com. SOURCE CROWE PR RESTON, Va., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SOSi announced today that it has hired defense industry veteran Dan Robinson as a Vice President to lead its Intelligence Solutions business unit. Over the past 30 years, Robinson has held senior executive roles at large and mid-sized intelligence community contractors. He served as a Deputy Division Manager at SAIC, Vice President for Intelligence Operations at Titan Corporation, and Senior Vice President for Intelligence Solutions at L-3 Communications. Dan Robinson | SOSi Vice President for Intelligence Solutions Following a five-year run at L-3 Titan, Robinson spent 10 years as the President & Chief Operating Officer of Pluribus International, where he successfully tripled the size of the company and managed its sale to Metis Solutions (later acquired by PAE, Inc.). His latest position prior to joining SOSi was Vice President for Intelligence Services at The Buffalo Group through its sale to Jacobs in late 2020. "I have personally worked with Dan in various capacities for nearly two decades," said SOSI CEO, Julian Setian. "He's among the most talented industry executives I know. He has a deep understanding of the intelligence community and a proven track record of leadership and growth." At SOSi, Robinson oversees a large team of intelligence professionals providing analysis and operations support, ISR platform development, and cybersecurity services to U.S. Government clients on multiple continents. In addition to managing SOSi's current portfolio of intelligence community programs, he is also responsible for leading ongoing strategic growth initiatives and M&A. ABOUT SOSi SOSi is a leading provider of mission-critical cyber, software, intelligence, and logistics solutions to the U.S. national security community. Founded in 1989, we are a among the largest private, founder-owned, and operated technology and services integrators in the aerospace, defense, and government services industry. Our operations span the globe, and we manage many of the nation's most critical programs. For more information, visit sosi.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for news and updates. SOURCE SOS International LLC (SOSi) Splitit and BlueSnap announce joint payment partnership to simplify buy now, pay later for the merchant community Tweet this The two companies are also working on a tight integration between Splitit's Installments-as-a-Service white-label BNPL platform and BlueSnap's All-in-One Payment Orchestration Platform to make offering installment payments as easy as toggling on the option in the BlueSnap merchant portal. The result will be an uncluttered, simplified experience embedded into the merchant's existing purchase flow. Splitit's use of global credit card networks also means merchants can easily add its service to new countries or regions through a single integration. The deep integration is expected to be completed by Q3 2022. "We are excited to build on our relationship and invest in our future together by embedding Splitit's Installments-as-a-Service into such a high-growth and modern payment platform like BlueSnap," said Nandan Sheth, CEO of Splitit. "BlueSnap has done a phenomenal job supporting the global payment needs of mid-market and enterprise businesses. Our new integration will allow us to jointly go to market while cross-selling into the existing BlueSnap merchant base." "The global growth of BNPL has our merchants looking for an embedded experience that does not require consumers to change behavior. The opportunity to leverage the strength of our mutual platforms, powering a true white-label BNPL option, to the forefront of our customer base is exciting," adds Ralph Dangelmaier, CEO of BlueSnap. "We are also excited that Splitit selected BlueSnap as its global payment processing partner for their direct business. This allows us to offer a fully integrated solution, reducing the complexity for our merchants." Splitit's white-label installment plugin allows merchants to nurture and retain their customers, driving loyalty and promoting brand consistency on their terms. Splitit offers consumers a more responsible pay-later option without adding new debt or impacting their credit reports. Any consumer with the available balance on their credit card is automatically pre-qualified to use Splitit. There's no application, interest or hidden fees and no changes to their credit report, creating the least amount of consumer friction. BlueSnap's All-in-One Payment Orchestration Platform helps businesses accept payments globally. The platform provides comprehensive back-end solutions that simplify the complexity of payments, managing the entire process from start to finish. With one integration and contract, businesses can sell in over 200 regions with access to local card acquiring in 47 countries, 100+ currencies and 100+ global payment types, including popular eWallets. Merchants and partners wanting to take advantage of Splitit's Installments-as-a-Service can start today at www.splitit.com. About BlueSnap BlueSnap helps businesses accept global payments in a better way. Our All-In-One Payment Orchestration Platform is designed to increase sales and reduce costs for all businesses accepting payments. BlueSnap supports payments across all geographies through multiple sales channels such as online and mobile sales, marketplaces, subscriptions, invoice payments and manual orders through a virtual terminal. And for businesses looking for embedded payments, we offer white-labeled payments for platforms with automated underwriting and onboarding that supports marketplaces and split payments. With one integration and contract, businesses can sell in over 200 regions with access to local card acquiring in 47 countries, 100+ currencies and 100+ global payment types, including popular eWallets, automated accounts receivable, world-class fraud protection and chargeback management, built-in solutions for regulation and tax compliance, and unified global reporting to help businesses grow. BlueSnap is backed by world-class private equity investors, including Great Hill Partners and Parthenon Capital Partners. Learn more at BlueSnap.com. About Splitit Splitit powers the next generation of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) through its merchant-branded Installments-as-a-Service platform. Splitit is solving the challenges businesses face with legacy BNPL while unlocking BNPL at the point of sale for card networks, issuers and acquirers all through a single network API. Splitit's Installments-as-a-Service platform mitigates issues with legacy BNPL like the declining conversion funnel, clutter at the checkout and a lack of control of the merchant's customer experience, while putting the power back in the hands of merchants to nurture and retain customers, drive conversion and increase average order value. Splitit's white-label BNPL is the easiest installment option for merchants to adopt, integrate and operate while delivering an uncluttered, simplified experience embedded into their existing purchase flow. Headquartered in New York, Splitit has an R&D center in Israel and offices in London and Australia. Splitit is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under ticker code SPT and also trades on the US OTCQX under ticker SPTTY (ADRs) and STTTF (ordinary shares). Contact Information Brian Blank, Splitit [email protected] +1 760 917 3321 Michael McMullan or Felicia Kane Berns Communications Group on behalf of Splitit [email protected] [email protected] Kayla Perkins 5WPR on behalf of BlueSnap [email protected] +1 978 870 3598 SOURCE Splitit USA, Inc. 13 MOUs signed during opening ceremony of the first-of-its-kind conference dedicated to developing innovative solutions to common challenges shared by the two countries. A delegation of dozens of Israeli government and high-tech leaders is traveling to Casablanca for a 3-day conference focused on innovative solutions to shared challenges and to meet with leading Moroccan companies and governmental organizations. During 'Connect to Innovate', a series of business agreements will be signed between Israeli and Moroccan entities to pave the way for a surge of B2B and G2G activities, particularly in the fields of AgriFood-Tech, Water-Tech, ClimateTech, Logistics, and Human Capital. CASABLANCA, Morocco, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Start-Up Nation Central A non-profit that promotes the Israeli innovation ecosystem around the world kicked off its first-of-its-kind conference focused on developing innovative solutions to common challenges shared by Israel and Morocco, in Casablanca on Monday. The 'Connect to Innovate' conference, taking place May 23-26 aims to bring the longstanding cultural relationship shared by the two countries into the 21st century by centering ties on innovation and technology, as envisioned by H.M. King Mohammed VI's New Development Model. The event is taking a place at a time when both countries look to strengthen bilateral ties following the establishment of diplomatic relations in late 2020. The senior officials during the MOU signing ceremony in Casablanca, photo courtesy of Start-Up Nation Central The conference opened Monday evening with a ceremony for 150 Moroccan and Israeli government and business leaders, the largest ever business and innovation delegation arriving from Israel to Morocco. The event featured keynote addresses by Israel's President Isaac Herzog (video); H.E. Mr. Andre Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI; Ghita Mezzour, Morocco's Minister of Digital Transformation; Ryad Mezzour, Morocco's Minister of Commerce and Industry; Mohamed Abdeljalil, Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics; David Govrin, Head of the Israel Mission to Morocco, and Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson. Israel's Science, Technology, and Innovation Minster Orit Farkash-Hacohen will lead the closing ceremony of the conference. The opening ceremony also featured live signing ceremonies of a series of 13 MOUs between Israeli and Moroccan entities that will pave the way for a surge of B2B and G2G activities, particularly in the fields of human capital, agrifood-tech, water-tech, climatetech, logistics, and more. To help forge those ties, Start-Up Nation Central brought to Morocco a delegation of more than 50 Israelis to Casablanca. Members of the delegation, which includes senior government officials, business executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and consultants, will share their experiences and challenges in an effort to create collaborations with Moroccan participants that address each other's pain points. The conference will include professional workshops, lectures, business panels, pitch sessions, and roundtable discussions. Half a day will be dedicated to each one of the four main focus topics: agrifood-tech, water-tech, energy, climatetech and supply chain/logistics. Additional sessions will be dedicated to exploring solutions to human capital challenges in both countries, and on best practices and key components of developing an innovation ecosystem. The goal is to share the strengths and areas for growth of both countries' ecosystems in order to find areas where each could benefit from working together. "I am so pleased to send my warmest greetings to the Morocco-Israel Connect to Innovate Forum and to congratulate Start-Up Nation Central and all the forum partners and participants for organizing this historic event," Israel's President Isaac Herzog said in a recorded message to the attendees. "Together, Israel and Morocco can develop the innovative solutions that will improve lives, livelihoods, and quality of life in our own countries and promote progress and peace throughout the Middle East, Africa and beyond." "Morocco and Israel have started the path of a win-win collaboration in mutually beneficial areas. As envisioned, we have built a solid and dynamic economic partnership that aims to be innovative in tune with global technological changes. This forum will make it possible to further explore avenues for development in promising areas, namely: AgriFood-Tech, EnergyTech, LogisticTech and WaterTech," Morocco's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ryad Mezzour, said. "These are projects that subscribe to Morocco's prioritized approach to economy and industry and are perfectly aligned with Morocco's New Development Model, which promotes sovereignty, innovation, R&D and innovative entrepreneurship." "For the last few decades innovation has been the driving force of the Israeli economy, leading to consistent growth, raising its standard of living, and opening new opportunities on the diplomatic front. As the world moved from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one, we invite our regional and global partners to take part in the journey and benefit from the lessons we learned on the path to becoming the Start-Up Nation," said Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson. "We believe that Morocco, under the leadership of HM Mohammed VI, is uniquely suited to partner with Israel in blazing a trail to a new MENA region, one that is connected by a genuine desire for peace and prosperity. This conference is a pivotal point as we embark on a joint innovation journey between Israel and Morocco toward economic prosperity." The three-day event is co-organized with Morocco's CPR and brings together Moroccan and Israeli leaders from the public and private sectors, including large corporations and technology companies to help them identify avenues for collaboration that will benefit both economies. By connecting the Israeli innovation ecosystem to those of the Moroccan public and private sectors, the organizers aim to tackle shared challenges resulting in successful long-term business ventures and closer people-to-people ties. Representatives of leading Moroccan business and governmental companies, including Confederation Generale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM); AMDIE; ONEE; Credit Agricole du Maroc; ADD; The Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation in Science and Engineering (FRDISI); UM6P; Ithmar Capital; Tamwilcom; AMDL; SNTL, and Lina Holding, also took part in the event and expressed their commitment to developing innovation and business cooperation and their support for the trailblazing initiative. Pictured from right to left: Ghita Mezzour, Morocco's Minister of Digital Transformation; Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson; H.E. Mr. Andre Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI; Mohamed Abdeljalil, Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics; Ryad Mezzour, Morocco's Minister of Commerce and Industry; and David Govrin, Head of the Israel Mission to Morocco. Photo credit: Courtesy of Start-Up Nation Central About Start-Up Nation Central: Start-Up Nation Central is a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world in order to help international entities solve global challenges. Immersed in the Israeli technology ecosystem, we provide a platform that nurtures business growth and generates partnerships with corporations, governments, investors, and NGOs to strengthen Israel's economy and society. For more information, visit: https://startupnationcentral.org/. Click here for the full list of partners and startups taking part in the conference. SOURCE Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) Joins Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium BALTIMORE , May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sysmex Inostics, a global leader in the liquid biopsy revolution, has expanded its offering of CLIA-validated tests to include AML-SEQ, a focused panel to detect mutations of the three most prevalent genes found in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) IDH1/2 & NPM1. AML-SEQ rounds out the company's AML Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) offerings with a less expensive test compared to the broader AML-MRD-SEQ panel launched in October 2021. AML-MRD-SEQ is a more extensive panel for the detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) in 68 regions across 20 genes including the clinically established IDH1/2 and NPM1. "We envision investigators and eventually physicians using AML-SEQ and AML-MRD-SEQ as a one-two-punch in the fight against AML and AML MRD. We are committed to developing tools to support the fight against this devastating disease. We must support management of patients suffering from AML by providing the accurate and sensitive detection of AML biomarkers," said Shinichi Sato, CEO of Sysmex Inostics, Inc. AML-SEQ adds to the portfolio of ultra-sensitive Plasma-Safe-SeqS technology NGS tests available through Sysmex Inostics' CLIA lab services in Baltimore, Maryland. Joins Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium Sysmex Inostics also announced that it has joined the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium's (BC) four-year project to validate new methods of MRD detection and quantification as a measure of response and trial endpoints in AML. "At Sysmex Inostics, we are passionate about the fight against cancer. Being a part of this consortium is significant as it will contribute to advancing that fight by developing guidelines to better evaluate and manage AML MRD patients," said Sato. "Currently, it's a flip of a coin if a patient with AML will experience MRD, and the AML MRD 5-year disease-free survival rate of over 30%1 is completely unacceptable," he concluded. The FNIH consortium combines significant public and private organizations to develop AML MRD guidelines, establish methods for MRD detection, and achieve better measures for clinical trial design and drug development. Project partners include the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), several award-winning cancer institutions and leading pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies. For more information about the FNIH AML-MRD Consortium click here. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), an estimated 20,050 new AML cases will be diagnosed in the United States in 2022.1 Rising incidence of cancer and increasing preference of noninvasive treatments is driving the quick expansion of the liquid biopsy market. Globally, the liquid biopsy market is to achieve an annual growth rate of more than 18% over the next few years, reaching $5.8 billion by 2026.2 About Sysmex Inostics Sysmex Inostics, Inc., a US-based Sysmex Corporation subsidiary, empowers discoveries in oncology by providing investigators cost-effective and ultra-sensitive quantitative liquid biopsy solutions. Developed by experts at Johns Hopkins with the philosophy of "no molecule left behind," these technologies are optimized to ensure the detection of low-frequency mutant molecules (0.03%-0.05% MAF) with a high degree of specificity. Focused and flexible genomic coverage allows for superior sensitivity and reduced costs. As forerunners of blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) mutation detection, Sysmex Inostics has provided custom assays and CLIA-certified lab services to leading BioPharma companies over the last ten years to help monitor progression, identify targetable resistance alterations, and detect MRD throughout the clinical trial process. In July 2021, Sysmex Corporation announced a global strategic alliance with QIAGEN to provide custom cancer companion diagnostics (CDx) utilizing Plasma-Safe-SeqS technology. The alliance is intended to promote early clinical implementation of Sysmex Inostics' technology to expedite clinical trial timelines for pharmaceutical companies that develop molecularly targeted drugs for cancer. Sysmex Inostics offers a portfolio of highly sensitive NGS panels through its CLIA-certified laboratory in Baltimore, Maryland. For more information, refer to www.sysmex-inostics.com or email [email protected]. References: 1. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/amyl.html 2. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/liquid-biopsy-market-13966350.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAg6yRBhBNEiwAeVyL0CZs-TXAfcJc_hDJoIHKkdcE7iNCnWH2DIEVxKT0OjDfHTSREKjWBxoCAuYQAvD_BwE SOURCE Sysmex Inostics DETROIT, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pulte Family, known in homebuilding for Bill Pulte's experience inside of Pulte Homes and PulteGroup Inc, applauds The Gilbert Family Foundation for its large $13 million gift which will help residents from being kicked out of their homes. The Gilbert Family has chosen to give a directly impactful Hand Up. William J. Pulte and William J. Pulte with Mayor Dave Bing in Detroits Eastern Market Neighborhood in February 2013 "Dan Gilbert, Jennifer Gilbert, and The Gilbert Family have always been rock solid in helping people in Detroit neighborhoods, and this Gift cements that even further! When my Grandfather and I were looking for support for our efforts to remove blight in Detroit, Dan Gilbert was always helpful and supportive, even housing our efforts for free, something my grandpa truly appreciated him doing. Congratulations to The Gilberts on, again, leading by example!", said William J. "Bill" Pulte (b.1988). "Even when some non-business family members didn't support the Pulte Homes Founder William J. Pulte's differences with the Dugas Management Team at PulteGroup Inc, Dan Gilbert shared his concerns about the Dugas Management Team by tweeting, 'punk CEO & invertebrate board even worse than its P&L [profit and loss] last 5 years &that's hard to do'. The Pulte Family truly appreciated him calling it like it was!" said a Pulte Family spokesperson. In the 100+ person Pulte family, the billionaire home builder left much of his institutional giving mandates to two of his fourteen children and his business plans for Pulte Homes to his grandson, Bill Pulte (b. 1988) who was brought into Pulte Homes during the Fortune 500 company's 2016 turnaround. These are the separate roles that William J. Pulte (1932-2018) wished for the family to maximize its impact. William J. Pulte wished that his grandson, also Bill Pulte, hold onto and implement his business vision. Bill Pulte will release his grandfather's vision for the homebuilding business this summer, "The Pulte Plan." The Bill Pulte Foundation, funded through the personal generosity of Pulte Homes Founder William J. Pulte, mirrors the personal generosity exhibited by The Pulte Family who currently funds education scholarships to current and former Pulte Homes employees through its "Pulte Shares" program. See disclaimers for affiliated and unaffiliated organizations: PulteDisclaimers.com SOURCE The Pulte Family MINPA winners set flavor and product trends across the confectionery and snack industries and beyond CHICAGO, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual Most Innovative New Product Awards have kicked off the 25th Sweets & Snacks Expo by recognizing this year's most innovative confectionery and snack products and the companies that created them. These products have been developed over the last year and are now available on store shelves or will be made available to shoppers in the coming months. "Innovation puts the candy and snack categories in the driver's seat when it comes to flavor and product trends, and the 2022 Most Innovative New Product Awards continue to highlight those that accelerate us into the future," John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association, said. "Consumers have been making life at home a little more enjoyable over the past two years by incorporating their favorite treat or snack into their lives in a way that has brought a variety of new flavors and fun to their daily routines." Retail leaders representing 85% of the confectionery and snack categories' buying power served as judges across the 13 categories that comprise the Most Innovative New Product Awards, including Small Business Innovator and the highly coveted Best in Show designation, and ultimately evaluated more than 300 candy and snacks. The winners of the Most Innovative New Products Awards are as follows: Best in Show: Tru Fru, LLC. Natures Strawberries Hyper-Chilled Fresh in Ruby Cacao Small Business Innovator: Carrot Bacon - Carolina Smoke Chocolate: Lindt & Sprungli ( USA ), Inc. Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE OatMilk ), Inc. Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE OatMilk Non-Chocolate: Ferrara Nerds Gummy Clusters Very Berry 8oz Gum & Mints: Mars Wrigley US EXTRA Refreshers Fruity Mix Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Salty Snacks: KrackCorn, LLC KrackCorn Original Family Size Sweet Snacks: The Hershey Company Reese's Snack Bar Meat Snacks: 4505 Meats Chile Limon Chicharrones Savory Snacks: Pecan Nation Cinnamon Healthy Snacking Pecans Novelty/Licensed: Jelly Belly Candy Company Jelly Belly Harry Potter Butterbeer Barrel Tin Seasonal: Ferrero NA Kinder Holiday Mix Countdown Calendar Gourmet/Premium | Candy: Ferrero North America Nutella B-Ready Gourmet/Premium | Snack: Tru Fru, LLC Natures Strawberries Hyper-Dried Fresh and Immersed in Creme Additionally, the 2022 Sweets & Snacks Expo announced the winners of the Golden and Silver Candy Dish Awards and the Woman of Influence Award < span> sweetsandsnacks .com /nca-announces-the-winners-of-the-golden-silver-candy-dish-awards-and-woman-of-influence-award /> during Monday's presentation: 2022 Golden Candy Dish Award: Kathy Corcoran , vice president at Premier Specialty , vice president at Premier Specialty 2022 Silver Candy Dish Award: Lois Anthony , director of sales at PEZ , director of sales at PEZ 2022 Woman of Influence Award: Emily Edmondson , sales director at Galerie To set up an interview with a Sweets & Snacks Expo spokesperson, please email Lauren Boland - [email protected]. Please visit the official Sweets & Snacks Expo Media Kit for more information on the show and media resources. About the National Confectioners Association (NCA): The National Confectioners Association is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates more than $37 billion in retail sales each year. Making chocolate, candy, gum and mints, the industry employs nearly 58,000 workers in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states. NCA advocates for an environment that enables candy makers to thrive and work to ensure that chocolate and candy are celebrated for their contributions to culture, society, the economy and everyday moments of joy. Learn more at CandyUSA.com or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About Sweets & Snacks Expo The Sweets & Snacks Expo is the premier event for the confectionery and snack industries. Featuring new product launches, business-building solutions and merchandising innovations, this annual trade show brings together qualified candy and snack retail professionals and company representatives who showcase the latest in candy and snack products. The event is sponsored by the National Confectioners Association. Learn more at SweetsAndSnacks.com. Contact: Lauren Boland [email protected] Director of Communications 330-571-3693 SOURCE National Confectioners Association DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Biodegradable Plastic Market (2022-2027) by Type, End Use, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Biodegradable Plastic Market is estimated to be USD 8.21 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 19.76 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 19.2%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Biodegradable Plastic Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are Agrana Group, Akro-Plastic, BASF SE, Biome Bioplastics Ltd, Biome Technologies, Bio-on, Corbion, Corbion N.V, Danimer Scientific, Dow Inc, Eastman Chemical Company, FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Green Dot Bioplastics Inc, Ingevity, Kuraray Co. Ltd, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp, NatureWorks LLC, Novamont S.p.A., Plantic Technologies Ltd, PTT Global Chemical, Rengo Co. Ltd, Sphere, Toray Industries Inc, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Ansoff Analysis The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Biodegradable Plastic Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Biodegradable Plastic Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, The analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Biodegradable Plastic Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Changing Consumer Preference Toward Eco-Friendly Plastic Products 4.1.2 Increasing Use in Packaging and Compostable Bag Applications 4.1.3 Government Focus on Green Procurement Policies and Regulations 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Higher Prices of Biodegradable Plastics Than Conventional Plastics 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Development of New Applications 4.3.2 High Potential in Emerging Countries of APAC 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Performance Issue 4.4.2 Fluctuating Oil Prices Create Volatility in Demand for Biodegradable Plastics 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Biodegradable Plastic Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Polylactic Acid (PLA) 6.3 Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) 6.4 Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) 6.5 Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) 6.6 Starch Based 7 Global Biodegradable Plastic Market, By End Use 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Packaging 7.3 Agriculture 7.4 Consumer Goods 7.5 Others 8 Americas' Global Biodegradable Plastic Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Argentina 8.3 Brazil 8.4 Canada 8.5 Chile 8.6 Colombia 8.7 Mexico 8.8 Peru 8.9 United States 8.10 Rest of Americas 9 Europe's Global Biodegradable Plastic Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Austria 9.3 Belgium 9.4 Denmark 9.5 Finland 9.6 France 9.7 Germany 9.8 Italy 9.9 Netherlands 9.10 Norway 9.11 Poland 9.12 Russia 9.13 Spain 9.14 Sweden 9.15 Switzerland 9.16 United Kingdom 9.17 Rest of Europe 10 Middle East and Africa's Global Biodegradable Plastic Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Egypt 10.3 Israel 10.4 Qatar 10.5 Saudi Arabia 10.6 South Africa 10.7 United Arab Emirates 10.8 Rest of MEA 11 APAC's Global Biodegradable Plastic Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Australia 11.3 Bangladesh 11.4 China 11.5 India 11.6 Indonesia 11.7 Japan 11.8 Malaysia 11.9 Philippines 11.10 Singapore 11.11 South Korea 11.12 Sri Lanka 11.13 Thailand 11.14 Taiwan 11.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Competitive Quadrant 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Strategic Initiatives 12.3.1 M&A and Investments 12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 13 Company Profiles 13.1 Agrana Group 13.2 Akro-Plastic 13.3 BASF SE 13.4 Biome Bioplastics Ltd 13.5 Biome Technologies 13.6 Bio-on 13.7 Corbion 13.8 Corbion N.V 13.9 Danimer Scientific 13.10 Dow Inc 13.11 Eastman Chemical Company 13.12 FKuR Kunststoff GmbH 13.13 Green Dot Bioplastics Inc 13.14 Ingevity 13.15 Kuraray Co. Ltd 13.16 Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp 13.17 NatureWorks LLC 13.18 Novamont S.p.A. 13.19 Plantic Technologies Ltd 13.20 PTT Global Chemical 13.21 Rengo Co. Ltd 13.22 Sphere 13.23 Toray Industries Inc 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qfita5 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 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market (2022-2027) by Imaging Technology, Radiation Type, Industry, Geography Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market is estimated to be USD 1.12 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 1.67 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 8.33%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are 3DX-RAY Ltd, American Testing Services. Ltd, Anritsu Corp, Applied Technical Services Inc, Ashtead Technology Ltd, Carl Zeiss X-ray Technologies Srl, Comet Group, FUJIFILM Corp, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Ansoff Analysis The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, The analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Rising Awareness about the Benefits Associated with Industrial Radiography Equipment 4.1.2 Increasingly Focusing on Reducing Radiation-Related Risks and Preferring Portability Solution 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Deployment Costs 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Increase in Demand from Aerospace and Automotive Sectors 4.3.2 Surging Adoption of Advanced Technology 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Potential Risk Linked with the Utilization of Radiations 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market, By Imaging Technology 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Film-Based Radiography 6.3 Digital Radiography 6.4 1 Computed Tomography 6.5 2 Computed Radiography 6.6 3 Direct Radiography 7 Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market, By Radiation Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 X-Rays 7.3 Gamma Rays 8 Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market, By Industry 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Automotive & Transportation 8.3 Oil & Gas 8.4 Aerospace & Defense 8.5 Manufacturing 8.6 Power Generation 8.7 Others 9 Americas' Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Argentina 9.3 Brazil 9.4 Canada 9.5 Chile 9.6 Colombia 9.7 Mexico 9.8 Peru 9.9 United States 9.10 Rest of Americas 10 Europe's Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Austria 10.3 Belgium 10.4 Denmark 10.5 Finland 10.6 France 10.7 Germany 10.8 Italy 10.9 Netherlands 10.10 Norway 10.11 Poland 10.12 Russia 10.13 Spain 10.14 Sweden 10.15 Switzerland 10.16 United Kingdom 10.17 Rest of Europe 11 Middle East and Africa's Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Egypt 11.3 Israel 11.4 Qatar 11.5 Saudi Arabia 11.6 South Africa 11.7 United Arab Emirates 11.8 Rest of MEA 12 APAC's Global Industrial Radiography Equipment Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Australia 12.3 Bangladesh 12.4 China 12.5 India 12.6 Indonesia 12.7 Japan 12.8 Malaysia 12.9 Philippines 12.10 Singapore 12.11 South Korea 12.12 Sri Lanka 12.13 Thailand 12.14 Taiwan 12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Competitive Quadrant 13.2 Market Share Analysis 13.3 Strategic Initiatives 13.3.1 M&A and Investments 13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 14 Company Profiles 14.1 3DX-RAY Ltd 14.2 American Testing Services. Ltd 14.3 Anritsu Corp 14.4 Applied Technical Services Inc 14.5 Ashtead Technology Ltd 14.6 Carl Zeiss X-ray Technologies Srl 14.7 Comet Group 14.8 FUJIFILM Corp, 14.9 General Electric Company 14.10 Mettler-Toledo 14.11 MISTRAS Group Inc 14.12 NIKON Corp 14.13 Nordson Corp North Star Imaging Inc NOVO DR Ltd 14.14 PerkinElmer Inc 14.15 Shimadzu Corp 14.16 Teledyne Digital Imaging Inc 14.17 Thales Group 14.18 TUV Rheinland AG 14.19 TWI Ltd 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3npvg6 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 Egan Jones Joins ISS and Glass Lewis in Recommending Stockholders Consent to a Special Meeting EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eileen P. Drake (the CEO of Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE: AJRD)) and the other members of the Committee For Aerojet Rocketdyne Shareholders and Value Maximization (the "Committee") today announced that Egan Jones has recommended that stockholders consent to the request of special meeting of stockholders sought by the Committee. Egan Jones is the third independent proxy advisory firm to recommend that stockholders "CONSENT" to the request of a special meeting sought by the Committee. As previously announced, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co. have also recommended that stockholders "CONSENT" to the request of a special meeting of stockholders. Stockholders that need assistance in executing the Agent Designation, or have any questions, can contact the Committee's solicitor, D.F. King & Co., Inc., at (212) 269-5550 (collect) or via e-mail at [email protected] . Important Information This communication is being sent by members of the Committee 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. We have neither sought nor obtained consent from any third party to use any statements or information indicated herein. On May 3, 2022, Eileen P. Drake and the other members of the Committee For Aerojet Rocketdyne Shareholders and Value Maximization filed a definitive solicitation statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the solicitation of agent designations to call a special meeting of stockholders of the Company. Contact : D.F. King & Co., Inc. Edward T. McCarthy / Tom Germinario [email protected] Committee's Website : https://maximizeajrdvalue.com/ SOURCE Committee for Aerojet Rocketdyne Shareholders and Value Maximization New Global Campaign Unites Children Across the U.S.A., Europe, Asia, Middle East, South Africa, Australia and More NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, the world's leading authority in toys, unveiled plans today for Geoffrey's World Tour, the brand's first 360-degree global marketing campaign set to launch in June. The new campaign will follow beloved Toys"R"Us mascot Geoffrey the GiraffeTM as he embarks on a world tour beginning at the Toys"R"Us global flagship in the U.S.A., followed by planned visits and activations in London, Madrid, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Dubai, and markets across greater China, Japan and southeast Asia. Geoffrey's World Tour logo Toys"R"Us announces new global campaign - Geoffrey's World Tour - starting at the toy brand's global flagship store at American Dream. Each stop on Geoffrey's World Tour will be hosted by a local Toys"R"Us child ambassador and feature in-store, e-commerce and social media activations, including a sweepstakes to win a shopping spree for consumers. The campaign will culminate with the launch of a global YouTube series that captures each of Geoffrey's visits from the child ambassador perspectives. In the series, Geoffrey will be shown with the ambassadors in their city as they share kid-friendly fun facts about their communities, and experience at the Toys"R"Us store event. "Toys"R"Us transcends cultures through a love of toys and play that we embrace as a brand worldwide," stated Kim Miller, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Toys"R"Us. "As Geoffrey visits many of our key global markets, our cherished mascot will be welcomed by generations of adults who affectionately remember him from childhood and their children who are eager to show off the cities they live in and their local Toys"R"Us Stores. It's the magic you remember delivered in a dynamic, modern way." "Since opening our first store in Singapore nearly 40 years ago, Toys"R"Us Asia is proud to be a trusted partner to families, supporting the healthy growth and development of children in 10 markets across the region today," said Jo Hall, Chief Commercial Officer, Toys"R"Us Asia. "Geoffrey the Giraffe has always played a leading role in bringing the excitement of our brand to life for parents and children alike, so we're thrilled to be hosting Geoffrey here in Asia as part of his magical World Tour, helping to spread the joy of play and fueling the imagination of children everywhere." Geoffrey's World Tour campaign will serve as the cornerstone in a series of several global brand initiatives including the formation of the Toys"R"Us Kids World Council which will launch in 2023 and cement a child's point-of-view into all brand positioning and content around products, celebrations, advocacy and more. The Toys"R"Us brand with its famous jingle "I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys"R"Us kid" and mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe is synonymous with the joys of childhood for millions around the world. Today, Toys"R"Us has a vibrant business that generates more than $2 billion USD in global retail sales annually through 900 branded global stores outside the U.S. and e-commerce businesses in 25+ countries. With more than 400 Toys"R"Us shop-in-shops set to open in Macy's stores throughout the U.S., the brand will grow its footprint 50% by the end of 2022. To get updates on Geoffrey's World Tour, follow @toysrus on Instagram or sign-up for our newsletter on toysrus.com . ABOUT TOYS"R"US For more than 70 years, Toys"R"Us has been a global leader in the toy category celebrating the joys of childhood and play with kids of all ages. Geoffrey the Giraffe, the beloved mascot of Toys"R"Us for more than 50 years, is adored by millions of kids and their families around the world. This brand power remains as Toys"R"Us generates more than US$2 billion in global retail sales annually through 900 branded stores and e-commerce businesses in 25+ countries. In March 2021, WHP Global , a leading global brand management firm acquired the Toys"R"Us brand. In August 2021, Macy's announced a strategic partnership with WHP Global to offer Toys"R"Us's expansive assortment online at macys.com/toysrus and bring retail shops back to American consumers in all Macy's stores in 2022. Macy's will provide inventory and digital fulfillment for the brand's flagship e-commerce website toysrus.com . ABOUT TOYS"R"US ASIA LIMITED Toys"R"Us is Asia's leading retailer of toys, games, leisure equipment and educational products, as well as baby essentials as part of its Babies"R"Us brand. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company operates over 460 stores with more than 10,000 team members across Asia, including Brunei, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand and licenses more than 85 stores in the Philippines and Macau. Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us offer a carefully selected range of quality local and international brands, innovative and exclusive products, engaging loyalty programs and an interactive in-store experience that fuel a child's imagination and inspire learning through play. Media Contact Toys"R"Us/WHP Global Jaime Cassavechia [email protected] 646-701-7041 Toys"R"Us Asia Limited Ron Christianson [email protected] +852 6018 8085 Toys"R"Us Asia Limited Evelina Leung [email protected]com +852 2961 9699 SOURCE Toys"R"Us Trader Joe's, HEB Grocery, Patagonia, Hershey and Wegmans have the top-five best reputations in America on the 2022 Axios-Harris Poll 100 list. Social media platforms and companies with missteps on social issues are the ones with the poorest reputations or that suffered the steepest declines. This year, The Trump Organization, Wish.com, Twitter, Facebook and Fox Corporation are at the bottom of the 23rd annual list, with poor reputations. "As Americans move on from COVID, they are looking at corporate reputation through a more practical lens," said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. "Companies delivering on time and keeping their promises despite supply-chain issues are being held in high regard. Businesses that also do their part to create a better world whether through sustainability or taking a stand on authentic social issues also are being rewarded." The Axios-Harris Poll 100 has ranked reputation since 1999. The survey's Reputation Quotient (RQ) ranking is based on companies that are most visible to the general population and on their performance in seven key areas: Trust "Is this a company I trust?" "Is this a company I trust?" Vision "Does this company have a clear vision for the future?" "Does this company have a clear vision for the future?" Growth "Is this a growing company?" "Is this a growing company?" Products and Services "Does this company develop innovative products and services that I want and value?" "Does this company develop innovative products and services that I want and value?" Culture "Is this a good company to work for?" "Is this a good company to work for?" Ethics "Does this company maintain high ethical standards?" "Does this company maintain high ethical standards?" Citizenship "Does this company share my values and support good causes?" "It's back to basics with companies that offer quality products and are guided by steadfast values riding to the top," said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. "Those that became enmeshed in political quagmires tended to be set back." This year, grocery dominates the top 100 list. Three grocers (Trader Joe's, HEB Grocery and Wegmans) are in the top five. Two other grocery chains (Publix and Kroger) are among the top 25. "The poll reinforces what we have seen on the ground with our local news product Axios Local," said Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios. "To reestablish trust with a skeptical population, you have to start closer to home, making a real impact within local communities. Consumers reward brands that deliver a trusted product on time and as promised." Among the insights from this year's study: Most visible: Amazon and Walmart are once again the two most visible companies in America, followed by Apple, Facebook, Google, Target, Nike, Microsoft, McDonald's and AT&T. Amazon and Walmart are once again the two most visible companies in America, followed by Apple, Facebook, Google, Target, Nike, Microsoft, McDonald's and AT&T. New to the list: Newly added to the 100 most visible companies list for the first time ever are Trader Joe's, Spotify, Big Lots, Shein and Subway. Newly added to the 100 most visible companies list for the first time ever are Trader Joe's, Spotify, Big Lots, Shein and Subway. Top 10: The most visible and most reputable companies Trader Joe's, HEB Grocery, Patagonia, Hershey, Wegmans, Samsung, Toyota, Amazon and Honda are separated by only small degrees. All but Patagonia and Honda improved their reputations from last year's highs. The most visible and most reputable companies Trader Joe's, HEB Grocery, Patagonia, Hershey, Wegmans, Samsung, Toyota, Amazon and Honda are separated by only small degrees. All but Patagonia and Honda improved their reputations from last year's highs. Industry movement: As the world moves out of the crisis phase of the pandemic, industries that saw massive reputations boosted by the crisis have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Consumer products dropped 12 points from 2021, returning to 2019 levels (2022: 62% positive, 2021: 74%, 2019: 61%). Meanwhile, while the halo surrounding the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries is fading, both remain significantly above pre-pandemic levels (pharma 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 31%) and (health insurance 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 32%). As the world moves out of the crisis phase of the pandemic, industries that saw massive reputations boosted by the crisis have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Consumer products dropped 12 points from 2021, returning to 2019 levels (2022: 62% positive, 2021: 74%, 2019: 61%). Meanwhile, while the halo surrounding the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries is fading, both remain significantly above pre-pandemic levels (pharma 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 31%) and (health insurance 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 32%). Perils of speaking out, or not: The economic and reputational loss from polarization hit companies once immune to politics and controversy. Disney fell significantly from last year with the impact of being caught in a fight between politics and company values. Patagonia which was number one on the list last year continues its reputational high with great products combined with a strong societal view. The economic and reputational loss from polarization hit companies once immune to politics and controversy. Disney fell significantly from last year with the impact of being caught in a fight between politics and company values. Patagonia which was number one on the list last year continues its reputational high with great products combined with a strong societal view. Biggest improvements: Companies with at least a good reputation and the strong year-over-year improvement include AT&T (up 6.3%), Google (6.1%), Starbucks (6.0%), Yum! Brands (5.4%), General Motors (4.7%) and The Home Depot (4.5%) Companies with at least a good reputation and the strong year-over-year improvement include AT&T (up 6.3%), Google (6.1%), Starbucks (6.0%), Yum! Brands (5.4%), General Motors (4.7%) and The Home Depot (4.5%) Biggest declines: Companies with the biggest reputational declines from last year include Stellantis (down 8.0%), Twitter (-4.9%), Pfizer (-4.7%), Disney (-4.3%), Trump Organization (-4.3%), Chick-fil-A (-3.7%), PepsiCo (-3.5%), eBay (-3.3%), ExxonMobil (-3.3%) and Electronic Arts (-3.2%). "To excel at reputation, companies must deliver high marks on business performance, corporate character and trust," said Ray Day, vice chair of Stagwell, which includes The Harris Poll. "While you can build a brand, you earn a reputation. Companies with strong reputations have a price advantage, a competitive advantage and a talent advantage. That's why reputation needs to be a priority from the board room to the C-suite." The Axios Harris Poll 100 is based on a survey of 33,096 Americans in a nationally representative sample conducted March 11-April 3, 2022. The two-step process starts fresh each year by surveying the public's top-of-mind awareness of companies that either excel or falter. These 100 "most visible companies" are then ranked by a second group of Americans across the seven key dimensions of reputation to arrive at the ranking. If a company is not on the list, it did not reach a critical level of visibility to be measured. For information on all companies and their ranking on the 2022 Axios-Harris Poll 100, click here and here for an interactive graphic. About The Harris Poll The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963. It is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. We work with clients in three primary areas: building 21st century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Our mission is to provide insights and advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible. Learn more by visiting www.harrispoll.com and follow Harris Poll on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Axios Axios is a digital media company launched in 2017. Axios which means "worthy" in Greek helps you become smarter, faster with news and information across politics, tech, business, media, science and the world. Subscribe to our newsletters at axios.com/newsletters and download our mobile app at axios.com/app. About Stagwell Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. Contact: Beth Sidhu [email protected] +1. 202.423.4414 SOURCE Stagwell Inc. DENVER, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the start of the 2022 summer travel season, today Travel Lemming's team of writers released its picks for the 150 best things to do around the USA. The eclectic summer bucket list includes a floating taco bar in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a 1920s-themed lawn party in New York, a car-free island in Michigan, and the world's largest outdoor rodeo in Wyoming. The top ten entries on Travel Lemming's list are: Travel Lemming editor Taylor Herperger on Arizona's Route 66, #15 on the list Lowell Observatory - Flagstaff, Arizona Million Dollar Highway - Ouray to Silverton, Colorado Fremont Solstice Parade - Seattle, Washington Taos, New Mexico Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Five Points Jazz Festival - Denver, Colorado Biltmore Estate - Asheville, North Carolina Oregon's "Highway of Waterfalls" San Simeon, California Lime Out floating taco bar - Saint John , U.S. Virgin Islands The full list of 150 things to do features interactive filters readers can use to create a personalized USA bucket list tailored to their region and preferred types of activities. Other notable entries include the Chicago Blues Festival (#11), New York City's Jazz Age Lawn Party (#13), Arizona's Route 66 (#15), Florida's overwater A1A highway (#32), Michigan's car-free Mackinac Island (#76), and the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo (#114). Nate Hake, CEO of Travel Lemming, said: "This summer is shaping up to be pivotal for the tourism industry. With so much on the line for the future of travel, we decided to spotlight 150 unique things our team feels are especially worth your tourism dollars." Topping the list is the historic Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, which the article calls "the perfect dark-sky setting from which to peer into other worlds." Lowell Observatory Historian Kevin Schindler reacted: "Lowell Observatory is honored to be recognized as a bucket list destination in Travel Lemming's guide of best things to do in the United States in 2022. We take great pride in providing a fun, unique, and exciting experience for our guests, and love sharing the wonders of the universe through telescope viewing, tours of the night sky, science demonstrations, visits to our historic buildings, and presentations by our educators and astronomers." "Travel Lemming is the leader in shining a spotlight on truly special destinations and experiences for the adventurous traveler, so Visit San Simeon is simply thrilled to be nominated," added Mike Dawson, media strategist for Visit San Simeon. The California town was listed in position number nine. The inaugural summer bucket list was a collaborative effort by Travel Lemming's team of 24 writers and editors. It follows the publication's signature annual list of emerging destinations. About Travel Lemming TravelLemming.com is a free online travel guide with more than a half-million monthly readers. Its team of 24 local and expert travel writers are known for publishing practical and helpful guides that encourage travelers to go "off the lemming path." Media assets available here . SOURCE Travel Lemming Scope Includes Social Media, Email Marketing and Website Development CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Two by Four, an independent, full-service advertising agency headquartered in Chicago, announced today that they have signed on with the South Dakota Department of Tourism as a client. The announcement comes on the heels of a record breaking 2021 for tourism in South Dakota. Two by Four will partner with the South Dakota Department of Tourism to enhance and expand their social media channels and ensure their consumer-facing and partner websites provide a first-rate user experience. Two by Four will also lead the charge in creating an effective and creative email marketing program across a variety of stakeholders. The partnership is effective July 1, 2022. "We are thrilled to start working with South Dakota Department of Tourism," said David Stevenson, CEO of Two by Four. "South Dakota is a state full of awe-inspring places. During the RFP process, I witnessed firsthand how these historic locations inspired the employees at Two by Four I've never been more proud of the team and the work we created. We are excited to bring these ideas to life and to help shine a light on how awesome South Dakota is." For more information on Two by Four, please visit twoxfour.com For more information on South Dakota Toursim, please visit travelsouthdakota.com About Two by Four Founded in 1998, Two by Four is an independent, full-service advertising and marketing agency that helps brands manufacture action. Blending disruptive creativity, meticulous craftsmanship, media savvy and dedicated partnership, we help businesses of all sizes grow by igniting positive momentum and business impact. We are a relentless, eclectic group of creative thinkers, tinkers and troublemakers consumed by solving complex brand challenges. From disruptive start-ups to established brands, our results are built on a foundation of strategic insights, breakthrough creative, innovative media, and world-class production capabilities, providing a blueprint for explosive growth. Our fully integrated, digital-first approach leverages creativity along every touchpoint of a consumer's journey. For over 23 years, we've honed our expertise in Travel & Tourism, CPG, B2B, Tech, Higher Ed, Health, Sciences and Nonprofits. Current clients include: Wrangler, Zebra Technologies, Waystar, NCAA, Mellon Foundation, American Osteopathic Association, , and Johns Hopkins Medicine, among others. For more information, visit www.twoxfour.com . About South Dakota Tourism The Mount Rushmore State is home to scenic byways and dramatic landscapes; iconic monuments and quirky roadside attractions; colorful history and rich culture; and travel experiences that make it a popular destination to visit year-round. South Dakota is home to famed sites like Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Old West town of Historic Deadwood, along with rolling prairies, majestic mountains, and agritourism experiences. The state boasts six national parks, including Badlands National Park, and 63 state parks and recreation areas, offering endless opportunities for exploration, camping and spotting wildlife. In addition to the vast outdoor adventures, the destination has an array of distinct events, unique museums and Native American heritage for travelers to discover. The South Dakota Department of Tourism's mission is to enhance the quality of life for all South Dakotans by strengthening our communities and their tourism economies, encouraging responsible stewardship of the destination, and creating meaningful experiences for all to enjoy. Media Contact: Tyler Rabel Two by Four 312-445-4728 [email protected] SOURCE Two by Four Multi-week summer program focuses on donations, information on energy conservation and bill payment assistance IRVING, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With extreme heat already impacting the health and well being of the most vulnerable Texans, TXU Energy remains committed to supporting our neighbors. The company's 24th annual Beat the Heat program is a multi-week initiative that includes the distribution of new air conditioning units and fans, summer energy conservation tips, and information on financial assistance for TXU Energy customers. "Right now, heat is top of mind for many Texans whether that's stressing over how to pay summer electricity bills, wondering about safe and cost-effective ways to conserve, or facing the dangerous reality of not being able to keep cool at home the team at TXU Energy understands, and is here to help," said Scott Hudson, president of TXU Energy. "For almost a quarter century, TXU Energy has used our Beat the Heat program to partner with social service agencies all over the state, turning monetary donations into fans and air conditioning units for neighbors who need them. We're also here to spread the word about a variety of bill payment assistance options. Help is available on multiple levels our team will help guide you on getting the assistance you need." TXU Energy's $100,000 Beat the Heat contribution directly supports more than a dozen social service organizations across Texas. 2022 summer giving highlights include: Dallas The Senior Source: $25,000 will fund the purchase of new window air conditioning units for older adults. This donation helps The Senior Source achieve its goal of giving away at least 300 air conditioning units. The drive-thru distribution event takes place on June 24 . will fund the purchase of new window air conditioning units for older adults. This donation helps The Senior Source achieve its goal of giving away at least 300 air conditioning units. The drive-thru distribution event takes place on . Houston BakerRipley: $10,000 will fund the purchase of 600 fans for neighbors across the Houston area. BakerRipley will distribute the fans during a drive-thru event later this summer. will fund the purchase of 600 fans for neighbors across the area. BakerRipley will distribute the fans during a drive-thru event later this summer. Arlington Urban Ministries: $10,000 will help purchase 300 box fans. 100 of these fans will be distributed at an event on June 1 . will help purchase 300 box fans. 100 of these fans will be distributed at an event on . Caritas of Waco : $10,000 will fund the purchase of 400 fans. Caritas will host a distribution event for community members on May 31 . will fund the purchase of 400 fans. Caritas will host a distribution event for community members on . Tarrant County Meals On Wheels: $7,500 will help purchase fans and air conditioning units for seniors and homebound Meals On Wheels clients across Tarrant County . will help purchase fans and air conditioning units for seniors and homebound Meals On Wheels clients across . Corpus Christi Mission 911: $5,000 will purchase 200 box fans for neighbors in need. Fans and box lunches will be distributed at a Mission 911 event on July 25 . will purchase 200 box fans for neighbors in need. Fans and box lunches will be distributed at a 911 event on . United Way of Abilene : $5,000 will purchase 200 box fans to be distributed to partner agencies in West Central Texas' Basic Needs Network. Summer 2022 bill-payment assistance is available: Stimulus funding has significantly increased the assistance dollars available to Texans, including an additional $134 million to the state's Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). These programs can help customers pay current, past due, and even future electricity bills. Customers do not need a disconnect notice to apply. For information about CEAP and other assistance programs call 211 or visit 211texas.org and type "electricity bill." TXU Energy continues to provide bill-payment assistance to customers in need through its TXU Energy AidSM program. For nearly 40 years, these funds, donated by employees, customers, and the company, have been distributed by TXU Energy Aid partner agencies. For information on which social service agencies are providing assistance, Texans should call 211 or visit 211Texas.org and type "electricity bill assistance" in the search box. About TXU Energy More 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 SOURCE TXU Energy The building will include at least 700 indoor ADA-accessible self-storage rooms with high-tech security features at affordable price points. Plans also call for a separate warehouse for U-Box portable storage containers. "We are in growth mode," stated Doug Weston, U-Haul Company of Atlanta North president. "Our plan is to offer the City of Cartersville a beautiful facility to address the increased demand for secure, clean self-storage. We will provide residents here with convenient access to our self-storage products and shared mobility services." When the store is completed, customers will have access to truck and trailer sharing, moving supplies, towing equipment, professional hitch installation, U-Box portable storage containers and much more. Weston will look to hire staff locally to promote job growth within Cartersville. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com. "Our closest full-service U-Haul facility is 27 miles away in Kennesaw," Weston noted. "U-Haul is eager to fill the void of quality self-storage options in this region. Convenience is important to our customers. We aim to provide that." The Cartersville store will become the 86th U-Haul-owned and -operated facility in Georgia. There are also more than 1,200 independent small businesses across the state serving do-it-yourself movers as U-Haul neighborhood dealers. U-Haul has partnered with independent dealers to offer rental equipment since 1945. During these challenging times for small businesses, more than 21,000 dealers across the U.S. and Canada are generating supplemental income through their U-Haul partnership. When customers rent from U-Haul dealers, they are directly supporting small businesses in their community. Because no financial investment is required, dealers are not U-Haul franchises. They are simply small businesses committing their lot space for U-Haul equipment and time to meet the mobility needs of customers. Learn more about how to partner with U-Haul by visiting uhaul.com/dealer. About U-HAUL Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 855,000 rentable storage units and 73.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America. Contact: Andrea Batchelor Jeff Lockridge E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-263-6981 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul U-Haul acquired the 89,860-square-foot property on May 11. Warren Iles, U-Haul Company of Northern Louisiana president whose region includes eastern Texas, said his team is working closely with tenants operating at the business complex. These tenants, which include Dirt Cheap Discount Store and American Freight Furniture and Mattress, will remain indefinitely. "Home to the University of Texas at Tyler, this city sees a lot of fluctuation when it comes to population," Iles said. "U-Box containers provide a convenient, flexible and secure way to ship and store belongings. This option has become very popular with students. An increased demand for our U-Box containers meant we needed extra space to address a clear need." U-Haul has been serving customers at 411 N. Northwest Loop 323 since 2016. Contact U-Haul Moving & Storage of Rose City at (903) 939-2913 for storage inquiries. Hours of operation are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday; 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. To reserve rental equipment, visit uhaul.com or contact Reservations at 1-800-GO-UHAUL. With 257 cubic feet of space and one-ton capacity, U-Box containers are delivered to and picked up at your door, can be packed on your timeframe and are placed in a secure warehouse until you are ready to retrieve your belongings. "This is an exciting expansion for U-Haul," Iles added. "Our customers are seeking flexibility and that's what U-Box containers provide." Iles said the expansion will lead to several new jobs at the store. U-Haul will look to hire locally to promote job growth within Tyler. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com. Acquisition the former Walmart property was driven by U-Haul Corporate Sustainability initiatives: U-Haul supports infill developments to help local communities lower their carbon footprint. The adaptive reuse of existing buildings reduces the amount of energy and resources required for new-building materials and helps cities reduce their unwanted inventory of unused buildings. U-Haul dealers in and around Tyler are also available to serve DIY movers. U-Haul has partnered with independent dealers to offer rental equipment since 1945. During these challenging times for small businesses, more than 21,000 dealers across the U.S. and Canada are generating supplemental income through their U-Haul partnership. When customers rent from U-Haul dealers, they are directly supporting small businesses in their community. Because no financial investment is required, dealers are not U-Haul franchises. They are simply small businesses committing their lot space for U-Haul equipment and their time to meet the mobility needs of customers. Learn more about how to partner with U-Haul by visiting uhaul.com/dealer. About U-HAUL Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 855,000 rentable storage units and 73.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America. Contact: Andrea Batchelor Jeff Lockridge E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-263-6981 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul The first University of Tennessee, Knoxville MBA to be offered entirely online, the OMBA emphasizes the tools professionals need to make an impact today in today's business environment, including analytics, supply chain management, consulting, finance, and entrepreneurship and innovation. Developed in conjunction with Haslam College of Business faculty, UTK's OMBA is designed for today's complex business world, offering a future-proof pathway to strategic insights, global connections and an immersive virtual classroom that meets students where they are. The OMBA expands on The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's existing portfolio of online programs launched in collaboration with Noodle, including the Executive MBA for Global Supply Chain, Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Online (MS-SCM), Online Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Online Master of Public Health, and five other MBA programs. "Our Online MBA will open the door to global connections, strategic insights, and new business perspectives from wherever students are. The curriculum, which features course instructors' relevant firsthand experience and case studies, will challenge students to think critically, act strategically, and lead with confidence," said Bruce Behn, Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Education. "We are excited to expand our relationship with the Haslam College of Business to create a program with real-world application, strategic and analytical mindsets, and an inclusive and global approach," said Stephen Green, Chief Program Officer at Noodle. "The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has been a wonderful partner - for 11 programs and counting - and we are delighted to continue this robust collaboration." Informed by over 100 years of business education and research, the AACSB-accredited Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, produces industry leaders with a bias for action. Haslam equips students with the skills they need to deliver results that propel careers and organizations forward. About the Haslam College of Business The Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, founded in 1914, consists of approximately 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Its seven departments, seven centers and institutes, four forums and graduate and executive education programs reach across the for profit, not-for-profit and governmental sectors of business with a heavy emphasis on practical research. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was founded in 1794 and was designated Tennessee's land-grant institution in 1879. About Noodle Noodle is a certified B Corp that creates excellent online and agile programs that elevate campus-wide teaching and technology. Since January 2019, Noodle has launched as many online programs with elite U.S. universities as have all of its competitors combined. Its network of universities, higher education leaders, providers, and students fuels innovation and efficiency in learning design, marketing, recruitment, technology, student and faculty support, and clinical placement. Follow Noodle on LinkedIn and Twitter . MEDIA CONTACTS: Alissa Pinck Noodle 917.968.8644 [email protected] SOURCE Noodle Company's former Controller will now lead department in expanded accounting division FORT WORTH, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Valor, an asset management and professional services company specializing in oil and gas mineral rights, has announced that Cathy Ramirez has been promoted to Director of Oil and Gas Accounting for the company. The new role is effective immediately for Ramirez, who previously held the position of Controller. Cathy Ramirez "We're more than pleased to have Cathy Ramirez serve the company in this elevated role," said Joseph DeWoody, CEO of Valor. "As we've revamped and grown our entire accounting services division, her background and specific experience in the oil and gas industry make her the logical choice to lead this department." Valor manages just over eight million gross mineral acres across 32 states, which generate over $100 million in annual revenue for its clients. The oversight of these non-operated oil and gas holdings is the primary objective of the company's oil and gas accounting department. Valor's clients come from multiple categories, including individuals, banks, families, partnerships, trusts, nonprofits, universities, institutions, investment funds and family offices. As the new director of oil and gas accounting, Ramirez will lead all accounting services for the department, representing the full scope of Valor's professional services in the energy sector. She will be the primary contact for all accounting-related internal team functions and client-facing communication. Prior to joining Valor, Ramirez was already an energy industry veteran, having held comptroller positions for several oil and gas operators, including Acacia Exploration, HighMark Energy Operating, Longview Energy, and Pacesetter Energy. Prior to her time in oil and gas, Ramirez spent over a decade in public accounting, specializing in cost accounting, general ledger, financial reporting , human resources, tax return preparation, and fixed assets. Her meticulous approach has been instrumental in growing Valor's operator services and mineral management business sectors. "I'm looking forward to consolidating the financial oversight of our oil and gas division," stated Cathy Ramirez, director of oil and gas accounting for Valor. "I'm honored to take on the added responsibilities and best practices that come with leading a team effort." For more information on the company, please visit www.onevalor.com . About Valor: Valor is a comprehensive professional services provider that uses technology and innovation to ease the burdens of asset management in the oil and gas industry. We place the client first, providing flexible solutions and leveraging our team of experts to maintain the security, clarity and optimization of privately owned assets. Valor currently manages eight million gross mineral acres on behalf of their clients, whose holdings generate more than $100 million in annual revenue. Valor's professional services scope also extends beyond the energy sector with Valor Ignite - an on-demand outsourcing solution for accounting, business process outsourcing, contract C-suite engagements and back-office support. Explore the benefits of partnering with Valor to manage mineral rights and streamline business operations by visiting www.onevalor.com. Media Contact: Jeff Cheatham Senior Strategist/Publicist The Power Group (972) 961-6171 [email protected] SOURCE Valor "Finally, there's a snack parents can give their kids and not feel guilty" MIAMI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Topping Amazon's new product release, Latina women-owned 2FIT BRANDS has introduced a third healthy snack to their popular product line. Brownie Bites, a twist on a traditional brownie, are not only vegan, keto and gluten free. They contain low sugar (1g), net carbs (3g), MCT oil, and are sweetened with Stevia. https://www.2fitbrands.com/products/brownie-bites-6-per-pouch Delicious healthy brownie bites Healthy nutritional fact table The brownies are 2FITBRANDS' latest addition to Chocolate Peanut Butter, Vanilla Crunch and 2FIT sample pack. One of the fastest-growing healthy snack food firms, in just three years 2FITBRANDS has gone from kitchen tables to Amazon sales that grew 830% from last year, according to Colombian-born entrepreneurs Nathalia Rojas and Marcela Charry. https://www.2fitbrands.com/ "People are loving the products and you can find our Chocolate Peanut Butter and Vanilla Crunch Protein Bars at Life Time health clubs around the country. We have also been a top seller on Amazon," Rojas said. "We let our products prove themselves, and our customers' taste buds love them. "We are especially pleased with how much people are liking our Brownie Bites. Kids love them. We get notes from parents that there's finally a snack they can give their kids and not feel guilty since they are sweetened with Stevia and stay away from sugar alcohols and refined sugar. It's a product that not only tastes good, but has a very balanced nutritional chart." Rojas and Charry, the women behind 2FIT BRANDS, started preparing healthy snacks from their own kitchens. The duo began collaborating in 2017. They found a ready-made customer base when they launched their vegan snack company in 2019 with Vanilla Crunch and Chocolate Peanut Butter. The company picked up Lifetime health clubs as a nationwide client in late 2019, but began selling online and became an instant sensation. "Our competitors are spending a lot on marketing to compete with us and we were not even a 10th of their size. That means our product is amazing and people are enjoying it," their women said. Their plans for the future will focus on providing more options within the vegan snack space and making sure there are ample options for kids. "We've created Brownie Bites for the whole family to enjoy. Most products have a lot of sugar, and that's not good for kids. 2FIT BRANDS focuses on providing nutritionally balanced products for the entire family," Charry said. ABOUT 2FIT BRANDS Officially launched in 2019, 2FITBRANDS is a vegan protein snack food product company based in Washington D.C. with a presence in New York and Miami. Their gluten-free, kosher, high fiber and protein, low sugar and carb snack bars are available through Amazon https://www.amazon.com/2fitbrands and 2FIT BRANDS https://www.2fitbrands.com/ Colombian-born co-founders Nathalia Rojas and Marcela Charry began their journey in their own U.S. kitchens in 2017. Their aim was to create snacks that are perfectly balanced nutritionally and portable. 2FIT BRANDS officially launched as a company in March 2019. 2FIT BRANDS offers vegan protein bars Vanilla Crunch and Chocolate Peanut Butter and is about to introduce Brownie Bites. Future plans call for more snack products that meet the company's mission to "shake up the vegan lifestyle industry with a focus on providing more options for kids." Contact: Maria Paula +1.202.823.6230 SOURCE 2FIT BRANDS NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Klein Law Firm announces that a class action complaint has been filed on behalf of shareholders of Volta Inc. (NYSE: VLTA) alleging that the Company violated federal securities laws. Class Period: August 2, 2021 to March 28, 2022 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: May 31, 2022 No obligation or cost to you. Learn more about your recoverable losses in VLTA: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/volta-inc-loss-submission-form?id=27555&from=4 Volta Inc. NEWS - VLTA NEWS CLASS ACTION CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that Volta Inc. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Volta had improperly accounted for restricted stock units issued in connection with the business combination of Volta Industries, Inc. ("Legacy Volta") and Tortoise Acquisition Corp. II; (2) as a result, the Company had understated its net loss for third quarter 2021; (3) there were material weaknesses in the Company's internal control over financial reporting that resulted in a material error; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the Company would restate its financial statements; (5) as a result of the foregoing, Legacy Volta's founders would imminently exit the Company; (6) as a result, the Company's financial results would be adversely impacted; and (7) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS A SHAREHOLDER: If you have suffered a loss in Volta you have until May 31, 2022 to petition the court for lead plaintiff status. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. NO COST TO YOU: If you purchased Volta securities during the relevant period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket fees. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS: For additional information about the VLTA lawsuit, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or click this link: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/volta-inc-loss-submission-form?id=27555&from=4. ABOUT KLEIN LAW FIRM J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. The Klein Law Firm is a boutique litigation firm with experience in a wide range of areas including securities law, corporate finance and commercial litigation. Since 2011, our experienced attorneys have achieved superior results for our clients with a personalized focus. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: J. Klein, Esq. Empire State Building 350 Fifth Avenue 59th Floor New York, NY 10118 [email protected] Telephone: (212) 616-4899 www.kleinstocklaw.com SOURCE The Klein Law Firm CHICAGO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the report "VSaaS Market by Type (Hosted, Managed, and Hybrid), Vertical (Commercial, Infrastructure, Residential, Public Facilities, Military & Defense, and Industrial) and Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, Rest of the World) - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the VSaaS market is projected to grow from USD 3.3 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 7.6 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.0% from 2022 to 2027. The growth of this market is driven by factors such as the low cost of investment, the rise in demand for real-time surveillance data, and flexible scalability offered by VSaaS. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=773 Hybrid VSaaS is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2027. Hybrid VSaaS is expected to grow at high rates over the forecast period. The growth is driven by the combined benefits of on-premises video recording and managed video services, provided by hybrid VSaaS. In hybrid VSaaS, the recorded data is stored at both, the customer and service provider's end; the main reason for the popularity of this model is concerns regarding the security of data. This model offers the benefits of on-premises video recording, along with those of managed video services. All day-to-day management of NVRs and cameras is handled by the offsite provider, thus saving time and effort. Moreover, it reduces the need to purchase and maintain a server and, hence, upfront costs are reduced. These benefits provided by hybrid VSaaS is expected to fuel the segment growth over the forecast period. Infrastructure vertical is expected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period. The market for infrastructure vertical is expected to grow at a high CAGR from 2022 to 2027. The increasing demand for VSaaS solutions across public places, transportation & city surveillance segments is expected to propel the growth of the market. Favorable government initiatives to develop smart city projects will add new opportunities for VSaaS providers. Various countries, such as China, India, and South Korea, are investing huge amounts in building smart cities. For instance, in November 2021, The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, South Korea, announced plans to invest USD 215 million to establish 64 small and medium-sized smart cities in the country by 2025. This will create opportunities for the VSaaS service providers in infrastructure and city surveillance applications. Browse in-depth TOC on "VSaaS Market" 297 Tables 58 Figures 272 Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=773 North America held significant share of VSaaS market in 2021 and is expected to follow the trend by 2027. North America is expected to account for the high market share of the VSaaS market during the forecast period. In North America, particularly in the US, the government has taken several initiatives to implement advanced surveillance systems in public areas and government buildings. the focus of the government on boosting the penetration of VSaaS solutions across defense and infrastructure verticals is also high. Adoption in the military & defense sector to monitor security at the border and military bases has further driven VSaaS market growth in the region. Key players in the VSaaS market include ADT (US), Johnson Controls (Ireland), Axis Communications AB (Sweden), Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions Company (Canada), Alarm.com (US), Securitas AB (Sweden), Eagle Eye Networks Inc. (US), Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (China) and Honeywell International Inc. (US). Apart from these, Arcules, Inc. (US), Comcast Corporation (US), Duranc Inc (US), Genetec Inc. (Canada), Pacific Controls (UAE), Arlo Technologies, Inc. (US), Camcloud (Canada), MOBOTIX AG (Germany), Morphean SA (Switzerland), Solink (Canada), Verkada Inc. (US), Vivint (US), Camio (US), iVideon (US), IronYun (US), and 3dEYE Inc. (Canada) are among a few emerging companies in the VSaaS market. Related Reports: Access Control Market by Offering (Card-based Readers, Biometric Readers, Electronic Locks, Controllers, Software, Services), ACaaS (Hosted, Managed, Hybrid), Vertical, and Region (2021-2026) Video Surveillance Market by Offering (Hardware (Camera, Storage Device, Monitor), Software (Video Analytics, VMS), Service (VSaaS)), System (IP, Analog), Vertical, and Geography (2021-2026) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/video-surveillance-as-a-service-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/vsaas.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ware Malcomb, an award-winning international design firm, today announced the opening of its newest office in Nashville, Tennessee the firm's 26th office across the Americas. The new space, located at 3401 Mallory Lane in Franklin, Tennessee, will support Ware Malcomb's growing client and project base across the region. Gregory Spon photo download: http://www.kcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Spon-Gregory-scaled.jpg Jason Dooley photo download: http://www.kcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dooley-Jason-scaled.jpg Gregory Spon, previously Director, Architecture for Ware Malcomb's Irvine office, relocated and will lead the Nashville office as Regional Director. He will oversee the growth and management of the company's operations in the Nashville region. Spon joins the Southeast leadership team led by Principal, Jason Dooley, AIA. "We have proudly worked with clients in Tennessee for over eight years," said Spon, Regional Director for Ware Malcomb. "Nashville is an extremely dynamic market, known for its innovative technology and entrepreneurism. Middle Tennessee, in general, has become an attractive corporate headquarters for many companies. We're excited to support the area's growing enterprises with our integrated design services." Ware Malcomb has completed over 100 projects in the area, including retail, office and industrial projects. The new Nashville office builds upon Ware Malcomb's rapidly growing Southeast region with offices in Atlanta and Miami. "With this expansion, we are rising to meet the growing market demand in the Southeastern United States," said Dooley, Principal for Ware Malcomb. "It's an exciting time, and we're pleased to become an official member of the Nashville community." About Ware Malcomb ( waremalcomb.com ) Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full service design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, the firm specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science & technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/institutional facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company and a Hot Firm by Zweig Group. The firm is also ranked among the top 15 architecture/engineering firms in Engineering News-Record's Top 500 Design Firms and the top 25 interior design firms in Interior Design magazine's Top 100 Giants. For more information, visit http://waremalcomb.com/news and view Ware Malcomb's Brand Video at youtube.com/waremalcomb. Ware Malcomb Nashville 3401 Mallory Lane, Suite 100 & 200 Franklin, TN 37067 p. 615.647.5547 CONTACT: Maria Rodgers, PR & Communications Manager, 949.660.9128, [email protected] Maureen Bissonnette, Principal, Marketing, 949.660.9128, [email protected] SOURCE Ware Malcomb LONDON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wirex, a leading crypto payments company, is expanding the suite of top-up methods on their non-custodial wallet for Indian customers. The addition of this popular payment option to purchase crypto will make the digital economy more accessible for over 1 billion people in India. The Wirex Wallet is available globally and was created to make the benefits of DeFi available for everyday users. Considered one of the most accessible wallet products available, it offers an industry-leading user interface and high level of convenience, allowing users to manage over 100 different cryptocurrencies and NFTs from their mobile device. Wirex prioritises security, with resilient multi-computation (MPC) technology as well as a unique, keyless access system using biometrics. The company has now made it easier than ever for Wirex Wallet users in India to purchase crypto such as MATIC, BTC and DOGE, by adding another reliable, well-known payment method using mobile payment and bank transfer. This comes in addition to debit/credit and Apple/Google Pay options already available. With a direct on-ramp in place, it will save users large amounts of time, effort and gas fees without the need to exchange on other platforms. Wirex has rapidly expanded the blockchains offered on the Wirex Wallet to give users more choice, including Ethereum, Fantom, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, and recently, the Polygon blockchain. Combining the best of Ethereum and sovereign blockchains, Polygon has already proven hugely popular across the globe thanks to its low fees, fast transaction speeds and highly secure nature. Pavel Matveev, CEO and Co-Founder of Wirex, commented: "Having already gained a global reputation for innovation, we've released the Wirex Wallet to enable mainstream users to benefit from DeFi. Extending the features and functionality for customers in India is the next step in this. As the largest crypto market in the world, it's important that we provide a best in-class experience for users by offering the ultimate convenience, flexibility and security when using the app." Antoni Martin, Enterprise Lead at Polygon, commented: "Wirex continues to add new features and functionality to its user-focused platform and its expansion of payment methods will add to its work in onboarding new users as seamlessly as possible. Polygon is delighted to be a part of these efforts, and we hope we can do our part for the increased adoption of cryptocurrencies around the world." The launch of the Wallet develops the global Wirex ecosystem and bridges the gap between the traditional and digital economies. The award-winning Wirex app has already proven hugely popular with Indian customers, offering the ability to buy, hold, exchange and sell 50+ currencies from a single, intuitive app. In-app, users can benefit from their DeFi savings product, X-Accounts, to earn up to 20% APR interest on crypto funds. Today's announcement follows the release of a series of new alternative payment methods on the Wallet for those living in Malaysia, Indonesia and Portugal, and in the coming weeks, Wirex plans to add the Solana blockchain. App Store | Google Play Store The Wirex Wallet is a non-custodial wallet connecting users with defi services. The Wirex Wallet is not offered or developed by Wirex. See terms and conditions for more information. Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Notes to editors: About Wirex Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world's first crypto-enabled payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend crypto and traditional currencies in real life. Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life, Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for crypto and traditional currency transactions by incorporating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains With over 5 million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple crypto transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ traditional and cryptocurrencies in more than 68 million locations around the world using the Wirex card. Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licensing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex launched their own native utility token, WXT, and introduced the world's first crypto reward programme, Cryptoback, which earns cardholders up to 8% back in WXT for every transaction they make. To reflect the growth of the metaverse, throughout 2021, the company has expanded their product to enable mainstream access to DeFi. Starting with the launch of their popular X-Accounts feature, offering unprecedented levels of interest, Wirex has continued to add to their DeFi arsenal with the release of the non-custodial Wirex Wallet and a partnership with Nereus, a decentralised liquidity market. Wirex is based in London, with offices in Singapore, Kyiv, Dallas, Dublin and Atlanta. With over $5bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, including the US, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions. | wirexapp.com | SOURCE Wirex ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System The ExcelsiusGPS combines a revolutionary robotic navigation platform, a rigid robotic arm with full navigation capabilities, custom fabricated interbody solutions and now the Excelsius 3D an intelligent imaging system. "We are proud to feature one of the most advanced surgical spine solutions in the nation..." Dr. Roland Kent Excelsius 3D 3-in-1 imaging system combines CT, fluoroscopy, and digital radiography in one system performing all intraoperative imaging needed during spine surgery. 3-in-1 imaging system combines CT, fluoroscopy, and digital radiography in one system performing all intraoperative imaging needed during spine surgery. Eliminates the need for multiple imaging systems exiting and entering the operating room during a procedure. Improves implant placement accuracy, lowers radiation exposure, and shortens operative times. Haptic-response motion and smart position memory streamline setup and transport to minimize workflow disruption. ProAxis Spinal Surgery Table The first of its kind, ProAxis features advanced hinge technology to provide unparalleled surgical access, precision, and flexibility. Advanced hinge technology, allowing for flexion and extension of the lumbar spine with direct visualization of intraoperative changes in spinal alignment. ProAxis is radiolucent allowing the Excelsius3D imaging system to capture images of the patient intraoperatively. IntelliPendant, controls the ProAxis table and stores the exact position of the patient for precise, predictable, and consistent imagery. Tempur-Pedic Medical Pad technology incorporated into all patient surfaces "We are proud to feature one of the most advanced surgical spine solutions in the nation. We have performed more than eight hundred cases with ExcelsiusGPS and are now excited to add Excelsius3D to provide our patients with customized solutions for complex spine care that are more efficient and less invasive, thus improving surgical outcomes," reports Dr. Roland Kent, founder of Axis Spine Center and surgeon at Northwest Specialty Hospital. Senior VP of regulatory and clinical affairs at Globus Medical, Kelly Baker, added, "Globus is excited to expand into a new product space with the Excelsius3D and help bring this truly innovative system to market." Northwest Specialty Hospital is recognized as an observation center, allowing surgeons from across the United States and the world to see how to integrate these technologies to develop innovative and fully customized approaches to complex cases. To learn more about Excelsius3D, please visit: https://www.globusmedical.com/musculoskeletal-solutions/excelsius3d/ To learn more about the ProAxis Spinal Surgery Table, please visit: https://www.mizuhosi.com/product/proaxis/ About Northwest Specialty Hospital Northwest Specialty Hospital is owned and operated by physicians. Independently ranked amongst the best hospitals in the nation for both patient satisfaction and safety we are a five-star CMS rated hospital featuring award-winning patient satisfaction, gourmet cuisine, and state-of-the-art technologies. http://nwsh.com Media Contact Darron Rock, Northwest Specialty Hospital Director of Marketing P | 208.262.2413 [email protected] SOURCE Northwest Specialty Hospital DUBLIN, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Wood Pellet Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global wood pellet market reached a value of US$ 11.42 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 17.33 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.85% 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. Wood pellets are compressed wood particles primarily obtained from wood residues and agricultural by-products like straw. They are dense, low in moisture and ash content, and have high energy content as compared to unprocessed biomass. Apart from this, as they are highly cost-effective and require less maintenance, wood pallets find extensive applications in the residential and commercial sectors for cooking, grilling and supplying heat. They are also utilized in large-scale biomass supply chains as they help reduce costs throughout the supply chain in storing, handling, and transporting. Wood Pellet Industry Trends and Drivers: The growing utilization of wood pellets in power generation represents one of the key factors driving the market. Moreover, the increasing awareness among individuals about the benefits of using renewable sources of energy and the high combustion of wood pellets is propelling the growth of the market. In addition, there is a considerable rise in concerns about global warming and climate changes worldwide due to the increasing heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. This, along with inflating oil prices and the increasing use of wood pellets for heating federal and municipal buildings, office buildings, and educational facilities, is offering lucrative growth opportunities to End-users. Besides this, governments of several countries are offering incentives and subsidies to encourage the adoption of renewable sources of energy for power generation, which, in turn, is positively influencing the sales of wood pallets across the globe. Furthermore, key market players are focusing on mergers and collaborations to expand their customer base. These players are also working on sourcing waste wood materials and sawdust to boost production volumes, which is projected to increase their overall sales and profitability. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Andritz AG, Asia Biomass Public Company Limited, Drax Group PLC, Energex, Enviva LP, Fram Renewable Fuels LLC, Land Energy Limited, Lignetics Inc., Mallard Creek Inc., Pacific BioEnergy Corporation, Stora Enso Oyj, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget and Tanac S.A. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global wood pellet market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global wood pellet market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the feedstock type? 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 wood pellet 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 Wood Pellet Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Feedstock Type 6.1 Forest Wood and Waste 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Agriculture Residue 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Others 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Application 7.1 Power Plants 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Residential Heating 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Commercial Heating 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) 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 Region 9 SWOT Analysis 10 Value Chain Analysis 11 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12 Price Analysis 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Market Structure 13.2 Key Players 13.3 Profiles of Key Players 13.3.1 Andritz AG 13.3.1.1 Company Overview 13.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.1.3 Financials 13.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.2 Asia Biomass Public Company Limited 13.3.2.1 Company Overview 13.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.2.3 Financials 13.3.3 Drax Group PLC 13.3.3.1 Company Overview 13.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.3.3 Financials 13.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.4 Energex 13.3.4.1 Company Overview 13.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.5 Enviva LP 13.3.5.1 Company Overview 13.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.6 Fram Renewable Fuels LLC 13.3.6.1 Company Overview 13.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.7 Land Energy Limited 13.3.7.1 Company Overview 13.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.8 Lignetics Inc. 13.3.8.1 Company Overview 13.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.9 Mallard Creek Inc. 13.3.9.1 Company Overview 13.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.10 Pacific BioEnergy Corporation 13.3.10.1 Company Overview 13.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.11 Stora Enso Oyj 13.3.11.1 Company Overview 13.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.11.3 Financials 13.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.12 Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget 13.3.12.1 Company Overview 13.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.13 Tanac S.A. 13.3.13.1 Company Overview 13.3.13.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/shuqhl 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 Shimao site, the biggest city site from the Longshan Period to the Xia Dynasty (Neolithic Age) discovered in China so far, is of great significance in tracking source of China's early civilization. Spanning 4 million square meters, the lost city dating back to 2,300 BC is located on the edge of the Muus Desert in Gaojiabao Town, Shenmu City. The site consists of three parts, including the core imperial city pyramid, the inner city and the outer city. The three stone-made enclosures made up a great architectural example for China's ancient capitals. Over the past years, excavators have uncovered a stone city with immense fortifications and sophisticated infrastructure, thousands of luxurious artifacts including jades, potteries, bone artifacts, stone sculptures, and murals. The Shimao site is hailed as one of the most important prehistoric archaeological discoveries in China in this century. Its academic value has been recognized at home and abroad. In April 2019, six projects including the Shimao ruins were added to China's Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. In addition, the Neolithic City of Shimao was listed among the top 10 archaeological findings of the past decade by the U.S.-based Archaeology journal in December 2020. Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/328070.html SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road The health benefits associated with yams are driving the yams market growth. The increasing awareness among consumers of the health benefits of yams increases their demand globally. Yams are rich in nutrients and contain vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, and fiber. Yams also help in improving brain functions and relieving arthritis symptoms. They contain a unique compound called diosgenin, which promotes neuron growth, enhances brain function, and inhibits the progression of both osteoporosis arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Yams also help to maintain cholesterol levels. View market report outlook to learn more about factors influencing the market. Yam Market: Key Trends The increasing demand for organic yams is contributing to market growth. The growing perception among consumers that organic yam is healthier than conventional yam is boosting the demand for organic variants of yams. The promotion of organic food products by several government agencies and the increase in health consciousness among consumers is also expected to increase the demand for organic yams during the forecast period. Vendor Insights The report identifies the following as the dominant vendors in the market: Amruth Organics and Natural Store BDS Natural Products Inc. Bio Botanica Inc. Dabur India Ltd. Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH and Co. KG Frontier Co op Green Amrut McCall Farms Inc. Novoherb Technologies Penn Herb Co. Ltd. Provital SAU Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd. Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl Ltd. Product Insights and News The yams market forecast report offers in-depth insights into key vendor profiles. The profiles include information on the production, sustainability, and prospects of the leading companies. For instance, Bio-botanica.com, a leading vendor, offers a wide range of products such as wild yams. Dabur.com provides elephant yam that is rich in proteins, fiber, fat, starch, carbohydrates, oxalic acid, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Another leading vendor, Frontiercoop.com provides frontier wild yam root, a low-creeping perennial crop that is grown in the eastern half of North America. Learn more about the vendors in the market as you download your sample copy North America's Contribution to Yams Market The increase in the vegan population in the US is expected to propel the yams market growth in North America. Countries such as the US and Canada are expected to be the main contributors to market growth in the region. North America is expected to contribute 71% of the yams market growth. Market growth in the region is expected to be lower than the growth of the market in other regions. Download your sample copy and know more about the market contribution in Asia Yams Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.53% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 47.36 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.97 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 71% Key consumer countries US, Canada, Taiwan, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Amruth Organics and Natural Store , BDS Natural Products Inc., Bio Botanica Inc., Dabur India Ltd., Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH and Co. KG, Frontier Co op, Green Amrut, McCall Farms Inc., Novoherb Technologies, Penn Herb Co. Ltd., Provital SAU, Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd., and Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl 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. Get your report sample copy to unlock scope and parent market analysis insights Market Segmentation The yams market is divided by product into organic and non-organic segments. The non-organic segment is expected to significantly contribute to the yams market. The demand for non-organic yams is rising due to the health benefits associated with their consumption. Yams are not only an excellent source of fiber but are also high in potassium and manganese, which are important for supporting bone health, metabolism, growth, and heart function. They also provide other micronutrients, such as copper and vitamin C. Copper is vital for red blood cell production and iron absorption, and vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that boosts the immune system. Such health benefits of non-organic yams are driving the segment growth. Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2022-2026 Accurate predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of yams market vendors Detailed information on factors that will drive yams market growth during the next five years Precise estimation of the yams market size and its contribution to the parent market The growth of the yams industry across North America , Europe , APAC, Middle East and Africa , and South America Related Reports: Maize Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Download your sample Vegetable Seeds Market in Mexico by Seed Type and Crop Type - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Download your sample 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 Product Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product 5.3 Non-organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Non-organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Non-organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Non-organic - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Non-organic - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Organic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Organic - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Organic - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Product ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Taiwan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Taiwan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on Taiwan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on Taiwan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on Taiwan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 87: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 BDS Natural Products Inc. Exhibit 89: BDS Natural Products Inc. - Overview Exhibit 90: BDS Natural Products Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 91: BDS Natural Products Inc. - Key offerings 10.4 Bio Botanica Inc. Exhibit 92: Bio Botanica Inc. - Overview Exhibit 93: Bio Botanica Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 94: Bio Botanica Inc. - Key offerings 10.5 Dabur India Ltd. Exhibit 95: Dabur India Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 96: Dabur India Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 97: Dabur India Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 98: Dabur India Ltd. - Segment focus 10.6 Frontier Co op Exhibit 99: Frontier Co op - Overview Exhibit 100: Frontier Co op - Product / Service Exhibit 101: Frontier Co op - Key offerings 10.7 McCall Farms Inc. Exhibit 102: McCall Farms Inc. - Overview Exhibit 103: McCall Farms Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 104: McCall Farms Inc. - Key offerings 10.8 Novoherb Technologies Exhibit 105: Novoherb Technologies - Overview Exhibit 106: Novoherb Technologies - Product / Service Exhibit 107: Novoherb Technologies - Key offerings 10.9 Penn Herb Co. Ltd. Exhibit 108: Penn Herb Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 109: Penn Herb Co. Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 110: Penn Herb Co. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.10 Provital SAU Exhibit 111: Provital SAU - Overview Exhibit 112: Provital SAU - Product / Service Exhibit 113: Provital SAU - Key offerings 10.11 Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd. Exhibit 114: Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 115: Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 116: Wellgreen Technology Co. Ltd. - Key offerings 10.12 Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl Ltd. Exhibit 117: Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 118: Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 119: Xtend-Life Natural Products Intl Ltd. - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 120: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 121: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 122: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 123: Research methodology Exhibit 124: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 125: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 126: 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 and its client base consist 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 Conference Call to Be Held at 7:30 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time on May 24, 2022 GUANGZHOU, China, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yatsen Holding Limited ("Yatsen" or the "Company") (NYSE: YSG), a leading Chinese beauty company, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. First Quarter 2022 Highlights Total net revenues for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 38.3% to RMB891.0 million ( US$140.5 million ) from RMB1.44 billion in the prior year period. for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 38.3% to ( ) from in the prior year period. Total net revenues from Skincare Brands [1] for the first quarter of 2022 increased by 68.5% to RMB182.7 million from RMB108.4 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, total net revenues from Skincare Brands for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 20.5% from 7.5% in the prior year period. for the first quarter of 2022 increased by 68.5% to from in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, total net revenues from Skincare Brands for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 20.5% from 7.5% in the prior year period. Gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 69.0%, compared with 68.6% in the prior year period. for the first quarter of 2022 was 69.0%, compared with 68.6% in the prior year period. Net loss for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 8.7% to RMB291.4 million ( US$46.0 million ) from RMB319.0 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss[2] for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 33.6% to RMB155.6 million ( US$24.5 million ) from RMB234.3 million in the prior year period. "We remain focused on executing our strategy of building our brands, investing in R&D and pursuing sustainable growth in the first quarter of 2022," stated Mr. Jinfeng Huang, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yatsen. "We have already observed early progress, including the growing skincare business and narrowing net loss and non-GAAP net loss. Although the pandemic continues to negatively impact our business, including our offline stores and supply chain, we are working hard to transform Yatsen and optimize operations during these challenging times." "Due to the soft industry-wide demand for color cosmetics and COVID-19 resurgences in major cities impacting the sales from our offline stores, our net revenues declined by 38.3% in the first quarter of 2022," commented Mr. Donghao Yang, Director and Chief Financial Officer of Yatsen. "Nevertheless, our gross margin in the first quarter reached 69.0%, our net loss decreased by 8.7% year-over-year to RMB291.4 million, and our non-GAAP net loss decreased by 33.6% year-over-year to RMB155.6 million. The improvements in net loss and non-GAAP net loss indicate that our strategic transformation is on track, though we continue to face a harsh business environment heading into the second quarter." First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Net Revenues Total net revenues for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 38.3% to RMB891.0 million (US$140.5 million) from RMB1.44 billion in the prior year period. The decrease was primarily attributable to the 45.6% decrease in net revenues from our Color Cosmetics Brands[3], partially offset by the 68.5% increase in net revenues from our Skincare Brands. [1] Include net revenues from Abby's Choice, DR. WU (its mainland China business), Galenic, Eve Lom and other skincare brands. [2] Non-GAAP net loss is a non-GAAP financial measure. Non-GAAP net loss is defined as net loss excluding (i) share-based compensation expenses, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions and (iii) tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments. [3] Include net revenues from Perfect Diary, Little Ondine, Pink Bear and other color cosmetics brands. Gross Profit and Gross Margin Gross profit for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 38.0% to RMB614.5 million (US$96.9 million) from RMB991.6 million in the prior year period. Gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 69.0% from 68.6% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to our continuous efforts to improve our gross margin, including through (i) increasing sales from our higher-gross margin products, and (ii) optimizing strategies in pricing, discounts, and promotions. Operating Expenses Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 30.9% to RMB922.5 million (US$145.5 million) from RMB1.33 billion in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were 103.5%, as compared with 92.4% in the prior year period. Fulfillment Expenses. Fulfillment expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were RMB73.9 million ( US$11.7 million ), as compared with RMB92.7 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, fulfillment expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 8.3% from 6.4% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to a decrease in the economies of scale of our fixed fulfillment expenses, partially offset by certain cost-saving initiatives related to fulfillment assets instituted during the first quarter of 2022. Fulfillment expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), as compared with in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, fulfillment expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 8.3% from 6.4% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to a decrease in the economies of scale of our fixed fulfillment expenses, partially offset by certain cost-saving initiatives related to fulfillment assets instituted during the first quarter of 2022. Selling and Marketing Expenses. Selling and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were RMB604.7 million ( US$95.4 million ), as compared with RMB1.04 billion in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, selling and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2022 decreased to 67.9% from 72.1% in the prior year period. The decrease was primarily attributable to our continuous efforts to optimize the efficiency of our marketing spending, partially offset by the expenses related to the closure of certain offline experience stores. Selling and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), as compared with in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, selling and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2022 decreased to 67.9% from 72.1% in the prior year period. The decrease was primarily attributable to our continuous efforts to optimize the efficiency of our marketing spending, partially offset by the expenses related to the closure of certain offline experience stores. General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were RMB208.1 million ( US$32.8 million ), as compared with RMB172.3 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, general and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 23.4% from 11.9% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to the increases in salaries and share-based compensation expenses. General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), as compared with in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, general and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 23.4% from 11.9% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to the increases in salaries and share-based compensation expenses. Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were RMB35.8 million ( US$5.6 million ), as compared with RMB27.7 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2022 increased to 4.0% from 1.9% in the prior year period. The increase was primarily attributable to the increases in personnel costs, raw materials, equipment, and share-based compensation expenses, reflecting our commitment to enhancing our research and development capabilities. Loss from Operations Loss from operations for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 10.3% to RMB308.0 million (US$48.6 million) from RMB343.3 million in the prior year period. Operating loss margin was 34.6%, as compared with 23.8% in the prior year period. Non-GAAP loss from operations[4] for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 34.1% to RMB170.1 million (US$26.8 million) from RMB258.3 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP operating loss margin was 19.1%, as compared with 17.9% in the prior year period. [4] Non-GAAP loss from operations is a non-GAAP financial measure. Non-GAAP loss from operations is defined as loss from operations excluding share-based compensation expenses and amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions. Net Loss Net loss for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 8.7% to RMB291.4 million (US$46.0 million) from RMB319.0 million in the prior year period. Net loss margin was 32.7%, as compared with 22.1% in the prior year period. Net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS[5] for the first quarter of 2022 was RMB0.46 (US$0.07), as compared with RMB0.50 in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 33.6% to RMB155.6 million (US$24.5 million) from RMB234.3 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss margin was 17.5%, as compared with 16.2% in the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS[6] for the first quarter of 2022 was RMB0.25 (US$0.04), as compared with RMB0.37 in the prior year period. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB2.97 billion (US$467.8 million), as compared with RMB3.14 billion as of December 31, 2021. Net cash used in operating activities for the first quarter of 2022 decreased by 77.7% to RMB104.1 million (US$16.4 million) from RMB466.1 million in the prior year period. Business Outlook For the second quarter of 2022, the Company expects its total net revenues to be between RMB808.3 million and RMB960.8 million, representing a year-over-year decline of approximately 37% to 47%, primarily due to (i) continued industry-wide softening of color cosmetics demand, and (ii) the continued negative impact of COVID-19 on our offline experience stores, online order fulfillment capabilities and supply chain. These forecasts reflect the Company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change. Exchange Rate This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi ("RMB") amounts into U.S. dollars ("US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at a rate of RMB6.3393 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of March 31, 2022, as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company makes no representation that any RMB or US$ amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. [5] ADS refers to the American depositary shares, each of which represents four Class A ordinary shares. [6] Non-GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS is a non-GAAP financial measure. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS is defined as non-GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of diluted ADS outstanding for computing diluted earnings per ADS. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders is defined as net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders excluding (i) share-based compensation expenses, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, (iii) tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments, (iv) accretion to preferred shares, and (v) deemed dividends to preferred shareholders due to modification of preferred shares. Conference Call Information The Company's management will hold a conference call on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 7:30 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time or 7:30 P.M. Beijing Time to discuss its financial results and operating performance for the first quarter 2022. United States (toll free): +1-888-346-8982 International: +1-412-902-4272 Mainland China (toll free): 400-120-1203 Hong Kong (toll free): 800-905-945 Hong Kong: +852-3018-4992 Conference ID: 5131932 The replay will be accessible through May 31, 2022, by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-877-344-7529 International: +1-412-317-0088 Conference ID: 5131932 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.yatsenglobal.com/. About Yatsen Holding Limited Yatsen Holding Limited (NYSE: YSG) is a leading player in China's beauty market with a mission to create an exciting new journey of beauty discovery for consumers in China and around the world. Founded in 2016, the Company has launched and acquired multiple color cosmetics and skincare brands including Perfect Diary, Little Ondine, Abby's Choice, Galenic, DR.WU (its mainland China business), Eve Lom and Pink Bear. The Company's flagship brand, Perfect Diary, is one of the top color cosmetics brands in China in terms of online retail sales value. Leveraging its digitally native direct-to-customer business model, the Company has built core capabilities which enable it to launch and scale multiple brands quickly while offering a wide selection of products to a growing variety of customers. The Company reaches and engages with customers directly both online and offline, with expansive presence across all major e-commerce, social and content platforms in China. For more information, please visit http://ir.yatsenglobal.com/. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses non-GAAP income (loss) from operations, non-GAAP net income (loss), non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders and non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS, each a non-GAAP financial measure, in reviewing and assessing its operating performance. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company presents these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by the management to evaluate operating performance and formulate business plans. Non-GAAP financial measures help identify underlying trends in its business, provide further information about its results of operations, and enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects. The Company defines non-GAAP income (loss) from operations as income (loss) from operations excluding share-based compensation expenses and amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions. The Company defines non-GAAP net income (loss) as net income (loss) excluding (i) share-based compensation expenses, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions and (iii) tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders as net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders excluding (i) share-based compensation expenses, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, (iii) tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments, (iv) accretion to preferred shares, and (v) deemed dividends to preferred shareholders due to modification of preferred shares. Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS is computed using non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by weighted average number of diluted ADS outstanding for computing diluted earnings per ADS. However, the non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools as the non-GAAP financial measures are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited. The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating performance. The Company encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. Reconciliations of Yatsen's non-GAAP financial measure to the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure are included at the end of this press release. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements which are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to," and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs, plans, outlook and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, which include but not limited to the following: the Company's growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; its ability to continue to roll out popular products and maintain popularity of existing products; its ability to anticipate and respond to changes in industry trends and consumer preferences and behavior in a timely manner; its ability to attract and retain new customers and to increase revenues generated from repeat customers; its expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; its ability to integrate newly-acquired businesses and brands; trends and competition in and relevant government policies and regulations relating to China's beauty market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; and general economic conditions in China. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Yatsen Holding Limited Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Emilie Wu Tel: +86-21-6039-8363 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] YATSEN HOLDING LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except for share, per share data or otherwise noted) December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 3,138,008 1,692,641 267,008 Short-term investment - 1,272,574 200,744 Accounts receivable 355,837 226,637 35,751 Inventories, net 695,761 584,112 92,141 Prepayments and other current assets 366,191 350,358 55,268 Amounts due from related parties 60 60 9 Total current assets 4,555,857 4,126,382 650,921 Non-current assets Investments 350,380 368,081 58,063 Property and equipment, net 245,314 184,712 29,138 Goodwill 869,421 852,493 134,477 Intangible assets, net 745,851 714,679 112,738 Deferred tax assets 2,000 1,938 306 Right-of-use assets, net 422,966 355,876 56,138 Other non-current assets 80,220 73,236 11,553 Total non-current assets 2,716,152 2,551,015 402,413 Total assets 7,272,009 6,677,397 1,053,334 Liabilities, redeemable non-controlling interests and shareholders' equity (deficit) Current liabilities Accounts payable 240,815 55,933 8,823 Advances from customers 20,680 17,105 2,698 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 370,531 256,227 40,419 Amounts due to related parties 13,967 9,923 1,565 Income tax payables 16,747 15,704 2,477 Lease liabilities due within one year 214,843 195,525 30,843 Total current liabilities 877,583 550,417 86,825 Non-current liabilities Deferred tax liabilities 124,450 118,930 18,761 Deferred income-non current 56,180 52,319 8,253 Lease liabilities 206,303 161,943 25,546 Total non-current liabilities 386,933 333,192 52,560 Total liabilities 1,264,516 883,609 139,385 Redeemable non-controlling interests 338,587 339,924 53,622 Shareholders' equity (deficit) Ordinary Shares (US$0.00001 par value; 10,000,000,000 ordinary shares authorized, comprising of 6,000,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, 960,852,606 Class B ordinary shares and 3,039,147,394 shares each of such classes to be designated as of December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022; 1,938,303,919 Class A shares and 758,869,844 Class B ordinary shares issued; 1,789,239,887 Class A ordinary shares and 737,513,429 Class B ordinary shares outstanding as of and December 31, 2021; 1,978,303,919 Class A shares and 718,869,844 Class B ordinary shares issued; 1,829,239,887 Class A ordinary shares and 697,513,429 Class B ordinary shares outstanding as of and March 31, 2022) 173 173 27 Treasury shares (22,330) (22,330) (3,522) Additional paid-in capital 11,697,942 11,823,760 1,865,152 Statutory reserve 21,352 21,352 3,368 Accumulated deficit (5,782,169) (6,073,084) (958,005) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (255,780) (304,664) (48,059) Total Yatsen Holding Limited shareholders' (deficit) equity 5,659,188 5,445,207 858,961 Non-controlling interests 9,718 8,657 1,366 Total shareholders' (deficit) equity 5,668,906 5,453,864 860,327 Total liabilities, redeemable non-controlling interests and shareholders' equity (deficit) 7,272,009 6,677,397 1,053,334 YATSEN HOLDING LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (All amounts in thousands, except for share, per share data or otherwise noted) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000 Total net revenues 1,444,465 890,954 140,545 Total cost of revenues (452,899) (276,408) (43,602) Gross profit 991,566 614,546 96,943 Operating expenses: Fulfilment expenses (92,718) (73,863) (11,652) Selling and marketing expenses (1,042,062) (604,726) (95,393) General and administrative expenses (172,319) (208,129) (32,832) Research and development expenses (27,740) (35,810) (5,649) Total operating expenses (1,334,839) (922,528) (145,526) Income (loss) from operations (343,273) (307,982) (48,583) Financial income 14,045 8,103 1,278 Foreign currency exchange losses (3,596) (2,632) (415) Income (loss) from equity method investments, net 7,142 (2,330) (368) Impairment loss of investments - (4,416) (697) Other non-operating income 7,474 17,654 2,785 Income (loss) before income tax expenses (318,208) (291,603) (46,000) Income tax (expense) benefit (786) 223 35 Net loss (318,994) (291,380) (45,965) Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests and redeemable non-controlling interests 1,656 465 73 Net loss attributable to Yatsen's shareholders (317,338) (290,915) (45,892) Shares used in calculating earnings per share (1): Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares: Basic 2,526,453,776 2,526,753,316 2,526,753,316 Diluted 2,526,453,776 2,526,753,316 2,526,753,316 Net income (loss) per Class A and Class B ordinary share Net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders Basic (0.13) (0.12) (0.02) Net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersDiluted (0.13) (0.12) (0.02) Net income (loss) per ADS (4 ordinary shares equal to 1 ADS) Net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersBasic (0.50) (0.46) (0.07) Net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersDiluted (0.50) (0.46) (0.07) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 2022 Share-based compensation expenses are included in the operating RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000 expenses as follows: Fulfilment expenses 904 1,523 240 Selling and marketing expenses 11,839 22,355 3,526 General and administrative expenses 66,619 94,983 14,983 Research and development expenses 1,504 6,957 1,097 Total 80,866 125,818 19,846 (1) Authorized share capital is re-classified and re-designated into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, with each Class A ordinary share being entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share being entitled to twenty votes on all matters that are subject to shareholder vote. (2) The intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions include assets relating to selling and marketing such as trademarks and customer relationships, and therefore the amortization of such is allocated to selling and marketing expenses. YATSEN HOLDING LIMITED UNAUDITED RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (All amounts in thousands, except for share, per share data or otherwise noted) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB'000 RMB'000 USD'000 Income (loss) from operations (343,273) (307,982) (48,583) Share-based compensation expenses 80,866 125,818 19,846 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions 4,130 12,083 1,906 Non-GAAP income (loss) from operations (258,277) (170,081) (26,831) Net income (loss) (318,994) (291,380) (45,965) Share-based compensation expenses 80,866 125,818 19,846 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions 4,130 12,083 1,906 Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments (324) (2,084) (329) Non-GAAP net income (loss) (234,322) (155,563) (24,542) Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders of Yatsen (317,338) (290,915) (45,892) Share-based compensation expenses 80,866 125,818 19,846 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions 3,736 11,831 1,866 Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments (296) (2,084) (329) Accretion to preferred shares - - - Deemed dividends to preferred shareholders due to modification of preferred shares - - - Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders of Yatsen (233,032) (155,350) (24,509) Shares used in calculating earnings per share: Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares: Basic 2,526,453,776 2,526,753,316 2,526,753,316 Diluted 2,526,453,776 2,526,753,316 2,526,753,316 Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders per Class A and Class B ordinary share Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersBasic (0.09) (0.06) (0.01) Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersDiluted (0.09) (0.06) (0.01) Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders per ADS (4 ordinary shares equal to 1 ADS) Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersBasic (0.37) (0.25) (0.04) Non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholdersDiluted (0.37) (0.25) (0.04) SOURCE Yatsen Holding Limited AI chatbot automation is converting customer support into a source of revenue for eCommerce merchants NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zowie , the only AI-powered chatbot technology built specifically for eCommerce teams who want to drive sales through customer support, today announced $14 million in Series A funding led by Tiger Global Management. This brings Zowie's total funding to $20M. Additional investors such as Gradient Ventures (Google's AI-focused fund), 10xFounders (investor in Revolut, Robinhood, Adyen), and Inovo, also participated in the round alongside strategic investor Jack Altman (CEO at Lattice). Customer service teams at eCommerce brands are constantly struggling to keep up with growth and increased customer acquisition costs while still providing an exceptional customer experience. Recent market data from Aisle Rocket shows that Facebook ad prices have historically risen 30% year-over-year before the pandemic with a 30% rebound this year which means pricing will continue to increase. Today, Zowie is the only AI-powered chatbot built specifically for eCommerce teams who want to drive sales through customer support. Powered by cutting-edge AI technology, Zowie automates 70% of inquiries eCommerce brands typically receive such as "where's my package?" or "how can I change my shipping address?" And unlike traditional chatbot solutions in the market, Zowie couples its unrivaled automation capabilities with a powerful suite of tools that allows agents to provide timely, personalized care and product recommendations. The end result delighted customers, higher conversion rates, and more revenue. Zowie seamlessly integrates with all eCommerce tools like Shopify, Recharge, Klaviyo, and more. The ready-to-use automation supported by an open API enables Zowie's customers to quickly set up automation like order status, subscription management, parcel tracking, and more. "Customer service is the new marketing," says Maja Schaefer, CEO, and Co-Founder at Zowie. "Every interaction with customers is an opportunity to sell. Zowie enables brands to improve their customer relationships and start generating revenue from customer service. Our latest funding is an exciting moment for us and will unlock even better solutions for our customers." This latest round of funding will support Zowie's mission to enable better online customer experiences and extend its industry-leading automation capabilities to new channels, including email. The funds will also support the company's commercial growth and international expansion by hiring more sales for its go-to-market team in the United States. "Zowie is seeing a lot of momentum with its advanced and easy to manage chatbot," said John Curtius, Partner at Tiger Global. "Given the growth of the eCommerce vertical and increased consumer spending globally, it is uniquely positioned to continue reaching more eCommerce customers and expanding the business on a global scale." About Zowie Zowie is an AI-powered chatbot built to help eCommerce brands drive sales through Customer Support. Founded in 2019 by Maja Schaefer (Forbes 30 Under 30) and Matt Ciolek, Zowie operates between its commercial office in New York with development offices across Poland. Zowie's technology helps eCommerce merchants deflect repetitive questions, provide hands-on care for customers who need it most, and proactively sell to high intent prospects. Press Contact: Kathy Osborne [email protected] SOURCE Zowie Condor Gold PLC (AIM:CNR, TSX:COG, OTC:CNDGF) announced significant drilling results from the La India open pit in Nicaragua. The intercepts were located within and between the planned high-grade starter pits and provide additional confidence in the mineral resource in this key area, the company said. "A wide zone of 34.1 metres true width of good open pit grade gold mineralisation of 2.56g/t [grammes a tonne] gold from only 2.80 metres drill depth is ideal material as initial mill feed for the permitted processing plant and supports the attractive project economics and 12-month pay back detailed in the PEA [preliminary economic assessment] technical report filed in October 2021, said chairman and chief executive Mark Child. True width is based on the current interpretation of the veins and may be revised. This was a geotechnical drill hole within La India open pit that was initially surveyed and analysed for structures and rock strength, which once completed, was assayed for gold and silver, said Child. It adds confidence to the geological model for the forthcoming feasibility study and serves as a timely reminder of the wide zones of material with good open pit gold grade available near surface within the fully permitted La India project." Other highlights from the drilling programme included 28.7m true width at 2.62g/t gold from a depth of 5.5m in the hanging-wall of historic mine workings. The two twin holes reported today returned the 8th and 10th best intercepts to-date on the La India Vein, Condor noted. Musk recently tweeted that the US$44bn takeover of Twitter was temporarily on hold due to his concerns about the number of spambots the social media giant reported The Elon Musk/Twitter saga continues with the billionaire businessman now reportedly supporting the view that his bid for the social media group should be discounted proportionate to the number of spam bots on the platform. At the weekend, Musk responded to a tweet from Ian Miles Cheong about the $44 billion takeover bid. The latter wrote: "If 25% of the users are bots then the Twitter acquisition deal should cost 25% less." Musk responded : "Absolutely". The Tesla CEO also wrote in another posting: "I'm worried that Twitter has a disincentive to reduce spam, as it reduces perceived daily users. "They still refuse to explain how they calculate that 5% of daily users are fake/spam! Very suspicious." Two weeks ago, Musk had tweeted that the US$44bn takeover of Twitter was temporarily on hold due to his concerns about the number of spambots the social media giant reported. Subsequently, he set transparency on the number of fake or spam accounts as a key condition for his purchase to go ahead. "My offer was based on Twitters SEC filings being accurate," he had said in yet another Tweet. If Musk backs out of the deal, he will be reportedly required to pay Twitter a $1 billion termination fee and could be subjected to additional litigation. In the first quarter this year, Twitter's monetizable daily active user base grew 15.9% year-on-year to 229 million, including 39.6 million daily active users in the USA and 189.4 million international daily active users. Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinevstors.com Crossword Cybersecurity PLC (AIM:CCS) said three-fifths of chief information security officers (CISO) it surveyed are only fairly confident of managing their current cyberthreat exposure. The Aim-listed cybersecurity solutions company released details of a new report based on a survey of more than 200 CISOs and senior UK security professionals that it said should raise some eyebrows around the boardroom. Survey respondents said they are firefighting on a daily basis and many fear their cyber strategy will not keep pace with the rate of tech innovation in the cybercriminal community. Two-fifths, or 40%, believe their existing cyber strategy will be outdated in two years, and a further 37% believe it will be past its use-by date within three years. Additional investment is needed to address longer term planning, the report concluded, with 44% of respondents saying they only have sufficient resources in their organisation to focus on the immediate and mid-term cyber threats and tech trends. CISOs highlighted the following key priorities over the next 12 months: The cyber skills gap within organisations is the highest strategic priority (31%). Cybersecurity teams can become quickly overwhelmed if the right expertise is not in place to manage the load, the report noted. The gap could in part be addressed by putting more resources into training and upskilling, but this is difficult when team capacity is already stretched. The next most important priority highlighted by CISOs is the challenge of gaining consistent and reliable 'threat intelligence' (28%), with many reporting they rely on informal information sharing networks. Securing digital identity (27%) was also identified as key given the risks posed by hackers gaining credentials and impersonating users to access data and systems. The picture painted by our research shows CISOs are in urgent need of a strategic rethink. CISOs need to balance their cybersecurity operation's daily load with managing the organisation's long-term requirements, said Stuart Jubb, the group managing director at Crossword Cybersecurity. Boards must make sure CISOs have the budget necessary to get short-term issues under control and then begin planning a long-term business wide strategy. Such a strategy should be supported by a standard operating model with robust processes and policies for the company's entire supply chain. Every month of delay leaves businesses open to potentially crippling cyber-attacks," he warned. CISOs were also asked about the technology trends that they saw as being the most important and relevant over the next 12 months. Several technology categories stood out with cloud transition and cyber in the cloud leading the way (41%), followed by cyber security mesh architecture (35%), and artificial intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (31%). Cybersecurity today is in a more tightly squeezed iterative cycle than it was in the past. It demands that organisations take a more strategic and collaborative approach - we recommend appointing a head of cyber security strategy, while leaving the CISO to deliver on the immediate challenges, Jubb said. Managing the day to day risks is a tough balancing act, but one that can be achieved if CISOs have the right resources to upskill their teams and tools that leverage AI to bring efficiency and automation to help protect their organisation and its supply chain against today's threats," he concluded. Muttukrishnan Rajarajan, professor of security engineering and the director of the Institute for Cyber Security at the University of London, said he was not surprised that tackling ransomware scored highly in the survey. We are often commissioned to work on projects that focus just on this - an attack on one SME [small or medium-sized enterprise] can cause a complete supply chain to grind to a halt as we saw with vulnerabilities introduced via the Log4J code libraries recently, the professor said. Hybridan, the boutique broker, said the report demonstrates Crosswords standing as a thought leader in the cybersecurity industry, as well as its deep relationships with cybersecurity budget holders. "It shows how professionals are struggling to develop the next stage of their cybersecurity strategy in the face of an exponentially evolving threat, as well as delivering their current strategies," the broker said. "Crossword is well placed to help navigate this landscape and offers a range of cyber security solutions to help companies understand and reduce cyber security risk. Crosswords areas of emphasis are cyber security strategy and risk, supply chain cyber, threat detection and response, and digital identity," it added. --- adds broker comment --- Chesnara PLC (LSE:CSN) aims to be the least troublesome source of sustainable, attractive dividend yield and Hardman Research believes it is largely succeeding in this aim. With a price at about two-thirds of its economic value, Chesnara seems undervalued, the research house said. A prospective dividend yield of 8.1%, with good prospects of continued growth, also suggests an undervalued stock, it added. The headline figures in the life assurance and pension companys full-year results were good, Hardman said, but not without some blemishes. Operational variances showed the effect of the challenges to the Swedish business, in particular, although their negative contribution of 32.6mln was a distinct improvement on the 49.9mln loss in 2020, Hardman noted. On the balance sheet, the growth in Economic Value was offset by adverse movements in exchange rates; net, it shrank by 2%, it added. Since the announcement of the results at the end of March, the company has completed the acquisitions of Sanlam and Robein Leven, while earlier in the year the company issued a 200mln loan note at 4.75%, which to Hardman signals that management is confident of finding more transactions in the future. In our opinion, the discount to Economic Value looks wider than it should, and the yield appears high for a dividend that is both secure and growing, Hardman concluded. Reabold Resources PLC (AIM:RBD) said its new North Sea licences, which are being acquired from Corallian Energy, provide an exciting set of opportunities to create value. The company, in a statement, provided investors with key details about the licences which include three core areas the Inner Moray Firth, the North West Shetland basin and the East Shetland basin which each comprise two noted prospects. In all, they are believed to host significant prospective resources and opportunities to create value, said Reabold, which highlighted an estimated net present value (NPV) of some 776mln for the package of exploration assets. It added that the exploration prospects represent low to moderate geological risk, with relatively low drilling costs. "The licences to be acquired from Corallian, at an attractive valuation, provide Reabold with an exciting set of opportunities to create value, said Stephen Williams, Reabold's co-chief executive. "Reabold believes that it will be in a position to progress these newly acquired projects thereby playing an important role in delivering the much needed enhancement of energy security for the UK. We will continue our efforts to deliver benefits to our stakeholders through our strategy of acquiring, investing in and unlocking the potential in high quality hydrocarbon resources." Reabold published to its website a new investor presentation which puts the spotlight on the North Sea prospects which comprise: Dunrobin and Golspie in the Inner Moray Firth area, the Laxford gas discovery and Scourie prospect in North West Shetland, along with Unst and Baliasta plus the Oulton West gas prospect in East Shetland. The acquisition is slated to close before the end of August. After 20 years since the idea was initially conceived, the long-awaited Crossrail, better known as the Elizabeth Line, opened its doors for the very first time to passengers, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the first. Five years and four months late, as well as 3bn over budget, the line the much-anticipated Elizabeth Line appears that it might just be worth the wait, and money, for a couple of reasons. Getting on at Whitechapel Station for my commute into Liverpool Street felt just that little bit different and a little bit special. The newly built areas of the station were clean, the air was fresh, and there was a modern feel to the whole thing. Increased footfall For one, the line is expected to bring an extra 200mln people into the capital every year. Albeit, that number is slightly below pre-pandemic estimations of 250mln, it still represents a lot of opportunity for businesses in the area that are still recovering from the pandemic. Transport for London (TfL) suggests that the line will increase rail capacity by 10% in central London, the single biggest increase in more than 70 years. As well as that, it will bring more than 1.5mln people within a 45-minute commute of central London, something that the TfL and government officials believe will boost the UK economy by billions of pounds. And we are already seeing the signs of property developers looking to cash in on this increased footfall. Great Portland Estates (LSE:GPOR) bought a flurry of property in Londons West End recently, not too far from one of the line stops, Tottenham Court Road, likely in the anticipation that footfall will increase in the area and demand for property will rise. According to Tom Musson, a real estate analyst at Liberum, companies generally try and find property that is located to good transport. Great Portland Estates (LSE:GPOR) for example said that over 90% of their portfolio was located within 800 metres of a Crossrail station. West End property business Shaftesbury today hailed the arrival of the Elizabeth Line even before it opened as it reported net property income grew 55% to 41mln in the six months to March 2022. The total value of its West End portfolio value grew 7.5% to 3.26bn, and the group predicted adding the new line will lead to a material increase in visitor numbers and spending. Speed of service Spanning more than 62 miles from Reading in the West and Shenfield in the East, the new line is all about speed. Currently, the only service operational is from Abbey Wood to Paddington, and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Twelve trains will run per hour for 17 hours of the day, and thats both convenient and time saving for a lot of people. For example, Liverpool Street to Paddington will take 11 minutes, saving eight minutes on the existing journey time, which is serviced by the Hammersmith and City line. A quicker, speedy service may be the catalyst for getting people back into the office, with a big complaint from many commuters currently is how long it takes to get from door to door. Less busy service While I caught the Elizabeth Line towards the back end of the peak time, it was noticeable that the tube was a lot less busy than if I had caught the Central or District lines at the same time. Each train on the Elizabeth Line can carry up to 1,500 passengers, and coming every five minutes, there should always be plenty of room but similar things were presumably said about the crammed Victoria and Jubilee lines. But, a knock-on effect from that, and something likely to be seen at peak times is other services being significantly quieter. Everyone knows the central line at 5pm on a weekday is always full, but the new line should, in theory, take some of those passengers away. The prospect of not having to squeeze on the tube after a long day at work should entice passengers back into the office. Its airy, fast, the stations are cathedral-like, the air is fresh. Its modern, clean. If theres ever a railway that can stimulate a return to the office, its going to be this one, said Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild talking to Sky News. Is it worth it? True, the Elizabeth Line is almost 20 years in the making, five years late and well over budget. Despite all of that, more projects like this will speed up Londons revival post-pandemic which has to be beneficial for businesses, commuters and most importantly Londoners. Great Portland Estates was down 1.6% to 644.5p, while Shaftesbury was down 0.6% to 576p in afternoon trading. 1. Is history repeating itself? Mirroring, perhaps, Britains confrontational political set-up (the first past the post electoral system, the you on your side, us on ours layout of the House of Commons), industrial relations in Britain have more commonly been about tests of strength: managements right to manage versus a fair days pay for a fair days work. Read more 2. Windfall tax may finally be here, but not for oil & gas giants Treasury officials have been asked to work out plans for a windfall tax on more than 10bn of excess profits to all electricity generators, including clean energy companies such as wind farm operators, according to a report Read more 3. Chariot hails pre-feasibility study The project aims to install up to 10 gigawatts (GW) of electrolysis, making it one of the largest green hydrogen projects globally by 2030, the two parties said. Read more 4. FTSE 100 back below 7,500 again The UK blue-chip index closed 29.09 points, or 0.4% lower at 7,484.35, midway between the session peak of 7,529.65 and the day's low of 7,434.46. Read more 5. IAG faces investor backlash over CEO pay A significant revolt at IAGs annual meeting in June is expected, Sky News reported, with chief executive Luis Gallego's large share awards the main cause of investors' ire. Read more Let's take a look at some of tomorrow's news Read more Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX:BGL) has taken another step on the path towards production at its namesake gold project in Western Australia by awarding the processing plant preliminary works agreement to GR Engineering Services (GRES). The preliminary agreement with the prominent Australian company covers the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the 1 million tonnes per annum gold processing plant at the Bellevue Gold Project. GRES, which is also ASX-listed, will now begin design engineering services and locking in long lead and critical path items including the ball mill, crushing equipment, screens, agitators, leach and tailings thickeners. Tier 1 involvement BGL managing director Steve Parsons said GR Engineering knew the project well from its work during the study phase. GR Engineering is one of the most recognised and reputable name in the Australian gold processing industry, he said. Its fantastic to have another Tier 1 business involved in the development and construction phase. Bellevue and GRES expect to finalise a full EPC contract shortly, which is expected to be in-line with previously released cost estimates. Path to first gold "Commencing manufacturing of these long-lead critical components of our 1.0 million tonnes per annum processing plant de-risks the construction schedule and puts Bellevue on the pathway to first gold in the second half of 2023, Parsons added. The appetite among leading contractors and suppliers to be involved with our project speaks volumes about its strong future. Leading gold EPC contractor GRES managing director Geoff Jones said: GR Engineering is pleased to be working with the Bellevue team on this exciting gold project. "This project further enhances GR Engineerings reputation as the leading gold EPC contractor in Australia. "GR Engineering continues to build its pipeline of work in FY23 and future years. AuKing Mining Ltd (ASX:AKN) has kicked off a drilling program at Koongie Park in Western Australia, targeting prospective anomalies discovered in down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveying at the flagship copper-zinc project. The company is specifically targeting conductive sources 'offset' from known mineralisation in the areas of the Onedin and Sandiego prospects identified in DHEM surveys earlier this year. The targeted areas of drilling are: Onedin DHEM extension; Sandiego DHEM extension; Onedin South geophysical anomalies; Sandiego 700-metre water bore target zone; Emull; and Magnetic anomaly identified in 2021 on E80/4960. The company estimates the program will involve some 7,500 metres of drilling conducted over 6-8 weeks for total expenditure of $1.5 million. Preliminary portable x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF) results from reverse circulation (RC) drilling and ongoing assay results will be reported as they become available. Proposed drilling targets AuKing will drill-test strong conductive sources near known mineralisation at Onedin, as well as shallow mineralisation and a geophysical anomaly 500 metres to the south of the main Onedin resource. At Sandiego, the company will target another strong conductive body discovered in DHEM surveying to the northeast of the main deposit, and a prospective area 700 metres to the north, identified during the drilling of a water bore and well beyond known mineralised zones at Koongie. The last two targets involve shallow mineralisation at Emull, identified in drilling by a previous owner of the tenure, and a geophysical anomaly on exploration licence E80/4960, discovered in 2021. Tietto Minerals Ltd (ASX:TIE) has reported 55.13 g/t gold in one intersection, part of a swag of high-grade results just in from ongoing infill drilling at AG South within the companys 3.45-million-ounce Abujar Gold Project in Cote dIvoire, West Africa. The gold stock is targeting conversion of indicated resources to measured resources within the first two years of gold production at the project, and to this end, it has six diamond drill rigs on-site and has ambitions to drill more than 100,000 metres in 2022. High-grade gold results A second batch of assay results have now been received 54 diamond drill holes for 9,265 metres and they indicate: 4 metres at 14.49 g/t gold from 43 metres, including 1 metre at 55.13 g/t 2 metres at 27.65 g/t from 86 metres, including 1 metre at 46.09 g/t 3 metres at 10.93 g/t from 61 metres, including 1 metre at 32.03 g/t 2 metres at 11.06 g/t from 155 metres, including 1 metre at 21.57 g/t Managing director Dr Caigen Wang said: I am very pleased to see further highgrade intercepts from the second batch of assay results for infill drilling at AG South, where we are targeting the conversion of indicated resources to measured resources in areas that are likely to be mined within the first two years of gold production. Our diamond drilling teams are achieving very high drilling rates due to the shallower hole depths required for infill drilling. This has allowed us to expand the program as we target a contiguous zone of measured resources between section lines 0 to 29 (AG South and AG Core) and within the first two years of production. At current rates, we now expect this drilling phase to be completed by mid-June 2022. Fully funded to production Wang continued: We are fully funded to production at Abujar, which has the potential to be one of the largest gold-producing mines in Cote dIvoire, with an expected production of more than 260,000 ounces of gold in the first year and 1.2 million ounces of gold in the first six years. Tietto has an experienced team on board to deliver Abujar on time and on budget. We are on track to deliver another mineral resource update and first gold at Abujar later this year. Shareholders can expect further updates from our aggressive diamond drilling program as we advance our dual strategy of drill and build and develop our Abujar Gold Project into West Africas next gold mine with first gold by the end of quarter four, 2022. Robust financials The company completed a A$130 million two-tranche placement to accelerate the development of the project, with no debt. Tietto says the placement has allowed the participation of likeminded investors, keen for the company to realise first gold production by quarter four of 2022 and produce 260,000 ounces of gold in 2023. The projects definitive feasibility study demonstrated robust financials and estimated first-year gold production of 260,000 ounces and 1.2 million ounces over the first six years of the mines 11-year life for an NPV5% of $1.3 billion pre-tax using a gold price of US$1,700 per ounce and an Australian dollar value of 74.1 US cents. The Abujar gold plant construction proceeds apace, and is on target for first gold in the final quarter of this calendar year. The company says that construction at the project is fully funded, with no debt. Tietto Minerals Ltd (ASX:TIE)'s Mark Strizek speaks with Proactive about the pleasing nature of the high-grade gold intercepts found in the second batch of assay results from ongoing infill drilling at AG South, within Tiettos 3.45-million-ounce Abujar Gold Project in Cote dIvoire, West Africa. Strizek explains how the company is drilling and building and how it is converting the Indicated into a Measured resource. A highlight from the latest drilling was the 55.13 g/t gold in one intersection. Tietto has six diamond drill rigs on site and has ordered two more to help hit its targets. Finally, the Tietto executive director updates the Life of Mine schedule and what to expect next from the company. Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE, OTC:ARRXF)'s Mohammed Choucair joins Proactive's Andrew Scott to discuss a key Australian patent for the company's 12CQ quantum computing chip. Archer is the only ASX-listed company and one of a few players in the world developing qubit processor technology, and the CEO says the patent protection is "a central element" in Archers strategy to develop the chip for market. Essentially, the patent gives Archer the right to stop others from manufacturing, using and/or selling the 12CQ chip technology invention in Australia, and is required for any possible future Australian commercialisation operations. Cookie Policy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping us understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. See our Cookie Policy for more information. Blackstone Minerals Ltd (ASX:BSX, OTCQX:BLSTF) has ushered in a new chief financial officer to oversee the companys monetary arm as it enters its next phase of development Mitchell Thomas will step into the role next month after previously serving as CFO at mining giant Rio Tinto. The new recruit brings more than 15 years experience across precious, base, specialty chemicals and bulk materials projects, which hes seen come to life across Australia, Africa, Europe, South and North America. Thomas is a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ) and holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School. Vital member of the team Managing director Scott Williamson said of todays appointment: We are delighted to have Mr Thomas join the Blackstone team at a critical time in the business, to advance the Ta Khoa Project to a final investment decision, through construction and towards commercial operations. Mr Thomas has a suite of skills that are complementary to Blackstones growth trajectory and will ensure financial discipline is applied to the execution of key upcoming milestone events including partnership formalisation and commercialisation of supply and offtake agreements. [He] will be a vital member of the team given his experience, relationships and passion for supporting sustainable growth in the battery materials sector. Blackstone has also announced that existing CFO Jamie Byrde will continue his tenure as company secretary. The company believes the move will support the CFO transition as Byrde fulfils his other responsibilities with ASX-listed entities. About Blackstone Blackstone Minerals is focused on building an integrated upstream and downstream battery metals processing business in Vietnam that produces nickel-cobalt-manganese precursor products for Asias growing lithium-ion battery industry. The company owns a 90% interest in the Ta Khoa Nickel Project (TKNP), 160 kilometres west of Hanoi in the Son La Province of Vietnam. The TKNP includes an existing modern nickel mine built to Australian standards, which is currently being used to process nickel ore delivered by the underground bulk sample program. Ban Phuc nickel mine operated as a mechanised underground nickel mine from 2013 to 2016. Blackstones TKNP and Ta Khoa Refinery (TKR) are the two major cogs in the companys vertically integrated development strategy, together forming the Ta Khoa Project. The companys development strategy is underpinned by its ability to secure nickel concentrate and Ta Khoa bears promise with several exploration targets yet to be tested. In February 2022, Blackstone completed a pre-feasibility study for the TKNP and presented this on an integrated basis with the proposed TKR development. The TKR is being designed to have a refining capacity of 400,000 tonnes per annum, with feedstock provided from a combination of concentrate from the TKNP and third-party feed sources. Nowadays, pilot plant testing and definitive feasibility studies are underway and will continue to technically de-risk the Ta Khoa Project. At both the mine (upstream) and refinery (downstream) level, Blackstone is focused on a partnership model and is collaborating with groups who are focused on sustainable mining, minimising carbon footprint and implementing a vertically integrated supply chain. Coro Energy PLC (AIM:CORO) sad high gas prices being received by its operations in Italy will continue to generate significant free cash flow and help develop its other operations. Average daily production from Italy was 20,000 standard cubic metres (scm) in April, which generated 580,000 in revenue with cashflow also boosted by a 200,000 VAT return, Coro said in a trading update. Gas prices during the month averaged 0.98/scm and the company said it continues to expect significant free cash flow from its Italian portfolio. In March, Coro reported gas prices in Italy had risen by more than 700% over the past year, prompting it to shelve plans to dispose of the assets. Italy is expected to generate 5mln per year in free cash flow for the company with the Sillaro field now back in production. Elsewhere, the rooftop solar venture in Vietnam is on track for maiden revenues before the end of 2022, said Coro, with a net cash flow of approximately US$0.3mln per annum thereafter. In the Philippines, two development stage renewables projects are six and twelve months respectively away from achieving ready-to-build status, while in Indonesia rising gas prices have also progressed the Mako field towards an investment decision (FID) in 2023 with potential first sales in 2025. Coro has a 15% stake in the Mako field, with its share of pre-FID expenditure estimated at US$1mln and a further US$38mln if there is a decision to go ahead. Funding for its share of the Mako development would be through a combination of Reserve Based Lending and farm-in transactions, added the statement. Coro's current cash position is approximately US$2.8mlm supported by its Italian assets with Vietnam solar pilot to start to chip in later this year. Mark Hood, Coros chief executive, said: The opportunities presented by our Italian assets leave us in a strong financial position as we look to generate revenues from our blended portfolio of gas and renewables assets." How much value is there in royalties? a quick introduction Back in 2007 Newmont Mining spun out a well-known royalty business that it had acquired five years earlier. The name of the company was Franco Nevada and, according to mining folklore, it was the first royalty company to be listed on any stock exchange anywhere. You might think that Newmont got its timing exactly right. After all, 2007 was about as good a year to sell any mining asset as theres been this century. But fifteen years later, the company that Newmont sold to equity investors for US$1.3bn is now worth more than US$30bn. So, for those who know how to play in this space, the royalty business clearly offers significant opportunity. But how easy is it to invest successfully in royalties, and what are pros and cons? What is a royalty? From small acorns do mighty oaks grow In their simplest form royalties can look like most other forms of investment: the buyer of the royalty hands over cash now in the expectation of receiving more cash back later. A company in need of cash to bring a project into production sells a portion of its future revenues to a royalty company which can provide the necessary up-front capital. If and when the project makes it into production, the percentage of revenue stipulated in the agreement gets funneled directly to the royalty company at no extra cost. The precise form such an agreement can take varies. A gross over-riding royalty a royalty that gets paid before any other deductions is better than a net smelter return, which is a royalty thats paid net of certain costs. A more recent innovation has been streaming deals, in which physical metal is delivered, either in conjunction with or instead of cash. The key risk in buying an exploration royalty is that the given project never makes it into production. If it doesnt, the royalty company gets nothing and loses its money. Who takes the risk? If a royalty company buys a royalty on an asset that never goes into production, it will book a loss on that asset and move on to the next deal. For the operator of the asset, though, particularly if it is a single-asset company, the overall impact of a decision not to develop is likely to be much higher and may involve write-downs and a wholesale re-booting of strategy. Its this risk differential that leads many investors to favour royalty companies -because theres no operational risk involved the valuation can be more directly tied to the commodity in question. The bigger royalty companies are regarded as the safest, precisely because they already have so many cash generative assets. Franco Nevada, for example, has a diverse range of producing royalties across multiple jurisdictions, as does Osisko, and even Londons most recent royalty newcomer Trident Royalties now has cash flow coming in from more than one royalty. All these companies, big or small, have additional exploration royalties on their books, and if some of them never do end up delivering production and cashflow, others will. Royalty companies fuel their own growth by using existing cash flow to generate and fund new opportunities. The more cash that comes in, the more the company can acquire early-stage exploration royalties that will gradually move along the development pipeline and fuel the next generation of growth. To some extent, of course, the market does try to compensation the operator for the greater risk its taking by delivering greater reward for success. Thus, taking an early-stage exploration project all the way into production, as Greatland Gold is looking to do, has delivered huge rewards for investors. But there are only ever one or two Greatlands per decade. There are scores of royalty companies that are with us all the time. Whats more, an earlier stage royalty company, like Altus Strategies, which one day may seek grow into a new Altius, nevertheless relies upon debt or equity finance to get itself off the ground. Operational decisions in other hands In the case of Anglo Pacific Group, which was for a long time Londons only listed royalty company, the coal royalty it holds over the Rio Tintos Kestrel mine in Australia has for a long time delivered significant cashflow. When the coal price soars, Anglo Pacific benefits. But its not always been plain sailing at Kestrel. Anglo Pacifics royalty doesnt cover the entirety of the project, and when operational decisions took the main mining activity away from Anglos portion of the mine, income dropped significantly. As a royalty holder, that decision was completely out of Anglo Pacifics hands. Whats more, the ability to manage margins is also beyond the control of the royalty company. If a project turns loss-making, the payment of the royalty becomes a component of the losses and can bear heavily on any potential decision to shut down operations. None of the operational losses are incurred by the royalty company, but this is not a long-term path to success for either party. More direct exposure to commodities prices Its no accident that most royalty companies operate in the precious metals space. This isnt true of all of them with Altius and Trident being notable exceptions - but generally if were talking about a royalty company, were talking about income derived from the mining of gold and silver. Osisko, Franco Nevada, Precious Wheaton - and Sandstorm as a streaming company - all stand out in this regard. And as precious metals prices have soared away over the past couple of decades, all have profited hugely. Investors in precious metals like it that royalties are easy to understand, that theres a spread of risk across assets, and that the impact of stronger prices immediately feeds through to the bottom line. On the flip side, the also like being able to avoid making complex calculations about cash costs, fuel prices, currency fluctuations, and political risk. No exposure to increased margins In the royalty and streaming business, everybody wins when commodity prices go higher. Some win bigger than others, though. With mining companies, the real money is made in the margin between revenues and costs because many of the costs are fixed, if revenues from higher commodities prices go up, margins can go up by an exponentially much higher percentage. This means that in theory, in a bull market, equities in mining companies perform better than equities in royalty companies. In practice, this isnt always the case, since investors also factor in other extraneous risks, like country risk, and technical risk. But its nevertheless true, that in the good times those who invest directly into miners tend to win bigger than those who invest directly into royalty companies. Theres also another issue that comes into play in bull markets: new royalties become scarcer. Thats because mining companies typically create and sell royalties when equities markets are uninviting and other forms of finance look too expensive. If equities markets are buoyant, flush with cash and ready to invest, then the need for royalty companies drops away. That dynamic means that royalty companies are often able to cut the best deals when times are bad. When times are good, the advantage goes to the mining company. Royalty companies need robust legal jurisdictions in which to operate Most of the big royalty companies operate in North America, and thats no accident. For one thing, the royalty model was pioneered there. But theres more to it than that. Without any actual physical access to the product being sold, royalty companies are beholden to the good will of their partners to make the agreed payments, or, if they dont, to the legal jurisdictions in which the agreements have been drawn up. Thats why, of the more than 70 royalty assets held by Franco Nevada, more than half are located in the top-tier jurisdictions of the USA, Canada, and Australia. A significant part of the rest of Franco Nevadas portfolio is in South America, where it has particular expertise. Similarly, Osiskos portfolio of gold royalties is mostly located in North America, and the companys income is anchored by its 5% net smelter return on the famous Canadian Malartic mine, the largest operating gold mine in very safe Canada. Altius sticks exclusively to the Americas and Australia, while Wheaton Precious is willing to dip a toe into Portugal and Greece to add to the lustre of its Americas portfolio. On the London side, Anglo Pacific and Trident both keep focus in Europe, Australia, and North America, although like their larger cousins across the pond both companies dabble in South America too. Some royalty companies venture into riskier jurisdictions. Franco Nevada has spiced things up with a 2% net smelter return royalty on the Kinrosss Tasiast mine in Mauritania. But for African exposure generally, Altus Strategies - the London junior miner thats backed by Sprott - stands out as offering the biggest early-stage royalty portfolio. Like Franco Nevada, which started out its life as a quoted company worth less than US$5m, Altus has been incubated from scratch. As of today, a few years into its journey, Altus is worth 60m, and with the powerful friends it has, will likely grow still further in the coming years. Royalty and streaming companies of note Franco-Nevada Corporation (TSX:FNV) The number one royalty streaming company by market capitalisation Wheaton Precious Metals Corp (LSE:WPM, TSX:WPM, NYSE:WPM) The number two royalty company, focused on assets in the Americas Osisko Gold Royalties (TSX:OR) Focused on North America, holds 150 royalties, mostly in gold and precious metals Sandstorm Gold Ltd (TSX:SAND) Brought metals streaming products to a wider investment audience Altius Minerals Corporation (TSX:ALS) Also has royalties in base metals and other commodities Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LSE:APF, TSX:APY, OTC:AGPIF) Londons oldest royalty company, currently transitioning into energy metals Trident Royalties PLC (AIM:TRR) Offers exposure to royalties in Australia, amongst other jurisdictions Altus Strategies PLC (AIM:ALS, TSX-V:ALTS, OTCQX:ALTUF) An early-stage royalty company in growth mode Pros and cons of royalty companies: Pros Cons No operational risk Requires robust legal jurisdiction Clean cash income streams No exposure to increased margins Direct exposure to commodities prices Operational decisions in other hands GR Silver Mining (TSX-V:GRSL) Ltd has announced high-grade silver results from underground infill drilling at the Plomosas Project in Sinaloa State, Mexico. The results continue to support the potential to increase silver grades at the mine, the company said. Drilling targeted high-grade silver (Ag) mineralization in the upper levels of the underground workings, in areas where unsampled intervals from historical drill holes within the 2021 resource block model were previously assigned zero values. The 2022 infill drill program at the Plomosas Mine has been carefully designed to address upside potential in the resource block model. It has been our thesis that historical sampling lacked detail in some unmined areas resulting in the adoption of zero grade in unsampled drill hole intervals in the current resource model, the company's chairman and CEO, Eric Zaunscherb said in a statement. This is supported by the observation that current resource model grades in areas already mined are lower than suggested by historical production grades. Further, it is very encouraging to see such high-grade Ag results confirming the existence of new, high-grade Ag zones associated with previously ignored cross-cutting structures. It is highly satisfying to see further proof of concept on both themes, with the potential for a commensurate re-rating," he added. The underground infill drilling program started in March 2022 and is ongoing. The drill holes are predominantly short holes planned to target zones where recent geological mapping identified opportunities to improve the 2021 NI 43-101 mineral resource block model silver grade, utilizing areas of the underground development that provide good access, the company said. It noted that a total of 13 holes have been completed underground to date in 2022. These intervals confirm consistent high-grade silver mineralization and have also delineated new mineralized zones in areas not previously drilled. Upon completion of the underground infill drill program in Q4, 2022, the company anticipates commencing a resource upgrade for the Plomosas Mine Area. Highlights include: PLIP22-013: 6.5 metres (m) at 1,458 grames per ton (g/t) Ag (1,485 g/t AgEq), including 0.9m at 3,118 g/t Ag (3,266 g/t AgEq) PLIP22-012: 14.0 m at 146 g/t Ag, including 0.4m at 2,474 g/t Ag (2,542 g/t AgEq) PLIP22-011: 2.9m at 190 g/t Ag, including 0.4m at 626 g/t Ag PLIP22-010: 8.3m at 100 g/t Ag The drill holes PLIP22-10, PLIP22-11, PLIP22-12 and PLIP22-13 successfully discovered wide, high-grade silver mineralization hosted by hydrothermal breccias located in the hanging wall of the previously mined polymetallic (Ag-Au-Pb-Zn) hydrothermal Plomosas Breccia This recently mapped zone is located in a section of the Plomosas Mine where the company initially defined prospective NE-trending faults with potential to host additional silver-gold only mineralization. These zones were not previously the subject of significant exploration due to the focus on base metals in the historical plant flowsheet. Historical production, and hence exploration, targeted lead-zinc-rich mineralization at the Plomosas Mine. Meanwhile, the drill holes from PLIP22-01 to PLIP22-09 consistently intersected high-grade silver-gold mineralization hosted in a polymetallic hydrothermal breccia. All nine holes indicate the presence of multiple hydrothermal zones with silver results generally more than 200 g/t silver and individual gold grades up to 4.5 g/t gold in locations drilled along strike on the 1025 RL level. GR Silver Mining is a Canadian-based, Mexico-focused junior mineral exploration company engaged in cost-effective silver-gold resource expansion on its 100%-owned assets, located on the eastern edge of the Rosario Mining District, in the southeast of Sinaloa State, Mexico. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com ReVolve Renewable Power Corp (TSX-V:REVV), the North American developer of utility-scale renewable energy generation projects, said it has been notified by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that its right of way/variance land application for the Bouse solar and storage project has been approved for further processing. The Bouse project is a 1GWac solar and battery storage project, located on 6,155 acres of land wholly managed by the BLM in La Paz County 27 miles east of Quartzsite, Arizona. "Completion of the variance approval process is a major milestone for the development of the Bouse project and is the result of some excellent work by the ReVolve development team working closely with the BLM over the last 12 months. We now look forward to continuing this work with the BLM and our external consultants as the project moves into the NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] process, Steve Dalton, CEO of ReVolve said in a statement. Once fully permitted the Bouse project will be one of the largest solar & storage projects in Arizona and is expected to play a significant role in meeting the rapidly growing renewable energy needs across both Arizona and California," Dalton added. ReVolve said it will now continue through the BLM approval process, which will consist of the completion of an environmental review of the Bouse project in accordance with NEPA and all other applicable laws, regulations and policies. Development activities for the Bouse project over the course of 2022 are expected to consist of the following: Completion of field studies including biological, aquatic and cultural resource assessments Completion of the phase one interconnection study by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) expected in early Q4 2022 Review and amendment of the plan of development for the project Publication by the BLM of the notice of intent to commence the NEPA process ReVolve also said it has appointed Ecosphere Environmental Services, a specialist environmental consultancy firm with extensive experience across the western United States, to lead the field studies required as part of the NEPA process. Both the biological and aquatic field studies have already commenced and will be completed in the coming weeks, while the cultural resource assessments will be completed during Q3 2022, ReVolve noted. ReVolve is in the business of developing utility-scale renewable energy generation projects in North America with a particular focus on wind, solar and battery storage technologies. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com EverGen Infrastructure Corp (TSX-V:EVGN), a renewable natural gas (RNG) company, has announced an acquisition that will mark the firms entry into the Ontario market and potentially tripling its RNG capacity. The company said it entered into definitive agreements with Northeast Renewables LP on May 20, 2022 that will result in its acquisition of a 50% interest in Project Radius, a portfolio of RNG development projects in Ontario for $1.5 million in cash. This investment, alongside its plan to acquire a 67% interest in Alberta-based GrowTec announced in March, positions EverGen as the leading RNG infrastructure platform in Canada, with a footprint in three of the four largest jurisdictions in the country with plans for further expansion. Project Radius, consisting of three late-development-stage high-quality, on-farm RNG projects located in southern Ontario, is capable of producing a combined 1.7 million gigajoules (gj) per year and will be constructed throughout 2023 and 2024. The acquisition of Project Radius provides a foothold in Ontario a new and strategic jurisdiction in which EverGen can continue to participate in the consolidation and growth of the RNG industry in the near-term, as well as benefit from project economics in line with or exceeding those we have seen with our initial projects, EverGen CEO Chase Edgelow said in a statement. The $1.5 million investment, which represents half the initial development funding tranche of $3 million, will help advance Project Radius to the Notice-to-Proceed (NTP) phase of development within the next six months, the company said. Once NTP is reached, EverGen will have the right to participate in funding its proportionate share of the capital to construct large-scale anaerobic digesters that convert biodegradable waste into biogas, which is then upgraded to RNG for use in the gas grid, the company said. EverGen also has a right of first offer to transition as the exclusive operator of Project Radius at the NTP phase. Late-stage negotiations are ongoing for feedstock supply at the sites with multiple aggregators, as well as offtake agreements with utility-scale distribution companies, the company added. Working alongside Northeast to advance the projects, EverGen will deliver on our platform expansion commitments with the potential to exceed 1 million gj of RNG production annually. Ontario has an abundant amount of excess organic feedstock, and as a leader in the RNG industry, EverGen can develop the sustainable infrastructure that contributes to carbon-negative energy production and the greening of the province, Edgelow said. Project Radius can also move Ontario and Canada toward net-zero emissions, according to Northeast president Joshua Samuel. The team at Project Radius is dedicated to helping Ontario and Canada reach their net-zero emissions targets, Samuel said. Our RNG projects will reduce the carbon intensity of agricultural operations and natural gas customers, improve the competitiveness of growers and contribute to the local economy through construction jobs, purchase of materials and services and new fulltime employment. In a separate statement, EverGen announced plans to release its 2022 first-quarter financial results on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, after the market close. EverGen said it will hold a results and corporate update conference call at 10.00am eastern time on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, hosted by its chief executive officer, Chase Edgelow. Conference call Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94839476091 Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel Deepspatial Inc. (CSE:DSAI) said it has joined the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), a global not-for-profit trade association of private sector companies working in the geospatial ecosystem. The Toronto-based company said the goal of its membership is to strengthen the contributions of the geospatial industry to society and the global economy, advance global policy matters relevant to the geospatial sector, and create business opportunities for the geospatial industry. "Joining WGIC's global council brings Deepspatial closer to the forefront of the geospatial industry where we can keep up to date with trends and new technological advancements, as well as contribute to the growth and adoption of the geospatial industry as a whole," the companys CEO Dr Rahul Kushwah said in a statement. As part of the membership, Deepspatial said it presented its solutions and outlook to members of the WGIC in the recently held annual general meeting in Amsterdam, which included organizations like Microsoft, Esri, Oracle, Planet and other Fortune 500 companies. The presentation at the Amsterdam meeting was well-received by the WGIC and the other members of the council, opening opportunities for company collaboration and industry development, the company added. As the industry transforms with the latest innovations and technologies, new-age start-ups like Deepspatial are vital for the geospatial ecosystem, WGIC executive director Barbara Ryan said. We are particularly pleased with the impact the company is bringing with AI into governance, education, and many more sectors in countries. We look forward to the active participation of Deepspatial within WGIC programs to expand the impact into the global south. Deepspatial is an outcome-based AI company specializing in providing AI-powered solutions to organizations, leveraging the power of geospatial data. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com Recruiter.com Group Inc. has updated its artificial intelligence recruiting software platform to improve search capacity, email outreach and candidate tracking, the company announced. Chief among the updates is a new candidate tracker that helps companies better manage their candidate pipeline by curating a list of potential candidates and reviewing their backgrounds and skills. The candidate tracker dashboard lets employers see each candidates background in one integrated view, allowing them to quickly approve or deny candidates. Employers are also able to add notes when deciding whom to bring in for interviews, further streamlining the hiring process. Other updates include the ability to search for qualified candidates by current or former job titles, industry, geographic location, hard skills and more, the company said. Also, employers are now able to send outreach emails to the most qualified candidates faster, create outreach sequences and A/B test different subject lines to improve engagement with passive candidates. Chief Technology Officer Xuan Smith recently led demonstrations of the updated components of Recruiter.coms artificial intelligence. I couldnt be more proud to have led the development of our AI recruiting software and our team of talented engineers, Smith said in a statement. Recruiter.com is here to help companies of all sizes, from Fortune 100s to rapidly growing startups, meet their hiring needs effortlessly. These advancements to Recruiter.com AI keep employer needs top of mind, helping to make their hiring journey to finding the perfect candidates as quick and easy as possible. When the candidate tracker combines with Recruiter.coms Recruiters On Demand service, the result delivers not only qualified and engaged candidates but screened and ready-to-interview talent, the company said. This means more time spent speaking with ideal candidates rather than sourcing and screening hundreds of people. We now have a diverse base of clients using the Recruiter.com AI service to source and engage talent from a variety of industries and experience levels, including law firms, healthcare providers, media companies, gaming, semiconductor manufacturers and even freelance marketplace platforms, CEO Evan Sohn said. Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel The company said the VTEM survey would be completed via helicopter in late June by Geotech Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc has announced that it is planning an airborne VTEM Plus geophysical survey at its Lowney-Lac Edouard property south of the historical Lac Edouard nickel-copper-cobalt (Ni-Cu-Co) mine in Quebec to identify discrete conductive anomalies near the surface to guide its upcoming fieldwork program. The company said the VTEM survey would be completed via helicopter in late June by airborne geophysical survey mapping, interpretation, and analysis company Geotech. The property is of interest to the companys technical team due to a significant regional gravity anomaly identified by a previous airborne SGL survey, its positive geological context, sediment lake samples that returned elevated nickel and copper, and its proximity to the past-producing Lac Edouard mine. It is also bordered by several other large companies such as Rio Tinto Exploration Canada and Brunswick (NYSE:BC) Exploration Inc. The VTEM survey and fieldwork will help provide a better understanding of the area and helpfully lead to a drill program, the company said. Canada Silver Cobalt Works president Matt Halliday said the fact the companys property had big players surrounding it showed that it was in the right place. Based on what we have so far, this property has great potential and fits within our objective to become an important supplier of battery metals material to the EV market, Halliday said. Canada Silver Cobalt Works is an exploration, development, technology, and environment leader in the prolific Northern Ontario silver-cobalt district. Contact Emily at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie Patna, May 24 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday inaugurated a 504 bed women hostel in Magadh Mahila College Patna and during the programme he made such a remark that is being discussed a lot. While remembering his early days as a student of an engineering college, he said: "When we used to study in engineering college, there was no girl in our class... it seemed so bad. Whenever any woman comes to our class, students use to gather in large numbers to see her. This was the situation at that time. Now see how many girls are studying in engineering and medical colleges." The Chief Minister was pointing towards female education being lesser at that time. Female students hardly opt for medical and engineering courses during those days. "When our government came to Bihar, we reserved the seats for females so that our sisters and daughters would opt for technical studies and become doctors and engineers. Our government is working hard to ensure the participation of women in higher education and become higher rank officers," Kumar asserted. The seven storey hostel for women was built at the cost of Rs 31.8 crore. Each of the floors has 18 rooms, 16 toilets and 12 bathrooms. Besides, a common room comprising washing machines, a coffee outlet, a canteen and a playing area for indoor games are also available on each floor. Three women will be accommodated in one room. Two sound proof seminar halls and a multimedia lab are also available in the building. Amaravati, May 24 : Andhra Pradesh police has arrested Anantha Uday Bhaskar, a legislator of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), for the murder of his former driver. Kakinada Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravindranath Babu told reporters on Monday night that the driver, Subrahmanyam, died after Bhaskar pushed him during an argument late on the night of May 19. The Member of Legislative Council (MLC) later inflicted injuries on Subrahmanyam's body to present it as a death in a road accident. However, the driver's family refused to believe his version and lodged a complaint with the police. The SP said the MLC was arrested on the basis of clues gathered during the investigation and his statement. The legislator was later produced before a magistrate, who sent him to judicial custody. Since Subrahmanyam had taken a loan from Bhaskar at the time of marriage, there was a discussion between them on the issue. As per the statement given by the MLC before the police, Subrahmanyam was in an inebriated condition and he pulled him up for not giving up bad habits. The MLC told Subrahmanyam that his mother has asked him to take him back as driver if he mends his ways. The MLC who had taken Subrahmanyam near the former's house allegedly thrashed him "for continuing the bad habits". This angered the driver, who questioned him. Enraged over the driver questioning him, the MLC held him by the neck and pushed. Subrahmanyam fell down and sustained head injuries. When the driver tried to hit back, the MLC pushed him again and this time the driver received grievous head injury. The MLC told police that he gave water to Subrahmanyam but a few minutes after taking a sip he was unresponsive. The legislator then thought of presenting the incident as a road accident. He carried the body in the car to a dumping yard, where he inflicted injuries on the body with sticks. The MLC later carried the body to Subrahmanyam's house and told his family members that he died in a road accident. After seeing the nature of injuries on the body, they refused to believe his version. There was an argument between them, and the MLC subsequently left the place, leaving behind the body in his car. Baghdad, May 24 : A total of six people were killed and five wounded in attacks by militants of the Islamic States (IS) group in the provinces of Kirkuk and Diyala, a provincial official and a police source have said. In the northern province of Kirkuk, IS militants took advantage of a dust storm that swept through much of Iraq earlier on Monday and set fire to a wheat farm in the Taza area outside the namesake provincial capital Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Mayor of Taza, Hussein Adil. The fire prompted a joint force from the Iraqi police and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters with the villagers to rush to the farm to put out the fire when the extremist IS militants opened fire on them, leaving three policemen and two villagers killed, Adil said. The extremist militants also detonated a roadside bomb near a police vehicle, damaging the vehicle without human casualty, the mayor said. The attackers fled the scene after reinforcement troops arrived in the area, he added. In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, IS militants attacked a village in the evening near the town of Jalawlaa, about 135 km northeast of Baghdad, killing a villager and wounding five others, including three women, Major Alaa al-Saadi from the provincial police told Xinhua. Over the past few months, Iraqi security forces have conducted operations against the extremist militants to crack down on their intensified activities. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since 2017. However, the IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against the security forces and civilians. Geneva, May 24 : The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has reiterated here that the Covid-19 pandemic "is far from over". "... the pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90 per cent of member states reporting disruption to one or more essential health services," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. Addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus said the Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated why the world needed the WHO, Xinhua news agency reported. "We need a stronger and sustainably financed WHO, at the center of the global health security architecture," he said at the annual assembly. "In ways small and large, seen and unseen, I am proud to say that this organization is making a difference," he said. The WHO was still "far behind" to see 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by next year. Before the pandemic, the WHO estimated that only 270 million more people would be covered by 2023 -- a shortfall of 730 million people against the target of 1 billion. "Disruptions to health services during the pandemic have sent us backwards, and we estimate the shortfall could reach 840 million," he said. Ghebreyesus also said governments should put people's health at the center of their plans. "We are calling on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth," he said. Moradabad, May 24 : In a unique punishment, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad has ordered a 15-year-old boy to do 15 days of community service at a cow shelter. He will have to clean a public place for another 15 days. The boy was found guilty of sharing an 'objectionable' post against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on social media a month ago. Divulging details of the case, advocate Atul Singh, additional government counsel, said, "The accused had shared a morphed picture of the chief minister with an inflammatory message on social media. An FIR was registered by sub-inspector Rajesh Kumar at Sahaswan police station earlier this month against the boy under section 505 (public mischief) of the IPC along with section 67 of the IT Act. He was later sent to a juvenile home." Considering his age and that it was his first offence, JJB members gave him an opportunity to 'serve the community'. JJB president Aanchal Adhana along with members Pramila Gupta and Arvind Kumar Gupta, delivered the judgment on Monday. The JJB additionally slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the teenager under the IT Act, Singh added. Rome, May 24 : Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has lobbied his Bulgarian counterpart Kiril Petkov on Italy's proposal to set a cap on natural gas prices amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Energy prices were the central topic of conversation between the two leaders during their hour-long meeting in Rome, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statements from the offices of both leaders. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has sparked a dramatic surge in natural gas prices, leading to higher energy, transport, and manufacturing costs in Europe. Before the start of the conflict, Russia was the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe. In April, Italy began floating the idea of imposing a cap on wholesale natural gas prices to limit the economic impact of the crisis. Carlo Bonomi, president of the Italian industrial association Confindustria, said on April 12 that the Italian government should unilaterally impose such a cap if the European Union (EU) refused to do so. Nearly a month ago, Bulgaria and Poland became the first two EU member states to have their gas supply cut off by Russia. At Monday's meeting, the leaders also discussed the military situation in Ukraine, efforts to avert a global food crisis as a result of the conflict, prospects for enlarging the EU, and further bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Latest updates on Global Food Crisis Prayagraj, May 24 : The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to an accused booked under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention Of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955. A single bench of Justice Saurabh Lavania passed this order while hearing a bail application filed by one Sonu Kasai. The bail application had been filed on behalf of the applicant with the prayer for bail in case under Section 3/5/8 of Cow Slaughter Act, Police Station Sector-58 in Gautam Buddha Nagar district. The submissions of the counsel for the applicant were that the applicant is an innocent person and has been falsely implicated in the case. The applicant has been in jail since March 22 and the possibility of conclusion of trial in near future is very bleak. The counsel for the applicant submitted that the recovery from the possession of the applicant had been planted as there is no independent public witness so as to support the story of prosecution. The FSL report is awaited till date, which is required to prove that the alleged recovered red meat is beef. On the basis of single arrest, the applicant has been implicated in five cases. The criminal history of the applicant has been explained in the supplementary affidavit, which has not been disputed by the AGA. As such, the applicant is entitled to be released on bail. It was also submitted that the applicants will never misuse the liberty of bail and shall fully cooperate with the prosecution. The petitioner said that the co-accused Rashid and Suraj Prakash and Asim have already been released on bail by the court. It was further stated that the applicant is animal lover including the cow and its progeny and he often donates money to cow shelters (gaushalas) and the applicant would donate Rs 25,000 to UP Gau Sewa Ayog within four weeks from the date of release from jail. "Considering the rival submissions of the counsel for parties, material available on record, as well as totality of facts and circumstances and keeping in mind that there is no public independent witness and FSL report is still awaited as also that co-accused have already been released on bail and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, I am of the view that the applicants are entitled to be released on bail," the Court observed. The court further said, "The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in Court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law." The court also asked the applicant to deposit a sum of Rs 25,000 in 'UP Gau Sewa Ayog, Lucknow' within four weeks from the date of his release from jail. New York, May 24 : New York City has declared a state of emergency due to the shortage of infant formula supply in the US. Mayor Eric Adams signed an emergency executive order empowering the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to prevent price gouging for infant formula, reports Xinhua news agency. The emergency executive order will help authorities to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this formula supply crisis by jacking up prices on this essential good, said Adams. New York residents who are overcharged for formula can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, according to a statement from the city authorities. "The nationwide infant formula shortage has caused unimaginable pain and anxiety for families across New York, and we must act with urgency," added Adams. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection recently issued an alert reminding parents to be aware of online scams and unscrupulous vendors who may try to take advantage of the situation. New York Attorney General Letitia James also urged New Yorkers to be on alert for potential price gouging of baby formula and to report any dramatic price increases to her office. It is estimated that over 40 per cent of large retailers are out of stock of infant formula in the US, including 43 per cent of retailers in the Tri-state area, where New York City is located, news reports said. Although the federal government invoked the war-time Defense Production Act to secure domestic supply, it likely would take a few more weeks for domestic supplier Abbott Nutrition to resume production of baby formula in its Michigan facility, the reports said. A military plane shipped the first batch of infant formula from Europe to the US on Sunday, as part of the government's effort to ease the nationwide shortage. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region is a shared goal of Quad and in a short span, it has created an important place in the world forum. In an opening remark at the Quad summit in Tokyo, the Prime Minister said that Quad's efforts are promoting a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Mutual trust and determination among the member nations are giving new hope to democratic principles. Noting that the Quad has gained world prominence in a short span of time, PM Modi said that despite the adverse situation created by Covid-19, the coordination was increased for vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response, economic cooperation and other areas. It has resulted in peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. "Quad's impression has become a force for good and taking forward a constructive agenda for the Indo- Pacific region," he said. Congratulating the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, Modi said: "I congratulate PM Albanese. Your presence in this Summit within 24 hours just after taking oath shows your commitment to Quad." He also thanked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the warm welcome and said that it was a matter of great pleasure to be here among friends. PM Modi arrived in Tokyo on Monday morning on a two-day visit at the invitation of the Japanese Prime Minister to attend the Quad Summit. He is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kishida on Tuesday. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Abu Dhabi, May 24 : Two people died and 120 others were injured in a gas cylinder explosion at a restaurant in Abu Dhabi, police in the UAE capital has confirmed. The restaurant, which serves South Asian fare, is located in a five-storey building in central Abu Dhabi, reports Xinhua news agency. Several shops and six other buildings were damaged in Monday's blast. Abu Dhabi Police said the injured were transferred to hospital for immediate treatment. Meanwhile, four apartment buildings in the area were evacuated and residents were provided with temporary accommodation as authorities launched an investigation into the incident. San Francisco, May 24 : SpaceX has defended allegations of sexual assault against its CEO Elon Musk, saying the aerospace company has 'zero tolerance' policy for harassment. In an email sent to employees, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell defended Musk after reports surfaced that the company paid a female worker $250,000 to hush up sexual misconduct charges against the Tesla CEO, reports CNBC. "Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations," Shotwell was quoted as saying. "Anyone who knows Elon like I do, knows he would never conduct or condone this alleged inappropriate behaviour," she claimed. Last week, a Business Insider report claimed that Musk allegedly offered to buy a horse to a SpaceX female employee in exchange for an erotic massage and touching "his genitals". "She accused Musk of... rubbing her leg without consent, and offering to buy her a horse in exchange for an erotic massage," the report claimed, quoting interviews and documents. The incident took place in 2016 and was reported in a declaration "signed by a friend of the attendant and prepared in support of her claim". Musk refuted the report, saying that "it was clear that their only goal was a hit price to interfere with the Twitter acquisition. The story was written before they even talked to me". In her email, Shotwell said that "every accusation of harassment is taken very seriously, regardless of who is involved" and that SpaceX HR investigates all the claims it receives. She, however, did not mention the alleged $250,000 payment to a SpaceX employee to hush up the case against Musk. "For privacy reasons I will never comment on any legal matters involving employment issues," Shotwell added. United Nations, May 24 : The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution that calls for international efforts to mitigate the current food security crisis. The resolution calls on the international community to urgently support countries affected by the food security crisis through coordinated actions, including the provision of emergency food supplies, food programmes, financial support, and increased and diversified agricultural production, reports Xinhua news agency. It calls for the promotion of a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization. The resolution calls on the international community, including the G7 and G20, to place global food security at the top of their agendas and to support multilateral efforts in finding affordable solutions to the crisis. It calls on member states and other relevant stakeholders to keep food and agriculture supply chains functioning, to support farmers, including small-scale and family farmers, with technical means and assistance that enable them to produce their crops and livestock sustainably, and to refrain from hoarding food and commodities. It stresses the need to keep trade channels and markets open for the movement of food, fuel, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs and outputs, and notes the importance of working toward eliminating all forms of protectionism. It also stresses the need to keep fuel prices affordable to limit the volatility of essential food prices, and calls on countries not to hoard energy commodities. The resolution calls on international financial institutions to find urgent, affordable and timely solutions to support developing countries, in particular, those highly indebted, in responding to the food security crisis, through, but not limited to, facilitating, access to debt relief, concessional finance and grants. It calls on member states, the UN humanitarian and development organisations and other relevant actors to urgently and effectively respond to, prevent and prepare for rising global food insecurity affecting millions of people. It also calls on member states to heed the urgent UN humanitarian appeal to assist countries facing armed conflict, drought, starvation and famine with emergency aid and urgent funding. New Delhi, May 24 : The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has unearthed a factory in Ghaziabad where Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) were being printed and arrested three people in this connection, an official said on Tuesday. The three accused were identified as Ashish Jain, Rajpal alias Raju, and Azeem Ahmed. Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Goel said inputs were received about a syndicate of Counterfeit currency racketeers operating clandestinely and circulating Counterfeit Currency Notes in Delhi and NCR. Accordingly, a strategy was chalked out to bust this racket. On May 19, a tip-off was received that one person named Ashish will come near 1st Pushta, New Usmanpur to supply Counterfeit Currency. Subsequently, a police team was constituted which laid a trap and apprehended the accused counterfeiter. On his cursory search, FICN worth Rs 1.5 lakh was recovered. On the instance of accused Ashish, his associate Rajpal was apprehended and on his instance FICN of Rs 3.13 lakh, 50 Uncut printed FICN sheet (30 sheet from office & 20 sheets from i10 Car, containing print of 15 FICN on each sheet) total worth FICN of Rs 3.75 lakh, one Scanner, three CPU used in developing/processing the FICN recovered from his office located at Tronica City, Ghaziabad. The third accused Azeem was apprehended from his factory located at Tronica City. On the instance of Azeemm 301 printed sheet uncut FICN (containing 15 notes on each sheet) total worth of Rs 22,57,500 lakh, 152 printed sheet uncut FICN (containing 05 notes on each) total worth of Rs 3,80,000 lakh recovered from his factory, 08 Printing Proof plates/metal sheet containing printing proof of FICN Rs 500 denomination front and back side also recovered. Apart from that 40 boxes of ink used in Printing of FICN also recovered, the police said. The accused persons were using a dye and offset Printing machine to print the CounterfeitNotes by using specialised ink and tools. After printing the fake notes, the above accused used to give 3 fake notes in lieu of 1 real note to target customers. Chennai, May 24 : The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has announced that it would hold protest marches against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Chennai visit on May 26. The protest, according to the VCK, is against "the policies of the Central government that caused economic hardship and social disturbances to the people of the country". Left parties will also join in the protest march with the VCK against the Prime Minister. VCK leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement on Monday said that the VCK would be part of the nationwide protest being carried out by the Left parties against the Central government's "anti- people" policies. Thirumavalavan said that the Left parties, CPI-M, CPI, VCK, and CPI-ML will jointly conduct protest marches and would distribute pamphlets against the "anti-people" policies of the Central government. The VCK leader said that while the Union Government has increased fuel prices by 18 times, it reduced the price only twice, and that strong resistance was required against the policies of the Modi government. New Delhi, May 24 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday said it has seized 11.62 kg of gold worth Rs 6.15 crore along the India-Bangladesh International Border and arrested two smugglers in connection. The two smugglers with 74 gold biscuits and three gold bars were arrested in two separate operations. In the first operation, based on a tip-off, troops of the 179 Battalion BSF were checking vehicles at the ICP Petrapole and around 11.15 a.m. on Monday. The troops stopped a truck returning to India from Bangladesh (Benapol) near the passenger gate. During the searc, a large packet wrapped in black cloth was found from behind the driver's seat inside and when opened, 70 gold biscuits and three gold bars were recovered. The total value of the seized gold biscuits and bars was estimated to be Rs 5,98,54,165. Also on Monday, at Border Out Post Jayantipur under 158 Battalion, BSF troops were during routine checking and stopped a suspected motorcyclist for search. The troops found four gold biscuits weighing 466.62 grams from under the seat of the motorcycle. The arrested smugglers have been handed over to the Customs Office Petrapole along with the seized gold. South Bengal Frontier DIG Surjeet Singh Guleria expressed happiness over the achievement of the jawans. He stated that the BSF has tightened the noose on every nefarious smuggling activity. New Delhi, May 24 : India has taken a measured stance on the situation in Myanmar since the military took over power in February 2021. This stance is necessitated by the need to keep in mind the China factor in ties with Myanmar and continue to keep that nation at the centre of its Act East policy. These considerations remain paramount even today. India needs to step up humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, where over 9 million people remain internally displaced. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recently hosted a meeting attended by high level representatives from the region, Myanmar, UN specialised agencies and other international organisations to discuss the humanitarian situation. The May 6 meeting held in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh aimed to revive the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN in April 2021, one part of which dealt with the provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Myanmar. The issue is: Can India take a lead in this direction? According to the UN Refugee Agency, some 9,24,800 people remain displaced across Myanmar as of April 25, including 5,78,200 people who have fled their homes as a result of conflict and insecurity since the military takeover. Consequently, humanitarian access to conflict-affected and displaced people remains restricted and significant gaps remain in assistance to these communities despite continued efforts by humanitarian partners and local organisations. In the Chin state alone, for example, nearly one-fifth of the population have fled their homes. Estimate indicates that more than 50,000 people are currently internally displaced across the nine townships of Chin State, while at least 40,000 may have crossed the border to become refugees in Mizoram. India realises that refugees will continue to come as long as there is instability in Myanmar. The humanitarian agencies and institutional donors must find further ways to directly provide funds and resources to local groups doing this important work. Perhaps the leaf can be taken out of the Afghanistan example, where organisations like the World Food Programme and other UN organisations are distributing aid directly to the people of Myanmar. Recall that India's vaccine diplomacy was also conducted through the good offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. However, the need of the hour in this regard is actually bilateral cooperation. Remember that India had provided vaccine doses to the people of Myanmar and earlier, had provided education, healthcare and infrastructure development assistance. This indicates that the present Myanmar government is not averse to seeking India's assistance when needed. The best illustration of this is the gift of one million vaccine doses by former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla when he visited Myanmar in end-December 2021. During the visit, he also held substantive discussions with military leader General Min Aung Hlaing. This has to be capitalised on. Just as India extended development assistance to Myanmar some years ago for the construction of houses in the Rakhine state, India could look at extending assistance to meet the immediate humanitarian crisis. Specifics can always be worked out diplomatically. The major benefit of such an understanding will be that India will be seen as having reached out to the people of Myanmar. Challenges however will remain for both countries in practical terms. These are not insurmountable and should be creatively handled. While the direct route of connecting with the people through Naypyidaw is always there, India could also going the Japan route, which has challenged aid and assistance, in cooperation with international organisations and the ASEAN Secretariat, taking into account the local situation and humanitarian needs and urgency. India is best placed geographically and has the diplomatic advantage of being able to reach out to the military government. Therefore, one option would be for donor governments and international agencies to immediately offer their help to India, and to the local groups trying to reach local communities in Myanmar. The only catch here will be for India to be willing and able to undertake such an initiative. Past experience shows that India has the capacity to engage with Myanmar to provide aid and assistance. A similar story has unfolded in Sri Lanka where India became the first responder to the island nation's call for assistance with fuel and medicines. The narrative of support is positive and provides reassurance that India is willing to take the first step to help. Addressing this issue will require deft diplomatic strategies entailing both direct and indirect connects to the government, NGOs and others in Myanmar. What is immediately needed is raising awareness of the problem and giving solutions, both bilateral and regional. At some stage, consensus will have to be reached on the way forward. There is much to be learnt from the experience of bilateral cooperation. Engagement with the military government as well as others concerned about the well-being of the people of Myanmar is the first step. For this, an invitation could be sent for Myanmar's Foreign Secretary to visit India at an opportune time to discuss matters. The long-term view is ready, what is needed is action on the ground. New Delhi, May 24 : BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay on Tuesday moved a PIL seeking directions for 'Vande Mataram', a poem which had played a historic role in the struggle for India's freedom, to be "honoured equally" with 'Jana Gana Mana' and be given an "equal" status. The petitioner also sought direction to respondents, including the Central government and Delhi government to ensure that 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Vande Mataram' are played and sung in all schools and educational institutions on every working day. The plea stated that 'Vande Mataram' is the symbol of our history, sovereignty, unity and pride. If any citizen by any overt or covert act shows disrespect to it, it would not only be an anti-social activity but it would also spell doom to all our rights and very existence as a citizen of a sovereign nation. Every citizen must therefore not only refrain from any such activities but also do his best to prevent if any miscreant tries to show any disrespect to 'Vande Mataram'. "We must be proud of our Nation, our Constitution, National Anthem and National Flag and put national interest above our personal interests and only then will we be able to protect our hard-earned freedom and sovereignty. It is the duty of the executive to frame a national policy to promote and propagate 'Vande Mataram'," it read. It further said, 'Vande Mataram' is a poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. It literally means I praise thee Mother but the translation by Aurobindo is rendered as 'I bow to thee Mother'. It played a vital role in India's Independence movement and was first sung in a political context by Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. The PIL contended that 'Vande Mataram' was the whole nation's thought and motto for Independence from the British. Large rallies, fermenting initially in major cities, worked themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan 'Vande Mataram'. The British, fearful of the potential danger of inciting the populace, at one point of time banned the utterance of 'Vande Mataram' at public places and imprisoned many activists for disobeying the proscription. The sentiments expressed in 'Jana Gana Mana' have been expressed keeping the State in view. However, sentiments expressed in 'Vande Mataram' denote the nation's character and style and deserve similar respect. Sometimes 'Vande Mataram' is sung in such circumstances which are not permissible and can never be countenanced in law. It is the duty of every Indian to show respect when 'Vande Mataram' is played or sung, the petition said. Baku, May 24 : Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree to establish the country's state commission for the delimitation of border with Armenia. Published on the president's official website, the decree says that the commission is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, reports Xinhua news agency. It includes senior officials of 22 agencies, including Deputy Prime Minister of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, several deputy ministers and deputy chiefs of state services, heads of several local executive authorities, and a department head at the Presidential Administration. Meanwhile, in a similar move, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday signed a decree on the establishment of a commission on border demarcation and border security between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. The establishment of the commissions by the two rival countries came a day after President of the European Council Charles Michel hosted Aliyev and Pashinyan for a third trilateral meeting in Brussels since last December. In a press statement following the meeting, Michel announced that the two countries had agreed to initiate the border delimitation process with the establishment of border commissions. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed, but there have been sporadic minor clashes since then. A new round of armed conflict broke out along the contact line on September 27, 2020, before Russia brokered a ceasefire on November 9, 2020. On November 26, 2021, Aliyev and Pashinyan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, where they agreed on creating mechanisms for demarcation and delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During their previous meeting in April, Aliyev and Pashinyan launched a peace treaty process mediated by the European Union, and they agreed to establish border commissions to work on the border delimitation issue. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Kochi, May 24 : With just a week left for the crucial bypoll to Kerala's Thrikkakara Assembly constituency, the 2017 actress abduction case has taken a center stage pushing back the K-Rail issue which dominated the campaigning till now. On Monday, the assault victim sought Kerala High Court's intervention following speculations that the case might be swept under the carpet. She also accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of helping the accused actor Dileep and his aides. Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan alleged that some CPI-M leaders were playing games to bail out the guilty. Accusing the CPI-M leaders of playing double game, Congress candidate Uma Thomas said their talks about concern for women's safety was nothing but a "sham". "I remember P.T.Thomas (her husband and two time Congress legislator from Thrikkakara who passed away in December last year) telling me that in all likelihood this case will not reach anywhere and eventually swept under the carpet. I am sure every voter in my constituency is keenly following the sudden turn of events in this case and this will be in their minds," said Uma. As per the Congress, after the crime, when the victim reached actor, producer, director Lal's house, Thomas also rushed there and consoled the actress. Police was called in leading to the arrest of the accused who harassed her in a moving car which went around the city. Later, Dileep, who is the eighth accused and now out on bail, was also arrested. Recently, at her first public function after the incident, the survivor was a surprise 'chief guest' for the distribution of the Kerala State Film awards where Vijayan was also present. The social media went ga-ga over the incident showering praises on the Vijayan government for bringing the victim to the forefront. But now after her petition, while the Congress-led UDF is raking it up, the CPI-M top brass appears to have gone defensive. Responding to it, E.P.Jayarajan, the Left convenor manning the by-election, slammed the Congress. "The Congress-led UDF is known for raking up dirty allegations during election time. Everyone knows which political party is helping whom," said Jayarajan, adding that no one has a doubt on the position of the Left towards women's issues. State Law Minister P.Rajeev, another livewire at the election campaign, tried to downplay the fears raised by the victim. "I am yet to ascertain the facts as to why she did this. Moreover, with the case being sub judice, one cannot comment in detail," said Rajeev. In her petition, the survivor alleged that there was a massive political intervention when the Crime Branch team is set to submit its final report on May 30 for further investigation. She expressed deep concern that though Dileep was arrested in 2017, but things now appear to have turned topsy-turvy. Since she has no other way of getting justice, she is approaching the High Court. The woman suffered a jolt last month when the chief of the Crime Branch DGP S.Sreejith was moved out and replaced with a new officer. The move has been attributed to Vijayan's new political advisor P. Sasi. Los Angeles, May 24 : The stage is set as Bruce Springsteen and his backing band 'E Street' are returning to perform in three legs of their tour the dates of which will be announced soon. The 2023 tour will start with US arena in February, followed by European stadium shows kicking off on April 28 in Barcelona, with a second North American tour leg starting in August. Springsteen said in a statement accessed by 'Variety', "After six years, I'm looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year. And I'm looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street." The planned European stops are Barcelona, Dublin, Paris, Ferrara, Rome, Amsterdam, Landgraaf, Zurich, DAsseldorf, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Vienna, Munich and Monza. Additional cities and shows in the UK and Belgium will be announced at a later date. The 2023 dates will mark the first live shows for Springsteen and the E Street Band since the conclusion of their 14-month, worldwide 'The River' tour in Australia in February of 2017. The group last played publicly on 'Saturday Night Live' in December of 2020, where they performed two songs from their most recent studio album, 'Letter to You'. Last year, Springsteen, who will be 73 when the tour launches, released the group's 'The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts' film, collaborated with President Barack Obama on the book 'Renegades: Born in the USA' and reprised his 'Springsteen on Broadway' show to help reopen New York City's theatres last summer. The E Street Banda's members are: Roy Bittan - piano, synthesizer; Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals; Patti Scialfa - guitar, vocals; Garry Tallent - bass guitar; Stevie Van Zandt - guitar, vocals; and Max Weinberg - drums; with Soozie Tyrell - violin, guitar, vocals; Jake Clemons - saxophone; and Charlie Giordano - keyboards. Mysuru, : May 24 (IANS) Kannada actress Chaitra Hallikeri has lodged an FIR against her father-in-law and husband accusing them of misusing her bank account, police said on Tuesday. In her complaint, the actress stated that the duo has taken a gold loan through her account without her knowledge. The Branch manager of South Indian Bank had also connived with the accused, the complaint states. She is getting life threats from her husband and father-in-law after she approached the police, Chaitra alleged. Earlier, she had lodged a police complaint against her husband Balaji Pothraj for allegedly assaulting her, police said. The actress had acted in "Gurushishyaru" and "Sri Danamma Devi" movies. The police have lodged a case under IPC Sections 468, 406, 409, 420, 506, 34. Jayalakshmipuram police in Mysuru city have lodged a complaint and investigating the case. Beijing, May 24 : Thousands of photographs from the heart of Chinas highly secretive system of mass incarceration in Xinjiang, as well as a shoot-to-kill policy for those who try to escape, are among a huge cache of data hacked from police computer servers in the region. The Xinjiang Police Files, as they're being called, were passed to the BBC earlier this year. After a months-long effort to investigate and authenticate them, they can be shown to offer significant new insights into the internment of the region's Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities. Their publication coincides with the recent arrival in China of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, for a controversial visit to Xinjiang, with critics concerned that her itinerary will be under the tight control of the government. The cache reveals, in unprecedented detail, China's use of "re-education" camps and formal prisons as two separate but related systems of mass detention for Uyghurs,and seriously calls into question its well-honed public narrative about both, the BBC reported. The government's claim that the re-education camps built across Xinjiang since 2017 are nothing more than "schools" is contradicted by internal police instructions, guarding rosters and the never-before-seen images of detainees, the report said. And its widespread use of terrorism charges, under which many thousands more have been swept into formal prisons, is exposed as a pretext for a parallel method of internment, with police spreadsheets full of arbitrary, draconian sentences. The documents provide some of the strongest evidence to date for a policy targeting almost any expression of Uyghur identity, culture or Islamic faith, and of a chain of command running all the way up to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, the BBC reported. The hacked files contain more than 5,000 police photographs of Uyghurs taken between January and July 2018. Using other accompanying data, at least 2,884 of them can be shown to have been detained. And for those listed as being in a re-education camp, there are signs that they are not the willing "students" China has long-claimed them to be. Mumbai, May 24 : Actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma known for projects like 'The Gone Game' and 'Mirzapur', says she connects well with her character in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's 'Escaype Live'. Shweta shares how she connects with her on-screen role: "Sunaina is someone who gives unconditional support without an agenda and it is very close to who I am in real life so that made me very happy." Talking about her experience of working with the writer-producer-director, she reveals that it was "very enriching, fulfilling, and satisfying". She adds: "For me, it's not only my work that is important but also the kind of people I work with. When you're rehearsing, practicing or doing workshops, you're spending around six to 12 hours, or even more with those people, so they have an impact on you." "There is a lot that I've learned while shooting for this series. Siddharth is one person who motivates me and inspires me to be the best version of myself, and I'm very grateful to him for that." 'Escaype Live' focuses on the social media madness and the actress shares that she did not think twice before agreeing to do it. "When 'Escaype Live' came to me, I felt it was one of the best scripts I have read to date in terms of concept, storytelling and character graphs. It's a full package, especially given how Siddharth has shot it. There is every emotion in this series - loss, anger, pain, hope, happy dances and there is also lovely music! I can't wait for the music to come out because I want to make reels to it," she says. She further says that shooting for the series was incredible as it got her in touch with who she is as a person and as an actor. "When you're playing so many characters it can get confusing. Mentally and psychologically speaking, it is very exhausting. So it's very important to remember who you are because I should not lose touch with who Shweta is. And Sunaina is very close to who I am and who I would like to be." "I have a playlist for all my characters as it takes me to their world and I have realised that whenever I put on Sunaina's playlist it always puts me in a great mood," Shweta concludes. Chennai, May 24 : The AIADMK and BJP have come out strongly against the Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for trying to suppress freedom of press. The two parties were condemning the registration of an FIR against the Directors of Junior Vikatan publication, its employees, two YouTubers (Maridhas and Savukku Shankar) and a whistle blower on a complaint lodged by real estate company G Square. The registration of the case in lighting speed is a warning by the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to media publishing news against it, said former Chief Minister and AIADMK Joint Coordinator K. Palaniswami. He said a police complaint was lodged by G Square at 9 p.m. on May 21 against the magazine and others. Without enquring about the veracity of the complaint, the police have registered the case against the magazine and others which raises questions. Palaniswami said in the FIR, the police have recorded "all those others connected with Junior Vikatan" to include everyone from the directors to drivers. He further said the police should take action on a complaint after and proper enquiry and its veracity and not because the complainant is close to the DMK party. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai said the registration of the FIR in such a way to arrest anyone is a threat issued to the media. Annamalai said people will not allow suppression of press freedom if the ruling DMK think so and added that the police should function in a just manner. The city police have booked a case against the Junior Vikatan and others for extortion on a complaint lodged by realty company G Square and had arrested one person by name Kevin on May 22. The complaint filed by Purushotham Kumar on behalf of G Square and its Managing Director Ramajayam. It is alleged that Kevin had called Ramajayam and demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakhs failing which negative articles about G Square will get published in Junior Vikatan as he has close ties with Directors of the magazine. According to Kumar, G Square did not pay any money and Junior Vikatan published an article about the company alleging that it has close ties with DMK party. The Vikatan group has clarified that it has no relationship with Kevin and a false complaint has been lodged against it. Meanwhile, Chennai Press Club Joint Secretary Bharathi Thamizhan said journalists will hold a protest demonstration against the police for its action against the Vikatan group. Thamizhan said registering a false complaint the police are threatening the media. He said if someone using Junior Vikatan name had threatened G Square then the latter should have approached the former to check about it. But the police registering the case and taking action during the night is nothing but warning to the media, he added. Patna, May 24 : In a bid to control stone pelting, West Champaran police has decided to penalise people for storing bricks or stones on the rooftop of their houses. According to Rakesh Bhaskar, the SHO of city police station: "We will conduct an aerial survey of the district using drone technology. If bricks or stones are found on a rooftop, a notice will immediately be served to the owner of the house seeking explanation. If the reply is not satisfactory, we will lodge an FIR against the person under relevant IPC sections." Several incidents where two groups pelted stones on each other over properties or any other disputes have been reported. Even local police have become victims of stone pelting when they went to control the situation, Bhaskar said. "On May 18, two groups involved in stone pelting leaving several injured. When in-charge of Kalibagh police post went there to restore normalcy, he also sustained injuries due to stone pelting." The reason for taking such an initiative is to discourage people from taking law their in hands. If any issue arises between two parties, they should resolve it peacefully. The offenders would land into trouble if they store bricks and stones on the rooftop, he asserted. Jaipur, May 24 : As the dates of Rajya Sabha polls on four seats have been announced, speculation of political fencing in Rajasthan is once again doing the rounds. Political whispers have become stronger after the BJP announced to field its candidates on two seats. The polls on four seats will be held on June 10. Presently, the Congress has 108 seats. Here 82 votes are required to win two seats. So Congress' victory on two seats is confirmed. Out of the 108 seats, 82 votes will help win two seats and the Congress will be left with 26 excess votes left, which means it can go for the third seat provided it manages 15 more votes. The Rajya Sabha polls require 41-41 votes for the first seat. In such a situation, there are 13 independent MLAs, while one of the Rashtriya Lok Dal is currently in alliance with the Congress. The CPI-M and the Bharatiya Tribal Party of India have two votes each. The BTP recently announced its divorce with the state Congress. So all eyes are on the BJP as to how it is going to cash in on the situation. The saffron party has 71 MLAs. So its victory is confirmed in one seat, while for the second seat, it is 11 votes short. Even before the nomination filing, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore announced that the BJP would not allow the second seat to go vacant. He said that the BJP has 30 surplus votes. "How those 30 votes will be used will be revealed when the time comes". Rathore claimed that the BJP could win the second seat due to the Congress's tussle. Meanwhile, Congress sources told IANS that chances of political camping cannot be refuted at this time as each vote matters for the ruling government. Meanwhile, as the BJP leaders have announced to field contestants on two seats, there are chances that MLAs shall once again be taken to remote hotels to keep their share safe for the party concerned, said sources. The election of Rajya Sabha is done on the basis of the number of MLAs won by political parties. For example, the Rajya Sabha elections were held in 2016. At that time, the BJP was ruling the state and on the basis of the number of BJP MLAs, its candidates won four seats. The Congress had not fielded its candidate at that time but supported Kamal Morarka as an independent. Hence, on the basis of vote count, Om Prakash Mathur, K.J. Alphons, Ramkumar Verma and Harshvardhan Singh were elected. However, now there is a Congress government in the state and the math of votes has also changed. The Rajya Sabha elections are held on the basis of a proportional method and this time four seats are vacant. In this sense, each candidate needs 41 first preference votes to win. New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the strategic partnership between India and the US is a "true partnership of trust". "Our shared values, and our common interests in many areas, including security, have strengthened the bonds of this trust," he said in his opening remarks during a bilateral meeting between the two nations on the sidelines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo. The Prime Minister further said that "our people to people relations and close economic relations also make our partnership unique". He said that there has been a sustained development in the field of trade and investment, though, it was still less than what our real potentials. "Mr. President, it is always a pleasure meeting you, We participated in a positive and useful Quad Summit together today.I am confident that with the launch of India-USA Investment Incentive Agreement, we can see concrete progress in days to come," Modi told US President Joe Biden. The Prime Minister further said that "we are extending our bilateral cooperation in the field of technology and we are also consolidating our coordination on global issues". "We share similar views on the Indo-Pacific, at the bilateral level as well as with like-minded countries to work to protect our common concerns. Our discussions today will give speed to this positive momentum." He also said that the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on Monday was a live example of this and "our discussion today will give more impetus to this positive momentum". "I am confident that the friendship of India and the US will continue to be a force for good for global peace and stability, for the sustainability of the planet, and for the well-being of mankind," Modi added. Hyderabad, May 24 : CPI national secretary K. Narayana on Tuesday alleged that authorities have placed the students of the Indian School of Business (ISB) under scanner ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the institute on May 26. He said that the action of the authorities is undemocratic. The Prime Minister is visiting ISB on May 26 to participate in 20th annual day celebrations and graduation ceremony the postgraduate programme Class of 2022 of the business school. Narayana said in a statement that ISB is an internationally renowned business school and the students who pass out from here go on to occupy key positions at the international level. The CPI leader alleged that a tight vigil is being kept on students who had posted anything on social media against the Prime Minister or in support of the democracy. Narayana said attempts were being made to stop such students from attending the event. Terming this alleged move as atrocious, he said everyone had a right to express his or her views. He wondered if the students were not allowed to freely express their views, how will they be educated at the reputed institution. He demanded that the authorities immediately stop the vigil and allow the students to participate in the annual celebrations without imposing curbs. Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 : The Kerala Police on Tuesday took into custody a man from Eratupettah in Kerala's Kottayam district, who was seen carrying a boy shouting provocative slogans at a rally of the Popular Front of India (PFI). The rally was held on Saturday at Alappuzha and the police action came a day after the Kerala High Court, while hearing another case, raised serious objections to using children in political and election rallies. The video of the boy mouthing slogans giving a warning to non-Muslims has gone viral. The slogans were repeated by those who took part in the rally. After the video went viral, criticism mounted and after the court's remark, the police started to act. The man, who is seen carrying the boy on his shoulders, has been identified as Anzar. He was picked up by the police and was being questioned. Meanwhile, according to the police, more people will be taken into custody and it is likely to include the guardians of the child. The police have registered a case against the organisers of the rally for promoting rivalry and hatred among communities. There are reports that apart from Anzar, two others also have been picked up by the police. Various PFI activists after hearing the news that Anzar has been taken into custody expressed their protests. The PFI have also tried to play down the incident and they said the slogans were against Hindutva fascist and not against Hindus or Christians. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the soft stand taken by him and his government towards the PFI. "It's really surprising.. it's been a few days since this incident occurred and not a word has been said by Vijayan or his political front. It's now clear that there is a secret pact between them and hence no action has come. This new found alliance has been active during election time," said Satheesan. Ankara, May 24 : Turkish prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for 53 suspects over their alleged links to a network accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt in 2016. The police have launched raids across 12 provinces as part of the capital Ankara chief prosecutor's probe into the "establishment" of the Gulen Movement in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, reports Xinhua news agency. The prosecutor's office said in a statement that 48 of the suspects were earlier dismissed from the ministry due to their contact with the group, five were on active duty, and others included resigned personnel. They were accused of keeping illicit communication with the "private imams" of the group and leaking exam information of public institutions to them. The Turkish government accuses the Gulen Movement of infiltrating into the state bureaucracy and then attempting a coup on July 15, 2016. The movement, which mainly runs schools around the world, is a community of people named after Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who is regarded by followers as a spiritual leader. Ankara accuses US-based Fethullah Gulen of masterminding the attempted coup, in which at least 250 people were killed. Turkey requests the extradition of Gulen, but Washington is reluctant to extradite the self-exiled Islamic cleric, saying that Ankara has not presented sufficient evidence against him. The Turkish government has launched a massive crackdown on suspects with links to the network in the aftermath of the coup attempt. Sanaa, May 24 : Three citizens were killed and three others injured in after a Saudi "spy drone" crashed into a street in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, the Houthi militia announced on Tuesday. The drone landed into a populous neighbourhood on Monday night, causing the casualties and property damage, Xinhua news agency quoted the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV as saying citing authorities. The Houthis claimed that they have shot down the drone, noting that it was a "spy drone" of the Saudi-led coalition. "With a surface-to-air missile, our air defence shot down the drone that was hovering over Sanaa in violation of the truce," the militia's spokesman Yehya Sarea said. There was no comment yet from the coalition or the Yemeni government. In the past two weeks, the Houthi group claimed to have downed two other "spy drones" in the northwestern province of Hajjah amid the two-month truce starting April 2. So far, the truce has been largely held despite sporadic small-scale clashes. On May 19, the Houthi militia said they are considering a request by the UN envoy to extend the ongoing truce with the coalition-backed Yemeni government, which expires on June 2. The truce marks the first breakthrough in more than seven years in efforts to end the war in Yemen that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. Ankara, May 24 : Foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 per cent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of Covid-19, according to figures from the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The number of foreign visitors hosted in the January-April period this year increased by 172.51 per cent to 7.47 million compared to the same period last year, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying. In April, the highest number of foreign visitors was from Germany, with 395,372 people, followed by Bulgaria and the UK, with 270,997 and 225,296 travellers, respectively. Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city and a major tourist destination, attracted 37.9 per cent of all international visitors, while 25.7 per cent of them visited the southern Antalya province. Turkey is rebounding in its crucial tourism sector as arrivals continue to gain pace, but the figures still fall behind the pre-pandemic level of April 2019, when it attracted 3.3 million foreign tourists, according to the official data. Turkey's tourism revenue shrank by 70 per cent in 2020 after garnering a record high of $34.5 billion in revenue the previous year. Turkey attracted a total of 30 million foreign tourists and achieved $24.5 billion in revenue in 2021. New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Tuesday reviewed the multi-dimensional cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Cooperation under the partnership includes in the sectors of trade and investment; defence manufacturing; renewable energy, education; science and technology; agricultural research; sports; and people-to-people ties. The two Prime Ministers met on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo. Modi congratulated Albanese for his win in the May 21 federal election. The two leaders affirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship. Modi also extended an invitation to Albanese to visit India at an early date. In a tweet after the meeting, Modi said: "India's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia is robust and benefits not only the people of our nations but also the world." He said he was delighted to meet Albanese and "take stock of bilateral ties. We discussed ways to add even greater momentum across key sectors". Also on Tuesday, a bilateral meet is scheduled between Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, during which they will review the strategic partnership between New Delhi and Tokyo. Earlier in the day, Modi met US President Joe Biden. Chennai, May 24 : A 20-year-old youth raped a 43-year-old woman at knifepoint after stalking her for three days from her workplace to her residence. The youth, according to police found that the woman was staying alone and he raped her at knifepoint. The arrested is S. Vishal of Palaniamman Koil street. According to the police, the youth saw the woman at MRTS railway station at Triplicane when she was returning home after work and found that she was taking a train to Velachery. He followed her for three days and found out where she was living. Police said that the man found that the woman was living alone in the first floor of a rented house and on Saturday, he found that the ground floor apartment was locked. He knocked at the door of the woman and told her that he was looking for a home for rent in the locality and asked her for water. Once the woman went inside to bring water, he entered the home and locked it from the inside and threatened the woman with a knife, and raped her. Police said that he had shot the nude photos of the woman and threatened her that he would upload her nude photos if she informed the police. He also sent a missed call to his number from the woman's number and saved her number. He called her later and threatened her that he would upload her photos. The woman after initial hesitancy filed a complaint at the Adayar All Woman police who traced the youth using his phone number and arrested him on Monday. The woman after initial hesitancy filed a complaint with the police who promptly searched the culprit using his mobile phone number from which the youth had sent a message to the woman. The youth was remanded to judicial custody. Los Angeles, May 24 : The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has warned against a significant increase in Covid-19 metrics after more than 12,000 new cases were registered in the past three days. According to the Department, the county, the largest in the US and home to over 10 million residents, reported 14 additional deaths on Monday, and 5,152, 4,750 and 2,476 new cases on May 21, 22 and 23, respectively, bringing the accumulative caseload to 2,942,149 and death toll to 32,086, reports Xinhua news agency. For sequenced specimens collected in the week ending April 30, all positive cases were Omicron, and the BA.2.12.1 sub-variant, which is more transmissible than BA.2, the current predominant sub-variant in Los Angeles County, is becoming more common, the Department said. "With increases across multiple Covid metrics, including cases, hospitalizations, outbreaks in high-risk settings, and the test positivity rate, layering in more protections is needed to reduce the risk of transmission and severe illness," it said. The average number of daily new cases reported over the last seven days increased to 3,843 compared to 1,436 reported one month ago, an increase of 168 per cent, and the seven-day average test positivity rate on Monday is 3 per cent, double from what it was a month ago, according to the Department. Officials said the higher case numbers have translated to an increased number of people getting severely ill and needing to be hospitalised, as the average number of Covid-positive patients per day in Los Angeles County hospitals over the last seven days was 378, an increase of 72 percent from one month ago. Barbara Ferrer, the county's director of public health, said in the release that the numbers in the county are increasing across nearly all of the metrics reflecting "the reality of the dominance of highly infectious mutated variants". "To protect those who are most vulnerable, we need to take care of each other by creating barriers to the transmission of the virus; this happens when we are up-to-date on vaccinations and boosters, wear a mask when indoors and around others, and get tested to know our status if we feel sick, have been exposed, or are gathering indoors," she added. The county extended its mask-wearing requirement on public transit and at transportation hubs last weekend amid the latest coronavirus wave. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 24 : The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden has welcomed the signing of the Investment Incentive Agreement which enables the US Development Finance Corporation to continue providing investment support to India in sectors of shared priority such as healthcare, renewable energy, SMEs, infrastructure. Prime Minister Modi had a warm and productive meeting with President Biden in Tokyo on Tuesday, resulting in substantive outcomes which will add depth and momentum to the bilateral partnership, it said. The meeting marks a continuation of the regular high-level dialogue between the two leaders who met in-person in September 2021 in Washington D.C and interacted at the G20 and COP26 Summits thereafter. Most recently, they had a virtual interaction on April 11,2022. The India-US Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership is underpinned by a shared commitment to democratic values, rule of law, and a commitment to uphold a rule-based international order. The leaders expressed happiness with progress made across sectors in the bilateral agenda. "Both sides launched an India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) to facilitate outcome-oriented cooperation. Co-led by the National Security Council Secretariat in India and the US National Security Council, iCET would forge closer linkages between government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as AI, quantum computing, 5G/6G, biotech, space and semiconductors," the MEA said in a statement. Noting that defence and security cooperation is a crucial pillar of the India-US bilateral agenda, both sides discussed how they can further strengthen collaboration. In this context, the Prime Minister invited the US industry to partner with India to manufacture in India under the Make in India and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) programmes which can be of mutual benefit to both countries. Taking forward their growing collaboration in the health sector, India and the US extended the longstanding Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) until 2027 to continue joint biomedical research which had resulted in development of vaccines and related technologies, the statement further reads. The two leaders exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest, including South Asia and in the Indo-Pacific region, reaffirming their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, while PM Modi welcomed the launch of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and stated that India is ready to work closely with all partner countries to shape a flexible, and inclusive IPEF taking into consideration the respective national circumstances. They agreed to continue their useful dialogue and pursue their shared vision of taking the India-US partnership to a higher level, the MEA further said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 24: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, signed on Monday the law which allows confiscating the assets of individuals who have supported the ongoing 'special military operation' of the Russian forces in Ukraine. Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, had voted for this law on April 21 but Zelenskyy had returned it with his proposals for reconsideration in the session hall. After the adoption of the amended law, he signed the document on Monday. "The procedure of identifying and confiscating the assets of sanctioned persons who in one way or another support the aggression of the occupiers against Ukraine will allow to quickly and effectively replenish the Ukrainian budget at the expense of enemies," the head of state said. The law establishes a new type of sanctions in the form of recovery in the state revenue of assets belonging to a natural or legal person, as well as assets that it can directly or indirectly dispose of. According to the Ukrainian President's office, there are clear criteria according to which a person can be classified as one of those to whom such a sanction applies. "Thus, it is determined that the central body of executive power, which ensures the implementation of state policy in the field of recovery of state assets, will be responsible for finding assets and going to court. It is expected that such a body will be the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, which should organise work to identify and search for blocked assets of individuals and legal entities specified in the decisions of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine," it said today. Kiev has already adopted the law on the basic principles of the forcible seizure of objects to which the Russian federation and its residents have property rights in Ukraine. The law defines urgent defence needs as the legal basis for the forcible seizure of objects to which the Russian Federation has property rights. It establishes the rules and procedures under which Ukrainian authorities can expropriate the property owned directly or through affiliates by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine. The preamble of the law states that the law was adopted in response to "Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine" and is aimed at protecting of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, its national interests, and its national security. In his daily video address to the nation, Zelenskyy said on Sunday night that Kiev is expanding its international ties every week to get everything it needs to end the war as soon as possible. "On Monday I will join the discussions at the Davos Forum. This is the world's most influential economic platform, where Ukraine has something to say. There will be other public presentations during the week, including an address to the Stanford University community. As well as a special format of communication with the political and expert communities of Indonesia," he said. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War New Delhi, May 24 : It is not at all easy to put a right bet on any penny stocks because of the high volatility attached to it. That said, those investors who have put their money in Sadhana Nitro Chem shares have accumulated around 33,000 per cent returns in the past eight years as the scrip turned multibagger. Notably, it rose from Rs 0.4 per share to a whopping Rs 119 during these years. Founded in 1973, Sadhana Nitro Chem deals in high quality intermediate speciality chemicals. Stock prices ranging in single digit are known as penny stocks, and they typically have high volatility associated with them. On the other hand, multibagger stocks are those whose share prices rise exponentially over a short-to-medium term. The Indian specialty chemicals industry will outpace its Chinese counterpart and double its share of the global market to 6 per cent by 2026 from 3-4 per cent in fiscal 2021, CRISIL had said recently. A resurgence in demand has spurred specialty makers to ramp up their capacity expansion plans.The rise in demand for specialty chemicals may have attracted investors towards Sadhana Nitro Chem. On Tuesday, the shares of the company, however,were at 5 per cent lower circuit at Rs 119. Some of the other company's shares which accumulated multifold returns are SEL Manufacturing Company, Tanla Platforms, Apollo Finvest (India), Equipe Social Impact Technologies, Dynacon Systems & Solutions, Raghuveer Synthetics, Rajratan Global Wire, Vidhi Specialty Food Ingredients, Sanmit Infra, Sejal Glass, Cosmo Ferrites and Balaji Amines, among others. Hyderabad, May 24 : Telangana's minister for industry and information technology K. T. Rama Rao called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Maharashtra's minister for tourism and environment Aaditya Thackeray. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Andhra Pradesh chief minister and ministers from Telangana and Maharashtra are leading their respective state delegations at the WEF meeting. "Had a great meeting with my brother AP CM YS @ysjagan garu," tweeted KTR, as the Telangana minister is popularly known. KTR also shared a couple of pictures with Jagan Mohan Reddy. Both the leaders are seen sharing a light moment. This was the first meeting between the two leaders after KTR's controversial remarks about the basic amenities in Andhra Pradesh, which had evoked strong reaction from several ministers from the neighbouring state. Last month while addressing a property show of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) in Hyderabad, KTR had made the remark that there is no electricity, drinking water in Andhra Pradesh while the roads are in bad shape. While highlighting how the basic infrastructure has significantly improved in Hyderabad over the last seven years, KTR had said people appreciate the value of this when they visit other states. He said his friend, who went to a neighbouring state to celebrate Sankranti at his native place, shared with him his experience during the stay. Several ministers from Andhra Pradesh had condemned KTR's remarks and demanded him to withdraw the same. The Telangana minister had later said that his remarks were not meant to hurt anyone. "It appears that an innocuous comment that I had made at a meeting may have caused some unintentional pain to my friends in Andhra Pradesh," he had tweeted. "I enjoy a great brotherly equation with AP CM Jagan Garu & wish that the state prospers under his leadership," he wrote. Meanwhile, KTR also had a meeting with Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray in Davos. He tweeted that it was a pleasure meeting the youthful and dynamic Aaditya Thackeray. "Discussed wide range of issues on how Telangana & Maharashtra can work together. Stronger the states, stronger the country," he wrote. Mumbai, May 24 : One of the greatest Test openers the country has ever produced, Virender Sehwag has revealed former skipper Anil Kumble's role in his return to the India Test team for the 2008 Australia tour and credited him for reviving his career. Sehwag was going through a lean patch and despite a Test career average of almost 50 at an enviable 75-plus strike rate, the former Delhi batsman was dropped from the Indian Test team. He was out in the wilderness for a year and after playing his 52nd Test in January 2007, Sehwag played his 53rd in Australia in 2008. "Suddenly, I realised I was not part of the Test side; it hurt," admits Sehwag on the upcoming episode of Home of Heroes on Sports18. "I would have ended with 10,000-plus Test runs had I not been dropped for that period." Sehwag's inclusion in the Test team for the 2007-08 Australia tour for the Border-Gavaskar trophy surprised many. Picked on a gut by skipper Anil Kumble, Sehwag, though, did not start the first two Tests that India lost. Before the third Test in Perth, the team travelled to Canberra for a practice match. "Score a 50 in this match, and you will be picked for the match in Perth," Sehwag remembers his skipper as saying. Sehwag scored a hundred before lunch in the match against ACT Invitation XI. As promised, Sehwag played in Perth, gave a good start at the top in both innings, and took two wickets. But it was Adelaide when he announced his arrival, not in typical Sehwag fashion, though. A 63 in the first innings was followed by an uncharacteristic but match-saving 151 in the second at Adelaide. "Those 60 runs were the toughest I scored in my life. I was playing to repay the faith Anil Bhai put in me," Sehwag recalls. "I did not want anyone to question him for bringing me to Australia." What followed in the fourth innings was a Test-match batting masterclass by Sehwag. Despite losing partners, Sehwag was in his zone. "I was focused on the striker's end; on the other end, I spoke to the umpire, humming my favourite songs. The pressure was gone," Sehwag says of the 151 that kept Australia away from winning the last Test. After the tour, Kumble made Sehwag a promise. "As long as I am the Test team captain, you will not be dropped from the side," Sehwag remembers Kumble saying. "That's what a player yearns for the most, the confidence of his captain. I got that from Ganguly in my initial years and from Kumble later," Sehwag was quoted as saying in a release. The Nawab of Najafgarh played seven Tests under Kumble averaging over 62 after the Australia tour. The Karnataka leg-spinner's stewardship brought out the best of Sehwag which included a career-best 319 against South Africa and unbeaten 201 against Sri Lanka. Sehwag also claimed his best bowling figures in a Test of 5/104 in Kumble's last Test as a captain and player both. Sehwag's reverence for Kumble is not only because he picked him for the tour but for how he handled the controversies that headlined the second Test in Sydney. "If Anil Bhai had not been the captain, the tour would have discontinued, and probably Harbhajan Singh's career would have ended too," Sehwag said in the programme. Dhaka, May 24 : Bangladesh's largest Padma bridge will open to traffic on June 25, a Minister announced here on Tuesday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, reports Xinhua news agency. "Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the bridge on June 25 morning in a grand ceremony," he said. The Bangladesh government has already fixed the toll rates of the bridge. According to a gazette notification, toll rates will range from 100 takas to over 6,000 takas. The huge infrastructure project, with the main bridge spanning 6.15 km in length, is the largest and most challenging in Bangladesh's history. The bridge standing across the Padma River to link the northeastern and southwestern areas of Bangladesh is also a key part of an anticipated trans-Asian railway network. Hasina inaugurated the main construction work of the bridge in 2015. The Padma multipurpose bridge is located about 40 km southwest of Dhaka. Los Angeles, May 24 : Hollywood star Whoopi Goldberg may have played a Catholic nun, but she is apparently not familiar with the church's teachings. The 'Sister Act' star has been ripped after she blasted an archbishop for denying Nancy Pelosi communion, reports aceshowbiz.com. The actress defended Pelosi after the Catholic archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, announced that the House Speaker is to be denied Holy Communion in his archdiocese because of her support for abortion rights. The archbishop said Pelosi should "refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion" unless she repudiates her longtime advocacy of abortion rights. Taking to 'The View' to weigh in on the communion ban, Goldberg began in the segment: "The abortion rights battle is starting to blur the lines between church and state. The archbishop of San Francisco is calling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be denied receiving communion because of her pro-choice stance. He's one of the priests who also called president Biden to be denied sacrament." "This is not your job, dude!" the award-winning entertainer furiously exclaimed. "That is not, you can't, that is not up to you to make that decision." She added, "How dare you." But many Catholics disagreed with Goldberg, reminding her that it's actually the archbishop's job and she's not qualified to lecture the archbishop about what is and is not his job. "Canon law is indeed the Bishop's responsibility, not yours, Whoop. You played a nun; you weren't one," one pointed out. Another said: "It is his job to make sure the church and congregation are in one accord! People like Whoopi can't make it anymore so they have to get noticed somehow! How about cancelling the view!!" A third remarked, "uhhh no whoopi that is his job." In announcing the ban on Friday, Cordileone explained that he had attempted to meet and speak with Pelosi several times in the months leading up to his decision. He wrote that according to canon law, Pelosi is "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin" and that it is his responsibility as archbishop to enforce church discipline against her. Varanasi, May 24 : The hearing in the Varanasi Gyanvapi Mosque case will now be held from Thursday. In accordance with the Supreme Court's orders, the court will take up the Muslim side's application on the maintainability of the suit under order 7, rule 11. The process of hearing in the case will start on Thursday (May 26), with the 'maintainability' issue coming first. The court also ordered the two sides to file affidavits with their objections to the survey report within a week. The mosque committee says that filming at the mosque violates a 1991 law that prevents the alteration of the character of any place of worship in the country. It wanted the 'maintainability' case to be heard first, which the court has agreed to. The Supreme Court had asked the Varanasi court to decide on priority whether the survey at the Gyanvapi mosque and the petition that led to the survey was 'maintainable' or not. "I told the court that it is a mandate of the Supreme Court that our application saying the case is not maintainable should be heard first. I read out my application and also the Supreme Court order. The opposing counsel said he needed more documents and time to file objections to our application, but I said the maintainability must be decided first," said Abhay Nath Yadav, a lawyer for the Mosque committee. The court also said that both the sides be given copies of the video survey and one week's time to file their objections, if any. Early last week, lawyers representing the Hindu petitioners claimed that a 'Shivling' was found during the videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex. The claim was disputed by the mosque committee members who said it was part of the water fountain mechanism in the wuzukhana reservoir, used by devotees to perform ritual ablutions before offering namaz. The district court had then ordered the sealing of the 'wuzukhana'. This application relates to whether the reliefs sought by the five Hindu petitioners can even be granted by a court of law. The Muslim side is expected to argue that the suit is barred by the 1991 Place of Worship Act. There are no specific orders yet on whether the matter will be heard on a day-to-day basis from May 26 onwards. Preliminary arguments will begin on May 26. The district judge Dr A.K. Vishvesha has also asked for objections to the Gyanvapi mosque survey report filed by the commission from both parties. It may be recalled that a petition filed in 1991 in a Varanasi court claimed that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built on the orders of Aurangzeb by demolishing a part of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple during his reign in the 16th century. The petitioners and local priests sought permission to worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex. The Allahabad High Court in 2019 ordered a stay on an ASI survey that was requested by the petitioners. The current controversy started when five Hindu women sought to routinely worship Shringar Gauri and other idols within the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Last month, a Varanasi court ordered a videographed survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after the five Hindu women filed pleas, seeking to worship behind the western wall of the premises. Patna, May 24 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on some properties linked to suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and Jharkhand capital Ranchi on Tuesday. Singhal is facing several changes, including money laundering of MGNREGA funds. A team of ED officials conducted a raid at the residence of a person named Triveni Chaudhary, who is said to have connections with Pooja Singhal, at Brahmpura Rahul Nagar locality in Muzaffarpur. The raiding team, comprising women officials, managed to recover important documents. Singhal's in-laws house is located at Jagdishpuri locality under Mithnapur police station in Muzaffarpur Bihar. Earlier, raids were conducted here also. In Ranchi, the ED conducted a raid at the residence of a person, Vishal Chaudhary in Ashok Nagar. Sources said that the ED team brought a currency note counting machine after the recovery of cash. The exact details of the cash amount is not ascertained yet. Further details are awaited. Patna, May 24 : Three people died and eight others fell ill after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Bihar's Gaya district on Tuesday. The family members of the deceased claimed that they had consumed poisonous liquor during a wedding function on Monday. This happens to be the second incident of alleged liquor deaths in the last four days. Earlier, five persons had died in Aurangabad district. In Gaya, the deceased are identified as Amar Paswan (26), Rahul Kumar (27) and Arjun Paswan (43). The victims had gone to Pathra village under Aamas police station in the district to attend a wedding function where they consumed country-made liquor. After a few hours, their health started to deteriorate. They complained of vomiting, stomachache and blurred vision. They were rushed to the Primary Health Center (PHC) in Aamas where Amar Paswan and Arjun Paswan died, while Rahul Kumar was referred to Magadh medical college and hospital where he succumbed during the treatment. Currently, a person is admitted in Magadh medical college, while seven others recuperating in PHC Aamas. The police Gaya district is tight-lipped on this incident. They however conducted raids at Pathra village. Besides Gaya, five persons lost their lives and two others were hospitalised in neighbouring Aurangabad district in the last three days. Three persons died in mysterious circumstances in Khiriyawa village under Madanpur police station on Monday night while two others died on Saturday. The deceased are identified as Shiv Saw, Shambhu Thakur, Anil Sharma of Khiriyawa village. The other two belonged to Raniganj village who died on Saturday. Anil Sharma's relatives claimed that he had consumed liquor at Pandaria Mor while the kin of Shiv Saw and Shambhu Thakur said that they had consumed liquor at Pasi locality on Monday evening. Upon returning homes, they complained about uneasiness and were rushed to the common health center in Madanpur. They were referred to Sadar hospital Aurangabad where they succumbed on the way. The family members of two persons named Bablu Thakur and Bhola Vishvakarma are admitted in a private hospital in Sherghati. Kantesh Kumar Mishra, SP of Aurangabad district claimed that district police have not received exact information about the deaths. "The family members of the deceased have cremated the dead bodies. We have learnt that they had died due to illness. Still, police are making an effort to find out the exact reason for the incidents," Mishra said. New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Hyderabad and Chennai on May 26 to unveil various projects and attend a campus programme, an official statement said on Tuesday. In Chennai, he will dedicate to the nation/lay the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,400 crore, and in Hyderabad, participate in the celebration of completion of 20 years of the Indian School of Business and address the graduation ceremony of Post Graduate Programme (PGP) Class of 2022. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said: "In a step towards boosting infrastructure development, enhancing connectivity, and giving an impetus to ease of living in the region, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,400 crore in Chennai. "These projects will also help significantly improve socio-economic prosperity in the region, have a transformative impact on several sectors and also help create employment opportunities." In Chennai, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation five projects worth over Rs 2,900 crore. These include the 75-km-long Madurai-Teni railway gauge conversion project, built at a project cost of over Rs 500 crore, and the 30-km-long third railway line between Tambaram-Chengalpattu, built at a project cost of over Rs 590 crore, which will facilitate running of more suburban services, thus offering greater options and enhancing comfort for the travellers. "The 115-km-long Ennore-Chengalpattu section and 271-km-long Thiruvallur-Bengaluru section of ETBPNMT natural gas pipeline, built at a project cost of around Rs 850 crore and Rs 910 crore, respectively, will facilitate supply of natural gas to consumers as well industries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh," the PMO said. The programme will also witness inauguration of 1,152 houses constructed as part of Light House Project - Chennai, built at a cost of Rs 116 crore, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of six projects, being built at a cost of over Rs 28,500 crore, including for redevelopment of five railway stations: Chennai Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi, and Kanyakumari. This project will be completed at a cost of over Rs 1,800 crore, and is being undertaken with a view to enhance convenience and comfort of the passengers through provision of modern amenities. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of a Multi Modal Logistic Park at Chennai worth over Rs 1,400 crore. It will provide seamless intermodal freight movement and also offer multiple functionalities. In Hyderabad, he will participate in the celebration of completion of 20 years of Indian School of Business (ISB), which was inaugurated on December 2, 2001 by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. New Delhi, May 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met former Japanese Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori and Shinzo Abe. Mori is the current chairperson of the Japan-India Association (JIA), while Shinzo Abe will be taking over this role shortly. Modi appreciated the significant contributions made by the JIA under the leadership of Mori in promoting exchanges between India and Japan in political, economic and cultural fields. He also conveyed his best wishes to Shinzo Abe on his new responsibilities and looked forward to the JIA continuing its important role. The leaders also discussed the broad canvas of India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership as well as the shared vision of India and Japan for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Discussions were held on ways to further promote cultural and people-to-people ties, India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The JIA, established in 1903, is one of the oldest friendship associations in Japan. Patna, May 24 : Eight people have died after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Bihar's Gaya and Aurangabad districts in the past four days. While three people lost their lives and eight others fell ill after having hooch in Gaya on Tuesday, five others in Aurangbad died of it in the past three days. The family of the deceased in Gaya claimed that they had consumed liquor during a wedding function on Monday. The deceased are identified as Amar Paswan (26), Rahul Kumar (27) and Arjun Paswan (43). The victims had gone to Pathra village under Aamas police station in the district to attend a wedding function where they consumed country-made liquor. After a few hours, their health started to deteriorate. They complained of vomiting, stomach ache and blurred vision. They were rushed to the Primary Health Center (PHC) in Aamas where Amar Paswan and Arjun Paswan died, while Rahul Kumar was referred to Magadh medical college and hospital where he succumbed during the treatment. Currently, a person is admitted in Magadh medical college, while seven others are recuperating in PHC Aamas. The police is tight-lipped on this incident but conducted raids at Pathra village. Besides Gaya, five persons lost their lives and two others were hospitalised in neighbouring Aurangabad district in the last three days. Three persons died in mysterious circumstances in Khiriyawa village under Madanpur police station on Monday night while two others died on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Shiv Saw, Shambhu Thakur, Anil Sharma of Khiriyawa village. The other two belonged to Raniganj village and died on Saturday. Anil Sharma's relatives claimed that he had consumed liquor at Pandaria Mor while the kin of Shiv Saw and Shambhu Thakur said that they did so in Pasi locality on Monday evening. Upon returning homes, they complained about uneasiness and were rushed to the common health center in Madanpur. They were referred to Sadar hospital Aurangabad but they succumbed on the way. Bablu Thakur and Bhola Vishvakarma are undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Sherghati. Kantesh Kumar Mishra, SP of Aurangabad district claimed that district police do not have exact information about the deaths. "The family of the deceased have cremated the bodies. We have learnt that they had died due to illness. Still, police are making an effort to ascertain the exact reason," Mishra said. Bengaluru, May 24 : The text books revision row is taking new twists and turns every day. Referring to the distorted regional anthem allegedly written by Text Book Revision Committee Chairman Rohith Chakrathirtha earlier and questioning the decision of the ruling BJP to put him in charge of textbooks' revision, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanded that he be sent to prison. He warned that the BJP will lose its base in Karnataka if it plays with the feelings of the people. "The gateway to south India will permanently close on the BJP," he said. The regional anthem "Bharata Jananiya Tanujate jaya he Karnataka maate" (Oh great daughter of India, hail thee Karnataka) was penned by legendary writer Kuvempu. The posts of the distorted version of the regional anthem have gone viral in Karnataka. The distorted version is allegedly written by Rohith Chakrathirtha. "Regional anthem of the state has been insulted. Those who had insulted it should have been booted into prison," Kumaraswamy stated without taking the name of Chakrathirtha. "I am waiting for the release of the textbooks. There is a reference in a lesson that Kuvempu was able to be a poet by the support of others. Who is that fellow in the committee? What is his background? Rashtra Kavi Kuvempu has been insulted. When Kuvempu lived, this fellow was not even born," Kumaraswamy stated. Progressive organizations, political parties, writers, women organizations and NGOs have decided to stage a state-level protest on May 31 against the saffronisation of school and college syllabus by the BJP government in Karnataka. Jaipur, May 24 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday approved the Rajasthan Electric Vehicle Policy (REVP). To incentivise the purchase of such vehicles, an additional budget provision of Rs 40 crore has been approved for the proposed lumpsum contribution and SGST recharge. With the implementation of this policy, the pollution caused by diesel-petrol vehicles in the state will come down, officials said. The Chief Minister had announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Policy in the budget of the year 2019-20. He had said that the state government was committed to encouraging the operation of all types of e-vehicles. The government has announced to reimburse Rs 5,000 to 10,000 SGST amount per vehicle for two wheelers and Rs 10,000 to 20,000 to three wheelers, according to battery capacity. E-vehicles have also been kept out of the purview of Motor Vehicle Tax in the state. In the new policy, a provision has been made to make all types of recharge to e-vehicle sellers within seven days. K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News K'taka police search for miscreants for painting 'sorry' graffiti all over school premises Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, May 24 : In a bizarre development, unknown miscreants painted "sorry" all over the premises of a Bengaluru school on Tuesday, police said. The graffiti, appearing all over the steps of school entrance, and walls, of Shanthidhama School, under the Kamakshipalya police station limits, as well as on the surrounding roads, shocked the students and teachers as well as the school management in the morning. The school authorities informed the police and a police team visited the spot, and are checking CCTV footage to track the miscreants. There is suspicion that the miscreants would have arrived in the guise of delivery boys and done this around midnight. DCP, West, Sanjeev Patil said that no case was registered in connection with the incident but investigation is on. New Delhi, May 24 : The Supreme Court has stayed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, imposing Rs 15 crore penalty on a bottling unit of Coca Cola company. A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai, and A.S. Bopanna said: "There shall be stay of operation of the impugned judgment and order dated February 25, 2022 passed by the National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench.. in Original Application No.69 of 2020. I.A. stands disposed of." MBL, one of the major manufacturing units of the Coca-Cola company operating out of north India, was saddled with a liability to pay environment compensation to the tune of approximately Rs 15 crore by the NGT. The tribunal said the bottling plants were working in violation of the environment law of the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) as they were functioning without the required NOC to extract the groundwater. The NGT had noted that the environmental compensation, received from project ponents (PPs), should be utilised for recharge of ground water, restoration of environmental damage, etc. "For this purpose, we constitute a joint committee comprising, MOEF&CC (Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change), MOJS (Ministry of Jal Shakti), the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board), the CGWA, the UPGWD (Uttar Pradesh Ground Water Department) and District Magistrates of concerned districts. CPCB and CGWA shall be nodal authorities. Committee shall prepare restoration plan within 2 months, execute the same in next 6 months and submit compliance report to Registrar General, NGT, Principal Bench, New Delhi," the tribunal had said. MBL and Varun Beverages challenged the NGT's order before the apex court. Srinagar, May 24 : A Jammu and Kashmir Police officer was killed and his daughter injured in a militant attack in Srinagar on Tuesday, police said. Police sources said that militants fired at policeman, Saifullah Qadri and his daughter in Anchar area of Srinagar. "The policeman and his daughter received bullet injuries in this attack. Both were shifted to the hospital where the policeman succumbed to critical injuries. "The daughter of the slain policeman is being treated at the hospital. The area has been surrounded for searches," a source said. Los Angeles, May 24 : Hollywood star Tom Cruise recently took 'The Late Late Show' host James Corden aboard a plane in a special video, four years after he asked the latter to jump out of one, reports 'Deadline'. The actor picked up Corden, who revealed he was leaving the late-night world in April, for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the desert, piloting him in a vintage fighter plane for the afternoon. In the video, Tom can be heard saying, "I'm very excited that James is doing this. Was he the first late-night show I asked? Hell, no. He was just the first one... the only one who said yes." As per 'Deadline', Cruise and Corden then ended up in a dogfight in the classic plane. Just when Corden thinks he's survived, Cruise informs him the two will be going up again - this time in a jet fit for modern aerial warfare. First, however, is the Top Gun training. "You are my goose," says Cruise. "When you say I am your Goose, it makes me feel excited and then I realize that Goose dies at the end of the film," replies Corden. Corden, who is better known for driving with celebrities in cars around LA rather than planes in the desert, and Cruise do get to bust out a few bars of Kenny Loggins' classic Top Gun tune Danger Zone during their overnight campfire stay. "This is crazy," says Corden, not underplaying the situation, which makes for a perfect Late Late Show viral segment. "You can be my wingman, anytime," concludes Cruise as they disembark. "You know what? I think I'm good," laughs Corden. Mumbai, May 24 : In an instance proving 'justice delayed is justice denied', two Western Railway ex-employees - charged for a minor theft of rail property, have been finally proved innocent and acquitted - after a staggering 36 years. The duo is Javer Bachubhai Merchant of Jogeshwari in Mumbai, and Gajadhar Prasad Verma of Uttar Pradesh, said their lawyer Mahendra D. Jain. Metropolitan Magistrate J.C. Dhengale of 36th Court, Mumbai Central, pronounced the verdict as "acquitted" for the duo on March 30 - and it also became a long-awaited 'birthday gift' for Merchant, who was born that day in 1947. Way back on March 3, 1986, they were caught and booked for allegedly stealing some copper cables and wooden plans from the Western Railway's Mahalaxmi Depot, along with three others - Arun F. Parikh, Sachin P. Parikh, and Ramesh Ramakant Kadale. They were arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and charged under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966, with the relevant sections providing for a maximum sentence of 5 years if proved guilty, said their advocate. In the early stage of the trial, the two Parikhs pleaded guilty and were convicted with a one month jail term while Kadale was discharged from the case. Merchant and Verma pleaded 'not guilty' and were prepared to stand for trial, which started with the initial hiccups and delays. At the time of the incident in which they got willy-nilly trapped, Merchant was a Chief Traction Foreman and Verma was a truck driver, and had secured bail post-arrest. Citing reasons for the delays, Jain said some accused had applied for discharge and only one got it, besides other big and small aspects that led to the postponements and "tarikh pe tarikh" with the legal cycle finally ending after 36 years. At present, both the aged ex-WR employees - Mechant, 75, and Verma, 72 - are living in Mumbai, and somehow managed to survive all these years under the scar of the accusations from which they are finally relieved. "It's a truly sad thing that the case reached its logical conclusion after 36 years, and reflects on the stark reality of how pendency of cases can affect innocents, ruin their lives, shatter their families and suffer the social trauma of being an 'accused' they are not," Jain told IANS. Even after so many years, there's a hanging sword with the possibility of the prosecution going in for appeal against the Magistrate's verdict within the 6-month period, which could add to the woes of Merchant and Verma, especially for the latter whose health has deteriorated badly and he can barely move without support. "The prosecution has not able to prove that the copper cable which was recovered from the godown of Cable Sales Aid, Deonar and the wooden planks recovered from Room No. 524, Building No. 27, Samata Nagar, Kandivali, was railway property. The prosecution has also failed to prove that the property was stolen by the accused (Merchant and Verma)," Magistrate Dhengale said in his order. Jain says that this could probably be one of the longest such trials in recent times involving a small case with mild charges, though some other complicated matters with multiple accused in very serious cases have gone on much longer. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) Hyderabad, May 24 : For the second time in less than four months, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will avoid greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrives in Hyderabad on Thursday to attend 20th annual celebrations at the Indian School of Business (ISB). Eyeing a key role in national politics, Rao is scheduled to be in Bengaluru on that day to meet former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda. KCR, who returned to Hyderabad on Monday from Delhi after a four-day visit to the national capital and Chandigarh, is likely to leave for Bengaluru on Wednesday evening. As per the schedule already announced, KCR will reach Bengaluru on May 26. He will call on former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. The next day, he will leave for Ralegan Siddhi where he will meet prominent social activist Anna Hazare. From there, he will go to Shirdi for Saibaba's darshan and will then return to Hyderabad. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief had called on Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav during his stay in Delhi. He along with Kejriwal also travelled to Chandigarh and they were joined by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for a programme on May 22, where KCR handed over cheques of Rs 3 lakh each to families of farmers who died during the movement against the three farm laws brought by the Centre. He presented cheques of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of four Army personnel from Punjab who were martyred during clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley. Prime Minister Modi is visiting Hyderabad on May 26 to participate in 20th annual day celebrations of the ISB and graduation ceremony of the post graduate programme Class of 2022 of the business school. As per the programme announced by ISB dean Madan Pillutla, the Prime Minister will address the students of both Hyderabad and Mohali campuses. During the ISB visit, PM Modi will plant a sapling, unveil a commemorative plaque and release the ISB MyStamp and Special Cover. He will also award medals to the academic scholars of excellence. The ISB had invited CM KCR for the event. The dean said the chief minister conveyed his best wishes and also informed that he would not be able to attend the event in view of his scheduled visit to another state. KCR had not received Modi on his arrival in Hyderabad on February 5 and also skipped the two programmes attended by the Prime Minister. During the day-long visit, the Prime Minister had unveiled the statue of saint Ramanujacharya and inaugurated 50th anniversary celebrations of ICRISAT. KCR had come under sharp criticism from BJP, which alleged that KCR insulted the Prime Minister. KCR's action was viewed in political circles as a symbolic protest against the Narendra Modi government's discrimination against Telangana. The PM's visit had also come amid bitter attack by the TRS chief on BJP for its failure on all fronts and for whipping up communal passions in various parts of the country for political mileage. However, the chief minister had later clarified that he did not receive Modi as a couple of his family members had Covid-like symptoms. This time too, Modi is visiting Hyderabad at a time when KCR has stepped up his efforts to work for a national alternative. He has been holding consultations with leaders of various political parties. At the 20th formation day celebrations of TRS, KCR had hinted at floating a national party to play a key role in national politics. The state leadership of BJP has slammed KCR for once again avoiding a meeting with the Prime Minister. State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the TRS chief is running away from the state to avoid facing Modi. He said KCR deliberately planned his visit to other states as he was scared of facing the Prime Minister. Beijing, May 24 : China's Mars rover Zhurong has been switched to dormant mode while waiting out a dust storm on the surface of the planet, according to the China National Space Administration. The latest images taken by cameras onboard China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter show a dust storm passing over the patrol area of Zhurong, Xinhua news agency reported. The Zhurong rover is part of the Tianwen-1 mission which touched down in southern Utopia Planitia on Mars in May 2021. Scientists compared the photos taken in the last two months and analysed recent power data of the rover's solar wings, which indicated Zhurong now braving an intense Martian dust storm. According to the administration, the patrol area of Zhurong has entered the winter season, during which the daytime temperatures can drop below minus 20 degree Celsius, while the night below minus 100 degree Celsius. By mid-July, the temperatures will fall further. The dusty weather and the extremely low ambient temperature in winter will lead to reduction in the power generation capacity of the solar wing. To tackle the challenges, the Chinese rover went into dormancy on Wednesday. It is expected to wake up and resume work in December when the dust clears and Mars enters its spring season, the administration said in a statement. Scientists will continue to use the Tianwen-1 orbiter to monitor the weather on Mars' southern hemisphere. The orbiter is implementing remote sensing exploration of the global coverage of Mars, and the current imaging area is mainly concentrated in the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere of Mars. Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 : The Kerala Police, as it had planned, on Tuesday initiated steps to issue a red corner notice against actor producer Vijay Babu, presently on the run after being accused of rape by an actress. Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, Vijay Babu's counsel produced his air ticket before the High Court, saying that the actor will land at Cochin airport on Monday morning. According to sources in the know of things, on Tuesday, the Kerala Police got in touch with the state Home Department, which has asked the CBI - the nodal agency for Interpol in the country - to ensure that they take up the red corner notice, so as to bring back Vijay Babu who is now in Georgia. The Kerala Police had given time for Vijay Babu to turn up before it, latest by 5 p.m on Tuesday, and if not, they will be issuing a red corner notice against him. This fresh move comes a day after the Kerala High Court, taking up his anticipatory bail plea, said that it will be considered after he produces his air ticket and now that the ticket of his has been filed before the court on Tuesday evening, his petition will be taken up by the court on Wednesday. It was last month the complaint against him was registered and soon he fled to Dubai and after Kochi City Police Commissioner C.H. Nagaraju took up the case, he slipped out of Dubai to Georgia, with whom India does not have an extradition treaty. Vijay Babu, while in Dubai, had moved an anticipatory bail plea, but the Kerala High Court vacation bench decided to consider it after the summer recess break. Though listed for May 18, it was taken up only on Monday, when the court said, to consider his petition, he has to produce his air ticket. As his counsel said that he is ready to cooperate with the probe, but the court said he has to first come under their jurisdiction and asked for the ticket of his and posted the case for next week. Vijay Babu is on the run after the actress from Kozhikode filed a cmplaint in Ernakulam on April 22 that she was raped and beaten up by him several times in a flat in Kochi. She has also accused the actor of giving her intoxicants before sexually abusing her. Soon after the news surfaced, he appeared live on his social media handle claiming that he was the "real victim" in this case, adding that he would take appropriate legal steps against the complainant whom he also named. The police, apart from the initial complaint, have registered a second case against the actor for disclosing the name of the complainant. Chennai, May 24 : An Ugandan national was arrested at the Chennai International Airport for trying to smuggle in heroin, the Chennai Air Customs said on Tuesday. According to the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport, Lauben Mbangire, who flew in from Sharjah, was checked based on specific intelligence. It was found that Mbangire had swallowed 63 capsules containing heroin that weighed 794.64 grams with a street value of Rs 5.56 crore. Ahmedabad, May 24 : In a one of its kind event, the Gujarat Assembly will hold a one-day session in July where students of Classes 11 and 12 would sit as "legislators". The session will be held under Nimaben Acharya -- the first woman Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly. The plan has been officially approved by the Speaker. It has also been planned to invite other people to the programme which is being held for the first time in the country. The 'youth parliament' is been organised for 182 students studying in Classes 11 and 12. These students are being selected from all corners of the state. An official announcement regarding the programme would be made soon. One of the students would be the "Chief Minister" while another student will be the "Leader of Opposition". Also, one student would be the "Speaker", and the remaining 179 students "MLAs". Question Hour would also be held during the assembly session. The students sitting as MLAs would ask questions. Some of the students would be the "ministers". A source said that through the proposed programme, the government is trying to bring the students closer to politics as well as democracy. Shruti Rajwanshi, who is associated with a NGO, has been entrusted with the responsibility of organising the youth parliament. She said a selection process is underway to decide on how many students would be called from which schools and from which districts. This process will be completed in the next 15 to 20 days. Around 400 people -- to be seated in the visitors gallery, would be invited to the progamme. Kolkata, May 24 : The much-awaited polls for Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in the hills of Darjeeling will be conducted on June 26, and counting will be on June 29, it was announced on Tuesday. The announcement was made by Jalpaiguri Divisional Commissioner, A.R. Bardhan after an all-party meeting on this count at the office of the Darjeeling District Magistrate. National parties like the BJP and hill-based political forces like Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) are opposing the GTA elections. According to them, the elections for GTA would be irrelevant without a permanent political solution is in force. However, besides the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the other hill-based political forces like Hamro Party, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, Jana Andolan Party, and Bharatiya Gorkha Suraksha Parishad are in favour for the immediate GTA polls. Hamro Party is currently the most dominant political force in the hills after the Darjeeling municipality polls in March this year, where it won 18 of the 32 wards. On the other hand, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, founded by Anit Thapa, is currently the main opposition party currently in Darjeeling with nine councillors. So, both the ruling and principal opposition force in Darjeeling Municipality are currently in favour of the GTA polls. According to political analysts, if the West Bengal government can successfully complete the GTA polls, the ruling Trinamool will hold a political advantage over other parties. By giving autonomy to GTA, the demand for a separate Gorkhaland can be delayed for a prolonged period at least till the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. New Delhi, May 24 : Climate technology company Arcadia on Tuesday said it has acquired Urjanet, one of the largest utility data providers that has more than 360 employees in India, for an undisclosed sum. Urjanet's global data access will integrate with Arcadia's industry-leading data and API platform called 'Arc', enabling Arc to become the universal software layer for the zero-carbon economy. "Urjanet has built a fantastic business capturing utility data across 30 per cent of the Fortune 500. With Urjanet joining Arcadia, we will be able to serve customers globally with the most comprehensive software solution in climate tech," said Kiran Bhatraju, CEO of Arcadia. Urjanet significantly expands Arc's data coverage in the US to more than 95 per cent of residential and commercial accounts and globally across more than 9,500 utilities, including electric, gas, water, and waste, in 52 countries. This access to global, high-fidelity energy data will allow businesses around the world to leverage its network effects and enable a wide range of use cases, including energy optimization, renewable energy, payments, and carbon accounting. "We can now work together to accelerate the energy transition and help companies achieve their sustainability goals," said Sanjoy Malik, CEO of Urjanet. Today, only 9 per cent of companies use software to accurately manage their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, instead relying on manual processes and estimates. The Arc platform solves this problem by providing companies with actual, building-level meter data through easy-to-use APIs. Arcadia, now valued at $1.5 billion, has raised $380 million to date. Mangalore, May 24 : Defending Champions D Manikandan and Shrishti Selvam will be seen in action at the 3rd edition of Indian Open Surfing 2022, starting from May 27-29 at the Panambur Beach, Mangalore. Shanti Banarse of Goa and Sinchana Gowda of Karnataka will be the other top surfers competing for the title in the women's category while Nithishvarun T and Babu Sivaraj of Tamil Nadu are expected to give a tough competition to D Manikandan for the Men's title. Kishore Kumar and Tayin Arun of Tamil Nadu are the favourites in the Groms (U16) category. Over 70 top surfers from across the country have confirmed their participation for the 3-day competition, recognized by the International Surfing Association. Surfers will compete in two disciplines viz; Surfing & Stand Up Paddling, across different categories which are: Male Open, Female Open, Male and Female Groms (U - 16), Male 17+ Surf. "I don't feel the pressure of defending the national title. I will be doing my best and concentrating on my performance for the surf contest," said D. Manikandan, defending national champion. Arun Vasu, President of SFI said, "This edition of Indian Open will be more focused on having a structured contest based on the performances of the previous events. It is encouraging to see how the participation has spread across various places and not concentrated to one place." The defending National Women's Champion Shrishti Selvam said, "It is going to be a very tough and challenging field of surfers this year and I am happy that more women are participating in the sport. It will be a fun contest and I will be doing my best to defend the title." Karnataka Tourism has come on board with the Indian Open Surfing as the title partners, while Chennai based TT Group are the associate partners. Action Camera majors GoPro, are the Action Partners for the premier surfing competition. Bhopal, May 24 : A large number of advocates on Tuesday staged a protest against the attack on one of their colleges, who was assaulted by three bike-borne miscreants on Monday night. The protesters blocked the movement of commuters for hours at a busy square in Bhopal. The protesters blocked the carriageway connecting MP Nagar to Jahangirabad and another towards the Vidhan Sabha. They were demanding the arrest of the accused who had attacked advocate Deepak Sharma with a sharp edged weapons when he was returning home on Monday night. Though the police had arrested two out of the three accused who had attacked Sharma, they were released on bail on Tuesday, much to the dismay of Sharma's colleagues. Subsequently, a large number of advocates practising at the Bhopal district court staged a protest to press their demand to arrest the accused again and to impose stringent charges against them. Meanwhile, the protesting advocates were seen beating up the commuters trying to cross the road near the protest site. A group of women advocates were seen thrashing a woman commuter, while some junior advocates were seen beating a man during the protest. The lawyers called off their protest warning that if the accused are not arrested within 24 hours, they will stage another protest. Sharma had received injuries on his abdomen and was admitted to a hospital for treatment on Monday night. Anand Tiwari, a junior advocate practising at the Bhopal district court, told IANS that Sharma has been discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. P.C. Kothari, president of Bhopal district bar association, said, "No one has been beaten up. Some people tried to cross the blocked road and the protesting lawyers tried to stop them." New Delhi, May 24 : In a bizarre incident, a 22-year-old man committed daylight robbery at his relative's house and later also helped in the registration of a police complaint, an official said on Tuesday. The accused, identified as Pradhuman and his 16-year-old juvenile brother, were arrested by the police. Furnishing details, DCP Sagar Singh Kalsi said the complainant woman, a resident of Sangam Vihar, lodged an e-FIR on May 17 about a theft at her house in Wazirabad. She reported that on May 16, she along with her family went to take a holy dip at Yamuna Ghat, Wazirabad, on the occasion of Budh Purnima. After the dip, the complainant went to the house of her relative at Majnu Ka Tilla, Delhi and her three daughters returned home. In the afternoon, the eldest daughter went to the market for shopping and the second daughter went for tuition to a nearby house. At 2.30 p.m., the relative came to her house, met her 10-year-old daughter and gave her Rs 100 to bring a cold drink from a nearby shop. Meanwhile, the boy allegedly stole a bag kept inside the bed box containing Rs 2,50,000, a pair of gold earrings and one gold pendant and left the house. During investigation, a police team was constituted which examined more than 20 CCTV cameras footage installed in the vicinity and the nearby areas. The possible routes taken by the culprits were checked and analysed. The team identified some suspects from the technical investigation and showed the same to the victim, who identified the suspects as her relatives namely Pradhuman and his younger brother. Immediately, the police conducted a raid in Gurugram and apprehended Pradhuman. Stolen cash amounting to Rs 1.37 lakh along with the stolen jewellery i.e. one pair of gold earrings and one gold pendant was recovered from his possession. A part of the stolen money had been spent by the accused. Later, on his information, the accused juvenile was also nabbed. Mumbai, May 24 : Pankaj Tripathi has tweeted a sunny on-location picture with co-star Sayani Gupta to ramp up the excitement for Srijit Mukherji's 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga', which is slated for a June 24 release. "The affection in the eyes. The purity in the hearts," the actor tweeted about the picture. In her retweet, Sayani gushed lovingly: "Dreamy eyed with this dreamy man!" It made Mukherji, a noted Bengali director, weigh in with the comment: "Dhoop tera mastana!' -- obviously playing with the words of the famous Kishore Kumar song, 'Roop tera mastana', picturised on Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in 'Aradhana'. 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga', which is all about the interplay of urbanisation, poverty and man-animal conflict, is Mukherji's second Hindi film after the 2017 period drama 'Begum Jaan', starring Vidya Balan. He said he drew inspiration from a real incident caused by "tragic practices" in villages bordering the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. "It takes great courage to sacrifice one's life to save the family and my film revolves around this heroism with a focus on the conflict between man and nature," he said. New Delhi, May 24 : Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been pushing terrorists into the Kashmir Valley from terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), intelligence agencies have warned security forces. The Yatra, which was suspended in 2020 and 2021 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, will begin on June 30 and conclude on August 11. A large number of devotees are expected to join annual the pilgrimage this year. The sources in the security grid, quoting intelligence inputs, said that ISI has asked the commanders of the terror outfits located in PoK to get their ultras to sneak into the Kashmir Valley before the security is tightened at the international border. The sources also said that the commanders have been directed to send their cadres via unconventional routes, especially through the riverside areas where manning the borders is a little tough. The security agencies have intercepted some chats from across the border, which suggest that the ISI has been pressurising the terror outfits to infiltrate a large number of terrorists in the Valley before the Amarnath Yatra. The officials in the security network in J&K said that there are around six major terrorist camps and 29 minor ones operative in the PoK. Also, there are many temporary launch pads which are generally co-located with the Pakistan Army, which supply arms and ammunition and other necessary equipment. The sources also said that as per the intercepted chats, a Lieutenant Colonel rank officer has been deployed to coordinate with the terror outfits in PoK and to militants into the Kashmir Valley. However, the officials in the security set up in J&K said that they are well-prepared and are manning the international borders to thwart any infiltration bid and full-proof security layers have been put in place to deal with any threats on the Amarnath Yatra. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proscribed terror outfit, reportedly issued a statement recently, warning people not to participate in the Amarnath Yatra. New Delhi, May 24 : Civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday warned airlines against offering unserviceable seats to passengers on their domestic and international flights. "This is to inform that it has come to notice of the DGCA that some of the scheduled carriers are offering unserviceable seats on their scheduled international/domestic operations," it said in a statement, adding that it was not only causing inconvenience to the travellers but also inviting a serious safety concern. As per Sub Rule (2) of Rule 53 of The Aircraft Rule 1937, all materials including aircraft seats shall conform to approved design specifications. The installation of any part failing to meet the intended design requirements, degrades the requirements of airworthiness, said the statement. The regulator thereby advised airlines to not book passengers beyond the serviceable seats, meeting the approved design specification available in the aircraft, released for scheduled services. "Any non-compliance in this regard shall be viewed seriously," the statement added. As per reports, the DGCA had earlier this year conducted an audit of seats and other cabin fittings and found that many had broken or unserviceable seats. Mumbai, May 24 : On anticipated lines, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday shunned Yuvraj Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati and will field its Kolhapur party chief Sanjay Pawar for the second Rajya Sabha seat in next month's elections to the upper house of Parliament. The development - which was immediately labelled as a "sin" by Sambhajiraje's supporters - came as an embarrassing jolt for the 13th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that "we have full respect for Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati", and Pawar's name was cleared by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, with a formal announcement pending. With Raut's nomination for a fourth consecutive RS term a foregone conclusion, Pawar's victory would ensure a second seat for the Sena while Sambhajiraje is likely to stick to his earlier plan and contest as an Independent - barring some last-minute political developments. "We shall contest both the seats and definitely win them. We want to increase our tally in the RS, so we shall not support any independent candidate," reiterated Raut. In a swipe at Sambhajiraje - who had sought the support of Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress - Raut declared: "Kings are kings because of soldiers... Pawar is our foot-soldier." Livid groups and supporters of Samhajiraje accused Raut of committing a "sin" and NCP President Sharad Pawar of "fraud" by denying the Chhatrapati scion a RS nomination, and warned the MVA "would pay for it". Meanwhile, Sambhajiraje has decided to adopt a low profile for a couple of days before finalising his plans even as Raut said "he must have already arranged his 42 votes" - the minimum needed to win the RS polls. "We have the utmost regards for Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, his family and the (Kolhapur) throne... That's why we requested him to join the Sena so that we could field him as the sixth candidatea," Raut pointed out, justifying Pawar's candidature. The RS elections will fill up the vacancies by six retiring members -- one each from ruling (MVA) allies, Shiv Sena (Raut), NCP (Praful Patel) and Congress (P. Chidambaram), and three from the Bharatiya Janata Party - Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Piyush Goyal, and Dr. Vikas Mahatme. This time, given the re-alignment of the legislature after the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP can win only two of the three seats it holds, the MVA can win their three seats, and will now contest the third seat held by the BJP. The electoral college comprises the 288 MLAs and a candidate must get 42 votes to win a seat in the Upper House of Parliament. The MVA has 170 MLAs - Shiv Sena 55 (one MLA Ramesh Latke, died in Dubai last week), NCP 53, Congress 44, smaller parties/groups 10 and 8 Independents. On the Opposition side, BJP has 106 with other smaller parties/groups 2 and 5 Independents. A hopeful Sambhajiraje had explained that since the BJP can get only 2 seats, and the Sena-NCP-Congress one each, he would contest that 'extra' sixth seat solo with the support of various major and smaller parties. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) New Delhi, May 24 : India and Japan have agreed to further enhance bilateral security and defence cooperation, including in defence manufacturing. During a bilateral meeting held in Tokyo on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida concurred that the next 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting may be held in Japan at the earliest. Both leaders had a productive exchange of views on enhancing bilateral relations in various spheres as well as on some regional and global issues. They also appreciated the growing economic ties between the two countries. "They agreed that both sides should work jointly towards implementing their decision to have 5 trillion yen in public and private investment and financing from Japan to India in the next five years," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday. During the meeting, Modi highlighted the steps taken by the Government of India to improve ease of doing business, logistics through the Gati Shakti initiative and urged Kishida to support greater investments by Japanese companies in India. Appreciating that Japanese companies were increasing their investments in India and that 24 Japanese companies had successfully applied under the various PLI schemes, Modi discussed the progress in implementation of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project with Kishida and welcomed the signing of the exchange of notes of the 3rd tranche loan for this project. The two leaders also discussed possibilities of collaboration in critical and emerging technologies such as 5G, Beyond 5G and semiconductors. They agreed to deepen cooperation in the area of Clean Energy including green hydrogen and, in this regard, encouraged more business to business collaboration, the MEA said. Modi raised the issue of further easing of travel restrictions in order to facilitate quarantine free entry into Japan for travellers from India carrying Covaxin and Covishield vaccination certificates. The two leaders concurred that the India-Japan Act East Forum was useful in prioritising the development of India's northeast region, and looked forward to early implementation of various projects which were identified by the two sides during the Annual Summit. Modi and Kishida also exchanged views on recent global and regional developments. They noted the convergences in their respective approaches to the Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. In this context, they welcomed the progress in the Quad's contemporary and constructive agenda such as vaccines, scholarships, critical technologies and infrastructure. PM Modi thanked Prime Minister Kishida for the warmth and hospitality extended to him and members of his delegation during the visit. The Japanese premier invited Modi to visit Japan for the next Annual Bilateral Summit, which he accepted. Peshawar, May 24 : The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, plans to carry on with the party's "Azadi March" despite the Pakistan government's decision earlier on Tuesday to stop the long march towards Islamabad, Geo News reported. Khan, while addressing a press conference in Peshawar, said he will lead the "biggest procession in Pakistan's history" on Wednesday. The PTI chairman's speech comes after a countrywide police crackdown against members and leaders of the PTI. A policeman also lost his life in one of the raids after which the government said it would not allow the PTI to go ahead with its long march scheduled for Wednesday. Criticising the PML-N-led government, Khan said that he has been seeing the Sharif family adopting the same tactics that military dictators did since 1985. "They only remember democracy as soon as they leave power," he said, asking how many times these parties have taken to the streets throughout the PTI government's term. The former Prime Minister then asked if the PTI government made any arrests when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JUI-F Cheif Maulana Fazlur Rehman marched towards Islamabad, Geo News reported. Calling out to the judiciary of Pakistan, the PTI leader said that the courts' reputation would be tarnished if it permitted what was happening in the country and its silence would "prove that there is no democracy in the country". "We are noting the names of each and every official and bureaucrat. Our message to the bureaucracy is that action will be taken against them if they follow illegal orders," he said, Geo News reported. The PTI chairman asked his supporters to "break the chains of fear" while citing the example of how the Afghans fought foreign powers. Khan said that the government could not put a sea of people, who are willing to march to Islamabad in his support, in jail. Hyderabad, May 24 : Gaining people's confidence is a big challenge in using technologies like facial recognition with Artificial Intelligence, said Telangana's Industry and Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao. He shared his thoughts on 'AI on the Street: Managing Trust in the Public Square' at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. "Big challenge in using technologies like facial recognition coupled with AI is to gain citizens' confidence that the government is unbiased in their use of data and citizens are not surveilled unless they have been notified." KTR, as the minister is popularly known, stated that the only way to be able to achieve this would be to first clearly identify the regulatory powers that each of the government organisations would require. "These powers must be given to them in a parliamentary and a fully transparent method," he said. "Facial recognition has reduced the dependency on physical resources and time taken to find criminals and missing people. With the right regulatory outreach, we can make it far easier for police and also support the citizens with their needs," he said. Emphasising making the process transparent, the minister stated that every single step that the government will take to be able to use facial recognition needs to be shared with the public first before it is being used by the government organisations. This needs to be formally bestowed upon them following the rules of democracy. KTR reiterated that obtaining public confidence is very important. "The government understands the advantages that facial recognition provides in regulation and policing. The confidence that the public has in this system needs to be bolstered by optional systems that can expose them to the method and only then scale up." About education within the government, he said: "We need minds that are well-versed in AI, ML, Blockchain, Data Sciences and the risks that come with the use of the same. The data being used must be fully secured and the security must be verified." Meanwhile, KTR met Bharti Enterprises (Airtel) Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, abd Vice Chairman, Rajan Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman of , and discussed cooperation and collaboration on T-Fiber, a state government initiative to connect rural and urban households with broadband. The minister invited Bharti to set up their data centres in Telangana. The minister also had a conversation with spiritual leader Sadguru at the Telangana Pavilion. The 'Save Soil movement' and a range of environmental issues were discussed during the session. KTR praised Sadguru's brainchild 'Save Soil movement' and highlighted various programmes taken up by the Telangana government for the welfare of farmers and the environment. Sadguru stated that the programs of Telangana government are making a great difference to the society. He appreciated the state leadership for the good work. Chennai, May 24 : Congress leader and Lok Sabha member from Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu, Karti P Chidambaram on Tuesday said he would fight the motivated attempts of the central government to target his father through him. He is the son of former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram. In a statement posted on his Twitter handle, Karti Chidambaram referring to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid and the first information report (FIR) against him and his chartered accountant said he was not associated with the visa issue directly, indirectly, vicariously or even telepathically. Recently the CBI had conducted raids at 10 locations across the country including the houses of former Union Home Minister Chidambaram and Karti Chidambaram. Later, the CBI had arrested Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S. Bhaskaraman. Denying any relationship with the companies mentioned in the FIR, Karti Chidambaram said: "I say with certainty that I have never facilitated even a single Chinese in their visa process, let alone 250." The CBI has charged Karti Chidambaram and Bhaskaraman with facilitating visas for 250 Chinese nationals with the help of former Union Minister Chidambaram for a bribe of Rs 50 lakh. "I have also never known the person (now deceased) whose alleged action triggers this charge. He has never been examined by the CBI, and now, never can be," Karti Chidambaram said. He said during the past seven years, he had been raided by central investigation agencies six times without cause or evidence. Karti Chidambaram said he is heading back home from the UK on Tuesday after a two-week work/family trip to the UK and Europe. Kolkata, May 24 : Sukamal Chowdhury was a top level executive in the private sector in Delhi. After his retirement in 2008, he returned to his ancestral home in Barrackpore, about 30 km north of Kolkata. He cast his vote in the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency for the first time in 2009. "I voted for change. Though I left Barrackpore nearly 40 years ago, I kept myself updated about the happenings here. For six terms, since 1989, the CPI(M) had held on to this seat. This is an industrial belt with a significant percentage of the population having origins in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. "Trade union activity brought the Left to power in Barrackpore. Gradually, as industries started winding up due to rabid trade union activity, strong arm tactics evolved. Illegal activities flourished under the patronage of political leaders and this constituency, with vast heritage pre-dating Kolkata's claim to fame, fell upon bad times. So, when the Trinamool Congress fielded a gentleman like Dinesh Trivedi in 2009, I was happy and voted for him. So did many others. We were looking for change," Chowdhury said. His childhood friend Bibhas Roy, an entrepreneur, points to how Barrackpore turned into a fiefdom under the Left with politicians controlling nearly all economic activity and demanding a cut. "Dinesh Trivedi's 10-year-tenure between 2009 and 2019 was like a breadth of fresh air. However, good things don't last long. Well before the 2019 general elections, it was evident that Trivedi's good work hadn't been appreciated by his party. Trivedi, being the gentleman as he is, agreed to contest the 2019 polls but Arjun Singh wanted the ticket. On being denied, he left the Trinamool Congress for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP wave was sweeping the country then and people in Bengal also wanted a change. That is how he pipped Trivedi by a margin of a mere 14,000-odd votes in 2019," he said. Arjun Singh has now quit the BJP and returned to the Trinamool Congress. People close to him claim that Singh had simply wanted to prove a point in 2019 after being denied a ticket by the Trinamool Congress. He had wanted to show the party that he is powerful enough to win the seat by himself, even without the party banner. However, voters like Chowdhury and Roy do not agree. They say that Singh would have lost to Trivedi by a large margin had the BJP wave not been there in 2019 and the latter's position in the Trinamool Congress not been weakened. "Arjun Singh believes that it was his personal charisma that worked. It was nothing like that. People did vote for Dinesh Trivedi wholeheartedly. It was just the BJP tag that helped him. People just wanted a change and that worked in his favour. The last time Arjun Singh contested the Parliamentary elections from Barrackpore was in 2004 when he lost to Tarit Baran Topdar of the CPI(M) by over 1,65,000 votes. Where was his charisma then," Roy asked. While the state unit of the BJP is still a bit confused over Singh's defection, the central leadership in Delhi isn't worried. "This is how a firm organisation is built in a state. We always knew that those who migrated from the Trinamool Congress are prone to return once their aspirations aren't fulfilled. However, till we have a strong organisational base in the state, we will have to offer such people tickets. If not for anything else, but to show our ground level workers and supporters that Brand BJP counts in the state. Only after the state leadership creates a pool of leaders, can we stop patronising people like Arjun Singh or Babul Supriyo. It is difficult to build a strong organisation in a state but that must happen before the BJP can seek to oust the well entrenched Trinamool Congress from West Bengal," a BJP leader in Delhi said. With less than two years remaining for the 2024 Parliamentary elections, it doesn't seem that the central leadership's ideas have had any effect on the West Bengal BJP leaders. Instead of hitting the streets on issues like corruption and nepotism that have been confirmed by high court rulings, the state leadership is more interested in attempting to prove who is a greater leader. They continue to wait for top leaders from Delhi to address public meetings in the state, but are doing no follow-up to influence people against the Trinamool Congress that is going through a rough time at the moment. After all, Mamata Banerjee can rage and rant against central agencies but she can say little once agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are directed by the high court to probe corruption charges. Itanagar, May 24 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday asserted that the state has huge domestic and international potential for trade as it shares borders with Tibet (China), Myanmar and Bhutan. He said in tandem with the Central government's focus on "Neighbourhood First Policy", the state's trade relations can be further improved by using connectivity links like Pangsau Pass (with Myanmar) in the east and Lumla-Tashigang road (with Bhutan) in the west. "By 2047, we should aim to make Arunachal Pradesh as a 'Gateway of Trade' with our neighbours," he said in his address at the inaugural session of the one-day International Buyer Seller Meet (IBSM) at the DK Convention Centre here. The IBSM is being held for the second time in Arunachal Pradesh by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an apex body of Ministry of Commerce, to promote exports of potential agricultural and processed food products from Arunachal Pradesh and provide market linkage to producers. The first IBSM was held here in 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh. Lauding APEDA for organising the 'all important' meet in the state, Khandu suggested focussing on developing three types of markets on a long term goal - short, medium, and long distance markets. The 'short distance markee', he said, is the existing market within the state, which needs to be further strengthened by roping in the Indian Army and paramilitary forces, who are posted in the state in huge numbers, as potential buyers. "While under the 'middle distance market' we can work on developing markets with rest of the country including states in the northeast, we need to explore and open marketing avenues with neighboring countries," he said. Emphasising on the need to promote sustainable and organic agriculture in the state, the Chief Minister informed with only 17 persons per square km population density, Arunachal Pradesh has huge stretches of fertile land for cultivation. "From the foothills to the snow-clad mountains, we have all the weather conditions suitable for agriculture and horticulture products. And as we are geographically the largest state in the northeast, we have ample scope to focus and improve in this sector," he said. He said that his government's basic focus is on building an 'AtmaNirbhar Arunachal Pradesh' by strengthening agriculture and allied sectors, enhancing the quality of output and improving livelihoods of the dependent population. "By launching Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojana and Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana - two unique schemes wherein of the total project cost 40 per cent is borne by the state government, 40 per cent provided as credit linkage from banks and only 20 per cent contributed by the farmer - we aim to make Arunachal self-sufficient in food grains and emerge as fruit bowl of the country." Underscoring the importance of GI (Geographical Indication) tag, which has become a powerful tool to depict the uniqueness and distinct characteristic of the product, while competing in the international market, Khandu requested the departments concerned to persue GI tagging of products in coordination with APEDA. "Our Arunachal oranges have received GI tag. We are the largest producers of Kiwi in the country and we have started exporting several other fruits. In order to popularise unique products from the state, we should work towards identifying more such local products from agri-horti, textiles and handloom sectors which can be GI tagged," he suggested. The Chief Minister expressed hope that the exchange of views and ideas between sellers from the state and buyers from across the country and abroad would throw open new avenues of markets and lay foundations for more in future. Also hoping that the state government departments and agencies would take full advantage of all APEDA schemes and programs, he requested the central agency to keep in loop the state departments of agriculture and horticulture and the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) in all its future endeavours. Besides Agriculture Minister Tage Taki and state government officials, the inaugural session was also attended by APEDA Chairman, Dr M Angamuthu, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation CMD, P.V.S.L.N. Murty, APEDA General Manager S.S. Nayyar and Deputy General Manager Vinita Sudhanshu. Dubai, May 24 : FICCI LEAD, a technology and business incubator of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recently inked a landmark MoU to launch the 'India-UAE Start-Up Corridor'. The objective of the initiative is to enhance and expand the start-up ecosystem between India and the UAE. It will also further the vision of the leadership of both countries under the recently signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Around 10 technology-led innovative start-ups from various sectors, including financial services, education and logistics, have been shortlisted for the inauguration of the India-UAE Start-Up Corridor in Dubai. This initiative would create an ecosystem to embolden the engagement between start-ups, investors, incubators, corporations, and entrepreneurs to scale their business and strengthen their position in the global market. It will target a minimum of 50 validated start-ups based in India and the UAE over a period of five years with the vision to grow 10 of them into unicorns (start-ups valued at more than $1 billion) by 2025. The MoU between FICCI LEAD and DIFC is a follow on to the MoU that was signed between FICCI LEAD, Indian Angel Network (IAN), Turbostart, India and MCA Management Consultants, UAE, on January 26 this year at Expo 2020 Dubai, wherein a venture capital fund of $150 million was announced. Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority said: "Since DIFC's establishment in 2004, we have demonstrated our commitment to building and maintaining sustained, long-lasting partnerships with the Indian market. Indian banks, insurers, law firms and wealth managers have already chosen DIFC as their preferred global financial centre in the region and we are delighted to be working with FICCI LEAD to build a corridor that will attract more Indian start-ups to set up here." Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman of FICCI Start-Up Corridor & FICCI Lead said: "This landmark MOU is the beginning of an important partnership on enhancing opportunities in the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems between India and the UAE. FICCI remains committed to progressively scaling this India-UAE Start-Up Corridor in collaboration with our partner, DIFC, and help convert at least 10 start-ups into unicorns." Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai said: "I am certain that this MoU between FICCI LEAD and DIFC will foster deeper collaboration between the start-up ecosystems of India and the UAE and bring in opportunities to further the momentum set by interactions during Expo 2020 Dubai. We are excited for the coming years that will witness the emergence of new soonicorns and unicorns in both countries and contribute to finding innovative solutions to global challenges." S. Venkatesh, Managing Partner, MCA, said: "This MOU is a significant step in enabling the Indian start-ups to have a launch pad in the UAE and widen their market reach to GCC and beyond. He added that MCA is proud to be participating in this great initiative to further economic growth." Manoj Nayak, Founder of 6th Sense, said: "The India-UAE Start-Up Corridor has been initiated at the right time to bring more prosperity to both the countries and to the global economy. Nayak added that 6th Sense is proud to be part of this programme." India had launched Start-Up India, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in January 2016 to give impetus to the indigenous ecosystem and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. India now boasts of the world's third-largest ecosystem for start-ups. Additionally, over the past five years, India has leapfrogged in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking to 63rd position among 190 nations, from 142nd position in 2014. In 2020, India also joined the group of Top 50 countries in the Global Innovation Index (GII) of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). The UAE aims to create 20 unicorns by 2031 and already the leader in the MENA region in terms of tech transformation, digital acceleration and embracing innovative ideas. Since 2007, FICCI has been an active player in the ecosystem and has supported 1,000+ start-ups/innovators with more than Rs 125 crore. The start-up enterprises supported by FICCI have been able to generate 140,000+ jobs and leverage more than five times capital from external market sources. More than 100 companies have been provided access to the global markets across the US, South Asia and Africa. Paris, May 24 : David Cronenberg called the United States "completely insane" because of the country's Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, which has kept basic abortion rights legal since its 1973 ruling. He was speaking at the Cannes press conference for his film 'Crimes of the Future', reports 'Variety'. The director's new film, which is a return to his body horror roots, addresses "who owns whose body," Cronenberg said. "I did write [the script] 20 years ago, but you could feel, even then, that this was coming," 'Variety' quoted Cronenberg as saying. "A kind of oppressive ownership and control. It's the constant in history ... . That means, once again, the body is reality. You control people's bodies -- that's speaking, expressing themselves, that's control." The Canadian director's film premiered on Monday, causing walkouts during the screening and drawing praise at the same time from the noted actress Isabelle Huppert. At his press conference, he said that in his country "we think everybody in the U.S. is completely insane, that the U.S. has gone completely bananas, and [we] cannot believe elected officials are saying what they're saying. Not just about Roe v. Wade but everything else. It's strange times." The film tells of an advanced society where "the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, and the body undergoes new transformations and mutations," according to an official synopsis quoted by 'Variety'. Viggo Mortensen plays a celebrity artiste who shares the metamorphosis of internal organs as performance pieces, with the help of his partner Lea Seydoux. At its Monday premiere, dozens of attendees walked out of the Grand Palais, unable to bear the film's unflinching depictions of body horror. Latest updates on Cannes Film Festival 2022 Patna, May 24 : Amid souring relations between ruling allies Janata Dal-United and Bharatiya Janata Party, Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on Tuesday said that 80 per cent of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's dream project "Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal" programme has failed in the state. Visiting his home district Lakhisarai, he said: "We have received reports that 80 per cent of households where 'Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal' were facilitated in the state, these arrangements are either partially completed or shut. In some places, it required repair work. Issues related to installation of water tanks, and pipelines also appeared before us. The overall situation is extremely bad." "Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal" is a pet project of Nitish Kumar. It comes under "Saat Nishchay Yojana" (Seven Point Programme) of the state government with an idea to provide water to every household in rural and urban areas. Sinha, who is of the BJP, also asserted that the law and order situation is also at the lowest level in Bihar. "The state government is used to transferring SPs, DSPs and other officers from one place to another. Such moves will not address the law and order situation in Bihar. It needs to break the mindset of the people. The honest officers are getting sidelined and corrupt officers are deployed on the key areas of the ground. I will personally talk to the DGP and Chief Secretary to avoid giving protection to them," he said. Sinha's statement came at a time when the political relation between the BJP and the JD-U is not looking good. It would be interesting to see how the JD-U reacts to it. There is an impression arising that BJP top leadership deliberately asked Sinha to raise these points and attack Nitish Kumar, and the state wing of BJP is not leaving any chances to target the CM. There is speculation that Nitish Kumar may utilise the issue to break the alliance and form the government with the help of the RJD. However, JD-U national President Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who is popularly known as Lalan Singh, said that the relation with the BJP is normal so far. New Delhi, May 24 : Asserting that India has the highest dependency on ground water resources in the world, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said it is now imperative to work on ground water replenishment and asked the industry to help conserve water not just in their own sector but also in and arohnd them. "India has the highest dependency on ground water resources in the world, much ahead of China and the US and the government is taking steps to replenish the dipping water table in the country," he said at an interactive session on 'Water Stewardship: Key to Sustainability in India', organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here. "Water plays a very important role in the economic development of any country. If we examine the economic growth graph of the country, it exhibits a similar pattern with its energy and water consumption," he added. Shekhawat called for three important steps to be taken by the industry. First and foremost, work for replenishment of groundwater, secondly, it needs to go for recycle and reuse of water and lastly, he advised industry to encourage agriculture around the industry to save water by adopting drip irrigation. "By using drip irrigation, even if we save 10 per cent, then we would not need to worry for next 50 years," he said. Earlier, the Minister awarded 'Certificates of Appreciation' to several private companies, Rotary Clubs and some individuals. He also released a report on 'Ease of Doing Business for the MSME sector in India: Percolating EODB Reforms at Factory Level'. PHD Rural Development Foundation Foundation (RDF) Chairman and former PHDCCI President Sharad Jaipuria said that when the RDF was set up in 1981, the idea was to act as a catalyst and facilitate people to achieve self-reliance and help in the integration of national schemes. "We (RDF) are working in 14 states and have undertaken initiatives, which have helped more than 6.5 lakh people," he said. Answering the appeal by Shekhawat to work on ground water replenishment, Jaipuria said the Foundation has helped in setting up 300 check dams in the last two years. Agartala, May 24 : The Agartala-Kolkata bus service, via Bangladesh, could not be resumed as Dhaka yet to endorse India's proposal in this regard, a senior Tripura government official said on Tuesday. Tripura's Principal Secretary, Transport, Laihlia Darlong said that the Bangladesh government is yet to give the green signal to run the bus service between Agartala-Kolkata via its territory. "We are pursuing the matter through the Agartala-based Assistant High Commission to get the approval of the Bangladesh government and to resume the service at the earliest," Darlong told IANS. He said that earlier this month the External Affairs Ministry has given a no-objection to Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya governments to resume bus services with Bangladesh. The Agartala-Kolkata bus service via Bangladesh was suspended in March 2020 after the outbreak of Covid-19 cases and restrictions imposed on cross-border movement. According to a bilateral agreement, the government-owned Tripura Road Transport Corporation and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation had started several bus services between Agartala, Shillong, Guwahati, Dhaka, and Kolkata but these were suspended due to various reasons, including the Covid-19 outbreak. A large number of people of the northeastern states and West Bengal prefer bus rides via Bangladesh not only because of the shorter distance (around 500 km between Agartala-Kolkata) and very affordable fares, but for the exciting landscape of Bangladesh plains, emotional attachment with that country and crossing the mighty river Padma on a ferry. The bus services also promote the tourism of the two counties. In view of the railway lines cut-off in Assam from May 14, the bus service became very important for the people of Tripura, Mizoram and southern Assam to go to Kolkata and other parts of India. Due to the railway line disruptions, the fares of different flights operated between Mizoram, Tripura, and southern Assam increased by three to four times, severely affecting the people bound for Kolkata, Delhi and other cities in India by air. Due to unprecedented landslides triggered by heavy rain, massive damage has been caused to stations and railway tracks at over 58 locations in Northeast Frontier Railway's Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route via Dima Hasao mountainous district. This single track railway line connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the southern parts of Assam with the rest of the country. According to NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer, Sabyasachi De, in the hill section under Lumding Division, all trains have been cancelled till June. The official said that railway engineers and workers are working on a war footing to restore the rail links. The NFR's Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route via Dima Hasao is vital for ferrying goods, fuel, and passengers to and from Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam's three districts - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakhandhi. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) New Delhi, May 24 : The case against student activist Umar Khalid, who was arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy case behind the 2020 Delhi riots, is intentionally fabricated, his counsel told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday. Senior advocate Tridip Pais, appearing for Khalid argued that the incarceration of his client for the past two years was solely based on the hearsay statement. "It is all hearsay," Pais said during the course of hearing before a division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar. Questioning the statement of witnesses and Whatsapp chats procured by the police, he said that there were 751 FIRs related to violence and none of the complaints of actual violence is tied to Umar Khalid. "However, I have to bear the brunt of two years of imprisonment because you have a statement," he argued. "Basically UAPA is now this, you just get a person to make a statement and that is it. That is the difficulty in which I have been arraigned in this matter," he added. Counsel further argued that it is a case where a statement is made in order to implicate. It doesn't have any relation to violence in Delhi, Pais claimed, adding "that the entire preface of this matter is to frame people under UAPA solely by messages". Khalid had approached the High Court with his appeal challenging the trial court order which denied him bail in connection with the UAPA case. His alleged offensive speeches delivered at Amaravati during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens were the basis of allegations against him in the riots case. JNU scholars and activists Khalid, and Sharjeel Imam are among the nearly a dozen people involved in the alleged larger conspiracy case linked with the Delhi riots 2020, as per the Delhi Police. The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 as clashes between the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-CAA protesters took a violent turn, in which more than 50 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured. New Delhi, May 24 : With an objective to increase its presence among minorities, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to reach out to backward Muslims in a bigger way. The BJP is also planning to identify individuals among the backward Muslim community for leadership role in the party and government as a trust building measures to draw maximum benefits in the upcoming assembly polls and ultimately general elections 2024. The saffron party believes that the most of the votes its gets are from the backward Muslim communities who are also beneficiaries of many welfare schemes of the union and party ruled state governments. A senior party leader told IANS that in recent Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the BJP had got around five to seven per cent Muslim votes and majority of them belong to backward castes of the community. "During recent Uttar Pradesh assembly polls backward Muslim communities who are benefitted from PM Awas Yojna, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana which provided free ration, Ujjwala Yojana and others schemes had voted for the BJP. These Muslims, especially the backward, are openly supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now we are planning to further consolidate their support by reaching out to backward Muslims across the country," he said. The BJP feels that winning support of new vote bank ahead of next general election will further strengthen party position in 2024 polls. "For next Lok Sabha polls, we are planning get more than 50 per cent vote share and it can achieved only by increasing party acceptance among new communities. Backward Muslims in one of such community," another party leader said. According to the party estimates, there is around 85 per cent backward Muslim population across the country. Another functionary of the BJP said that given the large population, which holds the key in electoral politics, the party is also planning to groom young new faces and hand over leadership roles to leaders from backward or Pasmanda Muslims. The functionary added that the top leadership is aware of the matter and may soon start working on it and appropriate representation to backward class people will be given in future. "Appointment of Danish Azad Ansari as minister in second term of Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is part of party' plans to give leadership role to backward Muslim. More leaders from backward Muslim communities will be given different leadership role in different position in future," he said. Another party leader said that like other backward communities in Hindu, which is turning out to be a major vote-bank, the BJP is now focusing on backward communities of Muslim to expand its reach ahead of the next parliamentary election. Ahmedabad, May 24 : Hardik Patel, who recently quit the Congress, hit out at the party leadership on Tuesday for their alleged "hatred towards Hindus and Lord Ram". Patel's remarks followed the statement of a former working president of the Congress, Bharatsinh Solanki. Addressing an OBC meeting in Ahmedabad, Solanki said, "The BJP has always used Lord Ram's name for political gains... It has played with the sentiments of lakhs of Hindus. With great respect, people had donated for the Ram Shila in the late eighties for the construction of Ram Temple, but they never bothered to take care of Ram Shila... It was found that dogs used to pee on the Ram Shila in Ayodhya." In a series of tweets, Hardik Patel said: "I had said earlier also that the Congress party works to hurt the sentiments of the people, it is always trying to damage the faith of Hindu religion. "I want to ask the Congress and its leaders as in what enmity do you have with Lord Shri Ram? Why hate Hindus so much? After centuries, a temple of Lord Shri Ram is being built in Ayodhya, yet the leaders of Congress keep making statements against Lord Shri Ram." Alleging that the Congress has always hurt the Hindu faith, he questioned the party and its leaders as to why they are against Lord Ram. Jammu, May 24 : The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on Tuesday called on the family members of Rahul Bhat, the Kashmiri Pandit who was killed by terrorists in Budgam on May 12, and expressed his condolences. Sinha said the administration stands shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved family in this hour of grief and assured the family members of all the support from the UT government. The education of the daughter of Rahul Bhat is now the responsibility of the government, he said. "The J&K government has already formed an SIT to probe Rahul Bhat's killing," Sinha said. A special cell within the L-G Secretariat is handling the grievances of PM package employees. A nodal officer has been deputed who is looking after the issues on a daily basis. J&K police have also been directed to ensure foolproof security for the PM package employees. New Delhi, May 24 : Delhi Police has busted an inter-state gang that used to cheat unemployed youth by offering them fake 'Work from Home' job profiles, an official said on Tuesday. The police also arrested two persons in this connection following an inter-state operation in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. DCP Sagar Singh Kalsi said a complaint on MHA Cyber Crime Portal was received by Cyber Police Station North District, wherein the complainant alleged that she saw a video on Youtube for earning money through online application "Freelancer Data Corporation based in the UK". She downloaded the Freelancer app and saw a work for bid. Upon obtaining work after bidding, she started working on an assignment given to her. She was contacted by an unknown person on mobile and through e-mail, who asked her to make payment on the pretext of registration fee, processing fee, international bank transaction charge, foreign exchange conversion fee, etc., in order to facilitate payment in her bank account for completion of work assigned to her. She transferred around Rs 12,000 in various UPI IDs and bank accounts and later on realised that she was cheated on the pretext of work from home. Accordingly, the police registered an FIR under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code at Cyber north police station and initiated the investigation. During the probe, it was found that the accused persons were operating from Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand from where one accused Tushar Kumar (20) was arrested on May 19. Further, based on his revelations, the second accused Mohd. Akram Ali (22) was also apprehended. Further investigation of the case is in progress and efforts are being made to trace other victims cheated by the accused, the official added. Chennai, May 24 : BJP SC/ST morcha south district president in Chennai, Balachandran, was hacked to death on Tuesday night after a three-member gang attacked him while he was having tea at a wayside tea stall here. The incident occurred at Chindarapet in Chennai. Balachandran was facing life threats and was provided a personal security officer (PSO) by the Tamil Nadu home department. The murder of Balachandran has raised serious issues of law and order in Chennai as a small-time financier was hacked to death publicly in a busy traffic junction. Leader of Opposition E.K. Palaniswami of the AIDMK came out strongly against the failure of the state police department, stating that Chennai has turned into a murder city with 18 killings in the past 20 days. Bengaluru, May 24 : Amid the hue and cry over the issue of revision of textbooks by the BJP-led government in Karnataka, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh on Tuesday, stiffening his stand, said there is no question of further revision of textbooks. "The textbooks are already being published," he said, adding that they have not taken up "the exercise of saffronisation of textbooks". "We are looking through a lens. We are not seeing any colour. We are only able to see school children. The revision work is done in the interest of children," he said. When asked about the stand taken by the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah who also made the charges of saffronisation, the Minister said "fearing loss of Muslim votes, he is opposing the revision exercise". "The Congress party is spreading lies. They tried with Tipu Sultan, Narayana Guru, Bhagat Singh, Basavanna and miserably failed. Now, they are raking up the issue of insulting the legendary Kannada writer Kuvempu. "Siddaramaiah headed Congress government had dropped four lessons of Kuvempu and an attempt is being made to include all those lessons now," he said. He also invited Siddaramaiah to read the textbook first and then make remarks. "The Congress has converted the Department of Education as an instrument of ensuring their vote bank. Is Tipu Sultan, the only freedom fighter from Karnataka? The textbooks have already been published and there is no question of their revision again," he stated. "Students must also know that Tipu Sultan imposed Persian language in Karnataka. They are not dependent only on texts. They will know the other side of the story. It is better to present the facts," he said. "Siddaramaiah should stop thinking himself as the most knowledgeable person. He had misfire on all occasions when he targeted BJP," he added. Some organisations, political parties, writers, women organisations and NGOs have decided to stage a state-level protest against "saffronisation of school and college syllabus by the ruling BJP government in Karnataka" on May 31. New Delhi, May 24 : States, in consultation with the Centre, should prepare a roadmap for 10-15 years for the benefit of farmers to get timely supply of good quality seeds, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday. "The state governments, in consultation with the Central government, should prepare a roadmap for 10-15 years for the benefit of farmers. It should be ensured that the farmers get timely supply of good quality seeds. State governments should strictly curb black marketing and those selling fake seeds. "The Union government's effort is that the bulwark of agriculture becomes the secure foundation of the country. Together we have to fulfil the remaining task," he said while presiding over a national webinar on 'Seed Chain Development' being held as part of the year-long Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Noting that the cooperation of the state governments is also necessary for seed traceability, so that awareness is raised among farmers across the country, Tomar said that it will help farmers take rightful decision regarding the seeds for their plantation as per the requirement. Reminding fhat Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis is also on increasing productivity in agriculture, as well as reducing the cost, he said: "We have to plan how farmers can get quality seeds at cheaper price and the price difference between private and government agencies is bridged." Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje said it should be ensured that the varieties of seeds developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research reach the farmers at the grassroots level. Addressing the webinar, Union Agriculture Secretary, Manoj Ahuja said that arrangements should be made to provide quality seeds to the farmers right down to the panchayat level, while awareness should be raiased among the farmers about testing of seed quality. Guwahati, May 25 : The situation in Assam, where the pre-monsoon floods have affected large parts of the state for the past 12 days, continue to improve for the third day on Tuesday but still 5.80 lakh people in 18 districts affected and with two more deaths during the past 24 hours, the overall death toll has risen to 27. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted more rains in the next few days in the northeastern states including Assam. Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that at least 5,80,145 people, including 1,15,208 children, of 1,374 villages have been affected in 18 of the state's 34 districts. Of the 27 deaths, 21 died in floods and remaining in landslides in different districts. An ASDMA release said that 64,098 hectares crop areas remained affected in flood-hit areas. In all, 81,712 people are staying in the 346 relief camps, while the district administrations have also opened 182 relief distribution centres in all the affected areas. Of the 18 flood affected districts, the worst-hit were three - 3,46,291 people were affected in Nagaon alone followed by 1,77,954 people in Cachar and 40,941 in Morigaon district. The Army, the Assam Rifles, the National Disaster Response Force, and the State Disaster Response Force, along with the district administrations, continue to work round the clock to rescue the stranded people and to provide relief to the marooned men, women and children. The water of Kopili river was flowing above the danger level in several places. The ASDMA release said that various food items, cooking oil and diesel have been air transported in the remote areas on Tuesday. Officials said that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday visited landslide areas at Sarkari Bagan in Haflong which witnessed heavy mudslides triggered by incessant rain on Tuesday. He also visited relief camps and interacted with the camp inmates at Lower Haflong.He also visited the homes of those persons killed in landslides at Hokai Pungchi Village in Haflong. Sarma, in a meeting at Haflong Circuit House, reviewed the situation and took stock of the extent of damages caused by rain-induced landslides in the mountainous Dima Hasao district. Several Ministers, including Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta, Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, and Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, are camping in the flood-ravaged areas to supervise the rescue and relief operations. The situation in the hill section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in Dima Hasao district remained serious on Tuesday as inclement weather continued to batter the area, affecting the Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route, which connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the southern part of Assam with the rest of the country. According to NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer, Sabyasachi De, in the Lumding Division, train services have been either cancelled till June end. Amaravati, May 25 : Violence rocked Andhra Pradesh's Amalapuram town on Tuesday as a mob protesting against the government's move to rename Konaseema district as Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district set afire houses of a state minister and a legislator. Dozens of people, including police personnel, were injured in the violence. Protestors opposing the proposal to rename the district set afire houses of state minister P. Viswaroop and MLA Satish, torched few police and private vehicles. A mob surrounded the minister's house, set afire a couple of vehicles near his house, ransacked the furniture, and set the house afire. The minister's family members escaped unhurt as the police had shifted them to a safe place. The protestors also set afire the house of Satish, the Member of Legislative Assembly belonging to ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Senior officials were monitoring the situation. Additional forces were rushed to the town from surrounding districts. Hundreds of youth participated in the protest called by Konaseema Sadhana Samithi (KSS). Raising slogans against the government's decision, they gathered at the Clock Tower. As police moved to detain the protestors, some of them ran towards the Collector's office. Police chased and arrested some of them. As they were being taken in police vehicles, others pelted stones damaging window panes. The mob set afire a police vehicle and a private bus. However, there was no one in the vehicles. The youth also pelted stones on police near Amalapuram Area Hospital. Superintendent of Police K.S.S. V Subba Reddy escaped in the stone pelting but some police personnel were injured. Police carried out a baton charge to control the situation. Home Minister T. Anita condemned the violence. She said anti-social elements were leading the protestors, and it was unfortunate that the decision to name the district after the father of the Indian Constitution Dr Ambedkar was opposed. She claimed that the decision was taken at the request of the people. The Konaseema district was carved out from East Godavari with Amalapuram as its headquarters. It was one of the 13 districts created on April 4, taking the total number of districts in the state to 26. The government had named some of the districts after prominent personalities like freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, former Chief Minister and TDP founder Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, who was popular as NTR. Similarly, two new districts were named after saint composer Tallapaka Annamacharya (Annamayya) and Satya Sai Baba (Sri Satya Sai). The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government headed by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had come under criticism from Dalit groups and others for not naming a district after Ambedkar. The state government on May 18 issued a notification inviting objections and suggestions on the proposal to rename the Konaseema district after Dr Ambedkar. It sought suggestions and objections from the people residing within Konaseema. People have been urged to send objections and suggestions, if any, to Konaseema District Collector within 30 days. However, opposing the proposal, KSS had called for protests. The police had imposed prohibitory orders in the town in view of the protest call. Patna, May 25 : The Bihar government has decided to hold an all-party meeting on the issue of caste-based census on June 1 in Patna. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, the Education Minister of Bihar has confirmed the development. He said that all political parties have agreed on the meeting for the caste-based census. "Our Chief Minister has already said that a meeting on the caste-based census will soon be held in Patna. Now, the date has been finalised as June 1. Every party has agreed on the date and we are hopeful that the leaders of all the parties will give their valuable suggestions on this issue," Chaudhary said. "The venue of the meeting will be 4 Desh Ratna Marg Patna at 4 p.m.," Chaudhary said. Earlier, Nitish Kumar hinted that he is in favour of meeting on May 27. In Bihar, except BJP, all parties including RJD, JD-U, Congress, left parties, HAM and AIMIM agreed on caste-based census. BJP was stuck with the stand of its central leadership, which has decided not to conduct caste-based census in the country. Though, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already clarified that states are independent to conduct caste-based census on their own expenses. As Nitish Kumar is looking firm on his decision to conduct a caste-based census in Bihar, BJP stepped down on Monday and gave its support on the issue in Bihar. The BJP think tank believes that if they would oppose caste-based census in Bihar, Nitish Kumar might break the alliance with BJP and form government in Bihar with the help of RJD. Omnitrak Pres./COO Chris Kam, Sen. VP and Edu. Chair Michelle Kidani, Shidler College Dean Vance Roley, Omnitrak Founder/CEO Pat Loui, PACE Exec. Director Sandra Fujiyama, Omnitrak Exec. VP Alan Ellis As a small business, we are honored to celebrate our anniversary by providing Hawaii students studying at the University of Hawaii with a solid foundation to innovate, start and grow new businesses. The University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business announced that Omnitrak, a marketing and research consultancy firm, has gifted $50,000 to establish a new student award called the Omnitrak Innovative Leaders Award at the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), which is housed within the Shidler college. Omnitrak established the gift in honor of the companys 40th anniversary to support UH students pursuing their education and their business ideas. As a small business, we are honored to celebrate our anniversary by providing Hawaii students studying at the University of Hawaii with a solid foundation to innovate, start and grow new businesses, said Pat Loui, Omnitrak founder, chair and CEO. We firmly believe that PACE and the new RISE (Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs) program will strengthen the local economy and create new jobs at home, to address the exodus of talented local graduates moving away for mainland jobs. Our community benefits from the ethnic, gender and cultural diversity that represents our state. We hope our gift encourages other small businesses to do their part to invest in Hawaiis most promising leaders. In addition to the gift to the University of Hawaii, Omnitrak made educational gifts to three Oahu high schools, honoring staff who graduated from Kaimuki, Pearl City and Campbell High Schools. Ms. Loui continued, Though Omnitrak is supported by Hawaii, US mainland and international clients, were honored to commemorate our 40th by investing in our young people for the benefit of our childrens children through these gifts. Hawaii is our home to our parents, grandparents and children and we will continue to do our small part to invest in the next generation of leaders. Loui, appointed by former President Barack Obama, is a past board member of The Export Import Bank of the U.S., where she grew Asia Pacific to the largest portfolio during her tenure. She was recognized with a U.S. Commerce award for her work in encouraging minority-owned small businesses to export. The gift was officially commemorated in May during Omnitraks anniversary celebration. Loui, along with Chris Kam, Omnitrak president and chief operating officer, and Alan Ellis, executive vice president, presented Vance Roley, dean of Shidler college and Sandra Fujiyama, executive director of PACE, with the award. In addition to this award, Omnitrak supports other high school and graduate educational programs in Hawaii, including at the East-West Center with the Omnitrak Loui Schmicker Scholars fund, which was the first alumni-named permanent endowment. Its incredible to see the community step forward to support our budding student entrepreneurs at PACE, said Roley. Each year, PACE continues to assist more than 60 startup teams and provide more than $125,000 in support to foster up-and-coming business ventures. Were thrilled that Omnitrak, being a company with local roots, has decided to continue this momentum and commemorate their 40th anniversary with this gift. Fujiyama added, Were delighted that Omnitrak has established an Innovative Leaders Award, designed for PACE students. With the many exciting and new projects underway, including RISEan immersive live-learn-work communityset to open next year, we are grateful for this gift which will support the next generation of change-makers. The first student award is expected to be given in fall 2023 when PACE opens its RISE facility. For more information on how to support the Shidler College of Business or PACE, contact Kristi Bates, executive director of development at 808-956-3597 or email Kristi.bates@uhfoundation.org. Omnitraks gift is an example of UH Manoas goal of Enhancing Student Success (PDF), one of four goals identified in the 201525 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020. Omnitrak Omnitrak, founded in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1981 and celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, is a leading strategic research firm with a strong presence in the consumer, travel and retail sectors in North America and Asia. Omnitrak works with some of North Americas largest state tourism offices, which subscribe to the companys TravelTrakAmerica tracking research, providing timely monthly insights from 9,000+ U.S. travelers. The company serves a broad array of public- and private-sector clients, helping to grow their markets with Quality of Place/City Pride and Resident Sentiment research. Additionally, destination marketing to develop new products and increase brand loyalty is supported by Omnitraks TravelTrakAmerica syndicated research and Integrated Marketing Effectiveness insights. For more information, visit http://www.omnitrakgroup.com. "Invafresh has been a trusted technology supplier to us for many years, and we are thrilled to deliver their Production Planning solution to our retail co-operative members," stated Dave Pullar, Director, Fresh Food at FCL. Invafresh, the market leader of Freshology for the fresh food retail industry, has expanded its partnership with Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) to help optimize their production planning and waste reduction initiatives across its network of food stores. Owned by independent retail co-operatives from across Western Canada, FCL, selected Invafreshs cloud-native Fresh Retail Platform to improve product availability and freshness, enable associate productivity and department level profitability, and enhance consumer trust and loyalty. Invafresh has been a trusted technology supplier to us for many years, and we are thrilled to deliver their Production Planning solution to our retail co-operative members. Given the maturity of this solution and Invafreshs customer-driven delivery model, we are excited to have commenced store level deployment which will deliver material financial benefits to our members through 2022, stated Dave Pullar, Director, Fresh Food at FCL. Our partnership with FCL is a unique business model and we look forward to providing our high level of customer success to FCLs network of food stores, said Tim Spencer, CEO at Invafresh. Our team of Freshologists is rolling out our fresh-native platform to help FCLs network of food stores ensure the freshest selection of in-store produced foods and home meal replacement products at the highest quality are available at the right levels across their fresh assortments and offerings. Consistency and quality in fresh food is the only way to build consumer trust and loyalty in the competitive grocery market, especially with todays experiential consumer. We are committed to being the best in Fresh and are enthused to provide FCL and their network of store operators with innovative solutions to help them to be the best in Fresh too, stated Tim Spencer. About Federated Co-operative Limited Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, FCL is a wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing, and administrative co-operative owned by more than 160 independent local co-operative associations. These local co-ops own and operate agro centres, food stores, gas bars/convenience stores and home centres. About Invafresh For more than 30 years, the heritage of Invafresh enabled fresh food retailers to create extraordinary store operations performance and differentiated consumer experiences. As the leader of Freshology, Invafresh is deployed in more than 25,000 grocery stores spanning a global reach of 15 countries to provide software platforms for omnichannel demand forecasting, merchandising, replenishment, and sustainability and compliancy. Learn more at http://www.invafresh.com BDS Logo Employee recognition is one of the strongest influences on the culture of an organization, said Jonathan Margolis, President & CEO of MAG. BDS Connected Solutions, LLC. today announced the official launch of CultivateEX, its latest solution to invigorate the workforce and increase business productivity. Powered by MAG, BDS Experiential team, CultivateEX focuses on retaining, recognizing, and rewarding employees through employee appreciation programs. CultivateEX is centered on improving company culture by creating memorable experiences that boost employee morale. Due to the pandemic and state of the economy, The Great Resignation spurred a trend of mass resignation throughout the nation. CultivateEX helps to overcome employee burnout by increasing motivation, inspiring collaboration, and improving mental health and well-being. Through pop-up events, employee rallies, corporate galas, and more, CultivateEX programs recognize employees for their hard work and dedication, reward their achievements, and pave the way for employee satisfaction and productivity. The programs are tailored to result in higher retention rates. From small teams to large audiences, CultivateEX is curated for a variety of groups. The programs provide customized experiences for employees regardless of location. Whether they are in-office employees, remote workers, or a hybrid of the two, the programs cater to employees wherever they are. At BDS, we understand the impact that employee appreciation and recognition initiatives have on the workforce, company culture, and overall organization, said Sean Ludick, President of BDS. CultivateEX delivers long-lasting experiences that focus on the recognition of employee achievements. We partnered with a well-recognized healthcare provider by producing over 45 events and experiences that left employees feeling appreciated. 90% of employees felt a sense of accomplishment and 88% of employees were proud to work for the organization. Utilizing CultivateEX will not only improve employee engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, but will boost performance for the organization as a whole. Employee recognition is one of the strongest influences on the culture of an organization, said Jonathan Margolis, President & CEO of MAG. Employees should be recognized for their everyday contributions and achievements. We are thrilled to launch CultivateEX and provide our clients with creative and innovative employee appreciation solutions. To learn more about CultivateEX and the benefits of employee appreciation programs, visit: CultivateEX MAG (themagexperience.com) About BDS Connected Solutions, LLC. Founded in 1984, BDS Connected Solutions has become the leading marketing and sales solution provider in the United States. The company powers Fortune 100 world-class brands such as Google Fiber, LG, Meta, Microsoft, Samsung, and top retailers with a connected mix of Sales & Training, Virtual Engagement, Experiential, Display Management, and Merchandising that exceed clients ever-changing needs. Through many notable acquisitions, most recently Creative Channel Services (2021) and Michael Alan Group (2018), BDS has become an industry powerhouse by developing a robust suite of integrated solutions that generate demand and influence sales in the marketplace. As a digital-first, people-led company with a customer-obsessed approach, the companys mission is to influence every step of the modern customer journey, whether shoppers are in store, at home, or on the go, and ultimately close the sale. BDS is headquartered in Irvine, California with the MAG Experiential office located in New York City, New York. To learn more about BDS visit http://www.BDSsolutions.com and to learn more about MAG visit http://www.themagexperience.com. "We started to receive requests for help fleeing the country from our clients and other Ukraine-based businesses. Despite sirens and alarms continually going off and gunfire and bombs exploding, we worked from our homes, basement shelters, any place we could connect to the internet." While a horrified world looked on, Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The aggression caused Europes largest refugee crisis since World War II, with more than 5.8 million Ukrainians fleeing the country. As a global leader in business travel and provider of services in Ukraine, ATG Travel Worldwide, B.V. was immediately cast into the fray, not only helping its clients relocate, but also serving as a source of information and aid to the population at large. Anna Petrova, the founder and owner of BTL Group in Ukraine, joined the ATG global network of independent and market leading travel management companies in 2019. Six months after affiliating with ATG, the COVID crisis began in earnest, curtailing travel everywhere. As 2022 got under way, however, the travel industry had begun to rebound, and travel was picking up worldwide. Then the war happened. In the travel business, we are always meeting challenges, but the Russian invasion created a situation we had never faced before, said Petrova. Suddenly, there was widespread panic, and we started to receive requests for help fleeing the country from our clients and other Ukraine-based businesses. Only half of our Ukrainian team remained in place, and despite the difficult circumstances sirens and alarms continually going off and the physical danger of gunfire and bombs exploding, we worked from our homes, basement shelters, and any other place we could set up a laptop and connect to the internet. In the early days of the war, Petrova and her team managed logistics for clients and, since flights were cancelled, arranged travel by bus or train. But it was soon apparent that non-clients, people with no assets who were afraid and did not know whom they could trust, needed assistance, as well. Traveling on foot was the only option available to many. However, long lines prevailed at border crossings into neighboring countries, and sometimes it took 24 hours to get through. The Ukrainian arm of ATG provided vital information, securing transportation when possible, suggesting the least busy routes out of the country, and offering connections to organizations dedicated to helping displaced persons. Alin Patru, a business development manager for ATG Romania and Republic of Moldova, provided support to the ATG team in Ukraine. I contacted colleagues in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Germany to update them on the situation and discuss ways we could help, he said. We began by helping employees and families of our ATG business clients relocate, but we soon became a major source of extraction information for other TMCs who also needed reliable information for their operations in the area. Social media proved to be a tremendous asset. We compiled information on the quickest routes out, as well as the countries and organizations providing health services, assistance to the elderly, childcare, and other situations that needed special attention. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, there is no return to normal for ATG. Transportation costs have skyrocketed, and it is sometimes impossible to find drivers to motor people out of the country, or back in. Many companies have, of necessity, closed shop in Ukraine and relocated elsewhere. Some of these companies are important to the travel industry, resulting in additional obstacles to business as usual for ATG. Yet Petrova and her diligent team continue to log on to their laptops every day. They look for options to help ATG clients who wish to return to Europe or to Ukraine, they volunteer to help where they can, and they continue to use social media to send and receive the information they need to do their jobs. I am immensely impressed with and extremely proud of the outstanding work that our ATG affiliates have done and continue to do under the most difficult of circumstances, said Tammy Krings, Chief Executive Officer of ATG. They have the support of all ATG offices worldwide, and our pledge that, as a global company, we are fully committed to delivering not only the best, most comprehensive travel services in the industry, but we recognize the need for patience and understanding as we face the many challenges offered by this situation. We pray, as does the world, that hostilities will soon end. About ATG ATG Travel Worldwide, B.V., headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, is a global travel & expense management leader and a technology product powerhouse, offering a revolutionary combination of high touch service and innovative and proprietary robotic booking solutions, centralized global quality control, data management insights, a true global user platform and a suite of human resources products. ATG is also a global international franchise of market leading travel management companies. ATG offers regional, company-owned offices in The Americas (USA), Europe/Middle East/Africa (Frankfurt, Germany) and Asia Pacific (Shanghai, China) and franchise partner offices covering 140+ countries with 7,800 global employees and a worldwide turnover representing over $7.2 billion. Visit atgglobaltravel.com and http://www.linkedin.com/company/atgworldwide/ UCC Environmental announced today the completion of a new strategic investment from Green Hills Partners (Green Hills) and Clavis Capital Partners (Clavis). UCCs existing owner will remain as a partial owner alongside Green Hills and Clavis. This new partnership will accelerate UCC Environmentals evolution into a highly diversified global environmental services solutions provider. Since 1920, UCC Environmental has been providing highly-engineered material handling and environmental solutions for power generation and industrial applications worldwide. The company works closely with its customers to conceptualize, design, and supply systems that meet their individual plant needs. Headquartered in Illinois, UCC Environmental offers global support from over 50 sales and service locations around the world. Global operations in the United States, Germany, Thailand, India and China allow UCC Environmental to seamlessly serve its international customer base. UCC plans to make significant new investments in talent and resources to further its leading position in the industry and will continue to develop a broader offering of environmental solutions to its customers. UCC Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Warrington, PhD, along with the existing management team, will continue to lead the organization through its next phase of growth, with a focus on gaining market share in new business lines. UCC Environmental has a one-hundred-and-two-year legacy of developing, providing and supporting great engineered solutions for our customers most critical processes. This will continue. We are excited by the opportunity of partnering with Green Hills and Clavis to continue to deliver reliable equipment on time and to offer world-class support. Our partnerships with customers and suppliers will expand through the new investments we will make in environmental solutions for air, water and solids. Our colleagues around the world in UCC Environmental are the best in the business. We are delighted to partner with Green Hills and Clavis to accelerate our strategy for further growth in the environmental business. stated Warrington. Both Clavis Capital Partners and Green Hills Partners bring a strong background in investing in and partnering with industry leaders to accelerate growth plans and market share gains. We are honored and humbled to be part of this 102-year-old legacy company and privileged to be partnering with the long-standing owner family and the rest of the leadership of UCC. We are especially excited to assist the company in accelerating its efforts in the environmental and water spaces, both domestically and globally. The future of UCC Environmental is very bright and we are eager to assist with the continued advancement of UCCs leadership position. stated Todd Dauphinais, Managing Partner at Clavis Capital Partners and David R. Hanson, Managing Partner at Green Hills Partners in a joint statement. About UCC Environmental UCC Environmental (UCC) is a global leader in providing sustainable engineering solutions for solids handling, wastewater treatment and air pollution control in power generation and heavy industrial markets. Since 1920, UCC has been committed to the design, supply, construction, and maintenance of world-class systems precisely engineered to better serve utility and heavy industry providers. UCC maintains a robust team of research & development engineers, designers, and supply chain personnel to ensure the highest degree of performance, quality and timely delivery of manufactured components, services and replacement parts. The company offers a global network of sales and service representatives serving customers and installations spanning six continents. More information can be found at http://www.uccenvironmental.com About Clavis Capital Partners Based in Dallas, Texas, Clavis Capital Partners is an operationally-focused Private Investment firm that makes growth investments in select manufacturing and industrial companies. Clavis professionals and advisors are experienced operators who are passionate about building sustainable, competitive and successful businesses. Clavis focuses on investments in middle and lower middle-market businesses that have built a high degree of positive corporate culture. Each of our principals and advisors have significant, direct experience in successfully running and managing businesses across a range of industrial and service sectors. Since 1994, our principals have completed over 20 transactions representing over $1 billion of equity deployed. More information can be found at http://www.claviscp.com About Green Hills Partners Green Hills Partners is a private investment platform and family office based in Nashville, Tennessee. More information can be found at http://www.greenhills-partners.com Contacts: UCC Environmental Dawn Williams Director of Marketing and Public Relations dawnwilliams@uccenvironmental.com Phone: 847.672.1354 http://www.uccenvironmental.com Clavis Capital Partners Todd Dauphinais tdauphinais@claviscp.com http://www.claviscp.com Green Hills Partners Eddie Ryan eddie@greenhills-partners.com http://www.greenhills-partners.com Our collaboration with RedShelf ensures that students master key knowledge and skills and are ready for college and career, said John Flanagan, president of G-W. Goodheart-Willcox (G-W), a leading publisher of learning materials and digital solutions, and RedShelf, one of the nations leading EdTech companies, are joining forces to support students and educators with a robust digital learning experience that improves student outcomes. Using the RedShelf eReader, students can access their G-W eBooks anytime, anywhere, using the ability to highlight text, take and share notes, create flash cards, read aloud, build citations, and access vocabulary help to suit their own learning styles. Trusted since 1921, G-Ws Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructional materials prepare students for college and careers that range from automotive, business, health science, and hospitality to STEM, the trades, and other essential industries. RedShelf has helped thousands of colleges, businesses, and publishers transition effortlessly from traditional print to more affordable, efficient digital textbooks and learning content. Together, this partnership provides an interactive educational experience that personalizes learning for studentsbuilding their knowledge, increasing their confidence, and giving them a base to further develop key skills needed for careers. G-W is focused on offering the best teaching experience for educators and the most effective learning experience for students. Partnering with RedShelf allows us to provide the highest quality instructional materials from leading subject-matter experts and deliver them in an engaging, easy-to-use format that increases learning, comprehension, and retention, said John Flanagan, president of G-W. "Partnering with G-W to enhance the learning experience with technology aligns perfectly with the core values that RedShelf was founded on, said RedShelf CEO and co-founder Greg Fenton. We look forward to providing a best-in-class learning experience to the students they serve; one that ensures material accessibility, facilitates engagement, and drives positive outcomes. Learn more about G-W titles that feature digital resources delivered by RedShelf at http://www.g-w.com. # # # About G-W Publisher Established in 1921, G-W publishes print and digital instructional materials for Career and Technical Education and Health Education. G-W collaborates with outstanding authors, trustworthy reviewers, and industry-focused trade associations to provide quality, standards-based content with effective pedagogy. Learn more at http://www.g-w.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. About RedShelf RedShelf is a Chicago-based EdTech company focused on helping schools, businesses, and publishers transition effortlessly from traditional print to more affordable, efficient, engaging digital textbooks, training materials, and learning content. Today, RedShelf's software (Content Delivery System and eReader) serves more than 10,000 publishers and more than 1,500 business and educational partners, reaching millions of student and professional learners worldwide. For more information, visit about.redshelf.com or follow on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook. AlayaCare, a leading home health software, announced today its partnership with Element5, a workflow automation solution for post-acute care. The partnership will help AlayaCare customers automate complex administrative tasks using Element5s Automation-as-a-Service solution. The goal of this partnership is to mitigate labor-intensive processes for organizations, by automating manual work that takes place between AlayaCare and other systems. As a result, providers can maximize the efficiency of their staff and improve productivity in the current climate where post-acute organizations face a severe shortage of staff. Home health agencies across AlayaCares network can now easily automate rule-based repetitive work, helping their teams focus on higher value tasks. Those in the home-based care industry know first-hand the challenges presented with the current caregiver shortage, explains Micheal Whyte, Partnerships Manager at AlayaCare. Thats why AlayaCare partners with time-saving solutions like Element5 so agencies can maximize the efficiency of their workforce, leaving caregivers to spend time focusing on delivering care. With an average of 100 hours saved per week with Element5, were excited to see how this partnership will transform agencies globally. Automation is transforming the way home care and home healthcare agencies are investing time on administrative work. The opportunities presented by this partnership are incredibly exciting as we think about the wide range of processes that can be automated for AlayaCare users, said Joe Randesi, co-founder & CEO, Element5. Together, Element5 and AlayaCare can usher in the future of how teams invest their time on manual and repetitive tasks, while continuing to deliver on efficiency. Element5s workflow automation solution is powered by AI (artificial intelligence) and RPA (robotic process automation). Administrative work in post-acute care involves far too many repetitive clicks, and takes up a significant portion of the teams time. Element5 is delivering workflow automation that performs time consuming, manual work on behalf of teams. Today, Element5 has a range of pre-built workflows that help automate tasks across intake, authorization, RCM, clinical processes and more. For more information about the partnership, visit: http://www.alayacare.com/element5 About AlayaCare AlayaCare offers an end-to-end software platform for home and community care providers to manage the entire client lifecycle from referrals and intake to billing, payroll and beyond. Combining traditional in-home and virtual care solutions, AlayaCare enables care providers across the world to propel towards innovation and healthcare of the future. http://www.alayacare.com About Element5 Element5 is simplifying work for post-acute care organizations by offering end to end workflow Automation-as-a-Service. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Element5 delivers intelligent automation and analytics that help organizations improve operational efficiency, recognize revenue faster and help their resources focus on better patient outcomes. By automating complex administrative tasks for post-acute care, Element5 frees healthcare personnel from time-consuming and repetitive processes, empowering teams to do more, by doing less. Built by experts with decades of experience in healthcare and post-acute care, Element5 is headquartered in San Jose, California with offices in Chennai, India. You can learn more about Element5 and RPA on http://www.e5.ai Media Contacts AlayaCare: Grace Williams | PR & Social Media Coordinator | grace.williams@alayacare.com Element5: Abhilash Kumar | Head of Marketing | abhilash.k@e5.ai NextLabs today announced the latest version of Control Center and CloudAz 2022.05. Control Center is the central component of the NextLabs Data Centric Security product suite, powered by patented dynamic authorization technology and industry leading attribute-based policy engine to help enterprises solve the most complex access and data protection challenges. This release includes enhanced cloud-native support for hybrid and multi-cloud deployment, allowing organizations to extend zero trust, dynamic access control to applications and data in the cloud. New enhancements and capabilities control authorization in a microservice architecture using centrally managed policy and help enterprises embrace cloud-native technologies at hyperscale, along with the benefits of containerization and virtualization. NextLabs also introduces key innovations including enhanced support for DataSecOps and cybersecurity mesh to enable organizations to bring cloud services into their zero-trust architecture and employ policy-based access control with more granular and dynamic authorization decisions to protect data and prevent data breaches. Control Center provides a simplified way to manage fine-grained authorizations, integrating data classification, access control, digital rights management, and audit capabilities into a single platform. Policy enforcement can enforce access points across a distributed computing environment, including authorization for cloud services, enterprise applications, databases, and Digital Rights Management (DRM) for unstructured data. Customers can also secure their big data and SaaS applications, microservices, API gateways, and any other type of applicationregardless of whether it is deployed on-premises, in private, public, or hybrid clouds. This release has added several advanced policy administration, lifecycle, and audit features to support the increasing importance of policy governance. Policy administration improvement includes user centric UI and REST APIs for delegated administration and segregation of duties facility. A full policy lifecycle management approach with approval workflows is supported, as well as version control and policy rollback. NextLabs also provides several policy analysis and audit tools with full audit trail capability. Moreover, there is a policy validation application where policies can be previewed to validate correct decisions, allowing administrators to test out policies before they are published. Key additions and enhancements to Control Center and CloudAz 2022.05 include: Cloud-native support to hybrid and multi-cloud deployment based on Docker and Kubernetes. Using cloud-native Control Center applications, organizations can take full advantage of cloud infrastructure, orchestration, data services, and application run time. Container deployment model to include both Kubernetes templates and Helm charts, offering a wide variety of support for diverse deployment models including AKS, EKS, GKE, OpenShift, Terraform, and OVA; enabling simple and automated VM and container deployment and upgrade. Microservices support for containerized architecture to enable service-based deployment, Control Center microservices are built in such a way that each microservice can be deployed, upgraded, and scaled independently. PDP sidecar for microservices access enforcement to control authorization in a microservice architecture using centrally managed policy. Zero trust micro segmentation and software defined perimeter capability. Delegated administration and full policy lifecycle management with approval workflows. Test plans creation in Control Center Web Console to automate policy testing and validation. Attribute provider framework to allow easy integration of dynamic attribute retrieval from any source, including built in support of SCIM protocols for Policy Information Points (PIP). SDK allowing companies to centrally manage and orchestrate authorization policies. Control Center user authentication through AD, Azure AD, LDAP, Okta, and any SAML and OIDC-based external identity provider. Extending Control Center logging to the Apache Log4j 2 logging framework and integration with the leading SIEM solutions. NextLabs Control Center and CloudAz have been designed to solve the most complex challenges associated with access management and data protection; they have been architected to run on cloud-native infrastructure and scale rapidly to meet the demands of the largest federal agencies and global companies. NextLabs helps businesses modernize IT, automate security and compliance procedures, and strengthen cyber defense by safeguarding data and application access, protect data, and enable teams to collaborate securely based on centrally managed policy without requiring code changes or application downtime. The software also provides insight into user behavior through dashboards, reports, and automated monitoring facilities, alerting on identified anomalies and risky behavior. Benefits of Control Center and CloudAz include: Prevent data breaches, fraud, and regulatory violations. Centralize management of authorizations across applications in a hybrid and multi-cloud environment for consistent enforcement. Streamline access management, reducing administrative burden. Enable zero trust and global data access transparently to empower workforce with safe and fast access to internal resources and in the cloud. React and scale rapidly to keep up with ever-evolving data security requirements; while reducing risks that can threaten productivity, IP, and company reputation. Make policy changes in real time, without requiring code changes or application downtime. As authorization continues to be a central part of broader access strategies such as Zero Trust and cybersecurity mesh architecture (CSMA), our mission for Control Center and CloudAz is to be the most scalable and easiest to deploy runtime authorization and policy enforcement product in the market we are one step closer with this release, said Keng Lim, CEO and Founder of NextLabs. This latest release of Control Center and CloudAz allows our customers to easily apply and maintain consistent authorization policies to safeguard data across the hybrid and multi-cloud environment within days. About NextLabs NextLabs, Inc. provides data-centric security software to protect business critical data and applications. Our patented dynamic authorization technology and industry leading attribute-based policy platform helps enterprises identify and protect sensitive data, monitor, and control access to the data, and prevent regulatory violations whether in the cloud or on premises. The software automates enforcement of security controls and compliance policies to enable secure information sharing across the extended enterprise. NextLabs has some of the largest global enterprises as customers and has strategic relationships with industry leaders such as SAP, Siemens, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Deloitte, KPMG, Infosys, and Accenture. For more information on NextLabs, please visit http://www.nextlabs.com. "Employers now have the flexibility to offer employees a unique option to redirect lump-sum payments towards student loan repayment... the employer enhances employee recruitment and retention for a win-win." Paidly announces an expansion of its monthly employer-based Student Loan Repayment Assistance features to include Paidly On-Demand. Employers can now offer employees the option to redirect one-time payments toward student loans with on-demand payment scheduling and limitless dollar amounts. Payments are tax-free up to $5,250 annually. Paidly is an HR benefits solution enabling employers to attract and retain top talent with monthly Student Loan Repayment Assistance. With Paidly On-Demand, employers can expand employee options to choose direct payments for referral bonuses, recruitment bonuses, PTO conversion or any reward and recognition compensation towards their student loans. Employers now have the flexibility to offer employees a unique option to redirect lump-sum payments towards student loan repayment, says John Scully, Paidly Co-Founder. By improving employee wellness, the employer enhances employee recruitment and retention for a win-win. Over 44 millions Americans average $37,500 in student debt totaling $1.7 trillion. Congress has extended the Cares Act with employer-based tax-free student loan payments through 2025. About Paidly LLC Paidly provides Student Loan Repayment Assistance to enhance the financial wellness of employees and improve employer recruitment and retention. Paidly is Student Loan Repayment Assistance made easy. Contact: Jeff Burke Paidly LCC 585-364-1355 x705 happiness@meetpaidly.com MeetPaidly.com Jim Farley Names 2022 Automotive Hall of Fame Industry Leader The Hall is excited to recognize Jim Farley and his recent leadership in transforming Ford and the automotive industry to e-mobility solutions. Today the Automotive Hall of Fame announced its 2022 Industry Leader: Jim Farley, president and CEO of Ford and president of Ford Model e. This significant award is given to one individual in a given year, who demonstrated outstanding leadership in the automotive industry. For nearly 120 years Ford has played an important role in shaping mobility and positively impacting society, said Sarah Cook, president of the Automotive Hall of Fame. The Hall is excited to recognize Jim Farley and his recent leadership in transforming Ford and the automotive industry to e-mobility solutions. As CEO, Farley is focused on deployment of the ambitious, customer-focused Ford+ plan for growth and value creation. Announced in May 2021, this plan prioritizes the innovation and delivery of breakthrough electric vehicles at scale along with development of software and connected vehicle technologies and services. Over the past year, Ford has been restructuring its automotive business to give its teams greater clarity and focus, investing in manufacturing scale and capability, and delivering high-demand products and services to its customers. As Ford accelerates its transition to an electric, connected future, I draw inspiration from the men and women who changed our industry for the better," said Jim Farley. "As a grandchild of a Ford factory worker, I feel a deep sense of duty to our team around the world to protect Ford for future generations. On behalf of Bill Ford and our entire team, I'm honored to receive this recognition." Farley will be recognized as the 2022 Industry Leader along with the previously announced 2022 Automotive Hall of Fame Inductees at the Automotive Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony held on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at The Icon (200 Walker St. Detroit, MI). Event sponsorships are available and can be purchased online at http://www.automotivehalloffame.org/2022-sponsorships/ For additional questions, please contact: Sara Sporka at ssporka@thedrivingspirit.org or 313-240-4000, ext. 106. About Jim Farley Jim Farley became president and chief executive officer of Ford in October 2020, and in March 2022 took on the additional role of president, Ford Model e. Farley joined Ford in 2007, following a successful 17 years with Toyota where he launched the companys Scion brand. During his career at Ford, Farley held numerous leadership roles including Chief Operating Officer, president of New Business, Technology and Strategy, president Global Markets and several roles in the Global Marketing, Sales and Service division, where he was responsible for the reinvention of the Lincoln brand and its introduction in China. As CEO, Farley is focused on deployment of the ambitious, customer-focused Ford+ plan for growth and value creation. Primary elements of the plan include innovation and delivery of breakthrough electric vehicles at scale, along with development of software and connected vehicle technologies and services for the Ford Model e business unit. Farleys maternal grandfather, Emmet Tracy, started as an hourly employee for the Ford Motor Company at its Highland Park Plant in 1916. About the Automotive Hall of Fame Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF) is a non-profit organization that honors and celebrates the automotive/mobility industrys leaders and innovators through awards and programs that challenge young and old alike to higher levels of personal achievement. Founded in 1939, the Automotive Hall of Fame has honored 757 awardees from around the world, who have impacted and influenced the automotive and mobility industries. The Automotive Hall of Fame is located at 21400 Oakwood Blvd in Dearborn, Michigan and is open to the public Thursdays Sundays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. You can also visit the Automotive Hall of Fame online at automotivehalloffame.org or on our Facebook and Instagram pages. AHF Mission Statement: To honor and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals in the international motor vehicle industry through awards and educational programs that challenge young and old alike to higher levels of personal achievement. Jeff Slichta has joined NexCore Group as Chief Operating Officer of its seniors housing entity, Experience Senior Living. His focus on evaluating, creating and maintaining operational efficiencies and executive leadership will help standardize operating procedures to guarantee a consistent experience for residents, their families, team members, and investors throughout our portfolio. Denver-based NexCore Group, a national healthcare real estate (HRE) developer, today announced the hiring of seniors housing industry veteran, Jeff Slichta, as Chief Operating Officer of Experience Senior Living (ESL). Phill Barklow, ESL President, says the firm is excited to welcome Mr. Slichtas leadership and experience. Jeffs breadth of experience from over 20 years in the seniors housing industry will be a great asset to our growing team, Mr. Barklow states. His focus on evaluating, creating and maintaining operational efficiencies and executive leadership will help standardize operating procedures to guarantee a consistent experience for residents, their families, team members, and investors throughout our portfolio. Mr. Slichta has built a successful career in seniors housing operations. Most recently, Mr. Slichta served as Executive Vice President of Housing & Hospitality at Transforming Age, where he was responsible for systems and outcomes in the market rate housing vertical for the non-profit organization. Prior to that Mr. Slichta was Senior Vice President of Operations for Sunrise Senior Living, with operational oversight for five regions and 145 communities throughout 17 states and the Province of British Columbia. He has also served as Chief Operating Officer for both Era Living, LLC and Oakdale Heights Management Corporation. I look forward to becoming part of the Experience Senior Living leadership team, Mr. Slichta says. Their trajectory has been impressive and Im excited to help guide the company as it stretches the boundaries of traditional seniors housing to deliver extraordinary experiences within the communities. Mr. Slichta holds a B.A. in Economics from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY and a Master of Public Administration in Health Services from Brigham Young University. About NexCore Group LLC NexCore Group is a national healthcare real estate investment and development company that focuses on acquiring, developing, owning, and managing healthcare facilities including medical office buildings, wellness facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, single and multi-specialty physician buildings, life sciences facilities, seniors housing communities and transitional rehabilitation centers. NexCore partners with top healthcare systems, hospitals, physician groups, and assisted living, memory care and post-acute care operators, and reputable institutional and high net worth investors to develop, acquire and own high quality assets that serve their communities through significant job creation and the provision of quality healthcare services. NexCore is unique in the healthcare development field, specifically with a regard to a singular focus on project strategy and planning. Since 2004, the NexCore team has completed $4.7 billion in healthcare real estate transactions throughout 29 states, developed and acquired over 14.3 million square feet of healthcare properties across the country and currently manages over $2.9 billion of healthcare facilities spanning 7.3 million square feet. The company has been recognized repeatedly as one of the Top Healthcare Real Estate Developers in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare and HREI. NexCore is headquartered in Denver, with regional offices in Bethesda, Md.; Charlotte N.C.; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix; and Seattle. For more information, please visit NexCoreGroup.com. About Experience Senior Living LLC Experience Senior Living is a full service, vertically integrated owner-operator of active adult, independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities. We are reimaging seniors housing based on our extensive experience serving in a variety of areas, implementing strategic, operational, and human objectives. We translate those experiences to create new and inspiring models of care, focused on hospitality, which are responsive to residents needs, centered around holistic wellness and engagement with a broader community. Experience drives everything we do, and our team of dynamic professionals are fueled by their passion to empower individuals to live a full and well life now and as they grow older. Experience Senior Living is based in Denver, with communities either active or under development in six states: Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington. For more information, please visit http://www.experiencesrliving.com. The new Clean Water Machine instantly filters 77 contaminants at the push of a button, including lead, PFOA/PFOS, asbestos, microplastics, pharmaceuticals and more no installation required. Not only is the new Aquasana Clean Water Machine five times faster with 7.5 times more filtration capacity than the leading pitcher filter, its also powerful enough to tackle serious contaminants that pose health risks, including lead and PFOA/PFOS. Aquasana, a leading maker of high-performance water filters for the home, is once again revolutionizing water filtration with its all-new Clean Water Machine, the first powered countertop water filter to combine a sleek, compact, and no-install design with four different methods of advanced filtration technology. The new Scandinavian-designed Clean Water Machine uses electricity to instantly filter 77 contaminants from tap water, including lead, PFOA/PFOS, asbestos, microplastics, pharmaceuticals and more no installation required. Simply plug it in and push a button to remove 15 times more contaminants than the leading pitcher filter, five times faster, without having to wait for the dreaded pitcher drip. The new Aquasana Clean Water Machine works anywhere there is an outlet to instantly transform tap water into extraordinary water wherever you need it, from the kitchen, dining and guest rooms to a home office or college dorm. Designed to save counter space and energy for an overall smaller footprint, the compact new Clean Water Machine is eight times smaller than your standard countertop microwave and uses 95% less power. When you think of a countertop or pitcher filter, you typically imagine the antiquated, clunky and slow models were all familiar with, said Derek Mellencamp, General Manager of Aquasana. We wanted to create a modern solution that delivers both style and substance for superior filtration. Not only is our new Clean Water Machine five times faster with 7.5 times more filtration capacity than the leading pitcher filter, its also powerful enough to tackle serious contaminants that pose health risks, including lead and PFOA/PFOS. That is simply not achievable with the traditional gravity-based pitcher filters on the market. Available nationwide starting at $199.99, Aquasanas all-new Clean Water Machine fills an 8 oz glass with clean, healthy water in under eight seconds. It is small enough to keep on the countertop, yet powerful enough to deliver great-tasting water in a fraction of the time it takes a pitcher filter. Unlike traditional pitchers, which use gravity to slowly trickle water over granules, the Clean Water Machine uses pressure to quickly force unfiltered water through an ultra-dense block, resulting in filtration that is 400% faster than the leading pitcher filter. A significantly more economical and environmentally sustainable alternative to bottled water, each Clean Water Machine replaceable filter cartridge ($29.99/filter) lasts for 300 gallons or up to six months. That is 7.5 times the filtration capacity of the leading pitcher filter, and the equivalent of more than 2,200 plastic water bottles displaced from landfills and $500 saved per filter. For a healthier home and ultimate peace of mind, the new Clean Water Machine is tested and certified to NSF standards for the removal of up to 99.9% of 77 contaminants, including lead, the forever chemicals PFOA/PFOS, asbestos, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, mercury, chlorine, chloramines and more. Aquasanas patented Claryum selective filtration ensures maximum contaminant removal while retaining the beneficial, naturally occurring minerals in water, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, for optimal hydration. For every new Clean Water Machine that is purchased through the end of June, Aquasana will donate a Clean Water Machine to help Native American families living on tribal lands and reservations without access to clean drinking water. This is the third time in less than a year that Aquasana has partnered with Good360, the global leader in product philanthropy and purposeful giving, to help deliver clean drinking water to families in need. Aquasana worked with the nonprofit last summer to distribute 30,000 water filters, worth $1.5 million, to Native American families in honor of Augusts National Water Quality Month. A few months later, Aquasana also donated 47,600 of the companys reusable water filter bottles enough to provide 4 million gallons of clean drinking water, or the equivalent of nearly 30 million plastic bottles of water to help support families impacted by numerous natural disasters, including Hurricane Ida, wildfires, flooding, the Haiti earthquake, refugee resettlement and more. Visit Aquasana.com to purchase the all-new Clean Water Machine and give the gift of clean drinking water to Native American families in need. About Aquasana Aquasana, an A. O. Smith Corporation company (NYSE-AOS), is dedicated to improving the overall health and wellness of every home by delivering clean, healthy and great-tasting water through its best-in-class water filtration systems. Aquasanas family of award-winning premium water filters including whole-house filtration systems, shower filters, under sink and countertop filters, reverse osmosis systems and portable filter bottles provide easy and immediate access to healthy water at home and on the go. http://www.aquasana.com Agri-Investment Services Our team of specialized real estate brokers are educated and experienced in the sale of farm and ranch real estate and equipped to guide clients through large, complex transactions. Agri-Investment Services is now licensed to represent clients in Idaho. A natural resources real estate brokerage, Agri-Investment Services negotiates the sale of farm, forest, livestock, ranch, recreational and rural estates throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Brett Veatch, Agri-Investment Service's Regional Director, states: "Our team of specialized real estate brokers are educated and experienced in the sale of farm and ranch real estate and equipped to guide clients through large, complex transactions." With access to eight multiple listing services throughout the Northwest, Agri-Investment Services can provide accurate data to both buyers and sellers. Backed by an international real estate brokerage, Veatch conveys: " Our size allows robust marketing that places the property in front of the RIGHT people. With 33 offices in in the Northwest we offer a significant advantage over smaller, unspecialized brokerages. We don't try to be everything to everyone, as some brokers do". As a full-spectrum real estate marketing organization, Agri-Investment Services leverages big-data and digital marketing to realize the most value from each asset. Veatch says: " It is a function of knowing how and where to market unique properties. We represent these throughout the region and understand how to attract and work with the upper-end buyers that purchase these assets. Like many things in life, it isn't just having the tools available - we recognize how and when to utilize them". Agri-Investment Services has spent years developing strong relationships with industry partners, professionals and clientele. As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway network, Agri-Investment Services has an extensive local, national and global reach. Berkshire Hathaway is one of the most recognized names in business and a leading international real estate brokerage. With offices throughout the world, Agri-Investment Services provides best-in-class marketing, international exposure and access to the type of buyers and capital markets that few others can match. With over 33 offices throughout the Northwest alone, we are perfectly positioned to serve our clients needs and exceed their expectations. For information on farm and ranch real estate in Oregon, Washington & Idaho, please visit: https://agriinvestmentservices.com/ Inquiries may be made to Brett Veatch, Regional Director at 503.708.4663 or you may email us at info@agisg.com Appcast, the global leader in programmatic recruitment advertising technology and services, today announced the appointment of Kristi Sampson as senior vice president (SVP) of people. Appcast created this new executive-level position to support its rapidly expanding workforce and drive the next level of growth while maintaining and strengthening the companys unique corporate culture. In this new role, Sampson will lead and oversee Appcasts entire HR operations, ensuring optimal performance that best serves its employees and customers. She will also be responsible for driving the evolution of Appcasts company culture to help support its growth goals, leading the way to reach new milestones. Last year, Appcast nearly doubled in size, and this new role will ensure our company grows in a thoughtful way that puts our people first and allows our unique corporate culture to flourish, said Chris Forman, founder and CEO of Appcast. Kristi is an accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in organizational and talent development and employee relations, and we are honored she joined our executive team. Sampson brings more than 16 years of HR leadership experience to Appcast. Most recently, she served as senior director, HR business partner at C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest grocery wholesaler and one of the 10 largest privately held companies in the U.S. During her 16-year career at the company, Sampson led numerous critical HR initiatives through many acquisitions, driving profitable growth along with building and leading integration plans. She also played a key role in orchestrating a comprehensive transformation of C&S Wholesale Grocers HR model, improving partnerships, talent development and service delivery while reducing costs. I am thrilled to join Appcast and look forward to aligning HRs efforts to Appcasts overall strategic goals, supporting business growth and expanding development opportunities for the companys talented workforce, said Sampson. Im passionate about working with leadership teams to identify, develop and reward top talent. Appcast has an amazing team of individuals, and I look forward to providing ample opportunities for growth and development. About Appcast Appcast is the global leader in programmatic recruitment advertising technology and services. With advanced technology, unmatched market data and a team of the industrys best recruitment marketers, Appcasts technology and services manage job advertising annually on behalf of more than 1,500 clients. Headquartered in Lebanon, N.H. with offices in Boston, Mass. and New Brunswick, Canada, Appcast is a subsidiary of StepStone, a leading digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. To learn more, visit http://www.appcast.io and follow on Twitter @appcast_io. Benchmark Wine Group, the leading source of fine and rare wine for wine retailers, restaurants and collectors worldwide, is announcing its expansion to the East Coast with the opening of its Washington, D.C. affiliate, Benchmark Wine & Spirits. With its primary facility located in Napa, California, Benchmark Wines expanded footprint through this new affiliate solidifies its position as the nations leading source of rare and vintage-aged wine. It also provides them entree into the rapidly growing rare spirits market. Given the caliber and broad selection of the rare wine we source and sell, theres been enhanced demand for our products and purchase services in the eastern part of the country from private individuals and professional contacts, said David Parker, CEO of Benchmark Wine. With a new presence in this key region, we are excited to directly cater to the growing demand for perfectly aged and stored rare wine and spirits. Like the Napa facility, the new one in Washington, D.C. will directly import the best products from top wine and spirits producers and brokers in Europe. It will also act as a major buyer of perfectly stored private wine and, now, spirits collections. With the same access to information that makes Benchmark Wine Group the top market maker in rare wine, Benchmark Wine & Spirits will also utilize the immense rare spirits valuation capability of the Spirits Market Journal to make top-of-the-market, immediate buy offers for the best rare spirits and trade them at market leading prices. The new D.C. facility will offer the same degree of white-glove service that customers have come to expect from Benchmark Wine Group. Operating on both coasts will also allow Benchmark Wine to offer reduced shipping rates and more shipping options to customers. For interested parties outside of the greater D.C. or Napa areas, products within the Benchmark Wine portfolio are viewable and available for purchase 24 hours a day via its virtual online cellar at https://www.benchmarkwine.com. ### About Benchmark Wine Established in 2002, Benchmark Wine Group is the leading source of fine and rare wine for wine retailers, restaurants and collectors around the world. Based in Napa Valley, they acquire the most sought-after wines from private individuals and professional contacts and are the largest rare wine reseller in the country. Additional products, including rare spirits, will be transacted on the east coast by their new affiliate doing business as Benchmark Wine & Spirits. California Casualty Awards 2022 Washington Green Ribbon Schools We are grateful to California Casualty for their longstanding support of environmental and sustainability education. California Casualty, Sponsor of the Washington Green Ribbon Schools program, provides $5,000 to Washington states U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED GRS) honorees each year. The 2022 Washington Green Ribbon Schools receiving California Casualty grants are La Center High School in La Center, WA and Bellingham Public Schools in Bellingham, WA. They are among 27 schools, five districts, and four postsecondary institutions from 19 states across the nation being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education. La Center High Schools (LCHS) environmental studies class (ESC), which is a multidisciplinary integrated CTE-natural resources class, and the Environmental Action Team (EAT) have been leading efforts on environmental sustainability and stewardship since 2008. Today, student-led projects, facilitated by staff and outside partners, continue to be a cornerstone of their green programs. The LCHS application for U.S. Department of Education for 2022 Green Ribbon Schools consideration is available here. Bellingham Public Schools (BPS) is part of Puget Sound Energys Commercial Strategic Energy Management program, tracks utility use in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and has transitioned nearly all facilities to direct digital controls. BPS schools are now built to solar-ready standards, all sites offer food scrap composting, and many utilize water-saving systems. The BPS application for U.S. Department of Education for 2022 Green Ribbon Schools consideration is available here. California Casualty Assistant Vice President Brian Goodman and Sr. Field Marketing Manager Erica Reich will celebrate with La Center High School while Account Relations Manager, Michelle Hawkins, will celebrate the honor with Bellingham Public Schools. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Environment and Sustainability Education Program Supervisor, Elizabeth Schmitz, will attend both presentations. Schmitz shares, We are grateful to California Casualty for their longstanding support of environmental and sustainability education. The grants they give in support of ongoing environmental education and project-based learning make a big impact for educators and students far beyond the initial award. About U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools and Green Strides Created in 2011, the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) award encourages state education, health, and environment authorities, stakeholders, and school communities to consider matters of facilities, health and environment comprehensively, strengthening the critical collaborations that ensure all of our nation's schools are healthier, safer, and more sustainable. About California Casualty Founded in 1914, California Casualty has been providing educators trusted auto and home insurance since 1951. As the endorsed benefit partner for NEA Member Benefits in Washington since 2001, California Casualty offers members exceptional rates, waived deductibles for vandalism or collisions to your vehicle parked at school, holiday or summer skip payment options and free Identity Defense protection. Learn how to save by getting a quote at http://www.calcas.com, or by calling 1.800.800.9410. To register for the iaedp 2022 Virtual Symposium, visit https://iaedp.site-ym.com/event/2022VirtualSymposium. For additional information about the iaedp Symposium 2022, visit iaedp.com (iaedp.com). Even as the 2022 iaedp Symposium runs virtually on demand through June 30, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (iaedp) announces a Call for Proposals for its 2023 annual Symposium slated for an in-person conference during February 16-19, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California. The 2023 Call for Proposals will close on June 30, 2022. Click here for proposal submission information: https://iaedp.confex.com/iaedp/2023/cfp.cgi . The iaedp Foundation is pursuing abstracts on inventive treatment modalities for the many phases of the journey for those with eating disorders -- from denial and resistance to treatment and ultimately recovery. The 2022 iaedp Virtual Symposium is now on demand 24/7 with the opportunity for participants to earn up to 40 Continuing Education/Continuing Medical Education (CE/CME) Units. Registration is still available all produced and presented by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals, provider of educational programs and training standards for eating disorder specialists and other healthcare professionals caring for those suffering from the full spectrum of disordered eating. To register for the iaedp 2022 Virtual Symposium, visit https://iaedp.site-ym.com/event/2022VirtualSymposium. For additional information about the iaedp Symposium 2022, visit iaedp.com (iaedp.com). All 2022 Virtual Symposium sessions are approved through CME, APA, NBCC, CDR, ASWB, NYSW, NYMFT, and NYPSY and CEC/CEP (Canada). Full CE/CME information can be found at https://iaedp.site-ym.com/page/2022CE . The full program schedule for the 2022 Virtual Symposium is here: https://iaedp.confex.com/iaedp/2022/meetingapp.cgi . The 2022 iaedp Virtual Symposium kicked-off on April 1 with Core Courses, five keynote speaker headline presentations, Spanish-only presentations and scores of other presentations and workshops and a robust exhibit hall. Unlike the live Symposiums at iaedp, participants can view every one of the 2022 Virtual Symposium sessions with the on-demand accessibility. Attendees also have the opportunity to participate in live networking sessions with exhibitors throughout the week and participate in virtual games with prizes. The iaedp Virtual Symposium 2022 pricing information follows: Full Symposium Registration: $550 regardless of membership type or status Full Symposium Registration with Core Courses: $800 regardless of membership type or status Core Courses Only - No Symposium Registration: $375 regardless of membership type or status To register for the iaedp 2022 Virtual Symposium, visit https://iaedp.site-ym.com/event/2022VirtualSymposium. For additional information about the iaedp Symposium 2022, visit iaedp.com (iaedp.com). About the iaedp Foundation: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions. MemberSHARE.iaedp.com is an iaedp business journal and online member resource to learn about noteworthy member achievements, continuing education webinars and U.S. and international chapter activity and events; for more information, visit MemberSHARE. More information about all aspects of iaedp at iaedp.com. Los Angeles-based Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling Inc. provides labels and tags for clothing manufacturers and more nationwide. Ehen brands take a stand, its crucial that they reach out to their sympathetic clientele. A May 13 article on Glossy Pop reports on the impact the recent leak of a draft Supreme Court decision overturning the historic Roe v. Wade decision has had on brands in the fashion industry. While brands that were contacted acknowledged the possibility that dealing with the hot-button issue risked alienating some consumers, many proprietors felt they needed to take a stand as largely women-run brands catering to largely female consumers. Los Angeles-based clothing label specialists Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling say that, when brands take a stand, its crucial that they reach out to their sympathetic clientele. Labels and tags offer brands that take up social causes the chance to remind sympathetic consumers of their stance in ways that may be explicit or more subtle, says Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling. A well-made tag can go into detail about a brands commitment and explain exactly what the brand may be doing to help the cause. Companies who wish to be more strategic, on the other hand, can create different versions of their products for different markets that may more specifically target individuals who live in urban areas where ideas may be better received. Other companies may prefer a very subtle message that may still draw the notice of like-minded consumers while being less likely to create a negative attitude in people who may not completely agree. Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling notes that, for companies who want consumers to understand everything about a product, hangtags, and memorable fabric labels can make an outstanding combination. The tags have room for eye-catching artwork and detailed information that can form strong bonds with fashion-conscious customers. Once a purchase has been made and the customer starts to wear the product, a beautifully crafted label can enhance their appreciation of the item as well as their pride in wearing it, making repeat purchases just that more likely. All labels are made to be as comfortable as possible so that consumers should never be motivated to remove a tag, says the firm. Of course, clothing makers need to have their materials in hand when they need them. Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling notes that its teams commitment to outstanding customer service is unparalleled. Companies who partner with the firm can depend on getting what they need when they need it. Readers can find more info on Hi-Tech Printing & Labeling Inc. by visiting their website at https://www.fabriclabels.com/ or calling (213) 746-7772. ConnectALL LLC, a leading provider of value stream management (VSM) solutions, today announced it has appointed noted BPM, PLM, PPM and Professional Services expert Charles Scot Garrison to the position of SVP Operations and Customer Success effective May 2022. In this capacity, Garrison will work alongside the President & COO Lance Knight, focused on playing a key role in driving customer goals, product utilization, business transformation and revenue expansion by ensuring the engagement, success, retention and growth of ConnectALL's customers. He will also help advance the companys value stream management initiatives, identifying and pursuing new strategic market opportunities and accelerating ConnectALLs already impressive growth. Hell be responsible for bringing his strategic vision and innovative approach to lead critical customer-facing teams at ConnectALL. Scots induction into the team comes at a crucial turning point for our business when we are expanding our value stream management product, solution and services across domains, business verticals and industries, said Lance Knight, ConnectALLs President & COO. Ive known and worked with Scot for almost two decades and his expertise in delivering strategic solutions to maintain and improve customer services and professional services, as well as his business acumen, is exceptional. This will be the third time I've worked with Scot and I know what the two of us can accomplish together is extraordinary, said Knight. Garrisons management career in the technical and SaaS space spans nearly three decades and includes extensive leadership in business process development and refactoring across multiple industries. Prior to joining ConnectALL, Garrison was the Global Operations Director and Head of Professional Services at Omnico Group. ConnectALL has made huge strides in setting itself apart as a leader in the VSM space, said Garrison. They have done so by turning it on its head, challenging thought leaders by drawing contrasts through their own team's real world experiences. I am excited to be part of this disruption and growth bringing my 25+ years of experience administering many of the tools and methods around VSM, which I gained while working in in the manufacturing and software sectors delivering products and services across a variety of industries, said Garrison. His core competencies include business process management, strategic planning and execution, strategic relationship management, product management, portfolio management, software and hardware development. Scot has extensively worked in the value stream management space, from his early exposure to Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing during his tenure within Gibarco-Veeder Root, a former Danaher company, to his time implementing these same principles while heading up the Professional Services teams at both Accept Software and Tasktop Technologies. Further rounding out his career journey in leadership roles, he was tasked with organizational transformation at TSYS and CentralSquare Technologies. Knight and Garrison not only have a great working relationship, they were instrumental in strategically planning and executing advanced VSM practices at Accept and Tasktop, where both were in leadership positions. They introduced the concept of how VSM is human from those days, over a decade ago. I am excited to take responsibility in driving the success of ConnectALLs evolution on the Operations side building out our customer success competency. It is imperative that we create a customer journey that empowers our clients with the knowledge, skills and tools to become VSM evangelists and experts driving their own transformations. We will accomplish this through effortless deployments, continuous education and a Customer Success team dedicated to the constant care and feeding of our clients' needs, said Garrison. ABOUT CONNECTALL LLC ConnectALL is a value stream management company dedicated to helping customers achieve higher levels of agility, traceability, predictability and velocity. ConnectALLs services and solutions help organizations to connect people, processes and technology across the software development and delivery value stream, enabling companies to align digital initiatives to business outcomes and improve the speed at which they deliver software. ConnectALLs value stream management solutions and services allow companies to see, measure and automate their software delivery value streams. ConnectALL has been recognized as "Best in Show" in the Value Stream Management category of the 2019, 2020, 2021 SD Times 100 and recognized by numerous third-party analyst firms as a key player in value stream management. Visit us at [https://www.connectall.com. Tuttle Royale It has been an intense period of discussions since we engaged in the deal in April, closing in less than a month with many moving parts. Mr. Tuttle and his team have worked expeditiously with our team to get to a quick closing said Bjarne Borg, CEO and Executive Chairman of Index Investment group Custos Funding, an affiliate of Index Investment Group have closed on a $28 Million land to construction bridge loan to Tuttle Royale Apartments. Bjarne Borg of Index Investment Group and Brian Tuttle negotiated the loan to commence development of the next phase of Tuttle Royales project Tuttle Royale Apartments in Royal Palm Beach. Kerr Law Group was the legal advisor to Custos Funding, Ward Damon represented Tuttle and Verdex Construction will act as the general contractor. A 390-unit apartment complex within the Tuttle Royale site has already been completed and is 99% occupied. This loan will commence the next step of the project for another 400 rental apartments and thereafter creating a CityPlace for the western communities following a final plat approval from the village of Royal Palm Beach for the 200-acre property in March. The apartment project is anticipating breaking ground this summer and later on a commercial center with 400 apartments, 100-150 single-family homes, a regional park, and an up to 1,500-student K-12 school. Site work will commence shortly after closing. It has been an intense period of discussions since we first engaged in the deal in April with closing less than a month after issuing the indicative term sheet. This was not a plain vanilla deal as it had many moving parts, but Brian Tuttle and his team have worked expeditiously and efficient together with our team to get this to a quick closing said Bjarne Borg, CEO and Executive Chairman of Index Investment group. We are excited to move ahead with executing on this extensive master planned development. Working with Bjarne Borg and the Custos/Index team has been a pleasure and has proven to be a significant milestone in making Tuttle Royale a reality said Brian Tuttle CEO and Owner of Tuttle Royale. Tuttle Royale is a privately-owned family company with almost 20 years of impressive experience in real estate investment. Our company searches the markets in central and south Florida for tracts of raw, undeveloped land in various stages of development to purchase. In addition, we acquire tracts of distressed land for example; environmental issues, challenging rezoning issues, difficult sellers, wetland issues or small and fragmented pieces. Custos Funding is the lending arm within Index Investment Group that focuses on complex financing projects with quick turnaround times. The real estate arm of Index Investment Group has made numerous significant investments in industrial/logistics facilities and multi-family rental communities along the East Coast of the United States. The Jupiter-based real estate investment company has ongoing and completed twenty-five developments throughout North America since 2011, including nearly 3 million square feet of commercial-industrial opportunities in the Upstate New York market. About Index Investment Group Index Investment Group is a dynamic real estate investment group based in Jupiter, Florida that has major investment initiatives throughout North America including apartment communities, industrial/logistics, office, hospitality, and senior living communities. Index Investment Group develops intelligently designed properties throughout the East Coast of United States with a focus on Florida and contributes to the community through valuable and meaningful investments. For more information about Index Investment Group, visit http://www.indexinvest.com. Zacchaeus Come Down!: an articulate discussion of scripture for young believers. Zacchaeus Come Down! is the creation of published author, David Ajeigbe, a dedicated husband, a loving father to three grown men, and a realtor who retired from active nursing after over forty years in the healthcare field. Ajeigbe shares, The Jewish people were under Roman rule after being conquered in several wars. The Jewish people were burdened by several forms of taxation. Although the Jewish people did not like several taxes levied on them by their conqueror, they did not have any choice but to pay them reluctantly. There were some Jewish citizens who were working for the Romans to collect taxes from their brethren and submit them to the Romans. Those Jewish citizens (tax collectors) were collecting more taxes than they were turning over to the Roman government. As a result, they got very rich financially and held important political status with the Roman government. Therefore, the Jewish people hated the tax collectors. Zacchaeus was one of the richest tax collectors, and for that reason, the Jewish people hated him so much to the point that he did not feel free to mix together with the people of his society. None of the Jews wanted to associate or do anything with him; he was isolated with no friends. Zacchaeus heard about Jesus, and he was curious of what might happen if he could have a meeting with Jesus. He felt that Jesus might understand his plight, forgive him, and turn him to the right course. However, he realized that he was a man of small stature and it would be impossible for him to see Jesus amid the crowd. Zacchaeus was resourceful, and he went ahead of the crowd to climb a sycamore tree which was divinely placed by the side of the road where Jesus was to pass. Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree without being sure how Jesus would respond to him. He had the faith that Jesus would accept him. When Jesus came to the sycamore tree, He called Zacchaeus to come down. The call to come down was an indication to Zacchaeus that Jesus knew his plight, that He knew his sins and his loneliness. Jesus wanted Zacchaeus to come down from the sycamore tree and leave all his worries and sins behind because He had forgiven him. Jesus was accused by the Pharisees and the scribes for being a friend to Zacchaeus. However, Jesus declared that He came to the world to save sinners like Zacchaeus. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, David Ajeigbes new book offers readers a comprehensive look into the life of Zacchaeus. Ajeigbes passion for education is apparent within the pages of this thoughtful resource for independent spiritual study. Consumers can purchase Zacchaeus Come Down! at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Zacchaeus Come Down!, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. "We are extremely proud of her and this impressive accomplishment. And we are fortunate to call her an ally here at DCA. said Dr. Barry Lyon Dental Care Alliance (DCA) is proud to announce that Dr. Kristine Oladipo has received the 2021 Richard C. Pugh Achievement Award. This prestigious award honors the top three percent of scores on the 2021 Qualifying Examination (QE). The award is named for Dr. Richard Pugh, who was the American Board of Pediatric Dentistrys Educational Measurement Consultant for 21 years and retired in 1991. Dr. Oladipo is one of 21 doctors who excelled in the 2021 Qualifying Exam. Dr. Oladipo will receive the award at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistrys Annual Conference, May 26 29, 2022. Dr. Oladipo achieved her undergraduate degree in Biology at Temple University followed by her graduate degree in Biological Science at Towson University. She graduated with her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Maryland. After that, she completed a residency in the pediatric dentistry program at NYU Langone Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry. Throughout her education, Dr. Oladipo demonstrated excellence in her classes, while also holding numerous leadership positions. Dr. Oladipo is a current member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Maryland Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, and Student National Dental Association, and she treats patients at DCA affiliated practice Main Street Childrens Dentistry and Orthodontics of Glen Burnie, MD. Finding doctors who excel in strong residency programs is of paramount importance, commented Dr. Barry Lyon, Dental Director for DCA affiliated orthodontics and pediatrics offices in Maryland. After meeting Dr. Oladipo, I immediately knew she would be a terrific addition to the two very strong pediatric dentists currently practicing in the Main Street Glen Burnie office. We are extremely proud of her and this impressive accomplishment. And we are fortunate to call her an ally here at DCA. Dental Care Alliances mission is to advance the practice of dentistry by partnering with and supporting dental professionals to create a lifetime of healthy smiles. DCA currently supports over 370 allied practices with more than 775 dentists across 21 states. DCAs allied practices represent all dental specialties and treat patients under more than 140 brand names. Our report found that demand for foreign talent is at an all-time high in the wake of a severe labor shortage and record quit rates among employees as organizations battle the Great Resignation." Envoy Global, the technology leader that combines access to top legal talent with industry leading technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the global immigration process, today announced the findings from its Sixth Annual Immigration Trends Report. The report surveyed over 300 human resources (HR) professionals across the U.S to establish the broader need for foreign talent, the regulatory obstacles that stand in the way, and how employers are handling the constricting access to foreign talent along with other pressing challenges. Our report found that demand for foreign talent is at an all-time high in the wake of a severe labor shortage and record quit rates among employees as organizations battle the Great Resignation. Yet, the flow of accessible foreign talent to the U.S. remains obstructed by enduring regulatory barriers imposed by the federal government, said Richard Burke, CEO Envoy Global. With the yearly allotment of H-1B visas capped, nearly 400,000 foreign nationals will be unable to secure visas to work for companies in need of specialized skills. We released this years report with the hopes that it will allow HR managers, talent acquisition teams, CHROs and CEOs alike to benchmark and strengthen their immigration and mobility strategies. Some of the top findings and trends from the report include: Amid the U.S labor shortage, demand for foreign talent continues to increase but access remains low. - The report indicates that hiring foreign talent is crucial for employers overall talent acquisition strategies. Fifty-five percent of respondents said sourcing foreign talent is very important (36%) or extremely important (19%) to meeting goals for recruitment. Additionally, a substantial majority of respondents (73%) listed U.S-based universities as a primary (37%) or secondary (36%) recruiting source for foreign talent. 40% of respondents expect to become even more reliant on universities and exchange programs through F-1 and J-1 visas in the next year. - Despite the clear need for foreign talent, the supply coming to the U.S. continues to trend downwards as the issuance of student F-1 visas gradually decreases. According to the U.S State Department, about 644,000 foreign students were issued F-1 visas in 2015, but only about 358,000 visas were issued in 2021. Because foreign graduates with F-1 stats are eligible for up to one to three years of employment eligibility through OPT and STEM OPT programs, this decrease - combined with a deceleration of overall U.S. immigration - presents a lot of concerns for employers already stifled by the H-1B visa caps and excessive backlog for employment-based green cards. Theres greater approval of the current administrations handling of employment-based immigration, but dissatisfaction with current processes. - U.S employers are largely in support of the Biden administrations handling of employment-based immigration; 70% of respondents stating approval and just 23% stating disapproval. While the general administrative approval is high, employers remain dissatisfied with the federal agencies in charge of employment-based immigration. Ninety five percent of respondents indicated that quicker processing from USCIS is important, with 80% selecting very or extremely important. Ninety-four percent of respondents want more transparency during the application and approval process; 75% selecting very or extremely important. And 94% of respondents said that further digitization of the immigration process is important; 75% saying its very or extremely important. - Year-over-year, respondents indicate a strong preference for the H-1B electronic registration system compared to the prior method of submission. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they prefer the new electronic system. Moreover, 40% said the electronic registration system made the H-1B cap process simpler and 25% said it saved the company money. Employers are looking outward to mitigate foreign talent recruitment and retention. - Frustration with the inefficiency and unreliability of the U.S immigration system has been increasing and employers are looking outward to bypass regulatory barriers by relocating foreign talent to more immigration-friendly destinations abroad such as Canada, Mexico, and the U.K. Seventy-one percent of HR professionals surveyed said they pursued at least one, if not multiple, strategies to retain employees who have been unable to secure work authorizations by moving them to other countries. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they view Canadas immigration policy to be more favorable than the U.S, citing shorter processing times and ease of application process most frequently. To access the full report, please click here. For more information on Envoy Global visit: http://www.envoyglobal.com. ### About Envoy Global Founded in 1998, Envoy Global is a global immigration services provider offering the only immigration management platform that makes it seamless for companies to hire and manage an international workforce. By combining expert legal representationfor both inbound and non-U.S. immigrationand proprietary technology, Envoy empowers companies to acquire the best talent regardless of where they live, while simultaneously managing their entire global workforce and enabling employees to take advantage of business opportunities around the globe. Envoy is affiliated with two law firms, Global Immigration Associates, P.C. (GIA), who provide immigration legal services to companies, and Corporate Immigration Partners (CIP), an elite group of immigration attorneys and legal professionals who provide personalized immigration services to companies. Website, technology platform and administrative services are provided by Envoy Global Inc., a Delaware corporation. Legal services are provided by Envoy-affiliated attorneys. Please visit envoyglobal.com for more information or if interested in exploring an affiliation with Envoy. Since launch, Fairs social impact initiatives have been focused on supporting the refugee crisis. The team and I are thrilled to be bringing this fundraising initiative with USA for UNHCR to fruition," said Fair Founder & CEO Khalid Parekh. Today, Fair is announcing the launch of an exciting new partnership with USA for UNHCR to raise much-needed funds for refugees. The program will raise funds in multiple ways. When new customers open and fund a Fair Wealth Building Account (WBA) using this link between now and World Refugee Day on June 20, 2022: Fair will make a $50 donation to USA for UNHCR Fair will match 1% of each new members annual WBA balance with a donation to USA for UNHCR each month that the account remains funded Since launch, Fairs social impact initiatives have been focused on supporting the refugee crisis. The team and I are thrilled to be bringing this fundraising initiative with USA for UNHCR to fruition. Were excited to see the impact that USA for UNHCR will have in serving refuges as a result of this partnership, said Fair Founder & CEO Khalid Parekh. Fair is forging a new path in how a purpose-built financial service can provide a more transparent banking experience for its customers while committing to supporting important issues such as the global refugee crisis. With more than 84 million people forced to flee war, violence and persecution globally, Fairs commitment to refugees will not only help raise critical funds to address emergency and long term needs but also shows refugees that there is a committed global community standing with them on every step of their journey, stated Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR. We know this program will make a real difference. To learn more about this new partnership, visit https://www.bankwithfair.com/lp/usa-for-unhcr ABOUT USA FOR UNHCR USA for UNHCR protects refugees and empowers them with hope and opportunity. Supporting UNHCR the UN Refugee Agency and its partners, we provide lifesaving essentials including shelter, water, food, safety and protection. Around the world, we help refugees survive, recover and build a better future. Established by concerned American citizens, USA for UNHCR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit http://www.UNrefugees.org ABOUT FAIR Fair is an ethical, socially responsible neobank and digital financial services platform that eliminates fees that can prevent financial freedom and savings opportunities. Dedicated to values that place people over profit, Fair practices socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing. Fair also donates 2.5% of its profits to global refugee causes and racial economic empowerment initiatives. Fair banking services are provided by Coastal Community Bank, member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply and can be found at bankwithfair.com. Connect with @bankwithfair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. According to BankRate, most savings accounts still earn far less than 1% APY. But money put into a Fair Wealth Building Account will earn up to 4% APY, meaning investments will grow faster. Plus, Fairs 4% return is not limited to a certain balance amount. Fairs SIPC-insured Wealth Building Accounts are liquid and not locked in for any period of time. Those with a balance in their accounts will continue to earn dividends and can withdraw it at any time. Opening a Fair account can be completed with a social security number or a government-issued ID, such as a valid passport or driver's license. Membership enrollment is available at bankwithfair.com, and the FairPay mobile app can be downloaded in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Disclaimers: Investment and lending products are provided by Fair Invest, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Custodial and brokerage services are provided by Apex Clearing Corporation, a member of the New York Stock Exchange (http://www.nyse.com), FINRA (http://www.finra.org) and SIPC (http://www.sipc.org). *International money transfers available to 9 countries with more being added throughout 2022. Details at https://www.bankwithfair.com/membership/international-money-transfers Please note that these products are: Around the year 2000, Klaus Petrat had a minor near death experience but as short and sharp as it was, it was as inexplicable. The cymbal like, crystal clear voice in his head echoed a single word, September. This really was the trigger, which pushed him on a six-year journey to make sense of the short experience, share his thoughts and research with others. The Process: No escape, no hope, no dying (published by Balboa Press AU) is a fast-paced drama, combining the latest research in quantum physics and neuroscience, to prove the survival of consciousness after death. It tells the story of Paul Stoddard who, following a near-death experience, vows to provide evidence that there is life after death and that the brain is capable of so much more than one knows. When credible research is used to tell a story which is compelling and possibly true, packaged into an action thriller, it should make a lot of people think about what is and what isn't, Petrat says. He adds, I underwent a small but significant near-death experience, which took me directly to the subject of this book. I understood that there is much more to life than we assume. If life is given to us once, who can say confidently, that it won't happen a second, third time etc.? When asked what he wants readers to take away from the book, Petrat answers, Thinking about their own lives and what is truly important to experience in their lifetimes. Perhaps, how we deal with our fellow humans we cross paths with, perhaps the importance of family, security, peace over greed, amassing wealth to a point where it becomes meaningless. For more details about the book, please visit https://www.balboapress.com/en-au/bookstore/bookdetails/830245-the-process The Process: No escape, no hope, no dying By Klaus Petrat Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5in | 402 pages | ISBN 9781982293819 E-Book | 402 pages | ISBN 9781982293802 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Klaus Petrat was born in the now vanished German Democratic Republic. His parents escaped the communist regime to allow him to grow up in the free Western part of Germany. After finishing his studies with a masters degree in mechanical engineering, Petrat traveled the world to end up in Australia. Here he met his Australian wife Michelle and remained by her side to this day. Balboa Press Australia is a division of Hay House, Inc., a leading provider in publishing products that specialise in self-help and the mind, body and spirit genre. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the Author Solutions self-publishing model. For more information or to start publishing today, visit balboapress.com.au or call 1-800-844-925. The acquisition of Vertex Intelligence enables us to help medical device companies achieve True Quality through proactive decision support across the entire medical device product life-cycle. Greenlight Guru, pioneer of the only dedicated Medical Device Success Platform (MDSP), today announced its acquisition of Vertex Intelligence, a data science company that partners with organizations to develop custom artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions. As a part of Greenlight Guru, theyll look to leverage machine learning to improve the medical device industrys approach to all aspects of quality management. For decades, the medical device industry has been held back by treating quality management as a costly yet unavoidable business expense. A compliance mindset leaves companies in a reactive position, with Quality departments primary functions being to meet minimum regulatory requirements and reduce costs of noncompliance. The result is a reactive industry thats unable to embrace the proactive quality offered by modern technological solutions. There is still hope, though. Management consulting leader McKinsey and Company say that AI and ML solutions like the ones developed by Vertex enable MedTech companies to accelerate time to market, reduce quality assurance costs, and increase capacity and responsiveness of manufacturing and supply chains. The acquisition is a culmination of the two companys 3-year working relationship, with Vertex playing a significant role in Greenlight Gurus vision of making smart quality real. Founded in 2018 in Zionsville, Indiana by CEO Tyler Foxworthy and partners Ken Miller and Zach Cardwell, the Vertex team will form the foundation of Greenlight Gurus in-house data science department. Foxworthy, who begun making waves in the industry when he was accepted into IUPUIs math department at the young age of 15, says the feeling is akin to coming home. I have always maintained a passion for the life sciences sector, Foxworthy said. Were thrilled to be able to devote our undivided attention towards bringing the Greenlight Guru vision of True Quality to life. The acquisition also includes several groundbreaking patents that Foxworthy developed and submitted while working with former Greenlight Guru COO Jason McKibbin; the most notable was the first use of graph-based machine learning in the MedTech space, which Foxworthy was awarded by the US Patent Office in March of 2022. We cant achieve True Quality without AI, and this is our way of planting the stake in the ground, said Greenlight Guru CEO, David DeRam. Bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities in-house is the next logical step. The use of AI in quality management is an entirely greenfield problem, Foxworthy said. We couldnt be more excited to be at the forefront of AI innovation in the medical device industry. The acquisition of Vertex Intelligence enables us to help medical device companies achieve True Quality through proactive decision support across the entire medical device product life-cycle, said Greenlight Guru CMO, Nick Tippman. This acquisition follows the companys release of Halo, the worlds first AI and machine learning recommendation engine for medical device quality, including its first use cases as Halo for Change Management and Intelligent Document Management. This revolutionary product provides quality and product teams with recommendations of items impacted by a change order and the real-time visibility needed to discover, assess and manage the impact of a change. The acquisition and more will be announced at Greenlight Gurus inaugural True Quality 2022 conference, taking place in San Diego June 6-8, 2022. About Greenlight Guru Greenlight Guru is the only dedicated Medical Device Success Platform (MDSP) designed specifically for medical device companies. The platform helps companies bring safer products to market faster, simplifies FDA and ISO regulatory compliance and provides a single source of truth by connecting the management of all quality processes like CAPAs, risk, audits and more. Greenlight Gurus platform is used by thousands of organizations across the globe to push beyond baseline compliance and achieve True Quality for their medical devices. For more information, visit http://www.greenlight.guru. Media Contact Naomi Gollmer naomi.gollmer@greenlight.guru (419) 518-0067 Havis Launches Docking Stations for Panasonics New TOUGHBOOK 40 Laptop "We're offering a line of docking stations that can support the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 40's versatility and can be paired with it for years in diverse and demanding customer applications, said Brett Young, Havis National Sales Manager for Public Safety." Havis is pleased to launch a new line of docking stations supporting Panasonics new TOUGHBOOK 40 Laptop in Public Safety, Federal, Work Truck, and other rugged environments. The Havis DS-PAN-1500 docking station series is a TOUGHBOOK Certified Solution featuring standard and advanced port replication configurations. This light-weight and compact docking station with rounded edges ensure comfort and safety for end-users. Theres a great mix of innovation and familiar content in the DS-PAN-1500 series, said Steve Telesco, Chief Engineer at Havis. Its our first docking station with quad pass-through antenna connections to support 5G networks, and its available with multiple port replication options to meet any users needs. In addition, we continue to push the envelope with the mechanical design of our docking stations with both new materials and construction methods to provide safe, rugged products while reducing weight and adding innovative new features. Additional features include a spring-loaded connector with a retractable cover that ensures constant contact between the dock and the computer while providing increased protection to contact points. Access to the TOUGHBOOK 40s buttons and ports are retained while the device is docked for maximized productivity. A keyed lock comes standard with every dock to protect against theft, making this an ideal solution for mobile office workers. Docking station models are available with an optional quad pass-through antenna connection to support WiFi, GPS, and 4G/5G cellular signals. For ease of ordering, convenient bundles with LIND power supplies are offered, making it easy to outfit any fleet with a complete solution quickly. The TOUGHBOOK 40 is poised to continue Panasonics legacy of success with fully-rugged laptops, said Brett Young, Haviss National Sales Manager for Public Safety. Were offering a line of docking stations that can support its versatility and can be paired with it for years in diverse and demanding customer applications. ABOUT HAVIS Havis, Inc., is a privately held, ISO 9001 certified company that manufactures in-vehicle mobile office solutions for public safety, public works, government agencies, and mobile professionals. For more than 80 years, the Havis mission has been to increase mobile worker productivity with industry-leading products that are built to the highest safety and quality standards and are designed with comfort in mind. Havis is dedicated to responsible intellectual property management and fosters ongoing innovation. Its patent and trademark portfolio demonstrates a commitment to consistently researching and developing unique products and solutions for mobile industries around the world. Havis currently employs more than 300 people, with headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, and globally. For more information on Havis, please call 1-800-524-9900 or visit http://www.havis.com. New Venture Gear Industrial Campus PODS arrival helps to launch our critical expansion within this campus with the construction of a modern 250,000 SF logistical facility that will house the PODS space as well as an additional 150,000 SF tenancy opportunity for years to come. - Robert J. Trafford, OXG LLC Index Investment Group and OX GROUP have signed a 10-year, 60,800 SF (approx. 5,648 M2) build-to-suit warehouse space with PODS Enterprises, LLC at their New Venture Gear Industrial Campus in East Syracuse (Dewitt), NY with two five-year renewal options. A leader in the moving and storage industry, PODS offers flexible moving and storage container solutions for customers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. PODS has completed more than six million deliveries since its founding in 1998 and currently operates out of 12 Storage Centers in New York. This year, PODS will join PepsiCo on site alongside the new Rolling Frito-Lay Facility being built by the same property ownership. The historical industrial campus is today a significant food-grade facility. New Venture Gear Industrial Campus is a 109+ acre large-scale industrial, manufacturing, distribution and logistics facility that features over 1,703,000 SF (approx. 158,000 m2), CSX Intermodal Rail access, nearly 100 loading docks, on-site wastewater treatment plant, electrical substation with dual transmission lines at below market rates, and immediate frontage to I-90 and major highways. The campus is in the heart of the I-90/I-81 logistical corridor in East Syracuse. The ownership is now constructing a new, 250,000 SF building with 32 foot clear height ceilings, 40 foot column spacing, ESFR fire suppression, and plenty of additional loading docks. With PODS taking Suite 400, the ownership will now begin marketing the additional 150,000 SF suite within this new building, all for 2022 access. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue to grow with PODS in providing a build-to-suit facility to accommodate their expansion into the Centerstate New York Market. PODS will be joining a campus that is rooted in high quality, industry leading companies that provide long-term opportunity, employment, and stability to this vital campus. Their arrival helps to launch our critical expansion within this campus with the construction of a modern 250,000 SF logistical facility that will house the PODS space as well as an additional 150,000 SF tenancy opportunity for years to come. The complete transformation of this campus is being brought to full fruition, and we couldnt be both more proud or more excited to see it all coming together. - Robert J. Trafford, OXG LLC As PODS nationwide growth continues, this new Storage Center provides additional space that will allow us to better serve our customers throughout the region, said Daniel Knafo, Director of Real Estate. Index Investment Group and OX Group have been great partners and have worked alongside our teams to design this facility specifically for our operations. We look forward to the expanded space and capabilities this new location will provide. Index has made numerous significant investments in industrial/logistics facilities and multi-family rental communities along the East Coast of the United States. The Jupiter-based real estate investment company has ongoing and completed twenty-five developments throughout North America since 2011, including nearly 3 million square feet of commercial-industrial opportunities in this Upstate New York market. About Index Investment Group Index Investment Group is a dynamic real estate investment group based in Jupiter, Florida that has major investment initiatives throughout North America including apartment communities, industrial/logistics, office, hospitality, and senior living communities. Index Investment Group develops intelligently designed properties throughout the East Coast of United States with a focus on Florida and contributes to the community through valuable and meaningful investments. For more information about Index Investment Group, visit http://www.indexinvest.com. ### Gerald Clayton at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club "We are excited to have 6x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Jazz Pianist Gerald Clayton and his talented trio at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club for a memorable night of outstanding jazz music..." Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club Features 6x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Pianist & Composer GERALD CLAYTON and his Trio on Saturday June 4 at 7:30 P.M. The Gerald Clayton Trio includes GRAMMY Award Nominated Bassist VICENTE ARCHER and GRAMMY Award Nominated Drummer KENDRICK SCOTT. Gerald Clayton' s debut recording, 'Two Shade' earned a 2010 GRAMMY Award Nomination for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" for his arrangement of Cole Porter's "All of You." His composition "Battle Circle" featured on 'The New Song and Dance' received a GRAMMY Award Nomination for "Best Jazz Instrumental Composition" in 2011. In 2012 & 2013, Clayton earned GRAMMY Award Nominations for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album" for 'Bond: The Paris Sessions' and 'Life Forum', his second and third album releases. In 2021, Clayton received 2 GRAMMY Award Nominations for his album 'Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard' for "Best Jazz Instrumental Album" and "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" for his version of Bud Powell's song "Celia." "Clayton is showing all the signs of becoming one of the most significant young jazz artists to emerge in the Southland in recent years, remarked the LOS ANGELES TIMES Clayton is one of the most important pianists of his generation, stated JAZZ WEEKLY "Clayton's piano contributions, in their wild, free-spilling, lyrical aspiration, are consistently stunning," raves JAZZ TIMES. The Gerald Clayton Trio includes GRAMMY Award Nominated Bassist Vicente Archer who has been hailed as one of the most sought-out bassists of his generation. At the age of twenty, while still in college in Boston, he was picked up by acclaimed artists Donald Harrison and Eric Reed to tour. Soon after that he went on to work with a long list of luminaries including Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Jordan, and many more. The Gerald Clayton Trio also includes GRAMMY Award Nominated Drummer KENDRICK SCOTT who performed with the Terence Blanchard Quintet on the album A Tale of Gods Will (A Requiem for Katrina), which was nominated for 2 GRAMMY Awards in 2008. "We are excited to have 6x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Jazz Pianist Gerald Clayton and his talented trio at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club for a memorable night of outstanding jazz music," says Suzanne Bresette, Managing Director of Programming at Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club. Tickets for 6x-GRAMMY Award Nominated Pianist & Composer GERALD CLAYTON and his Trio at Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club on Saturday June 4 at 7:30 P.M. are available on the Ticketmaster. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Clubs 2022 Schedule of Shows currently includes 7 NEA Jazz Masters, 33 GRAMMY Award-Winning Artists, 32 Blues Music Award-Winners, and a comprehensive list of talented musicians with 450+ GRAMMY Award Nominations amongst them. Visit Jimmys Online Event Calendar for Jimmys Jazz & Blues Clubs 2022 Schedule of Shows. Subscribe to Jimmys Email Newsletter to stay informed on new jazz and blues artist announcements, tickets, special offers, Jimmys Sunday Jazz Brunch, and much more. ABOUT JIMMYS JAZZ & BLUES CLUB The mission of Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club is to provide guests a one-of-a-kind, world-class experience featuring serious jazz and blues music served with exceptional southern-inspired cuisine. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club features a spectacular and visually breathtaking environment engineered to deliver the highest quality acoustics while utilizing state-of-the-art production, sound and lighting technologies. Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club is located within a beautifully restored 1905 building at 135 Congress Street in the heart of historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For more information visit http://www.jimmysoncongress.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JimmysJazzBlues. PRIVATE EVENTS AT JIMMY'S JAZZ & BLUES CLUB An architecturally breathtaking center of arts and culture in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club offers a rare and spectacular venue to host important corporate functions, weddings, intimate or large-scale social gatherings, private parties, and memorable celebrations. The team at Jimmys Jazz & Blues Club has put their heart and soul into creating a spectacular full-service event space with new state-of-the-art production, sound & lighting technologies delivered with outstanding next-level culinary experiences. Our high-touch approach with professional and experienced event staff ensures that everything is tailored to exceed your expectations. To start a conversation about hosting your event at Jimmys Jazz and Blues Club, please call us at 888-603-5299, email us at events@jimmysoncongress.com, or fill out The Jimmy's Private Event Contact Form. Laynes Chicken Fingers, the Soon to be Famous fried chicken restaurant, is expanding to Pittsburgh with plans for five new locations across the city. Henry Wang, Principal of TMD Holdings and 3E Group, has joined forces with Erik Mansmann, Director of Operations at 3E Franchise, to bring the brand to their hometown. To be able to have something as rich in history as Laynes and to be the first franchisee outside of Texas is really exciting, Mansmann said. To be able to work with Henry and our team to take this and make it even larger in the way we plan to is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. Im so excited about it. After many years in corporate America, both Wang and Mansmann decided it was time for a change. What I do is Im a diehard entrepreneur. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon a real nerd. My family is first-generation immigrants and very entrepreneurial, and Ive always had the idea of the American dream in my mind, Wang said. My philosophy has always been to find people who are passionate; If youre passionate, we can always make things work. When we first met Erik, he showed me that his energy was there; he had paid his dues, and he was a real unicorn. In the past, Mansmann had worked with brands like Chipotle, Starbucks and Panera Bread. At 3E Franchise, he is responsible for all of the guest-facing businesses and recently opened his 103rd location with the company. Alongside management and openings, Wang tasked Mansmann with identifying additional brands to franchise with. We cant just have one brand if we want to grow and grow aggressively, Wang explained. I asked Erik to start looking out for other brands, and he came back to me and said, I think I found a unicorn. Wang said Laynes is a great fit because of the shared mindset. He recalls a conversation with the brands leadership where someone said that everyone can sell chicken, but Laynes differentiates itself with passion and service. It was music to our ears, so we flew down there and had a meeting with them, he said. Were very excited, said Samir Wattar, Laynes Chicken COO. We met Henry and Erik about four months ago, and they bring a lot to the table. Erik has been in operations for a long time and has worked for companies like Panera and Chipotle. We feel like they will be a great partner for us, and entering a new market with people like that is very exciting. As the team works to get the five locations open, Wang said that the biggest challenge has been real estate. You know, a lot of people were having issues with people, he said. Erik has built a team and has a well-known name in this region, so a lot of people will just follow him. The hardest part has been that, in the Northeast, we dont have a ton of land. However, both men are confident in the teams ability to execute the expansion. Sure, there might be something around the corner that might surprise us, but well cross that bridge when we get there or build it, Mansmann said. When youre building a small company from scratch, thats a roller coaster ride. Its very stressful, Wang explained. You just need a team that has the people who have been through it. Its not easy, but we have good karma, we put our heads down and keep doing it, and it always works out. Ultimately, the duo hopes to see great success with the five locations currently in progress, and they plan to continue expansion as much as possible. How high is high? Mansmann asked. I think we have the opportunity to be one of Laynes largest franchise organizations in our current agreement. Franchise opportunities range from $656,000 - $1,280,500 with different buildout options available. Learn more about franchising: https://layneschickenfranchising.com/. ABOUT LAYNE'S CHICKEN FINGERS Founded in 1994 in College Station, the original location became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce. While opening corporate locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the leadership team focused on fine tuning its operations and starting to franchise. Now, the company is planning to bring Laynes Soon to be Famous Chicken Fingers to the rest of the world with plans to open 100 locations by the next four years. We look forward to working with Omega to deliver next-gen firewalls and enhanced network management to Omegas customers in Petro and other critical infrastructure environments where the highest standards of security are an absolute necessity. Leading network security vendor Mako Networks will announce a technology partnership with managed security services provider Omega ATC at the annual Retail Technology Conference (RTC). The alliance pairs two companies that provide network security solutions for the retail fueling service industry and will be promoted at the event held May 24-27 in Savannah, Georgia. Presented by Gilbarco Veeder-Root, the RTC celebrates the latest innovations in C-store retail technology with a focus on security and customer experience. Attendees at this years conference will have face-to-face opportunities to interact with Gilbarco experts and other industry leaders. Mako and Omega will have individual booths to support Gilbarco partners and customers as well as announcing the newly formed collaboration. Were excited to partner with Omega to offer their full Defense-in-Depth Security Suite to Mako customers, said Mako Networks CEO Jason Kubasak. We look forward to working with Omega to deliver next-gen firewalls and enhanced network management to Omegas customers in Petro and other critical infrastructure environments where the highest standards of security are an absolute necessity. Makos PCI-compliant network security solutions designed for distributed enterprises and Omega ATCs status as a PCI DSS certified Managed Security Services Provider make teaming together a win-win prospect for both companies customers. Omega is a respected Gilbarco-certified MNSP and security-focused organization that has selected Mako as its managed firewall partner, said Simon Gamble, President of Mako Networks, and were proud of that. We hope this sets a precedent for other certified MNSPs to choose Mako as their technology partner as well. According to Ashwin Swamy, Omega ATC Director of Cyber Resilience, Mako Networks is a significant player in the petroleum space, and we are pleased they have decided to partner with Omega ATC and our best-of-breed security stack to deliver the most advanced cyber defense in the industry. The partnership ensures IT environments will be as hostile as possible to bad actors. The result for our customers is multiple layers of defense for networks and endpoints, comprehensive incident response readiness, faster resolution times and streamlined help desk operations, said Swamy. Our clients will sleep easier at night knowing that both Mako and Omega are keeping watch over their IT assets. To inquire about Mako products and services for your distributed enterprise, please contact Mako Networks at sales@makonetworks.com or +1 800-851-4691. About Omega ATC For over 30 years, Omega ATC has helped US organizations implement network architecture to keep their systems secure. As a PCI DSS 3.2 certified Managed Security Services Provider, Omega ATC provides a comprehensive set of services to protect networks, secure the flow of data, and ensure compliance. Headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, Omega specializes in helping retailers throughout the United States secure their Cardholder Data Environments and improve day-to-day efficiency of operations. About Mako Networks Mako Networks cloud management platforms design concept uniquely address the requirements of multisite environments and is specifically engineered to address the needs of distributed enterprises at scale. Integrated Mako System features for Petroleum retailers include centralized cloud management and reporting, VPN Cloud SD-WAN, secure Wi-Fi, built-in cellular, HA Fast Failover, Mako VPN cloud, next-generation firewalls and end-to-end PCI DSS certification in one, easy-to-manage platform. Our goal is to save lives, and this campaign will provide important messages and reminders to women: dont put your health on hold, and take charge of your breast health, said Elisa R. Port, MD, Director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai. Prolonged delays in breast cancer screening related to the COVID-19 pandemic have led to delayed diagnosis, poor health outcomes, and an increase in disparities. To address this, Mount Sinai Health System has launched Mammogram May to empower women to take charge of their breast health by scheduling an annual mammogram. The goals of the campaign are to raise awareness of the importance of mammography in early breast cancer detection and treatment, and to address a decline in breast screenings worsened by the pandemic. Mount Sinai, one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, kicked off the campaign with the help of iHeartRadio DJ Shelli Sonstein on Sunday, May 22. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, and one in eight are expected to develop the disease at some point in their lives. Regular mammograms are vital to the early detection of breast cancer, especially when there are no physical symptoms. Data published last year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicate an increase in mammogram bookings since a near-complete halt in March 2020 but it is unclear whether the rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, bookings among Asian and Hispanic women remain low. Our goal is to save lives, and this campaign will provide important messages and reminders to women: dont put your health on hold, and take charge of your breast health, said Elisa R. Port, MD, Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai. We know early detection is a powerful tool to prevent advanced disease and death, and we hope all women and those who love them will be empowered to put their health first. Mammogram May is the start of a year-long effort to change behaviors and increase awareness. Every month after May leading up to Breast Cancer Awareness Month [in October], we will share health tips and reminders to schedule your mammograms. We hope other organizations will join us in this effort. The Dubin Breast Center offers integrated, compassionate care for every phase of breast health, from prevention and diagnostics to surgery and post-treatment support. Using advanced diagnostic technology such as 3D mammography, a low-dose digital approach, Mount Sinai radiologists are able to achieve better imaging and thus detection of breast cancer than using traditional mammography. Mount Sinai radiologists also use additional diagnostic technologies such as breast magnetic resonance imaging and image-guided biopsies, when needed, for successful detection. Therapeutic approaches are customized for each patient based on the specific characteristics of the cancer, risk factors, and personal preferences. Mount Sinai is also addressing mammogram awareness and access to screening through the Mount Sinai Mammo Van, a mobile mammography program that is bringing 3D mammography to women ages 40 to 75 in all five New York City boroughs each month. The units next stop is at a Harlem health fair at 2239 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. on Tuesday, May 24, from 11 am to 3 pm To learn about screening events in your community, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/care/radiology/services/mobile-mammography/screening-events. The Dubin Breast Center will host its annual Fact vs. Fiction Luncheon and Symposium at The Harmonie Club, 4 East 60th Street, on Wednesday, June 1, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. The event will be moderated by Dr. Port and will bring together thought leaders and experts in womens health from across the Mount Sinai Health System. For more information, email FvsF@eventassociatesinc.com. For more information or to schedule your annual mammogram call 212-241-8333 or visit http://www.mountsinai.org/mammogrammay. Follow us social and use the hashtag #MammogramMay. About Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, over 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Craig Poulton, CEO of Poulton Associates, LLC, owner of CATcoverage.com, distributed a new report today with the assistance of Guidewire HazardHub demonstrating that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has not raised rates in line with Congressional directives. The analysis illustrates the NFIPs failure to raise rates and quantifies just how far rates are from where they should be relative to NFIP historical claims costs. Poulton distributed the report, Drowning Under Artificially Low Rates: Analysis of NFIP Data Demonstrates Unsustainable Rates and Increasing Taxpayer Burden, to lawmakers ahead of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance hearing on the reauthorization of the NFIP. The comprehensive research and analysis was conducted by Poulton Associates with the assistance of HazardHub, part of Guidewire Software and recognized for its application of dissecting and simplifying geospatial digital data. Our analysis reveals that the NFIP began lowering their average annual rate at the very point in time when Congress instructed them to raise rates in 2014, said Poulton. Had the NFIP increased rates as intended by Congress over the last eight years, the private flood insurance industry would have removed billions of dollars of risk from the federal balance sheet, enhanced consumer choice and saved untold thousands of acres of water sensitive habitat from destruction. The Poulton-HazardHub analysis illustrates that year-over-year rates for the NFIP have largely decreased slipping from 27.8 cents per hundred in 2014 to 25.3 cents in 2019, a 9% decrease. But what may be most disturbing, is that not only have average rates never reached the 5% minimum increase instructed by Congress, they account for just half of what would be needed to cover claims costs over the same period. In creating this report, Poulton Associates hope to clarify for lawmakers the immediate need for reform to accompany NFIP reauthorization. The NFIPs new risk assessment system, Risk Rating 2.0, will not come close to achieving solvency for the NFIP in the near term. In fact, the analysis of NFIP data disclosed that, after 5 years, Risk Rating 2.0 will achieve an actuarily defensible rate applicable to only about half of its policyholders. Specifically, Poulton recommends that Congress: Make the existing NFIP maximum rate increases as already prescribed by Congress mandatory. Drop the mid-term cancellation rule that denies policyholders the ability to cancel an NFIP policy for a private market policy at the time of their choosing. Require the NFIP to improve flood maps to encompass all affected geography which will discourage people from moving into flood-prone areas and facilitate more accurate risk rating methods. Mandate that the NFIP release property-level loss data to help buyers make informed decisions and help insurers correctly rate flood risk. "Analysis like this of NFIP data are critical to the future of flood insurance in America, said Bob Frady, former CEO and co-founder of HazardHub, which was acquired by Guidewire Software in 2021. Our analysis clearly shows this is a program in need of reform. Key to reforming our flood insurance system is the NFIP releasing property level loss data to provide transparency for homeowners and critical risk rating information for insurers. For the study, Poulton and HazardHub reviewed NFIP policy and claims data going back to 2003 made available through the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Department of Homeland Security. Poulton Associates administers the Natural Catastrophe Insurance Program (NCIP) at CATcoverage.com, where insurance professionals may access the countrys largest private alternative to the NFIP. By ignoring multiple Congressional requests and continuing to charge artificially low rates, the NFIP has cost taxpayers nearly $38 billion, said Poulton. Now is the time for Congress to bring NFIP rates in line with risk, to stop the tacit denial of climate change, to stop creating disincentives for the private market to compete in ways that would encourage consumer choice, and to stop placing this unnecessary and costly burden on the taxpayer. For the full report, visit https://www.CATcoverage.com/fairflood. About Poulton Associates, LLC Poulton Associates, LLC is a Utah-based managing general agent and insurance brokerage with expertise in property and casualty insurance. As administrator of the Natural Catastrophe Insurance Program, the program is available to insurance professionals in all 50 states at http://www.CATcoverage.com. About HazardHub HazardHub, part of Guidewire Software, has emerged as a leading provider of property hazard data and risk scores in the U.S. HazardHub delivers an innovative offering that models complex natural and manmade phenomena to drive decisions that benefit insurers and insureds. HazardHub powers decisions for 110+ customers, spanning insurers, reinsurers, brokers, MGAs, and insurtechs. For more information, please visit https://www.guidewire.com/products/hazardhub/. Bitcoin is the world's most widely adopted digital currency, and we're excited to work with Stripe on making the currency available to the many businesses on the platform OpenNode continues to make Bitcoin part of the established payment infrastructure with a new app that will allow Stripe users to gain Bitcoin exposure directly from the Stripe Dashboard. By downloading the app, companies who use Stripe can instantly convert any amount of their balance in Bitcoin or automatically convert incoming payments in part or full. The app will empower companies to spend less time on manual Bitcoin conversions and more time focused on business growth. Millions of companies around the world accept payments through Stripe, a leading financial infrastructure platform, which will be launching Stripe Apps and the Stripe App Marketplace in the coming weeks. The OpenNode app will be part of the public beta launch. "Bitcoin is the world's most widely adopted digital currency, and we're excited to work with Stripe on making the currency available to the many businesses on the platform," says Josh Held, Head of Strategy at OpenNode. "The app gives businesses a simple and secure way to convert incoming payments to Bitcoin in real time, automatically or on demand. The announcement of the OpenNode app coincides with Stripe's annual user conference, Sessions, where it introduces new tools and trends shaping the future of the internet economy. In 2017, OpenNode was the first company to innovate on the Lightning Network, a Bitcoin scaling solution that provides instant and final payment settlement with zero risk of chargeback fraud. OpenNode focuses solely on Bitcoin because it offers the highest level of security and regulatory compliance, whereas other cryptocurrencies remain speculative and non-secure. The OpenNode app will provide businesses on the Stripe platform with direct access to the benefits and security of Bitcoin. For media inquiries, please Phil LeRoy at (310) 260-7901 or phil(at)melrosepr(dot)com. About OpenNode OpenNode is a leading Bitcoin payments infrastructure platform, servicing companies in 126 countries through our Bitcoin Lightning Network-powered products. We remove complexity and risk by providing superior technology solutions including simple no-code, turn-key hosted checkouts, e-commerce plug-ins, and APIs for customized integrations. Compatible with every Bitcoin wallet, OpenNode is transforming money and payments for every business, everywhere. Founded in 2017 and backed by influential global investors, OpenNode is on a mission to empower and connect the world with Bitcoin. About Stripe Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Headquartered in San Francisco and Dublin, the company aims to increase the GDP of the internet. Several incarcerated people in Zimbabwe told Prem Rawat that the Peace Education Program had a profound impact in their lives by helping them calm feelings of revenge and anger. Extending the Peace Education Program within our institutions has seen the transformation of lives. The program is undeniably changing lives for the better. Prem Rawat recently visited Zimbabwe for the first time, meeting with incarcerated people who have participated in the Peace Education Program and supportive officials from the Prisons and Correctional Service. Speaking in the capital city of Harare at the May 12 event, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Commissioner-General MCN Chihobvu applauded the Peace Education Program, noting that it is having a positive impact on offenders as well as staff. Extending the Peace Education Program within our institutions has seen the transformation of lives, especially those who were treated as high-risk inmates, he said. Similarly, some members of staff have also participated in the Peace Education Program, which has demonstrated to be highly regarded as a self-discovery and empowerment vehicle that can help in addressing social ills. The program is undeniably changing lives for the better. Over 850 incarcerated people and 150 corrections officers have already participated in the program in Zimbabwe and ZPCS is planning to expand the workshops to all facilities across the country. The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) recently fulfilled a request by the ZPCS to provide the audio and video equipment and course materials needed for implementation. In his talk at Harare Central Prison, Prem Rawat encouraged participants to take the lessons of the Peace Education Program to heart and to live with a sense of empowerment over their own lives. You have the power to change. Nobody needs to bring in the power to change; you have the power to change. You have the power to see what is good. But it has to be all about you. And that is the reason why the Peace Education Program works, because it places you at the center, he said. Today is the day you need to make that change. That kindness you need to start with, has to be today, not tomorrow. You know what the difference is between today and tomorrow? Very simple. Today comes. Tomorrow never does. When it comes, it becomes today. So, dont be fooled by the word tomorrow. The Peace Education Program was created to help participants from all walks of life discover their own inner strength and personal peace. Excerpts of Prem Rawats inspiring talks are at the heart of the program workshops, giving participants the opportunity to focus and reflect on their own humanity and their inner resources such as choice, hope and dignity. At the Zimbabwe event participants were given the opportunity to ask Mr. Rawat questions and express their learnings. The Peace Education Program helped me to navigate through feelings of revenge and feelings of anger that I had within me, said one of the Harare inmates. I am a changed, better person. I can now easily forgive others, said another. One of the correctional officers who facilitates the program told Mr. Rawat that he regularly hears from participants who say that, If I had known about this program earlier in life, I would not be in prison. The experience of those in Harare echoes the results of a study that found that 89 percent of 604 incarcerated participants in four continents benefited by helping them feel empowered to face past events, gain a willingness to change, better manage their anger and avoid fighting. Commissioner-General Chihobvu was first introduced to the Peace Education Program in 2019 by TPRF volunteers at an International Corrections & Prisons Association (ICPA) conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. More recently, in March of this year, South African Peace Education Program representatives Anne Wolfson and Ernest Leketi visited Zimbabwe to meet with ZPCS officials and to help pave the way for Prem Rawats event and the programs expansion. Many ZPCS representatives have been key to the developments including Dr. Granisia Musango, Deputy Commissioner General, Zandile Sibanda, Director for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Phanuel Takaza, Deputy Director of Rehabilitation and Reintegration and Nokuthula Wutta, Principal Correctional Officer. Thank you to our wonderful partners at ZPCS for hosting the great event with Prem Rawat and to everyone who is working to ensure that more people have access to this life-changing program, says Willow Baker, Peace Education Program Director. It all happens thanks to the generous efforts of TPRFs volunteers and contributors and the enthusiasm of its founder. Learn more about The Prem Rawat Foundation here. Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Peter M. Skinner as a partner in the firms Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and Investigations + White-Collar Defense Group, based in New York. Skinner brings over 20 years of experience to Morrison Foerster, both in private practice and as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). Over the course of his career, he has tried 15 cases and argued 18 appeals. Skinners arrival underscores the continued expansion of Morrison Foersters market-leading litigation capabilities, including the addition of former 21st Century Fox Deputy General Counsel and SDNY AUSA, Brian Michael, earlier this month. Skinner joins Morrison Foerster from another global law firm, where he has practiced since 2015 and most recently served as head of its Global Investigations and White-Collar Defense Group. He focuses his practice on white-collar defense, corporate internal investigations, and complex civil litigation. Skinner has handled a wide variety of high-profile criminal and civil matters, representing clients in DOJ, SEC, and other regulatory investigations, overseeing headline-grabbing antitrust cases both for defendants and plaintiffs, and representing tech startups in various matters. Prior to this private practice role, Skinner was as an AUSA for the SDNY for 11 years, serving in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions. Within the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorneys Office, Skinner served as a senior prosecutor in the Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit and the Organized Crime Unit. He gained extensive experience prosecuting international money-laundering crimes and helped develop the prosecution of trade-based money-laundering. Skinner also frequently investigated global and U.S. criminal organizations, and he regularly coordinated with law enforcement officials in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Within the Civil Division, Skinner handled a variety of complex civil matters, including False Claims Act cases, and advised the intelligence community on litigation affecting national security. Peter is a seasoned lawyer who brings a special combination of substantial government experience in both civil and criminal matters in the SDNYwhich is widely considered as one of the most active offices for significant white-collar prosecutions in the U.S.together with a proven track record in private practice, said Morrison Foersters Litigation Department Co-Chair Christine Wong. Peters versatile practice, coupled with the strategic additions of former senior government officials to our white-collar team in the last two years, responds to increasing market demand for complex litigation and global investigations, and further expands and deepens our enforcement and regulatory bench strength and capabilities, both on the ground in New York and across our global offices. Morrison Foerster has added 16 partners to its global Litigation Department since the start of 2021, including eight since the start of 2022. Additionally, the firm has significantly expanded its securities litigation, enforcement, and investigations and white-collar defense bench in the same period, including with the additions of former senior government officials Brian Michael, Nathaniel Mendell, Edward Imperatore, William Frentzen, Adam Braverman, Brian Kidd, Brandon Van Grack, Katherine Driscoll, and Nathan Reilly. Morrison Foerster is a destination firm for high-profile litigation with a standout white-collar team, which is a perfect fit for my hybrid criminal/civil practice, and the firm offers strong synergies with my experience in the technology, finance, and media sectors. I look forward to working with my new colleagues, many of whom, like myself, come from previous government roles, to help our clients get an edge up on their most sophisticated litigation and investigations challenges, said Skinner. Earlier in his career, Skinner was as an associate at another leading firm in New York. He also previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University School of Law. Skinner received his J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Boston College Law School, where he was executive editor of the Boston College Law Review. He received his B.A. in Government from the University of Notre Dame. He is admitted to practice in New York. About Morrison Foerster Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firms commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster was recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyers 2021 A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia-Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment. ORE helps industrial manufacturers to improve revenue growth using the familiar tools of industrial process engineering Consilium will present "Engineer Your Revenue Growth", a live webinar for senior executives of industrial manufacturing firms on Wednesday, June 1st at 1:00 pm ET. Ed Marsh will show how process engineering that's had a massive impact on manufacturing quality and output can also be applied to strategy, marketing, and industrial sales of middle-market companies to deliver predictable top-line growth results. American manufacturers have worked relentlessly for 30 years to improve quality and efficiency. The same tools for process engineering and management that drove great improvements in manufacturing have since been applied to other aspects of operations. Process, rigor, precision and measurement are common in most business functions today. Yet marketing and sales have somehow escaped that rigor, and still function in a generally casual manner. It's time to change that. And ORE (Overall Revenue Effectiveness) is the answer. It's the marketing and sales analog to OEE that has helped countless manufacturers refine their manufacturing. The free webinar will introduce the core elements of ORE and why an integrated approach to measurement and execution is critical. "I work with companies that build amazing machines and work tirelessly to innovate and improve their process," says Ed Marsh, a strategy, manufacturing marketing, and industrial sales consultant that works with senior managers of middle-market manufacturers to help grow top-line revenue. "And they bring similar rigor to finance, engineering and other functions, except for marketing and sales. ORE helps to put revenue growth in a familiar context of industrial process engineering." When it's time to determine root cause, brainstorm solutions, create fixtures and improve manufacturing, companies have a proven process. In contrast, when it comes to growing sales they try another trade show and ask sales to do more prospecting. There's a dissonance in the way functions are viewed and managed that costs companies real profit dollars. There is an opportunity to apply proven approaches to growing the top line through sales process engineering. The webinar will cover topics including: expanding and illustrating the OEE & ORE analogy so you see exactly how it fits your business the core elements of ORE - Strategy, Marketing & Sales and how they're inherently interrelated implementing ORE in a typical industrial business how ORE helps you meet buyer and stakeholder expectations tips for applying ORE in each of the core areas the double-edged sword of testing and experimentation the appeal, and the risk, of a linear approach The 40-minute webinar is free to attend and it will be broadcast at 1:00 pm EDT on Wednesday, June 1st. Seats are limited and registration is available here. About Consilium Global Business Advisors: Consilium assists American manufacturers in applying process excellence to their business development. In other words, we help lean, well-managed companies with rock-solid bottom lines effectively and consistently grow their top lines to match. We work primarily with mid-size industrial manufacturing and capital equipment companies, guiding them through a journey toward Overall Revenue Effectiveness. In addition to Edvinas work ethic and attention to detail, her communication and relationship-building skills are the best in class. Smith, a leading global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces the appointment of Edvina Svalkunaite to the position of Director of Purchasing, EMEA. In this role, she will support Smiths purchasing initiatives in EMEA and beyond. Smith proves that opportunities are endless, and this industry is extremely enthusiastic, said Edvina. I am very excited to start this position and continue contributing to the growth of the EMEA region. Edvina joined Smiths Amsterdam office as a Senior Procurement Specialist in 2020. Her six-plus years of experience in electronic-component procurement and emphasis on international business and communication will inform her efforts to drive growth and support Smiths strategic partnerships in the region. Edvina is the definition of a lead-by-example buyer, said Mike Pursley, Vice President of Global Purchasing at Smith. We want everyone in the Smith purchasing organization to buy and think strategically, and thats exactly what she does best. We are excited to see the future of procurement in Europe with a lead-by-example director working locally in Amsterdam. In addition to Edvinas work ethic and attention to detail, her communication and relationship-building skills are the best in class, added Todd Snow, Vice President of Global Purchasing at Smith. Edvinas buy-in to our global purchasing initiatives and her ability to work closely with Smiths suppliers and internal trading teams will help Smith continue to strengthen our purchasing activities in Europe. About Smith Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 17 cities around the world, Smiths legion of employees communicates in 50 languages and dialects and buys and sells components 24 hours per day, generating global annual sales in excess of $3.4 billion in 2021. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. The support of Smiths flexible Intelligent DistributionTM model optimizes customers supply chains from beginning to end, including offering customized options for IT asset disposition that deliver maximum ROI, sustainability, and security. Smiths testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam cover critical areas like quality management, counterfeit prevention, and environmental safety. Smiths operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the companys global IT infrastructure, offering real-time, global inventory and logistics visibility. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number seven among all global distributors. For more information, please visit http://www.smithweb.com or reach out to a Smith representative any time of day at +1 713.430.3000. ### Looking back ten years later, I realized that starting SoCal Digital Marketing was one of the best things to happen to me. I was able to meet clients that I consider friends and create a business that not only achieves their marketing goals but has helped interns start careers in the field. SoCal Digital Marketing, an SEO and social media marketing company in Orange County, is pleased to announce that they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary in the business in June 2022. SoCal Digital Marketing is committed to helping companies expand their online presence, boost their rankings in search engine results, and convert more leads to paying customers, among other aspects. The SEO and social media firm was first established in June 2012 and has since helped hundreds of businesses internationally to grow and succeed. Starting with humble beginnings as a one-person startup business, Andrew Guida, the founder and owner, has worked diligently to grow the company over the years and establish it as a leading SEO company in Orange County. Looking back ten years later, I realized that starting SoCal Digital Marketing was one of the best things to happen to me. I was able to meet clients that I consider friends and create a business that not only achieves their marketing goals but has helped interns start careers in the digital marketing field. The last ten years have been a growing journey that I am grateful for and am looking forward to the next 30. said Andrew Guida. Over the past ten years, SoCal Digital Marketing has helped generate high converting leads for law firms, manufacturers, limousine companies, video production, dental offices, medical device, luxury auto repair, and many more businesses throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and India. They also have experienced a high rate of growth. The company now employs a strong team of staff members who support their clients across various sectors, including finance, fitness, law, healthcare, transportation, and many more. The SoCal Digital Marketing team is incredibly grateful to their loyal customers who have stayed with them during the pandemic which resulted in record breaking years for several clients. Their hardworking team will also continue to deliver remarkable service to support their customers and keep the momentum up throughout the period. The Orange County SEO and social media company aligns businesses marketing goals with a customized online marketing strategy to obtain the goals cost-efficiently. From strengthening their clients online visibility to improving engagement and fostering conversions, SoCal Digital Marketing will always be there to cover all their clients needs. About SoCal Digital Marketing SoCal Digital Marketing is an online marketing company that can do everything from domain registration, keyword research, SEO, social media content creation and ads, and Google Adword campaigns. To learn more about SoCal Digital Marketings services, call Andrew Guida at (949) 309-8845 or email him at aguida@socaldigitalmarketing.com. Visit the companys official website at https://socaldigitalmarketing.com to find out more about online marketing. Our team is incredibly grateful for the difference South Mountain Creamery is making in the lives of students." - Melissa Muntz, Executive Director, SHIP South Mountain Creamery, a thriving farmer-owned and operated creamery known for its home delivery services, donated $4,950 to SHIP (Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership) of Frederick County. Funds were raised through a raffle for South Mountain Creamery customers, with items donated by friends, family, and customers. The raffle ended at South Mountain Creamerys annual Spring Festival on their family farm in Middletown, MD on April 30, 2022. Attendees at the festival were able to purchase raffle tickets throughout the day, and winners were announced during the event. SHIP of Frederick County, works to reduce barriers to academic attainment for youth experiencing homelessness by connecting them to community, resources, and youth-centric programming, while advocating for equality in the systems that serve young people. Quite simply, we exist because there are students in our community that need our help, the SHIP Frederick website states. They live in every city, town, and district in Frederick County. In the school year 2019-20, homeless students were found in 61 out of the 66 schools in the Frederick County Public School System (FCPS). This issue cuts across all grades and all ethnicities. The numbers continue to grow each school year. This generous donation will give more students access to stable housing, medical care, mental health counseling, and reliable transportation support, said Melissa Muntz, Executive Director, SHIP. Our team is incredibly grateful for the difference South Mountain Creamery is making in the lives of students. In just a few days, 28 high school seniors experiencing homelessness will be graduating on time. This work would not be possible without the support and contributions of our local partners. South Mountain Creamery is passionate about the communities they serve and improving the quality of life of those who live there. Our community supports us in everything we do, so were always looking for ways to give back, said Tony Brusco, Co-Owner, CEO, South Mountain Creamery. Theres a lot of children who really benefit from the work of SHIP, and we are happy to support them. South Mountain Creamery is Marylands first on-the-farm dairy processing plant starting operation in 2001. They own and farm roughly 3,000 acres in Frederick County where they milk around 600 dairy cows including Holstein and Jersey breeds. The main farm milks the cows 50 feet from the processing plant where the milk is minimally processed and bottled or made into ice cream, yogurt, and butter. Milk can be in glass bottles ready for customers 12 hours after coming from the milking parlor. South Mountain Creamery welcomes the public to see their operation first hand with an open milking parlor and tours around the farm. This is an exciting time for the local dairy as it comes alongside more new ventures. South Mountain Creamery, though expanding, remains loyal to its mission of providing locally and sustainably sourced food to the community. The second generation, Tony & Abby (Sowers) Brusco and Ben & Kate Sowers, now own and run the operation, although you can often find three generations at work on the farm. Ben and Kate Sowers were also one of four couples in the country to be named National Outstanding Young Farmers for 2019. South Mountain Creamery provides a home delivery service consisting of an online farmers market that delivers to nearly 10,000 customers in a 35,000 square mile area stretching most of Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia, and parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. You can also find South Mountain Creamery products in over 800 stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Cambridge is among the most vibrant places in the United States to live and work. Im proud of our team for developing these two beautiful brick buildings and of the contribution that they will make to energize the neighborhood. CEO Paul Ognibene and his team at Urban Spaces recently completed construction of Flats on First, a mixed-use multi-family complex comprised of 136 residential units, 14,800 square feet of ground floor retail, and a two-level 142-space underground parking garage. With a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartment homes, the community offers a host of amenities, including a large clubroom, fitness center, roof deck, open-air amphitheater, and beautifully landscaped courtyard. 16 apartments have been set aside for residents earning up to 80% of the area medium income. Flats on First is the latest component of Paul Ognibene of Urban Spacess contribution to the transformation of the First Street Corridor, a one-mile stretch that connects Cambridge Crossing/Lechmere with Kendall Square, the worlds number one life-science cluster. Formerly home to primarily industrial uses, todays First Street Corridor is a vibrant blend of residential, neighborhood retail, office, and open space. The makeover began in 2015 with Paul Ognibenes development of the Axiom, a mixed-use property located at 159 First Street featuring 115 apartment units and ground-level retail space that is home to Toscaninis Ice Cream. Axiom was followed by the development of 121 First, a 62,000 square foot office building leased to CarGurus and then 85 First Street, a stand-alone retail building that is home to specialty pet store, Loyal Companion, paint supply store, Sherwin-Williams, and the United States Post Office. Designed by award-winning architectural firm Perkins Eastman and constructed by Tocci Building Companies, Flats on First is comprised of two buildings: 21 Charles Street (118 units) and 29 Hurley Street (18 units) and is located directly across from CambridgeSide, the mixed-use shopping destination and life science development that has also contributed to the transformation of the First Street Corridor. As Cambridge and the surrounding communities of Somerville and Boston have undergone unprecedented growth in the life-science space, Flats on First is poised to meet the housing demands and needs of that growth. Upon completion by Paul Ognibene of Urban Spaces, the two buildings were sold for $103 million to an affiliate of Barings, LLC, an international investment management firm owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). Multi-family housing experts Simon Butler, Biria St. John, and John McLaughlin of CBRE Capital Markets exclusively represented Urban Spaces in the transaction. We are pleased to have represented Urban Spaces in the sale of Flats on First. This marked the successful conclusion of a forward sale that was structured a little over three years ago, stated St. John. It was part of a larger mixed-use planned development that Paul Ognibene and Urban Spaces painstakingly assembled over the last six years or so and includes several other recently completed developments. Its great to see the vision that Urban Spaces imagined for the First Street Corridor come together the way it did. Paul Ognibene, CEO of Urban Spaces, noted, Cambridge is among the most vibrant places in the United States to live and work. Im proud of our team for developing these two beautiful brick buildings and of the contribution that they will make to energize the neighborhood. The completion of Flats on First marks the next milestone in our ongoing efforts to continue to transform the First Street Corridor into a true mixed-use neighborhood. About Urban Spaces, LLC Urban Spaces is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based real estate development company that creates residential and commercial buildings in proximity to public transportation, universities, and employment hubs. Founded in 2004 by CEO Paul Ognibene, Urban Spaces has earned a regional reputation for award-winning developments that revitalize and enhance emerging and well-established neighborhoods. The company has a broad range of experience, including new construction, adaptive reuse, and historic preservation in both the private and public sectors. Urban Spaces has been influential in forecasting and advancing many of the important urban trends that we see today, such as micro-units, modular construction, and environmentally resilient design. Urban Spaces continues to make important contributions to the fabric of its urban host communities. For more information, go to: UrbanSpacesLLC.com About Barings Barings is a $371+ billion* global investment manager sourcing differentiated opportunities and building long-term portfolios across public and private fixed income, real estate, and specialist equity markets. With investment professionals based in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, the firm, a subsidiary of MassMutual, aims to serve its clients, communities, and employees, and is committed to sustainable practices and responsible investment. Learn more at http://www.barings.com. *Assets under management as of March 31, 2022 About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the worlds largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2021 revenue). The company has more than 105,000 employees (excluding Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at http://www.cbre.com. Warriors Heart Foundation is honored to be a Carry The Load non-profit partner for their 2022 Memorial May events to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day for the fifth year. Were grateful to Carry The Load for providing our warrior community, and people all over the world with a meaningful way to honor and remember those who sacrifice for our freedom by putting their lives on the line every day. - Teddy Lanier, Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director Warriors Heart Foundation is proud to announce it will be a Carry The Load non-profit partner for the 2022 Memorial May campaign. As a part of Carry The Loads Continuum of Care program, this partnership helps raise awareness and funds that are essential to helping our military, veterans, first responders and their families. Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director and US Army Master Sergeant (ret) Teddy Lanier expressed thanks; Were grateful to Carry The Load for providing our warrior community, and people all over the world with a meaningful way to honor and remember those who sacrifice for our freedom by putting their lives on the line every day. Supporters are encouraged to join Warriors Hearts Foundations 2022 team to raise funds and participate throughout the month of May. One hundred percent of funds raised through Warriors Heart Foundations team page from now through Memorial Day will go directly back to our organization. The funds we raise this year will continue to go towards funding hardships for addiction/PTSD treatment programs for warriors (active military, veterans and first responders) struggling, says Teddy Lanier, Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director. People can find ways to participate in Carry The Load this Memorial May either in-person or virtually. Carry The Load offers opportunities for people to walk in the National Relay, attend a City Rally, host their own Carry it Anywhere event or organize a youth Carry The Flag activity. Warriors Heart Foundation plans to join Carry The Load this year in San Antonio, Texas. It is important that we take the time to recognize the sacrifices of such valuable members of our communities, says Stephen Holley, co-founder, president and CEO of Carry The Load and veteran U.S. Navy SEAL. Peer-to-peer fundraising throughout the month of May goes toward our goal of raising $1.25 million that helps improve the lives of our military veterans first responders and their families. Join Warriors Heart Foundation Team - Carry the Load - Memorial May Campaign 2022 here: https://www.carrytheload.org/site/TR/2019/General?fr_id=1820&pg=team&team_id=7679 ABOUT WARRIORS HEART FOUNDATION (Bandera, Texas, outside San Antonio) Warriors Heart Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) that accepts deductible donations to help heal our frontline protectors (active-duty military, veterans, first responders and EMTs/Paramedics) struggling with substance abuse, PTSD, mild TBI, trauma, and co-occurring issues at Warriors Heart if insurance does not cover the costs. One of the missions of the foundation is to provide financial aid through hardship grants that assist in covering the cost of treatment at Warriors Heart and other facilities to help our protectors get the support they have earned and deserve and become Sober, Confident Warriors. There is a 24-hour Warriors Heart hotline (844-448-2567) answered by warriors. https://www.warriorsheartfoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook (Operation Warriors Heart Foundation) and Instagram @warriorsheartfoundation. ABOUT CARRY THE LOAD Carry The Load is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 by veteran U.S. Navy SEALs Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley. Carry The Load's mission is to provide an active way to honor and remember our nations heroes by connecting Americans to the sacrifices made by our military, veterans, first responders and their families. For more information, visit https://www.carrytheload.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. MEDIA CONTACT Liz Kelly PR for Warriors Heart Foundation 310-987-7207 CitySlicker for Analogue Pocket You can take the professional-looking CitySlicker case to the office, and no one will ever know youre carrying a gaming device. WaterField Designs, an innovative San-Francisco maker of custom laptop sleeves, designer bags, and cases for digital gear, introduces the handsome Analogue Pocket CitySlicker case, a customized version of the companys most popular Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck case. Made from rugged ballistic nylon or waxed canvas, each with a full-grain leather flap in a choice of colors, the classy new Analogue Pocket case protects the handheld and a few accessories in style. VIDEO DEMO Weve had our CitySlicker case for the PS Vita, Nintendos DS family, and now for the Switch and Steam Deck, so when the Analogue Pocket came out, customers started clamoring for a custom CitySlicker, said company owner, Gary Waterfield. This CitySlicker has a vertical orientation to match the handheld and is just as handsome and professional as the original. You can take it to the office, and no one will ever know youre carrying a gaming device. The interior of the CitySlicker Analogue Pocket case is custom-sized with a soft, padded liner that cushions the Analogue Pocket. A stretchable, semi-opaque back pocket holds a USB-C, a game cartridge adapter, and an extra game cartridge; a self-locking zipper keeps them secure. The CitySlickers ballistic nylon or waxed canvas exterior protects the Analogue Pocket from accidental scuffs and keeps the handheld looking new. The flapmade from a dual layer of premium, naturally-tanned, distressed leather available in a choice of colorssnaps into place with hidden, self-finding magnets to create a handsome look that suits any setting. A pocket under the flap can hold one Game Gear, one Atari Lynx, one Game Boy, or two Game Boy Advance game cartridges. Features at a glance: Dual-layer, premium full-grain leather flap Scratch-free padded lining Ultrasuede padded interior patch protects and cleans the screen Protective neoprene bottom strip Self-finding hidden magnetic closures Front pocket for an extra game cartridge Self-locking zippered mesh back pocket for an extra game cartridge, USB-C cable, and a game cartridge converter Optional carrying add-ons: carabiner, wrist strap, and/or sling strap The CitySlicker for the Analogue Pocket joins WaterFields compact Analogue Pocket Pouch (now available in waxed canvas) and the all-in-one Analogue Pocket Pack to round out the companys case collection for this classic handheld. Additional WaterField gaming case collections stow and protect the Nintendo Switch and the Valve Steam Deck. Availability & Pricing CitySlicker for Analogue Pocket Price: $79. Colors: Choice of rugged black ballistic nylon with full-grain black, grizzly, or white leather; or waxed canvas with full-grain chocolate leather. Materials: self-finding magnetic snaps; self-locking zipper; neoprene padding; Ultrasuede. Dimensions & weight: 6.75 x 4.3 x 0.8 in., 3.2 oz. Optional add-ons: carabiner +$3; 3/8-inch leather wrist loop +$15; a matching adjustable sling strap with cam lock buckle +$19. Pre-order now. Shipping begins June 10, 2022. About WaterField Designs WaterField Designs is an innovative San Francisco designer and manufacturer of bags and cases for tech-savvy consumers who want to stylishly and responsibly transport their technology. WaterField manufactures custom-fitted, high-quality cases and bags for a full range of laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming devices, and other digital gear. All products are manufactured to exacting standards entirely in San Francisco. More information is available at the company website under Our Story. In addition to utilizing the outside expertise of a vetted MSP, a business should ensure that its entire staff undergoes cyber security awareness training. NYC area cyber security expert, Carl Mazzanti, President, eMazzanti Technologies, explains why businesses should conduct regular cyber security strategy reviews in a new article on the NJBIZ website. The informative article first relates how Microsoft was recently hacked, asserting that it will eventually happen to every business. Mazzanti then explains steps business leaders should take to determine how a breach happened. He then recommends regular cyber security strategy reviews to prevent future attacks. He concludes by offering a triangle approach to cyber security, including security controls, security incident event monitoring, and automated response and backup. In addition to utilizing the outside expertise of a vetted MSP, a business should ensure that its entire staff undergoes cyber security awareness training, stated Mazzanti. Training mitigates the tendency to click unknown links or download potentially dangerous files. Below are a few excerpts from the article, Why Businesses Should Conduct Regular Cyber Security Strategy Reviews. The bad guys are coming. In March, tech giant Microsoft announced that the extortion and destruction threat DEV-0537, also known as LAPSUS$, penetrated one of its accounts. Although only a single account was compromised, granting limited access, the attack highlights that getting hacked is a matter of when not if. One of the first post-hack steps is determining how the cybercriminals got into your system. This involves a cyber-forensic strategy. Sometimes the weakness is obviousan employee admits that they clicked on a link without authenticating it. Other times, however, the threat may not be as subtle. The wake-up call that arrives with a cyber-penetration should motivate a company to review its cybersecurity strategy. Even if the current attack is contained, preventing the next one should be a priority. Reviewing cybersecurity strategies should be done regularly, but many fail to do so. A well-organized Managed Services Provider (MSP) or other IT services organization will offer a layered, three-legged triangle approach to cybersecurity. The first leg incorporates preventative controls such as keeping software patches up to date, having good antivirus programs, setting up effective firewalls, and using multifactor authentication. Enterprise-Class Protection for Small Businesses A hack is never pleasant. But if an organization uses it as a catalyst to improve its cyber-defenses, then at least something useful comes from it. With solutions like Multi-Factor Authentication, Dark Web Monitoring and Free Cyber Security Assessments from eMazzanti Technologies, even small businesses enjoy enterprise-class protection. Have you read? Key Strategies to Prevent Accidental Insider Data Breaches Quantum Ransomware Strikes Quickly, How to Prepare and Recover About Carl Mazzanti Carl Mazzanti is the Co-founder and President of eMazzanti Technologies, Microsofts 4X Partner of the Year, and 9X Inc. 5000 list honoree. His company specializes in cybersecurity and cloud solutions, outsourced network management, remote monitoring, and support for small and mid-sized retailers, manufacturers and distributors. Carl is frequent business conference speaker and technology talk show guest on the topic of cybersecurity. About eMazzanti Technologies eMazzantis team of trained, certified IT experts rapidly deliver increased revenue growth, data security and productivity for clients ranging from law firms to high-end global retailers, expertly providing advanced retail and payment technology, digital marketing services, cloud and mobile solutions, multi-site implementations, 247 outsourced network management, remote monitoring, and support. eMazzanti has made the Inc. 5000 list 9X, is a 4X Microsoft Partner of the Year, the #1 ranked NYC area MSP, NJ Business of the Year and 5X WatchGuard Partner of the Year! Contact: 1-866-362-9926, info@emazzanti.net or http://www.emazzanti.net Twitter: @emazzanti Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies. I want to extend my gratitude too all the nurses that dedicate their lives to serving others, says Heidi Capello, Chief Clinical Officer, And for their strength and commitment as we emerge from this pandemic. In honor of National Nurses Week and Skilled Nursing Care Week, Windsor, a chain of skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers across California and Arizona, recognized and celebrated the invaluable work their nursing staff provide to their patients and residents whom they have the privilege to serve. National Skilled Nursing Care Week begins on Mothers Day each year. Sponsored by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), it is a week set aside to recognize those who work in skilled nursing facilities. The theme for 2022 is "Creating and Nurturing Connections," in honor of skilled nursing facilities' hard work and commitment to care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the same time each year, National Nurses Week begins on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. In 1982, the American Nurses Association Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as National Nurses Day. The theme of 2022 Nurses Week is Rooted in Strength. I want to extend my gratitude too all the nurses that dedicate their lives to serving others, says Heidi Capello, Chief Clinical Officer, And for their strength and commitment as we emerge from this pandemic. Throughout the week, Windsor skilled nursing facilities hosted events, raffles, gave out gifts and daily party-themes. They celebrated with their staff, employees and nurses, recognizing their hard work and dedication. Our staff has been resilient, strong, dedicated and committed, says Stacey Alexander, COO of Windsor Healthcare. I am humbled and honored to work among such caring teams. Set in 1928 Chicago, Kendall Kulpers new novel, Murder for the Modern Girl, features Ruby Newhouse, an 18-year-old flapper who reads minds to identify killers and abusers who would otherwise escape justice and then surreptitiously poisons them. When someone tries to assassinate her states attorney father, Ruby begins using her gift to investigate Chicagos power players, enlisting the help of shape-shifting morgue employee Guy Rosewood in exchange for keeping his abilities a secret. Little does Ruby know, Guy has figured out theres a serial poisoner in Chicago, and is hot on her trail. Kulper spoke with PW about her inspirations, her hobby-turned-side hustle, and how her Harvard education prepared her to write historical fantasy YA. Was it always your intent to write historical fantasy for young adults, or did you initially have another path in mind? Yeah, absolutely not my original plan. The course that I took at Harvard, a program called History & Literature, is very broadhistory is anything thats ever happened, and literature is anything that anybody has ever created. Like, a jacket or a car could be literature. It was really just looking at history through the lens of how people create things, whether its books or stamps or quilts for their children; how people process historical events in their lifetime; and how those creations then go on to inform things that happen in the future or our own interpretations of how history took place. I had always thought that I was going to be a reporter. History & Literature was sort of like the de facto journalism major, so that was how I ended up in that program. Then I graduated and went into journalism and felt like the reality was not quite what I wanted to doit wasnt making me happy in the way that I had hoped it would. Id always written, but when I got to college, I started to write things that I thought would be more prestigiousso, kind of depressing adult short storiesand it just sucked the fun out of writing for me. When I was working this job and was not very happy, I started thinking, Well, when was the last time that writing made me happy? And it was fan fiction that Id written in high schoolNewsies fan fiction, so basically historical YA. I started writing a YA novel and I absolutely loved it. I was living in New York, my fiance was living in Chicago, and we were looking for an excuse to be in the same city so we could get married, so I was like, You know what? Im going to quit my job and move to Chicago. I have some savings; Ill try to do this YA thing. It wasnt until I was writing my third attempt at a manuscripta historical, which was the first book I got published [Salt & Storm]that I was like, Oh, I guess my degree is actually very helpful! What inspired you to set this book in 1928 Chicago? I read this incredible book called The Poisoners Handbook by Deborah Blum. Its nonfiction, but it reads like a great fiction narrative, and is basically about the birth of forensic science, looking at the medical examiners office in New York City during Prohibition. Who doesnt love the 1920s? And this was such an interesting way of looking at that time period, when forensic scientists were racing to develop means to detect when criminal poisonings had taken place. It stuck in my head, and I thought, How can I write my 1920s book and incorporate very cool science-y elements? So, thats how I got to the 1920s, and I stuck in Chicago because I like to write about places that I know well. It has such a great gangster-y history, and its a little different from New York City. What kind of research did that entail? Chicago has a very interesting political structure, and this book ended up being a lot more about Chicago politics than I had originally thought. The main characters father is the Cook County States Attorney, so, figuring out how the Cook County States Attorney gets voted in, how the mayoral system works, and all about Chicagos aldermen, which is a very weird quirk that Chicago has. Theyre all so laughably corrupt! Its incredible, the stories that come up. And of course, if youre a historical author, you fixate on these tiny little details that dont matter to anyone else on the planet. I remember I found the Chicago city budget and found the original address of the morgue and what a janitor in 1928 would be making in the Cook County hospital system. I always feel more confident as a writer when I have all that knowledge. I try to get as much research as I can out of the way before I start writing, then let it all sink in, and then just write with the knowledge that the average person would have. What led you to add fantastical elements to a historical YA crime novel? I think bringing in fantasy is a great way to talk about difficult subjects at an angle. The character of Guy is a shapeshifter, and he has a very antagonistic relationship to his ability. He sees it as this thing that just comes out of him, that he doesnt know how to control, and he thinks it prevents him from being able to form relationships with other people. I feel like that is often just what it feels like to be human, especially if youre a teenagerthat theres this aspect of you that you are afraid of, and dont know how to control, and youre just looking to beat it down, but that doesnt work. The journey that he is on is to realize that this thing that he thought alienated him from other people is actually the way that he is able to connect with other people. I think bringing in fantasy is a great way to talk about difficult subjects at an angle. I also think throwing in those fantasy elements adds a new way of thinking about the world and ethical responsibility. After reading this nonfiction book about the 1920s and murderers, I was reading a comic book where one of the characters was a mind reader. He was talking about how he automatically judges a person based on what he can hear in their head. I thought how interesting that would be, if you are a person who is morally upright, and you have a strong sense of justicehow difficult it would be to hear terrible things, and know that, for whatever reason, [the people thinking them] will never face justice. Especially in the 20s, in a place like Chicago. Thats what led me to create the character of Ruby: shes just going about her day and hears something terrible, and she feels like, Well, if I dont do something about it, then its on me. Ruby pretends to be a flighty flapper, but is secretly a shrewd vigilante who murders bad men that society wont miss. Was it challenging to write a character that some would say straddles the line between hero and villain? The book makes clear that she understands that murder is wrongits not a good thing that people should be aspiring to. She is somebody who has a strong understanding of the law, and a strong respect for the law, and at the same time, sees how flawed the system truly is. Certainly, my book is not comparable to the incredible work that activists are doing nowadays, but I am really inspired by people who are willing to partake in civil disobedience, and willing to say, Yes, this is the law, but its wrong, or yes, this is the justice system, but its flawed. People who are willing to work around the system, which again, Im not encouraging people to go out and murder, thats not what Im sayingbut in this one fantasy instance where Ruby can read minds, she feels an obligation to do something and is willing to take on whatever guilt and consequences come with breaking the law. You dedicated this book to your daughters, urging, Stick together, youre stronger as a group. That also seems to be the books central thesis, as Murder for the Modern Girl features several intrepid female characters who have each others backs. Did the dedication inspire the book, or vice versa? I wrote this book at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, when a lot of peopleespecially a lot of women and non-binary peoplewere being very affected by what was going on in the news. I took so much solace in feeling like there were other people that felt the same way as me, and in working with these people and supporting them and letting them support me. Ive always told my daughters, You guys are on the same team. If something affects one of you, it affects everybody in this family. We all work together, we all stick together. There were some earlier drafts of the book where Ruby meets another woman who is a bit catty towards herI eliminated all of that. I didnt want any instances where a woman was belittling another woman. I understand thats not a reflection of reality, but I wanted this to be a book where women may not be exactly [allied] 100% of the time, but theyre not cutting each other down. I wanted it to celebrate female friendship and women working together. Not even just women, because there are strong male characters who are also supporting Ruby and helping facilitate the change that shes trying to enact, and I feel like thats really important too. But certainly as a mother and having two young daughters and so many strong female friendships, I wanted the book to embody that. Ruby is one of the heroes of this book, but I wanted a lot of the other charactersespecially the secondary charactersto also have moments. I didnt want Ruby to feel like a savior, I wanted her to feel like one piece of this big puzzle. In addition to being an author, youre also a talented embroidery artist. How and when did you acquire that skill, and do you feel that one form of artistic expression helps feed or foster the other? When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I wanted to make something special for heryou know, second kid, youre basically just inheriting everything. I went on Instagram, and someone had made this beautiful floral embroidered monogram. I didnt know anything about embroidery, but my attitude towards life is, I could probably figure out how to do that. So I went to the craft store and I got a bunch of materials, which, now that Ive been doing it for so long, I realize were not the correct things, but it worked out in the end. I made this thing for my daughter, and put it up on Instagram, and somebody saw it and wanted one for their kid, so I made one for them. Then I saw somebody had embroidered a portrait of an animal and it looked incredible. My friend was having a baby, and I thought, Oh, Ill make one for her! Then somebody at the baby shower wanted one for their dog, and I put those on Instagram, and somebody else emailed, wanting one for their pet. Now I do mostly pet portraits. I try hard to capture the spirit of every animal. I have a dog, and I know that you spend so much time memorizing every tiny little detail of their little sweet faces, and so I try to recreate that as best I can. Its been such a rewarding hobby, and its so different from writing. When I write, it takes so much timeyou know, the idea for this book came into my head in 2015, and now its 2022, and Im finally getting to show it to people. But with embroidery, a piece takes maybe a week or two, and then I put it on Instagram, and I get all this great feedback right away. It feeds the needy creative artist inside of me. I have tried before to take on a commission and work on a book at the same time, but I get so into whatever Im working on, I find it really hard to jump back and forth. I have to close my commissions anytime Im focused on a book, which I am right now. If I cant sink all my energy into something, its very hard for me to feel fulfilled at the end of the day, so I find that I enjoy it more when I can just focus on one or the other. SomedayIm putting this out there in the worldId love to embroider a childrens book. Thats my ultimate goal with this art form. You say youre focused on a book right now. What are you writing? It hasnt been announced yet, but there is going to be another book set in the same world as Murder for the Modern Girl. Not a sequel, but sort of a companion novel, called A Starlets Secret to Dying in Style. Its set in 1934 Hollywood, and its about one of Rubys younger sisters, Henrietta, trying to be an actress, and she starts to see the ghosts of dead actresses everywhere. Its very similar in the style of Murder for the Modern Girl, with dual narrators. Theres a stuntman whos invulnerable to pain and cant be injured and [he and Henrietta] end up meeting and are forced into a sham Hollywood romance for publicity. Henrietta is very similar to Ruby, in that theyre both women who are very intelligent and fun and know what they want, but Henrietta is out to live her life to the fullest, no matter the consequencesand there are a lot of consequences. It has been the most fun to write, but it does have a dark topichow Hollywood treats actors and actresses. That was the biggest challenge with this book: how do I write something that feels hopeful when we all know nothing was solved in 1934, that these problems just got so much worse? Were much more aware of these things now, but its been a two-steps-forward, one-step-back kind of journey. Murder for the Modern Girl by Kendall Kulper. Holiday House, $19.99 May 31 ISBN 978-0-8234-4972-9 In the months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the international publishing community has come together with a number of initiatives aimed at offering support to childrens authors, publishers, and aid organizations. Here, we continue to cover these ongoing efforts. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Polands Fundacja Powszechnego Czytania (Universal Reading Foundation) rallied Polish publishers and their international colleagues in an emergency effort to get Ukrainian-language books to children in Poland. Now three months in, the effort has shifted from an emergency operation to a long-term initiative involving multiple partners. According to recent UN estimates, 14 million Ukrainians have fled their homes as a result of the war. Its estimated that there are currently 200,000 Ukrainian refugee children in Polanddouble the number in the country in mid-March. Tens of thousands have settled in other European countries, including more than 300,000 in Romania, 280,000 in Germany, and more than 200,000 in Moldova. Earlier this month, the Foundation announced a grant program to offer support for Ukrainian publishers to keep them afloat during the war. With $150,000 in available funds, the program provides Ukrainian publishers with in-kind printing and distribution services provided by Polish businesses, including InPost, one of the countrys major delivery companies. Foundation director Maria Deskur said the organization has received 50 applications and will be announcing the awards June 6. In a press release about the program, Deskur said, We want to support the readership in Ukraine because it is the foundation of well-functioning open democracies, the basis for building a strong and innovative economy. U.K.-based charity Book Aid International is donating more than 10,000 books to the Foundation. The donation received financial backing from publishers including Scholastic, Oxford University Press, and Green Bean Books. When conflict strikes, books offer the chance to find hope and to continue to learn even while fleeing war, Book Aid Internationals executive director told the Bookseller. We think it is vital to support The Universal Reading Foundations important work at this incredibly difficult time. We could not send a single book without the support of publishers that donate these wonderful, brand new books to our charity. The books have arrived at the Polish-Ukrainian border and are ready for distribution, Deskur said. The effort is an extension Book Aid Internationals work providing books to refugee camps in countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. U.S.-based language assessment company Avant Assessment and independent childrens publisher Linguacious are supporting the Foundation and the Polish Book Institute with a donation of 1,500 copies dual Ukrainian-English language book Dylans Birthday Present / by Victor D.O. Santos. Santoss wife is Ukrainian and her parents had to flee the country when the war broke out. By seeing their own language and the Ukrainian flag represented in the story in the book, I hope Ukrainian children will feel prouder than ever to be Ukrainian, the author said. More International Partnerships The Federation of European Publishers is raising funds to print and distribute books to Ukrainian refugee children throughout Europe. The initiative, which was introduced at the Bologna Book Fair, has already printed 6,000 books. The campaign has received the support of Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska. At the Turin Book Fair (which ends on May 24), the Federation raised funds and awareness about the effort. More than 6,000 Ukrainian refugee children have been resettled in the U.K. A partnership between U.K. charity Give a Book (an affiliate of Dolly Partons Imagination Library), and Penguin Random House UK will provide 200 refugee children in London with a free book each month until they reach the age of five. The program relies on Give a Books network of partner schools and community services for refugees in the city and the organizations existing partnership with Penguin, the U.K. supplier for the Imagination Library. Children will receive high quality, age-appropriate books. In our work we see again and again the comfort that a good book and shared reading can provide, said Victoria Gray, executive director of Give a Book. Also in the U.K., charity Bookmark is raising funds for the Bookmark Box for Ukraine to be distributed to refugee children arriving in the U.K. The box is aimed at welcoming children and offering them an introduction to the new culture they will encounter in the country. The box contains a tablet with [both Ukrainian and English books, apps for language and literacy, and physical books and activities. Bookmark is a teacher-led charity focused on promoting literacy. Libraries Lend Support The American Library Association partnered with Ukrainian Library Association to create the [ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund to support the Ukrainian library community, which has been devastated by the war. Librarians in Ukraine have kept libraries open when possible and created pop-up libraries in shelters, including the Kharkiv subway system where families were living. Since the war broke out, libraries have been a source of connection for displaced people and library staff have struggled to keep up with demand for computer time. The Relief Fund will go toward the purchase of computers, software, material repairs to libraries such as shattered windows and damaged roofs, and relief funds for displaced library staff. In Norway, the University of Stavanger has created a digital library for Ukrainian refugee children through its International Collective of Research and Design in Digital Childrens Books program. The program is working with volunteer translators and India-based Pratham Books and its digital library Storyweaver to translate books in a variety of languages into Ukrainian, and make them digitally available to educators working with Ukrainian refugee children in any country. Authors and Illustrators Donate Work In addition to donating books, Universal Reading Foundation is working on creating original content. A dual Ukrainian-English language anthology titled The Book Against War is in the works. The collection includes stories donated by 50 Polish childrens writers and authors. Author-illustrator Sophie Blackallwho donated the original illustration that the Foundation has used for its fundraising effortshas donated additional illustrations. Developed in consultation with a psychologist who worked with survivors of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the book will be published in both Ukrainian and English and is expected to be available this summer. Independent publisher Little Lambda Books created a special edition of its title One Equals Many by Sonny Dean, with all proceeds going to United National Crisis Relief Ukraine. We Stand with Ukraine: One Equals Many emphasizes the power of voting and collective action to change the world. For more coverage on publishers' relief efforts, click here. The current wave of attacks on free speech and books is nothing new, says Chris Finan, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, whose most recent book is How Free Speech Saved Democracy: The Untold History of How the First Amendment Became an Essential Tool for Securing Liberty and Social Justice. However, what is different during this current crisis, he says, is that there used to be very clear delineations along political lines when it came to both defenders and critics of free speech. Today, on the other hand, some young progressives prioritize social justice over the First Amendment, Finan argues, in their attempts to restrict hate speech. There has been a shift thats not been helpful towards an understanding of free speech, Finan said, referring to Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wearing a Censored face mask on the floor of Congress. It doesnt help free speech much to be advocated by Marjorie Taylor Greene. In a conversation with PW editorial director Jim Milliot, Finan noted that he has been a free speech advocate since the early 80s, when he answered a classified advertisement in the New York Times for a coordinator of a First Amendment trade association, the Media Coalition. I had no idea what that was, but it sounded like me, he said. I grew up in the 60s and free speech was a big topic of conversation as it was being repressed in the South during the Civil Rights movement and, it was being repressed, again, in the North during the anti-war movement. Ronald Reagans election to the presidency in 1980, Finan recalled, prompted a surge in challenges to books across the U.S., especially Judy Blumes books for middle grade and YA readers. Blume was a major lightning rod, Finan explained. People had never experienced books addressed to kids about problems like sex in the schools; they responded vociferously. There also were laws passed and subsequently struck down that inflicted felony penalties against retailerssuch as booksellerswho sold materials with sexual content. As those things tailed off, suddenly, we were facing 9-11 and threats to reader privacy, said Finan, who by then had left the Media Coalition to head the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. To see the full interview, click here to register for the U.S. Book Show. First Amendment in Theory and in Practice Joking that Finan has been chasing a lot of controversies, Milliot pointed out that there have been assaults on the First Amendment almost from the get-go, beginning with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Finan confirmed this factoid and explained that although there was theoretically free speech in the 19th century, there were no court decisions protecting this Constitutional right made at the time. During World War I, more than 2,000 Americans were prosecuted, and 1,000 convicted, for criticizing President Woodrow Wilson. Among them was Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist Party of America's candidate for president of the United States five times in the early 20th century. It was really in reaction to that civil liberties meltdown, Finan explained, that people, primarily lawyers in the beginning, began to speak out about the importance of protecting free speech. He also pointed out that the American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920. Noting that some progressives lobbying for social justice and against discrimination consider fully free speech to be antithetical to their political stances, as the First Amendment guarantees even the right to hate speech, Finan maintained that censoring right-wing books and disrupting speakers on college campuses always boomerangs, as liberals are then accused of hypocrisy when they protest challenges to books addressing race and LGBTQ topics. The strongest defense against hate speech, Finan argues, is counterspeech, or discussion and debate. We have to defend the right of free speech for all, Finan said. I say that in full knowledge that that means theres a lot of garbage, a lot of misinformation, a lot of hate that gets surfaced on social media. Pointing out that 15 states have passed critical race theory laws and that most of the books being attacked by right-wing zealots address LGBTQ topics, Finan said that he hopes as a free speech activist is that this will get the attention of many of those who argue the First Amendment is a problem. You have to fight for free speech, Finan said. Once you take it for granted, then there will be people who will use that against you. In a virtual awards ceremony held the afternoon of May 24, Publishers Weekly editorial director Jim Milliot named The Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kans., PW Bookstore of the Year. Seattle-based commission rep Kurtis Lowe of Book Travelers West is PW's Sales Rep of the Year. Authors, booksellers, and publishing professionals have testified how, with creativity and panache, the Raven and Lowe supported authors and books during the pandemicand that their actions, in fact, sustained the indie bookstore industry itself. The Raven co-owner Danny Caine accepted the award from Bayfield, Wisc., where he is attending the Midwest Independent Booksellers Associations spring gathering of booksellers. Sharing a split screen with several of The Raven's co-owners, Caine tried to deflect attention from himself by giving his colleagues several shout outs. "This is a team win," he said. "Everything we've accomplished is 100% thanks to the truly wonderful Raven team." He added that he wanted to introduce his colleagues because he believes "the future of bookselling is booksellers" and that "the best way to ensure that bookstores have a seat at the table is to foster a new generation of talented and enthusiastic booksellers. The best way to do that is to make sure that bookstores are welcoming and equitable places to do dignified work. Places where people can earn a living wage and build a career if they want to." Lowe thanked numerous industry colleagues in accepting the award, from his fellow reps at Book Travelers West, to Nancy Suib, the head of an eponymous commission rep group who launched his career by hiring him back in 1997. And thanks to all the booksellers, Lowe concluded, who commit an act of courage every day by opening their doors to show us that we all belong to universe of ideas, stories and experiences that entertain and challenge us. To see the video, click here to register for the U.S. Book Show. Quoth the Raven: Amazon, Nevermore The Raven, founded by Pat Kehde and Mary Lou Wright in 1987 as a mystery bookstore with a small selection of local interest titles, has become a general bookstore and a beloved community hub in Lawrence, a university town with a population of 97,000 residents and 28,000 University of Kansas students. Caine bought the store in 2017; in January, he sold 49% of his shares in the business to seven of his employees. After Caine self-published How to Resist Amazon and Why in 2019, which was subsequently issued by Microcosm Publishing in an expanded edition, the Raven became the face of indies everywhere, valiantly doing business in the digital age. Caine is a prominent face in contemporary bookselling: often quoted in media reports on indie bookselling, Caine was named Bookseller of the Year by MIBA in 2019 and profiled by the New Yorker in 2021, and Midwest Living magazine cited the Raven as best bookstore in its Best of the Midwest 2022 feature. Caine currently serves on both the American Booksellers Associations and MIBAs boards. The Raven has long been an ardent defender of indies, Caine said. He recalled how, in the late 1990s, Kehde and Wright advocated for their business when Lawrence residents debated the addition of a Borders superstore across the street. That store eventually did open, and remained until 2011. But the Raven survived, Caine says, in part because of the compelling story about small businesses the original owners had been telling for years. What I say about Amazon is what the original owners said about Borders in 1997. A Showman for Books The third time is the charm for Lowe. A commission rep affiliated with Book Travelers West for more than 20 years, and head of group since 2008, Lowe has been nominated two previous times as PWs Sales Rep of the Year, in 2016 and 2019. Lowe, who recently partnered with the heads of Fujii Associates and Como Sales to form National Book Travelers, is the quintessential road warrior, traveling between Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state. When Jonathan Evison, previously published by Workmans Algonquin Books imprint, needed a smooth handoff to Dutton for 2022s Small World, Lowe ferried Evison around the Pacific Northwest for three days on a 24-bookstore tour. Lowe doesnt even rep for Duttonalthough he did use the trip as an opportunity to recommend that booksellers stock up on Evisons backlist titles from Workman, a company that Lowe does represent. But it was at the height of the pandemic when Lowe really distinguished himself. Lowe, who, pre-pandemic, had converted his West Seattle garage into a combination office/book showroom, began scheduling Zoom sales calls. During these meetings, he walked around his showroom, holding up finished samples grouped by publisher or distributor, leafing through them while pitching, so that the buyer can see jackets and interiors. This allows me to do custom presentations that are not harnessed to an in-person visit, he told PW. I can get much more creative. Tom Nissley, the owner of Phinney Books in Seattle, describes Lowes Zoom presentations as quite a show: hes zipping around his room, and its obvious that hes thought about what you can do in terms of displays. But then he works with some very visual publishers that you cant get across in the same way with just a phone call. This story has been updated to include a link to a video of MIBA members inside Apostle Islands Booksellers bookstore in Bayfield, Wisc. cheering the announcement of the Raven's win. Polish Literacy Foundation Leads Relief Efforts for Ukrainian Kids A collective of more than 20 Polish publishers and distributors is leading an effort to supply books to Ukrainian refugee children in Poland and funds to Ukrainian publishers. Children's Publishing Community Rallies Support for Ukraine The world of children's books has come together with a number of initiatives aimed at offering support to children's authors, publishers, and aid organizations. #BooksGiveRefuge, Ukraine Relief Efforts Continue Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the international publishing community has come together with a number of initiatives aimed at offering support to children's authors and publishers; see more about these ongoing efforts. Efforts for Ukrainian Publishers, Refugee Children Expand In the months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the international publishing community has come together with a number of initiatives aimed at offering support to children's authors, publishers, and aid organizations; here, we continue to cover these efforts. The 2022 U.S. Book Show, held virtually once again in its sophomore year, kicked off its first full day of programming this morning with words of welcome from Jim Milliot, editorial director of show sponsor Publishers Weekly. Milliots welcome was followed by the conference opening keynote: a 25-minute conversation between PW bookselling and international editor Ed Nawotka and Andrey Kurkov, a Ukrainian novelist in Kyiv whom Nawotka termed the literary ambassador for 40 million people. After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Kurkov, who had just started work on his next novel, stopped writing fiction and started writing eyewitness accounts based upon his own observations in Kyiv and those of friends, including some in occupied areas. His reports from the war zone have been published in newspapers around the world, and are being compiled into a book scheduled for publication in the U.K. this fall and subsequently in the U.S. The conversation between Nawotka and Kurkov may have been billed as Writing and Publishing in a Time of War, but it was much more than that: during the interview, Kurkov employed a literary lens to provide an overview of Ukraines history with Russia leading up to this war and why Ukrainians are so passionately defending their homeland. To see the video, click here to register for the U.S. Book Show. Kurkov noted that about 20 years agocoinciding with the 2000 election of Vladimir Putin as president of RussiaRussian science fiction writers began writing novels that envisioned war between the two countries; in those novels, Russians would always defeat Ukrainians and destroy Ukrainian independence, Kurkov said. This scenario, which had expanded beyond fiction to other media, evolved into a narrative promoted by the Putin regime that Russia and Ukraine were brother nations, which further morphed into a narrative that Russia and Ukraine were one nation, and that Ukraine as an independent entity did not exist. Describing Ukrainians as highly individualistic people who think for themselves rather than blindly follow their leaders as he said Russians do, Kurkov recalled that for years, this anti-Ukrainian propaganda was not taken seriously, and that he and other Ukrainians were just laughing at it. While about 30-40 novels speculating on Russian sovereignty over Ukraine were published since the early 2000s, there was only one Ukrainian literary rejoinder, he said: a satire envisioning Ukrainian troops conquering Moscow, with an almost theatrical parade through Red Square. Ukrainians are used to taking everything with irony or humor, Kurkov said. This is a positive thing, but it was misused by the enemy. Russia regarded Ukraines response to its propaganda as a lack of reaction, and recently stepped up its rhetoric, defending the invasion on grounds that Ukraine is a fascist state and Ukrainians are Nazisdespite 73% of the population having voted in the last election for a Russian-speaking Jew, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Despite the role that the Russian publishing industry played in fomenting anti-Ukrainian sentiment, Kurkov does not support a global boycott, explaining that not all of the books published in Russia were meant to diminish Ukrainian sovereignty. There were small publishing houses that were publishing Ukrainian authors in Russian translations, he said, It was very important. I dont see any reason to punish them: they were punished by the Russian state themselves for not adhering to Putins narrative. After giving that shoutout to defiant Russian publishers, he praised the publishers in various European countries, especially Poland and Czechoslovakia, that are publishing Ukrainian-language childrens books, so that young refugees wont grow up without access to Ukrainian literature. If theres one more thing that the global publishing community can do to help their Ukrainian colleagues, Kurkov noted, its to assist in publishing in e-book formats future paper editions of books. Paper is difficult to come by, especially considering issues in the global supply chain, and a number of distribution warehouses in Ukraine, Kurkov said, have been shelled. As for American booklovers, Kurkov urges them to read three wonderful and very truthful books about Ukraine: Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder; The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy; and Red Famine: Stalins War on Ukraine by Anne Applebaum. People know so much about Russia and the Soviet Union and so little about Ukraine, he said. Although they sympathize with Ukraine, they dont understand the reasons behind this war. With summer right around the corner, it was absolutely my intention to write a happy column. I thought maybe I could introduce readers to my new granddaughter, Claire, an eight-month old picture book fan, and maybe update my grandson Matts favorite toddler titles. But when I sat down to write, it was clear to me that happy days are still not quite here again when it comes to libraries. Using parental rights as a fig leaf, schools and public libraries across the nation are dealing with an organized, politically motivated effort to pull books from library shelvesparticularly titles that deal with antiracism and LGBTQ+ content. In Texas, for example, Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a parental bill of rights that would in some cases hold librarians and educators criminally liable for exposing young people to what he suggests is pornographic materials. Kentucky and Tennessee have also recently passed laws that give political appointees at the state level more control over the choices made by trained librarians and teachers. In April, the American Library Associations annual State of Americas Libraries report captured the extent of the threatsome 729 challenges to nearly 1,600 unique titles in libraries and schools, the highest total in the 20 years ALA has collected these statistics. Young people need to have access to a variety of books from which they can learn about different perspectives, said ALA president Patty Wong, in a statement announcing the numbers. We support individual parents choices concerning their child's reading. We believe that parents should not have those choices dictated by others. In a January 29 New York Times op-ed, award-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen perfectly captured the moment. If our society isnt strong enough to withstand the weight of difficult or challengingand even hateful or problematicideas, then something must be fixed in our society. But what must be fixed? And how? Like most librarians, Ive faced some book challenges in my career. In 1986, I was home on maternity leave when I received a frantic call from a colleague at the Onondaga County (N.Y.) Public Library. A complaint had been filed over Robert Cormiers The Chocolate War and the library board was considering pulling the book from the shelves. My colleagues and I contacted the ALA, and ALA staff guided us in preparing a letter for the board. In the letter, we referred the board to its own policies that supported free access to information. And perhaps most significantly we had a library director, Robert Kinchen, who held a masters degree in library science from Louisiana State University and was deeply grounded in the core values held by libraries. Kinchen worked with the board. The complaint was neutralized. The book stayed. A few years later, a school media specialist at a local school district ask me to consult with her superintendent on a complaint challenging Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey, a YA novel by Jamake Highwater. In the 1980s, Highwater was a difficult author to defend. Many Native Americans were questioning Highwaters background and authenticity. But his book had won a Newbery Honor and was popular. Once again, ALA helped guide our response. And recognizing the to need to support the freedom to read, the superintendent decided to keep title in the school media center. Whats happening today, however, is something considerably more dangerous. In many states today, the ability to collect and make books freely availablethe very foundation of our library systemis being systematically attacked. In Llano county, Texas, for example, county officials reportedly dissolved the existing library board and installed a new board more aligned with the county commissioners book banning efforts. Compounding matters, library supporters in Llano county (who are now suing county officials) say the new library board has ordered new book purchases be pre-approved by the board, and had even moved to close board meetings to the public. One librarian in the county alleges she was fired for refusing the boards order to pull books from her librarys shelves. I sympathize with all the teachers, librarians, and front line workers who are still dealing with challenges from the pandemic and now must face the stress of this frontal attack on the core of their work. Librarians make tough choices every day. Obviously, libraries cant purchase every title, and some titles are harder to support than others. But librarians should never feel threatened simply for developing collections, something librarians are specifically educated and trained to do. The MLIS factor The need to defend the freedom to read and the core values behind collection development have left me thinking a lot about the value of the MLIS degree. Influencing my thinking on the subject is the trend in libraries in recent years to hire leadership without requiring an MLIS degree. In a thoughtful Public Libraries column last year, PLA President Melanie Huggins explained why non-MLIS managers and leaders are suitable for some libraries. MLIS graduates may not always bring great management skills, for example. And the MLIS requirement can hamper workforce diversity, a vital issue in the profession. At the same time, Huggins also recognizes that library values need to be layered onto any non-MLIS hires education and experience from other fields. Is continuing education enough of a safeguard considering todays attacks on intellectual freedom? Are there ways to ensure the right to read is wired in the DNA of non-MLIS professionals leading our school and public libraries? Some very smart people are trying to figure that out. We must not give in to the vocal few that want to speak for the many. One of those people is my friend and former colleague Hallie Rich, Communications and External Relations Director at the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL). Hallie joined the leadership at CCPL nearly ten years ago, with an MS in positive organizational development and change from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. And after working in fits and starts over the last decade, she received her MLIS degree last December. Hallie has impressive credentials, has always been a passionate advocate for libraries, and even serves as an ALA Policy Fellow. But she says the MLIS programwith its emphasis on the principles of intellectual freedom, open access, and democracyafforded her the opportunity to really dig into library values and solidify her position. And the foundational learning theories and concepts that inform the practical running of a library, she added, are crucial in responding to the kind of attacks we are now seeing on the freedom to read. Hallie certainly had an excellent MLIS experienceshe studied with R. David Lankes (first at Syracuse University and then finishing up with him at the University of South Carolina). Now at the University of Texas at Austin, David has spoken and written eloquently on the value of the MLIS degree and library education. In a recent conversation, he acknowledged theres work to be done in MLIS educationincluding the need to bring more diverse perspectives and real world experiences to the classroom experience. In an increasingly divided country where book banning is ascendant, a library degree that truly reflects the diversity of our country, he says, has never been more essential. Roosevelt Weeks, Director of the Austin Public Library, agrees. In 2005, Roosevelt joined the Houston Public Library as Deputy of Director of Library Administration without an MLIS degree. Libraries are a people business he says, and he has those skills. But Roosevelt also decided to pursue an MLIS, earning his degree from the University of North Texas in 2014. And the experience, he says, helped him learn how to look past my known and unknown biases, and prepared him to speak out. And speak out he has. Last year, as school boards and policy makers in Texas began taking political aim at books deemed critical race theory and or featuring LGBTQ+ and other contemporary issues, the Austin Public Library was vocal in its resistance. The freedom to read is a right that must be protected in our schools and public libraries, Weeks said in a strong public statement. We must not give in to the vocal few that want to speak for the many. Weeks says the trend to politicize libraries is a particularly troubling development, and says that all librarians, whether their libraries are currently being targeted by book banners or not, must stand up and speak out. He equates this moment to the civil rights movement. All people, not just those who were directly affected by racism, were compelled to take action for what was right. Because, when it comes to allowing a small, vocal minority to determine what we can read, silence, he says, is acceptance. United This coordinated assault on the freedom to read is a fundamental challenge for all of us, and it requires a united, unwavering response. I appreciate the work of ALAs Office of Intellectual Freedom, which is coordinating efforts among various groups (including publishers, authors, and teachers) through its Unite Against Book Bans campaign. Librarians cannot stand alone in facing down these threats. We need a cadre of allies ready to fight censorship and stand for free access. But Id also like to see us work more closely with leaders in MLIS education. This organized assault on the freedom to read has highlighted core values taught in library school, values that we can lean on for strength. And one of the most important things we can do to safeguard the freedom to read is to create a surge of MLIS graduates who understand the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are ready to fight for diversity in our collections. Published on: 24 May 2022 USM's campus in George Town, Malaysia USM's campus in George Town, Malaysia Queen Mary's President and Principal, Professor Colin Bailey, and Professor Dato Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, Vice Chancellor of USM, recently signed a Strategic Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to significantly deepen and extend this international partnership. By doing so, Queen Mary can share its world-leading expertise globally, consolidating its commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. University Sains Malaysia, Penang, is among the oldest institutions of higher education in Malaysia, with the university's main campus hosting over 28,000 students. USM and Queen Mary will collaborate in a number of areas over the next five years, building on the MoU signed in 2018. The new Strategic Partnership will focus on: Education : the development of dual degree programmes at the undergraduate level across a range of subjects including Business Management, Engineering and English. : the development of dual degree programmes at the undergraduate level across a range of subjects including Business Management, Engineering and English. Research : the commitment to research partnership, enabling researcher mobility and collaboration as well as supporting joint funding applications for national and international research projects across our disciplines. : the commitment to research partnership, enabling researcher mobility and collaboration as well as supporting joint funding applications for national and international research projects across our disciplines. Mobility : the development of opportunities for faculty, staff and students both in Malaysia and Queen Mary sites as well as immersion and summer programmes. : the development of opportunities for faculty, staff and students both in Malaysia and Queen Mary sites as well as immersion and summer programmes. Policy and social impact: including executive education and post graduate training programmes on topics such as cyber security, cyber law and diplomacy. Professor Colin Grant, Vice Principal International, Queen Mary said: "We are delighted to be enhancing our partnership with Universiti Sains Malaysia. By forming stronger strategic ties with leading institutions such as USM, we expand our strategic global partners and cement our status as a truly global university. "Together with USM, we will create opportunities for research and innovation, enhance the scale of our offering to students, whilst retaining a distinct focus on social impact." Professor Dato Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia said: "We share with Queen Mary a high level of commitment to education, research and impact collaborations, so I am thrilled that USM has entered into this Strategic Partnership. We have been welcoming Queen Mary students to our campuses since 2018, and this agreement signifies a milestone in our partnership which I am sure will continue to thrive and flourish over the next five years." Queen Mary has long been committed to engaging internationally, from education to research, partnerships and stakeholder work, to impact areas around the world. Our Strategy 2030 commits us to further develop the global Queen Mary family and footprint. We will continue to build strategic partnerships with pre-eminent universities and businesses overseas, further develop our global policy relationships and expand and bring greater coherence to our physical and virtual international footprint. Ultimately, we aim to be the most inclusive university of its kind, anywhere. Still the playground of polar bears, the lands and waters north of the Arctic Circle are home to some of the worlds largest fish stocks, massive oil and gas resources, and an abundance of rare minerals that will become more accessible if Arctic temperatures rise, as northern sea routes are the shortest distance between Europe and Asia (and North America). The Arctic is increasingly a major focus of military, political, and industrial competition. The Russian bear has roared at neighboring Finland and Sweden, claimed Alaska as its own, and launched major Arctic oil and gas exploration and production and coal mining projects. Meanwhile, the leader of the free world has thwarted Americas commitment to oil and gas production as a revenue source for Alaskans. How big a loss is that? How much damage is the loss of oil and gas and minerals revenues blocked by the Biden Administration doing to the Alaska economy? Robbing Alaska for fifty years In the wake of the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources commissioned a study of the energy and minerals resources of the state and the impact of federal policies on their availability. A DNR publication estimated that 231,887 square miles of onshore land and 394,881 square miles of the states continental shelf potentially contained economic deposits of oil and gas. The DNR estimated total petroleum resources at 76.1 billion barrels of oil and 440 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. And that was with 1974 technology long before fracking. Nor did that estimate include significant oil shale and tar sands potential of interior Alaska. At that time, federal land use policies initiated by President Nixon virtually eliminate(d) onshore oil development in Alaska such that 96 percent of the onshore oil potential land in Alaska was off limits. Prospects for Alaskan energy workers rose under Trumps pro-growth policies but were quickly dashed by President Biden. Alaskans in the 1970s had believed the discovery and development of oil resources at Prudhoe Bay could be a catalyst to stimulate exploration of Alaskan coal and hard-mineral ore bodies. The Alaska DNR stated, The resource base is well-established and the need for both the raw materials and the energy fuels are (sic) unquestioned. Coal was expected to become a major industry in Alaska, as coal resources were estimated at 2 trillion tons more than the identified coal resource base of the entire Lower 48 states. But already, 82 percent of the total coal potential land was ineligible for leasing under federal rules. The report concluded, If the present trend of Federal land administration continues in Alaska, its natural resource development will be chaotic. According to the American Association of Petroleum Geologists in 1990, however, that earlier estimate was quite low. The AAPG spoke of a 4-trillion-ton resource of coal with one-sixth the total sulfur of carboniferous U.S. coals and two-fifths that of Western U.S. coals. Coal resources had not been developed because of their remote locations and lack of infrastructure, an inhospitable climate, and long distances to potential markets. It would take, they added, major, probably violent, changes in the world energy picture for these resources to become viable. Well, son of a gun! Russia has no qualms Over in Putinville, the Russian government in 2018 presented a 5-year plan for Arctic development that included investment up to 5.5 trillion rubles by year 2024 and 13.5 trillion rubles by 2050. But times change and may change again. Today, Western sanctions against Russia are affecting many of the oligarchs grandiose plans. Notably, state oil company Rosnefts gigantic Arctic oil and gas project requires Western technology to build both infrastructure and ice-class tankers. Sanctions may also cripple Vostok Oils 13 gas and oil fields in the Taymyr tundra expected to produceover 100 million tons a year by 2030. Also on Russias Arctic agenda is construction of several mines, including the Syradasaysky coal project in Taymyr. But that, too, requires Western technology at least for building ice-class bulk carriers for coal export. President Putin had predicted annual shipment of at least 80 million tons of goods on the Northern Sea Route by 2024, but those dreams, too, are out the window unless the halted industrial projects are resumed. No more peaceful coexistence Just this March, Nima Khorrami and Andreas Raspotnik of the Arctic Institute lamented that the Ukraine conflict would likely end 35 years of exceptional calm and collaborative security dynamics in the Arctic. They recalled Mikhail Gorbahevs 1987 policy initiatives that sought to lower the level of military confrontation in the Arctic by facilitating cooperation among the eight Arctic nations: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and the U.S. They also posited that, as states display more sensitivity to climate change and its implications for national security and power projection, environmental research agendas in the Arctic are likely to become hyper-politicized. In the Arctic, they predicted, climate change will be discussed through the prisms of national security and strategic competition (well, not by the Biden folk) rather than as a transnational threat. Now for the gut punch. Is fight or flight Americas Arctic future? If, as some scientists predict, Arctic ice and tundra are melting, Alaskan oil and gas and coal resources (and other minerals) will be easier to reach and develop. Once the Ukraine conflict is over, the Bear may again roar in the Siberian Arctic. But what about Alaska? Under current U.S. policy, very little would change. The Alaska National Wildlife Reserves massive oil and gas deposits would continue to lie fallow, as would other oil and gas resources on federal lands. Alaskas coal and other minerals would remain untouched. Alaska would increasingly become a financial burden on the U.S., one that an enlightened administration might just be willing to part with. There is precedent, after all, for returning contested lands notably Lyndon Johnsons settlement with Mexico that returned 437 acres along the shifting watercourse of the Rio Grande. Just this March Duma member Oleg Matveychev demanded as reparations for any losses Russia suffers in the Ukraine war the return of all Russian properties ,,, seized [by] the United States. This includes all of Alaska, a former Russian settlement in California, and the Antarctic. We discovered it, so it belongs to us, he chirped. Would an American President take such a Russian demand seriously? Who knows? Could President Biden be as generous with Alaskan oil and gas, coal, and minerals as he was initially with Nord Stream 2 (or as Hillary was with American uranium)? Surely that is a vodka-induced dream. But Afghanistan happened. Should Russians regain control of Alaska, the good news is that Alaskans might have new jobs. The bad news: They would all be working for Putin. Whether or not the Earth warms, Russians see the entire Arctic as the next energy frontier. Alaskans would love to get in on the act, and Americans would welcome the cheaper energy prices Alaskan production would bring. The minerals value alone could go a long way toward reducing Americas dreadful critical minerals imbalances. Sadly, however, Americas energy and minerals policy is still being run by a long-dead white male. The guy who coined the phrase, In wildness is the preservation of the world. Duggan Flanakin is a policy analyst and journalist based in Austin, Texas. Duggan Flanakin is a policy analyst and journalist based in Austin, Texas. In 2022, the United States has entered a new era of great power competition and energy policy challenges. As Congress works to reform policies to address emerging threats, improving transparency of foreign energy investment in the United States should be a major priority. In the past, the United States recognized the risks of foreign energy investments and passed a law to require transparency. In the 1970s, at the height of the nations energy crisis and conflict with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), lawmakers passed legislation to track foreign investment in American energy. The Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977, which created the Department of Energy (DOE), also established the Energy Information Administration (EIA) within DOE to collect information about energy in the United States and across the world. One of EIAs responsibilities listed in the act was to collect data on foreign investment in U.S. energy: In accordance with the Department of Energy Organization Act, 42 U.S.C. 7257(8), the Energy Information Administration (EIA) prepares an annual report for the Secretary of Energy and for transmittal to Congress that summarizes foreign investment, energy operations, and financial performance in U.S. energy enterprises. The information is available for use by the Congress, government agencies, and the public. The EIA used to release annual reports like Profiles of Foreign Direct Investment in U.S. Energy or Acquisitions and Divestitures in U.S. Energy by Foreign Direct Investors 2007. However, in 2011, the Department of Energy stopped collecting the form that was the foundation for these reports. According to EIA, a 15.2 million dollar budget cut in FY 2011 suspended the usage of the form (EIA-28), the data collection process, and any reports published using the data. EIA submitted to the Office of Management and Budget in 2013 an updated draft form for review and comment to try to collect this information again. However, as seen on EIAs website, these submissions did not go anywhere, so the form is still suspended. With growing interest on Capitol Hill to broadly apply greater scrutiny to foreign investment in the United States, the time has come to restart the Department of Energy's work to establish transparency. Congress should direct its attention to the energy industry to fix the self-inflicted information gap. In 2022, Congress should require the Department of Energy to bring back the EIA-28 form to collect and report data on foreign energy investment in the United States. Collecting granular information about foreign investment in the U.S. by requiring EIA to collect this information would help Congress and the public better understand who is involved in Americas energy industry. For example, past reports detailed the source of investment by country of origin. The reports specifically listed Canada, Netherlands, UK, Japan, Latin America, and OPEC, with the rest being other countries. An updated version of this report should include more countries, especially China given its recent history of purchasing American energy companies. Congress should also require additional granularity about the type of energy assets purchased by foreign investors. In past reports, EIA collected data on acquisitions and divestitures in American energy assets. In a revamped version, EIA could provide more granular categories. For example, electric power could be broken down into solar and wind. Petroleum Refining and Marketing and Mid/Downstream Natural Gas could provide data on natural gas assets that were for fracking. This approach could also be applied when tracking net energy production. Back when the EIA collected and reported on this information in the 90s, for example, the Department tracked the net production of oil and natural gas at the company level. If the form was brought back with the reports that used this information, company-level solar and wind production could follow the same structure. Congress has several opportunities to require the Department of Energy to reestablish transparency of foreign investments in the U.S. energy sector. For example, through the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress could authorize new funding for EIA to collect data with the form and publish annual Profiles of Foreign Direct Investment in U.S. Energy reports. Through the appropriations process, Congress could provide EIA with necessary funding. The American people deserve to know more about who invests in our energy industry. Congress should move quickly to improve transparency. The city of New York announced Monday it will pay $7 million to Grant Williams, a former studio worker for the rap group Wu-Tang Clan, in compensation for a wrongful 1997 murder conviction. ADVERTISEMENT Williams, who was exonerated last year for the slaying of 20-year-old Shdell Lewis in Staten Island, New York City, will receive the payment to settle his claims of police misconduct and civil rights violations, city comptroller Brad Lander announced. "Grant Williams spent 23 years in jail for a crime that he did not commit," Lander said. "While no amount of money can bring those years back for Mr. Williams or his family, I am pleased that we were able to move quickly to a fair and early resolution of this claim." The $7 million amount was agreed upon "after a careful review of his claims and negotiations with his counsel," the comptroller said. "The early resolution of this claim is in the best interests of all parties and city taxpayers." Williams was convicted in 1997 at age 25 despite the fact that he did not match the description given to police by witnesses, and that prosecutors did not have a confession, a murder weapon, or any significant evidence, Lander said. Police withheld potentially exonerating information from prosecutors, including the statements of a witness who told them Williams was not the shooter, he added. Another witness said he was with Williams in another location at the time of the shooting. Williams had steadfastly maintained his innocence through many rounds of appeals, until in 2017 the investigation into Lewis' death was reopened. Based on new information from the probe, he was released from prison on parole in October 2019. Williams subsequently requested a full exoneration, which was granted by the Richmond County, New York, Supreme Court on July 22, 2021. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, a close friend of Williams, told The Staten Island Advance last year -- after his exoneration -- that the decision felt "like a ton of bricks being lifted." "I missed him," he said. "When he left, part of me left." Tom Hiddleston recalled how he performed a song in Norwegian for Marvel's Loki while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. ADVERTISEMENT The actor told Kimmel on Monday that he only had four days to learn the song, which was written for the show as a nod to the fact that Loki is a Norse god. Hiddleston said he sang the song all the time in order to remember it. "I was so worried I was going to offend a whole nation of people," he said of the song, which made it onto the world music charts. Hiddleston also performed the song briefly on the talk show and translated some of it. "It means something like the trees, they dance and the waterfalls stop when she sings, she sings come home," Hiddleston said. "It was sort of like an old folk song, which Loki could turn into a drinking game," he continued. Hiddleston also confirmed that the entire cast from Loki will be returning to Season 2 and that the Marvel series is moving production from Atlanta to London. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! Hiddleston currently stars in Apple's The Essex Serpent alongside Claire Danes Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Darlene Smith looks over photos of her husband, Adam Smith, founder of Adam's Seafood Market, on Putney Road, in Brattleboro, Vt., on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Adam died on May 9, 2022. There will be a celebration of life ceremony for him on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the Brattleboro Eagles Club. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 82F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 63F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. PHOENIX (AP) An impassioned effort by some Arizona Senate Republicans to ban the use of ballot drop boxes failed Monday. Scottsdale Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Ritas efforts to change a proposal requiring drop boxes to have video monitoring was blocked by fellow GOP senators who knew House Republicans werent on board with the harsher proposal. And the whole exercise ended up being in vain after Republican Sen. Paul Boyer of Glendale joined all Senate Democrats in rejecting the measure outright. Ugenti-Rita said drop boxes are rife with possibilities for ballot harvesting, a pejorative term for dropping off completed ballots for other people. The Legislature in 2016 made it a felony to return another person's mail ballots unless it is for a family member or if the person returning the ballot is a caregiver. She pointed to recent documentary that alleged thousands of ballots were illegally cast in 2020 battleground states . Fact-checkers have shown the arguments made in 2000 Mules are full of unsupported allegations that thousands of ballots were illegally deposited into drop boxes. If you think ballot boxes contribute to ballot harvesting and can be manipulated, you would ban them, not require that we tape them, Ugenti-Rita said. Its too late at that point. But GOP Sen. J.D Mesnard noted that banning drop boxes outright would essentially kill the bill, because theres no support in the House for going as far as Ugenti-Rita was proposing. I dont want to kill the bill, Mesnard said. I want something done in this area that leaves us better. And I strongly disagree that doing nothing is better than having them monitored with cameras. The original House measure would have completely banned unmonitored drop boxes, but it did not have the votes to pass so it was watered down to allow counties to set up video monitoring where practical. About 90% of Arizona voters cast early ballots, either through the mail, at early voting sites or by using drop boxes put in place by county election officials. Those boxes are most important in the week before an election, when there is doubt a mail-in ballot will reach the local election department in time. Republican Sen. Kelly Townsend had shepherded the bill through the Senate and struggled with whether to support Ugenti-Rita's amendment, but ended up voting for it when a formal vote on the amendment was called. She said she had to choose between what's best for the state versus procedure. Boyer also teamed up with Democrats to defeat a bill that would have required county recorders to sign off on any settlement the Secretary of State negotiates to end an election-related lawsuit. And he opposed a measure barring local election officials from opening emergency vote centers except in cases of war, civil unrest or a natural disaster. Emergency vote centers were widely used in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. But Boyer did vote with majority Republicans for a bill that mandates a person's voter registration be cancelled if election officials are notified the person has left the county. He also backed a measure that bars government agencies from registering someone to vote without their direct request. Republicans have introduced dozens of election bills this session, may based on the disproven contention that President Joe Biden defeated former president Donald Trump because of election fraud. The most contentious have failed to pass, but some have made it to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey's desk. On Monday, he signed bills that banned same-day voter registration, which is already not allowed, and boosting requirements for court officials to notify the Secretary of State when someone is convicted of a felony and loses their voting rights. This story has been corrected to show that GOP Sen. Kelly Townsend did not initially oppose the amendment WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Brownsville TX 457 AM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Jim Hogg, northwestern Starr, Brooks and southern Zapata Counties through 545 AM CDT... At 456 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 6 miles southeast of Randado to near Siesta Shores. Movement was southeast at 20 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Zapata, Falfurrias, Agua Nueva, Viboras, Lopeno, Bustamante, Medina, New Falcon, Zapata High School and Randado. This includes the following highways... US Highway 83 between mile markers 760 and 800. US Highway 281 between mile markers 708 and 730. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 2727 9852 2726 9799 2705 9799 2699 9802 2647 9909 2652 9913 2654 9917 2672 9921 2675 9924 2685 9927 2687 9932 2692 9933 2693 9938 2712 9912 2731 9852 TIME...MOT...LOC 0956Z 327DEG 19KT 2703 9879 2684 9919 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Jackson County in southwestern Oklahoma... Central Tillman County in southwestern Oklahoma... Northern Wilbarger County in northern Texas... * Until 545 AM CDT. * At 500 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles southwest of Tipton, moving east at 45 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Frederick, Tipton, Manitou, Hollister, Humphreys and Hess. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather As U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet continued her visit to China on , friends of Shandong rights activist Li Yu said she has been incommunicado in recent days, and may have been detained. Li, whose rights activism started when she tried to win redress through petitioning for the loss of her home and farmland, hasn't responded to large numbers of messages via social media, and her account has been blocking friends without any explanation, her Los Angeles-based friend Jie Lijian told RFA. "People from the petitioner community back home in China who were close to her haven't been able to reach her," Jie said. "We can't reach her either, not on WeChat, and her phone is constantly turned off." "We are worried that Li Yu could have been illegally detained by the authorities again, kidnapped or placed under house arrest in a secret detention facility, ostensibly because of disease control and prevention," Jie said. "It's hard to tell, because she has been cut off from all of us." Jie said Li has likely been detained, however, because she once told him that if she didn't reply to his messages, it would be because she was under police surveillance or in detention. A fellow petitioner from the northeastern province of Liaoning, Jiang Jiawen, said she hadn't been able to get any response from Li either. "I can't get in contact with her, and I have tried every channel," Jiang told RFA. A call to Li's cell phone resulted in an electronic message saying: "The number you have dialed is not in use. Please check and try again." Li is no stranger to harassment and detention by the authorities, and has already served two jail terms totaling six years for publicly commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. At the time she went incommunicado, she was living at her mother's home in Zaozhuang, Sichuan, and was under close surveillance by the authorities. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet (2nd, left) meets with Chinese officials on her second day of a key visit to China. Credit: OHCHR Twitter. 'Picking quarrels and stirring up trouble' Meanwhile, a court in the eastern province of Jiangsu has suspended the subversion trial of Xu Qin, a key figure in the China Rights Observer group founded by jailed veteran dissident Qin Yongmin. Xu had been held on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a public order charge typically used in the initial detention of activists and peaceful critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She had been a vocal supporter of a number of high-profile human rights cases, including that of detained human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng. The Yangzhou Intermediate People's Court said in an ruling that the trial had to be suspended "due to unavoidable circumstances," but gave no further details. However, Xu's husband Tang Zhi said he wasn't informed of the decision until a month later. He said a lawyer had told him that the trial had been suspended at the behest of state security police, which he believes was the result of Xu's refusal to plead guilty or "confess" to the charges against her. "This has been postponed again and again; this is the sixth time now," Tang said. He said that Xu's defense lawyer had been targeted for harassment by state security police after she insisted on defending her not guilty plea. "The state security police drove to the lawyer's law firm and spoke to the director, trying to get her to drop the case, and for her to be fired if she insisted on defending it," Tang said. A member of Xu's Rose China, a sister group to the China Rights Observer, said the suspension of the trial didn't mean the case had been dropped. "The point of suspending the trial is to keep [her] in detention, rather than to conclude the case," the member, who declined to be named, told RFA. "It looks as if she is being held in long-term detention, but with no conclusion [to the case]." Quoting Xi to Bachelet Xu, 60, is currently being held at the Yangzhou Detention Center, where she has been on hunger strike in protest at the loss of letter-writing and receiving privileges, and a months-long ban on meetings with her lawyer. "She didn't see her lawyer between Nov. 5, 2021 and Feb. 17 this year, and only then because she went on hunger strike to fight for her rights," the Rose China member said. Hundreds of rights organizations have expressed concern that Bachelet's visit to China will result in her whitewashing the CCP's human rights abuses. Bachelet was presented with a selection of writings on human rights authored by CCP leader Xi Jinping on her arrival in the southern province of Guangdong on . Foreign minister Wang Yi quoted sections from the writings to Bachelet, saying China's approach to human rights should work for the rest of the world, and that dialogue on the subject shouldn't be "politicized" or make use of "double standards." Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the visit is expected to "enhance mutual understanding and cooperation, as well as to clarify misinformation," in an apparent reference to Beijing's claim that the mass incarceration of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and related policies aren't a form of targeted totalitarian repression or genocide, as described by the U.S. and international rights groups. Bachelet's official Twitter account said merely: "We will be discussing sensitive, important human rights issues, and I hope this visit will help us work together to advance human rights in China and globally." Former 1989 student leader Zhou Fengsuo and founder of the rights group Humanitarian China said he hadn't expected much from the U.N. "The bigger the institution, the more it is controlled by the CCP," Zhou told RFA. "It's really outrageous to see Bachelet ... not protesting at all, and happy to receive such nonsense from the dictator Xi Jinping." "This basically reflects the essence of her trip to China: it is to cooperate with the Chinese government to put on a show ... it reflects the systemic corruption at the U.N.," he said. "We call on Bachelet to really listen to the situation of political prisoners such as Wang Bingzhang, Gao Zhisheng, Xu Zhiyong, and Zhang Zhan, and of course, check out the locations of the concentration camps in Xinjiang, where many people are locked up," Zhou said. "That's what a human rights commissioner should do. I've never seen her commit to that, and it's really reprehensible," he said. Chen Guiqiu, wife of detained human rights lawyer Xie Yang, Luo Shengchun, wife of detained lawyer Ding Jiaxi, and Shi Minglei, wife of NGO worker Cheng Yuan, sent a joint letter to Bachelet, calling on her to pressure Beijing for their release, as well as raising the cases of Li Qiaochu, Xu Zhiyong, lawyer Chang Weiping, Guo Feixiong, Tang Jitian and others. "The defenders we list have ... been detained by the Chinese government for the sake of promoting democracy and progress in society," Chen said. "These people are the hope of society; they represent justice, and its conscience." Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A court in Hong Kong on jailed democracy activist and former law professor Benny Tai for 10 months for "illegally" promoting a strategic voting scheme for the 2016 Legislative Council (LegCo) elections. Tai, 57, was handed the sentence after pleading guilty to illegally incurring H.K.$253,000 in election expenses by placing six newspaper ads to promote scheme, which aimed to win a majority for pro-democracy parties in LegCo. District Court judge Anthony Kwok said the sentence had been reduced by five months due to the guilty plea and by two months because of delays in prosecuting the case. Kwok said the strategic voting scheme had affected the "fairness" of the election, although it was later postponed by the government and held under rules preventing any opposition candidates from standing at all. Tai and 26 other activists and former pro-democracy lawmakers are also awaiting trial under the national security law for subversion for their role in an unofficial democratic primary held in the run-up to the main poll. Onlookers shouted out "Hang in there!" and "Jesus loves you!" from the public gallery after the sentence was read out. (L-R) Scholar Hui Po-keung, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Cantopop star Denise Ho and former pro-democracy lawmaker and barrister Margaret Ng, who pleaded not guilty to 'collusion with foreign forces' in connection with their trusteeship of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, head to court in Hong Kong, May 24, 2022. Credit: RFA. The sentencing came as retired Catholic bishop and Cardinal Joseph Zen and five co-defendants pleaded not guilty to 'collusion with foreign forces' in connection with their trusteeship of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which offered financial, legal and psychological help to people arrested during the 2019 protest movement. Zen's co-defendants, former pro-democracy lawmaker and barrister Margaret Ng, scholar Hui Po-keung, jailed former lawmaker Cyd Ho, Cantopop star Denise Ho and former fund secretary Sze Shing-wai, also pleaded not guilty to the same charge at West Kowloon Court on . At the hearing attended by the German consul Johannes Harms and other foreign diplomats, the six also pleaded not guilty to another charge of "failure to apply for registration or exemption from registration of a society within the specified time limit." Their trial has been scheduled for Sept. 19, and all defendants barring Cyd Ho were released on bail after the national security police confiscated their passports. The prosecution said it would call 17 witnesses, and present 10 boxes of documents and eight hours of video clips as evidence. Onlookers called out in support of Zen and the others, calling him Peace Cardinal, and exhorting them to "take care," and offering Christian blessings. Meanwhile, the Law Society said it would investigate the defense team for alleged "professional misconduct," prompting fears that the pro-China body will target defense attorneys in a similar manner to official lawyers' associations in mainland China. The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong said said it will no longer hold masses for those who died in the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, citing fears of prosecution under the national security law. Masses were held at seven churches last year to the , 1989 anniversary. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. (L-R) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave to the media prior to the Quad meeting at the Kishida's office in Tokyo, May 24, 2022. Leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) met on Tuesday in Tokyo, with Chinas increasing influence and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region looming large over the four-nation summit. They announced the roll out of a major new maritime initiative that is expected to monitor Chinese maritime activities in the region. Leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States said in a joint statement that they convened to renew our steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed our resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion. The statement did not mention China but said the Quad leaders opposed the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries offshore resource exploitation activities actions that China has been accused of in the East and South China Sea. The Quad members would probably not say so out loud in public, but in private they would all acknowledge that the Quad only exists because all four members are nervous about the authoritarian tilt of an expansionist and assertive Peoples Republic of China (PRC) under President Xi Jinping, said John Blaxland, professor at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. By not being explicit about the raison detre, the Quad countries hope to provide some space for other regional states to continue to engage constructively on security issues with Quad nations, Blaxland told RFA. The four leaders announced a so-called Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative that would support Indo-Pacific countries to monitor their waters, not only to respond to humanitarian and natural disasters but also to combat illegal fishing, another reference to Chinas assertive actions in the regional seas and oceans. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida feed carp before their dinner at Akasaka State Guest House in Tokyo on May 24, 2022, following the end of the Quad leaders' summit between the US, Japan, India and Australia. Credit: AFP Strategic ambiguity on Taiwan A White House fact sheet said the IPMDA will allow tracking of dark shipping and other tactical-level activities. This initiative will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores and, in turn, to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. Asked about the Quad statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing "actively upholds the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law," and took a swipe at critics. "We hope certain countries would not see China through tinted glasses and make unwarranted accusations. Building small cliques and stoking bloc confrontation is the real threat to a peaceful, stable and cooperative maritime order," he told a news briefing in Beijing Tuesday. The Quad summit came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden attracted much attention and drew criticism from Beijing when he stated that he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan in the case of any Chinese invasion. China considers the democratic island a breakaway province and vows to reunify it with the mainland, by force if necessary. Biden told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that there was no change to the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan, meaning the U.S. acknowledges the One-China policy but informally supports the island and provides it with defensive weapons. In Beijing, Wang said Washington had publicly or stealthily incited and endorsed Taiwan independence separatist activities and warned it to stop. If the U.S. continues to go down the wrong path, there will be irretrievable consequences for the China-U.S. relations and the U.S. will have to pay [an] unbearable price, he said.. In his opening speech, Biden said the summit was about "democracies versus autocracies, and we have to make sure that we deliver." The Quad leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine, which Biden said had become a global issue and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida said a similar invasion should not happen in Asia. Debut of Australia PM Albanese Without mentioning Russia, as Quad member India has so far refused to condemn Moscow, the four leaders said they reiterated our strong resolve to maintain the peace and stability in the region at a time of profound global challenges. This is the fourth meeting of the leaders of the Quad, but the second in person because of the Covid pandemic. This is also the first summit for Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who was sworn in just a day ago. Australia has been spooked by Chinas growing presence in the Pacific islands, especially after Beijing signed a controversial security pact with the Solomon Islands that may allow China to deploy troops in Australias back yard. The new Prime Minister has made clear that in terms of broad security policy choices, he is aligned with the previous government, said Professor Blaxland from the Australian National University. The difference lies in the rhetoric, Albanese probably will have a softer line. It also lies in some of the substance on the issue of the environment. Addressing the felt need of nervous small Pacific Island nations is now seen as being of fundamental importance, Blaxland said. A patient rests in a room of he Pyongyang Maternity Hospital as foreign reporters visit on a government organised tour in Pyongyang, North Korea May 7, 2016. North Koreas COVID outbreak may be leading to a rise in stillbirths as pregnant women thought to be suffering from the disease are shuttled into hotels, warehouses and other improvised medical facilities that lack proper treatment, sources in the country told RFA. After more than two years of denying any North Korean had contracted the coronavirus, the country finally announced its first cases and deaths this month, saying the Omicron variant had begun to spread among participants of a large-scale military parade in late April. The country then declared a maximum emergency and began locking down entire cities and counties, requiring people to check their temperature and report symptoms twice a day. Suspected cases were isolated from the rest of the population. The makeshift quarantine facilities, sometimes set up in empty tourist or industrial facilities, are ill-equipped to treat anyone infected with the virus, and pregnant patients added a new layer of complications. At the Anju Hotel, men and women with symptoms of COVID-19 are separated and isolated in their rooms, a resident of the city of Anju in South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang, told RFAs Korean Service. About 200 residents of Anju are isolated in the hotel, and their treatment consists of only two pain reliever tablets each day, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. There are many pregnant women among those with severe symptoms who are quarantined in the hotels, the source said. Those who are about to give birth are at risk. There have been cases of stillborn babies, born way before their due date because the women are unable to receive proper treatment. The quarantine authorities only dealt with the bodies of the stillborn babies and are not giving further treatment or special care for the mothers who complain of high fever or symptoms of postpartum. Families are outraged that the quarantine officials, who say they can only let the grieving mothers go out if they recover from their COVID-19 symptoms, she said. The source said she knew specifically about two women who had stillbirths, including one who had been helped by a doctor to deliver the baby. In Chungsan county, in another part of the province, suspected COVID-19 cases are isolated in an empty warehouse on a cooperative farm, a resident there told RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons. The meals are provided by the local government. Two fever pills are provided by the Central Committee to each person, but the pills are not really working for the patients with high fevers, he said. Right now, there are about 300 patients that are quarantined at the warehouse and propaganda office at the farm. There are about 20 pregnant women among the group, who, after 10 days of isolation in a harsh environment, are suffering from high fevers and pregnancy poisoning, swelling, and pain all over their bodies, so they are appealing for appropriate treatment, he said. But the quarantine officials are treating the pregnant women the same as everyone else at the makeshift facility. They give the pregnant women the same corn-rice and spinach soup as they give to the other patients, and no treatment is given. The pregnant women are having stillbirths because they cannot eat properly when they are sick, and the fetuses die in their stomachs, he said. As the news of stillbirths spread among the families of the pregnant women quarantined for COVID-19, local residents are complaining that the authorities and their COVID-19 quarantine measures are killing pregnant women and their unborn babies, the second source said. About 2.8 million people have been hit by outbreaks of fever, 68 of whom have died, according to data based on reports from North Korean state media published by 38 North, a site that provides analysis on the country and is run by the U.S.-based think tank the Stimson Center. Around 2.3 million are reported to have made recoveries, while 479,400 are undergoing treatment. The country has only a handful of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which 38 North attributed to insufficient testing capabilities. Data published on the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center showed North Korea with only one confirmed COVID-19 case and six deaths as of Monday evening. Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong. A spokesman for an opposition group said junta forces were trying to disguise their movements. Myanmar junta troops on Tuesday briefly cut mobile phone service to eight townships in Sagaing region, leaving more than a million residents without cell access in an effort to mask the movements and operations of Military Council forces in the war-torn area, Myanmar sources say. Phone lines were cut for six hours from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., with affected areas including Monywa, Pale, Khin Oo, Ye-U, Kanbalu, Kyun Hla and Kani. local sources said. Yes, the phone lines were cut off around 7, a resident of Khin Oo told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. I found a missed-call notification on my phone earlier and now Im calling you back, but even still the signal is dropping off now and then. The spot Im speaking from now has a pretty strong signal, and there is also a place where you can get 2G internet service. But we have to find these kinds of places to make our calls go through, he said. Service has been available on and off, but right now it seems to be working again, said a villager in Sagaings Ye-U, where more than 150,000 residents have had trouble making and receiving calls since 6 a.m. Earlier in the morning, both of my phones didnt work. Local providers MPT and Telenor were both down, the source said, also declining to be named. Service is okay one minute, and then the next its not, he added. Nearly 20 calls made by RFA to affected townships at around 10 a.m. failed to connect, while a call made in the afternoon to a resident of Monywa was blocked. Phone service was largely restored in the township by around 1 p.m., residents said. Myo Swe, director general of the ruling Military Councils Directorate of Communications, told RFA he was unaware of the reports of a cut-off in services. I dont know anything about this issue. Well take a look into that, he said. Inn Phat village in Sagaing's Khin Oo township is shown after being burned by Myanmar junta troops, May 16, 2022. Photo: Citizen Journalist But a spokesman for the Myanmar Defense Force, an armed group set up to oppose junta rule, said that junta troops had cut phone service in Sagaing to prevent reporting of their activities and movements in the area. They dont want news of their soldiers committing arson reaching the media and the international community, the spokesman, Bo Taw Win, said. We have video files of some of them burning houses, but we cant upload them because of the weak signals. We can only upload photos. But they also want to cover up our victories. They dont want people to know about the intensity of the fighting here, and they dont want any aid from donors to reach us, Bo Taw Win said. Military activity had been reported in Kani and Ye-U townships after phone service was cut Tuesday morning, he added. Northwest Myanmars Sagaing region has been the center of some of the strongest armed resistance to junta rule since the military seized power from the countrys democratically elected government in a Feb. 1, 2021, coup. Myanmars military has for months conducted an arson campaign in Sagaing targeting rural villages, killing civilians and burning hundreds of homes, leaving thousands displaced. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane for RFAs Myanmar Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. Gendun Lhundrub was on his way to attend a religious event when he was arrested in December 2020. The Tibetan writer and poet Gendun Lhundrub, who has been held incommunicado for more than a year after his arrest in 2020, is being detained in a prison in Siling (in Chinese, Xining), Tibetans with knowledge of his situation said. Lhundrub, aged around 47 and formerly a monk at Rongwo monastery in Rebgong (Tongren) county in the Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, had been monitored by authorities for signs of political dissent before being detained, a Tibetan living in exile told RFA in a previous report. Authorities arrested Lhundrub on Dec. 2, 2020, in western Chinas Qinghai province while he was on his way to attend a religious debate in Rebgong. He was put in the back of a black car driven by Chinese police, according to a witness. We have learned that Gendun Lhundrub whose whereabouts remained unknown until now is being detained at a detention center in Siling, said a Tibetan who lives inside the Tibet Autonomous Region. However, his family members are still not allowed to see him, and no information about his condition has been revealed. Lhundrub is reportedly undergoing political re-education program for which he must translate Tibetan Buddhist scripts into Mandarin Chinese, the source said. The Chinese Communist Party requires Tibetan Buddhist studies to be taught exclusively in Chinese. Chinese officials told Lhundrubs family in a September 2021 phone call that the writers trial would soon be held but have not heard anything since, said a second Tibetan who lives in exile. According to a source close to Lhundrub, there is still no news about his trial, but he is being detained at a special detention center where his life is not under threat, the source said. Chinese authorities have frequently detained Tibetan writers and artists who promote Tibetan national identity and culture with many sentenced to lengthy prison terms following region-wide protests against Chinese rule that swept Tibet and Tibetan areas in western provinces of China in 2008. Language rights have become a particular focus for Tibetan efforts to assert national identity in recent years, with informally organized language courses typically deemed illegal associations and teachers subject to detention and arrest, sources say. Authorities have also issued orders to Buddhist monks and nuns about using Mandarin Chinese instead of Tibetan. At a religious conference in Qinghai in September 2021, government authorities issued instructions that Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and study centers had to begin translating classroom texts from Tibetan into Mandarin Chinese, Chinas common language, sources told RFA in a report at that time. Monks and nuns were told that they must learn and speak to each other in Chinese instead of their native language, part of Chinese President Xi Jinpings call to Sinicize religion across the country. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFAs Tibetan Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Opposition supporters blocked the entrances of the Armenian Foreign Ministry building in Yerevan for nearly three hours on May 24 amid ongoing rallies against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. The protesters broke through police cordons and surrounded the Foreign Ministry headquarters. One person was detained amid scuffles between the crowd and the police. Pashinian himself rose to power after anti-government protests in May 2018. The current demonstrators accuse him of mishandling negotiations with Azerbaijan following the 2020 conflict in and around the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The military situation in eastern Ukraine is even worse than people say it is, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said as Russian forces continue to thrust ahead in the Donbas. Kuleba made the statement during a live question-and-answer session with Twitter users in which he also said the country needs heavy weapons now to effectively fight Russia and said peace talks with Moscow were not really taking place. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar told a press briefing that battles in the east had reached "maximum intensity," with Russian forces storming positions simultaneously. "We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us," she said. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26, said during the call he felt not even a glimmer of hope for peace. Draghi told a news conference that he did, however, feel a readiness on Putin's part to try to find a solution to the international food crisis. 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. According to the Kremlin, Putin told Draghi that Russia "is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizer on the condition that politically motivated restrictions imposed by the West are lifted." Britain immediately accused Russia of "trying to hold the world to ransom," insisting there would be no sanctions relief. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin had "essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world." Speaking during a visit to Sarajevo, she said any appeasement "will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term." The White House said there were no talks being held about relaxing sanctions on Russia in order to get grain exports. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, but Russian forces are currently blocking Ukraine's Black Sea ports, endangering world food supplies. The international community has been calling on Russia to unblock the ports and allow the export of Ukrainian grain. The Russian Defense Ministry has proposed a corridor to allow foreign ships to leave Black Sea ports and another to allow vessels to leave Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle but was not sure if it could trust Russia. The question is how to ensure that "Russia will not violate the agreement on the safe passage and its military vessels will not sneak into the harbor and attack Odesa," he said. Russian forces briefly reached the last highway out of two key cities which they have been attempting to encircle as Western leaders reiterated that Putin will not win the war. Russian forces shelled 40 towns in the easternmost pocket still held by Kyiv in the Donbas, Ukraine's military said on May 26. Russians were advancing on the key twin cities of Syevyerodonetsk and Lysychansk, which lie on either side of the Siverskiy Donets River, with the fighting reaching the limits of Syevyerodonetsk. Serhiy Hayday, the governor of the Luhansk region, acknowledged that Ukrainian forces were retreating, but said the last road out of Lysychansk and Syevyerodonetsk remained outside of Russian control. "The Russian Army has thrown all its forces into the fight to capture the Luhansk region. There is heavy fighting on the outskirts of Syevyerodonetsk in one direction. They are simply destroying the city," Hayday said. Hayday said in an interview posted on social media, that "some 50" Russian soldiers had reached the highway linking Lysychansk to Ukrainian-held Bakhmut, and "managed to gain a foothold for some time" before being "thrown back." Hayday said Ukrainian forces "are slowly retreating to more fortified positions," and indicated that further Ukrainian withdrawals would follow as "we need to win the war, not the battle." The head of the local military-civil administration in Syevyerodonetsk said the city had been under "constant fire" for the past week-and-a-half, and 90 percent of housing had been damaged by the fighting. Oleksandr Stryuk, speaking to Ukraine's NV radio station, said some 12,000-13,000 people are still thought to be in the city that had a pre-war population of 100,000 -- many of them sheltering in basements. The fall of the two cities would leave the whole of the Luhansk region under Russian control, one of the Kremlin's goals in its war. A senior U.S. Defense Department official said at a briefing on May 26 that Russian forces had made incremental progress in the northeastern Donbas region. The strategy of encircling the whole Donbas region hasnt worked, the official said, so the Russians have started trying to pinch off the far eastern elements of the Ukrainian forces between Syevyerodonetsk and Popasna. It is still an effort to encircle Ukrainian forces and cut them off but on a smaller scale, the official said. The official also provided an accounting of the equipment losses of the Russian forces in the war thus far, saying they were "not insignificant." The losses include almost 1,000 tanks, 350 artillery pieces, almost three dozen fighter aircraft, and more than 50 helicopters. But the official said the Russian military still has a lot of capability left. Despite its current momentum, Russia cannot win, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the World Economic Forum in Davos on May 26. Scholz said that three months of war, "the capture of the whole of Ukraine seems further away now than at the beginning of the war." "Putin must not win his war, and I am convinced he will not win," Scholz said. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, CNN, and the BBC Two Iranian Air Force pilots were killed when their F-7 fighter jet crashed during a training mission near the city of Naeen in central Iran. The state news agency IRNA said the crash occurred in the morning on May 24. The state ISNA news agency quoted a military official as saying that it appeared a "technical issue" caused the accident, though an investigation has been opened to pinpoint the cause. Iran's air force has seen a number of crashes in recent years. In February, an F-5 fighter jet -- purchased from the United States before the 1979 Islamic Revolution -- crashed into a school stadium in a residential area of the northwestern city of Tabriz, killing two pilots and one civilian. Decades of Western sanctions against Tehran have made it difficult to get spare parts for the jets and to maintain the fleet. The air force also flies Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi planes. Last year saw a "worrying rise" in global executions in 2021 amid an easing in pandemic restrictions, Amnesty International has said, with Iran recording its highest number of state-sanctioned killings since 2017. The global number of executions saw a 20 percent increase over 2020, with Iran accounting for most of the rise. The global totals do not include executions in China, which Amnesty believes to be in the thousands, North Korea, and Vietnam. Out of the total of 579 executions carried out across 18 countries last year, Iran executed at least 314 people, up from 246 in 2020 and the highest total in four years, Amnesty said in its Death Sentences And Executions 2021 Report. The rights watchdog said the higher number was due to the increase in drug-related executions in Iran. "Iran maintains a mandatory death penalty for possession of certain types and quantities of drugs -- with the number of executions recorded for drug-related offenses rising more than five-fold to 132 in 2021 from 23 the previous year," the report said. It also highlighted the rise in the number of women executed, which went up from nine to 14 year-to-year. "The Iranian authorities continued their abhorrent assault on children's rights by executing three people who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime, contrary to their obligations under international law," the report said. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, more than doubled the number of executed people last year. Amnesty also mentions that Saudi Arabia this year stepped up the practice, with the execution of 81 people in just one day in March. "After the drop in their execution totals in 2020, Iran and Saudi Arabia once again ramped up their use of the death penalty last year, including by shamelessly violating prohibitions put in place under international human rights law," Amnesty's Agnes Callamard said. "Their appetite for putting the executioner to work has also shown no sign of abating in the early months of 2022," Callamard added. Myanmar, which has been under martial law, sentenced to death some 90 people, according to available figures. At least 2,052 death sentences were handed down last year in 56 countries. Large increases in the number of death sentences were recorded in Bangladesh, India, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, and Pakistan. On a positive note, Amnesty highlighted Kazakhstan's abolishing of capital punishment. "In December, Kazakhstan adopted legislation to abolish the death penalty for all crimes, which came into effect in January 2022," the report noted. "The minority of countries that still retain the death penalty are on notice: a world without state-sanctioned killing is not only imaginable, it is within reach and we will continue to fight for it," Callamard said. "It is high time the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment is consigned to the history books," she added. With reporting by AFP and dpa Drone warfare benefits from stealth, unpredictability, and the ability to send a targeted message without open military involvement. Similar, it appears, to Iran's intentions when it comes to its plans to manufacture drones in Tajikistan. General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the head of Iran's armed forces, launched the first production line for the Ababil-2 strike and reconnaissance drone in Dushanbe on May 17. Bagheri heralded the development as a new era of defense cooperation between the two countries as they seek to tackle fresh challenges in the region, which observers say include the Afghan Taliban's return to power in August and the transnational terrorist threat posed by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) militants in Afghanistan. "Today, weve reached a position that apart from fulfilling our domestic needs, we can export military equipment to allies and friendly countries in order to strengthen security and sustainable peace," Bagheri said. Alluding to the fact that Iran and Tajikistan each share a border with Afghanistan, albeit on opposite ends of the war-torn country, Bagheri added that "the armed forces of the two countries can help Afghanistan establish security and peace through the development of military and regional cooperation." While Bagheri and Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo used the inauguration ceremony as a platform to call for increased defense cooperation, including joint military exercises, they did not specify the threats they seek to counter nor offer insight into the ultimate plans for the manufacture of the Ababil-2 on Tajik soil. Video of the ceremony showed what appeared to be an attack version of the Ababil-2 added to the arsenal of the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) last year, according to Jeremy Binnie, Middle East defense specialist at the global intelligence company Janes. "We dont know if this is the type that Tajikistan will actually produce," Binnie told RFE/RL in written comments. However, he added, "the Ababil-2 really isn't the best type for countering militants." The Ababil-2, a low-ranking member of Iran's increasingly advanced fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), does not appear to be a game changer militarily or a cash cow for Iran's efforts to export arms. The model has been around for about 15 years and comes in strike, reconnaissance, and a "dummy" version used as a target for air-defense training, Binnie said. And more advanced drones in Iran's fleet of UAVs, including the Mohajer-6 or the new Abadil-5, would be better suited to countering a militant threat due to electro-optical systems that allow for persistent surveillance and their ability to launch guided weapons. Regional Influence On the broader issue of regional influence, Binnie said that "there certainly seems to be a sudden push to strength Iranian-Tajikistan relations and the Taliban takeover is clearly a factor in that." While working to improve their recently strained relations, Tehran and Dushanbe have touted their shared linguistic and cultural ties, although the two Muslim-majority states follow different branches of Islam. The secular Tajik government recognizes the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam, while Iran is a Shiite-majority theocracy. Tajikistan is the lone Central Asian state to publicly oppose the Taliban's return to power in Kabul, saying the Sunni militant group is a threat to regional stability and has sidelined Afghanistans large ethnic-Tajik population. The Taliban, meanwhile, has rejected claims by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon that Afghanistan is home to terrorist camps and thousands of militants, and is seen to be wary of reports that Dushanbe has had contact with the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front, which Tajikistan denies. Hostilities between Dushanbe and Afghanistan's hard-line rulers have grown in recent months as the Taliban has positioned thousands of fighters along the countrys borders with Central Asia, while Tajikistan has conducted military drills along its lengthy border with Afghanistan with forces from the Russian-led Collective Security Organization (CSTO). Tajikistan has also been involved in border clashes with Kyrgyzstan, which purchased advanced Bayraktar drones from Turkey as well as UAVs from Russia last year. Bishkek has recently touted its drone advantage. In April, following reports that Tajikistan, too, was purchasing Bayraktars from Turkey -- a development that would have violated Bishkek's request that Turkey not sell drones to neighboring countries -- the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security said it had determined that no such deal had been made. "The Turkish UAVs purchased by the Kyrgyz side are intended exclusively for defensive purposes against the backdrop of the continuing high level of terrorist and religious extremist threat to the states of Central Asia in connection with the situation in Afghanistan," the state committee added. "The Kyrgyz side has never adhered to and will not adhere to an aggressive policy toward neighboring countries." Balancing Act Iran, meanwhile, has played a balancing act following persistent allegations that it clandestinely supported the Taliban in recent years as the extremist group waged an insurgency against the Western-backed government in Kabul. While it has engaged in high-level talks with the Taliban leadership since the group's return to power, Tehran has said it is not ready to officially recognize its rule unless it forms an inclusive government. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has described foreign terrorist groups as the root cause of instability in Afghanistan and has called on the Taliban to do more to counter the threat. Amid this backdrop, Tajikistan and Iran have taken several steps to sort out their own differences. Dushanbe's outrage in 2015 after Iran officially received Muhiddin Kabiri, the head of the banned Tajik Islamic Renaissance Party, led to a heated war of words and a significant cut in bilateral trade. The relationship only began to show signs of improvement when the sides signed security agreements in 2019. Two years later, the two countries announced the creation of a joint military defense committee and expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the political, defense, and military spheres. Observers told RFE/RL's Tajik Service at the time that Tehran and Dushanbe had either "resolved the problems between them or minimized them," as evidenced by Irans approval as a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2021 with the help of Tajikistan's lobbying. The two countries also walked away from the SCO summit that fall with pledges to boost trade tenfold. The inauguration of the drone-manufacturing facility appears to have key benefits for Iran, which has long sought to establish factories abroad to buttress its "resistance economy" designed to counter severe economic sanctions relating to its controversial nuclear program. The United States issued new sanctions in October intended to punish Tehran for its exports of UAVs, which Washington said the IRGC was supplying to Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Ethiopia and threatened "international peace and stability." Iran has also been accused of unofficially helping Huthi rebels manufacture a variant of the Ababil-2 drone for use in Yemen. But with the decade-long UN arms embargo against Iran having expired in 2020, the production of drones in Tajikistan potentially gives Iran an avenue to both legitimize its drone exports and show it is a player to be reckoned with in the market, observers say. "The Iranians will be very happy that their military equipment is being exported as it can be viewed as validation of the systems they have developed," Janes analyst Binnie said. "They have spoken fairly vaguely about foreign sales before, but most of their defense exports have actually been gifts to pro-Iranian militant groups in the Middle East." After a demolition crew made a startling art discovery in the walls of a Prague house, the work of Gertrud Kauders has been handed over to her descendants. Kauders was a Jewish artist from Prague who was murdered in a Nazi death camp in World War II. When Russian President Vladimir Putin enticed more than 40 African leaders to travel to the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a summit in 2019, it demonstrated that Moscow was once again a major player on the continent. After being shunned by the West five years earlier for annexing Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and instigating a conflict in its eastern regions, Putin began ramping up Russias engagement with Africa, tapping historical ties dating back to the Soviet era. For Putin it has been a success, analysts said, enabling him to project Russia as a great power, undermine the Wests international order, and dispel the notion that he is politically isolated. Africa was of particular interest because he saw a superpower vacuum there, Sean McFate, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who worked as a private military contractor in Africa, said. The United States didnt have much interest in the continent, while China was focused on infrastructure and energy projects that are part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), McFate added. It was fertile ground to create alliances, and even dependencies, on Moscow, he said. A case in point is the Central African Republic. President Faustin-Archange Touadera turned to Russia in 2018 for help combating rebel groups because he said he felt abandoned by the international community, McFate noted. Russian private military contractors (PMCs) are currently deployed in the C.A.R. In recent years, Putin has boosted arms sales, engaged in more energy and mining projects in Africa, and, perhaps more importantly, embedded Kremlin-connected private military contractors (PMCs) in several nations to help prop up leaders. But now Russias drawn-out invasion of Ukraine is having repercussions far beyond Eastern Europe and could undermine the Kremlins progress in Africa. Russias war is already creating a food crisis on the continent, while unprecedented Western sanctions and battlefield setbacks are throwing into question Russias ability to deliver on arms and investment commitments and to supply African leaders with PMCs. Several Russian energy and mining deals on the continent are already under a cloud while the Kremlin has reportedly been forced to redeploy some mercenaries from Africa to Ukraine. The war may also revive Western interest in Africa, particularly the energy-rich nations that could help the European Union wean itself off Russian oil and gas. U.S. President Joe Biden plans to host a summit with African leaders later this year. How Russias role in Africa will evolve in the coming years will depend in large part on how the war ends and which narrative -- the Wests or the Kremlins -- prevails on the continent, analysts said. Jideofor Adibe, a professor of international relations and political science at Nasarawa State University in Nigeria, told RFE/RL that Moscow could turn inward to focus on domestic issues as it did following the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991 if it is perceived as having lost the war in Ukraine and is weakened. But if Russia is either seen as victorious or comes out relatively strong then, because of the sanctions, it really becomes imperative for the country to look for new allies, he said. The Impact Of Sanctions Western nations and some partners in the Asia-Pacific region have cut off Russias economy, including its leading businessmen, from their financial system and technologies as they seek to isolate Putin internationally over his invasion of Ukraine. Russian commercial and military operations in Africa could be indirectly stung by the sanctions. African nations may become hesitant about Russias ability to service and maintain strategic technologies, whether its arms or whether its nuclear power plants, Hanna Notte, a senior research associate at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation told a Congressional hearing in May. Russia is Africas largest supplier of arms while Kremlin-controlled Rosatom has agreements to develop nuclear power plants on the continent. Nonetheless, Joseph Siegle, research director at the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies, said he expects Russia to double down on its objectives in Africa amid heightened tensions with the West. Alongside projecting itself as a great power, avoiding international isolation, and eroding the luster of liberal democracy, Russias goals include securing a presence in North Africa and the Horn of Africa to gain access to strategic ports. Russia is mainly using relatively low-cost, asymmetric tools like PMCs and disinformation, not trade and investment, to achieve its goals, Siegle said. Russia is going to be interested in increasing its activities in Africa regardless of what transpires in Ukraine because it isn't investing big money, he said. Unstable Countries, Authoritarian Leaders Russia has found a welcome reception largely in African countries facing political instability or where authoritarian leaders or juntas hold sway, according to analysts. Russia can offer leaders a range of goods and services to keep them in power -- from arms and mercenaries to disinformation campaigns and election interference, analysts said. And the Kremlins help comes without the tough political concessions demanded by the West -- such as requirements to strengthen democracy or the rule of law -- an attractive alternative that Putin has been keen to stress. The Russia-Africa declaration signed during the 2019 Sochi summit made no mention of democracy or human rights. The lack of strings attached has made Russia the continents largest arms supplier, accounting for 44 percent of imports of major arms to Africa between 2017 and 2021, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Political instability on the continent could grow this year, opening the door for further Kremlin involvement, analysts said. The global surge in food and energy prices on the back of Russias invasion of Ukraine is already causing unrest in some countries while several nations -- including Angola, Kenya, and Libya -- hold national elections. But Russias poor performance so far on the battleground in Ukraine could hamper the Kremlins ability to capitalize on any openings. Russia has likely lost as many as 15,000 soldiers in Ukraine and has highly likely been forced to redeploy some mercenaries from Africa to the Donbas, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said. In a possible sign of apprehension about the war and its impact on African clients, Sudans military leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, flew to Moscow on February 23 -- a day before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine -- for meetings with Kremlin officials. Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, took power in a coup in October that removed a transitional government from power following the ouster of authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir, triggering street protests and Western condemnation. Russian PMCs have been active in Sudan since at least 2017 when they were invited by al-Bashir to help stabilize his government amid growing dissent. I believe Hemedti flew there to sort of say, Hey, don't forget about us, McFate said. A large delegation from Mali, where Russian PMCs are also active, traveled to Moscow on May 20 to discuss arms and investments. Russian Guns For Hire The C.A.R., Mali, and Sudan, where Russia has been seeking a naval base along the countrys eastern Red Sea coast, are just three of the African nations where Russian PMCs have been present. In an October 2019 report for the U.S. Air Force, Washington-based think tank RAND Corp assessed there had been 25 Russian PMC operations in Africa over the preceding five years. Russias primary tool of influence in Africa, PMCs allow the Kremlin to plausibly deny any connection to their activities. The most prominent Russian PMC is the Wagner Group. The United States alleges that Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Putins, manages and finances Wagner in coordination with Russias Foreign and Defense ministries. The Kremlin and Prigozhin have repeatedly denied any links to Wagner. Siegle said Wagner is more than a PMC providing security services, describing it as a coercive tool used to advance Russias foreign policy, including through disinformation and election interference. Its members are largely made up of former Russian defense intelligence operatives. Prigozhin funds Wagner in part with revenue from energy and mining concessions his firms receive in the host countries, such as Sudan, where it mines gold. Prigozhins interest in natural resources is as a funding stream, for his personal wealth and his illicit organization that he runs, McFate said. Russias PMC operations in Africa are unlikely to end despite the protracted war in Ukraine and sweeping Western sanctions, McFate added. It's relatively cheap for Russia to maintain their ongoing operations in Africa and still fight the war in Ukraine. I can see support in terms of money and resources slowing down. I don't see it going away, he said. Buying Allies Although the Kremlin has struggled to convince much of the world of its narrative of the war in Ukraine, it seems to have been relatively successful in Africa, analysts said. Putins claim that he was forced to launch the invasion of Ukraine to prevent it from joining NATO for now resonates well with a number of African countries, Adibe said. That was evident during the UN General Assembly vote in March to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine when only slightly more than half of African nations backed the resolution, compared with more than 80 percent for the rest of the world. Securing UN votes has been a key element of Putins Africa agenda, analysts said. Former U.S. national-security adviser John Bolton accused Moscow in 2018 of selling arms and energy to Africa in exchange for votes at the UN. Moreover, some African nations may be receptive to Russias geopolitical views because of strong historical ties, analysts said. During the Soviet period, Moscow offered military and economic assistance to African states struggling for independence against European powers. Those warm feelings may now blind some African leaders to Putins neo-colonial ambitions in Ukraine, Eusebius McKaiser, a Johannesburg-based political analyst, and Sasha Polakow-Suransky, a deputy editor at Foreign Policy, said in a March editorial. Speaking specifically of South Africa -- whose former president, Jacob Zuma, allegedly trained in the Soviet Union during the struggle against apartheid -- they said the government has failed to recognize that Putins Russia is not the anti-imperialist patron of liberation movements that it once adored. Putins actions in Ukraine clash with the declaration of principles he signed with African leaders at the Sochi summit, which called for an international order based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs of States, [and] preservation of national identity. New Containment? The impact of Russias war in Ukraine on its relationships in Africa might be visible by November, when Putin will host his second summit with the continents leaders, this time in St. Petersburg. The West may lean on African leaders to turn down the invitation as part of a new attempt to contain Russia on the continent, Adibe said. The decision African leaders make will depend on the carrots that Russia and the West are dangling before them, he said. They're not going to take a position until they're able to see the costs and benefits of going or not going. Biden also plans to host his countrys second summit with African leaders this year. However, McFate doesnt expect a major push by Washington to expand involvement. There's just not a lot of appetite on Capitol Hill, among senior policymakers in the executive branch and the American people to really get involved in Africa, McFate said. Siegel said U.S. policy toward Africa should not be a reaction to Russias involvement. If the main reason the West is getting involved in Africa is to block Russia, then what is in it for Africa, he asked. Too often Africa is looked at as a competition rather than as a destination for mutual partnerships and mutual interest and trying to advance some shared goals. Russian forces have stepped up their assault on the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk as Moscow now appears focused on securing and expanding its gains in the Donbas and the southern coast. As the conflict entered its fourth month, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned in his nightly address on May 24 that the coming period of time will be "extremely difficult," especially in the eastern Donbas region. "All the power of the Russian Army, which still remains in them, has been thrown into the attack, Zelenskiy said. The Russian forces are aiming to destroy everything in Lyman, Popasna, Severodonetsk, and Slovyansk, he said. 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. "But in the interceptions of their conversations, we hear that they are well aware that this war does not make sense for Russia and that strategically their army has no chance, he said. It will take time and a lot of extraordinary efforts for Ukrainians to break their advantage in equipment and weapons, Zelenskiy said, as he again called for Western countries to supply more heavy weapons. Providing rocket-propelled grenades, tanks, anti-ship, and other weapons to Ukraine is the best investment to maintain stability in the world and prevent many "severe crises" that he said Russia is still planning. Zelenskiy spoke earlier on May 24 to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, saying that Russia had carried out nearly 1,500 missile strikes and over 3,000 air strikes against Ukraine in the first three months of the war. British intelligence said in its daily report on May 24 that Russians are seeking to encircle Severodonetsk, a city of some 100,000 people, but are also focusing their attacks on Lysychansk and Rubyzhne in the same area. The report said that Russian forces had achieved some localized successes in the area with the aid of intense artillery fire, but Ukrainian resistance is strong and Kyiv's Joint Force Operation command structure has remained in control of this segment of the front. Russia's capture of Severodonetsk would see the whole of the Luhansk region falling under Russian occupation, the report said. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council, said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open on May 25 for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. With Russia's military campaign now in its most active phase, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman said battles being fought in eastern Ukraine could determine the country's fate. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, home to a thermal power station, and raised the Russian flag there, Serhiy Goshko, head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Hayday, said that the Russian military was advancing in all directions at once in the region. The Russians beefed up their forces with some 12,500 soldiers who were attempting to seize Luhansk, he said. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment," Hayday said on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand. Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 decomposing bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said on May 24. Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor, did not say when they were discovered, but the number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. If the Russians are successful and the Donbas front line moves further west, British intelligence estimated that Russian lines of communication would be overstretched and likely lead to further logistic resupply difficulties. Zelenskiy earlier warned the World Economic Forum in Davos that slow-arriving military aid was causing unnecessary deaths as Ukrainians are "paying dearly for freedom and independence." He said that 87 people had been killed in a Russian attack earlier this month on a military base in Desna in the north, in what would be one of the largest single recorded strikes of the war. Kyiv was ready for an exchange of prisoners with Russia "even tomorrow," Zelenskiy said, calling on his allies to put pressure on Moscow. WATCH: A team was exhuming the bodies of Russian soldiers near the village of Mala Rohan on May 18, in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine. Along with colleagues from Lithuania, they were searching for evidence of war crimes -- but are also identifying bodies to be sent back to Russia. Zelenskiy also reiterated his demand that Moscow be cut off from the global economy, calling for an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all of its banks. Many of the EU's 27 member states are heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas, prompting criticism from Kyiv that the bloc has not moved quickly enough to halt supplies. But Germany said on May 22 that the European Union will likely agree on an embargo on Russian oil imports "within days," despite opposition from Hungary, which is sticking to its demands for energy investment before it agrees to such an embargo. "We will reach a breakthrough within days," German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told broadcaster ZDF. However, Habeck warned that a ban would not hurt Moscow immediately, since the surge in global oil prices means it is earning more for less crude. Habeck said the EU and the United States were considering a proposal to cap global oil prices -- an "unusual measure" for "unusual times." Russia supplies 40 percent of the EU's natural gas and 27 percent of its oil imports and receives an estimated 400 billion euros ($426 billion) annually for this supply. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa, CNN, and BBC Ukrainian fighters are ushering in a new era of battlefield tactics by using powerful locally designed electric bikes. The image below of a packaged NLAW anti-tank missile mounted to what looks like an off-road motorcycle in Ukraine is causing a buzz in tech media. The two-wheeled vehicle is, in fact, an electric bicycle, and represents a historic tactical advancement in warfare. Daniel Tonkopi, the co-founder of Delfast, a Ukrainian-U.S. company that made the vehicle, confirmed in a May 16 Facebook post that the company's e-bikes are currently in use by the Ukrainian military. Tonkopi claimed fighters have used the battery-powered bikes for at least one raid on Russian armored vehicles in which three bikes returned with holes from a very hot engagement. Motorcycles first rolled onto the battlefield in World War I and proved their worth by being cheap, fast, and able to be wrestled through gluggy terrain where heavier military vehicles foundered. Today, several militaries, including the United States, are actively researching the potential of electric bicycles in war. The main advantage of e-bikes is their stealth. For special forces teams, who are often airdropped into enemy territory and have to trek into position, the new technology offers a way to quietly cover large distances, then flee situations that teams would previously have had to shoot their way out of. E-bikes emit no smell, can wait at the ready in complete silence for shoot-and-scoot operations, and can weave through forest paths where most vehicles cant follow. On the social media pages of Eleek, a Ukrainian company that produces mostly civilian e-bikes, there is more evidence of the use of battery-powered bikes by Ukrainians fighting the Russian invasion. The Ternopil-based company posted the above image of a Ukrainian soldier dressed in typical sniper camouflage on a model of e-bike specifically designed for military use. The Eleek e-bikes have a maximum range of 150 kilometers, weigh 70 kilograms, and take around five hours to recharge. The lengthy recharge time and high cost are still the chief disadvantages of e-bikes over their petrol-powered forefathers. The Eleek Atom costs $5,245, while Delfast bikes similar to those spotted in Ukraine cost a whopping $6,799. Eleek's military e-bikes have been nicknamed "Bandero-bikes," after Stepan Bandera, a far-right Ukrainian nationalist and Nazi collaborator. Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, has begun a six-day trip to China amid warnings from rights groups and some Western governments that her visit could whitewash Beijings human rights abuses in Chinas northwestern Xinjiang region. The tour starts in the southern city of Guangzhou and will include visits to the Xinjiang cities of Kashgar and Urumqi, the regional capital. While the trip is set to focus on Chinas human rights record and include issues such as Beijings crackdown on Hong Kong and its policies in Tibet and Inner Mongolia, the Chinese Communist Partys internment-camp system and sweeping dragnet against its Muslim population in Xinjiang will dominate the agenda. The arrival of Bachelet marks the first formal visit to China by a UN high commissioner for human rights since 2005 and comes after years of discussions with Beijing to arrange it. Few details are known about the visit and what Bachelet will do and hopes to achieve in the visit, which has prompted protest and backlash that China could look to use the trip to blunt outside scrutiny and criticism of its human rights record. Such concerns were raised by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) -- an international cross-party group of legislators -- which in a May 20 statement signed by more than 40 lawmakers from 18 countries accused Beijing of organizing a Potemkin-style tour that could damage the credibility of Bachelets office. China has locked up more than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities in a series of detention centers in Xinjiang, a sprawling region that borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Beijing is accused of grave rights abuses there, including a vast system designed to eliminate those groups distinct cultural identities. It defies credibility that the Chinese government will allow the high commissioner to see anything they dont want her to see, or allow human rights defenders, victims, and their families to speak to her safely, unsupervised, and without fear of reprisal, Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. Bachelets legacy as high commissioner will be measured by her willingness to hold a powerful state accountable for crimes against humanity committed on her watch, the statement added. Mounting Concerns The overriding concern for rights groups, Uyghur activists, and Western officials is that Bachelet, the UNs top rights official who previously served as Chilean president, will be denied the type of unimpeded access necessary for her office to properly probe the allegations and mounting evidence about Chinese government abuses in Xinjiang and beyond. The UNs Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has been negotiating with Beijing since 2018 for unfettered, meaningful access to Xinjiang. A five-person advance group from Bachelets team arrived in China on April 25 to prepare for the visit that her office said will include meeting with a wide range of civil society representatives. But Chinas sensitivity to criticism, its record of reprisals against activists, and its pervasive surveillance capabilities have left many doubting that such criteria can be met. We're deeply concerned about the upcoming visit, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a May 20 press briefing, adding that the United States had no expectation that the [Chinese government] will grant the necessary access required to conduct a complete, unmanipulated assessment of the human rights environment in Xinjiang. In anticipation of the visit, Radio Free Asia reported that officials in Xinjiang were warning Uyghurs not to speak with foreigners and that police in Kashgar were being sent to political study sessions to prepare for the UN trip. On May 26, the first day of her trip, Bachelet conducted virtual meetings with the heads of around 70 diplomatic missions in China and according to Bloomberg, the UN official aimed to lower expectations about her visit on the call, with several diplomats also expressing profound concerns about attempts by Beijing to manipulate the trip. Chinese officials have repeatedly stated on multiple occasions that Bachelets visit should not be turned into a so-called investigation and have said that they would only welcome a friendly visit. The OHCHR is also set to release a report that it has been working on for more than three years that is based on interviews with camp survivors, consultations with leading scholars, and mounting open-source evidence, such as satellite images and leaked Chinese government documents. Eager to see the reports findings, hundreds of rights groups around the world have for months urged Bachelet to release the document, but it remains unpublished and there are worries the current trip could be used to mask those findings. Its time for the UN to officially recognize the brave public testimony of survivors, thousands of pages of leaked Chinese government documents, meticulous peer-reviewed research, and hundreds of damning satellite images of concentration camps, Omer Kanat, executive director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, wrote in an article for The Diplomat. The trip will be nothing more than a propaganda exercise. Beijings Global Campaign China has dismissed the allegations and accounts of its actions in Xinjiang as politically motivated lies, saying that its so-called reeducation camps in Xinjiang have been necessary to curb extremism in a region that it considers a hotbed of ethnic and religious tensions. In the face of growing international scrutiny about its policies -- the United States and several Western parliaments have declared that Beijings actions amount to genocide and crimes against humanity -- Beijing has looked to use its rising political and economic influence to deflect criticism and gain support from some governments. Beijing has hosted tours of Xinjiang with diplomats and officials from countries with China-friendly policies, such as Sudan and Tajikistan, where they have then praised Chinese policies in state and local media. This influence has also extended to international organizations like the UN, where Beijing has pushed and persuaded many developing countries to support or abstain from voting on measures censoring China, leaving only a core group of largely Western nations willing to challenge Chinese policies. When Ukraine joined more than 40 countries at the UN Human Rights Council in calling for unfettered access to Xinjiang in June 2021, RFE/RL and the Associated Press reported that Beijing threatened to limit trade and withhold access to COVID-19 vaccines to force Kyiv to remove its name from the statement. Chinas policies in Xinjiang have also deeply impacted its neighbors, especially in Central Asia. Kazakhstan, for example, became an unexpected flashpoint of activism following the expansions of Beijing's camp system in 2017 and 2018 due to family connections between Kazakhs and Xinjiangs ethnic Kazakh minority, with several former detainees publishing testimonies after fleeing China for the Central Asian country. Meanwhile, Tajikistan is the subject of a filing by Uyghur organizations to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging that the Central Asian government has allowed Chinese officials to operate on its territory in order to deport Uyghurs back to China to try and coerce them into becoming informants. Boost in tourism At the conference to promote investment, trade, and tourism between Vietnam and the US, the Saigontourist Travel Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on a comprehensive strategy with US and their Vietnam Airlines partners to promote two-way tourism cooperation. Commenting on the US tourist market, a representative of Saigontourist company said that this is one of the major tourist markets. Every year, the company welcomes and serves about 30,000 US tourists for tours into Vietnam by air and sea routes. According to the present schedule, in 2022 and 2023, the Saigontourist company is expecting to receive a total of 23 cruise ships, with an estimated number of 22,550 tourists from the US alone. According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Y Yen, General Director of the Saigontourist company, his company is currently focused on promoting a program titled "Vision Destination to US from 2022 to 2025". This program will focus on expanding the market for specific products and services. It will promote international cruise tourism, and market Vietnamese destinations to American tourists. Saigontourist has also coordinated with partners in the US to introduce and promote US tourism to the Vietnamese market, making the US one of the favourite destinations for Vietnamese travellers. At the conference to promote investment, trade, and tourism, many agricultural products of Vietnam were introduced. The Peoples Committee of Bac Giang province, Vietnam Airlines, and US partners signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to promote the export of lychee fruit and other agricultural products of Bac Giang province. Mr. Nguyen uc Hung, Director of Global Food Import-Export Company, said that the US is one of the potential markets for Vietnamese agricultural products, especially the lychee fruit. American consumers are also quite open to receiving Vietnamese agricultural products. However, to be able to export to this difficult market, agricultural products both fresh and processed must meet the strict standards of US importers. Mr. Hung said that for lychee alone, one of the biggest difficulties when exporting to the US market is having to move to the South to irradiate the fruit, which takes a very long time. Enterprises expect to have an irradiation factory in the North soon so that lychee can be exported to the US more conveniently. Many enterprises have been recognized by Bac Giang province to jointly find solutions to promote exports to the US. If Vietnamese agricultural products are well received by American consumers, agricultural products from the US to Vietnam are also experiencing good growth. Currently, Vietnam is the eighth largest market for US agricultural products and food. In 2021, several dairy products exported to Vietnam had good growth. Capital investment Referring to capital investment from the US to Vietnam, it is impossible not to mention Intel. Despite the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021 the Intel company continued to invest an additional USD 475 mn in factories in Vietnam, bringing the total investment in Vietnam to more than USD 1.5 bn. This is the largest high-tech investment from the US in the high-tech park in Ho Chi Minh City. Intel has also committed to invest an additional USD 2.6 bn in Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park soon. Intel highly appreciates Vietnam's infrastructure and human resource facilities, saying that Vietnam is a very significant place for technology enterprises to continue to expand their operations. Along with Intel, many leading US corporations have also announced new investments in the Vietnamese market. Specifically, Apple's main manufacturing partner Foxconn has invested USD 270 mn in Bac Giang province. First Solar, one of the three largest energy corporations in the US, has invested over USD 1 bn in a project to produce solar panels with thin-film technology in Vietnam. The survey results on business investment in 2021 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham) show that nearly 80% of AmCham members rate very positively medium and long-term prospects in the Vietnamese market. Adam Sitkoff, CEO of AmCham, said that the Vietnamese Government's continuous improvement of the business environment and removing difficulties for investors is a premise for US businesses to continue investing in Vietnam. According to the Foreign Investment Agency, until 20 February, the US ranked 11th on the list of 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. US investors currently have 1,145 valid projects with a total registered capital of more than USD 10.3 bn. At the meeting with the American business community, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the US has always been one of the largest investment partners of Vietnam, with a total investment of more than USD 10 bn, but this is still not commensurate with the potential that can still be achieved. The Prime Minister hoped that American partners and businesses would continue to visit Vietnam to look for opportunities. During a meeting with leaders of major US technology corporations such as Intel, the Prime Minister expressed his wish that Intel would further expand investment in localities outside Ho Chi Minh City. When meeting Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Group, the Prime Minister suggested that Apple focus on investing in developing business activities in Vietnam. Trade, tourism, and investment relations between Vietnam and the US are two-way. On one hand, Vietnam is constantly trying to attract quality investment from the US, and on the other hand, it also promotes investment activities of Vietnamese enterprises to this market. A typical example is of the factory investment project of VinFast, which belongs to Vingroup. At the end of March, VinFast and the US state government of North Carolina announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of the first manufacturing plant of VinFast in North America. The project will have an investment of about USD 2 bn in phase 1 and will help in creating thousands of jobs for local workers. Thanh Lam Hearing a Bay Area case, the state Supreme Court appeared reluctant Tuesday to allow disabled students to seek damages under a California civil rights law, including triple damages in some cases, if a public school violates their rights. Disabled students can recover some damages under state education laws for harm caused by discrimination. But the 1959 Unruh Civil Rights Act, at issue in this case, goes further, with penalties of at least $4,000 for each denial of equal access, punitive damages for intentional violations and attorneys fees. But the Unruh Act, written by future Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh, states that it applies to all business establishments of any kind whatsoever, and does not refer to government institutions. It applies to private schools; some courts, including most federal courts in California, have ruled that all business establishments can be interpreted broadly to include public schools. Disputes over the meaning of California law are resolved by the states high court, and several justices seemed skeptical Tuesday of defining public schools as businesses under discrimination laws. We usually focus on language and legislative actions in determining the meaning of a law, Justice Joshua Groban told Alan DellArio, lawyer for a disabled student in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Even an expansive definition covering businesses of any kind, whatsoever, Groban said, seems like a pretty vague way to include schools. DellArio acknowledged that instinctively, people would have to agree that a public school is not a business, for most purposes. But he said lawmakers had made it clear that their overriding policy was to provide victims of discrimination the most remedies possible, and had not changed the Unruh Act after it was applied to schools in early rulings by state and federal courts. Later, when the school districts lawyer, Cody Saal, cited the potential fiscal impact of Unruh Act damages on schools, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said, One might expect to see a reference in the legislative history (to those expenses) if it could apply to public schools. Saal agreed. Public schools are chronically underfunded, she said, and subjecting them to higher damages would significantly impede their ability to carry out their core public function. The courts ruling will not affect the student, identified as Brennon B., who has settled his case against the district for $3.725 million, according to his lawyers. After the settlement, both sides agreed to present their case to higher courts to resolve the issue for future cases. Civil rights groups and disability advocates filed arguments in support of the student. According to his lawsuit, Brennon had been diagnosed as severely autistic and was a 14-year-old special education student at De Anza High School in Richmond in 2012 when he was sexually assaulted by another mentally disabled student in a restroom. Over the next three years, the suit said, Brennon was assaulted numerous times, including four times by a school district employee who was later criminally prosecuted. 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. After Brennons initial complaints, the suit said, the school agreed to assign a supervisor to accompany him to the restroom and on the school bus but failed to do so, and he was assaulted again. At Tuesdays hearing, Justices Carol Corrigan and Goodwin Liu both suggested that a public school could be classified as a private business, covered by the Unruh Act, when it rented its facilities for private use on weekends. That is a plausible interpretation, Saal replied, but it should not spill over into the schools weekday function as a public institution. The overall core and primary function of public schools is public education, the districts lawyer said, and schools should not have to fear being labeled as businesses if they try to balance their books by hosting businesses. A ruling in Brennon B. v. West Contra Costa Unified School District, S266254, is due within 90 days. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko A veteran Stockton police officer, already suspended from duty after a woman said he coerced her into months of sexual relations, has been accused by another woman of sexually abusing her and a third woman at a local motel. Sgt. Nicholas Bloed was placed on paid leave after a woman, identified by her lawyer as Jane Doe 1, said he stopped her car in October for driving without a license plate or tags, and pressured her into a series of sexual contacts that ended only after she reported him to the Police Department in March and underwent seven hours of questioning. On Friday, the same attorney, Daniel Gilleon, filed a damage claim with the city on behalf of Jane Doe 2, whom he described as a 43-year-old waitress and house cleaner who lives in Stockton with four children and her disabled mother. In the claim, a prelude to a potential lawsuit, she said she had reserved a motel room in February at the request of a friend, Jane Doe 3, who told her Bloed had been coercing her into unwanted sex for several years. Jane Doe 2 said her friend hoped her presence would deter Bloed. But when the officer arrived, he became ecstatic at the idea of having a threesome, the complaint said. It said he unstrapped his belt and weapons, turned off his police radio, and ordered Jane Doe 2 to perform oral sex and have intercourse, which she unwillingly did. She said he then had sex with Jane Doe 3. Afterward, Jane Doe 2 said, Bloed sent her text messages that told her you felt amazing and included photographs of an erect penis. She said she and Jane Doe 3 showed the texts to the Stockton Police Department during hours of interviews, and also reported Bloeds actions to the office of San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar. Gilleon said Jane Doe 3 has not yet filed a claim but is likely to do so in the near future. Jane Doe 2s claim said Bloed had demanded sex from her friend under the color of his authority while on duty as a sworn law enforcement officer but did not go into further detail. Salazars office now has indisputable evidence that Sgt. Bloed has, for several years, been committing grotesque, on-the-job sexual abuse of Stocktons female citizens, Gilleon said in the damage claim. The district attorneys office did not respond to an inquiry on whether it was investigating Bloed for possible prosecution. Bloed, 41, joined the Stockton Police Department in 2008, after six years as an officer in Modesto, and has worked as a field training officer. He was named the departments employee of the month in August 2014 after coming to the aid of fellow officers in a park and fatally shooting a man who had fired shots at them. He was promoted to sergeant this year, before the accusations against him. Calls to a number provided for Bloed have not gone through. The president of the Stockton Police Officers Association, Chuck Harris, said Monday the union would not represent Bloed if he is disciplined or criminally charged, based on the womens allegations, because they involve alleged conduct outside the scope of his duties as an officer. Asked if the city would represent Bloed, acting City Attorney Lori Asuncion said the case was under review and declined further comment. 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. In a statement last week, Harris said the association was shocked and disturbed to learn of the accusations made against one of our sergeants. However, no matter how shocked we are, or regardless of who is involved, if criminal accusations are found to be true against any person, officer or civilian, that person needs to be held accountable for their actions. The SPOA has no room in our ranks, or in our community for those who participate in criminal behavior. The Police Department said May 12 that it had begun an internal-affairs investigation of Bloed and placed him on paid leave. These claims of misconduct are concerning and in no way reflect the values of our department, the department said following the first complaint. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A once-blighted island nestled between two freeway overpasses will soon become a first-of-its-kind nursery for San Francisco street trees, one that city officials hope will help grow the citys paltry urban canopy. The land belongs to Caltrans which is finalizing terms of a lease to the city. Once it goes through, neat rows of saplings will populate the grim strip where Interstate 80 empties onto Fifth Street in a triangle of vacant land between Harrison and Bryant streets, South of Market. The trees will grow in containers, not the ground, so they can be moved to their permanent homes in San Francisco sidewalks. The future Street Tree Nursery will operate under the aegis of San Francisco Public Works, the department responsible for managing the citys urban forest. The tree farm is expected to open in a year once the lot has been graded and covered in gravel, and a drip irrigation system installed. This will be the headquarters for street-tree planting in San Francisco, said project manager Jon Swae. Its been a dream of ours, a cradle-to-cradle approach to urban forestry that will also uplift the community and create jobs. In addition to offering the 14,000-square-foot plot at favorable terms, Caltrans, is funding construction of the nursery through a $2.4 million grant. The first group of trees and the first group of workers to plant and nurture them will be paid for by the CalFire Urban Forestry Program, which offered a $1.2 million grant, pending city approval. If it goes through, 20 trainees will be recruited from low-income and under-served communities to work with the citys Bureau of Urban Forestry. Local people are going to have the opportunity to enter the urban forestry profession and make a difference where they live, said Walter Passmore, the state urban forester with CalFire. The tree nursery is the mechanism to give them hands-on training in the initial tasks of how to plant a tree. A row of pollution-absorbing Canary Island Pine Trees will be planted where the Fifth Street off-ramp bends around to meet Harrison Street as a permanent buffer to the potted trees that will eventually line San Francisco sidewalks. The tree farm extends under the two I-80 viaducts and to the street corners. But trees would be hard pressed to grow in the freeway shade, so that area will be used for staging and equipment storage. The trees will get the sunny swath in the middle. There will be as many as 1,000 of them to be rotated out to neighborhoods that have low canopy cover. The trees shouldnt have far to go: Their own neighborhood of South of Market neighborhood is second only to Chinatown in lacking street trees, according to a census by the Bureau of Urban Forestry. Three years after the nursery opens, the first trees should hit the sidewalks, in a wide variety of species that includes Coast Live Oaks, Channel Island Oaks and Englemann Oaks, all drought-tolerant species. We will experiment with species that may thrive in the city as the climate continues to change, said Swae, who wrote the San Francisco Urban Forest Plan, a 20-year vision adopted in 2015. This could include species that are adaptive to higher levels of heat than weve been planting. One species that wont be grown here wont be is ficus, the once-popular tree with the smooth light gray trunk and the dense canopy of green waxy leaves. Prevalent on the streets, ficus are top heavy, shallow rooted and prone to pulling up the sidewalk. In the heavy wind and rain of last Octobers atmospheric river, many ficus trees were found laying on their sides on the streets or the tops of parked cars. 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. We havent planted ficus trees for years, and weve actually been removing them, said Swae. Once the Street Tree Nursery is operational, there will be a whole new supply of trees that will create greener streets and cleaner air. The overriding goal is to plant 30,000 street trees citywide in the next 20 years, and bring the total population to 155,000. As it is, the vast majority of street trees in the city 1,200 to 1,500 a year are planted by the Friends of the Urban Forest, a nonprofit volunteer organization. The group buys its trees from commercial nurseries but in the future those trees could be provided by the Street Tree Nursery. Growing San Franciscos urban canopy one of the smallest of any major U.S. city has been glacially slow. In previous years, the city has barely been able to plant enough trees to match the number of ones removed. That is a very exciting possibility for us, said Brian Weidenmeier, executive director of Friends of the Urban Forest. It would allow us to source our trees very locally and source particular species of trees that do well in our challenging micro-climates. It can be tough to grow a tree here. The nurserys trees will be tough growing in the middle of a freeway should all but guarantee it. The trees here will be acclimated to San Francisco, said Swae. There will be wind. There will be fog. There will be vehicle exhaust. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Napa Valley vintners are on cautious alert for a voracious, grapevine-eating pest that was recently spotted in a vineyard. A crew at Dollarhide Ranch, a vineyard owned by St. Supery Winery in the remote Pope Valley area, discovered a black moth lodged into one of its insect traps on May 11. After sending the specimen to a state entomology lab, the results came back last week: It was the Western grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina brillians). The moth, native to New Mexico and Arizona, is rarely seen in Napa. Its larvae will feed extensively and voraciously on grapevine leaves until theres nothing left but the veins, said county agricultural commissioner Tracy Cleveland. Then they move on to the fruit. Although the skeletonizer does not usually kill vines outright, its defoliation weakens the plant, and its consumption of the grapes can lead to fungal problems like bunch rot. They can also be unpleasant to humans, Cleveland added, since the larva have stinging hairs that can irritate the skin. But theres reason to believe that it wont lead to a widespread issue: Spottings of the skeletonizer in the past have never led to an outbreak in Napa. So far, only that one skeletonizer has been spotted, and it did not appear to do any damage to the vines at Dollarhide, said Emma Swain, CEO of St. Supery, which is owned by the French fashion company Chanel. But lets be super cautious, she said. We certainly dont want it to become a problem. The county has installed 25 new traps within a 1-mile radius of the place where it was found, and Swains team has been scouring the ranch to look for any additional bugs. The Western grapeleaf skeletonizer appeared in Napa in 2015 and 2018. In both cases, there were no sightings of the pest after the first identification. Given that its popped up before and weve never had additional finds, thats a relief, Cleveland said. That doesnt mean we stop looking. Cleveland hypothesized that the skeletonizer was a hitchhiker that came here from Arizona or New Mexico on a vehicle or a piece of equipment. The insect is not a long-distance flier. But Swain remains perplexed by how it could have arrived at Dollarhide, a secluded, 1,535-acre ranch that does not immediately abut any other vineyards. Its just so weird how it could have gotten on the property, she said. Dollarhide is practically its own valley within Napa. We dont have any equipment coming and going. Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle 2018 If there were an outbreak, there are known effective treatment options. Californias Central Valley has seen Western grapeleaf skeletonizer issues in the past, and it has had success with introducing a virus called granulosis into the population, which wipes them out. The ranch manger at Dollarhide has experience dealing with them in the Central Valley, Swain said. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. The threat of harmful insects always hangs over the California wine industry. In the 1980s, a louse called phylloxera killed at least 12,000 acres of grapevines in Napa and Sonoma counties, according to the journal California Agriculture. Little bugs called glassy-winged sharpshooters are vectors for another lethal affliction, Pierces disease, which remains a threat to vineyards throughout California. Solano County, adjacent to Napa, recently reported a glassy-winged sharpshooter outbreak. Every so often, a new vine threat emerges: East Coast vineyards have recently contended with broad damage from the spotted lanternfly, for example, though it has so far not become a significant problem in California. The Western grapeleaf skeletonizer is one of the pests Napa County has long monitored for. Clevelands office sets traps annually for 20 different pests, she said. Though its far too early to panic about an epidemic, Cleveland urged everyone in Napa to be on the lookout for the Western grapeleaf skeletonizer, which may appear as a caterpillar or an adult moth, and to alert her office of any sightings. In fact, Cleveland said, we encourage people to bring in pests even if theyre just curious about something they found in their backyard. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Public health officials in Sacramento County said Tuesday they were investigating a likely case of the monkeypox virus related to travel in Europe. The Sacramento County Division of Public Health on Saturday received a report from a health care provider of a suspected case of monkeypox, Dr. Olivia Kasirye said Tuesday morning at a news conference. On Monday, health officials received preliminary testing results that suggested monkeypox was likely, health officials said. Specimens were sent to the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. As of Tuesday morning, Kasirye said they have not received an update. The infected Sacramento County resident had recently returned from Europe, where cases of monkeypox have been reported, public health officials said. No details about the individual or when they returned from their trip were available. Kasirye said the individual was isolating at home and doing well. Risk to the general public is extremely low, Kasirye said in a statement. Kasirye said monkeypox was not as transmissible as COVID-19 and that the virus can be killed by common household disinfectants. Cases of the rare disease, which is related to smallpox but is less severe, have been reported worldwide and in the U.S. The virus can kill up to 10% of those infected, depending on the strain, health officials said. 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. A person can get infected after coming in contact with an animal, other human or materials that are contaminated with the virus, health officials said. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion, and infected individuals typically develop a rash that spreads on the body, public health officials said. Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, declaring the commitment to protect the island is even stronger after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan's self-governing in decades. Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said yes when asked if he was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if China invaded. Thats the commitment we made, he added. The U.S. traditionally has avoided making such an explicit security guarantee to Taiwan, with which it no longer has a mutual defense treaty, instead maintaining a policy of strategic ambiguity" about how far it would be willing to go. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which has governed U.S. relations with the island, does not require the U.S. to step in militarily if China invades, but makes it American policy to ensure Taiwan has the resources to defend itself and to prevent any unilateral change of status by Beijing. A White House official said Bidens comments did not reflect a policy shift for the United States, a point echoed more firmly by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asked by reporters if Bidens answer indicated the U.S. would do more to help Taiwan than it has done to help Ukraine and whether the U.S. was making a commitment to send troops to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion. As the president said our One China policy has not changed, Austin said at the Pentagon. He reiterated that policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He also highlighted our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide Taiwan the means to defend itself. So, again, our policy is not changed." But Biden's words drew a sharp response from mainland China, which has claimed Taiwan to be a rogue province. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to Biden's comments. China has no room for compromise or concessions on issues involving Chinas core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity." He added, "China will take firm action to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests, and we will do what we say. Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden said any effort by China to use force against Taiwan would just not be appropriate, adding that it would "dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. China has stepped up its military provocations against democratic Taiwan in recent years, aimed at intimidating it into accepting Beijing's demands to unify with the communist mainland. Theyre already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the maneuvers that are undertaken, Biden said of China. Under the one China policy, the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the government of China and doesnt have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, the U.S. maintains unofficial contacts including a de facto embassy in Taipei, the capital, and supplies military equipment for the islands defense. Biden said it was his expectation that China would not try to seize Taiwan by force, but he also said that depends upon just how strong the world makes clear that that kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation by the rest of the community." He added that deterring China from attacking Taiwan was one reason why it's important that Russian President Vladimir Putin "pay a dear price for his barbarism in Ukraine," lest China and other nations get the idea that such action is acceptable. Wanting no escalation with nuclear-armed Russia, Biden quickly ruled out putting U.S. forces into direct conflict with Russia. But the U.S. has shipped billions of dollars in military assistance that has helped Ukraine put up a stiffer-than-expected resistance to Russias onslaught. Taipei cheered Biden's remarks, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou expressing sincere welcome and gratitude." The challenge posed by China to the security of the Taiwan Strait has drawn great concern in the international community, said Ou. Taiwan will continue to improve its self-defense capabilities, and deepen cooperation with the United States and Japan and other like-minded countries to jointly defend the security of the Taiwan Strait and the rules-based international order, while promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. 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. It's not the first time Biden has pledged to defend Taiwan against a Chinese attack, followed by administration officials contending there had been no change to American policy. In a CNN town hall in October, Biden was asked about using the U.S. military to defend Taiwan and replied, Yes, we have a commitment to do that." Taiwan isn't the only foreign policy issue on which the White House has clarified or walked back Biden's comments. When he declared in March that Putin was a war criminal, Jen Psaki, then the press secretary, said the president was "speaking from his heart" even though a legal conclusion hadn't been reached on the issue. During a March speech in Poland, Biden said of Putin, This man cannot remain in power." White House officials raced to say that Biden was not calling for regime change in Russia. Biden's latest comments on Taiwan came just before he formally launched a long-anticipated Indo-Pacific trade pact that excludes Taiwan. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed Sunday that Taiwan isnt among the governments signed up for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is meant to allow the U.S. to work more closely with key Asian economies on issues like supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anticorruption. Inclusion of Taiwan would have irked China. Sullivan said the U.S. wants to deepen its economic partnership with Taiwan on a one-to-one basis. ___ Miller reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. UVALDE, Texas (AP) Frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the Texas elementary school where a gunman's rampage killed 19 children and two teachers, witnesses said Wednesday, as investigators worked to track the massacre that lasted upwards of 40 minutes and ended when the 18-year-old shooter was killed by a Border Patrol team. Go in there! Go in there! nearby women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who saw the scene from outside his house, across the street from Robb Elementary School in the close-knit town of Uvalde. Carranza said the officers did not go in. Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raced to the school when he heard about the shooting, arriving while police were still gathered outside the building. Upset that police were not moving in, he raised the idea of charging into the school with several other bystanders. Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to, he said. More could have been done. They were unprepared, he added. Minutes earlier, Carranza had watched as Salvador Ramos crashed his truck into a ditch outside the school, grabbed his AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and shot at two people outside a nearby funeral home who ran away uninjured. Officials say he encountered" a school district security officer outside the school, though there were conflicting reports from authorities on whether the men exchanged gunfire. After running inside, he fired on two arriving Uvalde police officers who were outside the building, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. The police officers were injured. After entering the school, Ramos charged into one classroom and began to kill. He barricaded himself by locking the door and just started shooting children and teachers that were inside that classroom, Lt. Christopher Olivarez of the Department of Public Safety told CNN. It just shows you the complete evil of the shooter. All those killed were in the same classroom, he said. Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told reporters that 40 minutes to an hour elapsed from when Ramos opened fire on the school security officer to when the tactical team shot him, though a department spokesman said later that they could not give a solid estimate of how long the gunman was in the school or when he was killed. The bottom line is law enforcement was there," McCraw said. They did engage immediately. They did contain (Ramos) in the classroom. Meanwhile, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation said the Border Patrol agents had trouble breaching the classroom door and had to get a staff member to open the room with a key. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner. There were more of them. There was just one of him, he said. Uvalde is a largely Latino town of some 16,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. Robb Elementary, which has nearly 600 students in second, third and fourth grades, is a single-story brick structure in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. Hundreds packed into bleachers at the towns fairgrounds for a vigil Wednesday and the crowd swelled so big some stood around the speakers on the dirt arena. Some cried. Some closed their eyes tight, mouthing silent prayers. Parents wrapped their arms around their children, as the speakers lead prayers for healing. Before attacking the school, Ramos shot and wounded his grandmother at the home they shared, authorities said. Neighbor Gilbert Gallegos, 82, who lives across the street and has known the family for decades, said he was puttering in his yard when he heard the shots. Ramos ran out the front door and across the small yard to the truck parked in front of the house. He seemed panicked, Gallegos said, and had trouble getting the truck out of park. Then he raced away: He spun out, I mean fast, spraying gravel in the air. His grandmother emerged covered in blood: She says, Berto, this is what he did. He shot me. She was hospitalized. Gallegos, whose wife called 911, said he had heard no arguments before or after the shots, and knew of no history of bullying or abuse of Ramos, who he rarely saw. Investigators also shed no light on Ramos' motive for the attack, which also left at least 17 people wounded. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Ramos, a resident of the small town about 85 miles (135 kilometers) west of San Antonio, had no known criminal or mental health history. We dont see a motive or catalyst right now, said McCraw of the Department of Public Safety. Ramos legally bought the rifle and a second one like it last week, just after his birthday, authorities said. About a half-hour before the mass shooting, Ramos sent the first of three online messages warning about his plans, Abbott said. Ramos wrote that he was going to shoot his grandmother, then that he had shot the woman. In the last note, sent about 15 minutes before he reached Robb Elementary, he said he was going to shoot up an elementary school, according to Abbott. Investigators said Ramos did not specify which school. Ramos sent the private, one-to-one text messages via Facebook, said company spokesman Andy Stone. It was not clear who received the messages. Grief engulfed Uvalde as the details emerged. The dead included Eliahna Garcia, an outgoing 10-year-old who loved to sing, dance and play basketball; a fellow fourth-grader, Xavier Javier Lopez, who had been eagerly awaiting a summer of swimming; and a teacher, Eva Mireles, whose husband is an officer with the school districts police department. You can just tell by their angelic smiles that they were loved, Uvalde Schools Superintendent Hal Harrell said, fighting back tears as he recalled the children and teachers killed. The tragedy was the latest in a seemingly unending wave of mass shootings across the U.S. in recent years. Just 10 days earlier, 10 Black people were shot to death in a racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. The attack was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012. 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. Amid calls for tighter restrictions on firearms, the Republican governor repeatedly talked about mental health struggles among Texas young people and argued that tougher gun laws in Chicago, New York and California are ineffective. Democrat Beto ORourke, who is running against Abbott for governor, interrupted Wednesday's news conference, calling the tragedy predictable. Pointing his finger at Abbott, he said: This is on you until you choose to do something different. This will continue to happen. ORourke was escorted out as some in the room yelled at him. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin yelled that ORourke was a sick son of a bitch. Texas has some of the most gun-friendly laws in the nation and has been the site of some of the deadliest shootings in the U.S. over the past five years. I just dont know how people can sell that type of a gun to a kid 18 years old, Siria Arizmendi, the aunt of victim Eliahna Garcia, said angrily through tears. What is he going to use it for but for that purpose? President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the Second Amendment is not absolute as he called for new limitations on guns in the wake of the massacre. But the prospects for reform of the nations gun regulations appeared dim. Repeated attempts over the years to expand background checks and enact other curbs have run into Republican opposition in Congress. The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston, with the Texas governor and both of the state's Republican U.S. senators scheduled to speak. Dillon Silva, whose nephew was in a classroom, said students were watching the Disney movie Moana when they heard several loud pops and a bullet shattered a window. Moments later, their teacher saw the attacker stride past. Oh, my God, he has a gun! the teacher shouted twice, according to Silva. The teacher didnt even have time to lock the door, he said. The close-knit community, built around a shaded central square, includes many families who have lived there for generations. Lorena Auguste was substitute teaching at Uvalde High School when she heard about the shooting and began frantically texting her niece, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary. Eventually she found out the girl was OK. But that night, her niece had a question. Why did they do this to us?" the girl asked. Were good kids. We didnt do anything wrong. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Acacia Coronado, Eugene Garcia and Dario Lopez-Mills in Uvalde; Ben Fox, Michael Balsamo, Amanda Seitz and Eric Tucker in Washington; Paul J. Weber in Austin; Juan Lozano in Houston; Gene Johnson in Seattle; Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileones announcement that he will no longer allow House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion over her support for abortion rights (Archbishop: Pelosi will be denied Communion, Front Page, May 21) struck a nerve with letter writers: It is extremely troubling that San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone is turning the Sacrament of Holy Communion into a weapon because the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, does not agree with his position on abortion. As a member of my parish in Delaware, I have witnessed Joe Biden as a senator and vice president attend Mass, and I am extremely pleased that we finally have a president who makes his faith a central part of his life. I differ with Pelosi and Biden on their political views of abortion. However, I understand that they must represent all Americans, not just members of the Catholic Church, and they must balance their faith against the policies of a nation and its laws. The archbishop has forgotten that even at the Last Supper, Judas was not denied the breaking of bread and wine with Jesus, even though he knew Judas was going to betray him. Jesus showed love and compassion even to Judas. Where is the love and compassion from Archbishop Cordileone? Raymond Tomasetti, Lewes, Del. Wiener out of line With respect, I believe state Sen. Wiener has overstepped in his public statement on Twitter accusing the archbishop of San Francisco of trying to bully House Speaker Nancy Pelosi into not representing her constituents. An elected official shouldnt say that a religious leader exercising the practice of his faith is out of step with the people in his archdiocese. Wiener also inappropriately called for the archbishop to be removed. I believe Wiener, as an elected official who advocates, no doubt, for the separation of church and state, crossed the line. As a Hebrew Catholic, I believe that is called hypocrisy. Christopher Fishkin, Kihei, Hawaii U.S. is a democracy When John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960, there was hysteria on the right that, because he was Catholic, he would take orders from the Vatican. This was bunk and it died down. Now we see the archbishop of San Francisco actually trying to control the political policy decisions of a powerful woman politician by trying to shame her for not taking orders from the church to go against her own conscience and the majority of voters. How dare he! This is an attempt to insist that the U.S. is a theocracy, which it is not, at least not yet. Nancy Olesen, San Geronimo Open church to all Many years ago, congregants at my synagogue wanted to bar someone from services because, as an American Civil Liberties Union attorney, he defended neo-Nazis. Our rabbi made sure that the congregants saw that he deliberately walked up to the lawyer and shook his hand. Afterward, the rabbi responded to angry congregants by saying as long as the lawyer conducted himself properly inside the sanctuary, he was welcome. Seeing that his response didnt mollify them, the rabbi further stated that, if they threw the lawyer out, then they had to throw him out as well. I hope that Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone revisits his thinking on whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can receive Communion. After all, isnt church a place for sinners to atone for their sins? Our first thought, when we learned of the infant formula shortage currently plaguing our nation, was not: Oh no, what about all those wretchedly hungry infants and their distraught parents? It was more along the lines of: Lord help us, here comes a tsunami of bickering over what constitutes decent child-rearing in the post-industrial, post-capitalist, history-bereft social media hellscape we call a culture. Which is not to say were insensitive to the plight of wretchedly hungry infants or distraught parents. But the surface problem an industrial food system has become insecure and the deeper problem we are a species with a checkered past when it comes to efforts at besting nature are apparently not as interesting as the drama now predictably unfolding on every peak and in every crevice of media: bottle versus breast! Its Mommy War time. Come and get it, folx. Free (non-GMO) popcorn for all. There are tons of reasons people dont breastfeed: Theyre too busy. They dont want to. They try and hate it. They try and it doesnt work out. They dont have breasts. Their babies are adopted. Their babies have special needs. Paid parental leave is still a fantasy, and pumping (i.e. machine milking) is objectively awful. Formula is a necessary tool in a complicated world, were thankful it exists, and wed like to see corporations that produce it held to the highest regulatory standards (including a free market so that consumers have actual choice and are not dependent for their babies sustenance upon literally two for-profit entities). However, to ignore the significance of this crisis in the context of what led us here is lazy and irresponsible. Industrially produced artificial infant food was a concerted capitalist bid in the early-mid 20th century to co-opt and profit massively off what a lot of, if not most, women could do much, much better themselves, for free. As such, it was (and still is) heavily marketed and advertised. Doctors were conscripted to advise their (mostly well-off) patients not to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is gross! Its unladylike! Boobs are totally offensive in non-sexual contexts! Modern, special, white, well-off women dont have to do that dirty work! The stain of racism in obstetrics and gynecology, to say nothing of wet nursing, found its apotheosis in the way a well-respected Los Angeles OB/GYN encouraged one of our mothers to use formula in the late 1960s: Breastfeeding is for the natives! By the 1970s, the manufacturers of infant formula had tapped out the American market, so they turned toward third world countries, notably sub-Saharan Africa, where they undertook an unconscionable (and tragically successful) campaign to convince the natives that formula is awesome and modern and look, all those rich white women in America are doing it, and everyone knows rich white women cant be wrong. The result? In lots of places where clean water wasnt consistently a thing, a whole lot of babies died of dysentery. Brief history of food, Jill Lepore wrote in the New Yorker in 2009. When the rich eat white bread and formula feed, the poor eat brown bread and breast feed; then they switch places. Breastfeeding is characterized these days as either a bourgeois entitlement (who has the time or luxury to devote oneself to behaving like a mammal!?) or some kind of biological essentialist, sadomasochist punishment (I shouldnt have to! You cant make me!). It is obvious to the point of absurdity that fed is best, but thought leaders who intentionally misrepresent vast evidence to offer false equivalencies are lame ideologues. And if were going to have a serious conversation about any of this, we must face our collective complicity in upholding an appalling system in which the freedom to nurse ones own children is now dependent on belonging safely to the leisure class. A 2020 study from the University of Connecticut revealed that as social capital around breastfeeding increased, formula manufacturers invested more advertising dollars in pushing toddler milk. From 2006 to 2015, sales of this next stage formula more than doubled from $39 million to $92 million. Is there medical justification in the toddler market to the tune of $92 million for a product composed mainly of powdered milk, corn syrup and vegetable oil!? Obviously there is not, and this greedy, malfeasant market expansion has undoubtedly factored into the shortage for infants whose lives are on the line. If the last two years have taught us anything, its that we cannot count on gas being cheap or hospital beds being available or big-box shelves being stocked. What is the safest, healthiest, most secure and equitable way forward? We have a few more weeks, even with the Biden administration doing its utmost, until formula is restocked and our current alarm recedes into the comfortable delusion that everything can be bought. Its a reckoning were having about fossil fuel reliance, climate resilience, food justice in general and environmental sustainability, and somehow were having it without shaming people who live in food deserts or drive cars because they have no access to public transportation. Formula isnt shameful any more than antibiotics for a staph infection, C-section for placenta previa or stitches for a gaping wound. Formula is a lifesaving, life-giving tool. But given that the industrial production line is beyond our purview, and supply chains have weaker links than most of us ever imagined, lets refocus the inquisition on mammalian vulnerabilities and needs over invented reality. Industry, science and technology should serve people, not the other way around. Elisa Albert is a full-spectrum doula and the author of the forthcoming novel Human Blues. Jennifer Block is a journalist and author of Everything Below the Waist: Why Health Care Needs a Feminist Revolution. WASHINGTON House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her first public comments Tuesday on the San Francisco archibishops decision last week to deny her Communion, suggesting he and other anti-abortion activists had ulterior motives and were ignoring other parts of Catholicism. The San Francisco Democrat said on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Tuesday that she respects the views of those who do not believe in abortion, like many in her Catholic family. But I dont respect us foisting it onto others, she said. She noted that Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has not denied Communion to political officials over other issues anathema to Catholic teachings. I wonder about death penalty, which Im opposed to, so is the (Catholic) Church, but they take no action against people who may not share their view, Pelosi said, also referencing biblical teachings that advocate for caring for the disadvantaged and living by forgiveness. So we just have to be prayerful. We have to be respectful, she said. Cordileone last week instructed the priests in his archdiocese to not allow Pelosi to receive Communion, a holy sacrament and part of the Mass service for Catholics. He said he had previously issued Pelosi an ultimatum to either repudiate her support for abortion rights or stop referencing her Catholic faith in public. Pelosi ignored him. Politico reported that Pelosi attended Mass in Washington, D.C. over the weekend and received Communion. Pelosi has long been an advocate of abortion rights and has led the House in passing legislation to codify those rights into law, an effort that has taken on heightened importance since a leaked draft opinion shows the Supreme Court poised to erase such rights by overturning the 50-year-old Roe v. Wade opinion. During her Tuesday interview, Pelosi argued that anti-abortion activists were after more than preventing the termination of a pregnancy. These same people are against contraception, family planning, in vitro fertilization, Pelosi said. Its a blanket thing. And they use abortion as the front man for it while they try to undo so much. Though some Republicans have denied a desire to curtail more than abortion, legislation seeking to prevent abortion has often been written in ways that could affect contraception and IVF. Pelosi also said Cordileone has opposed LGBTQ rights, something she also said was not consistent with biblical teachings about caring for and forgiving others. Pelosi predicted that abortion rights will matter to voters in the next election cycle this November. A womans decision is a kitchen table issue, Pelosi said. So they have now taken freedom, which is on the ballot, home. ... I think it is very insulting to women, to have their ability to make their own decision hampered by politics. This should never have been politicized. Tal Kopan (she/her) is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan The two women killed when a taxi plowed into a sidewalk near Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on Sunday were a mother and daughter visiting from Florida, according to friends and family members. Mary Henderson, 72, and her 31-year-old daughter, Willa Henderson, were in San Francisco for a friends wedding when the taxi struck them at Third and Mission streets shortly after 4:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Mary Hendersons husband, Wayne Henderson, was seriously injured in the crash and is currently in intensive care at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, a close friend said. I just cant wrap my head around this, Mary Hendersons brother, Kenneth Sickinger, told The Chronicle through sobs on Tuesday morning. He had last spoken to his sister on Sunday as she was heading out for a walk in downtown San Francisco before the family went out to dinner. The Hendersons traveled from their home in Vero Beach, a small coastal city in Florida, to attend a wedding in the Napa Valley, Sickinger said. They were standing near the Grove at Yerba Buena Center when the driver of a northbound Mercedes on Third Street attempted a right turn from the center lane, toward a taxi that was cruising in the red lane for buses and cabs, also headed north, police and officials at San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said. In an email to the pedestrian safety group Walk SF that was reviewed by The Chronicle, a San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency engineer said the taxi veered onto the northeast corner of the sidewalk, attempting to avert a sideswipe. Though the taxi driver managed to avoid eight pedestrians, he struck three, killing the two women. Wayne Henderson described it as a bolt of lightning that launched him in the air, Hendersons brother, Scott Henderson, told The Chronicle. He and two other brothers flew to San Francisco on Monday, and Scott Henderson said he had been at his wounded brothers bedside all day. He said Wayne Henderson suffered multiple fractures and a severe head injury, but hes conscious and talking. In Wayne Hendersons recollection, the car slammed his wife and daughter into a fence, then pinned them under the vehicle, Scott Henderson said. Choking back tears, Sickinger described how his sister immigrated with her parents from Germany as an infant, after World War II. Her parents met and fell in love in Berlin and started a family as refugees, Sickinger said. Mary Henderson was about 6 months old when they caught a boat to New York, eventually moving to Westwood, N.J., to raise their children. A hardworking, ambitious woman, Mary Henderson went to dental school and wound up studying business at Harvard University, her brother said. Wayne Henderson is an attorney. 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. Mary was just so energetic, always laughing, recalled Frances Henderson, the ex-wife of Wayne Hendersons brother. She described her former in-laws as a power couple Wayne striving in his law practice, Mary throwing herself into marketing and raising their two children, Willa and Matthew. Wayne Henderson is one of the most brilliant legal minds Ive ever known, his brother, Scott Henderson said. He characterized Willa Henderson as delightful and said shed spent many summers looking after his other nieces. Supervisor Matt Dorsey, whose district includes the South of Market neighborhood where Yerba Buena is located, pledged to focus on busy, choked intersections like the one at Third and Mission streets. Since the advent of district elections, every District Six supervisor has been a leader on traffic safety in our neighborhoods with very good reason, Dorsey said. Because this district is disproportionately affected by dangerous intersections and traffic crashes. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan San Francisco is the most childless major city in the U.S. Just 13% of the citys population is under 18, a figure thats less than Los Angeles, Seattle or even New York City. But in a handful of the citys neighborhoods, the share of children is under 10% particularly in wealthier neighborhoods in the citys northeast section that are hot spots for high-earning young professionals. The Chronicle analyzed data from the 2020 decennial census on the share of people under 18 years old in each San Francisco neighborhood. The data shows that neighborhoods including Nob Hill, SoMa and Russian Hill have a smaller share of kids than even the citys low 13% median. With some exceptions, the neighborhoods with the highest shares of under-18s are neighborhoods in the southern part of the city, like Glen Park, West of Twin Peaks, Visitacion Valley and the Bayview. The wealthy enclave of Sea Cliff also had a high share of children, but because its a small neighborhood, it only hosts about half of a percent of the overall youth population of the city. The data show that within San Francisco, just a few neighborhoods host the majority of the citys children. In fact, one in five kids live in either the Bayview or Sunset/Parkside, with about 9,000 and 11,500 under-18s respectively. Sunset/Parksides share of kids is close to the citys as a whole, so it has a lot of kids largely because it is a populous neighborhood, but the Bayview does have an unusually large share of kids at 21%. The Bayview has just 5% of the citys overall population, but 8% of its kids. The rest of the citys 41 neighborhoods have 6% or fewer of its under-18 population overall. In Nob Hill, youth make up just 5.2% of the neighborhoods population. The neighborhood has just 1.2% of the citys children, despite having 3% of its population overall. 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. While many San Francisco neighborhoods already have few children, its likely that the youth populations of these neighborhoods will drop even more in the coming decade. San Franciscos under-18 population has been dropping since at least 1990, when children made up about 16% of the city. San Franciscos lack of children largely boils down to a lack of affordable housing for families, plus growing income inequality, according to policy directors and politicians. San Francisco must reverse the trend and attract more families to live in San Francisco, Norman Yee, a former district supervisor, wrote in 2017 in a policy briefing to encourage housing development for families with children. When we lose our families, we lose part of what makes San Francisco a strong, vibrant community. Susie Neilson (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susan.neilson@sfchronicle.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A group of San Francisco supervisors is backing a proposed charter amendment to streamline affordable housing, potentially setting up a battle with Mayor London Breed, who is backing a different plan to make it easier to build homes in the city. Supervisor Connie Chan introduced a charter amendment Tuesday for the November ballot that she said would make it faster to build affordable housing. If the supervisors plan and the one backed by the mayor both make the ballot, the dueling proposals could confuse voters. The competing visions come as San Francisco must meet a state mandate to build 82,000 housing units by 2031, of which 57% need to be below market rate. As the city faces pressure to vastly ramp up production, the moderate mayor and progressive supervisors such as Chan fundamentally disagree on what kind of housing needs to be built to address the current crisis. While everyone supports affordable housing, the mayor and moderates have said market-rate housing also needs to be built. Progressives argue that market-rate housing wont solve the problem for low-income San Franciscans. Chans proposal waives discretionary reviews, a city process that can slow down or kill projects, for three kinds of qualifying projects 100% affordable; teacher housing; and multifamily developments that add 15% more affordable housing units on top of the 21.5% already required by the city. It also requires that additional on-site units include at least 30% two-bedroom units and 20% three-bedrooms. We have a better measure, Chan told The Chronicle just before a news conference Tuesday on the steps of City Hall. This truly is affordable. Chans proposal is a challenge to a strikingly similar proposal backed by Breed, whos supporting an effort to gather enough signatures to put a charter amendment on the November ballot. Breed backs the effort led by YIMBY groups to also bypass review for the same three kinds of projects, but there are three main differences between the measures. The mayors spokesperson Jeff Cretan pushed back with a statement saying the proposal is just a distraction from the real change we need to make housing more affordable in this city. Two other progressive supervisors Board President Shamann Walton and Aaron Peskin are supporting Chans measure. Supervisor Hillary Ronen said she was likely to as well. It needs six board votes to get on the November ballot. This is setting forth a progressive housing agenda for San Francisco, Peskin said during the news conference. The YIMBY proposal backed by Breed requires a project to meet the citys 21.5% affordable unit requirement plus another 15% more affordable units. For instance, if a project is required to have 20 affordable units, it would have to add three more to qualify. Chans proposal requires 36.5% affordable housing units out of the total and a cap of 120% Area Median Income (AMI). The YIMBY proposal allows individual units in 100% affordable housing projects to go up to 140% AMI, although the total project average must remain at 120%. AMI in multi-family projects differs depending on size and whether the unit is rented or owned, in line with existing city code. Chans proposal also includes a requirement for a skilled and trained workforce more highly specialized union laborers to work on eligible projects and for the mayors office to release an annual affordable housing report. Breeds campaign came after a Board of Supervisors committee struck down an affordable housing measure proposed by the mayor in January her third failed effort to put such a measure to voters. Mayor Breed has been pushing solutions to build housing faster for years, and the Board of Supervisors has continually blocked those efforts, Cretan said. Now, when she is pushing forward real change outside of City Hall, members of the Board of Supervisors are proposing another watered-down effort that wont actually make it easier to build housing. Todd David, executive director at the Housing Action Coalition supporting the YIMBY proposal, criticized Chans measure for requiring such a high threshold of affordability that it would be impossible for developers to afford to build projects. Walton pushed back against criticism of feasibility at the news conference, arguing that it is a myth that you cannot build affordable housing and make sure people are still able to make money off development. We do it all the time in San Francisco, he said. David also said requiring union workers who have graduated from specialized apprenticeship programs limits the labor pool and could slow construction. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The YIMBY proposal says that workers must be paid prevailing wages for projects with 10 or more units. Some labor unions are backing Chans proposal because of the stricter requirements to ensure union workers on the jobs. Rudy Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, said 1,300 skilled and trained construction workers in the city are unemployed because housing production is down. Its not clear which proposal, if either, will get on the Nov. 8 ballot. Backers of the YIMBY proposal have 25,000 valid signatures so far and will need 52,000 by July 11 to qualify. Chan has until July 26 as her last chance to get votes from five fellow supervisors. In an interview earlier this year, Ronen said she disagreed with the mayor on whether the city could build enough market-rate housing to lower housing prices overall. I dont think building market-rate housing will ever trickle down to the poor. Its a complete fallacy, Ronen said. The only way youre going to build enough housing for working class San Franciscans and homeless and the poor is with government subsidized housing. In an April interview, Breed pushed back on the argument that building housing of all kinds wouldnt help San Franciscos crisis. We need to build housing on all income levels, and we need to be as aggressive as we possibly can, she said. It shouldnt just be about competing in a lottery for a unit you can afford. Editors note: This story has been updated. Mallory Moench (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench San Francisco voters may decide this fall whether to set aside $70 million per year to finance new programs in the city school system that backers hope will boost enrollment and improve the quality of public pre-K-12 education. Supervisor Hillary Ronen and five colleagues on the Board of Supervisors are proposing a City Charter amendment that would fund public school initiatives designed to enhance academic achievement or student wellness. Those could include accelerated math and literacy curriculum as well as academic specialists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, after-school programs, athletic or artistic offerings, and more. The 25-year fund would use money from existing state property taxes voters would not be asked to raise any new public dollars if the charter amendment makes it to the November ballot. The proposal is also an effort to shore up the San Francisco Unified School District after it was battered by the pandemic and a series of controversies that culminated in the February recall of three school board members. SFUSD has lost nearly 3,600 students in the past two years. That loss could have an impact on the districts budget in the coming years since state funding is tied to enrollment. Through the charter amendment, supporters hope to make the citys public schools more attractive to families. The purpose of this ballot measure is to get students back on track, Ronen told The Chronicle. Too often, the only public schools that have extra bells and whistles such as a cutting-edge arts program, for example are those with rich families whose parent-teacher associations raise hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, Ronen said. Thats fantastic, but some schools dont even have a PTA because the students families are struggling to put food on the table and dont have time to do that, she said. This is now, finally, a fund where you dont have to be a rich school to have the special programming. In addition to Ronen, the proposed charter amendment already has support from Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Ahsha Safai, Shamann Walton, Dean Preston and Gordon Mar. Ronen expects the full board to vote in about one month on whether to send the measure to the November ballot, where it would need approval from a simple majority of voters to pass. Supporters think its an opportune time for the city to invest in public schools, given the influx of new school board members and a new SFUSD superintendent on the way. We basically have a new day, said Carol Hill, executive director of the San Francisco Beacon Initiative. This felt like a really good moment to collaborate with this group and see if ... us working together can make a real impact. School board member Matt Alexander, who helped draft the charter amendment, said it could help restore some of the kinds of programs that many campuses around the state have lost in the decades since Proposition 13 imposed sharp limits on property taxes. You talk to people who went to public schools in California before Prop. 13 passed, and they talk about librarians and art teachers and nurses in every school and all sorts of other things that we all know make a difference in the education of kids but have gradually disappeared over the years, Alexander said. Thats what I think the idea here is, to say we actually in San Francisco have the capacity to do those things. 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. To benefit from the fund, individual schools would apply for grants of up to $1 million from the citys Department of Children, Youth and Their Families. Each school that gets money from the fund would have to hire a coordinator to oversee program implementation. The annual amount provided to the fund would ramp up to $70 million over a three-year period. Money would come from excess dollars San Francisco receives because of the Educational Revenue Augmentation Funds, a state program that sends a cut of property taxes to local public school systems. Once counties meet minimum funding requirements, any additional ERAF funds are sent back to local governments. San Franciscos general fund would backfill the new schools fund if ERAF funds arent sufficient in any given year, Ronen said. The ballot measure also has provisions allowing the annual school funding to be reduced from $70 million to as low as $25 million in the event of a recession, as long as the city government is projecting a deficit of at least $200 million. Ronen previously wanted to ask billionaires to invest in city schools to help turn them around after the pandemic, but she said that idea was stymied for now by new local restrictions on behested payments when public officials solicit donations from third parties. She also said she heard that some of the wealthiest San Franciscans had been reluctant to support SFUSD because of all the drama. Were going to get the district back to a place where it is again considered one of the best districts in the state, Ronen said. Then hopefully billionaires will be comfortable funding the district directly. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris The suspected killer of elite cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson is still at large, and U.S. Marshals are seeking the public's help in finding fugitive Kaitlin Armstrong, 35, a real estate agent and yoga teacher from Austin, Texas. Armstrong's boyfriend, the man at the center of the alleged love triangle that ended in murder, professional cyclist Colin Strickland, has now lost his sponsorship deal with the Bay Area's Specialized bikes, reports the Austin American-Statesmen. "As of Saturday, May 21st, Specialized has terminated the contract agreement with Colin Strickland and he will no longer be a sponsored athlete for the brand," the Morgan Hill company told the outlet Monday. Red Bull, Strickland's primary sponsor, did not return SFGATE's request for comment at time of publication. Wilson, a Vermont native who recently lived in the Bay Area and worked for Specialized, was considered one of the best off-road cyclists in the country, and was staying with a friend in Austin to prepare for an upcoming race. There, it's alleged she went swimming with her former romantic partner Strickland hours before she died. The arrest warrant describes a complex love triangle of deceit and jealousy that allegedly ended in murder. Police say that on the evening of May 11, Strickland picked Wilson up on his motorcycle and took her swimming in a nearby pool, while telling his girlfriend over text that he was instead dropping off flowers at a friend's house and that his phone died. That text was reportedly sent at 8.36 p.m., the same time that Wilson reentered her friend's apartment. One minute later, an SUV resembling Armstrong's 2012 Jeep Cherokee was seen on surveillance footage on the street. Wilson's friend later returned to find Wilson shot multiple times, bloodied and unconscious in the bathroom. After calling 911, first responders pronounced Wilson dead at 10:10 p.m. US Marshals Services In a police interview for an unrelated arrest warrant the following day, investigators confronted Armstrong with the surveillance footage. The affidavit states that when a detective told Armstrong that the evidence "made things not look too good" for her, Armstrong nodded "as if in agreement" before asking to leave the interview. She was released and her current whereabouts are unknown. The police affidavit says that some time between December and January, Strickland bought two guns, one for him and a SIG Sauer 9mm for his girlfriend. After ballistics testing, police say there is a "significant" possibility the SIG Sauer was a match for the one used in Wilson's murder. Strickland is not suspected of a crime. The report also states that an anonymous tipster told investigators Armstrong went into rage while telling them that Wilson was still in a relationship with Strickland in January. Armstrong allegedly "became furious and shaking with anger," and told the unnamed source that Armstrong was so angry she "wanted to kill Wilson." In a statement to the American-Statesmen, however, Strickland said after a brief romance in October last year, his relationship with Wilson was "only a platonic and professional one." As tributes and condolences continue to pour in for Wilson, her family has also sought to clarify that Wilson was not in a relationship with Strickland, or anyone else, at the time of her death. While we will not elaborate about the ongoing investigation, we do feel its important to clarify that at the time of her death, those closest to her clearly understood, directly from Moriah, that she was not in a romantic relationship with anyone, the family said in a statement shared by KPIX. The suspect's father, Mike Armstrong, does not believe his daughter capable of murder. "I know her, I know what she believes, and I know she would not do something like this," Armstrong told ABC News. "I know that she did not do this. There are a lot of unanswered questions." Kaitlin Armstrong is white or white Hispanic, 5-foot-8, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Anyone with information on Armstrongs whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102. The first likely case of monkeypox in California has been reported in Sacramento County, the countys public health department reported Tuesday. An individual who recently traveled to areas in Europe where monkeypox has been reported returned to Sacramento County, and is now under investigation by the county. While their diagnosis has not been confirmed, the county said in a press release, the individuals symptoms and preliminary testing match up with a likely monkeypox diagnosis. This case appears to be related to recent travel to Europe, said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County Public Health Officer, in a statement. [Sacramento County] Public Health is working with CDPH to conduct contact tracing, and risk to the general public is extremely low. The individual is currently isolating at home and is not in contact with others, the county added. KTVU reports that the county was informed of the patients possible monkeypox diagnosis Saturday. The anxiety surrounding the virus, which was first identified in Europe, is high as its rapid spread continues across the globe. While a leading theory of its spread is that it originated from sexual contact at two raves in Spain and Belgium, it is unclear if the current monkeypox spread is caused by sexual transmission or through close contact. Anyone in close contact with a symptomatic individual or their clothes and bedsheets can be infected. Still, that has not stopped officials the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from cautioning gay and bisexual men, in particular, of being at particular risk of contracting the virus. Many of those affected in the current global outbreak identified as gay and bisexual men, Dr. John Brooks at the CDCs Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention told CNN. Most U.S. cases reported so far were of men who traveled outside of the United States. The telltale symptoms of the virus are lesions and swollen lymph nodes, but fever, headache, muscle and backaches and exhaustion are also common symptoms, according to the CDC. These symptoms can last for up to four weeks. As many as one in 10 people who contracted monkeypox in Africa where the virus is endemic among animals have died, the agency added. Most people, however, recover without requiring hospitalization. The Associated Press contributed to this report. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) _ Nicholas Financial Inc. (NICK) on Tuesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $368,000. On a per-share basis, the Clearwater, Florida-based company said it had net income of 5 cents. The specialized consumer finance company posted revenue of $12.3 million in the period. For the year, the company reported profit of $3 million, or 39 cents per share. Revenue was reported as $49.7 million. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NICK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NICK State Farm's jingle is unmistakable: "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there." Yet when it came to State Farm's support of a program providing LGBTQ-themed children's books to teachers and libraries, conservative groups and right-leaning media outlets derided the insurance company as "a creepy neighbor" and accused it of "targeting" children with books about gender identity. "State Farm tells us they're a good neighbor, but would a good neighbor target 5-year-olds for conversations about sexual identity?" the narrator says in a video posted Monday by the conservative group Consumers' Research. "That's what State Farm is doing." Hours after a report about the partnership prompted an online uproar from conservatives, State Farm announced that it was dropping its support of the GenderCool Project, aimed at helping raise awareness around what it means to be transgender, inclusive and nonbinary. State Farm spokesman Roszell Gadson confirmed to The Washington Post on Tuesday that the insurance company had ended its support of GenderCool after it had "been the subject of news and customer inquiries." "Conversations about gender and identity should happen at home with parents," Gadson said in a statement. "We don't support required curriculum in schools on this topic. We support organizations providing resources for parents to have these conversations. We no longer support the program allowing for distribution of books in schools." The company maintained that it would "continue to explore how we can support organizations that provide tools and resources that align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion." The company's decision was reported by the Washington Examiner on Monday night. GenderCool founders Jennifer Grosshandler and Gearah Goldstein told The Post that State Farm informed them early Tuesday that their partnership of the past year had come to an end. "They have concluded their partnership with us - it's done," Grosshandler said. "We did some cool things together, and I appreciate the work we did with them." The move from State Farm is the latest in an academic year that's seen far more challenges to books in the United States than usual. In early May, Pen America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for freedom of expression, found that 1,586 books have been removed from libraries or classrooms in the nine months prior, with the majority disappearing secretly and outside proper procedures. By comparison, 2018, 2019 and 2020 each saw about 300 book challenges or bans, according to a tally from the American Library Association. Most of the books targeted feature LGBTQ or Black characters or address LGBTQ themes, race or racism. The recent pushback on LGBTQ books is part of how Republican-led states are reshaping public education. Seventeen states have passed laws restricting what teachers can say about race, racism and sexism, according to an Education Week tracker. The mission of GenderCool, founded in 2018 in Chicago, is to "replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving," according to its website. The organization, which describes itself as "an inspiring disrupter," has partnered with some of the biggest companies in the world, including Bank of America, Dell, General Mills, NBCUniversal and Nike. "The companies we work with are supportive of our mission to replace these misinformed opinions people might have about transgender and nonbinary people," Goldstein said. GenderCool's partnership with State Farm drew attention Monday when Will Hild, executive director of Consumers' Research, a conservative group that has targeted "woke capitalism," tweeted an image of a January email from an employee. It shows a corporate responsibility analyst urging State Farm agents in Florida to volunteer and donate LGBTQ children's books to libraries. "State Farm is partnering with The GenderCool Project to help diversify classroom, community center and library bookshelves with a collection of books to help bring clarity and understanding to the national conversation about Being Transgender, Inclusive and nonbinary," the official wrote in the email, according to Consumers' Research. "The project's goal is to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books and support our communities in having challenging, important and empowering conversations with children Age 5+." In a video posted to Twitter on Monday, Consumers' Research accused State Farm of supporting "textbook indoctrination." "Like a creepy neighbor, State Farm is there," the narrator says. The video circulated among right-leaning media outlets and far-right Republican politicians such as Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers, who falsely accused State Farm of seeking to sexually groom children - a recent trend for GOP attacks on the LGBTQ community. State Farm also got the attention of Libs of TikTok, a Twitter account that has morphed into a social media phenomenon spreading anti-LGBTQ sentiment. ".@StateFarm is working to fill schools with books on kids becoming trans and non-binary," Libs of TikTok tweeted. As the backlash bubbled over Monday, a State Farm executive wrote an email to staffers, announcing that the insurance company would no longer support the GenderCool program, according to the Examiner. The move from State Farm is a departure from its previous public support of the LGBTQ community. In 2019, State Farm was among the hundreds of companies and industry associations to sign an amicus brief supporting LGBTQ equality in the workplace before three cases involving LGBTQ discrimination were reviewed by the Supreme Court. The high court eventually ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay, lesbian and transgender employees from workplace discrimination based on sex. Steve McManus, general counsel and senior vice president at State Farm, said in a news release at the time that the insurance company believed "in a workplace free of discrimination, and we value and promote diversity, equality and inclusion." "As good neighbors, our long history and success story is built directly from committed, caring people helping other people," State Farm wrote in 2019. "Sometimes how we help people involves supporting what we value and believe." On Tuesday, as critics and liberals on social media bashed State Farm for canceling the partnership to promote inclusivity, Gadson, the company spokesman, told The Post in a statement that State Farm still valued people in the LGBTQ community. "We recognize and value the diversity of all people, and support a culture of respect and inclusion in the communities in which we live and work, as well as our workplace," he said. Despite the attention surrounding State Farm, Grosshandler and Goldstein said they had received an outpouring of support from those who want to help the organization and its mission. Grosshandler, who described the online attention from conservatives as only "noise," said the support stemming from the State Farm fallout has been "invigorating." "We now have more attention and more interest and more appetite for folks to learn about who transgender and nonbinary kiddos are," she said. Goldstein noted that while the criticism of GenderCool intensified because of the State Farm partnership, she said the misinformed opinions surrounding transgender and nonbinary people are nothing new to them. "For us and our families, it's not just noise. It's every day for us," Goldstein said. "It happens every day." --- The Washington Post's Hannah Natanson contributed to this report. Sandy Scott/500px/Getty Images/500px A staggering number of brown pelicans are turning up sick or dead along Californias sunny Central Coast and no one knows why. This month, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (SBWCN) said they rescued more than 200 pelicans who were severely emaciated, weak, and hypothermic over the course of just one week in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The Santa Barbara Independent reported that about 30 of the pelicans were found in unusual places like freeways and peoples backyards, and disturbingly, most of them were unable to move or fly. Terry N. on Yelp Three years after international restaurant chain Taishoken opened its first U.S. store in San Mateo, the popular ramen business is ready to open its next storefront in San Francisco. On Thursday, Taishoken shared on Instagram that it plans to debut a San Francisco outpost at 665 Valencia Street in the Mission sometime in July. In February, TableHopper first reported that the Japanese restaurant was heading to San Francisco within the formerly vacant space of MAU restaurant but owner Yoshihiro Sakagachi recently confirmed with Eater SF that the store was opening in a couple of months. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOSTON (AP) Nineteen people have been indicted in a complex money laundering scheme to move millions of dollars in drug proceeds from Colombian cartels through U.S. banks, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The charges brought in Massachusetts federal court are the result of a five-year investigation into the money laundering organization based in Colombia. Authorities say they laundered at least $6 million through the U.S. banking system. Two people were arrested on Tuesday in Jamaica and three others were arrested in Florida, authorities said. Last month, another person was arrested in Florida and 12 others were arrested in Colombia. Prosecutors are seeking the extradition of the Colombian and Jamaican defendants to the U.S., officials said. One person remains at large. If nothing else, this case shows that the long arm of the law does not stop at our borders," said Joleen Simpson, special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations in Boston. Those charged played a variety of roles in the conspiracy, including drug suppliers and dollar purchasers, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins told reporters. The scheme involved the use of so-called peso brokers," who agreed to give pesos to drug traffickers in exchange for the profits of U.S. drug sales, Rollins said. Criminal associates would be handed drug money in suitcases or bags on the street and then peso brokers deposited the funds into U.S. banks, Rollins said. To make it appear like it was legitimate business activity, the money was deposited into bank accounts held by front companies and individuals or through multiple small deposits into different bank accounts, officials said. Nearly 3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds) of seized cocaine with a street value of more than $90 million have been traced back to the money laundering organization, Rollins said. The Rev. John Lowe II ended Sunday's church service with a confession to his congregation. "I committed adultery," he told churchgoers at New Life Christian Church & World Outreach in Warsaw, Ind. Lowe, who has been with his wife for more than 45 years, said his infidelity happened 20 years ago with one person, continued for "far too long" and was kept secret from his family and his flock. "I sinned. I need to say that, and you deserve to hear it." Lowe, 65, got a standing ovation for coming clean. But moments later, a woman came to the lectern, took the microphone and told her side of the story, starting with a correction: It happened 27 years ago, not 20, she said. The woman, now in her 40s, also added an important detail. "I was just 16 when you took my virginity on your office floor. Do you remember that? I know you do," she told her longtime pastor, describing herself as "a victim." The exchange between Lowe and one of his congregants was captured in a 14-minute video posted that morning on Facebook. Church leaders at New Life later released a statement saying that, before Sunday's service, an unidentified woman "who has lovingly attended and served in the church for many years" had recently informed them about Lowe's "improper sexual conduct" that started "many years ago" when she was 16. When those leaders confronted Lowe, he admitted to what the church described as "adultery." On Sunday, the pastor took to the pulpit to confess publicly and announce he was resigning. Neither the church nor Lowe immediately responded to a request for comment from The Post late Monday. Local prosecutors told WANE that they are investigating what happened decades ago between Lowe and the teenager. The Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post early Tuesday. When the woman took the microphone Sunday, she started by saying she had been living in "a prison of lies and shame" for nearly three decades. For years, she said, she blamed herself for the sexual relationship her pastor had initiated. She thought she was a horrible person and considered suicide. She lied to protect Lowe and his family, she said, and so did others: "People knew but were too afraid to come forward." "No one ever came to me. No one ever helped me. No one ever got me counseling," she added. New Life church said in its statement that it has been preaching a "Cross-driven message of repentance, forgiveness and restoration" for 42 years. The woman told congregants "this church has been built on lies, but no more." "The lies and manipulation have to stop," she said. That process started several weeks ago when she said her brother came to her to say that, even decades later, he was still bothered by what he'd seen as a teenager: his pastor in bed with his younger sister. His concern led the woman to tell New Life's church leaders about what Lowe had done. "You did things to my teenage body that had never and should have never been done," she said to him as they stood onstage at the end of the church service, adding that "the church deserves to know the truth." "I could give story after story after story to what you did to me." Then, she turned to Lowe's adult son. "Your dad is not the victim here. A partial truth is not true." She eventually walked offstage with her husband, who briefly addressed the crowd to say that Lowe's sexual relationship with his wife went on for nine years. Lowe again took the microphone. The congregants who had given their pastor a standing ovation just minutes earlier now heckled him and shouted out questions. "If you did it, you need to admit it!" one said. "Did you do it?" another shouted. Yes, Lowe told them, he had a sexual relationship with one of his congregants starting when she was 16. "It was wrong," he said, adding, "I can't do anything about that except to tell you that if I could go back and redo it all, I would. I can't, and all I can do is ask you to forgive me." Then, Lowe gave the microphone to a man who led the church in prayer as Lowe walked down to the space between the stage and the church pews. As he stood at the front, one congregant approached and hugged him. Several more came up to form a prayer circle with Lowe, putting their hands on each others' shoulders. One by one, more flocked to the front, and soon dozens surrounded the disgraced pastor. "God, I pray for this body that has been wounded, that you begin to heal us, Lord," the man at the lectern said, later adding, "All sin has consequences." Not everyone was ready to join the prayer circle and forgive Lowe. "I'm not watching," a man off camera said. Then the video ended. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A week after U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn lost his primary election, a federal appeals court on Tuesday overturned a trial judge's decision that had blocked North Carolina's elections board from examining whether he should be disqualified from running for reelection. A panel of judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling from District Judge Richard Myers, who had determined that a section of the 14th Amendment addressing insurrection and serving in Congress didn't apply to Cawthorn. Voters who filed a formal challenge to Cawthorn's candidacy pointed to how the first-term Republican spoke at the Stop the Steal rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Cawthorn denies participating in an insurrection. The decision lost some urgency, however, because Cawthorn lost his May 17 primary in the 11th Congressional District to state Sen. Chuck Edwards. The court ruled even after Cawthorn's attorney suggested last Friday the appeal was moot because election officials would certify the primary result in early June, meaning his name will not appear on the November general election ballot. In an opinion footnote, Circuit Judge Toby Heytens wrote the rulings were filed anyway because the results aren't yet official, leaving to Myers any decision on whether to dismiss the case. Tuesday's ruling, however, could inform how other challenges are handled by states in the future. 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. Free Speech for People, a national election and campaign finance reform group that assisted with the Cawthorn challenge, called Tuesday's decision a major victory. A spokesperson for Cawthorn didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The North Carolina voters who filed the challenge cited the section that declared 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, ratified three years after the Civil War ended to deal with ex-Confederates, does allow Congress to pass laws that can remove such restrictions. Writing the prevailing opinion among the three judges, Heytens wrote that Myers got it wrong in March when he wrote that an 1872 law that removed office-holding disqualifications from most ex-Confederates also exempted current members of Congress like Cawthorn. Arguments that since the law removed office-holding disqualifications from all persons whomsoever meant it applies to future legislators were misplaced, according to Heytens. The circuit judge said the past-tense language clearly meant it applied to those whose constitutionally wrongful acts occurred before its enactment. Given that the 1872 law still prevented top Confederate officials like its former president Jefferson Davis from serving again, Heytens wrote, the notion that the 1872 Congress simultaneously deemed any future Davis worthy of categorical advance forgiveness seems quite a stretch. Still, the judges express no opinion about whether Representative Cawthorn in fact engaged in insurrection or rebellion or is otherwise qualified to serve in Congress, Heytens added. James Bopp, an attorney for Cawthorn, argued before the panel on May 3 in Richmond, Virginia, 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. While Heytens wrote that the also panel didn't rule on whether the Constitution gives Congress that responsibility, his colleagues weighed in. Circuit Judge Jim Wynn wrote that the Constitution does give states broad powers to regulate candidates and ballot access. Circuit Judge Julius Richardson said Myers' court lacked jurisdiction to handle the case to begin with, saying determining a House member's qualification is a "privilege and duty given only to the House itself. Free Speech for People also helped file the challenge against Greene, who was on Tuesday's primary ballot in Georgia. While a federal district judge allowed the challenge there to continue, a state administrative law judge found that they did not present sufficient evidence to back their claims that she had engaged in insurrection. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger accepted those findings and said Greene was qualified to run. An appeal is pending. The appeals court also agreed that Myers should have allowed at least one voter filing the candidacy challenge to intervene in the lawsuit, which was actually filed by Cawthorn against the State Board of Elections. __ Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report. BEIJING (AP) Airbnb Inc. will stop listing homes and experiences inside China this summer and instead focus its business in the country on serving Chinese tourists looking for lodgings abroad, a company official said on social media Tuesday. Airbnb began listings in China in 2016, but they have still accounted for only about 1% of company revenue in recent years. The San Francisco-based company found the domestic Chinese business costly and complicated to run, and the pandemic has made matters worse. There was little overlap between Airbnbs business inside China and catering to outbound travelers, which Airbnb hopes will limit the impact of suspending the domestic offerings. Airbnb joins a series of foreign internet companies including Yahoo Inc. and eBay Inc. that pulled out of China after running into fierce local competition and regulatory barriers. We have made the difficult decision to refocus our efforts in China on outbound travel and suspend our homes and Experiences of Hosts in China, starting from July 30, 2022, said the chief strategy officer of Airbnb China, Nathan Blecharczyk, in a statement on its social media account. Landlords represented by Airbnb have had more than 25 million guest arrivals since 2016, according to Blecharczyks statement. The Chinese government has blocked foreign tourists from visiting since the pandemic hit in early 2020 and has told the Chinese public to avoid foreign travel that isnt essential for business or study. International airlines and other travel companies that operate in China expect that borders will re-open and travel by Chinese citizens will pick up eventually, although the timing is unclear. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) The Alaska Supreme Court said Tuesday it has affirmed a lower court ruling that the board tasked with redrawing the state's political boundaries "again engaged in unconstitutional political gerrymandering and ordered the use of a new map for this year's elections. Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews in his ruling last week said it appeared that the majority of the Alaska Redistricting Boards members had adopted a map splitting the Eagle River area into two Senate districts for political reasons. The map that Matthews ordered the board to adopt in part pairs the Eagle River area House districts into a Senate district. It was the other option the board had considered when it was weighing revisions following a prior order by the state Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed Matthews' order for the adoption of the map for this year's elections. The decision came ahead of the June 1 filing deadline for the August primary and followed a second round of challenges to the board's work. Peter Torkelson, the board's executive director, said the board appreciated the court's swift guidance. The board met later Tuesday to adopt the map. The Supreme Court earlier this year found constitutional issues with elements of a map drawn by the board last fall. In one instance, the court ruled that a state Senate district pairing part of east Anchorage and the Eagle River area constituted an unconstitutional political gerrymander. The five-member board then returned to work. The revised plan it adopted in a 3-2 vote last month prompted challenges that focused on the boards decision to link part of the Eagle River area with south Anchorage and Girdwood for a Senate district and another part of the Eagle River area to an area that includes Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, also known as JBER, for another Senate district. Matthews said he found that the board had intentionally discriminated against the communities of Girdwood and South Anchorage in order to maximize senate representation for Eagle River and the Republican party. Attorneys for the board, in asking the Supreme Court to review Matthews decision, called his order a rambling, unprincipled, result-oriented decision and labeled it the antithesis of deference to an independent constitutional entity. Board member Melanie Bahnke on Tuesday thanked in part the parties who had brought challenges in the latest round of litigation. Bahnke and board member Nicole Borromeo had opposed the board's original plan last fall and the revised one advanced last month. The court-ordered map was adopted unanimously Tuesday, though board member Bethany Marcum said she was concerned the plan would be unfair to voters on the military base. Matthews, in his order last week, said that with the time pressure of the candidate filing deadline removed, the board should return to work on adopting a plan for the remainder of the decade. The Alaska Supreme Court, however, said that provision would stay on hold. Redistricting plans are drawn using information for the census, which is held every 10 years. Matthew Singer, an attorney for the board, said he read that part of the Supreme Court's order as the court directing the board to adopt a specific interim plan for this year and that any other action should await further direction." Guidance around that stay order could come in a full opinion from the court, he said. TIRANA, Albania (AP) An Albanian man has been arrested for allegedly using social media to call for terror attacks against state institutions, police said Tuesday. A statement said a 56-year old man identified only as I.S. (L.) used fake profiles to post inciting photos and writings, public calls and propaganda to commit terror attacks against some important state institutions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) Jurors in Johnny Depps libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard heard a snippet of testimony Tuesday contradicting one of Heards key witnesses, but much of the context was stripped away. Jennifer Howell who once employed Heard's sister, Whitney Henriquez testified briefly Tuesday in the six-week civil trial through a recorded deposition. Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name. Depp has denied he ever struck Heard, and says she was the abuser in the relationship. Heard has testified about more than a dozen separate instances of physical abuse she says she suffered at Depps hands. Howell testified that she sent an email in 2020 to Henriquez begging her to tell the truth. Jurors, though, did not see the letter, nor did Howell explain in what way she thought Henriquez was being untruthful. The edited deposition played in court for less than 15 minutes Howell appeared to walk out of the deposition before lawyers had completed their questioning. In a court document, though, Howell goes into much greater detail. She gives a four-page declaration in which she says Henriquez confided in her that Heard was the aggressor in the fight and Henriquez allegedly said she thought Heard was going to kill Johnny. Howell also says in the declaration that Henriquez told her and others in their workplace that Heard cut off Depp's finger in a fight the couple had in Australia. The severed finger has been a point of dispute throughout the trial. Depp says the finger was severed when Heard lobbed a vodka bottle at him. Heard says Depp did it to himself on a night when he was in a drunken rage and sexually assaulted her with a bourbon bottle. Henriquez is the only one of Heards witnesses who testified in the six-week trial that she personally witnessed Depp physically assault Heard, in a fight where she said each landed blows on the other while she was caught between the two. It's not entirely clear why Howell's testimony was so limited. Throughout the trial, though, Judge Penney Azcarate has strictly enforced rules limiting hearsay evidence, and Howell's description of what Henriquez told her would likely be a classic example of hearsay unless Depp's lawyers could claim some sort of exception to the hearsay rule. In Howell's declaration, she acknowledged that she was upset when she learned that Heard had pledged millions of dollars to the American Civil Liberties Union and a children's hospital, when Howell thought the money could do more good at The Art of Elysium, the nonprofit she ran and that had employed Henriquez. The limited nature of Howell's testimony makes it unclear if jurors will draw the connections that Depp's team hopes to make. Howell testified as a rebuttal witness for Depp after Heard rested her case Tuesday morning without calling Depp to the stand Heard's lawyers had initially suggested they would call Depp as a witness. Jurors may still hear more from Depp. His team has indicated they may call him to the stand Wednesday. Both Depp and Heard have each testified extensively already about details of their toxic relationship. Also Tuesday, the celebrity news site TMZ filed an emergency motion seeking to block the testimony of a former employee, Morgan Tremaine. TMZ said it's concerned that Tremaine is prepared to testify Wednesday for Depp and violate a pledge of confidentiality that the news outlet provided to a source who gave TMZ information related to the couple's high-profile divorce. Heard has denied that she tipped off news outlets to the fact that she obtained a temporary restraining order after filing for divorce from Depp in 2016. Heard alleged Depp abused her in that application, and Heard was photographed by paparazzi leaving the courthouse with an apparent bruise on her cheek. Depp's lawyers have said she sought publicity about her abuse allegations to falsely damage his reputation. Also Tuesday, Judge Penney Azcarate rejected a motion from Depps attorneys to toss out a $100 million counterclaim she filed against Depp. The counterclaim alleges Depp's then-lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed Heard when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Azcarate said the bar for tossing out a claim before it goes to the jury is exceedingly high, and said there is enough evidence to allow it to go forward. She had already ruled Depp could be held responsible for statements made by his lawyer, a principle Depp's team disputes. TACOMA, Wash. (AP) An attorney representing a Black newspaper carrier who is suing Pierce County and Sheriff Ed Troyer has filed a temporary anti-harassment protection order against the sheriff. The order, filed by attorney Vonda Sargent, went into effect Monday. Sargent alleges that Troyer followed Sedrick Altheimer on several occasions while he was driving his paper route. WASHINGTON (AP) With Congress deadlocked over how to address racism and excessive use of force, President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order on policing Wednesday, the second anniversary of George Floyd's death. The decision reflects Biden's struggle to use the limited powers of his office to advance his campaign promises, as well as his attempt to strike a balance between police and civil rights groups at a time when rising concerns about crime are eclipsing calls for reform. Most of the order is focused on federal law enforcement agencies for example, requiring them to review and revise policies on use of force. It would also create a database to help track officer misconduct, according to the White House. Although the administration cannot require local police departments to participate in the database, which is intended to prevent problem officers from hopping from job to job, officials are looking for ways to use federal funding to encourage their cooperation. In addition, the order would restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to local police. The public announcement is scheduled for the first day after Biden's return from his first trip to Asia as president. Rev. Al Sharpton described Biden's order as an important step that showed the president took the initiative when Congress failed to act, but he said activists would never give up on pushing for legislation. George Floyd woke us up, and we should not go back to sleep, Sharpton said in a statement. Biden is expected to appear alongside relatives of Floyd, whose killing by Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests two years ago. It was the largest series of demonstrations in American history, occurring in the midst of coronavirus lockdowns and President Donald Trump's divisive reelection campaign. However, transforming the initial outcry into political change has proven difficult. When four officers were convicted last year for killing Floyd, Biden urged Congress to pass legislation to reform police by the anniversary of his death. The guilty verdict was not enough, he said, and we cant stop here." However, no legislation was passed, and bipartisan talks dragged on, and later broke down. The White House eventually decided to move forward with executive actions rather than wait for Congress. In September, the Justice Department curtailed federal agents use of no-knock warrants which allow law enforcement agents to enter a home without announcing their presence and updated its policy to prohibit agents from using chokeholds in most circumstances. But extending such rules to local police is more challenging, and White House officials have spent months in negotiations with civil rights groups and police organizations. The resulting set of policies is less extensive than originally sought, not to mention delayed by a year. We know full well that an executive order cannot address Americas policing crisis the same way Congress has the ability to, but weve got to do everything we can, said a statement from NAACP President Derrick Johnson. The order goes beyond issues involving misconduct and use of force. It would also assess the impact of facial recognition software on civil liberties, look for ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in federal correctional facilities and suggest better ways to collect data on police practices. The research could eventually lay the groundwork for more changes within American law enforcement in the future. PHOENIX (AP) The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a man's convictions and death sentences in the 2012 killing of his nine-months pregnant girlfriend who was bound, handcuffed and gagged when her partially burned body was found in a bed by firefighters responding to an apartment fire. A Maricopa County Superior Court jury in 2018 convicted Dwandarrius Robinson of two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of arson of an occupied structure and of kidnapping. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) President Joe Biden told fellow Indo-Pacific leaders assembled for a four-country summit Tuesday that they were navigating "a dark hour in our shared history due to Russia's brutal war on Ukraine and he urged the group to make a greater effort to stop Vladimir Putin's aggression. This is more than just a European issue. It's a global issue, Biden said as the Quad summit with Japan, Australia and India got under way. While the president did not directly call out any countries, his message appeared to be pointed, at least in part, at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom differences persist over how to respond to the Russian invasion. Unlike other Quad countries and nearly every other U.S. ally, India has not imposed sanctions or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware. With Modi sitting nearby, Biden made the case that the world has a shared responsibility to do something to assist Ukrainian resistance against Russias aggression. Were navigating a dark hour in our shared history," he said. The Russian brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and innocent civilians have been killed in the streets and millions of refugees are internally displaced as well as in exile. The world has to deal with it, and we are, he added. For several of the bigger Asian powers, the invasion has been seen as a crucial moment for the world to demonstrate by a strong response to Russia that China should not try to seize contested territory through military action. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, taking note of Russias aggression in Ukraine, told the other leaders: We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region. A reminder of tensions in the region came during Bidens trip. Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights around Japan on Tuesday. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi described the exercise as a threat and an increased level of provocation, and said the cooperation between China and Russia was concerning and unacceptable. The White House has been effusive in its praise of several Pacific countries, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, for stepping up to hit Russia with tough sanctions and export bans while offering humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv. However, the White House has been disappointed with the relative silence of India, the worlds biggest democracy. After a one-on-one meeting with Modi in Japan, Biden said they discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine "and the effect it has on the entire global world order." Biden added that the U.S. and India will continue to consult "on how to mitigate these negative effects." But in a reflection of India's relationship with Moscow, the Quad leaders' post-summit joint statement made no mention of Russia. In his comments, Modi did not refer to the war in Ukraine, instead ticking off several trade and investment programs that he discussed with the president. Biden has asked Modi not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other allies look to squeeze Moscows energy income. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to get off from Russian oil, and Biden has publicly referred to India as somewhat shaky in its response to the invasion. Facing Western pressure, India has condemned civilian deaths in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Yet it also has compounded fallout from a war that has caused a global food shortage by banning wheat exports at a time when starvation is a growing risk in parts of the world. The Indian prime minister did not address Russia's war against Ukraine in his public remarks at the summit. Biden has been making his case to Modi for weeks. The two spoke about the Russian invasion during a virtual Quad leaders meeting in March, and last month they had a short video conversation when Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with their Indian counterparts in Washington. So it wont be a new conversation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said ahead of the summit. It will be a continuation of the conversation theyve already had about how we see the picture in Ukraine and the impacts of Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine on a wider set of concerns in the world. While Biden and Modi may avoid public confrontation over how to respond to Russias aggression, the issue remains a major one as the U.S. and allies are looking to tighten the pressure on Putin., said Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. It appears pretty clear the Biden administration is not looking for trouble with India and that most of these difficult conversations will be in private, said Green, who was a senior National Security Council aide during the George W. Bush administration. The summit came on the final day of Biden's five-day visit to Japan and South Korea, Biden's first trip to Asia as president. It also marked new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first moment on the global stage. The new premier flew to Tokyo on Monday right after being sworn into office. The center-left Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the weekend, ending the conservative leader's nine-year rule Biden, Modi and Kishida welcomed Albanese to the club and expressed awe at his determination to join the informal security coalition so quickly after assuming office. I dont know how youre doing it," Biden, who looked a bit worn from his own travel, told Albanese. The U.S. president joked that it would be OK if the new prime minister happened to fall sleep during the meeting. Biden was to meet separately with Albanes later Tuesday. The four-way partnership has become increasingly relevant as Biden has moved to adjust U.S. foreign policy to put greater focus on the region and to counter China's rise as an economic and security power. He held bilateral talks with summit host Kishida on Monday. Albanese told his fellow Quad leaders he was dedicated to the group's mission to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. We have had a change of government in Australia, but Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change, Albanese said. Looming over the Quad leaders' talks was Biden's blunt statement on Monday that the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is even stronger after Russias invasion of Ukraine. The White House insists that Bidens unusually forceful comments about Taiwan did not amount to a shift in U.S. policy toward the self-ruled island that China claims as its own. Asked by the reporters at the summit on Tuesday if his comments on Taiwan a day earlier were meant to mark a policy change, Biden simply replied, No. Some modest initiatives were announced by the Quad leaders, including a new effort to provide pediatric COVID-19 vaccines to countries most in need and a program to help nations improve security and environmental awareness of their territorial waters. The Quad last year pledged to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. So far, the group has provided about 257 million doses, according to the Biden administration. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed reporting A contractor hired to clean up the nation's worst coal ash spill is not immune from being sued by workers who say they were not properly protected, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week. More than 200 workers blame Jacobs Engineering for exposing them to ash they say caused a slew of illnesses, including cancers of the lung, brain, blood and skin. A Knoxville, Tennessee, jury in 2018 took only a few hours to decide that Jacobs a contractor hired by Tennessee Valley Authority breached its duty of care to the workers, exposing them to airborne fly ash with known carcinogens. The jurors said Jacobs actions were capable of making the workers sick. Whether those actions actually did make them sick, and thus eligible for monetary damages, was left for a subsequent trial or trials. The federal judge in the case ordered mediation, alluding to many workers' urgent need for medical care. More than three years later, the two sides have not been able to come to an agreement and a new trial date has not been set. In the meantime, Jacobs has challenged the workers' right to sue. In the question decided last week, Jacobs argued that TVA was immune from lawsuits because it is a federal public utility, and that protection extends to the contractor through derivative immunity. In its ruling, the federal appeals court panel found that TVA is not immune from suit and neither is Jacobs. The court notes that Congress, in creating the TVA, wrote a clause into statute specifically providing that the utility can sue and be sued in its corporate name. The largest industrial spill in modern U.S. history began with a leaky six-story earthen dam outside TVAs Kingston Fossil Plant. On Dec. 22, 2008, that dam collapsed, releasing more than a billion gallons of coal ash sludge in a torrent that knocked nearby homes off their foundations. As the sludge slowly dried over the yearslong course of the cleanup, it turned into a fine dust that had to be constantly watered down but still filled the air, especially on windy days, according to trial testimony. Some of the cleanup workers took on 12-hour shifts for months at a time with few or no days off. A Jacobs subcontractor testified at trial that workers were not allowed to wear masks to protect them from the fly ash because it looked bad. In Associated Press interviews, workers recalled constantly coughing and joking about coal ash flu. Later they began suffering strange lesions. Dozens developed cancers and at least 40 later died from illnesses. Jacobs attorneys have said the company did its best to mange the cleanup in a way regulators said was safe. It has not been proven that Jacobs or even coal ash is to blame for any illnesses, and the EPA classifies coal ash as nonhazardous. But Duke University geochemist Avner Vengosh, who is not involved in the litigation, found high levels of radioactivity and toxic metals, including arsenic and mercury in the Kingston coal ash. In a statement about his 2009 peer-reviewed study, he warned that inhaling airborne particles could have a "severe health impact. Still, if and when the workers get a new trial, it could be difficult to prove the ash caused their illnesses. Experts say there just is not enough research on the health effects of prolonged exposure to fly ash. Jeff Chiu/AP More than 40 Democratic members of Congress are asking Google to stop what they see as the unnecessary collection and retention of people's location data, arguing the information could be used to identify women seeking abortions. In a letter sent Tuesday to Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google parent Alphabet Inc., the lawmakers express concern that if abortion were to become illegal in the U.S., the company's "current practice of collecting and retaining extensive records of cell phone location data will allow it to become a tool for far-right extremists looking to crack down on people seeking reproductive health care. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won his Republican runoff election against Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush on Tuesday despite facing a slew of legal problems, including an FBI investigation and a trial on securities fraud charges. Bush is the only member of his famous family still in office, but the loss means he will now exit in January. That will leave the Bush dynasty out of elected office for one of the few times in the last 40 years. The coming end of the Bush era at least for now came at the hands of a two-term incumbent still dogged by a 2015 felony indictment and a separate FBI investigation into accusation of corruption. But importantly in Texas, Paxton had the backing of former President Donald Trump, who has mocked and antagonized the Bush family on his way to taking their mantle as the GOPs standard-bearer. Paxton, who has denied wrongdoing, is now within reach of a third term in Texas, where a Democrat hasnt won statewide office in nearly 30 years. More recently, the State Bar of Texas is weighing possible reprimands against Paxton over his baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election. It was one of two closely watched primary runoffs in Texas: On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress, was in the fight of his political career against Jessica Cisneros, who supports abortion rights. Despite finishing second in Marchs four-way primary, Bush trailed Paxton by 20 points. The wide gap underscored Paxtons continued political durability and showed how much ground the 46-year-old scion of the Bush political dynasty needed to make up with GOP voters in Texas, where his uncle, former President George W. Bush, was once governor and his late grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, was a congressman and longtime Houston resident. But the Bushes influence in the GOP is not what it once was. Two years ago, Pierce Bush, a cousin of George P. Bush, became the first member of his family to lose a race in Texas in 40 years in a failed run for Congress in Houston. When U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas last week became a rare top Republican to publicly criticize Paxton, calling his long-running and unresolved criminal case an embarrassment, Paxton shot back by aligning him with the Bushes. Im not shocked by the Senators comments. He represents the Bush wing of the GOP, Paxton tweeted. Greg Pinn, 41, of Dallas, decided to vote in the Republican primary solely to vote against Paxton. He said that while he wasnt fond of George P. Bush, no one is worse than Ken Paxton. The attorney general of Texas at least shouldnt be an actual criminal, hes got to be somewhat better than that, Pinn said. In the final weeks of the campaign, Bush has ratcheted up his attacks on Paxtons legal troubles, running ads that highlighted the unresolved indictments and FBI investigation and called him unfit for office. This race isnt about my last name, Bush says in one ad. Its about Ken Paxtons crimes. Voter Suzanne Grishman, 54, wasnt deterred by the attorney generals indictment or the ongoing FBI investigation. I believe people are innocent until proven guilty, she said. Grishman said she cast a ballot for Paxton in Dallas because she appreciates his very bold stances and because he has a proven track-record of following the Constitution and the laws of the land and individual rights and freedoms for Americans and Texans. ___ Associated Press writers Jake Bleiberg and Jamie Stengle in Dallas 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 BRUSSELS (AP) A European Union court decided Tuesday to restore the parliamentary immunity for three former top Catalan officials who fled Spain fearing arrest over a secessionist push they led in the region. The decision by the general court is the latest episode in the legal saga on the fate of the former president of Spains Catalonia region, Carles Puigdemont, and two of his associates, former Catalan health minister Toni Comin and former Catalan education minister Clara Ponsati. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Sarah Sanders won the Republican nomination for governor in Arkansas on Tuesday, putting her on a clear path to lead a solidly red state where Donald Trumps popularity has overshadowed questions about his administrations credibility that she faced during her time as White House press secretary. Sanders won the GOP primary for the office her dad, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, held for a decade after a race where she shattered fundraising records. Sanders bombarded the states airwaves with TV ads invoking the former president and going after his favorite targets, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Sanders headed into the primary virtually assured of the nomination, and she remains a heavy favorite in the general election in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat governor since 2010. Nuclear engineer and ordained minister Chris Jones won the Democratic nomination in Tuesday's primary. During her victory speech Tuesday, Sanders didnt mention Trump or Biden and invoked the fatal shooting of at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school as a stark and humbling reminder of just how precious life is. Every single life has value and the most vulnerable among us should be those that we are fighting for and protecting the most, Sanders said. I can assure you that in my administration, thats exactly what we will do. We will make sure that when a kid is in the womb, theyre as safe as they are in the classroom, the workplace, the nursing home, because every stage of life has value. As Trumps spokesperson, Sanders was one of his closest White House aides and was the face of an administration that contributed to the nations stark divide. Shes running at a time that Republicans around the country are adopting the presidents rhetoric and approach on a number of issues, including immigration policy and the way race is taught in schools. Sanders joked Tuesday night about her shift from press secretary to nominee. When I worked at the White House, nobody ever cheered when I went up to the podium," she said. This is different, but I like it a whole lot better." During Sanders nearly two-year tenure at the White House, she scaled back daily televised briefings after repeatedly sparring with reporters who aggressively questioned her. She faced questions about her credibility, particularly after special counsel Robert Muellers report revealed that Sanders admitted making an unfounded claim to reporters about FBI agents reaction to director James Comeys firing. But she also earned reporters respect working behind the scenes to develop relationships with the media. She faced similar credibility questions after Rudy Giuliani, one of Trumps personal attorneys, surprised the White House by saying on national TV that Trump had reimbursed his then-fixer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 Cohen had paid porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet during the campaign about an alleged past sexual encounter with Trump. Trump has denied Daniels claim. The White House had failed to disclose the reimbursement. Sanders said she didnt know anything about the repayment until Giuliani disclosed it. Sanders in her ads embraced Trumps endorsement and his rhetoric, promising to use the states top office to fight Biden and the radical left, something thats awfully hard to find in a state where no Democrat holds statewide or federal office. She also invoked one of Trumps favorite targets, the national news media. As White House press secretary, I never had to worry about the far left and their allies at CNN or the New York Times defining me, Sanders says in one TV spot. Because I have a creator whos already done that. But she danced more delicately around some of Trumps biggest grievances, especially his lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. Sanders in interviews has stopped short of calling the presidential election stolen, unlike Trump-endorsed candidates in Pennsylvania, Georgia and elsewhere who have run on his false claims. Sanders said she thinks Trump has the right to call the election stolen, though she said she cant say how much fraud there was in 2020. An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by Trump found fewer than 475 a number that would have made no difference in the 2020 presidential election. What I do know is the country would be infinitely better off right now if Donald Trump was in the White House, Sanders told the AP in an interview earlier this month. She also avoided publicly criticizing outgoing Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, even after the former president labeled Hutchinson a RINO Republican In Name Only for vetoing an anti-transgender law. Sanders said she would have signed that measure, which the GOP Legislature enacted by overriding Hutchinson. Hutchinson, who is considering a run for president in 2024, has often split with the former president. Hutchinson endorsed Sanders in November after her two chief rivals for the nomination Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge dropped out to seek other offices. Hutchinson was barred by term limits from seeking reelection. Trump publicly encouraged Sanders to run for governor when she left the White House in 2019 to return to her home state. Sanders was already well known in Arkansas politics, going back to when she appeared in ads for her fathers campaigns. She managed Sen. John Boozmans 2010 election and worked as an adviser to Sen. Tom Cottons in 2014. She appeared in ads endorsing Boozman, who won the GOP primary for his seat after fending off challenges from the right. Sanders has run on a promise to phase out the states income tax, though shes stopped short of giving a timeline for doing so or offering details on how shed pay for the loss in revenue. Sanders defeated former talk radio host Doc Washburn, who mounted a long shot bid against her in the primary by trying to paint her as not conservative enough partly because of her endorsement from Hutchinson and backing of Boozman. Jones, who won the Democratic nomination in a five-person primary, launched his campaign last year with a video that quickly went viral and contrasted with Sanders rhetoric. During his victory speech, he continued that theme, presenting himself as a more unifying figure than Sanders. Arkansans are clear that we are sick and tired of the politics of division, Jones said. Jones is among dozens of Black Democrats who are running in areas that Trump has won, in the hopes of mobilizing more voters. Arkansas has never elected an African-American to statewide or federal office. Before jumping into the governors race, Jones headed the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs. He has dubbed his platform PB&J, which he says stands for preschool, broadband and jobs. ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) The Florida Senate on Tuesday approved a sweeping legislative package meant to combat rising property insurance rates and other problems in the state's turbulent insurance market, creating a $2 billion reinsurance fund and writing new rules around coverage denials and attorney fees. The Republican-controlled Senate approved the legislation after hours of debate. The proposals now await passage in the House, which is expected Wednesday. The bills come as part of a special legislative session focused solely on property insurance. Lawmakers failed to pass insurance reforms earlier this year during their regular session, which was dominated by contentious partisan fights on bills involving race, gender identity, sexual orientation and abortion. In debate Tuesday, Senate Democrats pushed to grant immediate rate reductions or freezes for property owners but their amendments were rejected by Republicans who argued the legislation was the best path to stabilize the market in the long term. GOP legislation sponsor Sen. Jim Boyd said the measures would not result in rate decreases before 12 to 18 months. My constituents, who I have spent quite a bit of time with over the last several weeks and months, are in desperate, desperate need, not for 18 months from now today, tomorrow the next day, certainly before hurricane season, said Sen. Lauren Book, a Democrat. The proposals would create the $2 billion Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders program for insurers to purchase insurance to help insulate themselves from risk. In order for an insurer to access the fund, it would have to reduce policyholders rates. The bills would forbid insurers from automatically denying coverage because of a roofs age if the roof is less than 15 years old. Homeowners with roofs 15 years or older would be allowed to get an inspection before insurers deny them coverage. If an inspection shows that a roof has at least five years of life remaining, insurers cant refuse to issue a policy only based on the roofs age, under the proposed legislation. If a roof is more than 25% damaged but already complies with the states 2007 building code, it would only have to be repaired instead of replaced under an exemption to the building code that the proposed legislation creates. Another measure would provide grants worth up to $10,000 each to retrofit homes so they are less vulnerable to hurricane damage. To qualify, properties would have to have insured values of $500,000 or less, be homesteaded, constructed before 2008 and located in areas where wind speeds from storms can exceed 140 mph (225 kph). Homeowners would get $2 from the state for every $1 they invested in mitigation efforts. Obviously, you want to pay lower rates, but if you make improvements, you avoid damage in the first place, so thats going to help, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Tuesday news conference in Havana, Florida. I think these reforms are positive. The legislation also seeks to limit various attorney fees in insurance-related cases, which insurers blame for much of the rate increases for policyholders. Supporters of the legislative package have frequently noted that Florida accounted for 9% of all insurance claims filed nationally but nearly 80% of all the property insurance lawsuits. The bills would allow for more state oversight so regulators can spot trends, analyze reasons and try to prevent the future failure of insurers. The insurance industry has had two years of underwriting losses exceeding $1 billion each year and several insurance companies have either gone insolvent, required midterm cancelations, are in liquidation or have stopped writing new business since 2021, the governor said in his proclamation calling lawmakers back to the Capitol. Legislative leaders on Tuesday also reached an agreement to include in the package a measure to require that all condominiums higher than three stories statewide have periodic inspections of their structural integrity, a proposal that came in response to the Surfside condominium collapse that killed 98 people nearly a year ago. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A fresh foods manufacturer says it is expanding production in the Southeast with plans to invest over $42 million in a North Carolina production facility which will create more than 200 jobs, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday. Hans Kissle Co. will build a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing site in Apple Creek Corporate Center just outside of Gastonia, Cooper said in a news release. John Moore/Getty Images DAVOS, Switzerland Fears of a global food crisis are swelling as a Russian blockade of Ukrainian seaports and attacks on its grain warehouses have choked off one of the worlds breadbaskets, deepening fears that President Vladimir Putin is using food as a powerful new weapon in his three-month-old war. World leaders called for international action to deliver 20 million tons of grain trapped in Ukraine. Some warned that unless the port of Odesa is opened soon, there is a threat of famine in some countries and political unrest in others, in what could be the gravest global repercussion yet of Russias assault on its neighbor. SANFORD, Fla. (AP) Two political operatives and an independent candidate who opponents say hardly campaigned and only entered a state Senate race in central Florida in 2020 to siphon off votes from a Democrat were criminally charged on Tuesday. Prosecutors filed election finance charges against the candidate, Jestine Iannotti, as well as Seminole County GOP chairman Ben Paris and political consultant James Eric Foglesong in Seminole County, a suburb of Orlando. Some candidates with no party affiliation commonly referred to as ghost' candidates, have been used by political parties as a way to close elections or siphon off votes," State Attorney Phil Archer, whose jurisdiction covers Seminole County, said in a statement. While not illegal per se, many have questioned the ethics of the practice. However, when that candidate and the partisan political operatives involved violate election finance laws by illegally funding those races and filing false reports, it is the responsibility of government to act." The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. According to the FDLE, Iannotti illegally accepted a $1,200 cash donation from Foglesong for her campaign. Iannoitti and Foglesong falsely used the names of others as contributors in state campaign finance reports in order to skirt Florida laws on campaign contributions, the FDLE said in a news release. Paris provided the name and address of one of the individuals Iannotti and Foglesong falsely used in their official campaign reporting, even though Paris knew the individual had not contributed to the campaign, according to the FDLE. Paris works for the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, which is led by Republican Sen. Jason Brodeur. Brodeur won the election in which Iannotti ran in 2020. Brodeur won the District 9 race with 50.3% of the vote to Democrat Patricia Sigmans 47.6%. Iannotti took in 2.1% of the vote. No online court records had been filed yet in Seminole County, so it wasn't known if Iannotti, Paris and Foglesong had attorneys. No phone number was listed for Iannotti in campaign records filed with the state. Paris didn't return a voicemail message left for him. Foglesong didn't comment while turning himself in Tuesday at the Seminole County Jail. Iannotti's campaign, as well as those of two others in South Florida, have been the focus of scrutiny over concerns that they were ghost" candidates solely in the race to siphon off votes from Democrats. The three candidates were promoted by a pair of entities chaired by then-GOP political consultant Alex Alvarado, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Alvarado has been notified by South Florida prosecutors that he is a target of their investigation, which has already led to the indictment of former lawmaker Frank Artiles, according to the Sentinel. Artiles is accused of bribing another of the ghost candidates to run in South Florida's Senate District 37. A defiant U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene easily defeated five fellow Republicans on Tuesday in a primary race that showed her conservative Georgia constituents standing steadfastly beside her after a turbulent freshman term. Greene showed no signs of mellowing in her victory speech late Tuesday. She called, as she has in the past, for the impeachment of President Joe Biden and dismissed his election as the product of fraudulent electoral votes. She likened pandemic mask and vaccine mandates to medical tyranny, and bemoaned the cruel and illegal treatment of many nonviolent Jan. 6 protesters. Greene called Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell one of Congress failed leaders and said to loud applause that shes part of a majority who even now wants to see Hillary Clinton in jail. Sending me back to Washington will send a message to the bloodsucking establishment: It is we who will set the policy agenda for the next decade and not them, Greene said. She added: Were going to start speaking the truth more forcefully and more loudly than ever before. Greene, 47, will be back on the ballot in November facing Democrat Marcus Flowers in northwest Georgias 14th District, a seat drawn to give Republicans a huge advantage. Flowers, an Army veteran who raised $8.1 million, easily beat two other candidates in the Democratic primary. Greene became a celebrity of the Republican Party's far-right fringe with her election two years ago as she embraced former President Donald Trumps false claim that the 2020 election was stolen, and engaged in conspiracy theories about the coronavirus. Greene spoke at an event organized by a white nationalist where the crowd chanted Putin! after Russias invasion of Ukraine and launched other partisan attacks that critics said promoted racism and violence. Greene remained on the primary ballot Tuesday in Georgia's 14th Congressional District after a failed effort to disqualify her by opposing voters. They argued Greene engaged in insurrection by encouraging the Jan. 6, 2021, riot that disrupted Congress certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. Georgia's secretary of state and an administrative law judge dismissed the claims. Still, fellow Republicans refused to give Greene a free ride to reelection. Though her first term won loyal followers, it left others in the GOP embarrassed. Leading the slate of Republicans running to oust Greene in the primary was Jennifer Strahan, founder of a suburban Atlanta health care advisory firm who pitched herself to voters as a no-nonsense conservative. This is not the time for unserious politicians who just want to hear themselves talk, Strahan said in one campaign ad, without mentioning Greene by name. In another she stated bluntly: Our current U.S. representative isnt doing her job. Greene was stripped of her committee assignments last year by House Democrats who accused her of spreading violent and hateful conspiracies. In recent months, Greene got banned from Twitter for spreading coronavirus misinformation. Green has been largely unrepentant. In a campaign ad posted recently to her Facebook page, she calls Biden and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi communist Democrats who hate America, hate God and hate our way of life. Greene proved popular enough that she raised more than $9 million for her reelection bid, placing her among the years top fundraisers in Congress, according to the Federal Election Commission. Greene spent more than $6.6 million before the primary. Strahan's $391,000 in fundraising trailed far behind Greene but dwarfed that of other Republican contenders retired physician Charles Lutin, engineer James Haygood, Marine Corps veteran Seth Synstelien and logistics executive Eric Cunningham. Spanning a stretch of northwest Georgia from metro Atlanta to the state line at Chattanooga, Tennessee, Greene's district was drawn to favor Republicans even after state lawmakers slightly shifted its boundaries during redistricting last year. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) One of the last remaining anti-abortion Democrats in Congress was facing his toughest primary challenge yet in Tuesday's runoff, while a staunch gun safety advocate ousted her House colleague in a fierce member-on-member congressional primary in suburban Atlanta. Meanwhile, in northwest Georgia, far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conspiracy-peddling provocateur, sailed to victory despite facing a handful of GOP primary challengers in her Republican-leaning district. For both Republicans and Democrats, Tuesdays primary elections in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota and Texas pitted members of the partys activist base against more moderate candidates. The races offer a glimpse of what the next Congress could look like. Here are a handful of races to follow: THE LAST ANTI-ABORTION HOUSE DEMOCRAT Moderate Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar, a nine-term incumbent, is a perennial target for progressives. But so far the anti-abortion congressman has prevailed in a series of close races in the largely Hispanic district that stretches from the Rio Grande to San Antonio. Whether his winning streak will continue was not clear early Wednesday as Cuellar was locked in a close race against Jessica Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration attorney and abortion rights supporter who once interned in Cuellar's Washington office. The race was too early to call Wednesday morning. The race is Cisneros' second attempt at ousting Cuellar, whom she lost to by 4 percentage points in 2020. She came within 1,000 votes of Cuellar in Texas' March primary, forcing Tuesday's runoff. Heading into the night, it appeared she had a new edge after a recently leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion draft showed the justices poised to overturn the historic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that grants a constitutional right to abortion. Adding to Cuellar's headwinds, the FBI earlier this year raided his home in the border city of Laredo. Though Cuellars attorney says he had been exonerated, the issue was enough of a liability that his allies sent out direct mail ads with a mock newspaper headline proclaiming him cleared. The winner will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat. BRING IT ON, LIARS For the vast majority of Vernon Jones nearly three-decade-long Georgia political career, he was a Democrat. But this year, the scandal-plagued politician reinvented himself as a pro-Donald Trump Republican and jumped in the race for an open House seat that stretches from the Atlanta suburbs to Athens. Hell, they even call me the Black Donald Trump! Jones tweeted after entering the race while challenging his rivals to Bring it on, liars! Jones is one of the most prominent Black politicians to endorse Trump and spoke at the 2020 Republican convention. He even had Trumps endorsement. Jones will go to a June 21 runoff against Mike Collins, a trucking company president whose father, Mac Collins, was a former Georgia congressman, on Tuesday. Neither crossed the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Collins has already telegraphed that Jones considerable baggage will be an election issue. As DeKalbs executive, Jones faced investigations over his expensive security detail, and a woman accused Jones of raping her in late 2004. She dropped the charges but never recanted. Jones said they had a consensual sexual encounter. A grand jury later alleged that as CEO he was part of an endemic culture of incompetence, patronage, fraud and cronyism. MEMBER ON MEMBER PRIMARY After the 2020 census, Georgias Republican-dominated Legislature redrew the boundaries of Democratic Rep. Lucy McBaths suburban Atlanta district, transforming it into a GOP stronghold. They also redrew another Atlanta-area swing seat, making Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeuxs district solidly Democratic. So McBath, a nationally renowned gun-safety advocate, went district shopping and decided to challenge Bourdeaux, a college professor in her first term. And on Tuesday, McBath ousted her colleague-turned-rival, boosted by $4 millions in ad spending by the gun safety lobby, as well as a cryptocurrency billionaire. McBath ran on a compelling personal story. Shes a Black woman whose son was killed by a white man during a dispute over stereo volume in 2012. Ever since her first election in 2018, McBath has made passing gun legislation through Congress her rallying cry. It's a message that took on added poignancy Tuesday after an 18-year-old gunman entered a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children. We are exhausted, all of us, McBath told supporters late Tuesday. We are exhausted because we cannot continue to be the only country in the world where we let this happen again and again and again. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE Marjorie Taylor Greene has been a lightning rod for controversy since her 2020 election to Congress. Barely a month into her term, she was stripped of her committee assignments after social media posts were unearthed showing she had endorsed calls to assassinate prominent Democrats. But her provocations havent ebbed since then. And thats apparently what voters in her conservative northwest Georgia district like about her. On Tuesday, they overwhelmingly voted to send her back for a second term, dispatching a field of five GOP challengers, including a health care consultant who marketed herself as a no-nonsense conservative alternative. Even before Greene was first elected, her antics enraged Democrats and made her a rising Republican star. In the short term, Democrats' decision to strip Greene of her committee assignments reduced her influence in a chamber where the hard work of legislating is what builds power and influence. But if Republicans win back the House majority in November, as history suggests they may, she could still come out ahead. GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is in line to become House speaker, has said she wont just get her committee assignments back; shell likely receive a promotion. MINNESOTA DUMPSTER FIRE When Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn died of kidney cancer in February, his widow, former Minnesota GOP chair Jennifer Carnahan, said her husband's wish was for her to succeed him and represent southern Minnesota in Congress. The GOP primary race did not shape up that way, with Carnahan trailing in a distant third. The Associated Press has not yet called the race. Even before announcing her bid, Carnahan's friendship with a GOP donor who was federally indicted for sex-trafficking minors sparked a firestorm. Then a recording surfaced last year in which she said, Jims gonna be dead in two years. So be it." Last week, she was sued by her deceased husband's family as they attempted to recoup money they loaned him for cancer treatment, which they say she was supposed to pay back to them. The drama, which local GOP officials have likened to a dumpster fire," allowed two other candidates to surge ahead. Former state lawmaker Brad Finstad held a slim lead over state Rep. Jeremy Munson early Wednesday. But the race was too early to call. The winner will face former Hormel Foods executive Jeff Ettinger, who won the Democratic nomination. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HONG KONG (AP) Arrested former Hong Kong Catholic leader Cardinal Joseph Zen and five others denied charges on Tuesday that they failed to register a relief fund aimed at assisting protesters who faced legal costs during 2019 anti-government protests. The six, who also include singer Denise Ho and former opposition lawmakers Margaret Ng and Cyd Ho, were arrested two weeks ago under a sweeping National Security Law on suspicion of collusion with foreign forces but were not charged at that time. They appeared at Hong Kongs West Kowloon court on Tuesday and were charged with failing to register the fund as an organization with police an offense that could incur a fine of up to 10,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,275). Zen and the five others were trustees of the now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which was set up in 2019 to assist protesters who required financial assistance with legal or medical costs. It is unclear if authorities plan to charge them with additional national security offenses at a later date. Their trial is to begin Sept. 19 and take place over five days. Cardinal Zens arrest was condemned internationally, with the Vatican saying that it was closely monitoring developments. Police launched an investigation into the fund on national security grounds in September 2021. A month later, the fund said it would stop operating, citing the citys deteriorating political environment. In recent years, scores of pro-democracy activists have been arrested under the National Security Law imposed on the city by Beijing in 2020 following the protests, including veteran lawmaker Martin Lee and publisher Jimmy Lai. The law outlaws subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion, and has been used to arrest over 150 people in the city. Most of the citys outspoken pro-democracy activists are either currently behind bars or have fled the city. Pro-democracy news outlets such as Apple Daily and Stand News have been forced to close following national security investigations. Electoral laws have also been amended to ensure that only patriots are allowed to govern the city, effectively preventing pro-democracy supporters from taking office. Separately on Tuesday, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong said it will not hold Masses this year to mark the anniversary of a bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, over concerns that such events could violate the National Security Law. In past years, events Masses and candlelight vigils have been held in Hong Kong to mark the anniversary. Authorities have banned the annual candlelight vigil for the past two years, citing public health risks. COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) Ohio and Kentucky have asked the federal government to spend $2 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure deal to build a new Ohio River bridge and to fix an existing outdated span that has long been the source of frustration for commuters and politicians, their governors said Tuesday. Overhauling the Brent Spence Bridge, which connects Cincinnati with northern Kentucky, was a big selling point for President Joe Biden during the debate over the federal infrastructure legislation. He touted the project last July at a CNN town hall in Cincinnati, vowing his administration would fix that damn bridge of yours if the legislation passed. Just before signing the bill last November, Biden said he expected the bridge would finally get funding. Governors from both states announced Tuesday that they jointly submitted an application asking for $1.66 billion in federal funding to make the needed improvements. The time is now to invest in transformative infrastructure that supports our growing workforce and safe travel along one of the nations most important commerce corridors," said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat. The bridge has become a bottleneck on a heavily used freight route that connects the Midwest and the South. Its traffic woes have been a symbol of the nations growing infrastructure needs for decades. Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he was optimistic that the federal government would award the funding. With the current supply chain crisis in our country, the issue of ensuring that this major transportation corridor stays open and moving has never been more urgent," DeWine said. The Federal Highway Administration declared the bridge functionally obsolete in the 1990s because its narrow lanes carry more cars than it was designed for the 160,000 vehicles it now sees daily is double than what was intended. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Two Confederate holidays would be erased from Louisiana law under legislation approved 4-2 Tuesday by a state Senate committee. The House-passed bill by Rep. Matthew Willard, a New Orleans Democrat, goes next to the full Senate. Neither Confederate Memorial Day nor the day honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee have been observed in Louisiana for years. They are among a list of holidays a governor can proclaim in addition to other, permanent holidays that include Christmas and Independence Day. The governor is limited in the number he can proclaim in a year. Willard said the two holidays, in effect, celebrate slavery and those who fought to preserve it in the Civil War. They pay homage to what I consider to be the darkest time in our country's history, Willard said. As amended by the Senate Judiciary Committee A on Tuesday, the list of optional holidays still would include President's Day, National Memorial Day and a day honoring Huey P. Long, the former Louisiana governor and U.S. senator. Committee chairman Barrow Peacock, a Republican from the Shreveport-Bossier area, was among the bill's opponents. He said the holidays should be seen as memorials and markers of history that should be remembered. I, too, would say we need to remember our history, said Sen. Jay Luneau, an Alexandria Democrat. However, we should not commemorate it. DENVER (AP) A Maryland man is accused of throwing a flagpole and a smoke grenade at police and assaulting an Associated Press photographer during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to court documents released Tuesday. Rodney Milstreed allegedly threw the flagpole bearing a navy flag javelin-like toward a group of Capitol police officers blocking the stairs leading up to the Capitol, apparently hitting one officer, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Colorado. Later, after an officer picked up a smoke grenade that had been spreading smoke near police and lobbed it toward protesters, Milstreed allegedly picked it up and threw it back toward police, the document said. The documents do not name the photographer but the description and photos show it is AP photographer John Minchillo. Millstreed is the third person to be charged with assaulting him that day. Video captured by a colleague showed Minchillo being pushed, pulled and punched by a group of men outside of the Capitol. Some of the attackers are heard accusing him of being part of the far-left antifa movement. In the court documents, investigators said the colleague's video and police body camera video show Milstreed grabbing Minchillo, who was dressed in black and wearing a helmet-style gas mask, by his backpack and pulling him backward down the stairs and then shoving him and advancing toward him in a threatening fashion." In a Facebook post a few days later, Milstreed said attacking the photographer was worth it, adding Hit him with everything god give. The crowd cheered," according to the complaint. Milstreed, who prosecutors say is from Finksburg, Maryland, but arrested in Brighton, Colorado, on Tuesday, also allegedly shared photos of two assault weapons, a large supply of ammunition and gun parts after sending a Facebook message in November 2020 about how it was going to "get ugly when the votes from the 2020 presidential election were overturned. Milstreed is being represented by a lawyer from the federal public defender's office, which does not comment on cases. In August, Benjamen Scott Burlew of Miami, Oklahoma, was charged with dragging and ultimately pushing Minchillo over a low stone wall on the Capitol grounds. Alan William Byerly of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, was arrested in July on charges of assaulting Minchillo and police officers during the riot. Several other people have been charged with assaulting journalists, inciting violence against members of the press or destroying camera equipment belonging to journalists covering the riot, including an AP video crew. About 800 defendants have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Roughly 300 pleaded guilty. Juries have convicted four other defendants after trials. Charges in the riot range from misdemeanor offenses for those who only entered the Capitol to seditious conspiracy charges against members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group. Another trial began Tuesday in the case against a U.S. Army reservist. Timothy Hale-Cusanelli is charged with obstructing the joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Bidens electoral victory. ___ Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report from Boston. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A man has been found guilty of fatally shooting a University of Wisconsin physician and her husband, who were the parents of his girlfriend, and leaving their bodies at the school's arboretum. Jurors in Dane County on Monday convicted 20-year-old Khari Sanford of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the March 2020 shooting deaths of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre. Testimony during the trial and the criminal complaint pointed to friction among the couple, their daughter Miriam Carre and Sanford over coronavirus restrictions Potter wanted them to follow in their home in the early days of the pandemic, as well as Sanfords feelings that his girlfriends parents didnt respect him. They were living in fear of COVID, Dane County Assistant District Attorney Tim Verhoff told jurors during closing arguments. They should have been living in fear of Khari Sanford. Sanfords public defender, Crystal Vera, rejected that characterization and said there was no evidence that anyone perceived Sanford as dangerous, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Would parents let their daughter live with someone dangerous? she asked. Sanford was accused of kidnapping the couple at gunpoint from their Madison home, where he had recently been living, and taking them to the UW Arboretum, where he shot both of them in the head. Alijah Larrue, Sanford's friend who was with him when the couple was killed, pleaded guilty to felony murder last year. He testified that he did not know Sanford planned to kill Potter, 52, and Robin Carre, 57, and that he feared for his own safety when Sanford kidnapped the two. Miriam Carre has not been charged in the case and has testified she knew nothing of Sanfords plans. Jurors deliberated for about three hours before convicting Sanford. He showed no reaction to the verdicts, which carry mandatory life sentences. A judge will decide whether Sanford will ever be eligible for extended supervision. PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. (AP) A man who died when he and three other people fell off a Southern California ocean cliff was identified Tuesday as a 25-year-old from Los Angeles, authorities said. The four friends slipped and tumbled about 300 feet (90 meters) onto the beach below before dawn Monday in Palos Verdes Estates. Police were investigating the fall as an accident. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) A Louisville man who was fatally shot by a deputy U.S. Marshal during an arrest attempt was shot during a foot pursuit, Louisvilles police chief said Monday. Omari Cryer, 25, was wanted on an arrest warrant for assault, strangulation and terroristic threatening when he was tracked to a residence in Louisville on Friday, Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields said at press conference. There was a brief foot pursuit. They ran upon a fence. Subsequently, the marshals opened fire striking Mr. Cryer, Shields explained. Shields added that Cryer was in the possession of a handgun at the time he was shot. She said that she anticipates any body-worn camera footage to be released in the near future" after essential interviews are conducted. The Jefferson County Coroners Office has described the cause and manner of death as gunshot wounds/homicide. A group of roughly 30 protestors gathered in downtown Louisvilles Jefferson Square Park Monday evening. Many called for more transparency from Louisville police and the U.S. Marshal service. Antiya Parker, the mother of Cryer's 2-year-old son, also attended the rally. She held a poster decorated with photos of Cryer and another with the words Black Lives Matter." We're all confused, she said. You got these people who are saying one thing, you got some people saying another. Louisville polices Public Integrity Unit is investigating the shooting at the request of the U.S. Marshals Service. The average person who uses e-cigarettes will spend more than $2,000 per year in extra health care costs, according to a new study released Monday. Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco School of Nursing found the consequences of vaping add up to approximately $15 billion annually nationwide. The study pegs individual costs at $2,024 each year even greater than estimated health care costs attributed to cigar and smokeless tobacco use. Dr. Wendy Max, senior author on the study, said in an interview that the research team was "surprised that the health care costs are already as large as they are," but warned that they would only continue to grow. "We know that e-cigarette use is becoming very, very popular, particularly among young people, and the health care costs are likely to follow. And we found that they already are," Max said. The study looked at the use of e-cigarettes by adults 18 years of age and older, based on data collected during a three-year period beginning in 2015, the researchers said. Health care costs include hospital stays, emergency room visits, doctor's appointments and visits at home. "Don't think of it in terms of health care costs," Max said. "Think of it in terms of feeling rotten, you know, being in the hospital, having poor health conditions." Vapor manufacturers In a statement for this story, the association of American Vapor Manufacturers took issue with the study, calling it "irresponsible," and questioning its methodology, funding and conclusions. "The reality is that people who switch entirely from smoking to nicotine vaping typically see swift and drastic improvement in their health," said Amanda Wheeler, president of American Vapor Manufacturers. Nicotine vaping, Wheeler added, is "the single most effective smoking cessation method ever devised." 'America's Vaping Epidemic' In a series of award-winning reports beginning in 2020 called "Sucked In: America's Vaping Epidemic," the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit revealed the consequences of the rapid adoption of vaping products. In particular, the investigative pieces uncovered how some e-cigarette manufacturers were not telling the truth about the ingredients in their products and how the federal government had not been doing all it could to protect kids from vaping. Vaping by teenagers has alarmed health experts for years. By 2018, use among kids under 18 had quintupled in just five years, federal agencies said. After the coronavirus pandemic began, however, when students were not regularly gathering on school campuses, usage dropped. Since the National Investigative Unit series began, the Food and Drug Administration has banned more e-cigarette products and flavors, but has not yet taken action on some of the most popular ones, actions that combined have led to criticism from both tobacco control advocates and e-cigarette users. "Sucked In: Americas Vaping Epidemic" Full Award-Winning Coverage: Mark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko & Tamika Cody contributed to this report. Know of waste, fraud, or abuse? Send confidential information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Accusations have flown for months over who's to blame for Ohio's protracted redistricting predicament a mess of a political mapmaking fight that's left the state without settled political maps and voters without a day for electing party nominees to Statehouse seats. Voting rights groups blame Republicans at the Statehouse. GOP lawmakers blame national Democrats and the Ohio Supreme Court. The court implicitly faults the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which has taken its time by submitting repeated maps that were deemed unconstitutionally gerrymandered in favor of Republicans. Commissioners point fingers at the justices, special interest groups and the initial census delays. An Associated Press review settled on one key finding: After hundreds of days of time with government statisticians, lawyers, judges and politicians, the public was the group given short shrift. The public airing of the legislative and congressional maps combined included a scant 64 days for their input. The AP's look at how many days the maps have spent with various groups is based on legislative activity, court dockets, commission minutes and other reporting, and was verified using calendars, emails and other documents obtained through public records requests. Because of overlapping processes, these totals, which include weekends, exceed the actual 419 days that elapsed as of Tuesday since states were to receive their redistricting data. CENSUS BUREAU: 134 days The single largest delay in the process was caused by the Census Bureau, whose decennial head count of Americans ran into logistical snags due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those problems began under Republican President Donald Trump and continued under his successor Joe Biden, a Democrat. Trump initially appeared to support a Census Bureau request to delay the release of redistricting data from March 31 to July 31, 2021. At the time, he said, This is called an act of God. This is called a situation that has to be. They have to give it. Later, Republicans in the Senate stymied the request after a memorandum from Trump in the spring, which ordered that people in the country illegally be excluded from the apportionment count. Under Biden, the bureau announced states wouldn't get redistricting data until Sept. 30. Ohio sued. Republican Attorney General Dave Yost accused the now-Democratic administration of trying to drag its feet and bog this down in court. A settlement promised the information by Aug. 16, 2021. It arrived Aug. 12. State-hired experts turned the data around to lawmakers within a day. GOP LAWMAKERS: 81 days Lawmakers were to begin drawing a new congressional map right away. They didn't. After Democrats nixed a GOP proposal to constitutionally delay Ohio's redistricting timeline, majority Republicans chose to run out the clock on their part of the congressional mapmaking process, eating up 48 days. Later, House Republicans created a map on a Sunday and held it back until a public hearing that Wednesday. After the map was tossed, the Legislature had another 30 days to act. It did not. REDISTRICTING COMMISSION: 103 days The special map-drawing commission created by Ohio voters convened Aug. 6, 2021, to be ready for census information to drop the following week. Once the data arrived, though, the commission often wasn't in a hurry, public records show. With Republican legislative leaders often holding sway, commission's lags included 10 days between the census data's arrival and the first field hearing on legislative maps, six days spent responding to court deadlines and a combined 43 days between various court rulings and its subsequent public activity. The tally also includes 28 days of inaction before approval of the first congressional map and 16 days of inaction before beginning its part of the work on a second map. Albeit, during the latter span, the commission was at work fixing invalidated legislative maps and under tight court deadlines. But the lapse on congressional maps is still included here, since earlier legislative and commission inaction contributed to the overlap. INTEREST GROUPS: 39 days This total includes elapsed days between commission map approvals and the lawsuits or objections next filed by Democratic and voting rights groups, including the National Democratic Redistricting Committee led by former Attorney General Eric Holder, the ACLU, League of Women Voters, Ohio Organizing Collaborative and others. The total excludes happenings in a related federal lawsuit, which didn't impact the overarching timeline. After a 20-day window between the commission's second congressional map and the filing of the ACLU's objection, GOP Secretary of State Frank LaRose the states elections chief and a redistricting commissioner accused national Democrats and the Biden administration of a time-eating litigation strategy and Supreme Court justices of dawdling. When the League suspended its challenge to the congressional maps, it pointed back to Republicans' control of the calendar. Even we had no idea that after we won time and time and time again in court, that we would still see this play of running out the clock, Executive Director Jen Miller told reporters. But thats what theyve done. And its awful, its gross, in my opinion. LEGAL ARGUMENTS: 183 days The court wrangling is the most difficult to quantify, and the most inflated by overlaps in the congressional and legislative cases. It also begs questions involving blame. Are the suing parties responsible for these growing time spans? Are justices, who control briefing timetables? Or are commissioners responsible, after twice returning identical or near-identical maps to the court? Here, the AP opted to include days of court activity that preceded oral arguments in the two redistricting fights, as well as periods of volleying briefs not easily attributable to a single group. Together, that added to 183 days and counting. Dockets show that, as opposing parties jockeyed for legal advantage, the Republicans' public attacks over timing lags often conflicted with their lawyers' arguments in court against haste. On both legislative and congressional maps, attorneys for the commission and for Republican officeholders who sit on the panel fought expedited evidence-gathering and briefing schedules, and maximized deadline windows provided to them by the court. After chastising the 20 days it took the ACLU to object to congressional maps, and seeing the court punt arguments in the congressional case beyond the May 3 primary, LaRose told the court there is simply no reason to expedite the schedule. Petitioners seem to doubt whether this Court can efficiently adjudicate their claims under a normal schedule, he wrote. Republican legislative leaders told the court the quick schedule that litigants proposed would only confuse voters. JUSTICES: 95 days Ohio Supreme Court deliberations on redistricting cases had consumed 95 days, as of Tuesday. That represents time between oral arguments or various briefing deadlines and justices' final rulings. Like the redistricting commission, justices oftentimes were working two separate map processes simultaneously, but the days are counted here as distinct. The longest stretch was the 35 days it took the court to rule on the commission's first set of legislative maps, a period during which justices went back to the parties to clarify additional legal arguments. In that decision, majority justices gave commissioners just 10 days to come up with new maps. The timing irony angered Statehouse Republicans, who later would begin talking about impeaching Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, a fellow Republican. Subsequent rulings invalidating legislative and congressional maps have generally taken about two weeks. A decision on the latest round of legislative maps could come this week. THE PUBLIC: 64 days When all regional information-gathering sessions, legislative hearings, commission meetings and livestreamed mapmaking are combined, public activity on Ohio's new political maps took place on just 64 days. Granted, alongside those opportunities for public input, the commission's website was accepting independent map proposals all along the way. But an accounting of the days spent on Ohio's protracted redistricting process finds average Ohioans got less time than census number-crunchers, politicians, lawyers or justices. WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday questioned whether a San Francisco archbishop who said he would deny her Communion over abortion rights was using a double standard by allowing politicians who support the death penalty to receive the sacrament. "I wonder about the death penalty, which I'm opposed to. So is the church, but they take no actions against people who may not share their view," Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." On Friday, the Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, the Catholic Church archbishop in San Francisco, said Pelosi would be denied Communion because of her vocal support for abortion rights, a stunning rebuke of one of the nation's most senior practicing Catholic politicians, who often evokes her faith when discussing her family and politics. "After numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking, I have determined that the point has come in which I must make a public declaration that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion unless and until she publicly repudiate her support for abortion 'rights' and confess and receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of Penance," Cordileone said Friday in a letter to members of his archdiocese. "I have accordingly sent her a Notification to this effect, which I have now made public," he added. Cordileone, one of the country's most conservative Catholic leaders, last year called for Communion to be withheld from public figures who support abortion rights but did not mention Pelosi by name at the time. In November, U.S. Catholic bishops backed away from a direct confrontation with President Joe Biden, the second Catholic president, over his support for abortion rights and the sacrament of Communion. They approved a document on the Eucharist that did not mention any politicians or the president. In the MSNBC interview, Pelosi challenged the notion of imposing her personal views on abortion on others and highlighted Cordileone's pronouncements on other issues, such as gay rights. "We just have to be prayerful, we have to be respectful. I come from a largely pro-life Italian American Catholic family, so I respect people's views about that, but I don't respect us foisting it onto others," she said. "Now our archbishop has been vehemently against LGBTQ rights. He led the way in some of the issues, an initiative on the ballot in California. So this decision . . . is very dangerous in the lives of so many of the American people. They're not consistent with the gospel of Matthew." Democrats and abortion rights advocates have responded with alarm in recent weeks following the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the right to abortion established in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Holy Communion is the central sacrament of Catholicism and the centerpiece of the Catholic Mass - a ritual memorial of Christ's death on the cross in which bread and wine are said to be transformed into his flesh and blood. Catholic archbishops have vast power within their diocese, and a reversal of Cordileone's decision would require the intervention of the Vatican, which is unlikely. The order to deny Communion to Pelosi applies only to Catholic churches within the San Francisco archdiocese under Cordileone's purview, including the speaker's home church. Last September, Pope Francis said the decision about granting Communion to politicians who support abortion rights should be made from a pastoral point of view, not a political one. He told reporters: "I have never refused the Eucharist to anyone," while adding that he has never knowingly encountered during Communion a politician who backs abortion rights. Francis, however, reiterated that abortion is "murder." According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released earlier this month, 55 percent of Catholics in the United States want the Supreme Court to uphold Roe. Catholic teaching opposes abortion, however, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops last year debated the meaning of Communion and whether it is appropriate to withhold the sacrament from Catholic politicians such as Pelosi or Biden who support abortion rights. After a firestorm of debate, the bishops clarified that there will be "no national policy on withholding Communion from politicians." They later released a document on Communion but declined to single out politicians who back abortion rights. After Cordileone last year condemned a bill codifying the constitutional protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law as an "atrocity" and "nothing short of child sacrifice," Pelosi acknowledged a "disagreement" with the prelate. "I believe that God has given us a free will to honor our responsibilities," she said, before again talking about her own family. "For us, it was a complete and total blessing, which we enjoy every day of our lives," Pelosi added. "But it's none of our business how other people choose the size and timing of their families." - - - The Washington Post's Michelle Boorstein, Mike DeBonis, Chico Harlan and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. Update: A likely monkeypox case was detected in California, tied to travel in Europe. SEATTLE (AP) A presumptive case of monkeypox is being investigated in the Seattle area, local health officials said Monday. Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer at Public Health Seattle & King County, said at a news conference Monday afternoon the case was in an adult male who had travelled internationally in the last month to a country that had reported monkeypox cases. Duchin said initial testing was completed Monday at a state laboratory. A test to confirm the case will be done by federal officials. The person was isolating and was not considered a risk to others, Duchin said. This individual was not hospitalized and is recovering at home, he said, adding the person was cooperating with local health authorities. Health officials do not believe there is a high risk to the public. Monkeypox is rarely identified outside of Africa. Duchin said four cases have been confirmed in the United States. To date, the World Health Organization has recorded more than 90 cases of monkeypox in a dozen countries, including Canada, Spain, Israel, France, Switzerland, the U.S. and Australia. Although the disease belongs to the same virus family as smallpox, its symptoms are milder. People usually recover within two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, but the disease occasionally is deadly. Health officials say most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, but anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. The shadow of war in Europe continued to cast a pall over the high-impact networking of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, as leaders criticized Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Addressing a crowd of politicians and chief executives, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called out Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he had "made a big strategic mistake" by invading his neighbor. The NATO chief termed the invasion a "game changer" both for European security and the wider international order and said it has "shattered peace in Europe." Paradoxically, as a result of the war, Putin is now getting "more NATO on his border, and more members" of the alliance, Stoltenberg said, referring to the increasing likelihood that Sweden and Finland will be admitted to the alliance, which currently has 30 members. As a former prime minister of Norway, Stoltenberg welcomed their decision to apply to join the body, calling it "historic," and said any concerns from NATO member Turkey would be addressed and resolved. Some 96 percent of Europeans would be protected by NATO when Sweden and Finland join, he added. Stoltenberg told business leaders that "freedom is more important than free trade," and he called for the protection of common values over profit. He warned that dealing with authoritarian regimes is "undermining our security," citing Russia and China as examples. Three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Stoltenberg said the task of NATO is to ensure that "this brutal, heinous war doesn't escalate to a full-fledged war in Europe between NATO and Russia." The alliance must prevent any "miscalculations" that could trigger its core Article 5 collective self-defense mechanism, he said. Addressing the forum just before Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the war in Ukraine has thrown the "whole international order into question." Rather than finding solutions to climate change and shaping globalization, "instead, we must address the costs and consequences of Putin's war of choice," she told the audience. "The playbook of Russia's aggression against Ukraine comes straight out of another century: Treating millions of people not as human beings but as faceless populations. . . . Trying to trample the aspirations of an entire nation with tanks." Von der Leyen, who visited Ukraine in April, chastised Russia for disrupting global supply chains, impeding grain exports from Ukraine and "weaponizing" its energy supplies. She lamented Putin's "destructive fury" but said Russia could one day recover its place in Europe if it "finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law and respect for the international rules-based order . . . because Russia is our neighbor." She acknowledged that this idea is a "distant dream and hope" at present. Stoltenberg said it was important for NATO and the European Union not to duplicate defense efforts. And von der Leyen, a former German defense minister, underscored that the E.U. would "never be a military alliance." However, "freedom must be fought for," she said during her speech. "Ukraine must win this war." The E.U. is providing unprecedented military aid to Ukraine, as well as billions of dollars in financial support for reconstruction, and is hosting about 6 million refugees in its member states, she said. "It is an economic-relief operation with no precedent in recent history." Sanctions on Russia are "draining the Kremlin's war machine," von der Leyen added, as she pledged to continue to help Ukraine pursue "its European path" to becoming an E.U. member state. "Ukraine belongs in our European family," she said. "We stand with them, and I think this is a defining moment for all the democracies of the world." Stoltenberg and von der Leyen spoke a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the forum by video link, urging the world's economic elite to set "new precedents" for punishment of Russia over its invasion. No Russian representatives from government or business were invited to Davos, which resumed at the Swiss ski resort after a coronavirus-induced hiatus. - - - The Washington Post's Emily Rauhala contributed to this report. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexicos immigration enforcement is increasingly militarized with the armed forces and National Guard now accounting for more migrant detentions than immigration agents, according to a report published Tuesday by six nongovernmental organizations. The human rights and migrant advocacy groups, among them the Foundation for Justice and the Democratic State of Law, say that many of the detentions are also arbitrary, based on racial profiling and have led to abuses. The armed forces are supposed to just be supporting immigration agents in their work, but the organizations found that they are now responsible for the majority of detentions. Between June 2019 and December 2020, the armed forces and National Guard detained more than 152,000 migrants just at Mexicos southern border, according to public information requests made by the Citizen Security Program at Iberoamericana University. During that same period the Interior ministry reported that 190,000 migrants had been presented to immigration authorities. Mexico had already been moving toward increased reliance on the military, but it has accelerated under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, according to the report. Under pressure from then U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019, Lopez Obrador deployed the newly created National Guard, a security force in theory civilian, but in reality under military control. At the time, nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations expressed concerns that the shift to more militarized enforcement would lead to abuses. Even the leadership of the National Immigration Institute was changed, replacing a sociologist schooled in immigration, with the head of Mexicos prisons. Military officers, some retired, were named to lead at least eight of the institutes state offices. Migrants of African origin and women, in particular, have been subject to abuses including discrimination, extortion and sexual abuse, the report said. The groups participating in the report have brought lawsuits in some of those cases. A particular problem has been mobile checkpoints along highways, something the Supreme Court just declared unconstitutional last week because they lead to racial profiling. Last August, Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said that the main objective for the Army, Navy and National Guard was to stop all migration and cover the northern border, the southern border with soldiers. U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar said last week in a news conference that the focus on Mexicos southern border and in the narrow isthmus just above it were the keys to resolving the problems that we have now about the migration flow, noting that it was easier to control a line of 300 kilometers (186 miles) than the entire U.S.-Mexico border spanning more than 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles). MOSCOW (AP) A Danish Jehovahs Witness was released Tuesday after spending five years in a Russian prison under Moscows crackdown on the religious group and was to be sent home, the organization said. Russia officially banned the Jehovahs Witnesses in 2017, and designated the religious denomination an extremist organization in connection to its alleged propaganda of exclusivity. Danish member Dennis Christensen, 49, was arrested that year for leading a prayer meeting, and was handed a six-year prison sentence in 2019. KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) Rwandas military has accused neighboring Congolese forces of injuring several civilians in cross-border shelling and asked regional monitors to investigate. Rwanda Defense Force spokesman Col. Ronald Rwivanga said authorities are engaging Congo counterparts over the shelling that Rwanda says struck areas in Musanze district on Monday morning. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Scientists will set about 1,000 traps this year in their quest to wipe out the Asian giant hornet in Washington, the state Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. Scientists believe the hornets, first detected in the Pacific Northwest state in 2019, are confined in Whatcom County, which is located on the Canadian border north of Seattle. We are doing pretty good right now, said Sven-Erik Spichiger, who is leading the fight to eradicate the hornets for the state Department of Agriculture. We know about where the nests are located in Whatcom County. The insects are the worlds largest hornets, with queens reaching up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. They are considered invasive in North America for their ability to kill other bee and hornet species, which is how they got the nickname murder hornets. Hornets caught in traps help scientists find the location of nests. The state eradicated three nests last year, all near the town of Blaine, Washington, and there have been no confirmed reports of Asian giant hornet nests so far this year, Spichiger said. Most of the traps will be set in northern Whatcom County, but a few will be set in the city of Bellingham, he said. The agency is also encouraging residents to set their own traps, to cover more ground. The hornets will not be considered eradicated until Washington has gone three full years with no detections, the agency said. The first confirmed detection of an Asian giant hornet in Washington was made in December 2019. Spichiger said the Entomological Society of America is also working to establish an official name for the insect. Asian giant hornet, or the popular nickname murder hornet, are not official names, he said. The hornets can also deliver a painful sting, which can result in death if a person is stung repeatedly. Asian giant hornets rarely attack humans unless provoked. About 30 to 50 people die annually from Asian giant hornet stings in Japan, one of their native habitats. Meanwhile, hornets, wasps and bees typically found in the United States kill an average of 62 people a year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The battle to prevent the Asian giant hornet, an apex predator, from establishing a foothold in North America is being fought mostly in Whatcom County, Washington, and the nearby Fraser Valley of British Columbia. Whatcom County is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Another effort is underway to determine exactly where in Asia these hornets came from, to try and learn how they are getting across the Pacific Ocean, scientists said. The theory is they are crossing on cargo ships, officials have said. Hornet queens tend to emerge from winter quarters in the spring and establish nests to birth worker hornets. The hornets start attacking and destroying beneficial honey bees later in the year, eating the bees for protein as they raise more hornets. A small group of Asian giant hornets can kill an entire honey bee hive in a matter of hours. The honey bees pollinate many of the crops in Washingtons multibillion-dollar agriculture industry. HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) The son and grandson of a North Carolina diner owner have been charged in an assault which led to her death, a sheriff's office said. WLOS reported Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin said Austin Amos Kennedy Byrnside, 22, was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Byrnside, who is the grandson of Paulette Clark, is facing additional charges, including a parole violation. Byrnside's case has been assigned to the pubic defender's office. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sri Lankas navy said Tuesday that it has arrested 67 people who it believes were trying to travel by sea to Australia illegally. The navy said in a statement that 12 men were arrested first near the port town of Trincomalee, 260 kilometers (160 miles) northeast of the capital Colombo on Monday and, upon questioning them, intercepted 55 more people traveling in a fishing vessel. It said the persons were aged between 3 and 53, and that five of them are suspected be part of a human smuggling ring. Navy spokesperson Indika de Silva said while their destination is still not clear it is suspected that they were headed to Australia. Police were still determining the motivation for the illegal voyage, de Silva said, but Sri Lankans over the years have traveled to Australia and other developed nations illegally for economic and political reasons. Australian media reported Tuesday that officials sent 15 people back to Sri Lanka on Saturday after they were found traveling in a boat near Christmas Island. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in recent memory facing heavy shortages of essentials from food, cooking gas, medicine and fuel to toilet paper and matchsticks. People have been forced to stay in long lines to buy their essentials over the past few months with many of them returning empty-handed. The island nation has defaulted on foreign debt for the first time after announcing last month it would suspend payments on $7 billion in foreign debt due this year, with nearly $25 billion due by 2026 out of a total of $51 billion. The countrys new prime minister said last week that petrol stocks ran down to a final day, worsening commuting problems and lengthening lines. But shipments of gasoline paid through an Indian credit line started arriving over the weekend. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told reporters Tuesday that the Cabinet has given him permission to work on an additional $500 million credit line from India to buy fuel in addition to already sanctioned credit lines totaling $700 million. Sri Lanka's economic crisis has brought on a political crisis with protesters occupying the entrance to the president's office for more than 40 days demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation. Attacks on peaceful protesters by government supporters triggered countrywide riots, killing nine persons including a lawmaker and wounding 200. Homes and properties of sitting ministers and government supporters were burned down. The violence has nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa dynasty after the president's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister amid the violence. Two other siblings and a nephew resigned from their Cabinet posts earlier in April and Gotabaya Rajapaksa himself faces the prospect of his powers being clipped. The new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is tasked with reviving the economy, is working on a constitutional amendment to dilute presidential powers and empower the Parliament. The amendment was discussed by the Cabinet on Monday and sent to party leaders in Parliament for their views. COATESVILLE, Pa. (AP) A student at a high school near Philadelphia was taken to a hospital after a stabbing that prompted a lockdown at the school, authorities said. Police were called to Coatesville Area Senior High School just before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday after a student was reported with a slash-type wound to the shoulder, the Daily Local News of West Chester reported. Authorities later said he had been stabbed nine times and was rushed to a hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. WASHINGTON (AP) A U.S. Army reservist who worked on a Navy base stormed the U.S. Capitol because he wanted to kick off a civil war and create a clean slate, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of the New Jersey man's trial. But a lawyer for Timothy Hale-Cusanelli told jurors that groupthink and a desperate desire to be heard drove him to follow a mob into the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli shouldn't have entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021, defense attorney Jonathan Crisp acknowledged during the trial's opening statements. But the question of why he was there is what is important," Crisp added. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with obstructing the joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden's electoral victory. He isn't charged with engaging in any violence or property destruction that day. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Fifield played a video that captured Hale-Cusanelli yelling profanities at police officers guarding the Capitol and screaming, The revolution will be televised! This was not a peaceful protest, she said. In pretrial court filings, prosecutors presented evidence that coworkers described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist, a Nazi sympathizer and a Holocaust denier who wore a Hitler-style mustache to work. On Hale-Cusanellis cellphone, investigators found photos of him with the distinctive mustache along with pro-Nazi cartoons. It's unclear from online court filings how much of that evidence, if any, will be admissible at trial. In her opening statements, Fifield only made a brief reference to Hale-Cusanelli having bigoted views about Jewish people. Crisp has argued that any testimony about Hale-Cusanelli's alleged statements about Jewish people and their role in the U.S. government would be "highly prejudicial in nature without substantive value." Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli believed then-President Donald Trump's false claims about a stolen election. But the defense attorney said Hale-Cusanelli went to Washington, D.C., to peacefully protest, wearing a suit while many others wore tactical gear. Hale-Cusanelli's trial is the fifth before a jury and the seventh overall for a Capitol riot case. The first four juries unanimously convicted the riot defendants of all charges. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who is presiding over Hale-Cusanelli's trial, decided two other Capitol riot cases after hearing testimony without a jury. After bench trials, McFadden acquitted one of the defendants of all charges and partially acquitted the other. More than 800 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Many of then are military veterans. Hale-Cusanelli is among a few who were on active duty at the time of the riot. Hale-Cusanelli was arrested less than two weeks after the attack and has remained jailed since February 2021. Before his arrest, Hale-Cusanelli lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and worked there as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle, where he had a secret security clearance. He also was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. One Navy seaman said that Hale-Cusanelli told him he would kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and he wouldnt need to season them because the salt from their tears would make it flavorful enough, according to prosecutors. Other coworkers recalled Hale-Cusanelli making derogatory remarks about women, Black people and other minorities, prosecutors said. Jurors are expected to hear testimony from a roommate who lived with Hale-Cusanelli on the base and recorded their conversation about the riot. Fifield said Hale-Cusanelli told his roommate that the riot felt like a civil war and hoped that it would provide a clean slate. He also paraphrased a Thomas Jefferson quotation in saying that the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants, according to the prosecutor. Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli was full of adrenaline and stupidity when he returned to New Jersey and spoke to his roommate about his actions in Washington. The defense lawyer described him as a bombastic agitator prone to making extreme statements to get attention." Hale-Cusanelli was discharged from the Army Reserve and barred from the Navy base after his arrest. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with five counts: obstruction of an official proceeding, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or destructive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The obstruction charge is a felony. The rest are misdemeanors. Nariman El-Mofty/AP CAIRO (AP) The U.N. migration agency said Tuesday it aims to help transfer at least 6,750 Ethiopian migrants from war-torn Yemen to their home country in the coming months. It appealed for $7.5 million to assist their return. The International Organization for Migration said it has transferred more than 600 migrants, including 60 unaccompanied children, to Ethiopia on three flights so far this year. More flights were planned between Yemens southern port city of Aden and the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, it added. HONOLULU (AP) The University of Hawaii said Tuesday it will require masks indoors across its 10-campus system amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the islands. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. Those working alone or who are separated by more than 6 feet from others will be exempt. WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. will close the last avenue for Russia to pay its billions in debt back to international investors on Wednesday, making a Russian default on its debts for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution all but inevitable. The Treasury Department said in a notification that it does not plan to renew the license that allowed Russia to keep paying its debtholders through American banks. Since the first rounds of sanctions, the Treasury Department has given banks a license to process any dollar-denominated bond payments from Russia. That window expires at midnight May 25. There had already been signs that the Biden administration was unwilling to extend the deadline. At a press conference heading into the Group of Seven finance minister meetings in Koenigswinter, Germany, last week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the window existed to allow a period of time for an orderly transition to take place, and for investors to be able to sell securities. The expectation was that it was time-limited, Yellen said. Without the license to use U.S. banks to pay its debts, Russia would have no ability to repay its international bond investors. The Kremlin has been using JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup as its conduits to pay its obligations. Jay Auslander, a prominent sovereign debt lawyer who previously litigated other debt crises like the one in Argentina, said at this point most of the institutional investors in Russian debts have likely sold their holdings, knowing this deadline is coming. Those who are still holding the debts are either distressed debt investors or those willing to wait to litigate it out over the next few years. The majority who wanted out have gotten out. The only issue is finding buyers, he said. The Kremlin appears to have foreseen the likelihood that the U.S. would not allow Russia to keep paying on its bonds. The Russian Finance Ministry prepaid two bonds on Friday that were due this month to get ahead of the May 25 deadline. The next payments Russia will need to make on its debts are due on June 23. Like other Russian debt, those bonds have a 30-day grace period which would cause default by Russia to be declared by late July, barring the unlikely scenario that the Russia-Ukraine war would come to an end before then. Investors have been almost certain of Russia going into default for months now. Insurance contracts that cover Russian debt have priced a 80% likelihood of default for weeks and rating agencies like Standard & Poors and Moodys have placed the countrys debt deep into junk territory. Russia has not defaulted on its international debts since the 1917 Revolution, when the Russian Empire collapsed and the Soviet Union was created. Russia defaulted on its domestic debts in the late 1990s during the Asian Financial Crisis, but was able to recover from that default with the help of international aid. A Russian default this time will likely have little impact on the global economy, Auslander said, since Russia has been cut off from global financial markets for months now and investors have been expecting a default. Biden officials have made similar statements. Once it defaults, the next likely step would be for Russia to turn to U.S., British or European courts to argue that it was forced into default by circumstances beyond its control a concept in finance known as force majeure in an effort to restore its standing in global financial markets. It may be difficult to win that argument however, Auslander said, due to the fact that Russia got cut off from financial markets because it chose to invade Ukraine. __ Sweet reported from New York. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) Relatives of people killed during Northern Irelands decades of violence protested in London and Belfast on Tuesday, urging the government to drop plans to grant immunity to perpetrators of crimes committed during the Troubles. The British government says its Legacy and Reconciliation bill reflects the vanishingly small likelihood of convicting people for decades-old crimes. If it becomes law, it will end most prosecutions for killings by both British soldiers and members of militant groups. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told lawmakers in the House of Commons that change is needed because the current system is broken. It is delivering neither justice nor information to the vast majority of families, he said. More than 3,500 people died most of them civilians during three decades of violence, known as the Troubles. involving Irish republican and British loyalist paramilitaries and U.K. troops. The bill calls for an independent commission for information recovery loosely modelled on South Africas post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate alleged crimes, and imposes a duty of full disclosure on the British government and security services. People who cooperate with the commission and reveal what they know about past crimes will be granted immunity from prosecution, and new civil claims and inquests over the Troubles will be banned. People who refuse to speak to the commission could still be charged. The government added that condition after an earlier proposal for a blanket amnesty was rejected by all Northern Irelands main political parties, the government of Ireland and human rights groups. But people who lost loved ones say the law will still allow killers to get away with murder. Members of the group Relatives for Justice carried a coffin emblazoned with the word Justice through central London on Tuesday before delivering an open letter denouncing the bill to the prime ministers 10 Downing St. office. The groups chief executive, Mark Thompson, said the proposed law was anti-victim. The beneficiaries of this are the people who pulled the triggers and planted the bombs, said Thompson, whose brother Peter was shot dead by undercover British soldiers in Belfast in 1990. The 1998 Good Friday peace accord ended large-scale violence in Northern Ireland. As part of the peace process, many militants were released from prison or were not prosecuted for actions during the Troubles. The new law would remove the last hope of putting most of them on trial. It would also lift the threat of prosecution from troops who served in Northern Ireland decades ago. Lewis acknowledged that the new law, which will likely take several months to pass through Parliament, would be very challenging for many. But he said it would allow a fuller accounting of a dark chapter of history. Lewis said it was a painful reality that, with more than two thirds of Troubles-related cases now over 40 years old, the prospect of successful prosecutions is vanishingly small. He said the focus would now be on providing truth and accountability about the past. Conservative lawmaker Johnny Mercer, who has campaigned against prosecutions of military veterans of the Troubles, said it was a sad fact that some victims would not get justice and people will get away with things they should not get away with. There are no winners here, he said. The whole thing is a disaster but we have to do what we can to bring some sort of end and finality and truth to this process for the victims, and that is what I want colleagues to focus on. By Victoria Franco Bay City News Foundation One person was struck by gunfire and another was trampled Sunday night, after authorities shut down a party in an unincorporated area in San Joaquin County near Lodi, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. In a Facebook post, deputies said they shut down a party in the 9800 block of East Highway 12 at about 8 p.m., after multiple complaints of loud music and traffic issues. Deputies assisted California Highway Patrol officers with traffic control several times. Twenty minutes after the party was closed, gunshots were heard and people began running away, according to the sheriff's office. Two people were injured, one person had a gunshot wound and another was trampled after falling, but both are expected to survive. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that they have no other information on the shooting. 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. By Larry Sokoloff Bay City News Foundation One of the Bay Area's newest museums is hidden among the trees on Angel Island State Park. It tells a story of immigration to the Pacific Coast, with particular emphasis on the Asian experience. The Angel Island Immigration Museum opened in January. It is located inside a former U.S. Public Service hospital built over 100 years ago, where Asian patients were segregated from Europeans. The 10,000-square-foot museum is part of the 15-acre Immigration Station, which operated on the island between 1910 to 1940, in the northeast corner of the island. An estimated half million immigrants passed through the Immigration Station during that time frame, with more than half coming from China or Japan. Chinese immigrants were discouraged from coming to the United States under a series of restrictive immigration laws, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. About 20 percent of the Chinese immigrants on Angel Island were deported, according to Edward Tepporn, executive director of Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and an Asian immigrant himself. These sobering facts are the focus inside a bright, airy yellow two-story building, which was renovated at a cost of $15 million, after sitting vacant since World War II. Funding came from a variety of federal, state and private sources, Tepporn said. One of the most striking features of the new museum is not its initial exhibits, but the new entry doors, which are labeled "European" and "Non-European," to remind visitors of the immigration center's segregated past. The doors, said Tepporn "weren't actually labeled as such, but they functioned as such. Part of it was at the time the stereotypes about Asians were that they had dirty habits and they carried diseases," he said. "And so they wanted to segregate the Asians from the non-Asians, from the Europeans." Asians and non-Asians were segregated throughout the entire immigration station, in the detention barracks and dining halls, and when the hospital opened in 1910, there were separate stairwells and separate entrances. But doctors complained that the hospital setup impeded the flow of patients, and it was changed, Tepporn said. Inside the new Immigration Museum, some old doors and one room were kept intact. Parts of the second floor that were used by doctors 100 years ago now display exhibits about medical treatments in the renovated structure. Other exhibits focus on the contributions that immigrants have made to the U.S., as well as the historic and contemporary experiences of detention and exclusion. Several rooms of the restored building are still empty. The entire Immigration Station area is a work in progress. Many of the buildings around the new museum are boarded up, some with collapsed roofs. Since 1983, visitors have been able to tour the adjacent Detention Barracks Museum, which housed waiting immigrants. Inside, museumgoers can see 200 poems carved into the wooden walls by the immigrants. Outside, there are several historical displays. Due to COVID concerns, the Angel Island Immigration Museum initially opened with a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony. "The hope is at some point we'll be able to have a proper grand opening for the museum," Tepporn said. "It's probably not going to happen until spring or summer of 2023." On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, when Angel Island was teeming with day trippers, only four visitors were at the new museum. A tour group of 15 had visited earlier in the day, Tepporn said. "We want everyone to visit," Tepporn said. "Truly it should be a site that is meaningful for everyone, regardless of where you were born or how you identify. Because it's an important chapter of what happened here in the U.S., that's important for everyone, and to remember and to think about how we treat newcomers and immigrants to the U.S., then and now." Visiting the Immigration Station The Angel Island Immigration Museum is currently open weekends from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission is free, and it is designed for self-guided tours. Visitors to Angel Island have several options for accessing the Angel Island Immigration Museum. They can walk 1.2 miles from the ferry station. Bicycles can be rented or brought on the ferries that serve the 740-acre island. Bikes need to be locked outside the immigration station's fenced area, and cyclists then walk the last 1,000 feet to the museum. Information about taking a tram directly from the ferry to the new museum is available at https://www.angelisland.com/ or by calling (415) 435-3392. Tram tickets cost $11. Virtual tours of the museum exhibits are available by visiting https://www.aiisf.org/aiimexhibit. The adjacent Detention Barracks Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, and admission is $3-$7. Children under 4 get in for free. 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. A San Mateo County official used the term Nazis to describe pro-housing advocates in California. Then, in an email in which she apologized for using the term Nazis, she compared those activists to Nazis again. Class war news of the day: Today some Nazis, I mean YIMBYs, are casing St. Francis Woods in SF because 100 years ago there were restrictive covenants, Nancy Reyering, the president of the San Mateo County Harbor District, tweeted on Sunday night. The context behind the tweet: The term YIMBY is an acronym for yes, in my backyard, a moniker adopted by pro-housing advocates who formed in opposition to the NIMBY not in my backyard phenomenon. Reyering has been on the forefront in the battle against Senate Bill 9, a new state law that attempts to encourage more housing development in established neighborhoods. Her tweet on Sunday was made in defense of St. Francis Wood, where town officials are attempting to exempt themselves from SB 9 by petitioning for a historic designation. Reyering's tweet which, along with her Twitter account, has since been deleted drew criticism from several people, including California state Sen. Josh Becker. As a Jew with relatives killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust, I beseech all to remember the 6 million Jews lost, Becker, a Silicon Valley Democrat, said in a now-deleted tweet. I renounce San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Nancy Reyerings using that term to describe housing advocates & hope she will only use it when referring to actual Nazis. In an email to SFGATE, Reyering apologized for describing YIMBYs as Nazis. She said she was frustrated with what she described as unvetted overbuild happening throughout California. My tweet was thoughtless and inappropriate, she said. I would never seek to trivialize the persecution and deaths of millions of innocent people by the Nazis. I am deeply sorry for any pain caused by my post. In her apology email, Reyering said her opposition to SB 9 has made her a target of pro-housing advocates. However, in describing the tactics employed by those advocates, she again compared them to Nazis despite apologizing for doing that exact thing earlier in her email. Extremism of any kind is dangerous for everyone, including those who call homeowners racists, who post addresses and photos of private property, and who claim certain individuals have too much yard and not enough housing, she said. These bullying tactics have been seen many times in history, including the Jacobins, Nazis, Maos cultural revolution, and now with Russias unprovoked war against Ukraine. She also said that frequent "colloquial usage" usage of the term "doesn't make it right," which seems like a no-brainer considering that public officials who have done so have been widely lambasted for it. As for deleting her Twitter account, Reyering said she did so because her tweet made her the subject of widespread "harrasment" online. "I deleted my entire Twitter account because I was being harassed by extreme housing advocates and our elected [state] Senator, Josh Becker," she said. "As an elected representative in San Mateo County, like him, he could have respectfully reached out to me to discuss my tweet instead of being politically expedient." California's primary election is two weeks away, and Attorney General Rob Bonta is probably more anxious about its outcome than any of the other Democratic incumbents holding statewide office in California. And to make matters worse for Bonta, a political tactic being used by a group of his supporters could have unintended consequences. Unlike most of his counterparts in the state executive, Bonta's victory in Novembers general election isnt exactly a sure thing given that poll numbers show California voters are concerned about crime. One of his three serious challengers is Anne Marie Schubert, a well-known prosecutor running as an independent. Political experts agree that Schubert poses a serious threat to Bonta, much greater than either of his two Republican challengers attorneys Nathan Hochman and Eric Early. But her biggest obstacle now is winning enough support in next months primary to even make it to the general. There is currently no reliable polling data available for this race, which makes the outcome of the primary difficult to predict. Everything depends on how evenly the two Republicans split the vote, Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, told SFGATE. If Hochman and Early get about the same percentage of the vote, that would bode well for Schubert. If Republican voters favor one or the other by a lopsided margin, then her chances arent as good. In California primaries, the top two vote-getters advance to the general regardless of party affiliation. If, say, Bonta wins 50% of the vote and Hochman and Early each earn 15%, then Schubert could advance to the primary with the remaining 20%. However, if either Hochman or Early win substantially more than that, Schuberts chances of squeezing through are much smaller. A labor group supporting Bonta is running radio ads in an attempt to prop up Early, the more conservative of the two Republicans in the race. Early is an unabashed pro-Trump candidate, which is a political death knell in a state where there nearly twice as many Democrats as there are Republicans. By highlighting Earlys conservative bona fides, the group supporting Bonta is hoping Early clears the primary, which would mean an easy general victory for Bonta. But that strategy could backfire. By propping up Early, the ads could be leeching votes from the more moderate and well-known Hochman, who has the endorsement of the California Republican Party. If enough conservative voters switch from Hochman to Early, those two could evenly split votes, which would propel Schubert to the general something Bonta doesn't want. Bonta would much rather have a general election where hes guaranteed to win rather than one where theres a slight chance he doesnt, said Wesley Hussey, a political science professor at Sacramento State. I dont know if this tactic will work, but because this is such a low-information race, a little bit of attention might be enough to shove Early into that second spot. Rich Pedroncelli/AP Schubert, who has served as Sacramento Countys district attorney for eight years, has statewide name recognition for her work on the infamous Golden State Killer case, which made national headlines in 2018. Her professional background and tough-on-crime platform could make her a dangerous general opponent for Bonta, a former assemblyman who was appointed to the attorney general seat last year and has never won a statewide election. Even though the attorney general isnt primarily a criminal prosecutor, a lot of voters think the job is about criminal prosecution. That works to her advantage, Pitney said. She has a record of prominent criminal prosecutions, people are concerned about crime, and California voters have a bit of a conservative streak when it comes to crime issues. She also differs from her Republican opponents in key ways: Shes gay, shes pro-abortion rights and she ditched the Republican label in 2018 after becoming dissatisfied with the party she once belonged to. These qualities could appeal to Democrats who dont want to vote for a Republican but arent satisfied with Bontas work thus far. Her status as a no-party preference person helps. The scarlet letter is no advantage in a general election in California, Pitney said of the R label. It would also be tough for Bonta to tag her as an avatar of the religious right [since Schubert] is a gay, pro-choice person. According to CalMatters, Schubert has raised $2.3 million in donations $200,000 more than the state GOP-endorsed Hochman and about $2 million more than Early. One would think her fundraising ability combined with several prominent endorsements from law enforcement agencies throughout the state would give her a clear edge in the primary, but shes working against history. Third party candidates rarely see success in high-profile races. Schubert is relying on voters to see past the party designations on the ballot and vote for her based on her pedigree, which is a tough ask in a relatively low-information statewide race. But if Republican voters are split between Hochman and Early, she has a chance. How much of a chance? I worked at a race track for seven seasons, so I know when not to bet, Pitney said. I might put a nickel on Schubert, but I wouldnt bet more than that. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is no stranger to tweeting inflammatory things about California, and her latest attempt to skewer the state is full of both factual and logical errors. Trying to make a point about a national baby formula shortage, as well as high-profile California shoplifting incidents, Greene tweeted a picture of a can of baby formula with a security sensor taped on it. "If this was California you could steal baby formula up to $900 worth with no consequences, but in Georgia where we respect law and order, there are now security censors [sic] on the very few cans of baby formula that can be found." she wrote. Greene is attempting to take a swipe at California's Proposition 47, which set the threshold for felony theft at $950 (not $900). Thefts under $950 in California can still be prosecuted as misdemeanors. Regardless of whether you believe California's Prop. 47 is good or bad policy, it's indisputable that Greene's tweet has a glaring omission: Georgia actually has an even higher felony theft threshold than California. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Georgia lawmakers increased their state's felony theft threshold from $500 to $1,500 in 2012. It's among the highest thresholds in the country, and if one believes California's threshold is too high, they are logically committed to believing Georgia's is too high as well. If one wanted to even further engage with the logic of Greene's tweet, the fact that a store felt the need to place security sensors on cans of baby formula suggests that at least some Georgia residents do not, in fact, "respect law and order." If law and order were widely respected in Georgia, that would theoretically defeat the need for anti-shoplifting measures. Making fun of California's myriad problems should be a relatively easy task, but it's apparently still difficult for some. Walmart pulled a store-brand Juneteenth-themed ice cream, and now critics are calling attention to a better ice cream option: Creamalicious a black woman-owned artisanal French ice cream company with national distribution. Juneteenth takes place on June 19, and is a federal holiday marking the freedom of enslaved Black Americans. After Walmart released several products that made reference to the holiday, many critics including Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. criticized the move on social media. Walmart stocked its freezer shelves with a celebration edition Great Value Juneteenth ice cream, a Swirled Red Velvet and Cheesecake Flavored Ice Cream. Under the "Our Story" label was a call for customers to Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope. Black Enterprise rounded up some spot-on tweets from frustrated and outraged social media users. As @CreatorsLawyer pointed out on Twitter, Walmart had also appeared to trademark the national holiday celebrating the abolition of slavery by printing a next to the word "Juneteenth" on the label. Comedian @KevOnStage commented: The gentrification of Juneteenth is on the way brough to you by @Walmart. I'm also looking at the little symbol next to Juneteenth with so many questions sigh. Do you not have any trademark attorneys who advised against this? Or do y'all just not care? In keeping with American tradition, Walmart celebrates Juneteenth by using black culture to make white folks rich, wrote @bigbadwolf456. Social media users suggested that customers put their money elsewhere instead by buying a similar ice cream from Black-owned Creamalicious artisan ice cream, one of the few Black-owned ice cream companies in national production. Its sold at Target (as well as Walmart), and some people even pointed out that Walmart seems to have copied one of their most popular flavors. If youre at Walmart and youre thinking about buying the one on the left. Take a few seconds to look for and buy the one on the right. They are the same flavor except Creamalicious Ice Creams is black owned, wrote @winston00_ . As Ad Age pointed out, on May 23, Bridge, a group formed by marketing and diversity, equity, and inclusion execs from Unilever, Discover Financial, NBC Universal, among others, wrote an open letter to Walmarts mostly white executive board calling on them to remove the product. Would you launch an ice cream called January 27? The day the world remembers the Holocaust. Or April 7, the day that memorializes the genocide in Rwanda. Of course not, the letter read. Following the backlash, Walmart will remove the product, the company said in a statement to FOX television stations. "We received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate." You can buy Creamalicious online at Target, Walmart, and other stores. Storm Prediction Ctr, Norman, OK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 266 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 625 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2022 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 266 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1200 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE DUVAL JIM HOGG LA SALLE MCMULLEN WEBB ZAPATA ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Lampasas County through 700 PM CDT... At 623 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 16 miles southwest of Evant, or 16 miles northwest of Lampasas, moving northeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 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 central Lampasas County. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. LAT...LON 3132 9842 3141 9827 3142 9827 3146 9818 3131 9807 3116 9833 3130 9844 TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 226DEG 27KT 3128 9830 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 266 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN TEXAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES IN SOUTH TEXAS DUVAL LA SALLE MCMULLEN WEBB THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BENAVIDES, CALLIHAM, COTULLA, CROSS, FREER, LAREDO, LOMA ALTA, REALITOS, SAN DIEGO, AND TILDEN. The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Parmer County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 730 PM CDT. * At 625 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Bovina, or 13 miles southwest of Friona, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. * Locations impacted include... Friona, Bovina, Farwell, Black and Rhea. 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 Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Amarillo TX 801 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Small stream flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of the Panhandle of Texas, including the following county, Oldham. * WHEN...Until 1115 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Water over roadways. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 801 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause small stream flooding. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... mainly rural areas of Central Oldham County - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of south Texas, including the following county, Webb. * WHEN...Until 1000 PM CDT. - At 802 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - This includes the following streams and drainages... San Ygnacio Creek, Grande, Rio, Cuervo Creek, Santa Isabel Creek, Chacon Creek and Sombrerito Creek. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected Laredo, Doctors Hospital Of Laredo, Laredo Country Club, Orvil, Texas A&M, Laredo International Airport, Unitec Industrial Park, St Augustine High School South Laredo, Laredo Community College, United South High School and Ranchos Penitas West. The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Central Webb County in south central Texas... * Until 845 PM CDT. * At 802 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Botines, or 14 miles north of Laredo, moving northeast at 25 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... Laredo, Orvil, Botines, Unitec Industrial Park and Callaghan. This includes the following highways... Interstate 35 between mile markers 9 and 35. US Highway 83 between mile markers 690 and 698. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE DUVAL JIM HOGG LA SALLE MCMULLEN WEBB ZAPATA ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central Reeves County through 845 PM CDT... At 805 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Toyah, moving southeast at 15 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. Locations impacted include... Toyah. This includes Interstate 20 between mile markers 8 and 22. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 3117 10397 3133 10384 3123 10343 3108 10368 TIME...MOT...LOC 0105Z 294DEG 12KT 3122 10381 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Brownsville has extended the * Flash Flood Warning for... Southwestern Starr County in deep south Texas... * Until 500 AM CDT. * At 212 AM CDT, Local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Law enforcement reported. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Rio Grande City, Roma, Escobares, Garciasville, La Rosita, Las Lomas, Fort Ringgold County Park, Ringgold Middle School, La Puerta, Rio Grande City Fire Department, Santa Cruz, Starr County Sheriffs Office, Rio Grande City Municipal Airport, Starr County Memorial Hospital, La Victoria, Alto Bonito, Los Alvarez, Los Garzas, Garceno and North Escobares. Local law enforcement has reported removing citizens from homes due to 1 to 3 feet flooding in homes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Cameron and south central Willacy Counties through 300 AM CDT... At 215 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Holly Beach to near Gallegos Elementary School. Movement was southeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... San Benito, Los Fresnos, Rancho Viejo, Rio Hondo, Arroyo City, Southmost, Olmito, Port Of Brownsville, La Paloma and Cameron Park. This includes the following highways... Interstate Highway 69 E between mile markers 1 and 22. US Highway 281 between mile markers 822 and 830, and between mile markers 834 and 838. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 2589 9752 2603 9764 2602 9774 2647 9751 2628 9729 2628 9730 2613 9728 2614 9726 2614 9724 2611 9730 2612 9722 2605 9719 2606 9717 2601 9723 2600 9726 2600 9716 2593 9735 2584 9738 TIME...MOT...LOC 0715Z 332DEG 25KT 2618 9739 2600 9745 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL CAMERON AND SOUTHEASTERN WILLACY COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED... The storms which prompted the warning have weakened below severe limits, and no longer pose an immediate threat to life or property. Therefore, the warning has been allowed to expire. However small hail, gusty winds and heavy rain are still possible with these thunderstorms. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING Flash Flood Statement National Weather Service Brownsville TX 316 AM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR NORTHWESTERN STARR COUNTY... Flooding is still a threat. Will replace warning with a larger warning. Please continue to heed remaining road closures. ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY LESS THAN 10%, 20FT WINDS OF 15 MPH OR MORE, AND EXTREME FIRE DANGER FOR FAR WEST TEXAS... * AFFECTED AREA...Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains, Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor, Eastern Culberson County, Reeves County Plains, Chinati Mountains, Marfa Plateau, Davis Mountains and Davis Mountains Foothills. * TIMING... This afternoon through this evening. * WINDS...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 7 percent. * RFTI...5 critical to 7 extreme. * IMPACTS...Avoid the use of open flames or any activities that may generate sparks. Accidental ignitions will have the potential to grow into dangerous wind-driven wildfires. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will increase potential for fire growth. ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Jim Hogg, north central Starr, western Brooks and southeastern Zapata Counties through 400 AM CDT... At 319 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Guerra, or 8 miles north of Viboras, moving northeast at 45 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Lopeno, Agua Nueva, Guerra, Morales-Sanchez, San Rafael Ranch Airport, Puesta Del Sol Airport and Hidalgo City Park. This includes US Highway 83 between mile markers 776 and 784. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 2707 9821 2678 9842 2674 9885 2670 9911 2687 9919 2726 9844 2726 9837 TIME...MOT...LOC 0819Z 233DEG 40KT 2685 9883 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH The National Weather Service in Brownsville has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Northwestern Starr County in deep south Texas... Southeastern Zapata County in deep south Texas... * Until 630 AM CDT. * At 320 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Lopeno, El Sauz, New Falcon, Morales-Sanchez, Falcon Heights, Falcon State Park, Falcon Dam and Salineno. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Brownsville has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southern Hidalgo County in Deep South Texas... * Until 500 AM CDT. * At 418 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Ann Richards Middle School, or over Palmview, moving east at 30 mph. HAZARD...Half dollar size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected. * Locations impacted include... Edinburg, Mission, Elsa, Palmview, Penitas, La Joya, Edcouch, Palmhurst, North McAllen and Hargill. This includes the following highways... US Highway 83 between mile markers 842 and 850. Interstate Highway 69 C between mile markers 1 and 12. US Highway 281 near mile marker 764. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN STARR COUNTY... At 420 AM CDT, At 2am CDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Law enforcement reported. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Rio Grande City, Roma, Escobares, Garciasville, La Rosita, Las Lomas, Fort Ringgold County Park, Ringgold Middle School, La Puerta, Rio Grande City Fire Department, Santa Cruz, Starr County Sheriffs Office, Rio Grande City Municipal Airport, Starr County Memorial Hospital, La Victoria, Alto Bonito, Los Alvarez, Los Garzas, Garceno and North Escobares. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING Flash Flood Statement National Weather Service Brownsville TX 948 AM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL CAMERON COUNTY... At 948 AM CDT, An NWS employee reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 0.5 to 1.5 inches in 1 hour. Flash flooding is ongoing. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Public reported. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Southmost, Downtown Brownsville, Brownsville, Lincoln Park, Brownsville Public Library Southmost Branch, North Brownsville Little League, Perkins Middle School, Southmost Elementary School, Faulk Middle School, Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, J.t. Canales Elementary School, Gonzalez Elementary School, Brownsville Fire Department Station Six, Veterans International Bridge, Longoria Elementary School, Besteiro Middle School, El Jardin Elementary School, Hanna High School, Lopez High School and Cameron County Courthouse. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. The National Weather Service in League City has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western Galveston County in southeastern Texas... * Until 1015 AM CDT. * At 948 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Jamaica Beach, or near Galveston Island West End, moving north at 40 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Southeastern League City, Galveston Island West End, Galveston Causeway, Texas City, Dickinson, La Marque, Santa Fe, Hitchcock, Galveston Pier 21, Bayou Vista, Jamaica Beach, Tiki Island, Pelican Island, Galveston State Park, San Leon, Bacliff, Schlitterbahn, Scholes Field, The Strand and Offatts Bayou. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Lubbock TX 752 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues. * WHERE...Southern Bailey County. * WHEN...Until 900 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Dangerous flows over low-water crossings. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 752 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated very heavy rain due to slow-moving thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 4 and 5 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Enochs and Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. * WHERE...A portion of the Panhandle of Texas, including the following county, Parmer. Some low-water crossings through playa lakes may become impassable. - At 754 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated continuing heavy rain due to slow-moving thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. Bovina. The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Central Webb County in south central Texas... * Until 845 PM CDT. * At 754 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Unitec Industrial Park, or 11 miles north of Laredo, moving northeast at 25 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... Laredo, Orvil, Botines, Unitec Industrial Park and Callaghan. This includes the following highways... Interstate 35 between mile markers 9 and 35. US Highway 83 between mile markers 690 and 698. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is 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 WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Lubbock TX 851 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... The Flood Advisory will expire at 9 PM CDT this evening for a portion of Parmer County, Texas. The heaviest rain has moved out of the area. However, light to moderate rainfall is ongoing and may result in additional minor flooding. ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northwestern Williamson, northwestern Travis and central Burnet Counties through 945 PM CDT... At 855 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Oatmeal to near Spicewood. Movement was north at 25 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Georgetown, Burnet, Bertram, Leander, Lago Vista, Liberty Hill, Florence, Spicewood, Watson, Oatmeal, Briggs, Lake Victor, Mahomet, Sunnylane, Joppa, Smithwick, Andice, Shady Grove, Jonestown and Briarcliff. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 3094 9785 3091 9783 3088 9768 3086 9761 3038 9803 3044 9819 3103 9821 3103 9813 TIME...MOT...LOC 0155Z 201DEG 23KT 3062 9806 3047 9810 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION FOR WATCH 268 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 606 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2022 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 268 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN TEXAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST TEXAS CROSBY GARZA HOCKLEY KENT LUBBOCK LYNN TERRY YOAKUM THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BROWNFIELD, CROSBYTON, DENVER CITY, JAYTON, LAKE ALAN HENRY, LEVELLAND, LUBBOCK, MEADOW, NEW HOME, ODONNELL, PLAINS, POST, RALLS, SLATON, SUNDOWN, TAHOKA, WELLMAN, AND WOLFFORTH. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 268 TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING IN TEXAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES DICKENS KING STONEWALL THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ASPERMONT, DICKENS, DUMONT, GUTHRIE, OLD GLORY, AND SPUR. ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN CROSBY COUNTY... At 606 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 8 miles south of Crosbyton, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of southeastern Crosby County. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW! Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Brown County in west central Texas... Southern Coleman County in west central Texas... East Central Concho County in west central Texas... Northwestern McCulloch County in west central Texas... * Until 915 PM CDT. * At 606 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Brownwood, Coleman, Early, Santa Anna, Bangs, Blanket, Trickham, Brookesmith, Lake Brownwood, Lake Brownwood Near Thrifty, Grosvenor, Rockwood, Camp Bowie, Gouldbusk, Lake Brownwood State Park, Byrds, Waldrip, Valera, Voss and Stacy. This includes the following Low Water Crossings... Gifford at Beaver, Austin Street at Avenue G, Cordell at Anderson, Good Shephard at 11th, Willis at Belmeade, Indian Creek at 9th, Magnolia at Belmeade, Belle Plain at Romines, 4th Street at Wood and Austin Street at Avenue J. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Tornado Warning for... Southeastern Crosby County in northwestern Texas... * Until 645 PM CDT. * At 609 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 8 miles northwest of Kalgary, or 8 miles west of White River Lake, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. * Locations impacted include... White River Lake. The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Dust Advisory for... Northeastern Pecos County in southwestern Texas... Eastern Ward County in western Texas... Reagan County in western Texas... Crane County in western Texas... Upton County in western Texas... * Until 745 PM CDT. * At 608 PM CDT, a strong outflow boundary with widespread blowing dust is currently located from Monahans over to southeast Glasscock county, moving south to southeast at 50 mph. HAZARD...Less than one half mile visibility with strong wind in excess of 50 mph. SOURCE...Doppler radar. IMPACT...Hazardous travel. * This includes Interstate 20 between mile markers 85 and 90. Locations impacted include... Crane, Big Lake, McCamey, Rankin, Grandfalls, Reagan County Airport, Stiles, Imperial Reservoir, Midkiff, Crane County Airport, Upton County Airport, Girvin, King Mountain, Monahans Sandhills State Park, Best, Imperial, Cordona Lake and Royalty. Blowing dust brings reduced visibility, leading to dangerous driving conditions. If driving, avoid blowing dust if possible. If caught in dense blowing dust, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for western Texas. ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN BROWN COUNTY... At 610 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Zephyr, moving east at 25 mph. HAZARD...Tornado and three inch hail. This dangerous storm will be near... Zephyr around 620 PM CDT. ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN HOCKLEY, SOUTHERN LUBBOCK, NORTHERN LYNN AND NORTHEASTERN TERRY COUNTIES... At 610 PM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Lubbock, Levelland, Slaton, Wolfforth, Ransom Canyon, Slide, Woodrow, Lubbock South Plains Mall, Texas Tech University, Downtown Lubbock, Reese Center, Meadow, Wilson, Smyer, Buffalo Springs, Ropesville, New Home and Lubbock Science Spectrum. We've had reports of persons stranded in a stalled car on Indiana near 130th Street in south Lubbock. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become unstable and unsafe. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 712 PM CDT Mon May 23 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR WESTERN PECOS AND SOUTH CENTRAL REEVES COUNTIES... At 712 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Saragosa, or 22 miles south of Toyah, moving east at 5 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... Balmorhea, Balmorhea Lake, Balmorhea State Park, Saragosa, Verhalen and Toyahvale. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 203 and 226. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...A portion of central Texas, including the following counties, Coryell and Hamilton. * WHEN...Until 1000 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Low lying and/or poor drainage areas will experience minor flooding in the advisory area. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Aleman,Ireland and Pearl. The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Tornado Warning for... Southeastern Bailey County in northwestern Texas... Northeastern Cochran County in northwestern Texas... Northwestern Hockley County in northwestern Texas... Southwestern Lamb County in northwestern Texas... * Until 745 PM CDT. * At 712 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located near Enochs, or 6 miles north of Morton, moving east at 15 mph. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW! HAZARD...Damaging tornado. SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado 7 miles north of Morton. IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible. * Locations impacted include... Enochs. To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW! Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE BAILEY CASTRO COCHRAN DALLAM DEAF SMITH HALE HARTLEY HOCKLEY LAMB LUBBOCK MOORE OLDHAM PARMER POTTER RANDALL SHERMAN SWISHER TERRY YOAKUM * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Parmer County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southwestern Castro County in the Panhandle of Texas... Northwestern Lamb County in northwestern Texas... * Until 815 PM CDT. * At 713 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles northwest of Earth, moving north at 10 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. Dimmitt and Earth. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHERE...A portion of southwest Texas, including the following county, Reeves. * WHEN...Until 915 PM CDT. - At 714 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are expected over the area. This additional rain will result in minor flooding. Balmorhea, Balmorhea Lake, Saragosa, Balmorhea State Park and Toyahvale. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. FOR SOUTHEASTERN BAILEY...NORTH CENTRAL COCHRAN AND SOUTHWESTERN LAMB COUNTIES... At 714 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Needmore to Bula to 6 miles northeast of Morton, moving northeast at 25 mph. THESE ARE DESTRUCTIVE STORMS FOR ENOCHS, BULA, AND THE MULESHOE WILDLIFE REFUGE. HAZARD...Three inch hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Trained weather spotters. IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be severely injured. Expect shattered windows, extensive damage to roofs, siding, and vehicles. Sudan, Needmore, Enochs, Maple, Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge, and Bula. Prepare immediately for large hail and damaging winds. People outside should move to a shelter, inside a strong building and away from windows. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... East central Lea County in southeastern New Mexico... Southwestern Gaines County in western Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT/345 PM MDT/. * At 347 PM CDT/247 PM MDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles southwest of Humble City, or 11 miles west of Hobbs, moving southeast at 25 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... Hobbs, Eunice, Monument, Nadine, Humble City, Eunice Airport, Lea County Regional Airport, Industrial Airpark and Oil Center. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT/7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...Portions of southeast New Mexico and western Texas, including the following counties, in southeast New Mexico, Lea. In western Texas, Gaines. * WHEN...Until 600 PM MDT /700 PM CDT/. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 248 PM MDT /348 PM CDT/, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Nadine. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a East central Crockett County in west central Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT. * At 349 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 14 miles southwest of Ozona, moving northeast at 35 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. * This severe thunderstorm will be near... Ozona around 420 PM CDT. Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Us- 190 Near The Crockett-Sutton County Line and I-10 Near The Crockett- Sutton County Line. This includes Interstate 10 between Mile Markers 352 and 379. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northwestern Gaines County in western Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT. * At 351 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles northeast of Hobbs, moving east at 20 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. * Locations impacted include... Seminole and Gaines County Park. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE ANDREWS BORDEN COCHRAN CRANE CROSBY DAWSON ECTOR GAINES GARZA GLASSCOCK HOCKLEY HOWARD KENT LOVING LUBBOCK LYNN MARTIN MIDLAND MITCHELL REAGAN SCURRY TERRY UPTON WARD WINKLER YOAKUM ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR WESTERN COKE...EASTERN STERLING AND NORTH CENTRAL TOM GREEN COUNTIES... At 352 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Broome, moving northeast at 30 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 western Coke, eastern Sterling and north central Tom Green Counties, including the following locations... Us-87 Near The Coke- Tom Green County Line. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service San Angelo TX 327 PM CDT Tue May 24 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR NORTHWESTERN TOM GREEN AND NORTHEASTERN IRION COUNTIES... At 327 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 11 miles west of Arden, moving east at 35 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of northwestern Tom Green and northeastern Irion Counties. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT/300 PM MDT/ FOR NORTHEASTERN LEA AND NORTHWESTERN GAINES COUNTIES... At 327 PM CDT/227 PM MDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located 12 miles northeast of Humble City, or 13 miles east of Lovington, moving northeast at 30 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... Knowles. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... East central Lea County in southeastern New Mexico... West central Gaines County in western Texas... * Until 415 PM CDT/315 PM MDT/. * At 330 PM CDT/230 PM MDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located near Lovington, moving southeast at 25 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... Hobbs, Lovington, Humble City, Industrial Airpark, Knowles and Lea County Regional Airport. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, May 24, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in San Angelo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Crockett County in west central Texas... * Until 430 PM CDT. * At 336 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 11 miles northwest of Pandale, moving east 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 Crockett County, including the following locations... The Intersection Of Ranch Road 2083 And Highway 405. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT/300 PM MDT/ FOR NORTHEASTERN LEA AND NORTHWESTERN GAINES COUNTIES... At 339 PM CDT/239 PM MDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located 11 miles northeast of Humble City, or 13 miles north of Hobbs, moving northeast at 15 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. 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. Locations impacted include... Knowles. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. The National Weather Service in Austin San Antonio has issued a Northwestern Val Verde County in south central Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT. * At 340 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 10 miles southeast of Terrell County Gas Plant, or 27 miles south of Sheffield, moving east at 10 mph. * Locations impacted include... Pandale. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Qantas boss Alan Joyce has capped off his latest bout of binge spending with news that Australias flagship carrier has now bought into the online tour operating business. Not content with the recent announcement of a major investment in its domestic and international fleet and the restart of plans to fly direct from Australias east coast to London and New York, the airline has reserved some of its largesse to bolster its loyalty business. The plan is that frequent flyers will use points from their (in some cases) bloated accounts to book an organised tour. Alan Joyce turns tour operator This is an opportunity for frequent flyers to earn and burn. And its a chance for Qantas to clip another part of the holidaymakers ticket Billionaire George Soros warned that Russias invasion of Ukraine has rattled Europe and could be the start of another world war. Other issues that concern all of humanity - fighting pandemics and climate change, avoiding nuclear war, maintaining global institutions - have had to take a back seat to that struggle, Soros, 91, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Thats why I say our civilisation may not survive. Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has a long history of big speeches at Davos. Credit:Bloomberg Soros, a Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor, focused his speech on the rise of the repressive regimes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling the two countries the greatest threat to open society. His philanthropic organisation of that name, Open Society Foundations, funds groups promoting justice, democracy, human rights and progressive politics. The two leaders have made mind-boggling mistakes, Soros said. Putin expected to be welcomed in Ukraine as a liberator; Xi Jinping is sticking to a Zero COVID policy that cant possibly be sustained. It is a truth (almost) universally acknowledged by Labor politicians that its near impossible to reform from opposition. Be too ambitious, make yourself too big a target, and the government will happily use the many advantages of incumbency to shoot you down. Thats because all reforms have opponents, and most create losers as well as winners. Thats why, after being reminded of this truth at the 2019 election, Labor made itself as small a target as possible. Part of this was for Anthony Albanese to neutralise most of Scott Morrisons vote-buying promises by matching them. Small shoes to fill: Anthony Albanese will be compared with his predecessor Scott Morrison. Credit:James Brickwood/Alex Ellinghausen Back then, Morrison convinced himself that apart from having God on his side his miraculous win was owed to his cunning strategy of painting Labor as the party of tax-and-spend, and the Liberals as the party of lower taxes. He tried repeating the strategy this time. The first part of his mantra was true enough. The second was bulldust. As independent economist Saul Eslake has demonstrated, in the highest-taxing stakes, the just-departed government runs second only to the Howard government. Each week, Dr Kirstin Ferguson tackles questions on the workplace, career and leadership in her advice column Got a Minute? This week, immature colleagues, an under-worked employee and a concerned parent. Illustration: Dionne Gain Credit: Four of us were encouraged to apply for the job as our bosss deputy. I got it. The three others have now gone wild. They send me cranky emails about trivial matters all day, every day and over the weekend and are totally uncooperative when it comes to basic necessary tasks. And dont get me started on the more complex important aspects of our work with disadvantaged students. Any ideas for how I can get them all on board? I feel like I really dont want to indulge bad behaviour or pander to them in any way. I can see why you got the job; you are clearly more mature than your colleagues. Unfortunately, youre going to have to change your relationship with your former peers to establish your credibility and authority. You have been given the extra responsibility (and I am hoping extra pay) to move from being a peer to becoming a leader. You may also be quickly coming to realise why your boss created the role at all since you are now dealing with managing difficult staff. Be sure not to have any favourites but avoid being a bulldozer too. If you havent already been supported with leadership training, ask your boss if that is an option because its always tricky to lead your former peers. You might also want to speak with your boss about any advice they have and brainstorm suggestions with them as you find your feet. This transition is a fine balancing act but Im sure you are up to the task. Im a graduate working as a consultant for a larger company. My work can be quite varied and sporadic. However, every couple of weeks I will have a day or two where I dont have much work to get on with and I sit around doing nothing for hours at a time. It usually happens because I am either waiting for someone to send me files or tasks to get started on, or I am waiting for someone to review my completed work. What do I do and how do I talk to my manager about this? Having a professional stand-up comic crack jokes over end-of-week drinks was a step-up on the free coffees that other companies were using to lure workers back to the office, said an employee at Rate Money in North Sydney. That was before veteran comedian Gary Eck even started his 4pm gig in the space between desks and an office kitchen loaded with cabanossi, chips, cider and beers. Comedian Gary Eck performing in the office workplace as part of his new venture Pop Up Comedy Club. Credit:Steven Siewert Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Rate Money Pop Up Comedy Club, said Eck who had to do his own lights, staging and introductions. Please go wild, go crazy, for your headline act, he said, before thanking the audience for taking the afternoon off work. That would have been a bummer. In spite of the naysayers, a broad spectrum of people from the moderate centre to the left are hoping and praying that Dutton will become opposition leader. Edwin Carr, Hornsby Fowler result shows the peril of narrow thinking Cat-Thao Nguyens article about the rejection of Kristina Keneally being parachuted into the seat of Fowler (A lesson for Labor: Why Fowler rejected Keneally, May 24) is compulsory reading for the political parties. They need to review the way they interact with Australians from ethnic minorities. Over many years, I have listened to political leaders speaking at functions organised by these communities. The speeches have not changed. Invariably, its about immigration and the communitys contribution to Australia. There is an assumption that these communities are not interested in anything else. Any mention of the difficulties faced by the communities is usually cursory. At times, the tone is downright patronising. The politicians have failed to realise that Chinese and Vietnamese Australians of migrant parents, like Australians of Italian and Greek ancestry, have grown up in the general Australian environment. They are more sophisticated in their thinking. They behave and act like the average Australian, albeit through the prism of their lived experience. Thiam Ang, Beecroft I am delighted that the most multicultural and safe Labor electorate, Fowler, has bravely spoken. People did not blindly vote for Kristina Keneally, who no doubt is a talented and ambitious politician but lives in the least multicultural suburb Scotland Island on Sydneys Northern Beaches. Well done and congratulations to Fowler voters for speaking up. Susan Chan, St Ives Cat-Thao Nguyen has got it right. When Labor HQ over-ruled the local party branch, in privileging a captains pick, it incited local community anger. It is a reminder that we cannot speak for the other. Mike Fogarty, Weston (ACT) Yes, Cat-Thao Nguyen, Labor lost the seat of Fowler because of a ham-fisted attempt to parachute in an outside candidate. To further cement harmony and togetherness, this nation would be well served and advantaged by accepting (with the exception of our Indigenous brothers and sisters) that we are all from somewhere else we are one, but we are many. So, why can we not, in this 21st century, drop the now increasingly tedious and divisive prefixes Chinese, Vietnamese, Muslim, Christian etc and unambiguously describe ourselves as merely Australian? James Laukka, Epping The failure of the ALP to retain Fowler by trying to house-swap Kristina Keneally into it has to be the biggest political own-goal since the Prince Philip knighthood. Adrian Connelly, Springwood Keneallys disastrous result in the election hopefully has shown Labor the folly of parachuting celebrity candidates into safe seats where there is already a good local candidate. Paul Duncan, Leura Need for fundraising by parents shows sad state of priorities Vivienne Pearsons column is a timely reminder of the sad state of our national priorities, that parents have to constantly fundraise to ensure their kids public schools have adequate resources (Democracy sausages point to snags in the system, May 24). I have a well-worn tea towel from 30 or more years ago that says it all: It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the air force has to hold a cake stall to buy a bomber. If only! Unfortunately, some things never change, though perhaps the influx of women to our parliament will cause a move in the right direction. Jackie Fairhall, East Ballina Signal boosting Professor Raina MacIntyre exposes the complacency of our current state and past federal governments in giving the public the impression the pandemic is no longer a serious health issue (PM seeks advice on COVID step up as 4th jab pushed, May 24). The necessity to have a third vaccine dose is underplayed, most glaringly by continuing to use the term fully vaccinated for the initial two doses. Since Omicron arrived that is no longer valid. Where is the public health campaign urging people to get their booster ASAP? In NSW, it remains mandatory to wear a mask in health provider settings and on public transport. Enforcing this is paramount to reducing COVID and influenza spread, reducing mortality and morbidity, hospital bed occupation and time off work. All the mask reminder posters at stations, bus stops and ferry wharves have disappeared. Felicite Ross, Vaucluse For the record The quote from the north shore NSW Liberal member Felicity Wilson, I think it is unlikely that Climate 200 would target us in the next election because we have a strong record on climate and integrity made me chuckle (Under threat: state Liberals alert to ever-present risk, May 24). What kind of record is she citing? Perhaps lying about where one lives in order to get elected; an ex-treasurer covering up budget blowouts by establishing TAHE; a recent ex-premier being investigated by ICAC; planning minister approving a gas project despite over 24,000 submissions against it and only a few hundred in support; loosening land-clearing laws and reducing habitat for biodiversity so that NSWs koala population is heading for extinction by 2050. This is just off the top of my head. Thats some record. Elizabeth Boyd, North Balgowlah Show your working Its all very well for Andrew Bragg and other Liberals to make statement about being the party that supports fairness when they are at the heart of the unfair treatment of students in public schools (Liberals must ditch culture wars, protect minorities and prioritise fairness, May 24). What could be fairer than funding schoolchildren based on need? For over half a century they have opposed needs-based funding of schoolchildren. Fifty years ago the Whitlam Labor government tried to introduce it. This was opposed by Frasers Liberal government, based on nothing but ideology. Then the Howard government set the trajectory for the Abbott and Morrison governments to further entrench the notion of entitlement in the minds of the increasingly wealthy private school sector. Forty years after Whitlams attempt, it was again a Labor government, Gillards, that instigated the Gonski report. Typically, Gonskis reforms were trashed by Abbott et al. So spare us your spin and lets see if you really can prioritise fairness now that your partys selfishness has been so overwhelmingly rejected. David McMaster, Mosman A low move The new Albanese government has every justification to be suspicious of the timing of text messages to voters in marginal electorates alerting them of the arrival Sri Lankan boat people (ALP to investigate boat arrival, May 24), posted in bulk on the morning of the election. This is the action of desperate and unscrupulous politicians who have no moral compass, nor any conception of ethics. Their action has demonstrated conclusively that they are not fit to govern this country. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT) Slow learners on climate I am intrigued that in three years our voting population has changed from rejecting climate action in 2019 to wholly accept an urgent need for it now. We are three years, if not many more, behind where we could have been (Letters, May 24). Bill White, South Grafton Couldnt agree more with your correspondents comment that we all need to live a greener lifestyle if we are to reduce Australias carbon emissions ASAP. Climate change was clearly a major factor in the outcome of recent elections and we can all, as individuals, do our bit to help. I remember the days when, if it got a bit cold, we put an extra jumper on, not turned on the air conditioning! A well-designed national advertising campaign would help. We are in this together so it shouldnt be all left to the government to turn things around. There must be many ways we can each reduce our carbon footprint with just a little thought and change of day-to-day habits. Glenys Quirk, Forster Home safe Good to see so much support for the Murugappan family (Letters, May 24). I look forward to some heartwarming photos of their long-overdue return to Biloela. When that happens, could you please also publish some pics of the execrable barbarians who authorised their middle-of-the-night abduction and needlessly vindictive four-year torture? Just for the record, and as an advance how-not-to-vote card for 2025. Many thanks. Steve Cornelius, Brookvale Assuming the Murugappan family from Biloela will now be returned safely to their home, can we please rescue the Australian children and their mothers from the Syrian refugee camps? Jim Croke, Stanmore Litany of complaint I hope the next person blamed for fires, floods, COVID, employment, mouse plagues, too many prayers, housing, climate change, homelessness, in fact, nearly everything, will be someone who acts with as much courage as ex PM Scott Morrison did (Letters, May 24). Mary Julian, Glebe Red between the lines Interesting to see Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and Richard Marles all wearing blue to be sworn in. Not even a red tie to be seen. Betsy Brennan, Wahroonga Teal talk First, congratulations to all the successful teal candidates. Its about time to give the word teal a meaning. Let me start by considering naming them as The Electoral (Anarchist or Activist) League. I am sure contributors can do better, but this is a starter (Letters, May 24). John Ingle, Croydon Park I have every expectation the PM and the teals will revive what Don Chipp set out to do all those years ago. Keep the bastards honest. Denis Sullivan, Greystanes In the boot of the late-model Valiant was Detective Senior Constable Gordon Green, who was in contact with officers in the car. Constable Green relayed by two-way radio details of the meeting to more than 60 other heavily armed police who had staked out the area. Police had been given direction to a lonely section of Bells Line of Road, between Lithgow and Kurrajong, by an anonymous telephone caller to the Coles executives. Unknown to the caller, police had been brought into the extortion bid from the beginning. About 9.35 pm on Monday, the car containing Sergeant Grace and other officers drove slowly alone Bell Line of Road. They saw the markers they had been told to look for two brown bags by the side of the road. They did not stop immediately, but drove on to make sure there was no one else near the road. Sergeant McKinnon did, a U-turn and pulled up opposite the marker bags. Pic shows where man fell after being shot. Two people standing in picture mark where man fell from. May 25, 1982. (photographers caption) Credit:Barry James Gilmour A short time later, according to police, a light flashed on the embankment and Sergeant Grace got out of the passenger side of the vehicle. He called out, asking if there was anyone there. A mans voice replied: Yes, its me. Dont do anything silly. I have you covered from my side and by somebody on the other side with a high-powered rifle with a powerful scope. The wounded gunman arrives at Westmead Hospital today after being transferred from Lithgow. Credit:Frederick Thomas Murray A conversation followed in which according to police, the man threatened to throw Molotov cocktails and bombs covered with nails and shrapnel. The man then demanded that Sergeant Grace place the bag with the money in front of the car headlights so he could see it. (Police sources said later there was a large amount of cash in the bag but not $500,000). All the while, McKinnon and Ryan were telling Constable Green what was happening and Green in turn was relaying information to members of the observation squad. But the man apparently spotted two detectives closing in and, according to police, jumped down the embankment towards Sergeant Grace and the car. He pointed a .22 pistol at Grace and, despite warnings from Grace to drop his gun, continued to advance on the police. Grace fired two shots from his service revolver, a .38, and then, according to a police spokesman, Ryan and McKinnon leapt from the car and fired two shots each at the man. Grace fired again twice more. The man, hit by three bullets, fell to the ground as dozens of police raced to the scene. Loading The Commissioner of Police. Mr Cec Abbott, yesterday praised Sergeant Grace and other police involved. Tiriki Onus remembers the weekends he spent as a 10-year-old helping his father, the Yorta Yorta artist and activist Lin Onus, paint his first art tram and then seeing it rattle along Melbournes streets. It was 1991 you still didnt see a lot of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imagery around and lot of our stories werent told, said Tiriki. It was a bold statement. I love taking it out here and putting it on the streets, says Tiriki Onus, inside the new art tram reproducing his fathers 1991 original work. Credit:Simon Schluter That mobile statement returned to Melbournes streets on Tuesday, with the unveiling of the first of six new Melbourne Art Trams presented as part of the RISING arts festival. Lin died in 1996 and the festival has worked with Tiriki an opera singer and also an artist to reimagine his fathers original work on the side of the C-class tram, which will operate on routes 109 and 48 for the next year. A $500 million shopping centre redevelopment that was rejected by a local council has been approved by a state tribunal despite only eight out of 605 homes set aside for social housing. The move to approve the redevelopment of Northcote Plaza in Melbournes inner north has prompted calls to reform planning regulations, with the government accused of not supporting affordable housing in major city developments where it is really needed. An artists drawing of the planned Northcote Plaza redevelopment. The redevelopment was unanimously rejected by Darebin City Council last year, but approved by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal this month. Darebin Mayor Lina Messina said the social housing approved was a bare minimum and Northcote Plaza was another missed opportunity to build social housing near local jobs, transport and community services. Liberal MPs who feared their government was on a path to electoral oblivion urged Josh Frydenberg to challenge Scott Morrison in September last year but were unable to convince the former treasurer to turn against his leader. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, one of a number of moderate MPs who approached Frydenberg with the idea of a leadership coup, confirmed preliminary discussions took place but that the plot faltered after Frydenberg declared his loyalty to the prime minister. Josh Frydenbergs refusal to challenge Scott Morrison was one of several sliding door moments for their government. Credit:James Brickwood As a matter of course, colleagues always consider ongoing electoral viability, he said. Former NSW Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who lost his seat to teal independent Sophie Scamps, also confirmed to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that a change of leader had been canvassed. The incoming federal parliament will include double the number of Asian Australian MPs and a clear majority of female senators, making it a better reflection of modern Australian society than recent parliaments. Diversity advocates pointed to the success of several non-white, multilingual candidates in competitive seats at Saturdays federal election as evidence it was in political parties self-interest to run a more diverse slate of candidates in future elections. Australias parliament will be more ethnically diverse following the election of several new MPs from non-European backgrounds. Credit:Brook Mitchell, Peter Rae, Alex Ellinghausen, Justin McManus, Supplied Women are expected to fill approximately 57 per cent of Senate spots and about 38 per cent of House of Representatives members in the new parliament, including a wave of first-time female independents in Sydney and Melbourne. Based on the latest results, there will be 13 members of parliament from non-Indigenous, non-European backgrounds, up from nine in the previous parliament. Ten of those 13 are women. Labor members of the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commissions oversight committee have blocked the public release of the watchdogs costs to date in an ongoing court battle with former deputy premier Jackie Trad. The CCC has written to the parliamentary body, made up of four Labor MPs and three LNP members, with an already redacted letter responding to questions taken on notice at a meeting earlier this month. Credit: Attila Csaszar Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed in March that Trad was covered by an indemnity scheme enabling the former minister to have her own costs met by the government in the secretive court action against the CCC, regarding a so-far unpublished report into the recruitment of a senior Treasury official. At the earlier May 3 meeting, acting CCC chair Bruce Barbour said on the face of it he did not think there would be an issue making detail around the watchdogs costs public, but would advise the committee in a written response. Baghdad: A sandstorm blanketed parts of the Middle East on Monday, including Iraq, Syria and Iran, sending people to hospitals and disrupting flights. It was the latest in a series of unprecedented back-to-back sandstorms this year that have bewildered residents and raised alarm among experts and officials, who blame climate change and poor governmental regulations. People navigate a street during a sandstorm in Baghdad, Iraq. Credit:AP From Riyadh to Tehran, bright orange skies and a thick veil of grit signalled yet another stormy day on Monday. Sandstorms are typical in late spring and summer, spurred by seasonal winds. But this year they have sprung up nearly every week in Iraq since March. Iraqi authorities declared the day a national holiday, urging government workers and residents to stay home in anticipation of the 10th storm to hit the country in the last two months. The Health Ministry stockpiled canisters of oxygen at facilities in hard-hit areas, according to a statement. By nightfall, names of those killed began to emerge: Uziyah Garcia (8), Xavier Lopez (10), Amerie Jo Garza (10), Jose Flores jnr (10) and fourth-grade teachers Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia. The schools student body consists of children in the second, third and fourth grades. Students in those grades would probably have ranged in age from seven to 10 years old. Uziyah Garcia (8), Xavier Lopez (10), Amerie Jo Garza (10), Jose Flores jnr (10), fourth grade teachers Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia. It was not clear how many people were wounded, but Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo said there were several injuries. Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. University Hospital in San Antonio said it had received two patients from the shooting a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, both listed in critical condition. The carnage began with the suspect, Salvador Ramos, shooting his grandmother, who survived, authorities said. She remained in hospital in a critical condition, CNN reported. Ramos fled that scene and crashed his car near the school. There, he launched a bloody rampage with two military-style rifles he had bought on his birthday that ended when he was fatally shot by police. The officers saw the gunman, clad in body armour, emerge from the crashed vehicle carrying a rifle and engaged the suspect, who nevertheless managed to charge into the building and open fire, Texas Department of Public Safety Sergeant Erick Estrada said on CNN. Both officers were shot, though it was not immediately clear where on the campus that confrontation occurred, or how much time elapsed before more authorities arrived on the scene. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the two officers injuries were not serious. Loading Meanwhile, teams of Border Patrol agents raced to the school, including 10 to 15 members of a SWAT-like tactical and counter-terrorism unit, said Jason Owens, a top regional official with the Border Patrol. One Border Patrol agent who was working nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot and killed the gunman, who was behind a barricade, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk about it. The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the law enforcement source said. Owens confirmed that an agent suffered minor injuries, but would not provide details of that confrontation. President reacts Biden, recently returned from his trip to Asia, delivered a statement in the White House in which he could hardly contain his anger over an epidemic of massacres in America. As a nation, we have to ask: When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in Gods name are we going to do what we know in our gut needs to be done? We have to act, he said and suggested reinstating the assault weapons ban and other common-sense gun laws. I hoped when I became president I would not have to do this, again, Biden said, decrying the death of beautiful, innocent young children in another massacre. [Their parents] will never see their child again, never have them jump in bed and cuddle with them, he said. Before his trip to Asia, Biden had visited the scene of a massacre in Buffalo, New York that had claimed the lives of 10 black people. He also reflected on the realisation that, unlike the US, other countries didnt have these kinds of routine massacres. An image from an Instagram account linked to Ramos. Biden ordered US flags be flown at half-mast at the White House and other public buildings as a mark of respect for the victims. Ramos had hinted on social media that an attack could be coming, according to state Senator Roland Gutierrez, who said he had been briefed by state police. He noted that the gunman suggested the kids should watch out. CNN reported that an Instagram account tied to Ramos showed an image of two AR15 assault rifles. The Washington Post reported that the gunmans friends and relatives said he was a lonely 18-year-old who was bullied over a childhood speech impediment, suffered from a fraught home life and lashed out violently against peers and strangers recently and over the years. Suspect Salvador Ramos Credit:Twitter Stephen Garcia, who considered himself Ramoss best friend in eighth grade, said Ramos didnt have it easy in school. He would get bullied hard, like bullied by a lot of people, Garcia said. Over social media, over gaming, over everything. One time, he posted a photo of himself wearing black eyeliner, Garcia said, which brought on a slew of comments using a derogatory term for a gay person. Garcia said he tried to stand up for him. But when Garcia and his mother relocated to another part of Texas for her job, he just started being a different person, Garcia said. He kept getting worse and worse, and I dont even know. Mass shootings The shooting in Uvalde home to about 16,000 people and 110 kilometres from the Mexican border came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 black shoppers and workers in what officials have described as a hate crime. The latest shooting was also one of the deadliest at a US school since a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children from five- to 10-years old, in a rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012. In 2018, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killed 17 students and educators. The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. It occurred four years after a gunman fatally shot 10 people at Santa Fe High School in the Houston area. The US experienced 61 active shooter incidents last year, up sharply in the sheer number of attacks, casualties and geographic distribution from 2020 and the highest tally in more than 20 years, the FBI reported on Monday. Loading The agency defines an active shooter as someone engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a public space in seemingly random fashion. Last years active-shooter carnage left 103 people dead and 140 wounded, the report said. By contrast, the FBI counted 40 active-shooter attacks in 19 states that killed 38 people and wounded 126 in 2020, a year that coincided with the height of restrictions on social and economic life due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gun rights The shooting came days before the National Rifle Association annual convention was set to begin in Houston. Texas governor Abbott, who has campaigned on gun rights, and both of the states US senators were among elected Republican officials scheduled to speak at a leadership forum sponsored by the NRAs lobbying arm this Friday. In 2015, Abbott wrote on Twitter that he was embarrassed that Texas had fallen behind California in gun sales. Lets pick up the pace Texans, he said. Senator Chris Murphy, from the state of Connecticut where the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting took place, made an impassioned speech on the Senate floor immediately after the Texas shooting. There are more mass shootings than days in the year, he said. Our kids are living in fear every time they set foot in a classroom because they think theyre going to be next ... What are we doing? Why do you spend all this time running for Senate, if your answer as this slaughter increases and our kids run for their lives, [is] we do nothing? Washington: President Joe Biden has declared that the US would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, only to have the White House walk back his remarks. Which begs the question: was this yet another presidential gaffe or a shift in policy? During a visit to Japan with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden indicated that he would be prepared to use force to defend the island nation against China - a move that would go considerably further than Americas involvement in Ukraine and appeared to deviate from the traditional strategy used in Washington: to remain ambiguous about such a sensitive issue. US President Joe Biden, right, and Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Monday Credit:AP Not surprisingly, China was deeply unimpressed, suggesting that the US was playing with fire. Some in Washington were also concerned. We should be clear about what our policy is, said China-relations expert Bonnie Glaser, the director of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund, a Washington-based think tank. Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, May 20, the St. Maarten Youth Brigade (SMYB) held its 9th Annual Promotional Ceremony at the Cyrus Wathey Square in Philipsburg. This is the first promotional ceremony for SMYB under the theme Resilience, prospering in the face of adversity since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday, Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport drs. Rodolphe Samuel, Members of Parliament, Dutch Representative Chris Johnson, members of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps stationed in St. Maarten, family members, and friends were among those present at the ceremony. The ceremony began with the brigadiers marching towards the Cyrus Wathey Square and coming to a standstill at the beginning of the ceremony which saw just over 30 young brigadiers being promoted in rank. After a rendition of the St. Maarten Song by local artist Tamilia Chance, addresses followed by Prime Minister Jacobs, Minister Richardson, Minister Samuel, and SMYB Founder Zulayka Peterson. During her address at the event, Prime Minister Jacobs stated, I want to commend St. Maarten Youth Brigade Founder Ms. Zulayka Peterson for her vision and for nine years of leading a hardworking team to positively impact and meet the needs of our youth. At the risk of sounding cliche, I must state that children are our future, but that depends on what we do today. We must give them the tools to be all they can be for themselves, their parents, and St. Maarten. Here you have a diverse skill base being taught that will benefit our nation, via our future leaders, law enforcement authority, teachers, and much more. This is why I also want to take the time to encourage the people of St. Maarten to continue their support, in whatever capacity for the St. Maarten Youth Bridge. On behalf of the Government of St. Maarten, I commend the Board and Management team of the St. Maarten Youth Brigade. This organization continues to be a benefit to our community in supporting the development of our youth. As such, the government will continue to create an environment where this organization and organizations of its kind can continue to promote excellence and achievement among our youth. Congratulations to the St. Maarten Youth Brigade Class of 2022-2023, concluded Prime Minister Jacobs. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, May 18th, the Le Sommet Foundation and the Haitian Association of Sint Maarten (HASMA)-inaugurated their office during a grand Haitian Flag Day celebration at the Wifold building. Celebrating this year's Haitian Flag Day In the presence of various community leaders, invited guests, and political and Government officials, the le Sommet foundation and HASMA officially introduced its board members. "Tonight, we are proud to introduce the board of the Haitian Association of Sint Maarten. A dynamic group of individuals all dedicated to representing and standing up for/with the Haitian community" - President of HASMA Jimmy Jean Louis. The event was well attended with various speakers gracing the podium. Member of Parliament Solange L Duncan, Member of Parliament George Pantophlet, Member of Parliament Angelique Roumou, and various others all echoed their appreciation, love, and respect for the Haitian People and their Culture. DR. Mercelina also expressed his sentiments with an illustrious elicitation on the Haitian flags. "The Haitian community of Sint Maarten has come a long way. Since November 2020 we have been serving and representing the Haitian community here in St. Maarten. Our overall aim is to aid the development of our community and by extension St. Maarten through various initiatives and effective partnerships with both the private and public sector" Fabio Doralice (Vice president of Hasma & President of Le Sommet Foundation) " I commend HASMA and the Le Sommet Foundation for their exemplary work and particularly in representing the Haitian Community in Sint Maarten I look forward to the further strengthening of a long-term friendship and working collaboration. Nathalie Fourcand (Haiti Consulate General in Curacao HASMA The Haitian Association of Sint Maarten is an associative body elected by its populist to aid, support, represent and defend the social, cultural, professional, and educational interests and highlight the ailments of Haitians and their descendants living in Sint Maarten. Le Sommet Foundation is a non-profit organization formed to promote the professional, social, and cultural development of individuals within the community of St. Maarten. Haitian Flag Day is celebrated every May 18th. This year marks 219 years of the Haitian Flag adaptation for the republic of Haiti. As a token of appreciation, both governments were gifted with an original Haitian Painting. " As we present these beautiful paintings to the governments of St. Maarten & St. Martin and of behalf of all Haitians and the descendants of the first Haitian migrants to the island, we want to say thank you for allowing us to be a part of your community, thank you Sint Maarten for the countless opportunities". Fabio Doralice PHILIPSBURG:--- "Terricifc, a warm, kind-hearted bunch of kids" is how the senior students of the Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS or LU) were described on Monday as they built on the school's exceptional reputation of having its students accepted to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities around the world. Dean of Academics & Educational Counselor Mark Beland expressed how proud the school's management and faculty are of this committed group of students. The much lauded "LU Education" delivered once again as the 20 students of the Class of 2022 persevered while earning $1,253,800 million in scholarships, and put together a very solid application season with some discernible highlights. All of this despite statistical circumstances which were initially viewed as real obstacles to college and university acceptance. In a nutshell, 2022 was one of the most competitive and selective application seasons years on record with applications at US institutions and elsewhere up 5% and higher as the pandemic starts to wane. The acceptance rates to these institutions (Ivy League and post-secondary institutions of renown) were record lows. This means LU students had to be exceptionally great academically to get accepted in some colleges and Universities. To name a few, though all are impressive, Valedictorian, Jamie Lynch, was accepted into the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University, both Cal Polys, Howard University, and the University of Connecticut. NYU received 105,000 applications this year and admitte just 12.2%, Ms. Lynch included. Jason Yang and Heland Mo were both invited to attend the internationally regarded Life Sciences program at the University of Toronto, a school that is consistently ranked in the top 20 Global Colleges and Universities by US News. Ms. Mo, LU's salutatorian, was also accepted into Health Sciences at the University of British Columbia, perennially ranked in the top 40 schools in the world and second in Canada. The list of notable acceptances continues with Grant Caputo who will undertake Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison ranked #42 in the US, Mr. Caputo was also accepted to other well-ranked engineering programs at Michigan State and Cal Riverside. And, finally, Siddhant Vaswani put together a terrific application season earning acceptances into top-tier business programs across the US, particularly at Syracuse and Bentley University. LU students didn't let the low acceptance statistics deter them and were also accepted to other fine institutions the world over. Aryan Notani, Avinash Khemchandani, and Prerna Ramchandani will be heading off to earn their BScs at the very well-regarded University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. Cristel Gumbs and Louis Rey Giraud are off to Concordia University in Montreal to study Economics and English Literature respectively. Shaila Snow will be working on her business degree in marketing at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, while Varun Vaswani will be at George Brown College in Toronto. Valeria Arellenos Torres and Danielle Quitadamo will be heading to Spain and France to earn their BFAs in filmmaking while Juhi Soneji will be working on her psychology degree at the American University Paris in France. Jholan Richards will begin his studies at Tallahassee and complete his course requirements at Florida A&M. Reva Hiranandani is on her way to Niagara College in Canada to work on her hospitality degree; Hadassah Patterson will be attending Jefferson State College in Alabama and Dev Sagre and Devin Lao will begin their post-graduate studies multi-media studies and business in Holland. LU students were accepted to over 100 colleges and universities, averaging about 5 schools per student. "We have a great group of teachers and an eager group of students. Those forces come together and produce quality education and results with students who are eligible for any college and/or university in the world," Beland said. Beland explained that by the time LUPS students reach the 12th Grade and during the course of the application period, from September through February or later of the senior year, each student works on myriad issues such as the implications of early decision/action, crafting of the students extracurricular resume, mock interview sessions, teachers recommendations, and financial aid investigation. "Our College Counselor, English teachers, and administrators work with students across the course of the academic year as they complete and perfect their applications, essays, and letters of motivation. The LUPS College Counseling program supports each senior throughout the admissions process and helps students identify and gain acceptance to the college or colleges which suit their academic, lifestyle, extracurricular interests, and financial circumstances. This demonstrates the comprehensive process, yet again, of the value of an American-accredited LU education. "Congratulations to our 2022 Senior Class for the amazing results. We would also like to thank all families, teachers, counselors, and administrators past and present for their continued dedication and support to the education of students at Learning Unlimited Preparatory School," he concluded. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday, May 23rd, the Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar Ottley met with Collective Prevention Services (CPS) to discuss the monkeypox virus outbreak. Monkeypox, a virus that is usually found in rodents, marsupials, and monkeys, has been detected in humans in a number of countries worldwide. So far, 92 cases have been recorded across 12 countries. This number is likely to grow but it has not been detected in Sint Maarten. Monkeypox virus is transmitted from person to person by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. Those infected with monkeypox often have the following symptoms: fever; headache; back pain; muscle soreness; weakness; swollen lymph nodes; a rash beginning on the face and then spreading elsewhere, followed by lesions or pustules. If individuals experience any of these symptoms, please visit your general practitioner. Note that monkeypox disease is rarely severe, and in most cases resolves in 2-4 weeks without treatment, however, those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk and could require hospitalization. Monkeypox is different from impetigo (a skin infection caused by a bacterium that is common in the Netherlands). The name monkeypox is frequently used for impetigo on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao and in Suriname. Please be sure to check your information sources carefully and do not spread misinformation about the disease. The best websites to follow are the World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control, and National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). CPS is monitoring the international situation closely and will communicate all relevant updates to the public in a timely manner. Please remember to visit your general practitioner if you are feeling unwell. Although the virus has not reached the shores of Sint Maarten, we are taking preventative measures to assure maximum safety against this virus. Said Minister Ottley. Finalmente, destaco el impacto de programas sociales como Yanapay y Qali Warma en la poblacion mas vulnerable, asi como la importancia de la labor de las Plataformas Itinerantes de Accion Social (PIAS) para acercar el Estado a todos los peruanos y peruanas. pic.twitter.com/Lrql08Xob9 PHILIPSBURG(DCOMM):--- On Tuesday, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, predicting an above-normal season being caused by an ongoing La Nina and warmer-than-average the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea surface temperatures, setting the stage for a busy season ahead. For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which six (6) to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three (3) to six (6) major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence. The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) which falls under the Fire Department (Ministry of General Affairs) headed by Fire Chief/Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson, said on Tuesday appeals to all residents and businesses to plan ahead and lets Be Prepared for the hurricane season. ODM calls on residents to review the content of their Disaster Kit and to start restocking it with the essentials that are necessary to ride out the hurricane season. Every households Disaster Kit should be able to support members of the household for a minimum of seven days after the hurricane has passed. The Disaster Kit should contain non-perishable food, water, and medicine (fill prescriptions before the storm); a non-electric can opener; a first-aid kit; extra cash (ATM machines and credit cards wont work if there is no electricity); battery-powered radio and flashlights as well as extra batteries; make sure cell phones are all charged prior to the arrival of the hurricane; fill up your car/truck with gas; check if your home and automobile insurance are up to date; put ID cards, passports and drivers license, insurance papers in a waterproof bag along with other important documents. If you are a parent with an infant or young child (ren), you also need to have essential items as part of your disaster supply kit: baby formula; diapers; bottles; powdered milk; medications; moist towels; and diaper rash ointment. Your Disaster Kit must also include hand sanitizer, a soap bar or liquid soap; two cloth face coverings for each person; disinfecting wipes, or general household cleaning supplies to disinfect surfaces. Now is the time to trim back tree branches from your home; cut all dead or weak branches on any trees on your property; clean-up your yard and put away items that could blow away during the passing of a hurricane; check your roof and storm shutters to make sure they are secure, and the latter are working. For those whose homes are not yet storm/hurricane ready, you should make alternative housing arrangements to stay at family or friends. The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your Hurricane Season Readiness Guide and Hurricane Tracking Chart. Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane. For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/ Remember, it only takes one hurricane to make it a bad season. Be prepared! ATTN: Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitisation Ms. Alexandra van Huffelen Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mr. Mark Rutte Tweede Kamer der Staten te The Hague , Netherlands Recherche Samenwerkingsteam, St. Maarten Team Bestrijding Ondermijning, St. Maarten General Public, St. Maarten Date: May 24, 2022, Subject: Utility St. Maarten GEBE Dear Ms. Alexandra van Huffelen, In solidarity, we the employees of GEBE extend a courtesy visit to your Excellency during your visit to the island of St. Maarten. The reason for this invitation is to express great concerns regarding the imperiling situation within the company. The elected Government officials have remarkably failed this country by appointing Mr. Egbert Doran as the Minister of VROMI and have allowed him to continue serving in this capacity despite the overt unlawful activities that have violated the constitution of this country. The sole utility pillar as once known is totally destroyed and on the verge of bankruptcy. The Minister together with his appointed Board of Directors, Temporary Manager Mr. Merrill Temmer and the destructive nonproductive Internal Auditor Ms. Sharine Daniel are the key players behind the demise of the company. Primarily, the Minister of VROMI had NO knowledge of the Ministry whatsoever and made a mutual agreement with the Secretary-General Mr. Kurt Ruan in exchange to have his life partner Ms. Sharine Daniel appointed as CEO of GEBE. Orderly, the Minister selectively appointed family and friends to the Board of Directors totally disregarding the advice from the Corporate Governance Council. The impending CEO Ms. Sharine Daniel has over 9 years in the company and has NO knowledge of its internal operations and processes but has been adamantly disrupting the development of the company as an Internal Auditor. In the wake of her destruction, Daniel plans to use all strategic innovation initiatives from previous directors once appointed as CEO to justify her extension. Daniel also has No technical knowledge nor does she possess the accounting attributes according to her STILL questionable qualifications. She has been publicly headlined for falsified credentials, dishonesty towards career employment, and leaking of confidential information from inside GEBE and SZV to a specific media outlet. The former Temporary Managing director Mr. Mauricio Dembrook received advice from the company H.R. manager and Law firm BZSE Attorneys at Law to appeal the case against Daniel as evidence pointed out that the results of the case were influenced by a number of external factors. The appeal was blocked by the appointed Board of Directors whose main directives from the Minister of VROMI was to immediately terminate Mr. Dembrook and block the petition to protect the CEO candidate as the truth would implicate her. These great efforts were made by the Minister to extend his political career during the next parliamentary elections as Daniel is the only corrupt candidate to this date that is willing to leverage the Hope Estate property in exchange for a 5-year contract as CEO. The Minister is also desperately trying to herd voters and plans on doing so by using the promised company asset in the form of a housing project for his campaign in the coming elections. During last week's press briefing, the general public discovered that the Board of Directors removed all warning letters Sharine Daniel received for misconduct and breach of contract from several former Managing Directors and Board of Directors. This was done in an effort to elude the screening process and guarantee her the post as CEO. Similarly, the impending COO Mr. Merrill Temmer former Manager of ICT is the main cause of the ongoing situation in the company as he failed to protect the company servers that encompassed decades of clients' information and financial records. Temmer and Daniel have been the architects of destruction over the past few years. Both have collected handsome salaries, bonuses, and allowances but have been nothing but nuisances to the company. In the wake of her destruction, Temmer joined forces with Daniel and was the main person responsible for the leaking of confidential information and consistently distracted the former Managing Directors from rebuilding and rebranding the companys image. In the plot of evil, both Temmer and Daniel miscalculated their steps and failed to deliver competitive solutions to the companys internal network. With Gross negligence and incompetence being their main falter, Daniel as Internal Auditor failed miserably to audit Temmer as ICT Manager because of their entangled friendship. While on the other hand, Temmer refused to implement the instructions he received from the former Managing Directors to protect the company servers. To date, neither candidate has been able to solve the ransomware problem and has been very reserved in trying to avoid the shortcoming scandal they very much publicized on other directors. If Daniel and Temmer cant solve this problem imagine what the future of this company is going to be like. These acts of evil have caused the company millions of dollars and to date neither has been held responsible or terminated by the Board of Directors or Minister. The Minister of VROMI and Board of Directors have violated the Articles of incorporation, Constitution of the land, and Kingdom. These acts are totally unlawful as all parties are considered accomplices and need to be immediately removed from their post. Moreover, such acts demonstrate great nepotism, cronyism, and corruption inside the company. Your Excellency, social media is the only medium of freedom where our voices will be heard as the Prime Minister continues to recuse herself and turn a blind eye despite the blatant acts of transgressions. Our future is bleak and none of the elected officials are doing anything. Hence the reason why you are our only hope in making the right decisions for this company. Day by day the threats and oppression from Daniel is becoming unbearable and is affecting our mental state. PLEASE help us by intervention and officially order an investigation into this madness and put an end to this once and for all. It has been going on for far too long and they need to be permanently removed from the company. Enough is enough. Help us bring back tranquility and appoint the right innovative minds to transform GEBE into the utility company it should be and no longer a political playground. Yours sincerely Staff NV GEBE Maple Gold Announces C$4.8 Million Increase To Year Two Exploration Budget At Douay And Joutel Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX-V: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G)A (\Maple Gold\ or the \Company\ https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/maple-gold-mines-ltd/ ) is pleased to announce that the 50/50 joint venture (the \JV\) between the Company and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (\Agnico\) has agreed to increase the JVa?s Year Two exploration budget by C$4.8 million to support a deep drilling program at the JVa?s Douay Gold Project (\Douay\) and Joutel Gold Project (\Joutel\) in Quebec, Canada. aApproval of this supplemental budget in Year Two of the JV is an important continuation of our 2022 exploration program across our 400 km2 land package,a stated Matthew Hornor, President and CEO of Maple Gold. aThe JV has developed a more aggressive step-out and deep drilling program to define a larger gold system at Douay and to extend higher-grade mineralization along the entire past-producing Eagle-Telbel mine trend at Joutel. It is an exciting step for the JV to initiate this deep drilling program and we look forward to working closely with our partner to deliver new discoveries that can expand the current resource base.a Fred Speidel, VP Exploration of Maple Gold added: aThe Abitibi Greenstone Belt is renowned for its deep-rooted gold systems and the confirmed presence of mineralized carbonatite at Douay requires deep, mantle-tapping structures. The expanded Year Two drill program will specifically target Douaya?s depth potential and will also kick-off maiden JV drilling at Joutel, where historical intercepts and initial 3D modeling point to the potential for extensions of high-grade gold mineralization at depth. Our current Eagle and Douay drill programs are ongoing and with this supplemental budget now approved we expect to be drilling continuously throughout 2022 and into 2023.a The C$4.8 million supplemental exploration budget provides additional funding beyond Agnicoa?s Year Two JV spending commitment of C$4 million, therefore the partners will each contribute C$2.4 million on a pro rata (50/50) basis as per the JV agreement. Maple Golda?s portion will be fully funded using proceeds from the Companya?s 2021 flow-through financing (see news from December 9, 2021). The deep drilling program is expected to include four to six drill holes and/or drill hole extensions totaling roughly 10,000 metres (\m\) across Douay and Joutel. Deep Drilling at Douay The average vertical depth of the drill hole database at Douay is less than 300 m. Select deeper drilling has been completed, including the first two +1,000 m drill holes completed at Douay during the Winter 2022 campaign, but only limited drill data exists below 500 m vertical depth and no data exists below 800 m vertical depth. The supplemental budget will allow additional deep (1,500 a 2,000 m) drill holes or drill hole extensions at Douay, which have been designed to test multiple horizons within the favourable litho-tectonic corridor extending from roughly one kilometre south of the Casa Berardi North Fault (\CBNF\) within basalt and syenitic rocks, and up to 500 m north of the CBNF in Taibi Group sediments. Planned deep drill holes at Douay are designed to reach the CBNF at depth and will test the full extent of the mineralized system, from the Douay West Zone to the Main Zone, all well below the SLR 2022 conceptual pits in these areas (see Figure 1 for proposed drill hole locations). Deep Drilling at Joutel (Telbel Mine Area) Planned drilling at Joutel will include three drill holes beneath the historical underground mine workings at Telbel, which extend to roughly 1,200 m below surface. Past gold production at Telbel focused on a single zone between 600 a 1,200 m; however, the JVa?s data digitization and 3D modeling have identified significant gold intercepts up to 1,400 m below surface that were never adequately followed up on. This initial phase of deep drilling at Telbel will begin to test the observed stratigraphic continuity and associated gold mineralization at greater depth. At least one hole is expected to be drilled from the south and at least two holes from the north to test the full stratigraphy for the main Telbel mine horizon and potential sub-parallel gold trends (see Figure 2 for proposed drill hole locations). Qualified Person The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc., P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration of Maple Gold. Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this press release through his direct participation in the work. About Maple Gold Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company in a 50/50 joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited to jointly advance the district-scale Douay and Joutel gold projects located in Quebeca?s prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. The projects benefit from exceptional infrastructure access and boast ~400 km2 of highly prospective ground including an established gold resource at Douay (SLR 2022) that holds significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Eagle, Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property. The district-scale property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55 km strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the project ripe for new gold and polymetallic discoveries. The Company is well capitalized and is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains \forward-looking information\ and \forward-looking statements\ (collectively referred to as \forward-looking statements\) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about exploration work and results from current and future work programs. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management\-s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company\-s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.\-s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company\-s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. 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. The leadership team is being created to provide leadership and strategic direction in coordinating policy and system level work across agencies to improve a complex and fragmented system for intimate partner violence victims. The team will be co-chaired by The Honorable Kim Berkeley Clark, President Judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and Erin Dalton, director of the Department of Human Services (DHS). Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Gainey are serving as honorary co-chairs and conveners. Ive said this often, but its no secret that our community does the best when we work together and tackling the issue of, and improving response to, intimate partner violence is no exception, said Mr. Fitzgerald. We are grateful to the many stakeholders coming together to give of their time and effort and are committed to making real changes to our system to connect everyone and improve outcomes for all of those who interact with our many systems because of that violence. Along with County Executive Fitzgerald, Mayor Gainey, Judge Clark and Director Dalton, the leadership team includes Dr. Debra Bogen, Allegheny County Health Department; Hillary Brown, Nina Baldwin Fisher Foundation; Carlos Carter, Urban League; Cindy Chung, US Attorney for the Western District); Chris Connors, Fifth Judicial District of PA; Matt Dugan, Allegheny County Public Defenders Office; Dr. Kathi Elliott, Gwens Girls; Chief Bruce Fromlak of West View Borough, Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association; Michelle Gibb (Alle-Kiski Area Hope Center), Tom McCaffrey, Fifth Judicial District of PA; Dr. Elizabeth Miller, UPMC; Nicole Molinaro, Womens Center and Shelter; Angela Reynolds, YWCA; Deputy Chief Thomas Stangrecki, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; Kristy Trautmann, FISA Foundation; and, District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. Thank you to the Womens Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and the FISA Foundation for their work and support of this new effort to address Intimate Partner Violence, said Mayor Gainey. This leadership team and their work to create real reforms and politics on this critical public health issue are key to building a region where everyone can feel safe. The countys standing intimate partner violence (IPV) task force meets annually and includes tactical working groups. Stakeholders from all systems engaged in a comprehensive participatory assessment process by The Urban Institute to document community responses to IPV and identify opportunities to improve. The project was funded by FISA Foundation and Hillman Family Foundations and resulted in a public report: Advancing a Coordinated Response to Intimate Partner Violence: A Systemwide Assessment from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The top priority was a commitment from top leadership to help mobilize agencies, enable experts and turn recommendations into policies and practice. The IPV Reform Leadership Team fulfills that goal. FISA Foundation supported the two-year planning and assessment project led by The Urban Institute that applauded the strong leadership already in place in the courts, human services, law enforcement and victim services, and established consensus on areas for improvement, said Kristy Trautmann, executive director of the FISA Foundation. Were delighted that the county executive, mayor, president judge, Department of Human Services, and many other leaders have put a stake in the group to support continuing reform to help victims of domestic violence to be safer. Coordinated leadership is the only way to tackle complex problems and the launch of this task force is a big step forward in addressing domestic violence in Allegheny County. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, one in three women, and one in four men, will be victims of physical violence by an intimate partner. In Allegheny County, there are more than 80 9-1-1 calls for domestic violence every day. Though overall 9-1-1 calls decreased during COVID, calls for domestic violence increased. From 2016 to 2021, four percent of female victims of homicide were killed in their own homes. More than 14,000 people reach out to a victim services organization for support related to IPV each year. Elevating the coordination of the work with survivors of intimate partner violence will, quite simply, save lives, said Nicole Molinaro, president/CEO of Womens Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. We are honored that the county, city, courts and human service leadership have partnered with the domestic violence programs in Allegheny County and the FISA Foundation to address domestic violence as a public health issue that affects our entire community. Survivors, perpetrators of violence and child witnesses are served in large numbers in our systems. In 2018, 16 percent of all cases filed in Pittsburgh Municipal Court were for IPV. That same year, 37 percent of child welfare cases that were opened had IPV indicated. In 2017, 75 percent of perpetrators in child deaths had a history of IPV as an aggressor or survivor. The District Attorneys Domestic Violence Unit resolves between 650-950 cases per year. There are 700-1,000 people served in domestic violence shelters every year. Roughly 50 percent of them are children. The IPV Reform Leadership Task Force is intended to provide visible and prominent leadership for reform efforts while also adding public accountability to making progress. The effort also invites public awareness and attention to the issues, said Judge Clark. The involvement of cross-system stakeholders will help coordinate implementation of priorities. DHS has dedicated a high-level advisor to the work on IPV reform. Additionally, the department will focus on data infrastructure, expand Battering Intervention Programming, leverage state and federal grants, and provide any needed administrative support for the IPV Task Force. Issues of intimate partner violence impact all of our work at DHS, said Director Dalton. We are pleased to provide infrastructure to help tackle this critical problem. The IPV Reform Leadership Task Force had its first organizational meeting this morning which focused on basic orientation and a discussion about the key problems and issues that the group wants to address through this process. The group will reconvene in the near future for its first working meeting to discuss action steps and set priorities for the work groups. Thereafter, the group will meet annually. ?? El ministro de Economia y Finanzas, Oscar Graham, participo en el panel denominado "Absorbing the commodity shock", en el marco de la Reunion Anual del Foro Economico Mundial (@wef) que se realiza en la ciudad de Davos, Suiza.#wef22 pic.twitter.com/SUgEgkpCOB Boujdour (Western Sahara), May 24, 2022 (SPS) A US delegation of women with the "Just Visit Western Sahara initiative" are being detained in Western Sahara today by the Moroccan authorities at Laayoune Airport. The US delegation was invited by the Khaya sisters who have been subject to a brutal long-term siege. The US delegation of three US women includes Adrienne Kinne, former President of Veterans for Peace, Wynd Kaufmyn, a community college professor, and Laksana Peters, a retired teacher. Moroccan authorities cited vague national security concerns but were not able to provide any legal justification for denying entry to these US visitors. Although the US government has recognized the illegal Moroccan annexation of Western Sahara, the State Department has expressed repeated concerns about human rights in Morocco and Western Sahara including the treatment of the nonviolent Khaya Sisters. The US delegation is scheduled to meet with Tim Pluta and Ruth McDonough, a team of US citizens who have been staying with the Khaya sisters since March 15. Despite their presence, Moroccan occupation forces have continued harsh torture, beatings, sexual assaults, arrests, enforced isolation of the family, and threats to community members who visit the Khaya home or seek to provide food and support. Last week, a large truck smashed into their house 3 times in an attempt to either kill the residents or damage the home in such a way that it would need to be condemned, providing an excuse for the occupying forces to forcibly remove the occupants. The Khaya sisters are human rights defenders in Western Sahara who advocate against violence towards women and for self-determination of the indigenous Saharawi people. They have been subjected to a continuous and brutally violent siege for more than 18 months. Wynd Kaufmyn expressed dismay at the repressive nature of the Moroccan government to visitors and wondered how a tourist industry could ever succeed with such mistrust and mistreatment of Americans. If we can be treated this way, can you imagine how the local Saharawi women are treated? I have spent a lot of money on these tickets and to just be turned around with no explanation is outrageous. All the Americans involved are part of a US coalition called Just "Visit Western Sahara" . It is a network of groups and individuals committed to peace and justice, which have been denied to the Saharawi people, protection of human rights, respect for international law, and encouraging Americans and international travelers to witness the beauty and appeal of Western Sahara, and to see the reality of the Moroccan occupation for themselves. 090/110 SPS This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Wegmans, the New York-based upscale grocery chain, is pledging to provide donations and scholarships to the local community as the company seeks approval to open its first location in Connecticut. In an application submitted to Norwalks planning and zoning department, Wegmans said the company plans to make significant investments in the city if the more than 91,000-square-foot store is approved. Wegmans prides itself on investing in the communities it serves, company officials wrote in the application. Its charitable endeavors from New York to North Carolina include efforts to feed the hungry, enrich neighborhoods and fund educational opportunities. The grocery store chains application did not specify the contributions. But a spokesperson noted the company donated more than 26 million pounds of food items to local food banks last year and recently awarded $6 million in scholarships to employees. Wegmans is seeking the Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commissions approval to build the store on a 11-acre site at 47 Richards Ave. between Connecticut Avenue and Interstate 95. The chain is proposing to demolish MBIs existing 110,000-square-foot office building to make way for the two-story brick grocery store and a garage with several hundred parking spots, according to the application. Floor plans show the store will feature more than a dozen grocery and checkout aisles, bakery, deli and cafe with seating on the second level. The stores interior, according to the application, has been designed to look and feel like an open-air market. Customers will be able to purchase fresh produce, artisan breads, baked goods prepared on the premises, fresh meat and seafood, and other gourmet and staple foods and household staples typically found at a food market, officials wrote in the application. As part of the proposal, the company is also seeking a zoning amendment that will allow for the construction of a parking deck, cupola and clock tower a design feature found at most Wegmans locations. In addition to tearing down the MBI building, Wegmans is proposing to demolish a pair of retail buildings at 677 and 651 Connecticut Ave. to build a new roadway for customers to access the store. The application claims the new roadway and existing entrances on Richards and Keeler avenues will prevent traffic backups at the store. The proposed parking area is designed to provide safe and convenient access for vehicles and pedestrians alike, officials wrote in the application. The demolished retail buildings will later be reconstructed with a brick, stone and metal facade, according to the application. The future tenants of the buildings have not yet been announced. The proposal has already cleared one key hurdle. The Norwalk Conservation Commission voted last month to endorse plans to build the store. Steve Kleppin, the citys planning and zoning director, said Monday Wegmans is scheduled to present its proposal to the planning and zoning commission on June 2. He said a public hearing for the store could be held as early as July 20. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticut has seen just a few families seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, among them Simon Bobrovskii and Daria Sakhniuk, who fled Kyiv, married in a refugee camp in Mexico and arrived in Rocky Hill this spring. We might start to see many more under new federal rules that make it easier for victims escaping the Russian invasion to enter the United States if they can find sponsors to take them in. One person making it happen: Dana Bucin, a prominent immigration lawyer and Romanias honorary (read: unpaid) consul general to Connecticut. Bucin has spent much of this spring working as a matchmaker between Ukrainians seeking refuge in the United States and families willing to take them in, under a complex and evolving system thats unlike earlier refugee resettlements, most recently for Afghans. Bucin traveled in mid-April with another immigration lawyer to a refugee camp for Ukrainians in Tijuana as it happened, just as Bobrovskii and Sakhniuk had their wedding. She met them, matched them with a Connecticut sponsor and brought them home along with another refugee from Ukraine. And shes been at it ever since, filling a need for U.S.-bound refugees who dont have families, close friends or ties to a Ukrainian church in the United States. Its up to people like you and me to take these people in, said Bucin, a Portland resident who emigrated in 1998 from the Transylvania region of Romania to attend college in Ohio, then law school in Boston. Ive matched about 25 people so far. Thats too small a number for the need, but its a good start and a huge task. Jumping into the crisis Isnt refugee resettlement something the government does through nonprofit agencies? In the past, yes as with the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees, upwards of 1,000 of whom have made their way to Connecticut. In this latest humanitarian crisis, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking American families and groups to step up directly by applying to become refugee hosts. The plan, known as Uniting for Ukraine, has been hailed as a way to welcome victims of the war faster, though it comes with serious pitfalls. It requires that sponsors and refugees pair up on their own, somehow, and navigate an already traumatic time without the usual supports. Its madness for the Feds to not use resettlement agencies. They know how to do this work training for host groups, helping refugee families in crisis with a zillion mundane and big issues, an on and on. That, too, is evolving; nonprofit agencies such as New Haven-based Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services are finding ways to join in an effort that didnt give them a central role. For now, Bucin has made herself into a lifeline, one of a very small number across the United States. A U.S. citizen for about a decade, she heads the immigration practice at Murtha Cullina and she came from a country, Romania, that has seen more than 1 million Ukrainians flood south across its borders. With that skill and background, Bucin knew she could help people from her perch in Connecticut and jumped into the matchmaking role. Shes driven by a crisis thats hitting her own family, not uniquely. Her parents, in their 60s, live in a town in Transylvania, just three hours from the Ukraine border. There were five refugees so far in my parents home, Bucin said. Them and every other Romanian that I know. Not a job for one woman U.S. sponsors are stepping up slowly in the system thats not well publicized by the government, but theyre stepping up some with no ties to the Ukrainian community. Maybe their families survived the Nazi Holocaust. Maybe their ancestors came here from some nation torn apart by famine, war or ethnic violence. The federal forms ask would-be hosts why theyre helping. I cry whenever I see their expanations, Bucin said. And thats when you just lose it because you just see the goodness of this world. Trouble is, its not a role that she can scale up to find temporary homes for thousands of Ukrainians in limbo in Mexico and Europe. She can match up maybe 100 people, she figures and not all of the matches pan out. Thats a tiny dent in the 100,000 Ukrainians the Biden administration would like to bring to the United States with a refugee status known as humantarian parole. I would love to hand over the responsibility, Bucin told me. I want this to be taken out of my hands and taken over by somebody that has the institutional capacity to do this. That would be agencies such as IRIS, in New Haven which typically arrange for the full cost of resettling refugees, maybe $30,000 to set up a family in an apartment and into a new life. One solution would be for the federal governent to keep what I call this thousand points of light system that relies on private sponsors, but pay resettlement agencies to make it work more smoothly. Thats great that ordinary Americans can step forward and welcome Ukrainians, said Chris George, the IRIS executive director. IRIS has always been a big believer in the capability of volunteers to resettle refugeesBut people should know what it entails, people should do it as a group, the group should should get some training, and they should be connected with an experienced refugee resettlement agency that can help them when they need help. George is optimistic that IRIS and other agencies will be able to step in and work their magic, based in part on a separate federal initiative called Sponsor Circles, which was founded in the Afghan crisis. And IRIS has a grant through a foundation created by George Soros, so it doesnt need an immediate flow of federal cash. Investing so much love A host-family system has never, at least in anyones memory, been put to work as the main bulwark of widespread resettlement. Theres a reason why the State Department doesnt allow refugee resettlement agencies to place people with host families, George noted. There will inevitably be some problems. Speaking of Bucin, he said, Shes a one-person refugee resettlement matching agency but clearly thats not enough. Bucin wasnt sure as of late Monday how many of the families she has connected with sponsors have made it to Connecticut. Once she makes the match, she leaves it to them to come together, but will step in to help if she can. Shes focused on the people fleeing Ukraine. Weve been investing so much love in them, she said. These people are welders, theyre health care professionals, theyre IT specialists, musicians, artists, bodybuilders, fitness instructors, construction workers...There was a doctor that I talked to who felt very, very guilty but she had to leave because she couldnt take the bombardment. She connected that woman with a doctor in California. One sponsor in Connecticut told me he and his wife drove to JFK Airport after arranging for a Bucin-introduced family to travel to the United States to live with them. For how long? Thats impossible to know. Even with looser rules under the Uniting for Ukraine program, work permits take months. Our laws and regulations have only gotten stricter and stricter, Bucin said. Its more difficult for new immigrants to get drivers licenses and work permits and bank accounts. A broken immigration system The battle in Congress over immigration policy hasnt made matters easier. President Joe Biden was set to drop a Trump-era rule, known as Title 42, under which the United States sent all refugees crossing the border back to Mexico to apply for refugee status a rule the former president put in place ostensibly because of public health during Covid, though critics charged racism and anti-foreign sentiment. On Friday, three days before the rule was to expire, a federal judge in Louisisna barred Biden from ending it. As an earlier workaround, for six weeks in March and April, the Department of Homeland Security allowed Ukrainian refugees but only Ukrainian refugees to cross the border for speedier processing. We are reluctant to get involved in resettling Ukrainians who received special treatment crossing the border from Mexico, George said, on the basis of nationality and maybe skin color, allowing them to move to the front of the line ahead of people who have been waiting for months. Bucin disagrees that the Ukrainian carve-out at the border was unfair, saying it addressed an immediate global crisis, and that, unlike the varied circumstances of refugees from other counties, all people from Ukraine were clearly displaced by war. They both agree, and they are 100 percent correct, that the border rules need to be loosened and reformed for all refugees. Even setting aside the moral imperative to help, the United States needs a lot more immigrants. Connecticut, for example, has had 100,000 jobs unfilled since the pandemic shutdown ended. She credits Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., with helping Ukrainians enter the United States; and she hopes an influx of refugee immigrants from Ukraine will fill some of those open jobs. This person can cook, Bucin said. Can I match them with someone whos in the restaurant business? Daria Sakhniuk, the newlywed in Rocky Hill, is a dental office manager and Simon Bobrovskii worked in Kyiv as a hearing aid technician. Theyre likely to find jobs as soon as they receive work permits, but will they want to stay in Connecticut? Bucin hopes so. Thats one factor she looks for a match with Connecticut, not just with the sponsors. You have to filter human nature so theres a match. Its an amazing work that Ive never done before but Im forced to do it because no one else is doing it, she said Monday night. And its an honor. Anyone interested in sponsoring Ukrainian refugees should email Dana Bucin directly at dbucin@murthalaw.com . dhaar@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN Just as the first assistant United States attorney retires, Connecticut got another one Monday. Alfred Pavlis, 64, of Fairfield, was sworn in as the first assistant U.S. attorney Monday morning in New Haven, according to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. More than just being an excellent and well-respected attorney with decades of professional experience, Al Pavlis is a person of strong integrity and great judgment with a commitment to equal justice, fairness and the rule of law, Avery said. We are fortunate that Al has returned to public service, and I am confident that he will engender the trust and respect of every member of the office, our law enforcement partners, community leaders, and all the people of Connecticut. Leonard Boyle served as the first assistant U.S. attorney from June 2018 to March 2021. He then was the acting U.S. attorney until Avery was sworn in earlier this month. Boyle retired on Friday, Averys office said. Len Boyle represented the United States of America with dignity and distinction, and he dedicated not only his federal career, but his prior work in state and local law enforcement, to making our communities safer, Avery said. While all of us in the U.S. Attorneys Office will miss his everyday presence, wisdom and decency, we thank Len for his dedicated service and wish him a very happy and healthy retirement. Pavlis has been in private practice for more than 30 years. Most recently, he was with Finn Dixon & Herling LLP in Stamford and represented corporate and individual clients in civil litigation matters and enforcement actions with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. At the practice, Pavlis also worked on federal criminal investigations including fraud in securities, commodities and accounting, as well as insider trading and violations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Averys office said. From 1985 to 1990, Pavlis was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York where he investigated and prosecuted narcotics trafficking, organized crime, corruption and securities fraud offenses, according to Averys office. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Parliament debated the bill by the ruling Civil Contract Party seeking to enable state bodies to withdraw the accreditation of journalists in case of violation of rules of accreditation. State bodies will be entitled to withdraw the accreditation of journalists only if the journalist again violates the rules during 1 year after being warned in a written notification. Lawmaker Artur Hovhannisyan from Civil Contract said the media outlet which employs the given journalist will be entitled to substitute them. I think this change is about maintaining the rules of coexistence in state bodies, about maintaining the normal work of journalists, Hovhannisyan said. Hovhannisyan said that some journalists conduct during press briefings in parliament is disrupting the course of the briefings and the work of other journalists. At the same time, Hovhannisyan noted the duly work of many other journalists covering the parliament. Lawmaker Gevorg Papoyan expressed opinion that sometimes the society associates journalism with the conduct of individual journalists. Therefore, this bill is for the hundreds of truly professional journalists, who shouldnt think that some individual people can cast a shadow on an entire community with their inappropriate conduct, he said. Viktoria Sundqvist / Hearst Connecticut Media / HARTFORD A Hartford man was sentenced to more than two years in prison Tuesday after police found about 900 bags of heroin and fentanyl in his Buick, according to federal prosecutors. Maico Turell, 49, pleaded guilty in February to distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the U.S. attorneys office. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said Tuesday he is recovering from a "minor stroke" that prompted doctors to remove a small blood clot. Stein, a Democrat currently in his second four-year term as the state's top law enforcement official, said in a tweet that he had stroke-like symptoms Monday night after he and his wife, Anna, walked the family dog. Stein, 55, said he was taken to a hospital, where the clot-removal procedure was successful. Stein's office also confirmed his medical emergency and his stay in a Raleigh hospital. Im feeling back to normal now and am beyond blessed to have no lingering effects, Stein wrote, adding that his physician wants him to stay in the hospital another day or two, then get some rest before returning to work. Anna is my hero for recognizing that something was wrong and insisting that I go to the hospital," Stein said, while also praising the emergency medical technicians who took him for medical help. The couple has three children. I have a tremendous amount to be thankful for this morning, especially my loving family, he added. Politicians from both sides of the aisle offered Stein their best wishes on social media. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper tweeted that he spoke to Stein on Tuesday morning and hes doing well. Already back at it on the phone and corresponding. Cant keep a good man down. Stein, a former state senator, has been considered a potential 2024 gubernatorial candidate to succeed Cooper, who is barred by term limits from running again. By narrow margins, Stein was elected attorney general in 2016 and reelected in 2020. Stein led the consumer protection division in the Department of Justice when Cooper was attorney general before Stein went into private practice. Stein announced May 17 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 the day before but said he had no symptoms. While attorney general, Stein has been known for his involvement in a national opioid settlement and for a landmark legal settlement that forced electronic cigarette giant Juul Labs Inc. to pay $40 million to North Carolina and take more action to prevent underage use and sales. Stein, the son of civil rights attorney Adam Stein, grew up in Chapel Hill. He went to Dartmouth College and later Harvard University, where he received a law degree. He was campaign manager for John Edwards in his successful U.S. Senate bid in 1998. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Nonprofits and community organizations want the state to begin coordinating services for asylum seekers after Maine's largest city announced this month that it could no longer guarantee housing. All told, 79 organizations signed the letter, dated Friday, that said a coordinated, statewide effort is necessary to meet the moment." Connecticut-based supermarket chain Stew Leonard's has recalled a number of coffee products sold at its Norwalk location. All bagged, loose or roasted coffee and coffee beans of all flavors and varieties, sold at the company's Norwalk market, have been recalled. Specifically, the company has issued the recall for any of these products purchased between May 21-24 at 11 a.m, according to a press release sent by Stew Leonard's. The recall was issued due to a possible contamination that could trigger nut allergies. The company said in its press release that they were experimenting with a "a double-roasted pistachio nut" in their coffee roaster but didn't immediately realize that by doing so, they possibly contaminated the following batch of roasted coffee. Stew Leonard's is asking that customers with nut allergies to return the coffee products for a full refund. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HUNTSVILLE. Ala. (AP) Republican Senate hopefuls made last-minute pitches to primary voters Monday in the tight race for the GOP nomination for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, appeared at a Huntsville rally with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as he seeks to overcome former President Donald Trumps harsh criticisms and decision to rescind his initial endorsement. Former Shelby aide Katie Britt and veteran Mike Durant, a businessman best known as the helicopter pilot held captive in the Black Hawk Down battle in Somalia also concentrated their efforts in Republican strongholds in north Alabama, attempting to sway undecided primary voters and combat a flurry of negative attack ads in the expensive and hotly contested race. Outside groups have pumped more than $20 million into the race to either support or oppose one of the frontrunners. The fractured field increases the chances the primary will go to a June 21 runoff, which will be required unless a single candidate captures more than 50% of the vote. Trump scrambled the race this spring when he backed away from Brooks who had been seen as an early favorite in the race. Trump had initially endorsed Brooks who had been a key champion of the false claims that the 2020 election was stolen but Trump rescinded that endorsement in March, citing Brooks languishing performance and accused the congressman of going woke for saying it was time to move on from the 2020 presidential outcome and focus on upcoming elections. Brooks is trying to prove he can still win anyway. Brooks, a six-term congressman from north Alabama, is banking on his long history with Alabama voters. With Mo Brooks, there is no risk if you want a conservative, Im the only conservative in the race, Brooks said. Cruz said the race will decide what kind of Republican the red-leaning state will send to the U.S. Senate. This race is going to determine whether or not we have a proven conservative who will stand and fight and lead. And if you look at the insanity that is going on in Washington, we need warriors, Cruz said. Durant, running on his status as a military veteran and business owner without political experience, received a folded U.S. flag from supporter Ashlie Combs during a stop at a barbecue restaurant in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood. Combs, a former military truck driver and interpreter, said Durant's story inspired some of the men she served with to join the military. Im the the non-career politician. Im the one who has combat veteran experience, business owner experience. Im in it the for the right reason. Im in it to serve, Durant said. Im not in it because Ive aspired to be this my whole life. In fact, I dont like politics. But we need people like me in Washington. Durant has faced an onslaught of negative ads that he said distorted his views on gun rights and other matters. He said he is asking voters to see through millions of dollars spent in lying attacks ads. I'm going to ask the people of Alabama to see through that and come out and vote for me, Durant said. Before leading the Business Council of Alabama, Britt served as chief of staff to Shelby, one the Senates most senior members and a traditional Republican known for his ability to bring home federal projects and funding to his home state. Britt said while her experience would allow her to hit the ground running she would bring a fresh perspective to Washington. There is no doubt that Alabama is ready for new blood, Britt told supporters gathered in Cullman, Alabama. In a stump speech ranging from border security to energy policy, Britt said, we need the America First agenda back in action." Both Britt and Durant have asked for Trumps endorsement, but he has so far stayed out of the race. I believe in this nation, and I believe in this state. And what I want you to know is I am not only going to go fight for our Christian conservative values. I am going to fight for the people of Alabama, Britt said. Lillie Boddie of Florence, small business owner Karla M. Dupriest of Mobile and Jake Schafer also are on the GOP ballot. The Rev. Will Boyd, former Brighton mayor Brandaun Dean and retired Army veteran Lanny Jackson are vying for the Democratic nomination. AGUSTA, Maine (AP) Many faculty members and students say the resignation of an incoming administrator isn't enough to satisfy concerns about the leadership of the University of Maine System. Faculty at University of Maine at Augusta and two other public universities previously cast no-confidence votes in UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy over the hiring of Michael Laliberte to lead the Augusta campus and job cuts on the Farmington campus. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The Board of the Central Bank of Armenia approved the acquisition of the Armenian Securities Exchange (AMX) by the Warsaw Stock Exchange. According to the agreement, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) will acquire 65.03% of AMX. The Armenian Central Bank issued the following press release on the acquisition: On its May 24 sitting, the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia gave its consent to the acquisition of the Armenian Stock Exchange by the Warsaw Stock Exchange. According to the agreement, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) will acquire 65.03% of shares of the Armenian Stock Exchange (AMX) (967 shares in total). The Central Bank of Armenia will maintain 25.02% of shares, and the remaining 9.95% are the AMX's own shares. The value of the transaction will be about AMD 873 million, a part of which (about AMD 499 million) will be paid after signing the Share Purchase Agreement, and the rest, after completion of processes established by the Share Purchase Agreement. The GPW announced about its plans to acquire the AMX in September 2020, after which necessary studies were carried out, a development plan for the next five years was developed, and necessary corporate approvals were obtained. The Board of the Central Bank stresses the importance of the entry of the WFB as an institutional investor into the Armenian financial market, which will give an impetus to the development of Armenian capital market, and will foster integration of Armenian and Polish capital markets, opening new opportunities for both the Armenian companies and the investors. Development program prepared by the GPW provides for a number of measures aimed at the improvement of capital market infrastructure, including development of the trading system, expansion of the stock exchange and the Central Depository services, as well as introduction of state-of-the-art technological solutions. The GPW is the largest and the developed market in Central and Eastern Europe. The GPW organizes trading in stocks, bonds, derivatives, fund shares and other instruments. The GPW is a public company, the shares of which have been listed since 2010 with a capitalization of about 320 million euros. The AMX is the only operator in the regulated securities market in Armenia, which organizes trading of both securities and other financial instruments. The AMX is the 100% shareholder of the Central Depository of Armenia. 90.05% of the AMX shares belong to the Central Bank of Armenia, and the remaining 9.95% are the AMX's own shares. PITTSTON TWP. Arriving for local airport flights will turn into a smoother trip later this year. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport board awarded a contract Monday for rebuilding and paving the airports main terminal access road. The board awarded American Asphalt Paving Corp. of Shavertown a $1,663,200 contract after rejecting earlier bids as too expensive. American Asphalt also submitted the low bid, $2,232,880, among the bids rejected in December. Airport engineering director Stephen Mykulyn said airport officials decided against seeking new directional signs in the second round of bidding, which trimmed costs to about where he expected originally. The road is about 3,700 feet long. The project includes repair of 28 storm water inlets, installation of two new inlets and replacing 916 feet of curbs and 80 feet of guide rails and associated pavement markings. The airport will pick up the entire cost. Mykulyn told the board the airport will sign the contract in June. Work should start by late June and the project must be complete within about six months. The job entails reconstructing the road, not just repaving it, which explains the longer time for completion. In other business, the board heard airport director Carl Beardsley Jr. detail the latest ridership figures. Based on the latest numbers, passenger departures are way up over last year in the first third of 2022. From Jan. 1 to April 30, 56,523 passenger boarded commercial jets departing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, up from 37,315 in the first four months of 2020 and a 51.5% increase. Passenger boardings rose sharply comparing the last two Aprils, too. In 2022, 17,110 people flew out on planes, up from 11,732, a 45.8% increase. So far this year, the airports ridership figures have risen sharply each month as air travel surged with the slowing of the COVID-19 pandemic. The probable cause of the metro fire was a flame in a box with conductors at the level of the rail, from which smoke was released in the area of Piata Romana station, said the head of Bucharest-Ilfov Emergencies Inspectorate, Orlando Schiopu. "The cause of the fire - it seems to have been a conductor at a transport rail," said Orlando Schiopu. 20 fire trucks, 39 SMURD crews and the Special Rescue Detachment were mobilized to the scene. The chief physician of SMURD Bucharest, Bogdan Oprita, specified that a number of 25 people were assisted, two of whom were transported to Floreasca Hospital, because their exposure to smoke and stress caused them to activate pre-existing pathologies. AGERPRES. The metro fire was extinguished by firefighters, and all passengers were evacuated from the tunnel to the platform in Piata Romana, the Press Office of the Bucharest-Ilfov Emergency Situations Inspectorate reported on Tuesday (ISUBIF). Bucharest firefighters identified the source of the fire, after which they extinguished it. The metro traffic on the M2 main line is interrupted on Tuesday, after an underground smoke emission was registered at the Piata Romana metro station. No casualties were reported in the incident. Eight fire trucks, SMURD and the Special Rescue Detachment were involved in the action. According to the information provided by the Metrorex dispatcher, it is about a fire at a metro train that has a technical malfunction. "There is no open flame, only smoke. The train is in the tunnel, at a distance of about 20-30 m from the platform," ISUBIF said. ISUBIF crews are located in the area of Piata Romana, Universitate and Piata Victoriei metro stations. AGERPRES. The ambassador of the State of Israel, David Saranga, declared on Tuesday, at the Bucharest National Opera, that the event that marks the 74th anniversary of the State of Israel is actually celebrating "creativity and perseverance of the Jewish people". "The history of the Jewish people starts thousands of years ago. It is the story of a people of never giving up the desire to return home, to the country of our ancestors. (...) During these years we overcame a road full of challenges, but always with hope within. We became a country of innovation and progress, 'the start-up nation', a global leader, whose scientific discoveries and innovations contribute to a better world. Tonight we are celebrating the creativity and perseverance of the Jewish people," said the head of the diplomatic mission. The anniversary event included a concert held by a special guest from Israel, artist Yasmin Levy, along with the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra. Saranga also said that this concert proves the multicultural spirit of the Jewish people. "The friendship between Israel and Romania is consolidated (...). Romania is a rich country, with an extraordinary human capital. We are confident that together we can build a bright future," Saranga pointed out. The diplomat confessed that his term in Romania will come up in a few months, which "had a special place" in his heart. "Even if I do not have Romanian origins, you opened your home (...), you sat me at your table, you taught me your tradition and shown us once again that the Romanian people is a proud and welcoming people. It is said that you can take someone out of Romania, but you cannot take Romania away from anyone's heart. Thank you, Romania, for everything you have offered!" he added. Present at the event, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca talked about the "sustainable development model", but also about Israel. "The State of Israel continues to be a close ally for Romania, with a special status in Romania's approach to the Middle East area," the PM said. He referred to the measures taken at a government level in regards to countering antisemitism. "Romania is a regional model that has consolidated its profile in the last years through numerous measures, such as adopting a legislative framework, promoting education about Holocaust, asuming the past, commemorating Holocaust victims," the head of the Executive highlighted. Nicolae Ciuca mentioned that "important milestones were met in the process of inaugurating the National Museum of Jewish History and Holocaust in Romania, project that benefits from the support of our Israeli friends". In this sense, he talked about current challenges. "We are going through a difficult and complex period, which reveals, among others, the danger of using historical narratives that distort Holocaust and encourages revisionism or retrograde nationalism. The illegal invasion, unprovoked and unjustified, of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, was presented by the Russian propaganda as denazifying, falsifying history, in order to justify an attack on peace, democracy and international law. Romania has condemned in harsh terms the Russian military aggression in Ukraine and offered its support from the start to the Ukrainian people, those who were forced to leave their country," the PM pointed out. He reminded of the support granted to the Ukrainians following the Romanian-Israeli collaboration. Furthermore, he announced that "in the near future" there will an inter-governmental meeting. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, referred to "connecting bridges" between Romania and Israel, "created by our native citizens and members of the Jewish community in Romania, and a firm commitment in regards to countering antisemitism, preserving the memory of the Holocaust".AGERPRES YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. No road or transport route in the logic of a corridor can function in the territory of Armenia, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan said in response to a question from ARMENPRESS. ARMENPRESS: During a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed that on May 22 in Brussels (EU-mediated Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting) the sides reached an agreement on the opening of a corridor through Armenian territory, including the construction of both railways and highways. How would you comment on this statement? Grigoryan: There have been no changes in the positions of the Republic of Armenia. No road or transport route in the logic of a corridor can function in the territory of Armenia. All agreements reached in Brussels relate to the opening of regional connections, which I talked about yesterday in response to your questions. All agreements reached in Brussels fit in the framework of the public statements made previously by representatives of Armenia. You can see in the statement of the President of the European Council that the agreements in the context of opening of regional connections relate to the border and customs control, road fees and organizing international transit. These are important issues for realizing the Armenian Crossroads project and the Government of Armenia will consistently move in this direction. ### In the context of the opening of regional connections the Armenian government re-formulated the North-South project and is terming it North-South, East-West Project, or Armenian Crossroads, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said earlier at the February 17 Cabinet meeting. Romanian cosmetics manufacturer Farmec is investing 500,000 euros in relaunching its namesake brand in a bid to diversify its portfolio and release new products, a Tuesday release informs. The Farmec brand portfolio encompasses over 30 products, including 7 new ones, with formulas that meet all the basic needs of the skin, hair, hands and feet care, created with natural ingredients such as green tea, nettle, argan oil and aloe vera, but also vitamins and minerals. The product line comes with a new logo - a heart open to novelty, but which abides by its long-standing principles - and with a modern packaging. The company kicked off its 360 communication campaign dubbed "Family cultivated charm. From generation to generation" which runs online, in print, on TV and in-store. "Following the rebranding process, we come closer to our customers with a range enjoying high appreciation by generations of Romanians, brought up to date through ingredients, presentation and communication concept. When we talk about Farmec, we are talking about a brand with authentic roots and tradition in body care. The Farmec brand has always been part of most Romanian families. Its honest philosophy and products reflect the care for those nearby and for core values. Its long history naturally brings together tradition and innovation, preserving the best of the past and adding the benefits of the latest discoveries. We are now passing on healthy habits and reinforce the values that define Farmec as a brand: care, honesty, simplicity and familiarity," said Farmec's chief marketing officer Tudor David. The Farmec range accounts for the largest share in the company's sales. The GMP-certified Farmec SA is one of the largest and longest-lasting companies in Romania, marketing its products in approximately 30 countries. AGERPRES The Government will approve during Wednesday's session a normative act based on which the Executive will carry out the necessary actions for Romania's withdrawal from the International Bank for Economic Co-operation (IBEC). The draft, which is subject for approval, is the one regarding the denunciation of the Convention regarding multilateral settlements in transferable rubles and organizing the International Bank for Economic Co-operation, concluded in Moscow, on October 22, 1963 and the Protocol signed in Moscow on December 18, 1990, for amending the Convention regarding multilateral settlements and organizing the International Bank for Economic Co-operation, as well as this bank's status. "The Romanian Government will send the official notification for terminating the IBEC Convention and withdrawing from the bank's shareholding. Withdrawing from the IBEC shareholding will be made at least 6 months since the notification, according to the provisions of article IX from the IBEC Convention. Coordination with Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria will be monitored, with the purpose of a simultaneous exit from IBEC and establishing similar ways of exiting, which will ensure an adequate protection of the interests of member states that are withdrawing," according to the draft's Explanatory Memorandum. Also on Wednesday, the Government will adopt a draft for terminating the inter-governmental agreement in regards to establishing the International Investment Bank (IIB) and its status, signed in Moscow on July 10, 1970, as well as the Protocol for amending the agreement for establishing the International Investment Bank and its status, signed on July 10, 1970, in Moscow, open for signature on May 8, 2014, in Havana and signed by Romania on July 1, 2015, in Moscow. Based on this draft, Romania's Government will carry out the necessary actions for Romania's withdrawal from the International Investment Bank.AGERPRES We have to keep the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin until we can see the Ukraine people free once again, Minister of State for Europe and North America in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) James Cleverly told AGERPRES in an interview. The UK official, who began a two-day visit to Romania on Monday, says those who perpetrate war crimes in Ukraine will be brought to justice, their commanders will be held responsible and ultimately Vladimir Putin will need to understand that the world is watching what was happening and there will be consequences. In the same interview, Cleverly also commends the very good relations between Bucharest and London, both inside NATO and on a bilateral level, saying that Romania is a close, important and really good partner, particularly in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. At the same time, James Cleverly highlights that London is determined to be a solid defence partner inside NATO and that the success of the European Union, which the UK is no longer part of, is also in the interest of his country. AGERPRES: Your Excellency, I would start with a question related to the war in Ukraine. After three months of confrontation, the things on the ground seem to have entered a phase of a more traditional war. President Vladimir Putin thought his invasion in Ukraine would fragment western democracies, but instead the NATO member states and other democratic countries proved to be strongly united against Russian aggression. In this context, can you anticipate when and how this war will come to an end? James Cleverly: Well, I think predictions are difficult and they are dangerous, but what we have seen is the collective response, both within NATO within the European Union, with the UK, and the European Union and the US and Japan, South Korea, and a number of other countries around the world we have really pulled together, and we've become closer friends and stronger allies, because of Putin's aggression in Ukraine. We are, we're very proud of the UK of the military support that we've given to the Ukrainians. In Romania, here, there is a huge humanitarian support, welcoming large numbers of refugees. And I've just spoken with a number of non-government organisations that are supporting Ukrainian refugees here in Romania. So we can't predict exactly what will happen next. What we have to do is we have to stay strong. We have to stay united. We have to continue to support the Ukrainians as they defend themselves. From the UK that's done with military aid, humanitarian aid, other countries are helping in different ways. But we got to continue pulling together because we cannot allow Vladimir Putin to have strategic success in this invasion. We have to help Ukrainians defend themselves. AGERPRES: How effective, do you think, are the sanctions the West imposed against Russia, considering that a total embargo on Russian oil and gas seems to be very unlikely? Is Europe prepared to quickly and totally change the current reliance on Russian gas supplies? James Cleverly: Well, one of the things that we have seen is a number of countries make some very, I think, brave decisions when it comes to sanctions. A number of European countries that have relied heavily on Russian oil and gas, have sanctioned Russia, knowing that Russia was going to retaliate through limiting energy supplies, and yet they've done it nonetheless. We know the sanctions are hurting Vladimir Putin's ability to wage war. We know that he wants those sanctions lifted. But what we also hear is plenty of countries saying that they will continue the economic pressure on Vladimir Putin until he ends this aggression against Ukraine. And I think one of the other things that is incredibly important that we remember is that these sanctions are not on food or food production or food transportation. Those things we allow free flow because we know that grain exports, for example, are really, really important. So the pressure that we're seeing in many parts of the world is a direct response to Putin's invasion, and nothing else. And we have to stick with it. We have to keep the pressure on until we can see the Ukraine people free once again. AGERPRES: As far as we know, the United Kingdom intended to send a team of experts in Ukraine via Poland for assisting the investigations on war crimes committed there. What are preliminary results of their work in Ukraine? James Cleverly: Well, at the moment is still quite early stages. One of the things we have made absolutely clear is that these crimes against civilians, these breaches of international humanitarian law, what appear to be intentional targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, these things will not be ignored, that the soldiers that perpetrate these crimes will be brought to justice, their commanders will be held responsible. And ultimately Vladimir Putin will need to understand that the world is watching what was happening and there will be consequences. We're supporting the evidence collection. We're supporting the International Criminal Court, with technical assistance, and also financial assistance. And the world is united on this, that these acts, the people committing these acts will be held accountable. And that's absolutely right. And the message that I would send to military commanders on the field and individual soldiers, if you are being told to break international humanitarian law to commit atrocities to commit murders or rapes, you do not have to, you must say no. AGERPRES: On Brexit developments, the UK and European Union seem to be at an impasse over the changes to parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Last week, EU's ambassador Joao Vale de Almeida said the European Union would not give a new mandate to Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic. Also, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin accused the UK Government of moving 'too far in a unilateral way' over the Northern Ireland Protocol. What are the options your government works on in order to ease all these tensions? James Cleverly: Well, we want to have a good economic relationship with the EU. And that very much includes Ireland who are obviously our very closest neighbor in the European Union. And we also want to make sure that we maintain the integrity of our own country, and that includes Northern Ireland. At the moment, the Protocol is not working. And we can see it's not working because the devolved government in Northern Ireland has not been formed. The unionist communities are not nominating people to sit as part of that executive. That's putting the Good Friday Agreement at risk. And we have to recognise that we need to do something to change this. I've met and the foreign secretary have met regularly with Maros Sefcovic and his team, we get on very well with them. And we believe that a modest change to his mandate would protect the single market, would protect the integrity of the United Kingdom and would protect the Good Friday Agreement. So we want to keep talking and we will keep talking. We have been flexible and we hope that the EU will continue to be flexible. And we hope to get in an agreement and get one soon, which will then enable us all to focus on the other really important issues going on around the world. AGERPRES: Turning now to French President Emmanuel Macron's new project of a European political community, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has recently said that she was favourable to the current structures which work successfully, such as G7 and NATO. Macron explained that European political community would be a complement, not an alternative to the EU membership. What is your take on this issue? James Cleverly: Well, ultimately, the internal structures of the EU is a matter for the EU and we've left the EU. We want all the countries in the European Union to be successful. We think that's important for peace and security in Europe. And it's also in the UK national interest that the European Union is successful and prosperous. We feel that organisations like NATO perform an incredibly important function as do the G7. And we wouldn't want to see anything happen that would make the success of those organisations... that might put their future success at risk. So it's good to hear the position that President Macron has taken, it's good that he recognises how important these international institutions are. The UK is fully committed to being a strong European partner, as well as a strong NATO defence partner and a strong economic partner to the world through the G7. They [the international institutions] work, they have shown in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine to work very, very well, and to be able to work very, very quickly. And so that will always remain a UK priority. And we would always want to see things that would reinforce that success and so that would always be our priority. AGERPRES: How would you characterise the current UK-Romania ties and, since the UK is not a member of European Union any longer, how do the two countries cooperate as members of NATO? James Cleverly: Well, we enjoy a very, very good relationship with Romania. And I think one of the things that I want to do as part of this trip is to say thank you to Romania, to the Romanian people and indeed to the Romanian Government, because both as a defence partner in NATO, as a country which has hosted many Ukrainian refugees, a country which has worked closely with the United Kingdom on tackling people smuggling and other international crimes, Romania over and over again is shown itself to be a really, really good partner. And this is particularly the case now with all these additional pressures that the invasion of Ukraine has imposed upon you as a country. But also what I want to do is I want to remind the British people how valuable this relationship is. And so, actually part of my trip here, over the next couple of days, is also to let the British people know that Romania is a close and important partner. Many Romanians, probably we estimate about a million Romanians living in the UK, are very much part of British society, our friends, our neighbours, our work colleagues. So, for me, having an opportunity to celebrate this relationship, in difficult times, is an opportunity that I wanted to grasp and so that's very much part of the reason why I'm here over today and tomorrow [Monday and Tuesday]. AGERPRES The documentary film "King Mihai: The Road Home" will be screened on May 30, starting at 7.00 pm, in the Central lobby of the National Museum of History of Romania. According to a press release sent to AGNPRES on Tuesday, the screening will be followed by a discussion with the film's producers. Public access is free, depending on availability. The event is part of the National Historical Education Tournament 2022, a continuation of the 2019 one promoting the documentary film "Maria, the Heart of Romania" and includes the new version of the documentary "King Mihai: The Road Home." "Director's Cut includes new material about King Mihai's complicated youth, as described in Queen Maria's diary. "This enriched version of the film also focuses on the King's interactions with the CIA after his exile in 1948," reads the press release. John M. Florescu, the founder of Chainsaw Film Productions, the documentary filmmaker, said he was "happy" to offer his films to the Romanian public. "I am happy to promote to the Romanian public the three films made with my team: "The King's War" (2016), "Maria, Heart of Romania" (2018) and" King Mihai: The Road Home" (2021). The documentaries present an important part of Romania's history, from 1860 to the present, and I hope that the Romanian public will find out more about its heroes by watching them," Florescu was quoted as saying. The film's production team includes Viorel Chesaru - senior producer, Dan Draghicescu - associate producer, Mircea Lacatus - editor and archive producer and Laura Beldiman - researcher and editorial assistant, MNIR also informs. AGERPRES. Last year, Libya was Romania's sixth major African export market after Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia and Sudan, with a volume of 100.3 million U.S. dollars, similar to the 100 million dollars recorded in 2020, the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIB) said. "Regrettably, data available for the first three months of 2022 shows a significant decrease in bilateral trade. Thus, in the first quarter of 2022 Romania's exports to Libya amounted to 2.5 million U.S. dollars, ie 96 percent less than in the same period last year, while imports from this country decreased by 99 percent compared to Q1 2021," the release states. CCIB president Iuliu Stocklosa met on Tuesday at the Chamber's premises with Abdulmuli Monem, the new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the State of Libya to Romania, who was accompanied by head of the Embassy Chancellery and coordinator of the economic, commercial and cultural sectors Mohamed Al Shebani. "The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the State of Libya expressed his country's interest in developing economic and cooperation relations with Romania, as well as his full openness to ensuring a constant exchange of business information, for the benefit of both communities. He also voiced appreciation for the importance of the event that will be organized on Thursday by the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry [for the promotion of economic cooperation and trade exchanges with Libya] and highlighted the role that CCIB and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli can play in opening new communication channels between Romanian and Libyan businesspeople," the release states. The CCIB president took this opportunity to make a brief presentation of the economic potential of Bucharest, as well as of the CCIB strategy as concerns foreign relations, emphasizing the importance attached to the development of economic and trade relations with non-EU countries. At the same time, Iuliu Stocklosa expressed his conviction that the event dedicated to promoting trade and economic cooperation with Libya organized by CCIB on May 26, and which will include the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Tripoli Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture will open new perspectives for a better understanding of the business and investment opportunities offered by the Libyan market, as well as of the real possibilities for bilateral cooperation, taking into account the high absorption potential of the Libyan market. AGERPRES The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) welcomes the signing, on Tuesday, of an agreement between Transgaz SA and the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund (3SIIF), on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The agreement lays the foundations for the collaboration between the two parties for the development of natural gas infrastructure and connectivity in Romania, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release sent to AGERPRES. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pays special attention to the financing of projects under the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), which contribute to increasing economic convergence and cohesion between EU states in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Adriatic regions.The 3SI projects proposed for funding and development are in the transport, energy and digital fields, with a focus on increasing interconnectivity in the region. Among the priority 3SI projects for Romania are Rail2Sea and Via Carpathia, which aim to modernize and develop the railway and road corridors form the north of Europe to the south, as well as between the Port of Gdansk and the Port of Constanta. The agreement, signed on Tuesday, aims to jointly develop natural gas projects for hydrogen, through joint venture companies owned by Transgaz and the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund. The total value of the projects is estimated at 626 million euros," the cited source states. The Ministry of National Defence (MApN) informs that as of Monday, flight activities with MiG-21 LanceR aircraft, belonging to the Romanian Air Force, were resumed, for a period of approximately one year. "Based on the decision of the Supreme Council for Country's Defence (CSAT) for approving the memorandum titled 'taking MiG-21 LanceR aircraft out of service and accelerated transition to exploiting F-16 aircraft, standard issue for the Romanian Air Force', flight activities with MiG-21 LanceR were resumed as of Monday, May 23, for a period of approximately one year," MApN says. According to the quoted source, MiG-21 LanceR aircraft will be used until May 15, 2023, exclusively for carrying out missions that are specific to the Permanent Combat Service - The Air Police (SLP-PA) and for maintaining flight training for select pilots with the purpose of continuing the use of this type of aircraft. After this date, aircraft of this type will be removed from the Romanian Air Force. MApN also mentions that measures were taken for accelerating the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft from Norway, which will constitute, in the following period, two more squadrons within the Romanian Air Force. The draft approval of this acquisition has gone through the legislative transparency step and is pending approval, where it will be presented in Parliament shortly. Furthermore, The Romanian Air Force will carry out measures of initiating actions for the V-th generation aircraft procurement program.AGERPRES The governing coalition decided on Monday to launch a new package of social and economic measures "Support for Romania", worth 1.1 billion euros. According to a post on the Government's Facebook page, it is about: * 9-month deferral of bank loan repayments for citizens and companies facing financial difficulties due to multiple crises in the last period * the granting of a quarter of the salary difference, in accordance with the Law on unitary remuneration, due to the categories of employees in the public system * granting a single support of 700 lei for all pensioners with pensions under 2,000 lei. The measures will be applied as of July 1, the quoted source states. At the same time, the Government will take measures for fiscal consolidation and compliance with public deficit commitments, as follows: *** reduction in budget expenditures by at least 10%, except for those with investments, salaries, pensions, social assistance; *** suspension of state employment; *** increase in revenue collection to the general consolidated state budget by 10 billion lei; *** speeding up the absorption of European funds within the operational programs and the National Recovery and Resilience Program. In this regard, the coalition will carry out a monthly assessment of the stage of absorption, the quoted source states. AGERPRES. Although apparently unnatural, the Natural Liberal Party - Social Democratic Party coalition has "ensured the stability" Romania needed, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Tuesday told the symposium titled "The National Liberal Party between the first and second modernization of Romania: 147 years of liberalism" organized at the Central University Library. "We need to build, we need to carry out projects and they must be adjusted to everything the dynamics and evolution of the current events means. For all this to happen, in order to be able to create projects, we need stability. But in a situation in which everything has been turned upside down, with everything facing the effects of the pandemic crisis, through the effects of the energy and gas price crisis to the effects of the Russian forces' illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, governing is far from easy. Finding solutions is key to governing, and a solution was found for these times of crisis, that of forming a coalition, even if it seemed unnatural at some point, but which has ensured in these six months the stability we needed for Romania to achieve the goals it has set itself. Of course, this is just a milestone result, but we have economic growth, together with the other members of the coalition we have been able to ensure the balance and secure investor confidence so as to maintain the economic balance, the jobs and be able to deal with the vulnerable categories who bear all these consequences," said Ciuca. According to the Liberal Prime Minister, this coalition does not imply changing the political approach of the parties that make it up. AGERPRES Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca declared on Tuesday that the decision for postponing bank installments for 9 months, for citizens and companies that are facing financial difficulties, was made after talks with the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, as well as with the Ministry of Finance, mentioning that technical details will be established in the emergency ordinance. "It is a proposal which we discussed with the governor of the central bank, with the Ministry of Finance, and the technical criteria which we will make public will be established. What is certain is that at the level of the coalition there was a decision made to have this emergency ordinance," Ciuca said, when asked about the criteria and who can qualify for postponing bank installments. He explained that this measure will be applied for a period of 9 months, given that previously it was applied for the same time interval as well. Regarding the fact that those who will postpone bank installments could risk additional interest, the Prime Minister specified: "This is about the interest on the interest for the period in which the loan is not paid. This interest can be transferred in the loan's payment while it is ongoing, so for several years". "We still have not established all technical details. They will be set in the emergency ordinance when it will be approved," the PM added. The governing coalition decided on Monday to launch a new package of Support for Romania social and economic measures, worth 1.1 billion euros. Among these measures there is also the postponement of the bank installments for 9 months for citizens and companies that are facing financial difficulties because of the multiple crisis in the last period.AGERPRES YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of Latvia Egils Levits in Davos, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the Armenian Presidents Office said. The Latvian President said he is happy to welcome Vahagn Khachaturyan as the President of Armenia and congratulated him on assuming office, wishing success and a productive activity. Both Presidents highly appreciated the Armenian-Latvian political dialogue and the dynamics of the inter-state relations and emphasized the necessity of further enriching and developing these ties. The prospects of establishing lasting and stable peace in the region and making joint efforts with the European Union in this direction were discussed at the meeting. The Armenian and Latvian Presidents also exchanged ideas about the relevant issues and challenges of the international security. As many as 491 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, up 257 from the previous day, with over 20,000 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Tuesday. Of the new cases, 73 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease. Most of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Romania since the previous reporting were recorded in Bucharest City - 107, and in the county of Cluj - 53. As of Tuesday, 2,906,776 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania. - Hospitalisations - As many as 632 people with COVID-19, down 26 from the previous reporting, including 39 children, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities. Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 96 patients, down four, are in intensive care. Of the 96 patients admitted to ICU, 85 are unvaccinated against COVID-19. - Deaths - According to the ministry, another 9 Romanians infected with SARS-CoV-2, 5 men and 4 women, are reported dead in the last 24 hours. Of the 9 deceased patients, 8 were unvaccinated and 1 was vaccinated. The vaccinated patient who died was over 80 years old. All patients had commorbidities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 65,663 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania. AGERPRES Senate President Florin Citu believes that Finland joining NATO will further strengthen the alliance, proving the importance and the role of the North-Atlantic organisation in ensuring peace and security. "Stronger together. Finland's accession to NATO will further strengthen the alliance. I have met today with Speaker of the Parliament of Finland Matti Vanhanen. I have sent Romania's full support for Finland's NATO accession. Finland's decision proves, once more, the importance of the alliance and its decisive role in ensuring peace and stability, especially in the current context of Russia's aggression in Ukraine," Citu wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. The Romanian Senate President is paying a working visit to Helsinki on Tuesday, having on his agenda meetings with Finnish Parliament Speaker and parliamentary party leaders, the Finnish PM, as well as Government representatives. AGERPRES The need for tougher sanctions and a total trade blockade against Russia will help end the war sooner were the topics addressed by the Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, and the President of the Romanian Senate, Florin Citu, on a working visit to Helsinki. "Romania supports the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. A very good discussion with the Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin. We discussed the situation in Ukraine, the need for tougher sanctions and a total trade blockade against Russia. These will help end the war sooner. We need to make sure that Russia does not attack another state. We must make sure that the European Union becomes independent of Russia by all possible means. Moreover, the European Union's efforts should focus on Ukraine's reconstruction plan," Citu wrote on Facebook. He emphasized at the meeting "the many opportunities for economic ties between Finland and Romania, especially in terms of technological innovation". The Senate President is paying a working visit to Helsinki on Tuesday, where he has met with the President of the Finnish Parliament and representatives of the parliamentary party leadership, with the Prime Minister of this country, as well as with representatives of the Executive.AGERPRES MONDAY, May 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- At a Monday media briefing, U.S. public health officials said they are tracking a handful of travel-related monkeypox cases that have been reported across the country. Anyone can catch monkeypox, but at this time it appears to be "circulating globally in some parts of the gay community," Dr. John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, said during the briefing. Contact tracing is being done for the first confirmed case, a Massachusetts man who recently traveled to Canada, added Capt. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the CDC. Four more presumed monkeypox cases have also been reported in various parts of the United States, McQuiston said -- one in New York City, one in Florida and two in Utah. All reported cases are in men, whom the CDC believes were exposed to the virus while visiting other countries. Monkeypox causes a rash with skin lesions, and it can be concentrated on certain body parts or spread more widely across the body, McQuiston said during the briefing. It begins with flu-like symptoms like fever and swollen lymph nodes. The illness is very seldom life-threatening. "The strain in the identified cases, both in the United States and globally, is West African strain, which is the milder of the two strains of monkeypox virus," McQuiston said. "Most people who are infected with monkeypox recover within two to four weeks without specific treatment." A person could catch monkeypox if they come into contact with an active rash, respiratory droplets or body fluids from an infected patient, Brooks explained. "Monkeypox is spread by close personal contact," Brooks said. "Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection in the typical sense, but it can be transmitted during sexual and intimate contact, as well as with personal contact and shared bedding and clothing." Serious complications generally occur if the monkeypox rash spreads to certain parts of the body, McQuiston said. For example, a lesion on an eye could endanger vision, and swollen lymph nodes could compromise breathing. Effective vaccines available There are already a couple of smallpox vaccines that can help protect people against monkeypox infection, the CDC experts noted, and they are being readied for distribution. Fears of a potential smallpox outbreak long ago prompted the U.S. federal government to stockpile a vast quantity of these vaccines, McQuiston explained. "Right now we are hoping to maximize vaccine distribution to those that we know would benefit from it," she said. "So those are people who've had contact with a known monkeypox patient, health care workers, very close personal contacts and those in particular who might be at high risk for severe disease. I can report that there has been a request for release of the Jynneos vaccine from the national stockpile for some of the high-risk contacts of some of the early patients. So that is actively happening right now. Public health officials are tracking more than 200 contacts related to the first case in Massachusetts, McQuiston said. Most of those contacts are health care workers. There also are antiviral drugs for smallpox that could be used to treat severe cases of monkeypox if necessary, added Dr. Brett Petersen, a medical officer with the CDC's Poxvirus and Rabies Branch. One, tecovirimat, already has expanded access approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat monkeypox, Petersen said. The CDC is working to get similar emergency access approval for a newer smallpox medication, brincidofovir. No need to panic, just empower Gay Pride Week kicks off this coming Friday, Brooks said, and public health workers are pushing out information through the media and LGBTQ+ organizations to warn participants in upcoming events about this outbreak. "I dont think at the present time there is sufficient evidence of spread of spread occurring so rapidly that we want to shut down any events or recommend they be postponed," Brooks said. "On the contrary, what we want to do is empower people to take the initiative to hold themselves back from participating if they're feeling ill and to see evaluation." Gay men attending Pride events should "be cognizant of the fact that if you're feeling ill and have a rash, it might be a good time to step back," Brooks said. "And if you after an event find that you have developed some symptoms or a rash that's suspicious for possible monkeypox, seek evaluation." As of Saturday, 92 confirmed cases of the illness, and 28 more suspected cases, have been reported across 12 countries, according to the World Health Organization. France, Germany, Belgium and Australia confirmed their first cases on Friday, the Associated Press reported. "I'm stunned by this. Every day I wake up and there are more countries infected," said virologist Oyewale Tomori, who sits on several World Health Organization advisory boards. "This is not the kind of spread we've seen in West Africa, so there may be something new happening in the West," he told the AP. No new mutation There's currently no evidence that the monkeypox that's spreading globally represents a new or more dangerous strain of the virus, McQuiston said. "All the evidence that we have to date suggests that the monkeypox virus that is circulating in these communities is closely related to the monkeypox viruses that we've seen circulating in West Africa over the last several years," McQuiston said. "The sequence data that we have from the Massachusetts case, which matches the sequence data from the Portugal case, shows they are very closely linked to the viruses that we've seen out of West Africa." The virus was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys. The first known human case occurred in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and it has since been reported in humans in other central and western African countries, according to the CDC. While it does not occur naturally in the United States, this is not the first time monkeypox has been seen in the nation. A 2003 outbreak was linked to infected prairie dogs imported as pets. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about monkeypox. SOURCES: Capt. Jennifer McQuiston, DVM, deputy director, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; John Brooks, MD, medical epidemiologist, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC; Brett Petersen, MD, medical officer, Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, CDC; Associated Press Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. ST. LOUIS Environmental advocates, lawyers and state regulators are squaring off again over how Missouri regulates coal ash, the waste from burning coal that is laced with mercury, arsenic and other contaminants. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has proposed a permit that would authorize water impacted by coal ash storage sites to be discharged into underground waterways, and not regularly monitored. Energy utilities like Ameren are transitioning toward alternative coal ash storage techniques, but the companies are still allowed to keep old ash in leak-prone pits dug into the water table next to major rivers. The regional chapter of the Sierra Club says Missouri's current proposal would allow groundwater and surface water pollution with impunity. The department has scheduled a public hearing, online, from 9 a.m. to noon this morning, and will accept public comments by May 31. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. OLIVETTE Residents have spent weeks railing against plans for a new medical marijuana farm here. They may get what they want. The City Council is expected on Tuesday to begin the process of rewriting zoning rules in a way that would allow them to block plans for the farm, proposed by Rock Hill-based Proper Cannabis, at an old warehouse at 1220 North Price Road. Current rules allow Proper to conduct business without council approval because the warehouse is zoned for industrial use. But a residential area sits just to the east of it, and residents say the new facility would unleash noxious odors, threaten residents health and tank their property values. The development marks the second time this year medical marijuana firms have run into trouble in the St. Louis suburbs. Business owners in Des Peres spent weeks unsuccessfully trying to fight a new dispensary set to go in there. Proper Cannabis is hoping to transform the old Southern Comfort warehouse in Olivette into its second cultivation facility in the region, adding to its first in Rock Hill. The finished product would have more than 30,000 square feet dedicated to growing, harvesting and packaging bud for dispensaries across the state, and Proper expects to hire around 100 people to work there. The company did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A few days before its old headquarters closes, the St. Louis County Library announced a $6 million gift that will help transform its flagship branch and give it a new name. When it reopens in late 2023, the Clark Family Branch will herald the family of the founder of Clayco, a construction and design firm. The Ladue building, a $22 million project, will still be the place to go for major author events, although library administrators now have their own offices on Spoede Road. This is the biggest gift weve ever received, said Kristen Sorth, the library systems director and CEO. Were super excited about it and touched by the gift. Of the donation, $4 million is for naming and may be used for the building project; $2 million is earmarked to further educational programming. Community improvement has always been one of my core values, and I am thrilled to help bring this beautiful, modern library to the greater St. Louis community, Bob Clark said in a news release. The nonvirtual aspects of public libraries were strongly missed during the pandemic and are now being reinvented with more accessible exterior space, artful design and cultural initiatives that better serve their neighborhoods. The impact of public libraries is evolving, and I am excited to invest in their limitless potential. Clark founded Clayco in St. Louis more than three decades ago. The company moved its headquarters to Chicago in 2013 but still employs hundreds in St. Louis County. It now has six affiliate companies with some 2,600 employees. In 2021, the companys revenue was estimated at $4.5 billion. One of Claycos affiliates, the Lamar Johnson Collaborative, designed the new library branch, which will be a two-story, 74,000-square-foot building with an outdoor courtyard and second-floor reading deck. The librarys genealogy center will be upstairs with teen and childrens spaces. Among its amenities, the library, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard, will have 19 private study rooms, a computer lab, a creative space with a 3-D printer and recording studio, and an event space for up to 800. The only other county library branch named in connection with a donor is the Samuel C. Sachs branch; Sachs son, Louis Sachs, donated land in Chesterfield for the building. The headquarters closes May 28, with demolition slated for July. A construction company will be chosen in the coming weeks. It is the final project in the over $120 million master plan that called for renovation or replacement of 19 libraries. (A 20th library, Eureka Hills, was built last year; an additional project, the Lynn Beckwith Jr. Administrative Building, was finished this year.) Financing has come mostly from a $.06 tax increase approved by county voters in 2012. The aging headquarters building opened in 1960. The county library system celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, with events to mark the occasion in the works for summer. While the new Clark Family Branch is under construction, patrons can use any other library: Oak Bend in Kirkwood and Mid-County in Clayton and Thornhill near Creve Coeur are among the closest. Genealogy materials will temporarily move to the Daniel Boone Branch. The library will hold major author events in coordination with the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. The first event at the JCC is June 1 and features Jeff Nussbaum, speechwriter for President Joe Biden and author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Re-Written History. The library has made several other changes recently: It quietly changed the name of the Indian Trails Branch to Parkview Branch. Patrons in Vinita Park had not complained about the original name, Sorth said, but staff members felt it was inappropriate and suggested alternatives. The library system announced the name change on social media in March but did not send out a news release. Nine branches will offer in-person, free lunches to children this summer. For details see slcl.org/summer-lunches. Free notary service is available at every library branch, Monday-Saturday. The Mid-County Branch will offer Sunday hours from 1 to 5 p.m. starting on June 5; other branches with Sunday hours are Florissant Valley, Grants View and Daniel Boone. Meeting rooms can be reserved this year by the public starting July 1 (they were not used during the pandemic). Room reservations for next year open the first Saturday in October. Circulation rose 10 percent in April over April 2021, due to the merger of the countys catalog with the St. Louis Public Library catalog. County residents made more requests than city residents did: 8,212 items were sent from the city to county patrons. The county library sent 3,983 items to city patrons. Among the most popular requests for each library were nonfiction hardcovers, along with fiction and childrens books for county readers and DVDs and video games for city patrons. Combined, county and city patrons checked out 1,309,416 items from the merged system. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For nearly two years, reservations and other restrictions have been in place at the zoo in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The policy was implemented when the zoo reopened to the public in June 2020 after a brief shutdown in the early months of the pandemic in the U.S. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. In 2022 from May 23rd to May 30th, Huawei Armenia hosts its 2nd season of Seeds for the Future Program. In collaboration with Yerevan State University and Yerevan National Polytechnics University in selection process, 20 outstanding students were selected. The speech for the opening ceremony on May 20th was held by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of The Peoples Republic of China in Armenia Mr. Fan Yong, as well as Mr. Narek Teryan, the Deputy Minister of Economy of RA, Mrs. Eliz Gevorgyan, Head of European Union and International Organizations Division, Ministry of High-Tech Industry of RA and the General Manager of Huawei Technologies Armenia, Mr. Chen Liang. Mr. Fan Yong greeted the students addressed his speech to them: I am very glad to be present at the online opening ceremony of the Seeds for the Future hosted by Huawei Armenia. China and Armenia are both ancient and civilized countries and the friendship between these countries lasts for already 2000 years and up to know. On April the 6th the both of our countries have celebrated the 30th anniversary of the of the diplomatic relationship. Mr. Fan mentioned that in spite of the Covid 19, during the past 2 years the trade volume has grown positively and he is very confident that with the joint efforts the both countries will continuously deepen the construction of one built one road collaborative and bring this potential onto more reality, into the brighter future. The world is changing rapidly and the digital development is very important for nowadays. President of Armenia, Mr. Khachatryan, while visiting the Chinses embassy to celebrate the 30th anniversary, mentioned that Armenia attaches great importance to the development of ICT industries and wants to learn from China and strengthen the cooperation with China and take the talents in advantages of Armenia in ICT industry. Mr. Fan noted that as the most advanced and powerful industry in China and the world, Huawei proposes the 2nd time the Seeds for the Future program in Armenia to help the young students with the advantages in high-tech industries for their future development. I want to thank Huawei for organizing this event as well as special thanks to the Ministry of Economy and Ministry High-Tech Industry for the support to the young students, concluded by Mr. Fan Yong. Mr. Narek Teryan welcomed the students and thanked Huawei Technologies Armenia for hosting the Seeds for the Future program for the 2nd season in 2022. I believe the program will bring a great opportunity for the talented Armenian students to strengthen their knowledge and skills in 5G, Clouds and IT fields. On one hand, this experience will emphasize the importance of friendly relations between Armenia and China and on the other hand it will support Armenian digital development as the program is a great platform for communication and information exchange with the cutting-edge technologies. Mr. Teryan wished good luck to all the students participating in the program and wished to see their outcoming in the coming future. A welcome and motivation speech was held by the Head of European Union and International Organizations Division, Ministry of High-Tech Industry of RA, Ms. Eliz Gevorgyan. She welcomed the participants of the program and thanked the organizers of the event for giving the Armenian students an opportunity to participate in such a useful training. This program has great potential to enhance participants' theoretical knowledge of high technology capability and improve their leadership skills. It is also a unique bridge for intercultural communication between Armenia and China. It is very important to ensure the continuity of technological education of young people, given that education is the key to the development of innovative ideas and the implementation of revolutionary initiatives. In conclusion, Ms. Gevorgyan thanked once again and wished good luck to all the participants in the upcoming 8 days online training The speech was held by the General Manager of Huawei Technologies Armenia, Mr. Chen Liang addressing word of gratitude to Mr. Fan Yong and Mr. Narek Teryan and Ms. Eliz Gevorgyan for motivating the students to the program. As the general manager of Huawei Armenia, I am so proud to launch the 2nd season of Seeds for the Future 2022 program in Armenia, appreciated the trust and support from Chinese Embassy and Armenian government. Through this training program to bridge the digital divide, promote knowledge transfer, and cultivate a strong future workforce for the digitalization of Armenia. Talent is critical to the growth and development of any industry, especially in the fast-growing and evolving ICT industry. As an ICT leader, Huawei is committed to promote Armenia's ICT industry in order to promote long-term sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. We are proud of that we can promote learning across borders, enabling young people to participate in training activities regardless of geographical location. Through the Seeds for the Future 2022 program, students will have the opportunity to leverage Huawei's rich cutting-edge technical capabilities and resources to gain an exclusive opportunity to improve their skills, thereby enhancing their future career prospects. They will also learn about Huawei's global business operations, cross-cultural work practices, and Chinese culture, upon completion of the online course, each student will receive an e-Certification. As a leading global ICT company, Huawei has been providing qualified solution and service to Armenia since 2009. Huawei has actively undertaken social responsibilities and committed to cultivating more ICT talent for Armenia. The Seeds for the Future program is a useful attempt by Huawei to enhance the future development of bilateral relations and make more benefit to the people from both country. It also serves as a microcosm for Chinese companies in Armenia to fulfill the social responsibilities and promote cultural exchanges effectively. 2nd season of Seeds for the Future 2022 program in Armenia which is one of the best tribute to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the People's Republic of China, which aims to cultivate more ICT talent around the world and bridge the gap in digital talent. Let us continue the friendship, promote the cooperation, and jointly write a brighter future for the good relations between Armenia and China, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Q I recently enjoyed a tasty bloody mary at a friends backyard brunch. All the ingredients came in a box from Intoxicology in the Grove. I would like the recipe for the bloody mary and suggestions to dress it up. P. B. Keen, Southampton A Mixologists and cocktail educators Melissa Pfeiffer and Andy Foerstel, owners of Intoxicology in the Grove, came up with the idea of grab-and-go cocktail boxes during the pandemic. The idea proved so popular its now a staple of their spirited business. The Southside Bloody Mary box is one of our best sellers, Foerstel says. The box includes vodka, bacon rim salt, dill pickle cocktail stirrers, meat sticks, but the star of the box is Southside Alchemys Sweat & Tears bloody mary mix. The Sweat & Tears mix is the perfect consistency for the drink not too watery, and not too thick, Foerstel says, plus its made here in St. Louis by Todd Brucher. The mix is so well-balanced. Its made with dry spices. The heat comes from red pepper flakes, not hot sauce, so theres no vinegary note, just a nice heat, Pfeiffer says. The addition lemon or lime juice used to make the drink tames the heat. We learned that trick from Todd. We tell our customers to adjust to taste with the citrus. The classic glass for this sipping drink is a tall pint glass, but for a true Southside vibe, make it in a Mason jar. To salt or not to salt the rim is always a choice, but when bacon salt is on the table, its hard to resist. The bacon salt really works tomatoes and bacon are a natural pairing, Foerstel says. The box includes a ready-made garnish jar of dill pickles threaded on a skewer with an olive, a bit of red pepper and a carrot in a dill and garlic brine. There are so many ways to garnish a bloody mary people can make the garnish to their liking, he says. Intoxicology 4321 Manchester Avenue 314-833-3088; intoxicologystl.com To request a recipe Would you like to request a recipe from a restaurant that is still open in the St. Louis area? Send your request along with your full name and the city you live in to reciperequest@post-dispatch.com. TUESDAY, May 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Meditation and other mindfulness practices may improve your attention, but they won't lead to structural changes in your brain in the short-term, according to a new study. Previous studies have shown that learning new skills, aerobic exercise and balance training could trigger changes in the brain, and some research has suggested that mindfulness regimens could do the same. To find out if that's true, researchers at the University of WisconsinMadison's Center for Healthy Minds conducted trials with more than 200 healthy people who had no meditation experience. The participants underwent MRI scans to assess their brains and were then randomly assigned to one of three groups: a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course; a well-being course called the Health Enhancement Program (HEP), or a control group that didn't receive any type of training. The MBSR course was led by certified instructors. It included mindfulness practices such as yoga, meditation and body awareness. The health enhancement program engaged participants in exercise, music therapy and nutrition practices, but no mindfulness training. Both groups spent additional time following their programs at home. After eight weeks, all study participants underwent another MRI brain scan. No significant differences in structural brain changes were detected among those in the MBSR, HEP or control group. However, people in both the MBSR and HEP groups reported increased mindfulness compared with those in the control group. That suggests that any type of wellness program -- not just mindfulness meditation -- may lead to greater self-reported mindfulness, according to the study authors. The results were published online May 20 in the journal Science Advances. It "may be that only with much longer duration of training, or training explicitly focused on a single form of practice, that structural alterations will be identified," wrote the researchers led by Richard Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at UW-Madison. They noted that unlike physical and spatial training, which have been shown to trigger detectable structural brain changes, mindfulness training involves a range of psychological areas like attention, compassion and emotion. This utilizes a complex network of brain regions, each of which may change to different degrees in different people, making it challenging to detect overall brain changes in a group of people, the study authors explained. "We are still in the early stages of research on the effects of meditation training on the brain and there is much to be discovered," Davidson said in a university news release. More information There's more on mindfulness at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. SOURCE: University of WisconsinMadison, news release, May 20, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. ST. LOUIS COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations are again rising, and hospital officials here on Tuesday urged residents to reconsider wearing masks indoors. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported that the seven-day average of new COVID-19 admissions to area hospitals had doubled, to 32 on Monday, up from a low of 16 last month, and doctors expect rates to continue to rise. We havent seen signs of that breaking, said BJC Healthcare Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Clay Dunagan, who co-leads the task force. So we expect that to continue to rise. Still, the curve is not as steep as the wave this winter, and task force officials said they are not expecting to see hospitalizations rise to the magnitude of previous surges. Were expecting a less severe surge, with fewer hospitalizations overall, and hopefully fewer deaths, Dunagan said. After recovering from an overwhelming virus surge this winter, the Midwest saw a couple months of relative calm in the spring. In April, case rates began to rise again in the Northeast, and though the Midwest has lagged a few weeks behind, recently it has also seen rising cases. Dr. Alex Garza, chief community health officer for SSM Health and co-leader of the task force, said the immunity afforded by the vaccines and previous infections is likely reducing the severity and duration of illness. But the virus still poses a risk. If youre going to be in settings with other people, especially large gatherings or indoors, this is a good time to return to wearing a mask, Garza said. Occasionally returning to mask-wearing when it is warranted at times like this, when there is a lot of virus circulating its likely to be part of our ongoing dance with COVID. Preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that most recent cases in the four-state Midwest region that includes Missouri are caused by two subvariants of the omicron strain of the virus. The omicron variant became dominant in Missouri in December, overtaking the delta variant. This spring, a subvariant of omicron known as BA.2 became dominant in the Midwest. In just the past couple of weeks, it has likely been overtaken by a different subvariant of omicron, known as BA.2.12.1, the CDC estimates show. White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said during a briefing last week that these new subvariants are more contagious, and are driving much of the increases across the U.S. Marc Johnson, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Medicine who is involved with the states wastewater testing efforts, said so far none of the newer subvariants are associated with specific spikes in cases in Missouri. Just know that the virus isnt static, Johnson said. It hasnt gone away, and it is adapting. The task force doctors urged residents to stay home if they develop symptoms, and get tested. People who test positive should stay home and talk to their caregiver about antiviral therapies, which must be administered soon after someone develops symptoms, and can help reduce the chances of severe illness. Missouri ranks 40th in the U.S. for vaccinations against COVID-19, with 56% of residents fully immunized, according to data from the CDC. Wyoming and Alabama rank last, at 51%, and Rhode Island leads the nation at 83%. The CDC last week opened up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility a step further, recommending children ages 5 through 11 receive booster doses at least five months after their initial series. If exposed to the virus, vaccinated people should monitor for symptoms and get tested after five days, Dunagan said. Unvaccinated people should stay away from others and get tested after five days. The task force was formed in early 2020, and includes the regions four hospital systems BJC, SSM, Mercy and St. Lukes Hospital. Garza, Dunagan and other medical experts in the group have held briefings throughout the pandemic, the frequency depending on the regions case rates. The groups last briefing was in late March. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. If the Supreme Court follows through on overturning Roe v. Wade, abortion likely will be banned or greatly restricted in about half the U.S. states. But experts and advocates fear repercussions could reach even further, affecting care for women who miscarry, couples seeking fertility treatments and access to some forms of contraception. Many conservatives insist they are only interested in curtailing abortion, and legislation passed so far often has exceptions for other reproductive care. But rumblings from some in the GOP have experts concerned, and laws banning abortion could also have unintended side effects. The rhetoric has been really increasing over the last several years, said Mara Gandal-Powers, the director of birth control access at the National Womens Law Center. Theres definitely a domino effect which I think people are really starting to wake up to and see this is how far it could go. If Roe is overturned, as suggested by a leaked draft opinion, states will set their own abortion laws, and conservative lawmakers are already passing a steady stream of deeply restrictive regulations. Oklahoma lawmakers, for example, passed legislation Thursday banning abortion at conception, the strictest in the nation. Although that bill has some exceptions, it signals a direction that is deeply worrisome for many doctors. I truly think the people writing these laws either have no concept of the broad implications or do not care about how this impacts so many aspects of womens health care,'' said Dr. Kristyn Brandi, a New Jersey OB-GYN who provides abortion care. In medicine, you are not considered pregnant until this fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus which happens after fertilization,'' Brandi said. She said it is unclear whether doctors performing infertility treatments would be in violation of the law if they dispose of extra fertilized eggs. The Oklahoma measure "is not based in science and is incredibly confusing and frustrating for medical professionals trying to provide evidence based care. The Roe decision was based on a constitutional right to privacy and the decision leaned on another landmark case eight years earlier that gave married couples the right to birth control, Griswold v. Connecticut. Reliable birth control is now a feature of life for millions of Americans, but in March U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee recorded a video message naming the Griswold decision as constitutionally unsound." She's not proposing restrictions on birth control but hasnt commented further to clarify what she meant. Other conservatives have conflated emergency contraception, often known as the morning-after pill, with abortion. In Idaho, for example, it was prohibited at school-based health clinics last year under a law banning public funding for abortion related services. Along with long-acting birth control devices called IUDs, emergency contraception has been been attacked by abortion foes who believe life begins when an egg is fertilized. But those pills have no effect once a pregnancy is established, after implantation in the womb, Brandi said. "You can take Plan B all you want when youre pregnant. It will not do anything to your pregnancy, she said. Emergency contraceptive pills like Plan B and IUDs may also prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb, but experts say the science on that isnt clear. It is believed they mostly work by blocking fertilization. Political attempts to block access to intrauterine devices and other birth control would be consistent with the pattern that were seeing right now, said Dr. Jennifer Kerns, an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco who also provides abortion care. Many of us are very concerned that thats kind of the next up on the chopping block. In Missouri last year, for example, there was a failed effort to prevent IUDs and emergency contraception from being paid for by Medicaid. But in Tennessee, which just passed harsh penalties for providing abortion medication, Republican Senate Speaker Randy McNally pushed back on any suggestion that contraception could be in the crosshairs. Contraception and abortion are not the same thing. One is a responsible way to prevent pregnancy. The other ends a human life. It is a flagrant attempt to change the conversation and it wont work, spokesman Adam Kleinheider said in a statement. The governor of Mississippi, one of 13 states that will immediately ban abortion if Roe is overturned, wouldnt say whether hed sign a hypothetical birth-control ban when asked on Meet the Press. Gov. Tate Reeves later clarified on Twitter: Im not interested in banning contraceptives. But doctors also worry other forms of reproductive care, like treating ectopic pregnancies, could be targeted. These occur when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. They are often life-threatening medical emergencies because the fragile tube can rupture, causing massive internal bleeding. In 2019, an Ohio Republican proposed a measure that would have compelled doctors to try transplanting ectopic pregnancies into the uterus or allowing insurers to cover the hypothetical procedure, which is considered medically impossible. After Texas banned abortion after six weeks, Kerns said colleagues there have told of patients with ectopic pregnancies being transferred out of state for treatment, putting their health at risk. Physicians may even become hesitant to treat miscarriage, said Brandi, the New Jersey OB-GYN. Women often miscarry alone, early in pregnancy, with no need for medical assistance. For others, it involves heavy prolonged bleeding and treatment is exactly the same as abortion the same pills or procedure. Doctors in states that outlaw abortion would fear repercussions for treating miscarriages, Brandi said. Most end safely but infection is a risk, she said. Plus, Brandi added, it can take eight weeks for someone once theyve diagnosed with a miscarriage to actually pass the pregnancy without intervention. That can be traumatic, particularly for women who wanted to be pregnant. Roxanne Kelly, a mental health specialist in Arkansas, has a family history of miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies. Knowing shes at high risk, she shudders hearing politicians equate treatment for both with abortion. Instead of receiving medical care, I would be treated potentially as a murderer, Kelly said. She shared her fears with her husband recently, and he immediately offered to get a vasectomy," saying its reversible and keeps you safe, Kelly said. Meanwhile, some states still have abortion bans on the books that date back to the 1800s. If Roe is overturned, those bans with vague definitions of abortion could snap back into effect. Some states dont say what abortion is; they just say abortion is a crime, said Mary Ziegler, a law professor at University of California, Davis. Theres a history of defining abortion more broadly to include steps in IVF or some forms of contraception. The Supreme Court isn't expected to issue its final ruling until June or July, but some states are already considering going beyond banning abortion. Lawmakers in Louisiana considered a proposal to make it a homicide a plan the governor said could criminalize some types of contraception and parts of the in vitro fertilization process. The legislation stalled, but it could signal future tactics. Oklahoma passed a series of strict new anti-abortion measures after seeing abortions spike as a ban in nearby Texas sent women to surrounding states. Legislation passed Thursday and set to be signed by the governor has exceptions for ectopic pregnancies despite opposition from at least one lawmaker and contraception, too, but not a specific exception for in vitro fertilization. The legislation, which is enforced through civil lawsuits similar to the Texas ban, would provide strong, additional protection of the life of unborn children in Oklahoma, Republican sponsor Rep. Wendi Stearman said in a statement. A line describing an unborn child as one at any stage of gestation means it likely would not apply to embryos fertilized in a lab, leading some fertility doctors to say this bill would have little effect on people seeking IVF, but it could still apply to the selective reduction process sometimes used to remove a fetus from a woman's womb if fertility treatments result in multiple pregnancies, said Seema Mohapatra, health law and bioethics professor at SMU Dedman School of Law. I think it is very reasonable to be fearful of what comes next, Mohapatra said. At what point does your reproductive decision making, even for people that are really, really desperately wanting a child, become constrained? Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi in Tennessee contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. TUESDAY, May 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Lidocaine infusions seem beneficial for refractory chronic migraine, according to a study published online May 23 in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. Eric S. Schwenk, M.D., from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and colleagues reviewed records for 832 hospital admissions involving continuous multiday lidocaine infusions for migraine among patients meeting the criteria for refractory chronic migraine. Patients received additional migraine medications during hospitalization. The change in headache pain from baseline to hospital discharge was examined as the primary outcome. A total of 609 patient admissions were included in the analyses. The researchers observed a decrease in the median pain rating from 7.0 at baseline to 1.0 at the end of hospitalization; 87.8 percent of patients were considered acute responders. At postdischarge office visit (25 to 65 days after treatment), the average pain remained below baseline (5.5). At one month, 43 percent of patients were sustained responders. There was a decrease seen in headache days from 26.8 3.9 at baseline to 22.5 8.3 at the postdischarge office visit. The most common adverse drug effects were nausea and vomiting, and they were mild. "Our results support the use of lidocaine infusions in a challenging population with [refractory chronic migraine] and can help those treating challenging patients with headache have informed discussions about likelihood for relief and expected duration of relief," the authors write. One author disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry. Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. Its the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property, he said in a statement. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: After 3 months, Russia still bogged down in Ukraine war 200 bodies found in Mariupol as war rages in Ukraines east AP-NORC poll: US economy, not punishing Russia, is top priority Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks. Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths. Meanwhile Tuesday, Russian shelling continues around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv, even after Russian troops withdrew from its surroundings last week. Ukrainian regional officials say the city of Derhachi was hit and a 69-year-old woman died and another person was injured. Derhachi is southwest of the city of Kharkiv and has previously come under Russian shelling. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region. The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons. He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days. Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks. In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate. KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region said Tuesday that the area was facing the most difficult time since conflict with Russia-backed separatists began in 2014. Now, for the Luhansk region, is the most difficult time in the eight years of the war, Serhii Haidai wrote on Telegram. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time, they brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment. He also accused Moscows troops of deploying scorched-earth tactics across the region, one of two which make up Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Its only getting worse. What the Russians are doing is hard to describe in words. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. The situation is on the verge of being critical. The free Luhansk region is now like Mariupol, Haidai added, in a reference to the ruined port city captured by Moscow last week. KYIV, Ukraine The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. Earlier this month Russia announced its takeover of Mariupol with the surrender of the fighters holed up at the massive Azovstal steel mill. Prokopenko, who spoke to The Associated Press in Kyiv together with another wife of a soldier, Yuliia Fedosiuk, said that the Ukraine and Russia agreement guarantees proper burial of dead soldiers and certain conditions for the prisoners of war, including allowing them to hold telephone calls with family members a few times per week. The two women said several families had received calls in the past two days. They said they could not reveal more details of the agreement but they were hopeful that the soldiers will not be tortured and that they eventually will come back home. BERLIN Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was very disappointed Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve misunderstandings. She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons at the press of a button as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was not as dynamic as hoped, but acknowledged that the devil lies in the detail on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the U.S. and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and weaponizing food supplies. Russias invasion of Ukraine has provoked disruptions of global food supplies, and the blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful. Ukraine accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war, according to the EU. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukraine. And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support, she said. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia. LVIV, Ukraine An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. BRUSSELS A European Union plan to suspend all tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year cleared the final political hurdle on Tuesday when EU finance ministers endorsed the move. Meant to help the Ukrainian economy battered by Russias invasion, the removal of the EU duties will apply to Ukrainian industrial products, including steel, and to farm goods such as fruits and vegetables. The EU has already scrapped most of its tariffs on Ukrainian products as a result of a 2016 free-trade agreement. Ukrainian exports to the EU were worth 24.1 billion euros ($25.8 billion) last year, with the main goods being metals, agricultural products and machinery. Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the military operation in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form, he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors in order to avoid casualties among the civilians. APs reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. PARIS A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. As politicians, we must find a way for Ukraine to truly become part of this family, both economically and politically, she told reporters. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. In the meantime France is proposing an interim arrangement that would allow more political cooperation with Ukraine and other potential EU members. - DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order. Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forums annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EUs executive arm said reconciliation is certainly a distant dream and hope. But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands. ANKARA, Turkey The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isn't without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland are expected to arrive in Turkey later on Tuesday to discuss Ankaras objection to their membership in NATO. Cavusoglu told a group of journalists traveling with him on a two-day visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto also confirmed the meeting. A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. - LONDON British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The U.K. defense ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, says the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry says Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry says the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. KYIV, Ukraine Russian shelling of a residential building in Sievierodonetsk killed four people, Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday. He didnt specify when the shelling took place. The Russian forces in recent weeks have been trying so far unsuccessfully to take control of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the region, subjecting both cities to intensive shelling. The most recent round of shelling, Haidai said, damaged six houses in each of the two cities. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger 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 Jon Gamache grew up in a union family. His dad was a Teamster, and his father before him. Sadly, for most of Gamaches life, he has seen a general decline in union membership, as rising income inequality drove a wedge between the haves and the have nots, and the great middle class dwindled. Indeed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 1983, a decade before Gamache was born, there were 17.7 million union members in the U.S., more than 20% of the workforce. Last year, the number of union workers had dropped to 14 million, about 10% of the workforce. Ive seen the labor decline over the years, he told me. On the day we talked, he was voting in his first union election. Gamache, who is 28 and lives in Creve Coeur, works at Starbucks. His store, at Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road, is one of seven in the St. Louis region where employees are in the process of trying to form a union. The effort follows a national trend that started with a singular store in Buffalo, New York, and has spread across the country. Gamache and his St. Louis colleagues might be at the forefront of a post-pandemic union revival, driven by young workers who want higher pay, better working conditions and more control over their destiny. This many stores wouldnt be doing it if so many people didnt think it wasnt the right thing to do, Gamache says. Nationally, more than 75 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize in the past year, with an additional 200 starting the process. And its not just the coffee chain that is pursuing more collective power for workers. Unionization efforts are happening at Amazon, at McDonalds, even at libraries. Just this week the workers at Daniel Boone Regional Library in mid-Missouri voted to join a union. For the past 50 years, workers all across America have been losing ground, says Jeremy Al-Haj, executive director of the Missouri Workers Center, an organization supporting unionization efforts of low-wage workers in Missouri. On Wednesday, the center is sponsoring a march in St. Louis protesting working conditions at an Amazon fulfillment center in Hazelwood. Racial division and corporate power limited workers ability to win better pay, benefits, safe working conditions, and unions. Amazon, Starbucks and McDonalds workers are changing that. The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that these companies are not just going to wake up one day and magically prioritize workers safety, health or ability to live a decent life, Al-Haj said. When he moved back to St. Louis, Max Yusen didnt expect to join the burgeoning union movement. The 23-year-old from Webster Groves graduated last spring from the University of Minnesota. He moved to Colorado after graduation, but an apartment fire sent him back home for a while. A few months ago, he got a job at the Starbucks in Richmond Heights on Dale Avenue. Now, that store is seeking to certify a union as well. People at my job just started talking about it, and it built from there, Yusen said. Its a really demanding job. Starting wage is $12 an hour. Thats just not enough to live on. In the workers letter to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Yusen and nearly two dozen of his colleagues ask Schultz to stop working so hard to oppose union-organizing efforts in his stores. The only way workers voices get heard in a multibillion-dollar global corporation is by banding together and stating clearly what is necessary for us to continue doing our work with pride, dignity and respect, they wrote. And if you truly wanted to hear those workers voices, you would stop campaigning so hard to silence your greatest potential allies. Among Schultzs strategies amid the union organizing effort has been to announce new benefits for Starbucks employees, but only for those stores that dont join a union. Gamache says the effort is backfiring. Theres a lot of anger, he says. Because of cuts to the number of staff members working during peak hours, We cant keep a grasp on our customer load anymore. Three St. Louis-area Starbucks stores have ballots out for the union election this week. More votes, including at Yusens store, will likely follow. The sentiment I get is that a lot of people who have worked during the pandemic, it opened their eyes up and they felt like the companies werent really caring about their employees, Yusen says. I think people across the country are fed up with the status quo. Wages have not gone up and the prices of everything has skyrocketed. From City Hall to the Capitol, metro columnist Tony Messenger shines light on what public officials are doing, tells stories of the disaffected, and brings voice to the issues that matter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS The lawyer who represents the two brothers behind developer Lux Living is asking a tenant to turn over his text message exchanges with other renters about speaking to the Post-Dispatch. Cory Schmidt was quoted and photographed for an article published last month. In it, he discussed problems that he and other tenants have with Luxs new Hudson apartment building on Pershing Avenue in DeBaliviere Place, including construction that lasted months longer than management promised when they signed pricey leases. Im speechless, Schmidt said of the subpoena he was served last week, which also asks him to sit for a deposition. The subpoena is part of a lawsuit between a property owners association controlled by the Lux principals, brothers Victor Alston and Sid Chakraverty, and a rival developer building an apartment building on DeBaliviere Avenue near the Hudson. Lux reincorporated the long-dormant property owners association as the rival project began, arguing it held rights to review development in the neighborhood. It then withheld approval for new 285-unit apartment complex, which is named the Expo at Forest Park. The Expo developer and the property owners association controlled by Alston, Chakraverty and their lawyer, Ira Berkowitz, have been in litigation over the issue since 2020. Berkowitz declined to comment about the Schmidt subpoena. The action from the property owners association halted construction on the Expo for months. The Hudson, meanwhile, began moving tenants into the building even as construction was still ongoing, riling some of them who posted about it on an online forum. The Post-Dispatch contacted them for a report on Lux Living and other projects developed by companies affiliated with Alston and Chakraverty. Since the article published, tenants at other properties owned by Alston and Chakraverty companies have contacted the newspaper to complain about management and maintenance issues. The newspaper has also examined problems at the Ely Walker Lofts on Washington Avenue, where individuals affiliated with Lux control the downtown buildings condominium association. Noisy parties and a March shooting at the Ely Walker Lofts have riled residents, and tenants say management has done little to curb short-term rentals or keep up with building maintenance. City officials are eyeing issues there as part of a larger push to curb problems downtown. Schmidt, the Hudson tenant, said he was initially served a subpoena asking for any communication with the developers of the Expo. Schmidt surmises it is either a tactic to harass tenants who were willing to speak to the media about their problems with Lux, or it was because Lux believed he was part of some kind of conspiracy with the rival developer to smear them. He freely admits he did email the management company for the other project inquiring about an apartment because he wants to move. He called Berkowitz, also a Clayton alderman, to say he was not put up to anything by the other developer. He and other tenants had been discussing issues at the Hudson for months before a reporter contacted one of them and arranged a meeting with several residents in February. Schmidt then received the amended subpoena seeking texts with other tenants about speaking with the Post-Dispatch. Now, he plans to fight it, arguing it has no relevance to the litigation with the Expo developer. Hes already harassing me, Schmidt said of Berkowitz. And Ill be damned if Im some lever for him to use to go after other people. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Japan Areg Hovhannisyan met with deputy director of International Network Planning group at Japan Airlines Tatsuro Asami and manager at International Network marketing department Aran Sato, the Embassy said. The meeting focused on the prospects of operation of direct flights from Japan to Armenia after the pandemic, over which the Armenian Ambassador presented the attractiveness of this direction, also in the context of the possibilities of operating transit flights via Armenia to Europe and other regions. ST. PETERS The man who fatally shot his wife at a St. Peters hospital over the weekend has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said Tuesday. John Robey, 94, of St. Charles, died Monday afternoon of his injuries, said St. Peters police Sgt. Melissa Doss. Police said Robey killed his wife, 93-year-old Anna Bode, by shooting her in her hospital room Sunday morning at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. She died at the scene. Her husband then shot himself, police said. Doss said Robey was able to carry a gun into the hospital room because Barnes-Jewish St. Peters does not use metal detectors. No one other than the couple was in the room when the shooting happened, police said. Anna Bode had been hospitalized for several days for an undisclosed illness. Police havent divulged a possible motive for the murder-suicide. The couple had been married about 17 years. They have adult children from previous marriages. Police are talking to relatives to try to understand what Robeys motivation was, Doss said. They lived at the Lake St. Charles Retirement Community on Honey Locust Lane, off of Pralle Lane in St. Charles. Police found evidence at the couples residence that could help explain the shootings, but Doss declined to elaborate. The police investigation wont be complete until autopsy results, including toxicology, are back, which could be weeks. In a statement, a spokesperson for Barnes-Jewish St. Peters called the incident a tragic domestic situation, and said the hospital is working with the police. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This story was updated Tuesday morning with information from an online obituary. ST. LOUIS Three days after a seemingly random killing of a Shaw resident who lived on Flora Place, big green bows embraced tree trunks and porch columns in a show of solidarity and support for his grieving family. Christopher Brennans neighbors told the Post-Dispatch the green was to honor his Irish heritage. Neighbors walking outside on Flora Place who spoke to the Post-Dispatch on Monday afternoon remembered Brennan fondly. However, they respected the familys wishes by not publicly commenting on the shooting nor about Brennan himself. An obituary published online described Brennan as a "devoted and loving husband, father, uncle, and the most loyal of friends" who "was a man of effortless grace, goodwill, boundless optimism and good humor." A 20-year-old man is accused of struggling with Brennan in his backyard about 7:20 p.m. Friday and shooting him, before running away. Within 20 minutes, multiple witnesses and surveillance video led police to arrest Kyle A. Stone of St. Louis, court records state. Stone has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to police and court records. He is being held at the City Justice Center without bail. Two St. Louis detectives, an ATF dog and its handler could be seen Monday afternoon coming and going from Brennans backyard. While on Monday police declined to release information about Stones criminal history, Heather Taylor, the citys deputy public safety director, said he had been arrested just once prior to the shooting. Juvenile records are not publicly available. Attorney Javad Khazaeli was fielding questions for Brennans family, who this weekend expressed a desire for privacy. The family wants to thank the first responders, their alderman and their community for the outpouring of support, Khazaeli said. At this time, they continue to ask that everybody respect their privacy while they grieve this terrible loss. On Monday, Khazaeli said Stones initial court hearing was postponed until Wednesday after Stones court-appointed defense attorney recused himself because the lawyer knew Brennan. Abbie Schmitt, who has lived in the neighborhood for decades, said that when she saw Stones mugshot she recognized him right away as the man who recently knocked on her door and asked to cut her lawn, even though he did not have a lawn mower with him. She declined the offer and he left, she said. Stones family members said he had started a lawn care company at the age of 17, but they said he has schizophrenia, and the symptoms made it difficult for him to hold down a job. Schmitt wasnt the only one who recognized Stone upon seeing his mugshot. Hartford Coffee, less than 2 miles from the fatal shooting, posted on Facebook that police had told workers there that Stone also was the suspect in a string of thefts at the shop between May 3 and May 18. In those incidents, the coffee company reported that a man had stolen a laptop, $40 in employee tips and a customers cellphone. Hartford Coffee had posted photographs of surveillance footage in hopes of identifying the man. St. Louis police would not confirm to the Post-Dispatch whether they suspected Stone in those thefts. A report submitted to the court after Stones arrest listed him as unemployed and homeless; his family has long lived in the city's North Hampton neighborhood. Relatives, who agreed to speak if they were not identified, said Stones struggles with mental health began in his early teenage years. Before that he was a kind and quiet honor roll student, they said. Stone was diagnosed with schizophrenia and autism when he was 18, but his family said he was discharged from a medical facility two days after that diagnosis having received only one dose of medication. They struggled to get him follow-up care and said they believed the mental health system had failed Stone. Throughout the years relatives tried to get him help, they said, but he refused treatment and medication. They sent their deepest condolences to Brennans family, and said they hope Stone receives not only treatment but also punishment for what he is alleged to have done. We have heavy hearts; no one should lose a family member, Stones family said. It has devastated both families. Brennan's visitation will be held May 25 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Road in Kirkwood. His funeral mass will be held 10 a.m. May 27 at St. Francis Xavier College Church, 3628 Lindell Blvd. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS A federal judge Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man to two years in prison for his role in a series of frauds, including bilking a Wisconsin company out of $159,000 they paid for N95 masks. Prince J. Vamboi pleaded guilty in February to bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White sentenced Vamboi to the prison term on Tuesday, and ordered him to repay the money. Vamboi, 40, is a citizen of Sierra Leone living in St. Louis. Authorities said Vamboi posed as a member of a group of businesses formed to discuss the supply and cost of safety equipment. In late March or early April of 2020, one of those companies was trying to find N-95 masks. Vamboi's co-conspirator emailed them and claimed to know a company with a large supply of masks. Vamboi opened a bank account in St. Louis using an alias, and his co-conspirator told the company, Verona Safety Supply, to send $159,000. Verona, of Madison, Wisconsin, never received the masks. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEFFERSON CITY A state senator challenging Rep. Cori Bush in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary called for a series of debates with the incumbent congresswoman on Monday. A campaign spokesperson for Bush did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. State Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, is attempting to wrest control of the seat from Bush after her victory over longtime U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, in 2020. In his two-page letter, Roberts jabs Bush for her defund the police statements, her vote against President Joe Bidens bipartisan infrastructure law, her vote against banning Russian energy imports, and her opposition last year to funding the Iron Dome missile defense system in Israel. Roberts proposed 10 debates with Bush. He said that because Bush has campaigned out of state for other Socialist candidates, he said St. Louis voters deserve no less of your time. Bushs campaign has repeatedly referenced allegations by Cora Faith Walker, who died in March, that Roberts raped her in 2016, and by Amy Harms, who had accused Roberts of sexual assault. Roberts has denied the allegations. Harms filed a lawsuit in 2017, and the case was settled two years later for $100,000. Our campaign is well-aware of the distraction tactics you have employed so far in focusing your attacks on me instead of defending an indefensible record, Roberts said. As the Aug. 2 primary approaches, Roberts isnt the only candidate needling opponents about the debate stage. In the Republican race for U.S. Senate, details on a primary debate have yet to be confirmed, according to an official with U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzlers campaign. Michael Hafner, spokesman for Hartzlers campaign, said she was invited in January to a statewide televised debate by Nexstar that was scheduled for July 13. Weve committed to the debate, Hafner said. To my knowledge the July 13 date is still not confirmed. Hafner said debate organizers told him that former Gov. Eric Greitens has not committed to the debate. An official with Nexstar did not respond to a request for comment last week. Greitens campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Were still in this holding pattern, Hafner said Tuesday. It will be unfortunate if Missouri Republican primary voters dont get to hear from the candidates on the debate stage, where theres a level playing field. On the Democratic side, Lucas Kunce said last week he had committed to a statewide televised debate hosted by Gray TV, which in St. Louis owns KMOV-TV (Channel 4). Missourians deserve a real chance to evaluate the candidates and what they bring to the table, said Connor Lounsbury, deputy campaign manager, in a statement. We look forward to sharing the stage with Trudy Busch Valentine and the other candidates to debate the issues affecting working Missourians. The Busch Valentine campaign will be evaluating each debate opportunity as it comes up and as we see proposed details, said Alex Witt, campaign manager. Posted at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 24. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri voters wont get a chance to head to the polls in the 2024 presidential primary if Gov. Mike Parson signs off on legislation altering state election laws. As part of a significant rewrite of state voting regulations, including another attempt by Republicans to require voters to have a photo ID to cast a ballot, the presidential primary election held every four years in February would be eliminated. If approved, Missouri would instead only use party caucuses to select the delegates who will go to each partys nominating convention. The reason is that Missouris primary is nonbinding, meaning party delegates can ignore the results unless the parties choose to follow the outcome of the vote. The change has been a priority for Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who says the election doesnt actually matter. And, it costs an estimated $7 million to run whats been called a taxpayer-funded beauty contest. I would like to thank the legislature for their work this session to prioritize and further strengthen elections, Ashcroft said in a statement following the bills passage earlier this month. But the abolition of the presidential primary means fewer people will be weighing in on their partys candidates because fewer people participate in caucuses, says the League of Women Voters Missouri chapter. League members are concerned about many provisions in this anti-voter legislation that make it more difficult for citizens to have their voices heard, said League executive director Jean Dugan. In a letter to Parson, League President Marilyn McLeod stressed the Leagues concern about wording that could limit its voter service activities. This legislation provides unnecessary roadblocks to our most basic right, the right to vote, she said. But supporters say those who do attend a caucus are typically more politically involved and have more knowledge of the candidates. Typically, party caucuses are held in each county in mid-March, where voters begin the process of choosing delegates. It wont be the first time Missouri has altered how it selects its presidential contenders. In 1986, lawmakers approved a plan to hold a presidential preference primary in 1988 in a bid to raise the profile of then-U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-St. Louis County, who was running for the White House. In 1998, the Legislature approved a bill with no expiration date that holds a presidential preference primary every four years. Senate Bill 709 was signed by then-Gov. Mel Carnahan, a Democrat. Missouri used presidential caucuses in 1992 and 1996, but has held primaries since 2000. In 2020, former Vice President Joe Biden won the Missouri Democratic presidential primary with 60% of the vote. President Donald Trump swept the GOP primary with nearly 97% of the vote, and carried the state in the general election. The legislation is House Bill 1878. Originally posted at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 24. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ATLANTA (AP) In the first statewide test of new voting restrictions, Georgia's high-stakes primary election appeared to be running smoothly Tuesday with no reports of major problems in one of the nation's most important battleground states. A record number of ballots cast during the early voting period in the three weeks before Election Day helped ease the strain at polling places. There were no reports of long lines or widespread equipment problems despite hotly contested GOP primary races for governor and U.S. Senate. Its all quiet, and quiet is good, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who also was facing a GOP primary challenger in his re-election bid. He said overall turnout was on track to set a record for a midterm election in the state. Tuesday's primary was the first major election since the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republican governor adopted tighter rules following the 2020 presidential election and amid a concerted effort by former President Donald Trump to cast doubt on his loss with unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Lawmakers added restrictions to mail voting, limited drop boxes and changed rules that could make it harder for voters who run into problems on Election Day to have their ballots counted. Thats despite no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, a state that Democrat Joe Biden won by about 11,800 votes. Election Day capped a record-setting early voting period in Georgia. Nearly 860,000 ballots had been cast through Friday, the majority of which were done in-person as opposed to mail. State election officials said the early turnout marked a 168% increase from the 2018 primary and a 212% increase from 2020. Republicans have touted the early voting numbers as evidence that the Georgia elections law, known as Senate Bill 202, has not harmed voters. Now we are seeing the hard evidence that as we all knew, the hysteria was never based on fact to begin with, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor Tuesday. Since primaries tend to draw more experienced voters, it may be too soon to draw any sweeping conclusions about the effects of the Georgia law. In the fall, more first-time and infrequent voters those who are more likely to encounter challenges at the polls will be casting ballots. Georgias primary also was expected to draw far higher turnout among Republicans because of the closely contested GOP races for governor and secretary of state, and a high-profile U.S. Senate race. The two leading Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate were facing little to no opposition. Nothing I have seen so far has changed the fact that Georgia could have celebrated the historic turnout we saw in 2020 and made voting more accessible," said Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project. Georgia was among three states, along with Alabama and Arkansas, holding regular primaries Tuesday. Texas had runoff elections for the GOP primary for attorney general and for a Democratic congressional seat, while Minnesota was holding a special primary for the seat of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. Georgia - along with other states that have held early primaries has seen a dramatic decline in the use of mailed ballots since the record numbers reported in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when voters were seeking alternatives to crowded polling places. Brad Conlon, who cast his ballot at a church in the north Georgia town of Holly Springs, said he prefers voting in-person because he believes its more secure. He said poll workers checked his ID twice. I have a lot of concerns about methods that arent really well-watched, protected, said Conlon, who owns a small business in heavily Republican Cherokee County. Across the state, election officials and voting rights groups reported a few instances of polling locations opening late, minor equipment troubles and some voters showing up at the wrong voting location in some cases because of errors in the voting materials they received. Officials acknowledged the error for some voters in Chatham County, home of Savannah, and posted signs on the door of at least one polling place redirecting voters. State election officials said a drawn-out redistricting process gave election offices tight deadlines to ensure that all voters were assigned to their proper precinct. Voting was being extended in at least seven precincts in Georgia that delayed their morning opening. There were no immediate reports of major voting issues in the other states. The new Georgia elections law made several changes. It made it harder to request a mail ballot by shortening the period voters can apply for one and added new ID requirements to the applications and the ballot itself. Voters could request a ballot online two years ago, but now they must print or obtain a paper form, sign it in ink and send it in by mail, email or fax. As of Monday, about 72,000 mail ballots had been returned out of nearly 97,000 requested by Georgia voters. About 1,300 applications were rejected for arriving past the new, earlier deadline, or about 1.4% of those submitted. Texas primary voters in March were tripped up by new identification requirements, resulting in an abnormally high rate of mail ballot rejections. Lawmakers in Alabama and Arkansas also shortened the period for those requesting absentee ballots. Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Alan Fram in Washington, D.C., and Jeff Martin in Holly Springs, Georgia, contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. European Unions High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell welcomed the recent EU-mediated meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels. Welcome the 3rd trilateral meeting hosted by the European Council President with Armenia and Azerbaijan leaders in Brussels. Hopeful to see concrete steps that support dynamics towards sustainable peace. The EU continues to be strongly engaged in peace and reconciliation efforts in the region, Josep Borrell tweeted. On Memorial Day, Americans remember those who gave their lives fighting for the freedoms we enjoy. Those we lost had joined all their other military brethren in swearing an oath to the Constitution. While the U.S. Constitution is just a document, it is the values for which it stands that make it so meaningful. This oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic is also professed by civil servants, intelligence officials, as well as members of Congress. And because almost everything is now viewed through the lens of partisanship, even the threats to our security have become political. In 2019, FBI counterterrorism official Michael C. McGarrity defined domestic terrorism for the House Homeland Security Committee as any act dangerous to human life that violates U.S. criminal laws and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. The act in question must occur primarily within the jurisdiction of the United States. FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional panel in March 2021 that domestic terrorism is one of the greatest threats to the United States. Wray stated The problem of domestic terrorism has been metastasizing across the country for a long time now and its not going away anytime soon. At the FBI, weve been sounding the alarm on it for a number of years now. FBI national security chief Jill Sanborn told lawmakers in January that the threat posed by domestic violent extremists is persistent and evolving. The most lethal threat from domestic violent extremists is posed by white supremacists and antigovernment militias. She added: Racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists are most likely to conduct mass casualty attacks against civilians, and militia violent extremists typically target law enforcement and government personnel and facilities. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illinois, introduced a bill to combat domestic terrorism that establishes new requirements to expand the availability of information on domestic terrorism, as well as the relationship between domestic terrorism and hate crimes. It authorizes domestic terrorism components within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to monitor, analyze, investigate, and prosecute domestic terrorism. The domestic terrorism components of DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must jointly report on domestic terrorism, including white-supremacist-related incidents or attempted incidents. DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must review the anti-terrorism training and resource programs of their agencies that are provided to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, DOJ must make training on prosecuting domestic terrorism available to its prosecutors and to assistant U.S. attorneys. It creates an interagency task force to analyze and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services and federal law enforcement agencies. Finally, it directs the FBI to assign a special agent or hate crimes liaison to each field office to investigate hate crimes incidents with a nexus to domestic terrorism. The House vote on Schneiders bill, on May 19, was split 222-203 in favor. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, was the only Republican to join with all the Democrats in favor of the proposal. Four Republicans didnt vote. The vote came just days after a homegrown extremist killed 10 people in a Buffalo supermarket. House Republican leaders urged members of their party to vote against the bill, arguing that the legislation is unnecessary. But back in September 2020, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020, a previous version of the same legislation, won unanimous House approval. What was the difference between the 2020 and 2022 votes? The 2022 midterms. I will not speculate on the reason for the unwillingness of Republicans to address the threat within our boundaries. That said, there are issues that should transcend the partisan divide. Our collective safety is one of them. As a nation, we should be able to agree that fighting our enemies, whether they live on foreign soil or right here in the United States, should be a top priority and a nonpartisan one at that. The quest to obtain or hold power seems to be tainting that commitment. Lynn Schmidt is a Post-Dispatch columnist and Editorial Board member. lynnschmidtrn@outlook.com On Twitter: @lynnschmidtrn The Catholic archbishop in San Francisco says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be denied communion for her support of abortion rights. Its a flareup of a debate that has previously ensnared other Catholic pro-choice politicians, including President Joe Biden. That debate is sure to become more common with the Supreme Courts expected overturning of Roe v. Wade, forcing abortion policy front and center in Congress and in state legislatures. Which makes this a good time to reiterate a valid principle regarding taxation, one that also happens to be federal law: A church or any other religious organization has every right to take a stand on abortion or any other topic. But when it casts that position in explicitly partisan terms, publicly condemning political parties or individual politicians by name, it has crossed into the realm of political campaigning, making it ineligible for tax-exempt status. The Internal Revenue Service grants automatic 501(c)(3) tax exemption to churches and other nonprofit organizations with the condition that the organization does not participate in, or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. Note that the relevant issue isnt whether the organization participates in public debates of topics that may be political in nature thats protected by the First Amendment and doesnt violate tax-exempt status. The issue is whether the organization voices support or opposition to specific politicians or parties. With that standard in mind, consider last weeks written announcement by Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, archbishop in San Francisco, that Pelosi would be denied communion unless and until she [agrees to] publicly repudiate her support for abortion rights and confess and receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of Penance. Cordileones stance is different only in tone from the fiery sermon recently delivered by Tennessee Baptist Pastor Greg Locke, who called Democrats demons and declared, You cannot be a Christian and vote Democrat in this nation. Locke voluntarily gave up his tax-exempt status when faced with a formal complaint to the IRS over the comments. The Roman Catholic Church typically is far more circumspect in its pronouncements than right-wing zealots like Locke and, indeed, Pope Francis official position is that pro-choice American politicians arent subject to punishment by church policy despite the churchs anti-choice stance. Still, the Vatican should be mindful that rebellions by conservative church officials like Cordileone could theoretically threaten the churchs tax-exempt status. The issue goes beyond abortion. The churchs relatively new stance against capital punishment, made official in 2018, could present pro-death-penalty Catholic politicians with the same internal dilemmas that pro-choice Catholic politicians have long faced. While priests, preachers and pastors may legitimately weigh in on those and other controversial issues, the taxpayers arent required to give them a break once they cross the line from principle to partisanship. Regarding Mayorkas tours border to prepare for asylum limits to end (May 18): I recently returned from a vacation in Ireland, where there were very few coronavirus cases, at least when we visited. Ireland doesnt require a test or proof of vaccination to enter the country. But everyone, including American citizens returning to the U.S., are required to have a negative test within 24 hours before entering our country. The vaccination record is never checked. I believe thats amazing considering what is happening on our southern border. In my opinion, someone is making a lot of money off American citizens, and I wonder who that could be. St. Louis, Missouri Ungerboeck, the global leader in event management software, announced today that it has acquired the products developed by risk management agency Reliance Risk and will be debuting an industry-first application for mitigating risk to events and venues. Risk management is an essential part of venue management and event planning. As the industry continues to be impacted by major shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, accidents, and severe weather incidents, Ungerboeck is committed to helping its customers better manage risks of all kinds. The acquisition of both Reliance Risk products, RiskSense101 and VRM360, gives Ungerboeck the power to offer a valuable new solution: Risk Manager by Ungerboeck. The new application is specifically designed to give venue and event organizers a better understanding of threats and help them be proactive instead of reactive in the face of potential issues. The unique nature of events dictates the need for a customized, simple, but powerful technology solution to help mitigate and monitor risk, said Wayne Middleton, founder of Risk Sense Technologies and co-developer of the new application. We have built this into Risk Manager by Ungerboeck and are grateful for the shared vision, passion, and global reach that Ungerboeck brings to help our industry manage risk. Steve Mackenzie, Executive Vice President of Ungerboeck, said the new application fills a void in the market. Over the past few years, several events have become major headlines for all the wrong reasons, he said. Think of the Manchester Arena bombing, the shooting in Las Vegas, or the Astroworld crowd incident. By offering this tool, we are ensuring venue and event operators are equipped to identify potential risks and produce the necessary tasks and reports to back up the process. Before joining the Ungerboeck family, Middletons risk management software was already used in venues across the Asia Pacific Region. Now thanks to Ungerboecks global reach, thousands of additional organizations will benefit. Qudos Bank Arena, along with the larger ASM Global operated venues throughout Australia, have held a license to the software for over seven years. It has been an important tool in helping us understand the risks that our venues encounter and ensure that we have taken appropriate measures to mitigate them, said Steve Hevern CVE, General Manager of Qudos Band Arena. We congratulate Wayne and Ungerboeck on this global partnership and look forward to more innovative technology that will help us continue to host safe and successful events. Middleton will continue in his role as Managing Director of Reliance Risk, and as a risk management consultant, setting the benchmark for best practices across the industry. We'll build on the unique system that Wayne, a world-renowned risk management expert, has developed over the past decade, Mackenzie said. This is incredibly exciting for the market to finally have access to a dedicated risk management software. About Ungerboeck Ungerboeck provides industry-leading event and venue management software to over 50,000 users in more than 50 countries, empowering the people that bring people together. Its comprehensive platform offers event professionals powerful Software as a Service (SaaS) technology that provides a 360-view of their business, allowing them to cut costs, save time, and increase revenue. Founded in 1985, Ungerboeck is headquartered in the United States, with regional presence in Germany, France, Mexico, England, Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. ungerboeck.com About Reliance Risk Reliance Risk is a risk management consultancy established to provide quality risk management and safety support. We offer services across the risk spectrum with expertise in health and safety, business risk, business continuity and resilience, security, and emergency management. Many of our consultants have international risk management experience working across a range of industry sectors and we draw upon our network of technical experts to provide the right solution for client needs. For additional information about Ungerboeck, please contact Stacie Bauer at 636-300-5606 x113 or via email at Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WGU Missouri which is consistently recognized for providing affordable, flexible, career-boosting college education to military service members and their families has announced a new scholarship aimed at helping military spouses achieve their goals of higher education. The WGU Military Spouse Scholarship is open to spouses of active-duty military personnel, veterans, guard and reservists who are interested in pursuing a bachelors or masters degree from the fully online, nonprofit university. Each Military Spouse Scholarship is valued at up to $4,000 and will be applied at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. The scholarship can be applied to any of the universitys more than 60 accredited bachelors and masters degree programs in IT, business, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. The scholarship is open through July 30, 2022, at wgu.edu/militaryspousescholarship. According to the 2020 Military Family Lifestyle Survey sponsored by Blue Star Families, military spouses face many challenges when it comes to employment. The survey found that 35% are not employed but need or want employment, while 67% of military spouses reported being under employed and 58% are not satisfied with their ability to advance their vocational goals in their current role. WGU Missouri offers military spouses a flexible and affordable pathway to earning a workforce-focused degree that will equip them with the skills they need to advance their careers. WGUs programs are competency-based, allowing students to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn, rather than basing progress on a number of credit hours. Faculty members work one-on-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support and individualized instruction. While the universitys degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their programs, saving them both time and money. Military spouses are often limited when it comes to earning a degree due to military moves and deployments, said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Director of WGU Missouri. WGU makes it easier for these selfless spouses to earn a career-focused degree by providing them with an option to complete coursework, study and take tests on their schedule. WGU offers multiple scholarships for the military community including family members but this is the first scholarship open only to military spouses. We believe they deserve to be recognized, and we hope this scholarship offering will encourage them to further their education and advance their careers. WGU has been named one of the Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities for 10 consecutive years by Military Advanced Education and Transition Magazine, and about one in seven of its students nationwide is affiliated with the military community. The university has demonstrated a strong commitment to helping servicemen and women apply their knowledge and life experiences toward a high-quality degree that will open career opportunities into business, healthcare, K12 education or information technology. For more information about WGU Missouri or to apply for the Military Spouse Scholarship, visit wgu.edu/militaryspousescholarship. About WGU Missouri WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,600 per year for most programs. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493. *Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791). Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The American image of Spain is Andalucia: the home of bullfights, flamenco, gazpacho, and pristine whitewashed hill towns. This southern part of the country feels more quintessentially Spanish than perhaps anywhere else. When visiting this area, I always make a point to venture into whats called the Route of the White Hill Towns (Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos), a charm bracelet of cute villages perched in the sierras. Acros de la Frontera makes a good starting point. Arcos is a classic hill town, blanketing its little summit with a mosaic of whitewashed buildings and a tangle of shady lanes. The labyrinthine old center is a photographers bonanza. I can feel the breeze funnel through the narrow streets so narrow that drivers can only enter the town on one side and leave on the other. If you miss your stop, you need to drive out of town and circle all the way back to your starting point. The best advice: Park outside the old center and walk. The entertaining market is my first stop. The pickle woman encourages me to try a banderilla, named for the bangled spear that a matador sticks into the bull. As I gingerly slide an onion off the tiny skewer of pickled olives, onions, and carrots, she tells me to eat it all at once the pickle equivalent of throwing down a shot of vodka. Explosivo! The lady in the adjacent meat stall bursts into laughter at my shock. Like the pickle section, the meat stall or salchicheria is an important part of any Spanish market. In Spain, ever since Roman times, December has been the month to slaughter pigs. After the slaughter, they salt and dry every possible bit of meat into various sausages, hams, and pork products. By late spring, that now-salty meat is cured, able to withstand the heat, and hanging in tempting market displays. Ham appreciation is big here. The word to know: jamon. When in Spain, I am a jamon aficionado. Asking for top-quality ham, I get a plate of jamon iberico. While quite expensive, its a worthy investment. Made from acorn-fed pigs with black feet, it actually does taste better, with a bouquet of its own and a sweet aftertaste. I make a point in bars to order a small plate of it with my wineit goes just right with vino tinto con mucho cuerpo (full-bodied red wine) from the Rioja region. Around town, I like to peek discreetly into private patios. These wonderful, cool-tiled courtyards, filled with plants, pools, and happy family activities, are typical of the whole region. I also keep my eyes peeled for ancient columns tucked into building corners. Many are actually Roman, appropriated from their original ancient settlement at the foot of the hill; they were put up to protect buildings from reckless donkey cars (and tourists in rental cars). I eventually make my way into a cool dark bar filled with very short old guys. Any Spanish man over a certain age spent his growth-spurt years trying to survive the brutal Civil War (193639). Those who did struggled. That generation is a head shorter than Spaniards of the next. In the bar, the men side-lit like a Rembrandt portrait are fixated on the TV, watching the finale of a long series of bullfights. El Cordobes is fighting. His father, also El Cordobes, was the Babe Ruth of bullfighting. El Cordobes uses his dads name even though his dad sued in an effort to stop him. Marveling at the bars cheap list of wines and hard drinks, I order a Cuba Libre for about $2. The drink comes tall and stiff, with a dish of peanuts. Suddenly the room gasps. I cant believe the vivid scene on the screen. El Cordobes has been hooked and is flung, doing a cartwheel over the angry bulls head. The gang roars as El Cordobes lands in a heap and buries his head in his arms as the bull tramples and tries to gore him. The TV replays the scene many times, each time drawing gasps in the bar. El Cordobes survives and no surprise eventually kills the bull. As he makes a victory lap, picking up bouquets tossed by adoring fans, the camera zooms in on the rip exposing his hip and a long bloody wound. The short men around me will remember and talk about this moment for years to come. I end my walk at the best restaurant in town, where the proud owner, Maria, tells me about the day's menu. As she pours my wine, I tell her that the man at the next table looks like El Cordobes. One glance and she says, El Cordobes is much more handsome. When I mention his recent drama, she nods and says, Its been a difficult year for matadors. (Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This article was adapted from his new book, For the Love of Europe. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.) Two months after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russian media reported a Ukrainian TB2 UAV had crashed a hundred kilometers from the Ukrainian border, near the city of Kursk. Normally this incident would not be reported in the state-controlled media. In this case it was believed the incident would help explain why Russia didnt achieve the promised quick victory in Ukraine. The official storyline was that the evil NATO alliance intervened and NATO member Turkey supplied Ukraine with the TB2 UAVs. These remotely controlled aircraft were similar to the 1990s American Predator, which could be used for surveillance as well as air-to-ground combat using laser guided missiles. Recently released (by the Ukrainians) video shows a TB2 destroying two Russian Raptor assault boats in the Black Sea. TB2s were also involved with an earlier Ukrainian attack on the Black Sea Fleet flagship, the Moskva, which subsequently sank. Russian propagandists decided to make the TB2 the main perpetrator for all embarrassing misfortunes. There was a lot of TB2 activity inside Russia and the government did not want to admit that Russians opposed to the war were responsible for some of the fires and explosions throughout Russia since the invasion began. There have been about a dozen of these fires and explosions deep (beyond artillery or rocket range) inside Russia each month, and this has to be explained. In reality the perpetrators are numerous, including Russians opposed to the war as well as incompetent Russian soldiers and corrupt officials. Ukraine wont take credit for these incidents, at least the ones deep inside Russia. Those fires and explosions are the result of more numerous movement (by truck and rail) of munitions to Russian forces in Ukraine. A lot of this stuff is elderly and unstable. If handled the wrong way by untrained conscripts or civilians, there will be explosions and fires. This has been happening since 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and Russia no longer needed thousands of tons of elderly and dangerous to use shells and rockets. Corrupt officials in charge of ammo supplies and storage sites have stolen cash provided for improved storage methods and disposal of the oldest and most unstable items. When called upon to ship more recent and safer ammo the corruption is hidden by an accidental fire or explosion. The numerous fires at recruiting stations and anti-war graffiti are blamed on NATO agents seeking to disrupt the war effort. Blaming most of this on the Turkish TB2 works for Russia because Turkey is a NATO member, though it has become a very unreliable one over the last two decades due to buying Russian weapons and frequently cooperating with Russian military operations. All this should be grounds for expelling Turkey from NATO but the original NATO agreement made no provision for that. Lacking an expulsion option, Turkey has been expelled from key NATO programs. In turn, Turkey did not provide any military aid to Ukraine and continues to sell Ukraine TB2s and other weapons. That is good business but Turkey would also like to improve its standing in NATO because all the bad-will with other NATO members has meant Turkey can no longer obtain the latest military tech and has found that Russia has no suitable substitutes. While Russia has material proof that at least two Ukrainian TB2s crashed deep inside Russia, no components of Turkish missiles or bombs have been recovered from the sites of explosions or major fires. There is always something, unless you dont want to find it. That about sums up the current Russian attitude towards the war in Ukraine and the seemingly unending string of defeats, disasters and unwilling Russian soldiers who, if captured, blame their own government. Russian troops, including officers, are pretty open about their complaints, even when back in Russia. The government will not prosecute them because that will create more bad news that will be published inside Russia via encrypted messaging apps like Telegram. Even government propagandists use Telegram because it is a more trusted news outlet than the state-controlled media. The bad attitudes of returning soldiers is difficult to control or censor because these troops, and Russians of all ages, regularly use encrypted apps that have not been cracked by the government. The most popular one is Telegram, which was developed by the Russian Durov brothers in 2013 and was so successful that they had to flee Russia to avoid punishment. Telegram is also popular with gangsters and Islamic terrorists as well. It is the Russian soldiers and their families that are passing on the comments of Russian soldiers who have fought in Ukraine and know the government version of the war is all lies. Ukraine believes more Russians would oppose the invasion if they knew what was going on with invading forces and the determined resistance of the Ukrainian population. Westerners do not realize how little most Russians knew about the Ukrainian operation, as the invasion is called by the Russian government. This began to change as more soldiers returned to Russia or parents complained that they had lost contact with sons in the military. The government has suppressed large public demonstrations in opposition to the war by simply arresting thousands of demonstrators at a time and firing those who work for the government or a state-owned company. That reminded Russians that the solution to that was to employ the Soviet-era expedient to be pro-war or neutral publicly while remaining anti-war otherwise, especially on Telegram. The government has a good idea of the number of people supporting or opposing things via Telegram and the anti-war sentiment keeps growing. Much of this criticism is directed at the poor government leadership during this war. That is getting a lot of Russians killed and humiliating the Russian military and Russia in general. These Russians often see this as the entire world turning against Russia and doing enormous economic damage to Russia. This degree of public opposition or criticism is unusual and causing a lot of political problems for Putin and his associates. Despite that, the war goes on and so do the battlefield defeats and the clandestine criticism from Russians. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 24, 2022 / Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V:SWLF) (OTCQB: SWLFF) ("Silver Wolf" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") financing of up to 4,000,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a purchase price of C$0.15 per unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$600,000. The Company reserves the right to increase the size of the Offering, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Each Unit will be comprised of one (1) common share of the Company and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant "Warrant". Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.25 at any time up to 18 months following the date of issuance. Commissions or finder's fees may be paid by the Company in connection with the Units sold under the Private Placement, as may be permitted under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. The securities issued by the Company in connection with this financing will be subject to a 4-month and a day "hold period" from the dates of distribution, as prescribed by the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities laws. The terms of the Offering are also subject to the acceptance for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange. The Units will be offered by way of the "accredited investor" and "minimum amount investment" exemptions from prospectus requirements under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions in all the Provinces of Canada. The Units may also be sold in offshore jurisdictions where permitted by law, and in the United States to Qualified Institutional Buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and to "accredited investors" as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the 1933 Act, by way of private placement pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for financing the ongoing exploration work on the Ana Maria property in Mexico, and the Company's general working capital requirements. About Silver Wolf Silver Wolf Is an exploration company focused on exploring high potential projects in prime silver and gold regions of Mexico including the Ana Mara and El Laberinto properties which are both located in a well-known, prolific carbonate replacement deposit (CRD). The Company has operational synergies with Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. and shares many years of combined experience in exploration, development and production. In addition, Silver Wolf has an experienced geological field team who have worked on similar projects in similar regions. For further information please contact Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. at ph. (604) 682-3701, by email at [email protected], or visit our website at www.silverwolfexploration.com. The management team at Silver Wolf welcomes the opportunity to connect with investors and answer questions. Connect with us on Twitter @SWLFexploration and on LinkedIn at Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Peter Latta" _________________________________ Peter Latta President Cautionary Note 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 numerous assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such information contained herein represents management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently available. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. SOURCE: Silver Wolf Exploration Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com: YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The session of the CSTO Council of Defense Ministers was held today, on May 24, in a video conference mode, chaired by the Defense Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan, the ministry reports. The CSTO Defense Ministers discussed issues relating to the military security challenges and threats in the collective security regions, as well as the implementation process of the proposals made with the results of the CSTO peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan. The session participants approved the Plan of joint training of the command bodies and formations of the forces and means of the collective security system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization for 2023, which determines, in particular, the holding of joint trainings with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Forces. The documents on improving the management of the CSTO Troops (Collective Forces), as well as a draft decision of the Collective Security Council on the joint formation of radiation, chemical and biological protection and medical support, which defines the tasks of the formation when deployed on the territory of a CSTO member State and the procedure for equipping it with weapons, military and special equipment were approved. Summing up the results of the meeting, Chairman of the CSTO Defense Ministers Council Suren Papikyan thanked all the participants for the productive work and said that the next meeting of the Council was to be held in Armenia in the second half of this year, the CSTO said in a news release. New York City REIT, Inc. (NYSE: NYC) (NYC or the Company) today issued the following statement in response to the report issued by Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC relating to the director election at the Companys Annual Meeting on May 31, 2022. Michael Weil, Chairman and CEO of NYC, said, This election is about one thing: choosing the best qualified person to serve on the NYC Board. There is no question that person is Elizabeth Tuppeny, who has served NYC shareholders extremely well and possesses relevant skills, leadership experience, and real estate expertise to continue to drive value. Conversely, activist hedge fund Comrits hand-picked, inexperienced and unqualified candidate, Sharon Stern whose work is largely limited to helping manage a small portfolio of family-owned student housing properties in Montreal, lacks experience in U.S. commercial real estate. It is disappointing that Glass Lewis failed to recognize that electing her to replace a director with the track record and qualifications of Ms. Tuppeny would disrupt NYCs significant momentum." Re-electing Elizabeth Tuppeny to the NYC Board is the best way for shareholders to protect the value of their investment and the companys attractive $0.40 per share dividend, which could be at risk if Sharon stern is elected, Mr. Weil concluded. NYC reminds shareholders of Elizabeth Tuppenys many outstanding qualifications: Relevant Real Estate Experience Independent board member of PIDC, a public-private economic development organization. Has been involved with major real estate projects across the greater Philadelphia area, including evaluating and approving more than 500 industrial and commercial real estate transactions. Knowledge of the New York City Market Has served and been a highly productive NYC Board member for over 7 years, and currently serves as Lead Independent Director. Has spent significant time in New York City over the past for 28 years collaborating with Domus clients. Corporate Board Experience In addition to NYC, Ms. Tuppeny has served as an independent director on the boards of three separate REITs for several years. Board/Governance Education Ms. Tuppeny has invested significant time and effort to prepare herself to be an outstanding director, including certifications from Harvard, MIT and the National Association of Corporate Directors. CEO Experience CEO of Domus, Inc., a corporate strategy company she founded that successfully advises C-level professionals of global Fortune 500 companies. Sharon Sterns experience pales in comparison in all of these areas. Time is short. Re-elect Elizabeth Tuppeny to the Companys Board of Directors by voting FOR on the GOLD card to re-elect Elizabeth Tuppeny so that we can continue to build on our considerable momentum. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY COMRIT, as a vote for Sharon Stern could jeopardize NYCs momentum and put the value of your investment at risk. Your Vote Is Important, No Matter How Many or How Few Shares You Own! Please vote today by telephone, via the Internet or by signing, dating and returning the enclosed GOLD proxy card. Simply follow the easy instructions on the GOLD proxy card. If you have questions about how to vote your shares, please contact: INNISFREE M&A INCORPORATED Shareholders May Call Toll-free: (877) 750-8197 Banks and Brokers May Call Collect: (212) 750-5833 REMEMBER: Please simply discard any WHITE proxy card that you may receive from Comrit. Returning a WHITE proxy card even if you withhold on the Comrits nominees will revoke any vote you had previously submitted on NYCs GOLD proxy card. REMEMBER: Please simply discard any WHITE proxy card that you may receive from Comrit. Returning a WHITE proxy card even if you withhold on the Comrits nominees will revoke any vote you had previously submitted on NYCs GOLD proxy card. TYSONS, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The TEGNA Foundation, the charitable foundation sponsored by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), today announced its first round of 2022 Media Grants to support training for the next generation of diverse journalists and education and development opportunities for professionals in the media field. A key role of the TEGNA Foundation is investing in the future of the media industry, said Dave Lougee, president and CEO, TEGNA. We are honored to provide funding and support to increase representation and diversity and help secure the future of our industry through student and professional development programs. This years Round 1 Media Grant recipients include the following organizations and projects: The TEGNA Foundations media funding mission is to support freedom of the press, ethics in journalism, and education and training for the next generation of diverse journalists. The Foundation particularly favors programs or projects that benefit the areas in which TEGNA does business and that seek to encourage diversity in newsrooms and in coverage. Media organizations seeking funding for specific projects that address these areas of focus may apply to the TEGNA Foundation in two annual cycles. To learn more, visit the TEGNA Foundations Media Grants page. About TEGNA Foundation The TEGNA Foundation is a corporate foundation sponsored by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Through its programs, TEGNA Foundation helps to improve lives in the communities served by TEGNA Inc., invests in the future of the media industry, encourages employee giving and contributes to a variety of charitable causes. For more information visit www.TEGNAFoundation.org. About TEGNA TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. With 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of top 4 network affiliates in the top 25 markets among independent station groups, reaching approximately 39 percent of all television households nationwide. TEGNA also owns leading multicast networks True Crime Network, Twist and Quest. TEGNA offers innovative solutions to help businesses reach consumers across television, digital and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Premion, TEGNAs OTT advertising service. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005201/en/ For media inquiries: Anne Bentley Vice President, Corporate Communications 703-873-6366 [email protected] For investor inquiries: Julie Heskett Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis 703-873-6747 [email protected] Source: TEGNA Inc. VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TELUS International (NYSE and TSX: TIXT), a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands, today announced the results from its annual general meeting of shareholders which took place on May 20, 2022. All director nominees were elected to the Board of Directors and Deloitte LLP were appointed as auditors. The results of shareholder voting from the meeting were as follows: 1. Election of Directors Each of the following eleven nominees was elected as a director of TELUS International. The votes cast for each nominee were as follows: Director Votes For % of Votes For Votes Withheld % of Votes Withheld Darren Entwistle (Chair) 2,035,548,655 99.04% 19,794,450 0.96% Josh Blair (Vice-Chair) 2,040,202,156 99.26% 15,140,949 0.74% Olin Anton 2,045,840,794 99.54% 9,502,311 0.46% Kenneth Cheong 2,040,849,909 99.29% 14,493,196 0.71% Doug French 2,040,849,008 99.29% 14,494,097 0.71% Tony Geheran 2,013,131,095 97.95% 42,212,010 2.05% Stephen Lewis 2,040,405,079 99.27% 14,938,026 0.73% Sue Paish 2,053,657,487 99.92% 1,685,618 0.08% Jeffrey Puritt 2,043,929,252 99.44% 11,413,853 0.56% Carolyn Slaski 2,054,783,223 99.97% 559,882 0.03% Sandra Stuart 2,055,330,645 100.00% 12,460 0.00% 2. Appointment of Auditor Deloitte LLP were appointed as the Companys auditors and the directors were authorized to fix the auditors remuneration for the ensuing year. The votes were cast as follows: Votes For % of Votes For Votes Withheld % of Votes Withheld 2,055,873,972 100.00% 4,693 0.00% Chair and Vice-Chair As indicated in the Companys 2022 information circular, with the completion of the shareholders annual general meeting, Darren Entwistle will serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors. Josh Blair will serve as Vice-Chair, continuing his successful partnership with Darren Entwistle, Jeffrey Puritt, the Companys CEO, and the Board of Directors that has helped propel the Companys growth and progress. About TELUS International TELUS International (NYSE & TSX: TIXT) designs, builds and delivers next-generation digital solutions to enhance the customer experience (CX) for global and disruptive brands. The companys services support the full lifecycle of its clients digital transformation journeys, enabling them to more quickly embrace next-generation digital technologies to deliver better business outcomes. TELUS Internationals integrated solutions span digital strategy, innovation, consulting and design, IT lifecycle including managed solutions, intelligent automation and end-to-end AI data solutions including computer vision capabilities, as well as omnichannel CX and trust and safety solutions including content moderation. Fueling all stages of company growth, TELUS International partners with brands across high growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. TELUS Internationals unique caring culture promotes diversity and inclusivity through its policies, team member resource groups and workshops, and equal employment opportunity hiring practices across the regions where it operates. Since 2007, the company has positively impacted the lives of more than one million citizens around the world, building stronger communities and helping those in need through large-scale volunteer events and charitable giving. Five TELUS International Community Boards have provided $4.7 million in funding to grassroots charitable organizations since 2011. Learn more at: telusinternational.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524006084/en/ TELUS International Investor Relations Jason Mayr (604) 695-3455 [email protected] TELUS International Media Relations Ali Wilson (604) 328-7093 [email protected] Source: TELUS International Annual event featured Gold Star mothers and Arizona Heroes to Hometowns Kathy Pearce as guest speakers PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- University of Phoenix held its annual Memorial Day flag-planting event May 24 on its Phoenix campus in Arizona, honoring the sacrifices of those who served and died in the Armed Forces. This year, volunteers from university employees and community members planted more than 10,000 flags spelling out, Because of the Brave. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524006142/en/ The University of Phoenix flag-planting event featured more than 10,000 flags spelling out, Because of the Brave. (Photo: Business Wire) Memorial Day is an incredibly important day where we take a pause from our daily lives to recognize the countless American servicemembers who have given their lives in the service of our nation, stated Eric Ryan, senior director of military operations in the Office of Military and Veteran Affairs, and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. The University of Phoenix is honored to provide this important community event recognizing and upholding the service and sacrifices of fallen servicemembers and their families. Through this event, we are able to participate in a visual ritual of recognition and healing. We honor the service of our own veteran team members and students and alumni and the sacrifices they have witnessed and still bear everyday. Following the flag-planting, Ryan led a moving ceremony that featured performances of the national anthem and Taps, a Color Guard presentation, and guest speakers including Tammy Pulaski of American Gold Star Mothers, Kathy Pearce of Arizona Heroes to Hometowns (AZH2H), and Wendy Shackley of The Ripple Effect and American Gold Star Mothers. On Friday, May 27, the flags will be collected by the nonprofit Arizona Heroes to Hometowns to be distributed at local military cemeteries ahead of Memorial Day. Arizona Heroes to Hometowns helps wounded heroes and their families socially, physically, spiritually, and financially to find their new normal and ensure our wounded heroes achieve success in their continuous transition back to their hometowns, stated Kathy Pearce of Arizona Heroes to Hometowns. We have been involved with the flag tribute at the university from its inception. Each year, flags have been given to the national cemeteries along with many small cemeteries in Arizona that honor those that have served this great country. Employee volunteers at University of Phoenix Hawaii campus also participated in a flag-planting ceremony at the Kaneohe Veteran Memorial and Cemetery by planting flags in the Columbarium. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524006142/en/ Sharla Hooper University of Phoenix [email protected] Source: University of Phoenix Paul Schuler joined to deliver fit-for-purpose water and wastewater solutions for clients to achieve site-specific business, technical and sustainability objectives PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Resilient Infrastructure Group is pleased to announce that industry veteran Paul Schuler has joined the team as Executive Vice President of Sales and Service. Resilient develops and invests in transformative water and wastewater solutions that meet our clients site-specific business, financial, and sustainability objectives. Schulers water and wastewater industry experience includes nearly five years at Suez Water Technology & Solutions where he led North American sales. At Suez WTS and GE Water, Schuler tripled top-line regional revenues and drove considerable organizational and profit growth. As a recognized water industry leader, he has served on the Water Environment Federation and the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association boards and has presented extensively on water and wastewater issues. Pauls decades of water industry expertise and client-first approach are perfectly matched with our growth plans, said Ben Vitale, CEO. Resilients utility as a service delivery coupled with flexible and innovative financing structures, and independent technical solutions, enable resiliency across mission critical infrastructure, operational consistency, and control over facility costs. This outsourcing approach supports clients that need new facilities or to upgrade existing assets to drive step function improvements in sustainability metrics to reach corporate goals. Wastewater and water infrastructure investment is needed to ensure sustainable operations in many key sectors such as food and beverage, manufacturing, technology, mining, pharmaceuticals, and in municipalities confronting growth limitations due to water resource availability. Schuler will be driving asset growth, developing and managing client relationships, building partnerships, and supporting the integration of acquisitions. We are very excited to welcome Paul to Resilient especially at this stage, said Bill Brennan, President. His broad water treatment knowledge, coupled with building and managing enterprise sales and marketing teams at GE-Suez, are world-class. Joining Resilient allows me to keep making a difference in the water industry, building great water projects in North America, and meeting rapidly evolving industrial and municipal client needs, said Schuler. Its a lifelong passion of mine, and I look forward to improving partnerships with industry colleagues. Together, well have greater impact on water quality, and on the lives of everyone who needs clean water. About Resilient Infrastructure Group Resilient Infrastructure Group (Resilient) develops, funds and manages a portfolio of wastewater, water and related infrastructure assets in the U.S. and Canada. Resilient was acquired by Partners Group in 2021 to drive growth in the utility as a service model for private and public clients. The firms approach, water industry experience and strong financial backing allow it to provide flexible client options to fund a range of asset-heavy infrastructure, including project development and technology rollout. The company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information, please visit www.resilient-ig.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524006150/en/ Resilient Infrastructure Group Media Contact Ben Vitale [email protected] 202.297.9003 Source: Resilient Infrastructure Group Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) today announced the acquisition of Menlo Park, California-based Valerie Frederickson & Company, Inc., dba Frederickson Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1995, Frederickson Partners is a human resources retained executive search and advisory firm, and a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion. The team recruits Chief Human Resources Officers, Chief People Officers, Chief Diversity Officers and other critical HR executives for leading technology, fintech, biotech, insurance, gaming and retail organizations. Frederickson Partners has locations in a dozen cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Nashville, and also serves global tech hubs London, Berlin, Paris, Mexico City, Bogota, Seoul and Sao Paulo. Founder Valerie Frederickson and her team will continue to operate under the direction of Scott Hamilton, Global Managing Director, Human Resources & Compensation Consulting, for Gallagher's employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations. "Frederickson Partners will expand Gallagher's executive search capabilities across all industries and offers us significant opportunities for collaboration and growth," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "I am very excited to welcome Valerie and her team to our growing, global company." GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) announced that, effective today, it has completed its cash and share offer for Clipper Logistics plc (the Acquisition), following the Courts sanction of the scheme of arrangement two business days prior to this announcement. GXO Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Wilson, said: We are very pleased to achieve this important milestone. Through this powerful combination, GXO will accelerate our business growth and enhance the value we bring to all stakeholders by providing enhanced offerings to a diversified and expanded customer base. Were very much looking forward to welcoming the Clipper team to GXO and believe our complementary capabilities and offerings in high growth areas, shared focus on innovation and technology, and great cultural fit will enhance our position as a leading pure-play logistics firm. As is customary in such circumstances, GXO and Clipper Logistics will continue to be run independently until the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has completed its review, which is expected later in 2022. The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (Prezes Urzedu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentow) (UOKiK) approved the acquisition earlier this month. The transaction, announced on February 28, 2022, brings together two logistics industry leaders with highly complementary service offerings, customer portfolios, and footprints in the United Kingdom and Europe. Clipper adds geographic presence in Germany and Poland, as well as presence in life sciences and reverse logistics and returns management, which are key growth areas for GXO. The combination also enhances GXOs ESG leadership position, by adding Clippers developed reverse logistics and circular economy offerings and its robust internal targets to minimize carbon emissions and waste. The company expects to realize significant productivity opportunities and cost synergies within two years from transaction close. A recent report by CnEVPost shows that the electric vehicle company, Nio (NYSE: NIO) is planning to invest $32.8 million to build lithium-ion battery labs and a cell pilot production line in Shanghai. Citing an environmental assessment report, CnEVPost says that the electric vehicle company will build 31 R&D labs engaged in lithium-ion cell and battery pack research and development as part of a new R&D project in Anting town, Jiading district. Along with the labs, Nio is planning to build a lithium-ion cell pilot line and a battery pack production line. The report suggests that the "R&D labs will explore the charge and discharge performance, temperature performance, and safety performance of lithium-ion cells and packs under different physical experimental conditions such as temperature, tension, humidity." While the production and battery pack line conducts trial production of lithium-ion cells and battery packs. "NIO continues to grow in revenue but its expenses continue to pile on. The company's expansion plans will likely also impact profitability in the future, " suggests, Sandeep Rao, a Seeking Alpha analyst on the stock. By Michael Elkins Summit Materials, Inc. (NYSE: SUM) (Summit, Summit Materials, "Summit Inc." or the Company), a leading vertically integrated construction materials company, today announced highlights that are being presented at its Investor Day today in New York City. When Summit launched its ambitious Elevate Strategy in March 2021, we said we would provide regular progress updates, commented Summit Materials CEO Anne Noonan. Today we are providing more details on our success in our path to enhanced growth and value creation. Specifically, todays presentation highlights the strengthening quality of Summits earnings and margin profile, demonstrates specific accomplishments in portfolio optimization and debt reduction, shows evidence of strong pricing and demand fundamentals, and describes our priorities as we are now in the best capital allocation position in Company history. At the launch of its Elevate Strategy, Summit presented objectives of less than three times net debt to EBITDA, 10% or higher Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), and greater than 30% Adjusted EBITDA margin to be achieved over three Horizons. The Company also presented specific Horizon One objectives of less than three times net debt to EBITDA, achieving a 9% ROIC, 23-25% Adjusted EBITDA margin, and completing 10 to 12 divestitures yielding up to $200 million in total proceeds. At January 1, 2022, just 9 months after the launch of Elevate Summit, the Company achieved significant progress on its Horizon One targets: it achieved less than three times net debt to EBITDA, reporting 2.5 times' net debt to EBITDA; it achieved a ROIC of 8.8%, just shy of its 9% goal; and reported Adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.3%. As of today, the Company has completed 10 divestitures through its Elevate Strategy, yielding approximately $470 million in total proceeds on a GAAP basis, with an average selling multiple of over 10 times Adjusted EBITDA. Of the 10 divestitures, 8 were in downstream businesses, and 7 resulted in long term aggregates supply contracts. The Elevate strategy has also resulted in additional financial flexibility. In March 2022, Summits board authorized the Companys first ever share repurchase program. The Company repurchased 1.5 million shares of Class A common stock for $47.5 million through the end of the first quarter 2022. As of April 2, 2022, approximately $202.5 million remained available for share repurchases under the share repurchase program. The Company is also planning to use a portion of the proceeds from recent divestitures to repay approximately $100 million on its Term Loan. Since we launched the Elevate Strategy last year, Summit has significantly improved its quality of earnings, reduced its leverage, shed non-core businesses, repurchased stock, and opened up new capital allocation opportunities, added Summit Materials CFO Brian Harris. In 2020, Summits Adjusted EBITDA contribution from materials was approximately 63%, and in 2021, it grew to 68% as we pursued the Asset Light component of our strategy. We now believe 75% or higher is an appropriate target for materials Adjusted EBITDA contribution in Horizon Two, and continue to pursue the Elevate pillars of Market Leadership, Asset Light, Social Responsibility and Innovation. As we look to the future, we see opportunities for both organic and inorganic growth as we add to key market positions, maximize the capital efficiency of our business, help our stakeholders achieve their sustainability objectives, and drive innovative approaches to serving our customers. 2022 Guidance For the full year 2022, Summit is updating its Adjusted EBITDA guidance to reflect the divestiture of Hinkle Contracting, LLC, which was announced on May 16, 2022. The Company now expects Adjusted EBITDA guidance of approximately $500 million to $530 million, a revision from $529 million to $557 million previously, and continues to expect 2022 capital expenditure of approximately $270 million to $290 million, including greenfield projects. Investor Day Webcast Information Summit Materials will conduct a conference call on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 beginning at 9:00am eastern time (7:00am mountain time). Chief Executive Officer Anne Noonan, Chief Financial Officer Brian Harris, Chief Strategy Officer Kekin Ghelani, EVP of ESG and Head of Investor Relations Karli Anderson, as well as Summits Regional Presidents will lead an investor presentation and Q&A session that will focus on the Elevate Summit Strategy, growth drivers, ESG initiatives, as well as the Companys capital allocation priorities. A live webcast of the investor day presentation, along with supporting materials, will be available on the day of the event at the following link: https://summit2022investorday.q4web.com/home/default.aspx. To listen live to the investor day: Toll Free Number: 1-877-823-8690 International Number: 1-825-312-2236 Conference ID: 3986328 A replay of the webcast and accompanying presentation materials will be available in the Investors section of Summits website at investors.summit-materials.com shortly following the conclusion of the event. Local women walk along a street while Ukrainian servicemen patrol an area, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in the town of Kurakhove, in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 20, 2022. Picture taken May 20, 2022. REUTERS/Anna Kudriavtseva By Pavel Polityuk and Max Hunder KYIV/KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - Russian forces on Wednesday pounded Ukrainian-held twin cities in the Donbas region that is now the focus of the three-month war, threatening to shut off the last main escape route for civilians trapped in the path of their advance. After failing to seize Ukraine's capital Kyiv or its second city Kharkiv, Russia is trying to take full control of the Donbas, comprised of two eastern provinces Moscow claims on behalf of separatists. Russia has poured thousands of troops into the region, attacking from three sides in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces holding out in the city of Sievierodonetsk and its twin Lysychansk. Their fall would leave the whole of Luhansk province under Russian control, a key Kremlin war aim. Police in Lysychansk are collecting bodies of people killed in order to bury them in mass graves, Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said. Some 150 people have been buried in a mass grave in one Lysychansk district, he added. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraine's president, said Russia's "army is having some tactical success which is threatening to become an operational success in the direction of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk." Sievierodonetsk and Bakhmut, a town to the southeast, were in danger of being encircled, Arestovych said. "(It's) possible that settlements will be abandoned, it's possible we will have heavy losses." Families of people buried in mass graves will be able to carry out a reburial after the war, and police are issuing documents enabling Ukrainians to secure death certificates for loved ones, Gaidai said. The main road out of Sievierodonetsk was being shelled, but humanitarian aid was still getting in, Gaidai said in an earlier statement. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian troops "heavily outnumber us" in some parts of the east. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the battlefield reports. As Moscow seeks to solidify its grip on the territory it has seized, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree simplifying the process for residents of newly captured districts to acquire Russian citizenship and passports. SHELLING A missile blasted a crater in a railway track and damaged nearby buildings in Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian-held Donbas city that has become a major hub for supplies and evacuations. In Kramatorsk, nearer the front line, streets were largely deserted, while in Sloviansk further west, many residents took advantage of what Ukraine said was a break in the Russian assault to leave. "My house was bombed, I have nothing," said Vera Safronova, seated in a train carriage among the evacuees. Further north, two people were killed and seven wounded by Russian artillery shelling of the town of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region, an aide to its governor said on Facebook. Russia is also targeting southern Ukraine, where officials said shelling had killed a civilian and damaged scores of houses in Zaporozhzhia and missiles had destroyed an industrial facility in Kryviy Rih. Moscow has blockaded ships from southern Ukraine that would normally export Ukrainian grain and sunflower oil through the Black Sea, pushing up prices globally. The African Union urged the two countries on Wednesday to unblock exports of grains and fertiliser to avoid widespread famine. Russia has blamed Western sanctions for the food crisis. It said on Wednesday it was ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine but wanted sanctions to be lifted in return. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Moscow of using "blackmail" tactics to secure a relaxation of sanctions. A senior United Nations official is due to visit Moscow in the coming days to discuss reviving fertiliser exports. ECONOMIC SQUEEZE With its invasion now into its fourth month, Russia still has only limited gains to show for its worst military losses in decades, while much of Ukraine has suffered devastation as Moscow steps up strikes to offset its slow progress. The Russian parliament scrapped the upper age limit for contractual service in the military on Wednesday, highlighting the need to replace lost troops. In a late night video address, Zelenskiy, commenting on the new Russian enlistment rules, said: "(They) no longer have enough young men, but they still have the will to fight. It will still take time to crush this will." Western nations have imposed severe sanctions on Russia. The United States pushed Russia closer to the brink of a historic debt default on Wednesday by not extending its licence to pay bondholders. That waiver has allowed Moscow to keep up government debt payments till now. The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to make breaking EU sanctions against Russia a crime. The EU also said it hoped to agree sanctions on Russian oil before the next meeting of EU leaders. But Russia, for now at least, is not short of money. Oil and gas revenues stood at $28 billion in April alone thanks to high energy prices. Putin on Wednesday ordered the government to hike old-age pensions and the minimum wage by 10%, while stating that not all economic problems were linked to what he calls Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine. Zelenskiy said this week the conflict could only be ended with direct talks between him and Putin, but Ukraine's closest allies say they fear some Western nations might push Kyiv to give up land for peace. Italy and Hungary want the EU to call explicitly at a leaders' summit next week for a ceasefire in Ukraine and peace talks with Russia, diplomats say. Estonia's prime minister, Kaja Kallas, said Ukraine should not be forced into accepting a bad deal. "It is much more dangerous giving in to Putin than provoking him," she said. "All these seemingly small concessions to the aggressor lead to big wars. We have made this mistake already three times: Georgia, Crimea and Donbas." (Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Lviv, Pavel Polityuk, Natalia Zinets and Conor Humphries in Kyiv, Vitaliy Hnidiy in Kharkiv and Reuters journalists in Mariupol and Slovyansk; Writing by Philippa Fletcher, Gareth Jones and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Peter Graff, Tomasz Janowski and Rosalba O'Brien) YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Around 10 documents on cooperation in different sectors are expected to be signed at the upcoming Eurasian Economic Forum in Kyrgyzstans capital of Bishkek, Daniyar Turusbekov, Director of the Protocol and Organizational Support Department at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), said during the Bishkek-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan meeting today held via videoconferencing. He informed that the first Eurasian Economic Forum is fully ready. At this moment we are holding the final rehearsal of the Eurasian Economic Forum under the chairmanship of the Committee President, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Arzibek Kojoshev, Daniyar Turusbekov said. He said that organizing this Forum was not an easy work, but noted that Kyrgyzstan in the face of the government and the presidential staff, has made all efforts to make the capital ready for holding the event, hosting the guests and solving other organizational issues. Therefore, I want to officially announce that Bishkek is ready to host the Eurasian Economic Forum, he said. The Forum program includes a plenary session involving the Heads of the EAEU States and the Chairman of the EEC Board, as well as six panel discussions: "Eurasian Integration Strategic Development Prospects in the Time of Global Changes"; "Financial Markets and Development Institutions: Opportunities for Macroeconomic Stability and Growth Points of the EAEU Countries Economies"; "Manufacturing Industry and Agriculture as Drivers of the Unions Economic Growth and Ensuring Economic Security"; "Energy and Transport Infrastructure to Promote Economic Development and Integration"; "EAEU Digital Agenda 2.0"; "New Areas of Interaction in the EAEU". Around 2500 people were registered for the participation to the Forum. Among EAEU member states Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, there are also participants from the countries of South America and South East Asia. Daniyar Turusbekov said that the first group of the Forum participants will arrive in Bishkek today. As for the documents to be signed, he said: I want to note that these documents are of non-commercial nature. It is planned, for instance, to sign a memorandum on cooperation in the field of tourism development. A separate agreement will also be signed by the results of the meeting of the university rectors of the EAEU states. It will be dedicated to creating an inter-university consortium. A new agreement will be signed between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the International Union of Non-Governmental Organizations - the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly for 2023-2025. The Eurasian Economic Forum is being held for the first time within the EAEU. The Forum has been planned to be held in 2020, but it was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Eurasian Economic Forum will launch on May 26. A school employee talks through the window of a school bus to one of the parents near the scene of a suspected shooting near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello By Brad Brooks and Steve Gorman UVALDE, Texas (Reuters) -A teenage gunman murdered at least 19 children and two teachers after storming into a Texas elementary school on Tuesday, the latest bout of gun-fueled mass killing in the United States and the nation's worst school shooting in nearly a decade. The carnage began with the 18-year-old suspect, identified as Salvador Ramos, shooting his own grandmother, who survived, authorities said. He fled that scene and crashed his car near the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, a town about 80 miles (130 km) west of San Antonio. There he launched a bloody rampage that ended when he was killed, apparently shot by police. The motive was not immediately clear. Law enforcement officers saw the gunman, clad in body armor, emerge from the crashed vehicle carrying a rifle and "engaged" the suspect, who nevertheless managed to charge into the building and open fire, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sergeant Erick Estrada said on CNN. Speaking from the White House hours later, a visibly shaken President Joe Biden urged Americans to stand up to the politically powerful gun lobby, which he blamed for blocking enactment of tougher firearms safety laws. Biden ordered flags flown at half-staff daily until sunset on Saturday in observance of the tragedy. "As a nation, we have to ask, 'When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?'" Biden said on national television, suggesting reinstating a U.S. ban on assault-style weapons and other "common sense gun laws." Mass shootings in America have frequently led to public protests and calls for stricter background checks on gun sales and other firearm controls common in other countries, but such measures have repeatedly failed in the face of strong Republican-led opposition. Authorities said the suspect in Tuesday's killings acted alone. Governor Greg Abbott said that the shooter was apparently killed by police who confronted him at the school, and that two officers were struck by gunfire, though the governor said their injuries were not serious. After conflicting early accounts of the death toll, Texas public safety officials said on Tuesday night that 19 school children and two teachers had died. The community, deep in the state's Hill Country region, has about 16,000 residents, nearly 80% of them Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census data. 'MY HEART IS BROKEN' The school's student body consists of children in the second, third and fourth grades, according to Pete Arredondo, chief of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department. Pupils in those grades would likely have ranged in age from 7 to 10. "My heart is broken," school district superintendent Hal Harrell told reporters late in the day, his voice quaking with emotion. "We're a small community and we need your prayers to get us through this." A group of about 40 family members was led out of the Willie de Leon Civic Center at around 11:30 p.m. Some broke down in the parking lot, wailing and clinging to one another as police escorted people to their cars. P.J. Talavera, who runs a martial arts school in town, was outside the civic center and said his wife's niece was among the children killed. Talavera said the town was in a state of "controlled chaos" in the moments just after the shooting, as false rumors spread of other shooters attacking different schools. "It's surreal. It's unbelievable. There is a hollow emptiness inside," Talavera said. CEASELESS VIOLENCE A mass shooting 10 days earlier claimed 10 lives in Buffalo, New York, in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Authorities have charged an 18-year-old who they said had traveled hundreds of miles to Buffalo and opened fire with an assault-style rifle at a grocery store. Tuesday's bloodshed began when the suspect shot his grandmother before going to the school, Texas Department of Public Safety officer Chris Olivarez said on Fox News, a development Abbott mentioned earlier in the day. "I have no further information about the connection between those two shootings," the governor said. University Hospital in San Antonio said on Twitter that it had received two patients from the shooting in Uvalde, a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, both listed in critical condition. Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 15 students from Robb Elementary were treated in its emergency room, with two transferred to San Antonio for further care, while a third patient transfer was pending. It was not immediately clear whether all of those students survived. A 45-year-old victim grazed by a bullet was also hospitalized at Uvalde Memorial, the hospital said. Hours after the shooting, police had cordoned off the school with yellow tape. Police cruisers and emergency vehicles were scattered around the perimeter of the school grounds. Uniformed personnel stood in small clusters, some in camouflage carrying semi-automatic weapons. EPIDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE The rampage was the latest in a series of mass school shootings that have periodically reignited a fierce debate between advocates of tighter gun controls and those who oppose any legislation that could compromise the U.S. Constitutional right of Americans to bear arms. Tuesday's shooting was the deadliest at a U.S. school since a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012. In 2018, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killed 17 students and staff. Firearms became the leading cause of death for U.S. children and adolescents starting in 2020, surpassing motor vehicle accidents, according to a University of Michigan research letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month. The day's horrors were reflected on the Facebook page of Robb Elementary School, where posts this week showed usual student activities - a field trip to a zoo and a save-the-date reminder for a gifted-and-talented showcase. But on Tuesday, a note was posted at 11:43 a.m.: "Please know at this time Robb Elementary is under a Lockdown Status due to gunshots in the area. The students and staff are safe in the building." A second post was more explicit: "There is an active shooter at Robb Elementary. Law enforcement is on site." Finally, a note was posted advising parents that they could meet their children at the small city's civic center. FACTBOX-Grim chronology of mass shootings in the United States We have to act,' Biden says after Texas massacre, offers no specificsQUOTES-'How many more lives?': Reactions to Texas school shootingTexas elementary school's end-of-year plans shattered by shootingGRAPHIC-School shooting in Texashttps://tmsnrt.rs/3MSN4II (Reporting by Brad Brooks and Marco Bello in Uvalde, Texas; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Maria Caspani and Tyler Clifford in New York; Daniel Trotta in San Diego; Dan Whitcomb and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Katie Paul in San Francisco, Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; and Caitlin Webber and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Grant McCool, Leslie Adler and Howard Goller) FILE PHOTO: Empty shelves show a shortage of baby formula at a CVS store in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. May 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday it had launched an inquiry into the ongoing shortage for infant formula in the United States and would examine the pattern of mergers and acquisitions in the formula market. The inquiry comes after a Feb. 17 recall by top baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories and the closing of its manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan created one of the biggest baby formula shortages in recent history for U.S. families. President Joe Biden's administration has sought to relieve the shortage by importing emergency supplies from Europe, the first of which arrived earlier this week. Biden invoked the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to help boost supplies. In a statement, FTC Chair Lina Khan said the inquiry would "identify the factors that contributed to the shortage or hampered out ability to respond to it." The inquiry will also examine mergers and acquisitions in the infant formula market "to better understand current concentration, how it came to be, and how that should inform future merger review," the FTC said. The FTC will also seek public comment on whether the FTC itself or state or federal agencies may have taken steps that contributed to fragile supply chains for infant formula, it added. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Leslie Adler, Bernard Orr) FILE PHOTO: A screen displays the company logo for Uber Technologies Inc at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid MILAN (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc has clinched a deal to integrate its ride-hailing app with Italy's largest taxi dispatcher as it seeks to boost its presence in the eurozone's third-largest economy, the company said on Tuesday. The move is part of Uber's strategy of working with established taxi operators, tapping into a recovery in demand after the pandemic-driven downturn. Under the agreement with IT Taxi, over 12,000 taxi drivers in Italy will have access to the Uber platform. It will make the app available in over 80 new cities and grow Uber's existing business in big cities such as Rome, Milan, Turin and Bologna. The partnership, which will start in June, follows similar deals in Spain, Germany, Austria, Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong as well in New York and San Francisco. The company wants to have every taxi available on its app by 2025. "This is a truly historic deal in one of our most strategically important markets globally," said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. "We strongly believe taxis and Uber are better together, and we're committed to making this a partnership of trust and cooperation long into the future," he added. Like other countries in Europe, Italy in 2015 blocked the use of the Uber service that relied on drivers without commercial licences following legal challenges by taxi associations. In Italy, Uber currently operates in eight cities, including Rome and Milan, where it offers its so-called Uber Black service, providing professional drivers in luxury sedans. (Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Keith Weir) TORONTO, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (BlackRock Canada), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final May 2022 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on May 25, 2022 will receive cash distributions payable on May 31, 2022. Details regarding the final per unit distribution amounts are as follows: Fund Name Fund Ticker Cash Distribution Per Unit ($) iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR 0.029 Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca. About BlackRockBlackRocks purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate | Twitter: @BlackRockCA About iSharesiShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 900+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$3.15 trillion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock. iShares ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. Contact for Media:Reem JazarEmail: [email protected] Source: BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (iShares) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almadex Minerals Ltd. ("Almadex" or the "Company") (TSX-V: DEX) is pleased to announce that it has commenced diamond drilling operations at the Davis/Paradise project in Nevada. As previously announced, Almadex holds the rights to earn 100% of this property, which covers multiple targets, and is located approximately eight miles southeast of Gabbs, Nevada and five miles northeast of the Paradise Peak gold mine, which was active from 1984 to 1994 (Figure 1). J Duane Poliquin, Chairman of Almadex commented, We are very happy to get the drill turning on our exploration projects. It is especially nice to be exploring in a part of Nevada we know so well. There are multiple styles of mineralisation and targets on the property and we plan to test them in sequence. Drilling has commenced on the Davis Zone in the northern Davis portion of the property where high level epithermal alteration and veining has been identified. Also in the northern half of the project is an area of alteration interpreted to represent a sinter and breccia system, extending over 1.5 km in length running parallel to the Davis zone (Figure 2). These exposed vein hosted gold-silver zones have seen historic mining and various exploration drill programs. The property was held by USSRAM Exploration from 1979 to around 2004, during which time various exploration and drilling programs were carried out on the property, including eleven drill holes to investigate mineralisation in the historic Davis mine area. While this historic Davis Mine area drilling cannot be verified by the Company, as it was not completed in accordance with NI 43- 101, it provides a clear exploration focus. One of the significant intercepts from this historic drilling program is reported to have returned 40 feet (12.2 metres) of 0.18 oz/t gold (6.2 g/t gold) and 0.62 oz/t silver (21 g/t silver). The drill program underway will initially test the area of this historic drilling. The strike and dip of the Davis vein was interpreted by the historic operators but cannot be verified by the Company at this time so true widths cannot be estimated or confirmed by the Company. The Southern Paradise portion of the property covers high level acid sulphate quartz alunite alteration as well as a zone of phyllic alteration identified by past alteration mapping and a recent WorldView remote sensing study conducted by the Company in 2020 with results received in 2021. This new data suggests that the Paradise area represents a large lithocap with potential for both gold-silver high sulphidation mineralisation and porphyry mineralisation at depth, similar to that seen at the adjacent Paradise Peak gold deposit where both styles of mineralisation were observed. There is evidence of historic drilling on the Paradise property with unknown results. In early 2022 a claim internal to the Almaden claim package was optioned under terms to acquire a 100% interest through a series of payments. Field work conducted in April on the claim mapped an area of strong phyllic alteration associated with several styles of quartz veining with pyrite and chalcopyrite evident, suggesting a porphyry style of mineralisation. Samples were collected for assay and fluid inclusion petrography to confirm this interpretation. The Company plans to conduct first pass drilling on both the high sulphidation and porphyry target areas in the current drill program. Qualified PersonsUnless otherwise stated, Morgan J Poliquin, PhD, PEng, the President and CEO of Almadex and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), has reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical contents of this news release relating to work performed by Almadex. About the Davis/Paradise PropertyAlmadex consolidated the Davis/Paradise Valley area during 2019 by optioning from the underlying owners the Davis property, which adjoins the Paradise Valley property which had been staked by Almadexs predecessor company. The property now comprises 358 claims totalling approximately 2,800 hectares with multiple targets, located approximately eight miles southeast of Gabbs, Nevada and five miles northeast of the Paradise Peak gold mine. About AlmadexAlmadex Minerals Ltd. is an exploration company that holds a large mineral portfolio consisting of exploration projects and NSR royalties in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. This portfolio is the direct result of many years of prospecting and deal-making by Almadex's management team. The Company remains focussed on grassroots exploration, acquisition and drilling mineral projects, on its own and in partnership with others, with the goal of creating new mineral resources and royalty holdings. The Company owns several portable diamond drill rigs, enabling it to conduct cost effective first pass exploration drilling in house. On behalf of the Board of Directors, J. Duane Poliquin J. Duane Poliquin, ChairmanAlmadex Minerals Ltd. 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. This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within it, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Forward-looking statements in this news release relating to the Company include, among other things, the planned drilling activities at the Willow property; the Companys future exploration activities; the Companys ability to advance exploration activities on other properties in its portfolio; and the possibility that drill contracting activities might off-set some of the cost of the Companys prospect development in 2021. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, permitting, continued availability of capital and financing, equipment availability, relationships with third-party clientele and their willingness or ability to continue to use the Companys drills for exploration, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, other than as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. Contact Information:Almadex Minerals Ltd.Tel. 604.689.7644Email: [email protected]http://www.almadexminerals.com/ Figures accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8fc7de35-dadd-47b1-bb27-9b59fb8f92ae https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b2513673-47b6-4e1b-bde7-8ff8b4416fab Davis/Paradise Property, Nevada Location and Claim Map Davis/Paradise Property, Nevada Mapping and Alteration Features Source: Almadex Minerals Ltd. BRISBANE, Australia, May 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allowing businesses to reach anyone who uses Google to search for information, products and services, Google Ads has the potential to generate a large number of strong leads, according to the premier digital marketing agency Brisbane-wide, Zib Digital. As the leaders in SEO Brisbane-wide, Zib Digital explains that SEO and Google Ads work hand-in-hand to deliver strong results for businesses. As a form of paid advertising, a Google Ads campaign can support an organic SEO strategy to achieve first-page results for a website. Through Google Ads, a business pays for actual, measurable results, such as website clicks. The pay-per-click structure allows a business to set a campaign limit and offers the ability to target specific audiences, either local or global. There are many benefits to using Google Ads as part of a multi-pronged digital marketing strategy, says Zib Digital. As one of the best tools for lead generation, when campaigns are properly set up, they have the potential to send extremely targeted leads to a website. As a flexible marketing platform, Google Ads is suitable for all types of businesses and organisations of all sizes, explains Zib Digital. Campaigns can be customised to focus on specific types of online users, by location, device and more. Offering a high return on investment, well optimised campaigns offer fast and transparent results as well as easily digestible campaign reports, making it easy to analyse the progress of a campaign. Zib Digital says that because Google is so dominant in the search engine market, a successfully implemented campaign offers businesses the opportunity to tap into huge, high-quality traffic sources. With a team of professionally accredited Google Ads specialists who pride themselves on applying industry best practices to all client campaigns, Zib Digital has the expertise to help a business reach more potential customers in the right place, with the right message and at the right time. Taking a data-driven approach to search engine marketing, the Zib Digital team conducts extensive research and then carefully monitors and adjusts ads and campaigns when needed to continually improve the return on spend. To discuss a tailored Google Ads strategy, talk to the leading PPC and SEO agency Brisbane-wide today. Zib DigitalPhone - 1300 942 633 Related Images Image 1: Zib Digital This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Zib Digital Zib Digital Source: Zib Digital ( zibdigital.com .au) Hampstead, Maryland, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Boards of Directors of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. (the Company), and Farmers and Merchants Bank (the Bank) announce that Gary A. Harris has been selected as the next President and CEO. Mr. Harris will replace James R. Bosley, Jr. who announced in January that he would be retiring at the end of 2022. The Board conducted an exhaustive search with the help of Kaplan Partners, a Philadelphia based Executive Recruitment firm. The search spanned the entire East Coast as bankers from Atlanta to Boston were interviewed. Mr. Harris will be only the fifth President in the 102 year history of the Bank. Mr. Harriss banking career began in 1990. He joined the Bank in 2008 as Vice President Commercial Banking. He was promoted to Senior Vice President Commercial Banking in 2016. In 2021 he was promoted to Executive Vice President Chief Lending Officer. During his 14 year career with the Bank Mr. Harris has been one of the Banks top producers each year. He currently serves on the Executive Committee, Strategic Growth Committee, Asset-Liability Committee and the Officers Loan Committee. He holds a B.S. Degree in Economics from Towson State University. Mr. Harris will become President of the Company and the Bank effective July 1, 2022. Mr. Bosley will remain the CEO of the Company and the Bank until he retires on December 31, 2022. On January 1, 2023, Mr. Harris will become President and CEO of the Company and the Bank. Bruce Schindler, Chairman of the Companys and the Banks Boards of Directors, commented After a thorough search, the Board is very confident in its selection of Gary Harris as our next President. Mr. Harris has demonstrated strong leadership qualities along with being a top producer for the Bank for many years. The Board looks forward to working with him. About the Company The Company is a financial holding company and the parent of the Bank. The Bank was chartered in Maryland in 1919 and has over 102 years of service to the community. The Bank serves the deposit and financing needs of both consumers and businesses in Carroll and Baltimore Counties along the Route 30, Route 795, Route 140, and Route 26 corridors. The main office is located in Upperco, Maryland, with seven additional branches in Owings Mills, Hampstead, Greenmount, Reisterstown, Westminster, and Eldersburg. Certain broker-dealers make a market in the common stock of Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc., and trades are reported through the OTC Markets Groups Pink Market under the symbol FMFG. Contact: Mr. James R. Bosley, Jr. President (410) 374-1510, ext.104 Source: Farmers and Merchants Bancshares, Inc. NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently announced the creation of the Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine (CEPM), one of the first centers in the nation to bridge engineering and engineering science with medicine. This undertaking will build on a wealth of shared basic research discoveries, explore unique therapeutic innovations in cancer, Alzheimers, infectious diseases; and tissue degeneration; educate a new generation of biomedical leaders; and develop new technologies and processes that enhance patient outcomes in unprecedented ways. CEPM represents an evolution in the successful partnership between Mount Sinai and RPI, one that has secured over $70 million in shared research funding since 2013 with 90 percent of that provided by the National Institutes of Health. The joint center located at 619 West 54th Street in Manhattan, will drive advances in point-of-care and point-of-use devices and diagnostics; microphysiological platforms for discovery and diagnosis; robotic surgery; biomedical imaging; therapeutics biomanufacturing; and artificial intelligence and machine learning applied to biomedical data. These engineering advances will improve patients quality of life by synergizing state-of-the-art expertise in research and education at the nexus of engineering and medicine.The center was announced with a ceremonial signing at the new site.This transformative partnership between Rensselaer and Icahn Mount Sinai recognizes that engineering and engineering science is fundamental to the understanding of biomedical phenomena and is essential to the development of the next generation of precision diagnostics and therapeutics, human health and well-being, and to the training of advanced researchers and physicians, said Shirley Ann Jackson, PhD, President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Innovative research is a foundation of Rensselaer, as our students, faculty, and graduates continue to change the world through scientific and technological advances. This center will continue to fuel medical and scientific discoveries with life-changing impacts across the globe. From highly sensitive and accurate bioimaging systems to new drug target discoveries, the major inventions that have shaped modern medicine were born out of close collaboration between engineers and clinicians, said Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs of the Mount Sinai Health System. The CEPM presents a bold new paradigm for that collaboration to continue that we believe will result in unprecedented advances in science, medicine, and human health. In addition, the PhD program will enable us to attract and equip a new generation of researchers with the interdisciplinary engineering and clinical skills to pursue more groundbreaking, impactful research. The Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine grew out of the historically collaborative work by Rensselaer and Icahn Mount Sinai researchers in the field of precision medicine, a personalized approach to disease treatment and prevention based on individuals biological, environmental, and lifestyle differences. The CEPM will develop new technologies that will revolutionize the way patient care is delivered. Engineering is the driving force for an increasing number of important medical breakthroughs, said Jonathan Dordick, PhD, Institute Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer and Co-Director of CEPM. The joint Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine is ideally positioned to integrate engineering research and education with medicine to develop new diagnostics and treatments at the individual level, making a real difference in peoples lives. Ultimately, the outcome of CEPM will be new, transformative research projects and innovative technologies that shift clinical paradigms, said Priti Balchandani, PhD, Professor of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry at Icahn Mount Sinai and Co-Director of CEPM. And we believe this collaboration will generate new start-ups and attract commercial partners who transform the technologies we pioneer into therapeutic solutions that improve health care and have life-changing outcomes for our patients and for society as a whole. The life sciences sector is at the center of New Yorks economic and public health future, and this project represents an important step forward toward that future, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. I want to thank Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for their steadfast commitment to New York City. I look forward to the many critical innovations they will produce together. Thanks to the innovative and historic partnership of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, the new Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine holds tremendous promise for biomedicine. The Center is part of the expanding and important biotech industry which is critical to our economy and the health of all New Yorkers and Americans. I look forward to supporting the Center for Engineering and Precision Medicine as it grows and makes major contributions to society, said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. This Center will revolutionize medical practices for some of our most devastating diseases. At the core of the Citys vision for life sciences is creating opportunity for all New Yorkers, which our Mayor is working so hard to address. We have an opportunity to welcome Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to New York City, and with world-class partner, Mount Sinai, watch them change research, make discoveries, and ultimately improve patient care, saving lives, said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. Its about helping treat people who are sick and improve the lives and care of New Yorkers, said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball. New York City is proud to have these leading institutions growing innovation around life sciences on the West Side of Manhattan and helping us put the City on a path to strengthening our future talent. Ultimately, NYCEDCs goal, like this Center, is to spur new research and develop our talent to translate to new companies, jobs, medicines, and advanced technologies. As the Center continues to expand, were excited at the prospect of partnership ahead. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the first and one of the most renowned technological research universities in the nation. Rensselaer researchers are internationally recognized for their expertise in biotechnology and biomanufacturing; neuromodulation; tissue engineering, biocomputation, robotics, devices and microfabrication; and artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-performance computing. Icahn Mount Sinai is the academic arm of the Mount Sinai Health System, which offers premier medical and research training and education, runs clinical trials with data available from nearly 4 million patients, and translates basic and biomedical research into commercial products. The CEPM will focus on three critical research areas at the interface of engineering and medicine: Neuroengineering , which exploits minimally invasive control and regulation of neural circuitry to target neurodegenerative diseases; brain-computer/network analysis; neuro-diagnostics; and computational neurobiology , which exploits minimally invasive control and regulation of neural circuitry to target neurodegenerative diseases; brain-computer/network analysis; neuro-diagnostics; and computational neurobiology Immunoengineering, which focuses on developing designer immune cells; microbiome engineering; on-demand anti-infectives; and synthetic vaccines to help our bodies fight cancer and infectious disease which focuses on developing designer immune cells; microbiome engineering; on-demand anti-infectives; and synthetic vaccines to help our bodies fight cancer and infectious disease Regenerative and reparative medicine, which encompasses on-demand personalized tissue repair and regeneration; organoids (3D tissue culture that mimics simplified organ function); and cellular reprogramming To foster innovation, CEPM will develop a five-year joint PhD in engineering and precision medicine that will equip a new generation of researchers with the fundamental biological sciences, data analytics, and engineering knowledge and skills to pursue breakthroughs in medical science. The development of masters degrees and certificate programs will broaden the CEPMs academic mission and facilitate research that spans all aspects of disease mechanisms, data, and technologies from molecular to human dimensions. These programs include a joint PhD in engineering and precision medicine, a PhD in the School of Engineering or School of Science at Rensselaer with a concentration in engineering and precision medicine, and a PhD with a combined masters degree or certificate in entrepreneurship. Other key leaders include Deepak Vashishth, PhD, CEPM Associate Director and Director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer; and CEPM senior advisors Zahi Fayad, PhD, Director of the BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute at Icahn Mount Sinai and Scott L. Friedman, MD, Fishberg Professor of Medicine and Dean for Therapeutic Discovery at Icahn Mount Sinai. Healthcare is a human right and everyone, no matter what zip code they live in, should have access to world class care. Today's announcement that two world class institutions have joined forces to produce the very latest in biotech research and design in New York City will further the city's growth as a biotech hub and revolutionize the future of medicine, from personalized tissue design to incision-free neurosurgery, said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the City Council Health Committee."I am delighted to welcome Mt. Sinai's newest medical center to the 6th Council District, which will further bolster New York City's position as an international leader in life and health sciences. The partnership between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine will focus on some of the toughest health challenges facing us and serve as a model for medical research and innovation," said Council Member Gale A. Brewer (D-06). A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on the image or link below: Contact: Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteDeanna Cohen518-233-4828[email protected] Source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rome Resources Ltd. (the Company) is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement in principle to acquire majority interests in two properties situated in the Walikali District of the North Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The two contiguous properties adjoin the northern boundary of the tenements held by Alphamin Resources Corp. (Alphamin) (TSXV: AFM), and are referred to collectively as the Bisie North Tin Project. Alphamins Mpama North Mine is situated approximately 8 km south of the boundary of the Bisie North Tin Project. The Bisie North Tin Project comprises two adjoining licences covering a total area of 38.4 km. Exploration Licence PR 13274 covers an area of 30.7 km and is in the process of being converted into small scale mining permit PEPM 13274. Exploration Licence PR 15130 covers an area of 7.7 km, and its west and south boundaries adjoin PR 13274.. Exploration Permit 13274 The Company has agreed to acquire from Medidoc FZE (Medidoc) all of the issued and outstanding shares in Medidoc RD Congo S.A.R.L.U. (Medidoc Congo) for CAD$2,000,000, to be paid by the issuance of 40,000,000 shares of the Company at a deemed price of CAD$0.05 per share. On closing, the Company has agreed to settle a debt of CAD$1,278,229 owing to Medidoc by Medidoc Congo by the issuance of an additional 25,564,580 shares of the Company at a deemed price of CAD$0.05 per share. The total consideration amounts to 65,564,229 shares. Medidoc Congo holds a 72.5% interest in Exploration Permit PR 13274 (converting to PEPM 13274). The remaining 27.5% interest is held by Investissement et de Developpement Immobilier S.A.R.L (IDI). Medidoc Congo and IDI operate the permit under a joint venture agreement. Medidoc Congo is the operator of the joint venture. Under the agreement, the Company has agreed to fund, to the extent of up to CAD$250,000, on-going costs associated with the maintenance of the Permit until closing. Such advances will be treated as a loan to Medidoc Congo. Medidoc advises that exploration to date at PR 13274 by Medidoc Congo includes a soil sampling and geological mapping program with channel samples collected across mineralized structures currently being mined by artisanal miners. Soil samples were collected on lines 400m apart across the whole of PR 13274 and infill samples were collected on lines 200m apart over anomalous areas. The assay results returned a significant continuous tin-in-soil anomaly with gold, copper and zinc credits over a 4 kilometre strike length. The channel sample results reportedly returned tin values up to 1m at 11% Sn. The Company has not verified these results, and is carrying out its independent due diligence and verification investigations. Exploration Permit PR 15130 The Company has agreed to acquire from CoTinCo Minerals Projects International LLC (CTC) a 65% interest in PR 15130 for CAD$1,000,000, to be paid by the issuance of 20,000,000 shares of the Company at a deemed price of CAD$0.05 per share. CTC currently holds a 70% interest in PR 15130, with the remaining 30% interest held by Palm Constellation S.A.R.L. (Palm). CTC and Palm operate PR 15130 under a joint venture agreement. CTC is the operator of the joint venture. Under the agreement with CTC, the Company has agreed to fund, to the extent of up to CAD$250,000, on-going costs associated with the operation of the joint venture until closing. Such advances will be treated as a loan to the joint venture companies. PR 15130 adjoins the north and eastern boundary of PR 13274. To the knowledge of the Company, no material exploration work has been carried out on the property. The Company is now carrying out technical and legal due diligence on the Bisie North Tin Project, and anticipates executing a definitive agreement for each of the properties in the near future. Closing of both transactions is subject to all requisite shareholder and securities regulatory body approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of conditions precedent typically present in transactions of this size and nature. The Company anticipates concurrent closings for the two transactions. Closing will result in the Company ceasing to be eligible for listing on NEX and the Company will apply for a listing on the TSX Venture Exchange. The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr Stephen Alan Mawson. Mr Mawson is an Independent Contracting Geologist, with degrees in Geology from Rhodes University, South Africa (B.Sc. 1973) (M.Sc. 1983) and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Geological Science) with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP Reg. No. 400074/03) and a member of the Geological Society of South Africa. Mr Mawson is a qualified person (QP) under NI 43-101. For further information, please contact: Dr. Georg SchnuraPresident, CEO and Director Telephone: (604) 687-6140 Email: [email protected] NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Source: Rome Resources Ltd. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. The Governor of the Syunik Province Robert Ghukasyan held a meeting with United States Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy in Kapan. During the meeting, the United States Ambassador said that she understands that now is a period of time full of challenges for Syunik, the Governors Office said in a press release. Ambassador Tracy added that the US embassy continues providing assistance through various US government agencies. Governor Ghukasyan thanked for the projects implemented in Syunik with US investments, especially for the USAID work in villages. The Governor said he hopes these projects will be continued. Governor Ghukasyan attached importance to the Ambassadors periodical visits to Syunik, noting that these visits are a certain indicator for the local residents. Ghukasyan and Ambassador Tracy discussed a number of issues aimed at the provinces socio-economic, road construction, agricultural sectors, diversification of economy, educational and youth issues and the directions of developments of the Syunik province. The United States Ambassador attached importance to tourism development in Syunik, saying that in this context the province has big potential which should be presented to people. An agreement was reached to continue cooperation and partnership. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY | OTCQB: SHCMF) (Search or the Company) is pleased to acknowledge receipt of a grant of $90,000 from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador towards exploration work completed in 2021 on the Companys Critical Rare Earth Element (CREE) claims located near the communities of St. Lewis and Port Hope Simpson in Southeastern Labrador. Greg Andrews, President and CEO of Search Minerals states, Search is very appreciative of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program (JEA) funds granted by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural Resources. These funds allowed us to hire local personnel and continue to explore and advance the delineation of resources in Labradors Critical Rare Earth Element District (the District) in 2021. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and there are still 20 showings within this belt to be assessed and maintained. Andrews added: The results from the 2021 exploration program has allowed Search to significantly increase our resource base and will form part of the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment report which will be released in Q2, 2022. We are in the process of mobilizing for our upcoming 2022 drill and exploration program, which will include approximately 14000m of drilling at Deep Fox to commence in June. The drill program is fully funded with our recent flow-through funding completed in December 2021. We will also continue our exploration work along the District at Silver Fox and Fox Meadow prospects. Fox Meadow is Drill Ready and we look forward to commencing a 6000m drill program in the Fall 2022. For further information, please contact: Search Minerals Inc. Investor Relations Greg Andrews Pretium Capital Group President and CEO Sherman Dahl Tel: 604-998-3432 Tel: 250-558-8340 E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected] About Search Minerals Inc. Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson St. Lewis CREE District of southeast Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX. Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the support from the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining. We also recognize the continued support by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for its Junior Exploration Program. Search Minerals was selected to participate in the Government of Canada Accelerated Growth Service (AGS) initiative, which supports high growth companies. AGS, as a one-stop shop model, provides Search with coordinated access to Government of Canada resources as Search continues to move quickly to production and contribute to the establishment of a stable and secure rare earth element North American and European supply chain. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source: Search Minerals Inc VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTC: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today announced Trado auger assay results from the Troia target area (Troia) at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil. The Troia target represents another high-quality, near-surface zone of significant scale that is rapidly evolving into a compelling drill target, stated ValOres VP of Exploration, Colin Smith. Palladium and platinum mineralization occurs within a broad zone along a 1-kilometre trend that remains open in both directions of strike. Troia Target Exploration Program Highlights: Mineralization occurs within a 50- to 100-metre-wide zone, along a 1-kilometre-long trend with compelling geochemical and geophysical anomalies, and rock samples exceeding 23 g/t 2PGE+Au; The Troia target has been tested with 72 Trado auger holes (results received for 53), totaling 206 metres (m) and 7 trenches, totaling 400 m; Target ultramafic rocks (UM) encountered in 19 Trado holes (62 m of the 206 m augered) and all 7 trenches, over geological trend of approximately 1 kilometre (km) in strike length; Multiple PGE-mineralized Trado auger holes, including: 8.5 m grading 0.98 grams per tonne palladium + platinum + gold (g/t 2PGE+Au) from surface, including 4.0 m grading 1.44 g/t 2PGE+Au from 4.0 m depth 2.0 m grading 8.58 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface, including 1.0 m grading 15.93 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface 4.0 m grading 1.55 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface 3.8 m grading 1.64 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface; Sampling and geological mapping of all 7 trenches are in progress. Troia 2022 Exploration Program ValOre conducted detailed geological mapping and prospecting along the 1-km-long anomalous trend at Troia, a target located 4.5 km north-northeast Massape (129,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 1.21 g/t in 3.31 Mt) and 8 km north of Trapia (885,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 0.96 g/t in 27.8 Mt). The main Troia zones were subsequently followed up with 72 Trado auger holes totaling 206 m, with UMs encountered in 19 Trado holes. Assays are pending for 19 of 72 holes. See Table 1 below for a summary of significant Trado assay results. PGE assays previously reported from Trado auger drilling and rock sampling, including 23.01 g/t 2PGE+Au and 12.00 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated April 25, 2022), warranted follow-up trenching along 600 m of geological trend to confirm the presence of in-situ PGE mineralization. Seven trenches were excavated (400 m total length), with all exposing UM and UM-derived rock continuity along strike, with significant thickness chromitite-rich UMs in the central two trenches (TR22TR01 and TR22TR02 see below for detailed plan map of the Troia target priority area of interest, Figure 1). Trench sampling and mapping are in progress. See Figure 2 for photographs of the Troia trenching program. Table 1: Trado Auger Drilling Highlights for Troia Target Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) 2PGE+Au (g/t) 2PGE+Au Interval Summary AD22TR02 0.0 8.5 8.5 0.98 8.5 m grading 0.98 g/t 2PGE+Au from surfaceincl. 4.0 m grading 1.44 g/t 2PGE+Au from 4.0 m 4.0 8.0 4.0 1.44 AD22TR17A 0.0 3.0 3.0 0.65 3.0 m grading 0.65 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22TR23 0.0 2.0 2.0 8.58 2.0 m grading 8.58 g/t 2PGE+Au from surfaceincl. 1.0 m grading 15.93 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface 0.0 1.0 1.0 15.93 AD22TR25A 0.0 5.0 5.0 0.38 5.0 m grading 0.38 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22CC02 0.0 4.0 4.0 1.55 4.0 m grading 1.55 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22CC06 0.0 3.8 3.8 1.64 3.8 m grading 1.64 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22CC07 0.0 2.0 2.0 0.18 2.0 m grading 0.18 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Figure 1: Troia target plan map with high-grade Trado and rock samples highlighted.https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcca42c1-84f4-49a8-a3a6-b87a9d20af71 Figure 2: Photographs of trench TR22TR01 at Troia target (top picture, looking east), with trench wall sampling intervals (bottom center and bottom left pictures) and a sample of chromitite-rich ultramafic rock submitted for PGE assay (bottom right picture).https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a156913-ffd2-411c-895c-5b70ae58a898 About the Trado Auger and Trenching Methodology CLICK HERE for more information regarding Trado Auger and Trenching methodology. Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QA/QC) and Grade Interval Reporting CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOres policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting. Qualified Person (QP) The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Colin Smith, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration. About ValOre Metals Corp. ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a portfolio of highquality exploration projects. ValOres team aims to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration, process improvement, and innovation. In May 2019, ValOre announced the acquisition of the Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE) property, in Brazil, to bolster its existing Angilak uranium, Genesis/Hatchet uranium and Baffin gold projects in Canada. The Pedra Branca PGE Project comprises 52 exploration licenses covering a total area of 56,852 hectares (140,484 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). All the currently known Pedra Branca inferred PGE resources are potentially open pittable. Comprehensive exploration programs have demonstrated the "District Scale" potential of ValOres Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, Canada that hosts the Lac 50 Trend having a current Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes grading 0.69% U3O8, totaling 43.3 million pounds U3O8. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the Lac 50 Trend uranium deposits, please CLICK HERE for ValOre's news release dated March 1, 2013. ValOres team has forged strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors and partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) on both the Angilak and Baffin Gold Properties. ValOre was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory and is committed to building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of environmental and safety standards and proactive local community engagement. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Jim Paterson James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO ValOre Metals Corp. For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.653.9464, or by email at [email protected]. ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.ca/ Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities. Figure 1: Troia target plan map with high-grade Trado and rock samples highlighted. Figure 1: Troia target plan map with high-grade Trado and rock samples highlighted. Figure 2: Photographs of trench TR22TR01 at Troia target (top picture, looking east), with trench wall sampling intervals (bottom center and bottom left pictures) and a sample of chromitite-rich ultramafic rock submitted for PGE assay (bottom right p Figure 2: Photographs of trench TR22TR01 at Troia target (top picture, looking east), with trench wall sampling intervals (bottom center and bottom left pictures) and a sample of chromitite-rich ultramafic rock submitted for PGE assay (bottom right picture). Source: ValOre Metals Corporation NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Vilcek Foundation has partnered with the Indian Arts Research Center at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to develop a new exhibition, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery. The exhibition opens July 31, 2022, at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture situated on the traditional lands of the Tewa people, O'gah'poh geh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place), or Santa Fe, New Mexico. Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery was curated by the Pueblo Pottery Collective, a group of more than 60 Native American community members convened from the 22 Pueblo communities in the Southwest. The Collective was established in 2019 specifically to develop an exhibition that centers the voices of Native American people in the curation and display of Native American art. The collective is a diverse group that includes potters, designers, writers, poets, community leaders, and museum professionals amongst themselves. A small number of non-Pueblo museum professionals worked as facilitators and writers for this project and are also part of the collective. "Grounded in Clay emphasizes the underlying, multifaceted, and nuanced understandings that the Pueblo Indian people of the American Southwest have of one of the more ubiquitous and resilient forms of our material culturepottery," writes curator Joseph Aguilar. "Historical memories and our understanding of pottery and other cultural patrimonies are tantamount to a form of Indigenous intellecta physical, spiritual, and intellectual worldview that is inextricably linked to land, people, and history." Vilcek Foundation President Rick Kinsel worked with Curator Emily Schuchardt Navratil and Seamus McKillop on the coordination of the exhibition in partnership with Elysia Poon, Indian Arts Research Center Director at SAR, and with the community curators from the Pueblo Pottery Collective. Kinsel has steered the development of the foundation's collection of Native American pottery since 2000; he describes the development of Grounded in Clay as a transformative experience. "Our foundation is based in New York, on the unceded land of the Lenape people, and we acknowledge the sovereignty of Native American peoples is a present and ongoing concern," he says. "By engaging curators from Native American communities in the development of this exhibition, we hope to provide a model for other cultural institutions in supporting the autonomy and independence of Native American nations." "Grounded in Clay is not just a project that was developed over three years of dedicated work," says Poon. "It is the result of yearsand, in some cases, decadesof relationships and built trust between staff, community curators, and each other. My hope is that we've done justice to the brilliant minds and experiences that were so generously shared throughout this project." Following the exhibition at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery will travel through 2025, starting with a joint presentation in New York City by the Vilcek Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art from July 13, 2023-June 4, 2024. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery, available from Merrell Publishers. Learn more about the exhibition: Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery The Vilcek Foundation The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation for the arts and sciences. The foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The mission of the foundation was inspired by the couple's respective careers in biomedical science and art history. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded over $6.4 million in prizes to foreign-born individuals and has supported organizations with over $5.6 million in grants. The Vilcek Foundation is a private operating foundation, a federally tax-exempt nonprofit organization under IRS Section 501(c)(3). To learn more, please visit vilcek.org. Contact Elizabeth Boylan Communications ManagerThe Vilcek Foundation(212) 472-2500[email protected] Related Images Image 1: Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery Exhibition image for "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery" Image 2: Vilcek Foundation Logo Vilcek Foundation Logo This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery Source: The Vilcek Foundation Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Cassiar Gold Corp. (TSXV: GLDC) (OTCQX: CGLCF) ("Cassiar Gold" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into an amending agreement to the underwriting agreement dated March 8, 2022 to amend the size and pricing of its previously announced bought deal public offering (the "Offering"). Under the amended terms of the underwriting agreement, the Underwriters (as defined below) have agreed to purchase 5,000,000 flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") to be resold to charitable purchasers at a price of C$1.00 per FT Unit (the "Offering Price") on a "bought deal" basis by way of a short form prospectus for gross proceeds of C$5,000,000. Red Cloud Securities Inc. and Raymond James Ltd. are acting as co-lead underwriters and joint bookrunners for the Offering on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"). Each FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$1.05 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering. The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for a period of 30 days after and including the closing date of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 750,000 FT Units for resale to charitable purchasers at the Offering Price to raise additional gross proceeds of up to C$750,000 to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes. Proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act and "flow through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act. Such proceeds will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date not later than December 31, 2022, in the aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Shares. The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering for the exploration of the Company's Cassiar Gold property in British Columbia, Canada. The FT Units will be sold by way of a final short form prospectus to be filed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia, subject to regulatory approval. A preliminary prospectus dated March 8, 2022 was filed in respect of the original Offering and the final prospectus will be updated to reflect the terms of the amended underwriting agreement. The Offering is scheduled to close on or around June 8, 2022 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Cassiar Gold Corp. Cassiar Gold Corp. is a Canadian gold exploration company holding a 100% interest in its flagship Cassiar Gold Property located in British Columbia, Canada. The Cassiar Gold property spans 590 km2 and consists of two main project areas: Cassiar North, which hosts a NI 43-101-compliant inferred resource estimate of 1.4Moz at 1.14 g/t Au (cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t) known as the as the Taurus Deposit (see National Instrument 43-101 Technical report on the Cassiar Gold property, April 28, 2012, by S. Zelligan, J. Moors, C. Jolette, posted to SEDAR); and Cassiar South which hosts numerous gold showings, historical workings, and exploration prospects. Historical underground mines in the Cassiar South area have yielded over 315,000 oz of Au at average head grades of between 10 and 20 g/t Au (BC Minfile), underscoring the high potential for further discovery and expansion of bonanza-grade orogenic gold veins. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Sheep Creek gold camp located near Salmo, BC. The Sheep Creek gold district ranks as the third largest past-producing orogenic gold district in BC with historical gold production of 742,000 ounces gold at an average grade of 14.7 g/t gold from 1900 to 1951. Minimal exploration work has been conducted since the 1950s. Cassiar Gold acknowledges, respects, and supports the rights of Traditional First Nations in the lands and communities where we operate. CONTACT INFORMATION Cassiar Gold Corp. Shirley Anthony VP Investor Relations & Communications 1-778-999-2771 [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements including those describing Cassiar's future plans and the expectations of management that a stated result or condition will occur. Any statement addressing future events or conditions necessarily involves inherent risk and uncertainty. Actual results can differ materially from those anticipated by management at the time of writing due to many factors, the majority of which are beyond the control of Cassiar and its management. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining, directly or indirectly, to the following: Cassiar's expectations regarding timing of filing the final prospectus and closing the Offering in the amount anticipated or at all, the use of proceeds of the Offering and ability to renounce the flow through expenditures. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements speak only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the documents accompanying this release, as the case may be. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125068 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Chakana Copper Corp. (TSXV: PERU) (OTCQB: CHKKF) (FSE: 1ZX) (the "Company" or "Chakana") is pleased to announce that it has completed the first tranche of its previously announced private placement (the "Private Placement") for 46,269,134 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of C$0.11 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$5,089,604. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of two years from closing of the Private Placement. The Company may accelerate the expiry of the Warrants in the event that for any ten consecutive trading days the closing price of the Shares is greater than $0.30. Pursuant to an agreement between the Company and Gold Fields Nazca Holdings Inc. ("Gold Fields"), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Gold Fields Limited, Gold Fields has exercised its participation right to purchase 8,140,909 Units in the first tranche of the Private Placement for total proceeds of C$895,500. In addition, directors and officers of the Company purchased an aggregate of 2,217,771 Units in the first tranche of the Private Placement for total proceeds of C$243,955. David Kelley, President and CEO commented, "We are very excited to see such strong support in this financing from Gold Fields and other investors that will allow us to continue our aggressive exploration program at Soledad. We will initiate a minimum 6,000m drill program in mid-June to test 12-15 new high-priority drill targets on the north half of the project where we are fully permitted. We currently have 122 targets defined across the entire prospective area of the project and will prioritize these in a targeting workshop with Gold Fields at the end of the month." The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement for exploration and development of the Company's high-grade copper-gold-silver discovery at the Soledad Project, located in the Ancash region of Peru, and for ESG programs, general working capital and administrative purposes. On January 11, 2022, the Company announced an initial inferred resource hosting 191,000 ounces of gold, 11.7 million ounces of silver, and 130 million pounds of copper in seven tourmaline breccia pipes. Chakana paid aggregate finder's fees of C$265,191 and issued 2,410,823 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") in connection with the first tranche of the Private Placement. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable to purchase one Share at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of two years from closing of the Private Placement. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on September 21, 2022 in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws in jurisdictions outside of Canada. Final closing of the Private Placement is subject to all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The common shares have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or sale would be unlawful. About Chakana Copper Corp Chakana Copper Corp is a Canadian-based minerals exploration company that is currently advancing the Soledad Project located in the Ancash region of Peru, a highly favorable mining jurisdiction with supportive communities. The Soledad Project is notable for the high-grade copper-gold-silver mineralization that is hosted in tourmaline breccia pipes. An initial inferred resource estimate for seven breccia pipes was announced in Q1 2022 (see news release dated February 23, 2022), with 6.73 Mt containing 191,000 ounces of gold, 11.7 million ounces of silver, and 130 million pounds of copper. In addition, extensive multidisciplinary exploration has defined 122 exploration targets, 18 of which have been tested to date (15%), confirming that Soledad is a large, well-endowed mineral system with strong exploration upside. Chakana's investors are uniquely positioned as the Soledad Project provides exposure to copper and precious metals. For more information on the Soledad project, please visit the website at www.chakanacopper.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD (signed) "David Kelley" David Kelley President and CEO For further information contact: Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer Phone: 647 964 0292 Email: [email protected] Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statement Advisory: This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the use of proceeds and completion of the Private Placement. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Chakana to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements or information relates to, among other things, the interpretation of the nature of the mineralization at the Soledad copper-gold-silver project (the "Project"), the potential to expand the mineralization, and to develop and grow a resource within the Project, the planning for further exploration work, the ability to de-risk the potential exploration targets, and our belief in the potential for mineralization within unexplored parts of the Project. 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. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125032 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - Goldsource Mines Inc.(TSXV: GXS) (OTCQB: GXSFF) (FSE: G5MA) ("Goldsource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of a Technical Report (the "Report") which includes an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE Update") prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 for the Company's Eagle Mountain Gold Project. The Report is titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Eagle Mountain Gold Project, Potaro - Siparuni Region Guyana, NI 43-101 Technical Report", dated May 24, 2022 with an Effective Date of April 5, 2022. The summary results of the Report were previously announced in the Company's news release dated April 7, 2022. There are no material differences in mineral resources between the Report and that news release. The Report, prepared for Goldsource by CSA Global Canada Consultants Ltd. ("CSA Global"), is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or from the Company's website (www.goldsourcemines.com). Highlights Estimated 31.1 million tonnes (" Mt ") grading 1.18 grams per tonne (" gpt ") gold for 1,183,000 ounces (" oz ") of gold in Indicated Resource and 18.4 Mt grading 0.98 gpt gold for 582,000 oz of gold in Inferred Resource. ") grading 1.18 grams per tonne (" ") gold for 1,183,000 ounces (" ") of gold in Indicated Resource and 18.4 Mt grading 0.98 gpt gold for 582,000 oz of gold in Inferred Resource. The MRE includes the Eagle Mountain and Salbora deposits as well as the earlier-stage Toucan and Powis prospects. Gold mineralization starts at surface in saprolite (soft weathered rock) and extends into the underlying fresh rock. Overall, the saprolite and transition contain 35% of the gold in Indicated Resource and 24% in Inferred Resource. The Indicated Resources, representing 67% of the gold in the updated MRE, are laterally extensive and generally shallow. At the Eagle Mountain deposit, the Indicated Resource extends from surface to a maximum depth of 150 metres and has an average depth of 35 metres. 75% of the Indicated Resource is within 50 metres of surface. At the Salbora deposit, the Indicated Resource extends from surface to a maximum depth of 156 metres and has an average depth of 49 metres. 58% of the Indicated Resource is within 50 metres of the surface. The Mineral Resource estimate uses cut-off grades of 0.30 gpt gold for the saprolite and 0.50 gpt gold for the fresh rock, constrained grade boundaries based on geology, and are pit-contained (conceptual). The MRE Update is defined by 772 core holes for 75,430 metres drilled (average depth of 98 metres) up to December 31, 2021, the assay cut-off date. Eagle Mountain Project MRE Update Classification Tonnes (000 t) Gold (gpt) Ounces Au (oz) Indicated Saprolite & Transition 12,500 1.04 417,000 Fresh rock 18,700 1.28 766,000 Total 31,100 1.18 1,183,000 Inferred Saprolite & Transition 6,100 0.71 139,000 Fresh rock 12,300 1.12 443,000 Total 18,400 0.98 582,000 Numbers have been rounded to reflect the precision of a Mineral Resource estimate. Totals may vary due to rounding. Gold cut-off has been calculated based on a gold price of US$1,600/oz, mining costs of US$1.5/tonne ("t") for saprolite-transition and US$2.0/t for fresh rock, processing costs of US$6.0/t for saprolite-transition and US$12.0/t for fresh rock, and mine-site administration costs of US$3.0/t. Metallurgical recoveries of 95% are based on prior test work. Mineral Resources conform to NI 43-101, and the 2019 CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines and 2014 CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves. The Company is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing or political factors that might materially affect these Mineral Resource estimates. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources in this Mineral Resource estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured Resources, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Qualified Persons Leon McGarry (P.Geo.) of CSA Global is the independent Qualified Person for the Mineral Resource estimates presented in this news release and has approved its publication. He is the principal author of the NI 43-101 technical report. The Qualified Person for this news release is N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng, Executive Chairman for Goldsource, who has reviewed and approved its contents. ABOUT GOLDSOURCE MINES INC. Goldsource Mines Inc. (www.goldsourcemines.com) is a Canadian exploration company focussed on the 100%-owned Eagle Mountain gold project in Guyana, South America. The Company is led by an experienced management team, proven in making precious metals exploration discoveries and executing on phased project development in the Americas. Steve Parsons CEO Goldsource Mines Inc. For Further Information: Goldsource Mines Inc. Contact: Steve Parsons, CEO Yannis Tsitos, President Telephone: +1 (604) 694-1760 Fax: +1 (604) 357-1313 Toll Free: 1-866-691-1760 (Canada & USA) Email: [email protected] Website: www.goldsourcemines.com 570 Granville Street, Suite 501 Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3P1 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT AND FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements concern Goldsource's strategic plans; the updated MRE; timing and expectations for the Company's exploration and drilling programs at Eagle Mountain; and information regarding high grade areas projected from sampling results and drilling results. Such forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; accuracy of assay results; reliability of the MRE; availability of mining equipment; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations; availability of funds; and future operating costs. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors including: the timing and content of work programs; the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations and results, results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; the uncertainties of resource estimations; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project costs overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; delays in release of an updated mineral resource; availability of funds; and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) 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/125168 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 24, 2022) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, announced today that it has launched its best-selling, premium vape product line, O.pen Daily Strains and O.pen 2.0 batteries on May 16th in Maryland through a strategic partnership with Trulieve Cannabis Corp. ("Trulieve"), a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the United States. Drew McManigle, Interim CEO of SLANG, said, "We are strategically entering the Maryland market right before adult-use goes on the ballot in November 2022 and as the state's legal medical market continues to scale. Trulieve has been a key partner of ours in other markets for over 3 years and their leadership position in the cannabis industry has been integral in positioning our leading brands at the forefront of each market we jointly enter. Our timely entry in the Maryland cannabis market will effectively serve to increase our total points of distribution across the east coast, support our Gross Merchandise Value and drive continued brand performance of our leading cannabis brands." As part of the new strategic partnership with Trulieve, SLANG will supply branded products for distribution in the Maryland market and support in-market sales with pop-up presence at retail locations throughout the state, as well as support other marketing efforts and local community activations. SLANG has partnered with Trulieve over the past year to enter the Florida and Massachusetts markets with SLANG providing wholesale initiatives, which is a SLANG core competency. Along with wholesale, this launch will also take place in Trulieve owned retail locations throughout the state. Initial product offerings in Maryland include O.pen Daily Strains, a selection of popular strains designed to offer consistent and repeatable effects with elevated THC potencies. It will be followed by the launch of Cured Resin shortly following, exact date to be determined. "We are excited to expand on our successful partnership with SLANG and build on our strong position in the Maryland medical cannabis market," said Gina Collins, Trulieve's Vice President of Marketing. "As the exclusive source of SLANG's nationally recognized, trusted and beloved brands, Trulieve continues to deliver on our promise to our patients in Maryland that we will provide a wide variety of the highest-quality products available in the market today." Share Issuance SLANG Worldwide also announces it has issued 823,409 common shares, at a deemed price of $0.2235 per share, to an executive officer pursuant to an employment agreement and a former executive officer providing consulting services. The shares are subject to a hold period expiring September 17, 2022. About SLANG Worldwide Inc. SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. SLANG specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com. To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email [email protected] with "SLNG" in the subject. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's annual information form dated April 29, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Third Party Information This press release includes market and industry data that has been obtained from third party sources, including industry publications. The Company believes that the industry data is accurate and that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of this data. Third party sources generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. Although the data is believed to be reliable, the Company has not independently verified any of the data from third party sources referred to in this press release or ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by such sources. Media and Investor Inquiries [email protected] KCSA Strategic Communications Phil Carlson [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125012 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. Website |Telegram |Medium |Twitter |You Tube| Reddit| GitHub | Forum Media Contact Yuliana Bravo [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122734 FILE PHOTO: European Council President Charles Michel shakes hands with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before their meeting at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 3, 2020. Francisco Seco/Pool via REUTERS BUDAPEST (Reuters) -The EU's proposed new sanctions against Russia, including an oil embargo, should not be discussed at next week's summit of the bloc's leaders, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a letter to the President of the European Council. In the letter, dated May 23rd and obtained by Reuters, Orban said it was unlikely a solution could be found by then, and that Hungary was not in a position to agree to the proposed EU sanctions until all outstanding issues are resolved. The European Commission this month proposed new sanctions against Russia but they require the unanimous support of all 27 EU member states and Hungary has blocked them. Orban reiterated his stance that "solutions must come before sanctions". "Looking at the gravity of the issues still open, it is very unlikely that a comprehensive solution could be found before the special meeting of the European Council on 30-31 May," he said. "I am convinced that discussing the sanctions package at the level of leaders in the absence of a consensus would be counterproductive." Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian oil, has saidit would need about 750 million euros in short-term investments to upgrade refineries and expand a pipeline bringing oil from Croatia. It also said the longer-term conversion of its economy awayfrom Russian oil could cost as much as 15-18 billion euros.The Commission last week offered up to 2 billion euros insupport to countries that are land-locked and reliant on Russiansupply - Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. They havealso been offered a longer transition period. But Orban said there had been "encouraging signals" from the European Commission that the EU's REPowerEU Plan would provide a satisfactory solution to Hungary's problems, but added that "the plan presented on 18 May fails to specifically and comprehensively address the serious concerns we have raised." Hungary remains committed to continuing the talks, he said. An oil embargo, already imposed by the United States and Britain, is widely seen as the best way to reduce Russian income for its war in Ukraine. The EU has banned Russian coal. (Reporting by Krisztina Than and Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Jan Harvey and Gareth Jones) Abbott to release limited quantities of EleCare branded specialty formulas Product will be released immediately free of charge to children in need Parents and caregivers in urgent need should contact their healthcare professionals or Abbott at +1-800-881-0876 for additional information Abbott plans to restart production at the Sturgis facility on June 4 and will prioritize EleCare production, with initial EleCare product release to consumers beginning on or about June 20 ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan has amended the recent consent decree allowing Abbott to release limited quantities of its EleCare specialty amino acid-based formulas that were previously on hold following the Feb. 17 recall of some powder infant formulas from its Sturgis, Mich., facility. The consent decree was amended at the request of Abbott and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enable the company to get EleCare to children in urgent medical need. These EleCare product batches were on hold pursuant to an agreement with the FDA. All products have been tested and meet all product release requirements. In addition, Abbott has concluded additional, enhanced testing to provide assurance the product is safe to distribute. Abbott plans to restart production at the Sturgis facility on June 4 and will prioritize EleCare production, with initial EleCare product release to consumers beginning on or about June 20. EleCare formulas are hypoallergenic and are used by infants and children who have severe food allergies or gastrointestinal (GI) disorders that require amino acid-based formulas. While Abbott has limited inventory of these products, there should be enough to fulfill current patient needs until new product is available in the coming months. The products being released are EleCare (for infants 0-12 months) and EleCare Jr (for ages one year and up). Similac and Alimentum powder formulas that were voluntarily recalled in February are not included in this product release. What Parents, Caregivers and Healthcare Professionals Should DoEleCare products are used under the care of a healthcare professional. Parents and caregivers in urgent need should contact their healthcare professionals or Abbott at +1-800-881-0876 for additional information. Abbott will fulfill requests to the best of its ability and as quickly as possible. Abbott expects to begin shipping product within the next several days. Product will be shipped directly to healthcare professionals, hospitals or consumers. Once production resumes in the Sturgis facility, Abbott will prioritize manufacturing of EleCare and other specialty and metabolic formulas to restock supplies as quickly as possible. "Releasing this product immediately will help families impacted by the lack of availability of EleCare," said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "When we restart our Sturgis facility the first week in June, we will produce EleCare first and make enough so that several months of supply will be available." About AbbottAbbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 113,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbott-to-release-elecare-amino-acid-based-formulas-to-help-meet-critical-patient-need-301554458.html SOURCE Abbott RTHK: Tedros wins second term at helm of WHO The World Health Organization's (WHO) members re-elected Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as Director General by a strong majority for another five years, the president of the World Health Assembly said on Tuesday. The vote by secret ballot, announced by Ahmed Robleh Abdilleh from Djibouti at a major annual meeting, was seen as a formality since Tedros was the only candidate running. Ministers and delegates took turns to shake hands and hug Tedros, a former health minister from Ethiopia, who has steered the UN agency through a turbulent period dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The president had to use a gavel several times to interrupt the applause. Addressing the assembly soon after his re-election, Tedros said the WHO's focus will be on emergency preparedness and improvement of the agency. "This pandemic has been very unprecedented and many lessons that we should learn and we are learning. But, at the same time we cannot just pause, learn and implement...instead of pausing to learn, we're saying while learning let's implement." The newly re-elected WHO head teared up while talking about the current Ukraine crisis and the death of his younger brother from a childhood disease amidst war and poverty decades ago. "When I visited Ukraine when I saw especially the kids..It was the image from more than 50 years ago that came to my mind, so visible, so hounding. The smell, sound and image of war. That is what I don't want to happen to anyone." Several countries including Germany and the United States were quick to offer their congratulations. German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach tweeted that Tedros got 155 of 160 votes, calling it a spectacular result. "Congratulations, fully deserved." Germany recently overtook the United States as the UN health agency's top donor. However, Tedros second-term candidacy did not receive the support of his native Ethiopia due to friction over the Tigray conflict. Ethiopia's envoy to the assembly made it clear that Botswana's statement congratulating Tedros did not represent all 47 countries of the African group. "The established working method of the African group is to work by consensus. I would like to point out that there was no consensus. Hence, the distinguished representative of Botswana cannot deliver the statement on behalf of the African group." (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2022-05-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the PMs Office said. The US Secretary of State highly appreciated the efforts of the Armenian government aimed at establishing peace and stability in the region, as well as the process of the democratic reforms in Armenia. The sides exchanged views on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the opening of regional communications and the regional security-related issues. Prime Minister Pashinyan shared his impressions from the trilateral meeting held in Brussels on May 22, stating that overall he assesses the meeting as positive, but notes that unfortunately, interpretations having no connection with the content of the discussions were made after the meeting. The Secretary of State reaffirmed the US readiness to continue the support to Armenias democratic reforms, the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenia-Azerbaijan border demarcation, the opening of regional communications and the establishment of regional stability. The phone talk also touched upon the current Armenia-Turkey discussions at a level of special envoys. PM Pashinyan and Secretary Blinken agreed to continue the Armenia-US high level contacts. This appointment is strategic for Atento Bhalla brings extensive CX experience to support Atentos growth in the US and EMEA markets NEW YORK and MIAMI, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atento S.A. (NYSE: ATTO, "Atento" or the "Company"), one of the largest providers worldwide and the leading company in customer relationship services and business process outsourcing (CRM / BPO) in Latin America, has appointed Anil Bhalla as independent board director. Mr. Bhalla replaces David Garner, who is stepping down as a member of the Company's board. Carlos Lopez-Abadia, Atento's Chief Executive Officer, said, "As new independent board director Anil will undoubtedly bring great value to the company thanks to his international experience in the BPO sector. His knowledge of optimization and digitization of operations and his experience in M&A and business integration, will complement the capabilities of the board to finish developing our strategic plan and value contribution to customers and shareholders. Our expansion in the US and EMEA markets is one of the main pillars of our growth, and Anil will contribute significantly to driving this development. I also want to take the opportunity to thank David for his contribution over the last few years as a member of our board." Mr. Bhalla, recognized for being an important business leader in the customer experience industry, has demonstrated, throughout his professional career, his ability to generate value thanks to a strategy focused on innovation that is also results-oriented. During over 20 years of experience in this sector, he has worked for companies all over the world, including: India, US, Canada and Europe. Before his arrival at Atento as a board director, Mr. Bhalla held the position of CEO at the Minacs Group, a company that was later acquired by Concentrix (an American customer experience firm based in California) where he held the position of Senior Vice President Emerging Business. Previously, he held the position of COO in companies such as RSM McGladrey FPO and iCall India, in his native country. In recent years, prior to joining Atento, Mr. Bhalla has worked as investor and board director at companies such as Support Ninja, Voicegain and Venture X, where, thanks to his contribution in improving business models, he has brought about a notable improvement in results. With this appointment, Mr. Bhalla becomes an independent board director in accordance with the corporate governance of the New York Stock Exchange, where Atento is listed. He will form part of its audit committee and will replace David Garner, who held the position since 2016. In this regard, Atento sincerely appreciates David's valuable contribution over the past six years. About Atento Atento is the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing ("CRM BPO") services in Latin America, and among the top providers globally. Atento is also a leading provider of nearshoring CRM BPO services to companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 14 countries where it employs approximately 150,000 people. Atento has over 400 clients to whom it offers a wide range of CRM BPO services through multiple channels. Atento's clients are mostly leading multinational corporations in industries such as telecommunications, banking and financial services, health, retail and public administrations, among others. Atento's shares trade under the symbol ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2019, Atento was named one of the World's 25 Best Multinational Workplaces and one of the Best Multinationals to Work for in Latin America by Great Place to Work. Also, in 2021 Everest named Atento as a star performer. Gartner named the company as a leader for two years in a row, since 2021 in the Gartner Magic Quadrant. For more information visit www.atento.com Media Relations[email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. In particular, these forward-looking statements include those about the effects on Atento and its growth of changes in the composition of the Board. These statements reflect only Atento's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition in Atento's highly competitive industries; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; Atento's ability to keep pace with its clients' needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of Atento's clients; the non-exclusive nature of Atento's client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; security and privacy breaches of the systems Atento uses to protect personal data; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending Atento against intellectual property infringement claims; extensive regulation affecting many of Atento's businesses; Atento's ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to Atento's data and operation centers; Atento's ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where Atento operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; Atento's ability to complete future acquisitions and integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; future impairments of our substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets; Atento's ability to recover consumer receivables on behalf of its clients; and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Atento is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by the company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. Atento undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atento-announces-appointment-of-anil-bhalla-as-independent-board-director-301554483.html SOURCE Atento S.A. Partnership will secure 300 MW of solar, $500,000 for CPS Energy community priorities SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned, electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has reached agreement with Consolidated Edison Development, Inc., a subsidiary of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc., for a 300 megawatt (MW) solar project to be located in Goliad County, Texas as the first part of its FlexPOWER BundleSM initiative. The selection marks one-third of the utility's goal of adding up to 900 MW of clean, sustainable energy to its power generation mix, and will further strengthen San Antonio's national top five Solar Superstar ranking.Construction is scheduled to begin next year and is expected to add 250 300 temporary jobs with priority hiring from the San Antonio area. As part of the partnership agreement, Con Edison Development will contribute $500,000 over a 10-year period to support one of CPS Energy's community priorities of supporting customers and education. Con Edison Development also will hire up to eight positions from Greater San Antonio and maintain $750,000 in annual spending with local suppliers and vendors through the life of the 25-year agreement. This will result in a $19 million local investment for Bexar and Goliad counties."This agreement is a significant step forward for the FlexPOWER Bundle initiative and our community's clean energy strategy," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "The way we generate power determines our ability to ensure a sustainable environment. San Antonio is making great advances toward carbon neutrality and CPS Energy's continued leadership in renewable energy is making our progress possible." "Our vision for a cleaner energy future for San Antonio will be realized through innovative partnerships like this one with Consolidated Edison Development, Inc.," said CPS Energy Interim President & CEO Rudy Garza. "CPS Energy is already a top solar purchaser in Texas, and while we continue to thoughtfully evaluate and identify even more options for our community, the FlexPOWER Bundle is proving to be an initiative that delivers real solutions.""We are proud to be working with the visionary leaders of San Antonio and CPS Energy in support of their sustainable energy goals," said Mark Noyes, President and CEO of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses. "In addition to delivering clean solar energy to San Antonio, the operation of the facility will deliver $750,000 in annual economic benefits to the Greater San Antonio area. We are also committing to $500,000 for community support and scholarships as we look forward to being part of the San Antonio community for many years to come."The FlexPOWER Bundle initiative aims to further diversify CPS Energy's power generation mix, adding up to 900 MW of solar, up to 50 MW of energy storage and up to 500 MW of firming capacity. The bundle is part of the utility's wider plan to replace older generation with newer and cleaner technologies.Launched in November 2020, a request for proposals for the FlexPOWER Bundle resulted in over 650 proposals from 100 companies across the U.S. and ten other nations, including Japan, England and South Korea. CPS Energy expects to finalize and award all FlexPOWER Bundle contracts within the next few months with the next solar selections expected in the coming weeks."Our customers have shared their desire for an affordable but more sustainable energy system," said Garza. "The FlexPOWER Bundle is our response to say that we hear you, that we want the same and are making great strides in that direction."Currently, CPS Energy's clean power generation portfolio includes 1,049 MW of wind, 552 MW of solar and 10 MW of battery storage resources. The 300 MW project, dubbed Peregrine Solar (Peregrine), is expected to increase CPS Energy's total solar capacity to 852 MW once it comes online. Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses will be solely responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance costs of the project, while CPS Energy will acquire the solar energy produced at Peregrine through a Power Purchase Agreement of 25 years.Photos from Tuesday's news conference can be found here. A map of the solar farms CPS Energy currently purchases power from is below. ### Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 884,811 electric and 366,709 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers' combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation's 20 largest cities while generating $8 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. We are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees' volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc. (Con Edison CEB) offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related solutions, including utility-scale and behind the meter renewable development, construction and operation, battery storage, power marketer and asset management services, and energy efficiency services. Headquartered in Valhalla, New York, Con Edison CEB is part of the Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED) family of companies, which has a corporate history dating back to 1823. Con Edison CEB is the second largest solar energy owner and operator in North America. Consolidated Edison Development, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Con Edison CEB. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cps-energy-makes-first-solar-selection-in-flexpower-bundle-initiative-301554454.html SOURCE CPS Energy PENUELAS, Puerto Rico, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowley, the longest-serving U.S. supply chain company with a nearly 70-year history in Puerto Rico, today inaugurated its state-of-the-art LNG Loading Terminal in the southern town of Penuelas. The liquefied natural gas facility marks a major milestone and supports the island's economy with full-service, sustainable energy solutions to industrial and commercial operators in Puerto Rico, Central America and the Caribbean. The inaugural event hosted by Crowley Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley featured remarks from Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi, and Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner in Washington D.C., Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon. "We continue to expand our capacity and investment in Puerto Rico with the opening of this special facility, which enhances Crowley's LNG capabilities across diverse industries," said Tom Crowley. "Our LNG solutions allow industrial and commercial clients to plan, monitor and produce their own energy while protecting their business from potential threats such as power outages or natural disasters." Over the course of several years, Crowley has fostered strong, transparent relationships with government and business leaders of Puerto Rico allowing the company to play a pivotal role in supplying cost-efficient, sustainable fuel sources to the island's leading sectors. "As Puerto Rico moves forward on its quest to transform its dated and fragile electric generation system into a first-class energy network, the use of alternative and transitional fuels like LNG will be critically important in helping build resiliency and reliability into the system," said Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico. "Crowley's new LNG Loading Terminal in Penuelas will foster much needed new economic activity for municipalities in the island, and it will also position Puerto Rico's industrial and commercial sector on a fast-track path toward economic growth by providing reliable and environmentally friendlier energy solutions. My administration is pleased to join in today's milestone celebration, which further solidifies Crowley's long history of serving the Puerto Rico market." The facility will significantly grow Crowley's service capabilities in Puerto Rico, delivering more than 94 million gallons of LNG annually. When operating at full distribution capacity, it will help power an aggregate of 120MW in cleaner energy while helping to reduce carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions. "The inauguration of Crowley's new LNG Loading Terminal marks an important step toward the diversification of Puerto Rico's energy industry, allowing us to maximize the use of alternative fuels like LNG to usher the island into a new era of cleaner energy," said Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner. "The investment in these state-of-the-art facilities will also afford Puerto Rico the opportunity to play a strategic role in LNG national security efforts while leveraging new LNG technologies and economic development opportunities." Functionally, from Penuelas, operators will load natural gas in its liquid form onto 10,000-gallon ISO containers for over-the-road transport to customer facilities around the island. Upon arrival at the customer's site, the LNG will be re-gasified and used for power generation and energy consumption. About Crowley Crowley is a privately held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company serving commercial and government sectors with more than $2.5 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet and approximately 7,000 employees around the world employing more U.S. mariners than any other company. The Crowley enterprise has invested more than $3 billion in maritime transport, which is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. As a global ship owner-operator and services provider with more than 130 years of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, the company serves customers in 36 nations and island territories through four business units: Crowley Logistics, Crowley Shipping, Crowley Solutions and Crowley Fuels. Additional information about Crowley, its business units and subsidiaries can be found at http://www.crowley.com. About LNG LNG facts from the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas (CLNG): Functionality LNG, or liquefied natural gas, is natural gas that is cooled to -260 Fahrenheit until it becomes a liquid and then stored at essentially atmospheric pressure. Converting natural gas to LNG, a process that reduces its volume by about 600 times allows it to be transported. Once delivered to its destination, the LNG is warmed back into its original gaseous state so that it can be used just like existing natural gas supplies. When returned to its gaseous state, LNG is used across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors for purposes as diverse as heating and cooling homes, cooking, generating electricity and manufacturing paper, metal, glass and other materials. LNG is not stored under pressure and it is not explosive. LNG vapors (methane) mixed with air are not explosive in an unconfined environment. When exposed to the environment, LNG rapidly evaporates, leaving no residue on water or soil. Reduced Emissions Science Because of its environmental characteristics, increased use of natural gas has driven billions of tons in carbon dioxide (CO2) savings in the United States. As nations seek to reduce their emissions and provide cleaner air, many will turn to LNG as a natural gas source. The U.S. Energy Information Administration attributes 25-year lows in CO2 emissions to greater use of natural gas along with renewables. Because of natural gas, the United States has led the world in CO2 reductions. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crowley-inaugurates-liquified-natural-gas-lng-facility-in-penuelas-puerto-rico-strategic-lng-hub-expands-sustainable-energy-for-customers-in-the-caribbean-301554318.html SOURCE Crowley Maritime Corporation TORONTO, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - SoftwareReviews, a leading source for insights on the software provider landscape, has published its 2022 Accounting Emotional Footprint. Seven accounting software providers in the enterprise and midmarket spaces have been identified by the company as Champions for the year based on ratings from end users. Accounting software automates finance management processes, ensuring the accuracy of financial transactions and facilitating reconciliation. Successful accounting software deployments will enable better cash flow and cost management, streamline invoicing and compliance, and allow for easier audit reporting. Finance, accounting, and IT professionals should evaluate accounting solutions that ensure support for accounting practices, reporting regulations, and currencies within all required countries. The best accounting software provides enhanced business capabilities to core financial operations. Examples include quote-to-cash process support that improves profitability, flexible pricing that increases sales win rates, and integrated analytics to increase company financial health. The Net Emotional Footprint (NEF) of each software provider is the result of aggregated emotional response ratings from users across the areas of service, negotiation, product impact, conflict resolution, strategy, and innovation. The NEF is a powerful indicator of overall user sentiment toward the provider and its product from the software user's point of view. High NEF scores indicate the top providers for a specific software category, who are then recognized as Champions. The 2022 Enterprise Accounting Software Champions are as follows: The 2022 Midmarket Accounting Software Champions are as follows: Wave , +97 NEF, for being trustworthy. , +97 NEF, for being trustworthy. FreshBooks, +95 NEF, for including security protection. +95 NEF, for including security protection. Zoho Books , +93 NEF, for being reliable. +93 NEF, for being reliable. TallyPrime, +94 NEF, for having integrity. SoftwareReviews' comprehensive software reviews provide the most accurate and detailed view of a complicated and ever-changing market. The data comes from real end users who use the software day in and day out and IT professionals who have worked with it intimately through procurement, implementation, and maintenance. To learn more about Accounting Emotional Footprint, visit the dedicated resource. For more information about SoftwareReviews, the Data Quadrant, or Emotional Footprint, or to access resources to support the software selection process, visit www.softwarereviews.com and connect via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/end-users-report-the-top-accounting-software-of-the-year-for-enterprise-and-mid-market-301554397.html SOURCE SoftwareReviews SILVER SPRING, Md., May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on steps it has taken that will lead to millions of cans of additional infant and specialty formula being available to U.S. consumers. "We continue to do everything in our power as part of the all-of-government efforts to ensure there's adequate infant formula available wherever and whenever parents and caregivers need it," said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. "Our recent steps will help further bolster supply of infant formula, including through the import of safe and nutritious products from overseas based on our increased flexibilities announced last week. Importantly, we anticipate additional infant formula products may be safely and quickly imported into the U.S. in the near-term based on ongoing discussions with manufacturers and suppliers worldwide." Key Activities U.K.'s Kendal Nutricare Will Send About 2 Million Cans to U.S. The FDA has informed Kendal Nutricare that the agency is exercising enforcement discretion for the importation of certain infant formula under the Kendamil brand. Under the agency's recent increased flexibilities regarding importation of certain infant formula products, the company initially estimates that about 2 million cans of infant formula are expected to land on U.S. store shelves beginning in June. Kendal Nutricare currently has over 40,000 cans in stock for immediate dispatch and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has initiated conversations to evaluate options for getting the products to the U.S. as quickly as possible. Kendamil has set up a website for consumers to receive updates and locate product once it arrives in the U.S. The agency reviewed applicable information relating to certain Kendamil products and, based on the information provided, does not have concerns that the products can be used safely and that they provide adequate nutrition. In reaching this decision, the FDA evaluated information pertaining to nutritional adequacy and safety, including microbiological testing, labeling, and additional information about facility production and inspection history. Today's announcement follows guidance issued last week that outlined a process by which the FDA would not object to the importation of certain infant formula products intended for a foreign market or distribution in the U.S. of products manufactured here for export to foreign countries. This guidance also may provide flexibilities to those who manufacture infant formula products domestically and may be able to increase further the quantity of domestically produced product for the U.S. market. The agency remains in further discussions with manufacturers and suppliers regarding additional supply and intends to prioritize submissions for products that can demonstrate safety and nutritional adequacy and have the largest volume of product available and/or those who can get product onto U.S. shelves the quickest. The FDA has posted a webpage that will be updated with information about additional products headed to the U.S. Abbott Will Release About 300,000 Cans of EleCare Specialty Formula on Case-By Case Basis The FDA is announcing that it is not objecting to the release of about 300,000 cans of EleCare amino acid-based infant formula previously produced at Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan, facility to individuals needing urgent, life-sustaining supplies of this specialty formula on a case-by-case basis. These products will undergo enhanced microbiological testing before release. Although some EleCare product was included in Abbott Nutrition's infant formula recall, these EleCare products that will be released were in different lots, have never been released and have been maintained in storage under control by Abbott Nutrition. These EleCare product lots were not part of the recall but have been on hold due to concerns that they were produced under insanitary conditions observed at Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan, facility. As noted above, these products will undergo enhanced microbiological testing prior to their release. Given the critical need of this product for some individuals, the FDA encourages parents and caregivers to consult with their healthcare providers to weigh the potential risk of bacterial infection with this product. The FDA will continue to work closely with healthcare provider organizations and stakeholders to understand the potential risks and benefits of using this product. Parents and caregivers seeking access to these products should contact Abbott directly to request that a product be made available to them by calling 1-800-881-0876. Parents and caregivers should continue to work with their medical provider to consider whether comparable alternative products may be appropriate. The FDA is also announcing that in response to the agency's concerns, Abbott has confirmed to the agency that EleCare will be the first formula produced at the Sturgis facility when it restarts production, and other specialty metabolic formulas will closely follow. Additionally, under the consent decree with the FDA, Abbott is required to retain an independent expert to review the Sturgis facility's operations to ensure compliance with the law. Additional Ongoing Efforts to Increase Supply of Infant Formula On Friday, the agency held a webinar with more than 700 attendees to review the recent guidance for the infant formula industry, particularly those manufacturers and processors not currently manufacturing infant formula products for the U.S. market. The FDA's around-the-clock work as part of the all-of-government efforts has already begun to improve supply and availability. The agency expects that the measures and steps it is taking, and the potential for Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Michigan, facility to safely resume production in the near-term, will mean more and more supply is on the way or on store shelves moving forward. As more formula becomes available to the general population of infants, the agency understands that availability of specialty products -- such as amino acid-based specialty formulas and metabolic products -- continues to be of concern. The FDA has already taken steps with Abbott Nutrition to make product available to those with life-threatening conditions on a case-by-case basis and will continue its efforts to make these products even more readily available as the agency works with the company to implement provisions of a consent decree. In addition, these products have been an area of focus for discussions with other manufacturers that make comparable products. As a result of the recall and work with the FDA, other manufacturers have increased production of comparable product lines and in some cases expedited the importation of these products where available. The FDA continues to advise against making infant formulas at home or diluting formula. Caregivers are encouraged to work with their child's health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices, if needed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also released a fact sheet with information to help families find infant formula. The agency also monitors online marketplaces for fraudulent products and works with major online retailers to remove violative and harmful products offered for sale on their sites. Additionally, since many of these fraudulent products originate overseas, the agency targets and examines these products at ports of entry. The FDA also monitors and follows up on various external signals such as consumer complaints about potential counterfeit and fraudulent products. The FDA will continue to dedicate all available resources to help ensure that infant formula products remain available for use in the U.S. and will keep the public informed of progress updates. Additional Information: Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540Consumer Inquiries: 888-723-3366 The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-flexibilities-to-yield-millions-of-cans-of-additional-infant-formula-in-coming-months-to-increase-supply-available-to-us-consumers-301554479.html SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration New Immersive VR Training for surgeons on workflows including Siemens Healthineers' mobile 3D imaging system Cios Spin VANCOUVER, BC, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - PrecisionOS is now offering immersive virtual reality (VR) training in partnership with Siemens Healthineers. The module helps surgeons and technicians to practice the use of Siemens Healthineers' mobile 3D C-arm Cios Spin for intraoperative quality control and surgical workflow guidance. Multi user, peer-to-peer training sessions will enable the exchange of surgical procedure knowhow on a virtual patient and will lead to an enhanced surgeon/technician collaboration. "Providing better training for surgeons and technicians will promote better teamwork and experience for everyone in the OR," says Danny Goel, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and CEO, PrecisionOS. "The result will be better patient care and improved OR safety." The importance of collaboration between the C-arm technician and the surgeon during surgery is illustrated in a case study, "Novel Application of Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation Training: A Case Report," published in the August 2021 issue of JAAOS Global Research & Reviews. The paper details how a fourth-year resident, after practicing on PrecisionOS' training module, successfully redid a surgery for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) using 10x less radiation vs the index procedure. "PrecisionOS' VR software allows for surgeons to practice and behave authentically as well as collaboratively in a hyper-realistic environment," says Janine Weidling, Global Head of Education Services Advanced Therapies at Siemens Healthineers. "This increases the quality of procedure- and imaging-related skills for the users and provides them with more certainty, especially in demanding surgical cases." PrecisionOS is working to improve all training for the operating room. The company recently expanded beyond orthopedics into general surgery. The Siemens Healthineers partnership expands the company's growing network of medical device partners. PrecisionOS works with many of the top 10 medical device companies. About PrecisionOSPrecisionOS is a leading provider of virtual reality surgical training for the medical industry. Societies, universities, and medical device companies prefer PrecisionOS modules because they improve the transfer of knowledge and skills. Multiple, independent trials published in medical journals confirm that participants using the PrecisionOS platform become better, more confident surgeons. PrecisionOS has collaborative affiliations with more than 50 major medical institutions in the U.S. and Canada and the company's technology platform is being used in more than 50 countries globally. Learn more at www.precisionostech.com. About our partner, Siemens HealthineersSiemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) pioneers breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers, and its regional companies is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company's foundation in in-vitro diagnostics, image-guided therapy, in-vivo diagnostics, and innovative cancer care. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers' ability to provide high-quality, efficient care. In fiscal 2021, which ended on September 30, 2021, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 66,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of 18.0 billion and adjusted EBIT of 3.1 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/precisionos-partners-with-siemens-healthineers-for-vr-based-surgical-training-development-301552564.html SOURCE PrecisionOS Technology YANTAI, China, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RemeGen Co., Ltd. (9995.HK, SHA: 688331), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, today announced that three abstracts for disitamab vedotin (RC48) have been selected for poster discussions by the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting that will be held from June 3 to June 7 2022 in Chicago, USA. Disitamab vedotin is a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed to HER2 and it has been approved by National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China for the treatment of gastric and urothelial cancers. The clinical studies described in the three abstracts were conducted or sponsored by RemeGen and will be presented at a poster discussion session, constituting a topical discussion on the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). The session is scheduled on June 4 and will include all related clinical studies to be presented by RemeGen. These abstracts highlight the emerging role of disitamab vedotin in the potential management of mUC. In abstract #4518, entitled, "Preliminary Results of a Phase Ib/II Combination Study of Disitamab Vedotin in Combination with Toripalimab in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma," investigators report updated data that continue to demonstrate a manageable safety profile and promising efficacy of disitamab vedotin. The earlier data from this study were previously presented at the 2022 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GU) held earlier this year in February 2022. The other two abstracts are entitled, "A phase II study of RC48-ADC in HER2-negative patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma" and "RC48-ADC for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma with HER2-positive: combined analysis of RC48-C005 and RC48-C009 trials." These studies further highlight the potential clinical efficacy of disitamab vedotin in mUC patients. "We are delighted that our research has been recognized and selected for the upcoming ASCO meeting," said Fang Jianmin, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of RemeGen. "RemeGen has performed a number of clinical trials for disitamab vedotin in the treatment of HER2-expressing advanced gastric, urothelial, and breast cancers. Disitamab vedotin has been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in second-line treatment of patients with HER2-expressing, locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) who have previously received platinum-containing chemotherapy. The data presented in this ASCO meeting will provide additional support that disitamab vedotin may play a unique role in meeting unmet medical needs for the patients of urothelial cancer." In China, disitamab vedotin has been granted conditional approval by the NMPA for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma after at least 2 prior systemic chemotherapy treatments, opening a new chapter in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma in China. In addition, disitamab vedotin has been included in the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) guidelines in 2021. About RemeGen Co. Ltd. Founded in 2008, RemeGen (9995.HK, SHA: 688331) is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China committed to providing solutions to the unmet clinical needs of patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses. RemeGen has research laboratories and offices throughout China and the United States. The company is committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative and differentiated biologic drugs of significant clinical value in the key therapeutic areas of autoimmune, oncology, and ophthalmic diseases. For more details, please visit: www.remegen.cn About Disitamab Vedotin (RC48) Disitamab vedotin (RC48) is an investigational anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate targeting prevalent cancers with significant unmet medical needs and is the first domestically developed ADC to receive marketing approval in China. The drug was granted conditional marketing approval in June 2021 by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China to treat locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. In the same month, the company submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the treatment of HER2-expressing advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with disitamab vedotin. In 2021, RemeGen and Seagen Inc. entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement to develop and commercialize disitamab vedotin. The company is implementing a differentiated development and commercial strategy for disitamab vedotin, including (i) gastric cancer (GC), (ii) urothelial carcinoma (UC), (iii) breast cancer (BC), and (iv) other HER2-expressing cancers. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to RemeGen, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. RemeGen does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly. These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of RemeGen concerning future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond RemeGen's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, RemeGen's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions. RemeGen, the Directors and the employees of RemeGen assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained on this site; and (b) no liability if any of the forward-looking statements do not materialize or turn out to be incorrect. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/remegen-to-present-three-studies-on-disitamab-vedotin-at-2022-asco-annual-meeting-301553390.html SOURCE RemeGen Co., Ltd Erin Smith (22) named as one of three finalists of a new prize awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO) for her AI-powered tool enabling early detection of Parkinson's disease The natural born scientist developed an algorithm that analyses videos of facial expressions to pick up minute indicators of early-onset Parkinson's, with around 95% accuracy Her technology, inspired by videos of Michael J. Fox, can also help people with other neural disorders similar to Parkinson's MUNICH, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. inventor Erin Smith (22) has been nominated as a finalist in the inaugural Young Inventors prize given by the European Patent Office (EPO) for her AI-powered app that enables early detection of Parkinson's disease. The natural born scientist built on a childhood interest in facial expressions to create technology that could help delay the development of serious Parkinson's symptoms, such as tremors and walking difficulties, through early intervention. The app, called FacePrint, takes video footage of facial expressions and applies facial recognition and AI techniques to quickly and accurately pick up minute indicators of the early stages of the disease. Off the back of successful large-scale trials of the app at Stanford Medical School, Smith is poised to commercialise the solution to help people around the world. "Erin Smith's insight, innovative drive and application of new technologies has the potential to move early detection of Parkinson's out of the realm of select specialists and into the hands of many," says EPO President Antonio Campinos, announcing the Young Inventors prize 2022 finalists. "Her invention paves the way to earlier treatment, providing relief and hope for patients and their loved ones." Smith is one of three finalists of the new Young Inventors prize, which the EPO established to encourage the next generation of inventors. The prize recognises young innovators aged 30 or under who have developed solutions to tackle global problems and help reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The winners of the Young Inventors prize 2022 will be announced at the European Inventor Award virtual ceremony, which will be held on 21 June. Telling facial expressionsSmith grew up in Kansas and fell in love with science at an early age as she and her mother turned their kitchen into a makeshift laboratory. She started her first real lab work at the University of Kansas Medical Center at age 10 and began competing in science fairs. One of her many areas of interest was the human brain: She loved the detective show "Lie to Me" about a scientist who is an expert at reading people's expressions and she read deeply into the research it was based on. In 2016, Smith was watching a video from the Michael J. Fox Foundation and realised that when Fox smiled, it appeared emotionally distant, even if the emotion behind the smile was authentic. Reading into medical literature, she found that the parts of the brain experiencing the earliest changes in Parkinson's disease are the same parts involved in forming facial expressions or lack thereof, known as 'mask face'. "I became really curious about this idea of whether I could use facial expressions to monitor changes in the brain, such as Parkinson's disease," said Smith. AI propelling diagnosisObserving these facial expression 'markers' was already a hallmark of professionals working with neurological conditions such as Parkinson's, but the changes of expressions had never been objectively quantified. However, Smith saw that artificial intelligence (AI) such as computer vision which enables computers to derive information from images could propel diagnosis beyond this barrier. With the help of Parkinson's support groups, Erin Smith designed a study to capture video footage of people with and without Parkinson's. After locking herself in her basement to learn to code with the help of books and online courses, the young scientist processed the footage using facial recognition software and used this to train a computer vision algorithm to see how a person without Parkinson's makes certain expressions. After doing the same for people with Parkinson's, she demonstrated a measurable difference between the two groups, for the first time. Facial expressions may change a decade prior to Parkinson being diagnosed Parkinson's is usually diagnosed after the loss of motor function, which can occur up to a decade after changes in facial expressions start to manifest. Smith's innovation paves the way for widespread and accurate detection of Parkinson's symptoms years before traditional diagnosis and opens up the possibility of early intervention to delay disease progression. Today, her invention can predict Parkinson's disease with around 95% accuracy and other misidentified neural disorders with an accuracy of 93%. "One of my largest hopes for this tool is that it would help improve the care of Parkinson's patients and also be used in drug development to develop disease-modifying therapeutics in addition to this idea of early detection and intervention." says Erin Smith. "I hope FacePrint can help build this future and lead to a paradigm shift in the way that we view and treat degenerative nerve diseases." Watch youtube video on Erin Smith's invention View the video and photo material for Erin Smith View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spotting-parkinsons-disease-earlier-through-ai-us-inventor-erin-smith-named-young-inventors-prize-2022-finalist-301553702.html SOURCE The European Patent Office CHICAGO, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Venzee Technologies Inc. (TSXV: VENZ) (OTCQB: VENZF) ("Venzee'' or the "Company"), the artificial intelligence platform for product data, announced that it will file 2022 first quarter results after market Thursday, May 26, 2022 and hold a conference call to discuss these financial results the following morning on Friday, May 27, 2022. John Sexton Abrams, Chief Executive Officer, and Darren Battersby, Chief Financial Officer of Venzee Technologies, will discuss the results in a conference call and live audio webcast on May 27 at 9:30 A.M. EST (6:30 A.M. PST) followed by a presentation and Q&A. The presentation will be recorded and available for viewing after the live conference call. Details for Quarterly Conference Call on May 27, 2022 Date: May 27, 2022Time: 9:30 AM EST (6:30 AM PST) Conference ID: 33759728Dial-in Number: (+1) 888 396 8049Register to view the live audio webcast at: https://app.webinar.net/D5qRlqzAk0a With more than 500 major retail Mesh Connectors now available to brand clients, Venzee has become an important tool in the simplification and automation of syndication processes for brands globally. About Venzee Technologies, Inc. Venzee (TSXV: VENZ) (OTCQB: VENZF) is the leading artificial intelligence platform for product data used by global brands to speed time to market and create competitive supply chain advantages. Venzee's intelligent platform automates inefficient last-mile retail processes with a frictionless, machine-driven solution for sending and receiving product data. Venzee believes intelligent supply chain functionality is inevitable and will significantly benefit growers, makers, brands, sellers, regulators, and consumers. Venzee is building the foundation for a future where seamless, accurate, automated data flow simplifies processes, removes friction, and creates value for all those that rely on the myriad of data and information surrounding any product, anywhere. Venzee unlocks shareholder value by carrying out its mission to create intelligent technology that removes friction from the global supply chain. Its Mesh Connector product disrupts and displaces inefficient manual processes in favor of integrated, machine-driven solutions. To learn more about the Venzee platform, visit venzee.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/venzee-inc/Podcast: https://www.rethinkingsupplychain.com/ Forward-Looking Information 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 with respect to the terms of the Offering, the completion of the Offering and the expected use of the net proceeds received by the Company. 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 state 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 the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; and regulatory risks. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under Note 9 of the 2021 and 2020 financial statements,which can be found under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Although 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 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. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/venzee-technologies-announces-date-for-first-quarter-2022-financial-results-and-webcast-301553287.html SOURCE Venzee Technologies Inc. WASHINGTON The Army will now have bases named after women and African Americans if Congress and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approve the recommendations offered Tuesday by an independent commission assigned to make the selections. Congress mandated last year that an appointed Naming Commission come up with potential new names for nine Army installations that now honor Confederate generals from the Civil War. The nine bases are all in former Confederate states and were named during the 1910s and 1940s amid the Souths Jim Crow era. These are the bases and the suggested name changes, according to retired Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, a member of the commission: Fort Bragg, N.C., to Fort Liberty. Fort Bragg, N.C., is home to the 82nd Airborne Division and the name Fort Liberty honors a line in the divisions song: We're all American and proud to be well we're the soldiers of liberty, Seidule said Tuesday in a call with reporters. Throughout our history, liberty remains the greatest value ever since the nation created a standing army to provide for the common defense that army's greatest battles have been for liberty, he said. Fort Polk, La., to Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson. Johnson was a member of an all-Black infantry regiment that later became the 369th Infantry Regiment, according to the Army. Johnson is known for saving his fellow soldiers after suffering a German grenade attack on May 14, 1918, in France during World War I. Despite a grenade wound, Johnson attacked the Germans. First, he threw all his grenades, then he fired all his rifle ammunition, Seidule said. He ran out of bullets to use, [then used] his rifle as a club until it was smashed to bits. [Finally], he took out his bowie knife to save his comrades. Fort Benning, Ga., to Fort Moore for Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore. The couple are honored each for their services to the nation, one in uniform and one as a civilian. With Hal and Julia Moore, we recognize the Army family that serves the nation together, Seidule said. The lieutenant general served in the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam in 1965 and received the Distinguished Service Cross and later played a crucial role in the transition to the all-volunteer Army, he said. Julia Moore is honored for her advocacy that led the Army to establish its casualty notification program and survivor support networks, Seidule said. Before her intervention, the Army notified the families of casualties by telegram carried by cab drivers. Horrified, she started accompanying the cabbies to deliver the devastating news to families about their loved ones, he said. Fort Gordon, Ga., to Fort Eisenhower for former President Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower spent a lifetime in service to the nation starting as a West Point cadet in 1911 and finishing as president 50 years later, Seidule said. Of course, we know Eisenhower best for leading one of the greatest operations in military history: the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Fort A.P. Hill, Va., to Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker. Walker is a Medal of Honor recipient who served as a doctor during the Civil War. She was the Armys first female surgeon to go into battle, where she remained with wounded soldiers after the U.S. Army unit departed, disregarding her own safety, Seidule said. The enemy captured her and she spent four months in a prisoner of war camp," he said. Fort Hood, Texas, to Fort Cavazos after Gen. Richard Cavazos. Cavazos was a Distinguished Service Cross recipient who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars and later commanded the Armys III Corps, which is headquartered at the installation, Seidule said. As a young lieutenant in Korea, [Cavazos] led his company on three separate charges of an enemy position, he said. Then he returned to the field five times to evacuate his wounded soldiers before allowing medics to treat his wounds. Fort Pickett, Va., to Fort Barfoot for Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot. Barfoot was a Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army for more than 34 years, Seidule said. On May 23, 1944. Tech. Sgt. Barfoot was in Northern Italy with his unit attacking a well-entrenched German position, Seidule said. Barfoot moved out alone against the enemies left flank. [Took] out three separate machine gun emplacements one after the other capturing 17 prisoners. Fort Rucker, Ala., to Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr. Novosel was a Medal of Honor recipient who flew more than 2,500 extraction missions in Vietnam, rescuing more than 5,500 wounded soldiers, Seidule said. On one extraordinary mission on Oct. 2, 1969, he saved 29 men despite suffering severe wounds, Seidule said. Incredibly, on another mission, he rescued his son, a fellow helicopter pilot. Seidule said he hoped the name would inspire the next generation of Army aviators. Novosel represents the many families who served the nation, he said. Fort Lee, Va., to Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. The local community suggested we consider a hyphenated name, we thought that was a great idea, Seidule said. Gregg, who is now 95 years old, enlisted in the Army at 17 at the end of World War II. He commanded logistics units in war and peace all over the globe during his career and still makes time to mentor soldiers and families, Seidule said. Adams left her teaching job in 1941 to join the military, later becoming one of the highest-ranking female soldiers in World War II. She commanded a postal battalion in Europe from 1944-1945, working under the motto, no mail, no morale, Seidule said. Adams and her unit made it their mission to sustain soldiers at the front and keep the families at home connected to soldiers, handling more than 6 million pieces of mail a month, Seidule said. They cleared a six-month backlog in half the time expected and delivered tens of millions of envelopes to soldiers in the field. The commission also considered changing the name of Fort Belvoir, Va., which was named after Union Army Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys from 1917-1935 before it was renamed in 1935 after the family who owned the plantation where the installation now sits. However, the group decided Belvoir does not meet the criteria Congress provided for the renaming recommendation, but will recommend the Department of Defense conduct its own naming review of the post, the commission said Tuesday in a statement. Army and Pentagon leaders began looking at stripping bases of Confederate-linked names in 2020 amid a nationwide racial reckoning after the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. In the commissions selection process, the members of the group visited the bases last year for listening sessions with military commanders and community leaders to gain feedback on their process, preferences for new names and an understanding of local sensitivities, the commission said. They also opened a website for the public to make suggestions between September and December, which resulted in the commission receiving 3,670 different name suggestions in more than 34,000 submissions, Seidule told reporters. We believe that these new names will inspire soldiers to achieve the highest standards demanded by their nation, in peace and in war, he said. I speak for all eight commissioners when I tell you, it is our honor to unanimously recommend these names. The names will be delivered in a report due to Congress in October. Lawmakers must give their approval on the names, which will then go to Austin to carry out the renaming formally, Seidule said. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRES. The energy ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union member states will take part in the Eurasian Economic Forum to be held in Bishkek on May 26, and the meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers and the Eurasian Economic Commission will be held a day before, on May 25, to discuss the issues related to the creation of a common Eurasian oil and gas market, ARMENPRESS reports Daniyar Turusbekov, Director of the Organizational Support and Protocol Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission said during the Bishkek-Yerevan-Minsk-Nur-Sultan video bridge organized at Sputnik Armenia multimedia center. The first Eurasian Economic Forum will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on May 26, focusing on the further development of Eurasian economic integration and the revised priorities for overall economic development in the EEU. The conference was postponed for two years due to coronavirus restrictions. About 2,500 people from the EEU member states, including the Republic of Armenia, as well as from Latin America and South Asia applied for participation in the forum. There will be 6 panel discussions and 21 thematic sessions during the conference. About 10 documents will be signed within the framework of the event. Retired Army warrant officers can now join Tennessee Guard NASHVILLE, Tenn. Beginning this month, warrant officers retired from active duty in the U.S. Army will be able to join the Tennessee National Guard. The program has been talked about for years, but Tennessee is the first to implement it, Brig. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee's assistant adjutant general-Army, said in a news release. Previously it was allowed only for soldiers deemed indispensable by the secretary of the Army. Now, nearly all retired active duty Army warrant officers are eligible. The U.S. Army and National Guard Bureau updated their policies to make the change possible last year. Tennessee formalized its own state policy this month, according to the release. "This will greatly impact the readiness across our force as it allows our organization to supplement our ranks and hard to fill positions with highly qualified individuals," Ross said. WASHINGTON Poor navigational planning, management and watch-team execution led to the USS Connecticuts underwater crash in October, according to a Navy investigation that recommended punishment for several of the submarines leaders and crew. This mishap was preventable, Rear Adm. Christopher Cavanaugh wrote in the investigations report, which was released Monday. Prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in any of these three areas could have prevented the grounding." As director of Pacific Fleets maritime headquarters, Cavanaugh led the investigation, which analyzed what caused the submarines collision with an undersea mountain that injured 11 sailors and damaged the Seawolf-class submarines ballast tanks and sonar sphere, according to the Navy. Ballast tanks help provide a submarines buoyancy, while sonar spheres allow sailors to sense what is around them in undersea waters. The submarine, which is based in Bremerton, Wash., was operating in a poorly surveyed area in international waters in the South China Sea when it ran aground, according to the report. The report found in the time before the Oct. 2 crash, the navigation review team failed to identify and properly mark at least ten charted hazards to navigation in the vicinity of the grounding before sending the submarine through the waters. The [team], including the [commanding officer], incorrectly assessed that Connecticut would be operating in an open ocean environment, the report found. They should have recognized the ship would be in restricted waters based on the planned track passing near multiple navigation hazards. Had they done so, a modified piloting party would have been stationed with additional watch-standers focused on navigation safety, the report added. While much of the investigations details are redacted in the report, it indicated at least some of the crews watch-standing team were aware that something was amiss on the navigational chart, but the information was not communicated effectively. Before the crash, at least one sailor detected sonar readings were not matching the navigational chart of the undersea area. However, the officer of the deck did not report the hazard to the Connecticuts commanding officer, who was not standing duty at the time. The CO was unaware of the ships proximity to the navigation hazard, the report said. The [officer of the deck] stated he was concerned with the shallower-than-expected soundings but that he did not assess a need to take aggressive action [or] consider ordering a lower speed. Most other details of what happened in the minutes before the grounding were redacted, but Cavanaugh wrote there were other factors that led to the incident. No single action or inaction caused this mishap, but it was preventable, he said. It resulted from an accumulation of errors and omissions in navigation planning, watch team execution, and risk management. After the crash, leaders announced the incident and the Connecticut began to sink lower because the ballast systems were damaged, according to the report. The ships leaders then worked on other ways to help the Connecticut rise, which included pumping about 100,000 pounds of water out of the submarine, the report said. However, an electrical fire broke out in one of the pumps motor controllers, which was soon extinguished. The commander of Submarine Group 7, which oversees submarine operations in the Indo-Pacific, then ordered the ship to travel to Guam, according to the report. During the trip, the front part of the submarine, known as the bow dome, fell off, but the Connecticut continued its transit, arriving in Guam on Oct. 8. Actions immediately following the grounding were effective, Cavanaugh said in the report. The crew put the ship in a stable condition on the surface, managed injuries and equipment damage and transited to Guam safely and securely. Still, Cavanaugh recommended nonjudicial punishments for the Connecticuts commanding officer Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani, executive officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin, and several unnamed sailors who were on duty at the time. He also recommended administrative counseling for Master Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rogers, the chief of the boat. The Navy in November fired Aljilani, Cashin and Rogers due to a loss of confidence after the collision. The submarine is now undergoing repairs and thus will be unavailable for operations for an extended period of time, according to the report, which did not detail the cost of the repairs. The Navy needs to do more, and do it faster, to support sailors on USS George Washington after a series of suicides while the carrier is undergoing an overhaul and refueling, Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Norfolk, and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, said. It appears that immediate action is required to ensure the safety and well-being of the ships crew, the two wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations Michael Gilday. There is an urgent need for the Navy to engage with the local community and the shipyard to explore opportunities to improve the quality of life for sailors. Luria and Scott said they wanted to know how the Navy is planning to deal with immediate concerns about command climate, safety, mental health and unsanitary conditions aboard USS George Washington. There were three suicides, one of them on the ship, in the space of a week last month, bringing the total for the past two years to six. The letter calls for the Navy to expand mental health services available to sailors assigned to the Washington, noting that at the moment there are only two additional mental health professionals temporarily assigned to provide services to the crew. They also asked for funds from the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program to tackle quality of life concerns they heard from sailors during a recent visit to the Washington, including funding to house sailors off the ship, which is a busy industrial worksite, as well as increased mental health services and improved parking. We believe that funds from DCIP Program could be leveraged to immediately address the need for additional off ship accommodations such as single sailor housing and improved parking, Luria and Scott wrote. The Department of Defense opened access to the DCIP programs fiscal year 2022 funding earlier this month. The program is intended to address deficiencies in community infrastructure around military installations. Last years grants included $650,000 to Carteret County, N.C., for a $1.95 million dollar shoreline and infrastructure protection project on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Storys Radio Island facility and $250,000 to Portsmouth to help cover the cost of $640,000 in transportation improvements for Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. Other grants ranged from runway improvements at a civilian airport next to Fort Riley, Kan., to sewer and wastewater treatment projects at bases in Washington state and California. The Navy has two investigations underway. One is looking at the three April deaths and the circumstances immediately preceding them. The other seeks answers to more extensive questions about what sailors experience while their ship is in the yard and what sorts of changes might help. In addition to an additional clinical psychologist and a mental health clinician to supplement the Washingtons medical team, the Navy is ensuring the Washingtons sailors have immediate access when calling the Hampton Roads appointment line as well as being provided expedited appointing for mental health referrals. It has offered alternative housing to many of the roughly 400 sailors who are assigned berths on the Washington and is looking for more space for others. None would be required to pay for housing most of the sailors living on the Washington are fairly new to the Navy and havent qualified for the Department of Defenses Basic Housing Allowance benefit. dress@dailypress.com 2022 Daily Press. Visit dailypress.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The latest version of an unmanned helicopter system went to work for the first time in the Indo-Pacific aboard a littoral combat ship, the systems manufacturer announced Monday. The MQ-8C Fire Scout, an autonomous helicopter with the ability to take off and land on warships capable of carrying aircraft, went to sea aboard the USS Jackson in April, according to manufacturer Northrop Grumman. The Fire Scout completed operational testing April 20 in the Philippine Sea, U.S. Navy Destroyer Squadron 7 said in a news release that week. The drone subsequently operated in the South China Sea on April 29. The Fire Scout works alongside the Navys MH-60S Seahawk helicopter to provide integrated, over-the-horizon intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting, and combat logistics support, according to Northrop Grumman. With its combat capabilities proven, the drone is cleared to continue operating on the Jackson and other littoral ships in the region. The Navy plans to put the Fire Scout on guided-missile frigates and at land-based sites, according to Northrop Grumman. Its other roles will include anti-mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and logistics and cargo. The MQ-8C is the newest generation of the Fire Scout, following the MQ-8B, which has deployed aboard guided-missile frigates and littoral combat ships under a Navy contract since 2006, according to Northrop Grumman. The MQ-8C is a modified Bell 407 helicopter airframe with more speed, endurance and payload capacity than its predecessor, a range of 1,000 nautical miles and more than 10 hours of flight time. The Navy contracted with Northrop Grumman for 10 Fire Scout C models in 2016 for $108.1 million, USNI News reported at the time. The system was first deployed in December aboard the littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee in the Caribbean Sea, Northrop Grumman announced in January. The Navy thus far has accepted the delivery of 38 MQ-8C Fire Scout systems with no plans to order more, according to a January report from Nickolas Guertin, head of the Pentagons testing office. While the new model is considered an improvement, it hasnt gone without issues. The Navy paused MQ-8C operations in 2020 after two mishaps occurred less than a week apart. On Nov. 10, 2020, an MQ-8C crashed while landing at a Navy base in California. On Nov. 16, another MQ-8C became unresponsive during a test in Maryland. The system aircrafts rotor blades hit the ground, separating the blades and causing other damage, according to the Naval Safety Center. In April 2021, an MQ-8B crashed into the side of the littoral combat ship USS Charleston after taking off, damaging a safety net and striking the hull, USNI News reported at the time. All three incidents were classified as Class A mishaps, which the Navy defines as either involving loss of life or permanent disability, or the complete loss of an aircraft or property damage of $2.5 million or more. The Navy suspended operations of MQ-8B and MQ-8C systems aboard littoral combat ships deployed in the Indo-Pacific between April 2021 and April 2022, Destroyer Squadron 7 spokesman Lt. j.g. Mohammad Issa told Stars and Stripes in a Tuesday email. YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan President Joe Biden lifted off Tuesday in Air Force One from this airlift hub in western Tokyo, completing a five-day trip to Asia, his first as president, after strengthening ties with U.S. partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden collected promises to improve a collective defense in South Korea and reinstate large military exercises there suspended in 2017, announced the formation of a 13-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Japan and met with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia in a show of solidarity. But his pledge to militarily defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion drew the most attention from worldwide media and international security experts. Some analysts suggested Bidens remarks reframed Americas policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwans relationship with China. Others said his remarks constituted only a repeat of the same pledge hes made earlier. My policy has not changed at all, Biden told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday. Bidens statement the previous day that, yes, the United States would defend the island democracy, was an intentional gaffe, according to Jeff Kingston, head of Asian studies at Temple Universitys Tokyo campus. The comment was quickly walked back by the White House but left a strong impression of U.S. engagement, he told Stars and Stripes in an email Monday. Bidens trip began Friday at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and ended Tuesday at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, following the Quad summit, an informal strategic forum with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The four discussed their responses to the conflict in Ukraine and assessed its implications for the Indo-Pacific. Quad Leaders reiterated our strong resolve to maintain the peace and stability in the region, read a joint statement issued after the summit. The statement didnt mention Russia, the aggressor in Ukraine. Moscow has been condemned and sanctioned by the U.S. and its allies but retains strong trade and defense ties to India. The leaders also stated their support for freedom of navigation and overflight in the East and South China Seas. China has occupied numerous islets and reefs in South China Sea in territory that is claimed by its neighbors. China also claims ownership of the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, and frequently sends vessels to the area. We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries offshore resource exploitation activities individually and collectively, the Quad leaders statement said. They announced plans to extend more than $50 billion of infrastructure assistance and investment in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years. For a decade China has been financing roads, railways, ports, pipelines and power plants across Asia as part of its Belt and Road initiative. The Quad leaders also vowed to cooperate on cyber security and space and to improve monitoring of the oceans and vessels traveling across them, something that will help regional partners respond to natural disasters and combat illegal fishing, according to the joint statement. President Joe Biden is seeking to show U.S. resolve against China, yet an ill-timed gaffe on Taiwan risks undermining his bid to curb Beijings growing influence over the region. Whether intentional or not, Biden provoked China with a vow to defend Taiwan militarily. After saying that U.S. policy on Taiwan had not changed at all during a news conference in Tokyo, he then answered yes when asked if the U.S. would act militarily to defend the island in the event of a Chinese attack. Its a commitment we made, Biden added. White House officials later walked back the remark, saying the president was only promising U.S. aid to help Taiwan defend itself in the event of hostilities. That would be akin to what the U.S. is doing in Ukraine, where Biden has vowed not to send troops. The policy has not changed at all, and I stated that when I made my statement, Biden said Tuesday when pressed by reporters to clarify the U.S. position. The presidents remark nonetheless roiled Bidens first trip to Asia since taking office and upstaged his roll-out of a new strategic framework for the region. It also cast new light on Washingtons decades-old approach of strategic ambiguity about whether U.S. forces would defend Taiwan against China, while also adopting a One China policy under which Taiwan isnt recognized as an independent country. Its a complicated policy, criticized both by Beijing and some U.S. lawmakers, that has tripped up Biden and some of his predecessors in the past. Biden has made similar missteps on Taiwan at least twice as president, but in making the remark so close to Chinese territory and in the context of the Ukraine war, the impact was amplified. Although the latest episode is unlikely to fundamentally alter the U.S.-China relationship, it highlights the current tension around Taiwan at a time when Chinese officials have expressed concern about American efforts to box in their country. And Bidens remark also opened him to criticism by domestic political opponents who have sought to portray the president, 79, as infirm and unfit for the job. Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, said that Bidens comments represented a shift toward strategic clarity on Taiwan and that the president should outline a clear U.S. commitment to defend the island in clear, deliberate remarks from a prepared text. Otherwise, the continued ambiguity and uncertainty will likely provoke the Chinese communists without deterring them - the worst of both worlds, he said. Indeed, one Chinese official suggested that Bidens comment may have been deliberate, aimed at testing Beijings response to a policy change. The official, who asked not to be identified describing internal Chinese government discussions, portrayed such a potential U.S. approach as dangerous. Chinas leaders have closely watched the Ukraine crisis unfold, taking note of Russias political and economic isolation as well as the massive international support for Kyiv as they consider their posture toward Taiwan. And Biden spoke in Tokyo, the capital of a major Chinese rival, on a trip to strengthen the U.S. alliance with new, Washington-friendly leaders of Japan and South Korea, two countries already unfriendly toward Beijing. Bidens previous comments about U.S. support for Taiwan happened during domestic television interviews. The level of concern in Beijing about U.S. policy toward Taiwan is already very high, and this episode will further heighten that concern, especially since it was said in Tokyo, said Bonnie Glaser, Asia program director at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S.. While Bidens intent may have been to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan, his messaging is confusing and may undermine deterrence, Glaser added. The U.S.s policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan, which Biden has repeatedly backed during his five-decade Washington career, is intended to minimize the risk of a direct military confrontation with China. White House officials said after Bidens news conference that the president stands behind the One China policy and its commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide the island with the military means to defend itself. Officials said that by answering yes when asked if the U.S. would defend Taiwan, the president meant the U.S. would supply military equipment to the island, not send troops. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin nonetheless denounced Bidens comments on Monday and said the U.S. should refrain from sending the wrong message on Taiwan, to avoid causing grave damage to bilateral relations. Although Biden may have sought to evoke a Ukraine-like effort to keep Taipei supplied in the event of an invasion, the island would present an entirely different strategic challenge. It doesnt share a land border with American allies, as does Ukraine, meaning China could more easily blockade its ports and airports to prevent resupply. Bidens comments set off a now-familiar cycle for White House aides, who have become accustomed to cleaning up the presidents remarks on world hot spots. After Biden declared in Poland that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot remain in power, his advisers insisted the president wasnt advocating regime change. And Biden told reporters that lawyers at the State Department might feel differently after he labeled Russias invasion of Ukraine a genocide. Biden previously said the U.S. would come to Taiwans defense during an ABC News interview in August and in a CNN town hall in October. The U.S. abandoned its post-Chinese civil war position that it would defend Taiwan in the late 1970s when it normalized relations with Beijing. Biden, who as a senator chaired the Foreign Relations Committee for about four years, has on other occasions used language that appeared to alter U.S. policy on Taiwan, including by describing the island last year as independent. Several of Bidens predecessors had similar trouble with Taiwan. President Donald Trump made a congratulatory phone call to Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, in December 2016 after her election -- the first time a U.S. president or president-elect had spoken directly to Taiwans leader since 1979. And Trump publicly mused before taking office about abandoning the One China policy, only to restate the U.S. position in February 2017. President George W. Bush agreed with an ABC News interviewer that the U.S. had an obligation to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack and said that the U.S. would provide whatever it took to help Taiwan defend herself. No matter the clean-up by White House officials, China has always assumed U.S. involvement in any conflict with Taiwan, said Ryan Hass, the Cecilia Yen Koo Chair in Taiwan Studies at the Brookings Institution. Beijing always has had to base its military plans in the Taiwan Strait on an assumption of U.S. military intervention, Hass said. It would represent strategic malpractice for Beijing to assume anything otherwise. The Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to elaborate on the foreign ministrys comments. The White House didnt respond to a request for additional comments. The U.S. will suffer the consequences and the American people may rebel if the U.S. president wants to send American soldiers to fight in Taiwan, said former Chinese diplomat Gao Zhikai. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that Biden may speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping in coming weeks, and Xi may decide to wait until that conversation before reaching judgments about the U.S. policy direction toward Taiwan, Hass said. - - - Bloombergs Jennifer Jacobs, Nancy Cook and Philip Glamann contributed to this report. BEIJING China on Tuesday said the U.S., Britain and other foreign powers are seeking to sabotage its foreign relations by orchestrating criticism surrounding a trip by the top United Nations official for human rights. China has long held back the fact-finding mission led by Michelle Bachelet, focused on allegations of mass confinement, forced labor and compulsory birth control measures imposed on members of the Uyghur, Kazakh and other Muslim minorities. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin went on the offensive over such criticisms Tuesday, saying the U.S., Britain and other Western countries have been repeatedly staging political farces around the U.N. high commissioner for human rights visit to China." They have first openly pressured and strongly demanded that the high commissioner visit China and Xinjiang, and conducted the so-called investigation with presumption of guilt," Wang said at a daily briefing. The U.S., Britain and other countries jumped out and spared no effort to disrupt and sabotage the visit, creating conditions and obstacles for the visit," Wang said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Bachelet in the southern city of Guangzhou on Monday, telling her that China opposes politicizing human rights and imposing double standards. Bachelet's trip is the first to China by a U.N. high commissioner for human rights since 2005. Her six-day visit is focused on allegations of abuses against Muslim minorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, but rights groups fear it will help whitewash the crackdown labeled by the U.S. as genocide. China locked up an estimated million or more members of Uyghur, Kazakh and other Muslim minorities in what critics describe as a campaign to obliterate their distinct cultural identities. China says it has nothing to hide and welcomes all those without political bias to visit Xinjiang and view what it describes as a successful campaign to fight terrorism and restore order and ethnic cohesion. From Guangzhou, Bachelet is to travel to Kashgar, once a stop on the Silk Road, and Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital. The U.N. and China barred foreign media from accompanying Bachelet, and its unclear whom she will meet and how much access she will be granted throughout her visit. The U.N. quoted Bachelet as telling Wang that she was looking forward to exchanges with many different people during my visit, particularly with government officials, business leaders, academics, students and members of the civil society working on human rights and other social and economic issues. While we will be discussing sensitive and important issues, I hope this will help us to build confidence and enable us to work together in advancing human rights in China and globally, it quoted Bachelet as saying. Wang noted that to advance the international cause of human rights, we must first respect each other and refrain from politicizing human rights." the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website. Multilateral human rights institutions should serve as a major venue for cooperation and dialogue rather than a new battlefield for division and confrontation," it said. China's ruling Communist Party allows no political opposition and strictly limits free speech and rights to assembly and religious expression. China is also one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and has signed but not ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights administered by Bachelet's office. Beijing has also come under criticism over its refusal to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as its hard-line zero-COVID" approach to the pandemic that has disrupted the lives of tens of millions of citizens and upended global supply chains. In an online meeting Tuesday with Wang, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on members of the international community to condemn Russias illegal war of aggression and to assume their responsibility to uphold international law and to protect the U.N. Charter." Baerbock cited the shocking reports and new evidence of very serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and called for a transparent investigation," her ministry said. Human rights are a fundamental part of the international order and Germany is committed to protecting them worldwide," Baerbock said. "I think its important that these accusations, which have been known for a long time, are addressed by the Chinese side, and I made that very, very clear in this mornings discussion, she added. Germanys Economy Minister Robert Habeck called the latest reports of internment, mistreatment and forced labor of Uyghurs particularly shocking. Internationally there needs to be a clear response and further investigation of this, he said in a statement. Habeck said Germany for years had shied away from looking to closely at the problematic human rights record of its close trading partner, but that the country's new center-left government was taking a different approach. Germany would scrutinize environmental, social and human rights aspects when considering German companies requests for loan guarantees for their investments in China, he said. We will also examine very closely Chinese firms takeover bids in Germany, he added, saying one recent offer was prohibited while another was withdrawn by the company after questions were raised. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, echoed the concerns. She tweeted: Horrified by the Xinjiang Police Files, which spotlight Chinas mass incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities." Thomas-Greenfield also said that Bachelet and her office must take a hard look at these faces and press Chinese officials for full, unfettered access and answers. __ Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report. Japan scrambled fighter jets Tuesday in response to Chinese and Russian bombers flying near its airspace just as President Joe Biden met with leaders of the Quad grouping in Tokyo, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters Tuesday. On the same day, South Korea scrambled fighter jets as Chinese and Russian warplanes passed through its air defense identification zone several times, Reuters reported Tuesday. Near Japan, two Chinese H-6 bombers flew from the East China Sea to the Sea of Japan, where they joined a pair of Russian TU-95 bombers, Kishi said in a statement posted on the Ministry of Defenses website. The Sea of Japan is also known as the East Sea. The two Chinese bombers were later replaced by a second pair of warplanes believed to be Chinese, and the four aircraft then flew out toward the Pacific Ocean, Kishi said. None of the aircraft entered Japans national airspace, he said. A nations air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, is a broad territorial boundary over which it maintains air traffic control for the sake of national security. It is much more expansive than national airspace, an area over which a state exercises full sovereignty and into which foreign military aircraft cannot enter without permission. Kishi characterized the bomber flights as a provocation timed with the meeting of the Quad nations leaders. Biden met with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese, Australia's newly elected prime minister. The four nations make up the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, a loosely formed security pact with a stated purpose of promoting a free-and-open Indo-Pacific. The cooperative is essentially a means of countering Chinas growing economic, political and military influence in the region, and the collaboration has not been welcomed by Beijing. The China Ministry of Defense described Tuesdays sorties as a joint aerial strategic patrol, in a statement posted online Tuesday. The militaries of China and Russia staged the joint aerial strategic patrol in accordance with their annual military cooperation plan, the statement said. Kishi said this was the fourth long-distance joint flight between China and Russia around Japan since November. A Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane also flew over the high seas from the northern island of Hokkaido to the Noto peninsula on Japan's main island, Kishi said. Meanwhile, four Russian and four Chinese warplanes entered South Koreas ADIZ on Tuesday, according to Reuters. The aircraft passed through the defense zone several times throughout the day, entering and leaving via the Sea of Japan, Reuters said in a report attributed to South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. The aircraft included fighter jets and bombers from both China and Russia, the report said. This was the first reported excursion of Russian or Chinese warplanes into South Koreas ADIZ since South Koreas newly elected president, Yoon Suk Yeol, took office on May 10, Reuters said. BANGKOK Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Solomon Islands this week in what the South Pacific nation's leader said was a "milestone" in his country's relationship with China, amid concerns that their new security pact could allow Chinese military personnel on the islands. But Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare insisted in a statement posted on his government's website Tuesday that the partnership with Beijing does not come at the expense of ties with Australia, the United States and others. The visit of Wang at the head of a 20-person delegation on Thursday and Friday comes amid growing concerns about China's influence in the strategically important Solomon Islands. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese representative to visit the country since the two nations formalized diplomatic relations 32 months ago, the Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry said, after Sogavare switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said later that Wang would also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor in a 10-day trip. While in Fiji he will host a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pacific Island nations, it said. "It is believed that the meeting will play an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries and in advancing the development of our relations," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing. The security agreement, signed in April, would allow Beijing to send police and military personnel to Solomon Islands "to assist in maintaining social order" and let Chinese warships make port calls for "logistical replenishment." That has raised fears of a possible Chinese naval base on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand. Sogavare, who defends the pact as entirely about "internal security," said Wang's visit would include the signing of a number of "key bilateral agreements." "Prime Minister Sogavare looks forward to a productive engagement with PRC (the People's Republic of China) as an important development partner at a very critical time in our history," another statement released Monday said. Sogavare noted that a New Zealand delegation was also due "in coming months" and that he had hosted high-level visits from Australia, Japan and the U.S. in April. "My government welcomes all high-level visits from our key development partners," Sogavare said in a statement posted Tuesday. "We will always stand true to our policy of 'Friends to All and Enemies to None' as we look forward to continuing productive relations with all our development partners." The news of the visit came as U.S. President Joe Biden met in Tokyo with members of the "Quad" group of nations the U.S., Japan, Australia and India which has become increasingly relevant as the U.S. emphasizes security in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's rising influence. The meetings included newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose center-left Labor Party has promised to establish a Pacific defense school to train neighboring armies in response to China's potential military presence on the Solomon Islands. Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a one-on-one meeting, expressed concern about China's security pact with Solomon Islands and agreed to strengthen their cooperation and engagement with Pacific Island countries. Labor has condemned the security pact as Australia's worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. Following Albanese's victory, Sogavare congratulated him, assuring the new prime minister "that Solomon Islands remains Australia's steadfast friend and development partner of choice." The U.S., Australia and others had urged the Solomon Islands not to sign the pact with China over concerns it could destabilize the country and set a concerning precedent for the wider Pacific region. Wang, the Chinese spokesperson, said China hopes the U.S. will "refrain from interfering with the sovereign decisions of the South Pacific island nations on normal cooperation with other countries." China pushed back last week at accusations the pact was being used to pressure countries in the Pacific, with another Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, saying it was based on mutual respect, and is "conducive to stability and peace, in line with shared interests in the South Pacific." "Australia claims the Solomon Islands as its backyard and wants to set a red line," Zhao said. "Isn't this coercion?" ___ Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing and writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. WELLINGTON, New Zealand Seven people on two small boats that drifted for days in the Pacific have been rescued after a New Zealand plane spotted them near the remote island nation of Kiribati. New Zealand's military said Tuesday that the crew aboard an Orion plane had coincidentally spotted the two boats within 10 nautical miles of each other Monday after the boats went missing in separate incidents from the island nation late last week. The military said one of the boats had drifted 150 nautical miles from its intended course while the other one was closer to where it had gone missing near Makin Island. The military crew was able to drop survival kits with water and locator beacons to those aboard, and then contacted nearby boats to rescue the survivors. Among those rescued was an 11-year-old. Air Commodore Shaun Sexton said it was a great result to be able to find the survivors on both boats. In a social media post sent before the survivors were found, the Kiribati government had said it had requested New Zealand send a search and rescue team and was grateful for their ongoing help during such incidents. Located some 1,900 miles south of Hawaii, Kiribati is home to about 114,000 people and doesn't have its own military. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRES. During her visit to Buenos Aires, Director of ARMENPRESS news agency Narine Nazaryan was hosted by local Armenian community and media organizations, discussed the mission of the media in strengthening ties between the homeland and the Diaspora and the need to intensify coverage of the life of the Armenian communities around the world. Narine Nazaryan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Argentina Hovhannes Virabyan first visited the Armenian Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Buenos Aires, where the clergy addressed a prayer to God on the occasion of the guest's visit from Armenia. They were then received by Archbishop Gisak Muradyan, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Argentina and Chile, wishing the Armenian state news agency good luck in its patriotic mission. The meeting was attended by the President of the "Armenian Center" Carlos Vardi Manukyan, churchmen, members of the Board of Trustees. The role of the "Armenian Center" with its 100-year-old biography was greatly emphasized in the community life. Narine Nazaryan presented the agency's work in recent years, both in terms of content diversification, the use of wider dissemination tools, the introduction of new languages, coverage of community structures and coverage of events in the Armenian communities around the world. The participants highly appreciated the role of ARMENPRESS in spreading balanced, comprehensive, operative and objective information from the homeland, considering the cooperation agreement signed with the Argentine national news agency Telam and the opening of the Spanish section in ARMENPRESS newsfeed as a serious step for making the agency's reliable information available for the quite major Spanish speaking community. Afterwards, Narine Nazaryan was hosted at the Armenian Cultural Union, where she met with Pablo Kendikian, Director of Diario ARMENIA, and community leaders Alejandro Chahpazian and Pablo Sismanian. During the meeting, the problems faced by the Armenian media in the Diaspora and the need for a solution and closer cooperation were discussed. The director of ARMENPRESS congratulated Diario ARMENIA on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of its foundation, emphasizing the role of the media in spreading news from the Spanish-speaking Armenian Diaspora. ARMENPRESS also publishes the news of Diario ARMENIA on issues related to the Armenian people. Narine Nazaryan also visited the Tekeyan Cultural Union to meet with the editorial staff of the Sardarapat weekly. Director Sergio Nahabetian welcomed the director of AMENPRESS and congratulated her on the signing of the cooperation agreement with Telam. The sides highlighted such visits for mutual recognition, exchange of information, strengthening of ties with the Homeland. The visit to Nor Sevan was also fruitful in terms of outlining further opportunities for cooperation. During the discussions with the director of the media Emiliano Lomlomdjian, editors Adrian Lomlomdjian, Adriana Camara Kasbarian and Carlos Agaya, and other representatives, the issue of the media spreading its own content through various modern technological tools and using social networking opportunities was highlighted. Emiliano Lomlomdjian made a very strong observation, emphasizing that the Armenian communities of different countries should be active in cooperation with each other, in the coverage of each other, citing as an example the active involvement of "Nor Sevan" in the coverage of the Armenian community in Istanbul. Narine Nazaryan invited the representatives of Armenian community structures and mass media to visit ARMENPRESS. CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea South Koreas military and economic partnership with the United States, reaffirmed during President Joe Bidens recent trip to the peninsula, will not compromise its ties with China, according to its foreign affairs minister. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters Monday that Bidens three-day trip to the country cemented the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Biden kicked off his first trip to Asia as president on Friday in South Korea, where he and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in a joint statement pledged to start talks to expand the scope and scale of joint military exercises that were paused since 2017. The leaders also agreed to build stronger economic ties. South Koreas Hyundai Motor Group announced on Sunday it will invest over $5 billion to build an electric vehicle and battery facility in Georgia by 2025 and employ 8,100 workers. Manufacturing jobs are coming back to America, Biden said in a speech with Hyundai chairman Chung Eui-sun. Park stressed that despite closer military and economic ties with the U.S., Seoul will not overlook its relationship with Beijing. It does not mean that we neglect our ties with China because the [U.S.-South Korea] alliance has been strengthened, Park said. The relationship between the U.S. and China is not a zero-sum game to South Korea. Despite those assurances, Yoons administration is expected to balance its U.S. alliance against its interests in China, which is South Koreas largest trading partner and accounts for roughly a quarter of Seouls exports. During Biden's Asia trip, the U.S. unveiled its new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework a 13-nation plan that includes South Korea to set regional rules on the digital economy, supply chains, energy and taxes. During a press call on Monday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo described the framework as an alternative to Chinas approach to these critical issues. I would say, especially as businesses are beginning to increasingly look for alternatives to China, the countries in the Indo-Pacific Framework will be more reliable partners for U.S. businesses, Raimondo said during the call. While the economic framework is expected to counter Beijings economic influence in the region, it will be difficult for China to single out and retaliate against South Korea as it had in the past, according to North Korean studies professor Park Wongon of Ewha Womans University in Seoul. To join the IPEF means that South Korea is also participating in some kind of counter-China network, Park told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. Park juxtaposed Chinas attitude toward South Koreas new economic partnership with its retaliatory response following the deployment of a U.S.-made missile defense battery to South Korea. The $800 million Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, was deployed in 2017 as a defensive measure against North Korea. That prompted China, the Norths ally, to initiate a state-sanctioned boycott against South Korean businesses and resulted in an estimated $7 billion loss for Seoul. If China decided to have some kind of retaliatory measure as they did in the THAAD issue, it will definitely turn South Koreas back against China, Park said. An anti-Chinese public sentiment has grown in South Korea in recent years, he added. The Yoon administration does not intend to stand up against China, but its partnership in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and future agreements with the U.S. and Japan have "the characteristic of greatly excluding China, according to professor Hwang Jaeho of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. The [U.S.-South Korea] cooperation comes up to China as a new strategic burden, Hwang told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. I think the Yoon government would have a strong pro-American tendency, but China has not been reacting very strongly against [South Korea] as it has had a lot of exposure in the media. KYIV, Ukraine Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the 3-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Heavy fighting, meanwhile, was reported in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops took over an industrial town that hosts a thermal power station, and intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and other cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment," the governor, Serhii Haidai, wrote on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the encirclement with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theater where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theater attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging total war and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces in the region are facing a difficult situation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, which hosts a thermal power station and had a prewar population of about 11,000, and raised the Russian flag there. They have now hung their rag on the local administration building, Serhii Goshko, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio, in a reference to the Russian flag. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. Russian troops also shelled the eastern city of Slovyansk with cluster munitions, hitting a private building, according to Mayor Vadym Lyakh. He said casualties were avoided because many people had already left their homes, and he urged the remaining residents to evacuate west. Heavy fighting was also underway in the city of Lyman. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Hours later, Zelenskyy mocked Shoigu's assertion. Well, after three months of searching for an explanation for why they were unable to break Ukraine in three days, they couldnt think of anything better than to say thats what they planned, he said in his video address. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open Wednesday for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, there were signs of recovery after weeks of bombardment. Residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks, though Russia continues to shell the area from afar, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution center coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the center is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food, she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually come back home. Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region, told the Russian Interfax agency that preparations are underway for a trial of captured Ukrainian soldiers, including the Mariupol defenders. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. STOCKHOLM Sweden on Tuesday denied that it was providing any financial assistance or military support to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria claims that Turkeys using to back its opposition to Swedens and neighboring Finlands historic bids to join NATO. The denial came as delegations from Sweden and Finland were expected in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday to try and overcome Turkeys objections to their NATO bids. Turkey is citing the Nordic countries perceived support for the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups Turkey labels as terrorists, as well as arms exports restrictions imposed against Ankara following its incursion into Syria in 2019. Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis through global allocations to humanitarian actors, Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Aftonbladet newspaper. Cooperation in northeastern Syria is carried out primarily through the United Nations and international organizations, she said. Sweden does not provide targeted support to Syrian Kurds or to the political or military structures in northeastern Syria, but the population in these areas is, of course, taking part in these aid projects. Turkey has listed five concrete assurances it is demanding from Sweden, including what it said was termination of political support for terrorism, an elimination of the source of terrorism financing, and the cessation of arms support to the banned PKK and a Syrian Kurdish militia group affiliated with it. The demands also called for the lifting of arms sanctions against Turkey and global cooperation against terrorism. Listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union of which Sweden and Finland are members the PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Turkey said in a tweet posted by the presidential communications directorate that it has been requesting the extradition of Kurdish militants and other suspects since 2017, but hasnt received a positive response from Stockholm. Among other things, Ankara claimed that Sweden had decided to provide $376 million to support the Kurdish militants in 2023 and that it had provided military equipment to them, including anti-tank weapons and drones. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkeys southern border. The Swedish and Finnish delegations are scheduled to discuss Turkeys objections with Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. The Swedish delegation would be headed by state secretary Oscar Stenstrom while Jukka Salovaara, the foreign ministry undersecretary, would lead the Finnish delegation. At the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that we understand that Turkey has some of their own security concerns vis-a-vis terrorism and so forth. We think that we have good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled, Haavisto said. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns. He says hes confident the military alliance will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance. All 30 current NATO countries must agree to open the door to new members. Stoltenberg said he spoke to Erdogan, and the president raised the same issues as he had done publicly thats about terrorism, its about concerns about the PKK, and also of course the need for Turkey to acquire the weapons they deem that they need. Part of the solution is also to recognize that despite the fact that there are different views ... among NATO allies on issues related to Turkey, we also have to recognize that Turkey is an important ally. Turkey is the ally that has suffered most terrorist attacks far more than any other NATO allied country, he said. Sweden has welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East in recent decades, including ethnic Kurds from Syria, Iraq and Turkey. After being firmly against NATO membership for decades, public opinion in both countries shifted following Russias Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, with record levels of support for joining the alliance. ___ Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Courtney Bonnell at Davos contributed to this report. (Tribune News Service) Swedish and Finnish officials will travel to Ankara on Wednesday to try to overcome Turkeys objections to the two nations bids to join NATO. Swedens state secretary, Oscar Stenstrom, and his Finnish counterpart Jukka Salovaara, will meet with Turkeys chief presidential aide, Ibrahim Kalin, according to a statement from the Turkish foreign ministry. The formal acceptance of the Swedish and Finnish bids to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been stalled by Turkey, which alleges they support Kurdish militants it regards as terrorists. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also signaled his concerns extend to how other NATO members handle the Kurdish groups. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that Turkeys security concerns remain in place and he renewed demands for the two Nordic countries to lift an arms export embargo, according to private broadcaster NTV. We want absolute guarantees, Cavusoglu said. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TEHRAN, Iran Thousands of mourners poured into the streets of Tehran on Tuesday to pay their respects to a senior Revolutionary Guard member fatally shot by two gunmen on a motorcycle earlier this week, punching the air with their fists and chanting "Death to Israel." The killing on Sunday of Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei bore the hallmarks of previous deadly shooting attacks in Iran blamed on Israel, such as those targeting the country's nuclear scientists. There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Iranian officials have blamed "global arrogance," which is code for the United States and Israel, for Khodaei's killing. The funeral procession snaked through the main Tehran cemetery as mourners shouted anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans. A prominent poster hailed Khodaei as a martyr along with Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the top Iranian general killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020 in Iraq, and featured tattered Israeli, American and British flags. "Iran is a victim of terrorism," the banner declared, overlaid with the logos of the Mossad and Central Intelligence Agency. From the funeral, Guard commander Gen. Hossein Salami vowed to the angry masses that Iran's response to "any threat or action will be harsh and regrettable." Gen. Esmail Ghaani, leader of Iran's expeditionary Quds Force, also attended and offered condolences at Khodaei's home on Monday night. Iran's nuclear negotiator visited the crime scene, underscoring the government's shock. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed revenge. A street in Tehran has already been named after him. The colonel was buried beside Soleimani's bodyguard, who was killed along with the commander in the American airstrike. The 50-year-old Khodaei remains a shadowy figure and Iran has yet to offer biographic detail beyond saying that he was a member of the elite Quds Force that oversees operations abroad through Iran's allied militias across the Middle East. The Guard has described him as "defender of the shrine" a reference to Iranians who support militias fighting the extremist Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. The manner of the slaying evoked previous targeted attacks by Israel in Iran. In November 2020, a top Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed while traveling in a car outside Tehran. Women in black chadors wailed and wept over Khodaei's coffin, an ornate box covered with flowers and draped with the Iranian flag and mourning symbols of the Shiite faith. "We want revenge only," Moghtaderi, one of the mourners, told The Associated Press at the funeral. She gave only her last name. "Enemies must be aware that we are loyal to the martyrs and their blood is so precious to us." Iranian security forces are still pursuing the assailants, who escaped, state media reported. Authorities have yet to make any arrests over the killing. The procession took place as a sandstorm blanketed Iran, shuttering schools and government offices in the capital until Wednesday. Authorities described the level of air pollution in Tehran as "hazardous," urging the public to stay indoors. The Alborz mountain range surrounding Tehran traps fumes and makes the city one of the most polluted on the planet, according to the World Health Organization. Meanwhile in the country's central desert, a fighter jet crashed during a training exercise, killing two pilots, state media reported. Reports did not identify the cause of the crash at the Anarak training site near the central city of Isfahan. An investigation was underway. Many of Iran's aircraft are old an assortment of U.S.-made military aircraft purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Decades of Western sanctions have made it difficult for Iran to obtain spare parts and maintain the sometimes-faltering fleet. Iran modeled its F-7 fighter after China's J-7, considered a copy of the Soviet-era MiG-21. Beijing built the aircraft for export to countries including Iran, Pakistan, Sudan and North Korea. Iranian pilots now use the F-7 for training, with occasional mishaps. Four years ago, an F-7 similarly crashed near Isfahan because of what was later described as a technical problem. ___ Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. ISLAMABAD The Taliban announced a deal Tuesday allowing an Emirati company to manage three airports in Afghanistan after the fall of the country's U.S.-backed government. However, the United Arab Emirates did not immediately acknowledge the deal. Under the deal, the Abu Dhabi-based firm GAAC Solutions would manage the airports in Herat, Kabul and Kandahar, the Taliban said. They held a news conference in Kabul in which they signed the deal with an individual they identified as a managing director for GAAC. Ghulam Jelani Wafa, the Talibans acting deputy transportation and civil aviation minister, signed the accord. Also on hand was Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister, who described the arrangement as renewing an airport ground-handling agreement with the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways. However, the deal left more questions than answers, particularly as Qatar and Turkey had been in line to run the airports, though the deal apparently broke down over requirements on having their own security personnel on hand at the airports. The Gulf Arab nation already has agreed to represent the United States in Taliban-run Afghanistan following the closure of the American Embassy in Kabul and withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the country in late August. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways had been running flights to evacuate American citizens out of Afghanistan since the takeover. The Taliban did not discuss the deal's terms with the UAE, which has had strained relations with both Turkey and Qatar in recent years, though tensions have recently eased. Baradar had traveled to Abu Dhabi recently to offer condolences for the death of its president and speak with its new leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to Afghanistan's state-run Bakhtar News Agency. However, the UAE never acknowledged his visit. The Emirati Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. GAAC Solutions had described itself on a one-page website as an Abu Dhabi-based joint venture whose partners include the firm G42. Officials at G42 have refused to identify who owns the company, though many suspect it links back to Abu Dhabis ruling family. Hours after the announcement, G42 told The Associated Press in a statement that it had withdrawn from the GAAC consortium and halted its operations with immediate effect on Aug. 15, 2021. That was the day the Taliban entered Kabul and civil aviation authorities warned they no longer controlled the country's airspace. We have since had no operational involvement in Afghanistan, G42 said. It declined to explain why the GAAC website, which later became inaccessible Tuesday night, had listed G42 publicly as a partner. GAAC did not respond to emails seeking comment. The Emirates state-run WAM news agency also did not acknowledge the deal, though the UAE was one of the few nations that allowed the Taliban to operate diplomatic posts in their nation during their earlier rule. GAAC reportedly signed a $47 million service contract in 2020 to run airports in Afghanistan, including ground handling, information technology and security. During the ceremony, Baradar said the Taliban wanted good relations with all countries and called on investors to come and invest in Afghanistan. He insisted the Taliban government would provide facilities and security for them. After a while in which the negotiations were ongoing regarding the aviation agreement, thank God it has reached to a conclusion and the agreement has been done," Baradar said. However, the Taliban have faced withering international criticism of their rule since seizing the country by force last August amid the American and NATO troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. They have refused to reopen schools for girls above the sixth grade, despite earlier promises. Last week they ordered women working on television to cover their faces. The agreement, if true, may enhance perceived stability at Afghanistans airports and attract some airlines and investment to the country, but Afghanistans insecurity and the Talibans hardline domestic policies will likely continue to constrain interest, the risk consultancy RANE said in an analysis. ___ Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. (Tribune News Service) Legislators have introduced a bill that, if passed, would allow service members to take security clearances with them into certain civilian jobs on leaving the military. The Security Clearance Portability for Departing Servicemembers Act aims to expand employment opportunities for departing service members to transition into civilian national security contractor jobs by making it easier to transfer Department of Defense (DOD) clearances, according to the bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and two fellow House members, Stephanie Bice, R- Okla., and Elissa Slotkin, D- Mich. In an interview, Turner said the bill would provide a bridge from military work to civilian employment in the national security realm. We need to encourage ways for their security clearances to be preserved, he said. Applications for new clearances are backlogged in the system, he added. Such an ability would save time and may have a big impact in the Dayton area, home to dozens of private defense-oriented contractors serving the Air Force and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base certainly has a huge amount of individuals who are working in the classified space, Turner said. This asset really is a national asset. American businesses of all sizes are still facing workforce shortages, and that certainly includes defense and intelligence contractors, Bice said in a release. She said the bill would allow those departing military service to transition smoothly and effectively into the private sector. At a time when we are seeing increased military aggression from our adversaries, we must take every step to maintain our military advantage and preparedness, she said. (c)2022 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio Visit Springfield News-Sun, Ohio at www.springfieldnewssun.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) An Iraqi man living in the U.S. accused of being an Islamic State operative plotted to smuggle assassins into the country to kill former President George W. Bush, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, a 51-year-old Iraqi national living in Columbus, Ohio, has been charged with an immigration crime and aiding and abetting a plot to kill Bush, according to the Justice Department. He is accused of meeting with others in a hotel room in Columbus to look at sample firearms and law enforcement uniforms in March and traveling to Dallas in February to scout locations associated with Bush in preparation for the would-be assassination attempt. According to an FBI search warrant application obtained by Forbes, he said he wanted to assassinate Bush because he held the former president responsible for deaths in Iraq and the breaking up of the country after the U.S. military invasion in 2003, Forbes reported. The Justice Department specified in its news release that the assassination was plotted as retaliation for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The warrant application was filed by the FBI on March 23 and unsealed this week, according to Forbes. The FBI said the plot was uncovered through surveillance of Shihabs WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging app owned by Facebook and Instagram parent organization Meta, and the work of two confidential informants. Forbes said the case shows that federal investigators have continued to monitor actions by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, even as the group has been severely weakened by American intelligence and military operations in recent years. Shihab entered the U.S. in September 2020 on a visitor visa and filed a claim for asylum with U.S. citizenship in March 2021, according to the Justice Department. He has lived in Columbus and Indianapolis, where he worked at markets and restaurants. Shihab is also accused of arranging to smuggle someone he thought to be an Iraqi national into the United States for a fee of $40,000, according to the Justice Department. He accepted tens of thousands of dollars in October and December of 2021 as payment for the smuggling. Shihab could spend up to 10 years in prison if he is found guilty of attempting to illegally bring an individual into the United States, a federal crime. Also a federal crime, aiding and abetting the attempted murder of a former United States official has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, if convicted, according to the Justice Department. 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Visit at star-telegram.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON A Howard County man who discharged a fire extinguisher into a group of police officers trying to hold back the surging mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while also exhorting rioters to press forward, was sentenced to 33 months in prison Monday by a federal judge in the District. Prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss to impose a term of 51 months on Matthew Ryan Miller, 23, of Cooksville, Md. That would have been equal to the second-highest term yet handed out for the Jan. 6 attack. Federal advisory sentencing guidelines called for a range of 41 to 51 months, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline N. Schesnol urged Moss to give Miller the high end of the range, saying, Lets ensure that Mr. Miller and others like him are deterred from committing attacks on democracy. Schesnol showed video and photos that depicted Miller, wearing a red Washington Capitals jersey, hurling a beer can and batteries at police, then leading chants of Heave ho! as the crowd surged toward the Capitols lower West Terrace entrance. Then Miller could be seen aiming a fire extinguisher at Capitol and D.C. police and spraying it at them, creating a cloud in the terrace tunnel and forcing some officers to retreat. The mob could be heard cheering. After Miller dropped the fire extinguisher, video showed that another man, Robert S. Palmer, picked it up and emptied it at the police, then hurled it at them. He received a sentence of 63 months, the longest term handed down so far for the Jan. 6 riot. Miller pleaded guilty in February to obstruction of an official proceeding, namely the certification of the electoral college vote. Miller was 22 at the time of the attack. His lawyer, A. Eduardo Balarezo, said Millers age and his intoxication he drank 10 beers, some hard liquor and smoked some marijuana clouded his judgment. Miller told the judge, Im ashamed to have been so swayed by my shortcomings, addictions and naivete. Sadly, I partook in some idiotic actions that have changed my life forever. Judge Moss said he was moved by Millers statement, as well as his age he was barely 22, his judgment was still developing the fact that he was somewhat intoxicated and that he behaved while on pretrial release. The judge went below the sentencing guidelines to 33 months and ordered Miller to serve two years on supervised release when his prison term ends. WASHINGTON The inability of Congress to pass timely spending bills is hindering the effectiveness of a National Guard program charged with training Ukrainian forces, the National Guards highest-ranking officer told House lawmakers on Tuesday. Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, implored a subpanel of the House Appropriations Committee to avoid delays in funding the State Partnership Program, a collaboration between a states National Guard and a partner nation that is now teaching Ukrainians how to use American weaponry against Russia. The initiative cannot function properly when Congress resorts to short-term, stop-gap funding measures because of a failure to agree on defense spending for a full fiscal year on time, Hokanson told lawmakers. Sometimes we dont get that money until later in the year and because we get it later and the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, the window is so short that our partner nations cant adjust accordingly and unfortunately, we have to return that money, he said. Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., and Tom Cole, R-Okla., pledged to address the issue as Congress deliberates over the Pentagon's $773 billion budget request for fiscal year 2023, which begins Oct. 1. Count me as very much in favor of providing you with the flexibility to be able to keep those funds and deploy them as you see fit, Cole said. I dont think theres anybody on this subcommittee that has any question about the value of this program and how effectively those dollars have been used. We shouldnt let our own disfunction from time to time keep you from executing your mission. The program came to the forefront this year as Guard troops took a leading role in preparing Ukrainians for combat. The California National Guard began a partnership with the nation in 1993 and conducted more than 1,000 training exercises with Ukrainians in the years since, Hokanson said. The National Guard maintained a regular presence at the Yavoriv military base near Lviv, Ukraine, since 2016. When Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian military leaders immediately texted members of the California National Guard, Hokanson said. The Ukrainians first told the Guard members their country was being invaded and then told them what they would need for battle, he said. Florida Guard troops were among the last Americans to leave the country before the war began and are now training Ukrainian troops on howitzers, armored personnel carriers, radar systems and other equipment in Germany, Hokanson said. The success of Ukrainian troops in repelling Russias attack came as no surprise to the Guard troops who had worked with them, he said. A lot of the training we conducted with them when it comes to command and control, logistics, small-unit tactics, development of non-commissioned officers were really seeing the result of that on the battlefield today in Ukraine, Hokanson said. The State Partnership Program began in 1993 with 13 former Soviet Union republics and now boasts 85 partnerships with 93 countries. In 2021, the program added partnerships between Austria and Vermont, Cabo Verde and New Hampshire, and Egypt and Texas, according to Hokanson. The National Guard is aiming to grow the initiative by another 30 partnerships in the next decade, he said. Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., said the program could be especially beneficial in Taiwan as China eyes reclaiming the small island nation as its own. He noted last years National Defense Authorization Act, an annual spending plan for the Pentagon, included a provision for determining the feasibility of enhanced cooperation between Taiwan and the National Guard. President Joe Biden brought renewed attention to Taiwan during his first visit to Asia as commander in chief this week, vowing to defend the nation against a Chinese attack. Taiwan now is obviously an issue, Calvert said. I would like to get this going sooner rather than later. The National Guards of Hawaii, Michigan and Minnesota have already cultivated relationships with Taiwan, Hokanson said, but Indo-Pacific Command and the State Department are examining what other capabilities the National Guard could provide. Hokanson said he met with the chief of staff of the Taiwanese army last October to discuss that armys reserve forces. The National Guard is here and our foot is on the gas. Were not slowing anything down and if theres any way we can help, we will do that as quickly as possible, Hokanson said. YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRES. The President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda in the sidelines of Davos World Economic Forum. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Presidents Office, Presidents Vahagn Khachaturyan and Andrzej Duda noted with satisfaction the development of interstate relations in all spheres based on centuries-old friendship between the two peoples. At the same time, the Presidents of the two countries stressed the need to give a new impetus to the efforts of strengthening the Armenian-Polish ties at bilateral and multilateral levels. President Vahagn Khachaturyan presented Armenia's efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace and stability in the region, highlighting joint efforts in that direction. The sides also exchanged views on international developments. Memorandum of Cooperation between the Central Bank of Armenia and the Warsaw Stock Exchange was signed during the meeting. Every school, it seems, has a moment that crystallizes the crisis facing America's youth and the pressure it is putting on educators. For one middle school counselor in rural California, it came this year after a suicide prevention seminar, when 200 students emerged saying they needed help. Many were sixth graders. Another school counselor in Massachusetts tells of a high school student who spent two weeks in a hospital emergency room before he could get an inpatient bed in a psychiatric unit. For many schools, last weekend's shooting rampage in Buffalo, carried out by an 18-year-old who had been flagged for making a threatening comment at his high school last year, prompted staff discussions on how they might respond differently. Robert Bardwell, director of school counseling for Tantasqua Regional High School in Fiskdale, Massachusetts, said the shooting in upstate New York shaped how he handled a threat assessment this week. He told staff, "Dot our i's, cross our t's because I don't want to be on the news in a year, or five years, saying that the school didn't do something that we should have to prevent this." A surge in student mental health needs, combined with staff shortages and widespread episodes of misbehavior and violence, has put extraordinary strain on school counselors and psychologists. The Buffalo shooting highlights their concerns over their ability to support students and adequately screen those who might show potential for violence. When the accused shooter in Buffalo, Payton Gendron, was asked in spring 2021 by a teacher at his Conklin, New York, high school about his plans after graduation, he responded that he wanted to commit a murder-suicide, according to law enforcement. The comment resulted in state police being called and a mental health evaluation at a hospital, where he claimed he was joking and was cleared to attend his graduation. "I get that schools are still safe. And I believe that," said Bardwell, who is also executive director of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. "But it also feels like there's more and more kids that are struggling. And some of those kids who struggle might do bad things." Childhood depression and anxiety were on the rise for years before the pandemic, experts say, and the school closures and broader social lockdowns during the pandemic exacerbated the problems. The return to in-person classes has been accompanied by soaring numbers of school shootings, according to experts who say disputes are ending in gunfire as more students bring weapons to school. Teachers say disrespect and defiance have increased. Tempers are shorter and flaring faster. "The tagline I would go with is the kids are not all right," said Erich Merkle, a psychologist for Akron Public Schools in Ohio, a district of about 21,000 students that he said is dealing with an increase in student depression, anxiety, suicidality and substance use, as well as aggression and violence, among other behavioral problems. "I can tell you that therapists are struggling." Many parents had hoped that as classrooms reopened, the troubles of distance learning would fade away. But it quickly became clear that the prolonged isolation and immersion in screens and social media had lasting effects. Schools have become a stage where the pandemic's ripple effects are playing out. School staff is "100% taxed," said Jennifer Correnti, director of school counseling at Harrison High School in New Jersey, where counselors have been under strain as they help students acclimate after two school years of pandemic learning disruptions. "Everybody. Administrators, staff. Like, there's no one that's escaping. There is no one leaving school feeling amazed every day." Suicide risk assessments, in particular, are up sharply. The 15-year counselor says she has done as many of them in the past three years as she did in the 12 years prior. She and Merkle both said that they use mass shootings like the one in Buffalo, and another one in which a 15-year-old shot four classmates in Michigan, to discuss how they would have responded. At Livingston Middle School in rural central California, counselors have conducted suicide prevention lessons in classrooms for years. Pre-pandemic, the lessons would result in about 30 students saying they wanted to see a counselor, said Alma Lopez, the district's counselor coordinator and one of two counselors at the middle school. "This year I got 200 kids, which is a quarter of our student population," she said. "That is such a huge number. I can't see 200 kids every week. That is just impossible." Many of the kids seeking help were sixth graders with issues related to friendships, she said. Quickly, school staffers made changes, holding as many one-on-one sessions as they could, providing more group lessons on mental health, and putting flyers in every classroom with the suicide prevention hotline number. They brought back as many activities, clubs and assemblies as they could to help kids connect. And Lopez said she is constantly reminding her district that more support is needed, a plea echoed by her peers nationwide. Most states are struggling with mental health support in schools, according to a recent report from the Hopeful Futures Campaign, a coalition of national mental health organizations. In some states, including West Virginia, Missouri, Texas and Georgia, there is only one school psychologist for over 4,000 students, the report says. Lopez oversees a caseload of about 400 students at her school in Livingston, California far more than the ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association of one counselor for every 250 students. "It's a huge strain right now," she said. Many students in her school are the children of farmworkers in a community that was hit hard by COVID-19 infections and deaths. She worries about missing something important. "I think a lot can get lost," she said. "If we don't intervene in time, the issues that come with grief are going to be compounded in a big way to create additional challenges." Lopez and other counselors convened a discussion early last week on how to help students process fears related to the Buffalo shooting and whether it was safe to go to the supermarket. Federal relief money has helped address shortages of mental health professionals at some schools, although some have struggled to find qualified hires or used the aid to train existing staff. The challenges are compounded by an increase in gun violence on school grounds, said David Riedman, a criminologist and co-founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database, which keeps a national tally of instances when a gun is fired at schools. According to that tally, there were 249 shootings in K-12 schools in 2021, more than twice the number in any year since 2018, when Riedman began the database. So far this year, there have been 122 shootings. There is also a notable difference from previous years, he said: Many of the incidents were not planned attacks, but typical disputes that ended in gunfire. Mental health specialists outside of schools have been feeling the strain, as well, said Bardwell, referring to his student with a history of mental illness and who spent two weeks this year in an ER waiting to be admitted for psychiatric care. It highlights the country's broken health care system, he said, and shows the state does not have enough residential mental health capacity, especially for adolescents. Richard Tench, a counselor at St. Albans High School in West Virginia, said it's impossible to refer students who need outside counseling to therapists in his area. "All our referrals are full. We are wait-listed," he said. "If the referrals are full, where do we turn?" WASHINGTON A U.S. Army reservist who worked on a Navy base stormed the U.S. Capitol because he wanted to kick off a civil war and create "a clean slate," a federal prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of the New Jersey man's trial. But a lawyer for Timothy Hale-Cusanelli told jurors that "groupthink" and a desperate desire "to be heard" drove him to follow a mob into the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli shouldn't have entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021, defense attorney Jonathan Crisp acknowledged during the trial's opening statements. "But the question of why he was there is what is important," Crisp added. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with obstructing the joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden's electoral victory. He isn't charged with engaging in any violence or property destruction that day. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Fifield played a video that captured Hale-Cusanelli yelling profanities at police officers guarding the Capitol and screaming, "The revolution will be televised!" "This was not a peaceful protest," she said. In pretrial court filings, prosecutors presented evidence that coworkers described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist, a Nazi sympathizer and a Holocaust denier who wore a Hitler-style mustache to work. On Hale-Cusanelli's cellphone, investigators found photos of him with the distinctive mustache along with pro-Nazi cartoons. It's unclear from online court filings how much of that evidence, if any, will be admissible at trial. In her opening statements, Fifield only made a brief reference to Hale-Cusanelli having bigoted views about Jewish people. Crisp has argued that any testimony about Hale-Cusanelli's alleged statements about Jewish people and their role in the U.S. government would be "highly prejudicial in nature without substantive value." Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli believed then-President Donald Trump's false claims about a stolen election. But the defense attorney said Hale-Cusanelli went to Washington, D.C., to peacefully protest, wearing a suit while many others wore tactical gear. Hale-Cusanelli's trial is the fifth before a jury and the seventh overall for a Capitol riot case. The first four juries unanimously convicted the riot defendants of all charges. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who is presiding over Hale-Cusanelli's trial, decided two other Capitol riot cases after hearing testimony without a jury. After bench trials, McFadden acquitted one of the defendants of all charges and partially acquitted the other. More than 800 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Many of then are military veterans. Hale-Cusanelli is among a few who were on active duty at the time of the riot. Hale-Cusanelli was arrested less than two weeks after the attack and has remained jailed since February 2021. Before his arrest, Hale-Cusanelli lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and worked there as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle, where he had a "secret" security clearance. He also was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. One Navy seaman said that Hale-Cusanelli told him "he would kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and he wouldn't need to season them because the salt from their tears would make it flavorful enough," according to prosecutors. Other coworkers recalled Hale-Cusanelli making derogatory remarks about women, Black people and other minorities, prosecutors said. Jurors are expected to hear testimony from a roommate who lived with Hale-Cusanelli on the base and recorded their conversation about the riot. Fifield said Hale-Cusanelli told his roommate that the riot felt like a civil war and hoped that it "would provide a clean slate." He also paraphrased a Thomas Jefferson quotation in saying that "the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants," according to the prosecutor. Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli was "full of adrenaline and stupidity" when he returned to New Jersey and spoke to his roommate about his actions in Washington. The defense lawyer described him as a bombastic agitator prone to making "extreme statements to get attention." Hale-Cusanelli was discharged from the Army Reserve and barred from the Navy base after his arrest. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with five counts: obstruction of an official proceeding, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or destructive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The obstruction charge is a felony. The rest are misdemeanors. Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription. WASHINGTON The Department of Veterans Affairs will host public ceremonies throughout the United States for the first time in two years since the coronavirus pandemic began. VA officials said veterans, families and the public are welcome to attend in-person traditional VA Memorial Day ceremonies held May 28 through May 30, which is Memorial Day. The VAs National Cemetery Administration maintains 155 national cemeteries and 34 soldiers lots and monument sites in 43 states and Puerto Rico. When the pandemic began in March 2020, the VAs national cemeteries were opened from dawn to dusk on Memorial Day, but the usual memorial events to honor service members were brief and closed to the public. The VA also issued guidelines about how its 142 national cemeteries should observe Memorial Day in May 2020. Cemeteries were open for people to visit gravesites, but visitors were asked to distance themselves. Moreover, the VA restricted all public ceremonies and barred groups from placing flags at veterans headstones a Memorial Day tradition. In May 2021, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its guidance on mask-wearing and social distancing. However, it didnt give the VA enough time to coordinate large events for Memorial Day weekend last year. Nevertheless, the VA lifted masks and social distancing requirements at its national veterans cemeteries for people who were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. But the agency maintained restrictions on gathering sizes at funeral services. This year, the usual ceremonies with large public gatherings to honor fallen veterans and service members will resume, including wreath-laying ceremonies and flags being placed at each gravesite. There is no more fitting place to reflect upon the service and sacrifice of Americas veterans and service members than in a national cemetery, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said. Here lie those who served, sacrificed and in many cases gave their lives for us and our country. We are forever in their debt. McDonough will officiate the wreath-laying ceremony at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen on Memorial Day. VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy will preside the wreath-laying ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas, and Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn will attend the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. Quinn will also give the keynote address at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii. The VA also said live streaming and recorded video and photographs of the ceremonies will be posted on the National Cemetery Administrations Facebook and Twitter pages. To view the list of Memorial Day events, visit https://www.cem.va.gov/Memorial-Day/. Some 150 veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder will participate annually in a pilot program to train service dogs, The Journal of the American Medical Association said Tuesday. The five-year program is designed to determine whether the training increases the veterans feelings of self-worth and sense of a purposeful life, the article in the May 24 edition of the journal said. The free, once-weekly training program, expected to begin in mid-June, will last eight weeks and be conducted at veterans centers in Anchorage, Alaska; Palo Alto, Calif.; San Antonio; Asheville, N.C.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. Selected veterans will train in groups of six to eight, the VA said. The program is required by the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act, or PAWS Act, which was signed into law in August 2021. The VA has partnered with three Assistance Dog International accredited service dog organizations that were providing a canine training model consistent with the model described in the PAWS legislation. These organizations are Paws for Purple Heart, Warrior Canine Connection and Dogs for Life, the VA said in a statement. The PAWS Act also requires the VA to provide veterinary insurance for each dog placed with a veteran who has PTSD. In all, the program will cost $30 million, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate cited in the article. Our pilot will help us explore the benefits of service dog training and give us the data we need to make recommendations to Congress on the way forward, Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said in a March statement. There are many effective treatments for PTSD, and were looking at service dog training as an adjunct to those options to ensure veterans have access to resources that may improve their well-being and help them thrive. The program is open to veterans enrolled in the VA health care system who have been diagnosed with PTSD and were recommended for participation by a VA clinical team or VA mental health care provider, the JAMA article said. The CBO estimated that 150 veterans will participate in the program each year and that participation will cost about $27,000 per veteran, according to the article. Among the benefits, veterans could learn to better regulate emotions while training the dogs to build trust and become socialized, the article said. Likewise, veterans may help train multiple dogs while working with other veterans in small groups to boost social engagement, the article said, adding that after completing all sessions, participants may have the option to adopt a dog they trained. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev briefed his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the results of the summit in Brussels with the participation of the Armenian Prime Minister and the President of the European Council. May 24, 2022, 10:30 Aliyev reports to Erdogan on results of Brussels meeting STEPANAKERT, MAY 24, ARTSAKHPRESS: The press service of the Azerbaijani President said that during the meeting the sides discussed "the preparation of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, especially the 5 principles proposed by Baku, the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, opening of transport corridors, delimitation of borders. It is noted that Aliyev "positively assessed the results of the trilateral meeting", The press service of the Azerbaijani President said that during the meeting the sides discussed "the preparation of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, especially the 5 principles proposed by Baku, the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, opening of transport corridors, delimitation of borders. It is noted that Aliyev "positively assessed the results of the trilateral meeting", news.am informs. "Aliyev highlighted that the parties reached an agreement on the opening of the Zangezur corridor, including the issue of laying both the railroad and the highway." Erdogan, for his part, praised the positive results achieved as a result of the meeting in Brussels. Twelve candidates are seeking to replace former National leader Simon Bridges who retired from Parliament last month. Labour, National and ACT candidates went head to head on what they thought Tauranga needed, with infrastructure the number one topic on their minds. The debate took place after Tauranga City Council commissioner Anne Tolley said two big roading projects in Mount Maunganui and State Highway 29 should be top of mind for candidates along with better access to the Port. Tolley also suggested early commentary from candidates was out of touch with voters. National Party candidate Sam Uffindell told the room his party was the only one to make an infrastructure announcement for Tauranga in recent years. "That announcement was for us to build the Takitimu Northern Link, which we had ready to go and which was cancelled by the government. "We are re-committing to having that built, stage one and two, to Omokoroa." Uffindell promised more if National won next year's general election. "We are proposing that for every house that a council builds over and above its five-year average, National will give the local government $50,000. "That should help incentivise and encourage them, and this will help us to get our local infrastructure built." Labour candidate Jan Tinetti said her party had already committed to Tauranga's infrastructure needs and central government had confidence to keep it going. "The government is investing in this city like they haven't done before. "You would have seen the announcements from the local council about the Infrastructure [Acceleration] Fund - a $1 billion fund that Tauranga projects have been highlighted at nearly $200 million for." ACT's Cameron Luxton said the party's policy was for a 30-year commissioning agency to commit to infrastructure needs, which would avoid projects falling victim to the three-year election cycle. "It would actually mean things get locked in for a 30-year timeframe, and I think that's really going to provide some proper guidance." Health system reforms attracted the most interest from the audience of about 50 people. Cameron Luxton spelled out his opposition to a separate Maori Health Authority. "Why do we need to have a dual bureaucracy up the very top when we should allow our communities to find the best solutions for themselves." Asked whether he understood the needs of Maori, or at any time in his campaign had engaged in conversations with local marae he said: "I will say in my campaign I have not visited any marae, but I have played rugby for six." Uffindell told the meeting he was also opposed to the Maori Health Authority while Jan Tinetti said it was essential to provide better access to care. The by-election takes place on June 18, and early voting begins on June 3. Leah Tebbutt/RNZ The Tauranga Business Chamber organised and hosted the panel discussion for members of the business community on Monday May 23 with MC Will Johnston, and panellists Jamie Lunam, Bridgette Tapsell, Paora Stanley and Mary Hill. The Bay of Plenty District Health Board breached the human rights of a man who took his own life when it failed to treat him with reasonable care and skill to maintain his mental wellbeing and prevent his death, a legal tribunal has ruled. The Human Rights Review Tribunal says: This was a collective failure of the system and the people operating in it, for which ultimately the Bay of Plenty DHB was responsible. The DHB also admitted that this was a tragic case involving a number of failures in its care. Legal proceedings were filed against the DHB in the tribunal, which ruled they had breached two rights of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers Rights by failing to provide services to the young man with reasonable care and skill, and by failing to ensure there was effective collaboration to ensure quality and continuity of services. The man first had contact with the DHBs Mental Health and Addiction Services in July 2014 after his parents and his GP became concerned about his low mood and behaviour. From that point, until March 2017, there was frequent contact with these services, and he had one voluntary admission to hospital after self harming. Clinical notes over this time variously describe the mans low mood, depression, social anxiety, insomnia, self-harm attempts and suicidal ideation. On March 31, 2017 he was found dead near his home. The Bay of Plenty DHB acknowledged that this was a tragic case involving a number of failures in its care. In particular, when he was admitted to hospital as an inpatient in August 2016, he was not seen by a senior medical officer within 24 hours of admission or at all before being discharged from inpatient care, which was inconsistent with protocols. There was no senior psychiatric input into the decision to discharge him, and his family was not told of his follow-up appointment with a consultant psychiatrist. When he failed to turn up to that appointment, he was discharged from the psychiatrists care, which reflected poor clinical judgement. At this time, the mental health services team was aware that the man was particularly depressed, yet there was no psychiatry review between August 2016 and March 2017. In February 2017 he began seeing a private psychologist and because of this, when his mother requested an urgent appointment on March 6, 2017 with the DHBs Community Mental Health Services, he was denied the appointment as the DHB psychologist cited a perceived conflict of interest with his private practitioner. This was despite the fact that his GP had referred him to the Community Mental Health Services crisis team in February 2017 after he expressed suicidal thoughts. There was no discharge plan made or shared to the private psychologist, despite records showing that he had a high level of risk, and that his mother had expressed concern for his safety after she found that he was self harming and visiting suicide websites. In the tribunals decision, it is noted that the Bay of Plenty DHB accepted that the care provided to the man fell below the standard expected of a healthcare provider in New Zealand. There was a lack of attention to the basic aspects of assessment, monitoring, communication and clinical decision-making, and inadequate consideration of the level and type of care that he required, it said. The Bay of Plenty DHB has apologised to the mans family and expressed deep regret over its failings to ensure that he received the support and treatment necessary to maintain his mental wellbeing and prevent his death. The case was reviewed by the mental health commissioner last year, who made a number of criticisms about the DHB before referring it to a lawyer appointed under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act to decide if legal proceedings should be taken. Proceedings were then filed against the Bay of Plenty DHB in the Human Rights Review Tribunal, which declared that it had breached the code. The DHB has introduced changes to its protocols, including the standard of record keeping and a requirement that a three-monthly review of client progress is documented. Where to get help Annemarie Quill/Stuff Justice Minister Kris Faafoi has announced appointments to the independent panel that will lead a review of New Zealands electoral law. This panel, appointed by an independent panel of experts, aim to make election rules clearer and fairer, to build more trust in the system and better support people to exercise their democratic right to vote, says Faafoi. We do have a world-class electoral system. But we need to make sure the rules remain fit for purpose and meet the needs of our future voters. The Government announced the review last year which will take place in two parts: a broad review led by the independent panel over the next 18 months, and targeted changes ahead of the 2023 General Election. The Independent Review will look at elections rules such as: voting age and overseas voting funding of political parties the length of the parliamentary term the Electoral Commissions recommendations on MMP: changes to the party vote threshold one seat electorate rule ratio of electorate seats to list seats the overhang rule The independent panel, which was appointment with bipartisan support, will be chaired by Deborah Hart, a highly experienced director, lawyer, and chief executive. The other members are Maori academic and political commentator Dr Maria Bargh; electoral law expert Professor Andrew Geddis; disability advocate and law student Alice Mander; former Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden; and lecturer and New Zealand Election Study co-lead Dr Lara Greaves. Maintaining public confidence in elections is critical for our democracy. This review is a once-in-a generation opportunity to consider how to make our electoral laws clearer, fairer, and more accessible, says Faafoi. I have consulted with all parliamentary party leaders and Parliaments Justice Committee on the Terms of Reference for the review. Consultation also included other groups, such as Maori organisations, youth organisations, universities and the New Zealand Law Society when seeking nominations for potential panel members. It is critical that the review has broad public and cross-party support. Appointing an independent panel will ensure that the review is fair and impartial. I am confident that the panel members have the right mix of skills, expertise, and diverse perspectives to lead this important mahi. Public engagement will be a key part of the review, so New Zealanders will have a chance to share their views before the panel makes its recommendations, says Faafoi. The independent panel will consider a range of issues including the length of the parliamentary term, the voting age, the funding of political parties, and the Electoral Commissions 2012 recommendations on changes to MMP. The Terms of Reference for the review are attached. The review is a significant opportunity to independently evaluate all our electoral laws by listening to the voices of the people to ensure the overall framework and regime is fit for purpose and future proofed to best serve Aotearoa New Zealand. I am honoured to chair that review," says Panel Chair Deborah Hart. The independent panels final report is expected by the end of 2023. More about the panel members: Deborah Hart (Chair) is a consultant with experience as a lawyer, director, chief executive, and government relations specialist. She is currently chair of the Consumer Advocacy Council and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, on the board of DocEdge, and is the director of ASH NZ. Since 2013, she has been a panel member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and has previously served on the expert reference group for the Family Justice review and undertaken the independent review of the Banking Ombudsman. Dr Maria Bargh (Deputy Chair) (Te Arawa, Ngati Awa) is an Associate Professor at Victoria University of Wellington and the former head of Te Kawa a Maui School of Maori Studies. She has served on a range of governance boards and currently serves on several academic editorial boards, including the Policy Quarterly Journal. Her research focuses on Maori politics and representation and the New Zealand electoral system and was recognised by a Royal Society Te Puawaitanga Research Excellence Award in 2020. Professor Andrew Geddis is a leading academic from the University of Otago and a commentator on public and electoral law. He has written a much-cited textbook on electoral law in New Zealand and was a member of the Legislation Design and Advisory Committee. Dr Lara Greaves (Ngapuhi/Pakeha/Tarara) is a political scientist at the University of Auckland specialising in New Zealand and Maori politics. She has expertise in the New Zealand electoral system and the wider constitutional context, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Alice Mander is the co-president and founder of the National Disabled Students' Association, as well as being a full-time law, film, and sociology student. She has won numerous academic awards, including the NZ Law Review prize and the Chris Highfield Memorial Prize in Public Law. She is a strong advocate for removing barriers to participation for the disabled community. Robert Peden is a former Chief Electoral Officer and chief executive of the Electoral Commission who oversaw three general elections, four referendums, and many by-elections. He has significant experience providing advice to ministers on public, constitutional, and electoral law and policy. Readiness of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to meet only with Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuation of the negotiating process is a pure PR effort, First Deputy to the Russian envoy to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said on the air with Soloviev Live TV Channel, Tass informs. May 24, 2022, 11:29 Zelenskys desire to meet only with Putin is PR effort Russian diplomat STEPANAKERT, MAY 24, ARTSAKHPRESS: "This is definitely a pure PR effort," the diplomat said. "People that are not in the know do not understand that summit talks must be prepared thoroughly, and the agenda must be agreed from both sides and some groundwork of experts must be done by that time, otherwise there is no need to talk," he noted. "We were not the ones that froze talks. Some contacts are being implemented and we expect in a way answers from Ukrainians from proposals worded some time ago," Polyansky added. The Ukrainian President said on Monday he was ready to meet the Russian President only and only in case the issue of conflict ending would be discussed during negotiations. On May 13, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov informed that Moscow does not reject the meeting between leaders of Russia and Ukraine but it is impossible to hold it without preparation. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will pay a visit to Palestine and Israel on Tuesday, news.am informs, citing TRT TV channel. May 24, 2022, 15:28 Turkey FM to visit Israel for the first time in 15 years STEPANAKERT, MAY 24, ARTSAKHPRESS: Cavusoglu will take part in a meeting of a joint committee of Turkish and Palestinian foreign ministers, which was established between the diplomatic departments of the two countries in 2010. He will also hold talks with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki and Arab head of state Mahmoud Abbas. On the same day, Cavusoglu will travel to Israel, where he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. The talks are planned to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues. Local media pay attention to the fact that the visit of Turkish foreign minister to Israel will be the first at the official level in 15 years. Earlier, Cavusoglu told reporters that during his visit to Israel they plan to discuss the return of ambassadors and the full normalization of relations between the two countries. In March, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey; the main purpose of the visit, as he noted, was to reset bilateral relations after the crisis in 2010, when Israeli special forces seized the Turkish ship "Mavi Marmara," which was on its way to break the Gaza blockade. The countries then downgraded diplomatic relations and recalled their ambassadors. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. speedmiester Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,067 Thanked: 4,267 Times Re: Startup shenanigans Quote: m8002? Originally Posted by Didnt these employees know they are joining a startup? They had a choice to stay at a stable job with lower salary or get into the startup with 100 or 200% hikes. They were blinded by the crazy salaries but they need to understand that these companies are always in "go big or go bust" mode. Personally, I was offered ridiculous numbers in the past year and even early this year. I had to say NO as I have had close relationship with the startup ecosystem since 2012. I know what works what doesn't. I am particularly careful with high burn consumer startups, they add little value to the society and at the same time introduce long lasting behavioural change in consumers. Case in point: the quick commerce startups. Consumers were perfectly happy to get their essentials delivered on same day or next day. The cash rich quick commerce startups started offering 10mins delivery with the lure of discounts. I know of many of my neighbors who are so enamored by these delivery timelines that they don't bother to shop for their groceries the way they used to. These are the ones who mostly crib about climate change and pollution, while being grossly negligent of their acts. I can guarantee most of these will falter as quickly as their promised delivery times. There are good startups all around with strong fundamentals and they deserve all the help they can get. But with the blind sided FOMO that enveloped all VCs in the past year, these good ones did not get their due as they focused on profitability than growth. Absolutely, a quick back of the envelope calculation will give anyone the state of the startup they will be joining. Most of these data is available on the net. But how many of them do that little diligence to have a secure future?Personally, I was offered ridiculous numbers in the past year and even early this year. I had to say NO as I have had close relationship with the startup ecosystem since 2012. I know what works what doesn't.I am particularly careful with high burn consumer startups, they add little value to the society and at the same time introduce long lasting behavioural change in consumers.Case in point: the quick commerce startups. Consumers were perfectly happy to get their essentials delivered on same day or next day. The cash rich quick commerce startups started offering 10mins delivery with the lure of discounts. I know of many of my neighbors who are so enamored by these delivery timelines that they don't bother to shop for their groceries the way they used to. These are the ones who mostly crib about climate change and pollution, while being grossly negligent of their acts.I can guarantee most of these will falter as quickly as their promised delivery times.There are good startups all around with strong fundamentals and they deserve all the help they can get. But with the blind sided FOMO that enveloped all VCs in the past year, these good ones did not get their due as they focused on profitability than growth. GlassWire is a free network monitor & security tool with a built in firewall. Features Network Monitor GlassWire's network monitor visualizes your current and past network activity by traffic type, application, geographic location, all on a beautiful and easy to understand graph. Go back in time up to 30 days and see what your computer or server was doing in the past. Click the graph to see details of what app or network event caused a spike in network activity. Threat Monitoring GlassWire reveals hosts that are known threats, unexpected network system file changes, unusual application changes, ARP spoofing, DNS changes, and alerts you to the problem so you can take action. GlassWire can also remotely monitor and help protect servers or other computers far away. Install GlassWire on your server or remote PC and look out for unexpected threats or problems. If you see unexpected activity you can block it with GlassWire's firewall. Firewall GlassWire's firewall reveals all your network activity so you can easily see what your computer is doing in the background. GlassWire's firewall shows you what current and past servers your computer is communicating with so you can see potential threats and block them if necessary. New connection? Get notified Is a new application or service accessing the Internet for the first time? GlassWire politely alerts you temporarily with detailed information. If something unusual happens you can block the app with GlassWire's firewall or start a scan with your primary antivirus. What happened while you were away? GlassWire shows you what network activity occurred while you were away or logged out from your computer. No more wondering what your computer was doing while you were out. Just go back in time with GlassWire's graph and see exactly what happened in detail. Remote Server Monitoring Do you have remote servers where you host websites, applications, or games? GlassWire can monitor all your server network activity and alert you to potential threats. Also with GlassWire's usage tab you can see exactly how much bandwidth you are using in detail to help stay under your hosting company limits. Block bandwidth hogging apps or privacy violators under the GlassWire firewall tab. Internet & Bandwidth Usage Monitoring Is your ISP stingy with their bandwidth? GlassWire can help you stay under your limit by alerting you to possible Internet overages, plus see what apps are using up all your bandwidth under the usage tab. Privacy is king GlassWire helps protect your privacy by visualizing all your network activity but that's not all. Go into GlassWire's incognito mode when you don't want any network activity graphed plus you can easily clear all your network activity any time via GlassWire's history setting. What's New A security guard working for the Qatari embassy in Paris has been killed after a fight with another man in front of the mission, according to French prosecutors, ALJAZEERA reports. May 24, 2022, 15:56 Security Guard Killed in Qatar Embassy in Paris STEPANAKERT, MAY 24, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Paris prosecutors office confirmed the death, which took place in the 8th district in central Paris on Monday, and said one person had been arrested on the spot. Paris police have opened an investigation for murder. In context: Although most K-12 schools have gone back to on-campus classes, the FTC is still concerned about distance-learning platforms gathering data and creating profiles on children. The Commission is particularly worried that online learning tools collect too much information without allowing parents to opt out. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a crackdown on online-learning platforms that may be excessively gathering student data. It says that this data collection is often mandatory, leaving parents with no recourse but to accept it. "Students must be able to do their schoolwork without surveillance by companies looking to harvest their data to pad their bottom line," said Samuel Levine, the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection director. "Parents should not have to choose between their children's privacy and their participation in the digital classroom." Although no longer at its peak, the use of online learning tools skyrocketed in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Companies like Zoom and others positioned themselves as go-to aids in helping teachers and students connect from their homes. These platforms are built upon the "business surveillance model," the FTC said, meaning they harvest information for advertising purposes. The FTC says that collecting data from children under 13 years old without parental consent violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). So commissioners vow to monitor this sector of the industry to ensure that companies are protecting students' privacy. The Commission issued a set of policies outlining four areas of misconduct against which it will take action. The rules prohibit mandatory data collection, using any collected information for commercial purposes, keeping data for longer than is necessary, and maintaining the "confidentiality, security, and integrity of children's personal information." The FTC approved the regulations in a 5-0 vote last Thursday. Companies failing to adhere to the expanded COPPA policies could face civil penalties and mandated requirements or restrictions on their business practices to stop unlawful conduct. Masthead credit: Marketingjpik In brief: Microsoft is testing desktop widgets in the latest Windows 11 Insider preview. One is a search bar right on the desktop. It could prove genuinely helpful, but it could also be a new weapon in Microsoft's fight against Google Chrome. "Select" Windows 11 Insiders who install preview build 25120 should see a search bar near the top of the desktop. Unlike queries in a window's taskbar, which look for apps, local files, and websites, the new search bar only seems to bring up web results. Using it may prove quicker and easier to access than booting up a web browser. Microsoft doesn't say which browser the widget opens for results, which search engine it uses, or whether users get to decide. Microsoft has been pushing Windows users onto its search engine and web browser for quite a while. So, it wouldn't be surprising if it defaults to opening Bing results in Edge. Since launching Windows 11, Microsoft has taken criticism from users and competitors for making it harder to switch from Edge to another browser, like Google Chrome. It has added and then removed steps in that process, used popups to discourage switching, and given Edge a free VPN service. A new method of making Bing and Edge more appealing could be putting them right on the desktop, where they're quicker to reach than opening Chrome to do a Google search. The desktop search field is still experimental, so there is no guarantee it or other widgets will make it out of the preview. Microsoft is requesting feedback on them from Insiders, and a cold reception could kill the feature. Over the years, servers have suffered terribly from malicious attacks that users had to take precautions now and then. Because of that, internet users need to determine how to repair a database in an SQL server. A more specific case of a security incident is ransomware. They are further putting end-users at risk. In this article, we'll give you a glimpse of how to repair corrupted databases in SQL servers using Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server. How To Repair SQL Database? Your database may be in good condition, but it might become unavailable or damaged due to events such as a system crash, a hardware or software issue, a virus or malware attack, and so on. Initially, there is a good probability of successfully restoring databases on the SQL server. This, however, may only function on small-scaled files. This would not be helpful for Microsoft SQL Servers, which store data in massive NDF and MDF files measured in gigabytes or terabytes. Definitely, losing them would pose a huge risk to your privacy and security that you have to immediately arm yourself with knowledge on how to repair MDF file of SQL Server. Now here's the problem. One of the reasons you need to know how to repair an SQL database is that you would rarely see an error notice indicating database corruption. You'll simply won't be unable to access it. Hence, making it crucial to discover anomalies in an SQL Server database first. Then, learn how to repair a corrupted SQL database. To know if your SQL server database has been corrupted, try doing some of these simple solutions: Instead of analyzing an entire database for corruption, you could run a query to look for faulty pages in the 'suspect_pages' table. Use 'PAGE_VERIFY' to learn about the level of page corruption. Run DBCC CHECKDB regularly to ensure database integrity. Set up a swift alert using SQL Server Agent to notify you of potential SQL database corruption before it's too late to rectify. If you have an updated backup, you could restore the database using "REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS." You may have discovered a problem in your SQL server, but what should you do next? This is when the SQL server database repair tool comes into play. How To Repair MDF File of SQL Server If you've been raising questions on how to repair a corrupted database in an SQL server, you should look for a solution capable of analyzing files with MDF or NDF extensions. One way to do it is by using SQL Server repair tools like Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server. Since Recovery Toolbox is designed only to repair damaged Microsoft SQL Server databases, it provides only a few distinct steps: #1 Select a corrupted database in MS SQL Server format to repair data from, using SQL Server repair tool. The first stage is for the Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server to evaluate and parse an SQL Server database, which might take a long time. Many factors influence recovery time, including file size, data complexity, device performance, etc. Don't interrupt the analysis if you wish to successfully learn how to repair the corrupted database in the SQL server. Otherwise, you will have to restart. #2 Preview the data that can be retrieved from corrupted files with the *.mdf extension to proceed with the MDF file repair tool. Next, you'll be delighted to know that you're one step away from finishing the steps on repairing the corrupted databases in the SQL server. When the analysis is through, the MDF file repair tool presents the data in the form of tables. But these are not exported at this point. On this step software looks like free MDF Viewer. Anybody can use tool for free to open and view content Microsoft SQL Server databases without installation and setting special software and tools. #3 Choose the method of data exporting. You can assess the effectiveness of analysis by exploring data recovery sheets that comprise tables, methods, functions, and other parts. Developers recommend to save a repaired data as SQL scripts. It helps to repair linked data correctly (indexies, stored procedures and so on). Article: How to import a saved SQL scripts. #4 Choose the information that should be repaired and saved. Learning how to repair databases in SQL servers will now formally begin here. If the Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server successfully unlocks a ransomware-encrypted database, start the recovery procedure on the specific information you want to fix and save. #5 Preview data export reports. After going through all the intricate yet simple steps on how to repair SQL database server, you're finally down to the last step. You will simply see a detailed preview of data export reports. In this case, you'll see that the file processed is MDF, the procedures created were 190, and the time it took to recover the data was 00: 04: 41. In the end, you'll finally know how to repair a database in an SQL server. But before concluding the steps, Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server will first allow you to select the output path to preserve data. This program may store the results as SQL scripts in separate files or export them to a new Microsoft SQL Server database. To export recovered data to a new database in Microsoft SQL Server format, use the install.bat file created by the Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server. The script should be placed in the output folder with other SQL scripts. Remember to provide the necessary database settings, such as the DB name, username/password, and server name. How Do I Run an SQL Database Repair? As far as we can tell, if you want to know how to repair SQL database server, your solution should be able to open corrupted database files for examination and, if feasible, recover data. Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server, fortunately, does the job. It simply takes a few clicks to learn how to repair a corrupted database in an SQL server using Recovery Toolbox for SQL Server. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/Remy Gieling) Amazon Amazon has reportedly reaped a total of 425 million or $530 million in U.K. government contracts since 2020. This prompted fresh criticism that the tech giant is failing to pay its fair share of tax in the country. Amazon Criticized Over Tax Payment According to The Guardian, the report was submitted by the Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research or CICTAR, with assistance from investigative thinktank Taxwatch. The report showed taxpayers are increasingly supporting Amazon's highly profitable cloud computing business through hundreds of billions of dollars in government contracts around the world. In the United Kingdom, Amazon benefited from 250 million or $311 million of government contracts in 2020, which is an increase from zero in 2014 and less than 25 million or $31 million in the four subsequent years, according to CICTAR. Also Read: Amazon Web Services Signs Deal With Greece to Promote the Country's Space Economy That was more than ten times the level of corporation tax paid by the group's main British subsidiaries in that year, according to TimetoTimes. Amazon's publicly published corporation tax bill in the U.K. totaled 22.3 million or $27 million in 2020. The corporation tax bill of Amazon included the Amazon U.K. Services, Amazon Digital U.K., and Amazon Online U.K. Another 175 million or $218 of government contracts were booked in 2021. The figures for the corporation tax paid for 2021 are not yet available. George Turner, the Taxwatch executive director, said that the tech giant's history of tax avoidance is very well known, but despite this, the company was able to bag a massive increase in revenue from the work that it does for the government. Turner said that, at the very least, taxpayers would want some reassurance that their money is spent on companies that are transparent about their tax affairs and demonstrate that they do not use artificial structures to reduce their tax bills. Turner added that the last Queen's speech announced a new bill to reform government procurement. This would seem to be the perfect time for the government to make sure that those in receipt of lucrative government contracts also make their contribution to the tax system. In the U.K., the Amazon Web Services or AWS arm provides services, for the Home Office, HMRC, and the Ministry of Defense, according to 24SevenMagazine. The contracts include cloud computing services for MI6, MI5, and the Ministry of Defense, including sensitive document storage. The report says that while the U.K. government has taken some measures to tax profits generated in the U.K. but booked offshore, there is no evidence that these measures have been effective at all. Amazon Responds to Criticism Amazon said that the calculations are misleading and do not include the bulk of their business. Comparing a contract value over the years to an incorrect corporation tax figure for a single year is highly misleading. An Amazon spokesperson said that they have been investing in creating jobs and infrastructure across the U.K. since 2010. This continued investment helped contribute to a total tax contribution of 1.55 billion or $1.93 billion during 2020, 492 million or $614 million in direct taxes, and 1.06 billion or $1.34 billion in indirect taxes. The direct taxes include employer's national insurance, business rates, stamp duty, and corporation tax. Related Article: Amazon Web Services Now Restored After Hitting Slack, Asana, Epic Games Store, and More Firms This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/Eric Ward) domestic violence app A new app that aims to provide help to victims of domestic violence is offering everything from an encrypted diary of evidence to a way to call the authorities without the need to speak. In order to prevent the abusive partners from recognizing the app on the phones of the victims, the app took several precautions, including not adding a name. Intimate Partner Violence or IPV The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC )says that the effects of domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence or IPV, can be devastating, as it can go from PTSD to death. Around 35% of female domestic violence survivors and more than 11% of male domestic violence survivors experience some form of physical injury related to IPV. IPV can even result in death. Data from U.S. crime reports suggest that a partner kills about 1 in 5 homicide victims. The reports also found that more than half of female homicide victims in the United States are killed by a current or former male partner, according to 9to5Mac. Also Read: Smart Speaker Breaks Up Domestic Violence Before It Got Worse: Here's What Happened There are also a lot of other negative health outcomes associated with IPV. These include a range of conditions affecting the heart, muscles, bones, digestive system, reproduction system, and nervous systems, many chronic. Survivors can experience mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD symptoms and depression. They are also at a higher risk of engaging in binge drinking, smoking, and sexual risk behaviors. People from groups that have been marginalized, like people from racial and ethnic minority groups, are at higher risk for worse consequences. Domestic Violence App with No Name Domestic abusers can misuse technology like AirTags, but one app aims to use tech on the victim's side. TNW explains that an app that is being piloted is disguised as something else, but the creator is not giving any clues as to what the app looks like or what it can do. Users will have the chance to access important information on domestic abuse and report an attack. This way, they can collect evidence like pictures of injuries or diary entries, which can be stored in the app in an encrypted form and later used in court. In case of a life-threatening event, women can make an in-app call to the police without talking to them. Alternatively, the app can notify a person that they trust. Plus, users will be given the references they need to contact support facilities if they want to leave their relationship. The app's camouflage feature is an important element, which can be used even if the abuser has access to the victim's phone. The creator of the app, Stefanie Knaab, gives no details on what the app looks like in order to avoid perpetrators of domestic violence from recognizing it. The idea is to create software that is disguised but allows women to collect evidence and contact the police without being noticed. For the same reason, the domestic violence app will have no name. Currently, the project called Violence-Free into the Future is a pilot project in Germany, but it is hoped that it will be integrated into the country's anti-IPV measures and then rolled out to other countries. In 2020, Israeli hackers developed an app that alerts women when it detects potential signs of domestic abuse. In February, Google added a hotline for domestic violence to the search results. Related Article: Study Finds Link Between Kids Exposed To Domestic Violence And Suicide Attempts This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A few days before the May 29 elections, they explained their policy proposals so that Colombians have detailed information when they vote. On Monday, presidential candidates Gustavo Petro (Historical Pact), Sergio Fajardo (Hope Center Coalition) and Federico Gutierrez (Team for Colombia) held a debate focused on some topics of interest to Colombians. A few days before the May 29 elections, they explained their policy proposals so that Colombians have detailed information when they vote. HEALTH Gustavo Petro proposes "territorializing health," that is, deploying medical personnel to remote regions. His policy strategy will be based on prevention. He will set up a fund to directly distribute resources to public and private entities, thus seeking to avoid financial intermediation. He also promised to develop the Colombian pharmaceutical industry. Sergio Fajardo said that his administration will review the role of the Health Promotion Entities (EPS) but will not eliminate them. He also promised to improve the working conditions of health personnel and strengthen health-related research. Federico Gutierrez will base his administration on a model of health prevention and the fight against corruption. He declared himself in favor of monitoring the EPS so that they fulfill their function. Y este fue el preciso instante en el que @petrogustavo se convirtio en Presidente de la Republica. pic.twitter.com/cogk6UGTN9 Beto Coral (@Betocoralg) May 24, 2022 Commenting on the presidential debate, the tweet reads, "And this was the precise moment that Gustavo Petro became President of the Republic." PENSIONS Gustavo Petro will carry out a tax reform to provide subsidies to mothers who are heads of households and poor older adults. To finance the pension system, he will not use the financial resources of citizens who currently save in a pension fund. Federico Gutierrez proposes to reform the pension system to eliminate subsidies for people with higher incomes and channel subsidies towards the poorest citizens. In the event that a pension reform is necessary, he would respect the rights acquired by pensioners. Sergio Fajardo said he promised to finance an income of US$126 for all Colombians over 65 who today do not have a pension. NATIONAL UNITY Gustavo Petro will foster national unity by promoting the rights of historically marginalized populations and victims of violence. He promised to empower society to transform the situation through "social forgiveness". Federico Gutierrez will maintain a "permanent dialogue" with different sectors. However, he will not seek to reunite the population through "social forgiveness" or the inclusion of people prosecuted for crimes. He will respect social protests but not blockades. "No more hate speech and class struggle," he said. Sergio Fajardo said that he will unite the country avoiding polarization and "behaving" to set an example. "Operations in shantytowns put lives of the entire population at risk... spend a lot of money, and do not solve any security problem, said Rio de Janeiro's ombudsman. In the early hours of Tuesday, a joint operation by the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) left 11 citizen dead in Rio de Janeiro's Vila Cruzeiro shantytown. According to the official version of events, the operation sought to arrest criminal leaders who were hiding in the upper part of the neighborhood, from where they shot at the police when they tried to enter the community. After an armed confrontation in a wooded area, the police said they "found" 11 wounded criminals, who were sent to the Getulio Vargas Hospital. Doctors, however, claim that they received 12 people shot on Tuesday morning, 11 of whom died in the ER. During the operation, the BOPE and the PRF seized seven rifles, four pistols, ten motorcycles, and six cars, which would have been used by criminals to flee. Manha de panico no Rio: ao menos 11 pessoas foram mortas durante uma operacao policial na Vila Cruzeiro (RJ), na Penha, nesta 3 feira. 11 escolas estao fechadas por causa do tiroteio. Esta e a maior chacina do ano (quando ha 3 ou mais mortos). Veja o que se sabe ate agora #fio pic.twitter.com/VLmDYhqYV9 Instituto Fogo Cruzado (@fogocruzado) May 24, 2022 The tweet reads, "Panic morning in Rio: at least 11 people were killed during a police operation in Vila Cruzeiro, in Penha, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Eleven schools are closed due to the shooting. This is the largest massacre of the year. Look at what is known so far." The operation in Vila Cruzeiro occurs a few weeks after the anniversary of the massacre in Jacarezinho, which occurred in May 2021, when the Civil Police left 28 dead. Today's raid was immediately criticized by some local authorities and human rights defenders. No one deserves to go through this. Police operations in shantytowns put lives of the entire population at risk, impede the operation of public services and commerce, make it impossible for thousands of people to go to work and study, spend a lot of money, and do not solve any security problem, said Guilherme Pimentel, Rio de Janeiro's ombudsman. "A resident was killed by a stray bullet. Gabriele Ferreira da Cunha, 41, was at the entrance to Chatuba, which is next to Vila Cruzeiro, and died at the time," outlet G1 reported. Many times more efficient: scientists from the Russian Federation have found a way to increase the productivity of chemical reactions using synthesis gas New York state is canceling the Regents exam on U.S. history and government it planned for next week because of the racially motivated mass shooting on May 14 in Buffalo. The state Education Department had its experts review all of the June 2022 Regents exams for content that could compound student trauma, Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced in a letter Tuesday. "During that review, our experts determined that there is content on the new Regents Examination in U.S. History and Government (Framework) that has the potential to compound student trauma caused by the recent violence in Buffalo," Rosa said in the letter. The exams, which had been printed and packaged for shipping, were developed more than two years ago and field-tested, but she said "the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment." The exam was to be given June 1, earlier than Regents exams usually are administered. Since it is a new exam, the state wanted to review the results and make a recommendation for performance standards, otherwise known as "cut scores." At its June meeting, the Board of Regents will consider granting a graduation exemption for students who were to take the exam as a requirement for graduation. Rosa said the board also will consider approving exemptions for students planning to take the exam in August and January. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission There was no lifeguard on duty when Port Allen toddler drowned at Margaritaville pool All but one of the Republican members present Tuesday on a House committee voted to end the Raise the Age law that keeps 17-year-old arrestees from being imprisoned with adult convicts. On a 6-5 vote, the House Committee for the Administration of Criminal Justice advanced for a full House vote Senate Bill 418, which the state Senate already has passed. The measure divests juvenile court jurisdiction and allows incarceration in adult prisons for any 17-year-old accused of any one of a dozen crimes classified as violent or a second offense of dozen or so more crimes. The Raise the Age law was approved in 2016 to great fanfare allowing Louisiana to join 47 states that put most 17-year-old offenders in the juvenile justice system rather than being tried and punished as adults. Sen. Stewart Cathey Jr., R-Monroe, said the legislation began as entreaties by District Attorney Tony Clayton, of Port Allen, and Attorney General Jeff Landry asking for help to do something with the bad 17-years-olds. Violence involving teenagers has increased dramatically since the Raise the Age law was passed into law and prosecutors needed more flexibility to address the situation, Cathey said. This is a significant issue, a significant problem, said Cathey, adding that he would continue working with prosecutors to get the timelines correct in the legislation. +4 Louisiana stopped putting 17-year-olds in adult prisons. It may start doing it again. Amid a push for criminal justice reform several years ago, Louisiana legislators scaled back the practice of charging older youth defendants a Your bill is an unraise the age bill, said Committee Chair Joe Marino, No Party-Gretna, told Cathey. It makes us go backward. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Marino, one of the few criminal law lawyers on the panel, said the Raise the Age law already has procedures for handling juveniles down to 15 years of age in the adult system if they are indicted on charges of first degree murder, second degree murder, aggravated or first degree rape, or aggravated kidnapping. A juvenile court needs hold a hearing to determine whether the case remained in juvenile jurisdiction or moved to the adult system. Im not clear how were changing the procedure, Marino said. Cathey responded that the system goes too slow. Under his measure, upon arrest for a violent crime, a suspected 17-year-old offender would go into the adult system. A judge in the adult system would decide whether the youngster would stay in the adult system or move to juvenile jurisdiction. State Rep. Marcus Bryant, D-New Iberia, pointed out that under the bill, children who have been arrested but not convicted would be put in cells with adults convicted of all sorts of crimes. Parish prisons hold about half of the adults serving time on state charges, often on violent felony charges. Bryant said 40% of the youngsters arrested are not charged and are eventually released. Voting to roll back the Raise the Age law (6): Reps Bryan Fontenot, R-Thibodaux; Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette; Jonathan Goudeau, R-Lafayette; Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond; Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport; and Debbie Villio, R-Kenner. Voting against SB418 (5): Chair Joe Marino, No Party-Gretna; Reps Marcus Bryant, D-New Iberia; Vanessa LaFleur, D-Baton Rouge; C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge; and Richard Nelson, R-Mandeville. The Louisiana House on Tuesday rejected a bill that would prohibit public or private schools from recommending vaccines or medical procedures for students. The vote was 24-71. The proposed ban would also apply to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state Department of Education and local school boards. Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, sponsor of the bill, said she heard of a case where a teacher recommended that a hyper child be given Ritalin, and that the school was later forced to pay for the medicine. Bill prohibiting discrimination over vaccination status moves forward in Louisiana House The Louisiana House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure advanced a bill Monday that would prohibit discrimination over vaccination or immunit The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Amedee said that is the type of instance her bill is meant to address. But Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, said since he is married to a longtime school teacher an educator's first instinct is to help the student, not what rules might apply in an emergency. The bill sparked controversy last week before being temporarily sidelined before being rejected Tuesday. It is House Bill 428. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas smartphone giant Xiaomi recently released its 2022 first-quarter financial results with year-on-year growth in R&D expenses partially caused by its intelligent electric vehicle business. Photo credit: Xiaomi From January to March, Xiaomi spent RMB3.5 billion ($524.9 million) on R&D alone, jumping 16% year over year. The company explained that the boost was a result of the salary of R&D employees and its freshly launched new businesses, such as its auto-making endeavor. In the first quarter, Xiaomi poured RMB425 million ($63.74 million) into its innovative business, including car making business sector, and the investment size continues to expand. Earlier in March 2022, Xiaomi disclosed that its auto making business has overachieved in progress. The first EV under the Xiaomi name can be expected for mass production in the first half of 2024. As of March, Xiaomis auto team has recruited over 1,000 talents. With its resources and determination, Xiaomis ambition will not conclude with auto-making, but will branch out to autonomous driving and intelligent cockpit. On April 11th this year, Xiaomi has broken ground at its vehicle manufacturing base in Beijings Yizhuang District. Phase I of the factory is scheduled to finish in June 2023, while phase II starts in March 2024 and ends in March 2025. The combined annual production volume of the plant is 300,000 vehicles, with 150,000 vehicles each. Despite renewed charges of racism, a revamped bill to adjust the boundaries of the Central school district cleared a House committee Tuesday 5-4, setting up a late-session showdown in the full Louisiana House. State Sen. Bodi White, R-Central and sponsor of the legislation, pushed back against criticism that his plan is aimed at keeping out Black students from the highly-ranked school district. "This is not about race," White told the committee in closing comments before the vote. "It is about overcrowding our school system too fast." The measure would remove a planned subdivision, Belle Arbor, from the boundaries of the school district, which would affect up to 400 children, many of them part of Black families. White said he scaled back his original proposal after hearing complaints at an earlier hearing. That means the Greenwood and Comite Estates subdivisions would be taken out of the legislation and remain part of the school district. Even with the changes Albert Samuels, a resident of the Greenwood subdivision in Central, called the bill "odious" and driven by race. "It seems that the only reason this bill is being pushed is because Sen. White thinks that this subdivision is going to be majority Black," Samuels said. "That is why we are here. And so yes it is actually what systemic racism looks like." The proposal, Senate Bill 189, next faces action, and more controversy, in the full House. It won approval in the Senate 32-1 on April 13 The session ends June 6. House Education Committee Chairman Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, cast the fifth and deciding vote in the near party-line split. White had temporarily shelved his bill earlier this month after a fierce outcry in the committee, which nearly killed the measure. Plan to redraw Central school district boundaries is shelved by bill's sponsor amid criticism The controversial push to redraw the boundaries of the Central school system suffered a major blow Wednesday when the sponsor of the proposal "I listened to the criticism," he told the committee Tuesday. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The new version would exclude Belle Arbor, a tract that covers 53 acres in a 2-square-mile area, from the school district. It is set to include 183 homes just south of Hooper Road near its intersection with Foster Road. White said new boundaries are needed to prevent a surge of students into the Central school system, which has about 4,700 children today. He also said the property to be developed has flooded for years and will do so again. "They will have a destroyed house eventually," White said of new residents set to buy homes said to cost $250,000-$300,000. "It is not if it is going to flood there. It is when it floods there," he added. Keith Carmen, who lives in the Greenwood subdivision, opposed the bill. Residents protest bill to remove them from Central school district: 'It's really downright racist' Residents of two square miles of land west of the Comite River showed up at the State Capitol Wednesday morning to protest proposed legislatio Carmen said his area is trying to get annexed to the City of Central and could end up being part of the city but not the Central school district. "Allow us to handle this at the local level," he said. William Satterwhite made the same point. "This is a local issue and it can be handled locally," he said. Edgar Cage, a leader of Together Louisiana, noted that no member of the community showed up to urge approval for the bill. "What other choice do you have but to involuntarily defer this," he said, meaning a vote to kill the legislation. Voting for readjusting Central school district lines (5): Reps. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma; Chuck Owen, R-Leesville; Vinny St. Blanc, R-Franklin; Phillip Tarver, R-Lake Charles and Lance Harris, R-Alexandria. Voting against SB189 (4): Reps. Ken Brass, D-Vacherie; Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge; Patrick Jefferson, D-Home and Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks during anti-abortion rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The Supreme Court is taking up the first major abortion case of the Trump era Wednesday, an election-year look at a Louisiana dispute that could reveal how willing the more conservative court is to roll back abortion rights. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) ORG XMIT: DCJL114 Law firm announces class action investigation into Victoria's triple-zero authority Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Doctors and pharmacists are joining the push for free flu vaccinations for every Australian to help curb the surge of cases in already overcrowded hospitals and shake the vaccine fatigue that may be contributing to a huge rise in influenza infections. New data shows fewer than two in 10 Victorian children under five have received a flu vaccination this year, despite being among those already eligible for a free jab because they are considered especially at risk. Gaurav Tripathi and his two-year-old daughter Paavika, who has had flu. Credit:Chris Hopkins Detected cases of influenza in Victoria have surged in recent weeks. More than 10,600 cases have been reported this year, compared with just 62 at the same time last year. Numbers are now nearing levels not seen since the same time during the 2019 flu season, a particularly bad year for influenza in Australia. That year, 953 Australians aged from one to 106 died. A teenage boy is in a serious condition in hospital after he was allegedly stabbed in the neck in front of terrified onlookers at a popular Carlton gelato outlet on Monday night. Sarah, who was sitting outside Pidapipo on Lygon Street at the time of the attack and requested not to use her real name, told Nine News Melbourne the teenager ran towards the shop barefoot chased by seven other males. He was definitely running, and it was definitely running to hide, she said. Honest to God at the start, it looked like they were going to rob the shop, so I didnt even know what was going on at the start. Chinas Premier Li Keqiang has congratulated Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his election victory, ending a two-year diplomatic freeze between Canberra and Beijing at the political level. The message, which said it was in the interests of both countries to have sound and stable relations, was sent to Albaneses office. The two leaders are yet to have a conversation. Chinas Premier Li Keqiang has congratulated Anthony Albansese on his election victory. Credit:AP Li is the second most powerful Chinese official behind Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the move ends a freeze of more than two years in which Beijing refused to engage with Canberra at the ministerial or prime ministerial level. China has imposed more than $20 billion of trade strikes on Australia over the past two years in response to key national security decisions taken by Canberra including the banning of Chinese telco Huawei from the 5G network and the call for an independent inquiry into COVID-19. Melbourne Airport is scrambling to get its electronic systems back up and running after two unplanned outages in the citys inner north-western suburbs left all four terminals and the carpark in the dark. An airport spokesman said power had been restored to the airports domestic terminals, but terminals two and four continue to be impacted by the outage. Areas of Melbourne Airport in darkness on Wednesday night. Credit:Stuart Norbury The first outage occurred about 5.45pm, followed by a second outage at 6pm. The fault impacted check-in and baggage services but did not affect air traffic control and the airfield, allowing some checked-in flights to depart. Melbourne Airport was expecting more than 60,000 passengers to travel through its terminals on Wednesday. It is unclear how many of those could have been transiting through at the time of the fault. Electricity supplier Jemena reported there were tens of thousands of properties without power at 7pm. The company said the cause of the outage was still under investigation. While the electricity in some areas had been restored, affected suburbs included Ascot Vale, Essendon, Flemington and Strathmore. Traffic lights at several intersections in the area were also affected, but supply has since been restored, VicTraffic said. Power is being restored in areas including Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Flemington, Ascot Vale, Maribyrnong and Braybrook, the agency said. Melbourne Airport has been thrown into chaos as a power fault has brought check-in and baggage services to a standstill. Lights in the terminal have been restored, while computer systems remain down. Affected residents are encouraged to report any outages on 131 626. Energy company Jemena reported on its website that more than 34,000 customers in Melbournes north-west were being affected by the power outage. Jemena said it was investigating the outage, with residents in Aberfeldie, Airport West, Ascot Vale, Essendon, Flemington, Moonee Ponds, Niddrie and Strathmore among those affected. Melbourne Airport is investigating the cause of a power fault that is affecting our terminals and impacting some check-in and baggage services. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to bring more energy and resources to the region in remarks at the Quad leaders summit that drew a quip from US President Joe Biden about Albaneses hectic pace in going straight from the election trail to the Tokyo talks. The new prime minister used his opening remarks to back a strong stand on regional sovereignty and to make it clear that although the Australian government had changed, support for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue had not. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese enjoyed a warm meeting with US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on Tuesday. Credit:Alex ELlinghausen The two other Quad leaders, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warmly greeted Albanese but the US president brought humour to an otherwise-serious occasion by joking about the Australian leaders schedule. You got sworn in, you got on a plane and if you fall asleep while youre here, its OK. I dont know how youre doing it! Biden said. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas auto parts supplier Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corporation (Baolong) and ADAS developer Leadmove have inked a strategic agreement for Baolong to invest in the latter. Photo credit: Baolong Baolong and Leadmove will reinforce their cooperation within the intelligent driving field, and co-build intelligent driving business. The strategic investment is a sign of the duos commitment in the relationship. The two companies have already been cooperating for years. In October 2020, Baolong and Leadmove set up an intelligent driving-dedicated joint venture, which has achieved periodical results. Their co-developed PAEB commercial vehicle-use emergency braking system has been deployed onto a dozen vehicle models, and started mass production in 2021. Their 1V1R monocular vision product has been procured by three automakers. Their driving/parking integrated domain controller recently received a procurement order from a new energy vehicle maker in 2022. Founded in 2018, Leadmove is a dedicated automotive intelligent driving system developer, with its business revolving around L2 ADAS and L3 controllers. The companys team came from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and General Electric, with years of expertise in AI algorithm R&D and edge computing platform design. Since its establishment, Leadmove has launched several mass-produced products, including AI-based front-view ADAS and Chinas first FPGA chip-based heterogeneous multi-core L3 domain controller. The company has formed partnerships with various Chinese automakers and Tier1 suppliers. Bernie Finn has been expelled from the Liberal Party for disobedience after the right-wing Victorian MP said abortion should be banned in the state, even for rape survivors. His Liberal colleagues voted to expel him in a party room meeting on Tuesday morning, forcing him onto the crossbench in the upper house of the Victorian parliament. Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he expected members of the Liberal Party to uphold a respectful discourse on all issues. Credit:Joe Armao Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said it was a disappointing outcome but that he expected discipline from members of his party. I want to make it clear that this motion is about respectful discourse. It is now about the Liberal Party not navel-gazing from the federal election or other issues it is about moving on and being a sensible alternative government, he said. A respectful, sensible, alternative government. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On May 23rd, Chinas auto part player Baolong struck a deal with domestic ultrasonic radar developer Suzhou UDAS Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. (UDAS) to invest in the latter, and co-establish a joint venture in Hefei, Anhui province. Photo credit: Baolong The joint venture, named Anhui Baoyou Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., will be dedicated to passenger vehicle-oriented ultrasonic radar development, helping the duo share resources to consolidate eachs competitiveness in the automotive intelligence field. The current intelligent driving industry holds tremendous potential in terms of development and market size, which attracts fierce competition. As one of the costliest territories that requires high R&D investment, massive resources, and rapid product/technology iteration, it is hard for companies to grasp a solid foothold in the field. With a large number of participants, coming up with repetitive products is also inevitable, especially in the ultrasonic radar sub-sector, the necessary component of intelligent driving systems. With Baolongs 25 years of expertise in marketing, R&D, manufacturing, and management, the company has established ample technological and customer accumulation. UDASs profound knowledge, and unique advantages in ultrasonic radars development will help Baolong perfect its intelligent driving technology portfolio. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province plans to build an intelligent connected vehicle industry worth RMB200 billion ($30 billion), according to the implementation scheme released by the municipal government of Zhengzhou. Intelligent connected bus; photo credit: Yutong Bus The city aims to establish a preliminary management system of AI technology and reach a leading level of AI-promoted innovation, industrial development, and economic performance nationwide. Specifically, the city plans to build an intelligent sensor cluster valuing RMB100 billion ($15 billion), introducing 20 high-level AI teams and incubating 30,000 AI-related talents via the talent recruit project. With the help of the Henan Academy of Sciences and Yutong Bus, Zhengzhou will build a research institute dedicated to the autonomous driving industry. With Zhengzhou Universitys R&D foundation, the city will build an intelligent MEMS pilot-scale test base. As for real-life practice, Zhengzhou plans to expand the application scenarios for intelligent connected vehicles. Specifically, the city will initiate demonstration operations for 5G-connected V2X micro buses, standard buses, passenger vehicles, self-driving street cleaning vehicles, and C-V2X technology in selected areas, including Zhongyuan Science and Technology City, Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Zhengzhou High-tech Area, and Zhongmu County. The city aims to put 3,000 autonomous vehicles into operation in three years, gradually realizing commercial operation in open and complex traffic conditions. Eventually, the city will form an intelligent mobility system connecting major transportation hubs, CBD areas, and high-tech parks. News Updates Would you like to receive our newsletter? Get local, Wyoming, and national news, the weather forecast, and more, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On May 24th, Chinas leading LiDAR player Hesai Technology announced that Bob in den Bosch joined the company assuming the position of global senior vice president. Bob in den Bosch; photo credit: Hesai Technology Mr. Bob in den Bosch is an accomplished veteran with over two decades of experience in high-level sales positions in the automotive, industrial, and semiconductors fields. He will be responsible for Hesai Technologys volume production business in the overseas markets, and the companys ever-expanding L4+ autonomous driving and robotics business. He will take charge of Hesai Technologys sales and sales operation works in the Americas, and Europe, promoting the LiDAR makers business expansion worldwide. Prior to his addition to Hesai Technology, Bob in den Bosch served as vice president of OSRAMs North America sales. In addition, the expert also served in high-level management positions in Lumiled, and NXP Semiconductors. Co-founder and CEO of Hesai Technology, Li Yifan, said that the company has been actively branching out to the international market, and is in dire need of a strong global team to tackle the American and European markets. Bob in den Boschs addition to the company gifted Hesai Technology with over 20 years of valued market experience. The new global senior vice president will fast-track Hesai Technologys development, and cement the companys leading position in ADAS and autonomous driving. LOS ANGELES Pineapple Support, the adult industrys leading mental health resource, has launched a competition with adult webcam brand Chaturbate to encourage performers to share what makes them proud of who they are. The Proud of Who I Am competition aims to celebrate sex workers, promote positive self-image and combat stigma faced by members of the industry. The competition will run from International Sex Workers Day on June 2nd until June 30th. The winning video will be chosen on July 4th and the winning performer will receive the latest MacBook Pro and a professional webcam. Launching this on International Sex Worker Day feels very special, said Pineapple Support founder Leya Tanit. Thanks to the generosity of Chaturbate, the competition is a chance for performers to share all of the reasons we have to be proud of ourselves, as sex workers, personally, or of whatever youd like. That video you record and share with your community could help to lift someone who might have forgotten about some of the reasons they have to be proud of themselves, too. Those interested in entering the competition should record a video explaining why they are proud of who they are and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ProudPineapple, tagging @chaturbate and @PineappleYSW on Twitter, or @cbswagstore and @pineappleysw on Instagram. The competition runs from June 2nd until June 30th and the winner will be announced on July 4th by the Pineapple team on Twitter and Instagram. Chaturbate is pleased to once again team up with Pineapple Support and their mission to support the mental health of the adult community, said Chaturbate COO Shirley Lara. And we are especially pleased to support this particular event, as we wholeheartedly agree that every member of the adult community should be proud of themselves, not only for the work they do, but for who they are in all aspects of their lives. Pineapple Support was founded by the British performer Tanit in 2018, after a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illnesses. The organization, which is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States and a registered charity in the UK, has so far connected over 2000 adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support. To learn more about becoming a member of Pineapples United, the membership club for members of the adult industry, visit Pineapplesupport.org/ Pineapples-United. If you have a business and would like to find out how to become an official sponsor of Pineapple Support, visit Pineapplesupport.org/ Sponsorship. Cach ay vai nam, toi co dip du lich en Hoi An va trai nghiem tour kham pha rung dua Bay Mau bang thuyen thung. Noi ay uoc menh danh la thu phu thuyen thung khi a co hon 1.200 thung chai chuyen phuc vu du khach tham rung dua Nam bo bang nhung trai nghiem rat thu vi. Law enforcement personnel guard the scene of a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Marco Bello/Reuters) 14 Students, 1 Teacher Killed in Shooting at Texas Elementary School: Governor Update: The death toll was later updated to 19 students and two teachers, in addition to the shooter. Original story below. Fourteen children and a teacher were fatally shot by an 18-year-old male at an elementary school in Texas on May 24, Gov. Greg Abbott said. The male, who was identified as Salvador Ramos, drove to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and opened fire, the governor said at a press conference in Abilene. Uvalde is about 80 miles west of San Antonio. Students who currently attend that school are second, third, and fourth graders. He shot and killedhorrifically, incomprehensively14 students, and killed a teacher, Abbott said. Ramos is believed to have been a student or a former student at Uvalde High School and is an American citizen, Abbott said. Ramos entered the school with a handgun and may also have had a rifle, according to the governor. The shooter is deceased, Uvalde Police Chief Pete Arredondo said in a separate briefing. Law enforcement officers are not looking for any other suspects. Local officials have shared little information, saying the investigation is active and they want to convey details to the families of victims before the public. They have declined to answer questions in the two briefings theyve held so far, which each lasted only minutes. According to Abbott, Ramos was likely killed by responding officers. Two officers were wounded during the confrontation but were expected to survive, he said. Abbott pledged state support for local officials, who he said are leading the investigation into the shooting. Theyll be examining a possible motive, the weapons used by the gunman, and how he obtained them. Emergency personnel gather near Robb Elementary School following a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP Photo) A law enforcement officer speaks with people outside Uvalde High School after a shooting took place at nearby Robb Elementary School, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (William Luther/The San Antonio Express-News via AP) Uvalde Memorial Hospital, a local facility, said earlier it had received 13 children via ambulance or buses for treatment and that two individuals that arrived were deceased, while two others were transferred to San Antonio. It asked for blood donations. University Health, a hospital in San Antonio, said it was caring for three patients. Two, a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, were in critical condition. The other, another 10-year-old girl, was in good condition. The shooting unfolded at approximately 11:32 a.m. local time, Uvalde officials said. This was a tragic and senseless event today, said Hal Harrell, the Uvalde school superintendent. My heart was broke today. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who represents the area, said he was heartbroken for the community. It is devastating when our innocent children become the victims of senseless violence. We are devastated, he said in a statement. While we monitor this situation, we remember that Uvalde, while rocked by todays events, is strong and resilient. In this time of trepidation, our office is always here to do whatever we can to help. We are family and we will continue to be here for each other, he added. Uvalde, with a population of about 16,000, is about 60 miles east of the U.S.Mexico border. A police officer stands near the scene of an afternoon shooting that left one person dead in the Brooklyn borough of New York on July 7, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) 2020 Homicide Spike Unrelated to COVID-19 or Gun Sales, Weaker in GOP Counties: Report New research has found that the 2020 homicide surge was weaker in Republican-voting counties, not linked to gun sale increases or COVID-19, and higher among black Americans, adding to a deeply contentious debate over the violence that shook the United States that year. Some people were claiming there was not a spike or that it is in Republican states, and others were claiming it just had to do with COVID, Christos Makridis, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute and lead author of the new analysis, said in an email interview with The Epoch Times. The year 2020 was marked by the death of George Floyd and associated protests and riots. Covid-19 deaths are slightly negatively correlated with the number of homicides but not statistically related to the homicide growth rate, which underscores that the rise in crime cannot be explained by Covid-19, Makridis and his co-author, Manhattan Institute fellow Robert VerBruggen, wrote in their May 18 issue brief. According to the Manhattan Institute brief, the rate at which black Americans died by homicide, already far higher than the rates among Hispanic Americans, white Americans, and Asian Americans, increased by 34 percent, greater than a 19 percent increase among white Americans. American homicide is overwhelmingly intraracial, the authors wrotein other words, it typically involves perpetrators and victims of the same race. The authors found that homicides were far less common in counties with a higher Republican share of the vote in 2016. Whats more, the homicide growth rate between 2019 and 2020 was also lower in those counties. Although we need more data to say definitively, we find some evidence that suggests that the nations political cultures played a role, with homicide increases in GOP-leaning counties tending to be smaller than those in Democratic-leaning counties when we focus on homicides within counties over time, the authors wrote. This sets their work apart from a March report by the center-left Third Way think tank, The Red State Murder Problem. Third Way found that homicide rates were significantly higher in states that supported Trump in 2020. Homicide rates are simply far higher in Trump-voting states than Biden-voting states, said Jim Kessler, lead author of the Third Way report, who characterized that state-level pattern as undeniable. Yet, John Lott, an economist who served in the Department of Justice under Trump, took issue with Third Ways reliance on data at the scale of individual states rather than more granular information. State-level data is not very useful. States have both urban and rural areasand policing is a local decision in cities, which tend to be Democratically controlled even in Republican states, Lott told The Epoch Times. He cited the discretion afforded to local district attorneys (DAs) when it comes to prosecution and bail. DAs funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros, including Kim Foxx in Chicago and Chesa Boudin in San Francisco, have been faulted by opponents for rising rates of property crime and violent crime, along with creating an atmosphere of overt hostility directed at law enforcement. Is it easier to put together data on states than it is to get the county-level data? Yeah, sure, its a little easier. But to me, it just shows kind of a level of laziness in terms of work, Lott said. Explaining his choice of data, Kessler told The Epoch Times that he and his co-author used all local sources, including state crime data from state reports and where that was not available, local newspaper sources. He pointed out that 2019 and 2020 were marked by a surge in gun ownership, as indicated by an increase in gun background checks. Its hard not to attribute high murder rates with high gun ownership since nearly 80 percent of all homicides are with guns, Kessler told The Epoch Times. A salesman shows off weapons for sale at Coliseum Gun Traders in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sept. 25, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images) Yet, Lott pointed out that gun crimes actually dropped by a significant amount, according to the FBIs Uniform Crime Report. Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, which is meant to bridge any gap between crimes reported to police and crimes that go unreported, show a similar 27 percent drop. While scholarship on homicide often uses FBI data, the Manhattan Institutes issue brief instead relied on data supplied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The authors explained this choice by arguing that the CDCs numbers are far more comprehensive than what the FBI provides, although with the caveat that the CDC statistics include gun accidents and some other non-homicides. Both FBI and CDC data show a similar uptick in homicides during 2020. Lott noted that CDC data doesnt provide the level of detail on firearm crime that he emphasized to The Epoch Times. Kessler said he had found CDC data incomplete in the course of conducting his own research. He also questioned the Manhattan Institutes exclusion of counties with fewer than 10 homicides. The report attributed those exclusions to privacy reasons. What is so wrong about those counties? For example, I recall that South Dakota had the biggest jump in murders as a percentage between 2019 and 2020. Are any South Dakota counties in the Manhattan Institute report? Our report counted every single homicide, Kessler said. Makridis confirmed that the county-level analysis didnt include any counties in South Dakota. He said his analysis had been replicated at the state level, suggesting that the omission of particular counties wasnt an issue. Notably, the Manhattan Institute reports map of state-level increases in the homicide death rate also appears to show South Dakota near the top of the heap, alongside Kentucky, Delaware, New York state, Montana, Idaho, and Connecticut. I would have included things like changes in arrest rates or changes in conviction rates for changes in prison population and things like that, which I think would go a long way to explaining the increases that weve observed over the last two years or two and a half years now, Lott told The Epoch Times. Makridis doubts that sort of key law enforcement data can be found at the level of individual counties. Like Lott, he acknowledged the likely significance of attitudes toward law enforcement. So many of the comments I hear from police officers just anecdotally is that they feel marginalized and ostracized. The Brea Chamber of Commerce is holding the Taste of Brea food festivalwhich has been supporting local businesses and building community for 10 yearson May 26, 2022, in Downtown Brea. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) 2022 Taste of Brea: Perfect Way to Kick off Summer BREA, Calif.The Brea Chamber of Commerce is holding their 2022 Taste of Brea food festivalwhich has been supporting local businesses and building community for 10 yearson May 26 in Downtown Brea. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, guests can expect a fun night out to bond with friends and family over dancing to live music from Cold Duck Band and sampling products from local businesses, restaurants, wineries, and breweries. Local businesses that participate are given a unique chance to receive individual exposure to all who attend. The City of Brea, Calif., is seen on May 23, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Eric Padilla, the Chair of the Board and Founder of Palatable Promotions, said the festival, which is always held on the Thursday before Memorial Day, is the perfect way to kick off summer and the holiday weekend. The Taste of Brea is an exciting day in Brea because not only does the community come out to support our local restaurants, breweries, and vendors, [but] it also feels like its the start of summer! he said. Some of the well-known eateries in Brea, such as Rubys Diner, Bruxie, and Corazon Modern Kitchen will be present at the event. The family-owned and operated Lasorda Family Winery will be returning with samples of their Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Tuscan blend wines. The City of Brea, Calif., is seen on May 23, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Corazon Modern Kitchen told the Epoch Times that they noticed a large return of customers after their presence at last years event and said Taste of Brea was a fantastic exposure with the local community that helped connect both old and new businesses in Brea. This year the kitchen will be offering Tres Leches Cake, home-brewed beer, guacamole, and a crowd favoritechips and salsa. Sponsors of this years event include Albertsons, Republic Services, and Brea downtown. Attendees can purchase $40 presale tickets at tasteofbrea.com or $50 tickets at the event on Thursday. More than 1,200 illegal immigrants, including nationals from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Turkey, enter the United States from Mexico in El Paso, Texas, on May 14, 2022. (El Paso Border Patrol) 60,000 Migrants Waiting in Mexico Across Border From El Paso, Texas In the past two weeks, more than 60,000 migrants have amassed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, directly across the border from El Paso, Texas, in anticipation of Title 42 being lifted from the border. And we can only imagine it growing even further, Mario DAgostino, El Paso deputy city manager, told the El Paso City Council on May 23. About a month ago, the number of migrants in Ciudad Juarez was about 15,000, DAgostino said. He said state and federal officials keep him updated on the numbers. Title 42 is an emergency public health order that allows for quick expulsion of nonessential travel across U.S. borders to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration had planned to lift it on May 23, but a federal judge blocked that move, keeping it in place for now. The El Paso City Council met on May 23 to discuss invoking local emergency measuresincluding increasing capacity for shelter, food, and transportto deal with an anticipated influx of illegal immigrants into the city. The call came after Border Patrol apprehended more than 1,200 illegal immigrants on May 14 and subsequently released 119 at a charter bus station because of space constraints. Busy times! Just today, #ElPaso #USBP agents have encountered over 1,200 migrants & counting entering the border illegally, El Paso Sector Border Patrol Chief Gloria Chavez wrote on Twitter on May 14. Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Turkish nationals to name a few. On most days, Border Patrol drops between 400 and 500 illegal immigrants per day at local nongovernmental organizations (NGO), which then assist with food, lodging, and transport out of El Paso, according to Chief Jorge Rodriguez, emergency management coordinator for the city of El Paso. If and when Title 42 is eliminated, we can anticipate that the numbers that we are seeing now (which is about 400 to 500 per day), conservatively speaking, will double to at least 1,000 per day, Rodriguez said. Almost zero percent of migrants remain in El Paso. The choice of travelwhich has changed from what we saw in 2019is primarily through the airlines. If the airplanes and buses are full, illegal immigrants are forced to stay an extra 24 to 48 hours in the city, which jams up city and NGO resources, DAgostino said. During the first four months of 2022, Border Patrol agents have apprehended more than 94,000 illegal immigrants in the El Paso area, up from 63,000 during the same period in 2021. DAgostino said the citys emergency team has temporary housing options in place, but they cant be accessed and staffed without an emergency ordinance in place. An emergency ordinance is part of the councils police powers to respond to local emergencies, and it suspends the bidding process requirement when procuring goods and services during an emergency. It has to be passed unanimously and with the consent of the mayor. On May 23, the seven city council members voted on the ordinance and it failed by one vote. Councilmember Claudia Rodriguez said she would be more inclined to give her affirmative vote if the mayor signed a local disaster declaration first. El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said he rejected a call last week to invoke a local disaster declaration, saying it would trigger an unwanted state response. We were really worried that the governor would get the [disaster declaration] and he would send the National Guard down to the border or the DPS [Texas Department of Public Safety] to the border and create a scene that was not welcome in our community, Leeser said. DAgostino said the disaster declaration proposal last week was a more extreme option in anticipation of Title 42 being lifted. Councilmembers took a second vote and passed the ordinance, which goes into effect immediately and expires in 30 days. Smoke billows from ferry ship M/V Mercraft 2 as it was towed near an island on Real town, Quezon province, Philippines on May 23, 2022. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP Photo) 7 Die in Philippine Ferry Fire; Over 120 Rescued From Water MANILA, PhilippinesA ferry carrying more than 130 people caught fire in the northeastern Philippines on Monday, killing seven passengers and forcing many survivors to jump into the sea where they were rescued by other vessels. The fire rapidly spread from the engine room to the upper passenger deck of the M/V Mercraft 2 while it was approaching a port in Real, town administrator Filomena Portales said. It had been en route to the town in Quezon province from Polillo Island. Many of the 134 passengers and crew jumped into the water and were plucked from the sea by motorboats and cargo vessels, coast guard officials said. Fishing boats and other vessels were able to approach quickly and everybody helped, so the rescue was fast, Portales said by telephone, adding that many of those rescued were in shock and had to be treated for burns and bruises given dry clothes and shoes. Pictures released by the coast guard showed fire engulfing the ferry and dark smoke billowing from it. Injured survivors on stretchers were taken to waiting ambulances while a rescuer tried to revive an unconscious survivor by pressing on his chest. The coast guard said everyone on the ferry had been accounted for and 24 people who were injured were taken to a hospital. Portales said seven passengers died from burns and drowning and one possibly had a heart attack while floating in the water. Investigators were looking into the fire, and other ferries operated by the owner of Mercraft 2 would likely be suspended from operating while undergoing safety inspections, officials said. The wreckage was towed to shore in Real. Sea accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago because of frequent storms, badly maintained boats, overcrowding, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,300 people in the worlds worst peacetime maritime disaster. Smoke billows from ferry ship M/V Mercraft 2 as it was towed near an island on Real town, Quezon province, Philippines on May 23, 2022. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP Photo) A police officer stands guard before the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 10, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) After the Fall: What If China Becomes a Democracy? Commentary While the Chinese regime is not in danger of falling, but at a time when the rule of Xi Jinping is under strain, it is a useful thought experiment to consider a post-communist China and what opportunities this would present for the United States and its allies. China as a Democracy If China were democratic, it would likely be a parliamentary, multiparty democracy with strong and distinctive leftist, center, and rightist political parties. In contrast to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) today, the legitimacy of its political system would be considered and recognized by the West as the rightful representative government of the Chinese people. A democratic China would have a better human rights record for the Chinese population, including ethnic and religious minorities. For this positive outcome to obtain, much depends upon the process of how a post-communist China came to democracy. It is unlikely that any transition from communism to democracy would result in an immediately stable democratic system. More likely, periods of transition are necessary and can yield authoritarianism, as it has occurred in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Soviet Bloc. Slovakia under Vladimir Meciar and his political party, the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, was a case where the democratic transition was halted by authoritarian rule before pressure from the European Union and NATO, and the increased stability among democratic parties permitted its transition to democracy. However, the most significant failure since the Weimar Republic was Russias transition from communism to the shock therapy of the 1990s, to the ultimate end of its fledgling democracy by Boris Yeltsins second term through the start of the Vladimir Putin era. Russias failed democratic transition is a warning of how tenuous transitions can be, particularly for major powers. Due to the difficulties of transition, the legacy of Chinese communism, and Chinas political tradition, were China to move rapidly to a democratic government, authoritarianism might be the likely outcome. A democratic transition will be more effective if it is staged, as in Taiwan. Taiwans transition from authoritarian rule under Chiang Kai-shek and his son, Chiang Ching-kuo, to Lee Teng-hui and his successors, was a stepped transition. Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui speaks during a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on June 1, 2007. (Yuriko Nakao/Reuters) While the risks of a transition are significant, a democratic, post-communist China provides the opportunity for the United States to improve its relationship with Beijing significantly and, thus, ensures that the Sino-American security competition lessens. How Would China Interpret Democracy Were China to be democratic, it is probable that its interpretation of democracy would be at variance from the West and even with Taiwan in two respects. First, Chinese democracy will encompass strong Han nationalism across the spectrum of political parties. This will include potent nationalist appeals, including territorial claims, and narratives of Han superiority over all other peoples, be they minorities in China or with the worlds other populations. This will also have a strong racial component and will likely be a source of tension in the Sino-American relationship. Second, a democratic China will not be subordinate to the West regarding the definition of democracy, how it should function, or the standards by which the polity should be judged by other democracies as well as by international actors. Rather than being a student, a democratic China will seek to be the professor, seeking to lead the worldincluding Western countriesin the definition and adjudication of democratic ideology. This will be a clear source of friction in the Sino-American relationship. The vision of China leading the world is inherent to the Han worldview of the country and its place in the world. A More Stable World Despite inevitable difficulties, a democratic polity would enable China to share a greater number of shared interests with the United States as both states would share a political ideology. To the extent that ideological conflict drives Sino-American security competition, this tension would be lessened, as it would with other states in the Indo-Pacific. A democratic China would be a possible candidate for alliance membership in a future security architecture encompassing the present Quadrilateral Security Dialogue members: Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. Moreover, a democratic China would also open a possible peaceful route to unification with Taiwan as both would be democratic and might logically follow an East-West German path to political unification and integration. However, unification would be far from the inter-German model. Within a democratic China, Han nationalism would be a potent force compelling unification on the mainlands terms. In opposition, the legacy of Taiwans indigenous peoples and political development since 1949 will be a repellant force. Unification, even under Beijing and Taipeis democratic auspices, will pose tremendous difficulties, and the strength of Taiwans opposition should not be underestimated. Finally, although a post-communist Chinas territorial disputes will remain with India, Japan, and the ASEAN states in the South China Sea, a democratic China provides alternative means to resolve these complex issues. Yet, territorial disputes are often ripe for escalation as nationalism is directly impacted. To maintain stability in the South China Sea, the United States will have to maintain a military presence in the Indo-Pacific, undoubtedly generating tension with a democratic China. A democratic, post-communist China is a liberating outcome for the people of China and the world. The ideology of the present Chinese regime ensures that confrontation with the United States and its allies continues and will only escalate. A democratic, post-communist China allows the world an opportunity to avoid a conflagration even if sources of tension are not wholly eliminated. Key voices in the Trump administration recognized this. The Biden administration does not, and so ensures that democratic ideology will not be employed in the fight against the CCP to undermine its legitimacy. Upon reflection, with the ubiquity of surveillance technology, COVID-19 lockdowns, the politicization of social media, disinformation, lack of outrage over the genocide in Xinjiang and other civil rights abuses in China, coupled with the erosion of the U.S. global position and civil rights and liberties in West, then, unless reversed, the world could be forgiven for believing that the United States is transitioning from a liberal democracy to post-liberal democracy. Moreover, as a post-liberal democracy, it employs the motivation and many of the tools perfected by China to suppress freedom. This has to halt. Rather than the United States moving toward the Chinese regime, America needs to sustain the health of its liberal democracy, and undermine the CCP, so that China may move toward an alternative and democratic political system. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A passenger boards an Elizabeth Line train at Paddington station in London on May 24, 2022. (PA Media) After Years of Delays Londons New Elizabeth Line Opens Just in Time for Jubilee Four years after it was originally due to open the Elizabeth Lineoriginally known as the Crossrail projecthas finally opened for business and hundreds of passengers boarded the first trains. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and his predecessor, the now-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, welcomed the opening of the line, which they both claimed would generate 42 billion ($52 billion) towards the economy. The 73-mile-long Elizabeth Line will eventually link the university town of Reading, west of London, with Abbey Wood in southeast London and Shenfield in Essex, but initially trains are only running between Paddington and Abbey Wood. The first eastbound train from Paddington through central London left at 6:33 a.m. and among those on board was teenage train buff Colin Kelso, from Glasgow, who wore a hoodie with the words Purple Train on the front, a homage to the new lines mauve livery. A sign for the new Elizabeth Line in London, which began operations on May 24, 2022. (Jonathan Brady/PA) Kelso, 18, said: I want to get on the first train. Ive always liked trains and have been keeping up to date with the project. Clare Cenci, 43, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, was commuting to Liverpool Street and said she planned to switch from the Central Line, which was hot and crowded, especially during the summer. The Elizabeth Line has opened just in time for the British monarchs platinum jubilee and is the first entirely new London Underground line since 1979 when the Jubilee Line opened, two years after Queen Elizabeth IIs silver jubilee. Sadiq Khan said: Its the biggest expansion in our transport network for more than 50 years. We know now they are fit for a Queen and, as importantly, fit for Londoners. He said the former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, had been the first to lobby for Crossrail and he said credit was due to former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Chancellor, Gordon Brown, who gave the green light for the project. Work on the project began in 2009 and was due to be completed in 2018 but the engineering works hit a number of delays owing to the complexity of the project. Khan said: Its a remarkable, transformative railway line. Its a landmark moment for our city. Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter that he was absolutely delighted the line had opened and added: Long-term investment in UK infrastructure pays offwith this project alone supporting 55,000 new jobs, 1,000 apprenticeships, and forecast to boost the UK economy by 42bn. In a television interview last week Johnson pushed the case for Crossrail 2, a 33 billion ($41 billion) northsouth project which his own government pulled the funding from 18 months ago. PA Media contributed to this report. Figurines are seen in front of the Airbnb logo in this illustration taken Feb. 27, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) Airbnb Announces Domestic Business Withdrawal From China Airbnb announced Tuesday that it will discontinue domestic operations in China and instead focus on serving Chinese users traveling abroad amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns in China. The San Francisco-based company said in a letter posted to its social media account that it will remove all Chinese listings and experiences from its platform on July 30. Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk said that the company has opted to refocus its efforts in China on outbound travel, enabling Chinese users to book listings and experiences abroad. The decision was not easy for us and I know that it is even more difficult for you, Blecharczyk said. Weve built and grown a thriving host community in China together and have welcomed more than 25 million guest arrivals since 2016. Airbnb intends to maintain its office and employees in Beijing, according to CNBC, which first reported the news, citing an unnamed source. The online home rental platform first launched operations in China in 2016. According to reports, stays in China on the platform have accounted for 1 percent of its revenue in recent years. China has maintained its zero COVID-19 strategy of mass testing, mass lockdowns, and strict border controls to contain the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, within its local community. The restrictions have led to several foreign companies retreating from China to avoid disruptions. Airbnb joins a series of Western Internet firms, including LinkedIn and Yahoo, that have withdrawn businesses from China, indicating a decoupling between the worlds second-largest economy and much of the rest of the world. Almost all major Western Internet platforms, including Alphabet Inc.s Google and Meta Platforms Inc.s Facebook, have ceased to provide services to end-users in mainland China, citing reasons ranging from censorship to operation difficulties in the country. Reuters contributed to this report. Alabama Voters Head to Primary Polls for Republican Strongholds HUNTSVILLE, Ala.A steady stream of voters turned up to Alabama polls on May 24 to choose party nominees for the 2022 election. In deep-red Alabama, the Republican primary is to pick candidates for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and gubernatorial offices. Those who win the states primaries will face general elections that Democrats havent won in decades. The only House seat that Alabama Democrats control is in the 7th Congressional District. Alabamas 5th Congressional District doesnt break this pattern. In Huntsville, one of Alabamas biggest cities, most voters who spoke with The Epoch Times said they were Republicans who voted in every election. Republican voters Robert Christian (L) and Shirley Christian (R) leave the polls in Huntsville, Alabama on May 24, 2022. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times) Almost everything that Joe Biden has been for, were against, said Robert Christian, a Republican voter. He said that the most important issues to him were border security, opposing abortion, and cutting down on crime. In 2022, Alabama voters have two primaries that are set to have statewide impacts. The first is an open Senate seat competed for by candidates Rep. Mo Brooks (R), Katie Britt, and Mike Durant. The most recent polls show each candidate with nearly 30 percent of the vote. Shirley Christian, Robert Christians wife, said she would vote for Brooks for Senate because of his conservative record. Even though Trump took away his endorsement, I dont agree with Trump on the reason he took it away, she said. You do have to move on, whether you think the election was stolen or not. Keith, another Republican voter, said he had voted for Britt. I like what she says. Well see if she does what she says, he said. She may have more experience than all the rest of them put together. One married couple, Kay and Don Wheeler, said they had disagreed about who to vote for in the Senate primary. I think we may have canceled each other, Don Wheeler said. The second big primary is for incumbent governor Kay Ivey. Although Ivey holds the governors seat, she has struggled in the polls more than expected, and might not reach the 50 percent of votes required to avoid a run-off. Shes not perfect, but she fits whats on the ballot in my opinion, Huntsville voters also had an open representative seat to fill. Brooks, the 5th Districts representative, ran for Senate this year rather than keeping his current seat. To fill his place, six Republican candidates ran for the primary. Polls and fundraising numbers suggest that Dale Strong is in the lead, followed by Casey Wardynski. I know him, and I know his family, Don Wheeler said of Strong. He seems like a nice, energetic young man. Wheeler added that he plans to vote for him. Alabama Republican primary candidates have counted dollars raised by the hundred of thousands, but many Democratic primary candidates must tally up in mere thousands. By May 16, none of the six Democratic gubernatorial candidates had more than $7,000 in campaign money available. Ivey had $10 million in funds raised. Although not every Alabama race is this lopsided, poor funding and unfriendly electorates have left Alabama Democrats heavily disadvantaged. Its been a little frustrating to see the trends and where theyre going, said Democratic voter Fred Ecklund. Ecklund said his top election priority was being sure that elections were fair and didnt suppress voters, and that all Americans receive equal justice. He said that he doesnt remember the names of the Democratic candidates he voted for, but doesnt like the Republican ones. I didnt recognize any of the names, he said. But I knew that I didnt want to vote for Republicans. Actor Johnny Depp in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 24, 2022. (Jim Watson/Pool photo via AP) Judge Rejects Johnny Depps Motion to Dismiss Amber Heards $100 Million Defamation Countersuit FALLS CHURCH, Va.A judge on Tuesday rejected a motion from actor Johnny Depps attorneys to toss out a $100 million defamation countersuit his ex-wife Amber Heard filed against Depp. Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name. Depp has denied he ever struck Heard, and says she was the abuser in the relationship. Heard has testified about more than a dozen separate instances of physical abuse she says she suffered at Depps hands. The counterclaim alleges Depps then-lawyer, Adam Waldman, defamed Heard when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Judge Penney Azcarate said the bar for tossing out a claim before it goes to the jury is exceedingly high, and said there is enough evidence to allow it to go forward. She had already ruled Depp could be held responsible for statements made by his lawyer, a principle Depps team disputes. Actor Johnny Depp gestures to the gallery in the courtroom as he leaves for the day at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 23, 2022. (Steve Helber/Pool via AP Photo) Also on Tuesday, jurors in Depps libel lawsuit against Heard heard a snippet of testimony contradicting one of Heards key witnesses, but much of the context was stripped away. Jennifer Howellwho once employed Heards sister, Whitney Henriqueztestified briefly Tuesday in the six-week civil trial through a recorded deposition. Howell testified that she sent an email in 2020 to Henriquez begging her to tell the truth. Jurors, though, did not see the letter, nor did Howell explain in what way she thought Henriquez was being untruthful. The edited deposition played in court for less than 15 minutesHowell appeared to walk out of the deposition before lawyers had completed their questioning. In a court document, though, Howell goes into much greater detail. She gives a four-page declaration in which she says Henriquez confided in her that Heard was the aggressor in the fight and Henriquez allegedly said she thought Heard was going to kill Johnny. Howell also says in the declaration that Henriquez told her and others in their workplace that Heard cut off Depps finger in a fight the couple had in Australia. The severed finger has been a point of dispute throughout the trial. Depp says the finger was severed when Heard lobbed a vodka bottle at him. Heard says Depp did it to himself on a night when he was in a drunken rage and sexually assaulted her with a bourbon bottle. Actress Amber Heard speaks with a legal team member during trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 24, 2022. (Jim Watson/Pool photo via AP) Henriquez is the only one of Heards witnesses who testified in the six-week trial that she personally witnessed Depp physically assault Heard, in a fight where she said each landed blows on the other while she was caught between the two. Its not entirely clear why Howells testimony was so limited. Throughout the trial, though, Judge Penney Azcarate has strictly enforced rules limiting hearsay evidence, and Howells description of what Henriquez told her would likely be a classic example of hearsay unless Depps lawyers could claim some sort of exception to the hearsay rule. In Howells declaration, she acknowledged that she was upset when she learned that Heard had pledged millions of dollars to the American Civil Liberties Union and a childrens hospital, when Howell thought the money could do more good at The Art of Elysium, the nonprofit she ran and that had employed Henriquez. The limited nature of Howells testimony makes it unclear if jurors will draw the connections that Depps team hopes to make. Howell testified as a rebuttal witness for Depp after Heard rested her case Tuesday morning without calling Depp to the standHeards lawyers had initially suggested they would call Depp as a witness. Jurors may still hear more from Depp. His team has indicated they may call him to the stand Wednesday. Both Depp and Heard have each testified extensively already about details of their toxic relationship. Also Tuesday, the celebrity news site TMZ filed an emergency motion seeking to block the testimony of a former employee, Morgan Tremaine. TMZ said its concerned that Tremaine is prepared to testify Wednesday for Depp and violate a pledge of confidentiality that the news outlet provided to a source who gave TMZ information related to the couples high-profile divorce. Heard has denied that she tipped off news outlets to the fact that she obtained a temporary restraining order after filing for divorce from Depp in 2016. Heard alleged Depp abused her in that application, and Heard was photographed by paparazzi leaving the courthouse with an apparent bruise on her cheek. Depps lawyers have said she sought publicity about her abuse allegations to falsely damage his reputation. An employee works on the production line of electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer Octillion in Hefei, Anhui province, China, on March 30, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters) Americans Less Likely Than Other Nationalities to Buy Electric Cars: Mobility Survey Americans are less likely to buy an electric vehicle (EV) compared to people from other nations, according to the latest EY Mobility Consumer Index from EY Global, which also showed that a high proportion of survey respondents who were likely to buy an EV would be willing to pay a premium for it. Among the 13,000 people surveyed in 18 countries, only 29 percent of Americans and 38 percent of Australians committed to buying electric vehicles, a May 23 press release said. In contrast, 73 percent of Italian car buyers, 69 percent of Chinese buyers, and 63 percent of South Korean buyers were committed to buying an EV. For the first time in the surveys history, over 50 percent of respondents expressed a desire to buy an EV. At 52 percent, this represented an increase of 22 percentage points in just two years. Among those willing to purchase EVs, 88 percent said they would pay more to get an EV than a standard combustion engine vehicle. Of those, 35 percent were willing to pay a premium of 20 percent or more, which is in line with 2021s findings. Among the reasons respondents were looking to buy an EV, 38 percent of those surveyed said the environment was their top concern. Another 34 percent of people expressed concerns about rising penalties on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Those who already drive EVs were less worried about range anxiety, which refers to worries about how far one can ride an EV on a single charge. They were also less concerned about charging infrastructure. Only 27 percent of those who own EVs said they were worried about charging infrastructure compared to 36 percent of respondents who do not presently own an electric vehicle. Among EV owners, the top motivator for buying the next electric vehicle was that the new ones have longer ranges. According to Randy Miller, EY Globals Advanced Manufacturing and Mobility leader, high gas prices and environmental concerns are the top reasons for the rising interest in EVs. The old issues of worrying about charging infrastructure and the range of EVs will soon come to an end, he said in the press release. Deloittes 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study also found Americans to be least interested in EVs. While 69 percent of U.S. citizens were interested in ICE vehicles, just 5 percent were interested in battery-operated electric vehicles. In contrast, 11 percent of respondents from Japan, 15 percent from Germany, 17 percent from China, and 23 percent from South Korea expressed interest in buying EVs. A survey published in June 2021 by the Pew Research Center showed that Americans were split about the idea of phasing out combustion-engine vehicles by 2035. While 47 percent supported such a phase-out, 51 percent opposed it. Four in ten Americans are at least somewhat likely to seriously consider an EV the next time they consider purchasing a vehicle, while 46 percent are not too likely or not at all likely to do so. Only 7 percent of respondents said they own an electric or hybrid vehicle. Guests were thrilled at the first concert held in the Laodicea amphitheater since the 5th century. One audience member said the atmosphere was indescribable, "I got goosebumps. The acoustics were incredible." (Courtesy of Berna Aykose) Ancient Amphitheater in Turkey Hosts First Concert in 1,600 Years A newly restored Hellenistic-era amphitheater in southwestern Turkey was on May 23 the venue for a free concert by the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra. According to leaders of the restoration project, it was the first time the venue has been used for a live performance since it was severely damaged by an earthquake in the 5th century. After a 1,600-year hiatus, the amphitheater can once again host thousands of spectators and music lovers, project director Celal Simsek told The Epoch Times. Located in the ancient city of Laodicea in what is now Turkeys Denizli province, the newly-restored amphitheater boasts a seating capacity of 15,000. People came from all over the province to attend the concert, many of whom were bussed to the venue free by Denizlis municipal authorities, which organized the event. Mondays concert was an unqualified success, Hayrullah Akgun, deputy director of Denizlis Culture and Tourism Directorate, told The Epoch Times. The amphitheater was packed to capacity. Guldah Altintas, a 34-year-old Denizli resident who attended the two-hour performance, told The Epoch Times: The atmosphere was indescribable; I got goosebumps. And the acoustics were incredible. Restoration Efforts Sponsored by Turkeys Industry and Technology Ministry and the state-run South Aegean Development Agency, the ambitious restoration project took two-and-a-half years to complete. It was carried out by an all-Turkish team comprised of archaeologists, architects and engineers. About 97 percent of the original structure was still intact; it only had to be excavated, said Simsek, who is also the director of the Archaeology Department at Turkeys Pamukkale University. We restored the remaining three percent with the addition of about 4,000 new stones. According to the archaeologist, the ancient city of Laodicea sits on eight square kilometers of land, making it Turkeys largest archeological site. Along with two amphitheaters, the site also contains churches, temples, public baths, fountains, main streets and a stadium, he said. Simsek added that the recent restoration project was hardly the first time the amphitheater had to be repaired. Because the area sits on a major fault line, it was restored several times during the Roman period, he explained. This included major restorations carried out during the reigns of the emperors Augustus (27 BC14 AD), Septimius Severus (193211) and Valens (364378). Metropolis of Asia Reborn Laodicea was founded in the third century BC by King Antiochus II of the Seleucid Dynasty, which ruled western Asia after the collapse of Alexander the Greats short-lived empire. Antiochus named the city after his wife, Laodice, whom he later divorced in order to marry the daughter of the pharaoh of Egypt. Laodicea was absorbed by the Romans in 133 BC, under whom it enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. In its heyday, the city drew several distinguished visitors, including renowned orator Cicero in 50 BC and the Emperor Hadrian some 80 years later. According to Simsek, the citys strategic position contributed to making it an important trade hub. Ancient sources tell us that Laodicea collected more customs duties than any other city in the region, he said. And because it was home to two of the regions largest amphitheaters, it was also a center of art and culture. In 494, the cityand its iconic amphitheaterssuffered a devastating earthquake from which it never recovered. And with the arrival of the Seljuk Turks in the 11th century, Laodicea, once described as the Metropolis of Asia, was abandoned completely. According to Akgun, there are now plans to hold further performances at Laodiceas amphitheater. After surviving countless earthquakes, the venue has finally been restored to its former glory and is now ready to host performers and spectators in the 21st century. In this screenshot from the RNCs live stream of the 2020 Republican National Convention, North Carolina congressional nominee Madison Cawthorn addresses the virtual convention on Aug. 26, 2020. (Courtesy of the Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images) Appeals Court Revives Insurrection Challenge to Rep. Madison Cawthorns Candidacy 4th Circuit rules 14th Amendment can be used to block Jan. 6 participants from seeking office A federal appeals court greenlighted an effort to disqualify GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn as a candidate for allegedly engaging in insurrectionary activity by attending and speaking at the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rally that was followed by a security breach of the U.S. Capitol. The incident, characterized by Democrats and some Republicans as an insurrection, delayed the congressional certification of Joe Bidens election as president by several hours. The decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, issued on May 24, overturns a lower courts finding that the 1872 Amnesty Act that bestowed amnesty on almost all members of the Confederacy had the effect of immunizing Cawthorn from a lawsuit brought under the Disqualification Clause in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The relevant part of that constitutional provision states, No person shall be a Representative 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. Cawthorns mere advocacy of a pro-Trump position during the aftermath of the hotly contested 2020 presidential election doesnt constitute participating in an insurrection, his attorney James Bopp Jr. told The Epoch Times on Feb. 14. Cawthorn, 26, a freshman in Congress, was elected in November 2020 and describes himself as a Christian and constitutional conservative. He was considered to be a rising star in the conservative movement, but lost his primary bid for North Carolinas 11th congressional district to Chuck Edwards, a state senator, on May 17, according to unofficial results. Although a favorite of former President Donald Trump, who supported Cawthorns reelection bid, the outspoken freshman congressman ruffled feathers among the GOP establishment and is being investigated by House Democrats for possible ethics violations. Writing for the panel, Judge Toby Heytens, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, stated (pdf) in the 73-page opinion in Cawthorn v. Amalfi that the post-Civil War statute does not categorically exempt all future rebels and insurrectionists from the political disabilities that otherwise would be created by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. Heytens noted in a footnote that Cawthorns claim that the case is moot because he wont be a candidate in the 2022 general election is irrelevant because a primary winner has not yet been certified and it does not appear the challengers have withdrawn their challenge. The other two judges on the panel, James Wynn, an Obama appointee, and Julius Richardson, a Trump appointee, filed concurring opinions. The lawsuit was filed in January when a group of voters filed a complaint with the North Carolina State Board of Elections, alleging that Cawthorns involvement in the rally 16 months ago was disqualifying behavior for a candidate. The board did not disqualify Cawthorn but took the position that it had the power to do so. Cawthorn sued in federal district court and won but the effort to disqualify him continued. The North Carolina voters were backed in the case at hand by Free Speech For People, a left-wing advocacy group. The nonprofit organization also tried unsuccessfully to disqualify outspoken Trump supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, on the same grounds. The groups challenge to Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, an outspoken Trump supporter, from the Pennsylvania governors race on insurrection grounds has yet to bear fruit. Soldiers guard the scene where gunmen opened fire in two bars killing at least 10 people, in Celaya, Mexico, on May 23, 2022. (Juan Moreno/Reuters) At Least 11 Killed in Central Mexico in Apparent Gangland Attack MEXICO CITYMore than a dozen gunmen opened fire in two bars in the central Mexican city of Celaya late on Monday, killing at least 11 people in an apparent gangland shooting, local officials and media said. Seven women and three men were killed at the scene in shootings in two bars, according to a statement by security officials in Celaya, Guanajuato state, which said the attack happened in the Valle Hermoso neighborhood. An eleventh victim, a woman, later died at the hospital, according to a state government spokesperson. Two other people were wounded. Pieces of cardboard with messages alluding to a criminal group were found at the scene, the statement said. Some 15 gunmen took part in the attack, Mexican newspaper El Universal said. The assailants also threw Molotov cocktails in the attack, according to a paper. Mexicos National Guard, the Defense Ministry, and Guanajuato state security forces were searching for the gunmen, security officials said. Guanajuato has become one of the most violent regions of Mexico in recent years, as drug gangs battle for control. Government data show there were 993 homicides in the first four months of 2022 in Guanajuato, giving it the second-highest total behind the western state of Michoacan. By Cassandra Garrison, Lizbeth Diaz, and Dave Graham Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 21, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Australian Nationals Split on Net-Zero Commitment Net-zero and leadership will be two issues discussed by the Nationals party room on the weekend after the regional party successfully withstood the electoral onslaught on May 21 that saw its Coalition partner, the Liberal Party, lose 19 seats. After every election, the Nationals hold a party room meeting to decide their future policy platform and leader. One major issue of contention, between moderate and conservative MPs, has been whether to continue supporting a net-zero emissions target by 2050 for Australia. Queensland Senator Matt Canavan has been vocal in his opposition to the policy saying that when we surrender to the left on these issues, we lose. At the 2019 election, we dumped the National Energy Guarantee, we fought against radical climate action, and we won the election. In 2022, we did the polar opposite, we adopted net-zero, tried give ourselves a green-wash and we had catastrophic losses, he told Sky News Australia on May 24. Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Jun. 22, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Last year, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison set a net-zero target for Australia after sustained pressure from the media. The move, however, failed to win over inner-city and younger voters, who decided to bank their vote with the teal independents and Australian Greensboth are promising more aggressive climate change policies. The teals are pledging a 60 percent emissions cut by 2030, compared to the existing target of 26-28 percent under the previous government. Such policies will force individuals and companies to completely reconfigure the power grid so that it can sustainably power the economy, businesses, and even homes 24-7. Yet the Coalitions defeat, largely to the teals and Greens, has been interpreted by some MPs as a failure by the outgoing government to take climate change action seriously. Some of the language around net-zero was damaging, Nationals MP for the division of Riverina, Michael McCormack told AAP on May 24. In the midst of an election campaign that was already very closely contested, I know it didnt help. Victorian state Nationals leader Peter Walsh has also come out saying he did not support watering down the climate targets. We believe that continuing to take action now will secure a more prosperous, productive and profitable future for our farmers and those businesses along the supply chain that rely on a thriving agriculture sector to survive, he said in a statement on May 24. While Darren Chester, the federal member for Gippsland in Victoria, said that the election result proved that the Nationals needed to keep to a climate change target or else put the electoral chances of its Coalition and state National branches at risk. Protesters take part in the School Strike 4 Climate rally in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2021. (Graham Denholm/Getty Images) We need to take some responsibility for the Liberal losses in the city with the more extreme views of some colleagues undoubtedly hurting the chances of our city cousins, he wrote on Facebook on May 23. When the wealth-belt is prepared to toss out a moderate, experienced, and capable treasurer, for an unproven activist, you need to listen to the message, regardless of how unpalatable it is, he said in reference to the ousting of former federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg by teal independent Dr. Monique Ryan. The Nationals retained all its lower house seats at the electionand a new Senate spotincluding those of Andrew Gee (Calare), Darren Chester (Gippsland), Anne Webster (Mallee), Kevin Hogan (Page), Mark Coulton (Parkes), and David Littleproud (Maranoa). Current leader Barnaby Joyce has stated while he was happy to stay committed to net-zero he would leave it to the party to decide. If other people want to discuss it, thats their right. My intent is to stick to the deal that I made, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on May 24. Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister and Nationals elder John Anderson has hinted that support for net-zero from younger voters was because the debate on climate change had been over-simplified. Were not confronting the real limitations of what we can do, as well as all the real possibilities of what we can do, he told Sky News Australia on May 23. We can help feed a world thats facing a global food crisis, but it means we must be realistic about the fact that we need a lot of fossil fuel energy to do it. Thats a moral cause. This is one of the great problems of the 30-second grab, which has now morphed into an addiction to social media where the spontaneous, clever wit, and nastinessoutweigh considered proper debateand the nation is the loser. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 23, 2022. (David Gray/Getty Images) Beijing Congratulates New Australian PM on Election Victory Beijing has congratulated Anthony Albanese on becoming Australias 31st prime minister, ending a diplomatic freeze of over two years between the two countries. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing was willing to work with the new Australian Labor government, according to state-run media Xinhua. In his message to the new prime minister, Li said the stable development of Australia-China relations was in the interest of both sides. He noted that 2022 marked the 50th year anniversary of the establishment of Australia-China diplomatic relations by the Labor government under former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Li wrote the Whitlam government had made the right choice in 1972 to break ties with Taipei and formally recognise the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing. The CCP banned all official contact with the Morrison government in January 2020 following the decision to ban Huawei from Australias 5G network in 2018 due to concerns of espionage, as well as Australias strong stance on Chinas behaviour in the South China Sea. Tensions further escalated after Australia called for an independent investigation into the origins of the CCP virus, prompting Beijings politically motivated trade war in retaliation, crippling several export industries including wine. Additionally, Foreign Minister Marise Payne tore up Beijings Belt and Road deal with the state of Victoria on the grounds of being inconsistent with national interests. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stands with newly appointed Foreign Minister Penny Wong, at the door of their plane in Canberra, Australia, on May 23, 2022. (David Gray/Getty Images) However, the rapprochement from Beijing may not be met with any change from the new federal Labor government after Albanese used his first press conference on Monday to declare the countrys relationship with China will remain difficult. I said that before the election, that has not changed. It is China that has changed, not Australia, and Australia should always stand up for our values, and we will in a government that I lead, he said. What I will do, as the prime minister, and what my Foreign Minister Senator Wong will do, is put Australias national interests first, put Australias values first. Foreign Minister Penny Wong previously accused the Morrison government of encouraging anxiety around possible conflict with China, noting that the CCP was focused on survival. Drawing some lessons from the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist Party of China under Xi Jinping has explicitly warned about the threats posed by liberal, democratic values to Chinas stabilityand by extension, the Partys survival, Wong said in 2021. During the election campaign, Beijings preference towards a Labor win was evident when its mouthpiece, The Global Times, published an op-ed advocating for an Albanese victory. The author, a retired Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh, said Albanese positively shines compared to outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison and also claimed Morrison was leading the country away from stable diplomatic relations with Beijing. Following the Labor victory, a Global Times editorial piece called it a turning point for the Australia-China relationship and hoped the new government would bring the bilaterial relationship back to the right track. Meanwhile, Albanese has met with QUAD leaders in Tokyo to discuss cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, with particular emphasis on China, which the nations view as a bigger long-term challenge than Russia. Black Trainee Vicar Blocked From Serving Church of England After Saying Britain Is Not Institutionally Racist A black trainee vicar with strong views on identity politics says he has been told that his route to the priesthood has been cancelled by the Church of England (CofE) because white senior clergy were fearful that he refuted claims that Britain is institutionally racist. I would have had to fight just to be a Christian in the Church of England, Calvin Robinson, a journalist and commentator, told The Epoch Times. Robinson has been critical of the measures that the CofE has taken to solve its deeply institutionally racist problem, which is a view held by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The institution wants quotas to boost the number of black and ethnic minority senior clergy by introducing paid racial justice officers across its dioceses. It also wants to launch a racial justice Sunday once a year. Talking to the Mail on Sunday, Robinson said that he fundamentally disagreed with this approach, which is based on a faith in divisive left-wing critical race theory, instead of the teachings of Christ. I believe it is divisive and offensive. I have experienced plenty of racism in my life, but it has always been down to a minority of malicious individuals. I do not think the claim that either the Church or wider society, is institutionally racist has ever been supported by robust evidence, he added. Robinson, who is a well-known columnist and presenter for GB News, is also a political commentator on social issues such as the influence of liberal-progressive views and ideologies in British establishments. The Mail reported that senior clergy had voiced fears over Robinsons views, which he says has now resulted in him being blocked from serving as a deacon at a parish in London, a role for which he trained for two years. He is now joining the breakaway conservative Global Anglican Future Conference. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in an undated file photo. (Aaron Chown/PA) During a Zoom call, the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt. Rev. Jonathan Baker, told Robinson that there had been a lot of turbulence over some of the views that he had expressed online and on TV. On another occasion, the Bishop of London, the Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally, told Robinson, Calvin, as a white woman I can tell you that the Church IS institutionally racist. The Rt. Rev. Rob Wickham, bishop of Edmonton, also voiced his fears to senior church leaders saying that Calvins comments concern me about denying institutional racism in this country. Woke is the new religion and it has replaced the old religion, unfortunately, Robinson told The Epoch Times. We have good people within the pews, same in the clergy. The issue is the bishops in the hierarchy who are entirely liberal progressives, he said. Theyve actually become gatekeepers as they are keeping conservatives out [politically and theologically conservative] and they are keeping us out to protect their echo chamber. Reflecting, Robinson said that if he had been ordained in the CofE every day would have been a battle or a struggle for repeating scripture that dictates that marriage is between a man and a woman. I would have had bishops down my throat, clergy disciplinary measures, I would have had to fight just to be a Christian in the Church of England, he said. The Church has been criticised for backing social justice ideology from climate change to critical race theory. In 2020, the dean and chapter of Bath and Wells took the knee in an empty Wells cathedral in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Last year, Justin Welby, the most senior cleric in the Church of England, apologised for having compared the impact of climate change to the Holocaust. The body also voted to stamp out conscious or unconscious racism. In its Anti-Racism Taskforce update, the Church said its work is not a battle in a culture war but rather a call to arms against the evil and pernicious sin of racism. Our mandate flows not from identity politics but from our identity in Christ. Deconstructing We are at a place where every public body has been taken over by woke or progressive views, said Robinson, adding that he believes many are not aware of the Marxist roots in ideologies such as critical race theory. They are deconstructing our Western way of life, they are adverse to Christianity, adverse to family, and they are adverse to Britain and the West. People just think they are doing something nice, he said. Robinson also criticised the notion some think its nice to tell poor black children that the sole reason they are oppressed is down to racism. The Church should be focusing on what is good, and what is good is scriptural, said Robinson. A spokesperson for the Diocese of London did not answer The Epoch Times questions but said in a statement: In the Diocese of London, we have a limited number of curacies available that are considered on a case-by-case basis. We work with and support Ordinands throughout the discernment process to establish the right path for each person. In this instance, it is felt that there is no suitable option available that London can currently offer. We continue to be in conversation with Calvin, are willing to work with him to discern the right way forward, and we keep him in our prayers. A photograph obtained by ITV News of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a leaving party in Downing Street, London, on Nov. 13. 2020. (ITV/PA Media) Boris Johnson Faces New Questions Over Partygate Images Showing Him Raising a Glass Pressure is mounting again on the UKs Prime Minister Boris Johnson after new images emerged showing him toasting with a group of people during Englands second CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus lockdown. Johnson, who previously told MPs no parties had occurred on the day when the photos were taken, is facing fresh allegations that he misled Parliament. It comes as senior civil servant Sue Gray is expected to publish the report on her investigation into a series of gatherings in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office during the pandemic in the coming days, now that the Metropolitan Police has concluded its investigation into the gatherings. Downing Street didnt comment on the photos, instead, it said Johnson will address Parliament in full when the Sue Gray report is published. ITV on Monday published four photos showing Johnson raising a glass at a leaving party for Lee Cain, his then-communications director, on Nov. 13, 2020, a week after England was plunged into the second national lockdown. Eight people, including Johnson, could be seen in the photos, with bottles of alcohol and party food on the table. Johnson was not fined by the Met over this event or any other event on the day, when Johnsons former aide Dominic Cummings also left, but at least one other individual did. The Met declined to say what the offending event was. It also declined to explain why the prime minister was not fined over the leaving party. Asked if there had been a party on the day, Johnson told Parliament on Dec. 8, 2021, No, but I am sure that whatever happened, the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times. In light of the newly emerged photos, Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said theres no doubt now that Johnson had lied. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper urged the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate why the Met did not fine Johnson over the leaving party. According to the London Mayors office, Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the force on Tuesday seeking a detailed explanation of the factors which were taken into account by investigating officers when decisions were made about whether to take action in individual cases in the Downing Street partygate investigation. The mayor has been clear he cannot and would not intervene in operational decisions, however with the investigation now complete, he has made this request in accordance with the Policing Protocol Order 2011 paragraph 23(g), a spokeswoman for Khan said. Criticisms also came from Conservative backbenchers on Tuesday, with Sir Roger Gale saying he believes Johnson had misled Parliament. That is a resignation issue, Gale wrote on Twitter. I have made my own position clear. It is now a matter for my Conservative parliamentary colleagues to decide whether or not to instigate a vote of no confidence. Speaking to a number of media outlets on Tuesday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended the prime minister, saying he had merely gone by to say thanks and raise a glass to a colleague who was leaving. I see his red box is there, which is his work box, it looks to me like he goes down on his way out of the office and thanks the staff and raises a glass, and doesnt in his mind recognise it as a party, Shapps told Sky News. And indeed the police have looked into this and spent a lot of time and resources. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: The Cabinet Office and the Met Police have had access to all information relevant to their investigations, including photographs. The Met have concluded their investigation and Sue Gray will publish her report in the coming days, at which point the Prime Minister will address Parliament in full. Undated file photo of Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. (Gov.uk/PA) The images emerged after Downing Street admitted it did instigate a meeting between Gray and the prime minister during the run-up to the much-anticipated publication of her partygate inquiry. Treasury minister Simon Clarke had insisted on Monday morning that it was the senior civil servant who instigated the meeting in the weeks leading up to her widely anticipated report into lockdown breaches in Downing Street. But hours later Downing Street admitted it was No 10 officials who had requested the meeting earlier this month so that the prime minister could discuss the timings and publication process. No 10 also insisted Johnson did not support allegations attributed to his allies that Gray had been playing politics ahead of her report. PA Media contributed to this report. Minister of Defence Anita Anand responds to an opposition question during Question Period, April 5, 2022 in Ottawa. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Canada Shipping 20,000 Rounds of Artillery Ammunition to Ukraine Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada is shipping 20,000 rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. Anand says the ammunition is exactly what Ukraines government asked for from its allies. She says the rounds are the standard NATO artillery calibre and compatible with the artillery guns provided to Ukraine by Canada and other countries. In April, Canada shipped four M777 howitzers to Ukraine, part of more than $130 million in military equipment Canada has donated since Russia launched its unprovoked attack in Ukraine in February. The new ammunition comes with a price tag of $98 million, drawn from the $500 million in military aid Canada budgeted for Ukraine this year. Anand says Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot simply remake borders to his own liking and Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine. Capistrano Unified Places Bonds on Ballots to Make School Repairs Amid declining funds and enrollment, the Capistrano Unified School District is considering several steps to keep operations afloat, including placing multi-million dollar bond measures on the November ballot to make improvements to district schools. These bond measures include $98 million bond for seismic structure updates at Dana Hills High School, and one $77 million bond for needed repairs and updates at several schools in Aliso Viejo. The districts board voted 41, with one abstention, to approve the Dana Hills High School bond. Trustee Gila Jones said during the meeting that she voted in favor of the Dana Hills High School bond because construction projects would otherwise be impossible with the districts current financial capacity. I dont like the idea of bonds, Jones said. But the with way California structures school finance, there is no other way to build, replace or refurbish schools, there just is no other way. I call school budgets starvation budgets because they allow for salaries and books but in order to do the construction work that we need to do in this district, we would have to stop educating kids. Dana Hills High School, which opened in 1973, is in need of repairs to its seismic foundational structure in order to meet the states updated earthquake building standards. If voters pass the bond in November, it would qualify the district to obtain an estimated $52 million dollars in state seismic mitigation, as well as matching funds from the general state facility program to support the project, according to a board resolution. Meanwhile, the Aliso Viejo schools bond will undergo another reading at the May 25 board meeting. Eight schools in the city of Aliso Viejo are in need of repairs and upgrades to meet current health, safety, fire, and earthquake standards: Canyon Vista Elementary, Don Juan Avila Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Wood Canyon Elementary, Aliso Viejo Middle, Don Juan Avila Middle, and Aliso Niguel High. If passed by voters, the bond will also bring updates to school facilities and playgrounds and bring technology into classrooms, according to the Aliso Viejo schools board resolution. This comes as Orange Countys largest school district faces a projected funding shortfall brought on by declining student enrollment. During the same board meeting, trustees received a budget presentation that projected enrollment would drop by 812 students from the current school year, putting the district at around 42,000 for the 20222023 school year. Because the amount of state funding available is dependent on average attendance and enrollment, its likely the districts funds will also dwindle. Capistrano Unified has faced underfunding issues for almost a decade after the state established a funding formula based on average daily attendance and prioritizing extra funding for high-need students, including foster youth and students from low-income families. Because of these criteria, Capistrano Unified received less annual state funding than other districts in the county, even though it serves more students. According to Education Data Partnership, an education database that is partnered with the state, the district had an average daily attendance rate of 85 percent for the current school year, with 98 foster youth students, and 13,000 low-income students. Capistrano Unified received $12,700 per student in 2021, while the average amount received by school districts in the state was nearly $15,000 per student. A spokesperson for Capistrano Unified did not respond to requests for comment by press deadline. Wheres the U.S. economy headed and is a recession looming? President Joe Biden brushes off the possibility. What do economists have to say about it? The Biden administrations decision to end Title 42 has been overruled by a federal judge. Texas Congressman Chip Roy joins us to discuss the implications. Is the United States sending special forces into Kyiv? The Pentagon responds to such reports and updates the number of troops currently in Europe. D.C.s Attorney General Karl Racine is suing Mark Zuckerberg for his involvement in Cambridge Analyticas access to Facebook user data during the 2016 presidential election. The culture war in Virginia wages on. A Virginia candidate for Congress joins us to discuss a restraining order he has filed against a local Barnes & Noble bookstore for facilitating sexually explicit content to minors. During Bidens visit to Tokyo, he was asked what the United States would do if communist China attacked Taiwan. Bidens response was clear. But it may have surprised some of his top advisers. Biden makes an economic alliance in the Indo-Pacific. The 13 nations involved represent 40 percent of the global GDP. However, one big country in the region has been left out. * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow CapitolReport on social media: Twitter https://twitter.com/capitolreport Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapitolReport/ Gettr https://gettr.com/user/capitolreport Follow EpochTV on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV The Russian vessel Tantal, an oil/chemical tanker, is seen at sea outside the far eastern city of Vladivostok, Russia, on Oct. 9, 2017. (Stringer/Reuters) Cargoes of Russias Flagship Crude Oil at Sea Climb to Record High Some 62 million barrels of Russias flagship Urals crude oil, a record amount, are sitting in vessels at sea, data from energy analytics firm Vortexa showed, as traders struggled to find buyers for the crude. The United States and other countries have banned imports of Russian crude and oil products over its invasion of Ukraine, and others have avoided acquiring cargoes out of fear of future sanctions. The European Commission is considering an embargo of Russian oil. The volume of Urals crude oil on the water is triple the pre-war average, Vortexa said, even as Russian seaborne oil exports fell to 6.7 million barrels per day (bpd) so far in May, down about 15 percent from the 7.9 bpd in February. The headline numbers, showing Russian exports are still relatively strong, dont tell the full story, said Houston-based energy strategist Clay Seigle. Russian oil at sea is continuing to accumulate. The number of Urals cargoes at sea with no set destination is 15 percent of the total, also a new high, Seigle added. Some of the oil could be in transit to undisclosed buyers, while others could be unsold cargoes. Most barrels of Russian crude oil have headed to Asia, mainly India and China, while volumes to Europe have also ticked up ahead of a potential ban. Cause of Death Revealed for 3 Americans Found Dead at Bahamas Hotel The deaths of three Americans at a resort in the Bahamas several weeks ago were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said Monday. Toxicology and autopsy reports for the AmericansMichael and Robbie Phillips and Vincent Chiarellawere released Monday. Carbon monoxide, a tasteless and odorless gas, was flagged as their cause of death at the Sandals hotel, officials told the Nassau Guardian, without providing any more additional information. The three died under mysterious circumstances at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort on May 6 while staying in separate rooms. They were allegedly found unresponsive, although Chiarellas wife, Donnis, was hospitalized in critical condition but later recovered. Theres still some investigations ongoing at the Sandals resort. We also have the pathologists in-country who have done their job and samples were sent to a very reliable lab in the United States, Dr. Michael Darville, the minister of health for the Bahamas, told Eyewitness News. None of the three who died showed signs of trauma, according to the Royal Bahamian Police. Officials ruled out foul play earlier this month. The families of the dead Americans reportedly have demanded a second investigation and another autopsy. Investigators had also been looking into whether food poisoning played a role as well as reports of a strong odor of insecticides at the Sandals resort. I do not know exactly how far it has gone, but we are willing to assist anyone who wants to get to the bottom of their loved ones [death], Darville remarked. And so, those requests are being entertained. Im not sure exactly where they are at this point. Two days after their deaths were reported, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement that it is closely monitoring the situation. We can confirm the death of three U.S. citizens in the Bahamas. We are closely monitoring local authorities investigation into the cause of death. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. Out of respect for the privacy of the families, we have nothing further to add at this time, an agency spokesperson said at the time. Meanwhile, the son of the Chiarella couple told local media that they were in the Bahamas to celebrate their wedding anniversary. On the day Vincent Chiarella was found dead, Donnis Chiarella had woken up to discover that she couldnt move and that her husband was laying on the floor, Austin Chiarella said. Her legs and arms [were] swollen and she couldnt move and she screamed to get someone to come in the door, he added CDC Concerned About Pace of Monkeypox Developing Worldwide Among Gay and Bisexual Men 200 Massachusetts health care workers are being monitored as contacts of the first US case U.S. health officials are concerned about the pace monkeypox is developing worldwide and said they will launch an awareness effort targeting gay and bisexual men and their health care providers ahead of Pride Month starting next week. This comes as 200 Massachusetts health care workers are being monitored as contacts of the man who was the first confirmed U.S. monkeypox case. There are four additional suspected monkeypox cases, officials said at a briefing on Monday afternoon. One case is in New York, one in Florida, and two in Utah. CDC officials would not delve further into where those cases had traveled abroad, citing patient confidentiality. So far, almost all monkeypox cases linked to the new global outbreak share the characteristics of men who have sex with men who have recently traveled overseas. Some cases in Europe have been linked to group events such as a gay pride festival in Gran Canaria, Spain, attended by 80,000 people, and a fetish event in Antwerp, Belgium, Daily Mail reported. The CDCs top medical epidemiologist in the division of HIV and AIDS prevention, Dr. John Brooks, said the agency would know more about any potential links between the cases being diagnosed in this country and any of these other events in Europe. While Brooks said the CDC didnt have all of that information yet, he advised gay and bisexual men with plans to attend any group events during Pride and over the summer to reconsider if they feel unwell and have a rash. This is a virus that could affect anyone, he said, adding that if youre a man who has sex with other men and you plan to gather with other men, to be conscious of the fact that if youre feeling ill and you have a rash, that it might be a good time to step back. Anyone who develops a symptoms and a rash that is suspicious should seek evaluation, he added. However, the CDC, he said, would not yet recommend that Pride Month events be canceled or postponed as there wasnt sufficient evidence of spread occurring so rapidly to warrant that. On the contrary, what we want to do is empower people to take the initiative to hold themselves back from participating if theyre feeling ill and to also seek evaluation if as a result of [attending] or after attending something they might feel ill, Brooks said. Health care providers are being advised to treat presumed monkeypox cases as if they were monkeypox. Brooks said the CDC would work with its communicators and relevant divisions in HIV and STD prevention to get the message out through various means. This will include through allied organizations and institutions as well as dating apps used by gay and bisexual men. Monkeypox is an illness characterized by a rash with skin lesions that can be concentrated on certain body parts or it can be spread more widely across the body. The strain currently spreading is the West African strain, the milder of the two monkeypox viruses, according to CDC officials. CDC officials are investigating how the cases are spreading, with no apparent links to recent travel to Africa among the 100 cases reported in Europe in the last month. The CDC said they moved quickly to sequence the virus in the case of the Massachusetts man and shared it publicly on an international database within 48 hours. The people at most risk of contracting the virus are those who have close physical contact, which can include caregivers. There is almost no risk of it spreading, for example, by passing someone in the supermarket, CDC officials said. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology within the CDCs National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, said this monkeypox strain has been spreading a little different from what theyve seen before. However, McQuiston said she doesnt think that theres a great risk to the general community from monkeypox right now in the United States. I think that we need to pay close attention to the communities in which this might be circulating so that we can communicate effectively with them and help bring this outbreak under control, she said. While not traditionally an STD, the virus has been spreading recently through close contact, including sexual contact. In some cases, during the early stages of illness, the rash has been mostly in the genital and perianal area, Brooks said. In some cases, it has produced anal or genital lesions that look like other diseases like herpes, chickenpox, or syphilis. Former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, flanked by his wife Jenny Morrison and daughters Lily Morrison and Abbey Morrison concedes defeat following the results of the federal election during the Liberal Party election night event at the Fullerton Hotel in Sydney, Australia, on May 21, 2022. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) Centre-Right Liberal Party Must Reconnect With Aspirational Voters: Former State Leader The defeated Liberal-National Coalition government must reconnect with its conservative rootsand middle to lower class votersif it hopes to regain power at the next election, according to former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman. Newman, who quit the party last year over its support of heavy pandemic restrictions, said there was fertile electoral ground in the suburbs surrounding the major inner-city electorates across the country. You cant out-green the Greens, he told The Epoch Times. I subscribe to the doughnut theory, you have to imagine the cities and a five kilometre radius from the General Post Office. The Liberal Party should focus on those families concerned about individual freedom, getting the kids to school, and making ends meet. He also said that despite the left-wing Australian Greens performing so well in inner-city electorates, it was actually eating into the Labor Partys votes. Former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman speaks to media at Qld Parliament House in Brisbane, Australia, on Jan. 6, 2015 (Glenn Hunt/Getty Images) The sentiment has been shared by Alan Tudge, the federal member for Aston, and one of the few Coalition MPs to retain a seat in the city of Melbourne after Labor, Greens and teal candidates swept the incumbents from power. Tudge told Sky News Australia on May 23, that it would always be difficult for the Coalition given it was running for a fourth term (it won power in 2013) and it was blamed for the lockdowns implemented by state Premier Daniel Andrews. But he noted there was not enough policy differentiation from the then-opposition Labor Party, and that it was unfeasible to compete with left-wing parties and candidates on the same policy ground like climate change or gender equality. He said going forward the party needed to re-align with the values of outer suburban electorates. You look at the seat of McEwen, which we only put resources into at the last minute and we still had a swing towards usits now down to a three and a half percent [margin]thats just across the north, on the edge of the city, he said. Seats like Gorton, northwest of Melbourne, actually saw the Labor Party lose 10 percent of its primary vote, and a preferential swing to the Liberal Party of 4.5 percent. That went across to One Nation and the [United Australia Party]. So we should be picking up seats like that as well, he said. This is going to be the new area we must focus on and provide policies toit doesnt mean we forget the inner city though. A volunteer for the United Australia Party (UAP) waits for voters at a pre-polling centre in Melbourne, Australia on May 17, 2022. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) Other traditionally safe Labor seats in the outer suburbs saw small swings to Liberal on the back of preference votes, including Calwell, Fraser, and Hawke. While in western Sydney, the seats of Lindsay and Paterson saw swings to the Liberals as well. Its literally 80 years to the day almost that [Liberal Party founder] Sir Robert Menzies made that famous speech about the forgotten people and I think we need to go back to that speech, talk about what Bob Menzies was talking about and who we representand that is those aspirational voters. The outgoing Coalition government lost a host of inner-city seats to the left-wing Australian Greens party and the so-called teal independentswhose namesake reflects the combination of the traditional blue colours of the Coalition with Green ideology. The former government saw six traditionally liberal voting seats switch to Climate 200-backed teals, with three in Sydney, two in Melbourne (most notably that of the former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg), and one in Perth. Voters wait in line outside Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club in the electorate of Wentworth in Sydney, Australia, on May 21, 2022. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images) In Brisbane, where no teal candidates were fielded, the Coalition lost three inner-city seats to both the Greens and the opposition Labor Party. The loss of the election has resulted in much soul-searching from within the ranks of the party and the future direction of the party. While moderate MPs like Simon Birmingham and Darren Chester have called for more policy action on climate change, others from the Right flank of the party, like James Paterson, Matt Canavan, and Tudge, have pushed for the party to adopt more conservative principles. Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber flies during Russian-Chinese military aerial exercises to patrol the Asia-Pacific region, at an unidentified location, in this still image taken from a video released on May 24, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters) China, Russia Hold First Military Exercise Since Ukraine War, as Biden Meets Quad Leaders in Japan China and Russia conducted their first joint military drills since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, amid a flurry of military activity that saw forces sortie from Japan and South Korea in response. Elements of the Chinese and Russian air forces performed aerial operations over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and the western Pacific. Nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets from both nations were present. China and Russia conducted similar exercises in the previous three years as part of their annual military cooperation plan, but those exercises came later in the year. Japan Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that the move was likely a provocation intended to rattle U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australias newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, as they met in Tokyo to discuss how to curb the growing aggression of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past, said Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi Japan scrambled warplanes to repel a group of Chinese and Russian military aircraft that came near to entering its airspace, even as the Quad leaders were meeting in Tokyo. A pair of Chinese and a pair of Russian military aircraft flew near the airspace, while a Russian reconnaissance plane flew northward. At one point, the pair of Chinese aircraft appeared to leave and to be replaced with a new pair. Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber takes off during Russian-Chinese military aerial exercises to patrol the Asia-Pacific region, at an unidentified location, in this still image taken from a video released on May 24, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters) Similarly, South Koreas military said that it scrambled fighter jets to respond to at least four Chinese and four Russian warplanes that entered its air defense identification zone (ADIZ). The fighters entered and exited the zone multiple times throughout the day, it said, but it was not immediately clear if the aircraft involved in both incidents were the same aircraft. An ADIZ is the area around a nations airspace where it may demand that aircraft identify themselves, and is generally considered something of a buffer zone around the nations air space proper. Moscow does not recognize South Koreas ADIZ as legitimate and Beijing maintains that it is entitled to enjoy freedom of movement there. The operation lasted roughly 13 hours, according to the Russian defense ministry. It involved Russian TU-95 and Chinese H-6 strategic bombers, which are capable of conducting nuclear strikes and designed largely to target priority in-theater targets such as U.S. aircraft carriers. The partnership between the Kremlin and CCP has deepened in recent months, following the declaration of a no limits agreement between CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in early February. Since that time, the CCP has drawn international condemnation for its refusal to condemn Moscows invasion or to acknowledge multilateral financial sanctions against Russia as legitimate. Likewise, the CCP does not refer to the war as an invasion and heavily censors negative talking points about Russia within the mainland. Numerous outlets have also reported on intelligence that China conducted a cyber attack on Ukraine the day before Russias invasion and that it was considering sending military support to Russia. The incidents with Japan and South Korea will therefore likely serve to keep tensions running at peak levels following the CCPs continued campaign of military intimidation against Taiwan through the use of similar aerial sorties. The exercises also followed controversial statements by Biden, who said that the United States would defend Taiwan militarily from a Chinese invasion. Bidens staff later tried to walk back the comments and said that there had been no change in U.S. policy, which is purposely ambiguous on whether the United States would come to Taiwans defence in the event of a Chinese attack. Events in Sri Lanka highlight how China is going about dominating the world. China is the worlds predatory lender. Beijing is corrupting national leaders, drowning them in debt, and ultimately destabilizing their governments. Beijing, it appears, is particularly targeting democracies. Pictured: Police use tear gas to disperse protesters who are demanding the resignation of Sri Lankas President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in Colombo, on May 19, 2022. (Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images) China Starting Next Global Crisis by Gobbling Up Sri Lanka Originally published by Gatestone Institute Commentary On May 12, India confirmed that it would provide a desperate Sri Lankan government with 65,000 metric tons of urea, pursuant to an existing $1 billion credit line. The sale, which overrides New Delhis ban on exports of the commodity, relieves severe pressure on the government of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka since the end of March has been wracked by violent protests. Shoot-on-sight orders have for the most part restored order, but the unrest has led to the replacement of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, once the countrys dominant political figure. His brother, the president, is unlikely to survive the tumult. The ongoing economic and financial crisis is Sri Lankas worst since independence from Britain in 1948. Sri Lanka is only the worlds opening act. Disturbances there constitute the first in a series of crises about to engulf vulnerable countries, perhaps even large ones. The war in Ukraine, aggravating underlying problems in Sri Lanka and elsewhere, is shaking just about every corner of the planet. Events in Sri Lanka also highlight how China is going about dominating the world. Beijing is corrupting national leaders, drowning them in debt, and ultimately destabilizing their governments. Beijing, it appears, is particularly targeting democracies. Indias urea, a fertilizer, will allow Sri Lankan farmers to plant in the May-to-August Yala cultivation season. It comes at a time of critical need. The country had been spending about $400 million annually to import fertilizer but had not been able to make purchases recently due to the lack of foreign exchange. The government last year, to conserve currency reserves, banned chemical fertilizer. The finance ministry reports that the country has only $25 million in usable foreign reserves on hand, hardly sufficient to service obligations. Sri Lanka is scheduled to repay $7 billion in debt this year, a part of the $26 billion due by 2026. The countrys total foreign debt is $51 billion. The chemical fertilizer ban forced farmers to abandon paddies, and some joined the recent protests. There is, as a result, hunger in the country, and soaring food prices have fueled protests. Ive been living in Colombo for 60 years, and Ive never seen anything like this, Vadivu, a domestic worker, told AFP in March. Theres nothing to eat, theres nothing to drink. This month, food prices there, Sri Lankas most-populous city, tripled in the space of a few days. The new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said he would ensure that everyone had three meals a day. There wont be a hunger crisis, we will find food, he told the BBC. Thats a promise Wickremesinghe may not be able to keep. Sri Lanka cant solve its problems on its own. The COVID-19 pandemic ended tourism, a main source of revenue. Moreover, the Russian invasion of Ukraineboth countries are big sources of tourists for Sri Lankakilled hopes for a recovery this year. The issue, however, goes beyond tourist arrivals. The Ukraine war looks as if its ending a decades-long period of globalization, and this transition is going to be difficult for countries that are especially dependent on others. The Sri Lankan crisis, therefore, is only the beginning. Sri Lanka is the first country to buckle under the mounting economic pressures triggered by the war in Ukraine, Londons Guardian stated. It is unlikely to be the last. Sri Lanka also faces another difficulty: China. The dominant Rajapaksa clan, long thought to be in Beijings pocket, borrowed heavily from Chinese sources for misconceived ventures. Many of the white elephant projects are in the Hambantota district, the home of the Rajapaksas. The Hambantota port, losing $300 million in six years, was ill-conceived from the beginning. Port operators, therefore, were unable to service $1.4 billion in loans from China. Close to the port is a rarely used $15.5 million conference center. Thanks to a $200 million loan from China, Sri Lanka was able to build the nearby Rajapaksa Airport, which couldnt pay even its electricity bills. In Colombo, Sri Lankas answer to Dubai is the Chinese-funded Port City, an island of 665 acres of landfill and a hidden debt trap. In that city is also the Lotus Tower, never opened to the public, also funded by China. What is the point of being proud of this tower if we are left begging for food? said Krishantha Kulatunga, owner of a small stationery store near the landmark. We are neck-deep in loans already. China extended around 17 percent of the countrys total debt. Very few know the full extent of the indebtedness to Chinese parties because there are hard-to-track loans to Sri Lankas state firms and to the countrys central bank. Whatever their amount, Chinese loans have broken Sri Lanka. In April, it declared a suspension of repayment of foreign debt. The BBC reports that the suspension, the first default since independence, is largely because it cannot service loans from China that paid for massive infrastructure projects. China is the worlds predatory lender, something evident from its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Beijings grand infrastructure project specializes in roads, ports, and railroads that have, like the Sri Lankan projects, little or no commercial justification. So far, 146 countries have signed BRI memo agreements with Beijing. Some of them find themselves in hock to the Chinese. The Chinese have established a pattern. China extends debt on onerous terms, backs up authoritarian governments when there are financial collapses or civil disobedience, and then takes everything it can find, Cleo Paskal, of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Gatestone. This pattern is evident in Sri Lanka. In December 2017, Beijing took control of the Hambantota port, grabbing 70 percent of the equity and signing a 99-year lease, after that project couldnt repay high-interest loans extended by China. Now there are concerns that Hambantota will eventually become a Chinese naval base. Chinas admirals have long eyed Sri Lanka: In both September and October 2014, the Sri Lankan government allowed a Chinese submarine and its tender to dock at the Chinese-funded Colombo International Container Terminal. A base in Sri Lanka would allow Chinese aircraft and surface combatants as well as submarines to cut sea lanes in the Indian Ocean and force next-door India to divert military assets to a threatening presence. It is no coincidence that Djibouti, also heavily indebted to Chinese parties, is now the site of Chinas first offshore military base. This pattern is deep, entrenched, and expanding, and so its like the dominoes have all been set up and Beijing is perfectly happy to have them fall down so that it can come to the rescue economically and politically and entrench itself even more, Paskal said. Sri Lanka is now looking for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund, but thats not necessarily a good idea. The international community shouldnt be helping a voracious China gobble up small, vulnerable societies. Its not financial restructuring that you need, its political restructuring that you need before you should put in any more money, Paskal said. If the IMF bails out Sri Lanka without ensuring that it is no longer aligned with Beijing, it will have subsidized Chinese investment and politically reinforced a country that becomes a Chinese proxy. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A sign for China's new digital currency, electronic Chinese yuan (e-CNY) is displayed at a shopping mall in Shanghai on March 8, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Regime Pushing Digital Currency for Mass Surveillance, Experts Say The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) recently launched a new round of campaigns promoting its Central Bank digital currency, the digital renminbi, to further increase its use among the general public. Experts warn that a digital, highly centralized version of the renminbi could further enhance the regimes control over the Chinese citizens. The digital renminbi, also known as e-CNY, is a digitized version of Chinas legal currency, that the CCP has been developing as a virtual legal tender and replacement of the physical fiat currency since 2014. The CCP announced the first group of digital renminbi pilot cities in late 2019 and expanded the trial program to 23 cities in April 2022. As part of the promotion, many pilot cities have recently launched giveaways, discounts, and other incentives for those who register their digital wallets through a smartphone app developed by Chinas Central Bank. For example, according to Chinese state media Global Times, the government of Shenzhens Futian district announced a 15 million yuan (about $2.27 million) giveaway in April for people who register digital wallets. Other cities, such as Xiamen, have begun paying government workers salaries partially in digital renminbi. A Tool for Totalitarianism Frank Tian Xie, a Professor of Business at the University of South Carolina Aiken, believes that the digital renminbi will not be as safe as the Chinese government claims. Prof. Xie told The Epoch Times that the digital renminbi differs from typical cryptocurrencies in that it does not use Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), which means that the digital token is controlled by a central authority instead of by the user. The digital renminbi will not be safer than a third party payment method, he said. On the contrary, A highly centralized digital renminbi will become a very effective tool for the totalitarian regime to control the people. AliPay and WeChat Pay are the two largest payment methods that have over 90 percent market share in China according to a 2020 research paper by Aaron Klein titled, Chinas Digital Payments Revolution. Since 2020, the two companies have been targeted repeatedly by the CCP for violating antitrust laws. William Yu, an economist at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, also regards financial surveillance by the Chinese regime to be problematic. The fact that Chinas Central Bank will have a record of the entire transaction process of any amount for any individual is a very worrisome situation, Yu said. Even if the concept of a decentralized Web3 becomes a reality, the CCP will still try to control it, just like it did with Chinas economy, finance, and information, he said. Epoch Times reporter Joyce Liang and Ellen Wan contributed to this report. An insightful expose on lesser-known facets of military history. 1 h 5m | Documentary | 2015 You dont see a lot of narrative films that cover the many lesser-known battles in the Pacific Theater during World War II. But fortunately, there are some great documentaries out there, such as 2015s Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story, that shed some light on them. The film opens with vintage 1940s footage of people enjoying their time on the beautiful island of Hawaii on December 7, 1941. We then see pilots as they clink their sake cups together, perhaps a last toast before they die over the Pacific Ocean. These juxtaposed scenes alternate, painting an ominous picture of whats to come. Everything culminates in a number of dramatic shots of Japanese dive bombers unleashing their payloads on docked American warships, as actor Ed Harris narration describes the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harboran infamous event forever etched into the annals of American history. Or as President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it, A date that will live in infamy. A younger Leon Cooper in Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story. (Vanillafire Productions) After the dastardly attack, many young men immediately enlisted in the United States Armed Forces. These brave individuals felt it was their patriotic duty to serve their country. One such youth was nineteen-year-old Leon Cooper, a native of Chicago, Illinois. Cooper didnt want to be in the rear with the gear as its called in the militaryhe wanted to be in the fight. Thus, within three months Cooper was training to be an amphibious boat commander after completing Officer Candidate School (OCS). As a Higgins Boat commander, Cooper served the first of six campaigns delivering Marines to Red Beach on Tarawa, an island in the Pacific. They fought hard against the Japanese, and amassed a large number of American casualties. Fast forward to 2007 and Cooper receives some disturbing informationlarge heaps of trash have piled up all over Tarawa and many are covering the graves of dead servicemen. Initially, Cooper attempts to contact numerous politicians and high-ranking military staff in Washington DC about the issue. However, his numerous calls and letters were completely ignored. Leon Cooper points out some of the trash and dung on Tarawa in Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story. (Vanillafire Productions) Not one to back down from a challenge, no matter how seemingly insurmountable, Cooper took it upon himself to rectify the situation in honor of his fallen, fellow servicemen, who lay beneath the sands of Tarawa. After visiting Tarawa and seeing the numerous piles of trash firsthand, he discovered that dung was also covering the graves of thousands of Marines who, as Cooper accurately points out, died in defense of our country. Cooper turned his rage into inspired action and began his new mission by investing $200,000 of his own funds into cleaning up the sprawling mess. He also began a whirlwind publicity campaign by going on numerous newscasts and talk shows with the hopes of shaming the U.S. government into taking action. Leon acutely recognized that not only was the entire situation disrespectful to the dead men but it also impacted the families of the fallen when not knowing where your relatives have been buried can result in a lack of closure. Leon Cooper enjoying time with Filipino World War II Veterans in Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story. (Vanillafire Productions) He also took the same approach of recovering and identifying dead Marines to the Philippines, where 70 years prior, he helped to liberate that country from the Japanese in 1942. To his surprise, officials in Manila refused to even talk to him. But Coopers persistence leads him to other parties in the Philippines who describe the heavy toll that both Americans and Filipinos endured there. Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story contains a lot of archival footage from different theaters of war. Fortunately, it is put together in a concise manner and never gets confusing. Its also filled with a good amount of military history. But perhaps the most notable thing about the film is the touching stories that both Veterans and their family members talk about. Although Leon Cooper may have passed away in 2017, this fine film is a testament to his tenacity and intense patriotism. Return to the Philippines, the Leon Cooper Story Director: Matthew Hausle Stars: Leon Cooper, Ed Harris (voice) Running Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes MPAA Rating: Not rated Release Date: May 25, 2015 Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Watch on Epoch Cinemavisit the link here. Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Hoan Ton-That, CEO of Clearview AI, demonstrates the company's facial recognition software using a photo of himself in New York on Feb. 22, 2022. (The Canadian Press/AP-Seth Wenig) Clearview AI Fined 7.5 Million by British Data Protection Watchdog for Illegally Storing Images The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has handed a large fine to the facial recognition company Clearview AI for using images of UK people scraped from the web and social media to create a gigantic search engine for faces. The ICO fined the facial recognition company 7.5 million ($9.4 million), calling its methods to grow its global online database unacceptable. The watchdog wrote in a statement on Monday that the company had breached UK data protection laws. The ICO wrote that Clearview AI collected more than 20 billion images of peoples faces and data from publicly available information on the Internet and social media platforms all over the world to create an online database. It added that people were not informed that their images were being collected or used in this way. Clearview AIs technology allows for the collection of huge numbers of images from various sources that can help police forces, financial institutions, and other clients identify people.In March, Ukraines defense minister said the country was using Clearview AI to identify Russian assailants and the dead. Watchdogs in other countries have also fined the company over collecting and processing peoples data, including France, Australia and Italy. The ICO also issued an enforcement notice, ordering the company to stop obtaining and using the personal data of UK residents that is publicly available on the Internet, and to delete the data of UK residents from its systems. Given the high number of UK Internet and social media users, Clearview AI Inc.s database is likely to include a substantial amount of data from UK residents, which has been gathered without their knowledge. Although Clearview AI Inc. no longer offers its services to UK organisations, the company has customers in other countries, so the company is still using personal data of UK residents, the ICO said. John Edwards, UK information commissioner, said that Clearview AI not only enables identification of those people, but effectively monitors their behaviour and offers it as a commercial service. That is unacceptable. That is why we have acted to protect people in the UK by both fining the company and issuing an enforcement notice, he said. People expect that their personal information will be respected, regardless of where in the world their data is being used. That is why global companies need international enforcement. Working with colleagues around the world helped us take this action and protect people from such intrusive activity, added Edwards. Edwards said that this international cooperation is essential to protect peoples privacy rights in 2022 and that means working with regulators in other countries, as we did in this case with our Australian colleagues, adding that he is collaborating and working with European regulators to tackle global privacy harms. Clearview AI Chief Executive Hoan Ton-That told the BBC that he was deeply disappointed that the UK information commissioner has misinterpreted my technology and intentions. We collect only public data from the open Internet and comply with all standards of privacy and law. I am disheartened by the misinterpretation of Clearview AIs technology to society, Ton-That said. COVID-19 Is Treatable and Preventable With Vitamin D: Dr. Robert Malone COVID-19 can be treated and prevented with vitamin D, according to the pioneer of mRNA vaccine technology and president of the Global COVID Summit, Dr. Robert Malone. There are virtually no deaths from this disease in people who have vitamin D levels in their blood above 50 ng/mL [nanograms per milliliter], Malone said on EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program. Theres actually many studies out now, including double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials. A 2021 meta-analysis study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients found that there was strong evidence that low D3 is a predictor rather than just a side effect of the [COVID-19] infection and suggested a serum vitamin D level above 50 ng/mL to prevent or mitigate new outbreaks due to escape mutations or decreasing antibody activity. Malone explains that 50 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D seems to be the threshold where theres a big change in mortality according to the data he and other front-line doctors have looked at. Fifty [ng/mL] seems to be the cutoff where the curve goes from one to another, and when you get above that, it appears that virtually there is no mortality from COVID-19, Malone said. A container of Vitamin D capsules. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Other studies have shown that vitamin D has important functions beyond just bone health, which include regulating immune function and inflammation. As early as 2010, a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial from Japan examining the impact of vitamin D supplementation on the occurrence of seasonal influenza A in children aged 6 to 15 between December 2008 and March 2009, showed a significant preventative effect against influenza A. Influenza A occurred in 18 of 167 (10.8%) of children in the vitamin D3 group compared with 31 of 167 (18.6%) children in the placebo group, the authors wrote. In children with a previous diagnosis of asthma, asthma attacks as a secondary outcome occurred in 2 children receiving vitamin D3 compared with 12 children receiving placebo. The participants received 1,200 international units of vitamin D3 daily, with no serious adverse effects, or a placebo. With COVID-19, the fat-soluble vitamin or hormone has been found to prevent the disease, and reduce mortality and admission to the intensive care unit. People deficient in vitamin D were also found to be 14 times more likely to have severe or critical COVID-19, according to an Israeli study. Regardless of the growing evidence of the effectiveness of vitamin D, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) does not recommend it for COVID-19 because they claim there is not enough data. There is insufficient evidence to recommend either for or against the use of vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19, the federal medical research agency wrote, citing only a small Brazilian study that found no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the vitamin D group and the placebo. About 240 hospitalized patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 were given either a single large dose of 200,000 international units of vitamin D or a placebo. Researchers said that their findings did not support the use of a high dose of vitamin D3 for treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19. The NIH did mention that the study had several limitations due to its small sample size, enrollment of participants with a variety of comorbidities and concomitant medications, and the time between symptom onset and randomization was relatively long, with patients randomized at a mean of 10.3 days after symptom onset. The NIH has not updated its recommendation since April 21, 2021, and did not respond to The Epoch Times inquiry on whether it will make an update as more trials have been published. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also not issued guidance to encourage vitamin D intake. In its how to protect yourself & others webpage, the CDC only recommends getting the COVD-19 injections, wearing a well-fitted mask, staying six feet away from others, and testing, among other things. Discovery of Vitamin D for Influenza In addition to sunlight, you can also get vitamin D from various foods including certain fish and mushrooms. (Caroline Attwood/Unsplash) Vitamin Ds positive impact on the immune system, particularly in terms of infection prevention, was first discovered in 2006, according to Malone. I had a call out of the blue from a physician, an older retired physician who was an Army doc, he used to work for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has intelligence community ties, and he was a long-standing DoD [U.S. Department of Defense] researcher in the area of respiratory disease, particularly influenza, Malone said. He added, To the DoD, they have not forgotten about H1N1 in 1918 because theres a strong case to be made, it was actually the soldiers coming back from the trenches that brought that virus with them into North America. So the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza is near and dear to the DoDs heart and has been for decades. Malone said that the DoD researcher was involved in a study in the mid-2000s (pdf), analyzing the morbidity and mortality records from the Department of Defenses health system for warfighters to determine what cofactors differentiated those debilitated by influenza from those who simply shrugged it off and continued to function. What he discovered was clear, statistically rigorous proof that vitamin D levels explain those differences, Malone said, adding that the researcher was told by his superiors to present the data to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci, appointed as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) in 1984, is in charge of coordinating research to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases, immune-related ailments, and allergies. The story he tells me is that he was assigned to go visit Dr. Fauci and he met with Dr. Fauci, presenting the data thinking hes going to get a: job well-done soldier, this is important information, were going to invest all kinds of money and promote vitamin D based on your exceptional work and findings of your team, Malone said. Instead, what he got told by Tony Fauci, per his relating the story to me, was the phrase, we dont use drugs to treat influenza, we treat influenza with vaccines only. And with that, it died. Fauci did not respond to The Epoch Times request for comment by press time. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks in Washington on May 11, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Throughout the pandemic, Faucis message on how to prevent COVID-19 has for the most part been in line with the CDCs guidelines. But on Sept. 9, 2020, he recommended vitamin D and C for immune health during an Instagram live interview with actress Jennifer Garner. So, if a child is deficient, there are two vitamins among the many for example, if you are deficient in vitamin D, that does have an impact on your susceptibility to infection. So I would not mind recommending and I do it myself, taking vitamin D supplement, Fauci said in response to a question on what mothers could do to boost their childrens immune systems. He also recommended giving vitamin C supplements as it is a good antioxidant. Fauci would also share in an email several days later of the 6,000 international units [of vitamin D] per day he was taking to Kari Hjelt, the head of innovation at Graphene Flagship. Hjelt then forwarded his email exchange with Fauci to John Campbell, a retired nurse educator, who shared it on his YouTube channel. According to Malone, vitamin D at sufficient levels, is necessary to support the health, particularly of your T-cell population. T-cells have two basic functions: they coordinate the immune response and kill virus-infected cells. Researchers from Denmark knew in 2010 that vitamin D was essential for activating our immune system defenses, and without it, the immune systems killer T-cells would not be able to react to and fight off serious diseases in the body. When a T-cell is exposed to a foreign parthogen, it extends a signaling device or antenna known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D, Dr. Carsten Geisler, professor at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, said in a press release. This means that the T-cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T-cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they wont even begin to mobilize, he added. Vitamin D deficiency affects over 1 billion people worldwide, including 42 percent of Americans, with darker complexion having a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency: 82 percent of blacks and 69 percent of Latinos have inadequate levels. Malone says it is important that people dont self-administer vitamin D before talking to their doctor and getting a simple blood test to measure the levels of vitamin D in their blood. It is important to get your blood levels tested, Malone said. You can get toxic from too much vitamin D and different people absorb vitamin D at different levels. Vitamin D toxicity, a rare condition, causes an accumulation of calcium in your blood and may cause symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, and high blood pressure. Kidney failure may later occur if calcium is deposited in the organs. Treatment involves stopping the supplements and giving intravenous fluids and certain drugs. Similar to Malone, Dr. Dennis Walker, a radiologist, says that people taking vitamin D supplements should get their vitamin D levels checked six to eight weeks after beginning the supplement, adding that for every 5,000 IU of D3 consider 100 mcg of K2 as vitamin K2 helps to ensure calcium transported by the vitamin D is absorbed by bones rather than deposited in arteries. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a panel talk at the 2020 Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 15, 2020. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images) DC Attorney General Sues Zuckerberg Over Cambridge Analytica Data Breach Scandal Washington, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine on Monday filed a lawsuit against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly failing to secure millions of users data during the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. The 37-page filing (pdf) accuses Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms, of violating the districts Consumer Protection Procedures Act by misleading users about how their data will be used and inappropriately sharing information with Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct British political consulting firm once hired by former President Donald Trumps 2016 election campaign team. Facebook looked into Cambridge Analytica and determined that it posed a risk to consumer data but chose to bury those concerns, the lawsuit states. Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebooks parent company Meta, allegedly encouraged third-party companies access to user data during the 2016 election in an attempt to shift the outcome, the lawsuit claims. The evidence shows Mr. Zuckerberg was personally involved in Facebooks failure to protect the privacy and data of its users leading directly to the Cambridge Analytica incident, Racine said in a statement. According to the civil suit, the exposed data covers more than 70 million Facebook users in the United States, including over 340,000 Washington, D.C. residents. The trove includes users ages, interests, pages theyve liked, groups they belong to, physical locations, political affiliation, religious affiliation, relationships, and photos, as well as their full names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Zuckerberg was personally aware of the risks that sharing consumer data with apps posed, but actively disregarded those risks because sharing data was otherwise beneficial and lucrative to Facebooks business model and Platform growth, the claim asserts. Facebook did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A judge earlier this year ruled against allowing Racine to add Zuckerberg as a defendant in the districts original 2018 lawsuit against Facebook over the scandal. In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook over the same issue a record $5 billion in penalties. The attorney general is pursuing the latest lawsuit to hold the CEO personally responsible for the data breach. The district also seeks damages and civil penalties if the social media giant is convicted. This lawsuit is not only warranted, but necessary. Misleading consumers, exposing their data, and violating the law come with consequences, not only for companies that breach that trust, but also corporate executives, Racine said. Racine has previously filed or joined in cases against major tech companies such as Amazon and Google. Democrat Rep. Delgado Officially Announces Resignation on House Floor Delgado is the 33rd Democrat to announce his retirement Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-N.Y.) formally gave notice during a brief pro forma session of the House of Representatives that he will resign his office on May 25. Delgados retirement was announced weeks back, when Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tapped him as her lieutenant governor and running mate in the upcoming gubernatorial election. On May 25, Delgado will be officially sworn into the office. I hereby submit my resignation effective May 25, 2022, at 4 p.m. ET as United States representative from the 19th congressional district of New York, stated the announcement read by the House clerk. New York needs an experienced leader with a history of getting things done, Delgado said in a May 23 tweet. I am more than ready to step into this role as Lieutenant Governor and work tirelessly, every day, to improve the lives of New Yorkers! I want to say that over the course of my time in Congress there has been nothingand I mean nothingthat I have loved more, that I have loved more, than connecting in a real way with the communities I represent in all 11 counties of my beautiful district, Delgado said in a video posted to Twitter following Hochuls decision to tap him as her second in command. The relationships he has built up with members of his district, Delgado added, have served as my source of inspiration in the most challenging of daysand there have been some challenging days. Congress often instilled in me awed admiration and profound respect, and yet, being homein New Yorkis where I have undoubtedly felt most fulfilled and energized. Connecting with people, working to deliver real solutions in daily life. Thats where Im most impactful. It is with these experiences in mind that I cant helpI simply cannot helpbut welcome with open arms the opportunity to connect with communities all across this amazing state, he concluded. In a May 3 Twitter thread, Hochul applauded Delgados track record and explained her reasons for nominating the relatively unknown congressman. I am proud to announce I am appointing Congressman Antonio Delgado, an outstanding leader and public servant, as Lieutenant Governor of New York, Hochul wrote. I look forward to working with him to usher in a new era of fairness, equity, and prosperity for communities across the State. With Antonio Delgado by my side serving as Lieutenant Governor, we will both make historyand make a difference, Hochuls thread concluded. Having won competitive primary and general elections for Congress, Representative Antonio Delgado is a battle-tested campaigner who has the experience to serve New Yorkers and the work ethic to get our partys message out to voters, unite communities and lift up Democratic candidates statewide, Hochul added in a separate statement. While the move to retire may come as a boon for Delgados political aspirations, it comes as another tough blow to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose already thin majority in the House has been drained away by retirements ahead of the 2022 midterms. At the beginning of April, Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) also stepped down before the end of his term, instead choosing to pursue a career with Aim Gumpthe nations largest lobbying firm. Dozens of other Democrats have stuck around to finish their terms, but have also said they will not seek reelection in a midterm season expected to go heavily in Republicans favor. At the time of publication, over 30 Democrats have said that they will not run again in 2022, depriving Democrats of much-needed incumbent advantages. Most prominently, House Budget Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Ky.)the only Democrat lawmaker sent to Congress by Kentuckiansannounced early in the 117th Congress that he would step down at the end of his term. While Pelosi has scoffed at suggestions that the retirements indicate that Democrats are running scared, Republicans have portrayed the retirements as a sign that Democrats are in troubleand know it. Following Delgados announcement in early May, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) posted a blog post titled Delgado makes number 33. Antonio Delgado is the most recent House Democrat to call it quits, the NRCC wrote. Delgado is seeking the fastest exit from his doomed reelection bid to join Gov. Kathy Hochuls corrupt administration. NRCC Spokeswoman Samantha Bullock added, 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. Special Counsel John Durham arrives at federal court in Washington on May 18, 2022. (Teng Chen for The Epoch Times) Department of Justice Mistakenly Referred to During Opening of TrumpRussia Probe: FBI Agent WASHINGTONThe investigation into claims of a secret communications channel between Donald Trump and Russia was not triggered by the Department of Justice (DOJ), despite the document memorializing the investigation stating it was, an FBI agent testified on May 24. The electronic communication on the probe, dated Sept. 23, 2016, says the FBI received a referral of information from the DOJ. In that referral, the Department of Justice provided the FBI with a whitepaper that was produced by an anonymous third party, the form says. That was a mistake in our paperwork, Curtis Heide, a lead agent in the FBIs Chicago office at the time, told the federal court in Washington on Tuesday. The DOJs Office of Inspector General alerted Heide to the error, the agent said, calling it a typo. They brought it to my attention and asked if it was accurate, Heide said. Officials in the Chicago office may have conflated the [FBIs] office of general counsel with the DOJ, he claimed. The watchdogs office did not pick up the phone or return a voicemail. The FBI declined to comment. The DOJ did not return an inquiry. The testimony came during the trial of Michael Sussmann, who, while representing Hillary Clintons presidential campaign in 2016, handed over white papers and thumb drives with data allegedly supporting the narrative in the papers to James Baker, an FBI lawyer. The data did not support the narrative, which is that the Trump Organization had a secret backchannel with Russias Alfa Bank, according to the FBI and the CIA. The document on the opening of the investigation did not mention Sussmann or any other source besides the DOJ and the anonymous third party. Prosecutors say Sussmann produced the information with the assistance of Rodney Joffe, another client who had been promised a position in the government if Clinton won the 2016 election; and researchers with the Georgia Institute of Technology. Sussmann is on trial for allegedly lying to the FBI. He told Baker that he was not bringing the information on behalf of any clients. Prosecutors say the effort was meant to influence the election. FBI records on the probe contained at least one other error, according to Heide. The document detailing the closing of the investigation said the bureau completed a preliminary investigation. The opening file said a full field investigation was being launched. The latter was correct, the FBI agent said. The matter could have been handled with a preliminary investigation, Heide testified. Prosecutors have asserted that Sussmanns lie was material because the FBI would have been more cautious and acted on the information differently if officials were aware the information came from Trumps rival. John Haughey Follow John Haughey has been a working journalist since 1978 with an extensive background in local government, state legislatures, and growth and development. A graduate of the University of Wyoming, he is a Navy veteran who fought fires at sea during three deployments aboard USS Constellation. Hes been a reporter for daily newspapers in California, Washington, Wyoming, New York, and Florida; a staff writer for Manhattan-based business trade publications. Bureaucracy, corruption, and branding issues are some of the hurdles for entrepreneurs in Africa, but Magatte Wade is determined to move forward For Magatte Wade, connecting the dots is easy: The people of Africa are poor. Theyre poor because they have no money. They have no money because they have no jobs. They have no jobs because there are no companies to employ them. There are no companies because the governments make it impossible to start one. Her solution? Governments need to be business-friendly and everything will be reversed, making the people of Africa prosperous. Bureaucracy and Corruption According to Wade, its impossible for an entrepreneur to start a business there because of endless bureaucracy and corruption. An example of bureaucracy she gives is in the Republic of the Congo, where there are 18 separate documents to import or export anything, and each document needs to be notarized, with each signature costing $500. In Eritrea, it takes 13 procedures, 84 days, and 21 percent of the average income per capita along with 94 percent of average income per capita in paid-in capital to start a legal business, Wade told The Epoch Times. She sees corruption on almost every level, as a result of bad laws, too many laws, and senseless laws. Even to get your passport, you have to bribe people, she said. This lethal combination leads to the death of local businesses before they even start. For decades, the World Bank Group assembled its Doing Business Index Ranking, which ranked the ease of doing business in countries, worldwide. In 2017, New Zealand was at the top of the list and the U.S. was sixth. But just about every one of the 50 or so countries in Africa was at the bottom, with Wades homeland of Senegal clocking in at 140. All but only five sub-Saharan, African countries are less friendly to business than socialist countries like Nicaragua and Bolivia, Wade said in a video on her website. Entrepreneur Magatte Wade. (Courtesy of Magatte Wade) She said the World Bank Group no longer amasses the rankings because, to her dismay, China and other nations had been bribing officials for better positions. The rankings really kept our leaders on their toes, and now we have nothing to keep them accountable, she said. Absolutely nothing. Since there are no opportunities in Africa, many people attempt to migrate to Europe in hopes of finding jobs. Many times, this is done via the Atlantic Ocean, but small, overcrowded boats often lead to mass deaths at sea. The land route can also be perilous, with migrants captured in Libya and then sold into slavery, often for a few hundred dollars per person. Someone like me, I would go for between $300 to $500, Wade said. Unfair Branding Wade believes Africa has been unfairly branded in three ways: safari, tribal, and pity. When Westerners think of Africa, they think of these stereotypes and never consider it as a competitor in 21st-century trade. An example of the Wests pity is theres a popular, California-based shoe manufacturer who, at one time, donated to Africa one pair of shoes for every pair it sold. While it sounds like a noble gesture, in Wades point of view, it hurt the people of Africa more than it helped. No one would buy shoes from African manufacturers and the incentive to start a shoe company there was snuffed. Wade isnt looking for pity; shes looking for African companies to compete in the free market. Entrepreneurship Wade feels that people who live anywhere but in the West perceive they have a cultural inferiority, that whatever they eat, drink or wear is not as good as what comes out of Europe or the United States. However, she feels that given the opportunity, there would be enough African entrepreneurs to step up and create enough businesses to make a difference, especially if their products (or ingredients in their products) were indigenous to Africa. Wade has already done this. Her first company, Adina, was founded in 2004 and manufactured hibiscus and ginger beverages. It was a viable business to make for many different reasons but especially on the cultural side, she said. Until the start of Adina, Africa only sold raw ingredients as commodities to the West, but Wade believes Adina was the first African company to manufacture on the continent a complete consumer product that was marketed to the West. Adina was bought out by Pepsi in 2007 and Wade left in 2009. Wades second company, Skin Is Skin, currently manufactures lip balms at her lab in Senegal. She uses shea butter, which is indigenous to Africa, and the lip balms are sold in the United States at Whole Foods Markets. The lab was built from scratch and employs 12 people. At a separate location, Wade has a school for the children of her employees, free of charge. Members of the Skin Is Skin lab team in Senegal. (Courtesy of Magatte Wade) Staff at work on the production of Skin Is Skin in Senegal. (Courtesy of Magatte Wade) Wade opened a school for her employees children. (Courtesy of Magatte Wade) Magatte Wades Skin Is Skin lip balm for sale at a Whole Foods Market on Long Island, New York. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times) She has a third company in the works, for skincare products, scheduled to launch this fall. Not only does Wade have a legal, functioning business in Africa, but her actions have also brought about some changes for the better. In what she describes as a diplomatic incident, Wade publicly criticized the president of Senegals policies on businesses. Often criticisms of African officials are taken personally, but to his credit, he instead assembled a task force to assess the problems, and changes were made, although Wade doesnt take sole credit for them, citing a huge network. The Heart of the Cheetah Wade has an upcoming book called The Heart of the Cheetah. While she admits with this title shes guilty of safari branding, she said she chose it for a reason. Ghanaian economist George Ayittey, whom Wade considers her intellectual father, used to speak of two types of Africans: hippos and cheetahs. The hippos are the old-school, corrupt bureaucrats who move slowly and nothing changes, and the cheetahs are the fast-running, modern movers-and-shakers who are going to get things done. It was cheeky on my part to do that, said Wade. She considers herself one of the cheetahsthe ones who are going to change the continent, she said, paraphrasing Ayittey. As cheetahs, were not going to wait for anybody to solve anything for us, she said. And a cheetah runs through leaps and bounds. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) speaks at a Senate Republican news conference in the U.S. Capitol Building on March 9, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Ernst Says US Taxpayers Shelling Out $3 Million Daily for Border Wall That Biden Wont Build U.S. taxpayers are still paying $3 million per day for former President Donald Trumps border wall with Mexico that President Joe Biden canceled on his first day in office, according to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). Why not go ahead and build the wall, Ernst said, since taxpayers are funding it anyway? We are witnessing a crisis of historic proportions at our southern border under the Biden administration, the Iowa Republican said. President Bidens refusal to take action at the border has been a disaster, but his decision to cancel border barrier projects that were already underway is literally costing taxpayers billions, Ernst told reporters on May 24. Heres a simple solution, Mr. President: Lets put these materials to use, lets end the taxpayer-funded waste, lets stop the unprecedented flow of illegal migrants, and lets build it! To that end, Ernst said shes introducing legislationBorders Unused Idle and Lying Dormant Inventory Transfer (Build It) Actto require that unused funds appropriated for the purpose of building the border wall be made available to any state government that wants to complete construction on its section of the structure. The current costs of as much as $3 million per day are for contractors to keep an eye on the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of concrete, steel, and other materials required to build the wall, which stands at least 18 feet high. An estimated 458 miles of new wall had been completed when Biden terminated construction a few hours after being sworn in as president. The total length of the U.S.Mexico border is 1,954 miles. Within days of Biden cancelling Trumps wall construction, a steadily growing stream of illegal immigrants, including individuals from Mexico, Central and South America, and even the Middle East and Africa, began coming across the unprotected border. Most of the unwalled segments of the border are in Texas, which has been crushed by the surge of illegal immigrants, which has also included encounters of state and federal law enforcement officials with dozens of individuals on the United States terrorist watchlist. Many more such individuals could be among the more than 250,000 got-awaysindividuals illegally crossing the border who successfully evaded capture by U.S. officials. Many of those who are captured, as well as an unknown number who arent, are mules, individuals being paid by Mexican drug cartels to carry drugs, especially fentanyl. Biden has also said U.S. officials will stop enforcing Title 42, a controversial regulation issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that authorizes border officials to return captured illegal border crossers to Mexico. A federal judge recently barred the Biden administration from stopping enforcement. Experts project that as many as 18,000 illegal immigrants will cross the border into the United States each day if Title 42 is suspended. At that rate, within less than a year, the number of illegal immigrants admitted into the country through the southern border will be more than double the entire population of Iowa, Ernst told reporters. The Hawkeye States population is 3.19 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While Ernst lauded the judges decision to bar suspension of Title 42, she also warned that given this administrations track record on weak policy and refusal to secure the border, there is little comfort that they wont keep pushing. Ernst said she is introducing her proposal because some states that are being overrun by the influx of migrants would still like to set up barriers to better control who is coming across the southern border. Taxpayers have already paid $350 million for the border wall materials, Ernst said. Why not states who want to build the wall access these unused materials? she asked. It would save the taxpayers money and deter the unprecedented number of border crossings weve seen as a result of Bidens border policies. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) are co-sponsors of the Build It proposal. Ernst noted that at least two Democratic senators, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Mark Kelly of Arizona, have recently spoken in favor of completing the Trump wall. Hassan and Kelley are both involved in highly competitive reelection campaigns; Ernst said she will invite the two Democrats to become co-sponsors. Ernst said her proposal includes a provision that requires states seeking the unused materials to certify that they intend to use the materials for border wall construction. So a state like California couldnt apply for those unused materials and then turn around and use them in San Francisco for homeless camps or something like that. They would actually have to use it to secure their southern border. Ernst also said she was awarding Biden her May 2022 Squeal Award for creating a crisis at our border while wasting billions of taxpayer dollars to not build the barriers that are necessary to secure the border with the materials that have already been paid for. EXCLUSIVE: Expect More Censorship of Conservative Voices as Midterms Approach, Says Former Trump Counsel YouTube took down an Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate's interview after she spoke about irregularities in the 2020 election Arizonas front-running Republican gubernatorial candidate, Kari Lake, has found her recent interview with talk show host Jenna Ellis taken down by YouTube on the grounds that it contains misinformation about the 2020 election. Content that advances the false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of the U.S. 2020 presidential election is not allowed on YouTube, stated YouTubes May 20 email to Ellis, with no further elaboration. The takedown of Kari Lakes interview came during Lakes run for Arizona governorship, in which she leads her Republican opponents by a comfortable margin in the polls with a 10.8 percent gap over the next candidate, Karrin Taylor Robson, according to an April survey by Trafalgar. The primary will be held on Aug. 2, and the governors race on Nov. 8. Prior to Lakes run for Arizona Governor, she was an anchor for Fox 10 News in Phoenix but walked away from the mainstream media despite being number one in the ratings for more than two decades, according to her website. The Political Swamp colludes with the Corrupt Tech Tyrants and the Propagandists in the Mainstream Media to silence any and all truth about our elections, Lake told The Epoch Times in a statement on May 23 in response to the removal of her interview. Its election interference, said Ellis, former senior legal advisor and personal counsel to President Donald Trump, But all of this the timing, of course, is directed toward November, and ultimately 2024. And so for candidates like Kari Lake that refuse to be silenced on election integrity issues and things that are very concerning to conservatives, I think were going to see even more censorship before November, Ellis added. During the interview with Ellis, Lake spoke about some of the current issues she sees in the electoral system and called for lawmakers to make changes. Have we learned nothing in the last two years? Lake said during the interview. We know we have learned a lot: we learned that our elections are corrupt, that they found a way to cheat at every single level, and we havent corrected that. Findings from Dinesh DSouzas 2000 Mules movie, the investigation by True The Vote, and the Arizona forensic audit are pure evidence thats admissible in a court of law, Lake said. She said that lawmakers who havent worked to address issues surrounding election integrity should be voted out of office. One day all Americans will know the truth that our elections were corrupt and stolen. They can try, but theres nothing they can do to stop that, Lake told The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times has reached out to YouTube for comment. Former Fox 10 news anchor Kari Lake said she will step down from the role on March 2, 2021. (Screenshot via rumble.com/KariLake) Free Speech Lawmakers and legal experts, including Ellis, have criticized big tech platforms for censoring right-leaning voices. While the First Amendment specifically prohibits government restraint of speech and the press, our founders certainly didnt intend to create a society where censorship could be achieved by tech oligarchs either, Ellis told The Epoch Times. Even if the censorship from YouTube and other platforms is not technically a violation of the constitution, it still goes against the fundamentally American value of protecting free speech for all. This is why, Ellis added, President Trump wanted to recontemplate Section 230 (among other things) to disincentivize censorship and promote free speech. Section 230 is a part of the Communication Decency Act of 2003 that is intended to protect freedom of expression online by ensuring online intermediaries, like Google, are not held accountable for what their users say or do. Under the Trump administration, the Department of Justice proposed to modify section 230 in 2020 with measures that would [incentivize] online platforms to be responsible actors. It said technology change over the past 25 years and how the law evolved gave online platforms virtually unfettered discretion to censor third-party content with little transparency or accountability. Former President Donald Trump, in a social media post in December, called the provision a liability shielding gift from Congress to big tech firms and a serious threat to our National Security & Election Integrity. A Substantial Move Ellis told The Epoch Times that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musks acquisition of Twitter is a huge and substantial move to ensure free speech on the part of the private sector. Recently Musk, in response to a question about whether he would allow Trump back on Twitter, called the platforms decision to suspend the then-presidents account in early 2021 flat-out stupid. Permanent bans should be extremely rare and really reserved for accounts that are bots, or scam, spam accounts, Musk said. I do think it was not correct to ban Donald Trump. I think that was a mistake. It alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice, he added. So I guess the answer is, I would reverse the perma-ban on Trumps account, Musk said. Ellis hopes for more reform in this area. More needs to be done by conservatives in the private sector to ensure these protections and not just look to government to solve all these problems, she said. Cathi Chamberlain poses for a photo with a cardboard cutout of Jeremy Brown, a Jan. 6 prisoner and official candidate for the Florida House of Representatives in District 62. Chamberlain is Brown's "campaign commander." (Courtesy of Cathi Chamberlain) EXCLUSIVE: Jan. 6 Prisoner Running for Florida State House From Jail Cell Volunteers will dress in 'orange jailhouse scrubs.' While some candidates in the 2022 and 2024 election cycles have been described as unusual, unqualified and even dangerous, one stands out to have a place in the history books. Jeremy Brown, 47, is running for the Florida House of Representatives and directing his campaign from a jail cell. Hes being held in Pinellas County Jail and is charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business due to his presence at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. In an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times, Cathi Chamberlainjournalist, podcaster, and author of Rules for Deplorables: A Primer for Fighting Radical Socialismexplained how she came to set all of that aside to bear the unique title of campaign commander for Brown. Chamberlain met Brown when he was a guest on her podcast, The Deplorable Report, in June 2021. A mutual special forces friend had reached out to her and asked if she wanted to interview someone who was exposing the alleged FBI infiltration of protestors on Jan. 6. So, of course I was really interested in the story and so I had him on my podcast, Chamberlain told The Epoch Times. Since then, while they have yet to meet face-to-face, they have remained friends just over the phone. During those calls, Chamberlain said she learned all about his story and found him to be a real patriot, incredibly intelligent, and well-versed on the Constitution. The Florida Constitution requires state representatives to be at least 21 years old. They must reside in the district where theyre elected and must have lived in Florida for at least two years prior to the election. But just as with the U.S. Constitution, the Florida Constitution has no law barring a candidate from running for the position of state representative while incarcerated or after having been convicted of a crime, including a felony. Brown ran for a seat in Floridas 14th Congressional District in 2020 but dropped out before the Aug. 18, 2020, primary. This time, he is seeking to represent Floridas District 62 as a state representative. Brown is the only Republican in the race, meaning that after the Aug. 23 primary, hell face off against the Democratic nominee. The filing deadline for the Florida primary is June 17, and three Democratic challengers have announced their intention to run against incumbent state Rep. Michele Rayner: Wengay M. Newton Sr., Trevor Mallory, and Jesse Philippe. The Epoch Times reached out to the Florida Department of States Division of Elections seeking confirmation on whether Brown would be eligible to serve as a state representative if elected while incarcerated and if he could remain in that position, even if eventually convicted of his charges. As this has never happened in Florida before, the state officials said theyre currently investigating in order to provide a proper legal response. Jeremy Brown served for 20 years in the U.S. Armys elite special operations forces. He is the recipient of two Bronze Stars. (Courtesy of Jeremy Brown) Brown is a member of the Oath Keepers organization. According the their website, the Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath all military and police take to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.' In an exclusive April 13 report by The Epoch Times, Brown provided a letter he wrote to the American people, stating that agents from the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) had tried to recruit him as a confidential informant on Dec. 9, 2020. They allegedly wanted to gauge his willingness to infiltrate law-abiding citizen groups that had no criminal history and certainly were not designated terrorist groups,' Brown said. Brown said he was in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, as part of an all-volunteer protective detail tasked with providing security for organizers and speakers at a legally permitted political rally. As he stood next to the stage waiting for President Donald Trump to address the crowd, Brown said he was again contacted by phone by one of the same JTTF agents who had allegedly tried to recruit him to spy on his fellow citizens. Brown told the agent where he was and what he was doing, so they knew he was at the rally. According to Brown, those same JTTF agents arrested him on Sept. 30, 2021. There is a Give Send Go account to help cover his ongoing legal expenses. I happened to be in the home of Jeremy and his girlfriend the day the FBI showed up, Chamberlain said, calling her presence at the house that day a strange fluke. This is the publicly available photo included in the FBI complaint against Jeremy Brown, who is shown here dressed in tactical gear in Washington on Jan. 5, 2021, the day before the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal rally. (U.S. Department of Corrections) I found out they were having a garage sale and I thought, I want to own something, even if its 50 cents, from an American hero,' Chamberlain recalled. So I drove over to Tampa and picked up the items I bought and he had mentioned the FBI had called that morning and weirdly enough, three hours later, they show up at his home in Roger Stone-style and arrested him. In the FBI complaint, filed the day before Browns arrest, federal officials admit that they have no photos or videos showing Brown inside the Capitol building, and that Brown had in fact told another person at the protest not to enter the Capitol. The complaint still alleges that Brown was more than 100 feet within the restricted grounds that law enforcement had originally set up to protect Congress and Vice President Pence during the certification of the Electoral College vote. Federal officials also included a publicly available photo, submitted by an FBI witness on Jan. 25, 2021, showing Brown in tactical gear on Jan. 5, 2021, but the witness was unsure whether Brown entered the Capitol. The complaint cites cell phone data that allegedly pinged a cell phone tower that placed Brown inside the Capitol building, but officials have no no other evidence to support that charge. Oath Keepers member Jeremy Brown, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, dressed in tactical gear at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice) Metropolitan Police Officers, in attempting to resecure [sic] the Capitol Grounds, advanced in a line and yelled Back in unison, the complaint states further. Instead of voluntarily complying with police orders, BROWN only retreated when pushed with police baton sticks. During this encounter, BROWN repeatedly claimed that the officers were, in his opinion, violating the laws and the Constitution of the United States. The complaint did not include video evidence showing Brown helping a woman who was in danger of being trampled after falling underfoot along a line of Capitol police officers in a skirmish with other protesters. The more Chamberlain learned about Browns case, she said, the more she wanted to get involved. She has remained in contact with him through email, phone calls, and visits to him in jail since his arrest. I saw the injustice that was being done and couldnt help but get very active in his cause, she explained, adding she has also started monthly rallies outside of the jail in Pinellas County. We have Jeremy call in over a loudspeaker system into our rallies from inside the jail so hes at every rally. He calls in and speaks to us all. About two months into Browns incarceration, Chamberlain said she half-jokingly proposed the idea of having him run for office from inside the jail. She told him if he did, she would put her entire life to the side and become his campaign manager. Jeremy Brown shown on police bodycam footage being told to back away from police lines on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice) Brown was being held in maximum security, and Chamberlain said she didnt hear anything more about the campaign until the anniversary rally on Jan. 6, 2022. Thats when he announced it and said, Any questions going forward, direct them to my campaign commander, which he insists on me being called, she said. Thats when I first found out I was going to be doing this, which totally took me by surprise. I was never thinking he would take me up on it. At a rally held on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, protest in Washington, Brown spoke to the crowd through a loud speaker by phone from inside the jail. He said the Department of Justice and the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force has described people like him and those gathered there that day as anti-government extremists. We are not anti-government, Brown asserted. We are informed American citizens that know and understand our God-given rights. He said they are using every trick in their book to cripple him in his defense against their false charges and his efforts to expose their alleged corruption and involvement in the staging of the Jan. 6 event. They have lied to judges to obtain illegal search warrants, Brown asserted, which allows them to manufacture fake evidence and false charges. Photo of a crowd gathered outside of the Pinellas County Jail in support of Jeremy Brown and other Jan. 6 prisoners on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, protest in Washington. (Courtesy of Cathi Chamberlain) He said the government is refusing to provide him with any access to evidence against him, that he has been illegally detained and denied bond, and that federal officials are preventing him from having access to his legal team, which inhibits his ability to prepare for his trial. They dont want any evidence released to the public, he said. This is how scared they are of me. More than that, Brown said they fear the American people learning the truth. Unfortunately for the FBI, he promised, I will expose the truth, even if it costs me my life. Then came the announcement no one anticipated. Today, Jan. 6, 2022, from the maximum security section of the Pinellas County Jail, I, Jeremy Brown, announce my candidacy for Florida State House of Representatives, he said to loud cheers and applause. A screenshot from video of the rally outside of the Pinellas County Jail on the one-year anniversary of the protest in Washington, when Jeremy Brown officially announced his candidacy for the position of Florida state representative. (Courtesy of Tyleen Aldridge and Jeremy Brown) If elected, he also vowed not accept any pay or compensation until our Constitutional Republic is fully restored. Please direct all your questions to my campaign commander, Cathi Chamberlain, he added, to her surprise. The sound of a mechanical recorded female voice came through the speaker stating, You have one minute remaining. Cathi Chamberlain, Brown said further, addressing her directly as she wiped tears from her eyes, who has just learned her offer was accepted. Always be careful of what you ask for. May God hear our cries for justice and liberty, and restore our once great republic. De oppresso liber. Liberty or death. Thank you, Brown said, as his voice broke with emotion, and I love each and every one of you. Screenshot from video posted on social media showing Cathi Chamberlain, standing with a cardboard cutout of Jan. 6 prisoner Jeremy Brown, announcing on May 12, 2022, that he had officially obtained enough verified petition signatures to qualify to be on the ballot in the race for state representative for Floridas District 62. (Courtesy of Cathi Chamberlain) Four months later, on May 12, 2022, Chamberlain stood next to her ever-present cardboard cutout of Jeremy Brown and proudly announced at the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee Candidate Forum in Tampa that Brown had successfully crossed the petition threshold. He has a campaign website, which outlines his three top priorities, if elected. Chamberlain promises this is going to be an incredibly interesting campaign. Were going to dress up all of our volunteers in orange jailhouse scrubs, and their ID badges will be like mugshots, she said. Were going to call so much attention to this in such a way people have never seen before. Campaign shirt for Jeremy Brown, Jan. 6 prisoner and candidate for Florida House of Representatives in District 62. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) (LR) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for photos at the entrance hall of the Prime Ministers Office of Japan in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. (Zhang Xiaoyu/Pool via Reuters) Eyes on China as Quad Leaders Vow to Stand Together for Free and Open Indo-Pacific TOKYOWith all eyes on an increasingly assertive China, Quad leaders from the Indo-Pacific nations of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia met on Tuesday morning in Tokyo, Japan, to discuss mutual cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The four Indo-Pacific leaders vowed to stand together for a free and open region at the summit, and to work towards peace, prosperity, and stability in the region, while coordinating responses to challenges like energy, health, and cyber security, while addressing U.N. climate change predictions. This is what this is about, democracy vs. autocracywe have to make sure democracy is delivered, U.S. President Joe Biden said. In addition to a working summit lunch with all four leaders, Biden will meet for bilateral talks with India and Australia, which has a newly-elected prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who was sworn in on Monday. In the talks, Biden will look to build on the commonalities that he shares with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite differences on issues including Russia, according to an official. Meanwhile, Modi is also set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for talks and a working dinner. U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet for the Quad Summit leaders at Kantei Palace in Tokyo, Japan, on May 24, 2022. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Modi, in his remarks at the leaders summit, said that India would work toward the Quads shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. With this, the image of Quad as a Force for Good will be strengthened even more, he said. Kishida, meanwhile, linked Russias invasion of Ukraine to unilateral aggression on display from China in the Indo-Pacific, although he did not list China by name. Since we last met in person in September, an incident that overturns the rules-based international order has happened: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Japanese leader said. It is a blatant challenge to the conditions set in the United Nations charter. We must not allow the same thing to happen in the Indo-Pacific. On the Ukraine war, Biden said it is currently a dark hour in our shared history, after which he said Russias aggression was more than just a European issue. Its a global issue, he said. As long as Russia continues the war, the United States will work with our partners to help lead a global response because its going to affect all parts of the world. The leaders welcomed Albanese to the alliance as the new Australian leader said his center-left government remained committed to the Quad. He takes over from the center-right Morrison government, which leaves a strong legacy of standing up for Australias liberal democratic values in the face of communist Chinas aggressive authoritarianism, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pushes to uproot the international rules-based order with its so-called socialism with Chinese characteristics. Former leader Scott Morrison was the one to lead international calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of the COIVD-19 pandemic. The new Australian governments priorities align with the Quad agenda, taking action on climate change, and building a stronger and more resilient Indo-Pacific region through better economic security, better cyber security, better energy security and better environmental-and-health security, Albanese said. According to a White House fact sheet, six working groups have been outlined for future cooperation in the areas of COVID-19 response and global health security, climate, critical and emerging technologies, cyber, space, and infrastructure. The leaders also announced the launch of the Quad Fellowship, which will sponsor 100 students from the four countries each year to study in the United States for graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Taiwan was not an official item on the Quad agenda, a U.S. official said, but it was expected to be a key topic when the four leaders meet a day after Biden broke with convention and committed U.S. military support for the self-governed island claimed by Chinas ruling Communist Party, which is still at war with Taiwan. India is the only Quad member to have abstained on a U.N. Security Council vote to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine, although it did raise concerns about the killing of civilians. India has a long-standing relationship with Moscow, which remains a major supplier of its defense equipment and some oil supplies. But U.S. officials at the Quad will emphasize shared views on China, which the Indo-Pacific nations view as a bigger long-term challenge than Russia. The president is very aware that countries have their own histories, they have their own interests, they have their own outlooks, and the idea is to build on commonalities, said a U.S. official. India has developed close ties with Washington in recent years and is a vital part of the Quad grouping aimed at pushing back against Beijing. The United States is considering investment support of $4 billion for India on top of billions of dollars extended earlier, New Delhi said on Monday, after the two sides signed an agreement for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, health care, renewable energy, financial inclusion, and infrastructure. India also joined the United States and 11 other countries in U.S.-led economic talks called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Reuters contributed to this report. Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey arrives at the Rayburn House Office Building to testify to the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 17, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) FBI Leaders, Including Comey, Were Fired Up About TrumpAlfa Bank Claims: Agent WASHINGTONThen-FBI Director James Comey and other bureau leaders were fired up in 2016 about allegations that Donald Trumps business was secretly communicating with a Russian bank, according to internal FBI messages revealed in court on May 23. People on the 7th floor to include director are fired up about this server, Joseph Pientka, an agent based in Washington, told Curtis Heide, a colleague working from the bureaus Chicago office, in a message dated Sept. 21, 2016. Reachout [sic] and put tools on, Pientka added. Its [sic] not an optionwe must do it. The message was sent just days after Michael Sussmann, a lawyer representing the campaign of Hillary ClintonTrumps rival for the presidencymet with an FBI lawyer and passed along information that he alleged showed a secret backchannel between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank. Even as FBI cyber experts deemed the allegations false within a dayand the CIA would later do the samethe bureaus counterintelligence arm continued to probe the claims, a move backed by senior bureau officials such as Comey. James Baker, the former FBI general counsel who met with Sussmann in 2016, quickly handed the information to higher-ups and personally briefed Comey and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, both of whom were eventually fired by Trumps Justice Department. It seemed to me of great urgency and seriousness that I would want to make my bosses aware of this information, Baker said. He recounted that both men were quite concerned about the allegations. Pientkas message was made public for the first time in federal court during the trial of Sussmann, who is charged with lying to the FBI for saying he wasnt bringing the allegations on behalf of a client. Prosecutors say he was acting on behalf of the Clinton campaign in a bid to influence the 2016 presidential election. Clinton campaign officials have testified that they didnt approve Sussmann taking the allegations to the bureau; they preferred to have them promoted in media reports. Bill Priestap, who was on the stand when the message was read, said he hadnt seen it before. Priestap was the FBIs assistant counterintelligence director in 2016. He retired in 2019 and founded Trenchcoat Providers, which bills itself as helping safeguard businesses against cyber intrusions. Bill Priestap, former assistant director of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, in a file image. (Jennifer Zeng/The Epoch Times) Priestap testified that he does not recall why there was no choice but to begin an investigation, and was unsure whether the bureau did open a probe. The only reason he knows they did is that there was an official file opened. The file said the probe was approved by four officials, including Daniel Wierzbicki, an official at the FBIs Chicago office. Priestap was the first person Baker spoke with after meeting with Sussmann and receiving the TrumpRussia allegations. Priestap claimed not to remember taking notes of the conversation, but, while on the stand, he was presented with notes he had taken. The notes show that Priestap wrote that he was told that Sussmann wasnt representing any clients in bringing the information to the FBI, bolstering special counsel John Durhams case. The motivation of the person bringing allegations is of interest, but isnt the only factor the FBI uses to assess what steps to take regarding information, Priestap said. The bureau would want to know if a political campaign was behind any allegations, and if a confidential FBI source was behind them. Rodney Joffe, another Sussmann client, was a confidential source but, according to prosecutors, utilized Sussmann to convey the information to the FBI, as opposed to taking it himself to his handler. Joffe was terminated for cause in 2021 as a source, prosecutors have revealed. It was not something that I was regularly briefed on, and if I recall correctly, at end of the day, it didnt amount to much, Priestap said regarding the allegations. The probe of the allegations primarily took place at the FBIs Chicago office. Ryan Gaynor, an FBI agent there, recounted on May 23 how he volunteered to track the progress of the probe for the bureaus headquarters in Washington. Gaynor learned that Sussmann was representing Democrats but chose to withhold that information from agents performing the analysis of the data. However, he also said that knowing Sussmann brought the data on behalf of a confidential FBI source would have likely led him not to volunteer. Allison Sands, one of the agents who performed the analysis, determined that the data, which was contained on thumb drives that Sussmann dropped off with Baker along with several white papers, didnt support the allegations. Sands said she was prevented from knowing the source of the data because of Gaynors decision to keep it shielded. She would have wanted to speak to the sources handlers if she knew. The team did figure out that David Dagon, a researcher with the Georgia Institute of Technology, authored one of the papers, but the team didnt interview Dagon. Sands said she was either told not to, or to focus on the logs on the thumb drives. She said she knew only that the probe was ordered by officials from someplace in headquarters land. Heide testified that the team had to open a full investigation because of demands from FBI leadership. He also said that the bureau headquarters rebuffed requests to interview the original source during the investigation. That led to frustration, and the feeling that the probe was incomplete even after being closed. John Haughey Follow John Haughey has been a working journalist since 1978 with an extensive background in local government, state legislatures, and growth and development. A graduate of the University of Wyoming, he is a Navy veteran who fought fires at sea during three deployments aboard USS Constellation. Hes been a reporter for daily newspapers in California, Washington, Wyoming, New York, and Florida; a staff writer for Manhattan-based business trade publications. John Johnson, the militia leader accused of pointing his rifle at law enforcement, leaves court in Louisville, Ky., on May 23, 2022. (Ken Silva/The Epoch Times) FBI Spearheaded Case Against All-Black Militia Leader, Court Hears LOUISVILLE, Ky.During opening arguments on May 24 in the trial of all-black militia leader John Johnson, prosecutor Joseph Ansari said five law enforcement officers feared for their lives when Johnson pointed his AR-15 rifle at them on Sept. 4, 2020, in Louisville. According to Ansari, the law enforcerswho included members of the Louisville Metro Police Department, the FBI, and Secret Servicewere so fearful that they didnt engage Johnson or arrest him on the spot. Nor did they arrest him when he made a speech shortly after, when he returned to his hotel that night, or when he left town after the weekends protest activities. Instead, the FBI launched an investigation into the leader of the all-black militia Not [Expletive] Around Coalition (NFAC), culminating three months laterDec. 3, 2020when law enforcement knocked down the door of Johnsons Cincinnati townhouse with an armored vehicle to execute a search warrant, Ansari said. The prosecutor told jurors that law enforcers took the aforementioned steps to ensure the safety of all parties involved. There were five officers, four with handguns and one with a long rifle [when Johnson pointed his AR-15 at them], Ansari said, explaining that Johnson was accompanied by heavily armed members of his militia, and that the officers did not want to start a gun battle. When it was his turn to address the jury, defense attorney Donald Meier said the prosecutions facts show that his client did not have intent to harm or intimidate law enforcement. Meier started by playing surveillance footage showing Johnson allegedly pointing his firearm at the five law enforcement officers, who were standing on the 60-foot-tall grand jury building in downtown Louisville. Johnson is seen turning on the tactical flashlight attached to his AR-15, and then using the rifle to scan the rooftop for several seconds before returning it to his side. The footage does not show the officers, though Meier didnt dispute that his client was pointing his rifle in their direction. You can see [Johnson] fooling around with his flashlight and [he] points it up once the light is on. Theres no visible reactionhe sees who it is [on the roof], and thats the end of it, Meier said. Government uses this same video to say Johnson is a violent terrorist. Thats two pretty different views of one straightforward video. Meier told jurors they must prioritize facts over feelingsincluding the feelings of the law enforcement officerswhen considering governments allegations against his client. According to Meier, the facts reveal that Johnson didnt have his finger on the trigger, nor was he looking through his scopesuggesting that he was simply scanning the rooftop with the flashlight. Moreover, a city official who had been observing Johnsons actions over city surveillance cameras met with Johnson and his militia shortly thereafter, greeting them with hugs. What do the officers do? They realized he pointed a gun at them, but dont mobilize officers or radio that hes in the park with the same weapon, Meier said. A couple stepped back from the rooftop [after Johnson pointed his weapons at them] but then they continued to look from the same area. The defense attorney also said his client was invited to speak in Louisville in October 2020 by Louisville Metro Police veteran Yvette Gentry, who was to be sworn in as interim police chief at the time. Why would Gentry invite Johnson to speak if he indeed is a wannabe cop killer? Meier asked the jury. Meier added that Johnson was cooperative during the December 2020 voluntary interview with the FBI, and that he didnt even know what crime he was being accused of until more than halfway through the interview. The defense attorney finished his opening statement by noting his clients beliefs about the U.S. justice system being unjust to racial minorities. I, for one, hope hes wrong about his beliefs, Meier said. After the opening arguments, the prosecution called its first witness, Louisville Metro Police Department officer Aubrey Gregory, who was in charge of local police efforts to help coordinate protests throughout the summer of 2020. Gregory was still testifying as of the publication of this article. The trial is scheduled to last throughout this week, with the five officers set to testify. Johnson will also take the stand, his attorney said. Johnson faces up to 20 years imprisonment if found guilty of aiming his rifle at law enforcement officers with the intent to assault or intimidate them. The dismantled McDonald's Golden Arches after the logo signage was removed from a drive-through restaurant of McDonald's in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia on May 23, 2022. (Lev Sergeev/Reuters) First Golden Arches Taken Down as McDonalds Exits Russia McDonalds removed its signature Golden Arches sign from one of its locations near Moscow on Monday following an earlier announcement that it was withdrawing from the Russian market as a consequence of the countrys invasion of Ukraine. The fast-food giant removed its sign from a McDonalds location in Khimki, a Russian city several miles north of Moscow, beginning a process that will occur at McDonalds restaurants across the country after over 30 years of serving Russian customers. In March, McDonalds announced it would temporarily suspend its operations within the Russian Federation after facing public opposition to its continued involvement in the nation helmed by President Vladimir Putin. Shortly thereafter, the void began to be filled by local knockoffs such as Uncle Vanya, a McDonalds imitator which rotated the companys Golden Arches logo to form the Cyrillic character . Earlier this month, the company announced that it would permanently close its Russian locations, citing financial, legal, and humanitarian concerns in the midst of the ongoing Ukraine war. For the first time in our history, we are de-Arching a major market and selling our portfolio of McDonalds restaurants, McDonalds executive Chris Kempczinski said at the time of the announcement. They will no longer carry the McDonalds name or serve our menu. The Golden Arches will shine no more in Russia. McDonalds restaurant in the center of Dmitrov, a Russian town 75 kilometers (47 miles) north of Moscow, Russia, on Dec. 6, 2014. (AP Photo) McDonalds properties in Russia are to be sold to a local licensee, who will rebrand the restaurants with a new name which has not yet been announced. The departure of McDonalds from the preeminent Slavic nation has been identified as a symbolically significant shift in relations between Western corporations and Russian markets. The opening of the first Russian McDonalds location in Pushkin Square in 1990 was seen as a symbol of the countrys integration within global, U.S.-led capitalism in the dying days of the Soviet Union, heralding a new future for Russia after communism. The franchise expanded into the Peoples Republic of China that same year, with McDonalds opening its first mainland Chinese location in Shenzhen in the fall of 1990. While the company has withdrawn from Russia in protest of the Ukraine war, it has announced no plans to withdraw from communist China, even despite the countrys totalitarian regime and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. Chinese staff wait for the first customers at the opening of a McDonalds drive-thru outlet built next to a gas station in Beijing on Jan. 19, 2007. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) While the Chinese states severe lockdowns may cause trepidation among Western businesses seeking to do business in the country, McDonalds maintains over 3,700 locations in mainland China, even converting the former residence of Kuomintang leader Chiang Ching-kuo into a McDonalds location. For Russia, the withdrawal of McDonalds can be interpreted as a reversal of the putative steps toward the West made after the collapse of the USSR. While a return to a planned economy such as that of the Soviet Union has not materialized, neither has the integration of Russia within the economic axis of North America and Western Europe. The un-branded McDonalds in Khimki is a stark reminder of Russias growing isolation from the world economy, as Putins irredentism drives businesses away from Russian markets. A Yellowstone County District Judge sentenced Alexander Garrett Laforge III to 110 years in the Montana State Prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years for the 2020 execution-style murder of Brett Ness. Judge Donald Harris sentenced Laforge Monday following a two-hour hearing that included six victim impact statements and a debate on the appropriate level of restitution. Laforge was convicted in October 2021 of deliberate homicide following a jury trial. Prosecutor Stephanie Fuller asked the judge to sentence Laforge to 100 years for the murder without the possibility of parole for 50 years and 10 years to run consecutive for the weapons enhancement. Fuller also asked the judge for restitution of $76,861 to be paid to the victims mother, Anita Ness, and $3,500 to be paid to the crime victims compensation fund. Most of that money, $72,000, was for loss of income due to the loss of her sons employment at her business. The state also asked the judge to rule Laforge a persistent felony offender." Laforges attorney, David Merchant, asked the judge to consider a 70-year sentence with no parole restriction in addition to the 10 years consecutive for the weapons enhancement. The earliest Laforge would be able to be paroled would have been 20 years under the recommendation. Merchant also asked the judge to either deny $72,000 of the restitution or to set the matter for another date due to what he called a lack of evidence showing Ness loss did in fact cost the family so much money. According to witnesses, Laforge waited in ambush in April 2020 for Ness as his accomplices seven in all lured the man out of his house before Laforge shot him at close range in the head. Ness had argued with Laforge days earlier when Ness stood up to the man often called an enforcer and "collector" involved in selling drugs. Ness family took the stand to show the devastating toll losing Ness had taken on their family and to advocate for the harshest possible sentence for the man they said murdered their loved one in cold blood and showed no remorse after the fact. Ness father, Chad, provided a statement read into the record by prosecutor Christopher Morris. He, like Ness mother and other family after him, called on the judge to see that his son wasnt perfect but was still a good person who did not deserve to die. Brett was no saint, his father wrote, but he was loved by many. He discussed the people Ness impacted and the hole felt by his family. His anger and the anger of others was evident throughout the hearing. He encouraged the judge to give Laforge life without the possibility of parole and rob Laforge of any second chance. Brett does not get a second chance," he told the judge. "Hes gone forever. Ness mother, Anita Ness, opened her impact statement showing the judge two photos. The first was of her son, saying she wanted him to see her son when he was alive since the only picture the judge saw at trial was of Ness dead. The second photo was of her six-year-old granddaughter, Ness daughter. She was four when her father was killed. She described how her son would always help a friend in need, how he stood up for others and how he would listen to and be there for people at their worst times. It was those character traits, she told the judge, that angered Laforge before he shot Ness in retaliation for him standing up to him. Brett truly was a genuine, loving, caring, one-of-a-kind young man, she told the judge, he was loved and is missed dearly by so many. Anita Ness said she suffers from memory loss, panic attacks and lives each day in a fog as a result of the murder. I can honestly say that until all of this happened, I didnt know what it felt like to hate another person, Anita Ness said. I now know and it makes me sick. I cant even begin to explain all the ways that I have changed. Brett was not perfect, but no one is. He didnt deserve to die for his imperfections. Ness aunt, sister-in-law, brother and grandmother also gave statements to the judge. The resounding message was anger towards Laforge and a request that the judge sentence him to the harshest possible sentence calling mostly for life without parole. At the center of much of the hearing was Laforges decades long career as a criminal. Prior to Mondays proceeding he had been sentenced in seven other felonies and 22 misdemeanors. According to prosecutors, Laforge had spent all but three years of his adult life on some sort of supervision or in some form of incarceration. He was paroled to Billings in 2014 after serving part of a 10-year sentence for drug charges. His other felonies included multiple domestic abuse convictions. Ness family pointed to his persistence as a violent felon and his lack of remorse in the murder of Ness as proof he deserved to be incarcerated for the rest of his life. The prosecution agreed and highlighted much of Laforge's criminal history prior to sentencing. Throughout the hearing Laforge took notes on a legal pad while looking down. He did not react to anything said in the courtroom by any of the lawyers, witnesses, or the judge except to say no when asked if he wanted to make a statement to the court. Merchant argued on behalf of his client that a lack of remorse was not indicative of his character, but that Laforge was maintaining his innocence at Merchants urging and was providing no statement in response to his counsel. Merchant called on the judge to consider Laforges age and to consider the fact that a 50-year parole restriction would be an effective life sentence since Laforge would not be eligible for parole until he was 94 years old. With the 80-year sentence, he argued, Laforge would be eligible for parole at 64-years-old it would be chance at "hope" for a new life instead of locking someone up for the rest of their life, Merchant argued. In the end the judge sentenced Laforge to the states recommendation of 110 years for both the homicide and weapons enhancement without the possibility of parole for at least 50 years. Harris said he took into consideration Laforges prior felony convictions, the 22 misdemeanors and the PSI authors statement, If he is released again, there is no reason to believe he wont continue his alcohol abuse and violent behavior. The courts finding, Harris said, is that you are a clear and present danger to this community. I believe there is a high likelihood that you would injure or kill someone if you are released back into this community. Before closing Harris offered the family the court's condolences saying, "I hope that with time you will be able to heal." Then he turned to Laforge and said, "Mr. Laforge it may not seem like it but the court also wishes you luck, sir. It wishes you success in the future." Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 8 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In a file electron microscope image, Monkeypox virions, left, in a sample of human skin. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP) First Potential Monkeypox Case in California Being Investigated A case of suspected monkeypox is being investigated, officials in Sacramento announced on May 24. If confirmed, it would be the first known case in California. The patient recently traveled to areas in Europe where cases of monkeypox have been confirmed, the Sacramento County Division of Public Health said in a statement, without naming the countries. Cases have been confirmed in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, according to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. Officials believe the California person has monkeypox, due to their symptoms and preliminary testing. Confirmation tests from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health are pending. For now, the person is isolating at home and avoiding contact with other people. Officials declined to give more information about the person, including whether it is a man or a woman. The persons health care provider alerted the county on May 21 to the possible case, Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the countys public health officer, told a briefing. A single case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the United States, according to the CDC. That person tested positive in Massachusetts after traveling from Canada. Six other cases were being investigatedtwo in Florida, two in Utah, one in New York, and one in Washington stateCDC officials told reporters on a call on Monday. The U.S. supply of monkeypox vaccine will be used among people who have been exposed, the officials said. Dr. Ashwan Vasan, New York Citys health commissioner, told reporters Tuesday that one suspected case of monkeypox tested negative but the other appears likely. But I want New Yorkers to feel a little bit reassured. This is not a highly transmissible and deadly virus. This is a relatively mild respiratory virus that is traveling by droplets, which means you need to have prolonged contact with someone, prolonged close contact with someone in order to transmit, he said. It transmits more like [tuberculosis] than it does like COVID. But we will say when youre indoors, wear a maskthats going to protect you from whatever exposures, including COVID, including monkeypox. Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus that causes symptoms that are similar to, but not as severe as, the symptoms that smallpox causes. Monkeypox is often found in areas of Africa, but not in the rest of the world. Starting in mid-May, cases began appearing in countries outside Africa. Health officials have said they expect additional cases of monkeypox to be detected and are recommending patients with symptoms, particularly people who traveled to African or European countries where cases were reported and men who engage in gay sex, to contact their health care providers. Many of those affected in the current global outbreak identify as gay and bisexual men, said Dr. John Brooks, an epidemiologist at the CDC. Symptoms include headache, fever, and chills. Most often, within one to three days after experiencing symptoms, the patient develops a rash. The patient heals after two to four weeks. The incubation period for the disease is typically one to two weeks. Monkeypox can prove fatal for as many as 10 percent of people who contract it, the CDC says, citing data from Africa. Prevention techniques include avoiding contact with animals that could harbor the virus and isolating infected patients. A view of the Mekong river bordering Thailand and Laos is seen from the Thai side in Nong Khai, Thailand, on Oct. 29, 2019. (Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters) Fuel Shortage in Laos Sees People Asked Not to Travel The Laos government has called on residents to avoid unnecessary travel amid fuel shortages, citing the need to prioritize agriculture and other essential industries, according to local reports. Laos, which imports most of its gasoline from neighboring countries, faces fuel shortages due to soaring fuel prices and a weak currency. Many gas stations have been forced to close, with people waiting hours in line to buy fuel. Local farmers have complained that they are unable to plow their fields or irrigate their crops due to a lack of fuel supply, seeing them turn to the government to come up with an immediate solution, the Laotian Times reported. Vongsone Phimmavongsa, head of the Laos State Fuel Enterprise in Khammouane province, emphasized the need to ensure that farmers have enough fuel supply to avoid food shortages in the country. If people are wasteful with fuels during this crisis, it will cause problems for all of us in the future, he said, the Laotian Times reported. Vongsone said that some petrol stations in his province had limited their operations to once or twice a week due to fuel shortages and have been barred from selling gasoline in containers to prevent fuel reselling. Farmers can only purchase up to 20 liters at a time, whereas consumers are limited to 400,000 kips ($30) of fuel purchases. The Industry and Commerce Ministry said on Monday that it would look into ways to mitigate Laos depreciating foreign exchange rate, which it views as the root cause of the fuel crisis, according to local media. The Lao kip depreciated sharply by 30 percent against the U.S. dollar in the year leading up to April 2022, indicating considerable external liquidity constraints, the World Bank said in its economic update on May 12. The Prime Ministers Office issued a notice on May 6 instructing relevant ministries to initiate talks to buy cheaper oil from Russia and urged the finance ministry to improve its currency exchange controls. Industry and Commerce Minister Khampheng Saysompheng said on May 11 that purchasing oil from Russia has not yet been confirmed because it would involve a lengthy process of purchase agreements and would not provide a quick fix. He stated that the government will look for alternative petroleum suppliers other than Thailand and Vietnam, and that it will seek to provide up to $60 million to fuel importers as a short-term solution to the fuel crisis. Phosysoy Kuthilath, director of the Department of Industry and Commerce of Savannakhet province, claimed that the nations foreign currency reserves are insufficient to pay for fuel imports. An increase in imports of foreign goods results in an increased demand for foreign currency [to pay for imports]. When demand for foreign currency is high, our currency depreciates, he said. Then-Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), (R), calls for session to end as State Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) looks on during a contentious legislative session on Dec. 4, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) GOP Lawmaker Seeks to Hold DOJ Accountable for Its Efforts Countering Chinese Espionage A Republican U.S. congressman is proposing that the Department of Justice (DOJ) be held accountable for countering and reporting on threats from the Chinese regime in the aftermath of the Biden administrations cancellation of the Trump-era China Initiative anti-espionage program. The China Initiative Accountability Report Act (H.R. 7325), which was introduced by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), would direct the Attorney General to prepare a report on the Department of Justice activities related to countering Chinese national security threats, and for other purposes. He led Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), and Scott Franklin (R-Fla.) in announcing the effort. In February, the DOJ announced that it was ending its China Initiative, a Trump-era program aimed at preventing espionage activity by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and more. Fitzgerald told The Epoch Times that the Biden administrations decision to nix the strategy was part of a knee-jerk reaction to anything coming out of the Trump administration. The move to end the initiative became the real genesis of H.R. 7325, Fitzgerald said. As his congressional office began putting together the proposal, he said there was a good response from other judiciary and leadership personnel who understood that a report might help thwart national security threats from the Chinese regime. He says an annual DOJ report to describe activities and operations related to countering the Chinese regimes national security threats and espionage in the United States would become quite valuable at this juncture, considering how much the regime has infiltrated and taken advantage of American resources for years. Fitzgerald emphasized that there is truly a genuine national security concern when it comes to the Chinese regime. He is particularly concerned about the theft of trade secrets, intellectual property and research theft, and threats from others, including researchers in laboratories, at universities, and at defense industrial base facilities. There are also many other examples, [resulting in] criminal charges and convictions of individuals guilty of grant fraud, visa fraud, and lying to federal prosecutors, he said. Too Threatening to Dismantle The premise of a bill to hold those responsible for protecting [the United States] from [the Chinese regime] is not only advisable, but absolutely essentialespecially in light of the Biden administrations decision to terminate the program that was already underway. Frank Gaffney, executive chairman and founder of the Center for Security Policy, a Washington-based think tank, told The Epoch Times. Gaffney considers it completely unconscionable that the China Initiative is not simply being deemphasized but entirely dismantled. He noted the longstanding threat of the Chinese regime, pointing out that Beijing has engaged in unrestricted warfare against the United States for more than 20 years. And today, he said, the country is now facing the greatest threat in its history from the CCP. Gaffney said the DOJ and FBI should be relentlessly pursuing whatever evidence they can to establish and illustrate how the Chinese regime is waging war inside the United States through its penetration of research institutes, academic centers, laboratories, through the theft of intellectual property, and more. Accordingly, he said, this should be job number one for the DOJ and FBI. Evidence Ignored, Threat Advanced At the end of last year, Charles Lieber, the former chair of chemistry at Harvard University, was convicted of making false statements in connection with funding received from China and his links to a Chinese state-sponsored recruitment plan that U.S. officials have said facilitates the transfer of U.S. technology and know-how to China. Fitzgerald said Liebers case appeared to fall on deaf ears, explaining that it certainly didnt rise to the level of significance that it needed to. He said this was merely one example of the concrete evidence that something needs to be done [to] confront an abundance of threats to the national security of the United States. The text of H.R. 7325 points out several pervasive and growing threats to United States domestic national security by the CCP. These include trade secret theft, economic espionage, threats to critical infrastructure and supply chains, and more. The threats are not only coming from a Chinese regime across the Pacific but can also be placed at the hands of agents of influence or useful idiots in our own country that are aiding and abetting them, Gaffney said. The United States has been deeply compromised by the CCP, he added. And when you have a commander-in-chief, the president of the United States, dismantling a China Initiative that appeared to be working, it speaks volumes about the degree to which the country is positioning itself to move itself closer to mortal peril. Justice Department officials didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) looks on during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on voting rights on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 20, 2021. (Evelyn Kockstein/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) GOP Lawmakers Demand DHS Release Disinformation Board Documents A group of Republican lawmakers has written a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, demanding the immediate release all relevant documents related to the currently paused Disinformation Governance Board. The letter, sent on May 23, was signed by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) nd five other senators. Mayorkas had promised under oath to make the records of the Disinformation Board available, the letter stated. On May 4 when Mayorkas testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about the creation of the new board, he promised to produce all records of the board to the committee unless there is a legal prohibition against doing so. However, our offices still have not received any of these documents, the letter said. We are therefore writing to demand immediate access to all records and communications related to the Disinformation Governance Board. Stating that they were pleased about DHSs decision to shut down the board in response to concerns they had raised, Republican senators insisted that such a mistake should not be repeated. GOP lawmakers demanded the DHS be transparent about its decision-making process to understand why it ever thought that creating a disinformation board would be a good idea. The letter asked the DHS to submit recorded or written communication related to the boards formation, minutes from any meeting during the formation of the board, a legal review to determine whether the boards activities would be authorized according to the American constitution, any communication or record about individuals who would serve on the board, communications related to the appointment of the boards executive director, and communications with the White House related to the boards formation and appointment of officials. In addition, any document that has ties with the disinformation board but has not been included in the above list has also been requested. Mayorkass announcing the creation of the disinformation board on April 27 triggered strong backlash as many citizens raised concerns that the division would become a tool for government censorship, comparing it to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwells dystopian novel 1984. Hawley sent a letter to Mayorkas on April 28 saying that the disinformation board is certainly unconstitutional, adding that the sole purpose of this new Disinformation Governance Board will be to marshal the power of the federal government to censor conservative and dissenting speech. Ini response to the backlash, the disinformation board was paused and a panel was created to review it. Nina Jankowicz, who was tapped to lead the board, resigned shortly after her appointment. Criticism of the disinformation board has not only come from Republicans, but also civil liberties and human rights groups, Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, pointed out in a May 18 tweet. There were very good reasons to question and criticize the Biden admins initiative. It is not true that all of the critics were right-wing, or disinfo-mongerers, or operating in bad faith, he said. Gov. Newsom Warns Californians of Mandatory Water Restrictions Amid Worsening Drought California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called on water associations to take aggressive actions to increase water conservation and warned that mandatory water restrictions may lie ahead this summer if the state does not significantly cut down its consumption. Newsom made the comments during a meeting with leaders from the states largest urban water suppliersincluding those covering Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Areaand water associations on May 23 amid worsening drought conditions. Every water agency across the state needs to take more aggressive actions to communicate about the drought emergency and implement conservation measures, Newsom said. Californians made significant changes since the last drought but we have seen an uptick in water use, especially as we enter the summer months. We all have to be more thoughtful about how to make every drop count. Newsom also called on water suppliers to better engage their customers to ensure all Californians are attempting to save water in the state. In July 2021, the Democratic governor declared a drought emergency and called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent. But by the end of March 2022, the state had failed to meet that goal and Newsom issued an executive order asking local agencies to increase their response to the ongoing drought, the governors office said. On May 24, Californias State Water Resources Control Board, under direction from Newsom, is set to vote on a statewide ban on watering of non-functional turf in the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors according to Newsoms office. It will also vote on regulations that would require local agencies to implement water use restrictions amid a potential 20 percent decline in supplies because of extreme weather. If approved by the board, every city in the state will be covered by the regulations directing decreased water usage. A sign advocating water conservation is posted in a field of dry grass in San Anselmo, Calif. on April 23, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The first three months of this year were the driest in the states recorded history, Newsom said, with the states largest reservoirs currently at half of their historical averages, and the states snowpackwhich provides 30 percent of the states wateris at just 14 percent of average. Despite this, the state only used 3.7 percent less water during that period than in the same period in 2020, according to the State Water Resources Control Board. Currently, local water agencies have implemented restrictions on about half of Californias population. If the Boards regulations are approved, every urban area of California will be covered by a local plan to reduce water use, Newsoms office said on Monday. The governors office is also calling on Californians to conserve water by limiting outdoor watering, taking shorter showers, taking showers instead of baths, using a broom as opposed to a water hose to clean outdoor areas, and washing clothes in a full load. Police officers guard the entrance of the Qatar embassy in Paris, on May 23, 2022. (Alexander Turnbull/AP Photo) Guard at Qatari Embassy in Paris Killed in Attack PARISA homicide investigation was opened on Monday after a security guard at the Qatari Embassy in Paris was killed and a suspect arrested, the prosecutors office said. The circumstances of the killing, including the method used, were not immediately clear. The prosecutors office said that the use of a weapon is not at this time confirmed. French press reports said the guard was killed around 7 a.m. outside the embassy in Paris posh 8th district, apparently beaten to death. Several French media reported that the suspect appeared to be mentally unstable. Police refused to comment on the killing. The special prosecutor for terrorism cases was not involved in the case, meaning that terror has been ruled out as a motive in the attack. Police officers guard the entrance of the Qatar embassy in Paris, on May 23, 2022. (Alexander Turnbull/AP Photo) Baby formula is displayed on the shelves of a grocery store in Carmel, Ind., May 10, 2022. (AP/Michael Conroy) Health Canada Watching Potential Impact of Sunflower Oil Shortage on Baby Formula Health Canada says it is preparing for the possibility that a shortage of sunflower oil could further strain baby formula supplies in Canada. The federal agency says its working closely with manufacturers that rely on sunflower oil as a key ingredient to produce formula that still meets Canadian standards. That includes efforts to speed up evaluation of any ingredient substitutions, noting that a switch is considered a major change and it must undergo pre-market assessment. Ukraine and Russia together export half of the worlds sunflower oil, but the ongoing war has seen Russian invaders accused of blocking Ukrainian ports and preventing food staples from leaving. In the meantime, Health Canada says it will extend a temporary plan to import more baby formula from Europe and the United States to bolster domestic supplies. The plan to bring 20 infant formulas approved for use in Europe and the United States currently expires June 30. bhe federal agency says in an emailed statement that the interim policy will be extended but did not elaborate. The national spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada says theyve been told the order will be extended to Dec. 30, 2022. Last week, the federal agency acknowledged a shortage of infant formulas designed for babies with food allergies and certain medical conditions. A massive product recall in February led to the shutdown of Abbott Nutritions Michigan plant, exacerbating pandemic-era supply chain woes and depleting stock in the United States. While not as severe here, the Retail Council of Canada says its members have also experienced shortages, and in response restricted online orders and in-person purchases to meet demand. Health Canada says the measures are all in service of mitigating further strain on Canadian formula supplies. Due to the urgency of the situation, and the critical nature of these products, Health Canada is monitoring the situation closely, and working with manufacturers in regards to infant formula supplies, the agency said in a statement emailed late last week. If additional safety or supply information is identified, Health Canada will take appropriate action and inform Canadians as needed. Health Canada introduced the interim order to extend imports March 10, in a bid to prevent and mitigate shortages, listing several formulas that grew to 20 by May 9 with the addition of a liquid Enfamil product. The agency recommended that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency temporarily lift food labelling and composition requirements for products from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany that are otherwise comparable to Canadian standards. The Retail Council of Canada says Ottawa is working to mitigate the potential of further shortages brought on by the war in Ukraine, which is having a massive impact on cost of all oils. But sunflower oil is a particular ingredient in baby formula, says Michelle Wasylyshen. And so given that we know that the war in Ukraine is likely not going to end for some time, and that the impact of sunflower flower oil will be significant on these products, Health Canada has been working with manufacturers to see if theres ways to alter that ingredient within their formulas in advance of this pending shortage so that they can get ahead of it. A river runs high after heavy rains, next to homes which were damaged during previous flooding, in kwaNdengezi near Durban, South Africa, on May 22, 2022. (Rogan Ward/Reuters) Hundreds Evacuated Amid Renewed Flooding in South Africas Coastal Province JOHANNESBURGHundreds of people have been evacuated to safety after heavy rains once again hammered South Africas coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal, flooding roads and houses and damaging properties, a government official said on Sunday. The province is still restoring damaged infrastructure and making plans to re-home people displaced after flooding last month, which was among the worst to have affected KwaZulu-Natal province in its recorded history. Aprils floods killed 448, with 88 still missing, left more than 6,800 homeless, and damaged more than 25 billion rand ($1.58 billion) of infrastructure. The province had received early warnings from the South Africa Weather Service, alerting it to further disruptive rainfall on Saturday in a number of towns, including Durban, the worst hit by the previous floods. So far the greatest impact is expected along the coastal and north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Sipho Hlomuka, member of the executive council for Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs told journalists. He said approximately 250 people had been evacuated from care centers in Tongaat and Tehuise in Durban, including retirement villages, to other facilities. Only one family was evacuated due to the collapse of an informal dwelling. This heavy rainfall has resulted in the flooding of roads, human settlements, and damage to properties. We understand that some areas are inaccessible and have become islands at this stage, he said, adding they had yet to receive a full report on the impact of the latest heavy rains. Rainfall persisted on Sunday in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the South Africa Weather service said, as the alert level remained at the highest and most severe level of 10. Scientists believe the southeastern coast of Africa is becoming more vulnerable to violent storms and floods as human emissions of heat-trapping gases cause the Indian Ocean to warm. They expect the trend to worsen dramatically in the coming decades. ($1 = 15.8332 rand) A happily-married Virginia man diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers at the age of 41 was given four to five years to get his affairs in order. Yet, bolstered by his wifes love and support, their faith, and their deep mutual understanding, he has lived 16 years past his diagnosis and celebrated his 35th wedding anniversary to the woman he loves. Don Talbott, 57, lives in Gloucester, Virginia, with his wife, Christy Talbott, 55. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) The couple first met when Christy was still in high school, working at a Hillside Cinema movie theater in her small Virginia hometown, Gloucester. Don was a regular visitor, yet never approached her. He moved to Idaho with his family after graduation. It wasnt until two years later that he returned and rode past the cinema on his motorbike, catching Christys attention. He came up and started talking to me, and we just became friends, Christy told The Epoch Times. After eight months, they tied the knot on May 2, 1987, when Don was 22, and Christy was 21. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) As it turned out, Don had a crush on Christy since the beginning. I told my buddies, Im gonna marry her when I get back,' he recalled. My first impression of her was theres no way a girl like that would even talk to me it just so happened that my family had moved away, but she never moved away from inside my mind. Christy wanted light, laughter, and the Lord in her life, and Don provided all that to her. They welcomed a son in 1989, who grew up to become a school teacher in the STEM program. Were very proud of him, said Don. Christy has battled multiple sclerosis (MS) since her late teenage years. Her official diagnosis came right after she married Don. With no drug-altering medications yet on the market, she got involved in medical trials and was placed on the very first MS medication, Betaseron. Sometimes, God wants you to build your character, or learn lessons, she said. But I now know that everything I went through, my experiences, were so that when Don was diagnosed I could act quickly. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) At the age of 38, Don was in a high-responsibility job that he loved as supervisor of a construction crew for Verizon telephone company. However, when Christy began getting reports from some of Dons men that he was locking himself out of his office and car several times a day, falling asleep at work, and making out-of-character statements; alarm bells rang. Additionally, Christy started noticing that Don, whos always been musical and played bass guitar for the church band, local orchestras, and community theaters, was messing his music up. At this time, she suspected he was having seizures, and took him to see her neurologist, who agreed with her. They soon moved him to the University of Virginia, which is a teaching hospital. Don was put on a seizure study for a week where his brain was monitored. There, they realized he wasnt having seizures, but confirmed there was something definitely wrong with his brain. They then began the long process of diagnosis. It took two years to get a definite diagnosis of Alzheimers, Christy said. They told us, because he was so young, just 41, that the disease would go quickly; he probably had four or five years to live at home and get our affairs in order. After receiving the shocking diagnosis, the couple couldnt believe it, as they thought the disease only affected old people. They then ended up at Johns Hopkins, as Christy found out that her husband was eligible for Alzheimers drug trials, despite his young age. Don retired from his job at the telephone company as he didnt want to say hurtful things to anyone, and Christy went full throttle on finding new trials and keeping Don safe at home. The couple sifted through the well-meaning advice of friendsYou should eat this, or Do puzzles, that will bring your memory back, Don recalledpreferring to find their own way. In 2012, Don became one of just 30 Alzheimers patients to be fitted with a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device, a pacemaker-like piece of apparatus implanted into his brain. Christy said that this has helped him to still communicate and share. However, after Dons Alzheimers diagnosis, he struggled to find a sense of purpose, since he really liked his job. But Christy was resolute and explained that Dons new job would be to fight the disease, every which way they could. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) Despite the change in focus, Don was willing to try for the sake of his son, possible future grandkids, and the world at large. With some financial support from a disability program he paid into before leaving his job, he and Christy began sharing his story to educate others on early-onset Alzheimers, even filming a PBS documentary for YouTube to that end. Nonetheless, it wasnt all that easy; Don still struggled with his changing role. It took a while for me to get over the fact that here I am, 40-some years old, walking away from my job, not being able to support my family anymore because I hadnt built up retirement savings by then, he explained. We had no idea what our finances were going to be. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) Christy maintains that the couple couldnt have done this without God, and the massive success of Dons DBS device is the reason hes able to speak today. Don echoes similar sentiments as his wife. Would somebody like myself be privileged enough to continue to have the right to speak? Don said. I mean, its just, it amazes me. Christy shared that, usually, the younger patients they saw went really quickly, but Don is in his 16th year, and its amazing. For them, this is really a miracle. Over the years, Christy has learned how to steer her husband toward rest and sleep, or administer medication when needed, with the support of their doctors, and Don has placed his full trust in his wife, claiming she is his anchor. No matter what I need, no matter what I ask for, no matter what Im thinking, he explained, I can come to her with the most illogical conversations and shell sort through it. The Alzheimers has me kind of just floating out here she literally is my anchor, he illustrated. Im on a little raft, and thats the only thing that keeps me from floating away in the wind. I know all I have to do is grab that rope and pull a little bit, and shes right there. We know that about each other, I just happen to be the one thats at the mercy of the wind. Christy explained that patients with Alzheimers usually lose their filters a lot of times and say things that they usually wouldnt say. Nevertheless, she has understood Don really well and knows that he would never say things to hurt her or anyone else, and thus even if he says something, she knows its not him but the disease talking, so she doesnt expect an apology from him. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) Christy has also encouraged her husband to continue being an active member of society. In the early days, they were still able to go out with friends and attend church, but as his disease progressed, his capacity for social interaction shrank. Don claims its like you start off with an onion, and then little by little, over time, the layers start to peel back. As a caregiver, however, Christy still tries to make each day successful. She explains that, on certain days, they still go out for lunch, but on other days, they stay at home. The couple also takes each day as it comes despite how Don wakes up every morning. Moreover, Dons condition hasnt eradicated the romance in his and Christys relationship. Every day, I get to love the same woman; because of my illness, she has to learn to love someone different every day, Don said. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) The couple also share innumerable fond memories of their 35 years together, including a funny memory from the day they tied the knot. Christy regaled: Our family had gotten us a limo wed never been in a limo. We got in and Im sitting in the back, here [Don] comes, he sits in the back, and the limo driver puts the glass down. Im thinking were gonna hold hands and maybe kiss, and just talk about what a wonderful day it is, she continued. I had expectations. Right expectations? Wrong! My new husband moves up to the front of the limo, right next to the glass, and the entire hour to get to our hotel he talks to the limo driver! Indignant at the time, Christy now laughs whenever she recalls the farcical moment. Over the years, Don has recorded many of his most profound feelings on paper. In 2019, he published a book, including poems he wrote about his wife, which Christy holds dear. (Courtesy of Christy Talbott) Besides his poems, the 57-year-olds romantic gestures are often less traditional than chocolates and flowers. If I have a good day, and I get up, move the furniture out, and vacuum the whole house, she would rather have that, he explained. So many people want that quick feeling of excitement. To me, thats cut flowers, Christy agreed. What you need to build is that foundation of faith and friendship and laughter; build that base, and let the relationship mature. To me, our relationship is more like a potted plant. Its all about letting go of expectations and trying to do a little better than yesterday, every single day. It also helps to remember the special things, said Christy, who hasnt lost sight of why she fell in love with Don in the first place. Ive lived most of my life with him, versus the other way around, she said. The one thing we always know is that no matter what, were there for one another. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired Newsletter at: https://www.theepochtimes.com/newsletter Hyundai Recalls 239,000 Cars for Exploding Seat Belt Parts WASHINGTONHyundai is recalling 239,000 cars in the United States because the seat belt pretensioners can explode and injure vehicle occupants. Three injuries have been reported, two in the United States and one in Singapore. In a letter to the Korean automaker, government regulators said that the drivers and front passengers seat belt pretensioners can explode upon deployment and send shrapnel throughout the vehicle. Pretensioners tighten the belts in preparation for a crash. The recall, which expands and replaces three previous recalls, includes 20192022 Accents, 20212023 Elantras, and 20212022 Elantra HEVs, or hybrid electric vehicles. Vehicles repaired under the previous recalls will need to be brought to dealerships again for the new remedy. Owners will be able to take their recalled vehicles to dealerships where the seat belt pretensioners will be fitted with a cap at no cost. Hyundai is expected to notify owners by July 15, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said. A logo reading DEA Special Agent in the Office of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in New York on May 29, 2019. (Johannes EiseleI/AFP via Getty Images) Idaho Residents Allege DEA, Canyon County Agencies Used Excessive Force in Drug Search By Alex Brizee From Idaho Statesman Two years ago, the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the help of two Canyon County law enforcement agencies, searched a home west of Caldwell for drugs. The officers didnt find any, according to court documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman. Now, residents of the Greenleaf home are suing the agencies, alleging they used excessive force; unlawfully seized, detained, and arrested a man; assaulted and battered the residents, and illegally took cash in the house. The DEA was allowed to search the home after a Nampa police detective received a Facebook message from one of the residents, 38-year-old Sothea Ren, in April, offering oxycodone for purchase, according to the criminal complaint. Before the search, law enforcement agencies had set up a separate undercover sting for an officer to buy drugs from her, the criminal complaint said. In May 2020, the DEA, Canyon County Sheriffs Office, and Nampa Police Department then executed the search warrant for the home, where Sothea Ren was arrested. She was charged with six counts of distribution of oxycodone, according to the charging document obtained by the Statesman. Three other Idaho residentsPaul Leitz, Sakhann Ouch, and Vutha Renalong with two minors were also present during the search, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. The 124-page lawsuit was filed by all the residents, excluding Sothea Ren, against the three agencies and 36 law enforcement employees that were present during the incident. The Idaho Press first reported on the complaint. Several lawsuits have recently been filed against multiple Canyon County law enforcement agencies prior to the May 12 lawsuitincluding allegations the sheriffs office harassed and discriminated against a former employee. Officers from the Caldwell Police Department are currently under FBI investigation. The lawsuit alleged that the search at Leitzs Greenleaf home took place at about 5 a.m. on May 14an hour before the warrant was authorized. Multiple police narratives included within the lawsuit said the warrant was executed at 6 a.m. The lawsuit said the DEA did not knock and announce prior to executing the search warrant, signed by Idaho U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale. The DEA in its incident report rebutted the allegation. Leitz alleged within the complaint that throughout the search, law enforcement officials entered his home in a tumultuous and violent manner by smashing in the front door and breaking two windows. The lawsuit said the officers were hostile, aggressive and violent toward the residents. The lawsuit alleged that during the search, the DEA and the other agencies caused injuries to the plaintiffs. According to the complaint, DEA agents placed handcuffs on Vutha Ren and made him lie on his stomach, while they placed a knee and foot on Vutha Rens back for 45 to 60 minutes. Leitz in the complaint said that after the initial seizure, he was arrested and unlawfully detained as he was taken to the Nampa Police Department to wait in a locked interrogation room. While in the interrogation room, the lawsuit said that when Leitz tried to leave, Nampa police officers Michael Coronado and Det. Angel Caldero lunged at Leitz, struck him in the chest, and forced him back, slamming him into the wall. After a short argument with a DEA agent, the agent told Leitz he wouldnt be pressing charges against him and that he was allowed to leave, according to the lawsuit. A review by the Statesman found none of the plaintiffs were charged with a crime following the 2020 incident. The lawsuit also alleged that one of the DEA agents during the seizure was heard saying, OK, we cant find anything illegal, let(s) take all the cash. According to the complaint, the DEA took $30,000 from Leitzwhich he said came from a family settlementand returned only $10,958. The DEA seized multiple items from Leitzs residence, according to a receipt from the seizure reviewed by the Statesman. The items included two phones, a Sony hand camera, and a laptop. The document also mentioned the seizure of an unknown amount of money. Both the lawsuit and police incident reports said an undisclosed amount of money was also seized from Sothea Rens purse and a safe in Ouchs bedroom, in addition to the money allegedly taken from Leitz. With the search warrant, the DEA was allowed to seize money that was related to income and expenditures of money and wealth relating to controlled substances, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged police did not establish the money was taken because of a connection to drugs, and that they took the money because they didnt find the drugs and were pissed off. Multiple items on the list were documented as seized items but then later scratched out, including another phone, nine pill bottles with one containing oxycodone, and a vape case that was listed as having possible marijuana. According to the DEAs investigation report, the items were quickly returned as a further investigation found they were legal or belonged to one of the plaintiffs. Spokespersons with the DEA and the Nampa Police Department declined to comment due to ongoing litigation. Canyon County spokesperson Joe Decker declined to comment on the investigation, but told the Statesman by email as of Wednesday the county hadnt been served with a complaint. Decker didnt respond to a follow-up phone call Friday. Its also important to remember that anything in a complaint, like in a notice of tort, is merely an allegation of wrongdoing or harm and unsubstantiated claims should not be treated as fact, Decker said. 2022 Idaho Statesman. Visit at idahostatesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. MANNHEIM, GermanyTo designers with a sense for fashion, Shen Yun Performing Arts is certainly a feast for the eyes and an evocation for creativity. Aesthetically, its like fireworks! said Christiane Fuchs, a fashion designer, of Shen Yun. The costumes seen in New York-based Shen Yun are inspired by the attire from the different dynasties of Chinas 5,000-year-old story. And each headpiece and robe is designed and handcrafted each season for Shen Yuns all-new productions. What Ive always found impressive about Chinese fashion and culture are the clear colors and the way they are contrasted. For a long time, we didnt dare to use red and pink together in Europe, and also orange. All of a sudden, it was fashionable. And this year, we also have a very colorful fashion. We have entire collections in pink, in green, in blue. And at the same time, what impresses me very much is the way these colors are combined, also in their clarity, Ms. Fuchs said. Markus Ludwig is a civil engineer and he noticed that the architecture featured in Shen Yuns backdrops were an art that not many engineers understand today. This is an art that has been lost in technical timber construction here. Well, very few carpenters are still able to make classic wood connections that are mastered there, he said. Ms. Fuchs also expressed appreciation for Shen Yuns positive spirituality. She said the performance reminded her that the material does not count. One also has another dimension, which one should not forget. And that its actually not the main thing, that you now have a reputation and you have moneyyou cant take that with you. I think thats always a very important message and its always current. What has been lost a bit in the West is this spirituality, which is very important in Chinese culture. This certainly also ensures that we in the West are very rushed, very success-oriented, and we often do not realize that it would be better to slow down and [you] realize that you can reach your goal just as quickly, added Mr. Ludwig. Shen Yun Performing Arts is dedicated to presenting China before communism to audiences around the world. I was happy to learn something about China. Through the stories, you realize what a great nation, what a wealth that [China] is, Ms. Fuchs said. She added that with the conclusion of the performance, I have the music in my head. Ive got those very fluid movementsthose Water Sleeves at the beginning, that was amazing. Reporting by Yu Ping and Maria Han. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Jack Posobiec speaks to an NTD reporter in Washington on Jan. 5, 2020. (Screenshot/NTD) Jack Posobiec Detained by Police at World Economic Forum in Davos Conservative American author and podcast host Jack Posobiec said he was briefly detained by police at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos while reporting on assignment for Turning Point USA to expose the Great Reset agenda. Videos emerged on social media showing Posobiec at an outdoor table on the sidewalk surrounded by around four armed and uniformed police officers and at least two plain-clothed officers in the Swiss city. The officers wore patches that identified them as WEF Police. Posobiec described the encounter in a video released by Turning Point USA. The World Economic Forum under Klaus Schwab has its own paramilitary police force called the World Economic Forum Police, Posobiec said. He went on to explain that around an hour prior to being detained a plain-clothed police officer approached his crew asking to see their media credentials. Posobiec said the officer appeared to be satisfied and they continued reporting. However, later, while taking a break to recharge their batteries and eat, he said two minivans full of officers, which he described as a quick reaction force, suddenly pulled up. Everybody storms out. Theyve got MP5s. One of the guys is flagging me with his MP5 and then each of us was taken, myself and the entire crew, one by one behind the building and behind this stack of tables. And we were made to empty our pockets, and we were frisked, he said. The MP5 is a type of submachine gun. In a statement to The Epoch Times, a Swiss Federal Police media spokesperson said no one had yet been arrested by police in Davos, including any journalists. But they noted that Posobiec was stopped by police as part of normal checks on people and vehicles carried out before and during the annual WEF meeting. The spokesperson also clarified the WEF Police patches worn by police, saying it serves the team spirit for the operation around the Annual Meeting. The WEF organization does not have a police force, the Swiss police spokesperson said. The security forces deployed are identified by official uniforms, identity cards, as well as police patches. This was also the case when the journalist was checked. The WEF police badge is an additional badge created by the security forces themselves, which is redesigned every year. In a video posted to Twitter by user Anon News, a female plain-clothed officer tells the woman behind the camera to please stop filming after she asks why Posobiec is being detained. The operator then points the camera away from the officer toward Posobeic but keeps recording, and asks again why he is detained. Whats detained? Can you explain that? the plain-clothed officer says. How come hes being surrounded right now? Is he allowed to leave the area? Were just making a normal police control because, uh, you know, its WEF, everything very [sensitive], the officer says. Is there a reason he specifically was targeted? There is a reason because we have to have a reason to control a person, the officer says. So what was the reason? What was he doing? I dont have to tell you that Why are you asking me that? the officer says. The camera operator then explains that shes asking because she wants to know why Posobiec, who is there as a journalist, was targeted by the police while other reporters were not. There is a reason. But, ah, everything is clear now and, um, were about to leave in just a few seconds. Okay? Could you please now Can I ask you please to delete your the officer says, at which point the video cuts off. BREAKING: US Journalist @JackPosobiec has been detained by Swiss police. They refused to tell me the reason he and his team have been detained. He shares that police pointed guns at him and stopped him because he looked suspicious. pic.twitter.com/sv6XLlT0EC Anon News (@AnonNews14) May 23, 2022 Posobiec is in Davos during the WEF to, in his own words, expose WEF chair Klaus Schwab and his cronies and their eight key goals for stripping democracy: no freedom of speech, no private property, no national bordersand so much more including no real food! In a post on the Turning Point USA website, Posobiec writes that he was sent to Davos to expose the global elites annual plans for the complete takeover of our democracy and their goals for the destruction of the Western World by breaking on-the-ground coverage of the World Economic Forum and The Great Reset. In an op-ed for The Epoch Times, former NYU professor, Michael Rectenwald, explained the Great Reset in detail. Rectenwald cited the words of the co-founder and main author of the WEFs Monthly Barometer publication, who said the Great Reset was a way to address the weaknesses of capitalism that were purportedly exposed by the COVID pandemic. The general concept of the Great Reset revolves around the idea of transforming traditional capitalist economies via paradigm-shifting events, such as a pandemic. The Great Reset agenda, as promoted by the WEF, has been decried by conservative media and politicians around the world as a far-left ploy to increase socialist policies worldwide. This report was updated to include the statement by Swiss authorities. Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L) and Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Sept. 11, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP via Getty Images) Kazakhstan Is a Prize Coveted by China While the world focuses on Ukraine and Taiwan, China makes inroads in Kazakhstan Commentary The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan opened the door for increased Chinese pressure on Kazakhstan. Communist China continues to make news in its outreach and attempts to corrupt various countries around the world. The purpose of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) is to change the dynamics of the world economy in favor of Beijing through a series of bilateral agreements with targeted countries that possess the resources and raw materials needed to fuel Chinas industries. To date, China has engaged in BRI-related investments in over 138 countries worldwide. The Russo-Ukrainian war brought to public attention that Chinese investments in Ukraine had turned the country into a BRI gateway to Europe. The Peoples Liberation Army and Navy (PLA/PLAN) are the flipsides of the BRI, with the PLAN, in particular, pursuing overseas bases ostensibly aimed at protecting Chinas sea lanes and commercial shipping. The Chinese have operated a base on the Horn of Africa in Djibouti since 2017. There is much speculation that a Chinese logistics base will be opened in the Azores. And shocking the world, Beijing recently concluded a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that many observers believe could lead to a PLA/PLAN presence there. But what about Chinese actions closer to home? While others fret about China and the United States clashing over the fate of Taiwan, the Spider Dragons pol-mil web is being woven tighter and tighter around many countries, even next door in Kazakhstan. Workers load a shipping crate in the seaport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Aug. 14, 2018. (Talant Kusain/AFP via Getty Images) Chinas atheistic communist regime brooks no nonsense with Islam, even among its own citizenry of foreign descent (non-Han Chinese.) In particular, this applies to Kazakhs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang region. The Muslim-majority Kazakhstan government in Astana even intervened on behalf of Kazakhs from the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture being detained in detention/reeducation/concentration camps run by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Xinjiang in 2018. The CCPs ongoing persecution of Muslims in Xinjiangand Uyghurs in particularand the search for better economic opportunities have convinced many Kazakhs living there to emigrate to Kazakhstan in recent years. Kazakhstan is the worlds largest landlocked country, with approximately 19.2 million people. It was the last of the -stans to declare its independence after the fall of the USSR in 1991. Authoritarian roots run deep among its 131 ethnicities. Kazakhstan has enormous oil and gas reserves, as reported by World Atlas: Kazakhstans oil reserves are estimated to be the 11th largest in the world [and] has more than 80 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas. In addition, the country has the second-largest proven uranium reserves in the world. The Kazakh government has encouraged foreign development of its natural resources, with the Americans, Russians, Chinese, and others competing for these resources with the free-wheeling (and corrupt) Kazakhs. The result for the Kazakhs has been the creation of a well-developed economy and the subsequent modernization of its cities, including Astana (now called Nursultan). Check out some of the spectacular pictures of Astanas and Almatys city architecture here and here. According to the World Bank, Kazakhstans gross domestic product was $170 billion in 2020. In April 2018, Kazakhstan announced that it would permit the United States and NATO to use Caspian ports to supply forces in Afghanistan. The agreement enabled NATO forces to substantially increase use of the existing Caspian Trade Corridor, by shipping through the Aktau and Kuryk ports on the Caspian Sea, completely bypassing Russia, according to Breitbart News. The Kazakhs were keen to maintain a U.S. presence in the region to offset its aggressive neighbors in Moscow and Beijing. Neither the Russians nor the Chinese were happy with that Kazakh decision. Both feared that Aktau and Kuryk would be turned into American military bases over time. China, in particular, was concerned because Kazakhstan and the Caspian Corridor are smack dab in the middle of the CCPs grandiose New Silk Road, which is part of the BRI. And the CCP has been feverishly pursuing joint investment in Kazakhstan for years. China has invested $27 billion in more than 50 joint industrial projects in Kazakhstan. It is no surprise that the main fields of cooperation are in the oil and gas, chemical, energy, mining, metallurgical, agricultural, and machine-building sectors. Resource-poor China is eager to access Kazakhstans natural resourceson the cheap, if at all possible, via BRI investments. The KTZE-Khorgos Gateway Dry Port, a logistics hub on the Kazakh side of the Kazakhstan-Chinese border, is seen on April 15, 2019. (Abduaziz Madyarov/AFP via Getty Images) However, Chinese concerns about American encroachment in Central Asia were premature. The debacle of the Biden administrations hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan instantly created a geopolitical vacuum in Central Asia that the communist Chinese have been only too happy to fill. The PLA Air Force sent aircraft almost immediately to Bagram after the United States abandoned the air base there. And according to an article by U.S. News and World Report, The Chinese military is currently conducting a feasibility study about the effect of sending workers, soldiers and other staff related to its foreign economic investment program known as the Belt and Road Initiative in the coming years to Bagram. Note once again that where the BRI goes, the PLA follows! The absence of a U.S. presence in Central Asia puts the squeeze on Kazakhstan, too, and the CCP is quickly putting on the squeeze. On April 26, CCP mouthpiece Peoples Daily trumpeted the news that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe publicly agreed to strengthen military cooperation: Tokayev said Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the military cooperation with China and hopes that the two militaries will continue to strengthen practical cooperation in peacekeeping operations, joint exercises, personnel training, military technology and other fields. Will this lead to at least a token presence of the PLA in Kazakhstan? The pattern seems clear. Hmmm. Military cooperation and improved readiness against what common threats? The Chinese regime is persecuting Muslims (and Kazakhs) in Xinjiang. Will they cooperate on joint anti-terrorist operations aimed at Muslims? Not likely! Is the common threat Russia? Russia is embroiled in a war in Ukraine, and besides, the Chinese and Russians are allies these days after the public announcement of their joint partnership agreement in February. What about the United States? While theres no secret that the CCP considers the United States to be its main geopolitical adversary, that view is not held in Astana. The United States has pulled out of Central Asia, and the Kazakhs dont perceive America as a common threat. On the contrary, Kazakhstan would prefer improved relations with and increased investments from the United States as a counterweight to Russia and China. But it seems clear that Kazakhstan is hedging its bets with increase military cooperation with China. Concluding Thoughts Kazakhstans natural resourcesespecially oil, natural gas, and uraniumare coveted by energy-poor China and others. As a result, the country is embroiled in a continuing geopolitical conflict and competition for access to and control of those resources in a remote corner of the world about which most Americans have only the slightest clue. Rest assured, the deleterious effects of the hasty U.S. flight from Afghanistan have only just started being felt in Astana/Nursultan and other Central Asian capitals. The door is now open even wider for CCP exploitation via BRI investments in the region. And the CCP couldnt be happier. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Becca meets John at a backyard barbeque put together by mutual friends. They hit it off, finding common ground in movies theyve enjoyed, and decide to get together for coffee. Over the next few weeks, they become friends, but after a while Becca realizes the attraction has deepened. Shes falling in love. The result? She begins asking more and more questions of John, eager to learn as much as possible about him. Does he enjoy working for his fathers construction business? What was it like growing up in a small town? Is he on good terms with his brother and sister? What are his political affiliations? The best moment of his childhood? Does he go to church? What are his hopes for the future? When we fall in love with someone, we want to know everything we can about that person. In Beccas case, she wants to dig below the surface, understand and connect with John, and insert herself into his past. Which brings us in a roundabout way to American history. We Cant Love What We Dont Know Embarkation of the Pilgrims, 1857, by Robert Walter Weir. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum. (Public Domain) Despite all our current divisions, the majority of Americans feel loyalty to their country. We dont need to take a poll to prove this point. Millions of people are immigrating to these shores, legally and illegally, but only a relatively few Americans annually renounce their citizenship and move abroad, an act of repudiation that most often involves investments and finances. Whatever the political situation, Americans still believe theirs is a land of opportunity and freedom. Unlike Beccas interest in John, however, many of us neglect our countrys past. Perhaps because we grew up here, familiarity has bred not contempt but instead a lack of interest in the ideas and events that have shaped us as a people. The history that students were supposed to learn in school is either forgotten or (worse) never taught, and many of us simply take for granted our right to attend a church or synagogue, switch jobs when we so choose, move across the country, and generally do as we please within the limits of the law. These freedoms are the American way, as natural and unquestioned as the air we breathe. In short, we have eyes and ears for the present, but we are blind and deaf to the past. But the past can make itself seen and heard if we allow it. If we enhance our intimacy with those who built our country, who fought bloody wars to protect our way of life, and who battled for liberty and justice for all, then by examining their words and actions, we may eventually realize that our ancestors were hoping we would keep faith with the legacy they bequeathed us. And the only way we can reach across this canyon of time and shake hands with those who came before usthe only way we can see them and hear their voicesis through the study of history. A Basic Query Declaration of Independence, circa 1818, by John Trumbull. Oil on canvas. United States Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C. (Public Domain) We begin our excursion into the old days with some fundamentals. Heres a starter list of 10 simple questions about our history that any American high school graduate should be able to answer. If you wish, test yourself and your older children or grandchildren. To encourage research, if research is necessary, no answers are provided. What was the main point of the Declaration of Independence? What are the three branches of government laid out in the Constitution? What is the Bill of Rights? Name one of these Rights. During what war was The Star Spangled Banner written? What was the Emancipation Proclamation? What event took place in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9, 1865? Name three presidents who served in office between 1900 and 1960. What president said, Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. What is the general thrust of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Who was the first American to walk on the moon? These questions, and others like them, are of course but the skeleton of the past. To give flesh, blood, sinew, and nerve to those bare bones, we must further expand our knowledge of the American story. The Endless Resources at Our Command Wilfred McClays textbook uses a story form, instead of all facts and figures to bring Americas history to life. The ways and means of exploring the history of the United States are abundant. An excellent basic textbook, for example, is Wilfred McClays Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, which is a balanced, informative account of the successes, failures, and troubles our country has faced. For those who prefer to direct their gaze at more specific events, our libraries and bookstores offer an array of books for young and old alike. Even a modest public library, for example, will contain scores of volumes of American history for adolescents and adults, ranging in subject matter from the work of the Founding Fathers to the battles of the Civil War, and from the westward expansion to the fearful days of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Biography, too, affords a splendid vehicle for conveying us into an older America and learning wisdom from the men and women who faced their own special tribulations. Daniel Browns The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics isnt just a story of athletes and the human spirit; it also depicts the suffering inflicted by the Great Depression. David McCulloughs Mornings on Horseback, which tells us of the early life of Theodore Roosevelt, and his John Adams are exquisite studies in the character and temperament of two outstanding Americans. Louis LAmours autobiography Education of a Wandering Man provides us with a splendid account of a young mans adventures while roaming the country in the 1930s and vividly demonstrates the great American tradition of the autodidactic learner. For those wishing a more imaginative approach, fiction also throws open windows on the past. Betty Smiths A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes, and hundreds of other stories written by authors past and present are historically sound and enkindle the imagination. In addition, novels for adolescents set in the America of yesteryear, like Across Five Aprils or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, can spark a lifelong interest in history. The Payoff The Battle of Shiloh, 1888, by Thure de Thulstrup. Lithograph restored by Adam Cuerden. Library of Congress. (Public Domain) In Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton wrote: Tradition means giving a vote to most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. Communing with the deadthat is, reading and absorbing historyremoves us from Chestertons small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. While today we can see the grievous flaws of such an oligarchy, whether its practitioners are sitting in Congress or serving on our local school board, our trek through the past should demolish such self-obsession and strutting pride. Historys lessons and examples give us a longer view, a telescope to see beyond the latest headline or the next election. That same journey into the past can also offer solace to fearful or weary travelers unhappy with the times in which they live. We then realize that those who came before us did not dwell in some golden age, but faced their own hardships. Understanding their troubles helps put our own present-day difficulties in perspective. Moreover, immersing ourselves in history can endow us with strength and virtue. Reading about the tenacity of Ulysses Grant at the Battle of Shiloh, for example, when he rallied his defeated troops to win the battle the next day, can inspire us to stand fast through our own personal trials. The integrity of men and women like Senator Robert Taft and Harriet Tubman reminds us of the importance of principles in a fallen world. The Little House on the Prairie books about the Ingalls family and their rough-and-tumble lives on the frontier can inspire our young people to persevere when confronted by lifes stumbling blocks. To preserve our republic and to restore its culture means that we must understand our country. To understand America, we must study history, the good and the bad from our past. And with that understanding, there should emerge an abiding love for who we are and who we hope to be. Australian Education Minister Alan Tudge speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 4, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Liberal MP Keen to Return to Education Portfolio to Tackle Woke Agenda Australian Liberal MP Alan Tudge has expressed his wish to return to the education portfolio as the shadow minister after he raised concerns about the revisionist history portrayed in Australias curriculum, declining educational standards, and cancel culture on the university campus. Tudge also noted that he would certainly like to be considered as the liberal frontbencher in the Liberal party, adding that theres still work which needs to be done in the education space. But he noted, ultimately, its up to the new leader. The Victorian MP told Sky News on Monday that during his time as the education minister he was trying to ensure that we got a more positive national curriculum, one which was more positively disposed towards Australian history and reflecting the true Australian history. This approach, he said, would see kids coming out of school understanding the flaws in Australias past but equally proud of our nation and wanting to make a contribution. The former education minister stepped down at the end of 2021 after being alleged of abusing a former staffer emotionally and, on one occasion, physically. Tudge rejected the allegations, which have been found to be unsubstantiated. While the investigation did not find that Tudge breached ministerial standards, he had since decided not to return to the front bench. The comment comes after the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) released its latest version of the curriculum in May, which introduced Deep Time Indigenous History as a compulsory part of year seven for the first time. As with Indigenous history, the subject examines Australias history from the postcolonial perspective, which condemns the British colonisation of Aboriginal people as racist. This narrative has been challenged by scholars who described it as a distorted representation of contemporary Australia that conflicts directly with the countrys widely recognised status as a cohesive, multicultural society. In 2021, Tudge called to remove the now-debunked book Dark Emu from the curriculum, which claims that Indigenous Australians were not just mere hunter-gatherers but actually sophisticated agriculturalists. Despite being criticised for its inaccurate portrayal of Indigenous history, the book was allowed to remain in the school system. Dark Emus author, Bruce Pascoe, revealed in his op-ed for the Guardian that he wants the book to inspire a generous thirst for investigation and encourage people to rebel against society, claiming it would lead to a safer world. Tudge has also successfully pushed for improvements in the draft curriculum in 2021, which previously omitted significant figures in Australian history and downplayed the importance of Christian and Western heritage. But while Australia has made some good headway, there are still grounds to be made, Tudge added. Its a very important area for us and parents are concerned about the standard slipping in our schools. Theyre concerned about free speech being stifled on the university campus and not having enough diversity of views being taught there, he told Sky News. I still think that we can hold now the Labor government to account on some of those areas. According to the OECD Program for International Student Assessment released in 2018, Australians performance in reading has been steadily declining since 2000, in mathematics since 2003, and in science since 2012. Rebecca Zhu contributed to this report. A woman walks behind a burnt residential building in Ukraine's port city of Mariupol on May 18, 2022. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images) RussiaUkraine War (May 24): 200 Bodies Found in Mariupol: Mariupol Mayors Adviser The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, May 24. Click here for updates from May 23. 200 Bodies Found in Mariupol: Mariupol Mayors Adviser An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. ___ Ukrainian Refugee Camp in Mexicos Capital to Close Organizers of a camp for Ukrainian refugees who had traveled to Mexico said Tuesday they will soon close it and discouraged Ukrainians still in Europe from traveling to Mexico as they try to enter the United States. Some 1,000 Ukrainians passed through the camp during the month that it was open on the east side of Mexico City. Now, only about 120 remain, and 98 percent of those already have sponsors lined up in the United States and expect to soon travel there, said Vlad Fedoryshyn, director of United with Ukraine, a nongovernmental organization, that collaborated with the Mexican government to establish the camp. Anastasiya Polo, United with Ukraine spokeswoman, said Ukrainians still in Europe should register for the U.S. governments program and not waste money and effort traveling to Mexico. Before the camp was established in Mexico City, Ukrainians were traveling to Tijuana at the U.S.-Mexico border. We are asking people from Europe, Ukrainians, to go through the program from Europe, do not come to Mexico because it is much more expensive for them, it is a lot of traveling, Polo said. The camp will close by June 1, but Ukrainians remaining in Mexico will continue receiving support. ___ US to End Russias Ability to Pay International Investors The United States will close the last avenue for Russia to pay its billions in debt back to international investors on Wednesday, making a Russian default on its debts for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution all but inevitable. The Treasury Department said in a notification that does not plan to renew the license to allow Russia to keep paying its debt-holders through American banks. Since the first rounds of sanctions, the Treasury Department has given banks a license to process any bond payments from Russia. That window expires at midnight May 25. There had already been signs that the Biden administration was unwilling to extend the deadline. At a press conference heading into the Group of Seven finance minister meetings in Koenigswinter, Germany, last week, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the window existed to allow a period of time for an orderly transition to take place, and for investors to be able to sell securities. The expectation was that it was time-limited, Yellen said. ___ Ukraine Gathers Russian Dead in Chilled Train for Prisoner Exchange Ukraine is gathering the bodies of dead Russian soldiers strewn among the rubble of formerly occupied towns and using everything from DNA to tattoos to verify their identities in the hope of exchanging them for prisoners of war. Volunteers have helped the military gather 60 bodies in the northeastern region of Kharkiv where Russian forces have retreated in recent weeks, stacking them up in a refrigerated rail carriage. Bodies are sometimes used as part of prisoner exchanges and other times in exchanges for Ukrainian bodies, said Anton Ivannikov, captain of the military-civil cooperation branch, Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is coordinating the effort. The bodies of those related to high-ranking officials can be especially valuable to an exchange. We are gathering all the documents, all the credit cards. Anything which would help us identify the body including tattoos and DNA, Ivannikov said. In the future this will tell us which soldier, which brigade was in this region, for further exchange, he said. The bodies will travel on the train to Kyiv where the team negotiating exchanges is based, he said. The recovery effort has been made possible due to Ukraines pushing of Russian forces from towns in the Kharkiv regionand largely out of artillery range of Kharkiv city, the second-largest in the country. ___ Russian Parliament Passes Bill Allowing Moscow to Close Western News Bureaus Russias parliament on Tuesday passed a bill giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been unfriendly to Russian media, following the closure of some Russian state news outlets in the West. The bill, passed in the first reading by the lower house of parliament, or Duma, also prohibits the distribution of articles or other materials from media that have been closed by the prosecutors office. It needs to undergo two more readings, be reviewed by the upper house of parliament, and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. The journalists of a media organization deemed to be an offender under the bill would have their foreign ministry accreditation withdrawnmeaning they could not work in Russia. The new bill adds to the challenges facing foreign media after Russia in March adopted a law which penalized what it termed spreading fake news about its army. In the current geopolitical situation, the mass media has become an instrument of influence on the informational state of society, the lawmakers said in an official explanatory note on the bill. ___ Russian Lawmakers Give Initial Approval to Bill Allowing Foreign Asset Takeover Russian lawmakers on Tuesday gave the first stamp of approval to a bill that would allow Russian entities to take over foreign companies that have left the market in opposition to Moscows actions in Ukraine, the governments online portal showed. Scores of foreign companies have announced temporary shutdowns of stores and factories in Russia or said they were leaving for good since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. The bill, passed in the first reading by the lower house of parliament, or Duma, would allow the state development bank VEB or other entities approved by a commission to act as external administration at companies where foreign ownership, specifically from countries that Moscow deems unfriendly, exceeds 25 percent. While the first reading approves the merits of the proposed law, the bill needs to undergo a second reading dedicated to a detailed discussion and fine tuning, before a third, usually formal reading. It then must be reviewed by the upper house, and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. ___ Russia, China Hold Joint Military Exercise in East Asia as Biden Visits Russian and Chinese military planes conducted joint exercises to patrol the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday in a pointed farewell to President Joe Biden as he concluded an Asia trip that rankled Beijing. Japan scrambled jets after Russian and Chinese warplanes neared its airspace while Tokyo was hosting the leaders of the Quad group of countries, which includes the United States, said Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, who called the move a provocation. Biden stressed during the trip, intended in part to counter Chinas growing influence in the region, that the United States will stand with its allies and partners to push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Beijing and Moscow declared a no-limits partnership just weeks before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, and China has refused to condemn the move. The joint patrol lasted 13 hours over the Japanese and East China seas and involved Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers and Chinese Xian H-6 jets, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement. Planes from the Japanese and South Korean air forces shadowed the Russian and Chinese jets for part of the exercise, it said. Tokyo conveyed grave concerns to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels, Kishi said at a news conference. He characterized the incident as a likely provocation by both Beijing and Moscow on a day when Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australias newly elected leader, Anthony Albanese, were meeting in Tokyo. We believe the fact that this action was taken during the Quad summit makes it more provocative than in the past, he said, adding it was the fourth such incident since November. Chinas defense ministry confirmed the joint aerial patrol over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and the Western Pacific and called it part of an annual military exercise. On Monday, Biden angered China by saying he would be willing to use force to defend Taiwan, but he said later U.S. policy toward the self-ruled democratic island had not changed. China considers Taiwan an inalienable part of its territory that should be reunited with the mainland. South Koreas military said it scrambled fighter jets after at least four Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered its air defense zone. The Russian and Chinese aircraft entered and left the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (Korea ADIZ) in the Sea of Japan, known in Korea as the East Sea, several times through the day, according to South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff. The aircraft, which included fighter jets and bombers from each side, did not violate South Koreas airspace, it said. ____ Dont Trade Security for Economic Profit, NATO Tells Countries Western countries must not trade security for economic profit, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Tuesday, referring to debates over the use of Chinese technology in 5G networks and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline for Russian gas. We must recognize that our economic choices have consequences for our security. Freedom is more important than free trade, the protection of our values is more important than profit, Stoltenberg told business leaders at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos. I am not arguing against trade with China, but I am saying that for instance the control over 5G networks is of vital security importance, he said. We cannot say that in the interest of profits and free trade we just open up those networks also for suppliers that actually are not reliable when it comes to our security, Stoltenberg added. On the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to double the flow of Russian gas through the Baltic Sea directly to Germany, he spoke of a lesson learned. Berlin halted the project when Russia formally recognized two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine as independent, days before sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in what Moscow describes as a special military operation. Stoltenberg said free trade had brought a lot of prosperity and wealth, but at a price. Because some of this trade, some of this interaction with authoritarian regimes, is undermining our securityand then we have to chose security instead of vulnerability and over-reliance on authoritarian regimes, he said. The United States has long pressed European and other countries to exclude Chinese technology from 5G networks. Washington sees Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei as an arm of the Chinese Communist Partys global surveillance machinery. _____ France Reassures Ukraine It Will Be Part of European Union Ukraine will eventually be part of the European Union, Frances Europe minister said on Tuesday, reassuring Kyiv that an initiative to forge closer ties between the bloc and aspiring members would not replace their bids to join. French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month suggested creating a European political community that would create a new structure allowing closer cooperation with countries seeking EU membership. I am convinced that Ukraine will be part of the European Union, Clement Beaune told reporters. We know with honesty that it takes time and in this time we cant allow ourselves to simply wait. We have to nurture the European hope. Beaune, who earlier this week said it could take 1520 years for Ukraine to join added that the project was not an alternative. Speaking alongside Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, he said the next step would be to discuss the details of the initiative with European partners. The aim is to create a community of countries who aspire to join the bloc or wish closer ties and adhere to the EUs core values in areas such as political cooperation, security, cooperation in energy, transport, investment of infrastructure or circulation of people. The initiative has been received cautiously by some member states given the lack of details. Kyiv has also expressed its concern that it could be used as an alternative to membership. The European Commission, the blocs executive arm, will give its opinion on Ukraines candidacy request in June, but even if approved the process takes several years and can be vetoed by a member state. Stefanishyna said after the meeting with Beaune that she had been reassured the idea would not affect Kyivs candidacy. ____ Russia Not Chasing Deadlines in Ukraine, Says Security Official One of President Vladimir Putins top security officials said on Tuesday that Russia would achieve its objectives in Ukraine without being constrained by deadlines. All the goals set by the President will be fulfilled. It cannot be otherwise, because truth, including historical truth, is on our side, Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper. We are not chasing deadlines, he added. Nazism must be 100 percent eradicated, or it will raise its head again in a few years, in an even uglier form, Patrushev said, doubling down on Russias stated aims for the military conflict. He also said Ukraine was being used by the West to contain Russia, echoing charges laid out by President Vladimir Putin to justify the conflict. The ideal scenario for the whole of NATO, led by the United States, seems to be an endless simmering conflict, Patrushev said. ____ Ukraines Zelenskyy Signs Law to Seize and Sell Russian Assets, Bolstering War Efforts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new law on May 23 enabling the country to seize and sell assets of people who support Russian President Vladimir Putins military invasion. The law focuses primarily on Russian-owned assets and property in Ukraine, particularly those belonging to Russian citizens who have already had their assets blocked by Ukraines government, and will help bolster Ukraines war efforts, NPR reported. It also targets individuals who aided the establishment of pro-Russian separatist states in Russian-controlled portions of Ukraine or those who helped to set up elections or referendums in these areas. Eastern Ukraine is home to two pro-Russian separatist statesthe Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republicrecognized by Russia as independent from Ukraine but regarded by Ukrainian forces as occupying terrorist states. Read the full article here _____ Turkish Nationalist Leader Floats Idea of Leaving NATO The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isnt without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Swedens and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ____ US Confident Finland, Sweden Can Resolve Turkish Concerns: Deputy Defense Secretary The United States is confident that Finland and Sweden will be able to resolve Turkish concerns about their seeking membership in NATO, Deputy U.S. Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said on Tuesday. [We are] confident that Finland and Sweden will be able to resolve those [concerns] with the Turks directly, Hicks said while speaking alongside her Norwegian counterpart in Oslo. Ankara surprised its NATO allies earlier this month by objecting to the two Nordic countries accession to the alliance. Turkey says Sweden and Finland harbor people linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt. All 30 NATO states must give their approval before a new member can be admitted and thus benefit from the collective-security guarantee. On Saturday, the leaders of Turkey, Sweden, and Finland held talks to discuss Ankaras concerns. ____ Russian Forces Seek to Encircle Ukraines Severodonetsk, Neighboring Cities: UK British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The UK Defense Ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, said the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry said Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry said the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. _____ Russia Will Strengthen Economic Ties With China, Cooperate With Beijing on Technology: Russian Foreign Minister Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country will focus on strengthening ties with China, saying the two neighboring countries have common interests and can make technological advances together. Now that the West has taken the position of a dictator, our economic ties with China will grow even faster, Lavrov said, according to a transcript published by Russias Foreign Ministry on May 23. According to Russias state-run media RT, Lavrov made the remarks while speaking to students at a high school in Moscow. Read the full article here _____ US Still a Ways Away From Sending Troops Back Into Ukraine: General The United States is still a ways away from any possible decision on whether to reintroduce U.S. troops into Ukraine, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Monday, even as he acknowledged low-level planning underway. President Joe Biden decided to withdraw American troops from Ukraine before Russias Feb. 24 invasion in order to avoid a direct conflict with a nuclear-armed adversary. But changing circumstances including a reopening of the U.S. embassy have raised questions about whether U.S. troops may be required to return to help ensure security of diplomats in a country at war. At a news conference, Milley acknowledged some degree of staff planning ahead of a potential decision to send U.S. troops back into Ukraine. That planning hasnt made it to his level for review or to the level of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Then, ultimately, it would be up to Biden. At the end of the day, any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So were a ways away from anything like that, Milley said. Were still developing courses of action, and none of thats been presented yet to the secretary. Milley did not specify whether he was referring to low-level planning for U.S. troops to potentially secure a U.S. diplomatic presence in Ukraine or potentially for other activities as well. The Pentagon is helping Ukraine battle Russian troops by sharing intelligence and sending it weaponry. On Monday Austin announced new security assistance packages from 20 countries for Ukraine after hosting a virtual meeting with allies. _____ Finland, Sweden to Hold Talks With Turkey Finlands foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Swedens and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns. He said hes confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance. _____ Ukraines Zelenskyy Urges Allies to Pressure Moscow on Prisoner Swap Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late on Monday that Kyiv was ready for an exchange of prisoners with Russia even tomorrow and called on his allies to put pressure on Moscow. The exchange of peoplethis is a humanitarian matter today and a very political decision that depends on the support of many states, Zelenskyy said in a question-and-answer video link with audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It is important to pressure politically on any level, through powerful business, through the closure of businesses, oil embargo and through these threats actively intensify the exchange of our people for Russian servicemen. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has involved the United Nations, Switzerland, Israel, and many, many countries, but the process was very complicated. _____ EU Commission Chief Vows More Ukraine Aid The head of the European Unions executive arm said Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros ($10.7 billion) in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She said the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of [Ukraines] judiciary and help tackle corruption. ____ Russia Launches All-Out Assault to Encircle Ukraine Troops in East Russian forces were launching an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling a river in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, a battle which could determine the success or failure of Moscows main campaign in the east. The decisive battles of the wars latest phase are raging further south, where Moscow is attempting to seize the Donbas region of two eastern provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, and trap Ukrainian forces in a pocket on the main eastern front. The easternmost part of the Ukrainian-held Donbas pocket, the city of Sievierodonetsk on the east bank of the Siverskiy Donets river and its twin Lysychansk on the west bank have become the pivotal battlefield there, with Russian forces advancing from three directions to encircle them. Russia is now in control of an unbroken swathe of eastern and southern Ukraine, but has yet to achieve its objective of seizing all of Luhansk and Donetsk. President Joe Biden, meeting the leaders of Japan, India, and Australia in Tokyo, said the war showed the importance of defending international law and human rights around the world. The previous day he broke with convention to say openly that the United States would use its military to protect Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China. ____ Danish Anti-Ship Missiles Expected to Help Ukraine Control Its Black Sea Coast Copenhagens pledge of Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a launcher to Ukraine, announced by the United States on Monday, is the first sign since the Russian invasion in February that Kyiv will receive U.S.-made weapons that significantly extend its striking range. Ukraine has been seeking more advanced weapons such as air defenses, anti-ship missiles, and longer-range rockets, but so far the majority of aid has been in short-range systems like Javelin anti-tank weapons and artillery. The Harpoons, made by Boeing Co., could be used to push the Russian navy away from Ukraines Black Sea ports, allowing exports of grain and other agricultural products to resume. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was especially grateful to Denmark which announced today that it will provide a Harpoon launcher and missiles to help Ukraine defend its coast. This is an important and measured step to increase the Ukrainians capability and operational intensity against the Russians, Tom Karako, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the director of the Missile Defense Project, said. With the Harpoon missiles, Ukraine will likely depend on other nations for targeting data to use the systems effectively against ships at longer ranges, Karako noted. The Danish Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ____ Moscow Not Sure It Needs Ties With West, Will Work on Ties With China: Lavrov Russias foreign minister said on Monday that Moscow would consider offers from the West to reestablish ties and determine whether that is needed, but will focus on developing relations with China. Sergei Lavrov, in a question and answer session at an event in Moscow, said Western countries had espoused russophobia since Russia launched its incursion into Ukrainedescribed by Moscow as a special military operation. Russia was working to replace goods imported from Western countries, he said, and in the future, would rely only on reliable countries not beholden to the West. If they [the West] want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not, Lavrov said, according to a transcript on the foreign ministrys website. We must cease being dependent in any way on supplies of absolutely everything from the West for ensuring the development of critically important sectors for security, the economy, or our homelands social sphere, he said. Lavrov said Moscows goal now is to further develop ties with China. Now that the West has taken a dictators position, our economic ties with China will grow even faster, Lavrov said. Lavrov said Russia would count on only ourselves and on countries which have proved themselves reliable and do not dance to some other pipers music. If Western countries change their minds and propose some form of cooperation, we can then decide. ___ Pentagon Says More High-Tech Weapons Going to Ukraine Nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a Harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin declined to say if the United States will send Ukraine high-tech mobile rocket launchers, which it has requested. But Austin said that some 20 nations announced Monday that they will send new packages of security assistance to Ukraine, as its war with Russia reaches the three-month mark. Weve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraines priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield, Austin told reporters at the close of the virtual meeting with the defense leaders. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems, and tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training. The U.S. and other countries have been training Ukrainian forces in nearby European countries. Austin added that the Czech Republic recently donated attack helicopters, tanks, and rockets, and that Italy, Greece, Norway, and Poland announced new donations Monday of artillery systems and ammunition. The nature of the fight, as youve heard us describe a number of times is really shaped by artillery in this phase, said Austin. And weve seen serious exchanges of artillery fires over the last several weeks. Austin said that during the virtual meeting, Ukraine officials made clear their security needs. And he said those are consistent with what has been identified in recent weekslong-range artillery and rocket systems, armored personnel carriers, and drones. Milley provided the greatest detail to date on the increased U.S. presence in Europe since Russia invaded in late February. Last fall there were roughly 78,000 U.S. troops in the region, and that has gone up to 102,000including 24 surface ships, four submarines, 12 fighter jet squadrons, two combat aviation units, and six Army brigade combat teams, along with their division and corps leaderships. Ukraines Zelenskyy Says He Would Meet With Putin to End the War Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that President Vladimir Putin was the only Russian official he was willing to meet with to discuss how to end the war. Zelenskyy, addressing by video link an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, also said that arranging any talks with Russia was becoming more difficult in light of what he said was evidence of Russian actions against civilians under occupation. Russia denies targeting civilians in what it calls a special operation to degrade Ukraines military capabilities. The president of the Russian Federation decides it all, said Zelenskyy through an interpreter. If we are talking about ending this war without him personally, that decision cannot be taken. Zelenskyy said the discovery of mass killings in areas occupied by Russian troops earlier in the war, particularly outside Kyiv, made it more difficult to arrange talks and he would rule out any discussions with other officials. I cannot accept any kind of meeting with anyone coming from the Russian Federation but the president, he said. And only in the case when there is one issue on the [table]: stopping the war. There are no other grounds for any other kind of meeting. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have held sporadic talks since Russian forces poured into Ukraine at the end of February, but both sides say the talks have stalled. Zelenskyy told Ukrainian television last week that it was impossible to halt the war without some sort of diplomacy involved. Frank Fang, Katabella Roberts, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report. Media Prevented From Covering Start of Militia Leaders Trial LOUISVILLE, Ky.Government officials prevented The Epoch Times from covering roughly the first five hours of the trial of John Johnson, the black nationalist militia leader accused of pointing his firearm at a group of law enforcement officers during a September 2020 racial justice protest in Louisville. The May 23 jury selection for Johnson, the leader of the all-black militia Not [Expletive] Around Coalition (NFAC), was largely uneventful, according to the defendants attorney, Donald Meier. But outside the courtroom, security guards from the U.S. Marshals Service prevented reporters from covering the jury selection. The guards said jury selections are closed to the publican inaccurate statement. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the publics right to access criminal trials applies to jury selections. The Epoch Times made multiple visits and calls to the Clerk of Courts Office and District Judge Benjamin Beatons chambers, seeking an explanation. A staffer for the Clerk of Courts Office first said that seating was limited due to COVID-19 safety protocols. When this reporter asked to see the protocols, the staffer conferred with colleagues before saying that standing room was available. Again, when this reporter returned to the courtroom, a security guarda different one this timesaid the jury-selection process was closed to the public. After another round of calls, this reporter was admitted into the courtroom around 3 p.m. Inside, 31 potential jurors were seated across 20 benches wide enough to seat five people each. Two other jury candidates were seated in the 12-chair jury box. Other than five potential jury candidates, no one wore a maskincluding the prosecution, the defense, the guards, or court staff. Besides the spacing restrictions, there were no mask mandates or further apparent COVID-19 protocols. The jury selection process lasted about another two hours before the court broke for the day. Opening arguments are set to begin May 24. Judge Beatons case manager, Anna Beilman, didnt respond to a voicemail seeking clarification on the COVID-19 protocols governing the Johnson trial. Prosecutors didnt respond to an email about the same issue. Johnsons attorney Meier declined to comment on the matterbut did say that the mornings jury-selection process was the usual. Someone at the news desk at Louisvilles ABC affiliate, WHAS11, told The Epoch Times that its reporter was also prevented from covering the start of the trial but didnt challenge the decision. Three other local media outlets said they didnt send reporters for the jury selection, but will attend the opening arguments. Johnsons militia captured headlines during the protests in the summer of 2020, but the NFAC has been largely silent since its leaders arrest. In February, NFAC spokesperson Debbie James told The Epoch Times, We can clarify for you that the NFAC has been in a stand-down posture, as ordered by its commander [Johnson] after he was arrested in 2020. As we are a law-abiding organization, we thought it the proper thing to do, pending the outcome of the legal proceedings, James said. We didnt anticipate it would last for 14 months. Johnson, also widely known by his DJ name, Grand Master Jay, elaborated about his organization in a December 2021 appearance on AllHipHopTV. According to Johnson, NFAC has been quiet because its members see his arrest as political persecution, and they fear the same. Johnson faces up to 20 years imprisonment if found guilty. An ambulance is parked outside the Bellville Medical Center after dropping off a patient, in Bellville, Texas, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Francois Picard/AFP via Getty Images) Everything We Know About the Monkeypox Outbreak so Far Just as public concern about COVID-19 appears to be waning, public health authorities around the world are sounding the alarm yet againthis time over an outbreak of monkeypox. There have been a few dozen confirmed and suspected cases reported across Europe in recent weeks as well as one confirmed case in Massachusetts. While the outbreak currently appears small, its been unusual in multiple regards. Monkeypox is a viral disease from the same family as smallpox, but is less severe. People can catch it from wild animalsnot just monkeysand its endemic in some African countries. Yet it rarely shows up elsewhere, and if it does, its usually in people who recently traveled to Africa. This time, most of the detected cases are in people with no reported history of travel to Africa, which suggests human-to-human transmission. Monkeypox is not known to spread easily between people, requiring direct contact with bodily fluids, lesion fluids, or prolonged face-to-face contact, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Its not a situation where if youre passing someone in the grocery store, theyre going to be at risk for monkeypox, said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People at risk would be family members or health care workers caring for a monkeypox patient, she said during a May 23 conference call with the media. There was a notable outbreak in the United States in 2003 when nearly 50 people became infected, although health authorities then linked it to transmission from animals rather than from humans. Several countries have noted that most current cases have been among men that engage in sexual activity with other men, which isnt an infection pathway that previously stood out for monkeypox. During the early stages of the infection, rashes and lesions sometimes occur in the genital and perineum area, Dr. John Brooks, chief medical officer at the CDCs Division of HIV Prevention, noted during the conference call. Direct contact with the lesions is one way the virus can spread. The unusual nature of the current outbreak has raised the question of whether the viruss behavior has changed. That would be significant because monkeypox is a DNA virus, which means its genetic information is encoded in a double-stranded DNA, rather than single-stranded RNA, and, as such, mutates much more slowly than viruses such as SARS, SARS-CoV-2, or the flu. The genetic sequence of the Massachusetts case is very closely linked to the known variant of the virus that has been spreading in West Africa, McQuiston said. Monkeypox in Detail Monkeypox belongs to the orthopoxvirus family, which includes smallpox as well as cowpox, horsepox, and others. Chickenpox, despite the name, doesnt belong to this family. Smallpox, the most dangerous to humans, is considered to have been eradicated through vaccination since 1980s. Monkeypox symptoms start with headaches, fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and characteristic rashes, sometimes clustered, sometimes spread out, sometimes including on the palms of the hands. Its less lethal than smallpox and usually passes after two to four weeks without specific treatment. Its known to spread only through the lesions, which can also be in ones mouth or throat and thus not visible, McQuiston said. The World Health Organization says the first detected human monkeypox case dates to 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since then, two major variants have been detectedone from the DRC, with a fatality rate of up to 10 percent, and another from West Africa, with a mortality rate of less than 1 percent. The current cases in Europe and the United States are the West African variant, according to McQuiston. In 2020, the DRC reported close to 4,600 suspected cases of monkeypox, including 171 deaths, a fatality rate of 3.7 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Its likely, however, that only more severe cases were reported, according to Dr. Robert Malone, a virology researcher and mRNA vaccine technology inventor. Factoring in unreported cases would likely lower the fatality rate, he wrote in a recent blog post. Aside from the lone confirmed case, the United States has recently seen another four cases of further undefined orthopox, according to McQuiston. For the purpose of this response, however, health care providers should assume these are monkeypox and manage them as monkeypox cases, she said. One of the presumptive cases was reported in Florida on May 22. The Massachusetts case genetic sequence closely matched a sequence of a patient in Portugal, she said. But the U.S. patient only reported recently traveling to Canada, the states health department stated. There will likely be more cases identified in the United States, McQuiston said. Last year, there were two recorded cases in the United States. In 2019, Bavarian Nordic licensed a vaccinenamed Jynneosin the United States against smallpox and monkeypox for people 18 years and older determined to be at high risk for infection. The U.S. federal government has about 1,000 doses available, with more to be added, McQuiston said. During the 2003 outbreak, people deemed at risk were given a smallpox vaccine. The U.S. federal government has a cache of 100 million doses of a smallpox vaccine, she said, noting it has some potential significant side effects. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden attend the Quad Fellowship Founding Celebration event in Tokyo, Japan on May 24, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images) New Australian PM Promises Ambitious Action on Climate Change Freshly minted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pledging an ambitious climate change agenda in line with U.S. President Joe Biden, including sending foreign aid to developing nations. Albanese met with the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in Tokyo just days after he won the May 21 federal election. The leaders addressed a range of issues, including security in the Indo-Pacific region and welcomed the new Australian prime minister, who took over from the centre-right Morrison government, which left a strong legacy of standing up for Australias values in the face of communist Chinas aggressive authoritarianismincluding a Beijing-instigated trade war. Albanese has pledged to continue much of the work started by the previous government, but with an increased commitment to climate change. My government will take ambitious action on climate change and increase our support to partners in the region as they work to address it, including with new finance, he said in a statement on May 24. His government said it was the main economic and security challenge for the Pacific nations and would set a new emissions target of 43 percent by 2030a major increase on the previous target of 26-28 percent. The Albanese government would also commit to more aid funding to ASEAN and the Pacific. My government has already committed to a greater focus on South-East Asia, including the appointment of a Special Envoy for the region and $470 million in additional foreign aid over the next four years, he said. This is in addition to our increasing assistance to the Pacific by over half a billion dollars, deepening our defence and maritime cooperation, and using the power of proximity to strengthen our partnerships. The new prime ministers promises are part of a suite of measures to counteract the pervasive influence of Beijing in the region, most notably the signing of a military deal with the Solomon Islands that could open the door for militarisation in the region. Meanwhile, Albaneses climate change initiatives come as the federal election saw the outgoing Coalition lose several inner-city seats to teal and Green candidates promising more aggressive action to cut emissions. Such policies would force energy companies and businesses to completely reconfigure the energy grid and work out how to power the countrys households, businesses, public transport systems, and utilities with renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro. However, many of these energy sources cannot operate with the same consistency as existing coal power plants. Further, a large portion of Australian wind turbines and solar panels are actually imported from China, currently the worlds largest polluter by far. A Missoula firefighter saved an elk calf last weekend in New Mexico while battling a wildfire. Crews from the Missoula Fire Department were checking in the Gascon area of the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires on Saturday for residual heat. They came across the calf, who was alone in a pocket of badly burned forest, according to a post from Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires Facebook page. "She was lying quietly in a six-inch deep layer of white ash, surrounded by the blackened remains of fir trees, Missoula firefighter Nate Sink said. The crew named it "Cinder." Running into wildlife like this is pretty uncommon, Sink said in an interview with the Missoulian, but the efforts by locals to get Cinder rehabilitated were incredible. Firefighters watched her for about an hour, hoping her mother would come back. When they didnt find any other adult elk tracks nearby, teams got help down the road in Upper Rociada. Local ranchers knew what to do. Their family veterinarian recommended re-hydrating the calf with a mixture of condensed milk and water. One of the ranchers, Lisa Bartley, said their family dog was intent on mothering Cinder. A local fish and game officer recommended Cinder be placed in the care of the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Espanola, New Mexico, the post said. Cinder is now safe at the Cottonwood Veterinary clinic. She has gotten the hang of bottle-feeding, and a surrogate-mother elk at the refuge has taken on the duties of cleaning and bestowing affection on the little orphan, the post said. Cinder will spend about four months at the clinic before being eligible for release back into the wild. The Bartley family said theyll be glad to welcome Cinder back to the Upper Rociada area when shes healthy enough to go back into the wild. On Tuesday, Sink said the crew was on their way home to Missoula after about two weeks of fighting fires in New Mexico. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Government and drug makers are looking to treat drug addiction with vaccines In its 2016 to 2020 strategic plan, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), promoted the promise of anti-addiction vaccines aimed at eliciting antibodies that block the effects of a specific drug. Certainly addiction is a huge problem, with opioid addiction leading the way, taking more than 140 American lives per day, in part because lethal fentanyl is being peddled. Addiction to other drugs, including meth and, of course, alcohol, also has tragic and often deadly consequences. The quest for an anti-addiction vaccine began in earnest when Drs. Nora D. Volkow, NIDA director, and Francis S. Collins, then-NIH director, called on scientists and industry to help develop vaccines specific against opioids in a New England Journal of Medicine Special Report in 2017. The quest for such treatments continues. How exactly do anti-addiction vaccines work? According to Chemical and Engineering News, in the case of heroin, the vaccine would stimulate a persons immune system to produce antibodies that bind to heroin. The antibodies would block the drug from crossing the bloodstream into the brain, stopping the person from experiencing a high and preventing a relapse. In short, these antibodies would shut down the narcotic before it could take root in the body, or in the brain, according to The New York Times. Limits to Behavioral Vaccines While many medical voices salute such vaccines and hope that they become available, others are more skeptical. Some point out that, like the alcoholism treatment Antabuse (disulfiram), which causes a person to get sick if they imbibe, a vaccine requires motivation on the part of the addicted personthey have to want to stop. An anti-addiction vaccine will likely require continued motivation, such as a potential anti-cocaine vaccine discussed in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, which might require six additional boosters given as one every 3 months, to produce a period of protection lasting 2 years. If the addict craves the escape the high provides and isnt ready to face the world without it, a vaccine is only part of the solution. The addict could just find a different drug. And there are other challenges. Addicts might simply use more of a drug to override the vaccine effects, Angela Garcia wrote in the Los Angeles Times. The vaccines may even be forced on addicts or their children, Garcia said, a concern echoed in the BMJs Journal of Medical Ethics. Many critics of the vaccine are uncomfortable with the biological approach to addiction embraced by NIDA, which can overlook the root cause of the addiction, which often comes back to previous trauma. NIDA sees the problem in less personal terms. We have identified many of the biological and environmental factors [of addiction] and are beginning to search for the genetic variations that contribute to the development and progression of the disease, Volkow, NIDAs director, said in 2007. A flier promoting Volkows presentation to the Commonwealth Club of California in 2013 reads that she believes that all addictions can be eliminated if the brains receptors can be controlled. Some regard such remarks as Orwellian or disturbingly similar to the more subtle dystopia envisioned in Brave New World. If addiction can be solved in the brain, what other socially undesirable diseases may we be inclined to treat? And after COVID-19, what penalties might an individual face if he or she refuses? Addiction Isnt Just a Brain State Say Experts NIDAs brain disease model not only enriches psychiatric drugmakers and Big Pharma, but it ignores all the societal reasons for drug addiction. Even the most effective anti-addiction vaccine cant cure the underlying factors that make people prone to using drugs, including poverty, violence and lack of opportunity, Garcia wrote. [The] underlying issues of addiction causality, including inequality, hopelessness, and the human desire for pleasure, cannot be addressed by a vaccine alone. Certainly drug addiction has features of a social disease, and the areas where its concentrated reveal something about our broader culture and the daily conditions in which people find themselves. People dont seek the escape of drugs or alcohol for no reason at all, and some do become addicted. Nor should we ignore the fact that even as lawsuits against opioid makers and sellers have proceeded, the opioid treatment drug Suboxone was a top seller in 2018 with sales of $859 million. Drug addiction can clearly be a drug industry profit center. Treating addiction as a brain disease has other risks, according to an editorial in the journal Addiction. It can deemphasize social and psychological influences. Depicting addiction as a brain disease could privilege the development and use of expensive and sometimes risky medical interventions, such as drug vaccines and deep brain stimulation, to the neglect of proven social policies, the editorial reads. The idea that addiction is a brain disease might also lend itself to the view that we should identify the minority of people who are most susceptible and subject them to individually focused preventive measures (e.g. vaccines) rather than using strategies that target the entire population. Another issue that The Epoch Times recently covered is the positive effects that a sense of free will and self-efficacy exert on many, perhaps most health conditions, versus the feeling that nothing can be done. Several studies have indicated that a persons sense of self-efficacythat they have the ability to affect the course of their life through their own choicesis an important factor in recovering from addiction. If addicts believe a medical professional or injection can cure their addiction, it further removes their sense of self-control and could lead to unintended consequences. Research published in the journal Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry in 2021 concurs about the problem of addicts abdicating personal responsibility. While NIDAs neurobiological understanding of addiction has been crucial in advancing pharmacotherapeutic interventions and advocacy for people experiencing problematic substance use, it can nevertheless be internalized by people such as Vivian [a cited case] who understand their chronic relapse as just part of being an addict, the article reads. Like other voices, the article in Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry notes that epidemics of drug use arent uniformly found among different groups of people and can be linked to chronic experiences of dispossession and postindustrial decline and dislocation. On a brighter note, the researchers noted that NIDA may be enlarging its very limited brain-and-vaccine model of addiction and integrating social and environmental factors into a more biopsychosocial model that recognizes the complex interactions between biology, behavior, and environment. Anti-addiction vaccines arent intended to be used on their own, nor would they work that way, an article posted by the Texas Addiction Treatment Centers reads. They are designed to be a part of a comprehensive treatment plan that incorporates other evidence-based treatment methods and behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step therapy, or individual and group counseling sessions. Will Anti-Addiction Vaccines Take Off? So far, human trials with vaccines against nicotine and cocaine in 2008 were failures, Ivan Montoya of NIDA said in 2018. This didnt bode well for newer vaccines. But if anti-addiction vaccines succeed, another issue may arise. The COVID-19 vaccines have revealed a lack of firewalls between government officials and industry. Volkow has personally collaborated with five pharmaceutical companies in research that seeks to help translate basic information into Food and Drug Administrationapproved treatments. This appears to be a serious conflict of interest. While faith-based and 12-step recovery programs are free, the search for high-tech treatments such as anti-addiction vaccines promises lucrative windfalls to drugmakers, which should be concerning to us all. And given that the current opioid crisis can be directly linked to the misleading claims of drug makers when they marketed those products and the continued over-prescription of those products, the fact that this massive social epidemic could become a major source of profit for some of the same companies is unethical, to say the least. A Jewish family crosses a street in a Jewish quarter in Williamsburg Brooklyn in New York City on April 24, 2019. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) Supreme Court Rejects NY Parents Appeal for Religious Exemption From Schoolchildren Vaccinations The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from parents who sought to challenge New York lawmakers decision that eliminated religious exemptions to vaccine requirements for schoolchildren. On Monday, the nations high court released an order (pdf) announcing their decision not to hear arguments in the case F.F., as Parent of Y.F. v. New York, which centers on a lawsuit challenging a 2019 law repealing religious exemptions for vaccines. The rejection of the appeal lets stand a lower court decision that concluded that the parents arguments lacked merit, the Christian Post reported. A group of 55 families filed a lawsuit in July 2019 asking the New York State Supreme Court to stop the statewide repeal of the religious exemption to vaccines. The lawsuit came after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill on June 13, 2019, that repealed the personal belief vaccine exemptions for children. The Democratic governor signed the measure minutes after the final vote amid a measles outbreak that impacted dozens of states. The science is crystal clear: Vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to keep our children safe, Cuomo said at the time after signing the bill. While I understand and respect freedom of religion, our first job is to protect public health. While the measure left medical exemptions in place, the law no longer allows exemptions for students whose parents or guardians hold genuine religious beliefs that do not permit the child to receive vaccinations. The state law only applies to students under 18 in both public and private schools and doesnt require students older than 18 or any other adult in the school environment to be vaccinated. With the repeal enacted, unvaccinated children may not attend school or daycare in the state. The group of familiesincluding those from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faithsargue that the repeal of the exemption violated their First Amendment rights, exhibited hostility toward religion, and breached protections under the Constitutions Equal Protection Clause, among other issues. The families contended that the policy forced them to either violate their beliefs or homeschool their children. In lobbying for its passage, numerous legislators publicly mocked and ridiculed those seeking religious exemptions for their children, and the legislature left intact a medical exemption, the parents appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court reads (pdf). There is no dispute the repeal has put tens of thousands of students to the Hobsons choice of violating their sincerely-held religious beliefs or being denied the right to attend any manner of in-person schooling. In March 2021, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New Yorks Third Department upheld a similar decision as Acting Albany County Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman in August 2019, who denied the families a preliminary injunction. Officials concluded that the repeal was motivated by a prescient for public health and was not about active hostility towards religion. The only other states that prohibit K-12 schools from granting exemptions on religious grounds are California, Mississippi, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Maine, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. New York first required schoolchildren to be vaccinated in 1860. California removed personal belief vaccine exemptions for children in both public and private schools in 2015, after a measles outbreak at Disneyland sickened 147 people and spread across the United States and into Canada. From NTD News OC Store Robberies Spike Way Off The Charts: Jewelers Security Alliance The May 22 smash-and-grab at Princess Bride jewelry store in Huntington Beachs Bella Terra mall is just the latest among a slew of store robberies plaguing Orange County businesses over the past year, with rates way off the charts according to an industry expert. There, four thieves in ski masks assaulted jewelry store staff, destroying several display cases in a foiled robbery attempt in which employees successfully fought them off. As they began smashing displays with hammers, two employees rushed at them and exchanged blows, with one intruder getting knocked to the ground, as shown in the stores video. Another staff member charged at one of the thieves with a chair, hitting him with it as the assailants attempted to flee. The Princess Bride Diamonds jewelry store in the Bella Terra shopping center in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 23, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Later, the store reported that three rings went missing after the robbery. We are so grateful that the robbery was minimized and that our team is okay, the store posted on Instagram. This is just the latest in a series of robberies in Orange County in the last few months. The Princess Bride Diamonds jewelry store in the Bella Terra shopping center, in Huntington Beach, Calif., on May 23, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Last week, a TJ Maxx clothing store in Mission Viejo on Santa Margarita Parkway was also targeted by robbers. A May 19 video posted on social media shows a group of several young women rushing out of the store, each with several large bags in hand. The social media posts author said the store is often the target of petty thievery, and that management is not allowed to prevent theft from occurring. If we want to continue to have nice stores to shop in, then these criminals must be stopped, the posts author wrote. The stores manager declined to comment and a spokesperson did not return a request for comment by press time. A TJ Maxx/Homegoods store in Costa Mesa, Calif., on May 23, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Kay Jewelers at the Westminster Mall was also robbed last month when two unidentified men stole over $200,000 worth of jewelry. The thieves in this instance also used sledgehammers to smash the glass display cases before grabbing the jewelry inside and fleeing in a rented Sedan, according to the Westminster Police Department. The suspects remain at large. A police officer in a file photo in Westminster, Calif., on May 10, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) I think if [jewelry] store owners want to stay in business and reduce the chance of robbery, they should bulk up on metal gates, the store manager of ProFix Jewelry and Watch Repairs, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Epoch Times. The ProFix manager also recommends jewelry store owners and operators invest in buzzers and limit customers to two or three at a time, decreasing the liability of more customers potentially being harmed in a robbery. According to ProFixs manager, his Laguna Hills store has been robbed twice since 2019, with the last break-in last month when two men and a woman broke in around 3:00 a.m., charging straight for the stores safe. Police were on the scene within four minutes. Obviously [the thieves] didnt have a lot of time but the female was selecting the jewelry from the showcase. Picking and choosing what to take, the store manager said. Suspects from last months break-in at the store have still not been apprehended, with the store sustaining well over $20,000 in stolen merchandise and property damage. After their first break-in in 2019, ProFix had invested in buzzers and metal cage-like doors that lock quickly, allowing for quick open-and-close while serving as a barrier against escape in case of another attempted robbery. Kay Jewelers in the Brea Mall was robbed a day after ProFix last month. This time, two robbers again used hammers to smash in glass displays, stealing an unknown number of items and fleeing before police could apprehend them. [Thieves] are becoming more aggressive the cost of doing business has increased, especially when the crime rate has increased, the ProFix manager said. The manager, who has worked in the industry for over 30 years, said jewelry store insurance premiums have skyrocketed as crime goes up and that insurance rarely covers the full amount of losses a store incurs after a robbery. Most jewelry stores already have a high amount of [insurance] coverage, but [it] will never be enough to cover everything because the cost makes it too expensive to run a business, the manager said. As reported in The Mercury News, the president of the Jewelers Security Alliance, an industry nonprofit formed in 1883 after a spree of jewelry store robberies struck New York City, said there have been at least 35 smash-and-grab robberies in California since May of 2021a number disproportionate to other states. Kennedy said this number is high even for Californias size and population. [This rate] is way off the charts of being unusual. It scares people in the industry, he said. On This Day in Orange County History Commentary On this day in history has been a fun way to bring past events into contemporary conversations. During my eight years as an Orange County Supervisor, every fifth Board meeting or so, I would be asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. I would always start off with something of national import that occurred on that very day during our nations history. For example, for September 9th one could state, On this day in history, in 1850, California became the 31st state admitted into the Union. On May 24th, two very important events occurred on this day in history in 1920. A significant inflection point in Orange Countys history occurred with the first oil well to prove the Huntington Beach Oil Field was a viable source of oil. It was struck near the intersection of Goldenwest and Clay. At the nearby Discovery Well Park, which was dedicated twenty years ago today, the relocated landmark plaque commemorates this historic event, one that dramatically changed the city of Huntington Beach and Orange County literally overnight. Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) By coincidence, although formed in 1919, the very first official meeting of the Orange County Historical Society also occurred on this day in history, 102 years ago. In September of 2019, celebrating the centennial of this organization, a dinner gala was held and renowned local historian, author, friend and former Orange County archivist, Phil Brigandi, provided an eloquent account of the previous century. It was probably his last oration. Orange County would lose this amazing individual due to complications from a heart attack a few months later. Orange County has been blessed with an amazing history. It has also been blessed with many active city and specialty historical societies and museums. The Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society. (Lynn Hackman/The Epoch Times) I should disclose that I served on the Costa Mesa Historical Society Board of Directors in the early 1990s and am a lifetime member. Im a lifetime member of the Orange County Historical Society and served as Vice Chair of the California Sesquicentennial Foundation Board of Directors, being the only original Board member from Southern California. To say Im a California and Orange County history nut would be an understatement. In 2014, in my final year as County Supervisor, I instigated the commemoration of the 125th anniversary, the quasquicentennial, of Orange Countys separation from Los Angeles County in 1889, becoming its own county. This past March, I spoke to the Old County Courthouse Museum Society. It was great to be back in the Civic Center and at California State Historical Landmark No. 837. It was one of the first state landmarks in my lifelong pursuit to visit and photograph them all. For the topic of my talk, check out Orange Countiana Vol. VIII. The Orange County Old Courthouse, put into service in 1901, holds the priceless Orange County Archives. It was great to revisit this well managed treasure that is under the management of Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. It is frequently visited and well used by historians and other members of the public working on projects and doing research. Couples arrange for wedding services at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana, Calif., on Feb. 14, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Orange Countys archivist activities are amazing and first rate. These publicly accessible archives contain not just one-of-a-kind records documenting every branch of county government, but also countless early photos and maps, and the papers of many important historic figures like the Knott family. One can see Phil Brigandis fingerprints everywhere. Whenever you get into a Huell Howser moment, have a couple of hours, and want to visit a special gem during normal business hours, youve got to visit the Old County Courthouse in downtown Santa Ana. If you really want to see something fun, visit it on Valentines Day. Youll observe numerous couples tying the knot and keeping the location buzzing. And if youre a movie buff, then you may have seen this granite and sandstone building in many memorable films. Speaking of my old friend Huell Howser, who served on the California Sesquicentennial Commission, when he did a program on downtown Orange, Phil Brigandi was his guide. When I brought Huell to the Old County Courthouse in the mid-1990s he was warmly greeted by Orange Countys many active historians and museum docents. I miss him, but I can still hear him say, Thats amazing! An American flag hangs behind a statue of John Wayne at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif. on June 30, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) I recently did lunch with Tony Gonzalez, a dear friend, and president of the California Historical Society Board of Directors, who flew into John Wayne Airport for us to discuss doing a fall reception for this statewide organization here in Orange County. Hosting it at an Orange County residence was the request, but the Old County Courthouse would make for a perfect venue for this statewide, San Francisco-headquartered, organizations local supporters. As one of the states 58 counties, Orange County has been blessed with many wonderful local historians. Besides Phil Brigandi, add Martin Brower, Esther Cramer, Chris Epting, Leo Friis, Rob Richardson, Jim Sleeper, John Sorenson, Doris Walker, and many others to the list. The ongoing work of institutions like the Orange County Historical Society and the Orange County Archivist is something residents can be very proud of. Maintaining a best-of-class archives is a must for Orange County citizens, now and in the future. I commend Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen and the Board of Supervisors for making it a high priority. Future generations will thank you. And history aficionados like myself will continue to be most grateful. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Jennifer Lani and Greg Lueck at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Fla., on May 22, 2022. (Lily Yu/The Epoch Times) ORLANDO, Fla.Operational manager Jennifer Lani and COO Greg Lueck were impressed by Shen Yun Performing Arts at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando on May 22. This is my second time, said Ms. Lani, Were always impressed by the artistry, the costumes, the gracefulness of the dancers, and the divine message behind each dance. I come away just highly impressedemotional actuallyfor the experience, she said. Based out of New York, Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company. Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun presents story-based dances depicting heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales spanning 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. The companys website says its performance this year demonstrates China before communism. Ive been to China, and you cant see this kind of tradition anymore, Mr. Lueck said. So what [Shen Yun] is sharing with us is so meaningful, he said, the colors, the energy, the history, the things that we cant reproduce todaythe connection that goes back to mind, body, spirit just amazing. In stark contrast to the divinely inspired and delicate beauty of Shen Yun, Ms. Lani said a performance she saw in mainland China was loud, noisy, rough, and not pretty. But Shen Yun doesnt avoid the hard topics. In one dance piece, the performers presented human rights atrocities happening in modern Chinathe state-orchestrated crime of forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa prisoners of conscience. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a persecution against the peaceful Falun Dafa meditation practice in 1999. The message about the surgeon, that was heartbreakingthe story behind that and to know that it still happens these days heartbreaking, Ms. Lani said. The surgeon in the story didnt know the police had just arrested his daughter as she was learning about the Falun Dafa principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance from other adherents. Very Relatable Thomas Wang and wife Kim Wang at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Fla., on May 22, 2022. (Linda Li/The Epoch Times) Thomas Wang, founder & CEO of Think Exceptionally, also attended the Shen Yun matinee performance at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando on May 22. He left very touched by the performance and found it to be very emotional and beautiful. I really enjoyed the diversity from the Monkey King all the way to todays time. Its very relatable, he said. Mr. Wang was impressed with Shen Yuns portrayal of positive spirituality and commented on the relevance and importance it has in our lives. In todays society, we get too caught up with a lot of whats happening with the news, media or the government, that we dont take the time to enjoy life, he said, I think Shen Yun is doing a great job depicting the importance of seeing the full picture from the cultural history of where we came from, to how its impacting our lives today. I almost cried a couple of times because it brings back the memories, he added. As a Chinese-American whose parents immigrated from China, he said, I feel that the depiction of Shen Yun versus current China is very true. Shen Yun is doing a great job reminding us that China is more than just todays communism, he added, It is a fusion of thousands of years history, so many different cultures, ethnicities, religions, arts, languages, and people. Mr. Wang commented that he was very grateful to Shen Yuns performers for mastering their arts, with influences from the past and the present, to deliver their message of China before communism across different states and cities. Reporting by Lily Lu, Linda Li, and Jennifer Schneider. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Our Vote, Their Values Commentary Australians can breathe a sigh of relief now that the federal election is behind us for another three years. Choosing who is going to be the next prime minister is one of the most important decisions a citizen of our country can make. And like any other decision, choosing one option invariably excludes choosing others. So its either or. When it comes to making other kinds of choicessay, about how we live our lives, end our lives, or express our identitywe increasingly think about choosing in terms of asserting an individual right. And we also insist that the right we wish to exercise when we make that particular choice must not only be respected by others but also affirmed by the law. But making choices is never as simple as we might like to think. It is never always just about us. Thats because every single choice we make almost always has an impact on others. In a world made more complex by advances in medicine, science, and technology, we need to take particular care in making choices about what we consider to be right and good. And choosing can be difficult. One of the problems many people faced during the election campaign was that the either/or option held little attraction for them. This happened because the campaign was often not only about policy but also about personality. Indeed, a lot of the time, policy actually took a back seat to personality. Barbs were frequently exchanged not so much about the economy or the cost of living or housing affordability as about the characters of the leading candidates. It wasnt a question of what each leader would do if given access to the levers of power; it was more a question of how theyd make us feel regardless of what policies they had to offer. Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) and Labor Leader Anthony Albanese during the second leaders debate ahead of the federal election at Nine Studios in Sydney, Australia, on May 8, 2022. (AAP Image/Pool, Alex Ellinghausen) This shift in emphasis from policy to personalitywith appeals to feelings, likeability, and trustsuggests that our society is increasingly placing a premium on empathy and emotion, and the capacity to demonstrate compassion in relationships with others. And an emphasis on empathy and emotion is also likely to mean that the way we make ethical choices will change, as well. Too often, discussions about ethics and morality turn into a zero-sum game where those who claim to be right about something dismiss their opponents as being wholly wrong. But ethics is seldom as clear cut as that. The way we feel about an ethical issue can sometimes be more important than what we think about it. Even when we are discussing difficult topics around which there are very strong emotions and opinionssuch as abortion, capital punishment, or euthanasiapeople will continue to have different points of view. What they feel and what they think about the issue may change over time depending on circumstances. The questions are eternal; but our own explanations can only ever be partial. Lets accept that this means ethics is likely to be much more fuzzy than we might have thought. Our own principles and values are not static but can change as we, ourselves, change over the course of a lifetime. One scholar who has emphasised this evolution of values is bioethicist Margaret Somerville, who speaks about values packages to describe the fact that people can have a combined mix of progressive and conservative values. It is important to keep these infinitely variable combinations of values in mind because it opens up the possibility of agreement on certain values while disagreeing on others, says Somerville. That agreement can result in having valuable experiences of belonging to the same moral universe as those with whom we are in conflict on other values issues. Awareness of a growing polarisation in our society tends only to be heightened in an election campaign where political parties display their wares in a bid to attract the support of voters. Open and vigorous exchange of opinion is, of course, one of the distinguishing marks of a liberal democracy, and we should defend it proudly. But we must also remember that we share a moral universe with those with whom we disagree. After all, few among us would surely deny the importance of promoting human dignity and flourishinga goal often described as the common good and one we can almost certainly agree upon, even though we may disagree about how to attain it. Polarisation only makes the already complex business of doing ethics harder because it tends to ignore that which we have in common as human beings. Holding fast to values and principles is, of course, important. But acknowledging the fuzzy edge to what we like to think of as the sharp lines of our moral reasoning can help us bring greater compassion and empathy to our engagement with those with whom we disagree. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Peter Kurti Follow Peter Kurti is an adjunct associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame, Australia, and has written extensively on issues of religion, liberty, and civil society. Panel Recommends New Names for 9 Military Facilities Originally Named for Confederate Leaders A panel on May 24 unveiled its recommended new names for military facilities that were named in commemoration of the Confederacy and its leaders. Fort Benning in Georgia should be renamed Fort Moore after Lt. Gen Hal Moore and his wife Julia, the Naming Commission said. Additionally, the following names were proposed: Change Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, to Fort Liberty to highlight the value of liberty. Change Fort Gordon, in Georgia, to Fort Eisenhower in honor of Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Change Fort A.P. Hill, in Virginia, to Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker. Change Fort Lee, in Virginia, to Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Change Fort Pickett, in Virginia, to Fort Barfoot after Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot. Change Fort Hood, in Texas, to Fort Cavazos in memory of Gen. Richard Cavazos. Change Fort Polk, in Louisiana, to Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson. Change Fort Rucker, in Alabama, to Fort Novosel, in honor of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel Sr. The names of the U.S. military facilities, located in six states, were reviewed on orders from Congress, which will have the final say on whether the proposed new names are acceptable. The commission is made up of eight volunteers selected by Congress and the defense secretary. The commission must submit a final report to Congress by Oct. 1, as stipulated in the 2021 defense funding bill. A 10th facility, Fort Belvoir in Virginia, does not meet the criteria in the bill for a renaming proposal but the commission recommended the military conduct its own review of the name. The commission also considered recommending the renaming of the USNS Maury and USS Chancellorsville but ultimately opted against doing so. Commission members came up with the proposals after visiting the facilities and speaking with military commanders, in addition to meeting with community leaders and reviewing public comments, of which more than 34,000 were received. This was an exhaustive process that entailed hundreds of hours of research, community engagement and internal deliberations, retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard, the chair of the commission, said in a statement. This recommendation list includes American heroes whose stories deserve to be told and remembered; people who fought and sacrificed greatly on behalf of our nation. The bill that triggered the process was vetoed by then-President Donald Trump due in part to the inclusion of the renaming process. A bipartisan majority in each chamber overrode the veto. Pelosi Responds for the First Time Since Being Banned From Communion House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on May 24 reacted for the first time to being banned from communion in San Francisco, where she lives. The decision is very dangerous, Pelosi said on MSNBCs Morning Joe. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone recently announced that he was banning Pelosi because of her continued support for abortion despite numerous attempts to convince her of the grave evil she is perpetrating. Cordileone said he held off on the move for years while speaking with Pelosi but was compelled to act after the lawmakers position on abortion became more extreme. He also noted she has said that her Catholic faith motivates her support for abortion, which directly opposes Pope Francis and the Catholic teachings. Since the first century the church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable, the Vatican said in a communication to questioners in 2009, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law. Pelosi will not receive communion in San Francisco until she publicly repudiate[s] her support for abortion rights and confess[es] and receive[s] absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of penance, Cordileone said. Pelosi, speaking on Tuesday, attacked Cordileone directly by describing him as being against LGBTQ rights and questioning why he has not barred people who support the death penalty from taking communion. I wonder about death penalty, which I am opposed to. So is the church, but they take no action against people who may not share their view, she said. Pelosi reportedly received communion at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown over the weekend following Cordileones announcement. The Archdiocese of Washington did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson told the Washington Examiner that Archbishop Wilton Gregory will not ban Pelosi from communion. The actions of Archbishop Cordileone are his decision to make in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Cardinal Gregory has not instructed the priests of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington to refuse communion to anyone, the spokesperson said. Other bishops, including Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, have said they support Cordileones decision. All politicians who promote abortion should not receive holy communion until they have repented, repaired scandal, and been reconciled to Christ and the church, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, said in a statement. Pelosi on Tuesday also was asked about the Womens Health Protection Act, which she helped pass the House of Representatives before a bipartisan majority of senators blocked it. Pelosi falsely said the bill did not expand access to abortion, alleging it would just enshrine Roe v. Wade into the law. I think its very insulting to women to have their ability to make their own decision hampered by politics, she said. This should never have been politicized. Fuel prices are seen at a petrol station in Wimborne, England, on March 11, 2022. (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images) Petrol and Diesel Prices Hit Record High in UK Fuel prices in the UK have continued to hit record highs, official statistics show. The average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts was 167.7 pence ($2.1) on May 23, up from 165.1 pence a week earlier, according to new figures released by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. The average price of diesel on May 23 was 181.14 pence ($2.27) per litre, up from 179.7 pence last week. Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said the news means more financial frustration for drivers and businesses, not least the owners of the countrys 18 million petrol-powered cars, most of whom will be private individuals and families. He said the signs are that the pain isnt over yet, as wholesale petrol prices are still close to recent highs and currently exceed those of diesel. As many people are looking anxiously at the prospect of ever higher bills to heat and light their homes, so too an increasing number of families are facing transport poverty. For most drivers, in the short term, there is little option but to grit their teeth and pay up, he added. The news comes as it emerged that the UKs energy price cap is expected to increase to 2,800 ($3,510) in October, a rise of 830 ($1,040) from the current level. Talking to the Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Committee of the House of Commons, Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Britains energy regulator Ofgem, said he is expecting an energy price cap in October in the region of 2,800 as the market copes with once-in-a-generation price changes not seen since the oil crisis of the 1970s. He said energy prices could go up even further if Russia disrupts gas supplies more. Downing Street acknowledged that energy prices were a significant challenge. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons official spokesman said some of the help from the government was phased throughout the year. Some of the support is designed to come in in October, 200 will be discounted from energy bills, the warm home discount will increase to 150 and be expanded to cover 3 million people, cold weather payments and winter fuel payments will be available again, the spokesman said. The government was also actively looking at what more could be done to help, said the spokesman, adding that Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are both focused on the issue. He also said the indication from Ofgem about future increases of the energy price cap will help the government plan for any future response. PA Media contributed to this report. Police stand guard during a protest against the killing of 24-year-old Congolese refugee Moise Kabagambe at the site of his death in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Feb. 5, 2022. (Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images) Police Raid in Rio de Janeiro Favela Kills at Least 10 RIO DE JANEIROPolice in Rio de Janeiro raided the Vila Cruzeiro favela before dawn Tuesday in an operation that prompted a fierce firefight and state officials said at least 10 people died. The operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, some from other states, police said in a statement. The statement said agents were fired upon while preparing their incursion, and that one resident was shot and killed. It said 11 people were found wounded after the shootout and taken to a nearby state hospital. Ten deaths were confirmed in the hospitals emergency room and two people are being treated in the trauma wing, according to a statement from the states health secretariat. The operation was conducted jointly by the states military police and federal highway police. Police apprehended 16 vehicles, 13 automatic rifles as well as pistols and grenades, the police statement said. A woman charged in October with child neglect and possessing drugs for distribution after police found 140 fentanyl pills within reach of three children has been sentenced to three years in prison. Lacey Gipp, 31, pleaded guilty to the felony charges Monday, court records show. South Central District Judge Daniel Borgen suspended seven years of a 10-year sentence and ordered Gipp to spend two years on probation. Gipp was one of three people arrested when Metro Area Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at a Bismarck motel. The search yielded no drugs, but one of the men told police the drugs had been dropped at Gipps residence. The pills were within reach of children ages 3, 8, and 10, police said. One of the men arrested that day, Kevin Luke, of Redford, Michigan, is set for a change-of-plea hearing on June 8. He is charged with drug conspiracy and faces a possible 10-year prison sentence. The third person arrested, Michael Swan, 54, of Detroit, who is Lukes uncle, pleaded not guilty to a drug conspiracy charge. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 People look at an overturned truck in a parking lot after a tornado in a widespread storm system touched down in Round Rock, Texas, on March 21, 2022. (Tamir Kalifa/Reuters) Powerful Tornado Strikes Texas, Severe Weather Warnings Issued Weather officials warned people to take shelter after a powerful tornado touched down in Northern Texas on May 23, bringing with it hailstones and potential flash flooding. A very dangerous large tornado is on the ground north of Morton, the National Weather Service said on Monday alongside an image of the large storm system which was captured by an onlooker and shared online. Morton is a city in Cochran County, Texas with a population of 2,006. The storm has wind gusts between 60 to 70 mph, NWS said in its hazardous weather outlook. A tornado warning remains in effect. One storm chaser in Texas captured the tornado on video and described it as an absolute monster. Officials urged people to take cover immediately and move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW! NWS said. A line of thunderstorms also moved across Bailey, Parmer, and Castro County on Monday, NWS of Lubbock, northwest Texas, said in a tweet, while warning that the storm system could bring hail up to half a dollar in size. Officials have said that severe thunderstorms will bring heavy rainfall creating flash flooding in some areas of Texas, as well as New Mexico and Oklahoma. Shower and thunderstorm chances will continue Tuesday, officials said. Some storms could be strong to severe with locally heavy rainfall also possible across the Caprock and Rolling Plains. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet declared a state of emergency and no deaths have been reported. The storms also made their way to the Chesnee, Springs, Boiling Springs area in South Carolina, with Spartanburg County Emergency Management posting images of the damage left behind. Those photos showed some buildings had been completely destroyed while others had their roofs ripped off. Trees and power lines were also impacted. We will be out tomorrow conducting additional assessmentsa great job by every first responder, public works and so many others who responded to this weather event.at this time, we have not received any reports of storm-related injuries or deaths, Spartanburg County officials wrote on Facebook. Nearly 750 customers were without power shortly after the storm moved through, according to local news outlet WSPA. Earlier this month, a series of tornadoes caused major damage to parts of Oklahoma and Texas as well as severe flooding. Reo McBride attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Fla., on May 21, 2022. (Nancy Ma/The Epoch Times) ORLANDO, Fla.Reo McBride, a professor of design at Full Sail University, was touched by Shen Yun Performing Arts in Orlando at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on May 21. It touches the spiritits beautiful. When I was listening and watching, it brought tears to my eyes, he said. A lot of what were seeing here brings truth to my own religious belief about every human having a divine purpose and this production shows that, he added. Shen Yun Performing Arts is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company. Based in New York, Shen Yun aims to revive 5,000 years of Chinese traditional culture and features folk dances, solo performances, and story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern-day. The companys website says this years theme is China before communism. It shows the good that existed before and can exist again in China if things are able to change, Mr. McBride said. As a former missionary in Taiwan, Mr. McBride recalled a saying, We learn to love those whom we serve, and learn to serve those whom we love. What we are seeing tonight in Shen Yun, he said, is they are serving us and we are loving that because its showing the good in the heavens that God meant to show for his children. Shen Yun also shared one story-based dance depicting the persecution of Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gonga Chinese self-improvement practice rooted in the philosophies of Buddhism and Daoism, which it summarises in its teachings as the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Chinas ruling communist party launched a persecution against Falun Gong in 1999 and its adherents have since been subject to unprecedented imprisonment, torture, defamation, and murder for their organs. Reflecting on the dance piece portraying the state-sanctioned crimes of forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa prisoners of conscience in China, Mr. McBride said it was symbolic of the resurrection. It really touched my heart when she came back to life, he said, Justice and mercy were shown at the timeespecially mercy. If you believe in God and you have faith, He will help you. That is what the show is showing here, he added. Many people have forgotten that, and this is a reminder that these are truths, these are principles that never change. Mr. McBride also wanted to thank the artistic director of Shen Yun for bringing good to our lives and showing us what once was and hopefully can be again. Reporting by Nancy Ma and Jennifer Schneider. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. (LR) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for photos at the entrance hall of the Prime Ministers Office of Japan in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. (Zhang Xiaoyu/Pool via Reuters) Quad Leaders Unveil Maritime Security Initiative to Increase Surveillance in Indo-Pacific The leaders of the Quadthe United States, Japan, Australia, and Indiaon Tuesday unveiled a maritime security initiative to better track illegal fishing and dark shipping in the Indo-Pacific. The initiative, dubbed the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), was unveiled during the Quad meeting in Tokyo. It will enable the nations to fully monitor and uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific. It will allow tracking of dark shipping and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improve partners ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies, the White House stated. Dark ships are vessels that switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder to avoid detection. The IPMDA will boost information-sharing across existing regional fusion centers, including those in the Indian Ocean region, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands, according to the White House. Through a combination of automatic identification system and radio-frequency technologies, Quad partners can provide an unprecedented common thread of activities, it stated. Because of its commercial origin, this data will be unclassified, allowing the Quad to provide it to a wide range of partners who wish to benefit. U.S. Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell has said that Washington will announce plans to improve maritime domain awareness, naming illegal fishing as one of the biggest challenges in the Pacific. The statement did not mention China by name, but the move appears to address Chinas illicit fishing in the Indo-Pacific. China has been ranked as the worst offender in the 2021 IUU [illegal, unreported, unregulated] Fishing Index. Michael Sinclair, a federal executive fellow at the U.S.-based Brookings Institution, said in his 2021 paper that IUU fishing has become a national security concern for the United States and its allies around the world. Sinclair stated that Chinese fishing practices presented a truly unique and dire IUU threat, with its vast fishing fleet that has been used to meet its populations huge demand for protein. [China] also provides generous subsidies, which has incentivized the rapid proliferation of larges, capable, distant water vessels that can harvest staggering amounts of catch in a single voyage, often by dragging the ocean bottom without regard to fish type, age, or quantity limits, he said. When working together in fleets, these vessels are rapacious. Several countries in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia, chafe at Chinas vast fishing fleet, claiming that its vessels often violate their exclusive economic zones and cause environmental damage and economic losses. Reuters contributed to this report. A sharp increase in the number of children visiting the emergency room at the childrens hospital in Hamilton , Ont., is resulting in longer wait times. McMaster Childrens Hospital (MCH) said in a May 20 news release that the hospital saw a record number of patients on May 16 with over 230 children visiting its emergency department, while visits the previous week averaged roughly 190 per day. Families who visit the MCH ED may face long wait times. As a reminder, children are prioritized to be seen based on the severity of their condition. Were asking for patience as our teams do their best to care for all patients and their families, reads the news release. When asked what caused the increase in hospital visits, MCH told The Epoch Times that COVID-19-related hospitalizationseither admitted for or hospitalized with the virusremain low. However, the hospital is seeing more children with viral illnesses. Then-Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) arrives for the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on March 1, 2022. (Saul Loeb/Pool/Getty Images) Rep. Madison Cawthorn Under Investigation by House Ethics Committee Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee over alleged insider dealing in cryptocurrency and an alleged improper relationship with one of his staff members. The 10-member panel of the House Ethics Committee unanimously voted on May 11 to establish a subcommittee to investigate whether Cawthorn may have improperly promoted a cryptocurrency in which he may have had an undisclosed financial interest, and engaged in an improper relationship with an individual employed on his congressional staff, it announced Monday afternoon. The committee did not give further details on the alleged improper relationship. The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, it added. The Washington Examiner reported in April that watchdog groups believed Cawthorn may have violated federal insider trading laws by promoting a cryptocurrency coin LGB, one day before it announced a partnership with NASCAR driver Brandon Brown. LGB stands for Lets go Brandon, a phrase that has been used by people to mock President Joe Biden. Commenting on the investigation, Blake Harp, Cawthorns chief of staff, said in a statement: We welcome the opportunity to prove that Congressman Cawthorn committed no wrongdoing and that he was falsely accused by partisan adversaries for political gain. Cawthorn had previously addressed some insider trading allegations in an Instagram post in early May, however, it is unclear whether the allegations concern the same case being investigated by the House Ethics Committee. This one just pushing an allegation that I have been involved in insider trading. Its ridiculous, Cawthorn said of an unspecified report about him, adding, A quick search would have revealed the information that I had insider knowledge of was publicly available on Instagram. Make no mistake, I believe that decentralized cryptocurrency is a way to remove centralized government control of our finances. Even a quick glance of the story reveals how shallow the claims really are. Separately, the committee said it would not investigate misdemeanor charges filed against Cawthorn for driving with a revoked license and speeding in March. Representative Cawthorn informed the Committee he has paid a fine to resolve one of the charges and intends to pay any fines associated with the remaining charges, the committee said (pdf), adding it believes local authorities can handle the matter. Cawthorn, 26, lost his re-election bid last week to Rep. Chuck Edwards in the Republican primary race for North Carolinas 11th congressional district. Then-Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R) speaks to voters at a meet and greet event in Columbus, N.C., on April 30, 2022. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times) The loss comes after the junior lawmaker received press coverage in the weeks leading up to May 17 primary over several controversial incidences. Cawthorn said that certain unnamed lawmakers on Capitol Hill of having offered him drugs and inviting him to sexual gatherings. The accusation was made during an interview on a podcast in March, drawing criticisms from some Republican colleagues, including House Republican Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) who said Cawthorn had no evidence for such claims. In late April, photos were published of Cawthorn wearing womens lingerie. He said the incident took place long before his congressional term and was part of a game on a cruise ship, where his mother was also present. Separately, a video was published showing Cawthorn naked, which he dismissed as something that happened years ago when he was being crass with a friend, trying to be funny, and joking. Also recently, Cawthorn was condemned by McCarthy after calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a thug. Cawthorn was later cited for having brought a loaded gun into Charlotte Douglas International Airport on April 26. Cawthorn said in a video explaining recent media reports about him, that he made a mistake in having forgotten to disarm himself while going through a TSA checkpoint. Cawthorn in late April said he was being targeted by a coordinated drip campaign from the establishment and the RINOs to undermine his reelection bid. There is a coordinated movement to attack the freshman conservative congressman in their re-elections (most difficult election) who challenge the regime and the Uni-party. Rino senators and establishment pawns want us to go back to the days before Trump, he wrote in an Instagram post. They want to go back to the days of not being on offense, not fighting for the next generation, not trying to dismantle the federal governments overreach, we will never go back. That is why the establishment is trying to crush me and others, they attack what they fear. Onward! Cawthorn thanked former President Donald Trump for having endorsed his reelection bid. Trump, a day prior to the primary, had called on Republicans to give Madison a second chance. When Madison was first elected to Congress, he did a great job. Recently, he made some foolish mistakes, which I dont believe hell make againlets give Madison a second chance! Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. When Donald Trump has your back, he has your back to the end, Cawthorn said before he conceded to Edwards. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the end of a joint press conference following their meeting in Sochi, Russia, on May 13, 2019. (Pavel Golovkin/AFP via Getty Images) Russia Will Strengthen Economic Ties, Cooperate on Technology With China: Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country will focus on strengthening ties with China, saying the two neighboring countries have common interests and can make technological advances together. Now that the West has taken the position of a dictator, our economic ties with China will grow even faster, Lavrov said, according to a transcript published by Russias Foreign Ministry on May 23. According to Russias state-run media RT, Lavrov made the remarks while speaking to students at a high school in Moscow. Lavrov said Russia and China have common interests in international affairs and the two sides can reap the benefits of working closely on technology. This is an opportunity for us to realize our potential in the field of high technology, including nuclear energy, but also in a number of other areas, Lavrov added. Three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow updated their bilateral relationship to a no limits partnership, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The two leaders also declared that there would be no forbidden areas of cooperation between the two neighbors. China has not condemned Russia over its invasion but has been critical of Western sanctions against Moscow. On May 4, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who co-chairs the Senate Ukraine Caucus, informed Qin Gang, Chinas ambassador to the United States, that he was extremely concerned about Chinas refusal to clearly condemn Putins unjustified and unprovoked war. Meanwhile, Chinas energy imports from Russia have increased in recent months. The communist regimes purchase of Russian oil, gas, and coal jumped 75 percent in April to over $6 billion, according to Bloomberg, citing Chinese customs data. Imports of Russias liquefied natural gas topped 463,000 tons in April, a surge of 80 percent from a year earlier. Lavrov dismissed the possibility that Russia would be willing to improve ties with Western countries soon. If they [the West] want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not, he said. We must stop being dependent in any way on the supply of anything from the West. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin enter a hall for talks in the Kremlin in Moscow, in this 2019 file photo. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo) Space Technology One particular field of SinoRussian cooperation that has great implications for U.S. national security is outer space. The two sides are currently in the final year of a five-year space cooperation program that started in 2018. In December last year, Chinas state-run media Global Times reported that the program was expected to extend for another five years ending in 2027. The Russian space agency Roscosmos signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinas National Space Administration in March 2021, agreeing to work together on an international lunar research station. Roscosmoss chief, Dmitry Rogozin, told Russian state-run media Tass in April that he planned to talk to Chinese partners about cooperation on the moon before the end of May. Chinas and Russias interests in the moon were highlighted in a report titled Challenges to Security in Space 2022 published by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in April. Both nations seek to broaden their space exploration initiatives, together and individually, with plans to explore the moon and Mars during the next 30 years, John F. Huth, the DIAs defense intelligence officer, said at a briefing announcing the report. Huth added, If successful, these efforts will likely lead to attempts by Beijing and Moscow to exploit the moons natural resources. The moon could potentially turn out to be an important source of rare-earth metals, which are scarce on Earth but are needed to manufacture everyday electronics such as computers and lithium batteries, in addition to defense products used by the U.S. military, such as night-vision goggles and armored vehicles. John F. Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy, warned about Russian and Chinese space capabilities during a congressional hearing on May 11. Russia and China have developed directed energy weapons to blind intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites, and they continue the development, testing, and proliferation of direct-ascent and on-orbit antisatellite weapons to hold at risk U.S. and allied space assets, Plumb said, according to a prepared statement (pdf). He added, They continue to develop the means to deny others the use of space through employment of malicious cyberspace activities, including cyber attacks, against ground sites supporting space operations. (LR) President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk-youl, and Samsung Electronics Co. Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong during their visit to the Samsung Electronics Co.'s Pyeongtaek campus on May 20, 2022. (Kim Min-hee/AFP via Getty Images) Samsung Electronics Co. Investing $360 Billion to Build Chips, Boost Biotech Business Samsung Electronics Co. will spend 450 trillion won (about $360 billion) over the next several years until 2026 to boost its businesses, from semiconductor chips to pharmaceutical drugs. The investment is expected to drive long-term growth in strategic sectors like the chip industry. Samsung expects investments in the biopharmaceutical sector will help make it as successful as its chip venture, according to Reuters. In the May 24 announcement, the company revealed that roughly 80 percent of the investments will be made in South Korea, where it is headquartered. Samsung expects the 450 trillion won investment to create more than 1 million jobs. The investment is 30 percent more than the 330 trillion won the company invested before 2021. Securing biopharmaceutical and chip supply chains is critical for South Koreas economic security, the company stated. In 2021, Samsung announced that it would invest $151 billion over the proceeding decade through 2030 in advanced chipmaking research. Much of the investment is expected to go into the semiconductor department, which is expanding rapidly as the company plans to take on leading chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and Intel Corp. President Joe Biden toured the Samsung Electronics Co. campus in South Korea during his May 2024 trip to Asia. He thanked the company for the $17 billion investment committed to manufacturing chips in Texas. The investment will create 3,000 new high-tech jobs in the state, Biden said in his remarks after touring the site. The new 450 trillion won investment plan comes as chip shortage continues to plague the electronics industry, and major chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics Co., Intel Corp., and TSMC are planning further price hikes. Foundries have already raised prices by 10 to 20 percent in the past year, Peter Hanbury, a semiconductor analyst, told CNBC. Foundries are raising prices because they can, and also due to the fact that it has now become very expensive for them to fund the expansion of operations. We expect a further round of price increases this year, but smaller (i.e. 57 percent), Hanbury said. The chemicals used in [chip] manufacturing have increased 1020 percent. Similarly, the labor required to build new semiconductor facilities has also seen shortages and increased wage rates. The continued shortages of semiconductor chips allow manufacturers to charge a premium as customers continue pushing to secure supply, he added. Hanbury expects the shortage of certain chips to start easing only by the end of this year. TSMCthe worlds largest chip manufacturerraised prices by 20 percent in 2021. The company told clients to expect a price hike of 5 to 8 percent from 2023. Another Taiwan-based chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corp., is planning a 4 percent price hike during the second quarter of 2022. Samsung is expecting sustained demand from data centers for high-margin memory chips during the second half of 2022. However, the company warned that component shortages will also likely continue. Samsung is the largest memory chip manufacturer in the world. Companies are now expanding IT infrastructure, and cloud companies are expanding investments to explore new growth areas like artificial intelligence and machine learning, Han Jin-man, executive vice president of Samsungs memory chip business, said during an earnings call in April. However, there are still some parts supply issues, which could lead to disruptions, Jin-man said. Were going to monitor demand fluctuations very closely and intend to provide supply that fits the demand. Reuters contributed to this report. Senate Candidate in Pennsylvania Files Lawsuit Forcing Mail-In Ballots Without Handwritten Date to Be Counted Republican Senate candidate David McCormick filed a lawsuit on May 23 to ensure all mail-in ballots submitted without a handwritten date are not disqualified in the tightly contested GOP primary election for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. The lawsuit, filed in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, seeks to compel all of the states 67 counties to count ballots that were received on time but were missing a handwritten date on their envelope, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Under state law, ballots that were received on time but were missing a handwritten date on their envelope would have been rejected. The undated mail ballots were indisputably submitted on timethey were date-stamped upon receiptand no fraud or irregularity has been alleged, McCormicks lawyers wrote in their suit Monday, adding that the majority of Pennsylvanias counties had indicated they wont count the undated ballots, according to the report. The only basis for disenfranchising these voters is a technical error that is immaterial under both state and federal law, it added. McCormicks campaign also wrote a letter to the states counties on Friday arguing that mail-in and absentee ballots submitted without dates on their envelopes should be counted. The letter cited a ruling from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 20 that ordered undated Pennsylvania mail-in ballots received in last years general election be counted toward the final results. We trust that in light of the Third Circuits judgment you will advise your respective Boards to count any and all absentee or mail-in ballots that were timely received but were set aside/not counted simply because those ballots lacked a voter-provided date on the outside of the envelope, McCormicks lawyers said in the letter. To the extent you are not willing to provide this advice, we ask for a formal hearing before your Boards on this issue. McCormick is facing primary opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz in the tightly contested primary race. As of Tuesday, Oz was leading McCormick by 987 votes out of more than 1.3 million ballots cast the prior Tuesday. McCormicks campaign Chief Legal Counsel Chuck Cooper, in a statement to the Washington Examiner on Monday, referenced last weeks ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Both the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit have held that mail-in ballots should not be disqualified simply because the voters failed to hand write a date on the exterior mailing envelope of their ballots, Cooper said. Because all ballots are time-stamped by the County Boards of Elections on receipt, a voters handwritten date is meaningless, he added. All timely ballots of qualified Republican voters should be counted. The Pennsylvania Republican Party said in a statement on Monday that it objects to undated mail-in ballots being counted. Meanwhile, Oz campaign manager Casey Contres said in a statement on Twitter that it plans to oppose McCormicks request, citing state election law. Unfortunately, the McCormick legal team is following the Democrats playbook, a tactic that could have long-term harmful consequences for elections in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the statement reads. Dr. Mehmet Oz continues to respectfully allow Pennsylvanias vote-counting process to take place and puts his faith in the Republican voters who we believe have chosen him as their nominee, Contres continued. That is why our campaign will oppose the McCormick legal teams request that election boards ignore both Pennsylvania Supreme Court and state election law and accept legally rejected ballots. Former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Oz, has been vocal in his criticism of mail-in ballots, citing potential fraud. Last week, Trump took to his social media platform, TRUTH Social, where he wrote: Here we go again! In Pennsylvania, they are unable to count the Mail-In Ballots. It is a BIG MESS. Policemen keep watch at the scene at the United Nations building in Nigeria on Aug. 27, 2011. (Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images) Severed Head of Missing Nigerian Lawmaker Found in Park: Police ONITSHA, NigeriaPolice in Nigeria have discovered the severed head of a state legislator who went missing last week in the southeastern state of Anambra, where the government accuses separatists of carrying out a spate of killings and kidnappings, police said on Sunday. The southeast, homeland of the Igbo ethnic group, is agitating to secede from the rest of Nigeria and the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group has been leading those calls. Okechukwu Okoye, a legislator in the Anambra state assembly, and his aide went missing on May 15. His head was found on Saturday night in a park in the Nnewi south local government area, Anambra state police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga said. The lawmaker was killed. His head was found along Nnobi road. There is no suspect in custody yet, Ikenga said. The Anambra state governor has put up a 10 million naira ($24,000) reward for information on the killers. Early this month, gunmen killed and beheaded two soldiers in neighboring Imo state. The government accused IPOB, which denied the charge. The violence in the southeast is another layer of insecurity in Nigeria, where kidnappings for ransom are common in the northwest and an Islamist insurgency has been going on for more than a decade in the northeast of the country. Amnesty International said last August that Nigerian security forces had killed at least 115 people in the southeast in the first eight months of 2021 and arbitrarily arrested or tortured scores of others. The government did not comment. By Anamesere Igboeroteonwu Workers in protective suits disinfect a closed residential area during a lockdown in Shanghai, on May 18, 2022. (Aly Song/Reuters) Shanghai COVID Volunteers: Never Trust Shanghai Volunteer Agents During the lockdown in Shanghai, a lot of the volunteers assisting in the pandemic prevention and control measures came from outside the city. Many of them were left on the street without shelter, while there were those who also contracted the virus because of poor hygiene practices in their temporary shelters. Most of them were recruited through volunteer agents. In China, the so-called volunteers are paid; the jobs come with compensation, and the agents also earn a commission; but, they are still called volunteers. During the pandemic, these volunteers get paid based on the type of job and the level of risk of becoming infected. The ones working in temporary field hospitals known as Fangcang get up to $120 a day; others, such as those assisting in disinfection activities or neighborhood watch, are paid from $20 to $90 a day. The volunteer jobs are assigned with an agreement, not a contract. Among the many chaotic situations occurring during the Shanghai lockdown, the pandemic prevention and control volunteers also became victims of practices under the strict zero-COVID policy. Two volunteers told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that they were not even given a place to stay, and one expressed that he would never go to Shanghai again. Unreliable Agents Wu Ming (pseudonym) from Hubei Province, intended to join the volunteers and work in one of Shanghais makeshift Fangcang. He saw the ads from the Shanghai Fangcangs in early April. After making a connection, he arrived in the city on April 11. He was careful before making any commitment. He contacted several agents to ensure the jobs were real and available before he went to Shanghai. He felt lucky that he had been careful. After he arrived in Shanghai, indeed at least six agents told him that the job was no longer available or the pay was not as good as promised. However, two jobs were still open, and so, he called a cab and went to the agent in Yangpu District. However, when he arrived, he was again told the job was no longer available. All public transportation was still suspended; without a pass, he was stuck in Yangpu. Dragging his carry-on with him on the streets, he found a local supermarket open for two hours every morning. He was lucky to be able to get food at the supermarket for the next five days. On one rainy night, he managed to find an ATM booth in which he spent the night. After five days of living on the streets of Yangpu, his fellow workers from Hubei sent a taxi to pick him up from Yangpu. He recently settled on a job assisting the local community in delivery. He said that many people from foreign provinces fell for the agents false ads and claims of high pay. They ended up being homeless and stuck in the Shanghai lockdown because the number of vacancies were limited and the pay was low. He felt sad because he realized that many of those looking for work had a hard time just getting enough to eat. A community volunteer wearing protective equipment disinfects an area where swabs are taken from residents for COVID-19 in a compound during a lockdown in Pudong district, Shanghai, on April 17, 2022. (Liu Jin/AFP via Getty Images) Arbitrarily Prolonged Quarantine Wang Da (pseudonym) came from Wuhan city. A company, also a volunteer agency, sent him as part of a team to Shanghai to do disinfection activities in the city. But, within a few days, someone on the team tested positive for COVID-19. He said a dorm was set up inside the Fangcang, where it was crowded, with six to eight people in one roomno less than fourand far from the standard of the pandemic prevention regulations. The environment was poorly maintained, and no one was in charge of picking up the trash. Infection quickly spread in their Fangcang. Wang said that several hundred people have tested positive in the Fangcang. More than 300 people were dispatched by his company, and at least 100 of them contracted the virus. He explained that recently, some of his coworkers returned to Wuhan after finishing a 14-day quarantine in Shanghai, but tested positive again in Wuhan after finishing another 14-day quarantine there. Consequently, they were quarantined for another seven days. That added up to 35 days in quarantine. All they received was about $60 a day during the quarantine in Shanghai, and $15 a day during the quarantine in Wuhan. He said, We have not been able to do our job at all with all the quarantine requirements. Now the so-called side effects of COVID-19 will stop us from getting any other employment. No one will dare to hire us. Many of them worry that they might not be able to find a job for a very long time. The local company told them that since the agents in Shanghai did not provide any compensation, the local company would not match any losses they suffered because of their trip to Shanghai. Wang said that even the $60 a day quarantine aid wasnt paid in full. He said, Its frustrating. I wont go to Shanghai again. Gao Miao and Gu Xiaohua contributed to this report. Metro Area Narcotics Task Force officers on Monday arrested four men who allegedly had at least $56,000 worth of fentanyl pills and more than $2,000 cash in rooms at a Bismarck hotel. The officers arrested Terry Rogers, 38, address unknown; Lorenzo White, 42, of Saint Paul, Minnesota; Antawon Baker, 37, of Chicago; and John Richmond, 43, of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Police executed search warrants on two rooms at the Candlewood Suites, and the search turned up 1,393 fentanyl pills, an ounce of crack cocaine, and smaller amounts of ecstasy and cocaine, according to an affidavit. Police also found seven cellphones, $2,039 in cash, and digital scales in the rooms, the affidavit states. Fentanyl pills are sold for $40 to $60 per pill, officials said. Rogers, Baker and Richmond are charged with possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, a felony that carries a possible 10-year prison sentence. White is charged with felonies for possession of ecstasy and possession of cocaine. Each of those charges is punishable by up to five years in prison upon conviction. Attorneys arent listed for the men in court documents. Richmond, Baker, and Rogers are in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail. White is held on $1,500 bail. Love 4 Funny 5 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 11 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) SpaceX President Defends Elon Musk Over Sexual Misconduct Claims The president and COO of SpaceX has defended the aerospace companys CEO Elon Musk against allegations of sexual misconduct in an email to employees, according to CNBC. According to an email allegedly obtained by CNBC, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell addressed the allegations that first emerged in a Business Insiders report denounced by Musk as utterly untrue and a politically motivated hit piece. Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations, Shotwell allegedly wrote to all employees in an email last Friday. The Epoch Times has not seen or verified the authenticity of the email. According to Business Insiders report, which cited interviews and documents the outlet had allegedly obtained, SpaceX supposedly paid a flight attendant $250,000 in 2018 to settle the sexual misconduct claim against him. The Epoch Times has not seen or verified the authenticity of the documents. Musk took to Twitter to address the allegations, but he did not state specifically what those accusations were or name Business Insider. The attacks against me should be viewed through a political lensthis is their standard (despicable) playbookbut nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech, he wrote on Twitter on May 20. Musk has also challenged the honesty of Business Insiders source at the center of the sexual misconduct claim, who he described as this liar. He called on his accuser to describe just one thing, anything at all (scars, tattoos, ) that isnt known by the public. She wont be able to do so, because it never happened. Prior to the reports publication, Musk warned that political attacks on him would escalate dramatically in coming months. Though he did not cite the reason for this statement, the worlds richest man has recently declared he will vote Republican at the next election and has expressed critical views of the Left and the Democratic Party, calling it the party of division and hate. For this reason, Musk agreed with a Twitter users characterization of the article as politically motivated. One user wrote: Where were these wild accusations against [Elon Musk] before he took a stand against the establishment? Musk responded with Exactly. And, for the record, those wild accusations are utterly untrue, he added. The alleged incident purportedly took place aboard a SpaceX jet on a flight to London in 2016, Business Insider reported. The flight attendant reportedly told her friend that Musk asked her for a full body massage, according to documents. Musk reportedly denied the claims in a statement to Business Insider, saying there is a lot more to this story. If I were inclined to engage in sexual harassment, this is unlikely to be the first time in my entire 30-year career that it comes to light, he wrote, calling the story a politically motivated hit piece. Katabella Roberts contributed to this report. State Farm on Giving Transgender Books to Schools: We No Longer Support the Program Auto and home insurance giant State Farm says it is no longer a part of a collaborative book donation campaign that promotes transgenderism to kindergartners, following a media expose based on a whistleblower email. The internal email, allegedly leaked by concerned State Farm employees, states that the company partnered with transgender youth advocacy group The GenderCool Project in a campaign to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books and support our communities in having challenging, important and empowering conversations with children Age 5+. The email is dated Jan. 18 and was sent by Jose Soto, a corporate responsibility analyst for State Farm in Florida. Soto asked for six State Farm insurance agents in Florida to volunteer to participate in the program by receiving these books in March, then donating them to their community by the end of April. Agents are key to the success of this program. Nationwide, approximately 550 State Farm agents and employees will have the opportunity to donate this 3-book bundle to their local teacher, community center or library of their choice, reads the email obtained by Consumers Research, a nonprofit organization working to expose big companies that put woke politics ahead of their customers. One of the three books The GenderCool Project sought to promote is A Kids Book About Being Transgender, which encourages readers as young as 5 years old to shake off whatever confusion, skepticism, concern, or biases you may have about transgender kids. The book suggests that a childs feeling that he or she is of a different gender should be validated rather than challenged, arguing that feelings sometimes work more like our intuition or insight that allow us to understand something without having to think about it. One day I look up boy who feels like girl and found stories of people who were just like me, the book reads. Thats the first time I heard the word transgender. I realized I wasnt alone. The feeling I had been a girl finally made sense. In its initial response to the Washington Examiner, which broke the story, State Farm defended the program, insisting that the company embraces diversity and inclusion because its the right thing to do. It also claimed that the program is strictly voluntary and that participants are not being asked to share with schools. Facing a growing backlash that includes calls to boycott the company, however, State Farm released a second statement saying it had ended its partnership with GenderCool. Conversations about gender and identity should happen at home with parents. We dont support required curriculum in schools on this topic. We support organizations providing resources for parents to have these conversations, the company said. We no longer support the program allowing for distribution of books in schools, it continued. We will continue to explore how we can support organizations that provide tools and resources that align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Will Hild, the executive director for Consumers Research, was unimpressed by the companys response and called on the company to do more to reverse the damage done. Specifically, Hild argued that State Farm should hire a third-party auditor to get to the bottom of this breach of trust, locate exactly which school, public library, and community center the books were donated to, and publish the results and notify families living in the affected areas. [State Farm] must take immediate action to reverse the indoctrination campaign they pushed on American children, Hild wrote on Twitter. This isnt your parents State Farm anymore. The GenderCool Project describes itself as a youth-led movement bringing positive change to the world. The organizations website features a group of young transgender or gender non-conforming Champions, who are helping replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving. GenderCool lists a number of high profile companies other than State Farm as its partners and supporters, including Adobe, Dell, Oracle, Intel, HP, Bayer, Nike, Bank of America, Capital One, Indeed, and NBC Universal. Texas Moms Demand Revision of Textbook That Encourages Withholding Info From Parents A parental rights watchdog is calling on the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) to redact an online curriculum that it believes encourages withholding information from parents about their childs mental and physical health. In an email sent to a board member about language included in textbook publisher Goodheart-Willcoxs instructional material, Moms for Liberty alleges that it undermines a parents ability to access health information about their child. The Epoch Times reviewed a copy of the email and the portion of the textbook in question. Goodheart now does not comply with the law, wrote Mary Lowe, chair of the Tarrant County Moms for Liberty chapter, on May 18 to Pat Hardy, a Republican who has served on the board for some 20 years. Lowe included in her email an excerpt from Goodheart-Willcoxs Health Instructional Material for High School, which allegedly states, People who provide mental health treatment are required by professional ethics to maintain confidentiality. This means the info you share will not be shared with anyone else, including your family members, school, or even a doctor. This confidentiality helps people feel comfortable sharing private information with a mental health professional. Confidentiality can only be broken if people express intent to harm themself or others, or report abuse or neglect that is currently occurring. Goodheart-Willcox did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its divisive of a family and it does not allow the family to parent their child, Lowe told The Epoch Times. There are a multitude of things they could be concealing. Certainly, sexual identity grooming can be going on, but even religious and cult grooming can be happening in these conversations. There are numerous other accounts across Texas where school counselors have taken girls for abortion and not let the parents know. The board included Goodheart-Willcoxs instructional material on its list of recommended textbooks last year and Hardy said in an email that, once approved, publishers cannot change anything on adopted materials without going through the state board. However, the board does not have the authority to require Goodheart-Willcox to update its instructional materials, according to Audrey Young, a Republican SBOE member who is vice-chair of the Committee on Instruction. Just because the State Board of Education recommends a book doesnt mean it has to be the one the school districts adopt, Young told The Epoch Times. Its the responsibility of the Student Health Advisory Committees (SHAC) in each school district. Thats who should be making decisions about curriculum and instructional materials. SHAC members are typically parents who work in tandem with the Texas Department of State Health Services to review and oversee the health of students. I can, as a member of the SBOE, request that my chair ask Goodheart-Willcox to further explain what that language means in their publication, Young added. The stakes are high, according to Lee Spiller, executive director of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights Texas, who said not arming parents with information about their child can be dangerous. There are good reasons why parents should be involved, he said. We have had to deal with cases where children underwent screenings or other things at school and then there were really bad outcomes like being institutionalized. The controversy over Goodheart-Willcoxs instruction materials has emerged at a time when Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a letter stating that parents have the right to access all educational information about their children, under state and federal law, which includes medical and health information. Title IX does not authorize a school district to withhold medical or health information about a minor child from the childs parent or legal guardian, Paxton stated in a May 17 opinion. Parents possess a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their child, and school districts and officials must work with parents in furtherance of the childs education. Paxton issued the guidance after state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R) requested it on May 5. This ruling clearly created a problem with the Goodheart-Willcox high school textbook in that the textbook says mental health professionals can keep secrets from parents, Lowe added. We really appreciate Briscoe Cain writing in for the opinion and are glad AG Paxton has corrected some of the false and illegal ideas many of the government schools have been operating under. The Texas Health and Safety Code, however, allows for confidentiality, according to Jonathan Covey, director of policy with Texas Values. One of the limitations is that a professional can determine whether releasing information would be harmful to a patients physical, mental, or emotional health and there were even some Texas cases that concluded that a parents right to mental health records is restricted in rare circumstances, he said. The SBOE doesnt have the authority to amend the Texas Health and Safety Code, but the Texas Legislature does. Neither Cain nor Paxton responded to requests for comment. How Bertel Thorvaldsen made classical art great again Name three great sculptors and, more than likely, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Gian Lorenzo Bernini would first come to your mind. But what about Bertel Thorvaldsen? He believed the only way to become a great artist was to copy classical art. And he became one of the best neoclassical sculptors of his time. Even Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, whom many believe to be the greatest neoclassical sculptor, admired Thorvaldsens work. The two worked in Rome at the same time, when in the second half of the 18th century, the ornate and theatrical rococo style was on its way out and a new style developed whereby artists looked to the principles of the ancient world to inform their art. Art became simple and refined, with ideal figures and restrained expressions that together created a harmonious effect and appealed to the intellect. Classical sculptures are often nude to convey heroes, deities, or semidivine beings. It is a style that is sometimes called heroic nudity or ideal nudity. Goddess of Hope, 1817, by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Plaster cast; 5 feet 3 1/4 inches. Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Jakob Faurvig/Thorvaldsens Museum) Thorvaldsen first learned of Roman classicism in Denmark from his teachers: the sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt and the painter Nicolai Abildgaard at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Thorvaldsens flair for drawing had led him to start training at the academy when he was just 11 years old. Thorvaldsen grew up watching and helping his father, an artist and woodcarver, create ship ornaments. He continued to help him at the shipyard as he studied at the academy. When one of his tutors, Abildgaard, led the decoration of Levetzaus Palace (now known as Christian VIIIs Palace) at Amalienborg, he put Thorvaldsen in charge of the sculpture. Thorvaldsen made his first full-figure statues at the palace. They were of two Greek muses: Euterpe (the goddess of lyric poetry) and Terpsichore (the goddess of dance and chorus). Thorvaldsen made many portraits and portrait medallions of Danish dignitaries, including the prime minister. He won a gold medal for his St. Peter Healing a Crippled Beggar, and then a royal stipend to travel to Rome, which he did in August 1796. Faith and Hope in Rome But it was in Rome that he excelled. Thorvaldsen connected with Danish archaeologist Georg Zoega, who taught him about ancient art, Danish-German painter Asmus Jacob Carstens, and Austrian painter Joseph Anton Koch who had a lasting influence on his work. For his Jason with the Golden Fleece sculpture, Thorvaldsen used a motif from one of Carstenss compositions. Thorvaldsen was also influenced by the ancient Roman Apollo Belvedere by Leochares and the ancient Greek Doryphoros (The Spear Bearer) by Polykleitos. Thorvaldsen made his Jason in plaster. Sculptors working in the late 18th century made preparatory plaster models. Canova introduced the practice, and Thorvaldsen used it to great effect. Creating plaster models meant that sculptors could play with their designs rather than being constrained by patrons requests when sculpting in costly bronze and marble. According to the Thorvaldsens Museum, most of Thorvaldsens works are reflective, introspective pieces, but this early Roman piece of the Greek mythological prince Jason differs. The sculpture shows Jasons will and is a more actively engaging pieceextroverted, if you likebringing the viewer into the space. Jason with the Golden Fleece, 18031828, by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Marble (Thomas Hope commission); 8 feet. Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Jakob Faurvig/Thorvaldsens Museum) He wears a strophium (headband) that tames his curls and which traditionally signifies that hes a god or king. Jasons pose almost mirrors the top half of the Apollo Belvedere, except that Jasons left arm is by his side and draped with the golden fleece. Thorvaldsen depicted Jason in contrapposto pose, balancing most of his weight on one leg, and it appears that he copied this pose from the Doryphoros. Another similarity is that Doryphoros originally carried a spear over his left shoulder, as Jason carries one over his right shoulder. Thorvaldsen depicts the point when Jason returns home. Hes had an arduous journey, overcome many challenges, and hes fought the dragon to get the golden fleece. Here, he returns with the fleece to regain the throne that his uncle took from Jasons father. The fleece had the ability to protect the countrys wealth and fertility. Thomas Hope Arriving in Thorvaldsens Studio to Buy Jason with the Golden Fleece,' 1872, by Thorvald Jensen. Lithograph; 19 3/4 inches by 14 3/8 inches. Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Helle Nanny Brendstrup/Thorvaldsens Museum) Jason and the Golden Fleece was the masterpiece that made Thorvaldsen more known, and without it he may have left Rome much earlier. In 1803, he was all set to sail home. His scholarship money had run out and his work was slow to sell. But the wealthy English art patron Thomas Hope commissioned him to make the sculpture in marble. A lithograph by Thorvald Jensen shows a morose Thorvaldsen sitting in his studio, with his Jason and the Golden Fleece sculpture behind him, unaware that the cloaked figure of Thomas Hope has just walked through the door to offer him a commission. Hopes fame bought Thorvaldsen success and kept him in Rome, for 40 years in all. Dying Lion (The Lucerne Lion), 1819, by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Plaster cast; 2 feet 9 inches by 5 feet 3 1/4 inches. Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Jakob Faurvig/Thorvaldsens Museum) One of Thorvaldsens most interesting commissions is the Dying Lion monument at Lucerne in Switzerland, which is carved into a cliff, to commemorate the Swiss guards who died in the French Revolution defending the Tuileries (the royal residence in Paris). A Swiss guard who had been on leave at the time of the attack commissioned the piece. He wanted a dead lion on a pile of weapons with the French royal coat of arms and the Swiss flag, to show the loyalty and bravery of the 600 colleagues who died. Thorvaldsen refused to create a dead lion, choosing instead to design a lion taking its last breath, resting on a shield with the fleur-de-lis emblems of French royalty. Thorvaldsen made the bronze model for the work, and the stone carving was made true to his design by another sculptor. If Thorvaldsens name wasnt familiar to you, his works may be, especially his sculpture of the resurrected Christ. Its a powerful work, showing Christs compassion and the sacrifice he made. Christ looks to the ground while showing us the wounds on his hands and feet. Thorvaldsen depicted Christ as if hes gently walking among us, showing us the rewards of faith in the face of suffering. Christ, 1821, by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Plaster cast; 11 feet 3 3/4 inches. Thorvaldsens Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Jakob Faurvig/Thorvaldsens Museum) The sculpture was made for the Castle Church at Christiansborg Palace, along with statues of the 12 apostles, but it was moved to the high altar of the Church of Our Lady. Across the world, copies of the statue have been made. Thorvaldsen left all his works, including his plaster molds and his art collection, to the Danish people in a museum that he and the public funded for the purpose. Hes buried onsite under a bed of roses, at his request. To find out more about Bertel Thorvaldsen, visit ThorvaldsensMuseum.dk Ukraines Zelenskyy Signs Law to Seize and Sell Russian Assets, Bolstering War Efforts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law on May 23 that enables the country to seize and sell assets of people who support Russian President Vladimir Putins military invasion. The law focuses primarily on Russian-owned assets and property in Ukraine, particularly those belonging to Russian citizens who have already had their assets blocked by Ukraines government, and will help bolster Ukraines war efforts, NPR reported. It also targets individuals who aided the establishment of pro-Russian separatist states in Russian-controlled portions of Ukraine or who helped set up elections or referendums in these areas. Eastern Ukraine is home to two pro-Russian separatist statesthe Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republicrecognized by Russia as independent from Ukraine but regarded by Ukrainian officials as occupied terrorist states. Funneling money to the Kremlin or glorifying those who are fighting against Ukraine are also listed as offenses, NPR reported. The law is designed to rapidly resolve cases, and includes a stipulation stating that the court wont slow its consideration of the claim against an individual who fails to appear or be represented at court. Plans are also laid out for a fast appeals process under the law, which would provide each party five days in which to file an appeal. An appeals panel would also have five days to take up the matter. The law will remain in force while Ukraine is under martial law, which began when Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24. On May 22, the Supreme Council of Ukraine, also known as the Verkhovna Rada, extended martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days until Aug. 23. Zelenskyy has vowed that Ukraine will become a powerful and safe state that will get rid of corruption and oligarchic influence after defeating Russian forces. The president made the remarks during an online appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It will be a strong state with concrete security priorities, Zelenskyy said. We understand that anything can happen at any moment with such a neighbor, and, unfortunately, there can be war. The war may be repeated. I am convinced that we must create conditions so that people and businesses are not afraid to develop in our country, he said. The enacting of the law follows just a week after a Ukrainian court seized about $420 million worth of assets owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman. Ukraines prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, said in a statement that the government had seized securities in Cypriot companies worth more than 12.4 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($419.7 million) held at a bank in Ukraine. In a Facebook post, Venediktova identified the institution as Alfa Bank, which was founded in 1990 by Fridman, an oligarch who was born in Ukraine. Alfa Bank officials didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. The European Union previously sanctioned Fridman and his business partner, Petr Aven, on Feb 28, stating that they had been engaged in the Kremlins efforts to lift the Western sanctions issued to counter Russian aggressive policy against Ukraine and actively supported materially or financially and benefited from Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine. EU officials also stated that Fridman had supported actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. Both Fridman and Aven have since resigned from Alfa Banks board of directors. University of California Settles Gynecologist Sexual Abuse Cases for $374 Million LOS ANGELESLegal damages from accusations of sexual misconduct by an ex-UCLA gynecologist climbed higher on May 24, with attorneys for 312 former patients announcing a $374 million settlement of abuse lawsuits against the University of California (UC). The settlement of cases involving former campus gynecologist James Heaps comes on top of a $243.6 million resolution of lawsuits involving about 200 patients announced in February, and a $73 million settlement of federal lawsuits reached last year involving roughly 5,500 plaintiffs. Heaps served as a gynecologist/oncologist, affiliated with UCLA (University of CaliforniaLos Angeles), for nearly 35 years. At various times, he saw patients at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and at his office at 100 Medical Plaza. At one time, Heaps was reportedly the highest-paid physician in the UC system and had treated about 6,000 patients, attorneys said. More than 500 lawsuits were filed against Heaps and UCLA, accusing the school of failing to protect patients after becoming aware of the misconduct. The lawsuits alleged that UCLA actively and deliberately concealed Heapss sexual abuse of patients. UCLA continued to allow Heaps to have unfettered sexual access to female patientsmany of whom were cancer patientsat the university, plaintiffs attorneys alleged in the suits. UCLA issued a statement on Tuesday saying, This agreement, combined with earlier settlements involving other plaintiffs, resolves the vast majority of the claims alleging sexual misconduct by James Heaps, a former UCLA Health physician. The conduct alleged to have been committed by Heaps is reprehensible and contrary to our values. We are grateful to all those who came forward, and hope this settlement is one step toward providing some level of healing for the plaintiffs involved. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care that respects the dignity of every patient. We are taking all necessary steps to ensure our patients well-being in order to maintain the publics confidence and trust. The university outlined a series of measures undertaken to bolster student and patient safety. It also noted that the settlement will not impact UCLAs teaching, research and service, including patient care, student life and campus activities. It will be covered by the UC systemwide insurance and risk financing program. Any additional required resources will be provided by UCLA Health and campus operating revenue. Heaps faces 21 counts of sexual abuse offenses in state court in a criminal case in which hes accused of sexually assaulting seven women. He faces more than 67 years in prison if convicted of all charges. The settlement of the federal case last year required UCLA to ensure stronger oversight procedures for identification, prevention, and reporting of sexual misconduct. The federal lawsuits alleged that while patients complained about Heaps years earlier, it was not until late 2017 that allegations of sexual misconduct by the gynecologist were reported to UCLAs Title IX office and a formal investigation was opened. Heaps was allowed to continue seeing patientsboth during the investigation and after UCLA informed Heaps that his contract would not be renewed when it expired on June 30, 2018. UCLA ended Heapss employment and notified law enforcement of the allegations against him on June 14, 2018. In June 2019, Heaps was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual battery. Following his arrest, many more women came forward to report alleged sexual misconduct. In August 2020, Heaps was charged with additional felonies. In March 2021 in a similar case, the University of Southern California agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion to former patients of ex-campus gynecologist George Tyndall, the largest sex abuse payout in higher education history. Tyndallthe only full-time gynecologist at the student health clinic from 1989 until 2016has pleaded not guilty to dozens of sexual assault charges. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters after a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on May 24, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) US Should Send Message to CCP By Selling More Weapons to Taiwan: McConnell Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on May 24 that the United States should send a message to the Chinese Communist Party by selling more weapons to Taiwan and helping the Ukrainians win their war with Russia. By helping the Ukrainians defeat Russia, he said, the United States could demonstrate to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping that asymmetrical warfare was possible, and that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would end in grave harm to the Chinese people. Likewise, he said, by selling more and better weapons to Taiwan, the United States could better ensure that it could defend itself from CCP aggression. Number one, send a message to Xi by beating Putin in Ukraine, McConnell said. Number two, by selling to the Taiwanese the weapons they need to defend themselves if in fact theyre attacked. The single most important thing we could do to send a message to the Chinese is to continue to help the Ukrainians defeat Putin, McConnell said. The CCP claims that Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be united with the mainland, although Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 and has never been under Chinese communist control. The island maintains its own democratic government and its continued de facto independence is possibly the most contentious issue in Sino-American relations. The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but maintains robust relations with Taipei under the Taiwan Relations Act. The legislation requires Washington to supply the island with the military capabilities required to provide for its own self-defense. To that end, Chinas Xi has vowed to unite Taiwan with the mainland and has not ruled out the use of force to do so. Indeed, U.S. intelligence leaders believe that the CCP will launch an invasion of Taiwan by 2030 if it fails to otherwise coerce it into unification. As such, many lawmakers such as McConnell have called for newer and more weapons to be sold to Taiwan in the hopes that the island government could effectively shield itself with so much weaponry as to be unassailable. Others, however, have criticized the administration for having no real military strategy in place to contend with China in the event it actually does invade. For his part, McConnell said that the United States needed to do more to help Taiwan help itself. My suggestion is to this administration: Sell to the Taiwanese the weapons they would need, that are appropriate for any potential Chinese invasion, McConnell said. And that is the single strongest thing we could do to help the Taiwanese just like were helping the Ukrainians defend themselves if, in fact, theyre attacked. A section of skin tissue, harvested from a lesion on the skin of a monkey, that had been infected with monkeypox virus, is seen at 50X magnification on day four of rash development in 1968. (CDC/Handout via Reuters) US Starts Process to Release Vaccine for Monkeypox: CDC Doses of the Jynneos vaccine are being released in the United States to prevent monkeypox amid rising cases in the past few weeks in several countries not endemic for the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are more than 1,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine that were approved in the United States in 2019 and are in the strategic national stockpile, Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the CDC, told reporters at a media briefing on Monday. The strategic national stockpile stores pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in case of an emergency that causes local supplies to be depleted. McQuiston said the United States has stock of the vaccine because it was preparing for a potential smallpox outbreak. She added that Jynneos vaccine doses are expected to ramp up very quickly in the coming weeks. The Jynneos vaccine is approved in the United States to be used against smallpox and monkeypox in people aged 18 and over, determined to be at high risk of infection. It is made by Denmark-based biotech group Bavarian Nordic, which recently announced that the Biden administration has placed an order for millions of doses, which would be manufactured and invoiced in 2023 and 2024. Right now we are hoping to maximize vaccine distribution to those that we know would benefit from it, McQuiston said. So those are people whove had contact with known monkeypox patients, health care workers, very close personal contacts, and those in particular who might be at high risk for severe disease. She added: I can report that there has been a request for release of the Jynneos vaccine from the national stockpile for some of the high-risk contacts of some of the early patients. So that is actively happening right now. There are also more than 100 million doses of an older generation smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000, which has some potentially significant side effects, McQuiston told reporters. ACAM2000 was previously produced by Sanofi and is now made by Emergent BioSolutions. It comes as public health officials are tracking more than 200 people for monkeypox, all of whom are contacts related to the first case that was confirmed in Massachusetts, with the vast majority being health care workers, McQuiston said. Symptoms of one of the first known cases of the monkeypox virus are shown on a patients hand on June 5, 2003. (CDC/Getty Images) The United States has one confirmed case of monkeypox in Massachusetts, and four cases that are presumedone in New York City, one in Florida, and two in Utahand are undergoing confirmation testing. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday said there are about 200 cases that have been reported from several countries outside of Central and West Africa, where the disease typically occurs. No monkeypox deaths have been reported to date. Monkeypox is a virus that has similar symptoms to smallpox in humans, but is normally less severe. It can cause symptoms including fever, muscle aches, fatigue, as well as a distinctive bumpy rash that can last up to a month. The rash often starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. Monkeypox also causes lymph nodes to swell while smallpox does not. Symptoms of one of the first known cases of the monkeypox virus on a patients hand on May 27, 2003. (CDC/Getty Images) The disease typically self-resolves within two weeks to a month, but in rare cases, people can experience severe illness and die. There is no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox virus infection, the CDC states on its website. For purposes of controlling a monkeypox outbreak in the United States, smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin (VIG) can be used. Two distinct clades, or families of monkeypox, have been identified, according to the WHO. They are the West African clade and the Congo Basin clade, also known as the Central African clade. The former has a 1 percent case fatality ratio, while the latter has up to 10 percent fatality. The WHO said that 36 percent of cases have resulted in deaths in recent times. The WHO said on Monday it expects to confirm more monkeypox cases as it expands surveillance. It previously said the outbreaks so far are atypical, as they are occurring in non-endemic countries. Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Program, told a streaming event on social media on Monday that the agency doesnt have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated and that it has tended not to change. Lewis added that genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak. Many but not all of the people who have been diagnosed in the current outbreak have been homosexual men, some officials have said. The virus itself is not a sexually transmitted infection, but WHO officials said the recent surge in cases is linked to homosexual men. But they also said that anyone can contract monkeypox. The WHO is asking dermatology and primary health care clinics, as well as sexual health clinics, to be alert to potential cases. Reuters contributed to this report. Voters to Determine If Greene Wins Georgias 14th District Primary DALLAS, GeorgiaNot far from the voting precinct at the Paulding County Courthouse, Jennifer Strahan shakes hands and talks to voters who are ready to cast their ballots in the May 24 Georgia primary. Among the races that residents in this part of northwest Georgia will decide is whether Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will advance to the general election in the 14th Congressional District race or suffer the same fate as Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who was defeated in last weeks GOP primary in North Carolina. A first-time candidate for any elected office, Strahan describes herself as a wife, a mother, a business owner, and a Christian. She earned a doctorate in healthcare leadership and founded an advisory firm that helps healthcare businesses significantly reduce wasteful spending. We help organizations do what they say they do, and do it efficiently and effectively, Strahan told The Epoch Times. I would say that same approach is needed in Congress. Like Strahan, Greene is a wife and a mother who owned a business and was a first-time candidate at any level when she ran in 2020. Since her freshman term started, Greene has received widespread criticism for what opponents call divisive conduct. An unapologetic supporter of President Donald Trump and his America First platform, Greene is outspoken about a wide range of topics. President Joe Biden and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are communist Democrats who hate America, hate God and hate our way of life, Greene has said. Those who implement COVID-19 shot mandates are vaccine Nazis, she has also said. These are just a sample of the forthright rhetoric Greene has used in her first term. In 2020, Greene encountered what was deemed a setback when House Democrats and 11 Republicans voted to remove her from committee assignments because of her outrageous beliefs and controversial social media posts. Strahan, who has raised around $400,000 for her campaign compared to Greenes $9 million, believes that 14th District residents are ready for a change. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) speaks at an America First Rally in Dalton, Ga., on May 27, 2021. (Megan Varner/Getty Images) In an early May debate, Strahan said, Weve heard a lot of talk, and our district has nothing to show for it. We need a representative who works effectively with colleagues, and navigates the legislative process to push Georgia priorities forward while protecting our constitutional freedoms. As she waved to cars streaming into the voting precinct parking lot outside of Dallas, Georgia, on May 24, she reiterated those feelings, adding that Greene is unable to produce positive results because she was removed from committees and does not get along with representatives across the aisle. We undoubtedly must have a comprehensive view and we must push back on the progressive agenda we are seeing in Washington, Strahan explained. However, when you dont have relationships with colleagues you cant do that. That hurts our district, our communities, and our citizens when we dont have an effective voice representing us, Strahan added. You dont have to sacrifice effectiveness for conservative values. I will show that if I am elected. Strahan and her team are confident that a strong ground game will lead to favorable results when polls close on May 24 and the numbers are announced. Georgias 14th Congressional District is abundantly conservative. According to Georgiavotes.com, it is 70 percent Republican. Spanning from a part of northwest Georgia that stretches from metro Atlanta to the state line at Chattanooga, Tennessee, the district still heavily favors Republicans, even after boundaries were slightly shifted in 2021. Greene is among the top fundraisers in Congress having raised more than $9 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. Before the May 24 primary, she topped $6.6 million in campaign spending. Greene is polarizing, Jim Tully admits, but it is a myth that so many people in the 14th District dont like her. Her detractors represent a small fraction of the people here, said Tully, who is chairman of the Paulding County Republican Party. Most people here appreciate her courage to say what they believe. And why wouldnt they? She says what many of us are thinking. Tully also dismissed critics claims that Greene spends little time in the 14th Congressional District. She has taken heat for traveling around the United States promoting America First initiatives and campaigning for Trump-endorsed candidates like J.D. Vance in Ohio. She attends meetings and events, and visits with businesses and citizens, consistentlyeven when she is not up for re-election, Tully said. This negative talk about her is just part of the movement from the Left and even some in the Republican Party to cancel voices who stand up for American values and arent worried about whether or not they will offend others. Ill say this, Tully added. I remember a time years ago when I was told about the importance of voting, and how our freedom depends on it. Well, that time has arrived, and we need Marjorie Taylor Greene to keep representing us in Washington. We need strong America First candidates across the board representing us. The Democrats will face a tough challenge in the general election, regardless of whether Greene or Strahan wins the Republican primary. U.S. Army veteran Marcus Flowers, who is known for wearing a cowboy hat, paced the Democratic field by raising more than $8.1 million. If he defeats businesswoman Hollie McCormack and former Rome city commissioner Wendy Davis in the Democratic primary, Flowers will have a well-stocked chest of money for the general election. WHO Pandemic Treaty: What It Is, Why It Matters and How to Stop It In June, we have an opportunity to give public comment on one of the World Health Organizations most harrowing proposals to date. The World Health Assembly will also vote on amendments to the International Health Regulations, May 22-28, 2022. The WHO will accept two more days of public comment on the treaty, June 16 and 17, 2022, so prepare your statements now. STORY AT-A-GLANCE The World Health Organization has started drafting a global pandemic treaty on pandemic preparedness that would grant it absolute power over global biosecurity, such as the power to implement digital identities/vaccine passports, mandatory vaccinations, travel restrictions, standardized medical care and more The WHO is not qualified to make global health decisions. As just one example, the WHO didnt publicly admit SARS-CoV-2 was airborne until the end of December 2021, yet scientists knew the virus was airborne within weeks of the pandemic being declared. The WHO also ignored early advice about airborne transmission More importantly, a one-size-fits-all approach to pandemic response simply does not work, because pandemic threats are not identical in all parts of the world. Even people in the same region do not have identical risk and may not need or benefit from identical treatment The WHO will accept two more days of public comment on the treaty, June 16 and 17, 2022, so prepare your statements now. The World Health Assembly will also vote on amendments to the International Health Regulations, May 22-28, 2022, which may also strip away more individual rights and liberties The globalists that brought us the wildly exaggerated COVID pandemic in an effort to cement a biosecurity grid into place is now hard at work on the next phase of this New World Order. The World Health Organization has started drafting a global pandemic treaty on pandemic preparedness that would grant it absolute power over global biosecurity, such as the power to implement digital identities/vaccine passports, mandatory vaccinations, travel restrictions, standardized medical care and more. In The Corbett Report[1][2] above, independent journalist James Corbett reviews what this treaty is, how it will change the global landscape and strip you of some of your most basic rights and freedoms. Make no mistake, the WHO pandemic treaty is a direct attack on the sovereignty of its member states, as well as a direct attack on your bodily autonomy. A Backdoor to Global Governance As noted by anti-extremism activist Maajid Nawaz in an April 28, 2022, Twitter post,[3] the WHO pandemic treaty serves as a backdoor to global empire. COVID-19, while potentially deadly to certain vulnerable groups, simply isnt a valid justification for handing over more power to the WHO, especially in light of its many inexplicable mistakes in this and previous pandemics. As just one example, the WHO didnt publicly admit SARS-CoV-2 was airborne until the end of December 2021,[4] yet scientists knew the virus was airborne within weeks of the pandemic being declared.[5] The WHO also ignored early advice about airborne transmission.[6] So, it seems clear that the effort to now hand over more power to the WHO is about something other than them being the most qualified to make health decisions that benefit and protect everyone. It seems far more likely that the WHO is being installed as a de facto governing body for the global Deep State.[7] Through the WHO, under the guise of biosecurity, the globalist cabal who seek to own everything and control everyone, will then be able to implement their wishes across the whole world in one fell swoop. With this treaty in place, all member nations will be subject to the WHOs dictates. If the WHO says every person on the planet needs to have a vaccine passport and digital identity to ensure vaccination compliance, then thats what every country will be forced to implement, even if the people have rejected such plans using local democratic processes. As noted by Corbett, these negotiations are already well underway,[8] and the treaty is expected to be fully implemented in 2024 that is, unless the people of the world wake up to whats happening and beat back this monstrosity. WHO Likely Seeking to Monopolize Health Care Worldwide Under the guise of a global pandemic, the WHO, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and all its installed leaders in government and private business, were able to roll out a plan that had already been decades in the making. The pandemic was a perfect cover. In the name of keeping everyone safe from infection, the globalists justified unprecedented attacks on democracy, civil liberties and personal freedoms, including the right to choose your own medical treatment. Now, the WHO is gearing up to make its pandemic leadership permanent, extend it into the health care systems of every nation, and eventually implement a universal or socialist-like health care system as part of The Great Reset. While this is not currently being discussed, theres every reason to suspect that this is part of the plan. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has previously stated that his central priority as director-general of the WHO is to push the world toward universal health coverage.[9] And, considering the WHO changed its definition of pandemic to a worldwide epidemic of a disease,[10] without the original specificity of severe illness that causes high morbidity,[11][12] just about anything could be made to fit the pandemic criterion. The whole premise behind this pandemic treaty is that shared threat requires shared response. But a given threat is almost never equally shared across regions. Take COVID-19 for example. Not only is the risk of COVID not the same for people in New York City and the outback of Australia, its not even the same for all the people in those areas, as COVID is highly dependent on age and underlying health conditions. The WHO insists that the remedy is the same for everyone everywhere, yet the risks vary widely from nation to nation, region to region, person to person. They intend to eliminate individualized medicine and provide blanket rulings for how a given threat is to be addressed. Without doubt, this can only result in needless suffering, not to mention the loss of individual freedom. How the WHO Has Wielded Previous Pandemic Instruments To give us an idea of how the WHO might end up misusing this new proposed international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, we can look at the International Health Regulations (IHR),[13] which the U.S. signed on to in 2005. The IHR is what empowered the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).[14] This is a special legal category that allows the WHO to initiate certain contracts and procedures, including drug and vaccine contracts. As noted by Corbett, the IHR allows the unelected director-general of the WHO to simply declare a PHEIC and, suddenly, all member states have to dance to his tune. It basically grants the WHO dictatorial powers over health policy. PHEICs have included the phony H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009, the inconsequential Zika outbreak in 2016, the overhyped Ebola outbreak in 2019, and, of course, the massively exaggerated COVID pandemic in 2020. All of these PHEICs were poorly handled and the WHO was criticized as inept and corrupt[15] in their wake. So, to summarize, through the IHR, the WHO has already been significantly empowered to dictate global health policy with regard to pandemics, and they used that power to bamboozle the nations of the world into spending billions of dollars on countermeasures, especially drugs and vaccines, that didnt work very well. In that sense, the WHO is really just another wealth-transfer instrument. The WHOs Big Pharma collaborators make billions on the taxpayers dime, while the people of the world are left to suffer the consequences of fast-tracked vaccines. Its handling of the COVID pandemic in particular has been unprecedentedly bad, as they were behind the withholding of early treatment with safe medicines worldwide. As noted by ivermectin advocate Dr. Tess Lawrie,[16] the WHO has also claimed the mRNA shots as safe as conventional vaccines, which is nowhere near the truth. Most all available data prove they are the most dangerous drugs ever created. Why would anyone expect the WHO to become less corrupt if given even more power and control? IHR Amendments May Also Restrict Rights and Freedoms Now, the IHR overrode and superseded the U.S. Constitution from the start, but in January 2022, the U.S. also submitted regulatory amendments[17] that will give the WHO even more power to restrict your rights and freedoms. May 22 through 28, 2022, the World Health Assembly will gather and vote on these amendments to the IHR and, if passed, they will be enacted into international law. These submitted amendments are in addition to the WHO pandemic treaty currently under discussion. As reported by Health Policy Watch, February 23, 2022:[18] Washington wants to fast track a series of nitty-gritty, but far-reaching changes in the existing International Health Regulations that govern WHO and member state emergency alert and response for consideration at this years World Health Assembly, 22-28 May. The U.S. proposal[19] for major IHR rule changes, obtained by Health Policy Watch, has been a topic of discussion in a series of closed-door meetings of WHO member states, which are considering ways to reform the existing IHR, as well as advancing a whole new WHO convention or other international instrument[20] on pandemic prevention and response The U.S. is expected to lead a parallel track of tightly-paced informal member state negotiations to reach consensus on an IHR reform resolution for approval at this years 75th WHA [World Health Assembly] The new WHO convention or other international instrument mentioned here refers to the WHO treaty currently under discussion. An intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) was established as a subdivision of the World Health Assembly in December 2021,[21] for the purpose of drafting and negotiating this new pandemic treaty. And, as mentioned, this INB has begun that work. However, as noted by Corbett, this is only the second time in the WHOs history that an INB has been established. The first one was the INB of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,[22] 22 years ago. So, this is not a well-established process, and its hard to predict how it will play out. Bill Gates Builds GERM Team for the WHO Another clue about what the WHO intends to do with more power comes from its primary funder, Bill Gates. Gates recently announced hes building a pandemic response team for the WHO, which he would like to be called the Global Epidemic Response & Mobilization or GERM Team. This team will be made up of thousands of disease experts under WHOs purview, and will monitor nations and decide when they need to suspend civil liberties, force populations to wear masks and close borders, The Counter Signal reports.[23] Of course, Gates is also the largest funder of the WHO (when you combine the donations from both his foundation and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance). This and other relationships speak volumes about the corruption still ruling the WHO. At the end of the day, Gates is basically paying the WHO to dictate to the world what they must do to make Gates a ton of money. As noted by The Counter Signal:[24] Gates announcement of the GERM team coincides with the World Health Organizations drafting of a global pandemic treaty In the future, the pandemic treaty will not only ensure that member states abide by International Health Regulations but will also put the WHO in the drivers seat, so to speak. Member states, including the US and Canada, will take their orders directly from the organization. As Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis explains: The treaty includes 190 countries and would be legally binding. The treaty defines and classifies what is considered a pandemic, and this could consist of broad classifications, including an increase in cancers, heart conditions, strokes, etc. If a pandemic is declared, the WHO takes over the global health management of the pandemic. Of even more concern, if this treaty is enshrined, the WHO would be in full control over what gets called a pandemic. They could dictate how our doctors can respond, which drugs can and cant be used, or which vaccines are approved. We would end up with a one-size-fits-all approach for the entire world A one-size-fits-all response to a health crisis doesnt even work across Canada, let alone the entire globe It isnt unreasonable to assume that the GERM team, as a new branch of the WHO, would oversee making sure member states comply with the pandemic treaty after the draft is finalized and member states sign-on. The next question, then, is how the WHO and Bill Gates would be able to monitor every individual in every country to determine whether enough people are sick to justify locking a region down. To this end, the WHO has contracted German-based Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Systems to develop a global vaccine passport system,[25] with plans to link every person on the planet to a QR code digital ID Thus, there will be one pandemic treaty, one GERM team, one global vaccine passport, and one World Health Organization to monitor every person on the planet. Under WHO Control, Vaccine Passports Are a Given Indeed, while countries around the world have scrubbed their COVID measures and backed away from vaccine passports, the WHO is still moving ahead with a global vaccine passport program.[26] So, if the WHO is given the authority to dictate biosecurity rules for the world, you can bet theyll insist on vaccine passports with built-in digital identity and readiness for a centralized programmable central bank digital currency (CBDC). As reported by the Western Standard:[27] The WHO fully intends to provide support to its 194 member states to facilitate the implementation of the digital verification technology for countries national and regional verification of vaccine status. COVID-19 affects everyone. Countries will therefore only emerge from the pandemic together. Vaccination certificates that are tamper-proof and digitally verifiable build trust. WHO is therefore supporting member states in building national and regional trust networks and verification technology. The WHOs gateway service also serves as a bridge between regional systems. It can also be used as part of future vaccination campaigns and home-based records, said Garrett Mehl, unit head of the WHOs Department of Digital Health and Innovation, on Deutsche Telekoms website. Can We Stop the International Pandemic Treaty? The question now is, can we stop this international pandemic instrument that the WHO is seeking? With short notice, the WHO announced it would accept public comment on the treaty for a total of five days.[28] The World Council for Health (WCH) was among the few that acted quickly enough to submit a comment in opposition of the treaty. Lawrie delivered the WCHs submission.[29] The proposal to take control of pandemics at a central WHO level is untenable and threatens a global society It is foolhardy to even suggest that a one size fits all response to a pandemic crisis across geographic zones characterized by hugely different parameters, could possibly be covered by a central bureaucratic process the need for local decision making is of prime importance. ~ Robert Clancy, Ph.D. In an April 26, 2022, update on Substack, Lawrie wrote:[30] Despite the lack of notice, many grassroots organizations did what they could to spread the word and the World Council for Healths #stopthetreaty campaign reached an astonishing 415 million people. Many of you made written submissions expressing your concerns. So many of you in fact, that I hear the WHOs website crashed on the last day. One person who missed the deadline was professor Robert Clancy, a leading clinical immunologist in Canada. He sent the comment he would have wanted to submit to Lawrie, who included it in her post:[31] The proposal to take control of pandemics at a central WHO level is untenable and threatens a global society. I am in receipt of the World Council for Health response, and the superbly summarized view by Dr. Tess Lawrie. These concerns reflect the across the board view of most Australian doctors The failure to understand the restrictions of systemic vaccination for mucosal infection and the dangers of accumulated suppression that follows mindless booster programs, and failure to interrogate the massive databases regarding adverse events of genetic vaccines are but two of the serious mistakes perpetuated by the WHO It is foolhardy to even suggest that a one size fits all response to a pandemic crisis across geographic zones characterized by hugely different parameters, could possibly be covered by a central bureaucratic process the need for local decision making is of prime importance. The rule of science and the rule of the doctor-patient relationship must determine any response to a pandemic, and current experience where the rule of the narrative has so distorted disease outcomes supported by the WHO must make very clear the foolishness of rewarding incompetence and corruption with even greater powers. I write this as the most experienced Clinical Immunologist in Australia, and a leading research scientist in Mucosal Immunology with a focus on host-parasite relationship. Professor Robert Clancy AM FRS(N) MB BS BSc(Med) PhD DSc FRACP FRCP(A) FRCP(C) Make Your Voice Heard in June While many, like Clancy, didnt get a chance to participate, the WHO has announced it will allow for two more days of public comment, June 16 and 17, 2022. As noted by Lawrie:[32] Please also be aware of the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations, to be voted on this May at the World Health Assembly. Like the pandemic treaty, this is another move to seize greater powers and override the sovereign laws of individual nations. Some say this is more significant than the pandemic treaty: if voted in, it means the loss of our sovereignty from this November. James Roguski has written extensively about this on his Substack.[33] There seems to be a concerted effort by the WHO and its controllers to attack our sovereignty from all angles. It is important we make it clear that we do not recognize the WHO as an authority over us and that we will not tolerate this abuse of power. We are sovereign and will not be bound by the undertakings of corrupt officials who pretend to act on our behalf when signing away the inherent rights of the Worlds People. They do not act for us and we will not be bound. I encourage you to make plans to have your voice heard June 16 and 17, 2022. Unfortunately, the WHO has not yet released any submission details. Your best bet right now is to sign up for the WCHs newsletter. The last time, they issued links and instructions on how to submit your comment, and are sure to do the same for the June submission window. You can subscribe at the bottom of this page, or on the WCHs home page. To block the IHR amendments at the May 2022 World Health Assembly, we need to flood our respective delegations with opposition. A list of U.S. delegates can be found in Roguskis Substack article, Speaking Truth to Power. For contact information for other nations delegates, I would suggest contacting the regional office and ask for a list (see Regions in the blue section at the bottom of the World Health Assemblys webpage). Its also possible that the WCH will publish guidance on it, so be sure to sign up for their newsletter. Originally published May 11 2022 on Mercola.com References Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Secretary of State Al Jaeger on Monday rejected a proposed ballot measure that would have made it harder to amend the North Dakota Constitution, saying thousands of petition signatures were improper, questionable or illegally obtained. It's the second proposed ballot measure that Jaeger has disallowed in recent months. The Protect North Dakota's Constitution group proposed to limit efforts to amend the state constitution to one subject, and to require at least 60% approval rather than a simple majority of voters. The group last month submitted 914 petitions containing what it said were 33,624 signatures; 31,164 valid signatures were needed to make the November ballot. Jaeger on Monday notified the group that he had rejected 5,738 signatures and accepted 25,884, disqualifying the measure from the ballot. Jaeger in his letter to the group cited numerous violations, including that some petitions had signatures from residents of other states and some signatures had incomplete addresses. He said petitions from three circulators were thrown out "because of similar writing styles; numerous odd city abbreviations and misspellings of Bismarck; contained names of individuals (one misspelled) who confirmed they had not signed the petitions; circulator signed several petitions; and circulator used several different addresses as their legal residential address." The alleged violations will be forwarded to Attorney General Drew Wrigley for further investigation, Jaeger said. Members of Protect North Dakota's Constitution are disappointed but do not plan to contest Jaeger's findings, said Co-Chairman Jeff Zarling, who owns a software company in Williston. "We respect the determination of the Secretary of State's Office. We believe they did their job thoroughly and correctly," he said. Zarling noted there is always human error to account for in the petition-gathering process but also acknowledged that in some instances, Jaeger's office is "stating that they believe it's fraud, or forgery." The group used a mix of grassroots volunteers and paid signature-gatherers. It had an internal process to review petitions for accuracy, and even turned over some instances of suspected fraud on the part of circulators to authorities, according to Zarling. "The ones the Secretary of State's Office identified, we didn't catch those. I think they (circulators) did a better job of fooling us," he said, adding that Jaeger's office has better access to records such as addresses than did the group. Zarling also added, "This is harmful to the process when people are doing these things." Wrigley's office is in the midst of reviewing petitions for a separate proposed ballot measure, calling for term limits on the governor and state lawmakers. Jaeger in March sank that measure when he rejected about 29,000 signatures for what he said were various violations of state law. Jaeger also referred that matter to Wrigley for potential prosecution. Zarling said he did not know if the two measure groups used some of the same petition circulators. The constitution group has not decided whether it will make another attempt to get a measure on the ballot. Members believe the state's constitution is too easy to amend, and that limiting measures to a single subject would improve transparency. A coalition with the groups North Dakota Voters First and North Dakota Watchdog Network opposed the proposed measure, saying it would damage the initiated measure process and set a dangerous precedent for the state's voting system. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nine out of 10 mushroom poisonings are caused by the introduced wild species. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Wild Mushroom Poisoning Cases Spike in Australia Theres been a spike in the number of people in Australia being poisoned by eating wild mushrooms, with authorities warning ingesting the wild fungi can be fatal. Fourteen people in New South Wales (NSW) have presented at emergency departments suffering the symptoms of wild mushroom poisoning between April 29 and May 19, NSW Health said. Nine of those cases occurred in just the past week, with three people having to be admitted to the hospital. Between May 1 and May 18, the NSW Poisons Information Centre received 56 calls about mushroom exposure, with 37 cases related to foraging for mushrooms or mushrooms being ingested for recreational purposes. Authorities are warning Australians to not go mushroom picking after the recent soggy summer has caused deathcap mushrooms to appear early.(Kopikya/Shutterstock) Genevieve Adamo from the NSW Poisons Information Centre said constant moisture from the wet weather in NSW this year had extended the wild mushroom season. The dampness provides excellent growing conditions for wild mushrooms, but it is often difficult to recognise edible from poisonous mushrooms, Adamo said. Mushrooms picked in the wild can make you very ill and could be lethal. Cooking or boiling wild mushrooms does not make them safe to eat, with the Death Cap mushroom potentially causing fatal organ damage. In Australia, many of the poisonous mushrooms look similar to edible wild mushrooms that are found in both Europe and Asia and people are advised to avoid picking any they see in the wild. (beats1/shutterstock) In Australia, many of the poisonous mushrooms look similar to edible wild mushrooms that are found in both Europe and Asia. There is no reliable way to identify mushrooms picked in the wild, so its best to completely avoid picking or eating wild mushrooms. It is simply not worth the risk, Adamo said. Residents drop mail-in ballots in a ballot box outside of the Tippecanoe branch library in Milwaukee, Wis., on Oct. 20, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Wisconsin Republicans Opt Not to Endorse Candidates in Statewide Elections, Vote Against Decertifying 2020 Results Grassroots Wisconsin Republicans have, for the first time, opted not to endorse any major candidates in several statewide elections at the 2022 State Convention in Middleton. The move not to endorse any candidate signals the desire of grassroots activists at the convention to allow candidates to continue to make their case to voters ahead of the August primary, WisGOP said in a statement on May 22. The convention this year invited a greatly expanded list of candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, and secretary of state. With the defeat of Tony Evers and the Democrats being of the highest importance in 2022, the WisGOP wants those attending the convention to hear from as many candidates as possible, WisGOP said in a statement on May 20. Most Wisconsin Republican candidates have questioned President Joe Bidens election win. All four of the GOPs leading Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates support either abolishing or significantly overhauling the GOP-created bipartisan commission that oversees elections in the state following the results of the 2020 U.S. elections, AP reported. The 2020 elections have become a divisive issue for Republicans in Wisconsin, where there have been lawsuits, reviews, and recounts upholding the results. An investigation into Wisconsins 2020 election was paused by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in an announcement on May 11 amid several legal battles. Vos survived a vote at the convention to oust him. Some state Republicans sought to remove Vos from his role for not pursuing former President Donald Trumps claims of election fraud and for not decertifying Bidens Wisconsin win. We have no ability to decertify the election and go back, Vos said to loud boos. We need to focus on moving forward. State Republicans also voted against rescinding the states 2020 Electoral College votes over the weekend. Candidates needed the support of 60 percent of the delegates to secure the GOPs endorsement, which unlocks significant financial support from the party. At the convention around 50 other resolutions were adopted, including for all ballots in the state to be cast on paper and hand-counted on Election Day, according to Just The News. These results are not yet officially available on the WisGOP website. Most of the resolutions require legal changes and are non-binding but form part of the GOPs platform. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) A convicted Mississippi killers effort to get his execution quickly scheduled has been dismissed by the state's Supreme Court, weeks after the condemned man changed his mind. Blayde Nathaniel Grayson, 46, filed a handwritten letter to the high court in December requesting that his execution for a 1996 killing be set immediately. CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) A northwest Iowa police officer has been charged after he allegedly hit a 6-year-old girl with his pickup truck and then drove away. Michael McGee, 52, of Cherokee, was cited with leaving or failing to return to the scene of an injury accident after the girl was hit on Friday afternoon, the Sioux City Journal reported. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Seven people on two small boats that drifted for days in the Pacific have been rescued after a New Zealand plane spotted them near the remote island nation of Kiribati. New Zealands military said Tuesday that the crew aboard an Orion plane had coincidentally spotted the two boats within 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) of each other Monday after the boats went missing in separate incidents from the island nation late last week. Three people were pulled from the water in Connecticut and two of them died during the unusually hot weekend, prompting warnings about cold water safety as Memorial Day approaches. In Lyme Saturday, a 16-year-old died after being rescued from Uncas Pond in the Nehantic State Forest. The boy had been swimming with friends before he went underwater, said Will Healey, spokesperson with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. On Sunday, 34-year-old Rodrigo Tocto died after his kayak capsized on Lake Quonnipaug in Guilford. Tocto, of Orange, was trying to retrieve his paddle when the kayak overturned, Healey said. Officials said neither of the victims were wearing life jackets. The name of the teenage victim has not been released. In Portland, bystanders jumped into action when a swimmer called out for help Sunday on Great Hill Pond, the fire chief said. The good Samaritans, one a retired firefighter who lives on the lake, used a boat and brought the swimmer to shore. He was taken to the hospital, but his condition wasnt clear Monday. A plunge into cold water can shock the system, causing swimmers to gasp and triggering a spike in their breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is especially dangerous for vulnerable people and can cause heart failure and stroke, NOAA said. But the sudden gasp and rapid breathing alone creates a greater risk of drowning even for confident swimmers in calm waters. The next thing that happens is the loss of muscular control, the organization said on its website. The progressive loss of muscular control makes staying afloat without assistance or self-rescue virtually impossible, the organization said. Wearing a life jacket significantly increases chances of survival. As the swimmers body temperature starts to decrease, hypothermia begins to set in. Cold water drains body heat up to four times faster than cold air, NOAA says. Beyond the initial dangers of cold shock in the first 1-3 minutes of immersion, a persons body temperature will continue to drop, increasing the risk of drowning or death, the agency says. As the body temperature continues to drop, so does the swimmers physical and cognitive abilities, NOAA says. Without rescue, drowning or death becomes inevitable. Hearst Connecticut Media file photo / Hearst Connecticut Media WESTPORT A person was pronounced dead after a crash on Saugatuck Avenue Monday afternoon, according to the Westport Police Department. Police, fire and medical personnel were called to the area around 4:20 p.m. At the scene, first responders saw two cars that had collided. Both cars suffered extensive damage, according to Lt. David Wolf. New London Police / Contributed NEW LONDON Police are investigating a suspicious death after a man was found dead in the wooded area of a cemetery Saturday evening. Officers were called to the Cedar Grove Cemetery on Broad Street around 7 p.m. after someone discovered a partially decomposing body. Police said the man was found dead in a remote wooded area of the cemetery. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Adult sexual assault survivors who missed legal deadlines to sue their abusers would get a second chance to file lawsuits under a bill that received final approval Monday from New York's Legislature. Once it becomes law, the Adult Survivors Act would set give victims of sexual abuse a one-year window in which the state's usual statue of limitations for civil lawsuits would be set aside. The bill is modeled after New Yorks now-expired Child Victims Act, which gave people a similar second chance to sue over sexual abuse they suffered as children. That window was initially scheduled to last for a year but was twice extended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time that widow closed, more than 9,000 lawsuits had been filed, many against institutions like churches, schools, camps and scout groups. Advocates for abuse survivors had pushed for a similar lookback window for people abused when they were 18 or older. "Sexual assault steals a piece of ones soul whether one is 6, 16 or 60, said the bill's lead sponsor in the Assembly, Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat. All survivors of sexual abuse deserve justice and to have their day in court, said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, also a Democrat. The state Assembly approved the bill by a 140 to 3 vote Monday after it passed the state Senate last month. It is now headed to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has said she intends to sign it. The lookback window for lawsuits will begin six months after Hochul signs the bill into law. It is unclear whether the law would have as big an impact as the Child Victims Act, which created a wave of litigation that could take years to resolve. Several Roman Catholic dioceses in the state declared bankruptcy amid the torrent of lawsuits over abusive clergy. Similar laws involving children in other states prompted lawsuits elsewhere, too, a factor in the 2020 bankruptcy of the Boy Scouts of America. That law, though, only applied to people who were under age 18 when they were abused, based on a theory that at a young age, they couldnt be expected to tell a court what had happened to them. Many lawmakers were initially reluctant to open a similar window for people sexually assaulted as adults, reasoning that they were more capable of fighting for themselves in a court of law. Ordinarily, states impose deadlines on how long someone can wait to sue in civil court because it becomes more difficult to hold a fair trail as witnesses' memories fade and evidence is lost. Achieve sustainable efficiency and limitless scale for your HPC cluster with SoftIron HPC faces many challenges in the decade to come, from reducing the net carbon emissions to managing the diverse requirements for successful edge deployments. For those seeking a more efficient HPC solution, dive into this data sheet to learn how HyperDrive can provide the right combination of usability, scalability, performance, and sustainability. SoftIron Carbon Footprint Report 2022 Green computing has become essential for modern enterprise; that's why, as part of SoftIron's commitment to reaching net zero carbon emissions, they have conducted net zero assessments of all assets under SoftIron management. Learn how SoftIron is reducing both their own and their customers' carbon footprint in this white paper. How Australias National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) is building supercomputing for all with OpenStack, Lustre, Ceph and HyperDrive As Australias National Computational Infrastructure expanded its offerings to the research community, they needed ways to minimize their total cost of operations and simplify system administration. Check out this case study to discover how SoftIron streamlined NCI's cluster management and provided cost-effective data storage solutions. SoftIron & SUSE Rancher Containerized microservices provide a modular approach to designing, testing and deploying applications in hybrid cloud and edge environments. But as you scale, how do you manage the storage layer underneath? With SoftIrons HyperDrive SDS alongside SUSE Rancher, it just got a lot easier. Manage fluctuating HPC workload challenges with scalable Ceph and S3 Read this blog post to discover how your business can manage fluctuating HPC workloads easier with CephFS alongside S3, unlocking more portability and accessibility for large, unwieldy files in a cloud-native environment. The three core reasons businesses are reconsidering their use of public cloud services Read this blog to examine 3 reasons businesses are reconsidering their public cloud usage and instead investing in software-defined storage (SDS). Five ways to improve your backup and disaster recovery plans resilience against a cyber attack There is no guarantee that a decryption tool will get your data back in one piece after a ransomware attack. But with a sound backup and disaster recovery plan, you might not even need them. This blog details 5 steps for establishing such a plan. Is it safe to use open source SDS for your backup and data recovery? Open-source technologieslike open-source software-defined storageprovide organizations with a cost-effective way to access a greater range of tools and expert knowledge, but is it really safe to use amid the onslaught of cyberattacks? Read this blog post to find out. SoftIron + Baidam Solutions With SoftIrons HyperDrive software-defined storage portfolio alongside Indigenous ICT security partner Baidam Solutions, you can meet fluctuating workload demands. Read this datasheet to clue into the key features and use cases for these complementary solutions. Storage Made Easy + SoftIron Download this datasheet to learn how the Storage Made Easy Enterprise File Fabric and SoftIron HyperDrive offer a consistent, cohesive, and navigable way for your teams to work with data across your hybrid cloud estate. OTT Online Video Storage with SoftIron HyperDrive Check out this solution brief to see how SoftIron HyperDrive is tackling media and video services need for flexible scaling storage capacity, ultra-low latency, and constant availability with their software-defined object storage platform. Democratising Data Storage As data volumes and data center capacities explode, many traditional storage solutions simply arent cutting it anymore. Read on to learn how Red Hat Ceph Storage, an open, massively scalable, simplified storage solution for modern data pipelines, delivers powerful software-defined storage on your choice of industry-standard hardware. Unlock the Best SDS Approach for Your Enterprise Gain a comparison of the top four approaches to SDS by accessing this infographic and determine how each measures up in terms of cost, customization, and contracts. Leading Services Provider, US Signal, Achieves Scale & Efficiency with SoftIron HyperDrive The challenge of scaling future-proofed service delivery is getting harder and harder to ignore. Luckily, this guide can help. Click here to learn how US Signal scaled with zero down-time, thanks to Cephs resilience, scalability, and self-healing capabilities. Validating Software-Defined Storage Operating Models for The Enterprise Check out this e-book to see the choices available for organizations looking to make a strategic move to software-defined storage, explore the deployment models that encompass the implications of choosing between proprietary, open-source, and self-designed/built hardware, and more. HyperSafe Ceph Support Services Access this solution overview to learn how SoftIrons flagship HyperDrive SDS is purpose-built to optimize Ceph, delivering improvements on all critical metrics without the limitations of vendor lock-in. Software-Defined Storage For The Enterprise Check out this guide to navigate the world of SDS and better understand its 4 core approaches including pros and cons, a framework for assessing vendor solutions, and more. Storage Wars: Ceph powers the most exciting research on Earth Read this white paper to learn how 4 organizations with vastly different research projects and unique data storage requirements are leveraging Ceph to achieve their goals. Secure Provenance In this white paper youll learn all about how to enact effective provenance when it comes to ensuring system integrity, including how SoftIrons hyperconverged, SDS, and transcoding devices achieve secure provenance. THG Unlocks Infinite Scalability, Resilience & Efficiency with SoftIrons Open Source-Based Storage Solution Access this case study to learn how SoftIron HyperDrive, an enterprise-class, software-defined storage solution purpose-built to optimize Ceph, transformed THGs e-commerce IaaS & hosting products. Storage Wars: SDS and the inevitability of Ceph Access this data sheet to learn how SDS and Ceph are optimized for content delivery, archival storage, block storage for virtualization, and more, and the benefits of using them together. CephFS Testing for High Performance Computing Explore this white paper to see 4 sets of experiments that Sandia National Laboratories conducted on a CephFS cluster with the help of SoftIron to illustrate the benefits of this SDS solution. Meeting Complex Federal Government Data Storage Requirements with HyperDrive by SoftIron With the right partner and new technology that is designed to address the complex requirements of the federal government, achieving enterprise level performance is well within reach. Check out this white paper to learn about SoftIrons HyperDrive, a proven solution for meeting the complex federal government data storage requirements. Storage Wars: Ceph as a secret weapon for HPC Explore this white paper for an introduction or refresher to Ceph and discover the 7 benefits of using SoftIrons Ceph solution for HPC. TOKYO (AP) Leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a summit of the Quad. What is the group, where did it come from and why do diplomats keep coming up with strange names for various partnerships? WHAT IS THE QUAD? Formally the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Quad began as a loose partnership after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, when the four countries joined together to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance to the affected region. It was formalized by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, but then fell dormant for nearly a decade, particularly amid Australian concerns that its participation in the group would irritate China. The group was resurrected in 2017, reflecting changing attitudes in the region toward Chinas growing influence. Both the Trump and Biden administrations saw the Quad as key to a pivot toward placing more focus on the Indo-Pacific region, particularly as a counterweight to Chinas assertive actions. The Quad leaders held their first formal summit in 2021 and met again virtually in March. IS IT AN ASIAN NATO? China has complained that the group represents an attempt at forming an Asian NATO, though unlike the European alliance there is no mutual-defense pact in effect. Quad members say the group is meant to deepen economic, diplomatic and military ties among the four countries. And while they dont often explicitly say it, those partnerships are meant to be a bulwark against Chinese aggression. In a March 2021 declaration laying out the Spirit of the Quad, the leaders said, We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. WHO ARE THE NEW FACES? Tuesdays meeting marks the first in-person gathering of the group for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office last October, as well as for Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese. He was sworn-in on Monday, just two days after Australias parliamentary election and one day before the summit. WHAT ABOUT INDIA? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending as he faces increasing global scrutiny over his governments crackdown on minorities and some authoritarian tendencies. In addition, while the other members of the Quad have been united in standing up against Russias invasion of Ukraine, especially with sanctions, India increased its purchases of Russian energy supplies after the invasion. Moreover, the invasion has led to food shortages that are causing price spikes, yet India banned wheat exports following a heat wave that could make this global challenge much tougher to resolve. WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED? South Korea has expressed interest in joining the Quad, though U.S. officials have said they are not contemplating adjusting the groups membership. The group has held Quad-plus meetings that have included South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam, which could form the basis for future expansion or partnership in the region. WHY THE ODD NAME? Diplomats can't help themselves. Once they start up different pairings or partnerships, they can't resist assigning shorthand names like the Quad or baffling acronyms like AUKUS ( the new Australia- U.K.-U.S. alliance ). Another acronym that got attention this week while President Joe Biden was in Asia: IPEF, short for the U.S.-proposed new trade pact called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. ___ Miller reported from Washington. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africa's neutral stance on Russia's war in Ukraine was a major topic of conversation as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Tuesday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to end his three-nation tour of Africa. Speaking to the press in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, ahead of their private meeting, the two leaders said they will also consider developments on the African continent. Scholzs visit comes as the war in Ukraine has been raging for three months and is causing oil and food prices to rise around the world, including in Africa. South Africa has taken a neutral stance on the conflict, refusing to condemn Russias actions and calling for dialogue between the two countries. Scholz said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was an important issue to discuss with his South African counterpart. Obviously one of the questions that is of big concern for all of us, is the war that Russia imposed on Ukraine, the brutal war, we have to say it like this," Scholz said. And it is necessary for peace in the world that this war stops, as soon as possible and that there is a chance to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, he said. Another topic discussed was South Africa's intention to reduce its dependence on coal-fired power plants. Germany is among the countries that pledged up to $8.5 billion at the COP26 climate change conference last year to help South Africa reduce its reliance upon coal to generate electricity. So far there have been no announcements of actual payments of those funds to South Africa. South Africa is currently suffering nationwide rolling power cuts because its coal-fired power stations are unable to generate adequate amounts of electricity. The promised funds will help the country, which has Africas most developed economy, to shift to more environmentally friendly energy, Ramaphosa said. We anticipate constructive discussions around the green economy, clean energy and building climate resilience as we embark on new technologies such as hydrogen, and various other renewable energy technologies, Ramaphosa told the press. Later in the day, the two leaders announced a partnership between Germany and South African chemical firm Sasol to research and develop an environmentally friendly jet fuel. The Catalyst Research for Sustainable Kerosene project focuses on the development of catalysts for green jet fuel," Ramaphosa said when he and Scholz visited the Sasol headquarters in Johannesburg. This is one of several areas of cooperation between companies, universities and government agencies on the technology that will reshape our economies, Ramaphosa said. He announced that Sasol was involved in a project to use the countrys solar and wind resources to export green hydrogen to the European Union, with a potential to export 10 million tons a year by 2030. Scholz arrived in South Africa after visiting Senegal and Niger, where he expressed Germanys interest in gas exploration opportunities in Senegal and his countrys long-term military and financial assistance to Niger. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis has been requested to help in an investigation of the death of a 20-year-old man in O'Fallon, Ill. by the O'Fallon Police Department, the squad said in a news release. The department received a call for a shooting at about 10 p.m. on Sunday night in the parking lot of Bella Milano, located in the 400 block of Regency Park. Ivan Marshall, a 20-year-old employee of Bella Milano, an Italian restaurant, was shot and taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Greg Locke of the Global Vision Bible Church told his congregants, "You cannot be a Christian and vote Democrat in this nation." "I'm to the place right now [that] if you vote Democrat, I don't even want you around this church. You can get out!" the hate peddler, who in February threatened to expose six witches in his church, continued. "You get out, you demon! You get out, you baby butchering election thief!" After his divisive comments, a religious freedom group Americans United for the Separation of Church filed a complaint against Locke and his church, according to Raw Story. In the complaint, the group said Locke "clearly told his congregants to vote against the Democrats, from the pulpit of his church," which "violates the law and we ask for an investigation into Locke's conduct under 26 U.S.C. 7611." But no investigation will be needed after the perpetually angry pastor reacted to the complaint with a long vicious rant that included screaming to his congregation that he was giving up his IRS tax-exempt status. "IRS we don't need your stupid tax-exempt status! I renounce 501c3 communism!" An amped-up version of the ol' you can't fire me I quit routine. Here's the video of the Christian's tirade, but be warned, it's toxic to say the least. There is no denying the fact that Statista, a research organization that has huge online presence in one of its research topic, Gender representation in National Parliament in Nigeria 1993-2019, published by its Research Department on February 1, 2022 speaks volumes about how politically unrepresented Nigerian women have been in each passing political dispensation since 1999 when Nigeria embraced democratic system of government. Baffling enough, the Statistics has since Nigeria embraced democratic system of government remained unspeakable. The research has it that Women in Nigerian politics are incredibly too few. In the National Parliament, there are since 2019 only 29 women (about six percent of the total), including both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Men, instead, are 440. Nevertheless, there was an increase compared to the cabinet 1990-2003. Without going too far in the bid to background this piece, this writer has resorted to the use of a recent observation made by the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, on the prevailing low number of women in politics, and which has been the bane of Nigerias development, and she is confident that the observation will suffice to do justice to this piece. The minister who made her observation known on Friday, May 6, 2022 in Abuja at a news conference while giving an update on the status of women inclusion, participation in governance, both at the state and subnational levels, identified the low number of women in politics and other leadership positions as a major setback to the countrys development, and said inadequate number of women in decision-making positions explained the countrys low investment and slow progress in some of the crucial sectors of human development outcomes. She stated that laughable number of women in decision-making positions explained the countrys low investment and slow progress in some of the crucial sectors of human development outcomes, and went ahead to list the sectors where there were low level of development as security and peace processes, health, education, ICT development, finance, trade and investments , among others. According to her, the essence of the news conference was to remind the political parties and aspirants that the level of womens representation at the various positions in states, despite their numerical population strength, is nothing to write home about. She said the news conference was also to take stock of how political actors and gatekeepers had fared in rewarding the sacrifices of Nigerian women to further determine how best to support their ambition, and stated that over the years, there had been a sustained poor representation and gender imbalance of women in critical areas, saying that there was need to change the narrative. For instance, currently in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only18 are women, representing about 4.61 per cent; Senate has eight women out of 109 members, representing 7.34 per cent. The same trend, even worse, runs down all levels of governance in the states and local government areas. Available data from 12 out of 36 states are a clear demonstration of the injustice perpetuated in the election and appointment of women. It is evident that women have been short changed. Out of 36 states of the federation there are no female governors, only two female deputy governors. Statistics from the 12 states show that we do not have a female secretary to government; of 287 state assembly members in 12 states only 23 are women; of 2,050 special assistants only 425 are females. Of 325 local government chairmen, only 31 are females, 73 vice chairmen and 368 females out of 2,075 councilors of LGAs. This cannot continue. According to the World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report Ranking on Women Political Participation, Nigeria is worse off in 2019 (102nd) than nine years ago when it ranked 99th worldwide. This is a growing concern to Nigerian women, she said. The minister said the demand for full and equitable participation of women in public life and leadership space in Nigeria had consistently dominated public discourse due to the key role they played in the political process. Without doubt, concerns over women's marginalization and invisibility in Nigerias policy-making, remains a passionate national discourse. Ameliorating these quagmire-like exclusivity that are likely caused by obstructive laws, cultural diversities and practices, institutional barriers, as well as unequal access to quality education, healthcare, and resources have for age long appeared to be unachievable. However, not few optimistic feminists have held the view that reversing these discriminatory practices is not impossible, and can be achieved by implementing the right mechanisms across the country. They are strongly of the view that process toward increasing the visibility of women in decision-making across the country, requires an understanding of the progress made so far, the challenges faced and the way forward. In Nigeria, promotion of women is always seen with suspicion as not few people erroneously think that women who are regularly promoted are those who are wont to sleep around with top male managers. This, to me, is superficially depressing as most career women are hardworking. Even in some homes, husbands find it difficult to trust their wives that are highflyers in their chosen professions. Not few husbands become paranoid when their wives are extremely excelling in their chosen fields. Returning to how women are treated in the realm of politics, which is even the inspiration behind this piece, it is expedient to say that extensive research shows that when women run for office, they perform just as well as men. Yet women remain severely underrepresented in our political institutions. Just as UN Women, the UN organization delivering programmes, policies and standards that uphold womens human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential, has observed, From the local to the global level, womens leadership and political participation are restricted. Women are underrepresented as voters, as well as in leading positions, whether in elected office, the civil service, the private sector or academia. This occurs despite their proven abilities as leaders and agents of change, and their right to participate equally in democratic governance. Women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit womens options to run for office. Capacity gaps mean women are less likely than men to have the education, contacts and resources needed to become effective leaders. As the 2011 UN General Assembly resolution on womens political participation notes, Women in every part of the world continue to be largely marginalized from the political sphere, often as a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to health care and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women. At this juncture it is expedient to say that even if some women have overcome these obstacles with great acclaim, and often to the benefit of society at large, it is equally expedient to advocate through this write-up that women as a whole should be given equal playing field with their male counterparts in politics as there is an urgent need for the widening chasm between gender inequality in politics, particularly as 2023 general elections, and 2027 general elections beckon. Aptly put, opportunities for all should be opened with gender sensitive policies and programmes. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has urged Nigerians to take certain measures to prevent monkeypox infection, stating that there are no specific treatments available for the disease. This is just as the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, allayed the fears of Nigerians, saying the NCDC is doing everything possible to contain the spread of the disease. Monkeypox, a rare disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The disease, which according to the World Health Organisation, is endemic to West and Central African countries, has surfaced in some European countries. NCDC had noted that 15 out of the 46 suspected cases reported had been confirmed. Similarly, countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Portugal, Spain, Israel, Lebanon and Canada among others have started to report cases. However, in a post obtained from that website of NCDC on Monday, it noted that there are no specific treatments available for monkeypox. According to the post, There are no specific treatments available for monkeypox infection, although various novel antiviral have in-vitro and animal data supportive effects such as Brincindofocir and Tecovirimat. Measures that can be taken to prevent infection with monkeypox virus include: avoiding contact with animals that could harbour the virus, both sick or dead animals in areas where monkeypox cases have occurred; avoiding contact with any material that has been in contact with a sick animal; thoroughly cooking any animal that might have come into contact with an infected animal; handling them with standard precautions and observing monkeypox symptoms for 30 days and washing with soap and water after contact with infected animals. Meanwhile, in an interview with the State Minister of Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, he said the NCDC was doing everything possible to enhance surveillance to mitigate the spread of the disease. In his words, The NCDC is on it. The centre is doing all it takes in terms of surveillance, response and it is also putting in place certain measures to mitigate the spread. Just like we have the Lassa fever, the monkeypox is endemic to Nigeria but we have our agencies like the NCDC when it comes to response and I can assure you that they are totally on it. Lagos, Nigeria, May 24, 2022.--A pressure group, All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change, has rejected the committee inaugurated by the leadership of the APC in Lagos to conduct the National Assembly, Governorship and House of Assembly primaries in the state, alleging that the composition of the committee does not reflect a level-playing ground for all the contestants. The Chairman of APC in Lagos State, Cornelius Ojelabi, had on Monday inaugurated the committee which is to be headed by the APC Zonal Organising Secretary, Lateef Ibirogba, but the All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change flayed the state chapter of the party for setting up the committee saying it is a usurpation of the functions of the national body which is constitutionally empowered to perform such duties. The other members of the committee include Olayinka Oladunjoye, Bola Badmus-Olujobi, Hakeem Odumosu, Gbolahan Idris, Adebayo Sanwo-Olu, Sodiq Ademola, Oluremi Shopeyin and Muritala Seriki. However, the group alleged that many individuals in the committee have strong ties with some of the contestants thus allowing them to play the role of umpires could jeopardize the interest of other aspirants in the race. The National President of the group, Hakeem Ogunsanya, wondered why an elder brother of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu would be named in the committee that would conduct an election in which his sibling will participate. He said allowing the committee, as presently constituted, to conduct the election could taint the integrity of the exercise which could ultimately affect the chances of the party at the poll. He wondered why the state chapter of the party would be the one to set up the committee without the input of the national body, saying such a move is against the constitution of APC and shouldn't be allowed to stand so that a bad precedent wouldn't be set which could lead to further chaos in the party. "The composition of the committee shows the desperation of some aspirants to subvert the process in their own interest. We have some elements in that committee who have close ties with some of the aspirants. It beats my imagination that our great party in the state would appoint the elder brother of the Governor to the committee that will conduct an election in which he is a contestant; this is like taking impunity to another level, what signal are we giving to other aspirants in the race? This is an aberration that shouldn't be allowed to stand. "Our concerns are to protect the integrity of our party and the process; it shouldn't be the business of the state chapter of the party to set up primaries committee, it is an obligation constitutionally reserved for the national body. If we allow this aberration to scale through, we would be creating problems for the future because other states may want to copy that which will lead to further chaos," he said. However, the group charged the national leadership of the party to dissolve the Ibirogba-led committee and reconstitute another one that will reflect neutrality in fairness to all aspirants. "We in the All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change are calling on the National Chairman of our great party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu to take the bull by the horn and prevent the party from falling into a trap by exercising his powers to constitute a fresh primary committee according to the constitution of our party," he said. Engr. Bayo Aderibigbe All Progressives Congress Professionals for Change Publicity Secretary A group, the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria ( NYCN) has called on the South-East Governors to bring to an end the continued killing of Northern settlers in the southeast as nobody has the monopoly of violence This was contained in a statement issued by Isah Abubakar, President, Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Kaduna on Tuesday. This is coming after gunmen alleged to be members of outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Sunday killed 10 people including a pregnant woman , her four children and six others at Isulo, Orumba North local government area of Anambra State. Our people must have the liberty to exercising their freedom of movement in Southeastern part of the country were abiding citizens, we, therefore, warn that these killings should stop forthwith, as the blood of our people cant be used as a sacrifice to keep Nigeria as one, the group said in the statement. We wish to call on security agencies to intensify efforts in ensuring the lawless elements behind the killings are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others. Where we feel there is a lack of political will to make Nigeria safe for us, we wont hesitate to mobilize our members to shut out boundaries against Politicians of Igbo extraction who have been quiet in the ongoing genocide against our people in the Southeast, the group said. I slept with my 10-yr-old daughter for money rituals - Vanguard ... . My father has been having se3 with me for years, My father has been sleeping with me for over 10 years Daughter tells police, Why I Enjoy Sleeping With My 18 yrs Old Daughter Father Explains. Father, son, allegedly impregnate 13-year-old girl and Man Who Enjoys Sleeping With His Two Daughters Finally Caught. To anyone that is well acquainted with the media, the foregoing bizarre headlines are not unfamiliar, particularlyin the recent time when fathers now amorously chase after their biological and step daughters. In fact, it is not absurd to say that the issue of incest is usually waved aside whenever it is mentioned for discussion as most families shield the taboo away from public domain. The reason for this cannot be far-fetched. Like witchcraft, the issue of incest is treated as a joke by some family members, saying it is family affair whereas in the days of yore it is abominable to mention it. In my view, it is imprudent for anyone to be waving the issue of incestuous act by fathers against their biological daughter or step daughters aside. In fact, in African culture incestuous act is not dismissed with mere wave of the hands as been done today. In Igboland for instance, the breaking of taboo in the entire Igbo society usually required the extermination of the offender or some sort of ceremonial purification. This ceremonial purification was called "njucha". The Igbo name for taboo, "Aru" is believed to have been handed down from the earth goddess (Ala) from an unknown time. Like all the social and religious injunctions, "Aru" originated from unwritten laws. These laws were against moral and religious excesses in the society. There were variations of taboos in Igbo land, and some were often observed at births, deaths, marriage, etc. For the fact that the reason why some libidinous and randy fathers indulge in such heinous act is beyond our ken does not mean that it should always be treated with abject levity whenever it is perpetrated lecherous and accursed fathers. I must confess that I was inspired to write this piece in reaction to a recent confession by a 27-year-old man, Adeniyi Adeleke, who was arrested sometime in April last month by police detectives in Ondo State, for having carnal knowledge of her daughter. In his confession, Adeleke said he wanted to use her for money ritual. Without being exaggerative, incidences of incest between fathers and their biological daughters or step daughters is by each passing day becoming a commonplace and worrisome. It would be recalled in this context that before Adelekes confession that there was an incestuous case which involved a 45-year-old Akanji Oluwaseyi who allegedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of his 13-year-old daughter. The Ogun State Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemiwho made the disclosure to Journalists informed that the suspect was arrested following a complaint lodged by the daughter at Obantoko divisional headquarters on December 30, 2021. He said the victim had told the police that her father came to the shop where she is undergoing apprenticeship in tailoring and pleaded with her mistress to permit her to come and fetch water for him at home. According to Oyeyemi, the girl stated further that she went home to fetch water as requested by her father only to be sexually molested as he suddenly grabbed her and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her. Explanatorily put, Incest is defined as the sexual relationship between close blood relatives who are forbidden by law to marry. While many developed nations around the world have criminalized incest, it appears no specific provision against this crime exists in Nigeria; though some laws against incest exist on paper. At this juncture, it is expedient to say that it is imperative to have an effective law against incest in Nigeria, in keeping with the principles of criminal law, especially with regards to child sexual abuse within the family. In fact, there is a need to implement a new law related to criminalizing fathers who have the predilection of committing incest against their daughters as it is becoming commonplace and worrisome. Without any iota of exaggeration, the idea of incest is considered to be a social taboo in many cultures and societies. However, lately the criminalization of incest between consenting adults is being questioned by some people, particularly those that have distant relationships. Nevertheless, incestuous relationships by fathers against their daughters cannot be justified on any grounds and require an obnoxious and effective laws on an urgent basis to address it. In fact, several horrific instances of juvenile incest have been reported in Nigeria. It can be recalled in this context that there was an instance where a father was exposed for sexually abusing his daughter for nine years. Juvenile incest is an ugly reality which is flagrant in our nation. According to Statista, In 2018, the average prevalence of sexual abuses in Nigeria was of nine percent. In Gombe, the incidence was the highest in the country. According to a survey, 45 percent of individuals living in the state had experienced sexual violence in their life. In a similar vein, In 2020, around 5.8 thousand survivors of sexual assault accessed Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARC) in Nigeria. That year, there were over 11 thousand reported cases of rape, according to the Human Rights Commission. Inherent and literarily buried in the data provided by Statista are cases of incest. Recently, cases of girls being victims of juvenile incest as perpetrated by their lecherous fathers are becoming rife. More often than not, they are unable to speak up against their fathers (who are traditionally the breadwinners) so as to preserve the family honor. They suffer in silence while the abuse has serious ramifications on their physical, mental, emotional and psychological health. Criminalization of juvenile incest is imperative to increase awareness about this crime and protect millions of innocent baby girls from undergoing such a traumatic experience. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide condemns the incessant killings in Igbo land. The ongoing gruesome killings in the South East is a very strange phenomenon in the Igbo cosmology and culture. The Igbo culture strongly abhors killing of mankind, no matter the circumstance. Amongst the Igbo, the killing of a human being is an abomination which attracts heavy sanctions including ostracism for a stipulated number of years. If the ostracized dies before the expiration of the sanction period, the corpse is condemned to an evil forest or will not be accorded a befitting burial. The sad end of Okonkwo in the Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe reveals the Igbo reflexes on murder cases. The Igbo perspectives on the sanctity of human life is further reinforced by the Christian religious imperative, in the Holy Bible, Exodus 20:13, thus: Thou Shall not Kill. It is such that even blasphemy against the tenets of Christianity or the traditional religion cannot provoke an instant extrajudicial killing. On the other hand, of all the accusations or allegations against the Igbo culture, killing of fellow human beings could not be contemplated. It is not in the Igbo character. We are at loss over the ugly development in Igbo land. The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Professor Obiozor is in grief over the rate at which the South East has degenerated to a killing field. Obiozor recalls with nostalgia that the South East was adjudged the most peaceful before the attack on the Correctional Centre, Owerri, Imo State and the release of 1844 prison inmates by unknown gun men on April 5, 2021. Since then, the South East has been in a macabre dalliance with siege, atrocities, abominations, arson, all forms of violence and to the worst of the extremes-killing of human beings. Sometimes, we begin to wonder whether the local non-state actors have the strategic capacity to overwhelm the well-fortified correctional centres, police stations, etc or the benefits one stands to derive from such savagery. While we are still mourning the gruesome murder and the cruel display of the head of a serving member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Okechukwu Okoye, a report was received that some Northerners were killed in some locations in the same Anambra State. As it stands, burning of buildings, police stations, killing of human beings, kidnappings, etc has now become a daily occurrence in Igbo land. This is a very sad development. Ohanaeze Ndigbo faults the remark by the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr Echeng Echeng, to the effect that community leaders are shielding the criminals thereby rendering investigations and arrests very difficult. It is important to inform that in Anambra State for instance, almost all the communities are hosts to numerous strangers beyond the compass of the community leaders. A community such as Nnewi, a commercial nerve centre, is so sophisticated with strangers and economic activities beyond the aerial view of the community leaders. It is as inconceivable as to expect the Olu of Ibadan or the Oba of Benin or the Emir of Kano to monitor the crime rate in their highly populated domains. To shield a criminal is to hide a viper-snake in the pocket. While commending the Anambra State Police Command for their gallantry, commitment and sacrifice, we urge all the community vigilantes, youths, community leaders, traditional rulers and all well-meaning Igbo to rise to the occasion in collaboration with the police to wipe out this ugly trend. For the avoidance of doubt, the Igbo have an irrepressible wanderlust and as such are inclined to hospitable attributes. Because of our outreach and frontier dispositions, we owe it a duty to be equally kind to strangers and condemn the violence that has been unleashed over our land, especially as it affects our northern brethren. Finally, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide extends our deep condolences to the Sarkin Hausawa, Orumba North LGA, Alhaji Said Muhammad and other affected Northern communities; and to His Excellency, Professor Chukwuma Soludo and the good people of Anambra State. We urge all and sundry to cooperate with the governor in his relentless effort to overcome the current security challenges in the State. Evidently, with the menace of Boko Haram, banditry, unknown gun men, kidnappings, Fulani herdsmen- farmers clashes, Monday Sit at Home, etc, there is no gainsaying that indeed, Satan is on the prowl to cause mayhem in Nigeria. It therefore requires maturity and restraint amongst the leaders, knowing full well that we shall ultimately overcome. Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia is the National Publicity Secretary. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide It is evident that robust unity which grows out of historical experience can no longer be found or trusted in the present day Nigeria. It can equally not be considered an over statement if one concludes that in todays Nigeria, there is no more sense of oneness that emerges from a people trying to control their destiny, environment and that of their unborn generation. Making these observations a reality to worry about is the current circumstances on ground which daily and clearly demonstrate that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and some state governors has woefully failed to achieve security and pursuit of economic welfare of the citizens, which of course are the only two constitutional responsibilities that all leaders must achieve. While this development remains unacceptable and demands an immediate and comprehensive improvement, fair minded and well foresighted Nigerians believe that for the nation to arrest its dwindling security situation there exists an urgent need to jig and restructure the present security architecture in the country. Out of many instances, this feeling recently came to the fore during my conversation with an abroad based Nigerian on the spate of insecurity in the country. Even as he sympathized with Nigerians on whose shoulders lay the crushing weight of poor leadership consequence, he underlined the fact that the nation is practicing a wrong policing system. He stressed that we are having a security challenge in the country just because we are practicing a national policing system which has never helped any nation and will not bring the nation out of its security woods. To illustrate this position, he said; the police in Agbor, Delta state, should be people from Agbor and the police in Asaba should be people from Asaba. We should practice a decentralized policing system. If we practice a decentralized policing system, criminals would be caught early and they will be brought to book. That is the way it is done in more civilized nations like the United States of America. You cannot be in Otolokpo, Delta state and find the police there coming from Zamfara State. You cannot be in Asaba or Ogwashi-Uku in Deltat state and the police officers operating in that environment are from Bauchi State or Zamfara state. They wouldnt know the local people. On the argument that if the state police are created, the governors will abuse it, he responded thus; you cannot decide to fail when you have not tried. This is a case of failing when you have not tried. What you are telling me is a rumour because it has not been tried. Even the state policing will be wrong. You cant send someone from Warri to Asaba to manage policing in Okpanam because they dont know Okpanam very well. He concluded. Of course, he said it in a different way, venue and time, but, in the real sense of it, he may not have, in my view, said something new or different from what Nigerians have been worried about all these years. Rather the nations greatest challenge as it affects the present circumstance is that for an average Nigerian leader, once a direction is chosen, instead of examining process meticulously and set the right course; one that will allow us to overcome storm and reach safety and achieve our goals, many obstinately persist with the execution of such plans regardless of a minor or major shift in circumstance. The facts are there and speak for it. Aside from the fact that notable Nigerians, groups have in different times and places called on the Federal Government to steps that will have the nation restructured to accommodate such policing arrangement, President Buhari in his campaign in 2015, promised to Initiate action to amend the Nigerian Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties, and responsibilities to states in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit, That was not the only evidence. Recently, While he played host to the traditional rulers from the Northern part of the country led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr President going by reports stated that; the ongoing reform of the Police would include recruitment of more hands, cultivation of stronger local intelligence and networking with communities, traditional rulers and adequate training. This in specific terms will include recruiting more police officers from their local government areas, where they would then be stationed in the best traditions of policing worldwide. Working with the state governments; we intend to improve the equipping of the police force with advanced technology and equipment that can facilitate their work. In all fairness, Buhari never used the word, state police but it was implied. From the attributes of his speech, he did not only underline the importance of but underscores the virtues and advantages of recruiting more police officers from their local government areas, where they would then be stationed in the best traditions of policing worldwide. Precisely, this form of security architecture and community policing was amazingly the part of what the pro-state police and nations restructuring advocates demanded for particularly as it was obvious that the vast majority of states can afford to equip their officers with the sophisticated security gadgets Mr. President listed above. To further arrive at the answer, there are in the opinion of this piece, no federal, state/community police models, but there are fundamental differences between the two. While cultural and geographical homogeneity which are strong factors and advantages of state policing are lost in federal policing, state/community police depend on these factors and more such as historical and friendship to keep the society orderly and without anarchy. This value no doubt makes a productive policing without disorder. And it is my belief that state governments have the capacity to fulfill this obligation. As an incentive, what Nigerians are saying is that the Federal Government must come up with a constitution that empowers the local vigilante because they are the original security informants. And if that is the case, why must the nation continue to duplicate offices and positions? The National Security challenge would be easily solved if we decentralize the policing system. It would be easier to empower the local vigilantes and upgrade them to police officers within their local communities. What the masses are saying and wanting in my understanding is that the padding of the second schedule of the exclusive legislative list, of our 1999 constitution with 68 items has made Abuja suffer political obesity and need to shed some weight via power devolution. This needs to be done not for political reason(s) but for the survival of our democracy. This should be done with one goal in mind; that of serving the people and enhancing the status of the country and it should be the collective responsibility of the countrys citizens to contribute to the success of the process. Most importantly, as a nation, we must stop the habit of tackling challenges with the same thinking used when it was created as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, has as a consequence made Nigerians to suffer greatly for so long. Utomi Jerome-Mario is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via;j [email protected]/08032725374 . It sounded like the first officer to check on this inebriated buggy pilot was willing to let the horse take him home, but things didn't quite work out that way. One can likely drink quite a bit and still successfully allow a horse to take itself home, but passing completely out is clearly not recommended. YouTube: Man, 55, drowns while foraging for mushrooms PHUKET: The body of a 55-year-old man who went foraging for mushrooms has been recovered from the Pru Jeh Son lake in Moo 3, Mai Khao, just inland from about halfway along Mai Khao Beach. By Eakkapop Thongtub Tuesday 24 May 2022, 12:43PM Lt Col Thongchai Kreerat of Tha Chatchai Police said officers were first informed at 4:30pm on Sunday (May 22) by Mai Khao Kamnan (Subdistrict Chief) Olin Maliwan that local villager Khanong Ae Thaweewong Sunthorn, 55, had gone searching for mushrooms had not returned home. Mr Khanong was feared drowned, Mr Olin said. Police and rescue workers arrived at the lake to find Mr Khanongs motorbike with sidecar parked at the scene. His black flip-flops were neatly beside the waters edge. Mr Kanongs son, Mr Jayawat, 23, said his father went foraging for mushrooms every morning at about 6am. He usually returned home by about 8am. Family members went searching for Mr Khanong, and raised the alarm when they found his shoes beside the lake, but did not find him. Rescue divers from the Kusoldharm Foundation began their search of the lake. After about two hours of scouring the lake, the divers found Mr Khanongs body submerged in water that was about three metres deep. Mr Khanong was not wearing a shirt. He was dressed in only shorts, as if he intended to go swimming. Officers found no wounds or signs of a struggle on Mr Khanongs body or in the area. Regardless, Mr Khanongs body was taken to Thalang Hospital for a post-mortem examination as standard procedure while police investigate his death. Phuket officials present autopsy on Sandbox tourism success PHUKET: From July 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022, there were 503,468 tourists who came to Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox entry scheme, generating more than B28.191 billion in direct spending, resulting in more than B66.81bn injected in circulation into local economy. COVID-19healthtourismeconomics By The Phuket News Tuesday 24 May 2022, 06:20PM The figures were reported to Deputy Supattanapong Punmeechaow, who also serves as the Minister of Energy, through an online meeting held at Phuket Sandbox Operation Center at the Phuket Provincial Police headquarters in Phuket Town yesterday (May 23). Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew was present in person at the meeting, but Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong chaired the meeting and reported the figures to DPM Supattanapong, who was present through an online connection to Bangkok. The meeting was held to conduct a full review of the success of the Phuket Sandox model for opening the country to receive tourists during the height of the COVID-19 outbreaks over the past year. During the 304 days, foreign tourists coming to Phuket stayed on average eight nights per person. They paid on average B55,000 per person per trip, generating direct income of over B28.19152bn. The spending resulted in more than B66.8169bn in total spending in the local economy, V/Gov Pichet said. V/Gov Pichet proceeded to explain all the measures rolled out under the Sandbox entry scheme, with tourists from low-risk countries only allowed to enter and even then sealed routes were enforced in the initial stages. Tourists were comprehensively screened on arrival and were required to comply with a host of documentary requirements, V/Gov Pichet added. COVID-Free Setting measures were deployed and enforced to ensure the operators who were allowed to open did so safely, including tour operators, he added. V/Gov Pichet explained the staff vaccination requirements and the DMHTTA measures enforced as the provincial government began to ease the restrictions. Venues and specified businesses were allowed to re-open only when if it were safe to do so, V/Gov Pichet explained. The provincial government was prepared to suspend the Sandbox scheme if a major outbreak occurred, he added. Clusters of infections identified were contained, he said, adding that all domestic visitors were also initially required to be screened before being allowed onto the island. The mass-vaccination campaign had proceeded well, with no less than 70% of the islands inhabitants being vaccinated for COVID-19, V/Gov Pichet said. Efforts were continuing to focus on young people and to have as many Group 608 at-risk people fully vaccinated as well, he said. The island was coping well, with 95% of newly infected people being designated Green patients, meaning they experienced only slight symptoms, or no symptoms of infection at all, he said. Further, the falling number of new infections had resulted in the closing of the Aunjai Clinic, established to provide assistance to people who tested positive for the virus through home testing. Measures were deployed to provide assistance with household debt problems and to support SME businesses, and policies were enacted to help support the islands tourism industry, V/Gov Pichet said. A report of the meeting released by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) gave no explanation as to why DPM Supattanapong required such a comprehensive briefing on all the measures undertaken by Phuket officials during the Phuket Sandbox era when all such information was already publicly well documented. Nonetheless, the PR Phuket report noted that DPM Supattanapong praised Phuket officials for their efforts, and praised the people of Phuket for how they have conducted themselves throughout the crisis. DPM Supattanapong also called on Phuket to lead by example in having its residents receive a fourth injection of COVID-19 vaccine in order to build immunity for the group against COVID-19 infections, the report said. Police probe Koh Kaew shooting PHUKET: Police are investigating a teen gang incident in Koh Kaew that left one teen with a bullet wound to his foot last night (May 23). violencecrimepolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Tuesday 24 May 2022, 12:22PM Photos: Phuket City Police Officers were called to the residential area in Soi 13 Koh Kaew** at about 11:50pm, with reports that teens were fighting and that gunshots were heard. Officers arrived and soon learned that a gang of teenagers had scaled the wall to one house and entered the premises. One person, not named by police, was shot in the foot. A bullet hole was found in a car parked at the scene. Phuket City Police said they were investigating the incident and were hoping to release more details later. ** Police have confirmed the home invasion and shooting occured at the Habitia Koh Keaw housing estate. THAI auctions the bare bones BUSINESS: The financially troubled Thai Airways International (THAI) will auction off the airframe of an old Boeing 737-400 tomorrow (May 25), according to its TG Warehouse Sale Facebook page. transporteconomics By Bangkok Post Tuesday 24 May 2022, 10:45AM A Thai Airways International Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is seen parked at Suvarnabhumi airport. Photo: Bangkok Post The post said the sale presents a rare opportunity for an interested party to own the airframe of a single-aisle plane which has had long a long history with the national carrier, reports the Bangkok Post. It said the outer shell could be converted into a cafe or stand as an attraction in a resort. The auction is being held on Facebook Live at 3pm tomorrow. In March, the airline earned over B1 million in under a minute by selling passenger seats stripped from its decommissioned aircraft. Thirty pairs of seats in different colours, including the airlines signature purple and pink, were quickly snapped up during a live-streaming session on the Facebook page TG Warehouse Sale. THAI has sold or is in the process of selling 45 jets, leaving it with 58 aircraft, excluding three 777-300 aircraft it leased last month. Last week, the carrier posted a 155% increase in revenue and a narrower loss in the first quarter of this year with liquidity surging to the highest point since the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020. GSB ready to assist Meanwhile the Government Savings Bank (GSB) stands ready to extend loans to THAI and the Oil Fuel Fund to boost their liquidity if the government adopts a policy for it to do so, said GSB chairman Prapas Kong-Ied. He added that though the national flag carrier is no longer a state enterprise, it is still majority owned by the state, reports the Bangkok Post. However, the airline has yet to apply for any loans from the bank, he said. He said THAI has considered applying for a syndicated loan of around B25 billion in the form of a joint loan extension by around 4-5 banks to boost its liquidity. He added that the Oil Fuel Fund has yet to ask for a loan from GSB. As in the case of THAI, the bank would consider extending a loan to the fund if it were government policy. The fund is in talks with state-owned banks for loans worth B30-40bn to boost liquidity, enabling it to subsidise the domestic oil price. In a separate development, Mr Prapas said the Finance Ministrys probe committee has submitted to Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith the result of its scrutiny of the transparency of the bidding process of the Treasury Departments concession to manage and operate the main water transmission pipeline system in the East. Mr Prapas said the committee is waiting for the minister to make any order regarding the submitted result. In March, the Treasury Department named Vongsayam Korsang Co the winning bidder. Later, the ministry set up a committee to investigate the transparency of the bidding process as ordered by the prime minister. The Pheu Thai Party says it will make transparency a key issue during a no-confidence debate expected in July in relation to this bid. Walkout protest at APEC meeting over Russian invasion BANGKOK: Representatives of the United States and several other nations walked out of an Asia-Pacific trade ministers meeting in Bangkok on Saturday (21 May) to protest Russias invasion of Ukraine. politicsRussianUkraine By National News Bureau of Thailand Tuesday 24 May 2022, 02:53PM Photo: NNT Representatives from Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Australia joined the Americans, led by Trade Representative Katherine Tai, in walking out of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, reports NNT. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, saying it aimed to demilitarise and denazify its neighbour. Ukraine and the West say President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked war of aggression, which has claimed thousands of civilian lives, sent millions of Ukrainians fleeing and caused economic fallout around the world. Another diplomat said the five countries that staged the protest wanted stronger language on Russias war in the groups final statement to be issued on Sunday. Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit told reporters that The meeting will not be a failure if a joint statement cannot be issued, adding that the meeting was progressing well despite the walk out. The walkout took place while Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov was delivering remarks at the opening of the two-day meeting from the group of 21 economies. The delegations from five countries that staged the protest reportedly returned to the meeting after Reshetnikov finished speaking. The New York Times has shared an alleged email from SpaceX President and COO Gynne Shotwell to staff regarding SpaceX's "ongoing legal matter," the settlement between SpaceX and an employee accusing CEO Elon "Pedo Guy" Musk of sexual harassment. This email to staff is best taken with a grain of salt. Whenever someone tells you it is not because this person signs my paychecks, but it is time to listen to what they aren't saying. Here is the most interesting bit, the entire email is below: "For privacy reasons I will never comment on any legal matters involving employment issues. However, what I can share is that Elon has made a public statement via Twitter that the allegations are utterly untrue. Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations." Via NYT: SpaceX team- I want to directly address the story that mentions our company and CEO with serious allegations. Let me be clear SpaceX does not tolerate harassment of any kind I am saying ZERO tolerance. We firmly believe everyone at SpaceX deserves to be treated with respect. And every accusation of harassment is taken very seriously, regardless of who is involved. HR thoroughly investigates all claims that are brought to their attention and takes appropriate disciplinary action. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or our workplace, please reach out to me, your manager or your HR rep. Admittedly this is a difficult topic to navigate. It's natural to have questions and to want definitive answer. For privacy reasons I will never comment on any legal matters involving employment issues. However, what I can share is that Elon has made a public statement via Twitter that the allegations are utterly untrue. Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations. Anyone who knows Elon like I do, knows he would never conduct or condone this alleged inappropriate behavior. I believe SpaceX is an extraordinary place to work because of you. And I remain committed to ensuring it's a place where all employees can do their best work. Perhaps they should just stop talking. Today Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 80F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 53F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Cloudy early with thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 69F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 21C. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of light rain. Low 17C. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. When Vladimir Putin announced the invasion of Ukraine, war seemed far away from Russian territory. Yet within days the conflict came home not with cruise missiles and mortars but in the form of unprecedented and unexpectedly extensive volleys of sanctions by Western governments and economic punishment by corporations. Three months after the Feb. 24 invasion, many ordinary Russians are reeling from those blows to their livelihoods and emotions. Moscows vast shopping malls have turned into eerie expanses of shuttered storefronts once occupied by Western retailers. McDonalds whose opening in Russia in 1990 was a cultural phenomenon, a shiny modern convenience coming to a dreary country ground down by limited choices pulled out of Russia entirely in response to its invasion of Ukraine. IKEA, the epitome of affordable modern comforts, suspended operations. Tens of thousands of once-secure jobs are now suddenly in question in a very short time. Major industrial players including oil giants BP and Shell and automaker Renault walked away, despite their huge investments in Russia. Shell has estimated it will lose about $5 billion by trying to unload its Russian assets. While the multinationals were leaving, thousands of Russians who had the economic means to do so were also fleeing, frightened by harsh new government moves connected to the war that they saw as a plunge into full totalitarianism. Some young men may have also fled in fear that the Kremlin would impose a mandatory draft to feed its war machine. But fleeing had become much harder than it once was the European Union's 27 nations, along with the United States and Canada had banned flights to and from Russia. The Estonian capital of Tallinn, once an easy long-weekend destination 90 minutes by air from Moscow, suddenly took at least 12 hours to reach on a route through Istanbul. Even vicarious travel via the Internet and social media has narrowed for Russians. Russia in March banned Facebook and Instagram although that can be circumvented by using VPNs and shut access to foreign media websites, including the BBC, the U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. After Russian authorities passed a law calling for up to 15 years imprisonment for stories that include fake news about the war, many significant independent news media shut down or suspended operations. Those included the Ekho Moskvy radio station and Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper whose editor Dmitry Muratov shared the most recent Nobel Peace Prize. The psychological cost of the repressions, restrictions and shrinking opportunities could be high on ordinary Russians, although difficult to measure. Although some public opinion polls in Russia suggest support for the Ukraine war is strong, the results are likely skewed by respondents who stay silent, wary of expressing their genuine views. Andrei Kolesnikov of the Carnegie Moscow Center wrote in a commentary that Russian society right now is gripped by an aggressive submission and that the degradation of social ties could accelerate. The discussion gets broader and broader. You can call your compatriot a fellow citizen, but one who happens to have a different opinion a traitor and consider them an inferior kind of person. You can, like the most senior state officials, speculate freely and quite calmly on the prospects of nuclear war. (That's) something that was certainly never permitted in Soviet times during Pax Atomica, when the two sides understood that the ensuing damage was completely unthinkable, he wrote. Now that understanding is waning, and that is yet another sign of the anthropological disaster Russia is facing, he said. The economic consequences have yet to fully play out. In the early days of the war, the Russian ruble lost half its value. But government efforts to shore it up have actually raised its value to higher than its level before the invasion. But in terms of economic activity, thats a completely different story, said Chris Weafer, a veteran Russia economy analyst at Macro-Advisory. We see deterioration in the economy now across a broad range of sectors. Companies are warning that theyre running out of inventories of spare parts. A lot of companies put their workers on part time work and others are warning to them they have to shut down entirely. So theres a real fear that unemployment will rise during the summer months, that there will be a big drop in consumption and retail sales and investment, he told The Associated Press. The comparatively strong ruble, however heartening it may seem, also poses problems for the national budget, Weafer said. They receive their revenue effectively in its foreign currency from the exporters and their payments are in rubles. So the stronger the ruble, then it means the less money that they actually have to spend," he said. (That) also makes Russian exporters less competitive, because theyre more expensive on the world stage. If the war drags on, more companies could exit Russia. Weafer suggested that those companies who have only suspended operations might resume them if a cease-fire and peace deal for Ukraine are reached, but he said the window for this could be closing. If you walk around shopping malls in Moscow, you can see that many of the fashion stores, Western business groups, have simply pulled down the shutters. Their shelves are still full, the lights are still on. Theyre simply just not open. So they havent pulled out yet. Theyre waiting to see what happens next," he explained. Those companies will soon be pressed to resolve the limbo that their Russian businesses are in, Weafer said. "We are now getting to the stage where companies are starting to run out of time, or maybe run out of patience, he said. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it had hoped to overtake the country in a blitz lasting only days or a few weeks. Many Western analysts thought so, too. As the conflict marked its third month Tuesday, however, Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield. There was no quick victory for Russian President Vladimir Putins powerful forces, no rout that would allow the Kremlin to control most of Ukraine and establish a puppet government. Instead, Russian troops got bogged down on the outskirts of Kyiv and other big cities amid stiff Ukrainian defenses. Convoys of Russian armor seemed stalled on long stretches of highway. Troops ran out of supplies and gasoline, becoming easy targets. A little over a month into the invasion, Russia effectively acknowledged the failure of its blitz and pulled troops back from areas near Kyiv, declaring a shift of focus to the eastern industrial region of the Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. To be sure, Russia has seized significant chunks of territory around the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago. It also has managed to cut Ukraine off completely from the Sea of Azov, finally securing full control over the key port of Mariupol after a siege that prevented some of its troops from fighting elsewhere while they battled diehard Ukrainian forces. But the offensive in the east seems to have bogged down as well, as Western arms flow into Ukraine to bolster its outgunned army. Russian artillery and warplanes relentlessly pound Ukrainian positions, trying to break through defenses built up during the separatist conflict. They have made only incremental gains, clearly reflecting both Russia's insufficient troop numbers and the Ukrainian resistance. Russia recently lost hundreds of personnel and dozens of combat vehicles while trying to cross a river to build a bridgehead. The Russians are still well behind where we believe they wanted to be when they started this revitalized effort in the eastern part of the country, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday, adding that small towns and villages were changing hands every day in the Donbas. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian forces have methodically targeted Western weapons shipments, ammunition and fuel depots, and critical infrastructure in hopes of weakening Kyivs military and economy. But in trying to gain ground, Russian forces have also relentlessly shelled cities and laid siege to some of them. In the latest example of the war's toll, 200 bodies were found in a collapsed building in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday. The Kremlin appears to still harbor a more ambitious goal of cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border, a move that would also give Moscow a land corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed. But Russia seems to know that this objective is not currently achievable with the limited forces it has. I think theyre just increasingly realizing that they cant necessarily do all of it, certainly not at one go, said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander who heads Sibylline, a strategic advisory firm. Moscows losses have forced it to rely increasingly on hastily patched-together units in the Donbas that could only make small gains, he said. Its a constant downshifting of gear toward smaller objectives that Russia can actually achieve, Crump said. And I think on the biggest scale, theyve actually downsized their strategy better to match their their ability on the ground. Two top officials appeared to acknowledge Tuesday the advance has been slower than expected. Secretary of Russias Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said it is not chasing deadlines, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the pace was deliberate to allow civilians to flee, even though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Many in Ukraine and the West thought Putin would pour resources into the Donbas to score a decisive triumph by Victory Day on May 9, when Moscow celebrates its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Rather than a massive campaign, however, the Kremlin opted for tactical mini-offensives, aimed at steadily trying to encircle Ukrainian forces. The Russian leadership is urging the military command to show at least some gains, and it has nothing else to do but to keep sending more troops into the carnage, said Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military expert at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think tank. Many in the West expected Putin to declare a broad troop mobilization, with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace saying he might do it on Victory Day. That never happened, with Russia continuing to rely on a limited force that was clearly insufficient. A massive mobilization would likely foment discontent in Russia, fuel antiwar sentiment and carry political risks. Authorities opted for more limited options, with lawmakers drafting a bill to waive the current age limit of 40 for those willing to sign up for the military. The lack of resources was underlined last week by an abrupt Russian withdrawal from areas near Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that has been bombarded since the war began. Some of those forces apparently were redeployed to the Donbas, but it wasn't enough to tip the scales. They really had to thin out the troops they had around Kharkiv, simply because theyre trying to hold to too much of a line with too few troops, said Phillips OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The Donbas fighting has increasingly become artillery duels, and it might go on for quite a long time without much movement in the lines," he said. So it will be a more of a positional battle at that point, O'Brien added, with success going to whoever "can take the pounding. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to get a steady flow of Western arms, including U.S. howitzers and drones, tanks from Poland and other heavy gear that is immediately sent into combat. Ukraines plan is simple and obvious wear down the Russian forces in the nearest months as much as possible, win time for receiving Western weapons and training how to use them, and then launch a counteroffensive in the southeast, said Sunhurovskyi, the Kyiv-based military expert. He said Ukraine hopes to receive even more powerful Western weapons, such as U.S. HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, anti-ship missiles and more potent air defense weapons. Russian hard-liners warn that Moscow cant win if it doesnt conduct a large mobilization and concentrate all of its resources in a decisive attack. Igor Strelkov, a former security officer who led the separatists in 2014, denounced what he described as the Kremlins indecision, saying it could lead to defeat. For Russia, the strategic deadlock is deepening, he said. Ukrainian authorities are increasingly emboldened by the slow pace of the Russian offensive and growing Western support. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed last week that pushing the Russians back to pre-invasion positions would represent a victory, but some aides declared even more ambitious goals. Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine isnt interested in a cease-fire until Russia is ready to fully liberate occupied territories, a bold statement that appears to reflect hopes for reclaiming the Donbas and Crimea. Russia, meanwhile, apparently aims to bleed Ukraine by methodically striking fuel supplies and infrastructure while grinding out military gains. The Kremlin may also hope the West's attention will shift elsewhere. Their final hope is that we will lose interest completely in the conflict in Ukraine by the summer, Crump said. Theyre calculating the Western audiences will lose interest in the same way as Afghanistan last year. Russia thinks that time is working in its favor. ___ Danica Kirka in London, Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Ukraine, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Middle Eastern cuisine is one of the major concentrations of Western New York restaurants, thanks to the folks from Lebanon and elsewhere who opened restaurants in their new home generations ago. Thats why the puree of chickpeas, garlic, lemon and tahini called hummus was familiar here even before it was in every grocery store. Babaganoush, roasted eggplant given similar treatment, isnt a stranger here any more than falafel, deep-fried chickpea fritters. Besides being relatively inexpensive because of their humble ingredients, these vegetarian preparations are especially attractive today to vegans, vegetarians and people looking to eat lighter. But everyone can benefit from meeting them, including carnivores who've never met kofta, the grilled meatballs of the Middle East. Here are some of my favorites, including the work of Lebanese, Iraqi, Syrian, Israeli and Jordanian Palestinian cooks. Almaza Grill 9370 Transit Road, East Amherst; 716-276-8080; almazagrill.com. A full-service family restaurant with alcohol, Almaza excels at Lebanese cuisine, as well as its prominent sideline in Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken. Besides kebabs and the salad topped with grilled lamb, especially consider kibbie, beef and pine nuts in a beef-and-bulgur-wheat shell, loubie bzeit, green beans stewed with garlic, tomato and olive oil. . . . The Pita Place 412 Evans St., Williamsville; 716-634-7482; thepitaplacebuffalo.com. Another Lebanese mainstay, the Pita Places carefully written menu is particularly helpful to gluten-free diners. Standout food choices here include the beef and spinach pies, grilled spiced beef kofta patties and a terrific fried cauliflower sandwich with tahini sauce that will shake up a vegans lunchtime routine. . . . Buffalo Bakery 205 Ontario St.; 716-768-3616; facebook.com/bakery716. This Iraqi neighborhood bakery turns out samoon, the pointy-ended Iraqi loaf, nonstop through the day. But the bakers also will make you lunch or dinner, of falafel, beef shish kabobs and more. Especially recommended is manakeesh, dough stretched, topped and baked to order, in three types: beef and onion with pomegranate molasses, zaatar (thyme, sesame, sumac) and extra virgin olive oil and cheese (mozzarella). . . . Fresh Arabic Sweets 560 Amherst St.; 716-768-3826. My nominee for Buffalos best baklava, the Syrian proprietors also will make you an excellent chicken shawarma sandwich, with french fries tucked inside. . . . Natalies Mediterranean Eatery 801 Millersport Highway, Amherst; 716-446-9715; natalieseatery.com. Lebanese family place pulls from both University at Buffalo campuses, doing a brisk business in falafel, salads, wraps and kabab plates. Whatever you choose, get it with the garlic sauce, as close to the Lebanese garlic mayonnaise toum as Ive found locally. . . . Falafel Bar 3545 Sheridan Drive, Amherst; 716-436-7000; thefalafelbar.com. The only Israeli restaurant in town has the best falafel, hands down, offering crunchy bronzed fritters that are downright fluffy and green inside with fresh herbs. Its also leading the hummus race with its fresh ground puree. Also consider the Israeli-style chicken schnitzel; burning eggplant, an aubergine roasted, smashed and dressed with tahini and shaved garlic; and sabich, a glorious sandwich of fried eggplant, hardboiled egg, hummus, salad, tahini and amba, a Yemenite hot sauce made from green mangos. . . . Ghada Have It 2117 Military Road, Town of Niagara; 716-297-8733; facebook.com/ghadahaveithomecooking. Family recipes from Jordanian Palestinians include outstanding babaganoush and beef kabobs and a terrific house salad dressing. Ghada Have It, located near the Tuscarora Reservation, also offers Middle Eastern fillings in its Indian taco, which is frybread split and stuffed with ground beef, chicken, falafel or gyro. . . . Pita Gourmet Four locations in East Amherst, Niagara Falls, Orchard Park and Williamsville; eatpitagourmet.com. Sandwich artists sling souvlaki-grilled chicken, gyro and falafel in a Chipotle-style top-as-you-go line thats particularly helpful for people in a hurry. . . . Shawarma City 679 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst; 716-436-2080; shawarmacitybuffalony.com. Humble to-go outlet has seats, but few folks use them. Most opt to carry away their take, lugging chicken shawarma wraps with garlic sauce, fattoush salads, beef shawarma platters and the occasional braised lamb shank dinner. . . . Hertel Bakery and Cafe 1150 Hertel Ave.; 716-259-8743. This small space has been home to a succession of Palestinian and Iraqi bakers since Manakeesh & More. Highlights here include manakeesh, dough stretched, topped and baked to order; beef shish kebab plate with rice; and the foul, or fava bean plate, seasoned with cumin and garlic, one of the greatest vegan values in town. Not to mention my second-favorite falafel in town, for its gently crispy character. Send restaurant tips to agalarneau@buffnews.com and follow @BuffaloFood on Instagram and Twitter. The Buffalo News: Food & Drink Get what you need to know about Western New York's dining and bar scene, including restaurant openings and closings, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An Iraqi man who came to the United States two years ago and applied for asylum hatched a plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush in retaliation for casualties against his compatriots during the Iraq war, the U.S. government announced Tuesday. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, also schemed to smuggle other Iraqis into the U.S. from Mexico to aid in the plot, after which they'd be smuggled back out through Mexico, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Columbus. Shihab insinuated he had contacts with the Islamic State group, but it did not appear the plot came close to materializing, with confidential informants briefing the FBI from April 2021 through this month, the complaint said. Shihab was ordered held without bond by federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers during a short hearing in court Tuesday. Deavers scheduled a detention hearing for Friday. Shihab was not required to enter a plea. Soumyajit Dutta, a federal public defender representing Shihab at the hearing, declined to comment. If convicted, Shihab could face up to 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. Freddy Ford, the chief of staff at the 75-year-old former president's office, said, President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities. Shihab worked at restaurants in and around Columbus and also at a market in Indianapolis where he had an apartment, the government said. Shihab told a confidential informant that he assisted in the killing of American soldiers during the Iraq War, and said he and others wished to kill former president Bush because they felt that he was responsible for killing many Iraqis and breaking apart the entire country of Iraq, the complaint said. Shihab traveled in February to Dallas, where he took video of the entrance gate to the neighborhood where Bush lives, and also traveled to Detroit in November to investigate smuggling Iraqi nationals into the U.S., the government said. Shihab met a confidential informant a Columbus hotel room in March to examine weapons and U.S. border patrol uniforms, according to the complaint. Shihab allegedly planned to use a Columbus car dealership to help transfer money from an Islamic State official into the U.S. Last fall, Shihab accepted thousands of dollars for what he thought was payment for him to smuggle another Iraqi citizen into the U.S., according to the complaint, but the transaction was entirely coordinated by the FBI. GLEN CARBON Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois has announced nine girls who were named Outstanding Graduating Girl Scouts at the annual Recognition of Excellence ceremony on May 15. Among the honorees was Amelia Barfield of Highland. JERSEYVILLE About 100 people turned out May 21 to acknowledge the designation of the Jerseyville First Presbyterian Church's addition to the National Register of Historic Places and the start of the Jersey County Arts Council. The celebration was the culmination of a multi-year, labor-intensive process spearheaded by a committee of the church. The 188-year-old Jersey County landmark crafted from Grafton limestone is an example of Victorian high Gothic architecture. The committee began its register application process before COVID-19. Once they learned they had received the recognition, their plans for an official celebration were put on hold. About the time the congregation revisited the idea of an open house, another opportunity presented itself. A group of local residents had been meeting, for a few months, with the idea of forming a local arts council, as a vehicle for providing a variety of fine arts activities for the community. In the process of trying to identify a home base for their endeavor, they were approached by a member of the Presbyterian congregation. Following a meeting with the church leadership, a partnership was formed, and the Jersey County Arts Council (JCAC) was born in the basement of the building. Having the arts council use our building has been an answer to a prayer," said The Rev. Jeff Ott, pastor of the church. "Our elders had been trying to determine how to engage the community, and along came the Jersey County Arts Council. The open house was a great way to celebrate this new collaboration, along with our churchs listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Since early winter, JCAC members have invested a huge amount of time and energy in cleaning, painting and identifying how best to use the space. Visual arts programming, for both adults and children, has been well-attended. Donations and countless volunteer hours have enabled the organization to get on its feet. Most recently, a Childrens Community Choir has been created. They will host a public performance Aug. 9 and also at the Jersey County Historical Societys annual Apple Fest on Oct. 1. More programming is being scheduled for the summer and fall. In addition, several other collaborations are evolving with the Jersey 100 school district, the JCH Wellness Center and other local entities. The JCAC will soon be launching a membership/sponsorship campaign; one of its goals is to keep program costs for the public to a minimum. For what started and ended as a rainy day, God let the sun shine during the open house," said local artist and founding JCAC member Trudy Cairns. "Many folks, of all ages came to view the inside of this beautiful, historic church. We are so blessed to have this landmark for the JCAC to call home. What a wonderful day! Chris Bear, JCAC board president, said the open house and the partnership with with JCAC have brought together "the best of the old and the best of the new. For more information on the JCAC, contact them on Facebook (Jersey County Arts Council); call 618-639-5232 or email jerseycountyartscouncil@gmail.com. A donation box is also located in the lobby at Grafton Technologies. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UNITED NATIONS The United States and Britain are accusing Russia of spreading disinformation online and manipulating public opinion about the war in Ukraine and vehemently rejecting Russian claims that the West is aiming to control all information flows and define what is true or not true. Britains deputy ambassador James Roscoe told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the use of digital technologies in maintaining peace that Russia has conducted cyber-attacks and used an online troll factory to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion about their war. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Russian government continues to shut down, restrict and degrade internet connectivity, censor content, spread disinformation online, and intimidate and arrest journalists for reporting the truth about its invasion. Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused countries that call themselves a community of democracies of building a cyber-totalitarianism and along with technology giants like Meta of shutting down Russian TV channels, expelling Russian journalists and blocking access to Russian websites. Nebenzia again accused Western governments and media of fabricating the story of the Russian military killing civilians in Bucha near Kyiv. He claimed the civilians died from injuries caused by artillery projectiles fired from outdated hardware used by the Ukrainian army. Britans Roscoe countered Russias claims of a staged provocation and suggestion that the Ukrainians were responsible for the civilian deaths after retaking the town, saying satellite images prove the bodies were there for several weeks when Russia controlled Bucha. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Russian sentenced to life in Ukraines 1st war crimes trial They ruined everything: Fleeing the devastation in Ukraine Russian offensive turns to key Donbas city, heavy shelling A long journey: Volunteers from Belarus fight for Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Russias claim of Mariupols capture fuels concern for POWs Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: Luhansk Gov. Serhii Haidai says police are continuing daily evacuations due to the war with Russia and the number of those willing to leave is increasing. Haidai posted a video Monday on Facebook taken from a vehicle that he said was traveling along a highway near Sievierodonetsk. The vehicle is racing down the road, dodging debris, mounds of earth, barricades and destroyed vehicles as shells explode in the fields just yards away. A photo in the post shows about a dozen civilians, with luggage, packed tightly inside what appears to be the back of a vehicle. Haidai wrote that people are agreeing to the risk because what is happening in the cities is much worse. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia is waging total war on his country, and that includes inflicting as many casualties and as much infrastructure destruction as possible. Zelenskyy made the comments in his nightly address Monday, the eve of the three-month anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine. In it, he noted that since Feb. 24, the Russian army has launched 1,474 missile strikes on Ukraine, using 2,275 different missiles. He said the vast majority hit civilian targets. There have been more than 3,000 Russian airstrikes over that period. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, he said. Zelenskyy said an attack on the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Kyiv, resulted in 87 deaths. The Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities like Bakhmut, Popasnaya and Sievierodonetsk, Zelenskyy said. He called on Ukrainians who are not on the battlefield to help in whatever way they can and said his own task was working to increase international pressure on Russia. The absolute priority is weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. _ KRAMATORSK, Ukraine - Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko says three civilians in the region died in Russian attacks on Monday. He did not give further details. Earlier Monday, Kyrylenko told The Associated Press in Kramatorsk that heavy fighting was continuing near the region of Luhansk and that the front line was under continuous shelling. Luhansk and Donetsk regions are in the Donbas area, much of which has been held by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. Russia is trying to expand the territory they control with artillery and missile attacks. Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk are the largest cities in the parts of Donetsk region not held by Russian forces currently. Kyrylenko said that the situation is difficult. The front line is under shelling at all times. The vast majority of the population has already been evacuated, he said. Of more than 1.6 million people who lived in the region before the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, there are not more than 320,000 people left. ___ UNITED NATIONS Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that U.N. staff on the ground remain concerned about the impact on civilians by the reported fierce fighting in eastern Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. He said people are being killed or injured. Homes, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. In the government-controlled part of Luhansk, local authorities informed the U.N. that a bridge leading to the administrative center of the region Sievierodonetsk was destroyed on May 21. He said that left the partially encircled city reachable by only one road. While some people managed to leave Sievierodonetsk over the weekend, Dujarric said local authorities estimate that thousands of civilians remain in the war-affected city and require urgent support. U.N. humanitarian staff also said that shelling and airstrikes were reported in other areas of Ukraine, including in northern, central and southern parts, claiming civilian lives and damaging civilian infrastructure. ___ KRAMATORSK, Ukraine - A Ukrainian official says Russian forces are stepping up their bombardment of the Donbas area. Pavlo Kyrylenko told The Associated Press on Monday in Kramatorsk that heavy fighting was continuing near the region of Luhansk and that the front line was under continuous shelling. Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk are the largest cities in the parts of Donetsk region not held by Russian forces currently. The Donbas consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Kyrylenko told The Associated Press in Kramatorsk that the situation is difficult. The front line is under shelling at all times. The vast majority of the population has already been evacuated, he said. Of more than 1.6 million people who lived in the region before the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, there are not more than 320,000 people left. ___ BERLIN Germanys banks say refugees from Ukraine will be allowed to exchange a limited amount of Ukrainian currency into euros from Tuesday. In a statement Monday, the banks said they had signed an agreement with the German Finance Ministry and the national banks of Germany and Ukraine to allow a total of 1.5 billion hryvnia ($50.8 million) to be converted. Every adult Ukrainian refugee with an account at a major German bank will be allowed to exchange up to 10,000 hryvnia, or about 317 euros ($339). ___ DAVOS, Switzerland A veteran Russian diplomat in Geneva says he handed in his resignation before sending out a scathing letter to foreign colleagues inveighing against the aggressive war unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Boris Bondarev, 41, confirmed his resignation in a letter Monday after a diplomatic official passed on his English-language statement to The Associated Press. For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24 of this year, he wrote, alluding to the date of Russias invasion. Reached by phone, Bondarev a diplomatic counselor who has focused on Russias role in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva after postings in places like Cambodia and Mongolia confirmed he handed in his resignation in a letter addressed to Amb. Gennady Gatilov. Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not about diplomacy. It is all about warmongering, lies and hatred, he said, telling the AP that he had no plans to leave Geneva. ___ MOSCOW President Vladimir Putin says Russian economy is withstanding the blow of international sanctions well, even though it is not easy. Putin on Monday hosted his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The Russian economy withstands the sanctions blow, it withstands it very worthily, Putin said, opening the talks. All the main macroeconomic indicators speak of this. At the same time, the Russian leader noted that everything is not easy, everything that happens requires special attention and special efforts from the economic bloc of the government. Putin has repeatedly assured the public that Russia is coping well under the pressure, which many experts describe as unprecedented. However, the ruble has briefly lost half its value at some point, prices for food and other goods spiked and even temporary shortages of sugar, sanitary products and some medications were reported. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country has objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, called on Stockholm on Monday to take concrete steps that would alleviate Turkeys security concerns. Turkey has said it opposes the two Nordic states membership in the alliance citing their alleged support to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK and other groups that Turkey views as terrorists. The country is also demanding a lifting of military export bans on Ankara. We can in no way ignore the fact that Sweden is imposing sanctions against us, Erdogan said Monday during a ceremony marking the docking of a submarine. Turkeys rightful expectations concerning (an end to the) support to terrorism and sanctions must be met. In his speech, Erdogan made no reference to Finland amid reports that most of Turkeys grievances are directed at Sweden, which has a large community of Kurdish exiles. ___ A Russia-installed governor of Ukraines southern Kherson region says that starting Monday, the region will officially become an area with dual currency Russian rubles and Ukrainian hryvnyas. Vladimir Saldo also said that an office of a Russian bank will open in the region, according to the RIA Novosti news agency. The Russian forces have took control over the Kherson region, which borders the Donetsk region to the east and Crimea to the south, early on in the war and installed a pro-Kremlin administration there. One official in this administration has announced plans to appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to incorporate the region into Russia. Putin has previously said that Russia doesnt plan to occupy Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the residents of Ukrainian regions must determine how and with whom they want to live. - KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian court sentenced a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life in prison on Monday for killing a Ukrainian civilian, in the first war crimes trial held since Russias invasion. Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin was accused of shooting a Ukrainian civilian in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region in the early days of the war. He pleaded guilty and testified that he shot the man after being ordered to do so. He told the court that an officer insisted that the Ukrainian man, who was speaking on his cellphone, could pinpoint their location to the Ukrainian forces. - KYIV, Ukraine A Mariupol official on Monday sounded the alarm about the growing threat of an epidemic in the ravaged port city captured by the Russians, pointing to unsanitary conditions compounded by the weather. Mayor advisor Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that rain drains and sewers make rainwater spread across the city along with rotting garbage and corpse poison. The threat of an epidemic becomes a reality with each thunderstorm, Andryushchenko wrote, adding that the Russian forces in the city continue to ignore sanitary challenges and are only engaged arranging good photos depicting fictional life improvements. The official said that Mariupol desperately needs a new wave of evacuations. - The head of the Russia-backed separatist region in eastern Ukraine says that Ukrainian fighters from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol who were captured by Russian forces are being held in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and will face international tribunal there. The plan is to arrange the international tribunal on the territory of the republic as well, Denis Pushilin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. Pushilin added that at the moment the charter for the tribunal is being worked out. Pushilin said earlier that 2,439 people from Azovstal were in custody, including some foreign citizens, though he did not provide details. Family members of the steel mill fighters, who came from a variety of military and law enforcement units, have pleaded for them to be given rights as prisoners of war and eventually returned to Ukraine. ___ MOSCOW The Russian military on Monday released footage of de-mining specialists working at the recently overtaken Azostal steel mill in the captured port city of Mariupol. Russias Defense Ministry was quoted by the state RIA Novosti news agency as saying that over the past two days, more than 100 explosives have been destroyed. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Russian forces overnight shelled the Dnipropetrovsk region in southeastern Ukraine, its governor Valentyn Reznichenko said Monday morning. The Dnipropetrovsk region borders with the Donetsk region, which remains the focus of the Russian offensive in the east. According to Reznichenko, the Russians used the Uragan or Hurricane multiple-rocket launch system and the shelling hit between the two settlements. No one was hurt, he added. ___ LONDON British military officials say Russian forces in Ukraine have experienced a death rate similar to that suffered by the Soviet Union during its nine-year war in Afghanistan. The U.K. Ministry of Defense, in a briefing posted Monday morning, says the high casualty rate during the first three months of the war is due to poor tactics, limited air cover, a lack of flexibility and a command approach that reinforces failure and repeats mistakes. The ministry says the death toll may weaken support for the war among the Russian public, who have been sensitive to losses in past wars. As casualties suffered in Ukraine continue to rise they will become more apparent, and public dissatisfaction with the war and a willingness to voice it, may grow, the ministry said. EDWARDSVILLE A Madison man faces several drug- and weapons-related charges after a May 21 incident in Granite City. Brandon C. Houston, 35, of Madison, was charged May 23 with armed violence, a Class X felony; unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony; and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on May 21 Houston allegedly was armed with a Davis Industries .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun during the commission of a drug crime; was in possession of 5-15 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver; and was a felon in possession of a handgun. He has a prior conviction for armed robbery out of Madison County in 2012. Bail was set at $200,000. Other felony charges filed May 23 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Shawn N. Christoff, 21, of Granite City, was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 2 felony, and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On May 20 Christoff allegedly had a reported stolen Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun. He has a 202 conviction for reckless discharge of a firearm out of Madison County, making him in eligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $50,000. Marquis J. Higgins, 30, of Washington Park, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On May 20 Higgins allegedly had a Taurus 9 mm handgun and less than 15 grams of ecstasy. He has a 2017 conviction for residential burglary out of Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $25,000. Mickey D. Henry, 36, of East Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. On May 22 Henry allegedly had a spring-loaded switchblade knife with a 4-inch blade." He has a 2018 conviction for unlawful possession of a stolen firearm out of Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $15,000. Melissa K. Ray, 38, of Bethalto, was charged with four counts of aggravated battery, all Class 2 felonies. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. On May 21 Ray allegedly kicked a Wood River firefighter, two Wood River police offices and an emergency services provider at Alton Memorial Hosptial. Bail was set at $100,000. Daniel J. Sorenson, 22, of Hartford, was charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony, and electronic harassment, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On May 20 Sorenson allegedly had phone contact with a protected person and sent an obscene photograph to another person. He has a conviction for domestic battery out of Madison County in September 2021. Bail was set at $50,000. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea said Friday that nearly 10% of its 26 million people have fallen ill and 65 people have died amid its first COVID-19 outbreak, as outside experts question the validity of its reported fatalities and worry about a possible humanitarian crisis. After admitting the omicron outbreak last week following more than two years of claiming to be coronavirus-free, North Korea has said an unidentified fever has been explosively spreading across the country since late April. Its anti-epidemic center has since released fever tallies each morning via state media, but they dont include any COVID-19 figures. Some observers say North Korea was likely forced to acknowledge the COVID-19 outbreak because it couldn't hide the highly contagious viral spread among its people and suffer possible public discontent with leader Kim Jong Un. They believe North Korean authorities are underreporting mortalities to try to show that its pandemic response is effective, while the country lacks test kits to confirm a large number of virus cases. Its true that there has been a hole in its 2 1/2 years of pandemic fighting, said Kwak Gil Sup, head of One Korea Center, a website specializing in North Korea affairs. But there is a saying that North Korea is a theater state,' and I think they are massaging COVID-19 statistics. Kwak said North Korea is likely partly using the outbreak as a propaganda tool to show that it is overcoming the pandemic with Kims leadership. But the country has a Plan B and a Plan C to seek Chinese and other foreign aid if the pandemic gets out of hand, he said. On Friday, the Norths state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters said 263,370 more people had feverish symptoms and two more people died, bringing the total fever cases to 2.24 million and fatalities to 65. They said 754,810 people remain quarantined, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The outbreak likely originated from an April 25 military parade in Pyongyang that Kim organized to show off his new missiles and loyal troops. The parade and other related festivals, which marked North Koreas army foundation anniversary, drew tens of thousands of people and soldiers from Pyongyang and other parts of the country, who returned home after the events. South Koreas spy agency told lawmakers Thursday that a considerable number of the fever cases reported by North Korea include people sick with waterborne diseases like measles, typhoid and pertussis. The National Intelligence Service assessed that those diseases had already been spreading across North Korea even before COVID-19 broke out, according to Ha Tae-keung, a lawmaker who attended a private NIS briefing. Ha cited the NIS as saying the waterborne diseases were spreading due to shortages of medicines and medical supplies in the wake of the Norths previous long-running anti-pandemic steps. (The NIS) said it doesnt know exactly what percentage of the fever cases are coronavirus patients. It said North Korea lacks coronavirus diagnostic kits but appears to have sufficient thermometers, Ha said. The NIS has a spotty record in confirming developments in North Korea. Some civilian medical experts earlier said they believed most of the fever cases announced by North Korea were COVID-19. On Monday, when the North's fever cases had already surpassed 1.2 million, Ryu Yong Chol, an official at Pyongyangs anti-virus headquarters, said on state TV that the government had detected 168 COVID-19 cases as of last Saturday. There have been no updates on the Norths virus cases since then. Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea, said Pyongyang had likely determined its omicron outbreak wont cause catastrophic fatalities but disclosed it to prevent potential public unrest. He said North Koreas increased anti-virus measures are partly meant to solidify its control of a public tired of previous restrictions and other difficulties. North Koreas pandemic response isnt completely staged as people are dying. But its obvious that its leaderships political intentions have been added there, Ahn said. One day, theyll proclaim their victory over COVID-19 in a colorful manner. North Koreas public medical system remains in shambles, and experts say the country could suffer mass pandemic fatalities if it doesnt receive outside aid shipments. They say the countrys elevated restrictions on movement and quarantine rules may also worsen its food insecurity. The NIS said North Korea intends to overcome the pandemic with assistance from its main ally, China, according to Ha and Kim Byung-kee, another lawmaker who was briefed by the spy service. During an anti-virus meeting Saturday, Kim said his country faces a great upheaval and that officials must study how China and other nations have handled the pandemic. Some media reports said North Korea already sent planes to China to bring back emergency supplies earlier this week, but the South Korean government said it couldnt confirm the reports. South Korea said it and the United States have offered to ship vaccines, medicines and other medical supplies to North Korea, but the North hasnt responded. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after his conviction on charges stemming from a police chase during which he fired multiple shots at an officer, a federal prosecutor said. Cedrick Tyler Armstrong, 37, of Zebulon was convicted last November of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder (THE CONVERSATION) Since May 3, 2022, when Politico reported that the Supreme Court was planning to strike down Roe v. Wade, many Christians have celebrated the prospect of an America where abortion is not a constitutionally protected right or is somedaybanned entirely. Meanwhile, other conservative Christians have been working on a related target: limiting access to some contraceptives. In July 2020, when the Supreme Court ruled that organizations with sincerely held religious or moral objection are not obligated to provide contraceptive coverage to their employees, many conservative Christians applauded. Six years before, the evangelical owners of crafting chain Hobby Lobby took their objections to covering the IUD in their health insurance plans all the way to the Supreme Court. Hobby Lobby argued incorrectly, according to most medical authorities that it was a form of abortion, and therefore they should not have to cover employees health insurance for it. The justices sided with the chains owners. Yet as access to both abortion and contraception comes under threat, the vast majority of Protestants use or have used some form of contraception. Their actions are supported by almost 100 years of pastoral advocacy on the issue. In my work as a scholar of religous studies, gender and sexuality, I have researched the Protestant leaders who campaigned to make contraception respectable, and therefore widely acceptable, in the mid-20th century. History, I have found, provides a different story about the relationship between Protestants and birth control. Responsible parenthood As new contraceptive options emerged in the first two-thirds of the 20th century, from the diaphragm to the birth control pill, Christian leaders wrestled with what to think. Many came to see birth control as a moral good that would allow married couples to have satisfying sex lives, while protecting women from the health risks of frequent pregnancies. They hoped it could ensure that couples would not have more children than they could care for, emotionally and economically. They looked inward, considering the consequences of birth control for their own communities, and hoped that planned or responsible sex would create healthy families and decrease divorce. They also looked outward, thinking about birth controls wider implications, at a time of widespread concern that the global population was rising too quickly to handle. By the time the pill came on the market in the 1960s, liberal and even some conservative Protestants were advocating for birth control using new theological ideas about responsible parenthood. Responsible parenthood reframed debates about family size around Christian duty. To be responsible in parenting was not only to avoid having more children than you could afford, nurture and educate. It also meant considering responsibilities outside the home toward churches, society and humanity. Protestant leaders supporting contraception argued that the best kind of family was a father with a steady job and a homemaker mother, and that birth control could encourage this model, because smaller families could maintain a comfortable lifestyle on one income. They also hoped that contraception would help couples stay together by allowing them to have satisfying sex lives. Multiple denominations endorsed birth control. In 1958, for example, the Anglican Communion stated that family planning was a primary obligation of Christian marriage, and chastised parents who carelessly and improvidently bring children into the world, trusting in an unknown future or a generous society to care for them. The big picture Religious leaders support for responsible parenthood was not just about deliberately creating the kind of Christian families they approved of. It was also about heading off the horrors of population explosion a fear very much front of mind in mid-century America. In the middle of the 20th century, with increased access to vaccines and antibiotics, more children were living to adulthood and life expectancies were rising. Protestant leaders feared this so-called population bomb would outstrip the Earths food supply, leading to famine and war. In 1954, when the global population stood at about 2.5 billion, Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick, one of the most prominent Protestant voices of the age, framed overpopulation as one of the worlds basic problems, and the birth control pill, which was then being developed, as the best potential solution. Richard Fagley, a minister who served on the World Council of Churchs Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, argued that in family planning, science had provided Christians with a new venue for moral responsibility. Medical knowledge, Fagley wrote, is a liberating gift from God, to be used to the glory of God, in accordance with his will for men. These responsible parenthood ideas held that religious couples had a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth by not having more children than the planet could support. In the context of marriage, contraception was viewed as moral, shoring up a particular form of Christian values. Yesterdays arguments These ideas about good and bad families often rested on assumptions about race and gender that reproductive rights advocates find troubling today. Early in the 20th century, predominantly white, Protestant clergy were very interested in increasing access to contraception for the poor, who were often Catholic or Jewish immigrants or people of color. Some scholars have argued that early support for contraception was predominantly about eugenics, particularly before World War II. Among some white leaders, there was concern about so-called race suicide: the racist fear that they would be overwhelmed. Apart from some eugenicists, however, most of these clergy wanted to give people access to contraception in order to create healthy families, regardless of income level. Yet many were unable or unwilling to see how they were promoting a narrow view of the ideal family, and how that marginalized poor communities and people of color themes I am studying in my current book project. Moreover, many proponents were advocating for womens health, but not reproductive freedom. Their priority was setting women up for success to attain their ideal of the middle-class, Christian motherhood. With fewer children, some hoped, families would be able to get by on just a husbands salary, meaning more women at home raising children. A battle won and lost? Over the decades, Protestant leaders have, in large part, disappeared from pro-birth control arguments. There are many reasons. Mid-century agricultural technologies reduced fears of overpopulation which have only recently been reawoken by the climate crisis. Meanwhile, mainline Protestant churches, and their public influence, are shrinking. Conservative leaders eventually grew concerned that birth control would lead to more working women, not fewer. And since the 1970s, evangelicals have grown increasingly opposed to abortion, which was increasingly linked to birth control through the broad term family planning. In other words, since the population bomb was no longer ticking, contraception no longer seemed like such an urgent necessity and some of its other implications troubled conservatives, breaking an almost pan-Protestant alliance. Meanwhile, liberal Protestants had so embraced contraception that they no longer viewed it as turf that needed defending. Today, 99% of American girls and women between the ages of 15 and 44 who have ever had sex use or have used a contraceptive method. Reproductive rights advocates turned their attention to abortion rights largely leaving religious views on birth control to their opponents. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content. The racially motivated mass shooting on May 14 in Buffalo has prompted New York State to cancel the Regents exam on U.S. history and government it planned for next week. The state Education Department had its experts review all of the June 2022 Regents exams for content that could compound student trauma, Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced Tuesday. "During that review, our experts determined that there is content on the new Regents examination in U.S. history and government that has the potential to compound student trauma caused by the recent violence in Buffalo," Rosa said in a letter. The exams, which had been printed and packaged for shipping, were developed more than two years ago and field-tested, but she said "the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment." Educators in schools don't know the questions until the exams are opened but surmise that at least one of the questions or essays deals with civil rights. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. Support this work for $1 a month The exam consists of 28 multiple choice questions, two short essays and a civic literacy essay, with the topics related to constitutional and civic issues. The questions and essays are based on documents that students must analyze, including for bias, purpose and point of view. A prototype of the exam on the state education website asks students to analyze two documents. One is an excerpt from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, passed as part of the Compromise of 1850, and the other is an 1851 poster from Boston, Mass., warning Black people to be wary of "watchmen and police officers of Boston" since they are "empowered to act as kidnappers and slave catchers." The exam was to be given June 1, earlier than Regents exams usually are administered. Since it is a new exam, the state wanted to review the results and make a recommendation for performance standards, otherwise known as "cut scores." At its June meeting, the Board of Regents will consider granting a graduation exemption for students who were to take the exam as a requirement for graduation. Rosa said the board also will consider approving exemptions for students planning to take the exam in August and January. In the wake of the shooting, the Education Department looked for ways to support students and community members following the tragedy, Rosa said in the letter. "This moment is an opportunity to reaffirm our collective resolve to empower students to be informed citizens through education. As parents, caregivers, and educators, it is our responsibility to teach and model respect, fairness, open-mindedness, and inclusiveness," Rosa said. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MARTIN, Tennessee Two area students have been included in University of Tennessee at Martin's Spring 2022 Chancellors Honor Rolls. To be eligible for the recognition a student must take at least 12 hours of credit (pass-fail courses are not included) and achieve a 3.2 (B) grade point average based on a 4.0 scale. Students can make the Chancellors Honor Roll with honors (3.2 through 3.49), high honors (3.5 through 3.79) or highest honors (3.8 through 4.0). WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, May 23, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH WATCH COUNTY NOTIFICATION FOR WATCH 265 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 451 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2022 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 265 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN TEXAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST TEXAS BAILEY COCHRAN HALE HOCKLEY LAMB LUBBOCK TERRY YOAKUM IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS CASTRO PARMER SWISHER THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AMHERST, BOVINA, BROWNFIELD, DENVER CITY, DIMMITT, FARWELL, FRIONA, HALE CENTER, HAPPY, HART, LEVELLAND, LITTLEFIELD, LUBBOCK, MEADOW, MORTON, MULESHOE, OLTON, PLAINS, PLAINVIEW, SLATON, SUNDOWN, TULIA, WELLMAN, WHITEFACE, AND WOLFFORTH. ...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of eastern Atascosa County through 545 PM CDT... At 454 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms near Campbellton and 6 miles northeast of Cross. Movement was north at 15 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Pleasanton, Jourdanton, Christine, Campbellton, Leming, Coughran, Peggy, Graytown, McCoy and Fashing. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 2864 9834 2864 9863 2912 9843 2912 9842 2878 9811 2868 9825 2865 9833 TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 196DEG 13KT 2881 9836 2867 9847 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Scranton, PA (18503) Today Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 74F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 62F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Job Title: Consular Associate (Fresher High School Diploma Jobs) Organisation: United States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Salary: USD $38,894 Position Number: Kampala-2022-017T About US Embassy: The United States Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for over 30 years. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown currently heads the U.S Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the direction of the Ambassador. Among the offices operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Peace Corps Job Summary: Under the direct supervision of the Consular Officer, the Consular Associate is assigned a wide range of responsibilities in the American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit, Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Unit, Immigrant Visa Unit, and Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU). The jobholder provides consular services to U.S. citizens, conducts non-adjudicatory visa processing, and assists in investigation and validation studies. Incumbent also handles correspondence with the public, attorneys, U.S. and host governments, Congress, and other parties. Must be able to secure and maintain a Secret level security clearance. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. The applicants for the United States US Embassy Consular Associate job opportunity should have completed High school Required. At least two years of office administration. General understanding of U.S. policies related to consular and visa operations. Must be able to input data in consular systems with minimum errors, and spot and correct errors made by others (applicants and fellow staff). Demonstrated skills in MS Office Suite and general computer skills including information and database management. Organizational skills, including task management and filing skills; communication skills including writing skills appropriate for drafting official correspondence and reports. Ability to obtain and maintain a DOS Secret Security clearance. Tact and good judgment in dealing with the public, often under difficult and sensitive circumstances. Sensitivity in evaluating evidence and applying complex regulations correctly. Ability to learn applicable U.S. and host country laws, regulations, legal precedents, and court decisions. Good interpersonal skills. Language: Level IV (Fluent) Speaking/Reading/Writing of English is required. How to Apply: All those interested in working with the United States Embassy, US Mission in Kampala should send their applications online at the link below. Click Here Deadline: 3rd June 2022 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline MADDIE STEPSKI, Stonington, Softball, Senior; Stepski collected the 100th hit of her career in the Bears win over Fitch. For the week, Stepski was 8 for 11 with three doubles, her 12th home run of the season and six RBIs. Stepski is hitting .746 with 49 RBIs and 30 extra-base hits. RACHEL FEDERICO, Westerly, Track, Junior; Federico finished first in the discus at the Class B championships. Federico had a school-record throw of 121-4 to take first place. She broke the previous mark of 111-7 by 9-9. MARISSA PERKINS, Wheeler, Softball, Junior; Perkins was 7 for 16 as the Lions played five games during the week. Perkins hit two homers, doubled twice and drove in nine runs. She is hitting .400 with 20 RBIs this season. IAN CLARK, Chariho Track, Junior; Clark finished first in the 200 with a meet record at the Class B championships. He also ran a leg on the 4x100 relay team that established a meet record, and he placed first in the 100. Vote View Results Jenny Cooper, 63, is no stranger to counting the pennies. The grandmother of five gave up her job four years ago to care for her husband when he was diagnosed with cancer. And since his death in August last year, she has been living on just 77 a week in Universal Credit. Invaluable: Jenny Cooper talks to Shanara Begum, of Citizens Advice about how she can keep her rapidly rising bills under control But around 25 a third of this meagre sum is now being swallowed up by her pre-payment energy meter, up from 10 last year. Fortunately, she is today receiving expert advice, albeit in an unlikely place: her local Post Office in New Square Shopping Centre, West Bromwich. It is one of four locations where British Gas is trialling a pop-up advice service this week to help people tackle soaring energy bills. Bosses at Britains biggest energy supplier hope householders will feel comfortable in Post Office branches, where many already withdraw and deposit cash. When I visit on Monday morning for the launch, a large sign has been placed outside the branch that reads: Struggling with energy bills? Were here to talk. Citizens Advice representatives are busy handing out leaflets about its budgeting buddies project and free tote bags to passers-by. Inside, a screen has been placed next to the counter to provide some privacy for those who want to discuss their finances. Here in West Bromwich, advisers will be in store on Monday and Wednesday from 12pm to 4pm. Three branches in London, Glasgow and Cardiff are also taking part, with more to follow in the next fortnight. If successful, British Gas hopes to roll the service out more widely and on a permanent basis. Around 22 million households have already seen their heating costs rocket after Ofgem raised its energy price cap by 54% last month Around 22 million households have seen heating costs rocket after watchdog Ofgem raised its energy price cap by 54 per cent last month. And yesterday the regulators chief executive told MPs he expected the cap to rise again, taking the average family bill to somewhere in the region of 2,800 a year by autumn. Just this week E.Ons chief executive warned that up to 40 per cent of its customers are at risk of falling into fuel poverty spending more than a tenth of their income on energy. British Gas Pop Up Advice Clinics British Gas are launching their pop-up advice clinics at local post office around the UK. Here's where you can find them: Cardiff Thurs 26th & Fri 27th May Kennington Friday 27th May Blackpool Monday 6th June & Wednesday 8th June Sunderland Monday 6th June & Thursday 9th June Bexhill on Sea Monday 6th June & Wednesday 8th June Bethnal Green Tuesday 14th June & Thursday 16th June Kettering Tuesday 14th June & Wednesday 15th June And half of the 20 worst-hit constituencies are in the West Midlands, where I am today, according to campaign group End Fuel Poverty Coalition. Jenny, who lives in a council bungalow, says: It does make me angry when I think how much more I am spending on my energy bills. I hardly watch the television, so I cant cut down on that and I rarely buy anything from the supermarket that does not have a yellow reduction sticker on it. The pensioner is here because she wants to replace her pre-payment meter with a standard one. A friend has told her this will save Jenny money and she is right. Ofgems price cap is higher for pre-payment customers at an average of 2,017 a year 46 more than for those with standard meters. Jenny says she is not in debt with her supplier, so she should be able to switch, but the firm is refusing to make the change. Fortunately Shanara Begum, of Citizens Advice, is happy to take on her case. Were going to talk to the supplier to find out why it is saying no, she says. She will also check if Jenny is eligible for the Warm House Discount a one-off annual payment worth 140 that the pensioner used to receive when her husband was still alive. Those on pension credit automatically qualify, but Jennys low income may mean she also meets her suppliers criteria for receiving it. Hardest hit: Ofgems price cap is higher for pre-payment customers at an average of 2,017 a year - 46 more than for those with standard meters As well as help with energy costs, Jenny is told she may be entitled to a substantial discount on her water bills if she is able to switch to South Staffs Waters discounted tariff for low-income customers. Jenny will receive a call from Citizens Advice within five days. Jenny says: Its nice to be able to speak to someone in person, rather than failing to get through to a firm on the phone. The British Gas Energy Trust also has a 6 million fund to provide grants of up to 750 to customers. Households must have no more than 1,000 in savings and owe between 250 and 750 to the supplier. Applicants can start the process in the Post Office today and from July the scheme will be extended so all households, regardless of their supplier, will be able to apply for grants worth up to 1,000. The pop-up service has been advertised on Facebook to local residents. Yet its evident few people know it exists as just three members of the public sat down with Shanara, 37, in the branch on Monday. Others were in a rush or felt a little uncomfortable talking about their finances in public so, instead, provided their telephone number for a follow-up call with Citizens Advice. A father of one arrived with his two-year-old daughter in a buggy. The 38-year-old, who works in the hospitality sector, tells me he is putting up to 3 a day into his pre-payment meter and worried about food prices. Another passer-by, Meta Earlston, 55, says shell tell her brother, who is also struggling with bills, about the pop-up. With so many people clearly desperate, this service could prove invaluable. British Gas just needs to do a little more to ensure struggling households know it exists. f.parker@dailymail.co.uk MPs last night rejected calls for a further 40 per cent cut in fuel duty and VAT in a Parliamentary debate, despite increasing pressure from rising petrol prices and cost of living squeeze on households. A petition, which received more than 102,000 signatures and therefore forced a discussion in the Commons, had called on the Government to reduce the skyrocketing cost of fuel in recent weeks. However, the calls were shot down by the Government, saying drivers are already saving 1,900 on their annual fuel bills compared with what they might have been paying had a pre-2010 fuel duty escalator remained in place. To be replaced: MPs debated the petition to cut fuel duty by 40% after calls from struggling households for more support during the rising cost of living crisis Chancellor Rishi Sunak acted at the end of March by introducing a 5p-a-litre fuel duty cut when both petrol and diesel were at then record highs. However, since then, both have escalated to new highs as prices continue to grow on the back of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, heaping more pressure on Britons' already squeezed finances. Data from RAC Fuel Watch, which is based on Experian Catalist's analysis, shows that petrol on Monday had climbed to a UK average of 169.52p a litre, while diesel hit 181.48p. It means the cost to fill the average family car's 55-litre fuel tank with petrol is 22.62 more expensive (rising from 70.62 in May 2021 to 93.24 today) than it was a year ago - diesel owners are forking out an extra 27.87 (rising from 71.94 to 99.81). MPs from Wales and the Scottish Highlands spoke of the devastating impact these prices are having on their rural constituents, many of which are dependent on their cars for getting to a from work and for medical issues. Tonia Antoniazzi, the Labour MP for Gower, opened the debate raising concerns of the impact rising fuel costs are having on NHS workers and vital care volunteers in her area, who now can no longer afford to support their local community. The MPs added that further cuts would only benefit the wider economy in the meantime, stating the wide-scale impact of rising fuel costs on businesses across the UK including supermarkets, taxi drivers, and the NHS emergency services. However, exchequer secretary to the treasury, Helen Whateley, said that cutting VAT costs would not help businesses, who already benefit from claiming back their expenses. She also concluded by calling out the MPs present for using the petition to continue their lobby for an emergency windfall taxes, instead of focusing on fuel duty cuts. A petition calling for fuel tax cuts has received more than 102,000 signatures and therefore forced a discussion in the Commons to tackle the skyrocketing price of petrol and diesel The petition, which was initially raised before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and before the current peak prices for fuel were met, unfortunately reflects on the desperate times millions of families find themselves in. In their petition, they wrote that the Government have the ability to sacrifice some revenue to help the general public, as the public is already doing what they can to save on rising petrol costs. They said: 'The price of diesel and petrol is at an 8-year-high. While the people are accepting the conversion to electric vehicles, the anticipated 30 per cent + rise in fuel costs along with the price of new electric vehicles is a strain for the UK public. 'We believe people may understand to a degree the need for tax following the pandemic however prices of 1.50 or more per litre will cancel out any understanding. 'The Government has the ability to sacrifice some revenue to appease the British public.' Ahead of the debate, the Petitions Committee conducted a survey of the petitioners to hear how recent increases in the cost of fuel are affecting them, finding that many respondents need to drive for their job, or to access essential services. Many respondents were calling for the Government to do more to reduce the cost of driving, as they told the Committee they were having to make difficult sacrifices just to get by. They also found that 62 per cent of respondents said rising fuel costs have had a 'significant effect' on their social life, with 38 per cent saying it has impacted their ability to do their job or run their business. However, it comes as no surprise that the Government is not inclined to further cut costs of fuel, focusing on the fact that fuel duty has been frozen for 12 years. The news also comes two months after Rishi Sunak's Spring Statement where he announced a 5p cut to the levy on every litre of fuel, from 57.95p-a-litre to 52.95p as part of efforts to ease the burden of record petrol and diesel prices on motorists. In its response to the petition provided on 17 November 2021, they initially said: 'The Government is taking targeted action to help families across the UK with the cost of living, which includes freezing fuel duty in 2022-23, the twelfth consecutive year.' The Government has committed to their position that drivers are 'already saving 1,900' on their annual car fuel bills compared with what they might have been paying had a pre-2010 fuel duty escalator remained in place. Prior to the debate, the government also issues a statement on the proposed VAT cuts, suggesting it would cost the Exchequer too much to introduce. The Government said: 'While the rationale of this petition is appreciated, any reform to the current VAT treatment of road fuel would carry a significant cost to the Exchequer, and this should also be seen in the context of the over 50billion of requests for reliefs from VAT received since the EU referendum. 'Such costs would have to be balanced by increased taxes elsewhere, increased borrowing or reductions in Government spending. Given this, there are no current plans to change the current VAT treatment of road fuel.' Simon Williams, RAC fuel spokesman, said: 'It's clear just how many drivers feel strongly about the extremely high prices they currently face every time they fill up, which is no doubt why pressure is mounting on the Government to go further in helping them manage their spiralling costs. 'The simple fact is that the historic fuel duty cut hasn't protected drivers as much as hoped from further record high pump prices. 'Wholesale fuel prices kept on rising after the cut was announced, largely cancelling it out, and some retailers even started taking a bigger margin than they did before. 'A temporary cut in VAT would have made more sense and we continue to believe such a move should be seriously considered by the Government. It's also important to remember that the Treasury is actually benefiting from prices being so high as it makes more in VAT, which seems wrong given the current cost-of-living crisis.' Fuel prices continue to rise The cost of petrol and diesel has sky-rocketed to an all-time high in recent weeks. This week, petrol prices are holding steady at around 168p per litre, with diesel at an eyewatering 181p per litre, however, the RAC has said these prices are likely to continue to rise. Oil prices surged after Russia's invasion of Ukraine due to supply fears, leading to a rise in forecourt prices, while prices were already increasing as global economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Experts say the possibility of motorists paying record prices at the pumps could go on for some time, meaning no respite for Britons already facing a cost of living crisis. Meanwhile, the AA has said that UK drivers should continue to expect further price hikes over the next two weeks, adding that even if the government had supported the fuel duty cuts, it's not likely the savings would have been passed on to drivers. Luke Bosdet, the AA's fuel price spokesman said that the only long-term solution is to introduce the fuel price transparency in the UK, as created by the Consumer Council in Northern Ireland. The Fuel Price Checker is a free site that allows consumers to check the highest, lowest and average price of petrol and diesel in their area in Northern Ireland, to ensure they are getting the best value when topping up their tank. Luke said, 'Northern Ireland's Consumer Council is showing Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and the Competition and Markets Authority how to put pressure on retailers by directing drivers to the competitive ones. 'It is so simple, doesn't cost the earth, can be set up in a few weeks, has been done in Europe for years and the AA has been calling for it UK-wide for ages.' In the meantime, Luke added that cutting back on spending is the only option for UK drivers. He said, 'Drivers already under the cosh from record pump prices face an even bigger hole in their budgets. 'Little wonder then that 23 per cent of our members, rising to 34 per cent among lower-income groups, aren't going on holiday this year. 'Cutting back on other spending is the only option for many people who have to use their cars to get to work or essential family trips, such as shopping. 'Day trips rather than week-long holidays may be the only way that many will cope this summer.' Avon Protection shares took another tumble on the London markets on Tuesday after the group fell to a first-half loss. The respiratory protection equipment maker's shares plunged 14.8 per cent to 10.20, as it revealed a heavy blow from supply chain problems and a slowdown in orders. Avon Protection posted a $13.6million pre-tax loss from continuing operations in the six months to early April, compared to profits of $0.4million in the equivalent period last year. Lossmaking: The respiratory protection equipment manufacturer posted a $13.6million pre-tax loss from continuing operations in the six months to early April Earnings were negatively impacted by rising employee, manufacturing, and freight costs, and lower purchases of its first responder products, which tend to be its highest-margin business. Performance was also dented by a long delay in agreeing on the US Government's federal budget and the resulting effect on major customers dependent on public spending, especially the US Department of Defense (DOD). This caused the department to hold back on orders and led to Avon's revenues from this division slumping by 32.5 per cent to $43.5million, although the company expects this to gradually turn around in the second half of the financial year. Chief executive Paul McDonald said the period was one of 'both challenge and opportunity...While we have experienced some specific issues impacting profitability, they have been identified. We are working proactively to address them.'' By contrast, its UK and international business sales climbed by about three-quarters to $45.2million, thanks to the 10-year contract it won from NATO in October 2020 to supply its CBRN personal respirator system. Due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Wiltshire-based manufacturer forecasts higher demand in both the medium and long term for personal protective equipment across NATO member countries. At the start of April, its order book totalled $110.7million, lower than the record amount posted at the end of September, but a level the company said provided 'good visibility.' Paul McDonald added: 'The requirement for our world-leading, high-tech products has never been stronger. Our global customers are adjusting to the structurally higher threat environment and, against this backdrop, we remain confident in a return to growth.' Avon also revealed that McDonald will step down as boss at the end of the fiscal year after spending five years in his role and almost two decades with the company. During his time in charge, he changed the group's name from Avon Rubber, sold its milking products business, and oversaw a couple of significant and consequential acquisitions. One of them was Ohio-based head protection products maker Team Wendy, which provides helmets for the US military, law enforcement and first responders, and helped boost first-half sales in Avon's Commercial Americas arm by around 10 per cent to $30.7million. However, the purchase of the body armour business belonging to consumer goods conglomerate 3M led to considerable trouble for the manufacturer, including a substantial decline in its share price. Tests conducted in December 2020 and October last year revealed some defects in the company's bulletproof vests, leading to delays in product approvals and the publication of its full-year results. Following a strategy review, Avon eventually announced that it would be winding down its body armour division over two years at a potential cost of $46million. Employers are sorting out how to help their employees cope with the aftermath of the racially motivated mass shooting at a Tops Markets that killed 10 people. Employees may be feeling fearful, anxious or angry or a combination of all those emotions. And employers may be unsure how to broach a sensitive subject with their workers. In the wake of the shooting, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership hosted a virtual panel discussion by mental health experts, with ideas about how employers can respond to a crisis: Help employees feel safe. Employers should assess the physical safety of their buildings and review their emergency policies, said Anne Constantino, president and CEO of Horizon Health Services. "In all of our buildings, we walked (our employees) back through all the safety devices and mechanics that we have," Constantino said. The walk-throughs were voluntary, and many employees took advantage of them, she noted. "A sense of safety is very important for people to know we're there for them," Constantino said. Some BestHealth Behavioral Health employees live in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood where the attack happened and were afraid to shop for groceries last weekend, said Elizabeth Woike-Ganga, CEO, BestSelf Behavioral Health. "Their teams got together and sent them groceries, or sent them DoorDash cards so they could feel safe in that way," Woike-Ganga said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. Support this work for $1 a month Show empathy for employees. Company leaders shouldn't be hesitant to speak up just because a situation feels uncomfortable to them, said Malene K. White, a program manager with Spectrum Health and Human Services. "That is a great opportunity to be able to step out," White said. "That fear of not knowing what to say, that fear of not knowing what to do, that is the time to get uncomfortable and open your mouth and do something." Constantino said leaders shouldn't "hide that tearfulness." She's had to speak with the entire company and struggled with the words at different times. "I think that humanness and authenticity is way more important than the exact rightness of what you might be doing," she said. Build connections with employees. Supervisors should let employees know they can come forward for help, even if it's not right at that particular moment, White said. "Let's put a plan in place to support each other in our time of need," she said. Constantino said some employers may not have built those kinds of relationships with their staff, but added it is not too late to try, so that when something bad happens, there is the knowledge of that genuine caring and support." Support remote workers. Employers with remote workers should check in on them and offer opportunities to talk, either one-on-one or in group online discussions just as employers would with employees in an office, Woike-Ganga said. Make resources available. Mental health experts say it's important to remind employees about resources available to them to cope, like Employee Assistance Programs, or to suggest using personal time or taking a break at work, depending on what they need. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Partly cloudy early followed by scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 74F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low near 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 74F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it had hoped to overtake the country in a blitz lasting only days or a few weeks. Many Western analysts thought so, too. As the conflict marked its third month Tuesday, however, Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield. There was no quick victory for Russian President Vladimir Putins powerful forces, no rout that would allow the Kremlin to control most of Ukraine and establish a puppet government. Instead, Russian troops got bogged down on the outskirts of Kyiv and other big cities amid stiff Ukrainian defenses. Convoys of Russian armor seemed stalled on long stretches of highway. Troops ran out of supplies and gasoline, becoming easy targets from the land and the air. A little over a month into the invasion, Russia effectively acknowledged the failure of its blitz and pulled troops back from areas near Kyiv, declaring a shift of focus to the eastern industrial region of the Donbas, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014. To be sure, Russia has seized significant chunks of territory around the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow annexed eight years ago. It also has managed to cut Ukraine off completely from the Sea of Azov, finally securing full control over the key port of Mariupol after a siege that prevented some of its troops from fighting elsewhere while they battled diehard Ukrainian forces holed up in massive steelworks. But the offensive in the east seems to have bogged down as well, as Western arms flow into Ukraine to bolster its outgunned army. Each day, Russian artillery and warplanes relentlessly pound Ukrainian positions in the Donbas, trying to break through defenses built up during the separatist conflict. They have made only incremental gains, clearly reflecting both Russias insufficient troop numbers and the Ukrainian resistance. In one recent episode, Russians lost hundreds of personnel and dozens of combat vehicles in the Luhansk region while trying to cross a river to build a bridgehead. The Russians are still well behind where we believe they wanted to be when they started this revitalized effort in the eastern part of the country, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday, describing the Donbas fighting as very dynamic, with small towns and villages changing hands every day. Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian forces have methodically targeted Western weapons shipments, ammunition and fuel depots, and critical infrastructure with cruise missiles and air raids in the hope of weakening Kyivs military capability and economic potential. The Kremlin appears to still harbor a more ambitious goal of cutting off Ukraine from the Black Sea coast all the way to the Romanian border, a move that would also allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Moldovas separatist region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed. But Moscow seems to know that this objective is not currently achievable with the limited forces it has. I think theyre just increasingly realizing that they cant necessarily do all of it, certainly not at one go, said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander who heads Sibylline, a strategic advisory firm. Moscows losses have forced it to rely increasingly on hastily patched-together units in Donbas that could only make small gains, he said. Its a constant downshifting of gear toward smaller objectives that Russia can actually achieve, Crump said. And I think on the biggest scale, theyve actually downsized their strategy better to match their their ability on the ground. Many in Ukraine and the West thought Putin would pour resources into Donbas to score a decisive triumph by Victory Day on May 9, when Moscow celebrates its defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Rather than a massive campaign in the east, however, the Kremlin opted for a series of tactical mini-offensives there, aimed at steadily gaining ground to try to encircle Ukrainian forces. The Russian leadership is urging the military command to show at least some gains, and it has nothing else to do but to keep sending more troops into the carnage, said Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military expert at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think-tank. Many in the West expected Putin to declare a broad mobilization to fill up the Russian ranks. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace warned that Putin might time an announcement to Victory Day. But it never happened, and Russia has continued to rely on a limited force that was clearly insufficient against Ukrainian defenses. A massive mobilization would likely foment broad discontent in Russia, fuel antiwar sentiment and carry massive political risks. Authorities opted for more limited options, with lawmakers drafting a bill to waive the current age limit of 40 for those willing to sign up for the military. The lack of resources was underlined last week by an abrupt Russian withdrawal from areas near Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city that has been bombarded since the start of the war. Some of those forces apparently were redeployed to the Donbas, but it wasnt enough to tip the scales on the battlefield. They really had to thin out the troops they had around Kharkiv, simply because theyre trying to hold to too much of a line with too few troops, said Phillips OBrien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. The Donbas fighting has increasingly morphed into artillery duels, and it might go on for quite a long time without much movement in the lines, he said. So it will be a more of a positional battle at that point, OBrien added, with success going to whoever can take the pounding. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to get a steady flow of Western weapons, including U.S. howitzers and drones, tanks from Poland and other heavy gear that is immediately sent into combat. Ukraines plan is simple and obvious wear down the Russian forces in the nearest months as much as possible, win time for receiving Western weapons and training how to use them, and then launch a counteroffensive in the southeast, said Sunhurovskyi, the Kyiv-based military expert. He said Ukraine hopes to receive even more powerful Western weapons, such as U.S. HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, anti-ship missiles and more potent air defense weapons. The eastern deadlock has angered hard-liners in Russia, who warned that Moscow cant win if it doesnt conduct a massive mobilization and concentrate all of its resources in a decisive attack. Igor Strelkov, a former security officer who led the separatists in Donbas in 2014, denounced what he described as the Kremlins indecision, saying it could pave the way for defeat. For Russia, the strategic deadlock is deepening, he said. Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, are increasingly emboldened by the slow pace of the Russian offensive and growing Western support. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed last week that pushing the Russians back to their pre-invasion positions would represent a victory, some of his aides declared even more ambitious goals. Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine isnt interested in a cease-fire until Russia is ready to fully liberate occupied territories, a bold statement that appears to reflect hopes for reclaiming the Donbas and Crimea. Russia, meanwhile, apparently aims to bleed Ukraine by methodically striking fuel supplies and infrastructure while making grinding military gains in the east. The Kremlin may also hope that Western interest in the conflict will eventually fade amid the economic challenges and other problems. Their final hope is that we will lose interest completely in the conflict in Ukraine by the summer, Crump said. Theyre calculating the Western audiences will lose interest in the same way as Afghanistan last year. Russia thinks that time is working in its favor. SOURCE: Associated Press In August of 2021, between 80 to 90 Ulster County residents were commuting to the Lexington Center for Recoverys opioid treatment programs in Dutchess, Westchester and Rockland counties. Many clients make this two-hour round trip on a daily basis in order to access medication assisted treatment (MAT), but in a region where public transportation is sparse and infrequent, dozens of other would-be clients are unable to afford the time or gas money. However, this may soon be changing. Last week, the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports announced that it was awarding two grants of $200,000 each to the Lexington Center to open up two new satellite programs: one in Ulster County in collaboration with the County Department of Mental Health, and one in Dover in Dutchess County. While specific details of how the grants will be implemented are still being determined, the majority of the funding will likely support the initial expenses of opening the new sites, including building construction and hiring costs. Critically, the new sites will fill a major regional gap in opioid treatment services by providing MAT. We know that providing care within the community is the best success for long-term recovery, said the Lexington Centers Director of Rockland County Treatment Programs Kathleen Carney. The Hudson Valley has been one of the regions hit hardest by the opioid epidemic. The most recent data from the New York State Department of Health show that between July and September of 2021, the overdose death rates in Ulster and Sullivan counties were more than double that of the rest of the state. In addition to the COVID pandemic, another contributing factor to this trend has been the proliferation of the highly potent synthetic opioid fentanyl in the national and local drug supply. MAT usually in the form of opioid agonists such as methadone or buprenorphine, and often in combination with therapeutic counseling is considered the gold standard in treatment for opioid use disorders. It has been shown to reduce mortality, improve treatment retention, decrease opioid use, improve patients ability to stay employed, and improve birth outcomes among pregnant parents with substance use disorders. However, as controlled substances, methadone and buprenorphine are governed by strict federal regulations that, in conjunction with punitive norms and limited insurance coverage, often create barriers to access for clients. Federal regulations requiring methadone to be administered in-person at a clinic setting on a daily basis can make treatment an exhausting and stigmatizing experience for clients in rural regions. Some of these regulations were relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and policymakers are exploring permanent changes that could allow for greater flexibility for take-home doses, telehealth services and prescription options. But for now, despite the Hudson Valleys disproportionate burden in the opioid crisis, treatment options in the region are severely limited: HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston is the only provider of methadone in Ulster County; there are none in Sullivan County. In 2019, there were only nine physicians who met the federal requirements to prescribe buprenorphine in Sullivan County (which is slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island, and where public transportation is limited to a few sporadic bus lines). On top of distance and lack of transportation, other barriers to treatment include programs specific intake criteria, client caps and limited resources. The pandemic significantly exacerbated treatment access; in 2020, admissions to OASAS-certified chemical dependency treatment programs in New York State dropped by 26 percent. Still, according to Ulster County Department of Mental Health Commissioner Tara McDonald, HealthAlliances opioid treatment program has an average waitlist of 14 people. This number does not reflect those who are referred to other programs and end up traveling out of the county, or who decide against treatment in the face of such a long wait. Individuals are often at their most vulnerable when they are first seeking help for opioid use. When somebody is ready and they want to receive treatment or help for the disorder, it is always best for immediate engagement, said Carney. If theres a delay, sometimes that could be a high-risk time for a client. Research has shown that individuals on MAT waiting lists may have especially high mortality risks. McDonald estimates that the new Ulster County site could be open by the end of the year. It will be sustained financially in the long-term through the Lexington Centers normal billing procedures. In 2019, 96 percent of the Lexington Centers revenue came from grants, third-party reimbursement, Medicaid, and insurance recoveries. Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. Hopefully by next year we won't have any waitlist at all, she said. According to Lexington Centers Director of Dutchess County Programs Barbara Tabala, the new site in Dover has already been selected. Were actually at the point of getting building permits to start construction on that site, she said. The new location would be more convenient to at least 50 clients currently commuting to Poughkeepsie. But Tabala anticipates the new satellites will have an even bigger reach: Were also expecting a large volume of walk-ins or new people that are not in treatment yet knocking on our doors. Additionally, she said the Lexington Center is right on the verge of opening a new unit in Monticello to better serve the 150 Sullivan County residents currently commuting to other counties. The grants come at a time when harm reduction services, such as syringe exchange and naloxone distribution, are also on the rise in the region. The goal of harm reduction is to prevent death and illness and improve the quality of life for people who use drugs, regardless of their desire or ability to access treatment, in a nonjudgmental environment. Hudson Valley Community Services recently announced that it is expanding mobile services into Sullivan and Orange counties, and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York was recently awarded $398,960 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to bring mobile harm reduction services such as sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, syringe exchange, wellness exams and linkages to care to Ulster, Dutchess and Orange. HUDSON "Fainting Spells," a short film by Indigenous artist Sky Hopinka, imagines a creation myth for the Xawiska, or Indian Pipe Plant, used by members of the Ho-Chunk Nation to revive people who have fainted. Laura Ortman, a White Mountain Apache who plays violin, multiple other instruments and sings, creates music that she describes as "sculpting sound." The pair are among the first fellows of Forge Project, an ambitious center based in Taghkanic, about 10 miles southeast of Hudson, that aims to document, preserve and promote aspects of Indigenous life and culture, from arts and languages to social-justice efforts, including food security and decolonial education. Forge Project also has a large collection of Indigenous art, amassed quickly since Forge was founded last year, bought specifically for the purpose of lending to museums and other institutions. Forge Project is based on a 38-acre rural property that is home to the only two private residences in the United States designed by Ai Weiwei, China's most famous artist, among whose works is the iconic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing that was central to the city's 2008 Olympics. Forge Project was funded and co-founded by Becky Gochman, a philanthropist and former art teacher who is married to a member of a family with a multibillion-dollar fortune. "Fainting Spells" and another short film by Hopinka, who lives in Hudson and teaches at Bard College, and a live performance by Ortman will be presented on Thursday at the multidisciplinary arts center Basilica Hudson as part of its Jupiter Nights series of weekly arts events. Hopinka will start the evening by participating in a discussion of his work with Candice Hopkins, executive director and chief curator of Forge Project. "We're so excited to be there" at Basilica Hudson, Hopkins said. "Realistically, the maximum audience we can have (in Taghkanic) is about 30, so we want to get out and collaborate as much as possible, and showcasing the fellows is a great way to do it." Six Indigenous fellows annually receive a $25,000 stipend, a three-week residency in Taghkanic, full access to Forge's site, libraries and art collection, as well as the opportunity to present their work at live events and online. In addition to Ortman and her music, this year's group of fellows, Forge's second, work in disciplines including jewelry, narrative art, painting, installations, fabric and film. Their cultural explorations cover colonial histories, public and mental health, food sovereignty, educational and institutional reform, and Indigenous art, fashion and subsistence. Hopinka, a member of the first class of fellows, said that since he lives only 20 minutes from the Taghkanic campus, he was able to use it as a studio space on weekends for several months. "The property is beautiful, and it was so nice to be able to have a space away from home, to be out of my living room, out of my home office," he said. "I was impressed by how much art they already have, how many areas they're focused on. It felt very holistic." Ortman, born in Arizona and raised in Illinois by an adoptive family that steeped her in classical music, has lived for 25 years in New York City, where she first made a name with improvised music to accompany modern-dance performances. She said she expects to divide her residency between a couple of weeks in August in Taghkanic and more in the fall. "Having those weeks for an urban detox is going to be fantastic," said Ortman, who reconnected with her Apache family in 2001. "I think it'll be a chance to split my time between decompressing and coming up with a plan of action for the million different projects I'm always working on. And I'm going to play. I definitely have to have time to shred (on the violin)." "The fellowship program is so important to what we do," said Hopkins. "We're not here to judge someone on what they propose to do with the fellowship. It could be relaxing, thinking, reading, something really ambitious or just a way to combat burnout and get recharged for what they're passionate about focusing on." ALBANY Albany Law School Dean and President Alicia Ouellette will leave her post at the end of her contract in June 2023, with plans to return as a full-time law professor after a sabbatical. Ouellette, a national expert on bioethics, has run the nations oldest independent law school since October 2014. She became its 18th official dean and president in January 2015. Ouellette, 56, a native of Longmeadow, Mass., announced her intentions in a letter to the law school. The school plans to launch a nationwide search for a successor. Ouellette, an in-house hire, had been associate dean for academic affairs and intellectual life before her ascension to acting president. Ouellette followed Penny Andrews, a South African native who came to Albany Law in 2012. Andrews had been associate dean for academic affairs at the City University of New York School of Law. With the law school moving in a positive direction on all fronts, I believe now is the time to begin a transition to new leadership, said Ouellette, a 1994 alum of Albany Law, who put herself through law school as a young wife and mother by working in real estate. More for you 20 things: Alicia Ouellette, Albany Law School president I love nothing more than working with our extraordinary students; I hope I can contribute meaningfully in that role, Ouellette stated. Given that we have so much work to do in the months ahead, I am not going to spend time now reflecting on the past eight years," she said. "There will be plenty of time for reflection this time next year. I will, however, take a moment to thank each one of you for the support and confidence youve shown me and our school. We have accomplished an awful lot together. And we have much work to do ahead." Ouellette has clerked for former Court of Appeals Associate Judge Howard Levine. The school listed Ouellette's accomplishments as guiding the institution through the pandemic, which required a transition to remote learning; the creation of a strategic plan that "led to historic growth in the size, diversity and quality of the student body;" the graduation of more than 1,000 graduates who are working in public and private firms or as judges, executives, entrepreneurs and advocates; and a campaign which brought $33 million to the school, which the school said was the most in its history. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. It noted that Ouellette was the recipient of the 2022 Academic Laureate Award from the University at Albany Foundation in recognition of her work. In a statement, Deb B. Treyz, the chair of the school's board of trustees, said: We are extraordinarily grateful to Dean Ouellette for her exemplary service to the entire Albany Law School community. Dean Ouellettes leadership of Albany Law School has been truly transformative." Provided by NYSDEC BLACK RIVER The states record for the largest channel catfish fell earlier this month when a Watertown angler reeled in a monster specimen. The state Department of Environmental Conservation said on May 8, Bailey Williams landed a 35-pound 12-ounce catfish from the Black River in Jefferson County. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Billionaire investor turned philanthropist George Soros has blamed new technology for helping repressive regimes like Russia and China exert greater control. Speaking Tuesday at a dinner for journalists on the sidelines of the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Soros said China and Russia were the greatest threats to open democratic societies today, thanks to the rapid development of digital technology, especially artificial intelligence. AI is particularly good at producing instruments of control that help repressive regimes and endanger open societies, he said. COVID-19 also helped legitimize instruments of control because theyre really useful in dealing with the virus. Soros also held forth on Russian President Vladimir Putins war on Ukraine and Chinese leader Xi Jinpings decision to double down on his zero covid policy, which he said was a big mistake because it pushed Chinas economy into freefall. On climate change, Soros said it was on the verge of becoming irreversible and that could be the end of our civilization. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says the U.S. and China are making progress on putting together a group to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kerry told The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that the the worlds two largest emitters of greenhouse gases are close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. He says we are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions. Kerry noted that maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crack down on methane leaks. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central focus for the group. Kerry says he was hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There's no sign of progress, or even movement. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated with Congress stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said nobody is going to be in one job forever" but he wasn't planning to move on. He says he's working toward the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November. ___ A top adviser to new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says North Korea hasnt responded to a proposal to send COVID-19 vaccines to the reclusive country. Na Kyung Won told reporters that she was meeting with officials from the Red Cross and the international vaccine group Gavi in Davos, Switzerland, about ways to help send coronavirus vaccines and other medicines but Pyongyang has been silent. Na told The Associated Press Tuesday at the World Economic Forum meeting that we worry because North Korea doesnt open, frankly." Before acknowledging an outbreak of the omicron variant on May 12, North Korea had insisted it was virus-free throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It snubbed millions of vaccines offered by the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program and has not responded to offers of medicine and other aid from South Korea and the U.S. Gavi, which runs COVAX with partners, said it hasn't received any requests for COVID-19 vaccines from North Korea, but it has allocated doses for the country. The World Health Organization has pleaded for more information on the outbreak but not gotten a response. ___ Leaders from some European nations and the head of NATO agreed that bolstering weapons systems and arming Ukraine is critical as Russia attacks its neighbor. Speaking on a securing Europe panel Tuesday at the World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren says the European Union can join forces to provide complex systems that Ukraine needs. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says there needs to be more coordination on deciding what weapons systems the 27-nation bloc needs as a long-term security goal. Ollongren agreed. North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski says joint weapons procurement is important long term but that it's critically important to help Ukraine now. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the strongest way to support Ukraine is providing weapons, which allies are doing at unprecedented levels as Ukraine has requested. He reiterated that we support Ukraine, but NATO will not be part of the conflict." Opening the session by video link, Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential administration of Ukraine, said, You dont need to wage this war, just help us to do it. He proposed an international advisory working group that would offer security guarantees for Ukraine, including providing weapons, funding for rebuilding and defense, maintaining sanctions against Russia and joining the EU as soon as possible. ___ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and using food supplies as a weapon. Russias invasion of Ukraine has created disruptions of global food supplies, with both countries two of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, barley and sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful, with the EU saying sea shipments accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are struck in Ukraine. Von der Leyen says exports typically amount to 5 million tons of wheat per month, and it's down to 200,000 to 1 million tons. She says by getting it out, we can provide Ukrainians with much needed revenues, and the World Food Program with supplies it badly needs. The European Commission has proposed helping Ukraine export its wheat and other grains by rail, road and river to get around the Russian blockade of Black Sea ports. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most, with bread prices in Lebanon having increased by 70% and food shipments from Odesa prevented from reaching Somalia. Plus, she says Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support. This is using hunger and grain to wield power." Von der Leyen added that the EU is stepping up its production to ease pressure on the global food market while supporting Africa to become less dependent on imports. ___ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine is providing proof that doing business with authoritarians in Russia or China poses risks for Western security. Stoltenberg says free trade has brought a lot of prosperity and wealth but that it comes with a price because some of this trade, some of this economic interaction with authoritarian regimes is undermining our security. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stoltenberg said the idea that Europe can buy as much gas from Russia as you want, thats wrong. Its dangerous. It provides Russia with a tool to intimidate and to use against us and that has been clearly demonstrated now. He warns against any overreliance on commodities or advanced technologies or by allowing foreign control over national infrastructure like 5G networks. Stoltenberg says, This is about Russia. But also about China. Another authoritarian regime that does not share our values. And that undermines the rules-based international order. ___ Polish President Andrzej Duda says he sees no possibility for neighboring Ukraine to accept any peace terms dictated by Russia or to consent to give any of its territory to Russia. Duda spoke Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. He says the mere drive to take revenge and regain whats theirs is so powerful that I dont believe that they (Ukrainians) could agree to peace terms that would boil down to the Russians taking again kilometers of Ukrainian land." He says the Russians have destroyed so much of Ukraine and the Ukrainians have spilled so much blood defending their country that any politician in Ukraine who would suggest bending to Russias demands would simply be finished. Duda says any politician in the West who believes he can persuade Kyiv to accept any of Moscows terms is deeply mistaken. Poland has been supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia through political and defense means, and has accepted more than 3 million refugees fleeing the war. ___ U.S. climate envoy John Kerry says at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering in Davos that Russia's war in Ukraine shouldn't deter climate goals. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday about speeding up the road to net zero," Kerry says we should not allow a false narrative to be created" that the war somehow obviates the need to move forward and address the climate crisis. He says it's possible to both meet the need of increased energy from fossil fuels in the short term, particularly in Europe, and stay on course to reduce emissions over the coming years. Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change says the next climate change summit in Egypt in November will be a pivotal moment for the planet. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano says negotiations are over and implementation is starting as an investment in a better future for all. She says governments now need to assess how they can attract the right investments for energy transition. ___ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he believes Sweden and Finland will succeed in joining NATO despite Turkeys objections to their membership. In an address Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sanchez says that the political will of the allies is to welcome these two countries. He said Spain will accelerate all the parliamentary processes" to the two Nordic nations important for NATO and European Union stability. Turkey has objected over what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists and their block on arms sales. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Sanchez said it was imperative that we make every effort to restore food productions, trade systems and achieve food security for the most vulnerable. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently accused Russia of weaponizing food and holding hostage the grain the Ukraine produces for millions of people around the world. U.N. food chief David Beasley has warned that the war has created an unprecedented crisis of escalating food prices that are already sparking protests and riots and growing hunger. ___ Finland's foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations' application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has security concerns" regarding terrorism and that Finland has good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled." The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns." He says he's confident that the group will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance." ___ Speakers on a migration panel at the World Economic Forum gathering say the European Unions response to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian refugees was a stellar example of solidarity. But it also served as a reminder of the need for an overhaul of the blocs migration policy. European Union Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday in Davos that this was Europe at its best. The exodus of more than 6 million Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, prompted the EU to activate an emergency protection system for the first time since its creation in 2001, facilitating access to jobs, housing, education and health care in the EU for Ukrainians. Negotiations on a new migration and asylum policy in the EU proposed in 2020 have been stalled as member states disagree on whose responsibility it is to take in migrants and asylum-seekers arriving on its shores and land borders irregularly. Schinas urged EU states to face reality and reach a consensus. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita says shes proud of her small country's reaction to the refugee crisis. It has seen half-a-million refugees crossing from Ukraine since the war began. She says Moldova has facilitated entry for those with expired passports, allowed them to bring pets and hosting displaced Ukrainians in their homes. But she warned that more long-term help would be needed for Moldova to cope. ___ Kremlin critic Bill Browder wants governments to step up efforts to get to riches squirreled away by Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin by forcing accountants, lawyers and others who set up murky legal and financial structures to become whistleblowers. Browder, author of the nonfiction best-seller Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putins Wrath, says Russias war in Ukraine has raised the focus on how the oligarchs are custodians of the Russian leaders wealth. He told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that oligarchs are not naive. He says they have lawyers, asset protection specialists and shell companies. The founder of Heritage Capital, an early investor in post-Soviet Russia, Browder raised the alarm after his Russian tax adviser Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder credited U.S. efforts to put a squeeze on the Kremlin since the war began, by putting a freeze on the assets of Russias central bank, chasing the oligarchs, halting exports of technology to Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine. But when it comes to getting Russian oligarchs money, Browder says were only scratching the surface. Citing a quite radical solution, Browder says what would solve the problem is to force the people who set up these structures, the enablers, the lawyers, the accountants, the trustees under law to become whistleblowers for the government. He says such an amendment to money laundering and sanctions laws should come with fines and imprisonment. ___ The European Unions top official said the 27-nation bloc should avoid becoming dependent to untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy with the need to find crucial raw materials. Speaking Tuesday at the World Economic Forums annual gathering in Davos, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal. She says the green and digital transitions will increase the need for materials like lithium and silicon metal required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. The head of the EUs executive arm says we rely on a handful of producers in the world. So, we must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas. Von der Leyen said the EU has secured materials partnerships with countries like Canada. She added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to quickly get rid of Russian fossil fuels. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal from Russia but has yet to find a deal on sanctions targeting oil. ___ The head of the European Unions executive arm says Russias war in Ukraine should end with a strategic failure for the invading country as she pledged Tuesday that the bloc will continue to invest massively in support of the war-torn nation. In addition to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and the military aid provided to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation EU has proposed over 10 billion euros in macro-financial assistance, the largest package ever offered to a third country. She said the World Economic Forums annual gathering that the EU is mobilizing our full economic power" and we will, hand in hand, help Ukraine rise from the ashes. Von der Leyen added that reconstruction efforts also should aim to modernize Ukraines administration. It will be required if the country wants to join the 27-nation bloc in the future. She says the reforms should firmly establish the rule of law and the independence of (Ukraines) judiciary and help tackle corruption. ___ The World Economic Forums annual gathering is resuming for a second day, with business leaders, government officials, representatives from global institutions and journalists gearing up for more panel talks and networking at the exclusive meeting in the Swiss Alps. Tuesdays agenda in Davos is packed with sessions on one of the meetings key themes climate change. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is due to make an appearance. There also will be addresses by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Meanwhile, outside the conference venue, a Ukrainian activist was planning a street performance to urge foreign energy companies to stop doing business with Russia. Later, billionaire financier George Soros is hosting a dinner for media a non-official forum event but a fixture outside the Davos meeting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africa's neutral stance on Russia's war in Ukraine was a major topic of conversation as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Tuesday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to end his three-nation tour of Africa. Speaking to the press in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, ahead of their private meeting, the two leaders said they will also consider developments on the African continent. Scholzs visit comes as the war in Ukraine has been raging for three months and is causing oil and food prices to rise around the world, including in Africa. South Africa has taken a neutral stance on the conflict, refusing to condemn Russias actions and calling for dialogue between the two countries. Scholz said Russia's invasion of Ukraine was an important issue to discuss with his South African counterpart. Obviously one of the questions that is of big concern for all of us, is the war that Russia imposed on Ukraine, the brutal war, we have to say it like this," Scholz said. And it is necessary for peace in the world that this war stops, as soon as possible and that there is a chance to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, he said. Another topic discussed was South Africa's intention to reduce its dependence on coal-fired power plants. Germany is among the countries that pledged up to $8.5 billion at the COP26 climate change conference last year to help South Africa reduce its reliance upon coal to generate electricity. So far there have been no announcements of actual payments of those funds to South Africa. South Africa is currently suffering nationwide rolling power cuts because its coal-fired power stations are unable to generate adequate amounts of electricity. The promised funds will help the country, which has Africas most developed economy, to shift to more environmentally friendly energy, Ramaphosa said. We anticipate constructive discussions around the green economy, clean energy and building climate resilience as we embark on new technologies such as hydrogen, and various other renewable energy technologies, Ramaphosa told the press. Later in the day, the two leaders announced a partnership between Germany and South African chemical firm Sasol to research and develop an environmentally friendly jet fuel. 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 Catalyst Research for Sustainable Kerosene project focuses on the development of catalysts for green jet fuel," Ramaphosa said when he and Scholz visited the Sasol headquarters in Johannesburg. This is one of several areas of cooperation between companies, universities and government agencies on the technology that will reshape our economies, Ramaphosa said. He announced that Sasol was involved in a project to use the countrys solar and wind resources to export green hydrogen to the European Union, with a potential to export 10 million tons a year by 2030. Scholz arrived in South Africa after visiting Senegal and Niger, where he expressed Germanys interest in gas exploration opportunities in Senegal and his countrys long-term military and financial assistance to Niger. ALBANY Cannabis industry stakeholders who sold pot in New York before it was legal are skeptical they will be fully included in the new, regulated market, in spite of insistence from top officials that the state intends to pull them into the fold. In response, a group of these "legacy" operators have formed a coalition in hopes of having state officials take the underground industry seriously not just casting them as the victims of heavy-handed drug enforcement practices. The group, which has about 25 members, says legacy entrepreneurs have deep connections in the marketplace and that their experience, supply chains and personal connections with customers should bolster their inclusion in the regulated industry. "This is a close quarters market. That's just how it's always been, so when the government sticks their finger in it, they gotta recognize that first," said Umi, a former hip hop artist and legacy operator who joined the coalition its leaders are calling the Unified Legacy Operators Council (UNLOC). "I'm not hearing enough about the culture that's behind the actual plant." The New York operator drew a comparison with the legacy of hip hop. While the genre created by Black Americans was once pushed to the margins, with kids even getting arrested for playing it too loud, once the music became popular "the entire culture got co-opted," Umi said. "As we start to develop conversations and 'rules,' you know, I feel like damn, here's the story of hip hop all over again. We're losing access and control over what we got started," he said. Umi and rapper M-1, a fellow operator and coalition member, laid out their case from a space that nodded to the connection they were drawing between Black culture, music and cannabis: a basement of bold paintings, gray couches and ashtrays, Alex Haley's Malcolm X joining Questlove on a nearby bookshelf and a Gil Evans horn section drifting down the stairs. "You know, the basis (of the budding regulated industry) is top-down, we need to turn that around. Community control," M-1 said. "There's no way that the same capitalist exploitation that has happened in America can be good for cannabis." Regulations for the state's full cannabis industry have yet to be released, though consumption of the drug was legalized last spring. While much of the roll out has yet to happen, the two legacy operators expressed skepticism that New York officials would do things the way they envision. They cited actions like the cease-and-desist letters that state regulators sent to some cannabis distributors in February, which said operators who did not stop selling or gifting cannabis could face problems in the licensing process. Both M-1 and Umi also cited the failure of legal industries in other states to embrace legacy operators as a reason to doubt the Empire State's plan. Their fears, based on states that have already developed legal industries, were echoed by other members of the coalition, who used abbreviated names on the group's announcement for their protection: "Mike A" and "Dave C." New York's regulators, however, have repeatedly made the case that the state is taking its time to do things differently. "The Office of Cannabis Management is working hard to make the legal cannabis industry as accessible as possible to all New Yorkers, including those who have participated in the legacy market," spokesman Aaron Ghitelman said when asked about specific plans for integrating existing operators into the new industry. "Since our office's launch, we've met with various stakeholders, including those who have participated in the legacy market." The office drafted an initial set of regulations that would see 100-plus conditional dispensary licenses go to individuals who had been previously convicted of marijuana offenses and who are successful business owners; those dispensaries would be supplied exclusively by a group of New York hemp farmers who have themselves been getting conditional licenses to grow and process the drug. The state's Dormitory Authority is looking for design-build companies to locate and pre-fabricate storefronts that the eventual license recipients would operate. The plan is to help the license holders be set up for success on day one. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. But the prefab nature of the conditional license plan is the kind of decision that is making the coalition members nervous: they think the program will be less appealing for legacy entrepreneurs because those individuals will have so little control. "As a proprietor that understands the business, it puts you in a very precarious situation," Umi said. "First of all, regulating where are you going to situate your brick and mortar; and then they are going to put you in debt." He also worried that it was still unclear whether the early New York crop will meet the standards the state's smokers are used to. Steve DeAngelo, a California cannabis entrepreneur and activist who was one of the people pulling together the new coalition, has said that the conditional license category is unlikely to apply to most current legacy operators regardless. "Some of them are previously incarcerated, but by and large, they don't have the kind of legal businesses that are required," DeAngelo said. While the coalition's current membership is New York City-centric, legacy operators' fear of exclusion extends to the Capital Region. In a recent Albany-based informational event that the Office of Cannabis Management hoped would inform New Yorkers about the new industry, a loud chorus of local growers, sellers and business hopefuls expressed similar concerns, saying they were worried Black and legacy operators would get overlooked "as always." The office has since continued hosting workshops in a series they are calling "Get Ready, Get Set;" but so far, all additional events have been held online. TROY An indictment charging a Brooklyn felon with second-degree murder was unsealed Tuesday morning in Rensselaer County Court and a short time later New York City police captured an alleged accomplice in the January killing of 16-year-old Anthony M. Christopher Jr., according to court paperwork and the attorneys involved with the criminal case. Rensselaer County Court Judge Debra Young unsealed the indictment Tuesday against William Webb, who appeared in court with his public defender, Arthur Frost. Officials said the second suspect was being brought to Troy and will be arraigned Wednesday on a second-degree murder charge. A third suspect in the death of 16-year-old Anthony M. Christopher Jr. is locked up at the Schenectady County Jail, said Jackie McDonough, chief of staff for the Rensselaer County District Attorneys Office. He's likely to face charges later this week, she said. The charging document alleges that Webb, 28, caused the teen's death on Jan. 5 at 860 River St. Court records do not list Webbs hometown, but outside court McDonough said she believed he is from Brooklyn. Prosecutors will now begin the process of sharing evidence with Webb's attorney. In court, Assistant District Attorney Cheryl McDermott said that the discovery is quite voluminous. She told the judge that Webb has two prior convictions, has absconded before, and has no ties to the area. For those reasons and Webb's extensive criminal history, the judge sent him back to the county jail without bail. Afterward, Frost said he didnt have a lot of information about the case except that there were two co-defendants who had yet to be charged. An online obituary indicates that Anthony was taken away from his family due to gun violence. The death notice states he was born in Hudson to Amber Brown and Anthony M. Christopher Sr. and attended the Troy High School Sunset Program because a structured and formal education was not necessarily for him. The obit said Anthony, an aspiring rap artist and entrepreneur, was known to family and those in the music industry, as Tookie, Big Don and Ant Daklikka. His loving memory will live on in all of those who got the chance to know him during this short period here on earth as one who could make a room light up, for his love to eat and smoke, for always being on the phone with the girls, being fun filled, loving, caring and loyal, a genius, an inspiration to so many, known as a class clown and a practical joker and would steal your chips or your socks but most of all for being his moms best friend, said the obit. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Police said at least two armed suspects burst into a first-floor apartment on River Street and Glen Avenue and shot and killed Christopher. At the time police said a second 16-year-old boy, who didnt live in the apartment, was wounded in the leg. Others escaped through a rear door on Glen Avenue. A Troy police spokesman previously said that the suspected shooters and the occupants of the apartment all had connections. Over the past few years, Glen Avenue and the area around it has been the site of other shootings, some of them fatal. via court documents ALBANY Federal prosecutors have charged a New York man with mailing threatening letters to media outlets, offices and places of worship in states across the Northeast, including Connecticut. Jesse Bartlett, 46, of La Fargeville, was arrested on May 19 after the FBI collected evidence he was behind a series of threatening messages, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A major Republican primary for the State Senate looms following the weekend release of final district lines that could pit former County Executive Joel A. Giambra against incumbent Edward A. Rath III two of the best known names in Erie County politics. Neither candidate would confirm his plans on Monday. But a source close to Giambra said he will challenge Rath even after reapportionment will place the winner of a possible GOP primary against Democratic incumbent Sean M. Ryan in a mostly Democratic district. Rath, meanwhile, would not comment, but Erie County Conservative Chairman Ralph C. Lorigo said the senator told him Monday he is "in." Sempolinski to seek Reed seat in special election; will yield to Jacobs for full term Steuben County Republican Chairman Joe Sempolinski, the former district director for ex-Rep. Tom Reed in the current 23rd Congressional District, said Monday he expects the district's 11 Republican chairs to back his effort against Max Della Pia, a retired Air Force officer whom Democrats have unofficially named to compete in the special election. Nevertheless, another source close to the process said a number of "machinations" presenting other opportunities for one or both candidates are also under discussion. The source said decisions are expected soon. The reapportionment process now presents a complicated situation for candidates and party leaders alike in the new district, after Ryan operated from his West Side base and Rath in Amherst. Rath earlier this year said he would not run after an original reapportionment crafted by State Legislature Democrats created a faceoff against Democratic incumbent Timothy M. Kennedy of Buffalo, who boasts a campaign treasury of more than $1.5 million. Then, after a court-appointed special master released new lines on May 16 that appeared more favorable, Rath said he would rejoin the race. But early Saturday morning, State Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. McAllister approved final lines that could now create one of the state's few Senate primaries featuring incumbents. Jacobs to run in Southern Tier, Tenney in Niagara County under new congressional map New York State's new congressional district lines are finally final and in WNY, they're radically different than those first proposed by a court-appointed special master only five days earlier. Now party officials are waiting for Rath to make a final decision, which sources say hinges on his assessment of whether the new district's Democratic advantage can be overcome. Erie County GOP officials were unavailable for comment. But Lorigo noted that the local GOP and his Conservatives have both endorsed Giambra against Ryan, creating the unexpected scenario of Rath having to petition his way onto the ballot at a late date. New congressional maps encourage GOP, while local questions remain Now, say some experts and lots of Republicans, the maps offer a fairer chance to compete for several seats that could help determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year. "We carried his petitions; he declined. Now he's got to re-carry those petitions, and we've sent petitions for Ed to our town chairs," Lorigo said late Monday. "My position is that Joel has our endorsement, while Rath is entitled to it. Unless one of them decides on their own not to run, this is a primary." The candidates could compete in both Republican and Conservative primaries, since Conservatives are expected to issue an authorization for Rath to run on their line. Ryan, meanwhile, could face his own Democratic primary from attorney Benjamin S. Carlisle, who mounted a low key write-in campaign for mayor last year in a race eventually won by incumbent Democrat Byron W. Brown. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) Hours after being sworn in as Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese found himself fresh off a jet and thrown into the glare of a global spotlight Tuesday. He was rewarded with a warm welcome, as well as a bit of a gentle ribbing, from U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders at an international summit in Japan. You were sworn in and got on a plane, and if you fall asleep while youre here, its OK, Biden joked as the leaders met at the Quad, an Indo-Pacific security and economic coalition meant as a counterweight to China's growing influence in the region. Biden marveled at Albaneses stamina. I dont know how youre doing it. But it is really quite extraordinary, just getting off the campaign trail as well. The weekend election win for Albanese, from the center-left Labor Party, was a vivid change in Australian politics, ending nine years of conservative rule, the last several under former leader Scott Morrison. Albanese has described himself as Australia's first-ever political candidate with a non-Anglo Celtic name. He and Malaysian-born Penny Wong, Australias first foreign minister who was born overseas, were sworn into office Monday just before they flew to Tokyo for the meeting with Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Albanese's election came after a hard-fought campaign during which he caught COVID-19. Because his predecessor set the election date a week later than expected, Albanese had little time to prepare for the Tokyo summit. For his efforts, however, he received friendly greetings from other leaders. Kishida, in his opening remarks, took note of Albanese's tight schedule, offering his heartfelt appreciation for coming all the way to Japan right after the elections. Modi said Albaneses presence in Tokyo within 24 hours of his swearing-in demonstrates the strength of our friendship within the Quad and your commitment to it. At the summit, Albanese stressed Australias unwavering commitment to the regional forum and stressed his countrys efforts to deal with climate change and look for greater engagement with Southeast Asian countries. He did not mention aggressive security moves by China, which many countries in Asia view with worry. During the summit, Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted joint flights near Japan, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said, calling it an increased level of provocation and a threat to the Quad. Chinese H-6 bombers joined Russian TU-95s over the Sea of Japan and flew to areas over the East China Sea, but did not violate Japanese airspace, Kishi said. Separately, a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane was spotted flying off the northern Japanese coast. Kishi said Japan conveyed serious concern to both Beijing and Moscow. China's Ministry of Defense said the Chinese and Russian militaries carried out joint strategic air patrols above the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western Pacific. In a meeting later Tuesday, Albanese and Kishida shared concern about Chinas new security pact with the Solomon Islands, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. They also agreed to further cooperation in defense, a new U.S-led regional economic framework, clean energy and supply chain resilience, it said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote to congratulate Albanese on his election victory, in what Australian media described as a thawing of relations after years of tension over Australian laws designed to outlaw covert foreign interference in politics, which many see as aimed at China. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. "It is an honor that this is my first act as prime minister to attend this important Quad leaders' meeting here in Japan," Albanese said in his opening remarks at Tuesdays summit at the Japanese prime ministers office. We have had a change of government in Australia. But Australias commitment to the Quad has not changed and will not change. During a separate meeting with Biden, Albanese recounted that the U.S. government had paid for him to visit the gambling center of Las Vegas during a program he participated in in his 20s, eliciting laughter. I'm not quite sure where that fit in, but it was a good trip indeed, he said. And of course my government is very committed to the alliance. Albanese said he will visit Washington to see Biden again before hosting the next Quad summit in Australia. After what has been a smooth diplomatic debut, he will face a spate of domestic demands when he returns home Wednesday and attempts to fulfill his campaign promises. On the list are tackling climate change, affordable child care and strengthening Medicare. ___ McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Tokyo and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report. SCHENECTADY Police and school officials are still trying to identify all of the youngsters who used an open roof hatch to gain access into the local elementary school in their neighborhood last month and stole thousands of dollars in iPads. Marva Isaacs, president of the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association, recalled Monday how upset she was at learning about the security breach on April 30 at the Martin Luther King Jr. School of Excellence at 918 Stanley St. She noted that some of the same kids are creating havoc to other peoples homes in the neighborhood around the school. Isaacs, who lives kitty-corner from the school on Stanley Street in the Hamilton Hill neighborhood, said that the parking lot at the King school often attracts mischievous school-age children as well as adults who often drink and blast music from vehicles. She was among a small group, including police and school officials, who were briefed Thursday on the ongoing police probe. A city police spokesman did not Monday return a call seeking comment. School district spokeswoman Karen Corona said Monday that a group of at least eight youngsters, all of whom appear to be juveniles based on surveillance footage, entered the school through an open roof hatch around 8:30 p.m. on April 30, a Saturday. She said they operated under the cover of dark keeping the lights off and used an exit window to leave the school sometime early the next day, the morning of May 1. It was unclear if the roof hatch was left open by a district employee. They came and went various times throughout the night until early in the morning, Corona said. During that time, the intruders stole multiple iPads, valued at between $5,000 and $10,000, from a special education room and helped themselves to food in the schools community room, Corona added. Their escapade was captured on school surveillance cameras, which police and school officials are viewing in a bid to identify everyone involved in the incident. School folks looking at the video were able to identify some of them, theyre not from King but from the middle school, I believe. But were still working with police on it, so we dont have everyone identified, Corona said. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. She said there was another break-in at the school on Nov. 1. As a result, the school is in the process of adding more surveillance cameras to the half dozen or so that are currently there. We are working to address any security vulnerabilities, including enhancing intruder detection systems, Corona said in a text message, adding that the police department will also receive any alarm calls from the building. Isaacs said whats more upsetting to her is that the district recently completed some upgrades inside and out of King school that impressed her and changed the environment. She said the principal told her during Thursdays briefing that the mother of one the students involved in the incident wants her daughter to clean the school after school as punishment for her actions. Later this week, Isaacs is scheduled to take part in a community event at the elementary school where, among other things, people will have the chance to join the neighborhood association. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Police in Rio de Janeiro raided the Vila Cruzeiro favela before dawn Tuesday. setting off a fierce firefight that authorities said killed more than 20 people. The operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, some from other states, police said in an early statement. The statement, issued Tuesday morning, said that officers were fired on while preparing their incursion and that one resident had been shot and killed on site. Local press reported that person was a 41-year-old woman hit by a stray bullet. The police statement said 11 people also were found wounded after the shootout and taken to a nearby state hospital. But as the day wore on, residents used cars to carry more gunshot victims to that same hospital most of whom were already dead. By late Tuesday, 21 corpses had arrived at the hospital and seven people were receiving treatment for injuries, the states health secretariat said in an emailed statement. That makes the incident one of Rios deadliest police operations in recent history. It comes one year after a raid of the Jacarezinho favela that left 28 people dead, prompting claims of abuse and summary executions. The episode sparked protests and also reignited debate over the proper use of police force in Rio, where a common local saying is, A good criminal is a dead criminal. Just weeks after the Jacarezinho raid, a stray bullet hit a young pregnant woman during a shootout between police and alleged criminals in another favela, and her death caused further outrage. Earlier this year, Brazils Supreme Court established a series of conditions for police to conduct raids in Rios favelas as a means to reduce police killings and violations of human rights. The court ruled that lethal force should only be used only in situations in which all other means have been exhausted and when necessary to protect life, and gave police 180 days to install devices to record audio and video on their uniforms and vehicles. Authorities on Tuesday had sought to intercept the gangs members outside the neighborhood, which wasnt possible after police began taking fire, Uira do Nascimento Ferreira, leader of the military polices tactical unit, told reporters at a news conference in Rio. Outside the hospital, residents of Vila Cruzeiro mourned the loss of family and friends while some protested. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Rio state public prosecutors said in a statement they had opened a criminal investigation. They gave the military police 10 days to provide details about the operation, indicating which officials were responsible for each death and the justification for use of lethal force, the statement said. The operation was conducted jointly by the military police and federal highway police. Police seized 16 vehicles, 13 automatic rifles as well as pistols and grenades, the police statement said. ___ Associated Press writer Diane Jeantet contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SCHENECTADY The city is settling an excessive force lawsuit with a man involved in of a high-profile police scuffle that inflamed racial tensions in Schenectady just weeks after George Floyd was murdered two years ago by a Minneapolis police officer. An attorney for Yugeshwar Gaindarpersaud confirmed the city reached a deal with his client. Weve come to terms to settle the claim and thats all Im going to say about that, Dennis Nave said on Monday. Gaindarpersaud sought $120,000 but Nave declined to discuss the terms of the settlement, which the City Council is scheduled to vote on Monday night. City Corporation Counsel Andrew Koldin and Claims Committee Chairwoman Carmel Patrick didnt immediately respond for comment. The payout is the latest in a string of recent settlements for the city and the police department that have cost taxpayers nearly $2 million in the past 2 years, including deals reached with the widow of Andrew Kearse, a a Bronx man who died of a heart attack in police custody in 2017 despite his pleas for medical assistance. Police Chief Eric Clifford denied comment on Gaindarpersaud claim on Monday and said he would issue a statement once the deal is finalized. Gaindarpersaud struggled with City Police Officer Brian Pommer on July 6, 2020. Pommer chased Gaindarpersaud and tackled him at his McCllellan Street home after questioning him over a suspected property crime. Tensions flared after footage revealed Pommer kneeling on Gaindarpersauds head and neck area, prompting weeks of protests against systemic racism and police brutality. Months later, prosecutors faulted Pommers investigation and agreed to drop a criminal mischief charge police filed against Gaindarpersaud because there was insufficient evidence to prove he damaged his neighbor's vehicle, which he was accused of vandalizing. 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 resisting arrest charge was to be dismissed and the record sealed if Gaindarpersaud stayed out of trouble for six months. Gaindarpersaud filed the lawsuit against the city in January in state Supreme Court in Albany, citing excessive force, common law false arrest, common law assault and battery, and negligent hiring, among others. Pommer was disciplined for violating two city police department policies following the encounter with Gaindarpersaud those related to discourtesy and reviewing evidence and agreed to be suspended for six days without pay and undergo field training. Pommer later filed a notice of claim against the city on April 19, 2021, seeking $250,000, but the claim failed to go to trial. The officer had alleged private information was leaked about him. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Investigators found seven guns and a high-capacity magazine in the home of a man who called himself the Chinese Zodiac Killer and allegedly mailed more than 100 threatening letters including one to the White House boasting of past murders, rape, consumption of human flesh and plans for a killing spree," a federal prosecutor in Albany said Tuesday. Jesse Bartlett, 45, who allegedly bragged of a kill list topped by the homeless, runaways and immigrants, admitted he mailed the letters after his arrest on May 19, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping said at a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian Hummel. The prosecutor said the walls of Bartlett's home in LaFargeville, Jefferson County, contained messages for the FBI. Court documents show Bartlett, a school bus driver, repeatedly threatened to murder an unidentified bus driver. And Wentworth-Ping said Bartlett, who holds interests in the occult and black magic, identified himself as Aleister Crowley, a late British occultist, on the trail registries of the Adirondack mountains that he referenced in one of his threatening letters. In April 2010, the prosecutor said, Bartlett fatally shot a former friend he said invaded his home and threatened to kill him. Bartlett was cleared of wrongdoing, calling it self-defense. Wentworth-Ping argued it showed Bartlett has used guns in the past to take a life. Assistant Federal Public Defender Michael McGeown-Walker asked the judge not to hold the 2010 shooting against his client. In April 2010, the Watertown Daily Times said a grand jury cleared Bartlett of killing the man, Keith E. Brabant, 33. That week, Bartlett told the newspaper that Brabant, his former best friend in high school, was "freaking out like he was on meth." McGeown-Walker convinced Hummel that his client who has a daughter, elderly parents and lacks a passport is not a flight risk. But the judge said he had "grave concerns" about the danger that Bartlett posed to the community. On Thursday of last week, five rifles and two shotguns along with the high-capacity magazine and other ammunition were found in his home. Prosecutors also said Bartlett had stated that he is "a sexual predator" and is "on the hunt for your women at all times." Hummel ordered Bartlett to remain in the Albany County jail, where the judge said he wanted him to receive a psychiatric evaluation. In December, after Capital Region television news stations received letters from the purported "Chinese Zodiac Killer," the FBI in Albany asked media outlets to be on the lookout for similar letters. The Times Union which in August 1973 received a cryptic letter from a person claiming to be the Zodiac Killer in California did not receive such a letter. The criminal complaint said Bartlett mailed letters throughout New York state, as well as New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington, D.C. In detailing Bartletts deeds, the FBI agents affidavit left little to the imagination. On July 20, 2021, Bartlett allegedly mailed a letter to a media outlet in Melville, Long Island, the location of Newsday. The letter said: "I HAVE ALREADY KILLED SOMEONE IN THE NEW YORK AREA. HEAR MY PROPHECY: I WILL KILL AGAIN. HELL WANTS MORE SOULS. I AM A SEXUAL PREDATOR AND A KILLER AMONG THE LIVING. I AM NOT HIDING. I AM VERY EASY TO FIND BECAUSE I NEED TO BE FOUND. BUT I MUST *TEST YOU." It said: I WILL MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF ANYONE WHO REFUSES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC OF MY EXISTENCE. On Aug. 21, the letter to the White House said: "I MADE IT CLEAR THAT I WOULD MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF ANYONE WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE OF ME THAT REFUSES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC OF MY EXISTENCE. The complaint said Bartlett mailed threatening letters to a Binghamton media outlet, a municipality in New Jersey, the New York State Police and, in February, to a retail company in Syracuse. In the Syracuse letter, Bartlett allegedly stated: EACH MONTHLY LETTER CONTAINS MY CURRENT KILL COUNT AND WHETHER OR NOT I FEASTED ON THE FLESH OF MY VICTIMS." 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 May 12, the FBI began to close in on Bartlett. The agent said investigators watched and filmed Bartlett as he dropped 21 envelopes into U.S. Postal Service bins in Watertown and Clayton. Three days later, Bartlett allegedly dropped 21 more letters off at the Watertown bin. Investigators found 42 letters in the bins all sent by the self-described "Chinese Zodiac Killer" mailed to law enforcement offices, politicians and religious institutions, the complaint said. The May 12 letters were consistent with earlier ones but this time they were signed under the name of Crowley. On May 15, Bartlett warned investigators that their time to catch him was nearly out, according to an FBI agents affidavit filed in a criminal complaint. I GROW WEARY OF YOUR INABILITY TO CAPTURE ME AND TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF MY PRESENCE, Bartlett allegedly wrote. Instead, the agent stated, it was Bartletts letter-writing spree that was about to end. On Thursday, the FBI charged Bartlett with mailing threatening communications, a federal crime that carries up to five years in prison upon conviction. Unlike the notorious Zodiac Killer, who was blamed for killing five people and wounding two others in the late 1960s in the San Francisco area, Bartlett has not been charged in any homicide cases. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea test-launched a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile and two shorter-range weapons toward its eastern waters Wednesday, South Korea said, hours after President Joe Biden ended a trip to Asia where he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend its allies in the face of the Norths nuclear threat. The suspected ICBM didnt fly its full range. But if confirmed, it would still be North Koreas first test of an ICBM system in about two months amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. The launch suggests North Korea is determined to continue its efforts to modernize its arsenal despite its first COVID-19 outbreak, which has caused outside worries about a humanitarian disaster. North Koreas sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-U.S. combined deterrence and can only deepen North Koreas international isolation, the South Korean government said in a statement after an emergency security meeting. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi called the launches an act of provocation and absolutely impermissible. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held separate calls with his counterparts from South Korea and Japan during which they condemned the launches as a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, the State Department said. Blinken noted Washingtons commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains ironclad as the three allies continue to cooperate to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the statement said. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the launch of the three missiles only contributes to increasing regional and international tensions and reiterated U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres call on North Korea to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions, which ban such tests. Diplomatic engagement remains the only pathway to sustainable peace and complete and verifiable de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Dujarric said. (The launches) were a political message. Theyre saying they feel bad about Bidens recent summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, said Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at Korea Aerospace University in South Korea. Biden and Yoon said after their meeting Saturday that they would consider expanded military exercises to deter North Korean nuclear threats. Biden brushed aside questions about any possible provocation by North Korea during his trip, saying, We are prepared for anything North Korea does. He later met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, and they vowed to work closely to address security challenges, including North Koreas nuclear and ballistic programs and what they called Chinas increasingly coercive behavior in the region. According to South Koreas military, the first missile was likely an ICBM that reached a maximum height of 540 kilometers (335 miles) while traveling 360 kilometers (223 miles). The statement said the second missile disappeared from South Korean radar at some point and the third flew 760 kilometers (472 miles). Kim Tae-hyo, South Koreas deputy national security adviser, told reporters that the first launch involved the Norths biggest Hwasong-17 missile, whose potential range includes the entirety of the U.S. mainland. He said the missile was fired at a high angle and that its launch appeared aimed at reviewing the weapons propellant and stage separations, though he couldnt conclusively say whether the test was successful. He said the tests of the two other missiles, both short-range, implied North Koreas intention to improve its ability to launch nuclear strikes on its rivals. While the North Korean launches were part of its weapons development program, they were also strategically timed to the end of Bidens Asian visits and likely designed to test the readiness of South Koreas new government, which took office about two weeks ago, Kim said. The flight details for the suspected ICBM were similar to those of two previous North Korean launches this year, which the South Korean and U.S. militaries had said were meant to test components of the Hwasong-17 missile. North Korea said at the time it launched rockets to test cameras for a spy satellite. After the two launches, South Koreas military in March detected what it said was a North Korean Hwasong-17 missile that blew up soon after liftoff. Later in the month, North Korea claimed to have successfully launched the Hwasong-17 in its first full-range ICBM flight test that broke its self-imposed 2018 moratorium on long-distance launches. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. South Korea said North Korea may have fired a smaller ICBM, not a Hwasong-17. Whichever it was, the missile flew longer and higher than any other weapon the North has ever tested, experts say. Chang, the missile expert, said he doubts whether North Korea truly launched an ICBM again Wednesday because the country would have no reason to conduct the same test repeatedly and waste an ICBM that costs about 10 billion to 20 billion won ($8 million to $16 million). He said the flight details of the third missile resemble those of the hypersonic missile that North Korea tested in January. Other analysts say it could also be the Norths highly maneuverable, nuclear-capable KN-23 missile. After the Norths earlier launches, the South Korean and U.S. militaries said they fired surface-to-surface missiles to demonstrate their striking capabilities. South Korea said its air force on Tuesday conducted an elephant walk involving 30, fully armed F-15K fighter jets parading along a runway in formation. Wednesdays launches were North Koreas 17th round of missile firings this year. Experts have said North Korea wants to move ahead with its push to expand its arsenal and apply more pressure on its rivals to wrest sanctions relief and other concessions. U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials have said North Korea could soon conduct its first nuclear test in nearly five years as well. Kim, the South Korean official, said North Korea has been testing a trigger system for a nuclear explosive device. Before Wednesday, North Koreas most recent missile tests occurred on May 12, hours after the country acknowledged a COVID-19 outbreak. The country in the past few days has said there has been a positive sign in its anti-virus campaign. Since admitting to the outbreak, North Korea has identified about 3 million cases of an unidentified fever but said only 68 people died, an extremely low death toll for COVID-19. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Paul Buckowski/Albany Times Union Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Photo provided/New York State Police Show More Show Less 3 of 3 PRINCETON An 18-year-old who had been wanted in connection with a Jan. 29 homicide turned himself in on Monday, State Police said. Jeffrey A. McGough, of Schenectady, was charged with second-degree murder, robbery and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of Connor Delaney. Delaney, 21, was killed inside his Schoharie County home on Hite Road on Jan. 29. Delaney's dog was also killed. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the world organizations leading human rights body following its suspension over allegations of horrific rights violations by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The Czech Republic was the only candidate for the seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council. Seats on the Geneva-based council are divided among regional groups and a replacement for Russia had to come from an East European country. As the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold in the United States, former President Donald Trump seized the opportunity to weaponize it in his war on immigrants. The Biden administration is still trying to fix this humanitarian disaster, and, sadly, doing a poor job of it. In an example of Mr. Trump's anti-immigration obsession, his the administration in March 2020 moved quickly and efficiently unusually so, given its otherwise flailing response to the pandemic to invoke a public health law known as Title 42 to refuse entry by people seeking asylum. The administration's story not an implausible one, to be sure was that the country had to protect itself by banning entry of people who might have a communicable disease. Here we are, though, more than two years later, and this indecent restriction on asylum seekers is still in place, having been invoked 1.9 million times. Even as it was lifting entry restrictions for all sorts of other travelers, the administration sought to keep applying Title 42 to asylum seekers. And when it signaled plans recently to end the policy after criticism from immigrant advocacy and civil liberties groups, it faced pushback from 24 states, led by Arizona and Louisiana. That battle is now in court, where the Biden administration, which had promised to end the inhumane immigration policies and practices of the Trump era, is doing a disappointingly awful job. On Friday, a federal judge in Louisiana blocked plans to lift the restrictions this week, finding that the government failed to follow administrative procedures requiring public notice and time to gather public comment steps that any competent government would not overlook or bypass. With the virus resurging, we are not against ensuring that people entering the country are not bringing the contagion with them. That's the point of Title 42, going back to its origins in 1944 as part of the Public Health Service Act to guard against returning U.S. servicepeople bringing diseases with them. But it was not instituted to broadly keep people out of the country; it was established to ensure that people were screened and, if necessary, quarantined. 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. Mr. Biden recently made an exception for people fleeing the war between Ukraine and Russia. But the cruel corruption of public health law by Mr. Trump and Stephen Miller, his senior adviser, still applies to asylum seekers from violence-plagued nations like Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. More than half a million people a day enter the U.S. by air, sea and land. Our government has the means to ensure they are vaccinated and tested for COVID-19. The government has the resources to screen and test people who come unexpectedly and in desperate straits, like asylum seekers. It has access to plenty of vaccines. There is no reason why, after 16 months in office, this new administration is still running things much as the old one did. I listened with interest to former President Donald Trump's winning primary candidate state that he could care less about Ukraine or Ukrainians. I won't say he is stupid or totally devoid of even the vaguest worldview of history. To anyone paying attention, this is most certainly a world war. A war of good versus evil. For those who pay attention to history, they would remind us that not long before Americans went to war against Adolf Hitler for doing almost exactly what Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing today, a large portion of Americans were pro-German. ALBANY The state attorney general's office filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and some of its top officials over the alleged mismanagement of a depleted pension fund that wiped out retirement plans for more than 1,100 former employees of the now-closed St. Clare's Hospital in Schenectady. The lawsuit alleges that top officials with the Albany diocese, including former Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, had mismanaged the fund and falsely told the Internal Revenue Service that required annual contributions were being made to the pension plan. The complaint drafted by the attorney general's office will seek restitution for the pensioners, whose fund was created in 1959, about a decade after the diocese co-founded the hospital. State Attorney General Letitia James announced the litigation Tuesday afternoon at a news conference outside the Ellis Medicine McClellan Street Health Center, which is the former St. Clare's hospital site. Ellis Hospital took over the real estate in 2008 after the state's Berger Commission on hospital consolidation forced the closure of St. Clare's and eight other hospitals across the state. St. Clare's retirees, who have been working for years to try and recover their pensions or at least get an accounting of what happened, said Tuesday they were both shocked and elated at the turn of events. They said having the attorney general's office with all of its resources behind it gives them a fighting chance. "Having this happen, is definitely like an angel that has come in touch with us because we didn't think this was going to happen," St. Clare's retiree Mary Hartshorne said. The Diocese of Albany issued a statement following the attorney general's news conference saying that while it is "sympathetic to the plight of the St. Clares pensioners and want to see these hardships resolved as soon as possible," it feared that the attorney general's new lawsuit is only replicating the "same claims and the same allegations" in similar lawsuits that have already been filed in the case. "Todays announcement does not raise any new issues," the statement reads. "It will only lead to more protracted proceedings which will further delay resolution of the case." The attorney general's office launched an investigation of the matter about two years ago under pressure from multiple state lawmakers; the office of state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli determined it had no authority to investigate the pension fund's collapse. The former hospital workers learned four years ago that their pensions would be sharply reduced or eliminated because the fund was wiped out by a $50 million shortfall that was attributed to the 2008 recession and the Catholic church's decision to stop funding it. The beneficiaries included laboratory technicians, nurses, orderlies, emergency medical technicians, and other staff members some with decades of work history at the hospital. It's alleged that the diocese failed to make required annual contributions from 1999 to 2017, resulting in a $43 million shortfall. Gina Martinelli-Painter, another former St. Clare's employee who now works at Ellis, said the pension's collapse impacted many families in the region. "This doesn't just affect me, it affects our spouses too," she said. "My husband and I were planning (our finances) with false information. It kind of has a ripple effect because it does affect whole families. We'll never make it up." Part of the attorney general's investigation had examined whether board members of a corporation overseeing the pension plan many of them officials with the diocese, including bishops, or with ties to Catholic Charities had authorized submitting IRS forms falsely attesting that contributions had been made to the fund. The defendants in the lawsuit in addition to the diocese are Hubbard, who had served as chairman of the St. Clare's Corp. that managed the pension fund; Albany Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, who succeeded Hubbard and has been a member of the board since 2014; David R. Lefort, vicar general of the diocese; and Joseph Pofit, director of Catholic Charities and a St. Clare's Corp. board member since 2008. The pension's board voted in 2018 to close the fund, a decision that resulted in nearly 700 of the younger pensioners in the plan having their benefits wiped out entirely, according to a lawsuit filed in 2019 in state Supreme Court in Schenectady by a group of nonprofit attorneys representing the pensioners. Another 440 of the older pensioners were told they would get just 70 percent of their benefits. The attorney general's office filed the new lawsuit in the same court. State Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, who is one of several Capital Region legislators who has pressed for the state to take action, said Tuesday that St. Clare's was always the hospital of "last resort" for people in the community who could not pay for care, and now the workers who provided that essential care have been abandoned. "They stood in the pocket as long as they could, and they were tremendous professionals," Tedisco said, making a reference to when a football quarterback is facing pressure from an opposing team. Tedisco also noted that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Ellis enlisted St. Clare's retirees who returned to work and helped the hospital battle the worst international health crisis in generations. "Many of them came out and sacrificed and served, even though they knew they weren't getting their pension," Tedisco said. A year ago, Tedisco also explored whether the former workers could receive benefits from a pandemic relief fund, but he said they were not eligible because they were non-union workers. A focus of the investigation has been a decision made in the 1990s by the St. Clare's governing board to invoke the religious exemption from the federal government that allowed it to drop out of the federal pension insurance program run by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. That cost-savings decision also exposed the pension plan if it became insolvent. In 2017, the Albany diocese sought to distance itself from the situation, noting that the St. Clare's Corp., the not-for-profit that retained control of the former hospital's obligations, had no corporate connection to the diocese. But the diocese's ties to St. Clare's, which ceased operations and was merged with Ellis Hospital 14 years ago, have been significant. The diocese purchased the land where St. Clare's was built and the St. Clares Hospital Corp. listed its mailing address as 40 N. Main Ave. in Albany, the headquarters of the diocese. When the hospital was incorporated in 1945, Albany Bishop Edmund F. Gibbons was named president of the board. Subsequently, the president of St. Clares Corp. was Bishop Edwin B. Broderick, who headed the diocese from 1969 to 1976. In 1980, Pofit, who was the head of Catholic Charities, was named the president of St. Clares Corp. Hubbard, who was bishop in Albany from 1977 to 2014, had served as chairman of the St. Clare's Hospital board of trustees and numerous diocesan officials had also served on the board through the years. Records indicate that in 2014, Scharfenberger succeeded Hubbard, who had retired, on the St. Clare's board. The hospital's board of trustees or its finance committee voted on decisions made for the hospital, including ceasing to make regular payments to the pension. Despite the oversight of the hospital by diocesan officials, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany said in 2017 that it "was never involved in the governance and operation of St. Clares Hospital or St. Clares Corporation, including their assets, liabilities and pension plan. "We understand the former employees of St. Clares are searching for answers and are, rightfully, anxious about the situation," the statement continued. "However, the answers they are seeking must come from the St. Clares Corporation responsible for overseeing its obligations, including the pension plan." In December, a midlevel appellate court in Albany issued a unanimous decision allowing a lawsuit filed against the diocese by former employees of St. Clare's Hospital to go forward. The ruling by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court's Third Department upheld a 2020 decision by acting Supreme Court Justice Vincent Versaci that rejected a motion by attorneys for the diocese to dismiss the case. The judges in the case involving the employees' lawsuit had concluded that St. Clare's Corp. inadequately contributed to the pension plan, leaving it in a poor financial situation as it was closed to new members and limits were placed on the ability of employees to accumulate additional years of service. The former employees of St. Clare's sued the diocese and St. Clare's Corp., alleging the entities breached longstanding agreements to fulfill the pension and failed their fiduciary duty to the workers. Brian Whitely, an attorney for the St. Clare's Corp., had argued the former workers were time-barred from suing and that the hospital had "unfettered discretion to alter the plan in a manner that reduced or terminated benefits." An earlier version of this story misstated the legal arguments of Michael L. Costello, an attorney for the Albany diocese. Anthony Saint James TROY A food festival called Foraged will showcase wild-gathered produce at more than 10 restaurants, bars and other food businesses in the city from Wednesday to Saturday this week, culminating with a party celebrating ingredients found in nature. At restaurants including Donna's Italian, Nighthawks and Naughter's, foraged ingredients will be incorporated into different a-la-carte dishes, and bars will be using them in drink specials. Among the foraged items found so far are Japanese knotweed, ramps, garlic mustard, onion grass, stinging nettles, magnolia blossoms, dandelion flowers, violets, grape hyacinth and apple blossoms, according to Foraged's website. The intervention of a group of US congress members visiting Ireland this week has been welcomed by Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald. The delegation, led by Richard Neal, met Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Dublin on Monday. Mr Neal is set to address the Irish Seanad later. They warned the UK earlier this week that unilateral action on the Northern Ireland Protocol will not work, urging face-to-face negotiation to work out some of these technical questions. Ms McDonald described the group as having taken a very keen interest in the peace process and Good Friday Agreement, adding they wield considerable influence. However, the DUP has claimed the representatives have a one-sided view of the Northern Ireland protocol. Ms McDonald said the delegation reiterated to her party the view from the US that the Good Friday Agreement must be protected, that the protocol is here to stay, that there are established avenues to smooth out of the matters of concern and that weeks on from the election the Stormont Executive needs to be formed. She argued issues with the protocol are not insurmountable and accused the UK of giving cover to the DUP which is refusing to form a new Stormont Executives until issues with the post-Brexit arrangements are dealt with. For these matters to be resolved, and for the smooth implementation to be achieved to everybodys satisfaction, you have to have good faith, cooperation and proper dialogue and negotiations, and in that regard the British government, Boris Johnsons administration, has been sorely sorely lacking, she told the BBC. Unfortunately they are now giving cover to the DUP to use this as a ruse and a pretext to block government which I think everyone in the north recognises that we need to get the MLAs back to work, we need a sitting functioning Executive under the leadership of Michelle ONeill. The Sinn Fein president confirmed that her party has invited all MPs and members of the House of Lords to attend a briefing session at Westminster on Tuesday evening for a conversation about change, about whats happening in Ireland, about the protocol and the absolute urgency and necessity to get the Executive up and running. Meanwhile, former US Congressman Bruce Morrison, who is co chair of Washingtons ad hoc committee to protect the Good Friday Agreement, described reports that the UK could legislate against the protocol within weeks as very unfortunate. I think the only acceptable solution to this problem, and its a problem because it presents a problem for various people in Northern Ireland, is negotiations between the UK and the EU, and unilateral action will not solve the problem, he told the BBC. It may create a political sense of accomplishment for some but it will not get the situation between the EU and the UK in an acceptable place, and that can only be done by an agreement. He said the US delegation has not come to create a problem. I think this is something that has been scheduled for a while. I think they wanted to come right after the election. I think they want to encourage everybody who was elected to the Assembly to take up their offices and to make Stormont work, he said. I dont think those members of Congress mean any harm and I dont think it will do any harm for them to express something that the president has expressed which is the urgency of the devolved Assembly being set up and getting to work. There has been controversy over the protocol since its inception. Created to avoid the return of checkpoints along the Irish border, after years of negotiation it was agreed that new Brexit regulatory and customs processes would be placed along the Irish Sea. Both London and Brussels agreed to this as part of the final Brexit negotiations. Since its implementation in early 2021, the EU and UK have agreed that the protocol does not work as smoothly as it should, and both sides engaged in further negotiations. Grace periods were introduced for some new Brexit trade rules in the protocol, meaning retailers and exporters do not yet have to adhere to all the checks and standards required. Last week saw the long-awaited return of Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, Germany, providing the perfect opportunity for the tire industry to meet in person once again and see the latest innovations and developments from an international array of leading exhibitors. Having traveled from all over the world, some of the tire industrys biggest names showcased their technologies and innovations, ranging from new sustainable tire compounds to state-of-the-art dosing machinery and highly accurate testing equipment. Leading exhibitors in attendance included Siemens, ZF Group, VMI Group, HF Group, Danfoss Power Solutions and Bekaert. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Its been good to be back after two years and its definitely exceeding our expectations, said Dipan Shukla, head, business field bladders, Continental. We were not expecting the crowd that we have had and its good to get in touch with people and meet them again. We are looking forward to being here in the coming years. Expo highlights included Bareisss Rubber Process Analyzer (RPA) Ultra, a system which enables engineers to analyze processes and characterize materials such as polymers, rubber and rubber compounds. In addition to performing oscillatory testing over a wide range of frequencies (10-3 Hz to 100Hz) and strains, the RPA supplies a continuous shear rate in full rotation from 10-3s-1 to 500s-1. Carbon black manufacturer Birla Carbon was also showcasing its Continua 8000 Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials (SCM), a sustainable alternative to traditionally used furnace carbon black. Engineered for the circular economy, the Continua SCM products aim to enable large and quantifiable carbon footprint reductions to help the tire industry become cleaner with more sustainable value chains. Other notable equipment on show was Lawers Supersincro, a horizontal, fully automated dosing and weighing system for chemicals used in the mixing room. The customizable system can feed different chemicals stored in big bags, hoppers, silos or interchangeable silos into bags of varying sizes, which are produced automatically. Additional news from Tire Technology Expo can be found here. The neighboring conference opened with a welcome presentation from Tony Robinson, chairman and CEO, UKi Media & Events, and founder of Tire Technology Expo. Conference highlights included the presentations GDSO eases tire data exchanges and enables new connected services by Riccardo Giovannotti, secretary general Global Data Service Organisation for Tyres and Automotive Components (GDSO), and New developments in rubber rheology by advanced RPA testing by Dr Jorge Lacayo-Pineda, head of expert field for materials evaluation, Continental, during the opening plenary session moderated by Rudi Hein; and Tires and the environment by Frederic Biesse, senior fellow tire physics and performance modelization, Michelin, during the Sustainability, Recycled Materials and Pyrolysis steam. When asked about why it is so important to be at Tire Technology Expo, Dominique Scheider, responsible for industry strategy and marketing, transportation, EMEA, Rockwell Automation, said, Its a mix of nurturing the customers we know very well, the ones we work with every day, but here we [also]have the machine builders and the end users the entire ecosystem. [It is] an opportunity to introduce who we are and how we contribute to making this ecosystem work successfully. This is the first time I have come to the event, [and]we have had some very good conversations with customers, said Javier Alcazar, sales director for automotive and Tier 1, Festo. For more information and videos from this years event, click here. With the 2022 event a resounding success, dates have now been announced for 2023. Tire Technology Expo 2023 will take place in Hannover, Germany on March 21, 22, 23. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has armed itself with an advanced flood-warning system designed to help pass the word to motorists on any flood risks to roads, bridges and culverts The former head of the Hawaii National Guard has been chosen to be Honolulu's new police chief This one is tough for TKC . . . In theory, TKC supports unions, collective bargaining and the god-given American right to hassle corporate bosses. However . . . It's unclear if even the most strident union true-believers are willing to walk picket lines and sacrifice cash so that coffee shop co-workers can get their baggette chopped off. Take a peek at the argument . . . For Starbucks baristas many of them young and queer it used to be a point of pride to work for a company with a reputation for taking care of its employees. But some employees say the company's response to their unionization efforts prove otherwise . . . For me, gender-affirming surgeries are lifesaving and if I were to lose access to those it puts me in an extremely bad place. And with that . . . I'm gonna go grab a cup of coffee at a gas station and get back to updating this blog in just a bit. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . A tragic killing leaves another family heartbroken . . . They reveal that the homicide was motivated by a paltry amount. Check the money line . . . Quintin Dewberry, 26, died Wednesday, May 18, when he was shot and killed no where near his home. His mother said it was over a $100 debt. "All of his friends and all of his family. We're going to have to pay the price for life now because he didn't have $100 bucks," his mother said. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . For those who have forgotten . . . Overland Park was once the promised land for metro families who were fortunate enough to be able to afford decent homes and enjoy great schools. That history is fading quickly. The future . . . Fancy motel-like apartment living with no real community or ownership. To be fair, the digs are swanky and provide a bit of proof that in the future you'll own nothing and be happy. Today's example . . . A local real estate deal offers a peek at the plan in the making . . . Hunt Midwest sold The Vue to Illinois-based JVM Realty earlier this month for an undisclosed price. The project, at 7201 . 80th St., includes 219 apartment units with 10,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. As part of the deal, JVM assumed Hunt Midwest's rights and incentives for the project, including the right to collect all future tax increment financing and community improvement district reimbursements. The Vue is JVMs first property in Kansas. The company owns and manages 19 apartment communities throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri, including seven Kansas City-area properties on the Missouri side of state line. Investors, both regionally and nationally, increasingly are interested in multifamily asset in the Kansas City metro area. Reynolds said JVM was interested in The Vues wide tenant demographics, from young professionals to empty nesters, in addition to capitalizing on rising rents. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Today our blog community of skeptics takes a critical look at a local political celebrity and his connection to a social media corporate controversy. Potential buyer Elon Musk calls out Twitter over bots and that inspired a TKC reader to question the veracity of Kander's legion of fans. To be fair, there's no denying that Mr. Kander has a solid base of support given his many talk show appearances and nationally televised news stories which have focused on his political journey. However, on Facebook he only hosts about 67K followers, on Instagram his followers number around 29k and other outlets like Youtube only show about 2k people following his accounts. Again, in fairness, that following dwarfs the number of folks who give a damn about TKC. And the reality is that we have attempted to chase more readers away with our snark rather than endure so many random weirdos lurking the Internets. Nevertheless . . . Here's the word . . . "Does anyone really think there are 378,000 people following Jason Kander?!!! It's absurd. What is going on? Do people really think 400,000 people follow a dorky guy from Missiouri with political aspirations?" Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Elon Musk 'worried' Twitter lacks incentive to fix spam bots: 'Very suspicious' Elon Musk has expressed skepticism at Twitter's willingness to address the presence of bots on their platform. Asked about his negotiations with the social media company, Musk expressed frustration with the platform's lack of transparency on bot users. "I'm worried that Twitter has a disincentive to reduce spam, as it reduces perceived daily users," Musk said. A Twitter bot wrote this Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. The whole team was back together this week, which was pretty darn good as there was a lot to get through. What are Twitter bots, and why is Elon Musk obsessed with them? Elon Musk's proposed $44 billion purchase of Twitter appears to be wobbling, with the billionaire raising concerns about the number of inauthentic accounts, or bots, on the social media platform. If you're on Twitter, chances are you've encountered a bot, although you may not know it. You decide . . . For the second year in a row, more than 500 people died of a "completely preventable" drug overdose in Toronto. Businesses along a 10-kilomentre stretch of Finch Avenue West have been struggling to survive not only the effects of the pandemic but the construction of the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) route. Todays coronavirus news: Sweden recommends 5th COVID-19 shot to 65+; Airbnb ends rentals in China over border measures Meanwhile, Sweden also recommends another booster shot for people over 18 in the risk groups. Graduation ceremonies represent the end of one stage of life and the beginning of another This woman-owned sustainable tourism company provides socially responsible treks while giving back to the local community. (TRAVPR.COM) TANZANIA - May 24th, 2022 - Moshi, Tanzania (May 24, 2022). Roam Wild Adventure is proud to announce it is accepting reservations for Kilimanjaro mountain treks, Serengeti safaris and other exciting adventures in Tanzania. Available excursions for the 2022 season include: Five Kilimanjaro treks, each following a unique route to the summit of Africas tallest mountain. Choose among the popular eight-day Lemosho Route trek, the six-day trek on the Marangu route featuring dormitory-style accommodations, the scenic nine-day Northern Circuit route, which offers the highest success rate and more options in between. Four Tanzanian safaris, ranging from two to five days. Each safari provides guests with a chance to see the big five animals: the lion, elephant, rhinoceros, leopard and African buffalo. Private tours for a personalized experience. Available for guests who wish to experience their Tanzanian adventure with a select group of family and friends. Coming soon: Fun-filled voyages to Zanzibar Island. Guests can tour spice plantations, visit wildlife sanctuaries or relax on pristine beaches. Our first visit to Tanzania touched us deeply, said Roam Wild Adventures co-founder Helen. We realized we wanted to become part of the trekking industry in Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of this special place, its people and environment while bringing others here to enjoy it. Our purpose is to give people the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of adventure while creating a community around sustainable and responsible adventure tourism. At the heart of its mission, Roam Wild Adventures emphasizes caring for its employees, the environment and the community by partnering with grassroots organizations. In support of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), Roam Wild Adventure provides its porters with fair wages and ethical treatment as they assist guides up the mountain. Throughout their adventures, guides ensure that the group follows the principles of Leave No Trace, a group committed to keeping the wilderness litter-free for future generations to enjoy. Even the food that is served on treks is locally sourced to support the Tanzanian economy. While anyone can enjoy the splendors of Tanzania, the mountain treks are recommended for experienced hikers in fairly good shape. Certain routes are more challenging than others, but all include ample opportunity for hikers to acclimatize to the higher elevations. Conditions can be harsh at the summit, with strong winds and freezing temperatures. The day leading up to the summit is particularly difficult, a 16-18 day featuring the final ascent of 1500 meters followed by a descent of 3000 meters. Travelers have the option to add leisure days before or after their treks. Options include swimming at Majichemka Hot Springs, touring underground caves in Chaga, visiting Ndoro Kilasia waterfalls and joining the harvest at a local coffee farm. The safari adventures are conducted in 4x4 vehicles with knowledgeable guides who are experts on local wildlife. Travelers will have the chance to tour the Serengeti home to more than 25,000 mammals and 550 bird species. Guests can also marvel at the world's largest inactive volcanic caldera at Ngorongoro Crater and witness the Great Wildebeest Migration during certain times of the year. Prospective travelers can learn more about the various itineraries and book an excursion online at www.roamwildadventure.com. ### Republican leaders across the Southern Tier are lining up behind Steuben County Republican Chairman Joe Sempolinski for a special election to succeed former Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, who resigned on May 10. Sempolinski, the former district director for Reed in the current 23rd Congressional District, said Monday he expects the district's 11 Republican chairs to back his effort against Max Della Pia, a retired Air Force officer whom Democrats have unofficially named to compete in the special election. New congressional maps encourage GOP, while local questions remain Now, say some experts and lots of Republicans, the maps offer a fairer chance to compete for several seats that could help determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year. Sempolinski indicates, however, he will hold the office only for the remainder of Reed's term and will not challenge Rep. Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park, who has declared his candidacy in the new 23rd District approved last week by a state judge. "I am very interested in running for the special election and have been in contact with party leaders and so far, the response has been extremely positive," Sempolinski said Monday, adding he will not circulate designating petitions for the term beginning Jan. 1 and will not compete in an Aug. 23 primary election. Noting his lifelong residency in the district and familiarity with its issues as a top Reed staffer, Sempolinski said he expects to immediately pick up where Reed left off. New State Senate lines nix possible major primary battles in Western New York A State Supreme Court justice early Saturday morning approved final maps tweaked by a "special master" over the past few days, and it now seems certain that most local Senate incumbents avoid serious challenges, and that new districts will better represent similar communities as much as possible. "This would be an honor to serve four months or four minutes," he said, "especially to be able to be the voice for my friends and neighbors. I'm probably the best person to be able to step in and make the best possible use of the four months." After State Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. McAllister last week stamped final approval on new district lines following months of partisan litigation, Jacobs abandoned his candidacy in a more northern district stretching from Niagara to Jefferson counties. In what amounted to a trade, Jacobs will now compete in essentially the old Reed district, which had previously been sought by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-Oneida County. She now seeks the new 24th District, for which Jacobs had been campaigning. Once Jacobs entered the fray for the Southern Tier district that contains his Orchard Park home, party leaders agreed to the Sempolinski candidacy for the special and Jacobs for any primary that could develop. The Jacobs announcement also ended any potential candidacies contemplated by former State Sen. Cathy Young of Olean and State Sen. George M. Borrello of Sunset Bay. "Chris lives in the district and was going to run one way or another," said Cattaraugus County Chairman Robert Keis. "He has name recognition and comes from Erie County, which has 42% of the vote. It makes sense for Chris to run in the district where he lives." He noted the Sempolinski agreement allows Jacobs to compete in the primary and general elections without resigning his current post and creating yet another congressional vacancy. Jacobs to run in Southern Tier, Tenney in Niagara County under new congressional map New York State's new congressional district lines are finally final and in WNY, they're radically different than those first proposed by a court-appointed special master only five days earlier. Other Republicans have hinted at competing in the Aug. 23 primary, including Marc Cenedella, a Manhattan businessman and Fredonia native who announced his candidacy on Thursday. Since the new lines were unveiled early Saturday morning and Jacobs declared his candidacy, however, Cenedella's staff has not returned phone calls. Steuben County Democratic Chairman Shawn D. Hogan said Monday that party leaders remain united behind Della Pia for the special and general elections. While Keis noted that Della Pia had been mocking Tenney as a Southern Tier "carpetbagger" until she opted for the more northern turf, the Democratic candidate lives in Tioga County, outside the new Southern Tier district. "He won't be in our district but he knows the district better than any Republican, i.e. Chris Jacobs," Hogan responded. Question marks still surround the date of a special election, though leaders of both parties in the Southern Tier now expect it will occur in conjunction with the already scheduled Aug. 23 primary. That speculation intensified Monday when Gov. Kathy Hochul slated a Wednesday swearing-in ceremony for Antonio Delgado, the Hudson Valley congressman whom she designated as the state's new lieutenant governor. He is expected to resign on Wednesday and start a special election timetable for his district on Aug. 23. Hogan said he now expects the same date in the Southern Tier district, and a New York Department of State spokeswoman said Monday its office has not yet received Reed's resignation letter, as required by the Public Officers law. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Trinidad and Tobago's Jason Costelloe says he's not going to his first ever Commonwealth Games just to become another participant. Even though Costelloe knows the competition is going to be tough out there, his aim is to give 100 percent for his country. He met with TV6 while training at the CIC Pool in St. Clair. Kurt Deketelaere, Bernhard Eitel, Linda Doyle and Yves Fluckiger. Image of the rectors in Leiden. 24/05/2022 Institucional Last week, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) held a ceremony to commemorate its twenty years of existence. The chosen city to do so was Leiden, in the Netherlands, the place where the network was born in 2002. The University of Barcelona has been a member of LERU since 2010. The field of higher education has many challenges, some of which were tackled during the two days of the twentieth anniversary conference. The opening counted on the presence of Maria Leptin, president of the European Research Council; Christian Ehler, member of the European Parliament, and Pavel Dolecek, former deputy minister for Higher Education, Science and Research of the Czech Republic, among other speakers. Mariya Gabriel, commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture and Education at the European Commission, took part in the meeting as well. One of the topics that were debated was the need for ensuring the universities freedom and autonomy, an essential aspect in a moment when civil rights are at stake. The war in Ukraine has shaken the European board, at the university and research level too. The attendants insisted on the importance of finding the balance between the need for public funding and the obligations it entails without limiting the freedom of the university. The post-pandemic scenario was another main focus of attention. Specifically, they talked about how the universities accelerated their transformation processes since COVID-19, and about the importance of basic research as a first step to fight against diseases like COVID-19 and the need to strengthen open science in order to share results quickly. Another topic was the transformation of research evaluation and the academic career in general. They proposed to expand the concept of excellence beyond the publication and research activity, adding the recognition of teaching quality, social impact and dissemination and leadership. Finally, a document called Principles of Leiden, which identifies the role of the universities after he pandemic, was signed. The signatories were the international networks present in the meeting: LERU, U15-Group of Canadian Universities, the German U15, RU11 Japan and the Russell Group from UK. The University of Barcelona is fully committed to the university autonomy and the need for more public resources. It also made a firm commitment to the open dissemination of research results aiming to speeding up the publication of results. At the same time, it started a process of transformation of the teaching model that goes beyond technological tools. New LERU chair Leiden University held a new edition of the LERU Rectors Assembly, in which Yves Fluckiger, rector of the University of Geneva, was elected new chair of the network. The vice-rector for Research of the University of Barcelona, Jordi Garcia, was recently appointed member of the LERU Research Policy Group. The Government of New Zealand will deploy up to 30 instructors to Britain to train Ukrainian forces in the use of L119 105mm howitzers. We have been clear throughout Russias assault on Ukraine, that such a blatant attack on innocent lives and the sovereignty of another country is wrongOur response has not only included the condemnation of Russia, but practical support for Ukraine, said Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, The Defense Post reports. Her cabinet agreed to deploy up to 30 members of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to Britain to train Ukrainian forces in the use of L119 105mm howitzers. The deployment will run until the end of July and about 230 Ukrainian service members would be trained. New Zealand previously deployed a C130 Hercules aircraft and NZDF personnel to Europe to provide intelligence, transportation and logistics support to Ukraine. ol The Czech Republic is one of the five largest military aid donors to Ukraine. The government has allocated more than $100 million in assistance to Ukraine, and more than $50 million has been transferred to the embassy's charity account in almost three months. "The first [element of assistance] is what the Czech government donates to Ukraine, such assistance already exceeds 100 million dollars, I would even say its about 130 million dollars. The second is that Ukraine buys directly from Czech producers. And the third is what our embassy implements jointly with the Ministry of Defense," Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebyinis said in an interview with RFE/RL, Ukrinform reports. According to him, the account opened by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Czech Republic for charitable contributions has received more than $50 million in almost three months. The embassy buys weapons and military equipment for this money and, with the help of the Czech Defense Ministry, sends them to the places where this equipment is needed most. "The Czech Republic really helps us greatly. I can confirm that Ukraine and the Czech Republic negotiate a project to repair Ukrainian equipment at their enterprises, but I will not disclose what exactly the Czech Republic sends us," said the Ambassador. The Czech Republic is one of five largest military aid donors to Ukraine, and more than 300,000 Ukrainians have found temporary refuge in the country. As reported, the Czech Republic provided CZK 3 billion (almost $128 million) in military assistance to Ukraine. ol The aggressor redeployed the division of Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) systems to Brest region in Belarus at a distance of up to 50km of the state border of Ukraine. This is stated in the latest report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06:00 on May 24, 2022, published on Facebook. It is noted that the threat of missile and air strikes on Ukrainian objects launched from the territory of the Republic of Belarus is growing. The enemy does not stop conducting offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone. The enemy intensively fires along the entire line of contact and into the depths of the defense of Ukrainian troops in Donetsk, Slobozhansky, and Southern Buh operational areas. The greatest intensity of hostilities is observed in Donetsk operational area, namely near Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. In Volyn and Polissya directions, certain units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus continue to guard the section of the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in Brest and Gomel regions. In Siversky direction, the enemy continues to take measures to strengthen the protection of the Ukrainian-Russian border in Bryansk and Kursk regions and to prevent the redeployment of Ukrainian troops to other directions. The enemy launched an airstrike on the Ukrainian positions in the area of Bilopillia, Sumy region. In Kharkiv direction, the enemy group focuses its efforts on holding positions. In particular, the enemy carries out assault operations to gain a foothold on the western and northern outskirts of the village of Ternova. In Slovyansk direction, the enemy units get ready to resume the offensive. The aggressor, to support the offensive, deployed additional units of artillery in the southern part of the town of Izium. In Donetsk direction, the enemy focuses on conducting an offensive operation to encircle Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk with subsequent access to the administrative border of Luhansk region. In Lyman direction, the enemy may cross the Siversky Donets River on Dronivka-Bilohorivka section. The invaders deployed units of rocket and tube artillery for fire cover. In Sievierodonetsk direction, the enemy, with the support of artillery, assaults the directions of Toshkivka and Ustynivka. In Bakhmut direction, the enemy improved its tactical position in the area of Vasylivka. In Avdiivka, Kurakhove, and Novopavlivsk directions, the enemy fired on Ukrainian units with the use of artillery and aircraft. In Zaporizhzhia direction, the occupiers regroup and strengthen groups of troops to resume offensive operations towards Vasylivka Kamyanske. In the Southern Buh direction, the enemy continues to focus its efforts on holding the occupied frontiers. In Kryvyi Rih and Mykolayiv directions, the enemy continues artillery shelling of Ukrainian positions. The situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov operational zones has not changed significantly. The enemy continues to pursue terror tactics against the Ukrainian civilian population in the occupied territories. The socio-economic situation in southern and eastern Ukraine deteriorates. Over the past 24 hours, 16 enemy attacks were repulsed in the Donetsk and Luhansk directions. Eight enemy tanks, 22 armored personnel vehicles, one vehicle were destroyed. The aviation units of the Air Force and the air defense units of the Land Forces downed six enemy UAVs, a cruise missile, and destroyed 30 armored personnel vehicles. ol In the last two months, there has been an acute problem in the temporarily occupied Crimea with the provision of timely medical services. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova made the relevant report on Telegram, Ukrinform saw. Denisova noted that some medical facilities, especially in the north of the peninsula, have been turned into military hospitals for wounded and injured Russian servicemen. A similar situation is observed in the city of Sevastopol. According to the ombudswoman, there are reports that the civilian population cannot receive basic medical services in time. Read also: Russian soldiers shoot Zaporizhia NPP staffer after raiding his home "In addition, the occupiers deploys medical personnel from the peninsula to the temporarily occupied territory of mainland Ukraine. It was reported that a group of 30 healthcare staff, including orthopedists, traumatologists, neurosurgeons, and anesthesiologists, were sent to the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions by the ruscists, Denisova said. Moreover, some medics were moved to the village of Manhush to provide assistance on the front line. Denisova stressed that the aggressor's actions violate provisions of Articles 20, 50, 51, 56 of the IV Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, according to which persons under protection may not be forced to perform any work that would mean their participation in military operations, and the occupying power cannot in any way prevent the population from receiving medical care. The Council of the EU has decided to increase military aid to Ukraine by another EUR 500 million, thus bringing the total amount allocated for Ukraine's defense needs under the European Peace Facility up to EUR 2 billion. This is stated in the press release published on the Councils website. The history of tomorrow is being written today, on the battlefields of Ukraine. With these 500 million, the EU has allocated a total 2 of billion to support EU member states supplies of military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This support is just one part of European efforts to help Ukraine defend itself. The EU and its member states are determined to continue. We have done it since the beginning of the war and we will continue until the end, said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The assistance measures consist of 490 million for military equipment designed to deliver lethal force for defensive purposes, as well as 10 million intended to cover the provision of equipment and supplies, such as personal protective equipment, first aid kits, and fuel. Previous assistance measures were agreed on 28 February, 23 March and 13 April 2022. On February 24, the Russian Federation launched a new phase of the war against Ukraine a full-scale invasion. The invaders shell and bomb the Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages, torturing and killing civilians. The United States, the European Union, and other countries have imposed and continue to impose sanctions on Russia. ol Multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) can help Ukraine repel the Russian offensive, thwart their occupation plans, end torture and prevent a food crisis. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this on Twitter, Ukrinform reports. "Four letters can help Ukraine repel Russian offensive in the Donbas, foil Russian plans to annex Kherson, stop Russian torture, rape, and other horrific human rights abuses in the occupied territories, unblock exports and avert global food crisis. These four letters are MLRS," Kuleba said. President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 8 said he expected the world to decide on the transfer of American multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal thanked his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki for the statement on the possible contribution of foreign states to the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Grateful to Mateusz Morawiecki for supporting the idea of funding Ukraines recovery by foreign states & companies. It would be fair for states to transfer the seized russian assets and for companies to share a part of extra profits earned unwittingly due to conjuncture of world markets, Shmyhal posted on Twitter. On May 22, at the Polish nationwide Youth Dialogue Congress, Morawiecki said that Norway should share the extra profits, which it began to receive from the sale of its energy resources amid sanctions against Russia, with Ukraine. ol Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on international partners to speed up weapons and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, as Russias ruthless offensive continues. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Too early to conclude that Ukraine already has all the arms it needs. Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS, long-range artillery, APCs, Kuleba wrote. A reminder that, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian troops continue offensive operations in the Eastern operational zone. The enemy is extensively launching strikes all over the contact line and deep into the defense lines of Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk, Slobozhanskyi and Southern Bug operational districts. Most active hostilities are recorded in the Donetsk operational district, near Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk. mk Ukrainians deserve to obtain the status of the candidate for the EU membership in June. President of Poland Andrzej Duda made a corresponding statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. From a psychological point of view, the EU should show the Ukrainian society that it is open and supports Ukrainians, he noted. As Duda stressed, today's struggle of Ukrainians to defend their country is also a struggle for the right to determine their destiny and be part of the West. "Therefore, the West must open up to Ukrainians and say: yes, we accept you. This is a very important element. Therefore, we will, without a doubt, very actively support Ukraine's aspirations for obtaining a candidate status and for Ukraine to eventually become a member of the EU, the President of the Republic of Poland emphasized. Ukraine hopes to gain a candidate status at the summit of EU leaders scheduled for June 23-24. ol Ukraine will resume talks with Russia, when Russian troops get withdrawn to the positions held before February 24, 2022. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Japans publication NHK, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. For each Ukrainian, victory is to bring territories back. We believe Crimea and Donbas are our territories. Today we are bringing our territories back through military means. We are doing absolutely right. We are fighting for ourselves. I would like us to reach at least the borders of February 24, and then we offer to sit down at the negotiating table once again and agree on peace, the end of the war and the return of our territories, Zelensky noted. A reminder that Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak stated earlier that Ukraine had suspended peace talks with the Russian Federation. In his words, the parties may resume negotiations, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky provides a road map and Russia begins to take the world adequately. mk Some 82% of Ukrainian citizens see any territorial concessions to Russia as unacceptable. According to Ukrinform, this is evidenced by the national public opinion poll "Omnibus," run on May 13-18 by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. According to KIIS, an editorial was recently published in the New York Times, which suggested the need for some territorial concessions on the part of Ukraine for the sake of achieving peace in the ongoing war with Russia. A few months before the full-scale invasion, the Institute had been in contact with Western media, noting an often deep misunderstanding of the realities of Ukraine and Ukrainians, despite a number of reliable opinion polls (which led to assumptions that Kyiv will fall in three days and other similar opinions voiced by Western "experts"). Sociologists noted that they had raised before the respondents a question of their readiness for territorial concessions to achieve peace. As it turned out, for 82% of respondents, no territorial concessions are acceptable even if the war lasts longer and threatens Ukraine's independence. Only 10% of respondents believe that some territories can be abandoned in order to achieve peace and preserve independence, while 8% of those interviewed found it difficult to answer. At the same time, in all regions of Ukraine, the majority of the population opposes any territorial concessions. Even in the east, which is currently experiencing intense hostilities, 68% of respondents stand against concessions (only 19% are ready for them), and 83% in the south are against concessions, too (only 9% are ready to make them). According to sociologists, among respondents currently living in the occupied territories, 77% are against any territorial concessions (18% are for them). At the same time, among those who fled the occupied territories after February 24, some 82% of respondents oppose any concessions (only 5% support them). The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of cell phone numbers. facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published May 24, 2022 English students at the University of Louisiana Monroe collaboratively wrote a grant proposal for the Friends of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The students were in the spring 2022 Grant Writing course taught by Patrick Morgan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English in the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences. Participating students included Melissa Jackson, Jacob Lewis, Cade Robinson, Gregg Sandahl, Reagan Smith, and Adarian Turner. These writing students should be commended for their creativity in using their words to help the community, said Morgan. The students started by carefully listening to the needs of the Refuge. The Friends of Black Bayou wants to build a pier add-on that connects to the current pier. This add-on would allow large groups, especially local classes of children, to have an area to gather during field trips. The current pier is primarily a walkway and does not have a platform to accommodate classes of children without impeding the flow of traffic, including the over 130,000 people who visit the Refuge each year. ULMs Dr. Patrick Morgan and his students were appreciative of my favorite place, Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and showed their appreciation by their dedication to learning about its history, its conservation and educational mission, and its hopes for future accomplishments, said Ann Bloxom Smith, past President of Friends of Black Bayou and current Nature Shop Director. The students were remarkably diligent in their research and writing. Their grant proposals will serve Friends of Black Bayou well. Students learned how to write compelling narratives connecting the needs of a grant seeker with the values of a grantmaker. This was really good practice writing in a more professional tone, said Robinson. Ive learned how to write persuasively for grant money. My favorite part of this project was how the students used the writing skills they were building to connect with their community, said Morgan. This was highly collaborative, as they helped each other improve as writers, interacted with the Friends of Black Bayou, and sought advice from experts, from ULMs School of Construction Management to local architecture firms. Grant writing is about problem-solving, and now these students can take the skills theyve honed to continue helping our community. For further information, please contact Patrick Morgan at pmorgan@ulm.edu. April 26 2019 The University of Glasgow has showcased its vision for a nanotechnology and precision medicine campus in Govan with the hope that work can begin within two years subject to funding. Designs drawn up by Gleeds for the 118.5m vision would see an area of derelict land close to the Clyde Tunnel to feed into a growing innovation quarter around the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Conceived as a meeting point for industry and academia the cutting-edge facility would seek to establish the city on the forefront of innovation in both sectors. Principal prof Sir Anton Muscatelli commented: I have no doubt that the innovation agenda and industries like quantum technology, nanofabrication and precision medicine can be to the 21st century Glasgow economy, what shipbuilding was in the past. The move would mark a break from current facilities housed at the universitys Gilmorehill campus in the west end, which is itself undergoing a multi-billion pound regeneration. Plans to better connect both districts are already in train with proposals for a new footbridge connecting Govan to Partick. British Minister for the Armed Forces, James Stephen Heappey MP, alongwith delegation called on Secretary Defence, Lieutenant General (R) Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain and appreciated Pakistan' efforts for peace and said Pakistan has played a key role in the war against terrorism RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2022 ) :British Minister for the Armed Forces, James Stephen Heappey MP, alongwith delegation called on Secretary Defence, Lieutenant General (R) Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain and appreciated Pakistan' efforts for peace and said Pakistan has played a key role in the war against terrorism. The British Minister visited the Ministry of Defence alongwith a delegation here, said a news release. Secretary Defence Lieutenant General (R) Hilal Hussain said the UK has a unique position and has a pivotal role to play within the EU region. Therefore, Pakistan highly valued it's bilateral relationship with the UK, he added. "The common and a shared objective for maintaining global peace and security cement their bilateral relationship" he added. Pak-UK relations have a long history of multi-dimensional cooperation ranging from commerce and trade to peace and security. Pakistan is not only committed to maintaining global peace and security but has also played a phenomenal active role over the last two decades in this regard". Secretary Defence said that economic development was vital for survival of a nation. Therefore, Pakistan desired to improve it's trade linkages with the world, he added. "Pakistan' economic endeavors are very peaceful and projects like CPEC do not have any military connotations. Rather the Project will contribute towards peace, stability and economic connectivity in the region."During the meeting both sides not only discussed matters related to bilateral defence collaborations but also agreed to work closely in all domains of mutual interest. Additionally, they agreed to enhance interaction at all levels. SEED Innovations Ltd (AIM:SEED, OTC:FFRIF) said its portfolio company Fralis LLC, trading as Leap Gaming, has been granted a content supply license by the UK Gaming Commission (UKGC). SEED, the AIM quoted investor with a focus on medical cannabis, health and wellbeing, has roughly 4.7mln invested in Leap, representing 43.75% of the Israeli company. Leap Gaming, a business-to-business developer of 3D gaming applications, now has access to the UK, as well as Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, South Africa and Greece, SEED said in a statement. Acording to the Gambling Commission, the regulated gambling industry in Great Britain generated a gross gambling yield of 14.1bn between April 2019 and March 2020. Ed McDermott, chief executive of SEED, commented: "We are extremely pleased to see the UK licence finally awarded to one of our long-term investments, Leap. "We feel this key milestone was critical before any liquidity event for Leap's shareholders. (@FahadShabbir) Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto Tuesday discussed the state of bilateral relations as well as regional and global matters of mutual interest ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2022 ) :Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto Tuesday discussed the state of bilateral relations as well as regional and global matters of mutual interest. The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar was also present during the meeting. Underscoring that Pakistan valued Finland as an important bilateral partner as well as a key member of the European Union, the foreign minister expressed Pakistan's resolve to further solidify its political and economic relations with Finland. He particularly stressed on the need to enhance commercial ties and investment cooperation. Bilawal further hoped that the Finnish embassy would be reopened in Islamabad which would facilitate trade relations as well as promotion of people-to-people contacts. Both the foreign ministers agreed to remain in touch and to work together for promoting Pakistan-Finland relations. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood Tuesday emphasized the need for a common regional approach towards Afghanistan in order to advance shared objectives ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2022 ) :Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood Tuesday emphasized the need for a common regional approach towards Afghanistan in order to advance shared objectives. The foreign ministry, in a meeting with Germany's Special Representative for Afghanistan Dr. Jasper Wieck here, hoped that the international community would assist the Afghan people in averting the humanitarian crisis. During the meeting, they exchanged views on bilateral relations and the situation in Afghanistan. Welcoming Dr. Wieck to Pakistan, the foreign secretary recalled the positive outcomes of their last meeting in March this year. He said Pakistan deeply valued its long-standing relations with Germany, both bilaterally and in the context of the European Union. He added that Pakistan was committed to comprehensively expanding bilateral cooperation across all areas, especially trade, investment, security, and people-to-people exchanges. The foreign secretary also stressed the importance of regular high-level exchanges and highlighted the various events organized to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He highlighted the key elements of Pakistan's principled position on the conflict in Ukraine and reiterated its support for a peaceful and diplomatic solution as soon as possible. The foreign secretary also briefed the Special Representative on the serious situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He underscored the importance of peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for durable peace and stability in South Asia. The special representative underlined the importance Germany attached to its relations with Pakistan and its desire to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse fields. Thanking Pakistan for its facilitation in evacuating Afghans, foreign diplomats, and international aid workers from Afghanistan, Special Representative Wieck reaffirmed Germany's commitment to work together for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden will issue on Wednesday an executive order on police reform to mark the second anniversary of George Floyd's death at the hands of law enforcement, the New York Times said on Tuesday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2022) US President Joe Biden will issue on Wednesday an executive order on police reform to mark the second anniversary of George Floyd's death at the hands of law enforcement, the New York Times said on Tuesday. Biden's order will direct Federal agencies to take steps toward reform, including revising use-of-force policies, encouraging state and local restrictions on no-knock warrants and limiting the transfer of most military equipment to law enforcement, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. The White House and Justice Department have been collaborating on the executive order ever since congressional efforts to reform policing failed last year, the report added. The announcement will come on the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis Police Department officers. Floyd's murder triggered protests for racial justice and against police brutality across the US and many countries around the world, but in the United States they also turned into riots complete with property destruction and loss of life. The decision of the United States to designate Colombia as a "major non-NATO ally" testifies to a good momentum in bilateral relations, Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Tuesday BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2022) The decision of the United States to designate Colombia as a "major non-NATO ally" testifies to a good momentum in bilateral relations, Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Tuesday. On Monday, US President Joe Biden signed a memorandum designating Colombia as a major non-NATO ally to the US, a status held by about 20 other countries. This gives Colombia special access to US military and economic programs, but it does not provide security guarantees like those enjoyed by NATO members. "We celebrate the memorandum sent by (Biden) to the Secretary of State of our country, with which the designation of Colombia as a major non-NATO ally is made official. This is a decision that reaffirms the good momentum in our bilateral relations," Duque said on Twitter. Qatar was the last country before Colombia to be granted the status of a major non-NATO US ally in March. Colombia was the first Latin American country to become a NATO partner, in 2017. In February, Colombia signed a new agreement with NATO to enhance maritime cooperation. Japan scrambled its fighter jets and sent official protests to both Russia and China over their joint military aircraft flight over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea on Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2022) Japan scrambled its fighter jets and sent official protests to both Russia and China over their joint military aircraft flight over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea on Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. "On Tuesday, starting from the first half of the day until the second half, we confirmed the overflights of Russian and Chinese military aircraft over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. In this regard, fighters of the country's air self-defense forces were scrambled," Kishi said at a press conference. Six Russian and Chinese aircraft participated in the overflights. This was the first joint flight of the Chinese and Russian armed forces since November last year. "This is a demonstrative act against Japan. And the provocation of these actions is as high as ever before," Kishi said, adding that the Japanese government has "sent protests to Russia and China through diplomatic channels." Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian Aerospace Forces and the Air Force of China conducted joint air patrols in the Asia-Pacific region as part of the implementation of the provisions of the military cooperation plan for 2022 adding that the event is not directed against third countries. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lost his legal appeal against a nine-year prison sentence that he and his allies condemn as politically motivated Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2022 ) :Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lost his legal appeal against a nine-year prison sentence that he and his allies condemn as politically motivated. His sentencing came as Moscow pushes on with its military offensive in neighbouring Ukraine and Russian authorities seek to silence remaining government critics. A Moscow court ruled to "leave the sentence without changes" and for it to enter into force immediately, meaning that the leader of Russia's embattled opposition will be transferred to a strict-regime penal colony with harsh conditions, including few family visits. President Vladimir Putin's top foe appeared at the hearing at Moscow City Court via video-link from behind bars at his prison colony outside Moscow, wearing a black prisoner uniform and a fur-collared winter jacket. He dismissed his trial as "meaningless", saying: "I despise your court, your system.""It's you, your system and Putin who are traitors against the Russian people", said Navalny, 45. "I am ready to sit in jail to prove that not everyone in Russia is like this". CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2022) Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon is suspected of passive corruption, illicit enrichment, as well as treason, Marianna Kerpek, a spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General's Office, told Sputnik. The official said earlier in the day that the anti-corruption prosecutor's office of Moldova and employees of the Information and Security Service are conducting searches in the house of the ex-leader, who is suspected of possibly taking a bribe from businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc. "The searches are part of a case opened on the basis of a reasonable suspicion of committing crimes under Article 324 (passive corruption), Article 181 ... (financing of a political party by a criminal organization), Article 337 (treason) and Article 330 ... (illicit enrichment) of the criminal code of Moldova," Kerpek said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2022) North Korea has fired one more unidentified ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Earlier on Wednesday, the agency, citing the South Korean military, reported the launch of a ballistic missile. Laurence Klotz joins Phillip Koo at the 13th International Uro-Oncology Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil in a discussion on Active Surveillance (AS), High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and focal therapy in Latin America and developing countries. There are challenges with active surveillance in developing countries that might not have formal prostate cancer screening programs, a lack of resources, and certain cultural challenges with regard to implementation. Drs. Koo and Klotz discuss these barriers, the perception of what the word cancer means and implies for people, and the concept of over-diagnosis in different countries. In closing, they shift to discuss the opportunities Brazil and other Latin American countries have in terms of HIFU, focal therapy, and MRI tools and resources.Laurence Klotz, MD, FRCSC, Professor, University of Toronto Chief, Division of Urology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center Phillip J. Koo, MD, FACS Division Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Arizona. Phillip J. Koo: Hi. I'm Phillip Koo, and welcome to UroToday's exclusive coverage of the 13th International Uro-Oncology Congress here in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We have with us today Dr. Laurence Klotz, who's professor of urology and Sunnybrook Chair of Prostate Cancer Research at the University of Toronto. Welcome. Laurence Klotz: Thanks very much. Phillip J. Koo: So, Laurie, you've been to Brazil several times. Laurence Klotz: I have indeed. Phillip J. Koo: Before we start getting into some of the science, give me Laurence's best of Brazil. Laurence Klotz: Well, that's easy. It's a huge country. It's a multifaceted country. And I've had the opportunity through a lot of my trips here to travel really quite a lot through the country. I would have to say my favorite location in Brazil is the island Fernando de Noronha, which is a little island about 250 miles east of the northeastern coast of Brazil. It's the eastern most point of the Western hemisphere. And it's like Treasure Island, this unspoiled island. And we went there, a group of us, including some Brazilian colleagues, after meeting a few years ago and just three days of paradise. And then the other place that really is so special is the Amazon and up around Manous. We had a trip with Fernando de Maluf and my wife up the Amazon. We stayed in a hotel floating on barrels, floating on an estuary off the Amazon. And it's like a trip back in time. There's still tribes there living in a very unspoiled traditional way. And just to see that was remarkable. Swim with the dolphins, see just a part of the world that is so foreign compared to the usual. And many other really remarkable places in this country. So, I love visiting here. It's a very special place to come to. Phillip J. Koo: Great. So, if you're planning a trip to Brazil, give him a call or an email and he'll have some tips. All right. So, we're going to start off obviously talking about active surveillance. A hot topic. Clearly there are challenges with active surveillance in developing countries that might not have a formal prostate cancer screening program, that might not have the resources, that might have certain cultural challenges with regards to implementation. What advice do you have for those people who are thinking about this? Laurence Klotz: Yeah. So, many facets to that question. So, my sense going around the world talking about this is what you say is really true, that there are cultural differences, probably related to education and also to the perception of what the word cancer means and implies for people. And I know in my world when this whole thing started, say roughly 20, 25 years ago, to tell a patient he had cancer but he didn't need any treatment, it was a real conundrum for the patient. Like, "What is this guy talking about? This is cancer. I have to do something." And there's been an evolution in, I would say, the developed world, I'm talking about mainly the United States, Canada, Western Europe, where there's a much broader understanding amongst non-medical people that there is such a thing as indolent cancer, the concept of over-diagnosis. People now, they've heard about that. They've read about it. So, now when you tell a patient in my practice, "Yes, you've been diagnosed with this cancer, but it's really not anything you need to have treated or worry about," that has a much more receptive response than it used to. And my sense is in many countries in the world the population is still back where it was 25 years ago in North America, which is that this is still news that there's such a thing as an indolent cancer that doesn't need to be treated. So, part of it is a broad education and part of it is the challenge, which is not that difficult, in my opinion, of communicating to a patient the significance of what they have. And I use words like pseudo-cancer, part of the aging process, zero risk of metastasizing. You say three phrases like that to the patient, you can see them visibly relax. And they turn to their wife and they say, "What have we been so worried about?" So, I think how you communicate, using the right phrases, educating the patient is really critical. The second point, I think, is that the practitioners actually have to believe in this concept. And initially there was some pushback in North America and Europe. Obviously, not treating patients, if you're a guy who earns his living operating or radiating prostate cancer, this potentially is threatening. But that has changed completely, I would say. Almost completely. There's no pushback on the concept anymore. But I think one of the issues here is that once a patient's been diagnosed with cancer, they are really putty in the hands of the physician. And all the physician has to say is, "Well, yes, there is this conservative management, but you never know. And there is some risk." And bingo, the patient ends up with a probably unnecessary treatment. So, I think it behooves practitioners to at least satisfy themselves that this concept is robust. It's a good thing to offer patients. In fact, modeling has shown that from a pure business of medicine perspective, following a patient for many years doing periodic biopsies probably generates as much income as doing a radical prostatectomy on the patient. So, I think from a pure volume of practice perspective, there should be no resistance to it at all. And of course, what should drive medical practice is the patient and the patient's health and welfare. And I'll just make one other point about this. Early on people said to me, "You're never going to change this. You're never going to get American urologists to stop operating." And I came to the conclusion that I would say almost 100% of our colleagues, I think around the world, they want to make a living, but they want make a living doing the right thing. And there's very, very few practitioners who really want to make a living doing the wrong thing. It's where you have a gray zone, where you have options that provider preference and economic incentives and financial drivers really come into it. So, the way I framed this whole thing in my mind was, shrink the gray zone. And I think that's happened. So, all the groups that develop guidelines now say, for grade group 1 prostate cancer, active surveillance. And therefore it's become more difficult, as it should be, for practitioners to, in their own mind, say, "Well, I just don't believe in that and we're going to treat this patient radically." So, there's got to be change in terms of patient education and in terms of practitioner perspective. Phillip J. Koo: That's great. Clearly the data's there. The guidelines now are reflecting this important change. And perhaps in these developing countries, it's just we got to keep fighting the good fight and people like you who really pioneer this will be able to impact this community, I guess, over time. So, shifting gears a little to HIFU now. So, similar perspective here. A new technology, a new way to treat prostate cancer. Still some controversy over that, especially in certain countries that aren't as comfortable with this or have done this as long. It seems like it's gaining some foothold here in Brazil. What recommendations regarding challenges and opportunities do you have for Brazil and other Latin American countries? Laurence Klotz: Yeah. So, my experience is, first of all, when you start doing this and you see these patients who are treated with some kind of focal therapy and they're cured, and they have essentially no quality of life effects, and it's very hard to see these patients and not say, "Wow, this really has value." The challenge, of course, is to pick the right patient, to pick up the failures early so they're still amenable to salvage therapy, to not over-treat patients who don't need treatment, not under-treat patients who have more advanced disease than really is amenable to focal therapy. So, there's a lot of issues around focal therapy and that may be why there's been a lot of pushback. My sense is where this is ramping up, a lot of it is patient-driven. Someone tells them they need a radical prostatectomy, and they hear about a guy who had HIFU or some other form of focal therapy and was cured and had no side effects. I also think, at least in North America, my sense is radical prostatectomy has been done on so many people. Everyone knows someone who's had this operation now, and they know about the risks of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. And I believe there's a lot of apprehension out there, it may not be stated, but a lot of apprehension when you tell someone they have to have a radical prostatectomy. This is falling in a way on ground, they already have some preconceptions about this. So, you give them an alternative, boy, they grab it. And I think to start out the thing is to pick patients who really are ideal patients, which is the patient with a grade group 2 cancer and a single lesion seen on MRI and systematic biopsies don't show any other disease. And the data is pretty solid in those patients. They have roughly 85% chance of getting the treatment and not requiring anything further. And I think over time as one gets more experience, you can start to expand the indications. And then the other question. I mean, you mentioned HIFU. There's at least five or six competing technologies. I don't know which one is going to be the winner. There may not be one single winner because what happens in an area like this is you get people develop a lot of expertise and comfort with one technology. And even if you had, let's say, you had a phase three randomized study comparing cryo to HIFU that showed some small benefit with one over the other, the guy who's spent his career doing cryo and is really an expert at that and gets good results is not going to stop doing it. And vice versa. So, I think this is a major area for studies over the next 20 years or so to try and sort out which technology is best for which patient. And ultimately there may be a few of them that coexist and you just have advocates for one or the other. There's also these new technologies, these MR thermometry-based technologies like TULSA, which I've been involved with, the insight technology that I think may represent the next generation involving greater precision. Ultimately it'll come down to, I think, which technology offers the greatest precision on one hand and also, which is the most efficient, least costly, easiest to offer in terms of the infrastructure that's required. So, there's a lot of factors that are going to come into which one is the preferred one. And I'm not even sure it matters that much because for most of the patients you're treating beyond the actual lesion. So, does it matter whether one offers precision of a millimeter or two versus three or four millimeters? I don't know. Time will tell. Phillip J. Koo: Time will tell. Laurence Klotz: But I think this is really an emerging area. There's this new Focal Therapy Society based in the United States, but it's intended to be a global society. Studies are ramping up. It's a very exciting area to be in. And I would really encourage, particularly young practitioners, to get involved in this because there is so much work to do to establish some basic principles. We're really at the beginning of this. Phillip J. Koo: One thing I've learned in this trip is I think Brazil is actually positioned really well to be a leader in focal therapy. They have great prostate MR tools and resources. And it seems like culturally, erectile dysfunction is a bigger concern in the community. So, that might lead patients to seek something like this a little sooner. Laurence Klotz: Yeah. Well, I mean, I would say one incontrovertible fact is if you preserve prostate tissue, you preserve function. And there's really no question. There's a lot of unanswered questions in this area, but the fact that you have better preservation of erectile function and continence with focal therapy, we know that's true. So, yeah, I think where you have a population that's very focused on erectile function, it's very appealing. Phillip J. Koo: That's great. Well, thank you very much. It's always so enlightening. And I think this provides a lot of hope and inspiration for the people of Latin America to really seize these opportunities. So, thank you. Laurence Klotz: Pleasure. In an interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Nigeria, decries the stoning and burning alive of a Christian student as an example of a country suffering a scourge of bad government and insecurity, targeting Christians and Muslims alike. By Deborah Castellano Lubov Cardinal John Onaiyekan has expressed "outrage" for the gruesome murder of a Christian student in Nigeria, and has decried the rampant violence and extremism in the country against Christians, and also against Muslims. In an interview with Vatican News, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja lamented the state of insecurity in the African country, attributing much of the unrest to bad governance and to fanatics, who give a bad name to the rest of nation's pacific Muslim population. In Northwestern Nigeria's Sokoto State, a Christian student, Deborah Yakubu, was stoned to death and set on fire after Muslim students accused her of alleged blasphemy. Subsequently, as protests persisted demanding the release of two suspects in the students murder, a mob attacked the Holy Family Catholic cathedral in the Sokoto state. Aid to the Church in Need decried the student's murder and called the levels of extremism and violence in Nigeria as absolutely appalling. They noted that hardly a week goes by without news of kidnappings and dozens of deaths, but that this barbaric act leaves us speechless. Frequently, Nigerians, including clergy, are abducted and killed. The increase in kidnappings, murders and general violence against civilians, including members of the Catholic clergy in many parts of Nigeria, is a scourge that is yet to be properly addressed by the local authorities, ACN reported. In this interview, Cardinal Onaiyekan reflects on the tragedy, its roots, what can be done, and what is often misunderstood. He also looks ahead to Pope Francis' 2-7 July visit to the African nations of Congo and South Sudan. Nigeria as a whole, horrified - also to think perpetrators were preparing to be school teachers Q: Cardinal Onaiyekan, a Christian college student was accused of blasphemy by Muslim classmates and was subsequently stoned and burned alive. What is your reaction and appeal following this tragedy? My reaction, which is the reaction of, I would say, 90% of Nigerians, is horror and outrage because that action by any stretch [of the imagination] is completely reprehensible. In the first place, the lady is a Christian. So according to what they kept telling us, the Sharia law does not affect Christians. So the Christians should not be judged on the basis of any Sharia law. Secondly, even if she were a Muslim, in Nigeria, the form of Sharia law that they are practicing here has carefully eliminated provisions involving capital punishment. Thirdly, as most of the Muslim leaders have told us, the aim is to inflict the maximum penalty [for the perpetrators]. On the basis of blasphemy, it should never be left to mob action, but to a properly constituted court of law in which a competent judge will determine whether indeed this is a case of blasphemy. Obviously, this has created a lot of anger and an annoyance, and it has made our efforts at religious dialogue with Muslims more difficult than it should be. I don't want us to forget that there is a silver lining in this whole dark cloud, namely the fact that the vast majority of Muslim leaders have condemned the action. We should not see this as something that has been done by Nigerian Muslims against Nigerian Christians. [The fact that] that it is the work of a group of fanatics that are in the College of Education makes it even all the more worrisome because these students are preparing, to be assigned to go and teach children in secondary school primary schools in the villages of many of our states. If these students have this kind of ideas, only God knows what they are going to be teaching the children in class, if they ever end up teaching in the classrooms. Read also 14/05/2022 Religious leaders in Nigeria condemn brutal murder of student Muslims and Christians, together with one voice, condemn the death-by-stoning of Christian student Deborah Yakubu, and appeal to Sokoto State authorities for truth and justice, ... Need good governance and warning against false narratives Q: The recent ongoing news of religious extremism and persecution in Nigeria continues shocking the world. Is the situation as horrific as it seems? And is this violence against Christians taking place exclusively in Northern Nigeria where Christians are the minority, or does it extend beyond? There are Muslims who have their own reasons to hate Christianity. But I still continue to insist they are not in the majority in Nigeria. But whether they are minority or not, they are dangerous elements in our society because we all agree now that Christianity and Islam have come to stay in this country. We live together all across the nation, even in the North, where we are hearing about persecution of Christians. There are many Christians from the South who are living there and who have remained there, not to forget the fact that there are many indigenous of the North who are Christian and have nowhere else to run to. So for me, it is a question of governance, good governance, the rule of law. And where you have a situation in the country where these things are very much at a low rate, then you should not be surprised that this kind of thing is happening. Unfortunately, whenever it happens, it feeds into the narrative of a Nigeria that I do not believe is fair, namely one that says Nigeria is a country where Muslims are persecuting Christians. It's that way of talking that doesn't help us to be able to deal with the issue. It is my own strong conviction that we have seen in the case of Deborah, it is only when Christians and Muslims God agree and join hands to reject terror and terrorists and extremist positions, that we can have a chance of success [referring to the Muslim leaders in Nigeria who likewise condemned the student's murder]. As it is now, those who were considered responsible for the murder, gruesome murder of Deborah, have been either arrested or declared wanted. We are waiting to see how this law will take its course. In other words, the law of Nigeria right now is treating them as murderers. Of course, there are a few Muslims who have come out hailing that these young men have done the right thing, that it is the duty of a Muslim to kill any blasphemer. But those who hold this position are a very small minority. They are very dangerous. Unfortunately, they are the ones whom most people are hearing about. Schoolchildren kidnapped from Islamic seminary in Nigeria reunited with parents Victims are Christian and Muslim Q: How is the overall state of security in Nigeria? How can and should local authorities properly address this, and how can Muslims and Christians work together to address this? The problem on our hands is by the government's inability to enforce the rule of law and its inability to ensure security of the lives and property of every Nigerian. The issues you raised of kidnappings for ransom, killings, robberies, and all kinds of very, terrible situations, are happening now in a way that they were not happening before. The victims are both Christians and Muslims. I dare say that the perpetrators, especially of kidnappings and of these kinds of killings, are people who claim to be Muslims. So the Muslim community in Nigeria has a problem and many of them who are sincere, are clearly embarrassed that people who claim to be Muslims are behaving this way. Often some of the leaders of Islam will tell us that those who behave this way are not good, are not Muslims. But we tell them, sorry, you cannot disown them. They are Muslims. You can call them bad Muslims, but they are Muslims. If you do not accept them as Muslims, they would not do anything to deal with their wrong ideas and thereby help us find a way of changing the narrative in these circles where horrible ideas are constantly being ventilated and put into practice. Some of those ideas are based on influence from outside Nigeria, from certain groups that we all know about, ISIS.. Taliban groups... Now with social media, people follow their ideas and ideologies. But every good country, every serious country, has said we are protecting citizens against these kind of people, even Muslim nations. Pope Francis to visit Congo and South Sudan Q: How is the Popes upcoming July visit to Africa in your opinion significant, and do you think it can help the dire situation of intolerance, extremism and insecurity, even in Nigeria? Well, Pope Francis, coming to Africa is good news for the whole of Africa, even though Pope Francis is going to visit only the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. The fact is that he's coming to this soil of Africa and we join in welcoming him. I imagine Pope Francis has reasons to choose those two areas, especially the fact that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he will not only be at its capital, Kinshasa, but will go to the epicentre of the civil war that has been going on in Congo for the past ten or more years, as far as Goma. Now that means that the Pope wants to put his head into the worst area of bad governance with violence as a result of controlled militants. The same thing we can say about South Sudan, a very sad situation where a nation that that became it, that chose independence not too long ago, has not been able to put its head together to build a beautiful, powerful and prosperous nation. In both cases, we hope that the visit of the Pope will remind the political leaders in both countries that they have a job to do for the sake of their people and that even the Pope is concerned. The East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline would be the worlds longest heated oil pipeline. But the International Energy Agency has already called for no new fossil-fuel projects. Activists, including Vanessa Nakate, recently visited Pope Francis and received his full support ahead of Laudato si Week. By Jonathon Braden The song of Gods creation can be heard regularly deep in the Biharamulo Game Reserve in Tanzania. The roars of lions; the trumpeting of elephants; and the rumblings of buffaloes reverberate throughout the 1,300-square-kilometer reserve. Smaller members of Gods creation roam as well, including aardvarks, sitatungas, and the red colobus monkey, which has only five homes left in the world. Yet the peace and tranquility that have accompanied these members of Gods creation for centuries, as well as countless others throughout Tanzania and Uganda, are newly threatened by an ambitious oil pipeline that could cause unprecedented harm to our common home and has led Pope Francis and the Catholic Church to advocate against it. What is EACOP? The East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is a proposed 1,443-kilometer pipeline that, if completed, would be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world. The pipeline begins in Hoima in Uganda and ends in the port of Tanga in Tanzania. In between, it tears through national parks, forests, reserves, and farmland. Already, the pipeline, which is still under construction, has displaced thousands of farmers and upended their livelihoods. It has the potential to cause similar harm to millions of Ugandans and Tanzanians. The pipeline is being built as scientists are ratcheting up the decibel levels on the climate crisis alarm, and after the International Energy Agency has called for no new fossil-fuel projects if the world is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The EACOP is expected to generate up to 34 million tons of carbon emissions each year. The Catholic Church stands with the people of Uganda and Tanzania in denouncing the EACOP project and asking the two governments to look into investing in projects that are in line with preserving and caring for our common home, the poor, and the economy, said Fr. Joshtrom Kureethadam, coordinator of the Ecology and Creation sector of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. To the multinational institutions still supporting and promoting the use of coal, oil, and gas in emerging countries in Africa and everywhere, its high time that they divested these funds to the renewable sector. Renewable energy has the potential to drive big economies, create sustainable jobs, and bring down the huge electricity bills brought by the overreliance on fossil fuels. Meeting with Pope Francis Activists, including Vanessa Nakate of Uganda, have been leading the urgent fight against the destructive pipeline. Nakate, the first Fridays For Future striker in Uganda, and three other Ugandan activists recently completed their StopEACOP tour, which included time at the Vatican and a special meeting with Pope Francis. The meeting with the Pope is important because activists, environmental defenders, and scientists for years have been reaching out to world leaders about the dangers the people and the planet are facing and asked them to take action, but we havent seen any meaningful action. We continue to see continued investment in fossil fuels, Nakate said. Its important to have direct dialogues with the Pope and other leaders to share our stories and have a heart-to-heart conversation. She added that building the EACOP would make keeping global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees Celsius this century impossible. The pipeline also would leave communities to a point of no recovery from the climate crisis. This conversation will possibly change the minds of polluters when they hear fellow leaders joining in the fight for climate action. Nakate and the other three Ugandan activists Diana Nabiruma of the Africa Institute for Energy Governance; Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, founder of Uganda's Fridays for Future movement; and Maxwell Atuhura of the Tasha Research Institute Africa Limited in Uganda want to see an end to the funding of any new fossil-fuel projects, including the EACOP, and an increased investment in clean and sustainable energy. Advocating for a just transition Nakate added that the world needs a just transition for all without leaving the vulnerable and less-privileged communities behind. The pledge for climate finance to the vulnerable communities to be delivered, and money for loss and damage should also be talked about and provided to the communities. Nakabuye said its crucial activists work to raise awareness across the globe about problems in their regions. We want people in Europe and around the world to know about the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline. We want financial institutions and other big companies supporting [energy company] Total to withdraw their support. We want to see this project stopped, as well as any other new oil projects in Africa and around the world, she said. Catholic Church Teaching Catholic Church teaching recognizes that the climate crisis is a grave moral issue threatening every living being in our common home, Fr. Kureethadam said. The climate emergency and ecological crisis harm humankinds ability to protect human life, health, dignity, and security. The dual crises also gravely affect our ability to promote the common good and care for Gods creation. Fossil fuels are the primary cause of the climate crisis, and their overuse goes against Pope Francis vision of integral ecology that he laid out in the encyclical Laudato si. His Holiness told a group of leaders from major oil and natural gas companies in 2018: Civilization requires energy, but energy use must not destroy civilization! Pope Francis further defined this vision in October 2020, sharing how everyone can work to bring Laudato si to life: One way to encourage this change is to lead businesses towards the urgent need to commit themselves to the integral care of our common home, excluding from investments those companies that do not meet the parameters of integral ecology, while rewarding those that work concretely, during this transitional phase, to put, at the center of their activities, sustainability, social justice and the promotion of the common good. Nakate and her fellow activists are working to place the common good at the center of everything in Uganda and Tanzania, even amid documented attacks against environmental defenders and civil society organizations. The entire Church can lift up their work through committed prayer and action. Fr. Joshtrom said: All our efforts, united together, have the potential of promoting the Laudato Si Dialogue to every person, and this, we pray, leads to a change of heart so that the world stops the expansion of fossil fuel, biodiversity collapse, and the climate crisis. This story was produced through a partnership with Laudato Si Movement, which serves the Catholic family worldwide to turn Pope Francis encyclical Laudato si into action for climate and ecological justice. Pope Francis meets with the Italian Bishops Conference in the Paul VI Hall, as the group gathers to reflect on their journey along the synodal path. By Vatican News staff reporter As the 76th General Assembly of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) got underway on Monday, Pope Francis spoke to Italys Bishops in the Vatican for around 2 hours, according to the Holy See Press Office. Their meeting takes place on 23-27 May, and is focused on the theme: Listening to the Narratives of the People of God: The first discernment: What priorities are emerging along the Synodal Journey? Italys Bishops are meeting in Rome at the Hilton Rome Airport Hotel, and are set to select candidates to fill the position of President of the CEI. Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, the outgoing CEI president, leads off the Assemblys work on Tuesday, which will see the Italian Bishops nominate three of their number as candidates. Pope Francis will choose the new CEI president from those three names. The CEI will hold a press conference on Friday at the conclusion of their General Assembly. Vietnams digital economy has seen significant growth over the last decade and is expected to be valued at US$57 billion by 2025. The countrys digital... Vast Resources PLC (AIM:VAST) said it entered into an agreement with Open Joint Stock Company Talco to process the tailings produced at Takob mine in Tajikistan. The agreement is a separate and additional project to the Takob joint venture project announced by AIM-traded Vast on May 3. READ: Vast Resources joins new project in Tajikistan The funding for the Talco project, which may be up to U$20mln, will be provided by Central Asia Minerals and Metals Ore Trading FZCO on the same or similar terms as the companys existing Takob joint venture project. Vast said its joint venture partner, Formin TJK, has started surveying, soil sampling and preliminary drilling on site at the tailings facility. Formin reported visible signs of lead, zinc and precious metals, including gold, silver and platinum group metals, in the tailings facility. Initial surface survey results compiled by Formin show that there is a minimum of 1 million tonnes (Mt) and up to 3.3Mt of tailings. The depth of the tailings will be determined once drilling is completed, Vast said. Iran held a funeral procession on Tuesday in the center of the capital Tehran for Revolutionary Guards Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodai, who was shot dead by two people on a motorcycle, and his commander vowed to avenge the attack. State television showed crowds surrounding a truck carrying Khodai's casket, wrapped in Iran's flag and strewn with flowers. Mourners held portraits of Khodai, who was gunned down in broad daylight in front of his home in central Tehran on Sunday. "Iran's response to any threat or action will be harsh. But we will determine when and how it will be and in what circumstances. We will definitely take revenge on our enemies," Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami told reporters. Iran has blamed such attacks on Israel. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said U.S. support was making Israel more brazen. "There is no doubt that the overt and covert support of ...the United States plays an important role in increasing the audacity of the occupying regime (Israel)," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh told state media. Separately, state television said the Guards had arrested members of a network of "thugs" recruited by Israeli intelligence to carry out sabotage and attacks in Iran. The Israeli Prime Minister's office, which oversees intelligence agency Mossad, has declined to comment on the events in Tehran. Israeli media said Khodai headed a unit of the Quds Force - the Revolutionary Guards' overseas arm - planning attacks on Israelis abroad. Khodai was a "defender of the shrines," Iranian state media said on Sunday, referring to military personnel or advisers who Iran says fight on its behalf to protect Shi'ite sites in Iraq or Syria against groups such as Islamic State. The forces have played a key role in backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Tehran's ally. The killing comes at a time of uncertainty over the revival of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers after months of stalled talks. At least six Iranian scientists and academics have been killed or attacked since 2010, several of them by assailants riding motorcycles, in attacks believed to have targeted Irans nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at producing a bomb. Iran denies this, saying the program has peaceful purposes, and has denounced the killings as acts of terrorism carried out by Western intelligence agencies and Mossad. Israel has declined comment on such accusations. A gas cylinder explosion in the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed two people and injured 120 others Monday, police said, hours after authorities downplayed the incident and warned the public not to share images of the aftermath. The explosion struck a restaurant just after 1 p.m. in Abu Dhabi's Khalidiya neighborhood, just a few blocks from the capital's beachfront corniche. Initially, Abu Dhabi police vaguely referred to damage and injuries, showing pictures of glass and debris littering the street. Six hours later in a tweet, Abu Dhabi police offered the casualties 64 people with "minor injuries," 56 with "moderate injuries" and two people killed. "The injured were transferred to the hospital to receive necessary health care, with material damage to shops and facades of six buildings," the police said. They described an investigation into the blast as ongoing. State-owned and state-linked media in Abu Dhabi also initially downplayed the blast as only damaging the facades of nearby shops in the neighborhood. Abu Dhabi police had warned the public against sharing any footage of the blast's aftermath in the country with strict laws on speech. Already, authorities have threatened criminal charges against those who broadcast images of attacks on the country following a series of drone attacks on the capital by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The National, an English-language, state-linked newspaper in Abu Dhabi, described the explosion as striking an unnamed restaurant after 1 p.m. Monday near the Shining Towers complex, a local landmark. In February, authorities said a similar gas cylinder explosion struck the capital at the height of concerns over the Houthi attacks. Mina Le has a slight smile in the faded photograph. In it, she is 8 years old and has just landed in the United States with her parents and eight siblings. They arrived from Vietnam with nothing except the knowledge that they had escaped the war in their homeland. Today, Le remembers the many years that passed before her family and other Vietnamese refugees became self-sufficient, often because of the trauma they carried. From the years during the war in our country, the trauma from coming here, losing everything, starting over again and all that trauma we hold inside of us and it manifests itself in many different ways. Saigon, Kabul When Le watched videos of Afghans desperately crowding the airport in Kabul in August 2021 to escape, she had flashbacks. The parallel with the hasty U.S. pullout from Vietnam in 1975 prompted her to action. More than 40 years after her arrival in the U.S., she is helping another generation of refugees new arrivals from Afghans. Le and Ismail Khan, a former U.S. military interpreter in Afghanistan who arrived in the U.S. in 2014 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and is now a U.S. citizen, co-founded the Afghans of Puget Sound Alliance to assist new Afghan arrivals. Since August, 3,000 Afghans have arrived in Washington state, and more than two-thirds have settled in the Seattle area. Those who assisted the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan may qualify for an SIV. 'They will be homeless' The SIV is a complex and highly vetted immigration process intended to take nine months, but now has a backlog of three or four years. If granted, visa holders and their immediate family are given permanent residency upon arrival. Others who evacuated Afghanistan were given humanitarian parole for up to two years. On May 16, the Biden administration granted temporary protected status (TPS) of 18 months to those already in the U.S. who pass a background check. Neither option provides a path to citizenship. Afghans can apply for additional parole time, but Khan worries the humanitarian parole designation will expire before the government is able to approve the thousands of asylum or family or work sponsorship applications that have already been submitted. They will not be able to work, predicts Khan. Not being able to pay their bills, they will be homeless. The Afghan Adjustment Act, which allows some Afghans to apply for permanent residency, is the solution, supporters say. It would protect them from deportation and give them permission to work while the applications are being processed. The Biden administration requested the measure be included in a supplemental spending bill that gave $39 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine. Opponents blocked the addition, citing concerns over vetting and required expediency to get money to Ukraine. It failed to be included in the measure and is now in limbo. One of its proponents, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, wants the measure reintroduced, saying, Our nations moral and global leadership depends on us taking up and swiftly passing the bill. For now, government resettling agencies assist evacuees with basic needs until 2023. But Le says the organizations are short-staffed and lack the infrastructure to absorb this amount of refugees in such this short a time. 'You are not welcome here' Many new refugees like Liaqat Bahar were left overwhelmed with no ongoing support. Upon landing in the U.S., he and his brother were sent to a Miami, Florida, hotel for two months, where he was told by his caseworker, You are not welcome here. He became ill and was bewildered. How do I make an appointment? And where do I go to see the doctor? he wondered. A friend contacted Khan, who flew the Bahar brothers to Seattle because I was in their shoes once, and I can see how much help they need, Khan said. The Afghans of Puget Sound Alliance was created to supplement assistance from U.S. government agencies. The alliance organizes help for new arrivals through a group of Seattle volunteers, often former Vietnamese or Afghan refugees, to assist families with specific needs. Khan and Le meet regularly with the male heads of the families to help them file job applications. The first priority is language skills, Khan explained. If someone speaks English, they go right to college to get those certifications and those degrees. And for those who dont speak English, we introduce them to ESL classes, Khan said. From embassy nurse to stacking pistachios Mohammad Mushtaq Azizi stacks clear containers of dates on the shelf next to the saffron pistachios at the 786 Market in Kent, Washington. This is not my permanent job, said Azizi, acknowledging he must improve his language skills before moving to another job. He makes a minimum wage of $14.50 an hour for his family of five, including a newborn. It is a big contrast to his previous job as a nurse at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul that he had held for years. Azizi will study for a nursing certification to work in a U.S. hospital. Most new arrivals were forced to leave extended family members parents and siblings in Afghanistan because the immigration status includes only immediate family. With technology, the Afghans in the U.S. hear their struggles daily through video calls and emails. Le says its something shes familiar with the struggle to balance a new life with what is left behind. They have an eye toward the future. But their whole body is tilted toward their (home) country, because that's where their family is, she said. Aline Barros contributed to this report. U.S. President Joe Biden is meeting Tuesday with leaders from an informal alliance known as the Quad. Made up of the United States, Japan, India and Australia, the regional grouping is widely seen as an attempt to contain China. The summit in Tokyo is the leaders' second in-person meeting in less than a year. They are expected to discuss a range of issues, including increasing economic cooperation in Asia as well as responding to Russia's war in Ukraine. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said international "food security" would be another topic up for discussion, with India's decision a week ago to block exports of Indian-produced wheat on top of Russia's blocking of Ukrainian exports of the grain. Biden is in Japan as part of his first trip to Asia as president, after traveling to South Korea. On Monday, Biden launched a new Asia-Pacific trade initiative, with 13 countries signing up, including India, Japan and South Korea. The Biden administration says the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is meant to demonstrate U.S. economic engagement in Asia, including greater cooperation on issues such as the supply chain, clean energy and worker protections. Intervention in Taiwan In other developments Monday, Biden said the United States would be willing to intervene to defend Taiwan if China were to invade, the latest Biden comment casting doubt on the long-standing U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" on the matter. At a news conference in Tokyo, Biden was asked whether the United States was willing to "get involved militarily to defend Taiwan," considering Washington was reluctant to do so following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Yes. That's the commitment we made," Biden said, without elaborating on what a hypothetical U.S. defense of Taiwan would entail. It is Biden's latest apparent move away from the approach of "strategic ambiguity" that U.S. presidents have long embraced when talking about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. In response, China's Foreign Ministry quickly hit back, saying Beijing has no room for compromise or concessions on matters related to its sovereignty. Biden made similar remarks in October. In both instances, White House officials quickly attempted to clarify his comments. "As the president said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our 'One China' policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," a White House official said later Monday. The U.S. official, though, did not walk back Biden's comments about coming to the defense of Taiwan. China, a single-party authoritarian state, views democratic Taiwan as a breakaway province and has long vowed to retake it, by force, if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has also flown an increasing number of warplanes near the island. In Tokyo, Biden said that China is "flirting with danger," but that he does not expect China will use force to attempt to take Taiwan, especially if the world stands up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "My expectation is that a lot of it depends on just how strongly the world makes clear that that kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation," Biden said. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was speaking alongside Biden, offered a less direct answer on whether Japan would intervene militarily to defend Taiwan. However, Kishida said, "Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, like in Ukraine, should never be tolerated in the Indo-Pacific." Kishida said he and Biden had underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Japan has been one of the world's most outspoken critics of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Biden and Kishida repeatedly condemned the invasion in their public comments Monday. "This is not a European issue. This has global implications. This has implications for East Asia and Indo-Pacific security matters," Noriyuki Shikata, Japan's Cabinet secretary for public affairs, told VOA. Leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States gathered Tuesday in Tokyo with pledges to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, combat climate change, and cooperate on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the start of the summit of the informal alliance known as the Quad, U.S. President Joe Biden said Russias invasion in Ukraine is more than just a European issue, its a global issue. He added that the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, international law, human rights, must always be defended no matter where they are violated in the world. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also cited the conflict in his opening remarks, saying, We cannot let the same thing happen in the Indo-Pacific region. While the other members of the Quad had condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and imposed sanctions, India has not done so, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not mention the conflict in his opening remarks. Newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the need to address climate change, saying his government would take ambitious action. We will act in recognition that climate change is the main economic and security challenge of the island countries in the Pacific, Albanese said. The summit is the leaders second in-person meeting in less than a year. Biden is in Japan as part of his first trip to Asia as president, after traveling to South Korea. On Monday, Biden launched a new Asia-Pacific trade initiative, with 13 countries signing up, including India, Japan and South Korea. The Biden administration says the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is meant to demonstrate U.S. economic engagement in Asia, including greater cooperation on issues such as the supply chain, clean energy and worker protections. Intervention in Taiwan Biden said Monday the United States would be willing to intervene to defend Taiwan if China were to invade, the latest Biden comment casting doubt on the long-standing U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity on the matter. At a news conference in Tokyo, Biden was asked whether the United States was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, considering Washington was reluctant to do so following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Yes. Thats the commitment we made, Biden said, without elaborating on what a hypothetical U.S. defense of Taiwan would entail. It is Bidens latest apparent move away from the approach of strategic ambiguity that U.S. presidents have long embraced when talking about a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. In response, Chinas Foreign Ministry quickly hit back, saying Beijing has no room for compromise or concessions on matters related to its sovereignty. Biden made similar remarks in October. In both instances, White House officials quickly attempted to clarify his comments. As the president said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, a White House official said later Monday. The U.S. official, though, did not walk back Bidens comments about coming to the defense of Taiwan. China, a single-party authoritarian state, views democratic Taiwan as a breakaway province and has long vowed to retake it, by force, if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has also flown an increasing number of warplanes near the island. In Tokyo, Biden said that China is flirting with danger, but that he does not expect China will use force to attempt to take Taiwan, especially if the world stands up to Russias invasion of Ukraine. My expectation is that a lot of it depends on just how strongly the world makes clear that that kind of action is going to result in long-term disapprobation, Biden said. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will make a major policy speech on Thursday at George Washington University detailing the Biden administrations approach to relations with China. The Asia Society will host Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in delivering an address outlining the administration's policy toward the Peoples Republic of China at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2022, said the State Department in a statement. Blinkens China speech was postponed after the secretary tested positive for COVID-19 on May 4. Blinkens remarks will follow U.S. President Joe Bidens visit to Japan where he said the U.S. would be willing to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if China were to invade the island democracy. Biden later clarified there is no change to the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity on Taiwan. Top officials from the U.S. and its Asian allies have said Russias aggression against Ukraine undermines the foundation of the international order, and any attempt to change the status quo by force in Asia or in other parts of the world is unacceptable. The U.S. is always doing what it can to prevent a worst-case scenario, said Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow of Center for Strategic and International Studies China Power Project. He expected Blinken would use carefully crafted language to reiterate Washingtons one-China policy. The U.S. has long held that it is up to the people of Taiwan to determine their future and that that future should be decided peacefully. Russias invasion of Ukraine has brought this nuance of U.S. policy toward Taiwan to the forefront of conversations, Funaiole told VOA. U.S. officials have said Washington's one-China policy differs from Beijing's one-China principle. Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said senior Chinese officials in their briefings and statements have frequently attempted to misrepresent Washingtons policy. Price told reporters that the Chinese readout issued after White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivans call with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi on May 18 incorrectly stated that the U.S. pursues Beijings one-China principle. The PRC (Peoples Republic of China) continues to publicly misrepresent U.S. policy, said Price in a recent tweet. The United States does not subscribe to the PRCs one China principle we remain committed to our longstanding, bipartisan one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, Three Joint Communiques, and Six Assurances. For decades, the U.S. has been clear that its decision to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1979 rested upon the expectation that the future of Taiwan will be determined by peaceful means, as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has never ruled Taiwan but asserts sovereignty over the self-ruled democracy. CCP has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. The U.S. has never accepted the CCP's sovereignty claim over Taiwan and has refrained from taking a position on sovereignty over Taiwan. The president is very, very committed to the idea that we cant allow ourselves to be overly focused on Ukraine that the administration needs to continue doing what it laid out from the very beginning of its time in office in terms of really focusing on the Indo-Pacific and expanding and strengthening our position and our relations in the Indo-Pacific, said Edgard Kagan, a senior director for East Asia and Oceania on the National Security Council, speaking with reporters in a recent briefing. Kidnapping for lucrative ransoms has become a big business in some countries in Africa, and the criminal act affects Chinese nationals as well as other foreign workers, say analysts. They say that due to Chinas massive presence on the continent, whether in oil or other industries, it is inevitable Chinese often end up being targets. The problem has not gone unnoticed by Beijing, and earlier this month, Chinese officials and representatives from local Chinese companies in Nigeria held a video conference to discuss security issues. The oil-rich country is Africas largest economy and China is a key partner, having invested billions of dollars over the years. Some 8,616 Chinese were working in Nigeria in 2020, according to the latest available data from the China-Africa Research Initiative at the Johns Hopkins University. Nigeria is home to Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram, as well as opportunistic criminal gangs known locally as bandits, both of whom often kidnap locals but also pose a huge threat to foreign workers. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has regularly vowed to crack down on insurgent groups and armed gangs in the country, while a new bill passed by the Senate last month makes paying ransoms a crime. Why the Chinese? Asked why Chinese might be favored targets for kidnappers, Cobus van Staden, senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said, One of the contributing factors in all of this is the perception you see in African countries that Chinese people keep lots of cash on hand. A sweet pastry for kidnappers thats how Chen Hanqing, a Nigeria-based engineer, described himself and the many other Chinese nationals working on infrastructure projects in Africa. Chen told Chinas state newspaper the Global Times that Chinese are prime targets for violent militants and that one compatriot who had been kidnapped by an armed group had described the experience as hell on Earth. Its difficult to find clear statistics on the number of Chinese who have been kidnapped in Africa because these cases are often not publicized either from the law enforcement side or the Chinese side, van Staden said. Its also not always reported when victims are freed and whether ransoms are paid. We do, however, know that in some cases in terms of how the Chinese deal with it, they do pay the ransom van Staden said, adding, I think in some places the corporates would be more likely to pay ransoms than the embassies. Increasingly, Chinese companies are using private security firms to protect their workers, he added, pointing to Frontier Services Group, based in Hong Kong and Beijing, which recently provided security for Chinese executives visiting work sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The meeting earlier in the month, involving Chinese officials and stakeholders, was attended by the head of the Ministry of Public Safetys working group, Yin Guohai, as well as Chinas ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, and its consul general, Chu Maoming. Also in attendance were representatives from numerous Chinese companies operating in Nigeria, including Dejin Mining and Dahua Paper. According to a summary of the meeting on the website of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, Yin Guohai commended Nigerian authorities for the successful destruction of a group of kidnapping criminal gangs and noted, Many Chinese citizens who were kidnapped had been rescued. Cui, however, said Chinese working in the country still faced numerous security risks, posing a serious threat to production as well as affecting the quality of life for workers. Earlier this year, three Chinese nationals working on the Sino-Hydro Power Dam in the central state of Niger were kidnapped by armed men, and two of their local colleagues were killed. Last year, gunmen kidnapped four Chinese rail project workers and killed their police escort in Nigerias Ogun state. The workers were freed less than a week later according to media reports, with the Daily Post Nigeria newspaper reporting that an undisclosed ransom was paid. Nigeria isnt the only place where Chinese corporations face security threats. Other countries The mineral-rich and conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo is another country where kidnappings have occurred. Last November, five Chinese nationals working at a gold mine in the eastern DRC were kidnapped. The abductions prompted the Chinese embassy in the DRC to issue an alert, warning citizens not to go to high-risk provinces there, and for the Chinese Foreign Ministry to warn about security risks in African countries, according to the Global Times . Shortly after that warning was issued, local authorities said people were kidnapped and two Chinese nationals killed during an attack by a militia on a mining camp in the eastern DRC. Van Staden noted that the fact that there have been warnings from Beijing and that meetings like the one between Chinese officials and the Nigerian government are taking placed showed the kidnapping issue was clearly receiving high level concern. Oluwole Ojewale is an analyst at the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies. He told VOA that extremist groups or criminal gangs are looking for profitable ransoms. Ojewale said because of that, he thinks large Chinese corporations will now have money set aside for such security risks and will either pay ransoms or use private security operatives to try to protect their staff. Asked whether the level of threats Chinese face in Africa which is part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative to build and invest in infrastructure in various regions of the world to promote trade will lead to a decrease in direct foreign investment, Ojewale said he thinks profits will likely trump security concerns. I dont think Chinese businesses will pull out irrespective of how volatile the environment is, he said. At his swearing-in ceremony, new Education Minister Pap Ndiaye paid tribute to the nations teachers, singling out Samuel Paty, killed by an Islamist extremist in 2020. Ndiaye described himself as a symbol of meritocracy and diversity. Rather than feeling proud, he said, he assumed his new job with a sense of duty and responsibility. The 57-year-old Ndiaye is a longtime university professor and expert on the history of minorities and rights movements in both France and the United States. Last year, he was tapped to head Frances National Museum of the History of Immigration. It was unexpected, obviously, but it was very good news. Louis-Georges Tin is a Black rights activist and former head of the Representative Council of Black Associations, or CRAN. He salutes the new education minister. Hes a brilliant person," Tin said. "Hes respected in the academy. Hes done quite a few actions in terms also of the fight against racism in the country. While Tin is not alone in praising Ndiayes appointment, some right-wing politicians are criticizing it. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who came second in last months presidential vote, described Ndiayes designation as an alarming signal for the future. She called him a defender of so-called "racialism" and woke-ism, which critics deride as a leftist protest ideology. Other critics describe Ndiaye as anti-police. Interviewed on French radio, Ndiayes sister, award-winning author Marie Ndiaye, said she wasnt surprised at the criticism but called it absurd and stupid. Some observers say the controversy over Ndiayes appointment reflects simmering discrimination in France, as the 2020 death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in the United States ignited similar Black rights protests here. In interviews over the years, Pap Ndiaye has said France is reluctant to fully examine its history of colonialism and slavery. He has praised French police but also said police violence should be discussed. Activist Louis-Georges Tin said much more needs to be done in teaching French students about discrimination. Tin said he fears Ndiayes efforts to change things during his tenure will result in pushback. Having a Black minister in France is not new," Tin said. "And having racist attacks is not new either. Its always the same story so thats why we are in a situation of state racism, systemic racism. People dont want Black ministers in this country. Ndiaye is certainly different from his predecessor, Jean-Michel Blanquer, who criticized both the Black Lives Matter movement and so-called woke culture. Education unions, which clashed with Blanquer, have reacted positively to the countrys new education chief. World Copper CEO Nolan Peterson said the funds from the early warrant and option exercises from supportive shareholders continued to provide the company with the resources to advance its plans for the year World Copper Ltd (TSX-V:WCU, OTCQX:WCUFF) said it has raised $4,175,164.10 during the current fiscal year after the early exercise of a royalty option for its Zonia copper oxide project and subsequent buy-out by the company. The company said that the holder of the royalty to acquire a 1% net smelter returns royalty from the Zonia project had exercised the royalty option by making a cash payment of $1,407,867 to World Copper. Following the exercise of the royalty option, World Copper said it had bought out the royalty by issuing 7,731,285 shares to the royalty holder at a deemed issuance price of $0.40 per buy-out share. The Zonia project now has no outstanding royalties or options for royalties attached to the project, World Copper said. In addition to the cash proceeds from the exercise of the royalty option, a further $2,767,297.19 from the early exercise of 5,300,705 share purchase warrants had been received by World Copper. The company said the proceeds from the early exercise of the royalty option and warrants would be used to fund exploration expenditures at its flagship Escalones project in Chile and for general corporate purposes. World Copper CEO Nolan Peterson said the funds from the early warrant and option exercises from supportive shareholders continued to provide the company with the resources to advance its plans for the year. As we receive results from our Escalones drill program in Chile and as we continue the project restart activities at Zonia in Arizona, I look forward to updating the market on our progress, Peterson said. Upcoming conferences The company announced that Peterson would be presenting a World Copper overview along with a company update in a live webinar on Tuesday, May 31st at 1:05pm PT/4:05 pm ET. Participants are encouraged to register for the webinar, being hosted by Amvest Capital, here. The company will also be attending the Swiss Mining Institute conference from June 1 to 2 in Zurich, Switzerland, and the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) event from June 13 to 15 in Toronto Canada. The company looks forward to meeting with investors and stakeholders at both events, World Copper said. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, World Copper is a resource company focused on the exploration and development of its copper porphyry projects in Chile and Arizona. Contact Emily at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. Recap of May 24 FIGHTING * Russian forces were launching an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling a river in eastern Ukraine, a battle that could determine the success or failure of Moscows main campaign in the east. * A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. ECONOMY * U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said the world must not use Ukraines crisis as a justification to build out fossil fuel infrastructure at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. * Analyst APK-Inform, an information and analytical agency, raised its forecasts for Ukraines 2022/23 grain crop and exports because of a better-than-expected winter harvest. * The Russian ruble strengthened to levels not seen since March 2018 against the dollar. SANCTIONS * Russia says it is sanctioning 154 members of the House of Lords, the upper house of the British Parliament, in retaliation for similar steps taken against Moscow's foreign envoys and lawmakers over the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. HUMANITARIAN * An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. * As Ukraine marks three months since the start of the Russian invasion, residents in the capital Kyiv have commemorated those who have been lost since the start of the conflict. * Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has told an assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the impact of Russias invasion on health care and mental well-being could last for decades. * Ukraine is gathering the bodies of dead Russian soldiers strewn among the rubble of formerly occupied towns and using everything from DNA to tattoos to verify their identities in the hope of exchanging them for prisoners of war. DIPLOMACY * Russia has not yet seen an Italian peace plan for Ukraine but hopes to receive it through diplomatic channels, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. * Finland and Sweden will send delegations to Ankara on Wednesday to try to resolve Turkish opposition to their applications for membership of the NATO military alliance. * Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Russias unilateral attack on the people of Ukraine was an outrage during the Quad leaders meeting. MEDIA * A court in Moscow has issued an arrest warrant for well-known journalist Maikl Naki, who is currently outside of Russia, accusing him of distributing false information about the Russian military. * Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who is serving a lengthy prison term in Russia on espionage charges that he and his supporters reject, has been awarded the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, which is given to political prisoners. * Russias parliament passed a bill giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been unfriendly to Russian media. The latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All times EDT: 11:05 p.m.: 8:42 p.m.: In his nightly video address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to every defender of Ukraine. "We must do everything necessary so that all of us and all future generations of Ukrainians remember their names," Zelenskyy said. The ceremony took place in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv. "Every time we greet our defenders, relatives and friends of our Heroes, we emphasize the gratitude of our state to those whose courage allowed Ukraine to preserve independence and our freedom," he said. 8:10 p.m.: The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks, The Associated Press reported. Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire, AP reported. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths, AP reported. 7:35 p.m.: Veronika from Ukraine's Donetsk Region lost her family in an attack on the high-rise residential building where she lived. Hit by shrapnel, she was left in a coma. Kira from Kharkiv was hit by shelling when she was walking in a park. Her friend was killed. Current Time, a co-production of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA, has this story. 6:18 p.m.: Six months after the world agreed in Glasgow to a U.N. climate pact with bold, new targets, political and business leaders facing an energy crisis, volatile markets and an economic downturn are grappling with how to cut carbon emissions. Amid soaring oil and gas prices triggered by Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine, some countries have turned to other fuels, including coal, to meet their energy needs. Meanwhile, financial market ructions have complicated plans to raise the trillions of dollars needed for the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Reuters has this report. 5:36 p.m.: When Russian President Vladimir Putin enticed more than 40 African leaders to travel to the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a summit in 2019, it demonstrated that Moscow was once again a major player on the continent. For Putin it has been a success, analysts said, enabling him to project Russia as a great power, undermine the Wests international order, and dispel the notion that he is politically isolated. But now Russias drawn-out invasion of Ukraine is having repercussions far beyond Eastern Europe and could undermine the Kremlins progress in Africa. Todd Prince withRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this report. 4:30 p.m.: The World Health Organization on Tuesday shared a video clip on Twitter of Ukraines first lady Olena Zelenska announcing Ukraines participation in a unique psychological assistance program, the WHO Global Special Initiative on Mental Health. 4:02 p.m.: Russias parliament on Tuesday passed a bill giving prosecutors powers to shut foreign media bureaus in Moscow if a Western country has been unfriendly to Russian media, following the closure of some Russian state news outlets in the West. The bill, passed in the first reading by the lower house of parliament, or Duma, also prohibits the distribution of articles or other materials from media that have been closed by the prosecutors office. It needs to undergo two more readings, be reviewed by the upper house of parliament, and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. 3:50 p.m.: 3:46 p.m. : The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is seeking permission from the government to take over a building on the grounds of a historic monastery in Kyiv, a move likely to widen a rift with a separate Ukrainian church that adheres to the Russian-backed wing of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church known as the Moscow Patriarchate. Reuters has this story. 3:38 p.m.: 3:13 p.m.: Ukraine is gathering the bodies of dead Russian soldiers strewn among the rubble of formerly occupied towns and using everything from DNA to tattoos to verify their identities in the hope of exchanging them for prisoners of war, Reuters reported. Volunteers have helped the military gather 60 bodies in the northeastern region of Kharkiv where Russian forces have retreated in recent weeks, stacking them up in a refrigerated rail carriage. 3:00 p.m.: Billionaire financier George Soros said on Tuesday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine may have been the beginning of World War III so the best way to preserve free civilization was for the West to defeat President Vladimir Putin's forces, Reuters reported. 2:51 p.m.: Actor Richard Gere hosted a benefit concert for Ukraine at Carnegie Hall that raised $360,000 for Direct Relief, a humanitarian organization providing medical aid, The Associated Press reported. We recognize their fight as our fight for the right to self-determination, for freedom, for a more just and more secure world based on wisdom and love, Gere said from the stage. He quoted Leonard Bernstein, the conductor who led more than 400 performances at Carnegie: Lenny said: This will be our reply to violence. To make music more intensively, more beautifully, more devoted than ever before." 2:43 p.m.: A Russian-backed separatist leader in eastern Ukraine said on Tuesday that foreign representatives, including Western ones, would be invited to a trial of Ukrainian fighters there, according to an Interfax news agency report. Prosecutors in the region are working with Russia on the composition of a tribunal to try the fighters, Interfax quoted Denis Pushilin, head of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic, as saying, according to Reuters. 2:36 p.m.: Russia says it is sanctioning 154 members of the House of Lords, the upper house of the British Parliament, in retaliation for similar steps taken against Moscow's foreign envoys and lawmakers over the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said on Tuesday that it had banned the British lawmakers -- including William Hague, a former foreign minister and leader of the Conservative Party in opposition -- from entering Russia. In March, the British government imposed personal sanctions on "almost all the members" of the Russian parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, the Foreign Ministry said in justifying its move. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this report. 2:23 p.m.: 2:06 p.m.: The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation, according to The Associated Press. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. 1:41 p.m.: 1:35 p.m.: A poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) shows that 39 percent of Ukrainians believe that joining NATO would guarantee the nation's security, while 42 percent believe that in the current environment settling for security guarantees may be acceptable. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the details. 1:24 p.m.: 1:12 p.m.: A court in Moscow has issued an arrest warrant for a food blogger and magazine founder for allegedly "spreading fake news" about the Russian military. The Basmanny district court announced its decision on Tuesday to arrest Veronika Belotserkovskaya, who founded the St. Petersburg magazine and website Sobaka. Belotserkovskaya currently lives in France. On March 16, Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against the Ukrainian-born Belotserkovskaya, who blogs under the name Belonika, for allegedly spreading false news about the Russian Army on her Instagram account, which has almost 950,000 subscribers. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has the story. 12:53 p.m.: 12:37 p.m.: Battles being fought in eastern Ukraine could determine the country's fate, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. Three months after invading Ukraine, Russian forces are trying to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling the Siverskyi Donets River in eastern Ukraine. Motuzyanyk said Russian forces had not given up attempts to cross the river. "Now we are observing the most active phase of the full-scale aggression which Russia unfolded against our country," he told a televised briefing. "The situation on the (eastern) front is extremely difficult, because the fate of this country is perhaps being decided (there) right now." 12:29 p.m.: Ukraines Minister of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter Tuesday that his government is not prepared to make compromises on Ukraines territorial integrity. 11:54 a.m.: A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc, The Associated Press reported. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. 11:34 a.m.: 11:27 a.m.: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who is serving a lengthy prison term in Russia on espionage charges that he and his supporters reject, has been awarded the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, which is given to political prisoners. Yesypenko, currently serving a six-year sentence in a Russian prison for his reporting in Russian-occupied Crimea, was presented with the award in absentia at the PEN America gala in New York on May 23. RFE/RL has this story. 11:14 a.m.: A member of Ukraines Parliament, Alona Shkrum, made comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos that were posted on Twitter Tuesday. History is repeating itself, she said, as she shared her story. 11:01 a.m.: During Protection of Civilians Week, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a photo on Twitter of a boy who was wounded in Ukraine, noting that civilians continue to pay the highest price in this war. 10:56 a.m.: Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv restarted its metro service on Tuesday and asked the hundreds of people who had used the underground as a bomb shelter for the last three months to free up the train carriages, but many said they were still too scared to return home. 10:50 a.m.: 10:42 a.m.: Americans are becoming less supportive of punishing Russia for launching its invasion of Ukraine if it comes at the expense of the U.S. economy, a sign of rising anxiety over inflation and other challenges, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. 10:34 a.m.: The U.N. World Food Programme Country Director for Ukraine, Matthew Hollingworth, on Tuesday shared a video on Twitter explaining how his team is getting food supplies to those in need. 10:07 a.m.: A court in Moscow has issued an arrest warrant for well-known journalist Maikl Naki, who is currently outside of Russia, accusing him of distributing false information about the Russian military as Moscow's war against Ukraine continues. Media across the country have been instructed by the government that Russia's actions in Ukraine cannot be called a "war" or an "invasion," and should instead be referred to as a "special military operation." Naki has his own YouTube channel with 726,000 subscribers. He uses it to regularly report about the war in Ukraine. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this story. 9:59 a.m.: 9:44 a.m.: The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership, The Associated Press reported. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isnt without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Turkey is objecting to Swedens and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. 9:32 a.m.: 9:26 a.m.: An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement, The Associated Press reported. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. 9:19 a.m.: 9:07 a.m.: A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there, The Associated Press reported. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. 8:59 a.m.: 8:43 a.m.: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Tuesday and discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the consequences of Russias war in Ukraine and to hold the Kremlin to account, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. The Secretary noted the global food security crisis resulting from President Putins brutal war requires a global response, and they discussed potential means to export Ukraines grain to international markets, Price said. They also discussed the $40.1 billion supplemental appropriations act signed by President Biden on May 21, which provides further funding for security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and countries impacted by the war, he added. 8:32 a.m.: Russia has not yet seen an Italian peace plan for Ukraine, but hopes to receive it through diplomatic channels, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio gave the broad outlines of the plan last week and said that he had discussed it with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres during a visit to New York, Reuters reported. 8:26 a.m.: 8:21 a.m.: The Russian rouble strengthened to levels not seen since March 2018 against the dollar on Tuesday, boosted by export-focused companies selling foreign currency to pay taxes and shrugging off a slight easing of capital controls, Reuters reported. 8:17 a.m.: Danish Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen has been released from prison in Russia after serving a term he was handed on extremism charges that he and his supporters have denied. Christensen was detained in May 2017 in the city of Oryol, some 320 kilometers south of Moscow, weeks after the Russian Supreme Court ruled to ban the religious group in the country, declaring it "an extremist organization." The news of Christensen's release comes a day after a court in the city of Prokopevsk sentenced 53-year-old Andrei Vlasov to seven years in prison after finding him guilty of the same charges Christensen was found guilty of. Since the faith was outlawed, many Jehovah's Witnesses have been imprisoned in Russia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this report. 8:08 a.m.: 7:59 a.m.: Photographer Aris Messinis with Agence France-Presse captured the intensity of fighting in the Donbas as mortar shells rain down around his car. These photos were taken on May 23 as civilians tried to make their way along an important link road near Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published this photo gallery. 7:40 a.m.: 7:31 a.m.: Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has told an assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the impact of Russias invasion on health care and mental well-being could last for decades. In a video address to the World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 23, Zelenska said that "Russia's war has shown horrors we could not have imagined," stressing the consequences for mental health. "WHO is committed to protecting the most crucial human rights to life and health. Now they are both being violated in Ukraine," she said. "The consequences of this war unfortunately will remain for years and decades," said Zelenska. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has this story. 7:25 a.m.: 7:16 a.m.: Finland and Sweden will send delegations to Ankara on Wednesday to try to resolve Turkish opposition to their applications for membership of the NATO military alliance, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Tuesday. "We are sending our delegations to visit Ankara, actually both Sweden and Finland. This will happen tomorrow, so the dialogue is continuing," Haavisto said during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forumin Davos. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has objected to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, held phone calls with the leaders of the two Nordic countries on Saturday and discussed his concerns, Reuters reported. 7:09 a.m.: If the war in Ukraine causes food shortages in North Africa, this will in turn lead to mass migration to Europe, Poland's president said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. "If it turns out that there is hunger in North Africa... both Spain and the whole of southern Europe will have a huge migration problem," Andrzej Duda told a panel in Davos. "Today we should focus on Ukraine being able to export its grain." 7:02 a.m.: 6:58 a.m.: Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday lambasted President Vladimir Putin, casting the Kremlin chief as a doomed madman who started a "stupid war" that was butchering the innocent people of both Ukraine and Russia, Reuters reported. Appealing unsuccessfully against his latest nine-year sentence, Navalny used his address to a Moscow court to deliver a stinging attack on Putin and the war - a rare public act of dissent in a country where it is a criminal offense to criticize the army and its "special military operation" in Ukraine. 6:55 a.m.: Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday said on Twitter that Russia is stealing Ukrainian grain, and urged the world not to buy what has been stolen. 6:51 a.m.: Russia is using food supplies as a weapon with global repercussions, acting the same way as it does in the energy sector, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday. Speaking at the annual World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, she said global cooperation was the antidote to Russias blackmail. Von der Leyen added, In Russian-occupied Ukraine, the Kremlins army is confiscating grain stocks and machinery (...) And Russian warships in the Black Sea are blockading Ukrainian ships full of wheat and sunflower seeds. The EU has pledged to open solidarity channels with Ukraine - alternative logistics routes to help the country export grain, Reuters reported. 6:43 a.m.: 6:41 a.m.: Russian forces were launching an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling a river in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, a battle which could determine the success or failure of Moscows main campaign in the east, Reuters reported. Moscow is attempting to seize the Donbas region of two eastern provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, and trap Ukrainian forces in a pocket on the main eastern front. The easternmost part of the Ukrainian-held Donbas pocket, the city of Sievierodonetsk on the east bank of the Siverskiy Donets river and its twin Lysychansk on the west bank, have become the pivotal battlefield there, with Russian forces advancing from three directions to encircle them. 6:38 a.m.: 6:35 a.m.: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden reached substantive outcomes on Tuesday in talks to strengthen their trade and defence ties, India said, though Modi refrained from condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported. The leaders are in Tokyo for a meeting of the Quad group of countries - the United States, India, Japan and Australia. Of the four, only India has not condemned Russias invasion despite pressure from the United States for it to do so. 6:32 a.m.: 6:30 a.m.: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Tuesday that the world must not use Ukraines crisis as a justification to build out fossil fuel infrastructure at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Kerry said we can win all these battles, including in Ukraine and against climate crisis. 6:00 a.m.: Addressing the World Economic Forum Tuesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said when Russian President Vladmir Putin invaded Ukraine in February, Putin wanted less NATO on his borders and launched a war. However, Stoltenberg said, now hes [Putins] getting more NATO on his borders and more members. Stoltenberg praised the decision of Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership and called it historic. He said the application demonstrates that European security will not be dictated by violence and intimidation. All allies agree that NATO enlargement has been a great success, spreading freedom and democracy across Europe. 5:30 a.m.: In an interview with Deutsche Welle, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and called on Russian President to stop the war. Scholz also said the European Union and United States are trying to convince oil and gas-producing countries to increase their production to help lower global fuel prices, Reuters reported. It is necessary that we start to increase the supply with gas, with fuel, with all the things to make it feasible for the countries to pay for their bill, Scholz was quoted as saying, asked about an U.S.-EU initiative mentioned by his economy minister. We are now discussing with all these countries that are exploring oil and gas and trying to convince them to increase their capacities, so this would help the world market. Scholz began a three-nation visit to Africa on Sunday that also focused on the geopolitical consequences of the war in Ukraine. The Associated Press has the story. 5:20 a.m.: One of President Vladimir Putins top security officials said Tuesday that Russia would achieve its objectives in Ukraine without being constrained by deadlines, Reuters reported. All the goals set by the President will be fulfilled. It cannot be otherwise, Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper. We are not chasing deadlines, Patrushev added. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what it calls a special military operation to denazify and demilitarize its neighbor. But Russian forces have encountered multiple setbacks and suffered significant losses during the three-month campaign. 4:30 a.m.: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged other governments to send more weapons more quickly to aid Ukraines fight against Russian forces. 4:00 a.m.: U.S. President Joe Biden met with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia, Tuesday and said the conflict in Ukraine is more than just a European issue, its a global issue. Citing the widespread effects of the conflict, including on the global food supply, Biden pledged ongoing U.S. support, saying, as long as Russia continues the war, the United States will work with our partners to help be the global response, because its going to affect all parts of the world. Biden said the conflict in Ukraine demonstrates the importance of international order, adding that, international law, human rights must always be defended regardless of where theyre violated in the world. 3:30 a.m.: Russian gas producer Gazprom GAZP.MM said it continues to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine via the Sudzha entry point, with volumes on Tuesday seen at 46.1 million cubic meters (mcm), up from 43 mcm on Monday, Reuters reported. An application to supply gas via the main Sokhranovka entry point was rejected by Ukraine, Gazprom said. However, Ukraines state gas transit operator says Gazprom has reduced booked transit capacity for May 24 to 44.96 million cubic meters from 66.26 mcm booked earlier, Reuters said. 2:30 a.m.: Britain is in discussions with Ukraine about how to help get grain out of the country after Russia blocked its main sea ports, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Shapps said he was very concerned about the issue, which has seen global food prices soar as Ukraine is unable to export nearly 25 million tons of grains, and met Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksander Kubrakov last week. We were discussing details which I cant go into but about how infrastructure could be in place to ensure the grain leaves, Shapps told Sky News. Were looking at all the different options ... there are lots of different potential ways to get grain and other goods out of the country, he said. Its absolutely essential that we do, otherwise there could be a lot of hunger and indeed even famine. 1:40 a.m.: Australias Prime Minister Antony Albanese said on Tuesday strong views were expressed on Russia in the Quad leaders meeting, Reuters reported. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Albanese said Russias unilateral attack on the people of Ukraine was an outrage. Strong views were expressed in the meeting, he added. That was obviously discussed you will see the reference in the leaders statement, Australia's foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said. Asked about U.S. President Joe Bidens comments this week on Taiwan, Albanese said there was no change in Australias position on Taiwan. There should be no unilateral change to the status quo, he said. Australias new prime minister was sworn in Monday before flying to Japan for talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders. For VOA, Phil Mercer has the story. 1:10 a.m.: The British defense ministry said Tuesday that Russia has increased intensity of operations in Donbas as it seeks to encircle Severodonetsk, Lyschansk, and Rubizhne. At present the northern and southern axes of this operation are separated by approximately 25 km of Ukrainian-held territory, the ministry said in a daily report posted on Twitter. 1:00 a.m.: As Ukraine marks three months since the start of the Russian invasion, residents in the capital of Kyiv have commemorated those who have been lost since the start of the conflict, The Associated Press reported. A lawn in a square in the capital has been strewn with small Ukrainian flags, put out in tribute to those who have lost their lives since the fighting broke out on February 24. A monument displays the message Ukrainians killed by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin with the number 7,463 written below. Also in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in a ceremony to launch a series of anti-war postage stamps. The first stamp depicts the sinking of a Russian warship in April. The stamps were put into circulation by the Ukrainian Post; there will be 5 million in all. 12:35 a.m.: Russian forces are stepping up their offensive on the last pocket of resistance around Lugansk in Ukraines eastern Donbas region, Agence France-Presse reported. 12:30 a.m.: Analyst APK-Inform, an information and analytical agency, raised its forecasts for Ukraines 2022/23 grain crop and exports because of a better-than-expected winter harvest on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Ukraine could harvest 48.3 million tons of grain in 2022, including almost 17.1 million tons of wheat and 25.2 million tons of corn, the consultancy agency said in a statement. APK-Inform said 2022/23 exports could also rise to 39.4 million tons versus the previous outlook of 33.2 million tons. The agency however revised down its forecast for Ukraines sunflower oil output by around 7% to 5.3 million tons despite the unchanged outlook of the 2022 sunflower harvest at 9.2 million tons. Ukraine harvested 16.6 million tons of sunflower seeds last year. Ukraine is the worlds largest sunflower seed grower and sunflower oil exporter, but its invasion by Russia in February and the heavy fighting since have clouded the outlook for planting and exports. 12:15 a.m.: About 20 countries are sending new security assistance packages for Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said after concluding the second meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems, tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training Ukraine's forces and sustaining its military systems, Austin told reporters at the Pentagon Monday. VOAs Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has the story. 12:01 a.m.: Through photos, videos, charts, and analysis, The Guardian documents Russias use of illegal weapons during the invasion of Ukraine. The Guardian has visited the small towns and villages north of Kyiv razed to the ground during the Russian occupation and reviewed evidence found there as well as other materials from Ukrainian prosecutors of imprecise munitions such as the FAB-250, metal dart shells and cluster bombs whose use led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Now that Hezbollah has lost control of Lebanons parliament, the reformists, independents, and anti-Hezbollah forces in Lebanons newly elected parliament may be angling to take on the longstanding issue of the groups weapons, analysts say. The Iran-backed Hezbollah political party is also the only militia to have not disarmed after the end of Lebanons 1975-1990 civil war, and its weapons cache reportedly outguns that of the national army. Samir Geagea heads the Lebanese Forces and opposes fellow Christian, Michel Aoun, Lebanons president, and his alliance with Hezbollah. Geageas party won 19 parliamentary seats in a recent election that saw Hezbollah lose its majority in Lebanons parliament. Geagea recently urged opposition groups, independents, and small parties to work together to activate this opposition after it has become the majority in parliament, in remarks noted by Lebanons National News Agency. Geagea campaigned on sovereignty issues and seeing Hezbollah disarmed. Speaking to the French news agency, AFP, Geagea said, All strategic decision making should return to the Lebanese state, and security and military matters should be handled exclusively by the Lebanese army. No one, he said, should be able to transport missiles from one place to another without the permission and knowledge of the military a reference to Hezbollah. Habib Malik of the Lebanese American University told VOA that he sees the anti-Hezbollah forces in the new parliament potentially taking on the controversial issue of Hezbollahs insistence of keeping its weapons. The unlawful arms of Hezbollah," he said. "This new parliament should never be used as a means to legitimize Hezbollahs arms. That was one of their aims. And its not going to happen right now because there (are) enough votes to block that. Similarly, anti-Hezbollah MPs should get together to press for Lebanons neutrality. This weapon that Hezbollah wields all the time by accusing people right and left of being a Zionist agent whenever they did disagree with themthis accusation of treason needs to be pointed out as well. Recently, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah tried to argue that with the many challenges engulfing Lebanon, including a finance meltdown and difficulties with food, medicine, and fuel supplies, he urged for postponing discussion of Hezbollahs weapons for a further two years. Baria Alamuddin, writing in the Saudi Arab News newspaper, called it an interesting change of tone from Hezbollahs usual threats to engulf the region in flames before relinquishing its arms. Still, Dania Koleilat Khatib with the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, told VOA that perhaps not all the new MPs, including those of the opposition protest groups, will want to deal with disarming Hezbollah. Some people of the protest groups would say: Let us leave the issue of Hezbollah for now and let us focus more on corruption,'"Khatib said. "So, let us leave the issue of the arms of Hezbollahs which is bigger than us and it will [lead] us to fight with each other and let us focus on how we can have electricity, jobs. Lets hope they will come to something realistic and act like one bloc. Blacklisted as a terrorist group by the United States and other Western countries, Hezbollah supporters say it defends Lebanon against Israel. But opponents argue that Hezbollah undermines the state on security matters and exposes Lebanon to costly disputes, with the Iran-backed militia deploying fighters and weapons across the Middle East. Malawi has rolled out a vaccination campaign to help stop an outbreak of cholera. Authorities report more than 350 cases and 17 deaths from cholera across eight districts of southern Malawi. Malawis Ministry of Health declared the cholera outbreak in early March after the first case was confirmed in the Machinga district in southern Malawi. The disease has so far spread to eight districts including Nsanje, Chikwawa and Blantyre. In its latest report on Monday, the ministry said the country had recorded 367 cholera cases in all with 17 deaths and 19 hospital admissions. Dr. Gertrude Chapotera represented the World Health Organization at the launch of the vaccination campaign Monday in Blantyre. She said the campaign is running with support from various global partners, including the Gavi Vaccine Alliance and the Global Task for Cholera Control. We are supporting the Ministry of Health with up to 3.9 million doses that will be administered in two rounds," she said. "So this actually is the beginning of the first round with the campaign starting from today the 23rd of May running up Friday this week the 27th of May. Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with bacteria. The disease affects both children and adults and, if untreated, can kill within hours. Dr. Gift Kawalazila is director of Health and Social Services in Blantyre. He says the district has so far seen nearly 100 cases of cholera, with five deaths but only three hospital admissions as of Monday. This means that cholera is a disease that can easily be reversed and we have treatment options with us," said Kawalazila. "So, the general message to the general population is that they should quickly present themselves to our health workers in our different health facilities whenever they notice the signs and symptoms of cholera which is profuse diarrhea and vomiting in some cases. Health authorities say many people are turning up for vaccination, with some districts running short of the doses. Alinafe Longwe is among those who received the cholera vaccine in Blantyre. Longwe says she did not get the COVID-19 vaccine, citing fears of blood clotting and other health issues. But with this one, I havent heard any issues, so I am okay with it and I have received it and I am fine," said Longwe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health says it has intensified public education preventing cholera infections. These include the use of clean water for domestic purposes and observing personal hygiene. A new requirement that journalists in northeast Syria join an official union to obtain press credentials is seen by critics as an attempt to regulate and restrict the regions media. Under the measure, all journalists, including those who work as fixers for foreign media, must first become members of the Union of Free Media (YRA) before credentials are approved. Reporters need the credentials to work or to travel to certain locations, especially areas once held by Islamic State militants. The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also known as Rojava, which governs the northeast, announced the change in April, saying the requirement will support and promote better journalistic standards. But local journalists warn that it could allow authorities to limit media in the region. They point out that a media law passed last year made no such demand. Concerns were also raised that the ruling could give officials power to determine who is or is not a journalist. Prospective members of the YRA which was set up about 10 years ago as the region gained autonomy from Damascus must meet union criteria, including having two years of professional experience. The regions journalists already risk persecution, arrest or harassment if they report critically on authorities or the regional security force, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Some, like the Iraqi Kurdish broadcaster Rudaw, have had licenses revoked over coverage that authorities deemed as incitement. And while the YRA describes itself as an independent syndicate whose senior leadership is elected, journalists and observers largely see it as being close to local authorities. VOA contacted the AANES media office for comment on the new requirements but received no response. Media standards Since the ruling came into effect, journalists have flagged delays and confusion. Some said their applications are still pending after they refused union membership. A journalist at one international news outlet said when he tried to renew a license earlier in May, AANES said union membership was a precondition. The journalist, who spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said he felt like he had no choice but to apply for membership, and that final approval is still pending. A media law adopted last year did not include any provision requiring journalists to have union membership. Because of that, the journalist said he considers the new measure a violation of the law. YRA co-president Malva Ali confirmed that membership in her organization is now a requirement for securing credentials, but that YRA did not have a role in the decision. We dont have authority to do that, she told VOA from Qamishli, in Syria. The Autonomous Administration is the executive body in this region, and we cant interfere in their decisions. Ali sees the move as an attempt by local authorities to improve journalistic practices in a region entangled in many conflicts. We have ongoing threats from Daesh (Islamic State), Turkey and other actors who want to destabilize our governing experiment, she said. So, there must be a way to keep journalistic standards high so that not everyone is able to exploit journalism for malign purposes. Ali said the unions requirement of journalism experience is to ensure that only competent and real journalists are admitted to the union, which would reflect positively on the overall media environment. But some local media outlets see forced membership as a problem. All over the world, joining trade syndicates and unions is a voluntary act," said Sherin Ibrahim, manager of Arta FM. Thats why we cant force our employees to join the Union of Free Media. (Arta FM is an affiliate of VOAs Kurdish Service). Ibrahim said she hopes regional authorities will drop the union requirement. This (new provision) will impact the work of our reporters and other staff members who travel between cities, she said. Arta has been around for nearly 10 years, and our continued work and popularity with listeners are proof of our professionalism. So, why should there be a syndicate determining if were good journalists? The requirement that everyone working in media apply for credentials could also impact foreign news coverage, another journalist said. While international reporters work in Syria under a separate media permit, the new law will impact local journalists and fixers whom many foreign crews rely on. This is a pure security measure, said Syrian journalist Kamiran Sadoun, who for several years assisted international news crews covering the northeast. By such a ridiculous decision, they not only want to restrict local journalists and media outlets, but they also want to ensure that those who assist foreign news outlets are also in check, Sadoun told VOA. Sadoun, who is currently in Prague for a scholarship, added, [Authorities] explicitly told me several times over the years that they didnt like some of the reports produced by foreign journalists I had assisted. They dont tolerate critical reporting by journalists that they cant control, so what they would do is intimidate local fixers who work with such reporters. Sadoun was arrested twice in 2021 while working as a fixer. Security in Raqqa briefly detained him in June 2021 when he was accompanying a Dutch reporter. In February 2021, he was arrested at a checkpoint and held for two days. Syria ranked 171st out of 180 countries, where 1 is most free, according to the 2022 Press Freedom Index, an annual ranking of countries produced by Reporters Without Borders. Meta, the company that owns Facebook, is hosting its second annual Africa Day campaign to promote Africans who are making a global impact. The content producer for the film project, South African filmmaker Tarryn Crossman, said Meta identified eight innovators, creators and businesspeople on the continent whose stories the company wanted told for the "Made by Africa, Loved by the World" campaign. Crossman's company, Tia Productions, teamed up with Mashoba Media to find four fellow filmmakers in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their job was to make two- to three-minute documentaries about the subjects. "So, for example we did Trevor Stuurman here in South Africa," Crossman said. "He's a visual artist and his line was, I just loved so much, he says: 'Africa's no longer the ghost writer.' We're telling our stories and owning our own narratives. That's kind of the thread amongst all these characters. They all have that in common." Nairobi-based filmmaker Joan Kabangu made a movie about Black Rhino VR, a Kenyan virtual reality content producing company which has worked with international brands. "They are the pioneers around creating VR content, 360 content, augmented mixed reality kind of content in Kenya, in the wider Africa. And it's a company which is run by a young person and everybody who is working there is fairly young. And they are really getting into how tech is being used to elevate the way we are creating content in 2022, going forward," Kabangu said. Of Meta's Africa Day campaign she said, "I feel it's celebrating the good in Africa." In Ghana, Kofi Awuah's movie making has been delayed by floods in the capital, Accra. But he is determined to finish. His innovator is designer Selina Beb, whose work can be seen on Instagram and is sold online, often to buyers in the U.S. and Britain. "She's very unique," Awuah said. "Based on material she uses and even the processes she uses are kind of things that tell a Ghanian or African story. For instance, she uses a certain kind of stone that you can find only in the northern parts of Ghana." Awuah said being a part of the campaign is the chance of a lifetime. "My manager called me to tell me that we gotten a contract from Meta and I almost, like I had a heart attack," she said. "When that call came, I felt this is the moment for me to express myself to the millions or billions of people who are using Facebook, who are using social media." Meta will also be hosting free virtual training sessions throughout the week. These include training on monetization, cross-border business and branded content. Top Middle Eastern and European leaders discussed prospects for economic, political and security cooperation between Iraq and its neighbors Saturday, as they gathered in Baghdad for a summit. The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and France met alongside the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey and the prime minister of Kuwait. The leaders applauded as Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Khadhimi described his hopes for strengthening regional cooperation to improve the lot of his people following years of turmoil. It was the first large gathering of top Arab leaders in Baghdad since a 2012 Arab summit. The presence at the summit of Iran's new foreign minister, Hussein Amir Abdollahian, provided a glimmer of optimism for a thaw in relations between Tehran and its top regional adversaries, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Speaking in Arabic, Abdollahian held out an olive branch to Arab states. He said Iran would like to improve relations with countries in the region, through economic and cultural cooperation, without what he called the usual interference from international powers. Foreign interference, he argued, has created tensions and regional insecurity. Praise from Macron French President Emmanuel Macron, the only major world leader to attend the summit, praised the Iraqi government for defeating Islamic State. He urged Baghdad to help resettle Iraqis who were displaced by the conflict and pledged French aid to do so. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan spoke of Riyadh's ongoing cooperation with Iraq, while vaguely referring to stopping Iranian interference in Iraq and elsewhere. He said Saudi Arabia had earmarked money for various projects in Iraq and reaffirmed its support for securing Iraq's stability and ending terrorism and extremism alongside the U.S.-led international coalition. He said that was in keeping with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's initiative to promote regional peace and stability and end meddling by certain regional states. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi alluded to a recent economic and political alliance among Iraq, Egypt and Jordan and efforts to extend cooperation to other countries in the future. He spoke of the past achievements of Iraq's long civilization and better times that await it. El-Sissi spoke of cooperation with Iraq and wider cooperation built on regional interests and stronger ties to fight major threats, like terrorism and COVID-19. He said Egypt would continue to support the Iraqi government to achieve stability, adding that the long civilization and history of Iraq give hope for a brighter future, if Iraqis defend their country, rebuild their cities and choose their leaders wisely. Small success Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, told VOA that Iraq's Khadhimi scored points with his ability to bring so many regional players to Baghdad with at least a modicum of success in lessening tensions among adversaries. He said this was something of a symbolic summit but represented a step toward less conflict and more dialogue in a region that already is overly and conflictual. He argued that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan had left regional players tired and nervous, and that after the U.S. has stopped playing umpire, many of the players are seeking a truce. Paul Sullivan, a Washington-based Middle East analyst, told VOA he didn't "expect much to come out of this meeting [in Baghdad]." He said he thought that "human development and human security need lots of work and lots of cooperation," despite what he called the "stark differences of views among the countries" at the summit. For the past six months Ugandans have been forced to spend twice as much to afford necessities like fuel and food, among other commodities. Addressing the country Sunday night on how to survive the high cost of living, President Yoweri Museveni noted that Europeans have caused what he called an artificial problem leading to the higher cost of produce. To this regard, Museveni said it was time to stop depending on who he called mistake makers in Europe, the United States and Russia who have caused the high prices. The Russians have blockaded the Ukrainian ports," Museveni said. "And I hear within the ports there are 25 million tons of wheat, the petroleum, and even the fertilizers. Remember, the fertilizers are also a problem because they are produced by Russia, I hear. If these people, if they are a bit humble. We need to advise our friends, the bazungu (whites) to please, find other ways of how to solve these problems. Museveni argues that cutting taxes on commodities such as fuel, which has a ripple effect on the economy, will only cripple the economy. Ziana Aigaru, an agriculturalist, disagrees. She said for nearly two years now, sales have been so low and have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She hopes Museveni will announce a tax cut to help businesses. Not only fertilizers by the way, even the herbicides all have hiked in terms of prices," Aigaru said. "For example, Bukoola (local agricultural produce manufacturer) is hiking the prices because of the tax that he incurs in importing the chemicals. So, if the taxes are reduced, that means the cost price will reduce. As a solution, Museveni asked Ugandans to be frugal in their purchases of imported goods, stop depending on "rainfall agriculture," increase production and use locally made materials. However, economist Madina Guloba said the president needs to show by example his own frugality through government expenditures that are not proportionate to government income. These industries need produce to continue functioning, especially agro-processing industries," Guloba said. "So, the moment we increase production but for home, it doesnt help. Then definitely commodity prices will also still stay high even if global patterns improve. You know, we need to think also (about) jobs. The moment you do all these things, the jobs are going to be lost. So, who are you going to tax in this time? Currently, fuel is selling at $1.56 per liter, and the cost is expected to increase. Museveni said Ugandans will need to be patient until Uganda starts its own oil production in 2025 for prices to go down, which may also decrease the cost of living. A Moscow court has upheld a nine-year prison term for opposition politician Alexey Navalny, who is already behind bars for a previous conviction he and his supporters have called politically motivated. Navalny took part in the Tuesday hearing via a video link from a prison in the Vladimir region. The Kremlin critic used his final statement in court to condemn the Russian authorities for launching the ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and reiterated his previous statements that all of the charges against him are politically motivated. Navalny was handed the sentence on March 22 after the court found him guilty of embezzlement and contempt charges that he and his supporters have repeatedly rejected as politically motivated. Navalny was arrested in January last year upon his arrival to Moscow from Germany, where he was treated for a poison attack with what European labs defined as a Soviet-style nerve agent. He was then handed a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for violating the terms of an earlier parole because of his convalescence abroad. The original conviction is widely regarded as a trumped-up, politically motivated case. Navalny has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning with a Novichok-style chemical substance. The Kremlin has denied any role in the attack. International organizations consider Navalny a political prisoner. The European Union, U.S. President Joe Biden, and other international officials have demanded Russia release the 45-year-old Kremlin-critic. Navalny is currently serving his term in a prison in the town of Pokrov, some 200 kilometers east of Moscow. He is expected to be transferred to a stricter regime prison for the new conviction. The worlds billionaires have increased their wealth by trillions of dollars since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, while the worlds poorest people are struggling with soaring prices and rising debt, according to an analysis by charitable organization, Oxfam. As the global business elite gather in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos for the World Economic Forum, Oxfam says it has reason to celebrate: An analysis by the charity shows the wealth of the worlds 2,668 billionaires has risen by $3.78 trillion since 2020. The reports authors calculate that 573 people became new billionaires during the pandemic, at the rate of one every 30 hours. Conversely, Oxfam says 263 million more people will crash into extreme poverty in 2022, at a rate of a million people every 33 hours. Its an extraordinary moment in history, Max Lawson, head of inequality policy at Oxfam International, told VOA. Weve seen this explosion in billionaire wealth during the pandemic, and now off the back of food and energy price increases. And then youre seeing this historic rise in poverty worldwide, which we also havent seen for decades. He added that the super-rich have become more wealthy thanks largely to taxpayers money. Because of the trillions of dollars that rich countries poured into the economy in response to COVID-19. So, that was the first thing, and that drove up asset prices. And now were seeing this really sharp increase in addition in the fortunes of food and energy billionaires, as you see the profits in those sectors soar because of prices rising, he told VOA. According to Oxfam, the worlds 10 richest men now own more wealth than the poorest 40% of humanity, or 3.1 billion people. The report says the richest 20 billionaires are worth more than the entire GDP of sub-Saharan Africa. As the rich have gotten richer, the past two years have put decades of progress against poverty at risk, Lawson said. A crisis of inequality. A crisis of climate-induced hunger all over the world. And then on top of that, the food price increases, and the problems of COVID-19. You put that together and you have more than a perfect storm, he said. Meanwhile, the World Food Program warns that 49 million people are at immediate risk of famine in 43 countries. Our needs right now are an extra $68 billion that we need. We are only asking for one to two days worth of [the billionaires] net worth increases. Is that too much to ask to stabilize the world against famine, destabilization and mass migrations? David Beasley, executive director of the WFP, told The Associated Press in Davos. The WFP says Ukraine supplies enough grain to feed 400 million people, but its ports are blockaded by Russia. If we don't get those ports open, you will be talking about a food pricing problem over the next 10 to 12 months, Beasley warned. But next year, it's going to be a food availability problem, and that is going to be hell on earth. Oxfam says governments have the power to tackle the growing inequality through fairer taxes. This is a product primarily of government interventions. Huge amounts of money poured into the economy. This is our money. Its driven up the fortunes of these companies. Lets claw it back. Lets have a series of taxes one-off solidarity taxes, windfall taxes, wealth taxes and bring the world back to balance, Lawson said. Some European countries, including Portugal and Italy, have imposed windfall taxes on energy firms. Others, including Britain, argue that such taxes would deter investment at a critical time as Western nations try to wean themselves off Russian energy imports. Rwanda said on Monday that it had requested a regional body to investigate shelling of its territory by the military of neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and that the attack had injured several people and damaged property. The alleged incident could further inflame relations between the two countries, which have long traded accusations about support for militant groups. Congolese authorities could not be immediately reached for comment. In a statement, Rwanda's Ministry of Defense said it had asked the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) to investigate an attack on its territory. The EJVM is a group of military experts from the region that monitors and investigates security incidents. The attack targeted Musanze district in Rwanda's north, "injuring several civilians and damaging property," the ministry said. "Those injured are receiving treatment and officials are assessing the extent of the damage. The RDF (Rwanda Defense Forces) has requested for urgent investigation by the regional EJVM, and Rwandan authorities are also engaging DRC counterparts over the incident," it added in the statement. Tensions have been heightened since March, when Congo's M23 rebel group attacked two Congolese army positions near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda and advanced on nearby towns. The group seized swaths of territory in eastern Congo during an insurrection in 2012 and 2013, before its fighters were driven out by Congolese and United Nations forces. They have since returned from neighboring countries to stage attacks. Congo and U.N. investigators have previously accused Rwanda of supporting M23, but Kigali denies the accusations. Gratomic Inc. (TSX-V:GRAT, OTCQX:CBULF) has provided an update on its planned 1,250-metre Diamond Drill campaign currently underway at its flagship Aukam graphite project in southern Namibia, close to the port city of Luderitz. The Toronto-based graphite project developer said the drillholes are planned to intersect mineralization below the current mine adits. The company said the first hole it has drilled this year, AKD001, is a twin hole of AKR026 which was drilled towards the end of 2021. READ: Gratomic commences diamond drilling campaign at flagship Aukam Graphite project In a statement, Gratomic said that hole AKD001 has hit potentially the biggest graphite vein ever recorded at its Aukam project. Significantly, hole AKD001 has intercepted vein graphite mineralization approximately 40 meters below the main adit, noted the company. The Aukam property covers a historical vein graphite mine that consists of five adits and an open pit. Exploration has demonstrated significant potential for expansion of the mineralization outside the old workings. Gratomic has projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada, and is focused on becoming a leading global graphite supplier. It aims to secure a strong position in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive Thousands of Afghan refugees are now living in America, struggling after receiving limited government assistance. One Vietnamese woman who knows the challenge of providing for a family in an unfamiliar country is helping the new arrivals in Seattle, Washington. VOAs Carolyn Presutti shows us how. Videographer: Saqib Ul Islam The Taliban government signed an agreement Tuesday with a state-run United Arab Emirates aviation company to allow it run ground-handling operations at three airports in Afghanistan, including Kabul. Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and officials of the UAE-based GAAC Solutions attended the signing ceremony in the Afghan capital. Addressing the event, Baradar said he hoped the deal would give confidence to all international airlines to return to Afghanistan in peace and lead to increased trade with other countries. Afghanistan has been affected by wars and extreme poverty, and now we are rebuilding it, he said. We seek good relations with all countries and urge them to invest in Afghanistan to help its strife-torn people. The Taliban leader assured investing nations his government will provide them with all facilities, cooperation and security so they can invest in all Afghan sectors, including mining. Under the 18-month contract, control and management of airports in the southern city of Kandahar and western city of Herat will also be handed over to the UAE company. The GAAC was handling ground operations in Kabul until August 15, 2021, when the Taliban insurgency seized power from the now defunct Western-backed government. The last U.S. and NATO troops withdrew from Afghanistan later that month, ending almost 20 years of war with the Taliban. Taliban officials noted they renegotiated the existing agreement directly with GAAC, with certain amendments, and clarified that the deal was with only the company and not with the UAE government. The UAE's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to wire news reports. Razeq Aslam Mohammad Abdul Razeq, GAACs managing director, sounded optimistic that the renewed deal would signal the return to Afghanistan of business, trade, commerce and people-to-people contact after months of disruption. We are hoping that they would come back to us in terms seeing the continuity of the same people who handled them before the events of August 2021, Razeq said during Tuesdays event. The global community has not yet recognized the Taliban government, citing a lack of inclusivity and concerns related to human rights and terrorism. The Islamist group has increasingly curbed womens rights since returning to power despite global outcry and warnings that such measures would discourage donor nations from establishing political and economic ties with Kabul. Qatar and Turkey had sent temporary technical teams to help airport operations and security after the Taliban takeover of Kabul last year. A Qatar-Turkey consortium has been in talks with the Taliban aviation ministry for months over airport operations in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif as well as the southeastern city of Khost. Those talks could not make headway because the Taliban reportedly insisting that their forces, not foreigners, would guard the airports. The fate of the dialogue is unknown and Taliban officials Tuesday declined to comment on the subject. Some information for this report comes from Reuters. With emotion in his voice, President Joe Biden spoke to the nation Tuesday night after a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school. I am sick and tired, he said. We have to act. Eighteen schoolchildren were killed Tuesday when an 18-year-old gunman walked into their elementary school and opened fire. The gunman, who lived in the town, is dead. At least two adults also were killed, but it was not clear if that number included the gunman. VOA Special Report: School Shootings Biden said it was time to stand up to the gun industry. Where in Gods name is our backbone, the courage to do more and then stand up to the lobbies? Biden said. "Its time to turn this pain into action. Three people were wounded and are hospitalized in serious condition, said Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, who was briefed by state police. Guterrez said the suspect killed his grandmother before going to the school. The death toll is expected to rise, federal law enforcement officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details of the investigation. God bless the loss of innocent life on this sad day, Biden said. "May the Lord be near to the brokenhearted and save those crushed in spirit, because theyre going to need a lot. It was the deadliest school shooting in Texas and the deadliest elementary school shooting since the attack on Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012, that left 26 people dead, 20 of them schoolchildren. The gunman "shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said earlier in the day, adding that two officers who were wounded are expected to survive. The governor identified the gunman as Salvador Ramos. It's believed that he abandoned his vehicle and entered into the Robb Elementary School [in] Uvalde with a handgun, and he may have also had a rifle, but that's not yet confirmed according to my most recent report," Abbott added. He was also wearing body armor, Sgt. Erick Estrada of the Texas Department of Public Safety told CNN. A Border Patrol agent who was nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school without waiting for backup and shot the suspect, who was behind a barricade, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about it. The agent was wounded but able to walk out of the school, the law enforcement source said. An investigation into the shooting is continuing. Officials have not revealed a motive for the shooting. Ramos is believed to have acted alone, Pete Arredondo, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District chief of police, said at a news conference. Earlier Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition. "Today is a dark day. Were all completely sickened and heartbroken. As of now, 15 innocent people are dead. 14 were children. Others are still in critical condition or otherwise injured, and we are all praying for each of them, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said in a statement. Weve seen too many of these shootings. No parent should have to bear the pain of burying their child. We need to come together, as one nation, and support Uvalde as they try to heal from this devastating loss. The school has an enrollment of about 600 students in the second, third and fourth grades and sits in a mostly residential neighborhood of modest homes. The town has a population of about 16,000 people and is the seat of government for Uvalde County. It is about 135 kilometers (84 miles) west of San Antonio and about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the border with Mexico. My heart is broken today, said Hal Harrell, the school district superintendent, announcing that all school activities were canceled until further notice. Were a small community and were going to need your prayers to get through this. A heavy police presence surrounded the school Tuesday afternoon, with officers in heavy vests diverting traffic and FBI agents coming and going from the building. Texas has been the scene of several mass shootings over the past five years. One year before the Santa Fe school shooting in 2018, a gunman at a Texas church killed more than two dozen people during a Sunday service in the small town of Sutherland Springs. In 2019, another gunman at a Walmart in El Paso killed 23 people in a racist attack. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. Turkey is vowing to crush the presence of the Kurdish militant group PKK in Iraq. The PKK has used neighboring Iraq as the main base in its war for greater minority rights in Turkey. But as the Turkish military closes in on the PKK, analysts warn that the Kurdish group could turn to Iran, with implications across the region, including US forces in Syria. Dorian Jones reports for VOA from Istanbul. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Wednesday becomes the first senior Turkish official to visit Israel in 15 years. After a stop in the Palestinian territories, the foreign minister goes to Israel hoping to consolidate rapprochement efforts between the countries, which withdrew their ambassadors in 2018. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglus visit is the latest sign of a thaw in relations after Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey in March. Reports say cooperation in exploiting Israel's vast gas reserves will be part of Cavusoglu's agenda. Mithat Rende, a former Turkish ambassador to Qatar, is now an energy industry consultant. He outlines what he believes is at stake. They will have to set a positive agenda in the interests of the two sides. To start with energy cooperation, with economic cooperation, trade, tourism, health, agriculture, even climate change because this is a very vulnerable region, [the] east Mediterranean. So, both countries will improve their relations. There is a will on both sides, he said. Relations between the once-close allies collapsed over Israel's policies toward the Palestinians, culminating in both countries withdrawing ambassadors in 2018. Ahead of visiting Israel, Cavusoglu held talks with Palestinian officials Tuesday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly supported the Palestinian cause, engaging in fiery rhetoric against Israel. But Erdogan's reaching out to Israel to repair relations is part of a broader policy by Ankara to overcome its regional isolation, says Sinan Ulgen of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, a research organization in Istanbul. It's part of a wider strategy that we are seeing since the beginning of 2020, 2021, where Turkey essentially decided to recalibrate its foreign policy after an acknowledgement that past aggressive foreign policy led Turkey down a path of regional isolation, he said. Cavusoglu is also expected to discuss with his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, the return of ambassadors. Improving bilateral ties will allow Israeli leaders to focus more on Iran, which they considered Israels primary threat. Erdogan has also criticized Tehran's growing regional influence. Gallia Lindenstrauss, an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies, a research organization in Tel Aviv, says Israel will remain cautious over Turkish overtures. The reasons why these two countries drifted apart are still here: The problems with the Israeli-Palestinian arena. The problem is that these countries have less shared interests than in the past. The problem is Turkey is a more revisionist actor, and Israel is more a status quo actor in the Middle East. I think all these elements are still here. But if these two countries can manage to return their ambassadors, we should congratulate them, and hopefully, this [brings] some stability in a very unstable region, she said. Some analysts say Ankara's rapprochement efforts with Israel are motivated by the goal of breaking up Israel's deepening ties with Turkish rivals Greece and Cyprus and that Israel will move cautiously in its dealings with Turkey. They say Israel will be aware that Erdogan's days in power may be numbered, given he is facing reelection next year and is lagging in the polls. A Ugandan official says a new influx of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo is stretching the country's resources to the breaking point. On May 22, 2022, a joint operation by Congolese government soldiers and the U.N. peacekeeping mission MONUSCO against M23 rebels prompted hundreds of people to flee into Uganda. Hillary Onek, Uganda's Minister for Refugees, said the fresh influx is taxing resources. The refugees flocked toward the Bunagana border crossing with little or no belongings. The country already is home to close to 1.5 million refugees from across the region. "It is actually affecting even our population who are at the border," Onek said. "Because, when people shoot, sometimes they shoot across the border. Frankly speaking, it's overwhelming and we cannot satisfy the needs of those large influx of people and we are enabling what is feasible with respect to our meager resources." The latest fighting took place around Rutshuru in North Kivu province. After clashes in the province last November, fresh fighting broke out late in March. It is estimated that about 17,000 Congolese refugees have since crossed into Uganda. Manishimwe Bernard, a Red Cross official in charge of aiding refugees in Uganda's western Kisoro district, said most people arrive in desperate circumstances. "When war broke out, people started running without anything," Bernard said. "You find a person has nothing, has no clothes, children are nearly hungry. So, emotionally, people run in stress. And of course, the panic and fear is still at large. Because fighting for now, from their stories, hasn't stopped." On Sunday, the special representative of the U.N. Secretary-General in the DRC, Bintou Keita, issued a statement condemning attacks by the M23 movement against the peacekeepers in Rutshuru. In the statement, Keita accused the rebels of deliberately attacking peacekeepers in eastern Congo, where fighting had resumed between the rebels and the Congolese army. Bintou stated that in response to the attack, the army and peacekeepers mounted a joint operation to clear the area of M23 fighters. He said the attack was in accordance with MONUSCO's mandate. Speaking to VOA by phone, M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma denied the rebel group attacked the U.N. base. He said it was MONUSCO who attacked first, and those who were caught up in the fighting with the army got confused and started running. After just 12 minutes, he said, MONUSCO sent two Cobra attack helicopters in the area of Runyoni, which targeted the M23 bases. The U.N. statement called on both the M23 rebels and the Congolese army to immediately cease all hostilities, in accordance with the commitments made in the Nairobi process. The Nairobi process is an effort to negotiate peace between the Democratic Republic of Congo government and about 30 rebels based across the mineral-rich African country. The M23 said that while they respect the Nairobi process, they are being attacked from various forces. Russia intensified its attacks on Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, attempting to capture the Donbas region exactly three months after President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine in hopes of quickly overtaking the whole country and toppling its government. The fighting focused on the Ukrainian-held cities of Sievierodonetsk on the east bank of the Siverskyi Donets river and its twin, Lysychansk, on the west bank, with Russian forces advancing from three directions to encircle them. Serhiy Gaidai, the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk province, said, "The intensity of fire on Sievierodonetsk has increased by multiple times; they are simply destroying the city," he said. About 15,000 people live there. Britains defense ministry warned of the importance of the fighting in the region, saying, Russias capture of the Severodonetsk pocket would see the whole of Luhansk Oblast placed under Russian occupation. While currently Russias main effort, this operation is only one part of Russias campaign to seize the Donbas. In his latest nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, "The coming weeks of the war will be difficult, and we must be aware of that," singling out fighting in the Donbas region. But as the war enters its fourth month, with no end in sight, Moscow has failed to overthrow Zelenskyys government or capture the capital, Kyiv, and the U.S.-dominated NATO, with Finland and Sweden set to join the military alliance, has united against Putins attack on Russias neighbor, once a Soviet satellite state but an independent nation since 1991. Instead, Moscow is focusing its fight on the Donbas and along the southern coast of Ukraine. Russia has captured the port city of Mariupol along the north coast of the Sea of Azov and more than 1,700 Ukrainian troops holed up in the Azovstal steel plant surrendered to Russia, Moscows biggest success of the war. Now, however, some semblance of normal life is also returning to parts of Ukraine. In Kharkiv, the countrys second-largest city, the underground metro re-opened after thousands of Ukrainians had sheltered there for much of the war. Ukrainian forces have largely pushed Russian troops out of artillery range of Kharkiv. But with fighting raging in the Donbas, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Tuesday urged other governments to send more weapons more quickly to aid Ukraines fight against Russian forces. Too early to conclude that Ukraine already has all the arms it needs, Kuleba tweeted. Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially multiple-launch rocket systems and armored personnel carriers. Kulebas call for more military help came a day after U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said about 20 countries are sending new security assistance packages to Ukraine. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems, tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training Ukraines forces and sustaining its military systems, Austin told reporters at the Pentagon after concluding the second meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Denmark said it would provide Ukrainian forces with a Harpoon launcher and missiles, while the Czech Republic donated attack helicopters, tanks and rocket systems. Mondays meeting included 47 nations that participated virtually, according to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley, the top U.S. military officer. Austria, Colombia and Ireland were among the new participants. The groups next meeting will be held June 15 in Brussels. Everyone here understands the stakes of this war, and they stretch far beyond Europe, Austin said. U.S. President Joe Biden had a similar message Tuesday as he met with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia, telling the group that the conflict in Ukraine is more than just a European issue, its a global issue. Citing the widespread effects of the conflict, including on the global food supply, Biden pledged ongoing U.S. support, saying, as long as Russia continues the war, the United States will work with our partners to help be the global response, because its going to affect all parts of the world. Finlands foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, said Finland and Sweden are sending delegations to Ankara for talks with Turkish officials Wednesday about their applications to join the NATO military alliance. Turkey has expressed opposition to the bids, accusing Sweden and Finland of harboring people linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey says orchestrated a 2016 coup attempt. Any new NATO members must be approved by all 30 of the alliances current membership. "We understand that Turkey has some of their own security concerns vis-a-vis terrorism ... We think that these issues can be settled, Haavisto said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. There might be also some issues that are not linked directly to Finland and Sweden but more to other NATO members. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, also speaking Tuesday in Davos, said he is confident the concerns of all allies will be addressed and that Finland and Sweden will be welcomed into the alliance. "Finland and Sweden's decision to apply for NATO membership is historic, Stoltenberg said. It demonstrates that European security will not be dictated by violence and intimidation. All allies agree that NATO enlargement has been a great success, spreading freedom and democracy across Europe." The NATO leader highlighted demands made by Putin before the invasion, including a guarantee that NATO would not expand. "He wanted less NATO on his borders and launched a war. Now he's getting more NATO on his borders and more members, Stoltenberg said. Prominent Ukrainian anti-corruption campaigners say they have seen no signs that their armed forces are misusing Western military supplies in the three months since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a country long perceived as among the worlds most corrupt. The head of the Ukrainian governments National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), Oleksandr Novikov, told VOA in a May 17 interview that his counterparts at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), a sister agency, had not opened any new investigations into high level corruption in the Ukrainian military since the full-scale Russian invasion started on February 24. Novikovs NACP, one of Ukraines three main official anti-corruption bodies, develops regulations aimed at preventing corruption and seeks to ensure compliance. NABU investigates corruption and prepares cases for prosecution, while the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) charges and prosecutes suspects. Novikov appointed NABUs last chief, Artem Sytnyk, as his deputy earlier this month. Asked if there have been any recent government investigations of high-level corruption in the military, Novikov said, I know NABU did not have any new cases since February 24. Asked for a comment, NABU emailed VOA to say that its acting director, Gizo Uglava, who replaced Sytnyk last month, could not discuss the matter due to its sensitivity. Novikov said each delivery of Western military aid is monitored by a separate intelligence officer of the Security Service of Ukraine. He said the SSU monitoring is part of Kyivs rigorous process that guarantees the integrity of those supplies. Ukraines handling of the Western military aid is under increasing scrutiny in the U.S., which last week approved sending more weapons and equipment to Kyiv after supplying several billion dollars worth of security assistance in recent months to help it repel the Russian invaders. Corruption had been rampant in the Ukrainian defense industry until 2014, leaving the military unable to function effectively that year as Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and helped pro-Russian separatists seize parts of eastern Ukraines Donbas region. U.S. Ambassador Kurt Volker, who served as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017 to 2019, told VOA there was an improvement after 2014 as the U.S., Canada and other nations advised Kyiv in fighting corruption within its defense establishment. But Ukraine still had much work to do to improve its global reputation prior to February 24. It ranked a lowly 122 out of 180 countries in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, a Berlin-based research group whose annual corruption rankings are among the worlds most influential. Ukraines CPI ranking had been even lower at 144 in 2013. In an article published last month, CNN cited U.S. defense officials and analysts as saying the lack of U.S. military personnel inside Ukraine means Washington has few ways to track how Kyiv uses Western military supplies, which they fear could be trafficked in the long run. There are no indications of Western military supplies in Ukraine being diverted in recent months, according to a former U.S. official involved in training and equipping Ukraines armed forces after 2014. The source spoke to VOA on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the issue. The executive director of Transparency Internationals Ukraine branch, Andrii Borovyk, told VOA that he also has not seen any concrete reports of recent corruption in the Ukrainian military. His group had appealed to Ukrainians in an April 29 statement to report such activity to relevant authorities. Speaking via Zoom on May 18, Borovyk said one reason for the lack of corruption reporting is Ukraines martial law, under which the government has stopped publishing details about what it is buying and for what prices. Im not saying there is no corruption. In this uncertain situation, Im sure there are people who want to profit from government procurement processes, he said. The SSU reported on May 19 that it busted a scheme by local officials to illegally sell more than 1,000 bulletproof vests that had been produced by a Ukrainian company for provision to Ukrainian security personnel at no cost. The SSU said the vests were worth $407,000. The rarity of such public reporting about military-related corruption, Borovyk said, also reflects a shift in priorities for Ukraines independent and governmental anti-corruption campaigners. We all work only toward one aim, which is for a victory against Russia, Borovyk said. If we will not have a country, where are we going to fight corruption? We want to build up the rule of law here in Ukraine. Yuri Nikolov, another Ukrainian anti-corruption researcher who co-founded independent group Nashi Groshi (Our Money), told VOA in a May 19 interview that he believes Russias full-scale invasion has effectively forced corrupt actors in the Ukrainian military to stop illicit behavior. That [Western] military hardware is the only thing that will protect our lives, Nikolov said. Thats why we are not interested in stealing it. It is more needed in the battlefields. Volker, now a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said theft of Western military supplies under such circumstances would be viewed by many Ukrainians as treason, a much more serious offense than the petty or systemic corruption that existed before. The assertion that wartime pressures have stamped out military corruption in Ukraine is viewed skeptically by former U.S. diplomat James Wasserstrom, who served as an anticorruption advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and led a U.S. government oversight team that reported on corruption in Afghanistan. Wasserstrom later worked in Ukraine from 2016 to 2019 as an international expert for an independent committee monitoring defense sector corruption. That committee evolved into Ukraines Independent Anti-Corruption Commission, known by its Ukrainian acronym NAKO, and is a partner organization of Transparency International. Speaking to VOA on May 18, Wasserstrom was unimpressed by NACP chief Novikovs assertion that SSU intelligence agents were safeguarding Western military supplies. He noted a 2017 NAKO study citing Ukrainian media accusations that Ukrainian security service personnel were involved in illegal trading of goods between government-controlled territory and regions run by pro-Russian separatists. I've heard nothing that would indicate any change in SSU behavior in the last three years, Wasserstrom said, adding that assigning the agency to monitor Western military aid is like putting a fox in charge of the henhouse. Wasserstrom also was skeptical about independent campaigner Borovyks assertion that Ukraines anti-corruption organizations have been so pre-occupied with helping their armed forces to fight Russian invaders that investigating corruption within those Ukrainian forces is not a priority. He noted that his former investigative committee had worked in Kyiv while the Ukrainian military was fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east. Just because you're fighting a war does not mean that you have to tolerate corruption. You don't need to. It's a false choice, he said. Wasserstrom said he believes the lack of public reporting about corruption in Ukraines military is a result of many Ukrainians feeling that speaking out about corrupt activity would be as treasonous to their nations war effort as engaging in the activity itself. So I'd be shocked if you found anybody who would admit to any of this, he said. Borovyk said whoever may have engaged in corruption in the past three months will be investigated eventually. These people should understand that when we get the victory against Russia, we will find all of them. He also vowed that his group will keep pressing the Ukrainian government for stronger reforms, including the appointment of a credible new leader for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Regarding those who are against these reforms or are trying to slow them down, how else can I describe them as internal enemies, he said. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and her team are visiting China from May 23 to 28, human rights groups, including Amnesty International have said the U.N. rights chief must address crimes against humanity and gross human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China. Bachelets office said Friday that her six-day visit to China would include Guangzhou, the eastern port city in China and Urumqi and Kashgar, cities in Xinjiang where China is accused of genocide by the U.S. government. My meetings with President Xi and other senior officials have been a valuable opportunity to discuss directly human rights issues and concerns in China and the world. For development, peace & security to be sustainable locally and across borders human rights, justice and inclusion for all, without exception, have to be at their core, Bachelet said in a statement emailed to VOA by the U.N. Human Rights Office. At a news conference Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, She will have broad exchanges with people from various sectors. It is our hope that the visit will further advance exchange and cooperation between the two sides and play a positive role in promoting the international human rights cause. Wang told the press in Beijing. U.S. and some western countries accuse China of genocide, saying that Beijing has put over a million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim ethnic minorities into internment camps and subjected them to torture, sterilization and forced labor. Beijing has repeatedly denied the accusations. Chinas state media China Daily had countered accusations of sterilization by citing a report by the Xinjiang Development Research Center, saying decreases in birthrates in Xinjiang resulted from the eradication of religious extremism. It further said the report noted Chinas policies promoted gender equality and gave Uyghur women more autonomy over if and when to have children. Beijing has denounced accusations of placing Uyghurs in internment camps. China describes some of them as vocational training institutes to help revitalize rural areas of Xinjiang, reported state news agency Xinhua. Vocational training has also been described as a way to tackle the menace of terrorism and radicalization, with Xinhua citing a deadly 2014 terrorist attack in Xinjiang. According to Bachelets office, it will be the first country visit by a U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to China since 2005. During her visit, the High Commissioner is due to meet with a number of high-level officials at the national and local levels, Bachelets office said on its website Friday. The High Commissioner will also meet with civil society organizations, business representatives, academics, and deliver a lecture to students at Guangzhou University. According to Agnes Callamard, Amnesty Internationals Secretary-General, Bachelets visit to Xinjiang is a critical opportunity to address human rights violations in Xinjiang. [B]ut it will also be a running battle against Chinese government efforts to cover up the truth. The U.N. must take steps to mitigate against this and resist being used to support blatant propaganda, Callamard said on the Amnesty International website Monday. Arslan Hidayat, program manager for Washington, D.C.-based rights organization Campaign for Uyghurs, told VOA that in a visit which lasts only six days, theres no way Bachelet and her U.N. team is going to have fully independent, unfettered access to the Uyghur region. We have to be clear that those who do not understand China, theres no such thing as businesses being fully independent from the Chinese Communist Party, theres no such thing as a civil society organization being fully independent from Chinese Communist Party, Hidayat said. On Monday, Bachelet met with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Guangzhou. Wang said Bachelets visit to China would help enhance understanding and cooperation, and clarify misinformation. China has also made safeguarding the ethnic minorities rights an important part of its work, and protecting peoples safety its long-term goal, Wang said at the meeting according to the Chinese foreign ministry website. To advance the international cause of human rights, we must first, respect each other and refrain from politicizing human rights, Wang said. According to Peter Irwin, a senior program officer at the Washington-based Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), the nature of the visit will be what the Chinese government dictates. But this underscores how critical it will be that the High Commissioner describe these constraints publicly, Irwin told VOA. Smiling, happy Uyghurs is what she will get because everyone on the ground understands that a 10-year prison sentence is just one false statement away. According to Salih Hudayar, president and founder of East Turkistan National Awakening Movement based in Washington, D.C., the U.N. has failed to publish a report on Chinas ongoing genocide of Uyghurs. We fear that the U.N.s visit to East Turkistan (Xinjiang) will be the repetition of the International Red Cross visit in 1944 to the Jewish ghetto of Theresienstadt, which the world knows was an elaborate hoax put forth by the Nazis, Salih told VOA adding that China will take the U.N. team on a Potemkin Village tour, meaning an impressive facade that hides the truth of the situation. Uyghurs in exile call the Xinjiang region East Turkistan while the Chinese government prefers to use the name Xinjiang (meaning new frontier in Chinese) adopted in the 1880s after the Qing Empire annexed the region. Bachelets office did not respond to VOAs media inquiry on her ongoing visit to China at the time of publication. In March, Liz Throssell, spokesperson of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told VOA in an email that the parameters for a visit will have to be such that the high commissioner has unfettered, meaningful access, including unsupervised interviews with civil society. PENTAGON Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Tuesday urged other governments to send more weapons more quickly to aid Ukraines fight against Russian forces. Too early to conclude that Ukraine already has all the arms it needs, Kuleba tweeted Tuesday. Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS, long-range artillery, APCs. Britains defense ministry said Tuesday that Russian forces have increased the intensity of their operations in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine as they try to encircle multiple cities, including Severodonetsk. Russias capture of the Severodonetsk pocket would see the whole of Luhansk Oblast placed under Russian occupation. While currently Russias main effort, this operation is only one part of Russias campaign to seize the Donbas. Kulebas call for more military help came a day after U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said about 20 countries are sending new security assistance packages for Ukraine. Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defense systems, tanks and other armored vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training Ukraines forces and sustaining its military systems, Austin told reporters at the Pentagon after concluding the second meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Denmark said it would provide Ukrainian forces with a Harpoon launcher and missiles, while the Czech Republic donated attack helicopters, tanks and rocket systems. Mondays meeting included 47 nations that participated virtually, according to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley, the top U.S. military officer. Austria, Colombia and Ireland were among the new participants. The groups next meeting will be held June 15 in Brussels. Everyone here understands the stakes of this war, and they stretch far beyond Europe, Austin said. U.S. President Joe Biden had a similar message Tuesday as he met with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia, telling the group that the conflict in Ukraine is more than just a European issue, its a global issue. Citing the widespread effects of the conflict, including on the global food supply, Biden pledged ongoing U.S. support, saying, as long as Russia continues the war, the United States will work with our partners to help be the global response, because its going to affect all parts of the world. Finlands foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, said Finland and Sweden are sending delegations to Ankara for talks with Turkish officials Wednesday about their applications to join the NATO military alliance. Turkey has expressed opposition to the bids, accusing Sweden and Finland of harboring people linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey says orchestrated a 2016 coup attempt. Any new NATO members must be approved by all of the alliances current member states. "We understand that Turkey has some of their own security concerns vis-a-vis terrorism ... We think that these issues can be settled, Haavisto said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. There might be also some issues that are not linked directly to Finland and Sweden but more to other NATO members. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, also speaking Tuesday in Davos, said he is confident the concerns of all allies will be addressed and that Finland and Sweden will be welcomed into the alliance. "Finland and Sweden's decision to apply for NATO membership is historic, Stoltenberg said. It demonstrates that European security will not be dictated by violence and intimidation. All allies agree that NATO enlargement has been a great success, spreading freedom and democracy across Europe." The NATO leader highlighted demands made by Russian President Vladimir Putin before the invasion, including a guarantee that NATO would not expand. "He wanted less NATO on his borders and launched a war. Now he's getting more NATO on his borders and more members, Stoltenberg said. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Chariot Ltd (AIM:CHAR, OTC:OIGLF) and the government of Mauritania have announced that the pre-feasibility study for the Project Nour green hydrogen project has been completed and a framework agreement has been signed that maps out the phases of development over the coming 24 months. The project aims to install up to 10 gigawatts (GW) of electrolysis, making it one of the largest green hydrogen projects globally by 2030, the two parties said. The pre-feasibility study has "underlined our belief in the economics and scale of this asset", said Chariot's acting chief executive Adonis Pouroulis, who is leading a partnering process to form a "world class consortium" to develop the proiect. In a statement, the pair said Nour benefits from attractive economics thanks to Mauritania's "unique and complementary wind and solar conditions", while Mauritania's geographic position on the northwest coast of Africa could make the country "one of the world's main producers and exporters of green hydrogen and its by-products". Chariot recently signed a partnership agreement with the Port of Rotterdam for sales of green hydrogen and its derivative products into Europe. Mauritania's petroleum, mines & energy minister Abdessalam Ould Mohamed Saleh said: "We are very pleased that the PFS has confirmed the world-class potential of Project Nour, both in its unique capacity to generate green hydrogen and for the broader development opportunities that it could bring to Mauritania. He added: "It is exciting to be looking to harness our natural resources in this way and Chariot has our full support as they progress this through the detailed feasibility studies." Zimbabwe has sought international support to be allowed to sell its stockpile of seized ivory, saying the $600 million it expects to earn is urgently needed for the conservation of its rapidly growing elephant population. The southern African nation opened a three-day international conference on Monday at Hwange National Park, the country's largest wildlife park, to try to win international support for its campaign to be allowed to sell its stockpile. If Zimbabwe is not permitted to sell off its 130 tons of ivory, estimated to be worth $600 million, officials warn it may quit the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES. Representatives from 16 African countries, as well as Japan and China, major consumers of ivory, are to attend the conference, said officials. Last week, envoys from some European Union countries, Britain, the United States and Canada were guided through heavily guarded vaults in Harare that are filled with piles of elephant tusks to win international support for legal sales of the ivory. Zimbabwean officials have appealed to the EU and other countries to support the sale of ivory which has been banned since 1989 by CITES, the international body that monitors endangered species. "We don't see anything wrong with another one off sale in this COVID-19 pandemic era," said Fulton Mangwanya, ZimParks Director-General, during a briefing to EU officials. "Conservation is indeed an expensive venture. We kindly request the support of (the) EU for Zimbabwe to be allowed a one off sale of our national ivory stock." Zimbabwe argues that its elephant population is growing rapidly at between 5% to 8% per year, a rate it says is unsustainable. Authorities have said they desperately need the funds from the sales of the ivory to manage the elephant population, which they say has grown to a dangerous size. Zimbabwes estimated 100,000 elephants are double the carrying capacity of its national parks, say parks officials. The overcrowded elephants are destroying the trees and shrubs that are vital for them and other wildlife. "You find one area like Hwange National Park, which is the size of Belgium, if we can illustrate, currently has a heard of 50,000 elephants whereas its carrying capacity should only be 15,000," conservationist Emmanuel Fundira told The Associated Press. "So we really have a problem." A coalition of 50 wildlife and animal rights organizations from across the globe said in a statement on Monday Zimbabwes conference is sending a dangerous signal to poachers and criminal syndicates that elephants are mere commodities, and that ivory trade could be resumed, heightening the threat to the species. Southern African countries have twice been permitted to sell off their ivory stocks to Japan and China in 1997 and 2008 and those limited sales resulted in a sharp escalation in poaching across the continent, said the statement. On the front of the stage, Nato assures that it has been strengthened by "Putins madness". Ukraine, powerfully armed by the West, is leading a counter-offensive and pushing back the "invader". At the international level, the sanctions are bearing fruit. Finland and Sweden, feeling threatened, decided to join the Atlantic Alliance. Soon the Russians will overthrow the "dictator" in the Kremlin. This magnificent narrative is contradicted by the facts: only about a third of Western weapons reach the front. But the Ukrainian army is exhausted. Almost everywhere it is retreating and a few exploits do not change the overall picture. Two-thirds of Western weapons, especially the heaviest ones, are already available on the black market in the Balkans, particularly in Kosovo and Albania, which have become the main places for trafficking in this area. Western sanctions pose a risk of famine, not in Russia, but in the rest of the world and particularly in Africa. Turkey and Croatia are opposed to the accession of new members to NATO. It is possible to convince them, but at the price of radical political changes which the West has always opposed. Even if Russia is wise enough to not celebrate its victory too loudly, as it did in Syria, it will be seen as the failure of the greatest military force in history, NATO. A victory without appeal, since the Atlantic Alliance was physically involved in the fight, while it stood around the battlefields in Syria. Many of Washingtons vassal states will try to break free. It is likely that their civilian leaders will remain mentally oriented toward the West, while their military leaders will turn more quickly toward Moscow and Beijing. In the years to come, the cards will be reshuffled. It will not be a matter of shifting from alignment with Washington to alignment with the new victors, but of creating a multipolar world where everyone is responsible for themselves. What is at stake is not a redefinition of zones of influence, but the end of the mentality establishing a hierarchy between peoples. From this prospective point of view, it is fascinating to observe Western rhetoric. Many experts from the old world explain that Russia wants to rebuild its empire. They claim that it has already reconquered Ossetia and Crimea and is now attacking the Donbass. They reconstruct history with falsified quotes from President Putin. Anyone who studies contemporary Russia and checks the data knows that this is not true. The accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the future accession of Ossetia, Donbass and Transnistria have nothing to do with an empire, but with the reconstitution of the Russian nation, which was dismembered during the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this context, a small part of the Western leadership is beginning to challenge the choices of their American overlord. The same phenomenon took place during the last trimester at the end of the mandate of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The latter, seeing the human disaster he had contributed to provoke in Libya and his failure in Syria, agreed to negotiate a separate peace with Damascus. However, Washington, furious with his independence, organized his electoral defeat in favor of Francois Hollande. In the days following his accession to the Elysee Palace, the latter re-launched the Western war machine for a decade. It is precisely at this time that Russia committed itself to intervene in Syria. For two years it finished developing new weapons, then came to fight the jihadists armed by the West and directed by NATO from its Allied Land Command in Turkey. While Natos watchwords triumphed in the Western press, our studies on the history, significance and place of the Banderists in contemporary Ukraine were widely circulated in leadership circles around the world. Many of Washingtons "allies" now refuse to support these "Ukrainians" whom they know are neo-Nazis. They consider that, in this fight, it is Russia that is right. Germany, France and Italy have already authorized certain members of their governments to talk with Russia without this changing the official policy of their countries. At least these three members of the Atlantic Alliance are carefully playing a double game. If things go wrong for NATO, they will be the first to turn around. Similarly, the Holy See, which came close to preaching a new crusade against the "Third Rome" (Moscow) and circulated photographs of the Pope praying with wives of Banderist members of the Azov regiment, has also made contact not only with Patriarch Cyril, but also with the Kremlin. All these contacts, however discreet they may be, annoy Washington, which is already trying to remove the secret emissaries. But precisely the fact that they have been officially dismissed gives these emissaries more room to negotiate. The important thing is that they are accountable to the right people for what they do. This is a dangerous game, as evidenced by President Sarkozys electoral defeat when he tried to free himself from his American sponsor. Hypothesis 1: Natos enlargement would confirm its new purpose Lets try to take a step back from the events and see how they could evolve. For Turkey and Croatia to accept Finlands and Swedens membership in NATO, NATO would have to agree to their conditions. For Turkey, these are (1) the inclusion of the PKK and Hizmet (Fethullah Gulen) on the lists of terrorist organizations, the arrest and extradition of their members, (2) the reinstatement of its arms industry in the F-35 manufacturing program, and for Croatia (3) the change of electoral laws in Bosnia-Herzegovina in order to grant political equality to its Croat minority. The PKK does not represent Kurds in general, but only some of them. It began as a Marxist-Leninist party fighting the Turkish military dictatorship during the Cold War. Then, after the arrest of its leader and the dissolution of the USSR, it changed sides and became a libertarian party serving the Pentagon in the Middle East. Today, it is a mercenary militia that serves as a cover for the US occupation in Syria. To consider it a terrorist organization would mean evacuating the GIs from Syria and returning the oil wells to Damascus. Fethullah Gulen is the spiritual father of a large charitable organization with a presence in many countries. Extraditing him from the United States and considering his organization as terrorist would deprive the CIA of relays in many African and Turkish-speaking Asian countries. This would only be conceivable for Washington if AfriCom were deployed on the African continent instead of being exiled to Germany. Negotiations are underway to establish it in Somaliland, which would become an internationally recognized state. Given the long series of attacks that the PKK has carried out in Turkey and the attempted assassination of President Erdogan followed by the attempted coup in July 2016 in which Hizmet played a central role on behalf of the CIA, Ankara is legitimate in its demands. Reinstating Turkey among the F-35 manufacturing nations costs nothing, but its delisting was a sanction in the face of the Turkish militarys purchase of Russian S400 anti-aircraft weapons. Giving satisfaction to Ankara in order to enlarge Nato in the face of Russia would be, to say the least, contradictory and illegible. Moreover, having F-35s manufactured by a power that has not been shy about criticizing their alleged quality could also prove embarrassing. Bosnia-Herzegovina was created by the Straussians (Richard Perle was not a member of the American, but of the Bosnian, delegation to the Dayton Accords). It was imagined as a homogeneous entity in accordance with Straussian thinking. The Croat minority (15% of the population) was therefore ostracized. Their language is not recognized and they have no political representatives. To accede to the demand that Croatia is making on their behalf would mean calling into question the reasons why the Straussians organized the wars in Yugoslavia (to separate ethnic groups and create homogeneous populations). Moreover, it is the Straussians who are at work in Ukraine. Assuming that these three conditions are fulfilled or that the political leaders who formulated them are overthrown, the enlargement of the Atlantic Alliance to include Finland and Sweden would confirm the change in the nature of Nato. It would no longer be a structure aimed at stabilizing the North Atlantic region as stipulated in the Treaty, which led President Boris Yeltsin in 1995 to seriously consider joining his country. Nato would complete its transformation into a US military administration of its Western empire. Hypothesis 2: Western sanctions and military aid are intended to prepare other conflicts Let us now look at the real consequences of Western sanctions. The measures to exclude Russia from the international financial system do not affect it. It continues to import and export as much as necessary, but it is forced to change suppliers and customers. It is rapidly setting up the equivalent of SWIFT with the Brics (South Africa, Brazil, China and India) but it can no longer trade directly with the rest of the world. It is already impossible to buy potash fertilizer in Africa. Indeed, Russia and Belarus are the main exporters. A famine is brewing. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has already sounded the alarm. He is asking that the West allow an exemption to their embargo on potash fertilizers. In the most likely case, that Washington will not change its policy, famine will lead to new wars and large-scale migration to the European Union. It is surprising to say the least that after the fall of Mariupol, the United States was willing to send an additional 40 billion dollars to Ukraine where it had already lost another 14 billion dollars. In reality, two-thirds never reached their destination. These sums have been misappropriated. Soon about 18 billion dollars of weapons will be available in Kosovo and Albania. Either the Pentagon is throwing money around or it is investing by keeping this huge arsenal out of the sight of Congress. The U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, therefore travelled to Morocco on May 11 to chair a meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh. 85 states participated at the level of their foreign ministers. Predictably, Ms. Nuland denounced the re-formation of Daesh, no longer in the Middle East, but in the Sahel. She invited all participants to join the US in fighting this enemy. However, as everyone had seen the massive Pentagon support for the jihadists in Iraq and Syria, all the diplomats present understood that the storm would soon break. Weapons were missing and the Pentagon did not want to be caught in the act of delivering them again to the jihadists. It will just have to get them from the Balkans, where they are still waiting for their end users in their crates. A war in the Sahel will not be a problem: it will spare the great powers and will only result in African victims. It will last as long as it is fed and no ally will allow itself to notice that this conflict only exists since they invaded and destroyed Libya. Everything can continue as before: for a part of humanity, the world will remain unipolar with Washington at its center. Hamlet and Oresteia Hugely anticipated when they were announced two years ago, the British director Robert Ickes two productions finally play in repertory at the enormous Park Avenue Armory, where the bleak dramas about intrafamilial vengeance can stretch their tragic wings. Hamlet stars Alex Lawthor and runs roughly along the lines of Shakespeares original (though Icke interpolates some text from the so-called bad quarto and gets up to other dramaturgical high jinks); Oresteia stars Lia Williams as Klytemnestra and departs radically from the bones laid down by Aeschylus, crushing an entire trilogy about justice into one crammed grave. (Park Avenue Armory; in previews June 1.) Corsicana When Will Arberys Heroes of the Fourth Turning appeared in 2019, it hit the theaters collective sweet spot the springy part of the bat, the twangy part of the racket. Turning was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for its linguistic richness, timeliness, and moral complexity. Now Arbery is back, again at Playwrights Horizons, with a play about a woman with Down syndrome and her half-brother, both of whom are struggling after their mothers death. Sam Gold directs, and Deirdre OConnell, the tremendous actor from Dana H. who is reason enough to book a ticket, appears as a close family friend. (Playwrights Horizons; in previews June 2.) Gods Fool Dance-theater titan Martha Clarke ventures again into religious ecstasy with this imagistic portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, the ascetic and mystic who connected most to animals and the desperately poor. Collaborating with poet Fanny Howe and music director Arthur Solari, who has built her an a cappella score of early liturgical chants, Clarke continues her lifes long project of turning parables and paintings into movement pieces that hint at another, more exalted state. The cast, a whole monasterys worth of talent, includes downtown treasure John Kelly and ballet icon George de la Pena. (Ellen Stewart Theater at La MaMa; in previews June 12.) Richard III Its a ritual: You get in line, you eat an ice cream while you wait, and at the end you get a free ticket to a Shakespeare play. This seasons first Shakespeare in the Park offering stars the majestic Danai Gurira as the crooked wannabe king who winks at the audience while sneaking a (bloodied) crown out from under an entire dynastys nose. Robert OHara, known for his wicked touch with comedies, directs a cast that also includes Ali Stroker, Michael Potts, and Gregg Mozgala. (Delacorte Theater in Central Park; in previews June 17.) White on White When Alec Duffy started the JACK theater in Clinton Hill, the demands of artistic directorship slowed his own theatrical output with his Hoi Polloi company to zero. For those of us addicted to his music-infused work (like Three Pianos and The Less We Talk), it was a serious blow. Now, after ten years, Duffy is stepping down from his co-directorship only to immediately step into co-directing (with Lori Parquet) this new uncanny comedy about an anti-racism affinity group, written by the wickedly inventive Robert Quillen Camp. (JACK, in previews June 23.) More anticipated events: Lincoln Center gathers all its many summer festivals into one big one called Summer for the City (May 14August 14), which will fill all the plazas with dance, music, classes, rituals, and storytelling projects. The River to River Festival puts art where you least expect it including a puppet parade across the greensward of Battery Park, a modern dance performance at Federal Hall, and a choreographed piece, duet/duet, at the Arts Center at Governors Island (June 1226). Put yourself in the hands of the youth with BAMs Night Walks With Teenagers, a rambunctious interactive guided tour of a specific Brooklyn neighborhood, devised and led by local teens (June 1518). The Clubbed Thumb Summerworks Festival is still the easiest one-stop shop for adventurous playwriting. This years lineup has already begun unspooling; in June, you can catch Spindle Shuttle Needle (June 616) and Bodies They Ritual (June 22July 2). Joes Pub at the Public Theater gets very fancy this month, with an album release by Joey Arias (June 17) and an eight-performance engagement with Taylor Mac and Matt Rays still-in-development epic about queer luminaries, The Bark of Millions (June 2030). A quick drive (or train ride) up the Hudson to Bard College gets you to the Fisher Centers Summerscape Festival, which this year includes a new translation of Molieres Dom Juan, directed by Ashley Tata and starring Amelia Workman as the titular cad (June 23July 16). Kristen Stewarts new movie, David Cronenbergs Crimes of the Future, takes place in a world in ruins. As she puts it, Were not far off. Photo: Neon/Serendipity Point Films About halfway through David Cronenbergs Crimes of the Future, Kristen Stewart sticks her hands directly into Viggo Mortensens mouth and peers into it like its a dark tunnel. Its an attempt at seduction she tells him she wants him to cut into her, then massages the side of his face and dives tongue-first into his open jaw. Hes aroused by the more clinical probing, but he politely demurs when it turns into something vaguely resembling a kiss. Im not so good at the old sex, he says apologetically. On a rooftop the morning after the films Cannes premiere, Stewart tells me she came up with the idea to inspect his mouth on the spot during filming. Im really fucking proud of that, she says. I didnt tell anyone I was gonna do that. The new sex, as Stewarts character puts it in the film, is surgery. Crimes is set in a dystopian near future in which humans are spontaneously sprouting new organs, are unable to experience pain or infection, and are starting to merge with their synthetic environment. As a result, theyre all whacking away at one another, some as a sensual act and others as performance art. Stewarts Timlin is a self-described bureaucratic insect at the National Organ Registry, a secret government entity that tracks and subdues new organ growths in order to suppress the Accelerated Evolution syndrome thats sweeping the globe. When we meet Timlin, shes squeaky-voiced and shaky, a scolding government stooge, but over the course of the film, she falls into a sort of lusty obsession with Mortensens Saul Tenser, an underground performance artist whos prolifically growing new organs and surgically removing them onstage with the help of his devoted partner, Caprice (Lea Seydoux). Its a freaky, fascinating performance from Stewart, made even richer because it reflects back on her own life as an artist and a longtime object of public sycophancy. The through-the-looking-glass life Stewart leads is even more apparent in a place like Cannes: After the festivals premiere on Monday night, as is tradition, a cameraman trained his lens directly on Stewarts face as she reacted to the audiences reaction to the film, broadcasting that reaction on a gigantic screen to the entire audience, which then reacted to her reaction. At the press conference the next morning, Stewart was swarmed by fans both inside and outside the press room as she spoke about playing a character desperate for a piece of the object of her own manic fixation. Minutes after the conference wrapped, I met Stewart looking calm and Cannes chic in a red checked Chanel two-piece and big yellow sunglasses to discuss making a film about being up for public consumption while being publicly consumed. I love this outfit. How did you get here from the press conference and change so quickly? I actually didnt change, which is very unlike me. Im never in an actual outfit for more than five minutes. Yeah, I saw you at the after-party last night, and you had instantly changed from your premiere outfit into jeans and a crop top. I actually had an outfit I was supposed to change into just to watch the movie in and then change into jeans after, but I lost it. I was very angry at myself. I was sitting there completely unable to breathe. That top was way too small for me. I was like, Why did I do this to myself? I walked out with these red, like, fuckin lacerations on my stomach. It was very in keeping with the movie. I cut myself open. So how did you end up in this film? David and I actually met at this festival 12 years ago. When he called me on the phone, he was like, Hey, honey, how are you? I had just read the script, and I had a lot of questions about where it came from and why right now because it seemed so completely urgent and vital. He was like, I wrote it in 1996, actually. I was like, Oh, cool, cool, so youre a fuckin oracle. Not to say we havent been on this path for a very long time, toward a quite certain destruction. Not to sound too dark, but it is true. The movie takes place in a future thats in ruins, and were not far off. No, it is true. I was so excited to play Timlin because I think she kind of even though I only have a few minutes to come in and tell a story, its really fun to have three scenes. If you dont nail it, youre wallpaper. Timlin is so locked up, self-oppressed, wants to be good at her job, and totally represents the rigidity of the government that they live under. And she experiences an awakening in a split second. A huge mission statement of the movie is that art triumphs. It saves. Its something that doesnt die because weve left it behind; its outside of the body but it feels reflective. So it was really fun to let my freak flag fully fly. Im very rarely asked to play weird little characters like that. Its usually like, Come play the strong woman facing adversity. And Im like, Fuck that! Timlins voice and her mannerisms was that coming straight from you, or was that something you and David discussed? I really thought he wrote it like that. I dont know that he made reference to any type of squeaky voice, but she was described as a creepy little bureaucratic gnome. And so I was like, Okay, I think thats what this sounds like. I kind of tried to change my voice as it went. At first, it was completely locked in, and as I started to become obsessed with this artist, I was trying to speak in a more full way that he might find sensual or something, trying to do an impression of Caprice. Lea Seydoux, shes a walking, talking ad for sensuality. So I was trying to be her toward the end. What kind of direction did David give you, if not that? Very little. Small, gentle massaging. Like, if he was feeling something wasnt right, it was like, Dont do that. Pull back on that. Its not quite right. Or if he enjoyed it, hed be like, Youre on the right path! Go further! It was subtle support. And we never did more than two takes of anything, which is really scary because youre like, Wait! But he only wants your first instinct. He doesnt want you to strain. Theres something about straining or pushing thats dishonest. And also he just doesnt have the patience for it anymore. Hes like, Nope! Were done. The scene where you stick your hands into Viggos mouth as a way of seducing him is so weird and great. Was that in the script, or did you come up with that together? So that was not in the script. Im really fucking proud of that. Thats my favorite part of the movie or my part in the movie, at least. In the script, it was described as a pas de deux. They were sort of dancing together. And I took that really literally, so I was so scared that day. I was like, How are we gonna learn this pas de deux? And there was so much dialogue. Theyre all very strange things to say and therefore not the easiest to remember. The vocabulary itself was toothsome. After the premiere, before the credits lifted, it was dead silent. I was like, Ooh, people dont know how to feel. So I was scared! I was like, Im not gonna be able to dance and keep my connection with you. But it ended up being that I just chased Viggo around the room. And in the script, it says that at some point I find myself entwined with him and I stick my tongue down his throat. Its so hard to come near someone that youre so obsessed with. My hands were shaking because we only did it one time. So I was like, If I want to be Caprice and I want him to cut into me and I want to cut into him and I want to get as close as I can to possibly feel something if I cant actually do it, maybe I can unhinge his jaw and get as deeply inside his head as I possibly can and examine the actual anatomy of his mouth. So I didnt tell anyone I was gonna do that. I was like, Is it cool if I just try this one thing, and just go with me? So I massaged his jaw for a second to get it to open and then I went all the way in, like, How do I get more of you? And we didnt have to do it again. David came in and was like, Well, that was an extraordinary fucking take! What was Viggos reaction when you did that? We had the best time. Because we were both a little intimidated by the scene itself, when David came out and said that, we literally looked at each other and were like, I guess were done! When I spoke to David yesterday, I was surprised by how normal and gentle he was, which he says happens to him a lot. Were you surprised by him on set? Pretty much from the jump, yeah. Even in the way he was answering questions at the press conference. The most simple answer comes from a place of wisdom. You dont have to complicate certain ideas. Like, The body is reality. At first, I was really trying to shove that concept in my head: What does it mean to me and the world and on every level? But he was like, I shoot people. Thats it! Its a body. All of that is surprising. These are really lofty concepts, but also theyre not at all. His relationship to pain is kind of admirable. I feel like I share a certain instinct to enjoy pain. Not in a masochistic way, but pain holds hands with pleasure. And I dont even just mean sexually. I mean that if you can enjoy the sort of excruciating nature of having a body, it means youre also able to accept the good parts in a way that is deep. He has a fearless and accepting approach to life that is contagious. It feels like your dad or grandpa being like, Look, were all in this together. And theres no way out. This is it. [She slaps her thighs.] So enjoy it. Thats fucking dark and scary. But theres something really beautiful about his philosophy. I know. I asked him if he had done therapy and he was like, No! Goddamn. Youre like, Were all in therapy! You said at the press conference that the cast would all go back to your hotel at the end of the day and be like, What the fuck are we doing? What were those conversations like? Did you ever come to any conclusions? I dont think we ever came to any conclusions. The coolest part of making a movie is that you figure out why youre doing it either on the film or after. I had read Sapiens and Homo Deus [books by Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari] right before I did this movie, so I was already trying to figure out why I think the way I think. Like, Im totally a product of my environment. If I was from Kentucky, maybe I would be pro-life. The way humans have gotten here is just such a mindfuck. So I thought, This movie is about basically everything youve ever considered. How did we get here? Are we capable of change? Is there any way to come together? The only way weve gotten here is by shared myths. You believe in a thing, therefore its true. The only thing that keeps us bound and cumulative as a society is that we tell each other lies and we go, Co-signed! Baby, I got you. I believe you. Im with you. We just made all this shit up! Money, God, everything. When I say God, I mean, sex, power, art, all of it. Theyre interchangeable words for me. So yeah, we had these kinds of conversations all the time. What does it take to make art? What does it take from you, and what does it give you back? Is everyone an artist, or are there only some people who are compelled to externalize their inner life? Are there people that just want to be close to that? Or is everything we do art? Is everything we do political? Like, right now, what were doing is art, maybe. Who the fuck is defining what that is? Who owns it? It totally makes sense that art is radicalized, because it scares people. All of this shit is what we were talking about the whole time. So, casual! Yeah! And also its really funny. I read the script and I loved it, but I didnt find it funny. Then being on set, there was just no way to not laugh at everything. What David says is really true: Some of the hardest stuff that you do, you laugh through. Because those emotions are parallel. When I was at the premiere last night and at the press conference today, people were shoving me to get photos of you guys. I was struck by how it all related to the film and your character and this idea of sycophantic fandom. Im interested in hearing about your experience of being here and having cameras stuck in your face relative to the character you play. Im always torn between wanting to be such an exhibitionist being out there and open and showing everything about myself and being protective. To think that youre misinterpreted is super-narcissistic anyway because everyone is just having their own experience with what youre putting out there. But I just have a physical aversion that I cant actually control. I was at the PGAs, and I was having a great time. Steven Spielberg was behind me! It was a room full of people that I was just like I was like a kid in a candy store. And then this guy with a camera went like this [mimics camera in face]. Which is completely normal. Im an actor, and Im at an awards show. Its fine. And my body literally went like this [raises both middle fingers sarcastically]. I couldnt understand. I was like, Kristen But it wasnt like I was angry that he took my picture. It was just a weird, knee-jerk physical reaction to being looked at in a moment where I wasnt expecting it. What does it take to make art? What does it take from you, and what does it give you back? Is everyone an artist? Or is everything we do art? At Cannes, I just have to focus on the things that are good. You can stare at shit, or you can stare at the things that are pretty in the world. So I was like, Okay, focus on David. This movie is so personal to him. It took me watching the movie to realize that Saul Tenser is David. Hes excavating these organs and coughing them up, and hes like, How long am I going to be able to do this? I was like, Duh, Kristen. Obviously, thats him. Its such a testament to everything hes done. He said at the press conference that everything he does is intimate, but this does feel personal in a way thats new. So I focused on that. Then the cameras moved over to me, and I was like, Dude, just get back to David! And also, why so close? My gosh! Just a medium close-up would be great. This is a literal micro-close-up. Im like, Fuck off! How did you feel after the premiere? Before the credits lifted, it was dead silent. I was like, Ooh, people dont know how to feel. They dont know if they should clap or not. I felt like it was the fuckin Will Smith moment where everyone was like, Yes? No? No. Okay, actually no! Like, do people have to look to their left and right to see if people like it before they clap? Its a lot to take on at first, I guess. But to me, the movie is so simply sweet. Yes, were barreling towards certain death, for sure. But theres a delicacy to the movie that, even in the gory stuff, I was really bewitched by it. Everyone talking about walking out and how intense it was. I was like, Its not intense! Its really beautiful. Theres a distancing effect and a grace to it. Yeah. Its kind of how I visualize the inside of my body. Its not real. It feels all kind of tender and sensitive. Theres a whole section in the film about an inner beauty pageant, and both you and your co-worker in the film, Wippet, are obsessed with Saul Tenser participating in it, initially in the name of beauty but then with his star power. It almost feels like a critique of the awards world and festivals like Cannes. Is that your experience of sort of being consumed as a celebrity? Part of me really loves that the novel David wrote is called Consumed. We do want to digest each other. Thats the closest you can get to a person. There are ugly parts of that, and people lose themselves in that. Its nice when you dont. If you can really be, like, present in your desire and your obsession, thats one thing. But to have it tailspin into oblivion? Wippet is so obsessed with Sauls star power, and in that moment, he really undermines his whole thing: Oh, the beauty, the beauty, I cant stay away! Im like, Is it the beauty, or are you just whipped into a frenzy by popularity? You know so clearly which actors like to act and which actors just like to be famous. Its so fucking obvious. Its very clear. Why dont we just say it? I mean, I do, but the people who just want to be the center of attention: I love it! Thats why I got into this. Instead of being like, Oh, its the art! Im like, Is it? But then again, what am I doing sitting here trying to define what art is for other people. The thing about doing these interviews for 20, 30 minutes is you start sitting here being like, Everything I just said is wrong. Actually, I feel the opposite in every way. Youre like, Strike all of that. I just chase my tail. But you seem to have developed a healthy understanding of and relationship to all of this, having been in this world and at Cannes long enough to have come to a level place with it. Is that a fair assessment? Yeah. It doesnt scare me as much anymore because nothing bad ever actually happens. Even when the worst thing happens, youre like, Oh, Im fine. Todays Specials All jokes aside, stand-up is getting artful onscreen. Photo: Netflix Its natural to skip past the end credits on a comedy special without thinking about the people credited within them. Platforms like Netflix practically encourage this behavior, taking you back to the navigation menu moments after the comedian has finished waving to the crowd. Linger on them for a little longer, however, and youll see the hundreds of artists and craftspeople responsible for bringing comedy specials to life. Theyre producers who manage hiring and logistics, cinematographers and production designers who marry comedians content to their aesthetics, and sound mixers and editors who refine live performances into polished products. To learn more about how these professionals approach their crafts, Vulture interviewed a group of five behind-the-scenes figures whove made invaluable contributions to the comedy specials we consider technical achievements today. Theyve lent their expertise to productions like Jerrod Carmichaels Rothaniel, Bo Burnhams Make Happy, Adam Sandlers 100% Fresh, Chris Rocks Tamborine, Maria Bamfords Old Baby, Chelsea Perettis One of the Greats, Drew Michaels Red Blue Green, Moses Storms Trash White, and more. They spoke about the challenges of producing comedy in a time of higher demand but lower budgets, revolutionizing the way stand-up can look on-camera, and doing their jobs so well that their contributions go unnoticed. The Luxury of Two Days Emily Cohen is a line producer whos worked on over ten comedy specials, including Ali Wongs Don Wong, Ramy Youssefs Feelings, and Anthony Jeselniks Fire in the Maternity Ward. Photo: Clifton Prescod/Netflix My role depends on the production company and if they want me to be the money person or the money person and the creative person. The very first thing that happens is the budget. I need to talk to everybody especially the production company about how they and the network want us to spend the money. Then, if were staging the show if the artist isnt on tour and were finding a venue and staging it from the ground up Ill look for venues. From there, its building a team: hiring the designer, the director, and the lighting designer. Then its presenting an idea and bringing it to fruition. Sometimes the artist is engaged in the decision-making process of who the set designer is, who the lighting designer is, who the director is, and who the director of photography is. The comics learn fast what they like and what they dont like. One of the challenges I see evolving is that the supply and demand for comedy specials is changing, and now these distributors want production companies to do it for less money and in a shorter amount of time. Ive done a comedy special called a one-day wonder, where you load in the set, lights, sound, cameras, shoot two shows, and strike all in one day. Back in the old days, you had a week to shoot a comedy special. Now, two days is a luxury. COVID has been the biggest challenge of my career. I was slated to do a Netflix comedy special in 2019. We got as far as doing a scout, which is where the key people go to the venue. Then the pandemic happened. Then we had an attempt No. 2, and we had an attempt No. 3, and finally we just shot it in November in New Jersey. The biggest obstacle was that the artist did not want the audience to wear masks. So we had to work out how to do that with the blessing of all the unions and their strict COVID protocols. Shooting comedy is not as easy as it looks. Its a skill set, and it takes a village to move a mountain. Because of that, sometimes theres a lack of production value, theres a lack of richness in the set or a lack of richness in lighting. If you go back and look at old comedy specials, they put a lot of money into them. We did a live Brian Regan special from Radio City, and we were there for a couple of days, and you can really see the difference in money spent. But most average viewers dont notice, and the digital platform distributors know that, so they dont really invest much. At that point, its on the artist to maintain their own brand and sensibility, to fight for an elegant set or sophisticated lighting. A Beautiful, Choreographed Dance Andrew Wehde is a cinematographer whos worked on over ten comedy specials, including Drew Michaels Red Blue Green, Bo Burnhams Make Happy, and Chris Rocks Tamborine. Photo: Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix When I work on projects in the comedy world, I tend to join fairly early on in the process. I try to get the comedian to explain as simply as possible what it is that theyre trying to accomplish. A lot of making sure their work feels classic and timeless comes from steering them into the simple approach; simplicity doesnt mean it needs to look cheap, either. Sometimes Ill ask if they have any visual inspirations. Like, with Drew Michaels Red Blue Green, we looked at Inside Llewyn Davis as an example of tone, color, and lighting. When we worked with Chris Rock, though, hed seen Jerrod Carmichaels 8, and so he called Bo Burnham and was like, I want you guys to make my special. I dont care what you do. I have no creative input. Ill just show up and lets do it. At that point, Kanye West was on a tour where he was doing these beautiful light-grid concerts, and we really vibed off the idea of giving Chris more light than you could possibly have but creating contrast so it still felt dark. We had about 140 vintage tungsten can movers that we found in storage that dont exist anymore. Theyre the most beautiful, rich, warm lights, and we ran this huge beautiful grid array, where Chris basically had no spotlight. and he just walked in and out of light for the whole special. Of the many mediums I work on TV, film, and commercials making a live comedy special is hardest of all. Andrew Wehde, cinematographer During planning, Ill usually do two different technical drawings: one that states where the cameras will go and what kind of lensing they have, and Ill start designing a rudimentary idea of what the lighting will be. Then Ill do a semi-technical drawing that I can distribute to producers. After that, the preparation is really on-site and just hoping that the camera placements that you had envisioned were right. The real difficult part of it is fine-tuning lighting levels to the camera so it doesnt feel like a late-night show. I try to really push the camera to its maximum low-light ability and bring down a lot of my stage lights as low as possible so that everything clicks and feels better. Sometimes weve had it where after a half-hour of looking at things, it looks great. Other times, like with Make Happy, we spent two full days going through every single lighting cue. The greatest challenge is capturing what is essentially a legitimate movie live in front of an audience with anywhere from five to ten cameras, and doing it in a way that can be edited in a unique, story-driven manner. Of the many mediums I work on TV, film, and commercials making a live comedy special is hardest of all. Sometimes we have to do things in a way thats never been done before. Attempts to shoot in the round have been really unsuccessful in comedy for decades. When we were shooting Jerrod Carmichaels 8, Bo was adamant that we needed to figure out how to do it in a way that the audience doesnt get lost. Thats what used to happen the viewers wouldnt know where they were, and they didnt know where the talent was. We basically built a circle track around the entire perimeter of the venue and ran three dollies, and each dolly had two cameras, which I called dual-headed monsters. That way, each camera on each dolly had really big zooms on it, 24-mm. to 300-mm. If one camera was zooming in, the other camera was zooming out, so you had the ability to intercut the same angle at any time from three different sections while theyre moving. It became a really beautiful choreographed dance. I think were at a fork in the road right now. Theres going to be your overproduced-looking specials, which are very bright and overly lit with bizarre out-of-focus lights in the background and big swooping camera moves. And dont get me wrong, Ive had to do those a couple times because I dont always get to do what I want. And then its going to be more things like the Bo, Jerrod, and director-producer Chris Storer stuff, which are going to be much rawer and more intimate. The Pursuit of One Perfect Atmosphere Marc Janowitz is a lighting and production designer whos worked on over 15 comedy specials, including Jerrod Carmichaels Rothaniel, Bo Burnhams Make Happy, and Adam Sandlers 100% Fresh. Photo: HBO My involvement depends a lot on whether Im being brought in as a lighting designer only or if Im being brought in as a production designer and lighting designer, which is a combination you dont often see. Generally the producer whos calling me will give me a rundown of whatever has already been discussed. Itll be something like, The comedian really wants to perform in front of something that feels like a star field. Then Ill ask the artist a series of questions about visual references they find interesting, or things that theyve seen before. From there, Ill sketch out some ideas and create an idea board of visual references and structures I think are cool. Well engage in a little more dialogue, and then Ill make some more sketches and renderings until we arrive at the final rendering. With most of the comedy specials Ive been involved in, the model is that you spend a lot of time beforehand crafting the perfect look where its going to be great for every camera angle and going to edit well together across two to four shows. Sometimes, we need to account for whether the comedian is very active onstage: Are they going to make it all the way to the edge of the stage where we need something in the background for a cross-shot? The venue can also play a role: If its a proscenium theater with a big stage, lots of seating, and lots of rigging positions you have enough space to put your staging. But for something like Jerrod Carmichaels 8, for instance, that venue was the production design. The challenge then became adapting the venues personality to what we were trying to do. When I work on a rock show, a band like My Morning Jacket will play 30 songs a night. Within every song, its going to be very dynamic, and youre looking for lots and lots of wow and aha moments. Its an intense two and a half hours boom, boom, boom, boom, lights everywhere, and then its done. A comedy special is completely the opposite version of that, where you are attempting to create one perfect atmosphere using the lighting design, art design, and production design that works for the comedian and the audience in the room. When I worked on Hasan Minhajs special Homecoming King, the biggest unknown was: How would the cameras interact with the LED video walls that made up the set? Theres an inherent challenge with the matrix of little dots on an LED wall and the matrix of dots that are in a camera sensor. If the cameras are too focused on the LED wall display, you get a really terrible moire pattern, which is unacceptable for broadcast. Ultimately, the solution became a combination of making sure you had the tightest pixels you could pack on the LED wall combined with enough distance between the comedian and the wall to allow for the cameras to get just the slightest soft focus. So youre seeing all the imagery, but the sensor is not picking up on the grid pattern. One of the things that has been eye-opening for me, and something you can really embrace with comedy specials, is that there are certain moments where you know which camera is going to make the cut, so you can make these little lighting tweaks where youre breaking all the rules that exist in live settings. In those moments, you can tweak the light just a little bit to create a flare, or you can elbow the director of photography next to you and tell him that if he just tilts up a little bit, hell see a corona lighting effect. Those are some of the magic moments. Just Smooth It With Laughter Brenda Carlson is a video editor whos worked on over 170 comedy specials, including Maria Bamfords Old Baby, Bo Burnhams what, and Chelsea Perettis One of the Greats. Photo: Max Gerber Usually Ill get called in after comedians have already finished shooting their specials. They usually shoot two shows, so theyll tell me which show they preferred, and Ill use that as my base while still looking at both shows to combine the best from each. I have a process of how I tackle things. I go through and grab audience audio from the show for laughs, because if you switch between shows for an edit, you use laughter to make it feel smooth. I pull audience reactions if there are audience reactions. Then I go through both shows and I string it together based on what parts got the best response, what had the best performance, which shots had the best angles, and where there were no flubs. A lot of times I can clean up a flub within the show. I can grab a word and insert it somewhere if they messed up to correct it. Or if they said something twice, I can just go to a different angle and cut that out. Maria Bamfords Old Baby was a very unique one to work on. The audiences got bigger and bigger throughout, and she did her whole act to every audience in every location, so I had all that footage and we had to work on where to make the transitions. I like it when comedians are hands-on with the edit. Ive worked with so many great comedians, and sometimes well watch it through together and theyll give notes. With other people, like Bill Burr, I remember he hated watching himself, so hed come in for a few seconds at a time, give a few specific notes, and then leave. Bob Saget was very involved in the edit because his shows were very, very different. Usually when a comedian shoots two shows, they have a script and a setlist and they do pretty much the same jokes in the same order, give or take two or three. Bob had a few jokes he made sure to hit in both shows, but they would be in different orders because his act was very much dependent on crowd work. That made it really challenging to get the best of both shows. One of my favorite compliments Ive ever gotten from a comedian was from Tiffany Haddish. She told me I was the Beyonce of editing. Coughs and Sneezes and Evil People Michael Farnan is a rerecording mixer whos worked on over 15 comedy specials, including Moses Storms Trash White, Seth Meyerss Lobby Baby, and Norm Macdonalds Hitlers Dog, Gossip & Trickery. Photo: Adam Rose/HBO Max My role on a special typically starts right at the end after the show has been recorded and edited. I take all the recordings from the production recordists at the venue, get the editors cut of the show, and its my job to mix it all together. We mix in surround sound, so the venue can have anywhere from 12 to 30 different microphones to capture the crowd. The production recorders will make whats called a sound report, where they show where all the microphones are in the theater relative to each other, so I know where to place them in the sound field so that everything lines up properly and remains in phase. I spend a significant amount of time editing out extraneous noise from the crowd. Live crowds are messy; you get everything from coughs and sneezes to evil people who talk back during a show that they know is being recorded. Occasionally a microphone will go bad, or sometimes somebody will bump a microphone at a key moment. Even something like a comedians microphone technique can make a difference. Some comedians are better at holding the mic, and some are not as careful. Theres always that cliche in my line of work thats like, If people notice your work, youre not doing it right. Michael Farnan, rerecording mixer Once Ive done my mix, well play it back for a comedian or sometimes its their manager whos involved and theyll give me whatever notes they have. For the most part, its fun to work with them. Some give absolutely fantastic notes, although some get a little nitpicky. It wasnt strictly stand-up, but I worked on the Middleditch and Schwartz improv specials, and Ben Schwartz gave some of the best, most detailed notes Ive ever gotten on any type of project. That show was an interesting challenge because they werent just standing at a microphone, they were literally running around the theater as they were performing. They were wearing lavalier body microphones, switching between the microphones as they were talking, and a lot of times talking over each other. It was very challenging to balance their microphones in a way that sounded natural. I also did one show during the pandemic with Marlon Wayans that was shot outside, and it happened to be underneath the flight path in Miami, so there were jets sailing over the show. I had to use a lot of sophisticated noise-reduction software. Moving laughter is somewhat of a sensitive topic with comedians, but we do whats called sweetening. We have a guy who specifically works on laughs. He samples clean laughs from the show and then we sit there, watch the show, and add in laughs and chuckles here and there. But its all very subtle. We dont want to do anything to make it sound like an 80s sitcom its really just to smooth out the various edits. Its usually not a case of adding in a laugh where there was no laugh. In general, theres a big challenge with how loud you mix the laughs. Some comedians want it to be a little more subtle, and some want the laughs to be really loud. As a philosophy, I always say, What would this sound like if I was sitting about five or six rows back in the live audience myself? Theres always that cliche in my line of work thats like, If people notice your work, youre not doing it right. Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. Welcome to the retrospective recaps of For All Mankind season two. Season three debuts on June 10, and what better way to whet viewers appetites than by recapping the season that skyrocketed For All Mankind to greatness? Once again, we are treated to an episode nestled entirely under the broad umbrella of tentative hopefulness and wariness in both interpersonal relationships and matters of international relations. A contingent of Soviets engineers, cosmonauts, a coterie of nameless political apparatchiks have arrived in Houston to great fanfare. The Americans are behaving like the golden retrievers of world culture we are, happy faces plastered on while a marching band plays peppy tunes to honor our guests. The Soviets are considerably more reserved. We could even describe them as playing hard to get, an impression only strengthened by their flat, grudgingly accepting to actively hostile responses to the mission approach Margo lays out in their first big meeting. The cosmonauts must not be referred to as astronauts, and they must be given the (ornamental) honorifics of Cosmonaut One and Cosmonaut Two. Sure, fine, whatever. They also want the mission referred to as Soyuz-Apollo rather than Apollo-Soyuz. Okaaaaaay. Most significant, they do not, cannot, and will not assent to a docking mechanism that suggests visually that their ship is the passive recipient of the, uh, equipment that NASAs ship is using to dock with theirs. Good-faith negotiating on vitally important and in no way picayune details! We love it! Following the absurd meeting, Margo wonders aloud how NASA can be expected to have a successful mission under these conditions. Bradford immediately responds that theyre not: The Soviets will stall and make petty demands knowing the Americans will eventually do some stonewalling of their own, and then the Soviets can throw up their hands and return home. This is exquisite, a shining example of peak bureaucracy. Outside the uncomfortable formalities of that days meeting, informal conversations between individual people yield much more promising results. After realizing they cant make any progress on an acceptable and functional docking system for Apollo-Soyuz-Apollo, Margo and Sergei hold a secret rendezvous at 11:59, the jazz club where Margo is the pianist in a trio performing that night. Sergei recognizes immediately what a gesture of trust this is on Margos part, making it possible for the conversation to turn quickly from toasting shared secrets to the horrors of a war that Sergei believes is inevitable between the U.S. and the USSR. These two dont have the flashiest jobs, but they are the ones who will make or break this mission, and theyre very invested in contributing something worthwhile to help calm relations between their home countries. Sergei gets a flash of inspiration from the radioactivity symbol on their drinks coasters, and the totally androgynous interlocking petals docking system begins to emerge. With Aleidas crucial input on incorporating shock absorbers, by Jove, theyve got it! Dani and Stepan set up their own adventures in one-on-one international relations at the Outpost over shots of Jack Daniels and delve into finding substantive common ground rather than the happy-face talking points both of their governments expect them to stick to. Unsurprisingly, that proves very difficult; each of them is such a product of their respective cultures and political systems that being a pilot and going to space are the core quality they have in common. A few shots in, Stepan quietly mentions that he had gotten to hold Laika, the dog that was the first living creature from Earth to go to space. Danis face lights up as Stepan describes Laikas winning personality she was assessed as being spirited but balanced and adaptable to new situations, all crucial qualities for any species embarking on space travel and droops with sadness when Stepan tells her the legend of Laika dying peacefully in her sleep while in orbit is a lie: There was a malfunction with one of the systems in her spacecraft, and she died in pain. But her story is too important and powerful as a foundational myth for the USSRs space program for the truth to be widely known. Dani tries to frame Laika as an example of making a noble sacrifice for the motherland and the people she loved, but Stepan wont have it. Hed rather sit with the contrast between his affectionate memories and the bleak reality of her death. Left unspoken is the knowledge they share that when theyre talking about Laika, theyre also talking about themselves and the expectations of service and self-sacrifice they may be held to in the name of either providing justification for or preventing a war. Elsewhere in personal myth-busting, Kellys getting a head start on her application to the U.S. Naval Academy by drafting her admissions essay. Eds casual suggestion that she just tell them who she is triggers a cascade of existential questions: Okay, who is she? What makes her a Baldwin? How might her life be unfolding now if she had not been placed for adoption? What if she had been adopted by another family in the U.S. or one in Vietnam? She knows shes a Baldwin by a series of events she had no hand in: being in an operation airlifting women and children out of Saigon in 1972, being placed in an adoption center in Houston, not having been adopted earlier so she was there when Ed and Karen decided to pursue adoption after Shanes death. The love between Kelly and her parents is deep and sincere, and at the same time, Kellys feelings about her presence and role in the Baldwin family are deeply contradictory. Kelly presses Ed and Karen on the story of her adoption and learns some details she probably should already have been privy to: Ed and Karen, in the depths of their grief for Shane, were in a trial separation with Ed living at a local hotel. The news about Operation Babylift, which brought Kelly to Houston from Vietnam, prompted them to talk on the phone more and eventually visit the adoption center where Kelly was living. Kelly summarizes all shes heard with a reductive but by no means unfair observation/question: So I was your Band-Aid. In her haste to be reassuring, Karens response that Kelly was really their heart transplant is quite revealing. Again, in their attempts to move past their grief and to make sure Kelly knows how much they love her, Ed and Karen have inadvertently placed a crushing burden on their daughter. No child is responsible for the health of their parents relationship! I recall vividly that adoption was a taboo subject in the 80s there was even a very special episode of Family Ties about it and Karen and Ed have worked hard to get to their current place of more emotional openness than they were capable of nine years ago. Unfortunately, it seems theyve missed a couple of crucial steps. The Baldwins have gone this long without at least a couple of more frank conversations with Kelly about Shane and grief and, unsurprisingly for the time, havent taken any steps to help Kelly connect with her original cultural and racial identity. The transition shes navigating from the family myth (rooted more in being comforting than the truth) to a new self-understanding is abrupt and dramatically shifts her perspective on her entire existence. After scrapping the first few sentences of her admissions essay, Kelly summarizes herself as the genetic daughter of people I have never met. Its as much a mission statement for Kelly herself as it is an introduction to the admissions committee at Annapolis. Rewatching this episode, I realized that its jam-packed with tropes from romance novels. Who knows if it was intentional, but it works. Dani and Stepan have a sincere conversation about one thing that is also about another thing. Sergei and Margo have a secret rendezvous. Ellen and Pam decide to take a second chance at love (more on this in the next recap). And then theres the mother lode: Gordo and Tracy. Lets get into it! During a Not FaceTime with Jimmy for his birthday, he and Tracy have a fond chuckle about Gordos kitchen incompetence as Jimmy dryly puts it, He baked a cake and then bought another cake we destroyed all of the evidence and reminisce about the fun they had together as a family prior to his parents divorce. Gordo first overhears, then eavesdrops on their conversation, agony and hope just flickering across his face. Because this show loves narrative symmetry, when Gordo goes outside to mull over the idea that Tracy misses him, he winds up gazing fondly up at the moon, where Tracy is gazing fondly down at Earth through a little window at Jamestown. Mutual pining, unbeknownst to the other? Check. A second chance at love? Check. (Maybe) a record-setting long-distance relationship? Check, check, check! Gordo is now all in, drawing on reserves of previously unimagined courtliness to go to Tracy and Sams mansion to notify Sam, calmly and in person, that he intends to win Tracy back while hes on the moon. Where did this Regency romance hero come from? Whence this frank gentlemanliness? What is his wealth in comparison with Mr. Darcys or Lord Bridgertons? Little japes aside, Gordo and Tracys character development here is both welcome and earned. How lovely that in this maybe romance plot, the character pining the most is the infamously unfaithful hotshot pilot who perhaps too late, but how will he know unless he puts his heart on the line? now understands the value of the love he lost. Now, for Tracy, he goes to the moon. For her alone, he thinks and plans. Houston, We Have Some Bullet Points Needle drop of the episode: Instead of selecting a song we actually hear, Im going to suggest two that would have been great at underscoring Gordo and Tracys mutual pining. First, Somewhere Out There from the 1986 animated classic An American Tail. Too on the nose? Too sweet? No problem, because Wreckless Erics bracingly swoony Whole Wide World would also be perfect. A great deal of my understanding of Kellys plotline as a transracial adoptee who wants to know more about her family of origin is informed by Nicole Chungs memoir All You Can Ever Know. Its as beautiful and tender as it is unflinching; I cant recommend it highly enough. Its been noted elsewhere, but this episode is where we really begin to lean hard into the irony of Wrenn Schmidt who played a pretend American handler of Soviet spies in The Americans now playing an actual American starting to get cozy with a Soviet who isnt a spy probably. What I would give for a crossover event! Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images In the star-making role of Jessa on the HBO series Girls, Jemima Kirke was a force of nature: effortlessly charming and notoriously unreliable, a generator of chaos for chaoss sake. Jessa embodied a certain brand of cool, but she left a trail of broken friendships and toxic relationships in her wake, the collateral damage of her self-destructive tendencies. In her most recent roles, Kirke continues to complicate this cool girl image first as a strictly sex-negative headmistress in the third season of Sex Education and now with Hulus newest Sally Rooney adaptation, Conversations With Friends. Kirke plays Melissa, an accomplished writer who she represents the type of artist Frances (Alison Oliver) might one day hope to be even as Frances begins an affair with Melissas husband, Nick (Joe Alwyn). If theres a Jessa-like character in the series, its not Melissa; in fact, Melissa probably wouldve been one of Jessas victims. But Kirke dodges the scorned wife archetype by imbuing Melissa with depth in just a few key scenes, giving a master class in complex supporting performances. On a call with Vulture, Kirke dove deep into the mind of Melissa, including her motivation in permitting Nicks relationship with Frances. What, in your eyes, makes it difficult for Melissa to be married to Nick? She calls him pathologically passive. I think that phrase is the opposite of what she is. To be with someone who is passive, as someone who is not, can be great because it can create that nice tension in a relationship, that friction that is good in social settings. You have someone who can speak for you when you dont feel like it. You have someone who knows how to start a conversation when you dont. But in the intimate aspects, when youre alone and arguing, to have a passive person is extremely frustrating. Melissa has had this affair, and shes in the doghouse. She has to find her place within the relationship right now because its shifted. In a way, shes waiting. Shes waiting for him to be okay and waiting for him to accept her again. That means maybe taking a step back from her louder, bolder personality to give someone else space, which shes not used to. Comparing that to Nicks relationship with Frances, it seems like it can be even harder for two people who are both very passive to be in a relationship. Nick and Francess problems may be different from Melissa and Nicks, but having two passive people poses its own issues. I think thats whats so frustrating about watching Frances and Nick together. Theyre never saying the thing that needs to be said. As a viewer, you want to scream it for them. The thing theyre arguing about is something theyve come to the edge of, but neither has the guts to say it. Thats when a more aggressive person is useful, to pull that out of a passive person. Neither of them have that capacity. To me, one of the defining aspects of Melissa is her self-awareness. She knows it would be hypocritical to treat an affair as unforgivable because she had one herself. You can see her debating how much shes allowed to feel and express. And how angry shes allowed to be. Its such a tricky area, not just because she cheated and the hypocrisy of that. No instance of cheating is the same as the last because every infidelity has its details, and the details always matter. Its not Well, you cheated, and so I cheated, and so were even now! No. It doesnt work that way. The details that sting the most in Nicks relationship with Frances is that he fell in love. And falling in love is a whole other betrayal. Its also something he cant help, which is the biggest heartbreak of it. Its something he didnt do to her. Its very easy to be angry at someone for something they did to you. Its much harder to be angry at someone for a feeling. Do you think Melissas actions in the last few episodes especially during the brief period when theyre a kind of polyamorous trio are meant to deliberately sabotage Frances and Nick? I think a lot of her actions during that brief time were deliberate. Her goal was to show that Frances had bitten off more than she could chew. She wasnt going to make this easy for Frances. She was going to throw her into the deep end of what it entails to be in any relationship. The person you are choosing is going to be flawed and is going to be somewhat mismatched for you. Are you prepared to be in a relationship that is not always sexual and not always romantic like Melissa is? Shes trying to show her, Im stronger than you. I am at boss level of being in a relationship and you are not, and I want to run you through a crash course on that. Its impossible that shes this selfless. There has to be something that serves her in choosing the high road, in permitting the relationship. The thing that makes her look better than Frances is to be the non-jealous one, to be the more stoic, stable wife. In the first episode, Bobbi comments that its hard to imagine Nick and Melissa on their own holding a conversation that lasts longer than two minutes. But the last few episodes clarify that Melissa does know Nick really well and does understand what will bring him happiness, even if her choices are self-serving in some ways. The final phone conversation with Frances is an interesting scene. Melissa finally got to let out her rage, but her rage was apparently about how Frances had mistreated Nick. It felt very maternal, in a way, and less romantic to me, like being angry at someone for mistreating your child. Built into that rage is not simply a care and concern for Nicks feelings but a rage for herself. Do you think what primarily drives Melissas friendship with Bobbi is flattery? When Bobbi essentially says, Youre beautiful, I want to fuck you, I think its something Melissa hasnt heard or felt in a long time, being in a relationship with Nick. Its a big part of why she is friends with these girls. Thats going to be the question on most peoples minds when they watch it: Why are they hanging out with these girls? It doesnt make sense, not just because of the age difference but the difference in views. The couples are from different worlds, so why is Melissa forcibly bringing them in? Its a way to spice up her relationship a bit, not in the sense of having them sleep with each other but in the sense of building tension in the relationship. Having people around to entertain them, this silly, adorable, 20-something couple with these fresh perspectives. Theres a ton of exploitation going on. In episode four, when everybodys in Croatia on holiday, Melissa says, Its good for us to have company. I love it when the house is full. It seems like they bring in other friends for distraction. Ive seen that in so many relationships that are falling apart, where toward the end, the house gets very full. Theres a dinner party every night. Its a way to avoid being alone with each other. Melissa likes the house being full because it muffles the silence, which is probably so loud for her right now, being that shes basically auditioning for her husband. Its difficult to be around him because hes so quiet, and he doesnt say the thing she wants him to say, which is either I love you or I hate you. Having that distraction is really important for her right now. The whole series is shown from Francess point of view. By the nature of the story, your character has the least screen time of the four. But I find the character is one of the richest. Do you think Melissas relative absence can be limiting, or does that offer something unexpected for the character, seeing her from Francess point of view? Having less screen time is always great because its less work. [Laughs.] But its not a get out of jail free card. You have to pack so much into every action because every action is so normal and everyday and mundane. Seeing things from Francess perspective, the only place thats limiting is in the book, because as the reader, we cant see what she sees. We cant see what Melissa looks like, we cant see what her actions are, we cant see the very object Frances is interpreting. Thats where turning something into film is so enriching. Theres a lot at stake in doing that because you can really ruin something. Or its a chance to make it so much better because youre actually revealing a picture of what the person is seeing. I would say it was expansive to be able to be her rather than just read about her. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Casa Minerals Inc (TSX-V:CASA, OTC:CASXF) has announced the commencement of diamond drilling at its Congress gold deposit in the Martinez Mining District of Arizonas Yavapai County. The Vancouver-based company reminded investors that a 10,000-foot diamond drilling contract has been awarded to Godbe LLC of Colorado to complete the programme. Since purchasing the Congress property, Casa said it has compiled all available technical data concerning the former mining operations. Documented mining operations, at intervals from 1880 to 1980, reveal it produced 426,000 ounces of gold, followed from 1982 to 1988 by poorly documented operations that may have produced about 75,000 ounces, the company added. "We are very pleased to have acquired the Congress Mine that was idle for so many years, Casa president and CEO Farshad Shirvani said in a statement. We wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the former owners and local authorities in helping us resume exploration of this exciting deposit. As the traditional TV season winds down, no series finale looms larger than that of This Is Us as the Pearsons look back and ahead while they honor their late mother. A busy night of finales includes NBCs Young Rock and New Amsterdam and all three of CBSs FBI procedurals. Ricky Gervais returns to the stand-up stage in a Netflix special. PBSs American Experience revisits a plague threat in San Franciscos Chinatown in 1900. Currently starring in FXs Breeders, Martin Freeman takes a dramatic turn in BritBoxs The Responder as a stressed-out Liverpool policeman on the night shift. Series Finale 9/8c If something makes you sad when it ends, it must have been pretty wonderful when it was happening. That was the ghost of William (Ron Cephas Jones) summing up the tearjerking dramas appeal last week as he welcomed Rebecca (Mandy Moore) aboard the train to her afterlife. The series finale, set against the beloved mothers memorial, has a vibe reminiscent of Our Town as it looks back at a seemingly ordinary day from the Pearson familys past while gazing toward the Big Three siblings (and their own offsprings) future. Theyll be missed, but more importantly, theyll be remembered. Special Ricky Gervais has done some of his best (After Life) and worst (Derek) work for the streaming giant, and now he returns to the stand-up stage for a special (his second stand-up set for Netflix) that lays out his rules for comedy, which are bound to be irreverent. The title refers to his riff debunking the supernatural, because he feels that actual nature is super enough. Season Finale 8/7c A full night of FBI franchise finales begins with Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal (Jeremy Sisto) learning that one of his sons classmates was involved in a deadly robbery of automatic weapons. But why wont young Tyler (Caleb Reese Paul) cooperate with the investigation? On FBI International (9/8c), Special Agent Forrester (Luke Kleintank) gets intel on a case from his mother (Elizabeth Mitchell), and on FBI: Most Wanted (10/9c), the team pursues an oligarch on a terror spree. Season Finale 10/9c The medical drama wraps its next-to-last season with a looming monster hurricane threatening to upstage all of the relationship drama, including the impulsive nuptials of Max (Ryan Eggold) and Helen (Freema Agyeman), returning from London. And after all the seesawing back and forth, can the marriage of Iggy (Tyler Labine) and Martin (Mike Doyle) be saved? Documentary Premiere 9/8c Echoes of the modern pandemic resonate throughout the latest installment of American Experience, based in part on David K. Randalls book Black Death at the Golden Gate. The two-hour special chronicles an outbreak of bubonic plague in San Franciscos Chinatown in 1900 that created shock waves throughout the former Gold Rush boomtown that was then enjoying its new status as an international trading hub. As doctors tried to contain the diseases spread through severe quarantines, health officials and scientists faced pushback from government officials (including President McKinley) as the Chinese community became scapegoats of fear and prejudice. Sound familiar? Series Premiere Martin Freeman, who has excelled in series as different as the original U.K. The Office, playing Watson to Benedict Cumberbatchs Sherlock and starring in the first season of Fargo, has one of his meatiest roles yet in a six-part thriller. Hes Chris Carson, a first-responder cop in Liverpool whose personal life has begun to shred as a result of his workplace stress. The series takes place over a week of intense night shifts during which he breaks in a new partner (Adelayo Adedayo) and takes risks to save a young addict caught in a deadly entanglement. Series creator Tony Schumacher based the story on his own experiences as a former responder. Inside Tuesday TV: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Ponza is the largest of the Pontine Islands, the string of tiny islands located off the coast of the Lazio region in Italy. What is the history of Ponza? Ponza is a popular summer vacation destination for Italians, especially Romans and Neapolitans, as Rome and Naples are only a short drive and ferry ride away.Known by some as Capri without the tourists, Ponza is a worthy vacation destination for travelers who want to experience summer the Italian way, basking in the beauty of the Mediterranian. Besides having pleasantly temperate weather and gorgeous scenery, Ponza is rich with history.During the reign of the, nobility built vacation villas on the island. When the Empire fell, the island was completely abandoned. It wasnt repopulated until the 18th century, when the Bourbon Dynasty ruled over southern Italy.In the early 1900s, many Ponza natives traveled to New York to make their fortunes, but returned to the island to retire. As a result, Ponza had a large population of Brooklyn-accented English speakers in the 1940s. Nowadays, the tradition of English-speaking seems to have died out, as English is rarely heard around the island. Another interesting fact about Ponza: Benito Mussolini was briefly held in prison on the island in 1943. According to the New York Times, Ponza is so remote that when Mussolini arrived, many locals had never heard of him or World War II. An American lieutenant described Ponza as another world, a paradise unmarred by the violence of war. Legend has it that the island is named after Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who condemned Jesus to death for acting against Roman law. There is no evidence to support this claim, so it is more likely that the name comes from the Latin word Pontia (meaning bridge), as Ponza has many natural bridges. Ph: Alessandro Tortora / Shutterstock.com What is Ponza like? What is there to do in Ponza? Characterized by steep white cliffs and, Ponza is a gorgeous escape from traditional tourism. Unlike most tourist destinations in Italy,. With a population of around 3500, Ponza remains fairly quiet for most of the year, and maintains a small-town atmosphere.The island comes to life between, when tourists flock from all over Italy to escape the Italian summer heat. Summer temperatures in Ponza usually hover around 25.5 C and rarely surpass 29 C. Tourists can expect sunny weather with a side of sea breeze. Even during high tourist season, Ponza has a relaxed, casual feel. Locals are known for being warm and welcoming. Italian vacationers travel to Ponza to relax by the, enjoying the countless beautiful beaches perfect for sunbathing, swimming, and boating. For swimming and sunbathing, the Cala Feola beach can be reached by foot from the island, and features many Piscine Naturali, natural seawater pools.Spiaggia Di Frontone is another popular swimming location, and is usually one of the most crowded, lively beaches on the island. In the evening, a hired DJ transforms Frontone into an open-air disco. Prepare for a steep walk to the beach if you arent arriving by boat.One of the most popular beaches on Ponza,, has been closed for a few years due to safety hazards, but visitors can still enjoy the beach from a distance--the area above the beach offers breathtaking views of sea and the island coast. Check into Hotel Chiaia di Luna to be immersed in the exquisite scenery. Chiaia di Luna beachThere are numerous other beaches to explore in Ponza, but many require boat access. Tourists can pay for a boat tour of the island, orfrom one of the various rental services at the Ponza port. For visitors with boats, take time to explore the other Pontine Islands, such as Palmarola and Santo Stefano. Sail around the Arco Naturale, an arch-shaped geological formation close to the Ponza coast. Adventurous history buffs will enjoy exploring the Grotte di Pilato, the complex network of tunnels dug into Ponzas cliffs that dates back to Roman times.When you need a break from basking in the sun, wander through the picturesque streets of the Centro Storico (historic center). Thein the Centro Storico house fresh markets, artisan boutiques, and traditional seafood restaurants. Make a stop at La Chiesa dei Santi Silverio e Domitilla, the most celebrated church on the island, or explore the Roman Cisterns on Via Dragonara. Grab a bite to eat at Monte Guardia Trattoria, located on the islands highest summit. Foodie tourists will especially enjoy Acqua Pazza, Ponzas Michelin-star restaurant. No matter where you eat, you cant go wrong ordering locally-sourced seafood dishes. How can I get to Ponza? To get to, take a train from the Roma Termini station to the Anzio Colonia station. The train ride lasts an hour and costs less than 5 euro one way. From the station, walk a short distance to the Anzio port, where you can take a ferry or hydrofoil to Ponza.Another option is to drive or hire a private car to go directly to theport. From the port, the ferry ride is around an hour and a half, and costs roughly 50 euro.To get to, there is a direct ferry that leaves from the Naples port. It operates only a few times per week, so be sure to arrive on time. The trip lasts three hours and costs around 50 euro. Alternatively, take a one-hour train from the Napoli Centrale station to the Formia-Gaeta station and catch a ferry from the Formia port. The ferry ride last between an hour and a half to two and a half hours, and costs between 80 and 100 euro. Ferries to Ponza can also be taken from Terracina and San Felice Circeo. Top photo: Vladimir Sazonov / Shutterstock.com The Ara Pacis Museum in Rome hosts an exhibition dedicated to the legendary French photographer Robert Doisneau from 28 May until 4 September. Curated by Gabriel Bauret, the exhibition comprises more than 130 black and white photographs from the collection of the Atelier Robert Doisneau in Montrouge. The images on display capture the daily life and emotions of men and women who lived in Paris in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the most prolific period for Doisneau who was a champion of French humanist photography and a pioneer of photojournalism. Placeholder while article actions load If Stuart Kirk had been a nondescript hedge-fund manager when he gave a speech questioning the financial consequences of climate change, it wouldnt have attracted half as much controversy. But Kirks job title was head of responsible investments at HSBC Holdings Plcs asset-management unit. That changes everything. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Kirk created a social-media storm last week after saying investors dont need to worry about climate risk, and regulators were creating too much work for him and his team on the topic. HSBC Chief Executive Officer Noel Quinn said the comments, made at a conference hosted by the Financial Times, dont represent the views of the banks senior management. The FT reported on Sunday that Kirk has since been suspended. The argument put forward was that the financial impact of climate change is probably either negligible or baked into asset prices already. Further out, humankind would adapt to the climate threat: Economies will grow and share prices rise as they had in the past. Advertisement Kirk was explicit that he accepted the science of climate change. He just thinks economies will expand regardless there will be corporate winners and losers in both fossil fuels and clean energy. Given that, he said, financial supervisors were putting disproportionate emphasis on weighing climate-driven financial risks. While the former FT journalist has won online supporters for speaking his mind and going against the grain, that doesnt make the arguments convincing. Business models are already being hit by climate risk. Just consider Shell Plc being ordered by a Dutch court to cut its emissions. After the UK oil major, whos next? As for our ability to adapt to a warmer world, Kirks is a rare piece of optimism but its also a gamble. Theres no compensation certainly not a rising stock market for the longer-term threats of famine, mass migration and lost biodiversity. Kirks parting comment that he agreed with the just transition did little to fill the yawning gap in his presentation relating to climate-driven inequalities between rich and poor nations. Advertisement Consider the other end of the debate, perhaps best captured by London-based TCI Fund Management. The activist fund manager believes climate change-related risks will have a significant impact on investor returns, whether from increased regulation, taxation, brand damage, financing costs or litigation. TCI founder Chris Hohn said: I cant understand how HSBC could employ someone in the job of head of responsible investment with those opinions. That points to the central issue facing the bank. As the head of a team within a core subsidiary, Kirk is structurally involved in the organization. Its one thing to be a thematic analyst with an original and dissenting opinion, but being an executive at odds with the house view is a difficult balancing act whether in public or private. HSBC, like all banks, is trying to paint itself as supporting the energy transition, even as it continues to finance the fossil-fuel industry. Banks are finding it hard to avoid taking a stance on issues that matter to their customers and staff. No doubt, Kirks side comments didnt help. He said he was more satisfied in a previous job, took repeated shots at an earlier speaker, referred to nut job doom-mongers and quipped that a submerged Miami could be a nice place like Amsterdam. A more carefully constructed and unembellished presentation would arguably have gotten him less flak but less attention. Advertisement Its the function of regulators to force banks to pay attention to the future risks to businesses. Todays long-term risks are tomorrows near-term crises. And responsible investors should keep up the pressure on companies to minimize their climate impact, as well as funding new ventures that might be needed if efforts to mitigate climate change fail. Maybe climate risk is baked into share prices. If so, thats because investors do and should worry about it. More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion: CEOs Went Quiet About Equality During Covid: Chris Hughes Netflixs Dont Look Up Is a Lesson in Climate Messaging: Clara Ferreira Marques You Cant Bank on SPACs. Thanks, Gary Gensler: Chris Bryant This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Chris Hughes is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering deals. Previously, he worked for Reuters Breakingviews, the Financial Times and the Independent newspaper. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load The World Health Organization has revealed that there are now 131 confirmed cases of monkeypox, and a further 106 suspected cases, in 19 countries. Experts describe the event as random but containable and was likely sparked initially by sexual activity at recent raves in Spain and Belgium. Nevertheless, with the world still reeling from the effects of the Covid pandemic, the rise of a different disease is putting many people on edge. Bloomberg Opinions Bobby Ghosh hosted a live Twitter Space discussion with Bloomberg Intelligence senior pharmaceutical analyst Sam Fazeli to get the lowdown on the disease and find out whether we should be worried. Bobby Ghosh: Let me start by asking the most basic question possible: What is monkeypox? Sam Fazeli: There are, seemingly, an endless number of viruses that circulate in nature. This happens to be one of them. Its an orthopoxvirus, like other well-known diseases like chickenpox and smallpox. Monkeypox is less problematic than smallpox was in terms of the mortality rate. The virus which is currently circulating seems to be the strain that is endemic in West Africa. Advertisement Weve known about two strains for a few decades. Both are endemic in different parts of Africa Central Africa and West Africa, respectively and there have been occasional cases reported outside of the African continent, usually from someone traveling from an affected area. But this outbreak seems quite unusual in that cases are being reported in so many different parts of the world all at the same time. Whats happening? There was actually an outbreak of 71 cases in the US in 2003, not because of a person traveling but because of imported rodents from Ghana. Those rodents then infected pet prairie dogs, who then infected people. There was a possibility of some local transmission back then, but it certainly was passed on from animals to humans. Thats a problem were dealing with in many of these viral outbreaks, from bird flu to Covid. In terms of todays unusual outbreak, we have to be aware that its too early to be able to be sure whether the virus has genuinely been separately seeded in different countries or whether at least most of the cases came from a super spreader event. The best way to know how related the cases are is to sequence them. The first genome was published by Portuguese scientists and they found that the virus seems to be quite close to the virus which was found in several countries in 2018 and 2019. That already tells you that it hasnt necessarily changed a lot. Although all of this is up for revision, it suggests that hopefully well find that the majority of these cases are actually related. Advertisement In passing, its worth just unpacking that, although it is called monkeypox, it doesnt really come from monkeys. We only began to pay attention to it when monkeys began to get it. Does it originate with simians now? What do we know about how the disease is transmitted? Orthopox viruses, especially monkeypox, are viewed as generalists. That means this virus can and does infect a variety of species. Rodents are the most common vehicles for infection, then it jumped to monkeys and now humans. The transmission can happen relatively easily, not necessarily through a specific route. In this case, the view is that its spread through contact with contaminated fluids from an infected person and it needs to be relatively close contact. The likelihood is that the majority of transmission will be when youre either in very close proximity to somebody whos got the virus, so youre picking up their exhaled droplets, or youre in physical contact with them. It could also be passed on via fomites touching a surface that someone infected has touched. Advertisement There have been some reports suggesting that it happens mostly through intimate contact, including really close proximity or having sex with a person. I think we have to be very careful not to misinterpret the conversation and the information thats coming out. Just because the majority of cases have been found in men who have sex with men doesnt mean anything with regards to sexual transmission. We are only looking at the way this particular spread happened. It could have easily been any other kind of intimate contact, heterosexual or whatever. What are the symptoms of monkeypox? It starts with a headache and fever, the usual things that you deal with when you get a viral infection. These symptoms are basically your defense system kicking in. A lot of viruses dont like higher temperatures, which is why the body raises its temperature. We get a headache and muscle aches because of all the chemicals such as cytokines which get released to fight the infection. Then, within a week or two, some people get a rash which develops into pustules. Advertisement If youre covered in these pustules, then youd have the risk of bacterial infection and, in some cases, sepsis. Thats where the lethality can come from. There have been zero deaths so far in this particular cluster. The 1-3% mortality rate or the 10-13% mortality rate for the Central African strain has been mentioned a lot, but you have to remember that, just like Covid, it depends on how patients are looked after. If a patient is at home with no oxygen available, no ICU, no medical professionals looking after them, their risk of death is higher. That may be the situation in rural Africa where these numbers have been calculated, but in countries with good healthcare and drugs, Im sure the fatality rate will remain below 1% 0%, hopefully! The symptoms remind me of my childhood when I got chickenpox. I was bedridden for several days and I remember it being very uncomfortable. Then it went away. Do we have a sense of whether monkeypox is more painful, or more threatening than chickenpox? Advertisement Its a much more uncomfortable infection if you get the full-blown pustules on your skin. But it varies, Ive heard of a case where somebody was infected who had previously been vaccinated against smallpox. They had just one or two lesions, which is nothing. Thats what you assume and hope is going to be the case with most people who have been vaccinated already. The question is around folks who arent vaccinated. How bad do they get it? Because I grew up in India in the 1970s and 80s, I was vaccinated for smallpox as a child. Then smallpox was eradicated and in many countries, vaccines were no longer given. Does that make us more vulnerable to monkeypox? Yes, I think it does, which is whats likely going on here. There was the suggestion that maybe the Covid lockdowns increased our susceptibility to disease. You might say that for flu and the coronavirus, both of which are respiratory viruses. But really in this case, I think its just a coincidence. We have an endemic virus in Central and West Africa which has then been given an opportunity to spread among a population of people who have never seen an infection or a vaccine that gives them protection against the virus. Advertisement Its good news that the vaccine already exists, unlike with Covid. We have vaccines that work both prophylactically as well as after one has got the disease. So they can be preventative as well as a cure. Correct, a few days after a diagnosis of infection, the vaccine seems to still do the job. The interesting thing is that both vaccines are manufacturable today. Stocks may not be as high as one would like in situations like this, but many countries had already been stockpiling it, not in fear of monkeypox, but in fear of a bio-terrorism attack by smallpox. Because the disease is less transmissible than Covid, you dont need everybody to get vaccinated. You can use it to treat people who get diagnosed and vaccinate the people around them. This method is called ring vaccination, and its proven successful in controlling smallpox before. Advertisement There was a great deal of discussion about whether poor countries would be able to afford Covid vaccines. Is that an issue for monkeypox vaccines? The Covid vaccine from Pfizer was between $15 and $20 a shot. For most of us who live in England, Sweden or the United States, thats not expensive given the protection it gives you. I expect that for controlling and better managing the global spread of this virus, the equivalence of COVAX will buy vaccines for countries who cant afford it. At the same time, the cost is determined clearly by the volume. If we only need one million doses, as opposed to a 400 million doses, then companies will probably have to charge a little bit higher because margins will be lower at those sorts of volumes. But Im not expecting this to be a very expensive vaccine. Thats reassuring. How have leaders responded to monkeypox? President Biden felt compelled to answer a question about it during his trip abroad in South Korea. Have we learned things from our fight with Covid at a policy level that are particularly useful in dealing with monkeypox? Advertisement The good thing is, as weve said already, that this is not a disease which weve never dealt with before, even if it may not be necessarily the living memory of many people. Its only 50 years ago or so that we stopped the smallpox vaccination programs. Bavarian Nordic, one of the manufacturers of a smallpox vaccine, apparently already had meetings with health authorities from several countries just in the past few days, which were arranged six months ago. That shows countries were already thinking about this whether it was more smallpox than monkeypox that they were thinking of doesnt really matter. Is there any reason to think monkeypox is seasonal? At the time of year when people are more outdoors than indoors, youd expect most infections, especially respiratory ones, to decline. But this is transmitted by contact. So I dont think we can classify it as seasonal. What about variants which have been a real issue with Covid? Has the monkeypox virus shown any sign of developing new variants that are resistant to the existing treatments? Its way too early to know. Nigeria gathers great epidemiology data, but with the number of monkeypox cases, its not anywhere near the scale of SARS-CoV-2. With SARS-CoV-2 also being an RNA virus, it probably has a higher opportunity to mutate. The early data that we do have from the Portuguese scientists suggests the viruss genome is similar to what it was in 2018 and 2019, and thats quite reassuring. But, when viruses multiply at high levels, you cant escape the fact that mutations will occur. So well have to monitor it. What do we do to protect ourselves from monkeypox? Weve had this with Covid. There are choices that we can all make in our lives relative to our own circumstances, such as opting to wear a mask. If youre worried or feel threatened, you can take precautions. But I think the expectation by most scientists is that this will self-limit eventually, especially when the awareness is so heightened, because it doesnt transmit that easily. Now that its been a couple of weeks since the story broke and there have been cases reported in various countries, are we already seeing more research being devoted to this outbreak? I know that the genomics folks are working 24-7 on sequencing the genomes of the virus to better understand the epidemiology. Thats the best way when you only have 200 cases of knowing how these incidents are potentially related to each other. We already have at least two drugs that could treat the virus and two vaccines, at least. So I dont think we need to do enormous amounts of research. What we do need to do here is to have the right healthcare public health policy in place to manage it and decide where do we go next? Do we go back and vaccinate everybody that wasnt vaccinated, or do we just manage it using ring vaccination? More from Bloomberg Opinion Monkeypox Isnt Looking Like a Covid-Sized Threat: Lisa Jarvis The Woman Who Made the UK a World-Beater in Genomics: Raphael & Fazeli SIDS Remains a Heartbreaking, Under-Investigated Mystery: Lisa Jarvis This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Sam Fazeli is senior pharmaceuticals analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence and director of research for EMEA. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Calls for U.S. companies to perform what are known as civil rights audits grew in the wake of the protests that erupted across the U.S. in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. Theyve been promoted by advocates as a way to help corporations understand and address their role in creating or sustaining racial disparities. Theyve also been dismissed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Jamie Dimon for adding bureaucracy and BS, although his company later agreed to conduct a narrow analysis. Shareholders of Apple Inc. and Johnson & Johnson approved resolutions calling for audits at their annual meetings this spring, while Chevron Corp., AT&T Corp. and others also face shareholder votes on whether to follow suit. 1. What are civil rights audits? Also known as racial equity audits, they are independent examinations of whether the company causes or perpetuates discrimination. Advocacy groups and investors who support such audits argue they are a way to help address ongoing systemic racism. For example, banks have been criticized for contributing to economic disparities by charging Black customers higher fees for checking accounts and issuing them fewer mortgages as a result of policies that disfavor minority communities. Thats different than, say, discriminatory actions driven by racism on the part of individual bank employees. Advertisement 2. What do they cover? Some audits are very broad, while others focus only on specific parts of a business. They can go beyond standard topics such as hiring and promotions into areas including: Digital practices. Audits can examine things like the advertising tools used by social media platforms, and their impact in spreading targeted information and political messages to low-income groups. Some audits look at the algorithms companies use to see if they perpetuate biases against people of color. For instance, algorithms used by some hospitals to allocate health care to patients have been found to discriminate against Black people. Social justice pledges. JPMorgans audit will examine the $30 billion commitment it made in 2020 to advance racial equity, which included funding of affordable housing, increasing the number of mortgages it underwrites for Black and Latino households and philanthropy in minority communities. Citibank Inc. is conducting an audit that will focus on its $1 billion commitment to efforts to close the racial wealth gap in the U.S. Advertisement Labor practices. Amazon.com Inc., which had also opposed such reviews, in April 2022 announced that it was hiring former U.S. attorney General Loretta Lynch to lead one. Amazons will target its treatment of nearly 1 million hourly employees in the U.S. -- a workforce thats largely made up of members of minority communities. 3. Who else is doing them? Companies from tech giants to Wall Street banks, from fast food chains to prison operators have been asked to undergo audits. Airbnb Inc. in 2016 became the first major U.S. corporation to conduct an audit, after what Brian Chesky, its co-founder and chief executive, called painful stories emerged from customers whose requests to book rooms were rejected because of their race. Two years later, Starbucks Corp. agreed to an audit after coming under fire for an incident where a store manager called the police on two Black patrons who were waiting for a business meeting. Advertisement Facebook Inc., now called Meta Platforms Inc., followed with an audit because of pressure to address issues relating to its content moderation. BlackRock Inc., the worlds largest money manager, and private prison operator CoreCivic Inc. were among those that agreed to do audits after shareholders asked them to. Investors had pressed BlackRock, whose Chief Larry Fink had said his firm needs to consider where racial disparity exists within its business, to examine the dearth of Black people in its upper ranks and how its voting on shareholder resolutions at other companies affects people of color. 4. What kind of pushback has there been? Amazon and JPMorgan were among those that initially resisted calls for audits. They cited measures they have taken such as working with historically Black colleges and universities to recruit more graduates, along with taking steps to boost diversity, equity and inclusion across leadership. JPMorgan had also promised to channel billions of dollars into projects meant to help close the racial wealth divide. McDonalds Corp asked regulators to omit a shareholder proposal for a racial audit from the ballot at the companys 2022 annual meeting, citing pending lawsuits by Black franchisees and employees -- a request that was denied. Other companies including Home Depot Inc. will face votes at their upcoming annual meetings. Advertisement 5. Who performs the audits? Companies generally hire law firms or civil rights experts such as Laura Murphy, a pioneer of the audits. Starbucks hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct its review. Once the analysis is done, the auditors work with companies to publish reports with their findings and recommendations. Depending on the company and industry, an audit can take months or, in Facebooks case, two years. Audit results are in general made public, something Facebook initially resisted. 6. What kinds of recommendations do they make? In addition to recommending things like training to promote diversity in the workforce and management, audits can include more specific suggestions. Facebook last year hired a former U.S. Department of Justice official under President Barack Obama to set up a team to oversee its civil rights policy. Advertisement Airbnb asked hosts to agree to a policy that they wouldnt discriminate against guests on its home-rental platform. The company said more than a million hosts declined to do so. Starbucks shut thousands of its stores to run anti-bias training after its audit. 7. What kind of impact do audits have? In some cases, theres clear evidence of changes resulting from audit recommendations. When Facebook suspended Donald Trump after the January 6 riot, some saw the effect of its racial audit, which had criticized the company for what the auditors saw as its enabling of misinformation from his account. In the case of Airbnb, while racial justice advocates lauded the company for the strides it made with its audits, they have said that the company needs to extend its online anti-discrimination policies to the actual experiences of Black users. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load The global eradication of smallpox more than 40 years ago was one of the greatest achievements in public-health history, vanquishing a cause of death, blindness and disfigurement that had plagued humanity for at least 3,000 years. But, on the downside, it also led to the end of a global vaccination program that provided protection against other pox viruses. That includes monkeypox, which has been spilling over from its animal hosts to infect humans in Africa with increasing frequency since the 1970s. More recently, monkeypox has sparked outbreaks in Europe and North America and reached Israel, Australia and Argentina, demonstrating again how readily an infectious agent that emerges in one country can quickly become an international concern. 1. Whats monkeypox? Monkeypox is a misnomer resulting from the fact that it was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. While monkeys are susceptible to it, just like humans are, they arent the source. The virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes the variola virus, the cause of smallpox; the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox vaccine; and cowpox virus. Monkeypox is less contagious than smallpox and the symptoms are milder. About 30% of smallpox patients died, while the fatality rate for monkeypox in recent times is around 3% to 6%, according to the World Health Organization. Advertisement 2. What does monkeypox do? After an incubation period of usually one to two weeks, the disease typically starts with fever, muscle aches, fatigue and other flu-like symptoms. Unlike smallpox, monkeypox also causes swelling of the lymph nodes. Within a few days of fever onset, patients develop a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. The lesions grow into fluid-containing pustules that form a scab. If a lesion forms on the eye, it can cause blindness. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks, according to the WHO. The person is infectious from the time symptoms start until the scabs fall off. Mortality is higher among children and young adults, and people whose immune system is compromised are especially at risk of severe disease. 3. How is it normally transmitted? Advertisement Monkeypox doesnt spread easily between people. Contact with the virus from an animal, human or contaminated object is the main pathway. The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. Transmission from one person to another is thought to occur through respiratory droplets during direct and prolonged face-to-face contact. But it can also happen through contact with body fluids or lesion material, or indirectly through contact with contaminated clothing or linens. Common household disinfectants can kill it. 4. Whats unusual this time? Thereve been multiple chains of transmission in clusters in multiple countries that dont normally report monkeypox. Cases dont involve recent travel to places in West and Central Africa where the disease is endemic, meaning perpetually present. Advertisement Flu-like symptoms havent always preceded the rash, and some patients first sought medical care for lesions in the genital and perianal region, which can be hard to distinguish from syphilis, herpes simplex virus, shingles and other more common infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A large proportion of cases have been among men who have sex with men, and many have occurred within sexual networks. Analysis of the genetic sequence of the virus collected from some patients in Europe indicates that the strain spreading has a single origin. It belongs to the West African clade, or branch on the evolutionary tree, and is most closely related to viruses found in cases exported from Nigeria to the UK, Israel and Singapore in recent years. Monkeypox virus strains from this clade have a case-fatality rate of 1% to 3.6%. (That compares with 10% for a second clade called Congo Basin, which appears on the US governments bioterrorism agent list as having the potential to pose a severe threat.) Advertisement 5. Where does monkeypox come from? The reservoir host or main carrier of monkeypox disease hasnt yet been identified, although rodents are suspected of playing a part in transmission. It was first diagnosed in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a 9-year-old boy. Since then, most cases in humans have occurred in rain forest areas of Central and Western Africa. In 2003, the first outbreak outside of Africa occurred in the US and was linked to animals imported from Ghana to Texas, which then infected pet prairie dogs. Dozens of cases were recorded in that outbreak. 6. Is monkeypox a pandemic threat? Outbreaks outside Africa occur infrequently. There have been at least eight known exported cases since 2017, usually involving international travelers, but they havent typically caused onward transmission. Human-to-human transmission raises concern that the virus may undergo genetic changes to enable it to spread more efficiently from person to person. The DNA sequences of viruses collected during the recent epidemics harbor a larger constellation of mutations than one would expect considering the natural evolution of related viruses, researchers in Portugal said in a report released on May 23. It isnt known yet whether the genetic changes have any clinical significance, however. Advertisement 7. How is it treated and prevented? The illness is usually mild and most patients will recover within a few weeks; treatment is mainly aimed at relieving symptoms. For the purposes of controlling a monkeypox outbreak, the CDC says smallpox vaccine, antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used. Vaccination against smallpox can be used for both pre- and post-exposure and is as much as 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, according to the UK Health Security Agency, which is offering the Imvanex smallpox vaccine to close contacts of someone diagnosed with monkeypox. It lists cidofovir and tecovirimat as antiviral drugs that can be used to control monkeypox outbreaks. Tecovirimat was approved by the European Medical Association for monkeypox in 2022 based on data in animal and human studies but isnt yet widely available, according to the WHO. Newer vaccines based on non-replicating versions of the vaccinia virus have been developed, of which one has been approved for prevention of monkeypox. The main way to prevent infection is by isolating patients suspected of having monkeypox in a negative pressure room and ensuring health staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment. 8. Is there a test for monkeypox? Advertisement Yes. Monkeypox is diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect viral DNA in specimens collected from the scabs or swabs of a patients lesions. In the US, these are available at state health departments and the CDC. (Adds detail on spread in first paragraph, information on early signs in section 4, genetic mutations in section 6, and use of smallpox vaccine in UK in section 7.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Ethics panel probes trio of Republicans Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The House Ethics Committee said Monday that it is investigating a trio of Republican lawmakers over allegations ranging from accepting a free or below-market-value trip to Aruba to engaging in an improper relationship with a staffer. One of the lawmakers, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (N.C.), is a freshman who lost his primary battle last week. The other two are Reps. Ronny Jackson (Tex.) and Alex Mooney (W.Va.). In Cawthorns case, all 10 Democrats and Republicans voted unanimously to establish an investigative subcommittee into the embattled North Carolina Republicans actions. The subcommittee is tasked with determining whether Cawthorn improperly promoted a cryptocurrency in which he may have had an undisclosed financial interest, and engaged in an improper relationship with an individual employed on his congressional staff, the committee said. Cawthorn has denied wrongdoing. Advertisement In Jacksons case, the Office of Congressional Ethics said there is substantial reason to believe that he used his congressional campaign funds to pay for unlimited access to the Amarillo Club, a private dining club located in Amarillo, Texas. An attorney for Jackson maintained that the congressmans use of the facility was purely for campaign purposes. The Federal Election Commission prohibits the use of campaign funds for memberships in country clubs and similar organizations. The House Ethics Committee also published a report on Mooney, who this month won the primary race for the Republican nomination for the 2nd District of West Virginia. The report said the committee would continue to review several allegations against Mooney, including that he may have accepted a free or below-market-value trip to Aruba, used a campaign vendors Washington property as a free source of lodging, converted campaign funds to personal use and pressured congressional staffers to run personal errands for his family. Advertisement Mooneys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Felicia Sonmez, Amy B Wang and Marianna Sotomayor Woman sought in death of pro cyclist Police were searching Monday for a woman suspected in the fatal shooting of a professional cyclist at an Austin home. The body of Anna Moriah Mo Wilson, 25, of San Francisco, was found May 11, and Austin police issued a murder warrant for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 34, last week. The warrant affidavit says there was a possible romantic triangle involving Armstrong, Wilson and Colin Strickland, another professional cyclist who had been Armstrongs longtime boyfriend. The affidavit says that Strickland took up with Wilson after he and Armstrong split last October but that Strickland and Armstrong had subsequently reconciled. Strickland has cooperated with investigators and is not a suspect. Wilson was in Austin for a race in the city of Hico, which is about 120 miles north. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Court: Insurrectionists can be kept from office Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Participants in an insurrection against the U.S. government can be barred from holding office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled Tuesday. The decision came in the case of Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R), who before losing his House primary this month faced a challenge from North Carolina voters arguing that his actions around the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack made him ineligible for future public service. The voting rights group Free Speech for People is backing challenges to several Republicans under a post-Civil War law that blocks from taking office anyone who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress engaged in insurrection or rebellion. Even though Cawthorn wont be on a ballot this fall, the voters argued that the court had to overturn a lower courts opinion that all insurrectionists, past and future, were granted amnesty under another law from the 1870s that forgave most Confederates. A three-judge panel of the appeals court sided with the voters. Advertisement Cawthorn has denied any advance knowledge of plans for violence. Rachel Weiner Suspect arrested in fatal subway shooting A man suspected of abruptly pulling a gun and killing a stranger on a New York City subway train was arrested Tuesday, with police saying his motive for the unprovoked attack was a big mystery. Andrew Abdullah, 25, was expected to face a murder charge in the death of 48-year-old Daniel Enriquez, who was shot to death while heading to Sunday brunch. The arrest came hours after police posted Abdullahs name and photo on social media and implored the public to help find him. But after the arrest, police disclosed that officers briefly stopped him after the shooting but let him go because his clothes didnt match the description they were given. The attack came about six weeks after 10 people were shot on another subway train. Advertisement Court records show Abdullah, 25, has two open criminal cases in New York City. Enriquez worked for the global investment research division at Goldman Sachs. Associated Press Iraqi accused of plot to kill George W. Bush An Iraqi man who came to the United States two years ago and applied for asylum hatched a plot to assassinate former president George W. Bush in retaliation for casualties against his compatriots during the Iraq War, the government announced Tuesday. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, also schemed to smuggle other Iraqis into the United States from Mexico to aid in the plot, after which theyd be smuggled out back through Mexico, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Columbus. Shihab insinuated he had contacts with the Islamic State group, but it did not appear the plot came close to materializing, with confidential informants briefing the FBI from April 2021 through this month, the complaint said. Shihab was ordered held without bond by federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers during a short hearing in court Tuesday. Deavers scheduled a detention hearing for Friday. Associated Press GiftOutline Gift Article Stephen Garcia learned Tuesday that his best friend from middle and early high school had shot and killed at least 19 children at their childhood elementary. But in another sense, it wasnt the person he had known who did it. I lost my friend a long time ago, said Garcia, 18. Garcia, a senior in high school, grew up in Uvalde, Tex. Salvador Ramos was a classmate of his, but they didnt become best friends until about eighth grade. He was the nicest kid, the most shyest kid. He just needed to break out of his shell. He was a person like all of us he was like a good friend of mind that has never made me any happier, Garcia said. Ramos didnt have it easy in school, he said. He would get bullied hard, like bullied by a lot of people, Garcia said. Over social media, over gaming, over everything. He had a strong lisp that Garcia said made him a target. One time, he posted a photo of himself wearing black eyeliner, which brought on a slew of comments using a derogatory term for a gay person. Garcia said he tried to stand up for him. They hung out nearly every day, with Garcias mother often cooking up meals for the both of them and giving him rides to places after school. We would play games, we would go get snacks at the store, wed drink slushies and eat Takis. We were like regular kids. Just like two lazy kids, you know? he said. Garcia had met Ramoss grandfather and worked for him repairing air conditioners for extra cash. He also knew Ramoss grandmother, who was the sweetest, he said. During Garcias sophomore year, his family relocated for his mothers job. And thats when things began to change between him and his friend. He just started being a different person, Garcia said. He kept getting worse and worse and I dont even know. When Garcia left, Ramos dropped out of school. He started wearing all black, he said, and large military boots. He grew his hair out long. He looked, said Garcia at one point, like a serial killer. Garcia said he might have been Ramoss last support, and once he left, Ramos began to fall apart quickly. I kind of made him normal and kept him normal, he said. Ramos completely shut off Garcia. He stopped talking to him and created distance, he said. Every once in a while, Garcia would call him to check in on him. Just a month or two ago, he called Ramos to check in. But Ramos said he was going hunting with his uncle and didnt have time to talk, and hung up. Garcia wondered if maybe thats what the large guns Ramos had posted online were for going hunting, or to the shooting range with his uncle. Garcia was in algebra class on Tuesday when he started receiving a slew of texts with the news of what had happened in Uvalde and the word that it was Ramos. He didnt believe it at first. He opened his phones browser and Googled it and saw his friends name. I couldnt even think, I couldnt even talk to anyone. I just walked out of class, really upset, you know, bawling my eyes out, he said. Because I never expected him to hurt people. Placeholder while article actions load Displaced people Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight top 100M for 1st time The number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution has crossed 100 million for the first time on record, propelled by the war in Ukraine and other deadly conflicts, the United Nations refugee agency said Monday. One hundred million is a stark figure sobering and alarming in equal measure, said U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. Its a record that should never have been set. The refugee agency said the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide approached 90 million by the end of 2021, propelled by new waves of violence or protracted conflict in Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the war in Ukraine has forced more than 6 million people to flee the country and an additional 8 million have been displaced within the country. Advertisement The 100 million figure represents more than 1 percent of the global population and comprises refugees and asylum seekers as well as people internally displaced by conflict a figure that the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center recently put at 53.2 million the refugee agency said in a statement. The international response to people fleeing war in Ukraine has been overwhelmingly positive, Grandi said. Compassion is alive and we need a similar mobilization for all crises around the world. However, he pointed out that ultimately humanitarian aid is a palliative, not a cure. Associated Pres Armenia, Azerbaijan take step toward deal Armenia and Azerbaijan each announced Monday that they had set up a border commission, a potential step toward ending a dispute over the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh that has festered for three decades. Advertisement The leaders of both countries had agreed in Brussels on Sunday to work on a peace plan, despite a wave of protests in the Armenian capital fueled by opposition claims that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is giving too much away. A simmering dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous territory inside Azerbaijan controlled since the 1990s by ethnic Armenians, flared in 2020 into a six-week war in which Azeri troops regained swaths of territory. European Council President Charles Michel said after a meeting with both Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev that they had agreed to advance discussions on a peace treaty, with respective commissions on delimiting their interstate border to meet on the border itself within days. Reuters Egyptian democracy activist sentenced to 4 years: An Egyptian court sentenced a democracy activist to four years in prison for disseminating false news, a lawyer said. The Cairo court convicted Yahia Hussein Abdel-Hadi, a co-founder of the Civil Democratic Movement, an opposition coalition of liberal and left-leaning parties, of "deliberately disseminating false news inside and outside" Egypt, according to lawyer Khalid Ali. Similar accusations have often been made against those critical of the government. Advertisement Ugandan opposition figure urging protests is detained: A Ugandan opposition figure who is calling for street protests over rising commodity prices is being detained inside his home by police. Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, has been unable to leave his home outside the capital, Kampala, since May 12, with police pitching camp nearby to enforce his apparent house arrest. Police routinely detain opposition figures inside their homes, insisting they can impose preventive arrest to maintain public order. Besigye is a serial campaigner against the government of longtime President Yoweri Museveni. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Taliban, UAE company reach deal on airports Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The Taliban is handing over control of Afghanistans airports to a company based in the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from the prime ministers office on Tuesday. A memorandum of understanding was signed Tuesday in Kabul for the control and management of the airports in Afghanistan by Taliban acting first deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Razack Aslam Mohammed Abdur Razack of GAAC Solutions. The agreement covers airports in Kabul, Kandahar and Herat. The deal will apply only to the logistics at the airports and not security, which has been a sticking point in past discussions with potential partners to manage the sites. Razack said he thinks the agreement would bring the business community back to Afghanistan, along with airline companies. Advertisement Afghanistans main international airport in Kabul was ransacked in August as the citys security forces melted away and Taliban fighters took control of the capital. Susannah George Catholic church cancels Tiananmen Mass For the first time in three decades, there will be no organized memorial to the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Hong Kong, the last place on Chinese territory where any kind of commemoration was possible. On Tuesday, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese said it would no longer celebrate a memorial Mass for the victims of the June 4, 1989, massacre in Beijing, reflecting how churches, along with the rest of civil society, have been pushed into censoring themselves. A Beijing-written national security law has crushed dissent in the once-semiautonomous city. The churchs move comes after a candlelight vigil marking the anniversary was banned in 2020 and 2021, with officials citing the coronavirus pandemic. The memorial Masses, which persisted until this year, were the last form of organized commemoration in the city. Advertisement The diocese told The Washington Post that it does not mean to disapprove of the memorial Mass but that our front-line colleagues . . . are concerned that such activity . . . might violate the national security law now in force. Theodora Yu Police raid in Rio de Janeiro favela kills 11: Police in Rio de Janeiro raided the Vila Cruzeiro favela before dawn in an operation that prompted a fierce firefight, and state officials said at least 11 people died. The operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, police said in a statement. It said officers were fired upon while preparing their incursion. At least 11 killed in bar attacks in Mexico: Eleven people, eight of them women, were killed in simultaneous shooting attacks at two bars in central Mexico, authorities said. Handwritten signs left at the scenes suggested that the attacks were part of a rivalry between two drug cartels that have long been battling for control of Guanajuato state. Advertisement Pakistan bans Imran Khan's rally: Pakistan banned ousted prime minister Imran Khan from holding a rally in the capital and cracked down on his supporters in overnight raids, arresting hundreds. The ban came hours after a police officer was killed during one of the raids, when a supporter of Khan opened fire after officers entered his home in the city of Lahore. Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. Advertisement Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. Its the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property, he said in a statement. _ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: After 3 months, Russia still bogged down in Ukraine war 200 bodies found in Mariupol as war rages in Ukraines east AP-NORC poll: US economy, not punishing Russia, is top priority Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks. Advertisement Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths. Meanwhile Tuesday, Russian shelling continues around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv, even after Russian troops withdrew from its surroundings last week. Ukrainian regional officials say the city of Derhachi was hit and a 69-year-old woman died and another person was injured. Derhachi is southwest of the city of Kharkiv and has previously come under Russian shelling. _ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region. Advertisement The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons. He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days. Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks. In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate. Advertisement _ KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region said Tuesday that the area was facing the most difficult time since conflict with Russia-backed separatists began in 2014. Now, for the Luhansk region, is the most difficult time in the eight years of the war, Serhii Haidai wrote on Telegram. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time, they brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment. He also accused Moscows troops of deploying scorched-earth tactics across the region, one of two which make up Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Its only getting worse. What the Russians are doing is hard to describe in words. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. The situation is on the verge of being critical. The free Luhansk region is now like Mariupol, Haidai added, in a reference to the ruined port city captured by Moscow last week. Advertisement _ KYIV, Ukraine The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. Earlier this month Russia announced its takeover of Mariupol with the surrender of the fighters holed up at the massive Azovstal steel mill. Prokopenko, who spoke to The Associated Press in Kyiv together with another wife of a soldier, Yuliia Fedosiuk, said that the Ukraine and Russia agreement guarantees proper burial of dead soldiers and certain conditions for the prisoners of war, including allowing them to hold telephone calls with family members a few times per week. Advertisement The two women said several families had received calls in the past two days. They said they could not reveal more details of the agreement but they were hopeful that the soldiers will not be tortured and that they eventually will come back home. ___ BERLIN Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was very disappointed Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve misunderstandings. She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons at the press of a button as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Advertisement Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was not as dynamic as hoped, but acknowledged that the devil lies in the detail on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the U.S. and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. ___ DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and weaponizing food supplies. Russias invasion of Ukraine has provoked disruptions of global food supplies, and the blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful. Ukraine accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war, according to the EU. Advertisement Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukraine. And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support, she said. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia. ___ LVIV, Ukraine An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. ___ BRUSSELS A European Union plan to suspend all tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year cleared the final political hurdle on Tuesday when EU finance ministers endorsed the move. Meant to help the Ukrainian economy battered by Russias invasion, the removal of the EU duties will apply to Ukrainian industrial products, including steel, and to farm goods such as fruits and vegetables. The EU has already scrapped most of its tariffs on Ukrainian products as a result of a 2016 free-trade agreement. Ukrainian exports to the EU were worth 24.1 billion euros ($25.8 billion) last year, with the main goods being metals, agricultural products and machinery. ___ Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the military operation in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form, he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors in order to avoid casualties among the civilians. APs reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. ___ PARIS A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. As politicians, we must find a way for Ukraine to truly become part of this family, both economically and politically, she told reporters. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. In the meantime France is proposing an interim arrangement that would allow more political cooperation with Ukraine and other potential EU members. - DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order. Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forums annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EUs executive arm said reconciliation is certainly a distant dream and hope. But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands. ANKARA, Turkey The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isnt without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Swedens and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland are expected to arrive in Turkey later on Tuesday to discuss Ankaras objection to their membership in NATO. Cavusoglu told a group of journalists traveling with him on a two-day visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto also confirmed the meeting. ___ A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. - LONDON British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The U.K. defense ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, says the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry says Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry says the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Russian shelling of a residential building in Sievierodonetsk killed four people, Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday. He didnt specify when the shelling took place. The Russian forces in recent weeks have been trying so far unsuccessfully to take control of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the region, subjecting both cities to intensive shelling. The most recent round of shelling, Haidai said, damaged six houses in each of the two cities. ___ GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load WASHINGTON A U.S. Army reservist who worked on a Navy base stormed the U.S. Capitol because he wanted to kick off a civil war and create a clean slate, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of the New Jersey mans trial. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight But a lawyer for Timothy Hale-Cusanelli told jurors that groupthink and a desperate desire to be heard drove him to follow a mob into the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli shouldnt have entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021, defense attorney Jonathan Crisp acknowledged during the trials opening statements. But the question of why he was there is what is important, Crisp added. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with obstructing the joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Bidens electoral victory. He isnt charged with engaging in any violence or property destruction that day. Advertisement Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Fifield played a video that captured Hale-Cusanelli yelling profanities at police officers guarding the Capitol and screaming, The revolution will be televised! This was not a peaceful protest, she said. In pretrial court filings, prosecutors presented evidence that coworkers described Hale-Cusanelli as a white supremacist, a Nazi sympathizer and a Holocaust denier who wore a Hitler-style mustache to work. On Hale-Cusanellis cellphone, investigators found photos of him with the distinctive mustache along with pro-Nazi cartoons. Its unclear from online court filings how much of that evidence, if any, will be admissible at trial. In her opening statements, Fifield only made a brief reference to Hale-Cusanelli having bigoted views about Jewish people. Crisp has argued that any testimony about Hale-Cusanellis alleged statements about Jewish people and their role in the U.S. government would be highly prejudicial in nature without substantive value. Advertisement Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli believed then-President Donald Trumps false claims about a stolen election. But the defense attorney said Hale-Cusanelli went to Washington, D.C., to peacefully protest, wearing a suit while many others wore tactical gear. Hale-Cusanellis trial is the fifth before a jury and the seventh overall for a Capitol riot case. The first four juries unanimously convicted the riot defendants of all charges. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who is presiding over Hale-Cusanellis trial, decided two other Capitol riot cases after hearing testimony without a jury. After bench trials, McFadden acquitted one of the defendants of all charges and partially acquitted the other. More than 800 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Many of then are military veterans. Hale-Cusanelli is among a few who were on active duty at the time of the riot. Advertisement Hale-Cusanelli was arrested less than two weeks after the attack and has remained jailed since February 2021. Before his arrest, Hale-Cusanelli lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and worked there as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle, where he had a secret security clearance. He also was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. One Navy seaman said that Hale-Cusanelli told him he would kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and he wouldnt need to season them because the salt from their tears would make it flavorful enough, according to prosecutors. Other coworkers recalled Hale-Cusanelli making derogatory remarks about women, Black people and other minorities, prosecutors said. Jurors are expected to hear testimony from a roommate who lived with Hale-Cusanelli on the base and recorded their conversation about the riot. Advertisement Fifield said Hale-Cusanelli told his roommate that the riot felt like a civil war and hoped that it would provide a clean slate. He also paraphrased a Thomas Jefferson quotation in saying that the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants, according to the prosecutor. Crisp said Hale-Cusanelli was full of adrenaline and stupidity when he returned to New Jersey and spoke to his roommate about his actions in Washington. The defense lawyer described him as a bombastic agitator prone to making extreme statements to get attention. Hale-Cusanelli was discharged from the Army Reserve and barred from the Navy base after his arrest. Hale-Cusanelli is charged with five counts: obstruction of an official proceeding, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or destructive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The obstruction charge is a felony. The rest are misdemeanors. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load JOHANNESBURG South Africas neutral stance on Russias war in Ukraine was a major topic of conversation as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Tuesday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, to end his three-nation tour of Africa. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Speaking to the press in South Africas capital, Pretoria, ahead of their private meeting, the two leaders said they will also consider developments on the African continent. Scholzs visit comes as the war in Ukraine has been raging for three months and is causing oil and food prices to rise around the world, including in Africa. South Africa has taken a neutral stance on the conflict, refusing to condemn Russias actions and calling for dialogue between the two countries. Scholz said Russias invasion of Ukraine was an important issue to discuss with his South African counterpart. Advertisement Obviously one of the questions that is of big concern for all of us, is the war that Russia imposed on Ukraine, the brutal war, we have to say it like this, Scholz said. And it is necessary for peace in the world that this war stops, as soon as possible and that there is a chance to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, he said. Another topic discussed was South Africas intention to reduce its dependence on coal-fired power plants. Germany is among the countries that pledged up to $8.5 billion at the COP26 climate change conference last year to help South Africa reduce its reliance upon coal to generate electricity. So far there have been no announcements of actual payments of those funds to South Africa. South Africa is currently suffering nationwide rolling power cuts because its coal-fired power stations are unable to generate adequate amounts of electricity. The promised funds will help the country, which has Africas most developed economy, to shift to more environmentally friendly energy, Ramaphosa said. Advertisement We anticipate constructive discussions around the green economy, clean energy and building climate resilience as we embark on new technologies such as hydrogen, and various other renewable energy technologies, Ramaphosa told the press. Later in the day, the two leaders announced a partnership between Germany and South African chemical firm Sasol to research and develop an environmentally friendly jet fuel. The Catalyst Research for Sustainable Kerosene project focuses on the development of catalysts for green jet fuel, Ramaphosa said when he and Scholz visited the Sasol headquarters in Johannesburg. This is one of several areas of cooperation between companies, universities and government agencies on the technology that will reshape our economies, Ramaphosa said. He announced that Sasol was involved in a project to use the countrys solar and wind resources to export green hydrogen to the European Union, with a potential to export 10 million tons a year by 2030. Scholz arrived in South Africa after visiting Senegal and Niger, where he expressed Germanys interest in gas exploration opportunities in Senegal and his countrys long-term military and financial assistance to Niger. GiftOutline Gift Article Jan Went has taught business at Lakeview Community Schools for 27 years. In that time, she's accumulated several accolades and awards, the most recent being the top high school business educator in the country. The National Business Education Association recognizes excellence among high school business educators, on several levels. In 2020, Went received best in the state of Nebraska and then in 2021 best in the mountain-plain region, culminating in this year's national award. As for what may have gotten her this distinction, Went said one of the things that she strives for and thinks sets her teaching apart is a connection with her students. "I take a lot of pride in the fact that it's very easy for me to connect with students. From day one they feel comfortable in class and comfortable with me," Went said. Lakeview High School Principal Steve Borer expressed similar comments, that Went's connection to her students sets her apart from other business educators. "Mrs. Went does a very good job of building relationships with her students in the classroom. She also does an excellent job teaching them the basics of Microsoft Office," Borer said. Went's journey began at Lakeview, where she decided she wanted to pursue a career in business, thanks to her business teacher in high school. From there, she attended Wayne State University seeking a degree in business administration with an emphasis in office administration. "Once I got to college, after one semester, I realized I could actually teach what I enjoy and have summers free," Went explained. After 11 years at Scotus Central Catholic High School, some of those teaching math, Went came back to her alma mater at Lakeview and has been there ever since. Went described her classes as being more "business technology" than pure business. Students learn how to use tools like Microsoft Office and can even earn a certification while in the class. "I love that we teach skills for life," Went said. "What I really enjoy is that they (students) don't ask 'when am I ever going to use this?'" Those certifications, Borer added, students carry with them after they graduate, and several students have even come back to thank Went for concepts they learned in her classes. Went said she tries to focus on these kind of hands-on application-based lessons. "Everything I teach they know they will use now or in the not to far off future. Everything is hands on. Kids like hands on, they like to be engaged," Went said. While Went primarily teaches high school classes, she recently took on a junior high exploratory business class. She said she was a little hesitant when first introduced to the idea but has since adapted. "I've always taught high school, but it was only nine weeks. Now, it's the brightest part of my day every day when those eighth graders come in excited and ready to learn," Went said. In that section, Went introduces them to the concepts she will discuss in later sections, as well as some basic business communication management topics. The capstone project, however, is unique to that section. Students are tasked with creating a concept for a food truck, complete with designing their own business cards, menus, flyers, etc. As a final part of the project, they have to pitch their idea for "funding." "Its all fictional, but they also bring in a sample of their feature item. I mean, if it involves food kids are going to love it," Went said. Went's Junior IT Applications II course has even designed media for local businesses, such as Foreman Lumber, the Time For Change Coalition and Shell Valley Insurance. "It's just really cool, the kids get to learn the basics and apply them and see them get used," Went said. Borer said that Went is an excellent teacher and an example of the type of teachers Lakeview has on its team. "I feel like our staff is top notch and Mrs. Went is included in that," Borer said. "Anytime one of our team members can win an award I think it says a lot about the rest of our team." Went said the aspect of business she enjoys the most is technology and how technology in education changes. In her classroom, she has several manual typewriters for display purposes, bygone relics of former business classes. "Education is always changing. As the years go on, you have got to be flexible, evolve and adapt. Kids keep you young," Went said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Australian farmers are hoping the new Labor government will deliver on its rhetoric on climate action, paving the way for the agribusiness sector to get on with the job of cutting emissions, Elders chief Mark Allison has said. Freshly sworn-in Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses ascent to the top job comes with a clear mandate to deliver more on climate change amid the success of independents and Greens who have won voters over by campaigning on that platform. Elders CEO Mark Allison is hoping the new government will provide clarity in helping the agriculture sector reduce emissions. Credit:Elders Allison emphasised the importance of clarity from the new government across a range of issues including innovation and technology, carbon farming, solar, and additional support to ease the sectors transition. I think a federal government with a clear mandate and a majority government that can do stuff and wont get distracted is positive for Australia and positive for agriculture, Allison told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. In 1984, when the seat of Fowler was created, refugee Vietnamese families were still settling into Sydney carrying their war trauma. Many families, including my own, had been in the Villawood Immigration Hostel, which is adjacent to the suburbs of Fowler. Upon leaving Villawood, they found homes in suburbs like Cabramatta. The Vietnamese Community in Australia organisation (VCA) was borne of these refugees experiences and became the official and organised voice of the Vietnamese community. Kristina Keneally in Fowler on election day. The Labor candidates bid to win the previously safe seat ended in failure. Credit:Dean Sewell The constituents of the VCA and the identity of the VCA itself is defined by the wounds of the war. But over time, the Vietnamese diaspora in Fowler has changed. It now includes family reunion migrants, skilled migrants, business migrants and international students that have no direct memory or connection to the war. Some are even children of Communist cadres who were wartime enemies of VCA war veterans. And even those of us who do have these connections, who grew up in poverty, traumatised by the intergenerational pain of war, dont always agree with the VCA. When Joe Biden phoned Anthony Albanese from Air Force One on Sunday to congratulate him, he spoke the unspeakable. Climate change. This had been taboo, the standout topic where Biden and Scott Morrison simply could not agree. Biden took power in the US determined to be a climate action leader. His administration had been quietly furious with Morrisons climate recalcitrance. The US President went to the climate conference in Glasgow in November pledging that the US would double its 2030 target for cutting emissions. Illustration by Dionne Gain Credit:Fairfax Media By contrast, Morrison went to Glasgow to repeat exactly the same target that Tony Abbott had set five years earlier. Australias only change was Morrisons promise that Australia would update its longer-term goal, to reach net zero by 2050. We were looking to a close ally for support at Glasgow on a key policy and Morrison gave us just f---ing bullshit, a senior US official told me, as Ive reported earlier. A strategy to improve literacy and numeracy among the states most disadvantaged early primary school students failed to translate into better NAPLAN scores, although it gave teachers greater confidence in the classroom. An evaluation of the NSW governments Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan (LNAP) over four years to 2020 found the focus on students in kindergarten to year 2 led to no significant improvement in year 3 NAPLAN results, including for the government schools that were chosen for the program because of their high proportion of students in the lowest NAPLAN bands. NAPLAN results have increased at Warwick Farm Public School. Credit:Kate Geraghty However, it did show that the new approach, which involved a senior teacher working closely with classroom teachers, left staff feeling better equipped to set tests, plan lessons and work together, and increased schools ambition to ensure the growth and development of each student. The results reinforce the general finding that LNAP was not associated with any long-term improvement in student learning outcomes, as measured by NAPLAN grades, the researchers said. In fact, there are signs that students who did experience LNAP in K3 may have relatively declined by year 5, particularly in reading. A WA minister who has been the beneficiary of the coalitions chequebook pointed out that once the money was signed over, there was not much interest from the Commonwealth in the detail of how the money was spent, so long as the coalition got their share of credit for the outcome. This veteran of federal-state relations across a number of spheres observed federal Labor governments tended to be more interested in the details of their own funding commitments to state projects, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. Loading With Albanese highlighting Labors commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart as his very first comment as PM-elect, it is understood WA is keen to re-engage Albanese on the question of the funding of remote Aboriginal communities, a policy area from which the coalition had essentially withdrawn. On the broader question of Aboriginal constitutional recognition and a referendum, it is tipped that WA Labor Senator Patrick Dodson will have an active role in building public support for an issue that is not yet mainstream and cannot be allowed to fail when put to the people. One Federal Labor MP predicted the relationship would benefit from a reset at a personal level, with Albanese simply unburdened by the last two years of pandemic barnacles that had inevitably accrued through Morrisons national cabinet process. For all of Morrisons claims that he and McGowan worked well together, there were simply too many public spats and disagreements and not all of them were motivated by the calculation of party political advantage. As I observed the day after the election, Labor in the west has seized the mantle the Liberals once indisputably held of standing up for WA. When Labor was on the nose a decade ago it was because of federal policies that paid insufficient heed to WA interests, most damagingly Kevin Rudds mining tax and then the live export ban to Indonesia. Are there policy areas that could emerge as trouble spots for Labor, a sort of mining tax 2.0? The temptation is to view stronger action on climate change as problematic in the mining and resource states and certainly, WAs record on emissions reduction is the weakest in the nation. Loading WA was a pioneer in LNG exports with the North West Shelf and the McGowan government remains strongly supportive of the industrys expansion, to the disgust of the Greens and environmental groups like the Conservation Council and Greenpeace. WAs Woodside, for example, is committed to the $17 billion Scarborough LNG project in the states north and Russias invasion of Ukraine has tilted the global equation for LNG supply. The WA position is that LNG can assist in a transition away from coal for electricity generation, as a balancing fuel that supports renewables throughout that transition. This is the argument the LNG producers make too, and it is rejected by the environmentalists, who reject all new fossil fuel developments. There is the potential for a fault line here if Labor is pushed further by the Greens in the Senate or, less likely now, the Teals on the crossbench, but the risk is mitigated by industry itself. Every major resource company is now subject to the disciplines of ESG (environmental, social, governance) imperatives at one level or another, either from proactive boardroom strategies or pressures from institutional investors. The industry is essentially on board with net zero, and the debate is about the timing and pathway to change. Their hope is that Albanese delivers on his election-night promise to end the climate wars once and for all. One Federal Labor MP claimed that at least the Albanese government now understood WA mining, pointing to Albaneses attempts to engage with industry and frequent trips west (pre-pandemic) in contrast to outgoing resources minister Keith Pitt, who rarely visited and talked about coal and nuclear energy instead of iron ore and gas. There remains deep unease among WAs farming community on the future of live sheep exports, with no confidence that Labor wont try to close the industry down despite what it sees as significant animal welfare improvements. Watch this space. Loading MPs are keen to bolster the NBN, believing WA is over-represented in homes served by second-class fibre-to-the-node connections. Another one to watch is the future of a new port at Kwinana, which will require more than just capital investment from the state government if it is going to happen. For years the coalition retained a $1.2 billion contingent liability in the federal budget in the vain hope the Roe 8/Perth Freight Link road project could be revived but the election of Albanese and Labor and the turning red of the seat of Tangney puts the very final nail into the projects coffin. It will never be revived. On China, for more than a year, McGowan has criticised the coalitions approach, most spectacularly in Mondays attack on Peter Dutton. He wants a less confrontational approach from Canberra because he wants to continue to sell natural resources to China, which underpins his budget and so many West Australian jobs. Values, sovereignty and human rights do not enter that calculus but in any case, whilst there is a temptation to see Labors election as an opportunity for a reset, Albanese has predicted the relationship will remain rocky and has insisted he will not take a backward step on values. Again, we will watch this space. Overlaying it all is the cold political fact that Albanese has won majority government nationally because of the strong swing to Labor in the west. This will not go unrecognised, sources predicted, but as one observed simply as far as voters were concerned, Dont tell me, show me. University leaders have urged the Albanese government to review the Coalitions controversial changes to degree funding, which doubled student fees for some courses and halved them for others, with at least one vice-chancellor calling for a major overhaul of the system. ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said everything should be on the table as he called for a long-term strategy for the sector and urged the new government to significantly step up research funding to ensure universities were not dependent on international student fees. ANU vice-chancellor and Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt has joined other university leaders in calling for the new Labor government to review the Morrison governments controversial funding reforms and increase investment in research. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen We should be prepared to make major overhauls to the system, Schmidt, a Nobel prize-winning physicist, said. But ultimately, we have to try and increase investments in research. It is falling precipitously. He said the Morrison governments contentious funding changes, called the Job Ready Graduate (JRG) reforms, were having a perverse effect in dissuading universities from enrolling students in high-cost areas such as sciences and engineering. For those who happened to visit Biddle Mission Park earlier this month, they may have witnessed a wedding long in the making. Sameer and Tamana, whose last names are being withheld over security concerns for their families in Afghanistan, are among that countrys refugees who now live in Carlisle. The two had their wedding plans interrupted during the chaos of the Talibans takeover, but now in Carlisle, they were able to go ahead with their marriage albeit with fewer family members able to attend. Sameer answered a few questions about his wedding and what his journey has been like so far in making it to Carlisle. Q: How did you two meet and how long have you been together? A: Actually we are cousins, so we know each other from childhood. We got engaged in childhood, and we got married after fall of Afghanistan on Aug. 22, 2021, as it was an emergency. From that day, weve been together. Q: When was the wedding initially planned, and what got in the way? A: We were about to get married in September 2021, but because of the fall of Afghanistan, we got married in August because I was about to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible; so our (civil ceremony) wedding was very simple between my mom and dad and my wife, Tamana and her mom and dad. For me, it was not possible to leave Tamana in Afghanistan. Q: Can you describe your evacuation from Afghanistan? A: Our evacuation journey started on the night of Aug. 28. I was in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and that night I got in contact with my colleague. He is a U.S. army officer. He helped me get out from Afghanistan. My journey started from that night; we got evacuated from Kabul to Mazar-e Sharif, another city of Afghanistan, to a safe house. I got stuck in Mazar-e Sharif for 40 days. After 40 days, we traveled from Mazar-e Sharif to Qatar. We were in Qatar for 42 days, then we landed in America at Philadelphia international airport. After landing in Philadelphia, we went to the New Jersey camp. We were in camp for three months. After 3 months, on Feb. 14, 2022, we came to Carlisle. Along in this journey, my youngest sister, Husna, was with me. Q: Who was able to attend your wedding? Do you still have family left in Afghanistan? A: Yes. In my wedding, my case worker, Alex Swan, and the volunteer team and lots of other families from Carlisle were in my wedding. Yes, I left my complete family back in Afghanistan. My mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, my oldest sister, my nephews, they all are in Afghanistan and still their life is in danger. Even my wifes family we left back in Afghanistan. We are all worried for them; we are trying to get them here to be safe. Q: What are your hopes with your future here in Carlisle? A: We are very happy and feeling very safe in Carlisle. As we start our life from zero, we are working to build a life for us in here. Email Naomi Creason at ncreason@cumberlink.com or follow her on Twitter @SentinelCreason. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A win is a win is a win. Thats how Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek responded on Saturday night when she was asked about Labors primary vote of 33 per cent at this years federal election the partys lowest since the 1930s. Plibersek was right. Despite all the focus on national primary votes and two-party-preferred figures, elections in Australia are decided by what happens in 151 discrete contests in the House of Representatives. By that measure it doesnt matter if a party secures 30, 40 or 50 per cent of the national primary vote. As long as it gets a majority of the vote in a majority of seats, it forms government. Labor has won the election, but the electorates shift to minor parties and independents is seismic. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen At the same time, though, it would be foolish to pretend there isnt insight to be gleaned from the fact this is the first time in history a party has won a federal election with less than a third of the national vote. Yes, Labors win is perfectly legitimate, but the story of the 2022 election is the record dissatisfaction with both major parties. At the 1993 federal election the combined first preference vote for Labor and the Coalition was 90 per cent. But over the past three decades that figure has steadily declined as the rise of minor parties and independents, on both right and left, has chipped away at our political duopoly. At this years election the combined first preference vote for the major parties hit a record low of just under 70 per cent. The Coalition was swept out of office after securing a primary vote of 36 per cent - their lowest since WWII. Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses election as the first prime minister with non-Anglo-Celtic heritage apparently sent a message to multicultural Australia that you can achieve anything in this country. People of colour should be forgiven for being less than enthusiastic about this sentiment as they grapple with levels of discrimination faced by no other group in Australian society. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has Irish and Italian heritage. Credit:James Brickwood That a prime minister with white European ancestry (Italian and Irish) is noteworthy shows how little progress we have made in this country on cultural diversity. People of colour are significantly underrepresented in all leadership roles across Australian society. A 2018 Australian Human Rights Commission report found that people with a non-European background make up 21 per cent of Australias population but only accounted for 2.7 per cent of leadership roles within corporate, political and public sector institutions. This is almost a ten-fold under-representation. Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses government will investigate the arrival of a Sri Lankan asylum seeker boat on the morning of the election after outraged senior Labor members questioned the timing of the announcement and the Liberal Partys immediate mass text messages to voters. Minutes after being sworn in as the nations new prime minister, Albanese accused the Liberal Party of playing politics with national security after texting voters in marginal seats about the interception of the boat on the day of the election. Anthony Albanese says his government wont play politics with national security. Credit:James Brickwood Albanese jetted out of Canberra on Monday bound for Japan, leaving his deputy Richard Marles as Acting Prime Minister. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal that Marles, who was sworn in as Minister for Employment on Monday, will be appointed Defence Minister when the wider ministry is sworn in next Wednesday. Albanese is in Tokyo for a meeting of the Quad grouping with United States President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday. Kyiv: Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities say, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the three-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighbourhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Russian troops walk in a destroyed part of the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant in Mariupol on May 18. Credit:AP Photo, File Heavy fighting, meanwhile, continued in the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops intensified their efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and neighbouring cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. Brussels: Vladimir Putin survived an assassination attempt shortly after his invasion of Ukraine, according to Kyivs top military intelligence official. Major General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence, said the Russian authorities foiled the attack on the president two months earlier. There were attempts to kill Putin, Budanov, 36, told Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian online newspaper. The Kremlin did not respond to reports of an attempt to kill Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit:Sergei Gubeyev via AP There was an assassination attempt recently by, as they call it, representatives of the Caucasus. This was not in the public domain. A completely failed attempt, but it really did happen about two months ago. Budanov did not provide any details and it was unclear if he was referring to Russias North Caucasus that saw two separatist wars in the 1990s or the South Caucasus, which includes Georgia. HARRISBURG Fallout from last weeks primary election has been playing out in the Pennsylvania General Assembly in recent days, including punishment for two lawmakers who worked to unseat fellow incumbents. In the Senate, GOP gubernatorial nominee Sen. Doug Mastriano was allowed back inside the Republican caucus closed-door meetings Monday. Mastriano, R-Franklin, had been kicked out last year after leaders concluded he had shared information that was supposed to be confidential. It was a leadership decision, said Jason Thompson, spokesperson for President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, who had sought the nomination against Mastriano. There are members of the caucus that requested that he be added back to caucus discussions. We evaluated that, our leadership team evaluated that, and made the decision to add him back. Thompson said Mastriano was made aware of the decision several weeks ago, but Monday was the first caucus to be held since then. A message seeking comment from Mastriano was left Tuesday with his Capitol staff. House Republican leaders stripped state Rep. Mike Jones of several committee assignments after his primary campaign work in York County helped beat Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor and longtime Rep. Keith Gillespie. Republican Rep. Dave Zimmerman also lost committee spots over similar efforts in Lancaster County. Saylors loss to Wendy Jo Fink creates an opening for an ambitious colleague, as the majority chair of Appropriations holds considerable sway over state budget spending decisions. So far theres no sign House Republicans will move to replace Saylor before his term ends later this year. Senate Republicans could face a similar issue because Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, is locked in a tight primary race for the nomination and may lose reelection. The state budget, due July 1, will be the main focus of state lawmakers over the coming five weeks. Appropriations chairs control much larger staffs and spending than do rank-and-file members. Dozens of incumbents chose not to seek another term this year after the once-a-decade redistricting process made changes to district maps across the state. Last week, voters sent additional sitting lawmakers home, with primary losses by Democratic Reps. Martell Covington in Allegheny County, Pam DeLissio in Philadelphia and Brian Kirkland in Delaware County; and Republican Reps. Mike Puskaric south of Pittsburgh and Jason Silvis in Westmoreland County. In three districts, lawmakers were put in primary races together: Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie beat Rep. Gary Day in Lehigh County; Republican Rep. Perry Stambaugh beat Rep. Johnathan Hershey in Perry County; and Democratic Rep. Chris Rabb defeated Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald in Philadelphia. In the Philadelphia suburbs, the Pocono Mountains, the Pittsburgh area and Reading, campaign strategists are poring over primary results to see what they suggest about the fall campaign. Republicans hold solid majorities in both chambers, but legislative redistricting is generally expected to give Democrats a boost in what otherwise is shaping up to be a national political environment favorable to the GOP. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Allentown, PA (18103) Today Clouds, some sun, and warmer and more humid with a few gusty shower and storms late in the day. . Tonight A few showers or gusty thunderstorms possible early then partly cloudy. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Mostly cloudy and cool with a spotty shower, but most of the day is dry. . Tonight Mostly cloudy and muggier with a shower or two. Customers are welcomed by the sweet aroma of freshly-baked goods like cookies, cannolis, fudge and so much more at Columbia Street Mercantile. The new business, located at 30 East Columbia Street in downtown Farmington, is owned by Michele and Tim King. Michele is from New Jersey and Tim is from Caledonia. The couple first met in Cleveland, Ohio, at a trade show. When they met again two weeks later in San Diego, they knew it was meant to be. The couple married in 2002 and have three children. They have owned several businesses together, most recently a coffee house and restaurant in New Jersey. They moved back to Farmington to be with their mother who was ill. The Kings decided they wanted to open a special business in downtown Farmington. Thats when they decided to open an old-time mercantile. They knew they needed a special location, and thats where Brian and Carla Wilson come in. The building where Columbia Street Mercantile is located is owned by the Wilsons. They completely renovated the building before the Kings signed their lease to open the mercantile. The mercantile took much planning and preparation. The couple knew they needed large shelving do display their products, so Tim found the massive back wall shelving that had been in an 1882 general mercantile in Illinois. Tim rebuilt the shelves piece by piece. Then he built a brand-new front counter to perfectly match the original shelving. The Kings opened Columbia Street Mercantile in April. Eight employees are on staff at Columbia Street Mercantile and ready to greet customers at Columbia Street Mercantile from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The store is closed on Sundays except for special downtown events. They have included numerous products to appeal to shoppers of all ages. From candy to delicious desserts to toys, the Kings wanted to have something for everyone. When customers visit the mercantile, it feels like theyre stepping back in time. There are rows of jars filled with penny candy sold for 10 and 25 cents each. But perhaps the biggest highlight of all is the mercantiles handmade ice cream. The ice cream is made daily in small batches in various flavors. There are a few standards each day, as well as many unique artisan flavors made fresh every day. In addition, there are classic Chipwich and gooey butter ice cream sandwiches made with the homemade ice cream and freshly-baked cookies, along with freshly-made waffle cones in different flavors. For customers who are thirsty, there is an assortment of old-fashioned glass bottled and artisan sodas made with pure sugar. Brands include Ski, Fitzs, Breese and even Mexi-Coke. The addition of fresh coffee beans sold by the pound will soon be added at the store, along with ice cream cakes and doggy ice cream treats. There are toys for all ages, including items from Ty and Metal Earth. Theres even a Missouri section with items made within the state including local honey from an apiary in Bonne Terre, other food items, toys and gifts. They also purchase Blair Cedar and Novelty Works products from Camdenton. We have a great selection of toys that you cannot find in the big-box stores, said Tim, and we provide great-priced options for all ages. He added that the mercantile offers many other unique items that are hard to find at other stores. We also buy most of our products locally, said Tim. Thats really important to us to support other small or local businesses. Tim is happy to return to the area with his family. Michele agreed that Farmington is a great place for them to raise their kids. Weve already had so many great customers come into the mercantile, she said, and were happy to be business owners in such a great community. Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Denver-based customer service company Startek plans to lay off hundreds of workers at the facility in Farmington, according to a notice filed with the state. The company, in the notice, blamed a client's "unexpected" decision to end a contract that was supposed to continue through next June. Startek said the move was "unforeseen and out of the control of the Startek organization." The first round of layoffs began on Thursday, and the final round will end in mid-August. The facility is located at 1828 Landrum Drive in Farmington in the industrial park. The layoffs affect 472 employees. The vast majority are customer care representatives. Prior to the Farmington City Council meeting Monday, City Administrator Greg Beavers said, What (Startek) communicated to us directly was that they unexpectedly lost their contract with Spectrum or Charter Communications. That contract was due for normal expiration in June of 2023 but they were notified about three weeks ago that they were terminating the contract early. He said the closure obviously impacts the community but he doesnt know for sure many area residents were affected. He believes some of the employees were working remotely from home and he doesnt know how many were living outside the area. Ive inquired with a contact at Startek corporate and I have not received a reply yet. Farmington leaders will be looking at what to do with the space. We are in a fortunate position that we own the building, he said. That is owned by Farmington Industrial Development Authority and has been under a very favorable lease to Startek now since January of 2006. Originally it was leased to Accent Marketing so that puts in a very favorable position to try and recruit a company to backfill those jobs. The question is what is that going to look like. Ive talked to three other call center operators just today about their expansion/growth plans. Many of them are doing what other companies have done and theyve let people begin to work from home so while the call center business, itself, may be there, do you need a 33,000 square foot employee footprint to operate It out of. It is my understanding that outbound call services tend to want to have people in-house more than the inbound call services so it depends on what kind of customer you are servicing. Beavers indicated they would be looking at all options. Startek purchased Accent Marketing Services LLC in 2015. Accent had operated an inbound call center in Farmington since 2006. Before Accent, the space was used as an incubator for manufacturing businesses. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 11 Angry 6 JEFFERSON CITY Missouri voters wont get a chance to head to the polls in the 2024 presidential primary if Gov. Mike Parson signs off on legislation altering state election laws. As part of a significant rewrite of state voting regulations, including another attempt by Republicans to require voters to have a photo ID to cast a ballot, the presidential primary election held every four years in February would be eliminated. If approved, Missouri would instead only use party caucuses to select the delegates who will go to each partys nominating convention. The reason is that Missouris primary is nonbinding, meaning party delegates can ignore the results. The change has been a priority for Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who says the election doesnt actually matter. And, it costs an estimated $7 million to run whats been called a taxpayer-funded beauty contest. I would like to thank the legislature for their work this session to prioritize and further strengthen elections, Ashcroft said in a statement following the bills passage earlier this month. But the abolition of the presidential primary means fewer people will be weighing in on their partys candidates because fewer people participate in caucuses, says the League of Women Voters Missouri chapter. League members are concerned about many provisions in this anti-voter legislation that make it more difficult for citizens to have their voices heard, said League executive director Jean Dugan. In a letter to Parson, League President Marilyn McLeod stressed the Leagues concern about language that could limit its voter service activities. This legislation provides unnecessary roadblocks to our most basic right, the right to vote," she said. But supporters say those who do attend a caucus are typically more politically involved and have more knowledge of the candidates. It wont be the first time Missouri has altered how it selects its presidential contenders. In 1986, lawmakers approved a plan to hold a presidential preference primary in 1988 in a bid to raise the profile of then-U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-St. Louis County, who was running for the White House. In 1998, the Legislature approved a bill with no expiration date that holds a presidential preference primary every four years. Senate Bill 709 was signed by then-Governor Mel Carnahan, a Democrat. Missouri used presidential caucuses in 1992 and 1996, but has held primaries since 2000. In 2020, former Vice President Joe Biden won the Missouri Democratic presidential primary with 60% of the vote. President Donald Trump swept the GOP primary with nearly 97% of the votes, and carried the state in the general election. The legislation is House Bill 1878. Kurt Erickson 573-556-6181 @KurtEricksonPD on Twitter kerickson@post-dispatch.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Applause and bilingual cheers greeted more than 300 Ukrainians arriving in Winnipeg Monday afternoon as the first of three federal chartered flights landed in Canada. Applause and bilingual cheers greeted more than 300 Ukrainians arriving in Winnipeg Monday afternoon as the first of three federal chartered flights landed in Canada. Seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, most passengers smiled behind their masks upon spotting the Ukrainian and Canadian flags at the international arrivals gate at the Richardson International Airport, and they waved to the gathered crowd of spectators. A mother made a heart symbol with her hands as volunteers dressed in traditional Ukrainian outfits handed her young son a stuffed toy. One newly arrived passenger loudly exclaimed his gratitude, shouting in English: "Thank you, Winnipeg! Thank you very much, Manitoba!" The passengers were taken to a provincial reception centre near the airport and then bussed to a hotel. They received help applying for fast-tracked necessary documents such as provincial health cards. Natalie and Paul Lebedev hold Canadian and Ukrainian flags as they welcome Ukrainian refugees. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) The Ukrainians arrived via emergency travel visas on the first of three planned federal government chartered flights. The next two flights are scheduled to land in Montreal and Halifax. Its unclear how many Ukrainians who arrived Monday afternoon will stay in Winnipeg or in Manitoba. Volodymyr Pimakhov hopes many will choose to settle here. He left Ukraine two years ago to move to Winnipeg, and he heartily welcomed the newcomers at the airport Monday as he waited for a friend from medical school to arrive. "Im a pretty fresh newcomer, and I have the experience of starting new in Winnipeg," Pimakhov said, saying he wants to do whatever he can to help other newcomer Ukrainians. His friend reached out to him on Facebook about coming to Canada, and he encouraged her to come to Winnipeg. Premier Heather Stefanson (left) greets a young refugee. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) "Now, Ukrainians have become a huge close-knit family," he said. "We need to support one another." Pimakhov said he feels some survivors guilt not being in Ukraine now. "You have the sensation that your nation is fighting for their freedom, and youre staying inside in a safe area," he said. Deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland and Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson were part of the welcome party greeting Ukrainians. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (left) welcomes a refugee family. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) The Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations has been preparing for the arrival of Ukrainians since April and has been working with many local groups. Emily Halldorson, the agencys Ukraine Response Coordinator, said the goal is to get people settled into permanent accommodations as soon as possible. Its unknown how many other Ukrainians may seek to come to Manitoba, but having some idea would be helpful to the association. The resource centre and arrangements to help arriving Ukrainians secure necessary documents is unique, Halldorson said. "Were hoping this sets a precedent for some of the other newcomers that also need to be treated that way, so its exciting." Among the crowd of spectators were several volunteers whove connected with Ukrainians on social media and provided them with information about coming to Canada. A young refugee was able to bring her pet. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) Devon Ross has acted as a host four times in the past month for Ukrainians arriving in the city. He arranges to pick them up from the airport and help them secure apartments, social insurance numbers and health cards. "I started off just wanting to help out one person," Ross said. He offers his help online, on social media and in forums, and said its been rewarding for him to help newcomers. Janice Olenko, who grew up in a Ukrainian community near Gimli, waved Ukrainian flags to celebrate the flights arrival. She said she has been volunteering her time to help Ukrainians since the war broke out. A young Ukrainian refugee inspects a taxidermy polar bear in the airport. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) "I knew I could offer my time to help, and its important. People dont have homes all of a sudden, theyre being attacked and not knowing where to turn," she said. Over the past six weeks, Olenko and about 60 other volunteers have joined Manitoba Operation Blue Skies, a newly incorporated non-profit that is promoting Manitoba to displaced Ukrainians. Some of the 800 people the organization has connected with were expected to be on Mondays flight, said chairperson MaryAnn Mihychuk, former Liberal MP for Kildonan-St. Paul. The non-profit is trying to raise money for future flights and plans to hold a weekly meet-up in Assiniboine Park for the newcomers. "The Ukrainians that are here are a bit lonely at the hotel, so theyre looking to socialize and meet more people," Mihychuk said. Prior to the flights arrival Monday, about 700 displaced Ukrainians had already arrived in Manitoba, the Free Press previously reported. katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com The victim of a fatal shooting Sunday in La Crosse has been identified as a 15-year-old La Crosse Logan student. The La Crosse Police Department Monday said Storm D. Vondrashek was shot multiple times shortly before 1:30 a.m. and succumbed to his injuries a short time later. Police say a second victim was shot and is recovering at a local hospital. School Superintendent Aaron Engel sent out an email Sunday night identifying the fatal shooting victim as a student at Logan. He said additional counseling resources are being made available. We are incredibly saddened by the tragic loss of one of our Logan High School students over the weekend that occurred due to a shooting, Engel said. Please reach out to your school counselor if your child needs additional support. Engel also addressed potential safety concerns. While we have minimal safety concerns at this time, we are working closely with the La Crosse Police Department to have extra resources in place to ensure the safety of all students, Engel said. The shooting occurred in the area of 1900 Seventh St. South. Police say the shooting doesnt appear to be a random act of violence and that the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the police department at 608-782-7575. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact La Crosse Area Crime Stoppers at 608-784-TIPS or submit online at p3tips.com/459. There is also a Crime Stoppers app that can be downloaded and used to submit a tip, or tips can be submitted online at speakup.widoj.gov. La Crosse Tribune reporter Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Ongoing construction along Highway 43/Mankato Avenue in Winona is not only impacting motorists, but also local businesses and organizations. Beginning Tuesday, lane closures, temporary traffic signals and limited left turns took effect along the road. Construction began in May and will continue until early November, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Once completed, the highway will include roundabouts at intersections with Highway 61, Riverbend Road, Frontenac Drive and Sarnia Street. This construction will improve safety and decrease congestion, the MnDOT website said. Representatives of some businesses in the area said they are looking forward to the completion of the construction and the advantages it will bring in the future. Janneke Sobeck, CEO of the Winona Family YMCA located on Parks Avenue, said she is excited about the improvement of pedestrian pathways. It has been difficult and dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the road, she said. My hope is this construction will help improve the health of the community, Sobeck said. The YMCA was included in information sessions about the construction and its potential impact on businesses. Sobeck said she thought the city did a great job communicating with organizations. Winona Health Hospital, located on Mankato Avenue, also consulted with MnDot before construction began, chief administrative officer Rebecca Lamberty said. One priority for the hospital is ensuring emergency vehicles can continue to safely enter and exit the facility. Traffic delays have caused some patients to be late for appointments, though road signage has been effective in getting people to and from the hospital, Lamberty said. The hospital is also offering virtual visits for people who may feel uncomfortable driving in the area. I think in the end there will be improved traffic flow without abrupt stops and starts that will help patients and emergency vehicles reach the campus more easily, Lamberty said. Representatives of other businesses said they have noticed a decrease in customers amid the construction. Daneya Feverson, manager of River City Grill located on Highway 61, said she has noticed a decline in business during lunchtime hours. Feverson said the restaurants customers are made up of local residents and people staying in hotels in the area. Feverson said is worried customers may find other favorite restaurants during the construction and hopes business will pick up again as residents acclimate to the changes. The construction is also affecting employees and staff who work in the area. Feverson said some staff are arriving late to shifts due to traffic or from taking alternate routes to avoid construction. McKayla Ahlrich, a front desk manager at the Riverport Inn on Bruski Drive, echoed this experience. Alrich said she has not noticed a decrease in business, as some people involved in the construction project are staying in the hotel. Ahlrich said she is anticipating potential delays or changes in business may get worse before they get better as the construction continues into the fall. Final minor construction is scheduled to take place in spring 2023, according to MnDOT. MnDOT invites residents to stay connected and informed of the project in these ways: Learn more about the project, sign up for email and text message updates at the MnDOT construction project website or check out SE Minnesota MnDOT construction projects in at MnDOTs website. Join the MnDOT Southeast Minnesota Facebook group for news, information and events in the region. Follow MnDOT Southeast on Twitter for updates, information and initiatives. Get road condition and traffic updates in Minnesota on the 511mn.org website or get a free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store. IN PHOTOS: Crews work on Mankato Avenue project Mankato Street Entering Winona Closed Sidewalk Merge Sign with Lane Blocked Mankato Lane Closure Merge Sign on Mankato Avenue Right Lane Closed and Lane Layout Construction Crew Closure on Broadway Truck with Cones Project Street Sign Motorists in Winona are reminded to be alert beginning Monday for construction crews who will start working on the Hwy 43 reconstruction project. End Road Work Sign Merge Sign Road Work Ahead Sign Lane Closed Sign Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JUNEAU The Dodgeland School Board chose a Florida educator originally from Wisconsin as the new principal of the Dodgeland Middle and High School. Tim Biro is replacing Jessica Johnson who will be the new superintendent of the district following the retirement of Dodgeland Superintendent Annette Thompson this summer. According to a press release from Thompson, Biro was chosen from a pool of 23 candidates for the position. His first day with the district will be on July 1. Biro is a Wisconsin native who started his career in the corporate world before going into education. He has 19 years of experience in education with 15 years in the Cudahy School District. The last four years Biro has served as an assistant principal at East Lee County High School in Florida. Biro is interested in returning to Wisconsin and looks forward to making his home in our rural community, Thompson said in the press release. Biro has extensive experience with business and manufacturing work, which aligns well with the learning occurring in Dodgelands new STEAM addition. Additionally, he has well-honed skills using data to drive school improvement, building relationships with school personnel and students, and developing rigorous curriculum pedagogy. Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or contact her at 920-356-6760. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Americans are becoming less supportive of punishing Russia for launching its invasion of Ukraine if it comes at the expense of the U.S. economy, a sign of rising anxiety over inflation and other challenges. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It finds that while broad support for U.S. sanctions has not faltered, the balance of opinion on prioritizing sanctions over the economy has shifted. Americans interviewed by the AP detail how they've had to cut back on driving and spending and want the White House to focus on domestic concerns, even as many people have sympathy for Ukraine. President Joe Biden has warned fellow leaders of the informal Indo-Pacific security coalition known as the Quad that they are navigating through a dark hour in our shared history. His warning comes as Russia continues a brutal war on Ukraine. Biden called for greater Indo-Pacific leadership in the effort to stop Russian aggression at the start of a summit Tuesday with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan. Biden did not directly call out any countries. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, it had hoped to overtake the country in a blitz lasting only days or a few weeks. Many Western analysts thought so, too. Three months later, however, Moscow appears to be bogged down in what increasingly looks like a war of attrition, with no end in sight and few successes on the battlefield. There was no quick victory for Russian President Vladimir Putins powerful forces that would allow the Kremlin to control most of Ukraine and establish a puppet government. Instead, Russian troops got bogged down on the outskirts of Kyiv and other big cities amid stiff Ukrainian defenses. A Florida law intended to punish social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for allegedly discriminating against conservative thought is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously concluded that it was overreach for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP-led Florida Legislature to tell the social media companies how to conduct their work. The ruling upholds a similar decision by a Florida federal judge on the 2021 law. It was part of an overall conservative effort to portray social media companies as hostile to conservative ideas. Jayson Tatum dunks on the Heat, the Avalanche push the St. Louis Blues to the brink of elimination, and the Mets give manager Buck Showalter a birthday win. Summer outlook and weather forecasts for the energy sector | Across the Sky podcast We discuss predicting summer weather, forecasts for the energy sector and severe storms on the latest Across the Sky podcast. President Joe Biden says the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan's self-governing in decades. Biden spoke at a news conference in Tokyo and said the burden to protect Taiwan was even stronger after Russias invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. traditionally has avoided making such an explicit security guarantee to Taiwan, with which it no longer has a mutual defense treaty. Bidens comments drew strong criticism from the mainland, which has claimed Taiwan to be a rogue province. A White House official said Bidens comments did not reflect a policy shift for the United States, a point echoed more firmly by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asked by reporters if Bidens answer indicated the U.S. would do more to help Taiwan than it has done to help Ukraine and whether the U.S. was making a commitment to send troops to help Taiwan in the event of an invasion. A veteran Russian diplomat to the U.N. Office at Geneva says he handed in his resignation before sending out a scathing letter to foreign colleagues inveighing against the aggressive war unleashed by President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. The 41-year-old Boris Bondarev confirmed his resignation in a letter delivered Monday after a diplomatic official passed on his English-language statement to The Associated Press. Bondarev confirmed to the AP in a phone call that he had resigned. He says the Russian invasion was a crime not only against the people of Ukraine, but against the people of Russia. He says the war has wiped out hopes and prospects for a prosperous and free society in Russia. Pfizer says three small doses of its COVID-19 vaccine protect kids under 5. The company released preliminary results on Monday and said it plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week. It's the latest step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots. Listen now: Tips to save you money, sheltering from severe storms and more! Need audio for your commute, workout or to help time pass on the job? Here are our latest podcast episodes for you to follow! Gov. Gavin Newsom met with leaders of the states largest urban water suppliers Monday and implored them to step up efforts to get people to reduce water use as Californias drought continues to worsen. He warned that if conservation efforts dont improve this summer, the state could be forced to impose mandatory water restrictions throughout the state. A law school student in Texas has been posting TikTok videos to help migrants navigate the immigration system. Health officials remain perplexed by mysterious cases of severe liver damage in hundreds of young children around the world. The best available evidence points to a fairly common stomach bug. That virus hasnt previously caused this kind of problem in otherwise healthy kids. Investigators in the U.S. and abroad are exploring a number of theories that might explain the mystery. One possibility that's not yet proven: that the stomach virus and the coronavirus are combining to provoke a liver-damaging immune system response. The folks who hand out Tony Awards believe five is not enough for Angela Lansbury. The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced Monday that the legendary actor will receive a 2022 special Tony for lifetime achievement in the theater, making it her sixth. Lansbury made her Broadway debut in 1957 in Hotel Paradiso and won Tonys for Mame in 1966, Dear World in 1969, Gypsy in 1974, Sweeney Todd in 1979 and Blithe Spirit in 2009. Other Broadway credits include A Little Night Music, Gore Vidals The Best Man and Anyone Can Whistle. The head of the U.N.s World Food Program is telling billionaires its time to step up as the global threat of food insecurity rises because of Russias war in Ukraine. Agency Executive Director David Beasley told The Associated Press at the World Economic Forum gathering on Monday that hes seen encouraging signs from some of the worlds richest people, like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. The World Health Organization has identified close to 100 cases of monkeypox globally, including some here in the U.S. So exactly what is it and how does it spread? AP correspondent Julie Walker spoke with WHO advisor and virus expert Dr. David Heymann. The Associated Press Position of privilege: Trip abroad widens perspective on immigration issues Eventful week: The students in the Embedded Spain and Gibraltar Program enjoyed a week full of memorable experiences during their trip abroad over spring break. Photo by Giselle Figueroa Photo - of - Hide Caption It took a group of 13 William & Mary students less than 10 minutes to cross the border from Spain to Gibraltar during a recent study abroad trip, a detail Giselle Figueroa 23 found remarkable. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Figueroa couldnt help but think of the troubles her parents and grandparents went through to make it to the United States. And she couldnt help but think of the number of Africans who died when trying to migrate to Gibraltar via the Strait of Gibraltar or the thousands of Spanish laborers who were kept out of Gibraltar for years by a closed border. Were clearly in a position of privilege because were able to cross foreign borders so easily, Figueroa said. In retrospect, I think about how ironic it is that, as American citizens, its easy for us to cross international borders, yet our borders are so difficult to cross. Figueroa was among the students who made the trip to Spain and Gibraltar this past spring break as part of the Embedded Spain and Gibraltar Program sponsored by the Reves Center for International Studies with funding further enhanced by W&M alumni. She was one of four student travelers who are first-generation children of Latin American immigrants raised in the United States. Another one of those students, Astrid Garcia Giron 23, was born in El Salvador and was a little girl when she came to the United States with her mother. When she recently became an American citizen, Garcia Giron said she was excited to be rid of the Green Card that categorized her as an alien. The word alien is very problematic because it others you and demeans your worth as a person, she said. Going abroad to the area around the Spain-Gibraltar border fulfilled a desire of Garcia Girons for a more up-close exploration of cultures and racial issues in other countries. And it helped the students see for themselves how other countries regulate their borders. An American passport is something that is so coveted by so many, Garcia Giron said. We could go anywhere we wanted with no questions asked. By talking to natives of Spain, Gibraltar and nearby Morocco, the W&M students learned about the difficulties immigrants faced in those areas. We could see a lot of the parallels between that border and the border here in the U.S., how it has separated families, the politics surrounding borders, the deaths around the borders and just how easy it is for us to be able to cross borders, Garcia Giron said. Am I actually here? Figueroas parents and grandparents immigrated to the United States from Mexico looking for work and a better life. To be able to travel so freely and have the experiences shes had is something she values greatly. I pinch myself sometimes and ask, Am I actually here? Figueroa said. Sometimes I feel like my parents are living vicariously through me because Im accomplishing the dreams that they werent able to. Garcia Giron and Figueroa are housemates with two other first-generation children of immigrants Elizabeth Gomez 23 and Carolina Rivera 23, fellow classmates and Gibraltar travelers and they often share their stories, struggles and triumphs with each other. We have these conversations often, and we always end up crying, Figueroa said. We bond over shared immigrant trauma and these feelings of being guilty and not belonging. Garcia Giron, a history and Hispanic studies major who is interested in getting into public policy, said she is motivated to maximize her opportunities because her parents sacrificed so much for her. We feel so guilty being here away from home, but at the same time, its what our parents want for us, she said. Figueroa is an international relations and Hispanic studies double major. She hopes to go to law school to perhaps study immigration law. The topic of immigration is prominent in my life, and its something I am passionate about, Figueroa said. Before this class, my point of view was focused on North America and South America, but we saw essentially the same thing going on in Europe, and I was oblivious to it. 1,000% immersed Gibraltar is a major tourism destination. In addition to the massive Rock of Gibraltar, a monolithic promontory that rises over every corner of the small British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar is known for its wild monkey population. Garcia Giron was reminded of this almost immediately, as one of the monkeys jumped on her. I was 1,000% immersed, she said. It felt like we were really engaged with Gibraltars culture, not just reading, seeing pictures or videos about it. While abroad, the students spent time in the area between the Rock of Gibraltar and several key cities in the adjacent, long-contested territory on the Spanish mainland known as Campo de Gibraltar, in the province of Cadiz. Tourists go down there to go to Gibraltar and see the Rock of Gibraltar and its wild monkey population, but the Spanish side of the border historically has been very disenfranchised economically, said program director Francie Cate-Arries, the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Modern Languages & Literatures. It suffered a lot of repression during the dictatorship (from 1939 to 1975 under Francisco Franco). And its just a very complex, culturally and historically rich area that, I have to say, you usually dont study very much on its own. The Embedded Study Away format is an intense six-week, on-campus academic study of a topic that the students then experience first-hand on site. After their return, students have another six weeks to integrate that experience with ongoing research projects. Throughout the week, the group was also led by Arantza Galiardo, a Spain-based co-professor for the program. As a double major, an entire semester abroad would have been hard for me to do, Figueroa said. Being able to have that short study abroad experience was perfect because it was during our spring break. Im surprised we were able to fit so much into just one week. Each student explored areas of independent research subsequently showcased in an end-of-semester interactive digital StoryMap platform. The students created these media-rich online portfolios with the assistance of Mike Blum, program manager for faculty engagement in W&Ms Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. The individual research portfolios are here. Strength and courage The students projects cover a wide range of topics. Garcia Giron and Elizabeth Gomez researched Gibraltars wild monkey population. Garcia Giron explored the relationship Gibraltars residents and tourists have with the monkeys and how that was affected by the pandemic. Figueroa studied migrant women in the Campo de Gibraltar region as well as Gibraltar, the resources available to these women, or lack thereof, and the sometimes-horrible conditions they are working under. The group visited Fundacion de Solidaridad Amaranta, a center offering assistance for women immigrants and victims of violence, and spoke with Ilargi Mayor Alfoja, a services coordinator who shared the experiences of the migrant women. She was just a force of nature, Cate-Arries said. Part of her fervor was having the opportunity to tell the story, and she was also just delighted to have a visit from these students. The irony, of course, was we were so deeply grateful to be received with the generosity and time commitment and care that we were. Julia Ashworth 23 is also researching immigration. Her focus is on the ways people in these areas communicate about immigration, particularly the passage from Morocco and the coast of Africa to Gibraltar and Campo de Gibraltar. Part of her research was visiting the Gibraltar Garrison Library and going through stacks of letters written by immigrants sent home to their families that described their day-to-day lives. There is a lot of fear of immigrants in Spain, but a lot of people don't really see the strength that it takes for these immigrants and the courage that it takes for them, whether it's crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in rafts that could easily sink or just trying to live daily as an immigrant in a location that doesn't want you, Ashworth said. The group spoke to Sumaya Acheddad, the daughter of a Moroccan immigrant who was one of 5,000 laborers brought in by the Gibraltar government when Franco closed the Spanish border in 1969. Acheddad said the immigrants were there only to fulfill a purpose, and they were always considered second-class citizens. She was so eloquent about her fathers personal history, Cate-Arries said. It was just spellbinding to sit in her presence. Other research topics include the heavily-accented Spanish-English language mix of the region called Yanito. Also, some students explored food culture, news media, education, the Muslim community in Gibraltar and the healthcare system. One of the most memorable experiences for the students who were traveling and experiencing international encounters for the first time post-COVID, and many of whom had never been abroad before was a meet-up with 19 seniors in a Spanish high school, IES Sierra Luna, in Los Barrios, which is known for receiving one of the highest number of immigrant families in southern Spain. This encounter was featured in a Spanish speaking newspaper/magazine. They had this very romanticized idea of what the United States is and what our life here is like, and going in, we had a very romanticized idea of Spain and Gibraltar, of this kind of tourist Utopia. But, again, things werent like that, Garcia Giron said. Being able to see the struggles and successes of the Spaniards and Gibraltarians was a valuable experience, Garcia Giron said. This is why travel abroad is important because its not just about the culture or pretty things you can take pictures of, its about learning about the people, she said. Thats why I appreciated getting to talk to real people, not just tourists. A Charlottesville man pleaded guilty Monday in Charlottesville Circuit Court to three felony counts of aggravated sexual battery by a massage therapist. Justin Kyle Sadacca, 39, will serve four years in prison, according to a city news release. Judge Richard E. Moore sentenced Sadacca to 40 years of jail time 36 of which were suspended. The suspended sentence was conditioned on two years of supervised probation and 10 years of good behavior, according to the news release. Sadacca also will have to register as a sex offender and cannot work as a massage therapist or in a related field. Sadacca was arrested in April 2021 on charges related to three assaults that occurred from 2015 to 2021. He was employed as a massage therapist by a spa in Charlottesville and worked an independent massage therapist, police said at the time of the arrest. The defendant used his position of trust to target and violate several women, Commonwealths Attorney Joe Platania said in a statement. As a result of todays proceedings, he will be a convicted felon, will serve a prison sentence, and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. This result ensures accountability and punishment for the defendant while providing finality and closure for the victims of his crimes. Gunman at a Texas elementary school kills 19 students and two adults before being fatally shot, officials say Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. The United Nation flag waves in the wind on the top of an UN building in Geneva, Switzerland Monday, June 14, 2021. A twenty-year veteran of Russia's diplomatic service announced his resignation on May 23 in protest against his country's war on Ukraine, in a rare public protest by a Russian official, multiple media outlets reported. The Virginia State Police are looking for a woman suspected of defrauding banks in in Charlottesville, Augusta County and Harrisonburg, and are seeking the publics help in identifying her. On Tuesday, VSP released a surveillance image from one of the banks to assist with their search. State police said the woman in question is accused of walking into four different United Bank branches on Feb. 4 and using a fake ID to cash fraudulent checks. On that day, she collected almost $2,000 in cash, according to the news release. Investigators believe the suspect is a local resident. Anyone with information about this woman is encouraged to call the Virginia State Police at (434) 352-3457 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the death of Burnley College teacher Donna Coleman, who died on January 6, 2021, from COVID, has found that the college was in breach of multiple COVID health and safety regulations. It has been issued with a formal notice by the HSE, a first for an education sector employer. Donna Coleman (Credit: UCU/Twitter) The HSE is the government body tasked with regulating and enforcing workplace safety. Donna, 42, was a popular teacher who worked with teenagers who had been kicked out of school, as well as with long-term unemployed people, helping them to continue their education or find work. She tested positive on December 14, 2020 after feeling ill on December 11. There were reportedly at least 14 other members of staff who had the virus in the same week at the college. Donna had repeatedly told her sisters that she was frightened about going into work. She felt that the COVID safety protocols were inadequate. We are not safe, she wrote in a WhatsApp message to a colleague on September 26. She considered reporting the college to the University and College Union (UCU), but the feedback form asked for a name and Donna was too scared that her complaint might be traced back to her. The first COVID outbreak at Burnley College was in October 2020, when at least 22 individuals were required to isolate. There was another in November. At least four members of staff tested positive in the Foundation and Community Studies (FACS) department where Donna worked and where many students were teenagers with additional needs, such as learning difficulties. In mid-December there was a third outbreak with at least 12 people testing positive. Donnas head of department had to close FACS as so many people were off sick. Donna was one of them. At home, members of Burnley College teaching staff messaged each other in dismay. The place is a giant petri dish, one staffer messaged Donna. Its sweeping the staff room again, responded Donna, who said she had a fever and an aching head. She couldnt eat and spent most of her time sleeping. When she was awake, Donna urged colleagues to get tests. Everyone needs to go remote or shut it down, Donna wrote in one message. In a Guardian interview, Donnas sister Stephanie describes the heartbreak and trauma faced by the family in Donnas final days. On December 29, Stephanie woke up to a message from Donna in the family WhatsApp group: I dont want to worry you, but I had to call an ambulance, because I couldnt breathe. Im in Blackburn Royal A&E. On New Years Eve, Donna was moved to the intensive care unit. On January 3, 2021, doctors told Donna that she needed to go on a ventilator. Donna sent goodbye messages to her family and friends. Her organs began to fail and on January 6 her life support system was switched off. An investigation was launched by the HSE amid claims that Christmas parties and other activities were taking place at Burnley College and that social distancing requirements were being flouted. It opened a fatality investigation into Donna Colemans death after the UCU raised COVID-19 health and safety concerns with both the college and the HSEconcerns that were initially ignored. Despite the HSEs own overwhelming evidence that Donna, her colleagues and pupils were put at risk due to the colleges negligence and multiple failings, the government body concluded that she was more likely to have contracted COVID through community transmission rather than at work. The finding is being appealed by the UCU and Donnas sister Stephanie. The HSE investigation found: A failure to meet social distancing and ventilation requirements within the office that Donna shared with two colleagues, one of whom also tested positive for COVID on December 14. A failure to meet social distancing requirements during meetings held within the college with external parties. A failure to meet social distancing requirements during social activities held by the college on site. A failure to monitor and enforce wearing of face coverings by some staff members and some senior managers. A failure to inform close contacts of those who tested positive. To refuse to hold Burnley College accountable in these circumstances is absurd. Donna was killed by a virus which her employers did not adequately protect her from, and which was clearly circulating in her workplace. Marie Monaghan, a regional support official for the UCU, having received complaints from staff about the lack of protection, emailed Burnley College on October 6, 2020 asking for a meeting. It did not reply. On October 9, she followed up. Its my understanding that some staff arent being made aware of relevant positive cases and wrongly advised to not self-isolate when they would be classified as a close contact. Monaghan filed complaints with the HSE on October 13 and October 30. The HSE did not take enforcement action. A spokesperson said: All concerns raised with us relating to arrangements at the college were looked into. The college provided us with detailed records and after discussions we were satisfied that the college was complying with the relevant published guidance. Clearly it was not. Throughout the pandemic, the HSE has enforced not public health procedures, but the governments anti-scientific herd immunity strategy, refusing to implement improvement and prohibition notices despite receiving tens of thousands of complaints. Even where it has been forced to acknowledge grave breaches of public health measures as at Burnley College, it concludes with a cover-up. The UCU, like all the education and other trade unions, acted as an accomplice, refusing to shut down through strikes workplaces it knew were unsafe. Instead, it helped to oversee the reopening and keeping open of schools in the second half of 2020 which contributed significantly to the explosion of infections over the autumn and winter. Schools, colleges and universities became key vectors of viral transmission, with children aged 2-17 ending up the group with the highest rate of infection. Educators like Donna knew their workplaces were unsafe and called for strike action and remote learning. But the unions allowed schools and colleges to be excluded from the limited November 2020 lockdown. It was only when educators threatened to take matters into their own hands in January 2021 that the education unions advised their members to refuse to return to work after the Christmas break by citing Section 44 of the workplace Health and Safety Actagain, seeking to avoid any unified industrial action. With an effective national education strike looming and threatening to trigger a broader movement against the policy of mass infection, the government announced a third national lockdown. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was finally forced to admit in a speech, on January 4, 2021, that children are a key vector for the virus, as Donna was fighting for her life on a ventilator. The tragic death of almost 200,000 people, including nearly 200 children and at least 570 educators, plus the debilitation of hundreds of thousands with Long COVID, could have been prevented if public health had not been subordinated to private profit. The ending of all mitigations and the return to normal continues to kill hundreds of workers on a weekly basis. Donnas case shows that this cannot be brought to an end, nor justice done, through the structures of the state or the trade unions. The community transmission excuse will be applied everywhere to let employers off the hook. Health and lives can be protected only by workers organising independently through the building of rank-and-file committees to wage a fight for safe conditions and by participation in the Global Workers Inquest to expose the crimes committed in the pandemic. US President Joe Biden concludes his trip to Northeast Asia today, his first to the region since taking office. Holding summits with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday and Monday respectively, Bidens goal has been to prepare allies for stepping up Washingtons confrontation with China. His meetings in Seoul and Tokyo hit many of the same points, checking the many anti-China boxes, including demonizing Beijing over territorial disputes in the region and challenging Beijing over Taiwan. Though Bidens joint statement with Yoon did not explicitly mention China, the target was clear. Biden and Kishida were far less restrained, however, criticizing Beijing over territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas and hypocritically expressing concerns over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. U.S. President Joe Biden, left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak at the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity launch event at the Izumi Garden Gallery, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci] Washington also hopes that Bidens trip will help facilitate better relations between Seoul and Tokyo. For more than a decade now, bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan have been bitter, with Seoul exploiting anti-Japanese sentiment to distract from deteriorating domestic conditions and Tokyos remilitarization also raising concerns. Yoons new administration has pledged to improve relations with Tokyo. In Seoul, Biden and Yoon announced that they would take steps to expand military cooperation as both leaders agree to initiate discussions to expand the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training on and around the Korean Peninsula. Biden also made clear that the US extended deterrence commitment to South Korea, included using the full range of US defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities. In addition, Biden and Yoon agreed to restart the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group at the earliest date. The group, which has not met since January 2018, is a forum for discussing strategic and policy issues regarding so-called extended deterrence, including the use of nuclear weapons. Within South Korean ruling circles, conservatives are calling for the return of US nuclear weapons to the country. Biden made similar assurances to Kishida while in Tokyo, including the US commitment to the defense of Japan under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, backed by the full range of capabilities, including nuclear. In addition, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party initiated a debate in March over the possibility of hosting US nuclear weapons. These measures are not aimed at impoverished North Korea, as is so often claimed, but at China. Even as Washington escalates its proxy war in Ukraine against Russia, the US is making clear to its allies that military preparations targeting Beijing are continuing unabated. In fact, while Biden and Yoon made their customary denunciations of Pyongyang, they also extended an offer of humanitarian aid to deal with the massive COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea. Washington hopes to entice North Korea out of Chinas orbit with promises of economic aid, thereby neutralizing Pyongyang in the event of war with Beijing, or even bringing the North in on the side of US imperialism. For that reason, Biden expressed support for Yoons audacious plan to strengthen the North Korean economy. On the other hand, the US has sought to ramp up tensions over Taiwan in Tokyo and Seoul by challenging the One China policy, which states that Taiwan is a part of China and is formally accepted in Washington. During a joint press conference with Kishida on Monday, Biden, when asked if the US would intervene militarily over Taiwan, the US president responded, Yes. Thats the commitment we made. The White House tried to downplay the comment, saying there is no change in US policy. However, it is clear that Washington, first under Trump and now under Biden, intends to chip away at the One China policy while accusing Beijing of planning an invasion of Taiwan without any evidence. The purpose is to goad Beijing into taking military action in much the same way Washington did in Ukraine with Russia. In addition to Bidens comment on Monday, the US president made sure to include references to Taiwan in the joint statements with Yoon and Kishida, calling for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This is not an innocent remark, but a calculated inclusion meant to undermine the One China policy and Beijings legitimacy as the government of China. Tokyo has also used the tensions instigated by Washington to justify remilitarization, with Tokyo declaring in the summit statement: Prime Minister Kishida stated his determination to fundamentally reinforce Japans defense capabilities and secure substantial increase of its defense budget needed to effect it. President Biden strongly supported Prime Minister Kishidas determination. Tokyo plans to further increase its military spending from the already record amounts to better project its military power overseas in the name of collective self-defense, the pretext used to override Article 9 of its constitution that nominally forbids Japan to maintain armed forces and use them to further its imperialist interests. The economic aspect of Bidens trip focused on securing supply chains is also part of Washingtons war preparations. While in South Korea, Biden toured a semiconductor plant, declaring afterwards that Washington would ensure our economic and our national security are not dependent on countries that dont share our values, an obvious reference to China. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) launched on Monday is another component. Biden stated that 13 nations would initially take part in the plan, including both Japan and South Korea. The IPEF is meant to offset the economic influence of Beijing in the region and reduce reliance on the Chinese economy, facilitating the overall war drive. However, as Biden is pursuing the deal through executive orders so as not to risk opposition in Congress, any deal will be unable to offer access to US markets, making it far less attractive to join. Biden will conclude his trip with a summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a US-led quasi-military alliance aimed at China that includes Japan, Australia, and India. The purpose of Bidens trip to Asia is to consolidate military alliances against China and reassure allies that the US/NATO proxy war in Ukraine is not a distraction from its preparations for war in Asia. Germanys coalition government is systematically working to increase the countrys economic, political, and military weight in Africa. Currently, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Social Democratic Party, SPD) is visiting Senegal, Niger and South Africa along with a high-level business delegation. Scholzs trip centred on a visit to Bundeswehr soldiers in Niger on Monday. It was the Chancellors first troop visit abroad. The Bundeswehr is doing extraordinary things here and has also achieved extraordinary things under very difficult conditions, Scholz said at the military base in Tillia. Officially, 200 German soldiers are deployed in the resource-rich and geostrategically important country. The Bundeswehr is training Nigerian special forces as part of Operation Gazelle, which has been running since 2018 and is part of the EUs EUTM mission. NH90 multi-purpose helicopter of the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) transports German soldiers in Mali (Photo: Defensie, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons) Last Friday, the Bundestag (federal parliament) decided to extend the German war missions in the Sahel. Niger is playing an increasingly central role in this, with the EUTM mission being transferred almost entirely from Mali to Niger. The focus of Germanys participation in the EUs capability building in the Sahel is Niger, read the motion passed by the federal government. According to the new mandate, up to 300 Bundeswehr soldiers are meant to be helping improve the operational capabilities of the security forces of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger and the Joint Task Force of the G5 Sahel states.' This involves military advice and training, including pre-deployment training and support. In other words, German war policy is being extended to the entire Sahel via Niger. Scholz made it clear in Tillia that German troops were there to stay. The mission should also be continued beyond the mandate that has just been extended, he said. The task now, was to identify a good follow-up project. Seeing the motivation of our soldiers, Scholz said, he had the feeling they were all looking forward to it. The mission so far had been very successful and driven forward with great passion. The crimes committed by the Malian army in cooperation with Russian units is cited by Berlin as the reason for the shift of focus to Niger. In this way, the German government also wants to conceal the criminal character of its own intervention. In reality, the massacres of the civilian population are being perpetrated by the same troops that the Bundeswehr has trained for years. The imperialist occupation forces are directly or indirectly involved in these crimes and have engulfed the entire region with terror and war. Berlin also plans to continue cooperating with the publicly criticised Malian coup regime. It was devastating that Russian mercenaries are now in Mali, Scholz said at a joint press conference with Senegalese President Macky Sall on the first day of his trip to Dakar. Germany would continue to live up to its responsibility and had therefore also decided that we will continue to support the UN mission MINUSMA. In fact, the Bundeswehr is increasing its MINUSMA troops in Mali from 1,100 to 1,400 soldiers, preparing for an escalation of the fighting. According to the mandate text, even more troops may be mobilised for phases of redeployment as well as in the context of troop rotations and in emergency situations. In doing so, MINUSMA was authorised to take all necessary measures, including the use of military force, to accomplish the mission. The offensive in Africa is not, as the official propaganda would have one believe, about the fight against terrorism or human rights and democracy. It is about naked imperialist interests. Already during the Bundestag debate on the extension of the mandate, numerous speakers stressed that Germany must also assert its interests in the region militarily. Germanys presence in the Sahel is a sign of new responsibility, a response to geostrategic challenges, claimed the Green Party member of parliament, Merle Spellerberg. When French troops withdraw from Mali in late summer, we will be the largest provider of troops from the global North. With 300 new soldiers, Germany is closing the gap left by the French. Leading members of the government, such as Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), explicitly emphasised that the aim is to contain other powers, first and foremost Russia. If MINUSMA were to withdraw from Mali, the vacuum would be filled even more by other forces, Baerbock warned in the Bundestag. This applied to Islamist fighters, but also to Russian forces. Why Germany wants to fill the vacuum is clear. Mali and Niger are not only geostrategically important, but also rich in raw materials. Niger is the largest uranium producer in Africa and the fifth largest worldwide. Since 2011, the country has also been one of the oil-exporting states. Other raw materials that are mined and processed locally are phosphate, gypsum, and limestone. Mali is Africas third-largest gold producer after South Africa and Ghana, and it has large deposits of bauxite, phosphate, and iron ore, among other minerals. Scholzs visit to Senegal highlights Germanys hunger for African mineral resources and raw materials, which has been intensified by the conflict with Russia. In Senegal, it is above all the countrys gas deposits that Germany wants to secure as quickly as possible. I want to be very clear about this, Scholz stressed in Dakar. Of course, we want to cooperate with Senegal in particular not only on the issue of the future generation of energy from renewable sources ... but we also want to do so with regard to the LNG issue and gas production here in Senegal. The two countries had begun to exchange views on this, he said, and would continue this very intensively at the technical level following these talks. In South Africa, too, where Scholz was welcomed with military honours by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg on Tuesday, energy interests are at stake. The trip included a visit to Sasol. The transnational petroleum and chemical company is South Africas second largest industrial enterprise, with more than 30,000 employees and 17 plants in different countries. Sasol is known for the construction of gas-to-liquid plants, especially in Qatar. A few days ago, Scholz agreed a comprehensive energy partnership with the emirate and the worlds largest exporter of liquefied gas. Another motive behind the German offensive in Africa is undoubtedly the fear of revolutionary unrest. We are facing dramatic global challenges, warned Scholz in Dakar. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the climate crisis would have devastating consequences for the African states and on the reality of our lives. They endangered the social and economic achievements that the global South has worked for. So that these crises do not fan new flames, he said, Germany must act decisively. Scholzs brash posturing in Africa, like NATOs proxy war against Russia, which Berlin fully supports, stands in the tradition of Germanys murderous colonial and world power policies. The warmongers in the media say so openly and are demanding an even more aggressive showing by Germany in the new scramble for Africa, at the expense of the nominally allied imperialist powers. Germany must catch up, is the headline of a commentary by Nikolas Busse in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Although Germany itself was once a colonial power, other Western countries [were] gladly given precedence, above all France, he enthused. This can no longer be tolerated if one wants to be a leading European power. On Sunday, May 22, at a meeting hosted by the World Socialist Web Site Health Care Workers Newsletter, nurses from throughout the US met to discuss the situation facing healthcare workers and the scapegoating of nurses for the consequences of short staffing and overwork. The meeting took place one week after former Tennessee nurse RaDonda Vaught was sentenced to three years probation for the medical error that led to the death of Charlene Murphey in 2017. The reports and remarks by nurses at the meeting emphasized that though Vaught was not given any prison time, her prosecution and conviction have set a dangerous precedent for the criminalization of medical errors. Other nurses and healthcare workers are facing victimization, including Michelle Heughins, a nurse in North Carolina who faces charges for the 2019 prison death of John Neville. Nurses at the meeting adopted the following resolution, founding a national healthcare workers steering committee to assist in the building of rank-and-file committees at every hospital and workplace to defend nurses and healthcare workers, and to connect opposition to victimization to a struggle to advance the interests of nurses and patients against the for-profit healthcare system. To get involved in the organization of healthcare workers rank-and-file committees, fill out the form at the bottom of this page. *** This meeting resolves to found a Steering Committee to oversee the building of a network of rank-and-file healthcare workers committees. These worker-controlled committees will be composed of, by and for nurses and healthcare workers themselves. We are calling for them to be built in every hospital and healthcare facility. These committees will: 1. Oppose the scapegoating of healthcare workers for systemic issues that result from short-staffing and overwork that put nurses and healthcare workers in impossible positions. Research has shown that the odds of patient mortality increase by 7 percent for every additional patient in the average nurses workload. This cruel statisticwhich the healthcare systems are well aware ofhas not stopped the hospitals from enforcing lean staffing models and pushing impossible workloads on nurses. Yet RaDonda Vaught, Michelle Heughins and many other nurses are being set up to take the fall. The committees will place as a central focus the mobilization of rank-and-file nurses to defend these nurses and take this struggle forward. We will not allow a nurse or healthcare worker anywhere to be scapegoated for the issues which are outside of our control and that are caused by the continued prioritization of private profit over patient safety. 2. Connect opposition to victimization to a counter-offensive of nurses and healthcare workers to fight for safe staffing ratios, wage increases, mental health services, a massive infusion of funds into the healthcare system and an end to the subordination of healthcare to private profit. Our profession is under attack. A larger fight must be waged to save the profession. Every day more of our coworkers leave the bedside. Burnout, PTSD and mental health struggles are part of the everyday life of nurses everywhere. Our most noble profession has been gutted and turned into a nightmare. This can and must be halted. A great crime is being carried out, not just against nurses but against all of society. Everyone will need a hospital bed at some point or another. Who will care for our loved ones, neighbors or the next generation when conditions are made so unbearable that no one enters this profession? We further state that the committees must be independent of the existing trade unions, which are politically aligned with the Democratic Party and work with the healthcare giants and management. The unions took no measure to protect the lives of nurses during the pandemic. They are not waging a campaign against victimization, have stood by as the conditions of nurses have steadily deteriorated and have isolated and suppressed strikes. The committees will strive to unite all nurses, whether or not they are in unions. They will connect the struggle of nurses with the struggles of other sections of the working class, in the US and throughout the world, as part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Britain is again putting itself at the forefront of NATOs escalation of the war with Russia over Ukraine. On Monday the Times reported, Britain is in discussion with allies about sending warships to the Black Sea to protect freighters carrying Ukrainian grain. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has discussed the plans with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. He explained that participating countries could provide ships or planes that would be stationed in the Black Sea and provide maritime passage for the grain ships to leave Odessas port and reach the Bosphorus in Turkey. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, right, is greeted by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg prior to a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, January 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, Pool) Landsbergis said of Britains response to this proposal, From my perspective the British government is interested in assisting Ukraine in any way it can. A diplomatic source confirmed that Truss is in favour once the practicalities are agreed, including demining the harbour and providing Ukraine with longer-range weapons to defend the harbour from Russian attack, according to the Guardian. These plans are already in motion. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Monday that Washington would be supplying Ukraine with Harpoon anti-ship missiles, via a deal with Denmark. The Daily Mail reports that a handful of countries are willing to do the same, according to US officials and congressional sources. Earlier this month, former senior NATO commander Admiral James Stavridis wrote for Bloomberg on May 6, Its worth considering an escort system for Ukrainian (and other national) merchant ships that want to go in and out of Odesa The vast Black Sea is mostly international waters. Nato warships are free to travel nearly wherever they want, including into Ukraines territorial waters and its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Conceding those waters to Russia makes no sense. Instead, look for them to become the next major front in the Ukraine war. The Lithuanian foreign minister claimed, This would be a non-military humanitarian mission and is not comparable with a no-fly zone We would need a coalition of the willingcountries with significant naval power to protect the shipping lanes, and countries that are affected by this. The coalition of the willing is the formulation used to describe the imperialist-led alliance which carried out the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003. A NATO-led naval intervention would be a deliberate military provocation, designed to create a pretext for a direct clash with Russian forces, carried out under the cover of a humanitarian mission to avert a global hunger crisis over which the imperialist powers do not lose a wink of sleep. Strategic analysts have been more honest about what is involved. Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute military think tank told the Financial Times, To maintain a functional convoy system, youd have to have a huge western fleet stationed in the Mediterranean to rotate through the Black Sea and risk escalatory confrontation with Russian warships. On May 17, NATO began a vigilance activity, Neptune Shield, involving 19 nations and centred on the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Mediterranean. The strike group includes the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS San Jacinto cruiser, five US destroyers and a Norwegian frigate. The eastern Mediterranean is a permanent home to NATOs Standing Maritime Group 2, composed of 14 ships including 10 frigates and the UKs HMS Diamond destroyer. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba bellicosely announced the war plans being discussed behind the scenes, saying of the Russian presence in the Black Sea that there was a military solution to this: defeat Russia. He continued, If we receive even more military support, well be able to throw them back defeat the Black Sea fleet and unblock the passage for vessels. A defence advisor explained to the FT the aggressive operations being considered, noting, Russias diesel-powered submarines also have to resurface regularly, which makes them vulnerable to attack and adding, Destroying the Kerch Strait Bridge that Russia uses to supply Crimea could also leave Putins forces struggling with the same kinds of logistical problems it has faced elsewhere. The incendiary character of the plans being discussed is prompting nervous responses. Kaushal asks, How many countries would want to risk their ships going cheek by jowl with the Russian navy? The Daily Mail cites a US official who said no nation had wanted to be the first or only nation to send Harpoons, fearing reprisals from Russia if a ship is sunk with a Harpoon from their stockpile. The Daily Telegraph quotes foreign office sources saying, current discussions dont go as far as using warships to help unblock the war-torn countrys ports. But the trajectory of the NATO-Russia conflict is towards such confrontations. Lawrence Freedman, an emeritus professor of war studies at Kings College London, writes in the New Statesman, The view up to now has been that this would be an unduly provocative move, subject to the same misgivings that led Nato to reject calls for a no-fly zone above Ukraine. But the Russian naval operation is an aspect of this war now coming into focuswhere pressure could build for a Nato operation. If the war drags on, this is an issue that will not go away The major naval powers need to be thinking ahead. A NATO offensive in the Black Sea has been long in the making, with the UK playing a prominent role. In June 2021, NATO carried out its largest ever operation in the region, Sea Breeze, involving 32 countries, 5,000 troops, 32 ships, 40 aircraft and 18 special operations. The exercise was hosted jointly by the US and Ukrainian navies and directly targeted Russia, with NATOs statement announcing the operation reading, NATO supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters. NATO does not and will not recognize Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea and denounces its temporary occupation. On June 23, just days before Sea Breeze 2021 began, British destroyer HMS Defender engaged in a major provocation by entering waters off Crimea claimed by Russia. The Russian armed forces fired warning shots and dropped a bomb in the path of the warship, later threatening that if something similar happened again they could bomb on target. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender leaves Portsmouth naval base on May 1, 2021 for exercises in Scotland, prior to deployment to the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Indo-Pacific region as part of NATO's UK-led Carrier Strike Group 21. Just over seven weeks later, on June 23, 2021, HMS Defender was involved in a major provocation with the Russian armed forces in the Black Sea. (WSWS Media) Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the UK ship was acting in coordination with a US reconnaissance aircraft, trying to uncover the actions of our Armed Forces to stop a provocation. The region has clearly been extensively prepared as a theatre for combat with Russia. American media reported that the US was critically involved in the Ukrainian strike that sunk the Russian flagship the Moskva on April 14. That these moves are now being made under the banner of alleviating a world hunger crisis is grotesque hypocrisy. This was underscored by former UK Foreign Secretary/Conservative Party leader William Hague in an opinion piece for the Times Tuesday, Putins next move? A truce to split the West. Hague urges NATO powers not to accept any Russian proposals for peace talks, explicitly deriding calls to do so to avert a further catastrophic escalation of either the war or global price rises. Ideally for you, Hague writes of Putin, western commentators will say, Hurray, we always knew he wanted an off-ramp, and, All wars end in agreement and discuss how the cost-of-living crisis could be helped by your very generous offer to desist from the war you started. This is unacceptable to Hague. What matters is not peace or hunger but pursuing NATOs war aims. [PART ONE] [PART TWO] [PART THREE] [PART FOUR] This is the fourth in a five-part series. The first part introduced Canadian imperialisms long-standing alliance with far-right Ukrainian nationalism. Part two investigated the origins of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi record of Krakivski Visti, which was edited by Mikhailo Chomiak, the grandfather of Canadas Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Part three documented how the OUN and Stepan Banderas Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) participated in the Nazis war of annihilation against the Soviet Union and served as the Nazis henchman in the Holocaust. In the years following World War II, the Canadian government, in close cooperation with its American and British allies, flung open the doors to Nazi collaborators and far-right nationalists from Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. For the Western imperialist powers, there were no better allies in their Cold War crusade against the Soviet Union than the fascists and ultra-nationalists complicit in the Nazi regimes historically monstrous crimes against humanity. Far-right Ukrainian nationalists came to play a critical role in Canadian imperialist policy at home and abroad. Through the Ukrainian Canadian Committee, which later became the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), Ottawa supported the development of a network of organizations that denied any Ukrainian involvement in the Holocaust and created and promoted a nationalist mythology celebrating the Ukrainian fascists heroic struggle against the Soviet Union to secure an independent Ukrainian statefirst in league with the Third Reich and then Britains MI6 and the CIA. Right-wing nationalist groups were consolidated in the political leadership of the large Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, which had been predominantly left-wing prior to the war. They were even used to infiltrate militant unions and undermine worker struggles. Far-right Ukrainian nationalists march in Kyiv, with banner bearing Bandera's portrait and Right Sector and Svoboda flags. Beyond their whitewashing of the crimes of Ukrainian fascism and promotion of virulent anti-communism, the right-wing nationalists grouped around the UCC played an important and ever-more aggressive role in Canadas foreign policy. When the Stalinist regime, under Mikhail Gorbachev, made overtures to the West, including allowing greater travel, as part of its program of capitalist restoration, the Canadian state-sponsored Ukrainian nationalists were deployed to extol the wonders of the free market and promote nationalism. Soon they would be playing a leading role in the campaign for an independent Ukraine harnessed to western imperialism. The state-sponsored UCC and its fascist origins From its founding in 1940, at the beginning of World War II, the Ukrainian Canadian Committee was an organization with the closest political and organizational ties to the Canadian state. The UCC was established with the support and at the behest of the Canadian War Department, a revealing fact which todays UCC proudly declares on its website. A key factor motivating the Canadian state in sponsoring the establishment of a right-wing Ukrainian nationalist organization was the dominance of left-wing and socialist ideas among Canadas large Ukrainian diaspora. Large-scale emigration from the Ukrainian parts of the tsarist Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires to Canada resulted by the first decades of the 20th century in the emergence of a highly politicized and militant Ukrainian-speaking section of the working class that Ottawa feared being unable to control. An example of this development was that by 1929, the Ukrainian Farmer Labour Temple organization had 187 branches, 62 libraries, and four newspapers across the country. Volodymyr Kossar, a founder of the far-right Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists/Ukrainian National Federation (UNF) in Canada, recalled in 1951 with outrage that when he arrived at the Ukrainian Farmer Labour Temple building in Winnipeg in 1927, pictures of Lenin and Trotsky were hanging on the wall. Volodymyr Kossar, a founder of the far-right Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, deplores support for socialism among Ukrainian immigrants to Canada. Although the leadership of these left-wing and socialist organizations had fallen under the suffocating control of the Stalinists by the late 1930s, they still posed a problem to the war plans of the Canadian state. During the initial stages of the war, the Stalinist Communist Party conducted campaigns opposing intervention into the conflict, declaring it to be imperialist. While the Stalinists were motivated in taking this position by the foreign policy interests of Moscow, which had just entered the Hitler-Stalin pact with Nazi Germany, anti-war positions were popular among Ukrainian and other immigrant worker communities that had previously been inspired by the October Revolution and the socialist movements long record of opposition to imperialism and war. Canadas War Department saw the creation of the UCC as a means to mobilize the Ukrainian diaspora for war. As the UCC notes on its website, The final and conclusive impetus for unity came from the National War Services of Canada which was anxious that young Ukrainians enlist in military services. The Canadian government used the War Measures Act to seize Ukrainian Farmer Labour Temple property and sell it off to the newly-formed UCC for next to nothing. The UCC amalgamated all of the right-wing Ukrainian organizations at the time. These included the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalist (OUN)-led Ukrainian National Federation (UNF), the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (UCB), and the monarchist United Hetman Organization (UHO). These forces were already open admirers of fascism prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1933, as the Nazi regime, having been ushered into power by the German bourgeoisie, began violently eradicating all independent working class organizations, Nowiy Schliakh, the UNFs official newspaper, declared, We may welcome with joy the triumph of the new German world over the old world. Like Hitlers Nazis, the Ukrainian nationalist forces behind the UCC linked savage hatred of the Soviet Union and socialism with vicious anti-Semitism. In 1939, Father Wasyl Kushnirwho would go on to serve as UCC president for more than two decadestold a public meeting in Winnipeg, held to counter recent Communist Party electoral victories, Let our (Ukrainian) culture be national rather than serve the international Jew. The leader of the Hetman organization in Canada urged Ukrainian forces to align with Nazi Germany, as Germany had inscribed the destruction of Bolshevism on its banner. On May 8, 1939, the UNFs Nowiy Schliakh published an article under a pseudonym written by Yaroslav Stetsko, who little more than two years later would read the proclamation, much celebrated in far-right Ukrainian nationalist lore, of the formation of Ukrainian state power. Titled The Jews and us, Stetskos article promoted the Judeo-Bolshevik canard at fever-pitch. Jewry, it declared, is assisting Russian Bolshevism as well as other enemies of Ukraine. It has taken commerce in its hands and is living on the Ukrainian lands by deceit, exploitation and subservience to Ukraines enemies. A people of swindlers, materialists and egotists who are demoralizing and corrupting the nations of the world, a people that is only interested in personal profit and the satisfaction of the basest instincts, wants to corrupt the heroic culture of warrior nations. ... Dispersed throughout the world, it has accepted as its own the international communist Marxist socialist ideology and is using it to help Moscow disintegrate the West. The UCCs campaign to bring war criminals to Canada After the devastation of World War II, one of the first acts of the UCC was to wage a lobbying campaign to gain the Nazis Ukrainian collaborators from the OUN and the 14th Grenadier or Galicia Division of the Waffen-SS admittance to Canada. This campaign brought the UCC to national prominence under conditions in which Canadas ruling elite was collaborating closely with its American and British imperialist allies to bring fascists and right-wing nationalists to North America as part of the Cold War operations of the Western intelligence agencies. Beginning in 1947, the Canadian state accepted over 165,000 displaced persons as immigrants into the country. Far from being motivated by any altruistic considerations, this policy arose from Canadian industrys desperate need for additional labour power. A Special Panel of RCMP officers and intelligence officials established in 1947 was tasked with screening out any communists or sympathizers from those applying for entry to Canada. Canada relied heavily for information on new immigrants on British and American intelligence, which had established working relations with the OUN and other far-right Ukrainian nationalists as early as 1946. The newly established CIA concluded that they could be valuable allies in their efforts to spy on and destabilize the USSR. In fact, the CIAs emergent relationship with the Ukrainian fascists would quickly become the model for its entire Cold War apparatus of subversion and regime change, according to the CIAs own classified history. Like their American and British counterparts, the Canadian authorities were fully aware of the political background and activities of the far-right Ukrainian nationalists, but chose to align themselves with them as the Cold War heated up. Recruitment poster for the Waffen SS Galicia Division. It reads He who wants to live must fight. Who does not want to resist in this world of eternal struggle does not deserve the right to life. Adolf Hitler. The Galician SS is going into battle! The UCC petitioned Canadas Senate in May 1946 and June 1947 to bring veterans of the OUN and Galicia Division to Canada. The Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC), the successor organization to the Ukrainian Farmer Labour Temple Association, made explicit warnings to the Senate Committee on Immigration and Labour that the displaced person camps contained many war criminals. These warnings, which included specific reference to the Galicia Divisions membership in the Waffen-SS, were deliberately ignored. The right-wing big business Liberal government of Louis St. Laurent was only too willing to look the other way when it came to accepting fascist collaborators, and not just Ukrainian ones. Slovak, Romanian, Hungarian, Croat, and Baltic state fascists and Nazi collaborators were all admitted to Canada during this period. By 1948, the Canadian government started accepting Ukrainian immigrants from displaced person camps en masse. The majority of those accepted were cadres and supporters of the OUN and OUN (B)s Ukrainian Insurgent Army and their families. Among them was Mykhailo Chomiak, the editor of the pro-Nazi Ukrainian daily Krakivski Visti (Krakow News) and future beloved grandfather of Chrystia Freeland, the Deputy Prime Minister in Canadas current Liberal government. By 1950, the OUN (B) had established 30 branches across Canada. They also set up the Canadian League for the Liberation of Ukraine, which for a decade, ending in 1959, remained separate from the UCC due to the Leagues unabashed support for Stepan Bandera. The latter continued to openly proclaim his fascism while helping organize a violent terrorist campaign against the USSR. Initially, veterans of the Galicia Division remained barred from Canada. The Waffen-SS had been declared a criminal organization as a whole at the Nuremberg Trials, which meant that all Galicia Division members were war criminals. However, the early reluctance of the Canadian state to admit the most open Nazi collaborators was rapidly overcome due to the UCCs lobbying efforts and Ottawa and Washingtons Cold War imperatives. Ultimately, over 2,000 Galicia Division veterans were resettled in Canada, where they would be protected from being held to account for their horrific crimes over subsequent decades through the combined efforts of the UCC and the Canadian state and political establishment. The UCCs outsized role in Canadian imperialist foreign and domestic policy The UCC and many of the Nazi collaborators it helped bring to Canada went on to play a significant role in key areas of Ottawas domestic and foreign policies. In 1952, the Canadian government worked with the UCC to establish a Ukrainian-language radio broadcast in Europe aimed at transmitting anti-Soviet propaganda into the USSR. As the UCCs website explains, To combat Soviet propaganda, Voice of America and Radio Canada International Ukrainian-language service broke through the information blockade and broadcast into the Soviet Union. ... This was achieved in no small part due to (the) hard work of the UCC and the Ukrainian Committee of America. Decades later journalists unearthed the story of how Inco had used Ukrainian and other Nazi collaborators and fascists against its militant workforce. Domestically, the nickel-mining giant Inco, under the watchful eye of the RCMP Security Service, hired Ukrainian and Hungarian fascists to agitate from within its workforce against the militant Mine Mill union, which was aligned with the Stalinist Communist Party of Canada. The fascists agitated against the union during a bitter 1958 strike, in which the company largely succeeded in imposing its concession demands, and served as goons in the ultimately successful government-Catholic Church-supported campaign to replace Mine Mill with the pro-imperialist, anti-communist United Steelworkers union (USWA). To maintain the illusion that the Western imperialist powers were fighting for freedom and democracy against the totalitarian Soviet Union, the Canadian and US governments gave extensive support to pseudo-academic and propaganda activities aimed at covering up the complicity of Ukrainian nationalists in war crimes. An entire industry of ideological propaganda was established in Canada and the US to this end. In the United States, the criminal sadist and former OUN (B) security chief Mykola Lebed was handed the keys to set up the Prolog Research Corporation by the CIA. This publishing house produced Ukrainian-language CIA propaganda for distribution in the Soviet Union, but also promoted Ukrainian culture and a carefully edited version of Ukrainian history to the diaspora community in Canada and the United States. The Waffen SS Galicia veterans formed a group whose very name is an attempt to conceal their Nazi past, the Brotherhood of Former Soldiers of the First Division of the Ukrainian National Army. This new name, First Division of the Ukrainian National Army was invented in April 1945, only days before the Nazi capitulation, in an attempt to recast the Waffen-SS soldiers as Ukrainian freedom fighters before surrendering to allied troops. Their headquarters has been in Toronto since 1960, and their publication, Visti Kombatanta (Veterans News) was dedicated to falsifying their wartime record for themselves and the Ukrainian diaspora. During the 1950s and 60s, the UCC was able to expand its activities thanks to the patronage of the Canadian state. Prime Minister St. Laurent and his successor, the Tory John Diefenbaker, spoke at UCC congresses and functions. It is to your great credit, Prime Minister Diefenbaker told a UCC function, that one of the tasks you have set yourselves is to keep sirens sounding to warn the nations of the dangers of appeasement, complacency, or false security in the face of the monster menace of International Communism. Ukrainian activists spearheaded the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations (ABBN) headed by the aforementioned Yaroslav Stetsko, which in reality was the worlds largest organization of former Nazi war criminals, according to its CIA sponsors. Both Diefenbaker and the Liberal Lester Pearson met with ABBN members, while heading Canadas government, and their anti-communist quotes appeared in ABBN publications. When Stetsko visited Canada in 1967, he was made an honorary citizen of Winnipeg. The UCC also waged a determined ideological struggle against the old-guard left-wing leadership of the earlier generations of Ukrainian immigrants, the Stalinist-dominated AUUC. These emerged in struggles over the memorialization of Ukrainian cultural figures like Taras Shevchenko and Lesya Ukrainka, and OUN/UPA criminals such as Roman Shukevych, the UPAs military commander, to whom the UCC erected a statue in 1973 in Edmonton. According to the historian Kassandra Luciuk, The organization successfully lobbied the government on important issues, inserted Ukrainians into Canadas national narrative, controlled and promoted what histories were told, and influenced Canadas foreign policy on the Soviet Union. The UCC also solidified the reality of Ukrainians as an ethnic voting bloc, forcing both the government and the state into continued negotiation and interaction. As a result, members of the UCC were transformed from mercenaries of socio-political control into a political force themselves. In 1976, the Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies was founded at the University of Alberta by former Waffen-SS officer Peter Savyryn and others. Savyryn was deeply influential in Alberta Conservative politics, for a time heading the provincial Progressive Conservative party organization, and the Chancellor of the University of Alberta in the 1980s. Savyryn made no secret of his pride in his SS affiliation. Ceremony to mark the transfer of the Ukrainian Encyclopedia project to the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. Front row centre, Volodymyr Kubiyovych; Back row left, Peter Savyrn (Photo Credit: defendinghistory.com) The same year, Volodymyr Kubiyovych, the former head of the Nazi collaborationist Ukrainian Central Committee (UTsK) and Krakivski Vistis publisher, flew to Edmonton to organize the transfer of his Ukrainian Encyclopedia project, developed after the war, into the hands of Savyryn, and the University of Albertas Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS). The signing ceremony was photographed, indicating the participation in the project of other leading members of the UTsK, including Antanas Figol, the UTsKs representative in Nazi Berlin during the war, and Ivan Lysiak-Rudnytksy, a former Krakivski Visti author. The Ukrainian Encyclopedia created a fictional account of the history of Ukrainian far-right nationalism that covered up its collaboration with the Nazis and participation in war crimes. The entry in the Encyclopedia on the Galicia Division, for instance, makes no mention of the many war crimes it was involved in, nor the fact that the Waffen-SS was declared a criminal organization by the Nuremberg Tribunal. Chrystia Freelands grandfather Mykhailo Chomiak remained in regular contact with Kubiyovych after 1945, and the two exchanged letters until Chomiaks death. In 1978-79, he worked with Kubiyovych on the Encyclopedia in France. In 1986, the young Chrystia Freeland worked as a summer student crafting entries for the Encyclopedia. Her work was conducted under the direction of another nationalist historian, Bohdan Krawchuck, who later went on to advise the Central Rada (Ukrainian Parliament). Commenting on the quality of CIUS scholarship, historian Grzegorz Rossliinski-Liebe wrote: From the very beginning CIUS refused to cope in a critical and professional manner with contemporary Ukrainian history. At the time of writing of this article (2013), CIUS has not initiated any program to investigate Ukrainian history during WWII, examine questions surrounding the collaboration of the OUN and UPA with the Nazis, Ukrainian fascism, the role played by Ukrainians in the Holocaust, or any other related subject matter. But the CIUS was, and is not today, primarily an academic institution. Rather, it is a forum for ideological propaganda backed by funding from the Canadian government. CIUS was part of a range of state-backed initiatives to honour and commemorate far-right Ukrainian nationalists, which included numerous statues and memorials across the country to Bandera, the OUN, and even the Galicia Division of the Waffen SS. "Student," the newspaper of the Union of Ukrainian Canadian Students, lauds the Mulroney governments support for multiculturalism. The Canadian governments backing for the Ukrainian nationalists rewriting of history and myth-making was an important component of its official multiculturalism policy, which developed rapidly from the 1960s onwards, and which was announced by Pierre Elliot Trudeau at a 1971 speech before the UCC! Multiculturalism, which has been incessantly promoted by left and progressive organizations over the past five decades, is in fact politically retrograde. It promotes the conception that Canada is comprised of various discrete ethnic, racial and religious communities, whose members are and can only be represented by their own organizations. In the case of the Ukrainian diaspora, that function was undertaken by the UCC. But a similar policy was pursued with respect to other minorities from the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, from where large numbers of Nazi collaborators had been welcomed to Canada during the post-war period in much the same way as with the Ukrainians. The Deschenes Commission: The Canadian state covers up Ukrainian nationalist war crimes In February 1985, the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney established a Commission to investigate Nazi war criminals in Canada in response to public pressure. A major role in pressing for the commission was played by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, which had uncovered evidence revealing the presence of thousands of war criminals in Canada. Organized under former Quebec Superior Court Justice Jules Deschenes, the commission operated until December 1986. The Commissions 35-year-old report is constantly cited by apologists for Ukrainian far-right nationalists. This is because the Commissions process and report amounted to an establishment cover up, designed to reach the conclusion that there were few, if any, war criminals in Canada, and that the Canadian state was entirely innocent of any relationship with the fascist far right. The Commissions structural flaws ensured this outcome: It was initially given only 11 months to gather evidence. It was instructed NOT to investigate the past decisions of previous Canadian governments. Its remit was confined to determining if there was a basis to prosecute war criminals only under then-existing Canadian laws. The Commission gave official standing to two organizations representing the interest of suspected war criminals: the Brotherhood of Veterans of the 1st Division of the Ukrainian National Army in Canada, representing the Galicia Division and the UCC. This official status allowed both organizations to cross-examine witnesses and aggressively push for the exclusion of testimony and evidence. The UCC campaigned tirelessly to bar any evidence from the Soviet Union and Polandthe two countries where most of the alleged war crimes had occurreddue to alleged defects in Soviet and Polish Peoples Republic legal processes. The UCC and the far-right Ukrainian nationalists for which it spoke had the most to lose from exposure of Nazi war criminals in Canada. The UCC had lobbied for veterans of the Galicia division to be given refuge in Canada. Moreover, Soviet evidence exposing the war crimes committed by the OUN-UPA would have blown up the edifice of lies they had been constructing for decades about how they had valiantly fought both Soviet and Nazi totalitarianism. It might even have compelled Deschenes to widen the scope of his investigation. As it was, the inquiry focused only on the activity of the Waffen-SS, whose former members in Canada were comparably few. The Commission never investigated the OUN/UPA. "Student," the newspaper of the Union of Ukrainian Canadian Students, campaigns against the Deschenes Commission, claiming that charges Nazi war criminals were given safe-haven in Canada are Soviet instigated. Despite the Commissions limited remit and the substantial influence granted over it by Ukrainian nationalist groups, the UCC was livid. It spared no effort in trying to discredit any and all claims that Ukrainians had collaborated with the Nazis. It established a Civil Liberties Commission (CLC) to lobby government officials and influence media coverage of the Deschenes Commission. The University of Albertas Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies worked overtime to organize academic conferences to assist in the cover-up. With John Sopinka acting as their legal counsel, the UCC/CLCs delaying tactics succeeded in suppressing all Soviet evidence. Under pressure from Sopinka, the Commission set strict rules for the admission of Soviet evidence, expecting these would be rejected. When the Soviet authorities accepted the Canadian terms in the summer of 1986, Deschenes averred that there was suddenly no time to take that evidence and moved to bring proceedings to a close. Shortly thereafter, Sopinka was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, even though he had not previously served a single day on the bench. Lubomir Luciuk, whose maternal grandfather was in the UPA, spearheaded the campaign of the UCC against the very existence of the Deschenes Commission, chalking it up to a Soviet smear campaign. The right-wing backlash also featured an open eruption of anti-Semitism. The newspaper Student, the organ of SUSK, the Union of Ukrainian Canadian Students, published an anti-Semitic cartoon and editorial, which declared, The few Ukrainians in any position to speak out on this matter with any degree of credibility on behalf of the Ukrainian community have, for the most part been silenced for fear of backlash from within their professional lives. They are well aware of the formidable Jewish presence in all areas of employment and avoid biting the hand that feeds them. The Ukrainian far-right nationalists could hardly have gotten more out of the Deschenes Commissions report had they written it themselves. The report's findings gave them essentially two get out of jail free cards, both of which tellingly were predicated in the commissions very terms of reference: The firstthe finding that the members of the Waffen SS Galicia Division should not be indicted as a groupwas based on a legal technicality. Canada had not signed either the London Treaty nor the Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremburg, under which the SS as a whole, including the 14th Galicia Division, had been declared a criminal organization, making membership in it a war crime. According to Deschenes, No Canadian court, could therefore claim to exercise jurisdiction over that particular kind offence. Deschenes also proclaimed the blanket innocence of all members of the Galicia Division resident in Canada on an individual basis, on the grounds that they were individually screened for security purposes before admission to Canada. In other words, the Canadian states original decision to allow those who had served in the SS into the country more than three and a half decades beforea policy the Deschenes Commission was forbidden to investigate and interrogatewas invoked to exculpate them, in an entirely circular argument. Ukrainian far right nationalists have trumpeted this whitewash ever since. The Canadian states alliance with the political forces that served and colluded with the Nazis during the war of extermination against the USSR and the Holocaust meant that it could not and would not tolerate any other outcome. Moreover, as the furor over the Deschenes commission played out, Canadas political establishment was preparing to deploy its far-right Ukrainian allies back to their homeland as the crisis of the Stalinist regime in Moscow deepened. The role of the Ukrainian far-right diaspora in and following capitalist restoration When the Gorbachev regime adopted glasnost and perestroika in the mid-1980s, the imperialist powers began strengthening their efforts to encourage nationalist forces aimed at the breakup of the USSR. In the case of Ukraine, Canadian imperialism drew on its decades-long relations carefully cultivated with Nazi collaborators to send a network of spies and anti-Soviet elements to push for, and later help implement, Ukrainian independence. "Student" appeals for students traveling in the USSR to "be a spy for 'Student'." The UCC played a key role in this campaign. The Student newspaper urged Ukrainian students travelling to the Soviet Union to act, as they baldly put it, as a spy for Student. One of the students who answered this call was Chrystia Freeland. This was no accident, since Freelands family was steeped in Ukrainian nationalism and had a long association with Student, which enthusiastically promoted the myth that Bandera and the UPA were fighters for national liberation. Her aunt, Chrystia Chomiak, had served as Students editor between 1969 and 1970. Freeland pursued a degree in Russian literature and history at Harvard, and obtained a scholarship to study Ukrainian at the University of Kiev in 1988-89. Already fluent in the language, her true interest in studying in Ukraine was to intervene as a Ukrainian nationalist activist in Soviet politics. In the autumn of 1988, the Peoples Movement of Ukraine (Rukh) was established. Freeland was present at its founding congress. Freeland reported back from Ukraine for Student, noting: On November 13 (1988) at an ecological demonstration attended by 10,000 people, the largest mass meeting in Soviet Kiev, the formation of a popular movement was advocated as the only means of solving Ukraines ecological crisis. Ten days later, 33 people, including prominent writers and academics as well as representatives of unofficial social groups and factory worker collectives, formed an initiative group, based on the Writers Union, to spear-head the creation of a Ukrainian popular movement. Sections of the middle-class Rukh movement called for the active participation of the workers in the management of economic, political and cultural life, claiming it wanted an independent Ukraine where all national minorities could live together in peace and harmony. No doubt the vast majority of Ukrainians who participated in Rukh, having experienced decades of Stalinist lies and falsifications, held these illusions sincerely. But more calculating actors, namely Ukrainian nationalists in the diaspora and their supporters in world imperialism, had other plans. In 1989, open appeals to the fascist far-right in Ukraine would have been met with horror and rejection. The program of capitalist restoration and the creation of a Ukrainian state utterly subservient to imperialism was therefore given democratic gloss so as to disguise what was in truth a social counterrevolution in the interests of imperialism and the Stalinist bureaucrats, eager to profit from the looting of state property. One of Freelands journalistic endeavours during her stay was to facilitate a story about the mass graves at Bykivnia for New York Times reporter Bill Keller. Freeland arranged his trip, and acted as translator. Bykivnia was, along with Vynitsia, one of the places in which Stalins NKVD had buried those it executed in its campaign of political genocide conducted against the leadership of the Bolshevik Party between 1937 and 1939. Kellers story, Behind Stalins Green Fence appeared on March 6, 1989, and enraged the Kremlin, which for years had claimed that the victims had been murdered by the Nazis. Freeland was denounced in the Soviet press, and the KGB gave her the code-name Frida. Freeland was indeed acting as a political agent for the Ukrainian nationalist cause. She delivered video recording equipment and money to Ukrainian nationalist activists, and cooperated with the Canadian government, even using the governments diplomatic pouch, which could not be touched by the Soviet authorities, for her communications. She took the injunction to Spy for Student and put it into practice. She was declared an enemy of the Soviet Union for her efforts, and barred from returning in 1989. Canada became the first government to recognize Ukraines independence, on December 2, 1991. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress provided $2 million to build Canadas Embassy in Kiev, one indication of its immense influence over Canada-Ukraine relations. Ukraine was rapidly inundated with Canadian expatriates, including former fascist collaborators, and their familial and political descendants. Freelands mentor on the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Bohdan Krawchenko, immediately moved to Kiev to take up a series of powerful advisory posts to the Ukrainian Parliament (Rada) and successive cabinets. Freelands mother, the lawyer and one-time NDP candidate Halyna Chomiak, travelled to Ukraine to found the Ukrainian Legal Foundation. The organization was involved in drafting many of its laws, including its constitution, and civil and criminal codes of procedure. But the crucial element that the Ukrainian diaspora essentially re-imported into Ukraine was its virulently right-wing nationalist politics. This malign seed took time to grow. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019. (Twitter) In her 2015 essay My Ukraine, Putins Big Lie, Chrystia Freeland remarked that in the years before and immediately after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraines national consciousness was weak. Indeed, a critical aim of the UCC and other right-wing emigre groups post-1991 was to promote and strengthen a right-wing, virulently anti-communist, anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalism. In doing so, they exploited the Stalinist regimes crimes, including its revival of Great-Russian chauvinism and betrayal of the socialist-internationalist perspective that underlay the founding of the USSR. This far-right nationalism, which cast Russia and the Soviet Union as the great obstacle, now as in the past, to realizing Ukraines national aspirations, was tied to a western orientationto an orientation to those who had supported Ukrainian independence in the aftermath of World War One and during the Second World War, and had kept the flame of Ukrainian nationalism burning during the Cold War. If the UCC and their ilk were able to increasingly exert political-ideological influence, it was above all because of the wrecking operation carried out by the rival factions of the Stalinist bureaucracy. As it pressed forward with capitalist restoration, the Stalinist bureaucracy in the USSR, as in Yugoslavia, promoted rival nationalisms as a means of justifying the looting of state assets and, no less importantly, to confuse and divide a working class that was restless and militant, but had been brutally politically suppressed and denied any access to the revolutionary opposition to Stalinism, Trotskyism, for decades. Ukrainian independence under the tutelage of American and Canadian imperialism proved disastrous for the working class. Ukraines GDP collapsed by 50 percent from 1990 to 1994. The privatization of socialised property was accompanied by gangsterism, political murder and intimidation. The homicide rate doubled between 1990 and 2000. The living standards of Ukrainian workers plummeted, and from 1991 life expectancy stayed flat, while growing in other industrialized countries. In 1991, 38 percent of Ukrainians were living in poverty. By 2000, that rate was 50 percent, having peaked at 54 percent in 1998. The North American and European imperialist powers grew increasingly frustrated with the close economic ties that persisted between Ukraine and Russia. Eager to bring Kiev more fully under the domination of imperialism to facilitate their drive to subjugate Russia to the status of a semi-colony and secure their unchallenged dominance over the Eurasian landmass, US imperialism and its Canadian ally funded a series of civil society organizations with the aim of bringing about regime change. The first regime change operation came in 2004, when mass protests following the election victory of Viktor Yanukovych resulted in the installation of pro-US candidate Viktor Yushchenko in the so-called Orange revolution. Yuschenkos government featured no less than three openly fascist cabinet ministers from Svoboda. The civil society group Pora (Its about time) organized these demonstrations, with the backing of more than $14 million in US money. Stepan Bandera monument in Lviv. (Amanda Smith) The Orange Revolution also marked the beginning of a concerted campaign to openly rehabilitate the political legacy of the fascist OUN-UPA, and promote the personality cult of its leaders, especially Stepan Bandera. Monuments to Bandera were erected, and postage stamps issued. These mirrored the monuments to Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, and even the Waffen SS Galizien Division which built in Canada decades earlier. In 2010 the UCC would petition the Canadian government to provide veterans pensions to UPA fighters, citing the Ukrainian governments decision to provide UPA veterans in Ukraine a monthly stipend equal to that given the Red Army veterans who had fought them and their Nazi allies. Yushchenko rapidly fell from power following factional disputes with his erstwhile allies and the growth of opposition to his right-wing policies. But the failure of the Orange Revolution gave new impetus to the most far-right and anti-Russian elements such as Svoboda, who were convinced that their path to power lay in a violent coup detat, inspired by the Ukrainian National Revolution of 1941. These far-right groups draw heavily on the political traditions maintained in Canada for decades by Ukrainian-Canadian organizations such as the UCC, the League of Ukrainian Canadians (the OUN-B), and various religious groups, with the support of the Canadian state. The UCC also played a critical role in preparing Ukraine ideologically for the current war with Russia. The organization is controlled by devoted admirers of Bandera and the OUN, who helped the Yushchenko and Poroshenko governments rehabilitate these Nazi collaborators in a country where their legacy had met with widespread hostility. Historian John-Paul Himka, whom we have had previous occasion to quote, pointed in 2010, to the largely successful campaign undertaken by former president Viktor Yushchenko in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in the North American diaspora to put the glorification of these radical right nationalists at the very center of the Ukrainian national identity project. The Canadian government and political establishment, as we have documented, has been complicit in incubating and promoting far-right Ukrainian nationalism for decades. In May 2008, it officially recognized the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33, in which millions died throughout the Soviet Union due in large measure to the disastrous collectivization policies of the Stalinist bureaucracy, as an anti-Ukrainian genocide. By proclaiming a Holodomor Memorial Day every November, the Canadian government underscored its full acceptance of the historical revisionism of the Ukrainian far-right, which sought by referring to the famine as the Holodomor to relativize the Holocaust and the role of Ukrainian fascist forces in the industrial extermination of European Jewry. As economic conditions became ever more brutal in Ukraine, the far right and their private militias grew in influence and power, backed by powerful industrialists like Igor Kolomoisky, and also by western imperialism. In 2013 American and Canadian imperialism were instrumental in providing financial and political support to the leadership of the Maidan protests, led by far-right and outright fascist groups like Svoboda and Right Sector. The fascist-spearheaded coup that marked the culmination of this regime change operation removed Yanukovych from power in February 2014 and installed a pliant regime under Petro Poroshenko that collaborated with the imperialist powers to turn Ukraine into a heavily-armed battlefield against Russia and a NATO member in all but name. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper travelling with UCC head Paul Grod. (Photo Credit: UCC) During this period, the UCC continued to have an outsized role in Canadian foreign policy. Whenever Prime Ministers Stephen Harper or Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine, they were accompanied by a strong UCC delegation. Prior to the open dispatch of military equipment and weaponry to Ukraine by the Canadian government for the waging of war against Russia, a steady flow of armaments was already under way thanks to the Army SOS group, which consisted of UCC members. Army SOS supplied rifle parts, drones, and other equipment to the military and National Guard, including the fascist Azov Battalion, founded in 2014 specifically to wage war on the Russian-speaking separatists in the Donbas, and later incorporated into the Ukrainian military. After 70 percent of the Ukrainian armed forces in Crimea swore allegiance to Russia in 2014, the Ukrainian military was purged of close to 50 percent of its officer corps, who were replaced with far-right militants. In 2015, the maximum size of the Ukrainian army was increased from 184,000 to 250,000 soldiers. Ukrainian army reform in the ensuing period was funded and organized by western imperialism. Once Canadian military support became more formalized with the establishment of a training mission for Ukrainian military personnel by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Ottawa continued its decades-long tradition of cooperating with the most reactionary political forces. Canadian military personnel trained officers from the neo-Nazi Centuria group at Ukraines top military college. When the Department of Defence became aware of a 2018 meeting between Canadian military officers and diplomats and the Azov Battalion, they sought to conceal it. The meeting only became public knowledge because Azov boasted about it on social media. Flanked by CAF personnel, Canadas Ambassador to Ukraine, Roman Waschuk, honours members of the OUN/UPA at a Jewish cemetery where victims of the Holocaust are buried. [Photo by Facebook] By 2019 Canadas ambassador to Ukraine and several CAF officers were proud to be photographed dedicating a monument to 17 OUN/UPA fighters on the site of a mass grave of Jews murdered in Sambir, in Galicia or western Ukraine. Six thousand Jews were murdered in the town by Ukrainian police divisions in a series of four massacres, from October 1942 to June 1943. The Canadian state supported a provocative campaign to erect a monumentnot to the Jewish victims, but to an organization that systematically participated in the Holocaust, including in Sambir. This campaign was spearheaded by Sambirs fascist mayor, who had previously turned the towns former synagogue into a strip club, and by the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which in a provocation in 2000, backed by paramilitary thugs, had raised three crosses overtop the Jewish graves. *** The decades-long alliance between the Canadian state and the Ukrainian far right documented in this series exposes the true character of the political forces the imperialist powers are collaborating with in the US-NATO war on Russia. Behind all the bogus propaganda about waging a war for democracy and European values, the Canadian ruling class is allied with powerful sections of the Ukrainian government, military and political elite who stand in the tradition of the Ukrainian Nazi collaborationist forces responsible for some of the worst crimes in human history. Moreover, it has played an important role in politically and ideologically cultivating these forces through its long promotion of the UCC and far-right Ukrainian nationalism. In the final part of this series, we will examine the impact that fascistic forces are having on Canadian imperialist foreign and domestic policy, and advance a socialist perspective for the working class to oppose war and the rise of the far right. This article was originally posted on Twitter. The Financial Times Gideon Rachman has written a column that is an unintentionaland, therefore, all the more devastatingexposure of the intellectual and moral putrefaction of bourgeois journalism and the political and social system it defends. In a column titled Lies weaken Russia in its trial of strength, Rachman complains that Putin, obsessed with American hypocrisy, falsely accuses the West of being an empire of lies. Rachman refutes Putins denunciation by arguing that hypocrisy and lies are not quite the same thing. While the Russian government specializes in outright lies, the US and its allies, by contrast, specialize in hypocrisy. He argues that western hypocrisy, compared to Russian lies, is a fault of a far lesser magnitude. It is merely a regrettable tendency to proclaim an ideal or a policy and then apply it inconsistently. Rachman cites as an example of the Wests inconsistent application of its ideals its humanitarian intervention in Libya that led directly, and perhaps deliberately, to regime change and the violent death of the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Murder sanctified by hypocrisy can be pardoned, even if the victim is as dead as one whose murder is prepared with lies. Rachman notes other advantages afforded by hypocrisy. In an empire of hypocrisy, Rachman writes, open debate and criticism are still possible. Mistakes are made and crimes are committed. But those crimes can be pointed outeither by official inquiries or by a free press. In an empire of hypocrisy, it was possible for the New York Times to expose the horrifying toll in civilian casualties caused by US drone warfare. Rachman notes: The Pentagons response was to thank the newspaper and promise change. Sensing that this was not an entirely satisfactory outcome to the exposure of mass murder by the United States, Rachman opines: More hypocrisy? Perhapsbut there would be no prospect of reform without investigation and exposure. Moreover, Rachman notes another significant difference between western hypocrisy and Russian lies: Nobody in Russia will be winning any prizes for an investigation into the war crimes committed in Bucha or the destruction of Mariupol. Somehow, Rachman seems to have forgotten that the prize awarded to Julian Assange for his exposure of US war crimes has been relentless state persecution, cruel imprisonment in a British hell-hole, and impending extradition to the United States. The most significant aspect of Rachmans essay is its absurd and self-deluding premise that American hypocrisy is merely a regrettable lapse from honesty, rather than the specific and highly developed form of a monstrous system of official and all-pervasive lying. It may seem odd that Gideon Rachmanone of the more thoughtful of FT commentatorsdoes not realize that his own apologetic demarcation of state hypocrisy from lying testifies, in the most profound sense, to the domination of the lie in contemporary capitalist society. J. A. Hobson, circa 1910 (Credit: Elliott & Fry, public domain) In his famous treatise Imperialism, A Study, written 120 years ago, J.A. Hobson explained the essential role played by hypocrisy, as a form of lying, in justifying the monstrous crimes carried out in the interests of the ruling elites of the colonial empires. The hypocrisy of the imperialist rulers and their collaborators and apologists is not of a conventional, merely personal, character. It is based on systematic lying about the nature of social reality that is so deep-rooted that it deludes its own practitioners. Imperialism, wrote Hobson, is based upon a persistent misrepresentation of facts and forces chiefly through a most refined process of selection, exaggeration, and attenuation, directed by interested cliques and persons so as to distort the face of history. The gravest peril of Imperialism lies in the state of mind of a nation which has become habituated to this deception and which has rendered itself incapable of self-criticism. The passage that follows is among the greatest indictments of the imperialist mentality. For this is the condition which Plato terms the lie in the soula lie which does not know itself to be a lie. One of the marks of this diseased condition is a fatal self-complacency. When a nation has succumbed to it, it easily and instinctively rejects all criticism of other nations as due to envy and malice, and all domestic criticism is attributed to the bias of anti-patriotism. Anticipating the later works of the great Marxists, J. A. Hobson, the liberal opponent of imperialism, identified in a general way the objective social interests that underlay the lie in the soul. The controlling and directing agent of the whole process, as we have seen, is the pressure of financial and industrial motives, operated for the direct, short-range, material interests of small, able, and well-organised groups in a nation. Rachman does not intend to deceive his readers. But swept up in the tidal wave of anti-Russia hysteria, he substantiates Hobsons observation that those who deceive others about the interests that drive imperialism have first been obliged to mislead themselves. National elections in Papua New Guinea (PNG), due in July, are already facing mounting difficulties. The issuing of writs was postponed for a week on May 12 following the death of Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil in a car accident. James Marape (light shirt in the centre) campaigning in Tari with supporters [Image: pmjamesmarape.com] The delay was to allow for a state funeral and for Basils United Labour Party to reorganise itself. Basil was a longstanding MP and member of the countrys ruling elite. He had held major portfolios over his career and had ambitions to be prime minister following the election. In November 2020, Basil was one of 12 cabinet ministers who defected from the James Marape-led coalition government, plunging it into turmoil. The manoeuvre, designed to force a no confidence vote, was stymied when Marape abruptly adjourned parliament for four months. Basil then returned to the fold. Polling is due to start on July 9 and finish on July 22, with writs returned on July 29. Normally, several thousand potential candidates come forward to nominate in PNG elections seeking to access money and favours. This year, it is predicted the figure could be as high as 4,000 to contest the 118 seats. Seven new seats have been created in the parliament. However, ballot papers were printed before the government formally established the new seats. The ballots had to be destroyed and reprinted, and there is ongoing uncertainty over the new districts which have not yet been budgeted for. There could well be a court challenge to their validity. University of Papua New Guinea academic Okole Midelit told Radio NZ on May 16 that the election poses significant security risks. Under-resourced police, widespread availability of illegal firearms, and the politicisation of the security force will present major issues, he warned. Low COVID-19 vaccination rates are also a particular concern, Midelit noted, with less than 3 percent of the population of nearly nine million fully vaccinated. More than 200 people died in violent clashes during the widely discredited 2017 election. The poll was mired in bribery and corruption, ballot rigging and the wholesale omission of names from the electoral roll. Protests erupted over accusations that vote counting was hijacked. The narrow victory of then Prime Minister Peter ONeill was regarded as illegitimate. Explosive social tensions produced by the governments austerity policies in response to the deepening economic crisis, including the collapse in global energy prices, saw ongoing turmoil over the following year. In 2019, ONeill avoided a vote of no confidence by resigning his position and has since faced corruption charges. He was replaced as prime minister by former ally and finance minister Marape, leader of the Pangu Party, who has in turn fended off a series shifting allegiances from within the unstable and corrupt political establishment. Marape has presided over an escalating economic and social disaster. His government has been criticised for its handling of the closure of the Porgera goldmine and alleged misuse of international funds for PNGs COVID response. Budget shortfalls have resulted in government debt rising to 40 percent of GDP. ONeill, who leads the Peoples National Congress Party (PNC), appears to be the main electoral threat to Marape. According to the Post-Courier, ONeill told a pre-election crowd last week that the PNC is ready to return and remove thieves, liars and false prophets that have mismanaged and critically run the economy of the country. ONeill, however, remains deeply unpopular. In 2016, police opened fire and injured dozens of people at a protest demanding that ONeill step down and face fraud charges. The cynical manoeuvring between rival groups of parliamentarians highlights the vast gulf that separates the poverty-stricken PNG masses and the countrys corrupt and venal political elite. Trust in the government has disintegrated following decades of social deprivation and growing wealth inequality, buttressed by authoritarian military-police measures. The crisis has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government, which ditched national pandemic lockdowns in mid-2020, is responsible for an unfolding disaster. PNG has officially recorded 43,900 cases of COVID and 651 deaths but with testing all but abandoned the figures are meaningless. In March this year most remaining restrictions were removed, including the need for booster shots to be fully vaccinated. Hospitals have been overwhelmed. Last October, health authorities organised a mass burial of 253 bodies, to relieve pressure on the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue, where bodies were stacked on top of each other as COVID-19 cases surged. Now, the country has begun grappling with a tuberculosis epidemic. Tens of thousands of workers, estimated as high as 25 percent of the workforce, have meanwhile lost their jobs. Meagre government relief measures such as tax deferrals and loan repayment holidays have been woefully insufficient. According to UN figures, 39 percent of the people live below the poverty line of $US1.90 a day. There is growing resistance in the working class. In March 2020, 600 nurses in Port Moresby held a sit-in over concerns about the lack of personal protective equipment. Four thousand nurses were then ready to strike over the lack of COVID preparedness, until the strike was called off by the union. More stoppages and sit-in protests took place late last year over nurses pay and working conditions. Marape has appealed for peace and order during the elections, declaring there will be zero tolerance for any violence. Highlighting the fears within the ruling establishment, Police Commissioner David Manning felt it necessary to warn all candidates and supporters to refrain from violence. Do not bribe your voters. Do not threaten them, he said. The election will be closely scrutinised by both Washington and Canberra. External interference by either or both powers to influence the outcome cannot be ruled out. Australia, the countrys colonial master until 1975, has a long and dirty history in PNG defending the interests of its multinational mining companies and Canberras geo-strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific. The PNG ruling elite has maintained a precarious balancing act between economic and diplomatic relations with China on the one hand, and the demands of the imperialist powers on the other. PNGs involvement in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and Beijings funding for infrastructure projects has increasingly alarmed Washington and Canberra. The Australian on Saturday cited unnamed sources saying that China is offering security support to help PNG prevent political and ethnic violence during the election. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is reportedly planning to visit PNG in June. The paper also noted that Australia is providing about $30m in support towards the conduct of PNGs elections, while Australian Defence Force aircraft and about 140 personnel will assist with logistics and planning. During his term of office, ONeill turned towards Beijing for financial support, followed by Marape seeking to reduce reliance on Australian aid. Marape said regarding China that PNG is a friend to all, enemy to none. His government has meanwhile maintained strong security ties with the US, including holding joint military exercises in each of the last two years. PNG was pushed more sharply into focus in April when China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact allowing for Chinese presence. US Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell was promptly dispatched to Honiara, to warn the Sogavare government Washington would respond accordingly, if China were to establish any basing arrangements. Underscoring Washingtons wider intent to block any Chinese presence in the Pacific, the US delegation also visited Fiji and PNG and bluntly warned them against any similar treaties with China. The diplomatic intimidation included threats by then Australian Prime Minister Morrison, who said a Chinese base in the Solomons would be a red linethat is, a trigger for military intervention. On May 16, President Emmanuel Macron named Elisabeth Borne prime minister. Friday evening, Borne announced the composition of her government, in continuity with Macrons first term. While the bourgeois media is predictably hailing the nomination of a woman to the post, it is a sign that Macron is planning an all-out attack against the working class in his second term. Elisabeth Borne [Photo by Jacques Parquier In her previous role as director of strategy under Macron for the French National Railways (SNCF) and earning more than 25,000 euros a month, she tore up the regulatory statutes of rail workers. She thus sabotaged rail workers wages, who were paid ten times less than her remuneration. And above all, it was as Minister of Labour during the COVID-19 pandemic that she elaborated the health protocols in July 2020 put in place after Frances first lockdown. These politically criminal protocols have been a disaster. Whilst the pandemic was largely under control at the end of the lockdown, with only a few hundred daily cases, the protocols allowed a massive resurgence of the virus. The cost in lives of this policy, replicated throughout the EU, has been monumental. More than 117,000 of the 148,000 deaths from Covid-19 in France and 1.6 million out of 1.8 million in Europe date from after the adoption of the protocols drafted by Borne. The nomination of Borne constitutes a pledge by Macron to the financial aristocracy to continue with his socially regressive policies, even as she lines up behind the war policy of NATO in the Ukraine against Russia, threatening an escalation into a Third World War. Unsurprisingly, the ruling class is concentrating public attention on Bornes identity as a woman, as political cover under which to pursue this reactionary policy. During the handover ceremony of power from her predecessor Jean Castex, Borne tried to attract support from the middle-class feminist milieu. I dedicate this nomination to all the little girls, she declared. Nothing must stop the fight for womens place in society. Borne added that she was very moved and that she saved a thought for Edith Cresson, the only other woman to have occupied the post of prime minister in France. Since then, Borne has issued a policy based on ecology and modernization. She has renewed most of the senior right-wing ministers, with Bruno Le Maire at the Finance Ministry (2nd highest ranking in the order of precedence among ministers) and Gerard Darmanin third at the Interior Ministry. Former Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is being replaced by Catherine Colonna, a right-wing diplomat who reportedly played a role in formulating policy during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and on Brexit. For the Ministry of Education, Borne tapped Pap Ndiaye, a Franco-Senegalese historian of the United States black population who teaches at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences(EHESS) and supports the Black Lives Matter movement financed by corporate America. In the second round of the presidential elections, the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES) called for a working class campaign to boycott both candidates, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, rejecting both candidates. The PES declared that a government formed by Macron would not be a democratic alternative to Le Pen. The decisive question was to arm workers with an irreconcilable opposition to both candidates in order to prepare them for the struggles they will have to lead against the next government. The reactionary social and health policies announced by Borne, within the framework of the military foreign policy promoted by Macron and NATO, vindicate the position of the PES. Moreover, it is clear that the nomination of Borne and Ndiaye, hailed by the media as a sign of openness, will not stop or even significantly slow the accelerating slide of Macron to extreme right positions. As Macron installed Borne as prime minister, Darmanin continued his repressive anti-Muslim campaign. As a sympathizer of the far right Action francaise who sponsored the anti-separatism law targeting Muslim associations, he wants to legally invalidate a local bylaw of the city of Grenoble allowing women to wear burkini swim-suits. The half-hearted attempts by the media to present Borne as a sympathetic personality based on feminism only reveal how racial and gender politics serve as a cover for anti-democratic and authoritarian policies. The media is promoting the difficult childhood of Borne, the daughter of a couple of pharmacists in Paris who received state support after the suicide of her father when she was 11 years old. This tragic experience in Bornes life arouses much more sympathy, however, than the conclusions she seems to have drawn from that event. In effect, she used the Ecole Polytechnique and the Socialist Party (PS) as mechanisms for social climbing at the expense of the workers. Having joined the PS in 1987, she made a career on the boards of major corporations, notably the SNCF railways and Eiffage. During a TV program in 2021, she explained that she was concerned about her financial independence after the death of her father: I hung on and was able to get admission to an engineering school where I was paid by the State, and that was a real relief. Thus the feminist media promotion of Borne is centered on an attempt to calm workers anger and strangle the class struggle by selling the illusions of wealthy technocrats like Borne struggling to get their place in the sun. Edith Cresson, the PS prime minister under the presidency of Francois Mitterrand in 1991-1992 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union by the Stalinist bureaucracy, declared on BFM-TV that it was high time to name another woman prime minister. She thanked Borne for referring to her, saying, In a very short speech, she found the means to express something that really moved me. In fact, the role of Cresson only underlines the reactionary character of the PS and the attempts of pseudo-left forces like Jean-Luc Melenchon and his New Popular Union with the PS to sell the latter as a progressive party on feminist grounds. Cresson was an activist in the Convention of Republican Institutions (CIR), a party led in the 1960s by the ex-Vichy collaborators Francois Mitterrand and Charles Hernu, which played a central role in founding the PS in 1971. She was in office during the first Gulf War against Iraq and the launching of the European Union with the Mastricht Treaty. Cresson was hated by workers due to her policy of wage freezes. She also was criticized for denouncing homosexuality as different and marginal and dismissing the Japanese people as ants. Today, Cresson saluted Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel, right-wing female politicians who imposed draconian austerity on the workers. The nomination of Borne, Cresson said, is an event because France is what France is, the political establishment is what it is, but in another country this is not an event. Neither about Mrs. Thatcher nor Mrs. Merkel nor in Portugal, where a woman was named prime minister long before me, did anyone cry out that it was something extraordinary. In truth, the nomination of Borne as prime minister is not extraordinary and changes nothing fundamentally. While NATO intensifies its war against Russia in Ukraine, Macron is launching an offensive at home against the working class, to slash pensions, and unemployment benefits and to undermine publicly funded universities, while leaving workers continually exposed to COVID-19. This is preparing ever more explosive confrontations between Macron and the working class. The Socialist Equality Group in New Zealand and the World Socialist Web Site will hold an online public meeting on Saturday, June 4, at 5:00 p.m. NZ time, to launch the new book Pike River: The Crime and Cover-up, published by Mehring Books. Please register here to attend this critical webinar on Zoom. On November 19, 2010, an explosion tore through the underground Pike River coal mine on the west coast of New Zealands South Island. After a second explosion five days later, the 29 workers underground were declared dead. This was not a random accident: it was a crime caused by capitalism. However, despite overwhelming evidence that Pike River Coal placed profit and production ahead of workers lives, more than 11 years later no one has been held accountable for turning the mine into a death trap. At this public meeting, Tom Peters, the main author of Pike River: The Crime and Cover-up, will speak about the causes of the disaster and the ongoing fight to uncover the full truth about what happened. Peters, a leading member of the SEG, has written extensively for the WSWS about Pike River since the disaster occurred. He will explain how successive National and Labour Party-led governments have worked with the trade unions, state regulators and the judicial system, to prevent a full investigation into the disaster, and to protect the company management and owners. Last year, Jacinda Arderns government permanently sealed the mine, refusing to retrieve human remains and vital evidence in the mine workings. The decision was opposed by the majority of the victims families and by international mining experts. This meeting will also be addressed by members of the Socialist Equality Parties in Britain and Australia. The speakers will examine the global parallels with Pike River, and how capitalist governments everywhere have rigged the justice system in favour of the rich and big business. The lessons of Pike River have a burning international relevance: millions of workers have died in the COVID-19 pandemic, as governments everywhere have placed profits ahead of lives, allowing the virus to spread out of control. This webinar will discuss how workers must organise politically to fight back; it will make the case for workers to establish rank-and-file safety committees, independent of the pro-capitalist unions, and to build a new socialist party. We urge workers, students and WSWS readers to attend and join the discussion about these vital issues, share this meeting notice on social media, and invite others to attend. Times for this meeting: New Zealand: June 4, 5:00 p.m. London: June 4, 6:00 a.m. Sydney: June 4, 3:00 p.m. Colombo: June 4, 10:30 a.m. New York: June 4, 1:00 a.m Two weeks ago, Conservative minister of state for universities, Michelle Donelan announced a package of robust sanctions against the National Union of Students (NUS) citing allegations of anti-Semitism. The NUS is to be excluded from consultation with the Department for Education, Office for Students and Student Loans Company, and barred from receiving any government funding. May 13, 2022 Department of Education press release announcing it is suspending "engagement with the NUS over antisemitism". (source: gov.uk) As with the media witch-hunt against former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism, the trumped-up allegations are an attempt to drive official politics further to the right and silence opposition to imperialism, particularly political opposition to the policies of the Israeli government. There is no substance whatsoever to the allegations of anti-Semitism. The media campaign aimed at NUS President Shaima Dallali has focused mainly on a tweet she posted as a teenager, 10 years ago, referencing the Battle of Khaybar, fought between Muslim and Jewish armies in the year 628. Dallalis apology that I was wrong to see the Palestine conflict as one between Muslims and Jews, when the media is given free rein to paint Muslims as an existential threat to Jews, did nothing to stop the attacks on her. In a sinister move, Donelan ordered Civica Election Services, which oversees NUS elections, to investigate whether Dallalis election was legitimate. National Union of Students President Shaima Dallali (Credit: Shaima Dallali/Twitter) The attacks were orchestrated by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and Community Security Trust (CST), two Zionist organisations. Each claims to represent the UKs Jewish community, despite the CSTs main source of income being a 14 million grant from the government. A further manifestation of anti-Semitism cited by the media is Dallalis opposition to the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Universities have been threatened with funding cuts unless they adopt the IHRA definition and it was central in the recent sacking of the academic Professor David Miller by the University of Bristol for his research into state and corporate lobbying and criticism of US and Israeli militarism. The imposition of the IHRA definition has been a key pillar of the Conservative governments campaign to create an atmosphere of slavish subservience to a right-wing agenda in universities and the public-sector more generally. The Office for Students, whose student panel is set to take over some of the NUSs advisory positions, was founded by the Tories in 2018 and was set to be led by arch-reactionary Toby Young, who was forced to step down after it emerged he had spoken at a secretive conference on eugenics. Ideological conformity is to be enforced across society. To deliver his threat to be watchful for any waste and wokery in the National Health Service (NHS), Tory health secretary Sajid Javid appointed General Sir Gordon Messenger, former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, to lead a review which, according to Sky News will look at bringing in outsiders from the private sector into top NHS management jobs and could also consider privatisation of some services. The attack on the NUS, which has long acted as a state-funded recruiting and training ground for career Labour politicians, comes as the government plays a key role in the NATO proxy war with Russia in Ukraine. Revealing the hypocrisy and danger of the censorship of critics of the US-led military alliance as anti-Semites, many of these weapons will end up in the hands of neo-Nazi fighters operating openly within the Ukrainian military such as the Azov Battalion. Following the fascist-led Maidan coup in 2014, Azov, the Right Sector and other far-right militias have provided training to fascists from around the world, who are now able to gain combat experience with the latest military technology. Azov Battalion fighters with Nazi flag (WikiCommons) In their attack on the NUS, the UJS and CST placed particular emphasis on the invitation of the rapper and pro-Palestinian activist Lowkey to its national conference, denouncing him as anti-Semitic for opening an interview with the Electronic Intifada journalist Asa Winstanley by discussing how the mainstream media has weaponized the Jewish heritage of Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, to try and stave off these genuine enquiries into the nature of the groups fighting in Ukraine like the Azov Battalion, C-14 and others. This interview in particular drew the ire of these pro-imperialist lobby groups. It was targeted directly at the lie that NATO is a defensive alliance seeking to protect sovereignty and democracy, examining the integration of senior Nazis into the West German government, as well as other examples of the far-right being supported during the Cold War. Lowkeys comment was correct, referring to one of the most idiotic and banal propaganda lines brought out time and again by the media that there could not possibly be major neo-Nazi networks in Ukraine because its president is Jewish. They seek to downplay the major role played in Ukrainian politics by the far-right, which enjoys little popular support but since the Maidan coup in 2014 was given a free hand in waging war in the east of the country against pro-Russian separatists and terrorising domestic opponents. The Azov Battalion openly threatened both Zelensky and his predecessor, President Petro Poroshenko, to ensure no peaceful settlement could be reached with the separatists in the east, making them extremely useful to NATO in ensuring Ukraine fell in line with its provocations against Russia. In 2019, the CST collaborated with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in producing a report on the growth of an international network of white supremacist organisations espousing the racist and anti-Semitic Great Replacement conspiracy theory, which inspired the May 14 murder of 10 black people in Buffalo, United States by a fascist wearing an insignia used by the Azov Battalion. The promotion of race-based bigotry by the Tories, who gave prominent positions to far-right filth like Young, is politely passed over by the CST, which propagates the lie that the threat of anti-Semitism comes from the left and political opponents of Israeli brutalisation of the Palestinians. As the ADL report pointed out regarding the growing white supremacist network, Many of them blame Jews for non-white immigration and accuse Jews of undermining white European culture. They also express hatred of Muslims for polluting that culture. The danger of anti-Semitism can only be fought in recognition of that fact, in a struggle against imperialism which has armed and promoted far-right forces. Despite the NUSs own characteristic speedy capitulation, appointing a QC to conduct an inquiry into itself and Dallali, the Tory government has shown no signs of backing off, confirming that it wants a freer hand to dictate what can be said on campuses. Without any adaptation to the generally rotten politics of the NUS, this anti-democratic attack must be opposed by all students and workers. TUESDAY Academy for Lifelong Learning, 1:30 p.m., online. Greenbelt Land Trust Executive Director Jessica McDonald will present "Finalizing the Greenbelt Necklace." When the trust was launched in 1989, it led with a vision of trails and natural areas connecting communities in Benton County. While the trust has expanded its work across the Willamette Valley over the last 33 years, it remains committed to protecting the final missing pieces of interconnected trails in the Corvallis/Philomath area. Greenbelt is poised to finalize the Greenbelt necklace, creating an unbroken system of 14,000 acres of protected natural areas and 100 miles of connected trails. ALL invites nonmembers to attend one or two classes at no charge to see if they are interested in becoming members. Email admin@academyforlifelonglearning.org if interested. The 2022 Robert M. Storm Distinguished Lecture, 7 p.m., Gilfillan Auditorium, 2601 SW Orchard Ave., Corvallis. Ellen D. Ketterson, Distinguished Professor, Indiana University, Bloomington, will present "3 Billion Missing Birds: Where Have They Gone and What Can We Do?" The Oregon State University Department of Integrative Biology and College of Science presents the lecture, which will be preceded at 5:30 p.m. by a reception with the speaker in the courtyard of Cordley Hall, 2701 SW Campus Way. Ketterson is an internationally known evolutionary biologist who specializes in animal behavior and is among the top three researchers in her field in the world. She has made several discoveries that put her at the forefront of evolutionary biology. Key to her work has been a 30-year population study of a songbird known as the snowbird or dark-eyed junco. She is also a science adviser and founding director of the Environmental Resilience Institute. The annual Robert M. Storm Distinguished Lecture series honors the legacy of "Doc" Storm, a pioneering herpetologist and beloved professor of zoology at OSU for 36 years. During this time, he advised and mentored 71 graduate students. The lecture was established by Storm's former student Bill Lovejoy to promote excellence, advancement and inspiration in biology, particularly vertebrate biology, to the OSU and Corvallis communities. This will be a hybrid event with a Zoom live stream available at https://bit.ly/RMSL22. RSVP: https://bit.ly/DocStorm2022. WEDNESDAY Native American Flute Circle, noon, plaza, Student Experience Center, 2501 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis. The annual gathering of the Oregon State University Native American-style flute circle, led by music instructor Jan Looking Wolf Reibach. Past flute circle gatherings at Oregon State are thought to be the largest in the world. They have brought together past and present students of Music 108, one of the most popular baccalaureate core courses at OSU, in a celebration of cultural diversity and togetherness. In May 2019, 624 participants joined together in the largest iteration of the event to date. Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Visual, Design and Performing Arts. Information: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. THURSDAY "American Strings on the Plaza: An Evening with Curtis Salgado," 7 p.m., plaza, Student Experience Center, 2251 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis. Join host Bob Santelli in getting to know the Pacific Northwest's own blues legend, Curtis Salgado, and guitarist Alan Hagar, in an evening of conversation and live performance. NPR has called Salgado "an icon" with "a huge voice." Salgado has been nominated three times for the Blues Music Award for Song of the Year, winning in 2018 for "Walk A Mile in My Blues" from "The Beautiful Lowdown" album. In total, he has won nine Blues Music Awards, including the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award. After more than 40 years of recording, Salgado and Hagar and talk about their careers, Salgado's music, their creative process. The interview will be followed by a live performance. The event is part of the College of Liberal Arts "American Strings" series. Each segment of "American Strings" is comprised of a conversation and live, intimate performance by artists from a variety of genres, making for a one-of-a-kind opportunity to appreciate and know better the great American music tradition. Admission is free. Seating is first come, first served, starting at 6 p.m. Livestream option available at https://beav.es/wCf. Information: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. FRIDAY Music a la Carte, 12:45 to 2:45 p.m., Memorial Union, 2501 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis. University Chorale presents "Seeking Light," its final concert of the school year, featuring music reflecting themes of safety and refuge, peace, hope, awakening. Free and open to the public. The program will include Navarud's "Lunar Lullaby;" Mendelssohn's "Verleih Uns Freiden;" "From Now On," arranged by Emerson; Trotta's "You Are My Refuge;" Williams' "Seeking Light;" Jensen's "I Got a Key;" "Akekho Ofana No Jesu," arranged by Botha; Davison's "Ritmo;" "If I Can Help Somebody," arranged by Thomas; and Leavitt's "Festival Sanctus." Students studying choral conducting will share the podium. University Chorale is a lab choir directed by Sandra Babb. This concert represents the culmination of the students' learning throughout the term. Information: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. SUNDAY Van Buren Bridge Video and Guided Tour, 1 p.m.; meet at the Majestic Theatre, 115 SW Second St., Corvallis. The historic bridge will be removed and destroyed, most likely this year. Get an up-front tour of its unique features before it disappears. Roz Keeney will present her video "Van Buren Bridge: A Visit From the Past" before participants move on to a guided tour of the nearby bridge. Those who wish to skip the video can meet the group at Kinetic Bagel Institute, 250 NW First St. This event is free and registration is not required. Items for this calendar are pulled from the user-generated calendar that runs on our websites. For further information, write to jane.stoltz@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 News featured Denton recall petition set to be certified despite election code complaints DRC file photo Alison Maguire is sworn in as the District 4 representative on the Denton City Council by City Secretary Rosa Rios on May 11, 2021, at City Hall. A petition to recall Maguire has been found sufficient, according to a city spokesperson. Janie Cindric knew a violation was occurring when former Denton City Council member Don Duff approached her late on the morning of April 26, on the second day of early voting. Cindric and her husband had served as Denton County election judges during the last presidential election and other local elections in the past, and they understand the Texas Election Code. In her May 19 email to the Denton Record-Chronicle, Cindric highlighted Texas Election Code 61.003, 85.036, which states: Please be advised that any persons who wish to gather petition signatures must do so beyond the 100-foot distance markers. Petition signatures for any type of election may not be collected inside the early voting or election day polling place or within the 100-foot distance marker. Petition gathering is considered electioneering for or against a measure, which is prohibited within the 100-foot distance marker. The problem, the Cindrics reported, is that Duff was gathering signatures from Robson Ranch voters for a petition to recall council member Alison Maguire, District 4, within the 100-foot distance marker. They said they spoke with the election judge on duty, who they claimed told them Duff was in compliance. You are supposed to be 100 feet from the building, not from the voting equipment, Janie Cindric said Monday. They had measured from the 65-feet hallway and then 35 feet outside the door and placed the sign. It looked legal, but it wasnt because it wasnt 100 feet from the door. In her email, she wrote: We wonder if the illegal attainment of signatures will invalidate them. Either way, it is noteworthy that he did NOT ethically or lawfully obtain them. But Frank Phillips, the Denton County Elections Administration administrator, said that despite sending a constable to keep an eye on Duff because of the complaints they were receiving, his office couldnt do anything about Duff acquiring signatures within the 100-foot mark. Jeff Woo Frank Phillips The state doesnt enforce it, Phillips said. Its up to the candidate in this case, Maguire to battle it out in court and allow a judge to decide if the signatures are invalid. That is outside our authority, Phillips said. It also would be difficult for the judge to determine which signatures werent obtained legally, he continued, because the petition simply has the day a person signed it and not the time it was signed. Neither Maguire nor Duff could be reached for comment on Monday. Denton city spokesperson Stuart Birdseye said the city secretarys office notified Maguire and the petitioners Duff, Creeda Faegre, Venera Monahan, David Laschinger and Shirley Martin that it had found the petition was found sufficient, according to a Monday email to the Record-Chronicle. Jeff Woo/DRC file photo Former City Council member Don Duff, shown during a forum in 2017, has submitted a recall petition for the councils District 4 representative, Alison Maguire. Denton City Secretary Rosa Rios is expected to certify the sufficiency of the petition at the June 7 council meeting. The issue behind Maguires potential recall began with a Who killed Hannibal? meme she posted on social media in January. Maguire, the citys representative on the Denton County Transportation Authority board, used the meme to insinuate that Chris Watts contributed to poor bus ridership while also criticizing ridership during his time on the DCTA board. She later replaced the meme which uses images from a satirical comedy sketch depicting a shooting when she realized it was being taken out of context. This isnt a step that I would have taken if I were in their position, Maguire told the Record-Chronicle in a May 17 report. But theyre exercising their rights. In that May 17 report, Watts is quoted as saying, I understand this is a popular meme, and I understand that this is a celebrity, but Ive never seen a sitting City Council member use this kind of imagery to present their political positions. This imagery is offensive. Its about as tone-deaf as you can get. Its an absence of judgment to use imagery of gun violence and death to present your political position. Duff agreed and filed the petition along with several other residents of Robson Ranch, a development for older adults in Denton. He also offered several other reasons when he spoke with the Record-Chronicle on May 16, including Maguires approval of the redistricting map, which made her the council member over Robson Ranch, and her support of police not clogging up the jail with low-level marijuana offenders. He also wasnt a fan of her stance on enforcing masks, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that several studies have confirmed the benefit of universal masking in community level analysis and showed that new infections fell significantly, according to a Dec 6 CDC report. Meanwhile, the Cindrics will simply have to wait to see how it all unfolds at the June 7 City Council meeting. Any recall election wouldnt take place until November. Janie Cindric said she feels Duff is using a frivolous reason to recall Maguire and wasting taxpayer dollars on it. What he is trying to do is to get rid of her, and he knows that if he gets her off the [council], the voters will vote for somebody that he most prefers, Cindric said. He is a very conservative person, and Robson is a very conservative precinct area. Alison is progressive. The balance of this City Council probably leans more progressive than the people at Robson Ranch would like. At first glance, 71-year-old Leroy Harley might not look like the typical member of the class of 2022, but the South Carolina man joined his fellow students on the graduation stage earlier this month and is now the proud recipient of a master's degree. The Bowman native went back to school at age 69 and said he did it to give back to his local community. PHOTO: Leroy Harley went back to school at age 69 and now, at 71, has graduated with a master's degree in teaching from the University of South Carolina. (Leroy Harley) The son of a sharecropper, who studied dance as an undergraduate years ago, has pursued many different careers, including a stint as a cosmetologist, throughout his life and has a lot to bring to the classroom. His journey to becoming a teacher began a couple of years ago when he moved back to his home state. "It came to a full head after I moved back to South Carolina to be with my mother, who was ailing," Harley told "Good Morning America." "And she started doing well, so it was like, I'll either sit here on the porch or I gotta do something." "You accumulate all these things. And now, what do you do with it?" he continued. "I'm getting to the point that, I can't do a grand battement [a ballet move] anymore, like I used to be able to do. The legs don't kick that high anymore, but I can tell you how to do it safely. So, all that knowledge has turned from physical to mental." PHOTO: Leroy Harley went back to school at age 69 and now, at 71, has graduated with a master's degree in teaching from the University of South Carolina. (Leroy Harley) MORE: 19-year-old becomes youngest Black student to graduate from Texas law school Harley already enjoyed helping his nieces and nephews with their school work and so, at his mother's suggestion, he started volunteering at a local school. When it grew into more than just a part-time job, Harley began to seriously consider getting a degree and enrolled in the University of South Carolina's Transition to Teaching program, joining the first cohort of students in 2020. George Roy, a former public school teacher-turned-professor and principal investigator of the Carolina Transition to Teaching told "GMA" the program aims to diversify the state's teacher workforce. "The real emphasis is really to think about different pathways and traditional pathways into the classroom. And we want to really provide [an] opportunity for individuals, especially individuals in our rural communities, to really have the opportunity to go back or stay in their communities," Roy said. Story continues MORE: 41-year-old sends powerful message with law school graduation photo But Harley's teaching dream was nearly derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic that year. "I had to drop out right after the summer session because I caught COVID," Harley said. Fortunately, Harley recovered, and he quickly reached back out to the university to see if he could continue with his courses. During the past two years, Harley has served as an elementary teacher's assistant in special education, art and keyboarding, and even started a drama club for students. He simply loves being in school with the students, he said. PHOTO: Leroy Harley went back to school at age 69 and now, at 71, has graduated with a master's degree in teaching from the University of South Carolina. (Leroy Harley) "It's just a great place to wake up to go to, to be there with them," he said. With his master's degree in hand, Harley has established a foundation for his new chapter as a teacher. "One of the things that I know Mr. Harley said in the past to me is that he's going to teach for a while, and so we're invested in him as he invested in us," Roy said. "For the next three years, we have faculty who will support him and help think about the challenges of an early career teacher because, as we know, there are a multitude of challenges that impact the profession. And so our goal is to really take those experiences that he had, and really continue to support them as we go forward." Harley hopes others will be inspired by his story to give back, whether that may be introducing young kids to experiences outside their neighborhoods or in another way. And he hopes society can see the value of people like him and what they can bring to the proverbial table. "I grew up in an era where it was that at 65, you were gonna retire. ... By having that mindset, you push aside a lot of people with knowledge, people with not necessarily knowledge that comes from the book, but just in general, knowledge that will be able to help a kid to get through a situation," Harley said. "You have something to offer," he added. "Go out and give it." 71-year-old graduate hopes to inspire others to give back to their communities originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Baggage handlers load an Alaska Airlines jet at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in April. Repeated flight cancellations over the past five weeks have wrecked the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers. You are the owner of this article. A map shows the location of the intersection of U.S. 97 and Lateral A Road. Guests on a bus tour of the Hanford nuclear reservation in 2008 view the decommissioned plutonium-producing B reactor near Richland. ven Spichiger, Washington state Department of Agriculture managing entomologist, displays a canister of Asian giant hornets vacuumed from a nest in a tree behind him in Blaine, in October 2020. Authorities in Washington state said Tuesday that scientists will set about 1,000 traps in their quest to wipe out the Asian giant hornet in the state. To the editor Regarding free college, although I dont think of myself as old, I saw a baby stroller at a department store recently that cost more than seven times the cost of my first car. Tuition for my first year of college at then-Central Washington College was $264 for three quarters, taking a full load of credits. Minimum wage was $1.25 per hour. If the minimum wage had kept pace with the cost of college tuition, the minimum wage today would be $42.12. A few years ago I listened to one of our states university presidents discuss public support for the states public universities. According to him the states share of the cost of a public college education in our state has gone from approximately 90% to 10%. It appears that todays taxpayers are getting off easy compared to prior generations. SCOTT BEYER Yakima The situation in North Korea long has been worrying to those concerned about potentially capricious military actions on the part of paranoid authoritarian regimes. But COVID-19 is presenting new concerns, both to the people of North Korea and the world beyond. Last week, the isolated nation confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 omicron cases for the first time and state media featured a masked Kim Jong Un. Previously, North Korea said it had prevented any outbreak, although that has not been independently verified. But that position dissolved when a lockdown was called for Pyongyang, and potentially beyond, on May 11. North Korea has not vaccinated its ordinary population nor does it have adequate COVID-19 testing equipment. The country refused offers of vaccine help from South Korea and even China, although there are reports of a softening of that position, at least in regard to China. Some closer observers have argued that secretive North Korea didnt like the so-called COVAX program of the United Nations due to its reporting requirements, which would have meant international monitors entering the nation. The world has had painful experience of what happens when the COVID-19 virus enters an unvaccinated population. That explains the current global concern for ordinary North Koreans who live in a country known to have limited access to health care, especially in its rural regions. The virus (known as the fever in North Korea) does not care about national borders, ideologies or any other such divisions. North Korean leadership should swallow its pride while there is still time and acquire what vaccination and therapeutic supplies it can, from wherever it can. Other nations have a vested interest in persuading North Korea to face up to current realities. Our experience with COVID-19 teaches us that where there are new infections, new variants follow. These variants then travel, potentially causing new infections far from the source of their creation. Were not going to change the ways of this regime overnight. But the Biden administration and others could amp up their expressed willingness to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, perhaps with fewer questions asked than usual. At this point, that looks like the best hope of evading a potentially horrific crisis in a country that struggles just to feed its people. By closing itself off yet further from the global community during COVID-19, North Korea already has caused widespread hunger within its own borders. Add to that issue a lockdown, supply problems and a rising tide of new infections and the prescription is for human misery, potentially on a scale that country has never seen. The time for all sides to act is now. The West should not let issues with the regime cloud the humanitarian crisis. And Kim should at least restore relations with South Korean President Yoon Seok-youl sufficiently to allow his people the benefit of help. Kim didnt cause the virus and he should feel no shame in harnessing the full power of humanitys efforts to date to thwart its rampages. And that includes accepting aid from the U.S., which should work to allow Kim to save face, if it means helping his people and averting what could be an unparalleled humanitarian disaster of starvation and infection. The Korean Central News Agency has propagandized that the single-minded public unity is the most powerful guarantee that can win in this anti-pandemic fight. We have a better suggestion for the Supreme Leader: thinking globally and guaranteeing the prompt acquisition and distribution of vaccines and antiviral medications. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Opposition-leaning weeklies accuse the government of conniving with Moscow, by rejecting the proposed ban on importing Russian crude oil without significant compensation from the European Union. Pro-government commentators, on the other hand, argue that Hungarys position is dictated by plain common sense. In an unsigned editorial, Jelen describes the attitude of the Hungarian government as a gamble aimed at convincing the European Union to release funds currently held back by rule of law considerations. The left-wing weekly doesnt exclude the possibility that the European Union will ultimately concede to the Hungarian government, but in the future, rather than being considered as a stray sheep, Prime Minister Orban will be seen as the evil spirit of the European Union, Jelen writes. In Elet es Irodalom, Janos Szeky castigates the European Union for being inclined to pay at least a substantial part of the 550 million demanded by the Hungarian government to compensate the cost of replacing Russian crude oil. More efficient sanctions on Russia, he writes, apparently come at the price of keeping afloat what he calls a nondemocratic regime within the European Union. He acknowledges however that this regime lives peacefully within its own borders, without assassinating or deporting people or submitting them to violence or again occupying other countries territories. In an interview with Heti Vilaggazdasag, Diana Vonnak, a lecturer on Ukrainian culture at St Andrews University in Scotland sees Hungarys stance on Ukraine as pro-Putin. She believes Hungarian leaders are motivated in their attitude towards Ukraine by the admittedly unjust policies of the Ukrainian government against national minorities, including ethnic Hungarians. In its editorial, 168 ora also excoriates the government side for what the left-wing weekly sees as its refusal to resolutely take Ukraines side in the conflict. The authors acknowledge that Katalin Novak, the newly elected president clearly condemned the Russian onslaught and even called it Putins aggression. Nevertheless, 168 ora interprets Prime Minister Orban s sentence on a prolongued war in Ukraine with unlimited American lend-and lease arms supplies as meaning while he also condemned the Russian invasion that what was underway in Ukraine was a Russian-American war. The weekly condemns that attitude as being alien to the interpretation held by the sane side of the world. In Magyar Hang, Balazs Gulyas condemns the government for opposing sanctions on the Moscow patriarch. He dismisses the governments argument that church leaders should not be targeted and describes Patriarch Kyrill as a former KGB officer who at present warmly supports the expansionist war on Ukraine. The patriarch is a multibillionaire, he continues, whose wealth has its origins in public money, and as such, can fairly be frozen by the West. In its regular Demokrata editorial, Andras Bencsik fulminates against the Western practice of extending sanctions to Russian culture. He expresses relief that Tchaikovskys music continues to be performed in Hungarian concert halls. Otherwise, he defends the governments resistance to simply banning oil imports from Russia, since Hungarys refineries are designed to process that particular mixture of crude. He condemns the leaders of the European Union who, as he sees it, dont understand why Hungary insists on common sense or why Hungarians dont want to be doomed to ruin and poverty. In Mandiner, Gergely Szilvay dismisses as groundless speculation any suggestion that Hungary sympathises with Russia in the Ukraine conflict, and is actually happy to be dependent on Russian oil and gas supplies. He recalls that over the past 12 years, the government has built pipelines to connect the country with its neighbours; invited American investors to extract oil and gas from its soil, and squeezed out Russian owners from MOL, the Hungarian regional oil and gas multinational in a series of measures aimed at reducing dependency on Russian energy supplies. He explains the governments opposition to an abrupt ban on Russian oil, arguing that an oil embargo would not just mean higher prices and less heating but would bring the whole economy to a virtual standstill. Szilvay finds it tasteless of Western leaders to react to Hungarys position by proposing the abolition of the principle of unanimity within the European Council. That would ultimately transform member countries into simple districts of the European Union, he concludes. The government maintains refusal to accept ban on oil and gas imports from Russia As the government rejects a proposed ban on imported Russian oil unless the full cost is reimbursed by the European Union, a right-wing analyst praises that position as one rooted in democracy. The European Commission is planning to phase out oil imports from Russia by the end of the year, whilst offering significant (but for the moment unspecified) concessions to Slovakia and Hungary. The Hungarian government argues that transitioning from Urals to Brent crude will take much time and significant investment at Hungarian-owned refineries. In his blog on 888.hu, Gabor G. Fodor calls on the government to stick to its position, because that is what the population wants. Governments, he writes, have a moral duty to represent the interests of their voters. He is certain that those interests would suffer a huge blow if Russian oil and gas supplies were cut off. For the moment, it is only about phasing out crude oil, but even that could leave Hungarians without fuel, he warns. In Fodors view, sanctions can and in fact, have always been circumvented and thus do more harm to those who introduce them than to Russia, in this case. In other words, they cannot be expected to promote peace, but rather serve to make leaders feel they have done something to punish the aggressor. He understands that moral urge but suggests that logic should not be abandoned for the sake of morality. 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. Click here to Share Your Story YORK A Kansas City man accused of forging payout tickets for Game of Chance slot machines and scamming a York County business out of more than $1,000 has pleaded guilty. Alexander Martin Ayala, 26, was formally charged in York County with two counts of first degree forgery, both Class 3 felonies, and two counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, both Class 4 felonies. According to court documents, a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol contacted the York County Sheriffs Department after a traffic stop in Butler County. The trooper said Ayala and another person were arrested after the stop when they were found with forged Game of Chance machine payout tickets in their possession. During that stop, two tickets were seized that showed the business in which the payout ticket was printed the business was in York County. Other businesses that had been scammed were also identified in the forged payout tickets, in Kansas and Nebraska. Surveillance video at the York County business showed Ayala enter the business and sit down at the slot machine-styled Game of Chance inside the business. Then, a short time later, they could see Ayala and a woman approach the cashier who then paid them for the two fraudulent tickets one being valued at $500 and the other valued at $550. Due to a plea agreement, Ayala pleaded guilty to one count of forgery and the other charges were dismissed. Sentencing has been set for July 19. He is facing a possible maximum sentence of four years in prison with two years of post-release supervision. Ford is now surrounded by problems after a judge in the Munich court barred Ford Motor Company from selling or manufacturing vehicles in Germany if it doesn't settle the dispute over microchips. As reported by German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, Ford Motors is believed to include 4G wireless chips for which the corporation has not paid licensing costs. If Ford does not negotiate a deal with the plaintiffs, the ruling, which is subject to review, could be enforced in two weeks. As per the reports, the American car manufacturer is being sued by 4G mobile communications owners for patents. However, the names of the specific companies have not been revealed, but the case against the automobile joint was filed by a property management company named IP Bridge. This is not the first time the Japanese company has sued a brand for communications technology patents. Before Ford, Germany based Volkswagen was sued by the same company. However, the German brand settled the claims by buying the patent license from a company named Avanci which had patents from around 48 owners. Also read: 2022 Triumph Tiger 1200 adventure sport motorcycle launched in India at Rs 19.19 lakh Due to Germany's strict patent laws, the cars from Ford Motor Company might be recalled and scrapped if the settlement claims are not finalised, as per Wirtschaftswoche reports. Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. A three-hour delay in Air India's Delhi-London flight taking off caused chaos among the passengers. As per the Hindustan Times' reports, the passengers complained that the delay in the flight was caused because of the problems with seat allocation as some seats were not "working". However, the airlines said that the delay was because of the previous day's bad weather. After the incident, DGCA got involved in issuing a warning for the airlines not to sell unserviceable seats to passengers. Airlines have been told by the DGCA not to offer unserviceable seats to passengers on domestic and international flights. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation conducted an audit of seats and other cabin equipment in airlines' aircraft earlier this year and discovered that many were defective or unusable. The Air India flight AI 161 was supposed to depart from Delhi Airport at 2:45 am but took off at 5:45 am. Also read: Ukraine-Russia War: President Zelenskyy promises to rebuild worlds biggest plane Antonov An-225 In a communique sent to all Indian carriers, the DGCA said that some of the carriers are offering unserviceable seats to passengers on their scheduled international and domestic operations. "This practice is not only causing inconvenience to the travellers but also inviting a serious safety concern as well," the regulator mentioned. As per Rule 53 of The Aircraft Rule, 1937, all materials, including the aircraft seat, shall conform to approved design specifications, the DGCA noted. The installation of any part failing to meet the intended design requirements degrades the airworthiness requirements, it said. "In view of the above, it is hereby advised to ensure that the airline shall not book passengers beyond the serviceable seats meeting the approved design specification available in the aircraft, released for scheduled services. Any non-compliance in this regard shall be viewed seriously," it noted. With inputs from PTI Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backed Akasa Air, India's newest airline, has revealed the first image of its Boeing 737 Max airplane parked at the Boeing production facility in the USA's Portland as it gets ready for delivery. As seen in the image, the Boeing plane is wearing the brand's Orange and Purple coloured livery, a new for the Indian market. Akasa Air, the low cost airline is expected to start its operations in July 2022 after a slight delay and placed a massive order of 72 Boeing 737 Max family of aircrafts, one of the largest orders for the Max plane globally. We decode what exactly is Akasa Air and what new does it bring to the table? Also read: Akasa Air shares first picture of Boeing 737 Max plane, launch in July Founders Akasa Air is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who is the co-founder of the newest airline and owns 40% of the company. Ex-Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube will be the CEO of Akasa Air with a 15 per cent stake. The brand is also looking to hire other industry leaders at the top spot before beginning of the operations. Quite Proud to announce our airline code - QP! pic.twitter.com/7oiClGqUj1 Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) May 17, 2022 Airline Code Akasa Air recently received its code from DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) and will be called 'QP'. Akasa Air is the newest airline in India, unlike Jet Airways that will start India operations again with 9W code. Aircraft Fleet The airline plans to operate approximately 70 planes in the next four years and has placed an order of 72 Boeing 737 Max aircrafts. The deal was signed at the 2022 Dubai Air Show. The Max 8 aircraft is the same single aisle aircraft that was grounded after a couple of deadly crashes in late 2019. Following modifications and clearance from the FAA, DGCA has also approved operations to resume in India. Earlier Airbus' Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer mentioned that Airbus is in conversation with Akasa for an aircraft procurement deal. Start Date SNV Aviation under which Akasa will fly says that the airline brand is targeting Summer 2022 to start the operations in India. While Akasa earlier targeted June to start operations, it now says that they can only take the first flight as early as July. Akasa Air has already received the No Objection Certificate to operate flights in India. Routes Akasa Air plans to offer flights across India with an "endeavour to be the nation's most dependable, affordable and greenest airline". While no announcement has been made in this regards, it is expected the Akasa will serve the major domestic routes with the ultra low cost airline to attract the potential flyers. The company recently announced plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country, focusing on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Live TV #mute For the first time in Saudi aviation history, a flight with an all-women crew operated from Riyadh to Jeddah. It completed a short domestic journey and crossed a milestone for women's empowerment. The flight was operated by flyadeal Airlines, a budget subsidiary of Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. "For the first time in Saudi aviation history, #flyadeal operated the first flight with an all-female crew, most of whom were Saudis, by the latest A320 aircraft. Flight 117 took off from Riyadh and flew to Jeddah," the airline tweeted. For the first time in Saudi aviation history! #flyadeal operated the first flight with all-female crew, majority of which are Saudis by the newest A320 aircraft. Flight 117, flew from #Riyadh to #Jeddah pic.twitter.com/fWo08hYMd7 (@flyadeal) May 20, 2022 According to airline spokesman Imad Iskandarani, most of the seven-member crew were from Saudi Arabia, including Yara Jan, who is reportedly also the youngest Saudi female pilot. The country's civil aviation authority, which ratified the announcement, has been working towards expanding roles for women in the sector over the years. Last year, data showed that women's participation in the states workforce rose to 33 percent at the end of 2020, up from 19 per cent in 2016. Saudi Arabia aims to generate an investment of 356 billion riyal ($95 billion) in its aviation sector by 2030. Also read: Travelling abroad from India? Here's your common Visa queries answered: FAQ Saudi Arabias national aviation sector is working to increase the connectivity from Saudi Arabia to 250 destinations. The goals include tripling annual traffic to 330 million passengers by the end of the decade, attracting $100 billion in investment to the region by 2030, installing a new national flag carrier, building a new airport in Riyadh etc. (With inputs from IANS) Live TV #mute Antonov An-225 'Mriya', also famous as the world's biggest plane even after its destruction amidst the Ukraine-Russia war, isn't completely out of the discussions yet. As per a report by an aviation news website Airlive, during a meeting with Ukrainian students, the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his interest of building another Mriya. The new aircraft will be built to commemorate the unfortunate loss of lives during the Ukraine-Russia war and particularly during the defending Mariupol. It is to be noted that the Antonov An-225 was destroyed in Kyiv in late February during a Russian attack. Antonov An225: History When the world's biggest plane was made, it was not the only unit planned, there was a second Antonov An-225 in the discussions at the time. However, the second unit was never completed because of a lack of finance and interest, leading to the termination of the idea finally in 1994. Because of certain reasons, the idea of completing the project again made the discussions but again was held back on the table because of the required finances. World's Biggest Plane: Updates The work on the second unit of the Antonov An-225 has been 70 per cent done with a few aircraft components waiting to be fitted on the plane. As per the reports, to rebuild the aircraft, funds as much as $800 million are in order. To give you a better idea, most aircraft like an Airbus A380 cost much less than the sum needed to build the world's largest plane. Also read: SpiceJet to start broadband internet services on its Boeing 737 Max planes As per the report, to gather the funds necessary to bring another Antonov An-225 to life, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approached the President of Turkey, but the effort was not fruitful. Considering the ongoing war gathering the funds necessary to build the aircraft still seems to be a distant endeavour. But President Zelenskyy has taken things beyond the finances by dedicating the plane's construction to the Ukrainian forces, whom he referred to as "heroic people", based on Airlive's report. New Delhi: Every year on May 24, National Brother's Day is celebrated worldwide. The special day is marked to make sure the bond between siblings is nurtured and happily celebrated globally. Brother's Day came into existence in 2005, with little known about its history or specifications. NATIONAL BROTHER'S DAY 2022 Well, not much is known about the Brother's Day celebrations but it is reported that it was Alabama based C Daniel Rhodes who had first organized the holiday. In some parts of the US, National Brothers Day is an unofficial holiday. However, it's different from National Siblings Day, which takes place in April. BROTHER'S DAY WISHES 2022: , , , - #HappyBrothersDay Salman Khan Niyazi (@SalmanSiddiqiIn) May 24, 2022 WHERE IS NATIONAL BROTHER'S DAY CELEBRATED? National Brothers Day is majorly celebrated in the United States. However, with social media and the internet at work, many other countries around the world also acknowledge the day. Australia, Russia, Asian countries like India, and European countries like France and Germany all celebrate brothers on May 24, 2022. BROTHER'S DAY QUOTES 2022: A brother is like a gift from God that we can cherish forever. Happy brothers day. Happy Brothers Day, dear brother! Thank you for always being the friend and guardian I need! Brothers are what best friends can never be. Happy Brothers Day 2022! A relationship between brother-brother and brother-sister is one of the most adorable relationships in the world. Happy brothers day. You are my superhero who is always by my side no matter what. Happy brothers day! (quotes from wishesmsg.com) New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Minister Ponnada Satish's house was set on fire by angry protestors in Konaseema district on Tuesday (May 24). The protestors were leading an agitation against the renaming of the district as Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district. News agency ANI shared horrifying visuals of arson in the state. Protestors were seen marching on the streets with cops present for crowd control. In another clip, the protestors were caught on camera throwing stones as well. #WATCH | MLA Ponnada Satish's house was set on fire by protestors in Konaseema district in Andhra Pradesh today, the protests were opposing the naming of the district as Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district pic.twitter.com/XzJskKqhz3 ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2022 Violence broke out in Andhra Pradesh's Amalapuram town on Tuesday (May 24) after an angry mob showed their disapproval about naming Konaseema district as Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. Apart from MLA Ponnada Satish, state minister P. Viswaroop's home was also attacked and many vehicles were subjected to stone pelting. The protest was organised by an organisation called Konaseema Sadhana Samithi (KSS). Home Minister T. Anita condemned the violence. She said anti-social elements were leading the protesters. She said it was unfortunate that the decision to name the district after the father of the Indian Constitution Dr Ambedkar was opposed. The home minister claimed that the decision was taken at the request of the people. The Konaseema district was carved out from East Godavari with Amalapuram as its headquarters. It was one of the 13 districts created on April 4, taking the total number of districts in the state to 26. (With IANS inputs) Live TV AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks on madrassa (madrasha). He said madrasas are not like branches, they teach self-respect and sense of mind. Owaisi also said that at a time when the Chief Minister of Assam is talking about madrasas, about seven lakh people of Assam have been affected due to floods and 18 people have died in the state. Speaking at an event in Delhi, the Assam Chief Minister said that as long as there are madrasas, children will not be able to think of becoming doctors and engineers. He also said the word madrasa should be abolished. He compared the admission of children in madrasas to human rights violations. Himanta Biswa Sarma said no one is saying don't read the Koran. The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of teaching science, mathematics, biology, botany and zoology to a student. He said, give 2-3 hours of religious education. But the way a student should be taught in the school, make arrangements so that he can become a doctor or an engineer. Responding to the Assam Chief Minister, the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said science, mathematics, social studies are taught in many madrasas besides Islam. He claimed that at the time when the Sanghis acted as agents of the British, many madrasas were in the service of the country's independence movement. Owaisi claimed madrasas are different from branches. They teach self-respect and compassion. Taking a dig at Assam CM he said, "the illiterate people will not understand this." He asked why Hindu social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy used to study in madrasas. Owaisi also said that the Assam Chief Minister's remarks were inferior to Muslims. "Muslims have embraced India and will continue to do so." Himanta Biswa Sarma was Assam's education minister before becoming the chief minister this time. In 2020, he decided to abolish all madrasas aided by the government of Assam and convert them into general schools. The then Education Minister and now Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had passed a law in the Assam Legislative Assembly to repeal the Madrasah Education Provincialization Act 1955 and the Assam Madrasah Education Act 2018 to reform education. The Guwahati High Court has upheld the act and the State Government's subsequent order on it. New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's meeting with the UK's former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has sparked a new controversy as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been criticizing Rahul Gandhi and the grand old party ever since the meeting took place. Jeremy is known to be a centre-left leader and has given anti-India statements in the past. Earlier on Monday, the Indian Overseas Congress had tweeted Gandhi`s picture with Jeremy. Attacking Gandhi over his meeting with Corbyn in London, BJP Leader Amit Malviya tweeted, "Rahul Gandhi with UK MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy is known for his visceral dislike for India, advocates Kashmir`s secession and is unequivocally anti-Hindu. Gandhi has finally found his overseas collaborator, who denigrates India with the same impunity as him." Rahul Gandhi with UK MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy is known for his visceral dislike for India, advocates Kashmirs secession and is unequivocally anti-Hindu. Gandhi has finally found his overseas collaborator, who denigrates India with the same impunity as him. pic.twitter.com/Cn9U4fsCCK Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 24, 2022 While Congress leader Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter and said, "Am amazed as to how dearest friends in TV Media have to bend over backwards to serve the idiotic agenda of Govt & ilk of Kapil Sharma. Political leaders have met in the past and will meet in future other leaders having divergent and opposite views to us or get a pic taken." Am amazed as to how dearest friends in TV Media have to bend over backwards to serve the idiotic agenda of Govt & ilk of Kapil Sharma. Political leaders have met in the past and will meet in future other leaders having divergent & opposite views to us or get a pic taken. 1/4 Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 24, 2022 He further stated that Rahul Gandhi taking a picture with a person with whom we hold divergent views is neither a crime nor an act of terror as is being made out. He questioned, "If this is the criteria, the media friends should also debate why did the Prime Minister take Nirav Modi to Davos and about their common photos?"If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - What about the video of the PM addressing Mehul Choksi as "Hamare Mehul Bhai" in a public function? Why does the PM meet President Xi Jinping, when China has occupied our territory?" he added. Surjewala further questioned, "If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - Why did PM go to Pakistan to meet the then PM, Nawaz Sharif? Will Government promise it will never ever meet anyone having divergent views from us? Time to debate real issues, Not BJP propaganda!" Live TV NEW DELHI: Amid a legal battle over the Gynvapi mosque and Mathura temple, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday told a Delhi court that Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and alteration of the existing structure is not permissible. The ASI also claimed that Qutub Minar is a monument and no one can claim fundamental rights over such a structure. It added that no right to worship can be granted at this place. ASI filed an affidavit in Saket Court in an interim application related to restoration of temples in Qutub Minar complex ASI opposes the plea&says Qutub Minar is a monument&no one can claim fundamental right over such a structure&no right to worship can be granted at this place ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2022 The ASIs statement came as the Delhi Court heard a petition claiming the monument has pictures of deities suggesting the Hindu origin of the building. The plea sought permission to worship the deities. Opposing the plea, the ASI filed an affidavit in Saket Court in an interim application related to the restoration of temples in the Qutub Minar complex. The ASI further stated that "there is no provision under the AMASR Act 1958 under which worship can be started at any living monument. Hon'ble High court of Delhi has clearly mentioned this in its order dated 27/01/1999." It may be mentioned that a petition was filed before a district court in Delhi on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Rishabh Dev and Hindu god Vishnu by advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Ranjana Agnihotri. The petition cites a short history purportedly displayed by ASI which, according to the plea, narrates how 27 temples were demolished by Qutubdin Aibak, a general in Mohamad Ghoris army, and the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was raised by reusing the material. The plea sought to declare that Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Sun, Goddess Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishab Dev have the right to be restored within the temple complex at the site of Quwwatul Mosque Complex, Mehrauli, south-west Delhi after rebuilding it with the same honour and dignity. A controversy also recently broke out over reports that the Culture Ministry has ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct excavations at the Qutub Minar complex. However, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy has denied the reports. BSF Recruitment: The Border Security Force (BSF) has released several Inspector and Sub-Inspector vacancies and has sought applications from interested candidates. According to the notification issued on BSF's official website (https://rectt.bsf.gov.in), the Force has announced as many as 90 Group - B Combatised posts. Interested candidates can scroll down to check more details Border Security Force (BSF) Recruitment 2022: Vacancy break-up The BSF Recruitment 2022 drive will fill a total of 90 vacancies in Group-B Combatised (Non-Gazetted-Non Ministerial) posts in the Border Security Force, Engineering Set up. Inspector (Architect): 01 post Sub Inspector (Works): 57 posts Junior Engineer /Sub Inspector (Electrical): 32 posts Border Security Force (BSF) job alert 2022: Pay scale Inspector (Architect): Pay matrix level-7 (Rs 44,900-1,42,400) as per 7th CPC. Pay matrix level-7 (Rs 44,900-1,42,400) as per 7th CPC. Sub Inspector (Works): Pay matrix level-6 (Rs 35,400-1,12,400) as per 7th CPC. Pay matrix level-6 (Rs 35,400-1,12,400) as per 7th CPC. Junior Engineer /Sub Inspector (Electrical): Pay matrix level-6 (Rs 35,400-1,12,400) as per 7th CPC Border Security Force (BSF) Recruitment 2022: Age limit As on June 8, 2022, candidates must be below 30 years of age for all posts. Border Security Force (BSF) Recruitment: Application fee Interested candidates need to pay a sum of Rs 200 as an examination fee. No application fee for female candidates and candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, BSF serving personnel, and Ex-Servicemen are exempted. Border Security Force Recruitment: Selection process Eligible candidates will undergo two phases of examinations - The first phase includes a written examination and the candidates who clear the first phase exam will then appear for the second phase examination that will include documentation, Physical Standards Test, and Physical Efficiency Test. After clearing both the stages, shortlisted candidates will have to undergo a detailed medical examination. BSF Recruitment 2022: Last date Interested candidates need to apply at rectt.bsf.gov.in till June 8, 2022 (23.59 PM). The heads of Quad nations met for the second time today. The meeting went on for at least two hours. The crucial meet was held between the leaders of India, Japan, Australia and United States. Apparently, China was extremely perturbed by the meet. The meeting too saw discussions of countering China's extremist policies in the Indo-pacific region as one of its main agenda. In today's DNA, Zee News Editor In Chief Sudhir Chaudhary analyses the various aspects of Quad meeting between the four nations. Prior to the meet, PM Narendra Modi was welcomed by Japanese PM Fumio Kishida. The Prime Minister also met his US counterpart Joe Biden and Australia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The Quad meet today saw discussion of 5 main issues: 1) The first issue was China in the meeting, the four countries agreed to maintain an atmosphere of peace and stability in the Indo Pacific region. The US categorically said that it will oppose any kind of military action, control and provocation in this region. Australia, Japan and India also talked about increasing cooperation on reducing China's influence in the region, without taking its name. Apart from this, the four nations decided that they will spend Rs 3 lakh 80 thousand crore on infrastructure in this area in the next five years. 2) The war between Ukraine and Russia was also discussed in this meeting. US, Japan and Australia, have praised India's stand on Ukraine. India is the only country that has remained neutral in this war, and Prime Minister Modi has said the same many times that Ukraine and Russia should work towards reducing tensions via dialogue. However, in this meeting, the US criticized Russia for the Ukraine war and accused it of human rights violations. 3) The meeting also saw discussions on increasing trade between the four countries. 4) The four countries also agreed on coming together and fighting against terrorism. 5) Apart from this, the issue of Cyber Security, Restoring the Global Supply Chain of Semiconductor Chips and Climate Change was also discussed in this meeting. The four nations also agreed to share satellite information with each other in the Indo Pacific region - with an aim to keep an eye on China's activities. Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary to understand in detail the various aspects of today Quad meet between India, US, Japan and Australia. New Delhi: Amid the fourth wave scare, India's Covid-19 case tally on Tuesday (May 24, 2022) increased by 1,675 to touch 4,31,40,068, while the number of active infections increased marginally to 14,841, the Union Health Ministry said. Active cases, which rose by nine in a day, now comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate currently stands at 98.75 per cent, the health ministry said. With 31 coronavirus-related fatalities reported from Kerala, the death toll also jumped to 5,24,490, the data updated at 8 am showed. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.41 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.49 per cent, according to the ministry. #Unite2FightCorona Over 84.74 Cr COVID Tests conducted so far. Weekly Positivity Rate currently at 0.49%. Daily Positivity Rate stands at 0.41%. pic.twitter.com/GrGXDSXhG5 Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) May 24, 2022 The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India so far under the nationwide inoculation drive has exceeded 192.52 crore. Meanwhile, the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 4,26,00,737, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent. Covid-19 pandemic 'far from over', reiterates WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reiterated that the Covid-19 pandemic "is far from over". "We still face many challenges. As I said yesterday, the pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90% of Member States reporting disruption to one or more essential health services," the WHO chief said on Monday. Addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, he said that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a massive increase of 28% in depression and 26% in anxiety disorders globally. As the global coronavirus caseload topped 526 million, while the deaths surged to more than 6.27 million, Ghebreyesus called on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth. (With agency inputs) ALSO READ | Covid-19 pandemic created one new billionaire every 30 hours, finds Oxfam's 'Profiting from Pain' report New Delhi: After the Babri mosque, Varanasis famous Gyanvapi Masjid, situated near the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple, has come under the scanner after a Varanasi's civil court ordered a detailed survey of the disputed Gyanvapi complex following several petitions that Hindu deities and objects were present inside the mosque. The court-appointed commissioners were asked to execute the survey, which was recorded on a videotape. A petition was later foiled by the Muslim side of the case challenging the court-ordered survey, which the Supreme Court refused. The detailed videographic survey was recently concluded and two reports- one led by Advocate Ajay Kumar Mishra while the other one by Advocate Vishal Singh was submitted before the court. The Varanasi court has commenced the hearing of the matter on Tuesday (May 24). Gyanvapi mosque row | Hearing commences by Varanasi District Court ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 24, 2022 The district court on Monday completed the hearing of arguments in the case and reserved its order for today. Advocate Madan Mohan Yadav, representing the Hindu side, on Tuesday said that the Muslim side wanted the case dismissed. Speaking to ANI, he said, "Muslim side presented their arguments yesterday, they said that the matter doesn`t meet the parameters of the Places of Worship Act. They wanted the matter dismissed. But we too presented our arguments before the Court." He further said that the court will hear the matter at 2 pm today."The matter can`t be dismissed just like that, it will sustain. It is not a matter of property but of the Right to Worship. The court will hear the matter at 2 pm today. The decision will be out probably by 4 pm," Yadav added. (With ANI inputs) Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on Tuesday shortly after holding the Quad Leaders` Summit during which he outlined that the India-US strategic partnership is a partnership of trust. India-US strategic partnership is a partnership of trust in the true sense. Our common interests in defence and other matters and our shared values have strengthened our bond of trust, PM Modi told US President Biden. PM Modi and Biden also discussed the ongoing effects of Russia's brutal and non-justified invasion of Ukraine during their talks in Tokyo. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden hold bilateral talks in Tokyo pic.twitter.com/pZ3slA7zNp ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2022 The meeting marks a continuation of their regular dialogue having interacted most recently in virtual mode on April 11. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments of shared interest. Drawing a parallel between "India`s success with China`s failure" to handle the pandemic, President Biden praised PM Modi for handling the Covid-19 outbreak in a democratic manner. According to a senior official, Biden contrasted India`s success with China`s failure to handle the Covid-19 pandemic while both the countries are of comparable size. Biden added that PM Modi`s success has shown the world that democracies can deliver, and busted the "myth that autocracies like China and Russia can handle the rapidly changing world better because their leadership can take and implement decisions without going through lengthy democratic processes", said the official. According to the official, these remarks from President Biden appeared to be unscripted, as he made a special intervention to say this before his prepared remarks. The meeting between the two leaders took place after the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington DC in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The Quad Summit provided an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest. The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health and cyber security. (With Agency Inputs) Kashmir: Police on Tuesday (May 24) claimed to have busted a terror module by arresting eight terrorist associates of JeM in Awantipora area of South Kashmir. Police said that based on specific input, several suspects were arrested, and further leads were developed that lead Police and security forces to bust a terror module of outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad operating in Awantipora. The police spokesman identified them as Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, Manzoor Ahmad Dar all residents of Waged, Fayaz Ahmad Rather resident of Pastuna, Shabir Ahmad Rather resident of Syedabad Pastuna, Mohd Latief Rather resident of Syedabad Pastuna, Sheeraz Ahmad Mir resident of Aripal and Waseem Ahmad Bhat resident of Pastuna. Incriminating materials including ammunition were also recovered from their possession. Besides, vehicle used in the commission of the crime has also been seized, he said. Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested terror associates were involved in providing shelter, logistics and transportation of arms/ammunition to 2 active terrorists of outfit JeM namely Asif Sheikh resident of Monghama and Ajaz Bhat resident of Syedabad Pastuna Tral. In this connection, a case vide FIR No. 75/2022 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Tral and further investigation is in progress, reads the statement. Live TV Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research (SICSR), a pioneer in IT (Information Technology), aims at building future leaders for the IT industry worldwide by imparting world-class IT education to them. With state-of-the-art information technology infrastructure, SICSRs broad portfolio of academic IT programmers, dedicated faculties, and diverse student body create an educational experience that is relevant, enriching, and uniquely symbiotic. SICSRs goal is to prepare IT pioneers for the IT business worldwide. The courses offered are a blend of two major aspects - Business and IT. The institute prepares industry-ready experts through its courses and strengthens overall student development. As a prominent IT Institution, SICSR adds and contributes to the knowledge and advancement of society. SICSR believes in experiential learning pedagogy that promotes students to develop pilot projects for exploring theoretical courses. To develop techno-management skills in students, the institute conducts various workshops and seminars by industry leaders on current technologies. Additionally, students are also encouraged to learn using various technologies which can strengthen their skills. Prof. Dr. Jatinderkumar R. Saini, Director of SICSR, shared, SICSR aims to prepare professionals for the IT industry worldwide by imparting world-class IT education to them. IT has become a critical tool for economic, business, and social development and is playing a pivotal and catalytic role in the nations progress. Better fundamental IT skills will upgrade students skills and make them technology savvy to practice the use of IT to solve complex business problems. SICSR surveys its course content contingent upon the current industry needs. It has been spearheading jobs in various domains including management and Information Technology. The core thought of SICSR is to be industry-driven, information-based, and socially mindful. Every year SICSR has been designing and adding various courses according to the needs of the industry. Currently, the admission window is open for the following programmes: Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Technology (BBA-IT) Aspirants can apply for the BBA-IT and BCA courses through SET Examination 2022. The entrance test is a gateway to apply for popular undergraduate courses at SICSR that will enable students to begin a successful career in business administration and information technology. SET 2022 will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode across 80 cities all over India. To register for SET 2022, aspirants can visit set-test.org and fill out their candidature correctly. Post filling their candidature, aspirants can proceed with the payment of registration fees via digital payment methods or demand draft. Once shortlisted, the aspirant would then need to attend the further admission process conducted by SICSR, Pune. Students passing XII (10+2) or equivalent government-approved Diploma in Engineering/ Technology from any recognized Board with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent grade (For SC/ST: 45%) are eligible to enroll in the undergraduate admission process for SICSR. For further information visit- https://www.sicsr.ac.in/ To apply for undergraduate courses, register for SET-2022- https://www.set-test.org/ (Brand Desk Content) Cambridge: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is creating a vision of India that is not inclusive and excludes huge chunks of the country's population, which is unfair and goes against the idea of India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Monday during an interactive session with students at the prestigious University of Cambridge. During the event entitled 'India at 75' at Corpus Christi College, Gandhi covered a broad range of subjects from Hindu nationalism, the Gandhi family's role within the Congress Party and efforts to mobilise the people of the country as he fielded questions from a largely Indian student base. "I have a problem if anybody has a vision for India that excludes people, I don't care who's being excluded. I have a problem with it because it is completely unfair, it ignores that there is tremendous energy in the people being excluded and I have a problem with it because that's not what India is," said Gandhi, in response to a question about secularism in India. "I think it goes beyond secularism. You have to include every single person with compassion. Mr Modi is constructing a vision of India where he's leaving out huge chunks of our population. And, that's not a vision of India, that's a vision of a part of India," he said. Asked about how Congress plans to fight against the forces of 'Hindu nationalism', Gandhi declared that he did not agree with the term itself. ALSO READ | 'India not in a good place, PM Modi doesn't listen', says Rahul Gandhi "There is nothing Hindu about it and actually there's nothing nationalist about it. I think you'll have to think of a new name for them but they're certainly not Hindu. And, I have studied Hinduism in enough detail to tell you that there's absolutely nothing Hindu about wanting to murder people and beat people up," he said. "My problem with the RSS and the Prime Minister is that they are fiddling with the foundational structure of India. When you play the politics of polarisation, when you isolate and demonise 200 million people, you're doing something extremely dangerous and you're doing something that is fundamentally against the idea of India," he said. "I'm sure there are good things the Prime Minister has done, but for me attacking the idea of India is unacceptable," he added. Visuals from Shri @RahulGandhi's engaging & insightful interaction at the University of Cambridge yesterday.#IndiaAt75 pic.twitter.com/L95f0JHRyT Congress (@INCIndia) May 24, 2022 The BJP on Saturday had accused Gandhi of harming India in his "hate" against Prime Minister Modi and alleged his frequent critical remarks about the country from foreign soils amounted to "betraying" it. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia launched a sharp attack on Gandhi for his remarks at a conference in London organised by non-profit think-tank Bridge India on Friday. Gandhi also said his party is working on plans to go to the ground with padyatras, meet people and walk with people as a way to actively mobilise them from October-November after the Congress presidential elections in August. "That's for the Congress party to decide. There's a presidential election, the party has to decide," he said, when asked if the party needs a leadership outside of the Gandhi family. The event, organised by the School of the Humanities and Social Science at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, as part of a series of events celebrating the 75th year of Indian independence, marks the conclusion of Gandhi's UK tour which began last week. New Delhi: The Quad leaders on Tuesday (May 24, 2022) held their second in-person meeting in Tokyo and vowed to stand together for a "free and open" Indo-Pacific region. During the Quad Leaders' Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said that they will work on fighting climate change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Japan, said that the mutual trust and determination among the Quad member countries are encouraging a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific He also said that Quad is moving ahead with a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific which will further strengthen its image as a "force for good". In his opening remarks at the summit, Prime Minister Modi said the Quad has gained a significant place on the world stage in a short span of time. "We have increased coordination in areas of vaccine delivery, climate action, supply chain resilience, disaster response, economic cooperation and adverse situations arising out of COVID-19 pandemic," he added. My remarks at the Quad Leaders Meeting in Tokyo. https://t.co/WzN5lC8J4v Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022 He said the cooperation among the Quad countries in various areas is contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. US President Joe Biden, at the opening of talks with the leaders of three "close democratic partners", condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as not just a European issue but a global one. "This is more than just a European issue, it`s a global issue," Biden said of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Biden stressed that the United States would stand with its allies to push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. "Russia`s assault of Ukraine only heightens the importance of those goals of fundamental principles of international order, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. International law, human rights must always be defended regardless of where they`re violated in the world," the US President said. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, echoed that, saying the same thing should not be allowed to happen in Asia. He said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine "shakes the foundation of international order" and was a direct challenge to the principles of the United Nations. New Australian PM Anthony Albanese, making his international debut as prime minister, told the fellow Quad leaders that his priorities were aligned with theirs. He also pledged to invest more in the battle against climate change in a region in which South Pacific island nations face some of the most direct risks from rising seas. "The region is looking to us to work with them and to lead by example," he said. "That`s why my government will take ambitious action on climate change and increase our support to partners in the region as they work to address it, including with new finance," Albanese added. The summit, notably, has taken place at a time when relations between the four Indo-Pacific leaders of the Quad and China have become tense in the last few years. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan skipped Uttar Pradesh assembly proceedings for a second day in a row on Tuesday amid speculation of a rift between him and party president Akhilesh Yadav. Khan, who had taken oath at Speaker Satish Mahan's chamber on Monday, had not attended the proceedings of the house and had left after being sworn in as member of the house even then. Khan was recently released on bail from Sitapur Jail where he was lodged on various charges, including that of land grabbing. When asked whether Khan will be attending the house, his MLA son Abdullah Azam avoided giving a categorical reply to the media in the morning. "I am getting delayed for the assembly. You can ask him (Azam) when he comes out," Abdullah Azam, who had taken oath with his father on Monday, said. Khan had on Monday evening met Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) founder Shivpal Yadav at his residence and discussed various issues. PSPL spokesperson Deepak Mishra told PTI, "Yes both the leaders had met on Monday evening." He, however, did not divulge details of the meeting. Sources suggest that Khan wants his lawyer, Kapil Sibal, to be sent to Rajya Sabha on an SP ticket. However, there is no official confirmation in this regard either from Khan's side or from any SP leaders. Akhilesh Yadav's party that had won 111 seats in the recent state polls can send three members to the RS after 11 of its seats fall vacant from the state by July. The process of elections for the RS seats began on Tuesday. Sibal, who is representing Khan in the Supreme Court, was elected to the RS on a Congress ticket from Uttar Pradesh with the help of SP in 2016. Since the Congress, which had fought the latest state election on its own, could manage to win only two seats, it has no chance to send him or any other leader of the party to the upper house of Parliament. This is the second meeting between Khan and socialist leader Shivpal Yadav in recent days. Yadav had earlier visited him in Sitapur Jail in March end and had called out SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, as well as Akhilesh Yadav, for not agitating for his release. The absence of Khan -- the 10th term MLA from Rampur Sadar seat -- from the ongoing assembly session is generating a lot of speculation about his displeasure with the party president. Khan has been allocated a seat in the assembly next to Akhilesh Yadav. Live TV New Delhi: Terrorists killed a policeman in Soura area on the outskirts of Srinagar district. The policeman was two-hundred meters away from his home when he was shot down and was with his 7-year-old daughter to drop her for tuition. An eyewitness claimed that the policeman was shot by terrorists who came on a motorcycle from a nearby lane. He said there were two terrorists and first, there was scuffle between the policeman and attackers during he was shot from close range repeatedly. He was critically injured in the firing incident and his daughter also sustained a bullet injury on her arm. Both were rushed to nearby SKIMS hospital where the doctor declared him dead. On the other hand, his daughter is under treatment and is in a stable condition. The slain policeman has been identified by police as Saifullag Qadri son of Moh Syed Qadri resident of Malik Sahib Soura. Soon after the incident whole area has been cordoned off by forces, search operation is on-going to nab the attackers. On social media, an offshoot of LeT TRF had claimed the responsibility and said that such attacks will continue. This is the 2nd targeted killing in the last 13 days. A Kashmiri pandit Rahul Bhat was shot 13 days back in his office at chadura in Budgam area. Security forces are unable to break the cycle of target killing in Kashmir, despite carrying major operation against terrorists. In last three days, police have arrested 5 active terrorists and 8 terrorists associates from different part of Kashmir and have recovered around 18 silencer enabled pistols and recovered more than 4 hundred bullets and many other ammunitions from them. A police office said, "It seems terrorists have changed their modus operandi and are targeting selected persons with small arms instead of carrying attacks on security establishments or bunkers." He said this has become a big challenge. Security forces have this year recovered 130 pistols till now which indicates that terrorists have shifted to the new modus operandi now. Live TV The fire of political unrest is burning in Sri Lanka. The market is also on fire due to the economic crisis. Meanwhile, fuel prices also hit a record high in india's southern island nation. The Sri Lankan administration on Tuesday hiked petrol prices by 24.3 per cent. Diesel prices have gone up by 38.4 per cent. Never before has the price of fuel increased so much in Sri Lanka, according to the country's economic experts. This is the second increase in fuel prices in Sri Lanka since April 19. With the new increase, the Octane 92 petrol that people use the most in Sri Lanka is now priced at Rs 420 per litre and the price of diesel has reached Rs 400 per litre. The decision to raise fuel prices in Sri Lanka came amid the country's economic crisis by the country's energy regulator Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. It was their decision that the price of petrol was hiked by Rs 82 in one stroke and diesel by Rs 111. Sri Lanka's Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Twitter that the new prices will be effective from 3 pm on Tuesday. At the same time, fuel prices are going to increase, the prices of other goods, services and vehicle fares are going to increase. Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken the responsibility on his own shoulders before the situation reaches such a point. Meanwhile, due to the hike in fuel prices, auto rickshaw-pullers in Sri Lanka have said that from now on autos will have to pay a minimum fare of Rs 90 for the first one kilometre journey. The passenger will have to pay Rs 80 for every kilometre after that. Many companies have advised their employees to work from home due to unusual increase in the fares of vehicles. Sri Lankan economists blame the shortage of supplies behind skyrocketing fuel prices. Over the past few days, pictures of long queues of shoppers at various petrol pumps in Sri Lanka due to this fuel crisis have been circulating through the net. New Delhi: Amravati MP Navneet Rana, who has alleged she was illegally arrested and inhumanly treated at a police station in Mumbai, appeared before a parliamentary privileges committee on Monday to present her case and seek "justice". Navneet had recently moved the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee with her complaint and the panel had called her to appear before it. "I presented my case before the committee and shared all the details with them...And how I was mistreated and casteist remarks were hurled against me. I have taken names of all -- from the Maharashtra chief minister to the Mumbai police commissioner," she told reporters after the meeting. "I have sought justice from the committee" she added. Sources said now the committee may call top Mumbai Police officials over the complaint. Navneet, the MP from Amravati in Maharashtra, and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana were arrested on April 23 by the Mumbai Police after the couple announced they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai, which had angered Shiv Sena workers, Thackeray's party, leading to tension. The couple was granted bail on May 4 by a special Mumbai court. They walked out of jail on May 5. New Delhi: Actress Urvashi Rautela, who has made her Cannes debut this year, opted for a dramatic black dress by Ali Younes for her second red carpet appearance.The actress attended the screening of the film Forever Young. Urvashi looked stunning in her thigh-high slit gown. The tube outfit was enhanced with massive ruffled details, which ended in a long train. The actress accessorised her outfit with statement earrings set with green emerald diamonds and a gorgeous Nour by Jahan necklace. Meanwhile, Enrico Cuini's black statement shoes completed her ensemble. This look was styled by Jean Marc. Urvashi opted for drama with smoky eyes, flushed rosy cheeks, and nude lipstick to finish the look. The actress opted for a sleek and neat bun hair-do. Urvashi had made her debut at Cannes wearing a pristine white gown from the shelves of international designer Tony Ward. On the work front, Urvashi was last seen judging the Miss Universe Pageant 2021, and also bagged appreciation for her international song Versace Baby alongside Arab superstar Mohamed Ramadan. Urvashi is making her big Hollywood debut along with 365 Days star Michele Morrone which will be produced by Netflix, Tomasz Mandes, and will be directed by 365 Days director Barbara Bialowas. Urvashi will be soon seen in the Jio studios' Inspector Avinash" opposite Randeep Hooda in the lead role. The actress is going to play the lead role in a William Shakespeare bilingual thriller Black Rose based on the Merchant of Venice, along with the Hindi remake of the superhit Thiruttu Payale 2 and has also signed a three-film contract with Jio Studios and T-Series. Urvashi will also be seen opposite international superstar Jason Derulo in her next international music single. New Delhi: 7th Pay Commission fitment factor latest update: The endless wait of central government employees who have loong been pressing for the demand to hike fitment factor may end tomorrow. If media reports are to be believed, the much anticipated discussion on hiking the fitment factor of central government employees under the 7th Pay Commission might be taken up during Wednesday's Cabinet meeting. Once the fitment factor is hiked, the salary of central government employees too will increase substantially. Several media reports have said that the government might soon give its nod on raising the fitment factor. The central government employees unions have long been demanding for hiking minimum pay of Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000 and fitment factor be raised from 2.57 times to 3.68 times. If the government makes announcement regarding the hike in fitment factor of central employees, then their salary will consequently increase. In fact, with the increase in fitment factor, the minimum wage will also increase. Employees are currently getting salary under fitment factor on the basis of 2.57 percent, which if increased to 3.68 percent, there will be an increase of Rs 8,000 in the minimum salary of the employees. This means the minimum pay of the central government employees will be hiked from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000. Check out this assumptive salary calculation post the hike in fitment factor under 7th Pay Commission If the fitment factor is raised to 3.68, the basic salary of the employees will become Rs 26,000. Right now, if your minimum salary is Rs 18,000, then excluding allowances, you will be getting Rs 46,260 (18,000 X 2.57 = 46,260) according to the 2.57 fitment factor. Now, if the fitment factor is 3.68, then your salary will be Rs 95,680 (26000X3.68 = 95,680). The Union Cabinet had in June 2017 approved recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission with 34 modifications. The new scales of pay provided for entry-level basic pay going up from Rs 7,000 per month to Rs 18,000, while at the highest level i.e. Secretary, went up from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh. For Class 1 officers, the starting salary was at Rs 56,100. New Delhi: The month of June seems to having the least number of holidays as per the RBI mentioned list. Although there will be more than the prescribed number of days when banks may be closed in some states owing to some local festivities being celebrated there. Several bank branches will remain closed in various states owing to these festivities. Before visiting your bank branch in the month of June, you must note down the list of important days during which banks will remain closed. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mentioned some days when the banking operations will remain closed in the month of June 2022, although online banking activities will continue to work. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar list banks will be closed for two days, while the other days are that of weekends. However, you must note that the banks will NOT be closed for all festivities in all states or regions. For example bank branches might be closed for Bhubaneswar in Bhubaneshwar but not closed for the same in other states. Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts. However, it must be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states. Here is an elaborate list of bank holidays falling in the month of June 2022. Check out the list. Holiday Description as per RBI Maharana Pratap Jayanti: June 2 Y.M.A. Day/Guru Hargobind Jis Birthday/Raja Sankranti: June 15 Apart from the above bank holidays, the second and fourth Saturdays, Sundays of the month are falling on the following dates: Sunday: June 5 Second Saturday: June 11 Sunday: June 12 Sunday: June 19 Fourth Saturday: June 25 Sunday: June 26 Holidays of the mentioned days will be observed in various regions according to the state declared holidays, however for the gazetted holidays, banks will be closed all over the country. If you keep a track of these holidays, you would be able to plan bank transaction activities in a better way. For long weekends, you can even plan your holidays well. New Delhi: In a major relief for government employees, particularly serving in militancy affected areas like Jammu & Kashmir, North-East as well as Naxal prone pockets, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said that Family pension rules for such missing central government employees has been relaxed. According to the earlier rule, the next of the kin of an employee would not receive the family pension, if he went missing and the family pension would not be paid till the missing Government was declared dead in accordance with the law or till seven years had passed since he went missing. As per new the rule, in all cases where a Government servant covered by NPS goes missing during service, the benefits of family pension will be immediately paid to the family of the missing Government servant and in case he re-appears and resumes service, the amount paid as family pension during the intervening time of his missing period can be accordingly deducted from his salary. Referring to the new OM of Department of Pension in this regard, the Minister said, this is going to provide huge relief particularly in those regions where instances of government employees going missing are reported more frequently. He said, cases of abduction of central government employees working in violence-prone areas have come to the fore and therefore to instill confidence and to protect them and their family interests, the changes in the pension rules were brought about. Minister informed that if a Government servant covered by the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 goes missing, the benefits of arrears of salary, family pension, retirement gratuity, leave encashment, etc. are paid to the families of the missing employees in accordance with the instructions issued dated 25.06.2013. He said, the matter has been examined in consultation with Department of Personnel and Training, Department of Financial Services and Department of Expenditure and considering the hardship faced by the family of such Government servants, it has been decided to extend the benefits of this Departments OM No. 1/17/2011-P&PW (E) dated 25.06.2013 to the families of Government servants covered by NPS who go missing during service. The other provisions of the OM states that in all cases where a Government servant covered by NPS goes missing during service, the benefits of family pension may be paid to the family if the missing Government servant had exercised option for benefits under CCS (Pension) Rules on death or discharge from service on disability/invalidation or the benefits under CCS (Pension) Rules is the default option under the Central Civil Services (Implementation of National Pension System) Rules, 2021. The benefit of arrears of salary, retirement gratuity and leave encashment shall be paid to the family in all cases where a Government employee covered under NPS goes missing during service, irrespective whether the employee had exercised option for benefits under CCS (Pension) Rules or under the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Exits and Withdrawals under National Pension System) Regulations, 2015. Payment of the benefits to the family of the missing Government servant would, however, be subject to the conditions and procedural requirements, as mentioned in this Departments OM dated 25.06.2013. In the case of a Government servant covered under NPS goes missing during service and his family is given family pension under CCS (Pension) Rules or CCS (EOP) Rules, the Permanent Retirement Account under National Pension System would remain suspended till the Government servant re-appears or till he is declared dead in accordance with the law. In the event of re-appearance of Government servant, the NPS account would be re-activated and the same account under NPS will become operative. Recoveries of payments made to the family of missing NPS employee would be made from the indemner as provided under this Departments OM dated 25.06.2013. However, in the event of Government servant being declared dead at any time or after seven years, Government contribution and returns thereon from the accumulated pension corpus under NPS would be transferred to the Government account and remaining corpus comprising of employees contribution and returns thereon would be paid to the nominee or legal heir as the case may be in accordance with CCS(Implementation of NPS) Rules, 2021 and family will keep getting benefits as per CCS (Pension) Rules or CCS(EOP) Rules, as the case may be. Mysuru: Kannada actress Chaitra Hallikeri has lodged an FIR against her father-in-law and husband accusing them of misusing her bank account, police said on Tuesday. In her complaint, the actress stated that the duo has taken a gold loan through her account without her knowledge. The Branch Manager of South Indian Bank had also connived with the accused, the complaint states. She is getting life threats from her husband and father-in-law after she approached the police, Chaitra alleged. Earlier, she had lodged a police complaint against her husband Balaji Pothraj for allegedly assaulting her, police said. The actress had acted in "Gurushishyaru" and "Sri Danamma Devi" movies. The police have lodged a case under IPC Sections 468, 406, 409, 420, 506, 34. Jayalakshmipuram police in Mysuru city have lodged a complaint and investigating the case. New Delhi: Indian commercial telecom carriers such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea may raise the prices of their prepaid plans again by Diwali 2022, as per a new report. Prepaid tariffs would rise by 10% to 12% as a result of the new increase. Back in November 2021, the three telecom companies raised the prices of their prepaid plans. It was projected that telcos would increase ARPU (average revenue per user) by another 10-12 percent, bringing it to Rs 200, Rs 185, and Rs 135 for Airtel and Vodafone Idea, respectively. Airtel and Vodafone Idea stated in November 2021 that they would be hiking prepaid charges by up to 20%-25%. Popular low-tier plans, such as the Rs 79 plan, increased to Rs 99, while higher-tier plans experienced a three-digit price hike. After the change, Airtel's 2GB per day plan with 84-day validity went up from Rs 698 to Rs 839. After the hike, data boosters that cost Rs 48, Rs 98, and Rs 251 for 3GB, 12GB, and 50GB were also priced at Rs 58, Rs 118, and Rs 301. The greater ARPU will allow Airtel to "enable major investments required in networks and spectrum" as well as roll out 5G services in the country, according to a statement released at the time. New Delhi: Popular television actor Karan Mehra has levelled fresh allegations against estranged wife Nisha Rawal. In June 2021, TV couple Karan Mehra and Nisha Rawal's domestic feud was out in the public domain after Nisha made shocking allegations of domestic violence and extra-marital affair against Karan. He was arrested for allegedly beating up his wife and taken into custody, and later released. In September last year, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai fame actor Karan Mehra and his family got anticipatory bail in a domestic violence case filed against them by his now-estranged wife Nisha Rawal. KARAN MEHRA ACCUSES WIFE NISHA RAWAL OF AFFAIR In his recent interview with News NCR, Karan said, "He (the other man) himself has confessed about his affair, even after the affair, I again allowed him to come into the house. We tried to start all over again, then Kavish also happened. Still it happened. In such a situation, it is clear what was in whose mind. Even today he is living in my house. For the last 11 months, that person is staying in my house. He has entered my house leaving his wife and children. All these things are now visible to the people. In such a situation, I am fighting my battle." KARAN MEHRA VS NISHA RAWAL On May 31, 2021, had filed a case against Karan Mehra in Goregaon Police station. Nisha accused Karan of domestic violence and of withdrawing more than INR 1 crore from her bank account. The case is filed against Karan and his family members - brother Kunal Mehra, mother Bela Mehra and father Ajay Mehra, under IPC sections 498-A, 377, 406, 323, 504 & 506 r/w Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Karan, however, denied all charges and maintained that he is innocent. Nisha Rawal was last seen in the reality TV show by ALTBalaji's 'Lock Upp' where she confessed how she kissed her close friend while she was married. Karan and Nisha dated for about six years, before tying the knot on November 24, 2012. The duo was blessed with a son in 2017. Karan Mehra rose to stardom with daily soap Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. He was one of the highest-paid actors in the TV world and also participated in Bigg Boss 10. Tokyo: Russian and Chinese fighter jets conducted a joint aerial exercise over the sea of Japan on Tuesday amid the ongoing Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Xinhua reported. The joint exercise took place between Chinese H-6K bombers and Russian Tu-95MS bombers in the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and West Pacific as a part of a joint strategic patrol, Global Times tweeted, citing Russian Defense Ministry. According to Xinhua, the patrol was conducted in accordance with an annual cooperation schedule between the two militaries. However, China`s growing relations with Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion and it making claims on the Senkaku Islands are causing worries to Japan. Japan`s relations with China are deteriorating over geopolitical tensions amid strong undercurrents of anti-China sentiments and security threats as the nation has taken a clear stand in the Taiwan Strait conflict and has decided to support Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion. During the QUAD summit on Tuesday, the member countries pledged to meet challenges for ensuring rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas, and strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo, as Quad leaders are committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The meeting of Quadrilateral Dialogue (Quad) kicked off in Tokyo on Tuesday to review the progress made by the four-member countries and the cooperation is anchored in the shared values of democracy, international law, and rules-based international order and a vision for an inclusive Indo-Pacific. Live TV New Delhi: As the number of monkeypox cases continues to rise across Europe and North America, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the recent outbreak of the viral disease is "only the tip of the iceberg". The global health body, however, does not believe that the spread of the monkeypox virus outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations as measures like good hygiene and safe sexual behaviour will help control its spread, a WHO official told Reuters on Monday (May 23, 2022). "The primary measures to control the (monkeypox) outbreak are contact tracing and isolation," Reuters quoted Richard Pebody, who leads the high-threat pathogen team at WHO Europe, as saying. Pebody also told Reuters in an interview that immediate supplies of vaccines and antivirals are relatively limited. His comments came amid the public health authorities in Europe and North America investigating more than 100 suspected and confirmed cases of the viral infection in the worst outbreak of the virus outside of Africa, where it is endemic. While the US has said that it is in the process of releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for use in monkeypox cases, Germany has said that it is assessing options for vaccinations. Britain, where the first European case was confirmed on May 7 in an individual who returned to England from Nigeria, has already started to offer a smallpox vaccine to some healthcare workers and others who may have been exposed to the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox not a virus that spreads very easily Pebody noted that monkeypox is not a virus that spreads very easily, nor has it so far caused serious disease. The vaccines used to combat monkeypox can have some significant side effects, the WHO official added. Most of the confirmed cases have not been linked to travel to Africa, which suggests there may be large amounts of undetected cases, Pebody said. "So we're only seeing ... the tip of the iceberg," he warned. There is no evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, Reuters reported citing another senior official at WHO. It, however, is unclear what is driving the monkeypox disease outbreak, with scientists trying to understand the origin of the cases and whether anything about the virus has changed. What is monkeypox disease? Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox. It was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys kept for research and the first human case of monkeypox was reported in 1970. The disease occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa. The virus belongs to the family Poxviridae, which also includes the viruses causing smallpox and cowpox disease. What are symptoms of monkeypox? Monkeypox typically presents itself with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications. The disease is usually self-limiting with the symptoms lasting from two to four weeks. Severe cases can also occur. In recent times, the case fatality ratio has reportedly been around 3-6 per cent but can be up to 10 per cent. There are no reported deaths in this current spread. How does monkeypox virus spread? Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus. It reportedly is spread by rodents such as rats, mice, and squirrels. The monkeypox disease is transmitted through lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. Health officials have also noted that some of these infections may be transmitted through sexual contact. The WHO said it was also investigating many cases being of people identifying as gay or bisexual. The virus, however, is said to be less contagious than smallpox and causes less severe illness. How is a monkeypox case treated? Vaccines used during the smallpox eradication program also provided protection against monkeypox. Newer vaccines have been developed of which one has been approved for prevention of the disease. An antiviral agent developed for the treatment of smallpox has also been licensed for the treatment of monkeypox, according to WHO. (With agency inputs) Tokyo: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that Quad is "not just a passing fad but it means business," asserting that the four leaders of the grouping are here to get things done for the region and that he is proud of what they are building together. Addressing the second in-person meeting between Quad leaders, Biden attacked Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, saying it is trying to extinguish a culture. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the second in-person meeting of Quad leaders here during which they exchanged views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest. Biden welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the Quad Summit and said it is wonderful to see you again in person "We share the same goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific that will deliver greater prosperity and greater opportunity for all of our children. I am looking forward to continuing to work with all of you and to strengthen economic cooperation to deliver inclusive growth and shared prosperity," Biden said in his opening remarks. We've shown that Quad is not just a passing fad, we mean business. We're here to get things done for the region, and I'm proud of what we're building together and I look forward to our vital partnership flourishing and for many years to come, Biden said. He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is just trying to extinguish a culture. This is more than a European issue. It is a global issue. On the global food security issue in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is one of the major exporters of wheat, the US President said that the global food crisis may worsen by Russia blocking Ukraine from exporting its grains. As long as Russia continues war against Ukraine, the US will work with its partners, Biden vowed. Addressing the Quad Summit, newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Albanese said that his government is committed to working with the Quad countries. My government gives priority to building a more resilient Indo-Pacific region, Albanese, who was sworn in as Australia's 31st Prime Minister on Monday, said. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, who received all the Quad leaders ahead of the Summit here, said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine challenges the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. The summit is taking place under the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is also taking place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific Region in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. On the eve of the summit, Biden on Monday launched the ambitious Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which is an initiative aimed at deeper cooperation among like-minded countries in areas such as clean energy, supply-chain resilience and digital trade. The rollout of the IPEF is expected to send across a signal that the US is focused on pushing forward a strong economic policy for the region to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region. In March last year, President Biden hosted the first-ever summit of the Quad leaders in the virtual format that was followed by an in-person summit in Washington in September. The Quad leaders also held a virtual meeting in March. In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China's growing military presence in the strategic region. New Delhi: Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was warmly welcomed by the Quad leaders at his first summit in Tokyo on Tuesday, a day after he assumed office, with US President Joe Biden joking and saying "even if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK." Albanese, 59, was sworn in at a brief ceremony lasting in Government House, Canberra on Monday. Australia's new Prime Minister took office a few hours before making a long flight to attend the Quad summit in Tokyo. He was sitting together with the world leaders, talking about climate change, and the challenges faced by the Indo-pacific region. The Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue comprises India, the US, Japan and Australia. Biden expressed admiration that Albanese made the long flight right after winning his election as prime minister. "I welcome you to your first Quad meeting," said Biden. "Like I said, you got on a plane -- you were sworn in and got on a plane," Biden said. So "if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK, because I don't know how you're doing it. It's really quite extraordinary -- just getting off the campaign trail as well - congratulations on your election," the US President added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Albanese for his election win and said: "First of all, I congratulate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and extend my best wishes for winning the elections. Your presence amongst us 24 hours after taking the oath reflects the strength of Quad's friendship and your commitment towards it." My remarks at the Quad Leaders Meeting in Tokyo. https://t.co/WzN5lC8J4v Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022 At the Quad meet, Australian Prime Minister Albanese focused on climate change "My government is committed to working with your countries. The new Australian government gives priority to taking action on climate change and building a more resilient Indo-Pacific region through economic, cyber, energy, health and environmental security," he said. "My government will set a new target to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030, putting us on track for net-zero emissions by 2050," Albanese said. In a statement ahead of the meeting, Albanese said: "The Quad Leaders' Summit brings together four leaders of great liberal democracies - Australia, Japan, India, and the United States of America - in support of a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific," the BBC reported. Albanese has said the Quad alliance is an absolute priority for Australia. The report added that this meeting comes at a crucial and tense time in the region with a growing Chinese influence that's making Australia and its allies nervous. The Quad summit is hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) does not have evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated, a senior executive at the U.N. agency said on Monday, noting the infectious disease that has been endemic in the west and central Africa has tended not to change. Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat that is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme, told a briefing that mutations tended to be typically lower with this virus, although genome sequencing of cases will help inform understanding of the current outbreak. Health experts watch for concerning mutations that could make a virus more easily transmissible or severe. Over 100 suspected and confirmed cases in a recent outbreak in Europe and North America have not been severe, said Maria van Kerkhove, the WHO`s emerging diseases and zoonoses lead and technical lead on COVID-19. "This is a containable situation,", particularly in Europe, she said. "But we can`t take our eye off the ball with what`s happening in Africa, in countries where it`s endemic." The outbreaks are atypical, according to the WHO, occurring in countries where the virus does not regularly circulate. Scientists are seeking to understand the origin of the cases and whether anything about the virus has changed. The WHO is asking dermatology and primary healthcare clinics, as well as sexual health clinics, to be alert to potential cases. Van Kerkhove said she expected more cases to be identified as surveillance expands. HOW DANGEROUS IS MONKEYPOX VIRUS? The risk to the general public is low at this time, a U.S. public health official told reporters at a briefing on Friday. Monkeypox is a virus that can cause symptoms including fever, aches and presents with a distinctive bumpy rash. It is related to smallpox, but is usually milder, particularly the West African strain of the virus that was identified in a U.S. case, which has a fatality rate of around 1%. Most people fully recover in two to four weeks, the official said. The virus is not as easily transmitted as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that spurred the global COVID-19 pandemic. Experts believe the current monkeypox outbreak is being spread through close, intimate skin-on-skin contact with someone who has an active rash. That should make its spread easier to contain once infections are identified, experts said. "COVID is spread by the respiratory route and is highly infectious. This doesn`t appear to be the case with the monkeypox," said Dr. Martin Hirsch of Massachusetts General Hospital. "What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world," WHO official David Heymann, an infectious disease specialist, told Reuters. WHY ARE HEALTH EXPERTS CONCERNED ABOUT MONKEYPOX DISEASE? The recent outbreaks reported so far are atypical, according to the WHO, as they are occurring in countries where the virus does not regularly circulate. Scientists are seeking to understand the origin of the current cases and whether anything about the virus has changed. Most of the cases reported so far have been detected in the UK, Spain and Portugal. There have also been cases in Canada and Australia, and a single case of monkeypox was confirmed in Boston, with public health officials saying more cases are likely to turn up in the United States. WHO officials have expressed concern that more infections could arise as people gather for festivals, parties and holidays during the coming summer months in Europe and elsewhere. HOW CAN YOU PROTECT AGAINST MONKEYPOX INFECTION? The UK has begun to inoculate healthcare workers who may be at risk while caring for patients with the smallpox vaccine, which can also protect against monkeypox. The U.S. government says it has enough smallpox vaccine stored in its Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to vaccinate the entire U.S. population. There are antiviral drugs for smallpox that could also be used to treat monkeypox under certain circumstances, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. More broadly, health officials say that people should avoid close personal contact with someone who has a rash illness or who is otherwise unwell. People who suspect they have monkeypox should isolate and seek medical care. WHAT MIGHT BE BEHIND SPIKE IN NEW MONKEYPOX CASES? "Viruses are nothing new and expected," said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Rasmussen said a number of factors including increased global travel as well as climate change have accelerated the emergence and spread of viruses. The world is also more on alert to new outbreaks of any kind in the wake of the COVID pandemic, she said. Hanoi and northern provinces are once again inundated Tuesday following long-lasting rains from Monday night that caused severe traffic jams and house, crop damage. Hanoi's Hoang Mai District recorded rain levels at over 130 mm from Monday night, followed by Hai Ba Trung District at 100 mm, and Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Long Bien districts at 80 mm. Co Linh and Ngoc Lam streets in Long Bien are heavily inundated. The section under the overpass on Thien Duc Street was over 30 cm deep, causing vehicles to slow down. Some motorbikes were flooded and could not start again and had to wait to be rescued. A car on a flooded part of Thang Long Boulevard in Hoai Duc District, Hanoi, May 24, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/DH The Thang Long Boulevard section running through Bao Son Paradise theme park in Hoai Duc District was 30-40 cm deep, though the inundation was not as severe as what happened Monday morning. The downpour occurred right during peak hours on Tuesday morning, triggering huge traffic jams. On Khuat Duy Tien Street, cars were frozen still, while motorbikes had to run on pavements. Similar situations happened on other streets like Dai La, Tran Huu Duc, Truong Chinh, Tay Son and Ho Tung Mau. In Bac Ninh Town outside Hanoi, heavy rains since Monday night showed no sign of stopping, amounting to over 120 mm. The Lac Long Quan Street section at an underbridge in Kinh Bac Ward was over 50 cm deep. Cars are stuck on Lac Long Quan Street in Bac Ninh Town. Photo by Bac Ninh News Portal Ngo Van Thuc, head of the urban management committee of Bac Ninh, said the section is the lowest point of the city, which explains the heavy inundation. There was already an automatic pump in place, but it wasnt enough, he said. "We are mobilizing all urban environment workers to go to checkpoints and warn the people. We will add more pumps to the Lac Long Quan underbridge section to get the water out," he added. In Vinh Phuc Provinces Vinh Yen Town, heavy rains from Monday night amounted to around 110 mm. Streets like Me Linh, Ton Duc Thang and Nguyen Tat Thanh were all inundated. An avenue in Vinh Yen Town, Vinh Phuc is underwater following downpours, May 24, 2022. Photo by VnExpress In Phu Tho, downpours have rendered multiple locations in Cam Khe, Phu Ninh, Doan Hung and Thanh Ba districts to be inundated. It is right before harvest season so many fields were affected. The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said 37 houses were damaged, 1,000 ha of crops and 10 ha of aquaculture were also either inundated or swept away starting Monday night. It also reported rocks and rubbles falling onto roads in some areas. A low-pressure area over northern Vietnam regions triggered rains starting May 19, but the heaviest ones appeared since last Saturday. Widespread rains should subside starting Wednesday in northern and central Vietnam, though mountainous areas in the north may see rains continuing for several more days, meteorologists said ]. Ties between Australia and China, its largest trading partner, are at a low ebb after they clashed over a number of issues including trade, the origins of Covid-19 and accusations from Australia of Chinese political interference. "From an Australian point of view, we understand the complexity of the relationship ... but China is seeking to shape the world around it in ways we have not seen before," Marles told ABC television. "All of that I think is going to make it a pretty challenging pathway forward." Anthony Albanese, who was sworn in as Australia's 31st prime minister on Monday, said the bilateral relationship would remain "a difficult one", before he left for a Quad summit in Tokyo with US President Joe Biden and the prime ministers of Japan and India. The Quad is an informal security grouping seen in Beijing as an attempt to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. A Xinhua report said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Albanese over his election win, possibly ending a two-year Chinese diplomatic freeze of Australia. Ambassador Le Viet Duyen (third from right) and UNEFA Rector Pascualino Angiolillo at the launching ceremony (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the launching ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Le Viet Duyen thanked the UNEFA for organising the event. He stressed that President Ho Chi Minh's life and revolutionary career is an epic of patriotism and revolutionary heroism. The Ambassador emphasized that the national leader, who devoted his whole life to the national liberation, independence, freedom of the nation and happiness of people, is an example for nations that are struggling to advance to socialism, including Vietnam and Venezuela. He expressed his hope that through the research of Vietnamese nation and Ho Chi Minh ideology in all fields as well as the national struggles, Venezuelan friends will draw useful lessons to overcome hard time and build a country of peace and prosperity. The Vietnamese diplomat said he believes that UNEFA will become a centre for education and research of Vietnam, helping popularise the Ho Chi Minh ideology in the Latin American region and the whole world. He pledged to accompany UNEFA in exploring Vietnams struggles for independence and development. At the event, UNEFA Rector Pascualino Angiolillo said that Venezuelan people love the nation and people of Vietnam, affirming that many State officials, experts and scholars of Venezuela have the need to research on the culture, economy, politics, society, nation and people of Vietnam and learn from the countrys development model so as to apply in Venexuela. According to the Rector, the faculty will initially focus on researching the history, economy and politics of Vietnam, expressing his hope for support from Vietnamese agencies. The university plans to establish the faculty in all of its branches across the country, he added. Formed in 1973, UNEFA is a public university run by Venezuelas National Bolivarian Armed Forces. Apart from its headquarters in Caracas, UNEFA has branches in 21 states of Venezuela and is the largest university in Venezuela in terms of scale, with 110,000 students, and facilities./. President Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Xieng Vang Village, Xieng Muong Commune, Noong Boc District, Kham Muon Province, Laos. (Photo: VNA) According to writer Xuvanthon Buphanuvong, Uncle Ho went to Pakse many times, then to Savannakhet, and to Xieng Vang south of Tha Khet town, Kham Muon Province, to directly learn about the situation of Lao people's lives. During his revolutionary activities, in July 1928, he went to Bangkok, Thailand. Leaving Bangkok, he went north to Noong On village, Udon Thani Province and Nachok village, Nakhon Phanom Province, close to the Mekong River, across from the river being Laos. During his time working in Thailand under the name Thau Chin (or Mr. Tho), he spent a lot of effort enlightening patriotism for Thai and overseas Vietnamese and selecting the most advanced people to train them to become the core cadres of the movement. During his active days in Nakhon Phanom, he took a boat many times across the Mekong River to Kham Muon Province (Laos) to Xieng Vang Village, Xieng Muong Commune, Noong Boc District. He met Lao people and overseas Vietnamese living here. Talking to relatives, he advised the Lao Vietnamese people to unite to help each other, and unite to push the invading French colonialists out of Laos and Vietnam, liberating the two countries from the brutal domination. He also disseminated his experience to Lao-Vietnamese people about the organization of patriotic unions and Lao revolutionary organizations such as Youth Union, Womens Union and Farmers Union. According to Nguyen Ai Quoc's report to the Executive Committee of the Communist International, he stayed in Thailand until November 1929, after that he went to work in Laos for a short time. From Laos, he intended to return to his homeland, but was pursued by the French colonialists, so he returned to Thailand and secretly went to Hong Kong (China), convening a conference to unify Communist organizations in the country to establish the Communist Party of Vietnam on February 3, 1930. The Lao Party and Government built a memorial area for President Ho Chi Minh in Xieng Vang Village, Xieng Muong Commune, Noong Boc District, Kham Muon Province, where he used to come to do revolutionary enlightenment activities for the Lao people, greatly contributing to the cause of liberating the Lao people from the slavery of the French colonialists. The memorial area displays many pictures and artifacts introducing Uncle Ho's life, career and revolutionary activities, as well as his affection for the Lao people. Especially, in 2013, on the occasion of the 123rd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane Museum built a memorial campus in the center of Kaysone Phomvihane Town, Savannakhet Province, central Laos, with an area of over 1,000 square meters, in which there is a ruby stone printed with the color portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, becoming one of the very attractive tourist attractions of Laos./. Production of all Smart-Holding businesses more than halves due to war, but we are alive CEO at WEF The war caused significant damage to all the main businesses of Smart-Holding, one of the largest in Ukraine: the total decline in production in metallurgy, agricultural and gas production exceeds 50%, but the company is alive and will be engaged in recovery in the future, CEO of Smart-Holding Julia Kiryanova has said. "Throughout our portfolio [of Smart-Holding's businesses], we see more than 50% down in production. However, there is good news we are alive. By saying that I do not mean only that we are struggling every day and keep going with all our employees, I am saying that we are looking in the future," she said at the Spirit of Resilience: Ukrainian Voices panel taking place these days in Davos at the World Economic Forum (WEF). "When you stop thinking about the future - you are dead. And the enemy wants us dead. So, we are alive!" Kiryanova said. She said that in 2021, the mining and smelting complex produced 23.5 million tonnes of steel products and iron ore, 80% of which was exported, and now it has fallen to nearly 8 million, 6 million of which will be exported. The CEO of Smart-Holding recalled that the company owns a stake in Metinvest, whose two steel mills in Mariupol (Azovstal and Illych Iron and Steel Works) accounted for 53% of steel production, but now they are out of operation. According to her, in the production of iron ore, the problem is blocking export channels, which is why Metinvest does not increase production to be able to export what it produces. Regarding the agricultural sector, Kiryanova predicted that Ukraine's key export crops - corn and wheat that the company produced are 54% and 35% less, respectively. She added that the HarvEast agricultural holding from the group's assets, which is among top ten largest agrarians in Ukraine, has lost 68% of arable land due to the war. Regarding gas, she reported a 22% drop in production, and later added to reporters that more than 90% of fields in eastern Ukraine and 60% of reserves are under direct threat of airstrikes. "Therefore, it can be expected that this year production may decrease by 17%, to 16 billion cubic meters," the CEO of Smart-Holding said, giving a forecast for the entire Ukrainian gas production. "We, like Alice in Wonderland, we have to run quicker to stay where we are. And we are not staying where we are and you can see it by the numbers in the Ukrainian economy The war impact is unprecedented. Looking back at 2014, we did not experience that much of a pressure on all industries in the country," she said during the panel. Kiryanova recalled all the hardships that Ukrainian business has recently experienced, including the economic crisis of 2008, the start of the war in 2014 and the pandemic of 2020. But the war impact, she said, led to a situation that Ukrainian business has not yet experienced. At the same time, in an interview with reporters after the panel discussion, the CEO of Smart Holding said that she remains optimistic about the future of the steel industry. What has been destroyed will be restored, she said: "We will build new facilities, as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible, using the best industry practices and technologies, bearing in mind that decarbonization will be one of our guiding principles." According to her, in general, Smart-Holding looks to the future with optimism. Ukraine to be able to export about 800 MW of electricity daily to EU by year end Shmyhal By the end of the year, Ukraine plans to expand the capabilities of domestic energy companies, as a result of which it will be able to export about 800 MW of electricity per day to the European Union, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said. "In mid-March, Ukraine joined the European network ENTSO-E ahead of schedule ... Ukraine is already exporting its electricity to Europe," he stated at a government meeting on Tuesday. According to the prime minister, electricity exports to Poland increased by 35% in April compared to pre-war January. "By the end of the year, we plan to expand the capabilities of Ukrainian energy companies and will be able to export about 800 MW of electricity to the EU per day. This will help Europe stop consuming Russian coal and reduce the consumption of Russian gas," Shmyhal said. The situation with payments for electricity has begun to change for the better, especially in the de-occupied regions, Executive Director of DTEK energy holding Dmytro Sakharuk has said. "We see that the dynamics of payments for electricity is changing, first of all, in those areas where there are no hostilities. It reaches 90% of the charges that are currently available," Sakharuk said in a commentary to Energy Reform. At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that charges during the war decreased in accordance with the fall in consumption on average in the country by about 30%. "If we take the bills already from reduced consumption, then, for example, in the west of Ukraine, in the center or in certain regions in the south, the level of payments reaches 90% of the accrued. Some 35-40% Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. Kharkiv region is better, mainly there where there are no more hostilities," the DTEK top manager described the situation. At the same time, Sakharuk suggested that before the end of the war, electricity consumption in the country would not increase significantly, mainly due to the shutdown of large industrial enterprises. "The big problem is not in payments, but in reducing consumption. But without a cessation of hostilities, there will be no radical change here," the executive director of DTEK noted, adding that "the level of consumption is slightly increasing in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv regions, where the de-occupation took place." SBU analysis shows that missile attack on Kramatorsk railway station was from occupied part of Donbas spokesman The analysis made by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has shown that the missile attack on the railway station in Kramatorsk (Donetsk region) was from the occupied part of the region, SBU spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko has said. "The security service received unquestioning evidence of the involvement of Russian invaders in the shelling of the railway station in Kramatorsk on April 8, which killed 61 people and injured 121," Dekhtiarenko said in a video address on Saturday. According to him, thanks to a number of studies of the missile's flight path and analysis of other aspects, it was possible to establish that the strike was made from the territory of Donetsk region, which has been under temporary Russian occupation since 2014. "Experts confirmed that they used a 9M79-1 guided single-stage solid-propellant missile with a cartridge charge for the shelling. It is known to the general public as Tochka U missile, the spokesman said. He added that, according to the intelligence service, several Tochka U missile systems were deployed in the occupied territories of Donbas and have been used by the invaders for eight years. "SBU investigators continue their work and are expanding the evidence base in criminal proceedings under Article 438 (violation of the rules of warfare) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," Dekhtiarenko said. As reported, on April 8, two Russian missiles hit the Kramatorsk railway station from the occupied territories, where about 4,000 people were waiting for evacuation. The number of initiated cases related only to Russian war crimes is currently about 13,000, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova said. "Forty-nine people were reported about suspicion in this category and we started prosecuting war crimes," she said during the opening of the Russia War Crimes House exhibition in the building that has been Russia House in Davos for many years. Venediktova specified that there are more than 600 suspects in the base case against the Russian Federation. "Currently we have two cases pending before the courts against three defendants," the prosecutor general added. She noted that Ukraine is working closely with the International Criminal Court to assist them in their investigation in Ukraine. In addition, the investigation continues in the format of a joint investigation team established with Lithuania and Poland, which also includes the International Criminal Court (ICC). Venediktova indicated that this was the first time the ICC had decided to join a joint investigation team. In addition, cases have been initiated in 18 national jurisdictions in relation to international crimes occurring in Ukraine, the prosecutor general added. "Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, in unison with the international community, are doing everything to investigate crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice ... The painful history of wars shows that peace and stability can only be achieved when accountability for criminal aggression and gross violations of international humanitarian law is ensured," she said. The exhibition is organized by the Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre in partnership with the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry, the Ukrayinska Pravda publication and the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. The purpose of the Russia War Crimes House project is to present the main facts, give names and dates, show specific faces and give at least some victims of the war the opportunity to tell their real stories. Zelensky: Meeting with Putin possible if issue of ending the war is considered there Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is possible only if the issue of ending the war is on its agenda. "They have such a decision-making structure that decisions are not made without it. All institutions are united by the decision of the President. There will be no decision to end the war without him," he said on Monday, answering questions at the Ukrainian House in Davos. "There is no desire to meet with intermediaries and it wont happen. I don't perceive a single meeting with anyone other than the president. If there is one question ending the war," he said. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said about the need for Ukraine to supply weapons and ammunition from other countries in the light of the ongoing battle in Donbas. "Too early to conclude that Ukraine already has all the arms it needs. Russian offensive in the Donbas is a ruthless battle, the largest one on European soil since WWII. I urge partners to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition, especially MLRS, long-range artillery, APCs," Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that during the war Russia fired 2,275 missiles at Ukraine and carried out more than 3,000 airstrikes. "In total, since February 24, the Russian army has launched 1,474 missile strikes at Ukraine, using 2,275 different missiles. The vast majority was aimed at civilian objects. In less than three months, there have been more than 3,000 air strikes by Russian aircraft and helicopters. What other country has withstood such a scale of strikes?" Zelensky said in his video address on Tuesday night. "Every time we tell our partners that we need modern anti-missile weapons, modern combat aircraft, we are not just making a formal request. We say that our request is the real lives of many people who would not have died if we had received all the weapons we are asking for, " he stressed. According to him, all partners of Ukraine agree that Ukraine's struggle in the war against Russia is the protection of the common values of all countries of the free world and common freedom. "And if so, then we have the right to count on full and urgent assistance, especially weapons. My every international negotiations, every address to parliaments or other foreign audiences is necessarily related to this topic. And I am grateful to all those partners who help and provide us with the necessary weapons and ammunition to overcome the advantage of the Russian army, especially in the amount of equipment and weapons," the president added. The screenshot taken from the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the agency's report about the United States' confirmed case of monkeypox which is in a man in Massachusetts, who recently returned home from Canada. (Xinhua) The CDC is also tracking multiple clusters of monkeypox that have been reported in early- to mid-May in several countries that do not normally report monkeypox, including in Europe and North America. LOS ANGELES, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new warning regarding monkeypox on Monday as it is investigating four more suspected cases in the country. Currently, the United States has reported one confirmed case of monkeypox which is in a man in Massachusetts, who recently returned home from Canada. The four suspected cases are in New York, Florida and Utah. They tested positive for orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses to which monkeypox belongs. "It is likely that there are going to be additional cases reported in the United States," said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, a veterinarian and deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. The CDC is also tracking multiple clusters of monkeypox that have been reported in early- to mid-May in several countries that do not normally report monkeypox, including in Europe and North America. "None of these people reported having recently been in central or west African countries where monkeypox usually occurs, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, among others," said the CDC. The CDC warned travelers to avoid close contact with sick people, including those with skin lesions or genital lesions, and avoid contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals including rodents, and non-human primates such as monkeys, and apes. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called the exchange of prisoners, the return of deported Ukrainians from Russia and the prevention of a food crisis the main humanitarian problems. "From the humanitarian point of view, I would now single out two things. The first is the exchange of people. This is a political decision that depends on the support of many states. Today, several thousand people are in captivity after the blockade of Mariupol and Azovstal. They were taken out. And there were people who are in captivity today. These are brave people. They did a great job. Heroic and, I'm sure, historical. We must exchange them. And here it is necessary that all states join the UN, and Switzerland, and Israel who has experience...," Zelensky said, speaking via video link at the Ukrainian house in Davos. According to the head of state, this is difficult, as countries are trying to talk with Russia, instead of pressing politically through any leverage. "Today it is very important that the whole world does not persuade Russia. In no case. You can't flirt. You can't play with the Russian Federation. But political pressure through any levers, business, its closure in the Russian Federation, the oil embargo in order to knock out the possibility of an exchange, activate exchange of our people for the Russian military. We do not need the Russian military, we only need ours. We are ready to change even tomorrow," the president said. He called the forthcoming food crisis in the world another humanitarian problem. "There will be a shortage of food. Due to the blocking of all ports in our state. Today Russia, which controls the Azov coast, has blocked 22 million tonnes of grain, sunflower, etc.,. The entire political and business elite must take certain measures to unblock this grain so that it can be exported to the countries of Africa, Asia, the EU, so that people have something to eat. This is how the question will raise in many states: what to eat, because there is hunger. And we need help with this. Because if in the coming months we do not export this grain, if there are no political agreements with Russia through intermediaries, then there will be famine and disaster," he said. Zelensky also called the forced deportation of people to the Russian Federation a humanitarian problem. "Another question may be the most painful, but so far it has no practical plane. We still cannot find a tool for how to do this. More than 500,000 people were forcibly taken away and deported to the territory of the Russian Federation or temporarily occupied parts of Donbas. We appealed to International Committee of the Red Cross. Wherever there is access and we can look for these people, we are looking for them. This is a complicated story. We cannot just go online and find these people. Their passports and money were taken away from them," he said. "I still cannot find a format for resolving this issue. I want to draw the attention of the international community to this. We want to return people home," Zelensky said. The Ukrainian authorities were prepared in case of an assassination attempt on the president, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, answering questions via video link at the Ukrainian House in Davos. "According to our legislation, there is someone who can take over in this situation. We clearly understood that if there was an attempt and there would be a negative result, if there was such a situation - an occupied city, occupied Kyiv. As president, I had to think who would rule the state, not to lose our institutions, starting with the army and ending with financial institutions," he said. Zelensky noted that "we were prepared and divided I, the Prime Minister and the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. We divided the Cabinet of Ministers, divided it into two parts, it was two Cabinets of Ministers." At the same time, speaking about the assassination attempts, he said that "they have already tried to do it many times. I am quite philosophical about this." In Mariupol, during the clearing of the rubble of a multi-storey building, about 200 dead bodies with a high degree of decomposition were found in the basement, adviser to the Mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriuschenko said. "During the clearing of the rubble of a high-rise building in the area of the suburban gas station-2 on Myru Avenue, about 200 bodies of those who died under the rubble, with a high degree of decomposition, were found in the basement. Due to the refusal of the locals to collect and pack the bodies of the dead, the Russian Emergency Ministry left the place of work. The bodies of the dead remained in place, from under the partially dismantled rubble, the stench is heard almost throughout the entire quarter," he wrote on his Telegram channel. Andriuschenko also noted that due to the work on burial and exhumation of the so-called state corporation 'Ritual' from Donetsk, the process of reburial from the yards of high-rise buildings has actually been stopped. At the same time, according to him, for the "official" free reburial, you need to wait in line, bring the body of the deceased to the "mortuary" on your own, testifying that the body of the deceased was just found, or agree to record a video where the applicant will say that the person was killed by the Ukrainian army. "Because of such conditions, in a makeshift morgue near the "Metro", a large number of corpses are stacked in bags on the street. The city has turned into a solid cemetery," the mayor's adviser said. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will cooperate with Microsoft on documenting the war crimes of the Russian Federation, and the Xbox game service will be officially launched in Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said. According to him, Ukrainian accounts will appear on Xbox, and the Ukrainian language will appear on the consoles. "This was agreed in Davos at a meeting with Microsoft President Brad Smith. In addition, the Microsoft team plans to help the digital industry of Ukraine during the recovery," he wrote on his Telegram channel. Fedorov noted that the Ministry of Digital Development has been cooperating with Microsoft for a long time, and they actively support Ukraine during the war: they became one of the first companies that suspended all new sales of products and services in Russia in early March and provided free cloud services for Ukraine until the end of 2022. "Microsoft has supported and will continue to support Ukraine, it was very important to hear this from Brad Smith," the minister added. According to him, the company calculated that through their initiatives they provided Ukraine with digital support for $242 million. This includes financial grants, promotional campaigns, free access to the company's products and services, and equipment. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the issues of unblocking food exports from Ukraine, and also thanked him for supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons. "Spoke with Secretary Blinken to thank the U.S. for its ironclad support of Ukraine. More weapons, including heavy, are headed to Ukraine as Russia continues its devastating attacks in the Donbas. We also discussed ways to unblock Ukraines exports and ensure global food security, " Kuleba said on Twitter Tuesday. Number of children injured amid Russia's war against Ukraine increased to over 667: Some 234 killed, 433 wounded PGO More than 667 children suffered in Ukraine as a result of Russia's full-scale armed aggression: as of the morning of May 24, 2022, the official number of child victims increased to 234, and the number of injured also increased to 433, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has said. These figures are not final, since work is underway to establish them in places of active hostilities, in temporarily occupied and liberated territories, the PGO said. Children suffered the most in Donetsk region, namely 146 children, while 116 in Kyiv; some 103 in Kharkiv; some 68 in Chernihiv; some 50 in Luhansk; some 49 in Kherson; some 45 in Mykolaiv; some 28 in Zaporizhia; some 17 in Sumy; some 16 in Kyiv and 15 in Zhytomyr. On May 22, a 12-year-old girl died in a medical institution in the city of Dnipro, who was severely injured on May 7 as a result of shelling by the invaders. On May 20, due to artillery shelling by the Russian troops of the village of Chkalovske, Chuhuiv district, Kharkiv region, a 16-year-old boy was severely injured, from which he died. It became known that on April 8, as a result of enemy shelling of the city of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk district of Luhansk region, two boys aged 11 and 13 were wounded. Due to the bombing and shelling of Ukrainian cities and villages by the Russian armed forces, some 1,848 educational institutions were damaged. At the same time, 173 of them were completely destroyed. During the three months of the war in Ukraine, six groups of Russian hackers carried out more than 430 cyberattacks, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said during the International Diia Summit Brave Ukraine on Tuesday. "Over the past eight years, Ukraine has been subjected to cyberattacks from Russia almost all the time. During the full-scale war, cyberattacks have become even more intense: in almost three months of war in Ukraine, at least six groups of Russian hackers carried out more than 430 cyberattacks," he said. At the same time, Fedorov said that Ukraine has created a very powerful IT army with almost 300,000 people, which was joined by both Ukrainian and international IT professionals. "The soldiers joined absolutely voluntarily," he said. According to the minister, during the war, Ukraine also began to use artificial intelligence to recognize dead Russians. In addition, more than $60 million in cryptocurrency was raised for the army and humanitarian aid. "More than 10,000 Starlink terminals have arrived in Ukraine. We use them to support and restore critical infrastructure," Fedorov added. Yermak, Zaluzhny discuss measures to repel Russian aggression with US Presidential Adviser Sullivan, Chair of US Chief of Staff Milley Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny had a phone conversation with U.S. National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. According to the presidential press service, the interlocutors discussed the situation in Ukraine, measures to repel Russian aggression and the course of hostilities in the south and east of the country. "The parties also considered the further steps to strengthen the defense capabilities of our state and the relevant interaction with partner countries," the office said. It clarifies that Yermak and Zaluzhny thanked the interlocutors for "an affective dialogue and strong support for Ukraine." Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, along with former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, will lead an international advisory group that will provide proposals on security guarantees for Ukraine. "Today, I am pleased to announce that together with former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, we are establishing an international advisory working group. Its goal is to develop specific recommendations for reliable and effective security guarantees for Ukraine. Leading figures in security, politics and diplomacy, as well as scientists will be invited to join the group activities," Yermak said, speaking at the Securing Europe panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos. According to the presidential press service, Yermak also expressed confidence that friends and partners of Ukraine would take part in the work of the advisory group and would be able to offer their knowledge and experience for the effective implementation of this initiative. The President's Office head said in his Telegram that the future agreement between Ukraine and the guarantor states, on which the tasks of the advisory group will be focused, must be legally binding and ratified by the parliaments of the guarantor states. The first block of security guarantees will concern the expansion of Ukraine's defense potential. In this regard, the guarantor states will have to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with modern conventional weapons and military equipment without any restrictions and politically motivated obstacles. Partners can commit to sharing intelligence, information, cyber and maritime security. The next block of guarantees should be annual financial assistance to Ukraine and the sanctions policy against Russia of Ukraine's partner states. The sanction packages they have already approved should remain in place at least until the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Mechanisms for the implementation of preventive sanctions should also be provided in the event of a real threat of aggression. At the same time, guarantees are needed for the immediate and urgent implementation of a coordinated and synchronous international sanctions regime in the event that aggression does occur. Another block of guarantees is related to the political and diplomatic support of Ukraine, including the deep inclusion of Ukraine in multilateral formats that improve its integration with the international community. First of all, the speedy accession of Ukraine to the European Union. Zelensky, Michel talk on eve of European Council special meeting on May 30-31, where aid to Ukraine to be discussed President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has coordinated with Head of the European Council Charles Michel steps to strengthen sanctions, food security, reconstruction and move Ukraine towards EU membership. "On the eve of the special meeting of the European Council on May 30-31, continued dialogue with Head of the European Council Charles Michel. Aid to Ukraine will be a cross-cutting issue. Coordinated steps to strengthen sanctions, food security, rebuild Ukraine and move towards EU membership," Zelensky said on Twitter. The Minya Criminal Court sentenced on Tuesday nine men to death for killing 11 others in a 2011 vendetta shooting in the governorate. Cyprus fully supports Egypts stabilising role in the region, including its efforts in Libya and Palestine, Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Kasoulides has said. Senegal's President Macky Sall fired his health minister on Thursday as his country mourned the death of 11 newborn babies in a hospital fire blamed on an electrical short circuit. Chunks of thick, twisted metal and wood splinters lie among the swings and slides in the playground outside a bombed-out school. Some streets away, a yellow bathtub dangles over the void left when part of an apartment building collapsed in a bombing. An Alexandria criminal court issued on Wednesday a preliminary death sentence against a 60-year-old man convicted of murdering Coptic priest Arsanios Wadid last month. Preliminary death sentences are issued pending the non-binding consultative opinion of the countrys Grand Mufti, as per Egypt's penal code. The 56-year-old victim, a priest at the Church of the Virgin Mary and Mar Boulos, was stabbed to death on the evening of 7 April as he was walking along the Mediterranean corniche in Alexandrias Sidi Bishr district. The assailant was apprehended hours later and confessed to the crime. The defendant later recanted his confession, however, claiming that the knife found in his possession was just for self-defence and that he was not aware of what he was doing on the day of the incident, according to the prosecution. The prosecution added that a mental health evaluation determined that the man showed no signs of a psychological disorder and was fully cognizant and possessed agency while committing the crime. The prosecution also said that the weapon found in possession of the defendant had the victims DNA on it. The prosecution also checked surveillance cameras at the crime scene and obtained the testimonies of 17 eyewitnesses. Also, after conducting interviews with the defendant's relatives, the prosecution learned that he had joined extremist groups. He had also previously served a 20-year prison sentence for joining an outlawed group. The suspect refused to be defended by a lawyer, and denied the charges against him. The victim was ordained to the priesthood in 1995 by the late Pope Shenouda III, the former head of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts parliament the House of Representatives gave the final thumbs up in a plenary session on Monday for a 250-million-loan agreement between Egypt and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The 250-million-loan (EGP 1.5 billion) that was agreed upon in Cairo last December will be allocated to building Alexandrias underground metro. Alaa Abed chairperson of the Houses Transport Committee said the Houses approval will pave the way for Alexandria governorate to get the required permits from the concerned authorities to begin implementing the project. Furthermore, Khaled Abdel-Mola a member of the Houses Transport Committee said the loan agreement aims to solve the problem of traffic jams in Alexandria Egypts second capital in terms of building a network of underground metros that will make life easier for Alexandrians. Besides, this loan does not contradict the governments new policy of limiting foreign borrowing to strategic projects only, Abdel-Mola clarified. The House also approved on Monday another loan agreement between the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and the Federal Republic of Germany. The 15-million-loan will be used to rehabilitate the High Dam and Aswan Reservoirs electricity generation stations. Search Keywords: Short link: A European agreement on a Russian oil embargo is possible "within a few days", the German economy minister has said, as the bloc struggles to reach a consensus on a boycott. "There are only a few states left who have issues, Hungary above all," Robert Habeck told public broadcaster ZDF on Monday night. "I think we will achieve a breakthrough within the next few days," Habeck said, adding that discussions were "continuing". A Russian oil embargo in response to the invasion of Ukraine was "within reach," he said. Brussels initially proposed that most member states halt Russian crude imports over the next six months and refined fuels by the end of the year. But Hungary has so far refused to back the plan put forward by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Hungary -- whose populist leader Viktor Orban has been a rare ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Europe -- said it could not support the plan "in this form", as it would "completely destroy" the security of its energy supply. Brussels has offered Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia long grace periods to phase out Russian oil imports but that has not yet convinced Budapest to budge. Hungary, often the odd one out in EU decision making, has demanded an exemption from the embargo for at least four years and wants 800 million euros ($860 million) in EU funds to re-tool a refinery and boost the capacity of a pipeline to Croatia. The outbreak of the war in Ukraine has prompted EU states to try and rapidly reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports, including natural gas. Search Keywords: Short link: The Public Prosecution referred on Monday a man to an Urgent Criminal Court on charges of physically assaulting his wife, Mary Magdy, using a knife and a wooden slab after a video went viral showing his assault on her last week. The Public prosecution also accused the man of possessing and carrying cold weapons without a permit or professional reasons. According to the prosecution, on 13 May the victim and her daughter filed a complaint to the prosecution against her husband accusing him of assault that caused injuries all over her body after attacking her with a wooden slab and a knife over a family dispute. Following the complaint, the prosecution viewed a short video clip that went viral on social media last week in Egypt depicting the accuseds latest assault on the victim. The viral video resulted in the launch of a social media campaign calling for the arrest of the husband, with Magdys name trending for a couple of days in Egypt. A mother of three, Magdy, who is in her 30s, told the media that she suffered from her husbands violence for a long time and filed four complaints against him at the police station. She also said that she received help from the National Council For woman and the Ministry of Social Solidarity after the spread of her short video. The prosecution added that it questioned the victims daughter, who confirmed that there were always disputes between her parents that reached their peak on the day of the assault. Furthermore, the prosecution questioned ten witnesses from the husbands family who witnessed the assault and said that they were alarmed by the screams of the couples daughter from their home and upon their arrival, they witnessed the husband as he was physically assaulting his wife. The witnesses added that they grabbed the man and took from his hand the knife asserting that the couple had frequent disputes. Upon further investigations, the prosecution found out that the husband has a criminal record and was previously accused in a number of cases. The medical examination of the victim stated that she had a cut on her head and bruises on different parts of her body. Currently, the defendant is in pre-trail detention, according to the prosecution. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Minister of Defence and Military Production Mohamed Zaki departed on Tuesday for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the head of a high-ranking military delegation for an official visit, the military spokesman said in a statement. The visit, which will last several days, is set to witness discussions on a host of topics of common interest as well as military cooperation between the two sides. The visit comes within the framework of the strong ties between Egypt and DR Congo and the sustained military cooperation between the two nations, the statement pointed out. Search Keywords: Short link: It is hard to find an argument the Arabs use more frequently in their interactions with the world abroad at times of crisis. When crisis hits this part of the world, immediately, Arabs talk about double standards. The charge of double standards is generally levelled at the international community for applying one set of standards to powerful Western nations and another set to the rest of the world, which includes us. The argument presumes a kind of universal moral charter upheld by international law as based on international conventions, treaties and agreements that should command the respect of all and be applied equitably without discrimination. The presumption is something akin to a state or government embodied in such institutions as the UN, UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice in which member nations are the equivalent of citizens who should have equal standing before the law. In recent history, that line of thinking has been closely associated with the various phases of the Arab-Israeli conflict which currently centres on the Palestinian Cause and the question of Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in June 1967. In the more than seven decades of this conflict, supporters of this cause deployed the double-standards charge in the context of Western (Western European and North American) pro-Isreal stances, arguing that they conflict with the liberal and democratic principles those powers claim should prevail across all corners of the earth until the end of history and beyond, if there is a beyond. But this works in two ways. In the case of a foreign territorial occupation in another country - Ukraine, for example - the Arabs ask why the international community focuses on that and ignores the Israeli occupation. Alternatively, when President Saddam Hussein invaded and occupied Kuwait, many Arabs suggested that he should only withdraw from that country in exchange for the Israeli withdrawal from Arab territory. That would presumably restore the balance and eliminate the Western sin of double standards. In fact, we find not just double standards in the world, but triple and quadruple standards, depending on the relative ability of countries of diverse levels of power and geographic position to pursue their interests. Nor is there a single universal moral or legal framework. In this multi-cultural, multi-religious world, different frames of reference determine what behaviours and assessments are legitimate. That is what politics is about. International law and its procedural codes were basically the product of agreements between world powers, especially the five permanent members of the UN Security Council that have the right to exercise a veto. These laws concern important matters. As for the less important issues, they are generally the subject of an agreement which, in turn, is often open to different interpretations: one for the state parties, another for its allies and a third for the rest of the world. Take a look at the normative contentions surrounding the Ukrainian crisis these days. There is a set of standards for every side. Russia holds that its invasion of Ukraine was an act of self-defence undertaken because of the likelihood that Kyiv would join NATO. Moscow and its supporters point to the US reaction when the Soviet Union deployed missiles in Cuba, 90 miles off the coast of the US, and ask why Russia should not have the equal right to feel every bit as threatened, in this case by the spectre of hostile US missiles positioned directly on the Russian border. The US has compiled a long list of Russian breaches of internal law and established principles. If left unanswered, Washington argues, Moscow would claim the right to apply the logic of its aggression against Ukraine to the three Baltic states (Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia) which are NATO members bordering Russia, a list that will grow after Finland and Sweden join the pact. The hard truth in international relations is that the only standards that stand are those on which there is an agreement. But that hinges on interpretation, which varies from one situation or crisis to the next, and on the continuation of a spirit of consensus. The decisive factors in both cases (the interpretation and the consensus) is the national interests of the concerned parties and their relative power to pursue or protect those interests. A growing problem with norms and multiple standards is that not all international players are states. In recent decades, multinational companies have become more powerful and influential than many states. International terrorist organisations do not recognise the world order and even aim to undermine it as they engage in their activities on the fringes of the world and in fragile states. Meanwhile some crucial global concerns, such as Covid-19 which has killed millions, have been basically left to individual countries to deal with as best they can. After a vaccine was discovered, the majority of the world cried out for the fair distribution of the serums or the technologies to produce them, and railed against the double standards that grant the relative few a right to life and withhold that right from the rest of humanity. Before the pandemic, the world knew that greenhouse gases would destroy the planet. However with the Russian-American war in Ukraine, climate change has been kicked off the list of international priorities. None of this is new to the Arab world. But the double-standards argument remains available for all situations, and no one has tired of faulting the international community for its hypocrisy. Arab diplomats are experts at wielding the argument in international forums where they derive a measure of satisfaction at putting world powers on the spot for their lack of integrity. Friendly countries may congratulate them on this, but afterwards no one asks whether any progress has been made on the issues raised. As mentioned above, the Palestinian cause occasions frequent use of the double standards charge, not least with every new instance of Israeli settlement expansion. More recently it surfaced in connection with Israels assassination of the Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. As we all know, the US will not find it in its heart to punish another country that was built on a settler movement like itself, especially since some of the settlers in the US were Jews and Arabs as well. If the Arabs central cause has a law, it is that those with the ability to impose de facto realties prevail. Recently, Israel announced plans to build 4,000 housing units in Area C in the West Bank. Ostensibly, they will also allow Palestinians to build 1,000 units on their own land. Israel has imposed tight restrictions on the Palestinians right to build in the West Bank, Gaza and, indeed, in Israel itself, where 21 per cent of its citizens are of Palestinian origin. The only de facto reality that the Palestinians have managed to assert is their continued existence on the territory of historic Palestinian, which is to say, not just in the West Bank and Gaza but in present-day Israel as well. Unfortunately, they failed in everything else. They have not built an independent state. The polity they established has split into three: those wanting to assimilate into the Israeli state, those living in Gaza under Hamas theocracy, and the Palestinian Authority whose power has shrunk to just the West Bank, and barely that. Here, at least, we find the only place where you can see a single standard. There can be no Palestinian cause that does not meet the criterion of a unified authority representing the whole of the Palestine people. Until then, double standards can have no bearing on the issue. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Zahi Hawass continues his four-part series of articles with the search for the tomb of the ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra and her Roman lover Mark Antony Plutarch, the Roman author, states that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were buried together in Alexandria. The historical evidence indicates that Cleopatra built a tomb for herself near her palace in Alexandria, which is now underwater. There are many scholars and amateurs who have searched for the tomb of Alexander the Great. Some believe that he was buried in Alexandria, and the famous Greek waiter Stelios Comoutsos began the search in the area of Ramleh Station for the tomb. The great historian Liana Souvaltzi worked at Siwa inside a temple excavated by Steindorf, a German archaeologist, and believed that Alexander the Greats tomb was located in Siwa. Other people think that the great Greek leader was buried in the Bahariya Oasis because of the temple in that area. However, no one has ever begun a massive search for the tomb of Cleopatra. This is likely because everyone thought that her tomb was next to her palace, which we know is now underwater in the royal quarter of Shatby. In October 2004, Kathleen Martinez, an archaeologist and historian from the Dominican Republic, came to Egypt to meet me and present to me her theory. She had developed a theory that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were buried inside a temple dedicated to Isis and Osiris at Taposiris Magna, a location about 45 km west of Alexandria near an area called Borg Al-Arab. Martinez presented the following theory: in her life and art, Cleopatra had associated herself strongly with Isis, portraying herself as the goddess and Mark Antony as her consort Osiris. The Temple of Taposiris Magna, dedicated to Isis and Osiris, would thus be a place of important religious symbolism to her in life and death. It had retained its significance as a place of religion, and it was a very important temple at that time and afterwards, as Plutarch records it being associated with the Osirian mysteries. The ancient writer Strabo also records that Alexander the Great stopped at this temple on his journey to the Siwa Oasis. Cleopatra was afraid that the hatred of the Romans would lead them to destroy her remains, so it is logical she would have entrusted her body to a group of people she knew would protect it. The location of the temple is also ideal, within the ancient limits of Alexandria but outside the area controlled by the Romans at the time. The priests of the temple could have easily hidden her body away from the Romans and kept it safe for eternity. No other temple fulfils these conditions as well as Taposiris Magna, making it a possible location for the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The religious and political significance of the temple, along with its safe location, would make it a good place for Cleopatra and Mark Antony to be buried. Previous research: I was convinced that Cleopatra and Mark Antony could be buried in this temple. Therefore, we began the first archaeological search for the queen in October 2005. The Temple of Taposiris Magna is located along the coastal road between the Mediterranean Sea and the freshwater Lake Mareotis. The temple area was called pr-wsir in the Pharaonic Period, which was interpreted into Greek as Busiris. In modern times, it is known as Abusir. There are around 14 locations in Egypt called Abusir, all connected with the story of Isis and Osiris. This legend tells how Osiris was killed and dismembered by his brother Seth, who scattered the pieces up and down the Nile. Osiris wife Isis then collected all the pieces of her husband and used her magic to bring him back to life and bear his son Horus. The city of Taposiris Magna was founded by king Ptolemy II (280-270 BCE), but the first reference to the temple was by Strabo, who lived in Alexandria around 25 BCE. Plutarch said that the reason it was called Busiris was because the body of Osiris had lain there. This may also be a reason the temple was dedicated to Isis and Osiris. During the Roman Period, the Romans turned the site into a fortress and dismantled the inner sanctuary. A church was erected in the acropolis in the fourth century CE consisting of a Byzantine basilica with a T-shaped ground plan, and this was expanded in the fifth century. At this time, the Roman fortress became a monastery and was later destroyed during the fourth day of Egypts later Arab occupation. The first important modern records of the temple come from Napoleons scientific expedition to Egypt at the end of the 18th century. Texts about the site were collected by scholars on this expedition but never published, although they left drawings and maps of the site that show that the pylons of the wall were three stories high at that time. They also provided plans of the stone tower and crypt. Other work includes the excavations made by Evaristo Breccia in 1905-1907, who found Greek inscriptions, most importantly one with the name of Ptolemy II and his wife Arsinoe, the earliest artefact from this site yet found. He also located buildings around the temple and private sanctuaries and irrigation systems from various periods. Later, Achille Adrian and Jasper Brinton did restoration work at the site at different times but neither project was ever completed. Another excavation was led by Edward L Ochsenschlager, who headed an American team working at the Mareotis lakeside for about a month in 1975. The last excavation prior to our own work was led by Gyozo Voros, who disproved previous ideas about the temple and took out the ancient pavement stones between the marked section boundaries where he thought the sanctuary had stood. The expedition found the objects listed in the catalogue. About 80-90 cm below ground level, they found the imprint of the former sanctuary and discovered that a Hellenistic shrine with Doric-style columns had once stood in the courtyard. Egyptian research: The Egyptian excavations began in 2005. We found many architectural components at different levels and also began to excavate the shafts inside and outside the temple. On the first level, we were able to discover the foundations of limestone rooms built parallel to the north wall. The floors of the rooms were also cased in limestone. In this area a pottery vessel was found that was one of the small vessels used to contain oil from the church that was used for blessings. A great number of these vessels were found that contained seals with Greek inscriptions. A headless royal statue was found below one of the walls of the first level. The second level that we found in the search for the tomb of Cleopatra showed architectural components dating to the end of the Roman Period. The most important was a rectangular building consisting of three rooms of different dimensions. Also found was an entrance at the end of the eastern wall of this building on the north that led to a hall with two small rooms on the east and west sides. A tunnel separated the two rooms, and at its end there was a door leading to another large room, its floor covered with blocks of limestone. The front of this building was used as a house for the leader of the Roman camp. On the third level of our excavation, we found five steps of a descending stairway on the west of the Roman house. Built of limestone, they lead to a court. The fourth level contains the foundations of the residential houses, perhaps used by the Ptolemaic temple priests. It contains a group of ovens, and in front of one oven was found a stela inscribed with 10 lines of Greek, which appears to have been a gift to the temple. To the south of these buildings are the foundations of another rectangular building, which has an altar on its western end leading to the sanctuary. This building could have been a chapel dedicated to the temple gods. In that chapel the arm of a statue was found representing the arm of Harpocrates (Horus, the son of Osiris). Thus, we can see that the temple was dedicated to Osiris and in the temple was a chapel of Isis, which would complete the divine triad of Osiris, Isis, and Horus. Several shafts were found inside and outside the temple. The first shaft inside the temple was cut into the rock to a depth of at least 25 metres. It contained niches cut into for use as stairs. At a depth of 25 metres was found a skeleton and also a collar made of gold. It seems that this skeleton was that of a male who had been left inside the shaft and never found. The excavation continued to 28 metres, and another skeleton was found, this time that of a male that appears to have been left in the shaft after the destruction of the temple, as we found objects of the temple rulers below it. The excavation in this shaft continued to a depth of 35 metres, which was found to date to the Ptolemaic Period. A third skeleton, that of a female, was found in a shaft located in the southwest corner of the temple. She had died in childbirth, and in her right hand she was holding a statue of Alexander the Great and wearing a ring on her left hand. Around her right ankle was a chain with an amulet of a snake. Another shaft was also found, the shape of which indicated that perhaps contained the entrance to a tomb. I was able to enter this shaft for about six metres a great adventure but I was faced with the problem of the high water table. Within the debris of the shaft a great number of Rhodian amphorae with seals containing the name of the factory and the names of the priests were found. These vessels date to the third century BCE and were used to transport the famous Rhodian wine. Many rooms were found near this shaft, and in one was found an alabaster head of a queen about one metre below the Byzantine floor level. The style of the head likely belongs to queen Cleopatra based on its similarity to her depiction on her coins. Further excavations: The shaft that was re-excavated outside the temple was located in front of the pylon south of the entrance. The location of this shaft near the entrance indicates that it dates prior to the temples construction. At a depth of about three metres, we found parts of amphorae, and at 17 metres we found part of the statue of a female. At 19.9 metres, we found the lower part of a statue without feet that represented a woman wearing a long robe. All the features display Pharaonic attributes, indicating that it is a royal statue. At a depth of 24 metres, we found another alabaster life-size head of a statue. The most important discovery we made was the large cemetery near the temple. A preliminary survey showed that there was a large cemetery extending to the east and west of the temple, indicating a strong relation between the temple and the cemetery. The most important discovery here was a group of anthropoid coffins, along with the high quality of the mummification and the good preservation of the mummies. The tombs had suffered many periods of destruction, but the artefacts recovered from them showed their richness. We were able to see golden masks on the mummies, as well as others that were in different colours and had hieroglyphic inscriptions. The mummies with gold are similar to the mummies discovered in the Valley of the Golden Mummies that I found recently in the Bahariya Oasis. We also found offering tables, lamps, and glass vessels near the mummies and occasionally a layer of gold used to cover the open parts. One of the beautiful masks found was used for the mummy of a young lady. The mask is made of gypsum, with the remains of gold on it. I was also able to excavate a tomb on the side that contained a hidden shaft containing two mummies in gold cases. Other mummies were found with hieroglyphic inscriptions on the casing. All the tombs in the cemetery are oriented in the direction of the temple. The style of the tombs found during the excavation fall into three categories: chamber tombs or hypogeum cuts into the mountain consisting of 13 steps down into a chamber or nave containing niches for burial; pit tombs having a simple shape and containing coffins cut into the mountain used for one or more burial; and anthropoid tombs that are similar to the pit tombs but have a human shape and contain only one burial. The style of the tombs and the burials, as well as the pottery found, dates the cemetery to the end of the Ptolemaic Period or the beginning of the Roman Period in the first or second century CE. The style of the amphorae known as AE 3 and the decoration of the lamps are also strong evidence of this date. This led to the conclusion that the excavation showed extensive human activity on the north side of the temple concentrated during the Roman and Byzantine periods. It was also proven that the camp of the Roman soldiers that was built inside the temple near the wall was not constructed at the beginning of the Roman Period, which indicates that the temple was not changed into a military citadel at the beginning of the Roman Period, as has been previously supposed. The most important discovery at the temple occurred when we began to re-excavate the foundations of the main chapel that had been previously found by the Hungarian mission. We were able to find three holes for temple objects. The Hungarian expedition had found a fourth hole located at the northeast corner, but they did not find any objects inside. They also destroyed a part of the two holes in the southeast and northwest corners and were unable to find the temple foundations. We were able to discover a hole in the southwest corner in good condition, but we did not find any objects in it from the temple foundations. It may have been robbed in the Roman Period. But in the hole found in the northwest corner, we found three small stelae. The discovery of these objects can give us the date of the temple construction during the time of Ptolemy IV. Some people believe that the cemetery was built by people who wanted to be buried near Osiris, but I believe that the cemetery was for people who wanted to be buried by an important person such as a king or a queen inside the temple. If one follows the sunset and observes how it sits on the akher (horizon) of the temple pylon, one can see the relation between the cemetery and the temple. We conducted a radar survey of the temple, and this showed indications of three anomalies in the rock around a depth of 25 metres. We hope to be able to examine these locations in future excavations. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: In response to President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis call for a national dialogue on Egypts political and economic priorities in the coming stage, the Wafd, Egypts longest-serving party, held a series of meetings last week to prepare for the discussions. The Wafds newly-elected chairman, Abdel-Sanad Yamama, described the national dialogue as a golden opportunity for political parties to present their visions on Egypts future and that a committee had been formed to prepare the Wafds agenda. Yasser Qoura, deputy chairman of the Wafd Party and head of the committee, talks to the Weekly about the partys preparations for the national dialogue How do you see President Al-Sisis call for national dialogue? This call was greatly welcomed by the Wafd Party. We, in the Wafd Party, believe that this call is a serious one and comes in time to put an end to political sclerosis in Egypt. We know that when President Al-Sisi came to office in June 2014 he drafted a number of priorities for the country, on top of which were fighting terrorism, restoring the countrys internal stability, and standing up to economic crises. This led political reform to take a back seat. But as the country regained stability and as the country is about to face a new wave of challenges, it is important that a national dialogue be held to find common ground among all political forces on the countrys priorities in the coming stage and introduce a number of political reforms. What about political reform? This is a very important issue for the Wafd Party. Being one of the oldest political parties in the world and with a history of more than 100 years, the Wafd has always been considered the voice of liberal democracy. We in the Wafd believe that Egypt is currently suffering from a state of political stagnation and we hope that the proposed national dialogue will be able to get it out of this condition. How do you describe the Wafds internal situation? During some point, the Wafd was roiled with internal rivalries and conflicts, but after the democratic election of Abdel-Sanad Yamama last year as a new chairman of party, the Wafd restored stability and its members now agree that it should regain its pioneering role in defending liberal democracy, freedoms, respect of human rights and free and fair elections. What political reforms are expected to be adopted by the Wafd during the national dialogue? The Wafd Party decided to form a committee to be tasked with preparing its vision on political reform. I was appointed head of the committee which will include a number of the partys senior officials and with the cooperation of the Wafd Partys Institute for Political Studies. The committee shall prepare a paper to be presented to the national dialogue on The Wafds vision for political reform. But all in all we think that a number of essential political reform steps should be taken to reinvigorate political life. These should include amending the constitution, changing the political parties law, and forming a presidential council for Egyptian political parties to coordinate positions and policies and solve internal disputes peacefully. We believe that the existence of a large number of political parties is not good. Most of these are not effective and without a clear ideology. We ask that political parties with liberal platforms be merged into one political party, and those with leftist ideologies be also unified into one political party. We want two strong political parties competing for power just like the Labour and Conservative Party in the United Kingdom and the Democrats and Republicans in the United States. What amendments does the Wafd want to be introduced to the political parties law? We want this law to be amended to help political parties have adequate sources of funding. The current law stipulates that political parties get funding from only two sources: membership fees and donations. These are by no means enough and lets recall that before the 2011 revolution the state was providing LE500,000 in annual financial assistance to each political party. But this came at the expense of the principle of independence of political parties. So the law should be amended to help political parties double their sources of income in order to be able to get to the people on the street in the form of organising political rallies, opening television channels and issuing newspapers. Political parties should be allowed to implement income-generating investment activities. On the other hand, the law should also be amended to allow political parties with similar platforms to merge with each other into a bigger entity. A presidential council should be formed to coordinate positions among political parties, intervene to solve internal disputes and negotiate with the government. Are you still in favour of the state donating money to political parties? No. We are completely against this. We believe that political parties should depend on their own sources of funding and have their own mouthpiece papers that should spread their platforms and fight their battles. What about businessmen? Do you agree that businessmen should set up political parties and join parliament? Our experience in Egypt shows that mixing politics with business is harmful to political life because businessmen usually use their money to buy votes and seats in the parliament. They aim to join parliament not to defend the peoples rights, but to get parliamentary immunity. Some believe that the call for political dialogue came under pressure from the US and the West and because of the economic pressures caused by the Ukraine-Russia war... Yes. I think that the US is exerting a lot of pressure in the area of democratisation, free speech and respect of human rights. But I do not think that President Al-Sisis call for national dialogue came from being under pressure. It came because of the economic pressures caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. I think that President Al-Sisi came to the conclusion that Egypt has defeated terrorism and regained stability and that it is high time to walk the road of political reform and democratisation. The president wants to listen to all views across the political spectrum and he wants to see how the principle of political pluralism and the multi-party system can be implemented. Do you agree that the Muslim Brotherhood should be excluded from the proposed national dialogue? It is completely impossible that a group having blood on its hands be allowed to participate in the dialogue. The dialogue should be open to all civilian forces which teamed up during the anti-Muslim Brotherhood 30 June Revolution. These are civilian forces which stood shoulder to shoulder against [the country] turning into a religious state. Some believe that the national dialogue should be organised by the Senate rather than the National Academy for Training (NAT) which they say is a bureaucratic institution affiliated with the presidency. What is the Wafds take on this? I think the president chose the National Academy for Training because it is responsible for organising global youth forums and so it has good experience in this field. Not to mention that by organising this conference the academy will open the door for young people to gain experience and prepare them as future leaders. Do you think that the Wafd Party could be a majority party in the near future? Right now we are rebuilding the party. The Wafds Higher Council will be elected next October to take charge of reforming the party and preparing it for parliamentary elections scheduled in 2025. Right now the Wafd has just 36 MPs in the House and the Senate. We want this number to be no less than 90 in the coming parliament and to be the majority party in the 2030 parliament. What message does the Wafd Party want to convey to Egyptians through the proposed national dialogue? Our message is that we are currently passing through very tough economic times due to the war in Ukraine and this requires us all to be patient and join hands with the state because we are all in an extreme state of danger. Do you agree that the scope of the national dialogue be widened to include economic issues? Economic issues should take priority. We want a new government that can tackle economic global challenges efficiently and professionally. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The chances that the current UN-sponsored Libyan roadmap will lead to the parliamentary and presidential elections that more than 2.8 Libyan voters have been looking forward grow slimmer by the day. The main Libyan political forces are still unable to reach a consensus on central issues related to the electoral process, and regional and international powers are still at odds over the priorities for a solution. All stakeholders may, therefore, be forced to rethink the situation and to launch an alternative agreement capable of succeeding where all previous attempts to remedy the Libyan crisis in the course of the past decade have failed. Despite all the complications on the ground, the structural flaws in the UN-sponsored process, and the obdurate impasses between Libyan parties, UN Special Adviser on Libya Stephanie Williams still holds out hope for the success of a roadmap she personally helped to forge during the meetings of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in Tunisia in November 2020. She continues to see elections and the reestablishment of legitimate unified political institutions as the essential key to ending the vicious cycle of interim phases and addressing Libyas political, security, economic and social problems which have worsened considerably in recent years. Williams plan, which enjoys the support of key Western powers, depends on the ability of existing Libyan institutions, above all the Tobruk based House of Representatives (HoR) and the Tripoli based High Council of State (HCS), to reach the necessary consensuses. Yet these very institutions have consistently evaded commitments and threw any number of spanners into the plan, taking advantage of powers they had acquired by virtue of the UN-led process to forge situations geared to protracting their existence and advancing their particular interests. The UN and world powers that supported these institutions since the Skhirat Accord of 2015 were unable to have a say in the new arrangements. During the past two weeks, parallel sets of talks have brought Libyan players together in Egypt and Switzerland. Cairo hosted the second round of the constitutional track dialogue, which was attended by representatives of the HoR and HCS and facilitated by Williams. The stated purpose was to agree on a constitutional framework for the elections. In Montreux, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre), an NGO that has been partnering with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to organise and facilitate talks, hosted a number of Libyan political, security and military figures to discuss the political process and ways to preserve the ceasefire concluded in Geneva on 23 October 2020. On 20 May, Williams announced that the joint committee of HoR and HCS delegates who were in Cairo to discuss the draft constitution that had been adopted by the Constitutional Drafting Assembly in 2017 had reached an initial consensus on 137 articles. These included Chapter 2 on rights and freedoms and the two chapters on legislative and judicial authorities, with the exception of a handful of articles. She urged participants to continue consultations towards reaching a consensus on the remaining articles. A third round is scheduled for June to settle the outstanding differences. Nevertheless a core problem remains. The UN wants the two parties to agree, first and foremost, on a constitutional basis for elections. The HoR remains determined to pursue the new roadmap it adopted in February 2022 that calls for amending the draft constitution and a referendum on it before elections. The HCS favours completing the constitutional basis first and deferring work on the draft constitutional provisions for the legislature until after the elections. To further complicate this, the Constitutional Drafting Assembly (CDA) is a popularly elected body, as opposed to the new drafting committee called for in the February 2022 roadmap. In the end, the court ruled that the Libyan people, through the ballot box, were alone entitled to determine whether or not to accept the current draft version. This means that any amendments to the existing draft constitution could complicate matters instead of solve them. Williams upbeat remarks on the progress attained during the second round of the constitutional track were warmly received by the US and UK, both strong supporters of the UN adviser, but not by the CDA. The assembly called on the HoR, the HCS and UNSMIL to respect its work and leave it to the Libyan people to have their say in the ballot box as to whether to accept or reject the draft constitution. The CDA cautioned that any actions that undo the work of this constituent assembly through amendment will be the subject of legal challenges regardless of how much time passes. The talks sponsored by the HD Centre convened on 12 May and were attended by representatives of the main militia factions in eastern and western Libya and a number of political figures with the aim of discussing the political process. Libyan sources present at the meeting reported that participants agreed to work to preserve the calm in Libya and avert a return to war. They also announced that another round of this track would be held in Morocco in a few days. At the same time, some Libyan news sources have reported that the HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh and HCS Speaker Khaled Al-Mishri reached an unpublicised agreement on forming a new cabinet. The agreement is evidently meant to resolve the standoff over the government formed by the HoR-designated Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha. The parallel Cairo and Montreux meetings are indicative of a dual strategy. On the one hand, they reflect the international communitys determination to build up the momentum of the current political process, regardless of the shortcomings and the uncertainty of the results. On the other hand, it appears that preparations are being laid out for an alternative process in the event the current one collapses due to the intransigence of the main Libyan parties. Perhaps feeling threatened by these meetings, the HoR designated prime minister secretly entered the capital in the early morning hours of 17 May in the company of his ministers of health and foreign affairs. His arrival, images of which circulated on social media, triggered clashes between the militias that support him and those that support his rival, Government of National Unity Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbeibah, who has refused to step down. Bashagha was forced to leave a few hours after he arrived. The sudden outbreak of violence in the capital, which left one dead and five wounded, stirred widespread alarm in the diplomatic community. Urgent appeals from numerous quarters exhorted the parties to exercise restraint, avert violence and engage in the political process. Dbeibah and Bashagha blamed each other for the violence and reaffirmed their stated positions with respect to one another. After returning to western Libya, Bashagha said that his government would operate out of Sirte until conditions were such that his government could enter the capital without bloodshed. That Bashagha had entered Tripoli at all was a surprise, since only a few days earlier he had announced that he intended to base his government in Sirte due to Dbeibahs refusal to hand over power to anyone but an elected official. Whether or not Bashagha had yielded to pressures from supporters who wanted his government to establish itself in Tripoli, that option is clearly out of reach at present in light of the prevailing balance of militia powers in the capital. With this failure to prove to supporters and allies at home and abroad his influence over the militias in the capital, Bashaghas prospects of remaining in his post have dwindled. The UN and the Western powers determination to avert a backslide into warfare, his local allies disinclination to work out Sirte, the difficulties of governing out of Benghazi, and the need to curb tensions may combine to force Bashagha out of the scene in order to prevent further deterioration. Similar concerns must be motivating a possible Plan B should the current UN-sponsored plan falter again. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Hopes for a nuclear deal between Tehran and the West have waned amid anger and mistrust since Iran buried a top Revolutionary Guards officer killed in broad daylight outside his Tehran home this week. The Iranian authorities did not officially accuse Israel of being behind the attack, but the local media pointed to the responsibility of the forces of global arrogance and tyranny, meaning America and Israel. They also reported the arrest of Zionist agents, without providing any further information. The targeted killings of influential Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists are the most common methods in the indirect confrontation between Iran and Israel. This shadow conflict has resulted in up to a dozen Iranian officials being killed in recent years, many by gunmen on motorbikes using weapons fitted with silencers. Tit-for-tat attacks have taken place on the high seas, where dozens of merchant ships linked to both countries have been attacked with mines or drones. While Iran had previously been reluctant to acknowledge any attack by Israel, in recent times it has promised to respond to any attack on its forces outside Iran or assassination attempts inside the country. This year, for example, the Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for the March 13 missile attack on what it said was an Israeli intelligence centre in northern Iraq. That followed an alleged Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital Damascus that killed two guards commanders in the same month . Earlier this year Iran also fired ballistic missiles at a manor near the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, which it claimed had housed Israelis who had used it to launch deadly drone attacks inside Iran. Given these military responses to what Iran considers to be Israeli attacks, the shadow war between the two countries is expected to intensify in the coming months. The assassination of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a member of the Quds Force, which is the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, will probably force Tehran to harden its position in the nuclear negotiations, refusing to make any concessions or compromises. The nuclear negotiations, which have stalled since last March, are facing an impediment that may lead to a complete collapse because of the differences between Washington and Tehran over the Revolutionary Guards and the Quds Force, both of which are on the US list of terrorist organisations. Washington rejects any link between reaching a nuclear deal with Iran and removing the Revolutionary Guards from its list of terrorist organisations, while Tehran is adamant that there can be no nuclear deal without removing the Revolutionary Guards from that list. The killing of Colonel Khodaei on Sunday, at about 4pm local time outside his house in downtown Tehran, at the hand of at least two assailants on motorbikes who fired five bullets at him, will only complicate this further. An Iranian diplomat who previously served in London told Al-Ahram Weekly that this weeks assassination was not only an attack against a prominent Iranian military official, but also an attack against the organisations of the Revolutionary Guards and the Quds Force: This will not be tolerated. In recent years, the Revolutionary Guards have been subjected to several attacks, prominent leaders of the guards were assassinated. Continuing this aggressive approach, and Washingtons insistence on keeping the Revolutionary Guards on its list of terrorist organisations will ultimately lead to the collapse of negotiations. No Iranian official will accept a nuclear agreement on these terms. Irans vital interests are not a nuclear deal at any price. The Iranian diplomat reiterated his countrys position that Tehran will continue to support its militia allies across the Middle East. Khodaei was a prominent member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, an elite unit tasked with conducting operations outside Iranian territory to enhance Irans regional influence and protect its vital interests, and the interests of its regional allies. He had played a central role in military activities in Iraq and Syria, in which Iran has consolidated its presence over the last decade and developed formidable political influence. He was also a close associate of general Qassem Suleimani, the Iranian security tsar assassinated in Baghdad by a US airstrike in January 2020. Suleimanis death sparked a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles on then US airbases in Iraq. Senior Iranian officials, including Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, vowed to avenge the killing of Khodaei. On Monday President Raisi called for the attackers to be caught. I insist on the serious pursuit of the murderers by security officials, and I have no doubt that the blood of this great martyr will be avenged, he said ahead of a visit to Oman. Without any doubt, this crime can be traced to the hand global tyranny. While Iranian officials claimed to have arrested Zionist agents, Israeli officials offered no official comment on the latest assassination. However, the news was carried widely by the Israeli press, which linked Khodaei to an alleged plot to kidnap Israeli diplomats abroad. Iranian authorities have not confirmed what position Khodaei held in the Quds Force. But reports in domestic media suggested he had recently returned from Syria, where Iranian forces have helped shore up the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad. Khodaei is reported to have led operations against Israel, which has carried out airstrikes against Iranian forces in Syria. Iran says it holds an advisery role in Syria and Iraq to help local, voluntary forces defend the holy shrines of Muslims. Those who are defeated by the forces who defend the holy shrines are showing their frustration in these ways, Raisi added. It is too early to know all the implications of the assassination on the course of the nuclear negotiations. But negotiations were already faltering amid growing pessimism about the possibility of a breakthrough. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The Minya Criminal Court sentenced on Tuesday nine men to death for killing 11 others in a 2011 vendetta shooting in the governorate. The court sentenced the nine men to death by hanging and one other to life in prison for the killings that took place in the city of Maghagha, located in the north of the governorate. The victims were reportedly killed in retaliation for the killing and mutilation of one of the defendants relatives. The court also sentenced another defendant in the trial to 15 years in prison. Vendetta shootings and blood feuds between families or tribes are not uncommon in Upper Egypt. To deal with the violence the government has enlisted the help of religious institutions like Al-Azhar, which launched an initiative for reconciliation between families. Search Keywords: Short link: African countries must prioritise working with multilateral institutions to address ongoing global crises, especially climate change, that disproportionately affect the continent, President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo said on Tuesday. Addo made his statements during his speech at the opening ceremony of the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meeting that is being held in Accra, the capital of Ghana, over five days. Addo identified five priorities the continent needs to deal with amid severe ongoing global challenges, which include working towards a debt action plan, collaborating and working with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the G20 Common Framework, exploring options for the strategic use of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to support Africa through the AfDB, working with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other global institutions to promote the establishment of a food security facility, and promoting the African Financial Stability Mechanism for greater financial market stability for Africa. Since February, prices of staple food commodities have surged drastically. Africa faces a fertiliser shortage of some two million metric tons in 2022, estimated at $2 billion, according to the IFAD, potentially creating a productivity deficit of 20 percent to 50 percent in agriculture. Rising food prices disproportionately affect African families, as food consumes some 40 percent of household income, compared to less than 20 percent in advanced economies, Addo explained. Regarding the continents debt issue, Ghanas president said that Africas debt to GDP ratio rose an estimated 71.1 percent between 2019 and 2020, up from 60 percent prior to that, mainly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In these trying times, the IMFs $650 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDR), approved in August 2021, was meant to be of significant relief. However, based on the allocation principles, the African economies got $33 billion, which is about five percent. Moreover, the promise to reallocate some $100 billion of the SDR allocations to our economies, which was agreed to at the Paris Summit in 2019, has so far yielded about $36 billion in pledges as of April 2022. The strategic decision to make the AfDB the delivery vehicle for these SDRs must be pursued and achieved. Leveraging the SDRs (four times as AfDB does) will significantly boost resources for Africas transformation, according to Addo. As the AfDBs 2022 meetings key theme is Achieving Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa, AfDB President Akinwumi A. Adesina noted that Africa is disproportionately affected by the negative impacts of climate change, including rising frequency and intensity of droughts, cyclones, floods and desertification. Climate change is shortchanging African economies. Africa suffers $7 billion up to $15 billion in losses annually due to climate change, which are projected to rise to $40 billion per year by 2030, he explained. It is worth noting that AfDB has recently doubled its financing for climate to $25 billion by 2025 that are being directed to the African countries, with the share of its climate finance dedicated to adaptation represents 67 percent, the highest among all multilateral development banks globally. Search Keywords: Short link: Militants from the Islamic State group killed 12 civilians and wounded at least six in two separate attacks in Iraq, apparently taking advantage of a sandstorm that sharply reduced visibility across the country, security officials said Tuesday. The attacks occurred on Monday evening in Kirkuk and Diyala provinces, where farmers came under fire while harvesting their crops. The Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement that six civilians were killed in the attack in the village of Sami Asi, south of the city of Kirkuk. The Kurdish news network Rudaw said after the killings, an Iraqi federal police force that arrived on the scene was ambushed and three policemen were killed. Earlier, IS launched an attack in Diyala's town of Gulala, killing six residents, two Iraqi security officials said. The Sunni extremist group claimed responsibility late Monday for the Kirkuk attack, claiming it killed five Shiites in their agricultural fields in al-Rashad area in Kirkuk and set fire to five vehicles. It said its fighters clashed with a supporting unit from the federal police and destroyed one of their vehicles. IS overran large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 and declared a self-styled Islamic caliphate. The group was territorially defeated in 2017 after a years-long war spearheaded by local forces and a US-led international coalition. But it continues to carry out hit-and-run attacks through sleeper cells across both countries. Search Keywords: Short link: Health authorities in the United Arab Emirates detected on Tuesday the country's first case of the monkeypox virus in a young woman who traveled from West Africa. The government said little about the patient, but stressed that authorities were investigating her contacts and ``taking all necessary measures`` to limit the spread of monkeypox. The statement did not say where the case had been discovered in the federation of seven sheikhdoms, which includes the capital of Abu Dhabi and tourist hub of Dubai. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, authorities similarly had declined to offer a geographic breakdown for COVID-19 cases. The diagnosis in the UAE marks the first reported case on the Arabian Peninsula. Israel recorded the first reported case in the Middle East earlier this week. The World Health Organization has identified over 100 cases globally. Cases of the smallpox-related disease have previously been seen only among people with links to central and West Africa. But Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the US, Sweden and Canada all reported infections, mostly in young men who hadn't previously traveled to Africa. France, Germany, Belgium and Australia have also identified cases. The virus originates in primates and other wild animals and causes fever, body aches, chills and fatigue in most patients. People with severe cases can develop a rash and lesions on the face, hands and other parts of the body. Search Keywords: Short link: Finland's foreign minister said at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital amid pushback from Turkey on the Nordic nations' application to join NATO. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said Tuesday during a geopolitical outlook panel that the representatives will head to Turkey on Wednesday for talks. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed the negotiations. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finland's historic bid to join the military alliance, citing their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. Turkey also points to their arms exports restrictions against it. Haavisto says he understands Turkey has ``security concerns`` regarding terrorism and that Finland has ``good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled.`` NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do ``what we always do'' and ``that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns.`` He says he's confident that the group will be able to ``solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance.`` Search Keywords: Short link: Press Release May 23, 2022 Sponsorship speech: preparing the Philippines for the futures of education By Senator Pia S. Cayetano Chairperson, Senate Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking I rise today to report on and sponsor the findings and recommendations of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking, jointly with the Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, under Committee Report No. 643, on the Futures of Education. This Committee Report examines the country's current situation, problems, aspirations, and gathers the recommendations of experts and stakeholders during the Committee's hearings and further study, in order to secure the best possible future for education. Interestingly, the pandemic gave us the opportunity to invite foreign experts who attended our hearings online. Mr. President, we have filed a lengthy committee report, and also prepared a detailed sponsorship speech, but in the interest of time, I will just be quoting certain highlights of the Committee Report. Like many countries around the world, we remain stuck in the factory model of education, a one-size-fits-all model that merely gauges the worth of students according to their test scores. The ideal future of education must instead value, recognize, and hone the individuality of each learner. According to Dr. Peter Bishop, Founder and Executive Director of Teach the Future in Houston, Texas, "most educators and the society at large believe that the mission of education is to transmit knowledge and experience" to the next generations. However, he noted that this view means that... "knowledge and experience is useful only to the extent that [what] the students [will] have in the future is the same as the world of the past" but in fact, "much of what schools teach their learners might actually be irrelevant if the world of the future is not the same as the past." The World Economic Forum (2020) states that in 10 years, automation technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) are expected to change 50% of jobs, while eliminating 5% of them. Due to this, 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills. 65% of students entering primary school today will work in jobs that do not yet exist. The Committee makes use of futures thinking as a tool that provides a way of envisioning the different futures of education, and how to achieve the best one. The Asian Development Bank explains the importance of futures thinking, I won't read this into the record now, but they are part of this report. Also in the report, we traced the history of education in the Philippines. We noted that the Philippines mirrored the factory model of education, which was prevalent in the West at the time of the industrial revolution. So, now we ask ourselves using Futures Thinking tools: "what does education look like in 10, 15, 20 or 30 years from now, based on the decisions we make today? What are the new skills and competencies that future generations are going to need? How are we preparing students for jobs that do not yet exist? And what kind of learning environments will be needed?" Surprisingly, cartoons like "Betty in High School 2021 A.D." - this is part of the Archie Series - published in 1997, and I show this on the screen, they were able to predict in 1997 that home-based education with the use of technology would become a thing. So if you look at the screen, it shows Betty studying in front of the computer. In the ideal future of Philippine education, students are not only learning in the classroom, since blended learning and technology allow them to study and learn in different environments. During the pandemic the lack of interaction between students became evident. Again, this was predicted in the 1997 cartoon series of Betty in High School, wherein Betty and her friends, Archie and Veronica and the like, visited their parents' school and marveled at the canteen where the students could mix and mingle, and talk about their projects, they marveled at the classroom setting where all the students were sitting together. Something that they were not experiencing anymore, and something that our young students have now been experiencing for the past two years because of the pandemic. In the ideal future, curricula and courses are redesigned to address the needs of the future economies and technologies. Teachers are more focused on teaching students 21st century skills and the 4 Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication. Learning is also more personalized to the capabilities of students. Education is refocused away from learning one field to developing multiple abilities and skills for a variety of fields, keeping future workers adaptable to shifting work environments. SDG 4 includes the attainment of education for all. Without a clear vision of our desired future of education, students will remain bound to classroom-based learning with little flexibility. Learners in remote areas without the ability to take advantage of technology, may find it very difficult to expand their learning environments and creativity, and learners will lack the skill set to thrive in a more competitive and connected work environment. It should be emphasized that achieving SDG 4 on Quality Education will help us realize all the other SDGs - such as good health, sustainable cities and communities, decent work and economic growth, among others - and will empower Filipinos with the skills needed to build a successful, dignified life, contributing to not just on the national but on the global stage as well. But still a lot of work needs to be done to achieve our preferred future. To this end, Dr. Alex Brillantes of the National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines, emphasized the importance of cooperation, competition, and thinking globally and acting locally. By employing futures thinking at the policy level, we can have a systematic assessment of education and its direction in light of the potentials of the future. On this note, the Department of Education has been one of the first agencies to have created a futures office. According to Secretary Briones, this is the DepEd's "response to the need for futures thinking in education, for readiness to confront the rapid changes, the challenges, and opportunities of the future." We also recognize our colleagues who have also been supportive of institutionalizing and mainstreaming futures thinking in the education sector, particularly: Senator Gatchalian, the Chairman of [the Basic Education Committee], who has sponsored a number of education reform measures and agrees on the importance of assessing where we are, to come up with solutions to the problems we find, and to look at the future; Senator Villanueva, the Chairman of Higher Education and TESDA, who has emphasized the need to integrate futures perspectives in higher education; and Senator Angara, who has adopted our recommendation of funding various futures thinking initiatives in the last three years. We have various recommendations, which are in our Committee Report. But let me just emphasize: Institutionalizing and providing an enabling environment for Futures Thinking in education and relevant agencies is very important; Focusing on the whole child and supporting their holistic well-being; Prioritizing the knowledge, skills, and mindsets in order to develop 21st Century competencies; Ensuring that our local workforce is prepared to join the global workforce through training in English proficiency and digital literacy; Improving the teaching profession; Taking advantage of and investing in technology and innovation to enhance education; and Crafting and implementing the relevant legislation and policies, and providing the necessary budgetary support. In conclusion, with the world changing and advancing so rapidly, we are faced with the choice of either adapting or being left behind. In cultivating a better environment for education and learning, we must devote more time and resources into research, planning, and investments to take us steps closer into our preferred future of education. While this Committee Report is far from exhaustive, the Committee hopes that it is a small step towards bettering our education system for the long-term, and challenging our current views so that we can empower Filipinos with the skills needed to build a successful, dignified life, contributing again not only to the country, but also on a global stage. Thank you, Mr. President. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth month, Egyptian diplomacy is trying hard to get due attention paid to regional stability and cooperation, reports Dina Ezzat June is promising to be a busy month for Egyptian diplomacy, which is trying hard to ensure that international diplomatic attention is paid to the arguably overlooked concerns of the Middle East and Southern Mediterranean region. The war in Ukraine has taken much longer than expected, and it is clear that the crisis will continue for at least a few more months, said one Egyptian diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. Our region has been suffering considerably due to the war, and our many concerns cannot be overlooked while the world cannot reach an agreement on a solution, he added. With the Arab countries, headed by Egypt, suffering from a severe drop in grain supplies from both Russia and Ukraine, food security has become a pressing concern for most Arab capitals, which are trying hard to find alternative resources. Egypt has been opting for sources including India and possibly Argentina. The further the source, the more costly the price becomes, however, stretching state coffers already under strain by a significant drop in foreign investments and tourism revenues. But Egyptian officials say that Egypt remains in a significantly better position than some other countries in the region whose food security has been very much compromised. According to the Egyptian diplomat, the concern about food security comes at the top of other economic and political problems that are in part caused by the war in Ukraine and in part have been exacerbated by it. Several Arab capitals have already reached out for assistance and warned their international partners that a delayed response could mean unrest in some countries, informed diplomatic sources say. We think that this is a very challenging moment and that it is in the interest of everyone to reach out with all possible assistance, because what is at stake here is the stability of a highly volatile region, the Egyptian diplomat said. During his participation in the Davos meetings of the World Economic Forum (WEF) this week, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri met with Borge Brende, president of the WEF, to discuss the economic crisis and food security concerns, according to a statement by ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez. In a few weeks, Shoukri is scheduled to go to Brussels for consultations that will also cover food and energy security. President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen is expected in Cairo around mid-June to discuss cooperation on food and energy security around the Mediterranean. The European Union has promised a solid assistance package on food security, but for sure the agenda of Von der Leyens talks in Cairo will also address energy cooperation. This is a vital issue for the Europeans in view of their wish to be independent of Russian gas supplies, the same Egyptian diplomat said. According to Egyptian and European sources, while in Cairo Von der Leyen will discuss upgrading supplies of natural gas from Egypt to Europe. This, they explained, will mean increasing gas exports from Israel to Egypt to allow for the gas to then go onto Europe. The EU has been actively engaging with several Arab countries on energy supplies. However, the Arab Gulf countries have not accommodated the European, and for that matter the US, requests to increase oil production. The Europeans have gone to Algeria in search of more sustainable gas supplies. However, Algeria has also been lobbied by Russia, a close partner, not to rush any increase of gas exports. Algeria is a key exporter of natural gas to Europe, but according to a paper by Intissar Fakir, a North Africa senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, Algerias current production capacity limits its ability to substantially increase export volumes to Europe. As of now, any meaningful increases in Algerian production will require years of exploration and development and, more crucially, further energy industry reforms to attract new investment, Fakir wrote. According to recent statements by Tarek Al-Molla, Egypts minister of energy, Egypts exports of natural gas to Europe currently stand at around 10 to 15 per cent of total gas imports to Europe. Egypt, he said, is working to increase its share of the European gas market. Libya is another North African country with considerable oil and gas reserves, and Europe is also eyeing Libya to diversify its energy suppliers. Cairo-based European diplomats say that European capitals are engaging Libyan interlocutors. However, they added that the continued internal Libyan political and military squabbles were not making the country a reliable source of energy supplies. Obviously, we are not getting off the Russian supplies overnight, but I think it will take quite a while for Libya to be a stable member of the regional and global energy market, one said. This year alone, inter-Libyan squabbles have blocked oil exports at least twice. The continued failure to find a compromise between the parallel Libyan governments of Abdel-Hamid Dbeibeh and Fathi Bashagha has been making it hard for Libya to find stability. Egypt, informed diplomatic sources say, has signalled a willingness to participate in and possibly host a meeting to help the Dbeibeh and Bashagha camps to come to a compromise. The proposed meeting might bring together both Egypt and Turkey alongside the US and various European countries. Getting Egypt and Turkey to be parties to a joint working team on Libya, diplomatic sources from both sides said, is not as difficult today as it would have been a couple of years ago. According to this diplomat, resolving the crisis in Libya might get more attention now, given the interest in its energy resources as a result of the war in Ukraine. This, he added, was not necessarily the case for other pressing Middle East concerns, however. It is no secret that the Palestinian cause has almost been dropped off the list of priorities for international politics for over a decade, he said. According to the Egyptian diplomat, there are many meetings that are being discussed to address the issue of regional security and cooperation, with the Palestinian cause being central. We may not see eye to eye on everything, but what we all agree on is that this region with all its problems, including those caused by the war in Ukraine, needs immediate and serious action to avoid giving the world another major crisis, he concluded. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkeys approval of the applications by Sweden and Finland to join NATO will hinge on changes in attitudes to Ankaras national security concerns, writes Karam Said On 21 May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan notified NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that Ankara would not support Swedens and Finlands applications to join the alliance, thereby effectively obstructing the process as the accession of new members requires the approval of all NATO members. While NATO insists on the importance of its open-door policy, officials in Ankara have stated that Finlands and Swedens accession would be a mistake and Erdogan has indicated that he does not view their applications positively. His country does not want to repeat the same mistake it made when it agreed to readmit Greece into NATO in 1980, he said. Ankara has made it clear that its approval for the Scandinavian countries bids would hinge on changes in their attitudes on issues of concern to Turkish national security interests. The Turkish stance contrasts with the resounding support for the Swedish and Finnish applications from the Western countries. Stoltenberg, in a statement on 18 May, warmly welcomed the requests of NATOs closest partners and stressed the alliance members determination to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions. French President Emmanuel Macron said his country fully supports Finlands choice to join the alliance. Karen Donfried, US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, announced that Washington was ready to support Stockholms and Helsinkis requests to join the pact. Ankaras solitary stance can only be understood in the context of its assessment of the implications of Swedens and Finlands NATO accession for a broad array of concerns for Turkey, from various regional crises in which Ankara is a stakeholder to bilateral relations with Stockholm and Helsinki and its future interplay with the Western powers in the light of recent political developments and ongoing differences between Ankara and the Western capitals on a number of issues. In addition, there is an undercurrent of tension between Ankara and NATO itself, which Turkey has frequently accused of failing to come to its support in the face of terrorist and border threats primarily from the direction of Syria. It has not forgotten how NATO refused to side with it during its collision with Moscow following the downing of a Russian jet over Syria near the border with Turkey in 2015. Ankaras close relations with Moscow also create certain constraints on Turkeys options. In the spirit of that partnership, Turkey has always opposed NATO enlargement up to Russias borders, and its opposition to the accession of Sweden and, above all, Finland, is consistent with this. Ankara and Moscow are bound by strong economic and military ties. The S-400 missile defence system that Turkey recently purchased from Russia is an example of the latter. In addition to collaboration on many joint commercial and investment projects, the two countries are also collaborating on major energy projects that might be considered a keystone of their bilateral relations. Turkey is worried by the spectre of military escalation in the event of the Scandinavian countries accession to NATO. Moscow has repeatedly cautioned those two countries against taking this step and warned that it would take military and technical countermeasures. Ankara believes that further NATO enlargement in that direction courts a direct confrontation between the alliance and Russia, the repercussions of which would inevitably be felt in Turkey. On 20 May, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in televised remarks that his country would establish 12 new military units and divisions in its Western Military District by the end of the year in response to NATOs anticipated expansion to Finland and Sweden and what Shoigu described as the increased threat to Russias borders due to increased NATO military deployments. Undoubtedly, Turkey fears that the inclusion of Sweden and Finland in NATO will affect its own expansionist calculations, not least in the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. While technically neutral up to now, Stockholm and Helsinki have been frequent critics of Turkish policy. In October 2021, they lashed out at Ankara for expelling the ambassadors of 12 European countries in response to their calls for the release of the Turkish rights activist and opposition figure Osman Kavala. Turkish thinking must be that if Stockholm and Helsinki had been so outspoken before they joined NATO, imagine how antagonistic they would be once they are inside the alliance. Ankara will recall the Greek precedent in this context and the price it had to pay for its mistake in approving Greeces readmission, the most recent example of which, to Ankaras mind, has been Athens campaign to mobilise the NATO nations against Turkish energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Not only does Turkey not see Sweden and Finland as potential allies or friends, it sees them as the hosts of terrorist organisations. Ankara has frequently accused Stockholm and Helsinki of sheltering terrorists, by which it refers to members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (KKP) and the Gulen Hizmet Movement. The Scandinavian countries support for the KKP and Hizmet, which Erdogan blames for masterminding the failed coup in Turkey in the summer of 2016, infuriates Ankara. In the light of this, it is little wonder that Turkey has greeted the NATO membership requests of the two countries so coolly. The thought that opponents of the Turkish regime are free to operate in Finland and Sweden will only strengthen Ankaras resolve to oppose their applications. Turkeys position on Sweden and Finlands membership of NATO is very clear and understandable, said Efkan Ala, deputy chairman of the ruling Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP). These countries should very clearly reconsider their relationship with the terrorist elements of the PKK and put an end to it. Noting that a Swedish minister had recently attended an activity that he alleged was organised by the PKK, Ala added that the problem of terrorism is not understood by these countries the way Turkey wants. They do not give it sufficient importance, even as Turkey is expected to respond to their security problems. The Finnish and Swedish NATO membership requests put Ankara in an excellent position to leverage its approval, essential if they are to be admitted, in order to settle a number of bones of contention with other Western powers in its favour. Among the problems that most nettle Turkey are US support for the Kurds in Syria and Washingtons responses to the Turkish purchase of the S-400 missile system, such as its decision to suspend Turkeys participation in the F-35 Stealth Jet programme and its refusal to approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Already there are signs that Washington is softening its positions on these issues, which a US State Department memo has argued would be in line with US national security interests and would also serve NATOs long-term unity. Another area where Turkey might wield its leverage is in the context of oil and gas exploration and maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean. If it remains unable to rally support for its territorial claims, at least it might temper European support for Greece. Given such dynamics, it is likely that the Turkish resistance to the Swedish and Finnish membership of NATO will last for some time. There are now two possible scenarios. One is that Ankara will dig in its heels in the light of Swedens and Finlands continued sheltering of the AKPs political opponents and their alleged lack of respect for Turkeys security concerns. The other is that Ankara will begin to soften its position in exchange for progress during talks on some of the above-mentioned concerns. At the moment, the latter scenario seems the more likely in view of the positive meeting between the Turkish foreign minister and his Swedish and Finnish counterparts on the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Berlin on 14 May. Afterwards, Turkish Presidential Spokesman and Senior Adviser to Erdogan on foreign affairs Ibrahim Kalin told Reuters that we are not closing the door. But we are basically raising this issue as a matter of national security for Turkey. At the same time, Ankara is aware that a possible price for its resistance to the Nordic countries NATO bids is an increasingly strident media campaign against it, casting it as pro-Russian and causing a resurgence of tensions in Turkeys foreign relations that Ankara has been working to reduce. It may further fear that Western nations such as the US, the UK, France and Germany will combine forces to escalate this campaign and impose sanctions on Turkey for its refusal to conform to their wishes. Any punitive measures would further rock the already shaky Turkish economy at a time when the country is looking ahead to crucial presidential and legislative elections a year from now. In sum, Ankara has many factors to weigh, and its calculations could fluctuate considerably in the light of the reactions of the Western powers and other developments in the weeks and perhaps months to come. Search Keywords: Short link: Fears are growing that Russia may withdraw its forces from southern Syria, leaving the area to the growing influence of Iran, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus On 18 May, Jordans King Abdullah II said the Russian presence in southern Syria was a stabilising factor and the void that would occur if it withdrew would be filled by Iran and its proxies. In an interview with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in the US, the Jordanian monarch added that his country was facing possible escalation on its border with Syria now that Moscow was distracted by the Ukraine war. King Abdullahs statements came amid reports that Iran is taking advantage of Russias preoccupation with the war in Ukraine to expand into south and central Syria. Russian troops have partially withdrawn from the area, including the mercenary Wagner Group and 200 members of the Fifth Corps, an ally of Russia which includes Syrian opposition members that have made their peace with the Syrian regime. Russias distraction owing to the war in Ukraine could divert its attention from Syria or at least cause it to suspend operations there. If this happens, it would be a gift to Iran, which would not hesitate to replace Russia and tighten its grip on areas once under Russian control. Russias withdrawal from southern Syria is still not certain, but it seems probable, especially since Russia will not want to be involved in two wars at the same time. Moscow is primarily concerned with its naval and air bases on the Mediterranean Sea, not deep inside Syria in areas it oversees but where the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is in charge of military operations. Russia is also concerned with Israels security and military coordination between the two countries, something it can guarantee using its air rather than ground forces. Iyad Barakat, an officer who has defected from the Syrian army, told Al-Ahram Weekly that there had as yet been no real Russian military withdrawal, however. The Russians are present in southern Syria, but they do not have military bases or camps there. Their troops are essentially deployed at observation posts and in patrols, and there are no military bases or camps, Barakat said. However, this does not mean that Iran is not slowly expanding and taking advantage of every possible opportunity to do so. Two years ago, its militias controlled 65 military posts. Today, it has 150, some of which are only hundreds of metres away from the border with Israel. Iran is expanding in southern Syria not to confront Israel, but as part of an expansionist plan to control the area right up to Saudi Arabias doorstep, he added. There has been no official comment from either Moscow or Damascus about reports of a possible Russian withdrawal from Syria. However, the Israeli website Debka has confirmed the partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria to redeploy in Ukraine. It said that Russia had started to transfer control of some areas to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) and Lebanese Hizbullah group, though this has not been confirmed. Since its military intervention in Syria in 2015, Russia has blocked Iran from gaining control of southern Syria, formed armed groups outside the influence of the IRG and Syrian regime, and blocked pro-Iranian generals from controlling the Syrian army. Meanwhile, Iran has been trying to assert its control over Syria both militarily and politically since the uprising against the Al-Assad regime began in 2011. Tehran has sent in military experts and soldiers, recruited sectarian militias to help the Syrian regime, and supported the intervention of Hizbullah. It would not hesitate to fill any void left by a Russian withdrawal. Irans presence in southern Syria represents three main threats, the first being a threat to the Syrian opposition since Iran would use excessive force to suppress any protests at its presence. The second threat is to Israel, which does not want Iran to neighbour it in Syria. The third threat is to Jordan, whose king warned in 2004 about the Shiite Crescent that Iran wants to achieve in the Middle East. Jordan sees an Iranian presence in southern Syria as an imminent danger on its northern border, and the Jordanian army is mobilising along the border with Syria to combat drug and arms smuggling. At the end of January, Jordan reported the deaths of 27 drug smugglers that it said had attempted to cross the border into Jordan. It announced a change in its rules of engagement, meaning that it will pursue smugglers inside Syrian territory. On the possible Russian withdrawal from Syria, Russian reserve officer Viktor Litovkin said in a statement that it is not possible to talk about indications of any strategic move by Russian forces in Syria without official confirmations, statements, and clarifications from the Russian Ministry of Defence. Theoretically, a partial withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria could be possible, on the condition that Russia has accomplished its main tasks eradicating the Islamic State (IS) group and helping government forces gain control of most of the country, he said, adding that there is no longer a need to maintain Russian military forces in large numbers in Syria, especially ground forces. Russian expert on Arab affairs Andrei Ontikov doubted that a withdrawal is likely. There will be no withdrawal of Russian military forces under current circumstances, Ontikov said in a statement, especially of the forces deployed in southern Syria, given the nature of that area which could become explosive if Iranian forces and Hizbullah reach the outskirts of the Golan Heights and deploy on the frontlines close to Israel. Speculation about a Russian withdrawal from Syria in favour of Iran came after a visit by Al-Assad to Tehran on 8 May. As well as the economic aspects of the visit, some political and strategic analysts believe Al-Assad could have asked Iran to bolster its presence in his country if the Russians begin to scale back their presence in some areas due to their preoccupation with the war in Ukraine. Saeed Moqbel, a Syrian opposition analyst, told the Weekly that it is unlikely that the Russian army needs the few hundred Russian fighters that are present in Syria for the war in Ukraine. This is an exaggeration when we look at the immense number of active and reserve Russian military forces of about one million troops. Neither Syrian regime forces nor the opposition forces have the ability to militarily control the south of the country, and Russia is aware of this. It is a safety valve there. If Russia withdraws, it will leave the area to chaos, and Iran will be the first to further entrench itself, he said. At the same time, Al-Assad needs Arab support in his efforts to engineer Syrias return to the Arab League. Any further takeover by Iran in Syria would undoubtedly affect Syrias attempts at rapprochement with the Arab countries and its receiving Arab Gulf money to save the country from economic collapse. No matter how much coordination there is between Russia and Iran in Syria, Moscows role contradicts that of Tehran in the country. Israel will also never trust Iran to deploy its forces just metres away from its borders. The Syrian opposition, Jordan, and others should be concerned about Russias possible withdrawal from southern Syria. Iranian groups are present in the area, and should the Russians leave, the area would spiral out of control with the increased smuggling and movement of arms. This scenario is unlikely, however, especially with the presence of US bases in Jordan and Syrian opposition forces in the south who are ready to cooperate with the US. All the parties stand to benefit from stability in southern Syria, and Russias role should be to continue to maintain it, at least for the time being. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Israel has approved a march that passes through Arab and Muslim neighbourhoods of Occupied Jerusalem and could spark fierce confrontations on the ground, writes Mohamed Abu Shaar Israeli police have approved a flag parade, or march, organised by radical Jewish groups to celebrate the occupation of Jerusalem in June 1967 on what these groups call Jerusalem Unification Day. Israel has controlled the holy city since 1967 and is continuing measures for its Judification. A similar march last year reached Bab Al-Amoud in Occupied Jerusalem and resulted in major confrontations on the ground in the Palestinian Territories and Israel. The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, fired rockets towards Jerusalem at the time of the parade that succeeded in breaking up the march but also extensive conflict in the Gaza Strip killing and injuring hundreds of Palestinians. It left behind large-scale damage including demolished residential buildings, homes, and infrastructure in several neighbourhoods of Gaza. It coincided with unprecedented confrontations in Arab cities inside Israel, which the Israeli police brutally crushed. This years march is planned to pass through the Bab Al-Amoud area towards the Al-Buraq (Wailing) Wall close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and then the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem. It will be a provocation for Palestinians, who have already been engaged in fierce confrontations with the Israeli police during Ramadan when the Israeli occupying forces protected hundreds of Israeli settlers who stormed the mosques courtyard to hold Talmudic prayers and perform other religious rituals. The Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestinian factions view Israels moves, intended to establish what Israel claims is the right of Jews to perform religious rituals in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as a prelude to the division of the mosque. Israel wants the mosque to receive Muslims at specific times and at other times to be reserved for Jews. During the parade, thousands of nationalist Jews flock to the holy city and march through the streets, raising Israeli flags and chanting through loudspeakers, as they dance and sing nationalist songs and anthems. Palestinians see the event as a provocation and a trigger for further clashes. The Israelis began commemorating the day in 1974 but stopped between 2010 and 2016 due to the resulting clashes between Palestinians and Israelis. Today, the Israeli police oblige Palestinian shop and business owners in the area to close down, disrupt their businesses, and prevent them from gathering in order to facilitate the passage of this march through Jerusalem. Knesset member Itamar Ben Gvir of the far-right Religious Zionist Coalition and Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the coalition, are leading the pressure on the Israeli government to ensure that the march is held and passes through the Muslim neighbourhoods of Jerusalem, on the basis that the entire city belongs to Jews. The pressure has forced Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and key members of his fragile government, a coalition with left-wing parties and an Arab party, to agree to the demands of right-wing extremists. It has led to the head of the Israeli police force breaking his silence and accusing Ben Gvir of being responsible for unrest between Jews and Arabs inside Israel. Criticism of the demands by right-wing extremists has also come from within the Israeli government during weekly cabinet meetings, where quarrels about the route of the march have erupted. The left-wing Meretz Party views it as both foolish and provocative. Lehava, a Jewish supremacist organisation, has published a picture on social media of a bulldozer demolishing the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem dated 28 May. They described it as the day to begin demolishing the Dome of the Rock, which radical Jews believe will mark the start of rebuilding Solomons Temple on its ruins. The PA has issued warnings that the march and other provocations by the radical right in Israel could be the prelude to possible war in the region. It has asked Washington to intervene to save the two-state solution in Palestine, based on East Jerusalem becoming the capital of a Palestinian state. Armed Palestinian factions in Gaza reject what they describe as the rules of engagement with Israel, asserting that Israeli assaults on Occupied Jerusalem will be met with a military response from Gaza. These factions, which include Hamas and Islamic Jihad, hope to use their military power in the Gaza Strip to change the balance of power in Occupied Jerusalem. They hope to prevent any repetition of the Israeli abuses, in the hope that this will increase their popularity at the expense of Fatah, the main Palestinian group which is a foe of both factions. Many Palestinians in Gaza believe that the economically dilapidated Strip, impoverished by successive wars mounted by Israel and the Israeli siege since Hamas came to power there in 2007, should not be the only area at the forefront of confrontations with Israel. However, the absence of effective popular resistance in the West Bank, due to reasons including Palestinian infighting and a lack of interest in the Palestinian cause due to other issues, has put the armed Palestinian factions in Gaza on the spot to either prove the seriousness of their threats or to turn a blind eye to Israels plans for the holy city. Israel views interventions by hostile pro-Iranian parties in Lebanon, such as Hizbullah, or Syria, or even the Houthis in Yemen, as possibilities it must prepare for. All these outside parties are themselves experiencing domestic troubles, so exporting the crisis to Israel could relieve pressure from their opponents at home. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: A Few days after his return from an official visit to Washington, Jordanian Monarch King Abdullah II issued a Royal Decree putting his half-brother Prince Hamzah under a kind of house arrest. The younger prince would continue to live in a royal palace but his activities and communication with the outside world would be curtailed. In a lengthy, strongly worded letter the king explained the matter to the Jordanian people, excoriating his half-brother using the words arrogant and erratic and bluntly calling him seditious. Yet the king said, we will provide Hamzah with all that he requires to live a comfortable life, but he will not have the space he once abused to offend the nation, its institutions, and his family, nor to undermine Jordans stability. The decree was the result of a royal investigation by the Family Council into Hamzahs role in a thwarted plot to unseat the king. Others implicated in the case, including former palace chief-of-staff Bassem Awadallah and a junior royal Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, were referred to court where they were handed prison sentences. In March last year, more than a dozen were arrested in what the Jordanian authorities described as involvement in an attempt posing a threat to the countrys stability. The authorities accused them of conspiring with a foreign power to stage a coup. It was later reported that Israel was that foreign power, considering the sour relations between King Abdullah II and then Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rumours also suggested that Saudi Arabia was involved, noting Awadallah and Hassans close relations with Riyadh. None of these reports were confirmed or substantiated. Prince Hamzah was spared the police investigation and court case; instead the government said his involvement would be dealt with within the Royal Family. Initially, the king asked Prince Hassan bin Talal, his uncle and former crown prince to his father late King Hussein, to lead the family body to sort out the issue. But it seems Prince Hassan was not willing to head the Family Council that reprimanded Hamzah, and it was Prince Ali another half-brother of the king and Hamzah who oversaw the matter. Many Jordanians think that the announced decision was taken months ago and was just waiting for the kings approval. The Royal Decree is just sealing a de-facto situation. For more than a year, the prince has been almost absent from the public scene except for a couple of tweets in which he vented his anger. For the first time in Royal Family history we see this strong tone in the kings letter. This means the decision was already taken on a top level to restrain the prince and push him out of Jordanian politics, Jordanian political commentator Saad Hattar told Al- Ahram Weekly. The timing of the decree and the kings letter to the people explaining it drove some Jordanians to think that the king had waited until he had received an American decision in connection with the prince. Queen Noor, Hamzahs mother, born Lisa Najeeb Halabi, is an American with a Lebanese father. But an American source refuted that, saying: The kings visit and discussion with officials focussed mainly on bilateral relations and regional issues. That matter is an internal Jordanian issue which the US has no view on. Even before last years thwarted plot, Prince Hamzah held a grudge as he was removed as a crown prince a few years after his late father passed away. King Abdullah II then appointed his son Hussein in his place. Though the Jordanian Constitution is clear about the right of the sitting monarch to decide on the crown prince, Prince Hamzah has a lot of sympathy from Jordanians on social media. Some in Jordan agree with his claim referring to the late King Husseins will that Hamzah should follow Abdullah on the throne. Queen Noor never accepted the change of crown princeship and believes her son is the legitimate heir to the throne. Though she stated no challenge to the last Royal Decree, she tweeted about injustice and victimisation: Some truly bizarre and stranger than fiction stuff circulating right now. In his letter to the people, the king said that Hamzah exhausted all opportunities to restore himself on the right path and clung to delusion, believing himself to be the sole guardian of the familys legacy. The letter mentioned Hamzah as prince, ignoring his statement in March this year relinquishing the title. The letter stressed that only the king had the authority to grant and strip titles, according to the Jordanian Constitution. The monarch then added that his brother, after renouncing his title, sent him a private letter asking to maintain the financial and logistical privileges. Hamzah was active on social media, reaching powerful tribes in Jordan, traditionally considered the bedrock of the monarchys support. He was outspoken in criticising his brother for enriching himself while Jordanians suffered. Such accusations garnered an audience in a country going through economic hardship exacerbated by the Gulf countries withholding their financial aid and the global economic situation worsened by the coronavirus pandemic and later war in Ukraine. In his letter, King Abdulah II confirmed the princes involvement in last years plot saying that Hamzah knew that Awadallah and Hassan had approached two foreign embassies to ask about the possibility of their countries supporting what he had described as regime change. The letter added, it has become evident that the prince is living in the fantasy created by those around him that he alone has inherited this great legacy, despite his young age and limited experience. It then concluded: We do not have the luxury of time to deal with Hamzahs erratic behaviour and aspirations as the country faces many challenges that need to be addressed. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh while reporting on Israeli military raids in the West Bank has dealt a severe blow to Israels image as a democracy, and shattered illusions for a genuine Middle East peace probably forever, writes Salah Nasrawi The funeral of the Palestinian AlJazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh on 11 May, drawing tens of thousands of mourners in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, was reminiscent of Yasser Arafat, the global symbol of the Palestinian liberation movement for many decades, in 2004. Perhaps it was not as huge in terms of the bereavement and the size of the crowd that turned out for Arafats last journey, but in their final farewell to their beloved TV reporter it was certainly another moment for the Palestinians under Israeli occupation to show their strong sentiments of nationalism. For the Palestinians, the cold-blooded murder of the veteran journalist and the Israeli polices brutal assault on her funeral was another sign that the prospect of a settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict is more remote today than at any time in the last seven decades. Moreover, scenes of the ruthless crackdown on mourners during Abu Aklehs funeral flickering across the worlds TV screens have consolidated Israels image abroad not only as an abusive colonial power but also as an anti-democractic regime that fits into broader trends of regional authoritarianism. Abu Akleh, 51, was shot dead in Jenin, a city considered to be a stronghold of militant Palestinians. She was there to report on a raid by Israeli military and security forces on a refugee camp. She was wearing a helmet and protective vest that clearly identified her as a member of the press. Israeli government leaders have oscillated between first denying that its army soldiers were behind the killing and then by seeking to blame armed Palestinians for the death of the journalist. However, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Abu Akleh was apparently struck by a 5.56 mm bullet, probably fired from an M16 rifle, a main combat weapon used by Israeli soldiers. The Associated Press news agency quoted a statement by an Israeli army official on Thursday, who said that a soldiers rifle had been located that was thought to have been used in the killing of the AlJazeera journalist. Video footage of the moment Abu Akleh, wearing a helmet and a protective jacket labelled press, was shot dead has been shared online showing that those around her were shouting warnings that an Israeli sniper was firing at them. Abu Aklehs funeral in East Jerusalem two days later, which drew crowds reckoned in the thousands, was assailed by Israeli police, crushing many mourners in the throng. Israeli riot police attacked Abu Aklehs casket and pushed and shoved mourners outside a Jerusalem hospital. They fired tear gas as people tried to carry her coffin in a customary procession to the cemetery, and they tried to disperse crowds carrying Palestinian flags and chanting Palestinian slogans. Both the murder of Abu Akleh and the crackdown on her funeral have been received by grief, shock, and indignation worldwide, with many governments and international groups demanding a thorough and transparent investigation into her killing. But the Israeli army, adamant in its use of shoot-to-kill rules of engagement in the occupied Palestinian territories, has refused to probe Abu Aklehs killing, which many say may constitute a war crime. The armys Military Police Criminal Investigation Division said it did not plan to investigate the fatal shooting of the Palestinian-American journalist, reportedly acting on fears of condemnation by its commanders. Abu Aklehs murder and the attack on her funeral have put Israel in the spotlight over atrocities against the Palestinians at a time of increasing tensions in the West Bank and escalating violence. Inside Israel, the ruling coalition was jolted as an Arab lawmaker quit, leaving embattled Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in control of a crumbling minority government. In a letter to the coalition, Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi of the left-wing Meretz Party cited police aggression at Abu Aklehs funeral and the Israeli police crackdown on Palestinians among other factors as the reason for her resignation. Her resignation has underscored the difficulty Arab Israelis face in participating in Israeli politics, as successive Israeli governments continue with their systematic cruelty towards the Palestinians that many now equate with racism and apartheid. Even after Zoabi decided to rejoin the bloc to give Bennetts government another chance, the current coalition which has brought Arabs and Jews into the government for the first time in decades will remain fragile as Israeli Arab lawmakers could give up any time and throw up their hands in despair. Twice before, Arab Israeli parties backed Israeli governments in the 1950s and 1990s, but for many among the two million Arabs in Israel the escalation of the Israeli oppression of the Palestinians is causing them to wonder whether Israel is indeed a mixed state and if they can live together with the Jews. Across the world, and even among many of its traditional supporters, Israel has come under harsh criticism over the death of Abu Akleh. While some have slammed her killing as an affront to media freedom everywhere, others have condemned Israels continuous mistreatment of the Palestinians. Abu Aklehs death has dealt a massive blow to Israels public image as tension with the Palestinians continues to rise and potential conflict grows amid Israels constant rejection of peace efforts and its insistence on keeping to the status quo. Significantly, the tragic death of Abu Akleh has also badly impacted the normalisation of relations between some Arab countries and Israel, which had quickened recently with diplomatic and trade exchanges. Israels repeated encroachment at Al-Aqsa Mosque and its continuous policy of annexation and harsh measure against the Palestinians such as house demolition and indiscriminate punishment have dealt serious setback for better relations with the Arab world. The waves of revulsion that followed the killings of Abu Akleh and mounting anger over Israels mistreatment of the Palestinians on social media are adversely affecting attitudes among the Arab general public towards normalisation. For the first time in more than a decade, Egyptian activists and political figures gathered last week at a meeting in Cairo to condemn Israel. Participants at the gathering at the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate demanded international organisations probe Abu Aklehs murder and Israels other crimes against the Palestinians. The long-term consequences of Israels oppression of the Palestinians are coming into focus after Abu Aklehs murder. The Palestinians have humiliated Israel by remaining steadfast, and Israels aggression continues to lessen the advantages of normalisation, especially with Arab public opinion. As the myth of Israeli democracy started to crumble with its dismal treatment of the Palestinians under its occupation and its normalisation agreements were revealed as doing nothing to serve democracy in the region, Israel is increasingly being exposed as simply another enemy of democracy and human rights in the Middle East. One glaring example of Israels efforts to undermine regional democracy has been its sale of Pegasus spyware to governments tracking smartphones belonging to journalists and human rights activists in countries that have recently normalised relations with Israel. Today, Israel is seen as a force of colonialisation that while it continues to impose capitulation on the Palestinians, is playing an expansive role in rolling back movements for democratisation in the Arab world, all the while serving its occupation and domination strategies. Despite its military might and enormous political and diplomatic influence worldwide, Israel is gradually emerging as the loser, however, with its attempts to break its isolation and impose hegemony on the region risking a dim future. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: There is no reason for North Korea to engage with the South in meaningful dialogue about peace and security given the US and South Korean emphasis on extended deterrence, writes Hussein Haridy US President Joe Biden flew to South Korea on 19 May for his first visit to Asia since taking office in January 2021. The visit was part of a tour that included Japan, where he was expected to participate in a Quad Summit with the leaders of Japan, Australia, and India, the third of its kind under the Biden administration. The first was a virtual one in March 2021, and the second took place in person last September at the White House in Washington. Bidens trip to South Korea came after the countrys presidential elections and the election of a conservative president with no experience of foreign affairs, Yoon Suk-yeol, who succeeded former president Moon Jae-in. The South Korea-US Summit was the first official foreign engagement of the new Korean president, who has adopted a more muscular approach to North Korea than his more open predecessor. Through his constructive and forward-looking diplomacy towards North Korea, former South Korean president Moon Jae-in succeeded in arranging the first and historic summit meeting between a sitting US president, Donald Trump, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at Sentosa in Singapore in June 2018. Judging from the initial positions of the newly elected South Korean president on the North, it does not seem likely that he will be in a position to repeat such a diplomatic opening, at least not at this stage. Of course, Bidens visit to South Korea demonstrated the US commitment to the defence of South Korea and the enduring alliance between the two nations. However, the trip also comes within a larger US strategy of deepening and enlarging strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific region, a strategy that aims at creating an ambitious Grand Alliance that includes three wings the US-South Korean-Japanese alliance, the Quad, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In fact, before going to Asia, Biden hosted an ASEAN-US Special Summit in April in Washington. The long-term US objective is the containment of China through a network of alliances that extend from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US-led NATO alliance is working on a new strategic concept that is likely to extend the mission of the alliance to the Indo-Pacific region. This concept is expected to be adopted during the Madrid NATO Summit at the end of next month. The US-South Korean Summit dealt with various major issues, not only in the context of the bilateral relations between the two countries, but also regionally and globally taking into consideration the ambition of the new South Korean president for his country to play a larger strategic role in world affairs. That role, in case it materialises in terms of deeds and geographical reach, would not be independent of US interests and the US strategic vision. One of the basic and most serious challenges that South Korea will face will come after NATO unveils its strategic concept for the next decade in June. Will South Korea sign on to it? The talks between the US and the new South Korean president reaffirmed their known positions vis-a-vis North Korea, particularly its nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes. Anyone wanting to try to find an implicit invitation to the North to start to show a certain flexibility on this score may be facing a hard time discerning one. The US-Republic of Koreas Leaders Joint Statement on 21 May said that the two sides are unified in a common determination to deepen and broaden our political, economic, security and people-to-people ties. It further referred to the two leaders determination to pursue their common goal of the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and agree to further strengthen airtight coordination to this end. A question mark hangs over the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, however. Is this meant to address all nuclear capabilities and nuclear military assets in the two Koreas or only those of North Korea? Maybe the answer to this question is to be found in the following quotation from the 21 May Leaders Statement, provocative from the North Korean point of view. This says that Biden affirms the United States extended deterrence commitment to the ROK using the full range of the United States defence capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defence capabilities. Furthermore, it has been agreed to reactivate the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group at the earliest date. It is doubtful that the call for dialogue on the part of the South Korean president with the North will find listening ears in Pyongyang, given the clear political will of Washington and Seoul to deepen their security cooperation under the heading of extended deterrence, a concept that the North Korean leader will find threatening to the security of his country and regime. How the US and South Korea want to combine denuclearisation and the application of the extended deterrence concept to their strategic approach to the North remains to be seen in the light of the contradictory message that it carries. But we can safely argue that the Sentosa spirit, as highlighted by the joint statement released after the US-North Korean Summit in June 2018, is dead. Incidentally, when answering a question at the joint press conference held with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul on 21 May Biden did not rule out another US-North Korean summit but conditioned a repeat of it by stressing that such a summit would depend on whether he [Kim Jong-un] was sincere and whether it was serious. The emerging realignment of forces internationally in the post-Ukraine War era and the US strategy of targeting and containing China make the goal of the denuclearisation of North Korea unattainable. I see no reason from the standpoint of the strategic vision of Pyongyang for it to engage with Seoul for the foreseeable future in any meaningful and comprehensive dialogue about peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, let alone a theoretical denuclearisation programme. In the light of the persistent US strategy worldwide to encircle its adversaries with an interlocking system of alliances across the globe, and a trilateral alliance between the US, South Korea, and Japan, as articulated by Biden during his visit to Seoul, the international system is facing a very challenging security and military environment. Extended deterrence is not limited to the US and its allies only. In such a context, talking about the denuclearisation of North Korea seems a pipe dream. You cant expect your opponent, adversary, or enemy to disarm while you yourself are arming to the teeth. * The writer is former assistant foreign minister. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Life to him was a choo-choo train, a joyride, to which he invited the world to jump on. It was a happy journey, full of games, fun, and laughter sprinkled with mirth and cheer. When did it start and how did it end? Too soon my friend, too soon, you had promises to keep and miles to go before you sleep. You always defied time, how did it finally catch up with one so young, yes, young. Count not the years. A child at heart, playing day and night among friends and even strangers, he had much to give and he gave it all. Grateful for his many God-given talents, he wished to display his art, entertain, please and bask in the million smiles of the crowds around him. As if on a mission sent from heaven to make this world a better place, he did his best. He spread his mirth whenever and wherever he could, through every media available, even from the rooftops. It was all the nourishment he needed to survive. He met everyone with a smile, a kind word, a helping hand. How could time put an end to such pleasure and jubilation? Did he happily join his friends, those old familiar faces? They are gone: All, all are gone, the old familiar faces, diminishing the quality of our lives. Not him. He was unlike all the rest. Bright as the morning sun, warm as the summer rain I thought he would live forever, like the stars shining up above. Will you not come again dear friend? Will you not make me smile, laugh, chortle, chuckle and giggle again? Enchantment was your middle name. Can I reach for this bliss again? How can this heart go on? Could I be shedding tears of sorrow and not of laughter? Are those true tears that I wept upon my pillow while I slept? Were you tired my friend? You filled your cup to the brim until it overflowed did you need to rest? No, not you. You must have raged and raged against the dying of the light. One like you cannot go gentle into that goodnight. The body and mind are not always in tune. The body may decay but the mind is alert and the soul alive. I am convinced you live, perhaps elsewhere, but your soul is near. You played your last prank on that long procession that buried your empty body, in your birthplace, by the shores of Alexandria. They never buried your soul. Your soul, free at last, is happily wading in the waters of the sea, racing the waves to the sandy shore. The grave is not for one like you. The only truly dead are those that are forgotten. How can you ever be forgotten! Thinking of you is as haunting and refreshing as the last rose of summer. Sharing my memories of my life-long friend, Samir Sabri, does me good. I find myself smiling, yet well aware those days, those joys are gone forevermore. If human life consists of human service, he tops the list. He never turned his back on friend or foe. Critics never bothered him, he aided them as faithfully as he did his friends. We all hunger for love and how well he was aware of that. He gave love freely; he expected little in return. Why am I using the past tense regarding him? I hate that, for never have I met one more in love with life as he. I can still hear his voice calling every morning, mimicking a mutual acquaintance, interchanging jokes, repartees, buffoonery and humour. On his last call he responded to a compliment from a friend: Tell her, I would rather look like Robert Wagner not Robert Taylor. And so it went, recalling old movies and stars and funny dialogues. That is one of the many things we had in common and could share with no one else but each other. Have you ever heard of Ma & Pa Kettle? We have, and laughed till we cried. Thank God for the gift of memory. It is good to remember all this tomfoolery and hoodwinking and shared ideas. It is like a shower of good cheerfulness and life becomes meaningful again. Making people happy can be compared to some substance creeping in his blood stream. He was present for everyone. He used movies, radio, TV, stage, singing, dancing and conversing to make people happy. He loved to entertain. In short that was his essence. He was an entertainer. A first-class, versatile, handsome, eloquent, witty entertainer and he did it all with panache. Children loved him and he loved them back. He would sing and play with my children, whose tears have not stopped flowing, since they heard he was gone. Mingling tears with laughter they recalled the myriad moments of his pranks and antics. He took four days off his busy schedule to fly to the US to attend my daughters wedding. He was sheer delight. He could not turn down my invitation. He was never boring. He never bored. With his keen mind and a kind soul he instinctively knew how to please the crowds he could not live without. It has been said that the only success is to be able to spend your life in your own way. He was the most successful man I knew. He simply did it his way. There are no stars tonight/ But those of memory. Hart Crane (1899-1932) *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Russian forces on Tuesday stepped up their offensive on the last pocket of resistance around Lugansk in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, as the conflict entered its fourth month. Since Moscow's invasion in late February, Western support has helped Ukraine hold off its neighbour's advances in many areas including the capital Kyiv but Russia is now focused on securing and expanding its gains in Donbas and the southern coast. "The coming weeks of the war will be difficult, and we must be aware of that," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday in his nightly address after regional leaders and residents reported heavy bombardments. "The most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas," Zelensky said, singling out the worst-hit towns of Bakhmut, Popasna and Severodonetsk. The Ukrainian armed forces said in a Facebook update on Tuesday that Russian forces were conducting non-stop "offensive operations" in the region, adding "the enemy is exerting intense fire along the entire line of contact". The governor of Lugansk said Russia had sent thousands of troops to capture his entire region and that Severodonetsk was under massive attack, warning residents that it was too late to evacuate. "At this point I will not say: get out, evacuate. Now I will say: stay in a shelter," Sergiy Gaidai said on Telegram. "Because such a density of shelling will not allow us to calmly gather people and come for them." Residents of Bakhmut, a crucial junction that serves as a command centre for much of the Ukrainian war effort, told AFP of the aerial onslaught they had suffered. "I looked up from my prayers and heard a frightening sound," 82-year-old Maria Mayashlapak said next to the splintered remains of her home. "Every day I pray to God asking to avoid injuries. God heard me. God is watching over me." Davos appeal Zelensky said in his address that Russia had carried out nearly 1,500 missile strikes and more than 3,000 airstrikes against Ukraine in the first three months of the war. The president earlier warned elites gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos -- from which Russians have been barred this year -- that slow-walking military aid was causing unnecessary deaths as Ukrainians are "paying dearly for freedom and independence". He said that 87 people had been killed in a Russian attack earlier this month on a military base in the north, in what would be one of the largest single recorded strikes of the war. Western countries have sent huge amounts of weapons and cash to Ukraine to help it repel Russia's assault, and punished Moscow with unprecedented economic sanctions. But Zelensky said via videolink that tens of thousands of lives would have been saved if Kyiv had received "100 percent of our needs at once back in February", when Russia invaded. He also ramped up his demands that Moscow be cut off from the global economy, calling for an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all its banks and the shunning of its IT sector. Counsellor quits Meanwhile, a counsellor at Moscow's mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Boris Bondarev, announced he was leaving his job after 20 years of diplomatic service in protest at Russia's invasion. In the letter circulated to a number of diplomatic missions in Geneva and seen by AFP, he condemned the war as "not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia". "Never have I been so ashamed of my country," he said. Guilty verdict A 21-year-old Russian soldier was on Monday found guilty of war crimes for killing an unarmed civilian and handed a life sentence by a Kyiv court, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began. Vadim Shishimarin looked on from a glass box as he was sentenced in a trial followed around the world -- likely the first of many as Ukraine investigates thousands of alleged war crimes. The sergeant from Siberia had admitted killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, as he was riding his bike in the village of Chupakhivka in northeast Ukraine. He claimed he shot Shelipov under pressure from another soldier as they tried to retreat and escape back into Russia in a stolen car on February 28. But prosecutors stated he shot between three and four bullets with the intention of killing the civilian, and Judge Sergiy Agafonov sentenced him to life. International institutions are also probing abuses allegedly committed by Russian forces in places such as Bucha and Mariupol, which have become emblematic of the destruction and suffering of the war. More than six million people have fled Ukraine and eight million have been internally displaced since the war broke out, according to the United Nations. Search Keywords: Short link: Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the ``military operation'' in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government ``is not chasing deadlines.'' ``Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form,'' he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to ``denazify'' Ukraine _ a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors ``in order to avoid casualties among the civilians.'' AP's reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. Search Keywords: Short link: Press Release May 23, 2022 Dispatch from Crame No. 1,263: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Malacanang's dismissal of the CHR report 5/23/22 We can only expect the Duterte Administration to deny up to its last dying breath the fact that its drug war has brutally claimed the lives of thousands of Filipinos, as it dismisses the CHR's report as "rehashed issues". This is the cavalier position that the Duterte Administration has taken since day one, without ever responding properly to similar reports from human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch in the past six years. As such, not one of these reports can be said to be a "rehash" if the Duterte Administration has not seriously investigated or put a stop to the killings which were undeniably carried out upon the declarations of Duterte himself. It has been the trademark of this outgoing administration for its spokespersons to defend the human rights record of Duterte even while he simultaneously makes pronouncements that he does not care about human rights, and thereafter orders the PNP that the more they kill, the more it pleases him. This latter declaration was made right after the so-called one time-big time operations in Metro Manila and environs that claimed the lives of 30 human beings in one day of drug war operations. It was also around this time when Kian delos Santos was mercilessly gunned down while begging for his life. His case was the only one that resulted in any conviction, one single case among the more than 20,000 summary executions carried out in Duterte's drug war. The Duterte Administration cannot deny its policy of extra-judicial killings that has claimed the lives of thousands. It can go on dismissing reports as "rehashed", but the records and evidence are already finding their way to international bodies such as the International Criminal Court. No lame denial will ever suffice insofar as the world's awareness of what happened in the Philippines in the past six years of the Duterte Administration is concerned. The incoming administration should take this opportunity to disprove serious concerns that like the Duterte Administration, it won't be putting human rights at the top of its agenda. It should start by appointing a new set of competent and credible CHR Chairperson and Commissioners to carry out the mandate of the CHR to the fullest extent. More than that, it should put an end to Duterte's drug war and stop the killing of Filipinos. ### (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_1263) Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was ``very disappointed'' Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve ``misunderstandings.'' She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons ``at the press of a button'' as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was ``not as dynamic'' as hoped, but acknowledged that ``the devil lies in the detail'' on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the US and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. Search Keywords: Short link: The UNs World Food Program(WFP) published a first-of-its-kind cookbook, titled Empowering Women through Cooking, that combines recipes with personal narratives of empowerment. The cookbook was launched in collaboration with the Seven Circles consultancys Empowering Through initiative. It presents recipes alongside the narratives of 54 women of different nationalities, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, who are currently living in the country. The women's narratives tell stories of empowerment and offer insights on pursuing ones ambition. Marking the books launch, WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt Praveen Agrawal said This cookbook presents a unique space where everyday people, communities, individuals and entities have come together to share their voice and message of empowerment. WFPs strategic partnership with Seven Circles emphasises the importance of empowering women by providing access to opportunities and education, not only to achieve food security, but development that is truly inclusive and sustainable. In a joint statement, Seven Circles co-founder Dina Saoudi and Abdul Majeed Shoman Jr said We are grateful to our partners, contributors and are thrilled to shed light on stories of Egypts inspirational women with the world. The statement stressed that the book confirms that civil society, the public sector, the private sector, academia and development agencies can work together to empower women. Contributors to the Egypt cookbook include the Semiramis Intercontinental Cairo Hotel, Monappetit Culinary Academy, Beyti, Stardust and Zest Production House and it is co-published by Jabal Amman Publishers and Dar El Shorouk publishing house. In Egypt, the government is working with the WFP to empower women and girls through improved access to education, adequate nutrition, and vocational trainings for employment, economic opportunities and consequently and improved food security. Search Keywords: Short link: "The age of appeasing North Korea is over," Yoon told CNN in his first international media interview since taking office on May 10. He added the ball is now in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's court whether to start dialogue with Seoul. President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday said his new government will stop bending over backwards to appease North Korea. Yoon pointed out that regular military exercises with the U.S. are "the basic duty of every military around the world to maintain their readiness." But for now he ruled out the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula by saying, "In the case of an attack, the U.S. would provide assistance including missile defense and its 'nuclear umbrella.'" But he distanced himself from the previous administration's strenuous efforts to keep North Korea happy or at least calm. "Just to escape temporarily North Korean provocation or conflict is not something that we should do," he said. "This kind of approach over the past five years has proven to be a failure." Asked about North Korea's 15 missile tests so far this year, he said, "South Korea and its allies stand ready for any acts of North Korean provocation." But he added the ultimate goal is "shared and common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "I do not believe that enhancing [North Korea's] nuclear capability is helpful and conducive to maintaining international peace." CNN reported that despite this stance he does not want North Korea to "collapse." The broadcaster said Yoon could seek some kind of affiliation with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, an informal anti-China alliance consisting of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., in areas including vaccines, climate change and emerging technology. "However, he stopped short of saying the South would seek official Quad membership, saying it was something they would 'continue to consider,'" CNN added. Meanwhile, Yoon was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People of the year alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and "Squid Game" director Hwang Dong-hyuk. KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2022 - 19:15 | All, World, Coronavirus Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that China had reached out to congratulate him on his appointment, despite recent bilateral tensions after Canberra called for an inquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus. "I have received, now, a letter of congratulations from Premier Li (Keqiang), as I have from other world leaders. And I welcome that," Albanese said, adding that the Australian government would "respond appropriately in time." Albanese was speaking to reporters in Tokyo, where he joined the leaders of Japan, the United States and India for a "Quad" summit. According to China's State Council, the letter said that "the Chinese side is ready to work with the Australian side to review the past, look into the future, and uphold the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to promote the sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership." The Chinese government had frozen all communications with former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his senior ministers, refusing to take phone calls since early 2020, according to local media. But Albanese stressed that Canberra's position on China remained unchanged. "It's not Australia that's changed. China has," he said. Albanese said that while Australia seeks good relations with all countries, it would not compromise its values. "It is China that has placed sanctions on Australia. There is no justification for doing that. And that's why they should be removed," the prime minister said. The relationship between China and Australia has soured in recent years, particularly after Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus, first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Beijing has also placed sanctions on a number of Australian exports amid the spat, which Canberra has repeatedly criticized as economic coercion. KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2022 - 21:52 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Seven people from the United States arrived in Japan Tuesday as part of the first small-scale test tours in the government's planned gradual reopening to inbound tourists from June. The seven -- six from Hawaii and another from Los Angeles -- landed at Narita airport outside Tokyo and will participate in tours employing coronavirus countermeasures. Japan's inbound tourist numbers have hit record lows since the government temporarily imposed pandemic border restrictions in December 2020. The Japan Business Federation, a business lobby known as Keidanren, has recently called for "realistic discussions" on reopening. The seven will be split into two itineraries. One includes Tochigi Prefecture's Nikko Toshogu shrine and Zenkoji temple in Nagano Prefecture, while the other features Iwate Prefecture's Hanamakionsen hot spring resort and the Mogami River in Yamagata Prefecture. People from the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore are eligible for the test tours, which involve about 50 individuals, including travel agency officials, split across 15 groups sightseeing in 12 prefectures. As part of infection prevention measures, groups will comprise no more than four people, with participants asked to wear masks when visiting tourist spots or using transportation. A correspondence system will also be set up for cases where someone tests positive mid-tour. The number of foreign visitors to Japan totaled 31.88 million in 2019, hitting the highest level on record. Conversely, pandemic border controls made 2021 the lowest since comparable data were made available in 1964, with just 245,900 foreign nationals entering the country. Despite plans for some restrictions to be eased, including doubling the maximum daily limit on eligible overseas arrivals to 20,000 from June, no date for lifting tourist entry restrictions has been indicated. Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at the Nomura Research Institute, estimates that if the government does apply the 20,000-person cap, then the economic effect from foreign students, people staying long term and tourists would add 8.13 trillion yen ($63.8 billion) to the economy a year. Amid a worldwide trend to accept vaccinated tourists without quarantine measures, Japan takes differing measures depending on where people have come from. From June, travelers to Japan from countries and regions with a low risk of transmission will no longer be required to have quarantine checks or self-isolate at home, regardless of whether they have had three COVID-19 vaccines. In December 2020, Japan temporarily suspended all new arrivals by foreign nationals to prevent the spread of infections. Following a brief relaxation of the measures, in November 2021, entries were suspended again in response to the Omicron variant's sudden emergence. March 2022 saw borders reopened to business travelers, technical intern trainees and other non-tourist entries. Relaxations have since included raising the daily arrivals cap and shortening or excluding people from quarantine requirements based on certain factors, including vaccination status. North Korea fired three missiles, including one capable of intercontinental range, off its east coast on Wednesday, according to the South Korean government, a day after U.S. President Joe Biden ended his first Asia trip since taking office, vowing to team with allies to deter Pyongyang from further provocations. North Korea has also tested a detonation device multiple times in what could be final preparations for a seventh nuclear test, South Korea's first deputy national security adviser Kim Tae Hyo said. The first projectile, presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, flying about 360 kilometers with a maximum altitude of around 540 km, was launched at around 6 a.m., followed by two others at 6:37 a.m. and 6:42 a.m. from Pyongyang's Sunan area, according to the military. The third, flying about 760 km, reaching as high as 60 km, was believed to be a short-range ballistic missile, using solid fuel that would require less preparation time, while the second disappeared from radar after reaching an altitude of about 20 km and was thought to have failed in midair, it said. Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and other officials in Tokyo said the missiles apparently landed outside the country's exclusive economic zone, and there were no reports of damage to ships or aircraft. The Japanese government, which detected similar flight distances, said it was still analyzing the second projectile launch. Missiles are fired on steep or "lofted" trajectories to test capabilities. Concerns have grown about North Korea's development of nuclear-capable ICBMs that could reach the U.S. mainland. The South Korean security adviser said one of the missiles fired by North Korea on Wednesday was a new Hwasong-17 ICBM, which Pyongyang said it tested in late March. The country's most powerful ICBM is said to be capable of traveling more than 15,000 km if it follows a normal trajectory. Regarding the timing of a nuclear test, he said, "It is unlikely it will happen within a day or two, but I think there is a sufficient possibility after that." The latest launches, which came after talks between Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and a summit of the so-called Quad leaders also involving Australia and India, were "clear provocations," Kishi said, adding Japan cannot tolerate North Korea's efforts to advance its missile-related technology. "North Korea's recent actions, including its ballistic missile launches, threaten the peace, stability and safety of Japan and the international community and are not acceptable," Kishi told reporters. Tokyo lodged a protest with North Korea via the Japanese Embassy in Beijing. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the missile tests highlighted "the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illicit weapons program," referring to the country by the acronym for its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korea has conducted 15 rounds of ballistic missile tests since the beginning of this year, of which at least five were ICBMs. The number of ballistic missile tests has already matched the record marked in 2016. It fired short-range ballistic missiles on May 12, even as the secretive state is believed to be grappling with a suspected outbreak of COVID-19 in its capital Pyongyang. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke separately by phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin in the wake of another show of force by North Korea. Hayashi and Blinken shared their "serious concerns" about North Korea's missile and nuclear development programs and agreed to coordinate closely based on the recognition it is "essential" to boost the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. The U.S. and South Korean militaries jointly launched surface-to-surface missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Wednesday to show their strike capabilities following North Korea's move, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Ahead of and during Biden's first visit to Asia since becoming president in January last year, Japan, South Korea and the United States were on high alert for possible provocations by North Korea. "There is a possibility that North Korea will engage in more provocative action, including a nuclear test," Japan's top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference. "We will work closely with the United States and South Korea to realize North Korea's complete denuclearization." Officials of the countries had been saying that based on intelligence, North Korea could launch an ICBM or resume its nuclear tests. Biden agreed Saturday in Seoul with new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is known to take a harder stance on Pyongyang than his predecessor Moon Jae In, to boost deterrence against North Korea. In Tokyo, Kishida and Biden affirmed the importance of bilateral as well as trilateral cooperation with South Korea, condemning North Korea's nuclear and missile development and urging the country to abide by its obligations under U.N. resolutions. The North Korean missile threat is one of the major reasons lawmakers from Kishida's ruling Liberal Democratic Party are calling for Japan -- which has long held its exclusively defense-oriented policy -- to have the capability to counterstrike enemies. KYODO NEWS - May 25, 2022 - 02:42 | All, Japan Six Chinese and Russian strategic bombers conducted a joint flight Tuesday over waters near Japan in what Japan's defense minister believes was a protest against a Quad summit held in Tokyo, prompting Japan's Air Self-Defense Force to scramble fighters in response. China and Russia flew the bombers over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the Pacific from the morning to the afternoon, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry, when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Australia and India. The development marked the first time for Beijing and Moscow to conduct such an operation since November last year, the ministry said. "The military drill carried out by the two countries' bombers near our nation during the meeting of the leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia and India, was intended to be an act of demonstration" against Japan, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters. Japan "can never overlook" the act because China took a joint move with "Russia, an aggressor nation, at a time when the international community has been responding to Russia's aggression in Ukraine," Kishi said. He said the act "will raise the level of provocation" and that Japan conveyed "grave concerns" to the two countries through diplomatic channels. It was the fourth time that Japan has confirmed a "long-distance joint flight" by China and Russia, according to Kishi. According to the ministry, the four Chinese warplanes were two Xian H-6 bombers and two others believed to be a similar type. There were no intrusions into Japanese airspace by any of the six bombers. In the Quad meeting, the four leaders affirmed coordination in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, a vision widely seen as countering China's increasing clout, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine could embolden Beijing to take further assertive actions over Taiwan and other potential flashpoints in the region. The Chinese and Russian defense ministries announced a "joint patrol" by Chinese and Russian warplanes over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry was quoted by the Tass news agency as saying that the aircraft of both countries "acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law, there were no violations of the airspace of foreign states." KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2022 - 20:13 | World, All Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit the Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean soon, his ministry said Tuesday, amid mounting fears that Beijing's military influence may grow in the region. In April, China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact, which would reportedly allow the deployment of Chinese police, military and other armed personnel, as well as the docking of the Asian nation's ships in the islands. By bolstering its security and economic clout in the Asia-Pacific region, the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping is trying to counter the so-called Quad, comprising the United States, Japan, India and Australia, foreign affairs experts said. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has warned the Solomon Islands against any possible moves toward inviting a Chinese military presence, while Australia attempted to prevent the island country from formally signing the agreement with Beijing. Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement released following their summit on Monday that the pact between China and the Solomon Islands "was concluded in a nontransparent manner without addressing regional voices of concern." Wang is scheduled to visit seven Pacific island nations including the Solomon Islands and East Timor from Thursday to June 4 as requested by them, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday that the official trip by the country's foreign minister would contribute to prompting "peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region." The spokesman said the foreign minister is also planning to visit the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, which is located between Australia and Hawaii -- the U.S. island state that has a large number of military bases aimed at maintaining security in the region. Speculation is rife that China might be eager to strike a security agreement with Kiribati to challenge the United States. The leaders of the Quad countries, meanwhile, confirmed at their summit in Tokyo on Tuesday that they strongly oppose any coercive, provocative and unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the East and South China seas. The in-person Quad summit was the second of its kind and the first hosted by Japan. China has urged other nations not to create a "small circle" targeting the Asian power. The Solomon Islands and Kiribati switched their diplomatic relations from self-ruled Taiwan to mainland China in 2019. The Solomon Islands has denied that the security pact invites China to establish a military base there. Communist-led China and democratic Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. China has regarded Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Related coverage: U.S. warns Solomon Islands against allowing China military presence China signs security pact with Solomon Islands amid regional concern U.S., Japan, Australia show concern over China-Solomons security pact KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2022 - 15:14 | All, Japan, Coronavirus A western Japanese town that mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($363,000) in COVID-19 relief money to a resident has legally recovered about 43 million yen, or about 90 percent of it, the mayor said Tuesday. The 24-year-old resident, Sho Taguchi, has been arrested for alleged computer fraud after failing to return the money to the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, telling his lawyer he had used it all on online casinos overseas. Of the total amount the town has recovered so far, over 35 million yen was returned by a domestic payment processing agent, according to a source familiar with the case. Taguchi had wired about 35.92 million yen to the company, or most of the roughly 42.92 million yen he had wired to three payment processing firms, his lawyer said. The municipal government had erroneously sent the funds to his bank account on April 8, on top of the 100,000 yen it had distributed to each of the 463 low-income households in the town in COVID relief money. "The origin of the case was an error by a town clerk," Mayor Norihiko Hanada said at a press conference on Tuesday as he offered his apology to town residents and Taguchi. Taguchi was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of transferring 4 million yen of the funds to the account of a payment processing agent through an online settlement service and illegally profiting from it. He has told investigators that he spent the money on online casinos. Between April 8 and 19, Taguchi had moved around 46.33 million yen out of his bank account. Some of the money had been used for debit transactions. A lawyer representing the municipal government said efforts to collect the money began as soon as it learned of the mistake on April 8, including contacting a bank for possible collection. No money used for debit transactions has been returned. The town -- facing the Sea of Japan with a population of around 3,000 people -- has sued Taguchi for around 51.15 million yen, including legal fees. Taguchi's lawyer agreed to the process of returning the funds but plans to contest the demand for legal fees. Related coverage: Japan town recovers 35 mil. yen in mistakenly sent COVID funds Man arrested for spending mistakenly sent 46 mil. yen in COVID funds KYODO NEWS - May 24, 2022 - 14:13 | All, World President Joe Biden said Tuesday that U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, following his earlier comments that raised questions about whether Washington was shifting from its long-standing policy of maintaining an ambiguous stance. Biden said "No" when asked whether the policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan was changed during a photo session at the end of the meeting of Quad summit in Tokyo. "The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday," the president said in response to another question about whether U.S. troops would be sent to Taiwan if China invaded. Biden said Monday that the United States is committed to defending Taiwan if China attempts to seize the self-ruled island by force. Asked if the United States is willing to get involved militarily in a Taiwan contingency, Biden said at a press conference after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, "Yes. That's the commitment we made." His comments were met with firm opposition from China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Biden also said the U.S. policy has not changed at all with its commitment to supporting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Related coverage: U.S. committed to defense of Taiwan in event of China invasion: Biden China voices firm opposition to Biden's remarks on Taiwan Press Release May 23, 2022 STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE RATIFICATION OF BICAM REPORT ON ANTI-ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE OR EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN (OSAEC) BILL AND ANTI-CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE OR EXPLOITATION MATERIALS (CSAEM) ACT May 23, 2022 Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. I have the distinct honor and privilege to submit to this August Chamber the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill No. 2209 and House Bill No. 10703, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act. Mr. President, I would like to move that the entire joint explanatory statement of the Bicameral Conference Committee be spread into the records. To give everyone a snapshot of the agreements between the two chambers, the following are the salient points of this legislative measure: 1. Creates the specific offense of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and imposes penalties for the same; 2. Increases the duties of the private sector, with emphasis on electronic service providers, internet intermediaries, financial intermediaries, specifically with respect to the blocking and preserving of OSAEC materials found on their platforms, and cooperation with law enforcement agents; 3. Creates the National Coordinating Center against OSAEC and CSAEM under the Inter Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT) 4. Establishes protections and guarantees for child victims of OSAEC, particularly with respect their psycho-social needs; 5. Grants additional investigation and surveillance tools to law enforcement agents, taking into account the complexities of the internet and the dark web. I note that we yielded to the DOF and removed the automatic appropriation provision, thus the amounts necessary to fulfill the provisions of this act shall be subjected to the annual budgetary process. I am extremely grateful to the 18th Congress under the leadership of Senate President Tito Sotto and Majority Leader Migz Zubiri for the passage of this important measure. Special mention din kina Sen Pia Cayetano, Sen Win Gatchalian, Sen Manny Pacquiao, Sen Kiko Pangilinan for their important interventions. Truly, the 18th Congress will be remembered for many things, and one of these will be the good it has done for Filipino children. Kinararangal kong maging bahagi ng Kongresong ito. The Russia Pavilion welcomes the 1,000,000th visitor at Expo 2020 Dubai on Dec. 27, 2021. Russia, South Korea, Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia had submitted competing candidatures to organize the World Expo 2030. MOSCOW, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday notified the Bureau International des Expositions, World Expo's organizing body, of its decision to voluntarily withdraw Moscow's candidacy for the right to host the World Expo 2030. "We are forced to state that the international exhibition movement turned out to be another victim of the large-scale anti-Russian campaign launched by the collective West to squeeze our country out of all areas of cooperation," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Five countries had submitted competing candidatures to organize the event, namely Russia, South Korea, Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia. XI'AN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A water diversion project in NW China's Shaanxi takes biodiversity protection into consideration. A 1,908m passageway is being built for migrating fish. The passageway is designed to lower the speed of flowing water to help fish save energy when they swim through. It also allocates places for fish to rest and breed. Efforts are also made in artificial fish breeding. Fish fry will be released into the river when they are big and healthy enough. Produced by Xinhua Global Service LOS ANGELES, May 23 (Xinhua) -- "Through the Lens: An Anti-Asian American Experience in 2021" opened Saturday in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley. The week-long photo exhibition features over 50 photos. It documents the rise of anti-Asian rhetoric and violence. It also reflects the outpouring of support for the Asian-American community from all ethnicities and nationalities. The photos were taken by 10 photojournalists, including Ringo Chiu, the 2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner. Some Asian-Americans have experienced race or ethnicity-related hate incidents since the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate, 10,905 hate incidents against AAPI persons were reported from March 19, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021, at the national level. Produced by Xinhua Global Service The return capsule of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship lands successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Ren Junchuan) BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have commenced breeding experiments on 12,000 seeds that were bred inside the Shenzhou-13 crewed spaceship in space for six months. The seeds, including alfalfa, oats and fungi, were selected by multiple research institutions last year. They were brought back to Earth by the Shenzhou-13 on April 16. Space breeding refers to the process of exposing seeds to cosmic radiation and microgravity during a spaceflight mission to mutate seed genes and then send them back to Earth to generate new species. The space breeding tests have been carried out in all the flight missions during the essential technology verification phase of China's space station project. Thousands of crop seeds and microorganisms from 88 organizations were carried into space and returned to Earth by the Shenzhou-12 and Shenzhou-13. Researchers at M-Grass, a tech enterprise in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, have conducted experiments on six grass strains onboard the Shenzhou-13. It is the second time the company has sent seeds into space, following the return of grass specie mutations with the Chang'e-5 lunar probe in 2020. After further selection and planting, superior seed varieties will be used for ecological restoration and urban landscape construction, said Liu Siyang, a senior researcher at the company. On Oct. 16, 2021, the Shenzhou-13 mission sent three taikonauts to China's space station core module for a six-month stay -- the longest-ever duration in the country's crewed space program. Crew members completed several experiments during the space flight. BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the government posted lower prices in mid-May compared with early May this year, official data showed Tuesday. Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some agricultural products mainly used for processing, 23 saw their prices increase, while 27 posted lower prices, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Hog price went up 4 percent during the period to 15.5 yuan (2.3 U.S. dollars) per kg. The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions. From an abandoned coal mine to an oasis of greenery... Fushun City, China's coal capital in northeast China, has seen sea changes thanks to the green transformation of its coal industry. Produced by Xinhua Global Service SUVA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Fiji has recorded 57 new COVID-19 cases in recent days, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections in the South Pacific island country to more than 64,000. According to the Fijivillage news website on Tuesday, Fiji's Health Ministry confirmed that of the 57 new COVID-19 cases recorded since last Friday, 20 cases were reported in the central part of the country, 33 in the western part and four in the northern part. Fiji, which confirmed its first COVID-19 case in March 2020, has so far reported 862 COVID-19 related deaths in the country. BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China has expanded medical facilities in rural areas in the past decade to ensure its 509.8 million rural residents have access to basic medical services. By the end of 2021, China had set up 23,000 county-level medical and healthcare institutions, 35,000 township health facilities and 599,000 village clinics across the country, the National Health Commission told a press conference Tuesday. The establishment of health agencies has remedied the shortfall in medical resources in rural regions and enabled rural residents, or 36.1 percent of the total population, to enjoy medical services on their doorsteps, the commission said. Programs have also been initiated to help patients from nearly 10 million families with financial difficulty, the commission added. A cruise ship sails in the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) ANKARA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. The number of foreign visitors hosted in the January-April period this year increased by 172.51 percent to 7.47 million compared to the same period last year, according to the figures from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry. In April, the highest number of foreign visitors was from Germany, with 395,372 people, followed by Bulgaria and Britain, with 270,997 and 225,296 people respectively. Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city and a major tourist destination, attracted 37.9 percent of all international visitors, while 25.7 percent of them visited the southern Antalya province. Turkey is rebounding in its crucial tourism sector as arrivals continue to gain pace, but the figures still fall behind the pre-pandemic level of April 2019, when it attracted 3.3 million foreign tourists, according to the official data. Turkey's tourism revenue shrank by 70 percent in 2020 after garnering a record high of 34.5 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in the previous year. Turkey attracted a total of 30 million foreign tourists and achieved 24.5 billion dollars in revenue in 2021. People take photos near Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) People take photos near Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) People cruise the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) People take a selfie at Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) People visit Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) People cruise the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) Tourists are seen near Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) Cruise ships sail in the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) Tourists visit Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey, May 24, 2022. The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Shadati) Photo taken on May 6, 2022 shows residential buildings in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Diego Herrera/Xinhua) BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine: The situation in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region is tense, following the regrouping of Russian forces, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported Monday, citing Fedir Venislavsky, member of Ukraine's parliament committee on national security, defense and intelligence. "The enemy, after ten days, almost two weeks, of regrouping forces and means, brought reserves from the Belgorod region," said Venislavsky. Russian forces have also renewed their offensive on the town of Sloviansk in Donetsk, he said. Photo taken on May 22, 2022 shows a view of the destroyed facilities at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua) - - - - Russia has deployed 25 battalion tactical groups, or some 12,500 troops, to Lugansk, Sergey Gaidai, head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, said Monday on Facebook. "The situation in the region is extremely complicated. The whole territory is under fire," he said. Evacuation from the region is complicated, but hospitals are functioning, Gaidai said, urging people to stay in shelters. - - - - At least 14 Russian paratroopers were killed in clashes with the Ukrainian military, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Monday on Facebook. Ukrainian soldiers of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade based in Lviv have also destroyed two combat vehicles of the Pskov-based 76th airborne assault division of the Russian Armed Forces, it said, without specifying the losses on the Ukrainian side or the location of the battle. Press Release May 23, 2022 MANIFESTATION OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE 2ND READING OF THE UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS May 23, 2022 Good afternoon, Mr. President. In less than two weeks, the 18th Congress is about to adjourn sine die. And in the few days leading up to this, we hope to pass a bill increasing the social pension of senior citizens from P500.00 to P1,000.00. I am thankful to the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development for its efforts in pushing this forward. The existing social pension fund for indigent lolos and lolas has in some way provided relief to over 3.7 million indigent senior citizens. However, studies have shown that the means-tested scheme of provided for in the current law excludes a significant number of vulnerable older persons. Marami sa kanila na hindi sapat ang kinikita o natatanggap na tulong upang sila ay mabuhay na may dignidad. Sa harap ng kahirapang ito, marami sa kanila ang hindi makapasa sa mahigpit na requirements ng kasalukuyang social pension. Mas lalong pinahirapan ng pandemya ang sitwasyon ng ating mga bulnerableng nakatatanda, bukod sa marami sa kanila ang nawalan ng hanapbuhay ay nawalan din ng pinagkakakitaan ang mga inaasahan nila sa kanilang pang-araw araw na pangangailangan. When I filed Senate Bill 160 or the Lingap Para kay Lolo at Lola Act, which was a product of extensive consultations with stakeholders and advocates, it was in the hope that we not only double their social pension but to provide income security in the form of a universal social pension for all our senior citizens. In a country where poverty makes growing old an added challenge, universal social pension will not only provide much needed financial assistance for them but would also enable an increase in household spending and consumption, and which in turn can help drive local economies. Mr. President, naniniwala po ako na nasa puso ng mga miyembro ng Senado ang kapakanan ng ating mga nakatatanda, at nais ng bawat isa sa atin na mabigyan sila ng kaukulang pagkilala sa kanilang mahaba at patuloy na kontribusyon sa ating mga pamilya at sa ating lipunan. Having said this, kindly allow me to reiterate my call for a universal social pension for our senior citizens. Maraming salamat po. BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday published an action plan on rural construction to improve people's livelihoods in rural areas and facilitate the country's rural revitalization drive. By 2025, tangible progress should be made on rural construction, and continuous improvement should be seen in the rural living environment, according to the document jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council General Office. In the meantime, China also expects positive progress on ensuring that every village and household has access to rural infrastructure, steady advancement in basic public services, and solid results on promoting cultural and ethical progress in rural areas. The action plan will play a guiding role in advancing the rural construction initiative and making rural areas more attractive places to live and work, according to the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. The document lists 12 key tasks for promoting rural construction, including formulating a unified plan, carrying out major projects and improving relevant mechanisms in rural areas. The projects will cover areas such as road transport, water supply, energy, logistics, informatization, comprehensive services, rural housing and living environment, it said. ABU DHABI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Two people died and more than 100 were injured in a gas cylinder explosion on Monday at a restaurant in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi Police has confirmed. The restaurant, which serves South Asian fare, is located in a five-storey building in central Abu Dhabi. Several shops and six other buildings were damaged in the blast. Abu Dhabi Police has confirmed that two people were killed and at least 120 suffered minor to moderate injuries. The police added those injured were transferred to hospital for immediate treatment. Meanwhile, four residential buildings in the area were evacuated and residents were provided with temporary accommodation as authorities launched an investigation into the incident. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to stop seeking "Taiwan independence" under the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic and said that such an attempt will only come to a dead end. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The right to subsistence comes first among all human rights. On protecting human rights, China has long given top priority to safeguarding people's rights to subsistence and development. A famous proverb, reading "Food is the first necessity of the people" first appeared in the Chinese classic Hanshu, or the Book of Han, which was compiled during the Han dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.). Chinese President Xi Jinping has, on many occasions, quoted this saying, emphasizing the importance of securing adequate food for the people. While meeting political advisors in March, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that food security is among the country's most fundamental interests. Of all things, eating matters most, and food is the most basic necessity of the people, said Xi, adding that through enormous efforts, China is capable of feeding one fifth of the global population with nine percent of the world's arable land and six percent of the freshwater resources. In building a moderately prosperous society, China takes it as the primary goal to secure adequate food and clothing and protect the right to subsistence, and takes further steps to meet the growing material and cultural needs of the people. MACAO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Police in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) launched investigation of 2,565 criminal cases in the first quarter of 2022, down 12 percent from the same period of last year, the Office of the Secretary for Security under the SAR government said on Tuesday. A total of 43 violent crimes were recorded in the first quarter in Macao, down 39.4 percent year-on-year, while serious violent crimes of kidnapping, murder, or serious assault continued to remain at a low level, indicating that the public security situation remained stable in general, the office said. In the first quarter, offenses against the person dropped by 5.9 percent from the same period of last year. Offenses against assets dipped 6.4 percent. Notably, the number of computer crimes plunged 85.1 percent year-on-year. The office said it would continue stepping up the prevention and crackdown of illegal criminal behaviors and enhancing cooperation with police in neighboring regions to guarantee the social prosperity and stability of Macao. ISTANBUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained a foreign national suspected of planning a suicidal bomber attack in Istanbul for the extremist group Islamic State (IS), local media reported on Tuesday. The arrest came after a police operation launched upon a tip-off about an IS suicidal bomb attack planned in the country's largest city of over 16 million people, the NTV news website reported. The suspect, identified as Anas Abbud Alsahi Bnaman, was caught in the Kucukcekmece district on the European side of the city. His nationality was not immediately disclosed. The police teams also seized digital materials during the raid. Local media reported the Turkish security forces have so far prevented 12 IS suicide bomb attacks in operations this year. Turkey has been subject to a series of attacks launched by the IS, including suicide bombings, bomb attacks, and armed assaults since 2015, in which more than 300 people were killed. A herd of elephants is seen at the Hwange National Park in Matabeleland North Province, in northwestern Zimbabwe, Oct. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Chen Yaqin) Representatives of countries in the world on Monday gathered in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park for a four-day summit on elephants, seeking to build consensus on the management of the largest animal on land and wildlife conservation. HWANGE, Zimbabwe, May 24 (Xinhua) -- An elephant summit kicked off Monday in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park as participating countries seek to build consensus on elephant management and wildlife conservation. An elephant is seen at the Hwange National Park in Matabeleland North Province, in northwestern Zimbabwe, Oct. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Chen Yaqin) The summit, which will run till May 26, will be a platform to discuss the growing burden of growing elephant overpopulation and the impact of the existing ban on international trade in ivory. In addition, participating countries want to come up with a common position with regard to elephant management ahead of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 19th Conference of Parties (COP 19) in November in Panama. Western countries and animal rights activists have been opposing the ivory trade arguing that increased poaching is threatening the survival of African elephants. Conservationists in Zimbabwe, however, continue to argue that selling off the country's ivory stockpiles, now estimated to be worth 600 million U.S. dollars, will help fund national conservation efforts. Zimbabwe, which has the second-largest herd after Botswana, has a population of more than 84,000 elephants against a carrying capacity of 40,000. A herd of elephants is seen at the Chobe National Park in northern Botswana, July 15, 2017. (Xinhua/Yang Mengxi) Elephant overpopulation has been blamed for increased human-wildlife conflict as the animals stray into communities in search of food and water. ARUSHA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) has called for strengthened cooperation with China to benefit from a win-win situation. Peter Mathuki, the EAC secretary general, said in an interview with Xinhua on Friday in Arusha that the regional bloc welcomes investors from China to implement various projects in the region of a combined population of about 300 million people. Mathuki added that "I think we welcome investors from China to come and work with us in East Africa so that we can now develop this part of Africa for the good and prosperity of people but also for the prosperity of China." He said China is a strategic partner of East Africa, adding that China and East Africa have a lot to work together to make sure their economies prosper from the cooperation. Mathuki said China is one of the most progressive countries that have tried to partner in so many sectors with countries in East Africa, adding that China is largely supporting infrastructure programs in East African countries by grant or financing mechanisms or by technical assistance. "The Belt and Road Initiative aims to ensure that as you develop infrastructure you also increase trade and secure trade routes in a more advanced way, and make countries very interdependent," said Mathuki. He said this initiative is not only improving infrastructure in East Africa but also increasing the volume of trade. EAC member states are Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao speaks during a press conference following the 6th Plenary Meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN) at Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 23, 2022. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua) BRASILIA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao on Monday called China the "main and most strategic trade partner" of Brazil as bilateral ties are "very good" and have an "extraordinary future." "I can affirm for the second time that Brazil and China converse regularly, fluidly and in a constructive spirit on the main issues of our bilateral agenda," Mourao said, following the 6th Plenary Meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN). "The 6th COSBAN Plenary Meeting showed the harmony between Brazil and China, and demonstrated the willingness of both sides to work together to overcome challenges, identify pending issues and improve our ties," Mourao said. China has been Brazil's main trade partner since 2009, with two-way trade growing every year, he noted. "We are certain that today China plays the role of the engine of the world economy," due to its production capacity and its market of 1.4 billion people, he said. Meanwhile, as the potential "granary of the world," the vice president said, Brazil is willing to become a reliable partner of China in addressing food safety. Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourao speaks during a press conference following the 6th Plenary Meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN) at Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 23, 2022. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua) U.S. President Joe Biden visited South Korea and Japan from Friday to Tuesday, his first trip to Asia since taking office. During his visit to Japan, Biden attended the summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) to hustle the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), an extension of its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" intended to exclude China. Experts have said the United States is doomed to fail in its attempt to form closed and exclusive cliques. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Press Release May 23, 2022 Senate passes bill strengthening private security agencies The Senate today passed on third and final reading a measure authored and sponsored by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa seeking to strengthen the private security service industry and provide protection to the rights of those who belong to the industry. With 21 senators voting in favor, zero against and no abstention, Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2423 or the Private Security Service Industry Act was approved on final reading, repealing the 52-year-old Republic Act (RA) No. 5487 or the Private Security Agency Law. Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said the measure aims to strengthen the regulation of the private security services industry making it responsive to the complexity and growth of the industry and the demands of global-certifying bodies. The bill also aims to improve the protection of Filipino security guards by providing necessary training through the development of ladderized training and education, including basic security guard courses, specialized security guard courses, security officers training courses, detective training courses, and candidate protection agent courses. Under the bill, private security professionals must be a Filipino citizen of legal age, physically and mentally fit, of good moral character and must not have been convicted of any crime for them to be granted the license to exercise private security profession (LESP) which will be valid for five years. "By saying yes to this measure, we are giving the industry the legislative support, which has been lacking all this time, when it was relying on a law that was 52 years old," Dela Rosa said. Section 4 of SBN 2423 ensures that private security agencies shall be 100 percent-owned and controlled by Filipinos, provided that they shall not employ more than 2,000 private security professionals. Any public security agency (PSA) or entity that operates without a valid license to operate (LTO) shall suffer the penalty of fine not less than P1 million and not more than P5 million, while there will be a fine ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 for PSAs or entities that will be proven operating with an expired LTO or any person practicing private security profession without a valid license or expired license. "It is my fervent hope and I believe it is also the hope of this body that through this measure, the private security services industry shall flourish even further along with the success of every individual security professional," Dela Rosa added. Photo taken on April 9, 2020 shows the Dar es Salaam Port undergoing upgrading of port berths 1 to 7 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (Xinhua) China is one of the most progressive countries that have tried to partner East African countries in so many sectors, and largely supports infrastructure programs in East African countries by grants, financing mechanisms or technical assistance, secretary general of the East African Community has said. ARUSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) welcomes investors from China to implement various projects in the region with a population of about 300 million, said Peter Mathuki, EAC secretary general, in a recent interview with Xinhua. "We welcome investors from China to come and work with us in East Africa so that we can now develop this part of Africa for the good and prosperity of people but also for the prosperity of China," said Mathuki, adding that China and East Africa have a lot to work together to make sure their economies prosper from the cooperation. China is one of the most progressive countries that have tried to partner East African countries in so many sectors, and largely supports infrastructure programs in East African countries by grants, financing mechanisms or technical assistance, he said. "The Belt and Road Initiative aims to ensure that as you develop infrastructure you also increase trade and secure trade routes in a more advanced way, and make countries very interdependent," said Mathuki, adding that the initiative is not only improving infrastructure in East Africa but also increasing trade volume. Containers are seen at the new container terminal in Walvis Bay, Namibia, Aug. 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Yu) Mathuki has also pledged full support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China at the UN General Assembly last year, saying the GDI will foster global economic partnerships. "The proposal is very important because it addresses poverty alleviation, food security and COVID-19 response, the issues that touch the hearts of the people of East Africa," he told Xinhua. "We are willing to work with China, and we encourage more countries and international partners to take advantage by joining this Global Development Initiative," said Mathuki. On the Chinese government's move to set up a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs, Mathuki said, "we welcome that proposal because where there is peace then there is promise of development," adding that once the Horn of Africa remains peaceful it potentially becomes an economic hub for this continent. A train arrives at the Maai Mahiu Station of the Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya, Oct. 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Yan) Mathuki has also urged Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa to prepare for and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will create a market of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of about 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars. "In terms of the economies, East Africa stands very strong and the EAC is going to play a very big role in strengthening the AfCFTA," he said. East African countries should approach AfCFTA as a team, urging investors from China to invest in Africa and capture the huge AfCFTA market, said Mathuki. The EAC groups Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Global peace and development is faced with challenges posed by the Ukraine crisis at a time when the world has yet to emerge from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. To tackle the peace deficit, Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward China's proposal. In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, Xi proposed for the first time the Global Security Initiative (GSI). Built on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security Xi laid out eight years ago, the initiative seeks to promote the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. Over the years, Xi has enriched his security vision and elaborated on it on various international occasions. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard. May 21, 2014 In his keynote speech delivered at the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia Summit held in Shanghai, Xi said: "We need to keep pace with the changing circumstances and evolving times. One cannot live in the 21st century with the outdated thinking from the age of Cold War and zero-sum game." "We believe that it is necessary to advocate common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia. We need to innovate our security concept, establish a new regional security cooperation architecture, and jointly build a road for security of Asia that is shared by and win-win to all," he said. Sept. 26, 2017 While addressing the opening ceremony of the 86th Interpol General Assembly, Xi said that "countries should adopt a concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and jointly respond to security challenges." He called for promoting global security governance in a more fair, reasonable and effective way, saying: "Countries, while maintaining their own security, should take into account other countries' security." July 25, 2018 At a business forum at the 10th BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Xi called on BRICS countries to promote common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. He also stressed that BRICS members should address issues that matter to all through consultation and oppose hegemony and power politics. March 26, 2019 At the closing ceremony of the China-France Global Governance Forum held in Paris, the Chinese president called for joint efforts and mutual assistance to address the peace deficit. It is advisable to uphold a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, discard Cold-War and zero-sum mentalities, reject the law of the jungle, and settle conflicts by peaceful means, Xi said. Nov. 10, 2020 While addressing the 20th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Beijing, Xi said: "We need to safeguard security and stability and build a community of security for us all." "Security and stability are the number one precondition for a country's development, and thus concern the core interests of all countries," he said, adding: "We need to act on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, address all forms of threats and challenges effectively, and foster a sound security environment in our region." Sept. 3, 2021 Addressing the opening ceremony of the plenary session of the sixth Eastern Economic Forum, Xi called on all parties to form synergy to safeguard regional peace and stability. All parties need to narrow differences and build consensus through dialogue and exchanges, embrace the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work for a harmonious and tranquil homeland for us all, Xi said. April 21, 2022 In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, Xi proposed the GSI to promote security for all in the world. "It is important that we stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to maintain world peace and security," Xi said. He also called for "taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the pursuit of one's own security at the cost of others' security." May 19, 2022 When delivering a video address at the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Xi called for building a global community of security for all. Both history and reality tell us that seeking one's own security at the expense of others' will only create new tensions and risks, the Chinese president stressed. BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A strong agricultural industry, beautiful countryside and well-off farmers -- this is rural China described when speaking about the goal of the country's rural revitalization strategy for the upcoming decades. What will China's future countryside look like? What would be done to turn this vision into reality in the next few years? The latest action plan on China's rural construction has provided more details. By 2025, tangible progress should be made on rural construction, and continuous improvement should be seen in the rural living environment, said the document jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (CPC) and the State Council General Office. China also expects positive progress in ensuring that every village and household has access to rural infrastructure, steady advancement in basic public services, and solid results in promoting cultural and ethical progress in rural areas. The action plan has focused on the development of both infrastructure and services. It arranged projects to improve rural roads, water supply, energy, logistics, housing and living environments, as well as efforts to enhance public services and rural governance. "Rural construction is an important task in implementing the rural revitalization strategy, as well as an essential part of China's modernization drive," the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group said in a Q&A with Xinhua. The action plan will play a guiding role in advancing the rural construction initiative and making rural areas more attractive places to live and work, according to the office. The rural revitalization strategy, which was first put forward during the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, aims at achieving the basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas by 2035, and the grand goal of strong agriculture, beautiful countryside and well-off farmers by 2050. To make the countryside more livable, China launched a three-year rural living environment upgrade campaign in 2018, which follows another five-year campaign from the previous year to further consolidate such efforts. By the end of 2020, more than 40 million rural household toilets had been renovated during the three-year campaign, with the penetration rate of clean toilets achieving 68 percent in China's rural areas, statistics showed. From 2016 to 2020, China also built or rebuilt more than 1.4 million km of rural roads. The country will continue road construction and bring the total length of rural roads to approximately 5 million km by 2035, according to a plan released by the transport ministry. Despite the progress, there are still weak links between rural infrastructure and public services, which has yet to fulfill the farmers' ever-growing needs for a better life, the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group has noted. "Apart from infrastructure, rural construction would also cover rural governance, sustainable development of rural industries, public services and promotion of cultural progress," said Li Xiaoyun, a professor at China Agricultural University. Rural construction will be a green and resource-efficient process, according to the action plan, which has aimed for an alignment between construction and the natural environment. In efforts to protect the rural environment, China has aimed to keep the rural green coverage rate above 32 percent by 2025, with some 20,000 national forest villages and a great number of local forest villages established, according to the country's forestry and grassland authorities. The action plan has also highlighted the participation of farmers in the decision-making and construction process, as well as the need to keep the traditional architecture, folk culture and local characteristics instead of simply copying the urban construction models. "Farmers will not only be beneficiaries of rural construction, but also important participants, builders and supervisors of the process," said Zhang Bin, a researcher with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. A medical team aiding Shanghai in its fight against the COVID-19 resurgence returned to east China's Shandong Province on Sunday. The team with 1,045 members was the first batch of medics that returned home via high-speed trains. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service 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) The WHO was still "far behind" to see 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by next year. Before the pandemic, the WHO estimated that only 270 million more people would be covered by 2023 -- a shortfall of 730 million people against the target of 1 billion. GENEVA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) reiterated here on Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic "is far from over." "As I said yesterday, the pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90 percent of member states reporting disruption to one or more essential health services," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus said the COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated why the world needed the WHO. "We need a stronger and sustainably financed WHO, at the center of the global health security architecture," he said at the annual assembly. A child is vaccinated against polio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 18, 2022. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua) "In ways small and large, seen and unseen, I am proud to say that this organization is making a difference," he said. The WHO was still "far behind" to see 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by next year. Before the pandemic, the WHO estimated that only 270 million more people would be covered by 2023 -- a shortfall of 730 million people against the target of 1 billion. "Disruptions to health services during the pandemic have sent us backwards, and we estimate the shortfall could reach 840 million," he said. Ghebreyesus also said governments should put people's health at the center of their plans. A health worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a government health center in Amritsar district of Punjab state, India, April 19, 2022. (Str/Xinhua) "We are calling on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth," he said. Aerial photo taken on May 16, 2022 shows a view of a safflower oil company in Yumin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Gao Han) URUMQI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Rows of modern workshops stand neatly, while outside lies a small experimental field divided into more than a dozen different zones. Various varieties of safflower are planted here, as several workers weed the fields, observe the growth of safflower seedlings and make records. The workshops of Xinjiang Tianding Safflower Oil Co., Ltd. are located in Yumin County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The nutritional value of safflower seeds remains relatively unknown to the public. The oil extracted from safflower seeds has proven to be high in linoleic acid and vitamins. Linoleic acid is capable of reducing blood lipids, softening blood vessels, and stabilizing blood pressure. "Referencing the olive oil process, we developed the cold pressing and cold smelting production process of safflower seed oil to better preserve its natural and nutritional value," said Wang Laizhong, general manager of the company. In 2012, Wang set up a team to start the patent research and development for the cold pressing and cold smelting process of safflower seed oil. At the beginning, three team members took safflower seed samples to major scientific research institutions across the country to consult experts and learn about the cold pressing and cold refining process. After returning to Yumin County, they transformed a Chinese medicine extraction factory and started conducting experiments in their new factory. The team worked to lower the pressing temperature of safflower seed oil to below 60 degrees Celsius, which is ideal for minimizing the harmful substance benzopyrene. In 2013, the team invested 80 million yuan (about 12 million U.S. dollars) to build a factory in Yumin, and the safflower seed oil production line went operational. In 2016, they received two national invention patents related to the refining and cold pressing methods of safflower seed oil production. The oil processed by cold pressing and cold smelting is entirely edible. Wang's team believes that demand for a better life is increasingly diversified, and the middle and high-end edible oil market has broad prospects. "We hope to make quality health products, slowly influence consumers' views on eating edible oil and realize the value of safflower seed oil," Wang said. In 2021, the turnover of the company was 30 million yuan, compared to 4 million yuan four years ago, and Wang expects the turnover to exceed 100 million yuan this year. Innovation plays a significant role in their business. Wang said the company invests about 2 million yuan in research and development every year. Now, the company hosts more than 40 employees, mostly local residents. Ahat and his wife have been working in the company for nine years, and they have bid farewell to poverty. The couple earn 7,500 yuan together every month, and the company also provides them with accommodations. The farming fields are the material "workshops." The company pays more than the market value for materials, in a bid to help local farmers and herdsmen increase their income. A safflower science and technology industrial park is under construction beside the company. It is expected to receive the first batch of enterprises next summer. In the future, the park will include the whole industrial chain of safflower and develop tourism to bring more opportunities to locals. File photo taken in 2021 shows a safflower field in Yumin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua) Staff members work at a safflower experimental field outside the workshops of a safflower oil company in Yumin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Gao Han) Staff workers are busy on the production line of a safflower oil company in Yumin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Gao Han) HEFEI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- German automaker Volkswagen's Chinese joint venture Volkswagen Anhui recently began working on a new project for making new energy vehicle (NEV) parts, with an investment of 130 million yuan (about 19.5 million U.S. dollars). Located in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, the project has a planned construction area of around 31,000 square meters. Upon completion, it will provide auto parts including seats and accessories for NEVs produced by Volkswagen Anhui. Despite many parts of China still battling COVID-19 resurgence, foreign firms' confidence in investing in the Chinese NEV market remains undiminished, thanks in part to the country's thriving economic prospects. On May 10, Volkswagen Group China announced to establish a new digital sales and services company in Hefei. The new company is expected to complete Volkswagen Anhui's entire value chain in terms of manufacturing, R&D, testing, marketing, and customer services. This new digital sales and services company is an exciting chapter in the group's investment in e-mobility and another milestone in its partnership with Anhui Province, said Stephan Wollenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China. Japanese carmaker Honda, which officially launched its first pure-electric vehicle in China in April, aims to increase its NEV sales in China to 800,000 units by 2030. In January, Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. announced to set up an NEV factory project in Wuhan, Hubei Province, with a total investment of about 10 billion yuan. It is expected to start operation in 2024. Guidelines released last month said China supports the development of NEVs, and encourages the development of NEVs in rural areas and the construction of NEV supporting facilities there. Industrial insiders believe that the favorable policies will further boost the consumption of NEVs in China. "Foreign enterprises are generally optimistic about the long-term and stable development of China's economy and market potential," said Zhang Bingli, professor at Hefei University of Technology. Chinese government's heightened focus on the NEV industry and its strong support in terms of policies and funds to the industry are attracting foreign investment into China's NEV business, Zhang added. JERUSALEM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Security Agency said Tuesday it has arrested members of a Hamas group in East Jerusalem over terrorist schemes, including attempts to murder Israeli politicians in early April. "The suspects planned, among other things, to shoot at Israeli targets and public figures, including lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, manufacture IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and abduct soldiers," the agency, or Shin Bet, said in a statement. The suspects were also accused of acquiring a drone in order to install explosives on it and use it to attack the Jerusalem light rail, according to the agency. The Israeli State Attorney accused Rashid Rashak, a Hamas militant in East Jerusalem's Old City, and Mansur Tzafadi, a Hamas militant from the neighborhood of Abu Tor, of leading the cell. Shin Bet said Israeli security forces "will continue to take determined action in order to deal with those involved in terrorism, especially in Jerusalem, to the fullest extent of the law." Israel captured East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it shortly later, in a move not recognized by most of the international community. The Palestinians wish to build the capital of their state in East Jerusalem. UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned Sunday's attack on UN peacekeepers and the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the March 23 Movement (M23) in Shangi, North Kivu. In a press statement, the members of the council reiterated their strong condemnation of all attacks and provocations against the UN peacekeeping force in the DRC known as MONUSCO. They underlined that deliberate attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. They called on the Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate such attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice, and to keep the relevant troop-contributing country informed of the progress. The council members expressed concern about the increase of armed group activity in the eastern provinces of the DRC. They reiterated their condemnation of all armed groups operating in the country and called on all actors to end violence and their violations and abuse of international human rights and international humanitarian law. They called on all armed groups operating in eastern DRC to participate unconditionally in the ongoing political process and on eligible armed groups to lay down their weapons. The council members expressed concern at the current humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, marked by a significant increase in the number of people in need of protection and humanitarian assistance. They called on the DRC government to address the underlying drivers of the current humanitarian situation and on partners to step up their support to the government in tackling these challenges. They stressed the importance of MONUSCO having the necessary capacities to fulfill its mandate and promote the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers and its operations. UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Capt. Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar of Chad, who was killed as a peacekeeper in Mali, is honored with the United Nations' highest award for valor for his courage, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will present the honor at a ceremony to his family on Thursday, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, said the UN chief's spokesman Stephane Dujarric. It is only the second time the UN Security Council-authorized Capt. Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage has been awarded. "Abdelrazakh made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of peace," said Undersecretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. "We mourn his loss alongside his family, colleagues and the nation of Chad. His selfless service serves to inspire us all and we are proud to honor him." Abdelrazakh's willingness to risk his own life to save others exemplifies the courage and dedication of the more than 1 million peacekeepers who have served on the front lines of conflict since 1948, Lacroix said. It also highlights the increasing danger peacekeepers face as they carry out their vital work in some of the world's most challenging environments. Abdelrazakh served in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, as the deputy commander of the Chadian Special Forces Company beginning in January 2021, the spokesman said. He was deployed at the Aguelhok Super Camp in northeast Mali when attacked by an armed terrorist group attempting to seize the base and its outposts. "Abdelrazakh led a bold counterattack to defend the camp, protect the lives of his colleagues and prevent any civilian casualties," Dujarric said. "While attempting to secure the perimeter, Capt. Abdelrazakh noticed armed assailants entering a house near the camp. Determined to ensure that they did not harm colleagues and the civilian population, he single-handedly led an operation to clear and secure the house. In doing so, Capt. Abdelrazakh was shot and killed." The medal was named in honor of Capt. Mbaye Diagne. He saved hundreds of lives while serving as a UN peacekeeper in Rwanda in 1994 before being killed in action. The award was established in 2014 by the Security Council as an official award to recognize uniformed and civilian peacekeepers who demonstrate exceptional courage. Press Release May 23, 2022 SPONSORSHIP SPEECH Increased Social Pension for Senior Citizens Senator Joel Villanueva Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: I am truly honored to sponsor as Subcommittee Chairperson of the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, together with the Committee on Finance, the Bill increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens. May I state for the record that this representation was designated by Senator De Lima, the Chairperson of the Committee on Social Justice, to conduct and preside the hearing on the eight (8) Social Pension bills last January 24, 2022. Masigasig pong isinulong ng ating mga kasamahan dito sa Senado ang dagdag na social pension para sa ating mga lolo at lola - Senate President Tito Sotto (SB 1267), Senator Grace Poe (SB 126), Senator Sonny Angara (SB 133), Senator Kiko Pangilinan (SB 259), Senator Nancy Binay and Senator Leila De Lima (SB 570), Senator Bong Revilla (SB 1267) and Senator Risa Hontiveros (SB 160). We observed the firm stance of our stakeholders from the hearing attended by our colleagues Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Nancy Binay, Congressman Ompong Ordanes of the Senior Citizen Party List and the Chairman of the House Special Committee on Senior Citizens, government officials from DSWD, DBM, and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC), and representatives from the Coalition of Services of the Elderly, and Senior Citizens Sectoral Council. We are all in agreement that the current P500.00 monthly allowance is not enough to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of our indigent Senior Citizens. Ang halaga pong ito ay naisabatas labing-isang taon na ang nakalilipas sa bisa ng Republic Act No. 9994 o ang "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010". Ang limandaang piso noon ay hindi na po kasinhalaga ng limandaang piso ngayon. Sa mga indigent senior citizens po na nakausap natin, lalo na po nitong nakaraang kampanya, halos lahat po sila ay nagsasabing kulang na kulang ang five hundred pesos dahil napupunta lang ito sa kanilang maintenance medicine tulad ng losartan, amlodipine at iba't ibang mga vitamin at food supplement. Mr. President, the pandemic highlighted the need to increase the monthly stipend of indigent senior citizens. Five hundred pesos is really very small especially if we take into account the increase of prices over the past decade. In fact, RA 9994 provides that the amount of the monthly stipend to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens shall be subject to a review every two (2) years by Congress,in consultation with the DSWD. Mr. President, based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, there were 12,336,355 Filipinos aged 60 years old and above which is 11.31 percent of the country's estimated total population of 109,035,343. Kung tutuusin, isa po sa kada sampung Pilipino ay may edad animnapu pataas. Subalit nais po nating linawin na iyon lamang pong mga "indigent" gaya ng nakasaad na sa eligibility criteria ng DSWD ang makakatanggap. Sila po ang mga lolo at lola natin na: Frail, sickly or with disability; No pension from the Government and Private Institutions like GSIS, SSS, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office(PVAO), Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFBMBAI) or any other insurance company; No permanent source of income; and No regular support from family or relatives for his/her basic needs. Kung ibabatay po natin sa datos ng DSWD, aabot sa mahigit 3.8 milyon ang indigent Filipinos aged 60 and over. Sa P500 kada buwan, nasa P23.6 bilyon ang kasalukuyang allotment para sa social pension kada taon. Para sa bansang labis ang pagpapahalaga sa ating mga lolo at lola, hindi naman po siguro kalabisan kung dodoblehin ang allotment na ito kada taon. Mr. President, with Senate Bill No. 2506, this representation hopes that our indigent senior citizens will receive an additional P500 or a total of P1,000 monthly pension allowance. This initiative serves as a small token of appreciation to show how we value our elders for their immeasurable contribution to our community. Other than the increase in the social pension for senior citizens from P500 to P1,000, the bill also provides options other than cash payout for the pension to reach the target beneficiary. The transaction fee, if any, shall not be charged to the beneficiary. Mr. President, the DSWD implements the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens since 2011 through the DSWD Field Offices using the most cost-effective and efficient mode of payment to deliver the stipend to the beneficiaries on a quarterly basis. However, with the passage of Republic Act No. 11350 or the National Commission of Senior Citizens Act in 2019, we deem it appropriate to transfer this function from the DSWD to the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC). Maganda po na ang mangangasiwa sa pondo para sa mga indigent senior citizen ay ang mismong mga senior citizen din [Note: The members of the NCSC should be at least 60 years old at the time of their appointment.] Mr. President, this measure is consistent with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) No. 1 to end poverty in all its forms everywhere and No. 3 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Article 13, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitutions also ensures that there shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children. Let me end with a Bible verse from Psalm 71:9 "Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone." I urge our colleagues' support for the passage of this measure. Maraming salamat po at pagpalain po tayo ng Panginoong Diyos. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Turkey demands Sweden and Finland sign a "written agreement" on ending "support for terrorism" before it will give greenlight to the two Nordic countrie's NATO bids. ANKARA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday demanded a "written agreement" from Finland and Sweden on steps to end their "support for terrorism" if they want to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Cavusoglu's remarks came a day before Turkey will hold consultations with the two Nordic countries in Ankara on their NATO bids. "We expect them to end support for terrorism and to lift defense restrictions," Turkey's NTV broadcaster quoted Cavusoglu as telling reporters on his flight to Palestine and Israel. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (R) and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto attend a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 17, 2022. (Ninni Andersson/Government Offices of Sweden/Handout via Xinhua) "They said 'We can take concrete steps.' We want a written agreement," the Turkish minister said, adding Ankara demands "assurances" in a signed agreement. A four-way meeting can be held by the three countries with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in this regard, said Cavusoglu. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal will meet with Finnish and Swedish officials on Wednesday. Turkey has so far been the only NATO member which objects to the NATO bids by Sweden and Finland, citing the two countries' support to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian branch of PKK. People protest against Sweden's decision to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 16, 2022. (Photo by Wei Xuechao/Xinhua) The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. Turkey also accuses the two countries of harboring members of the Gulen Movement which Ankara says is behind a failed military coup attempt in 2016. Moreover, Ankara demands Sweden and Finland end their arms exports bans imposed following the country's cross-border military operation into northeast Syria in 2019. HOUSTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen students and a teacher were killed on Tuesday after a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde of U.S. state of Texas, according to media reports quoting Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The 18-year-old suspect, a student at Uvalde High School, is also dead, the governor said. Israeli army artillery corps fire towards Gaza near the Israel-Gaza border near southern Israeli city of Sderot on May 16, 2021. (Tomer Neuberg/JINI via Xinhua) "The factors that caused the last wave of conflict (last May) are still going on, whether in Gaza or in East Jerusalem and the West Bank," says an expert, noting no final solutions to peace yet between Palestinian factions and Israel. GAZA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Despite the relative calm that has prevailed in the region for a year, another round of conflict between the military factions based in the Gaza Strip and Israel is "only a matter of time" given the current Palestinian-Israeli high tensions, Palestinian political experts said. One year after the bruising 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the ruling faction of Gaza, which killed more than 260 Palestinians and 14 Israelis, the besieged Palestinian enclave is still working hard on its economic recovery even as Israel has partially reopened the crossings to allow thousands of Palestinians to work inside it and the construction materials into Gaza for its rebuilding in the aftermath of the war. In fact, the armed Palestinian factions and Israel have never reached any final political and economic solutions to real peace in the region, the experts told Xinhua in separate remarks. "The factors that caused the last wave of conflict are still going on, whether in Gaza or in East Jerusalem and the West Bank," said Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a Gaza-based political expert. A protester burns a tire during clashes with Israeli soldiers on the Gaza-Israel border, east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) "The Israelis continue to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, prevent worshippers from performing their religious rituals. Meanwhile, they launch raids and arrest Palestinians in the West Bank, and keep their siege on the Gaza Strip," he explained. Recently, some Israeli officials have openly threatened to assassinate Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader in Gaza who, in a recent speech, called on young Palestinians inside Israel to continue their individual operations in retaliation for Israel's practices at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. If Sinwar is "assassinated," Hamas, which has understated the threat, will wage "a fierce war" against Israel, which may extend to other areas outside the Gaza Strip, Abu Saada warned. Hussam al-Dajani, another Gaza-based political expert, agreed that "things may take a turn for the worst" if Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett "succumbs to the pressure of the extreme right-wing parties." Still, al-Dajani has reservations about a steep military escalation in the region despite the murky prospect of a final political solution between Palestinians and Israelis. A Palestinian protester throws back a tear gas canister during a protest to mark 52nd anniversary of burning Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, on the Gaza-Israel border in east of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "There must be a strong determinant that imposes that approach, such as the assassination of one of Hamas' leaders. However, Israel will think a lot before doing that," he said, adding both Hamas and Israel "are not interested in a new war." The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in an opinion article that the regional situation has not changed much a year after the war, as increasing anxiety is felt in the public against the background of the wave of attacks in recent months. However, the Israeli coalition led by Bennett is now in its worst condition as the coalition is barely surviving, the opinion article read, noting a government "in a state of multiple crises will have difficulty managing a fight over a period of time." Palestinian women take part in a protest to mark 52nd anniversary of burning Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, on the Gaza-Israel border in east of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Hazem Qassem, a spokesman of Hamas, told Xinhua that Hamas and Israel have suspended all their talks, directly and indirectly, since they reached a cease-fire last year for the May conflict. "We do not want another war, but if Israel forces us to do so, we will certainly be ready to defend our people and our land at all costs," Qassem said, suggesting Arab and international mediators' efforts might not bear any fruit. Kenyan youth John Pius says it is a great honor to be accorded the chance to drive a modern train, and training and mentorship by Chinese experts have paved the way for him to attain that feat. NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Growing up at a rural hamlet in south-eastern Kenya where more than a century-old meter-gauge railway snakes through, John Pius used to marvel at the sight of locomotives making a steep climb toward far-away destinations. In February, he joined the ranks of the first independent Kenyan locomotive drivers and has been shuttling the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train that operates along the 120-km Nairobi-Suswa line which was launched on Oct. 16, 2019. The 32-year-old mechanical engineering major in 2016 began training for a locomotive driver crash course one year ahead of the launch of the China-built 480-km Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Pius was put under the tutelage of a Chinese expert, who taught him the basics of shuttling a modern passenger train, as part of efforts to promote Sino-Kenya technical skills transfer. John Pius drives a train in Nairobi, Kenya, March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Long Lei) During a recent interview with Xinhua, Pius said that courtesy of the rigorous training by the Chinese expert, he feels competent enough to drive the SGR locomotives, praised for revolutionizing travel and commerce in Kenya. "Having been with the Chinese trainers since 2016, I have learned useful techniques like driving the locomotive, dealing with faults and how to relate with people," said Pius. According to Pius, two passenger and one cargo train operate daily along the Nairobi-Suswa line, all shuttled by local drivers who have benefitted from training by Chinese technicians. "I am happy to be among the first independent locomotive drivers. Even my family is happy. They are happy with the SGR management for giving me this chance," said Pius. So far, there are ten independent drivers along the Nairobi-Suswa SGR corridor, divided evenly for the passenger and freight train services, according to Pius. He disclosed that four other local independent drivers are charged with shuttling cargo to the Inland Container Depot near the resort town of Naivasha, about 100 km the northwest of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. Pius said he felt it was a great honor to be accorded the chance to drive a modern train, noting that training and mentorship by the Chinese expert paved way for the attainment of that feat. "This is a golden chance," said Pius, adding that he has learned theoretical and practical aspects of driving a modern locomotive. Hellen Mugogwa, a kindergarten teacher who chaperoned young children during a holiday trip to Suswa was in jovial spirits as John Pius steered the locomotive along the picturesque corridor, adding that she had faith in the competence of local drivers. Brian Kemboi, an assistant locomotive driver along the Nairobi-Suswa SGR corridor, was of the view that the training he has undergone since 2018 under a Chinese instructor, has prepared him adequately for the demanding task ahead. The 28-year-old electrical engineering major confessed that his dream of shuttling locomotives one day was nurtured at a young age, having watched them pass through his native village in north-western Kenya. Brian Kemboi checks the engine while the train is running in Nairobi, Kenya, March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Long Lei) Kemboi started training to become a locomotive driver in 2018, courtesy of a partnership between China Road and Bridge Corporation and his former college, the Rift Valley Technical Institute. "The training is quite intensive. It involves theory and how to solve a technical fault, safety is also a critical component," said Kemboi who has since February acted as an independent assistant driver for the Nairobi-Suswa passenger train. He said the experience at the locomotive's cabin has been exciting, stressing that he looked forward to mastering all the techniques of shuttling it along the scenic Nairobi-Suswa route. According to Kemboi, even passengers along the Nairobi-Suswa corridor have expressed confidence in the ability of the youthful independent locomotive drivers. Kevin Saruni, a 27-year-old businessman and a regular Nairobi-Suswa train service passenger, said that local drivers had proved competent enough to steer the locomotive, with zero accidents and smooth rides. "Since the local drivers took over shuttling of the Nairobi-Suswa passenger train, I can honestly admit they met my expectations. The rides are smooth and comfortable," said Saruni. On average, the independent locomotive drivers underwent a mandatory six months of intensive training, followed by close supervision by the Chinese technicians while in the cabin lasting years before they were allowed to shuttle the modern train service on their own in February. John Pius (Front) and Brian Kemboi pose for a group photo on a train in Kajiado, Kenya, March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Long Lei) John Mungai, a 31-year-old mechanical engineering major, said that shuttling the Nairobi-Suswa freight service since February was the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream. Mungai admitted that training by the Chinese instructor was good, thanks to his engineering background, noting that he has not encountered any accident while shuttling the cargo locomotive. "At least the training has enabled me to handle the huge responsibility with ease. So far, I have been able to deliver containers to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot without a major hitch," said Mungai, adding that courtesy of the training, he is able to handle safety issues at ease and localization of SGR operations have benefitted local youth in terms of jobs and skills acquisition. SAN FRANCISCO, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Firearm incidents cost Santa Clara, a U.S. county in Northern California, 72 million U.S. dollars each year, according to a report by San Jose Spotlight on Monday. The estimate covers the costs of public sector responses to gun violence. Margaret Petros, executive director of Mothers Against Murder, a nonprofit that assists victims of violent crimes, said she was stunned by the financial cost of gun violence in Santa Clara County. She noted the financial burden of gun violence can be traumatizing for families. The county's Assistant District Attorney James Gibbons-Shapiro also said that shootings have impacts on communities throughout the county that go deeper than dollars. The report claims Santa Clara County had about 550,000 firearms in 2021, roughly one gun for every four residents. Over the past two decades, 1,494 county residents have died from firearm-related injuries, with the most common cause being suicide. The report shows Latino residents are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. More than half of all nonfatal firearm injuries reported at emergency rooms between 2016-2020 were for Latinos, who only account for 25 percent of the county's population, the report said. County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said at a news conference Monday that the county decided to examine the cost of gun violence following the 2019 shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival which killed three and injured at least 15 others. The county is considering enhanced gun control measures just before the first anniversary of the mass shooting at a Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) yard north of downtown San Jose. Nine people were killed during the attack, which prompted San Jose officials to crack down on gun violence. In Santa Clara County the number of non-serialized guns found at crime scenes went from four in 2015 to 293 in 2021, according to the report. HOUSTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A gunman walked into an elementary school in Uvalde in U.S. state of Texas on Tuesday afternoon and killed 14 children and a teacher, Governor Greg Abbott said at a news conference. The assailant was an 18-year-old man, who abandoned his vehicle and entered the school with a handgun and possibly a rifle, Abbott said, adding that "he shot and killed horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher." Police are believed to have killed the gunman, who was identified by law enforcement sources as Salvador Ramos, ABC reported. Two children who were shot had died by the time rescuers arrived at the Uvalde Memorial Hospital, Adam Apolinar, the hospital's chief operating officer, was quoted by The New York Times as saying earlier in the afternoon. The University Hospital in San Antonio received two patients from the shooting, tweeting that the patients, one child and one adult, "are currently being evaluated so we don't have a condition to release at this time." The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District in Texas said it is canceling all school activities after the shooting at the Robb Elementary School. "All district and campus activities, after-school programs, and events are canceled," it tweeted. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is assisting local police with the investigation into the shooting. "Special Agents from our Houston Field Division have responded to assist the Uvalde Police Department (UPD) in their investigation," ATF spokesperson Erik Longnecker told CNN. "President (Joe) Biden has been briefed on the horrific news of the elementary school shooting in Texas and will continue to be briefed regularly as information becomes available," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted. Biden is on his way back to the United States after a five-day trip to South Korea and Japan. The White House said Biden would address the shooting upon his return, expected Tuesday evening. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that the solution to school shootings is arming teachers. Texas is one of the only states that permits districts to arm teachers, although it's not clear how many districts have taken advantage of the provision. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner released a statement following the shooting, saying "In the last two weeks, at least 23 people have lost their lives in mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and now Uvalde, Texas." "Congress must act, and governors and state legislators must pass reasonable gun control legislation. The voters must demand it from their representatives. How many more children must lose their lives from senseless gun violence?" the mayor asked. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut delivered an emotional call to action on the Senate floor following the school shooting in Uvalde, saying that "our kids are living in fear every single time they set foot in a classroom because they think they're going to be next." "What are we doing? Why do you spend all this time running for the United States Senate? Why do you go through all the hassle of getting this job -- of putting yourself in a position of authority -- if your answer is that as the slaughter increases, as our kids run for their lives, we do nothing," the senator said. RABAT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank announced Tuesday the approval of a 350-million-U.S. dollar loan to support Morocco launching a blue economy program. The Blue Economy Program for Results aims to create more economic growth and employment while improving the sustainability and resilience of natural resources and food security, the World Bank office in Morocco said in a statement. The program comprises two parts, one of which helps to form coordinated institutional frameworks and the other focuses on investment in key blue sector activities, it added. Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Morocco boasts the strong potential to develop a blue economy, with coastal areas already contributing to more than 50 percent of its gross domestic product and jobs, said the World Bank. It added that there is more untapped potential in both existing and emerging blue sectors in Morocco, like aquaculture, seaweed farming, and renewable marine energy. ARUSHA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) welcomes investors from China to implement various projects in the region with a population of about 300 million, said Peter Mathuki, EAC secretary general, in a recent interview with Xinhua. "We welcome investors from China to come and work with us in East Africa so that we can now develop this part of Africa for the good and prosperity of people but also for the prosperity of China," said Mathuki, adding that China and East Africa have a lot to work together to make sure their economies prosper from the cooperation. China is one of the most progressive countries that have tried to partner East African countries in so many sectors, and largely supports infrastructure programs in East African countries by grants, financing mechanisms or technical assistance, he said. "The Belt and Road Initiative aims to ensure that as you develop infrastructure you also increase trade and secure trade routes in a more advanced way, and make countries very interdependent," said Mathuki, adding that the initiative is not only improving infrastructure in East Africa but also increasing trade volume. Mathuki has also pledged full support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by China at the UN General Assembly last year, saying the GDI will foster global economic partnerships. "The proposal is very important because it addresses poverty alleviation, food security and COVID-19 response, the issues that touch the hearts of the people of East Africa," he told Xinhua. "We are willing to work with China, and we encourage more countries and international partners to take advantage by joining this Global Development Initiative," said Mathuki. On the Chinese government's move to set up a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs, Mathuki said, "we welcome that proposal because where there is peace then there is promise of development," adding that once the Horn of Africa remains peaceful it potentially becomes an economic hub for this continent. Mathuki has also urged Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa to prepare for and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will create a market of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of about 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars. "In terms of the economies, East Africa stands very strong and the EAC is going to play a very big role in strengthening the AfCFTA," he said. East African countries should approach AfCFTA as a team, urging investors from China to invest in Africa and capture the huge AfCFTA market, said Mathuki. The EAC groups Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. NAIROBI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations official said Tuesday that the Ukraine-Russia conflict is negatively affecting the performance of Africa's economy. Walid Badawi, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Kenya said that the crisis has resulted in the rising cost of basic commodities on the continent. "Many countries in Africa are net importers of food and rely heavily on exports of wheat from Russia and Ukraine. This value chain has now been affected and could result in rising food insecurity," Badawi said in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, on the sidelines of a high-level symposium on SDG investment mobilization for Africa. He said that since the Ukraine-Russia conflict erupted in February, the cost of oil in the global markets has increased and this has translated into high energy costs on the continent. The UN official revealed that the conflict has resulted in the diversion of development assistance from Africa to countries affected by the crisis. "Many countries in Europe have been directly impacted by the influx of refugees from Ukraine and they are now redirecting their overseas development assistance budgets to take care of their domestic pressures because they have to accommodate refugees," Badawi added. He observed that major economies and steadfast supporters have also announced budget cuts to the United Nations. "This will have knock-off effects on the ability of the United Nations and other multilateral development agencies to finance poverty reduction efforts in Africa," he said. People arrange discovered weapons in Balkh province, Afghanistan, May 24, 2022. Security forces have discovered 40 pieces of assault rifles and arrested five people during operations in parts of Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said Tuesday. (Photo by Kawa Bashart/Xinhua) MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Security forces have discovered 40 pieces of assault rifles and arrested five people during operations in parts of Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said Tuesday. Addressing a press briefing here, Waziri added that the security forces had discovered the weapons from different parts of the province during a series of operations launched recently, and arrested five people in this connection. Security forces have also taken into custody 65 people on charge of involvement in criminal activities over the past one month, the official went on to say. The Taliban-run administration has vowed to collect arms from irresponsible armed men as part of efforts to ensure law and order across the war-torn country. So far thousands of pieces of weapons ranging from AK-47 to tank and anti-aircraft guns have been sized from different provinces. Photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows discovered weapons in Balkh province, Afghanistan. Security forces have discovered 40 pieces of assault rifles and arrested five people during operations in parts of Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said Tuesday. (Photo by Kawa Bashart/Xinhua) Biosketch James Randerson studies the global carbon cycle. He is recognized for advancing our understanding of the role of fires in the Earth System. In his work, he combines satellite observations with climate models to explore changes in the biosphere. Randerson was born in Fairfax, Virginia and grew up in San Diego, California, where he attended Point Loma High School. He received a BS in chemistry (1992) and a PhD in biological sciences (1998) from Stanford University. He conducted postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley and University of Alaska before joining the faculty at Caltech. In 2003, Randerson moved to UC Irvine where he now holds the position of Ralph J. and Carol M. Cicerone Professor of Earth System Science. Randerson was the recipient of the James B. Macelwane Medal in 2005 and the Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award in 2017 from the American Geophysical Union. Randerson served as co-chair of the biogeochemistry working group of the Community Earth System Model from 2003-2017 and is currently a member of the Biological and Environmental Research Federal Advisory Committee for the U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Science. He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows single-use plastic bags at a store in Sydney, Australia. The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is gearing up to institute its total ban on single-use plastic bags as it looks to slowly phase out all single-use packaging in the state. From June 1, all single-use bags would be banned in the state, meaning businesses and individuals will need to find alternatives in reusable plastic or non-plastic bags. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) SYDNEY, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is gearing up to institute its total ban on single-use plastic bags as it looks to slowly phase out all single-use packaging in the state. From June 1, all single-use bags would be banned in the state, meaning businesses and individuals will need to find alternatives in reusable plastic or non-plastic bags. Minister for Environment James Griffin said single-use plastics make up 60 percent of all the state's rubbish, and as such it would be crucial to transition away from them. "I think all of us can see the impact plastic pollution is having on our environment, which is why we're making major changes in New South Wales this year," said Griffin on Monday. Following the ban of single-use plastic bags, the state would also ban a slew of other single-use plastics from November, among them is plastic cutlery, plates, polystyrene cups, plastic straws, and cotton buds. "We each have the power to make positive environmental change at an individual level, and I encourage everyone to choose to go plastic-free as often as they can." Overall, the staged phase-out of plastic is projected to prevent almost 2.7 billion plastic items from entering the environment over the next 20 years. The state has already begun to support over 40,000 small businesses with the phase-out. "The NSW Government has worked with stakeholders to support small businesses to understand how they will be affected, how to comply with new laws and what alternatives they can use to single-use plastics," said NSW Minister for Small Business Eleni Petinos. The ruling makes NSW the last Australian state or territory to put into effect its ban of single-use plastic bags. As a nation, Australia is set to phase out "problematic single-use plastics" by 2025. Photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows foods in single-use plastic boxes at a store in Sydney, Australia. The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is gearing up to institute its total ban on single-use plastic bags as it looks to slowly phase out all single-use packaging in the state. From June 1, all single-use bags would be banned in the state, meaning businesses and individuals will need to find alternatives in reusable plastic or non-plastic bags. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) SEOUL, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired three ballistic missiles into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday. The JCS said it detected the launches from the Sunan area in Pyongyang at around 6 a.m., 6:37 a.m. and 6:42 a.m. local time, respectively, which marked the 17th projectile launch by the DPRK this year. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) over the DPRK's ballistic missile launch, the presidential office said. MOSCOW, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Russia will continue its special military operation in Ukraine despite the sanctions and increased Western assistance to Kiev, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday. "We will continue the special military operation until all objectives are accomplished, despite the large-scale Western assistance to Kiev, and the sanctions pressure on Russia," local media reported, citing Shoigu during a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Shoigu added that Russia was intentionally slowing its offensive in Ukraine "to avoid civilian casualties." "Silence regimes are being introduced and humanitarian corridors are being created for the evacuation of civilians from nearby settlements," he said. Russia started its special military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24. BERLIN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Tuesday extended its general COVID-19 vaccination recommendation to children between the ages of 5 and 11 with only one vaccine dose. The committee's official recommendation has been updated as a "precautionary measure" because another COVID-19 wave is projected to hit Germany in the autumn or winter, it said in a statement. Germany's Professional Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ) and other scientific societies welcomed the announcement. The new recommendation looks beyond the current situation and "anticipates the further development of the pandemic," their joint statement said. Until now, COVID-19 vaccination in this age group has only been recommended for those with pre-existing conditions or for high-risk contacts. Twenty-two percent of the 5.3 million children aged between 5 and 11 years in Germany have already been vaccinated at least once, according to the RKI. In April, the German Bundestag (lower house of Parliament) rejected a proposal by the government to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for adults aged 60 years or older. A vaccine mandate for all adults above the age of 18 was not up for vote because the proposal failed to win enough political support. According to RKI data, 22.4 percent of the population in Germany remain unvaccinated. There is still no licensed vaccine available in the country for children under age four. LJUBLJANA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) of Slovenia confirmed the country's first case of monkeypox on Tuesday. The infection "has been confirmed in a man who arrived from Spain," the institute said on its website, adding that contacts with the infected individual were being informed about the resulting control measures. Slovenia thus joined a growing list of European countries with confirmed monkeypox cases. The infected individual was listed in good condition on Tuesday, and the risk of the infection spreading in the population was low, Mario Fafangel, head of the NIJZ's Center for Infectious Diseases, told reporters. BAKU: President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has signed a decree establishing a governmental commission to demarcate the country's border with Armenia. As per reports, the proclamation, which was published on the president's official website, the commission is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev. It includes senior officials from 22 institutions, including the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic's Deputy Prime Minister, many deputy ministers and deputy chiefs of state services, leaders of several local executive authorities, and a Presidential Administration department head. Meanwhile, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decree on Monday establishing a panel on border delineation and security between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which would be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan. The two opposing countries formed the commissions a day after European Council President Charles Michel hosted Aliyev and Pashinyan for their third trilateral meeting in Brussels since December. Following the meeting, Michel issued a press statement announcing that the two countries had agreed to begin the border delimitation process by establishing border commissions. Since 1988, Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought over the mountainous area of Nagorno-Karabakh. Peace discussions have been ongoing since 1994, when a truce was agreed upon, but minor confrontations have occurred on occasion since then. UN General Assembly resolution urges efforts to mitigate food security crisis Poland terminates Yamal gas pipeline deal with Russia Turkey to launch new military operation in Syria: President Erdogan DHAKA: Bangladesh's largest bridge, the Padma, will open to traffic on June 25, according to a minister. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. "Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open the bridge in a grand ceremony on June 25 morning," he said. The bridge's toll prices have already been set by the Bangladesh government. Toll prices would range from 100 takas to over 6,000 takas, according to a gazette notification. The massive infrastructure project is the largest and most difficult in Bangladesh's history, with the main bridge stretching 6.15 kilometres. The Padma River bridge, which connects Bangladesh's northeastern and southern regions, is also a significant component of a planned trans-Asian railway network. Hasina launched the bridge's primary construction work in 2015. About 40 kilometres southwest of Dhaka is the Padma multipurpose bridge. Why did Mamata Banerjee want to make a 'Bangladeshi citizen' an MLA? HC declares 'illegal' Train service between Kolkata-Dhaka to resume, see details here Bangladesh curbs foreign travel for govt officials New Delhi: After 10 years, an Israeli diplomat was targeted in a car blast in Delhi in 2012. The plot of this terrorist attack was hatched by Colonel 'Hasan Syed Khodayari' of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Now it is reported that Israel's intelligence agency Mossad has killed Hassan after entering Iran's capital Tehran. Iran International has confirmed his death. He will be handed over to Tehran today on Tuesday (24 May 2022). According to the information, this colonel was the main conspirator behind the attacks on several high profile Israeli diplomats. He had done a blast in Delhi in the year 2012, so that he could kill the Israeli diplomat. The diplomat's wife was injured in the attack and her driver and two other civilians also suffered minor injuries. The incident was followed by a series of bombings in Thailand to kill Israeli officials, which Khodayari was accused of. Along with this, his hand is also said in the murder and kidnapping of Israelis in Israel, Turkey, Kenya, Colombia and Cyprus. Let us tell you that there is no official confirmation yet that Mossad has killed Hasan Syed. But, looking at the past records, it is being speculated that this work has been done by Israel's intelligence agency itself. At the same time, the President of Iran has also taken an oath that he will avenge the murder of Khodayari. According to reports, Hassan was shot outside his house. The attackers had come by bike. He shot 5 shots in Hasan's chest. By the time someone could reach there from around, the attackers had fled. Chance to get government job for 10th pass, know full details here VIDEO: Rohit Shetty sets out to shoot an action scene with a 27 kg camera Monkeypox spread due to this, WHO expert claims BAGHDAD: According to a provincial official and a police source, a total of six people were killed and five wounded in attacks by militants of the Islamic States group in Kirkuk and Diyala province. IS militants used a dust storm that swept through most of Iraq earlier on Monday to set fire to a wheat farm in the Taza area outside Kirkuk's eponymous provincial capital Kirkuk, some 250 kilometres north of Baghdad, as per reprots, quoting Taza Mayor Hussein Adil. The fire caused a joint squad of Iraqi police and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters to hurry to the farm to put out the fire, but extreme IS militants opened fire, killing three police officers and two locals, according to Adil. The extremist militants also exploded a roadside bomb near a police vehicle, causing damage but no injuries, according to the mayor. He stated that the attackers fled the site after reinforced troops arrived. IS terrorists raided a village in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala in the evening near the town of Jalawlaa, about 135 kilometres northeast of Baghdad, killing one villager and wounded five others, including three women, according to Major Alaa al-Saadi of the provincial police. Iraqi security forces have conducted operations against extremist terrorists in recent months to combat their increased activity. Since 2017, the security situation in Iraq has improved. IS remnants, on the other hand, have disappeared into metropolitan centres, deserts, and harsh areas, launching guerilla strikes against security personnel and civilians on a regular basis. Iran's Foreign Minister says a good deal is possible in nuclear talks Turkey dismisses Iran Accusations Over Dam-building Activity Tariq Aziz started reciting 'Namaaz' by putting the Tricolour under his feet New Delhi: The WHO is upset over the rapidly spreading monkeypox infection across the world. According to the WHO, cases of monkeypox have been reported in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US. Who has said that monkeypox cases may increase further. Which the WHO is eyeing. Monkeypox is spread when a person comes in contact with another person, animal or infected with a virus. The virus can enter the body through the skin, respiratory tract or eyes, nose and mouth. In humans-to-human, it is normally spread only through respiratory droplets. From animals to humans, these can spread by cutting or scratching. Monkeypox can also spread from one person to another due to sex and a shocking claim has been made by the WHO expert about it. The who's chief advisor has described the spread of the rare disease Monkeypox in developed countries as a unique phenomenon. He has cited sexual activities at two recent rave parties in Europe as a possible cause of monkeypox spread. Dr. Is The Head Of The Emergency Department Of The WHO. David Heyman said that the spread of the disease has been caused by sexual relations. WHO experts say that the spread of the disease has been caused by sexual activities between homosexuals and others at two rave parties held in Spain and Belgium. Monkeypox had not previously spread outside Africa, where the disease was locally transmitted. Heyman said, "We know that monkeypox can spread when someone comes in close contact with the infected and the spread of the disease increases further due to sexual relations.'' If you have to celebrate honeymoon in December, then this will be the most romantic place in India. BCCI did not select Sanju Samson in the team India for T-20 series India against misuse of new technologies, proposes UNSC counter-terror panel Mark Clayton Says Tennessee Registry of Election Finance Violates Civil Rights Act of 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act Reaction of Mark Clayton to False Accusation of a Threat Mark Clayton Photo from Youtube NEWS PROVIDED BY Public Advocate May 24, 2022 NASHVILLE, May 24, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Public Advocate president Eugene Delgaudio says: "At last week's (Wednesday, May 18, 2022) Johnathan Hall hearing, individual state actors acting under color of law at the Tennessee Registry Board of Election Finance seemed to conspire to create a false political theater and clearly ambushed Mark Clayton in order to make false accusations of criminal behavior against Clayton. "In lay terms, a spokesman presenting an emotional but sincere defense of a much attacked conservative black office holder was thrown out of a proceeding without real cause. "The prosecutor seems to be using the registry to punish a witness for Mark Clayton and create a chilling effect on 30 other named witnesses in State v Clayton in which Mark Clayton defeated DA Glenn Funk's entire office by having the Judge dismiss the entire case. "At the hearing, these state actors at the Registry board were told by Mark Clayton he is a key witness, in the cited Johnathan Hall case on their public agenda, is an interested party, and an on the record Interpleader party to the Johnathan Hall case. "While he was speaking Clayton also asserted that the entire office of the prosecutor is already disqualified under court rules to prosecute Clayton and is also disqualified from prosecuting Johnathan Hall for revenge." ( Affidavit of Mark Clayton Regarding DA Glenn Funk) LINK http://www.publicadvocateusa.org/library/affidavit-funk_signed_by_Clayton.pdf Mark Clayton already won this issue in State v. Clayton and the Registry has no authority to overturn this. Mark Clayton of Tennessee says: "Had any threat truly been made by anyone, the state trooper would have arrested that person at the door merely upon probable cause. This did not happen because I did not make any threats. For the state actors of the Tennessee Board of Election Finance to have perjured in an official proceeding, which is on record, that Mark Clayton made any threat is a bald-faced lie, a tort, and a crime. I object to this ruling of the chair. The damage is done. Now they must face justice." MORE "RESPONSES FROM CLAYTON," LINKS TO PREVIOUS COURT CASES HERE. https://www.publicadvocateusa.org/news/article.php?article=12250 SOURCE Public Advocate CONTACT: 706-928-8957, mark.e.nashville@icloud.com HYDERABAD: Telangana struck gold on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit in Davos, Switzerland, with IT and industries minister K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) luring investments worth Rs 600 crore and commitments for the establishment of offices of Swiss Re, a Swiss insurance company, and Meesho, an e-commerce firm. During the day, Rama Rao met with a number of business leaders at the Telangana pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Lulu Group announced the greatest investment pledge, saying it would invest Rs 500 crore in Telangana's food manufacturing sector. Rama Rao made the announcement during a meeting with Lulu Group CEO Yusuf Ali. On behalf of the Telangana government, Rama Rao presented Yusuf Ali with the required permission documents for the company's food processing unit. Yusuf Ali indicated that in addition to this investment, they were planning to open another food processing facility, and that an official announcement would be made soon. He stated that the foundation stone for their food processing plants would be laid soon. Telangana's food goods would be exported to Europe and other parts of the world by the company's unit. Yusuf Ali further stated that the Lulu group would increase its investment in large-scale commercial complexes in Telangana. "In this regard, we have already identified many places in Hyderabad city and are in discussions with the respective property owners." "Our goal is to develop an amazing shopping complex in Hyderabad that meets international standards," he added. Telangana IT Minister KTR leaves for London en route Davos Telengana CM KCR to embark on statewide tour Akhilesh Yadav meets with KCR and talks national issues New Delhi: Pakistan is fighting a lot to save Kashmir's separatist leader and chief of the banned organization Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Yasin Malik. Malik has been convicted by the NIA court in the terror funding case and is to be sentenced on May 25. Even the new PM of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif has come out in defense of Malik. Abdul Basit, who was Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, has also expressed his anger on this issue and said that Pakistan should take the matter to the International Court of Justice. Abdul Basit said that if Pakistan wants, it can try to put pressure on India before Yasin Malik is punished. Releasing a video, Basit has said, 'When our Foreign Minister (Bilawal Bhutto Zardari) was in America recently, I do not know whether he raised the issue of Yasin Malik with the US Secretary of State. But, for the time being, our Foreign Minister should write a letter to the President and Secretary-General of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in this regard. Former Pakistan diplomat Abdul Basit further said that Pakistan should resort to lobbying on Yasin Malik's issue. He said, 'We should do some lobbying in this matter. I think this matter should also be taken up with China by the Foreign Minister. He further said that, 'Some people are also saying that this matter should be taken to the International Court, because India is not even giving visa to Yasin Malik's wife and her daughter for many years, so that she can go to India for her husband. be able to meet This is a violation of human rights. Our media and civil society should raise their voice for this. Waseem Rizvi to retire after converting to Hinduism, Anand Swarup says this is a big deal Did Akhilesh Yadav's 'bad days' begin? Shivpal and Azam are holding secret meetings CM Shivraj will come out with a hand cart on the road, because of this he will spread his hands in front of the public ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is preparing a new military operation in northern Syria to build a 30-kilometer deep safe zone along its southern border. "These operations will commence as soon as the Turkish military forces complete their intelligence and security preparations," Erdogan stated after the cabinet meeting. The operation will target areas in northern Syria where the Turkish military does not have authority and which are "centres of attacks against our country and our safe zones." In the region, Turkish forces and members of Syria's Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) frequently exchange fire, and the clashes have intensified since early this year. On Thursday, the Turkish National Security Council will discuss the subject, he said. In northern Syria, the Turkish army started Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020, with the goal of eliminating terror threats and creating a safe zone that will allow Syrian refugees to return home. The YPG is seen by Ankara as the Syrian wing of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey has designated the PKK as a terrorist organisation, and it has been fighting the Turkish government for more than three decades. Turkey dismisses Iran Accusations Over Dam-building Activity Fiji's economy rebounding strongly this year: IMF officials Joe Biden meets Japanese Emperor Naruhito in Tokyo New Delhi: The threat of monkeypox is increasing rapidly all over the world. In just two weeks, the number of monkeypox cases in 12 countries has reached 100. The cases are expected to increase rapidly going forward. However, not a single death has been recorded from the disease so far. The World Health Organization (WHO) has alerted all countries about this virus. As of 21 May 2022, there have been 92 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the world and 28 suspected cases are under investigation. Cases of monkeypox have been reported from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Meanwhile, Belgium has become the first country to mandate a 21-day monkeypox quarantine period for all confirmed cases. What is Monkeypox: Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus, which is similar to smallpox. Monkeypox is mostly spread from animals to humans. It is a viral infection, which was first detected in a monkey captured in 1958. In 1970, monkeypox infection was first detected in humans. Symptoms of monkeypox: Its initial symptoms are like flu. These include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, shivering, and fatigue. After this, a pus-filled rash starts to emerge on the face, which also spreads to other parts of the body and after a few days dries and falls off. According to the WHO, the symptoms of monkeypox can come from the 5th day of infection to the 21st day. Monkeypox can be spread by exposure to fluids (sneezes, saliva) emitted from the bodies of infected animals or infected humans. The estimated rate of spread of this virus is said to be 3.3 to 30 percent. Monkeypox is usually spread by coming into contact with one human being to another. This virus can go in through a surface, bed, cloth or breath. This virus is also spread by skin-to-skin contact. Treatment of monkeypox: People exposed to this virus are often given a few doses of smallpox vaccines. Along with this, scientists are also engaged in making its antiviral drugs. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has advised isolating all patients with Monkeypox and administering the smallpox vaccine. What is India's preparation: The central government is also worried about Monkeypox. An alert has been issued to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in view of the rapidly spreading infection. The Health Ministry has directed the authorities of airports and ports to immediately isolate any sick passenger who has returned from a trip to monkeypox-affected countries and send the sample to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for testing. BJP top leaders to discuss plans for Modi govt's 8th-anniversary celebration Monkey Pox increases threat, alert issued in this state Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is in Karachi, this man revealed in the ED investigation Rajesh Man Singh has been elected the mayor of Birgunj, the only metropolitan city in the Madhesh province, by defeating outgoing mayor Vijay Sarawagi. Singh garnered 46,215 voters whereas UMLs Sarawagi was restricted to 23,671. Here are five essential things you need to know to know Rajesh Man Singh and his vision for Birgunj. 1. Political affiliation Rajesh Man Singh, 52, is a leader of the Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal (JSPN). However, until a few months before the election, he was a leader of the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, a splinter group of the JSPN. He is considered an outspoken speaker and believed to speak against wrongs. He has claimed on multiple occasions that if the people of Birgunj are subjected to injustice, he will stand by them. 2. Old connections Not just this year, but in the local elections of 2017 too, Rajesh Man Singh competed with Bijay Sarawagi for the post of mayor in Birgunj. Where Sarawagi of the then Federal Socialist Forum won the election with 19,393 votes, Singh, who was in the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, came third with 12,165 votes. Sarawagi and Singh were not just competitors, they also worked in the same party (JSPN) for almost a year. But, despite the party unity, the two groups did not get along very well. Rajesh Man Singh with JSPN leaders. 3. Beginning of the political career In 1986, Rajesh Man Singh became a member of the Nepal Students Union while studying IA. He then entered mainstream politics with Nepali Congress and was elected a ward member of Birgunj in the 1997 local elections. In the early 2010s, he became the general secretary of Rastriya Janata Party Nepal. Rajeshman Singh voting. 4. Focus on local problems As per his manifesto, Rajesh Man Singhs goal is a prosperous Birgunj where people get the services easily, free of corruption and heavy taxes. He is committed to making the city systematic, working in the areas of sanitation, garbage management, mosquito control, education and health. 5. Focus on corruption control Corruption is rampant in the metropolis and cases are ongoing in the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). If the pandemic had not occurred, there would have been loud protests led by Singh in the opposition, but outgoing Sarawagi turned lucky. So during his tenure, Singh is adamant to eradicate corruption, both individually and institutionally. The new mayor of the Biratnagar metropolitan city is Nagesh Koirala from Nepali Congress. He represents the grand Koirala family of Biratnagar that has a significant contribution to Nepals democratic movement. The 48-year-old Koirala won the elections with 30,170 votes defeating his opponent Sagar Thapa of CPN-UML who got just 21,455 votes. However, he will be supported by deputy mayor Shilpa Karki of the UML, who won 25,680 votes. This will be Nagesh Koiralas first term as the mayor and he has some promises to fulfil. Here are some things to know about the new mayor. 1. Beginning of the political career He started his political career in 1997 and worked as the secretary of Nepal Tarun Dal, Morang. In 1999, he became the president of Tarun Dal, Morang, and continued his tenure for 13 years. After that, he served as the Morang treasurer of the Nepali Congress for five years and another term as secretary. From the 14th general convention of the party, he then worked as the district deputy chairman. 2. The unfulfilled wish File: Nagesh Koirala Koirala has been active in politics for quite some time. He wanted to contest the 2017 elections too, but Nepali Congress did not think he was the right candidate and instead chose Bhim Parajuli to contest the elections. This year, however, things were different as Koirala got a ticket thanks to Shekhar Koiralas lobbying in the central committee. 3. Dream to be a teacher Nagesh Koirala has a masters degree in public administration from a Philippian university. Before that, he completed his bachelors degree from Delhi University. During this time in the Philippines, he also taught. But, when he came back, he started his political career, giving up teaching. But deep inside, he still wants to be a teacher someday, he says. 4. Family influence in politics Nagesh Koirala with Shekhar Koirala. Photo: Nutan Limbu/Facebook Koirala grew up in Biratnagar. His father Umesh was not interested in politics but rather in agriculture. However, Nagesh Koirala got influenced by his grandfather Rishikesh (Haribabu). Nagesh is the third member of the Koirala family to head Biratnagar. In 1957, Keshav Koirala (Shekhar Koiralas father) became the mayor and in 1992, Ashok Koirala became the mayor of Biratnagar. Now Nagesh, who got the ticket with Shekhars support, has become the mayor of Biratnagar. 5. Big promises During his election campaign, Nagesh Koirala made some big promises. Now that he has become the mayor, people are looking forward to his words including free power consumption of up to 30 units, and telephone and electrical cable-free roads. As the elected mayor, he now has plans to improve the impractical tax system. Also, he says he has zero-tolerance for corruption while his priority is drinking water supply and waste management in Biratnagar. Home Politics Renu Dahal: The Maoist supremos daughter has firmly established her own career with the second win After winning the local elections, the 46-year-old Renu Dahal of the CPN-Maoist Centre is now beginning her second term as the mayor of the Bharatpur metropolitan city. Dahal won the elections with 52,030 votes defeating her opponent Bijay Subedi of CPN- UML who got 39,581 votes. Here are some pointers that you need to know to know her better. 1. Family background Renu Dahal is the second eldest daughter of party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Sita Dahal. Active in and during the Peoples War, she has been an active and popular political figure. Education-wise, she is just a secondary school graduate. 2. Height of political career Other than being active in wartime, Renu Dahal was a member of the Constituent Assembly from 2008 to 2012. In the second CA elections (2013), she became the candidate in Kathmandus constituency 1 but lost to Prakash Man Singh of the Nepali Congress. She has been a member of the partys politburo and the general secretary of the All Nepal Womens Association (Revolutionary). 3. Controversial beginning as a mayor In 2017, Renu Dahal won the mayorship with 43,127 votes against Devi Prasad Gyawali of the UML, who got 42,924 votes. However, her victory was excessively controversial. Reportedly, some ballot papers were torn when the then Chief Election Officer Kabi Prasad Neupane went to the toilet while the votes were being counted. After that, the then UML mayoral candidate Gyawali claimed that the ballot papers were torn in a planned manner after the Maoists were sure to lose. There was a dispute in the counting of votes stating that the ink of the swastika on the ballot paper was smeared more and was to be null and void. But, the case reached the court through the Election Commission. After that, it was ordered that there would be re-election in ward 19 of the Bharatpur metropolis. Renu Dahal won the election by 203 votes. Mayor of Bharatpur Renu Dahal with deputy mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. 4. A successful term Notwithstanding the controversial beginning of the term, Renu Dahals mayorship is viewed as a success. Widely portrayed as Dahals daughter, she says she has become a separate personality after becoming the mayor. As a woman mayor who completed her five-year term successfully, she sent a strong message that she can lead and is a strong political figure for development works. Though reelected, she once expressed that she did not want to run for the mayor again. For her, advancing politically either by being a member of parliament or a minister would not have been a big deal. But in Bharatpur, she felt working at the local level is challenging, and wanted to face the challenge. Reportedly, there have been fewer cases of irregularity or corruption in the metropolis, so she has created a situation where no one can question her leadership. The arrears of the metropolis is also less than the others. 5. Progressive popularity This time, however, no substantial controversy was reported in Bharatpur as security arrangements were also tightened. On the other hand, she also multiplied the difference with her closest rival this time. This time also, Renu Dahal was supported by the Nepali Congress. However, a popular leader of the party in Bharatpur, Jagannath Paudel, had filed his candidacy independently. It was feared that Paudels candidacy could block Dahal from regaining mayorship. But, as the results came out, Dahal proved she deserved to be the mayor as Paudel was restricted to just 14,728 votes whereas Dahal received 52,030 votes. Kathmandu, May 24 Police in Kathmandu have arrested a college teacher on the charge of sexual abuse against his students. After the students launched a demonstration in front of the Gaushala police circle, the police arrested Janardan Adhikari, a teacher at St Lawrence College in Chabahil of Kathmandu. We have not received the complaint yet formally. We will make public the details of the incident after receiving the complaint, SSP Sudeep Giri of the Kathmandu police office says. The students have claimed the teacher had said he would support the students if they agreed to do whatever he wished, with ill intent, and it amounts to sexual abuse. Escambia, Fla. The Department of Health in Escambia County (FDOH-Escambia) is monitoring the current infant formula shortage and takes this life-threatening issue very seriously. On May 12, 2022, State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf regarding the formula shortages affecting some of Floridas most vulnerable populations. FDOH-Escambia wants to ensure Floridians are kept up to date on this issue and have the correct information on how to protect your family. When the initial recall was issued by Abbott Nutrition in February, the Department immediately reached out to retailers that accept the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits to recommend ordering an alternative supply of formula. For our medically complex children that depend on medical specialty formula, the Department found alternative products to off-set the shortage. The current recall does not affect Floridas primary WIC milk-based formula, but the shutdown of the Abbott plant in Sturgis, Michigan is causing strain on the entire formula market. In a recentpress release from Abbott, the company stated they could restart their factory within two weeks, and get products to shelves six to eight weeks after the restart. For Florida families in need of certain metabolic formulas, Abbott continues to release these products on an as-needed basis with a referral from a health care professional. These products were not included in the recall and have been tested and comply with all product release requirements before distribution. Impacted families should contact their health care provider or local WIC office to ensure they are getting the necessary formula. PROTECT YOUR FAMILY Choose an infant formula that is safe. For more information on choosing a safe infant formula, visit the CDC and FDA pages on the topic. For more information on choosing a safe infant formula, visit the and pages on the topic. Do not make homemade infant formula. Visit the FDAs page for more information. Visit the for more information. Do not buy formula online that comes from outside the United States. This formula could be counterfeit, including a fake labels with a wrong use-by-date. This formula could be including a fake labels with a wrong use-by-date. Properly prepare and store infant formula. For information on proper preparation and storage, visit the CDCs page . For information on proper preparation and storage, visit the . Properly clean, sanitize, and store infant feeding items. Visit the CDCs page for more information. Visit the for more information. Always wash your hands. For information on how and when to wash your hands, visit the CDCs page. WHAT IS RECALLED On February 17, 2022, Abbott Nutrition initiated a voluntary recall of certain powdered infant formulas produced in their Sturgis, MI facility. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory to alert consumers to avoid purchasing or using recalled formulas. Impacted products within the recalled lot may include: Similac PM 60/40 Similac Alimentum EleCare Impacted lots will start with a 22 through 37, not including the letter at the beginning. Example: L31465SH00. Check to see if you have recalled formula by: Reviewing the lot number on the bottom of your package. Checking the lot number on the Abbott website. Visiting Abbott's website. Calling the company at 1-800-986-8540. Do not feed your baby recalled formula. If the lot number on your formula does not start with a 22 through 37, your formula is not impacted. Do not throw away recalled formula. Return it to the store for a refund or exchange or call the company at 1-800-986-8540. ### About the Florida Department of Health The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @HealthyEscambia. For more information, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov. Cabrini, S., J. Colussi and G. Schnitkey. " Third Consecutive La Nina? What to Expect from Soybean Yields in the United States, Brazil and Argentina ."Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, International long-term forecast models hint at the possibility of a third consecutive La Nina event this year. It is not uncommon to see La Nina occurring over two successive seasons. This happened in both 2021-2022 and 2011-2012. However, it is rare to see three consecutive La Nina events. But what could this mean for soybean production in Brazil, the United States, and Argentina? This article presents descriptive analyses of deviations from the trendline of soybean yields over the last 30 years in these countries, the three largest producers and exporters of soybeans in the world, to predict what to expect from soybean yields this year. Although, the strength of individual La Nina events and various climate factors make each event unique. La Nina Forecast Probability La Nina is a pattern of ocean temperature and wind anomalies across the Pacific Ocean, which affects weather conditions around the world. As defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), during the La Nina phenomenon the surface winds across the entire tropical Pacific are stronger than usual, and most of the tropical Pacific Ocean is cooler than normal. During La Nina events, conditions throughout South America favor increased precipitation across northern Brazil and decreased rainfall amounts in Argentina and southern Brazil. In the United States, generally speaking, wetter than normal conditions are usually found in the Pacific Northwest and midwestern region. The Pacific Ocean has been in a La Nina phase for the last two years. The first occurred from late August 2020 to April 2021. This was followed by the current La Nina, which started in August 2021 and is still underway. La Nina is favored to continue into the Northern Hemisphere summer (59% chance during July-September 2022), and also into the Southern Hemisphere summer (57% chance December 2022 February 2023), according to Climate Prediction Center (CPC/IRI) Official Probabilistic El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Outlook, May 12. If it happens, it will be the third consecutive La Nina for the first time in two decades. Important impacts of the ENSO phenomenon on world agriculture have been identified, generating losses or gains in activity according to the region and phase of the phenomenon. Iizumi et al., (2014) estimated ENSO world-level effects on the yields of main agricultural products. They reported that El Nino is likely to improve the global soybeans average yield by 2% to 5%. On the contrary, in La Nina years global average soybean yields tend to be lower than expected. Interest in the relationship between yields and ENSO is based on the possibility of having seasonal climate forecasts for a given crop cycle several months in advance. Soybean Yields in Brazil In Brazil, with almost all the area harvested by the third week of May, production is expected to reach 4,550 million bushels, a decrease of 10.4% in comparison to last season, according to the National Supply Company (Conab). The expected yield is 45 bushels per acre. The average soybean yield is 5.3 bushels per acre below the trend (-11%). La Nina events favor increased rain across northern Brazil and decreased rain in southern Brazil. Such has been the case this year as southern Brazil has gone deep into drought. In the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, and Mato Grosso do Sul the yields were 42% lower than last season, according to the Conab report. These three southern states represent 38% of national soybean production. On the plus side, Mato Grosso the largest Brazilian soybean producer and other states from the Brazilian Midwest, North, and Northeast had a record-breaking 2021-2022 harvest (see farmdoc daily, February 25, 2022). Brazil had very different results in soybean yields during the last two La Nina years (see last two blue dots in Figure 1). While in 2021/22 yields were below trend, in the 2020/21 season, the average soybean yield was 3.1 bushels per acre above trend (+6%), with a record production of 5,076 million bushels. This disparity can be explained by climate differences within Brazil and the wide distribution of soybean across the country, from north to south. And in the last time that three consecutives La Nina happens, in 2001, the yields were 12% above trend line. Figure 1 shows the relationship between ENSO phases and yield levels in soybeans. Note that five out of six very high yield levels (residual standard deviation from trendline greater than one) happened in La Nina crop years. In addition, two out of five very low yield levels happened in La Nina crop years, two in El Nino and one in Neutral. So, it is not possible to see a strong relationship between La Nina episodes and soybean yields level in Brazil. Soybean Yields in Argentina With 84% of the 2021/22 soybeans being harvested by May 19, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Argentina (MAGyP), production estimates are 1,543 million bushels, as stated by Bolsa de Cereales of Buenos Aires. And the estimated yield is approximately the same as the previous harvest, around 42 bushels per acre. The last two La Nina episodes, 2020/21 and 2021/22 crop years, did not generate extremely low yields, however, in both cases the yield values were below the trendline by 3 bushel per acre, or -6% (see last two blue dots in Figure 2). In these two crop seasons, precipitations were below average in some parts of the Pampa region (Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Entre Rios, La Pampa and Santa Fe states), which provides 95% of soybean production in the country. And in the last time that three consecutives La Nina happens, in 2001, the yields were 7% above trend line in Argentina. Figure 2 shows a relationship between ENSO phases and soybeans yield levels in Argentina. The majority of the red dots (yields in El Nino years) are above the trendline and the majority of blue dots (yields in La Nina years) are below the trendline. This pattern reflects the relationship reported in different studies (Casa et al., 2021; see farmdoc daily, December 17, 2020): a negative (positive) effect of La Nina (El Nino) soybeans yields in Argentina. However, there is a high level of dispersion in the relationship. If we focus on extreme values (residual standard deviation from trendline greater than one), note that five out of six very high yield levels happened in El Nino crop years. Also, three out of four very low yield levels happened in La Nina crop years. These data suggest a very low probability of having very high yields in La Nina years and very low yields in El Nino years. Soybean Yields in the US In 2021, the United States soybean harvest was 4,440 million bushels, up 5% from 2020, according to the United States Department of Agricultural (USDA). With record high yields in 21 states, the average soybean yield was 51.4 bushels per acre, 0.4 bushel above 2020 and the second highest on record. The last two La Nina episodes, harvests 2020 and 2021 crop years, soybean yields were above trendline by 1.4 and 1.5 bushels per acre, or 3%, respectively (see last two blue dots in Figure 3). And in the last time that three consecutives La Nina happens, in 2001, the yields were 2% below trend line. Figure 3 shows a slight relationship between ENSO phases and soybeans yield levels in the US, with the majority of the red dots (yields in El Nino years) above the trendline. This pattern reflects the relationship reported in other studies (Iizumi et al., 2014), a positive effect of El Nino on U.S. soybean yields. Climatologists of El Nino events have been developed over the past several decades and have found that in general, warmer and slightly drier wintertime conditions occur in the Midwest during El Nino. If we focus on extreme values (residual standard deviation from trendline greater than one), note that two out of three very high yield levels happened in El Nino crop years and one in a La Nina year. Also, three out of four very low yield levels happened in Neutral years, and only one in a La Nina year. Therefore, this is evidence of a weak effect of ENSO on US soybean yields. Summary This report analyzes the relationship between soybeans yields and ENSO phases from 1992 to 2022 for Brazil, US and Argentina, the main world producers and exporters. Soybean yields in the last crop years, both under La Nina conditions, show dissimilar results between countries and crop years. A very low yield (11% below trendline) occurred in Brazil for the last harvest, and a yield above trendline was obtained in the previous one (+6%). In Argentina yields were below the expected values for both years (-6%) and in the US above the trendline (+3%). Over the last 30 years, the data show a strong relationship between ENSO episodes and soybean yield levels in Argentina and a weaker relationship in the U.S. and no relationship is Brazil. It is important to highlight each La Nina event is different in terms of strength, duration, and direct impacts. So, the prediction of the impacts on soybean yields is not easy. Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster N.V. Papendrecht, 24 May 2022 Today, the Dutch State, represented by Atradius Dutch State Business (DSB), decided to support the largest project in Boskalis history by means of an export credit insurance (ECI). At the end of 2020, Boskalis was awarded a contract for the land development of the new Manila International Airport with a contract value of more than EUR 1.5 billion. Since then, Boskalis has worked with the client, a subsidiary of one of the largest and most progressive companies in the Philippines (San Miguel Corporation), to make the land development possible by utilizing the export credit insurance program of the Dutch State. As a part of the ECI-process, Boskalis conducted an extensive environmental and social impact assessment in accordance with the highest international standards. This was done together with a large group of experts from its own organization, the client and four renowned consultancy firms. In addition, thorough impact analyses were conducted and compensation plans were drawn up to mitigate or compensate for the adverse effects. Peter Berdowski, CEO Boskalis: I am very pleased that all the hard work with a large team of experts has been successfully completed today. For more than a year, we have worked intensively with Atradius DSB to ensure that the construction of the new airport will take place in a socially responsible manner. In collaboration with Atradius DSB and the Dutch embassy, we succeeded in developing a broadly supported plan with an eye for the local community and the preservation of biodiversity. I would like to thank all those involved for their contribution to the positive decision of the State. Bert Bruning, Managing Director Atradius DSB: This project is unique on many levels. Firstly, of course as a very important contract for our client Boskalis but also for us as the largest ECA policy in our 90-year history. In addition, I am proud of the fact that together with Boskalis and San Miguel, by keeping up the dialogue, we were able to ensure that the project is to meet international standards in the field of environmental and social conditions. In doing so, we have not only contributed to making this wonderful contract possible but also really made a difference together for the local communities and nature. Story continues The new Manila International Airport will be located approximately 20 kilometers north of the city center of Manila. The new airport site will comprise approximately 1,700 hectares and the construction will be carried out to the highest engineering and environmental standards to withstand the effects of possible major earthquakes, local typhoons and future sea level rise. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Investor relations: Martijn L.D. Schuttevaer ir@boskalis.com Press: Arno Schikker press@boskalis.com T +31 786969310 Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world. With core activities such as coastal defense, riverbank protection and land reclamation Boskalis is able to provide adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels, as well as delivering solutions for the increasing need for space in coastal and delta regions across the world. The company facilitates the development of offshore energy infrastructure, including renewable wind energy. Boskalis is furthermore active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, access channels and civil infrastructure, thus helping to facilitate trade flows and regional socio-economic development. In addition, Boskalis is a global marine salvage expert and has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Keppel Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of over 600 vessels and floating equipment and more than 10,000 employees, including associates, Boskalis is creating new horizons around the world. This press release can also be found on our website www.boskalis.com . Attachment Astronauts live and work in orbit along with teeming populations of microorganisms, which could present a serious threat to health - and even the structural integrity of spacecraft. To help combat such invisible stowaways, an ESA-led project is developing microbe-killing coatings suitable for use within spacecraft cabins. Crew on the International Space Station are not alone. A microbial survey of surfaces within the orbital outpost found dozens of different bacteria and fungi species, including harmful pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus - known to cause skin and respiratory infections as well as food poisoning. These microbial populations could even make spacecraft sick, not just astronauts. Bacteria and fungi produce 'biofilms' - akin to the plaque on your teeth - that can in turn tarnish and eat away at metal and glass as well as plastic and rubber. This problem proved acute in the latter days of the ISS's predecessor, the Mir space station, where microbial colonies were observed growing on parts of spacesuits, cable insulation and even the seals of windows. With astronauts' immune systems suppressed by microgravity, the microbial populations of future long-duration space missions will need to be controlled rigorously," explains ESA material engineer Malgorzata Holynska. "So ESA's Materials' Physics and Chemistry Section is collaborating with Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IIT, to study antimicrobial materials that could be added to internal cabin surfaces." The IIT team has begun work on titanium oxide, also known as 'titania', used for example in self-cleaning glass down here on Earth, as well as in hygienic surfaces. When titanium oxide is exposed to ultraviolet light, it breaks down water vapour in the air into 'free oxygen radicals', which eat away whatever is on the surface, including bacterial membranes. "Bacteria gets inactivated by the oxidative stress generated by these radicals," says Mirko Prato of IIT. "This is an advantage because all the microorganisms are affected without exception, so there is no chance that we increase bacterial resistance in the same way as some antibacterial materials." The choice of titanium oxide was guided by previous research into antimicrobial coatings for hospitals. The team are probing method to 'dope' the compound; tweaking its recipe to increase its sensitivity to the visible portion of the light spectrum. "Antimicrobial coatings on Earth often make use of silver, but we want to do without it here," adds Malgorzata. "The issue is that in the confined environment of a spacecraft, prolonged exposure to silver could have negative health effects for astronauts - we don't want a heavy metal buildup in the onboard water, for instance, with soluble silver linked to skin and eye irritation, even changes in skin colour at very high doses." One of the attractions of titanium oxide as an alternative is its apparent long-term stability, explains Fabio Di Fonzo of IIT: "But we will be performing artificial ageing of coatings to see how they evolves over time. And part of the project results will be to see what are the photo-degradation products going back into the cabin atmosphere once the bacteria are oxidised - obviously we don't want end products that are more toxic than the microbes themselves." Testing by IIT has achieved successful titanium oxide coating of a variety of candidate surfaces: glass, silicon wafer, aluminium foil and even clean-room grade paper tissue. The coatings are put in place using various methods, including 'physical vapor deposition' and 'atomic layer deposition' - involving the gradual laying down of thin films by exposure to gaseous chemicals, techniques more traditionally employed for fabricating semiconductor devices. "We aim to keep this antimicrobial layer as thin as possible, so as not to alter the mechanical properties of underlying materials too much, not to stop fabrics from bending and so on," says Mirko "We are targeting thicknesses of 50 to 100 nanometres, millionths of a millimetre." The PATINA project, 'Optimization of Photo-catalytic Antibacterial coatings' was proposed through ESA's Open Space Innovation Platform, seeking out novel ideas for space research from any source. The project also covers other antimicrobial surface treatments, including super-hydrophobic materials that repel all moisture, electro-static reaction and biocide-releasing materials. At ESTEC, ESA Research Fellow Mengjiao Wang performed work on testing coatings, now succeeded by Research Fellow Federica Arena. This new antimicrobial approach complements existing European research such as the French space-surface experiment MATISS and the German Touching Surfaces experiment investigating bacterial growth aboard the ISS. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. By Azernews Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan aim to further expand economic cooperation in priority areas. The remarks were made during a meeting held between Advisor to Azerbaijani Economy Minister Emil Majidov and Uzbek Investment and Foreign Trade First Deputy Minister Laziz Kudratov, Azernews reports, citing Uzdaily. The parties discussed a wide range of cooperation issues in such areas as investment, mutual trade, industrial cooperation, transport, and logistics. During the meeting, the sides agreed to hold a regular meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission on cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan and the Business Council in the second half of 2022 in Tashkent. Following the talks, the sides agreed to accelerate the implementation of joint initiatives and projects aimed at further expanding economic cooperation between the two countries. Diplomatic relations between the two nations got established on April 22, 1994. The volume of trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan amounted to $111.9 million in 2021. Presently, around 195 Azerbaijani enterprises are represented in Uzbekistan, 69 of which have joint capital and 126 of them have 100 percent Azerbaijani capital. A Stephens City man, his mother and two other relatives were arrested late Saturday after a brawl broke out at a bar in North Stafford, police said. Sheriffs Maj. Shawn Kimmitz said deputies went to Buffalo Mos at 33 Wicomico Drive after receiving calls about a fight in progress. Callers reported that 10 people were fighting and that furniture was being thrown. Kimmitz said the investigation revealed that 34-year-old Stephen Donald of Stephens City assaulted a bouncer at the bar. Several relatives then joined the fracas, police said. Donald was charged with assault, assault by mob and disorderly conduct. His mother, Lisa Donald, 52, of Stafford was charged with the same offenses. Lisa Donald told police she got involved in the altercation to protect her son, Kimmitz said. Kaleb Pettry, 20, of Stephens City, was also charged with three offenses. Kimmitz said Pettry told police he was assaulted while trying to defend his family. A fourth suspect, 30-year-old Chelsea Donald of Stephens City, was charged with public intoxication and assault on a law-enforcement officer. Kimmitz said she was screaming and assaulted Deputy A.J. Deasy as he was trying to break up a disturbance in the parking lot. All four family members were placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail. Deputies will be reviewing security footage from the bar as part of the ongoing investigation. No serious injuries were reported, Kimmitz said. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) A hand surgeon testified Monday that Johnny Depp could not have lost the tip of his middle finger the way he told jurors it happened in his civil lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. The finger injury, which occurred in a March 2015 fight in Australia between Depp and Heard, has been one of several key points of dispute in the lawsuit. Depp says he was injured when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him. Heard has said she never saw specifically how it happened, but that it occurred on a night when an enraged Depp sexually assaulted her with a liquor bottle. Depp is suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. His lawyers say he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name. Depp has denied he ever struck Heard, and says she was the abuser in the relationship. Heard has testified about more than a dozen separate instances of physical abuse she says she suffered at Depp's hands. In testimony Monday, surgeon Richard Moore testified about the severed finger as jurors saw gruesome photos of the injury. He said that Depp described that his palm was down on a bar when it was struck by the bottle. Moore, who did not treat Depp, testified that Depp's description is unlikely, in large part because his fingernail remained intact. Moore said the fingernail was exposed, as Depp described the placement of his hand, and would have been damaged. Moore also said there would have been other cuts on the rest of his hand from the glass that shattered on impact. While Depp told the jury that Heard severed the finger by throwing a vodka bottle, at the time of the accident he told people and sent text messages saying he'd done it to himself. At one point he said the finger had been pinched between solid accordion doors. Depp now says he lied to protect Heard. Moore testified that getting the finger pinched in accordion doors would be consistent with the injury. The trial is now in its sixth week. Monday's testimony was relatively mundane in a trial that has provided an ugly glimpse into the couple's toxic relationship. There had been an expectation that Heard's lawyers were going to call Depp to the stand Monday, but that did not occur. Jurors had already heard from both Depp and Heard extensively each was on the stand for four days, undergoing grueling cross-examinations. Also Monday, a psychiatrist testified that Depp's behavior fits the pattern of a person whose drug and alcohol abuse contributes to domestic violence. Depp's lawyer questioned the ethics and credibility of the psychiatrist's opinions, given that he never conducted an examination of Depp. The trial has drawn increasing public attention over its length. People camped out overnight and squabbled over places in line as they sought to get one of the 100 seats in the courtroom allocated to the public. During a morning break, one woman professed her love for Depp and asked when he was going to acknowledge that he was the father of the baby she was holding in her arms. She was removed from the courtroom. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. By Azernews Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov has said that Azerbaijan is ready and open to discussing the issue of increasing energy supplies to Europe, Azernews reports. He made the remarks speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "Azerbaijan is asked to increase energy supplies. We are happy to increase supplies to the market," he said. The minister underlined that however, investments in the sector have been insufficient over the past few years due to the changed policies of financial institutions towards fossil fuels, including natural gas. He emphasized that Azerbaijan is also a major supplier of gas to Georgia and Turkey, from where it is transported to Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, and Albania. "We are currently working with our partners to increase gas supplies to Europe," he said. Jabbarov added that Azerbaijan pursues a policy of joint development of its natural energy resources. "In addition to our large national oil company, we also have major international partners, such as, for example, the EBRD," he said. He stated that Azerbaijan began the process of developing investments in pipeline infrastructure, exploration, development, and production back in 2012. "The issues on our agenda today are the level of additional commercial risks that local and foreign companies in Azerbaijan could take now, how to manage these risks, how to use the support of international institutions, and the need for a smooth transition to green energy," he said. The minister also noted that Azerbaijan seeks to be a stable partner in terms of supply of goods and services, participation in political dialogue, and the overall priority of macroeconomic and sound financial base. To recall, with the completion of the TAP (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) construction on December 31, 2020, Azerbaijan began commercial gas supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor. The European Commission's Southern Gas Corridor initiative aims to build a natural gas supply route from the Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The route from Azerbaijan to Europe consists of the South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), and TAP. Last year, TAP transported 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. By late 2022, Azerbaijan plans to increase gas supplies to Europe to 9.1 billion cubic meters, and in 2023, the volume of gas supplies is expected to reach 11 billion cubic meters. Additionally, today, the final work on the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which will transport natural gas from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria, is in full swing. Gas was supposed to start flowing via IGB back in 2020, but the delay in implementing the project has been delayed for a variety of reasons. According to the forecast of the Azerbaijani government for oil and gas production in the country until 2026, about 48 billion cubic meters of gas will be produced in 2023, 49 billion cubic meters in 2024, and about 50 billion cubic meters in 2025. Britains withdrawal from Afghanistan in August has been sharply criticized as a disaster and betrayal in a report by the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. The committees report said the chaotic withdrawal showed "systemic failures of leadership, planning, and preparation" despite knowing for 18 months that such an evacuation might be necessary. The report, released on May 24, was based on an eight-month inquiry during which the committee heard testimony from 20 witnesses and reviewed written evidence from 36 organizations. It concluded that there was a "fundamental lack of planning, grip, or leadership at a time of national emergency" before and during the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021. "The manner of our withdrawal from Afghanistan was a disaster and a betrayal of our allies that will damage the U.K.'s interests for years to come," the report said. It said the "mismanagement" of the evacuation as the Taliban quickly took over the country "likely cost lives." Hundreds of Afghans who had aided Britain during its military mission were left behind, including many whose lives were potentially at risk after details of employment at the British Embassy were left at the compound in Kabul. The committee also said that the Foreign Office was intentionally evasive and often deliberately misleading" in responding to questions from the committee, which had to rely on crucial testimony from two whistle-blowers. The Foreign Office's top civil servant, Philip Barton, should now "consider his position," effectively calling on him to resign. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman said he retained full confidence in Barton. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office defended the handling of the withdrawal and said it would review and respond to the committee's findings. With reporting by AP, AFP, and BBC The Russian parliament has given preliminary approval to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine EXCLUSIVE Records located on a copy of Hunter Biden's laptop suggest he took personal data from his sister-in-law's cellphones over a dozen times between 2017 and 2018 without her consent, according to a former Secret Service agent who has testified in over 100 classified, criminal, and civil matters at the state, federal, and international level as a cyberforensics expert. When President Joe Biden signs his executive order on police reform at the White House on Wednesday, Elijah McClain's mother will be on the stage with him, along with relatives of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor . May 25 is the second anniversary of Floyd's death. Sheneen McClain's son, Elijah, died nine months before Floyd, but his death got little attention until racial protests erupted in Denver during summer 2020. Sheneen McClain was heard telling a crowd of protesters on the west steps of Denver's capitol that it took the death of another man in another state for people to pay attention to the death of her son. McClain, 23, was put into a chokehold and injected with ketamine after being stopped by Aurora police officers while walking home from a convenience store. He was unarmed but wearing a ski mask, which a 911 caller said looked "sketchy." McClain later died at the hospital. The measure would require federal law enforcement to review and revise policies on use of force, and it would restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to local police in addition to putting officers on the street and invest in neighborhood prevention programs. The order will also establish an accountability database which organizers said would require federal law enforcement organizations to supply disciplinary records of officers on a quarterly basis. The database would apply not only to federal officers, but to state and local cops who participate in joint task forces with the feds. In addition, the order would encourage limitations on chokeholds and no-knock warrants by attaching strings to federal funding. It took months to solidify the executive order's language, and involved input from The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. The National Action Network, the NAACP, and the National Urban League as well as attorneys who represent victims of police brutality are also reported to be supportive of the order. "It is a broad coalition," said Chiraag Banes of the Domestic Policy Council, who added that the president is also calling also calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, the aim of which is to change police culture by making it easier for the federal government to successfully prosecute police misconduct cases and eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement. Biden's executive order reportedly would require federal law enforcement to review and revise policies on use of force, and it would restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to local police. In addition, the order would encourage limitations on chokeholds and no-knock warrants by attaching strings to federal funding. The White House called Sunday night to invite Sheneen McClain to stand beside the president and Floyd's family. She was on a plane with one of her attorneys, Qusair Mohamedbhai, Tuesday afternoon. "Sheneen is excited and humbled to meet President Biden," Mohamedbhai wrote in a text from the airplane. "She looks forward to discussing Elijah, Colorado and supporting his national police reform plans." McClain has never met Floyd's relatives nor has she ever been to Washington, D.C. "Sheneen doesn't accept all of the offers which come her way. She is still grieving the death of her son, but when the president calls, you go," said attorney Siddhartha Rathod. When bipartisan talks to create a national police reform bill stalled last year, the administration began working on national legislation. "We know full well that an executive order cannot address Americas policing crisis the same way Congress has the ability to, but weve got to do everything we can," said a statement from NAACP President Derrick Johnson. What if visitors to America the Beautiful Park could wander down to a beach alongside Monument Creek to soak up the sun and dip their toes in the water? Renderings presented to the Colorado Springs City Council on Monday showed that kind of idyllic vision for America the Beautiful Park and four other sites along Monument and Fountain creeks that could be transformed into community gathering places. Lyda Hill Philanthropies granted about $800,000 to the visioning project for the creeks that started in 2020. To help the ideas come to fruition, a new nonprofit called the Fountain Creek Watershed Corp. is now getting started and it will work closely with the city on the efforts, said former City Councilwoman Jan Martin, who was involved in the leadership team for the plan and is now helping to found the nonprofit. The plan envisions healthier creeks with habitats that would serve fish and birds and provide welcoming beaches for kids and their caregivers, said Chris Lieber, a principal with N.E.S., a landscape architecture company that worked on the project. "Fish, birds and kids. We think thats what success could mean on a very tangible level," he said. The analysis looked at Monument Creek from Popcycle Bridge near West Van Buren and Wood Avenue south to the confluence near America the Beautiful Park and along Fountain Creek from the confluence to the intersection of South Tejon and Interstate 25. Along that stretch, the plan identifies five park sites with new adjacent private development, such as apartment complexes or office space that could help pay for the redevelopment. To make room for parks, construction would remove levees along the creek to allow for features such as beaches, lawns and trails next to the water. Dropping down into the creek bed could also help reduce noise from nearby I-25, Martin said. The first project could be in America the Beautiful Park, where a berm separating the creek from the park could be removed and allow for the construction of a beach and terraces where visitors could watch tubers and boaters float down the creek. Boating could be made possible by the confluence of the two creeks near the park that increases the amount of water flowing downstream, Lieber said. The site selection process for the first project is not finished, but America the Beautiful Park is a good candidate because of the recreational opportunities, Martin said. The berm adjacent to the creek has asbestos in it, an issue that has halted work in the past and would need to be mitigated, she said. Another more short-term project would be near South Tejon Street and I-25, where tubers and boaters that left America the Beautiful Park could take their craft off the water. A new sloped lawn could lead down to the water and a pedestrian bridge could cross the Fountain and lead to the Ivywild neighborhood. One of the mid-term projects envisions replacing the Colorado Springs Utilities Fontanero Service Center with a new neighborhood and putting in a new river beach and plaza for residents. "Can we do better as a community along our creek than perhaps the places we change the oil on our vehicles?" Leiber said. Another mid-term goal is to improve Monument Creek near Colorado College so that it is more inviting for students to enjoy. For example, development could add a new amphitheater and pedestrian bridge. The long-term project is likely redeveloping the waterfront near the Drake Power Plant that is slated for demolition. Like the other sites, the plan envisions a welcoming set of terraces and beach. Colorado Springs City council members lauded the ideas for the creeks and promised to help bring them to fruition. "I could not be more thrilled," Councilwoman Nancy Henjum said. One of the first steps the city could take is adopting a formal master plan for the creeks that could have more detail and community input than the initial vision, city officials said. Martin said she hoped the first project could be underway in two to three years with the help of numerous partnerships, particularly Colorado Springs Utilities because it owns much of the land along the 8-mile corridor. Water in the creeks is, of course, key to the plan and Colorado Springs Utilities has control over that as the water provider in town, she said. "We just don't know from a climate perspective what to expect. We do believe as of today there is enough water," she said. For more information, visit coscreekplan.org. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. By Azernews Azerbaijan and Estonia have discussed prospects for expanding cooperation between the two countries, Azernews reports. The discussion took place during a meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and visiting Estonian Parliament Speaker Yuri Ratas. During the meeting, the parties expressed satisfaction with the development of Azerbaijani-Estonian relations in various directions. They discussed the prospects of expanding cooperation between the two countries in political, trade and economic, investment, transport, energy, humanitarian and many other areas. Moreover, Yuri Ratas also held a meeting with Azerbaijan's Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev. They discussed the issues of potential cooperation in the fields of cybersecurity, information technology, and railways. Azerbaijan and Estonia cooperate in different spheres of the economy. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $6.1 million in 2021. FILE PHOTO: A woman looks at white crosses set up for the victims of the Route 91 Harvest music festival mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 7, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo President Joe Biden delivers his remarks on the elementary school shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead in Uvalde, Texas. By Azernews Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov held meetings with United Arab Emirates Economy Minister Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri and Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Azernews reports. "During the meeting with the Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates (@Economyae) Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri in Davos, we shared our views on the development of #economic and #trade relations between our countries, #investment cooperation, as well as the implementation of new projects," Jabbarov said in a tweet. Similarly, at the meeting with Saudi Arabia's Investment Minister, the parties discussed prospects for the development of economic relations between the two countries, as well as touched upon the activities of Saudi companies in Azerbaijan and investment and business cooperation opportunities. The diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE were established on September 1, 1992. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to $50.4 million in 2021. Last year, Azerbaijan and the UAE signed an agreement on pilot projects in renewable energy. Under the agreement, the building of a 230-MW solar power plant is planned. On March 15, Baku's Gulustan Palace saw a groundbreaking ceremony for the 230 MW Garadagh solar power plant. Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia established a diplomatic relationship on February 24, 1992. The two countries are in successful cooperation in various fields of economy and have fruitful cooperation within the international organizations, particularly the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation and the OPEC+. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $27 million in 2021. On January 13, a groundbreaking ceremony for the 240 MW Khizi-Absheron wind farm, which will be built by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power, was held. After the construction, it is expected to supply 300,000 households, save 220 million cubic meters of gas, and reduce 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions during the year. FILE PHOTO: Local residents sit in a courtyard near a block of flats heavily damaged during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine May 20, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko By Azernews Iteca Caspian company Executive Director Farid Mammadov has said that the closing ceremony of the Baku Energy Forum will be held in Azerbaijan's Shusha city, Azernews reports. He made the remarks at an event on the forthcoming conduct of the 27th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition, the 10th Anniversary Caspian International Power and Renewable Energy Exhibition, as well as the Baku Energy Forum, which is the successor to the Caspian Oil & Gas Conference. He emphasized that on June 4, a session conference of the forum participants will be held in Shusha. Mammadov mentioned that a number of agreements are expected to be signed between the event participants. Moreover, the executive director noted that a total of over 300 companies from more than 30 countries will take part in several events during the Baku Energy Week. Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry Spokesperson Jahid Mikayilov also added that a number of ministers, as well as their deputies, international organizations, and experts will take part in the Energy Forum in Baku. The Baku Energy Forum will be held from June 2 to 3 in the Baku Convention Center. As part of the Baku Energy Week, the forum will bring together key players in the global energy market, executives, and specialists from international companies to discuss current challenges, ways to develop the energy industry, and partnerships. This year more than 300 delegates from 20 countries will take part in the forum. The forum program includes 25 topics by 50 speakers. The forum program includes bilateral B2B business meetings, which will allow representatives of local and foreign companies to communicate and discuss in detail all aspects of possible cooperation. The event is held under the official support of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and SOCAR. A Logan County judge violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on excessive fines when he ordered a defendant to pay a half million dollars even though there was no indication the man had the ability to pay, the state's second-highest court has ruled. Reporter Stephanie Earls is a news reporter and columnist at The Gazette. Before moving to Colorado Springs in 2012, she worked for newspapers in upstate NY, WA, OR and at her hometown weekly in Berkeley Springs, WV, where she got her start in journalism. FILE PHOTO: A view shows the logo of Stellantis at the entrance of the company's factory in Hordain, France, July 7, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol By Trend The process of importing agrochemicals, pesticides and biological products to Azerbaijan has been improved and is carried out through an electronic system, the Azerbaijani Food Safety Agencys Chairman Goshgar Tahmazli said at the Plant Health Forum in Baku on May 24, Trend reports. According to Tahmazli, innovation in the electronic system has enabled to prevent import of unregistered, untested and banned products into the country. "The new module introduced into the Automated Food Safety Information System contains a list of officially registered agrochemicals, pesticides, biological products, veterinary drugs and feed additives, which guarantees import of only products that are approved for use and have passed registration," he explained. Rain and snow have fended off severe fire danger for now, but the risk will return in June when trees and grasses dry out, officials said Monday in explaining why El Paso County's strict burn ban must remain in place. Over the past couple of days with the weather, we certainly dont have the fire risk right now, but we were encountering huge fire risk prior to that, and we are certainly going to be having a lot of fire risk going forward, said El Paso County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf. The county still has an active Stage II fire ban, which prohibits outdoor burning, smoking and fireworks. Violations could result in fines up to $1,000. The burn ban wont be lifted in response to recent wet weather for the sake of consistency, according to Jim Reid, director of the Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management. He said the fire danger will soon be just as high as it was before the snowstorm, so lifting the ban just to reinstate it would be confusing. Rain this week will contribute to plant growth, which Reid also said increases fuel for fires. What Ive seen in the last 20 years is this county has gone from fire season primarily during the summer to fire season year-round, Reid said. On May 12, there were three significant fires in El Paso County that caused evacuations, burned eight homes and claimed one life. When youre told to evacuate, its real simple: Leave, Reid said. We cant replace you; we can replace your homes. Colorado Springs residents are being encouraged to register for Peak Alerts, a notification system through the platform Everbridge, which alerts the public about emergency situations in specific areas. As of now, just 10% of the local population is registered for the alerts. Peak Alerts sends notifications about emergencies directly from emergency dispatchers to registered users via text, email and phone call. When registering, users can also include up to five addresses to receive alerts about. A secondary notification system also is in place that sends alerts wirelessly using cell towers to all phones in a certain area. However, this system erroneously notified users outside of the designated area during fire emergencies on May 12, according to Ben Bills, El Paso County 911 Authority public information officer. A cause for the overnotification has yet to be determined. Right now, the wireless emergency alert, Ive taken it out of play for now, Bills said. However, I am confident that if we needed it in an emergency, it would work as designed. El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez is encouraging Colorado Springs residents to stay vigilant and aware of their surroundings. If you do see something, notify the proper authorities. In this case, (call) your local fire department or the sheriffs department. Fire safety precautions on an individual level can help prevent fires before they start. More information on wildfire mitigation can be found on the El Paso County website. We need to take this seriously, and Im asking residents to make sure that as we enter the heart of fire season we do mitigate (and) we do practice good, sound fire safety, Gonzalez said. News Solutions sought to help Vietnam's aviation industry take off By Azernews A Smart Water project is being prepared for the purpose of sustainable supply of Aghdam city and four nearby villages with high-quality drinking water, Azersu OJSC has reported. This was noted during a regular meeting of the working group created to prepare project documentation for the creation of drinking water supply systems, wastewater, and rainwater management of Azerbaijans Aghdam city. A draft of a drinking water supply system, wastewater, and rainwater management were presented at the meeting. Talking about the project, the head of the Planning and Design Department of Azarsu OJSC, Bahadur Kangarli, stated that the development of the project took into account the needs of the population for drinking water, as well as the industrial and tourist opportunities of Aghdam. According to the project, drinking water will be provided to Aghdam from underground sources. In this regard, three exploration and appraisal wells were drilled at the initial stage. Overall, it is planned to drill 24 wells and provide the main and alternative (generator) electricity to the zone of wells for the purpose of the sustainable water supply of Aghdam. Water obtained from sub-artesian wells will be collected in reservoirs, located at a high altitude in terms of relief and will be transferred to settlements in a gravity mode. The project reflects the creation of a distribution water supply network in Aghdam, the installation of fire hydrants, and sedimentation tanks, also the provision of each subscriber with an electronic remote reading meter. During the same meeting, a project on the management of waste and rainwater in the city of Aghdam was also presented. It was noted that modern technologies will also be used in the creation of this infrastructure. According to the project, wastewater generated in Aghdam will be returned to technical and irrigation use after treatment at a biological type plant designed with a capacity of 30,000 cubic meters per day. The presented project provides for the management of the city's rainwater by dividing it into two basins (reservoirs). Rainwater is also planned to be collected and reused for this purpose. The drinking water supply, sewage, and rainwater management systems of Aghdam are designed so that they can be managed from a single center. Productivity of sub-artesian wells, water levels in reservoirs, and water quality indicators will be monitored by a SCADA system, and the hydraulic regulation of the network will be carried out online. Currently, the work is underway to restore Azerbaijans liberated territories. Azerbaijan will carry out the reconstruction of its recently-liberated territories in four stages. The initial stage includes the solution of the issues of governance and security, and infrastructure, while the subsequent stages include the solution of the issues of social services activities, reconstruction, and development of the economy. Azerbaijan allocated $1.5 billion for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2021. In particular, these funds will be used to restore the infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, etc), as well as cultural and historical monuments. DES MOINES A proposal by Gov. Kim Reynolds to shift taxpayer funding for public schools to scholarships for private school tuition assistance will not pass the Iowa Legislature this year, a top statehouse Republican said Monday. Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, said there are not enough votes among the 60 House Republicans to get 51 votes and pass the proposal in the 100-member House. The legislative proposal previously passed the Republican-led Iowa Senate. Statehouse Democrats have been unified in their opposition to the proposal. It doesnt look like were going to be able to put the votes together in the House this year to pass that, Grassley told statehouse reporters Monday morning. Obviously (we) want to continue to work with the governor to get something achieved. Thats been a big priority of hers moving towards next session. And well work on that in the offseason. Legislative leaders had essentially paused the session for the past three weeks while Reynolds attempted to persuade enough House Republicans to support her proposal. Lawmakers from both the House and Senate returned to the Iowa Capitol on Monday for the first time in weeks, in a signal that they are preparing to complete their work for the 2022 session. That work, according to Grassley, will not include the private school tuition assistance bill. I think its great that the House is stopping school vouchers and the scheme that the governor has been pushing for so long, said Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, leader of the minority House Democrats from Windsor Heights. Its ridiculous that we had to wait this long for a bill that we all knew wasnt going to pass, because Iowans dont support school vouchers, and neither does the House of Representatives. So the only people who seem to want this are the Senate and the governor, and were glad that it died because its not good for Iowa kids. The bulk of the holdouts among House Republicans were legislators in rural districts, where public school officials said the loss of students to private schools could be fiscally devastating. Some House Republicans opposed to the private school tuition assistance proposal are already paying political consequences. Reynolds this past week endorsed a primary election challenger to Rep. Jon Thorup, who has publicly expressed his opposition to the bill. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO One person is dead after a weekend shooting in Waterloo. The identity of the victim and other details havent been released. Police and paramedics were called to the 300 block of Manson Street around 3 a.m. Sunday for a report of gunfire. Authorities found a female gunshot victim inside a vehicle in the area. Officers attempted life-saving measures until paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue arrived. The victim was a passenger in the vehicle. The woman was later pronounced dead, according to police. The Dodge passenger car was found stopped on Manson Street near the Oneida Street intersection. Officers found spent shell casings and other evidence around the corner in the 200 block of Sumner Street. A stray bullet from the shooting damaged at least one home in the neighborhood. Both streets remained blocked off past sunrise as investigators collected evidence and documented the scene with a drone camera. No arrests have been made and the shooting is under investigation. Anyone with information on the shooting asked to call Waterloo Police Department at (319) 291-4340 or Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers at (855) 300-TIPS (8477). Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 jamalabdullah100 It's true that the linguist made a general conclusion. However, (E) discusses other studies and fails to provide any additional results....and therefore doesn't make the current general conclusion any stronger, which is what we want to do in Assumption questions: make the conclusion tighter. Quote: Linguist: In English, the past is described as behind and the future ahead, whereas in Aymara the past is ahead and the future behind. Research indicates that English speakers sway backward when discussing the past and forward when discussing the future. Conversely, Aymara speakers gesture forward with their hands when discussing the past and backward when discussing the future. These bodily movements, therefore, suggest that the language one speaks affects how one mentally visualizes time. The linguist's reasoning depends on assuming which of the following? The linguists reasoning is that bodily movementsuggest that language affects how one mentally visualises time. He supports this statement with two pieces of evidence: 1) English speakers sway backward (past) and sway forward (future), 2) Aymara gesture forward (past) and gesture backward (future). The biggest gap in the conclusion is that somehow this swaying and gesturing (bodily movements) is adequately linked to language and not linked to the mental visualisation of the conclusion. As such, this missing link makes (D) a good answer choice. Quote: (A) [NONE OF THE] At least some Aymara speakers sway forward when discussing the past and backward when discussing the future. We dont care whether the Aymara speakers sway forward or backward. Their gestures are limited to hands.so this isnt relevant here. Also, even if Aymara speakers dont sway forward - their hand gestures still prove that language could affect time pictures. Quote: (B) [SOME] Most people mentally visualize time as running either forward or backward. Peoples visualisation of time as running either forward or backward isnt required for the conclusion to hold. Some people might not be able to visualise time at alldoesnt mean that its impossible for language to not be influenced by time. Quote: (C) [ALL] Not al l English and Aymara speakers tend to sway or gesture forward or backward when discussing the present. This is sort of given in the premise. But the proportion of not all, which means SOME, move and some speakers dont move.doesnt impact the conclusion. Quote: (D) How people move when discussing the future [DOES NOT] correlates to some extent with how they mentally visualize time. This answer choice is correct because it correctly distinguishes the link that the argument is missing between language, mental visualisation, and body language. Also if there is no correlation between language and mental imaging, then the conclusion is impossible! Quote: (E) The researchers also examined the movements of [NO] at least some speakers of languages other than English and Aymara discussing the past and the future. This answer choice is interesting. It provides additional evidence from a research study of some speakers of languages other than English and Aymara.which seems OK at first but the researchers examination provides no clear results. Even if we hypothetically inserted this sentence into the argument before the conclusion, there would be no effect. Even the (really forced this one here) possible negation, examined the movements of NO speakers of languages other than English and Aymara doesnt break the conclusion. The conclusion could still hold. In assumptions, we need to ensure that the negated answer choice makes the conclusion IMPOSSIBLE. aaba wrote: The early Greeks designed a mud-brick temple that mirrored those of the Mesopotamians and therefore may have studied the works of other cultures, an advantage that might explain why they eventually adopted more advanced masonry techniques. A The early Greeks designed a mud-brick temple that mirrored those of the Mesopotamians B The early Greeks designed a mud-brick temple mirroring a Mesopotamian one C The mud-brick temples of the early Greeks mirrored a Mesopotamian design D The early Greeks' mud-brick temples mirrored the Mesopotamians' E The mud-brick temples of the early Greeks mirrored those of the Mesopotamians OA is B prep-scholar I can hardly understand why option B is better than option A. Could anybody explain me, please?Thank you very much Both the victim and the suspect in the May 17 shooting at Purdum Woods had dated the same woman who was a witness to the incident, according to a search warrant filed in Danville Circuit Court last week. However, the Danville Police Department said Monday morning that the incident was not a love triangle turned deadly. The details of the morning of the killing will have to play out in court, but I can tell you it was not a love triangle, said Danville Police Department Capt. Steve Richardson. The victim, 29-year-old Brandon Alexander Gore, and the witness were not dating each other at the time of the shooting, Richardson said. They were not in a physical relationship at the time... he said. The suspect, Andrew Jovanni Menjivar, 24, was arrested Friday afternoon in North Carolina and faces a second-degree murder charge. He will be extradited back to Danville to face trial. The search for Menjivar was a team effort between Danville Police Department investigators with both the Greensboro and Winston Salem Police Departments since Tuesday, officials wrote in a news release Friday afternoon. The search was aided with the help of concerned citizens throughout the investigation, who should be applauded. The shooting was reported at 9:31 a.m. May 17 and marked the third homicide in Danville this year. Police responded to Purdum Woods for a call about a man being shot outside an apartment. Gore was found suffering from a fatal gunshot wound in the breezeway of the K building, police reported. Menjivar had fled the scene on foot after the shooting. The next day, a Black Dodge Charger registered in North Carolina as belonging to Menjivar was located abandoned and covered on Old Quarry Road in Pittsylvania County, according to search warrants. On Wednesday, police said the suspect had a reported address in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and associations in other areas including Greensboro, North Carolina. Menjivar had left his cellphone behind when he fled from Purdum Woods, but used a citizens cell phone and remained in contact with a witness through a blocked number, according to a search warrant. At one point while police were interviewing the witness who was reported to be in a relationship with the suspect, Menjivar called her, according to a search warrant. No other individuals are facing any charges in this incident, Richardson said. Much investigative work and tracking was done for evidence as well as the location of the suspect. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two bridges in Pittsylvania County soon may be named after fallen Virginia State Police officers. At last weeks board of supervisors meeting, members unanimously passed two resolutions to rename the structures. The board recommended the U.S. 29 north bridge in Hurt be named the Trooper Henry Murray Brooks, Jr. Memorial Bridge and the Va. 57 bridge east of Chatham be named the Trooper Henry Noel Harmon Memorial Bridge, according to a news release. It is important that we honor the law enforcement and police officers that protect us today, those that have served us in the past, and especially those who lost their lives in the line of duty, Vic Ingram, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. Renaming these bridges is just one simple way to commemorate these officers, who made such significant sacrifices while protecting this county. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will make a final decision on the renaming. That state board has the power to rename roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure. Harmon was a state trooper stationed out of Chatham. While arresting a drunk driver on Va. 761 near Long Island in January 1960, he was shot in the back of the neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down for the remainder of his life, the county reported in the release. He died in 1995 as result of the gunshot wound he suffered 35 years prior. Brooks was stationed in Gretna beginning in 1953. While investigating a crash on U.S. 29 in June 1956 about 3 miles south of Altavista another car crashed into the parked vehicle, Brooks and three others. Brooks was taken to the hospital, where he died of his injuries. Retired state police Col. Wayne Huggins and former state Sen. Bill Carrico spoke in favor of commemorating these officers at the May 17 meeting. Representatives from the Virginia State Police and the families also were in attendance. By Azernews Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov has said that the Azerbaijani economy is showing strong performance, both from the fiscal side and in terms of economic output, Azernews reports. He made the remarks speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Noting that nowadays there is an increased importance of regional cooperation, the minister emphasized that the Middle Corridor became an important route not only for the region but also for cargo flow from China to Europe. "The investments that have been made over the previous decades in transport and infrastructure in cooperation with neighboring countries, are yielding results today," he said. Mikayil Jabbarov also stated that the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan will further increase the reliability of the Middle Corridor. The impact of the peace treaty means further increase the reliability of what we call the Middle Corridor, mutually beneficial regional cooperation, and foremost restoring peace and stability in the South Caucasus, he said. Jabbarov also noted that Azerbaijan has always been vocal about signing a peace treaty as soon as possible. The minister added that food security is vulnerable to rising prices and short supply. "However, Azerbaijans strong fiscal position, very low external debt to the GDP level, and energy flows reduce the risk. Many countries do not have that luxury. Talking about the regional impact of it, this is something that we have to do together, through joint cooperation. We strongly believe that the need to combine the challenge of the day with the focus on where we are moving together. This is something that requires the participation of regional institutions," he said. Moreover, touching upon the energy sector, Jabbarov stated that a speedy transition should be made towards green energy, but more discussions are needed on the matter. For most of us, the term historic neighborhood probably conjures visions of steep, gabled roofs, turrets, spacious front porches and shutters that actually open and close. Not rooftop solar panels. But as the need for, and the popularity of, solar energy increases, that appears to be changing. Consider the solar panels atop the 19th-century Greensboro home owned by Tim Lindeman and his wife Nancy Walker. Or similar panels on a Queen Ann-style house, built in 1901 in Winston-Salems historic West End neighborhood, which Matt Giegengack and his wife, Claire Calvin, added as only one among several steps their family has taken toward more sustainable lifestyles. (They also raise chickens, grow their own vegetables and compost in their backyard, not to mention Matts purchase of a Tesla electric vehicle and his installation of a home charging station.) As John Deem reported in Mondays News & Record, these are among a growing number of historic homes in the Triad that have solar panels on their roofs. In fact, as Deem also reported, earlier this month, 177 Triad residents planned to go solar in April, according to N.C. Utilities Commission documents. You wouldnt exactly call it a green tsunami. But it could be the beginning of a hopeful trend. By the end of 2021, 535 residents in Greensboro had installed solar panels in their homes, 512 in Winston-Salem. The advent of the panels in historic neighborhoods is positive proof that the panels can coexist with historic preservation. In Giegengacks case, the contractor contacted the Forsyth County Historic Landmarks Commission for approval that is, what is called a certificate of appropriateness. The panels, mounted in the front of the house, were approved on the third try, after the initially proposed total of 29 panels was reduced to 15. In Lindemans case, approval came after the fact, but the panels on his house are largely hidden from view because they are flush-mounted on the rear roof, like neatly arranged rows of blue dominoes. In both instances, someone had to be among the first to take something that initially might seem out of place remember when cars first were required to have three brake lights? gradually becomes normal with changing customs and design refinements. And, unlike Lindeman and Walker, Giegengack has seen savings immediately. That because his homes panels provide more electricity than the house requires and the excess amount goes to the power grid. Duke Energy, in turn, pays him a credit for that power. Thats all well and good, says Giegengack, an ophthalmologist and professor at Wake Forest University Medical School, but like Lindeman and Walker, he wasnt in it for the money. I decided to do it because it was cool and it was easy and it was a good thing to do, Giegengack said. I didnt do it because I needed the extra money every month. I mean, I like that, but that wasnt the motivation. Either way, its a win. Whether all of us care to acknowledge it or not, climate change is here and now, not a looming threat in the future. You might have seen the recent story about beachfront houses in North Carolina falling into the Atlantic. A fair warning, however: The science (and politics) of sustainability can be complicated. Green approaches dont always work in older structures. For one thing, some older construction materials are not compatible with todays technology. Further, Duke Energy has proposed to the N.C. Utilities Commission that it be allowed to pay a lower rate in excess solar electricity credits. This means a longer wait for homeowners on a return on their investment. That said, the new momentum toward residential solar, as well as other alternative energy sources, is welcome, if overdue, in North Carolina. History and sustainability are finding more and more common ground. For instance, as John Deem also has reported, the Forsyth County Historical Resources Commission in 2020 revised design standards for the West End community to include reviews of electric charges and environmentally friendlier building materials. And why shouldnt it? Isnt protecting the planet, which is home to us all, the ultimate form of historic preservation? Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Lewis and Clark County justice of the peace candidate Shawn White Wolf of Helena was arrested last month for allegedly operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. In a phone interview Tuesday, White Wolf declined to comment but said he intends to continue his bid for justice of the peace. According to documents filed in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court, White Wolf was driving a silver Chevrolet Impala near the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Crossroads Parkway just outside of Helena around 1:30 a.m. April 22 when he was arrested by a Montana Highway Patrol trooper and booked into the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center. The arresting trooper reported a preliminary breath test showed White Wolf had a breath alcohol content of 0.150%. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (first offense), a misdemeanor. White Wolf has pleaded not guilty and requested a public defender. He was released on his own recognizance and barred from consuming drugs and alcohol and entering bars and casinos. He has an omnibus hearing in front of Justice of the Peace Mark Piskolich scheduled for May 31. White Wolf's opponent in the upcoming election for justice of the peace is incumbent Michael Swingley. White Wolf has also served as a member and chair of the Helena Citizens Council and unsuccessfully ran for Helena City Commission in 2015, U.S. Congress in 2013, and the Montana House of Representatives in 2010 and 2008. Love 1 Funny 14 Wow 6 Sad 9 Angry 3 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DECATUR Three busloads of tired Montessori Academy for Peace students and staff arrived to eager hugs from their families on Friday after a five-day stay at Camp Ondessonk on the edge of the Shawnee National Forest. The school sends fourth, fifth and sixth grade students to the camp once every three years to ensure that all the students in those grades get an opportunity to go at least once. For most of these kids, they live in a concrete jungle, said teaching assistant Ed Lozano Jr., who has been an adult chaperone twice, once for each of his kids. It was amazing to see the faces of these inner city kids, and all the questions. 'Why is that spider green?' 'What is that snake?' Outdoor education is part of the Montessori curriculum, Joyner said. So we take them away for five days and we explore nature, we do a lot of science and team-building, relationship-building, independence, and so many different things. The way Montessori works is students are in the same classroom for three grades, so the fourth, fifth and sixth grades are one class. Students get to know one another and their teacher very well in that time. It was really fun, said Mya Lofland, a fifth-grader. We played tug of war, which hurt my hands, and we played this one game I liked which was kind of like flashlight tag. I got to spend time with my friends and we had a lot of fun in our cabin, and the food was pretty good. Mya was nervous about going, said her mom, Ashley Lofland, and Mya admitted she thought she would be homesick. I teach here, so I knew she was in good hands, Ashley Lofland said. It was the first time she'd been apart from us with no contact, so that was the hard part. A private Facebook page for families included a wealth of photos every day, she said, and that helped the families at home see that their kids were safe and having a good time. It was a fun adventure, said Elliet Steele, a sixth-grader. Fourth-grader Tenley Fleming said she was nervous at first, like Mya. After the first day, the shock kind of wore off, Tenley said. It was really pretty. I couldn't tell it was (in) Illinois. Even though there were some problems, we got through them and overall, it was a really great time. Kelly Hill went along as nurse, and said her fourth-grade son, Skylar Hill, was excited about going and since Mom was going, too, that helped keep any homesickness at bay. It was exciting, she said. The kids had fun. They had adventures and new experiences for them. The camp did a fantastic job of having things laid out and it was the sort of experience that every kid needs to have. Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ABINGDON, Va. Two years after opening Appalachian Teas & Botanicals, community herbalist Lori Briscoe is celebrating a flourishing Abingdon business, a dream shes been cultivating ever since she was a girl listening to stories about medicinal herbs from her grandfather. A cozy aromatic tea room in the back of Wolf Hills Coffee on Court Street is brimming with a tall shelf of jars filled with bioregional herbs, a mortar and pestle for mixing the herbs, and other materials for creating her custom tea blends. Drawing inspiration from the stories told by her grandfather, Briscoe turned her love of herbs into a tea and botanical business in 2020 when she moved into The Spring House, a historic building on Court Street that also houses Wolf Hills Coffee, Tumbling Creek Cider Co. and Peddling Jacks. Her store is the culmination of a 20-year devotion to learning about the biological diversity and rich history of the Appalachian region. The herbalist marries local herbs with black, green and other teas that come from sources throughout the world, offering customers a variety of tea blends, all of which contain herbs for supporting health and wellness. Customers can choose from dozens of varieties, one of which is a Blue Ridge Breakfast Blend, a tea blended with ginseng leaf for improving overall health. Another shelf in the tea room contains packages of Wild Ramp Salt, a collection of ground dehydrated ramp leaves combined with salt from Saltville, Virginia. This is about as local as you can get, Briscoe said, while adding the blend can be used as a seasoning. Another product, Forest Bathing Tub Tea, contains deciduous tree leaves blended with essential oils, salt from Saltville and Epsom salt. Its just amazing taking a bath with the feeling like youre in the middle of a forest, she said. Plants are something shes very connected to and finds great joy in, the herbal educator and teacher said. She shares her love for native herbs by leading a nature outdoor program, Wednesday Wildlings, each season for children ages 5 to 9. Because of high interest in the community, she is offering two sessions of the program this summer. Later this summer, she will begin accepting clients for wellness visits, performing comprehensive wellness assessments for a holistic approach to natural herbal remedies. One of her favorite herbs on the shelf in the tea room is stinging nettle, a readily available local herb she described as a nutritional powerhouse. Its a brilliant plant to blend in any tea. Its mild and salty earthy flavors are perfect for blends. Using the tagline, plants, people and place, Briscoe operates her business with a passion for authentic healing a method for taking care of ourselves by connecting to the places we live. Her unique business strategy won her first place in the startup business category for the 2022 Washington County Business Challenge in April, a business plan competition designed to attract entrepreneurs to start and expand their businesses. She also won a competition for Best Pitch, and most knowledgeable and equity awards, all of which earned her more than $8,000 to help grow her small business. I feel very fortunate since I started out flying by the seat of my pants and am now able to shape this love into a business that reflects my passions and my love for this region, community and plants, said the first-time entrepreneur. Partnering with the Virginia Highlands Festival Her contributions to the herbal industry are catching the attention of community leaders, who recognize her work. Briscoe was asked to create a tea blend for the Virginia Highlands Festival this year that will represent the story of the 73-year-old summer event. During the festival, Briscoe will be a special guest at Chef Chat: Broadening the Story Weve Been Given, an event hosted by chef Travis Milton at 7:30 p.m. on July 20 at the Barter Theatre. The following evening on July 21, Briscoes signature tea blend will be served at 6:30 p.m. during a cocktail hour and at 7:30 p.m. during a supper at Hickory restaurant at Nicewonder Farm & Vineyard in Bristol, Virginia. The signature blended tea reflects the regions history along with a global perspective at the same time, she said. The cocktail is a blend of Asian teas combined with regional ingredients that are significant to the Appalachian region, such as ginseng leaves, a panacea herb thats been a defining plant in the Appalachia for centuries. Each herb was selected because it reflects something about the region or the story of the festival, Briscoe said. Rose petals are another ingredient in the custom blend. Rose petals often are thought of as a heart plant, not just romantically but anything that brings beauty to a place. I cant help but associate roses with Robert Porterfield and the cultural experience he helped to create for our region. Also during the festival, Briscoe will host an Appalachian Field & Forest Excursion from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 30, at Fairhaven Farm in the Alvarado community. Briscoe and participants will ramble through the fields and forest, uncovering native plants and their food and healing applications. Sustainably grown and harvested Briscoes haven for solitude and joy is usually out in the woods where she gathers herbs and continues her research on plants. The woods are like my church, and Im always gathering and learning, she said. In addition to the herbs she harvests locally, the herbalist partners with the Appalachian Harvest Food Hub, which operates a Herb Hub in its Duffield, Virginia, facility. Briscoe purchases plants that are sustainably grown and harvested at the Herb Hub. She will co-host an event with Appalachian Sustainable Development at 6 p.m. Aug. 13 at The Spring House to help bring awareness to the Herb Hub and the forest farming program offered by Appalachian Sustainable Development. An Appalachian SustainabiliTEA, custom-blended by Briscoe, will be introduced during the event. The tea will feature plants grown from the programs network of farmers. According to Briscoe, proceeds from the event will benefit Appalachian Sustainable Development. Botanical Book Lovers Group Briscoe launched a Botanical Book Lovers Group in January as a way to gather friends who love to read about plants or the people who grow them. The group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays every other month at The Spring House at 112 Court St. in Abingdon. The group is open to the public, and drop-ins are welcome. The next meeting is Thursday, May 26, when participants will discuss Grandma Gatewoods Walk by Ben Montgomery and When Grandma Took a Hike by Michelle Houts. To learn more about Appalachian Teas & Botanicals, visit the website at www.appalachianteasandbotanicals.com and follow the page on Facebook. Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at citydesk@bristolnews.com. By Azernews The State Border Service has prevented over 11.8 kg of drugs from being smuggled into Azerbaijan from Iran, Azernews said on May 23, citing the service. The incident occurred in the service area of the Horadiz border detachments border post near Jabrayil regions Mehdili village at about 0020, on May 23. A border guard serving in the area noticed an unknown person, who approached the Azerbaijan-Iran border and immediately left the scene. As a result of the search and operational measures, the area was cordoned off and taken under control. A black vehicle traveling at fast speed along the Jabrayil-Horadiz highway in the border area was stopped for suspicion at around 0140. During the inspection of the car, driven by Fuzuli resident Mammadov Nahid (35), over 11.8 kilograms of drugs (marijuana) and five bottles of alcoholic drinks were seized in two packages. The case is being investigated. Border protection and search operations are underway to ensure reliable protection of the state border and combat drug trafficking and psychotropic substances. As Iran borders both Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, drugs are traditionally smuggled in from Afghanistan into Iran and then into Azerbaijan. Given Azerbaijan's geographical location, drug traffickers attempt to smuggle drugs into European countries along the Balkan route via the country. After the restoration of its territorial integrity, Azerbaijan is taking steps to ensure the safety and restoration of order in the liberated lands. One of these measures is to halt the flow of drugs in the region that was previously controlled by Armenia. Armenia used Karabakh and the surrounding seven regions for illegal activities such as arms and drug trafficking during its 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan repeatedly raised the issue with international organizations, Armenia continued in the same vein, creating all of the necessary conditions for the illegal cultivation, production, and distribution of narcotic substances. Azerbaijan closed the drug trafficking route from Iran to Armenia and then to Europe that used to pass through Jabrayil region. After Azerbaijan regained control of the 130-km section of the state border with Iran, which had been under Armenian control for 30 years, the country closed the drug trafficking route from Iran to Armenia and then to Europe. BRISTOL, Tenn. Bristol business and community leaders officially kicked off a new initiative to address homelessness in the Twin City on Monday. Organized through the joint effort of the United Way of Bristol and the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, the Bristol Community Homeless Coalition held its first meeting at the Ballad Bristol Regional Medical Center. Concerned citizens began putting their heads together as a collective and conversing about how to move forward with finding solutions for the citys unsheltered population. What was very inspiring to see today really was the cross-sector of folks represented and their enthusiasm for being solutions-focused to address this in a big-picture way, Beth Rhinehart, president and CEO of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, said. Led by Wendy Wand, vice president of the United Way of Blount County and consultant of the coalition, the kickoff meeting centered around the electronic polling of attendees to gather data about their perspectives about homelessness such as causes, impacts and potential solutions. Most attendees, largely representing the business and nonprofit sectors, characterized their feelings toward the issue as ready to make positive change. Through polling, attendees identified some of the factors in the homelessness equation, such as who is homeless, why theyre homeless, what keeps them homeless and their impacts. Attendees, which included representation from faith-based communities and local government, were asked what solutions theyd like to see implemented and in what specific areas their organizations could help. The idea is to use those responses to form working groups, or various subgroups, in order to tackle certain issues the coalition wishes to address, like the potential remedy of forming a day center or addressing lack of resources, addiction among the homeless and the impact the population has on local businesses, among others. Our vision for today was to just collectively get everybody in the room who may or may not be communicating with one another about this issue, Wand said. Being able to identify what the barriers are, and putting into place working solutions for that, thats the model we are following. According to Rhinehart, more than 170 people registered for the event and are now considered to be a part of the coalition. Although the coalition is headed up by the United Way and the chamber, the two entities intend for the project to be owned and directed by the community. A big next step is going to be who is going to own this and where should it be owned to make sure that is bi-state [and] its a neutral party who can look out for Bristol [and] put Bristols best interests first, and that means collectively all of Bristol, Rhinehart said. Through polling Monday, coalition members determined most of the citys homeless are perceived to be in their situation due to mental health, lack of resources and lack of affordable housing. The most common impacts of homelessness, attendees said, were fear for safety, impacts on businesses and hindrances to tourism. The top solutions suggested Monday were a day center providing services, comprehensive two-state solutions and more affordable housing. As the coalition prepares for future meetings and engagements, its clear that the approach is going to be team-minded with a focus on the holistic angle, not a one-size-fits-at-all approach. We heard people who understand homelessness way more than I do, who work in that arena and have that expertise and experience, Rhinehart said. Bringing all those great perspectives and plans to the table with the passion that we saw, and the compassion also that people have, and balancing that with whats best for our business community and our [tourism] its a balance of all those things to create a really strong strategy. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. One of Catawba Countys most distinctive landmarks is no more. The demolition of the classic, 1950s-style diner that until two years ago housed Shells Bar-B-Q was well underway by Tuesday morning. The kitchen and storage building had already been removed and workers were ripping apart the dining car from the back. Blake Bee Watts, who owned the diner with his wife Lisa from 1989 until they closed it in 2020, said he was in talks with a Charlotte investor who showed interest in preserving the dining car. However, the plan did not work out and the deadline to have the building removed passed last week. The new owners of the property will be opening a Biscuitville at the site. Bee Watts watched Tuesday morning as workers tore down the building where hed made his livelihood. Thirty years of my life right there, there it goes, Watts said, laughing. Watts stressed hes enjoying retirement I recommend it for everybody while also noting the demolition of the diner marked an end of an era for both him personally and for the community. Everyone Ive spoken to is kind of brokenhearted, Watts said. No anger issues or anything. They just say, Thats a shame. But it just didnt work out. Shells was a mainstay of the St. Stephens community for nearly 70 years. Watts said the restaurant played an important role in the community by hosting fundraisers for individuals in need and supporting institutions like schools and churches. The founder of the restaurant was Fred Shell. Kevin Griffin is the city of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A long-promised widening to busy sections of N.C. 150 in Catawba County may no longer have a set date for construction. It could be a decade before the project moves forward, according to state transportation officials, because it is not currently in the NCDOT 10-year plan. Rising costs bear some of the blame, transportation planning manager for Western Piedmont Council of Governments Brian Horton said. The cost of construction projects increased statewide in recent years, leaving room for fewer projects in state plans. The total estimated cost for all programmed projects in the 2020-29 State Transportation Improvement Program is now closer to $33 billion than the original cost, which was closer to $22 billion, Horton said. The N.C. 150 expansion was included in the current 10-year state plan but likely wont make it on the upcoming 2024-33 plan. The N.C. 150 project will compete with other projects for funding. The need for expansion would be ranked based on the issues with traffic and the amount of accidents. The original plan was to widen N.C. 150 from one lane in each direction to two in each direction to accommodate high traffic volumes on the Catawba County portion of the road. The widening would begin at the intersection of N.C. 150 and N.C. 16. The road would be widened to Mooresville in Iredell County. The widening in Iredell County will continue as planned. Only the Catawba County portion is delayed. There have been prior delays, but this is the first time the state will no longer commit to the project. Catawba County officials were surprised and frustrated when the county learned of the uncertainty of the N.C. 150 project, Catawba County Commissioner Kitty Barnes said. Counties cannot build or maintain roads per North Carolina statute, but we are actively advocating for the Catawba County portion of this project to be the states top priority moving forward, Barnes said. Barnes said past development decisions were made based on the promise of the planned widening and the county is evaluating new development proposals in the area with the situation in mind. This will be a long-term focus for the county, Barnes said. Kendra Eades, owner of Honeybee Real Estate and a native of Sherrills Ford, said she feels that the uncertainty of the construction start date doesnt matter to most people. She said that typically N.C. 150 isnt a key factor when her clients are looking to buy. Most people who work in Mooresville are going to buy in Mooresville, Eades said. N.C. 150 connects Catawba County to Mooresville. Eades said that with the growth of Newton and the expanded N.C. 16 making it easier to get to Charlotte, people in the Sherrills Ford area are finding that they dont have to go to Mooresville as much. Kim Jordan, director of marketing and communication for Catawba County Schools, said that the increase of new residential construction in the Sherrills Ford area will likely impact Catawba County Schools enrollment in the future. This might affect bus drivers who use N.C. 150 on their daily routes to and from school. Students who live near the highway mostly attend schools in the eastern part of the county. These schools include Balls Creek Elementary School, Sherrills Ford Elementary School, Mill Creek Middle School and Bandys High School. Sherrills Ford Elementary School has two buses that take N.C. 150 as part of the daily school route and Bandys High School has five buses that use the road. Director of Transportation for Catawba County Schools Ashley Martin says that with the growth in the area, most bus drivers are seeing an increase in traffic during their daily routes. She added that, so far, the traffic has not significantly changed route times. N.C. 16 widening on track The expansion of N.C. 16 to four lanes is still projected to be complete by December but the cost of the project has increased. The eight-mile expansion from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway between Tower Road and Caldwell Road will finish two years behind schedule. The project will likely cost $45 million due to some delays and changes, N.C. Department of Transportation Communications Officer Marcus Thompson said. The original project estimate was $41.5 million. The expansion was originally set to be complete in December 2020, but weather, supply chain and utility line issues delayed the project, according to NCDOT. Construction crews are still working to complete the widening work on the northern section of the road, place the final pavement surface and install new signs, Thompson said. Once complete, the expansion is expected to better connect Charlotte and Newton. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Recently elected Hansford County Commissioner Pct. 2, Robert Whitaker has created a most interesting site that first began with his campaign but also includes information about Hansford County. to read more click HERE One of the topics that Commissioner Whitaker has written about are the Bridges in Hansford County. Read below: Bridges in Hansford County are a whole different animal to manage even though they are a part of our roads. Bridges are expensive to build and maintain. Each year, all county road bridges are inspected by a professional, state-certified engineer. Whether or not actions need to be taken on a particular bridge are based on these annual inspections. Repairs and maintenance are usually done by contractors. Expenses like this are to be placed into the county's road budget and voted on by the commissioners court. What about the future of the bridge that washed out on county road 24 at the south end of Palo Duro Lake? I have been asked if that bridge can be rebuilt. The way things are today in our county budget, it will not be a viable project. The Texas DOT regulations require that a new bridge at that location be built much taller and longer in length so that it does not interfere with the Palo Duro Creek and Palo Duro Reservoir at all. Furthermore, a project of this scope would take a sum of money almost three times greater than one year of the countys total budget. Could we get a grant from the feds or the state to do this? That option would be nearly impossible due to the low amount of traffic on that road since those grants are usually given based on long and drawn-out economic impact studies. What we are left with is what has been done. A winding and steep caliche road crossing through the Palo Duro Creek channel to connect county road 24 with FM 3214. We can use it for now, but one day it will all be underwater again. Yes, I am always an optimist when it comes to rain. If you want to see a really beautiful bridge in the late spring (after rains of course) is the Palo Duro Creek bridge on County Road F in the northeast portion of Hansford County (36.417728, -101.121823). Someday I will have a photograph of this place hanging in my office or my house. There is a corridor of trees on each side as you enter and exit the bridge on CR F. It is an awesome sight to see when the grass is green and the creek is running. Years ago when I would drive out to the annual BBQ cook-off at the Knutson Ranch, I would always drive further down County Road F to that bridge just to see the view. -Robert Two Win Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock Scholarship Essay Award This year's essay topic was: There are twelve Medal of Honor recipients from Odessa into the Texas panhandle. Please give the history behind the Medal of Honor. What is the importance of the Medal of Honor? Give the name of one of the twelve Medal of Honor recipients from this area and how that person received their Medal of Honor. Ethan is the son of the James and Melissa Layman. He will be attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Sam is the son of the Brad and Christa Turner. He will be attending Texas Tech University. to read each essay click Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock Memorial Scholarship Essay Sam Turner The medal of honor is the highest form of recognition and appreciation able to be awarded to military personnel. Given to the soldier by the U.S. President himself, the Medal of Honor represents the acknowledgement for displaying the highest form of bravery and sacrifice in combat to our great nation. The medal was first introduced in 1861 as an award for the navy sailors and marines, and has since been expanded to all areas of the Department of Defense, and the Coast Guard. Since 1861 there have only been about 3,400 Medal of Honor recipients across the United States. Of these 3,400, only 12 have been originally from the Texas panhandle, one of which being Mr. Charles Howard Roan. Charles H. Roan was a United States Marine in World War II. He grew up in the small town of Claude, Texas in the 1920s through 30s. In December of 1942 Charles decided to join the Marine Corps reserve as a Rifleman of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. In 1943 Charles experienced his first sign of action in the war, fighting in the Battle of New Guinea and the Battle of Cape Gloucester Charles had seen a total of 15 month of duty before he was sent on a mission to Peleliu, Palau Islands. During the Peleliu Landing on September 18th, 1944, Charles met his end after heroically throwing himself onto a Japanese grenade, saving four of his fellow marines in the process. Charles H. Roan sacrificed his life for the greater good of the United States of America. For his bravery, the late Charles Roan was honored with the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart is given to those who have been injured in the line of duty. Charles was given a memorial service in his home town towards the end of the war on April 8th, 1945, at the Methodist Church in Claude, Texas. He currently rests in the Manilla American Cemetery. Charles Howard Rowan is the true definition of bravery and sacrifice. All he wanted was the betterment of his country, and was willing to risk his own life for the betterment of his country, and to spare the lives of four of his fellow marines. Charles showed nothing but selflessness and courage on the battlefield, and there is no doubt he got the recognition he deserved. Sgt. Cameron A. Meddock Memorial Scholarship Essay Ethan Layman The Medal of Honor as you may know is a very prestigious award and has been given only 3,525 times. If you look throughout history, you will see men who have distinguished themselves by action and were rewarded with this respected medal. The first formal way of distinguishing these individuals was by awarding them with a purple heart cloth back in 1782. Throughout history, many additions have been made alongside this esteemed award. Later in 1861, Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Navy Medal of Valor for those in the Navy who had shown such action as those in the past. Shortly after, in 1862, an award that was very similar to that of the Navy was introduced to the Army. Soldiers who distinguished themselves by their gallantry in action and their soldier like qualities were awarded this medal. Finally, although this award was created during the civil war, Congress made the prestigious Medal of Honor, a permanent decoration in the year 1863. The Medal of Honor has been awarded scarcely throughout history. This recognition was to distinguish soldiers who have exhibited brave actions in war and have presented their soldier like qualities. One soldier, in particular, is John C. Red Morgan. Red Morgan was a U.S Army Air Force flight officer aboard a B-17F Flying Fortress during World War II. His bombing mission to Hanover, Germany on July 28, 1943, is the event that had proven him worthy of this precious award. During his mission, Morgan was targeted by German FW-190 fighters and was repetitively attacked and shot at. While dealing with his mission and his attackers, Morgan struggled with one arm to hold back the wounded aircraft pilot who refused to hand over his controls to the plane and the other arm that was used to keep the bomber in formation. After several hours, with Morgan's flying skills and determination, he saved the bomber and its crew while successfully completing the bombing mission and safely returning home. The news of his heroic action spread vastly throughout the 8th Air Force bomber units in England. Morgan was then awarded the Medal of Honor by Lieutenant General Ira Eaker on December 18, 1943, in London. John Red Morgans actions were widely recognized and renowned, and he later had the opportunity to meet with members of the British Royal Family and was featured in countless articles and was the primary inspiration for a character in the 1949 movie, Twelve Oclock High. Months later, in the spring of 1944, Morgan defied an order to avoid further combat missions and was sadly shot down over Berlin and was taken prisoner by German troops, and spent time in a Luftwaffe camp in Germany. He then had the distinction of being the only Medal of Honor recipient to become a POW during World War II. Morgan's love for the country and dedication to military service has had a noticeable impact on the future generations of the Morgan family. The author and her husband, Duane, own and operate a 550-cow dairy in Cochranville, Pa. I dont ever remember a time when food security, fuel security, and farm security were more critical. The way we see this playing out presently is not pretty. There is a mountainous and intentional disruption, not just to the food chain but also to the agricultural farming supply chain. The ripple effect is reaching the corner of every farm as we see broken links in areas that we need to best care for our land and animals. I have no intention of going deep into a geopolitical issue, picking sides, or trying to predict where we will be by the time this magazine issue prints. However, as a fellow farmer, the splintering in Ukraine has catapulted us into a desperate realization of how fragile our food, fuel, supplies, and farms have become. This impacts our world. It is unthinkable to look at the fuel and supply prices and realize that the planting and harvesting seasons will be costly this year, but in the United States, we can anticipate having one. That stress is at a different level than what Ukrainian farmers are waking up to each morning. Our son, who is a soldier, once told me that everything about war is ugly. After the past few months, that is not hard to comprehend. It is heart-wrenching to hear the stories of how farmers need to turn their focus from day-to-day operations to survival. Another issue facing them is food security and farm security for their country. As we watch this play out, even though we are countries away, we can feel the impact this will have on their farms, on their animals, and their ability to feed each other, their neighbors, and the world. I never realized the country of Ukraine had such a dynamic impact on agriculture. We quickly heard how their wheat production and sunflower oil are instrumental in sustaining their agricultural industry. You may wonder, what does all this have to do with my dairy farm? The answer is a lot, if you look over the fence posts and across the ocean. I became more interested in farmers outside our border when I had the opportunity to travel and speak at the United Nations. When there, I talk about my dairy farm, the diversity of our farming practices and styles, and how much we care about the land and our animals. One of the most enjoyable moments for me was meeting and conversing with fellow farmers from across the globe. The more farmers I talk to, the more I realize that yes, we are different in style and practice, but we are similar in passion, drive, and vision for feeding communities, large and small. We are important to each other, and it is increasingly valuable for farmers voices to be heard worldwide. It is critical for our future. Each one of us desires and deserves to thrive on our dairy farms. Dairy farmers take the responsibility of feeding communities seriously. This is a core reason all of us are milking cows. Food security sometimes smacks us in the face in big ways. We can all attest to the fact that our farms were traveling down an insecure path during the pandemic. It has not been too long ago that we can remember farmers dumping milk and how that impacted us. The long line of families at food banks was at an all-time high, and food security became a staple in our conversations. Life can be hard. There is no doubt about that. Farmers know that firsthand. But we are tough, and during these crippling times we hang onto each other and the relationships that sustain us. Our farms keep us going and give us hope. Duane is a great example of showing that optimism. Even though the glass of milk is half full, he will look at it as completely full. He carries a lot of confidence and vision for our dairy. I never want to take that for granted. He recently had the opportunity to pray before the lunch at our Land OLakes Cooperative meeting, and during the prayer he mentioned the situation in Ukraine. He specifically prayed for the farmers in that area. It surprised him that when he got to that portion of the prayer, he got choked up and had to take a moment to regain his words. The fact that he was emotional is not shocking or unlike us as farmers. This happens when we hear of our farming friends going through difficult times. We call to each other through the barriers of languages, the different farming styles, and the diverse management practices. Plain and simple, dairy farmers feel the pain of each other. I am sure there will be a day that we can help them get their dairy industry back on track and once again become a secure food supply for their communities. I look forward to that privilege and opportunity. Even though we are farming in different parts of the globe, farmers have certain securities that are necessary to sustain our dairy farms. May God bless every farmer in every part of this planet as we all strive to securely feed our families and our communities. Dear Abby: I have recently discovered that for the last seven years -- or more -- my husband has been lying to avoid conflict. What he has been lying about greatly upsets me, but knowing he has lied about these things makes it worse than finding out the truth at the time things happened. The lies are about his relationships with his female "friends." He has always had a wandering eye. He has lied so many times that I'm wondering what else he has lied about that I don't know about. I find out because he tells on himself without realizing what he has said. I am now questioning our whole life together. We have been together 31 years, and I'm thinking our entire marriage has been built on his lies. When I confront him about it, he says he "never said it," but he did. How do I live with a lying spouse? -- LIED TO IN GEORGIA Dear Lied To: Solid marriages are built on trust. Unfortunately, yours is lacking in that department. Your first task is to determine whether you WANT to remain married to a lying husband, who attempts to gaslight you by denying he said something you clearly heard. It would be in your best interest to schedule some sessions with a licensed counselor who can help you to gain enough emotional strength to make that decision rationally rather than emotionally. If you decide to end your marriage, discuss this with an attorney BEFORE informing your husband so he or she can guide you in the process. Dear Abby: I am the oldest of four children. I'm closest with my youngest sibling, "Louanne." I have not had a relationship with the other sister, "Emily," for close to 10 years. I tried to reach out a few times and was rejected or received cold responses. My feelings toward Emily have grown numb. Emily now has some mental issues, and Louanne, who does have a relationship with her, helps her almost to the extreme. She's now talking about relocating Emily from South Carolina to New Jersey, and wants my help arranging it. Until two weeks ago, Emily lived on her own as she had for many years. She's had some ups and downs, but Louanne is treating this as though Emily is no longer able to care for herself. I'm having a hard time feeling compassion for Emily, and Louanne is upset with me because I don't want to help. It's destroying our relationship. I tried to explain my feelings to her, but she keeps reminding me that this is about "family," so I need to put my feelings aside. I feel torn and alone. Any advice? -- CHALLENGED IN THE EAST Dear Challenged: It might help to view this from a different perspective. Although you are distant from Emily, who you acknowledge has mental problems, you are close to Louanne. If you maintain your current stance and refuse to help Louanne, the entire responsibility of relocating Emily will fall on her shoulders, and it is quite a load. You would be doing a good deed by helping Louanne with this burden she has assumed and, if you regard it this way, it may make taking on that responsibility easier for HER. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Greensboro native Kendra Adachi is back with her second book, a food-focused follow-up to The Lazy Genius Way, a New York Times bestseller that has sold 100,000 copies. The Lazy Genius Kitchen (Waterbrook, $26) is off to a good start selling almost 15,000 copies in its first week of sales this spring. Adachi, 40, is the founder of The Lazy Genius Collective website (thelazygeniuscollective.com), which has nearly a million annual visitors. She also does The Lazy Genius Podcast, which has surpassed 15 million downloads. She has 187,000 followers on Instagram. On May 17, Adachi entertained a crowd of about 70 people at Bookmarks in downtown Winston-Salem, talking about the Lazy Genius way, and how it applies to life in the kitchen. The Lazy Genius approach is all about making life easier, said Adachi, a self-professed lifelong obsessive over efficiency. My brain is wired for efficiency how can we avoid unnecessary steps, Adachi said in a telephone interview this month. Before founding The Lazy Genius Collective, Adachi had been doing a lot of writing for the internet. In conversations on the internet and in real life, I started to notice how tired all the women in my life were. I saw they were tired about things they didnt need to be tired about, because they thought everything mattered, Adachi said. Before long Adachi had a new mission: I want to help people care about the things that matter to them and let go of the things that dont. She started her website in 2015, and the podcast in 2016. In The Lazy Genius Way, released in August 2020, she laid out her 13 principles to help people sort it all out. The Lazy Genius Kitchen basically applies those same principles to food, cooking and eating. Adachi had previously taught cooking classes and even started her own baking business. But The Lazy Genius Kitchen is most definitely not a cookbook. It doesnt have a single recipe (though her website does). Instead, its about everything but the recipes. Its about how to shop, prep, cook and clean in a way that fits each persons personality and lifestyle. Its a self-help book for how to use your kitchen. Its like a guidebook to understand the room, all the things that happen in that room, she said. Adachi said she wrote The Lazy Genius Kitchen because about 30% of what she was doing on her website and podcast involved food, and about 40% involved time management, and 30% involved other topics. But even a lot of the time management was about the kitchen, she said. A Lazy Genius is a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that dont, Adachi said. For example, when it comes to kitchen prep, someone stuck in the genius way is constantly striving to keep the freezer and fridge fully stocked at all times for all contingences, leading to long days of cooking to make freezer meals and plans for leftovers. On the other hand, the prep cook stuck in the lazy way never does any advance prep at all. Both people feel overwhelmed one from being loaded down with work, the other from always being behind and not ready. Part 1 of The Lazy Genius Kitchen lays out five steps to find the right balance for you. Those steps are prioritize, essentialize, organize, personalize and systemize. The Lazy Genius way then is prioritizing or naming what matters, getting rid of what doesnt, organizing what you need, personalizing it for you, and systemizing or creating a flow or rhythm. Part 2 applies those five steps to kitchen space, meals, planning, shopping and storing, prep and the actual mealtimes. In Part 2, you might find yourself rearranging your cabinets to allow easier access to the most frequently used items. You might find yourself no longer buying the kale you think you should eat for good health but always end up throwing out when it goes bad. You may find that advance prep or a convenience food for breakfast makes sense for busy weekday mornings. Part 3, titled Use What You Have, includes the most practical advice, including cooking techniques, ingredients that pack a flavor punch, and equipment and utensils. So, here Adachi explains how to make soup, the kind of pan to use for braising, and some specific tasks to give to the kids. Adachis final piece of advice (one of her 13 Lazy Genius principles): Start small. Efficient change, or change designed to increase efficiency, is best done one step at a time, in a logical order. The end goal, she said, is for everyone to enjoy their kitchen, using it in the way that makes sense for them. For one person, that might be just making coffee and heating up takeout. For someone else, it might be making bread, soups and more from scratch day in and day out. Ideally, we all want to like our kitchen, but we need someone to tell us its OK to use it the way we need to use it, she said. What I want people to experience is permission and practical tools to create a space we can enjoy. 336-727-7394 @mhastingswsj Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gov. Roy Cooper came to Moore Magnet Elementary School on Tuesday to tout a tutoring program that he hopes will help students who suffered academically during the pandemic. A joint project of the Office of the Governor, the N.C. State Board of Education and local school districts, the North Carolina Ed Corps program trains and pays people to serve as literacy tutors in schools, using funds from the American Rescue Plan Recovery Act. We know the challenges of this pandemic. We know children got behind some, Cooper said. So we needed a way to focus on extra help for our students. This takes people who are willing to tutor, gives them additional training and also pays them to be in the school helping these children with focused, evidence-based tutoring. Its going to be remarkable. The program is in 24 of the states 115 school districts, including Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. The goal is to be in 30 school districts next year, according to John-Paul Smith, the executive director of N.C. Ed Corps. About 200 tutors work in those 24 districts. There are 17 working in the local school district, with plans to add another eight next year, said Janice Broyles, who oversees the program in the Triad. The local tutors are focused on building the reading skills of children in grades K-2, Broyles said. The data is showing significant gains and great growth with these children getting additional tutoring, she said. These light bulb moments are happening. The school district has a goal of having 90 percent of all local third-graders reading on grade level by 2025. Its an ambitious goal, considering that the number of third-graders reading at grade level or above dropped to 39% in 2021, compared with 52% in 2019, the last year that was not impacted by the pandemic. Statewide, 45% of third-graders tested at or above grade level at the end of 2021. This is giving them the foundational skills they need to be successful readers later, Superintendent Tricia McManus said. At Moore, Cooper spent several minutes in a classroom with three Ed Corps tutors, Aliah Sharp, Elizabeth Carroll and Lois Roewade. The three women were each reviewing reading materials with three students. This is an amazing way for parents and the community to connect with students, Cooper said. Its an imperative for this to succeed. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Laura McKnight wasnt terribly surprised to learn that Hanes Mall leads all locations in Winston-Salem in calls for police service. Though withering with the rise of online shopping and (nearly) next day delivery, the mall still boasts more than 150 retail outlets over its 1.5 million square feet. So it stands to reason that shopkeepers and cashiers wind up calling the Winston-Salem Police Department, on average, more than twice a day every day of the year. Shoplifting and larceny never go out of style. That makes sense, she said. Ive never been worried or had any hesitancy about going to the mall. Ive been going there since I was 9 years old. All that changed, however, when she spent more than an hour earlier this month huddled with other confused and terrified mall-goers while police rushed to find the mope whod shot another man. Ive never worried about anything like that happening, McKnight said. Ill definitely think twice now, though. Reputation vs. cold, hard numbers On a whim way back in the pre-pandemic days, police department data analysts crunched the numbers on calls for service at the busiest places in town. The reason? Retail outlets Hanes Mall in particular have long been saddled with a reputation for being the most dangerous places in town. But without statistics, that amounted to conjecture. By the numbers: Police response to Hanes Mall Here's a closer look at why police have been called to the mall in 2021 and 2022. Click on the table for the full list. The numbers from 2018 were eye-catching; police were called to the mall 698 times, or an average of twice a day every single day. And with the cost of the average 911 call running more than $330, the strain on the city budget is obvious. Calls for service, by the way, are just that. Theyre neither arrests nor convictions. Theyre simply a log of calls and what prompted them, and sometimes a single call may be about different things. Shopping centers Hanes Mall and retail outlets anchored by big-box stores such as Walmart typically fill out any top five list of calls to police in any given year. The hospitals, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, generate a lot of calls to police due to concerns over injuries and mental health. The mall, however, ranks high year after year in terms of volume. In 2021, a year with significant COVID issues and store closings, police were summoned 764 times. The most logged that year was 811 to Atrium Health Wake Forest. The demise of in-person shopping a variety of studies show that 25% of the 1,000 or so malls left in the United States would close in the next few years and a series of high-profile shootings at the mall added impetus to examining the numbers. In August 2019, a 32-year-old father was shot to death during a fight outside a restaurant. Witnesses said he had come to the defense of a bartender who was verbally abused by a gun-toting, heavy drinker. A few months later, in November, a juvenile was shot in the face during a fight near J.C. Penney, and weeks after that, in January, an 18-year-old shot a younger teen outside Forever 21. A follow-up check with data analysts in 2020 showed a similar pattern: 1,142 calls from the mall in 2019 and 754 through December 2020 with close to two-thirds related to larceny, shoplifting and theft. The takeaway for arm-chair analysts, then, had to be that the mall, while a frequent destination for police, isnt particularly dangerous for the average shopper or walker. The shootings, which fairly attracted attention from the public, were targeted (and rare) acts of violence. McKnight, as any prudent person might, nevertheless took note of those incidents and made adjustments. I never go out there at night anymore, she said. Afternoon of terror Knowing the statistics about police calls for service and altering the times when shed go to the mall didnt prepare McKnight for what she encountered May 10. Shed gone to Hanes Mall with her son to shop for sunglasses when a gunman opened up on another man near the food court. McKnight didnt know it at the time, but the uniquely American active shooter drill was unfolding in real time. An older couple came flying in (the Sunglass Hut) and went directly to the corner like mice, she said. It was very quiet. Nobody said anything. A second family, a mother, grandmother and a young child, followed. A store employee, McKnight said, passed word that the mall was going on lockdown without giving a specific reason. Everybody was crouching in the corner so I figured we better do that, too, she said. People hunkered down and turned to where else? their smartphones to try and figure out why others were running for exits. We were pretty calm, McKnight said. I wasnt scared until we were told to get away from the glass (at the front of the store). Later, like the rest of the city and beyond, McKnight learned that one young man had shot another in the arm and that police were having trouble immediately locating a suspect. (Two days later, on Thursday, police said in a news release that 26-year-old Reginald Dewayne Gray had been shot in the arm. He was arrested after being released from the hospital and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.) Even that learning that, yet again, an act of violence in a very public place was targeted and not random wasnt much consolation after experiencing fear of the unknown while hunkered down in the back of a store. Its just sad that people cant come out of their houses without bringing a gun with them and then pulling it out at the least altercation, McKnight said. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. On May 23, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev made a phone call to President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azernews reports, citing the presidential press service. President Ilham Aliyev updated the Turkish leader on the meeting between the President of Azerbaijan, the President of the Council of Europe, and the Prime Minister of Armenia held in Brussels the day before. The President of Azerbaijan touched upon the preparation of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the presentation by Azerbaijan of five principles based on international law, the normalization of relations between the two countries, the opening of transport corridors, and the delimitation of borders discussed during the meeting. President Ilham Aliyev gave a positive assessment of the results of the trilateral meeting. The President of Azerbaijan also noted that an order had been issued earlier today to establish a State Commission on the delimitation of the state border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia. President Ilham Aliyev said that the parties had agreed on the opening of the Zangazur corridor, including the construction of both railways and highways. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked his counterpart for the information about the trilateral meeting and gave a positive assessment of the results achieved at the meeting. The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkiye stressed the importance of achieving peace in the region as soon as possible. During the telephone conversation, the heads of state exchanged views on issues of bilateral friendly and fraternal relations and future contacts. Medicaid expansion in North Carolina appears to be gaining more support among state Senate Republicans as a draft bill surfaced Monday. The Associated Press obtained the draft bill, which has not been introduced. The office of Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, confirmed the existence of the draft bill to AP. Berger has signaled recently his willingness to consider a limited level of expansion after being adamantly opposed since it became a possibility in 2010 under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Berger spokeswoman Lauren Horsch could not be reached for comment Monday on the potential Senate bill. Senate Republicans continue to have discussions about how to address the rising costs of health care and how to increase access in the state, Horsch told AP on Monday. However, state House Republican opposition to expansion still remains a major obstacle, according to legislative analysts. North Carolina is one of just 12 states, most in the Southeast, that have not expanded their Medicaid programs. Many states with Republican leaderships have accepted Medicaid expansion, including Indiana when former vice president Mike Pence was governor. A joint oversight legislative committee has been addressing Medicaid expansion, along with other potential health-care reform considerations, at several pre-2022 legislative session meetings as part of a 2021 state budget compromise reached between Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican legislative leaders. The committees goal is making recommendations in the fall. The committee has Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, and Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, among its co-chairs. Lambeth said Monday that the committee has not finished their work and has made no recommendation. The House continues to look at best options for North Carolina. It has work to do and no plans to take up expansion in the short session that is projected to end in early July. Opposition perspective The main GOP argument against expansion has been worries about whether the federal government could halt paying its 90% share of the administrative expenses associated with Medicaid expansion. Thats even though the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations have not taken that step with any expansion state. Opponents also have downplayed an annual $758 million assessment that the states hospitals and health-care systems have agreed to provide to help cover the states 10% expense share. AP said that more Senate Republicans are more willing to consider expansion, in part because the 2021 federal COVID-19 relief law would give North Carolina $1.5 billion over two years to treat traditional Medicaid patients if it accepts expansion. Senate Republicans, led by Krawiec, have recognized a give-and-take approach with Medicaid expansion could enable them to secure some healthcare priorities, such as easing some certificate-of-need restrictions that could allow for more competition, including from for-profit groups. AP reported the draft bill could contain a work requirement for expansion recipients a Republican wish list that has received begrudging support from some Democratic legislators. Theres, however, a reality check to any potential work requirement in a N.C. Medicaid expansion bill. A work requirement passed by the Arkansas and New Hampshire legislatures has been struck down by federal courts. In March 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear additional oral arguments on the appeals made by the two states. Rep. Larry Potts, R-Davidson, said Monday he remains not sold on Medicaid expansion, foremost concerned about potential additional costs to state taxpayers. Im still undecided until I see the full cost vs. benefits, Potts said. Responses The latest Meredith Poll found a majority of North Carolinians continue to support expanding Medicaid, along with a rise in backing of legal uses of marijuana and distracted driver laws. The poll, released May 3, found that more than 70% of North Carolinians think the state should join 38 other states in expanding Medicaid and giving health care access to more lower-income citizens. It was not unexpected that 90% of Democrats support this expansion. However, a majority of Republicans, including those who consider themselves the most conservative, also support expansion. Over the last few years, support for expanding Medicaid has increased in the state, poll director David McLennan said. Whether the legislators call it an expansion of Medicaid or something else, the public opinion would suggest this to be a popular move. The surfacing of the draft bill shows that the potential for give-and-take healthcare reform may have enough support to get through the Senate, said John Dinan, a political science professor at Wake Forest University who is a national expert on state legislatures. Dinan said its intriguing that Senate GOP opposition may be thawing at the same time that longtime House GOP opponents may be gain more influence. In prior sessions, the dynamics were generally the opposite of this, when some House Republicans were more open for Medicaid expansion, but Senate Republican leaders were strongly opposed, Dinan said. Whether this will be the year that Medicaid expansion can secure the necessary support from both House and Senate Republican leaders is still unclear. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A comprehensive marijuana legalization and regulation bill was introduced in the N.C. Senate on Monday that would allow for individuals age 21 and older to legally possess a small amount of the drug. Senate Bill 765 was submitted by Sen. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson. At 69 pages, it is more in-depth than a similar cannabis-legalization proposal from 2021, House Bill 617, That 19-page bill was introduced in April 2021 with Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, as one of four primary sponsors and Rep. Amber Baker, D-Forsyth, as one of 13 co-sponsors. HB617 was sent to the House Rules and Operations committee, where it was shelved for the 2021 session. The latest bid by lawmakers to legalize cannabis is likely to face a similar fate given stiff Republican leadership opposition in North Carolina. North Carolina is one of six states where all uses of marijuana are illegal, along with Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina and Wyoming. That includes prohibiting the use of medical marijuana. Inside the bill The main focus of the latest cannabis proposal is the sale, possession and use of marijuana, although a section covers the legal use of industrial hemp. Individuals age 21 and older could possess up to two ounces of marijuana. Anyone who possesses more than two ounces in a public setting could be subject to a civil penalty of up to $25. However, anyone possessing more than one pound of marijuana could be found guilty of a Class F felony and face a fine of up to $250,000. It would be unlawful for anyone to sell or provide marijuana products to people under age 21. It would be illegal to transport marijuana in an open container or for a driver or passengers to consume marijuana while in a moving vehicle. The bill includes deals with how retail marijuana would be sold, including warning labels on packaging about health effects, as well as marketing restrictions. The bill has language addressing the use and manufacturing of edible marijuana products. It calls for a Cannabis Equity Business Loan fund to support retail marijuana vendors, along with allowing financial institutions to provide financial services for those vendors. At-home marijuana The bill would allow anyone 21 or older to grow up to two mature marijuana plants and up to two immature marijuana plants for personal use at their place of residence. The plants would have to be cultivated indoors and not be visible to the public without the use of aircraft, binoculars or other optical aids. Each mature and immature plant would be required to have a legible tag that includes the owners name, drivers license or identification number, and a notation that the marijuana is being grown for personal use at home. Anyone found guilty of violating those regulations could be subject to a Class 1 felony. Theres also a section on how law enforcement officers would enforce the law's provisions. The bill would create a state Cannabis Control Commission that would oversee a uniform system of control over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, consumption and possession of marijuana in North Carolina, and to provide procedures to insure the proper administration of the marijuana laws under a uniform system throughout the state. The commission would have a chief executive, board of directors and employees with the N.C. Department of Public Safety. The commissions authority would supersede any local ordinance or resolution regulating retail marijuana or retail marijuana products, including licensure, inspections, manufacturing and testing. There also would be a Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council. The bill would contain a 21% state tax on any retail marijuana, retail marijuana products, marijuana paraphernalia and any non-retail marijuana and associated products. There would be exceptions to the tax, including on cannabis oil for treatment as allowed by state law. Local municipalities could apply up to an additional 3% tax on marijuana products. Medical marijuana Fitchs bill may represent an attempt to link legalization to a medical marijuana bill, Senate Bill 711, that cleared three Senate committees during the 2021 session before stalling in August. Legislative analysts are uncertain whether SB711 will be heard during the short session that is projected to end in early July. Senate Bill 711, which would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, is stuck in the gateway Rules and Operations committee in August. It is likely to resurface early in the 2022 session. SB711 is the latest in several attempts over the past 12 years to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes in North Carolina. The bills odds of clearing the Senate are considered promising given that Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, and chairman of Rules committee, is one of its three primary sponsors. Rabon, a cancer survivor, has said SB711 would not serve as a gateway to recreational marijuana use, although opponents that include Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, claim that it will. The bill requires the medical marijuana system be self-sustaining following an initial public investment to set up the system. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A 60-year-old grandmother died after she was shot in the face with an air rifle, officials said. Now, the womans son and grandson are charged in her death, according to the Henderson County Sheriffs Office in North Carolina. The charges stem from May 6, when deputies reported responding to a home in Hendersonville, roughly 25 miles south of Asheville. First responders arrived to find Ms. Paulette Clark with serious head and face trauma, Sheriff Lowell S. Griffin said May 23 during a news conference. At the time, deputies and investigators were told that the assailant was unknown. The sheriffs office started an investigation before Clark died on May 13. During her autopsy, officials discovered she had died after an object went past her eye during the assault and injured her brain, according to the sheriff. Clark is remembered as a longtime waitress who eventually fulfilled a dream of owning a restaurant, according to WLOS. She ran the Dixie Diner. She was an amazing person, her granddaughter, Jordan Collins, told WLOS. She would give anyone the shirt off her back. But on May 6, officials said her grandson, Austin Amos Kennedy Byrnside, and son Maurice Jones Jr. plotted to rob her. Byrnside used the butt of an air rifle to assault Mrs. Clark as well as discharging the air rifle in close proximity into Mrs. Clarks eye, Griffin said. The projectile from the air rifle traveled past her eye and lodged in her brain. Weeks later, Byrnside is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. The 22-year-olds uncle 42-year-old Jones is also facing the conspiracy charge. The two were arrested and taken into custody at the Henderson County jail. An investigation was ongoing as of May 23, officials said. One step closer Gaffe Machine President Joe Biden as hes referred to himself has put us one step closer to war with China by stating that the U.S. will defend Taiwan if China invades. We all knew that; it was just safer to leave it unspoken. China didnt feel it had to assert its power. Remember when everyone was worried that President Trump would lead us to war? Instead he tried to make peace with North Korea and he blue-printed our withdrawal from Afghanistan. How ironic it will be if its Biden who begins the next world war. Gary C. Parent Winston-Salem Translation, please The writer of the May 16 letter Most basic right wrote: Also contrary to what the writer says, neither Exodus 21:22-25 nor Numbers 5:11-31 argue that a fetus was not considered by God to have the rights of a human being. I would argue that it all depends on which translation you use. A number of the newer versions of the Bible, some published by firms that have close ties to evangelical organizations, present the text as the writer claims; they all tell us that when men fight and injure a pregnant woman whose unborn fetus dies, it is considered a lost life. Other translations present those same verses differently a fine is applied. The New International Version tells us that If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely and there is no serious injury (or, in a footnote she has a miscarriage) the offender is fined. The Jewish Publication Society translation of The Tanakh contains the same books as the Christian Old Testament in a slightly different order. It specifies a fine for the death of the fetus. The Amplified Bible treats the death of the fetus in the same manner, as does the New American Standard Bible, the Revised Standard Version, Anglicized Catholic Edition and The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. Im sure there are others. The writer believes that the Word of God is never wrong, but forgets that translators some times are. Walter R. Sherrill Winston-Salem Supportive enablers The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas urged two Republican legislators in Arizona to ignore Joe Bidens legitimate 2020 win, encouraging them to find a way to change the outcome in their state. It reminds us how many Republicans who claim they are Constitution-loving patriots were willing to overturn a certified election with no proof of fraud in the courts or audits. They created the Big Lie that the election was stolen from former President Trump. It led to the coup attempt at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump is coming to Greensboro on July 15 to keep the Big Lie going. He will be greeted by supportive enablers eager to show their devotion and loyalty. Most of them have little knowledge that they have been misled and are being used to further the fragile narcissism of their beloved leader. Rep. Ted Budd, candidate for N.C. senator, will surely be there with them. Like others endorsed by Trump, Budd joined in the Big Lie by refusing to certify the 2020 election in the U.S. House along with others making baseless claims about fraud in Arizona and other states. Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina was also part of that effort. On the Budd campaign TV commercials recently, there were images of him shooting a rifle, with Trump saying that Budd will fight like nobody fights. But for what? The Big Lie? Overturning elections? Whatever Trump wants? We can do better. Democracy is under siege. Perry Miller Winston-Salem Worth reading It is so depressing and demoralizing to read that Tom Pattersons May 22 column, Looking back: Three decades of visual art around Winston-Salem, is his last. Tom is an institution in this town. Ive been reading his columns for decades. And now, amidst all the other cuts, the one ingredient in our local newspaper that best defines us as the City of Arts and Innovation is gone and the Journal is one step closer to being generic. I appreciate the good, local reporting that you do. We need it. And I appreciate that times are tough. But someone had better tell Lee Enterprises that with every cut, they are destroying what makes this paper worth reading and we loyal readers are not going to take much more of it. Gary Arnoff Winston-Salem COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise both locally and throughout Nebraska, but there are encouraging signs the current wave may be easing. Lancaster County reported 422 cases last week, the most in a week in three months. Cases have now increased seven weeks in a row, but the rate of increase has begun to slow. Last week's case number was about 8% higher than the previous week. That compares with week-to-week increases of 30%, 53% and 90% in the three weeks before that. There were 1,780 cases statewide last week, which was about 19% higher than the previous week. The week before that, cases had risen nearly 85%. Another positive sign is that hospitalizations are not increasing much if at all. The daily number of COVID-19 patients in Lincoln hospitals has only exceeded 25 twice in the past two months, and there were 19 patients reported Tuesday. The seven-day average has actually fallen from 23 on May 14 to 19 as of Monday. There are currently no patients on ventilators. The overall number of Nebraskans hospitalized with COVID-19 has started to tick up over the past couple of weeks, with the seven-day average going from 55 to 69 to 82, but it's still well below where it was at the end of March, when more than 100 patients were in the hospital. Officials at Bryan Hospital said they have seen a slight increase in COVID-19 patients, with 71 hospital admissions last week, up from 55 the previous week. But few of those patients have extended stays. The average number of daily patients currently is in the high single digits. Dr. Jim Nora, medical director of infection protection for Bryan Medical Center, said patients in the hospital generally seem to be less sick than in previous waves. "I think it's probably fair to say the acuity of illness has declined," Nora said. He said he typically is not called in to see patients unless they are severely ill, something that hasn't happened for more than a month. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department on Tuesday reported additional encouraging signs that cases may be leveling off. The department said the test positivity rate declined to 12.3% last week, down from 14% the previous week. And wastewater sampling done at the city's wastewater plants showed a decline in COVID-19 particles. The Health Department also announced that the county's COVID-19 risk dial will be staying in the mid-yellow range, the first time in three weeks it hasn't moved into a higher-risk category. Nora said he doesn't think the current surge in cases will equal earlier surges, largely because of the level of vaccination. A significant number of Nebraskans have been vaccinated more than 67% of all Lancaster County residents are fully vaccinated, and about 60% of those eligible for a first booster have received one and a number of people also have some level of immunity because they've had COVID-19. But he also said areas of the state with low levels of vaccination are at a higher risk of seeing higher case levels. "These are areas where there could absolutely be a surge," Nora said. "Patients could end up hospitalized and having more severe consequences." The Omaha World-Herald contributed to this story. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Police have arrested a 45-year-old Lincoln man who they say repeatedly punched his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend and left him bleeding outside a downtown bar in April, causing the man to suffer a brain bleed, according to court records. The group had been at The Night Before Lounge for about an hour when they went outside to smoke near the corner of 10th and M streets on April 10, Lincoln Police Officer Julia Sandman said in an affidavit. When the group went outside, Rodney Badberg punched out the window of his ex-girlfriend's Jeep before getting in and driving the vehicle toward the sidewalk, Sandman said in the affidavit for his arrest. Then, Sandman said, Badberg got out of the Jeep and confronted the man, punching him three times and kicking him once before fleeing the area on foot, leaving the man bleeding on the sidewalk. A Lancaster County judge signed a warrant for Badberg's arrest last week, according to court filings. He was booked into jail Monday. The 45-year-old has been charged with first-degree assault. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In the wake of a deadly weekend that saw two people killed and another four wounded by gunfire, Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins heralded the quick actions of first responders and assured residents that the city remains safe. Ewins, speaking at a news briefing Monday morning, called on suspects in a pair of weekend shootings to turn themselves in and cast the violent weekend as a string of isolated incidents that shouldn't disrupt residents' peace of mind. The police chief said investigators don't believe there's an ongoing threat to the public but acknowledged they "can never be sure," as suspects in the weekend shootings remain unidentified and at large. "But I feel very confident in the fact that our community is safe, and that our officers are out there each night doing their job," she said. Ewins' comments came after two shootings in a span of just more than 24 hours. Three people were shot on a sidewalk outside Gravity early Saturday morning after an altercation inside the night club near 11th and O streets. Ewins said parties were separated inside the club, but after bar break, three people approached a group outside and one of them fired shots, striking a 22-year-old female who sustained life-threatening injuries, a 25-year-old male who remains hospitalized in serious-but-stable condition and a 26-year-old male who was treated and released. The suspected shooter fled the scene with at least two others, said Ewins, who declined to provide a vehicle or suspect description. No suspects are in custody, Ewins said, but the department is "working tirelessly" to investigate the crime and is seeking video or additional information from area residents, business owners or bar patrons. Assistant Police Chief Michon Morrow said the department plans to release the identities of the downtown shooting victims at a later date, citing "additional investigative leads." "We certainly don't want to jeopardize that information by providing that too soon," she said. The department's public information office did not respond Monday to a Journal Star request for the public incident reports stemming from the shootings. Ewins said the Saturday morning shooting is not connected with a Sunday morning shooting at a duplex near 30th and P streets in the aftermath of a party Saturday night. Officers responded to the residence at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday after a man called police and said he had been shot, Ewins said. Police found two gunshot victims inside the duplex, a 26-year-old man and 42-year-old man, who both died at the scene. A third shooting victim, a 19-year-old man, showed up at a Lincoln hospital shortly after the original 911 call and is in serious-but-stable condition, according to police. Ewins said officers have recovered two handguns but have not made arrests in the shooting. Asked if the department had internally identified suspects, Ewins said investigators "have leads at this time." "We do not have arrests at this time, but we're confident that we understand what occurred," she said. "And, I know it's a little cryptic, but we will definitely get back to you on more details after the investigation gets further along." The department did not identify the two victims in the house party shooting. Investigators are still attempting to notify family members, Ewins said. Lincoln City Councilwoman and longtime resident Sandra Washington attended Monday morning's press briefing unusual for her or any other City Council member because of the shocking nature of the violent weekend, she said. "I'm trying to make sense of it, like anyone," she told the Journal Star. "That doesn't have anything to do with police response, it's just, reading the news, hearing the news, watching the Twitter feeds and going, 'What? Oh, my gosh, those families.' ... Those families must be in heartache. "I'm not worried that our city is unsafe," she added. "But I just thought, 'That's a lot of heartache in a short amount of time.'" Washington said she left the Hall of Justice feeling comforted by Ewins' assurances and by the targeted nature of the weekend shootings and Thursday's homicide, when 57-year-old Henry Lee Jones was killed in a fight outside his central Lincoln home. Ewins repeatedly acknowledged but downplayed the intensity of the weekend. In all cases, Ewins said the assaults were not random and are not connected. "Our city is not becoming more violent," she said. "These are incidents that occurred in a small period of time, but I feel very confident that they're not a projection of what is coming." The chief pointed to warming temperatures, an uptick in parties, a downtick in COVID-19 concerns, an increase in alcohol consumption and a broad, anecdotal societal change as potentially contributing factors to the weekend and violent summers in general. "Right now, society is going toward grabbing a gun versus getting into a verbal argument or being physical," she said. "That's people's solutions, unfortunately." The police department had not investigated a fatal shooting or suspected killing since late October, when 24-year-old Goa Dat, of Omaha, died after he was shot while riding in a car on U.S. 77 between Rosa Parks Way and West A Street. Between Oct. 30 and Thursday, when Jones was killed, Lincoln went 211 days without a suspected killing. Now, three city residents have died in apparent homicides in a four-day span. "All three incidents are tragic," Ewins said. "Loss of life and those fighting for their lives is unacceptable and senseless." And as of 2020, the city's violent crime rate per 100,000 residents was well below the average among 34 similarly sized cities, among which Lincoln had the 23rd-highest rate of violent crimes. "Don't think that this last weekend is any reason to give up your hope or your belief in the goodness of Lincoln," Washington said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. According to the Gage County Sheriff's Office, a 2003 Ford Mustang was traveling at a high rate of speed near South 36th and Locust roads just before 6 p.m. when the vehicle left the road and rolled. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt, and both were ejected from the vehicle, the sheriff's office said. The Nebraska State Patrol and Omaha Police Department conducted the first of several speed enforcement operations over the weekend, leading to four arrests. The operation took place on Friday and Saturday and was done to address excessive speeding in the Omaha metro area. Three of the four people arrested were driving motorcycles, while the fourth was in a Dodge Challenger. Troopers attempted traffic stops after observing each vehicle drive over 100 mph. All four drivers fled, but troopers were able to track the vehicles with the aid of air troops and in one case, stop sticks. Additional operations will be held throughout the course of the summer. Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or jebbers@journalstar.com Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sarah Harris hands swish back and forth as she outlines a silhouette in jet-set dark blue. Her brush strokes form a line of people swaddled in blankets, trudging through billowing snow. Ponca Chief Standing Bear kneels on the ground and cradles his dead son along the trail. But then a burst of color. Harris etches rust, olive and tan into the image to show Standing Bears world-changing testimony in front of a federal courtroom in Omaha. In the image, he extends his right hand, about to speak his famous words. That hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be of the same color as yours. I am a man. The same God made us both. Harris gestures to the image. He's an icon for justice, and what he accomplished is fantastic, she said. I hope it inspires people to learn from his example that, despite all the trials and agony, you can still make a stand and have your voice heard. The historic scene now covers the walls of a government building adjacent to the state Capitol. The Executive office building at 521 S. 14th St. will be renamed the Chief Standing Bear Administrative Justice Building after Sen. Tom Brewer introduced a bill to rename two state government buildings at Gov. Pete Ricketts request. In the Chief Standing Bear Administrative Justice Building, government employees involved in the judicial branch manage daily operations. Harris said theres no better place for a man who advocated for human rights to be memorialized. Outside the building, sculptor Benjamin Victor will soon add a bust of the Ponca chief to further cement his legacy. Both Victor and Harris hail from Boise, Idaho, but became involved in the project because of Victors esteemed Standing Bear sculpture in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. Harris and Victor have collaborated on several other projects. Harris was grateful to have the opportunity to discuss Standing Bear's legacy with a group of Lincoln High students who helped her paint Friday. Their initials were added to the bottom-left corner of the scene in royal blue. She said this project in particular is important because few people realize Standing Bears lasting impact. As we make his message more aware, Ive come to find out that I don't think a lot of Nebraskans know about his story, Harris said. The mural features the chief's most prominent moments, from his journey on the Trail of Tears to the legal decision that changed so many lives. After Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe were removed from their homes in 1879 and forced to walk 600 miles to the Quapaw Reservation in Oklahoma, one-third of the tribe died, including his son, Bear Shield. Standing Bear felt compelled to return his sons body to his home state of Nebraska. The chief was arrested after leaving Oklahoma. Other famous Nebraskans appear in the mural, including Gen. George Crook and journalist Thomas Tibbles. The two men helped Standing Bear establish a case. In the painting, Judge Elmer Dundy listens to Standing Bears testimony from behind the bench. After Standing Bear's testimony, Dundy ruled that Indigenous people had human rights under the law. Standing Bear was able to return home. Brewers bill also proposed the former Woodmen building at 1526 K St. be renamed the First Nebraska Administrative Building after the First Nebraska Infantry Regiment, a band of Union soldiers who served in the Civil War. Jason Jackson, Department of Administrative Services director, said the new names come as part of a longstanding effort to beautify government buildings. For a long time, our buildings in the Capital environment area haven't had names or any sense of historical context, Jackson said. One of our projects is just to make these buildings reflect the dignity of the work that happens within them on behalf of Nebraskans in our community. The Standing Bear mural will be unveiled in July, Jackson said, during a ceremony where the governor and several public officials will be present to celebrate Harris' work. Judi gaiashkibos, executive director with the Nebraska Indian Commission, said Standing Bears legacy should be a guide for state government. She hopes Harris' blue hues and thick strokes serve as a reminder for Nebraskans. I think the mural is an inspiration for the legal profession in Nebraska, gaiashkibos said. We have to do more in our state to provide justice for the first people, and this is the beginning. Reach the writer at 402-473-7241 or jthompson@journalstar.com Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. "Your Excellency, On the occasion of you countrys National Day celebrations, I am pleased to express the warmest congratulations to Your Excellency, wishing to the friendly people of Azerbaijan more progress and prosperity. I also reiterate to Your Excellency our keenness to continue efforts to strengthen and develop the existing cooperative relations between our countries to serve the interests of our friendly peoples. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the letter said. OMAHA -- The Douglas County Treasurers Office miscalculated distributions of millions of dollars in revenue in 2021, resulting in overpayments to the Omaha Public Schools, the City of Omaha and Douglas County and underpayments to four other local school districts, the Nebraska State Auditors Office has concluded. Even though his office had done the calculations the same way, apparently unchallenged, for 61 years, Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing said Monday that he agrees with the auditors conclusions. This year, he said, he changed how the distributions are calculated. The issue involves an apparently recent interpretation of state statute that spells out how counties with more than one school district within a single city are supposed to distribute annual payments that the Omaha Public Power District makes in lieu of property taxes. Its an issue that arose last year in Sarpy County and is the subject of litigation. According to a letter from Nebraska State Auditor Charlie Janssens office made public Monday, the Douglas County treasurer in April 2021 overpaid the Omaha Public Schools by about $5.7 million, the City of Omaha by about $4.4 million and Douglas County by about $2.7 million. The treasurer underpaid the Elkhorn Public Schools by about $4.2 million, Ralston Public Schools by about $4 million, Westside Community Schools by about $3.7 million and Millard Public Schools by about $820,000, according to the letter. The treasurer also underpaid the City of Ralston by $945, says the letter, signed by Deputy Auditor Craig Kubicek. The money comes from payments, known as payments in lieu of taxes, that state law requires OPPD to make. The publicly owned utility is required to pay 5% of its gross revenue from electricity sales. The Douglas County treasurer should have included the levies of all the school districts within Omaha when it calculated the distributions, the state auditors letter said. Instead, the County Treasurer started the calculation by using only the Omaha Public School District levies to determine the amount to be disbursed to the five school districts within the City of Omaha, the letter said. This incorrect amount was then divided among the five school districts based on the student census percentages that are also used for the distribution of city fines. Ewing said Douglas County treasurers had calculated the distributions of OPPD payments the same way for 61 years. Since 1960, there was an interpretation by the previous treasurers that the distribution method that we were using was the correct interpretation of the state statute, Ewing said. In 2019, he said, he sent a couple of his staff to training on the issue put on by the Nebraska Association of County Officials and the state auditor. They concluded they were doing it correctly. As we looked at what was happening in Sarpy County, we decided to do a more in-depth review of this process and came to the same determination that the State Auditors Office did, Ewing said. And were in the process of correcting the distribution for 2022, and that distribution was made on May 13. It was done according to this new corrected formula. He said his office did a proactive approach to it and reviewed the state statutes and made the determination that we needed to correct the distribution process. The state auditor in 2021 found that the Sarpy County treasurer had similarly miscalculated distribution of OPPD payments from 2018 to 2020, resulting in overpayments to some school districts and underpayments to others. The Omaha, Gretna, Millard and Platteview school districts are suing the Sarpy County treasurer. A hearing is scheduled for May 31. The Omaha Public Schools was underpaid by $1.4 million by the Sarpy treasurer, according to the lawsuit. The Millard Public Schools missed out on $2.3 million payment. The lawsuit alleges the Gretna Public Schools was underpaid by $721,774, while the Platteview Community Schools didnt receive $1.9 million in funds. The Bellevue Public Schools was also reportedly overpaid by more than $2.3 million, and the Papillion-La Vista Community Schools received $946,054 more than it was supposed to receive, according to the lawsuit. The audit of Douglas Countys distribution of OPPD payments came about because of the Sarpy County findings, Kubicek said. In Douglas County, the change in how the distributions are calculated this year has led to shortfalls in what some government subdivisions were expecting. Douglas County was expecting $4 million from the OPPD payments this year, but instead received $2.6 million, said Joe Lorenz, the countys finance director. The City of Omaha received about $5 million less than projected for 2022, City Finance Director Steve Curtiss said. The finance directors and Ewing said they had not heard yet that underpaid governments are seeking to recover money. It will be up to those entities to decide whether to pursue that, Ewing said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After operating for nearly a decade in a temporary location at Offutt Air Force Base, a Defense Department laboratory that identifies the remains of missing U.S. military members could be in store for a new home near the base. Rep. Don Bacon proposed an amendment to the House Armed Services Committee calling on the department to accelerate planning for the construction and relocation of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab. The committee passed Bacons proposal unanimously this year, amending the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022, an annual piece of legislation that appropriates defense funding. The department came forward with a preliminary plan to build a two-story, 65,000-square-foot building, more than double the size of the current facility, which is 31,000 square feet and more than 80 years old. Bacon said the new lab will be in a different location near Offutt. The estimated cost of the new lab is about $50 million, which will be considered in the federal budget for fiscal year 2024, Bacon said. A timeline for the construction has not been finalized. The DPAA lab is responsible for the identification of hundreds of missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from past wars. Last month, the lab identified the remains of a World War II pilot who earned the Medal of Honor in 1943. It was also involved in the six-year effort to identify the remains of sailors and Marines who went missing after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It helps bring closure to families, said Bacon, a retired brigadier general who previously served as commander of the Offutt-based 55th Wing. While a base commander, Bacon helped persuade the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to select Offutt as the location for its second lab when it was looking to expand beyond its original site in Hawaii. The new lab opened in 2013 inside the historic Glenn L. Martin Bomber Plant where workers from Nebraska and Iowa built B-26 and B-29 bombers during World War II. From the beginning, Bacon said the space was always meant to be temporary. Discussions about building a new permanent lab had already begun in 2020. Not only is the building old, and set to be demolished by 2030, Bacon said it is still used for several other purposes and isnt customized to meet the labs needs. When we moved into this space, we always knew we would have to move again, said Franklin Damann, the laboratory director, in 2020. The new facility, in contrast, will be tailor made for the labs operations, Bacon said. The make and design will have their mission in mind, Bacon said. According to a document from Bacons office, the next step for the project will be the Department of Defense completing the project plans and designs, which is expected before the end of the year. Bacon said his job is to ensure Congress follows through and approves the funding for the lab in the fiscal year 2024 budget. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SCOTTSBLUFF -- The Robidoux Trading Post takes visitors back in time, serving as a representation of the familys second trading post in the Nebraska Panhandle. Historical documents show the trading post provided supplies and blacksmithing to immigrants and the Native population. The Robidouxs were one of the very first entrepreneurs in this area that had the trading posts, Dan Morford, member of The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post, said. They provided a lot of services and supplies for those immigrants and for the Native Americans that were here, that traded with them. The sod-roofed building has been reconstructed with 100-year-old hand-hewn logs and had been located at its original site in Carter Canyon until last year. The new home for the trading post was well thought out, with its location in Gering just north of Five Rocks Amphitheater and near Robidoux Pass. Itll be fun for the people camping, you know, they can easily walk (to the post), Barb Netherland, chairman of The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post said. Visitors are encouraged to view the outside structure of the fort and glimpse through the windows to see the restoration work that is still underway. The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post is a group of volunteer community members who have taken up care of the post. We formed mostly to just try to better serve the post, to keep a better eye on it, Netherland said. The post had some maintenance issues that needed to be looked at and we just really felt like it needed more attention. The group has divided into subcommittees to continue to work on different phases geared toward completing the renovations. Morford is the chairman for the story committee which is charged with designing the interior exhibits as well as the interpretive signage for the outside of the post. The displays will feature items that will depict the Native and fur trade life of the 1850s as well as blacksmith tools. Landscape additions comprised of plants native to the area are also planned. Our hope is to be able to open the post at least occasionally and make it into a fun, educational experience, Netherland said. And it is an opportunity to demonstrate local history. She said to this point the projects have been completed by volunteers and funded primarily through Scotts Bluff County Tourism and Gering Keno revenues. The City of Gering and Scotts Bluff National Monument have supported the renovation with preservation guidance and expertise. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Hui Guo is a humble and unpretentious individual. Family. Friends. Community. All are important to him. Guo is also the owner/manager/chief chef for the Grey Whale Sushi and Grill located in downtown Lincolns Grand Manse building. The affable Guo opened the Japanese restaurant in 2016, wanting an establishment that was close to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln downtown campus. He admits that he has a soft spot in his heart for students, as well as the desire to offer students and others a relaxed dining experience that tastes good and is affordable. Also, his sister was a student at UNL. In the intervening years, the Lincoln community became more important to him one of Guos daughters was born in Lincoln, and his restaurant was successful enough to open a second eatery even closer to the UNL campus, the Grey Whale Poke Bowl at 1317 Q St. Guo said that the restaurant was the first to offer poke bowls in Nebraska. The Grey Whale Poke Bowl features ready-made or build-it-yourself bowls. But it is the Grand Manse location where one will find Guo offering up a wealth of different Japanese maki and hand rolls, sushi, sashimi, yakisoba and bento boxes. With a dozen years of experience as a sushi chef, including stints in New York City, New Orleans and other locales, Guo is proud of his variety of dining options at Grey Whale. He said that he likes to create variations of Japanese staples with slight twists to the customary Each sushi restaurant has its own distinct differences and individual flavors. Guo emphasizes that through his experiences in the food industry, he has developed some close contacts on both coasts, which has yielded the restaurant overnight shipments of the necessary food items the Grey Whale requires to produce good Japanese food. Fresh food is the most important thing for a restaurant, he said. The restaurants interior is crisp and simplistic polished wood floors accented by large windows and dark wood trim mirroring Guos preference to have his culinary creations impress his customers. The Grey Whales lunch crowd usually consists of business and office professionals, vacationers from area hotels and downtown apartment dwellers. In the evening, it is all kinds of people from young adults and college students to families. According to Guo, the Grey Whale menu is updated regularly, with Guo bringing in new menu items and asking staff members and patrons for feedback on the offerings' quality and taste. With an exhaustive menu, Guo likes to highlight the restaurants Happy Hour bargains a component that underscores his desire to provide quality, good tasting food at an affordable price. Grey Whales Happy Hour times are all day on Tuesday and Sunday; 4-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 3-6:30 p.m. Saturday; and late night after 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Most Happy Hour menus offer up a limited number of choices, and that is also, in a way, the case with Grey Whale. However, given the copious number of regular menu Grey Whale items, its Happy Hour menu is much larger than most. With 19 options, Group One of Maki rolls range from $3.50 to $5.50 and include offerings such as Spicy Yellowtail, California Roll, New York Roll and Hamachi Jalapeno Roll. Group Two is a ditherers nightmare with a total of 32 roll choices with costs ranging from $4.50 to $13.95 and including such choices as Monkey Jump Roll (shrimp tempura and crab, topped with eel sauce, spicy mayo and green onion), Corn Huskers Roll (tempura-style eel, asparagus and salmon with eel sauce, spicy mayo and sriracha), Rainbow Roll (crab, cucumber and avocado topped with tuna, salmon, white fish and shrimp) and Mango Tango (shrimp tempura, cream cheese avocado topped with spicy salmon and mango). Appetizers on the Happy Hour menu include Edamame ($4), Crab Rangoon ($4.50), Gyoza ($4.50), Seaweed Salad ($4.50), Curry Gyoza ($6), SUMO Crunch Sushirrito ($12.50), Latin Ninja Sushirrito ($12.50) and Flaming Hot Cheetorito ($12.95). Beer, cocktails and Sake also have special Happy Hour prices. Grey Whales regular menu is quite large with several categories. There are nine Sushi Bar Appetizers ($6.95-$10.95); 13 Kitchen Appetizers ($5.75-$9.95); two soups ($2.50); eight salads ($4.50-$8.95); 19 Cooked Maki Roll or Hand Roll [maki - cylindrical and cut in pieces; hand - cone shaped and eaten with hands] ($5-$7.95); 10 Raw Maki Roll or Hand Roll ($6.50-$7.95); eight Vegetable Maki Roll or Hand Roll ($4.50-$5.95); 42 Sushi Chef Special Roll ($8.50-$13.88); four Fire Roll ($13.50); 29 Ala Carte Sushi and Sashimi ($4-$14); seven Kitchen Entree ($9.95-$13.88); 13 Hibachi Choices ($11.99-$20.99); eight Bento Boxes ($10.95-$16.95) and four Yakisoba [stir-fried noodles with vegetable and protein] ($10.95-$13.95). Liquid refreshments include soda, tea, domestic, imported and craft beers, white and red wine, a variety of sake and cocktails. According to Guo, customer favorites are the Monkey Jump Roll ($6.95), Crazy Sisters Roll (named for his two daughters avocado, crab, cucumber and cream cheese, topped with sriracha, eel sauce, green onions and sesame seeds, $6.95) and Grey Whale Roll (shrimp tempura and mango, thin slices of avocado, fresh tuna, two types of tobiko on top and served with chefs special sauce, $12.95). Guo said he enjoys bringing new dining items and tastes to Lincoln new ideas that he adapts creating unique sauces, trying different ingredients and making new dining experiences. I want to try to make people happy, he said. Everyone who works here works hard to provide diners with a positive dining experience, so that they are happy with food, service and cost. So, where did the name Grey Whale come from? Cracking a smile, Guo responds Well, it sounds real fishy! Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As the director of a child care program trying to hire staff, Dana Sutton faces a formidable foe: the Costco warehouse 10 minutes away. Sutton has worked in child care for two decades. She cant remember a job market as bad as last years. At Zacs Place at Cornerstone Christian Church in Lincoln, several workers couldnt handle the stress of caring for children whose worlds were turned upside down by a pandemic. Other applicants were lured away by better pay, like Costcos offer of roughly $18 per hour. As a small business, I cant do that, Sutton said. Shes finally hired a few, but she could use more: without enough staff, families who call Zacs Place seeking a spot for their baby often end up on a waitlist. Child care is the linchpin to the local economy, Sutton said. If parents dont have child care, they cant work. Sutton isnt an outlier. New survey findings from the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska underscore that for many child care providers, the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a struggle to survive. Caring for and teaching young children who have big feelings and lots of energy is a difficult and low-paying job. But the survey responses show the pandemic heightened that difficulty and increased the pressure of being paid a low wage by adding quarantines, dwindling enrollment and the specter of illness into the mix. Here's what providers told us: They post job openings that attract few to no applicants in a tight job market. They lose income when parents pull their children or a toddlers cough leads to classroom closures. And too many are exiting the field entirely, leaving fewer educators for Nebraskas youngest learners. The survey, the institutes third since March 2020, garnered responses from more than 750 providers. They work in centers, in-home programs and preschools in cities like Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island, and small, rural towns like Curtis and Pawnee City. Their experiences paint a picture of a field on the brink: Two-thirds of providers lost income in the last year. Nearly all respondents who employ staff 92% have trouble hiring. Of those, almost four in five reported no one was applying. Two-thirds indicated they couldnt offer competitive pay. In Nebraska, the average hourly wage for child care workers is $12.31, while signs at stores and fast-food restaurants routinely offer $15 per hour to start. Turnover is rampant. Nearly 70% of respondents reported that staff werent switching to another child care job they were leaving the field entirely. Turnover is expensive for employers and hard on children and families who form close bonds with their caregivers. Physical and financial health are intertwined: over half of providers had to temporarily close their programs due to COVID-19 exposures or cases. They feared getting sick or infecting children and families. The providers who responded to the survey appear to have contracted COVID-19 at a high rate more than half have had COVID-19 at least once, compared to one-fourth of Nebraskans. Child care providers cannot work from home or physically distance from the small children they diaper and feed. When providers shut down due to illness, families scramble for backup care. There are long-term implications to having a portion of the states early childhood workforce sickened by COVID-19: some are dealing with lingering symptoms weeks after their initial infection. Child care workers are resilient. They are dedicated to their jobs and engage in self-care to stay healthy. But dedication alone wont pay the mortgage or buy groceries. Public and private investments can make a difference. Nearly nine in 10 survey respondents received COVID-19 aid. Providers largely used these funds on essentials: payroll, rent, utilities. But Nebraskas early childhood system needs sustained funding beyond one-time grants or infusions of recovery funds. Educators need policymakers to pay attention and propose solutions to their low wages and lack of health care benefits or paid sick leave. The researchers behind the COVID-19 surveys, the institutes Kate Gallagher, Alexandra Daro, and Kristen Cunningham said it best: We need to care for those who care for the youngest Nebraskans. Erin Duffy works at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska and writes about early childhood issues. As a journalist, she spent more than five years covering education. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Joe Biden says cases of monkeypox are something that everybody should be concerned about. The president made his first public comments on the disease after being asked about it during his visit to South Korea. He said there's work underway to identify an effective vaccine. And he added that if the disease were to spread "it would be consequential. The disease is rarely identified outside of Africa, but there have been a number of recent cases in Europe and at least two in the United States. Most people recover from monkeypox without hospitalization, but it can be fatal. RACINE A 22-year-old Racine man faces charges for shooting his gun on Lake Avenue, LaSalle Street and Main Street on March 5. Stephon Martaeveon Chapman, of the 2000 block of LaSalle St., was charged with three felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. According to a criminal complaint: At 2:33 a.m. on March 5, officers were sent to an apartment on the 400 block of Lake Avenue for a shots fired call. Upon arrival, an officer spoke to a resident who said she was in her living room when she heard shots and her window crack. There was a bullet hole through the master bedroom window glass and one in the ceiling. There were around 10 gunshots. Soon after, an officer responded to Fourth and Main streets for a shots fired report and spoke to a man who was cleaning one of the buildings at the time. He said he heard yelling and saw two people running south in the 300 block of Main Street. The two were popping up and down between two vehicles. One ran south on foot, and he did not observe where the other party went. At 3 a.m. on March 5, officers were sent to the 2000 block of LaSalle Street for another report of shots fired. A woman said she heard several gunshots to the north of her residence and it sounded as if it came right outside her home. An officer knocked on a door of home where the shots were reported as coming from. Chapman answered the door and said he did not hear any shots because he was sleeping. He said he had several friends over, and he allowed officers to come in and look around. Officers saw a rifle magazine on the top of the stairs, a handgun under a bench seat, a spent rifle casing next to the gun and another spent rifle casing in the garbage can. Spent rifle casings were found in the backyard and one one the porch, and in the basement a gun case with an AR-15 and a handgun were found. Chapman then said he fired his rifle three times out of the upstairs window. On March 8, an investigator viewed video surveillance from the businesses in the area. Videos showed that on March 4, just before midnight, Chapman parked in the 300 block of Main Street with another man one of the men who had been in Chapmans residence that night. The two went to The Brickhouse at 316 Main St. at 11:54 p.m. Chapman, the man, and others left to go to the bar across the street. Chapman, the man, and others left that bar at 2:18 a.m. At 2:22 a.m., Chapman and the man approach the vehicle they arrived in, and Chapman can be seen firing off multiple rounds in a southern direction before entering the vehicle and driving south on Main Street. One of these rounds struck an apartment window. Chapman was given a $20,000 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Monday. A preliminary hearing is on June 1 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 That's all she wrote, folks! Photos from throughout the hundreds of arrivals at Racine Founder's Rotary Post Prom at the Racine County Fairgro Weather forecasts go well beyond television news updates. Many industries rely on their own meteorologists to not only keep employees safe but to help predict trends. In this week's episode of Across the Sky, the Lee Weather Team dives deeper into the topic of specialized forecasting. The team is joined by special guest Matt Lanza, who is managing editor and meteorologist for Space City Weather. He is a meteorologist in Houstons energy sector and previously worked as a broadcast meteorologist. Summer outlook: Most of US will see above-average temperatures as Western drought continues The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's forecast for summer calls for a whole lot of heat without much rain to provide relief. After giving a brief summer weather outlook, Lanza discusses what goes into making long-range forecasts, the role that meteorologists play for the energy industry and his background covering Hurricane Harvey. About the Across the Sky podcast The weekly weather podcast is hosted on a rotation by the Lee Weather team: Matt Holiner of Lee Enterprises' Midwest group in Chicago, Kirsten Lang of the Tulsa World in Oklahoma, Joe Martucci of the Press of Atlantic City, N.J., and Sean Sublette of the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RACINE Teachers and staff employed by Racine Unified School District will receive pay raises next school year. The Racine Unified School District Board of Education during a special meeting Monday approved supplemental pay for the 2022-23 school year. According to Stacy Tapp, RUSD chief of communication and community engagement, teachers will receive a pay raise next school year of between 1.94% and 2.40%. Tapp said the average pay for RUSD teachers in 2021-22 was $62,693, which is shy of Wisconsins household median income: $63,293, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Tapp said next school years wage increase for staff who are not teachers is 2.15% and capped at $1,269. She said the 2021-22 average pay was $43,913 for staff who are not teachers. The school district employs about 1,530 teachers and 1,420 other staffers. Increasing employee wages is estimated to cost the school district $2.84 million. Of that total, $1.81 million will go toward the school districts teachers (approximately $1,180.52 per teacher), $670,000 will go toward all other staff (approximately $471.75 per staffer) and $366,000 will go toward level change approval, which are pay increases given to instructors who further their own education, such as earning a masters degree. Melissa Abel, RUSD Deputy Chief of Human Resources, said the raises will bring payments for workers closer to other area schools. Its basically keeping up competitively with the existing surrounding districts, Abel said. Angelina Cruz, president of Racine Educators United, the union representing educators in RUSD, said the raises could keep more educators in the school district and help teachers support themselves and their families during economically challenging times. Anything that we can do to help people understand that the really important work that they do on a daily basis is seen and appreciated is really important, especially right now, Cruz said. The measure was approved unanimously, and several board members voiced support for it. If we want our teachers to be loyal to us, we need to reward them, board member Dulce Cervantes Contreras said. We have great teachers in this district, so I dont see the problem with giving them the pay that they deserve, especially after the year that weve had. Board President Jane Barbian agreed. We need to retain and reward our teachers that have done such an awesome job in our schools and deserve it, Barbian said. Cruz said the pay increase was hard-earned and well-deserved. Its a modest way of showing their appreciation for everything that our educators of this community have done, Cruz said. Teaching is a challenging profession to begin with, but the pandemic has made it significantly more challenging. I think educators in Racine really did a great job of stepping up and providing the best instruction. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Trend A peace treaty with Azerbaijan is the only thing that can lead Armenia out of the terrible economic, political and demographic crisis, Israeli lawyer, specialist in international law and international politics Mikhail Finkel told Trend. President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev met with European Council President Charles Michel and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels on May 22. An agreement was reached that the first meeting of the border commissions on border issues will be held in the coming days. This session will cover all issues related to delimitation of the border and how best to ensure a stable situation. Agreements were also reached on transit between the western part of Azerbaijan and countrys Nakhchivan and through the territory of Azerbaijan between different parts of Armenia. Also, agreements were also reached on the principles that will regulate international transport through the communication infrastructure of both countries. The sides also agreed to continue discussions on a future peace treaty regulating interstate relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the coming weeks, delegations led by foreign ministers will continue this process. Finkel said that President of Azerbaijan showed the whole world that he is a true peacemaker. "He spoke about the need to sign a peace treaty in the near future and did everything possible and impossible for this, he said. Meanwhile, according to Finkel, the mood in Armenia is completely the opposite. "We see that the Armenian society and the opposition, which has gathered thousands of protestors in Yerevan, are trying in every possible way to disrupt the signing of this peace treaty, Finkel noted. Armenia does not understand that they have no other choice, and peace treaty is the only thing that can lead Armenia out of the terrible economic, political and demographic crisis," he added. According to the expert, the Armenian side, having lost the war, may lose the diplomatic talks too. The leader of Madisons Roman Catholic diocese says he supports denying U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the rite of communion because of her stance on abortion. San Francisco Archbishop Salvator Cordileone announced Friday that the Democratic member of Congress is not to present herself for Holy Communion until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion. In a statement posted to the diocese website, Bishop Donald Hying called Cordileones decision prudent and said by taking public positions in support of legal abortion, Pelosi is choosing to separate herself from full communion with the Catholic Church. Hying echoed Cordileones statement that the decision was purely pastoral, not political and an attempt to to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking. This is not a decision that was made rashly, but rather one made after almost 10 years of patient dialogue and repeated attempts at reconciliation with the congresswoman and the consistently held teachings of the Catholic Church, Hying wrote. According to the Catholic News Agency, Cordileones instructions apply only within the San Francisco Archdiocese, where Pelosi lives. Hyings statement did not specifically say whether Pelosi could receive communion in the Madison diocese nor whether other Catholics should be denied the ritual because of their stance on abortion rights. A diocese spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. Catholic bishops last year adopted a policy that stopped short of blanket denial of communion to Catholics including President Joe Biden and other politicians who support abortion rights but calls on those who disagree with the churchs teachings to refrain from the ritual. The document also says bishops have a special responsibility to remedy situations that involve public actions at variance with the visible communion of the Church and the moral law. Pelosi and Cordileone publicly clashed last year over a Democratic bill that would have codified the protections in the Supreme Courts 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. After the leak of a Supreme Court ruling signaling a likely end to those protections, Pelosi reiterated her support for abortion rights as a devout Catholic. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The state rested its case in the murder trial of Khari Sanford Monday, the defense called no witnesses and Sanford opted not to testify. Closing arguments are expected to begin at 3 p.m. at the Dane County Courthouse, Judge Ellen Berz said following the court's lunch break. She also warned Sanford's attorneys that their client had been making threatening statements to deputies and that if he had to be physically restrained in the courtroom, that would not be grounds for a mistrial. Earlier Monday, state's evidence presented to the jury of 13 men and three women sought to place the accused double murderer at an ATM on Madison's South Side trying to use the debit cards of the people he'd allegedly killed the day before. Surveillance video from the ATM on South Park Street shows a man who appears to be Sanford trying for several minutes to withdraw money seven different times, mostly in denominations of $300, according to Scott Sandberg, the ATM and facilities manager for Park Bank, which operates the ATM. The withdrawals were unsuccessful because Sanford didn't have the cards' personal identification numbers, or PINs. UW-Madison Police Detective Peter Grimsyer then testified that the hooded sweatshirt the man wears in the video appears to be the same sweatshirt Sanford was wearing on April 2 when he was arrested in the execution-style fatal shootings of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre on March 30, 2020. Sanford is accused of killing Potter and Carre after he lived in their home as the boyfriend of the couple's daughter, Miriam Carre, and clashed with her parents over pandemic-related restrictions they asked the younger couple to follow. Prior to their murders, Potter and Robin Carre had rented an Airbnb for Sanford and Miriam Carre and lent them their minivan, which prosecutors allege Sanford used to kidnap the couple from their Near West Side Madison home, drive them to the University of Wisconsin Arboretum with a friend and shoot them both in the head. Monday was the fifth day of testimony in a trial that had been expected to last through the week. Sanford's defense attorneys have asked few questions of prosecution witnesses. Berz said after lunch that Sanford had been "acting out" and "threatening to the deputies," saying he is "going to take them on." "The deputies will try as much as they can to not go hands-on," she said. "However, if they have to go hands-on, they will." She said that even if that happens with the jury in the courtroom, she won't consider it cause for a mistrial because it will have been action Sanford initiated. His attorneys then went to speak privately with their client before the jury was to be brought into the courtroom and testimony continue. This story will be updated. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In arguments before the state Supreme Court Tuesday, attorneys sparred over whether parents should be allowed to sue the Madison School District over its gender identity policies without identifying themselves or even proving they are residents of the district. In September 2020, a Dane County Circuit Court judge temporarily suspended portions of the Madison School Districts guidance on gender identity that a group of unnamed parents and a conservative law firm sued to overturn last winter. Judge Frank Remington granted a request from the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) to bar the district from enforcing parts of its guidance related to when and how staff can speak to a parent about a childs gender transition. Remington issued the partial injunction in September. Remington, in May 2020, ordered the parents names be disclosed to School District attorneys, but as of Wednesday, counsel for the district was still unaware of the plaintiffs identities. Sarah Zylstra, representing the Madison School District from local law firm Boardman Clark, said she took Luke Berg, deputy counsel for WILL, at his word that the plaintiffs are indeed parents of Madison School District students though she couldnt confirm or question the validity of that claim due to their anonymity. Unless I know who those are, I have no way to verify whether they are or they are not parents in the district, she said. Chief Justice Annette Ziegler suggested Berg submit an affidavit to disclose the plaintiffs names to the court only, but Zylstra argued that she would then have to share that information with the school district to verify whether or not they are indeed parents of students. Berg argued the parent identity isnt relevant to the case, because the question of whether parents are notified if their child adopts a new identity is a constitutional issue. He also argued that public knowledge of the plaintiffs identity could open them up to retaliation and harassment because the case involves a sensitive and controversial topic. He said anonymity was necessary to protect the identity of the plaintiffs children. Zylstra argued that the identity of the parents needs to be known in order to allow her to raise a legal defense, to protect against ethical constraints and address aspects of a facial challenge or the plaintiffs claim that their constitutional rights as parents are being curtailed. WILL initially represented 14 parents, but that number has now dropped to six. Tuesdays argument was two pronged. Berg asked the court to require the district to defer to parents regarding their childs gender identity as the issue of the plaintiffs anonymity continues to be argued. The initial partial injunction, handed down by the circuit court in September 2020, didnt go far enough, WILL argued, because students are allowed to transition at school without parental notice or consent. We need an injunction to protect parents rights to protect children from harm, while the issue regarding anonymity is decided, he said. Adam Prinsen, from law firm Quarles and Brady, who argued on behalf of the Memorial High School Gender Equity Association, noted that because of the anonymity of the plaintiffs, the circuit court was unable to adequately hear the preliminary injunction motion. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1. Yes. If the price of gas keeps rising, a long road trip is going to be out of the question. 2. Yes. Its bound to take toll on the vacation budget; well have to make other plans. 3. No. It may take longer to pay off my gas cards, but high prices wont change my plans. 4.No. Im planning to fly for my vacation, so gas prices wont be much of a factor. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing what prices will be several weeks from now . Vote View Results OMAHA -- One pilot is dead after a plane crash at the Wayne Municipal Airport in northeast Nebraska Friday evening. The crash occurred around 6:45 p.m. during the MayDay STOL Drag Races. A Facebook post by the organization behind the event said that the pilot crashed on final approach at the Wayne airport in what appeared to be a stall spin crash. The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane, a single-engine Cessna 140, according to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The pilot has not been identified. An NTSB spokesman said the agency expects to release a preliminary investigation within 15 days. The full investigation could take 12 to 24 months. In its Facebook post, the MayDay event organization said event officials and staff are fully cooperating with authorities. The organization has canceled the remaining events, which were scheduled to occur through the weekend. According to the website stoldrag.com, STOL (short take-off and landing) drag racing involves pilots flying 2,000 feet down and back in a side-by-side format. The MayDay website identified the 2021 contest as the inaugural event in Wayne. MENOMONIE In Wisconsin, the Central Sands Region is well known in agriculture for its sandy soil and the challenges it presents for growing crops. Encompassing parts of eight counties in central Wisconsin and covering 1.75 million acres, the region has deep deposits of sand from prehistoric glaciers. Because water easily seeps through the dry soil, more water than usual often is needed to produce a crop yield for farmers to turn a profit. Mathematicians at University of Wisconsin-Stout are digging into the problem of how farmers can increase crop yields in the Central Sands and other sandy soil areas, including northwestern Wisconsin, and how to sustainably use one of the worlds most precious resources, fresh water. The project, Predicting Crop Per Drop in Sandy Soils, will kick off this summer, thanks to a $36,000 grant from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, in collaboration with a regional leader in agriculture, Chippewa Valley Bean, the worlds largest producer of dark red kidney beans. The company is based in Dunn County. How can mathematics and data science help produce more red kidney beans and potentially aid farmers around the state and world? The answer hopefully will be in a set of equations developed by UW-Stout. The equations would be the basis for a software-based application used by agronomists at Chippewa Valley Bean. Agronomists would test soil areas for moisture, input their numbers and get an output for the optimum amount of water needed for the highest crop yield. Research results would help Chippewa Valley Beans growers, who farm across Wisconsin and the Midwest, answer two key questions: How many inches of water are required per 100 weight of kidney bean? When is irrigation necessary and how sensitive are kidney beans to the length of the irrigation time window? Agronomists could quickly test inputs on a laptop computer instead of having to do field experiments to determine the best watering strategy. Its an important issue, says professor Keith Wojciechowski, who will co-lead the project with professor Tyler Skorczewski. They will guide two undergraduate students, Anna Hansen, a sophomore applied mathematics and computer science major from Eau Claire, and Audrey Williams, a sophomore AMCS major from Necedah. The use of data and more sophisticated mathematical and statistical modeling to make decisions, such as when and how much to plant, water and harvest, is one way in which farmers increase their efficiency at the margins, Wojciechowski said. Students will do the research and learn the mathematics, data analysis and programming skills. Its exciting to bring in the next generation of students to work with us on this. Its why I became a professor, said Wojciechowski, who previously worked as an applied mathematician in the defense industry. He is director of UW-Stouts Master of Science program in applied mathematics and data science. Wojciechowski initially approached Chippewa Valley Bean Vice President Charles Wachsmuth, a UW-Stout alum, about opportunities to work with UW-Stouts mathematics, statistics and computer science department on research projects that could benefit the company. The issue of how much crop irrigation is needed has been tackled before by researchers but not for sandier soils such as in the Central Sands region or specifically for kidney beans, Wojciechowski said. Well take existing research and modify it. Its not cutting edge but difficult enough to recalibrate the models and enhance them by dealing with the particular soil type we have to deal with, he said. UW-Stouts model could be altered for a variety of soil types and updated as more or higher quality data is provided. This problem is becoming more and more important as we lose farmable land globally, he added. Wojciechowski sees the project as an example of the experiential learning championed by UW-Stout, Wisconsins polytechnic university, and the Wisconsin Idea the UW System mission to improve the lives of state residents. Were a public university, and we should be out there helping the public, he said. Were helping Chippewa Valley Bean, which is helping farmers put food on the table. Predicting Crop Per Drop in Sandy Soils is one of eight projects totaling $306,000 at UW-Stout recently funded by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. The project also will collaborate this summer with UW-Stouts LAKES REU research experience for undergraduates program funded by the National Science Foundation. UW-Stout is Wisconsins Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow the government to appoint new management of foreign companies that pulled out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. According to the state news agency Tass, the new law would transfer control over companies that left Russia not for economic reasons but because of anti-Russian sentiment in Europe and the U.S. Tass said foreign owners would still be able to resume operations in Russia or sell their shares. Many foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia. Others have walked away entirely, despite their huge investments. McDonalds announced this month that it is selling its 850 restaurants in Russia. The State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, approved the bill in the first of three readings on Tuesday. After final approval, it would go to the upper house and then to President Vladimir Putin for his signature. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the new law made it even more imperative for foreign companies remaining in Russia to leave. Its the last chance to save not only your reputation but your property, he said in a statement. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: After 3 months, Russia still bogged down in Ukraine war 200 bodies found in Mariupol as war rages in Ukraines east AP-NORC poll: US economy, not punishing Russia, is top priority Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine After 3 months of war, life in Russia has profoundly changed Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian military said Russia has fired at Ukrainian border guards in the northeastern Sumy region in the latest of a series of alleged cross-border attacks over the past few weeks. Military officials say observers Tuesday night recorded seven shots from Russian territory toward the village of Boyaro-Lezhachi, most likely mortar fire. The Ukrainian Operational Command North said on its Facebook post that eight other shots were heard Tuesday afternoon near a neighboring village. There were no reports of any deaths. Meanwhile Tuesday, Russian shelling continues around Ukraines second-largest city of Kharkiv, even after Russian troops withdrew from its surroundings last week. Ukrainian regional officials say the city of Derhachi was hit and a 69-year-old woman died and another person was injured. Derhachi is southwest of the city of Kharkiv and has previously come under Russian shelling. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is using everything at its disposal in the fight for four cities in the eastern Donbas region. The situation in the Donbas now is very difficult, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian army is fighting back, but it will take time and a lot more effort by our people to overcome their advantage in the amount of equipment and weapons. He told Ukrainians they should be proud of having held off Russia for three months in a war that many in Russia and the West expected to last three days. Zelenskyy appealed for even more weapons from the West to keep Ukraine in the fight including multiple-rocket launchers and tanks. In addition, Zelenskyy mocked the statement made Tuesday by the Russian defense minister that Russia was deliberately slowing its offensive to allow residents of encircled cites time to evacuate. KYIV, Ukraine The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region said Tuesday that the area was facing the most difficult time since conflict with Russia-backed separatists began in 2014. Now, for the Luhansk region, is the most difficult time in the eight years of the war, Serhii Haidai wrote on Telegram. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time, they brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment. He also accused Moscows troops of deploying scorched-earth tactics across the region, one of two which make up Ukraines eastern industrial heartland. Its only getting worse. What the Russians are doing is hard to describe in words. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. The situation is on the verge of being critical. The free Luhansk region is now like Mariupol, Haidai added, in a reference to the ruined port city captured by Moscow last week. KYIV, Ukraine The top military commander who fought until last week to keep Ukrainian control of the southern port city of Mariupol is alive in Russian-controlled territory, his wife said Tuesday after holding a brief telephone conversation. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said that her husband asked her how she was, but that the line broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the phone call was possible under an agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia and thanks to the mediation of the Red Cross, which has been visiting some of the Ukrainian fighters who surrendered. Earlier this month Russia announced its takeover of Mariupol with the surrender of the fighters holed up at the massive Azovstal steel mill. Prokopenko, who spoke to The Associated Press in Kyiv together with another wife of a soldier, Yuliia Fedosiuk, said that the Ukraine and Russia agreement guarantees proper burial of dead soldiers and certain conditions for the prisoners of war, including allowing them to hold telephone calls with family members a few times per week. The two women said several families had received calls in the past two days. They said they could not reveal more details of the agreement but they were hopeful that the soldiers will not be tortured and that they eventually will come back home. BERLIN Germany has rejected suggestions that it is reneging on a promise to provide Poland with tanks to make up for those that Warsaw has delivered to Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda told German broadcaster Welt that he was very disappointed Berlin had not fulfilled its promise on the delivery of Leopard tanks to Poland. Speaking after a meeting with her Polish counterpart in Berlin on Tuesday, Germanys Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the issue had been discussed in order to resolve misunderstandings. She said Germany could not supply heavy weapons at the press of a button as there were numerous questions to consider, not least what arms are actually available. Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said his country regretted that the situation with regard to arms deliveries to Ukraine was not as dynamic as hoped, but acknowledged that the devil lies in the detail on the issue. Poland gave Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine with the expectation that NATO, the U.S. and Germany would fill that void. Germany has agreed to several similar circular swaps with allied countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic, who in turn are sending older Soviet-era tanks to Ukraine. DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately bombarding grain warehouses across Ukraine and weaponizing food supplies. Russias invasion of Ukraine has provoked disruptions of global food supplies, and the blockade of Ukrainian ports has been particularly harmful. Ukraine accounted for 90% of grain and oilseed exports before the war, according to the EU. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the head of the EUs executive arm said about 20 million tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukraine. And on top of this, Russia is now hoarding its own food exports as a form of blackmail holding back supplies to increase global prices, or trading wheat in exchange for political support, she said. This is using hunger and grain to wield power. Von der Leyen said that fragile countries and vulnerable populations suffer the most. She said bread prices in Lebanon increased by 70%, and food shipments from Odesa have been blocked from reaching Somalia. LVIV, Ukraine An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol said on Tuesday that workers removing rubble from a collapsed apartment building in the devastated Ukrainian city found about 200 corpses in the buildings basement. Petro Andryushchenko said on Telegram that the bodies were decomposing and that the stench permeated the neighborhood. Its not clear when they were discovered and the report could not be independently verified. Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a monthslong siege that finally ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their last stand in the strategic port city. BRUSSELS A European Union plan to suspend all tariffs on imports from Ukraine for one year cleared the final political hurdle on Tuesday when EU finance ministers endorsed the move. Meant to help the Ukrainian economy battered by Russias invasion, the removal of the EU duties will apply to Ukrainian industrial products, including steel, and to farm goods such as fruits and vegetables. The EU has already scrapped most of its tariffs on Ukrainian products as a result of a 2016 free-trade agreement. Ukrainian exports to the EU were worth 24.1 billion euros ($25.8 billion) last year, with the main goods being metals, agricultural products and machinery. Two top Russian security officials vowed on Tuesday that Moscow will achieve all the goals set for the military operation in Ukraine, appearing to address the fact that the invasion, expected by many to be a blitzkrieg, has entered its fourth month this week. The secretary of Russias Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said in an interview published Tuesday that the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. Nazism must either be 100% eradicated, or it will raise its head in a few years, and in an even uglier form, he said in a response to a question about the war dragging on. Russia has falsely called the war a campaign to denazify Ukraine a country with a democratically elected Jewish president who wants closer ties with the West. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of security officials that Russia is deliberately slowing down its offensive by arranging cease-fires and humanitarian corridors in order to avoid casualties among the civilians. APs reporting on the ground found that the Russian forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets, such as hospitals, schools and venues where civilians were sheltering. PARIS A Ukrainian government minister pushed Tuesday for a quick decision on eventual Ukrainian membership in the European Union, even as France warns that it could be decades before Ukraine joins the bloc. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna met with French Europe Minister Clement Beaune Tuesday in Paris and argued that Ukraine has made deep and difficult reforms aimed at improving its chances at EU membership. As politicians, we must find a way for Ukraine to truly become part of this family, both economically and politically, she told reporters. The European Commission aims to deliver a first opinion in June on Ukraines request to become a member. But the process usually takes many years, and French President Emmanuel Macron has said it could be decades. In the meantime France is proposing an interim arrangement that would allow more political cooperation with Ukraine and other potential EU members. - DAVOS, Switzerland European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Russia can be reintegrated into the orbit of European nations if it finds its way back to democracy, the rule of law, the respect for the international rules-based order. Von der Leyen spoke at the World Economic Forums annual gathering Tuesday. Insisting on the historical and cultural links between Europe and Russia, the head of the EUs executive arm said reconciliation is certainly a distant dream and hope. But this also says that our standing up against this brutal invasion is standing up against the leadership in Russia. It is the Russian people who are the ones who decide about the future of their country. They have it in their hands. ANKARA, Turkey The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey should consider leaving NATO if circumstances become inextricable and Turkey is forced to approve Sweden and Finland membership. Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, said in a speech to his partys legislators on Tuesday that Turkey isn't without alternatives and could be part of a possible security alliance that could be made up of Turkic-speaking states and Muslim nations. Turkey is not without options. Turkey is not helpless. Leaving NATO should be put on the agenda as an alternative option if the circumstances become inextricable, Bahceli said. We did not exist with NATO, and we will not perish without NATO. Turkey is objecting to Sweden's and Finlands historic bid to join the alliance, citing as reasons their perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups that Turkey considers to be terrorists. ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a delegation made up of officials from Sweden and Finland are expected to arrive in Turkey later on Tuesday to discuss Ankaras objection to their membership in NATO. Cavusoglu told a group of journalists traveling with him on a two-day visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel that the delegation would meet with Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto also confirmed the meeting. A Russian-installed official in Ukraines Kherson region says the regions pro-Kremlin administration will ask Moscow to set up a military base there. There should be a Russian military base in the Kherson region, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson Kirill Stremousov was quoted as saying by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. We will be asking for it, the entire population is interested in it. It is vitally important and will become a security guarantee for the region and its residents. Russian forces took control of the Kherson region in southeastern Ukraine early on in the war and installed its own administration there. Ukrainian officials have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum in the region to declare its independence, similar to the ones that took place in eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014. Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days before invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to send troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor. Stremousov denied such plans earlier this month and said the region will ask the Kremlin to make it part of Russia instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it is up to the people of Kherson to decide how and where they want to live. - LONDON British military authorities say Russian forces have intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk and neighboring cities, the only part of the Luhansk region that remains under Ukrainian government control. The U.K. defense ministry, in a briefing posted Tuesday morning, says the northern and southern arms of the Russian operation are currently separated by about 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Ukrainian-held territory. The ministry says Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong resistance from Ukrainian troops that occupy well dug-in defensive positions. The ministry says the battle for Severodonetsk is only one part of the Russian campaign to take the larger Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and the fall of the city may cause logistical problems for the Kremlin. If the Donbas front line moves further west, this will extend Russian lines of communication and likely see its forces face further logistic resupply difficulties, the ministry said. KYIV, Ukraine Russian shelling of a residential building in Sievierodonetsk killed four people, Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai said Tuesday. He didnt specify when the shelling took place. The Russian forces in recent weeks have been trying so far unsuccessfully to take control of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the region, subjecting both cities to intensive shelling. The most recent round of shelling, Haidai said, damaged six houses in each of the two cities. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend The outcome of the trilateral meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels should be considered as significant progress in the peace process, Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency Sahil Karimli told Trend. The meeting has confirmed the utmost importance of five principles laid out by Azerbaijan for peace negotiations, said the political expert. He noted that trilateral talks, which lasted more than five hours, resulted in number of agreements. "During the meeting, the expression Nagorno-Karabakh was not used, the issue of status wasn't on the agenda either. The relevant negotiation format has fully met the national interests of Azerbaijan. As the countrys president has repeatedly emphasized, there is no administrative territorial unit called Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. The whole world had to recognize new realities in South Caucasus established after Azerbaijans historic victory in the 44-day second Karabakh war," Karimli said. The political expert also talked about the security of Armenians living in Karabakh. He emphasized that Azerbaijan guarantees their safety. The talks also addressed the de-mining operations in Azerbaijans liberated territories and the fate of the missing. The country's liberated lands are being promptly cleared of mines in such difficult conditions. The fate of hundreds of Azerbaijanis who were captured or missing during the first Karabakh war remains a priority issue, and Armenia must fulfill its obligations in this regard, he stated. Karimli said the demarcation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border was also one of the key points of the talks. Thus, the sides reached an agreement to hold the first joint meeting of border commissions of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the near future. The commissions will be engaged in border delimitation issues. Moreover, the leaders came to an agreement to proceed with opening transport corridors, including the implementation of the Zangazur corridor, as well as with the regulation of international transport, and other issues. Agreement on border management, security, land premiums, as well as customs principles in the context of international transport is yet another step forward. Following the results of the Brussels meeting, the discussion of a future peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will hopefully be promising," Karimli added. Aquinas Catholic Schools has selected Andrew Bradley as the new principal for Aquinas Middle and High School. He will take over the position from current Principal Denise Ring as she heads into retirement after 31 years of service with Aquinas Catholic Schools. Bradley will officially start as principal July 1 and join Associate Principal Ryan Garza in leading the schools. On the new hire, Ted Knutson, president of Aquinas Catholic Schools, stated, I would like to thank Mrs. Denise Ring for her 31 years of service as a teacher and as an administrator. She was a true servant leader and will be missed. Mr. Bradley will bring a wealth of Catholic School leadership experience and knowledge. We welcome him and his family to La Crosse and our schools. Bradley has spent over 15 years in Catholic education as a teacher and an administrator and currently serves as the principal of Prince of Peace Catholic School in Clinton, Iowa. He has used his vision for Catholic School advancement to influence success at multiple schools. Bradley has received his Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University, Masters of Education in Secondary Education from the University New Mexico, and Bachelors of Arts in Government from Georgetown University. In accepting the position, Bradley stated, I am incredibly excited to join Aquinas Catholic Schools ... . My wife grew up close to La Crosse and most of her family resides in southwestern Wisconsin. I have been aware of the Aquinas system, and its stellar reputation for many years, and I feel truly blessed to be given the opportunity to help lead both the middle and high schools. Bradley will move to the La Crosse area with his wife and five children from Clinton, Iowa. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 EAST TROY, Wis. Seventy-six years after it last carried passengers, and after a nomadic Wisconsin afterlife that has taken it from La Crosse, to Waukesha, to East Troy and to the Port Washington area, Mississippi Valley Public Service streetcar 56 has returned to East Troy for restoration and operation. Very few people even knew this car still existed, said Ryan Jonas, president of the East Troy Railroad Museum. But one of our volunteers remembered the car and re-connected with the cars most recent owner a former volunteer who had planned to restore the car in his backyard near Port Washington. Because of the demands of his business, and later his failing health, the restoration never happened. Car 56 is a 46-seat, 19-ton streetcar manufactured by the St. Louis Car Co. in 1916 for the Wisconsin Railway Light & Power Co., which operated the streetcar systems in La Crosse and across the Mississippi River in Winona, Minnesota. In 1926 the company changed its name to the Mississippi Valley Public Service Co., which was the name on Car 56 when the streetcars were discontinued in 1945. The car has been stored outdoors under tarps for the past 20 years, but inspections showed that the car is complete and restorable, with the frame and steel sides solid and in good condition. Today the car is tucked away in one of the East Troy Electric Railroads storage barns, waiting its turn in the restoration line. Last year the railroad completed restoring North Shore Car 761. This year, the restoration team has already completed restoration of Chicago Elevated Car 4439 and is working on North Shore Merchandise Dispatch Car 228 and South Shore Car 107. If you would like to make a donation to help with these restoration projects or to provide support for the East Troy Railroad Museums operations you may donate online using a credit card or PayPal at easttroyrr.org/donate.html You may also send a check, made out to the East Troy Railroad Museum, to: East Troy Railroad Museum, P.O. Box 943, East Troy, WI 53120 The East Troy Railroad Museum operates 14-mile round trip train rides from its historic East Troy depot and museum to Indianhead Park in Mukwonago, with a stop at the popular Elegant Farmer store and deli. We are celebrating 50 years of riding the rails through Southeast Wisconsins Kettle Moraine countryside. Our not-for-profit museum is operated, maintained and managed by over 130 volunteers dedicated to engaging visitors in the heritage of electric interurban railways and trolley systems through restoration, preservation and operation of historic Equipment. For more information, visit www.easttroyrr.org or call 262.642.3263. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In a new interview, ousted La Crosse priest Father James Altman described increasing fractures between himself and the leader of the Diocese of La Crosse, calling a recent incident where he was not allowed to attend the ordaining of a La Crosse priest the last straw. Altman appeared on a May 17 episode of The Patrick Coffin Show, a right-wing podcast and video series which has been permanently banned from YouTube, according to the host where he directed statements to Callahan stating he would no longer hold back any punches after the incident. Bill, you put on the last straw. And youre going to regret it to the day you die. Because the people need to know what kind of vipers you are, Altman said of Callahan. The Tribune reached out to the Diocese of La Crosse to confirm the events and to get a response, but did not hear back by print time. The diocese spokesperson also did not respond to the Tribunes questions back in March. The controversial priest has been on probation with the diocese for the last year after he was removed as pastor of St. James the Less last July. A review of his role is currently underway, which Altman said could have a ruling in the coming months. During the interview, which was taped in front of a live audience at a home in Orange County, California, Altman said he had wanted to watch an old friend be ordained at the St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, which is the mother church of the diocese, that past Saturday. To avoid being a distraction, Altman texted the rector of the cathedral, asking if he could sit in the choir loft to watch the event. The rector, according to Altman, directed the question to Callahans office who declined to allow Altman to attend. Throughout the interview which bounced around topics from abortion to President Joe Biden to the fate of the church Altman returns to the incident, sometimes in an aggressive tone while directly addressing Callahan. Bill, are you listening? Bill, again, put your listening ears on, Bill. I dont need your permission to come to any Catholic Mass anywhere in the world, much less my own diocese, much less the cathedral in my own diocese where I myself was ordained. I dont need your permission, Bill, Altman said. He said that until that incident he had been undeservedly nice to Callahan. I have withheld the punches until now, Altman said. He said later, the gloves have now come off. Altman said he considered still attending the ordination but feared he may have been blocked from entering and did not end up going, a decision he told the crowd that he regrets. During the interview, Altman said he was recently denied access to attend a private Mass at another Catholic church, but did not specify which one. First reported on by the Tribune in September 2020, Altman has been mixed in a swirl of controversy while also rising in the conservative spotlight over the past two years. Some of his rhetoric has included misinformation on the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, anti-LGBTQ+ messages, statements that Democrats are Godless and more. During a question-and-answer segment of the interview, Altman was asked whether or not the Catholic church should be taken back by force. In his response, Altman advocated against force, but stumbled while giving an example. Lets say we take out a bishop, lets say oh! Altman said. The crowd laughed and the host stated Altman was being purely metaphorical, humorously clarifying later that take out meant to take to dinner. But when one member of the audience said, We hope some Italian priest will take care of them, Altman responded by saying, I know. Guido, got a job for you, Altman said. Guido is an Italian name and word, but is commonly considered an ethnic slur. Altman stated that he has been told it could be another six months before a ruling is in on his review. In the meantime, he remains a paid priest with the diocese. Altman noted that regardless of the ruling, he expects he could face consequences for being disobedient during his suspension, which has banned him from preaching, living outside of the diocese boundaries and more. Violation of those restrictions could lead to punishments such as censure or excommunication from the church. But Altman described during the interview that he considered himself part of a separate underground church already. We will be the true Catholic church, he said. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An Iowa Supreme Court decision is holding back the state's solidly Republican Legislature and governor from banning abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Iowa is among GOP-controlled states that would be expected to ban abortion, except for state high court decisions recognizing the right under the state constitutions. The issue is most immediate in Iowa, where a court now dominated by Republican appointees is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to uphold the ruling, decided just four years ago. The Iowa case highlights the inevitable confrontation between new abortion bans being prepared in anticipation of Roes reversal and state constitutions. By Trend The outcome of the trilateral meeting of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels is yet another positive step towards the future peace agreement, Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Center Amanda Paul told Trend. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had a meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels on May 22. The sides agreed on the first session of the border commissions to be held in the coming days. The meeting will cover all issues related to the border delimitation and regional stability. Transit agreements have also been reached between the western part of Azerbaijan and countrys Nakhchivan, as well as through the territory of Azerbaijan between different parts of Armenia. The leaders came to an agreement to proceed with opening transport corridors, as well as with the regulation of international transport. The sides also decided to continue discussions on a future peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In upcoming weeks, delegations led by foreign ministers will continue the negotiation process. I think that the meeting with Charles Michel was very encouraging and that there was more substance in the press statement published by Michel than we have seen following earlier discussions, Paul stated. This was the third such meeting between Michel, President Iham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan. We can see the progress. There is much more substance being discussed and increasing commitments made to progress peace". As for her, one of these commitments was first joint meeting of the Border Commissions, and to advance discussions on the future peace treaty. These steps may be small, baby steps but they should not be underestimated. Furthermore, the EU is now playing a central role in the post war period, in terms of bringing about a peace deal, steps towards reconstruction and long-term sustainable peace and reconciliation, Paul added. Moreover, Israeli lawyer, specialist in international law and international politics Mikhail Finkel noted that the driving force behind negotiation processes is President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. President of Azerbaijan showed the whole world that he is a true peacemaker. He spoke about the need to sign a peace treaty in the near future and did everything possible and impossible for this, he said. Finkel stressed that the mood in Armenia is completely opposite. We see that the Armenian society and the opposition, which has gathered thousands of protestors in Yerevan, are trying in every possible way to disrupt the signing of a peace treaty. Armenia doesnt understand that the country has no other choice, and peace treaty is the only thing that can lead Armenia out of the terrible economic, political and demographic crisis, he said. According to the expert, the Armenian side, having lost the war, may lose the diplomatic talks too. Tuesday, May 24, 2022 The Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed a drug conviction, rejecting the contention that the trial judge improperly denied a recusal motion because she had previously represented the defendant as a public defender Mr. Gilbert does not claim on appeal that Judge Wilking abused her discretion in concluding he failed to show Judge Johnson was biased or prejudiced against him. Instead, he claims Judge Johnson erred in not recusing herself from his case under Rule 2.11(A)(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct because she previously represented him in a similar matter and under Rule 1.9(c) of the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys at Law (W.R.P.C.) because she was privy to confidential information as a result of their prior attorney-client relationship. While he acknowledges neither rule explicitly requires a judge to recuse herself if she previously represented the defendant, he claims it is the appearance of impropriety, along with Mr. Gilberts and the publics interest in an unbiased neutral judiciary, which control. Nope Mr. Gilberts reliance on these rules is misplaced for two reasons. First, as stated above, there is no evidence Judge Johnson harbored a personal bias or prejudice against Mr. Gilbert, had personal knowledge of the facts in dispute in this proceeding, or used or revealed confidential information she obtained in her prior representation of Mr. Gilbert. Second, a motion for a change of judge is controlled by W.R.Cr.P. 21.1, not the Code of Judicial Ethics or the W.R.P.C. ...The Code of Judicial Conduct and the W.R.P.C. are intended to provide guidance for the ethical conduct of judges and attorneys and to serve as bases for discipline, not as grounds for a change of judge in a legal proceeding. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2022/05/the-wyoming-supreme-court-affirmed-a-drug-conviction-rejecting-the-contention-that-the-trial-judge-improperly-denied-a-recus.html Bolivias government is planning this month to sell rights to mine in the country for the element lithium. Officials hope the move will bring economic growth in the countrys southwest. The project is the South American countrys most ambitious yet to provide lithium to the world market. The metal is in high demand for use in electric car batteries and electronic devices. Americas Tesla and Germanys Volkswagen are struggling to find supplies while lithium prices have sharply increased. But it remains unclear if Bolivia can meet its goals. Reuters news agency spoke to many current and former officials and local people around Salar de Uyuni, a dry lake bottom, in the southwestern part of the country. These people identified a number of barriers to the big project, including legal questions, technological issues and resistance from citizens. In addition, there are likely to be political disagreements within Bolivias ruling socialist party over taxes and how to divide profits from the project. Bolivia expects to announce later this month one or more partnerships with foreign companies. Eight competitors from China, Russia, Argentina and the United States are making financial offers, or bids. Reuters says none of the companies have experience in commercial mining of lithium. The South American country has set a high goal. It seeks to make lithium-ion batteries locally by 2025. Bolivias neighbor Chile has been seeking the same goal for years without success, however. And it is a far wealthier country. Juan Tellez is an advisor to the local governor. He said official do not expect any production until 2030 or five years behind the central governments plan. The U.S. geological survey estimates that Bolivia has about one fourth of the worlds known lithium resources. But it remains unclear if the metal can be recovered commercially. That past is the past Bolivia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars using traditional methods to extract lithium with little success. For this project, President Luis Arce wants contracts with companies that use a different, and untested, technology called direct lithium extraction. The list of companies willing to try includes the U.S. companies Lilac Solutions, Breakthrough Energy and EnergyX. Others include Argentinas Tecpetrol, Russias Uranium One, and Chinas Fusion Enertech, CITIC Guoan Group and TBEA. Arces government is allied with Russia and China. But U.S. officials say they believe the two American companies have a fair chance. Alvaro Arnez is a deputy minister in Bolivias energy department. He oversees lithium development. He says it is important for the government to produce results to show that it is serious. Salar de Uyuni is not too far from Potosi, a colonial center for silver production for the Spanish Empire. Now it is an area where the ruling socialist party has strong support. But local officials criticized the current president for trying to control lithium production without their approval. "We don't even have a channel to express our opinion," said advisor Tellez, adding: "We are finding out (decisions) through the press." Deputy minister Arnez said the Bolivian government has proposed creating business partnerships to extract lithium and manufacture batteries. The government would own 51 percent and get about half the profits from the ventures. To do this, however, Bolivia has to amend its laws which bar foreign companies from extracting lithium. Local government officials want to use this fact to negotiate a greater share of the profits. They want 15 percent instead of the three percent they would get under current law. The town of Uyuni gives the huge dry lake bottom its name. Eusebio Lopez said that, as owners of these riches, the people living there should get the greatest gain from the project. A state lithium extracting plant in the area employs 700 people, but few come from local communities. We have minerals, we have lithium, said Uyuni villager Karina Quispe, adding: The people here should receive something. Juan Carlos Montenegro is a former government lithium mining official who served under former president Evo Morales. He warned that people are too excited. Its not grounded in reality, he added. Im Mario Ritter Jr. And I'm Caty Weaver. Reuters news agency reported this story. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ambitious adj. having the desire to be successful, powerful and famous battery n. a device that stores electricity to run equipment commercial adj. used for business purposes extract v. to take a specific substance from a material by use of machines or a chemical process channel n. a way of expressing ideas, opinions We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. The governor of Texas said fourteen children and one teacher were killed in a shooting at a Texas elementary school Tuesday. The gunman was also dead. Governor Greg Abbott said the 18-year-old shooter opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The town is about 136 kilometers west of San Antonio. He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher, said the governor. The gunman was a member of the community. He entered the school with a handgun and possibly a rifle, and opened fire, Abbott said. He said the shooter was likely killed by officers who answered the emergency at the school. And he added that the events were still being investigated. It was the deadliest shooting at an elementary school since the attack in Sandy Hook, Connecticut in 2012. Twenty students and six adults were killed in the Sandy Hook shooting. Pete Arredondo is the chief of police at the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. He told reporters that the Texas gunman acted alone. He did not immediately say how many people, in addition to the dead, were hurt. But Arredondo said there were several injuries. Earlier, Uvalde Memorial Hospital said 13 children were taken there. Another hospital reported a 66-year-old woman was in critical condition. Uvalde is home to about 16,000 people. The town is about 120 kilometers from the border with Mexico. Robb Elementary School, where the shooting happened, has about 600 students in the second, third and fourth grades. The school population is 90 percent Hispanic. It is in a working-class neighborhood of small homes. The last day of school would have been this coming Thursday. Many police surrounded the school Tuesday afternoon. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation were coming and going from the building. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden heard about the school shooting on Air Force One and will continue to receive updates. Biden is returning from a five-day trip to Asia. Jean-Pierre said, His prayers are with the families impacted by this awful event, and he will speak this evening when he arrives back at the White House. The shooting in Texas came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire at a food store in Buffalo, New York. The shooting killed 10 Black shoppers and workers in what officials have described as a hate crime. Im Mario Ritter. Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English based on wire reports. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story horrifically adv. causing horror or shock incomprehensibly adv. in a way that is impossible to understand awful adj. extremely bad or unpleasant We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. As the war in Ukraine continues, there is increasing evidence that Russia has knowingly attacked schools. Attacks on civilian structures are considered a possible war crime. The Ukrainian government says Russia has shelled over 1,000 schools and has destroyed 95. The Associated Press said the large amount of wreckage and damage is evidence that Russia knew that it was targeting schools. Recent attacks include a school in the eastern village of Bilohorivka where a bomb destroyed the school. On March 3, School No. 21 in Chernihiv was bombed. Schoolteacher, Inna Levchenko had reopened School No. 21 to shelter scared families. She has taught there for 30 years. School officials painted the word children in large letters on the windows. Russia bombed the school anyway. Levchenko was buried under wreckage and her legs were broken. She could not see because of blood and dust, but she could hear screams. Just before the attack, she had ordered 70 children to shelter in the basement of the school. They would survive. But nine other people, including a 13-year-old boy who was her student would not. Levchenko said, "Why schools? I cannot comprehend their motivation. It is painful to realize how many friends of mine died and how many children, who remained alone without parents, got traumatized. They will remember it all their life and will pass their stories to the next generation." The Associated Press and the PBS series Frontline have been investigating the incidents. The two reported that they have independently confirmed that Russia has destroyed 57 schools. They say the attacks were carried out in a way that suggests possible war crimes. These schools represent a few of the many possible war crimes. Ukraines prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, The International Criminal Court and others are investigating more than 8,000 possible war crimes involving hundreds of suspects. They say Russia is targeting schools, hospitals and other civilian buildings. By targeting schools, Russia is taking a secure and nurturing space for children and changing them into places of fear and violence. A school director from the town of Gorlovka, Sergey But, said, "It's a tragedy for us ... It's a tragedy for the children. His school, was a place where children flew kites and took photos of their friends. Now, he said it is in ruins with broken glass and wreckage. Two teachers, Elena Kudrik, the geography teacher, and Elena Ivanova, the assistant director of the school were killed. In towns like Ohktyrka, cluster bombs, shelling, and gunfire have destroyed several kindergartens. Young children, teachers, and parents have been killed. Valeria Grusha has taught in Kyiv province for 35 years. She said that just as school administrators had started to prepare for the war, Russian troops invaded. They stopped teaching and called Ukrainian leaders. Grusha said, When I start talking to the directors of destroyed and robbed institutions, they are very worried, crying, telling with pain and regret." Russian officials deny attacking civilian buildings like schools and hospitals. Local media in Russian-held Gorlovka said Ukrainian forces caused the explosion that killed the two teachers while trying to recapture the town. War crime experts say it will be difficult to prove the intent of the attacks even with the destruction and killing of civilians. David Bosco is a professor and researcher of international relations and war crimes at Indiana University. He said that prosecuting war crimes can be difficult. If the military uses civilian buildings, then those buildings can be wartime targets. The chief idea is to find a pattern of Russia targeting civilian buildings like schools as a military approach. "The more you can show a pattern, then the stronger the case becomes that this was really a policy of not discriminating between military and civilian facilities," Bosco said. Surviving such conflicts like war and having schools destroyed hurts teachers and students for generations to come. Bosco said schools are supposed to be a safe place. He said destroying that is in essence, attacking the next generation." Abdulkafi Alhamdo is a Syrian teacher from Aleppo, Syria. Jasminko Halilovic is a 34-year-old from Sarajevo, in present-day Bosnia-Herzegovina. Both men have seen school destroyed by war and suffering. Alhamdo saw these things during the Syrian civil war in 2014, and Halilovic saw it during the Bosnian War in early 1990s. Alhamdo remembers the childrens paintings dripping with blood after a bomb exploded during an artwork presentation. He said that creating fear, hopelessness and anger in the children is the goal of the enemy. Alhamdo said, When they see their school destroyed, do you know how many dreams have been destroyed?" Halilovic was a young child during the Bosnian War. He also went to school in underground rooms. He has founded the War Childhood Museum. It records childrens stories and saves objects from wartime. He has worked with displaced Ukrainian children since the start of the invasion of the Donbas area in Ukraine in 2014. He recently had to remove himself and his workers because of the current conflict. Halilovic said, "Once the fighting ends, the new fight will start. To rebuild cities. To rebuild schools and infrastructure, and to rebuild society, and to heal. And to heal is the most difficult," he said. More than half of Ukrainian children have been displaced. Schools have become shelters, and the war has forced learning underground. Millions of children are continuing their studies on the internet. International aid organizations like Save the Children and UNICEF have been working with the government to set up internet learning programs. Save the Children said in a statement, Educating every child is essential to preventing grave violations of their rights. Im Jill Robbins. And I'm Faith Pirlo. Jason Dearen, Juliet Linderman, and Oleksandr Stashevskyi reported this story for Reuters. Faith Pirlo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Quiz: In Ukraine, Attacks on Schools Hurt Future Generations Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story comprehend v. to understand the meaning of traumatize v. to cause to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems resilience n. ability to bounce back and be strong prosecutor n. one who is in charge of the process of pursuing formal charges against an offender to final judgment nurturing n. feeding and caring for a child or someone else who needs it kite n. an object that has a light frame and cloth that can be used for flying in the air with the wind intent n. what someone means to do pattern n. a reliable sample of traits, acts, tendencies, or other observable characteristics approach -- n. a particular manner of taking such steps facilities n. a place, especially in buildings, where a particular activity happens essence n. the basic nature of a thing the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is grave n. serious or very important Africas Great Green Wall is a project to build an 8000-kilometer-long forest across 11 of the continents countries. The project is meant to contain the growing Sahara Desert and fight climate change. But there has been a lack of financial support and political desire to move forward with the project. There has also been rising insecurity tied to extremist groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Burkina Faso that is hurting progress. Just 4 million hectares of land have been turned into forest since work on the Green Wall began 15 years ago. That is only 4 percent of the program's goal. Adama Doulkom organizes the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative for Burkina Faso. He said political instability and security issues are greatly slowing progress in nearly 4,000 villages across the country. Terrorist attacks," Doulkom said, have forced people to leave affected areas and led to difficulty in creating improvements in certain areas. Much of the Sahel area to be used for the Green Wall has many security problems. That also impacts efforts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Mali, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. The United Nations desertification agency says the Green Wall project faces many problems. They include limited political support, lack of money, weak organizational structures, and not enough consideration for the environment. Desertification, the process by which fertile land becomes desert, has severe impacts on food production and is worsened by climate change. The U.N. says up to 45 percent of Africas land is impacted by desertification, worse than any other continent. First proposed in 2005, the project aims to plant a forest from Senegal on the Atlantic Ocean in western Africa to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti in the east. Supporters hope that the project will create millions of green jobs in rural Africa. It could also reduce levels of climate-related migration in the area and capture hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air. Several countries have struggled to keep up with the demands of the project. A report released recently by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute also noted the link between environmental damage and conflict. In the Sahel, social tensions combined with inadequate governance and environmental decline to produce a bigger security risk, it said. Despite the many problems, those involved in the project remain hopeful. The coordinator of the Great Green Wall, Elvis Tangem, told the Associated Press that while conflict has slowed down the progress of the project, it has also opened up newer opportunities. Beyond environmental concerns, Tangem said there have been opportunities to address conflict resolution, peace building, youth development, women empowerment and rural development. Some progress has been made in recent years in the east of the continent, said the programs office in Addis Ababa. Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan have all expanded their efforts. Ethiopia is producing 5.5 billion seedlings leading to thousands of hectares of restored land. Efforts in Eritrea and Sudan have also resulted in nearly 140,000 hectares of newly planted forest. Between $36 and $43 billion are needed to create the Green Wall by 2030, estimates the World Resources Institute (WRI). The African Development Bank promised $6.5 billion for the wall by 2025 during the U.N.'s climate conference in November last year. In early 2021, France promised $14.5 billion for the project, still far short of the WRI's estimate. The U.N. desertification agency says the project will need to plant an average of 8.2 million hectares yearly to reach its goal of 100 million hectares by 2030. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story instability n. the state of being likely to change desertification n. the process by which an area becomes a desert inadequate adj. not enough or not good enough coordinator n. a person who organizes people or groups so that they work together properly and well opportunity n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done Leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and India gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a meeting of the group known as the Quad. The issues of American support for Taiwan and Russias war in Ukraine have gained attention recently. So did Chinas militarization in the disputed South China Sea and Australias nuclear submarine program. But what is the group and what is the importance of the partnership? What is the quad? The name quad comes from the official name of the group: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. The Quad began as a loose partnership after the extremely destructive 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. At that time, the four countries joined together to provide humanitarian and disaster aid to the affected area including Indonesia and several other countries. But the group was formalized by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. The group did little for nearly 10 years. This was partly because of Australian concerns that its membership in the group would anger China. The group was resurrected in 2017, reflecting changing ideas in Asia about Chinas growing influence. The administrations of both former U.S. President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden believe the Quad is important to placing more attention on the Indo-Pacific area, especially to balance Chinas actions. The Quad leaders held their first official meeting of top leaders in 2021. They met again by video link in March. Not really like NATO China has criticized the group as an attempt at forming an Asian NATO. However, the group is unlike the European military alliance, or North Atlantic Treaty Organization, because there is no mutual-defense agreement in effect. Quad members say the group is meant to deepen economic, diplomatic and military ties among the four countries. The members do not state that their partnership is meant to be a defense alliance against Chinese aggression. In March 2021, members released a declaration describing the Spirit of the Quad. The leaders said they aim to establish the Indo-Pacific as an area that is free, open, inclusive, healthy anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. Coercion describes causing a country to do something using force or threats. Who are the leaders? Tuesdays meeting marks the first in-person gathering of the group for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kishida took office last October. The meeting also provides an introduction for Australias new prime minister, Anthony Albanese. He was sworn in on Monday, just two days after Australias parliamentary election. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also attending. Modi is facing increasing international pressure over several issues. His governments policies toward minorities have been criticized. India increased its purchases of Russian energy supplies after Russia invaded Ukraine. Other quad members have placed strong restrictions on Russias economy. And India has banned wheat exports at a time when world wheat supplies have been sharply reduced because of Russias war. Indian officials blame hot spring weather, which led to a poor harvest for cutting exports. Others involved South Korea has expressed interest in joining the Quad. U.S. officials have said they are not currently considering adding to the groups membership. The group has held Quad-plus meetings that have included South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam. These nations could form the basis for future expansion or partnership in the Indo-Pacific. An unusual name The name Quad comes from the word Quadrilateral in the official name of the organization. Quadrilateral means four-sided. In addition to the shortened form, diplomats like to shorten long organization names with acronyms which use the first letters of words. So, the new Australia-United Kingdom (Britain)-U.S. alliance is called AUKUS. Another acronym that got attention this week while Biden was in Asia: IPEF, short for the U.S.-proposed trade agreement called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Im Mario Ritter Jr. Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story formalize v. to make something official resurrected adj. the return to life of something that has fallen into disuse or has been forgotten anchored adj. solidly based and supported unconstrained adj. not held back or restricted in any way By Trend President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the European Union (EU) Council Charles Michel and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on May 22 in Brussels, Trend reports. Following the meeting, Michel made a press statement fully coinciding with the position of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani MP Sevinj Huseynova commenting on the meeting characterized its results as another successful step towards the signing of a peace treaty and the establishment of peace [between Armenia and Azerbaijan]. "The meeting, which lasted nearly five hours, was held on the basis of the five principles of Azerbaijan, consistent with international standards, the UN Charter, and the Helsinki Final Act, Huseynova said. Another important point of this meeting is that the talks were held in a format meeting the national interests of Azerbaijan. During the meeting, the expression "Nagorno-Karabakh" wasnt mentioned, but instead only the issue of the rights of the Armenian residents living in Azerbaijan was raised, she reminded. The Azerbaijani side always declares that the rights of the Armenian residents, as well as other national minorities living in Azerbaijan, are protected, and their security is guaranteed by the state. The MP noted that one of the important issues raised at the meeting was the delimitation of borders. At the same time, the parties discussed humanitarian issues, including those related to mine clearance and the fate of missing persons, including up to 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens who went missing during the first Karabakh war [in the 1990s]. Besides, according to Huseynova, discussions were held on opening a corridor between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan and an agreement was reached. "This meeting was another political and diplomatic success of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The meeting was effective in terms of establishing peace and ensuring security in the region," added the MP. Another MP Elshan Musayev said that the latest trilateral meeting in Brussels was memorable for its results. "The interests of the Azerbaijani side were seriously taken into account during the meeting again. The very fact that it lasted nearly five hours betokens conducting of a large-scale exchange of views and discussions," Musayev noted. He also said that during the talks, the expression "Nagorno-Karabakh" wasnt mentioned, serious discussions related to the peace treaty and a wide exchange of views on the continuation of work on the opening of communications, the implementation of the Zangazur corridor, the regulation of international transportation and other issues were conducted. Besides, the MP emphasized that one of the important results in reaching an agreement on holding the first joint meeting of the border commissions which will deal with issues of border delimitation [between Azerbaijan and Armenia] and ensuring a stable situation. The agreement to continue meetings in the coming months also points to better results in the near future. "The wise and purposeful policy of President Ilham Aliyev brought serious success to Azerbaijan at the latest meeting in Brussels, as well," he said. According to MP Azer Badamov, one of the notable points of the meeting was the non-mentioning of the issue of the status of Armenian residents living in Karabakh. He noted that one of the issues discussed was related to the demining of the territories liberated from Armenian occupation and the fate of the missing persons. "Since the end of the second Karabakh War, more than 200 our citizens were seriously injured or killed as a result of mine explosions. According to international standards, in the post-war period, the victorious side should be presented with a map of mined territories to ensure the safety of the civilian population," Badamov said. He added that the meeting parties discussed issues of holding joint meetings of border commissions, organizing the delimitation and demarcation process, opening communications, implementing the Zangazur corridor, organizing state border crossings and transit traffic within the framework of international norms, the continuation of the work of the economic advisory group to ensure economic development, and the issues of signing a peace treaty. Armenian leadership accepted the new realities created by Azerbaijan, and resolution of the issues raised by it has no alternative, concluded Badamov. By Azernews There is great joy in Armenia - the sanctions against Russia are getting tougher and tougher. This boils down to the fact that Moscow's strategic ally has great opportunities to solve its financial, economic, and demographic problems, Azernews reports. Debates are nowadays underway in Armenia over the choice of a definition to describe the dazzling prospects. Some want to see a new Singapore in Armenia, others are in favor of an Armenian version of Silicon Valley. The unexpectedly opened prospects for a sinking state are blinding the eyes and depriving of logic and a sense of self-preservation. According to the Armenian Central Bank, about 16,000 non-residents, mostly Russian citizens, had opened accounts in Armenian banks as of early May. Due to the events in Ukraine, hundreds of Russian companies have applied for relation to Armenia. In anticipation of an influx of foreign brains and money, the Economy Ministry even formed a special working group for the relocation of foreign businesses to Armenia to establish new companies. Minister Kerobyan said that most of the IT companies relocating to Armenia are the ones with direct ties to Western markets, and they cannot continue working in Russia because of the sanctions. When we talk about Yerevan's lack of a sense of self-preservation, we have in mind Washington's constant warnings to penalize countries that are helping Russia to bypass sanctions. U.S. National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden Jake Sullivan earlier announced a list of countries suspected in this case, and Armenia was named among them. Armenia is used to remaining impunity under any circumstances, and this time, too, it is probably relying on the power of its lobby and Diaspora money, which will get it out from U.S. attack, in case anything happens. Therefore, Russian companies that are fleeing to this country are being met with open arms and are working actively in Armenia. To make their image in Armenia even more attractive, conditions have been simplified for Russian entrepreneurs, especially those engaged in the IT sector. Some 50 percent of the income tax levied on new employees will be refunded to these companies. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, 113 Russian IT companies have already moved to Armenia, as well as about 1,000 private enterprises and 250 limited liability companies have been established by Russian citizens in this country. The Russian Federal Security Service reports that since the end of February about 140,000 Russians have arrived in Armenia. Among them is Ruben Vardanyan, a notorious oligarch of Armenian origin, who is on the sanctions list. The fugitive oligarch announced the beginning of a new era for Armenia and turned it into a window for Russian business. Special Telegram channels have been opened in which Russians are provided with the necessary information on how and what to do. The most popular among Russians are "Armenian Economy" and "Move to Armenia/Mutual Aid. Why have Russian IT specialists chosen Armenia? In Armenia itself, this is explained by a certain development of the IT sector in the country, a certain high intellectual potential, and other magnificent exaggerations of reality. But, it should be noted that IT companies and other structures relocated to Armenia with their staff and so far no expansion of staff at the expense of the so-called Armenian intellectuals is planned. So this point can be crossed out of the collective auto-training of the Armenian society. In addition to unscrupulousness, there is another reason why Armenia was chosen as the "Noah's Ark" for Russian IT companies. It is the only Russian ally that has signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the European Union. The agreement lowers trade barriers for services and commercial goods from Armenia, as well as simplifies the process of obtaining licenses. According to analysts, Armenia's growing trade with the European Union last year created favorable conditions for all kinds of schemes. Back in March, the Geopolitical Monitor conducted its own research on the issue and came to the conclusion that the methods of withdrawal of Iranian products from the Western sanctions through Armenia had reached unprecedented scales. In the past, according to the publication, due to its favorable geographical location, Armenia helped Iran in money laundering operations and facilitated its access to the international financial system. Will Armenia be penalized for its behavior? So far, the U.S. is busy with China and does not pay attention to the small country that is getting in the way. Meanwhile, this country is slowly but surely turning into a hotbed of cyber-threat. And in this case, it's not a threat to Azerbaijan alone, not to pay attention to it by tradition. In Armenia, under the wing of Yerevan, an army, a think tank, is currently being formed. It has nothing to do with the "intellectual resources" of Armenians and is not being created with Armenian money, although Armenia will, of course, pick the plum. If Armenia is not penalized for its actions, then the question arises - where is the West looking at? Why is it being selective? This country has long been first in line for Western sanctions. But for 30 years of aggression against Azerbaijan, occupation of its territories, and ethnic cleansing, Armenia has neither been punished for its actions nor even reprimanded. RACINE The Illinois woman convicted of killing the young housekeeper who lived with her and dumping the body in rural Racine County in 1999 was sentenced on Monday to serve the rest of her life in prison without the opportunity for parole. Linda LaRoche, 67, was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide for the murder of Peggy Lynn Johnson-Schroeder. LaRoche was ordered to serve five years for the additional charge of hiding a corpse. At trial, Assistant District Attorney Diane Donohoo said she believed LaRoche was jealous of Johnson-Schroeder, who was loved by the family she lived with. LaRoche had hired Johnson-Schroeder to be a housekeeper after Schroeders mother died. LaRoches children described Peggy as kind, sweet and quiet. The defendants only daughter said: Everybody loved Peggy. In contrast, LaRoche was described as somewhat of a screamer. One of her younger sons said, We had a rocky relationship. Several of her children said LaRoche was abusive to Schroeder over several years; though, they themselves were not abused. Lost opportunity Johnson-Schroeders sister, Heather Leslin, spoke of the lost opportunity to develop a relationship with her half-sister. They had made plans together and even talked of getting a place to share. The only conversations we had were over the phone, and that was never enough, she said, explaining Johnson-Schroeder had many responsibilities. Leslin claimed that LaRoche put an end to their phone calls, claiming that she was only upsetting Johnson-Schroeder. I was denied the opportunity to have a family relationship with Peggy, she said while adding that their plan was to form a sisterly bond. Johnson-Schroeders aunt also addressed the court, telling the judge that her niece was a loving and caring human being, and not an animal like you treated her, she said to LaRoche. Her aunt noted that a year after Johnson-Schroeder lost her brother, who died by suicide, the young woman was also dead. You, Linda LaRoche, brutally, barbarically beat and tortured her and left her to take her last breath on the side of the road in a cornfield with nothing, not even her name, the aunt said. She added, Youre a monster. Sentencing LaRoche was allowed to speak on her own behalf where she took the opportunity to deny she had killed Johnson-Schroeder. First of all, my heart and soul go out to her family, LaRoche said. Whoever did this to her is more than a monster, they dont deserve to breath, but its not me. She revisited the facts of the case and once again denied that she had time to drive the young woman from McHenry, Illinois, where they lived, to Raymond, Wisconsin, where the body of Johnson-Schroeder had been dumped in a cornfield, because she claimed she had only been gone two-and-a-half hours. LaRoche had been identified as a suspect after the case had gone cold after she, while living in Florida, allegedly bragged about having killed someone in Illinois two decades prior. Someone who overheard that reported LaRoche to police, who later arrested the woman. LaRoche told the court she has ashamed of having dropped the young woman off at a restaurant where she was supposed to meet a friend. LaRoche said she was ashamed of having no explanation for her family. She said they all had a shared goal the DAs Office, the sheriffs office, the family to get justice for Johnson-Schroeder. And this isnt justice, she said. Im sorry but I didnt do anything like that. Judge Timothy Boyle rejected the defendants claim that she was not the killer of Johnson-Schroeder. From the courts perspective, you are in fact guilty of these offenses, he told her, adding Anyone with a soul would agree this was a very heinous crime. You were a nurse who tried to do good things for people. And then the fact that you took Peggy in and that may have been altruistic at the time, but on the other side of that is this person whose anger and your own kids even described it that could take over and just be out of control. Boyle outlined some of the lifes events that Johnson-Schroeder would never get to experience: joy, potentially having a spouse and child. And whether that was going to happen or not, her journey ended, Boyle said. He explained he was denying her the opportunity for parole because, in a certain sense, she had 20 years of opportunity before she actually got charged in the case. LaRoche was arrested in Florida on Nov. 5, 2019. Almost 23 years ago The Racine County Sheriffs Office was dispatched to Raymond on July 21, 1999, after passersby found a young womans body in the first row of a cornfield. The woman was badly beaten, had broken bones, was malnourished and evidence suggested she was probably tortured. The medical examiners report indicated Schroeder had multiple injuries that all contributed to her death, but it was an infection that ultimately caused it. The infection was necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that is sometimes referred to as flesh-eating. The young woman from the cornfield had never been arrested, so her fingerprints did not turn up any identification. She was buried in a Jane Doe grave and went nameless for 20 years until modern methods of DNA testing turned up an identification. Once she was identified, investigators learned that Schroeders father had abandoned his family when she was young and her mother was deceased. She was described in court as cognitively slow. She met LaRoche at a free clinic where the older woman was working as a nurse. LaRoche offered the young woman a job helping at her house with housework and her six children, according to testimony. LaRoche told investigators she took Schroeder in because she identified with her situation. She, too, had lost her mother while she was still quite young. I had a troubled childhood, LaRoche told investigators. I didnt have anyone, either. When Schroeder moved into the home, she brought almost nothing with her besides a two-person tent. Circumstantial evidence enough to convict The case presented by the Racine County District Attorneys Office was largely circumstantial. It has been almost 23 years, so there were no witnesses to Schroeder being dumped in a cornfield, no DNA, fingerprints or surveillance video. Complicating matters was the fact Johnson-Schroeder was not killed by a gunshot or knife wound. While she had many injuries that contributed to her death, it was the untreated infection that ultimately killed her. Donohoo acknowledged the circumstantial nature of the case, noting the defense used the word as if circumstantial was a dirty word. She explained circumstantial evidence is evidence from which the jury could draw a reasonable conclusion and is admissible in court. The testimony from multiple witnesses, including some of the defendants own children, indicated Johnson-Schroeder lived in a state of chronic abuse. This advertorial is sponsored content provided by the advertiser and printed as is. Any claims, recommendations or errors are the advertisers own and the reader is responsible for evaluating all information contained herein. The reader is responsible for complying with any applicable Terms of Use for Instagram and any other sites. Using Instagram as a medium to achieve online recognition and reputation is pretty straightforward. 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Take your time when going through their selection of services. This way, you can ensure that youll be able to make the most out of them. 10. FamousBlast Do you want to work with a company with a track record of delivering engagement? Then check out FamousBlast. They have delivered almost 40 million followers and more than 40 million likes so far. Their services are perfect, regardless of whether youre a social media marketer or one of the many social media influencers. The secret behind FamousBlasts success? Their simplicity. They only have three services. You can buy Instagram views, likes, and followers from them. Once you have determined which of them you need, all thats left is to provide them with your IG username and pay for your order. They also take pride in their quick delivery speed, excellent customer support, and 90-day guarantee. Meanwhile, those who want to extend their 90-day guarantee to 180 days can upgrade their basic package to a diamond one. Aside from that, though, the quality of their engagement remains absolutely the same. They dont have to be flashy; theyre just effortlessly impressive. 11. BoostLikes Heres another effortlessly impressive social media marketing company. BoostLikes caters to the big four of social media platforms. These are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. They have all their main engagement types covered, but they also offer many freebies. What is most admirable about BoostLikes, though, is their order page. All you need is in one seamless page, including their cart and check-out. For instance, suppose you want to buy followers on Instagram from them, then you would just need to select it from their drop-down menu. You can then adjust a slide bar to determine the number of engagements you wish to get. Doing so will automatically adjust the cost. Theres a space for you to indicate your profile URL and payment method. Finally, you can choose between making a one-time order or a monthly drip-feed. Just click on Place Order to complete your purchase. Taking a step beyond the usual service, BoostLikes also allows their patrons to indicate if they have specific delivery time requests. This way, youll be able to control the delivery speed of your purchased engagement. The downside? They dont have a refill guarantee. 12. BuzzVoice Growing your social media engagement organically can take several months to a few years. In fact, there are many social media influencers known and loved today who started anonymously several years ago. Overnight successes seldom happen online. Even those who suddenly crack the code of going viral have worked for years before that make or break point happened. While thats all well and good, there are many who simply dont have the time to wait that long. Fortunately, BuzzVoice can help you turn things around and, more importantly, speed things up. In fact, their main objective (according to BuzzVoice itself) is to get (you) more engagement on social media within minutes. This can be made possible through their high-quality service and premium packages. For instance, those who want to buy followers on Instagram from them have multiple followers packages to choose from. The follows will all come from active accounts handled by real people. They also have an impressive retention rate, so you wont need to worry about your stats fluctuating in the future. What is loved most about this agency, though, is all of the information included on their order page. They give their patrons a chance to read the details of their order before placing a payment, so take your time to read it. 13. Buy Cheapest Followers What if you are not really worried about the speed of delivery or the nitty-gritty details of your order? Suppose youre only concerned about getting high-quality service in exchange for the lowest cost. In that case, youll probably enjoy working with the next social media marketing agency featured. True to their name, Buy Cheapest Followers can boost your online presence with high-quality and premium followers (and other types of engagement) without breaking the bank. The best thing about them is that theyre not limited to just the main platforms alone. Aside from being able to buy Instagram followers from them, youll find engagement for 29 other platforms. These include lesser-known ones such as Kwai and WorldStarHH. Some of these platforms arent even served by most social media marketing companies out there. 14. EpochInsta The word epoch is defined as a period of time marked by notable events. Aptly named, EpochInsta is a marketing agency that seeks to give your IG profile a series of notable points, such as an impressive number of followers or interesting viral posts. This is the reason they offer a holistic customer support program. Unlike other social media marketing companies, EpochInsta invites its patrons to contact them for any marketing-related query or concern. For instance, do you want to determine the most efficient steps to accomplish your social media goals? Then you can just go ahead and give them a call. Since they are still primarily an agency that provides engagement, their main service remains to be high-quality or premium followers, likes, and views. They offer their services not just for Instagram alone but also for other major platforms. This means that you can also get their services for your other social media accounts. This reviewer recommends doing so since its always convenient and efficient to get all your social media engagement from the same place. It also makes tracking and management significantly easier. 15. allSMO Aptly named, allSMO covers a wide variety of social media networks. Taking a closer look into the different engagement products they offer for other platforms, though, it is immediately clear that they have particular expertise on Instagram. Compared to others, they have the most types of engagement available for this platform. Indeed, this makes them a great agency to consider for your next Instagram-focused social media marketing campaign. To give you a better idea of what they have to offer, allSMO has 26 different IG engagement types available for you to order. For instance, they dont just have a buy Instagram followers option like the others. Instead, you can choose which country your followers will come from and the gender of the followers. You also have absolute control over the details of your order. Those who are ordering IG comments, for example, have the choice between random comments or custom ones. Even the speed of delivery can be tweaked. Do you prefer instant or gradual delivery? Finally, we also recommend looking into their bundled packages. This wont just give you some convenience, but it can also make your order more affordable. 16. SocialBoosting Most of the social media marketing agencies we featured in this directory are pretty proud of their stats. SocialBoosting is no different. After all, stating that they have already helped more than 50,000 profiles and over 23 million customers is a good indicator that they are a reliable agency to work with. However, that is not the only clue you can base a sites reputation on. Safe websites are also proud to display their customer reviews. This is what you can really appreciate with SocialBoosting. Youll be able to check the testimonials of their past clients on a separate page, proudly displaying all of their reviews, both good and bad. As for their available social media engagement, they have ready-made plans instead of custom plans. Dont worry, though, since they have various plans designed to meet anyones needs and preferences. For instance, their followers packages range from 150 to 20,000 followers. Their costs also vary accordingly. 17. DigitalAxen Finally, this list would not be complete without featuring DigitalAxen. Its a social media marketing company that offers IG engagement at its most affordable prices. They even have packages that go for less than a dollar. Thats how cheap their engagement is. Some of their potential customers worry that theyre not going to receive engagement from real users, but thats the most surprising part. DigitalAxen offers genuine engagement from active accounts managed by actual people. Each order will allow you to access their 24/7 customer service as well. A favorite part of their service, though, is their order tracker. All you need is to provide them with the order ID that DigitalAxen provides with each confirmation email, and theyll give you updates about how the order fulfillment is going. Set Up Your Social Media for Success Achieving fame and success on social media is not easy. It doesnt help to see all these brands and influencers make it seem so simple. Growing your followers to reach thousands, for instance, can take several months to a few years. But, what if you dont have the privilege of waiting that long? Fortunately, there is a way. You can purchase social media engagement. The 17 sources featured above prove that there are reliable agencies that can deliver followers, views, likes, and other types of engagement from active accounts managed by real people. The good news is that it wont get your account in trouble the same way fake accounts and bots can. In fact, it can even trigger a domino effect for your other social media channels as well. Instagram Followers, Views, and Likes FAQs Although the social media engagement providers discussed are reliable enough, you must keep the information below in mind. It will help and motivate you to grow your channel even more, while avoiding any mistakes that might lead to your channel getting banned. 1. What is the safest way to buy followers? It is understandable why people who want to buy Instagram followers or even friendly likes might be worried about their safety and security. Rightfully so, given that there are a lot of questionable sources of engagement services out there. Fortunately, some factors could help you determine whether your chosen social media marketing agency is legit or not. Here they are: Genuine Engagement: The first thing you should look at is where your engagement will be coming from. Will it come from bots, fake accounts, or real people? The first thing you should look at is where your engagement will be coming from. Will it come from bots, fake accounts, or real people? Payment Options: The next factor is the available payment options. The agency should offer a variety of secure payment methods. The next factor is the available payment options. The agency should offer a variety of secure payment methods. Fulfillment: Another factor to consider is how long you would need to wait for your purchased engagement to arrive. Reputable companies usually offer two delivery options: instant and gradual. Regardless, you should still see your engagement coming in just hours after payment. Another factor to consider is how long you would need to wait for your purchased engagement to arrive. Reputable companies usually offer two delivery options: instant and gradual. Regardless, you should still see your engagement coming in just hours after payment. Customer Service: Finally, your chosen agency should have 24/7 customer support. This way, youll be able to contact them easily just in case something goes wrong. To answer the question: the safest way to buy followers really just boils down to one thing. You should ensure that the source is reputable and legit. If it is, then you have nothing to worry about. 2. How do I get Instagram followers fast? The fastest way to get followers and friendly likes are to buy them from a reputable provider. While there are steps to hasten the process of organic growth, such as posting relevant content, it still wouldnt beat the speed of just getting them from one of the service providers featured above. 3. How much money does 1 million Instagram views make? According to Nerd Wallet, Instagram usually pays its creators 55% of the total revenue generated for IG views. It can potentially be more than that, though, especially if youre collaborating with brands who want to sponsor your videos. 4. How much money does 1 million Instagram followers make? There is honestly unlimited earning potential for IG profiles with a million followers. On average, though, each post can earn you $700 per post. The rule of thumb is simple. The more followers you have, the more brands are willing to pay for that kind of attention. This also gives you or your profile significant online credibility that can further motivate companies to collaborate with you. 5. Should you pay for followers on Instagram? The answer will depend on your needs, preferences, and goals. For instance, those launching new social media channels, products, and services, would surely benefit from getting the instant attention that purchased followers would provide. On the other hand, we also understand that some brands, groups, and individuals out there dont want to buy followers because they want to experience the invaluable joy and satisfaction of seeing your online community grow, regardless of how long it takes. Lastly, if theres a way for you to get a wave of followers using other social media tactics, especially those that wouldnt require you to pay for anything, then why not take that opportunity instead? In the end, the decision simply boils down to what you think is best for your IG profile. 6. Is it safe to buy Instagram followers? The answer is both yes and no. Yes, it is safe to buy Instagram followers and other types of engagement as long as you get them from a reputable source. On the other hand, getting fake or bot accounts to follow you can get your IG profile in trouble. Thats because it goes against the platforms rules and regulations. Other potential risks can come from buying IG followers from questionable sources. First, you can accidentally provide scammers with your personal and financial information. There are also sources out there that claim that you would need to provide them with your password just so they can deliver your purchased engagement. This is not true, and its the fastest way to get all your social media channels hacked. Lastly, theres also the possibility of paying for followers only not to receive anything. 7. How do you get verified on Instagram? The only real downside of buying social media engagement is the risk to your online credibility. Lets just say that people dont appreciate finding out that they have followed a profile with purchased followers, regardless if theyre from other active users or not. Its easy to see how many of them would feel cheated in a way. That your marketing tactic worked on them. Fortunately, there are a couple of steps to protect your organic followers from this disappointment. The first and best method is to post quality content consistently. No one would even question your follower count if you have great content as a backup. Second, you can get your account verified by Instagram itself. This will let you earn a verified badge displayed on your profile. You just need to meet the following requirements: You should be a public figure or brand. You should submit proof of identification. You must follow the verification steps after you have submitted your verification request. Dont worry; these are simple-to-follow on-screen instructions. Please note that it can take time for Instagram to grant your request. Sending multiple requests wont hasten the process. Make sure that all of the information you provide is accurate as well. Providing false or misleading info can get your account disabled. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com A former Darlington High School gym teacher pleaded guilty Monday to charges stemming from a sexual relationship he had with a 17-year-old student earlier this school year. Jesse Sturtz, 23, of Darlington, will be sentenced in July on felony counts of sex assault of a student by school staff and exposing his genitals to a child, as well as two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. He had originally been charged with four felony counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff for having sex with the girl on four occasions between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15. Sturtz was placed on leave by the Darlington School District after it became aware of the investigation in January. He resigned effective Feb. 4, district administrator Cale Jackson said Tuesday. This year had been his first with the district as a physical and drivers education instructor. Sturtzs state teaching licenses are listed as under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. According to a criminal complaint in the case: An investigation by the Lafayette County Sheriffs Office began after a deputy found Sturtz and the 17-year-old having sex in a vehicle behind a Wiota church on Jan. 15. The girl told the deputy she was 18. A detective later met with the girl at the school, where she said she met Sturtz in September and had him as a teacher for two classes. Over the next three months, she and Sturtz got comfortable with each other, she said, and would flirt with each other and on Dec. 12, he sent her a private message outside of school. The girl initially told the detective the two only had sex once, outside the Wiota church, but when the detective told her he would be requesting a warrant to search her phone, she told him they had sex a total of four times. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Dane County jury deliberated for about three hours Monday before finding a Madison man guilty of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the 2020 shooting deaths of a UW Health doctor and her husband. Khari Sanford showed no reaction to the verdicts, which bring automatic life sentences. Dane County Circuit Judge Ellen Berz will decide at a later date when, if ever, Sanford would be eligible for release from prison on extended supervision. Jurors began deliberating following closing arguments that painted two radically different versions of the 20-year-old: silent assassin driven to kill his then-girlfriends parents or typical teenager in an atypical time. Assistant District Attorney Tim Verhoff took the 13 men and three women back to late March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning and the anxiety was palpable. Sanford and his girlfriend, Miriam Carre, were living in an Airbnb paid for by her parents, Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre, when Sanford went out on the night of March 30, picked up his friend Alijah Larrue in the van Potter and Robin Carre was letting him and Miriam use, and proceeded to the Potter-Carre home on Madisons Near West Side, where up until recently Sanford had been living. Pointing to video, surveillance photos and cellphone location data presented over the trials last five days, Verhoff took the jury through Sanford and Larrues path from the Potter-Carre home, where Sanford kidnapped the couple at gunpoint, to the UW Arboretum, where he shot both of them in the head and left them for dead. The state wasnt relying on one piece of evidence or one witness to prove their case, he said, but many. The pieces are all there ... to come to your conclusion, he said. Testimony during the trial and in the criminal complaint in the case have pointed to friction between Miriam Carre and Sanford and Miriams parents over pandemic restrictions Potter wanted the young couple to follow in their home, but wouldnt, as well as Sanfords feeling that his girlfriends parents didnt respect him and treated him as a slave while he lived there. They were living in fear of COVID, Verhoff said. They should have been living in fear of Khari Sanford. Sanfords public defender, Crystal Vera, rejected that characterization, calling Sanford a typical teenager who like a lot of teenagers sometimes acted disrespectfully toward adults. She said there had been no evidence presented at trial that before the murders anyone perceived Sanford as a dangerous person. Would parents let their daughter live with someone dangerous? she asked. She also called into question what she termed the states star witness, Larrue, who on Friday testified to driving Sanford, Potter and Robin Carre to the Arboretum and watching his friend since elementary school kill the pair. Larrue, who pleaded guilty to felony murder last year, had plenty of motive to be less than truthful given that he only decided to cooperate after sitting in jail for a year and is yet to be sentenced, Vera said. Larrue told them everything they wanted to hear, she said. Because they wanted justice and he was going to give it to them. Larrue said during his testimony that prosecutors made no promises about what sentence they will recommend and that he decided to testify to take responsibility for his actions. He said he did not know Sanford planned to kill Potter, 52, and Robin Carre, 57, and that he feared for his own safety when Sanford kidnapped the two. Sanfords attorneys did not call any witnesses and Vera in her closing argument leaned heavily on the states responsibility to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Sanford declined to testify in his own defense Monday. Miriam Carre has not been charged in the case and has testified she knew nothing of Sanfords plans. After closing arguments but prior to the jury being sent to deliberate, Berz chose the names of four jurors out of a hat and dismissed them as alternates. That left a jury of 10 men and two women. Victims debit cards Earlier Monday, prosecutors sought to place Sanford at an ATM on Madisons South Side trying to use the victims debit cards on the day after they were killed. Surveillance video from the ATM on South Park Street shows a man who appears to be Sanford trying for several minutes to withdraw money seven different times, mostly in denominations of $300, according to Scott Sandberg, the ATM and facilities manager for Park Bank, which operates the ATM. The withdrawals were unsuccessful because Sanford didnt have the cards personal identification numbers, or PINs, he said. UW-Madison Police Detective Peter Grimyser then testified that the hooded sweatshirt the man wears in the video appears to be the same sweatshirt Sanford was wearing on April 2 when he was arrested. Also testifying Monday was Matt Schirmacher, a digital forensics detective with UW-Madison police. He said it was not possible to extract GPS location data from Sanfords newer-model iPhone because the third-party software needed to do it hadnt been released yet. As a result, he said, all such data from the night of the murders was automatically purged from the phone after seven days. However, he was able to extract other information from internet and Google Map searches on the phone, which was locked and not in use from about 9:30 p.m. to just before midnight on the night of the murders, he said. The phone, which had no call plan, connected to the free Wi-Fi at a McDonalds on Regent Street at about 9:15 p.m. on the night of the murders and was used to search for Larrues address. A little less than a half-hour later, it automatically connected to Wi-Fi at the Potter-Carre home, where Sanford had gotten the password months before. Among the questions entered into Sanfords phones browser in the days after the murders, Schirmacher testified, were how long does it take to know who died? and how long does it take to die? Data from the phone also showed that its find my phone feature was disabled the day after the murders and that someone had downloaded an app that picks up police scanner traffic at 4:08 a.m. on March 31 and then deleted it 10 minutes later, Schirmacher said. Sanford threatening Berz said after lunch Monday and before the jury and Sanford entered the courtroom that Sanford had been acting out and threatening to the deputies that day, saying he is going to take them on. The deputies will try as much as they can to not go hands-on, she said. However, if they have to go hands-on, they will. She said that even if that happens with the jury in the courtroom, she wouldnt consider it cause for a mistrial because it will have been action Sanford initiated. Sanfords attorneys then went to speak privately with their client before he was brought back into the courtroom, where he appeared calm. Later, with the jury deliberating its verdicts outside of the courtroom and the attorneys discussing questions it had sent out to Berz, Sanford smirked and appeared to point and give the thumbs-up sign to members of the news media. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A fatal crash Tuesday morning closed westbound University Avenue at the West Beltline interchange in Middleton for more than two hours, authorities reported. The crash shortly before 7:10 a.m. also closed the eastbound off-ramp from the Beltline (Highway 12/18) to University Avenue (Highway 14), but the eastbound lanes of the Beltline remained open, the Dane County 911 Center told the State Journal. The rear-end crash involved a four-door sedan and a pickup truck in the westbound lanes of University Avenue at the bottom of the eastbound Beltline off-ramp. One driver was taken by ambulance to a hospital and pronounced dead there, while the the other driver had minor injuries, Middleton Police Department Capt. Jeremy Geiszler said in a statement. The preliminary investigation indicates the driver who died likely experienced a medical emergency prior to the crash, Geiszler said. The crash remains under investigation by the Middleton Police Department and the Dane County Sheriffs Office. No names were released. All lanes were re-opened by 9:30 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Diana Hess, dean of the UW-Madison School of Education, will become interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs on June 1, when Provost John Karl Scholz takes over as the interim chancellor, UW said on Tuesday. Hess, who also is the Karen A. Falk Distinguished Chair of Education, will return to her dean role when new Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin takes over on Aug. 4. Mnookin, law school dean at UCLA, was unanimously approved as UW-Madisons 30th chancellor, succeeding Rebecca Blank, who is leaving at the end of May to become president of Northwestern University. Diana has been a wonderful dean for the School of Education, so I am extremely pleased that she is willing to serve in this vital role for the university during this transition period, Scholz said in a statement. Hess, who was elected to the National Academy of Education in 2019, has served as dean of the School of Education since 2015. Prof. Adam Nelson, senior associate dean for academic programs, will serve as interim dean of the School of Education while Hess serves as interim provost. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Black Monona Grove High School junior filed a civil rights lawsuit against the district and four school staff members Monday alleging that an unreasonable attempted search for drugs was carried out by some of the staff members during a spring trip last month to Louisiana. The student, who was not identified by name and is referred to as M.N. in the lawsuit, is a member of the Monona Grove Black Student Union. Roughly 30 union students and seven chaperones who were school staff members took the trip south, starting on April 5, to tour historically Black colleges and other culturally important sights. The Monona Grove School Districts student body is 4% Black, and a majority of the union is Black, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit alleges that while aboard the bus on the way back to Wisconsin, the student and five of his Black peers had their bags searched after two staff members noticed the scent of marijuana wafting from a McDonalds restaurant in Amite, Louisiana a pit stop for food. No one was seen smoking inside the restaurant. The attempted search violated the students Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and was racially discriminatory in nature, the lawsuit alleges. It also claims a violation of the students Fourteenth Amendment right against unequal protection. The defendants humiliated him in public and in front of his peers for no reason other than that hes a Black male, Rick Resch, one of the attorneys for the student said in an email Monday. Everyone on the field trip smelled a faint smell of marijuana in the McDonalds. The defendants then assumed it mustve been the boys on the trip because they were Black males. There was no other reason to suspect any student of anything. This is especially true of M.N. Most of the passengers on the bus bought food at the McDonalds, the lawsuit states, while a small number stayed aboard the bus. When the student returned to the bus, Monona Grove High School teacher and chaperone Emily Hunn told him and other students to grab their bags and exit, the lawsuit states. Once off the bus, M.N. could see that another one of the boys, who had not yet been back at the bus, had just had his bag searched, the lawsuit states. The boys were confronted by Hunn, along with Monona Grove staff members Molly Rilling, Tanya Greene and Scott Groff, who are all white. Hunn told the boys she smelled marijuana and demanded they confess to possessing it, the lawsuit states. The other staff members told the boys they had to be searched and demanded they empty their pockets. The boys followed the order, according to the lawsuit. Just then, two other Monona Grove employee-chaperones, the advisors of the Black Student Union identified elsewhere in the lawsuit as Turkessa Hayes and Toren Young and the only two Black staff members on the trip, came out of the bus and told Hunn to stop, the lawsuit states. Back on the bus, the students were irate, according to the lawsuit. On the way back to Wisconsin, they demanded answers. The teachers huddled and discussed amongst themselves. Half-hearted apologies were made. Two of the staff members claimed that through a miscommunication they had come to believe that one of the students had smoked marijuana in the McDonalds. Asked by a student whether the group would have been searched if they had been members of the school ski team, rather than the Black Student Union, the answer from Rilling was no, the lawsuit states. The district declined to comment Monday about when it was made aware of the search attempt, and how it responded to the incident specifically, whether any disciplinary action was brought against the staff members. We take allegations of this nature very seriously, but we are unable to comment on pending litigation, said district Superintendent Dan Olson in an emailed statement Monday. The school required the students going on the trip, for which the students fundraised about $20,000, to allow their bags to be searched before loading onto the bus for the trip, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit notes that the schools sports teams are not required to have their bags searched before traveling. The preliminary bag searches yielded nothing of interest, the lawsuit states. During the trip there were no disciplinary incidents, including no incidents involving drug use. The lawsuit seeks unspecified actual and compensatory damages, along with punitive damages and other costs. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. STOCKHOLM (AP) Sweden on Tuesday denied that it was providing any financial assistance or military support to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria claims that Turkey's using to back its opposition to Sweden's and neighboring Finland's historic bids to join NATO. The denial came as delegations from Sweden and Finland were expected in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday to try and overcome Turkey's objections to their NATO bids. Turkey is citing the Nordic countries' perceived support for the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other groups Turkey labels as terrorists, as well as arms exports restrictions imposed against Ankara following its incursion into Syria in 2019. Sweden is a major humanitarian donor to the Syria crisis through global allocations to humanitarian actors," Foreign Minister Ann Linde told the Aftonbladet newspaper. Cooperation in northeastern Syria is carried out primarily through the United Nations and international organizations," she said. "Sweden does not provide targeted support to Syrian Kurds or to the political or military structures in northeastern Syria, but the population in these areas is, of course, taking part in these aid projects. Turkey has listed five concrete assurances it is demanding from Sweden, including what it said was termination of political support for terrorism, an elimination of the source of terrorism financing, and the cessation of arms support to the banned PKK and a Syrian Kurdish militia group affiliated with it. The demands also called for the lifting of arms sanctions against Turkey and global cooperation against terrorism. Listed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union of which Sweden and Finland are members the PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Tens of thousands of people have died in the conflict. Turkey said in a tweet posted by the presidential communications directorate that it has been requesting the extradition of Kurdish militants and other suspects since 2017, but hasn't received a positive response from Stockholm. Among other things, Ankara claimed that Sweden had decided to provide $376 million to support the Kurdish militants in 2023 and that it had provided military equipment to them, including anti-tank weapons and drones. On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkeys southern border. The Swedish and Finnish delegations are scheduled to discuss Turkey's objections with Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal on Wednesday. The Swedish delegation would be headed by state secretary Oscar Stenstrom while Jukka Salovaara, the foreign ministry undersecretary, would lead the Finnish delegation. At the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that we understand that Turkey has some of their own security concerns vis-a-vis terrorism and so forth. We think that we have good answers for those because we are also part of the fight against the terrorism. So, we think that this issue can be settled, Haavisto said. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said at Davos that NATO will do what we always do and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns. He says hes confident the military alliance will be able to solve these issues and to agree and then to welcome Finland and Sweden as full-fledged members of our alliance. All 30 current NATO countries must agree to open the door to new members. Stoltenberg said he spoke to Erdogan, and the president raised the same issues as he had done publicly thats about terrorism, its about concerns about the PKK, and also of course the need for Turkey to acquire the weapons they deem that they need. Part of the solution is also to recognize that despite the fact that there are different views ... among NATO allies on issues related to Turkey, we also have to recognize that Turkey is an important ally. Turkey is the ally that has suffered most terrorist attacks far more than any other NATO allied country, he said. Sweden has welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East in recent decades, including ethnic Kurds from Syria, Iraq and Turkey. After being firmly against NATO membership for decades, public opinion in both countries shifted following Russias Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, with record levels of support for joining the alliance. Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Courtney Bonnell at Davos contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Vietnam attends education forum in UK Education is one of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)s priorities and the Education World Forum (EWF) is a great opportunity for the ASEAN countries to learn about cooperation between the UK and other countries in the region, not only in the field of education but also economy, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long has said. UK Ambassador for International Education Steve Smith (left), Vietnamese Ambassador to UK Nguyen Hoang Long (centre) and Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills) Alex Burghart of UK at the Education World Forum 2022. (Photo: VNA) He made the statement on May 23 while attending the EWF 2022 which is taking place in the UK. The four-day forum, themed Education: Building forward; stronger, bolder, better, is drawing the participation of education ministers from over 100 countries as well as international and non-governmental organisations. The diplomat said Vietnam wishes to cooperate with the UK to fulfill the commitments made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), as well as in the field of skills development. During the forum, participants will discuss how technology, artificial intelligence and experience can be leveraged to strengthen education systems and economies worldwide, and how countries can develop their education system with limited resources. This years theme is a follow-up to the last EWF in 2020, which focused on developing childrens digital literacy. In his opening remarks, British Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi emphasised that it is high time for the countries to work together to tackle the challenges posed by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic difficulties around the world. He said he believes that cooperation between countries is the key to success in solving global challenges, highlighting the need to share experiences to build a better future through education. By building capacity for young people to meet the rapidly changing challenges of the world, countries will become more prosperous, more competitive and more equitable to all citizens, he said. By Trend High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell welcomed the results of the trilateral meeting between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of the EU Council Charles Michel held on May 22 in Brussels, Trend reports referring to Borrells respective Twitter publication. Hopeful to see concrete steps that support dynamics towards sustainable peace. The EU continues to be strongly engaged in peace & reconciliation efforts in the region, Borrell said. TWIN FALLS The fire department was dispatched to a structure fire at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of Madrona Street. Twin Falls Fire Battalion 1 was the first to arrive on the scene, where they saw flames coming from a single-level apartment complex. One occupant was inside the building, but the individual managed to get out. He was later transported to St. Lukes Magic Valley Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries, a post on the citys Facebook feed said. The fire was declared under control at 1 a.m. but the fire caused significant damage to the one apartment. Firefighters extinguished the fire before it spread, the post said. The fire was determined to have started in a couch and was most likely caused by a lit cigarette. The Twin Falls Police Department and Magic Valley Paramedics also assisted in responding to the incident. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When Sen. Mary Souza of Coeur dAlene decided to leave her seat and run for secretary of state, she assumed shed have generous support from North Idaho and especially her longtime friends on Kootenai Countys Republican Central Committee. And why not? Former Lt. Gov. Jack Riggs was the last person from North Idaho to hold a seat in a state constitutional office, and that was 20 years ago. No one from North Idaho has held a seat on the state Land Board. Souza was hoping to change that, and she seemed to have all the credentials that her hometown folks would want. She served eight terms in the Idaho Senate and probably would have been a lock to win a ninth term if she had run. Before that, she made her mark by aggressively challenging the spending practices and decisions by local government entities. She also backed conservative candidates in local elections. There was nothing liberal about what Souza was doing back in those days, and shes hardly viewed as a liberal in the Legislature. Except for the Idaho Freedom Foundation, that is. That organization has given Souza failing marks on its Freedom Index, aimed at defining conservatism. Suddenly, Souza was not Republican enough for Kootenai Countys central committee. That group endorsed Rep. Dorothy Moon of Stanley, who has based her legislative career on getting near-perfect marks on the Idaho Freedom Foundations scorecard. Overnight, when my name was not chosen for endorsement, they went from being my friends and biggest supporters to not speaking to me, Souza said. The Coeur dAlene senator finished a distant third in a race won by Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane. Kootenai County wasnt the only place where Souza received the cold shoulder. Central committees in Bonner, Boundary, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties also backed Moon and other right-wing candidates. She said the Bonneville County central committee invited Souza for a personal interview after endorsing Moon and giving her $5,000. They thought I should go all the way to Idaho Falls to interview with them after they had already chosen their candidate, Souza said. That was not happening. Central Committees shouldnt be the ones endorsing candidates, she said. The voters in a Republican primary are supposed to be the vetting process. Thats why we have a primary. Some of the central committees have been taken over by libertarian/anarchists. Says Souza, The Republican Party is the party of Ronald Reagan, where there are differences. But if we agree about 80 percent of the time, then we can work together. Libertarians say we have to agree 100 percent of the time, and you are a terrible person if you dont. And those who dont agree with the IFF almost down the line are viewed as a RINO (Republican in Name Only). Souza has been called that many times in the last year. As Souza sees it, the Idaho Freedom Foundation has done much to influence people moving to Idaho to escape the liberal policies of other states. Theyre saying that if you dont vote down this line, then Idaho will end up like California, Oregon. In her conversations with voters and constituents, Souza explains the diversity in Idaho. The citizens Legislature is a mix of people representing different cultures, geographic areas and industries. And laws passed affect parts of the state in different ways. The Idaho Freedom Foundation doesnt take any of this into consideration, Souza says. Idaho doesnt work that way. Idahos GOP will suffer if central committees continue to be taken over by libertarians, or the John Birch Society, she says. They operate with intimidation and ridicule. They are mean and really dishonest, and yet they call themselves Christians. They are not Christians, I can tell you that. Although Souza lost her bid for secretary of state, dont expect her to disappear from politics. She wont say whats next in her immediate future, but shes not one to sit on the sidelines. As folks from Coeur dAlene can attest, Souza is a relentless fighter. Knowing her, dont be surprised to see her making life at least a bit uncomfortable for the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Stay tuned. Chuck Malloy is a longtime Idaho journalist and columnist. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Today is Tuesday, May 24, the 144th day of 2022. There are 221 days left in the year. In the Henry Bulletin in 1922: On Sunday afternoon Tyler King, of Martinsville, was instantly killed and Peter F. Shelton of Kohler was desperately injured in an automobile accident between Ridgeway and Price, N.C. Mr. Shelton, who is a manufacturer of cement blocks in Kohler, left home last Saturday afternoon for a pleasure trip to North Carolina and in passing through Martinsville called at the home of his friend, young Mr. Wilson, just below the N&W Station, to go with him. 1947: The City We Want will be the theme of six commencement speakers at the Martinsville High School auditorium on the evening of June 3, when the largest class in the history of the school will be graduated. Instead of selecting a valedictorian and a salutatorian, eleven honor students were named this year. These students selected six of their number to present the theme: Harry Tuggle, Dudley Walker, Mary Booth, Valerie Atkins, Margaret Feldman and Ruth Whittle 1972: Nat V. Daniel, dean of admissions at Patrick Henry Community College, explains to student guides how to take the public on a tour of the campus facilities Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m. The open house also includes the grand opening of the college library. Student guides getting directions here are (from left) Paul Bryant, Steve Isom, Joyce Lawson and Catherine Grant. 1997: Martinsville City Council approved a $728,000 expenditure from the 1996-97 refuse fund for the development of Clearview Business Park at its Tuesday meeting. The $1,878,000, 73-acre development also is being funded by a $450,000 Virginia Department of Transportation grant and a possible $700,000 Economic Development Administration grant. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Seventeen potential new uptown business owners will learn Wednesday which among them will share $75,000 in funding to bring their dreams to reality. They are participants in The GAUNTLET, a program of The Advancement Foundation, whose website calls it Virginias largest business program. The programs stated goal is to develop business knowledge, pair entrepreneurs with mentors and open up numerous resources for new and expanding businesses. Earlier this year, Uptown Partnership (UP), with match funding from the City of Martinsville, received the governors Community Business Launch grant through a competitive process across Virginia. The purpose of the $90,000 grant is to multiply business development training and resources to enable new or existing businesses to accelerate growth and success through The Gauntlet Business Program and Competition, a press release states. The majority of the program participants gave presentations on their businesses plans April 27at TAD Space in uptown Martinsville. The program-completion ceremony and announcement of awards will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Vinton War Memorial in Vinton and can be seen over Facebook at TAFGAUNTLET. The proposals for new businesses which were presented at the April 27 event are: An uptown events venue, by Kirk Cotter, who runs Mountain Valley Artisan Barn and a commercial venue in Axton. They hold craft classes and festivals and host events such as weddings. A shop with brand name fashions at affordable prices by Jason Grodensky and Kristi Hodges of The Mens Room and The Boutique. Both are Martinsville natives who had moved away and returned. Renewable Brewing by Herb Atwell and Peggy Donovan, who run Mountain Valley Brewing in Axton and plan to open a brewery in uptown Martinsville. Unique Styles & Designs Floral Boutique expansion by Shatera Robertson. She had been arranging decorations for friends for 15 years before going to floral school in Greensboro, N.C., to start a shop. Faithfully Yours by Venena Preston. She is a Hampton University graduate and a fashion designer who had a bridal shop and handled celebrity weddings. She worked in railroad also, for 25 years. Children First Pediatrics by Dr. Mary Beth Noonan, a board-certified pediatrician who has been in practice for more than 25 years, with 15 in Martinsville. She said she would like to expand into a larger space and also like to have supportive services all in one building, including mental health and therapy. Rudys Girl Media by Natalie Hodge. Hodge said she moved back to the area in 2016 and formed her company to champion multi-media content development in our community. She and Hasan Davis are working on 30 W. Main St. in uptown Martinsville. The lower level will be RGM Studios. A Made in Martinsville shop to sell locally made products, by Forrest Forschmiedt of Grattan Creek Handcrafted soaps. He has help Customiz3 Designs by Duncan Moore. It started as a hobby that is truly still like magic to me, and that is 3D printing 3D printing is something that you take any concept, any object, and design it, that your imagination can produce, then make it into a reality, Moore said. LTL Trichology by Chantella Hairston. She said she had been a cosmetologist for 29 years, when she has noticed a lot of hair loss, and hair loss is one of the largest epidemics in the world. She studied in Georgia to become a licensed, certified trichologist, a specialist in hair and scalp diseases. Wood Work Wellness by Shane Wood and Paula Plaster Wood. Shane Wood works in a dental laboratory, and his wife is a Nurse Practitioner. They bought and are fixing up a house on Starling Avenue to go into the aesthetics realm which would include skin, weight loss, counseling and anything that you could think of that gives you a better feeling, he said. A child care center for children with special needs, by Registered Nurse Sierra Barrow. A lot of parents have been unemployed or not been able to work because they have to stay home and take care of their child with special needs, Barrow said. She was inspired by a niece with cerebral palsy. She has been a pediatrics care manager for the past six years. Other proposals which are listed as part of the program are: Books & Crannies by DeShanta Hairston. Dependable Home Healthcare by Tanya Jones-Harrison. Backspace Coffee by Josh Blancas. Meches Beauty by Mercedes Moreno. Caring Hands Transportation by Loronia Gravely. Those business plans were scored by three judges: Uptown Partnership Executive Director Kathy Deacon, entrepreneur Derrick Ziglar Jr. of Ziglar Properties LLC and Tyler Carter of Carter B&T. The Advancement Foundation is looking at all the scores the business plans received, and they will apply some other criteria to choose three to five winners who will split $75,000 in grant funding to start their businesses in uptown Martinsville, Deacon said. Program sponsors include Carter Bank and Trust and The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Community partners are Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, Patrick & Henry Community College, Longwood Small Business Development Center and SCORE. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Stuart native and conservationist Rick Hudson was awarded a $50K grant from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium after working in conservation for around 30 years. Hudson grew up in Stuart, and he said hes planning to move back into his childhood home. He said that he knew from a young age that he wanted to work in a zoo and become a naturalist. A Stuart Enterprise article about the backyard zoo he had at age 12 is framed. I just loved snakes from an early age, he said, just that weird kid that loved snakes and turtles. Anytime that somebody found a snake theyd bring it to me. He attended the University of Richmond to earn a degree in biology and after graduation he was having no luck finding a job in the zoo business. He said that he then found out about a veterinary technology program at Blue Ridge Community College. The head of the program there had previously been a zoo vet tech, and going through that program opened some doors for Hudson that allowed him to get an internship at the Baltimore Zoo, he said. In 1980 he was hired by the Fort Worth Zoo. I spent 20 years in the reptile department, Hudson said, and then I moved to the conservation and science department in 2000, and thats were Ive been ever since. He said that the Fort Worth Zoo allowed him to take a path that most people envy. A lot of people have to do conservation in their spare time, and they let me focus on it full time, he added. As a conservationist, Hudson serves in a leadership role in the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) and as the executive director of the International Iguana Foundation. He spends a large amount of his time fundraising and managing boards, but he also has programs in locations as distant as Southeast Asia, South and Central America and Madagascar. Our overriding mission is committed to zero turtle extinctions, Hudson said. And its something we really live by and believe and are passionate about. He added that some species are just not able to be saved and protected in the wild and have to be taken care of in captivity. Hudson said that his next international trip will be to Madagascar to interview candidates for a new deputy director position in the TSA. Madagascar is my baby. I cant retire until I get that program on steady financial footing and improve our leadership over there, Hudson said. Hudsons first visit to Madagascar in 1991 was the trip of a lifetime, he said. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot. Every time you turn around theres something new and fantastic. I just really connected with the place and realized how much trouble it was in, he said. He didnt return for several years, and when he went back in 2010 realized how bad the poaching crisis had gotten, especially with the radiated tortoise. TSA really stands between survival and extinction of that species in the wild, Hudson said. He said that the TSA is currently taking care of 26,000 confiscated tortoises in two major centers. The biggest expenses come from food, staff, security and constantly expanding the facilities to accommodate the tortoises. Most of these programs weve started 10, 12 years ago, theyre really starting to gain their own local funding, Hudson said. Weve supported them, got them off the ground but now theyre starting to attract their own funding. Hudson said that though the programs he is involved in are starting to attract their own funding, there is still a lot of fundraising involved, and a main part of his role is organizing that. Concerning the conservation of iguanas, Hudson said that the primary concern is invasive species, which can be the infestation of green iguanas that takes up needed resources of more sparse species but also in the form of mongoose and other predators that eat their babies, and another danger is development of property that destroys mangroves where the iguanas live. His favorite tortoise is an Asian mountain tortoise called the Burmese Mountain Tortoise. This tortoise is the fourth largest tortoise in the world and they are unique in that they build nests for their young and supervise their nests for a short time after they lay their eggs. Hudson said that because of their size, this tortoise is heavily hunted and endangered. The TSA has breeding programs for the species in Myanmar, India and Bangladesh; Bangladesh did so well that they released their 10 tortoises back into the wild last year with radio transmitters to keep track of them. The award The award from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a biennial Commitment to Conservation award that the zoo gives to one of its partners. Hudson is the fifth recipient of this award, and the formal acceptance and presentation of the award took place at the Zoos 2022 conservation fundraising event, Wine for Wildlife, on May 14. The Columbus zoo is a big, big supporter of conservation, said Hudson. They supported my program since 1999 or 2000 starting with the Jamaican Iguana. He said that, over the years, the Columbus Zoo has given him over a quarter of a million dollars for him to put toward his conservation efforts. They are a major player in conservation, and theyve just been with me a long time, Hudson said. I was really moved and honored to receive an award from an organization thats stepped up that big for conservation. Hudson said that the award money from the grant with be split, with 20 percent going toward iguanas through the Iguana Foundation and 80 percent going towards turtles through the TSA. Monique Holland is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at monique.holland@martinsvillebulletin.com or at 276-734-9603. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ASHEVILLE, N.C. A Nebo man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in a child pornography case, federal authorities announced Monday afternoon. He had previously convicted of similar charges in Tennessee. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn sentenced Blake Forest Watson, 65, of Nebo, to 180 months in prison on child pornography charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Judge Cogburn ordered Watson to serve a lifetime under court supervision upon completion of the prison term and to register as a sex offender. According to filed court documents and Monday's sentencing hearing, Watson was previously convicted of child pornography in the Western District of Tennessee and was sentenced to 96 months in prison and five years of supervised release. A condition of Watsons supervised release involved warrantless searches. On July 22, 2021, federal probation officers conducted a warrantless search at Watsons residence. Court records show that law enforcement located in the residence an unapproved wireless tablet, the background of which was an image of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor female. Law enforcement also retrieved a laptop from the residence. A forensic analysis of the electronic devices revealed that Watson had been using them to receive images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted minors engaging in sadistic and masochistic conduct. In total, Watson possessed in excess of 3,000 images depicting child pornography. On January 31, 2022, Watson pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making Mondays announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI and the U.S. Probation Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis I. Solheim of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina has hailed Moroccos commitment to renewable energies as remarkable and said that the bank wants to duplicate the kingdoms experience in the Sahel countries. Morocco has made remarkable progress in the field of renewable energy, Adesina noted at a press briefing on the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings, held in Accra, under the theme Fostering Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa and cited the Noor Ouarzazate complex as one of the largest solar parks in the world that was co-financed by the AfDB. He stressed that the AfDB wants to repeat the feat of this complex with the project Desert to Power which aims to provide energy to 250 million people in the countries that make up the Sahelian band using the energy sources available in abundance in the region. With a necessary investment of $20 billion to finance power plants that produce electricity from clean sources, the goal of this project is to produce 10 GW. The AfDB chief also outlined the Banks plans to address the looming food crisis threatening Africa as a result of the Ukraine-Russia war. Im optimistic. Africa will not experience a food crisis. We have the means to overcome this challenge! Adesina said. Africa needs only to produce its own food. It should not have to be begging for food. There is no dignity in begging for food, he added. The President explained all the efforts made and results achieved in terms of resilient agriculture in East Africa, thanks to the Bank, especially in Sudan and Ethiopia, which have been able to avoid importing wheat thanks to record production of 650,000 tons. He highlighted the importance of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program for African producers resilience. He recalled the Bank Groups Board of Directors had on Friday approved the $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, developed by the institution to address the food crisis looming over Africa due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The facility will provide agricultural seeds to 20 million African producers. The varieties include wheat, maize, rice and soybeans. The objective is to produce an additional 38 million tons of food and to generate $12 billion in value over the next two years. He also touched on climate change, the other challenge facing the continent, whose effects are devastating. Africa is suffering annual losses from the effects of climate change in the range of $7 billion to $15 billion and this figure will stand at $50 billion by 2040. It will, therefore, take $1.6 trillion between 2020 and 2030 to combat the effects of climate change in Africa. However, the continent does not receive enough funding to cover its needs. African receives only 3% of global climate funding, he deplored. He also vowed that the bank will no longer finance coal, as part of its policies in the fight against climate change. the AfDB meetings are held in Accra from 23 to 27 May. Nine people working in Ethiopias northern Amhara region have been arrested by local authorities, their employers Nisir International Broadcasting Corporation and Ashara said. The media organizations, which cover Ethiopian news via YouTube channels, said the arrests were made following raids on their studios in Amhara. Nisir said in a statement that four of its employees, journalists and administrative staff, were arrested and their equipment confiscated on Thursday and Friday in the town of Bahir Dar by local police and security forces. Two of them are reportedly in a prison in the regional capital, and the other two about 185 kilometers away, the organization said. We call on the government to immediately release our journalists and return our equipment, Nisir wrote. The other media outlet, Ashara, said five of its members were arrested Thursday in a raid on its Amhara offices and were being held in a detention center outside Bahir Dar. We have received no warning, or prior information, that this mass arrest of our staff was about to happen, Ashara observed in a statement. Reporter without Borders has deplored the new arrests, saying that the trend of rising arrests of journalists is worrying professional organizations, such as the Ethiopian Association of Mass Media Professionals, which has called on the government to end the imprisonment of journalists. Somalia is officially presided since Monday by a new Head of State. Mohamed Farmajo handed over power to Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, elected on May 15, 2022, in a brief, solemn and peaceful ceremony. The protocol at Villa Somalia did everything right for this highly anticipated handover of power: red carpets, the presidential band in red uniform, the red berets of the guard, and blue flags, the color of the national flag, even on the soldiers bulletproof vests. Side by side, each in front of a blue lectern, President-elect Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and his predecessor both made brief speeches. The new head of state was friendly, saying that the outgoing president had given him many files which he had gone through quickly. He added that he would look at them slowly and call on his brother Farmajo if necessary. As for Farmajo, he took advantage of his departure to make a major announcement: after months of denial, he confirmed that Somalia had indeed sent 5,000 soldiers to train in Eritrea and then to fight in Tigray, Ethiopia. And that these soldiers would be repatriated soon. A repatriation that he said was impossible before the transfer of power, so as not to disrupt, according to him, the electoral process. Nigers President Mohamed Bazoum on Monday hailed military cooperation with Germany as a model to be followed by his countrys other partners, following a meeting in Niamey with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. For its Gazelle mission to train Nigerien special forces in western Niger, Germany has made great investments in infrastructure, the construction of airfields, buildings, and provides high quality training that is appreciated in a unique way by our army, said Bazoum at a joint press conference with Scholz. I would like to congratulate you for the work we have done together and which will now be a model to which we will point all our other partners, he added. The Nigerien Head of State hoped that the Gazelle mission, which ends in 2022, would be extended. Olaf Scholz said that the German Parliament has already given its green light to an extension. We need to see what the future prospects are and what the details of (the continuation) of this cooperation are, he added, adding that the success achieved so far is already a good motivation to continue. The German Chancellor visited the German soldiers of Gazelle in the region of Tahoua (west) on Monday morning and said he could see how successful it really is. He said that the security situation in the Sahel is very difficult, and that we really need good cooperation to ensure security in the region. He recalled that his country was ready to continue to provide its contribution to the United Nations Mission in Mali (UNMISMA). By Azernews By Orkhan Amashov Not as ground-breaking as the 6 April summit, the third trilateral meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan through the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel, was undeniably a success. It exceeded the bare minimum by addressing some specifics on connectivity and other areas, and strengthened the weakened momentum of the peace negotiations. As anticipated by many, including the author of the present submission, no final document was adopted, which is relatively unimportant within the grand scheme. Instead, we have Charles Michel's clearly compartmentalised post-meeting statement which clearly delineated the subjects discussed within five hours, lightening the task on the shoulders of a discerning observer encumbered with the task to reflect. None of the points in Armenia's six-point package that were inadmissible to Azerbaijan made it to the post-meeting statement of the EU President, whereas Baku's five-point plan was fully reflected therein. This moment alone was sufficient to ascertain as to which side is primed to pull the strings. The Brussels format, as with the Kremlin-mediated variant, views post-conflict normalisation within an interstate format, which suits Bakus interests, treating the fate of Karabakh Armenians as secondary to the main agenda. Michels statement referred to the rights and security of the Armenian population of Karabakh without any allusion to any aspects that would have perturbed Azerbaijan. On the whole, two sets of subjects loomed large in the post-meeting statement. These were border issues and connectivity. On 6 April, the sides agreed that, by the end of the month, the border commissions should convene, yet no meeting had taken place prior to the 22 May convocation. In some ways, the EU has brought matters back to square one, somewhat resetting the joint work on border delimitation and demarcation. The results were immediately implemented after the meeting, as both sides confirmed that the border commissions have been established and will meet in the very near future. In fact, some sources suggest the first meeting on the state border could take place as early as 24 May. Although it is abundantly clear the commissions are tasked with working on delimitation and demarcation issues, Yerevan has been inclined to envision them as watchdogs reporting on border security. This now seems to have changed. Connectivity, a subject in relation to which the EU sets great store, has been given a core share. The novelty here is that the sides have agreed on the principles governing border administration, security, land fees and customs in the context of international transport. Although it is currently unclear as to what those agreements are, the principle concurrence, at this stage, seems to be sufficient to amount to tangible progress. Michels statement does not mention the Zangazur Corridor as a term, but refers, inter alia, to the transit between Western Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan and between different parts of Armenia via Azerbaijan. The unblocking of communications is integral to Europes vision of the future of the South Caucasus, as the more interconnected the region, the profounder the EUs influential ability will become. The Economic Advisory Group, referred to in the statement, is a complimentary element aimed at envisioning economic development and sustainable growth, and fits nicely with the whole connectivity project. One aspect which is undoubtedly the case is that the EU has reinforced its chief mediation role to the extent of measurably outweighing the Moscow format. The crisis in Ukraine and the Kremlin's preoccupation with its western neighbour have allowed Brussels to wield an influence that, at this juncture, seems more consequential on the way to a prospective peace treaty. Having said that, the Kremlin-mediated platform has not entered into the soft iridescence of disembodiment yet, in fact, it would be very naive and ill-thought to relegate Moscow to second grade. Even whilst enmeshed in the war in Ukraine, Russia has sufficient resources to divert its attention to the South Caucasus with regular consistency. At the end, without falling into the unforgivable trap of beating around the bush, the overall conclusion seems to be that the result is neither excessively brilliant, nor ground-breaking, but sufficiently satisfactory and above the minimum expectation, and is thus deserving of a reserved approbation. Circumstances may be said to be moving in the right direction, but Azerbaijan is rowing a boat against a stream engendered by Armenia's obduracy. Rwanda said several civilians were injured by rocket fire from Congolese soldiers on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and called for an urgent investigation into the incident. The rockets landed in the Musanze district, bordering DR Congo, injuring several civilians and damaging homes, the Rwandan army said in a statement. The shooting occurred Monday morning and lasted 21 minutes, according to the army, which did not provide further details. The situation in the area is normal and security is assured, said a Rwandan army spokesman, Col. Ronald Rwivanga. Kigali said it had asked the expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM), a regional body that monitors and investigates security incidents in the volatile Great Lakes region, to conduct an immediate investigation. Rwandan authorities have also contacted their Congolese counterparts regarding this incident, said Colonel Rwivanga. The Congolese army had no immediate reaction to the Rwandan accusations. The two neighboring countries have had tense relations since the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Illustration of bacteria in the human gut. Credit: Darryl Leja, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health An international team led by a University of Toronto researcher has found that an antibody detectable in blood predicts severe Crohn's disease and is detectable up to seven years prior to disease diagnosis. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestine, for which simple and effective biomarkers prior to diagnosis are lacking. A blood test could provide a quick, cost-effective and non-invasive way to assess risk for complicated Crohn's, which may enable preventive strategies before subclinical inflammation leads to chronic symptoms. "Our team identified a serological biomarker for Crohn's disease that also participates in its pathogenesis and occurs years before the disease shows its full clinical spectrum," said Arthur Mortha, an assistant professor of immunology in U of T's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, who coordinated the study with Professors Jean-Frederic Colombel and Sacha Gnjatic at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and an international team of researchers from France and Portugal. "The current arsenal of therapeutics that causes relieving remission in Crohn's patients is good but suffers limitations. A biomarker or predictive indicators to guide interventions are a clinical need," said Mortha, who holds the Tier 2 Canadian Research Chair in Mucosal Immunology. "In addition, our characterization of this biomarker suggests it is a suitable therapeutic target for intervention and maybe even prevention." The journal Gastroenterology published the findings today. The biomarker for complicated Crohn's disease is an antibody produced by antibody-secreting cells in the gut. These antibodies prevent communication among intestinal immune cells by binding and blocking the function of a protein called a cytokine. This cytokine Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factorsustains immune balance in the intestine by promoting protective and anti-microbial immunity. Mortha and his colleagues showed that in a large subset of Crohn's patients, these antibodies neutralized the protective effects of the cytokine and disrupted intestinal homeostasis. Those changes were detectable in the blood of patients years before diagnosis and led to a weakening of the immune system that over time resulted in damage to the lower part of the small intestinea condition known as complicated ileal Crohn's disease. The researchers used blood samples from the U.S. Department of Defense Serum Repository to identify and characterize the biomarker. They studied samples collected annually over a decade from 220 military personnel who developed Crohn's and compared them to patients with ulcerative colitis and hundreds of healthy controls. The biomarker strongly predicted risk for complicated ileal Crohn's, although not all patients with the antibody showed the exact same form and severity of the disease, which Mortha said highlights the multi-factorial nature of the condition. The biomarker was present in about a quarter of patients who developed Crohn's. Importantly, the team also found they could preserve the protective effects of the cytokine by manipulating its biochemical features. Engineered versions of the cytokine with improved biochemical features can be made practically invisible to the antibodies, Mortha said. "Our system allows us to see how the antibodies in each patient specifically neutralize the cytokine. We are now engineering cytokines that can escape neutralization by these antibodies within individual patients," Mortha said. This approach could enable highly personalized therapies that reverse the paralyzing effects of the antibodies and restore immune balance in the intestine, Mortha said. Crohn's disease affects about 0.3 percent of the world's population, and its incidence is increasing. In Canada, which has one of the highest rates of Crohn's, more than 135,000 people live with the condition, which can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss and anemia, among other symptoms. "Maintaining a strong gut immune system is essential to control the commensal microbes living in our intestine," said Mortha, who completed doctoral studies in Germany and postdoctoral training in New York before setting up his lab at U of T in 2016. "It's mind-blowing that our mucosal immune system is capable of sustaining a defense against the enormous numbers of microbes in the gut, and that we're not in complete agony," Mortha said. "The past decade has taught us a lot about the modes of communication used by our gut immune cells to establish a healthy balance at this interface. It is now time to bring what we have learned to use." More information: Arthur Mortha et al, Neutralizing anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies recognize posttranslational glycosylations on GM-CSF years prior to diagnosis and predict complicated Crohn's Disease., Gastroenterology (2022). Journal information: Gastroenterology Arthur Mortha et al, Neutralizing anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies recognize posttranslational glycosylations on GM-CSF years prior to diagnosis and predict complicated Crohn's Disease.,(2022). DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.05.029 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers in Ontario, Canada, conducted a study to assess the impact of utilizing an electronic consultation (eConsult) service to provide timely access to COVID-19 specialist advice for primary care practitioners. Published in The Annals of Family Medicine, the study examined eConsult cases submitted to a COVID-19 specialist group to assess usage patterns, impact on response times and referrals, and the content of clinical questions being asked. They analyzed 289 eConsults submitted to the Champlain BASE() and Ontario eConsult services between March and September 2020. Fifty-one eConsult requests were submitted to the Champlain BASE() and 238 to the Ontario eConsult service. The median specialist response time was 0.6 days (range: three minutes to 15 days) and the average time spent by specialists per eConsult was 16 minutes (range: five to 59 minutes). In 24% of cases, eConsults resulted in an avoided face-to-face referral, saving patients and the health care system time and money. Five major themes were identified relating to clinical questions: (1) precautions for high-risk populations; (2) guidance on self-isolation and return to work; (3) diagnostic clarification and/or need for COVID-19 testing; (4) guidance on personal protective equipment; and (5) management of chronic symptoms. Researchers assert that their study demonstrates the significant potential of eConsults during a pandemic as the protocol was quickly implemented across Ontario and resulted in rapid and improved access to specialist care. Explore further Electronic consultation system improves access to specialty care More information: Jatinderpreet Singh et al, Evaluation of an Electronic Consultation Service for COVID-19 Care, The Annals of Family Medicine (2022). Journal information: Annals of Family Medicine Jatinderpreet Singh et al, Evaluation of an Electronic Consultation Service for COVID-19 Care,(2022). DOI: 10.1370/afm.2807 China's first SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine AWcorna, developed by Abogen Biosciences, Walvax Biotechnology, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences' Institute of Biotechnology, is displayed at the National 13th Five-Year Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievement Exhibition in Beijing, China on Oct. 27, 2021. More than two years into the pandemic, China has not approved the more effective mRNA vaccines, instead choosing to pursue its own route on COVID-19 vaccines. Credit: Chinatopix via AP China is trying to navigate its biggest coronavirus outbreak without a tool it could have adopted many months ago, the kind of vaccines that have proven to offer the best protection against the worst outcomes from COVID-19. As early as the spring of 2020 a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Fosun Pharma, reached an agreement to distributeand eventually manufacturethe mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. It still has not been cleared in mainland China, despite being authorized for use by separate authorities in Hong Kong and Macao. Now health experts say that delaya result of putting politics and national pride above public healthcould lead to avoidable coronavirus deaths and deeper economic losses because whole cities would be locked down to insulate the country's unprotected population. "The biggest issue is about the delay of the reopening," said Xi Chen, a health economist at Yale University's School of Public Health. "The consequences will be huge, the supply chain disruption, the disruption to all kinds of service sectors." Studies have consistently shown that vaccination with mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna offer the best protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Chinese vaccines made with older technology proved fairly effective against the original strain of the virus, but much less so against more recent variants. China's first SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine AWcorna, developed by Abogen Biosciences, Walvax Biotechnology, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences' Institute of Biotechnology, is displayed at the National 13th Five-Year Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievement Exhibition in Beijing, China on Oct. 27, 2021. More than two years into the pandemic, China has not approved the more effective mRNA vaccines, instead choosing to pursue its own route on COVID-19 vaccines. Credit: Chinatopix via AP As this evidence became clearer, even countries that initially used Chinese vaccines and some other less effective Western-made vaccines have turned to mRNA vaccines for booster shots and new vaccinations. Not China. Regulators have not publicly said why they have not actedthe mRNA vaccines are authorized in much of the world and have proven safe and effective in hundreds of millions of people. But a Chinese health official and another person directly involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press that authorities have held back because they want to master the technology in China and not depend on foreign suppliers. Both spoke on condition of anonymity, given the sensitive nature of the issue. For more than a year, the approach seemed defensible. The country was able to keep the virus at bay better than any other large nation with its strict "zero COVID" approach that isolates infected people and locks down communities when infections pop up. But now, the highly transmissible omicron variant is testing that strategy, requiring ever wider and longer lockdowns that are taking a greater economic and human toll. While other countries are able to operate close to normal because their people are protected by vaccination or previous infection, China is left with only its lockdown strategy to avoid huge numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. China may be changing its mind. The Communist Party-owned Global Times newspaper reported last month that Fosun Pharma is still working with health authorities on its approval and Shanghai authorities recently issued new policies that could allow the import of COVID-19 vaccines. Fosun, based in Shanghai, did not respond to questions about the announcement. Visitors look at giant replica bottles of COVID-19 vaccine including one produced via mRNA technology by Sinopharm subsidiary CNBG at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, China on Sept. 5, 2021. More than two years into the pandemic, China has not approved the more effective mRNA vaccines, instead choosing to pursue its own route on COVID-19 vaccines. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan China's National Health Commission directed questions to the country's drug regulator, the National Medical Products Administration. That agency did not respond to a faxed request for comment. In the meantime, hopes for a Chinese-developed mRNA vaccine center on Abogen Biosciences, a startup founded in 2019 by Bo Ying, an American-trained scientist who once worked for Moderna. The company has partnered with more established companies in the country such as Walvax, a private company founded in 2001, and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, the military's medical research facility. Abogen has raised more than $1.7 billion since 2020. The company's vaccine candidate succeeded in eliciting an immune response in a small, preliminary test in humans designed to evaluate safety, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Microbe. The results were "promising," said Dr. Vineeta Bal, who studies immune systems at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune, India, although she said that a direct comparison of the immune response the shot triggered with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would have helped scientists better evaluate its performance. Visitors look at giant replica bottles of COVID-19 vaccine including ones produced via mRNA technology by Sinopharm subsidiary CNBG at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, China on Sept. 5, 2021. More than two years into the pandemic, China has not approved the more effective mRNA vaccines, instead choosing to pursue its own route on COVID-19 vaccines. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan But large studies that are needed to show whether the shot works to prevent infections or symptoms have not been completed. Abogen did not respond to requests for an interview. Even if the studies can be completed and the vaccine proves effective, manufacturing the millions of doses required will be a challenge, experts say. Abogen built a manufacturing facility in December 2020 with a projected capacity of up to 120 million doses a year. Manufacturing that vaccine and ensuring quality at scale will be a difficult hurdle to clear because mRNA is still a new technology, said Scott Wheelwright, chief operating officer at BioInno Bioscience, a Chinese biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer who has held conversations with Abogen. In the meantime, Chen, the Yale health policy expert, said the Chinese government should better protect its elderly population by both approving the Pfizer vaccine and encouraging booster shots. Using a Chinese phrase that means "giving up completely," Chen said the change from "zero COVID" does not have to be all or nothing. "It doesn't have to be tang ping or sticking to zero COVID," Chen said. "I don't think there are only two solutions, and we can stick to a middle ground." Explore further WHO clears China's CanSino COVID vaccine for emergency use 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A widely used and inexpensive type 2 diabetes drug, once hoped to hold enormous promise in treating breast cancer, does not prevent or stop the spread of the most common forms of the disease, according to new findings. The landmark trial, led by Dr. Pamela Goodwin at Sinai Health and run by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) under the umbrella of the Breast International Group (BIG) network, is the largest of its kind to date, tracking more than 3,600 breast cancer patients from across Canada, the U.S., Switzerland and the U.K. The randomized, double-blind trial enrolled patients who were treated with two pills a day of either placebo or the diabetes drug metformin. Overall, researchers found the addition of metformin to standard breast cancer treatments did not improve outcomes in the two most common types of breast cancer, hormone receptor-positive or negative. The findings were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "The results tell us that metformin is not effective against the most common types of breast cancer and any off-label use for this drug for the treatment of these common types of breast cancer should be stopped," said Dr. Goodwin, a medical oncologist at Sinai Health and a clinician scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto. While metformin was found not to be effective in treating the most common forms of breast cancer, Dr. Goodwin said the trial found a potentially important result for individuals with a less common but aggressive form of the disease, called HER2-positive breast cancer. For this subtype of breast cancer, researchers found there was evidence that use of metformin for five years might lead to a reduction in deaths. HER2-positive cancer makes up about 20 percent of all breast cancers. "Metformin is not beneficial for use in most common breast cancers, but in the cases of HER2-positive breast cancer, our findings suggest it may be beneficial," Dr. Goodwin said. "These results need to be replicated in future research before metformin is used as a breast cancer treatment, however, it could provide an additional treatment option for HER2-positive breast cancer." Metformin belongs to a class of drugs called biguanides, which are used to treat high blood sugar or diabetes. Previous observational and pre-clinical studies suggested metformin may also reduce the risk of development and increase survival of some cancers, including breast cancer. It was theorized the drug may slow breast cancer growth by improving patient metabolism, notably insulin levels, leading to reduced growth of cancer cells, or that it might impact cancer cells directly. The results have been submitted for publication. A potential next step will be to prospectively test the impact of metformin in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer in a randomized clinical trial. The multinational trial was run by CCTG, with support from multiple granting agencies, alongside a large team of scientists, including Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Vuk Stambolic at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, and Drs. Wendy Parulekar and Bingshu Chen at CCTG. "The CCTG MA.32 trial illustrates the importance of international academic group collaboration to test new treatment approaches with a goal to advance clinical care," said CCTG Senior Investigator Dr. Wendy Parulekar. "The results of all Phase III trials inform current treatment standards and generate hypotheses to be tested in future studies. CCTG is grateful to the all the patients and families, health care teams, granting agencies and collaborators who enabled the successful conduct of the trial." More information: Pamela Goodwin et al, Effect of Metformin vs Placebo on Invasive DiseaseFree Survival in Patients With Breast Cancer, JAMA (2022). Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association Pamela Goodwin et al, Effect of Metformin vs Placebo on Invasive DiseaseFree Survival in Patients With Breast Cancer,(2022). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.6147 Proportions of patients with COVID-19 whose lungs were mechanically ventilated and who had right ventricular dysfunction. Credit: Anaesthesia (2022). DOI: 10.1111/anae.15745 A study led by experts from NHS Golden Jubilee and the University of Glasgow into the effects of COVID-19 on Scottish patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) has confirmed evidence that the virus is associated with impaired function of the right side of the heart. Specialists at NHS Golden Jubilee's University National Hospital say that these findings could play a vital role in not only saving the lives of COVID-19 patients, but for the care of potentially fatal heart and lung issues generally, as well as helping prepare for any possible future pandemic. The first of its kind, the COVID-RV study aimed to help improve future care and outcomes for those most at risk from COVID-19, by gaining a better understanding of the impact the virus has on the sickest patients who require invasive ventilation. The study was a massive collaboration across NHSScotland, and was carried out in 10 ICUs across the country, examining 121 critically ill patients who were receiving treatment on ventilators due to the impact of Coronavirus on their system. The findings revealed that approximately 1 in 3 of the patients in the study showed evidence of abnormalities in the right side of the heartthe area that pumps blood to the lungs. Lead Author of the study Dr. Philip McCall, Honorary clinical senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Intensive Care at NHS Golden Jubilee, said: "A combination of factors create the perfect storm for COVID-19 to damage the right side of your heart, which ultimately can cause death. "If you're pumping blood to the lungs and the lungs become very sick, you have an additional problem because the lungs are not willing to receive blood. "This is a very difficult condition to spot, unless you are specifically looking for it. That is why the results of this study are so important. We now know that COVID-19 is a problem associated with not just ventilation, but can affect the heart." Chief Investigator of the study Dr. Ben Shelley, Consultant in Anesthesia and Intensive Care at NHS Golden Jubilee, said: "The study has revealed that there is no doubt COVID-19 affects the heart and has a major impact on outcomes for the patient. "However, now that we know this actually happens, and have a better understanding of how it affects people, we can plan for the future and put in place new care plans and treatments to help combat this. "For example, ultrasound scans can be used differently to focus in on early warning signs and areas we now know to be at risk. "If we are able to see these warning signs early enough, clinicians can explore the causes of any complications and start new treatments as soon as possible, potentially improving outcomes for the sickest patients with COVID-19. "This kind of knowledge is invaluable, not only in combatting any future waves of COVID-19, but in planning for future pandemics to allow people to be treated more effectively. These findings also have several fascinating areas which could be expanded on to help care for other lung conditions in general." Nearly half of ventilated patients in the study (47%) died because of COVID-19, a figure that is comparable to national and international death rates. Experts leading the COVID-RV study from NHS Golden Jubilee said that the overall condition of a person's heart can have a significant impact on how seriously you will be affected by the potentially deadly virus. The Golden Jubilee University National Hospital, based in Clydebank, has a proven track record in carrying out major studies into heart and lung conditions. As a world leader in heart and lung specialties and home to Scotland's regional and national heart and lung services, the expertise in managing critically unwell patients with cardiac and respiratory conditions, along with input from specialist imaging cardiologists, meant that NHS Golden Jubilee was ideally suited to deliver this study. The COVID-RV study was carried out in a significantly accelerated timeframe. Traditionally, such studies would take at least 1 year just to plan, however, due to the pandemic and the importance of these findings, the research was successfully completed in 6 months and 3 weeks (September 2020 to March 2021, during the height of the pandemic). Dr. McCall and Dr. Shelley praised the Scottish critical care community for going "above and beyond" to carry out the study during extreme conditions. Dr. McCall added: "The whole research and critical care community worked quickly together to deliver this important study in response to the pandemic. "This was the most difficult population to study during the pandemic as, due to patients' severe conditions, families had to consent to them taking part in the study and conditions within the ICUs were extremely challenging dealing with very sick COVID-19 patients. "The effort people went to take this challenge on in, what was already a very difficult situation, was simply amazing. They took it on because they believed in it, because it was important, and to get the support we did was just above and beyond by everyone involved." The study appears in Anaesthesia. Explore further Heart inflammation found in one in eight patients after hospitalization with COVID-19 More information: P. J. McCall et al, Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with COVID 19 pneumonitis whose lungs are mechanically ventilated: a multicentre prospective cohort study, Anaesthesia (2022). Journal information: Anaesthesia P. J. McCall et al, Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with COVID 19 pneumonitis whose lungs are mechanically ventilated: a multicentre prospective cohort study,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/anae.15745 Trends in the percentage of children at, or above, the 95th percentile. Panels show yearly trends by sex, ethnicity, area deprivation and urban-rural classification. Credit: International Journal of Obesity (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41366-022-01095-2 Obesity among New Zealand four-year-old children is continuing to decline, but one in three children are still considered overweight, a new University of Otago study shows. This is the second study analyzing electronic data from the Ministry of Health's B4 School Checka free health and development check offered to four-year-olds in New Zealand. The first analysis of data collected from 2010 to 2016 and published in 2018, revealed a downward trend in the prevalence of obesity in four-year-olds across all socio-economic and ethnic groups. The latest study, undertaken by researchers from A Better Start National Science, at the University of Otago, and published in the International Journal of Obesity, saw a continuation of that trend from 2017 to 2019. Some 438,972 consenting records have been included in both studiesabout 55,000 children for each year of analysis. Researcher Dr. Lisa Daniels says in the recent study, the percentage of children at or above the 85th, 95th and 97th percentile reduced by 5%, 3.5%, and 1% respectively between 2011 and 2019. "What is really reassuring to see from this work is that the declines in high BMI (body mass index) over time are occurring overall and across sociodemographic indicatorssex, ethnicity, deprivation and urban/rural classificationsuggesting a narrowing of inequities," she says. "Importantly, we observed a narrowing in socioeconomic disparities, showing more pronounced decreases in prevalence above each of the BMI thresholds for children residing in the most deprived areas compared with those living in the least deprived areas." While the results are encouraging, the BMI of about 30% of four-year-olds would still be considered overweight or obese. "There is a lack of national data prior to and beyond the age of 4 years. Future work should focus on what is happening in early preschool years as this time point has been reported to be one of the critical life periods for the development of obesity and a target for early intervention and prevention." Reasons for the overall decline is uncertain, Dr. Daniels says. "Others have suggested that contributions towards declines in overweight and obesity in preschool children could include efforts to focus on public health interventions and initiatives, increased parental education, decreasing unemployment rates, decreased maternal smoking during pregnancy, increased breastfeeding problems and an increasing proportion of mothers born overseas where lower population BMIs are present." Another possible factor is New Zealand's approach to affordable access to early childhood educationall three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 20 free hourswhere physical activity and nutrition are important components of the curriculum. Explore further Overweight and obesity more common among some groups of Australian children and adolescents More information: Lisa Daniels et al, Further reductions in the prevalence of obesity in 4-year-old New Zealand children from 2017 to 2019, International Journal of Obesity (2022). Journal information: International Journal of Obesity Lisa Daniels et al, Further reductions in the prevalence of obesity in 4-year-old New Zealand children from 2017 to 2019,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41366-022-01095-2 This image shows the effects of aging effects on the brain, further exacerbated in type 2 diabetes. Credit: Lilianne Mujica-Parodi (CC BY 4.0) Scientists have demonstrated that normal brain aging is accelerated by approximately 26% in people with progressive type 2 diabetes compared to individuals without the disease, reports a study published today in eLife. The authors evaluated the relationship between typical brain aging and that seen in type 2 diabetes, and observed that type 2 diabetes follows a similar pattern of neurodegeneration as aging, but one that progresses faster. One important implication of this finding is that even typical brain aging may reflect changes in the brain's regulation of glucose by insulin. The results further suggest that by the time type 2 diabetes is formally diagnosed, there may already be significant structural damage to the brain. Sensitive ways to detect diabetes-associated changes to the brain are therefore urgently needed. There is already strong evidence linking type 2 diabetes with cognitive decline, yet few patients currently undergo a comprehensive cognitive assessment as part of their clinical care. It can be difficult to distinguish between normal brain aging that begins in middle age, and brain aging caused or accelerated by diabetes. To date, no studies have directly compared neurological changes in healthy people over the course of their lifespan with changes to those experienced by people of the same age with diabetes. "Routine clinical assessments for diagnosing diabetes typically focus on blood glucose, insulin levels and body mass percentage," says first author Botond Antal, a Ph.D. student at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, New York, US. "However, the neurological effects of type 2 diabetes may reveal themselves many years before they can be detected by standard measures, so by the time type 2 diabetes is diagnosed by conventional tests, patients may have already sustained irreversible brain damage." To define the impact of diabetes on the brain over and above normal aging, the team made use of the largest available brain structure and function dataset across human lifespan: UK Biobank data from 20,000 people aged 50 to 80 years old. This dataset includes brain scans and brain function measurements and holds data for both healthy individuals and those with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. The team used this to determine which brain and cognitive changes are specific to diabetes, rather than just aging, and then confirmed these results by comparing them with a meta-analysis of nearly 100 other studies. Their analysis showed that both aging and type 2 diabetes cause changes in executive functions such as working memory, learning and flexible thinking, and changes in brain processing speed. However, people with diabetes had a further 13.1% decrease in executive function beyond age-related effects, and their processing speed decreased by a further 6.7% compared to people of the same age without diabetes. Their meta-analysis of other studies also confirmed this finding: People with type 2 diabetes had consistently and markedly lower cognitive performance compared to healthy individuals who were the same age and similarly educated. The team also compared brain structure and activity between people with and without diabetes using MRI scans. Here, they found a decrease in gray brain matter with age, mostly in a region called the ventral striatumwhich is critical to the brain's executive functions. Yet people with diabetes had even more pronounced decreases in gray matter beyond the typical age-related effectsa further 6.2% decrease in gray matter in the ventral striatum, but also loss of gray matter in other regions, compared with normal aging. Together, the results suggest that the patterns of type 2 diabetes-related neurodegeneration strongly overlap with those of normal aging, but that neurodegeneration is accelerated. Moreover, these effects on brain function were more severe with increased duration of diabetes. In fact, progression of diabetes was linked with a 26% acceleration of brain aging. "Our findings suggest that type 2 diabetes and its progression may be associated with accelerated brain aging, potentially due to compromised energy availability causing significant changes to brain structure and function," concludes senior author Lilianne Mujica-Parodi, Director of the Laboratory for Computational Neurodiagnostics, Stony Brook University. "By the time diabetes is formally diagnosed, this damage may already have occurred. But brain imaging could provide a clinically valuable metric for identifying and monitoring these neurocognitive effects associated with diabetes. Our results underscore the need for research into brain-based biomarkers for type 2 diabetes and treatment strategies that specifically target its neurocognitive effects." Explore further High rate of diabetes, high blood pressure in Puerto Ricans linked to brain changes More information: Botond Antal et al, Type 2 diabetes mellitus accelerates brain aging and cognitive decline: Complementary findings from UK Biobank and meta-analyses, eLife (2022). Journal information: eLife Botond Antal et al, Type 2 diabetes mellitus accelerates brain aging and cognitive decline: Complementary findings from UK Biobank and meta-analyses,(2022). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.73138 Flowchart of patients and control patients included in the UPDB analysis. HGCR, Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry; SPS, serrated polyposis syndrome; SSL, sessile serrated lesion; UPDB, Utah Population Database. Credit: American Journal of Gastroenterology (2021). DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001572 Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers discovered people with a certain polyp syndrome and their first-degree relatives are at increased risk for colorectal cancer. In addition, people with certain colon lesions are also at an at increased risk. Lead authors Karen Curtin, Ph.D., epidemiologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah (U of U), and Priyanka Kanth, MD, associate professor of internal medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and adjunct associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah, answer questions about the study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. What are serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS) and sessile serrated lesions (SSL)? How do they increase the risk of colorectal cancer? SPS is a condition where patients have multiple jagged-edge polyps. Less than 1% of patients who get a colonoscopy have this condition. The risk of colorectal cancer is 2540% higher in patients with SPS. Studies suggest SPS is inherited, although the source is unknown. An SSL is a type of abnormal, jagged-edge tissue or growth found in 38% of people screened for colorectal cancer. These lesions are larger and less common than conventional polyps. SSLs carry a greater risk of colorectal cancer, as they are more difficult to detect. What was the goal of this study? To study the risk of colorectal and other common cancers in patients with SPS and SSL and their families. This was possible because of the Utah Population Database. This unique resource provides information on multiple generations of families and their colonoscopy records. Patient privacy is protected and individuals cannot be identified. What prompted the idea for the study? Our shared interests in studying the risk of colorectal and other cancers in SPS and SSL patients. There are no population-wide studies that have looked at the risk of colorectal and other common cancers in the relatives of SSL patients and very few studies have examined relatives of SPS patients. Given the availability of the Utah Population Database, we had an advantage to study this topic that can impact families. What is the significance of your findings? We confirmed a high risk of colorectal cancer in patients and close relatives (parents, siblings, children) with SPS and found no evidence of risk in more distant relatives (grandparents and cousins). We also found no evidence of increased risk of breast, pancreas, and prostate cancer in people with SPS or their close relatives. Our most significant finding was that all family members of individuals with SSL may also have an increased risk of colorectal cancer if the SSL patient also had a non-cancerous adenoma or precancerous cells were found during an exam. Relatives of patients with an advanced non-cancerous tumor are recommended to undergo early colonoscopy screening at age 40. Our findings also suggest relatives of patients with SSL should undergo screening before age 50. How might this information lead to improvements in prevention or treatment? SPS patients and their close relatives should begin colonoscopy screenings earlier, and have them more frequently, than currently recommended. Relatives of patients with SSL with any pre-cancerous adenoma should also consider early screening. There are no current guidelines and we hope our findings can help formulate them. What are the next steps for this research? We are looking at lifestyle factors, such as smoking and alcohol abuse, that might lead individuals to develop SPS and SSL. More information: Priyanka Kanth et al, Cancer Risk in Patients With and Relatives of Serrated Polyposis Syndrome and Sporadic Sessile Serrated Lesions, American Journal of Gastroenterology (2021). Journal information: American Journal of Gastroenterology Priyanka Kanth et al, Cancer Risk in Patients With and Relatives of Serrated Polyposis Syndrome and Sporadic Sessile Serrated Lesions,(2021). DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001572 Provided by Huntsman Cancer Institute Degraded acoustic signals can make hearing difficult for anyone, but differences in cognitive abilities, age-related changes, and the use of cochlear implants may exacerbate the problem. Credit: Kristina DeRoy Milvae Degraded acoustic signals can make hearing difficult for anyone, but differences in cognitive abilities, age-related changes, and the use of cochlear implants may exacerbate the problem. If it is more challenging to hear, it is also exhausting to communicate. In her presentation, "Aging effects on listening effort in cochlear-implant users," Kristina DeRoy Milvae will discuss the results of two experiments that examined impacts on listening effort. The session will take place May 24 at 12:50 p.m. Eastern U.S. at the 182nd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. The first experiment measured how changes in acoustic signal degradation affected listening effort in younger and older adults with normal hearing. Pupil dilation was used as a proxy for listening effort. As people age, highly degraded signals can result in listeners needing to exert even more effort. In the second experiment, Milvae and her team tested how individual differences in working memory scores affected listening effort in cochlear implant users. Lower working memory scores did not predict increased listening effort. "A better understanding of listening effort gives a more holistic picture of how we hear," said Milvae. "Measures of listening effort can help us to better understand the cochlear implant listening experience and help the scientific community to work toward evidence-based approaches to improve listening effort in populations with hearing loss." The team's results emphasize the importance of developing practices to reduce listening effort. Milvae sees three potential paths forward: technological advances in cochlear implants to improve signal clarity, secondary cochlear implants for some users, and aural rehabilitation measures. "With a cochlear implant, one may be able to better communicate in a noisy restaurant than without. It may take some effort, but with that effort comes the social interaction that was not possible before," she said. "What is clinically important is to help those who are constantly in a state of high listening effort, which could lead to fatigue and reduced quality of life, because they will want to avoid these social situations." Explore further Research could lead to customized cochlear implants Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Republic of Gabon sent a congratulatory letter to Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. "Mr President, It gives me great pleasure to extend my sincere congratulations to you on behalf of the people, Republic of Gabon and on my own behalf on the occasion of 28 May 2022 - the National Holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On this solemn occasion, I avail myself of this opportunity to wish you good health and happiness, and success to the friendly people of Azerbaijan. Finally, I would like to reaffirm my readiness to cooperate with you to strengthen the ties of friendship between Gabon and Azerbaijan and elevate them to a new level. Please accept, Mr. President the assurance of my highest consideration," the letter said. Graphical abstract. Credit: Cell Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110858 Processes in the human body could turn groups of harmless immune cells into ruthless killers, capable of attacking other cells infected with viruses or parasites, and potentially tumor cells, a new study reveals. Gamma delta T cells were previously thought to be "pre-programmed" to recognize and destroy other rogue cells, but it now appears there are strong similarities between some types of the cells and well-known "adaptive" subsets of conventional T cells. An international group of researchers from the UK, Australia, China, Netherlands and U.S.led by the University of Birminghamtoday published its findings in Cell Reports, noting strong similarities to conventional adaptive "killer" T cells. Senior co-author Professor Ben Willcox, from the University of Birmingham, commented that "human gamma delta T cells have typically been assumed to be pre-programmed, however our study shows that at least in blood, some types mirror the behavior of conventional T cellssuggesting they can be 'trained' to become extremely potent killers once they recognize aberrant target cellsincluding those infected with viruses, parasites, or possibly tumor cells. "Our discovery has implications for efforts to develop gamma delta T cells as novel cellular therapies. We hope that it will change the way scientists think about these cells and how they might contribute to the treatment of cancer and infectious disease." The group examined the profile of gene expression in human gamma delta T cellsshowing the cells in a much more "adaptive" light. Gamma delta cells exist alongside alpha beta T cells and B cells in vertebrates. Researchers have discovered that select human gamma delta T cells appear to transform their pattern of gene expression to activate a "killer" programdependent on their exposure to abnormal target cells, with successful recognition of such targets likely a key factor triggering this transformation and subsequent attack. An extremely strong similarity to conventional adaptive killer T cells suggests that the unique contribution of gamma delta T cells is not the type of response they ultimately mountsuch as killing a target cellbut that they are able to recognize abnormal target cells in a very different way. This suggests that they can mount unconventional adaptive responses in situations when conventional adaptive T cells cannot. Lead author Jack McMurray, from the University of Birmingham, commented that "there are a number of scenarios in which gamma delta T cells may be uniquely suited to respond, due to their unconventional recognition capabilities. These include particular microbial, parasitic and viral infections, and potentially some cancers. Our research provides a basis for ongoing studies to understand how such unconventional adaptive gamma delta T cell responses are triggered, and also for efforts to harness such responses to develop new and more effective treatments for infections and cancer." Explore further A new role for an old immune cell may lead to novel therapies for infection and cancer More information: Jack L. McMurray et al, Transcriptional profiling of human V1 T cells reveals a pathogen-driven adaptive differentiation program, Cell Reports (2022). Journal information: Cell Reports Jack L. McMurray et al, Transcriptional profiling of human V1 T cells reveals a pathogen-driven adaptive differentiation program,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110858 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Researchers in Spain have conducted a study to compare the diagnostic accuracy of lung ultrasounds (LUS) performed in the primary care setting to chest X-rays (CXR) performed by a radiologist when diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). While previous research demonstrates that ultrasounds are a useful tool to diagnose pneumonia in the hospital setting, most studies have not addressed diagnosis in the primary care setting where patients often present with less severe symptoms. Over a seven month period, physicians at 12 primary care clinics performed LUS, followed by CXR, on 82 patients with clinically suspected CAP. Researchers then compared each LUS finding with the corresponding CXR report. Their findings suggest that for pneumonia cases detected by LUS, the test's high specificity could mean it is safe for primary care physicians to directly prescribe antibiotics, thus reducing patients' exposure to X-ray radiation and saving time and money. All study participants had performed ultrasound in other areas of medicine, including abdominal ultrasound, and were able to achieve a high level of diagnostic accuracy after receiving only five hours of LUS training. Because the test can typically be performed in 10 minutes or less, the authors posit that incorporating LUS into daily practice may be a time- and cost-saving measure for patients and physicians alike. The study is published in The Annals of Family Medicine. Explore further Study shows family medicine physicians face many barriers to providing medical abortions More information: Francisco Javier Rodriguez-Contreras et al, Lung Ultrasound Performed by Primary Care Physicians for Clinically Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Multicenter Prospective Study, The Annals of Family Medicine (2022). Journal information: Annals of Family Medicine Francisco Javier Rodriguez-Contreras et al, Lung Ultrasound Performed by Primary Care Physicians for Clinically Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Multicenter Prospective Study,(2022). DOI: 10.1370/afm.2796 The Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia have registered their first cases of monkeypox, health authorities said Tuesday. In the Czech Republic, the disease was detected in a man at Prague's Military University Hospital, according to Pavel Dlouhy, head of the Czech Society for Infectious Diseases. "It was only a question of time, we have been expecting this for days," Dlouhy told AFP. The Czech National Institute of Public Health said in a statement Tuesday that the sick Czech had shown symptoms of the disease after returning from a music festival in Antwerp, Belgium in early May. In Austria, a man, who was hospitalised in Vienna on Sunday with symptoms of monkeypox, including fever, has been confirmed to have contracted the disease, the capital's health authorities said. In Slovenia, a man, who developed symptoms after returning from the Canary Islands, has also been confirmed to have monkeypox, according to health authorities. Over the past few days, several European and North American countries including Britain, France and the United States have reported cases of the rare virus, which is endemic in parts of Africa. Medical authorities have said, however, that the risk that the disease will spread widely is low. 2022 AFP Human melanoma cells growing in culture. Credit: Paul J.Smith & Rachel Errington A combination of two existing skin cancer drugs and a third experimental drug could lead to a new strategy for treating patients who do not respond to existing therapies, a new study in mice suggests. The researchers found that the triple therapy cured 100 percent of the mice in the study. They hope these findings will feed into future clinical trials looking to improve advanced melanoma skin cancer treatment. Scientists studied mice with color-changing fluorescent immune cells to look at how the existing melanoma drugs work. This is one of the first times this innovative technique has been applied to studying cancer immunology. The method allowed them to spot a target for an additional drug which, when combined with the two existing drugs, boosted the antitumor effect in the mice. The new research, led by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Imperial College London, found the combination of two existing melanoma therapies increased the length of survival of mice with melanoma compared to individual use of the drugs. When a third drug was added to the combination the current tumors completely disappeared and newly injected cancer cells would not grow into new tumors. Although these are promising results, the scientists caution that clinical trials are needed to look at the impact of these drug combinations before any conclusions about their effects in people can be drawn. The study is published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. This cross-institutional collaboration was supported by the Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Center at the ICR and Imperial College Londona research center which brings together leading researchers in engineering, physical sciences, life sciences and medicine across the two institutions to develop innovative ways to address challenges in cancer. Combination therapies Treatment for advanced melanoma, where the cancer has spread elsewhere in the body, has dramatically improved over recent years with the development of new drugs. However, many patients do not respond to these therapies, especially those with a type of skin cancer called BRAF negative melanoma. There is a need to develop new treatment tactics such as combination therapies for these patients. ICR scientists are leading research on combining therapies to outsmart cancer. They are studying how to combine new and existing therapiessuch as immunotherapy with targeted drugsso that in the future patients will have more treatment options, with more successful outcomes. In this study, using mice with skin cancer tumors, researchers combined a type of targeted cancer drug called a BRAF inhibitor with an anti-cancer herpes virus, which helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Both treatments are approved on the NHS for advanced melanoma skin cancers. When used in combination, the two drugs increased the survival time of the mice more than each drug alone: at 60 days of tumor growth, all of the mice with one of the drugs had died but 50 percent of those with the combination therapy were still alive. However the combined treatment did still not fully cure the mice of their cancer. Impact on T cells The scientists wanted to understand the impact of the drugs on a type of white blood cell, called T cells, which are involved in the immune response. To do this they used genetically modified mice whose T cells fluoresce blue when activated and then turn red over a few hours: a new technique called Tocky. This method allowed the researchers to see when different subsets of T cells were activated and how long such activation lasts. The researchers found that a subset of T cells which hinder the immune response to cancer were still active with the two-drug combination, suggesting these may be a possible target for further therapies. Triple drug therapy The scientists added an experimental anti-cancer drug, an immune checkpoint inhibitor called anti-CD25, to the two previously tested drugs. Anti-CD25 works by turning off the T cells which inhibit the immune response therefore leaving the other immune cells free to attack the cancer. They found that all of the mice given the triple drug therapy were cured of skin cancer. Each experiment was repeated at least twice with 56 mice. The study shows how insight into the behavior of T cells after treatment can inform the choice of additional drugs to improve the outcome. The scientists hope this Tocky technique can be used to further the understanding of how other cancer immunotherapies work and which drug combinations could be promising candidates for clinical trials. Significance and future work This work will be developed further by the new Center for Translational Immunotherapy, a virtual center bringing together researchers from the ICR and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, aiming to develop a greater understanding of how immunotherapy works. Study co-lead Professor Alan Melcher, Professor of Translational Immunotherapy at the ICR, said: "This work has provided a fascinating insight into how melanoma drugs interact with the immune response and has led to the identification of a promising new drug combination for advanced melanoma. "This study is an exciting example of research which increases our biological understanding of how immunotherapies work. This type of study is critical if we are to fully grasp the potential of existing anti-cancer drugs and find new therapeutic targetswithout exciting discoveries in the lab, we'll never come up with the next big development in cancer treatment." Study co-lead Dr. Masahiro Ono, Reader in Immunology, Imperial College London, said: "We have shown, for one of the first times, that it's possible to track the activity of immune response cells in tumors using mice with color-changing fluorescent immune cells. We hope these Tocky mice will be used in future cancer immunology research to better understand current treatments and to identify additional drug combinations which may lead to improved cancer care. "This was an exciting collaboration between The Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College London and I look forward to more opportunities to work together in the future." Explore further Researchers target thyroid cancer with triple threat drug combination More information: Galabina Bozhanova et al, CD4 T cell dynamics shape the immune response to combination oncolytic herpes virus and BRAF inhibitor therapy for melanoma, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2022). Galabina Bozhanova et al, CD4 T cell dynamics shape the immune response to combination oncolytic herpes virus and BRAF inhibitor therapy for melanoma,(2022). DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-004410 Healthcare workers give a child a booster shot of the pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Paul Harris School in Santiago, Chile, Friday, May 13, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Esteban Felix After a reprieve of months, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are surging in the southern tip of South America. But officials in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay hope high vaccination rates mean this latest wave will not be as deadly as previous ones. At the same time, there is concern that many people are not ready to once again take on the prevention measures that authorities say are needed to ensure cases remain manageable. Cases have been steadily increasing for weeks, largely fueled by the BA.2 version of the omicron variant. In Chile, the number of weekly confirmed cases more than doubled by late May when compared to the beginning of the month. In Argentina, cases rose 146 percent in the same period, while in Uruguay, the increase was almost 200 percent. Although the number of positive tests remain far lower than in previous waves, experts say the increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is a reminder that the pandemic is far from over. Argentina's health minister, Carla Vizzotti, recently said that Argentina is "starting a fourth wave of COVID-19" while in Chile, Health Minister Begona Yarza characterized the current moment as "an inflection point in the pandemic" and in Uruguay, President Luis Lacalle Pou, said he was "worried" and called on everyone to be "vigilant." The countries are part of a regional trend as cases have been rising across the continent. "COVID is again on the rise in the Americas," Carissa Etienne, the head of the Pan American Health Organization, said during an online news conference last week. For many residents in the region, the sharp increase has meant they suddenly have to think about the coronavirus again. "There were numerous cases in my family after my birthday last week," Marina Barroso, 40, said outside a testing center in a Buenos Aires suburb. "The number of cases has really shot up." The high increase in cases has yet to translate to significant numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. Officials are crediting high vaccination rates in the region as more than 80 percent of the population in the three countries have received at least two doses. "We are in a very different situation from the previous waves since so much of the population is immunized," Claudia Salgueira, the president of the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases (SADI), said. In Uruguay, the number of beds in intensive care units occupied by patients has doubled, from 1.5 percent in the beginning of the month to a little more than 3 percent by mid-May. "Sure, mathematically we doubled the cases but we're still talking about small numbers," said Julio Pontet, president of the Uruguayan Society of Intensive Care Medicine who heads the intensive care department at the Pasteur Hospital in Montevideo. "What is protecting us from the serious cases is our high level of vaccination." In previous waves, there has been a lag between a rise in cases and hospitalizations "and it's likely that the same thing will happen now," said Felipe Elorrieta, a mathematical epidemiology researcher at the University of Santiago. "Still, the death toll will be lower now." Chile is at an advantage because it enjoys the highest level of vaccinations in the region and the highest rate of booster shots in the world with more than 80 percent of people having at least a third dose, he said. Chile has been able to get such a large proportion of its population to receive booster shots by essentially making life very difficult for those who eschew the shots. Starting in June, Chile will block the "mobility pass" of any adult who received the first booster more than six months ago and has not received a second booster shot. Without the pass, Chileans are not allowed to go to restaurants, bars nor attend large events. In other countries in the region, some are warning the vaccination campaign is lacking because of how many people have yet to receive boosters. "There is an enormous percentage of people who don't have the adequate vaccination, four million people only have one dose, 10 million only have two and there's a group that does not have any," said Hugo Pizzi, an infectious disease specialist who is a professor in the medical school at Argentina's Cordoba National University. "There's an apathetic, defiant attitude among the population that is really maddening." Adriana Valladares, a 41-year-old retail worker in Buenos Aires, says the increase in cases is not going to change how she lives. "I have three doses so I feel pretty protected," she said. "I used to be really scared of this virus but now I know lots of people who caught it and they were fine." Some are finding that it is not as easy as it once was to get tested. "There is a huge increase in cases but they aren't testing anywhere," Jose Sabarto said in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires province. Sabarto said his daughter was diagnosed with COVID and a family member wanted to get tested but was having a difficult time finding active testing centers. It's important for testing infrastructure to be "maintained and strengthened," Etienne said. "The truth is," she added, "this virus is not going away anytime soon." Explore further Chile starts fourth vaccine dose as coronavirus cases rise 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. TUESDAY, May 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Creating more parks and other green spaces could have prevented tens of thousands of deaths in dozens of large U.S. cities over the past two decades, a new study says. "We've known that living in greener areas can have a positive impact on our physical and mental health, but there is a lack of data on how changes in greenness distribution can affect death rates across the country," said lead study author Paige Brochu. She is a PhD student at Boston University School of Public Health. "Our study quantifies the impact of greenness expansion in urban areas and shows how increasing green vegetation could potentially add to a person's life expectancy. Policymakers and urban planners can use this information to support local climate action plans and ensure that those plans include greening initiatives," Brochu said in a university news release. For the study, the researchers used U.S. Census data, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention death data and greenness data from NASA satellites. They assessed how the amount of green space in 35 large U.S. cities affected all-cause death among adults aged 65 and older. Across all 35 cities, the investigators concluded that between roughly 34,000 and 38,000 deaths or about 15 to 20 deaths per 10,000 seniors could have been prevented between 2000 and 2019 with a 0.1 increase in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index a measurement of green space. On a positive note, the researchers also estimated that overall greenness in the cities increased by almost 3% between 2000 and 2010, and by around 11% from 2010 to 2019. The largest regional increase was in the South, from 0.40% in 2000 to 0.47% in 2019, according to the report published recently in the journal Frontiers in Public Health. So-called urban forests help mitigate flooding, improve air and regulate temperatures, among other benefits. Greening may not be feasible in all cities due to differences in climate, water sources, urbanization and landscape, but these findings can be used by city planners to assess local changes in greenness over time and develop suitable climate action plans in their cities, according to Brochu. "Increasing greenness in an arid climate in the Southwest is different from increasing greenness in an urban area in the Pacific Northwest," Brochu said. "If an area's climate makes it difficult to plant lush trees, urban planners can use this greenness data as a starting point and consider other types of vegetation that may be more realistic for their local climate." More information The National Recreation and Park Association outlines the health benefits of green spaces. SOURCE: Boston University School of Public Health, news release, May 19, 2022 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) John Kerry, America's top official on climate change, said Tuesday that the U.S. and China were making progress on putting together a group from both countries to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions, said Kerry. Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crackdown on methane leaks, a highly potent greenhouse gas. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central area of focus for the group. The progress report came as government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grappled with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects. A central question was: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels? In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world. But today, the question is both practical and urgent, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced many countries that depended on Russian oil and gas to make swift changes to energy supplies. The debate comes as examples of acutely felt impacts of climate change multiply, including recent heat waves in Southeast Asia to flooding in parts of South America. Meanwhile, the worlds top climate scientists have repeatedly warned that increased investment in fossil fuels are hurting chances to keep warming to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), and thus avoid even more devastating effects. Kerry, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, and several European officials argued Tuesday that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to lose focus on renewable energy goals. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the 27-nation bloc should never again become dependent on untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy. She said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal, but rather the green and digital transitions will rely on other materials like lithium, silicon metal or rare earth permanent magnets which are required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. We must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas," she said. "We should not replace old dependencies with new ones. Von der Leyen added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to get rid of Russian fossil fuels rapidly. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal imports from Russia but member countries have yet to find a deal on sanctions on Russia's oil and gas. Attendees in Davos this week were also discussing several other high-priority issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of rising hunger worldwide, inequality and persistent health crises. That included Turkeys pushback to Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital Wednesday for talks. Both Haavisto and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in separate comments at the gathering that they believe they can overcome Turkeys concerns about what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists. We have to do what we always do in NATO, and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns, Stoltenberg said. But even in discussions of those issues, climate change was often ever present, as was the tension over what role oil and gas companies may play in a transition to green energy. Davos represented one of the biggest platforms to discuss climate change ahead of the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November. Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum a major oil company, said that oil and gas industries had a central role to play in the transition to renewable energy. Instead of talk about moving away from fossil fuels, Hollub said the focus should be on making fossil fuels cleaner by reducing emissions. She said Occidental had invested heavily in wind and solar energy and planned to build the largest direct air capture facility in the world in the Permian Basin. Direct air capture is a process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it deep in the ground. The U.S. can provide ample resources to the rest of the world. However, its becoming more and more difficult to do that because of the fact that we are getting a lot of headwinds, she said on Monday. One is the belief that we can end the use of oil and gas sooner rather than later. Joe Manchin, a U.S. senator from West Virginia who has opposed a major bill on climate change proposed by President Joe Biden, said Monday that fossil fuels were key to ensure energy security, and America had the resources to help ensure such security for the world. We can't do it by abandoning the fossil fuel industry, said Manchin, a Democrat, adding that no transition could take place until alternatives were fully in place. Many energy experts argue that viable alternatives are already in place. For example, the cost of wind and solar have come down considerably in recent decades while efficiencies of both have dramatically increased. At the same time, other more nascent technologies have promise but need massive investment to develop. Kerry, in the interview, said he was still hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There is no sign of progress, or even any movement, by the Biden administration. "When you are a legislator, hope springs eternal," said Kerry. You always are working to try to get the votes to make something happen. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated because Congress is clearly stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said no. Nobody is going to be in one job forever, are they? Kerry asked. But I'm not planning to move on. I'm working toward the COP (in Egypt) and we'll see what happens. Associated Press journalists Kelvin Chan and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Dana Beltaji in London and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. Peter Prengaman is The Associated Press' global climate and environment news director and can be followed at: twitter.com/peterprengaman 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Missoula firefighter saved an elk calf last weekend in New Mexico while battling a wildfire. Crews from the Missoula Fire Department were checking in the Gascon area of the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires on Saturday for residual heat. They came across the calf, who was alone in a pocket of badly burned forest, according to a post from Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires Facebook page. "She was lying quietly in a six-inch deep layer of white ash, surrounded by the blackened remains of fir trees, Missoula firefighter Nate Sink said. The crew named it "Cinder." Running into wildlife like this is pretty uncommon, Sink said in an interview with the Missoulian, but the efforts by locals to get Cinder rehabilitated were incredible. Firefighters watched her for about an hour, hoping her mother would come back. When they didnt find any other adult elk tracks nearby, teams got help down the road in Upper Rociada. Local ranchers knew what to do. Their family veterinarian recommended re-hydrating the calf with a mixture of condensed milk and water. One of the ranchers, Lisa Bartley, said their family dog was intent on mothering Cinder. A local fish and game officer recommended Cinder be placed in the care of the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Espanola, New Mexico, the post said. Cinder is now safe at the Cottonwood Veterinary clinic. She has gotten the hang of bottle-feeding, and a surrogate-mother elk at the refuge has taken on the duties of cleaning and bestowing affection on the little orphan, the post said. Cinder will spend about four months at the clinic before being eligible for release back into the wild. The Bartley family said theyll be glad to welcome Cinder back to the Upper Rociada area when shes healthy enough to go back into the wild. On Tuesday, Sink said the crew was on their way home to Missoula after about two weeks of fighting fires in New Mexico. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MUD's executive director has spearheaded the nonprofits recent strides in new workshops and opportunities for staff and community members. Casey Valencia is the executive director at the Missoula Urban Demonstration Project (more commonly known as MUD), home to Missoulas tool library, where locals can rent out any of roughly 2,700 tools. Valencia took the director position about three years ago, but has been with MUD for seven years as a volunteer on the board of directors. I think sharing tools and skills with our community is really valuable, Valencia said. Its such an important way to bring people together. Under Valencias leadership, MUD increased its number of women-led workshops, started a scholarship program, overhauled MUDs website and helped staff grow their skill sets, Valencias nominator Rebekah McDonald said. Casey has approached the past two years with tremendous grace and found creative ways to keep MUDs work alive, McDonald said. Valencia took over in July 2019, less than a year before COVID-19 hit. Just months after assuming the role, Casey was suddenly tasked with navigating the organization through a global pandemic, McDonald added. Growing up, Valencia had a teacher and carpenter for parents. (MUD) is a great reflection of how I was raised, Valencia said. I feel like at MUD I get to mix those two things together. Prior to joining MUD, Valencia served as an AmeriCorps team leader for Montana State Parks and as the AmeriCorps program coordinator for Montana Legal Services. She moved to Missoula in 2014, and holds a masters degree from UM in environmental studies with an emphasis on environmental education. When asked what work that betters Missoulas community means to her, Valencia said its about giving people an equal playing field. For us at MUD, thats about getting tools into peoples hands so they can build something, fix something or help a neighbor, she said. It also gives people a chance to come together. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) The Florida Legislature on Monday began a special session focused on fixing the state's turbulent property insurance market, advancing sweeping legislation to create a $2 billion reinsurance fund and place new rules around attorney fees and coverage denials as lawmakers attempt to stabilize a market plagued by rising rates and insurer insolvencies. The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the measures on near-unanimous votes. The bills now move to the full Senate. Through hours of committee debate, the Republican sponsor of the proposals acknowledged that they would not immediately drop rates for homeowners but maintained the legislative package is necessary for the long term health of the state's market. It's very serious. some carriers are on life support, some are about to pull the plug, others are in critical condition. And without reform will go to life support and or pull the plug. so I don't know that we could be in any worse a position as Floridians than we are, said Sen. Jim Boyd. The special session comes as Florida's second extracurricular meeting of the legislature in recent months, following the failure of the GOP-controlled statehouse to pass insurance proposals earlier this year during its regular meeting period. There is also increasing urgency for lawmakers to address problems in the state's market ahead of the looming hurricane season, which in previous years has brought devastating storms to Florida, such as the Category 5 Hurricane Michael in 2018. The proposals would create the $2 billion Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders program for insurers to purchase insurance to help insulate themselves from risk. In order for an insurer to access the fund, it would have to reduce policyholder's rates. The bills would forbid insurers from automatically denying coverage because of a roof's age if the roof is less than 15 years old. Homeowners with roofs 15 years or older would be allowed to get an inspection of their condition before insurers deny them coverage, under the bill. If an inspection shows that a roof has at least five years of life remaining, insurers cant refuse to issue a policy only based on the roofs age under the proposed legislation. If a roof is more than 25% damaged but already complies with the states 2007 building code, it would only have to be repaired instead of replaced under an exemption to the building code that the proposed legislation creates. Another measure would provide grants worth up to $10,000 each to retrofit homes so they are less vulnerable to hurricane damage. To qualify, properties would have to have insured values of $500,000 or less, be homesteaded, constructed before 2008 and located in areas where wind speeds from storms can exceed 140 mph (225 kph). Homeowners would get $2 from the state for every $1 they invested in mitigation efforts. The legislation also seeks to limit various attorney fees in insurance-related cases, which insurers blame for much of the rate increases for policyholders. Supporters of the legislative package have frequently noted that Florida accounted for 9% of all insurance claims filed nationally but nearly 80% of all the property insurance lawsuits. The bills would allow for more state oversight so regulators can spot trends, analyze reasons and try to prevent the future failure of insurers. The insurance industry has had two years of underwriting losses exceeding $1 billion each year, according to the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Several insurance companies have either gone insolvent, required midterm cancelations, are in liquidation or have stopped writing new business since 2021, the governor said in his proclamation calling lawmakers back to the Capitol. The special session is set to run from Monday to Friday. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Azernews Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov along with the top brass has inspected a newly commissioned military facility at the Garaheybat training center, Azernews reports, citing the ministry. Hasanov was informed that the training sites that are suitable for real combat situations have been established for the practical use of contemporary fighting methods. In addition, servicemen are trained to gain practical skills in using various types of military equipment in tough terrain and in harsh weather conditions, as well as to learn shooting from them. On the training ground, the minister observed the outstanding performances of the cadets attending the training course for overtime military servicemen. Initially, the practical fulfillment of standards for fire training and shooting exercises was demonstrated at the shooting range. At the tank shooting range, Hasanov was informed that the strategies for effective use of tanks in human settlements are being developed based on experience gained during the 44-day war with Armenia, as well as current combat techniques. The minister was told that servicemen are given thorough knowledge about various types of mines and ammunition at the engineering camp. Furthermore, engineering equipment is used to detect mines and unexploded munitions, as well as neutralize them in line with safety regulations. After watching the cadets physical training exercises on the Scout Trail obstacle course, Hasanov inspected the artillery battery's command-observation station. Using artillery simulators, the cadets successfully completed fire assignments. Finally, the minister familiarized himself with the construction of the various military facilities in the area of the training camp. Hasanov provided relevant instructions and recommendations on maintaining the military personnels high level of combat readiness and professionalism, as well as researching and utilizing new training techniques and ensuring high-quality construction work. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A captured Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian was sentenced by a Ukrainian court Monday to life in prison the maximum amid signs the Kremlin may, in turn, put on trial some of the fighters who surrendered at Mariupols steelworks. Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign colleagues in which he said of the invasion, Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24." Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for maximum sanctions against Russia in a video address to world leaders and executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also revealed one of the deadliest single strikes of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed almost 90 people. And on the battlefield, heavy fighting raged in the Donbas in the east, where Moscow's forces have stepped up their bombardment. Cities not under Russian control were constantly shelled, and one Ukrainian official said Russian forces targeted civilians trying to flee. In the first of what could be a multitude of war crimes trials held by Ukraine, Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was sentenced for the killing of a 62-year-old man who was shot in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region in the opening days of the war. Shishimarin, a member of a tank unit, had claimed he was following orders, and he apologized to the man's widow in court. His Ukraine-appointed defense attorney, Victor Ovsyanikov, argued his client had been unprepared for the violent military confrontation and mass casualties that Russian troops encountered when they invaded. He said he would appeal. Ukrainian civil liberties advocate Volodymyr Yavorskyy said it was an extremely harsh sentence for one murder during the war. But Aarif Abraham, a British-based human rights lawyer, said the trial was conducted with what appears to be full and fair due process," including access to an attorney. Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating thousands of potential war crimes. Russian forces in Mariupol bombed a theater where civilians were sheltering and struck a maternity hospital. In the wake of Moscows withdrawal from around Kyiv weeks ago, mass graves were discovered and streets were strewn with bodies in towns such as Bucha. Before Shishimarin's sentencing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was unable to defend the soldier but will consider trying to do so through other channels. Mary Ellen OConnell, an expert on international law at the University of Notre Dame, said that putting Shishimarin on trial could prove extremely detrimental to Ukrainian soldiers in the hands of Russia. She said Russia may decide to hold show trials of Ukrainians to boost the morale of its own soldiers and spread disinformation. Maybe it would have happened without the Ukrainians beginning trials, OConnell said. But the timing suggests that the Ukrainians should have held back and perhaps still should, so that the Russians cant say, Were just doing to their soldiers what they did to ours. Russian authorities have threatened to hold trials of captured Ukrainians namely, fighters who held out at Mariupols shattered steel plant, the last stronghold of resistance in the strategic southern port city. They surrendered and were taken prisoner last week, at which point Moscow claimed the capture of Mariupol was complete. Russias main investigative body said it intends to interrogate the Mariupol defenders to identify the nationalists and determine whether they were involved in crimes against civilians. Russian authorities have seized upon the far-right origins of one of the regiments there, calling the Azov Regiments fighters Nazis and accusing their commander without evidence of numerous atrocities." Russias top prosecutor has asked the countrys Supreme Court to designate the Azov Regiment a terrorist organization. Family members of the fighters have pleaded for their eventual return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap. Elsewhere, Boris Bondarev, a veteran Russian diplomat at the U.N. office at Geneva, quit and sent a letter denouncing the aggressive war unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bondarev told The Associated Press: It is intolerable what my government is doing now." In his letter, Bondarev said those who conceived the war want only one thing to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity. He also said Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is all about "warmongering, lies and hatred. At the Davos forum, Zelenskyy said sanctions against the Kremlin must go further. He urged an embargo on Russian oil, a complete cutoff of trade and a withdrawal of foreign companies from the country. This is what sanctions should be: They should be maximum, so that Russia and every other potential aggressor that wants to wage a brutal war against its neighbor would clearly know the immediate consequences of their actions, said Zelenskyy, who received a standing ovation. In other developments, nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including missiles to protect its coast, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Washington. On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories that Russia is bent on capturing. Donetsk's regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said three civilians died in Russian attacks there Monday and heavy fighting continued near the Luhansk region. The Donbas consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He said the Russians were decimating cities in their attempt to take them over. Only about 320,000 people out of the region's prewar population of 1.6 million remain, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he said. They are killing us. They are killing the locals during evacuation, Kyrylenko said. On the eve of the three-month anniversary of the start of the war, Zelensky said that four missiles killed 87 people last week in the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Kyiv. The deaths were tallied after debris was cleared, he said. The Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities and are trying to destroy all life, Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the nation. In the Luhansk region, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, local authorities reported that a bridge leading to the administrative center of Sievierodonetsk was destroyed, leaving the partially encircled city reachable by just one road. Some who fled the Donetsk region shared their suffering. We havent been able to see the sun for three months. We are almost blind because we were in darkness for three months, said Rayisa Rybalko, who hid with her family first in their basement and then in a bomb shelter at a school before fleeing their village of Novomykhailivka. The world should have seen that. Her son-in-law Dmytro Khaliapin said heavy artillery pounded the village. Houses are being ruined, he said. Its a horror. Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. 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. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Workers digging through the rubble of an apartment building in Mariupol found 200 bodies in the basement, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as more horrors come to light in the ruined city that has seen some of the worst suffering of the 3-month-old war. The bodies were decomposing and the stench hung over the neighborhood, said Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the mayor. He did not say when they were discovered, but the sheer number of victims makes it one of the deadliest known attacks of the war. Heavy fighting, meanwhile, was reported in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that Moscows forces are intent on seizing. Russian troops took over an industrial town that hosts a thermal power station, and intensified efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk and other cities. Twelve people were killed by Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. And the governor of the Luhansk region of the Donbas said the area is facing its most difficult time in the eight years since separatist fighting erupted there. The Russians are advancing in all directions at the same time. They brought over an insane number of fighters and equipment," the governor, Serhii Haidai, wrote on Telegram. The invaders are killing our cities, destroying everything around. He added that Luhansk is becoming like Mariupol. Mariupol was relentlessly pounded during a nearly three-month siege that ended last week after some 2,500 Ukrainian fighters abandoned a steel plant where they had made their stand. Russian forces already held the rest of the city, where an estimated 100,000 people remain out a prewar population of 450,000, many of them trapped during the encirclement with little food, water, heat or electricity. At least 21,000 people were killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have accused Russia of trying to cover up the horrors by bringing in mobile cremation equipment and by burying the dead in mass graves. During the assault on Mariupol, Russian airstrikes hit a maternity hospital and a theater where civilians were taking shelter. An Associated Press investigation found that close to 600 people died in the theater attack, double the figure estimated by Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the Russians of waging total war and seeking to inflict as much death and destruction as possible on his country. Indeed, there has not been such a war on the European continent for 77 years, Zelensky said, referring to end of World War II. Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the Donbas for eight years and hold large swaths of territory. Sievierodonetsk and neighboring cities are the only part of the Donbas Luhansk region still under Ukrainian government control. Russian forces have achieved some localized successes despite strong Ukrainian resistance along dug-in positions, British military authorities said. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces in the region are facing a difficult situation. Practically the full might of the Russian army, whatever they have left, is being thrown at the offensive there, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly address to the nation. Liman, Popasna, Sievierodonetsk, Slaviansk the occupiers want to destroy everything there. In the Donetsk region, Moscows troops took over the industrial town of Svitlodarsk, which hosts a thermal power station and had a prewar population of about 11,000, and raised the Russian flag there. They have now hung their rag on the local administration building, Serhii Goshko, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration, told Ukraines Vilny Radio, in a reference to the Russian flag. Goshko said armed units were patrolling Svitlodarsks streets, checking residents documents. Russian troops also shelled the eastern city of Slovyansk with cluster munitions, hitting a private building, according to Mayor Vadym Lyakh. He said casualties were avoided because many people had already left their homes, and he urged the remaining residents to evacuate west. Heavy fighting was also underway in the city of Lyman. Amid the fighting, two top Russian officials appeared to acknowledge that Moscows advance has been slower than expected, though they vowed the offensive would achieve its goals. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council. said the Russian government is not chasing deadlines. And Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a meeting of a Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet states that Moscow is deliberately slowing down its offensive to allow residents of encircled cities to evacuate though forces have repeatedly hit civilian targets. Hours later, Zelenskyy mocked Shoigu's assertion. Well, after three months of searching for an explanation for why they were unable to break Ukraine in three days, they couldnt think of anything better than to say thats what they planned, he said in his video address. Russian officials also announced that Moscows forces had finished clearing mines from the waters off Mariupol and that a safe corridor will open Wednesday for the exit of as many as 70 foreign ships from Ukraines southern coast. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, there were signs of recovery after weeks of bombardment. Residents formed long lines to receive rations of flour, pasta, sugar and others staples this week. Moscows forces withdrew from around Kharkiv earlier this month, pulling back toward the Russian border in the face of Ukrainian counterattacks, though Russia continues to shell the area from afar, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. Galina Kolembed, the aid distribution center coordinator, said that more and more people are returning to the city. Kolembed said the center is providing food to over 1,000 people every day, a number that keeps growing. Many of them have small kids, and they spend their money on the kids, so they need some support with food, she said. Meanwhile, the wife of the top commander who held out inside the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol said Tuesday that she had a brief telephone conversation with her husband, who surrendered to the Russians and was taken prisoner last week. Kateryna Prokopenko, who is married to Azov Regiment leader Denys Prokopenko, said the call broke off before he could say anything about himself. She said the call was made possible under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the Red Cross. Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedosiuk, the wife of another soldier, said several families received calls in the past two days. The women said they are hopeful the soldiers will not be tortured and will eventually come back home. Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region, told the Russian Interfax agency that preparations are underway for a trial of captured Ukrainian soldiers, including the Mariupol defenders. Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. 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. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Republican candidates for Montanas western House district sought to paint themselves as the best voice for the states agricultural communities during a recent debate hosted by the Montana Farmers Union in Whitefish. Four of the GOP candidates for the new House seat showed up for the debate: Al Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and former state lawmaker from Kalispell; Mary Todd, a church leader and small business owner from Kalispell; Mitch Heuer, a homebuilder from Whitefish; and Matt Jette, a school teacher from Missoula. Montanas primary election is June 7. All four agreed that country-of-origin labeling should be required for beef, a policy that has recently found bipartisan support from Montanas congressional delegation. Congress repealed country-of-origin labeling for beef and pork in 2015 after pressure from the World Trade Organization. Olszewski used the opportunity, as he did repeatedly during the debate, to point to his status as the only candidate on the stage with prior legislative experience. He carried a bill related to the issue during the 2019 legislative session, although it failed to pass. "Im the only candidate that has actually worked and served you and has an extensive voting record when dealing with agriculture," Olszewski said in his closing comments. " I dont need to be the smartest person on agriculture, Ive created those relationships through the state Legislature." Anticompetitive practices by meatpacking companies, another ag policy debate that's been grabbing headlines, divided the candidates. Asked whether she would amend the Packers and Stockyard Act to create a special office to investigate allegations of monopolistic practices by those companies, Todd said that while competition is an issue, she doesnt want to give any new power to the feds. Of course the competition aspect needs to be raised up, but it cant be through the government, Todd said. Government has proven to be corrupt in so many ways. Jette acknowledged the issue was a complex one, but agreed with taking action to challenge the large meatpacking firms. You cannot negotiate prices and drive down the price and force out farmers and ranchers, he said. Thats the Walmart effect of ranching what youre essentially doing is youre removing the local farmers and ranchers from competition. The candidates were also asked how they can address the states high rate of suicides and the lack of access to mental health care for rural Montanans. Todd placed the blame for Montana having one of the nations highest suicide rates on government overreach and the restrictive policies during the pandemic. But the issue has for years persisted in Montana, which had the highest suicide rate in the U.S. as far back as 2014. On many of his responses, Heuer returned to education, arguing that more farmers and ranchers need access to more training in a variety of disciplines to augment their incomes. He also said that health care needs to be more affordable. It comes from hopelessness, and so it comes back to education I think, Heuer said. When an individual is cross-trained and self-reliant they can be successful in one area or another area. If one type of business closes down on them they have a backup plan to go to another one. Olszewski said he supported bills to expand suicide education and prevention as a lawmaker, but argued the biggest issue is that Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates for mental health services are too low. The biggest problem we have is with Medicare and Medicaid," he said. "They pay far below the cost of providing those services. Look, I believe that if the federal government promises a product, they need to pay fairly for it." A fifth candidate, former congressman and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, hasnt showed up to any of the Republican primary debates, and was also absent from the stage in Whitefish. Zinke hosted a series of roundtable discussions over the weekend with agriculture organizations and U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, the ranking Republican on the House Agriculture Committee. Zinke attended a Friday roundtable in Helena while the four other Republicans running in the western district debated in Whitefish at a forum hosted by the Montana Farmers Union. Representatives of the Montana Wool Growers Association, Montana Stockgrowers Association as well as independent ranchers talked about challenges facing their industry, what government programs work and which are coming up short. Water shortages, predation, lack of workforce and high prices topped the list of concerns from organizations while Zinke talked process and coalition building for the next Farm Bill. Zinke believes that Republicans will take the House this fall and then will need to unify around a message and learn how to lead, adding that agriculture should be a bipartisan issue. When youre in the minority as the Republicans are today in the House, its probably pretty easy to vote no but when you get in the majority you have to actually lead and get to yes, he said. That means you have to convince other members that issue is as important to them as it is to you, and you have to unify a message and you have to pass bills because thats what is the expectation. Zinke and Thompson praised agriculture as foundational in the United States and said livestock grazers are important land management partners with the federal government. Both agreed that ag programs could use more flexibility with the Farm Bill as the vehicle to deliver those services. Thompson also indicated that climate change would be an issue for Republicans on his committee to address as the ranking member he would be a likely choice for chairman in a GOP majority. The big issue is climate change, Thompson said. I will say as a Republican Ive been guilty of this in the past, I havent been at the table ... Not anymore. As House Ag Republicans were doing what our mothers told us not to do. Were not only at the table, our elbows are on the table and were leaning into this because the greatest climate heroes in the world are American farmers, ranchers and foresters. Other roundtable topics included grain and pulse crop growers in Great Falls on Friday and timber and wildfire on Sunday in Bozeman. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sam Wilson State Bureau Reporter Follow Sam Wilson 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 In 1869, when William Tiernan filed for a homestead in the Ruby Valley, Montana was still 20 years from becoming a state. Yet his actions, and the nine others who owned and then sold the property, are a point of contention in a water rights case that could have statewide implications in what one of the participants has classified as a David vs. Goliath battle. Landowner Bill Fraser has claimed that 34 acres of the same land Tiernan settled back in 1869 comes with stock water rights to Indian Creek, a tributary to the lower Ruby River. Contesting Frasers claim is Beau Bradley, owner of Bradley Livestock and an upstream water user. 2017 bill In 2017, the Montana Legislature passed House Bill 110, sponsored by Rep. Bradley Hamlett, D-Cascade, that allowed property owners to file a claim for exempt water rights. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation defined exempt water rights as those in existence before July 1, 1973. Water rights in this time period were exempted from two previous mandatory claim-filing periods which took place in 1982 and 1996, the DNRC explained on its website. Exempt water rights are for livestock and individual domestic uses based upon instream flows or groundwater sources only they do not include rights for irrigation, diverted stock water from ditches or reservoirs, or commercial and municipal wells. As a result of the legislation, more than 25,000 new claims were filed with the state. A DNRC spokesperson had no comment on the current litigation and whether a ruling could affect HB 110. Deed In contesting Tiernans water claim, Bradleys Bozeman attorney, Michael Cusick, argued in court filings that as the property was transferred through several landowners hands over the years, and any claim to water in Indian Creek was not conveyed, pointing to a 1916 land sale that mentions water from the Ruby River and from no other source. The 1916 sale effectively pushed Frasers water rights back to that year, Cusick argued in seeking a declaratory judgment in March. Following the high water season, Fraser should also be denied from placing a call on junior water rights, Cusick claimed. Counter claim Frasers Missoula attorneys, Graham Coppes and Emily Wilmott, called Bradleys assertions about the broken chain of title to the water a single false premise and legal fallacy. They go on to state that Bradleys argument erodes beneath the great weight of Montana law that existed in 1916, the Montana Supreme Courts numerous decisions interpreting the law that existed at that time, and the simple fact that neither the early settlers, nor their lawyers, had any ability to conceive the evolution of Montana law a century later. They go on to argue that in-stream stockwater rights are a creation of modern statute and did not exist, as a matter of law, at the time the deeds in question were drafted or the decree was issued. Drought Such water rights are all the more important as Montana and the rest of the West struggles with over-allocation of water amid a long-term drought. Last May, 14 miles of the Ruby River was closed to fishing after flows dropped at a time of year that used to see spring runoff from mountain snowmelt. Last year, however, the mountains that feed the Ruby contained only 62% of the snowpack seen in the past 40 years. As of mid-May this year, the Ruby River near Twin Bridges was running at 12.6 cubic feet per second (cfs). The median flows over the past 34 years for that water gauge is 123 cfs. Bradleys attorney has attached previous Water Court rulings to court filings contesting Frasers claim, including one from 1905 where it stated that even back then, Indian Creek went dry by mid-July two miles upstream from the property Fraser now owns. Right Fraser is hoping the Water Court will recognize his right as the oldest on Indian Creek. If that happens, upstream users like Bradley would have to give up their use until Frasers water request is satisfied. Thats how the legal case arose. In August 2021, Fraser filed a dissatisfied water user complaint against the water commissioner for not delivering stockwater under his priority water right. Bradley intervened in the complaint, seeking to have it dismissed. In November 2021, the case at Frasers request was moved from District Court in Madison County to the states Water Court to determine the validity and enforceability of his stockwater claim. If he loses, Frasers attorneys said in their court filings that the Legislatures intent under HB 110 would be invalid unless they are specifically mentioned in a prior deed or decree. This cannot be what the legislature envisioned when it authorized individuals, like Mr. Fraser, to claim water rights which had forever-before been exempt from filing. Any ruling is also important since Indian, Mill and Wisconsin creeks are three of the main tributaries to the lower Ruby River. All are severely dewatered, Fraser said, with Indian Creek one of the worst. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Like, Justice Ingrid Gustafson, after practicing law in a general practice, I became a district judge. After 15 years on the district bench, I was appointed by Governor Judy Martz as a Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. In my judicial career I learned that courtroom experience, where all kinds of cases are heard, is extremely valuable. It is especially valuable on the Supreme Court which reviews the decisions of the various district courts. Political experience is of little, if any, value. The judiciary is an equal branch of our Montana government separate from the Legislature and the governor. In order to make the system work, it is essential that that our judges, including the Supreme Court justices, are independent and not beholden to, or biased in favor of any particular ideology. It is critical that a Justice consider each case fairly, considering the law and not considering if a litigant is rich or poor, businessman or consumer, male or female or popular or unpopular. And, the Montana Constitution governs the law in Montana. The Constitution may be changed by the citizens, but unless or until it is, it is the basic law, and Justice Gustafson faithfully follows it. Justice Gustafson has proven time and again, over many years, that she follows the law and makes fair and unbiased decisions. She will continue to do. She should be re-elected to continue her good work. I was born in Montana, I have always lived here, and I want and need a fair and unbiased Supreme Court. I am going to vote for Justice Ingrid Gustafson and I urge others to do so also. Honorable John Warner, Supreme Court Justice, retired. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I endorse and voted for Kev Hamm for Montanas Public Service Commission District 5 and encourage you to vote for Kev too. Hes a fresh voice willing to speak truth to power, often when others wont. Kevs got the courage of his convictions and thats who we need serving in the PSC. Hell take bold climate action because inaction during this climate crisis is creating a legacy of no return for our kids and grandkids. Kev will work to bring more renewable energy to Montana, not more polluting fossil fuels, and not just rhetoric, while Montana burns with wilder wildfires and devastating drought. The PSC is one of the smallest agencies in state government, yet affects the lives of Montanans and future generations a great deal regulating consumer rates and service quality of monopoly, investor-owned electric, natural gas, water, wastewater and telecom companies. Its the PSCs job to balance the interests of ratepayers hardworking Montanans like you, your family and neighbors with the need to maintain a utility capable of providing reliable, sustainable service. In recent years, that balance has been way out of whack, favoring Montanas monopoly utility NorthWestern Energy and its shareholders over the needs of consumers and reasonable rates, sustainable investment in renewables, and the long game for future generations. Under Montanas out-of-whack, unfair laws, NorthWestern Energy and its shareholders are already guaranteed an 8% return on their investment. And costs of stranded assets and fossil fuel investment risk are passed on to consumers. Kev will look out for you, who are struggling to pay your bills, not greedy corporations making big profits already. Kev works in a small Montana-owned telecom company and has testified in the Legislature against unfair tax benefits for telecoms. He knows telecom and is not beholden to the industry he works for. Hes also worked in aviation and hospitality. Kev Hamm stresses the importance of regulations for industry to make sure it meets minimum measures to keep people safe. Regulations are in place because when they fail, people die, Kev told me. He said exposed power lines that need replacing, but arent replaced just to save the company money, can fail in high winds and cause fire, threaten lives, and destroy livelihoods. Pipelines that need replacing, but arent replaced to save the company money, fail in a flood, threaten lives, and destroy livelihoods. Kev will loudly, proudly and boldly hold companies accountable to make sure systems that serve Montanans dont fail. On the campaign trail, Kev shares his technical skills with other candidates for Montana elected offices in his Candid Candidate Convo (conversation) that he hosts every Monday at 7 p.m. on social media platforms with questions from viewers. Ive participated and enjoyed the honest, candid discussions. Check it out at Kev Hamm for PSC. He shares his forum because he understands were all in this together, and together with progressive, inclusive governing, we can win for Montanans and future generations. Vote for Kev Hamm for PSC and a fresh voice for fairness. Mary Ann Dunwell represents House District 84, Helena/East Helena, in the Montana Legislature. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Burke County Public Health is aware of the cases of monkeypox that are currently present in the U.S. At this time we are being cautious, but there is no immediate cause for concern. Monkeypox cases in the U.S. are very rare and do not naturally occur in the U.S. There are no cases of monkeypox in North Carolina at this time. Signs and symptoms of monkeypox are: Fever Headache Muscle aches Backache Swollen lymph nodes Chills Exhaustion Within one to three days (sometimes longer) after the appearance of fever, the patient develops a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. The illness typically lasts for two to four weeks. Transmission of the monkeypox virus occurs when a person comes into contact with the virus from an animal, human or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin (even if not visible), respiratory tract or the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). Human-to-human transmission is thought to occur primarily through large respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets cannot travel more than a few feet, so prolonged face-to-face contact is required. Other human-to-human methods of transmission include direct contact with body fluids or lesion material, and indirect contact with lesion material, such as through contaminated clothing or linens. At this time, the Center for Disease Control is urging health care providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox, regardless if they have travel or specific risk factors for monkeypox and regardless of gender or sexual orientation. If you suspect you have contracted the monkeypox virus, contact your health care provider. For more information on the monkeypox virus, visit www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html. While people seem to have gone back to living their pre-pandemic lives, COVID-19 is still infecting people in Burke County. Chae Moore, public information officer for the Burke County Health Department, said on Monday the county is currently at 26,231 cumulative cases. Thats up from 25,305 on April 1, the last time the health department sent out an update on cases in the county. As of Tuesday afternoon, the cumulative cases were up to 26,300, according to the countys COVID-19 dashboard. It also showed 104 active cases. Moore said, however, with people having more accessibility to at-home tests, the current and cumulative case numbers are not very accurate. UNC Health Blue Ridge officials said on Monday the hospital has four COVID-19 patients, with none in the intensive care unit, and 33 patients in its virtual hospital. Moore said the county has had three deaths from COVID-19 occur over the last three weeks. Moore said over the past month the health department has seen a slight increase in cases but nothing like it was seeing in January and February. Schools also have seen an increase in cases as well, she said. She said people are traveling and visiting with friends and family more and more. She said many of the people the health department is seeing who are testing positive for the virus have allergy-like symptoms. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says long-term COVID-19 symptoms can include multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, which can cause inflammation in different parts of the body, as well as coughing, body aches, shortness of breath, headaches, brain fog, difficulty sleeping and more. It may also cause lasting damage to the heart, kidneys or other organs. Moore said the dominant COVID-19 variant that is still circulating the most is Omicron BA.2, but she added that the health department doesnt have data that separates positive cases by variant(s). NCDHHS said last week the most sequenced cases are Omicron BA.2, but there has been an increase in BA.2.12.1 sequenced cases. The health department recommends that people stay home if they are not feeling well, get tested for COVID early and get a COVID vaccine and/or booster doses. Moore is reminding people that COVID-19 is not over. While restrictions have relaxed, the health department is asking everyone to keep in mind everything they have learned about the virus over the past 2.5 years. NCDHHS said last week that children ages 5 to 11 years old can now receive a COVID-19 booster five months after the date of their most recent Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine dose. During the recent Omicron surge, those who were boosted were seven times less likely to be hospitalized and 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, NCDHHS said. Booster shots are available anywhere COVID-19 vaccines are available and are free regardless of insurance or immigration status. The Pfizer booster is the only brand currently available to children ages 5 to 11. Call ahead to make sure the location you choose has the age-appropriate Pfizer vaccine available, NCDHHS said. The health department offers Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. For additional information or for answers to questions about the virus, people can call the health department at 828-764-9150. The Burke County Veterans Service Office and a committee of local residents who brought a veterans monument to Morganton will present a special outdoor Memorial Day service this year. The Burke County Memorial Day Service and KIA Memorial Dedication will take place Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the grounds of the historic Burke County courthouse. The highlight of the service will be the dedication of the Burke County Veterans Killed in Action memorial monument, which honors all military personnel from Burke County killed in action from World War I to present day. The monument project was started in July 2018 by a group of veterans who wanted to give local soldiers who sacrificed their lives for freedom a place of honor in the community. This monument was the idea of Jack Carroll, a father who lost his son in the Vietnam War, said Dave Tubergen, commander of the Disabled American Veterans Morganton Chapter No. 43 and a member of the memorial monument committee. Jacks vision was made fruitful by the diligent work of the members of the KIA committee. In addition to Tubergen, the committee consisted of Champ Ray, George McIntosh, Gary Jennings, Sal Fatigate, David Grimord, Bobby Ledford, Stan Reichlin, Robert Hoyt, John Widener and Carl Memmel. Tubergen recalled the challenges they encountered during the process of making the monument a reality. The hard part was finding all the names of veterans who died in action not died of wounds, not died from action performed but died by the action of the enemy force in combat, he said. Looking up the names for World War I was fairly simple, but the names for World War II and Korea were difficult to obtain, but we persevered and came up with a comprehensive list of those killed in action. Finding a place to install the monument took a lot of negotiation and community involvement. We had negative feedback originally for the old Burke County courthouse, Tubergen said. Recommendations were behind the library, out by Parker Road, at CoMMA, as well as other recommendations that were not looked at favorably by the committee. We held our ground, and eventually everyone came on board during the final adjustments to the courthouse grounds, and we had our location identified. Undaunted by the coronavirus pandemic, the group made presentations soliciting donations and sold patriotic-themed merchandise to fund the monument. All through the pandemic, we strived to collect funds to make the monument a reality, and we succeeded, Tubergen said. We collected over $45,000 and were able to pay cash for the monument and give the remaining funds to the county to maintain the monument. The monument was installed on the courthouse grounds last summer, but the committee had to wait until renovations were completed there to be able to hold a dedication ceremony. Burke County now has an outstanding monument to remember the boys and men who left from Burke County and represented their country making the ultimate sacrifice, death, Tubergen said. After five years, we have finally seen the fruits of our labors become a reality when they brought in the monument and set it down. In the future, if there is another war or action where we lose a native Burke County veteran, we have room on this monument to add additional veterans. Champ Ray, chair of the KIA committee, is excited to commemorate the completion of the project and will speak at the dedication. It is my hope and desire that all the family members and relatives of the heroes listed on the memorial will attend the service, Ray said. The committee, looking for a significant way to introduce the monument to the community, consulted Molly Eller, the veterans service officer for Burke County, who leads the planning of Burke Countys annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day services. She suggested making the dedication part of this years Memorial Day service. It is a great honor to pay homage to those KIA veterans of Burke County, Eller said. This event is outdoors. So come out, enjoy the sunshine, and take a moment to remember our nations fallen heroes. The service will feature N.C. Sen. Warren Daniel (R-46) as the keynote speaker. I am proud to live in a community that shows such gratitude for those Americans that have gone off to war, leaving their homes and families to defend our freedom and the freedom of millions around the world, Daniel said. This memorial is a great testament to the love and admiration we have for those that gave their lives on our behalf. Words cannot express my appreciation to those that gave their time, effort and money to make this monument a reality. Following the service, UNC Health Blue Ridge will distribute free to-go lunches to attendees consisting of meatloaf, gravy, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, banana pudding and bottled water. Tubergen encouraged everyone in the community to attend. This year, we will honor the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, he said. We must never forget what these individuals have done for our country. May they all rest in peace. May God bless the USA. Staff writer Tammie Gercken can be reached at tgercken@morganton.com. Reports are spreading along the East Coast about a tick that can make you allergic to some kinds of meat. That's raising concerns about the critters, but theyre not new to North Carolina. The lone star tick is one of multiple types found in the state a common one at that and it is capable of causing medical issues such as the allergy thats drawn attention to it. If you do see one on your body, there are steps you should take to minimize the chances of getting sick. Heres what to know about lone star ticks, their presence in North Carolina and what to do if you see one: What are lone star ticks? The lone star tick is a type of tick primarily found in the Southeast, the Mayo Clinic advises. The name comes from the white, often star-shaped mark typically found on the backs of females. They can spread various diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic, including ehrlichiosis, tularemia and alpha-gal syndrome, which causes a food allergy to red meat and other products made from mammals. The bite transmits a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the persons body, the Mayo Clinic says. In some people, this triggers an immune system reaction that later produces mild to severe allergic reactions to red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb, or other mammal products. Are lone star ticks in North Carolina? Lone star ticks are the most common tick in North Carolina, NC State entomology professor Michael Reiskind told the Charlotte Observer, and can be found pretty much everywhere from the coast to the mountains. In our sampling in the Piedmont, it is often 10 times more abundant than other ticks, sometimes with thousands of larval ticks and scores of nymphal and adult ticks encountered in one area, he said. How to spot lone star ticks Lone star ticks tend to find you rather than being spotted, Reiskind said, so its important to do self-checks of your body for ticks after being outside especially after being in wooded areas. You should make sure to check your hair, back, armpits and pubic area, he recommended. And doing so quickly can make a difference. Ticks that attach for more than a day are the ones mostly likely to transmit a pathogen, so finding them is critical to avoiding disease, Reiskind said. What to do if you see a lone star tick Lone star ticks are so common in North Carolina that reporting sightings is probably not helpful, Reiskind said. But there are steps to take, he added, if you see one on your body: Remove the tick Put the tick in alcohol Go to the doctor and bring the tick Work with your doctor to get the tick tested for several pathogens associated with this tick, both bacterial and viral. The state Department of Health and Human Services or experts such as Reiskind, reachable by email at mhreiski@ncsu.edu, can help arrange testing. Other ticks in NC The lone star tick is just one 11 or so types of ticks that are in North Carolina, according to Reiskind, but not all of them pose the same kinds of risks to humans. There are no good ticks but most species people never see as they prefer small mammals or even birds, Reiskind said. Its still important to watch for all kinds of ticks, he added, because they can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. Wearing bug repellent and protective clothing, such as pants tucked into socks, can help you avoid all types of ticks, Reiskind said. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev decreed the allocation of financial aid to the Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. In keeping with the decree, the TV company is allocated $640,000 from the reserve fund of the Azerbaijani president, envisaged in the state budget for 2022, to acquire the right to broadcast the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games, to be held in Paris in 2024. Moreover, the Finance Ministry is instructed to provide the funding, while the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan to resolve issues arising from it. The decree comes into force the day it is signed. No one has yet to sign on the dotted line, but it looks promising that the newest prequel to the highly acclaimed television show, Yellowstone, will be filming in Butte this summer and staying through December. Screenwriter and director Taylor Sheridans 1932 will star celebrated actors Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. Ford, whose career spans more than five decades, brought two favorite movie characters to the screen "Raider of the Lost Arks'' Indiana Jones and Han Solo of "Star Wars.'' Mirrens accolades include an Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 film, The Queen. She is a four-time Emmy winner and in 2015, won a Tony Award for her performance in The Audience. Yellowstone made its debut in 2018 on Paramount+ and centers on the Dutton family and their ranch, The Yellowstone. The series stars Kevin Costner as Montana ranch owner John Dutton. The recent prequel, 1883, starred Faith Hill and Tim McGraw as John Duttons great-grandparents, Margaret and James Dutton. The eight-episode series, which received rave reviews, followed the couples journey from Texas to Montana. The most recent addition, 1932 will take viewers back in time to the early 20th century, an era of renewed interest in the West, prohibition and the Great Depression. Nothing is set in stone but there has been a verbal commitment to come to Butte to utilize the Butte Civic Center, said Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher. According to Gallagher, he and other city officials have been working with representatives from 101 Studios, who feel Butte is the best base for the new series and the best location. Butte is the direction they want to go, said Gallagher. Besides the Yellowstone, franchise, 101 Studios, based out of Beverly Hills, California, has produced such films as The War With Grandpa, starring Robert DeNiro, Burden, with Forest Whitaker, and The Current War, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. On Monday afternoon, in a unanimous decision, the Butte Civic Center board members gave the green light for Gallagher and Bill Melvin, manager of the Butte Civic Center, to negotiate with 101 Studios on the use of the Butte facility. According to Melvin, 101 Studios is keenly interested in coming to Butte, who shared that the crew will be filming throughout Montana. Theyll be based out of Butte, he explained. Melvin was quick to point out that nothing is certain until the contract is signed, but if it becomes a reality, it will be a big boon to the Butte community. The monetary impact will be enormous, said Melvin, and could potentially bring more tourists in the aftermath. Love 11 Funny 6 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 4 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Anne Palmersheim already had nine DUI convictions when she allegedly swerved down a street in Butte at a high speed, drove through a detached garage and rammed a parked pickup into a house on North Main Street. That was nearly 20 months ago. She disappeared before lab results came back showing she was very drunk that morning, and although an initial complaint was filed, prosecutors wanted to know her whereabouts before filing a formal felony charge in District Court for driving under the influence. A bench warrant was issued in the meantime and last month, Palmersheim turned up. Police in Killeen, Texas arrested Palmersheim, now 63, for allegedly driving drunk in their city on April 11 and booked her into the Bell County Jail. In Texas, DUIs are called DWIs driving while intoxicated. Same charge, essentially, and since a DUI in one state counts in almost all other states, a conviction in Texas would count as her 10th DUI as far as Montana is concerned, and another one in the pending case in Butte would be her 11th. With her whereabouts now known, prosecutors in Butte filed a felony DUI charge on May 5 for the incident that occurred here in September 2020. Palmersheim was scheduled to be arraigned in the Butte case on Wednesday before District Judge Robert Whelan, but on Monday, her attorney, Penelope Strong in Billings, asked that it be postponed until June 8. The basis for this motion is the defendant is in custody in Bell County, Texas but counsel is working with her Texas counsel to have her released on bond to travel to Montana for the arraignment, Strong wrote in a court motion. Prosecutors here didnt object so its not on the court hearing docket this week, but they hope it will be soon. Strong told The Montana Standard on Tuesday her client planned to plead not guilty to the charge when arraigned and said although alcoholism is a terrible addiction and streets need to be safe, not all of the facts of the case are in. But prosecutors have now detailed in charging documents what they believe happened on Sept. 6, 2020 in Butte in the 800 block of North Main Street. Police were called to the area at about 8:45 a.m. that day and when they arrived, they could see a detached garage had been driven through and there were two vehicles resting up against a house a black Jeep and a pickup. Palmersheim was driving the Jeep, prosecutors say, but was knocked to the passenger floorboard when air bags deployed. She was the only one in the Jeep and because she had two black eyes and her face was bleeding, was taken to the hospital. Police said there were yaw marks signs that a tire is still rolling but moving sideways as if taking a curve all the way up to the intersection of Pacific and Main. But there didnt appear to be any braking before the crash. The Jeep then appeared to go over a sidewalk and then drove through the garage (and) hit a parked F-150 pickup parked on the south side of the garage, the charging document states. The impact was so hard it pushed the pickup down into a small embankment next to the residence and the rear of the pickup crashed into and through the residence, it says. There was significant structural damage to the residence, garage and both vehicles. An officer found an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels in a brown paper bag that a firefighter said had come from the Jeep, and though she didnt want to go, Palmersheim was taken to St. James Healthcare. She agreed to a blood draw while there and later told an officer by phone that she had no broken bones, prosecutors say. She said she believed she over corrected before the crash but the blood sample was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula. Police wanted the results before making an arrest, and about eight weeks later, they got them. They showed her blood-alcohol content at the time was 0.229, nearly three times the 0.08 level at which a driver is considered drunk. When police couldnt find her, an arrest warrant was issued. Montana lawmakers in 2021 enhanced the penalties for fourth and subsequent DUI convictions, but this alleged incident occurred in September 2020. That means if convicted, Palmersheim faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine between $5,000 and $10,000. Under amended Montana laws that took effect in January, a fifth DUI conviction carries a possible 10-year prison term and a sixth is punishable by up to 25 years. A seventh carries a mandatory five-year prison term that cannot be suspended, with up to 20 more years possible. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 20 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) John Kerry, America's top official on climate change, said Tuesday that the U.S. and China were making progress on putting together a group from both countries to work toward quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made. We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster to reduce emissions, said Kerry. Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better. The agreement was reached during the U.N. climate summit last year in Glasgow, Scotland. For the first time, China agreed to crackdown on methane leaks, a highly potent greenhouse gas. On Tuesday, Kerry said that reducing coal consumption would also be a central area of focus for the group. The progress report came as government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grappled with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects. A central question was: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels? In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world. But today, the question is both practical and urgent, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced many countries that depended on Russian oil and gas to make swift changes to energy supplies. The debate comes as examples of acutely felt impacts of climate change multiply, including recent heat waves in Southeast Asia to flooding in parts of South America. Meanwhile, the worlds top climate scientists have repeatedly warned that increased investment in fossil fuels are hurting chances to keep warming to limit warming to 1.5 C (2.7 F), and thus avoid even more devastating effects. Kerry, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, and several European officials argued Tuesday that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to lose focus on renewable energy goals. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned the 27-nation bloc should never again become dependent on untrustworthy countries, like it did with fossil fuels from Russia, as it moves toward a greener economy. She said the economies of the future will no longer rely on oil and coal, but rather the green and digital transitions will rely on other materials like lithium, silicon metal or rare earth permanent magnets which are required for batteries, chips, electric vehicles or wind turbines. We must avoid falling into the same trap as with oil and gas," she said. "We should not replace old dependencies with new ones. Von der Leyen added that the war in Ukraine has strengthened Europes determination to get rid of Russian fossil fuels rapidly. EU countries have approved an embargo on coal imports from Russia but member countries have yet to find a deal on sanctions on Russia's oil and gas. Attendees in Davos this week were also discussing several other high-priority issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of rising hunger worldwide, inequality and persistent health crises. That included Turkeys pushback to Finland and Sweden applying for NATO membership. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at Davos that a delegation from his country and Sweden will travel to the Turkish capital Wednesday for talks. Both Haavisto and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in separate comments at the gathering that they believe they can overcome Turkeys concerns about what it sees as Finlands and Swedens support for groups it considers terrorists. We have to do what we always do in NATO, and that is to sit down and address concerns when allies express concerns, Stoltenberg said. But even in discussions of those issues, climate change was often ever present, as was the tension over what role oil and gas companies may play in a transition to green energy. Davos represented one of the biggest platforms to discuss climate change ahead of the next U.N. climate summit in Egypt in November. Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum a major oil company, said that oil and gas industries had a central role to play in the transition to renewable energy. Instead of talk about moving away from fossil fuels, Hollub said the focus should be on making fossil fuels cleaner by reducing emissions. She said Occidental had invested heavily in wind and solar energy and planned to build the largest direct air capture facility in the world in the Permian Basin. Direct air capture is a process that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it deep in the ground. The U.S. can provide ample resources to the rest of the world. However, its becoming more and more difficult to do that because of the fact that we are getting a lot of headwinds, she said on Monday. One is the belief that we can end the use of oil and gas sooner rather than later. Joe Manchin, a U.S. senator from West Virginia who has opposed a major bill on climate change proposed by President Joe Biden, said Monday that fossil fuels were key to ensure energy security, and America had the resources to help ensure such security for the world. We can't do it by abandoning the fossil fuel industry, said Manchin, a Democrat, adding that no transition could take place until alternatives were fully in place. Many energy experts argue that viable alternatives are already in place. For example, the cost of wind and solar have come down considerably in recent decades while efficiencies of both have dramatically increased. At the same time, other more nascent technologies have promise but need massive investment to develop. Kerry, in the interview, said he was still hopeful that climate change legislation in Congress was still possible. There is no sign of progress, or even any movement, by the Biden administration. "When you are a legislator, hope springs eternal," said Kerry. You always are working to try to get the votes to make something happen. When asked whether he planned to step down soon, as some have speculated because Congress is clearly stalled on climate legislation, Kerry said no. Nobody is going to be in one job forever, are they? Kerry asked. But I'm not planning to move on. I'm working toward the COP (in Egypt) and we'll see what happens. Associated Press journalists Kelvin Chan and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Dana Beltaji in London and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. Peter Prengaman is The Associated Press' global climate and environment news director and can be followed at: twitter.com/peterprengaman 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rebecca Jane Clark was born Sept. 15, 1849, three months after Bloomington changed its name to Muscatine. As a small child, she watched construction of a fine, brick church building at West 3rd and Chestnut streets. Familiar as it became to her, that building was never her church. Rebecca and her family attended the African Methodist Episcopal where her father was the Sunday school superintendent, across Papoose Creek and most of the way up 7th Street hill. Their simple, rough building was also where she would attend the African school with her siblings and other colored children of the town. From the clues available, it seems the firstborn of Alexander and Catherine was energetic and involved in the society around her. At age 4, her name is one of the 33 Colored Citizens of Muscatine County on a petition her father got presented to the Iowa legislature calling for repeal of the 1851 law excluding Blacks and Mulattoes. As she grew older, she took part in church pageants and Emancipation celebrations. More than her younger sister and brother, she experienced firsthand how it was to grow up Black in pre-Civil War, frontier Iowa. The pastor of the church kitty-corner from her house had arrived in Bloomington in 1843 as a young missionary and would hold the same pulpit for a half century. He would become a friend of the Clarks and would even officiate at Rebeccas wedding. [Muscatine] is pretty well supplied with churches (ten in number), though at present rather destitute of pastors. Decidedly the best appearing, exteriorly, of these, is the Congregational. This building is not completed above, but probably will be during next summer. When done it will have one of the finest, though not, perhaps, the largest audience rooms in the city. At present the congregation worship in the basement. The Rev. A.B. Robbins is, and has been for some ten years, pastor of this church. Though not a brilliant pulpit speaker, he is a sound, sensible, evangelical preacher, whose discourses are always listened to with interest by his audience. (Linn County Register, November 1853) Historian Robert Dykstra: In that year of 1843 the winds of religious schism swept America. Evangelical abolitionists throughout the North sought to incite their various denominations to declare slavery a heinous sin, to excommunicate slaveholders, and to endorse antislavery activism as a Christian endeavor. Alden B. Robbins and 10 of his classmates from Andover Theological Seminary in Massachusetts heard a call from God to bring Christian civilization out to the Iowa Territory. I recommend learning about the Iowa Band and their influence on the course of the new state. Launching the institution we know as Grinnell College was one of their achievements. Historian Irving B. Richman: On Thursday, May 28, 1861, he had said at prayer meeting: The thing to be prayed for now is Emancipation; and on Sunday, September 7th, he had noted: Preached in favor of emancipation of slaves. Full house some excitement. His joy, therefore, when, on January 3, 1863, he heard of the Proclamation of Emancipation was profound. Glorious dawn of hope for the country! he exclaims, more than three million people set at liberty! (Congregational Life in Muscatine 1843-1893, Iowa Journal of History and Politics, July 1923) At a party celebrating his 20th year in ministry, Pastor Robbins reminisced: Another interesting name given us was the dd Yankee Church; and, still later, the name of Uncle Toms Cabin. All of these have been names of honor, and all of them have already come to be anything but a disgrace. (Muscatine Journal, Nov. 2, 1863) There was quite a sensation among our colored population, last evening, the occasion being the marriage of George W. Appleton to Rebecca J. Clark, eldest daughter of our well-known citizen, Alexander Clark. The wedding took place in the African Church at 6 oclock, the ceremony being performed by Rev. A.B. Robbins, the Congregational pastor. The young couple have many friends among our citizens. The bride was born in Muscatine and has been liberally educated. The bridegroom came from the South during the war, having been born a slave; but by eight years close application to business and improving leisure hours by study, has established a character for uprightness and intelligence which is worth more than riches or an academic education without such character. (Muscatine Journal, Oct. 11, 1872) Rising 70 feet above the ground, the spire of the Congregational Church beckoned to eastern pilgrims from out of a panoramic drawing showing Muscatine viewed from the Mississippi River. (Published in 1855 in Ballous Pictorial, a Boston weekly.) Today the site of the 1852 church is a sunken parking lot. The site of the Clarks home is the garage for the Clark House apartments. The 1848 bell the Congregationalists brought from Massachusetts is at Faith United Church of Christ on Mulberry Avenue. Next time: Rebecca the pioneer Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MUSCATINE Memorial Day events are returning, with an opportunity for people to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. Drury-Reynolds Cemetery will hold its 121st Annual Memorial Day Service at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 29. The theme is Just as Red: Helping Those Who Came Home," featuring guest speaker and local Vietnam Veteran Richard "Dick" Nash. Nash works with veterans groups throughout Mercer County and is a member of the American Legion. Nash has worked with CreatiVets, a group that promotes healing for veterans through art and creative expression. He also worked with Country musician Lewis Brice to record his song Just as Red," about his experiences coming home after fighting in Vietnam and working with other veterans. (Nash) is just the most wonderful person, and he works so hard for veterans. Hes constantly working to get supplies for veterans homes, helping those who are home bound, so hes the perfect person to speak at an event like this, Julie Wagner, one of the organizers for this years service, said. The service will include a prayer for the nation and a moment of recognition for veterans in attendance, a roll call for deceased veterans, an Honor Guard gun salute, the placing of the traditional Veterans wreath, and the playing of Taps. Island Cemetery in Fruitland will hold a Memorial Day service at 9 a.m. Monday, May 30. It's sponsored by Island United Methodist Church, Fruitland Baptist Church and the Fruitland Community Lions Club. Guests are asked to bring lawn chairs. In case of bad weather, service will move to the Community Center within Fruitland City Hall. Memorial Park Cemetery will hold a service at 9 a.m. Monday, featuring readings and songs in honor of the holiday and veterans whose lives were lost. Guests are asked to bring lawn chairs with them, and with the exception of lightning, the service will be held rain or shine. At 10 a.m. Monday, the Muscatine VFW will hold its annual Memorial Day service at Greenwood Cemetery, in coordination with the Muscatine American Legion Post 27. The Muscatine County Honor Guard and the Sons of American Legion will attend. There will be a roll call of deceased veterans, and a speech by Mayor Brad Bark. After the cemetery service, there will be a brief service at Riverside Park on the Muscatine Riverfront at 10:50 a.m., where members of the VFW and American Legion will place a pair of wreaths in the river in honor of the soldiers who were buried or lost at sea. If there is bad weather, this service will not be held. Afterwards, there will be a luncheon held at the Muscatine VFW, located at 1415 Grandview Avenue. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ATLANTA (AP) A Democrat running for the Georgia Public Service Commission stayed on the ballot Tuesday after a judge blocked a Monday decision by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to disqualify her over residency issues. Patty Durand of Conyers is one of two Democrats competing in a primary to challenge Republican incumbent Tim Echols. Raffensperger on Monday found Durand was not qualified to run for the District 2 seat. She moved into the new district in March after Durand's old Peachtree Corners residence was drawn out of the district. Durand said she was unconstitutionally targeted in redistricting, and should be able to run anyway, arguing it violated her 14th Amendment right to equal protection. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Melynee Leftridge on Tuesday ordered Raffenspergers office to put Durand back on the ballot and count her votes, pending a later decision on Durand's lawsuit. The order came after polls opened. Leftridge ordered removal of polling place signs stating Durand had been disqualified. Commission candidates run statewide, but must live in one of five districts for at least a year before the November election. The commission regulates Georgia Power Co. and will decide how the utility's customers pay for its share of $30 billion being spent on two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta. Durand agrees she did not meet the one-year residency requirement. Instead, she argues Echols and Public Service Commission President Tricia Pridemore, also a Republican, conspired to draw Durand out of the district. In a May 12 hearing, Durand produced texts between Echols and Pridemore showing Echols sent Durand's address in Gwinnett County to Pridemore after Pridemore had produced a draft map that kept Gwinnett County in Echols district. Administrative Law Judge Shakara Barnes found Friday that at the very least, the SB 472 redistricting map was drawn with respondents specific address in mind. But Barnes wrote she is not allowed to resolve constitutional challenges and recommended to Raffensperger that Durand be disqualified. Raffensperger ordered Durand disqualified on Monday, while disputing many of Barnes findings about what happened during redistricting. The other Democrat in the primary, Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Russell Edwards, was recruited by Durand to run in case she was disqualified, Durand has said. Edwards endorsed Durand and suspended his campaign in late April. Durand said that if she wins the nomination Tuesday and is later disqualified, the state Democratic Party would choose a new nominee. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A captured Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian was sentenced by a Ukrainian court Monday to life in prison the maximum amid signs the Kremlin may, in turn, put on trial some of the fighters who surrendered at Mariupols steelworks. Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign colleagues in which he said of the invasion, Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24." Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for maximum sanctions against Russia in a video address to world leaders and executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also revealed one of the deadliest single strikes of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed almost 90 people. And on the battlefield, heavy fighting raged in the Donbas in the east, where Moscow's forces have stepped up their bombardment. Cities not under Russian control were constantly shelled, and one Ukrainian official said Russian forces targeted civilians trying to flee. In the first of what could be a multitude of war crimes trials held by Ukraine, Russian Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was sentenced for the killing of a 62-year-old man who was shot in the head in a village in the northeastern Sumy region in the opening days of the war. Shishimarin, a member of a tank unit, had claimed he was following orders, and he apologized to the man's widow in court. His Ukraine-appointed defense attorney, Victor Ovsyanikov, argued his client had been unprepared for the violent military confrontation and mass casualties that Russian troops encountered when they invaded. He said he would appeal. Ukrainian civil liberties advocate Volodymyr Yavorskyy said it was an extremely harsh sentence for one murder during the war. But Aarif Abraham, a British-based human rights lawyer, said the trial was conducted with what appears to be full and fair due process," including access to an attorney. Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating thousands of potential war crimes. Russian forces in Mariupol bombed a theater where civilians were sheltering and struck a maternity hospital. In the wake of Moscows withdrawal from around Kyiv weeks ago, mass graves were discovered and streets were strewn with bodies in towns such as Bucha. Before Shishimarin's sentencing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was unable to defend the soldier but will consider trying to do so through other channels. Mary Ellen OConnell, an expert on international law at the University of Notre Dame, said that putting Shishimarin on trial could prove extremely detrimental to Ukrainian soldiers in the hands of Russia. She said Russia may decide to hold show trials of Ukrainians to boost the morale of its own soldiers and spread disinformation. Maybe it would have happened without the Ukrainians beginning trials, OConnell said. But the timing suggests that the Ukrainians should have held back and perhaps still should, so that the Russians cant say, Were just doing to their soldiers what they did to ours. Russian authorities have threatened to hold trials of captured Ukrainians namely, fighters who held out at Mariupols shattered steel plant, the last stronghold of resistance in the strategic southern port city. They surrendered and were taken prisoner last week, at which point Moscow claimed the capture of Mariupol was complete. Russias main investigative body said it intends to interrogate the Mariupol defenders to identify the nationalists and determine whether they were involved in crimes against civilians. Russian authorities have seized upon the far-right origins of one of the regiments there, calling the Azov Regiments fighters Nazis and accusing their commander without evidence of numerous atrocities." Russias top prosecutor has asked the countrys Supreme Court to designate the Azov Regiment a terrorist organization. Family members of the fighters have pleaded for their eventual return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner swap. Elsewhere, Boris Bondarev, a veteran Russian diplomat at the U.N. office at Geneva, quit and sent a letter denouncing the aggressive war unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bondarev told The Associated Press: It is intolerable what my government is doing now." In his letter, Bondarev said those who conceived the war want only one thing to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity. He also said Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is all about "warmongering, lies and hatred. At the Davos forum, Zelenskyy said sanctions against the Kremlin must go further. He urged an embargo on Russian oil, a complete cutoff of trade and a withdrawal of foreign companies from the country. This is what sanctions should be: They should be maximum, so that Russia and every other potential aggressor that wants to wage a brutal war against its neighbor would clearly know the immediate consequences of their actions, said Zelenskyy, who received a standing ovation. In other developments, nearly 50 defense leaders from around the world met Monday and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including missiles to protect its coast, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Washington. On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories that Russia is bent on capturing. Donetsk's regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said three civilians died in Russian attacks there Monday and heavy fighting continued near the Luhansk region. The Donbas consists of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He said the Russians were decimating cities in their attempt to take them over. Only about 320,000 people out of the region's prewar population of 1.6 million remain, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he said. They are killing us. They are killing the locals during evacuation, Kyrylenko said. On the eve of the three-month anniversary of the start of the war, Zelensky said that four missiles killed 87 people last week in the town of Desna, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Kyiv. The deaths were tallied after debris was cleared, he said. The Russians have now concentrated their forces on Donbas cities and are trying to destroy all life, Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the nation. In the Luhansk region, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, local authorities reported that a bridge leading to the administrative center of Sievierodonetsk was destroyed, leaving the partially encircled city reachable by just one road. Some who fled the Donetsk region shared their suffering. We havent been able to see the sun for three months. We are almost blind because we were in darkness for three months, said Rayisa Rybalko, who hid with her family first in their basement and then in a bomb shelter at a school before fleeing their village of Novomykhailivka. The world should have seen that. Her son-in-law Dmytro Khaliapin said heavy artillery pounded the village. Houses are being ruined, he said. Its a horror. Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Danica Kirka in London and other AP staffers around the world contributed. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tyme Group has announced a series of leadership changes following TymeBanks rapid growth in South Africa. At the same time, Tyme Group said it is strengthening its position as an international digital banking group. The group is making major advances in the Philippines with the imminent launch of GOTyme Bank, the digital bank modelled on South Africas TymeBank, and officially submitted its application for a digital banking licence in Pakistan in March 2022, the company stated. TymeBank chairman Thabani Jali said that the bank has nearly five million customers in South Africa and is on course to break even in 2023. We believe the time is right to redeploy key executives into positions that will let the group take advantage of opportunities that are opening up in new territories, Jali said. The group announced the following leadership changes: TymeBanks current CEO, Tauriq Keraan, will be appointed Group Executive: Growth Projects responsible for leading Tymes establishment in new territories. Coen Jonker, the co-founder of Tyme and TymeBank, will be appointed TymeBanks CEO in South Africa. His key priorities are the recruitment of several new senior hires to support banks growth trajectory, further transforming the TymeBank leadership team, and leading selected strategic acquisitions. David Pfaff, Tyme Groups current CFO, will take over from Coen Jonker as Tyme Group CEO. Cheslyn Jacobs, who is currently responsible for TymeBanks sales and service function, will be appointed Chief Commercial Officer of TymeBank, accountable for revenue generation. Keraan, Jonker, and Pfaffs appointments all come into effect on 1 July. Jacobs appointment is effective 1 June. In his new role as Tyme Group CEO, David Pfaff will move to Tyme Groups head office in Singapore where he assumes responsibility for the Groups international growth strategy. There he will help execute existing and explore new retail agreements with local and international business partners. We have started testing our banking platform in the Philippines. The start-up team has been recruited, the leadership team has been assembled, and we are on track to launch GOTyme Bank, our digital bank to the market in the second half of 2022, Pfaff said. We had previously indicated that Pakistan was under consideration as a third market and if our application for a digital banking licence in that country is successful, we will be operating in a combined market size of c. 400 million people. Now read: TymeBank launches credit card Insurance companies in South Africa are likely to honour your claim if your solar power installation is damaged by lightning even on multiple occasions provided specific protection measures are in place. These include using lightning arrestors and surge protectors and installing your solar or equipment through an accredited service provider. MyBroadband reached out to Auto & General, Elite Risk, Hollard, and King Price for insight into how such installations would impact insurance claims, even if they are damaged multiple times. We created a hypothetical scenario where lightning damaged a solar installation on multiple occasions to determine what homeowners would need to do to avoid getting their cover cancelled. Auto & General Insurance head Ricardo Coetzee told MyBroadband that insurers might require that you install protective equipment. They say that lightning never strikes twice but this, unfortunately, is a myth, he said. If your solar panels are repeatedly struck by lightning, lightning arrestors, a strike termination device and/or surge protectors should be installed and may specifically be required by your insurer to provide cover. He added that it is essential to ensure that your solar panels are installed by a qualified technician, meet the technical regulations, and are properly maintained. Elite Risk managing director Tarina Vlok said the company would honour such claims, but rates could increase in lightning strike prone areas. All domestic policies cover lightning strike damages, and the Elite policy will certainly honour those claims, she said. The concern with your scenario is that the area in which this risk is situated, is a high-risk area for lightning strikes. Vlok explained that Elite Risks actuarial models consider such risk factors. Using historical data, the client in this situation would likely be subject to a higher rate under their property sections to compensate for the risk. She added that even protection devices such as lightning conductors would need to be installed in accordance with the relevant regulations. The client in your scenario did everything they could to mitigate the lightning risk, on condition, of course, that the lightning conductor was installed in accordance with regulations as determined by the SABS. Hollards head of product development for personal lines, Deanna Bezuidenhout, explained that surge protectors would affect your excess. [Surge protectors] will not only lower the risk of losses, but also decreases the likelihood of having to pay an insurance excess due to repeated lightning strikes, electrical faults or power surges resulting from load-shedding, she said. King Price client experience partner Wynand van Vuuren said that lightning prone buildings, such as those with thatch roofing, would likely need a lightning conductor to be installed to keep cover in place. Recommendations Elite Risk and King Price also provided recommendations to ensure that your installation is compliant and that you wont run into any issues when submitting a claim. Ensure that your installer whether for solar or gas installations is reputable and preferably accredited by your insurer. Your insurance policy might exclude faulty installations by non-accredited service providers and damage as a result thereof. Such installations increase the propertys value and should be included in your insured amount. Contact your insurer and inform them of this. Ask your broker or insurer if you have full cover for solar installations, especially the panels. Ensure to protect any installation with surge protection devices. Lightning protection in high-risk areas contributes significantly to reducing the risk of lightning strikes. Now read: Eskom needs R594 million to fix Medupi design flaws South Africa registered two solar projects as part of a process designed to cut red tape and help increase the pace of private generation in a nation thats headed for a record year of power cuts. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved the projects, the biggest since President Cyril Ramaphosa removed the need for seeking licenses to build plants that generate as much as 100 megawatts of electricity. The two 100 megawatt solar projects being developed in South Africas North West province by Sola Group will be utilised by miner Tronox Mineral Sands. The most industrialised nation on the continent desperately needs to add as much as 6,000 megawatts of capacity to stabilise supply and end electricity shortages. These projects are moving forward and faster than some government programs to add generation, said Sola Chief Executive Officer Dom Wills. The private market is able to sign deals this big and is more flexible. State-owned utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. is struggling to meet demand with a poorly maintained, defective fleet of mainly coal-fired stations and has been forced to implement power cuts on a daily basis in order to prevent a complete collapse of the grid. Efforts by the government to add capacity have been mired in legal battles and slow processes. You do need a lot of things in place to even register a project, but then the process took just over two months, Wills said. Financial close is expected in mid-July and then construction is estimated to take about 14 months. Solas projects are the biggest to be registered under the new rules, though Nersa has processed smaller ones, the regulator said in a reply to questions. African Rainbow Energy is a 40% shareholder in Sola. The company has another project in the works, according to Wills. Interest in the market is quite big. By Azernews The 22 May Brussels meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan through the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel showed with stunning clarity the grandiosity of the Azerbaijani leader, Azernews reports. Meeting Charles Michel ahead of the meeting with the Armenian prime minister, the Azerbaijani leader filled him in on Baku's five-point peace package, based on international law, and stressed that these principles were to play a pivotal role in drafting a peace treaty. Moreover, Ilham Aliyev expressed the hope that the process of drafting the document would be accelerated. The meaning of this message is obvious and it clearly indicates Bakus readiness to take concrete steps towards peace. This is what Yerevan is so stubbornly resisting, citing a bunch of very different, mostly completely ridiculous, "arguments" in its "justification". Of course, Michel is well-aware of the truth that is on the side of Azerbaijan, and the arguments, cited by President Ilham Aliyev, are traditionally impeccable. Recalling that Azerbaijan determined the composition of the working group, as well as the composition of the National Commission for Border Delimitation, Aliyev sent a message that it is the Armenian side that is hindering the adoption of specific decisions agreed upon during the two previous high-level meetings. The five-hour meeting resulted in another brilliant triumph for the Azerbaijani president: almost everything he talked about during the tete-a-tete meeting was accepted. Most importantly, there was no mention of Nagorno-Karabakh, and even more so of "Artsakh", but Karabakh in the final statement of the President of the EU Council. Just like in the two previous meetings, there was not a mention of the so-called status of Karabakh by Michel. The only point that was referred to was the importance of considering the issue of the rights and security of the ethnic Armenian population in Karabakh. However, Baku has always spoken of its readiness to give them exactly the same rights that all citizens of the country enjoy. So, here, too, lies the unity of Baku and Brussels's positions. Moreover, Michels final statement noted that the demining of the liberated territories and the fate of the missing people were discussed, which is exactly what Azerbaijan has always sought. Aliyev repeatedly demanded the Armenian leadership to hand over the minefield maps, in the absence of which, it is difficult to clear mines from the liberated territories, which leads to new tragic deaths and injuries among civilians. He also demanded clarification on the fate of over 4,000 missing Azerbaijani servicemen in the first Karabakh war, which was also reflected in the statement. During the meeting, it was also decided to hold the first joint meeting of the delimitation commissions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border in the near future. The commission will be in charge of defining the boundaries and finding best ways to ensure stability in the region. The need to implement this point was also mentioned by official Baku. Finally, it was decided to continue work on opening communications, including the implementation of the Zangazur corridor, which is another factor that Azerbaijan has insisted upon and Armenia has so actively opposed. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that the country needs the Zangazur corridor not only for the citizens to gain access to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic but also for the railway communication between Armenia and Iran through it. He also mentioned the benefits the corridor will give Armenia. Taking into account his role in the historical victory of the 44-day war, which ended with the liberation of the historical Shusha and all previously occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as the political and economic leadership of the country in the region, allows one to call the Azerbaijani leader one of the brightest political figures of our time. Afriforum has explained why it believes that drivers licence cards should never expire and is launching a legal case to challenge the requirement to renew them. The civil rights organisation recently announced it would be approaching the courts to have drivers licence card renewals and fines for expired cards declared illegal. The legislation does not clearly distinguish between a driving licence and a driving licence card, Afriforum said. It neither explicitly states that motorists must apply for new licence cards upon expiry. It does not even state that it is a crime to drive with an expired licence card nor prescribe any fines, penalties or sanctions. It is outrageous that there appears to be no legislation validating the requirement for driving licence cards to be renewed every five years, Afriforums campaign officer for strategy and content, Reiner Duvenage, stated. Shortly after MyBroadband reported on the announcement, Driving.co.za managing director Rob Handfield-Jones wrote in to contradict Afriforums claims. Handfield-Jones agreed that there are many good arguments for licence card validity periods to be longer, but he disputed Afriforums legal argument. He said the regulations defining the differences between the licence and the card could not be clearer. Handfield-Jones said that section 12 of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) provided the legal foundation for the driving licence. At the same time, NRT regulation 108 explained the process to renew expired drivers licence cards. Afriforum campaign officer Reiner Duvenage has clarified that the crux of the organisations case had to do with inconsistencies between the NRTA and its accompanying regulations. Duvenage explained the regulation that determined the five-year validity period for a card was made by the transport minister as part of their powers under section 5 of the NRTA. Afriforum argues that these regulations were inconsistent with the earlier determination in the Act, which states a driving licence was indefinite unless the licence was suspended or cancelled in terms of the Act. In addition, Afriforum contends the regulations concerning the drivers licence card were inconsistent with NRT Regulation 101(2)(a), in which the minister had exercised their power to prescribe the period of validity of a driving licence as indefinite. Afriforum believes there is no apparent reason for the validity period to be five years, making the decision unreasonable and irrational. Duvenage added the requirement to apply for and be issued with a new card was not related to any power of the transport minister to regulate the operation of a vehicle on a public road, nor to achieve the goals of the NRTA. Insofar as section 75 of the NRTA does purport to confer upon the transport minister wide and untrammelled powers, vaguely expressed, including the power to set a period of validity for a driving licence card that is not aligned with the period of validity of the licence itself, it is itself inconsistent with the separation of powers envisaged under the Constitution of South Africa, Duvenage said. French wheeled 155 mm self-propelled artillery units CAESAR are already on the territory of Ukraine and are used against the enemy. This is evidenced by a video shared by Ukrainian servicemen on social networks. The video footage shows combat use. On one of shells fighters wrote " For Mariupol! Probably, the French ACS are part of one of the artillery brigades. Volha Serhiy Prytula Foundation volunteer Roman Sinitsyn wrote on Twitter: " One of the art brigades has had these jokes for a long time ." Taras Chmut , director of the Return Alive Foundation , clarified that the ACS in Ukraine has been around for a long time: So what about Caesars? The moon is pouring . " 155 mm projectile CAESAR with the caption For Mariupol! The transfer of CAESAR ACS from France to Ukraine became known on April 22, 2022. Then the President of the country Emanuel Macron said in an interview that he supplies Ukraine with a variety of weapons "from Milan (ATGM Milan - Military ) to Caesar" and plans to do so in the future. At that time, the French media suggested that a division of these ACS (12 units) would be delivered. Ukrainian servicemen trained in France. On May 18, Macron said arms supplies to Ukraine would increase. SAU CEASAR - French wheeled 155 mm self-propelled gun developed by GIAT Industries. Serially produced since 2007. 72 units were delivered to the French army. Barrel length - 52 calibers. Carrying ammunition - 18 shells. Rate of fire - 6 shots per minute. Caesar is able to use the full range of NATO 155-mm artillery shells. The Renault Sherpa 5 6 6 is used as the ACS chassis for the French army. Read also: Destroyed DT-30 "Knight" was shown in Vilkhivka 30 OMBR effectively destroyed a Russian truck with ammunition (VIDEO) From the first shot: NATO howitzer gunners hit the command post of the Russian unit The occupying army was reduced by 29,200 soldiers - the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ukrainian paratroopers destroy a unit of the 76th Airborne Assault Division Ukrainian artillerymen told how they use space reconnaissance to destroy the occupiers Ukrainian fighters eliminated the Russians and captured the BMP-1 Fighting drone of Air Intelligence defeated the BMP of the occupiers (VIDEO) In the occupied Energodar, partisans blew up the mayor-collaborator together with the guards (photo) Armed Forces received a hint on where to look for racist BMPT "Terminator" Soldiers of the 59th separate motorized infantry brigade named after Yakov Gandziuk effectively destroyed the enemy's BMP Avast! The time has come to walk the plank and find the treasure! Join the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum on Saturday, May 28 for the annual Treasure Hunt. Inspired by Stevensons pirate classic "Treasure Island," this is your familys chance to hunt for clues and find the treasure. The annual treasure hunt is a walkable hunt around downtown St. Helena beginning at the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum next to the St. Helena Public Library. Clues are available in both English and Spanish. Pirate costumes are encouraged. A pirate-themed art project will also be happening during the treasure hunt at the museum. The first three families to solve the clues and find the treasure will be awarded a special prize. All participants will be able to have a piece of the treasure. Participating pirates must be accompanied by an adult. Children cannot be left unattended. Monday, May 16 0844 Non-injury accident on College Avenue. 1004 Medical aid on Vallejo Street. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. 1016 Police investigated a case involving a juvenile. 1157 Report of petty theft on La Fata Street. 1252 An officer participated in a fifth-grade DARE class. 1555 A car was vandalized on Grayson Avenue. 1753 A catalytic converter was stolen from a car on Elmhurst Avenue. 2217 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop at Main/Adams. Tuesday, May 17 0415 An officer cited someone for speeding near Main/Pope. 1300 Police cited a vehicle parked in front of a fire hydrant and facing in the wrong direction on Railroad Avenue. 1448 Police cited a vehicle parked in a red zone on Main Street. 1602 A caller reported being involved in a road rage incident. 1640 Report of a large oak limb hanging on power lines near Highway 29 and Ehlers Lane. 1958 A car sideswiped another car on Mitchell Drive. Nobody was hurt. Wednesday, May 18 0448 A caller asked police to check on their mother on Redondo Court. 0959 A gas line was hit on Pope Street. The matter was referred to Cal Fire. 1053 Medical aid on Oak Avenue. 1139 Police were notified of a civil problem involving a person who was insisting on moving into a friends house. 1606 A caller asked to talk to an officer about a leaf blower on Colombard Court. 1936 Police cited an unlicensed driver with expired registration and no proof of insurance near Crane Park. Thursday, May 19 0208 Police notified PG&E of a problem with power lines on Main Street. 1118 Medical aid for a woman with shortness of breath on Redondo Court. 1209 Report of a dog in a hot car near Oak/Adams. The car left before police arrived. 1617 An officer cleared metal scraps from the northbound lane of Main Street near Elmhurst Avenue. 2212 Police found a mountain bike frame with no wheels or tires near Main Street. Friday, May 20 0020 An officer cited a driver for speeding on Highway 29. 0308 An officer found an abandoned bike near Spring Street. 1205 A caller asked how to obtain a restraining order. 1245 Report of a white van parked near Allyn/Pine for three days. The caller believed someone was living in it. Police marked it to be towed in 72 hours. 1314 A caller asked how to get police approval for valet parking. 1505 An officer took a report involving Public Utilities Commission enforcement north of St. Helena. 1558 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near the Upper Reservoir. 1617 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Spring Mountain Road. 1645 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Spring Mountain Road. 1652 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Dowdell Lane. 1719 Report of a dog barking for an hour on Allison Avenue. 1724 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Spring Mountain Road. 1813 Police were asked to check on a woman who seemed lost and incoherent near Main/Adams. 1853 Report of a reckless motorcyclist on Highway 29 near Big Tree Road. 2008 Police were told to be on the lookout for an at-risk man whod left a mental facility in Angwin. He was found within a few hours. 2306 Police checked on an occupied vehicle at Meily Park and told the occupants to move on. 2336 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Pratt Avenue. 2356 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Madrona. Saturday, May 21 1024 Medical aid for a sick baby on Brown Street. 1229 The railroad crossing arms at Hunt/Railroad wouldnt go up all the way. Police provided traffic control while the problem was fixed. 1355 Police cited a car blocking a carport on Spring Mountain Court. 1410 Report of a white Chevy into a ditch on Silverado Trail. 1420 Report of a drunk woman stumbling and staggering on Main Street. Police contacted the woman, who was not drunk or in distress. 2000 Report of a loud generator associated with an event near Adams Street. The caller was aware there was a noise permit on file but wanted to lodge a complaint about the generator disturbing a residential neighborhood. Sunday, May 22 0028 An officer cited someone for speeding near Silverado/Pope. 0323 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Highway 29 south of town. 2107 Following a traffic stop near Main/Hunt, police arrested a 22-year-old Santa Cruz man for a misdemeanor warrant. 2128 Report of a car with no headlights weaving on Main Street. Monday, May 23 0007 An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Highway 29. Members of St. Helenas American Legion Post 199 gathered outside the old City Hall Monday to raise the POW/MIA flag honoring prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. The city previously raised the POW/MIA flag on its ceremonial flagpole on Veterans Day in 2019. Post member Mike Griffin asked the City Council to fly the POW/MIA flag permanently on its taller main flagpole, just below the American flag. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Griffin said the flag pays tribute to the 83,204 U.S. military personnel since World War II whove gone unaccounted for. Of those recorded during the Vietnam War, California leads the nation with 160 soldiers confirmed or presumed to be dead whose bodies were never recovered. The National League of POW/MIA Families strongly recommends that state and municipal entities fly the POW/MIA flag daily to demonstrate continuing commitment to the goal of the fullest possible accounting of all personnel not yet returned to American soil. I'm proud to be an elected in a community that continues to honor our lost and missing servicemen and women, said City Councilmember Eric Hall, who helped shepherd the matter through the citys planning process. This flag, which will continuously fly with the stars and stripes, shows we are keeping our promise to never forget those who are lost. It's also a symbol to raise awareness of mental health illnesses plaguing our country, and our veteran community in particular. Veteran suicides continue unabated and we need to do more there, and for many other mental health issues across the board. You can reach Jesse Duarte at (707) 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Rep. Mike Thompson visited Adventist Health St. Helena on Monday to deliver a ceremonial check for $1.84 million to improve the water system serving the hospital and the surrounding community. The Glass Fire of 2020 damaged parts of the hospitals water system, which also provides storage, treatment and distribution facilities for about 660 residents of the Deer Park area. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The federal funding, approved March 15 as part of an omnibus spending bill signed by President Joe Biden, will help improve the water systems infrastructure and increase on-site water storage. Dr. Steven Herber, president and CEO of Adventist Health St. Helena, asked Thompson, D-St. Helena, for help after the Glass Fire, the congressman recalled. I was able to find a pot of money for this important project, Thompson told hospital representatives. Ive got a great affinity for this hospital, he added. Its where I was born and its where I left my tonsils. The upgrades to the water system wouldnt be possible without these funds that Mike (secured) for us, Herber said. Its not just helping the hospital and patients, Herber said. Its going to help the community around us who relies on us for their water, and we may even be able to go beyond that into St. Helena. This is doing something very impactful. You can reach Jesse Duarte at (707) 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Updated at 6:08 p.m. Tuesday ST. HELENA A vegetation fire broke out early Monday evening in east St. Helena and spread to roughly two or three acres, triggering a closure of the nearby Silverado Trail and a brief evacuation of areas along Howell Mountain Road, authorities said. Several callers reported the Pope Fire to Cal Fire off Silverado and Pope Street starting around 5:24 p.m., according to Capt. Pete Avansino. The first Cal Fire unit found flames covering 2 acres and moving uphill, but crews were able to stop its forward progress within an hour, he said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. The Pope Fire is 100% contained, St. Helena Police Chief Chris Hartley told the City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Silverado Trail reopened Monday night. No injuries or structural damage were reported. The fire was "partially due to mechanical malfunction," Hartley told the City Council on Tuesday, adding that the council will be updated once the St. Helena Fire Department concludes its investigation. St. Helena Police announced a mandatory evacuation for the area covered by the STH-E008 area on Zonehaven maps, St. Helena Police announced. The evacuation zone included an area east of Silverado and a stretch of Howell Mountain Road, from the Trail on north, and also including Ridgeview Lane, which branches from Howell Mountain. An evacuation advisory was in force to the east of the mandatory evacuation zone, in Zonehaven area NPA-E147, an area that includes Howell Mountain's northward extension as Conn Valley Road. Evacuation orders were lifted at 9:13 p.m., the Napa County Sheriff's Office later announced in a Nixle alert. The fire was the first local test of the Zonehaven evacuation system implemented in 2021. Instead of using roads to delineate evacuation areas, Zonehaven uses zones with names like STH-E008 and STH-E003-B. Residents can find their neighborhood zone at community.zonehaven.com. Silverado Trail, Howell Mountain Road and Ridgeview Lane were closed during the early hours of the fire. No road closures remained in effect on Tuesday morning. According to St. Helena Police, nine drivers were cited for trying to bypass the barricades at the Silverado/Howell Mountain/Pope intersection while road closures were in effect during the early hours of the fire. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Howard Yune Public Safety Reporter Howard Yune covers public safety for the Napa Valley Register. He has been a reporter and photographer for the Register since 2011, and previously wrote for the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, Anaheim Bulletin and Coos Bay (Oregon) World. Follow Howard Yune 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 According to information published by Global Times on May 24, 2022, the Liaoning aircraft carrier group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has reportedly returned to the East China Sea from its far sea training. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning during exercise in the West Pacific (Picture source: Twitter account of jackzhuanglia) A total of seven PLA Navy vessels - the aircraft carrier Liaoning, the Type 055 large guided-missile destroyer Nanchang, the Type 052D guided-missile destroyers Xining, Urumqi, and Chengdu, the Type 054A guided-missile frigate Xiangtan and the Type 901 comprehensive supply ship Hulunhu - were spotted sailing through the waters between Okinawa Island and Miyako Island headed toward the East China Sea, Japan's Ministry of Defense Joint Staff said. The Type 052C guided-missile destroyer Zhengzhou took a similar path and entered the East China Sea on Friday, according to another press release by Japan's Ministry of Defense Joint Staff on the day. Analysts said it means that all eight known warships in the Liaoning aircraft carrier group that sailed to the West Pacific for a routine far sea training exercise on May 1 have returned to the East China Sea, and the whole exercise is expected to conclude soon after the vessels return to their home ports. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said at a press conference on Friday that the Liaoning carrier had hosted more than 300 fighter jet and helicopter sorties in waters south of Okinawa since the start of May, and the drills were likely intended to enhance the PLA Navy's combat capabilities in far sea regions like the Pacific Ocean. Several Japanese press releases throughout the Liaoning's drills showed that J-15 fighter jets, as well as Z-9 and Z-18 helicopters, conducted cross-day-and-night flight exercises on the aircraft carrier. The location of the Liaoning aircraft carrier group's training was to the east of the island of Taiwan and south of Japan, and from there, the PLA can cut off possible reinforcements from foreign interference forces like the US and Japan. About Type 901 The Type 901 (NATO reporting name: Fuyu-class, also known as Hulunhu-class) is a class of fast combat support ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. Type 901 is estimated to have a 45,000-ton displacement and a beam of 31.5 meters. The ship is powered by four QC280 gas turbines, each delivering 28 MW, for a maximum speed of about 25 kt; the speed is necessary to keep up with carriers. Type 901 is more than twice the size of the preceding Type 903A and significantly faster. The Type 901 appears to be designed with similar missions to the Supply-class fast combat support ship which is to keep large surface action groups supplied. According to a PR published by Damen Shipyards on May 24, 2022, in a ceremony held at Simons Town Naval Base, the first of three, state-of-the-art, Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) has been handed over to the South African Navy. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link First Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel Sekhukhune (Picture source: Damen) The vessel marks the culmination of four years of work for Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT). The vessel being delivered will augment South Africas maritime security by enhancing the countrys capability to respond effectively, rapidly, and cost-effectively to threats such as illegal trafficking and fishing. The 62m by 11m vessels have been designed by Damen to deliver a rapid response capability that is both effective and cost-efficient. The vessel is the first Damen Sea Axe vessel to operate in South Africa where, along with its sister ships, its primary role will be to counter piracy, illegal fishing, and smuggling operations. However, their ability to accommodate at short notice containerized mission modules gives them a true multi-mission capability. The patented design delivers exceptional seakeeping behavior with the straight-edged bow cutting through the water thereby improving comfort and safety while reducing emissions and fuel consumption. They are based on the Stan Patrol 6211 and will have a maximum speed of 26.5 knots and a range of 4000 nautical miles. The vessels will be powered by four Caterpillar engines and will carry 2 RHIBS for boarding operations. By Trend AC Milan won their first Serie A title in 11 years on Sunday after beating Sassuolo 3-0 to snatch the crown from local rivals Inter Milan, Trend reports citing Beinsports. Needing just a point to claim the Scudetto Milan swept their hosts aside thanks to an Olivier Giroud brace and another from Franck Kessie in the first half in front of an army of away fans at the Mapei Stadium. Stefano Pioli's Milan finished two points ahead of Inter, who beat Sampdoria 3-0 in the San Siro. Fans partied in Milan and poured onto the pitch in Reggio Emilia as the 'Rossoneri' returned to the top of the Italian game after years of poor teams and financial problems since their last league crown in 2011. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian-Iranian diplomatic relations, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri gave an interview to NEWS.am. Read the interview below: Relations between Armenia and Iran over the past 30 years have been mostly friendly, with some ups and downs. How would you assess Armenian-Iranian relations at the moment? The political relations between Iran and Armenia are excellent; there is an atmosphere of consensus, mutual support and mutual trust between the two countries. Of course, joint efforts should be made to preserve and deepen these relations. In the economic sphere, relations between the two countries are growing dynamically. Iran's share in Armenia's foreign trade is about 6%, which is higher than its foreign trade figure with other neighboring countries. However, we should not be satisfied with this indicator, we should try to develop trade and economic relations, as well as expand, deepen our relations in the field of infrastructure, such as energy and transport. After the 44-day war, Iran's foreign minister said Armenia's territorial integrity was a red line for Iran. Azerbaijan continues to claim Armenian lands, especially the Syunik region bordering Iran to the south. President Ilham Aliyev regularly says he will open a corridor through Zangezur by force if necessary. Tehran declares the necessity of preserving the territorial integrity of neighboring countries and the invariability of borders. How important is it for Iran that Armenia's southern borders remain unchanged? The need to respect internationally recognized borders is a clear position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been affirmed by all officials at various levels. And hardly anyone doubts it. Of course, we welcome the implementation of the agreements reached between the neighboring countries within the framework of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries, we believe this is useful for increasing stability in the region, for the well-being of the people of the region. Azerbaijan has closed the Goris-Kapan highway under its control and announced that it would not open until winter. In this case, the only way for Iranian trucks to reach Yerevan is via the alternative Tatev-Aghvano road, which becomes difficult to use, in unfavorable weather conditions, especially for trucks with trailers. Given the fact that Iranian trucks often used this road, has Azerbaijan informed Iran of its intention, as it will affect trade between Armenia and Iran? We were not informed in advance about the situation, whether it was considered probable in terms of expert studies. In connection with the situation on the Goris-Kapan road, we consider the damage to the trade sphere to be short-term. The creation of the existing alternative road, used and improved, has almost solved the problem, but the main solution, which will greatly contribute to increased economic relations between the two countries, is the completion of the North-South road project in Armenia, which will be of international importance. Will Iran open a consulate in Kapan, Syunik? What are the main reasons for the decision, and when to wait for the end of the process? The creation of the Consulate General was necessary from various points of view; this initiative shows the serious attention from Iran to regional issues, to facilitate relations between the two countries, especially for the provision of services to Iranian citizens and businesses. We hope that in the near future we will witness the start of the work of the Consulate General. A lot of work has been done in this regard, other related work is "in progress" and is being finalized. In the new geopolitical situation, when Russia is under Western sanctions and Armenia may face difficulties in export and import, what new opportunities does Iran see to increase trade with Armenia? The origin of this crisis is not something that can bring happiness from a humanitarian point of view. The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is clearly stated, it is the need for an immediate cessation of military conflict. But no one can deny the changing conditions that have emerged in different markets in recent months. The situation, especially in the markets for energy and essential commodities, has undergone significant changes, which will complicate the situation for many countries. Despite all these developments, we are striving to expand economic and trade relations with our friendly neighbor Armenia. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev briefed his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the results of the summit in Brussels with the participation of the Armenian Prime Minister and the President of the European Council. The press service of the Azerbaijani President said that during the meeting the sides discussed "the preparation of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, especially the 5 principles proposed by Baku, the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, opening of transport corridors, delimitation of borders. It is noted that Aliyev "positively assessed the results of the trilateral meeting". "Aliyev highlighted that the parties reached an agreement on the opening of the Zangezur corridor, including the issue of laying both the railroad and the highway." Erdogan, for his part, praised the positive results achieved as a result of the meeting in Brussels. The Armenian Defense Ministry in response to Sputnik Armenia's request confirmed the fact of another advance of Azerbaijani troops in Syunik - in the area of Mount Vardasar. "At the beginning of May, we reported that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces or border guards had infiltrated the Armenian territory much to the south - near the height south of the villages Tsav and Nerkin Khand - about a year ago. The information about the locations of the positions coincides with the former ombudsman Arman Tatoyan's data. Tatoyan said so on 11 April, after Azerbaijani guards moved into the area of Nerkin Hand in March. However, when Sputnik Armenia asked, the Defense Ministry said that "there are no Azerbaijani positions on the territories adjacent to the village of Tsav, and there never was any." Moreover, when asked if there were other areas of Azerbaijani armed forces intrusion, except for the Vardenis community (Kut, Verin Shorzha and others) in Gegharkunik, Sev lich, Ishkhanasar and Nerkin Hand areas in Syunik, then the Defense Ministry said that "except for the incursions on Armenian territory in the past, no other cases were recorded". After examining the satellite maps, on 10 May we decided to send a request to the Defense Ministry again with a satellite picture and indication of the areas of engineering works near Vardasar. We asked for clarification whether Azerbaijani positions were visible in the photo and (if so, when the incursion took place). The reply was: "Enemy military positions at the points indicated by the arrows were deployed in May-June 2021. We should note that during the last year there was no official information from the Armenian authorities about an Azerbaijani invasion in this region, as in the case of the Nerkin Hand village area. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had a phone talk with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late on Monday, Azerbaijani media reported this, citing the press service of the Azerbaijani President. "Ilham Aliyev told Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the talks held the day before in Brussels with the President of the European Council and the Prime Minister of Armenia. President Ilham Aliyev spoke about issues related to the preparation of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the five principles based on international law presented by Azerbaijan in this regard, the normalization of relations between the two countries, the opening of transport corridors and the delimitation of borders. The President of Azerbaijan positively assessed the results of the trilateral meeting in Brussels. The Azerbaijani head of state said that today he signed an order on the creation of a State Commission on delimitation of the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia. President Ilham Aliyev also noted that the parties came to an agreement on the opening of the Zangezur corridor, including the construction of both rail and road. In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked for the information about the trilateral meeting, and highly appreciated the positive results achieved at the meeting. The Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey highlighted the importance of achieving peace in the region as soon as possible. During the conversation the heads of states also exchanged views on bilateral relations and further contacts," the media reported. The U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" toward Taiwan remains unchanged, US President Joe Biden told reporters in Tokyo after the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit (Australia, India, the United States and Japan) on Tuesday, the White House press pool reported. The head of the Washington administration said Monday at a press conference in Japan, answering a question from a member of the media, that he was prepared to defend Taiwan militarily if the need arose. As the press pool explains, Biden was asked Tuesday if his words meant that "the policy of strategic ambiguity" was a thing of the past. "No," the head of state said. He declined to reveal any details. My policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday, he told reporters when asked if the U.S. was prepared to send troops to Taiwan if necessary. The White House said Monday that the U.S. position remains unchanged, and Biden reiterated with his statement a commitment "to provide military means of self-defense to Taiwan." The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to the American president's statement with a strong protest. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will pay a visit to Palestine and Israel on Tuesday, TRT TV channel reported. Cavusoglu will take part in a meeting of a joint committee of Turkish and Palestinian foreign ministers, which was established between the diplomatic departments of the two countries in 2010. He will also hold talks with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki and Arab head of state Mahmoud Abbas. On the same day, Cavusoglu will travel to Israel, where he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. The talks are planned to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues. Local media pay attention to the fact that the visit of Turkish foreign minister to Israel will be the first at the official level in 15 years. Earlier, Cavusoglu told reporters that during his visit to Israel they plan to discuss the return of ambassadors and the full normalization of relations between the two countries. In March, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey; the main purpose of the visit, as he noted, was to reset bilateral relations after the crisis in 2010, when Israeli special forces seized the Turkish ship "Mavi Marmara," which was on its way to break the Gaza blockade. The countries then downgraded diplomatic relations and recalled their ambassadors. Another parliamentary four-day sitting began in Yerevan on Tuesday. There are a total of 23 questions on the agenda. Seven of them will be discussed in the second and final reading, and the rest in the first reading. Among them are the draft law on Making Addenda to the Law "On Mass Media," the draft law on Making Addenda to the Tax Code, the package of draft laws on Making Addenda to the Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia (Constitutional Law) and amendments to more than 90 related laws, and so on. Parliamentary opposition deputies from "Armenia" and "I Have Honor" blocs once again failed to attend the sitting. They are currently coordinating the acts of disobedience. By Trend The European Union needs its own armed forces to ensure its security, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on his Sunday blog, Trend reports citing TASS. "The new security environment demonstrates that the EU needs to take on more responsibility for its own security. For this, we need modern and interoperable European armed forces, looking at the higher-end of the spectrum and also striving to scale up capabilities and forces," he wrote. According to Borrell, the European Union needs to work kin three basic directions. "Member states must: First, work on the combat readiness of forces, including on stockpile replenishment; Second, augment existing capabilities, quantitatively and qualitatively (mass and volume), within the next five years with a focus on gaps accumulated from the past, such as strategic enablers, modernisation of air defences, cyber and space-based capabilities, just to name a few," he wrote. "Third, in a longer period, develop jointly future key capabilities such as Main Battle Tanks, advanced anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities or Space Situational Awareness." "The time to push forward European defence is now. We need to strengthen the European defence industrial base and to be operational with the needed military capacities. To be able to increase our military capacity to defend ourselves, to make the NATO stronger and to support better our partners whenever needed," he emphasized. Claims that the Chinese delegation at the World Economic Forum in Davos did not applaud after Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech and then left the hall are not true, Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday, citing the Chinese delegation. "Chinese representatives said that this information is not true. The Chinese delegation at the World Economic Forum told Xinhua that it was in talks with Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy was speaking," the agency said. Earlier, U.S. House of Representatives member Republican Michael McCaul said that after Zelenskyy's speech, the Chinese delegation did not join the applause and soon left the hall. On CNN, he showed a photograph in which the seated Chinese delegates could be seen surrounded by applauding people. The demand of opposition deputies of the Armenian parliament has been met and they were allowed to enter the Foreign Ministry building on Tuesday. Before going inside, Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body and deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament from the opposition, said that the Foreign Ministry has long been in a panic because it has nothing to do with the country's interests. "When Nikol Pashinyan (Armenian Prime Minister - ed.) appointed Ararat (Armenian Foreign Minister - ed.) as minister, Pashinyan said he needed a minister who would be politically responsible. In other words, he needed a minister who would share his betrayal. Our MPs want to stand up, deliver the message of the people and say on behalf of the people that you do not have the right and the mandate to put the country up for auction again," he said. Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu urged Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to take the same principled position towards former US President Donald Trump and current American leader Joe Biden as towards Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with whom he promised not to communicate anymore, Sozcu newspaper reports. Speaking to the nation on Monday, Erdogan said that Mitsotakis, after his visit to the United States, where he called on the United States not to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, now does not exist for him and he does not intend to neither meet nor deal with him. The theses expressed by Mitsotakis in the US are absolutely unacceptable. This is an approach that destroys peace on the island [Cyprus], disrupts stability in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. He, of course, had to answer, the newspaper quotes Davutoglu, who in 2014-2016 headed the Turkish government, and before that the Foreign Ministry. However, the politician added, in this regard, a number of questions arise, in particular, why the answer to the Prime Minister of Greece was heard five days after his statement in the United States, and also whether the Greek Ambassador was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry on this issue earlier. The number of executions in the world last year increased by 20% compared to 2020 amid the resumption of trials and the execution of sentences suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the non-governmental organization Amnesty International reported. In total, at least 579 people were executed in 18 countries in 2021, according to the annual study. In comparison, 483 executions were reported a year earlier, the lowest number in 10 years. An NGO names China as the country with the most executions in the world. Amnesty International notes that there is no verified data on the execution of death sentences in China - this information is a state secret. At the same time, the report, as in previous years, says that the number of death sentences carried out in China is in the thousands. There is also no reliable information on the number of people executed in North Korea and Vietnam. Among the countries in which information on executions can be verified, Iran has become the leader in the execution of death sentences. According to human rights activists, 314 people were executed in this country against 246 in 2020. This was the highest number since 2017, and the increase is due to more frequent imposition of capital punishment for drug-related crimes. According to Amnesty International estimates, Egypt is in second place (over 83), Saudi Arabia is in third place, where in 2021 the number of people executed has doubled to 65. Followed by Syria (over 24), Somalia (over 21), Iraq (over 17), Yemen (over 14), USA (11), South Sudan (over 9), Bangladesh (5), Botswana (3), Japan (3), Belarus (at least 1), UAE (as at least 1). Noting the end of the coronavirus pandemic, the London-based human rights organization points out that the number of death sentences handed down by the courts in 56 countries was 2,052 in 2021, which means an increase of 40% compared to 2020. The biggest increases were in Bangladesh (up from 113 to 181), India (up from 77 to 144) and Pakistan (up from 49 to 129). Human rights activists point out that the death penalty in 2021 has often been used by some countries as a tool of intimidation. Myanmar is cited as an example, where some 90 death sentences have been handed down by military tribunals without the possibility of challenging the decision, in some cases in absentia. By Trend Uzbekistan is likely to experience major declines in remittance flows in 2022, Trend reports via World Bank latest report. According to the WB, the crisis in Ukraine and anti-Russian sanctions will lead to a drop in officially registered remittance flows by 21 percent in Uzbekistan. The Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), which is an initiative of WB, projects that cash flows to low- and middle-income countries in Europe and Central Asia will decline by 1.6 percent in 2022 after rising by 7.8 percent in 2021. Despite the increase in transfers to Ukraine by more than 20 percent, Western sanctions imposed on Russia will lead to difficulties with transfers to the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The newly-appointed Minister for Solidarity, Autonomy and Disabled People, Damien Abad has been caught up in a scandal after several women accused him of rape, The Guardian reported. According to the publication, the politician is suspected of at least two incidents that occurred in 2010 and 2011. Abad himself, who was appointed minister on May 20, categorically denies all accusations. According to the politician, he is not capable of any sexual violence, including because he suffers from arthrogryposis, a congenital disease of the musculoskeletal system that affects the limbs of a person. As the minister noted, he is not going to resign from his post, because he considers himself completely innocent and sees no reason for such a step. Moreover, Abad assured the French that he was going to focus on his work. The allegations against the French minister were originally published by the Mediapart portal. According to him, one woman claims that she went to dinner with a politician in October 2010, drank one glass of champagne, and then woke up next to him in a hotel room in only her underwear. The second claims that she spent the night with Abad in 2011, according to her, at first she agreed to be close to the politician, but then asked him to stop, which he allegedly did not. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the oil embargo against Russia was a moot point, making it difficult to reach an agreement on the next round of European Union sanctions. Speaking to CNN at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Morawiecki said Poland was working for unity on the oil embargo, but that it was difficult for some landlocked countries, citing Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and the Czech Republic. Morawiecki added that some EU countries may not be as active and hide behind the back of the Hungarian leader Viktor Orban. Asked about the next phase of EU sanctions, Morawiecki noted that the confiscation of Russian assets would hurt Russia the most. The next stage - the most responsible one - is the confiscation of the money of the oligarchs, the confiscation of the assets of the Russian Federation, because this is the real pain that Russia will feel, and the culprit must bear the price of the war, he said, adding that all sanctions are important, but if we we really want sanctions to be painful for the aggressor, for war criminals, we must seize the assets of Russia. Morawiecki called the current crisis a turning point in the history of Europe, and perhaps the whole world, calling for further financial, military and humanitarian assistance to ensure that the colonial, imperial, nationalist power called Russia does not succeed. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During the conversation, Blinken highly appreciated the efforts of the Armenian government aimed at establishing peace and stability in the region, as well as the process of democratic reforms in Armenia. The sides exchanged views on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the opening of regional communications, and issues of regional security. Pashinyan shared his impressions of the trilateral meeting held in Brussels on May 22, noting that he generally assesses it positively, however, unfortunately, after the meeting, comments were made that had nothing to do with the content of the discussions. The Secretary of State confirmed the readiness of the US to continue supporting democratic reforms in Armenia, the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the demarcation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, the opening of regional communications and the establishment of regional stability. Discussions at the level of special representatives of Armenia and Turkey were also touched upon. The two agreed to continue high-level Armenia-US contacts. Ukraine will eventually become part of the European Union. This was announced by French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune, assuring Kyiv that the initiative to establish closer ties between the EU and accession candidates will not replace his application for accession, Reuters reported. French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month proposed the creation of a European political community that would create a new structure to work more closely with countries aspiring to EU membership. "I am convinced that Ukraine will be part of the European Union," Clement Beaune told reporters. "We know with honesty that it takes time and in this time we can't allow ourselves to simply wait. We have to nurture the European hope." Beaune, who said earlier this week that Ukraine could take 15 to 20 years to join, added that Macron's project is not an alternative. Speaking alongside Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, he said that the next step would be to discuss the details of the initiative with European partners. The aim is to create a community of countries that aspire to join the EU with or want closer ties and adhere to the core values of the EU in areas such as political cooperation, security, cooperation in energy, transport, infrastructure investment or the movement of people. The initiative was viewed with caution by some Member States due to the lack of details. Kyiv also expressed concern that this could be used as an alternative to membership. The European Commission will give its opinion on Ukraine's request as a candidate in June, but even if approved, the process will take several years and could be vetoed by a member state. By Trend Turkey will soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to combat terrorist threats from these regions, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. The main target of these will be to resume efforts to create 30-kilometer-deep (20-mile) safe zones along Turkeys border with Syria, Erdogan told a televised address after a Cabinet meeting. We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30-kilometer deep safe zone we established along our southern border, the president said. The main target of these operations will be areas that are centers of attacks to our country and safe zones, Erdogan said. He did not provide further details but said the operation would be launched as soon as military, intelligence and security forces have completed their preparations. Governor of Syunik province Robert Ghukasyan received US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Lynne Tracy on Tuesday. As Armenian News-NEWS.am was told in the administration of Syunik province, during the meeting, Tracy noted that she understand that now for Syunik is a period full of challenges. She added that the embassy continues to provide support through various structures of the US Government. In turn, Ghukasyan thanked for the programs implemented in the region on US investments. He also noted the importance of the ambassador's periodic visits to Syunik, noting that this is a certain indicator for local residents. The high-ranking diplomat and the head of the region discussed a number of issues related to the socio-economic, road construction, agricultural sectors, as well as the diversification of the economy, education, and development directions of Syunik. The Ambassador highlighted the importance of developing tourism in Syunik, noting that the region has great potential in this regard, and all this must be presented to people. Charles Michel's statement on the results of the trilateral meeting held recently in Brussels is a reason for bewilderment from the point of view of distorting the essence of the settlement of the Karabakh problem and heritage, 4 factions of the Artsakh Parliament said in a statement. The statement says, in part: The unified position of the people and authorities of Artsakh was presented in the statement of the National Assembly dated April 14 of this year, thereby confirming that the agendas of discussions and negotiations held in international instances are acceptable to us only if they are comparable with the provisions set out in the above statement. Charles Michel's statement on the results of the recent trilateral meeting in Brussels is a reason for bewilderment from the point of view of distorting the essence of the settlement of the Karabakh problem and the legacy accumulated over 30 years of the negotiation process. For the first time in the negotiation discourse, an attempt is made to abandon the political and geographical concept of "Nagorno-Karabakh" and the phrase "ethnic Armenian population of Karabakh" is introduced into circulation. All this is completely in tune with the theses spread by the leadership of Azerbaijan before the Brussels meeting and recently in general and testifies to the retreat of the current authorities of Armenia from the foreign policy vector. The active role of the Council of Europe in the issue of opening the epoch of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan at an accelerated pace could be understood if the response to the aggression provoked by Azerbaijan against the people of the Republic of Artsakh in September 2020 would be heard with the same consistency. The emphasis on security and protection of rights during the 44-day war would be acceptable to some extent for the people of Artsakh, who are defending their sovereignty. In the current circumstances, the authorities of Armenia are obliged to act solely from the standpoint of promoting and protecting the right of the Artsakh people to self-determination in international instances, based on the decision of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia on July 8, 1992, according to which any domestic or international document is unacceptable for Armenia, in which Nagorno-Karabakh is celebrated as part of Azerbaijan. For the authorities acting both in Artsakh and Armenia, the priority should be declarations on the proclamation of two Armenian republics, the values enshrined in the decision of September 2, 1991, and the independence referendum of December 10, 1991. Not a single official, not a single political force is authorized to independently decide the future of the Motherland, for the formation of which thousands of the sons of our people did not spare their lives. We are faced with the imperative of making historic decisions, and no one can evade responsibility to generations. The European Commission wants to make it easier to confiscate assets associated with illegal activities and suspected criminals, including those who evade European Union sanctions against Russia, Reuters reported with reference to the draft document. The legislative proposal, due to be published on Wednesday and still subject to change, aims to address gaps in the EU, where many states lack a strong enough legal framework to seize criminal assets, making it easier for criminals to hide their resources and profits from illegal activities. The war in Ukraine has further exposed these gaps, as many states seek to freeze the assets of people sanctioned by the EU for their Kremlin ties, and many others lack the legal authority to confiscate frozen assets. The legislative proposal will address these shortcomings by creating a common legal framework. The offenses to which the new rules will apply include terrorism, participation in a criminal organization, human trafficking, money laundering, as well as violation of EU sanctions, which, under a separate proposal, would become a crime throughout the EU. Seizure of assets would normally require a conviction, but under the bill it could be allowed to go to trial in some cases for suspected criminals and if they are handed over to suspected or accused third parties, including family members. EU authorities said that one of the main obstacles they faced in applying sanctions against Moscow was that individuals registered their assets in a false name or transferred them before the imposition of sanctions. To become law, the proposal needs the support of EU governments, which have traditionally been wary of reforms requiring changes to their criminal laws. Armenian Deputy PM Mher Grigoryan met his Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev on Tuesday on the interstate border of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The meeting took place as part of the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries, on the basis of relevant instructions, on May 24, 2022 within the format of joint work of commissions on border security issues and the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border delimitation. As the Armenain MFA reported, the parties reaffirmed their readiness to work within the commissions on border demarcation and other relevant issues, including border security issues. The two also discussed organizational and procedural issues of joint activities of the commissions. Along with meetings at the interstate border, the interlocutors agreed on the expediency of using various venues for further meetings of the commissions. An agreement was reached to hold the second meeting in Moscow, and the third in Brussels. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is planning a trip to Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Jordan and Egypt. During the tour, he will discuss regional and international issues and sign agreements in the field of energy and trade, Reuters reports citing sources. This will be the prince's first trip outside the region since the 2018 assassination of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. He attended the G20 Japan Summit in 2019. Saudi officials are still discussing the exact dates of the visit with the countries the crown prince will visit, the sources said. The trip can take place as early as June. One of the sources, a senior Turkish official, said that Prince Mohammed had accepted President Tayyip Erdogan's invitation to visit the country and the two sides were working on organizing the visit. The topics for discussion are bilateral trade, regional developments, a possible currency swap deal and other investment and energy projects, the official said.